Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125020 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Listen, I think we can all use something to eat. Have either of you checked in on those kids?” Pit says.
“I’ll call Achilles,” I reply.
“I need to get out of here for a bit,” Skittles murmurs.
I hate the pain I see on her face. I lied to her. I’ve been lying to her for years. I went from living in a fairy tale to not knowing what I’d gotten myself into.
I still don’t know what I’m doing. All I know is I’m in love with this man. Although I don’t know if that’s going to be enough when the smoke settles.
I stand to go call Achilles. Joshua catches me by the hand and stands to tug me to him. As if he can read my thoughts, he leans to whisper in my ear.
“I want to talk to you.”
I lick my lips, look up into his eyes, and nod. The war playing out in his gaze hurts my heart. He searches my face and gives my hand a gentle squeeze.
“Pit, come take a walk with me,” Blake says and stands.
Pit
Oh boy, here he goes. My brain is on fire, pulling at pieces and tying ends together. I don’t know if I want to step out and talk to him now.
He walks over and places a hand on my shoulder. “You need to hear this. It fills in a gap you need. I get the feeling this is the right moment.”
I look past Uncle Blake to see my wife heading through the secret door up to my private apartment over the bar. My heart aches for her. The news may have revealed Josh and Shawna’s true relationship, but I think Mayven put together the pieces to know this started way before any of us knew.
I sort of feel responsible. If I had never told him to keep his shit from Skittles’s door, maybe this wouldn’t have turned out this way. I shake my head. Kelex knew when he was going to go after Shawna. There was never anything that could stop him.
I know him well enough to know this. I look into Uncle Blake’s eyes. This motherfucker knew. I know he knew. Greece isn’t outside of his reach.
Knowing this, I’m now curious as to what he thinks I should know now. I nod my head toward the door that leads out front and sigh.
“Fine,” I mumble.
Chapter 24
From the Top
Blake
Ten years ago…
“Hello, Father,” I said into the phone.
I’m still processing the news about Lester. My gut tells me it’s all bullshit. Lester Smith isn’t the type of man to commit suicide.
Why now? If he were going to do something like this, it would have been years ago. I can’t make sense of it.
“Hello, Blake. How are my grandsons doing?”
“Anthony will be fine. I’m keeping an eye on him. William impresses me each day. The more I get to know him, the more he reminds me of Nicky, but sharper. He will fit the seat well.”
“Good, I need to know these boys can handle this.”
“Have you heard the news?”
I hold my breath. My father has always been fond of Lester. Allowing him to lose his hold on Vander and Bridge Lake has taken a toll on my father. It’s been like allowing one of his sons to fall from grace.
I’ve dreaded sharing this news since I heard it. However, he needs to know. Our plan lies in knowing where all the players stand.
“Don’t worry about this. Let things play out. I don’t want Basil thinking I’m trying to push my grandson in over his.”
A grin comes to my lips. I wasn’t wrong. My father isn’t who he is by luck. Vander and Bridge Lake are in our blood. We haven’t lost Nicky for nothing.
“Very well,” I say into the phone.
Chapter 25
I Am Who I Am
Kelex
Present…
“Come with me,” I say to Shawna as I lead her down to the basement of Fuck Off.
“Should I call the house first?”
I shake my head and pull out my phone to shoot off a text to True. It only takes a few beats before he replies. I smile at his text.
True: I got us. Take care of you. Don’t let them take you from us.
Me: Never.
I tug Shawna into the storeroom where Pit stocks the liquor, closing and locking the door behind us. Turning to Shawna, I look her over as she looks anywhere but at me. My heart sinks—could this be it—when she leaves me?
“True says they’re fine,” I murmur, waiting for her to make eye contact.
“That’s good. I can run over and take them something to eat.”
“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll go with you.”
“Okay.”
“Shawna, baby. You’ve been saying okay to everything since we left Greece. Look at me, please.”
She turns to me and stares into my eyes. I move in close and cup her face. I can’t keep myself from running my thumb across her full lips. Her brown skin has a bronze hue to it from all the time we spent in the sun while in Greece.