Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“I know her access isn’t half as restricted as Giovanni’s was. If I can get in through her laptop, I can see all the members, expose the club, and take that weapon away from her and every Royal.”
Cato flicked off the lighter. “Break in.”
“We have to.” My gaze sharpened, looking hard for any sign of cameras or other security measures. “We need to get in there, prove it’s Everleigh’s place, steal her laptop, then you can burn whatever you want, baby.”
Cato kissed me hard, then tugged me along—skirting the tree line leading to the back of the cabin. I said the man didn’t need words to get his point across.
“Anything in your pack that can pick locks?” I asked. “Window-breaking doesn’t work out too well for me.”
No reply from him except to pick up the pace. Cato knew how he was getting in. The question was would his method be anything close to subtle.
“We’ll call the guys when we know for sure it’s her place,” I said—to him or me, I wasn’t sure. “No need for them to come rushing out here just to watch another bald man try to bash my head in. When we know, I’ll call. The forty-minute drive will give us enough time to find the laptop. It’s better to apologize than ask for permission.”
Cato stopped dead, making me pull up short. I followed where he pointed, and my eyes bugged.
A window. An open window in the back beside glass double doors.
“It can’t be that easy,” I breathed. “All we have to do is climb in.”
Cato set off. He was about to do just that.
“Wait,” I hissed, pulling him up short. “It’s not that late. Only ten o’clock. She could still be up and chilling in the living room, watching movies in her fuzzy slippers. First, we get eyes on her and make sure we’ve got the right place.”
Cato pointed, then jerked his head in the opposite direction. Let’s split up.
“You go that way. I’ll go this way.”
Nodding, Cato backed away and blended into the shadows like they were his playthings. I made for that open window, moving as slowly and quietly as my bumbling feet allowed. The lights we saw through the trees were from hanging fairy lights dotting the roof and a single light on inside the house. Someone was in there, or they forgot to turn that light off when they left.
I pressed against the wall under the window, listening intently. Nothing.
Chancing it, I rose on tiptoe and peeked inside.
The fuzzy black outline of a small library awaited me. I fixed on something placed next to the window. After a second, I realized it was a chaise lounge. Everleigh must’ve kicked back, reading books and enjoying the breeze while outside in the real world, the fire she started blazed out of control. Must be nice to be that carefree.
I would happily put a stop to that for her.
Continuing on, I skirted past the back doors. I rounded the bend and looked right at Everleigh.
I jumped back—heart slamming out of my chest. The hazel-eyed figure poured hot water from the kettle with one hand and scrolled through her phone with the other. She didn’t look up as I used the L-shaped wall to duck behind.
All doubt erased before me. This was Everleigh’s cabin. All I needed to do was get inside, find her laptop, and make sure I took down the T.O.D. Club along with her. The get-inside part is where it got tricky.
I worried my lip, backing farther away to the open window. Simple enough to pop out the screen and climb in. Not so simple to wander around searching while Everleigh kicked back with her tea.
Should I wait until she goes to sleep?
That could be hours, another voice answered. Wilder, Rafael, and Lucien will have caught my lying ass out by then. I should call them now. Tell them the truth and that we found Everleigh. Then we can—
A tap landed on my shoulder, sending me three feet in the air. I whirled around on Cato and held a finger to my lips for no good reason.
“She’s in there,” I whispered. “If you give me a boost, I can climb in, then pull you up. But how do we make sure she doesn’t catch us while we’re searching for the laptop?”
Cato held up his bag. “Distraction.”
I shook my head. “We used the same kind of distraction on Giovanni and Gabriella—which Everleigh knows all about. If her trash can explodes out of nowhere, she won’t come out. She’ll go into lockdown.” I tipped my head, thinking. “It’s good for us that Everton hated stairs. This place is massive, but there’s only one floor. She’s in the kitchen right now, but she’s in pajamas. She’s probably taking her tea back to her room.”
“Room where the laptop is.”