Series: The Moretti Crime Family Series by J.L. Beck
Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 111428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
She places her glass down on the coffee table. “I’m not a child, Markus. You can’t just demand things and expect me to follow them blindly. I have my own mind, fears, and morals. I can’t just override them. I can’t change who I am, and I definitely can’t risk my sister’s life on a whim to trust the man who has not given me a single reason to trust him.”
Logically, I know she is right, but what she doesn’t realize is that’s the only way this is going to work. She either tells me what I want to know and gives me the information so that I can help her, or she doesn’t. I could easily make everyone disappear. Tie her to the bed and hunt down these people, killing them one by one, but she’s stopping me.
Fallon is the moral compass I don’t have.
She’s the guidance I need, the rope tethering me to the rational side of thinking. Her sister would die before I could save her if I did things my way.
“So, tell me, Fallon. How do you see this working out? What do you think I should do with you?” I give her a moment to answer, but her rosy lips are set in a thin displeasing line. “Hold on, let me guess. I should let you go, but don’t worry because you’re not going to tell anyone what happened to you, right?”
“I wouldn’t,” she blurts out. To her credit, she sounds sincere.
Moving, I place my glass on the table as well. “Maybe that’s what you think right now, but in reality, you will eventually give in. People are going to keep asking you. Your parents will know you’re lying right away, and they will nag you about it. Not to mention, the police will get involved. Do you really think you would be able to lie to an officer’s face in an interrogation room?”
Her eyes go wide, and the reality of everything sinks in. She knows I’m right.
“I hate to break it to you, but you’re a shit liar. Any cop is going to smell your lies from a mile away, and then they’re going to tell you stuff like, if you don’t tell us the truth, we’ll have no choice but to charge you for obstruction of justice—”
“They can’t do that,” Fallon gasps. It’s comical how she assumes she’ll be safe when all of this is over. Does she not fully believe me when I say I’m a bad man? Did she not witness me killing a man today? Maybe she’s just blocking it all out, afraid to see the truth that’s right in front of her.
“Yes, they can, and they will.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t care what happens in the future. I care about the now. About saving my sister.” Despair drips from every word she speaks.
“I offered to help you,” I add once more.
“And I declined. I don’t want your help.”
“Then I suppose there is nothing I can do for you. You’ll stay with me, and I’ll fuck you whenever and however often I want.”
There is a long moment of silence.
“Will you ever admit that it’s more than just sex?”
Her question surprises me and irritates me because the last thing I need her to think is that she has some kind of hold on me. I’m not ready to admit my feelings to myself, let alone tell her about them. I don’t even know if what I’m feeling is real.
“Never. It’s just sex. Nothing more. Your cunt is tight, and the fact you’re attractive helps matters, but that’s where it starts and ends.”
“See, this is exactly why I can’t trust you.” She shoves out of the chair and turns to face me. “You say you never lie to me, but you do. You just did. Can you not admit the truth to me, or to yourself?”
The sides of my mouth tip up in an evil smirk. “Maybe it’s you that’s developing feelings? Is my cock that satisfying? Or are you afraid to admit that you’re falling for a man that’s on the wrong side of the law? Are you self-conscious? Worried what Mom and Dad will think when this all ends? I bet they’ll love to hear how hard you came on my—”
My words are cut off, and before I can even grasp what is occurring, her hand is flying and landing with a sear against my cheek. The force of her slap sends my head to the side. Nostrils flaring, I suck air into my lungs. I try and calm myself, but I can’t. I’m ready to implode. Fists clenched and chest heaving, I turn my head slowly back toward her.
As if she realizes what she’s done, her blue eyes grow wide, horror and fear overtaking her features as she takes a step back.