Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 45996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Colt laughs, the sound easy and warm. "All good things, I hope. Though knowing Jace, he probably made us sound like a bunch of troublemakers."
"You are a bunch of troublemakers," I shoot back, but there’s no heat in it. It feels good to have them here, even with everything hanging over us.
Sadie turns to Banks, her expression softening. "Banks, right? How’s Anniston?"
Banks looks at Sadie. “She’s good. She’s with Delaney down in Texas.”
I nod, leaning in to whisper to Sadie’s ear. “Delaney’s close friend of the family and Nash’s girlfriend.”
Sadie blinks. “Oh, okay. So, she’s safe.”
Banks puffs his chest slightly. “I care about your sister a lot, Sadie. I won’t let anything happen to her.”
Sadie smiles and it nearly knocks the air out of my lungs. “I’m glad she met you, Banks.”
Banks looks at her for a moment, then nods, a small smile tugging at his mouth. "Me too."
Sadie's smile widens, and I can see the approval in her eyes. She likes him for her sister. I can tell by the way she relaxes a little, her shoulders easing as she talks to him. Banks is steady and kind in his own quiet way, and I’m glad she sees that. It makes me love her even more, the way she’s already thinking about her sister's future even in the middle of our mess.
We don’t have long to catch up before another figure approaches from the edge of the crowd. Billy. My father. Victor to the rest of the world, but Billy Hawthorne to us. He walks with the same confident stride I remember from childhood, though there are more lines around his eyes now and his hair is more salt than pepper.
Crewe clears his throat, taking charge the way he always does. "We fan out. While the music plays and the crowd is distracted, we spread through the pavilion. Look for anyone who seems out of place. Anyone watching too closely or talking into earpieces. Vanguard Helix will be here. If we can spot them without them spotting us, we can follow them back to wherever they’re holding Nash and Sin. Then we move as one."
I nod, my hand tightening around Sadie's. She’s been quiet, listening to everything, but I can feel the tension in her body. She’s part of this now, whether she planned for it or not. And I want her safe. But I also want her by my side.
"Stay close to me," I say quietly to her as my brothers start to move. "We’ll cover the left side near the stage. Keep an eye out for anything unusual. And if things go sideways, you get out. No arguments.” I glance at my brothers. “Also, we’ve got Sloane on standby. He’s got lots of men protecting other clients here tonight.”
Banks and Colt nod in unison, and Mack slaps me on the shoulder, saying, “Got it.”
Sadie looks up at me, her eyes serious but steady. "I’m not going anywhere. We do this together."
The music swells from the stage as Gia Golding takes her place, her voice carrying over the crowd in the first notes of her opening song. The lights shift, colorful beams sweeping across the pavilion. People cheer and settle in, the energy rising. My brothers fan out into the crowd, disappearing into the sea of faces and blankets. Billy stays near the tree for a moment longer, his eyes meeting mine with a nod of understanding. Then he moves too, blending into the night like he’s done for years.
22
Sadie
The music swells from the stage at High Tide Pavilion, and I feel the vibration of it through the soles of my shoes as Gia Golding's voice carries over the crowd in the opening notes of her set. The lights shift in colorful beams that sweep across the sea of people, turning faces into glowing masks of excitement. I’m still holding Jace's hand, his fingers laced tight through mine like an anchor in the middle of all this chaos. The Hawthorne brothers have fanned out like they planned, disappearing into the thickening crowd while the music plays. Crewe headed toward the left side near the food trucks. Colt slipped into the middle section with that easy grin still on his face. Banks and Mack moved toward the back near the oak tree where we had met. Billy stayed close for a moment longer before blending into the night. And Jace stayed right beside me, his hand never leaving mine as we started to weave through the people near the stage.
I’m trying to focus on the plan. Look for anyone who seems out of place. Anyone watching too closely. Vanguard Helix is here, but it’s not like they’re holding up a sign that says… ‘Look at me.’ My heart races for more reasons than the danger. It all feels so real. And now, with the music playing and the plan in motion, I want to believe we can actually pull this off. Get his brothers back. Take down the people who’ve been hunting his family for years. Give Billy a chance at a normal life. Give us a chance at something more than surviving the next few days.