And I knew whatever love Nila felt for me would vanish like it never existed.
I couldn’t move, but it didn’t stop Cut from prowling toward me and placing the hated item into my shaking hands. Curling my fingers around the salt shaker, I hated that something so simple could deliver something so unforgivable.
My father murmured, “You have one last chance, Jethro. Use it well.”
Ice howled.
Snow fell.
Blizzards blew like fury.
I hung my head and gave in.
Motherfucking shit.
* * * * *
That was yesterday.
A Sunday I would never forget.
Today was Monday.
A Monday that I wished I could erase.
Last Monday had been full of freedom, kisses, and passion; polo and sex and blistering new beginnings.
This Monday was full of mourning and pain. Today was the day I became the true heir to Hawksridge because if I didn’t, I doubted I would wake in the morning.
Cut hadn’t said as much. But it was what hedidn’tsay that made the biggest impression.
Do this or I’ll kill you.
Obey me or this is the end.
Cut had seen what I knew he would. He took great pleasure ininforming me that he knew I’d fucked Nila. He knew I’d chased after her during half-time at polo, and he knew my allegiances were changing.
It’d been a long fucking night.
After our talk, he’d forced me to go deep, deep inside. He tore away any progress Nila had made with me and filled me with snow once again.
In an odd way, I was grateful.
Grateful because without him tampering with my psyche, there was no way in flying fuck I would’ve got through today.
I thought I’d had months.
I thought I’d been the one in control of when the next payment would happen, but as always...I was wrong.
Cut had seen my ultimate plan before I’d even finalised the details.
He’d understood my tentative scheming of dragging out the debts until I was thirty. By then, I would’ve been in charge. By then, I might’ve found a way to spare Nila’s life without losing mine.
I had the Sacramental Pledge over the Debt Inheritance.
I’d put things in place to end this—once and for all.
But none of my forward thinking mattered anymore.
