Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Vanetti’s quiet voice cut through the silence. “This isn’t negotiable. She’s helping you, whether you want it or not.”
Stone didn’t reply, and I was honestly too scared to say anything either.
“My mind’s made up.” Vanetti shifted his gaze to me. “You’ll be staying with him twenty-four seven like we agreed. Your job is to figure out who’s after him, like we agreed. Hopefully, you’ll manage to keep him from getting killed while you’re at it.”
I gulped. “But… this is a lot more dangerous than I thought.”
Nodding, Vanetti sat back down. “I’m aware. It’s more dangerous than I realized as well. And I’m sure, since you’ve met Stone, you might want to back out, but I’ll make it worth your while.”
I glanced at Stone, who was sitting completely still as if every feature on his face was chiseled from granite. Huh, maybe that’s why his name was Stone. His gaze locked on mine, and I knew he’d make my life a living hell if I accepted. Could any amount of money be worth that? Probably not. But I didn’t want to get on Vanetti’s bad side, either.
“A hundred and fifty grand. That’s how much I’ll pay you.”
I blinked. “What?”
“I’ll give you half right now, and the rest when it’s over.”
I could barely breathe, let alone speak. Licking my lips, I knew I couldn’t pass up that much money. Not when it would solve all my problems. “Okay… but what if Stone gets killed? Will I still get paid?”
“Depends on who kills him.” Vanetti’s mouth twitched. “If it’s you, no. If it’s someone else… it depends on the circumstances.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”
Again, a corner of Mr. Vanetti’s mouth twitched. “Look, Ms. Jones, I’ve invested a lot into Nathan here, and if I didn’t firmly believe you could help, I wouldn’t have hired you.”
“And… the whole keep-him-from-getting-killed thing?”
Stone glared at me again.
“Find the culprit, and Nate’s safe.”
I let out a breath. A hundred and fifty thousand dollars was a lot of money. “Okay, you’ve got a deal.” I’d better not regret this.
“Good.”
Vanetti stepped to his desk to write me a check for seventy-five grand. As he wrote it out, I tried to ignore Stone’s murderous glare. He jumped from his seat and began prowling back and forth like a caged panther. Was he trying to intimidate me? No way was I going to let that work.
Heat came off him in waves, and I swallowed. This was definitely a mistake. But I could handle it. A few days and I’d be done. All I had to do was find the person who wanted him dead. With my psychometry, that shouldn’t take long. In fact, I could figure it out by tomorrow, right?
Vanetti handed me the check, and I examined all those zeros before stuffing it in my purse. I stood and gave him a fist bump instead of shaking his hand. “Thanks Mr. Vanetti, I won’t let you down.”
“I know. Did you bring everything you need?”
I nodded. “I have a bag in my car.”
Vanetti glanced at Stone, and his lips flattened. Stepping to his side, he put his hand on Stone’s shoulder. “I have a few things I need you to do, but I want you to spend most of your time finding the son-of-a-bitch who’s after you. Why don’t you take Serenity to your office and give her the rundown of what you know?”
Stone’s jaw was so tight, I worried that his teeth would crack. It surprised me that he didn’t start yelling and complaining, but after our chat at the table, he held it all in, only giving Vanetti a curt nod before striding to the door.
I figured he’d just march right out, leaving me in the dust, but, after pulling the door open, he glanced my way. “Coming?”
The danger in his tone sent shivers down my spine. Knowing this wasn’t the time to back down, I rose to the challenge and sent him a regal nod. “Of course.”
Holding my head high, I followed him out.
Chapter 3
Stone
The door closed behind us and I sent Serenity a glare. “Let’s get one thing straight. I don’t need anyone to protect me.”
“Of course you don’t, but I’ve got a job to do, so let’s start with a few questions.”
“Fine. Go ahead.”
I headed down the hall while she quizzed me, but my head pounded, and I hurt in so many places that I didn’t know which felt worse. It didn’t help that I was stuck with a psychic day and night until this was over. What the hell was the old man thinking? She was like a babysitter. I’d never been so humiliated in my life, not even in the army.
The moment Serenity realized the job could be dangerous, I’d hoped she’d refuse, but then Vanetti had to go and offer her a hundred and fifty grand. No one in their right mind would pass that up, so of course, she took it. Dammit.