Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157672 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 788(@200wpm)___ 631(@250wpm)___ 526(@300wpm)
“And I kinda did take down a drug dealer one time.” Ember brightens.
Before I can ask anything further, Jewls yanks me with her, grabbing the bag and shutting us in a dressing room.
She throws clothes over the door, instructing everyone to get dressed. “Good thing you’re already in black leggings.” She hands me a black turtleneck.
“It’s warm outside.”
“Suck it up. We’re incognito.”
I change without further question, taking the black beanie she offers.
We walk out and see the others are dressed identically.
“We look like sprockets.”
Harley and Jewls cackle, Harley’s very pregnant stomach shaking until she doubles over.
“Talon said the same thing the first time,” Jewls informs me.
“First time? What exactly are we doing dressed like a Saturday Night Live skit?”
“You’ll see. Don’t want to ruin all the excitement.” She casts her gaze out the front window, her eyes glittering. “Perfect timing. Our ride has arrived.”
I trail behind her and Rowan to the office. A minute later, Bex comes in also dressed in black.
“Sorry I’m late, Chase was being,” she hesitates, eyeing me. “Let’s just say finagling my way out the door took some convincing.”
Ick “Don’t say another word.”
“It sucks I can’t discuss my sex life with my best friend.”
“That’s because you’re having sex with my brother!”
“One of these days, you’ll get over that.”
“I’m already scarred for life and will never be able to be in his kitchen again without flashbacks.”
Her face morphs into bliss in a way I know well. Every time Talon touches me, I feel the same. “I’m thrilled for you, Bex, but there are boundaries.”
“He’s not my brother. You can tell me every detail.” Rowan winks.
Luckily, I’m saved by Shayla and Ember returning. Shayla’s transformation is remarkable.
The sleek black wig hangs straight to the middle of her back with curtain bangs framing her face. Her cream dress, pearl accessories, and bone-colored pumps scream ‘conservative country club’-slash-‘lady who lunches’.
Her normal smokey-shadowed, flare-lined eyes are subtle and her lips a sheer gloss.
One-hundred-percent opposite of the Shalya I know.
But still stunning.
“Wow, you look amazing.”
She preens, tossing her hair over her shoulder. “The prim and proper socialite expecting to buy a thousand-dollar handbag.”
Harley comes in rubbing her stomach. “This baby is doing summersaults with eagerness.”
“Go now!” Ember shouts.
The next few seconds are a blur. I barely have time to grab my purse before I’m being yanked out the back door, shoved into a vehicle, and we’re on the move.
“What the hell is happening?” I screech when we come to a sudden stop on a side street.
“Robbie has Clyde’s monitored with a high-tech security system. Ember glitched the back door with ten seconds for us to get away without being seen.”
My ears ring as I scan around the vehicle, noting Shayla and Ember are missing. I also recognize the interior of the SUV, along with Wyatt’s booster seat.
“Is this Chase’s truck?”
“Yes, which is why I had to get creative. We needed a car that isn’t traced,” Bex explains excitedly.
“I need this.” Rowan plucks my phone out of my purse and powers it off. “No location service.”
“Here they are.” Harley points to Shayla’s passing car with Ember in the passenger seat.
Bex pulls behind them and chats animatedly with everyone like it’s a perfectly normal Wednesday night out with friends.
The lead in my stomach churns with the reality swirling in my brain. Getaway cars that aren’t traced, locations turned off, matching outfits. Finally, I snap to focus. “This is insane. What will we do when she actually sells the purse to Shayla? It’s not like we can arrest her.”
“Just wait.”
Rowan’s answer does nothing to help my anxiety.
“Wills, I get you’re nervous. It’s time Rylee Richards faces the music.” Bex swings slowly into a parking spot, then turns to me. “Let me remind you, she poisoned you and your dog with homemade laxatives, she broke in and stole from you, and she slept with that limp-dick ex while you were still dating.”
I don’t remind Bex she technically had a key to our grandparents’ house.
“Not to mention, when she made the scene in Rendezvous, she eyed Talon like she wanted to literally gobble him up.”
The recap from Rowan has the scene flashing in my head and all my nerves turn to anger. Jealousy spikes and blisters through me.
I straighten and glimpse out the window to the restaurant Shayla is strolling into.
“What do we do now?”
Harley shrieks with glee and pulls a black packet out of her purse. “Cover me.”
She hops out and crouches as much as she can.
“I’d better go with her.” Jewls follows and Ember climbs in, taking her seat and holding out her phone.
“Contact made.”
We listen on speaker to Shayla introducing herself as Carrie, the interested buyer who has been searching for this specific bag ‘forever’.
Her saccharine-sweet exhilaration is all too believable. She initiates small talk, getting Rylee to open up about her upcoming wedding as the reason for selling her handbag collection.