Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84075 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“No, I can’t imagine it,” I say slowly, scowling. Riley’s married to some narrow-waisted, waspy girl named Janice Smullen, the sort of girl that went to Vassar College as a legacy and comes from a family with money older than the trees the paper was made from. He’s twenty-five, five years younger than me, and already giving Grandpop hope that the Arc name will continue on into perpetuity.
Which is fucking bad for me.
“It’s wonderful news, just wonderful.” Grandpop says and turns his back to me to stare out the window that overlooks the mansion’s grounds. “You know how much this family means to me, Ford. We were on the brink of extinction when I took over and began our restaurant empire, and look at us now. We’re dirty capitalists, we’re sullying our good family name by scrounging around in the filth with all those other workers, at least according to our lovely blueblood society brethren like those Stockton bastards, but we’re thriving. A great-grandchild, Ford. Another baby.”
“It’s wonderful.” I feel fucking sick. Riley’s one of my more conniving cousins and the little shit knows what he’s doing. I never thought he’d be in the running to usurp me but now I can see how I might’ve underestimated him. Riley’s married to a nice girl from a good family and they have a baby on the way, which means their line will continue on past them, and what do I have?
A fake fiancée from a family we hate and no plans to reproduce anytime soon.
If Grandpop is looking for a reason to get rid of me, this is the perfect opportunity.
Something in me shifts and crackles. Years and years of competition and viciousness come alive, and I’m thinking about all the ways I can hurt Riley, the different methods I can use to embarrass him, the different lies I can tell to undermine him, but none them are as important as getting that one key bit of information that’ll kill the Stocktons the most.
That’s what Grandpop wants. Fuck Riley. Fuck his shitty little kid and his boring wife.
I need to destroy Kat.
“I should go find Riley and congratulate him,” I say and slowly stand up. “Is he here today?”
“Out back, I believe. Smoking cigars with Albert.”
“Good. Perfect. I’ll go have a word.” I turn to the door, but Grandpop stops me.
“Make sure you follow through with our little deal,” he says slowly and deliberately, and I feel my stomach suddenly do flips as a tingle runs down my spine. “Riley’s got a baby coming, after all, and we don’t have much time left.”
I nod once and hurry into the hall where I pause and take a few deep breaths.
This was all a fucking game.
Grandpop told me about Riley as a warning. He wasn’t overcome by excitement—he was playing another goddamn role just like he did when Kat visited. That was his way of letting me know that I’m replaceable and he does have decent options if he decides to pass me over. I may be the most capable and the strongest of the cousins, but I’m not in an invincible position.
He’ll tear me down if he wants.
I stroll toward the back of the house and step out onto the patio. I spot Riley and Albert sitting down by the pool in white slacks, button-down shirts, smoking cigars and laughing over something. I pause in the shade of the house and watch them for a long moment, and all I want to do is go down there, grab Riley’s face, and shove it under water until he drowns. I’d gladly hold him down until his weak little body stops kicking and fighting, and I’d do the same to Albert if that stupid fuck didn’t run the fuck away.
Instead, my phone buzzes. I take it from my pocket and it’s a text from Kat. Don’t laugh. Actually, don’t even reply, okay?
Followed by another picture.
It’s her wearing only a bra, her hair still drying from the shower, head tilted and pouting into the mirror, a little smile on her lips. My heart instantly leaps into my throat and my head starts to pound as I stare at it, my cock responding like she’s standing right in front of me and begging me to fuck her.
When I first met Kat, she never, ever would’ve done something like this without me asking, but now she’s beginning to warm up and loosen herself, and it’s driving me fucking wild with desire. Her vulnerability, her innocence, and fucking hell, her body and her lips and everything about her makes me want to turn my back on my life and give in to what I really want.
This house, this mansion, it never makes me feel the way Kat does.
It never makes me feel like I could give up and still be happy.