Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63866 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Nick lets it all out in a string of run-on sentences, thinking the faster he talks, the faster he gets out of here. By the time he's done, he's out of breath.
He is stupider than I imagined. Here I thought I was naïve. He ate up everything Cyberius was feeding him. Cyberius made him believe that he cares about me and was worried. He was able to amp that up once Cyberius linked that I am now connected to the Marino family, which, if the timeline is correct, he picked up on when Ronan had set that first trap.
I'm guessing Cyberius wasn't sure what to do with that link at first. I could have only been poking around, but he'd sent Nick back home to check things out, and there Ronan was, and it was more than clear we were together.
“You know he is likely to kill you,” Ronan tells Nick. “He was never going to give you Ellie; he wants her for himself.”
“Wait, no.” Nick shakes his head adamantly.
“Don’t you know better than to trust people you meet online?”
“The Marino family!” Nick is fighting to try and be on the right side of this.
“You sold me out.”
“I was saving you.” It’s pointless to have this conversation further with him. I turn around to face Ronan. The only one that needs saving right now is Nick.
“He’s just a dumbass.” I rub my temples. “What the hell do we do with him?” I’m not sure I have it in me to let him die. He might truly believe he was doing the right thing. All I can think about right now are his parents.
“That’s up to you.”
“Maybe we should talk to my dad,” I suggest.
“He knows. We had a talk before I grabbed him.”
“Really?” I smile up at him. “I love that you two get along.”
“He told me to do what I thought I should. That he trusted my choice.”
“Then why are you making it my choice?” I try to glare at him, but I can’t keep it up.
“What I thought should be done was letting you decide.”
“If we let him go, he could go running his mouth.” I start to weigh out the pros and cons.
“He could.” Ronan nods in agreement.
“But that’s the thing. I’m not hiding anymore, so how much does that matter?”
“I swear I won’t tell anyone anything. I messed up. I believe that Cyberius is bad.”
“Shut up,” I snip at him. "Now, where was I?"
"Plotting."
"Right." I snap my fingers. "If Nick here is so sorry, then maybe he could prove it." A slow, sexy smile spreads across Ro's handsome face. "If I'm going to hunt, I'll need bait."
“That’s my girl.”
Hearing those three words never gets old.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
RONAN
“You’re growing soft,” War says when I enter his office. Tova is perched in his lap. The last thing Ellie makes me is soft. I just fucked her against the shower wall, and I could go another round or two. I never get enough of her. I’d gone from never giving much thought to sex to now it’s every other thought. "You let him live."
Now the thought of Nick can kill a hard-on.
"He lives to see another day."
"Hey, I want up." Tova wiggles in War's lap.
"I don't want you to get up."
"I know." Tova kisses his cheek. "But I'm the lady of the house, and I must check on dinner and maybe Marks." War plants a kiss on her before he finally releases her from his hold. It’s still strange to see him so affectionate.
Tova stops in front of me. She has always been a sweet girl. I have known her for many years. Not that we were chatty. Most people tend to avoid me, and Tova gave us all a wide berth when she moved to live on the farm.
“She cut that hair?” Tova asks. I run my hand across the top of my skull.
“Good, isn’t it?” Not a question, a statement.
“Yeah, good. We’ll go with that.” A small laugh leaves her. “Thanks.”
“Nothing to thank me for.” Tova shrugs.
“Means a lot to me.” She waves her hand around. “For all of us, you know? This family we’re making here.” I nod in agreement. Tova smiles up at me. “I’ll see you for dinner?”
“Of course, I wouldn't want to upset the lady of the house.” When she passes by me to leave, she gives my shoulder a squeeze.
“Z is headed down.” I nod, walking over to the couch and sitting down. I kick my feet up on it, knowing it will annoy Z. There’s not much that ruffles his feathers, besides my sister, of course, but this will also do it.
“We need to all be on the same page as to how we are going to handle Cyberius.” It’s why we are all here today. Each of us has their own thoughts on how to handle things. But it’s best if we put our minds together to execute a well-thought-out plan. That way all angles are covered. It’s how we operate as a family.