Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
“You’re playing with fire,” he declared out of nowhere, bringing my attention up to him.
I sat back in my chair, narrowing my eyes at my friend. “She's a kid, a fucking child. I need a woman, Leo. She could be my fucking kid for Christ’s sake.”
“So be it. But she's a—”
“Little girl,” I chimed in, annoyed. Knowing where he was going with this.
“Legal. And in my book that's fucking fair game.”
I shook my head. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I don’t? You haven’t made me watch over Lexi for years?”
Leo was the only man I trusted with her. The only man I knew would do the job right.
“Hmm… she isn’t sleeping in your penthouse right now?” He leaned forward, placing his arms on my desk. “You didn’t murder one of your trusted, longtime associates for her either, right? Nikolai thought you were his friend.”
“Friend is a term I use loosely. He was going to rape her. I had no choice. The motherfucker had it coming.”
“Since when has another man’s sexual deviance bothered you? You’ve dealt with men far worse than him every day of your life, and you’ll continue to do so.”
“What’s your point, Leo? I don’t have all fucking day to sit here and chit-chat like some schoolgirls in heat.”
“I thought I was making it, maybe I should just draw a picture for your dumb ass.”
I stood, needing to get the hell away from him as well. “Your wife makes you wear a condom, doesn’t she?”
“Throw your insults at me all you want, buddy. I’m not the one that sleeps alone every night. Oh wait… I forgot, El Diablo doesn’t sleep, right? Now why do you think that is?”
I glared at him.
He laughed, throwing his head back. “Oh man, Martinez. You have got it bad. So fucking badly my friend. I never thought I’d see this day happen again. You better get your skates out because your fucking world has just frozen over.”
“Get the fuck out,” I gritted, not wanting to hear the shit he was brewing.
“What are you going to do about Nikolai’s men?” he asked, ignoring my demand, staying put in his chair. “You know they’re not happy. They are fucking furious. They want the girl. You know that as much as I do. You may have pulled the trigger, but it was for her. She’s your weakness, and you made that loud and fucking clear. It’s only a matter of time until they figure it out.”
“Why don’t you let me worry about Nikolai’s men.”
“What about Lexi?”
“What about her? She’s not anyone’s concern, but mine. Are we clear? No one is to lay a fucking finger on her.”
He stood, rounding my desk. “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Patting me on the back and walking out.
As soon as he left, I pulled my cellphone out of my suit jacket, hitting send as I sat back down in my chair.
“Boss,” Rick answered after one ring.
“We good?” I questioned, rapidly tapping my pen on my desk.
“Everything’s taken care of. The girl—” I hung up, cutting him off.
Spending most of the day thinking about Lexi.
It was late by the time I made it back home. Going straight into my office, needing to finish up a few odds and ends, before making my way toward Lexi’s room. Thinking she would be asleep, I carefully opened her door like I had the night before. Ready to take my usual place in the armchair by her bed. I sat, watching her for a few seconds.
“I’m not sleeping,” her voice rang out in the darkness.
“I know.” I did the moment I walked into the room. I could feel her anywhere, especially when she was around me. The pull, the hold, the lock which only she possessed over me.
“Of course you did. You know everything, oh wise one. You know what? You’re like a modern day fucking Yoda. Which seems kind of unfair if you think about it. You seem to know everything about me. Yet, I don’t know a damn thing about you, other than you walk around here with a stick up your ass. You expect me to stay here, in your home, with you. And all you seem to want is for me to listen to your every command, like I’m your damn dog.”
“If I had a dog, it would obey me. You, on the other hand, do not.”
She wanted to laugh, but turned her head to smile instead. Thinking I couldn’t see her. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “When can I leave?”
“When I tell you, you can.”
“What about my job? I worked so—”
“I took care of it.”
“What?” she asked, sitting up. Hissing from the immediate pain to her ribs.
I didn’t hesitate. Walking over to the nightstand, opening the bottle, handing her two pills with her glass of water.
She glanced up at me, even though she couldn’t see anything but my faint shadow looking down at her. “I don’t like them. They make me sleep.”