Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
“Lulu, look who I have!” Elena ushered me forward.
The woman’s eyes widened in appraisal before settling into welcome. “Well, if it isn’t our most anticipated guest.”
Guest?
That was a stretch.
“It’s about time you came down here and gave me a visit. And after I made my special French toast this morning just for you.”
There was no anger to it. Just a casual, easy warmth.
Uh, yeah, I’d skipped out on the breakfast Silas had mentioned last night since I would have gagged had I put anything in my mouth.
I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. “Oh, well, I’m sorry. I…wasn’t very hungry this morning.”
Her mouth stretched into a knowing grin. “Don’t you worry, honey. It’s a lot to take in.”
Wrinkles weathered her face, like tracks of harrowed memories.
Honestly, she looked like she’d been dragged to hell and back.
Worn down by years and tragedies.
If I had to bet on it, I’d guess she was probably in her early fifties, ten years younger than she appeared.
Elena snatched my hand and swung it between us. “Isn’t she sooo freaking pretty, Lulu? I told you.”
“Stunnin’,” Lulu drawled.
I shook my head as I looked at Elena. “You’re ridiculous. Have you looked in the mirror?”
Elena beamed like she’d never received a compliment before. “Really?”
Lulu chuckled. “Sweet girl, you’re gorgeous. No one tells you since they know they’ll get their jugular ripped out by your brother if they do.”
Frustration filled the roll of Elena’s eyes. “He’s so overbearing sometimes, I want to scream.”
“Well, you know why he is the way he is,” Lulu said softly. “After everything, I think you’re lucky he lets you out of the house at all.”
My attention volleyed between them. Trying to catch up. To understand the flash of what looked like terror rip through Elena’s expression.
Then she sighed and looked away as she mumbled, “I know.”
When she looked back, she was all bright smiles again. “Okay, Brinley is starving, and you know that will never do around here. We must feed her.”
“She’s come to the right place.” Lulu hobbled back to the buffet table, showing off a significant limp in her left leg.
While I stood there with the walls spinning around me.
Unsure of what was going on. I hadn’t expected anyone to extend any welcome, and these two had to be the most genuine people I’d ever met.
But I needed to remember what brought me here. Remember the man who was out haunting the periphery of the fire.
Lulu started making me a plate, scooping up giant spoonfuls of potato salad and buttered corn and cole slaw.
I moved to her side. “I can do that.”
“Oh no. It’s what I do around here, unless you don’t like something?”
I shifted in discomfort.
Was she here paying off a debt, too? Was she stuck working for this jerk?
I didn’t like it. Not one bit.
I gulped down the ire. “Everything looks amazing.”
Elena curled an arm through Lulu’s and set her head on the outside of her shoulder. “It’s how she loves us. Through her food.”
Oh.
Okay. Fine.
Not what I was thinking.
“Believe me, between her and Meems,” Elena continued, “you’re going to be well fed while you’re here. You may never want to leave.”
Yeah, that was not going to happen.
Lulu passed me the plate, then she insisted on making one for Elena, too.
“Thank you,” I murmured.
Flustered.
So out of sorts I didn’t know what to make of anything.
I followed Elena over to a table and sat down.
It felt like a moment’s reprieve.
A breath so I could try to figure out what I was really doing down here.
I scanned, gaze skating over the faces of the few who were in the mess hall.
A couple of super young bikers who were scarfing down their meals, and an older guy sitting a couple of chairs down from them.
Elena chattered beside me. I had no doubt she was keeping to safe topics, clearly confining herself to the parameters that she’d been given since she’d let herself slip earlier.
Going on like this was some sort of resort rather than a pit of depravity.
Then the air suddenly shifted.
A bolt of energy staking through the atmosphere.
A blast of that intensity there was no chance I could miss.
Her voice faded away as my attention snapped up to peer through the long open sections of the wall that ran above the buffet.
Sections that didn’t contain any glass, I assumed so food could easily be passed through.
Beyond them was what looked to be a hall of some sort.
A group of men were walking by, only their faces and shoulders exposed.
Trevan and three other men I didn’t know the names of, but one who I’d seen out in the autobody shop earlier today.
They were jostling and messing with each other. Laughter rolling.
But it was the one striding out ahead of them that sent a cold dread slipping through my veins.
A slick of fear and interest and fiery hate.