Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
“Where is Lev?”
“The pakhan is delayed with a phone call.” He opens the massive front door. “He asked us to wait in the car.”
The brisk air hits me as I step out into the chilly night and down the stairs to the waiting car. Igor opens the door for me, and I climb in, where it’s instantly warmer.
He climbs in the front, and we wait.
In silence.
Finally, I lean forward and rest my chin on the back of his seat. “So, how did it go with Enya?”
The giant doesn’t say anything at first. He’s probably used to keeping quiet and vanishing into the background, which is quite the feat for a seven-foot giant.
But then he surprises me and says, “I helped her with the groceries, that is all.”
“You didn’t ask her out?”
His eyes find mine in the rearview mirror. “I would not do that.”
“Why not?”
Surprising me, his shoulders relax. “I’m sure Enya has better options.”
I tap his shoulder with the back of my hand. “She likes you, dude.”
“How do you know?”
“I saw the way her face lit up when you offered to help her carry in the groceries.”
A hint of emotion softens his face, and his lips twitch.
But then the grumpy pakhan opens the door and ruins the moment, and Igor’s stony façade shoots back up like a security panel in a bank robbery. Disappointed I didn’t get to finish our conversation, I sit back in the seat, and Lev slides in beside me, engulfing me in the larger-than-life presence that he is and the intoxicating scent that is pure nirvana.
He sweeps his gaze over me but remains expressionless, so I have no clue if he’s happy with how I look or not.
Igor and I find each other in the rearview mirror, and he gives me a friendly nod.
Then, without another word, he ignites the engine, and we drive off into the night.
30
LEV
Fuck, she looks stunning.
That dress. Those curves. Christ, I’ve got a serious case of blue balls as it is, and now she’s sitting beside me with all that exposed skin and without a clue of what she does to me. It’s driving me fucking insane.
My hands ball into fists on my knees.
I need to do something about it. I’ve jerked off more times than I care to admit in the last two days, and I’m still aching to fuck her.
“So tell me about tonight,” she says.
“It’s a charity auction for The Dementia Foundation, and since ZeeMed is working on a new dementia medication, we’ve been invited.”
That and the fact that I spill money at these things like blood.
She looks at me with her big brown eyes and then gives me a thoughtful hmph.
“Hmph?” I ask, wondering if I should dare ask. “Care to elaborate?”
She shrugs. “I guess I’m just surprised, is all. You’re a busy man. A CEO and the pakhan. I guess I didn’t picture this side of you. I mean, why come to something like this when you could just send a check?”
It’s a fair question.
“To move freely in society, you need trust. These events earn me that trust.”
“But I would think you would prefer people to fear you, not trust you.”
“I live in two worlds, zayka. One of them requires me to earn the trust of those around me so I don’t draw attention to the fact that I do, in fact, have another much darker side. The other requires me to earn fear from those around me just to survive.”
“Sounds tiresome,” she says, playing with the owl charm on her bracelet. “Don’t you ever just want to say fuck it and go on a vacation?”
I can’t help but laugh. “I can’t tell you the last time I went on a vacation.”
“You should. You might be less grumpy if you did.”
“Did you really just call me grumpy?”
“Don’t deny it.”
“I’m not grumpy.”
In the front seat, Igor coughs. It might be a dry throat, but it sounds suspiciously like he just agreed with her.
What the fuck?
I narrow my eyes at him in the rearview mirror, but he doesn’t show me any reaction.
Brooke, on the other hand, is smiling smugly. And I have a sudden urge to bend her over my knee and turn her luscious butt pink with my handprint.
“Has everyone forgotten I’m the pakhan?” I mutter as we arrive at the venue.
Brooke taps me on the arm. “Oh, lighten up.”
Igor pulls up at the front. I climb out and walk around to open Brooke’s door.
“You look stunning, by the way,” I say as I help her out of the car.
“You like it?”
“Very much.” My gaze meets hers. “I might decide to keep you.”
She lifts her chin to face me. “Don’t hold your breath, monster. You only have me until Wilson returns and then I’m out of here.”
I look down into her beautiful face. Those big eyes filled with surprising affection. Those sweet lips begging to be kissed, even if not intentionally.