Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Antwone, The Boss, sat at the bar sipping his cheap whiskey while listening to his cell phone ring constantly. He didn’t even need to check who the caller was to know it was his brother, Draven.
His brother was married, had two children, and Antwone was happy for them. After all, he’d been the one to help manipulate things and set it up so Draven got the woman he wanted. It was the least he could do. His brother had saved his life, kept him safe, and then put him on the throne, making him The Boss.
Men looked toward him to rule, to control, to do everything that needed to be done. But because of their past, secrets had to be kept. No one could know they were the brothers who were supposedly killed by their enraged father.
Running a hand down his face, he cut those memories off, because they weren’t important. He and Draven had fixed those problems years ago, and anyone who dared to blackmail them was taken care of. It was a lot of hard work, and Antwone was more than prepared for it.
But there were a few occasions when he just wanted to have a nice drink without the troubles that kept knocking at his door. Nor the pain that came with knowing he was alone.
Being at the top had a great deal of perks. He liked having people afraid of him, and for good reason. There was a time his father called him “weak” and a “pussy.” Not being able to kill animals made him pathetic in his father’s eyes. Antwone still refused to kill animals, but when it came to people, he was more than happy to hurt, hunt, torture, and get what he wanted.
There was a monster inside him—a beast. Many called Draven the devil, but they both knew who the real monster was.
Antwone looked at the small amount of amber liquid in the bottom of the glass and finished it off in one gulp. It tasted vile, and was nothing like the good stuff he loved.
There was a time he didn’t drink. There was a time he didn’t do a lot of things, but knocking at death’s door after a beating from your father changes you.
Over the years, Draven had told him he’d changed. Antwone tried to laugh it off as nonsense, but he knew it was bullshit. He had changed. Years ago, a woman’s pleas would result in him being lenient, showing mercy, but now he saw the deceit and betrayal. It was what made Maria, Draven’s wife, so very different. She had known her family was going to betray him, but she’d come to him.
Maria was the last woman he’d shown mercy. That was five years ago.
“Are you all right, honey?” a soft, beautiful voice asked.
Antwone looked up to see a blonde, blue-eyed beauty standing in front of him. There was no makeup on her face, and her long hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. If he didn’t know better, he’d believe her gaze held concern for him.
“More than fine. Just a refill,” he said, shoving his glass toward her.
She grabbed his glass, the whiskey, and refilled, placing it back in front of him. He knew she kept an eye on him.
Antwone decided to look her in the eye. He had come to learn that staring back at people made them nervous, and they often looked away. This woman, with Candice on her name tag, didn’t look away. He didn’t know if she was brazen or just plain stupid.
“Tell me, Candice, what are you doing in this bar?” he asked.
Her brows went up just a notch, and then she pursed her lips. “I work here. That’s what I’m doing.”
“A beauty like you working here? Please, you could have your choice of a life.” He was pretty sure there would be many men lining up, willing to give her whatever her little heart desired. All she needed to do was click her fingers and they’d be putty in her hands.
Instead of being charmed, she rolled her eyes. Not the response he was hoping for.
“Does that line work on everyone?” she asked.
He tutted. “Most women don’t need much else.”
“Nice. Insulting my sex while you’re at it. That’s pretty good…” She sighed. “What’s your name?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he asked, winking.
This was … refreshing. It had been a long time since he had talked to a woman who didn’t know who he was. If she did, there was no way she’d even be talking to him with disrespect. He liked her attitude. It was nice.
She wiped down the bar, and he couldn’t help but watch her ass when there was another customer who needed to be served. He didn’t take a single drink as he was more entertained by the woman in front of him. She got the guy his drink, took the payment, and handed him the change.