Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 150968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 150968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 503(@300wpm)
My stomach twists painfully, sweat beading across my forehead and down my back. Lila tosses her head back, letting out a dry laugh. “I don’t need your filthy money. All I’m saying is that you will let Riley go to Harvard as she wants and these photos won’t make it for public consumption. I’m not here for a discussion. I’m here to tell you how it’s going to go. That’s all, Mr. Johnson.”
“Lila!” My voice bellows, surprising all of us, myself included. Her brows furrow in confusion, and I shake my head at her. A tiny, desperate shake. Please, please…don’t do this.
Maybe she finally sees the panic on my face because her lips thin into a straight line. Her jaw tightens defiantly, her fists clenching at her sides as she fights with herself. To stay silent, to not fight back. I swallow dryly, unable to wet my parched throat. “Leave, please. This is between me and my father.”
A pang of regret courses through me when her features twist with hurt. “Leave,” I practically beg this time.
Lila snatches the phone from my hand and stalks away. Her feet stomp against the floor, as she silently rages. As soon as her figure disappears past the door, my father tsks darkly. “Your friend is quite bold. Braver than you, I have to admit. She’s got some backbone, but she’s a clueless, little thing. If she messes with the wrong people, her boldness can get her killed.”
My blood runs cold, my heart stammering in my chest. My lungs squeeze with agony, until I am choking on my spit, trying desperately to breathe.
I flinch when my father lurches toward me, his hand snaking out to grip my jaw. His fingers dig into my cheeks and a painful whine spills from me. “I can make her disappear, Riley. And I will, if you don’t have her delete all those photos. So tell your little friend to watch her mouth next time. Tell her to be very careful before crossing me again.”
He brings his face closer, his spittle landing on my cheeks. “You know what I’m capable of.”
“Yes,” I whimper quietly.
“I don’t have to get my own hands dirty, Riley. She may be bold, but she’s powerless. I can and will make Lila disappear. She has no one to protect her. And guess what? Her old, poor grandparents will mourn for their precious granddaughter, and you’re going to cry with them, while knowing exactly what happened to your little friend. You will live with the knowledge that you caused her demise.”
I suck in a harsh inhale as my stomach contracts into a tight ball. A wave of acid wells up in my throat, and I fight the urge to gag as mindless panic runs through my veins.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I nod mutely, choking back on my sob.
“Good girl,” my father praises, finally releasing his tight grip on my jaw. “You can have Harvard, but I will be choosing what you do. You don’t get a choice anymore, Riley. You will be studying sociology, and then you’re going to law school. That’s not up for discussion.”
My breathing is thin and ragged, my chest rattling with every shaky breath I take. I wring my hands together, trying to keep my features deceptively composed, but I know I’m shaking too much to fool my father.
Law School?
That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he want me to pursue a career in law? Didn’t he want me to study politics instead?
“I’ll make sure you work directly under Benjamin Hale. And it won’t be too difficult with you being Grayson’s girlfriend. Once you get into his inner circle, it might just be my ticket to winning the Presidential Election one day.”
Oh…
It finally clicks to me.
Everything he does, every choice he makes for me is to further his career in politics. I am only ever useful to him if I help him accomplish his selfish, greedy ambitions.
His phone rings, briefly diverting his attention. He checks the Caller ID and then declines the call. “Get out,” he spits, “and make sure that Lila deletes every single photo she has taken. Don’t disappoint me, Riley. And most importantly, don’t fuck with me. You won’t like the consequences. I promise you…you will regret the day you ever defy me like this again. Get out of my sight now.”
I turn on my heels and run.
Lila is waiting for me outside the gates, leaning against Maddox’s black Bugatti. Her arms are crossed, a troubled expression on her face. I trip over my feet in my haste to get to her. “Delete those photos,” I demand, panic bleeding into my words until my voice is unrecognizable to my own ears. “You should have never taken them in the first place. What were you thinking?”
She scowls. “I was trying to help. Your father is an abusive jerk!”