Total pages in book: 213
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1010(@200wpm)___ 808(@250wpm)___ 673(@300wpm)
“Someone said Marcus came looking for information and was directed to you.”
My lungs halt and a harsh thud slams in my chest. I ask him quietly, knowing the smirk on my face is dimming and finding it hard to swallow, “And who would that be?”
“Yours truly,” he gives me the answer with his grin widening. “It was kind of a test,” he tells me as I take in a single deep breath and grip the rope tightly with both hands, my thumbs running along the rough bundles that are fastened around both my hands. “And you failed, Sebastian.” For the first time, his smile fades and he shrugs. “I’m sure there’s a reason though,” he says, feigning sympathy.
I nod once, making it look like I’m full of regret. And I am. I regret not killing this fucker sooner.
In one swift moment, my arms are up and around his head. He tries to turn and get out of my reach, but all that does is spin him around, so his back is to my chest as I get the rope right where I want it.
His feet come back first, trying to kick me as his hands reach up and try to grab the rope before it tightens. He gets the tip of two fingers in the loop, but I don’t give a fuck. I’m squeezing so tight I can’t breathe, I can’t move. My muscles are on fire and my teeth grind together as I grunt out the pain. His large body slams into me, shoving me against the back wall. I grit my teeth as his boots squeak against the floor as he throws his head back into my shoulder.
He throws his body to the left, knocking us both into the tables and I almost lose my grip as I fall hard, smacking the side of my head against the edge of one chair as we tumble to the floor, but I hold on with everything I have, feeling the thin rope dig in deeper.
I watch his face closely, seeing how red his eyes are getting and how pale his face is.
His cheeks puff out as his strength wanes. Another kick, but this one’s weaker. A few more seconds and his head lolls. I still can’t breathe, and I pull back harder, feeling the rope nearly cut into his fingers, giving it more slack as the bones break. I hold on tight for another moment, and he doesn’t react. He’s limp and heavy, his dead eyes bloodshot and staring ahead at nothing.
When I finally release him, I have to slowly unwind the rope and bring the circulation back to my numb fingers. It’s still dark as I pick up the chairs and tables, grabbing Eddie’s corpse by the ankles to move him out of the way. There’s no blood, no sign of a struggle. I check the wall we crashed into, feeling the burn and sting of my muscles. I’ll bruise, but there’s no dents or any sign of what happened. And that’s what matters.
My shoulders burn as I drag his heavy ass to the back, kicking the swinging door open and pulling him through the kitchen to get to where the freezers are. He isn’t the first and he won’t be the last dead body to be stored here.
I shut the door hard, giving it the last of my anger and locking it with a loud click that resonates through every inch of me. My body is still on fire, my pulse hammering in my ears.
Shipments come on Mondays. I’ll be long gone by then. I lock the freezer and look down at my hands. They’re red and the skin is ripped from the rough rope digging into them. Swallowing thickly and breathing in deeply to calm the adrenaline still racing through me, I let a moment pass.
Sitting in the car, I’m still making sure I’ve thought through every bit of this.
Romano will send people to watch out for me to return, and he’ll send people out looking for me, I know he will. He’ll never find us though and I’m never coming back. I already know that.
Marcus will let me go, so long as everything happens the way it’s supposed to tomorrow.
Carter though. I can’t stop thinking about leaving him behind. Ever since we got in the car, I haven’t let go of Chloe Rose’s hand. She gives me the strength I’ve never had, but nothing can help me with this. With saying goodbye to him.
The keys jingle as I turn off the ignition after pulling up in front of Carter’s house.
“Stay in the car,” I tell her, turning off the headlights and passing the keys to her hand. Her fingers against mine still ignite something primitive and deep inside of me.
It stirs a warmth in my heart I never thought existed.