Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
“Oh, shit. WAIT! YOU NEED TO CALL 911 IN CALIFORNIA WHERE BILLIE IS. SHE HAS SOME GUY TRYING TO BREAK INTO HER HOTEL ROOM!”
WHAT?” Roger yelled right back.
“For fuck’s sake.” The guy on the other side pounded against the door once more, but he was losing momentum. “I’m a friend of Brett’s. I’m coming for you. You’re Willow Harm, right?”
“He knows who I am.”
Lo added right after, also horrified, “He knows who you are.” She must’ve turned her head away, “HE KNOWS WHO BILLIE IS!”
“WHO BILLIE IS? WHAT? I don’t understand what’s going on. Where am I calling 911 for? How do I do that? I’ve never had to do that before.”
“I don’t know.”
And from the other side of the door, the guy said, frustrated but resigned, “He’ll need to look up the phone number for the Fallen Crest Police Department, but honestly, woman, you’re killing me. I’m here for you because I got a call from Will, Brett’s brother. He thinks your man is going to do something stupid, and if I’m remembering Broudou correctly, only a couple people will be able to get through his head if he’s in his old head-busting mindset.”
“Wait,” I said into the phone.
“What?” Lo squawked. Then yelled, “SHE SAID TO WAIT, although still get the number for Fallen Crest Police Department, just in case.”
I inched closer to the door and yelled through it, “What’s your name?”
“Channing Monroe. I have no idea if Brett’s mentioned me or not. We’re not super friendly.”
I was racking my brain, trying to remember. It was all foggy up there. “I had a bottle of wine. I don’t know if I would remember even if I hadn’t.”
I could hear his sigh, then he was muttering under his breath.
“What’s going on?” Lo’s voice cut in.
Roger could be heard in the background, “I found a Fallen Crest Lane in Arlington, Texas. Is that where she is? Should I call the Arlington Police Department?”
“What?”
I tuned Lo out as she could be heard talking to her husband, took a deep breath because to me, this stuff was scary, opening a door to a stranger, and I peeked through the opening. “What happened to Brett?”
The guy shifted so he could see me better, but he was inspecting the opening between us, and seeing something or not seeing something, he suddenly kicked open the door.
I yelled, scrambling back.
He smirked at me, motioning to the door. “Never open a fucking door without the chain attached.”
Right. That’s what he’d been looking for. Apparently I got stupid when I had wine.
“Did you open the door?” Lo yelled. “Who’s there? Are you okay? Are you still alive? I’m shitting my pants.”
“What’s going on?” Roger’s voice came closer.
I was eyeing the guy now, who had remained standing in the hallway, an eyebrow raised up, waiting for me to do something.
“Billie just opened the door for the guy.” She told me, “We gave up on the number. Please tell me you’re still alive. Who is it? What’s the guy look like?”
He was… I considered the best phrase to describe him. The dirty blond hair. The ripped and lean body. The gun holstered on his hip, which was making my stomach feel a certain way because nothing was between us. The taser gun and handcuffs hanging on his other hip. The loads and loads of tattoos all over him. And then there’s his face, which didn’t seem right that he’d be that pretty with all that weaponry on him. I didn’t know why that made sense to me, but it did. “He’s a dirty golden tattooed warrior god.” He crossed his arms over his chest and I saw a badge hanging there on a chain from around his neck. “He’s a cop.”
“He’s what?” Lo barked.
“I’m not a cop.”
“He’s not a cop,” I repeated.
“I’m a bounty hunter.” He glanced away, muttered, “Fuck’s sakes.”
Roger must’ve grabbed the phone, his voice came out so much louder, “A dirty golden tattooed warrior god? Take a picture of him, just so we have it on hand.”
I did, also saying, “He’s not a cop. I don’t know if you heard that. He’s a bounty hunter.”
“A bounty hunter?” Roger was impressed.
The guy, who could hear everything, had tipped his head backwards. His hands were braced at his sides. I sent it to them.
Roger saw it first, “Oh. He’s good looking.”
Lo sucked in some air, like I had earlier. “Good looking? That guy is hot. And he’s a bounty hunter? If he says he’s there for Brett, I say go with him. And normally I wouldn’t ever say that, but if he’d been there to abduct you, he already would’ve. Plus, if it’s true and Brett’s in trouble, you need to go to him. What’s he doing now?”
“He’s still standing there.”
He rolled his eyes, his hands lifting up in frustration. “Your man is probably already doing something seriously fucking stupid and you’re still discussing this? My woman would’ve been out the door carrying a baseball bat and grabbing a bulletproof vest on the way the first second I mentioned anything.”