Total pages in book: 331
Estimated words: 315585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1578(@200wpm)___ 1262(@250wpm)___ 1052(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 315585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1578(@200wpm)___ 1262(@250wpm)___ 1052(@300wpm)
He shoves his left hand into the pocket of his jeans. “What do you mean? Didn’t you read the text?”
“Text?” I question. I’m just here to have a drink.
“Tyson included you in the group chat.”
Digging into my pocket, I pull out my cell and see that I’ve got several messages. I didn’t hear it go off over the music. Scrolling through the chat, I see a response in the group that makes me sigh.
This will be fun.
“I’m going to escort Charlotte upstairs. The girls are up in the apartment,” Haidyn tells me, and I nod to him.
I make my way to Tyson’s office and pile inside. Ryat stands over by Ty’s desk, arms crossed over his chest. Saint is already here, slouching in a chair.
Sin sits on the couch. He doesn’t even glance my way, and I hate how much I care. He’s getting ready to be a dad. Devin and Gavin are going to deliver the babies any day now, and I hate that I won’t get to be there for him. That is another happy moment for a friend that I’d be honored to be a part of. But of course, I fucked it up and will have to miss it.
A man I’ve never seen before sits next to Sin. Makes me wonder what the fuck is going on and why we’re all here.
The door opens behind me, and I step to the side as four men enter—Ty’s minions. They help him run this place and bury his bodies. “What’s up, boss?” Alex asks.
Tyson stands from his desk, buttoning his suit jacket, and gestures to the couch on the opposite side of the room. “Have a seat, boys. We’re waiting on one more.”
While everyone gets comfortable, I choose to stand by the door, leaning up against the wall as it opens.
When Haidyn enters, Tyson claps his hands. “Okay. This is homicide detective Haynes.” He points to the man sitting next to Sin, and everyone looks at Tyson, wondering what the fuck is going on. The Lords don’t deal with law enforcement. Of any kind. “You’re up.” Ty nods to him.
The detective gets to his feet and opens up a backpack. He then starts to pass out manila envelopes to each of us. I already know what it’s going to be. I feel like I’m having déjà vu. It’s like the night on the jet with Adam, Bill, and the detective.
Reaching in, I pull out the stack of papers. The one on top is a profile picture of a naked woman, hanging upside down. The barbed wire wrapped around her ankles is what keeps her hanging from the tree limb. Her skin has ripped open from her struggle and the weight of her body. Her arms are secured behind her back with the wire as well. Blood runs down her bruised skin into a puddle on the ground. Her once short golden hair now looks strawberry blond. She’s covered in bruises, and short cuts run horizontally across both thighs.
“Fuck,” Alex hisses. “How many were found this time?”
“Seven,” the detective answers. “One recovered each day of the week.”
“Lords related?” Sin is the one who asks, putting his attention on the second photo, this one of another woman.
The man sighs. “Not that we’ve found, but the investigation just started.” Haynes looks at Ty. “Tyson and I have an…understanding. I bring him information about cases like these.”
“I’m confused about what you want us to do.” Colton is the one who speaks, running his hand down his face, looking stressed. “Are we supposed to be stepping in? Working with the police?”
“No.” Tyson shakes his head. “We thought this ended with Luke, but it didn’t. Then, when Haidyn married Charlotte, Dollhouse was brought to our attention.”
I feel Haidyn’s body stiffen next to mine at the mention of his wife. He drops his envelope onto the coffee table, not even bothering to look through the rest of it. He’s seen enough.
“Everyone that we know of, or who we thought was involved, is now at Carnage, and these seven girls have been raped, tortured, and mutilated…” Ty goes on, shaking his head. “It can’t be a coincidence. Someone is still running the show.”
“LeAnne?” Ryat offers, slamming his envelope onto Tyson’s desk as well. “It makes sense. The bitch was able to go under the radar for a long time before Matt thought he killed her. Now she’s supposedly moving here. She still has no clue that we’re aware she and Isabella are twins, but surely she knows her sister is no longer running Dollhouse.”
“Has Blakely spoken to her lately?” Finn asks Ryat.
“Fuck no,” he barks. “And she won’t be. I’ve got that bitch blocked everywhere I can. And if she shows up at our house again, I’ll blow her fucking head off her shoulders.”
The detective adjusts himself in his seat at Ryat’s confession, and I wonder just how much Tyson has told him about us. I mean, the guy has to feel threatened just being in the room with this many Lords.