Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“Then why…”
“I told you before, your brother was murdered, Sasha. Whoever killed him wants you dead too. You’re in danger, and Roman made me promise to protect you. I know it’s not ideal, but this is the only place I can keep you safe. Your apartment is a logistical nightmare.”
Her forehead furrows, and I can tell she wants to ask questions.
“I’m doing this for your safety,” I repeat, hoping to drive the point home.
Her lips form a thin line as she considers my words. “But for how long?”
Fair question. And one I don’t have an answer to. My men are still trying to work out who’s behind this. When they do, I’ll kill them. To keep my word.
To keep her safe.
“For however long it takes,” I vow, staring directly into her deep eyes. “Come on.” I pivot toward the door. “Let me take you outside. Let me show you the grounds. Once you see the place, you’ll know this is no prison. Not for you.”
“What am I supposed to believe? Huh?” Her cheeks suck in like she sucked a lemon. She doesn’t believe me and is having a hard time not launching a verbal attack on me.
I shrug one shoulder. “Think of it as a short getaway.”
“You can’t possibly believe that I’ll consider this a vacation.”
My eyebrow lifts in reaction to her snippy demeanor. I like it. The fire.
“Not just a vacation, firefly. An all-expenses-paid one.”
She huffs. “I need to work.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle everything.” I already have. Her rent is paid for the rest of the year. Her debt is cleared. She doesn’t need to know that. Not yet.
“What does that mean?” she asks.
I ignore her. Too much information is never a good thing, especially in this case. She’d fight against the gesture, not understanding that it was the least I could do.
When we reach the large glass door that leads outside, I push it open, allowing the fresh air to filter in around us.
What Sasha doesn’t know is that all the doors have actual biometric locks on them. But this morning, to fuel my plan of forcing her deeper into my domain, I had them shut off.
I allow her to head outside first, giving her space and allowing her to take in the large property.
Her eyes are wide and round as she spins in a circle.
Not feeling so sure now, are you, Sasha.
She takes a few tentative steps toward the stairs that lead down a short path to the pool. I close the door behind us and follow her, keeping a few feet between us. Allowing her the false notion that I’m not worried she will leave.
Which is the understatement of the year. I hope she does. I welcome it.
I want her sequestered in my room. Completely at my mercy.
Imagining her spread out on my bed, ready and eager for all I have to give, has my dick growing in my pants. I’m so engrossed in the fantasy that I allow her to get quite a bit ahead of me. She’s no longer in my view.
Picking up my pace, I take the bend that leads toward the pool, and in the distance, I hear sounds. I’m practically jogging when I’m able to make out voices. Sasha’s and a man…
Who’s talking to her? All of my men—
Fuck.
Not all of my men have been warned about keeping their distance. Today, a few of the guys rotate in. One, in particular, is newer and outside doing the rounds. He was here when she arrived, but I never got to speak to him. He wasn’t brought up to speed on our guest.
When I make it to them, Sean, the asshole, is standing way too close. He’s leaning down toward her, a predatory fucking smile plastered all over his smarmy face. His arm lifts, and his hand touches her cheek.
I lose my shit.
All I see is red.
My hands are fisted by my sides as I stalk forward like a panther. Before Sean knows what’s happening, I attack. My fingers wrap around his throat, and I squeeze with so much force I’m lucky I didn’t crush his larynx.
Sean gags, and his eyes are wide. He’s panicking. Good.
“You don’t look at her. Do you fucking understand?” His lips are turning purple as his hands try and fail to disengage mine. “Touch her again, and you will die. Keep your head down and hands away.” His eyes roll back into his head, and I know I only have seconds before he loses consciousness—or worse. “Do you understand?”
He tries to bob his head, but with my grip on him, it’s more like a twitch.
I drop him, satisfied that everyone will now know, without a shadow of a doubt, where I stand on this matter.
No one touches Sasha.
No one but me.
I take Sasha by the arm and drag her back into the house. It’s not her fault, but my mood is soured, and I need to get away from Sean before I decide to finish him.