Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 87367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87367 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
But the truth was, that wasn’t me and never would be. I wasn’t the type who could lie or hide, not from something this big.
“Mitchell! Where the hell are you, you coward!”
If there was one thing I wasn’t, it was a coward, so I made my way toward the door just as Big Daddy stepped inside the distillery. All I could think was, he knows. Whether about the recipe, or me and Brody, but he knew something.
Big Daddy was breathing heavily, a vein throbbing in his forehead, his hands fisted. I could see the punch coming, but I wasn’t going to do anything to stop it. Hell, I probably deserved it, if not for any reason other than I was the last Mitchell left and I came from a family of lying thieves just like the O’Ralleys always knew I had.
His hands were both in tight fists, his right one opening and closing, but he didn’t make the move to hit me. “I’m this close, Mitchell,” he gritted out.
“You want to kick my ass? Go ahead and do it. I’m not fighting you back.”
He took a few deep breaths, his whole body trembling slightly, hands loosening. Even though he had the right, it was clear he wouldn’t hit me. I didn’t believe for a second that Big Daddy was the kind of man who would hurt someone who wouldn’t defend themselves.
“’Course you won’t. Mitchells have always been cowards,” he spat at me, and I just shrugged. From what I’d heard of my family, he wasn’t wrong.
“I’m not like them, and I don’t believe my dad was either.”
“Hogwash. Your daddy was just like the rest of ’em. He used your mama to get at my family, then sent her away and didn’t take care of his own son.”
My heart seized, his words finding every one of my insecurities and pumping blood through them, making them feel bigger and more alive. “You don’t know…” I tried, but couldn’t find my words. They were all tangled with the truth I just found out, one my dad hadn’t known either.
“You think I don’t see through your act? You think I don’t know what you’re playin’ at? Comin’ to town, pretending you’re not like the rest of them. Your great-granddaddy weaseled his way into the O’Ralley world only to lie and steal from ’em. Your granddaddy was a no-good criminal. The whole damn Mitchell business is built on a lie, on something your family stole from us. Your daddy tried to use your mama against us, and now here you are, worming your way into my son’s world. I won’t let Brody be hurt by you, damn it. He’s my son, and I’ll protect him!”
I flinched.
“That’s right. I know what you’re doin’. You’re tryin’ to use Brody. I heard ’em talking. My own son went behind my back to share family finances with the enemy he’s sleeping with.”
“No.” I shook my head. He was turning something beautiful into something ugly. “He didn’t go behind your back in a vindictive way. There’s no one in the world who loves his family as much as Brody does. All he wants to do is help, and I know you have no reason to believe me, but I do too. I would never—”
“Liar!” he cut me off. “You’re using my own flesh and blood against me! What is wrong with you people?”
A week ago I would have blown off his question. Hell, an hour ago I would have, but the truth was, we were everything he said we were. Sometimes it didn’t matter that you tried to make things right. My dad had fought to make the distillery legit, but underneath it all was the truth that it never should have been ours to begin with. “It’s different with Brody.” It was the only excuse I had. I wouldn’t hurt him. I wouldn’t lie to him. Which meant I had to tell him what I found. I had to tell them all what I found. Things could never be right any other way. I could never live with myself if I didn’t.
Anger flared on his face, the red of it deepening. “You stay the hell away from my son.” And then…then he sobered, pain mixing with the anger in his stare. “Hasn’t your family done enough? You gotta come here and take my son away from me too? My family is all I got, the only thing I didn’t think a Mitchell could steal from me.”
“Big Daddy—”
“Don’t you call me that.”
“Mr. O’Ralley. I wouldn’t. I would never hurt Brody. I love him.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew they were true. Holy fuck. If I wasn’t in the middle of a crisis already, I sure as shit would have been sent into one then.
I was in love.