Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 61942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 310(@200wpm)___ 248(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
It was silent.
My words seemed to have an effect.
Well, except on Silas, who continued to look at me like I was rotten meat.
“Are you okay?”
I stared across the room, watching everyone mingle with drinks in hand, some of them oblivious to the paramount corruption right under their noses. The leaders of our country couldn’t care less about the drugs on the street—as long as they were taking a cut.
A hand moved to my shoulder. “Bartholomew?”
My head snapped in her direction the second her fingers made contact with my jacket.
She flinched at the ire in my eyes.
I didn’t like to be touched.
She pulled her hand away. “Guess you answered my question…”
I looked away and didn’t ask for elaboration.
“You seem angry.”
“I’m always angry.”
“Angrier than usual.”
Because I was.
“Is it about that girl?”
“Woman.” I didn’t fuck girls.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
I drank from the champagne glass and cringed—because champagne tasted like piss.
“What happened?”
“She betrayed me.”
“How?”
I stayed quiet because I didn’t want to talk about it.
“Was there someone else?”
“No.”
“Then how did she betray you?”
I was growing tired of bringing Camille to these things. Now she felt comfortable questioning me about shit that was none of her business, and she was becoming noticeably pregnant, so that wasn’t great for my image. I told her the story in as few sentences as possible.
For once, Camille was shocked into silence.
“It’s over.”
“Don’t you think you’re being a little unfair?”
“No.”
“You do realize that situation never would have happened if you hadn’t slept with her, right? Once you knew you didn’t need her, you could have just walked away. But you didn’t. You’re solely responsible for the situation she was in. You dragged her into it.”
I looked elsewhere, ignoring her face.
“You’re being a little harsh.”
“She made her choice, Camille.”
“So, she was supposed to not care that you were going to destroy her family?” she asked incredulously. “It’s not just her father, but her sister, her other relatives tied up in the business. You just expected her to blindly choose you? What are you, a narcissist?”
“Yes, but that’s not the point.”
“Bartholomew—”
“Your opinion means nothing to me.”
That shut her up.
I’d had to grow eyes in the back of my head because a number of my men were no longer loyal to me. At some point, there would be an attempt on my life. My work had been my home, but now I had to look over my shoulder every second of every day when I walked through the front door.
“I can tell you’re miserable without her.”
“I’m miserable because she ruined my fucking life.”
“Just—”
“Enough.” I looked her dead in the eye, and my threat was unmistakable.
That was the end of the conversation—and probably the end of our business relationship.
6
LAURA
I was sitting at the table with my laptop and a glass of wine when someone knocked on the door.
My eyes flicked up immediately, and my heart gave a lunge.
What if it was him?
He was the only person who stopped by my apartment unannounced. And it was evening, just before he started his day. I looked like hell with my hair in a bun and my face without makeup, but that wouldn’t stop me from opening the door.
I looked through the peephole first—and my disappointment fell to the floor like a heavy brick.
It was Victor.
The second I opened the door, he looked me over with concern, like I’d still be bleeding a week later. “I had to see that you’re okay.”
I didn’t have the energy to argue, so I walked back to the table and dropped into the chair.
He joined me, taking Bartholomew’s seat.
It hurt to look across the table and see anybody but him.
Victor continued to stare at me with hesitancy. “So…are you okay?”
I took a drink of my wine. “Physically, yes.”
He eyed my right arm, where the nasty scar was visible. It was black and blue because the bruising would be there for several weeks at least. “I had no idea, Laura.”
“I know.”
“If I did…I would have shot him.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed that. He talked the talk, but he never walked the walk, not like Bartholomew.
“He asked me to come up here.”
My eyes narrowed. “He could have called.”
“He knew you wouldn’t answer. And if he came in the flesh…he wasn’t sure what would happen.”
Because he’s a fucking coward. “Now that you’ve seen me, you can head home.”
He remained motionless. “Are you still with him?”
I wanted to lie, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. “No.”
Victor’s eyes gave a subtle flash.
“He dumped me…and I don’t blame him.”
Victor watched me. “He should have told you the truth.”
“Maybe. But I shouldn’t have picked my psychotic father who couldn’t care less about me instead of the man who actually did care about me.” I couldn’t take it back now. I was alone, and being alone never bothered me until now. I felt vulnerable and exposed. I felt like I’d had a lottery ticket in my hand, and I’d let it slip away in the breeze.