Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“They . . . I . . . they aren’t my men,” she managed to get out. “They have families.”
“I know. And if they weren’t related to Regent Malone, they’d be dead.”
That meant they were still alive. Thank God.
Stefan drew his hand away from her neck. He watched her closely. “So why were you so concerned about them? Because they’re Ryleigh’s half-brothers?”
“You knew about her half-brothers?”
“Of course I did. You know I always do my homework, Lilac. I knew her old man’s last name before I even met him. I did underestimate you all, though. I never expected you to escape. Or to be able to hide from me for so long.”
Was that pride in his face?
Fucking hell.
He was angry at her for leaving him and proud of her for evading him? This was the problem with Stefan. It was hard to best him when he made no sense.
“Why did you do that? Crash into them? They were bringing me to you.”
He shot her a cold look. “Were they? Or was it a trap? You forget, Lilac, I haven’t lived this long by being stupid.”
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about. They were going to give me to you in return for you leaving Ryleigh and Opal alone.”
“As though I care about those two stupid sluts. No, I couldn’t trust those assholes you were with. I don’t know them. And I’ve got enough issues.”
“Like what?”
“Well, first, my sister ran from me. Hid from me. I really thought you’d go straight to Ryleigh’s brothers. When I realized you were smarter than I’d given you credit for, I drew my men back from watching this hick town. It wasn’t until your name set off an alert that my guy found you’d been in the hospital here. Lilac Malone.” He leaned into her. “That’s never going to happen, by the way.”
Oh God.
Tanner.
He’d never wanted her to do this. To be a part of this. He was going to be so upset.
She felt ill at the thought.
“You won’t go after Ryleigh and Opal, will you?” she whispered.
He might have said that he didn’t want them, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t punish them from running from him.
Stefan waved a hand through the air. “Like I said, I don’t care about those two sluts. They’re not my blood. Ryleigh is tainted and Opal was just a hole to fill.”
Gross.
But she thought he was telling the truth.
“And me?”
“You’re mine. I’ll have to punish you for leaving. Hmm, perhaps I should have grabbed Opal as well. Or maybe even that baby. I could’ve used either to them to punish you for defying me.”
Don’t vomit. Don’t react.
Her entire body was throbbing with pain.
“You could have killed me, ramming that car into the one I was in,” she pointed out.
“My men were told to do it in such a way that no one was harmed. If you’d been killed, they would’ve suffered my wrath.”
Still, she wasn’t sure if he’d genuinely care if she died or not.
The real question was…did he know that she was in a relationship with Tanner?
Lilac didn’t think that he did, or he would’ve been on the rampage.
She had to fight hard not to show her fear. Or how much her body hurt.
Showing Stefan any weakness was just asking for trouble.
“Why do you want me, Stefan?” she whispered. “Why come after me?”
He stared at her with vicious intelligence. He was so smart. He could be so charismatic. And yet, he had no empathy, no sense of morality. Of right and wrong.
“I’ve told you so many times, my sweet sister. You. Are. Mine.” Reaching out, he brushed his cold fingers down her cheek. She had to fight hard not to shudder. Not to throw up.
How was she going to get out of this? She’d never be able to escape him again. She’d be lucky if he didn’t lock her up.
“What now, Stefan?” she asked.
“Well, I’ve got some plans for you, Lilac. After I spend a suitable amount of time punishing you, of course. I can’t let you get away with this display of disobedience.”
No, Lord forbid that she try to do something he didn’t want her to do.
A shudder worked its way through her.
“And then I’m going to marry you off, build my empire.”
“You . . . you what?” Her mouth was so dry.
Marry her off to whom? Had he decided on someone?
Would they be worse than him? Oh fuck. What was she going to do?
“You’ve made a decision then?”
“Everything will become clear soon,” he said with a drawl as they slowed down.
She looked out the window, despair filling her.
A plane.
“Since when do you own a plane?” she whispered.
“I called in a favor. Don’t worry, you’re going to help me pay him back. I’ve been having some . . . business issues. Which is all going to be solved with our new partnership.”