Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
“You’ll have your own apartment, honey.” Riot didn’t seem irritated, but I felt guilty for making demands. If I had been by myself in this I’d never have spoken up, only taken what I was offered. But I thought it was bad enough I wasn’t putting up much of a fight for us to stay someplace other than a motorcycle club compound. With men I didn’t know. Who appeared to have more than one member who’d done time in prison.
The irony of this whole situation was unmistakable. In public, my husband was part of the Nashville elite. He donated to the university’s children’s hospital and was on the board of directors of several charitable organizations. He kept me behind closed doors most of the time, telling everyone I was a very private person and had anxiety in crowds. Doug had taken Caleb with him a few times, but I got the impression it was more because it benefited him to be seen as Caleb’s loving father. The few times he’d insisted I go with him to a social function had felt like I was as much an accessory as his cufflinks. And I knew better than to try to escape him, or defy him. The man he presented in public was a far cry from the man he was in private.
“I should be horrified at what happened at the hotel.”
“That make you see me differently?”
“I’d have to be a fool not to see you differently, but I don’t think you’ll hurt me, and I don’t think you’re a bad person. In fact, you and Ms. Thompson have done exactly what you promised. Doug would tell me you guys were the monsters when I know the real monster is him.”
The men Riot had called in had brought him an older model, big-ass Bronco. It only had two doors, but the back seat was surprisingly roomy. Riot sat on one side of me while Caleb was on the other. The two men in the front had been introduced to me as Tiny -- who wasn’t at all tiny -- and Noose. Not really sure there was anything else to say about Noose other than his name. The horror show wrote itself.
“There are so many red flags with you guys I can’t even count, but I’d be lying if I said I feel threatened by any of you.” I looked up at Riot as I spoke. His features were hard. He constantly scanned outside the vehicle as we rode to the outskirts of the city. He was obviously taking the threat to me and Caleb very seriously, and was determined to protect us.
“Good. I want you guys to feel safe. Before anything else, you need to know you have a secure place to regroup.”
“I’m sorry.” My whispered apology sounded as broken as I felt. I wasn’t sure what Doug had planned for me when he sent those men after us, but I was sure I wouldn’t have lived long after he had me. “I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful.”
“You didn’t.” To my surprise, Riot found my hand with his. His large fingers closed around mine and gave a gentle squeeze. He didn’t look at me or acknowledge the physical contact, but he didn’t let go immediately so I curled my fingers around his. If he wanted me to let go, he could easily pull away. He’d initiated the contact, and I craved the security his touch represented.
We drove for a good thirty minutes. I got the impression they were taking a wandering route. No one spoke. Occasionally one of the guys in the front would grunt, but that was the extent of their communication.
Eventually, we got closer to the river and came to several large warehouses surrounded by a chain-link fence. A large gate blocked the road ahead of us but slid open as we approached. I saw two men, one on either side of the road, as we rolled through. The area looked like a shipping storage yard.
“Home, sweet home,” Tiny announced as we pulled to a stop outside a warehouse in the middle of at least a dozen warehouses over a larger area. Camouflage netting stretched between buildings. The whole thing was very much like a militia compound. I wondered how they got away with something like this so close to the river and the shipping yard, but these didn’t seem to be normal people. I thought maybe the less I knew, the better.
Caleb looked up at the artificial ceiling-like canopy over us, taking everything in. “This is where you live?” he asked Riot.
“Yeah.” Riot rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “Well, sort of. I mean…” He took a breath. “I’ve only been out of prison, like, three days. I live here, but it’s gonna take a while for it to feel like home.”