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)
It had been a week since he had proposed to Jane, and so far, Vincent Morello had backed off. He’d done it so easily that Alexey didn’t buy it. He was not willing to let Jane go out alone. He had a sneaking suspicion that Vincent was waiting for the moment she was alone, or for Alexey to let his guard down.
Threats could work, but not with Vincent, and not with how he felt about his son.
“Pot roast, Jane said. Chocolate mousse for desert with whipped cream, or ice cream. Do we think she made the ice cream, or do you think it’s store-bought?”
“Have you seriously become that picky?” Alexey asked.
“Your woman’s cooking is the best. I didn’t even realize I had food standards before she cooked for me. She has completely ruined me and spoiled me for choice.”
Alexey laughed. “Shut the fuck up.”
“You know, man, you’re happy, don’t you?” Nikolai asked.
He looked toward his friend. “Yeah, I’m happy.”
“You love her, don’t you?”
Alexey looked at Nikolai.
They were close, he, Nikolai, Makar, and Igor, but they never went to the extreme lengths of talking about their feelings.
“We’re not doing this, are we?” Alexey asked.
“Look, dude, it’s just you and me. Come on, a few years ago, you wouldn’t even look at one woman for longer than a single hookup. Now you’re going to marry one. That comes with a whole bunch of shit I didn’t even realize. You’re going to marry her and spend the rest of your life with her. That is a big deal. It’s a big, crazy, scary deal, but it is still a huge deal.”
Alexey ran a hand down his face. “Yeah, I love her.”
“That’s it? That’s all you’re going to say?”
He got to his feet. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m ready to go, but come on, man, don’t you think that is really something?” He didn’t want to talk about it.
His feelings for Jane had taken him by surprise. His need to protect her was so freaking strong, but also there were moments where it had nothing to do with obligation. At night, she would fall asleep in his arms, and he’d look at her.
That night, so many months ago, would play out. She didn’t do it for any kind of payment. She helped him into that car, and admittedly, she did it while screaming at him to move his ass. She had been in control, and she had been perfect. No woman had ever gone into the line of fire for him, and that shit he couldn’t look away from.
He enjoyed Jane’s company so freaking much. The way she would smile at him and force him to try something she had cooked. He understood Nikolai’s food standards, because he didn’t even think he had them, yet there was no fucking way he was eating anything else but Jane’s food. She packed him lunches now, and he enjoyed it.
“She’s everything to me,” he said. “And all I ever wanted to do was return the favor, but she has given me so much more.”
Nikolai smiled at him. “Well, shit, man, that is some beautiful stuff right there. You need to write that down and have it in your vows. That is magical.”
Alexey rolled his eyes. “Come on. Let’s get your ass out in the car.”
He knew his friend wasn’t teasing him. This was just how he felt, and it was all down to Jane.
They left the casino and made their way to the parking lot without any interruptions. Jane already messaged him, telling him what time dinner was going to be, to which he responded they were already on their way.
Nikolai climbed into the car beside him, and his men drove out of the casino. They were on the road when Alexey realized there was a black car following them. The windows were all darkened.
“Do you see that?” Nikolai asked.
“Already clocked it.” He looked toward the mirror at his driver, who nodded at him.
They continued to drive and change lanes, going different directions, and the car kept following them.
Nikolai reached into his jacket and checked to make sure his gun was loaded, and Alexey was already doing the same.
“Do you want to text your woman that we might be a little late?” Nikolai asked.
“Incoming,” his driver said.
The car sharply nudged to the left.
Alexey held his gun tightly within his grip. There had been no gunshots.
Another hit at the back, and he gritted his teeth. The last thing he wanted to do was bite his tongue off with the jerks of the car.
They got another hard hit, making the car swerve, and as it did, the bullets rained down.
“Shit, fuck, man hit!” Nikolai said, darting between the front seats and taking hold of the wheel. The gunshots had taken out the back window, and Alexey took his shot. The car that was chasing them had even taken out their own front window.