Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 29008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 145(@200wpm)___ 116(@250wpm)___ 97(@300wpm)
My father juts his chin. “If they are bringing drugs into our territory—”
Bennett cuts him off again. “I’ll find out. I promise.”
Antsy now, I shift from one foot to another because I’m waiting for what comes next. My dad is not going to let this go. The Kingstons are not on the right side of the law by any means. We never have been. But two things my father doesn’t condone are hurting women and dealing drugs. He won’t allow either of those things in what is considered Kingston territory.
My father stands back up and points to the chairs. “Both of you sit down.”
Bennett and I look at each other. Fuck. This is not good.
We both sit down, and even though I try to relax into my seat, I hold myself tensely, trying to prepare for whatever is about to come out of my father’s mouth.
“The Kingstons are weak… The Sterlings no longer see the strength in us. When they look at us, they see men without wives. They look at you without any heirs. What is going to come of the Kingston name? Does it end with you two?”
He doesn’t wait for an answer. He raises his hand in the air. “I expect you both to be married within the next six months.”
I shoot to my feet. “But Dad, you can’t make us get married.”
It was the wrong thing to say. My father comes around his desk and stops in front of me. He has never hit me, but I’m wondering if this will be the first time. “We are a family without wives. We don’t have any stability, and without stability, we invite our enemies to challenge us.”
I shake my head. “Dad, we’re not losing control. Our business is strong.”
Bennett finally chimes in, but his question floors me. “We can marry anyone?”
I give him a traitorous look. He surely doesn’t believe this nonsense. No one can force us to marry, not even the mafia king of the South. Times are different now.
Our father levels Bennett with a look. “Yes, I’m not telling you who to love. I’m telling you that if you want our name to continue to be feared, respected, and untouchable, then you both will marry… soon.”
A thought seeps into my mind. “You’re not honestly thinking of marrying someone else… what about Mom?”
My father glares at me. “What’s wrong with you, son? I’m bringing your mom home.”
Bennett shakes his head. “She’s not going to like that, and she’s not going to come willingly.”
My father stomps his foot. “Her place is by my side. She won’t stand by and watch this family, our name, fall apart. She’ll come.”
My father walks back around his desk and sits down. “We’re done here. I expect to hear progress reports.” He looks at Bennett. “And I want to know what Audrey Sterling is up to.”
My brother and I walk out of Dad’s office. We don’t say a word as we go through the house and step outside where no one can be listening in. As soon as we get to our cars and I see Stone standing there waiting, I gesture to Bennett. “Want to go for a walk?”
He nods and follows me down the path. Neither one of us says anything as we walk. It’s like we’re both trying to process what just happened. We stop at the pond on the back of the property, and I turn to my older brother. “Well… what are we going to do?”
Bennett looks up to the big house and then back at me. “We get married. He’s right, ya know. We need wives… we need heirs.”
I shake my head. “This seems like a business arrangement more than anything else. What about love?”
He shrugs. “He said we can marry who we choose. I don’t see the problem here, Cole.”
I blurt out a laugh. “You don’t see the problem? Really? I thought you would have a big problem with this. You think you and Knox will be able to share women if you’re married?”
He tenses and looks out at the pond. He shoves a hand through his hair and blows out a breath. “Look, Cole, I don’t know what this is going to look like, but I agree with Dad. It’s time for us to settle down. You’re thirty. I’m thirty-five, and do we really want the Kingston name to end with us?”
Stunned, all I can do is shake my head.
Bennett continues. “Look, when Mom left, it changed how people perceived us.”
I glare at my older brother. “Don’t put that on Mom. Do you blame her for wanting out? How many times did she have to sit in this house, by herself, and wonder what was going to happen to Dad or the two of us?”
Bennett rolls his eyes. “I’m not blaming Mom. I’m just saying that it’s time for us to step into what’s next. Right now our family consists of Dad, me, and you.”