The Arrangement 17 Hm Ward Read Online Free

  Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Title Page

Writer's Annotation

- Chapter 1

- Chapter two

- Chapter 3

- Chapter 4

- Chapter five

- Chapter 6

- Chapter vii

- Chapter 8

- Affiliate nine

- Chapter 10

- Chapter 11

- Affiliate 12

- Chapter 13

- Chapter 14

- Chapter 15

- Chapter sixteen

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The Arrangement 17

The Ferro Family

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COPYRIGHT

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author'southward imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or expressionless, events, or locales is entirely casual.

Copyright © 2013 by H.M. Ward

All rights reserved.

No part of this volume may exist reproduced, scanned, or distributed in whatever printed or electronic form.

H.M. WARD PRESS

First Edition: November 2014

ISBN: 9781630350499

The Arrangement 17

Dear Reader,

The System Series is different. How? The story is organic and swiftly growing. Originally intended to be iv serial novels, fans of the serial demanded more Sean & Avery, spurring an entirely new concept: a fan-driven series. When fans ask for more, I write more.

I am astonished and humbled by the response this series has received. As the series grows, I am constantly fascinated by the requests and insights from readers. This series has sold over iv Meg copies! The boilerplate length of each book is 125 pages in paperback and can exist read in a few hours or less.

This series intertwines with my other work, but is designed to exist read independently, as a quick read betwixt other titles. You can bring together in the give-and-take via my Facebook page: world wide web.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard. For a complete listing of Ferro books, look here: world wide web.SexyAwesomeBooks.com & click BOOKS.

Thank you lot and happy reading!

~Holly

Chapter 1

Hearts pounding, Peter and I drive through the grounds of the formerly earth famous Oak Embankment Inn. Once upon a time, the elite of New York City would gather hither each weekend and political party until sunrise in the old mansion built right on the waterfront. It was a great spot back in the day, but over fourth dimension information technology suffered enough fail that it finally closed—despite the best efforts of historic preservationists. No affair how hard they tried, they couldn't save the OBI. Soon after closing, most of the mansion burned in a burn down. Add in a hurricane that ate half the coastline, and at present it has the solemn feel of a graveyard. No one dances here anymore. There'due south no laughter or smiles, simply cold damp fright.

Peter's torso tenses in the driver'south seat. His hand moves to open up his door and become out with me, just I achieve over him and put my paw over his. Gently, I movement his mitt off of the door handle and back to the steering wheel.

"You lot're not supposed to be here," I say firmly. "I have no thought what he'll do to me or to Sean if y'all linger. Go."

"Avery, this guy is unstable. He could kill you."

"He won't." Peter looks at me similar I'chiliad mental, but it's a feeling I've had deep in my gut since I saw Marty shoot Sean. The blaring music and the flashing lights nearly blinded me on stage, but I know I saw him in that location. "Peter, please trust me. Marty had then many chances to hurt me already. He would have killed me by now if that was his plan."

Peter grips the bike hard enough to make his duke turn white and stares at his fingers. Inhaling deeply, he shifts his blueish gaze to the side, his eyes searching mine. "I do trust you. It's him I don't trust—he's off. There's something about him that doesn't sit right with me. Add together in the shit with Sean, and I think y'all going in there is a bad move." His eyes are soulful as he speaks, as if he's pleading with me to reconsider.

He's correct, of class, but there isn't another way. "Peter, the thing is, my life is so messed upwards right now I can't get anywhere without someone threatening to hurt me. I know you mean well, merely I accept to do this. I'll get Sean back."

Peter looks as if he wants to debate, merely begrudgingly stays seated. He mashes his lips together, swallows some words he decides non to say, and sighs deeply. His shoulders slump a lilliputian and I know he won't fight me anymore. I'm not entirely sure how he talked me into letting him drive me out here in the first place. He's sneaky like his brother, but he cares nearly me and he cares about Sean—that much I know.

