Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Shaila handed Azelie an ice pack for her face. She took it absently as she watched McGrady get into his car. He stuck his hand out the window and flipped off the coffee shop.
“Shaila, he might really try to burn down your business,” Carlton said. “He’s a vindictive little bastard, if you pardon my language, ladies.”
Azelie found herself shaking. She sent the video to Billows before she thought it through. Before she was too afraid to do so. What does he mean? she texted. The moment she hit send, she decided that might not have been the best idea. It would bring on a confrontation with Billows she wasn’t ready for. But when would she ever be ready? She couldn’t have McGrady threatening the merry widows or Doug and Carlton. She followed up with a text telling him the police had been called and she planned to press charges. Everyone in the shop was a witness to what McGrady had done, and she had no choice.
Billows texted back WTF but didn’t answer what McGrady meant when he claimed Billows shared his women with McGrady. She thought that silence was significant. Billows had some kind of arrangement with McGrady. There was too much confidence in McGrady. He’d publicly struck her, knowing others were using their phones to record everything he said and did.
A chill went down her spine. Andrii had warned her that McGrady was vindictive. He’d told her the man had gone to prison on several occasions for domestic violence, yet he was always able to get out. To her, that meant Billows aided him. Billows had money and clout. He knew people. He paid people off. Cops, maybe even the district attorney. Not only had she put herself in harm’s way with McGrady, but quite possibly with Billows as well.
She had no choice but to follow through and press charges against McGrady, however. Everyone in the coffee shop had witnessed what happened. McGrady was long gone, but Doug and Carlton had the license number of his car. The police would be able to find him quickly. She sighed. There was no going to her classes today. And she wasn’t going to work, no matter how many times Billows called her.
More than anything, she knew she would have to face Andrii. He would most likely regard this as one royal “fuckup.” It turned out to be a very long afternoon talking with law enforcement.
* * *
* * *
Maestro had never been so terrified for another human being in his life. The moment he saw the security feed Code sent to him from the coffee shop, his heart nearly stopped and then went into overdrive. He had studied McGrady, the way he did every target. The man was unusually cruel and vicious to any woman in his life. It didn’t matter if he dated them for a night or a month, the results were always the same. The woman ended up brutalized, often so badly she was hospitalized. He’d gone to prison a few times for domestic abuse, but he always seemed to get out. Clearly, Billows had political pull.
What the hell was Azelie thinking confronting the man? Calling the cops on him? Swearing out a complaint? He’d made it clear that they would take care of the man. Now, if McGrady turned up dead or just disappeared, as Azelie’s man, Andrii would be considered a suspect. The police would want to interview him.
Swearing under his breath, he unlocked the door to Azelie’s apartment and stormed inside. She sat in one of her comfortable chairs facing the entrance, clearly expecting him. He wasn’t about to be moved by her tears. Ignoring the way his gut knotted at the sight of her looking so miserable, he stalked across the room to sink into the chair beside hers.
“Do you remember what I told you about fucking up?” he demanded.
He could barely look at her. She looked devastated. Totally shattered. He could see her distress wasn’t about the day’s events. Azelie looked up at him without flinching, but he could see that overwhelming emotion, the one that was so second nature to her. She’d disappointed him. Gone against the one thing that meant the most to him—keeping herself safe. She knew she’d screwed up, but even the threat of punishment didn’t seem to be the defining criterion.
Andrii didn’t want to read that look on her face or see the utter devastation in her eyes. He wanted to yank her across his knees and carry out the threat he’d professed he believed in to his brothers and sisters in the club. A physical punishment would impress the weight of the sin on his woman. She would be far more apt to remember never to do such a thing again.
“Yes.” She whispered her answer, still looking straight at him. Not flinching.