Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
I can’t keep the heat out of my voice.
“Don’t be afraid to speak up. I invite full transparency here.”
Vadim scoffs. “Where was the full transparency when you shot Aleks to death in his restaurant, huh?”
I swing my burning gaze to my uncle, my voice low and simmering with warning. “Aleks betrayed the bratva, and the only outcome of that can be death. Betrayal equals death. That is the rule we all live by, is it not?”
“The Pitt has become a liability,” Boris says to Vadim. “And we remove liabilities.”
Vadim’s cold eyes linger on his brother before sliding back to me. “It is true. We remove liabilities.”
My jaw clenches. Is that a threat?
I sharpen my gaze on him. “Is there something you want to add, Vadim? You got something you want to say to me or the others?”
“No, Nephew,” he says.
But I don’t lift my gaze. He will not address me as his nephew. I am his leader. His boss and he needs to remember that. “No, what..?”
He glares at me, his tongue dripping with venom as he adds, “Pakhan.”
I smile coldly at him, then break it to look at my men. “So it is settled. We break alliances with The Pitt.”
The inner circle all nod their approval.
“Good, I will make sure that happens this week.” I stand. “Oh, and before I go, I have news.”
Silence settles around the table as all twelve pairs of eyes settle on me.
“I’m getting married.”
I leave the meeting with the heat of my uncle’s words prickling under my collar.
The only silver lining was seeing the dissatisfaction on Vadim’s face and the snarl on his thin lips when he realized the title of pakhan just got even more out of reach.
A wife means an heir.
Which means he’s never going to run this bratva.
Even if the wife in this case is a fake wife and the heir is only implied. Because I’m pretty sure Brooke’s compliance in marrying me doesn’t extend to me actually putting a baby inside her.
A throb of lust runs through me.
Damn, why does the thought of making Brooke pregnant turn me on?
For the last couple of nights, we’ve barely kept our hands off one another. It’s like a dam has burst, and all the pent-up lust and sexual tension has been pouring out of us both.
I can barely keep my hands off her. Let alone my mind.
Thoughts of her sweet body riding me keep me hard all day, and knowing she is waiting for me at home makes me put my foot down harder on the accelerator.
Reaching for the dashboard, I hit the call button for the house, and Maria, the housekeeper, picks up on the third ring.
“Put me through to Brooke’s room,” I say.
“Oh, she’s not in her room, sir,” Maria says.
“Where is she?” I ask, wondering what nightmare the little pain is conjuring up for me now.
“She’s right here in the kitchen. I’ve been teaching her how to bake blini. Now she’s having afternoon tea with us.”
“Us?”
“Enya, Igor, and me.”
I can’t help but smile. Why doesn’t it surprise me that she’s made friends with the staff already? She’s easy to like. Easy to be around. I know firsthand.
“Put her on for me,” I say.
There’s a pause, then Brooke comes on the line. “I hope this is important because Igor was just about to tell me all about what you were like as a bratty bratva baby. Just kidding, I don’t think even the FBI interrogation team could pull that kind of information out of him.” She whispers playfully into the phone, “He’s half robot, you know.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, zayka. I think you could get a monk to talk. Even if only to say, please stop talking.”
“Aw, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“Too late. You’ve raised the bar now, monster.” She chuckles, and I like the sound of it. “Why are you calling me?”
“Choose somewhere to go for dinner. Speak to Maria or Enya, and they’ll be able to give you some suggestions.”
“You’re giving me the choice? Someone must be in a good mood.”
“The opposite, actually. It’s been a day to grate on my last nerve. Pick somewhere quiet. I’ll be home within the hour.”
I’m irritated by my uncle’s disrespect. So when I return home to find Brooke waiting for me wearing nothing but one of my shirts, I’m pleasantly surprised at how Vadim and his surliness disappear. My night is looking a whole lot better already.
“What is this?” I ask.
“You sounded stressed on the phone, and when you said you wanted some peace and quiet, I thought, why not eat in?” She walks over to where I’m standing in the doorway to her bedroom and peels my jacket off me, then places a palm on my chest and starts pushing me toward the bed. “And when I say eat in, I mean, I’m going to eat, and you’re going to sit down and enjoy it.”