Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
“No violence?”
“No violence today. We’re here as Sergej’s friends. We should act accordingly.”
“Friends,” Seamus spat out.
I chuckled. Behind the two bodyguards, a very tall, blond man in his fifties appeared. He was fit, dressed completely in white—even down to the white slippers—and it was clear his face had undergone a few plastic surgeries but overall Imogen could have chosen worse, at least from a physical standpoint. I wouldn’t touch many of the sponsors in Sodom with a ten-foot pole.
“Sergej warned me about your visit.” The two bodyguards stepped aside. “Come on board. Sergej’s friends are my friends.” He made a welcoming gesture, but I didn’t let that fool me. Seamus would keep an eye on the two guards while I chatted with Maksim and later Imogen.
I shook hands with Maksim and gave him a tight smile. “Did Sergej tell you why I wanted to pay you a visit?”
“Because of Imogen. He says you have an interest in her.” His eyes became snake-like. He wasn’t protective, maybe a tad possessive, but mainly he was interested in a possible bargain.
“She’s my wife’s sister. She ceased contact, which made my wife worry. She thought something might have happened to her.”
Maksim snickered. “She’s spending my money, that’s what’s happening.”
I nodded. “I assume you don’t intend to leave your wife for her?”
He snickered again and ran a hand through his hair. “My wife is loyal. She spends my money too, but at least she doesn’t complain. Imogen isn’t a girl you marry, it’s a girl you …” He chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows. “You know.”
“Fuck.” I scrubbed a hand over my face, not in the mood to beat around the bush.
He nodded. “She’s keeping me entertained, so I intend to keep her for a bit.” Then his gaze darted to something behind me. I turned and spotted Imogen in the seating area inside the yacht.
“Sergej told me to trust you, so I’ll give you privacy. You should know I don’t mind sharing, but I prefer to watch.”
“I won’t be touching her. I’m married to her sister and I’m loyal.”
Maksim disappeared to the upper deck, and I moved down the few steps below deck. Imogen’s sister painted her nails but stopped when she noticed me. Clad in only a very skimpy white bikini, she rose to her feet,. She tilted her head and smiled. “I remember you.”
“Do you?”
She nodded. “I saw a few articles on the internet. You’re Lorcan Devaney. You married my sister.”
So she knew that Aislinn was in New York. “And you didn’t consider giving your sister a call to tell her you’re okay or maybe congratulate her?”
I walked closer to her, growing annoyed by her blasé attitude.
“She seemed to be doing all right. I wouldn’t have thought she’d ever be this adventurous, but I’m glad she’s finally pulling her head out of the sand.”
Was she daft or just playing dumb?
“Your sister came to New York because she was worried about you. She thought something had happened, especially when she found out you were looking for sponsors in the Doom Loop.”
Imogen laughed, but it sounded off. She watched me warily. Maybe she finally noticed I was pissed and not falling for her body or her charm. There were many women like her on the hunt for sponsors at the Doom Loop. I’d always stayed far away from them.
“She’s always worrying over nothing.”
I lost it and stalked closer, backing her against the table. “Then you should have called her and told her that you’re fine.”
“Aislinn wouldn’t have believed me. She would have tried to talk to me in person, or tried to make me feel guilty.”
“For leaving your son?”
She blanched. “You mean Finn?”
“Are there more children out there you abandoned for your own selfish reasons?”
“I have my reasons. Finn doesn’t need me. He has Mum and Aislinn.”
I gritted my teeth. “He’s in New York, with me and Aislinn. When you return, you can see him.”
“I won’t return. Maksim and I will be cruising the Caribbean for a few weeks, and after that, he’s going to introduce me to a producer in Los Angeles. New York’s behind me.”
“If I were you, I wouldn’t put too much faith into Maksim. This yacht has his wife’s name on it, not yours or the name of the many mistresses that came before you. You’re a blip in time for him.”
She smiled with fake confidence. “I can handle myself and Maksim.”
I took a bundle of cash from my pocket. “Three thousand dollars in case you need money to return to New York or get away from Maksim. Just in case.”
“Maksim has been very generous.” Still, she stuffed my money into the Louis Vuitton bag on the leather bench. “Don’t tell Aislinn you found me. It’ll make things worse. She’ll still want to safe me from a life I chose, and she’ll guilt trip me. I can’t have that now. I need to focus on myself. This is my chance.”