Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 69836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“But that was just the beginning. A week later, a letter arrived with an offer to buy our farm. A bad one, obviously, but it was still enough for the rest of my family to get greedy and start pressuring my dad to sell. He… he didn’t take any of that well. He drank too much after my mom’s death and couldn’t handle the onslaught of lawyers at our door. From family, and from Sullivan. Every day was hell, and he loved that farm, because Mom loved it, and he couldn’t let it go, just couldn’t—”
Eli gasps and covers his face. “Sorry. Give me a moment,” he mutters through deep breaths.
There’s something endearing in him being so emotionally fragile despite the murder he’s committed. I’ve not had access to such emotion since I was a child. As soon as I was handed over to Sullivan, to be forged into his obedient weapon, any frailties were torn out of me, since they were weaknesses.
It’s beautiful. So earnest. I want to lick those tears off his face and taste that pain.
To think that Sullivan and his men had driven Eli to such wrath… And then it hits me that I recall this Christmas tree farm. I've not seen Eli before. I have a great memory for faces, so I would have remembered those freckles. But I did bury a body or two on the land that used to belong to his father. Sullivan told me to treat it as his own property, that the owners knew what their land was used for, that they wouldn’t object as long as I stayed out of their sight.
I didn’t question him then.
I never dared question him after being punished for it once.
A deep shudder goes down my back as I remember the state of panic I stayed in for a length of time I’m still not sure of. It was dark, and by the time Sullivan released me, his men had to rehydrate me with IVs. An adult can only survive without water for three days tops, so my best guess is that I was locked up for a bit less than that.
I never disobeyed after my release, and this man freed me. There can be no greater kindness than that.
“I’m sorry.”
Eli takes another shuddery breath, but has to wipe away tears when he reveals his face again. I clench my fists on my thighs, fighting the urge to pull him into my arms. Maybe that’s what I get for being treated no better than an attack dog.
“Thank you. We spent over two years in a court battle with my mom’s side of the family, and they were supported by Sullivan. I don’t want to bore you with details. It was ugly, exhausting, took all our savings. It was just me and my dad against the world.” Eli gives the artificial Christmas tree in the corner a longing glance. “At my wits end, I started telling my dad how I want to just go and shoot him. Fucking split him open with a chainsaw or smash his brains into the sidewalk. I couldn’t stand that Sullivan had so much power, and no matter what we did, our lawyers couldn’t win the battle.”
Eli shakes his head and slouches. “Everything went to shit from there. My dad he… He had a gentle soul. When we lost everything, he… took his own life. But it’s really Sullivan who has blood on his hands. He ruined everything I had. I’m not even gonna get into how my last two years looked like. The revenge plot in my head was the only thing fueling me.”
“So you did plan this,” I say softly and offer him a protein bar when I notice the distinct rumble in his stomach. We didn’t get to enjoy our sandwiches for very long after all.
It makes me giddy that Eli doesn’t hesitate to take it. Like I brought my new master a ball and he chose to play with it.
“Well… yeah. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get close enough. He’s always got bodyguards around. I also considered that I might threaten him, make him beg for my forgiveness, like he made me and my dad beg for our lives five years ago. When I saw an opening, I took the shot.” Eli doesn’t look into my eyes as he bites into the protein bar. “I wasn’t thinking. But he deserved it, didn’t he?”
Confirmation shoots from my mouth so fast I’m almost embarrassed about its breathiness. I can’t make myself meet his gaze, because had I been escorting Sullivan last night, the bastard would likely still breathe. I could never resist his commands, even though he wasn’t worthy of me. But Eli? Eli is. I can sense it with every cell in my body.
“I worked for him once.” It’s not exactly a lie, since my service is now as over as Sullivan’s life, but I still dread to see disgust in the gray eyes.