Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Hah, you think you’re sly enough to steal them, I gave those freely, willingly the day I told you I loved you.”
“Fifteen is too young.” What I said.
“I argued with you until you finally gave in.” She sighed. “You looked over your shoulder for a good year every time we had family dinner. But it didn’t matter; you made me yours.”
“Yeah.” My body heated, “Maybe we leave all that part out, so your dad doesn’t come back and kill me a second time.”
“Let them know,” she whispered. “You were so… gentle.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as she spoke.
“You took your time, you kissed my mouth like you worshipped me—you still kiss me that way.”
“Because I do,” I told her softly. “Because I fucking worship the ground you walk on. Would sacrifice my body just to honor yours.”
She sniffled. “And then the great disappointment.”
“You mean when Chase found us having sex…”
“Awkward.”
“It’s not like he watched. I mean, it could be worse. Remember Claire and Ash? He was literally inside her, ass naked while his dad came charging in like a bomb going off.”
Serena laughed. “Okay yeah, that’s worse.”
“So much worse. I mean, have you seen Ash’s ass?”
“Um… something you wanna share with the class?” Serena asked.
I rolled my eyes. Shit, my lungs felt heavy. Focus on her voice. Focus on my soul mate. “I think you know one hundred percent that I’m all man, and I’ve only ever been yours.”
“Despite your attempts to make everyone believe you’re a manwhore.”
I swallowed the emotion in my throat. “You know I’ve only ever given myself to you, only you, forever you.”
“I shouldn’t have—”
“You wanted to make me jealous. That was understandable after the incident.”
“Ash turned our love to hate,” Serena admitted. “But the thing about love and hate… the pendulum often swings all the way back.”
“I couldn’t stop my heart from falling, Serena, even now, know that it beats for you, until the very last faint thump against my chest.”
She started silently sobbing. “I love you so much it hurts.”
A tear slid down my cheek, hitting the cold metal keeping us tied to each other. “For as long as we both shall live.”
“For as long—” She hiccupped. “—as we both shall live.”
She let out a sharp gasp.
“Serena? What’s wrong? Talk to me, princess. Serena!”
“I’m—” She was shaking. “I’m okay. I think.”
“Where does it hurt?”
Suddenly the chains felt loser; I tried looking over my shoulder. Then realized that they were getting pulled from us by my dad and Nixon and that behind them, we had several wives bawling into their husbands’ chests, and looks of pure annoyance were being directed at Ash like he was the reason for no bloodshed.
We had all five bosses with their wives packed into that small room, and then the oldest kids with Ash giving each other high fives like they’d just won the lottery.
I stood on shaky legs and barely had time to turn around before Serena launched herself in my arms. “Is this real?”
“I have no idea.” She said against my mouth. “But I’ll take it.”
“Junior,” Nixon growled. “The Ring. Now.”
This time I did listen, because getting the shit beat out of me sounded a hell of a lot better than death.
“Try not to die,” my dad said under his breath like that had me thinking happy thoughts.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered as we all piled out of the room, me with my dad by my side and Serena on the other.
My dad just smiled. “I think this would have been a lot better had you not been idiots, hellbent on keeping it from us.”
“Right, because telling you would have what? Saved us?”
“Maybe,” Dad said. “Maybe if you would have come to us first, asked permission…”
“But you said by penalty of death…” I reminded him.
“Well, yeah.” He shrugged.
“We’ve killed people for wanting to walk away.”
“The rules are there to keep you from being idiots.” Dad slapped me on the back of the head. “From thinking with your cock and just taking something because it looks pretty and is forbidden. But love, the kind of love we just heard on the phone. Well, that’s different.”
Serena shrieked out, “What?”
“Thanks for that replay, by the way,” Ash said from his place ahead of us. “Really wanted to relive the moment I fell in love and got caught.”
I could tell he meant it.
I could also tell a lot of blood was about to get spilled as Nixon stripped off his shirt and jumped in the ring.
His fingers weren’t wrapped.
And I knew firsthand that he was an excellent street fighter.
The only bonus was that my own dad had taught me Jiu-Jitsu to the point that I could hopefully escape without dying.
“Six rounds,” Tex called out. “For every year you loved Serena and kept it from her father, from her protector, from your father, from your boss, and from me, your Capo.”