Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
“Is Glenda home?” he asked.
I swallowed, then nodded and forced myself to take a step back so that he could come inside. His large presence filled the doorway, and I held my breath as he passed me.
Kash had shared many things about the family with me back when we were together. Like the fact that, one day, Bane would be the head of the Mississippi branch. He was also lethal and the most dangerous out of all of them.
“Is she in her sunroom?” His tone wasn’t sharp, but more cold.
Had he been the one to place me here under their watch? His mother had come to find me. Maybe he was the head now. I didn’t know anything about them anymore.
“N-no,” I stammered. “She’s getting dressed. Y-you can wait in the sunroom for her if you’d like.” My heart was pounding so hard that I feared he might hear it.
He turned then and leveled his glare on me. “I told you that you’d only get one warning.” His voice was low and deep.
Oh God. He knew.
I shook my head. “I didn’t—he came …” I paused because what if he didn’t know and I was about to blurt it out?
“You can leave town, or I’ll escort you out.”
Leave town? Where would I go? I barely had enough to rent another apartment. I needed more time.
“I-I-I would leave now if I could,” I began as my entire body trembled. “I don’t want to see him. I wanted to start a new life. But I don’t have the money yet. I just need some more time.”
His jaw worked as he studied me.
I was past the tremble and now visibly shaking. This felt like a panic attack building.
“When he came, you went to him,” he said between clenched teeth.
He knew.
“I will never make that mistake again,” I swore, and I meant it.
Kash had hurt me for the last time. I couldn’t survive it again. I was barely hanging on as it was.
“Pack your things. I’ll handle things with my aunt. Tomorrow night, I will pick you up at ten. She doesn’t need any goodbyes from you. Don’t speak of this to her,” he said. “And if you say anything to Kash, I will know. You’re leaving won’t go nearly as smoothly as it will if you keep quiet.”
He was taking me? Where? Smoothly? My throat was so tight that I couldn’t breathe.
“You’re white. Don’t pass the fuck out. I’m giving you what you want. A new start away from here. I’m not going to kill you.”
I sucked in a full breath, then let out a small sob of relief and disbelief. Tears burned my eyes, and I wasn’t sure if I could keep from crying.
“Go get yourself under control. I don’t want Glenda seeing you like this. She’ll blame me,” he ordered harshly and pointed toward the hallway.
I nodded and bolted past him as quickly as I could without running. Just as I reached my door, I heard Glenda turning the knob on hers, and I slipped inside my temporary room as quietly as I could.
“Cressida, dear, who was it?” she called out, and I stayed silent.
“It’s me, Aunt Glenda,” Bane replied.
“Oh! Bane, what a lovely surprise!” she said, sounding thrilled to have him visit.
“I felt a visit was overdue,” he told her as I sank against the door.
“It is! But where is my boy?!”
Bane chuckled, and the sound was almost pleasant. I frowned, thinking how odd it seemed, coming from him.
“He has a dentist appointment this morning. Mom wanted to go with Halo and him, so I thought I’d come see you instead.”
Bane Cash had a kid? Was that what I was hearing? How very … terrifying. A man like him should not have children. What female was brave enough to get near him? Sure, he was attractive. I wasn’t blind, but he was also Satan with none of the charm that his brother had possessed.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Okay, this was not important. I had to focus. Bane had said he was giving me what I wanted. Which was? Leaving and starting a new life? I’d told him I didn’t have the money for that.
“Cressida?” Glenda called my name, and I straightened, then turned to take the doorknob.
“I believe she needed to use the ladies’ room,” Bane told her. “Why don’t we go have a seat in the sunroom? Catch me up on all your activities.”
He didn’t want me out there. I waited as their voices faded while they walked away.
I didn’t have a choice. Bane would come for me, and I’d have to leave. The small amount of security I’d found here was being taken from me. All because I’d been unable to stay away from Kash. Once again, my need for him had cost me the sliver of stability I’d had. But then had it really been stable? I’d been under the control of the Southern Mafia the entire time.