Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“That’s a huge honor and a massive responsibility.”
“And an enormous pay raise.”
“Well now.” He grins viciously and raises his glass. “Here’s to proper motivation.”
The rest of the meeting goes more smoothly after that. Giving up the southern expansion is a loss, but keeping Donnell happy is important. He’s going to be key in making sure the others fall in line.
This would be so easy with her by my side. Instead of spending half my time thinking about her, I’d be able to look over, touch her hand, and make sure she’s safe. But she’s not safe around me right now. Even with Senesi lurking. I can’t be sure someone won’t try to kill me, and they’d definitely bring her down if they had the chance.
She’s better off at a distance.
Only that fucking kills me.
Ever since marrying her, I’ve slowly felt my defenses start to leak. I worked hard for so long to keep her out of my head. She was just some girl I was helping, at least until she became something more.
I don’t even know when that happened. Sometime between seeing that picture of her going to college and hiring her as my personal assistant.
Now I’m fucking hopeless.
I crave her taste, her lips, that little sound she makes as I sink myself inside of her. The whimpers, the moans. The sloppy way she takes my cock in her mouth. Her laughter, her smell. The way she walks into a room like she’s floating along without a care in the world.
That’s my happy place.
And I can’t get anywhere near it right now.
“Are you sure you can’t stay for another drink?” Donnell asks as he walks me to his door.
Like the old prick really cares either way. He got what he wanted from me. That’s how this relationship is going to work.
At least for now.
In time, I’ll see him subdued and in his place.
“More work,” I say, shaking his hand firmly. “Never stops.”
“That’s why you’ll make a good boss. Here’s to the Clan.”
“Here’s to the Blood.”
It’s late as I walk toward the car. I’m surprised the driver hasn’t started it yet. Norman’s usually reliable and steady. It’s possible he fell asleep while waiting, but unlikely.
I approach slowly. I really do have another meeting at a strip club downtown to speak with Seamus and some of his enforcers. If we hurry, I might be able to make it back into my own damn bed at a reasonable hour for once.
No, not my own bed.
My bed back in the Whelan house. Because that’s where I belong now.
I sigh and stoop down to knock on the window. Norman’s there, but he’s slumped forward. I tap on the glass again, frowning to myself. He doesn’t stir.
That’s when I notice the knife in his chest.
My gun’s in my hand before I even know to reach for it. Adrenaline courses through my veins. Is someone coming at me? Right now of all times? But it makes no sense. Donnell’s meeting went well and he’s got guards in his house. If I call, they’ll come running.
I clear the area quickly. Nobody’s hiding behind the other parked cars and all the houses are quiet. It’s a nice neighborhood. I really doubt this was some kind of carjacking gone wrong.
With nerves jangling, I open Norman’s door.
He falls sideways. I catch his body before it can hit the pavement. There’s blood everywhere, but no sign of a struggle. How the hell did someone sneak up on my driver and stab him in the chest without so much as knocking a single hair out of place?
But I quickly understand what happened.
There’s a note on the wheel. It’s stuck there with double-sided tape. The handwriting is so familiar it makes me sick.
Give her to me.
Nothing else. No name, no signature, but I know who wrote it and I’m positive I know who it’s about.
Fucking Senesi.
I put him out of my mind while I’ve been struggling to take hold of my family. I knew he was out there lurking, but I hoped he wouldn’t make any more moves for a while, at least not when Casey’s at the Whelan house and fully under our protection. I figured he’d bide his time.
I was fucking wrong.
“Sorry, Norman,” I mumble as I pull the corpse of my driver into the passenger seat. I start the engine, sitting in a pool of his blood, and pull out.
Seamus is waiting at the house when I pull up. “Him again?” My brother’s face is grim.
I nod sharply. “I have to check on my wife.”
“I’ll handle the body. Fuck, this is the least pleasant part of my job.”
I hurry past him. No time to worry about his feelings. The Whelan house is big and filled with guards. We doubled our strength, partly due to my father’s passing, but also because of Senesi’s continued threat. I storm through familiar halls until I finally reach her room.