Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
“Wake up.” The gritty tone of Drake’s voice startles me awake. When I open my eyes, I notice he’s dressed casually in a pair of dark jeans and a black T-shirt that hugs his frame. “We need to talk,” he tells me, then leaves me in the room once more.
The sun streams through the small window opposite the bed, warming the room. It’s been so long since I’d seen the sun, it seems almost foreign to me. The artificial lights in the mansion were something I’d become accustomed to.
Rising from the bed, I slip on the sandals I’d found in the small closet the first night I stayed here and make my way downstairs to find River, Drake, and Dante. I recall meeting Dante years ago, the twins who look so alike but are so very different in personality.
“There she is.” River smiles, but the two Savage men just glare at me as if I’m a problem they need to sort out. “Sit,” River says, pushing a chair toward me.
Perching myself on the stool, I open my mouth to speak but realize I have no idea what to say, so I utter the words I’ve wanted to since they stole me from Thanos. “Thank you,” I rasp, glancing at each man.
“No need to thank us,” Dante smirks. “Perhaps you’d want to hear us out before you say those two words, because we’re not saviors, gorgeous.” A cold shiver races down my spine at his words, and I wonder then if they’re going to kill me.
“Ignore my brother,” Drake finally speaks. “We need to know what happened to you in there. We need names of the men you saw and met while living with Thanos.” He’s all business, lifting a mug of steaming liquid to his lips, and I find myself licking my own in response. The boy who took my virginity is gone, replaced with a man who’s cold and closed off.
But then again, he always was like that.
“I can’t remember them all. There . . . There were a lot of parties.” Dropping my gaze, I focus on the countertop instead of looking into those blue eyes that have pierced my heart so many times before. I should never have let my emotions get the best of me, but there was something about Drake that made me want more. That made me want him. Even in his anger, he’s handsome. Even in his darkness, he’s light.
“Well, then tell us what you do remember,” he responds, sighing as he sets a mug of coffee in front of me. “Drink that. It will warm you up.” Snapping my gaze to his, I offer a small smile and accept the hot drink. It’s the first time in years I’ve tasted coffee, and I gulp the scorching liquid, ignoring the burn on my tongue and down my throat as I swallow it.
“There were four men who were there every time he had those dinner parties. One was a friend of my father, Leonard Harrelson. The CEO of LH Corporation. They deal in computer hardware.”
“We know him,” Drake says, then glances at Dante. “Get info on him. I want everything, all those dirty secrets. We’ll pay him a visit tomorrow.” Dante nods, pulling out his cellphone and leaving the room as he says hello to someone on the other end of the line.
“And the other three?” River questions, placing a hand on mine.
My gaze flits between the two men who remain in the room. “What are you going to do to them?”
Drake sets his mug down, leaning on his elbows. His face is merely inches from mine. His hot breath fans over my mouth, and I want to lean into him. “We’re going to gut the fuckers until they’re nothing more than roach food.”
River chuckles beside me, and Drake straightens to full height, leaving me cold, not only from his words, but also from the absence of his mouth close to mine.
“What are you going to do with me?” I whisper, my voice raspy with fear at what Drake’s intentions are. He turns to fill his mug, his back to me for a moment before he pivots and glances at me with an arched brow.
“That all depends on you.”
Straightening my spine, I question, “What do you mean?”
“You can either walk away from this with a new identity,” he tells me easily, waving his hand at River who places a yellow folder before me.
My trembling fingers tug at the tape holding it closed. Opening it, I find a passport with my photo and a name that’s not mine. “What’s the other option?” I question, tracing my index finger over the image of me in the small blue book.
“You can work with us to take everyone down.”
Shock races through me as I lift my gaze to his. “Work with you?”