Broken Promise (The Denton Family Legacy 1)

“Whatever. It’s true then? The possession?”

“Yes.”

He didn’t want her to know what he was talking about.

“Damn, you’re pussy-whipped.”

“Fuck off!”

The elevator opened up. “Stay safe, brothers,” Jacob said.

“Same to you. Keep checking in,” Gideon said.

They left the casino and were in the car within seconds.

“Wow, you don’t exactly linger with each other.”

“We have work to do. We don’t have time to stay around, chatting or shit. There’re family events for that.” He helped her into the car, rounding the vehicle to cli

mb in beside her.

“He mentioned Frank’s, where I work?”

“Yep. It’s owned by the Dentons.”

“Great. I’ve been working for you all along.”

“Do you feel like giving the boss some perks?”

“Nope.” She chuckled. It was the first real humor he’d heard from her, and he liked it. He wanted to keep on hearing it.

“Buckle up.”

Turning over the engine, he pulled away from the casino, and was on his way to the red zone.

“You know, according to the movies and books, most families like yours are into human trafficking.”

“Again, it’s something that makes us different. Dad couldn’t do it. If the woman wants to sell her shit for him, then he’ll help, keep her safe, and make sure she has a good life. We don’t believe in forcing.”

“You know that does sound crazy, right?”

“It doesn’t. Dad couldn’t do it. He’d see women and put Mom’s and Tamsin’s faces to them. It would kill him, and that’s not what we’re about.”

“So, have you killed people?” she asked. “We’re allowed to ask questions.”

“Yes, I’ve killed people.”

“Women?”

Jacob gripped his steering wheel tightly. “Yes. I had no choice. She was in pain, and she begged me to end it for her. I did.” It wasn’t one of his fondest memories, but it was one he’d come to accept.

“An act of mercy?”

“Yes. She’d been beaten to a bloody pulp, and she was completely broken. I ended her pain. I later found out that if I hadn’t have killed her, she’d have died anyway. Her body had already started to shut down.”

“You’re really a contradiction, aren’t you? The whole family. No one can put you into one box and tick bad, can they?”

Jacob shrugged. “It’s not my job to make everyone’s life easier. We do what we do. Am I saying we’re good people? No, I’m not. I’m saying we do what needs to be done.”