Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 106003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
My feet weigh a tonne each as I stare at the hole that moments ago offered salvation. I can tell myself Creed is stealthy, smart, near-indestructible all I want, but could I live with myself if he died because of me?
A sob rips from deep in my chest, but I made my decision.
“You’re wasting my time,” Domino says in a hard voice, prompting me to spin on my heel and take long steps toward him.
I don’t feel like a real person anymore. No real person would have crawled back to Domino just to—
His fist slams into my face. Everything spins, turning into a smudge of colors, and as I collapse to the floor, with the world vibrating around me, I try to understand why I can’t feel the right side of my face.
Domino looms over me, his broad face twisted so much I can see it despite the blur in my eyes. My body is drained, so I don’t protest when he picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. Bloody saliva dribbles from my mouth and onto the back of his cut, staining the club logo, and while I’m terrified of what’s going to happen next, the joy of spoiling something he deems important is my small act of defiance.
Watching the floor pass under me as he takes me away is dizzying, so I close my eyes and only open them when he lets me fall.
A choked grunt escapes my lips when the springs of the old mattress punch me in the back, and I blink several times, trying to focus as Domino opens his belt.
My mind’s empty, as if he’s beaten any doubts, fears, and worries from my head with that one punch, but as he’s kicking off his boots, a loud ringing tears through the silence, echoing in my skull.
A twisted grimace passes over Domino’s features, but he plucks the phone out of his pocket and picks up the call. For me, this means a few minutes of peace, which I’m grateful for even if he’s about to punish me for whatever’s making him sneer while he listens.
I shudder when he roars the moment the phone conversation’s over, fully prepared for a kick in the stomach, but instead he jabs his foot at the side of the mattress in helpless wrath.
“You better be naked and ready when I’m back,” he roars and walks off like the embodiment of fury. I hear each of his angry footsteps, and even the click of the lock sounds like the key’s about to snap from the force Domino’s putting into twisting it in the hole.
Out of all the hopeless moments in my life, this one’s the worst, but I trust in Creed. If there’s the slightest chance I can walk out of here, it’ll be thanks to him.
Chapter 31
Creed
Do I know for sure that Domino snatched Angel? No. But do I feel certain of it down to the marrow of my bones? Absolutely.
He looked like shit at the club meet. Pupils blown, bruised face, and I swear the blood on his knuckles seemed fresh. I was ready to rip him to shreds in front of everyone just based on my hunch. And yet, I had to ignore my nature and wait. At least I wasn’t expected to talk. Prophet handled that part. Even the pretense under which we had this urgent meeting went over my head because I was too busy analyzing every minute detail about Domino.
Now I’m on the road, following him at a distance, and fortunately he makes that easy thanks to his bike being so loud and obnoxious. I’ve got a tracker on me, so my brothers can catch up later. All of them wouldn’t be able to stay stealthy, and I swear, if anyone blows my cover, I will rage.
I’d attempt sneaking up on him, grabbing him, then torturing the information out, but there’s too many variables involved in such a plan. Domino is lodged far in the closet, he might not tell me shit, and if Angel is held somewhere with no way out, he could end up dead by the time I find him. I can’t risk that. I can only hope Domino will lead me straight to him.
I fall back, because even this meathead might have enough brains left to notice he’s being followed, but I choose the right direction at crossroads each time, simply following the farting of his bike. We’ve ventured away from all the towns I know, deeper into the forested areas, and I don’t know what to expect. Does Domino have a cabin out here? Or did he just claim some old house or… cave? That’s what I did, and I wouldn’t put it past him either. My heart flutters when the hum ahead dies, and I kill my own engine. The last of the day’s sun floods the area with red light from a clearing up ahead, so I slide off my lightweight bike and run, propelling it with me.