Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
“And losing that smile you came in here with.”
She stared at him in the mirror. “I’m just washing my hands.”
Alexey put his hands on her waist and kissed her shoulder. “Then, while you’re washing your hands and doing a thorough job of it, you’re going to tell me what is going on inside that head of yours.”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me, Jane. We’re not like that, and you’re going to tell me the truth.”
“I was just thinking how those women—some of them, maybe all of them—should be the women at your side,” Jane said. “I’m plain. I’m boring. I’m not the one for you.”
“So, you’re willing to step aside for a nasty bitch, who faced with certain death would just let me get shot in the face?” Alexey asked.
“I’m not pretty.”
He spun her around and cupped her face. “And do you think I give a shit about that?”
“I’ve always wanted to be pretty,” she said. “I’ve not wanted to be beautiful, but at least pretty would have meant that someone wanted me, right?”
She hated feeling this way and had never spoken like this before to anyone. Tears filled her eyes, and she didn’t want to cry in front of him. This was awful. It had been a long time since she cried about herself. Tears were useless. They were not going to change, and she had accepted what she was. She hated how weak this made her feel.
“Look at me,” he said.
She had been staring at his chest. This was mortifying. Jane forced herself to look at him, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. She hated feeling this vulnerable and lost.
“It’s not about what anyone else wants or says they want. It’s about what I want, and I look at you, Jane, and it’s you I want. I don’t give a fuck if you’re not the most beautiful woman in the world. That night, you saved me. People can call it whatever they fucking want, but you are a fighter. You didn’t look the other way. You killed for me, and that means more to me than anything else. I see beauty when I look at you.”
“You don’t have to say that.”
“I do, because you’re never going to see what I see. I see a fighter. I see a loyal woman, that up until me, kept a secret that saved children. You’re everything I could ever want. You’re worth going to war for. Those women out there turn their heads at a pretty face. They want to fuck me, fine. There are a lot of guys they want to fuck. You’re mine, Jane. You’re who I want, you’re who I’m with, and nothing is going to change that.”
He took possession of her lips, and this was fire.
“And nothing is ever going to change that.”
He wiped under her eyes, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her in close, and without another word, they were out of the bathroom and onto the dance floor. There was no time to ask questions, or to second-guess what was going on.
Alexey had her in his arms, they danced, and it felt so magical. She didn’t want it to end. All the doubts from the women faded away, and all that mattered was the two of them. By the end of the night, Jane was more than ready to go home.
Rather than sit in her own seat, she moved to straddle Alexey’s lap, feeling the hard ridge of his cock as she thrust down against him.
“You’re like fucking fire, Jane,” he said.
His lips went to her neck, and she cried out. This was dangerous and scary, but it felt so good. Jane was happy to be where she was in this very moment, with Alexey. She would die for him, that she knew for certain. He was everything to her.
Jane knew she was falling for Alexey, and it was the scariest feeling in the world.
****
Alexey stepped out of his car and glanced across the parking lot of the abandoned diner. They were out in the middle of nowhere. He and Vincent Morello. A meeting Vincent had called.
Alexey had been tempted to miss it, but Vincent wanted to call a truce. Vincent was not only leaking wealth, his allies were fleeing from him. He was only as powerful as his connections.
Alexey was more than happy to keep this war between them. The damaged casinos could be fixed. The women that had been killed were easily replaced. Nothing had been hit too hard.
“You’re a fool,” Vincent said.
Alexey laughed. “You don’t start negotiations by calling your enemy a fool.”
Vincent didn’t look too great. They had enjoyed many meetings over the years. He never liked the man opposite him and often felt like he was a fucking snake, waiting to strike. He fucking hated him. But taking out Morello was not the most ideal situation at the time.