Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 60447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60447 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 302(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 201(@300wpm)
“You have one minute to get the fuck out of this container before I close it, and you go with it.”
Staring at the girl, I ignore the orders as I whisper. “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. My name is Addison, what’s yours?”
“Beccy.”
Her voice is croaky, and I can hear how scared she is.
“Are you here against your will, Beccy?”
“T-t-t-they took me. I thought they were going to help me, but...”
I can’t leave her here.
I can’t.
“Your time is up. Get out now, or I’ll close these doors, and you’ll never see your fucking family again.”
The man roars as I straighten and stare at him.
Right now, I have a choice.
I can leave this girl here, to face a life of pure horror, or I can try to save her. I have a tracker inside my hand, and that will ensure that Cade can find me. I know he’ll come for me, I know he will, but I can’t walk out of here and let this girl go. I just can’t do it. I’ll never forgive myself.
I’m so sorry, Cade.
I have no choice.
“Time is up.”
The shipping container slams closed, and I’m left standing in darkness. The only light is coming in from a tiny hole above where the girl sits, just enough for a hand, if you have a small one. Heart skipping a beat, I turn and face the girl and kneel in front of her again. “I won’t let them hurt you. I promise. We’re going to get out of here.”
She makes a sobbing sound, and I reach out, taking her cold hand.
I know I’ve just made a massive choice, one that will change everything, but this is the only thing that feels right. I cannot turn and walk out of here, leaving this girl behind. She is being shipped away, and she will be hurt, or worse. How could I live with myself if I just turned my back on her?
I can’t.
I just can’t.
21
Cade
“What the fuck is goin’ on?” I roar down the phone to Spike, pacing back and forth, my heart racing because my fucking woman hasn’t returned.
“She ain’t here. I’ve been waitin’ and waitin’, but she ain’t here.”
“Then go and find her,” I bellow.
“There are fuckin’ thousands of shipping containers here, and I can guarantee most of them are guarded. If I step past this point, they’ll fuckin’ shoot me. I am doin’ my best to figure out what the fuck went on.”
“God dammit, Spike,” I rasp, my voice lethal. “Find her.”
Hanging up the phone, I take the keys to my bike and charge out the door. Jackson reaches out, blocking me, his eyes full of concern, but I can see the logic behind them. I know he wants to make heads roll, but he’s also calm, collected and thinks about things in a way that right now, I am not.
“Do not fuckin’ stop me from goin’ after her,” I shove him back, panting with my fists by my side.
“If you do somethin’ stupid right now, you’ll fuckin’ end up gettin’ her killed. Do you fuckin’ hear me? Stop actin’ on emotion and use your fuckin’ brain. That’s my kid, you think it isn’t taking everything inside me not to go in there and do somethin’ stupid.”
“Get out of my way,” I bellow, shoving him so hard he stumbles back.
Jackson might be older than me, but he doesn’t back down. He moves like lightning, pushing his arm against my throat and slamming me against the shed wall. He’s panting, his nostrils flaring, and there is a deadliness in his eyes that has me pausing. He isn’t pulling punches, and he’s making sure I know it.
“Do not ever fuckin’ put your hands on me again.” He growls in my face. “We are goin’ to get her back, but not if you do somethin’ stupid.”
He releases me, stepping back, and I stare at him as everything in my body is screaming at me to fight, to run, to go and get her. I should have never let her go alone, I knew it would be a trap, I knew something would happen, and I let her go anyway. I fucking made the biggest mistake of my life and if something happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself.
“I will make contact, see what he wants.” Muff steps up beside me, his eyes stark and his expression firm. “Let’s just find out before we lose it. If he has hurt her, I promise you, we will make him wish he was never born.”
“Call him,” Jackson orders, not taking his eyes from mine. “Now.”
Muff takes the phone Jackson hands him and dials the number that connects us to Marshall. He answers right away, and the laughter that trails through the line makes my blood run cold.
“I must say,” he chuckles, “you have a fiery one. I didn’t think she was stupid, but it turns out, she is. She just can’t help herself, can she? Always has to stick her nose in where it doesn’t belong, and it ends with trouble.”