Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34282 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 171(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Yeah. Fishy as fuck.
When I’d called Mr. Brown out on it all, telling him he was full of shit. I told him -- in front of everyone -- that if my sister was harmed, I’d kill him. I was promptly arrested and escorted off the property. Not my finest moment. Or my most intelligent.
Fortunately, they hadn’t done much other than give me a stern talking to and had taken me back to my apartment.
“I know it’s hard,” one of them said, not unkindly. “But I’m sure your sister will be better off.”
“I was supposed to adopt her in less than three months,” I said softly. “The judge said if I could prove I could provide for her, I could adopt her when I turned eighteen. All we had in the world was each other.”
“Look at it this way. She’s got a great new home, and you won’t have the responsibility of being a mother at such a young age.”
“Jerrica isn’t a responsibility,” I said hotly. “She’s my sister. I love her.”
“Do you really?” The cop pinned me with a hard gaze. “If you do, you’ll want more for her than this.” He gestured at the crappy apartment building where I lived. “Accept it. Move on. And for Christ’s sake, don’t go around threatening to kill people.”
“But other girls have disappeared from there! I’m telling you, there’s something not right!”
The cop met my gaze with a level one. “Look. I promise I’ll look into them, OK? But you have to face the fact your sister is with another family.”
“She’d never have agreed to this.” Would she? Maybe everyone was right. Maybe Jerrica would be better off this way.
“Honey, she didn’t have a choice. She was a ward of the state. Once they found a suitable home for her, they got another orphan off their books.”
“So it’s all about money.”
“It’s about placing children in need with good families.” He sighed. “Accept it. Be happy she’s got a home with a family who wants and loves her.”
“I’m her sister. No one could love her more than me.”
“So? Be happy for her. Get on with your life. The faster you accept this and move on, the better you’ll feel.” He got out of the car and opened the door for me. “I’m sorry, kid. Merry Christmas.”
Yeah. Merry fucking Christmas to you too, pal.
There was no way I was letting this go. No one believed me about girls disappearing from the home. The cops didn’t believe me about Jerrica being in danger. Why would they? Mr. Brown had a very good explanation. Didn’t mean it was true. One thing I knew in my heart was that Jerrica needed me. Even if she wasn’t in danger, she needed me.
It was Christmas Day. There wasn’t a lawyer’s office open, even if I could pay for one. The courts weren’t open. There was nothing I could do.
Then I thought about the Christmas party. Maybe there was someone at that place, the Black Reign clubhouse, who could help me. I’d been apathetic toward them when we were there, seeing the party as nothing more than somewhere free I could celebrate Christmas with Jerrica. A place where we could have a hot meal, and she could get presents I couldn’t afford to give her. They might laugh in my face. Or run me off and tell me to never come back again. But I had to try. For my sister, I’d try anything.
* * *
Sting
I had no intention of making a trip to Florida for Christmas. I had too Goddamned much to do. Despite Warlock -- the old president of Iron Tzars and my father -- letting his ol’ lady manipulate him enough to get the government breathing down our necks, he’d left the club in very good shape. There was no trace of evidence to suggest we’d ever possessed anything from or had any sort of communication with Argent Tech.
The main problem was the division within the ranks. Bev had done a number on several of our members, and I knew there would be some I had to cut. The problem was how to do it. It didn’t feel right kicking them out. It wasn’t their fault Bev got into their heads. Besides, most of them were younger members or prospects. The older ones knew better. Which was why I found myself rolling into the Black Reign compound on Christmas Day.
“Welcome!” The one they called El Diablo greeted us with a smile and open arms. He was dressed smartly in an expensive-looking suit with diamond-and-gold cufflinks and rings and a lapel pin. He looked like anything other than the president of a motorcycle club. “To what do we owe this great honor?”
I raised an eyebrow. Was this guy for real? I’d known Black Reign was a different sort of MC, but I wasn’t expecting this.