Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 87416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 437(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
I grab him by the back of his neck since he’s still shirtless and yank him to me. “I’m going to pay your debt.” His eyes widen at that. “But your ass is gonna pay me back every fucking cent. Do you understand that?”
He nods quickly. I shove him to the door. “Get the fuck out!”
Cross sighs, standing by the door. I never saw him enter. “Grave, man, I’m not sure this is a good idea.”
“I didn’t ask you!” I snap. Then I run a hand down my face. Fuck. I need a drink. Or to get high. Pulling out my cell, I make a call while exiting the room and head toward the thirteenth floor in tower one where our offices are.
_______________
Getting off our private elevator, I walk past the empty reception desk and down the hallway, knowing she’s in my brother’s office. Titan would take her there.
I push open the door to find her sitting in a chair with her back to me. My brother sits behind the desk, as usual, with his eyes on her. Titan leans up against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.
She spins around and jumps out of her seat when her watery eyes meet mine. I walk up to her and place both of my hands on her tear-streaked face. “I’ve taken care of it.”
“Did you do this?” she asks, her ice blue eyes searching mine.
“No.” I sigh. “I had nothing to do with it. But I’m gonna handle it.”
She sniffs.
“How bad is the shop?” I ask.
“Destroyed.”
My chest tightens. “Did they hurt you?”
She bites her bottom lip but stays quiet. There’s a small bruise on her cheek. I remove my hands from her face and begin to run them over her shaking arms, looking for any sign of damage. Her hands have small cuts all over them, the blood now dried. I then run mine through her wild purple hair, and she hisses in a breath. I feel a cut, and my teeth clench. “How many were there?”
“Four,” she whispers.
“When did it happen?” Titan asks, surprising me.
She stays looking at me but answers him. “Tonight. Maybe an hour ago.”
My brother sits back in his seat, releasing a sigh. “Do we know who did it?”
“I don’t know who they were,” she answers him, but I nod.
I know them. Very well. “I’m gonna take you home,” I tell her, and she doesn’t argue.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
GRAVE
WE EXIT THE front of the hotel, and my car is already waiting for us. “Here you go, Grave.”
I help her into the passenger seat and then jump behind the wheel. Putting the car in gear, we take off.
She looks out the window, her head resting on it. “I don’t wanna go home,” she states softly.
“Roses?” I ask.
She just nods.
“Okay.” I yank on the e-brake and turn the wheel, making a U-turn.
My phone begins to ring through the silent car, and I press ignore when I see Lucy light up.
Twenty minutes later, we pull up to the shop, and she doesn’t wait for me to open her door. She enters, and I follow her. There’s glass all over the place. The three glass doors to the left are all busted. Flowers and petals cover the floor along with water. The shelves to the right that held her vases are torn off and pieces of them are on the floor as well.
“I have someone coming,” I tell her.
Her eyes meet mine. “What?”
“I made a call. A friend of mine is coming to stand guard at the door for the night. Then tomorrow morning, I have another friend coming to clean it up for you.”
She looks away from me, tears building in her eyes. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know.”
She sniffs, and I walk over to her. Placing my fingers on her chin, I lift it so she looks up at me. The first tear runs down her face. “I’m … I’m sorry for what I said before …”
“Don’t worry about it.” The truth is, she wasn’t far off. This is what I do. What the Kings do. I can’t blame the Mason brothers for what they did. Or how they did it. But I can take care of this issue. I’ll pay Ethan’s debt, and it’ll all go away. And I’ll make sure her shop is better than it ever was.
I hear the bell go off, signaling someone entering, and I let go of her to turn and face my friend Lance. “Hey, man.” I pull him in for a half man hug.
He whistles looking around. “Guessing you didn’t do this?” he asks.
“No.” Comes my clipped answer.
He nods, getting the point. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.”
I turn around but don’t see her. “April?” I call out, walking toward the back. I enter the office and see a door on the left open. I hear water running. Walking into it, I see it’s a small bathroom, and she has her hands under the running faucet, washing them off.