Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“I owe him,” Harvey said.
It seemed to be all the answer Hawk needed. Turning from Harvey, in a voice that wouldn’t carry farther than the courtyard, Hawk said, “Ford, he spotted you.”
Ford turned, broom in hand, and re-entered the garage, walking past Harvey’s hiding spot in the corner without seeing him. As his eyes adjusted to the dimmer light inside, he spotted me beside Hawk. “Paige, you shouldn’t be here.”
Before I could say anything, Hawk cut in, closing a hand around my upper arm. In a low voice, he said, “Come with me,” as he tugged me toward the door to the house. “Ford, stay there, in the middle of the garage. I don’t want you near that hole or pinned against the back wall. We need room to move.”
Ford shifted position to the center garage bay, his gaze on the figure of Cole, nearing the courtyard. Ford swept a path of floor, sparing a quick glance at the back of the garage, where Hawk led me to the alcove by the door into the Manor. Pushing me behind him, Hawk took a position at the front of the alcove and flicked off the light above us, shrouding us in the shadows. I could see past him, but Cole and Ford would have a hard time spotting either of us. And Haywood would have to go through Hawk to get to me. Apparently satisfied by the wall of man between me and Haywood, Ford turned to face Cole as he strode across the courtyard, his face set in hard lines.
Weapon drawn, Hawk kept his attention on Haywood and Ford, but took a moment to whisper to me, “Don’t make me regret this, Paige.”
“I won’t,” I promised. “Don’t let him get hurt.”
“Not happening,” Hawk grunted as Cole Haywood paced through the open garage door, never seeing Harvey in the corner, or Hawk and me tucked into the alcove. All of his attention was fixed on Ford.
“Cole,” Ford said, sounding almost welcoming. “We’ve been looking for you.”
“Really?” Cole asked, stopping in the middle of the garage, less than ten feet from Ford. “I won’t take too much of your time. Unfreeze my money and I’ll leave you alone.” He paused and narrowed his eyes. “Everyone who took the bounty got the message. You’re too hot a target. You’ll stop me from being able to pay anyone who takes the bounty, and they’ll end up in jail—or worse. Understood. Fine. I give up.” He crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin. “Give me back my money.”
“What makes you think I can do that?” Ford asked, curling his fingers around the top of the broom handle as if he had all the time in the world. “We’ve known each other for years. You know I’m great with a spreadsheet, but I’m no hacker.”
“Don’t fuck with me, Ford,” Haywood snapped out. “I know you’re behind this.” Hawk shifted, keeping his gun focused on Haywood as he took a step closer to Ford, fury twisting his handsome face.
“And hypothetically,” Ford went on, his tone conversational despite the threat in front of him, “if I could unfreeze your money, you’d take your cash and disappear, never darken my door again? That kind of thing?” Ford had one eyebrow raised, and I swore I saw a shadow of amusement in his sea-green eyes. Was he enjoying this?
My stomach was in knots. Cole’s hands were empty. I couldn’t see that he was carrying a gun, but despite his anger, he seemed too in control not to have the upper hand in one way or another.
“We both know you have access to some of the best hackers in the world through your brother and Hawk,” Haywood said. “Don’t waste my time. Tell them to unfreeze my money and I’ll walk away.”
“So basically,” Ford said, spinning the broom against the concrete in a very believable show of nonchalance, “you’re asking me to trust your word that you’ll leave me alone? Trust the man who’s tried to kill me, repeatedly? Who’s hired people to take shots at not just me, but half of my family as well? If I did have anything to do with your accounts being frozen, I don’t think it would be very smart of me to unfreeze them. You’ve got a lot less leverage when you’re broke and desperate.”
Cole scowled. “I may be temporarily broke,” he said, “but I’ll never be desperate.”
Ford shrugged, as if it didn’t matter to him either way. “I have a different proposal,” he said. “I think you should leave Sawyers Bend and never come back. Stay off the dark web, cause trouble somewhere else. I don’t care where. Just disappear.”
“And, hypothetically, if I took your advice and left town, what about my money?” Cole asked.
“I don’t really see where that’s my problem,” Ford said. “It’s still your money.”