Page 39 of Coff

My mind races to find a way out of this that doesn’t result in both of these men dying, and I can’t come up with one.

The car stops. We haven’t gone far. Duke exits and pulls me out.

“Can I at least see?” I ask.

“Nope,” the other man says.

I’m pushed forward.

“Walk,” the man says.

I take a breath and plan my move. My hands aren’t bound, so I can trip and grab my gun, but I have to move fast.

I take one step and fall. Before I have time to rip the bag off my head, I hit the ground. I yank off the bag and realize I’m in a very deep hole. Then I see it’s in the shape of a rectangle. Fuck, it’s a grave.

Beep. Beep.

Some type of truck is reversing. What the hell? I stand up and can reach just out of the hole, so I dig my shoe in and try to climb out. Before I can push my body up, a truckload of dirt pours in on me, causing me to fall. It’s coming too fast. I can’t dig my way out, and it grows heavier and heavier.

Why the hell didn’t I listen to my brother? I’m sorry, Brian.

CHAPTER2

Delaney Manzia

I stareat the man lying in bed, sleeping next to me. I hate him with every fiber of my being. Now that my father is dead, I hope to end this farce of a marriage.

Tying the robe tightly around my waist, I quietly slip out of the room and down the stairs. As expected, my brother, Duke, is in my dad’s office.

The room is dark and dusty. It was a place my dad was proud of and spent most of his time. Seeing it now, though, it seems more like a prison. But then, this entire house feels like a prison to me.

As I enter, he doesn’t see me. He’s facing the window with his phone to his ear.

“His death does not negate our deal,” he whispers.

Why is he whispering?

“Give me time to figure this out,” he says.

Then he pulls the phone from his ear and stares at it. “Fuck!” He turns around and spots me. “Delaney? You’re up early.” He sits down.

I sit in a chair across from him. “Is everything okay?” I nod to his phone.

Despite the fact he won’t tell me anything that’s going on with him, I want him to know I do care for him.

“Everything’s fine. What about you?”

“I want to talk to you before Nelson wakes up.” I glance behind me to make sure he didn’t follow me down.

Duke frowns. “What’s going on?”

“I want a divorce.”

Duke’s brows nearly jump off his forehead. “Delaney, you can’t.”

I’d hoped for my brother’s support, and I’m surprised by his reaction. I lean forward onto the desk. “Why? The only reason I married the man is because Dad basically forced me to. I don’t love him, and he certainly doesn’t love me.”

Duke scratches the back of his neck. “And would you love anyone? You’ve said many times love is not for you.”

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