Switching to my voicemail, I scan the list. “Oh,fuck.” Wide-eyed, I shift to face Rhett. “Harold has left a message.”
I put it on speaker, then hit play. “Noah. Harold Hemstock, here. What the fuck is going on? Call me. Immediately.”
Demanding and unyielding, just like always. And well, frankly, his attitude pisses me off. I press my lips together. “I’m gonna call that prick. He’s the one who forced all of this on me.” My exhale is harsh, but I look to Rhett for reassurance.
“Do what you need to do, Starlet.” Rhett inclines his head, and his lips twitch. “Just be careful what you say. Remember, you haven’t seen his son since the wedding.”
“Got it.” I take a deep breath and put the call through, and Harold picks up after two rings.
“Where’s my fucking son?”
I huff out a laugh.The balls on this guy.“I haven’t seen him, Harold. Not since the night of our wedding when he and his friends fuckingrapedme.” I pause, rage concaving my lungs. “FYI, I’m filing for an annulment.”
There’s silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds before he snaps, “You don’t want to do that, Noah.”
“Oh, I assure you, I do. And if you want your name kept out of this shit show, you’ll release me from the fucking contract you coerced me into signing. I wantnothing more to do with your record company. My music—every melody and lyric—belongs tome.”
“I don’t do well with blackmail, Ms. Lane.” He spits my name like it’s bitter, as if it hasn’t made him millions.
My jaw goes tight as I shake my head, and lock eyes with Rhett. “Funny,Harold.Neither do I.You forced me to marry a monster. I’m sure you can imagine how fucked-up things were, since you’ve probably been covering his ass for years.”
“Don’t make accusations. Especially when it’s your word against ours. Nobody will believe you.”
My heart races wild in my chest. “It’s more than my word. I have video evidence of all the heinous crimes your son committed.”
“Doubtful.” This man is so confident, so full of contempt for me, I almost just want to release everything to the media and watch him fumble as he tries to save his empire.And maybe I still will.
“Believe whatever you’d like. Either take my threat seriously or the whole world will find out just how fucking deranged your son really is. Thirty minutes, Harold. That’s all I’m giving you. Your call. Choose wisely.” And I hang up.
“You okay?” Rhett tugs me to his side, cupping my cheek with his palm.
“I don’t know yet.”
“And that’s okay.” His brows furrow as he studies me. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” he rasps.
“Bradley.”Even if he were to go to prison for everything he’s done… it’s not enough.I wet my lips, and nod, looking him square in the eye.All he’s waiting for is my go-ahead.“Fuck.” I look down at my hands, but he automatically lowers his head to catch my gaze. “Make him pay for what he did to me.”
“I wasn’t joking around before. Iamgoing to kill him,” he grits out. Vengeance drips from every word, and his eyes blaze with fury.
Rhett didn’t have to ask my permission but now that he has it, he can follow through with a clear conscience.Bradley will never leave Black River.
I lean in and press my lips to his, our gazes locking as I grant him permission. “Give him hell, cowboy.”
RHETT
39
I tearinto the slaughterhouse with a fury that could rival a Category 5 hurricane. Ignoring the stench of piss, blood, and fear polluting the air, I beeline past Kade and head straight for my target.
“Whoa, where’s the fire?” Kade’s hand lands on my shoulder.
I crane my neck, shoot him a harrowing look, and growl, “He fuckin’ recorded her. Everything.”
Kade’s eyes widen, shock turning molten in a split second. “You watched it?”
“Not at first.” Before I came back here, I made the twins let me finish it—alone. And I did. I had to know what they did to her. “I needed to see it all, needed the validation that killing this cunt is the bare fucking minimum.” What was in Bradley’s iCloud storage haunts me—portraying every moment in horrifying HD-quality.
Although I hate that Noah had to endure something so vile, so fucking inhumane, I’m grateful she can’t remember all of it. Her—lying there helpless, tears streaking her cheeks, hours of silent weeping while he and his friends took what they wanted, with absolutely zero remorse.
