Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 770(@200wpm)___ 616(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
I moved so she could see me, and she waved wildly from the other side.
What a goof.
A soft laugh rolled out of me, and I mumbled, “What in the world are you doing?” as I tapped the code to turn off the alarm on the panel next to the door. I worked through the locks, a smile full on my face as I opened it.
“Hey, Sienna. What are you doing back here?”
“Hi, Raven.” Her smile was soft as she reached for my hand. Only when she grabbed it, she cinched down tight, and her nails dug into my skin as she jerked me out into the alley.
What in the world?
Surprise lurched through my consciousness, my head spinning as I tried to process what was happening. The harsh grip of her hand and the unexpected sneer on her face.
But it was the barrel of the gun that was suddenly pressed to my side that sent a slick of dread through my being. A thick, oily sensation that oozed through my spirit and dripped into my soul. “Sienna? What are you doing?”
“What I came here to do.”
She grabbed me by the arm and jostled me around so she was behind me, and she locked an elbow around my neck.
Slowly, she turned to face me out into the right side of the alley.
To the man who stepped out from behind a large dumpster.
Sickness pooled in my stomach when I saw who it was.
Gideon.
Sienna pressed her mouth to my ear, whispering, “Your friend was totally right about me. I do like them dark, but I already have myself a man. And he’s been waiting on this day for a long, long time.”
FIFTY-NINE
OTTO
TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD
Otto and his crew tore up the road through the seedy area in Hollywood. His hand was cocked back on the throttle, their engines roaring as they blazed beneath the cover of night.
His teeth were gritted in spite and fear.
His guts gnarled with dread.
He’d had a feeling that things had gone bad when he couldn’t get in touch with Haddie this evening and Raven’s room had been empty when he’d gotten himself together enough to go ask her if she’d heard from his sister.
He’d still been reeling from the disgusting lie he’d had to tell her last night.
How he felt like he was splitting in two as he severed the trust Raven had given him. As he cut the bond that had tied them with the snip of his words.
Words that were nothing but blasphemy.
But he’d had to do it. He had no other choice. He couldn’t betray River that way. But more than that? He couldn’t saddle Raven with a life like theirs.
When he’d found Raven’s room empty, he’d called her, but her phone had gone directly to voicemail. Intuition had kicked, an angsty sense that promised things weren’t right, and he’d gone to River who had her location on his phone.
There was no other reason for them to be headed this way other than chasing down trouble, and he was sure Gideon and his friends had something to do with this.
Thankfully, the girls weren’t that far ahead of them.
Otto and his crew had all jumped on their bikes, and now they raced, bullets that rocketed through the city. They barely slowed when they made the right into the grungy neighborhood.
It wasn’t that far off from the depravity Haddie had grown up in, so it wasn’t like showing up here was going to cause her a whole lot of concern.
But Otto?
He was concerned.
Spirit bashing with a turbid awareness that wouldn’t let him go.
Especially after they hadn’t heard a word from Gideon and his crew. He’d expected immediate retaliation. Sure it was gonna come to a head.
But God, he would never survive it if it came to this.
He nearly breathed out in relief when he saw his sister’s car sitting at the curb, all while a fresh shot of adrenaline spiked through his senses.
They all came to grinding halts behind it, parking at odd angles as they jumped off their bikes and ran for the door.
Otto was out front, and his hand darted for the knob. He rattled it. It was locked.
He didn’t bother with knocking.
He grabbed both sides of the doorframe and lifted his leg, and he rammed the sole of his boot against the door near the doorknob.
Wood splintered, though it didn’t give.
He did it again.
Twice more before it finally busted open and slammed against the interior wall.
All five of them piled in, ready for a fight, eyes scanning the area.
Confusion wound through him when they found the living room empty. No motion at all. Until he heard the tiny moan echo from somewhere deeper in the house.
He shared a look with River before they went running, boots thundering across the floor before they dove through a nook and into a kitchen.