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 sucked it down and tried to act like this occurrence was no big deal. Everyone gathered around knew it was definitely an issue, though. Someone didn’t just come around firing shots for no reason.
Dread clamped down on my spirit. Couldn’t shake the worry that my actions had done this. That I’d been discovered before I’d had the chance to enact the revenge that had been coming for a long, long time.
But I wouldn’t let it stop me.
Couldn’t let it sway me.
The judgement had been cast, and it was on me to execute this wrath.
Dr. Reynolds stood, his knees creaking as he did. Felt bad that I had to drag him out in the middle of the night. Guy should be retired by now, and I was pretty sure half the reason he stayed in business was to be of aide to Sovereign Sanctum.
“If you’re in pain, take up to 600 mg of ibuprofen every four hours. Stitches are absorbable, so you don’t need to follow up unless you feel like you might be developing an infection, but in my experience, it isn’t likely you’d come in even if I wanted you to, anyway.”
The old guy had us pegged.
“Don’t think you need to worry about me.”
Dr. Reynolds chuckled. “Just as I thought. But try to lay low. Don’t go running any marathons in the next week.”
“Can’t make any promises,” I ribbed, keeping it light as I lifted my arms out to the sides.
He grunted a laugh then turned to everyone hovering close. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
“Thank you,” Kane told him.
“You know I’m at your beck and call,” he said before he angled around them and crossed to the door to head downstairs.
The second it closed behind him, Theo whipped forward, venom dripping from his tongue. “Did you get a look at this fucker?”
Trepidation spiraled through my senses. Knew the second the doctor left, the inquisition would start. Wasn’t sure I was prepared for it, though.
Guilt weighed so heavy I thought it might crush me.
A strained sigh rolled out of me as I scrubbed a palm over my face.
Hated it.
Keeping my crew in the dark.
My family.
The ones I trusted most.
“No. Best I could make out was it was a male. Tall and thin. Took off on a dirt bike. Camera footage was grainy as fuck and not a whole lot of use.”
“Fuck,” Kane spat toward the ground. He glanced around at our crew.
River was a dark cloud, that quiet, terrifying fury oozing from his being. Theo looked like he was a second from hopping on his bike and searching every square inch of Moonlit Ridge, murder pricking on his tattooed fingers.
And Cash…Cash lingered a couple steps behind, staring at me with his brown eyes narrowed into accusatory slits.
No doubt, he had an idea of who it was, though he was keeping quiet, waiting on me to make the right choice to come clean.
Agitation twisted my stomach into knots. Couldn’t. Not yet. I had to see this through, and I had to do it without dragging my crew into this disaster.
It might be inevitable, though. Wasn’t sure I could keep this secret if someone had found out what I was doing. Couldn’t keep going along like nothing had happened if it put my family in danger.
Second I thought it, my gaze shifted to Raven.
Fuckin’ gorgeous Raven.
Wearing those sleep shorts and that tank, shifting on her bare, pretty feet. Hair piled high. A total mess that I wanted to make messier.
Her face was contorted in a thousand things that I both adored and didn’t want to recognize.
It was like standing there, she knew. Like she possessed some ability to see straight to the middle of me, dig around in my secrets, and discern exactly who I was and what I was up to.
“Has anyone heard anything? Had any sign that someone has discovered who we are?” River asked, attention volleying between each of us.
Kane and Theo shook their heads. “It’s been quiet.”
River shifted to Cash. Cash who looked like he wanted to call me out, his bearded jaw clenched as he looked from me to River. “My surveillance shows all current placements remain in their homes. I also haven’t intercepted any indication of someone searching for us.”
Frustration heaved from River’s nose. “This can’t be fuckin’ random.”
“Nah, there’s no chance,” Theo agreed, studying me like he was also searching around for some sort of clue hidden on my face.
“Did anyone look downstairs?” Raven asked. “See if any evidence was left behind? A window was broken, and whoever this was took off on a dirt bike, so there have to be tracks, right? There has to be some clue to find this creep.” Her tone was harried. “He can’t just get away. We can’t let him get away.”
Her words broke on the last, and she turned a forlorn gaze on me. A gaze I was worried said too much.