Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Since I need more than a minute to work through the first half of the conversation, I veer toward the latter. “I refuse to wear an ankle bracelet. I’m not a fucking criminal.”
When he throws me an arrogant smirk, my jaw tightens.
Before I can remind him why I pled guilty, a commotion outside steals my focus. River has arrived at the presidential suite to the jubilant cheers of the posse of paid friends Knox has rarely been without since junior high.
“I’m trying to help you, man,” Knox murmurs a short time later, demanding my focus back to him. “He’s gotten used to this life…” After thrusting the whiskey bottle at River, he waves it around the room I’m still praying like fuck isn’t his. “I honestly don’t know how he’ll do going back to…” His gesture this time cuts like a knife. He tosses his hand at my chest, degrading me and my parenting skills with one quick motion. “But I guess that choice isn’t mine to make.” He throws back the equivalent of half a glass of whiskey before slamming the bottle onto the crystal bar. “He’s your brother, so he’s your responsibility.” He sighs. “I just wanted to help you. You’re family, and without you, none of this would have been possible.” He once again highlights the luxury of the room. “I want to share my fortunes with my brother and make this a real family business.”
When he notices my defenses are weakening, he calls River into the room.
Just like every time River joins a conversation, he hands out a dozen hugs before he takes over it. “Did you hear, Laken?” He holds up a pricy-looking buttoned-up shirt with his name and a job description stitched on the front. His smile is one I’ve never seen before when he announces, “I got promoted to head of marketing.”
“Hold on a minute,” Knox interjects, halving his grin. “I said the position is yours once you get your brother’s permission.” He slaps his shoulder before pulling him in to noogie his head, hopeful a bit of banter will lower his disappointment. “But I’m sorry, man. It doesn’t appear as if Laken wants to go on the road with us. He has plans.” He locks his eyes with mine. Since it’s been a long time since he’s looked me in the eyes, I can’t quite read the emotion they’re displaying. “Plans that don’t involve us.”
“That isn’t what I said,” I deny when River’s bottom lip drops into a pout.
You’d swear I expressed more than I did when River asks, “So we’re doing this? Are the Three Amigos back in business?”
“No.” I backtrack again when my snapped reply devastates River more than when the judge handed down a ruling of twelve years. “Maybe. I don’t fucking know. I need a minute to think. My head is swirling.” I won’t mention the state of my gut. I feel seconds from barfing.
I hardly slept last night, and I’ve not eaten since dinner, but hunger isn’t the cause of my nausea. It’s from trying to work out what the hell is going on. Nicole acted like she didn’t know me. River seems more eager to hang with Knox than with me, and I just sprinted across the city to attend a meeting with my PO, who is supposedly on Knox’s payroll.
That’s too much shit to wade through less than twenty-four hours after leaving a maximum security prison.
When I flop onto the sofa in the corner of the room to cradle my head in my hands, the expensive thread of Knox’s trousers brushes my elbow not even a second later. “Stop reading this as more than it is. If you wanna come on the road with us, come. If you wanna hang here until we get back, hang here.” He waits for my eyes to lift to his. “I just assumed you’d want to be a part of this.” He waves his hand around the room during the “this” part of his statement. “But I’ll understand if you want to forge your own way in this world. I won’t stop you. I just hope it won’t fuck this up.”
“This?” I ask when he doesn’t gesture to anything or anyone this time around.
“This.” He darts two fingers between us. “You’re my fucking brother, man. My blood. I wouldn’t be shit without you, so I don’t want to leave you behind while creating greatness. I want you to get a share of the pie you deserve.”
River takes the last half of his reply as literal pie. He rubs his hands together while licking his lips.
“And the perks aren’t bad, either.” Knox pushes off the sofa and moves deeper into the room. “Private jets. Presidential suites.” The red hue on River’s cheeks deepens with each word he speaks. “Endless women.” He chuckles at River’s beet-colored face. “And the who’s who of the music industry.” He gathers a coat tossed across the made bed in the middle of the suite. “It’s the ‘in’ you’re looking for but trying to deny, just with an official title that will keep BOP off your back until your probation ends.”