Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 108988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
A pinching sensation began to push down in my chest, like someone was pressing a closed fist to my sternum and was continuing to push down, down, down until—I broke. A rough whisper escaped me. “Don’t physically hurt him.” After that, I fled.
“Blake!” Palma came after me.
I hurried to my room, but I knew I couldn’t stay here.
You’re overreacting.
What did you just do?
You’re taking this too far.
My breathing was coming in hard, ragged, and I waited, prepared for an onslaught of comments like that, but they had no idea what it was like growing up unwanted from day one. Not one clue.
But fuuuuck.
Creighton unleashed Levi. I unleashed Creighton.
I shoved through into my room and began to pace, my hands in fists at my side.
Shit.
What had I done?
I needed to go back. I needed to call Creighton off, but it was too late. I’d already lifted the gate, and Creighton would not go back into the stall. He’d laugh at me if I went down there to try to harness him again.
He was an asshole like that.
The door was opened. Palma was there. She held a hand to her chest.
I shook my head as I continued to pace. “I know he didn’t mean me. I know that.” I flinched, not even wanting to imagine what was happening down there now. “Tell me Creighton’s not actually killing him.” I chanced a look at her, and stopped short.
She was pissed. Pissed. “Who the fuck cares. Marshall’s been out of line for an entire week. He’s like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum. He always wants things to go his way, and for once, it’s not. Christ, Blake. Don’t apologize. Marshall knew exactly what he was saying.”
I swallowed. “What do you mean?”
She folded her arms tightly over her chest. Her eyes were glittering from her own anger. “Just that I don’t care what your guy does to him. Marshall deserves it. It’d be good for him to be knocked down a few pegs.” She eyed me in concern. “What do you need?”
I shook my head, not having one clue.
No, I did. I needed to go down there and figure out some way to stop Creighton because they really did not understand what I’d done.
I cursed, and pulled my phone out. I called Lassiter.
He answered almost right away. “Did he kill someone?”
A laugh escaped me because of course he’d answer that way, and of course his tone was accepting. Even hopeful. “No, but . . .” I needed to think about this. Did I really want to bring Lassiter into this? He was another weapon in Creighton’s arsenal. I’d only told Creighton not to harm my housemate. I never said anything about anyone else. That’d be how he could get around me. Such a dickface.
“I need you to promise me something, even if Creighton gives you orders that go against it.”
Palma’s eyebrows shot up.
I waited, and as I did, the room seemed to shrink around me.
“Okay.”
I frowned. That was easy. “Really?”
A dark chuckle came from the other end. “Yes, Blake. What do you need from me?”
“Don’t physically harm my housemates.”
“Done. Now what do you need from me? I’m already on the way to your place. What am I going to be walking into?”
I hesitated. “I don’t know. I went upstairs. My one housemate was being an asshole—”
Palma bit out, “That’s putting it mildly.”
I continued to Lassiter, “I don’t know what I need, to be honest. I just—”
“Got it. You need a distraction. I’ll be that for you.” He ended the call abruptly.
I looked at my phone, my mind racing.
“Who did you call?”
“Lassiter.”
The voices downstairs went up another level in volume.
We both turned as if we could see through the door and down into the living room to see what was happening. Lassiter said we needed a distraction. I clung to that, knowing I’d have to process the events that happened tonight at a later time, but we were in the damage control phase. That meant getting Creighton away from Marshall.
“We need to go out.”
Palma said, “Uh. Okay. Where do you want to go?”
I was thinking. Calculating. Not to any of Creighton’s places. That’d be his territory. His men would be there. We needed somewhere neutral, where Creighton couldn’t give orders and have thirty men do his bidding.
“Octavia.” That was perfect.
“Didn’t you quit there?”
I nodded, my excitement beginning to build. It was wonderful. Yeah, I’d been kidnapped from there, but what were the chances it’d happen a second time? And with Creighton present? It wouldn’t happen. West and Walden wouldn’t dare.
Octavia was just the place to go.
I smiled widely at Palma. “Let’s go to a nightclub, and uh, Marshall can’t come with us.”
Palma’s eyes were wide, unblinking. “I mean, duh. Of course, but are you sure that’s what you want to do? I don’t feel I’m totally following what’s happening here.”