Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 106159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask when I spot the whiteness of her cheeks. What she experienced is terrible, and I honestly don’t know how I’d feel waking up to the same thing, but my intuition is telling me there’s more going on than she’s letting on. “You can tell me anything, Tay, and it will stay between us. I promise.”
She snatches up my hand before I can cross my heart, then uses it to pull me closer to her. Our apartment isn’t swarming with police—Matvei agreed things could escalate if we brought in the authorities—but she acts as if every eye in the city is watching us.
“He was still in my room when I woke up.”
“What?” My question is low and raspy.
She checks that Matvei is still busy barking orders at the men he brought in to help with his investigation before she slings her eyes back to me. “He touched me. That’s what woke me.”
“Did he hurt you?” I don’t give her a chance to reply. I search her for injuries like Saka does me. I lift her arms, search her armpits, then shift my focus to her thighs.
“He didn’t hurt me.” Her nose screws up before she shudders. “Not physically.” Her breaths are so hot, they heat my cheeks. “But I swear I’ve seen him before.”
“Where?”
Her shrug only lifts her shoulder a smidge before a commotion outside our apartment deflates them. Saka is being denied access, but he responds with more than words this time around.
After taking down one of Matvei’s men with a stern punch to the stomach, he darts into the foyer and scans the living area. My heart’s sluggish beats switch from weary to excited when his feet follow his heart before his head can interrupt. He races for Taylor, their bodies colliding when she pushes aside her anger for comfort.
As Saka holds Taylor in close to his body and whispers reassurances into her ear, I stray my eyes to Matvei. Seemingly sensing my watch, he holds his finger in the air, shutting up the man in front of him before craning his neck back to look at me.
He drinks in my body head to toe before he peers past my shoulder. A ghost of a smile touches his lips when he takes in the heart-tugging image behind me, and then his attention is back on me, as hot and demanding as ever.
“Five minutes,” he mouths.
Though unsure why his pledge darts excitement through my body, I nod before shifting my attention to Saka, who is standing beside me with a shuddering Taylor cradled under the nook of his arm. “I’m going to take Taylor to my hotel. Do you want to come with us?”
I shake my head before giving his offer any true thought. “I’ll stay and get this sorted.”
When I nudge my head to Taylor’s open bedroom door, Saka’s expression morphs into pure rage. “I’ll organize someone to fix it.”
“Matvei already has,” I assure him. That was the first crew Matvei called. The next was the goons standing on every entry and exit point of our building. There is even one stationed outside my room. From his reaction, anyone would swear the derogative term was written on my bedroom wall.
“Just worry about Taylor.” Matvei’s deep commanding voice sends a chill through both Taylor and me. Her response is the only one based on fright. I’m more turned on. The way he’s handled things tonight has me seeing him in an entirely different light. He’s super protective but also nurturing. “We’ve got everything here covered.”
A hint of smugness flares in Matvei’s eyes when Saka replies, “Thanks.”
When he holds out his hand in offering and Matvei accepts, Saka uses his steely grip to pull him in and whisper something in his ear. I doubt it is a threat—only an insane man would threaten someone with an immense amount of power and wealth while surrounded by armed goons—but Saka hasn’t been himself lately, so I could be wrong.
When Matvei dips his chin in agreement with whatever Saka is whispering, Saka pulls back before lining up his eyes with mine. “If you need me, call me.”
“I will.” I smile, grateful to have him back in my corner, before hugging him and Taylor goodbye.
Taylor has only just been guided past the goon still writhing on the ground at the door when Matvei shifts my focus to him. “You have two minutes to pack. Go light. Anything you need that I don’t already have I will get by the end of the day.”
“I’m not leaving. That will only have him believing he’s won.” By he, I mean the man terrorizing Taylor.
“No arguing.”
“Matvei—”
His glare freezes me, and the fret in it leaves no room for argument. “Two minutes, Natalya.”
As I stomp to my room, I call him every name under the sun. It amuses his men but also announces I will pay for my foolishness the instant we are alone.