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)
There wasn’t even guilt as I replied, “I can’t live without him. If he … if he—” I fought against the sob. “I can live with anything as long as he is alive.”
I heard her let out a relieved sigh. “Okay, if that’s the case, I have an idea.”
I turned to look at her, forgetting I was supposed to be pretending I was still sick and not having a conversation with her. “What?” I asked, the tiniest bit of hope clinging to my sorrow.
“I’ll tell you on the flight there. Let’s go,” she replied.
I didn’t ask questions. Whatever I was told to do, I would do.
“What did you say to her?” Than demanded.
She stopped and put her hands on her hips as she stared up at the porch. “I know you’re upset. I get it. You’ve already lost one brother, and the idea of losing another is more than you can handle. But right now, I need you to get it together. Noa wants to save Ransom, and I have a plan. But you have to calm down and help. It’ll go a lot smoother.”
Than’s eyes darted between the two of us. “What can she do to help?” he asked, not sounding convinced.
“More than you can, acting like you’re about to attack a woman,” she snapped. “Forge, get a plane ready at the airstrip. Gathe, stay here and lock things up.”
“Where do I tell the pilot we are going?” Forge asked.
“Ocala,” she replied.
“You’re taking her to Ocala?” Than asked with disbelief in his tone.
“Yes. And if any of you alert Linc before we arrive, then you’ll have to deal with me. Be warned, I’ve gotten real damn good at target practice.”
“What can she do?” Than demanded.
Branwen cut her eyes back to him. “She can appeal to the one woman with the power to control Blaise Hughes.”
They all stilled and stared at her.
“Y-you’re taking her to talk to Madeline Hughes?” Than asked.
“I sure as hell am. Now, are you going to shut up and do as I said or stand there and stare at me like I’ve lost my mind?”
“I’m coming with you,” Than told her.
“Which is why Gathe is locking up,” she replied, then snapped her fingers. “Let’s get going, boys.”
“Linc may kill all three of us for letting you do this,” Forge said.
“Linc won’t be killing anyone. Not if he wants in my bed again.”
She turned back to me. “You still up for this?”
I nodded. “Yes. I’ll do anything. But who is Madeline Hughes?” Not that it mattered.
The corners of her mouth quirked. “The boss’s wife.”
Twenty-Five
Noa
There was more silence on the flight than I’d expected, but it gave me time to think. The uncertainty of what I was about to do was clear, even if they weren’t saying it. I could feel the tension in the air. A mixture of fear, anxiety, and determination.
The little Branwen had made it clear she trusted Madeline Hughes, but the two men with us didn’t seem so sure.
Than had only stopped pacing to sit down for takeoff. Once we were in the air, he was back to his feet, unable to stop moving. He was scared. Not for himself, but for Ransom. It was easy to read on his face.
A few times, he stopped. Once to place both his palms on the wall while he hung his head and took a few deep breaths. The other was to run both hands through his hair and fist it like he wanted to yank it out at the roots. He reminded me of a caged wild animal, and I understood that feeling completely.
I sat the entire flight, but I wrung my hands so much and so hard that they were raw and tender.
When we landed, there was a black SUV waiting on us, and Forge climbed into the driver’s seat while Than got into the front passenger seat.
Again, no one said anything while we drove. My heart was hammering so hard in my chest that I wasn’t so sure it would survive this without giving out on me. Like Than, it wasn’t my life I was terrified of losing. Knowing that the outcome of this meeting meant life or … no, I couldn’t think about that. Ransom was going to grow old. He’d live a full, long life. Even if I didn’t get to be a part of it. I had to know he was okay. Breathing. Living.
“Did you explain to her that he may kill all of us for this?” Than asked, breaking the silence.
“In so many words,” Branwen replied with a hint of hesitance.
I glanced over at her. She hadn’t told me that. I studied her, and she gave me an apologetic smile.
“I thought I was the only one putting their life on the line.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Possibly. But with Blaise, one never knows.”