Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
I pulled the door open.
Then a small sob escaped me as I stepped inside.
Because damn near every plant had been knocked off their tables and shelves. The gorgeous pottery that Traeger had so lovingly created was in shards on the floor, some even smashed to dust under someone’s heel.
A sob caught in my throat as I looked at my shop, realizing maybe for the first time just how terrible these men were.
Because I’d been playing along.
And they still decided to punish me.
I wasn’t stupid.
This was just the beginning.
It was only going to get worse from here.
What was stopping Marco from framing me? Maybe he would force me to put a print on a gun. Then he could do something awful with it and hold that over my head. He had already threatened my grandmother.
And, in the end, it was my name on those imports.
I was as guilty as they were in the eyes of the law.
I moved through the store, my stomach in knots as I realized Ernest wasn’t in his usual place in the bed.
“Ernest?” I called, voice shaky. “Erny, baby, where are you?”
I moved behind the desk.
Nothing.
The kitchen?
No sign of him.
“Ern?” I called, voice borderline hysterical as I yanked open the bathroom, then the hallway closet.
He was nowhere.
Had they taken him?
Would they be that evil?
Tears were flooding my eyes as I ran through the shop, rushing toward the front door, praying he was just hiding somewhere.
I was just about to shove the door when it yanked open instead.
And there was Kylo.
With a very confused Ernest in his arms.
Then, well, I just lost it.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kylo
For a few sickening moments, watching Rue move back and forth from the truck to the SUVs with guns piled in her arms, I thought maybe Caymen and Huck were right. That she was in on it. That she was some sort of criminal mastermind and amazing actress.
Some part of me refused to take what I was seeing at face value, though.
I grabbed the binoculars and looked away from her, watching as several men moved into the shop… then started tossing shit to the ground, smashing pots under their heels, laughing all the time.
I focused back on the remaining men outside, spotting the leader—the Marco fuck with a rap sheet as long as my arm, according to our research from Arty, the hacker the club worked with.
He was watching Rue, his eyes hard, his jaw tight.
Like he was angry with her over something.
When I zeroed in on Rue’s face in the binoculars, I saw what I’d missed before.
She was fucking terrified.
My guts twisted.
I didn’t realize what I was doing until I almost opened the door.
The interior light would go on.
My hiding spot would be revealed.
And shit could go seriously sideways fast.
I pulled my hand into my lap as I looked around again.
The door of Vital Greens opened and a confused, scared Ernest came barreling out. He must have been terrified too, because I’d never seen the dog move at more than a slow trot before.
He was hauling ass.
If he got lost, Rue was going to fucking melt down.
I kept my gaze between Rue and Ernest, my pulse slamming, my mind racing.
I hated sitting there.
Doing nothing.
Letting this shit happen.
For a long while, Rue was out of sight.
Then, suddenly, I saw her walking on tight legs toward the greenhouse.
She didn’t come back out.
And no one followed.
Finally, the crew loaded up, headed out, and moved down the opposite side of the street from me.
Once their taillights were gone, I rushed out of the car, following the path I’d seen Ernest take until he’d gone out of view.
“Come on, bud, where’d you go?” I called, eyes searching the dark. “Ernest?”
There was a crackling noise.
Then there he was, his droopy eyes a little more alert than usual.
“Hey, bud. Those assholes scared you, huh?” I asked, reaching out to rub his velvet ears. “They scared your mom, too. We should go check on her.”
His presence gave me the excuse I needed to be able to check on her.
I just so happened to be driving down the road.
When I saw Ernest darting down the road.
I stopped to get him.
She wouldn’t suspect a thing.
And I could see if she was okay.
“Come on, bud,” I called, patting my leg, and trying to move away. “Come on. Let’s go see mom. You want a treat?” I asked.
His head whipped up at that, but he didn’t move to follow.
“That was probably the workout of a lifetime for you, huh?” I asked, walking over to him. “Alright. Let’s do it this way,” I said, squatting down and sliding my arms under him.
I was shocked at the weight of him.
“Jesus, man. The fuck do you weigh?” I asked as I got to my feet, readjusting his awkwardly shaped body, then starting back toward Vital Greens.
I didn’t see Rue anywhere.