Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
We’d managed to push back the Italian mafia takeover bid. They had tried to take Ivan’s territory, but after they had lost a vast number of men, they had backed down and even retreated out of the territory. For now, Ivan had taken over the base, or at least that was what my spies told me.
I had a feeling Ivan had other plans in mind, but I didn’t ask what they were. Ivan would only ever give information when he was damn well ready to do so. Not a moment before. We all had to just wait.
“Do you like Thanksgiving?” Charlotte asked.
“I’ve never cared for it.” Before my father got rid of me, he would have big, elaborate feasts, which always ended with him beating the shit out of my mom because she did something wrong.
To think there was a time I was afraid of that man. That fear had evaporated when I stepped into his home and sat down in front of him, and forced him to look at the man he intended to kill. I made him look into my eyes as I took the life from him, and as I did, I told him what I was going to be. Who Ivan Volkov was, and how the biggest mistake of his life was turning against me.
Since being cast out of my father’s life, intended to be killed, I’d never celebrated another Thanksgiving. I never wanted to. This was all for Charlotte.
“Did you?” I asked.
She didn’t talk right away. “Sometimes. I hated being home alone, you know? It was scary. It was always so dark and I only ever had the television for comfort. There were always some instant noodles, so I ate them.”
“You’re not having instant noodles now.” I took her hand, and she locked her fingers within mine. She always knew what to do, what I wanted.
Charlotte snuggled in against me. “I think the only downside to having guests is we can’t enjoy each other.”
I rub her shoulders. “That will come. Trust me, I’ll kick them out.” I pressed a kiss to her head and she chuckled.
“Are you sure you don’t mind me inviting Rage and Cassie?”
“I don’t mind.” I did but I wasn’t going to tell her that.
The drive didn’t last quite as long as I wanted it to. None of the other guests had arrived, so we had time to head upstairs, change, and then Charlotte went straight to the kitchen, while I was there on my own to greet our guests. When Cassie arrived, I told Vlad to go and take her to a room.
There were still sticky notes on each door, and I didn’t want anyone to take them down. They were a reminder to Charlotte of every single room she had explored.
Rage arrived, alone, and looking at his face, I saw the black eye and the healing split lip.
“How?” I asked.
“Club business, that’s all. Where’s Charlotte?” he asked.
“She’s in the kitchen, but I’m warning you, if you upset her in any way, I will fucking kill you.”
Rage looked at me and then nodded.
“Hubert will see you to your room.”
With Rage, Cassie, and Ivan at my home, I had increased security as well. There would be a man outside of Rage and Cassie’s rooms. I was not going to run the risk of them trying to kill us in our sleep.
Ivan was the last person to arrive, but much to my surprise, he was not alone. Nope. Slavik, Aurora, Andrei, and Adelaide were present, and in Aurora’s arms was her little boy.
Now, I’m pissed off. I didn’t invite them, but he had invited them. I expected Victor and Peter to arrive.
“Ive,” Ivan said, looking real fucking happy. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited some of our friends. Peter and Victor will be along shortly.”
I should have known.
Thanksgiving wasn’t until tomorrow, but I was already hating it. I avoided this kind of get-together on purpose. Slavik and Andrei didn’t look too happy about it. This was all for Charlotte. All for her.
I closed the door behind them and turned to see Charlotte coming toward me. The smile on her face was worth it. She looked so happy as she came forward.
First she embraced Ivan. Not a single moment of hesitation. She threw her arms around him and hugged him. “I’m so pleased you could make it.”
With Slavik and Andrei, she offered them a smile and her hand. Adelaide and Aurora got the hug, and of course, she swooned over the baby.
Watching Charlotte with the little one made me think of her swollen, heavily pregnant with my child one day. I’d not been careful with her, but she hadn’t gotten pregnant yet.
The truth was, I wasn’t prepared for kids. I wanted my territory under control, where I was waiting for an attack by the Irish or the cartel.