The sound of footsteps on wood and Darrel muttering to himself fills the room.
“Do you think he’s going to cry or pee his pants?”
“I kind of hope both. The goon he sent to kidnap me was kind of scary.”
“I do too.”
Slow-motion movements switch to a flurry of men descending on the great room so fast, if you blinked you’d miss it.
“The one in the back corner has a nice body. Do you think you could ask him to take his mask off so I could see his face?”
“Winnie, you’re so bad.”
“That’s what you love about me.”
It really is.
“Are those tears? They look like tears to me.”
I lean into the screen. “Oh, he’s definitely crying.”
One second, all the men are wearing masks. The next, they’re all being removed.
“That doesn’t look like a military team. Those aren’t regulation haircuts. The guy by the kitchen has a mullet. A mullet.”
“They aren’t cops. They’re bikers.” I’ve seen at least half of them in Silent Valley. And there is Havoc standing in the middle of them. He came.
He came for me.
“Who is the one in the back corner?”
“That’s Bram. My fake boyfriend.” They’re actually working together. Havoc came.
“You had a fake boyfriend and didn’t tell me? We’re officially in a fight.”
“It wasn’t a big thing. Until it was a big thing. He’s too sweet and kind for you.”
“I can do sweet and kind…sometimes.”
“Really?”
“I can pretend really hard. What are you going to do now?”
“See what happens.” Then get out of here. “Maybe kiss him.”
“I vote for kissing him.”
“You vote for kissing everyone.”
“Not Darrel. Even I have my standards.”
Havoc steps forward. “Where is she?”
“Oh, it’s getting good now.”
“Shh, I want to hear this.”
“Like I don’t,” Winnie mutters.
