Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 54283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 271(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
"He wasn't at the club today because of me, Niall. He intended to burn it down because of what you did." I pause a moment, letting that sink in. Without the club or the books my father keeps hidden inside, we'd lose millions. Potentially enough to ruin this family. "He changed his mind because he chose me instead. So yeah, I'd choose him. He deserves for someone to put him before this stupid war." I shoot my brother a sad smile. "And so do I."
I don't wait around for a response. There isn't anything else to say anyway. I turn and head for the house, leaving Niall to make up his own damn mind. He will anyway.
Half an hour later, my father is still hugging me when Niall stomps inside.
"Look who is home safe," Dad says, relief coloring his tone. "Your sister is a clever girl, Niall. She ran out the back and hid until she thought it was safe to make her way back here."
As far as stories go, it's paper thin. But my father has always preferred to believe a comforting lie than a hard truth when it comes to me. It's his weakness. He doesn't want to see what's right in front of his face, so he doesn't let himself.
Niall flicks his gaze in our direction and grunts. "Welcome back. I'm going to shower. I've got some prick's blood all over me."
I didn't see it outside, but he's right. Flecks of it stain his pants. It crusts his cuticles.
My heart clenches.
"What did you do?" I whisper.
He meets my gaze, his burning. "What I had to do. Thought you were being held hostage by a monster."
"I wasn't," I say, iron in my voice.
"Yeah, well, it's not like I knew that when I was trying to beat answers out of the motherfucker's man," he mutters.
"Niall!" Dad snaps. "Enough. You don't talk to her like that. She isn't part of this."
Niall glances from me to him. "Maybe it's time she is, Da. She's old enough. Might as well let her know what this family is willing to do to protect its own."
"I don't need to know," I whisper, my voice shaking. Why is he doing this? To prove a point? To punish me?
"Go on," he says. "Tell her what you plan to do to Nazario for what he did today. She should hear it. How else is she supposed to protect herself?"
Dad hesitates and then his eyes narrow. "I'm going to destroy his organization from the inside out using his own man against him."
I blink, my blood running cold. "What man?"
My dad smiles, a cold, vicious smile that sends a shiver ripping down my spine as he pats me on the head. "You don't need to worry about that, iníon. Just keep yourself far away from Nazario Leyva and let us worry about the details."
Niall meets my gaze, something glinting in his eyes that I don't understand. "Yes, keep yourself far away from Nazario," he says in a flat, emotionless voice that sends a chill racing through me. "Even his own people see him for the soulless monster he is. You don't want to end up caught in his trap."
He turns and walks away without another word, leaving me trembling in his wake. I know he was just trying to get a rise out of me…but the fact that one of Naz's own people is helping my family is terrifying.
Is Naz in danger? Am I?
Ha. Is that even a question? There's been nothing but danger since I dropped my books at his feet. And if there's danger now, it changes nothing.
Do his people really see him as a soulless monster?
A protest wells up from the depths of my soul at the thought. Naz is many things—dangerous, ruthless, brutal, a criminal, and a killer. Maybe he's even a monster. But he isn't soulless. Not even close.
Chapter Ten
Naz
"You need to make a move against him, príncipe," Nicolas argues. "If you don't, he will only grow bolder."
"Enough," I growl, throwing up my hand as my patience with him runs out. He's been hounding me about this for two goddamn days now. Ever since I informed him that Niall Sullivan had killed another of our men.
Brynna cried when she delivered that news in a hushed whisper over the phone the night I dropped her off at home. I'm mad as hell I couldn't pull her onto my lap and console her. I'm furious she feels guilt at all. This is not her fight, it's not her war. And yet, she feels obligated to try to end it anyway.
I don't know what the fuck Niall did with Josef's body, but we've yet to find it. That point isn't sitting well with Nicolas. He wants to strike.
But I can't. So long as Brynna is determined to stay in that house and try to end this peacefully, I won't risk her. With one of my own goddamn men aligned against me, I can't. It's too dangerous. I trust that her father won't hurt her. But a rat? Someone willing to betray his oaths? There's no telling what he's capable of doing.