Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Stupid. So stupid. So, so, so stupid.
I need to stay and give Mass a chance to explain himself.
I’ve been making a life for myself here. I’m starting to feel like the Fortress could be our home.
And Grandfather’s here too. I want to get to know him and maybe let him know Rosie while he can.
The elevator doors open and I step out onto the bottom floor.
I get some looks from the staff, but nobody stops me. I’m the Dragon’s wife, after all. So what if I’m carrying bags and looking suspicious as hell?
I practically run through the halls and find one of the doors that leads out toward the gardens. The paths out here are twisty and dark. I nearly stumble a few times but manage to keep my footing. There’s a strip of jungle between the main building and the beach, and I eventually find a sandy path that leads toward the water. I smell and hear it before I see the ocean.
I should turn back. It isn’t too late. Gabe will wait, and when I don’t show up, he’ll assume something happened.
But what if that means he tries something even stupider?
My oldest brother isn’t emotional. He doesn’t rush into bad situations without at least thinking about them first.
But he’s also extremely loyal.
I hate this. I hate being put in this situation. I want to go back inside, but I also don’t want Gabe to get hurt.
And a part of me wants to go home to New York.
I hurry down the sand. The lights of the Fortress loom over everything. The Resort is a smaller, much more beautiful stretch of buildings behind it.
I start to hope that maybe the call was some kind of elaborate prank until I spot shapes in the near distance. I pick up my pace, feeling sick.
How’s Mass going to feel when he hears I ran away from him?
The shapes resolve into two people and a black outrigger boat with a simple motor. I stare at my brother, wearing a black wetsuit with a rifle on his shoulder. He grins at me as I approach, smiling broadly.
But I stop before I get too close.
“What are you waiting for?” he calls out, waving for me to hurry. “We need to get moving. We don’t have much time.”
“What’s she doing here?”
The woman standing beside him is Satya.
I try to understand what’s going on, but my brain refuses to make sense of it.
Gabe glances at her and shrugs. “She’s my insider. That’s all I know.”
Satya’s wearing all black: slacks, sweatshirt, and a cap pulled over her head. Her usual warmth is completely missing. “Someone had to arrange for all this, Allie. Come now, hand me that little one and we’ll be on our way.”
I stare at her. Satya’s been taking care of Rosie ever since I came here. I began to like her, mostly because Mass thinks so highly of her.
“He trusts you,” I call out, still not moving.
Satya’s face tightens. “That’s his mistake. Come now, Allie. This place isn’t good for you.”
“What’s the matter?” Gabe moves toward me, reaching out. “Come on, we need to run.”
“She shouldn’t be here.” I back away, my head whirling. Satya is a part of Mass’s inner circle and now she’s betraying him. I look at her, struggling to stay composed. “Why would you do this to him?”
Her face twists, just for a moment, before she calms herself. “My reasons aren’t important. Massimo isn’t the man you seem to think he is. There are other people, stronger people—”
“Who sent you two?” I keep backing away, feeling sick.
Gabe’s clearly frustrated. “Why does that matter? I’m here to rescue you, Allie. Would you just get in the damn boat so we don’t end up killed out here?”
“Tell me who.” I clutch Rosie tighter. “Tell me right now.”
Satya laughs bitterly, her nose wrinkled in disgust. “You already know who’s helping us.”
I turn and run.
It’s hard as hell. I’m burdened by two bags and a baby, plus it’s not easy in the sand. I’m winded almost right away, but I force myself to keep going, angling back to the Fortress and the path into the garden. I glance over my shoulder, hoping to see them recede into the distance, but there’s a figure chasing.
It’s Satya.
The old woman’s surprisingly spry. She starts to make up some distance on me and I’m forced to toss the bags aside. Without those, I can move faster.
“You’re making a mistake!” she yells after me. “You don’t know what he’s really like!”
She’s probably right.
I’m sure about one thing though.
Mass might be a monster, but Medved’s worse.
ALLIE
My lungs burn. My legs feel like they’re going to crumble apart like dry dough. I grit my teeth and keep going, but now Rosie’s wide awake and screeching. I can’t blame her, but my god, her screaming isn’t helping anything.