Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 128307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
He proves my intuition accurate when he replies, “I can’t. It’s too late.”
Fear takes hold of my senses. I understand his pain, wholeheartedly, but if he kills India as I believe he wants to do, she will take all her secrets to the grave with her.
“It isn’t too late, Maddox. It’s never too late.” There’s silence, then nothing. “If you go through with this, you will start a mafia war. This is part of India’s plan for world domination. She’s pitting the Petrettis against the Popo—”
My words shift to a groan when pain shreds through my midsection. Several minor nicks set my skin on fire and send me flying backward so fast my earpiece knocks from my ear, and I waver between semiconsciousness and unconsciousness.
The world explodes around me. Agents shout, and gunfire ricochets off the concrete walls as the sharp tang of blood floods my tongue. I need to move, to seek cover, and the faint trickle of my name breaking through the ringing of a blast in my ears gets my feet moving.
As Grayson’s panicked shrill of my name sounds from my earpiece, I duck behind a crumbling wall. My heart is pounding, and my breaths come out fast. I scan the premises, expecting to see the shadows of my enemies darting through the smoke. I can’t see anyone.
Even with my earpiece several feet away from me, I respond to Grayson’s request for an update. “Booby trap.”
I fight to fill my lungs with air while peering down at my blouse. A circular object pierced my abdomen, thankfully inches away from anything dangerous. Coughing, I signal for my team to retreat. We can’t risk detonating another trap, so we will need to bring in detonation experts before we can continue.
“I’m injured but okay,” I shout at my earpiece while creeping toward the exit.
I continually scan for targets. My hands are steady, and my focus is razor sharp. I can’t afford to hesitate. Not now. Not with more than my life on the line.
I’m about to slip into the open when a flash of movement to my left gains my attention. I pivot and then raise my gun, preparing to fire. My bullet remains in the chamber when I recognize the orange hair of the man darting toward the tree-studded forest.
“Maddox…” My voice is weak, leaving me no choice but to follow him.
I’m not sure how I am moving. Adrenaline must be driving my strides. Or perhaps revenge. Even though we’ve never met in person, I only need one glance to recognize the face of the deceased woman in the underground bunker Maddox just raced out of.
He killed India.
He killed the only person capable of disclosing my sister’s last known location.
He killed my only chance of getting my sister back.
And now he appears minutes from killing himself.
For a brief second, I’m tempted to let Maddox’s demons overwhelm him. That’s how devastated I am that he allowed evil to win. But then I’d be no better than him, and it would take me months to even my balance sheet. So instead of permitting him to take the cheat’s route, I raise my gun, then demand he get on his knees and put his hands behind his back.
Stubborn and perhaps heartbroken, Maddox shakes his head. He isn’t a killer. His grief just got too much for him to bear. “I can’t go back there. I won’t survive it without her.” Tears stream down his face as he cranks his neck to me. “It isn’t what you’re thinking. Your sis—”
“Get on your fucking knees and put your hands behind your back!” I’m so angry that I am seconds from making a costly mistake. I don’t want that, but Maddox isn’t leaving me much choice. “Don’t make me shoot you, Maddox. Please.” The crushing reality of how close I came to finding Kendall only to have it cruelly stripped away for revenge is devastating. “I told you to stop. Why didn’t you listen to me? She’ll never be found now.”
My gun rattles when Maddox says, “She will be.” The pain spasming through my stomach is nonexistent when he speaks words I’ve practiced saying for fourteen and a half years. “Kendall will be home by the end of the week. We found them, Macy. They’re coming home.”
“You found her?” I don’t recognize my own voice. I’m in shock. I must be. I’ve never sounded more lost.
Maddox’s nod is barely visible through the tears corrupting my vision. “Yes.” It is only one word, but it is the only one I need to hear.
The night quietens, the threat seemingly gone.
Or so it seems.
As Maddox’s hand slips behind his back, a shadowed figure presents on the horizon.
I shout for him to show me his hands, to disarm himself before I’m forced to retaliate. But when his grin proves actions will always speak louder than words, I brace my stance and then peer down the scope of my gun before I fire once.