Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Had I been in their shoes, I would’ve come for their business the moment I saw an opening. Then again, it’d take an entire army to take me down. It hardens my resolve to know they measure me as such.
“You believe he’s alive?” Dawson asks.
“Yes,” I say without hesitation.
“In danger?” Crue asks. I want to laugh. Alek in danger? Alek could kill all of us so easily. He is the most lethal person I know. And I know a lot of evil men.
“Never,” I say.
“I believe you. I doubt Alek could be in danger,” Dawson says. “My men still haven’t found information on his whereabouts.”
I let out a slow sigh. It’s the most I can manage to hide the exhaustion behind the mask. Both of them have feelers out, in addition to mine, and still nothing.
I wish I could say I’m surprised that not even the best have yet found Alek, but in my eyes, he has always been the best.
“Thank you for looking into it,” I say. An uncomfortable tension ripples through the room, and I hate the words on my tongue. My jaw tics as I straighten my back and lean into my throne. “If you hear of anything, let me know immediately. Until then, I’ll sort out the River Bently situation. But I’m not letting him in so you can make this into some kind of boys’ club.”
Dawson chuckles as they both stand. “Let me assure you, Anya, that none of us think our balls will compare to the size of yours. Boys’ club or not.”
“What a vulgar thing to say to a lady,” I retort, but I can’t help finding amusement and appreciation in his words.
I watch them leave, then check my phone. There’s a text from River.
River: I’ve been thinking about those perfect tits of yours all day.
I exhale a sigh. Is this really the fucker I’m considering letting in?
Absolutely not.
I need to find a way for River to accidentally trip and fall into the path of a bullet fired from one of his own guns.
CHAPTER 14
River
“Something blue. She’s a bit of an ice queen, you see,” I say to the woman showing me Cartier’s most recent collection.
She offers a flirtatious smile. “I think she’ll be very grateful that you had her in mind while picking these out.”
We can disagree on that. However, one thing I know my woman loves is a shiny jewel.
“We have a rare Paraiba tourmaline set that just came in. Let me go get it for you. I think it might be perfect for your intended lady,” she coos before she dismisses herself.
If it’s rare, I know Anya won’t so lightly turn it down. Depending on whether she already has three sets of it.
“Forgive me for saying, sir, but it’s strange to see you in a jewelry store,” Michael says as he looks over the items with a lack of interest. He certainly terrified the staff until they saw how eager I was to buy.
Another woman comes over. “Oh my, your champagne looks empty,” she says to Michael, offering him another glass, one he happily takes, then stares at her ass when she walks away.
“Behave,” I growl under my breath. “And I’m curious about this part of Anya. These shiny jewels she enjoys. I want to brand her in every way. So why would I get one of my men to choose that in my stead?”
Michael carefully places the glass down and casually leans against the glass case. One of the staff seems affronted by the movement but says nothing. “I’m just trying to understand our mission here. We came here to get your money and negotiate better rates for the guns, didn’t we? As well as gain permission to sell directly to certain buyers here on the East Coast. I’m confused as to what part Anya Ivanov has in all of this. Are we not here to do business with her brother?”
“Anya is just as capable to do business with, if not more so,” I quickly say, shooting him down with a stare. “And it just so happens that I’ve found myself besotted with the Ivanov sister, and I intend to marry her.”
A tic jumps in Michael’s jaw. “Don’t you think that’s a little bit of a stretch? The woman’s clearly in-insane.” He stutters when I glare at him.
“An insane woman who one day you’ll be taking orders from, so you better learn to watch your tone with a lot more effort than how you speak to me. Or are you looking for unemployment before we reach that timeline?”
“No, sir. Sorry I spoke out of line,” he says quickly.
“Here it is,” the woman says cheerfully on her return. She opens the white box to reveal a set of blue encrusted diamond earrings. She proceeds to open another two boxes, revealing a matching necklace and ring. “It’s a beautiful set. Do one of these items catch your eye?”