Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
He lets out a choking laugh. “You can’t blame me for trying.”
“Were you going to try to get Raven? Except that she wasn’t there?”
He crosses his arms. “Why would you ask me that?”
“Because the lawyer, Brick Latham, was going to the Bellamys’ home to see Raven.”
“And you think he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Grandfather says. A statement, not a question.
“I don’t know.” I slink down in the chair behind me. “I don’t know how your warped mind works, which is a good thing from where I’m standing. Either the hit was for Raven, or there’s some reason you hit this Brick Latham. Did he do something to piss off the family?”
“As far as I know, Mr. Latham was an upstanding attorney at a law firm whose biggest client is Austin Bellamy and the Bellamy Ranch.”
“Yeah. And he just happened to be helping Raven Bellamy with a nonprofit organization she wants to start. And he just happened to have a date with her Friday night.”
He smirks. “I’m thinking he’s regretting that choice about now.”
“He can’t regret anything, Grandfather. The dead have no regrets.”
He widens his eyes and claps his hands. “Vincent, that was profound. I like it. I can see it engraved on a plaque somewhere in this office. The dead have no regrets.”
Anger crawls up the back of my neck. “You need to leave her alone. You need to leave the Bellamy family alone. Savannah’s a member of that family now, Grandfather. And if you have any speck of love left for your only granddaughter, leave them the fuck alone.”
He shakes his head. “This isn’t about them, Vincent. It never was.”
“No. I understand that.” I pound a fist against my chest. “It’s about me. It’s my move. What if my move is to take you out, Grandfather?”
“You’re not armed.”
“No one gets into this office armed. Do you think I need anything other than my own two hands to squeeze the life out of you, old man?” I raise a fist.
He doesn’t so much as flinch. “I can have three goons in here in the next second if you even attempt to try.”
I don’t doubt his words. Still, the other day, I grabbed him by his collar and pulled him toward me, threatening him, and he didn’t call his goons.
Which means he doesn’t consider me a threat.
He should reconsider that stance.
“So go ahead and try, Vincent,” he goads me.
“Stay the hell away from the Bellamys and I won’t have to.”
He cocks his head. “You expect me to stay away from them, yet you don’t. The lovely Ms. Bellamy showed up at your mother’s house last night.”
“She did.” I don’t bother to lie. He’s obviously having me watched. “But she came of her own accord.”
“You didn’t make her leave.”
“No, I didn’t.” I stand up again. “I’m not a fucking asshole. She had dinner with Mom and me. And Mom loved her, by the way.”
He scoffs. “Your mother is useless.”
“My mother is your only child, old man.”
He doesn’t reply.
Why should he? We both know she is.
We both know he was disgusted that his wife could only give him one child, and a girl at that.
“My mother is still my mother,” I say. “And you will treat her with respect.”
“Whether I deem her worthy of my respect depends on you, Vincent.”
“Why would your respect for my mother have anything to do with me?” I ask. “She’s your child, damn it. She gave you three grandchildren. That alone should make her worthy of your respect.”
He shrugs. “We’ll see, Vincent. We’ll see.”
“Fine. Hate my mother. Hate the whole fucking world for all I care. Just stay away from the Bellamys.”
He raises an eyebrow. “If you stay away from them, so will I.”
He wants me to say it. He wants me to stay away from Raven. I’ll try like hell, but I can’t control what she does. That woman does whatever the hell she wants. I wish I could be annoyed by her stubbornness, but I actually find it a pretty attractive trait.
I narrow my gaze at my grandfather. “So that’s the deal? You leave them alone if I do?”
“That’s the deal.”
“I don’t buy it, pops. Savannah is a Bellamy now. And I’m not staying away from my sister.”
He frowns. “Then don’t expect the Bellamys to get a free pass. Savannah made her choice. Now you need to make yours, Vincent.”
Chills skitter over my flesh.
I’m used to my grandfather making demands of me. I’m used to his serpentine horror. I’m used to him ordering me around, and I’m used to him not trusting me.
Has he truly turned his back on Savannah?
And what about his daughter? And her husband, my father?
“I want my sister in my life,” I say.
“Do you? Does your mother?”
I hesitate to speak on that. While I know my mother loves Savannah, she blames her for me being in the position that I’m in.