Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“Knock her out. Fucking nuisance. What does he see in her?”
I was kidnapped, but where was Rico? Where were my men? I am Oni Raven.
Oni Raven is that bitch. I’m that deal, so how am I here? Where is my man?
Another memory comes as the other fades. I grab ahold of it and force my focus on it. Maybe this one will be another clue.
I’m standing in a room with Rico. He’s holding me close as he nuzzles my neck. I savor the feel of his beard against my skin.
“I only want to see you happy, Oni. I wish you would talk to me and tell me what’s going on. Is it my family? Has someone done something to you?
“No, Rico. I’m fine,” I murmured.
He pulled back and pinched my chin between his fingertips, lifting my gaze to his. Searching my eyes with his gorgeous hazel-gray ones, he inhaled deeply. Guilt filled me, but I didn’t say a word.
“You would tell me if someone was fucking with you, right?”
“Yes. I would, but I would handle it myself if they were. I’m fine, Rico. I promise no one is bothering me.”
He brushed his thumb against my lip. I held my breath as he leaned in to kiss me. The moment his lips crushed mine, I felt like everything would be okay.
He pulled me into his body and held me tightly as he devoured my mouth. I released a moan and pushed my fingers into his hair. My love for him spread through my veins.
“I love you, Oni. Nothing can tear us apart. I will always protect you. I will always find you. There will never be a day that I don’t love you. You are mine,” he breathed against my lips.
Yes, Rico is safe. He will come for me. All I have to do is hold out for him.
Suddenly, the fog is broken as I hear voices. I’m not alone. Others are in the room with me.
I note the scent of cologne. I know the fragrance right away, but can’t place where I know it from. I check my body to see if I can fight back if I need to.
“She’s still not awake?” someone says.
I try to grasp ahold of the voice. It feels familiar. I push harder to burst through the fog that’s holding me back. Pain explodes in my head, but I’m determined to stay focused on the voices in the room.
“No, I don’t know what to tell her when she does.” Another familiar voice fills the room.
“Rico would want us to tell her the truth. Nothing less.”
CHAPTER 1
Thief in the Night
Oni
Have you ever known you shouldn’t be doing something, but you do it anyway? That’s me. It’s how I always get my butt into trouble.
Brooklyn, New York, is no longer a safe place for me. I’m not able to call it home anymore.
Twenty-seven hours on a bus. A whole day and three hours. A one-way trip to get me away from all the drama and keep me out of a jail cell.
Twenty-seven long, boring, stinking hours that I will never forget. That’s how long it took to get me to where I know no one and no one knows me. Because of my uncle, I can now live with a little less fear.
Or at least that was the plan. I’m sticky, I’m hungry, and I want to go to sleep, but my one weakness is staring me in the face. The reason I’m on the run in the first place.
Incredible. This has to be a sickness. I have to be insane.
I’m running for my life, and I still don’t know how to say no. If I had walked away in New York, I would still be there. Why am I like this?
Jail time is the least of my worries back in New York. I’m not stupid in the slightest, which is why my mom is so angry with me. I have the potential to do so much more with my life, but I haven’t been able to let this vice go.
Fuck, all I need is for them to find me because I’m too stupid to walk away. I can’t do it. My mother has risked so much to help me. I have to walk away this time.
I chew on my lip as I circle the sleek black Lamborghini.
“I should just walk away, but I can’t. This baby is too sweet. She’s taunting me to take her,” I mumble to myself.
They’re still out there, I know that. They always will be. That’s why I’m going to walk away.
“Who am I kidding?” I huff.
I’ll never be the good one who puts common sense first. I have to scratch this itch. It’s my own daddy’s doing.
Sure, we seemed like a really nice, well-off family on the outside, but how does everyone think we got that way? The police just always looked the other way. My uncle and my dad used to run shit back in New York, then my dad was taken away from me and everything changed. My uncle moved here to Miami, and my mother and I were alone.