Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130512 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
They would never win against a mother’s love.
“What are you going to do?”
My arms tightened around her again. “About what?”
“She’s the one who hurt your father. I know you, Mason. You have to avenge your dad, even if you’re trying to tell me that you don’t blame them completely. I still know you.”
I closed my eyes, wishing I could close my heart just as easily. But I couldn’t. Not to Sam. Not to my kids. Not to my brother. Not to anyone I consider family, but that was the joke of it all because Sabrina was Sam’s sister.
“Are you asking me not to?” I guarded myself, waiting for her response.
Her hand rose to rest on my chest. She spread her fingers out, her palm splayed there. My heart knew it was there and tried pushing its way out of my chest, trying to get to her touch.
She dropped her voice. “She’s been warped. She’s his weapon. You hurt her; you’re not hurting the right person.”
I didn’t want to talk anymore. I knew what Sam was saying. There was logic there, but Sabrina still made a choice. She did a whole lot to hurt my father and laid the groundwork to angle closer to Maddy.
“Mason?”
I shook my head, cupping her face and pulling it to my chest. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
She resisted, keeping some space so she could see me better. Her fingers laced with mine. “Promise me you’ll talk to me before you do anything. I’m not saying she shouldn’t face consequences, but I want a say in it. That’s all I’m asking. I’m not forgetting that she wants to take Maddy from us.” She held my gaze, studying me intently.
I didn’t want to lie to her. Grazing a finger under her jawline, I felt her tremble under my touch. I murmured, “Once I know what I’m going to do, I’ll talk to you about it.”
Her relief was palpable.
I hated seeing that because while Sam was torn, I wasn’t.
Sabrina was her sister.
She wasn’t mine.
52
MADDY
Iheard all the bullshit Brinna was spewing.
Her mind was all messed up. Kudos to that douchebag. Job well done if he wanted to fuck up lives. Goal accomplished. Brinna was never going to be a normal functioning person again.
Mom and Dad moved from commiserating in the bathroom with my mom going to their bedroom. My dad went to the kitchen where he was now getting answers from my friends.
“I want you to call Garrett.” That was my dad talking to my uncle. Snicker. “Find out if he knew about this? Why the fuck he allowed it?”
“The secret society?” That was Steele.
“No. I know he’s aware. It’s why they’re in Europe. Why didn’t you two go with them?”
“We were. We did. We were there most of our lives, but Brinna wanted to go to college stateside. We weren’t always over there. We have other family here on my mom’s side that we visit, but the plan was that Brinna would be at a university for the next four years. Dad didn’t like she was going to Cain, but it’s where we’re all going. It’s a family tradition. I came because I wanted to be close to her.”
“How the fuck did you end up here? Cain’s three hours away. There’s other high schools closer.”
Steele didn’t reply right away. I heard some scuffling sounds. “My dad doesn’t know I’m here. Brinna enrolled me. She’s dealing with the payments, and all she told me was to get close to Maddy. I’m not a total dumbass. Once I knew Maddy’s last name, I figured out the connection early on. Brinna’s always talked a certain way about our older sister, but I’ve never let that influence me. I wanted to see for myself, make up my own thoughts about our sister.”
“Is my dad in this secret society thing?” That was Beltraine asking, his voice sounding strained.
“As far I know, no. He’s not in, but I’m remembering a few things Brinna said. I think he’s aware of the secret society and that he wants to be in. She mentioned a fake recruiting exception for him, but she laughed about it, said they were just using him. I didn’t know what she was talking about. I hadn’t met you and I thought he was being used for me, letting me stay here. Now I think he was letting me stay here as a way of getting initiated. Maybe. Or that’s what he thought.”
“You knew who Sam was?” My dad.
Another beat of silence. “I always knew who she was, but seeing her in person was… She’s not how Brinna said. I don’t—I’m not on board with anything my sister did. I knew she was going sideways, but I didn’t realize the extent of it until we all heard what she said. She’s messed up. She needs help.”