Total pages in book: 266
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 250787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1254(@200wpm)___ 1003(@250wpm)___ 836(@300wpm)
“Why did you come to my father? Why try to make her my chosen?”
“Isabella wanted revenge. She was willing to put her in your life to make you pay for killing Trent.” He shrugs. “But I told her you refused, and she said she’d get another chance. The woman may be the antichrist, but she has the patience of a saint.”
“She wasn’t even of age to be a chosen,” I add with a growl and quickly do the math in my head. “Hell, she was what, sixteen when I killed her father?” Fuck, she looked every bit of twenty-one and was drinking champagne that night on his yacht. I never thought to question her age because I knew nothing would come of it. That would have made her seventeen when he went to my father to try to make a deal for her to be my chosen.
“Legal age of consent in Pennsylvania is sixteen.” He shrugs, and I don’t bother to ask why he knows that.
I huff. “Charlotte said that you told her her future husband was a prisoner here at Carnage. I’ve looked the name up you gave her, and he’s never existed.”
“She wanted information…”
“So you lied?” I growl.
“Of course.” He huffs. “That day she came over to the house…” he runs his hand through his hair. “Charlotte was different. She had confidence and was asking too many questions. Isabella was putting on a show for Charlotte and slapped her.”
“She what?” I bark. “Why would you allow that?”
“I had a part to play.” His eyes narrow on mine. “Just like you. Charlotte needed something to keep her interested in Carnage. If I didn’t push her, Isabella would have—especially since she was aware you took her virginity. Isabella was excited. She was finally getting something from you, you were claiming Annabelle as yours.” He shakes his head. “It was finally going how Isabella wanted it to go, and I didn’t want to fuck that up.”
“And Hudson?” I question. “What part did you play in that?”
“I didn’t know that Hudson was helping her. I had my suspicions that he was involved but couldn’t prove it. Then I found some messages on Isabella’s phone that he was her fuck boy. I knew then he was involved.”
“Why didn’t you kill him? He was fucking your wife.” It could have solved several of our problems with one less piece of shit after my wife.
“I didn’t give two shits about her then, and I give less now.” He shrugs. “If he kept her busy, she was out of my face. Plus, I could have killed you for the same thing.”
I sigh, hanging my head and ignoring that last part. I did what I did because I had to. It wasn’t like I wanted to fuck her. She gave me a choice, and I picked what I thought was best.
I try to think back if I have any more questions to ask him. I have a feeling he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. He will always look after and check on my wife.
He turns to the door. “Take care of her.”
“Wait,” I say, and he pauses. I look at her, she hasn’t moved, and then move my gaze back to him, frowning. “That’s the same thing her father said to me before I killed him.” I trail off thinking of what Bill just said about the day on the water. “I thought he meant the yacht.” I scratch the back of my head.
He chuckles. “He hated that damn thing. Isabella wanted it. Why do you think it was named after her?” The room grows silent, and he exits.
I close down my computer and walk over to the couch. Leaning over, I slide my arms under her and pick her up. She remains a lifeless doll all the way to our room, and I lay her on the bed, then gently undress her until she’s naked. I help her under the covers and undress myself before I get in beside her.
Her body is so warm, and I cuddle into her, holding her tight and kissing her forehead.
CHARLOTTE
I open my heavy eyes to see I’m lying in bed with Haidyn back in his room. Last I remember, we were in his office, and I lay on the couch because I could barely keep my eyes open.
Snuggling closer to him, he turns on his side, and I look up to see he’s already staring at me. “Why are you awake?” I whisper. What time is it? A quick look around tells me it’s still nighttime.
“I like to watch you sleep,” he admits shamelessly.
I understand what he means because I enjoyed watching him sleep that one time I woke up and he was next to me in his bed. “You need to rest,” I tell him.
His soft laughter makes his chest rumble against me. “I’ve got plenty of time for that.”