Total pages in book: 331
Estimated words: 315585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1578(@200wpm)___ 1262(@250wpm)___ 1052(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 315585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1578(@200wpm)___ 1262(@250wpm)___ 1052(@300wpm)
His jaw sharpens when he answers. “Hell if I know.”
“Adam’s supposed to be dead,” Sin guesses. “I killed him. Maybe they don’t believe it?”
“I’m pretty sure the Lords still believe he’s dead,” Bill says.
“Then what does it have to do with him?” I bark. Fuck, we’re going around in circles. I turn my attention to Bill. “Make Eve my Lady.”
“I can’t guarantee—”
“I’m a fucking Spade brother,” I shout. “I’ve never asked them for anything. But this…her. I want her. No matter what it costs me. I have to be ‘useful’ to them somehow.” His narrowed eyes meet mine. Hell, even his ex-wife Isabella was going to use Haidyn, from what we guessed. “Make this happen, William.” I use his real name, and his face tightens. “Or I will make sure the world knows the truth about you.” He’s got a secret son who trained sex slaves. He knows about Dollhouse. Made a deal with Adam. I know there’s more about him that we don’t know, but I will die fucking finding whatever I need.
He walks around his desk, and I meet him halfway. “Do you think threatening me is in your best interest?”
“It should show you how serious I am and that I’ll do whatever needs to be done in order to get what I want. Make it happen.” Then I turn and head for the double doors to exit his study. “I expect to hear from you by noon tomorrow.”
I storm through the house and out the front door. I get into my car, where I squeal my tires as I take off before Adam or Sin can stop me.
I have the urge to go back to Eve’s house, but there’s one more thing I need to do first.
I never really had any plans for my future, but now I know what I want and how long I want it for.
Her name is Everett Sinclair, and I want her forever.
Pulling up to Carnage, I run up the steps and into the building, heading for the hospital. I need to see Devin.
EVERETT
Nineteen years old
A gush of air leaves my lungs when I’m dropped to a hard floor. I groan, rolling over onto my side, and curl into a ball.
“Name?” a woman’s voice asks. It sounds familiar, but my foggy mind can’t place it.
“Everett Sinclair,” a man answers. “Founder. One suicide attempt. One pregnancy but no children—miscarriage and has been sterilized.”
“Mm-hmm,” she states as if she already knows these things about me.
My teeth chatter, and I grab at the thick metal collar around my neck. It’s pinching my skin, but at least the hood is gone.
“What do you want to do with her?” the man goes on at her silence. “She’s pretty much useless to us. Not sure why you even considered accepting her.”
“Men are useless,” she counters.
“Eve?” a new voice says.
A boot kicks my side, forcing me onto my back. I try to fight, but I’m too weak. My heavy eyes open, and I see a man kneeling next to me. He runs his fingers over my exposed chest and down my stomach before they slide between my trembling legs.
I close them tightly, and he laughs, standing to his full height. “She’ll make the perfect whore,” he assures the woman.
I’m unable to make out her face, but I can see movement as she checks her watch. “She’s all yours. I’m leaving. I’ve got dinner plans with my husband in twenty.” She pats his back. “I’ll check in on her in a week to see how she’s doing.” Her heels clap when she exits the room.
“Here,” one of the male voices says and then my collar is gone. I almost cry in relief.
Then I’m picked up. He carries me out of the room and down a brightly lit hallway. It hurts my sensitive eyes. I’ve been wearing a hood for the past few days, so any light seems to be too much.
“Pl-ease.” My voice cracks. I’m so thirsty and my throat is sore, my skin rubbed raw.
His chest rumbles with laughter. “I always knew you’d end up here, Eve.”
I don’t know who this man is. How does he know me?
My head hangs off his arm and lolls side to side while he carries me, and I see little glimpses of red lights above doors as we pass by before we enter one of the rooms. He sets me down in a cold, unforgiving chair, and I shiver.
“There’s usually a series of events that must take place before this, but I think she’ll understand. We’ll go ahead and get started. I can clean you up later. You’re just going to get dirty again anyway.”
She? Who is she? The woman in the heels who handed me over to him? I didn’t get a look at her face.
He kneels down in front of me, spreading my legs, and wraps something rough around each ankle, then does the same to my thighs.