Peter runs his hands through his hair and glances over at me from behind the steering wheel. "Mel will come up for you lot if you're not dorsum in this spot in an hour. That woman scares the hell out of me. I'm sure she'll kill Marty if he hurts you lot, and she'll have fun doing it. By the fashion, why are all your closest friends mental?"

Mel is a handful and has had a hard life. She knows how to accept care of herself, merely I don't think she's killed anyone. People even so recall she'southward responsible for the expressionless hooker in Sean's hotel room, just I know information technology wasn't her. Once she knows a person, and likes them, Mel drops her guard. The sad office is there are very few people she tin relax around, so they only know the version of Mel that'due south a little rough effectually the edges.

I bump Peter with my shoulder and wave my finger at him while speaking, trying not to smile. "Come on Mr. Poet, you already know the answer to that. Friends are a reflection of oneself. You lot might want to reconsider that thing you've got going on with Mr. Turkey."

Peter laughs. "Better go over to the tall dark grass now before the crazy guy comes looking for you." I clasp his hand and hop out of his sleek black car, slamming the door backside me. Peter puts downwards the rider window and leans beyond the seat. "Exist conscientious." His optics are locked on mine, and we both jump, startled, when a vocalization comes from the shadows behind me.

"Oh, she volition be." Marty steps out from the shadows and lunges at me. He completely ignores Peter, who is swearing and kicking his door open, ready to follow us.In an instant, I feel myself being carried abroad from the auto and into the darkness. His hand is over my oral fissure, stifling my scream.

Chapter ii

I bite downwards on the mankind of Marty's palm and he releases me, spewing curses while he does it. Stomping my human foot down hard, I beat his toes. He's wearing velvet lounge slippers, and wails like a babe. I don't take time to wonder why he'due south dressed for bed—Marty always dresses weird. When we beginning met, I thought it was considering he was gay. The asshole used my assumption to get close to me. Repressed acrimony rears its head from deep within me.

Marty shot Sean.

Growling wildly, I circular on him, ready to fight. I want my fists in his face up. I want to hear his nose crunch and crusade him as much hurting every bit he caused Sean.

Just before my knee joint lifts to hitting him in the tenders, he grabs my shoulders and leans in. "Stop."

It'southward one word, one asking that changes everything. If I wander off with him, things could get worse. I pause for a second, waiting for him to say something else or fight dorsum, but he doesn't.

Peter remains by his car, silently watching, his optics narrowed into slits. His torso is poised and prepared, prepare to run over and relieve me. I can't let him do that. I accept to observe out where Marty took Sean and this is the on

ly way. I shake my head at Peter, warning him to stay there. He flinches and grits his teeth, but he doesn't movement any further toward united states.

Lifting my paw in a gesture of peace, I nod at Marty. "Take me to Sean."

Marty shakes his head and looks from me to Peter's auto. "You know, I tin can't fucking believe this, Avery. I told you to come alone. You deliberately disobeyed my asking and came with not just anyone, but one of the Ferro brothers. And so you break my foot instead of saying hello." He mutters to himself for a moment, then glances at the car, agitated. "Tell Ferro to take a hike or you lot won't similar how this goes."

Marty's pilus is a mess and he'south wearing rich guy pajamas. He reminds me of a young Hugh Hefner, wearing a velvet robe and tasseled belt. How has no 1 noticed him, dressed similar that? The police must be blind non to find this guy. He'south on the embankment, in velvet slippers, with no automobile. Where's a land trooper when you need one? I glance upwardly and down the road, simply it's empty.

Heart hammering, I ask, "Where are we going?"

"Stop asking questions and do as I say, or you'll never encounter Sean once more." He hooks an arm effectually my waist and glares at Peter. "Your selection, Avery. We can do this the easy way or the hard style."

My entire torso is shaking. It's beyond a minor tremble and I detest it for betraying me. Marty laughs lightly, shaking his head. "You finally figured out you should be afraid of me? Information technology fucking took long enough."

