Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 61042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
My gaze darted to Griffin before going back to Gunnar and taking the phone. “Hannah? What’s going on?”
“Veda. One of the women here knew Tessa by name, asking if we found another woman on another transport.” Hannah spoke calmly, but I could hear her anxiety as she spoke. “If she’s right, and she admits she can’t be sure how much she imagined and how much actually happened, but she says Iron took Tessa from where they were held two days ago.”
I felt the breath leave my lungs. “She’s alive?”
“Two days ago, yes. At least, I think it’s been two days. They drugged the women so she said it could be more or less. From what I could piece together, ‘special handling’ means she’s young enough to pass as a virgin.”
“I swear to God, Hannah. I’m gonna find Iron and when I do, I will kill him and make him suffer every indignity I can think of.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone and I thought I’d either lost Hannah, or I’d said too much and pushed Hannah away. I should have known better.
“On my word as Knuckles’ old lady, bringing the full weight of my husband’s position as president of Kiss of Death, Veda, I will make sure you have this kill.”
I’m not sure I could have been more surprised at anything she might have said. “Are you shittin’ me right now? Making fun of me?” I didn’t see it of the woman, but I had only known her a short time.
“No, Veda.” She didn’t sound like she took offense. In fact, she sounded gravely serious. “I mean what I say. And I make good on my promises.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m sorry I said that. Thank you for calling me.”
“Nothing to be sorry for. You’re one of us, Veda. No matter what happens next. You’re one of us, and we will protect you with the full weight of the club. You and your sister. And that means getting the retribution you feel is fitting for the crime.”
I lowered the phone in a daze. Griffin stepped close, reaching out to touch my hand and, very slowly, pulled me closer to him.
I handed Gunnar his phone, adding softly, “Thank you.”
Griffin found me again a few minutes later. I was sitting on the floor with my back against the wall and the gun resting on my thigh, staring at nothing. He lowered himself down beside me, close enough that our shoulders touched, and didn’t say a word.
“She’s alive,” I whispered. “They think she’s still alive. At least she was two days ago.”
Griffin’s jaw clenched and his hand tightened on mine. “I promised you I’ll bring her home and I will. I’ll bring her home, no matter what.”
I looked up into his eyes and finally voiced the one concern I hadn’t dared to ask myself. “What if she’s not alive, Griffin?”
“I’ll bring her home anyway. You will get your sister back, Veda. I can’t promise she’ll be alive, but I can promise you that I’ll bring her home.”
I nodded at him, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “OK. I believe you.” I wasn’t lying. And that was probably the most surprising thing of all.
Chapter Fourteen
Veda
Griffin and I helped clean up in the common room. Someone took care of the men who’d attacked -- both living and dead. I found myself in a state of shock, not really processing what happened or sure about how to proceed.
Before I realized he’d led me away from the others, I found myself walking across the quad toward Griffin’s apartment. The adrenaline had burned off, leaving just the raw, nervous energy between us. The entire walk I barely looked at him. My skin was already vibrating, every nerve ending tuned to Griffin. The combination of violence, anger, and the raw need to know I survived simmered just below the surface and I knew without a doubt I was about to fuck this man until I passed out. I also knew he’d let me.
We made it up the lift and down the hall. Griffin unlocked the door, opened it, and I stepped inside first. I turned, grabbed a fistful of Griffin’s shirt, and pulled him to me, clawing his shirt off in a swift tug over his head. He met me without hesitation, palms catching my hips, pinning them tight to his as he walked me backward. We made it three steps before my shoulders hit the wall, and the collision knocked the breath from me. He caught the exhalation, swallowed it down with his mouth on mine, kissing me like he wanted to breathe in the last of the fight right out of my body.
I kissed him back, teeth and tongue, the edge of his stubble rubbing my chin and the taste of him still metallic from the fight where the corner of his lip wept a small line of blood. An instant later, Griffin had my wrists above my head, one hand holding them there, the other already at my waist, dragging up the hem of my shirt above my belly to find the bare skin and slid his warm, rough palm around my waist to my back. Then he dropped his hand to my ass and squeezed. I couldn’t bite back a whimper of need.