Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Her face turns pale as my words hit her, making her jaw tremble, but she must catch herself because she clenches her teeth to stop the chattering as she faces me head-on.
“That wasn’t an invitation to move,” she seethes. “I thought you would be docked.”
I nod. “Yes, you thought you could just sneak into my office and what …? Find your father’s guns? Hate to break it to you, dove, but those guns, they are long gone. And the ones my men just seized? Gone too.”
Her mouth drops open, her shoulders going rigid at the same time.
“You-You …”
“Stole his next shipment.” I beam as I fill in her missing words.
“But …” She can’t even speak because she is shaking so badly.
“This was all for nothing. You sneaking on my boat. You looking. I was always one step ahead of you.”
“Why don’t you just stop and tell me what you want.”
“Tonight, we call your father.”
Her eyes go wide. “And say what?”
“Inform him of the trade I want to make.”
Her head shakes back and forth, already coming to understand what that means. “No.”
“Yes.”
My one-word answers for most would make them shut up. But she’s not most.
“I will not have you use me as bait.” Before I know what she’s doing, she’s flinging her towel off and running to the railing.
“Stop!” I shout.
She’s already jumping by the time I spring into action.
Everything stands still for a second, an endless second as I’m screaming for my men.
Running to the end, I see her surface from below. She’s kicking and swimming, but there is no place for her to go. She would rather die than let me use her as bait.
Too bad I’m not merciful.
Without another thought, I’m jumping in after her. My body hits the water, and then I’m kicking up to the surface. The water is much rougher, and I can see the fear in her eyes. She wanted to die, but until you look death in the eye, you don’t really know what that means.
And I wonder if this is it. If this is the way to win.
Let her die.
Don’t save her.
My brother’s words ring in my ear as I kick my legs out to grab her. Her movements are choppy, her strength waning on the onslaught of the battering waves. “Only the dead have seen the end of war.”
She will be a casualty regardless, but this way, if she dies, she won’t have to see the bloodshed.
I look at her, our eyes catching. She implores me without words to let her go.
If I was a better man, I would.
But I’m not.
15
Phoenix
It feels like a weight is pulling me. Heavy. So heavy I can’t breathe.
I know I need to kick, but I can’t.
After everything my father—a man who was never supposed to be my father—did for me, I can’t allow myself to be used to hurt him. So I jumped. As much as my lungs scream, I won’t fight.
I will let the dark abyss have me. Let it seal my fate.
Darkness comes fast. Followed by what I can only imagine death must feel like.
Drowning. Drowning.
Hands reach for me, and a choke breaks through my mouth. My eyes flutter open.
What the hell happened? The world around me is still blurry, but with each inhale, it comes into focus.
I’m on the boat.
“No,” I scream, thrashing my arms, trying to break free. I can’t let him use me to hurt my father. “No!”
“Shh,” he coos. For some reason, it calms me. It shouldn’t, but it does.
My breathing regulates, and I take in everything. From my wet bathing suit to the water still clinging to my body, but the big thing I notice is Alaric sitting beside me.
Wet as well.
He saved me.
And in doing so, he’s condemned my father to death.
His hand reaches out.
“Don’t.” I push back. “Don’t touch me.”
“Touch you. I fucking saved you.” His voice would make the arctic melt. There’s a fire I’ve never heard before in his tone. It’s scary, but it also lights me up—something I don’t want to think about.
“I didn’t ask you to. I didn’t want you to.”
“What would your death cause? Nothing. Your father will die regardless. His crime is too great not to, but with your death, nothing changes. I’m offering him more. I will pay off his debt for his life, and in turn, you will live. No one will collect his debt off your flesh.”
The meaning behind his words sinks in. My body shivers at the thought.
My father owes dangerous men their guns. They would use me. No different from Alaric.
No. That’s not true. Even though he’s killed, when I look at Alaric, I know he’s not lying. He would never use me like that. Not unwillingly.
But even though I know it, I can’t help but fire back. “They are taking a play out of your book.”