Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Tisha never cared about the feminine sounding nickname, and there was no need to defend his masculinity, when he was always drowning in women.
Girls always flocked to him in school.
I never understood why. He was tall with black hair and blue eyes. He had a bright red rose tattooed on the left side of his neck with his mother’s name written in script underneath the stem.
But, I never knew what made certain men a female magnet.
Regardless, many in the Brotherhood always whispered about his exploits and how women constantly fought over him.
I thought back to the last time I had partied with Tisha. We had been in a strip club, drunk and surrounded by women.
In that moment, Tisha told me that he would die a bachelor.
I had smiled and agreed that I would too.
Now look at me?
I was beyond ready to drag my mouse down the wedding aisle if necessary.
And soon I must talk to my mouse about having our second baby. It is time.
A wicked smile spread across my face.
Across the table, Tisha nodded at me and then lowered into his seat.
A few of the women in Harlem Crew glanced Tisha’s way.
He winked.
Some blushed.
I turned to Roman who walked over to a different side of the table.
Like Tisha, Roman had served me well, never seeming to have any real ambition with the brotherhood, always remaining loyal.
Since we were kids, he had a slim frame and was never able to put on muscle. Usually, he had wavy brown hair. Today, it was all shaved off, revealing a clean bald head.
Instead of gazing my way, Roman took in all of Harlem Crew on the other side of the table. He was probably wondering why they were here.
It is a new day, cousin.
Nikolay entered the space next.
Dark tattoos covered both of his hands. They were symbols of crosses all over his fingers and palms. Each cross was different in some way. Some were very small. Others somewhat big. Many had names or words written in them.
Emily leaned close to me. “You know what?”
I turned to her. “Yes, mysh?”
“Do you think that your cousins would be so upset about Pavel being a traitor that—”
“They would terrorize his son?” I shook my head. “No, mysh. They loved Pavel. I believe. . .once they meet Paolo, they will love him too.”
“And protect him?”
I nodded.
“Okay.” She tapped the table’s polished surface with her fingertips. “I just feel like the person knows us.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure.” She stopped tapping. “What about Zahkar’s wife?”
I blinked. “What about her?”
“She always looked at me weird, and many times I caught her watching you.”
“I do not think Irina is a problem.”
“Why not?”
“There would be no reason for her to bother Paolo.”
“I killed her husband.”
“Correct.”
Emily eyed me. “And why is she always looking at you weird?”
“Surely, it is not always.”
“My catching her once was enough.”
“Perhaps, because. . .Irina and I had a. . .small history.”
She frowned and then tilted her head to the side. “You fucked her?”
I did not like the way she asked as if the answer could trigger Irina’s death.
She raised her eyebrows. “Kaz?”
“It was a long time ago.”
“How long?”
“A few times as teens and then later in our early twenties.”
She rolled her eyes.
“This was before you.”
“That’s why she was checking me.”
I quirked my brows. “Checking you?”
“Next time she looks at you like that again, I’m going to take her eyes out.”
“She will not be looking at me anymore. She is Zahkar’s widow now. There will be no need for her to be present.”
“I hope not because if I catch her gazing longingly at you again, she’ll be in the Earth with Zahkar.”
I smirked. “Is that right?”
“Yes.”
It shouldn’t have, but my cock came to life.
I licked my lips. “I love it when you get jealous.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“Why not?”
“It could be very dangerous.”
Suddenly, David came to the chair on my left and sat down.
I leaned his way and whispered, “The surprise?”
David gestured to the TV in the top right. “Coming.”
I turned that way.
The screen came on.
Jean-Pierre appeared, sitting next to his flute player. There, she smiled and held an adorable baby girl. I raised my eyebrows, studying the old scars on her face. Then, I checked Jean-Pierre’s face.
They are matching. Why?
I began to wonder, and then gave up. The man was psychotic. For all I knew, he had put scars on his face to match hers.
No. He is not that insane.
Regardless, Emily happily gasped when she saw them.
All tension left me.
Good. The pyscho came through.
Chapter 16
Plans
Kazimir
Jean-Pierre kept his attention on my mouse. “The Lion told me that you were having difficult days, I thought it would be a nice time for you to meet my lovely queen Eden and your niece, Princess Marcella.”
Emily’s eyes watered. “Nice to meet you both.”
Marcella gurgled.
I studied the little baby.
I must admit. She is a pretty baby.
Marcella blinked those long black eyelashes. Her hazel eyes sparkled above her plump cheeks. Long curls covered her head, but there were hints of blonde strands here and there. Her skin had a bronze hue.