Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 37380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 187(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37380 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 187(@200wpm)___ 150(@250wpm)___ 125(@300wpm)
Liam watched her, looking between the siblings. “Care to clue me in?”
Jenny turned toward him. “The girl, she’s my niece.” She sniffled then turned toward Lewis. “How could you do that? How could you keep her a secret?”
“She’s human. She has nothing to do with our world and her mother was just some fun.”
“Where is her mother now?” Jenny asked.
“A hospital. I’ve been searching the city looking for … her.”
“What’s her name?”
Liam put his hands on Jenny’s shoulders, offering her what little comfort he could provide. She put her hands on top of his.
“Anna. Her name is Anna. She’s eight … was, she was eight years old.”
Liam leaned forward and kissed the back of his wife’s head, trying to give her comfort while she was so clearly in pain.
“Eight years and you didn’t tell anyone? Does Dad know?”
“No, I don’t,” her father said, speaking up. “I’ve heard enough of this. Liam, bring my son to me. I will handle this.”
“Dad?”
“Jenny, you need to rest. We’ll take care of this.”
“But, Dad!”
“No, buts. This is now out of your control. This is my decision.”
The line was cut off.
“I’ll be expecting you, son,” Liam’s father said.
The line went dead.
Liam looked at Lewis. Seconds ago, the man was filled with anger and hatred, now he just looked lost.
“You can’t take him,” Jenny said.
“Sweetheart, you and I both know our dads gets what they want.” Lewis sighed. “Let’s go.” He looked at Jenny. “You saw Anna?”
“She didn’t know it was you,” Jenny said. “She said the men with nice clothes. The ones she has to be quiet around.”
Lewis covered his face. “I loved her. I did, Jenny, but I knew this world, our world, would spit at her.” He shook his head. “I fucked up big time.”
Jenny turned toward Liam, putting her hands on his chest. “Don’t send him away.”
“This is out of my control.”
She whirled back to see her brother. “Did you set the fire?”
Lewis shook his head. “No. I was there to pick up Tana and Anna. She had gained enough information for me, and I was done, but the fire was already going strong when I arrived. I had no way of putting it out. There was nothing I could do.”
She cursed.
“If you see Anna, tell her Daddy loves her so much and that he’s sorry. He’s sorry for not being there all the time. Tell her I’m going to think about her every single day.”
Liam had already grabbed him by the shoulder. He turned to look at his wife, who was crying.
“Please, for your own sake, stay here. Please.”
Jenny’s tears cut him to the core. “You shouldn’t take him.”
“You know the rules. We need to make sure no one knows about his involvement. He has made a mess of everything. Please, tell me I can trust you.”
“You can trust me.”
He doubted it, but Liam knew his father would cause trouble if he didn’t handle this first. All he wanted to do was hold his wife, to let her know it was going to be okay.
Instead, he held her brother, taking him from his apartment, toward the elevator.
“My sister is a good person.”
“You spat at her feet less than twenty minutes ago,” he said. “Don’t try to claim to be the doting brother. You’re not.”
“I know that my sister is as good as dead. The life that was handed to her is a death wish. I watched it slowly consume my mother and I was there to see my grandmother die. That’s all that happens to those that have her curse. They die. It’s not pretty. It’s a slow death, painful.”
Liam wrapped his fingers around Lewis’s throat. “For your own sake, you better hope my wife doesn’t suffer that self-same fate, otherwise, you’re going to be the one I’m coming for. I’m going to kill you, and tear you limb from limb. By the time I’m through with you, no one will ever be able to recognize the body.”
“Do you think I give a shit?” Lewis snarled at him. “I lost my daughter.”
“You may act like the nice guy, but you and I both know differently,” Liam said. “You shouldn’t have been on our property in the first place. You love your daughter that much, but not enough to let your family know about her.”
“You know nothing.”
“I know enough.” He shoved Lewis out the open elevator doors.
“You know enough? You think you know enough. You don’t have a clue. You can judge me all you want, but you’ve known Jen a matter of days. In real terms, you’ve known her hours, and that’s all. Me, I’ve lived with her. I know what it’s like for her. For people to stare at her because she’s talking to someone only she could see, or the way strange shit happens all around her. I was there. I lived with it. Anna didn’t have Jen’s gift, but she was human. I know because I got her tested. The wolf blood didn’t run within her veins, but she was my daughter. I’ve lived my life with people starting at their horrible rumors and judgments. I kept my daughter away to protect her. Judge me all you want, but until you have a kid of your own, don’t you fucking dare tell me what I should or shouldn’t do for the love of my child.”