Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Lillian grabs her purse, and it opens, spilling contents across my desk. “Darn it,” she says, reaching for two gold-plated lipsticks and a small pill bottle.
I read the label. “You’re on prenatal vitamins?”
She shoves everything back into the bag and steps back, pushing her hair out of her face. Her very red with a hot-looking-blush face. “That’s really none of your business.”
I think of the interaction between her and her attorney in court earlier. “I guess I should say congratulations?” I look at her. “Are you sure?”
“I’m only forty-five,” she says, and she stops talking as if not quite sure what to say. Wow. She truly does look older. Losing her son must be why. Obviously she wants to keep the pregnancy a secret. The baby isn’t related to Alexei, so he or she won’t have an affinity with the amethyst crystals that run in his blood. Perhaps she really does want to be free of the company to start over somewhere else.
“I’ll extend your offer to Alexei, but I believe his answer will be no,” I say. “Sorry, Lillian.”
“Please try, Rosalie,” she implores. Then she turns and bustles out of my office.
Man, I can’t imagine what it was like for Alexei growing up with that family. I shudder and then grasp my purse and stride out the door, shutting off the light before heading to the elevator. I’ll have to get a taxi home.
“Rosalie. Hey.” A mammoth of a man looks up from the waiting area and tosses a magazine onto the table. I look at the vacant reception area and then back at him, my heart rate rocketing. He holds up a hand. He’s dressed in faded jeans and a black T-shirt.
I squint closer. “Garik?”
He smiles. “Yes. Alexei has some business to take care of tonight, so I’m on you.”
I blink. “You’re on me?”
“Yes. I have a car. I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
I find the high-handedness of Alexei irritating. “That’s all right. I can make my own way.” I stride to the elevator and push the button. Unsurprisingly, Garik steps next to me and enters the elevator.
“I don’t need or want a ride home, nor do I need a bodyguard.” I look up a good foot to his hard-cut face. His nose has been broken before, but it’s still impressively straight with maybe a slight bump. “Go away.”
“I don’t think we have a choice in that,” he says mildly. “I have one job, and that’s to make sure you get home safely.” He shrugs. “It’s up to you how I accomplish this feat.”
“Fine.” I am just too tired to deal with this. At least I had a nice meal with Ella earlier when I gave her the disc that she promised to decipher. Right now, I’m unsure I want to help Alexei avoid another stint in prison. I’m starting to think he deserves it.
Garik and I ride down the elevator to the street level, where he escorts me outside to a waiting black town car. A Mercedes. I look at him and then back at the vehicle. He shrugs. “Alexei went shopping after his funds were released.”
“Apparently so.” Garik opens the door for me, and I slip inside and sit on the buttery soft seat. I have to admit the new car smell is relaxing. Garik slides into the driver’s seat and maneuvers the luxury vehicle through town, taking me to my pretty pink house. He’s out of and around the car in a heartbeat to open my door to help me out.
“Thank you,” I say.
He straightens, his gaze scanning the surrounding area. “No problem. I’ll be here all night unless Alexei gets back.”
“He’s going to be gone all night?”
Garik shrugs, no expression on his hard face. “I don’t know. But if he is gone, I’m here. If you need anything, call me.”
I glare. “I don’t need anything.” I don’t like the mystery, and I don’t like caring where Alexei is. That just angers me. I’m not in the mood to deal with any of my boarders, and they surely had dinner without me, so I climb my private stairway up to my suite, open the door, and shut it before flicking on the light. I gasp.
Shoe boxes are perched everywhere around the small seating area.
I look around wildly. Nobody’s here. I walk forward and tip open the top of a pair of Louboutins. They’re kitten heels—so cute like the ones I lost, except much nicer. Trying not to smile, I toss open a couple other boxes. All sorts of kitten heels in every color from every designer soon fill the room. I don’t want to be delighted, but I am.
Laughing, I try on a pair. They fit perfectly. The shoe boxes lead into my bedroom, where there are more shoe boxes. These are more shoes than anybody could ever want.