Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 60768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 304(@200wpm)___ 243(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
“What the fu—”
Tammy’s usual bubbly smile is gone. In its place is a cold, calculated expression I’ve never seen on her before. Mark is holding a zip-tie in one hand and a gun in the other. The two henchmen move fast, one grabbing Orchid’s arm, the other lunging toward me.
I react on instinct. I shove Orchid behind me and swing at the closest guy, my fist connecting with his jaw. He staggers but doesn’t go down. The second man grabs me from behind, arm locking around my throat. I elbow him hard in the ribs and twist, trying to break free.
“Poe!” Orchid shouts. She fights against the man holding her, elbowing him in the stomach, but he’s bigger and stronger.
Tammy laughs, the sound sharp and ugly. “Oh, honey, don’t make this harder than it has to be. We’ve been watching you two lovebirds for days.”
I manage to land another punch, but the guy behind me tightens his grip on my throat. Black spots dance in my vision. “Who the hell are you?” I rasp, still struggling. “Do you work for Serafina?”
Tammy’s laugh turns colder. “Serafina? Please. We work for someone much worse.”
The words send ice down my spine. I keep fighting, kicking out at the man in front of me, but they’re too coordinated, too prepared. One of the henchmen yanks Orchid’s arms behind her back and zip-ties her wrists. She curses and twists, but it’s no use.
“Get your hands off her!” I shout. I lunge toward her, but the guy behind me slams me face-first into the wall. Pain explodes in my cheek. I taste blood.
They zip-tie my wrists too, tight enough to bite into my skin. Then they drag us both downstairs. I keep trying to twist toward Orchid, trying to stay close to her. “I’m right here,” I tell her, voice low and urgent. “Stay with me.”
She meets my eyes for a split second, fear and fury mixed together, but she nods once.
Outside, the unmarked black van is already waiting in the driveway, engine running. The neighbors’ yard is eerily quiet now, the party long over. No one’s around to see what’s happening. They shove us into the back of the van. I manage to maneuver so I land beside Orchid, our shoulders pressed together. The zip-ties dig deeper as I strain to stay close to her.
The doors slam shut. The van peels out fast, tires squealing on the pavement.
I lean my head toward hers, keeping my voice low. “You okay? They hurt you?”
She shakes her head, breathing fast. “I’m fine. You?”
“Fine.” It’s a lie. My face throbs where it hit the wall, and my wrists burn from the plastic ties. But none of that matters right now. All that matters is her.
The van bounces as it speeds away from the house. I can hear Tammy and Mark talking in the front seats, their voices casual and cheerful again, like they didn’t just kidnap us at gunpoint. The henchmen sit across from us, guns resting on their laps, eyes cold and alert.
I keep my shoulder pressed to Orchid’s, trying to give her whatever comfort I can. My mind races. Who the hell are these people? If they’re not Serafina’s, then who do they work for? And how long have they been watching us?
The van turns sharply, throwing us against each other. I use the momentum to lean in closer, whispering against her ear. “Whatever happens, stay close to me. I’ve got you.”
She nods, her temple brushing mine. Her breathing’s still fast, but she’s holding it together. Strong. Always so strong. “Actually, you stay close to me. I’ve got you.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Shh, I’ll tell you everything later. Promise.” I can tell she wants to say more, but the two goons give us a harsh stare, basically telling us to shut the fuck up.
The ride feels endless. Every bump in the road jolts through me. I keep scanning the interior of the van, looking for anything I can use, any weakness. There’s nothing. The doors are solid, the windows blacked out. We’re trapped.
My thoughts keep circling back to Enley. Is Render there yet? Is she safe? And now this. Orchid and I taken together. If these people know about us, do they know about the team closing in? Do they know about the FBI phone I found?
I glance at her. She’s staring straight ahead, jaw set, but her fingers brush mine where our hands are bound behind us. The small touch grounds me.
I don’t know what’s coming next. I don’t know who these people really are or what they want. But I know one thing for certain.
I will do whatever it takes to keep Orchid safe.
Even if it means burning everything down around us.
The van keeps speeding into the unknown, and all I can do is hold on to her and hope that Ozzy and the team are still out there, still coming for us.