Page 19 of Yours To Keep
“Can you tell if someone has accepted it?” Iris asks Breaker, ignoring my question all together.
I despise being ignored. Being treated as if what I’m asking doesn’t matter makes my barely contained rage break free.
“EXCUSE ME MOTHERFUCKERS! I’M SPEAKING!” I scream, the fire in my soul blazing out of control.
I’m pissed at my mother, pissed at Aaron, pissed at these men for not listening to me. They both snap their gazes to me, a smirk playing at the corner of Iris’s lips while Breaker just looks shocked. Iris opens his mouth to speak, but I already know what he’s going to say. “If you tell me to calm down, I’m going to cut your balls off and shove them down your throat.”
Standing in front of these two men, both of whom I know have taken the lives of criminals around the world, I feel strong. Do they fear me? Absolutely not. But I see a hint of respect in both of their eyes, and that’s all I could ever ask for. Brushing my hands down the front of my white lace swing dress, I clear my throat.
“Now, would somebody care to explain?”
eight
I don’t thinkI’ve ever been so fucking hard in my life. I shift uncomfortably, adjusting my dick, even though there’s no way to hide my reaction to her. Her sudden shift in personality, taking what she wants and commanding attention, is so fucking sexy.
“You want the truth, angel? That,” I say, pointing a sharp finger towards to screen, “That is a contract for murder for hire. Your mother is trying to have your father killed.”
Could I have said it with a little more tact? Yeah, I could. But Magnolia is so used to everyone handling her with kid gloves. She’s desperate for someone to treat her like an equal. If that’s what she wants, that’s what I’ll give her. She swallows slowly, the color draining from her face as she reads over the document again and again. I expect a visceral reaction, even though I’m not sure she’s got anything left in her stomach to give back. But what I get is something else entirely, something I’m not quite sure how to take. Maniacal laughter fills the air, Magnolia bending at the waist as she laughs and cries with equal effort.
She’s finally snapped. I knew it would happen. No one wants to learn something so terrible about the person who gave them life. I step forward to console her, but she waves me off, her laughter coming in loud bursts.
“I’m…fine. Really…” she huffs out as she struggles to catch her breath. “I wish I could say I’m shocked, but I’M NOT!”
Breaker and I exchange a look, his brows furrowed in concern. I’m not sure what to make of her outburst. Is she having a mental breakdown? Or is her soul darker than I think it is? Does she really find this funny? Because if I’m being honest, my first instinct was to laugh, too. But that’s because I’m a sick fuck who finds shit like this comical.
“Angel, do you understand what this all means?” I don’t doubt her intelligence, but I want to be sure.
“Oh, yeah. You’re telling me my mother hired a hitman to kill my father so she could be free to give me to Aaron, along with a large portion of my inheritance. It’s pretty straightforward. Honestly, I never thought my mother had the balls, but I guess I was wrong.” She replies, shrugging. I scoff out a laugh at her summarization of the intense situation.
“Yeah, that’s about it,” I tell her, and she just nods.
“Can you tell…I mean, I don’t know how this shit works. But can you tell if somebody actually agreed to the contract?” She asks. I’m so distracted by the thoughts running through my mind, I barely register her question. She is obviously so beautiful, but the idea that she has a darkness in her that rivals my own is enough to make me ache for her down to my bones.
“Well, about that. I have an idea.” Breaker suggests, and I finally look away from her perfect face. We both wait for him to explain, even though he looks conflicted. “What if I take it?”
Magnolia opens her mouth to say something, but immediately closes it. She’s thinking hard about what it reallymeans for Break to accept the contract. This isn’t her world, but it’s too late now.
“I’m going to assume you’re suggesting that we con my mother, because obviously I would filet you alive if you even considered laying a hand on my father,” she says, and I laugh whole heartedly. My angel has a violent side that makes me want to bend her over and fuck her until she screams.
“Obviously, I would never be serious about killing your dad, Magnolia. I try to only kill people who deserve it,” Breaker smirks, impressed by her threats.
“Well, then I approve. But why you? I mean, Iris-” she says, but we both shake our heads.
“She already knows me, angel. As far as she knows, you and I are involved. She may be a fucking idiot, but she wouldn’t believe I was serious. If we want to catch her, and keep your dad safe, it has to be someone unknown to her,” I reply, and she nods.
“I’ve got at least a dozen aliases I can choose from to reach out to her without her finding any connection between me and Grovewood. I just want you to be aware, Magnolia. Once the wheels are set in motion, whatever happens may not be easy to stop. Your mom could end up-” Breaker says, but Magnolia cuts him off.
“She won’t survive this. One way or another, she will die for this. If she gets caught in the consequences of her own actions, so be it. If I have to pull the trigger myself, I will.” She turns, walking back upstairs without another word.
She’s not okay. That much is obvious. But I’m not sure what to say or do to make this better, to ease her pain.
“Do it. I’m taking her back to my place for now. I don’t want to risk her safety in that apartment alone. If you need me, call me,” I tell Breaker, and he nods, turning back to his computer monitor.
I find her in the kitchen, leaning against the bar with her arms crossed over her chest, her dark green eyes clouded in confusion. The low v-cut of her dress and the way she’s standing has her tits pushed up so high, it wouldn’t take much for me to pull the front of her dress down and feast on her creamy pale skin until I’ve had my fill. But I don’t think I could ever satisfy my hunger for Magnolia.
I want her. To fuck. To protect. To cherish.
It has to be her decision. And I won’t push the issue with so much other bullshit already on her plate. But I won’t budge on the topic of her safety. She might not be happy when I float the suggestion, but this time she doesn’t have much of a choice.
