Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67694 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
And I can now safely say I have, in fact, run like my ass is on fire. It wasn’t many steps before the ground heaved and buckled beneath my feet. Never in my life have I heard a boom so big. Just catastrophic. Like the whole world went bang and reality tore itself in two.
But I was the only one expecting it. Which meant while everyone was still trying to figure out what had happened, I could creep up on another vehicle and use the other grenade. Four of Porter’s men are hiding behind this vehicle. Pin. Toss. Turn and run.
I made it to the neighbor’s fence. This time the boom seemed even more explosive, if possible. I also think I’m losing my hearing. The world seems strangely muted for some reason. Blowing things up, however, seems to be working. Two grenades were a great start, but I can see now that more are needed. As soon as I find my feet I am heading back to the twin’s place.
With my hearing being weird, no wonder Porter catches me by surprise. His fingers digging into my arm as he drags me to my feet and shoves the barrel of his gun against my head. His angry mouth is moving, but I have no idea what he’s saying. Nothing complimentary about me, would be my guess. Can’t really blame him for having hurt feelings about me blowing up his men, but then it was his people who started all of this. Hopefully the grenades gave the townsfolk a chance to level the playing field.
I’d rather not die now all things considered. However, there’s no doubting I’ve done some of my best living in the last few weeks. My heart has doubled in size, and I’ve loved more than I knew I was capable of. If this is to be my ending, then it honestly doesn’t seem like such a bad one to me. To give my life for my family and friends is actually a beautiful thing.
The shining point of Dean’s thin long blade reflects the last of the sun’s rays. It’s really quite cinematic. How a flash of silver and gold cuts through the smoke and shadows.
In through the asshole’s ear it goes, and all signs of life disappear from his eyes. And the same time this is happening, Dean grips the gun pointed at my temple and tosses it aside. Guess I am not dying today after all. My guardian angel still has my back and thank fuck for that.
Porter’s body slumps to the ground, and good riddance. Makes it the perfect time for Naomi, Pedro, and Charlie to arrive with some new friends. Though the death of their beloved leader seems to have stolen the fire from the bulk of the invaders. Most of them just turn and run. Our returning friends get busy dealing with the rest of them.
“Are the children okay?” I ask.
He nods his head. Thank goodness. Dean is saying something. I can see his lips moving, but I can’t hear much of anything.
“I think my hearing is wonky from the grenades. There’s just this ringing sound.” Not sure if I’m speaking normally or shouting. It honestly could be either. “But I blew those cars up! Did you see?”
He nods.
“It was amazing. Made a bit of a mess though. We should probably keep the kids inside for a while.”
He reaches out with one of his big-ass hands and gently examines my latest facial wound. And of course he’s way more upset about it than I am.
“I said his pencil dick couldn’t compare to your man meat.” I shrug. “I know I said I wouldn’t say things that made assholes want to punch me, but…”
His lips make the required shapes for “man meat.”
“Oh, come on. You have to admit, it’s kind of funny.”
He shakes his head and wraps his arms around me, hanging on tight. And his lips are moving against my cheek. Not kissing me, but saying something over and over and over again.
“I know,” I say or yell or whatever. “I love you too.”
George sadly doesn’t survive the attack. He took a bullet to the neck defending the children in the bed-and-breakfast. The man died a hero. Trisha and the twins are devastated by the loss. I can’t imagine the pain of losing your partner of almost fifty years. They spent a lifetime together. For it to come to an end here, today, because of these assholes, makes me furious and sad.
Avan sutures a knife wound to Wyatt’s ribs, digs a bullet out of Jodi’s shoulder, and removes a wooden splinter from Leon’s eye. As for me, I sit on a sofa in the living room at the bed-and-breakfast with a cold compress on my face and a couple of bandages on my feet and arms and back. Seems I stepped on some broken glass during my adventures and took some shrapnel from the grenade blasts. Nothing too bad, luckily. But I’ll have a couple more pirate scars. Guess I didn’t feel it at the time due to adrenaline. Reema gave me some sweats and socks to wear. There are occasions when pants just do feel necessary.