Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Alistair sat beside me on the couch. He didn’t have to be my human shield. Dario Burkhardt claimed the spot next to Saylor, ready to hold her back.
I was less than dazzled by being in the room with a sitting senator. Don’t get me wrong, I had nothing against the guy. I was simply distracted by the fact his devil spawn was still looking around for a weapon.
“Fresh start,” Dario said, flashing me a smile. It was wild how much he looked like my father. Same auburn hair. Same whiff of mischief in his grin. “That’s exactly what all of us”—he placed a hand on Saylor’s arm—“my family and I are hoping for. A fresh start with my brother and with you, Luna. We’re glad you’re here.”
“No, we’re not,” Saylor barked. “That bitch isn’t my cousin. I don’t care what either of you say.”
“Now, now.” Dario’s tone was mild, even fond, as he addressed his daughter. Seemed I’d found the only person on the planet who liked this monster. “No need for that kind of language. I’m aware this is an adjustment for both of you. I’ve come to understand your relationship has been antagonistic up to this point.”
“Understatement of the century,” I said. “That hellbeast started this war. She’s just mad I won.”
“You—!”
“It stops now,” Dario sliced in, giving us stern frowns apiece. “Today is cause for celebration. My brother has returned home. I have a chance to get to know my niece. No more fighting. No more wars. We’re family.”
Cause for celebration? Didn’t his precious brother blackmail him to get through the door? And seeing as he ignored me for eighteen years, that didn’t sound like someone hurting to know his niece.
Had to hand it to the senator. You didn’t get where he was without knowing how to spin bullshit.
“She is not my family,” Saylor said. “She ruined my life. My friends won’t talk to me. I had to shut down all my accounts and block almost every number in my phone. The whole town hates me. Throw her out of here, Daddy. She can take the random, long-lost uncle with her.”
“Fresh start, sweetheart. Everything you and Luna have done to each other is in the past. You didn’t know you were family then. Now you do. We live by one rule and one rule alone.” The sweetness dripped out of his tone. “Burkhardts don’t go after Burkhardts.”
“Tell her that, not me.”
Dario turned to me.
I sighed. “Here it comes.”
“Luna,” he began, “about that website—”
“And there it is,” I groaned. “Want to know why your precious hellbeast—”
“Stop calling me that, Dreg!”
“—had to be punished? She tried to strip me in front of a party full of people. She got me jumped, punched me in the face, threatened to kick my stepdad out of the Royal line, and she’s thrown my sister’s suicide in my face over and over since the first day we met.
“I’ve met rabid squirrels with a kinder personality. Obviously, Saylor’s life of privilege didn’t teach her about consequences. I took it upon myself to give her the lesson. Why would I take the site down? This greasy, Cheeto-covered look is the best I’ve seen on her.”
She launched off the couch. “You’re dead, Sinclair!”
I jumped off. “I’m taking you with me!”
It took another twenty minutes of grunts, shouts, and wrestling to get us back into our respective corners. I was proud of myself for finally bloodying that fat lip. Although Saylor was clutching a healthy bunch of my hair in her grip, so I didn’t get out unscathed.
“Enough,” Alistair barked. “The website comes down tonight.”
“I’m not—!”
“Doesn’t matter if you do or don’t.” He tsked. “You know who I am. Think I can’t shut down a little website? My contact is already in the process of removing every trace of it from cyberspace. She’s also following the credit card trail to everyone who downloaded a copy. They’ll be hit with a nasty computer virus that’ll crater their hard drive.”
My jaw dropped.
Alistair nodded at his brother. “I hope that will suffice, Dario.”
“Thank you. We appreciate it.”
“I can’t believe you,” I hissed. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side, Luna. You didn’t know she was your cousin before all this happened, but now you do. I’ve broken every rule that exists, love, except one. Burkhardts don’t go after Burkhardts.” His eyes hardened, turning on her. “Agreed, Saylor? The website is down. Anyone who has a copy won’t by morning. You will not retaliate against Luna. You most certainly won’t try attacking her again. As your father said, the war ends now.”
She sniffed, folding her arms and looking away. But I noticed she didn’t disagree.
“Good,” he said. “Now that’s settled, let’s get you back to your mother.”
“Back to Mom’s? But you said your father wanted to meet me.”