Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 110771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110771 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Especially when he’s talking about how hot Helena is.
“A situation has come up,” he replies without preamble.
“Speak,” I respond my voice tense.
“Zervas has gotten into some hot water. My connections inside the Levkin organization tells me he’s into the Russians for a lot of dough.”
“Fuck.”
“When I say a lot, I’m talking if he doesn’t make some sort of payment soon, he won’t be breathing. I think the only reason he’s lived this long is the fact that Ivan is using the gallery to move their product.”
“You’re fucking kidding me,” I bark.
“I suspected it after a talk with your girl. She was under the impression Ivan was a banker. Your girl is shit-hot but definitely clueless when it comes to the business her boyfriend is in.”
“He’s not her boyfriend,” I snap. “She’s mine.” If I wasn’t so angry, I’d be laughing at the term boyfriend. What the fuck? Are we back in high school? Admittedly, Helena isn’t far away from those years. That’s just another reason that I allowed her to live a life there without me for as long as I have. That ends tomorrow. I’ll be bringing her home. God just the thoughts of having her in my bed tomorrow night is everything.
“That’s not what Libby tells me. She says they were going away together this weekend. In my world, that’s bullshit a man is a man, he takes his woman and claims her right then, but I think you get that in your girl’s world that means other shit.”
“He’s trying to get her to go look at another gallery he wants to expand to. She’s not going. Also, who in the fuck is Libby?”
“She’s my woman. This conversation is about yours. Word is this idiot has one week to get shit together and come up with some money. If not, Ivan will make moves and from the look of Zervas yesterday, I’m thinking even though he has shit for brains, he is aware his days of breathing are about to end.”
“I’m not seeing how that’s a bad thing.”
“Well, I’d be willing to agree with you there, but then, Libby isn’t in the position your woman is and that’s to say, your woman is poised to be caught in the crossfire.”
“Jesus.”
“I get you are seeing what I’m saying.”
I look over at Melina and sigh. “Do you know where Zervas is planning on taking Helena?” I ask her.
Melina is smart. Plus, I’m pretty sure she can hear the tension in my voice. She shifts so that her whole body is tense. “He didn’t tell her,” she says quietly. “He wanted to surprise her.”
“Fuck,” I hiss. “Does your girl know where they’re going, EZ?”
“If I knew that information, I would have already given it to you.”
“It’s okay. That’s not until the weekend, and I will have a man in place tomorrow evening to bring Helena back Greece,” I explain, not bothering to explain that the man in question is me.
“Right, well now is time to give you bad news.”
“Haven’t you already done that?”
“Afraid not, man. I’m calling to tell you your girl is with that asshole now. They weren’t supposed to leave until the weekend. Libby said Helena called her about ten minutes ago on the asshole’s phone. She called to cancel some meeting she didn’t really have with Libby.”
“Come again,” I murmur, my blood running cold.
“Libby said the bastard made her put it on speaker phone, so she didn’t really get to ask a lot of questions. Helena told her they had already headed out—said Zervas wanted her to see the new gallery sooner because he had something that was taking him out of town this weekend.”
“What the fuck? Why did she call on his phone?”
“Libby didn’t ask because she already knew Helena couldn’t talk freely. My woman drove straight here to get me. She says your girl sounded scared but was trying to cover it up.”
“Fucking hell. Were they in a car or plane?”
“No idea. Libby has been texting her on both her phone and the asshole’s but hasn’t received a response.”
“Text me the number that Helena called Libby on. I’ll use it to locate them.”
“That will work as long as it’s battery hasn’t been removed and it’s turned off—like really off,” EZ responds.
“Does Helena know you’re seeing Libby?”
“Yeah. I think that’s why she called Libby, I’m sure of it. Helena was smart. There’s no way she could call you with him listening in.”
“Do you know anything else?”
“Libby said Helena spoke of a painting she’s been working on. It’s one that the two of them had discussed and she told Libby the painting would go great in the new gallery considering the gallery’s location.”
“What’s the painting of?”
“It’s the wedding chapel in Vegas where I married Libby.”
“Wait you’re married? You weren’t even seeing anyone weeks ago when you were drooling over my woman.”