Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34680 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 173(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“He loves me,” I say again. Sure, to others Griff is cold. I kind of like that about him. It’s me that gets the sweet, warm side of Griff. I love that he saves it for me alone.
“As long as he has you, he has control over my and Dad’s shares of the company. I’m guessing he knows that time is limited, so he needs you to want to stay past the guardian date. Let me guess, he’s been telling you that he loves you and wants you to stay forever?”
I nod. Charles rolls his eyes.
“Vivian, come on. You might be naïve, but people don’t fall in love within weeks.”
I’d like to tell him it didn’t take weeks. Griff and I were made for each other long before we even met. “Even if what you’re saying is true, which I don’t think it is, it doesn’t matter. I have to stay with him either way, so I don’t get what you mean. I can’t just leave.”
“You can if you get married.” He smirks as if he has it all figured out. “Griff didn’t tell you that, did he? If you marry, the guardianship is no longer in place. Everything Mom and Dad left is then yours.”
I stand there.
“Are you listening to me? You’ll be rich!”
“But Griff is rich already.”
“So you think.”
“Let’s call him.”
My brother's face grows serious at my suggestion. “Call him? I just got you away from him. Are you not fucking listening to me?” he shouts, his face starting to grow red.
“What’s going on?” My eyes flick past Charles to a man in a suit. “Are we doing this?”
“Give me a second,” Charles tells the man.
“I’ve been waiting long enough. You promised her to me weeks ago.”
“What is he talking about, Charles?” I look to my brother.
“Give me a minute,” he tells the man.
“Time’s up, Charles. The deal has already been made.” He pulls a gun out from behind him. I gasp as he points it our way. “We’re getting married.”
“To me?” I squeak. “The hell is happening here?”
“Unless you want me to put a few holes in your brother.” He points the gun right at Charles. “Come to me, my little bride,” he orders, giving me no choice but to go.
25
GRIFFIN
“Let’s go.” Mrs. Putnam walks into my office, a small arsenal strapped to her body.
“You need to stay here in case she comes back.” I stride past her toward the garage.
“Not a chance.” She muscles past my men and stomps right into the garage by my side. “You wouldn’t last a second without me.”
I don’t have time to argue. Not when I have to get to Vivian.
My phone vibrates again as I jump into my SUV, Mrs. Putnam climbing into the passenger seat as two of my men jump in the back.
I check my phone. “Linn found her. She’s at her parents’ house. Charles really is a fucking dimwit.” I gun it out of the garage as four more black SUVs line up behind me. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. He might be dead by sixteen.”
“This foolish brother of hers–do you think he’d hurt her?” Mrs. Putnam strokes her pump-action shotgun like it’s a pet.
“No.” I grit my teeth and rethink my answer. After all, the idiot took her right out from under me. Maybe I’ve underestimated just how dumb he is. But is he stupid enough to harm Vivian? Surely not.
“Good. I’d hate to get blood on my hands at the moment. Vivian and I had planned to work on making a sourdough starter tonight.”
Mrs. Putnam knows exactly what to say to calm me. After all, she’s confident Vivian will be back where she belongs before nightfall. I am, too. I just don’t know how I’m going to handle the situation with Charles. I want him gone, but if Vivian still holds on to some spark of love for him, I … I push that away. I’ll deal with it once I know Vivian is safe.
“You know, I’ve been aching for bloodshed for a while now. Reminds me of the old days.” Mrs. Putnam smiles wistfully as I speed onto the highway.
“When Mr. Putnam and I were young, we ran this city. Not like you do now with business and stocks and connections. We were old school.” She pets her shotgun some more. “But those days are gone, Mr. Putnam, too. But, oh, the fun we had. No one stood against us for long. I got good with guns and shovels, I’ll tell you that much.”
I already knew Mrs. Putnam had a checkered past. It’s the reason why I hired her. No one in my home would dare cross her. Same for Linn at work. Two strong women who maintain order in my separate spheres, and now I have a queen to rule over all of it. I just have to get to her. And this time, I’m making it official. Vivian will be my wife before the day is out.