Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 169013 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 845(@200wpm)___ 676(@250wpm)___ 563(@300wpm)
Rage burned hot, and I attempted to swallow around the shards of glass that rolled around at the base of my throat. “Bastard never should have gotten that close to her.”
“No, but you did what counted and because of that, she is sitting right over there tonight.”
“That doesn’t mean I didn’t almost fail.”
“Key word here is almost.” Lulu said it wry. Almost a tease.
I grunted, and she laughed. “Sorry to break it to you, honey, but you weren’t close to failing. There is zero chance that scoundrel would have gotten her off this property the way he intended. Idiot would have had twenty-five Crows chasing down his tail in nothing flat.”
“She shouldn’t have been here for the chance of that to happen in the first place.”
She shouldn’t be subject to me or any of this bullshit that would ruin her life.
Lulu arched a brow, her wrinkled features deepening with disbelief. “Like that’s your fault when you stepped in to protect her? Took on that extra burden, invited more danger into your life? God knows where she’d be right now if it weren’t for you.”
A growl got free with the toil of hate the thought spurned, and I gripped the glass tighter, so hard I was surprised it didn’t shatter.
“And that reaction right there tells me that girl is exactly where she is supposed to be.” Lulu bobbed a finger at me, like my expression alone offered up proof.
Handed it to her on a silver platter.
My jaw clenched in restraint. Refusing to claim it myself. “She shouldn’t be within five states of this place.”
“And tell me you want her to be anywhere else?” Lulu was all challenge and snark.
“I just want all of this over with.” To put an end to Kent Ellison and his foul, sickening reign.
Ensure my sister was safe from his clutches.
Set Brinley free.
My guts twisted into a snarl of possession with the last.
Soul lashing out in refusal of the idea of her leaving this place.
Because the only real place I wanted her was in my bed.
Lulu angled her head. “And there isn’t a thing else you want to come of it?”
“Nope.” I popped the p before I took another swig of my old-fashioned. Hoping it might cover the blatant lie.
Of course, Lulu picked up on it, anyway. Woman as insightful as they came. She never hesitated to make sure I knew it, either. “You just go on tellin’ yourself that, sugar. You think I don’t see it written all over you?”
Disbelief shot from my chest. “And what’s that?”
“Somethin’ that hasn’t ever been there before, that’s what. Somethin’ you’ve been missing since the day I met you. Somethin’ I’m sure has been missing for a long, long time.”
My chest stretched in a flurry of pain and regret.
“You’re seeing things,” I grumbled.
“I sure am, as plain as day. You’re the one who’s not paying attention.”
My head shook. “I don’t know what you’re angling at, but you might as well drop it. Nothing is going to come of it.”
“And why not?”
My teeth ground, and the words were spilling free before I had the good sense to tamp them. “Because I refuse to condemn another person to the calamity that I am.”
I couldn’t believe I let it slide from my mouth. But Lulu had that way about her. Always plucking and picking until she’d peeled the skin back to expose what was rotten underneath.
She scoffed. “Condemn them, huh? Like you did me, coming in to rescue me when I was at my lowest? Saving me and supporting me when I lost my husband? Giving me a home?”
“That’s because we take care of family.”
“And maybe that girl right there needs one, too. Maybe she’s missing that same piece so many of us are when we come here.”
My insides stirred.
Swam and thundered with the music that pounded from the speakers.
Shoving it off, I ground out, “She’s been hurt enough. I refuse to be another. Besides, the last thing I need is another burden on my shoulders.”
I added the last like it could mask what had basically amounted to a confession.
“Huh…” Lulu’s musing cut off the hazardous spiral of thoughts. Only they got so much worse when she muttered, “Maybe someone else will fill that hole for her.”
I whipped around to find Brinley in the middle of the floor, dancing with two prospects.
Two prospects who wanted to get dead.
Lights strobed over her lush, perfect body. Brunette curls so fucking wild around her face. Red and gold streaks glinting beneath the strikes of colored light that kissed over her soft skin.
Wearing those heels and that dress.
Each of the prospects held one of her hands, beers in their other, their cuts saying “Prospect” across the back since they’d yet to patch in.
They definitely weren’t winning any points toward making that happen, either. As far as I was concerned, they had reached a quick, defining deficit.