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)
“What kinds of things are you going to ask of me?”
“We’re going to shelve that for a little while, just until you get to know me more. I’ve told you enough to intrigue you, but at the same time, you’re freaking out just a little. I don’t want you to get to the point where you’re ready to run again.”
Her chin went up and color crept up her neck into her face. Those blue eyes glittered like twin jewels. “I didn’t run, Andrii. You did.”
He couldn’t help the grin that welled up out of nowhere. “There you go, calling me out on my shit. You’re right. I acted like a child.”
“I’m not trying to bring it up, Andrii. You apologized, and as far as I’m concerned, the incident is behind us, but it’s important to me that when we discuss any issue, we get the facts correct. You implied I ran from you when it was the other way around,” she reiterated. “I don’t know what I did wrong other than try to give you back the clothes and jewelry.”
“You scared the holy hell out of me, baby,” he admitted. He was going to have to avoid many questions she would eventually ask, so he was determined that he would give her truth whenever possible, even if it made him look bad. “I have just as many trust issues as you do, and when you appeared to be so perfect for me, I struck out at you to drive you away. The moment I was in my ride and tearing down the freeway, I knew what a mistake I’d made.”
The soft look on her face told him he had done the right thing in confessing. She really had forgiven him and put his entire idiotic reaction behind her. That only reinforced his belief that he’d found a woman he had a chance of being compatible with.
Using the pad of his thumb, he gently wiped at the wet trails on her face. “You have amazing skin, Solnyshkuh. It’s even softer than it looks.”
Her long lashes fluttered again. “You’re going to have to stop giving me compliments. I don’t know what to do when you say nice things about me.”
Words mattered to her. She was a woman who dealt in words. The world might think she was all about numbers if they knew she did bookkeeping, but Azelie heard music in words. She wrote stories that played in her head. She saw the world differently because of her affinity for words. He loved that about her.
“Babe, you’ll have to get used to me telling you the truth about yourself.” He rubbed his jaw along the top of her head. Strands of her hair caught in his beard, binding them together. It was ridiculous how much he liked that. He was supposed to mesmerize her, keep her focused and centered on being with him, yet he was fast falling under her spell. It made no sense to him, and panic flooded his system for a brief moment before he could get it under control.
“You bought me three outfits.” Her voice was soft, creating intimacy between them.
“I’ve planned three outings for us.” He stroked caresses down the back of her head, deliberately tangling his fingers in the thick strands. Her wild hair was sexy to him, especially because she had such an innocent aura clinging to her. “I tried to find things I think you would enjoy. When is your next free day? It can be anytime during work hours, up until nine. The place I want to take you to closes at nine.”
“I have my classes tomorrow. And I have to call Billows back and make an appointment with him.”
Maestro could hear dread in her voice. It made him want to take her back to Caspar with him and stash her somewhere safe until his club had taken Billows down. Having her in the line of fire was becoming abhorrent to him, and they were just getting started.
He needed her keys. Various Torpedo Ink members had looked through her studio apartment, which was very small, and yet they hadn’t found them. The members of his club were very adept at finding objects hidden in people’s homes, no matter how big or small the place was, yet they had been unsuccessful despite several attempts. She didn’t appear to carry keys on her person.
Was it possible she didn’t have the keys, and Billows admitted her to his underground office when she made an appointment with him?
As if Billows could hear his thinking, the intercom blared. Azelie leapt off his lap, a look of alarm on her face.
“It’s him. Billows. I should have answered him.” Her fingers went up to her throat, stroking nervously. “It would be better if he didn’t see you, Andrii. He’s not always rational.”