Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84544 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Isidore smiled warmly at his sister and brushed a kiss to her forehead. This was scary, but he trusted Kairo completely. He wasn’t going to betray them. He was probably just trying to win Vanko’s trust or show that he was one of them, not one of the victims to be pushed about. It was going to be fine.
That didn’t mean he wasn’t scared. Only that he trusted Kairo to lead the way through this danger and madness.
When he looked at the scene unfolding in front of them, he saw Vanko ordering one of his men to take care of Athena’s window. Kairo then glared at his sister.
“You gonna behave yourself? You behave, you get to see your brother. That’s how this shit works,” Kairo barked.
Athena nodded, her fingers digging into Isidore’s arm.
“Good. Now go.” Kairo waved for her to head to the door.
Athena wrapped her arms around Isidore’s neck one final time in an almost bruising hug before scurrying through the angry men.
As soon as she was out of the room, Kairo took the gun he was holding by the muzzle and pressed it against Vanko’s chest, giving it to him. “Here. We’ll talk later about how we’re going to unfuck this mess and what my fee is. But breakfast first. And sleep. It’s too damn early for this shit.”
With more audacity than Isidore thought one person could have, Kairo strolled over to his bed, flopped down, and dropped his arm over his eyes to block out the sun. Isidore held his breath, waiting to see what Vanko would do. His kidnapper stared at Kairo for a second before a low chuckle escaped him. With a single shake of his head, he barked at the guy with the bruised balls to get up.
They left, closing the door behind him.
Isidore still didn’t move, listening to the footsteps of the kidnappers moving farther and farther away from them. Only when he was sure no one was close to their door did he get out of the bed, but then it was only to fall to his knees beside Kairo’s bed.
The other man lifted his arm from his eyes and flashed him the most wicked smirk. God, he wanted to kiss that smirk. He wanted to kiss him for such a brilliant performance. He wanted to kiss him in gratitude.
Just maybe he wanted to kiss him because he was beautiful.
“Impressed?” Kairo whispered.
“Very,” Isidore answered with a giggle. “You were amazing. Stunning!” It was the truth. Kairo had so distracted and confused Vanko that the kidnapper couldn’t possibly take his rage and frustration out on Athena or him. What’s more, there was a good chance now that Vanko thought he had an ally in Kairo.
“Just follow my lead, and I promise to get you and Athena out of here safely.”
Isidore grinned at his new friend, his heart pounding so hard he could barely hear his own words. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”
5
KAIRO JONES
I’ll follow you anywhere.
Kairo didn’t know if it was the words Isidore had spoken or the way the man was staring at him, but he was mesmerized. Hypnotized. Knocked breathless and senseless.
Isidore Panopoulos was young, rich, and handsome. The world should be on its knees for someone like him. He could have anyone he wanted with a snap of his fingers. He shouldn’t have been staring at Kairo as though he were the greatest thing since touch-screen technology.
They were so close right now. It would be so very easy to reach up, cup the back of Isidore’s head, and drag him in close for a deep, languid kiss that had Isidore crawling on top of him full of lust and needy whimpers.
But that was wrong.
Isidore was just confusing gratitude with…whatever it was he was feeling. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, though he usually wasn’t the target. The newly rescued damsels and dudes loved to go straight for Charlie with his natural charisma or even Ed with his warm cuddliness. He tended to be the tech guy who faded into the wallpaper.
Having someone look at him like a knight in shining armor was a nice feeling, but it came with a bitter aftertaste. It would have been better if it was real.
“You think your sister is okay with what happened?” Kairo inquired, wanting to redirect both of them to other thoughts. Any thoughts that didn’t have Isidore regarding him like that.
“Athena?” Isidore asked, sounding confused for a moment as if he’d forgotten his own sister. He blinked and chuckled awkwardly. Shoving away from Kairo’s bed, he settled on his own and scrubbed a hand across his face. “Yes. I think. You definitely startled her, but I tried to reassure her.”
Kairo nodded. He’d expected as much. The young woman had spoken to him for less than five minutes. That wasn’t nearly enough time for him to win over her trust. Hell, Isidore shouldn’t trust him the way he did considering the minuscule time they’d spent together. But he was so very grateful that Isidore did. It saved him a lot of trouble.