Excerpt!
“Scores,” came the voice again through the speakers to drag Renzo from his thoughts once more. “Ten out of ten—hand to hand combat; excellent. Seven out of ten—hacking; moderate. Ten out of ten—weapons, in both practical and applied; excellent.”
The distorted voice continued on describing skills that had been, for the most part, either beaten into Renzo during his first year at The League, or ones he already had that were picked up on and honed. Everything from his understanding of vehicles, to his ability to survive.
The scores went on for at least ten minutes before the man moved onto something else. They’d already described the tattoos on his body that the people behind the mirrored glass might not be able to see fully—he’d been told once not to mark up his skin when he was first allowed a bit of freedom from The League. He went ahead and did it anyway.
Suffered for it, too.
It was worth it.
Renzo kept going until he had one whole fucking sleeve of tattoos. Memories he didn’t want to forget because it seemed like with every passing day that he spent here, he forgot something else. Like the way his little brother sounded first thing in the morning when he got his favorite breakfast. He started to forget the color of his sister’s hair, too. Or how Lucia’s eyes glinted with her slyness when she knew something he didn’t.
He was so controlled—constantly. No phones, no access to the outside without someone else right there. A chip implanted into his arm to keep track of him nonstop. Which lead him to believe, yes, they knew every single time he went in for more ink, and while they could have stopped him, they didn’t.
They never stepped in.
They punished him after.
Worth it.
He was here.
This was his life for the next … well, four years now.
That was the fucking deal.
Right?
He wasn’t gonna forget while he was here.
Simple as that.
“Excelled specialty for The League—explosives,” the distorted voice drawled on, bringing Renzo back to the present. “Bidding will begin at one-point-three million.”
Instantly, those red lights over the windows started flickering.
Renzo blinked.
Bids, he realized.
It had begun.
His life was now up for sale.
How much is too much?
Five years—that was the deal. Renzo Zulla gave up five years of his life to repay a debt to an organization that only wanted to break him before they could make him. Their way, their rules. He doesn’t move without their okay, even if his latest job puts him right in front of her. But the five years are almost up, and he knows exactly where he’s going first.
Love doesn’t follow rules …
Heartbroken and alone—that’s how she survives. Lucia Marcello is alive, but a part of her still feels dead without him. She’s spent far too much time running away from her past and the pain she constantly holds tight because it’s easier than hating the people who caused it. But life has a way of bringing you back when your heart never will.
Love doesn’t fade …
But time means nothing, and forever might be only an illusion for them. Because where fate doesn’t step in, reality does. If hate is a game you play with your heart, and contempt is the game you play with your mind … where does that leave love?
Vendettas don’t care about love.
It’s in God’s hands now.
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Author bio:
Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much, and mother to four young sons, one cat, and two dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a hubby calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something … when she can find the time.
To keep up-to-date with new releases from Bethany-Kris, sign up to her New Release Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bf9lzD
Bethany-Kris is a Canadian author, lover of much, and mother to four young sons, one cat, and two dogs. A small town in Eastern Canada where she was born and raised is where she has always called home. With her boys under her feet, snuggling cat, barking dogs, and a hubby calling over his shoulder, she is nearly always writing something … when she can find the time.
To keep up-to-date with new releases from Bethany-Kris, sign up to her New Release Newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bf9lzD
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