Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I'm glad we didn't dwell on the conversation we had. We don't need to. She understands, and so do I.
After a while, the bottle of wine is empty. She sighs.
"My brother will not stop, Lev. There is only one way for us to stop him."
“I know.” I lean forward, reaching to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Are you sure about this?"
She nods. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my whole life."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Isabella
It isn't just about revenge. It isn't just about establishing myself as the head of the Los Sangre Dorada. It runs so much deeper than that.
I stand and take our dishes to the sink. "I've got them," he says. “Sit.”
"I'm supposed to walk on this, aren't I?" I ask, uncertain.
"No, you're supposed to rest it. Let the swelling go down. You're strong and healthy. You'll be fine tomorrow. But for now, let me handle this."
"All right, if you insist." For now, I’ll let him have this.
"When do you think they're coming to get us?" I ask.
"In two days," he tells me. “I’m needed back in New York."
"What's happened?"
He shakes his head. "It's not so much what happened; it's what might happen next that's the trouble. You said it best—your brother isn't going to let this slide."
I swallow hard. "Definitely not. Has Javier done anything?"
"Not yet, but the threat is imminent, and we all know it."
"If you'd let me see the communication and what you found, I can decipher it for you."
He doesn't trust me yet. I can tell by the look in his eyes. He wants to. I want him to. But he still suspects that my allegiance to Colombia and Los Sangre Dorada runs deep. I need to convince him that trusting me is the right thing to do.
"Lev, this is what we need to do. By being together, we have the potential to unify our families."
"But not with your brother in power."
"He will see me as a threat, and he will try to kill me. He's going to assume that I'm telling you his family secrets. And I fully intend to do that. He is not wrong."
“Mikhail told me to find out everything I can from you."
"You won't have to try hard," I tell him, my heart pounding with what I'm about to reveal. "But I will only tell you under the condition that we do this together. I want you to know my plan."
He picks me up, and we move to the bedroom. The space is luxurious, with high ceilings, silk sheets, and a stunning view of the ocean. We strip, lying naked in comfortable silence. He entwines his fingers with mine before I continue.
“This is what I’d like to do. First, we solidify our alliance." He nods, tracing his finger over my shoulder, down the length of my body. I shiver, relishing the feel of his touch.
"How do you propose to do that? Be specific.”
"I will tell you everything I know."
If I didn't have a plan in place, if I didn't know that everything would be okay, I would feel as if I were betraying my family. But I am not the one who betrayed my family. My brother learned from the best, and he does not have the people of my country in mind.
"Once we solidify our alliance, we take down Javier. I know exactly how to do it, but this is one thing I will admit I cannot do alone."
He nods. “Yes. But so far, it sounds like your brother is going to make this easy."
I give him a smile. "That's what he would have you believe. But it isn't true. He probably has many more people hiding around you than you think. Have you been in touch with your mole?"
"I can't talk to you about that."
I blow out an angry breath. "You expect me to tell you everything, and you can't tell me anything? How is that going to work?"
He considers this, thinking it over. I know the problem is that this is not his decision alone. He runs the risk of disloyalty to his family, and unlike me, that means something to him.
"Suffice to say that we have. And he says there are quite a few of your brother's men in our city, which is why we need to get back."
I slide up next to him, lean over and cradle his cock in my hand. I stroke him lazily until his length stiffens in my palm.
"Yes, so this is the plan. I will tell you everything I know. I have a few methods of infiltrating that my brother doesn't know about. Friends on the inside. I'll have to be discreet." I swallow. "Carlos's sister will be one of them. But her life is in grave danger, and I cannot use her intel until I know she is safe."