Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 745(@200wpm)___ 596(@250wpm)___ 496(@300wpm)
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
This entire situation was very dangerous.
My heart ached for Kaz. We were beginning a new life together. He had been patient and understanding with my disorder and this whole horrible situation. He had wrapped me in his love.
And now Lunita was fucking the gardener!
How much more patience and understanding would Kaz have with this situation?
Fear rocked through my body. My eyes watered.
A few minutes later the gardener returned with a glass of water. “Here. Drink.”
I grabbed the glass, took a long sip and sat down in the dirt, several feet from my vomit. “I have to think.”
“About us running away?”
“Hell no.” I placed the glass on the ground next to me. “We are not running away together.”
“No?”
“Hell no.”
He touched his chest as if his heart were breaking. “But. . .what did I do?”
“Nothing. Well, you did do something but. . .” I rubbed my head. “Why would you fuck me? You know who the Lion is right?”
“You said that he never made love to you and that you were so lonely.”
“Lunita said that shit, not me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Doesn’t matter.” I rose from the ground. “We have to act now, before things get really bloody.”
The gardener frowned. “Is he threatening you or—?”
“Listen. We have to get you the fuck out of here.” I pulled out my phone and dialed Blue.
“Why do I have to leave?”
“Because you fucked me.” I shook my head. “Were you suicidal? I don’t even understand.”
“I am in love with you.” He began to walk over to me. “We are in love—”
“No. No. No.” I backed up. “Stay right there.”
“Lunita, you’re scaring me.”
You should be scared.
Blue answered, “Yes, Emily?”
“It was the gardener. Get a lot of Harlem Crew to come in here and help him pack. We have to get him out of Russia in no less than an hour.” I stepped close to the rose bushes. “Don’t tell them shit.”
“Of course not. I am sending Giorgio to get them—”
“Fast, Blue. And when that is done, come in here.” I hung up before she could say anything else.
“I do not understand.” The gardener’s eyes watered.
Goddamn it. He really does love Lunita.
Chills ran up my spine.
If he loves her this much. . .does she love him?
I felt like it was even more reason to make sure the gardener was safe.
Of course many would disagree. He had disrespected Kaz that was for sure. That part pissed me off.
But Lunita. . .she must have loved him. She must have found some form of comfort in his arms. And Lunita was the dark part of me. Regardless of how violated I felt or wrong it was, her feelings needed to also be respected.
Tears left the gardener’s eyes. “Please, come with me. I can’t live without you—”
“I can’t do that.”
“I really don’t understand.”
“Listen. I don’t have time for you to understand.” I headed off to where his apartment door stood. “Get all of your stuff packed.”
With a confused expression, he followed me.
I put my phone in my pocket. “Pack as much as you can in fifthteen minutes. I’ll have some people helping you—”
“Does he know?” His bottom lip quivered.
“He doesn’t know now, but he will know in a few hours—”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I’m going to tell him once you’re out of Russia.”
His voice screeched. “Why would you tell him?”
“Because it’s fucked up and he must know.”
Right before we got to his door, he grabbed my arm. “Do not tell him. Pack and run off with me.”
“Boy, if you don’t get your hands off me.” I shook his grip away. “You need to focus on staying alive today. Do you understand?”
“But—”
“There are no buts!” I grabbed the knob, twisted, and opened it. “And there is no us. Get your ass in there and pack your shit.”
More tears left his eyes as he stared at me in shock.
Fuck. This isn’t fair to him. He didn’t know. . .
I calmed myself. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
“Can we at least talk, Lunita?”
“No. We only have time for you to get out of here.”
Blue entered the garden and jogged our way.
I pointed to Blue. “She’s going to be working to get you out of Russia today. Just listen to what she says.”
He wiped the tears away. “And will you be coming with me?”
“No. I explained that already.” I gritted my teeth. “Listen. This is fucked up. Think of it like this. . .umm. . .like I’m a twin and you were with one twin, but now I’m the main twin and I’m shutting it all down.”
“What? You’re a twin?”
“Fuck. Forget it about.” I gestured at the opening to his place. “Just go pack everything.”
He dragged himself inside.
Blue got to me. “It was the gardener?”
“Definitely.”
She frowned. “I’m so sorry. I should have had more guards on you at night—”