Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 787(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Two men had me. They raced me through the brush, carrying me back toward campus.
Security? They saw what I was about to do to Owen and dragged me away.
Then why aren’t they talking? Why didn’t they holler and bluster, order me to drop my weapon and then myself?
I bucked harder, snapping at the gloves. They were not security.
We broke through the brush, coming out behind the psychology building. Two figures waited in the glow of the fluorescent light, I recognized them instantly.
Rafael leaned against the brick façade, a few leaves short of nature’s loincloth. Beside him, Cato crouched on the back steps, flicking a lighter on and out.
“Oh good.” Rafael clapped. “You got her.”
“Mmmh!”
“Where was she?” he asked. “Did she get to him?”
“No,” replied one of my abductors. “Close, though. We stopped her just in time. Thasher didn’t notice a thing.”
“Wow.” The shadows stretched Rafael’s grin. He plucked the switchblade from my grip. “You were really going to go through with it. I’m impressed, Sinclair. You’ve got titanium balls under that deliciously short skirt. A fact I should find off-putting, but it’s making mine tighten all the same.”
I tried to kick him but the hold on my legs was too tight.
“Put her down.”
They let me go just like that—placing me next to Cato, who crowded me, his face muzzle uncomfortably close and his lighter closer. Heat tickled my chin as they towered over me—Rafael, Lucien, and Wilder.
Rafael moved to lean on the rail, cutting off that route of escape. On the opposite rail, the guy I had yet to meet in person, Lucien, adjusted his gloves, smoothed down his ruffle shirt, and flashed me a smile, sharpened canines glinting. You would’ve thought we were gathering for a chat and tea, if not for Wilder’s burning glare. He stood between them—arms folded and bursting out of his shirt.
“What the hell are you mad about?!” I barked. “You weren’t the one manhandled and dragged around campus like a futon! How’d you know I was there? Were you following me? You really are freaks, you creepy-ass, twisted, shit-licking, vomit bags! You’re lucky I don’t have that knife or I’d fuck you up six ways to Saturday!”
My rant went full steam, devolving into insults and curses I didn’t know I knew. My stress was understandable. After months of planning, compromises, and the rending of my soul it took to get here, I finally had one of the men responsible for my sister’s death within reach.
Rafael laughed. “That’s right, love, get it all out. I’m not anatomically capable of doing half those things to myself, but if you want to give it a try, I’m up for anything in bed.”
I launched at them. “Get out of my way!”
Wilder was a boulder. I bounced off his hard abs, ending up back on my ass. I didn’t move him a centimeter but my efforts did gift me Cato’s unsettling growling in my ear.
“Luna, please, calm down.” Slow, honey-dipped speech flowed from Lucien’s lips. “We apologize for the rough handling, but you understand we had to act fast. You were in the process of slitting a man’s throat.”
He said it so casually, a shiver trawled my spine, hardening my muscles.
I took a deep breath, skimming blank, angry, and amused expressions. “That’s a cute joke, but I wasn’t in the process of doing any such thing. Whatever you think you saw—”
“Save it,” Rafael broke in. “We’re in a blind spot. No cameras. No one in the building or out. And if someone comes, we’ll see them long before they overhear what we’re talking about. We’re safe to talk here, Sinclair.”
“I said I don’t know—”
“Stop wasting our time,” Wilder bit off. “You came here to get revenge on the Royals who drove Winter to suicide. If we wanted to stop you, we’d have sent the cops after you instead of picking you up ourselves.”
“You—” I halted, part of what he said penetrating. “What do you mean, if you wanted to stop me?”
Rafael sighed loudly. “You’re seriously asking that? I dropped how many hints.”
“Hints?”
He bobbed his head, eyes wide in mocking and brows up. His earbuds stuck in fast despite the motion. “Told you I was the son of a hit man. That I’m the go-to fixer around here. If you need anything, call me... Any of this ringing bells?”
I stared at him.
“Let me help, Rafa. You can be quite opaque.” Lucien bent, smiling at me. “What he was trying to tell you is that he has the lack of morals one acquires when they’re raised by a hired gun. He’s in the habit of doing things society frowns on in exchange for favors, and he has a brother and a few friends who are too. In summary, Rafael was offering you our help in taking down the Royals who hurt your sister.”