Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 94915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
I stare at him, mouth hanging open, as he storms out of the room.
Holy shit, that was hot.
But then reality reasserts itself. He said when he kisses me again, but that isn’t happening. I’m here to fight for my freedom and to rehabilitate my family’s name with the Hayes Group.
Not for my father, and not for my dead, asshole brother, but for me.
And when this is all done, I’m out of here. I’ll build a new life on my terms and live completely free.
I won’t owe anyone anything, and I’ll be my own person.
Whoever she’ll be.
I can’t wait to freaking meet her.
For now, I’ll survive my new husband and hold on until it’s my turn to really live.
Chapter 14
Julien
Psychological warfare can be as important as killing the enemy.
Sometimes it’s easier to break their morale.
Get under their skin, prove they don’t matter, show how weak and pathetic they are to you, make them think it’s hopeless, and they’ll defeat themselves.
“Do you own this place?” Brianne asks as we head inside La Palais Gourmet. She’s holding onto my arm, mostly because I told her she had to, and I keep stealing glances down in her direction.
She’s wearing a dress contoured to her body, black and slinky, with a slit up her thigh. Her skin’s covered, but it still shows off her gorgeous body, and it makes my heart fucking race every time I catch sight of her. Three-quarter sleeves cover the bruises on her arms.
I’ve never been proud to have a woman on my arm before—there are plenty of attractive women all over Chicago—but for once in my life, I actually have a person I want to show off.
“It’s associated with my family,” I say, hedging slightly. I’m not a direct owner, but I’m definitely involved in this place’s management. Since she’s a mafia girl herself, she’ll understand.
“Tell me again how bringing me out to an expensive dinner is going to help win your war?”
I pull her chair out. She sits down and spreads her napkin in her lap. I sit across from her at the best table in the house and lean back to admire her thick, dark hair and her full, kissable lips. I’ve been thinking a lot about those lips ever since I tasted her at the courthouse, and seeing her like this, dressed up and eminently fuckable, makes me want to tease her yet again.
“It shows that we’re not afraid.” The waitress comes over and I order wine for both of us. Something good and obscenely overpriced. “That’s the most important thing we can do right now.”
“I’m not really sure how dinner accomplishes that, but okay.”
The waitress pours our drinks. I study Brianne’s mouth as she raises her glass to her lips. Fuck, she’s distracting. And very frustrating.
“Look over there.” I gesture toward the front of the house. Our table is near the windows overlooking a busy Chicago street.
She squints, frowning. “The homeless guy in the doorway over there?”
“No, my wife, the windows. We’re being seen here. More than that, we’re being seen out in the open, flaunting our wealth, and acting as though nothing is happening at all. That’s the message I want to send.”
Brianne adjusts her position slightly, head tilted as she stares at the windows. “So wait, are you saying this is dangerous?”
I wave that off. “I have half my guards covering this place right now. We’re as safe here as we are anywhere in the city.” Like hell I’d risk my new wife’s life just to take her out for fucking dinner. Two of my best men are at the table next to us, doing their best to pretend like they’re just a couple of normal guys out for a meal. But they’re pretty fucking conspicuous and I suspect she’s just ignoring them. “That’s not really the point. Word will get back to Dusan that I’ve been seen parading my pretty young wife around town, and it’ll piss him off.”
“Pretty young wife?” she asks, eyebrows raising. “You think I’m pretty?”
I lean closer to her and lower my voice, ignoring her question. “Once he gets past his initial anger, he’ll start to wonder: why isn’t Julien worried? Is he really that confident? Does that mean he’s stronger than I realized?”
“Mind games.” She sighs and shakes her head. “You criminals are all the same.”
“It’s the law of the jungle, my darling. Strength over everything.”
The waitress returns and we put in our orders. I’m tempted to ask for the tasting menu but I suspect Brianne will only get pissed off if I try that again.
I let her drive the conversation. She asks about hobbies, about TV shows, normal stuff, and mostly she does all the talking. We have common ground though, which surprises me. There are movies we’re both into, music we both like, even some books we’ve both read and enjoyed.