Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“I should—” She swallows hard and turns. “I don’t want the butter to burn.”
She drops the wet bread into the hot pan. The scent of cinnamon and sugar fills the air as the food sizzles.
“French toast?” I ask.
“Yes.” She puts another piece of bread into the egg mix. “Do you like it?”
“I love it.” I wrap my arms around her waist and bend down to rest my chin on her shoulder. Why does it feel so natural? As if we’ve been doing this for years. It feels comfortable.
It feels like … home.
16
OLIVIA
Sergei lets out a groan when he eats the last bit of French toast off his plate. I don’t know why that fills me with happiness, but it does.
“That was amazing, princess.” He gives me a charming smile that is foreign to his face. The tension he had from dealing with his brother has fallen away, but I know that can only last for so long.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Your mom teach you to cook?”
“She did, but my dad taught me how to make breakfast. He always made Sunday breakfast. I would wake up to the smell of him cooking, and I would rush out of bed to help him.” The second the words cross my lips I know they’re a mistake.
It’s a bucket of cold water dumped on myself, bringing me back to reality. Sadness fills me at the thought of how worried my family must be. I bet my dad isn’t making breakfast this Sunday morning.
“Stay with me.” Sergei grips my chin, bringing my attention back to him. “I may think certain things about your father, but I know he’s good to his kids.”
“He is.” I smile, loving that Sergei just gave me that.
“I’ll clean up.” He slips off the chair.
I watch him clear our plates and load the dishwasher before wiping down the counters. Sergei is a bit of a neat freak. Seeing these small things makes him more human to me.
“You asked your brother how he found this place.”
“Little shit,” he mutters.
“Is no one supposed to know about it?”
“No, it’s mine.” He runs his hand through his short hair. “You’re the first person I brought here.”
“Sergei.” He keeps making my heart melt. I never thought a Taletti could slip into my heart before. It has to be some kind of love. But I can’t help but worry. About everything. About myself. About what will happen to Sergei.
“It’s not a big deal.” He tries to downplay it.
“Liar.” I smirk, tossing the word back at him he’d said to me that first day. How was that only yesterday?
“I am.” He comes around the counter, plucking me out of my seat to sit me on top of the counter. “I lie, steal, cheat, and”—he leans in closer—“kill.” A shiver runs down my body, but it’s not one of fear. His words excite me. I can’t help my body's reaction.
“Torture. You forgot that one.”
“Suppose I did.”
I rest my hands on his chest. “Now what?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” His hands come down on the counter, one on each side of me, caging me in.
I don’t lean away. In fact, I lean in closer. “Is it only a matter of time before your father and his men show up here?”
“Sal will buy me some time.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” He barks out a laugh.
“That you and your brother are in such a mess. I couldn’t imagine being in that position with my family. It would be hard. So yeah, I’m sorry.”
“But it was only a matter of time.” He says what I was already thinking.
Sergei can do terrible things. I have no doubt about that. I’m sure my brothers’ and father’s hands aren’t completely clean, but there are lines they don’t cross. Places you don’t go because then you become a monster, and I don’t think Sergei wants to be a monster. Not fully, at least. With that said, though, I think, if given more time, Sergei might have ended up killing his father. The Talettis are loyal to family, but that doesn’t mean they won’t do horrible things to each other to get to the top of the Taletti empire. Sergei doesn’t seem the type to sit back and wait for his father to retire. But I’ll never say that to him. He’ll have to come to that on his own.
“I don’t know what is going to happen but–”
“I need you to know, princess, I’m never giving you to my father. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You’re innocent in this.” Right now, maybe, but I won’t hesitate in what I have to do when the time comes. If anyone has taught me that, it’s him.
“That’s the thing.” I lick my lips. “I don’t want to be so innocent anymore.”
I don’t have to say more. Sergei’s mouth claims mine. I wrap my body around his. He lifts me off the counter. His hand grips my ass. Sergei’s mouth doesn't leave mine until my back hits the bed. It only takes a few seconds to strip me bare.