Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46751 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
He doesn't love. He doesn't know how. He wants to sleep with me only because he thinks he has that right. It's not true desire and it doesn't even have anything to do with me, not really. I could be anyone, and he'd want the same thing. It's about control and power. He wants it. And he hates that he doesn't have it.
"You've always been a heartless, mouthy bitch."
"You should know all about being heartless, John. You wrote the freaking book."
He lifts his hand as if he's going to strike me. I throw myself backward, out of harm's way. He grabs for my arm…and all hell breaks loose.
The windows shatter and the front door splinters. People flood into the house, coming from every side. I only have eyes for one of them, though.
"Kenna!" Gideon roars, running straight for me as Clive drops the knife in his hands and tries to make a run for it.
John grabs for me again, wrapping his hand around my upper arm.
Gideon sees him with his hand on me and launches himself at him. Within seconds, John is on his back with Gideon on top of him.
"You son of bitch!" Gideon roars, slamming his fist into John's face. "Don't put your fucking hands on her!"
John doesn't stand a chance of getting Gideon off of him. He's a foot shorter and a hundred pounds lighter. He's soft where Gideon is unyielding. My former Marine is a beast. My former manager might as well be a kitten in his grasp.
Gideon hits him again and then again.
None of the cops in the room seem like they're in a big hurry to stop him.
"Kenna." Kane places his hand on my back. "We need to get you out of here, baby sister."
"Kane!" I cry, flinging myself at my brother's chest.
He hugs me to him, his hold hard. I feel his relief and his fear in the way he clutches me to him. He was worried.
"Let's get you out of here," he says, pulling back.
"Someone needs to stop Gideon before he kills John."
"If Gideon kills him, he'll be his own damn fault for pissin' him off."
I glance behind me at the man towering over me. I've never met him before, but I see enough of Gideon in him to know it's his brother. They share the same nose, same lips, and same broad shoulders. "Zayne?"
"Hey, sweetheart. How you doin'?"
I pull him into a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry about Zion. Is he okay?"
Zayne stands stiff for a moment, as if he isn't used to being hugged by random women. And then he returns the embrace, patting me on the back. "Yeah, sweetheart. He's going to be fine."
Relief washes through me in a warm flood.
"Can you pull your brother off my former manager? I'm going to be really upset if I can't marry him because he's in jail for murder."
A grin spreads across Zayne's face. "You're goin' to marry the big idiot, huh?"
"I mean, probably." I shrug. "Depends on how much he annoys me on the way to the altar. He's kind of bossy."
"Kind of bossy?" Zayne snorts. "He's going to command armies in hell one day, Kenna. Just you wait."
I crack a smile as Zayne strides to Gideon's side, trying to pull him off John. It takes him, Kane, and an officer to get my man off my former manager. He's so mad. I don't think I've ever seen him so furious before.
John is bleeding and unconscious. I have no sympathy for him. If I'm supposed to feel it, oh well. After everything he's done, he doesn't deserve it and I refuse to feel bad for not having any for him. Sometimes, you have to lie in the bed you make. He made his. I hope the freaking blankets smother him.
Gideon tries to fight free of Zayne's grip, still snarling and furious. I've never seen him like this before. It breaks my heart a little. He's been through so much today. First, his brother. And then this. He could have lost two people he loves in a matter of hours.
He needs me to put him back together again.
"Gideon," I whisper, stepping up in front of him. "I need you."
His head whips in my direction, those captivating green eyes settling on me. He falls completely still, just immediately quits fighting. "Sparrow," he rasps, a tremor running through him.
"I need you," I whisper again.
I've always known Gideon was larger than life, but I see it in action as he shrugs off three grown men like they're toddlers and comes charging toward me. Within seconds, I'm in his arms, his face pressed to my throat.
"Sparrow," he whispers. "Christ, Sparrow."
I cling to him. And for the first time, I realize that it's finally over. I'm safe. And we're free.
Chapter Fifteen
Gideon
"I'm never letting you go again, Sparrow," I murmur, crawling over Kenna in the bed. It's been two days since Clive kidnapped her. It's been a fucking whirlwind. We spent most of that night in the police station, going through every fucking detail.