Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43689 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 218(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Griffin moved closer too, his face hard with disgust. “We knew you’d try something. Though, why you’d pick a motorcycle club full of ex-cons to target is beyond me.”
Knuckles snorted. “He thought we were stupid.”
Griffin’s gaze snapped to Knuckles. “Wait. Now, what?”
“He thought we were nothing but gear-head thugs and that he could get one over on us.”
“You’d think you’d’ve learned a thing or two in prison,” Tiny rumbled. “The men who hold the keys to the yard ain’t stupid. Knuckles is our president and the shot caller for some big names in the city. You might have been a surgeon in another life, but you’re a dismal failure in this life. And not nearly smart enough to go up against someone like Knuckles.”
“The only reason you’re still breathing,” Knuckles said, still holding me back, “is because we’re waiting for instructions on what to do with you.”
Blackheart’s eyes narrowed at that, a flicker of genuine fear finally showing through his composed facade. “Instructions? From whom?”
I had stopped struggling but my fury still made me heave for breath. The satisfaction of seeing real fear on his face gave me a moment of vicious pleasure.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Knuckles promised.
“You’re making a mistake,” Blackheart insisted, his gaze darting between us. “Elvira will tell you herself. Ask her. She’ll admit everything.”
“That’s enough,” Griffin snapped, stepping forward to grab the duffel bag from Blackheart’s hands. “No one’s buying what you’re selling.”
Blackheart allowed the bag to be taken, his lips curving in a small, calculating smile. “You seem very certain of my daughter’s loyalty. Interesting.”
“One more word about Ellie,” I warned, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper, “and Knuckles and Tiny together won’t be able to hold me back.”
“Should Chains wake her up and bring her down here?” Tiny asked, glancing at Knuckles. “Let her see what Daddy dearest is really up to?”
Knuckles shook his head. “No. She doesn’t need to see this.” He gripped my shoulder, a reminder to hold my temper. “But she deserves to know. I’m sure you’ll figure out how to soften the blow, Chains.”
I nodded, the red haze of rage beginning to recede just enough for rational thought to seep back in. Ellie would be devastated. I’d tell her. Just not right now. She needed to let her heart heal before we discussed this.
“You can’t keep me here,” Blackheart said, his composure slipping further as he seemed to realize the gravity of his situation. “I have rights.”
Knuckles laughed, a cold sound utterly devoid of humor. “Rights? You gave up any rights when you broke into my office and stole from us. But don’t worry. We’re not going to kill you.”
“Not yet, anyway,” I added, flexing my hands, already imagining how good it would feel to wrap them around his throat.
Blackheart swallowed visibly, the first sign of genuine fear breaking through his facade. “What are you going to do with me?”
Knuckles smiled, and it was the smile of a predator who had cornered his prey. “We’re going to have a little chat. About who you are, what you did, and who’s interested in finding you. Because, I promise, this is something you really want to know.”
Knuckles pulled out his phone, checking a message before nodding to Griffin. My breathing was still ragged, my hands aching from how tightly I’d clenched my fists. But the red haze was clearing from my vision, replaced by a cold, calculating fury that I knew I wouldn’t get to satisfy. Not the way I wanted to.
Knuckles grinned at Blackheart. When he spoke, Knuckles’ voice was eerily calm. “The doctor who got caught, did his time, and now deserves a second chance.” He took a step closer to Tate, who instinctively backed up until he hit the wall. “Unfortunately, you touched some lives better left alone.”
Blackheart’s jaw tightened, but he maintained his composure. “That’s all ancient history. I served my time.”
“Did you?” Knuckles tilted his head. “Because the way I hear it, you only served time for what they could prove. The organ trafficking ring, the kickbacks, the falsified medical records.” He paused, watching Blackheart’s face. “But that wasn’t all, was it?”
Something flickered in Blackheart’s eyes, the first genuine emotion I’d seen there. Fear.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, but his voice lacked the smooth confidence from before.
“What got you caught were the ten-year-olds you harvested organs from while they were still alive and were expected to make a full recovery. The two hundred fifty thousand dollars you got for each kid’s heart when you sold it to dark web clients didn’t help either,” Knuckles stated with deadly calm.
Blackheart’s face drained of color. “That’s a lie. That was never proven.”
“Because you rolled on everyone else before they could dig deeper,” Knuckles continued. “You gave them your associates, your nurses, your contacts. Everyone who knew anything about the operation. But there were things only you knew. Things that never made it into the official record.”