Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
And the press of his cock against my stomach… I took a long gulp from my wineglass. I thought dicks that big only existed in novelty dildos.
Even the idea of him making good on his threat to shove it down my throat and make me…
No.
Focus.
That man was a Russian, tatted-up criminal killer.
I had not become so desperate for a man that I was willing to lower my standards through the floor.
No matter how good he kissed.
Besides, he was obviously involved in this mess, and since I clearly was not getting my money, there was no need for me to have any more to do with the whole fucked-up thing.
I would chalk up the experience to a lesson learned and next time get the full payment up front.
Problem solved.
Well, the problem almost solved.
I still needed to find a place to lie low for the next week, just in case.
I thought of Millie and Barb again.
No. They were too close to my apartment.
What was the point of making myself scarce if I still could be seen entering and exiting the same building every day?
My phone screen glowed. I needed a married friend who’d moved out to Naperville or Oak Park, somewhere out of the city.
I’d returned to the kitchen to refill my wineglass when there was a loud knock at the door.
The wineglass fell from my hand but thankfully landed in the stainless-steel kitchen sink where it rattled and rolled before settling next to my morning coffee cup.
I grimaced at the sound.
Tiptoeing barefoot to the door, I peeked through the peephole.
Holy shit! It was the Russian.
He’d found me.
Another knock had me skittering backwards across the floor until my ass hit the back of the sofa.
Then his gruff voice called through the heavy oak, “Vivian. Open up.”
I bit my lip as my head swiveled from right to left, looking for a weapon. Somehow, I didn’t think my trusty pink knife would cut it this time.
He knocked again. “Vivian. I’m losing patience.”
The vase! I lunged for the side table and picked up the porcelain vase I’d gotten at TJ Maxx. Dumping out the bouquet of dried pink roses, I held it over my shoulder. “Go away! I’m calling the police.”
“That will be difficult through a cellphone jammer.”
A few measured steps brought me back into the open kitchen. I flipped my phone upright on the counter and pressed a few buttons. No service.
Dammit, why hadn’t I pulled the chain across? Now I was too scared to go near it.
I listened.
There was nothing but the rapid pounding of my heart in my ears.
The doorknob rattled again.
“If you don’t leave, I’ll scream.”
“Why would you want to put all the nice people in the building in danger like that?”
Oh, shit. I’d seen enough death for a lifetime tonight.
I had no choice but to hope the heavy door and old lock held. “I told you I don’t know anything. Please, just leave!”
Again there was a long stretch of silence.
Then my doorknob turned as the deadbolt gave with a click.
The door slowly opened.
The Russian stepped inside, carrying a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder as he tucked what looked like two pairs of silver tweezers into a leather case and zipped it shut.
The bastard had picked the lock!
Tossing the duffel bag and lock pick set on the counter, he grinned as he kicked the door shut behind him. “Now, why would I do that, Vivian, when we have so much to talk about? Starting with how you were a very bad girl for running away from me tonight.”
With a cry, I threw the vase at his head.
CHAPTER 9
VIVIAN
Anormal man would have ducked.
Not the Russian.
He lifted his forearm to deflect the vase. Smashing it.
His heavy boots crunched over the shards of porcelain, turning them into dust, as he approached. “I’m warning you, Vivian. You’ve already inconvenienced me this evening. I wouldn’t recommend angering me any further.”
I backed up deeper into my apartment, placing the sofa between us. “How did you find me?”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a sinister grin. “You’d be surprised how much information money can buy. I have your college transcript, your lease, your bank accounts. Hell, I even have your medical records.”
My hand gripped the hem of the white T-shirt I was wearing, yanking it over my bare thighs as a chill crept up my spine.
This man could destroy my life with a push of a button.
“I told you the truth. I saw nothing.”
“What do you know about his business?”
I shrugged but immediately saw his eyes zero in on the top of my thighs as my T-shirt shifted up with the motion. Once again, I yanked it down. Deciding the best lies were closest to the truth, I said, “I know the guy was into some shady shit… based on the files I filed for him as a temporary receptionist.”