Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 68936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“What do you mean they’ve caught up?” Remy asks. “They’re here?”
“My step-brother, Devin, came to Adan’s house this morning.”
“That fucker,” Adan growls. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“I didn’t have a chance. Anyway, he came to tell me they’re in town, they’re staying a while and, basically, that he won’t be leaving without the money. The way he hinted at it, though, is that he’ll make sure he takes it, no matter the cost. He also made note that if something were to happen to me, it would automatically go to him.”
“Fuck,” Riggs mutters. “He’s threatenin’ you?”
“Yeah, in a roundabout way. He’s too smart to outright threaten me. So, I guess I’m here because I really don’t know what to do about it.”
“I fuckin’ do,” Adan growls.
“You can’t just go make him ‘disappear’ Adan. Trust me, he’d have a way to make sure I went down for it. He’s smart, like super smart. My mother is in town, also, which makes it even worse. We have to be smarter than he is, I just don’t know how. I do know one thing, though, I need to do a will, something that will make sure the money is sent somewhere else other than him if something happens to me.”
“Nothin’,” Adan growls. “I repeat, nothin’, is goin’ to be happening to you.”
God, my heart feels warm when he’s protective like that.
“Maybe, but I’m not going to leave it as it is and risk that,” I say softly.
“You mind me askin’, how much money are we talkin’ about here?” Riggs asks.
I chew on my bottom lip for a minute. “Ah, over three million. Plus a house.”
They all stare at me.
“I know it’s a lot,” I say quickly. “But I’ve never touched it, mostly because I’m not the kind of girl to let someone else set me up for life. I have the house up for sale, but as for the money, I haven’t touched a cent. It’s in an account, and I don’t look at that account. I don’t want to be ... I want to work for the things I’ve got.”
“Noble,” Riggs points out. “But that doesn’t make it disappear, it also gives very good fuckin’ motive for you to go missing. That kind of money is worth killing over. Is this step-brother of yours dangerous?”
I don’t hesitate. “Oh, he might not get his hands dirty, but he could easily make sure I disappeared.”
“That’s my fear,” Riggs exhales. “We’ll sort this out for you, but you’re right, first things first you need to get that money looked after. You might not want it, but you don’t want him havin’ it, either. You need to speak to someone and have it redirected to someone you love if you die.”
God.
I feel a little unwell, to be honest.
“Yeah, okay,” I nod.
“You give us the details on this brother of yours,” Adan mutters, his voice scratchy. “Every single thing you know. We’ll be payin’ him a visit.”
“I don’t think that’ll be enough—if anything, I think it’ll make him angrier. But, I trust you all to know what is right.”
“You spoken to your father about this?” Riggs asks.
I shake my head. “No, but I will be. He won’t be happy to know the dragon has come out of her cave.”
Remy’s mouth twitches.
“Right.” Riggs pushes into a standing position. “You got our support on this, you go make the call now and, until then, you need to stay with Adan all of the time. If that fucker is goin’ to cause you problems, one of us is goin’ to be there with you. You tell Eve?”
I give him an awkward look. “She doesn’t know any of this.”
“Suggest you tell her, she needs to know.”
“Yeah, okay. I will.”
I exhale and stand, smiling at Riggs. “Thanks, I appreciate you helping me.”
“Write down everything we need to know, and if you see that little weasel when you’re with us, point him out. We will take care of this.”
Oh, I have no doubt.
“You ready to go?” I ask Adan.
“Got shit to do tonight, but I’ll change my plans.”
Oh.
“No, don’t change your plans. I’ll hang with Eve.”
“I’ll come by and stay with you,” Remy offers, his eyes swinging to mine and making my stomach do a little flip flop.
Oh, boy.
“I can change it,” Adan growls, glaring at Remy.
“No,” I say. “No, keep your plans. Remy and I will hang out at your house.”
Adan wants to argue, he does.
But, as always, he keeps his mouth closed.
Of course he does.
The man refuses to say what he really feels.
He’d much rather go through life with this stupid notion that he’s some sort of heartless creature who will never change.
Hell, maybe he is.
Maybe he is.
14
Lorelei looks at Remy and me, her cheeks rosy pink as she waits for Adan to come downstairs.
I had a feeling his plans included her, and I should have known it would bother me. I’m trying to stop it, god am I trying, but not a single thing I’m doing right now is making my feelings simmer down any. I know Adan will never give me what I want, but the idea of him spending a night out with her, laughing, having fun, makes my stomach feel heavy and achy, and my heart hurt.