Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Tex exhaled and then frowned. “Where’s the brother?”
“Dead.” She interrupted our conversation. Being interrupted was a rarity; then again, she had no clue who she was dealing with. Even now, guns were trained on us. At least she had spirit. “The guy that captured us killed him.”
Tex cursed under his breath. “And Jonny? Did you kill him?”
“Think of it as a bonus to what I was already asked to do, plus he was pissing me off with his disrespect,” I said through clenched teeth. “If we’d had time, I would have brought a snack for Andrei’s piranhas.”
Tex wiped a hand over his face. “And the brother, does she know what happened?”
The girl started shaking again.
“Can we not do this out in the open?” I asked. “Let her at least get warm before you—”
“Awww, small fry grew a heart.” Tex chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, we’ll take her to Andrei’s new place.”
“Oh goodie, she’ll get to sleep in another dungeon,” I deadpanned.
Tex laughed. “He bought a place that has windows, and that was my exact face right there when he told me.” Another chuckle. “Load up!”
Men quickly got into their vehicles.
“Ride with her,” Tex said. “And get her a blanket.”
It wasn’t a request.
I gritted my teeth and grabbed her by the elbow. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“Home,” I sighed. “I’m taking you home.”
“Really?” She perked up.
“Don’t get too excited because this is about to get a hell of a lot more complicated.” I helped her into the vehicle, grabbed a blanket from one of the men, placed it on her as best I could, and then checked my cell. Ten missed calls.
Several “I miss you” texts that I knew were complete bullshit. She missed me about as much as she missed a root canal.
I quickly texted her back.
Me: Maybe next time, just cut the shit and be honest for once in your miserable life. You miss my money. My cock. And my last name. I’m busy.
“It’s rude to read over people’s shoulders,” I said in a bored tone, causing the girl to jump a foot.
For some reason, that made me smile. I couldn’t figure her out; one minute, she seemed innocent as hell, only to surprise me the next minute and look ready to scratch my eyes out.
I wondered what she was like when she wasn’t in shock or fighting for her life. Would the spark still be there? Or would she be as needy and boring as the woman I was marrying? As fake?
“Sorry,” she mumbled, then clenched her teeth like she was in pain. “Girlfriend?”
She probably needed a distraction from the horror; my drama was more than enough to give her that.
“Do I look like the type?” I turned and looked at her; bruises marred her pretty face, her cheek was swollen, and her bright blond hair was a tangled mess. All in all, she looked like complete and utter hell.
“No,” she said quickly. “Then again, I can imagine why with such moving text messages, it’s no wonder girls don’t just swoon at your feet.”
She still had a sense of humor, even with a gun wound. I respected that, even if it was annoying.
I bit my lip to keep from smiling. “Trust me, they swoon without having to put much effort into it at all.”
“I believe that,” she said softly.
The hell?
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t care what you say to me about me. I don’t give a flying fuck if you spread your legs for me over and over again; there is no chance in hell that you’re escaping this situation. So cut the shit.”
She flinched.
I wasn’t trying to purposely hurt her.
I just didn’t trust her.
Or anyone, for that matter.
Everyone wanted something from me. Everyone had a price.
I would find out hers.
Because it would be her single bargaining chip, and eventually, she would try to use it on me.
But you can’t bargain with someone who’s already won the game.
It would be a good lesson for her.
I wasn’t her savior.
I damned her even more than the guy that stole her. Because once she walked into that house, that was it.
She was in this.
For life.
And she would hate me forever for saving a life that she would soon find out—didn’t want to be saved.
Her brother was lucky.
I didn’t say it out loud.
But it didn’t make it any less true.
Death would be a kindness. Something I remembered spreading across the mafia families when Andi Petrov died—that the first romantic words Sergio, her fiancé, ever said to her was that death would be a kindness, like putting down a dog.
I hated that my thoughts went in the same direction.
“I wasn’t.” She shook her head. “Flirting with you or trying to seduce you, I can barely hold my own head up, but thanks for the reminder that I have no control over anything. I think I needed it.”