Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
My father slowly sat back in his chair and regarded me like a stranger rather than his son. “What did you just say?”
“I don’t want it,” I repeated. “Godric can have it.”
Godric stared at me before he shifted his look to his father.
“I want you both to run it—”
“I don’t want it.”
He slammed his hand on the table and made it bounce off the floor. “Interrupt me again, boy. See what the fuck happens.”
I gave a small jerk at his outburst. The room went quiet, far quieter than it’d been just a second ago, even though there was no one in there but us. My eyes remained on his face, and while I was scared of my father, I was scared of what was in that other warehouse more.
“They’re nobodies, Bastien. Inconsequential. Insignificant. Meaningless.”
I wished I could remember her name, but it continued to elude me. We’d never spoken to each other. I wasn’t sure if we’d even had a class together. But I somehow recognized her face enough to notice it in a crowded room. “She’s not a nobody. I went to school with her. I remember the day she went missing because the entire school had an assembly, and her parents came to talk to us.”
My father gave a sigh of irritation and then looked at my brother. “You remember her?”
He shook his head. “I was in lycée at the time.”
My father looked at me again. “Are you sure it’s her?”
“Yes,” I said. “She recognized me. I could tell.”
My father returned the papers to the folder before he dragged his hand across his jawline. “Now I understand why you’ve been so distracted.” He got to his feet. “Let’s fix that. Come on.” He left the warehouse and stepped into the night.
I was quick behind him, hoping that my father would release her so she could go home. She would keep all this a secret in exchange for her freedom. I knew she would. That was a deal I would take in a heartbeat.
We returned to the warehouse with the girls, and my father gestured to his men with the rifles. “Grab her and bring her outside.” He pointed out my old classmate then headed back to the door. “Come on, boys.”
Godric stayed and exchanged a look with me, and it was the first time he didn’t look angry. He was full of resignation, suddenly looking exhausted. Then he gave a slight shake of his head, so slight it was almost unnoticeable. “I fucking told you.”
“Bastien.”
I followed my father outside. Outdoor lights were flicked on, so the cold ground was visible, covered in patches of white snow. The second I took a breath, ice crystals were in my lungs.
Behind me, the guys escorted the girl outside where we stood. She didn’t fight their hold, but they continued to grab her like she was a flight risk. They forced her toward us then pushed on her shoulders so she dropped to her knees, the snow soaking into her jeans.
“Father—”
“No distractions. No compromises. Nothing.” He pulled the gun out of the back of his jeans, cocked it, and then forced it into my hand. “If you want to survive in this business then you need to understand everyone is expendable but you and Godric.”
I’d never held a gun before, so I held it awkwardly, not wanting to come near the trigger. “What the fuck are you saying?”
“Shoot her.”
I took a step back, disturbed by the order he’d just given. “Are you insane?”
“I’ve never been saner,” he said calmly.
“We should let her go.”
“Let her go?” he asked incredulously. “So she can run to Mommy and Daddy and tell them what happened here? Rat us out to the police? The police won’t do shit, but our enemies might hit us once they know our location. Everyone is expendable, Bastien.”
“Then let her keep working.”
“Can’t do that either,” he said. “Because you’re soft—and that’s going to change right now.”
“I’m soft because I don’t want to kill some innocent girl?”
The girl started to cry. Her cries started off small, but as the conversation continued, she began to sob. “Please…”
“Shoot her, Bastien.”
“I said I don’t want this. I want nothing to do with any of this.” I held the gun at my side, and the metal was so cool I could feel it through my gloves. “Give the business to Godric. I want nothing to do with this hell.”
My father gave me the coldest stare. “You think you’re better than me?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“I’ve given you boys everything. The best of everything. And you’re gonna stand there and judge me? Little boy thinks he’s better than his old man?”
“That’s not what I said.”
“It fucking sounds like it. My father handed this business to me and my brother, and someday I’ll hand it to my two sons. There is no choice in the matter, Bastien. Godric needs someone to watch his back, and you need someone to watch yours.”