Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 35602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
“Relax, cabron. I’m fucking with you.” I grab him by the shoulders and glare into his eyes. “Listen to me, Saul. I need you to bring the girl back to me. I don’t give a fuck what you have to do, but I want her back here tomorrow.”
“Padron, I-”
“And before you ask,” I hiss irritably. “I’m not bringing her back so I can kiss and coddle her. I’m bringing her back so I can be the one that kills her. But not before I get sick of watching the fear in her eyes every time she’s forced to look into mine.”
My men have assured me there are people working on finding Tallulah. But that didn’t stop me. I spoke to every person on the team and offered luxurious rewards to the person who brought her in. And now I just have to sit and fucking wait. It’s beneath me to look for Tallulah Gunn.
What the fuck is she to me, anyway?
A debt payment gone wrong.
A liar, an actress, and a fucking backstabber.
I groan and lean back in my armchair. Zeus growls in his sleep and Hades places his head on my lap, his gentle eyes melting my stupid fucking heart. He’s a beast, ferocious and undefeatable. And so am I.
The only moment, the only person I felt gentle with… it all goes back to Tallulah. She transformed me. I used to thrive on violence and the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. She made me crave barely there touches. Butterfly kisses. Fucking boring vanilla shit I never wanted. And now that she’s betrayed me in the ultimate way, it finally feels like I’m back to my old self.
I got soft for her. I allowed her to become the apple of my eye and she took advantage of my soft spot for her. She tried to fucking kill me, so for that, she must pay with her own head. But I’ll have my fun getting her to the breaking point.
Once we find her, I’ve already envisioned a torture chamber for her. A trial like nothing she’s ever been through before. She will be forced to prove her love for me repeatedly, in excruciating circumstances.
I smirk to myself, pleased with my plans. This time, she won’t be my sweet prized possession. She’ll be a toy, used and broken for my pleasure until I slit her traitorous throat.
There’s one thing I have no doubt about.
I know there’s not a safe space for Tallulah to hide from me.
Because I’ll follow her to the depths of hell and bring her back so she can burn in my flames.
With all my best men on the job, it’s only a matter of time. Time’s running out for my little devil. There aren’t many days left to spend in her freedom. And I’m damn fucking eager to put a steel spiked collar around her neck and force her to be forever leashed in my presence.
Like she fucking deserves.
Chapter 2
TALLULAH
I stare at my reflection in the broken mirror above the leaky faucet and dirty sink. I look… the same as always. There is nothing, no visible marks, to show everything I’ve been through.
The same silvery blonde hair. The same blue eyes, pale skin. My lips tremble and my eyes look like they’re filling with tears, but that’s the only sign that something’s going on with me.
Quickly, I look away from my image in the mirror. I don’t even know that girl anymore.
Tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear, I walk outside of my crappy motel room and down the open hallway that leads to the dirt road beneath. This was the shadiest place I could find, but they let me pay in cash and I put down a fake name. Unless someone sees me, I should be safe here. I just can’t afford to be recognized.
But the motel is empty, save for a constantly arguing couple a couple of doors down. I’m getting worried about the woman who has a small boy with her. I don’t think her husband is his father. No Dad would hit a kid like that.
I thought about calling the cops. But I knew I’d get in trouble and it would get right back to Xavier. I called the anonymous line once, when I heard the little boy crying and that awful man screaming. I know I have to move soon because of the call. Can’t risk anyone realizing who I am here.
Today, as I head out into the street, I know I need to find a new place to live. My cash supply is running low, so it needs to be cheap.
Head filled with thoughts, I come to a stop when I see the little boy in front of me, sobbing for his mama.
“What’s wrong?” I kneel next to him and force a smile on my face. “He didn’t hurt you again, did he?”