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)
Once I had this under control, I was going to find a way to get her back to Madison. Fuck this place.
Three
Ransom
It was never enjoyable, stepping into Linc Shephard’s office. It was worse when my father was also waiting inside, along with Fender Cash. At least Luther Levine was lounging on the sofa, looking more amused than anything. He would be less pissed than the others. God knew he’d done worse.
“About fucking time,” my dad said as he glared at me over the rim of his whiskey glass.
“The jet only goes so fast,” I replied.
Linc’s cold expression made it clear he wasn’t amused. Shocker.
“Start at the beginning and don’t leave out a goddamn detail,” Linc said through clenched teeth as he sat down in the chair behind his desk.
Every detail? Was that necessary? I doubted it.
“I stopped in to see Opal when I took the last load of whiskey to DC for Dad. She had a dinner planned with her new editor at the publishing house that had her book. I went with her. The editor was Neilson. He was shady—engaged and hiding it from Opal, who seemed interested in him. He continued to lie throughout the meal. I did a background check. He had done the same thing with another author a few years ago and she was now his fiancé. I knew Opal wouldn’t listen to me, she’d fallen for his charming act bullshit. I didn’t want her hurt. So, I handed him over to the cartel. Got us some goodwill with them. A future favor for trading a douchebag for one of their men with some dealings that had gone bad.” I shrugged and hoped like fuck this would be enough. “I didn’t kill the lying, cheating bastard. I just sold him.”
“To the narcos.” Luther chuckled, which was better than the other three, who were studying me as if they could read all the shit I had left out. “Nice try, but they already know about the pussy. Might as well fess up to that shit,” Luther added, then lit the end of the cigar he’d placed between his teeth.
“Open the fucking window and go stand beside it if you’re gonna smoke,” Linc ordered.
Luther rolled his eyes and stood up slowly. “This rule sucks ass. A little cigar smoke isn’t going to hurt Stevie.”
At least the deadly warning in Linc’s gaze was now on Luther and not me. Stevie was his six-year-old daughter. His wife was also pregnant with kid number two. He’d banned all smoking in the house when he moved Stevie in, although half of the sprawling mansion belonged to Luther.
Linc swung his gaze back to me. “And Noa Raines? The fiancée? She had nothing to do with your need to get rid of Arden Neilson?”
Fuck. Who the hell had told him about Noa? Probably Gathe. He talked too damn much.
“What about Noa,” I clipped out. I was going to plant my fist in Gathe’s pretty-boy face.
“You’ve known her for ten years. Texted with her. Kept in contact. Brought her to Bane’s house. Let her stay there.”
I nodded my head once, waiting to let him tell me what he knew. I wasn’t going to elaborate.
“Is this about fucking? Because the last time I checked, you weren’t real territorial about the ass you tapped,” my dad said, frowning at me like I’d lost my mind.
Maybe I had. It felt like it a little. I’d admit that.
“No, it’s not about fucking.”
Noa was more than that. She’d been more for longer than a decade. However, the fucking was addictive and seemed to have a hold on me.
“Oh, it’s about the fucking. You handed a man over to the narcos to get rid of him. Must be some prime pussy,” Luther drawled.
I took a step in his direction, my hands fisted at my sides, before I realized what I was doing. Rage seethed through me, threatening to take over my actions, even when my head was screaming at me to calm the fuck down. They were watching me. I was giving myself away.
Luther’s amused laughter was like gas to the flame. “Two down, Hale. Damn, I didn’t see this son being the next to get all tied up over a woman. Than was an easy guess, but Ransom?” He shook his head as if he were disappointed in me.
“Arden Neilson’s parents have hired one of the best PIs in New York. They’re desperate and determined to find their son. Because of your rash decision, we now have that PI in Madison. He’s currently in his hotel room, scared to come out. Bane handled that. And we’re watching his every move. But he’s a dog with a bone and our fucking problem,” Linc said.
“He’s my problem. I’ll go handle him,” I told him.
“You gonna send him off to the border too?” Luther asked.