Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87618 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87618 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
When I hear the front door open.
“He’s here,” I whisper, snatching up my bag, and slip into the hall. “Daron—”
“I’m letting him have the system. It’ll look like a power surge took it out.” He’s talking quietly now.
I hear Navarro downstairs. He’s cursing in Spanish as he jabs at the security console near the front door. I peer at the steps and realize he’s on the phone talking to someone.
“Don’t turn it back on yet,” I hiss softly, backing away. “The cameras.”
“Understood,” Daron says.
“I have an out.” Riley’s voice now, calm and clear. “Alexan, head to the master bedroom.”
“What? Why?”
“Do it! Just move!”
I follow my wife’s orders and sneak to the other end of the house. “If this is what the rest of our marriage is going to be like, I’m kind of into it.”
“Don’t joke right now,” she snaps. “Tell me where you are.”
“I’m in his room. It’s actually kind of nice.” Big bed on a raised platform in the middle, dark wooden bureau, several high-end watches lined up on the nightstand. And a big stack of vintage Playboys on the other. “Oh, no, he’s a sex pervert.”
“Focus. Get in the bathroom.”
“Not sure I want to go into a sex pervert’s private bathroom.”
“Are you seriously deciding to be funny right now of all times?”
She’s got a point. I quietly go into the bathroom and pause. There’s a vanity to the right, a shower straight left, and a toilet against the left wall. “Okay, I’m here. What should I do? Get into the tub?”
“Windows,” Riley instructs. “The one on the right corner. There’s a drainpipe next to it.”
“You want me to scale a downspout? Not sure it’ll hold my weight.”
“Either that or you get caught. Move it, Alexan.”
I smile to myself. “So bossy.” I head to the window as instructed and softly get it open. Any second, Navarro could come into the room behind me, and that would be the end of all this. But I manage to get the screen up and my body half out before that happens.
And there’s the pipe. The building is relatively old, which means it’s made of metal and bolted into the facade. That’s good news, actually. I test it with a few stiff tugs, and it doesn’t move.
“I’m going for it,” I say, swinging myself out.
Cold air whips around my body as I cling to the pipe. I careen into open space, fingers gripping hard and nearly slipping. I grunt as the pipe scrapes against my forearms, leaving red marks on my skin.
“Talk to me,” Riley says.
“I’m busy.” I reach back over and scramble at the window. “Fucking thing.”
“Better hurry,” Daron cuts in. “He’s coming upstairs. I’m watching through the cameras.”
“Alexan,” Riley says, sounding desperate. “Move it.”
“Almost—” My hand grips the window. I slide it down so slowly it’s like a knife in my chest. “Okay. I got it.”
“Go, damn it,” Riley yells.
“Wait!” Daron’s voice is urgent. “Don’t move! He’s right there!”
I go totally still and press myself as flat to the wall as I can. If Navarro comes to the window, he’ll see me. No doubt about it. My heart’s racing in my chest, and god, I hope a pedestrian doesn’t walk past right now.
“He’s taking a piss,” Daron whispers. “I can hear it. Just hold tight.”
“Not much else I can do.” My arms are tired, but I’m in good shape. I could dangle here for an hour if I had to. “Well? What’s he doing? Playing with himself or what?”
“Move,” Daron says. “He’s heading back downstairs.”
I lower myself down hurriedly but steadily, doing my best not to make any noise. The wrong bump or jerk could bring this whole pipe down, and that would alert the whole building. I get close enough to the ground and let myself go, dropping the last few feet. I hit with an awkward stumble.
“Daron? Did he hear?”
“Not a fucking thing. He’s messing with the alarm system right now. Hold on…” I hear him typing in the background. “And now it’s back on. You good?”
“I’m good,” I say and start walking away down the block. “Someone meet me at the corner.”
A van pulls up the second I reach the crosswalk. The door slides open, and Riley comes streaming out. She slams into my arms, wrapping herself around my chest and hugging me so tight it’s enough to knock the wind from my lungs.
“That was too close,” she says, fighting tears.
“Nobody said it would be easy.” I grin over her shoulder at where Daron’s sitting behind a makeshift computer desk. William’s behind the wheel. “Come on, let’s get out of this place.”
Riley slams her mouth to mine, kissing me furiously and possessively, then pulls back and slaps me.
I stare at her, touching my cheek. “The fuck?”
“Don’t you ever make stupid jokes while in the middle of a life-or-death situation again, do you hear me?”