Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 637(@200wpm)___ 510(@250wpm)___ 425(@300wpm)
He left the den and continued through the wide, sprawling house toward the playroom, where there were several activities from billiards to bowling. Throughout the house were high perches for his leopard as well as many shadowed alcoves, with large plants concealing the entrances, where Rogue could rest while concealed.
“There’s a shooting range in the building beside the garage. The garage is temperature controlled and houses five cars. Over it is a full apartment complete with its own kitchen. There are four guesthouses on the property as well as a gym where we do combat training. There is also an area for the leopards to train, with ladders and small tunnels and various obstacles to keep their skills sharp. We have a range in the swamp for them to engage in fighting skills as well as hunt live food.”
“Did you think Fyodor’s mother deserved to be murdered?” There was no judgment in Maya’s voice, but how could she not be judging him when he judged himself?
He hadn’t thrown her off topic by his revelations on all the interesting perks of the property. He should have known. In any case, he was determined to give her the truth of who he was. If they were going to have a relationship, she should know what she was getting into.
“She never once tried to stop Patva from beating Timur or Fyodor or turning the three of us over to his men for beatings. He was a sadistic bastard, but she would hide and allow him to torture the three of us. Being gang raped or beaten with whips or chains wasn’t out of the question. That didn’t rally her to defend any of us, not even Timur.”
He didn’t sound bitter, because he wasn’t. He was indifferent. Maya had ceased following him, forcing him to stop as well. He indicated the hall. “The house has eight bathrooms. This is one of the guest bathrooms. There’s only one guest bedroom on this floor. There’s an office, and the rest of the floor is taken up with the primary suite.”
He opened the door to the bedroom to show her the spacious room. It was beautiful and had its own bathroom. The bedroom was enormous and could easily have been a second primary suite. The floor was wood, the bed large and comfortable looking, and a sitting area by the windows invited reading or visiting. A small desk with a lamp was against one wall, but otherwise the room was kept open and spacious. The closet was a walk-in and could have been a small nursery.
The bathroom was large as well, with a deep jacuzzi tub and a two-person shower. Gorya wanted to get Maya out of there as quickly as possible. She seemed to take a great deal of interest in it as she wandered around the room, looking anywhere but at him. Truthfully, it had occurred to him that she could sleep there until Wraith got further along in her heat, but his odd reaction to the close proximity of his bodyguards to Maya had him changing his mind.
She followed him down the hall, silence stretching between them. He didn’t turn around to look at her face. She was a deceiver, the same as he was. She wasn’t going to give anything away unless she wanted to. That little smile she’d teased him with had been as practiced as the easygoing charm he was so famous for. It was a little scary how alike they were. On the other hand, he was grateful. She might be the only woman in the world who could live with him.
He’d disclosed information about himself he had never told anyone. Inadvertently, he had also told her things about other family members he was certain they hadn’t told anyone. He’d been casual about it, but she’d heard him. Maya was a woman who didn’t miss much.
“I didn’t think she deserved Patva’s way of killing her, but was I terribly upset about her death? In all honesty? No. I wish I could say I was. I know I should feel emotion for her death, but it would be a lie if I said I did. I wasn’t certain what she did with her time other than hide away and ignore her children.”
Maya remained silent, and Gorya stopped at the entrance to the primary bedroom, turning to look at her face. The door was reinforced with steel between the thick slabs of wood. The suite was practically designed as an enormous safe room. Gorya rested a hip against the door and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Patva, like all the men in the lair, expected us to join him in beating the mothers to death to prove loyalty to the bratva. I wasn’t loyal to them or to Patva. I don’t beat women, and I knew Timur wasn’t about to hurt his mother. He tried to stop his father. I couldn’t allow Patva to kill Timur.”