Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 120165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 601(@200wpm)___ 481(@250wpm)___ 401(@300wpm)
I sidestepped. “It is important.” I put the knife stubbornly down at my side.
He sighed and scowled. “Bronwyn...”
“No stabby-stabby ‘till you tell me.”
He glowered, but his eyes gleamed, as if part of him liked the way I stood up to him. He looked at the ceiling, cursing in Russian, and I got the impression he was counting to ten. God, he looked magnificent, with that big chest rising and falling under his tight black tank top and his jaw set angrily. I had to stop myself just melting and giving in. But this was important, this Alexei guy was the closest thing to a human connection he seemed to have, outside of his family, and I needed to know what went wrong.
He lowered his eyes to me and gave a long-suffering sigh. “Alexei...met a woman called Gabriella. He was sent to kill her, but he fell in love with her. He betrayed his employer for her and turned his back on the Bratva. They live together in Queens, now.”
“That’s amazing!” I said. I couldn’t help grinning, it was so romantic!
Radimir scowled at the floor. “I thought it was...weak.”
I stared at him. “Is that still what you think?”
He turned his head and looked at me, his eyes blazing. His lips moved, as if he was about to say something. His hands closed into fists—
Then he stormed out of the gym. “I will make us lunch. Then I will drive you to the store.”
40
BRONWYN
As we drove to the store, I gazed out at the city...and realized I was seeing it with new eyes. Thanks to Radimir’s explanations of the Bratva and the other gangs, I knew why that skyscraper got planning permission, but that site had lain derelict for over a year. I knew why the mayor would be re-elected and why the unions would get the pay deal they were pushing for. I knew why certain neighborhoods were dangerous after dark and others weren’t, despite being within a few blocks of each other. I’d grown up in this city but I’d never known the shadow world that existed beneath the normal one, a place of backroom deals, money and violence. It still scared the crap out of me, but…I felt sort of privileged, to be one of the insiders. And I couldn’t imagine going back to being oblivious.
Last night had been terrifying. But it had also shown me that Radimir and his brothers weren’t the same as the other gangsters. They only killed when they had to and when I thought about how Gennadiy, Valentin, and Mikhail had risked their lives to rescue us, it gave me an unexpected warm glow. I’d never had brothers or sisters and ever since I’d lost my parents and Baba got ill, I’d felt like I was on my own. Now I’d gotten a tantalizing glimpse of what it was like to be part of a family.
Tomorrow, I’d actually join that family. I’d become Mrs. Aristov. I should be happy.
But as I worked away at the store, a cold dread started to creep through me. I thought back to when I’d stood on that freezing riverbank, sobbing my heart out because I had to marry him. Now everything had flipped around. I loved him. But the more I thought about it, the more I was sure he didn’t feel the same way. Why should he? He’d been forced into this marriage, too. And he’d have said something by now, right?
The dread built all day. Then, at closing time, Radimir arrived to pick me up. I locked the door and my eyes fell to the sign Jen had made to cover us for the next day: Closed due to Wedding, with little wedding bells...and suddenly, realization hit and I wanted to be sick.
The wedding had started out as fake, just a way to get a marriage certificate. But while I’d been busy falling for him, it had become real, even if I hadn’t admitted it to myself. That’s why I’d done as he asked and planned a big wedding. Somewhere, deep down, I’d known I loved him and I’d thought it was going to turn into some fairytale happy-ever-after where he loved me, too.
I let out a little moan, staring at the sign in horror. I’m a fucking idiot. And now, while Radimir and everyone else just went through the motions, I was going to be there in my wedding gown trying to smile while inside, my heart was breaking because of course he doesn’t love you. It wasn’t a fairytale, it was a nightmare.
That night in the penthouse, I watched sadly as Radimir prepared to leave. He picked up his bag and the suit carrier that held his wedding suit, then stopped when he saw my face. “You do want me to go?” he said. “It was your idea: you said I’m not meant to see you, the night before the wedding.”