Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 467(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 311(@300wpm)
“Eric.”
He says nothing in return, turning his gaze to the ground. It’s pathetic. This man is unworthy of the daughter he’s been given, the same daughter who asked me to spare his life and find some other way to get rid of him. He should be glad I can deny her nothing.
“This plane is going to take you to Wyoming. There’s a small town out there where the only lawyer has retired. The pay is shitty, and you’ll spend the rest of your days dealing with the trivial bullshit of small towns, but you’ll be alive, and you’ll be grateful for it. Don’t contact me or your daughter ever again.”
Eric’s eyes dart up to meet mine. I scowl at him, making my disdain for the man clear. If it was up to me, we would dump him in the ocean with a pair of concrete shoes. Emma is the most selfless woman I have ever met. The only thing she has asked is to spare her father’s life.
“You’re letting me go?”
“Unfortunately. Here’s what I want you to know. You might not see me, you might not hear from me, but I will always be watching and waiting for you to fuck up again. This is your last chance. Don’t let your daughter’s generosity go to waste, because mine has already run out.”
Eric sucks in a sharp breath. He nods once before pulling himself to his feet. I turn him around, cut the binds on his wrist, and shove him towards the plane. Truthfully, I can’t wait for the next time he fucks up. He will. Men like Eric never know when to quit, even when they’re down and beaten. Therapy would probably do him good, but that’s another thing that men like him think they’re too good for.
“Emma…”
“Is none of your damn business anymore. You gave up that right when you had someone try to kidnap her.”
He flinches at my words but doesn’t argue with me. After four days of being left in a room with nothing but the song Baby Shark playing on repeat, and he finally confessed to what he had done. We already had Emma back by then, I just wanted to hear what happened from his mouth.
Andy was right when he said that some men had gotten lazy. They weren’t checking on Eric at night like they were supposed to, and not reporting his weird habit of taking late-night showers. He would turn on the water to cover the sound of him sneaking out of the window, where he would meet with the guard he was bribing to deliver notes for him. Through the messenger, Eric and Oleg colluded to have Emma and Matteo kidnapped. They hadn’t had a time picked out until Eric overheard Bianca and my mom talking about the party they were planning on throwing for Emma. Knowing they would be gone, they rushed to ensure the house would be clear.
Several men have already been retired from their positions. It’s been a process, going through and finding out who isn’t loyal to us. On top of that, we’re waiting for retaliation from Oleg. While I’m ready to make the first move, father thinks we should wait and see what he’s going to do. There’s a chance he won’t, but as Andy says, hurt egos do stupid things.
Three men, whom we have thoroughly vetted and watched me retire a man who already betrayed us, are accompanying him to his new location. All of his important documents are in a file, as well as the information for a new bank account with just enough money to get him settled. The rest of his money is being put towards a good cause, making sure the families and children of the men he bribed are taken care of. If they can die for him, he can provide for their families.
I grit my teeth as they board the plane. This goes against everything I’ve been trained to do. My father had ultimately told me that killing him would only drive a wedge between Emma and me, and in his dying breaths, Eric would win.
I watch the plane disappear into the sky. It’s cathartic, watching him disappear from our lives like this. If he’s a smart man, he’ll stay away.
When I get home, Matteo and Emma are fast asleep in our bed. Matteo is doing better during the day, willing to spend time with different members of the family, though he still follows Emma to the bathroom more often than not. It’s at night when things get tough. He isn’t ready to sleep in his own bed and wakes up with nightmares during the night.
I slip into the bed behind Emma and wrap my arms around her. “Is it done? Is he gone?”
“He’s on his way to Wyoming, and if he has any sense left to him, we’ll never hear from him again.”