Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41558 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41558 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 166(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
“It’s his fault that my mom is dead.” I fisted my locket, and the smooth gold seemed to burn my palm.
For years, I’d blamed myself for her death. But Max was right. There was nothing I could’ve done. My father’s greed and desire for prestige had led to her murder.
“My whole life, I’ve tried to make him proud of me.” My eyes stung at the admission. “But I’m done seeking his approval. Why should I crave his respect when he doesn’t deserve mine?”
Max brushed a tear from my cheek. “I’m sorry, Bambi. I shouldn’t have told you the truth about him.”
He wanted to spare me pain, but I was done with lies. I was done being sheltered and naïve.
“I’m not sorry that you told me,” I said fiercely. “My whole life has been based on lies. I’m done living in ignorance. You were right when you told me that I was naïve. You were right about everything. I’ve known it for a while now, but I didn’t want to acknowledge it. Then I saw my dad in the hospital, and I knew it was all true.”
I remembered how all the blood had drained from his cheeks when I’d told him that I knew he’d covered up Mom’s murder. His guilt had been plain on his face.
My heart skipped a beat when I remembered something else about that awful encounter. “He knows about us,” I told Max. “He knows that we’re together and that you’re the one who told me about his corruption.”
Max’s brows drew together. “You confronted him?”
“I told him that I knew he’d made Mom’s autopsy and arson report disappear. That’s when he asked if you were the one who told me about it. He tried to push me to be with Niko again.” My fingers flexed with a renewed burst of anger. “You were right about that too. Niko isn’t what he appears to be. And Daddy doesn’t want me to be with him because he’s a good man for me.”
Niko’s father had likely ordered him to keep an eye on me, just like Max had said. And instead of protecting me from criminals, Daddy was pushing me toward the Bratva. How many more betrayals could I possibly endure before shattering completely?
I twined my arms around Max’s broad shoulders and clutched him tightly, clinging onto him like he was the only solid thing in my world.
“I’ve got you,” he swore, holding me firmly to his chest so that I could hear the steady, strong beat of his heart.
“I don’t know what to do,” I whispered. “About any of it.”
The prospect of reporting Mike’s sexual harassment paled in comparison to the nightmarish revelations about my father’s sins.
Before I could say another tremulous word, Max’s front door splintered beneath a heavy boot, and the world exploded into violence.
CHAPTER 10
Max
I moved before Paulie finished busting through the door, years of violence and paranoia fueling my swift reaction. I shoved Allie behind me and grabbed the Glock I kept under my bed, the weight of the gun familiar in my hand as I aimed at my cousin in one fluid motion. The silencer kept the shot muted, and Paulie’s bellow of pain roared through my tiny studio apartment. He dropped to his knees, clutching his shoulder. Blood poured over his fingers, but John didn’t pause to help his twin; he came straight for me, snarling with rage.
I didn’t have time to get off a second shot before he barreled into me, driving the air from my chest as our bodies collided. Silver flashed across my vision, and I brought my arm up just in time to protect my heart. Pain sliced into my flesh, but I wasn’t dead. I couldn’t let John kill me now; I had to protect Allie.
My Allie. They’d threatened her. They’d beaten her. They tried to kill her in the most horrific way.
I would end them both. They’d never touch her again.
Fury descended on my mind in a red haze, consuming my thoughts with primal violence. I grappled with John, twisting his wrist until bone snapped, and he screamed as the knife dropped from his hand. I dove for the blade, but he slammed his bulky body into mine hard enough to shove me back into my kitchen. Bright lights popped in front of my eyes when my head smacked into the fridge, and I shook it hard to force my vision to sharpen.
John was lunging toward his fallen blade, reaching for it with his left hand; his right dangled from his arm at an odd angle, but adrenaline kept him going, just as it fueled me.
But I was stronger than my cousins. I had to be, because Allie’s life was on the line.
I reached behind me, finding the knife block on my kitchen counter. A smooth wooden hilt fit perfectly in my palm, and I got the blade between myself and John a moment before he had time to slash at my heart. His arm was still raised, steel glinting, when my blade slammed into his chest.