Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
He exploded into anger, slamming his fist on the nearest table, picking it up and throwing it. When one of his men rushed to see what was wrong, Nikita slapped him twice, hard, calling him names and taunting him over and over. She realized he was goading the man to pull his weapon. When the man refused, Nikita took out his own gun and pistol-whipped him, then put it to his head and pulled the trigger.
She screamed. Loudly. A woman screamed when gangsters shot their own men and brains, blood and bone scattered all over her floor. She made certain her shock and horror were extra loud. She’d left her bedroom windows open, covered only by the insect screens. Surely the swamp would carry her voice to Gray. He would be looking for her by now.
Nikita stormed over to her and slapped her hard. “Shut the fuck up and let me think.”
He hit her so hard her neck snapped back. She had to press her hand to her throbbing temple. The blow from the Russian made the one on her temple hurt more. She watched him pace across the room. He suddenly turned back to her.
“Did my son know?”
“Know what?” She frowned at him, trying to puzzle out what he meant.
He spat on the floor in disgust. “You don’t want to fuck with me. Your sweet little pussy may have been able to lead my son around by his dick, but I can assure you, I’m not that man. If I keep you, you’ll do whatever I say, when I say it.”
“What are you talking about? You were with my mother. I’m not about to be kept by you.” She was genuinely horrified. She’d expected to be tortured. She’d expected to be killed. She hadn’t ever once entertained the idea that he might want to keep her. Rape her, yes. Give her to his men, even that. But never permanently keep her.
“I’m killing Sasha. He’s worthless, the sniveling coward. He always has been. I’ll need another son and I’m considering that your life was spared for a reason.”
“What would that be?” she asked.
“To give me sons. As many as I want. I’ll keep you alive for that reason, you little slut. I don’t know how you escaped that bomb or kept your leopard secret from me, but Tregre wouldn’t have put those marks on your shoulder if you weren’t leopard.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She closed her eyes and shook her head in silent denial. If she opened her mouth, he would hear her lie.
Nikita paced across the room. “Maybe a better plan is to send the others to kill Sasha, take you back to Miami and renegotiate with Tregre. If he had planned to turn you over to me, we can come to a solution. If not…” He shrugged. “Killing him shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Her heart accelerated at the thought that he might take her to Miami. He would definitely have the home-field advantage there.
19
Joshua stared out the window, his back to the others. Gray had brought the news to him in person. His trackers were out, not an easy thing to do on the highway, but they would find her. “Have Drake’s people find out every vacation home in this area that has been rented.” He glanced over his shoulder at Kai. He waited for the man to nod and hurry away, cell to his ear, before he turned back to stare into the night.
A madman had her. God only knew what was happening to her. Everything he had learned about Nikita boded ill for any woman he took, let alone Sonia. He felt sick. The hole inside him widened and the monster crept out until it was staring back at him in the window. He put his head down to breathe away the murderous rage, the need to pound his fists into human flesh, let his leopard loose to claw apart his enemies.
Hold on, baby. I won’t stop until I find you. He wouldn’t. That was his greatest flaw and his greatest strength. He didn’t know how to stop, and for Sonia, he never would. He would find her and do whatever it took, for however long, to make certain she was safe and happy.
“That’s too obvious,” Sasha said. “He’d know you have resources, and he wants time with her.”
There was a break in the Russian’s voice. The first crack Joshua had heard, and he spun around to face him. Sasha’s color was off, a thin scar running along the side of his face showing whiter against his skin. He was scared for Sonia too. No, it was more like terror. He knew what his father was capable of, more than any other. He’d witnessed it. This was his nightmare, just as it was Joshua’s.
“Where would he take her?”