Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 123(@200wpm)___ 98(@250wpm)___ 82(@300wpm)
Sage Elsher was stunned by a violent encounter in her own home. She had no idea who to trust until Arrow came to her rescue. The Master Chief inspires confidence…even when he steals her away to a safe house.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
SAGE
Staring up at the square-shaped whiteboard I used to design crossword puzzles, I tapped the bottom of my dry erase marker against my lips as I considered where I wanted to place the first word. I had decided on the theme this morning—the most difficult part of designing a puzzle—and was hoping to make good progress today so it would be ready for submission tomorrow. This particular puzzle was a harder one since I was hoping it would be accepted for a Sunday edition of the paper, which required a larger grid. It also paid three times as much, so competition for the coveted spot was fierce.
Just as I was in the middle of writing out the seven-letter answer, there was a loud pounding on the door. After quickly scribbling the rest of the word, I glared over my shoulder. My roommate had left for work a couple of hours ago, and I wasn’t expecting anyone to visit, so I was tempted to ignore whoever it was. Unfortunately, my unwanted visitor made that option impossible when they only waited a few seconds before thumping against the hard surface again. Only this time they didn’t stop until I finally stormed across the living room to fling open the door.
“What do you wa—” I hissed, the last word trailing off when I caught sight of the man whose fist was still raised, quickly regretting my decision. Popping in my noise reduction earbuds so I could ignore the interruption would definitely have been a much better choice.
My gaze darted to the guys standing on either side of him as they rushed forward to grab my arms as one of them grunted, “Boss needs to talk to you, bitch.”
“Oww, stop,” I cried, trying to yank out of their hold.
“I wouldn’t bother trying to get away, Phoebe. You’re not going anywhere until I’m done with you,” the man in the middle warned. He was obviously the boss the two thugs had referred to.
“You heard him,” the jerk holding my right arm snarled, tightening his fingers enough that my skin was sure to be bruised when he finally let me go.
The name the boss had used finally clicked in my brain. “I’m sorry. Phoebe isn’t here right now.”
“Nice try, girlie.” He got right up in my face and reached out to grab my chin in a punishing grip. “But I’m not gonna buy your lies.”
I was terrified as tears filled my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. “It’s the truth, I swear.”
“You’re a better liar than your brother, I’ll give you that.” His dark, beady eyes didn’t have an ounce of compassion as he scanned my expression. “Every time he’s told me he’ll have the money he owes me, it’s been obvious he’s lying. But if I didn’t know better, I’d almost think that you’re telling me the truth.”
I blinked up at him in a daze. “But I don’t even have a brother.”
“Sure you don’t,” he jeered, releasing my chin to jab a finger toward the apartment number above my door. “The problem with your story is that I know damn well that Paul Baker’s sister, Phoebe, lives at this address. No way in hell would my source lie to me about that. He knows what price he’d pay for crossing me.”
Holy crap! He was here because of Phoebe’s no-good brother…who she hadn’t even talked to in months.
“You’re here for Paul?” I whispered.
He quirked a brow. “Thought you said you weren’t Phoebe.”
“I’m really not. I’m her roommate, Sage.”
It didn’t seem to matter how much I tried explaining the situation, none of these men were willing to listen to what I had to say.
“Too bad for you that your brother isn’t around to learn the lesson himself, or else I’d just take the money he owes me out of his hide.” The two goons laughed as he shook his head. “Since he’s disappeared into thin air without giving me the ten large that he owes for a brick he was supposed to sell, I’m gonna have to make do with you.”
“Junkie shoulda known better,” the guy on my left muttered.
“He really should have,” the boss agreed with an evil smirk. “I can’t let his transgression slide, or else I’ll lose respect. Then some dealer will think he can invade my territory, and I’d have to kill him.”
I knew that Paul had struggled with drugs in the past, but I had no idea that he had relapsed. Or that he owed his dealer enough money to have the man show up at our apartment. If I had, I never would have opened the door.
“I don’t know what kind of trouble my roommate’s brother has gotten himself into, and I have no idea where he is,” I swore, tilting my head back toward the apartment. “If you let me get my purse, I can prove that I’m not Phoebe.”