Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 108119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Immediately, Chase was there pouring into it, and then Trace was kissing the old man’s cheek.
“Who’s this?” He was pointing at me, and then looked down at the cake. “That Andrei’s dessert?” He pointed down at the mess all over the living room and kitchen.
Andrei released me then, walked over to Phoenix, and swiped his finger across his jaw and then licked the frosting the way Trace had done previously. “You make this frosting just for me, Phoenix?”
Phoenix glared.
I hid my smile.
Because I liked that Andrei tested him.
I liked that he was an equal.
More than I should.
“Just call her Black Widow.” Andrei piped up answering his question with ease.
“Well.” The old man clasped his hands together and gave us both a funny look before grabbing a towel. “Should we clean up and eat before Chase pulls his gun out over the mess.”
“Not my house.” Chase held up his hands and eyed Nixon. “You may want to Google how to get frosting out of the hardwood.”
“Google this,” Nixon flipped him off.
Junior did the same.
Nixon shot an apologetic look to Phoenix who was already looking up at the ceiling for God or someone to deliver him.
And then an arm was getting looped in mine. “So, Black Widow, do I know you?”
“Uhhh,” I smiled at her as bright as I could, my fur coat suddenly feeling like a death trap on my shoulders. “I don’t know.”
“Sorry.” She frowned and then looked at me again, really looked at me, her hair was cut to her chin, she was gorgeous in a flirty romantic way. “You just look really familiar.”
“El, stop pestering her.” Dante came up and wrapped an arm around the woman’s shoulders. The woman who I knew was his wife.
I hadn’t stayed at University long.
But I remembered them.
And then another fuzzy memory shot to the forefront of my mind.
Of Dante and Andrei of all people.
Of a fight in the middle of the quad.
Of long stares, whispers of a war between the Russians as they tried to overtake Eagle Elite University.
And then I sucked in a breath and found myself swaying a bit.
Andrei.
I knew he looked familiar.
We’d had Bio together.
I had sat in the back.
He was in the front, often seen taunting teachers, and frequently known to throw ridiculous parties where there were rumors of gambling, shootings, and so much sex that they became legendary.
Then there was an accident…
“So, you’re his girlfriend now?” El kept our arms looped and led me to a chair, good because I really needed to sit and try to figure out how to navigate. I wasn’t just in over my head, I was already drowning, gasping for air, and Andrei was doing nothing to help. At all.
“Uh, yes.” I needed to sound more convincing.
More memories surfaced.
They’d closed the spot where they held all the parties. Chase’s wife had died there.
Phoenix had shot her.
That much the De Lange family knew, that much they’d told me.
After making a deal with the Russians.
I shot a look toward Andrei. Her pact with that man, our enemy, was the reason that we were getting hunted, and yet he was… breaking bread with them?
Was it not true then?
Any of it?
I numbly found my seat. El was on my right while Andrei sat on my left shooting daggers with his eyes at Phoenix, who seemed to be telepathically asking question after question about who I was and what I was doing there.
“So, girl whose name we know isn’t Black Widow, you work at the club?” Tex asked once we were all seated around the table, once the older one said grace, once they started passing around food like it was Thanksgiving.
Sheep in wolves clothing.
These people were killers.
And they were sharing a meal like it was normal.
I shivered in my seat. “What do you mean? The club?”
Tex stopped chewing and shared a look with Nixon who was staring me down like I had two heads. “You know, the club, where Andrei holds court?”
“Oh,” I forced a smile as my mind trudged up visions of being chained to a bed while I was given bathroom breaks. “Sorry, I guess I just never really thought of it that way.” I scrunched up my nose. Try prison. Dungeon. Cell. “I’m actually new.”
“New?” Chase piped up his eyes were so intense that I wanted to look away but knew I couldn’t. “So new she still looked unrecognizable beneath all that dirt and scum, good to know you discovered showers, and so soon.”
That earned him an elbow from Luc, his wife.
“What?” He mouthed then ripped off a piece of bread and kissed her on the cheek.
She blushed and rolled her eyes while I exhaled in relief. He didn’t know who I was.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t still be breathing.
And I wanted to keep breathing.
I noticed a flicker of movement to my left, Andrei was very slowly peeling off the ever-constant leather gloves, from his thumb down to his pointer finger, he tugged until they were free.