Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 111416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 446(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
His voice was a low rumble when he said, “No secrets, Nova. Not between us.”
It was instinct to protect her secrets. Just like it had been instinct for him to strike her earlier to protect their undercover assignments as Ghost and Kitten.
“Why? Because we’re fucking?” slipped from her before she could stop it.
His expression sharpened and his spine snapped straight. “For fuck’s sake, Nova, after what I said, you still think it’s only fucking?”
She had already determined they were way past that. But admitting it only made her more vulnerable and she didn’t like feeling exposed.
He set his jaw. “Damn.”
His apparent disappointment made her sigh and admit, “No, you’re right. It’s more and because of that we have to completely trust each other. It’s the only way both this,” she swept her hand out around them, indicating their assignment, “and this,” she waved it between the two of them, “will work. I know that. I just…”
“I swear I won’t tell a fucking soul, Nova. Not one. Whatever you tell me I’ll take to my grave.”
Funny, normally she’d hear something like that and think, “Sure you will.” But with Fletch, she actually believed it. By keeping it to himself, he’d be protecting her from what could happen if it got out.
It was one reason why she felt completely comfortable with him. Why she wanted to keep building their relationship.
They shared more than a physical and sexual attraction, he had her complete trust and she needed his.
She sucked in a deep breath to start at the beginning, hoping like hell her gut instinct about him wasn’t wrong. Because if it was, she could be making one of the biggest mistakes of her life.
“When I first made contact with the Russos, my target was Francesco Jr. I made sure to make myself seen at his birthday party being held at a high end restaurant in the city. Long story short, I did manage to catch his attention, but as soon as he introduced me around that night, I found myself separated from Frankie and on his father’s arm instead. They were slick when it came to manipulation. I recognized what they were doing, but of course, I let it happen because Frank Sr. was a bigger fish than Frankie at the time. In actuality, I couldn’t believe that opportunity was falling into my lap, so I went with it.” She shrugged.
“But did you have to fuck Sr. to get in good with him? And if so, did the AUSA frown upon that or did you get prior approval?”
Of course he’d want clarification on how she got in so deep with the Russos. Fletch had suspected she’d fucked Frank from the moment he found out she’d been undercover with that crime family.
Of course, the Assistant U.S. Attorney preferred she didn’t actually have sex with either Frank or Frankie Russo. She had lucked out because if Frank Sr. hadn’t taken a sudden shine to her and if he hadn’t had his prostate removed in secret due to cancer—thank fuck—then it might have gone that far and she would have needed approval from the AUSA first or at least tried to extract herself from that situation. And if she had to back out of the undercover assignment, she would’ve wasted all the gains she achieved in a short amount of time within the Russo family. To end up on the arm of an actual Mob boss was a major score inside a criminal organization. Few achieved it and lived to tell about it.
She had.
“Luckily, no. He had health issues with his prostate he kept hidden because he didn’t want to appear weak. Because of that, he wanted everyone to believe we were having sex and having it often. I was instructed to lie about it and brag often and loudly about how virile he was. In actuality, I ended up being his constant companion. Because of that, I heard things I never would’ve heard otherwise. More than I would’ve by being with Frankie. Did I hate every minute of having to sleep beside the head of the Russo family almost every damn night? Hell yes. Did I do whatever was necessary to gather evidence against him? Of course. I was in the perfect position to do so. When I first targeted the son, I never expected to get that deep within their organization. Once I did, I did whatever necessary to stay there, even sliding between Frank’s sheets every night.” She forced down the bile rising into her throat at the memory. “I even put up with his kisses and him groping me in front of others. I told myself it was only until I had enough to take his ass down. In some ways him getting physical with me was more motivation to gather as much information as quickly as possible.”