Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 163089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 815(@200wpm)___ 652(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 815(@200wpm)___ 652(@250wpm)___ 544(@300wpm)
Even though lines of age have appeared at the corners of her eyes, she still looks the same. Short black hair that reaches her shoulders, big, expressive brown eyes that have always reflected the world in bright colors.
“Welcome back, sweetie.”
“Hi, Mom.” I glance over her head. “We have uninvited company?”
“He said he wanted to give you a gift.” She strokes my arm. “I know how much you loved that bike, and even though you’ve been quiet, I’m aware losing it must’ve been a blow.”
Mom thinks it got stolen, not actually burned by some emotionally-paralyzed asshole.
“So you told Dad?” I ask.
“Kinda? Anyway, he brought the monster sitting outside.”
“Thanks for the thought, but I don’t need his gifts.”
“Marcus.” She sighs. “He’s your dad. You can accept his money.”
“I thought you said we don’t need it?”
“Well, we don’t, but it’ll take you a long time of working your ass off at that garage to afford a replacement. You can just use his newfound guilt toward you and take this. Don’t you love bikes?”
“Not that one.”
She frowns, but I smile as I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Let’s kick the intruder out, and I can make us something to eat.”
Mom smiles warmly as we walk to our living room.
Dad is sitting on the sofa, his arm thrown over the back and his legs crossed as he stares at his phone, looking bored.
The man is still the same. Unreadable expression. Cold, soulless eyes, an unperturbed presence.
There was a time when I thought I could reach him if I tried harder, but really, it wouldn’t have mattered what I did. I was the “useless” child he never wanted until he lost his precious heirs.
But as I stare at him, there’s this nagging realization that we’re so alike, it’s disturbing.
As much as I care about my mom, my personality is like his, not hers. The cold ruthlessness. The complete disregard for emotions.
And maybe it’s better that way. After all, it takes a monster to fight a monster.
Mom clears her throat and Dad finally looks up from his phone.
“Marcus,” he says with that voice of nothingness.
And I nod back. “I thought I told you not to come here again.”
He narrows his eyes as Mom elbows me.
His face relaxes in an instant. “Too bad I don’t take orders from you.”
“Can you not fight the moment you see each other?” Mom sighs. “Just give him the keys and leave, Andrew.”
Dad pulls the keys from his pocket. “Heard you lost your ride due to theft, which wouldn’t have happened if you’d moved to the house I gave you in Graystone Ridge, June.”
“And live amongst people like you?” Mom scoffs. “Not in this lifetime.”
He lets out a breath and hangs the keys in the air. “You can have this one, Marcus.”
“But only if I agree to come to your side?”
He throws a dismissive hand as he stands up, buttoning his jacket. “You’ll do that eventually, whether you like it or not.”
“We’ll see about that.”
He walks into my space until we’re toe to toe, his dead eyes boring into mine. “Is this confidence coming from whatever nonsensical deal you made with Serena?”
I remain quiet. It doesn’t matter that he knows, he was bound to anyway, but he won’t be able to stop it.
Mom, however, is eyeing me closely.
“I’m your father. Hers and yours. If you believe your little games will work on me, you don’t seem to know who you’re dealing with.”
My spine tightens. That’s almost the same sentence Preston used before he burned down my bike.
Then he proceeded to text me like a maniac.
Preston
If you want a new bike, say you’re sorry you overstepped. I can be benevolent and forgive you.
Hey. Are you listening?
Come to Vipers Arena now.
I blocked him.
The next day, he got a new number.
Did you fucking block me? ME?
Are you ignoring me right now?
This bitch. If you don’t reply to me immediately, I’ll cut you into tiny pieces and feed you to your teammates.
I blocked him again.
The Vipers won only because of Kane and Jude. Preston had one of his worst performances of the season. Yes, I watched a replay.
Not that my performance was top-notch, but I at least used the opportunity to blow off steam.
And now, I have to deal with Dad on top of everything that prick Preston has done.
“Hey.” Mom snaps her fingers in his face. “Don’t speak to him in that tone or threaten him under my roof, you hear me?”
“I’m only setting his expectations correctly.” Dad cocks his head to the side. “The only reason you still play hockey and live in this house in this rundown town is because I’m allowing you to finish your last year of college in peace. It’s by no means because I’m backing down due to your and Serena’s ridiculous attempts to outsmart me. I made both of you, remember?”