Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
She instantly went still in my arms. Then she moved, and I was forced to loosen my hold as she rose and sat on her elbows. I knew she was about to demand an explanation, when my phone began to ring.
I turned to the nightstand to glance at it, and couldn’t ignore it when I saw it was Maxim.
“I’m in the breakfast room,” he said and ended the call.
I kissed Bianca, my teeth lightly pulling on her bottom lip, before I rose from the bed. I knew her eyes were on my naked body as I rounded the bed, and I relished it. I didn’t turn around to look at her, because that would only tempt me into getting back into bed with her.
In a few minutes, I was dressed and walking into the breakfast room to meet Maxim.
He was eating a bowl of fruit salad.
I took a seat by his side.
He turned to gaze at me. “Your flight’s in two hours,” he said. “A few feds are monitoring the house right now, so I’ve arranged for you to leave in the gardener’s service van at 11:35.”
“I’m taking Bianca and Aldie with me,” I said.
He shook his head, almost in disgust, then stood up and walked away, but when he got to the door, he stopped. “You do know Dad doesn't give a fuck about anyone apart from himself and the business, don’t you?”
“That’s why I need her with me,” I replied. “I need to have my eyes on her at all times.”
“And you think putting her in a place where he’ll have his eyes on her too is the best move? Why not leave her here? I’ll make sure she’s safe.”
“You’re flying to Switzerland tonight, aren’t you? So you will not have your eyes on her and you will not be completely sure she will be safe at all times.”
“God, I never thought I’d see the day when you became a lovesick fool.” Then he walked out of the door.
I stared at his half-eaten fruit bowl. Maxim and I used to be close and now, we were like strangers. It made me sad, but I knew he would come around one day. One day, he would see the shining beauty of Bianca’s soul and he would know then why I could never throw her to the wolves.
36
Bianca
“Holy cow, these things look like mini pussies,” Aldie said with a little giggle, as she took a scarlet red, squid burger canapé from the platter held out by the flight attendant.
“You’re crazy, you know,” I said with a smothered laugh.
“Seriously, look at them,” she insisted, showing it to me.
“I suppose it’s an improvement on what you usually think they look like,” I said dryly.
“Ah yes, pussies look like axe wounds made by the men of Gulliver’s island,” she said as she popped the burger into her mouth and chewed appreciatively.
I reached out to grab a lobster and avocado canapé. “Thanks,” I murmured to the flight attendant.
“You’re welcome,” she said, with a smile and moved away.
“So anyway, how long are we going to stay in Spain?” Aldie asked.
I turned to gaze out of the plane’s window. We were at that altitude where the clouds seemed so close, almost as though you could just step off the plane and right onto them. It was breathtaking. “Well, we didn’t exactly have much knowledge of this trip two hours ago, so until this uproar cools down, I suppose.”
“And when will that be? It’s all the media has been reporting on for the last two days.” She leaned in to me. “How is he even able to leave the country? Wouldn’t it be illegal?”
I frowned darkly. Aldie was right and I’d been worrying about it too. Why was Levan’s father making him take this unnecessary risk?
Aldie saw the expression on my face and changed tack. She patted my arm comfortingly. “I’m probably worrying about nothing. I’m sure if the CIA and Mossad can travel to any country to carry out a hit under false identities then a Mafia organization such as the Ivankov’s must know exactly what they are doing.” She drained the champagne flute she had filled with Pepsi. “Things might look a great mess right now, but damn, it’s not so bad when one of the consolation prizes is a trip to Europe in a private plane. I cannot even believe where I am right now.”
What I couldn’t believe was that I didn’t know where Levan was. I had last seen him when he had told me about the trip, and since then I had been led by his staff from the house to the plane.
It didn’t feel right at all.
37
Levan
I was waiting when they landed. I had arrived much earlier in secret on my false passport and been ushered without incident into the country by corrupt officials.