Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Penn leans back in his chair, arms crossed. Skepticism pours off him, but he goes into planning mode. “Okay… what’s the next step?”
“We use Peter to lure Jace to Pittsburgh,” Kynan says, and I can tell they talked about this before we arrived. They already have a plan.
“And do what once he gets here?” Penn asks.
“Peter gets him to confess on a mic that he’s the one behind the threats and that he wants to harm me,” I say, excited about the prospect of a quick resolution.
Kynan shakes his head. “Should be that simple, but that’s not a serious enough crime to take him out of circulation. A slap on the wrist probably.”
Penn barks out a mirthless laugh, his tone laced with sarcasm. “Maybe we should just let Mila be the bait and then you can swoop in and catch him right before he kills her.”
No one says a word. Malik and Kynan stare pointedly back at Penn.
“Oh, fuck no,” Penn snarls, slapping his hands on the glass. “She is not bait.”
I’m glad Penn said that because I, for one, don’t want that either.
“It’s an option,” Kynan says.
“No, it’s not,” Penn retorts. “End of story.”
“Let’s table that for now. We need to make contact with Jace and see where his head is at. He might not even be serious, but it starts with Peter talking to him.”
“When would he do that?” I ask.
“Right now,” Peter says, and I can tell by his confidence that this was also part of a plan that Kynan, Malik and Peter already hatched. “Anyone got a phone I can borrow?”
Penn and I watch quietly as Malik hands Peter a cell phone. He then pulls out his wallet, extracts a piece of paper with presumably Jace’s phone number and dials. He sets the phone on the table and taps the speakerphone button. I hold my breath, afraid to make a sound.
On the third ring, a man answers and I can tell it’s Jace. He sounds older, but it’s him. “Hello.”
“Jace… it’s Peter.”
There’s a long moment of silence, then he says, “You out?”
“Last week.”
Jace is silent a moment, then asks, “What have you been up to?”
“Went home to visit the parents but my mom’s already suffocating me. Took a trip to Pittsburgh.”
“What’s in Pittsburgh?” Jace asks, sounding bored.
“Mila.”
More silence, this time extended so long I think he’s hung up. But when he speaks again, I can feel his hatred. “Oh yeah… what’s your bitch sister doing in Pittsburgh?”
Peter glances at me. “Visiting Penn apparently. You see that interview he gave? I think that was Mila’s doing.”
“Yeah, that fucker’s blowing a lot of hot air is what he’s doing. Have you seen your sister?”
Peter laughs cruelly. “Yeah… approached her with a phony apology. Told her I wanted to make amends. She fell for it.”
Penn and I exchange a glance. Peter is playing this perfect and no matter how complicated my feelings are, in this moment I’m grateful for what he’s doing.
“Why are you telling me this?” Jace asks, sounding suspicious. I cast a worried look back at Peter.
Malik mimes something to my brother but he holds out his palm, a plea to let him handle it. “Because I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said. I thought getting out of prison would make things easier, but all it’s done is make me realize how much I’ve lost because of Mila’s big fucking mouth.”
I wince. He sounds so authentic that I might believe Peter wants to harm me as well. I take Penn’s hand and hold tight.
“Now you’re finally understanding where I’m coming from,” Jace says with a bitter laugh. “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking you ought to come to Pittsburgh and let’s have a sit-down with my little sister.”
“I want more than a sit-down,” Jace snarls like a rabid dog. “I want her to suffer. Tell me you want that to.”
“I want that too, brother.” Peter’s eyes find mine again, and they’re filled with apology. “Let’s make it happen.”
“Then we’ll deal with that fucker Navarro,” Jace replies with glee. “I can be there by tomorrow.”
Peter gives Jace information to his hotel and then hangs up. I sigh heavily, my heart beating a hundred miles a minute.
“I want extra security on Mila,” Penn demands, and then looks at me. “And you stay put in the house until this is over.”
I don’t argue with him. No way am I going to agree to be held prisoner, but I can tell Penn is all up in his feelings right now and I’ll have to reason with him.
But at least for today, we have a plan in motion that will hopefully bring Jace down so we can live a normal life.
CHAPTER 24
Penn
Mila’s body moves beneath mine like it was made for me—soft, warm, completely yielding. I brace a hand to the mattress, the other sliding to her thigh as I nudge her legs farther apart, needing space I don’t deserve but plan to take anyway.