“I’m serious,” I say. “We can protect both of you there.”
He shakes his head. “Yesterday I took my wife shopping. We picked out paint for the babies’ rooms. Afterward, I took her out to lunch. She finally has the life she deserves. She’s a different person…happy. And I can’t—I won’t—take that from her. I will not force her to hide…to live a life likehehad in hopes of survival. Plus, he could be on the run for another fifty years.”
“You’re right.” I hate admitting that Adam may never be free again. “But I can protect Ellington if something happens to you.”
“No. You can’t,” he argues. “If I’m dead, she’s regifted?—”
“Make me her guardian.” I’m Charlotte’s guardian, but there’s no limit to how many brothers can leave me in charge of their wives after they die.
“What the fuck, Kashton?” he barks. “No!”
“It’s not like that.” I sigh. Sin would die before he willingly let another man touch his wife—romantically or to harm her.
“I’m not a fucking Spade brother.” He gives me his back, heading to his bike once again, our conversation over.
I step forward, and my question makes him pause. “What if I can make you one?”
The number of seconds that pass has me thinking I’ve gotten through to him. And then, finally, he shakes his head. “No. I won’t take that chance with her. Even if I could, it would make her invisible. The world would assume she’s dead.”
“What’s better, Sin, huh? The world thinking she no longer exists, or the Lords regifting her to another Lord who passes her around to his friends? And what about the babies?—”
His fist connects with my face before I even know he’s turned around. I wouldn’t fight him anyway. I owe him for what I did when I thought he helped take Adam from us.
“Fuck you, Kash,” he shouts, his fists slamming into my chest, knocking me back even farther. “Stay away from me and stay the fuck away from my wife.” With that, he gets on his bike, starts it up, revs his engine, and tears out of the parking lot, leaving a fresh black mark.
I make my way back up to Tyson’s office, and when I enter, their chatter comes to an abrupt stop. My eyes go to the TV that hangs on the wall, and I see they’ve got the cameras showing the back parking lot without audio. I look at Ryat, and he smirks as Tyson tosses him a hundred-dollar bill. “I bet Ty that Sin would be the first to throw a punch. The fact that you didn’t hit back tells me you deserved it.”
TEN
EVERETT
Iguess you could say that I live two lives. The one the Lords want me to have and one that they would kill me for.
It’s no secret that the Lords will fuck over whoever they can. They purposely seek out those who betray their oath. They love to make examples of them.
Punishment is key.
It’s another night, and I find myself walking up to the cemetery behind the cathedral. I’m here every night. I came to terms with my life years ago.
You’re probably wondering why I’d choose this life over death. I asked myself that same question for a very long time.
I used to pray to any god that would listen to kill me. I begged my body to give up and just let go. Certain it’d be better than this hell. Then one day, I had the opportunity to end it myself.
Eighteen years old
I’m officially eighteen. An adult. So they say. It doesn’t change who I am or where I’ve been.
Hell.
Burning in fucking hell.
My father woke me up in the middle of the night, dragged me out of my bed, and threw me into the passenger seat of a car. After he slammed the door shut, he stood outside of it, talking to a man I’d never seen before.
Now, he turns and goes inside while the guy gets in the driver’s seat.
“Seat belt,” he demands, pulling out of the gates.
“Where…where are we going?” I ask, rubbing my sweaty hands down my thighs.
