13 Rounds Read Online Free PDF Page B

weight. When he reached the last step, he raised the flashlight high above his head, walking forward a few steps. He noticed someone bound to a chair, their head hanging down and the closer he got the more familiar the person became.
    Mother fucker.
    Murph rushed toward the chair as fast as he could and dropped the brown bag at her feet.
    “Teagan!” he cried. “What the fuck, Teagan?” He slapped her face a few times, gently, and just enough to wake her if she was sleeping. “Son of a bitch!” Then he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Tee, wake up. Please wake up!”
    Murph knew that Connie had brought her in for questioning based on something, but he never thought that he would actually stoop to this level of treatment for someone he considered to be his family. Murph also knew that Connie could be a cruel and ruthless man when he wanted to be, but to Murphy O’Fallon, at that moment he had crossed the line.
    “Oh God, Teagan.” He was not an emotional man, but Murph could feel the tears pooling in his eyes. A pang struck his big, gentle heart. He knew that Connie would most likely kill him for what he was about to do, but he also knew it was right. Teagan was the closest thing he had to a little sister and he wasn’t about to let her endure anymore of this type of torture.
    In one swift motion, he ripped the duct-tape off of her arms and legs, picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and then ran from the building.
     

 
     
    Chapter 9
    ~Hadlee~
     
    I look into Sean’s eyes and almost lose it.
    I’m on the verge of breaking down again. We walk down the hall a little bit and I almost stumble into Sean. Part of me wants to bury my face in his shoulder and cry harder than I ever have before, but I don’t.
    I remain strong.
    Solid.
    I’m an ivory statue built to last hundreds of years.
    There’s an uncomfortable silence expanding between us and Sean breaks it when he says, “Sorry about that.” We stop in front of the glass doors and he nods toward the outside. “You know, earlier.”
    I decide that this is it. I’m going to give him one more opportunity to speak for himself. I’m hoping he doesn’t blow it. “Oh yeah,” I say. “What was that all about?”
    He remains silent for a second then takes both of my hands in his. I know he’s staring at me. I know he wants me to look him in the eye, but I can’t. Not right now. “Don’t worry about it,” he tells me. “It was nothing important.”
    I let go of his hands, let mine drop at my sides, and try, strain, fight as hard as I can to hold back the tears welling up in my eyes. “Nothing important,” I whisper. Finally I glare at him. “Nothing important.”
    There’s a caring look on his face. “Are you okay?” he asks, a hint of concern in his voice. “Hadlee, if there’s something wrong you need to tell me.”
    “You’re what’s wrong!” I shout. “You’re what’s wrong!”
    “What?” His mouth falls open, he takes a step back staring at me, baffled. “What the hell are you talking about?
    I don’t want to expose the way I feel right now. It takes a lot for me to let it all out. Maybe in time I’ll be able to fully explain it, but not right here. Not right now.
    Instead, I swallow hard.
    Mentally chant.
    Keep it together.
    You are strong.
    You can do this.
    I keep my voice low and level when I say, “You know that everything is not okay.”
    He throws his hands up in the air in frustration. “Well then will you please tell me, what the fuck is wrong!”
    The five words I’m about to say to him nearly strangle me. I’m not even sure if I can get them out. And I know when I do finally say them there’s going to be a part of me that dies. As painful as it’s going to be, I know the words need to be spoken and it’s at that moment that I tell him, “I want to break up.”
     

 
    Chapter 10
    ~Sean~
     
    Days have passed.
    Followed by weeks.
    It honestly doesn’t even matter anymore because my days,