Total pages in book: 214
Estimated words: 199879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 999(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199879 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 999(@200wpm)___ 800(@250wpm)___ 666(@300wpm)
Two hours later, I’m sitting in my office after Tyson and Lake left when my door opens, and another visitor enters the room.
“Hey, man. Gavin called us to come in?” Sin states, entering with his pregnant wife on his arm.
I stand from my desk. “Yeah, he texted me,” I say, nodding to him. “He should be here any minute.” Devin is our doctor here at Carnage. But when we took in Sin’s mother-in-law, I struck a deal with him. She’s pregnant, and they’re going to take the baby once she delivers. I promised he could bring in Gavin—a doctor of the Lords. It was a simple gesture that made him feel comfortable and gets me what I want in the long run.
The door opens once again, and I expect it to be Gavin, but it’s not. It’s my wife. “Ashtyn, can you give us a second?” I say, clearing my throat. I’ve ignored her, hoping she’d crawl to me asking for forgiveness. For what? I don’t know. I just need her to need me, but I know the truth. She doesn’t. Not anymore. She now knows what freedom feels like, and she’s just a prisoner here.
Sin’s wife drops his hand and turns to face mine, and my pulse races, knowing what’s to come. “Ashtyn?” Elli breathes. “Oh my God, it’s been so long.”
Ashtyn smiles brightly at the bleach blonde, excited to see a familiar face. “Yes it has. How have you been?” She holds her arms out wide and hugs the pregnant woman. “You look fabulous. Congratulations…” They strike up a conversation, and I look at Sin.
He’s standing there staring back and forth between them, scratching his head. “You know my wife…?” he asks, sounding just as confused as he looks. When Ashtyn doesn’t answer, he looks at Elli. “You know her?”
She gives him a warm smile. “Yes.” Laughing, she points at my desk. “I saw a picture of you and the Spade brothers on Saint’s desk a while back and thought it was you.”
Sin looks at me, and I just stare at him. “How…?” He looks back at the women. “How do you two know each other?” The girls are about four years apart, so they wouldn’t have attended Barrington at the same time.
“Laura, Elli’s mother, was my mom’s therapist,” Ashtyn answers, sounding less enthusiastic about admitting that fact. Then she turns her attention back to his wife.
He turns to face me fully, and I watch his face grow tight. “Excuse us, ladies.” I walk past them and out into the hall, knowing I need a second alone with him.
The moment the door shuts behind us, he faces me. “What the fuck, Saint?” Sin barks.
“It’s not what you think…”
“So you didn’t set me up in hopes that my wife would exchange her mother for me?” he snaps.
I sigh, not exactly. “I didn’t know Ashtyn’s father was going to bring her in, offering Laura in hopes to get you back,” I growl. Sin made an arrangement with us. He turned himself over to us in order to set Elli’s father free from Carnage. Did I know who Elli was? Yeah. Did I want her mother here under our roof? Absolutely! I hated that woman. She had hurt Ashtyn before, and she wanted to get rid of her. I still think she was the one who helped Ashtyn escape from Carnage. I was going to torture that information out of her, but the bitch showed up pregnant, and until she has that baby, I won’t touch her.
He gives a rough laugh, not believing me. “Fuck you, Saint.” Sin goes to open the office door, and I grab his upper arm, stopping him.
“You were willing to do anything for your wife. I will do the same for mine,” I inform him.
He yanks the door open and enters the office. “Elli, Gavin will be here any minute. Let’s go.”
“Yeah.” She nods to him and then hugs Ashtyn again. “I’ll call you. We’ll hang out.” Elli tells my wife, and her face falls as if I will never let her have any friends. Once Laura gives birth, Sin will never bring Elli back here.
I don’t blame him, but I don’t regret what I did. Sin willingly gave himself up for his wife, and I respect that.
He takes Elli’s hand and ushers her out of the office, leaving me with Ashtyn. We haven’t spoken since our fight a week ago. I’ve avoided her and her me.
We stand in silence, and she licks her lips. “Elli told me they are here to see her mother?” Her eyes meet mine. “Why is Laura here at Carnage?”
“Because this is where she deserves to be,” I answer.
“So…she’s a prisoner?”
I say nothing.
“May I see her?”
“No,” I growl. “Stay the fuck away from her.” We’ve got her secluded right now anyway. She’s needed around-the-clock care to make sure the bitch makes it to full term with the baby. Sin would slit my throat if anything happened to the child he and Elli will raise as their own.