The Freedom in Captivity : A Rapunzel Mafia Romance (Fractured Ever Afters Book 4) by M.L. Philpitt

Author:M.L. Philpitt [Philpitt, M.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-07-17T18:30:00+00:00

Rozelyn

Dad didn’t reveal everything right away. More like when he deemed me useful for more than only a punching bag is when he disclosed the last bit, about the Haynes family.

“One thing you need to learn, Rozelyn, is having the most people on your side is best. Many years ago, I received an interesting phone call from back home, with another assignment, secondary to the Corsettis. One of our own, Lawrence Haynes, fled, taking his four-year-old daughter with him.”

“Okay?” Where’s Dad going with this?

“That daughter is valuable because of who her mother is. They want the child back and to have him punished. He was easy to find, of course—”

Is this where Dad steals the remainder of faith I have in him and tells me he murdered a child?

“—but he’s desperate, and desperate people make difficult decisions. Exactly like the one I made in that moment—”

Oh, here’s the admittance of child murder…

“—The Corsetti assignment is taking longer than it should, and they’re getting impatient. Therefore, I saw an opening with Lawrence. We got his and his daughter’s names changed after faking their deaths. Home believed I’d completed the assignment; meanwhile, I now had an inside man who owed his life to me in debt.”

Except it’s been years and nothing’s come of having that benefit. Crossing my arms, I ask, “And how’d that work out for you?”

“One man wouldn’t help me accomplish my goal, Rozelyn, but it’s the little things that matter. The small attacks that unhinge a person. That’s been what he’s doing for me.”

For years, we never spoke of them again, and the Haynes duo didn’t matter to me.

“Rozelyn.” Flynn’s throaty growl breaks through my thoughts, compelling my head to tilt, to find him in the dark basement.

Minutes after Aurora and her bodyguard left, he went on the attack.

There’s no need though.

If they know about the Haynes, it’s a matter of hours before they trace their origins. Then I’ll no longer have leverage. Right now, I’m still useful.

Not sure what changed or why. Seeing Aurora feels like the rest of my life has been sucked out of me. The hurt in her eyes made my stomach physically knot. At the garden, I hid my pain, while she spoke about hers. Built those walls again, even as I found similarities between her and me. Both of us dragged through our families’ situations, while also on the outside of it all.

For her, nearly being married off when she didn’t want that future.

For me, being whatever assassin my father’s made me out to be.

“The Haynes needed to hide. My dad helped him.” A little bit of information to begin feeding his curiosity.

“Why would he do that?”

“Why does my dad do anything?”

Why did he hit me so many times?

Why did he hurt Mom?

Why did he hurt Della and Ariella’s mother too?

Why do anything?

Why be that loyal to an institution that is clearly using you?

Why do I feel like I’ve given up? All my determination to ensure the Corsettis do it on my terms, do it right, to get his ass and drag him to the executioner table.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.