Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80207 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Alek glances at Vincent and me. “Stay here.”
I watch as the three men leave. They cross the street, but then they disappear behind the G-Wagon. I hold my breath until I see Alek walking back to us while he tucks something behind his back and adjusts his jacket.
When he enters the bookstore, he stalks toward us and wraps his arm around us.
I smell gunpowder, and my eyes widen.
When he pulls back and sees the shock on my face, he takes Vincent from my arms and sets him on his feet. “Go to your corner, buddy. I just want to talk to Mommy, then I’ll come to play with you.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
Vincent runs off, and Alek tilts his head to catch my eyes. “Are you okay, moya malen'kaya lyubov'?”
I nod a couple of times before focusing on his concerned face. “Did you shoot Barry?” I whisper so Vincent won’t hear.
Alek lifts his hands, and when he frames my face, I smell the gunpowder again.
“Don’t worry about the fucker. He won’t bother you again.”
I widen my eyes at Alek. “You can’t just shoot people!”
“The fuck I can’t,” he snaps. “No one insults and harasses my wife. No one.”
His wife. Alek keeps calling me that.
That’s not what you should focus on!
“Still, you can’t go around killing people,” I argue. “It’s not right.”
“In my world, it is, Everleigh. It’s my priority to keep you and Vincent safe. If it means I have to kill half the people on this planet, then I’ll do it.”
Don’t you dare freaking swoon, Everleigh.
I stare at Alek, and seeing he’s dead serious, I know I’m not going to win this argument.
We stare at each other for a moment before he leans down and presses a tender kiss to my mouth. When he lifts his head, he whispers, “I will never allow anyone to hurt you again. Give me the freedom to protect you the only way I know how.”
This is who Alek is and who he will always be.
He comes from a world of violence, which I have experienced firsthand.
There’s no telling what Barry would’ve done if Alek didn’t stop him. Down the road, he could’ve become an abusive husband or a freaking serial killer. He could’ve been one of the bratva’s enemies.
I can’t trust people will do the good thing. Not in our world.
“Okay,” I whisper.
“We’re good?” Alek asks.
“Yeah, we’re good.”
He leans down again, and this time, he kisses me until I’m a breathless mess wishing we were at home so we could take this further.
When he breaks the kiss, he stares deep into my eyes. “I wanted to plan something romantic, but that’s a thing of the past.”
Confused by his words, I watch as he pulls a little black velvet bag out of his pocket. My eyes widen when he drops a ring into the palm of his hand.
“This is the tracking device,” Alek explains, and taking hold of my left hand, he pushes a massive diamond onto my ring finger.
His thumb brushes over the ring. “Hopefully, this will keep the men away.”
I let out a chuckle. “So I just have to pretend I’m married to you?”
Alek’s eyes flick to mine. “There’s no pretending, moya malen'kaya lyubov'. You are mine, and I am yours. Forever and always. We’ll make it legal once I have my mother settled in the US.”
“I want a romantic wedding,” I demand.
The corners of his mouth lift. “Okay.”
Chapter 47
Alek
I’m still angry as fuck at that idiot who tried to make a move on my woman, then insulted her in front of me.
The memory of burying two bullets in Barry's gut and ordering Peter to let him bleed out before disposing of the body is the only thing keeping me calm.
It’s been a fucking week, and Everleigh is taking her sweet time packing. We’ve already put Vincent to bed, and my boy is in dreamland, yet it doesn’t look like we’ll be going to bed soon.
I glare at the box of linen, then mutter, “Why do you like to make me suffer?”
She gives me a surprised look. “What do you mean? I haven’t done anything.”
I give the box another glare. “You’re taking forever to pack. Are you doing it on purpose?”
She climbs to her feet and lifts her chin. “Don’t take your foul mood out on me.”
Instantly I school my face into that of a saint. “I’m sorry, moya malen'kaya lyubov'. It’s just as soon as I have you and Vincent safely in my place, I can go to Russia to take care of business and bring my mother home.”
“Oh.” She glances around the kitchen that’s become her packing area. “You can go to Russia while I take care of the packing. That way, we kill two birds with one stone.”
“I’m not leaving you alone in this house,” I say, my tone leaving no space for argument.