Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
As I stand there, another jolt of abject fear hits me. What would he do if he got his hands on Bel? A woman to throw around and sell to his friends to be used, abused, and discarded. He’s never given a shit about me, and he raised me, but her...he’s spoken five words to her. If this is how he treats someone he supposedly loves, I can only imagine what he will do to her. I have to get a grasp on the situation. Spin it. Keep his focus on me and off her. Just like I do with Mom.
My father sneers, and I hate seeing myself in every twitch of his face. Will this be me one day? Taking out my pain on the rest of the world? Hurting those I love for the hell of it? God, I hope not.
"Your only goddamn job is to listen and obey me!! Now fucking listen." He crosses the room in a flash, his hand circling my throat, his long fingers digging into my flesh. For an old man, he’s strong as shit. “AND OBEY!" He screams the words into my face. I don’t so much as blink at the rage he expels upon me.
"What do you want?" I grit out, barely able to draw enough breath to speak. I have to do what I can to keep them safe until I come up with another plan, something better. A way to get rid of him.
"I just told you." He shoves me again, and I crash against the stove, barely catching myself. We stare at each other, and I know that things will get progressively worse if I don’t obey him. There’s no saying he wouldn’t keep me here and send one of his stupid goons to attack Bel, and then we'd all be fucked. I’d be forced to watch, to feel the guilt of bringing her into my life.
"Okay, but leave her out of this. If you want someone to hurt, I’m right here. Hurt me.”
My father pulls his cuffs down and straightens his bow tie. "How poetic, even with the truth sealing your fate, you still want to protect her.” He shakes his head. “Let me help you understand something. What I do or not do with her is none of your fucking business. I don’t answer to you; you answer to me. I thought you were coming to understand that, but it turns out I was wrong. I'll take care of that.”
In the back of my mind, questions linger, and I want to know who is feeding him this information. My mind flashes back to the memory of Sebastian on the phone yelling in French. It's the only other language my father knows outside of English. Was Sebastian spying on me for my father in the name of protection? My body flashes red hot for a moment when I remember how Sebastian hovered around her after the announcement. How he's been pushing against me lately. He’s always thought The Mill should have gone to him to lead. Not me. Is this payback years in the making?
We've been friends since we were kids, and I hate that I'm actually considering the fact that he's betrayed me and to my father, no less. I had assumed all my friends hated him. I shake my head in disbelief. No. No. He wouldn't do this to me. Not after everything we've been through over the years. Lee would never say a word against me, nor would Aries. The only one who’s been different lately is Sebastian.
"Who told you about her?" I force the words out.
"Curiosity killed the cat, Drew. I’d tell you, but it’s not really any of your business. Just assume I know everything and work off that. You should’ve known better. You couldn’t hide this from me, not even if you wanted to, and with the way you were fucking her all over campus, being possessive and shit, that tells me you really didn't want to anyway."
Shit. How can I keep her safe from him if he has eyes on me and her. There are no other options available, no other way to fix this that doesn’t end in heartache. The mere thought makes my stomach churn. I want to vomit all over the fucking floor. Again.
My father props himself on the edge of the counter, sort of leaning. "Listen, Drew. You’re my son. My only son. The only child who will carry on my legacy."
I don't trust the new soft tone or lower volume. It never bodes well for me. It’s more like the calm before the storm.
"Look at this whole marriage thing as a business transaction. It's a contract, a merger, for example. It means nothing, really. It’s more of a pretty party and a legally binding contract that will line our pockets and get us the necessary connections. Nothing in that contract says you have to stay faithful. I’m not asking you to be a doting husband. Marry the brat, sign the contract, and you can go find another piece of trailer trash to warm your bed until you're sick of her. I went through one of those phases, too, you know, but I grew out of it pretty quickly."