Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 184867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 924(@200wpm)___ 739(@250wpm)___ 616(@300wpm)
“I can’t come.” Kayla slams her lips together. “Family thing. But you go have fun.”
“Are you sure?” I ask. “Because I’m more than fine sitting this one out.”
“Yeah, of course!” she says. “I’ll come next time you go. No worries.”
“Perfect!” Penelope says, wrapping her arm around my neck. “This is gonna be a fabulous night. I can’t fucking wait.”
“Same,” I say.
Maybe I should just do it. What harm would it do to just have a little bit of fun? Besides, I could use the pick-me-up after everything last night.
My phone buzzes, and I check the messages.
Brooke: Hey, wanna come hang out at Club RIVERA? My friend got sick so now me and Lana are all alone. We’d love it if you’d come along.
“Wow.”
“What?” Penelope asks.
“A friend, Brooke, just asked me to come to Club RIVERA too.” I look up into their bewildered eyes. “She says Lana is going with her too.”
“Wait, what?” Felix frowns and steals my phone away. “What the fu—”
“Felix,” Penelope warns him. “Give back the phone.”
Felix’s nostrils flare, but he still hands it back to me. “She’s my fucking sister. I didn’t give her permission.”
“She doesn’t need it,” Penelope retorts, lifting her brow. “She can enjoy her free time any way she wants to. If she wants to come to the club, that’s her choice.”
“She’s not going alone,” he barks back.
“She’s not,” I say. “Brooke’s with her.”
He seems really on edge. “That’s not enough.”
“We’ll be there too. It’s fine,” Penelope says.
“What could happen?” Dylan mutters, taking another bite of his sandwich.
“Did you fucking forget about the Phantoms?”
Phantoms … I think Felix means Kai, Nathan, and Milo, as I heard from Penelope they were beefing. But I tend to stay far away from fights. At least, I used to.
“No, absolutely fucking not,” Felix growls.
“What if I went with her?” I’ve already said the words before I realized it. Everyone’s looking at me now. “I mean, Brooke asked. I could just … join them?”
Penelope sighs. “But I miss you. I really wanted to dance together.”
“It’s fine. Nothing’s stopping you guys from dancing together,” Kayla says.
I smile at Felix. “If Lana and Brooke want me there, I can join them. I’ll keep an eye out on her.”
“You sure?” Penelope asks me, grabbing my hand. “You don’t have to sacrifice yourself.”
“Yeah, it’ll be fun. Besides, you’re with plenty of people already, while they’re only with two. It’ll balance the groups a bit if I go with them instead.” I wink.
“Only if you’re sure,” Kayla says.
I text Brooke back.
Me: Sure! Would love to.
Brooke: Awesome! Meet us at Club RIVERA around eight.
Then I put my phone down. “There. It’s a done deal.”
Ares
I straighten my collar and clear my throat, then knock on his door.
“Come in.”
I push down the handle, the metal feeling like it weighs a ton in my hand as I open the door.
Five guys with tons of tattoos and piercings stand in front of his desk, their heads turned as their gazes fixate on me.
“Ares. Glad you could finally make room for me in your schedule.” It’s hard not to miss the sarcasm in his voice. My father points at a chair in the back. “Sit.”
I walk past the men and sit down, their gazes still upon me like hawks ready to strike their prey.
“Mi hijo … care to explain yourself?” my father asks.
“No.” I fold my arms.
“These men have told me you’ve been killing some of their guys. Is that true?”
I avert my eyes. “I don’t remember.”
My father’s fist comes down on the table, and my eye twitches in response.
“Speak the truth, now.”
“They came onto my property,” I say, crossing my legs too. “I have the right to defend myself.”
“They were there with orders,” one of the men in front of my father’s desk growls. “You had no right.”
“I had every right,” I retort, my fist balling. “I paid for that lot of land Tartarus was built on out of my own pocket. I own it.” I zero in on the men standing in front of my father’s desk, all high and mighty. “And I will defend it when someone trespasses.”
My father’s nostrils flare. “Regardless. They were there for a purpose.”
“Oh really? On campus grounds?” I rebuke. “Because I’m more than willing to explain to the dean what they were doing there. I’m sure the board members will be curious to know all about it.”
My father’s eyes widen, and the men seem on edge.
Good.
I know he’s been scheming with them, but I won’t allow it to happen on Tartarus grounds.
“I will make reparations,” my father tells the men, ignoring me. “You have my word.” He holds out his hand.
“Your word better be worth something,” the main guy says, shaking his hand. “Because if not, our mutual understanding will be over.”
“I will not risk any of our lucrative deals over my son’s indiscretions.” He throws me a brief glare. “You are valuable business partners.” He adds a snakelike smile before handing them a check. “I know it will not replace the lives lost, but please take this as an olive branch.”