“I had no choice,” I cried, my body ached and I wanted to crumble to the ground and cry.
“We all have a choice,” he said sternly, his voice now cold and void of any emotion. “You made yours.” He spat on the ground. It was like just being in my presence left a disgusting taste in his mouth.
I cried. I stood in front of him and bawled my Goddamn eyes out, and all he did was stare me down. Like it didn’t affect him in the least.
He was so cold.
Gone was the man who’d pushed his way into my life, making me dream of something better. Gone was the playful sparkle that I’d once seen in his eyes when he’d told me he wouldn’t give up until I was his.
I had made him this way.
And fuck if it didn’t hurt.
It hurt, more than I ever could have imagined.
I watched him as a car pulled up to the curb behind me. I knew it was my cousins, Gio and Rico, Uncle Anthony’s sons.
I was heading back to the East Coast with them.
My father had convinced me that none of my family gave a shit. He kept me hidden away from them, shipping me off to a college on the other side of the country until he had a use for me. I knew why now. He hadn’t wanted me to know that I had family that cared about me. My uncle didn’t give a shit that I was born from an affair with a lowly housekeeper.
I'd always wondered why my mother had chosen to take me away. It had taken a long time of searching after she had passed away to find details about my father.
Now I knew why.
She was protecting me.
It was only ever me and her, but I had dreams of a big family. When I found out about the DePalmas, I was ready to do anything to be a part of a family so big with so much history.
Marco had told me I needed to prove my worth because my blood was tainted.
Just another lie.
A way to keep me twisted around his little finger.
I looked over my shoulder as I heard the boys climb out of the car. Giovanni, the eldest of the brothers, frowned as he took note of the tears that streaked my face.
“Rosalie, get in the car,” he ordered.
I turned back to Blizzard, he was watching them carefully, his body on full alert.
I should listen. I should get in the car and let them drive me away. I wasn’t welcome here and as much as I wanted to stand there and apologize until my face turned blue, I knew it would be a waste of breath. Blizzard would never accept it. I’d broken him and it was something I would have to think about for the rest of my life.
Gio and Rico took up the space on either side of me. “Get in the car, Rosalie,” Gio repeated through a tight-lipped mouth.
My eyes then caught the glimmer of the shiny metal that he held in his hand. My heart sank, no. This is not how this would end.
“Okay, okay. Let’s go.” I placed a hand on his chest and attempted to push him back, but he wouldn’t budge. His eyes were set on Blizzard and I could see the fury that was behind them. “Gio, don’t do this,” I whispered pleadingly.
“Just another trick, huh?” Blizzard announced, holding his arms out wide. “When will you boys stop using women to do your dirty work?”
“No,” I snapped. “We’re leaving.”
I placed myself in front of Gio, my hand on his chest. I could see the promise of violence in his eyes as he ignored me and continued to glare at Blizzard over my head. I looked over at Rico, who was doing much the same.
No, this is not how things would end. I had done enough damage to this club as it is.
“You took our brother,” Gio sneered. Kenneth had been the oldest of Anthony’s children. I wasn’t sure of the whole story, but from what I was told the club had killed him. But for all I knew, that was just another lie.
“He was a douche bag. You should be thanking me, now he’s out of the way, you’re next in line to take the throne,” Blizzard shot back. His voice now back to normal as he made light of my cousin’s demise.
“He was my brother,” Gio yelled, raising his gun.
“He had a known slave trader pick up one of our Old Ladies and sell her to the highest bidder,” Blizzard shot back, causing me to gasp. Chelsea didn’t talk much about what happened to Harmony, but I knew this reference was about her.
“Your club took one of my family,” Gio spoke slowly, anger radiating from him. “Now I’m going to take one of theirs. Blood for blood.”
“No!” I screamed, throwing myself at Gio and clawing at his arm as he pulled the trigger.
The shot went off and I heard a body drop to the ground.
My ears started to ring. Rico picked me up around the waist and pulled me to the car, all while I kicked and screamed, yelling out Blizzard’s name.
“No!”
I was pushed into the backseat of the car, Rico climbing in after me and Gio throwing himself in the driver’s seat. I could see Rico’s mouth moving, but I couldn’t make out the words. My ear had been right near the gun when it went off and all I could hear was ringing and static. But I continued to yell.
I caught a glimpse out the window as Gio took off at speed.
The sight made my stomach turn and my breath caught on a sob. “No,” I whispered.
Blizzard’s body lay on the pavement.
We all have that moment when our world completely shatters.
I had survived being beaten.
I had made it through, despite being told I was worthless and a waste of air.
I’d even managed to hold it together when I thought Chelsea—the person who had taught me the true meaning of friendship—was dead.
But seeing his body lying there, that was when I knew.
My heart had been torn from my chest and it was right there with him, lying lifeless on the sidewalk.
My world had shattered. I was broken.
And this time, I was beyond repair.
Rita Ora – ‘Poison’
The Script – ‘No Good In Goodbye’
Empire Cast – ‘Conqueror’
Meghan Trainor, John Legend – ‘Like I'm Gonna Lose You’
Macy Kate – ‘One Last Time’
Rascal Flatts – ‘What Hurts The Most’
Rascal Flatts – ‘Let It Hurt’
Tori Kelly, Ed Sheeren – ‘I Was Made For Loving You’
Check these links for more books from author Addison Jane.
Amazon Links
Missing Link (The Flinders Book #1)
Harmony (The Club Girl Diaries Book #1)
Twitter - AddisonJaneNZ
Goodreads
Hi! I am Addison Jane.
I come from a small country called New Zealand.
I’ve always had an intense love for reading and writing and have filled pages and pages worth of stories since I was at high school.
My favorite genre is romance, specifically MC, rock star and young adult. I have a soft spot for a bad boy with a heart.
I’m a single parent of a beautiful little girl. We live in a quiet small town and I have a small but fantastic group of close friends.
My other passion in life is working with kids! I work with them part time and one day have plans to also write children’s stories and get my mum, who is a great artist, to illustrate them.
I am fortunate enough to have an excellent support base, whom without them, I would never have stepped out of my comfort zone and pushed myself to share my writing with you all!
-AJ