Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 323(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Was it easy to race across town and jump into a fight to save his life? Yes.
Was it easy to tease him, talk to him, and feel utterly comfortable around him unlike any other person in his life? Yes.
But could he put the muzzle of a gun to his head and pull the trigger? No.
Just the image of it flashing across his brain made him queasy and shaky. He couldn’t do it. Didn’t want to do it. He’d never be able to kill Soren. At least, not without a damn good reason.
Sitting on the bed again, he narrowed his eyes and closely examined his face. “Have you ever sold drugs or worked for a drug cartel?”
“No,” Soren quickly answered with plenty of heat in the word to prove to Alexei that Soren was telling the truth.
“Beaten a woman or child?”
“No, but I’m seriously considering spanking you when I’m free again.”
Alexei ignored that. “Have you ever killed an innocent person?”
To his surprise, Soren flinched and looked away. A long sigh left him, sounding as if it had been dredged up from the bottom of his soul. “Yes. Not directly. I didn’t pull the trigger, but it felt like I did. He was someone I was seeing. He was killed by accident because of my job. Wrong place at the wrong time kind of thing. But I’ve always tried to protect and help people. In the end, I don’t know if I was doing any good. It’s why I gave up that old life. Being a cat burglar is fun. A rush. And I only steal from criminals or rich people who have their shit insured.”
He was telling the truth. At least, as far as he could tell, Soren was telling the truth. The man didn’t fit his basic criteria for a target. Yeah, he’d stolen something, but it was from an illegal arms dealer.
No, he wasn’t going to kill him. Fuck, based on the panicky feeling that had gripped his heart when he’d seen Soren cornered near the zoo, he was pretty sure he was willing to die to protect him.
None of it made sense anymore. Not this tangle of emotions in his chest. It was like a war was being waged between his heart and his brain. He was choked by this looming feeling of failure while being battered by the fear of something happening to Soren.
To hell with his own failings. Soren was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die. This was a bad contract. Just like the one that had been put on Devlin Relic’s head ten years ago. His uncles had gone against that contract and protected Dev. Maybe he could do the same for Soren.
Rising up to his knees, he leaned forward and braced one hand on the headboard near Soren’s shoulder. He brushed the tip of his nose along a tiny patch of Soren’s cheek that wasn’t bruised before kissing it lightly. “I’m not going to kill you,” he whispered.
“You’re sure?”
He chuckled and pulled away enough to look into Soren’s wide eyes. “Yes. I don’t know what I’m going to do with you yet. I might take the hard drive and collect my seven million, or I might kick you out my door. You’ve already caused me more trouble than you’re worth.”
Soren flashed him a cheeky grin. “Sounds like I’m worth at least seven million.”
“Yes, but you’ve already cost me a pretty penny because I’ve needed assistance twice getting you into my apartment. I’m sitting on a loss right now.”
“Let’s talk money later. I need you to touch my dick, my Angel.” The harsh, breathless, needy tone ripped right through him. He had to do exactly as this man asked.
Gripping the headboard tight with one hand, Alexei reached down his other, stroking Soren through his pants while holding his gaze. Soren moaned softly, his eyes falling shut as he pushed into the pillows so he could lift his hips into Alexei’s touch. Everything about this man was sexy. The way he handed himself over to Alexei each time, trusting him completely to give him pleasure, was intoxicating. He’d literally held people’s lives in his hands, and the rush of power was nothing like what he felt when he was with Soren.
“So sexy. I can’t wait to make you come,” Alexei purred.
Soren’s eyes snapped open, his gaze hot enough to set the apartment on fire. Or maybe it was just Alexei. “Please, free my hands. I promise I’ll be good.”
Alexei jutted his bottom lip out a little and shook his head. “I don’t think so, baby. You’ve already gotten so very hurt. I think I need to keep you locked up for your own protection.”
“Please,” he begged, which only sent more blood rushing to Alexei’s cock. “I need to touch you.”
Alexei leaned in close, pressing a kiss to one corner of Soren’s mouth and then the other, careful to avoid the puffy, injured part. “Don’t worry. I’ll make you feel good.” As he spoke, he squeezed Soren’s cock, wringing out another delicious gasp.