Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Eyes bulging, I jumped on Sienna’s train of thought. “With us dead and defeated, and the hero escaping the—”
Sienna broke the lock and threw open the case. Tearing off the poster, she revealed its hidden secret in all its horrible glory.
A myriad of green wires connected bits and bobs I couldn’t name, but nestled within them was one thing I could—a tampon. It rested on the bomb, mocking us loud and proudly as the device ticked down the final eight seconds on the clock.
“TRAP!”
A hand, I didn’t know whose, hooked around my waist.
“RUN!”
The world spun as one of the guys threw me over his shoulder. All I could do was scream Sienna’s name as he bolted, racing for the exit.
Stabbing sunlight attacked and blinded me, washing the world in white light. Was Sienna behind us? Was Bane, Liam, or Sunny? Did they get out?!
In a blink we were flying. Crashing down behind Masie, pain jangled through my bones as we hit the ground hard.
“SIEN—!”
BOOM!
Chapter Two
Iheld Sienna tight, squeezing the stuffing out of her. I hadn’t let her go since she grabbed my hand and picked me out of the rubble—both of us crying, shouting, and hugging each other over the ringing in our ears.
An hour later, we were in Sunny’s apartment. There was nothing else to do but leave. The police would be on their way, and the last thing we needed was for them to find us at the site of a bombing.
I held Sienna tighter as my mind flashed back to my sister ripping the covering off a bomb. She was so close. We were all so close to being the next tragedy in that dark, gloomy, abandoned place.
I flicked to Laurel, who was sleeping peacefully in her playpen. That was the only reason I wasn’t hugging and holding her too.
Out on the balcony, Sunny, Liam, and Bane argued—loudly if their lined faces and wild gesticulating were anything to go by.
I could’ve been out there with them, but I stayed in the living room with my sister and my baby. I could guess what they were arguing about—me.
I dropped my head on Sienna’s shoulder, eyes squeezing shut. They didn’t have to talk outside to spare my feelings. My mind was already shouting with the truth. I thought I was a clever, badass Merchant who was ready to run with the big guns. So clever, I convinced Genny to walk into the lion’s den with nothing but a fucking tampon.
“I’m so stupid,” I whispered, making Sienna squeeze me tighter.
“Mackenzie.”
I shot up, heart pounding as I locked eyes with Adeline Redgrave—the real clever badass queen of Cinco City. The one who managed to keep her family safe for over thirty years... until I came along.
“Mackenzie.” Adeline pulled up an ottoman and sat next to me. “Can we talk?”
“Uhh...” Behind her, Adeline’s husbands headed out to the balcony. “Yes, of course.”
Adeline’s smile was kind, but it didn’t touch the seriousness behind her eyes. “What happened today?” she asked, bluntly getting to the point as any mother would. “Where is my daughter?”
I couldn’t hide anything from her, so I didn’t. I told her everything from telling Genny all about Madison, coming up with the tampon plan, confronting Madison in the park and provoking her to take Genny to the Brotherhood’s leadership, and then walking into a big fucking trap and running out with no Genny, no clues, and no idea what to do next.
Adeline hummed, sitting back in her seat. For the life of me, I couldn’t tell what she was thinking. “Was there any proof Genny was ever in that movie theater?”
I blinked. “What?”
“Abandoned buildings in the middle of busy cities don’t make for good hiding places,” she said. “Especially not one that’s been closed for over twenty years. People would notice if strange, shadowy figures were going in and out of it all of a sudden.”
“Well, I... Yes, I guess that’s true.”
“I don’t believe Genny was ever in that building, so if you’re beating yourself up thinking she may have been inside when it blew... Don’t.” Adeline took my hand. “She’s safe, Kenzie. I know it.”
“How do you know?” My voice was small.
“Because of what you’ve just told me. From what you’ve said, this Madison girl isn’t the brightest bulb in the box. She made herself the face, and therefore the fall guy, of a major kidnapping and trafficking ring. She fraudulently adopted out kidnapped children, and then posed in their family portraits—giving all of them a photo and description to hand over to the cops. She’s an idiot,” Adeline dropped. “But whoever she’s working for isn’t.
“I believe that Madison drove Genny to the true hideout of the Brotherhood, and it was within that hideout that the real brains realized that if you can hide a tracker in a button, you can most certainly hide one in a tampon.