Page 3 of Ruin Me
I was his goddamn daughter.
Fuck that.
I knew the Carter’s had money, but they were also connected to the drug business. Fuck only knew what kind of shit I would be forced into if I married that asshole. I’d heard the rumours.
I threw the letter in the bin and unzipped my bag, unpacking my toiletries in the bathroom.
I almost stumbled back when I caught sight of my reflection. Pink, rosy cheeks from rushing about, bags under my eyes from the sleepless nights, and a sheen of sweat from freaking the fuck out.
My father was dangerous, and he had a lot of people who worked for him. No matter his debts, he was respected. There were factions of criminals who would come after me and drag me back if I didn’t keep under the radar.
A chill swept through my body once I put my bag down on the bench and moved out into the main area. I searched for the air con remote and turned the heat up. Pulling my jacket on, I sat on the bed, flicking through the channels on theTV.
A large, dark cloud was hovering over the harbour, casting an unnatural and ominous ambience to the outside atmosphere and in my room.
I prayed to whatever God wanted to listen that it wasn’t a prediction of what was to come.
Rhett
I eased into bed, every muscle in my body ached from the night of running around town and “intimidating” some of Manny’s customers. Fuck…I hated this part of the job, but it paid well and kept a roof over my head which was better than most of the men who worked for him.
I couldn’t wait for the day when I had enough cash to set up my own business, and give Manny a run for his money. Not that he had much anymore, too many expensive wives and parties would do that to you. No one but his closest allies knew that though. He had too much respect in this town, so no one batted an eye when he needed a loan.
A loud knock had my eyes flipping open fast, and my face turning to my door.
No.
“Come on, the old man wants to talk to you.”
Fuck.
I pulled myself up and walked to the door, opening it to one of my oldest friends and the one who lured me into working for his old man, Austin.
“What now?”
“My sister’s gone,” he said. “And he’s losing his shit.”
Something inside of me snapped. Hadley was the golden child, Manny loved having her around, but the second she turned twenty, he changed. He wanted to use her to gain more money and allies, and it just didn’t make sense.
Especially not to me. She’d been ignored, only given the most expensive things when it suited him, but ultimately he never took her anywhere or introduced her to anyone.
Until…him.
Fucking Emerson Carter. The worst of the worst to get into bed with and he’d always had his eye on Hadley.
“What do you mean, she’s gone?”
“She fled, a week before he was going to marry her off to some pompous daddy’s boy from Melbourne.”
My mind raced. He was going to sell her to Emerson? I knew the Carter’s were visiting from Melbourne for one of Manny’s fucking parties at his club, but I had no idea it was for that.
“Come on,” I said. “We both know he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
I walked with Austin down the halls of the mansion Manny had acquired for himself after sinking one of his competitors a while back, literally. To this day, they’ve never found his body in the harbour.
Austin pushed open the double doors of his office and I looked out at the large floor to ceiling windows that led out onto a balcony. Manny was standing on the balcony with the monster who wore an angelic smile. Everyone lauded over the prick but I knew him, all too well.
Emerson fucking Carter.
