Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
I wasn’t sure what I expected of the interior. It defied my expectations all the same. The place wasn’t so much a home as it was a workman’s shop. All sorts of machines I couldn’t name claimed the available space not taken up by a single couch, small dining table, kitchen, and a television over the table saw.
I peeked into the master bedroom on the way to the bathroom. The room was sparse, though his queen-size bed was neatly made. My heart twinged seeing that bare room. From what Genny, Liam, and Sunny said, Bane chose to live out here. That didn’t make it any less of a lonely existence. No wonder he talked a mile a minute when there was someone to speak to, and blew up creepy scarecrows for fun.
“Why did he move out here?” I asked Genny. She sat atop the kitchen counter, drinking coffee. “Was it just so he could blow things up in peace?”
“Bane goes into the city to keep an eye on Waterford and the men working for him. The main racket in that borough is weapons manufacturing—the illegal kind. It’s both an easy gig and a deadly one. The men get on with their business without being told. Late shipments mean late payments. But if one of them gets it into their head they’d do a better job running things than Bane...”
“There’s an arsenal conveniently at their fingertips,” I finished.
“He used to move around the city. Now he moves around the woods, making weapons and blowing shit up in peace.”
“And with him by my side, the Sons of Saint won’t doubt Sunny chose me to step up in his place. Do your crews all know each other?”
“They know of each of us. We are the Merchants.”
“—bad idea.” Bane’s voice came in ahead of him. “She runs away from a tickle. She’s not ready.”
The brothers entered the cabin. Bane went straight for the fridge and a bottled water. Sunny beelined for the couch, lifted my feet, and placed them on his lap. He started rubbing my arches. They were sore after ten miles, I didn’t think about stopping him.
“Were you talking about me?” I spoke up.
“Only about you,” Bane replied, “and your sister. Sunny told me the plan. It’s not a bad one—except for the fact those guys will smell innocence on you like a coyote sniffs out a rabbit.”
“I’m not some helpless little girl. I’m going to slap the next Merchant that makes me repeat it.”
“Nothing to do with helplessness.” Bane dropped on the rug, stretching out against the table saw. I followed his body down, cursing my thoughts. Even his feet were attractive. Bane boasted long, spindly toes covered in ink. The base of the castle depicted on his feet began at the toes and continued up, its spires climbing his ankles. “I don’t doubt you’re a strong woman, capable of handling yourself, but I don’t have to tell you the everyday asshole is nothing like a banger willing to put a bullet between your eyes for looking at them wrong.”
I flicked to Sunny. “Would any of your guys put a bullet in my head for looking at them wrong?”
“I didn’t put ‘looking for short-tempered, homicidal sociopath’ on the job flyer, lollipop lips. My guys are good guys. They don’t act without a reason, but...”
I didn’t like that pause, or the hesitation that flashed across his face. “But what, Sunny?”
“But thinking that you’re an impostor trying to fool them and take over the crew is a reason, so, yeah, it’d be best if they didn’t doubt you.” Sunny gestured to his brother. “Bane’ll help you with that part, I’ll help you with the details. If you know everything about my guys from their favorite sandwich to their favorite weapon, along with everything you know about me, they’ll figure we had to be close.”
Bane did the nodding in my place since I didn’t agree. I didn’t say anything.
Our eyes met at the same time. Mine panicked, Sienna’s placid. She wasn’t concerned about what we just heard—Sunny’s crew would kill if the sniff test came up suspicious. What would we do if they didn’t believe me? One of them could pull a gun a lot faster than Sunny or Thatcher could bust in to save the day. And then, of course, what if they did believe me? If the Sons of Saint welcomed us with open arms, dropping their guards and giving me a peek into a traitorous mind, and the traitor looked back? Wouldn’t he do exactly what Thatcher suggested, and snuff me out so I couldn’t take what he tried to kill Sunny to get?
“Are you sure?” I asked, slicing in Bane and Sunny’s conversation. “Are you sure you can teach us enough that they’ll buy the ruse?”
Sunny took my hand. “I wouldn’t have asked you to do this if I wasn’t sure.”