Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Then who?” I pace around him. “Who the hell would want to get rid of Brick Latham? And who would do it at the Bellamy Ranch?”
“Whoever it was made sure that Raven and her parents were gone.” He takes a slow breath in and furrows his brow at me. “I’m surprised at you, Vincent. Think about it. Think about who might want to get rid of Latham, but who’d also want to keep the Bellamys safe.”
He’s right. My grandfather doesn’t give a damn if the Bellamys are safe or not. He was going to let Miles McAllister shoot Falcon in cold blood, and he didn’t blink when he told me to kill Raven.
So who is interested in keeping the Bellamys safe?
And who might see Brick Latham as a threat?
I mull it over for a few minutes. Raven. My grandfather. Brick Latham. Falcon and Savannah.
My parents.
Raven’s parents.
Then a lightbulb.
The answer comes to me…and it’s not pretty.
27
RAVEN
“Raven,” Jared says to me, “we should get out of here.”
“No,” I say succinctly.
He lays a gentle hand on my shoulder. “But he said he doesn’t want you here.”
I swat it away. “He’s saying it because he wants to keep me safe, Jared.”
“Yes, and so do I. I’m being paid very well to keep you safe. And frankly, Vinnie Gallo was right. The farther away from him you are, the safer you are.”
I shake my head. “He needs me, Jared.”
“He needs you safe.” He taps a fist against his chest. “I can keep you safe, but you’re making my job a lot more difficult than it needs to be.”
I let out a humorless chuckle. “You have to earn your keep, don’t you?” I sit down in one of the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area.
Jared reluctantly sits next to me. “They’re probably going to be with their mother as long as they can,” he says.
I don’t answer. Instead, my gaze is drawn to an older man walking through the waiting area and checking in with reception.
Already I know who that man is.
Mario Bianchi. Vinnie’s grandfather. The resemblance between them is uncanny. I feel like I’m looking at Vinnie in fifty years.
Same facial features, same muscular build, although Mr. Bianchi is a few inches shorter. Same thick hair, only his is silver.
Same olive complexion.
Same dark eyes—except where Vinnie’s are kind and sparkling, Mr. Bianchi’s show malevolence.
A moment later, a nurse comes and escorts Mr. Bianchi into the ICU hallway.
He must be going to see his daughter. Vinnie must be back there with her, along with Falcon and Savannah, unless they went somewhere.
“That’s Mario Bianchi,” I say to Jared.
He nods slowly. “I know who it is.” He jumps to his feet. “I want to get you out of here now.”
“No. I can’t leave Vinnie.”
“You have to. That man is dangerous.”
I cross my legs. “I’m perfectly safe in a hospital waiting room.”
“Any maniac can come in here with a gun and start shooting people,” he says.
“That can happen anywhere. In any restaurant, any hotel lobby. It’s not going to happen here. And if it does? Mario Bianchi won’t have anything to do with it. He’s smarter than that.”
Jared lets out a breath but doesn’t say anything.
A few moments later, Falcon enters the waiting area.
“Where have you been?” I ask.
“I went to get a bite to eat,” he says. “What are you still doing here?”
“I’m not leaving him, Falcon.”
Falcon turns his attention to Jared. “Why is she here again?”
“I’m not her keeper,” he says. “I can’t force her to leave.”
“Well, I can.” Falcon grabs my arm and pulls me out of my chair.
“Get your hands off me,” I say, attempting to wriggle out of his grasp.
Jared rises. “You may be the one paying me, but you’re not going to manhandle her.”
Falcon shakes his head and lets me go. He rubs at his forehead. “I’m sorry, Ray. You too, Jared. I just need you to be far away from here. Savannah is my fiancée, so I have to be here. But Bianchi could show up at any time.”
“He’s already here,” Jared says. “He went back to his daughter’s room.”
Falcon widens his eyes. “See what I mean?” He turns to Jared. “Why didn’t you get her the hell out of here?”
“Because I can’t make her obey me, Mr. Bellamy. I’m her bodyguard. It is my job to keep her safe wherever she goes. And right now, despite my fervent insistence to the contrary, she wants to stay here.”
“Right,” I say, trying to sound more confident that I am. Frankly this whole discussion is making me very uncomfortable.
Savannah comes out of the hallway then and Falcon goes to her. “Vannah,” I hear him say as he takes her into an embrace.
I walk up to them. “How is she?” I ask.
Savannah sighs. “The nurse claims she’s fine, but she’s still asleep. But that’s not what I’m worried about at this point.”