Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132657 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“Believe me, I know she doesn’t have a damn crush on me,” Jack shot back. “That woman can’t stand me which is why I avoided her, but I do understand. I’m sorry, Harlow.”
“I don’t need an apology. I need Jensen alive and whole and on his way to someplace safe, which will not be the FBI building until you figure out where your leak is,” she announced. “I know you can’t imagine anyone would take Hamilton’s piles of cash over their deep belief in our justice system…”
Jack held a hand up. “I get it. I fucked up, and for some stupid reasons that I need to work on. I’ll go get him. You stay here.”
She was done talking to Jack. She started for the stairs. “Landon, we’re going up. Watch for anyone coming in or going out.”
Landon moved behind her. “I’ll take a spot on the stairs while you grab him.”
She strode down the path toward the stairs at the west side of the building that would lead her to Jensen’s apartment. Naturally it was as far away as possible, and she wondered if he chose it for the privacy. It certainly wasn’t for comfort, as the place looked like it was going to fall apart. The walkway was lined with overgrown bushes that would have been nice if anyone gave a damn. They gave the place privacy, but in a creepy way.
She rounded the corner and felt a hand on her arm as someone moved from said creepy bushes, and she realized that her instincts were right on time. A big guy with disheveled hair and kind of wild eyes pulled her against him.
“Drop the gun, bitch,” he snarled. He had his own gun shoved against her side.
Niall immediately dropped the gun and had his hands up. “Hey, no problems here, buddy. Why don’t you let the girl go?”
Fuck. They were here. She noticed neither Landon nor Jack had rounded the corner. Smart boys. So they would be trying to find a way to get behind them. She wasn’t sure that was possible with the overgrown greenery. “Where’s Jensen?”
“I said drop the gun,” he reiterated, trying to get as close as he could, likely making himself a smaller target.
She did as he asked and let the gun fall to the grass. And eased her hand into her pocket, feeling for the knife she’d put there. She didn’t need a gun to take this asshole out, but if she could get some information from him, she would.
She took a deep breath and let the adrenaline flow over her. In a good way. She’d been trained to stay calm in dangerous times.
Your mind is the most important weapon you have, Harlow. Staying calm means you can make decisions other people can’t in the same circumstances. You wait and bide your time, and then you make your move and no one will see it coming.
Damn it. She was trained by her dad. Oh, her papa had been there, too, but it had been Chase Dawson who sparred with her, who questioned her until all of this was habit. Staying calm. Breathing. Waiting for the right time.
“Where is Jensen?” She let a tremble hit her voice. Like she was scared and ready to cry. She needed to get as much information as she could. “Please, I want to see my boyfriend.”
“Your boyfriend is in serious trouble,” the man said. “My boss wants a word with him, and I think maybe he’ll talk faster if I take you up there. Maybe if he sees how we’re going to treat you, he’ll tell us what we want to know.”
Niall’s face went a florid red, but she watched as he clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes on her. She gave him a wink. He was trying. He wasn’t following his caveman instinct to protect his woman and screwing everything up. He was doing what she asked him to. Staying calm and letting her take the lead.
“I don’t…please don’t hurt me. I can’t…you’re going to…” Thank the universe he couldn’t see her face because she was really better with making her voice sound all subby and sad. Everyone told her she could sound scared but still look like she was going to cut a bitch. “How many of you are going to…hurt me?”
She didn’t say what she meant. How many of you motherfuckers plan on gang raping a girl? She wanted a number.
He chuckled as though all of this was funny. He thought he had them right where he wanted them. Did this asshole even know there were two more of them or had he simply waited in the bushes and done no recon? “Well, darlin’, there are only three of us right now, but maybe we’ll take you with us. There’s always a place for another whore. My boss is going to think you’re real pretty.”