Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
He waves that off. “Nothing so crazy as that. All I want is your word that the girl won’t talk.”
“Great. You have it.”
“Wonderful. Was that so hard?”
I shake my head slowly. “We both know that’s bullshit. If you were capable of being reasonable, we would’ve sat down at a table like this one years ago and buried all our bullshit. Instead, it’s been one long, drawn-out war, and for what? Have either of us profited at all?”
He shows me his teeth again. “All I hear is you admitting weakness.”
“Then you should listen closer. You’ll never get close to Casey. She is under my protection now. You will back off. Understood?”
“We’re already square.” He sits back, arms crossed. “Angelina, I assume you took notes?”
“Copious,” she says, though she clearly hasn’t.
“And you have it down? I will leave Casey Kiernan alone, so long as our shared history remains history.”
“I have it written here.” She still doesn’t move, only looks at her nails as if she’s bored.
“Great,” I say and stand. “Thank you for this waste of time.”
“I don’t think it was a waste.” Tony watches as I move to the door. Will joins me, looking unhappy. “I haven’t sized you up in a while, Adler. You look tired. You’re getting old, aren’t you?”
“Goodbye, Tony. I wish you luck, since I think you belong in Washington. I suspect you’ll find a lot of people just like you there.”
I can feel Tony’s stare as I leave with Will by my side. We make it to the parking lot before he speaks.
“What was that about?” he asks quietly, looking serious. “You never told me you knew Casey from before.”
“I don’t, and what you heard in there will never be spoken of again, understand?”
“Then why does Tony hold a grudge against her?” Will grabs onto my arm. “Why are you protecting her from him?”
I stare at my second until he lets me go. “Forget you heard it,” I repeat then get into the car.
Chapter 19
Casey
I’m nervous all evening long.
Even though the short interaction with Adler’s mother left me questioning just about every decision I’ve made in my entire life, I still managed to obsess over what he’s going to do to me tonight.
I mean, he hasn’t been too subtle about his plans.
There has to be a way to escape him.
I could sleep in another room. Run screaming the second he steps into the apartment. Lock myself in the backroom.
He might drag me back by my hair—but maybe I’d be able to avoid whatever he’s cooking up for me in that twisted little head of his.
The sick part is, I need to find out what exactly he wants from me.
Even though I know obsessing about him like this is only going to complicate our already overly fraught relationship.
I’ve been looking forward to seeing him all day. When we started, I didn’t expect to spend my days thinking about him.
Mostly I figured I’d spend all my time running from him.
Except it’s strange; even though we’re married now and I can’t get him out of my stupid head, I don’t feel like we’re any closer than we were before.
If anything, he’s around less.
Most shifts I’d find him lurking somewhere, watching me like a creep, but today he’s notably absent. Like now that he has me, he doesn’t need to watch me anymore.
Or maybe I was imagining that whole stalking thing to begin with.
I try to lose myself in my work, but it’s hard with Tattoo and Square as my constant shadows.
And the gossip. So much gossip, and nobody wants to ask me about it.
There are a dozen rumors about me and Adler, including some extremely wild ones.
It’s like everyone has a lot to say, but even people I considered my friend can’t look me in the eye and talk to me about what’s going on.
Except for Roxie. She’s more excited than I am.
“Tell me again when you guys are going to start making babies in earnest?” She flits around me like a horny butterfly.
“You have to stop asking me about sex,” I say to her as I head off my shift, knee aching. Groups of guests move around us, some heading toward the tables, others angling into the forest of slot machines. “Seriously, Rox, I think I’ve given you every detail imaginable.” And then some. When she wasn’t satisfied with what really happened, I might’ve spiced things up a teeny-tiny bit.
“Come on,” she practically begs. “I need more. I’m starving for more. Give me the filthy details. Like I’m asking for girth, length, that sort of thing.”
I give her a look. “I am not going to describe his penis to you. I already said he’s big, okay? And seriously, there’s nothing else I can tell you right now. I’m as in the dark as you are.”
She grabs my arm, leaning in to whisper. “But isn’t he supposed to get you pregnant? That’s literally in the contract, right?”