Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Renn’s jaw drops. “Blakely …”
“That motherfucker,” Ripley says.
I can’t see Foxx, but I watch Renn shake his head.
I gather myself. “Your father tried to grab me to fuck my little ass—”
“I’m gonna kill him,” Ripley says through clenched teeth, turning on his heel and storming toward the house.
Renn flinches.
“Want me to go?” Foxx asks.
“No.” Slowly, my words sink in. The disbelief twists into a menacing snarl. “Take her home, Foxx.”
“Yes, sir.”
Renn runs back to the house.
“Come on, Blakely,” Foxx says, reaching for my arm.
“Renn!”
He ignores me, disappearing around the wall.
Tears wet my cheeks again. Foxx takes my hand, but I yank it back, yelping.
“Explain,” Foxx orders.
“I threw a punch.”
He fights a smile, refusing to look me in the eye. “Let’s get you home.”
Home.
I’m not sure I have one anymore.
We climb into the car and pull down the long driveway.
I feel like I just left my heart behind.
CHAPTER 25
Renn
I burst through the door and race into the house. Tate meets me in the hallway.
“Go,” I say, jamming my thumb over my shoulder. “Go to my house. Foxx took Blakely there.”
“You got it.”
He slaps my shoulder as he darts behind me.
Adrenaline is coursing through me.
“He called me a little whore and offered me a half a million dollars to let you go.”
Rage snakes through my veins like an old friend.
I jog down the corridor toward Bianca outside Dad’s office. Shouts filter from the room in front of her. Screeches of furniture being dragged against the floor. Voices shouting, growing louder the closer I get to them.
“What’s going on? Where’s Blakely?” Bianca asks, but I can’t hear her.
My heart is racing, my head spinning.
He tried to buy her off?
Called my wife a whore?
I want to be with Blakely … but I have to deal with this piece of shit first.
Ripley has Dad pinned against the wall, his forearm pressed against his neck. He shouts inches from Dad’s face. Despite his unfavorable position, Dad glares at my brother—unwilling to back down.
“I’m going to murder you,” I say, stepping into the room with Bianca at my heels.
Gannon cuts me off, blocking me from going any farther. Jason watches from the side, taking in the scenario before deciding which side to take—which side is right.
“Don’t make me do this, Gannon,” I say, clenching my fists. “This isn’t between us.”
Ripley looks over his shoulder and sees me. Slowly, he lets our father go.
“Dammit,” Dad hisses, sitting in his office chair like he didn’t just assault Blakely. Pompous, arrogant asshole. He adjusts his collar. His right eye starts to swell. “Get the hell out of my office. All of you.”
“Fuck you,” I seethe, shoving Gannon out of the way.
He steps in front of me again. “Stay calm, Renn.”
“Stay calm? Fuck that. I’m not staying calm until I kill that son of a bitch.”
Mom marches into the room, her heels clicking against the floor. She takes in the room, letting her gaze settle on my father for a searing moment before switching it to me.
“What happened? Don’t pussyfoot around it,” she says. “Tell me what happened in this room with Blakely.”
Ripley and I look at one another.
Our entire family, minus Tate, is surrounding us. Dad’s actions have changed the landscape between us all forever. Ripley and I know that. And we also know that the news will break our mother’s heart.
“That little bitch came in here and—oof.”
A commotion breaks out again as Ripley grabs our father by the front of his shirt, and I attempt to get by Gannon again.
“Stop it!” Mom shouts. “Renn, what happened?”
I glare at Dad. “You wanna know what happened? Your fucking husband called my wife a whore and offered her a half a million dollars to leave me.”
Bianca gasps. Gannon’s eyes go wide. Jason’s arms drop to his sides. Ripley shivers with anger.
Mom lifts her chin. Her throat bobs as she swallows.
I level my gaze with the man across the desk. “If that’s not enough, he then tried to grab her and told her he was going to fuck her ass.”
Bianca covers her mouth. Mom’s momentarily blindsided but recovers quickly.
Dad glares at me.
I grin mercilessly. “Run.”
I push my way through Gannon and lunge at my father. He slips against the leather as he tries to avoid my swing and falls to the floor. Ripley grabs him as I leap across the chair, ready to rip his throat out. Dad’s computer crashes to the floor at Ripley’s feet.
Gannon pulls on the back of my shirt. The fabric rips. He slides an arm around me and hauls me away from Ripley and Dad.
I pant, dragging in a lungful of air—seeing red.
“You can only save him for so long, Gannon,” I say, laughing angrily.
“I’m not saving him. I’m saving you.”
“Please.” I spit the taste of blood at his feet. “No matter what you do, he’s not getting out of here alive.” I look at the old man over my shoulder. “You went too far. Too far. You’re done. How’s it feel to know you’re a dead man walking?”