Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 229(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
“You see, that right there, that’s a sign of how little respect you have. You just scratched the paintwork. If I could afford a fine vehicle like this, I’d treat it with respect.”
“Good for you,” I snarl.
But you can’t afford it, you criminal fuck, I don’t add.
“Your phone, darling,” he drools, gesturing at Jessie with the gun.
After her initial shock, she moves with admirable poise, reaching into her pocket and taking out her cellphone. Tyrone cackles and lets both phones drop, hammering them with his foot. The crunch-crunch-crunch noise reminds me all too easily of what he would do to us if given the chance.
How many minutes until backup gets here? Ten, fifteen?
The secret button is linked directly to the police station, but in a city like this – especially a neighborhood like this – they might be understaffed.
Gesturing to the street, I say, “You know all this is on camera, right?”
Tyrone grins. “I don’t give a damn anymore, Jax. I’m just sick and fucking tired of seeing your face everywhere I look. You with your fancy pants business and your perfect goddamn life. And what have I got, huh? What the fuck have I got?”
Your life, and that’s more than a piece of dirt like you can ask for.
“So what are you going to do with us?” I ask calmly.
“We’ll see.”
He cackles in that unhinged way, letting me know he’s telling the truth. This isn’t about money. He’s just a lunatic out for blood.
I need to end this.
Where are the goddamn sirens?
“Come on.” He raises the gun, aiming it at me. But he must not like my nonresponse, because then he swivels it and points it at Jessie instead. “Ah, there we go.”
My whole body stiffens and then my muscles pulse and all I can think about is making this bastard pay, beating him until he has no face left.
He has no right to threaten my woman.
“Don’t point that fucking gun at her,” I snarl. “Point it at me.”
“But I kind of like this side of you, Jax. So sweet, so tender. I wonder if you’ll cry when I blow her brains out.”
“Please,” Jessie whispers.
She stands with her hands clasped in front of her, her head bowed. Her shoulders rock softly and tears glimmer on her cheeks. The sight of my woman filled up with so much hopelessness makes me want to howl.
The beast inside me stirs, the one I normally only let out in the gym or during a particularly heated meeting.
It snarls at me to get my hands on Tyrone and snap every bone in his body.
But I can’t risk Jessie. I have to remember Jessie.
“I’ll do anything. P-please,” Jessie stammers.
Tyrone’s face twitches on the word anything. He grins, keeping his eyes on me the whole time. “Anything? I’m not sure how much your loverboy would like that. You know, girl, you’ve done the impossible. You’ve made this cold hearted bastard care.”
“Anything,” Jessie says, her voice firmer now.
No, no, no, no.
Is she trying to save me by sacrificing herself?
Surely she knows I won’t be able to stand by if he touches her, even once…
“Sweetie, do you know what the word anything means?” He scratches at his tattooed teardrop with the barrel of his gun, smirking at me as he quickly aims it at Jessie again. The prick’s taunting me. “Anything means you would fall to those knees and suck my cock right in front of your man. Are you prepared to do that?”
My hands are clenched so tight they hurt. My head feels like it’s going to explode with all the rage building up inside of me.
“Jessie,” I whisper.
She turns toward me, her back to Tyrone – but still with that damn gun to her head. “I’m sorry. But I have to do this. For us.”
She winks before turning back to Tyrone.
I try to keep my face impassive, but my heart is drumming up into my throat.
Shit.
She’s going to try something.
I want to tell her no, don’t risk it, but I can’t without alerting Tyrone to that wink. Which is going to make him even more eager to hurt her.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Is that really what you want?” Jessie asks, making her voice sweet and angelic, not that she needs much help there. “You want me to… suck you, in front of Jax?”
“Look at your face.” Tyrone stares at me, beaming, reveling in the moment. “It’s like you thought this whore would really be loyal to you. But you should know by now, Jax, loyalty doesn’t exist. You’re the one who taught me that.”
I almost yell at him about his deranged logic. His lack of logic. But all that exists is Jessie and keeping her safe, nothing else, and I can’t do anything to stop her… stop whatever she’s going to try.
“Go on then,” he snaps, waving the gun at her. “Or maybe I’ll just drop you and fuck that ugly little mouth anyway.”