Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
My mouth goes dry. I can see him now. Ignazio striding into this office like he already owned it. The bastard. “What did he say?”
“There were no threats. He was calm and direct. He made it clear that I had to delay the merger as long as possible, and if I didn’t, something bad would happen to my kids. He didn’t say it in those words, but he made it clear. What was my choice? What could I do? They were terrorizing us.”
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“He told me not to. And for all I knew, you were a part of it. I had no clue what was going on. God, you don’t understand. The pressure I felt. I wanted to run away but my kids…” He sobs once, the pathetic bastard.
I almost feel sorry for him.
Except I’m so close. I can feel it now. I kick him lightly in the knee to remind him that I’m here. He gathers himself together, wiping his face on his sleeve. It’s snotty and disgusting.
“When Ignazio made those threats, did he mention anyone else? Did you see anyone he was working with?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t even know what his name was. He never told me.”
“He’s got accomplices. Or at least he’s got allies. I need to know who else there was.”
“I only ever met one guy.”
“Older, right? Heavy-set? Big nose?”
Doug looks up sharply. “Uh, no, that’s not the guy.”
My stomach lurches with excitement. “Describe him then.”
“Younger. Thirties maybe? Really serious and intense. Strong and pretty big. Liked to wear dark clothes.”
My mouth goes dry. “Dark hair? And a little mole here—“ I point near my right ear.
“That’s the guy, yeah.”
I might be sick. Panic builds and I have to fight it back. “How many times did you meet with him?”
“He came here twice. I think it was him following me. I think he’s the one that killed my dog. Woofie was a good boy.”
I push to my feet and stumble once in my eagerness to get away. “You’ve been a big help.”
“Wait! Hold on!” He peers at me over the edge of his desk like a child still trying to hide. “What’s going to happen to me now? Is he going to kill me?”
“You’ll be fine, Denning. Sign the fucking paperwork.” I shove his office door open.
And start running.
30
JUNE
The thing about kids is they never shut down. Not at this age, anyway. Hattie’s a ball of energy and if I don’t try to exercise some of it out of her, she’ll be bouncing around her room all night and the next day will be miserable.
“Keep on marching, pony warrior,” I say as we stomp through the grass down near the wall. “The queen wants her best warriors to be ready for battle.”
“We’re going to fight unicorns,” she says gravely. “Their technology is no match for our magic.”
I laugh and tug her against me. “Where did you even hear that?”
“In a video. Glory to the ponylords!”
The yard is strangely empty. This is the first time since the assault on the house that we’ve been able to get this close to the wall.
At first, I figured it was because Rafe trusts me now.
Our relationship has changed a lot in the last week and for the better.
He knows I don’t want to escape anymore.
Where would I rather be? Than here with my husband and the father of my daughter?
But the more we walk, the stranger it feels.
Nobody’s approaching. There are no guards in the trees, no eyes from the bushes. It’s eerily quiet like there’s a predator lurking around the next corner and everyone in the forest knows but me.
“Mommy? What’s the matter?” Hattie takes my hand and squeezes my fingers.
“Hm? Oh, nothing.”
“You’re not listening.”
“No, I wasn’t. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’ll start over.” Hattie begins to talk about the various attributes of the main pony army when there’s a noise up ahead.
I grab Hattie’s arm to steady her.
“Mommy?”
She stares at me in confusion.
A squirrel races from between the trees and darts into the underbrush.
I’m being paranoid. I release Hattie and apologize again. “Let’s go back to the house. I haven’t heard from Auntie Marnie yet this morning.”
Which is odd, actually.
Hattie complains but she doesn’t fight when I start marching along the path toward the back garden. I slow near the rose bush and consider telling Hattie about Leanna, but decide against it. There should be at least one guard nearby, only there’s nobody.
It’s bizarre.
And it’s all wrong.
I hurry Hattie to the back door. We step into the house and I feel better the second I click the lock shut.
I’m not sure why, because there are still no guards nearby.
“Let’s take you to Priya,” I say and lead Hattie through the house.
Nobody stops us. It feels strange, like the halls are abandoned. The mansion is massive and the majority of the space isn’t being used, so it’s not like this place is always bustling, but still. Most days, I see men lurking around at all times.