Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 125248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Location?”
“We were in the back of the van for at least an hour. Multiple turns. Highway, then surface streets. I couldn’t see out. We’re in some abandoned warehouse now with high blacked-out windows. They got us zip-tied on the floor.”
God’s mind was moving through a dozen scenarios, none of which seemed possible without breaking a lot of laws.
Ruxs paced. Green stood near the wall, breathing through his nose as if he was trying to ward off a panic attack.
Steele stared out of the window at the blackness, his expression unreadable.
Cassidy had both hands in his hair now, fingers locked at the back of his neck.
Free’s voice slipped into the comm, quieter than Tech’s. “Call Fox. He’s the only one who can work my system.”
“I know,” Day said, “He’s on it.”
“I sent him the access codes,” Free whispered. “Once he’s in, my screens will come up. You’ll get Tech’s glasses cam and our locations will ping.”
“Hurry up,” Cassidy said, voice rough enough to cut. “For Christ’s sake, hurry up.”
God put a hand out in front of him, palm down.
Stay steady.
“They want ten million wired to an offshore account,” Tech said. “One of them plans to take Xander to his bank in the morning to authorize the transfer. They said if he tries anything, they’ll kill us first, then him.”
Cassidy caught the back of a chair in one fist and launched it across the room. It slammed into the wall with a violent crack before it splintered into several pieces.
Nobody flinched. Each of them had been through this before. They knew what it was like to have a gun pointed at the head of the man they loved.
“Fox said he’s almost in,” Day reported.
Free’s voice came again, smaller this time. “God?”
“I’m here.”
“Do not call Ivan. Please.”
God went still.
Hart was his best friend. He couldn’t keep this from him.
“I know you’re gonna get us out of here,” Free whispered. “But for fuck’s sake, don’t call him. I don’t need him losing his mind two thousand miles away where he can’t help.”
God’s throat worked once. “Okay.”
Free breathed out. “Thank you.”
Tech’s voice dropped lower. “They’re coming back. Standby.”
Everyone in the suite froze.
For several seconds, all they heard was distant movement through Tech’s open channel. Footsteps. A metal door. The scrape of something being dragged across concrete. Xander’s quicker breaths, thin and uneven, tipping toward panic.
Then a man spoke.
“Everybody comfortable?”
His voice was close to Tech. His tone sounded as if he was entertained by their fear.
No one answered.
The man laughed. “Good. Now, this doesn’t have to get complicated. You cooperate. Money gets wired. We disappear. You all go home with a story to tell.”
Another voice, farther away, said, “Check the ties.”
Footsteps moved.
Someone grunted.
“Don’t fuckin touch me,” Curtis snapped.
A hard shove followed.
God gritted his teeth.
For fuck’s sake. To not be blood, how the hell was he just as reckless as his fathers?
The first man spoke again. “This is your own fault, Xander Vale. Bennett promised a payout, and I don’t care if he ran like a bitch. Somebody’s paying what I’m owed.”
God’s blood heated.
A third voice, raspier, shifted closer.
“My twin brother got killed by one of your goddamn bodyguards,” he said. “My cousin’s in prison. Three of my friends are dead because your little celebrity ass wouldn’t just stay scared like you were supposed to.”
Cassidy’s entire body seemed to vibrate.
Day moved beside him and put a hand against his chest. Not to stop him physically. To remind him he was not alone with his rage.
The kidnapper spoke with venom lacing his voice. “Oh yeah. Somebody’s gonna pay. And if you do it without trouble, maybe I won’t make you pay for their lives with yours.”
“I’ll give you anything you want. Just don’t hurt them,” Xander said shakily.
Cassidy’s eyes shone.
God had to look away from him.
There were sounds a man made when pain and anguish crippled him. Cassidy made none of them, which somehow made it worse.
God turned to Ruxs. “Where’s Genesis?”
“He’s on his way,” Ruxs answered. “You know he’s going to lose his shit.”
This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted Xander to go. It didn’t matter that Bennett Ashford was gone. There was always another opportunist asshole with greed, and a gun.
“Let me at least break one of their arms or something,” The angry one said. “They killed four of our fucking friends and have the audacity to go out sightseeing a week later.” His voice moved. “I can’t decide which one of you bastards I wanna hurt most.”
Curtis gave a breathless laugh.
God’s eyes snapped shut. This damn kid.
“You guys are so fuckin’ fucked,” Curtis said. “The only thing you need to decide is if you want your funeral open or closed casket.”
A hard slap cracked through the feed.
Xander yelped.
Free cursed under his breath.
Green balled his fists as murder flashed in Ruxs’ eyes.
Curtis spat. Then laughed again. “I guess you want closed.”