Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Braxton didn’t like to talk to the men he worked for, but this one was getting careful attention, purely because he was tired of him. Tonight, Grumio wasn’t leaving this house in anything other than a body bag. Plain and simple.
All the guards were dead.
Grumio liked to act tough, and in a way he was, but he also overstretched his reach. He wasn’t one of the biggest and scariest men he worked for. He was a coward, plain and simple, and he knew how to take care of those.
“What do you want?” Grumio asked. “I’ve got money. Cars. Women. You name it. You can have it all.”
“There is nothing you have that I want,” Braxton said. “What you should have done was left me alone … allowed me to do my work and not attempt to kill me. That was your mistake, not mine.”
“Look, this is just business.”
Braxton fired his gun, taking out a kneecap.
Grumio went straight to the floor and began to scream and cry. The sounds he was making were grating on Braxton’s nerves. Getting to his feet, he rounded the desk and of course, Grumio reached into his pocket, intent on trying to kill him, so he took care of that pesky little problem as well. This time, he threw the knife with expert precision, and it went straight into his palm, causing him to drop the gun. Leaning against the desk, he looked at Grumio and waited.
“There must be something. Anything,” Grumio said. “I’ve got all the pussy you can find. Dicks, if you want them. I don’t care. Don’t kill me. Please don’t kill me. There are people that need me. If you kill me, you’ll be signing your own death certificate, that’s for sure.”
Braxton sighed and moved closer to him. “Do you think I’m as sloppy as you, that I wouldn’t do my own homework?”
Grumio stared at him and there was sweat beading on his forehead. Fear and panic were starting to take over and he couldn’t help but feel that it did look cute, very cute.
“You can’t do this. They need me.”
“It would seem, Grumio, you’re not a very popular guy and there are a lot of people who want you dead. You’re a liability. A problem. A big mouth. Killing you will be a pleasure to a lot of people.”
“Then how about you and I go into business together? I can help you. I can make all your dreams come true.”
And Braxton looked at him. “You’ve got nothing I want.”
Staring into Grumio’s eyes, he held the gun against his temple. Everything he had done had brought him to this moment. There was a woman waiting for him, a life he could have.
It was like his life flashed before his eyes. The moment he was sent to the farm, working his ass off, and then when his world changed. When he was held down and scarred up out of jealousy. How his rage manifested.
Leaving, learning to fight, to take care of himself. Teaching himself how to hunt, how to be the best, and how to not give a fuck. Dealing with his own teacher, taking out the farmer, and all of those who turned their backs.
He fired his weapon as he came back to that alley, seeing Jade. The only dream he wanted was waiting for him.
****
This was new for Jade—telling a guy that she loved him, only for him to freak out and leave the next morning. The sex had been amazing, there was no doubt about that. But, was it worth the hurt feelings after? She wanted to hate Braxton, but at the same time, she still loved him.
She knew it was stupid of her, that he’d used her. Her apartment had been the only place he had to stay, and she’d lapped it up like some pathetic puppy dog. She was the crazy one in this relationship. Braxton made no promises.
He made love to her body and drove her wild with his tongue and hands. She had to learn to say no. That was what she kept telling herself every time her thoughts wandered to Braxton. Much to her own embarrassment, it happened a lot. He dominated her thoughts and he didn’t have a right to be there. She had to stop thinking about him.
Rubbing at her temples, she walked out of the main shop. Lucille was once again yammering on about her husband and children. She loved to hear about them all the time, they were a dream and a treasure, but right now, it was annoying. Forcing a smile to her lips, she nodded at the appropriate times and tried to be nice.
Lucille suddenly stopped talking and glanced over her shoulder. Jade frowned and then took a chance and looked behind her, to see that Braxton was heading their way.