Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 316(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Turning bright red, she glared at him. “You know what? Yes, I cheated on you and enjoyed every second of it! He was so much better than you! He was the best I’ve had! I told him how pathetic and selfish you were in bed and we laughed together—”
“Out,” Vlad said through his teeth. “I’m going out now and you’d better be gone by the time I return.” His fists clenched, he stalked out after throwing over his shoulder, “Leave your key at the security desk.”
Outside, he punched the wall and leaned his forehead against it, breathing hard and trying to rein in his temper. He wasn’t going to respond to the provocation. He wasn’t going to strike a woman. He wasn’t, dammit. Although he needed like air an outlet for the hurt and rage thrumming under his skin, his target wasn’t going to be a weak woman. Nina wasn’t the only one who had humiliated him. She’d had an accomplice.
Vlad lifted his head, his jaw setting in a determined line.
He didn’t need Nina to tell him the name of her lover. He could find out himself. There was video surveillance in the building. The last decade as the head of security of one of the most ruthless and influential oligarchs in Europe had given him a lot of useful connections. By the end of the day, he would have the name and the address of the shithead that had made a fool out of him.
The fucker was going to pay.
* * *
It took him even less time than he’d expected to find the information he wanted. What he found out pissed him off him even more. The man Nina had cheated on him with was English.
Vlad was aware it was irrational to dislike a whole nation because of one person, but after the Luke Whitford fiasco, he’d developed a strong aversion to anything English. He wondered if it was some cosmic joke that an Englishman had ruined his professional life and another Englishman had now ruined his personal one. Well, Luke Whitford was out of his reach, but Sebastian Sumner wasn’t.
Vlad knocked on the hotel room door, his body vibrating with tension and agitation. While he waited, he thought of what he knew about the man. Sebastian Sumner was twenty-five, seven years younger than him, and was a successful model who lived in London. A fucking model. Vlad still couldn’t believe Nina had cheated on him with a model. She normally turned her nose up at them, saying she didn’t like men who were prettier or skinnier than her.
The door opened.
Sebastian Sumner wasn’t particularly skinny, but he was undoubtedly pretty.
He was tall, almost as tall as Vlad himself, though he was athletic and lean, whereas Vlad was muscular and beefy. Sumner’s shoulders were pretty wide and he was packing some decent muscle, but Vlad’s trained eye quickly assessed that the other man was no match for him. He was also Vlad’s polar opposite where looks were concerned.
Vlad didn’t have low self-esteem. Women liked him. He had stereotypical Slavic looks with his almond-shaped blue eyes, square jaw, and cropped blond hair. He knew he looked pretty good. A man wasn’t supposed to be beautiful anyway. Frankly, beautiful men with refined features always made Vlad uncomfortable for whatever reason.
This guy...he was one of those.
Sebastian’s wavy, raven hair was a little too long and was brushed back casually, framing a strong, handsome face with high, chiseled cheekbones. Big dark eyes stared at Vlad with an inquiring expression. Was the guy wearing eyeliner? His eyes were too pretty for them to be natural. Sebastian’s generous lips were pursed, their red color contrasting with the guy’s pale, perfect complexion. The asshole was gorgeous, Vlad would give him that. He somehow managed to look beautiful without looking feminine.
“Can I help you, mate?” Sebastian said. His voice was low-pitched, his expression a little sleepy, as if he’d been taking a tap.
His British English grated on Vlad’s nerves, triggering a fresh wave of anger. This man had been inside his girlfriend. He’d fucked Vlad’s woman at Vlad’s own place, in Vlad’s own bed. There were pictures of Vlad and Nina all over the place; there was no way the guy hadn’t known Nina was taken.
“You know who I am, so cut the crap.”
Recognition dawned on the guy’s face. Sebastian stepped back, wariness and a hint of discomfort appearing in his eyes. “You’re Nina’s boyfriend. Vlad, right?”
“Nice to meet you,” Vlad said, advancing on him.
“Look, I didn’t know Nina had a boyfriend,” Sebastian said quickly. “I saw your pictures only afterward.” He gave an awkward, crooked half-smile. “She didn’t exactly let me look around when we got to her flat—”
In one swift move, Vlad shoved the asshole against the wall. “Is that fucking amusing to you, you sick fuck? Was that fun for you to screw with another man’s relationship?”