Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 110721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Wait!”
He did not wait, so Taryn ran after him.
That could be another bad decision in her lifetime long list of bad decisions, but her gut was telling her that, between Patch’s actions and questions, James Conrad did live here.
“He had long dark brown or black hair, black facial hair, dark brown eyes. He’s six foot or so and”—from the little she could see that day—“has tattoos.”
A snort was heard from the man who continued to walk and did not slow down.
“Please! I only need a minute with him.”
“He lasts longer than a minute.”
What did that mean? Did she even want to know? “If you know that, then you know him!”
“Didn’t say that,” Patch threw over his shoulder, not slowing down.
She ran faster so she could catch him before he disappeared through a door she only just now noticed.
She got in front of him, then stopped, blocking his path. When he stepped to the right, so did she. When he moved to the left, she did the same. He shook his head. “Woman.”
“Please. He helped me. I only want to thank him.”
“Hire one of those planes that writes in the sky or somethin’.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Would I tell them to fly it over this address?”
He dropped his gaze to his boots and muttered, “Fuck.”
“Can you just tell him I’m here and only need a moment of his time? It would be greatly appreciated.” She pointed to the ground. “I can wait out here.”
“Might be waitin’ a while.”
“That’s fine.” It wasn’t, but now she was determined to see him. The more Patch tried to get her to leave, the more she wanted to dig in her heels.
Patch kept his eyes locked with hers as he slowly leaned over and spat some more of that gross dark juice onto the ground.
Taryn quickly stepped back to avoid the splash.
Yuck.
When he straightened, he pulled a cell phone from the inside of his vest, jabbed at the screen, then put it to his ear. After a few seconds, he dropped it to his side. “He ain’t answerin’.”
“Try again, please.”
With a long, aggravated sigh, he dialed again and put the phone back to his ear.
“No, ain’t an emergency, brother. Some girly’s here wantin’ to see you.” Patch eyed her up and down. “Possibly. Says she knows you. Maybe you fucked her before since she said she’s here to thank you for your service.”
Heat licked at her cheeks. “No, I—”
With a scowl, Patch turned his back on her. “Whatya wanna do? Want her to wait outside? Or you want me to send her up to join you?”
Join him? Doing what?
“Sure? She ain’t half bad. Hard to see her tits under whatever the fuck she’s wearin’, though. Ass looks sweet enough.”
When was he checking out her ass?
“Yep. You got it, brother.” Patch stabbed at the screen to end the call, then tucked his phone away. He turned back to Taryn. “Come with me.”
She quickly followed on his heels as he yanked open the door and went inside. Of course, not holding it for her. She caught it before it closed and quickly ducked through the doorway.
The school was definitely different on the inside, where a lot of updates had been done, versus the outside. The wide hallways remained but most of the doors to what might have once been classrooms were solid and without windows, making it impossible to see what was going on behind them.
The walls had been repainted and the floors were a polished concrete instead of tile or laminate.
She took as much in as she could as she tried to keep up with Patch. For an older, heavyset gentleman—and she was being very generous with that title—he was sure fast on his feet.
He stopped in an area that had the chained front doors to her left and a wide stairway to her right.
The huge design under her feet matched what was on the back of Patch’s vest.
Interesting.
“Stay here. Stone said he’d be down when he’s done.”
“Done with what? And who is Stone?”
“More like done with who.” Patch pointed at the floor. “Stay there. For your own good, best if you don’t move.”
Along the same vein as the no trespassing signs, his warning sounded ominous.
“Wait. I…”
Ignoring her, he continued across the foyer, if that was what it was called, and down the opposite hallway, eventually disappearing through a doorway on the right.
“Shit,” she mumbled under her breath, then glanced up the stairway. She could only see as far as the first landing, where the stairs took a turn.
Wondering how long she’d have to wait, she slowly spun in a circle. The interior was really in much better shape than expected after seeing the unkempt and trashed exterior. Was it spotless? No. Garbage had accumulated in some corners but nothing like outside. Some graffiti-like writing also graced the walls.