Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
My words die off when I enter the kitchen. She’s lying on the floor, face up, in a puddle of broken glass and wine. “Charlotte?” I rush over to her and drop to my knees. “Charlotte?” I place my fingers on her neck and hold my breath as I feel for a pulse. Panic grips my chest when I don’t feel one. Which can only mean one thing… “FUCK!” I rip her shirt down the center and press my palms to her chest.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
My head snaps up to see a Lord enter the kitchen. I pick her limp body up in my arms and place her on the island. “What the fuck did you do to her?” I demand, refusing to believe what I already know. Placing my hand over her lips and nose, I pray she takes in a breath. Some kind of sign that I’m not too late. She’s not purple or ghostly white, nor is her body stiff. I feel for her pulse again. Silently counting in my head, I don’t feel anything. But then…yeah, there it is. I hold my breath, waiting for another one, but they’re too far apart.
He holds up a syringe in his hand that’s full of a clear substance, and my stomach drops, knowing exactly what it is. My eyes go back to her, and I reach up and yank my shirt over my head to lay it over her exposed chest and stomach since I ripped her shirt. “What the fuck do you want?” I growl.
Pulling out a seat at her kitchen table, he sits down in it and removes his Lords mask. My pulse races at the sight of the man who I’ve been carrying around a picture of. “How do you know Charlotte?” I demand.
“You mean Annabelle?” He arches a dark brow, and I grind my teeth. His laughter fills the room. “You were so consumed with her that you had no clue what was right in front of you.” Standing, he walks to the island, and I move to the end of it, blocking him from getting any closer to her.
“Get to the fucking point!” I shout, losing my patience.
I need what he has in his hands, and I need it now. Who knows how long she’s been in this position. She could have arrived hours before I got here. I was at Carnage and knew we had plans to meet here, so I never thought to look at her tracker to see when she arrived at her house.
“I give you this, but you give something in return.”
“Anything,” I snap. “Just name it.”
He smirks. “You have forty-eight hours.” His eyes drop to Charlotte and then come back to mine. “You’ll get a text of the location.” With that, he hands it to me.
I go to grab it, but he pulls it back out of reach. I want to ram it into his fucking eye. “Yes?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“You’ll have an hour to respond. If you don’t…” He leaves the consequences hanging in the air, but I know what he means.
I always knew it would come down to this. But he was right. I got caught up in a life with her and kept thinking it would last longer. That I’d have more time to spend with her and figure out a plan for our future. But that’s what love does to you—dream. It’s all a lie. There is no such thing. It’s a small crack in a ship’s hull that slowly fills with water until it can no longer stay afloat.
Nothing lasts forever.
He holds out the syringe, and I yank it from his hand before he even has the chance to take it back this time. With that, he places his mask back on and walks out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with my half-dead wife. I remove my cell from my pocket, thankful I have Gavin on speed dial. I’m placing it on speakerphone when he answers.
“Haidyn…”
“I need you at this address immediately,” I rush out, texting it to him.
“What do I need?” he questions with no hesitation.
“Whatever you can fit into your bag.” I hang up and toss the phone to the opposite counter, not needing it anymore. “Come on, doll face.” I pick her up off the island and carry her limp body to her bedroom. Laying her on top of the comforter, I remove my shirt that covers her and put the syringe beside her on the bed for a second.
I tie her hands above her head to the bed with rope before I remove her heels, undo her jeans, and yank them down her legs along with her underwear.
Then I get off the bed and open her nightstand, grabbing what I need. I crawl back onto her petite body and straddle her narrow hips once again. I pick up the syringe, and my free hand goes to her chest. My teeth clench, hating the fucking bastards who are making me do this to her.