Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 66480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
“You can tell fuckin’ Vex, if he has a question for me to come ask me his own Goddamned self. I don’t have time for this shit. Course, if you want, I can dump the whole operation back in your capable hands. You and Vex can take over the whole fuckin’ job and I’ll sit home, as you say, balls deep. Makes no fuckin’ difference to me.” I ended the call.
It wasn’t long before my phone buzzed with a message.
Tomorrow @ noon.
“That’s what I thought, you bastard,” I muttered under the hum of the bathroom fan and my own breathing. I looked at myself in the mirror for a long moment, debating whether to call Vittorio about the change in plans. I’d have to go out of town to the designated spot to call, though, and I couldn’t leave Wren. There was no regular cell service in that area so it put me at the advantage from anyone following me.
I splashed cold water on my face, trying to wash away the filth of the conversation. Every day I spent with the Copperheads pushed me further into the darkness. But it was necessary. I knew what they were doing, knew the lives at stake. One more week, two at the very most, and I'd have everything Vittorio needed to dismantle the entire operation.
I shut off the water and reached for the towel. When I looked up, my heart stopped.
Wren stood in the doorway, her naked body half-illuminated by the bathroom light. But it wasn't her nudity that froze me in place. It was the expression on her lovely face. Her eyes were wide, lips parted in shock. She'd heard. How much, I didn't know, but enough. The betrayal written across her features told me everything. The mention of Vex’s name was enough to put the noose around my neck.
"Wren—" I started, but she was already moving.
The bedroom door banged against the wall as Wren stormed through it, hunting for her scattered clothing. I followed her from the bedroom into the living room, my mind racing for something, anything to say that might make her stay long enough to listen. She stepped into her panties and shrugged into my T-shirt. I wondered if she noticed what she was doing in her haste. And how mad she’d be at herself later for wrapping herself in me even in her anger.
"Just give me five minutes to explain."
"Explain what? How you've been playing me this whole time? I think I got the picture pretty fucking clear."
"It's not that simple." I reached for her, but she jerked away.
"Don't touch me." Her voice was ice. "Don't you fucking touch me again."
I dropped my hand, stood there, helpless as she finished dressing. "I never meant to hurt you," I said, the words hollow even to my own ears. "I swear to God, Wren, whatever you think of me, believe that much. I never wanted for you to be hurt in any way."
Her movements were sharp, angry as she turned to face me. "What did you want, then? Information about Bound in Blood? Access to Ghost? Or was it just a bonus when I spread my legs for you?"
"Wren," I took a deep breath, trying to control my frustration. This problem was of my own making. "Yes, I approached you because of who you are. I wasn’t supposed to do anything other than strike up a friendship with you. That’s all I ever intended."
She barked out a laugh as she stomped first one foot then the other into her boots. "You don't know the meaning of the word friendship. You're a fucking Copperhead, Rocky. Your people traffic women like cattle. You think I don't know what 'merchandise' means?"
Her hands shook as she tied the laces to each boot, her movements jerky with rage.
"I'm trying to fix it," I blurted out. "The trafficking. I'm trying to stop it."
Wren straightened, her eyes narrowing. "What the fuck does that mean?"
“I don’t have permission to tell you more, but ask Ghost to check me out with the Luca family. Vittorio was supposed to give Bloody Jack a heads up before anything got too serious inside the Copperhead compound. Vittorio told me you were the most loyal, stubborn, fierce person he knew. He told me to make a friend of you and if I needed to get a message to him or his brothers, you wouldn’t stop until Ghost or Jack himself talked to Vittorio.”
She stared at me for a long moment. I could see her indecision. She wanted to believe everything I told her. I also saw the exact second I lost her.
"I don’t trust you." Her laugh was bitter as she searched for her keys. “Not for one Goddamned second. You targeted me, lied to me, fucked me under false pretenses, and now you want me to believe you?" She spotted her keys on the kitchen counter and snatched them up. "You must think I'm even stupider than I clearly am." I was pretty sure her word choice was deliberate.