Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“They were out here in the hallway earlier, talking with the cheerleader through the door. Loud as you please, like they didn’t give a rat’s patootie if they were disturbing other people’s peaceful afternoons.”
“Then what?” Dominic demands.
“They left,” she answers, and I’m not sure if she means the guys or Penny or both. Could they have snatched her in broad daylight and this woman have not done a damn thing to stop them? “She left a few minutes later.”
Okay, that at least tells me that Conniver’s guys didn’t kidnap her. It’s a small consolation from the worst-case scenario forming in my mind. Still, wanting to be sure, I clarify, “She left on her own? The guys weren’t with her?”
“Yeah,” she says, nodding. But then she pauses dramatically before drawling out, “Weeell, up here. But I watched out the window. I like to keep an eye on things, you know?”
Does she want a cookie for being the neighborhood snoop? “And?”
“Cheerleader got in an Uber. The guys were driving one of those big, fancy SUVs. They followed her after the Uber pulled away.”
“Shit!” Dominic hisses.
“Come on,” I tell him. “I know where she went. At least I hope I do.”
“What about this door?” the neighbor tuts. “You can’t leave it wide open like this. They’ll get robbed blind.” Is she expressing actual care for Penny and Talia? Hell, that’s as much of a shocker as anything else, considering she’s always banging on the wall like they’re the most annoying pests in her life.
The door is a concern that’ll have to be addressed, but it’s not the priority when Penny’s in actual, real danger at this very moment, so we pull it closed behind us . . . well, as close to closed as it will go with a cracked frame. “You like to keep an eye on things? Make sure nobody but Penny, Talia, or us goes in there, and I’ll make it worth your while.”
Her eyes flare, looking something other than grumpy for the first time, and she smiles, revealing pristine dentures that contrast oddly with her unkempt appearance.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do,” she agrees.
The ride to Aqua Est Vita seems three times as long as it was yesterday. Probably because I’m terrified that something has happened to Penny, or is happening right now, and I’m not there to stop it.
I pull up to the restaurant, not even bothering to park in a space but just leaving my car double-parked in the street. I toss my keys to the valet, unconcerned about if he’ll actually move it or not. It can get towed for all I care.
Inside, I bypass the hostess stand, marching straight for the back with Dominic hot on my heels. “Penny?” I shout, disturbing the restaurant full of people loitering over their brunches.
“Griffin?” I hear her a split second before she comes into view, and even the smallest hint of her voice tamps down my fear a few notches. But seeing her sitting across from the most dangerous man in the city isn’t the least bit reassuring despite the fact that she looks perfectly whole and more than a bit confused at my sudden and loud appearance.
“Mr. Mahoney, lower your voice,” Conniver orders sharply, coming to his feet. “This restaurant is not the place for that sort of behavior.”
Is he for fucking real?
“You said you’d leave her alone,” I accuse, pointing a finger into his chest and not giving a shit about the security guard rapidly moving my way. Conniver doesn’t flinch and instead holds up a hand, stopping his guard.
“Griffin,” Penny hisses, her tone gone severe as she glances around at all the attention my entry has garnered.
“I believe my words were that she would come to no harm, and I think you’ll find that to be the case. Correct, Miss Lee?”
He looks expectantly at Penny, and when she turns confused eyes from him to me and back again, what she finally says is, “You talked to Griffin? About what?”
His lips twitch as though he’s fighting a smile. “I may have misled you to some degree. While we do apparently have Johnny K in common, we have another mutual acquaintance. Mr. Mahoney.” He gestures toward me like he’s Vanna White and I’m a letter he needs to spin around. “He came to see me last night to inform me that two of my men had been misbehaving in an attempt to correct their unfortunate mistake. He was quite persuasive in his request that I leave you alone.” Conniver arches a brow, giving me a tiny smirk. “To point, I had nothing to do with any of that and was wholly unaware until the issue was brought to my attention.”
I didn’t persuade him in the slightest. I begged, I demanded, I would’ve gladly laid down my life if it meant keeping her safe, and both Conniver and I know that. Penny hears something else entirely.