Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36221 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
I meet Zoey at the worst possible time and in the worst possible place. Saving her life is like breathing, something I’m hard-wired to do. She’s innocence and sweetness, two things that have no place in my dark world, especially when they make her a beacon for bad men who want to hurt her. But they won’t, not on my watch. It doesn’t take long for me to realize that protecting Zoey is what I was born to do.
Zoey
My sister is missing. I’ll do anything it takes to find her. That is, until I meet the dark, mysterious Leone. He saves me and makes me want things I’ve never even considered. His touch is addictive, and when he promises me he’ll help me find my sister for a price, I’m all too eager to pay up, no matter how much it might cost me.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
LEONE
The club’s music pumps a steady beat throughout the building. Even back here in the dark office, the walls seem to vibrate with rhythm.
I kick my feet up on Marvin’s desk, my boots scraping against the grubby silver laptop and a half-broken lamp. “This isn’t a social call, Marvin. You know you’re late on the payment. I’m here to collect.”
“Okay, so the thing is…” He looks up at the ceiling, his eyes roving as he tries to formulate a decent lie. “I took in all the cash I was supposed to, but then I was robbed before I could get it to my safehouse.”
“Yeah?” I smirk.
“Yes.” He steps toward me, agitation all over him. “You, um, you should hunt down the people who stole it from me.”
“Hmm. Sounds a lot like OJ trying to find the ‘real killer,’ if you ask me.”
He blinks, clearly confused. “But OJ was the real–Oh. Oh, I see.” He swallows hard. “I mean, what are you even doing here? Aren’t you too bigtime for my operation? Last I heard you were running your own game, building up your own empire. So why are you bothering with peanuts?”
“Your boss happens to be a friend of mine, and I owe him a favor.” I shrug. “I appreciate you trying to change the subject, but that isn’t going to change the facts. You owe Mr. Davinci money. Where the fuck is it? And don’t lie to me again, or we’re going to have a real problem.” I pull out my Glock and place it on the desk.
His eyes go wide, and he runs his thumbs up and down the insides of his suspenders. “Look, I don’t have it. If I did, I’d give it to you.”
“I believe that part. I really do.” I rest a hand lightly on my gun. “Only an idiot would hold out on Davinci … and me.”
“Okay, here’s the thing. The real thing.” He sits heavily. “There was this cage dancer here. Xanadu, she called herself. It was love at first sight. I thought …” He leans over, elbows on knees. “I thought she loved me. I thought we were going to get out of this life together. She made it seem like–”
“So Xanadu took the cash?” I cut through his sob story. If he was dumb enough to believe in love with a woman at first sight, I don’t need to hear anything else.
“She did. My heart, too.” He shakes his head. “The whole time, she was just waiting for her chance to get into the safe. One day, I had to step out to deal with some of the higher-end clientele, and when I got back, she was gone. The money was gone.” He looks up, tears in his eyes. “I’ve never felt so low. I can’t even describe it.”
“Good. I don’t want to hear it.” I grab my gun and stand.
He stands and holds his hands up, palms toward me. “I’m going to get the money, but I can’t get it right this second.”
I holster my pistol and arrange my suit coat to cover it. This is the part where I should shoot him dead and transfer management of this club to another one of Davinci’s men, but I don’t. Because, despite all my efforts to stamp out my emotions when it comes to my business, I still pity this idiot standing in front of me.
“Love at first sight doesn’t exist, Marvin. You should know that. This shit isn’t a fairy tale.” I sigh and think on it. Nick Davinci gave me carte blanche on this debt collection, though I think when he said it, he’d meant “free to deal out whatever damage you see fit” not “free to go easy on a foolish man.” Even so, I don’t think Nick wants Marvin dead. After all, he’s been running this nightclub successfully for years. It’s a great front to move drugs, not to mention it sells a shit ton of alcohol and caters to plenty of high rollers.
“The funny thing is”—he shakes his head—“I still love her. I keep thinking she’s going to walk through that door.” He glances toward it. “But she’s gone. Isn’t she? Gone for good?”
“Yes.” I can’t say many things for sure, but that’s one of them. Xanadu, whoever she is, is long gone.
“Right. Gone.” He swipes at his eyes.
“All right. This is what I’m going to do. One week from today, I’ll be back. You’ll have the money ready for me. Then our business will be concluded. That’s it. No excuses, no whining, no late payment.”
“Really?” He sniffles. “You’d do that for me?”
“Don’t fuck this up, Marvin. And stay away from the cage dancers. Got it?”
He gives me a weak smile. “Yeah. I got it this time.”
I grab the door handle and turn it. Right as I do, a blonde stumbles into my arms.