Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45045 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“So…you gonna give her the news or should I do it?”
Gus sighed heavily. “My decision, my job to tell her. But I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m nervous. She might just torch the place.”
The point was valid.
“Yeah, we should probably hide the matches.”
“Peaches won’t need matches,” Gus said slowly, raising a hand to rub his temple. “She’ll shoot fire straight out of her eyes. Her mom could do it, too. Never piss off a Taylor woman, Eli. They’ll make you pay for the rest of your life.”
“Too late.”
Gus grunted, then nodded. “Can’t argue with that. Do me a favor. If she kills me, make sure they never figure out what happened. It should look like an accident, not a murder. Understand? She’s the closest thing I’ve got to a daughter.” He shook his head slowly. “You know, if you’d claimed her ass when you got out, this wouldn’t be such a big fucking deal.”
“Have you met Peaches?” I asked, raising a brow. “It needs to be her idea. Otherwise, it’s not happening.”
A faint, bittersweet smile spread across my uncle’s face. “Yeah, you’re right about that. Her mom was the same way... I fucked that shit up, and I’ve regretted it every day since. Don’t make the same mistake, you got me? She’ll never forgive you.”
“Oh, I’m aware. She still hasn’t forgiven me for locking her in that closet. I was only twelve, for fuck’s sake.”
“You left her in there overnight.”
“At least there wasn’t a snake in there.”
“Tell yourself whatever you have to, son,” he replied, shaking his head. “Now, I’d best get this over with. Send her in, will you? Oh, and I was serious about covering things up if she murders me.”
“I know. I’ll go round up some bleach and a tarp while you tell her the news.”
* * * *
~Peaches~
“Excuse me?” I asked, the words sharp and precise.
Gus wore the same calm, steady expression he always wore. Normal. Like he hadn’t just smashed my world to pieces with one sentence.
“You heard me, sweetheart.”
“No…” I said slowly. “Because it sounded like you just told me that you’re selling the bar to Eli. And that can’t be right. Because I’m buying the bar. We talked about it two years ago, remember? We even ran the numbers. We’re supposed to do a contract for deed at the end of the year. That’s only six months from now, Gus.”
“Eli has cash,” he said flatly. “With you, I’d have to carry a contract. I’ll be dead before you pay it off, baby. He made the offer, and I accepted. The deal is done.”
“What?” I asked, stunned. “Eli has cash? That’s crazy. He doesn’t even have his own apartment! He doesn’t have a job history—nothing. There’s no way.”
“His dad died while he was in prison,” Gus replied.
“He’s never even met the guy. You’re the one who raised him.”
“True,” Gus said. “The man was shit, no question. But he got killed by a drunk driver, and the driver’s insurance offered a settlement. Eli was the only heir. It came in a lump sum, and it’s been sitting in the bank ever since. That’s a much better deal for me than a contract for deed.”
“But we had a deal,” I insisted. “Eli has no clue how to run this place. He’s only been back a few months, and half the time, he’s fucking off with your club brothers. He spent the whole afternoon drinking instead of working!”
“Peaches, honey—”
“Don’t honey me, Gus,” I snapped, a wave of fury welling up deep within my chest. “You promised me this place. Said you could count on me to run it right. Or did I hallucinate all those conversations?”
“I can count on Eli to run it right, too,” Gus said, holding my gaze. Funny how he managed to keep eye contact. You’d think it’d be logistically impossible, what with the giant-ass knife he’d just stabbed into my back. “You’re damned good at your job, Peaches. I’m proud of everything you’ve accomplished here. But Eli is my blood, and he’s part of my club. I know you don’t want to hear this, but the only reason I talked to you about taking over was because I thought he was gone. He was always my first choice. Even if it wasn’t for the cash.”
His words made me see red. Literally. Flashes of crimson danced at the edges of my vision, and the air in the room seemed too thick for me to inhale at all, let alone catch my breath.
Motherfucking Eli King had done it again.
First, he’d stolen half my bedroom.
Then he’d stolen Gus.
Now, he was stealing the Starkwood right out from under me, and I could tell from the expression on my boss’s face that he’d been telling the truth—this really had been his plan all along. Turning away from Gus, I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to think. How could he do this to me?