Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“Where are we, Amory?” I asked him again.
“Let’s start with that—my name. That was my first lie. My name is Sebastian Shephard.”
• Twenty-Five •
“You’ve had my attention from day one.”
Sebastian
Her face paled as she stood there, staring at me. It was as if she didn’t recognize me.
“It’s still me, Royal. Just another name. My name,” I assured her.
She shook her head, and her eyes looked around the room wildly, as if she was looking for an escape.
“You see, Amor—Sebastian, that’s the problem. You lied to me about your name, and I woke up on a plane nowhere near where you had told me you were taking me. Now, we are in a cabin, in the wilderness, in some remote location with no other living soul for miles.”
I took a step toward her, and she took one back, holding up both her hands to stop me. I hadn’t wanted this. Especially after she opened her legs to me on the flight and rocked my fucking world. But I was done lying to her—at least about the things I could be honest about. The next time I sank my cock into her, I wanted to hear my name come from those plump pink lips. Not some fucking fictional character in a novel.
“I lied because I had to. If I had told you my name, it would have gotten back to Merce—or worse, you’d have googled me. Neither of those things would have been good.”
She let out a sharp laugh that held no humor at all. “And that is supposed to make me feel better?”
I shrugged. “No. It’s just the truth.”
“How do you know Merce?”
“Our families are connected within many of the same circles.”
“So, your family is into politics?”
I shook my head. “No. My family is the Mafia.”
Her eyes went wide, and I realized I probably should have said that in a different way.
“Mafia.”
I nodded.
“This is getting worse,” she whispered. “And if I’d googled you, it would have told me that?”
I laughed and shook my head. “No. It would have told you my family owns a large thoroughbred ranch and we are known for our champions. The Southern Mafia isn’t something that is advertised. To many, it is a rumor, and to those with enough power, it is just a part of life.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and stared toward one of the front windows. “The Dancastles know who you are then because they have power.”
“Yes.”
She shifted her gaze back to meet mine. “Sebastian, why am I here?”
“Because Merce Dancastle and his father are funneling a laced drug that the Feds are going to step in and handle if we don’t shut it down. We keep that kind of thing out of our area, and it keeps the Feds out of our shit. They turn a blind eye, so to speak. Edward Dancastle is fucking with the wrong people. Merce got your father somewhat involved by having him do some drops for him. Because of that and you dating him, you are now on their radar.”
Her mouth fell slightly open, and her already-pale skin seemed to lose the little color it had left.
“What?” she asked. “What, my dad? Me?”
She shook her head, and those eyes told me all I needed to know. She didn’t know anything about the drugs.
“Your father left with money he had gotten from the Dancastles to disappear. He left you and your Grams alone with no protection. I had to get you both safe. No one is getting near you, and no one is taking you from me.”
Not the complete truth, but it was close enough. If it hadn’t been for Dancastle, I’d have never met her. I wouldn’t have witnessed the way her father treated her, and he’d not be in our underground right now.
“Whose radar am I on? The Feds? Merce’s father?” She looked like she was going to be sick.
I took a step toward her, and she shook her head, backing up again. Fuck, I wish she’d stop that. I wanted to hold her. Reassure her. Get some color back in her pretty face.
“Both,” I told her, which wasn’t true.
She was on my father’s radar, but seeing as she wouldn’t come near me, I didn’t think telling her I’d brought her here so he wouldn’t take her away from me would help the situation.
“I need to go back. I can tell them I didn’t know. The Feds. Running makes me look guilty.”
“No. They already know about your hustles. You’ve been investigated thoroughly. You claiming to be innocent means little, I’m afraid, and if Merce Dancastle has to, he’ll throw you under the goddamn bus. Then, I’ll have to kill him.”
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Kill him?”
“Yes.”
Her hands fell to her sides, and she moved farther away from me. “See, that right there. I don’t feel safe with you anymore. You’re someone I don’t know. Kill isn’t a threat sane people just toss around.”