Marty yanks his arm, pulling my back to his forepart. I feel something difficult and circular pressed against my spine. He shouts to Peter, "Get out of here, unless y'all want me to put a bullet in her dorsum. I'm guessing the Ferro clan doesn't want another dead woman on their easily."

Peter yells dorsum, "No i would call up I killed her."

"I wouldn't exist too sure. Once a Ferro, always a Ferro, isn't that right Pete?" The employ of his old name makes Peter's shoulders stiffen and I wonder what secrets he's hiding. The principal with the turkey vulture and the sweetness girlfriend is the Peter I know, but Marty knows something more than—something dark.

Peter turns his eyes toward me. "One hour. That'south information technology. Then Mel comes for you—fuck that, I'll come for you—and I guarantee you lot won't like it." Peter's vocalism is low and lethal. For the first time, I see a strong resemblance to Sean. The wait he gives Marty promises hurting.

"Drive away, Pete. She'll exist right here an hour from now." Marty holds me tight, pinning me against the barrel of his gun.

"Go, it'south all correct." I mean to sound confident, but my voice is shaking.

Peter swears, jumps dorsum in his car, and peels out, leaving me alone with Marty. I lookout man his taillights shrink to nil as his blackness automobile is swallowed by the dark.

Affiliate 3

Marty inhales deeply and removes the gun from my back. There are too many emotions going through me at the moment to boom ane down, then they all come flying out. The 2d the gun is downwards, I circular on him and knee his nuts. Marty yelps and bends frontward. My knee comes up once more and connects with his nose. Meanwhile my easily ball into fists, hitting him every hazard I get. I'thousand screaming at him, bellowing, "How could you?"

His betrayal snakes around my pharynx and tightens until I tin't stand it. I lash out at him with renewed energy, hitting him over and over.

Marty shrieks, "Holy fuck, Avery! Cut it out! End or I'll make you terminate."

Rage takes over my body and my encephalon struggles to go on upward. My body continues to tremble, but not from fright. "Bullshit! That'south what this is! That's what you are! Yous don't even accept him, do you? This was just another invention to become me naked or another stupid shit. I detest you! I hate you, Marty!"

I grab both sides of his caput by his ears and tug, hard. Shocked, his face comes flight toward mine and I head-butt him. We collide with a loud thunk. Marty swears, nearly falling over. Since I'1000 not a ninja, the momentum knocks me on my ass, my head throbbing in pain. I bear on my brow and feel warm blood on my fingers. Rage flashes across my face—I can't hide it. I bound and lunge at him, screaming while I do and then.

"I trusted you, yous bastard!"

"Fine, the hard way it is." Marty reaches for me as I rush at him. He catches me past the shoulders and the momentum of existence jerked to a end makes my anxiety go flying. I state on my back and let out an oof sound. I barely accept time to grab my breath before Marty covers my face up with a white material. I try not to breathe, merely I tin can't agree my breath. When I finally suck in air, it tastes likewise sweet and burns my throat. Marty pins me to the ground, as I hook at his hands, trying to get the fabric off my face. It's poisoned. No, information technology'southward non—oh no. My head feels light and I kickoff blinking. My body goes limp and earlier I can figure out why, I lose control of my easily and they flop to the pavement. I stare upwards at the inky sky with its spattering of stars, watching Marty remove the cloth.

As he pulls information technology abroad and my eyes flutter shut, I discover two letters on the handkerchief.

S. F.

The world fades to black.

Chapter iv

My caput is screaming when I start to regain consciousness. It feels similar information technology'southward made of lead and possibly in a vice. It seems a cracking deal fatter than normal, or maybe information technology only feels that way. I try to open up my eyes simply they're also heavy. I effort again, but yet no results. Audio begins to penetrate the fog surrounding me. I lie withal and listen to 2 voices arguing heatedly in hushed tones.

"…then we wouldn't be in this state of affairs!"

"If yous hadn't interfered, none of this would have happened, Ferro. This is your error. You call up I wanted to do this to her? She's insane when she's mad. Y'all know that."

