Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
The actions of one would cost them all. There was no excuse for what happened the night prior. I’d watched the footage from my club back-to-back, making sure I didn’t miss a single detail of what transpired. I had to sit in my office for a good hour afterward, convincing myself not to act rashly. Driving to Elena’s and snatching her out of her bed to chain in mine would more than likely have caused some friction between us.
I should have done it anyway.
“I’m sure I don’t need to explain why you’re here, but if you find yourself confused, well, that's too damn bad."
The redheaded boy on the end took a deep breath and clenched his fist. “Sir, please. I know my friend messed up, but please don’t hurt us,” his voice cracked on the second plea.
I regarded him for a moment. “Your name is Cooper, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he answered after taking another breath.
“Cooper,” I repeated his name as if I knew him personally. “Do you see this knife in my hand? Have you not realized you’re standing in front of me chained up, naked with your tiny dick out? Don’t you think we’re beyond begging?”
"Sir--."
"All the respect in the world won't save you. You can stop embarrassing yourself."
He began to sob and the boy on the other side of him whispered to him to stop. I shared a look with my brother and shrugged. Without needing any further encouragement, he shot Cooper twice.
A small amount of blood landed on the side of his friend’s face. He jolted in response, his eyes wide with fear as Cooper’s muscles went languid. His body remained upright due to the chains.
I gestured to the boy who had been whispering to Cooper. “Him too. He tried to console him and that’s somewhat admirable.”
The gun went off again, this time only once. That left two. One had already pissed himself--again-- and was shaking uncontrollably, the pleas coming from his mouth hard to understand and broken. Not needing any urging, Elias sighed and ended him too.
“And then there was one.” I stepped right in front of Jay and took hold of his sweaty face. He’d perspired so much the edges of his blonde hair had curled and were plastered to his forehead. He attempted to spit on me, making a sound of pain when I applied enough pressure to pop his jaw.
“Even in this situation, you behave with no basic decency.”
“Fuck you,” he managed to hurl at me.
“And now you want to be brave?” I brought the machete up and teased the curved blade against his throat.
“Fuck you, just do it,” he forced through clenched teeth.
“So impatient to die.” I took a small step back. “Killing you outright would be a dishonor to both of us. You put your hands on someone that belongs to me. The only reasonable response is to remove them.”
I grinned as his fear grew right before my eyes.
CHAPTER TEN
ELENA
I stared into the backyard from the window above the sink. The sun was shining, but it had rained most of the morning so now everything was wet. I turned around when I heard my grandmother approaching, her heels announcing her arrival seconds before she entered the kitchen carrying a small, pale yellow gift box.
She’d styled her dark hair with barrel curls and put on a modern vintage dress that was nearly the same shade of grey as her eyes, pairing it with silver accessories. If I wasn't imagining things those were my mother's earrings.
“You look nice.”
She smiled and smoothed a hand down her side. “Thank you, cariño.”
“Are you going somewhere?” I asked, noticing she was carrying her purse.
“Yes. I have a few errands to run and then I’m going to meet your uncle for lunch. You can come if you’d like.” She looked at me expectantly, but after last night making nice with Uncle Luis wasn’t how I wanted to spend my afternoon.
“Um, that’s okay. I’m not hungry. Maybe another time.”
“Sí. Another time.” She smiled, but as I was beginning to see more frequently, it didn’t reach her eyes. “Oh. I came in here to give you this. Your friend left it with me when I was outside.” She held the small box out for me to take.
It was lightweight, wrapped in pretty lace trim. “Which friend?”
“The Petrov girl.”
I had no idea who that was.
“I don’t--.”
“I’m so glad you’re branching out. I know you're fond of those other two, but it’s good to have options.”
My brow pinched. What the hell was talking about? Options? She made it sound as if Melody and Peyton were in some kind of competitive line-up. But really, what did I expect? Most people around here wouldn't know the first thing about genuine friendships. It was all about who could do what for you and had the most to offer. I knew close to nothing about this Petrov family so I couldn’t speak on their social standing. The families my actual friends came from? They weren’t ones to turn your nose up at. I found it a little suspicious she wasn’t pushing for me to keep them close.