Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 522(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 348(@300wpm)
“Because I wanted it, and what happened back then, it’s gone. It’s done.”
“I’m going to kill every single fucker that was involved,” Carlos said. He’d hunt them all down, tear them to fucking pieces, and he’d make sure they lived through every single second of it.
“Can’t.” Raven laughed. “Do you think I joined the Hell’s Bastards MC, been there a long fuck-off time, and not go and get justice for my mom?” She snorted. “Oh, I did. I went back there, and what I found was that Peter Small Clarke was found to be part of a huge child porn and smuggling ring. Yeah, they were closing in on him, and the cowardly fuck hung himself. As for the other guy … he was found at the bottom of some river. Everyone who was involved was in some way dead. I don’t know how or when. I didn’t get my justice, but whoever it was, I am grateful for them.”
“And your mother?”
“Died before I decided to run. She had no idea. With the poison, she’d gone into a coma, and all the machines were doing were keeping her alive, but she wasn’t there. He was also using her to get me to do as I was told.”
“He was the only other time that you put your trust in someone and it backfired?” Carlos asked.
“Yeah,” Raven said. “With Abriana and Ava, and with … him. It brought back a whole lot of memories and made me realize that I can make bad decisions. That I need to learn to go back to trusting my gut.”
He and Smokey had fucked up big time.
Raven didn’t know what he had planned.
Before he could admit anything, Paolo came back into the room, looking mightily pissed.
“You brought a club slut into the fold?” Paolo asked, crouching down. “What is it with you and Garofalo and even my father, trying to trust them? They’re dogs. Fucking pieces of shit to be used and discarded.”
“You watch your fucking mouth.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Carlos said. “Let her go. It’s me you want. Not her. She’s not a part of this.”
“Oh, but she is, Carlos. You see, she is a problem. The Hell’s Bastards are a problem. I kill her, I’ve got them on my case, but you see, if I get you to kill her, then that is your problem.”
Carlos had no idea how Paolo thought he could get him to hurt her. He never would.
Paolo snapped his fingers, and four guards came into the room.
“I’m going to make this simple. Either you beat the crap out of her or I beat the crap out of you,” Paolo said.
The guards surrounded them, and within a matter of seconds, he was parted from Raven. Two guards held her. One had a knife at her throat, and the other held her hair in a firm grip.
Raven hated it when they pulled her hair. She’d told him a few times that it was like dealing with a bunch of girls. This right now would seriously piss her off.
“What’s it going to be, Carlos?” Paolo asked. “I hope you pick the beating because I’ve been wanting to wipe that smug look off your face. You’re nothing. I can’t believe Drago picked you to be part of this.”
Raven stared at him. “I’m ready for this.”
“I will never hurt you,” Carlos said.
“For fuck’s sake, Carlos. I can take it. You think you’re going to hurt me more than I’ve already been hurt? Please, I can take whatever you throw at me. I owe Smokey. He told me to keep you alive. Now fucking do it. They won’t care,” Raven said. “None of them will care. They will understand. This is a job. My life is not important, but yours is.”
And right then, at that moment, Carlos realized something that had been staring him right in the face, and he hadn’t even seen it until now. Raven didn’t value her life. She was more than willing to die for everyone else around her. She would fight for them, all of them, but never for herself.
Why?
Was this about her mother?
About Abriana?
Ava?
Herself?
Had that piece of shit hurt her to the point that she felt she was nothing?
He wouldn’t do it.
At that moment, Carlos hated himself and Smokey so fucking much. There was no way she could ever find out what they planned. If she was pregnant, he’d take care of her, love her, cherish her, and make sure Smokey took this decision to his grave. He’d handle Drago.
Raven needed love. She needed to be shown that she was worth fighting for, and he was going to be the one to prove it to her.
“You’re a fucking coward,” Carlos said, spinning toward Paolo.
He’d given this man a chance, and what had he done with it? Fucked it up because he wanted more power. Greed once again had been a part of his destruction, and Carlos hated him for it. Not only that, he hated Paolo for making him see just how fucked up Raven was and just how much he fucking loved her.