Total pages in book: 170
Estimated words: 160166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160166 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 801(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 534(@300wpm)
A part of me knows it’s for the same reason that I don’t want to see his family. Questions are going to get me killed, so if I just stay silent, everything will be all right.
My heart beats heavy in my chest. It’s a sharp pain almost, and I find myself staring blankly at the threshold to the kitchen, heat overtaking me and my legs feeling weak.
“I don’t know how it’s going to quiet down about Braelynn.”
My blood runs cold as the voices coming from the kitchen get louder. If I could move, I’d take a step back, but I’m paralyzed. They’re talking about me.
“As long as she doesn’t leave—” Jase, I think, starts to answer Daniel’s statement.
“They all thought she was a rat, now they think Hale and Ronnie set her up. It’s going to take a long fucking time for it to blow over, though, and—” Daniel says.
“Some will never change their minds about her,” Carter comments coldly, with a tone that’s absolute.
My heart races as I suck in a sharp breath.
“He’ll keep her here until it does. She can’t be seen until it dies down, especially not with all of the shit with the feds right now … Right?” Jase questions and it’s quiet. Perhaps someone shrugged; I don’t know. The coffee machine is heard and I find myself wishing they would say it’s going to be okay. That it’s already died down. That they believe me.
Tears prick the back of my eyes. I swear I didn’t do it. I didn’t. I didn’t tell anyone anything.
“He already told her if she doesn’t listen, then—” Daniel starts to say. What? Told me what?
“Did he tell her that, though? You know Declan …” Jase’s voice quiets and I wonder what they mean. Declan didn’t tell me a damn thing other than that it’s over. He didn’t tell me to stay here. A cold sweat at the back of my neck forms as the realization dawns on me.
The front doors beckon to me. With their etched glass and copper handles, the large double doors offer me a glimpse of freedom. There are iron bars on the other side of the glass and beyond that a gated fence guarded by armed men loyal to the Cross brothers. It takes me a second before I notice the keypad beside the set of doors. Without that code, I’m not going anywhere.
My fingers tremble as I realize I’m trapped. I don’t know if I’ll ever leave here.
“Hello,” a voice states behind me and my heart leaps out of my chest. I’m thankful I don’t scream because if I wasn’t filling my lungs with the shock of being caught eavesdropping, I would have.
A gentle hand reaches out, landing on my shoulder and I stare wide eyed at a beautiful woman. She’s tall with long dark hair, gorgeous hazel eyes and cloaked in a deep red silk robe that skims the floor. In bare feet and not a bit of makeup on, it’s obvious that she lives here and I know without asking who she is.
Aria Talvery—now Cross. A chill runs down the length of my spine. It’s well known that Carter is cruel and heartless, and they say Aria was made for him, his perfect counter. She destroyed the Talvery mafia, burned it all to the ground when she chose Carter.
Their story sent fear through every street. When she and her men joined the Cross brothers’ mob, no one on the East Coast stood a chance. Men who refuted the hold the Cross brothers held were murdered on sight. Hell, four men were murdered one week and their tongues cut out of their mouths for disparaging Aria … saying she would always be a Talvery.
They rule with fear and murder. Always have and always will.
Although there are other whispers, about the hellish story that brought the two of them together … I’m not sure what’s true or not, though. As I stand in front of her, I don’t know a damn thing.
“Are you lost?” Aria questions, her tone somewhat comical. “I’m Aria. You know Carter, correct?”
Nodding, I force myself to answer and tell her, “I’m Braelynn … I’m with Declan.”
“I know,” she answers, and her voice is so much softer than I’ve imagined. I grew up with the Cross brothers when they were the poor kids on the rough side of town. The unfortunate souls who lost their mother and had a drunk for a father. But the Talverys would never set foot in the public schools, they were like royalty. Corrupt and feared, but wealthy beyond imagine.
She straightens her shoulders some as she crosses her arms over her chest. “So you’re Declan’s girlfriend?” It’s then that I see the pearl and diamond necklace that she wears. My God, that must cost a fortune. It takes everything in me not to stare at her chest where the large teardrop-shaped diamond rests.