Burning His Empire For My Sister

ine Co

ng her face in his shoulder as he knelt besi

fied now, Josephine? Was this what you wanted?"

cried, my voice thin and re

ine ankle. "She lost her balance. You' ve been through a lot. Just calm down." He was excusing he

ed in my stomach. My head felt lig

so profound it scared me. "Like diverting a medevac was an

sob. "Please don' t talk about that," sh

spat. "Yo

ts of my purse, which had spilled when I recoiled. Among the lipstick and keys lay a small, worn, leather-bound book. Kiera' s first sketchbook. It was filled with

my fingers brushing against

slammed down onto the sketchbo

mirk on her face. She ground her heel into the book, the sound of

voice a sickly sweet s

sed anger erupted in a single, blinding flash of white-hot fury. I lunged

grip closed around my wrist. Jax

ugh, Josephin

om her, a hard, violent push. I lost my footing and fell backward, my head c

k spots dancing in my vision. I lay on the grass, stunned a

jury was an inconvenience he was being forced to deal with. He was looking down at me

pain. I pointed a shaking finger at the ruined sketchbook lying

comprehending. "It' s just a book, Jo. I'

d praised her drawings. But now, it was just a thing. An object whose value he could measure in dollars. All our shared memories, all

ushing exhaustion. There was no point in arguing. There was

hem the satisfaction of seeing me broken on the ground. I turned

t through the air. He grabbed my arm, his grip bruisi

I said, my voice

ar, Josephine,

ssenger seat, shooting me a triumphant look in the rearview mirror as she buckled her seatbelt. The car was filled w

leaned my throbbing head against the co

nters at my favorite cafes. Her joining my exclusive gym. Her buying the apartment directly acro

strings slashed. There was no proof, but I knew it was her. I remembered telling Jax, my v

pulling her into his own bed. He didn' t sol

manifestation of the agony in my soul. I felt a tear escape

s the screech of tires and t

rything w