Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70445 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
I shake my head, astounded at the dysfunction. “You knew,” I say. “You could’ve called Melody up and apologized and admitted that you knew, but you didn’t.”
“It’s not easy,” he says, sounding like he’s going to cry.
I have no pity for him. “You deserve this, old man.” I slowly stand up.
“Going to leave now?” he asks. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”
“I want my money.”
“There is no money, Warren.” He chuckles darkly. “Never was any.”
“You hired me for a job. I did the job.”
“Go ask Daisy. Maybe she’ll pay.”
I stare at him and my hands curl into fists. I want to cover his face with a pillow and choke him out, but this house has seen enough death already and I don’t need to make my hands any dirtier than they already are.
I turn and leave the room. My father’s going to die because of this. I banked on making enough to pay off the Greeks, or at least enough to buy myself some more time to make the difference, but now Dad is completely fucked. I have nothing to give him, and the Greeks have no reason to hold back.
They’re going to murder him.
I steady myself against the doorframe. Melody’s gone, Colton fucked me, everyone in this family is a psychopath and monster, and my father is going to die, and my mother will likely follow him into the grave. My life is falling apart, and all I can think of is Melody, and her mouth against mine, and how close I finally got to feeling something real.
Only for my lies to fuck it all up again.
I pause in the hallway outside of Colton’s wing. It’s quiet in the main house—most of the family’s at the hospital with the cousins. I hope those fuckers think twice about trying something so fucking stupid in the future, but I suspect they’re not the types to learn much from their mistakes.
“What are you still doing here?”
I look down the hall and there she is, head tilted in curiosity. Daisy’s studying me with narrowed eyes, and I’m suddenly tempted to stalk down to her and shove my thumbs through her eyes, but instead I only straighten and move a little bit closer.
“Wanted to finish some business with Colton before I headed back to Dallas.”
“Melody already left?” she asks.
“Took my truck.”
“Poor guy. Need some money for an Uber?”
“No, thanks. I’ll manage.”
“Good.” She frowns slightly and smooths her hair. “So that was the whole end game, huh? Get my cousin to marry you and take everything over?”
“Pretty much. But I guess that’s over now.”
“Guess so. She doesn’t seem happy with you.”
“Can you blame her?”
Daisy’s smile is tight. “Melody’s not happy with anyone in this house. Poor girl, she’s been through a lot.”
I let out a soft laugh. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“Actually, I do.” Daisy comes closer, narrowing the gap between us. “You think Melody’s the only one Rosie hurt? I was Rosie’s first target back in the day. All those things Melody said after my sister died? It all rang absolutely true because it all happened to me, too.”
My eyes go wide. “But you—”
“Called her a liar? I’m not fucking stupid. I could tell the second Melody opened her mouth that everyone was going to turn against her. Oh, poor dead Rosie, gone too soon. Good fucking riddance. My sister was a sick bitch, probably because my pedo rapist Dad fucked her up really good, but at last I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut. Better than that, I sensed an opportunity. A chance to get Melody out of the picture.”
“You did it on purpose.”
“Well, I stoked the flames, at least, and it didn’t take much. Some tears, some moping around, and everyone turned on Melody real fast. Poor girl doesn’t even realize, but oh, well.”
I shake my head in amazement. If it weren’t so utterly and disgustingly twisted, I’d be impressed. If I’m a liar, Daisy’s something even worse.
“What will you do now?” I ask. “Colton says he’s selling the place.”
Daisy rolls her eyes. “He’s been threatening that for years. He’ll never do it.”
“Of course not,” I say, shaking my head. “He claims nothing comes in or goes out without your approval. The old fuck’s going to die and all of you are going to rip each other to shreds fighting for the scraps.”
“Actually, no. The uncles are mine. The cousins too.”
“I heard about the blackmail.”
Her lips pull back. “Dean talked?”
“Evan, but don’t hold it against him. I made it very hard for him to keep his mouth shut.”
She grins and tilts her head like she’s studying me. “You’re useful,” she says. “And you need money. How about we make a deal?”
“I’m not interested.” I start to turn away, but Daisy speaks up.
“How much do you need? I’ll give it to you.”