Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Everyone stared at Sampson in shock.
“What?” he snapped.
“We’re just not used to you being so insightful,” Abe said with a smirk.
“Shut the fuck up.” Sampson smacked his hand against Abe’s arm, pushing him. “I can be insightful.”
“No, you can’t,” Jenner said. “You have the emotional intelligence of a rock.”
“Dick,” Sampson muttered.
Immy grinned at them all. This is what she loved. When they were all together. Well, Isaiah and Maeve and Cat weren’t here. But this was filling her bucket and the water was starting to overflow over the top.
“You guys really think that about me?” she whispered.
“Yeah, Imms,” Abe said, looking at her incredulously. “We fucking love you. And we just want you to be happy. The last thing we’d ever want was for you to feel like you couldn’t be yourself or that you’re asking too much.”
“You can never ask too much, Immy,” Jenner told her. “Not ever. No matter how much you ask, it won’t be enough.”
This time when she leaned forward, he didn’t move away. Jenner gathered her into his lap, holding her tight as Sampson and Abe joined them in a hug.
“We’re a family, baby,” Jenner whispered to her. “You’re ours and no matter what, we want you, we love you, and we’re gonna take care of you. The same way you always take care of us. You always cook our favorite meals when one of us is down. Every birthday and holiday is extra special because of you. Because you love on us. And we just want to love on you back.”
He had to stop. She could feel the tears forming and sliding down her cheeks. So she pressed her face into his neck and just held on.
And they held onto her for a long, long time too.
28
This couldn’t be happening again.
Immy glanced up as Sampson entered the kitchen. She was mixing together the ingredients for some chocolate chip cookies. Sure, she could use the industrial level mixer that Jenner had gotten her for her last birthday.
But she needed to do something to get rid of this fear-fueled energy coursing through her.
It was happening again.
Tobias was on his phone at the island, frantically calling and messaging people.
Cat had been kidnapped.
“What have you heard?” Sampson snapped at Tobias.
Jenner, Abe and Isaiah all rushed into the kitchen. Jenner ran straight to her. A few weeks had passed since Tobias had caught her up the ladder in the living room. And the others had all told her that she was the heart of their group.
That still had the power to make her feel weak in the knees. But she couldn’t give into that right now.
Because Cat had been kidnapped.
First Maeve, then Cat? Well, actually, this wasn’t the first time that Cat had been kidnapped.
“I’m having trouble getting through to anyone,” Tobias said with frustration. “But apparently, her bracelet sent an alert to Alejandro and Nighthawk and they’ve been tracking her.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” Sampson paced up and down while Abe sat on a stool next to Isaiah who already had his laptop on the counter and was doing something on it.
“Baby, you all right?” Jenner asked.
“I’m making chocolate chip cookies. And then I’m going to make some brownies. Is there something you want? Do you want me to make lemon squares?”
“I want you to put the bowl down so I can check on you,” he told her.
“I can’t . . . I can’t . . . I have to keep moving.” She slid away from him and set the bowl down. Then she added in the chocolate chips. She tipped the bag too much and way too many of them landed on the soft dough.
“Oh no!” she cried. “There’s too many!”
“They’re never too many chocolate chips in chocolate chip cookies,” Jenner told her.
“Are you sure?” She glanced over at him.
He gave her a soft look. “I’m sure.”
“Everything is going to be fine, Immy,” Tobias told her firmly.
She let their certainty fill her.
Cat would be fine. She was indestructible. Hell, right about now, her kidnappers were probably really regretting taking her.
“She’ll be giving them heck,” she said as she mixed in the chocolate chips.
“Of course she will.” Jenner moved in behind her and she leaned against him, feeling exhausted. “Want some help?”
“Yes, please.”
Tobias started swearing.
“What?” Sampson snapped. “What is it?”
“Fucking Mikey kidnapped her. I cannot fucking believe it! And Gage found Rafael, he’s alive.”
Rafael was Cat’s bodyguard. Although she liked to call him her nanny. Something Immy didn’t think that Rafael liked much.
“Mikey? He’s one of Alejandro’s men?” Sampson snapped.
“Yes,” Tobias clipped. “Fucking bastard is a fucking dead man.”
Immy let out a small squeak.
Tobias shot his gaze to her. “Sorry, Cherry. I worked with the guy and this just feels like a fucking betrayal.”
“It’s all right. I understand.”
Tobias reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar note, then reached over to put it in the swear jar. She leaned over and placed her hand over the opening.