Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72863 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“Nice to meet you all. If my husband asks where I am, tell him in the bathroom,” I say to the women as I stand.
“Are you leaving?” Lilith asks. I’m not sure if I should tell her the truth. But she stands anyway. “I know the back way. Let me walk you out.” She winks.
“Lilith,” Cora warns.
“What? I always love a good chase,” she says with such enthusiasm that I don’t think she’s lying. “Let’s go. Don’t make eye contact with anyone, especially my husband.” I take her word for it, and we walk side by side through the middle of the floor until we reach a set of doors that appear to lead to the catering area. When she pushes one side open, I see waitstaff and chefs. She pulls me along, my heels clicking on the tiled floor, until we reach the back door. Pushing the door open, she gives me a serious look.
“It won’t take him long to find you,” she warns.
“That’s fine. I just need a few hours by myself.”
“I can tell. And, Maven?” I glance at her as I step outside. “Ask him about the hunt.” Then she closes the door.
The hunt?
Yes, I do wonder what that actually means.
TWENTY-SIX
BOSTON
“Members are on edge,” Soren says.
Arlo rejoins us, noting, “Interesting wife you have there, Boston.”
I don’t pay him any attention, as Reon says, “Two members have died. They have a right to be on edge. Let’s get some security.”
“You’ll get security?” Soren asks him.
“Doubtful, because I’ll kill any fucker who thinks they can off me.” Soren looks away, not doubting his claim. We’re all members of the Forsaken for a reason. All of us are fucked up in some way. Some more than others.
“Take your wives home and then come back. I’ll get the staff to leave, and we’ll have an emergency meeting,” Soren says.
“About fucking time,” Edgar, a member who was close with Marcus, says, clearly having had too much to drink.
Everyone heads off to find their wives, but Soren stops me before I can go looking for Maven. “Any news on who killed Marcus?” he asks.
“No. No evidence was found, and I’m still waiting for the results of the cause of death,” I tell him.
He nods as his wife walks over.
I scan the room for mine, only to find Lilith approaching me.
“She left,” she tells me, smiling.
“How? I would have seen her leave.”
“I helped her, of course.”
Reon joins us and drapes his arm around her shoulders.
“Stay away from my wife,” I warn her. Reon’s gaze slides to me. “Keep your fucking wife and her crazy shit away from mine.”
“Seems to me that you should be working out why she hates you so much right now, not telling me what to do.” Reon squeezes Lilith’s arm, and I shake my head at her. Lilith has always been crazy, so I can’t expect any less from her. But to have her befriend my wife? I’m not sure I can handle both of them.
“Caterpillar, I’ll meet you at home,” Reon says to her.
I turn away, ignoring them as I take a seat. It isn’t long before all the wives and staff are gone, leaving just us.
“It seems we have some worries to address, so let’s hear them,” Soren says, standing tall.
Everyone’s attention is focused on him.
Edgar is the first to stand, his hand resting on his round belly as he says, “Two members have been killed. The rules need to change.”
Others nod in agreement.
“What type of rules would you like to see changed, Edgar? Please enlighten us,” Soren says.
Edgar seems to carefully consider his next words because his gaze darts around the room before landing on Reon. He pauses, swallows hard, then looks back to Soren. “The wives. The rules shouldn’t apply so heavily to them,” he says, pushing his shoulders back and trying to appear more confident than he is.
“We offer protection for their silence. It’s a mutual respect and has been in place for years, Edgar,” Soren says, then holds up a finger to silence Edgar just as he goes to speak again. “But I agree.” Soren looks around at all of us. His gaze lingers longer on Reon and Arlo since it’s their wives who have killed members.
“You agree?” Reon asks Soren.
Soren’s eyes cut to him. “Yes, I do. And this will be implemented immediately.” He looks around the gathered members. “If a wife purposely kills a member—” Reon goes to say something, but Soren holds up a finger.
“If a wife purposely kills a member for any other reason than self-defense, then she will be taken out.”
“And what about the members who are already dead?” someone yells.
“We need to hire someone and get this taken care of before other bodies start showing up,” Edgar adds.
“We have connections,” another calls out. “Hire the one they call Venom. They have a reputation for completing every hit.”