Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
“It will violate his trust and jeopardize our partnerships. And it’ll be a dead giveaway that you were the one fucking his wife. Why else would you tell her?”
Valid point. But I was still disturbed by what I’d learned.
Hades continued to study me. “She’s the one who decided to marry him. This is their marriage, their business. Whatever happens is not your concern, so you better leave it alone. You understand me?”
Annabella and I were nothing and had always been nothing. She’d made her choice to marry him, and I stepped aside and let it happen. It was time to move on, not to concern myself with her happiness. “Fine.”
After we walked through the casino and took the elevator to the basement, we met with Bosco.
“It’s been a long time.” He grinned as he shook hands with Hades. “Who do you have your money on?”
“Liam.” He dropped his hand. “He’s my client.”
“Loyalty. Nice.” He turned to me and shook my hand. “Nice to see you, Damien. I got some new girls out front.”
“I noticed.”
He winked. “Nothing gets past you, huh?” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Enjoy yourselves tonight. I’ve been trying to get Liam back into death fighting. See if you can talk him into it.” He walked off with his friend to find a seat in the underground arena.
Hades and I went to the back where the fighters waited for their call. Liam was behind the first door on the left, in his black sweatpants and t-shirt. His muscles were flexed and full like he’d hit the weights just moments ago, but he was visibly calm.
Annabella wasn’t. She was in a blue cocktail dress, her curled hair pinned to the back of her head. She was covered in diamonds, like a prized jewel Liam wanted to show off. Her eyes were wet with impending tears, and it was obvious she had just been arguing with him, probably trying to dissuade him from doing this.
“Baby, I’ll be fine.” He was sitting beside her on the couch, and he rose to his feet to greet us. “My boys.” He shook hands with Hades, and his previous beef with me seemed to be forgotten because he shook my hand too. He probably had more important things to focus on other than our bitter exchange. “Could you keep an eye on my woman while I’m in the ring?” He kept his voice low in the hope she wouldn’t hear.
Impulsive rage overtook me. I would never let another man protect my wife besides Hades. I’d do it my goddamn self.
Hades answered for me. “Of course.”
After we exchanged a few words, Liam left to get ready for his fight.
Hades glanced at me before he silently excused himself.
Annabella didn’t look at me, her gaze averted as she struggled with what was about to happen to her husband. The woman was selfless with her heart, caring and loving to people who didn’t deserve it—like me. She crossed her arms over her chest and kept her eyes on the floor.
All I wanted to do was comfort her, hold her, cradle her face into my shoulder as I wrapped my arms around her.
But that wasn’t my job.
Liam should be here, giving up everything because that was what she wanted.
I slid my hands into my pockets and stepped closer to her.
She quietly sniffled. “Is there something I can help you with, Damien?” Despite her distress, her voice was strong.
I didn’t tell her Liam had asked me to babysit her. If he knew the things I’d done to her, he wouldn’t let me anywhere near her…especially when she was vulnerable like this. “He’ll be fine, Annabella.”
She finally lifted her gaze to look me in the eye. “You don’t know that.”
“He’s a big guy who knows what he’s doing.”
“And so is the other guy…”
Her quiet words got under my skin, and I found myself on the couch beside her.
She stilled when I came close to her, affected by my proximity. She shifted away slightly as if my presence bothered her.
“Ask him to stop.”
“It’s his career…his passion. That would be like him asking me to quit my job.”
“Your job at the hotel isn’t dangerous. It’s not the same thing. And it shouldn’t matter. If it bothers you this much…” He should have walked away from all of it if he wanted to be with her, to sacrifice everything if he wanted to be her husband. And if he couldn’t…he should bow out. That was why I left, and it was the right thing to do. I wish Hades were still my partner in our drug business, but I respected his giving it up for his family. “It’s not like he needs the money.”
She shook her head. “He won’t. I’ve asked.”
The sound of the cheering crowd was audible at the announcement of the next fight.