Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
I swat the thick cloud of smoke from in front of my face as I walk into the den. Joe, or one of his men, came onto my property, without anyone fucking noticing. He's mocking me. Anger sears its way through me. He could have killed us all, but he chose not to because he wants to watch me crumble, he wants to force me down on my fucking knees. He wants me to fear him, and I refuse to fear any-fucking-body.
"Marney, we need to leave." My tone is overly calm, which causes Marney to cock his eyebrow at me.
"Yeah." He takes a sip of whiskey and swishes it around in his mouth.
I glance over to Paul and Rich sitting on the couch. "You two leave. Don't tell me where the fuck you are going, just be ready to come when I call for you." They both stare at me. "Get up and get the fuck outta here, do you hear me."
I eye them as they stand and make their way out of the room.
"I bought a house a month ago," I say to Marney. "Down in the Caribbean. It's in Tor's name... well, her alias."
A smirk creeps across his face as he raises the glass back to his lips. "Huh, why'd you go and do that?"
"Because I fucking wanted her to have somewhere to go." I snatch the glass from his hand and slam it down on the side table. "The second I find that fucker, you are going to take her there and make sure she's fucking safe." I flip the cushion off the couch and stare down at the loose piece of material. I tug it back and pull out a large metal box, and then hand it to Marney. "Go get the rest of the money we've got hidden in this house and pack it up. I want you to take all of it, and the money in the stocks. If anything happens to me you make sure she's taken care of, you understand me?"
"Yeah," Marney chuckles and slowly rises from the chair. "Ain't nothing gonna happen to you boy. Stop being so damn dramatic." He tucks the box underneath his arm and makes his way down the hall.
I comb my fingers through my hair and glance around the house. There is too much evidence in this house to just leave. I have so many pieces of collateral I've taken possession of... I'm going to have to burn this place to the fucking ground. And maybe, just maybe Joe will be stupid enough to think I'm dead. Doubtful, but I'll take anything at the moment.
I hurry back down the hallway and up the stairs to my room. The hinges creak when I push the door open. Tor is cramming clothes into a bag, and she glares up at me. "I'm leaving, with or without you," she yells. "I'm going to find him, and I'm going to kill him!"
She's lost it. She looks fucking insane right now. I arch a brow at her and cock my head. "You need to calm the fuck down. Stop shouting!"
"I can't live like this, Jude!" Her voice wavers slightly, and I take a deep breath, pinching the bridge of my nose.
I grip her firmly by her shoulders. "Killing him won't take any of this fucking shit away. It won't bring Caleb back. It will change nothing."
Tears fall down her cheeks as she shakes her head. "This is what he wants. He wants me to fear him." She steels herself. "He killed Caleb, and I'm going to kill him. I won't live looking over my shoulder. I would rather die trying to get to him." Her eyes narrow and something sparks to life within them. "I want him to suffer, Jude."
This is the first time I've seen some fight in her, and I almost want to breathe a sigh of relief, but this is not where I wanted her to go. There is no helping this. There is not a fucking thing I can do or say that will take that thirst for blood away from her.
"You cannot kill him, Tor." I walk to the closet and grab several suitcases, tossing them out into the bedroom.
"No," she whispers. "But I can if you help me."
I stop on my way out of the closet and stare at her. She's gone batshit fucking crazy if she thinks I'll let her anywhere near him. "Are you in-fucking-sane? Do you think I will let you close enough to him to kill him? Fuck no!" I'm breathing heavily just thinking about it. "I'll fucking kill him, but you won't even be in the same goddamn state!"
She studies me for a few minutes. "I'm not a pet you can keep in a cage, Jude. That's not the way this works. You weren't there. You can't understand this. I need this."