Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 47716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47716 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 239(@200wpm)___ 191(@250wpm)___ 159(@300wpm)
Rocco barked at his master’s boots, clearly pleased that Anton had managed to hit something else out of the sky for his enjoyment. At least the pup thought it was for his pleasure.
In reality, Rory had been thoroughly admiring the gun collection in the lodge and Anton offhandedly mentioned the skeet setup they could dig out from the shed. The guys had been ecstatic, Viviana rolled her pretty eyes, and Anton really just wanted to shoot some shit.
So, shoot some shit he did.
“Damn it, Boss. You’re making me go broke here.”
“You’re the one who wanted to go shot for shot, Joe. Know your opponent. Daniil had me shooting skeets over this lake before I was tall enough to reach his waist. It was really fun when Nicoli brought me out here with the assault rifles. What was I then, twelve? Maybe.”
Another five dollar bill was added to the massively growing pile, all the while Joe grumbled under his breath.
“Your turn,” Anton said, not bothering to take the cockiness out of his tone.
The gun was handed over to Joe as Anton rested back on his heels, waiting for the bull to miss his shot. While the boss could handle just about any firearm put in his hands, Joe was better using only a handgun. Add in a moving target to the mix, and it turned into the first time Joe put his paws on a gun all over again.
When Rory yelled for the signal, Joe waved, and the skeet went up. Like the five others that he already missed, it too landed in the water with a splash.
Joe cussed severely; Anton only shook his head. “Fuck, you really need to learn to steady your shot better before you take it. Tuck your left elbow in closer and get your right arm back further. When you’re about to shoot, let out your breath, don’t hold it in.”
Surprisingly, the bull didn’t mind the lecture. “Yeah, I know. It isn’t like I’m off shooting a hunting rifle every day, though.”
“Good thing.”
Joe didn’t turn around as he said, “If it was for Vine, I wouldn’t miss it, Boss.”
Anton didn’t doubt it. “Even better.”
Joe handed over the gun, but Rory seemed to be having issues loading up the shooter with another skeet, so they waited the third man out.
“How’d it go last night?”
Joe’s question came out of left field. Anton’s crossed arms relaxed as he raised a brow, considering how he should answer that. In reality, the guys had helped him massively in setting things up for his wife the night before, not to mention they made a point of not coming back out to the lodge until early morning. They deserved to know she appreciated them having a hand in her gifts.
“Pretty good,” Anton answered as Joe glanced back over his shoulder. “She was happy—completely surprised. Very grateful, so thank you.”
“Does she know there’s a million dollars hanging around her neck?”
Anton scoffed. “She likes the pearls. If I told her what they cost, she’d never wear the damned things. I want to see them on her, so don’t you say a word.”
The surface gifts—the things he’d told her and shown her first—had only been the beginning. The two bulls had been busy running around to pick up the things Anton needed yesterday in order to make it back on time. Viviana had assumed, mistakenly, that what he told her about was all there was. That wasn’t exactly the case.
Anton loved buying things for his wife. Pretty things, shiny things, any-fucking-thing that would look good against her body, especially when she was standing next to him. Some might have said he was spoiling his wife, but he didn’t care much for those people or their opinions. It was his money, so he’d do what he wanted with it.
What he wanted was to spend it on Viviana, so he did just that. And he so enjoyed watching her eyes widen, feel her pulse pick up under his fingers wrapped to her wrist, and hear those little gasps of surprise as he opened each bag or box.
“What’d she like the best?”
“Probably the photographer. Scarlett did one hell of a job in the confidence department.”
Joe chuckled. “God knows she doesn’t see herself clearly right now, huh?”
Anton bit back his immediate flare of jealousy. What Joe said had some merit, after all. Vine didn’t realize how beautiful she appeared to the rest of the world, especially pregnant and so full of life and love like she was. Radiant, lovely, and powerful in her status as his wife, she was sure to attract attention. Joe didn’t mean any harm, so Anton kept his mouth shut.
“She loved that mink coat,” Anton said, remembering that particular gift because of what it led to later.
The memory had his dick twitching beneath his jeans. Viviana knew he had a thing for seeing her wrapped up in fur, especially if that was the only goddamned thing she had on to cover her skin. Nothing got his cock harder and his wife had been more than happy to feed into that strange desire of his last night.