Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“I’m going with you.”
“I think maybe it would be better if you kept an eye on things from here. Stay in command with Chase. You’ll know what’s going on and keep an eye on us from the command center.”
“I can’t believe you’re cutting me out! You wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for me!”
“No. I wouldn’t. And you’d go in there with your sister and get all three of you killed.”
“She’s my sister. I can work through my emotions and keep her safe.”
“Yeah? Do you know that she can? Because right now, all she knows is you just called her a whore, and that you don’t have a very high opinion of her. You think she’s gonna be concerned if you get the shit beat outta you?”
“Of course, she will. We’re sisters.”
Shadow snorted. “Yeah, well, I’m not takin’ that chance. Cain made me promise to do the right thing, even if it went against what you wanted. Especially if you and Millie seemed as volatile as you appeared. He wants no mistakes, and he wants us all back in one piece with the girl.”
“I’m going.”
“You’re staying,” Shadow said firmly. “If that means I have someone tie you up and gag you, I will.”
Venus looked at him like she was ready to flay the skin from his body. “If she’s harmed in any way, I will fucking kill you.” Her voice was soft. Deadly. But Shadow had had enough.
“You know, you could spend your time with her telling her how much you missed her, or how much you love her instead of being such a fuckin’ bitch all the time, Venus.” He pointed in the direction Millie had gone. “That girl worships the ground you walk on. Anyone can see it in the way she constantly looks for your approval. On the plane, when she was terrified, she looked to you for guidance. I could tell you both had issues, but she followed your lead. Tried to keep herself under control because she didn’t want to disappoint you. Maybe you should think about that.” He let that sink in a moment before asking. “How long have you guys been apart?”
Venus scrubbed a hand over her face. She didn’t have her usual makeup on and her face, though fiercely beautiful, looked more… real. Like her makeup was like all the fucking pink. Armor to protect her. They let people see what they wanted to see and not the dangerous, deadly woman beneath.
“She left me a few days into our escape. Right before we were to board another plane to take us to United States. We were supposed to fly to England, a little strip outside city, but we were shot down just after takeoff. Everyone but us and copilot died in crash. He died shortly afterward when Victor sent men to finish job he’d started. I was wounded, but Millie was unscathed.”
“What made her leave?”
“I thought because I had all this training from FSB I knew what was best. I ignored her when she wanted to go back for Katya. Though I had wanted Katya with us all along. Our mother refused to go, and Katya was just five. Lyudmila practically raised Katya, though she was only a teenager. But if Victor decided to call it kidnapping -- which he would have -- we’d have had more than just his goons on us. After plane crash, she made one more plea. I blew her off. Then Victor’s men came after us. In confusion of fight, I got her away from plane, and we stole car and got out of Belarus.
“Once in Poland, however, she tried again to make her case. Again, I refused to listen to her, thinking I was better equipped to make decisions. I’d probably have been more agreeing if Millie hadn’t gone against me before we got out of palace. She tried to snag Katya on the way out. It alerted guards. We barely made it out alive. I berated her, telling her I was in charge, and I stuck to it. Deciding I’d make all the decisions from there on out. I was better educated in that area, and I was determined we’d both make it out of Belarus. Two days later, when we ran into another fight, she tried to tell me a way to avoid Victor’s men altogether. I refused, and when it was all over, Millie was gone.” Venus looked devastated. Like it was a personal failure on her part. And maybe it was. But hadn’t they all made mistakes in their past?
“Can’t beat yourself up over the past. Just learn and don’t make the same errors.”
“With Millie, I can’t seem to help myself. We just… clash. I knew she hadn’t been with Mikhail. But I saw what looked like him kissing her and I lost my mind.”