Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
“I’ve got it from here.” I reach into the glove box and pull out my pistol.
“Get our girl back.” Ocean chokes up. “Please.”
“I will.” The call ends, and I skid to a halt next to the damaged SUV.
As soon as I open my door, a shot rings out. My windshield shatters as I duck behind the tire and brace my back against it.
“You shouldn’t have come here!” the man yells.
His voice is familiar. Then I realize who it is. “Let her go, Parks.”
“She’s mine!” he screams. “You think you can take her from me?” Another shot slams into the side of the truck.
“She’ll never be yours.” I edge to the front of the truck, still behind the bumper.
“She will. All I have to do is kill you. Easy enough.” He fires again, the sound of the rifle crackling against the hillsides. Then I hear the bolt action click again as he reloads. Each time, it takes him almost a full second, as if he’s a little unsure with the weapon. I can use that.
“She loves me, Parks.”
“No she doesn’t! Just because you fucking tricked her. I know who you are, and I’m going to tell her all the evil shit you’ve done. When she finds out, she won’t have anything to do with you.”
“She knows.”
The rifle cracks again, the tire on the other side of my truck deflating with a whine.
“Liar!” The bolt action sounds again, perhaps taking a little longer this time.
“I told her. She knows about my past.” I peek out for only a moment. He’s got the shed door cracked open just enough to push his rifle through it.
“Parks?” Maggie’s voice sends warmth through me, relief pooling in my gut as I press myself against the bumper. “What are you do–”
“You’re mine. Tell him you’re mine!” Parks screams.
“She’ll never be yours!” I yell, trying to keep his attention on me.
His rifle goes off again, and I hear the beginning of the bolt action.
I throw myself from behind the truck, hit the ground on my back, take aim, and fire.
The door splinters, and the rifle clatters to the ground.
I’m on my feet in a split-second, and I run to the shed and kick the door in. Parks is on his side, blood rushing from the wound in his neck. He tries to staunch the flow with his hands as he stares at me with wide eyes. I step over him and drop to my knees beside a grubby couch where Maggie sits, her eyes dazed.
“Are you all right?” I move her hair to the side and inspect the wound on her temple. “Did he hurt you?”
“I’m …” Her eyes water as she looks at me. “I was so scared.”
My heart breaks, and I wrap her in my arms, holding her tight. “Shh, I’m here now. I’m here.” With a gentle movement, I cradle her in my arms and lift her, carrying her out of the shed and to my truck. “I’ve got you, Ace. Everything’s all right now.”
“Is Parks going to …”
“Yes.” I ease her into the passenger seat, then fasten her seatbelt. “Don’t worry about that.” I’d like to go back in and stomp his head into a pink mush, but getting her medical treatment is more important. “I’m getting you to the hospital.” I kiss her softly. “And I won’t leave your side.”
I step back, about to close her door.
She gasps, and a shot rings out, my left leg erupting in pain.
I whirl and bring my gun up, firing again and again. Parks drops like a weight, the pistol in his hand clattering to the ground as he falls in a bloody, dead heap.
EPILOGUE
MAGGIE
“It’s only a decoy,” I tell Ocean again. We keep going around about this. I’m not sure she is going to let this go.
“That’s okay. I still want it.” Ocean pouts.
She hates the idea of anyone having their hands on advanced technology that she hasn’t gotten to see. It’s funny because once she sees it, she’ll know a few of the patents she sold to Duffy have been used for projects. That woman is on thin ice with all the Parks bullshit, and she knows it.
“It doesn’t do anything. It’s all a show. It’s not equipped with anything. It’s Maverick’s new wingman.” Ocean lets out a gasp.
“I’m not saying I’d replace you with a fake machine!” I rush to add before she loses her mind. “I can steal the stupid decoy plane, but it’s useless. Give it a few more years. There won’t even be a Maverick. Well, not inside, anyway. Soon they’ll all be pilotless with a new F something name. Now that’s one you’ll want to get your hands on.” It will be fully loaded.
I’m not sure what she’ll do with it, but maybe she looks at it like a fancy Ferrari that some men keep in their garages. I actually think she just wants to dismantle it and put it back together. Ocean wants to know the inner workings of it. I would never tell her this, but I think her and Duffy being a team would be good for both of them. It’s easy for me to hack things. It’s not so easy to get your hands on tangible things.