Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85089 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
“Fuck what your boss said.” Roman’s voice was like a chorus of hammers. “Put that gun away.”
The creep hesitated, but he obeyed.
I stared in complete shock. I half expected the creep to start shooting at Roman.
“I’m following orders.” The creep’s voice took on a pleading edge. “You know I don’t have a choice in any of this, right? Giatno told me—“
Roman drew a gun from his waistband. He held it out casually and aimed it at the creep’s face.
“You know who I am.” Not a question. A statement.
“Yes, I do.”
“Then you know how I deal with problems.”
“Roman, I didn’t have a choice. I was given a job, I had to—“
Roman pulled the trigger. The fourth gunshot of the night barreled through the creep’s face. He crumpled backwards and slammed down against the pavement.
Blood splattered on the hood of the car.
Roman put the gun away and frowned with a slight distasteful curl of his lip before turning toward me.
“Is she okay?”
Erick stood up and raised a hand. “She’s okay. Shaken up, but not hit.”
“That’s good.” Real relief in his voice.
I got to my feet. My knees trembled.
That was the second person I watched get shot in the face, and it hadn’t gotten easier yet.
“What’s going on?” I looked between the two men, trying to keep myself under control. “I thought I was safe. You said they wouldn’t hurt me.”
“Things changed.” Roman stared at me like he wanted to stride over, throw me over his shoulder, and carry me off to whatever cave he called home. “You need to come with me.”
I looked at the car and shook my head. “I don’t do cars.”
“It’s not an option.” He walked toward me, stepping over the creep’s body. He didn’t seem to mind if he tracked blood along behind him.
“How are you here? I thought you left.”
“I got a tip that Giatno might make a move on you soon. I had men watching, but I decided to come myself. You’re lucky I did.”
“Lucky.” The word felt like a brand on my tongue. “I don’t think any of this is lucky.”
He stopped right in front of me. Erick walked off and got back into the SUV. Roman didn’t move, only stared down into my eyes.
I looked back and almost wished I hadn’t.
Something trembled in that gaze. Something shivered.
Or maybe that was my hands and my lips.
Heat radiated off of him like a fever.
Or maybe that was just my own sickness driving me crazy.
His mouth opened slightly and his tongue rolled across his lower lip like he was hungry for something.
Hungry for me.
And I loved it, loved the way he seemed to swallow me down, wanted to digest me, bring me into his world, make me all his.
His voice was velvet and a pinch.
“I know you didn’t want to get involved, but here we are. You have a choice to make. You can come with me and live through the next few days, or you can stay here and take the risk. Things are happening and I can’t promise I’ll always be around to stop Giatno or Manzi or any of the others from silencing you. Do you understand? This is your once chance.”
I tilted my chin up. I felt my knees go weak. “I really hate cars.”
“I know. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
I closed my eyes and nodded once. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
He took my hand. I opened my eyes and looked at him, surprised at the tender way he pulled me along. His fingers were rough like he worked with his hands but his grip was soft, like I was a delicate peach and he wanted to avoid bruising my flesh.
Or like I was a prize and he didn’t want to ruin me, not yet.
I climbed into the back with him. My core started to tremble.
He buckled me in then looked at Erick. “Jersey City,” he said
Erick nodded, the car pulled out, and I felt the panic rise up and threaten to crush me into nothingness.
7
Roman
It was all so familiar.
And I hated it.
I wanted the girl to have a normal life, or as normal as her life could be. But Giatno had other plans.
“Breathe. Just breathe.”
The drive to Jersey City was torture. Over two hours in the car, though Erick drove as recklessly as he could and shaved off some time. Each second seemed like it ripped through Cassie, over and over again.
She calmed after a while, and just when I thought she might fall asleep, the cycle happened all over again.
My hand on her leg. My hand on her hands. “Breathe. Just breathe.”
In and out, our chests in sync.
I stared at her lips, at her throat. At her breasts. She was still covered by thta damn coat.
I wanted all her secrets. And I knew she had plenty.
The past month hadn’t been easy for me. Not remotely.