Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 100791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“What happens to little Lizzie Hunt is not the Merchants’ concern anymore,” she dropped, turning away, “because you’ll all be dead.”
Debra snatched a paper tray off the desk and threw it on the floor. “Now, enough chat. Get all the phones into the basket. Get the unlock codes for them while you’re at it.
“Wilson, bring everyone up to the thirty-fifth floor—including the girl and the other Redgrave.” I assumed she meant me and River. “That’s Sole and the nanny’s floor. Tie them all up in the living room, I want them where I can see them at all times. Then, search the nanny’s apartment and make sure he’s not lying about her and the kid being here.
“If the nanny is here, kill her,” Debra commanded without a trace of feeling. “We don’t need her for the auction.”
“Auction?” I croaked.
“Oh, that’s right, didn’t I say?” Debra spun on me with a bright smile. “Adeline is quite right about our beef being with only her and Saint. The others did nothing to us. They didn’t kill our fathers. But,” she stressed, “this little family of soulless criminals have done plenty of horrible things to plenty of other people, so, we’re going to keep Adeline and Saint, and auction the rest of you off.”
Blood drained out of my face with every word. “You’re insane. No wonder you were best friends with that disgusting shitstain Luca.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I was far from that scum’s friend. Luca Adams was the lowest form of trash, but he was a necessary evil to get us this far. He hid the scale of his trafficking operation from the Merchants so impressively, Sunny boy here thought he was nothing more than a lowlife, and low-level, pimp.
“We needed his many boltholes, and the victims chained within, so that we could hide among them and get here. But you can trust this, girl, I did not mourn his death.”
“Oh, well, that makes it okay, then,” I chirped, sarcasm dripping from my lips. “You just sat back and did shit all to help dozens of women forced into sexual slavery while their children were sold to the highest bidder, but at least you didn’t approve.”
Her eyes flashed. “You mean like you sat back and watched your father abuse and subjugate your mother until she was forced to shoot him in the face?”
I blew back, eyes wide.
“That’s what I thought,” she taunted. “There’s plenty of hypocritical bitch to go around, so I suggest you shut your mouth.”
I breathed hard, chest heaving against the arm locked around my chest... but I shut my mouth.
“Good.” She turned her back on me. “Now, as I was saying, the auction begins tonight at seven o’clock on the dot. It took many years, countless fortunes, and endless recruitment to get where we are now. My financial backers required proof that we could achieve our goal of dismantling the biggest, and deadliest, criminal syndicate in history.
“And for a long time, we couldn’t provide that proof... until Sacred Heart Charities erupted into flames.” She grinned at Adeline’s narrowing eyes. “Even though none of you were inside, unfortunately, the fact that we were able to unearth one of your money-laundering operations, burn it to the ground, and get away with it—proved we were a serious threat.
“The money started rolling in.”
I gaped at her. “But— You didn’t unearth anything! You badgered some poor woman into joining your deluded revenge plot until she was forced to spill about the charity to get you to leave her alone. Oh, and don’t forget the bitch slap!”
Debra shrugged. “Regardless, that day marked the changing of the tides. The first of our serious investors pledged their support and membership, and now the brothers and sisters of the inner circle are due their reward.
“Of course, they all can’t have a piece of you. Hence, the auction. Revenge goes to the highest bidder.”
“Inner circle?” I repeated. “Highest bidder? But what about all those brothers and sisters outside the inner circle? The ones who’ve been cannon fodder for you? Who were cut down and killed for your fake rescue!”
Debra looked at me in amusement—as if I was a cute little puppy that kept yapping.
“Don’t they get their revenge?” I asked. “Isn’t that why they joined you?”
“It’s so cute that you’re worried for them, but you don’t need to be, they will also share in our victory. In fact...” She tipped her head to Natalya. “Send for them all. Every brother and sister in the lower tiers.
“The Fairfield is now theirs. Their home. Their reward for our victory.” She turned that smirk on me. “Also let them know that their new apartments are currently filled with all the gangbanger trash that threw their lot in with the Merchants. If they want to move in, they’ll have to shoot the previous tenants.”
“No!” Sunny shouted.