Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 29008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
“Fuck,” I grunt.
“Check this out,” my father calls.
We walk through the house, following my father’s voice. His men are standing outside the room, and they gesture for Bennett and me to go in.
Dad is looking at a wall covered with pictures of Luna, and my heart starts to race. These fuckers have been watching her.
My dad taps on a sheet of paper in the corner. “Here. This is their whole plan. The dumbasses wrote it all out.” He points at a drawing. “They’re keeping her here.”
I stuff the gun into my waistband. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 14
LUNA
The two men are getting antsy.
They’re going to kill me, that much I know.
I’ve seen their faces. I can identify them. There’s no way they’re going to let me go.
“Have you heard from Cole?” one asks.
The other looks at his phone. “No, the account balance still says zero.”
I clench my eyes shut. I should have known he wouldn’t pay. I guess it doesn’t matter anyway. These guys planned to get the money and then leave me for dead anyway. At least that’s what they keep saying.
I whimper at the thought, even though no one would know it. My mouth is still covered with duct tape. I twist my hands, trying to get loose, but it’s not possible.
A phone rings, and one of them picks it up. “What?” His eyes widen. “Fuck. Shit. Damn it.” He hangs up the phone. “We gotta go. They’re on to us and on the way here.”
The other stands up. “We can’t just leave her here. She knows what we look like.”
I shake my head side to side, trying to tell them I won’t say anything, but they ignore me.
“Plan B,” one says, and there’s a silence between them before they both nod.
One walks out of the room and then comes back, carrying a gas can.
I start bouncing in my seat as much as I can while being tethered to it. I’m screaming, but it’s so muffled, it’s like I’m not saying a word.
The one starts pouring gasoline over everything. When the can is empty, they toss it across the room, hitting a wall. “Do it, let’s go,” he hollers.
The other one lights a match, and seconds later, the room fills with flames and the men leave.
I try to stand up, but they tied me to the seat. I have to get out of here.
I topple over and try to get up on my knees with the chair strapped to my back. I try to crawl, to move, but I can’t. Every time I think I’m making traction, I realize I haven’t moved anywhere.
The flames are getting closer, and I don’t want to give up, but I don’t know what else I can do.
That’s when I hear it. “Luna!” Cole bellows.
I try to scream back, but nothing but mumbles come out.
I want to tell him to get out while he can, but I can’t.
I’m looking through the smoke when suddenly I’m lifted up, chair and all, and carried through the burning building.
As soon as we get outside, Cole sets me down and wraps his arms around me.
“Oh my God, I thought I lost you. I thought…”
His voice drops, and he holds me tighter.
I mumble through the tape, and he leans back to look at me.
He pulls the tape from my mouth slowly, flinching when he sees he’s inflicting pain on me.
When I’m finally free, I say the first thing that comes to mind. “You came.”
He nods. “Of course, I came. You’re going to be my wife.”
I nod and try to hide my disappointment. I’m not sure what I expected, but I had hoped that he would say something about his feelings for me. I want his love more than anything.
“She okay?” Bennett asks.
Robert comes to stand before me. “Yes, she’s okay. She’s going to be a Kingston. She’s tough.”
Instead of answering, I ask, “Can you untie me?”
Cole nods and pulls a knife from his pocket. While he cuts me loose, Bennett nods. “Stone and the guys got Chris and Jess.”
“Hold them,” Cole says angrily. “I want to take care of them.”
My hands are loose. “Please, don’t leave me.”
I look at my father, who gestures to Luna. “She needs you, son. I’ll take care of those two.”
Bennett nods in agreement, cracking his knuckles. “I’ll help.”
Cole helps me stand up and wraps his arms around me. He tries to lead me away, but I stop and turn to Robert. “Will I ever see those two again?”
Robert shakes his head. “No, I promise to you that you won’t.”
I study his face, looking for any kind of hesitation, but there isn’t any.
I nod and turn away, letting Cole take me to an SUV. My hands are not shaking. My chest isn’t tight. Those two men meant to kill me. Whatever happens to them now is not my concern.