Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
A sob breaks free from my throat, my heart threatening to tear itself to pieces. "Please, no," I whimper to my cousin. "You can't do this."
"It's his fault, baby cousin," Triton says, the gun trembling in his grasp. "If it weren't for him…" He takes a shuddering breath, his finger hovering over the trigger.
Desperation claws at my insides. "You can have the company," I sob, my vision blurring with tears. "You can have whatever you want; just don't take him."
"It's too late for that," Triton replies bitterly. "Your father won't ever leave it to me now. He fucking made sure of that."
The gun shakes in his hand as he glances at me again, the barrel shifting in my direction.
"Eyes on me, Triton," Dalton growls again, taking a step toward my cousin.
Triton immediately snaps his arm out straight, centering his aim on Dalton once more. "Don't fucking come at me," he snarls. "Don't move."
"Then you keep that gun pointed at me, and you let her go," Dalton murmurs, his gaze never wavering from Triton's face. "Your problem is with me."
Oh God. He's going to sacrifice himself to save me.
No, I can't let that happen. I can't let any of this happen. Dalton isn't dying, and Triton isn't a killer.
I step toward Dalton, my legs shaking beneath me.
Triton's wild gaze shifts to me, his eyes widening. "Stay there, baby cousin," he says, his voice quivering.
"No." The word comes out as a broken whisper.
"Tempest, dammit," Dalton growls, agony in his voice. "Stop."
"No," I repeat, placing one foot in front of the other, slowly, carefully closing the distance between us. My heart pounds against my ribcage as I inch closer.
Triton growls at me, his hand tightening on the gun, but he doesn't pull the trigger. He can't. Despite his flaws, despite everything, he loves me in his own messed-up way. And he can't kill me. He isn't capable of it.
I step in front of Dalton, holding my arms out, shielding him with my body. Tears stream down my face as I stare into Triton's tormented eyes.
"If this is really who you are now, Triton, take me," I say, my voice cracking. "Shoot me. But I'm not letting you take him."
Triton stares at me, his hand wavering, the gun lowering slightly.
"You aren't a killer," I whisper, salty tears rolling down my cheeks. "No matter what else you've done, you aren't this. You aren't."
He groans, a tortured sound ripping from his throat. The gun clatters to the ground. "Goddammit, Tempest," he rasps. "Goddammit."
Dalton lunges forward, dragging me into his arms and pulling me behind him as he strides toward Triton. With a swift kick, he sends the gun skittering across the pavement. The two security guards rush forward, grabbing Triton by the arms, dragging him down to the sidewalk.
He doesn't fight. He doesn't make a sound.
I collapse against Dalton's back, my knees giving out as sobs wrack my body. He spins around, gathering me to his chest, his strong arms enveloping me.
"I've got you, baby," he murmurs into my hair, the words shaking on his lips. "I've got you."
"Dalton," I sob, clinging to him.
He holds me crushingly tight, as if he's afraid I'll disappear if he lets go. His heart hammers wildly against my cheek. "Christ, don't ever fucking do that to me again," he growls, his whole body shaking. "I thought he was going to shoot you."
"He wouldn't shoot me," I whisper sadly, fresh tears leaking from my eyes. "He loves me. He just doesn't know what that means."
But I do.
Love is the man trembling around me, the one willing to die for me. The same one who learned to live again for me.
Chapter Twelve
Tempest
"Are you okay, baby?" Dalton asks, slipping his arms around me from behind as I stare out into the dark backyard, thinking.
It's been hours since Triton was carted off to jail. He'll be there for a while, but my mind has been in turmoil all day.
I sigh, turning to burrow into Dalton's solid chest. "I'm okay," I murmur, even though I'm anything but. My heart physically hurts. So does my head, my eyes, even my eyelashes. I guess crying all day will do that to you.
His lips brush the top of my head. "You're thinking about your cousin," he murmurs, reading me like no one else can.
"Yes," I admit in a pained whisper. "I just wish…" Pulling back, I tilt my face up to him, struggling to make sense of it all. "I don't understand why he didn't just tell me he was in trouble. I could have helped him without all of this."
Dalton cups my cheek, his hazel eyes soft as he gazes down at me. "Because disappointing you felt like the worst of a bunch of shit options to him," he murmurs. "He cares about you."
"Not enough." My traitorous bottom lip trembles.