Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
He sent her a small approving smile. “I love your honesty. You’re always so direct with me. No games. It makes me feel very secure in our relationship.”
She loved the fact that he had enough confidence to tell her he needed to feel secure. Most men wouldn’t have admitted it. Being with Andrii, seeing the way he focused so intensely on her, hearing the honesty in his voice, and his sharing things about his emotions and past all added to the feeling of intimacy. She craved that closeness between them. She needed it in a relationship.
“I had to work to get you to deign to acknowledge me,” he conceded. “I planned out my strategy carefully. Fortunately, I had the merry widows on my side. Also, Shaila and David. I was careful to cultivate a relationship with them so they would side with me and not with Doug and Carlton. I was also fortunate in that the two men didn’t come into the shop when I was there after that first visit.”
Azelie was stuck on his strategy. “You actually put together a plan to get me to go out with you?”
He sent her another quick grin. “Absolutely. I wasn’t taking any chances that you would slip through my fingers. I was very aware Doug and Carlton would try to persuade you not to go out with me.”
“They didn’t know I was dating you until today.”
He brought her fingers to his mouth, nuzzled, bit down gently and then kissed the tips before returning her palm to his thigh. The action sent little sparks of electricity dancing over her skin and down her spine. She was so susceptible to him, but she realized he was just as vulnerable to her, and he didn’t mind her knowing.
“What was their reaction?”
Her laughter invited him to share her amusement at the situation. To her joy, it worked, Andrii laughed with her.
“That bad?”
“They had multiple reasons for me to consider not going out with you.”
“Did you tell them we’re already in a committed relationship?”
“We were still talking when Billows’ man came in.”
“His name is Andrew McGrady. He’s scum. I really don’t want you anywhere near him. He isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. He plays video games on his phone when he should be doing his job. He has a record a mile long, mostly for domestic violence. He doesn’t mind hitting women. It wouldn’t end well for him if he ever struck you.”
A little shiver went down her spine at the menace—and honesty—in Andrii’s voice.
“I don’t want to get anywhere near him, but he’s getting bolder. He’s never come into the coffee shop before. I didn’t like the way he looked at the merry widows and Doug and Carlton.”
“You have good instincts, Zelie. What was your gut telling you? Why did it make you nervous to have him see you with your friends?”
His voice was amazingly soothing. Calm. Steady. Andrii was a rock she could rely on. She thought back to the moment Andrew McGrady had turned around to stare at her group at the table. He had a look of satisfaction on his face. He leered at her, something she thought he would never dare do just in case she complained to Billows.
“It was the way he looked at them and then at me.”
“Did you feel threatened?”
She had. Her fingers pressed into his rock-hard thigh. “Yes. But not because I thought he would report to my boss that I had friends Billows could threaten to harm if I didn’t cooperate with him.” She’d felt as if a snake slithered over her skin, giving her chills.
“He’s wrong, Andrii. Billows is clearly a criminal with no code or remorse. He wants money and power and is determined to get it at any cost. He rules through bullying and intimidation. I don’t think he would hesitate to kill someone simply because they were in his way.”
She pressed her fingertips deeper into Andrii’s thigh muscle as if clinging to him for support. He must have felt her dismay because he curled his fingers around her hand.
“That man. McGrady. He felt evil.”
There was a short silence while Andrii drove through the busy streets. Headlights and stoplights flickered through the windows as the BMW smoothly and easily maneuvered around traffic.
“Billows is an evil man, yet to clarify what I’m hearing, you believe McGrady is the evil one.”
Azelie wasn’t certain how to explain how she felt. “I know Billows is an evil, corrupt man with no conscience. His world is all about him. He doesn’t see anyone else in it other than those he wants something from. He isn’t nice about the way he gets what he wants either. I don’t think his friendships are real. He uses people to get what he wants. He’s a narcissist. He believes he’s superior to everyone around him. I’ve heard him say he’s smarter than anyone he’s ever met.”