Total pages in book: 178
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 170884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 854(@200wpm)___ 684(@250wpm)___ 570(@300wpm)
I did. I killed Maxim Nikulin.
Ignoring Julius, I spoke to her, directly to her, because she needed to hear it. “Fuck, yeah, I did. Do it again in a heartbeat. Motherfucker was hard over your bleeding face, girl.” My lip curled. “He got off lightly. Mad I didn’t have the time to give him what he really deserved. Sad, because I would’ve enjoying delivering it.”
She swallowed hard, and then let out a hushed, “I knew it was you. I thought I was going crazy,” along with a soft, vindicated smile.
I shook my head, lips thin, rubbing the back of my neck and avoiding all eye contact.
She wasn’t crazy, but by all means, she should have been, going through what she did. I wouldn’t judge if she had been.
“I wanted to die.” The words were peaceful, still in the air.
I didn’t blame her. Part of me wanted to put her out of her misery that night. She looked too damaged to heal. “Yeah, I get that. Sorry I couldn’t let it happen.”
Ana’s soft smile transformed her entire face. She was a pretty one, beautiful actually. I mean, not Lexi beautiful, but she had something about her. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.” Like, really. Don’t mention it. Ever again.
I felt uncomfortable with praise I didn’t earn, and taking out Maxim Nikulin was not something to be admired for. I should’ve done it years ago before he ever got to her. And now, she looked like she did, unable to speak without shaking like a damn leaf.
No. She should not be thanking me.
A moment of awkward silence passed before Julius stood, coming over to his wife, taking her hand before heading for the door. Before they left, I called out, “We ever gonna talk about this?”
Before he shut the door, he replied, “Yeah, when I don’t wanna kill you myself, asshole.”
I inwardly grinned. That was a good sign.
With a sigh, I turned to face Happy, who looked fucking dismal. “You get in touch with your Romeo and Juliet?”
He shook his head slowly and murmured, “Nah.”
“Stay here as long as you need to, bro.”
Happy’s face turned slowly and he scowled. “Damn right I’mma stay here as long as I need to. You’re the reason I’m in this shit, you erratic fuck.” He stood, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge. “I could be at home, having a nice quiet night fucking my girl or being sucked off by my guy, but no.” He popped a beer and took a pull. “Twitch decides it’s time, and, by God, it’s fucking time because Twitch says so. Fuck everyone else and whatever chaos it causes because you got the discretion of a lit stick of dynamite.”
My glower was strong. I held up my index finger. “You only get one pass and that was it. Remember that.”
As he walked into the spare bedroom, he flipped me the bird and that glower deepened.
Prick.
I didn’t know how late it was when I climbed in through the window, but I just needed to be near her.
Lexi knew I was there. I know this because when the bed depressed with my weight, her body braced and she stopped breathing a second. And even though her back was to me, I felt calmer being within arm’s reach of my woman, regardless of how she felt about me.
I could deal with a lot. I could deal with sadness. I could deal with anger. But this ignoring me business, I didn’t dig that.
The quietness was starting to bug me. I decided to make a statement, albeit a quiet one. “I told you I’d come back for you. Both of you.”
The silence was broken by the sudden hitching breath, and then the bed shook with the force of her soundless cries. I wanted to hold her, kiss her, and comfort her. I wanted to remind her of how well we fit, but now was not the time. When Lexi came to me, she would do it willingly. I would not take any more from this woman, not when she had already given me so much.
When she managed to regain control of herself, she wiped her nose with her sleeve before sniffling, “Get out.”
And I did.
Not because I wanted to, but because I owed her that much.
Chapter Twelve
Lexi
Why?
I didn’t understand.
Why, goddamn it?
As I showered, my sadness seemed to ebb, slipping down the drain by my feet with the sudsy water. My outer shell had cracked, broken, wide and gaping, and the inner part of me was no better. My soul shattered, my spirit was battered, and I hated him for that.
I washed my hair slowly, carefully, taking solace in the peace the warm water trickling over me brought. But it didn’t last long.
Oh my God.
My heart began to race.
How could he?
My chest ached painfully and my throat tightened with anger, fury, and resentment.