Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160192 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
“Train them into what?” she asked quietly.
God. She had a really bad feeling about this.
“Sleeper assassins,” the Fox said. “They once tried to recruit me as a trainer. But I work for no one. And I’m no trainer.”
“They train children as assassins?” Jared asked. “North was in an orphanage in Romania.”
“Yes. It seems he was one of the children recruited. I don’t know what he did before he came to you. But from what I understand he was placed with you and left there for years, waiting for instructions.”
“Instructions to do what?” she asked.
“To kill someone, of course,” the Fox replied matter-of-factly. “That’s what assassins do.”
But kill who? Jared?
“Anyway, according to the Collective’s leader, Mr. Z, they extracted North because he’s become defective. He refused to follow an order.”
“What are they planning to do to hi,?” Jared demanded.
“Oh, likely kill him.”
“They better not. I’ll find them and I’ll make their lives a living hell,” Jared swore.
“Yes, yes, I’m sure you will. Hunt them down, blah blah, kill, blah, blah.”
“Is this a joke to you?” Jared asked quietly.
She knew that voice. Knew he was on the edge. And she also knew that the Fox didn’t really have any patience for people that annoyed or crossed him. Reaching out, she grabbed hold of Jared’s wrist, squeezing.
“Perhaps it is a joke,” the Fox said. “Since I have been dragged into something that isn’t any of my business. The only reason I didn’t tell Mr. Z that no, I have nothing to do with Jared Bartolli and don’t care what you do to his lover is because of Angie.”
Shit. Shit.
“Thanks so much for calling, Fox,” she said. “North means everything to me.”
There was silence.
“Like I said, I only agreed because of you. North must have told them that I was your friend and they’re worried about upsetting me by killing him. I said to hold tight. I can always tell them that we aren’t friends and to go ahead with killing North.”
“No!” she cried. “Please, Fox. Don’t. Please, I need him.”
Jared drew her close, lifting her onto his lap to hold her tight.
“I won’t for you,” the Fox told her. “Not for Bartolli. I asked for terms.”
“Terms?” she asked.
“For North’s release,” Jared told her. “What do they want?”
“They want ten million dollars wired to an off-shore account.”
She sucked in a breath. Ten million dollars? That was insane.
“Done,” Jared said as though they were talking about sofa change. “What else?”
“No retaliation. No coming after them, no mentioning them to anyone. And I mean anyone. Also they want my guarantee that I won’t retaliate.”
“Done,” Jared said more reluctantly.
“You will have to abide by that. They might be scared of me, but if you come after them, they will not hesitate to blow up your world. Take North. And forget this ever happened.”
She couldn’t believe all of this.
North was a sleeper assassin?
He’d been placed with Jared?
And then the organization that had “raised” him was ransoming him back because he was defective?
“I wasn’t sure you’d want him back after learning who he really is. How can you be certain that anything he told you is the truth?” the Fox asked.
“I know,” Jared replied. “I know that North was telling the truth. I know that he loves us. Because if he didn’t, he’d simply have given up. And he wouldn’t have disobeyed orders. Which I’m certain he did to keep us safe. And I know that I love him.”
“So do I, Fox,” she said.
“All right. I’ll arrange things.”
“I’ll also punish the hell out of him for keeping all of this from me,” Jared promised.
“Ahh, I find a good spanking along with some orgasm denial is a great way to induce obedience,” the Fox advised.
“Yes, so do I.”
She wasn’t sure how she felt about them bonding over this topic. But all that really mattered was getting North home safe and sound.
After the call ended there was a knock on the door and Jared got up, returning with a bag.
“What’s in there?” she asked.
“You’ll find out in a minute,” he said, heading off into the attached bathroom. When he returned a few moments later, he was shaking a bottle.
A bottle with a nipple at one end and filled with white liquid.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“An adult-sized baby bottle. I mixed up a protein drink for you.”
“Where . . . where did that come from?” she asked in amazement as he sat next to her, then drew her onto his lap.
“Miles. He managed to get it from somewhere for me. Any objections?” he asked. “I just want to take care of you. And you never know, you might like this.”
Yeah, she just might.
“No objections,” she whispered.
“That’s my good girl.” He placed the nipple against her mouth and she parted her lips. It felt odd and awesome all at once. Settling in, her eyes fell closed as she sucked on the bottle.