Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
When the police arrested her for killing her pastor and her parents disowned her without any fucking evidence, who took her in? The Ashby family. When she got strung out on drugs, my family once again helped her get clean. Who cleaned up the messes she made in search of her next fix? We kept her safe from The Crusaders when turning her in would have been easier.
And she didn’t appreciate it. None of it.
I followed her when she left the house, and I did it alone. There would be no one for the police to lean on to get the details of my movements that night. Oliver had driven Bonnie to a small café about three blocks from the hotel, and she slipped inside for a cup of tea before casually walking to the hotel.
Mueller greeted her with a warm smile and a hug, probably for anyone who might recognize either of them. From the outside, they appeared to be old friends who’d run into each other unexpectedly, chatting easily while I slipped around a side entrance out of view of the cameras.
It was a secret only the rich and infamous knew about and tonight, I used it to my advantage. I knew where they’d meet because this city would always operate on cold hard cash. A few bills here and there, and I knew exactly how to get where I needed to be.
And for a few Benjamins, I got an untraceable keycard.
Cillian was right, money didn’t buy happiness, but it bought the tools that brought happiness.
I stepped inside the room and was startled at the figure standing by the lone source of light. “Jasper? What are you doing here?”
Arms folded, he glared at me. “What do you think I’m doing here? Trying to prevent you from doing something you’ll regret.”
“Regret?” I laughed. “They both have this coming, Jas. They earned it multiple times over. Fuck, they should both be grateful they made it another week. Or two.” I hadn’t told Jasper about my meeting with Mueller because he would have advised against it and tried to talk me out of it.
“Ma, this is a bad fucking idea.”
“Maybe, but it is also inevitable. This needs to be done and tonight it will be.” My mind was made up.
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you later, now get the fuck out of here. I came alone for a reason.”
“Unacceptable,” he growled as the electronic lock sounded.
At that sound, I grabbed the nickel-plated gun from my clutch and removed the safety.
Mueller walked in first, Bonnie just a beat behind him. They both wore conspiratorial smiles, so proud of themselves, thinking they were safe. Clear and free of the Ashby family.
They were wrong.
I had a whole fucking speech planned, but the look of shock and fear on Bonnie’s face was enough for me. She knew she’d been caught and would have to pay the price.
“Sad—”
Before my name was out of her mouth for the last fucking time, I squeezed the trigger. One bullet, straight to the head.
Mueller thought he was safe, but I proved him wrong with another head shot.
Once I was sure they were both dead, I slipped out of the room, Jasper on my heels, and made my way back home.
To my family.
I let out a sigh as Thomas brought the Maybach to a stop a few feet from the front door, the memories of that night etched into my memory just like all the others. They were the faces I couldn’t forget, but that didn’t mean I felt any guilt for what I’d done.
I should feel guilty about Bonnie above all the others, but I didn’t. I was afraid for Calvin, about how he would take the news. However he responded to this, he would come around. I knew this. I couldn’t hide it from him forever, couldn’t kill enough people to ensure that certainty. Even if I managed to escape the long arm of the law, I could never escape the devastation I caused my son.
Couldn’t escape the hate I would see in his eyes when he found out I was the cause of the greatest pain of his life.
Still, knowing all that, I didn’t regret that night in the hotel. Didn’t regret doing what needed to be done to save my life. To save my family. Bonnie and Mueller had to die so the Ashbys could live and thrive.
Like Cillian always told me. “Sadie Rose, this world is survival of the fittest, plain and simple. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” That night, I won. Despite Bonnie’s betrayal, Despite Mueller’s efforts, I won.
I fucking won.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Sadie
Jasper looked around the dining room at all the faces he’d convened, no commanded to this dinner-slash-meeting on a non-Sunday, a scowl on his face, shoulders tighter than a virgin’s pussy.
He pressed off the table and started talking louder than usual to ensure we sat up and took notice.