Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
“Erica,” he whispers as he reaches for me.
I flinch and back away from his outstretched hand. “Don’t touch me.”
“Erica, please,” he begs. “They really left us no choice.”
I have to get out of here. I have to go.
“I…” I begin to say, but there are no words. Nothing left to say.
So, I turn and run. I flee back to the restaurant and hop into a waiting cab.
“Drive,” I beg as tears fill my eyes. “Just go.”
The driver looks at me through the rearview mirror and then takes off.
When he turns the corner I catch one last glimpse of Magnus standing alone in the dark street, head low, looking like his heart just shattered.
Well, that makes two of us.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Erica
Maybe this is a bad idea…
I’m parked across the street from the Rourke’s Warhounds’ headquarters and it doesn’t look good.
It didn’t exactly scream welcoming when I was a kid either, but now it just feels... darker. More dangerous. I’m not a kid anymore. I know the evils that some men are capable of.
The sagging porch is cluttered with beer cans and busted-up lawn chairs. The small patch of grass on the side of the building is wild and unruly. A couple of motorcycles are parked out front, oil stains beneath them like bloodstains on the concrete. The front door is half open, and music is thudding faintly from somewhere inside—some angry rock song I don’t recognize.
I swallow hard, gripping the steering wheel with both hands as I sit frozen in the driver’s seat.
“This is a bad idea.”
I think about what Magnus would say if he knew I was here. He’d probably toss me over his big broad shoulder and carry me away like a protective brute.
A part of me longs for that. But a larger part of me doesn’t think I can ever see him again. How can I be with the man who killed my brother?
A spark of defiance hits me and I burst out of the car with my heart pounding.
Take this, Magnus, you murdering asshole.
I head to the entrance with one thing on my mind—getting Mace’s silver watch.
Mace always wore it. It was one of the only things he treated with respect. I thought it would be a nice memento to bring home. It would be a piece of them. Something tangible. Something uncomplicated.
But nothing about them was ever uncomplicated.
I hug my jacket tight around me as I step onto the gravel road with a forced breath. The second I cross the street, I feel the eyes. A few menacing guys I don’t recognize step out of the headquarters and watch me as I walk up to the old weathered steps. One of them sips his beer and leans on the post as I force out a smile.
“Hello,” I say, realizing that this truly is a bad idea. Now, I really wish Magnus was here. “I’m Mace and Knox’s sister. Erica.”
They don’t say anything. The one with the greasy black hair narrows his eyes on me as he takes a long drag of his cigarette.
“Banks said I could come by and pick it up,” I say, glancing back at my car. Maybe I should just take off.
“Banks!” the greasy one yells into the dilapidated building. “Get the fuck out here!”
I step back, not wanting to go in there for anything. Maybe I should just go…
But Banks walks out and the opportunity to flee has gone.
“Erica,” he says, giving me a sleazy smile. “Come in. Come in.”
He hurries down the stairs, towering over me with his lanky frame, and puts his bony arm around my shoulders.
“I got the watch inside,” he says, his foul breath washing down on me. “Want a drink?”
“I just want the watch,” I say as I grab his wrist and peel his arm off. “I only have a minute.”
He tries to usher me in, but I stop at the door. I’m not going in there. I can hear Magnus’ deep voice in my head warning me to be careful around these guys and I’m going to listen.
The other guys are still watching me, their nasty eyes violating every inch of my body.
“You know I always wanted to ask you out,” Banks says, grinning at me. “But your brothers would have killed me.”
“Hmm,” I say, crossing my arms and looking away.
“Your brothers aren’t around anymore,” he says. “Lucky us.”
I put my hand out. “The watch, Banks.”
He chuckles, low and cold. “Didn’t peg you for the sentimental type, Erica.”
I shift my weight, keeping my distance. My heart is pounding now. Why did I come alone? Why did I come at all? Is a watch really going to make me feel any better? Is it going to fix the unfixable?
Banks steps a little closer and leans against the porch post. “Word is you’ve been hanging around with those bitch bears from Heat & Stink. Especially the big one. What’s his name? Magnus?”