Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
He always was a gentleman like that and it makes me sigh a little at how perfect they are for each other.
But once Lowyn’s car disappears, and Collin is all the way up the driveway, mostly hidden by dozens of his men, I slip out the front door and straight over to the brown building where I saw Shep disappear.
15 - Shep
My mind is spinning with all kinds of scenarios as I make my way back into the kennel. And even though my heart kind of jumped when I saw her—and it wasn’t totally from shock—this is not good.
Whatever she’s up to, it’s not good.
And it kinda pisses me off. But also, I think I’m the one to blame.
I guess she really is Collin’s sister. Fine. That could be the reason she’s here. But that’s not the only reason. If it was, why now? Why didn’t she come here first? Why open that weird bar in the middle of the woods?
That place was a honeypot. It was CORE through and through. And they’re not here for me—the only reason they’re here is Collin.
And now this is all gonna come back on me.
I’m so pissed.
Because even though I didn’t lead her here—hell, I didn’t do anything with that girl except talk to her a couple of times—this is all gonna be blamed on me.
And I just got accepted into the group. For the first time in years, I’ve got a place to belong. I’ve got people, and a place to live, and a purpose. And none of that has anything to do with me being a spy.
But that’s what he’s gonna think. That’s what Collin’s gonna think if he finds out Olive is CORE and that she and I already know each other.
If, Shep? If? There’s no if. She’s here to tell him who I am.
And that’s it for me. I’ll be alone again. And it’s all her fault.
I walk through the kennel, fuming, but don’t go to the puppy. Instead, I go into the feed room and stare at the whiteboard where bossy Cross left me a list of instructions. Which… kinda makes me smile.
But also ignites the anger again, because I like this kid. I like his puppy. I’m looking forward to training that little maniac to bite people on command. This sounds fun to me.
I like this life, brand new as it is. It feels like a real second chance and I don’t want this girl fucking it up.
The main door of the kennel opens, then slams closed, being on a tight spring to keep dogs in. It’s probably Amon wondering where I am. Not that I really have a schedule yet, but Cross has left for school and the puppy’s training is now my responsibility, so I put Olive behind me and step out into the hallway.
But it’s not Amon, so my words come out in a growl. “What the hell are you doing, Olive? Why are you here?”
She looks taken aback for a moment, like she wasn’t expecting my anger. Which is such a lie. She is such a lie. Because this reaction only lasts for a split second. In the next moment, she’s spitting words at me. “What does that mean, what am I doing? Collin is my brother. I told you that. You’re just mad because you didn’t believe me and now you look like a fool.”
“A fool?” I laugh. “Well, I’d rather be a fool than a fuckin’ liar and that’s what you are.”
“And yet here I am in my brother’s super-secret, black-ops, ex-military compound. How can both of these things be true, if I’m a liar?”
“Because you work for CORE.”
“So do you.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I used to. They kicked me out.”
“They kicked you out? Do you even hear yourself? Please. They kicked you out.” She scoffs. “They didn’t kick you out, Shep.” She sneers my name. “They let you go. And then …” She shrugs. “Somehow… by luck, I’m sure, you ended up here at Edge Security. A super-secret, black-ops, ex-military security business run by the infamous Collin Creed. Yeah,” she laughs. “That’s likely.”
“Believe what you want. I was in prison. CORE was not coming to save me.”
“Wow.” She cocks a hip and leans against the wall. “You’re just… dumb, or something.”
“Right.”
“Well, you’re not sittin’ in prison right now. So… how’s that happen if CORE didn’t get you out?”
“Charlie Beaufort did.”
“Charlie Beaufort is as CORE as they come, Shep. He’s a two-faced piece of shit. The only reason the US military complex still uses him is because he can get the job done. All he wants is money and power and he doesn’t care one bit where those two things come from. So you’re either lying to me”—she narrows her eyes down until they’re almost slits—“or you’re lying to yourself. Which one is it?”