Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 35676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35676 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
“Story of my life. Another man that doesn’t like no.”
Tessa saw the happiness die in Jessica’s eyes, but she didn’t push Caesar away. Instead, she placed a hand on her child’s stomach and made sure he was safe.
“You know there was a time I was jealous of you.”
“Of me?”
“Yes. I mean, I know your father was a soldier and all that, but you seemed to have everything. Your father adored you. Your mother was devoted to you. You could have any life you wanted.”
“My parents died, Jessica.”
“I know. You didn’t have to stay here though.”
“I didn’t? I hate to break it to you, I didn’t have a choice. Alonzo … I mean, Mr. Zanetti, told me it wasn’t safe.”
“My brother has had an obsession with you for some time now. It’s kind of scary when I think about it.”
“I don’t think that’s true.”
Jessica chuckled. “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. We don’t even need Michele here, but he keeps her around so he can have you.”
Tessa stared down at Caesar. “Would you like me to leave?”
“You’re the only person in this family that hasn’t judged me for my decisions. For what I told you.” Jessica looked at her.
The pain in her eyes struck Tessa hard.
“You have no idea what that means to me,” Jessica said.
“I don’t think you hate your son,” Tess said. “I think … you don’t want to get attached to him because they’re going to take him away.”
Tears filled Jessica’s eyes, and before she caught them, some leaked out.
“I’m such a mess.”
“He’s your son,” Tessa said.
“The moment he was born a boy, he stopped being my son.”
“You can’t let them do this.”
“I don’t have a choice. My mother warned me, and look at Alonzo. He was never allowed near me. There are times he is more a stranger to me than a brother.”
Tessa was about to go and give her hug when the sound of a door being slammed open and Benedict’s angry growl filled the air.
Jessica quickly handed Caesar back to her and got to her feet.
“Where are you, bitch?” The door opened, and Benedict, looking so filled with rage, advanced toward Jessica. “You think you can just do what you like, is that it? You think your pussy is made of gold.”
“Go, Tessa. Take Caesar to play.”
She hesitated.
“Now!”
“Get the fuck out,” Benedict said.
Being yelled at always made her cry, so as she made her way to the door, tears filled her eyes. Caesar started to whimper.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh cut Tessa to the core. She couldn’t stop Jessica from getting hit, but she wasn’t going to stand by and let anything happen to her. Running out of Jessica’s quarters, she charged down the main stairs. Without waiting for an invitation, she pushed past three guards and walked straight into the library.
Alonzo sat with Demetri, Cole, and a couple of other men.
The moment he caught sight of her, he got to his feet.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
“You have to stop him.” Alonzo grabbed her arm and marched her out of the library. The door slammed closed with a resounding thud. “Stop. Listen to me, Alonzo.”
“It’s Mr. Zanetti right now, Tessa. Remember that.”
“Stop it. You have to go to Jessica.”
“What the fuck has my sister done now?” he asked.
“Benedict is hurting her.”
Alonzo just stood there. “She’s his wife, Tessa. There’s nothing I can do.”
She stared at him in shock. “You’re not going to do anything?”
“There’s nothing I can do. What goes on between a man and his wife, stays there.”
“She’s your sister.”
“My hands are tied.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. There’s no way he could be saying these things, let alone believe them.
“I can’t … that’s not possible.”
“Go and take care of Caesar. I’ll see you tonight.”
Benedict could be killing her. Raping her.
She had walked away.
“Dad, do you ever stop what you know to be wrong even if it’ll get you in trouble?” she asked.
“That’s a tough one. If you see something that you know to be wrong and you can stop it, and you feel you can’t walk away, then you’re not going to be able to live with yourself. You have to do what is right. Even if it’s scary, you have to step up.”
She pushed Caesar into Alonzo’s waiting hands. Even as tears poured down her face, she was so angry and disgusted with him. She didn’t care that they were in front of witnesses or that he was the boss.
“You’re a coward.”
She turned on her heel, and before he could stop her, she ran back up in the direction of Jessica’s quarters.
Hearing the truth spill from Jessica’s lips a few days ago, knowing she wanted to love her son but couldn’t, it had changed something within her.
Maxwell Brown didn’t raise his daughter to be a coward.
He raised her to do the right thing, to know right from wrong.