Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
A smile spreads over my face. “Thanks, Daddy, but you don’t have to worry for another eight months.”
“Do you have any plans for today?” Dad asks.
“I’m going to see if Mom wants to go for a manicure with me.”
Dad picks up the tablet again. “That sounds like a good idea.”
I finish my coffee and then go look for Mom. Sitting in front of her dresser, she stops brushing her hair when she sees me. “How was the date?”
I let out a chuckle as I take the brush from Mom. I begin to pull it through her strands. “It was perfect.”
Mom instantly smiles, and when I don’t continue quick enough, she cries, “Tell me everything!”
Laughing at her excitement, I say, “Tristan had Chef Anand prepare a Korean meal for us.”
I swear my mother swoons right at my feet as she clasps a hand over her heart. “Eomeo… romantic.”
Hearing my mom say ‘oh my’ in Korean shows just how impressed she is.
“Did you kiss?” she asks, drawing another burst of laughter from me. I nod, and it has her jumping up. She yanks the brush from my hand, then she exclaims. “Tell me!”
“It was intense,” I admit. “I was overwhelmed.”
“U-wa…” Mom murmurs, ‘wow’. A happy smile spreads over her face. “I’m glad, my Hana. You deserve a man who will sweep you off your feet like your father did with me.”
My parent’s love story is my favorite, and because of them, I have high expectations.
Not wanting her to get her hopes up, I say, “We’ll see what happens. Okay? Want to get a manicure with me?”
Mom checks my hands then she nods. “Yes, your hands are in desperate need of care.”
“I’ll call to find out what time we can go.” Leaving Mom to finish up, I go back to my room.
Picking up my phone from where it was charging next to the bed, I see I have a missed call.
Tristan.
I’m still contemplating whether I should call him back when my phone begins to vibrate in my hand. A smile tugs at my mouth as I watch Tristan’s name flash on the screen. Before it goes to voicemail, I answer, “Morning.”
“Morning.” His voice rumbles over the line.
He sounds upset, and it has me asking, “Bad start to your day?”
“No, the opposite,” I hear him move, and then it sounds like he’s outside. “I just wanted to hear your voice before I get to work.”
I hear a tapping sound in the background and ask, “Are you at the office?”
“No, I’m meeting with someone. What are your plans for the day?”
“I’m just going to hang out with my mom.”
“Good,” he murmurs. “You’re still set on waiting eight months?”
“Yes,” I reply. “Nothing will change my mind.”
“I’ll wait… not so patiently.” Hearing the determination in his voice makes me feel a burst of flutters.
“Thank you.”
“Until then, Hana.”
The call ends, and I find myself standing with a stupid grin on my face.
‘You were saying?’ My mind taunts me.
‘You’re just as intrigued by him as I am,’ my heart snaps back.
I get a feeling Tristan will either turn out to be my first love or my greatest regret. Only time will tell, though.
TRISTAN
Tucking the device in my pocket, I walk back into the warehouse.
“Where were we?” I ask as I tap the baseball bat against the side of my leg.
Alexei lets out a dark chuckle. “You were about to tell me why I brought this man here.”
Where Ryker is my conscience, the good to my evil, Alexei is everything I hunger to be.
Dark. Merciless. Deadly.
He has no moral compass to rule over him. He only lives by one law – protect those you love. Luckily, I fall into the best friend category because I’d hate to be on the wrong side of his gun.
Alexei Koslov is one of the top assassins in the world, and he makes what I’m about to do, look like child’s play.
Using the bat, I gesture at Mr. Ballmer. “I’ve heard rumors.” The old man looks like he’s about to shit himself, and I haven’t even started yet.
“Yeah?” Alexei pushes away from where he was leaning against his bulletproof SUV. “What kind of rumors?”
“Mr. Ballmer,” I growl. Lifting the bat to beneath his chin, I continue, “Has a perverted taste for young girls.”
My eyes flick to Alexei, and it has him moving to Mr. Ballmer’s right. He shakes his head at the old man. “Tsk… plucking flowers before they’ve had time to bloom?”
Mr. Ballmer whimpers behind the gag around his mouth. I think I hear him mumble, “Please.”
I looked into Mr. Ballmer and finding out he’s nothing short of a pedophile only increased my anger. There’s no way he’ll get his hands on Hana.
Lifting the bat to rest on my shoulder, I shake my head. “You touched the wrong girl.”
Mr. Ballmer wildly shakes his head, mumbling unclear words.