Total pages in book: 211
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 201554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1008(@200wpm)___ 806(@250wpm)___ 672(@300wpm)
Somehow, I find the will to push him back, to force him to stop kissing me. “What is going on with you?”
“You. You’re what’s going on with me and that’s what I want. Fuck this damn family.”
“Talk to me. You’re on edge. I can feel it, which is understandable, but this is next level.”
“Because I want to punish them. I want to end this with all of them suffering, but since those things are not options, I need another outlet.”
“Me?” I ask.
He slides his hand over my hair and presses his forehead to mine. “Yeah. You. I need fuck and think.”
Thankful for his honesty, and all that he feels is expected, it really is, I curl my fingers on his jaw. “Then let’s go fuck and think.”
“Not now,” he says, kissing my forehead and then leaning back. “Later we’ll do both. I promised you shopping and we’re going shopping but we both need to eat first. Anyplace you want to go?”
“We can eat at home.”
“You have nothing but what some shopper you don’t even know picked out for you. We need to do this. I want to do it. And the best thing Isaac and his hoodlums can see right now is us not giving two shits about what he has going on. We’ll go eat first and, on the way, we’ll check on your mother. After we shop, we’re going to eat lunch. We’re going to be you and me—us—and forget all of them.”
“Of course that’s what I want,” I say, “but we need this to be over. We need—”
“A break.”
“There’s an assassin running around, Eric. We can’t just take a break.”
“I hope like hell Isaac’s people come after us. I’ll deal with him, and then he’ll be gone, but my gut says that he’s not coming after us. He came for my father.”
“I was attacked, remember?”
“It was part of the agenda that failed and per that note, you staying alive is his leverage. If you’re gone, if I’m gone, Isaac is on his own.” He squeezes my leg. “I promise you we’re fine. “Let’s go shopping, after we eat. I’m starving.”
“Me, too. I’m in.”
He strokes my cheek. “No one is going to hurt you. I promise. This will be over soon.”
“What do you want to eat?”
We’re doing this. We’re taking a break, which isn’t really a break since the world could implode around us at any moment, but the truth is, if that’s going to happen, we need to enjoy every moment we have together. I’m going to enjoy this man. “Your favorite restaurant,” I say. “Take me there.”
“I have a lot of favorites,” he says, “but how about my version of Denver’s North Italia here in New York City?”
“Perfect,” I say. “I’m all in.”
“You better be, baby, because I am.” Again, he doesn’t give me the time to respond. He exits the vehicle and I assume makes arrangements with our security team. I’m actually looking forward to sitting down with him and having time to talk, to find out what’s really in his head.
But time ticks onward and I start to get uptight. I open the door and step outside to find Savage talking to Eric, and the stiffness of Eric’s spine tells me there’s a problem. I step between them and glance up at Eric. “How’s it going?”
Eric glances down at me. “He had another heart attack but he’s fine.”
“Was there foul play?”
“Too soon to know,” Savage says. “We had eyes on him. No nurse or doctor had visited him from the time he settled in his room until the attack.”
“Could he have been poisoned again on the way to his room?” I ask.
“There’s too many medical hands on him to rule that out,” Savage answers.
“His heart was strained from the initial attack,” Eric adds. “No one is going to question another attack,” but he asks Savage the same question that’s in my mind. “Where’s Isaac?”
“He wasn’t in the room, if that’s your question. Do you want to make a showing at the hospital?”
“No,” Eric says. “If the police come looking for me, let me know. Otherwise, get a man on his room, not just nearby. I don’t care who I have to pay to make it happen. I need out of here before Isaac and I run into each other again. I’ll beat his ass and end up in jail.” He motions me to the car. “Let’s go have lunch.”
I exchange a look with Savage, in which we both agree. He’s right. He needs a break. “I’ll catch up,” Savage says.
Eric gives him a nod and urges me to the vehicle. I climb inside again and Eric follows. Jesse joins us and Eric gives him the destination. Once we’re on the road, Eric scoots low, leans his head on the seat and closes his eyes, his jaw set hard. I lean in close and lay my head on his chest. To my relief, he settles his hand on the back of my head, and holds me there.