Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 169(@200wpm)___ 135(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
"Barely," I lie. "How do you know Ivette?"
"She and I met once," Rain admits.
"You mean you were friends. Before she got married."
"Yes," she nods.
"And what she tell you?" I hiss.
"Just the truth."
"Which is what, exactly?"
"You, your brother, and Ivette grew up in an orphanage together."
"Common knowledge," I hiss.
She crosses her arms. "Until the day Xander got adopted. Or rather, you did."
My jaw ticks. I didn't think Ivette would've ever mentioned it. She was too ashamed. Too hurt.
"You can't blame me for that," I argue. "Heath's grandfather didn't meet me. He only met Xander. If he saw me first, he would have picked me. He was a smart man."
"But the problem is, you were both there. He had to pick one," Heath muses. "So, you stole the opportunity from your own brother."
"He would have done the same," I say, and the words sound hollow, even to my own ears.
"Is that so?"
"You heard him," Rain interrupts. "The two of them were competing their whole lives. And he won. He won, and Xander lost."
"He never stopped competing," I mutter.
"And you stole a life from him," Heath argues. "A good life. One filled with money and power. One he was entitled to."
"I was entitled to it, too."
"Maybe," Rain admits. "Or maybe it was just meant for you, and not him. But he won't believe that."
"No," I shake my head. "He won't."
"You need to turn yourself over to him."
I look up at Heath. "Like hell I will."
"You have a choice. Either give yourself to him, and live. Or die."
"I'm not ready to die," I snarl.
"Then you need to end this," Heath argues.
"I'll do whatever it takes," I promise.
"Including sacrificing your wife?" Rain asks softly.
"No," I snap. "Tallulah will always be my priority. I'll always keep her safe."
"Will you?" Rain tilts her head.
"Of course."
"You're not very good at keeping promises, Xavier."
"Watch it, Rain. This is my fight, not yours. Stay out of it."
"It's not my fight, or hers. But it will be ours if you don't stop him," Heath argues.
"This ends with his death. There's no other way."
"You really want to kill him?" Rain asks. "Your own brother?"
"He wants to kill me, too. Do you think he would have spared any of you? Do you think he would spare your daughter? If he's allowed to live, everyone I love will die."
"Do you even care about Tallulah?" Rain asks.
"Don't," I warn her. "Don't bring her into this. You have no idea what you're talking about."
"You can't keep her."
"That's not your decision to make," I growl. "Remember the little deal we made?"
Rain's lips tighten, and I smirk. "Exactly. You know I let you and Heath go free. You know what the conditions for your betrayal were. Your firstborn."
"We didn't expect you to turn her into a mindless sex toy," Heath seethes.
"No?" I laugh. "You did the same to your wife. What, you don't remember?"
"That's different. We're meant to be. Tallulah is a child."
"Meant to be? You're only together because I allowed it to happen," I hiss. "And Tallulah is a grown woman. She can decide what she wants."
"And you've convinced her, is that it?"
"Yes," I smile.
"She's your godchild, Xavier. You're supposed to protect her, not take advantage of her."
"You have no idea what I've done for her. You think she was ever just a fuck toy? No, I kept her by my side, protected her, trained her, and loved her. And it's her choice. It will always be her choice."
"Even if her choice kills her?"
"I won't let her die. I promise."
"You just promised you'd keep her safe," Rain reminds me.
"Safe is a relative word. I'll do everything in my power to keep her alive. Does that suffice?"
"It doesn't. It doesn't even come close," Rain tells me.
"It will have to do. I have nothing else to offer. All I can do is my best. And I have."
"Laughable." Heath stands up, his eyes filled with animosity as he stares me down. "You're laughable, Uncle. Do you even hear yourself? You can't keep her safe."
"You'd be surprised. Besides, she's my wife. I won't leave her side."
"You'll have no choice."
"Why not?"
"Because you can't stop the inevitable."
"You're wrong. I can."
"No," Rain shakes her head. "You can't. Xander is out for blood. His own blood. And you can't stop him. You won't be able to do it on your own."
"I have my cartel," I mutter.
"Oh, you mean two dogs and Saul?" Heath laughs. "You need our help, Uncle. And we will help you, for the sake of our daughter. But we have our own conditions."
"Let me guess. You want your kid back," I roll my eyes.
"Of course. But more importantly, we need you to keep your wife here, with us. With her family."
"No," I say with pleasure.
"No?" Heath roars. "No? Fuck you, Xavier. Accept our help and our demands, or I'll kill you right here and right now."