Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I fire back. He’s still looking at the bag. I’m scared. Every bone in my body feels like it’s shaking, but I try my hardest to keep my voice steady. “This is all I have. It’s not even fifteen hundred dollars. Please, just leave me alone. I don’t know anything about your money.”
Despite my false bravado, it feels like a cold hand wraps around my heart and squeezes. It makes it hard to breathe.
“You’re lying.” The man steps closer, and I feel like a rabbit in headlights, frozen in place. My mind races with what I should do, but I can’t think straight.
“I’m not,” I whimper, trying to shrink away. “Just please leave me alone. I don’t have your money.”
He continues to advance on me. Closer and closer until I can smell his putrid breath. Before I know what’s happening, his hand reaches out and grips my chin, his nails digging into my flesh.
I can’t help but wince, tears running down my face.
“Roman was a spineless man, and he took from me. He had no honor, no loyalty. He deserved what he got. I only wish I was the one to pull the trigger.”
My jaw trembles under his brutal touch.
“Shut up,” I spit. Despite having heard that Gideon killed my brother, it still hurts to have this maniac confirm it.
“I even have the video footage. Caught the whole thing on camera. Very entertaining. Care to see it?” More tears leave my eyes. I don’t want to see that. I never want to see that. “I’ll tell you what, a trade for a trade. You give me the money, and I’ll show you the tape.”
“I don’t know what money you’re talking about. Do you see this place? I have nothing.” I scream, my hand reaching out and trying to push him away.
The moment I do, I realize my mistake as his eyes darken, and he turns to his two henchmen standing vigil in the corner.
“Take care of her.” He drops his hand, and I try to escape, dashing toward the door, but I don’t make it far before arms are pulling me back. I kick and scream, but it’s no use. They’re too strong.
One grabs ahold of me, and no matter how hard I swing, there’s no pushing him off. My arms are locked behind my back, and I’m rendered immobile.
The other man takes a step forward, his hand reaching out, a cloth lifting to my nose.
The world around me blurs, the room distorting, and then…
Everything goes black.
50
GIDEON
I storm down the hall, needing an outlet for my rage. My blood feels like it’s on fire.
It’s tearing at my chest, tearing through everything I am.
I can’t think straight. I can’t breathe.
There’s only one way to relieve this pressure building inside me like an IED ready to explode.
Flinging the door open, I stride toward the outside pool deck. I find him where I expect to, doing his rounds.
He doesn’t seem surprised to see me when the pounding of my shoes alerts him of my presence. Before he can react, I throw a punch, my fist slamming into his jaw.
I hear a grunt of pain. He stumbles backward, trying to keep his balance. I advance on him, fists flying. He tries to dodge a punch, but he’s too slow, and he’s starting to realize he can’t keep up his defense forever. “Stop fighting. It will only make your death more painful.”
He falls to the ground, spitting up blood.
“I never should have let you live. And that was my mistake, but it won’t be a mistake I’ll make again.”
Sean groans in response, but before he can say another word, I’m pulling him back up to standing.
He wobbles on his feet and falls back onto the floor.
Normally, I would take him to the room in the basement under the east wing, the room where I saw him corner my firefly.
At the time, I gave him a warning and a beating, but I was too easy on him.
I won’t be too easy on him now, seeing as I don’t want to drag dead weight all the way across the property and inside the manor. I pull my gun out from behind my back; his eyes go wide with shock and fear.
“No,” he says. “Please.”
I know he’s going to try to rationalize that it was a mistake and he didn’t know that Sasha was listening, but it doesn’t matter because I’m not rational, and I don’t give a fuck.
Sasha is now in danger, helpless by herself, with crazy criminals all looking for her because of this fucker. I can’t allow him to breathe another day.
I point the gun at his head and pull the trigger before he can utter another word. Brain fragments scatter across the pavement. He’ll never interfere with my life again. Even if it takes my cleaning crew hours to clean up this shit, it’s worth it.