Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 60604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
She swallowed.
“Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“What happens if fighting breaks out?” he quizzed her.
“I get in the car and drive back here.”
“Good girl.”
They drove downtown. He rode with Ashley, instructing her to let him out a few blocks before the bus station. “Remember the plan?” he asked.
Her face was pale and drawn, but she nodded without hesitation.
“What do you do?”
“I get Melissa and drive away as fast as I can.”
“And if something goes wrong?”
“I get in the car and drive away.”
“No matter what. Don’t stay to watch.” He wrote a phone number down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. “If something really goes wrong, and we never come back to the apartment, call Shayla. Tell her what happened and she’ll help you. Got it?”
Ashley’s eyes had grown very round and her lips were trembling.
He cupped her face with both his hands, his thumb stroking her lips. “No, no. Shh. Nothing like that will happen. I’m just providing insurance, that’s all. I’m going to take care of this.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice cracking.
“That’s my brave girl.” He leaned forward, meaning to kiss her forehead, but his instinct to claim her took over. He took her mouth in a bruising kiss, sweeping his tongue against the seam of her lips until she yielded entry. He slid his hand from her face to her nape, holding her prisoner as he kissed and sucked at her lips as if they were his only salvation. It felt as if they were. When they finally broke apart, breathless, she stared up at him with a dazed look. He gave her one last kiss, then another before he forced himself to turn away.
“I’m going to leave my clothes in the car,” he said, opening the door and standing up to shuck his clothing. He dropped them in the seat, shut the door, and shifted, ignoring the screaming in his brain that said not to let her go into danger.
Cold sweat dampened her shirt under the bulletproof vest as she pulled the car into the Greyhound parking lot. Her entire body trembled and her hands were ice cold on the wheel. She parked in a space and grabbed the laptop, stepping out. She looked around. The lot was full of cars, but she saw no sign of movement, nor did she hear any voices.
She turned back to her car and put the keys loosely back in the ignition so it would be ready to drive off at a moment’s notice, if necessary. She left the door slightly ajar, as well. Then she walked out toward the middle of the lot.
Time ticked by, glacially slow. Where were the wolves? She peered in the shadows, looking low for the glowing eyes, but saw nothing. Still, she sensed Ben was there, somewhere. She paced up and down the lot, but no one appeared.
Maybe she should wait in the car.
She turned and started back.
A car pulled into the lot, its headlights blinding her. She covered her eyes and watched as it drove past her, up to the main building. A woman got out of the passenger side and ran up the steps, trying to open the locked door to the station. She turned and trotted back down the stairs and got in the car, saying something to the driver. The car turned around and drove out.
She exhaled. Not them. Well, where in the hell were they? She pulled out her phone and glanced at the time. Twelve fifteen. It felt like an hour had already passed. She forced herself to take a deep breath to the count of four, then held it until she thought her lungs would explode. When she blew it out, her body relaxed marginally. She tried a second time.
Three pairs of headlights swung in at once. Nice cars—not like last time in the Stone parking lot. Two black 4Runners and a dark blue Mercedes. Not cars that belonged in a Greyhound bus station. Her heart jumped erratically in her chest. She turned in a circle, then forced herself to just stand still and wait.
They stopped in a ring around her. Her eyes slid toward her vehicle at least one hundred feet away now. Damn. She should’ve just waited in her car. Why was she so stupid?
She peered at the cars, trying to see if her sister might be in one, but with the headlights shining in her eyes, she couldn’t see anything.
The door of the four-runner in front of her swung open. “Put the laptop down and back away,” he said.
“Where’s Melissa?” she demanded, wishing her voice didn’t sound so high-pitched and shaky.
She heard the sound of a gun cocking as the man extended his arm straight out, sighting her with a pistol in his hand. “Do it now.”
“Where’s Melissa?” she repeated. “I’m not giving you anything until I see my sister.”