Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
“With violence?” he questioned, having the balls to step toward me.
“With justice,” I countered, shoving him away. “Now are you going to fucking get her? Or do I have to make you?”
He reluctantly nodded, making his way over to the elevator and hitting the button.
“Esteban,” I called out, causing him to look over his shoulder at me. “She’s fifteen. Keep your dick in your pants, unless you want me to shoot it off.”
He spun, facing me, surrendering his hands. “Señor, eso—”
“That wasn’t a question.” The elevator doors opened and I nodded toward them, dismissing him.
He finally fucking left, but it took longer than I expected for him to return with Daisy. As soon as the doors opened again, she came into view. Esteban retreated to the corner of the basement, wanting to hide from the scene before him. Her eyes were closed tight, she knew that tonight her life would change once again, shaking any sense of comfort.
Struck with the coppery scent of blood that lingered in the damp space, she stood there, unmoving. She slowly, cautiously opened her eyes, holding onto the courage for as long as she could. I could smell her fear from a distance, there was no mistaking it.
“Por fin,” I stated, breaking the silence, “Finally.”
Her eyes widened as she took in the scene in front of her, it was then she checked out.
She was there, but she wasn’t. I was fine with that, the end result would grant her peace, and it was all I wanted for her.
“Venga,” I ordered, “Come.”
She looked back at Esteban who was standing in the corner of the room, the shame and remorse eating him alive.
Her.
“I bring you a gift, and this is how you react?” I voiced, bringing her attention back to me.
I leaned up against the wall behind the motherfucker in the chair. My arms folded over my chest, one leg draped over the other. The sleeves of my shirt were rolled up, the ends covered in blood.
“A gift?” she whispered loud enough for me to hear.
“Briggs, I won’t tell you again. Come here.”
She stepped off the elevator, the doors closed behind her, causing her to jump. She shuddered, wrapping her arms around her chest in a comforting gesture. Suddenly cold.
I grinned. “Are you scared?”
She didn’t know how to reply, so she didn’t say anything at all. Not realizing I noticed as she dug her nails into the palms of her hands, to keep from passing out.
I noticed everything, especially how much she reminded me of myself, that night in my father’s office.
I spoke with conviction, “You’re my niece. You’re the daughter of my only sister, who I loved very fucking much. I would never physically hurt you. Don’t you ever fucking offend me like that again, by letting that thought cross your mind. Do you understand me?”
She peered down at the fucker in the chair, taking in all the blood, ignoring my question. I let her have it just this one time. I couldn’t fucking blame her, I wouldn’t trust me, the devil, either.
I followed her stare. “It was a hit and run,” I answered the question, which had been reeling in her mind from the minute she opened her eyes.
Her head snapped, and our gazes locked.
“And this,” I nodded toward the chair, “is the man who ran,” I declared, needing her to understand the point of tonight.
The peace I was giving her.
The both of us…
Her eyes scanned his body, confused and overwhelmed by the turn of events. She couldn't look away from the motherfucker’s gruesome appearance. Especially the name “Amari” I’d carved into his chest.
She sucked in a breath.
I jerked my neck toward Esteban, who understood my silent command. He made his way to the fucker, his eyes pleading with Daisy to forgive him for what was about to happen.
It was time she saw him for what he truly was. Anyone who worked for me did the Devil’s dirty work.
He roughly ripped off the tape from his eyes, followed by his mouth, before throwing a bucket of freezing cold water on his face, causing him to stir into consciousness. Gasping for air that wasn’t available for the taking.
Esteban quickly retreated back to the corner of the basement, proving to me he was in love with my fucking niece.
The motherfucker strapped to the chair, immediately started screaming and thrashing around like the pussy he was. I didn’t pay him any mind. He deserved everything he was about to get. Actually, he should have considered himself lucky it wasn’t much worse. Trust me, it would have been, had Daisy not been in the room, witnessing.
This wasn’t about me, and it took everything in me to remember that. It was for her. For the first time in her life, I could see her internal struggle between right and wrong. Wanting retribution for the lives of her parents. For the purgatory she was forced to live in daily.