Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
“Andr—”
“No,” I growl, cutting Henry off with the rumble of a madman. “He will die without proper medical assistance.” I shift my eyes to Maksim. “The host of the heart you came here to collect is already dead. Don’t make my son suffer the same fate.” After recalling the promise he made to Zoya before he wed her best friend, I have no choice but to toss her into the fire with me. I will get her out, as I will Zakhar and Mikhail, but when you’re clutching at straws, you have to let some guards down. “Don’t make Zoya’s son suffer the same fate.”
Mikhail gasps in shock as Maksim calls me a liar.
He eats his words when I snatch up Zakhar’s medical chart and thrust it his way. I told Zakhar the truth as the doctors were sedating him, not wanting him to face the possibility of going to his grave without knowing the true identity of his mother. The nurse updated the parental details of his patient record as he was wheeled into the operating theater.
It is there, in thick black ink for the world to see.
Zakhar handled my confession better than Maksim does. He groggily muttered that he knew there was more to Zoya turning down his offer to be his girlfriend than a difference in age before the anesthetics took hold.
He’s been under sedation ever since.
After raking his eyes over my face, Maksim shoots them to Zakhar. It only takes him three seconds to see what I should have seen in a nanosecond. Same eyes. Same facial structure. It is just his mousey-brown hair that pulls you off the scent since Zoya’s is several shades lighter than mine.
“He’s—”
Before Maksim can finalize his sentence, gunfire rings out.
The putrid scent of bullets shredding through skin streams into my nose as I dive across Zakhar’s body to protect him for what could possibly be the final time.
75
ZOYA
Don’t let my stellar GPA fool you. I’m an idiot—a complete and utter idiot.
I sent Andrik’s drafted email because I had no clue Andrik and Maksim had an agreement to keep those types of proceedings away from Myasnikov Private Hospital. I would have never done it if I had known the consequences it would instigate.
Maksim thinks Andrik betrayed him, and he’s out for revenge.
I can only hope Mikhail reaches him before my stupidity destroys more than just my friendship with my best friend.
As I ride the elevator to the top floor of Maksim’s building, I pray for a nonviolent outcome. Pushing Zakhar’s name to the top of the donor list with a bribe isn’t the worst thing in the world I could have done to get him a new heart. I’m just unfamiliar with how matters like this are handled in the underworld.
Fingers crossed it involves money. Andrik has plenty of that, and although he’ll be pissed when he learns my mistake cost him millions, I doubt his anger will linger long when Zakhar makes a full recovery.
When the elevator pops open, I exhale a deep breath before entering the foyer of Gigi’s and Grampies’s new crash pad. I’ve never felt more hopeless. I haven’t heard from Andrik or Mikhail in hours. Not even Maksim is answering my calls, and I’ve been ringing him as regularly as I have the other two.
I’m panicked out of my mind that I’ve caused irreparable damage to two mafia entities that were once more friendly than foe, but I need to keep a calm head.
Nikita is fretful enough for the both of us, and I’ve yet to tell her that I instigated a fight that may end with multiple casualties.
Also, I need to remember not all of Maksim’s focus should be on Andrik. His crew didn’t drug and kidnap Nikita for hours. More than bribery commenced this battle. I’m certain of it. I just need Maksim to answer one of my damn calls to make sure he is aware of that.
“Thank you,” Nikita whispers when I hand her the coffee I offered to fetch so I could fight the urge to fall to my knees and plead for forgiveness. She donated her mother’s organs when she was killed, so if she finds out a medical unit may have profited from her loss, she will be pissed.
“About last night.” Nikita’s exhale ruffles the locks I pulled in front of my shoulders to hide my head wound. “I—”
“If you’re about to apologize, my foot is about to land in your butt crack.”
She smiles.
She fucking smiles.
I don’t deserve it, but I am going to relish it.
“Don’t smile. I’m not joking. I even removed my shoes to make sure I wouldn’t get anything nasty on my new pumps.”
She is as eager as me to escape the turmoil making her stomach a sticky mess. “You got new shoes?”
“Yeah. Wanna see?” When she nods, I hook my thumb to the elevator I wish was full of as many Dokovic men as Ivanovs. I’ll even accept Andrik’s father as a co-rider if it guarantees Andrik’s, Mikhail’s, and Maksim’s reappearances. “Follow me downstairs. There’s an entire wardrobe of brand-new designer clothes and shoes that look like they haven’t been touched.” I remind my heart that no news doesn’t always equate to bad news before saying, “If my new husband wants to gift me a wardrobe of designer babies, I’m not going to look at a single item priced under five figures.” Before she can sink her teeth into the juicy worm I accidentally dangled in front of her, I back out of my ruse with my arms held high in the air. If I open that can of worms, I won’t be done for hours. Nikita needs my focus on her marriage, not mine. “Any news?”