Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72931 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“A man like your father is a coward,” Koyn states, matter-of-fact. “He’s nothing without his money and his minions. Take away his checkbook and he’ll freak the fuck out. Take away his muscle and he’ll piss his pants.” His thumb strokes over the back of my hand. “Take away what he owns—something he created with his own blood, and it’ll end him.”
If only it were that easy.
Dad is rich and powerful because it’s not easy to take him down. He’s ruthless and cunning. A shark in all aspects of his life. When Mom killed herself, I was left alone in the deep end with the shark.
She was disgusted by pictures she’d found in his study—erotic pictures of me that Junior had taken when I was around fifteen when we’d first started having sex. Pictures Dad was using to pleasure himself with. I’d heard the yelling as I hid behind the stairs. She’d called him every name in the book. Threatened to take me far away from him. Vowed to financially drain him and ruin his reputation.
And the next day she was dead.
Overdose.
She was depressed. At least that’s what Dad told them. Not a word was spoken about his sick compulsions.
Though I don’t have definitive proof, I know my father had a hand in her death. Either he drove her to suicide after what she found out, or he forced her to end her life. All I know is she was gone.
I was all alone.
In the water.
With a shark.
Circling and circling and circling.
Each day, I avoided my father’s predatory stares. Tried not to think about the horrible things I’d overheard. Stayed busy with school and friends and activities.
But I was tired.
Losing Mom and trying to keep my head above water was nearly impossible. I almost drowned. Fell into the depths of my own despair, curling up in my bed for days at a time as I tried to make sense of my life.
And waiting at the bottom for me was a shark.
Him.
My father.
He drew blood. Took that forbidden bite. Sank his teeth into my soul. Devoured all the good, innocent parts left inside of me until I knew I had to get away or I’d end up just like her.
So I ran.
Straight to Junior and Magna.
To safety.
A choked sob escapes my throat. It’s then I realize the room has long since emptied and Koyn holds me against his chest, stroking his fingers through my hair. He’s supposed to be my enemy because he hates my dad, but he’s the safest haven I’ve ever known.
“I’m scared,” I whisper tearfully, clutching his leather cut. “I’m so fucking scared, Koyn.”
Same words I’d muttered late at night to Junior. Words he never understood. He thought I was scared of leaving the MC life with him and getting pulled back home to my rich girl life. He didn’t know who I was afraid of. He didn’t understand.
I’ve told Koyn nothing, but something shifts in the air.
I can almost taste it.
Knowledge. Understanding.
His possessive palm clutches my hip and he nuzzles his nose in my hair. “I’m going to ruin him,” Koyn murmurs, violence dripping in his words. “I’m sorry.”
He knows and yet his revenge is still the most important thing to him.
He’s sorry he’s going to ruin him.
Because that means ruining me.
Koyn
The whole house goes dark.
One moment I’m holding a shivering, silently crying angel, and the next, we’re bathed in darkness. Several of the guys hoot out somewhere within the house. I can hear Stormy bitching in the kitchen.
“Oh no,” Hadley whines.
Yes.
He’s here.
Her fucking father.
I almost laugh trying to imagine the victorious look on his face. He’s somewhere nearby because no matter how good he is, he can only do what I allow him to do. And in this instance, it requires him to be within a certain distance. The motherfucker wanted to take me out because he knew he’d never be as good as me. Nothing’s changed. Same shit, different day.
Now he’s here.
Walking right into the trap I laid.
He thinks he’s the master of our fucking universe.
Someone should tell him he’s only a puppet on strings—strings I’m going to strangle him with.
“Koyn.”
Hadley’s worried voice does something to me. Plucks me out of the vortex of mindless revenge and forces me to face the present. For so long, all I’ve thought about was the past and what happened.
Then she happened.
Present.
Inside her is a future.
Rather than dwell on shitty things like hope and family when monsters like Genworth and Putnam roam the world, I decide to focus on the past. At least for now.
“Have you eaten?” I ask, patting Hadley’s thigh, indicating she should stand.
She obeys and shakes her head. It’s dark, but the moonlight pours in through the window, allowing me to see her pretty, somber features.
“Find Bermuda and eat.” I stand and grab my sheathed knife from the table so I can clip it to my belt. “Put shoes on while you’re at it. Without heat, it’s going to get cold real quick.”