Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“You need to listen to me. I know how to deal with my father. You will be fine. We just need to make sure you are under the protection of the entire family.”
“What does that mean?” I huff. I’m almost afraid to ask, but I figure at this point, I need to know.
“To get our allies to take part in this war, I need them to know that you are one of us.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Angie, you may not like this, but it’s the only way.”
“Like what?”
“We’re going to get married.”
My mouth drops open. Of all the things I expected, that wasn’t it at all. “Get married?” I squeak.
“It’s the most logical solution, Angie. We love each other.”
“We don’t!”
“We do. You can’t deny that.”
“I don’t love you like that. Heck, right now I’m not even sure I like you.”
He laughs, although he looks uncomfortable. “I know it will take a bit to let our feelings grow so that we can become a true husband and wife, but the love is there. We just need to slowly turn it into something more romantic.”
I don’t move. I can do nothing but stare at him and blink. “You’ve lost your mind. How could I not see that you had gone insane? You’ve completely lost it.”
“No, like I said, I’m being logical. Which is something you need to be, too,” he huffs, clearly getting agitated.
I look around me, wondering if this is some kind of elaborate prank. There must be a camera guy somewhere, something to explain how my once level-headed stepbrother has somehow jumped off the ledge into stark-raving mad insanity.
“I don’t even know what to say to you…” My voice is little more than a whisper. I can’t even process how twisted Sam’s mind has to be.
“You have to be smart, Angie. This is the only solution.”
“I need to be smart,” I repeat, still speaking softly.
“You do.”
“I need to be smart,” I say again, louder this time.
“Angie—”
Before he can finish, I reach over and grab the pitcher of water he left on my nightstand and lunge it at him. It hits his chest, and water splatters over his body and up into his face as the pitcher falls to the floor.
“I can see that you need time to process what we’ve discussed,” he says. His voice is tight and controlled, but I can feel the anger beneath, I just don’t care.
“I don’t need to process shit. You’re insane. I am getting out of here and going home!”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Angie. I must keep you safe.” With that, he goes to the door and looks at me. “I’ll be back to check on you after you’ve had time to calm down and listen to sense.” He opens the door and I try to get up and follow him, but the minute I stand up a wave of dizziness overcomes me, and I fall back down on the bed. I listen as my door locks. He’s fixed it so he can lock me in here against my will. I close my eyes and try to stop the room from moving around me. Victor is going to kill me. Of course, that will be after he kills Sam, and right now I can’t even drum up the energy to worry about that. I might just help Victor…
victorio
. . .
After a shower, I get dressed in some jeans and a blue T-shirt. I’m feeling useless. I’m feeling kind of hopeless. I asked EZ several times on the way home to tell me what he had going on in his head. I was hoping he’d let me know something. He refused, saying he didn’t want to get my hopes up. When we got back, I went to grab a shower and a bite to eat.
Now, I’m searching out EZ. I’m tired of not getting an answer. I need to get back home to Miami if there’s nothing to find here. I don’t know why I’m trying so hard anyway. I think if there was something to find, Maxwell would have found it. Then again, he didn’t come down here. He trusted others to do what needed to be done. Where Gia is concerned, I’m going to handle everything personally. She’s too precious.
I run into Shadow in the front room, getting a lap dance from chick called Trixie. I don’t know if that’s her real name, a stage name, or a club name. I don’t want to know. I get all the guys—well, except EZ and those with women of their own—don’t mind sharing their women and even tag-teaming them. But that is not me. I’ve made it clear to every woman here that I am not on the market. After seeing the hurt in Gia’s eyes over Morgan, there’s no way in hell I’m going to do anything that might hurt her worse. Besides, the simple truth is, she’s all I want.