Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 298(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Vlad takes a moment to answer, which makes it all the worse. “If I survive this, yes.”
“Survive what?” My voice is sharp. The urgency of securing that boy’s future feels overwhelming.
He tries to feed me another section of orange, but I turn my face away. “Your attempts at escape.”
I snort because we both know how pathetic my assault on him really was. And there’s no way in hell he’s afraid of me actually killing him.
He shrugs. “Your brothers,” he amends.
A wash of cold runs over my skin, because he’s right to fear them. They will kill him if they catch him. I have no doubt.
I look away, out the window of the plane at the Vegas lights glittering below. My brothers are down there right now. Looking for me. Pulling every string they have to try to find me.
And I’m right here. So close but out of reach.
Soon I’ll be too far from their influence. Soon I’ll be in a country where I don’t speak the language and don’t have a single friend.
I look over at Mika.
Maybe he feels the same way, minus the language barrier.
Vlad feeds me another bite of orange, then bends down and fishes another orange out of his leather satchel. “Mika,” he calls out.
The boy turns and Vlad holds the orange up.
Mika shakes his head.
“Eat it,” Vlad says firmly and tosses it to the boy who catches it with one hand. “You need your vitamins.”
A smile flickers around the corner of his mouth before it quickly disappears again. He bends his head over the orange and peels it and both Vlad and I sit back in satisfaction.
When we reach altitude, Vlad unties me and shows me how the seat converts to a fully reclined bed. I go over and help Mika with his while Vlad produces pillows and blankets.
“You need anything? A snack? Something to drink?” Vlad asks.
“Are you our flight attendant?” I shouldn’t tease when he’s being nice.
He doesn’t seem to mind. He smacks my ass lightly. “Shut up and sleep. Be good or I’ll tie you to the bed.”
“Aren’t you going to sleep?” I ask. He hasn’t converted a bed for himself yet.
He shrugs.
I wait for more of an answer but it doesn’t come.
Okay, so the guy doesn’t sleep.
Probably smart considering I tried to kill him today.
I sit on the edge of the bed. I’m exhausted but not sleepy. Too much adrenaline. Too much worry. “What is there to drink?” I ask idly.
Vlad looks over from the leather captain’s chair beside my bed. “What do you want?” He stands up, his movements lithe and graceful, like a panther. I stand and trail behind, happy to walk on my own two feet for a change. To be untied and free to move around.
In the tiny galley kitchen, there’s a refrigerator stocked with all kinds of upscale drinks.
Vlad opens it and pulls out a bottle of Chardonnay. “You drink wine?”
It shouldn’t make my heart flutter. We’re not on a date.
Wine sounds so good right now, but I don’t think my kidneys can take it.
“Seltzer water,” I say.
He pours the water and hands me my glass then opens a drawer and produces a wine key. After he opens the bottle and pours himself a glass, he eyes me and pockets the wine key.
“Think I’m going to use that on you?”
Cristo. Am I flirting?
“I know you’re thinking about it.” His tone is light, like people around him often consider killing him and it doesn’t faze him in the slightest.
I turn to slide past him, out of the tiny kitchen, but he shifts to block me from leaving. Pushes me up against the wall. His ribs pin my chest, one of his thighs presses between my legs. He holds his wine glass beside my ear and tips his head down to mine.
I gasp, my pulse picking up speed, heat flooding my body.
“You should know,” he says, accent thick, “I’m having a hard time keeping my hands off you. Knowing your panties are in my pocket.”
Some tiny whimper escapes my lips. “M-maybe you should give them back to me, then,” I say. My voice sounds breathy and thin.
His erection swells against my belly. I unintentionally grind down on his thigh and the contact gets me wet.
“Tomorrow,” he promises. “If you show me you can be a good girl on this flight. Then I won’t have to keep you tied up any more.”
I eyeball him. “How about if you don’t keep me at all?”
He eases back, which comes as both a disappointment and relief. “Sorry, printsessa. Freedom isn’t in the cards for you. You’re mine now.”
My nose burns and I draw a breath to hide the rush of tears threatening, but my eyes flood before I can look away.
Vlad’s brows drop and he cups my face gently. Strokes my cheek with his thumb. “Not forever, zaika.”