Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
“Tell us what’s wrong,” Lucy urged, taking my hands in hers. “Let us help make it right.”
“Why would any of you do that?” I tried to pull my hands away, but Lucy held fast, holding my gaze with a steady one of her own.
“Because you need friends. Let us be that for you.”
“Like I told Ripper, I don’t have any money. Even if I manage to get control of my father’s estate, I know what his wishes were, and none of that money goes to me. My father wanted me to be able to take care of myself and not rely on his money. He made sure I had everything I needed to survive, but I wasn’t the spoiled little rich girl everyone thinks I was. I didn’t drive fancy cars or have designer clothing. Even when I accompanied my parents to important fundraisers, I was responsible for my own donation and my attire. They only supplied the ride, and I got to go with them. It was important to my father, and I won’t dishonor his wishes just because his lawyer managed to get everything turned over to himself.”
“Honey,” Glitter said, looking from Spring to Lucy, confusion on her face. “We just want to help you. This club is a family. Ripper’s made it known you’re his. He’s claimed you. Not as his ol’ lady, but we all know it’s coming. In our book, that makes you family, too.”
“No one here could give good Goddamned about your money or lack thereof,” Venus said. “So, if that is your objection to Ripper, you did overreact.” She tilted her head as if thinking. “Unless he said something different?”
“No. I just realized that I was under the same roof as Devan. And he’d played me so completely. Devan’s here. A member of Ripper’s club. Of your club. I’ve been bested once already and have put myself in the exact same position again.”
“Devan isn’t member,” Venus said with a disdainful snort and a shake of her head. “He was prospect. Someone looking to be member. After yesterday, he’s no longer that. More importantly, he betrayed club. That carries with it stiff penalty. He’s currently in cell in basement, waiting for Ripper and his team to investigate.”
“So, an internal investigation.” I still wasn’t convinced. “What then?”
Venus sneered, looking more than a little bloodthirsty. “Then we take care of him.”
“And if this investigation shows I’m lying?”
“We already know you’re not lying.” Venus shrugged. “Only question is what degree Beaner was involved in Goldstein’s takeover of your father’s estate, and what, if any, part he played in his death.”
I looked at them all helplessly. “I want to believe you. I really do!”
“But you’re afraid this is all some elaborate trick to get you to trust us so we can get our hands on your father’s money.” Lucy quietly voiced what she thought was my concern. She didn’t condemn me, just stated what she saw as a fact.
“It’s not even that,” I said, dropping my gaze. “I’m afraid…” I took a breath. “Devan used me. He made me think he was really interested in me. I bought into it enough I not only gave him my virginity, I never questioned what he told me. That me not being in that car crash when my dad was killed meant we were supposed to be together. He played it out, too. Keeping in touch with Mr. Goldstein, making sure I was in the loop. Because of the accident, not having the funeral right away wasn’t unusual. There were medical examiners wanting to investigate and all kinds of law enforcement. Devan convinced me it was best if we just stay away for a while. An extended holiday. I must have gotten pregnant the first couple of days of our stay, because three weeks later, I found out. When I told him, he promised he’d take care of everything.
“Then he said it was time to go back to Florida, and we packed our stuff. We left the hotel late one afternoon and drove for a while, not making it out of New York before he told me he was tired, and we needed to stop for a few hours. I honestly didn’t care, but it should have been a huge red flag. We checked into a little roadside motel, but he didn’t let me take our stuff inside. Said we wouldn’t be there long enough to need it. Just a couple of hours so he could catch a nap.
I dozed off with him, but when I woke, he was gone. He’d left a note on the bedside table that said he’d gone to get us some snacks and to fill the car up with gas and would be right back. But he never showed back up.” I started to cry again. “Crying is so stupid,” I spat, sniffing and wiping my eyes with my sleeve.