Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
I carefully lower myself to the ground and lay my body flat. Men rush toward us, yelling, "Get on the ground!"
"I am on the fucking ground!" I shout.
"Get on the ground. On the ground!"
It's not me they're shouting at, it's Tor. I strain my neck to look back at her. She's on her knees, her face white, tears pouring down her cheeks, and it's then I notice her bloodstained clothing and hands. Joe's blood is all over me, and now it's all over her. Shit!
"Don't move!" one of the men yell at me.
"She's fucking pregnant!" I lift my head to argue and find the barrel of a rifle pointed in my face.
A man steps behind Tor and forces her to the ground, yanking her arms behind her back. Her cheek presses against the asphalt of the highway. Her tear filled eyes focus on me. "Jude!" she cries. And I can't do a damn thing!
"Let her the fuck go!" I plead. "She's innocent. I took her. She's my fucking hostage. She had nothing to do with any of this. Just let her go."
"Jude!"
The past seven months rush through my mind. How the hell can I protect her from this shit right here? She's murdered people. She's in love with me. She's pregnant with my child. "Stockholm Syndrome!" I yell in desperation. "She has Stockholm Syndrome. Just let her go!"
An officer jerks my arms behind my back, and the cold metal handcuffs snap around my wrists. Panic rises in my chest. This is the risk that comes with my lifestyle, the fear that's always lurked in the back of my mind, that one day I would get caught. I've always known that if I get caught, I'm done for because my list of wrongs is a bottomless fucking pit, but Tor... this was a risk she never bargained for.
"Her name's Victoria Pears..." I stop as I'm hauled to me feet. "No, her name's Victoria Deveaux. She was kidnapped. She's innocent!" I shout.
Two guys drag Tor to her feet and pull her toward a black SUV. All I can think is that if they hurt her, I will find a way to fucking kill them. I'm marched to an unmarked car. A guy in a suit is leaned against the trunk, scowling at me. He pulls his suit jacket open exposing his badge and gun as he narrows his gaze on me.
"Jude Pearson," he says my name with an edge of awe and respect, like he's just stumbled upon the Holy-fucking-Grail. The corner of his lips curl up and he chuckles. "Thought you were dead. Hmm. Come for Joe Campbell, and find you. Surprise, surprise." He pushes me forward and I stumble. "Man, I'm getting promoted for this." He gives me another hard shove toward the car. "Get in the car." I go to lean down and he pushes me into the small backseat, smacking my skull against the door frame. Fucking dick!
I rest my head against the back of the seat. I peer through the chained metal separating the front and back seats and am barely able to make out Tor being carted to another car. I will do every-fucking-thing to get her out of this. My girl will not go to prison, and my kid will not be raised by strangers. I watch the man gently place his hand on the top of her head as she's guided in. She is in the back of that car because of me. She is fucked in the head because of me. She's pregnant and in love with me because everything else was taken from her. Had I met her on the street, she wouldn't have given me a second fucking look. This may be love for me, but for her, it's anything but. It was survival. Deep down inside, I believe as long as she goes free, this is for the best. She can have her life back. She can have the things she deserves.
Joe got what he had coming to him, and I guess, so did I. In the end, that's what life's all about anyway, everyone getting what they deserve.
I haven't said a fucking word to them. I chose my right to remain silent.
The car pulls up to a tall chain length fence topped with barbed wire. A buzzer sounds and the gate slides open allowing us to drive onto the prison grounds. My stomach sinks when I hear the metal gate slam shut behind us. This is it. I feel helpless and I don't like that feeling at fucking all.
"Welcome home, Mr. Pearson. Just the place a man of your caliber belongs," the agent next to me smirks.
I want to tell him to fuck off, but there's no point. The damn cuffs are cutting my circulation off so I focus on that uncomfortable tingling sensation instead of him. I exhale and slam my head back against the seat.