Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
He glanced toward the darkness below. The wind cut through the branches, and for the first time that night, I couldn’t tell if I was shivering from the cold or from someone seeing straight through me.
He didn’t answer me, not that I expected him to. I didn’t know what his purpose was in this. All I knew was that whatever game he was playing, I was already part of it.
Whether I wanted to be or not.
The silence settled between us. It felt heavy, more uncomfortable this time. Too much yet not enough had been shared between us.
“If you wait me out,” I warned, “you’ll only fall asleep eventually.”
“So will you.”
“Yeah, but I won’t fall out of this tree.”
His eyes closed for only a second before he acknowledged, “You’re right, you won’t.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but then he rasped, “The search is over.”
“What are you doing?” I instantly panicked.
“Fixing your mistake.”
“What—”
“You still think I’m here to save you.” His expression hardened. “I gave you a choice, but you stayed, so now you live with the consequences.”
“And what’s that?”
“Me.”
I recoiled.
“Over here!” he shouted into the night, his deep voice echoing through the trees so clearly.
Somewhere in the distance, voices rumbled.
“Hijo de puta,” I hissed. “You son of a bitch.”
“No.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “I’m actually your new neighbor.”
Catching me off guard, he delivered his final blow, speaking with conviction…
* * *
“I’m Devereaux’s son, Onyx.”
Chapter
Five
Hennessy: One choice can change everything.
The branch that had supported my weight for who knows how long disappeared behind a curtain of leaves as I carefully lowered myself down the tree. It was always easier going up than down. I knew my rainforest like the back of my hand, but this one was different. These woods weren’t mine, and every branch felt more challenging than the last, waiting for me to make a mistake and slip and fall.
The oak creaked beneath us. It was old enough to remember the centuries it lived. Its bark was rough on the palms of my hands. Sap clung to my fingertips, sticky against all the cuts I’d earned while climbing up into its arms.
Up there, hidden from the world, there were no expectations from me, no whispers, no Graves Academy.
Just me.
The farther I made it down, the louder the whispers became again. They were unforgiving, making me feel the instant sting of what awaited me once I stepped foot back on solid ground. The wind stirred through the branches above and all around me, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine needles that I found comfort in.
Somewhere in the distance, an owl called into the night, but its cry was swallowed by the men stomping toward our direction. They were pissed, and I wondered if my uncle was among them this time.
The ground still looked impossibly far from my feet, and I was blown away by how far I’d made it up there to begin with. Onyx went first, one deliberate step at a time. He made it look so easy, only fueling my anger at the bullshit situation I found myself in.
Not once did he look toward the forest or even down, for that matter. His broad shoulders and bulky frame nearly blocked my way down, firing the flames of my rage.
“You know,” I sassed with nothing but annoyance in my tone. “A gentleman would have offered for me to go down first.”
“A gentleman.” A quiet scoff escaped his lips before he countered, “Manners won’t catch you if you fall, Hennessy.”
My core seized from hearing him say my name again.
“Then you’d run,” he added. “And trust me.” He peered up, meeting my eyes for the first time since we started down. “My prey never gets away.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bold assumption.”
He warned, “You’ll see.”
“Eres un cojudo,” I retorted, “You’re an idiot.”
He berated, “Who's lacking manners now?”
“Ah!” I ignored his remark. “You speak Spanish too?”
He ordered in a voice I didn’t appreciate, “Hennessy, eyes on me. Before you fall.”
I hated the fact that my eyes obeyed.
“Stop watching the ground,” he asserted. “It’s not going anywhere. You keep looking at where you’ll fall instead of where you’re going.”
I stated the obvious, “I climbed up here by myself.”
“Yeah, well, most people don’t fall climbing up.”
“Huh, you chase people up trees often?”
He smiled, his teeth bright against the moonlight. “Only when they run from me.”
My pulse quickened. He continued to watch me: my every movement, every shift of my weight, every inch of my body. I felt like I was going to fall for a whole other reason with his sole attention on me.
“That branch won’t hold you,” he insisted.
I sighed through my nose. “I know.”
“Then show me you do.” His words were clipped and controlled, like he was forcing each one through gritted teeth.
Once I stepped onto the ladder, he stopped moving, causing me to glance over my shoulder. “What are you doing?”