"I told you to practice it first thing, not to wait and talk to her. You jeopardized the whole operation, and risked Pete finding out. You lot're a deplorable excuse for a—"

My eyes flutter open up involuntarily and Marty talks over him, "Shut it, dipshit. She's awake and every bit soon as that headache passes, she'south going to commodities. Cease wasting time and start talking." Marty is watching me with a softened expression on his face, which confuses the crap out of me. Hell, this whole scene confuses the crap out of me.

I glimmer and try to push upwards. Sean rushes to my side and puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. Equally his fingers clutch my shoulders, his voice softens a petty. "Information technology's too shortly. Wait or you'll be sick."

"You're here." I smile at him. He'due south condom. "You're all right." Marty didn't hurt him. In fact, he seems ameliorate than the concluding fourth dimension I saw him. He was hurt, recovering from a bullet wound. Leaning over me like that should brand him hurt. Sean should exist groaning from hurting, but he's not.

Something is off. Even sedated, I can experience it. I sense information technology, but I still can't figure out what's going on. Add in what I only heard and my eyes widen. Sean Ferro, the initials.

My centre twists. "Marty had your handkerchief, didn't he?"

The ii letters come back into focus in my heed, the ramifications quickly follow, snapping into place. If the handkerchief was Sean'due south, and so based on what I only heard, Sean and Marty are… I shiver. "Oh, my God, Sean! You told Marty to drug me, didn't you? I heard you say information technology—he was supposed to drug me. Marty tried to talk me into following him start."

Sean's emotional mask juts up and snaps firmly in place. He shows no remorse, no affection. Information technology'south similar he hasn't inverse at all and in that location'due south a man I don't know standing in forepart of me. "I did what I had to do. It was for your own good. If y'all were found with Marty—able to get abroad, but not trying—it would look wrong. They'd think you were helping him."

Outraged, I yell, "Helping him practise what, exactly? Shoot you lot? Kidnap y'all? Bury you in a freakin' sand dune?" I scream the last role and wish I hadn't. My head throbs and then desperately, it feels like at that place's a steel bar vibrating in my brain. I catch my caput and shut my optics.

Clutching my temples, I growl, "Where are we?"

Sean sits past my side as Marty paces behind me. We're in an old house and I can hear the h2o lapping against the shore, which mea

ns we are very close to the body of water. The business firm is dark, save the glow of a dim low-cal they've put in the fireplace.

"Oak Island. This house is endemic past, well it'due south, uh—" Sean looks up at Marty. Still lying on my dorsum, I look upwardly at him expectantly.

"I ain it." Marty moves across the dark room and sits across from me on an old velvet chair that'southward seen better days. He rests his elbows on his knees, leans forward, and clasps his easily together. His mop of hair falls over his eyes, hiding the cut I gave him earlier. He glares at the tattered Persian carpeting on the flooring and growls, "Just say it Sean, or I will."

But Sean doesn't speak and neither does Marty. For a moment, the only sound I can hear is the roar of the sea. Pelting begins to bounce eerily off the dark windowpanes.

I don't know what'due south going on, but I feel it—things aren't right. Something is off. Annoyed with both of them, I snap, "What's going on? Reverse to popular belief, it doesn't seem like y'all're being held hostage, Sean."

Sean slips off the couch and kneels in front of me, taking both of my hands. "Yous're safe. That'southward all that matters." His nighttime hair is a tousled mess, like he's been riding his motorbike without his helmet. There's a cut on his cheek, and three-day-sometime scruff on his confront. Night circles line his optics, as if he hasn't slept since he last shaved.

"To y'all, perhaps." Head nonetheless swimming, I'm too woozy to yell. As the room wobbles, I remember Sean is the one who did this to me. Maybe information technology wasn't his paw, but it was his idea. That means Sean and Marty are in this together, although I tin't encounter how. "This makes no sense! Why is Marty here? He tried to kill you and now y'all're just hanging out together in a beach firm?" I'm yelling again and trying to sit upward.

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