Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 553(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Of course we’ll kill you.” Madison’s amusement was back. “But only after we’ve used you to kill the rest of your family. With the Merchants all dead, there’s no reason to kill your gangs. The Cardinals will be freed, Hunt. The women you swore to protect. What’s it going to be?”
Genny shook with every word. “I said let her go, Kenzie!”
“No! You’re grieving and you’re not thinking straight. They can’t make you choose between your friends and your family. Evil psychopaths that would force such a choice aren’t going to keep their word! They’ll kill the Cardinals anyway.” I moved us back again, chilling under Genny’s dead gaze. “Trust me, Genny. We’ll get her back and question her. She’ll tell us where they’re holding the Cardinals.”
“No chance of that since I don’t know where,” Madison breezed. “I just know that we have them.”
“Kenzie.” Genny took a step. Then another. “It takes strength to put others’ needs above your own even while it destroys you. We need that courage to protect the people depending on us.” Her speech that day fell from her lips, leadening my bones. “Because there’s no forgiveness if we fail.”
“Please don’t do this. They’re your family.”
She flinched. “They are my family. The Merchants are the toughest sons of bitches in this whole damn country. I could give the Brotherhood every secret they have and it’ll never be enough to take my bros down. They will win this fight, and I’ll be back in my borough with my girls—using her brothers and sisters as target practice.
“Let her go, Kenzie. I won’t ask again.”
I tightened around Madison’s wrist, refusing to let go. Genny seized my shoulder and threw me. I hit the ground hard—chest stunned as air fled me.
Madison’s smile swirled in my vision, taunting me over the sound of the zip ties snapping.
“Good,” she purred, standing my hairs on end. “Now just one more thing.
“Kill her.”
“What?” Genny shot away. “No!”
“I said kill her! I won’t have this bitch running her mouth about me.”
“Hey, dumbass.” I pushed up on shaky knees. “My sister. And my boyfriend. And the Forbises. And their lawyers know all about you. Even if you kill me, the truth is out.”
Madison flushed a nasty purple. “Kill her!” She snatched up her dog’s leash and shoved it at her. “Strangle her. Do it now, or those biker bimbos—”
Genny flashed. She snapped the leash around Madison’s bruised throat and knocked their foreheads getting in her face. “You don’t give me orders, bitch. If anyone dies here today, it’ll be you, so don’t tempt me.”
She shoved Madison away, and turned on me. “But still, I can’t have you following us. You’ll tell my brothers where I am, and they’ll bust in with some cowboy shit before I can get my girls out of this.” Genny advanced on me. “I’m sorry, Kenzie.”
“No, Gen, wait— No!”
The last thing I saw was her fist flying at my face.
Chapter Eleven
Poppy, my busted nose, and I trudged out of the elevator. The door flew open as I reached for the knob.
“Yes, Thatcher. She’s here.”
“Sun—”
He grabbed me around the waist, carrying me inside to the waiting horde. Thatcher’s alert went out to the whole building.
“Oh my gosh.”
“Kenzie, are you okay?”
“Who did this to you?” Liam demanded.
“When I get my fucking hands on them,” Sunny barked over Lizzie’s giggling. “I’ll kill them!”
Bane shoved through them both. “What happened?”
“Uh, well.” My voice was barely above a croak. “Good news first: We have a dog now.” I tried for a smile and didn’t get one back. “She’s actually quite friendly, which is good because I didn’t feel right leaving her at a shelter. Plus, she deserves much better than her current owner—”
“Forget about the animal!” Sunny took Poppy and promptly handed her to Elizabeth. The little girl ran off squealing happily. Good. I didn’t want her to hear the bad news. “Who did this?”
I flicked over their heads, landing on Sienna. She raised her brows—questioning. Meeting her gaze, I smiled.
“It worked,” I said, grinning though it hurt something fierce. “The plan worked.”
“What plan?” Fuller asked.
“I should start from the beginning.” I moved around them and eased myself onto the couch. I’d be sore all over in the morning. “Sienna discovered who was putting the trackers in your clothes.”
“Wait. What?” Sunny dropped next to me. “Why am I just now hearing this?”
“Because Genny was grieving and beating herself up. I wanted her to be the first to know it wasn’t all a waste. It turned out to be Madison James. She...” I told them the entire story from the day she handed me that card, to the Forbises and the discovery of the Sunshine Adoption Agency.
“After I told Genny all of this, she finally told me the truth,” I continued. “The Brotherhood stormed Barbarella’s and abducted the Cardinals. Bugsy— I mean, Laura’s death and the horrible way we found out about it was punishment for not obeying their first order to denounce Vito’s video.”