JEREMY'S POV Six days ago, Josephine Dukes ordered me out of her life and I called her bluff to her face. Thing is, she wasn't joking when she said it. She wanted me gone. She didn't care about the truth if it had my name involved in it. My head's been jumbled up ever since. My feelings soured to the gutters. I can't explain the deep longing inside of me. I can't explain the guilt that eats at me every time I close my eyes. So I resort to Vodka to numb the aching hole that has become so glaringly open in my heart. And the alcohol led me to a place of answers. “Let him in.” I shrug off the security guards as the long glass door slides open. “William Dukes,” I announce as I enter the spacious office. “Do you mind?” I sit on the leather chair opposite him without waiting for his approval. “And you're… Maxim's Bastard?” “Ouch!” I hold a hand to my chest. “Very hurtful, Mr Dukes. You almost pierced a hole in this stony heart.” There's a soft knock on the door and a young male in

“Let me go!” I keep screaming and fighting for my freedom as men carry me onto the lower deck of the yacht. My father has one of these in Seattle. He called it Love, who was one of his many very young, very flashy side pieces and Mom didn't bat an eyelash. She never does because her lashes are too expensive. But she'd keep tabs on them, waiting patiently to pay them off after the third month because no side piece deserved to stick around after the three month time limit. She'd use extreme measures when they got too greedy. Blackmailing, spamming, bullying, sharing explicit videos, and even physical assault were just to ensure they stayed away after kidnapping, torture and other stuffs I'd rather not talk about. And in Josephine's case, what can I say other than I learn from the very best. If I got carried away back at the warehouse, it was because the skank didn't know when to shut her mouth. She needed a good lesson on manners and since her parents didn't teach her, I took it up

I glare at the asshole who somehow has become an integral part in helping us find Jo. “D’you hear about Kingston?” Kenny says beside me and I ignore it in favor of watching Vongov stride past us to the admin office. “Mal? Mal? Malle?!” She nudges me and I turn sharply. “Don't call me that.” “You seemed lost.” “No I wasn't, you were saying something about… Kingston.” “Oh yeah, some steroids were found in his locker so he got kicked out of the football team.” “That’s sad...” “Yeah, and Claire hasn't posted anything on her socials. Come to think of it, she hasn't posted anything since she got suspended.” “Yeah so sad,” I mutter and a book whacks the back of my head. “Ow!” I scowl at her. “You'll end up drilling holes in his head if you don't stop.” She says, ignoring my glare. “He deserves more than a hole, Ken.” “Jeremy Vongov is the only other person in the underworld who can help us find Jo. We do need him.” She tries to reason with me but all I see is red. JoJo's blo

I run out of the park, wiping my wet eyes and almost getting hit by a delivery truck as I cross the road. I end up in a grocery store, looking for my favorite brand of chocolate when a boulder bumps into me and sends me sprawling on the floor, luckily no one is around to witness my embarrassment until the boulder speaks. “Blackwood?” I look up at the boulder— a male who's built like a boulder and gasp. “Justin Kingston?” He pulls me up with a tug and I fall into his chest. Curse my clumsy self. I push away from him with my hands on his chest which is rock solid. “Sorry.” “It's alright, I didn't feel a thing.” He winks at me and I smile. “Let me guess… Jock?” “Come on!” He throws his hands up. “Am I that obvious?” He teases me and bends to pick up my shopping cart. “Someone's in a mood.” He comments as he puts back the candies, popcorn, whipped cream, and sugary bits into my cart.” I flash him a wide smile, “It's that time of the month again.” He arches an eyebrow, “Oh

JoJo's POV After the announcement, my new father—the Maniac— proceeded to hug me and I hugged him back. With the bradawl. I stabbed him in the hand and while he yelled for his boys to get me, I tried to find a lifeboat to get myself off the yacht but the attachment ropes had been cut and as I was about to say fuck it and jump in the water, someone dragged my hair from behind. “Hey pretty lady, I think you got lost.” The man sneers in my face and tries to tear off my clothes but I'll be damned if I let that happen, I poke him in the eye and sucker punch his crotch in quick succession. He doubles over, holding onto his balls with an agonized expression. I search his pockets and find his phone but there are no bars. I risk it and run out to the decks and send a message to Mallory and Kenny before I surrender to Gallon's Men. Gallon welcomes me with two punches to my eye and in his burst of fury, I suffer another beating. “I could've taken care of you!” He kicks me to the ground.