Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“Please meet Brielle Saviatti,” my father says, his voice low, but it’s heard by the entire room.
I stop a few feet from the group of four men, not needing or wanting to be closer. No matter what happens, I’ll find a way out of this. I may need to obey right now, to keep the peace, but there’s no way I’m going to allow my life to be owned by someone, even if he’s a picture of perfection.
My father taught me to always get to know my enemies, that way I can defeat them. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.
“I’m Judah,” he says.
His lips tilt into a sensual curve as he murmurs his name, and I’m offered a dark, sadistic smirk when he holds out his hand to take mine. I don’t fight him. I allow him to touch me, only to have my breath caught in my throat at the heat that passes between us.
I don’t want to greet him.
I want to ignore him forever.
If I act like an insolent child, though, I’m sure he’ll punish me. An icy shiver snakes down my spine with a warning to behave. If I don’t make him angry, perhaps he’ll leave me alone. Maybe he’s not even interested in me. He probably only sees me as a problem. There is no other way to see me. I’m just someone to ignore, surely. He’s not chosen me but been forced into this, and I know there’ll be no emotion between us. No feelings. No love.
That’s what I tell myself.
He’s not interested.
The man before me can never be attracted to me. Which is fine because, right now, I don’t like him very much either. And I don’t want to like someone who’s been forced on me. It’s not natural. It’s not how things should work.
I tip my head back, lifting my chin in a show of fake confidence and smile.
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” My voice doesn’t waver when I speak, and inwardly, I do a dance of victory.
I don’t dare mention that those things I heard were scary and kept me up at night, wondering if he would ever hurt me, just like I heard he hurts others.
But then Judah leans in, his hand still gripping mine.
“I can’t wait to learn all about you, little princess. I know the things your father has done, and I’m going to enjoy seeing if you’ve turned out like the bastard who raised you.” It’s a whisper, so only I can hear. And it’s filled with a foreboding that confirms, once I leave this office, I may never see my father again.
Judah steps back, keeping his face calm, collected, and aloof. He’s nothing short of a stone-faced nightmare standing in the real world, holding onto my hand so tight I almost flinch.
Almost.
I fight back the desire to run, to hide, to cry. Deep down, I want to scream and refuse to do this. I hold my breath, not wanting a connection with him, no matter how small. If I was to inhale his scent, I fear it would be the last thing I do before falling into his trap. He’s a man with the means to hurt me…and enjoy doing it.
He turns to my father. “Any respect I may have had for you is gone. Your son, your daughter, all of those secrets you’ve kept from her are gone,” he murmurs, glancing my way before flicking those hazel eyes back towards Papa. “She’ll learn about the man she’s grown up believing to be a hero. You’ve kept too many secrets, and now she’s mine, I’ll make sure she learns them all.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, still unsure of what he means when he says son. Papa doesn’t have a son. I don’t have a brother. “What son?” I question again, but neither of the men looks at me, which only irritates me. Deep down, I want them to acknowledge me. I’m not just a child forced to stay silent in a corner.
Judah ignores me while he picks up a folder from the desk and pulls a sleek, silver pen from the breast pocket of his suit jacket. He opens the file, and turning to the last page inside, he signs his name in an elegant scrawl on the thick, black line before handing the stack of pages to Mr Hamilton. My life has just been signed away to a man I hate. To a man who hates me. And there is nothing I can do about it.
“This is done.” Judah’s words are final. There’s to be no debate about what’s going to happen. “Come.” The word is a command he throws my way before he walks towards the door. I don’t expect him to wait for me, but when I don’t follow, he stills. “Brielle, I’m not a patient man.”