Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 154728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 774(@200wpm)___ 619(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
A vibration broke the moment.
Kane startled, pulling his phone out of his pocket then glancing at it.
He sighed, tapping buttons.
“I’ve got to go,” he grumbled.
He looked at Blanche, who was sitting by his ankles, waiting patiently for his attention.
“You look after your momma,” he ordered her, as if the dog could understand such commands.
Then he walked to me, moving quickly so I didn’t have time to brace myself. He grabbed the back of my neck and plastered our mouths together.
The kiss was hard, passionate and claiming.
And over too soon.
He didn’t linger near my mouth. No, he bent downward, hands on my bump. “You stay safe and warm in there, baby girl. Your daddy will be back soon.” Warmth spread through my limbs at how incredibly sweet he sounded, whispering to her.
He glanced up at me. “I won’t be long. I’m coming back. I’ll always come back, in case that wasn’t clear.” He kissed me again, closemouthed and firm.
Then he walked out.
KANE
Leaving Avery for even a moment caused panic to swim deep inside of my gut. I’d been separated from her for months. Which in it of itself had been fucking torture. And that’s when I’d thought she was waiting for me.
But knowing that she’d been growing our baby, that I’d missed that, that I would never get that time back, that made me desperate to have her with me at all times. I was afraid to fucking sleep because I didn’t want to miss a moment with her. I thought of the pressure of little limbs against my palms. I didn’t want to miss a moment with them.
But some things needed to be done.
Knox had moved quickly. He was efficient as fuck in business, but when it was personal, he was almost superhuman.
“This isn’t going to take long,” I told the man in front of me. “You’ve already taken enough from me.”
I leered at Brax. He had a black eye and a bloody lip. We were on a deserted road in the woods outside of Jupiter.
Brax was standing. Barely.
“I told you not to lay a hand on him,” I said to my brother.
Knox shrugged. “He slipped and fell. Clumsy motherfucker.”
I almost smiled. I wasn’t quite capable of smiling yet, especially with this fuck in front of me.
“Kane.” All bravado was gone from Brax’s voice. He was sniveling and weak now.
“My brother offered to kill you for me,” I said conversationally, walking around him.
Brax had already been pale, but his eyes widened, and his skin sallowed even further. His beady eyes darted side to side as he contemplated running. There was nowhere to run to; we were far off any main roads, any houses. Knox chose this location, and Knox had done his research, controlling every single variable.
Brax wasn’t a dumb fuck; therefore, he knew running was futile. And though I’d never shared anything about Knox with him, he was also smart enough to recognize a predator when he saw one.
“I didn’t take him up on it because I didn’t want your life to be on anyone’s conscience.”
I didn’t look at my brother. I knew he would’ve been shooting me an expression that I’d be able to read without words. My brother didn’t believe he had a conscience. A soul. He thought he’d sold both a long time ago.
I thought differently. But I’d given up on convincing him of that.
“In addition to that, you’re not worth the effort it would take to dig your grave,” I added.
“Have to agree to disagree with you on that one, brother,” Knox stated in a flat tone. His expression was blank, soulless. Even though I knew my brother was much more than the sum of his parts, much more than what the underworld and our past had turned him into, that look sent shivers down my spine.
I didn’t let that show, though, focusing my gaze on Brax, my fists clenched as the devil on my shoulder urged me to change my decision, let Knox take care of him once and for all.
But I was going to have a daughter. I didn’t want to end a life. Not even Brax’s. I didn’t want that. I wanted to show my brother there were other ways to deal with things than violence and death.
“You stole from me,” I told Brax quietly. “Somethin’ more precious than anything I could ever own. You stole time from me, you stole moments I’ll never fuckin’ get back. I’m going to take everything from you.”
He fabricated a note. I don’t know where he got it from. He was always making me write shit, sign it. And, the dumb fuck that I was, I’d done it all. I’d given him the dynamite to use to blow up my entire life.
I clenched and unclenched my fists. The dragon inside of me was clawing to get out, but I muzzled it.