Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
The line goes dead, and I call security at the house. How the hell did this happen?
“Sir,” my head of security says when he answers the phone.
“Where the fuck is my wife?” I’m about a mile away, but I’m going as fast as I can.
“There’s a standoff happening in the driveway, sir. Someone ran through the gate just as another car was leaving, and now they’ve got your wife hostage inside your house.”
I nearly crush the phone in my hand but manage not to as I turn the wheel and my tires screech. The driveway gates look like they were rammed open, and I plow through them, not giving a damn if my car is damaged. In the distance I see a dark SUV but nothing else.
My car barely comes to a stop before I’m out and running up the steps.
“That’s far enough.” I hear a gun cock and someone steps out from behind me and holds it against my head. “Open the door, Stan,” the man says, and the front doors swing wide.
In the foyer there’s another man pointing a gun at my wife. Then I see Phoebe tied to a chair with a gag over her mouth. Her dress is ripped at the top and it looks like she’s been hit in the face. Her cheek is red, and her eye is beginning to swell.
“Did you touch her?” My voice is cold and deadly as I feel rage like I’ve never felt before. “Which one of you did it?”
“Little cunt bit me,” the guy behind me says.
I swear on my wife that before the sun sets, I’ll rip his heart out of his chest.
“We’re here to take what we’re owed,” the guy named Stan says.
“If you want money, all you have to do is ask.” I’m shocked at how calm my voice has become. But I’ve got to be calm for Phoebe. Even if they kill me, I have to protect her.
“It’s not money. Her daddy already missed that train. Now we’re taking his sweet little girl as payment.”
Phoebe makes a muffled scream against her gag, and my heart shatters into a thousand pieces. I need to go to her and hold her against me.
“Where’s Mrs. Birch?” I ask, trying to figure out how many more of them there are.
“The old bitch?” the guy behind me says. “She’s right over there.”
I see Mrs. Birch on the ground next to the steps, and I pray she’s just knocked out and not dead. In the distance I hear a dog barking, but I can’t concentrate on that right now.
“So Sherman only sent two men to take care of his debts?” I’m hedging again, trying to make sure it’s just them.
The guy behind me laughs and pushes the gun against the back of my head. “Looks like the two of us is all it took, eh? Shut your mouth, pretty boy, and let us have our fun with her. Besides, you don’t really need her since you’ve got your supermodel girlfriend. This little one is just extra.”
“Yeah, we’re gonna have some fun with her, just so dear old Daddy knows we’re not playing,” Stan says and grabs Phoebe by her hair and pulls it back. She cries out, and I swear my vision turns red.
“Did you get all that, Roger?” I say out loud, and the men with the guns look at me with questioning glances.
“Yes, sir,” the head of security says back, and it comes from the speaker phone in my pocket.
“The feds are on their way?” I ask, and the man beside me visibly pales.
“Yes, sir.”
“And just to be clear,” I say as I turn to face the man next to me. “You’ve got your guns trained on these assholes right now?”
Three of my security guards come up behind the man in the house and point their guns at him. He immediately drops his weapon and takes a step away from Phoebe.
“Wait, let’s work out a deal,” the guy in front of me begins to beg. “We weren’t really going to hurt her.”
I see one of the guards come over and help Mrs. Birch. Thankfully she looks dizzy but okay.
“Take Phoebe upstairs,” I tell her as we pass.
“Boone,” Phoebe says, and I turn to see they’ve untied her and taken the gag out of her mouth.
“Go upstairs. I’ll be there soon.” I turn my glare on the man in front of me, and he drops the gun at his side. “I’m going to enjoy this.”
“Wait, just wait.” The guy is already begging as I take off my coat and drop it to the ground.
“The biggest mistake you ever made was putting your hands on my wife.” I roll my sleeves up. “How long do I have, Roger?”
“About seven minutes, sir.”
“Plenty of time.”
The guy’s screams echo through the trees as I take out my revenge for touching my wife. Roger brings the other guy over, and once the first guy is in a bloody heap, I turn my rage on that one too.