Ditching Me for His 'Soulmate'? His Loss. Next Stop: My New Life novel Chapter 13

Chapter 7

Dante Moreau stood there looking at me, casually touched my forehead. “No more fever.”

I smiled. “Not busy today?”

Dante’s eyes flickered. “Grandpa told me–you’re my only job right now.”

“Didn’t think that bastard would show up so quick.”

“I threw that bodyguard into their room. Was gonna use his dead ass to freak out those two

cheating fucks, but the piece of shit wouldn’t die.”

His smile turned nasty. “Actually, better this way. When you’re good, you can cut his balls off yourself.”

“How’s that sound?”

I smiled back. “Sounds perfect.”

Spending time with him, I’d figured out his personality.

Violent, cold–blooded. Preferred action over talking.

His

eyes drifted toward Jaxon outside, almost smiling. “If you still want him, I’ll buy him from the Blackstones. Make him your boy toy.”

“Heard he’s just the old man’s son from his first wife. Current wife has several other sons.”

“One less won’t break the old man’s heart.”

I frowned. “Dante, I don’t want him.”

Dante’s mouth barely twitched upward. “Cool. Then I’ll go harder. You good with that?”

Chapter 7

I looked at the blood still on the floor, cold as ice. “What’s it to me?”

This time Dante’s voice had actual joy in it. “Then it’s just business from here. Don’t worry about it, wait for good news.”

With that, he tossed me a crystal ball the size of my palm. “Got this made special for you to play with.”

Seeing me hesitate, he couldn’t read my mood. “Don’t like it?”

I snapped back, shook my head. “No, I love it.”

Dante nodded, satisfied. “Rest up. I’ll handle the outside shit.”

I started to refuse–he cut me off like he knew what I’d say. “Don’t even think about doing this yourself. Your only job is getting healthy. Old man searched for you and

forever–finally found you, don’t make him worry.‘

“That shit’s my job anyway. Keep your hands clean.”

your mom

He tucked me back into bed, pulled up the covers. “Sleep. Everything before was just a

nightmare. Wake up to a new life.”

My tears started falling, choked up. “Thank you.”

If he hadn’t shown up when he did, I’d be dead.

Dante raised an eyebrow. “You’ll owe me big time for this.”

Then patted my shoulder. “Gotta run. Business to handle.”

With that, he walked to the door, told the security lineup: “Don’t let any trash in here disturbing her.”

Watching him leave, I felt heavy and passed out.

Chapter 7

When I woke up, Dante already back.

Like every day for a month–just sitting there, calmly doing his thing.

Seeing I was awake, he handed me photos of the bodyguard and Scarlett.

“Both dead.”

“Fucked each other to death.”

Seeing the bloody mess in the photos, I turned away.

Dante laughed. “Too graphic?”

I didn’t answer. He said flatly, “Reed’s work.”

“Soon as I touched his company, he couldn’t wait to kill them. Phoenix, think he did it for you? Or for his business?”

Then he kept going casually, “I broke one of his legs. You mad?”

“Old man’s efficient too–one deal and he sold out his own son.”

I stared for a second, then smiled. “Dante doesn’t leave evidence.”

Dante grinned back. “Don’t wanna go back to prison, piss off Grandpa.”

I looked at his buzz cut, curious. “Just got out?”

Dante cracked up. “You know I don’t leave evidence. Prison’s not for guys like me.”

Just then, security announced, “Miss, Jaxon Reed’s here again.”

“Phoenix…”

Jaxon got wheeled in–wheelchair bound.

Chapter 7

I didn’t speak, just stared at him with interest.

“Jaxon, you’re really nothing special.”

“I just put you on a pedestal ‘cause I was stupid enough to like you.”

Jaxon smiled bitterly. “Phoenix, I broke my leg willingly. Paying for my sins.”

“Too bad you don’t love me anymore.”

He talked to himself. “When you loved me, you never used that tone.‘

“Too late. You stopped loving me right when I realized I loved you.”

I looked at him coldly. “Love? Jaxon, you don’t deserve that word.”

When he left, Jaxon called after me. I didn’t turn around.

Discharge day–Dante said it was all new beginnings from here.

I wasn’t gonna look back. Ever.

When Jaxon chased after us, he got hit by a car.

Couldn’t be saved. He died that spring.

I didn’t go to his funeral. Instead, I went to Disneyland.

Guess I didn’t need that asshole to make my dreams happen after all.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1