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 leaned back—face deathly pale, eyes thunderous. He stared at me without words, a thousand emotions flitting across his face. “Luna,” he said, so soft the rasp tickled my ear. “This isn’t you. Who is making you say these things? Tell me what happened. I’m here. I’m listening.”
My vocal cords squeezed, strangling the lump in my throat.
“No one is making me say this. Winter killed herself because she was lost and alone. Because she was abandoned... by you.”
His hands balled into fists, nearly bending the metal fork.
“None of it had to be the way it was. You could’ve had another stalker like Ronin following her around, keeping her safe, but you stopped thinking about us the minute you sailed off on your floating throne.
“Remaining a blank so you didn’t push us into the life of a Rogue? That’s a thin excuse and you know it. We needed you, and you weren’t there— Worse, you chose not to be there.” The words kept coming, shooting like bullets from my lips. Each meant to be fatal. “Leon Dumont blames himself for racking up so many evil, twisted enemies he didn’t know which one blew up his family and killed his wife. He shoulders the blame for his choices. How dare you do anything less?”
Alistair shot up, making my heart jump into my throat. He dropped to his knees before me, taking my hands in his. “You don’t have to do this. Drive me away. Whatever threats Everleigh’s made, she’s not going to get me too. You won’t lose anyone else that you love.”
“I don’t love you.”
The final bullet struck.
“I don’t know you,” I flung. “You’re just a stranger who burst into my life to admit how you screwed it up. I don’t want you here, Alistair. We’re not family. As far as I’m concerned, you lost two daughters the day Winter jumped off that bridge.”
Alistair was deathly pale. Deathly quiet. His eyes roved my face, searching for a trace that I didn’t mean what I said. That there was force behind my words and pressure that didn’t come from me. He could keep looking, but he wouldn’t find it.
“Just get out of here, Alistair. Before you get me killed too.”
Hands falling away, Alistair got to his feet. I bit my lip hard when a soft kiss pressed on my forehead. Blood stained my teeth.
“Okay, Luna. If that’s what you want.”
“It’s what I want,” I clipped.
He didn’t reply for a beat.
“Don’t blame yourself.” A gentle hand stroked my hair. “Whatever prompted you to say these things—whether it was forced or you truly feel this way—nothing will change how much I love you.”
I couldn’t see my feet through the tears.
“I’ll always love you.”
I smacked his hand away, getting up and storming to the door. “Just go. I never want to see you again.”
I slammed the door, rattling the priceless crystal chandeliers above. Ripping down the hallway, I ran till I found the front doors. Ran through the gates. Ran outside past Ronin and the car waiting to take me home. Ran and kept running—feet carrying me far away with nowhere to go.
No, I thought, snarl peeling back from my lips. I know where I’m going.
Chapter Five
I stumbled over the path, rocks kicking back up and striking my ankles.
My phone claimed I was coming up on the second cabin. I thought my anger would be gone by the five-mile walk over uneven terrain and grasping branches. It fucking wasn’t.
My dad was right. I would not see another person I love die. I’d do whatever I had to do to protect him, including break his heart.
I choked on a sob—the vision of Alistair’s face when I told him I didn’t love him, replaying over and over again in my mind.
It wasn’t his fault. I didn’t blame him for a thing even though it would be easy to. Even though there was a kernel of truth in every horrid accusation I threw at him. I know he didn’t pick power over his family. What he chose was a life of danger and isolation in the name of protecting his family. Of course he had no reason to think any of what happened to Winter and me would go down.
Who predicts a nine-year-old girl with pigtails and a Barbie Dreamhouse would turn into a raging psychopath that would carry out a grudge he buried ten years ago?
The only person at fault then was Everton for shitting on every chance to do the right thing and then continually going after my father until he had no choice but to do the unthinkable. And the person at fault now was Everleigh.
She used brutal, terrible means to force Winter to do what she wanted. She brought Wolf O’Rourke into this. They both made it clear they’d go as far as it takes to get what they wanted.