Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
“What the fuck are you doing here? Have you not done enough already?” he roared.
I glanced around me to make sure this was directed at me, although I wasn’t sure what I had done to cause this reaction from him.
I was alone out here. No one else for him to be talking to.
He pointed to the rental car behind me. “Get in it and get the fuck out of here!”
The door opened again, and Gathe walked out. Was he going to yell at me too? I took one step back but stopped. I couldn’t leave. I had to know Ransom was okay.
“Than, dude,” he said, grabbing his shoulder, “easy.”
Than jerked away from him but kept his murderous expression on me.
“Don’t touch me!” he snarled, not looking back at his friend.
Again, the door opened, and a woman stepped out this time. The shocked look on her face made me think perhaps it was just me that brought this reaction out in Than.
“What’s going on?” she asked, glancing out at me, then back to Than. Her mass of blonde curls caught the breeze, and she tucked some behind her ear as she walked farther out to where Than was standing.
“She’s why they took him,” Than said with disgust. “This is all her fucking fault.”
The woman looked back at me, then shook her head. “No, it’s not her fault. Ransom chose to be with her.”
Than turned to look at her. “And he’s going to fucking die because of it!” His words held more pain than fury. His voice cracked as he said die, and his shoulders rose and fell hard with each breath.
Bile rose in my throat. I was right. It hadn’t been my overactive imagination. Ransom hadn’t left me of his own free will. But who had taken him?
No longer caring what Than Carver did to me, I walked toward the porch. “Where is he? Who took him?” Terror clawed at my chest, and my gaze swung rapidly from him to the two others up there with him.
If looks could kill, then Than would have just ended my life. He started to take another step in my direction when Gathe grabbed both his shoulders, this time with more force.
“What the fuck, man? She isn’t to blame. Ransom wouldn’t want you to hurt her,” Gathe said as Than began to try and free himself again.
“Does that matter now? He isn’t here!” Than roared, and the agony in that sound made my eyes fill with tears.
This was bad. Oh God, where was he? Why had someone taken him?
I shook my head as I gulped for air. “What happened?” I croaked.
“He didn’t stay away from you!” Than shouted and broke free, but Gathe darted in front of him and pushed against his chest to keep him back.
“FORGE!” the woman hurried to the door and yelled.
Seconds later, Forge came running outside with his gun in his hand. He glanced from the blonde to the two other guys, now in a full-blown struggle.
“What the fuck?!” he said, shoving his gun back into his holster and reaching to grab hold of Than.
The woman looked at them, then hurried down the steps toward me.
She was stunning, but not young enough to be one of their women. Not that she was old, but she wasn’t my age either. I’d guess she was in her early thirties. It didn’t matter who she was, if she could tell me what was happening.
My eyes shifted from the men on the porch, then back to her.
“Noa?” she said, as if she was seeking clarification.
I nodded. A tear rolled down my face, and I wiped it away. I’d never felt so helpless in my life.
“I’m Branwen Shephard. My husband …” She paused. “He’s, um …” She glanced back at the men. “Linc is, uh—”
“He runs the Mississippi branch of the Southern Mafia,” I supplied, recognizing his name. Ransom had explained that role already.
She gave me a tight smile. “Yes. Okay, so you know about that,” she said.
“Where is Ransom?” I asked, not caring about who her husband was.
The strained expression and glint of fear in her eyes did not make me feel better. Another tear rolled down my face.
“Please,” I begged, feeling frantic to know where he was and terrified at the same time that she was going to tell me something that I wouldn’t be able to live with.
“He’s in Florida,” she began.
“Ocala,” I whispered, sure that I was about to throw up.
She nodded. “Yes. Linc is there too. And a few others have gone. Ransom’s dad.”
“Why?” I sobbed, no longer able to keep the emotion back. I was unraveling. Nothing could happen to him.
“He disobeyed a direct order from the boss. Not Linc,” she said.
I covered my mouth, and my knees buckled. She became a blur as the flood of tears unleashed.
“Why?” I choked out.