Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 82121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Not come here, for starters,” Carlo says once we’re by the elevators. Nobody else is around, fortunately. “What room is he in?”
“I don’t know,” Barry moans.
“Why’d you come here?” I ask him, honestly curious. “You told me about this place. You had to have known we might be here.”
“If I told him that I talked, I’d be dead.” He’s whispering and shaking. “If I refused to show up, he would’ve known something is up. Finn’s paranoid as fuck, man. I had to act like nothing was wrong and like I got lucky or some shit.”
“You did get lucky,” Carlo says, grinning like a maniac. “What’s your deal here? Does he come down and meet you? What’d you bring him?”
“Coke,” he says, trembling. “And yeah, usually he sends the girl.”
Carlo licks his lips. “She’s a snack. What’s her name?”
“Stop it.” I punch him in the shoulder and look at Barry. “Is she coming down now?”
He nods quickly. “Yeah, man, usually just takes her a minute.”
“I’ll get the girl,” I say, already turning to the elevators. “Carlo, keep him here. And Barry, keep your fucking mouth shut. If you make one noise, Carlo will happily murder you. Right, Carlo?”
“Might do it anyway,” he mutters. “But yeah, what he said.”
Barry just nods, looking like a bullet wouldn’t be so bad right about now. At least that would be quick. I linger near the doors, cursing myself internally. What kind of shit luck is this? Of all people that could show up, it’s goddamn Barry.
I shouldn’t be surprised. He’s clearly not very smart. No wonder the Irish caught him and dragged him back right away. I buy the story about Finn being paranoid and playing dumb—probably was his natural inclination, after all, and the reason we haven’t gotten to him yet—but fuck. I’ll have to find a way to spring the kid again, or kill him myself. Molly will just have to understand. Sometimes, there’s no saving stupid.
The doors ding and slide open. I tense, preparing myself, as two old people step out. They don’t glance in my direction as they head toward the lobby, and I nearly don’t make my move when the girl follows after them.
She’s pretty. I can see why Finn’s got his dick hard for her. Thick, dark hair, a good figure, and young. I fall into step next to her, shove my gun against her ribs, and grab her arm.
“Don’t freak out,” I say, sounding as calm as I can and jab the gun tighter. “What’s your name?”
She goes totally still. I nearly stumble over her, it’s so sudden and complete. Some people flip and try to fight, and some lose their goddamn minds and try to run, but there’s a third category.
There are those who go totally still and hope the world doesn’t notice them.
This girl’s a freezer.
“Your name,” I grunt, dragging her back towards Carlo and Barry.
“Melissa,” she says, breathing hard. “Who are you? Did Finn send you?”
“No, Finn didn’t send me.” I tighten my grip. “I’m going to make you a deal. This offer won’t come again, so listen. You’re going to take me upstairs to your boyfriend. You’re going to open the door and let me inside. If you do all that and you’re cooperative, I won’t kill him, and I’ll let you go. But if you struggle, if you try to resist, if you make my life harder, I’ll cut your throat in the stairwell and fill this hotel with my men. We’ll wait until he shows up, and then we’ll end him too. You’re cornered, Melissa, so be smart here.”
We reach Carlo and Barry. The idiot cousin’s giving Melissa an apologetic look like he’s actually sorry. For her part, the girl’s standing up straight, still barely moving, but she’s not panicking at least. That’s a mark in her corner.
“Well?” Carlo hisses at me, looking around. “We’ve got two prisoners and there are fucking guests wandering around.”
“She’s going to take us upstairs.” I shake her arm to get her attention. “Right, Melissa?”
“Do what they say.” Good old Barry, coming to my rescue. “Seriously, I watched him kill two guys already.”
I give her a grim stare. Barry’s right, he did watch me murder two men. Fortunately for him, that’s the story I told Carlo and my brothers as well, but he’s getting too damn close to blurting out the truth. The stupid freaking bastard.
“Alright,” Melissa says. She has a good voice. Breathy and a little bit low. “I’ll do it. But you promised not to kill him. Please, Finn’s a good man. Please don’t kill him.”
Her breath’s coming faster, her chest rising fast. Carlo keeps glancing at her tits, the freak. I don’t know how he’s aroused right now, given the situation.
“We won’t,” I say and turn her toward the elevators. “Let’s go. All together, right? Everyone keeps their mouth shut.” I glance at Barry again, the stupid bastard.