Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Everyone was acting as if Valerian should've been able to see the future and predict the assassination of Emir Sheikh Aminullah, and that anarchy would sweep over the once-peaceful streets of his kingdom.
Valerian had never been much of a drinker, and he hadn't much respect either for people who took to the bottle to escape their problems. But just this once, the temptation to take the easy way out overtook him.
His chest started to tighten painfully as a familiar sickening sense of restlessness started buzzing in his mind.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Camelia had a wine bar installed at the corner of his office a few years ago, insisting that it was necessary to impress any guests they had who loved to drink. Tonight was Valerian's first time to use it for himself, and a few sips were all it took to dull his senses.
Fuck.
He threw the glass away, and he watched it smash into pieces against the wall. Even though he hadn't done anything stupid yet, it still disgusted him that he had sunk so low as to do—-
(what his mother did)
—-what others did.
Never again.
Monty was the only driver on duty when Valerian got to the basement parking of his building, and the graveness of the older man's expression wasn't lost on him.
Valerian waited until he was in the backseat before addressing the big fucking elephant in the room—-or in this case, his limo.
"You've heard about what happened."
"I did, sir. And we both know there was no way you could've seen it coming."
"The whole world begs to differ."
"You know what the whole world loves more than an underdog? It's seeing great men like you fall. It makes them feel better about being mediocre."
A ghost of a smile touched Valerian's lips at the contempt in Monty's voice. "People keep telling me I should hold back with my words. I should've let them know that it's their "sweet" dear Monty who taught me all about social etiquette and manners."
"Sure you can," Monty said with a grin, "but no one's gonna believe you."
"You're probably right."
Monty glanced at his passenger over his shoulder. "You sure you okay? You shouldn't be alone right now."
"I won't be. Heather's looking after Silver."
Monty nodded in approval. "Good. She's a lot smarter than you are. Be sure to listen to whatever she has to say."
"I will."
Monty winced upon hearing those words. That's not good. It was his first time to see Valerian less than sober, and he had no idea what the young man could get up to when drunk.
Valerian firmly rejected Monty's invitation to walk him up to his apartment. "You're worrying for nothing. I'm not stumbling or swaying, am I?"
"Guess not," Monty was forced to acknowledge gloomily even though he still wasn't convinced Valerian didn't need any assistance. The man could still walk a straight line, sure. But was his mind capable of thinking just as well?
Valerian struggled to remember his code to unlock the door.
Damn.
His mind remained blank, and he rang the doorbell instead.
The front door opened later, and the fog inside his head thickened. Was he imagining things? Or was he really staring at her?
"Mr. R-Rossfield?"
Everything around him was starting to spin, but it wasn't enough to keep him from recognizing that voice. He would know it anywhere since that voice belonged to her.
"Valerian," he rasped out. "You can call me that now."
After all, his girlfriend - no, wait, Camelia wasn't that anymore, was she?
Camelia was his ex, and since his ex had already given him away—-
So be it then.
Valerian cupped her face and covered her mouth with his.
What this girl wants, I'll give it.
His tongue stroked in to have its first taste.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The unmistakable sound of Heather's voice snapped him back to his senses. He shoved her away without thinking, and the world spun even faster as he turned around to leave.
Fuck.
It was Valerian's last thought before everything went black.
Chapter Nine
POPPY COULD ONLY WHEEZE in shock as she suddenly found herself catching an unconscious Valerian in her arms.
Did he just pass out after kissing her?
"I'm so, so sorry about this." Heather hurried towards the other girl and threw one of Valerian's arms over her shoulder. "Can you help me get him to his room?"
Shock and jealousy rippled through Poppy's system. His room? Was this actually the billionaire's apartment and not Heather's?
The billionaire's secretary obviously knew her way around the place, and Poppy was on the verge of tears by the time they made it to his bedroom. She knew she shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, but—-
"It's not what you think." Heather also ended up wheezing each word out at this point, and she could only breathe a huge sigh of relief as Valerian's back hit the bed, and they were finally freed of his weight.
She turned to the younger woman, and a smile tugged helplessly at her lips when she saw Poppy visibly fighting back tears.