Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“Let me look? I’m good at this.”
Mikhail’s eyes widen in surprise. He looks to Viktor, who nods.
“She is. Let her look.”
Back in Mikhail’s office here at headquarters, with a few of the brothers present, they’ve laid out a series of maps, surveillance photos, and weapons. Mikhail opens up the largest iPad I’ve ever seen and flips the brightness up.
“Here. Take a look.”
I’ve always been good at deciphering patterns and intricate puzzles. This one takes me a moment as I look at the notes they’ve used.
“Dmitri,” I say, my heart beating faster as I start piecing things together. “It’s his middle name. Super original to use that as his screen name, isn’t it?” I shake my head. “It looks like they’re not far from here, planning to take over a warehouse in Manhattan, but there’s no telling when.”
“Mmm.” Viktor nods. “Of course they don’t divulge the when in case their intel was intercepted.”
“How much do you trust the Ivanov captain?” I ask, frowning as I look things over. “This sort of looks like a trap.”
“Fuck,” Lev mutters. “Let me see.”
I hand him the map, and after a moment of perusing it, he nods, frowning.
“She’s right. The timing is off. If I were setting up an ambush… well, this is how I would do it. The routes they’ve highlighted funnel us into a choke point, perfect for an attack. It’s too convenient.”
I shake my head.
Viktor’s eyes narrow as he scrutinizes the details. “You’re right. If we take his word for it, this could be a setup. We can’t take that risk.”
“I would suspect that either he’s in on this with them, or they know he’s going to report to you. In any event, it’s dangerous, and I’d be careful.”
Aleks curses under his breath, running a hand through his hair. “So we just let him do his thing? Don’t pursue it?”
“We will absolutely fucking pursue when the time is right.”
“Right. Agreed. And when the time is right, we can create a diversion. Let them think we’re falling into their trap.”
“I have an idea,” I tell them. “Maybe send a decoy team through the highlighted route while backup circles in from behind. Catch them off guard.”
Viktor nods appreciatively. “I like how you think, doll.”
I grin and pop a cocoa-dusted truffle in my mouth.
“Oh God, get a room,” a tall blonde who must be Viktor’s sister says from the doorway. She winks at me. “I’m Polina. I kid, I kid. Any friend of chocolate is a friend of mine.”
Viktor’s arm snakes around my waist. “When we do counter, we’ll show them who we’re dealing with when we’re paired together.”
I grin. “Yup.”
“For now, we’re heading back,” he says to Polina. “We’ll be in touch about the wedding details.”
“So soon?” Polina asks with a pout. “I need to get to know your bride, though.”
“We’ll have time,” he says, but he’s obviously a million miles away, completely preoccupied with the threat against us.
The ride home is intense, fraught with need and want and innuendo as he kneads my thigh with his huge palm and tells me every wicked thing he’s planning to do to me.
“I have a surprise for you outside,” he says when we arrive.
My heart beats a little faster, but I manage to brush it off. “Dude, if it’s more sex… we might consider a bed next time.”
He only growls and narrows his eyes.
Do I want this? I don’t want to lose control to anyone.
But when he insists… it makes my heart expand in my chest.
I feel wanted.
“Alright, alright…” I walk where he gestures. I haven’t really explored the grounds outside his house yet.
“This. Over here.”
I turn the corner and cover my mouth with my hand when I take it all in. “Viktor.”
He knows me. How does he know me so well?
Nestled in the secluded, lush gardens that surround his estate, there’s a fire pit area, an oasis that looks as if it were designed specifically for someone who… likes fire.
No. Loves fire.
It looks somehow gothic and enchanting here like it was lifted straight out of a fairy tale. The fire pit itself is a large, intricate design made of black iron, resting on a base reminiscent of gnarled tree roots. The iron is carved with patterns of flames and runes, giving it a mystical, timeless appearance.
The pit has built-in compartments for kindling and logs, as well as a custom grate for controlling the intensity of the flames. A wrought iron poker and tongs hang from the side, ready for use.
Surrounding the fire pit are heavy, dark wooden benches cushioned with deep, wine-colored velvet. Gothic-style lanterns hang from wrought iron posts, casting a warm, flickering glow across the space. String lights are woven through the surrounding trees, their soft twinkle making it feel magical.
“Viktor… is this for…?”
“You? Yeah. Of course it is.”
I swallow, a mixture of honor and fear warring within me. “I… I don’t know how to feel.”