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)
“You need a painkiller,” I say.
“I took some ibuprofen. I’ll be fine. Drive to Reno, Garik.”
Garik jolts. “What? You want to go to Nevada?”
“I do. Reno’s about three and a half hours. Do me a favor and make it in three.” Alexei tosses the jacket on the floor.
I pick it up and fold it neatly across my lap. “I’m not going to Reno. I have a job to save.”
“This is how we’re going to save it,” he says.
“By leaving the state?” I shake my head. “Alexei, this isn’t making any sense. Why do you want to go to Nevada?”
He leans his head back on the seat and shuts his eyes. “Because they don’t have a wait time to obtain a marriage license there.”
I turn more toward him, shock slashing through me. “Are you insane? We’re not getting married.”
His answer is a soft snore.
I shake his good shoulder until he opens one eye. Then he wraps his healthy arm around me and drags me into his side. “I’m sleeping for a few minutes. We can argue then.” He closes his eyes again, sound asleep in less than a minute.
How does he do that? Okay. Fine. I can give him fifteen minutes, and then we’re fighting about this. I am absolutely not going to Nevada to get married.
Somehow, I nod off and find myself awakening in Nevada.
Garik pulls the car up to a cute little wedding chapel. “I’ll go in and make the arrangements,” he says.
“Take your time.” Alexei says, his voice gravelly.
I blink myself awake and look over to see him studying me, his eyes dark.
A shiver wanders through me.
THIRTY-FIVE
Rosalie
I can’t believe we’re in Nevada. How could I have slept the entire way? Sure, I’ve been tired, but this is insane. “We are not getting married.” I sound breathless. Why do I sound like that?
Alexei grasps my waist and lifts me onto his lap, making sure I’m straddling him. My skirt rides up, arousal swamps me, and panic grabs me. I push against his good shoulder, careful of the wounded one.
He claps a hand over mine. “Baby, there’s too much going on, and attorney-client privilege doesn’t apply to a lot that’s happened. You know I set up and then killed Reyes in prison, and at some point, an ambitious prosecutor is going to ask you about that. But spousal privilege would protect us both. Plus, that letter opener is a problem. If I’m charged, they’re going to ask you about my visits to your office and put me there with the weapon.”
“Did you take it?”
“No.”
I suck in air. “Spousal privilege attaches to conversations between spouses and not actions. If a wife sees her husband commit a crime, she can still testify.”
“But she can’t be compelled because of the adverse spousal testimony privilege. It’s up to the spouse if they want to testify or not in that case.”
I lean back. He’s right. “How in the world do you know that?”
His gaze drops to my mouth. “I spent seven years in prison and read a lot.”
Apparently so. “That’s a crappy reason to get married.” Yes, I’ve had dreams of my wedding since I was a little girl playing make believe with my friends. White dress, red flowers, tall and steady blonde man in a tuxedo smiling with tears in his eyes as I walk down the aisle. Alexei is the opposite of all of that. “I’m not getting married in a crappy little chapel in Nevada.” Not the point. My brain is mush with this man. “I’m not marrying you, I mean. You can’t want a marriage of convenience, either.”
His hands go to my skirt, his thumbs tucking beneath the fabric as he pushes the material all the way up. “There’s nothing convenient about you.”
Live wires uncoil in my abdomen. “You are not going to fuck me into agreement.” The words come from nowhere and shock me.
“Is that a dare?” His voice is unfairly low, gravelly, and sexy.
“No,” I whisper, very much afraid I’ll lose that one.
He snaps the sides of my panties and yanks them free. “Smart girl. Now be a good girl.”
I shouldn’t like those words. Nope. Not at all. Yet my thighs dampen. I meet his gaze, my eyes wide.
He slides a finger inside me easily. Way too easily. I’m wet for him that quickly. “Don’t be frightened.”
Why not? He’s terrifying. This hold on me is unreal, and I like control. For me to have control. “I-I don’t want a fast and temporary marriage.”
He stills, his finger still inside me. “Temporary? There’s nothing temporary about us. This is for good, Rosalie. I’m never letting you go.” Another finger slides in, stretching me, and a low hum of pleasure comes from deep in his chest.
I try not to move against him and fail. Even though the windows are tinted, I look wildly around, hoping nobody sees us.