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)
“For your protection. While there’s a war, you’re at risk. Dusan won’t hesitate to use you against me.”
“Right. The war.” She strokes a finger down her glass. “Seems convenient for you, doesn’t it?”
“Not in the slightest,” I say, glaring at her.
“I mean, you like to be controlling, right? This war means you can keep me locked down.”
“That’s not my intention.” I hold up a hand and she holds back from laying into me for once. “I understand you think I’m an asshole. I get that you don’t particularly like me. But this is for your own protection, not for my amusement.”
She lets that sit with her for a moment before reluctantly nodding. “Fine. I understand.”
“Last rule, and most important of all. Stay away from Grandpère and his men. You’ll be safe at my apartment, but there will be social functions and nights when you’ll be expected to attend gatherings at the mansion. No matter what, avoid them. If you can’t, be polite and to the point, and remember that they will use anything you say against me.”
Now she looks thoughtful as she leans back with her glass. She takes a sip and nods, her mouth a gentle form. “You and your grandfather really don’t get along, huh?”
“You met him.” I leave the explanation at that.
“I hear you, and I’ll follow your rules the best I can, but I’m not your captive, and I’m not your toy. Do you understand?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say you’re my toy,” I say, swirling my glass with a smirk. “But plaything?”
“You’re not funny, Julien.”
“Come on, wife, have you forgotten about your list already?”
She shakes her head sharply. “I’m not joking around.”
“I’m not either.” I lean forward, voice lowering. “What’s the point of being faithful to each other if we’re not going to act on this tension between us? Come on, don’t look like that. You hate me and I’m not particularly fond of you either, but we both want to fuck each other into drooling submission.”
Her mouth hangs open. I love it when she’s shocked—those pretty lips look perfect in a little shocked oh.
“Not happening,” she finally mumbles, looking away.
“You’ll change your mind.”
She stares at me with a mixture of anger and defiance, but she doesn’t disagree, and I’m surer than I’ve ever been that I’m going to peel her open and break through that icy exterior sooner rather than later.
Chapter 15
Julien
On our way back to my apartment, I got a frantic call from Jean, telling me to come meet him at the warehouse. I make sure Brianne gets inside safely and assign the same two guards from the restaurant to keep an eye on my apartment and make sure she stays safe.
“I shouldn’t have to say this, but you will treat my wife with the utmost respect. Is that clear?”
Both men nod and exchange nervous looks. “Yes, sir,” they reply in chorus like a couple of scared schoolboys.
I don’t have time to think about Brianne any more than I already have tonight. I get back into my car and head west of the city, rolling through stoplights and ignoring street signs, going as fast as I dare. Jean didn’t tell me what happened, but I could hear the serious worry in his voice.
Tonight was supposed to be the shipment from Ronan, and it was supposed to go out to a warehouse I own off the books. If Jean’s calling me here in the middle of the night when he knew I was taking my wife to dinner, that means something very bad happened, and a rotten knot in my guts is telling me it has something to do with the shipment.
Only I don’t know if it’s Grandpère or Dusan I have to worry about.
I turn onto a narrow road that leads through a field. This whole place used to be farmland once, but developers bought it out and dropped a massive tin and metal structure right where the barn stood for generations. There are cars in the lot up ahead and people milling around, which is a bad fucking sign, but no truck.
My heart is in my throat when I see all the broken glass. I park and get out of the car, and immediately Jean comes jogging over to me, looking grim. “Boss,” he says, which is what he calls me when shit’s gone very, very wrong. “You need to see this.”
More of my soldiers are standing near the loading docks. I step over spent shell casings, evidence of a fight that happened not too long ago. “Who?” I ask Jean, but he only shakes his head.
A body’s lying on the pavement. I don’t recognize him, which is extremely bad. I stand at the edge of a pool of the man’s blood, his face twisted in agony, four holes standing in a garish red on his chest.