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)
He’s grinning, and for a beat, we just look at each other.
Then he closes the distance and kisses me.
“If I’m so hurt, do you really think I could handle fucking you like that?” he whispers.
I shake my head, but glance down at the bandage on his leg.
And let out a groan. “You idiot.”
“I told you—“
“You’re bleeding.”
He frowns and follows my gaze.
Sure enough, what was once clean, white gauze is now turning lightly red.
“Well, shit,” he says, and he lets me take him back up to the room so we can change the bandage and wait for the bleeding to stop.
I try not to show him how smug I feel but it must be pretty obvious, because he glares at me.
“This doesn’t mean shit,” he grunts.
“Oh, I don’t know. It feels like it means I was right and you shouldn’t be on your feet yet.”
“Another day,” he snarls. “But I have Italians to hunt down.”
“Sure, you big, scary man. You can go shoot all the Italians you want.” I push him down onto the bed. “When you’ve healed.”
He doesn’t look too happy about that, but at least I’m enjoying myself.
Chapter 29
Alexander
Ilast three days cooped up at home before I finally lose my fucking mind. I wait until Natalya’s distracted with swimming before I sneak out and go meet up with Lev. I get about a dozen texts from her, but I only respond once.
Alexander: I’ll be fine. You stay inside and don’t do anything dumb. I’m watching.
Natalya: You’re still hurt. You’re going to start bleeding again.
Natalya: And stop watching me through the cameras!
I smile to myself as I log into the security system. She’s sitting at the edge of the pool in a little black bikini looking like fucking heaven. I make sure to jiggle the outdoor camera side to side so she knows I’m watching.
She flips me off and wraps a towel around her.
That girl is a professional when it comes to driving me fucking insane.
“Glad to see you on your feet,” Lev says over the hammering and construction work happening at Fed Jewelers.
Even after just a few days, the place is already looking better. Probably because Oleg’s got half the city’s construction workers putting the place back together at an unreasonably fast pace, and probably bankrupting himself to do it.
“Couldn’t hang around that apartment any longer. I was going insane.”
Lev finds that amusing and offers me a beer. We stand out in the alley listening to the guys working inside. “How’s Nat feel about that?”
“Nat is unhappy about it.”
“No surprise there. My sister can be extremely—“
“Frustrating? Controlling?”
“I was going to say overbearing, but yeah, all of the above.” Lev takes a long drink and glances at me. “You know, I haven’t said thanks yet.”
“You don’t have to thank me. You would’ve come back if you were in my place.”
I think so, anyway. It’s hard to tell with Lev though, especially right now.
“Not about that, but yeah, sure, thanks.” His usual bravado fades slightly. “If it weren’t for you nearly getting yourself killed, I’m not sure if I ever would’ve talked to Nat again.”
“She misses you.”
“I know. I miss her too. I’m just so fucking mad at you two.”
“I know you are.”
We go quiet for a little while. There’s so much unspoken between us, but how can we broach that divide? That impossible gap? I wish he could understand how I feel about Natalya, but it’s his sister. I’m not sure he really wants to hear it either way.
In the end, we talk shop. It’s easier, and he’s eager to start making plans.
“I hear Adriano’s got a favorite club. Word is, he helps run the place.”
“Who’d you hear that from? Your Irish friends again?”
“I got plenty of friends.” Lev smirks at me and runs a hand through his hair. “I’m thinking we can do to him what he tried with us.”
“You want to ambush him?”
“Just like with that other fucking Italian bastard.”
I grunt and look away. Lev’s not a stupid man—he knows what’ll happen if we kill Adriano—but there’s no way I can talk him out of this. And honestly, a big part of me doesn’t want to.
Those assholes tried to kill me. They had Lev down on his knees with a gun to his head. Adriano more than deserves a bullet between the eyes.
But once that line is crossed, there’s no way I can fix this shit with the Italians.
And that’s about more than just the war.
If things spiral, Pakhan Zeitsev will never forgive me and Natalya for eloping and ruining his alliance. We’ll be outcasts, and we’ll have to raise our child without a family by our side.
It’ll be a long, lonely life for Nat, and I don’t want that for her.
Maybe she doesn’t care if her father never speaks to her again—but she will care if Lev’s forced to disown her for good.