Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 76846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Do me a favor, lay across the backseat,” I said, paranoid about other possible assassins.
At my condo, there was nothing to worry about. Three of my guys were flanking my building, gazes murderous, ready to take out anyone who looked the slightest bit shifty.
“I don’t have to stay here,” Islah insisted.
“Yes, you do. I need to keep an eye on you.”
“Someone else can,” she said. “You should be taking care of Elizabeth.”
“I can do both,” I assured her.
Though I was secretly glad to open my condo door to find Saff in the living room, the body long gone, but the blood not entirely cleaned up yet.
“Hey, killer,” Saff said, giving Islah a big smile. “How’s the noggin?” she asked, leading Islah over to the couch. “In your bed,” she said to me, giving me a nod.
I didn’t need more encouragement than that.
I rushed down the hall, pausing to knock softly, so I didn’t scare her, before moving inside.
She was where Saff said I would find her, resting on her side on my bed, her eyes open, but her gaze far away. Likely reliving the events of the night. Probably grappling with guilt over a situation that wasn’t her fault.
“Baby,” I called, moving closer, but getting no reaction.
I kicked out of my shoes, laying my gun down on the nightstand, then shrugging out of my jacket before climbing into the bed, reaching for her, turning her, then tucking her against me, her head under my chin.
“Is she okay?” she asked, sounding dangerously close to crying.
“Islah is okay,” I told her, fingers sifting through her hair. “She’s out in the living room with Saff. She’s just got a concussion and some staples.”
“She was acting weird.”
“She was dazed. The doctor said that’s normal,” I told her. “We’re going to keep an eye on her, but he didn’t seem worried.”
“Cinna?”
“Is totally fine too. She’s getting fussed over by four guys right now. It was a graze.”
“He was going to kill her,” Elizabeth said, voice catching.
“I know,” I said, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head. “And you stopped him.”
“I had to do something.”
“You did what you had to do. You were really brave.”
To that, she let out a snort.
“I just stood there and watched. Islah jumped on him. She tried to strangle him. I just… stood there.”
“Hey, you can’t compare yourself to Islah or Cinna in this sort of situation. They’ve both been around this for over a decade. They’re more mentally prepared for something like this.”
“I feel like after the last three attempts on my life, I should have been more prepared.”
“You were supposed to be safe here,” I said, giving her body a squeeze. “This was my fault.”
“It was my fault,” she countered.
“It was the fucking senator’s fault,” I concluded.
“That’s true,” she agreed. “And I still haven’t gotten the recording to anyone,” she said. “At this rate, I won’t live long enough to get it done.”
“Nothing like this is going to happen again,” I told her.
“Cinna said it’s more complicated than that. Because the Bratva got so big so fast. And they’re notoriously ruthless.”
“She’s not wrong. But I mean that you are going to be safe. No more just having one guard around. From now on, there will be two guys outside of the apartment, another two in the hallway, and either Cinna or Saff in the apartment with you and Islah.”
“For what?” Elizabeth asked. “Ever?
“If that’s what needs to happen, yeah. But I’m hopeful that once it’s clear you’re no longer working for the senator, and when the senator himself starts to fall from grace, they’re going to just let you be.”
“You really think that’s going to happen?”
Not necessarily.
“Knowing that you’re not under our protection, but that you belong to me, might help,” I told her.
“I belong to you?” she asked, angling her head up to look at me.
“That’s how I’m feeling about things,” I said, nodding. “But it’s obviously up to you.”
“I think I’ve wanted that for a while, but I’ve been worried I’m going to need to leave.”
“You’re not going anywhere. Unless you decide you want to. I’m going to find a way to keep you safe right here for as long as you want to be here.”
“But—“
“I think you have been worrying enough about everything lately,” I cut her off. “How about we think about other things for a while?”
“Like the fact that I’m starving?” she asked, shooting me a guilty look. “I feel like I shouldn’t be hungry after everything that happened today, but…”
“But you’re a human being who hasn’t had anything to eat since breakfast,” I filled in for her. “Besides, I’m sure Serano, Rico, Saff, and Islah are hungry too. Sure I got enough to still make that bolognese, if you want a little distraction.”
“God, yes,” she said, starting to roll away.