Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 123212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123212 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
I feel Colton’s grin as his hand tightens on my waist. He leans down, dismissing Nic’s request. His breath tickles my throat and I keep my eyes locked on Nic’s as Colton’s demanding whisper sounds right beside my ear. “As of five minutes ago, you were on the clock. If you want to keep your job, then I’d suggest fucking them off and picking up a goddamn serving platter.”
Oh, fuck. This is not going to go down well.
My face scrunches as my jaw clenches.
What am I supposed to do here? Tell my boys to go and cause all sorts of shit or lose my job?
I turn in Colton’s arm and look up at him, meeting those eyes that have tortured me since the second I stepped through the doors of this over-sized, power-hungry mansion. “Please,” I murmur, hating that I’m about to beg, but when it comes to my crew, there’s not a damn thing that I won't do. “Don’t make me do this.”
A grin pulls at his lips and it’s clear that he’s enjoying himself. “After the scene you just caused with my sisters at their father’s funeral, you're fucking lucky that you’re not going with them. Your friend was just up in my bedroom trying to steal my father's Rolex while this other prick just offered to fuck my underage sister. Take your pick, Jade. What’s more important to you? A bunch of gang members who have nothing to offer except a prison sentence or a fucking shot at a life after graduation?”
No, no, no, no, no. Why did he have to word it like that?
“Come on, this isn’t fair.”
“Five fucking seconds. I’d suggest you hurry up and choose.”
“Colton.”
“Three seconds, Jade.”
Fuck.
This is not going to go down well.
I let out a breath and turn to face Nic with regret heavy in my eyes. His gaze tightens and all my boys stiffen, seeing where this is going before I’ve said a damn word. “You should go,” I tell them. “Chill out in the pool house until I’m finished working and we can hang out after that.”
“The fuck?” Nic grunts, his face twisting as his brows drop low. “You’re turning your back on your boys for this fuckwit?”
“I’m not,” I demand, stepping into Nic and feeling the loss of Colton at my back like the loss of a limb. “You’re my fucking boys. You always will be, but if you stay you’re going to fuck things up for me here. I have a good thing going. You know how much mom and I need this. Colton is my boss now. I have to do this.”
“Babe, come on,” Sebastian says.
“Please,” I say, feeling my heart breaking, seeing the devastation deep within his handsome features. “Just go chill out in the pool house.”
Colton scoffs behind me. “What makes you think they’re welcome in the pool house?”
I spin around and shoot my glare at him, letting him see just how fucking deeply he’s killing me. “I can have guests in the pool house. That’s always been the rules,” I demand, hating that I’m making a scene right in the middle of the ballroom for Harrison, mom, and Maryne to see.
“They were my father’s rules,” he says darkly, moving an inch closer and making Nic flinch at my back. “This is my property now.”
I clench my jaw and tear my eyes away from his before turning on my heel back to Nic. “Please, Nic.”
His hand snakes out and grips my wrist tightly. He pulls me into him. “Come the fuck home with me,” he orders, using that tone that I’ve never been able to deny, the one he uses on his Black Widows, the one that demands respect.
I pull back, everything breaking inside of me. “I’m sorry,” I say, tears beginning to well in my eyes. “I can’t.”
Nic watches me as I silently step back into Colton’s chest. Betrayal fills him and I watch as he starts putting together the pieces of a puzzle that I don't even think exists anymore. “I see how it is,” he murmurs.
“No, Nic. It’s not.”
He shakes his head and just like that, he turns and walks away, taking my crew with him and leaving me an absolute mess.
Colton stays right at my back until the last of the boys disappear from the ballroom then scoffs and walks away as though my heartbreak is some kind of joke.
I watch him go but the anger builds within me and I find myself racing after him, intent on … I don’t know what. Making a difference? Having a say? Putting him in his damn place? It’s lost on me. All I know is that this bullshit isn’t over until I say it is.
No one makes me choose between my boys and my future like that apart from me. How dare he force that on me. He knows how much they mean to me. Hell, I’m not even scheduled to work at this party. If anything, I should be free to enjoy my day with my boys the way I see fit.