Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Linc shot Luther an annoyed glance. “I don’t need your commentary.”
“He is sniffing around family property. Asking questions about us. That makes it our problem,” my dad said, setting his empty glass down with enough force that it shook the table beside him. “Blaise knows.”
Those two words were said calmer, but with a warning that sent a chill down my spine. Blaise Hughes was the boss of the family. All of the family. Every branch of the Southern Mafia answered to him. Although he was in his early thirties, he terrified every man in this room. Even Linc, who had grown up with his father and been there the day he was born.
“How does he want it handled?” I asked with hesitancy. Not sure I wanted this answer.
“Cleaned up. He wants the PI to go away without feeding him to the hogs. And”—Linc leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk in front of him—“he wants you to stay the fuck away from Manhattan and the blonde writer. No contact.”
I felt the blood drain from my face as his words slowly sank in.
I didn’t realize I was shaking my head until my father’s loud, “YES!” jerked my attention off Linc to him.
“You WILL stay away from the woman. It’s an order, Ransom, and in this family, we obey the goddamn orders. No piece of ass is worth disobeying the boss. If it were Garrett, then I’d consider talking with him about it if she meant something to you, but this isn’t Garrett. This is Blaise, and where his father could be reasonable, he is not. Do you need a reminder of what happened to Six last year?”
I swallowed hard. No, I didn’t want to rehash how one of his men in Ocala, where the family had begun and kept the main headquarters, disobeyed a command. We had all heard about it. Knew he’d paid for it with his life. But Six’s mistake had put Blaise’s wife and oldest son in danger. When they were involved, Blaise Hughes became the damn Grim Reaper to anyone who got in his path.
“My seeing Noa doesn’t put Blaise’s family in danger,” I pointed out, grasping for a reasonable argument.
Linc shot up from his seat and planted both his hands on the desk as he glared at me. “That doesn’t fucking matter!” he roared. “You caused this. YOU chose to act without his command. This is the price you pay. Disobey him, and it’ll be your life next. If you mess up his Thanksgiving with this shit, he won’t be forgiving. His wife loves the holidays, and he will kill any bastard who threatens to fuck with her happiness. If he has to deal with this shitstorm you made this week or the weeks between now and Christmas, he will put a goddamn bullet between your eyes.”
“Blaise lacks morals that his father had. At least where human life is concerned. He’s more feared because of it. If you want to keep this Noa safe, then you need to do as he says. He’s killed women before.” My father’s words left a ringing in my ears that bordered on painful.
“Ah, come on, Hale. That’s a little harsh. Gina deserved what she got. The bitch was crazy as fuck and had handed over his wife to an MC and then kidnapped Levi’s woman,” Luther said as he leaned against the open window with the cigar between his teeth.
“And if Noa Raines finds out where her fiancé went and who is responsible, do you think she’ll be okay with that? No! Blaise will make sure she never gets the chance to talk,” my father told Luther angrily.
Luther shrugged. “Maybe.”
Maybe? Fuck. I couldn’t allow Blaise Hughes or his orders anywhere near Noa. This wasn’t something I’d even considered when I got rid of Arden. FUCK!
I shoved my fingers into my hair and tried to calm my breathing. The sound of my heart hammering in my chest was so damn loud that it was a wonder it wasn’t echoing off the walls in the room. What had I done? I wanted to keep Noa safe. Protect her. But I’d fucking led the devil to her door.
“Bane is waiting to take the PI from his room and bring him to the underground,” Fender said, speaking for the first time instead of his silent, judgmental stance. “He’s to be silenced, then sent back to the hole he came out of.”
Linc glanced at Fender, then back to me. “You’ll go with Oz and Locke to help with that. Then, you’re to report back here. To me. I’ll give you a new cell phone, as you will be leaving the one you have here. No contact with the woman. It’s not a suggestion. It’s a fucking command.”
My teeth clenched as tightly as my fists. “You’re saying I can’t even text her?” I asked.