Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“If you don’t know why we want her,” Carlo says, “it ain’t my job to tell you.”
Damn.
I wish I’d gotten that information from Lance at the tattoo shop. These two have something on Savannah, and I aim to find out what it is.
“I think it is, or you can explain to your boss why your partner’s dead, why I’m dead, and why you came back without the woman.”
“You think I’m stupid? I know she’s here. She’s locked up somewhere in the pool house. You kill him, I kill you, and I find her. End of story.”
He’s right at that. Savannah’s locked inside the changing room with no weapons. Hell, with no clothes. She’ll find a robe in there, probably put it on. But still, she’s unarmed.
Does she even know how to use a weapon?
So much I don’t know.
The woman’s a parole officer. She’s one of the good guys. So why the hell do these people want her?
I knew there was something I needed to find out about her. That’s why I went to Lance. On the inside, you learn to trust your intuition. There’s something about Savannah… Nothing bad, but these guys are after her for a reason.
Carlo takes a step forward.
“I don’t think so,” I say. “You keep your distance.”
“Just give me the girl, and Abel and I will be on our way.”
“At the risk of repeating myself, she’s not going anywhere with you.”
I want to kill this guy, and I may. I’ll do it to protect Savannah. I may die myself.
Except I won’t.
This is not how Savage’s story ends.
I didn’t get out of the joint and save my sister’s life just to have my own life cut short by a couple junior grade hitmen.
Raven may need more of my bone marrow, and if I’m dead…
I won’t be. It’s that simple. I need to live.
The thought of Raven draws my attention to the ache in my hip.
I steady myself. No time to think about that. Right now, my goal is to stay alive and keep Savannah safe.
“Ask your little girlfriend,” Carlo says. “Ask her about the Bianchis.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Savannah Gallo. She’s a member of the Bianchi crime family.”
I hold myself steady, the gun still trained against Abel’s head. I won’t show my surprise.
“You’re full of it,” I say.
“What? You think just because she works for the law, she can’t be a member of a crime family?”
“Her name is Gallo, asshole. She’s not a Bianchi.” The inside of my head starts to pound, as if my skull is launching cannonballs into my brain. “And even if she is a member of the family, that doesn’t mean she’s a criminal herself. In fact, I know she’s not.”
Carlo shakes his head, rolls his eyes, but I can tell he’s getting tired. “None of this matters. What you think doesn’t matter. We’re here for her, and we don’t aim to go back empty-handed.”
“You get the fuck out of here.” I pause a moment. “Or your friend will no longer have a brain. Not that the one he has is anything to write home about.”
“Damn it,” Carlo draws in a breath. “You just don’t know what’s good for you, do you, Bellamy?”
“You know,” I say thoughtfully. “I don’t think you’ve seen the inside of a cell. You’d have a look about you if you had. But you’re headed there, and you’re mighty pretty.”
Carlo’s eyes widen. Only slightly, but I notice. You learn to notice every extraneous detail on the inside. Especially when you’re up against someone who’s an actual threat.
“But your friend here?” I nudge the gun into Abel’s temple. “I’m betting he’s seen the inside of a cell. Us ex-cons, we know how to recognize each other. But you didn’t recognize me, did you Blondie?”
“Just give us the girl.”
Fuck…
The door to the pool house is open. I see Savannah… Wearing a robe… She slinks out of the door to the changing room. She’s quiet, and they won’t hear her over the whir of the hot tub motor.
But Sydney and Sammy…
They will hear.
Will Sydney run to her new mistress? Or will she protect her pup?
She’s known her pup longer. Come on, girl. You stay with your pup.
So far she hasn’t moved. Good dog.
Savannah’s body is wrapped in a lush terrycloth robe. It will slow her movements. But I can’t blame her. She’s naked underneath, and I sure as hell don’t want these two degenerates seeing her body.
Swaths of terrycloth are wrapped around her palms.
She’s holding something. Trying not to cut herself.
Damn it, Vannah… Go back inside…
But my subliminal message doesn’t get to her. So now it’s more important than ever that I keep Carlo trained on me.
“What’ll it take to get you out of here?” I say.
“You know what it’ll take. The girl.”
I tighten Abel’s headlock. “She’s not on the table. But if you know who I am, you know I’ve got money.”