Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 59767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59767 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
He jerks, eyes huge, his body trembling. “I promised, I won’t bother the girl. I won’t even look at her. Just let me go.” Tears carve tracks down his face. He’s terrified, pleading like a child. It probably makes me sadistic, but I love it. This man hurt my woman and now he’s getting a small taste of the hell she’s lived over the years just because she tried to help him.
“I’m getting tired, Bo,” I say. “You have until I count to three.”
The begging ratchets up at once. “Christ, please, don’t do this! Please, I’ll do anything.”
“One,” I murmur, looking at my watch like I’m bored.
“I’ll leave town. You won’t ever see me again,” he cries.
“Two.”
I look up at a very worried Alex, and again I have to hide my smile. I need to see that he understands my lesson here. “Alex, I’m going to need your knife again.”
Alex hands the knife over like a man surrendering everything at once. Bo screams, “No. Break my fingers if you have to, but don’t … God, don’t cut my …”
He stops, and it’s like he can’t say the word tongue. Instead, Bo straightens his hand against the graveled ground. He’s trembling, his breath so ragged and loud it echoes around us. I bring my boot up and slam it down on his fingers. Then, I grind them into the gravel until he howls loud enough to wake the dead. I repeat it five times, making sure to get each finger.
“The other hand now,” I bark. “Alex, hold him steady,” I add, seeing how white Alex looks. That’s right mother fucker, take it in.
Once they do as I order, I repeat my movements with this hand. Each slam of my foot sends Bo’s screams echoing through the evening air. When his screams just become pitiful sobs, I watch as he curls into a fetal position on the harsh ground. I bend down so I can whisper into his ear, making him panic.
“No, no, no …” he pleads over and over.
“Stay out of my way, fucker. Make sure my woman never sees or hears your name again. If she does, I won’t leave you breathing the next time I have to deal with you,” I warn quietly. He whimpers but doesn’t respond. Still, I’m sure my message has been delivered. Before I walk away, I spit on him, feeding the need to humiliate him. As C and Cowboy follow behind me, I look over my shoulder when I hear Bo cry out in pain. C and Cowboy are kicking him in the ribs and join me in spitting on him. Alex watches but gives Bo a wide berth as he maneuvers around him. Even from this distance, I can tell Alex’s hands are shaking. When I’m sure he’s following us, I lead us over to our bikes. I do it smiling because I know Alex is scared to death and that was the biggest point in coming here today. I climb on my bike, not bothering to look at Bo again. There’s no point. Business was handled and he won’t exist to me from this point on—as long as he remembers the rules.
“Time to get home to my woman,” I mutter under my breath, missing her more with every minute that passes. My hands might still have traces of blood on them, but as the wind hits my face, my chest feels lighter. Once we get on the main road, I look back in the mirror at my men. C and Cowboy are riding behind me, guarding my back and Alex is behind them, but obviously hanging back as he thinks everything over. He’s just a shadow behind the light, but I can see him and that’s what is needed right now. I need to watch him closely. What he does in the next few days determines if he’s alive a week from now. If he’s smart, he’ll make the right choices. If not, he’s gone. Nothing and no one will harm my woman ever again.
21 GEORGIA
I’m an idiot. I know I am. Griffin and I have been doing everything but having sex with one another and at this point, it’s kind of insane. He wants to buy a house with me. He wants kids and yet, I’m still nervous about sex. He’s currently in the shower and I’m lying in the bed, wondering what in the hell is wrong with me. Nana stayed with a friend because they were going to a fundraiser breakfast in the morning that the fire department is putting on. I opted not to go, mostly because Davis will probably be there—he’s been at the others, so it stands to reason he’d be at this one too. He and Griffin had words the other day. I don’t know what they said, but I know it was about me and I don’t want to make matters worse. I’ve never felt about Davis like I feel with Griffin. Honestly, no one has ever affected me the way Griffin does. I love him, so I need to stop hiding behind my fear. That’s not who I am. At least, it’s not who I want to be any longer. I want to be the kind of woman that Griffin can be proud of.