Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
So, it’s not a bluff.
“Okay. Well, you found me. Now run along and tell my uncle I’m doing fine and thank him for his unnecessary concern.”
Finnegan shakes his head. “I’m afraid that won’t be enough. We were hired for a particular task, and delivering a message was not it.”
“Either you’re as dumb as you look or hard of hearing, so allow me to clarify a few things. It was my money my uncle used to hire you, which means you work for me, and my first order is for all of you to fuck off. Go on,” she says when they all just look at one another. “Shoo.”
The mercenary visibly bristles at her dismissive tone while all the rage and suspicion I was feeling earlier evaporates until I’m the one left feeling like an ass.
I shouldn’t have doubted her.
Once I figure out how to kill them all and get Sunshine back to our cabin where I can keep her safe, I’ll find a way to make it up to her.
“I was afraid of this,” the commander replies in a concerned tone that feels staged.
“Afraid of what?” Aurelia snaps.
“Do you know what Stockholm syndrome is?” Aurelia doesn’t respond, but I notice her aim waver just a little. “It’s when a hostage or someone who’s been abused forms an emotional attachment to their captor or abuser. It’s a survival instinct, Aurelia. Nothing more. What you’re feeling isn’t real.”
At that last, her gaze narrows, and she steadies her aim once more. “What are you? My therapist? Did you read Psychology for Dummies on the plane ride here, Patrick Star?”
“Ms. George, you might want to look around you,” the commander says, finally dropping the act. “You’re outnumbered and outgunned. If your boy toy had a move to get out of this, he would have made it by now. We know you’re stalling. We know the other two are probably racing like hell to get here in time, but it won’t make a difference. You do have a choice here, though. You can come with us and save your little harem, or we can kill them all and return you to your uncle anyway.”
“You forgot option three,” I say, speaking for the first time since they arrived. “The one where I kill you because there’s no chance in hell I’ll let you take her. Either way, someone dies, and it won’t just be me.”
Finnegan’s smile returns, and it’s no longer friendly as he signals his men. “If you insist.”
The sound of several rifles rising and the safeties switching off follows, and then I have several red dots covering my chest at center mass. When Aurelia gasps, I tear my glare away from Finnegan, expecting to see red dots covering her, too, but there are none. Her watery gaze is locked on my chest while her mouth is open in horror.
“Seth…”
The urge to tell her everything will be okay rises, but I can’t bring myself to say the words. I can’t bring myself to lie. Instead, I whisper, “Don’t look, Sunshine.” Aurelia’s gaze meets mine, and then she whimpers and shakes her head like she knows what I’m about to tell her. “The moment I’m down, you run. As fast as you can. As hard as you can.” I risk being turned into Swiss cheese when I raise my hand to cup her soft, brown cheek. I can’t resist touching her one last time. “Thorin and Khalil will find you.” Trusting that much, if nothing else, I finally let the words free. “Everything will be okay.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Take care of Thorin and Khalil,” I say, ignoring her vow. “They’re not so bad.”
Sheer desperation rises up in her eyes when she realizes I’m telling her goodbye.
“Seth, I swear to God, if you die, I’m going to fucking kill you.”
The hollow feeling in my chest heals a little more, and my response is tumbling free before I’m even aware of what I’ll say. “I love you, Sunshine.”
“I know that!” she snaps like a brat. “That’s why you can’t really expect me to let you die.”
“You’ve got ten seconds to decide, Ms. George!” the commander yells while Aurelia glares at me.
I turn my head to roar at the mercenary, “She’s not going anywhere with you!”
My heart is pounding too fast to catch my breath when I close my eyes. I keep them shut even when I feel Aurelia pull away from me. Every part of me is focused on searching for that steel vault in the deepest recesses of Zeke’s mind—the cage that barely holds Bane at bay anymore. Once I find it, I let the only key that will unlock it from this side form on my lips. “Chrysa—”
“Fine, ass-face. You win. I’ll go with you.”
My eyes fly open to the sight of Aurelia already approaching Finnegan. The merc had even managed to sneak closer, getting within grabbing distance while I attempted to free Bane. I lunge to grab Aurelia first when one of the mercenaries fire a warning shot into the ground near my feet. Finnegan uses the opportunity to grab her arm and start pulling her away.