Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
He basks in the violence. And now, as he turns to the boy who’s begging for mercy, I know he’ll show none.
“Please, I didn’t—”
The crack of my father’s fist against Diamo’s face has me recoiling. The bone is broken. I heard it break. The bile that I’d been swallowing back rises quickly, and I’m bent over, puking my lunch up as I drop to my knees.
“Do you see what you’ve done to my son? Making him weak with stupid emotions he shouldn’t be having for the likes of you,” Dad hisses in a low, feral tone. He’s no longer human, he’s an animal. Livid, I swipe my hand against my mouth to clean myself and push to my feet.
I run at my father but he’s fast. He sees me coming before I make contact, and his knuckles slam into my face, right under my left eye. There’s blood dripping from the cut from my father’s ring, and I’m holding onto my cheek as I look up at the man I thought was my hero.
“You will watch,” Dad says, and two of his soldiers hold me steady. As much as I try to struggle out of their grasp, they’re bigger and stronger than I am. There’s no escape.
I shake my head as I look at Brielle. My mind in the present, shoving the image of the next few moments away. I don’t want to think about it, but I have no choice.
“He made me watch as he tortured Diamo. For hours. He cut him, then poured vinegar into the wounds. He rubbed salt on burns he created with a lighter. Everything he did, I saw. He made sure I didn’t turn away.”
“Oh my God,” Brielle gasps when I finally break down and I allow myself to cry. My shoulders shake as she holds me, wrapping her slender arms around me. “I can’t believe someone can be so evil.”
I know she’s still getting used to this world, but I know that what my father did wasn’t the worst. I’ve definitely heard of terrible stories from other children. But, it was also the worst thing I’d ever witnessed in my life.
“Where is your father now?” Brielle asks, pulling away to look up at me. There’s a glint of fear in her eyes, and I don’t fucking blame her.
“Karma came for him about three years ago. He suffered a stroke first, then once he believed he was healed, he was adamant that I couldn’t take over from him. So, instead of allowing me to do his job, he was determined to show the world he was still a bastard to be feared. He went out on a job to meet with some contacts who shot him. He’s in a coma and has been since,” I tell her.
Her mouth pops open in shock. “So he’s alive?”
I nod. “My mother doesn’t want to pull the plug.”
“Wow.”
“Which is why we’re so careful to keep our secret. Once we’re in our new roles, it will be easier to come out. To show the world who we are. And to make sure that nothing like what happened to Diamo ever happens again.”
A DELIVERY
BRIELLE
I’m still in shock. The story that Valen told me has been bothering me since yesterday. The moment I step into class, I’m bombarded with the scent of cologne. In the front of the class is Professor Toscano who started a few months ago.
He’s still getting all the attention from the handful of female students who attend the school. There are rules in place to ensure that he’s not allowed to date any of them, but I still wonder if he’s been tempted by someone.
“Hey, girl,” Emilia says as she slides into the chair beside me. I haven’t seen her in a while, and I wonder why.
“What had you away from school for so long?” I ask as I arch a brow.
This time, she giggles in response. “I may have met someone. But I can’t talk about it,” she says quickly. “Maybe we can have a girls’ night after your big day. I mean, once you’re back from the honeymoon.”
“Oh, I don’t think we’re going away for that,” I tell her. The idea of being whisked off the island, and taken somewhere exotic has crossed my mind, but Judah doesn’t strike me as someone who would do that.
“Oh please,” Emilia says with a wave of her hand. “There is a chance you may never come back. I mean, with the money and connections Jude has, I’m pretty sure he’ll be the one to sweep you off your feet.”
She sure has a different view of the man I’m about to marry.
“Maybe.”
We’re interrupted by class starting, and I turn to face the front. I’m going to have to pass if I’m going to graduate. Even though I’ll be working alongside Judah, I want him to see me as an equal, not just a girl who’s around the house all day doing nothing.