Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“I gave you a chance this morning, Victor. You’re the one that insisted you were going to Greece and that was it. You never once mentioned Phoenix.”
“Because I knew if I told you I was going there, it would upset you.”
I laugh, the sound bitter—even to my own ears. “I wonder how many cheating men say that exact thing. That’s not it, though. I’m hurt. If you wanted to explore something with another woman, or hell even sleep with someone, you should have told me. What you shouldn’t have done is tried to make me feel like I could be enough for you—”
“You are everything to me. Don’t you for one fucking second doubt that.”
“Too late. You should have told me.”
“Or maybe not set up a date with another woman in the first place,” Sam adds, talking under his breath.
“You stay out of this, asshole.”
“If it involves Angie, it involves me.”
“The fuck it does! I love her and she loves me. You have no place in this equation.”
Sam sneers, “I love Angie, and go ahead and ask her how she feels about me. Do it.”
“Sam, stop. Just let it go. It’s not important now.”
“Actually, Kitten, I think it is,” Victor argues.
“It’s not. Sam is family. He came in to check on me—”
“And apparently, I got here at just the right time,” Sam adds, and I barely avoid rolling my eyes.
“Sam,” I admonish.
“You’re lying, Gia. You forget I know your family. I’ve seen Maxwell’s files on your mother and father, too. There’s no Sam in your life. He wasn’t mentioned once—anywhere.”
“I have a life, Victor. Sometimes when you live that life things don’t show up in files that someone compiles—especially from a distance.”
Victor’s mouth snaps shut. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that now he’s pissed, but I push on. I really need this to be over.
“Nothing has ever happened between me and Sam. We’re close. He’s my stepbrother. So, whatever sordid thing going on in your head, let it go, Victor. That’s not who I am. I could barely let my guard down long enough to let you in—”
“Kitten—”
“And I’m definitely regretting even trying now.”
“Damn it, you don’t mean that, Gia.”
“Yeah, I really do. You see, I have a completely innocent explanation as to why I have another man around when you’re not here. You can’t say the same about Morgan. You also can’t stand there and tell me it never occurred to you that meeting an ex-lover wouldn’t hurt me.”
“I didn’t. It’s not like you’re making it out to be.”
“Now, I’m calling you a liar, Victor,” Sam laughs, making my head jerk up so I look at him.
“You can go fuck yourself.”
“I’m being serious. I’m a man. I know if I had someone as special as Angie waiting for me at home, I wouldn’t be out hooking up with another woman who used to warm my bed. I sure as fuck wouldn’t be setting up more dates with her, even if it had to do with work. Only someone who isn’t worth shit would do that to a woman—any woman—especially, someone as special as Angie.”
Victor doesn’t respond in words. He charges at Sam. I let out a cry as the two men tumble backwards. I jump, looking at them in shock as they begin to trade blows. This is the last thing I want. I recoil with each blow they trade.
“Stop it! Both of you stop!” They of course ignore me. “Victor! Stop!” I scream when he delivers a particularly ugly blow in Sam’s stomach.
“Can’t, baby. I’m going to kill the motherfucker,” he says, sounding as if he’s enjoying every bit of this.
They’re standing staring at one another now, fists drawn and ready. They’re sizing one another up, and I’m desperate to try and stop this from going any further. I think about jumping between them, but as they start trading blows again, that thought flees. I look around the room, desperate to find something to stop them before either one of them gets hurt. My gaze lands on a broom. It’s not much, but I’m positive it’s safer than trying to get between them. I quickly move to grab it, and just get back to them as Victor’s fist connects with Sam’s nose and blood splatters everywhere as it drips out of Sam’s nose and Victor continues hitting him. Sam is doing his best at hitting him back, but it’s clear he’s momentarily stunned. I take the broom and begin hitting Victorio with it, gripping the handle tightly. He mostly ignores me as I hit his back, causing me to get more inventive and slap him over the head with it.
“Damn it, Kitten! I’m a little busy here!”
“I told you to stop!” I growl, throwing the broom at him and going to Sam. “Are you okay, Sam?”