Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
“I gotta piss. I’ll be right there.”
“I’ll wait.”
The fear kicked up another notch.
“Whatever.”
I left him standing in the door and walked past Sean, who barely moved his head, but his gaze was intense. “Did that shipment arrive?” I asked quietly. “I need to know the merchandise is safe.”
“I’ll see if it’s been updated.”
“Do that.”
In the bathroom, I grabbed my gun from under the sink and slipped it in the back of my pants. Another smaller one went in my ankle holster and I tucked my knife under my belt. I didn’t know if I was walking into a trap, but I was going to be ready. I quickly added my earpiece and, after a deep breath, exited the bathroom.
Rex hadn’t moved, his large frame filling the door. Sean’s forehead was furrowed.
“Problem?”
“Nothing I can’t handle. A small glitch with the tracking.”
I frowned. “Anything else?”
“Nope. The rest is working.”
“See you in a few.”
He glanced up at me, his jaw tight, our eyes holding a silent conversation. We both knew there was a situation brewing—we simply didn’t know what.
“In a few.”
I knew he’d follow.
I joined Rex, trailing slightly behind him. “I do know the way. No need for an escort.”
“Orson asked me to bring you. What Orson wants, I do,” he muttered in his low, cement-thick voice.
“Don’t we all,” I returned.
He didn’t reply, not that I expected him to. He rarely spoke unless he had to.
We passed Larry, who only nodded and kept going in the direction we’d come from. The hair on the back of my neck rose at the satisfied smirk I’d seen on his face.
“Where is Larry going?” I asked, knowing Sean could hear me. “Why is he heading toward my room?”
“No idea. Maybe he’s going elsewhere. There’re lots of rooms here. Besides, it’s not your house.”
He swung open the office door, stepping back and indicating for me to enter. Sean’s voice was quiet in my ear. “Skylar’s phone was off. It’s on now, so I’ll get her location. Stay sharp—and keep this open. I want to hear what’s going on.”
I sighed heavily so he’d know I heard him.
Orson looked up from his desk. It was piled high with papers, and he held a stack in his hand.
“Anthony. Feeling better this morning, are we? Did you blow off enough steam you can get your head back in the fucking game now?”
“I don’t think my head was out of the game, Orson.” I sat down without being invited, knowing it would piss him off. “I don’t like the tone either. It was your idea for me to go and blow off steam, remember?”
“Ah, yes. Well, we all have our ways of dealing with stress, don’t we?”
I stared at him. Dealing with stress?
“When the hell did you become Dr. Phil?”
He grinned—a malevolent, twisted grin. One so devoid of emotion, the shards in my blood became thicker, small stabs of anxiety running through my entire body.
“What did you want to see me for, Orson?”
“I have something I want to show you, Anthony.”
“Oh?”
He leaned forward. “I have a new trophy.”
I wanted to shut my eyes at the glee in his voice. Another victim, another memory of his power he would add to his collection. I met his gaze, hoping mine was as detached as his.
“What does this have to do with me?”
“You don’t understand. It’s the greatest trophy of them all. It surpasses everything I’ve ever collected before.”
I opened my mouth to tell him I didn’t give a fuck, when Sean’s voice crackled in my ear, fear and anger almost distorting it.
“Cian! Fuck! Something…fuck… Cian, Skylar is here! She’s in the fucking compound!”
I heard another shout, then he began to curse, and he cut off.
My gaze snapped to Orson, who smiled. A smile so full of evil and hate, a shudder ran down my spine—his eyes, cold and devoid of any emotion other than hatred.
The sense of fear that had been building in my stomach spontaneously burst into an inferno so hot, I knew the only thing it would leave behind was a trail of ash.
He had her.
I didn’t know how, but Orson had Skylar.
And I had to get her back—or die trying.
Chapter 19
Cian
My heart raced, sweat breaking out on the back of my neck as I struggled to remain calm. Buy some time. I needed Sean here. Even if I killed either Rex or Orson, the other would take me out, and they would kill not only Sean, but Skylar too. She had to come out of this alive. She had to.
Leaning back in the chair, I crossed my ankle over my knee, praying my trembling limbs wouldn’t give me away. “A new trophy, Orson? Your room must be getting pretty full with all the people pissing you off.” Casually, I threw my knife on the desk with a smirk. “Here’s mine. Save you the trouble later.”