Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
None of it made sense, and none of what just happened in the car made me feel better—because I wanted it again.
My phone made a beeping noise.
A text from the fiancé I’d never wanted, the one who was forced on me because, hell, we all have duties when it comes to what you’re born into.
A topless picture crossed my phone. I deleted it instantly and tried not to regret saying yes to the asinine deal of bringing two families together so I could be boss one day.
What does it even matter, I guess, since I was going to die soon?
The smell of Home Depot never ceased to amaze me as the doors slid open, and we walked in. Katya sighed, then reached for my hand.
I hesitated. I never hesitated. I’ve always been a man of action, but in that moment, my breath caught, and I realized that this was a damning moment for both of us, that maybe Nixon had even seen it coming and just knew it was best to let us spend more time together and realize what I already had.
That this girl was fierce.
And brave.
And needed me.
And without being a trained assassin—had stolen me.
Stolen everything in my soul that had been resolute about returning to Italy, leaving the states behind, and becoming something more than a killer.
She thought I was brave.
She was wrong.
I was suddenly petrified—not of my death, that would happen eventually anyway—but of what she made me feel. I hated weakness. I hated feeling like I didn’t have the upper hand, and in one car ride, I suddenly lost my grip on everything and was now at a home shopping store with a girl holding hands, pretending in my stupid head that this was a normal life.
We needed a new doorknob.
Or a new sink.
We were going to do home improvements, build a fucking fence… yeah, that was what was happening in my head right now.
Ridiculous.
And yet, every aisle made me want that normalcy, something I’ve never even thought about after being brought up in this life, after shedding so much blood.
After knowing I was born for this and I would die here.
“So!” Katya’s face lit up as she squeezed my hand. “Where first?” she asked.
“A door,” I grumbled. “We need to find a stupid bedroom door, hinges, the works, and then I need a hammer.”
“Why a hammer?” She frowned, her pretty eyebrows pushing together like she was the most innocent person in the world when I knew she just rode me to heaven, maybe hell too.
“Why do we need a hammer? Why does anyone need a hammer?” I laughed, then turned to her. “To hammer things. Make things go silent. Pound.” I run my thumb over hers.
She let out a gasp, her eyes focusing in on mine in a way that made me want to shove her against the closest aisle of nails and do exactly that.
“Does that mean you’re going to do it?”
“Do what?” I asked.
“Nail me. Train me. Use me the way I used you? Are you going to go against everything you’ve been told for one person? One thing?”
I hesitated and then sighed. “I’ve done that my whole life, gone against everything that’s right. What’s one more wrong?”
“So I’m wrong now?”
“I’m engaged.”
“You hate her.”
“I’m aware.”
“I’m Andrei’s sister.”
I smirked. “Also aware. Any other awarenesses we should be discussing?”
“He might kill you.”
“Might should probably be switched to will. He will kill me, and that blood will bleed all over your head. Would it be worth it? I truly want to know. Would you risk it all, risk me, just to find yourself? Just to be free?”
Tears formed in her eyes. I couldn’t look away as she gripped my hand and pulled me close. “Yes.”
“First lesson complete.” I sighed. “Sacrifice everyone… for yourself.”
“So I’m selfish now?”
“We all are,” I said. “We all look out for our own blood. Good on you for risking mine to get what you want.”
“What if I make it worth it?” We strolled down the next aisle, lights flickering around us, tempting me to imagine a life where I bought one for her bathroom and our house.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
She spun around so fast I nearly lost my footing, then she ran her hand down the front of my pants. “I’m not.”
“Shit.” I touched my forehead to hers. “We’re in public.”
“Should have turned the lights off,” she joked, glancing around the lighting department.
“Funny.” I cracked a smile because it actually was, and she was fucking cute, and damn it! How did this happen?
Her hand moved up, sliding across my stomach, tickling my skin, causing too many hellishly good sensations before snaking around my neck and pulling me down for a kiss.
I didn’t even hesitate. The contours of her mouth fit mine perfectly, and like an addict, I got a rush each time her lower lip rubbed against mine or each time my upper lip grazed hers. When my tongue parted her lips and toyed with hers—I knew I was being immoral, ignoring my vow to everyone—but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to.