Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 354(@200wpm)___ 283(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
“She has a good point,” Bohdi mutters. “Makes a fuck load of sense.”
“I gotta agree,” Mykel adds.
“It’s risky,” Alarick murmurs, more to himself than anyone else. “But you do have a good point, they’re likely on the other end waitin’.”
“If they’re not though ...” Briella says, her voice hesitant.
“I think Avi is right.” Waverly crosses her arms and leans her hip against Mykel’s truck. “It makes the most logical sense.”
“How many guns we got on us?” Cohen asks, arms tightly crossed over his chest.
“We got two,” Samson says.
“We’ve got about four in the truck,” Mykel adds.
“Another two in mine,” Alarick tells us.
“Then we’ve got enough to defend ourselves if we’re careful,” I say.
“Like to know how they knew where we were, first,” Cohen growls, and his eyes swing to me.
“No fuckin’ idea,” Alarick says, staring down at his phone, looking at a map.
“Seems convenient that they knew exactly where we were, and when ...”
He can’t be serious.
His eyes are on me, and I know exactly what he’s indicating.
“I didn’t have anything to do with this,” I snap. “I would never do that.”
Well, I mean I would, but I didn’t. I truly didn’t.
“You expect me to believe that when you’ve done nothin’ but carry on about how much you fuckin’ hate us, and now there are a bunch of fuckin’ men who happen to know exactly where we’re goin’? That isn’t a coincidence.”
“Why don’t you look at someone else in the club then?” I growl. “It’s not like it would be the first time you’ve been double crossed. No offense, Samson.”
Samson gives me a death stare that makes my skin prickle.
“Do you know anythin’ about this?” Alarick asks, his voice far less confident now.
“You’re joking, right?”
“Gotta understand that you have made it clear you’re not on our side, Aviana.”
“I didn’t do this!” I yell, throwing my hands up.
“How do we know that they’re not waitin’ at the entrance and this is your doin’? You want us to turn around and walk straight back into the fuckin’ firin’ line,” Cohen challenges, his eyes intense.
“You’re a truly horrible person,” I say, shaking my head. “I didn’t do this.”
“We can’t trust her,” Cohen tells Alarick. “You know we can’t. We need to be careful, we’ve gone wrong so many fuckin’ times now. If we go wrong again, we’re never gettin’ Samson’s daughter back and we’re never fuckin’ finishing this.”
“She didn’t do this, Alarick,” Briella says, shaking her head. “I know she didn’t.”
“How?” Alarick asks her. “How can you be one hundred percent sure?”
Briella bites her lip, unable to answer because she can’t be one hundred percent sure.
“She wouldn’t risk our lives, she’s not that cold hearted!” Waverly snaps.
“I agree,” Merleigh nods. “She wouldn’t.”
Alarick ponders it for a moment, but when his eyes swing to me, I know he’s not going to take the risk. “I’m sorry, Aviana. But I can’t risk the lives of my club members. You have made it clear you don’t want any of us around, and it is convenient they knew our location and exactly where we would be. You’re the only person who knows where we’re goin’. Gotta do this, I’m sorry. Cohen, take her phone and cuff her.”
What?
No.
They’re joking, right?
I start backing up, shaking my head. I’m so hurt, so horrified, but surely, surely they don’t think this was me? I can see why they would, but I didn’t do anything. I truly didn’t do anything.
Cohen goes to his truck and pulls out some cuffs, then he strides toward me.
“Cohen,” I say, my voice hurt. “I didn’t do this. You know I didn’t do this.”
“I don’t know anything, Aviana. I just know we’ve gotta keep the club safe. You won’t be hurt, but we need to have eyes on you at all times.”
“So, you’re going to cuff me?” I cry, backing up faster.
“Can’t know that you won’t get a phone and let someone know. Hand over your cell and don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
“You were making love to me just last night,” I say, my voice broken. “You wanted me to trust you. How can you do this? Cuff me like some sort of prisoner. I’m not. You know I’m not. Please, don’t take away my freedom again.”
He hesitates, but he doesn’t stop. He moves toward me, carefully, his eyes intense and his body ready to lunge the moment I try to run. My heart is racing and my legs tremble. The very idea of being cuffed and held against my will, without the chance to have my freedom, brings back a feeling in me I’ve desperately tried to drown out. I won’t be a prisoner again. I won’t.
“Nobody will hurt you—you’ll be safe. It’s just until we can work this out.”
“I was locked up for five years, without any say in my life, without any control. You will not take my control away again. I won’t let you do this to me.”