Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
The arm around me tightened. Showing my unreserved loyalty, I turned, leaning up to press my lips to his neck over the puckered scar he’d gotten six years ago, and when I felt his muscles loosen under my mouth, I began to relax enough to pull away.
Twitch’s eyes narrowed on his friend. His voice was barely over a whisper. “You’re lucky I’m holdin’ my son.”
These men were tiresome, and as my eyes closed, I reached up to pinch the bridge of my nose and ground out, “Can we please not do this?” Slowly, I opened my eyes and peered around the room. A tired sigh left me. “I hate to say this, but—” My apologetic eyes landed on Luka. “—we need your help.” And when my weary gaze found my son, I touched his soft hair before turning back to the room. “We have a problem to take care of.”
A problem with cherry-red lips and a motherfucking attitude.
Chapter
Thirty-Eight
Lexi
The silence was thick, and while I normally appreciated a moment of quiet, this silence was different. It was sticky. Suffocating. And as we drove home at Luka’s wishes, my entire body thrummed in hyperawareness. Because we were being hunted like prey.
We were being hunted, and the king refused to help.
The logical part of me understood why Luka rejected our appeal for aid. The maternal part of me knew I would never forgive him his actions.
“No one else can help us.” I turned my pleading gaze to him, and when he looked away, I knew—I fucking knew—he would do nothing. That, of course, didn’t stop me from trying. “Luka.” I took a step forward before turning to peer at my sleeping son on the sofa. I would do anything for that boy. I had. I would. And I would continue to. “Please,” I appealed to the softer side he rarely showed. The side I was lucky enough to find in my time alone with him. “Help us.”
But when he responded as callously as he did, Luka Pavlovic was dead to me. “What do you want from me, woman?” He turned to face the Vega family lurking in the corner of the room. He eyed the three of them meaningfully. “Seems to me you got all the help you need.”
I quickly realized his problem and, wow, I couldn’t believe him.
My soft gaze ignited into fiery rage. “You’re bitter? That’s what this is?” My eyes widened in understanding. “You won’t help us because you’re fucking bitter?” I spun to face Fernanda, and sputtered, “He won’t help protect my son because of you?”
“Baby.” Twitch put a hand to my shoulder, but I shrugged it off, demanding an answer.
Fernanda’s cool stare landed on Luka with the force of an ax going through soft cypress. “Don’t stress, gatita.” She looked disgusted at the man she once called her king. “Can’t you see how shook he is? That should tell you everything you need to know. ” Her confidence was unwavering. “We’re all you need.”
So as we drove home with the Vegas trailing us, I probably should have felt more at ease than I did. But it felt wrong. All of it. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but something was wrong.
Twitch pulled into the driveway, and the Vegas parked behind us. Within seconds, Molly drove up in Big Red and Tama stepped out of the car with her. I didn’t even notice Julius and Ana until I stepped out of the car. Happy was the last to arrive, and he came alone.
My eyes slid over to Twitch. “Family meeting?”
Taking A.J.’s hand in his, he stopped to watch me carefully. “Family meeting.”
With a long sigh, I unlocked the front door, and just before I stepped in, Thiago stepped in front of me. I frowned. “What are you doing?”
Thiago Vega looked down at my sleepy son a long moment, and when he responded, my gut clenched. “Checking for snakes.” He went in alone.
My stomach ached suddenly, violently, and I felt the blood drain out of my face.
It never actually occurred to me that Ling might have the balls to be sitting pretty, waiting for us in our own home. And the more I thought about it, the more I came to understand that there were no rules for Ling Nguyen. She was a paradox, wanting to rule, but hating the system and policies that came with that.
No. Ling didn’t play by the rules.
She walked the line of them, slipping a foot on either side of that line whenever it suited her. From what I gathered, she wasn’t the great leader she thought she’d be. Ruling purely from fear, not from respect. It was only a matter of time before The Dragons turned on her. Regrettably, I couldn’t wait that long.
“How bad is it?” came from behind us, and when I spun around, Zep was standing there, hands in his pockets and facing his brother.