Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83195 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Is that where you were last night?” I scoff in disbelief. “After I sang, you went to be a hero for her and kill the bad men for her? Then, what, felt sorry for my drunk ass and picked me up?”
He seems shocked. “No. It’s not like that, Lena, I swear to you. I’ve done this so I can move forward with you. There is nothing between Cinita and me.”
I sneer. “Just because you haven’t put your cock in her, Alek, doesn’t mean you’re not susceptible to her charm. She’s been playing you like a fiddle all these years. You don’t have room for someone like me in your life. And I don’t have room for you in mine.”
“Lena, I did this for us,” he insists, grabbing my hand, his expression twisting in ways I don’t think it even was aware it could.
“Give me some clothes. I don’t care if they’re yours. I just need to get the fuck out of this house.”
His jaw tightens, and he walks to the closet and pulls out a shirt. I take it from him, then drop the towel to the floor and slide it on. Then he hands me a pair of boxers, and thankfully, they fit once I roll the waistband a few times.
I don’t know what I expect from him. To fight? To scream? We’re not even a thing, and my jealousy is an unrelenting beast, and I’m the one it’s hurting the most.
“I need to get the fuck out of here,” I say as I grab my handbag from the side table. I then notice the nugget he’d mentioned earlier. Oh fuck, I really did vomit all over his room.
“Tell me what I need to do, Lena,” he begs as I head out of his room.
“I don’t know, Alek. You gloat about how good you are at killing people. Why don’t you put a bullet in her head?”
Cinita gasps from where she’s standing at the end of the hallway.
“Fuck. I didn’t mean to say that. I—” I look at him, those forest-green eyes that suck me in too often meeting mine. “I don’t like this part of me. This isn’t who I am.”
I push past him and then Cinita, who’s glaring at me as I walk out the door.
Clay holds the car door open as Anya steps out of the back seat, removing her designer sunglasses. “Oh, Lena, good to see you’re part of the living still. I brought you clothes.”
“I want to leave,” I say, storming toward her. Finally, she seems to really look at me and then notices everything going on behind me.
Her gaze narrows, and she places a hand on my shoulder as she pushes me toward the car and steps in front of me as Alek tries to grab me.
“Why is Cinita still here, Alek?” Anya spits, her slight accent thicker and tone furious.
Alek pauses. “She was supposed to be gone by this morning. I just need to talk to Lena. To explain.”
“No,” Anya says, pointing at him and staring him down. “Not today. You don’t get to hurt her twice. Clean up your mess, Alek.”
My heart fills with the way she stands up for me.
It’s like having a protective sister.
She leans toward him and says something else, but I can’t hear what she says.
She gets in the car and slams the door, furious. But she’s quick to brush her hand over her hair to make sure not one piece is out of place.
“I swear if he weren’t my brother, I’d kill him for making you cry.”
I burst into tears, and she seems taken aback, unsure as to what to do. Hesitantly, she pats my shoulder. I know it’s because I’m hungover and tired, but is it really supposed to be this hard?
And why would I say those ugly things?
“Even I can’t remove my brother’s shackles for him,” Anya admits. “But I know he loves you, Lena. As best as what people like us can.”
I sob and say, “What if it’s not enough for me?”
She’s silent for a moment until she says, “Then that’s all right.”
CHAPTER 41
Aleksandr
“You really are fucking this one up, aren’t you?” Anya whispers furiously and looks over my shoulder, where I know Cinita is standing behind me. “Trailer trash fucking ho.”
My sister and I are always frank with one another, but right now, she’s scolding me.
I watch as the car pulls away, taking Lena with it, and want to implode. I’ve fucked up again.
No matter how hard I try, Lena continues to slip through my grasp.
I know I fucking deserve it. But I can’t live without her.
I turn on Cinita, furious at putting myself in this situation. I should’ve cut her off a long time ago. She begins crying and falls into a heap. I know she’s trying to manipulate me. Once, those tears had a pull over me, but not anymore. Not when my weakness toward them made Lena cry instead.