Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100853 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“It’s not what I want,” I ground out. “It’s the only way to keep you safe.”
“What about everyone else in the house?” she asked. “Is everyone supposed to avoid you? Why don’t we all leave, and you can live here by yourself waiting for someone to come in and murder you?”
“Now you’re being ridiculous,” I said. “I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
Griffen’s lips pressed together as he worked on cleaning her arm, and I couldn’t tell if he wanted to laugh or disagree.
This wasn’t funny. Not by a long shot.
“Why don’t you worry about keeping yourself safe,” she said. “You’re the one they were trying to shoot.”
“And they almost hit you,” I reminded her.
“They didn’t hit either of us,” she shouted.
“Because we got lucky,” I said, refusing to match her tone. I was the reasonable one here, dammit. “We got lucky, Paige. I’m not betting your life on luck.”
“It’s my life. I get to say.” She lifted her chin, glaring at the wall across the room, refusing to look at me.
“Not when you’re being an idiot about it—”
“You might want to shut that mouth, son,” Eli said under his breath. “You are digging a hole you’re not going to be able to get yourself out of.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I said, snapping. Why couldn’t they all see that this was the only way?
Eli smirked and lifted his hands in a gesture of innocence. “Just offering some friendly advice. And though I’m not sure either of you wants to hear it, considering it’s my job, I’ll tell you. Paige is right. There’s no point in putting her in a safe house unless you’re going to put everyone in a safe house.”
I opened my mouth to tell him how fucking ridiculous that was, but Griffen shot me a look that clearly told me to keep it shut.
“What about putting Ford in a safe house?” Paige asked.
“I’ll get to that in a second. And also—” Eli looked at Paige, who glared back at him. “Ford’s right. I don’t want to interfere in the process of young love, but you’re better off keeping your distance until we shut this situation down.”
Paige set her jaw mutinously but didn’t say anything.
“For the record,” Griffen said, “I agree with Eli.” He looked to Paige, saying, “Brace yourself,” and swabbed the long cut down her arm with rubbing alcohol.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she squeezed them shut, sucking in a sharp breath. “It’s fine. I’m good,” she said through her teeth.
“I know you are,” Griffen said, calmly reassuring. He glanced at Eli. “I don’t think Haywood’s tracked that there’s any reason to make Paige a target specifically. I think she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“Agreed,” Eli said.
“Do we think she’s a danger to the kids?” Griffen asked.
“Not at this point, no,” Eli said.
“Then yeah, I don’t think a safe house is the right idea for either of you,” Griffen said as he fastened a butterfly bandage in the center of the cut on Paige’s arm and picked up another, preparing to place it a few inches down.
“Why not?” Paige asked, her eyes looking up to my face in alarm. “He’s the one they’re after. You said the sniper was unusually skilled. If there was one like that, there’ll be more.”
“If we put him in a safe house,” Eli said, “it’s just going to drag this whole thing out longer.”
Fear squirmed, deep in my stomach. That wasn’t an option. “No way,” I said. “I want this over.”
“We know,” Griffen said. “Which is why we’ve been working on a different plan.”
I forced myself to take a breath, then two, to calm down.
“What’s the new plan?” I asked.
“From what we’ve been able to find out,” Eli said, “it’s pretty solid that Haywood’s going to get out of prison tomorrow morning. The judge is in his pocket. It’s not exactly kosher, and it might get challenged by the prosecution, but not in time to stop him from getting out, you understand?”
Meaning Cole could come after me directly. I wasn’t sure how worried I should be about that. Cole was a lawyer, not a commando, but he knew his way around a gun, and he’d proven that he was resourceful. I’d seen the crime scene photos from the jewelry designer he’d beaten to death. If I’d had a doubt that Cole was dangerous, that alone was enough to chill my blood. I didn’t love the idea of him out of prison and headed for me. But I wanted this over. And for that to happen, I was going to have to face Cole Haywood one more time.
“I understand,” I said. “You’re saying that, one way or another, he’ll be free tomorrow.”
“Exactly,” Eli said. “Even if the prosecution gets it overturned, they’d have to find him before they could drag him back to prison. My guess is the second he’s free, he’ll be in the wind.”