Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 79253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79253 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
But that wasn’t all.
Because when I came home that night, a surprise lay in wait for me.
In my bed, lying against the pillow, eyes closed as if in a deep sleep…was the head of my best friend in the world, Timothy Mann.
A drop of liquid forms at the edge of my eye and slips down my cheek.
Is this…sorrow?
I’ve read about it, but I’ve never experienced it until now.
My lips twist against my will into a grin. Every emotion evokes the same physical manifestation from my oral cavity.
This is a final warning from Her Majesty. One more toe out of line and it’ll be my head next on the docket.
All this time, I thought I was immune.
I was the one who could play with Her Majesty. Push her buttons.
But now she’s drawn a line.
Even I am not allowed to cross her.
I gave my purity to her.
I gave my life to her.
And it wasn’t enough to save Tim.
I cradle the head of my best friend in my hands and then kiss it on the lips.
I will do what I must to bring Her Majesty to her knees.
I will achieve justice for Tim, for all the others. Even if it means taking myself down in the process.
I know now where my allegiances lie.
At least… I know where they lie for the time being.
32
BIANCA
“So let me get this straight,” Harrison says, his face completely drained of color. “You’ve decided you’re on our side now that Rouge has decided to fuck you over as well? Only when her bullshit begins to affect you do you grow a conscience?”
Chet twists his lips. “All you need to know, Doctor, is that I am on your side now. My motives ought not be a factor in your decision. I remain your best shot at taking Rouge down.”
“But how can we be sure we trust you?” I ask. “What if that whole story you just told us is a complete fabrication?”
Chet shrugs. “You can’t trust me. But that does not change the fact that you need me.”
I swallow. It’s true. Besides my sister, no one understands the ins and outs of Aces Underground better than Chet. Mr. Rose is probably the third-most helpful, but seeing as he’s currently recovering from a fountain pen to his eye, I doubt he’ll be eager to help us.
“If you need further proof of where my loyalties lie,” Chet continues, “I must point out the slain King currently bleeding out on the bed.”
Harrison swallows. “Right. Him. I’d almost forgotten.”
Chet’s lips twitch. “I believe the two of you are acquainted.”
I widen my eyes. “What?”
Harrison glances toward the body of the man in the bed. “We were friends when we were younger. Got into some bullshit together. Kid stuff.” He scratches at his jaw.
There’s more to this story. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he hates the color green. The man in the head has lime-green highlights in his hair.
But we have bigger fish to fry right now.
“At any rate, Miss Bianca,” Chet says, his grin pasted on his face like the freaking Joker, “I do believe you owe me a favor. You declared as much the night I allowed Dr. O’Rourke into the club. I’m here to collect.”
I frown. “This is hardly the same thing.”
Chet raises his snow-white eyebrows. “You asked me to break your sister’s rules. Now I’m asking the same in kind. Seems like a good trade-off to me. It’s not as if one can qualify favors. One can only quantify them.”
I roll my eyes. More of his fortune-cookie mumbo-jumbo.
“May I say something?” Jack asks.
I turn to him. He’s been silent since the King went down. “Jack, I’m sorry. We’ve been ignoring you.”
He chuckles. “I’m a server at Aces. A male server at that. I’m used to being ignored. It’s when people paid attention to me at the club that I knew I was in trouble.”
I cross over to him, squeeze his hand. “You’re free of them now. We’ve killed the man who was sent to kill you.”
Jack shakes his head. “No. There are three more Kings. And Rouge herself. I don’t think I’ll be safe until all of them are behind bars.” His gaze darkens. “Or better yet, in the ground.” He paces around the room, looks down at the King of Hearts. “At any rate, I’m no longer an employee of Aces Underground. I want to embrace the name I was born with, the name my parents gave me.”
I look over. “What is it?”
He swallows. “It’s Vanya. Vanya Dmitriev.” He runs his hands through his wavy hair. “My God. It’s a name I haven’t spoken for five years.”
I wrap my arms around him. “Nice to meet you, Vanya.”
“We’re going to do everything we can to make sure you can live the rest of your life as your authentic self,” Harrison says.