Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
“Yeah, sure, but like I told Wyatt, there’s not much to tell.”
“Still wanna hear it from you.”
“Yes, sir.” Wyatt gave my hand a gentle squeeze as I told him, “He pulled me into the closet and started saying all this crazy stuff about you guys being dangerous and that I needed to get away from you. I told him he was off his rocker, and I might’ve pushed him. That’s when he showed me his gun and told me he was taking me with him.”
Cotton glanced over at Guardrail, then back to me. “Any idea where he was planning to take you?”
“No, sir. He didn’t say.”
“Anything else?”
“He mentioned something about me answering his questions, but I have no idea who he was talking about. He forced me out of the closet, and when we stepped out of the building, that’s when Stitch appeared. And our conversation ended there.” I nervously bit down on my bottom lip before saying, “I’m really sorry. I should’ve listened to Wyatt and gone back to the clubhouse the second he texted me.”
“Yes, you should have.” His tone turned fatherly as he scolded, “Things could’ve turned out very differently today, and none...”
Before he could finish his thought, Two Bit stepped into the office and announced, “He’s ready.”
Cotton nodded, then turned to Wyatt. “We’re done here. Take her back to her room and then come find us.”
“You got it.”
With that, we all filed out of the office and into the hall. Cotton and Guardrail followed Two Bit towards the back door while Wyatt and I headed back to my room. When we walked in, I looked up at Wyatt and asked, “I don’t guess you’re gonna tell me where you all are going?”
“No, but I can tell you that I won’t be long.” He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. “Try to stay out of trouble until I get back.”
“I’ll do my best.”
He took one last look at me, then turned and walked out of the room. I won’t deny that I wanted him to stay. I wanted him to hold me in his arms and calm the storm of thoughts that were racing through my head. But sadly, it didn’t matter what I wanted. The brothers needed him, and that was that.
My time would come.
I just hoped it would be sooner rather than later.
CHAPTER 18
Bones
I thought a lot of Stitch.
I looked up to him.
I respected him.
He was my father in every way that counted.
But I would never understand how he could do the things he did to people in his playroom. He strung them up and tortured them in unimaginable ways—whatever it took to get them to talk. Sometimes it just took a simple threat. For others, it took hours, even days, of horrific beatings and heinous acts to get them to start talking.
As I stood there staring through the two-way glass, I couldn’t help but wonder what lay in store for Ben. His arms were bound over his head, his feet barely touching the ground, and his eyes were wide with fear. I couldn’t blame him for being terrified. Stitch and Wrath stood before him, arms crossed with angry scowls on their faces, and with his gun nowhere in sight, he was helpless to defend himself.
It didn’t help matters that there was a variety of tools splayed out on the table. He knew what was in store for him, which was why he told Stitch, “I wasn’t gonna hurt her. I would never hurt her.”
“I’m gonna give you a piece of advice here, kid.” Stitch stepped closer to him. “Don’t speak until spoken to. You got that?”
Ben nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”
We all watched as Stitch stepped over and said something to Wrath. While it would be up to a club vote, he was priming him as a possible replacement as the club’s enforcer. It was a role he’d had since I’d met him, and while it would be hard to see him go, I understood why he was ready to step down. His role in the club was an important one, but it was also a trying one that left him mentally and physically exhausted.
After their brief exchange, Stitch turned his focus back to Ben. “Tell me what you wanted with the girl.”
“Nothing. I was just...”
Before he could finish his thought, Stitch drew his hand into a fist, clutching his brass knuckles, and slammed it into Ben’s ribs. He immediately started gasping and wailing out in agony. Ignoring his cries, Stitch growled, “A second piece of advice... Don’t try to bullshit me. You lie, you pay.”
“What do you want from me?”
“Last piece of advice.” Stitch punched him again, causing the air to rush from Ben’s lungs, “Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Ben wasn’t a small guy. He was just over six-two and weighed about two-seventy, but it didn’t matter how big or small the guy was. Brass knuckles to the ribs hurt like a motherfucker. It took him a moment to collect himself, but once he was able to catch his breath, Ben muttered, “I don’t know how I got pulled into this. I was just supposed to show up in one of her classes and ask her out.”