Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Nathan and Xan held her captive, but it's me she's afraid of. Just like Nathan threatened more times than I can count, others are capable of seeing the evil inside of me. He wanted me to accept that dark part of me, and I knew I wasn't far from doing exactly that the day I ran from Ohio a year ago.
Someone rushes to her as I take a step back, my sobs growing uncontrollably. I cover my face with my hands in shame, born from the abuse I've suffered. I'm not supposed to let anyone see my pain. It was something Nathan insisted on. His punishments were not only lessons, but they were also training, a way for me to know what to expect and how to fight that urge not to be a coward.
"You fucking whore! How can you betray your family like this?" Nathan screams from his spot on the floor, ignoring the handful of guys pointing guns at his head while a guy in SWAT gear flips him to his stomach with no care for his injury, in order to put him in handcuffs. "I'll still have my fucking vengeance. No matter where you run, angel, I'll find you."
I know his words to be true, but at least that won't happen today. I don't know where I find the hope that maybe I'll be able to escape him, but it's the only reason I don't run from this house.
"Beth?" I ask, trying again.
I watch as the only woman I would've considered my friend freezes at the sound of my voice.
"Keep her away from me," Beth pleads as she leans in closer to the female Cerberus member.
"Ma'am, please step away from us. A little help over here. Newton?"
"Thank you," Beth says when a man steps in front of me, before urging me out of the house.
Chapter 5
Newton
Even with tears on her face, she watches, standing with me to the side of the porch as police and paramedics extract Nathan Adair from the house, the wheels on the gurney they’ve placed him on getting caught on the threshold.
I don’t know if it’s because she’s brave or what, but I think she’d have less tension in her muscles if the bullet in Adair’s knee was in his head like the one that Xan caught.
“We’ll die together, angel. Just like I always promised," Adair says when he spots Brielle standing on the porch.
He continues to rant and rave about destiny and their futures together. The dossier we got a year ago on Xan spoke of his unstableness, but Nathan Adair was spoken of like he was some sort of undefeatable evil genius.
"You're safe," I assure her, as they get the gurney off the porch and onto the walkway leading to the ambulance, but she doesn't even turn her eyes to mine.
They stay locked on her stepfather until a police officer climbs into the back of the ambulance and pulls away from the curb.
People line the streets, everyone wanting to know what's going on. It speaks a lot about people's lack of self-preservation when folks hear gunfire and they go toward it rather than running in the other direction.
I want to assure her that he'll never be able to touch her again, but I know better than to make promises I have no power to control.
I try not to focus on the whispers of unkept promises that threaten to take over in my own head.
"Newton, I need you to—"
"He's with Brielle," Rivet informs Jinx, having been the one to request that I step up and get Brielle away from Beth.
"Shit, okay," Jinx says, his voice in my ear through our mic system. "Boomer, I need you to head to the hospital. It's not that I don't trust Farmington PD, but they may need a little backup. We don't have any idea how many men Adair might have with him in town."
"Sure thing," Boomer responds. "I'll keep you updated."
"We're coming out," Rivet says just before she appears in the doorway.
Instead of walking toward one of the waiting SUVs, Rivet pulls Beth to the side, before reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone.
Although I can't hear what's being said, I watch Beth's face transform when she holds the phone away from her face. I know she's seeing Oracle for the first time since this entire ordeal started back in Santa Fe.
I turn back to watch Brielle as she watches the other woman, and although she's trying to act brave, I can see the pulse kick up in her throat.
Before long, Beth allows Rivet to escort her to one of the vehicles.
"She's refusing treatment at the hospital," Rivet says, her voice coming through my earpiece. "We're taking her back to the clubhouse."
We stay on the porch until their SUV pulls away.
Daylight allows us to watch them all the way down the street until they make a right several blocks down.