Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“Wait a minute, masked men?” Liam asked.
“Yes.”
Liam frowned.
“What is it?”
“The Smirnov men are not … they were never known for hiding their identity.”
Roman looked toward his friends.
“I need to make a call,” Liam said. “I will not be far.”
“What’s going on?” Antonio asked.
“I think my dad set up the attack,” Roman said, speaking quietly.
“What?” Marlo asked.
“That’s a fucking leap,” Cash said.
“He just said that if Alex is killed by our enemies, then Liam cannot pull out of any deal we have with him.”
“But that is still a big fucking leap to your dad being involved. He’s the Boss, Roman. Even for you, pointing the finger has big fuck-off consequences.”
“I know that!” He quickly lowered his voice. “Don’t you think I know that? Think about it. How is it that a woman who has spent twenty-one years staying out of the line of fire is suddenly the prime target in an attack?” Roman asked.
“This isn’t the first time, Roman,” Antonio said. “You just heard Liam. She was shot when he lost her mother.”
“Yeah, but if you look at that, it was a turf war. That had nothing to do with Liam. He got himself involved. Alex and her mother was just a mistake. In the wrong place at the wrong time. That was the deal there.”
Marlo blew out a breath. “I don’t like how this looks. Roman has a point.”
“How? I don’t think the Boss, the fucking Boss of the Greco line would send a hit out on his ally’s daughter,” Cash said.
“Then how did they know to attack the restaurant? The right one,” Marlo said. “And your father, he’s shown his dislike of Alex many times. She speaks her own mind and often does what she wants.”
“He didn’t like that she wouldn’t take that stupid test,” Antonio said.
“Fuck, that does make a shit load of sense,” Cash said. “Then we’re all fucked. If our Boss wants her dead, what do we fucking do?”
“Alex doesn’t deserve to die,” Roman said. He didn’t want to think of her dead or dying. “We have to protect her.”
“How?”
“I need to … talk to Liam,” Roman said.
“If you even imply that your dad is responsible for this…”
“I’m not going to imply it’s him, but what I am going to do is suggest it’s an inside job,” Roman said.
He looked toward the door and saw the doctor approach, just as Liam had as well. Roman stepped toward the door and opened it as the doctor finished talking. Liam shook his hand.
“What’s going on?” Roman asked. “What’s happening?”
“I’ll talk to him, Doctor,” Liam said.
The doctor gave him a grim look. He felt his stomach start to twist. A grim look wasn’t good. What did that mean?
Alex couldn’t be dead.
He turned to Liam, and the older man sighed. “Alex sailed through surgery, but it is always the next twenty-four hours that are most worrisome. She is not out of the woods yet, but he is hopeful.”
“Can I go and see her?” Roman asked.
“Yes, we both can go and see her.”
Liam put a hand on his shoulder, but Roman didn’t care as he was squeezed tightly. They moved down the long corridor, going through a double set of doors and moving toward the private room.
He stepped into the room and listened to the machines beep. There were none on her mouth and face. A couple on her fingers, and she had something on her arm as well. He didn’t know what it was.
Liam let him go, and he watched as he grabbed the base of the bed, squeezing the metal bar tightly.
“I swore I’d protect her. I held her mother in my arms as she was dying, and she begged for me to take care of Alex. To love her. To make sure she never knew pain or sadness, and I fucked up.”
“Alex is alive.”
“She was shot,” Liam said. “I knew agreeing to the marriage with you was a big mistake.”
“It’s not. We’re strong together. You know that.”
“Then how come this is the only other time she’s been shot?” Liam asked. “The two times I take my eye off the ball, this happens. She’s never leaving my sight again. I’m never allowing her to go.”
“Liam, you can’t do that. Alex wouldn’t want that.”
“She didn’t want to ever get married, but I asked her to.”
Roman stared at his wife, and she looked so fucking small and fragile. He hated hospitals with a passion.
“She’s strong, and we will make it through this, together.”
“Don’t give me that crap, Roman. I know you didn’t want to marry my daughter. She’s not good enough for your little ideal world.”
“You’re wrong. Alex and I are going to make it work. I’m not turning my back on her.” Roman walked toward her and took the chair beside her bed. He sat down and reached for her hand. She was unresponsive, but he didn’t care. He was going to hold his wife’s hand and never let her go. “She’ll come back to us, and then I’m going to show you that we’re going to be good together. I’m good for your daughter.”