Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
That’s why they have us—Lords going through initiation—take out the ones who have chewed through them and managed to get away.
A man catches my attention as he walks up to them. He gives the redhead a hug and then kisses the brunette I’ve been watching on the cheek before he makes his way through the crowd. I follow him with my eyes, watching him talk to a few men here and there before he disappears inside.
I look back at the brunette to see she’s no longer where she was. Quickly scanning the deck, I don’t see her in the crowd. She most likely went to get another glass of champagne.
Turning, I follow the man and make sure to keep my distance as I watch him shake a few more hands and stop to talk to a few more Lords. Everyone on this megayacht is the best of the best at what they do. The ones at the top.
The one-percenters who own the companies and allow you to survive on a day-to-day basis. Now, they’re not looking out for you. They’re definitely in it for the money. But if you die, they’ll be out of business. So they’re going to do the bare minimum to keep you satisfied.
We pull farther away from the crowd, making our way up a set of stairs. He pushes a door open, and I take a quick look to make sure no one sees me following him. I pull my cell from my pocket and send a text to the group chat before returning it.
Then I turn to open the door and step inside. He stands over at the sliding glass door that leads out to his balcony overlooking the dark water. We’re close enough to shore that you can see the lights from the land across the way.
I undo the button on my suit jacket and pull it open, wrapping my hand around the handle of the gun.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” he speaks.
And since I’m the only one in his office with him, I guess I did a shitty job at trying to go unnoticed. The brunette had me off my game. I normally don’t let pussy get in the way. But it’s been so long, and she isn’t the type of woman anyone can ignore. She’s what a man dreams of—dress her up and show her off to your friends, make them jealous of what you have. And then take her home, tie her down, and make her your dirty little whore. Show her what it’s like to be owned.
Pushing those thoughts from my head, I remove the gun and hold it down by my side.
He turns and picks up a glass and fills it with bourbon. “Like a drink?” he asks.
“No thanks,” I answer.
He brings the glass to his lips and takes a sip before his blue eyes drop to the gun in my hand, resting against the side of my thigh. Setting the bourbon down, he gives me his back, turning to look out the windows once again. “We’re all on borrowed time.”
He knows I’m here to kill him. I’m not surprised. A Lord is always aware when he’s fucked up—gone too far—and his time is over.
“Yeah.” I indulge him in small talk. I feel my phone vibrate knowing it’s the guys responding to my previous text. I told them I was handling mine on my own. They’re probably searching for me as I stand in this room.
The man picks his drink back up, taking a sip, and smirks as I watch his reflection in the sliding glass door. Turning to face me once again, he throws back the rest of the drink before setting the glass down on the round table. Holding out both of his hands, he speaks. “Take care of her.”
Stepping into him, I lift the gun, point it at his chest, and say, “We’re going to burn it.” And then I pull the trigger.
FOUR
HAIDYN
INITIATION
One of them
Senior year at Barrington University
I’m fucking melting. I’m shirtless and tied to a wooden post outside. I can feel the sun beating down on me. I’ve had a black hood over my head for quite some time now, and it makes it hard to breathe.
I’m sweating and breathing heavily.
The wooden post at my back digs into my exposed skin. My wrists are tied behind it, and there’s a rope around my neck and another securing my ankles. They like to restrict movement as much as possible. They say it’s for our safety, but I call bullshit. It’s for them to humiliate us. Makes us vulnerable.
The smell of smoke fills the air, and I know we’re getting closer.
The hood is yanked from my head, and I blink at the harsh sunlight. My three brothers and I are in the courtyard of Carnage. Each tied to our posts with a firepit in front of us.