Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
“You stupid bitch,” he growls. “Think you have the right to—”
But he doesn’t get any further when he’s lifted straight in the air and away from me. I gasp when he howls and flails, until I see Tomas’ furious face. In a second, the body of my assailant flies into the air in an arc before he lands in a sickening thump on the ground. Tomas steps over to him and kicks him viciously. I wince when he places his boot on the man’s neck.
“Tell me what he did, Caroline,” Tomas says evenly before he drags the guy up off the ground. He holds him by the back of the shirt, dangling like a piece of clothing hung on a line. This time it’s an easy matter to do what my husband says.
“He demanded a picture for my brother’s friend,” I say, my voice shaking but determined. “When I told him no and flipped him off, he tried to hit me.”
Tomas grows deadly quiet, the only indication he’s breathing at all his flared nostrils. I haven’t known him for long but already know that the stillness means danger for the man on the ground. In the background, Nicolai stands with narrowed eyes, a weapon drawn, and a few paces away, I see the man who officiated at our ceremony watching as well. Tomas takes a deep breath in then lets it out and pulls his gun from his pocket. He eyes on the man on the ground.
They speak in Russian. Tomas yanks the man’s phone out of his pocket and tosses it to me. I catch it mid-air.
“Call your brother on video chat,” he orders. My hands shaking, I obey. Aren picks up on the second ring, glaring into the camera.
“Caroline? What the fuck? You stupid bitch—”
It’s like their pet name for me. I clench the phone so hard my knuckles whiten. When Tomas’ furious gaze lands on me, he signals for me to train the camera on him.
“I’ll tell you what the fuck,” Tomas says furiously. “I married your sister yesterday. And one of your men tried to attack her today. Why he thought it wise to come within a mile of her makes no sense, but I thought you’d want to heed my warning.” He cocks his gun and bends, pointing it at the back of the man’s head. The guy he’s got pinned starts crying like a baby, and it sickens me. He knows with one pull of a trigger, he’s dead. “If any of your men ever come within a mile of her, I’ll kill them. Do you understand me?”
My heart begins to beat more rapidly. He won’t allow any of them near me. That includes Andros.
And if I’m honest, I want Andros to disobey, if only to give Tomas a reason to make good on his promise.
“Jesus, I’m sorry,” he says. “I have no idea what he was doing or why he was anywhere near her.”
“I do,” I bite out. Tomas looks to me, his hand on the gun shaking with rage.
“Andros sent him,” I say to Aren. Aren’s eyes narrow on me, but he doesn’t respond, well aware my bear of a husband stands just paces away.
Then my brother is apologizing, bending over backwards to tell Tomas he had nothing to do with it. This is a side of him I’ve never seen, and I’m a little in awe that he cows so easily to Tomas. Clearly, there’s much at stake here. He gave me to Tomas for a reason, and he doesn’t want to incur Tomas’ wrath.
“Would you like me to do you a favor, then?” Tomas asks. “I’m happy to pull this trigger.”
The man on the ground whimpers, his eyes shut, and he begs for mercy.
“No?” Tomas shakes his head. “That’s a shame. But I’ll honor that as long as you make it clear to your men that your sister belongs to me. Also?” He turns the full force of his glare to my brother. “You ever call your sister a stupid bitch again, I’ll personally fly to San Diego and you’ll deal with me. You’ll treat my wife with respect or suffer the consequences.”
He gestures for me to hand him the phone, puts his gun away, then lifts the guy on the ground up by the shirt. He may not have shot him, but this is far from over. Tomas rears back and hits the man so hard in the jaw I can hear bone snap. Then knees the man so harshly I wince and begin to cry as he unleashes the full punishing power of his fists. I can’t look. It’s brutal and savage and terrifying. I scream and cover my mouth with my hands when strong arms pull me away, turning me from the brutal scene. Nicolai pulls me away, shielding me from the beating. He brings me over to the waiting car, but I can hear Tomas from where I am.