Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78024 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
The van veers suddenly, throwing me sideways into the wall. Someone swears loudly.
A loud crack—a gunshot?—cuts through the air, close enough that I feel it through my whole body, and there’s a dull thump next to me. One of the attackers? An innocent person trying to help? I need to see!
Just as the van starts moving again, a hand wraps around my ankle. I kick, but with a feral snarl, someone hauls me violently out of the back. Arms wrap around me like a protective cage as we hit the ground and roll. My screams are silenced by the tape.
As soon as we stop, my back on the grass, the sack is ripped off and I find myself looking up at a still shirtless Sinner, but this isn’t the version he’s shown me until now. There’s not a hint of flirtiness in his furious face, and his eyes are so icy cold I’m surprised I don’t see my own breath.
“Stay the fuck down,” he growls.
One of the masked men jumps out of the back after us. I try to yell a warning but it just comes out as muffled grunting.
The guy manages to grab Sinner from behind, getting an arm around his neck. Sinner slams his elbow into the guy’s face, breaking it with a wet crunch that makes me wince.
There’s no time to be precious about it. I grab the edge of the tape over my mouth and pull. The tearing pain is enough to make my eyes water, but at least I can use my mouth again. I draw a deep breath, finally able to breathe freely again.
The kidnapper is still, against all odds, clinging to Sinner’s back.
“Let him go!” I kick the would-be kidnapper in the side, but maybe I shouldn’t have bothered. For all my practice with play fighting for the show, I’m not Desdemona. We were trained in how to make a fight look authentic, not actually hurt someone.
Bystanders are finally starting to wake up. A man throws himself into the fight, which seems to be enough for the masked attacker to finally decide the odds are too far out of his favor and scramble into the waiting vehicle. Several people try to block the way, but the driver doesn’t seem to care, and they’re forced to the side as the van takes off, side door still partly open with a boot hanging out.
There’s a commotion by the river.
“Erika!” I rush to the edge of the water.
It’s about a three foot drop and she’s struggling to get hold of something so she can stay close to the side where the current isn’t as strong. A woman runs over with a lifesaver and a coil of rope from a nearby emergency rescue point. Between the two of us we get her back up onto dry land. Erika is shaken and soaking wet, but safe.
“Are you okay?”
She blinks, taking a moment to take stock, before she nods. “Yeah. You?”
“I think so.” I look around for Sinner.
He’s on his feet, scanning the area. He looks like he’s out of an action movie, and the crowd can’t quite seem to decide if he’s a hero or one of the bad guys. His clear blue gaze finally lands on me, freezing me in place. The tension in his stance eases a little. He comes stomping my way.
“Come on. We’re going.”
I grab Erika’s hand. “I should probably stay until—”
“No.” He cuts me off, his voice hard. “You were the target. We need to get the fuck out of here in case they had a backup plan.”
“Go,” Erika urges. “I have my car. I’ll get to my Dad’s and call the cops from there. I don’t know what the hell just happened, but he might be right.”
“Okay.”
The three of us run to the parking area. Erika splits off to her car, and Sinner drags me to his bike, quickly pulling on his shirt and vest.
“We’re going to the club. It’s the only place I trust to keep you safe until we figure out what the fuck just happened.”
The past few minutes are finally catching up to me. “Did you shoot someone?”
“They had you in a fucking van, Quinn. I’m just sorry I didn’t tag all of them.” He doesn’t look the least bit sorry. “Now get your ass behind me and hold on, sweetheart. It’s gonna get bumpy.”
11
Chapter 11 - Quinn
The first ride with Sinner felt like a game. We’d been flirting, so wrapping my arms around him while the bike rumbled underneath us was natural. It was part of the same low-level hum of attraction we’d been dancing around before we left.
Now, the connection feels more like a lifeline.
I press my cheek against his back, inhaling the sharp mix of leather, oil and whatever combination of products Sinner uses that help make up his own unique scent. Every time I close my eyes I see the last message. The side of the van opening. Erika’s panic. The absolute fury on Sinner’s face as he ripped the bag off my head, ready to kill the men who attacked us.