Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“I just can’t understand why you’d do it. Why you slept with her to begin with.”
“It just happened.” How can I explain to him the music? The way she looked sitting there naked and gorgeous?
Maybe he’s right. Maybe all this time, I’ve needed her and never knew it.
“Everything just happens,” he says and pushes himself to his feet. “Go get her shit and get out of here before Dad finds you.”
I limp up the basement steps and start gathering boxes. I carry them out to the car, and once they’re all loaded, Lev appears.
He throws a towel at me. I use it to wipe the blood off my face and shirt.
“You’re going to need help with the Italians,” he says, head cocked to the side.
“You offering?”
“The fucking pricks destroyed our shop.” Real anger burns in his gaze, and for once, it’s not directed at me. “I’m not doing this for you.”
“I know you aren’t.” I turn away from him and head to my car.
“You’re going to take care of her,” Lev calls after me. It’s not a question.
I look back and nod once. He laughs and shakes his head before going back inside.
We’re not good. I doubt we ever will be again.
But he’s right—I’ll take care of her no matter what it takes.
Chapter 18
Natalya
“It’s fine,” Alex says, waving me way as I prod at his nose.
“It’s definitely not fine. God damn it, you and Lev are like two stupid children.”
He grunts and pushes me away. “I told you, it’s fine.”
“You need a doctor.”
He stands in front of the mirror and grabs his nose with both hands. “I can handle it.”
My eyes go wide. “Hold on, Alex, don’t—“
He wrenches his nose back into position with a sickening crunch. I step back, hand flying to my throat. All he does is let out a soft grunt of discomfort before prodding at himself.
“Better,” he says, gesturing at himself.
“You’re a fucking maniac,” I mutter and storm down to the kitchen to get him some ice.
I start carrying boxes up to the guest room, but after the first few trips I realize everything’s missing. I could’ve sworn I put my sweaters right there on the bed, but suddenly they’re gone.
I find Alex in his room. Along with my stuff.
“What are you doing?” I ask him as he gently folds one of my dresses, unpacking a box.
“You’re not staying in the guest room.”
“Sorry, but from what I can tell of your admittedly very nice apartment, there isn’t exactly another bed for me to stay in.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“Then where do you think I’m sleeping?”
“In here with me.”
I burst out laughing. He doesn’t smile, just keeps unpacking me. When he reaches in and takes out a pair of pinky lacy underwear, a very revealing and sexy thong no less, I storm over and snatch it from him. He only raises one perfect eyebrow at me as my cheeks burn red.
“I’m not sleeping with you in your room,” I tell him, shoving the thing in my pocket. “And stop touching my things.”
“I’m helping my pregnant wife unpack.”
“I’m not your—“Although, technically, I guess I am. “Can you just stop?”
He faces me, arms crossed over his chest. There’s the barest hint of a playful smile in his eyes. “What’s wrong with this room? It’s not big enough for you?”
“It’s actually bigger than my place in Paris, but that’s not the point. This room’s like… a hotel.”
His smile falters. “What do you mean?”
“There’s no personality. Everything’s set out just so. Your wallet, your keys, even the pictures on your walls. It looks like someone staged this place and you just kept it that way.”
“That’s because they did.”
I stop short and narrow my eyes. “Excuse me?”
“I hired a decorator when I first moved in and haven’t changed anything.”
“My god. You’re a robot.”
“We both know I’m not a robot,” he says and there’s a hot undercurrent to his voice.
I shiver slightly at the memory of his hands on my hips.
“Okay, and none of this matters, because I’m not sleeping in your room.” I grab my box from the bed.
But he pulls it from my hands. “Yes, you are. I thought hard about this, Natalya, and this makes the most sense, at least so long as the Italians want us both dead. I need to be able to protect you.”
“What, being down the hall is too far?” I grab the box right back from him, glaring up into his annoying as fuck face. “That’s stupid, you’re stupid, and stop touching my stuff.”
He takes the box back. “Or else what?”
“Or else—“ I don’t know what. I’ll yell at him? Kick him in the balls? I try to take the box but he moves and I run right into him, knocking him off balance. He teeters, drops the box, and falls onto the bed.
And I fell on top of him.