Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 41246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 206(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 206(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
I dropped down on the bed from exhaustion but I was still too wired to even contemplate sleep. Instead, I laid there thinking about my dad and what had happened to him. Days before I got the news that he’d died, he’d been acting rather strange. Cryptic texts and rushed calls that always seemed like he was trying to tell me something but couldn’t.
If I hadn’t been so wrapped up in my own world, I probably would’ve picked up on it sooner. But it was my first time away from home, something I’d despaired of ever happening since I was a young girl.
After mom had died, dad had become over protective. He hardly ever let me keep any friends, and he’d stayed on top of my every move. We’d fought constantly my last year of high school because he refused to listen to reason. There was no way he’d sworn, that he was ever going to let me go away to school. The local community college was it for me.
So imagine my surprise months later when he suddenly changed his mind. I should’ve known when he told me to keep that bit of news hush-hush that something else was going on, but I was too excited to notice.
He’d been there for me my whole life, and then when he needed me I was a hundred miles away. I’ll never forgive myself for that. For not realizing that he was in danger. He’d taught me how to defend myself, how to face down whatever came at me. I’m sure had I been here, no one would’ve gotten close enough to harm him.
I didn’t have all the details, but I was pretty sure that someone close to him might have betrayed him. It was looking more and more like Sanchez was the culprit. Why else would he be plotting to get me to the altar?
I felt that sick sense of panic start to wash over me again. Dad had kept me so well out of the loop that I didn’t know where anything was. I had a few thousand dollars in my account but after that dried up then what? And what about school? I couldn’t possibly go back now. Not with Sanchez knowing where I was.
Dad was worth millions. I knew that because I’d seen it once about a year ago in some rag or the other. I knew we were rich, but never knew just how rich. Dad had always given me anything I wanted, except for my freedom.
Maybe Gavin had some ideas. The thought of that slime Sanchez claiming everything my dad had left made me sick.
I started on my way to the door to go ask him, and then I heard a voice. It was female and from the tone not very happy. The little devil on my shoulder told me to head on out there just as I was. Just his shirt that hung to just beneath my ass. Serve him right for being so mean.
Chapter 5
STONE
***
I heard someone at my door and pulled my piece, only to stop short when I saw who my visitor was. “Ma, what the hell are you doing skulking around here this time of night? You almost got capped.” I put my glock away and walked back into the room with her following behind me.
“This is what I sent you to that fancy college for? To be opening doors with guns pointed at people’s heads?”
“Shh, woman don’t be throwing that shit around.”
She’d ridden my ass all through high school to get good grades. That’s how my ass ended up at Yale while I was in the reserves. I did my four years there and enlisted regular army the day after graduation.
Between school, the army and the crew, I’ve been busy for the better part of ten years but I got it done. “What are you doing here old woman?” She was looking around my place in a way that told me somebody had snitched. Fuck, that’s all I need. She hates Drexel more than I do.
“Where is she?”
“Where is who?”
“Don’t play games, what hell have you got yourself into this time? Why is Clyde Drexel’s daughter in your house?” I passed her the letter. I don’t keep shit from ma there’s no point because her fucking spies are always in my shit anyway. I can’t fuck a new piece without her ass knowing ten seconds later.
She dropped into a chair with the letter in hand and a bemused look on her face. “Son of a bitch, he’s got his nerve. Where does he get off asking you to look after his brat when he took your dad away from you? You’re not gonna do it are you?”
“Ma…”
“And here where he says he left everything to her in care of you. That’s rightfully yours, all of it. That thieving son of a bitch stole from us and now he wants you to secure it for his little bitch of a daughter.” I let her get her ranting and raving out of her system until she wound down. I saw the shadow in the doorway and waited. No wonder she’d heard the men talking, she likes to skulk around doors and shit.