Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 103656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
“I’m hanging up.”
“What if I tell you I have an in with the cartels?” I drop the amused tone.
There’s a long pause, then, “Keep talking.”
“I can’t unless you give me your word for a partnership.”
“I’ll have to see results first. Which cartel do you have an in with?”
“I did say cartels, plural. I’ll pick and choose when I get there.”
“You’re either a suicidal idiot or an unhinged genius if you think you can pick and choose with cartels.”
I laugh, building my house at lightning speed. “When I bring in the first shipment, you’ll call me a maestro.”
“How will you do that?”
“Didn’t you ask me the same thing when I got us that deal with the Yakuza? Not only are they our allies now, but they’re also profitable.”
“That was a stroke of luck.”
I put the phone on speaker so I can focus on the harder parts of the house. “You don’t even believe that, Adrian. But don’t they say work hard enough that outsiders think it’s easy?”
“So you did something right once. Now, what? You think you can handle another beast this soon?”
“And another and another.” I stack two more cards in a perfect inverted V. “And another.”
“I’m only warning you because I don’t want the hassle of dealing with your brother if you somehow get killed, so listen carefully.”
“Aw, worried about me, Adrian? I knew you had a place for me in your little black heart.”
“If you don’t shut the fuck up and listen, I’m hanging up.” He pauses, releases a breath, then continues, “The cartels are different from anything we’ve ever dealt with. We’ve always had some relations with the Italians, Irish, Triads, and Yakuza, but a deal with the cartels always falls short before the execution stage. They’re not good with newcomers or outsiders, and you look nowhere near Hispanic.”
“That, I don’t. But I do have my ways. I’ll hit you up for intel soon.”
“Your plan?”
“I don’t ask you how you get information, so don’t ask me how I come up with my plans. Let’s both just do our own things.”
He doesn’t say anything more and we hang up on a cold note from Adrian, because he’s an asshole.
But, anyway, it’s a start.
“We have an in with a cartel?” Viktor asks. “Cartels, plural? When did that happen? In fucking Russia?”
“Of course we don’t, Viktor. But we will. Soon.”
“You just told Adrian that we do,” he points out like an idiot.
Yuri steps forward. “If lying to Igor is dangerous, doing it to Adrian is nothing short of begging to be killed.”
“I wasn’t lying since I will have an in. I just failed to mention the timeline.”
My father had an in with three cartels, but he always screwed it up due to poor decision making. Lucky for the organization, I’m better than him in picking and choosing people.
I stack the final two cards at the top and stare at my creation with a satisfied smile.
Everything and everyone are going according to plan. The organization doesn’t know this, but they’ll soon fall into my hands.
A commotion reaches me from outside—some bickering and fooling around. Then all the noise disappears, and a knock sounds on the door.
I don’t have to guess who it is.
When Yuri opens it, it’s Maksim and Sasha. They look serious now, but that doesn’t conceal the fact that they were joking around just a moment ago.
“Reporting for night duty,” Maksim says casually as if he’s not climbing to the top of my hit list at lightning speed.
I push my glasses up my nose and catch Sasha’s eyes following the motion before she subtly stares at the floor.
She’s quick to hide her reaction, but not quick enough to conceal the red hue that covers her neck and ears.
Fucking adorable.
I have to adjust my position because my cock has chosen this exact moment to tighten against my pants.
Images of her body laid out for me, open and pliant and ready to be owned, play at the back of my mind.
I would’ve gone all night long if she hadn’t fainted on me. That includes pushing out my meeting with Igor.
While I have been contemplating touching Sasha for months, it wasn’t until I actually did it that I realized just how addictive she is.
Now that I’ve had a taste, I can’t be stopped.
It goes against everything in me to tap an ass I know nothing about. It wouldn’t have been worth it for anyone else, but for Sasha…fuck if that logic works.
“Everyone out,” I announce in a clipped tone.
Yuri and Viktor nod before they comply. Maksim’s brow furrows, but Yuri drags him out with him.
Sasha stares at me, or more like glares, before she lowers her head and starts to follow them.
“Not you, Sasha.”
She stops in place, her shoulders tensing.
As soon as the door closes, she stares at me but doesn’t say a word.