Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116046 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 580(@200wpm)___ 464(@250wpm)___ 387(@300wpm)
Gritting my teeth, I tried to keep my temper in check. “I haven’t been stalking her. I was watching over Hannah for Leo.”
Diego snorted. “Please. You’re obsessed with Joy, and everyone knows it.”
The need to knock the arrogant smirk off his face tore at my self-control, making my hands twitch. “Why the fuck do you care?”
“Because…” Amber flashed in his eyes as he stepped into a pool of sunlight pouring in through the open doors. “I want to see if the experiment will work on someone as spirited as Joy. Not that Hannah’s spineless, but Joy has steel in her. I don’t think she’ll be as easily manipulated. I have to see if the programming will work on a stubborn woman.”
“She’s not some fucking lab animal for you to poke and stare at.” My stomach clenched at the knowledge that I would have subject Joy to Leo and my mother’s brainwashing if I wanted to keep her. “I don’t want anyone fucking with her head.”
“You lie.”
I was about a second away from punching him. “What?”
“Deep down inside, you want what Leo has. A woman who can never betray him. We all do. At least I’m honest enough to admit it.”
I didn’t bother to deny it. “What if she gets hurt?”
“Look, Ramón, she already knows too much. Yeah, Mom had some of the cops on our payroll come out and take a bullshit statement from Joy to cover up the fact that we never contacted the police, but Joy has seen too much. Eventually, she’ll figure things out for herself. You’ll want her bound to you as tight as possible before that happens. If Leo is going to have any chance in hell with Hannah, he better hope all his worship paid off, and she loves him as much as he loves her. Face it, you’re gone for Joy, and she’s going to be part of this family sooner or later, one way or another. You need to get out there and get your time in with her before Mom loses patience and takes things into her own hands. You know that loco woman would do it.”
I knew deep down inside that the moment Joy crossed the threshold of my childhood home that she would never be allowed to leave, but I was strangely conflicted about the whole thing. After watching Joy for so long, I felt like I knew her…like I could trust her. Something in my heart relaxed as I realized it was true. I trusted Joy, even without the brainwashing.
Diego shook his head then stared out the window, the bright sunlight making him squint. “If you don’t claim her, Mom will set Joy up with someone in our cartel. She likes her a lot. Mom said Joy is one of those women born to be a wife to a strong man, to stand at his side with love. Gotta say, even beat up, she’s easy on the eyes. That smile…you want to spend the rest of your life watching someone else win that smile? Watch her run around with some other guy’s kid in her belly?”
Without thought, I dropped the plate I was holding onto the counter then I threw a punch at Diego. It was quick and unexpected enough that, for once, I caught him square on the jaw, sending him flying back into the granite island where he knocked over a stack of plates that shattered to the floor. My legendary temper had hold of me now, and like the berserkers of old, all I wanted to do was fight, maim, and kill. I launched myself after Diego, and we wrestled to the ground, each of us grunting and cursing as we fought.
“Ramón! Get off your brother,” my mother cried out. I paused in the act of trying to choke the shit out of a snarling Diego, turning to see my mom standing at the patio by the open kitchen doors, looking shocked.
Swaying next to her was a pale faced Joy who appeared to be on the verge of tears. The jade green sundress she wore shimmered as she visibly trembled. Her fear hit me like a bullet to the gut, and I instantly found the will to swallow my instinctive anger back. I wasn’t mad at her, I was mad at myself for scaring her.
Shit, this was not how I wanted my first—well, second—meeting with Joy to go.
Diego, ever the peacemaker and diplomat of the family, cleared his throat as he pushed me off. We both stood, and I quickly straightened my clothes. Diego cleared his throat. “It’s okay, we’re fine. Just a friendly disagreement. Are you okay?”
He moved a step closer to a pale as cream Joy, but I beat him there, catching her as her knees gave out. She gave a sharp, terrified scream, but I swept her into my arms, holding her tight, the thought of her being frightened by me, by my raging anger, completely unacceptable. Her whole body shook, and I sank to my knees, cradling her while I made soft, soothing noises.