Page 77 of Reckless Dynasty (Knight's Ridge Empire 9)

His smile widens.

“That pathetic piece of shit doesn’t care about you, sweetheart. He only wants to hurt me. I’m the only one who loves you.”

I stare at him in utter disbelief as my heart fractures at his words.

“No,” I argue. “That’s not true.”

“He’s using you, Jodie. As soon as he’s got what he wants, he’ll drop you as fast as he found you.”

My hand lifts to the padlock around my neck. My heart doesn’t believe a word of it, but my head? That little bitch can be easily swayed at times.

“No,” I spit, but he ignores me and turns back to Mum.

“We’re going to go away, aren’t we, sweetheart? We’re going to start over. Be a family. Just like we always should have been.”

“What about Joe?” I ask, desperate to just keep him talking. The longer I can drag this out, the more chance we’ve got.

Toby will go down to the basement with the intention of killing him, and when he learns the truth, he’ll come for me.

Jonas scoffs. “He was a dead weight. He didn’t have what it took to really be an Ariti.”

My chin drops at the fact that he can talk about his own son like that.

“You killed him,” I cry. “You killed your own son. My brother.” Mum whimpers, but it doesn’t stop me. “Her son. Her firstborn. You set him up. You put him in that stupid fucking MC and you set him up.”

“I didn’t kill him,” he scoffs. “That stupid cunt’s kid did.”

“No. Stella was defending herself and those she loved. You killed him.”

Jonas shakes his head, not giving two single shits about his involvement in Joe’s death.

I glare at him and he lifts Mum from the chair, her hands still locked behind her back.

“Let her go,” I demand.

“We’re leaving,” he says, completely ignoring that I’ve even said anything as Mum allows him to move her around the table as if she’s fine with all of this.

“I’m not going anywhere with you, and neither is she.”

The second she’s in reaching distance, I grab her upper arm and try to pull her from his grip.

“Jojo, please. Don’t,” Mum begs quietly.

“No. I’m not letting this happen. I’m not letting him manhandle you like this. Haven’t you heard any of the things Toby or Maria have told you about him?”

“They’re lying, Jodie.”

My chin drops in shock.

“W-what? You can’t actually be saying this to me right now. He broke them. He hurt them. He—”

“Jodie, please?” Mum begs, her eyes boring into mine. “Just do what he says.”

I hold her stare, my heart racing and my blood whooshing past my ears.

‘Please,’ she mouths. ‘Trust me.’

“Joanne,” Jonas growls, the grip on her hair tightening until she yelps in pain.