Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

103. Angel

ཨ ཙ ཏུ ཏ , ཨ ཏཾ ཡཱདཱནྟི དྷསྶཾ ཙ ཨིཏཾ, 1:| ༧ •

For hours, I have been forced to sit at a table, having a staring match with my father. I am tired, hungry, cranky, and nauseous as we are on a yacht somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean, but I try to hold my shit together as I fear for my father’s intentions in harming my unborn child.

When I told Alekos that the baby was the only thing that kept me going, I was being sincere. While in the Sanctuary, I was in such a bad place that I am sure I might have done something foolish, but I did all the things the therapist

ve done s recommended so I could strive to be the best mother for my child. The day I found out I was pregnant was when I snapped out of my sadness and worked hard to put myself back together, one piece at a time. And I am not about to let my father or anyone else destroy the progress I’ve made so far.

The last time I saw my father was the night Carlos beat me until I passed out. Since then, it looks like he has aged at least ten years and lost weight. Empty alcohol bottles are all over the small kitchen of the yacht, and the horrible smell coming from my father makes my nose want to commit suicide. When was the last time he took a shower? Doesn’t he know pregnant women are sensitive to smells?

He is cleaning his pistol while his gaze never leaves my face. There is no doubt in my mind that he will kill me. If I weren’t pregnant, I would have risked fighting him and jumping into the ocean, hoping someone would find me. But to protect my baby, I have to find another way to escape him. It won’t be easy, but I don’t have to be stronger, only smarter than him.

“I thought those Lords would never leave you alone.” My father finally speaks, taking me by surprise. “For days, I watched the house, hoping they would leave you alone at some point. I even sent some men to bring you to me, but they chickened out in the end.” Is he talking about the men from the nightclub? “Good thing I am patient, and in the end, I could get my hands on you.”

I want to say something sassy, especially since he disowned me, but his completely black eyes let me know I have to be cautious. “They tend to be very…possessive,” I say.

My father nods. “I used to be the same way with your mother. She was everything to me, and she was brutally taken away from me by the Raptou family.”

My pulse quickens. “The Raptou family is responsible for the accident?” Did Alekos know that his father killed my mother? How he must have laughed behind my back.

+

“And now you are carrying a Raptou bastard in your belly,” my father’s voice breaks. “Why?”

“I…I didn’t know Nikolas was behind my mother’s death, and the baby might not be Alekos‘.”

He slams his palm on top of the table. “Who said anything about Nikolas? It was Zak.”

of relief. Zak, Alekos’s uncle and the new head of the Raptou family is the one behind my

head of the family, but Zak, with the help of other family members, stole that

his cousin, Anne.

1/2

20%

103. Angel

was Nikolas since he was the head of

topic. “If that bastard in your womb is not a Raptou, then who else can be the father?

to say, but I bite my

“The one who

humiliated and beat me,‘ is big, but again, I keep my mouth closed. If my father knows Reyes is behind the crimes, how many more know the truth? Even if I am angry at my mates for how they treated me, I don’t want anything to happen to them. And especially, I don’t want Reyes to end up in prison. “That one.” Fear flashes in his eyes but disappears fast.

palm on top of the table. “This is all your fault. All you had to do was marry Carlos, but what did you

you

what you

house and his business. He has always talked about how he wants to expand to other countries. I don’t think that getting drugs from Mexico to other parts of the world can be that hard, but I don’t comment about it as my father doesn’t know I found out what he does

is telling me the

much did Carlos pay

the pistol at me, and my chin trembles with fear. “You should have stayed there as a sex slave. At least then you would have been useful.” He pulls on the trigger, and nothing happens. “You should have

Shackled (The Lord Series)

104. Angel

beating. Is he playing Russian Roulette with me? “But your mother loved you very much. She said you were special.” He snorts. “I don’t know what’s so special about a bitch in heat like you,” he says as his right hand–the one he is holding the pistol with–moves around. And then he shoots again, the pistol firing, and the bullet grazes my left cheek. A whimper rushes from my lips, and my hands tremble. Blood runs down

said Carlos paid your debts. I thought your business was going well.” Maybe if I keep him distracted by talking to him, I will find a way to

But that doesn’t mean I won’t defend myself. His back is to me, and as quietly as I can, I grab one of the empty bottles from the table and hide in the waistband of my yoga pants. It is small,

liquor in his

says, “I didn’t take your mother’s death