Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Maybe I have things I want to do.”
“We know that. You’ll be able to go to law school as scheduled,” Dad says.
“Yeah, and do the family’s bidding. But which family? My Gallo family or the McAllister family?” I shake my head. “I want no part of this.” I rise.
“Savannah, sit down.”
“I’m twenty-two years old now. I’ve been my own person since I was eighteen. I’m afraid I don’t have to take orders from you anymore.” I head toward the door, turn the knob—
It’s locked.
They’ve locked me in here. My skin goes cold.
“Someone needs to unlock this door,” I say. “Or I’ll call the police.”
“I’m afraid there’s no cell reception in here,” McAllister’s attorney says.
“I see a phone right there.” I point to a landline on the credenza.
“Which requires a code to access, which I don’t plan to give you.”
Prickles skitter over my arms, and I brush my hands over them. “I truly don’t have a choice, do I?” I say.
“I’m sorry, Savannah,” Dad says. “But you don’t.”
I take my seat. “What do I have to do to get out of this?”
“There’s nothing you can do,” Mr. McAllister says. “Your father and I made a deal, sweetheart.”
“Don’t you ever refer to me as sweetheart.”
“However,” Mr. McAllister says, “there might be one thing.”
My heart races. “What? Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
The McAllisters’ attorney clears his throat. “You have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.”
“I do.”
“With plans to go to law school.”
“Yes. I’ve already been accepted at Georgetown.”
“That was never going to happen anyway,” Mr. McAllister says. “You’d be going here somewhere in Texas. Once you marry my son.”
Mr. McAllister’s attorney clears his throat again. “I’ve discussed this with my client, and we’ve had preliminary discussions with your father. If you truly don’t want to marry young Mr. McAllister here, you’ll need to put your law school plans on hold. Indefinitely.”
I rise, curling my hands into fists. “Being a lawyer has always been my dream! Daddy, how can you let them take that away from me?”
“If you marry Miles, sweetheart, you’ll still go to law school.”
“And answer to whom?” I demand.
My father doesn’t respond.
“There’s currently an opening for a parole officer in the area, and you meet the necessary qualifications,” the McAllisters’ attorney continues. “You take that job, and when we come to you and ask for a favor, you’ll do it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then you marry Mr. McAllister.”
Dad looks at me. “Sweetheart, it’s the only way.”
“What do you mean it’s the only way? None of this makes sense to me. I’m twenty-two years old, a legal adult, and you’ve locked me in a room.”
“Sweetheart, you know the kind of work I do. And unfortunately, family members are always affected.”
“Then why didn’t you leave? Why didn’t you leave instead of marrying Mom?”
“If I hadn’t married your mother, you wouldn’t be here.”
“True, and I wouldn’t be in this horrid position that you’ve put me in. Locking me in a room. Not allowing me to call the police. What kind of father are you?”
He rises then. “Savannah.”
I drop back into my seat.
And I hate myself for it. But when my father uses that voice, I obey.
23
FALCON
After dinner, Leif and I go out on the front porch and talk while we watch the dogs.
“How are your sisters doing?” I ask.
“They’re good. Laney just graduated from college. And Scarlett—What?”
“What do you mean what?”
Leif wrinkles his brow. “I mentioned Scarlett’s name, and the look on your face… It got…weird.”
I’ve got no problem with Scarlett Ramsey. But my brother Eagle is currently pussy-whipped over her, and I have a feeling he’s doing something stupid.
“You’re imagining things,” I say.
“I’ve known you a long time, Falcon. I know what your face says.”
“Do you?” I scoff. “We’ve been separated for the last eight years, Leif. You don’t know what the fuck I went through, and I don’t know what the fuck you went through. I think it’s safe to say that we’re not the same people we once were.”
“Yeah, sure. We’ll go with that. For now, at least. Anyway, Scarlett is living at home with Mom and Dad.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. She hates it, since she’s twenty-nine years old and all. But she got laid off from her job as a paralegal. The firm was downsizing.”
“Money trouble?”
“I don’t think so. Not as long as she’s living with Mom and Dad. She’s a smart girl. She’ll find her way.”
Yeah.
She’ll find her way all right. By way of my littlest brother, who’s gotten into some bad shit again.
“Have you talked to her lately?”
“Yeah. Kelly and I stayed with Mom and Dad when we first came out, while our house was being built.”
“You got a house built that quickly?”
“Money talks, but no. Kelly inherited a ton of money from her psycho father. So we’re having it built on the family’s property, but we did stay with Mom and Dad for a few nights. We’re set up in town right now, in a short-term rental.”