Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84700 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Unless that was a lie…and he was out with another woman.
Would Damien do something like that?
Liam promised to be faithful to me forever…and he broke that promise the second I couldn’t give him what he wanted.
Was Damien just putting on an act?
We weren’t exclusive and he could see other people, so why lie?
But then why else was he blowing me off?
13
Damien
“Tell him to get his ass out here.” I stood at the gate, looking into the dark eyes of the security guard who had a gun pointed at me. “That motherfucker owes me, and he knows it. Open the doors, and let me in. Or I’ll keep showing up until that asshole shows his face.”
“Or maybe I’ll just shoot you right now.”
My hand moved with the speed of a viper, and I reached through the bars and pointed his gun to the ground. At the same time, I pulled the knife out of my jacket and pushed it right toward his jugular. “Maybe I’ll butcher you like a pig.”
The guard was stuck, because if he even breathed too hard, I’d pierce his skin.
A guard from the rear yelled to the front. “Open the gate.”
I let him go. “That’s right, bitch.”
The gate rolled open, and I stepped onto the property. The brown truck was parked to the left, and the high walls kept unwanted foes far away. I approached the front doors but was blocked by two men with guns.
I sighed and waited.
A moment later, he stepped out of the double doors and walked toward me in his black sweatpants without a shirt. His shoulders rolled with his movements, and his blue eyes were trained on me like a riflescope. He stopped in front of me, his cold expression showing his paramount annoyance.
The skull diamond sat on his left hand.
One of the three.
“What’s so fucking important, Damien?” He didn’t raise his voice because he didn’t need to. He was deadlier when he was quiet.
“Heath.”
The mention of his twin brother softened his features slightly. “What about him?”
“That asshole needs to be holstered. Get him under control.”
Balto processed what I’d said. “Elaborate.”
“He demands I pay my royalties.”
“And?”
“You failed to provide a service, so I don’t owe the Skull Kings shit. Explain that to him so he gets off my tail.”
He still hadn’t blinked. “He’s the Skull King now. I’m nobody.”
“You’re his brother. You’ll never be nobody.”
“How he chooses to run that organization is his business, not mine. I’m retired. I have no power to influence his decisions.”
“Bullshit.”
His eyes narrowed. “I made a clean break when I parted from the Skull Kings. I traded in my power for peace. I won’t risk that because you refuse to pay your dues.”
“Pay my dues?” I snapped. “When Maddox was raping Hades’s wife and monopolizing the business, where were you?”
He was quiet.
“Nowhere. Fucking nowhere.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “I can’t help you, Damien. Nothing I say will change Heath’s mind. If he lets you slide, then he has to let everyone else slide. That will cause a lot more problems. Want my advice?”
No, but he would give it to me anyway.
“Pay him. Or retire.”
Neither one of those was an option.
“Unless you can wipe out the Skull Kings, which I doubt, you’re starting a war you’ll never win.”
I stared at him coldly.
“Just pay him, Damien.” He turned around to walk back inside.
“I saved your life, asshole.”
He halted in place for seconds before he turned back around. He came back to me. “And I will repay that debt if you ever ask me to.”
“That’s what I’m doing now.”
“No. You’re asking me to coddle your pride.” He squared his shoulders and stared at me with an irritated gaze. “When your life is on the line, I will walk over fire for you. But that’s not now. Call me when it is.”
It wasn’t until I woke up the next morning that I realized what I’d forgotten.
Annabella.
Once Heath had punched me in the stomach, all thoughts of her ceased. I’d dropped off my father at his house and got to work.
I saw her missed call and text message. My dick appointment hasn’t been rescheduled, right?
Ah, fuck.
I put the phone to my ear and called her as I walked into the bathroom. I listened to it ring as I stared at myself in the mirror, seeing the discoloration on my stomach where Heath had slammed his fist.
No answer.
I had a crazy night last night. Talk to me.
Nothing.
Did I just fuck this up again?
Annabella.
I skipped the office and went straight to her apartment. I knew she didn’t work until lunchtime or the dinner shift, so she had to be home. I knocked loudly.
No response.
I knocked again. “Annabella, please.”
Nothing.
I slammed my fist into the wood. “Want to watch me break it down?”
Finally, the locks turned, and she opened the door.
Looking pissed.
“It’s annoying when Liam shows up like he owns the place.” With one hand on her hip, she stared at me in irritation. “It’s even more annoying when you do it. At least I was married to the guy. I hardly know you.”