Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“First off, that’s not going to work because Cutter would have to agree,” I declared. “Not to mention, Cutter’s family and friends probably don’t have the same kind of mindset that our family does. This isn’t something that we can just do and people not know about it.”
“I’ll talk to Cutter,” Shasha said. “I’ll explain why I need him to do it.”
“This is a big ask,” I pointed out. “And you haven’t told me why I need to be married yet.”
“It’s not necessarily being married, exactly. It’s being married to him, exactly.”
“Why?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Because Cutter Clayborne is an interesting man.” He expounded, “One, he’s sergeant at arms for the Truth Tellers MC, which is one of the biggest motorcycle clubs in the nation. They have chapters all over the United States. Not to mention, they’re allied with the biggest motorcycle club in the United States, The Dixie Wardens MC.” He took the seat across from me. “Men like Pennington will think twice about messing with me if I’m connected with them. And I’ll need the coverage if I’m going to take that piece of shit out.”
My brows rose at that.
“And, I don’t know if he told you, but he’ll be particularly motivated to help because his own sister was assaulted like you were. By their own father,” he explained.
My stomach sank.
I mean, I’d assumed, of course. But to have it actually shared with me…
“Oh,” I replied softly.
“That’s why Copper is in prison. For killing their father when he caught him abusing his sister,” he said softly. “Keely, their sister, is pretty fucked up still. She tries to act like she’s not affected.” he leveled me with a look that clearly said that he thought I did the same. “But she’s spiraling.”
I imagined she was.
To have her own father…
No, I couldn’t think about it.
“Copper is set to get out of prison in a few years…” Shasha said. “But I know a few people that can get him out early if he’ll agree. If Cutter says yes, then they’ll enjoy their first family holiday together in almost two decades. I’ll guarantee it.”
I scrubbed at my face. “It’ll take away all of Cutter’s freedom.”
“There’ll be an expiration date,” Shasha said. “If you both want it.”
I couldn’t imagine him ever agreeing to this…but the fear that was taking root inside of my soul told me that I was going to agree.
I’d do anything to no longer feel the fear anymore.
It was suffocating me.
All this forehead and I still can’t remember anything.
—Cutter’s secret thoughts
CUTTER
I was putting the finishing touches on the front room’s row of shelves when I heard the door open behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder, fully expecting my wood delivery to be the one arriving, and came to a stop when it was one I wasn’t expecting.
Milena looked…terrified.
And that look sent my stomach into razor sharp knots of dread.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
The door opened behind her and her bodyguard arrived.
Shasha jerked his chin up at me and said, “Clayborne.”
“Semyonov.” I rolled my eyes.
I never understood the point of using the last name as a form of greeting.
“You can say no,” Milena blurted. “Absolutely, you can say no.”
I frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
That’s when Shasha started talking, and I realized what play he’d taken.
He may not have shared the whole truth with her, but he’d shared enough of it that she was now terrified and agreeing to marry me without a single protest.
I listened to Shasha’s entire speech, acting like I was learning the information for the first time.
I did have to admit, I was a particularly great actor because I played the part perfectly.
She moved forward and grabbed my hand when Shasha finished. “You don’t…you don’t have to agree to it if you don’t want to. I will not be the reason your life is ruined.”
That’s when I’d had enough.
I cupped her cheek with my hand and said, “The very last thing I’ll ever do is tell a woman in need that she’s not important enough to put my life on hold for.”
She softened.
“You know…my sister…” I didn’t say the words.
Her expression melted. “Shasha didn’t tell me it all. Only the basic facts. I know.”
“Then you know that I’ll never, not ever, tell someone that needs help that they can’t have it,” I said, turning to Shasha. “How certain are you that he’ll get out and come after her?”
“He’s spent the last six years trading favors, pulling strings, and ultimately meeting every single bad guy in the goddamn system,” Shasha said. “When I say that this was the worst possible place he could’ve gone, I’m not exaggerating. What you thought was punishment was actually a goddamn networking thing for him. If possible, he is coming out with more contacts than he had when he went in, and he now has an army at his back ready to do his bidding.”