Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
“There is for my people—”
“Never.” She shook her head. “And especially not in war.”
“Still, Kaz shouldn’t have done it.” I quirked my brows. “Can he kill your people?”
Valentina went quiet as if thinking about it. “Hmm.”
“See. What if he just shot down half of your men because he thought he should?”
Angelo put both of his hands on his chest.
We are going to give this man a heart attack.
Valentina ran her fingers through her long hair. “Well. . .my brother usually knows best, so if he killed some of my men, then it will be fine.”
“Bullshit, Valentina. You would be mad.”
“But, I love him. I cannot be mad for too long.”
“Me too. Which is why I am waiting to curse him out. I want him safe and back to me.”
“And then you will curse him out?”
“Exactly.”
Valentina grinned. “I would like to be in the room when this happens.”
“No. I can’t curse him out in front of people.”
She pouted. “But I would very much like to see this.”
“Absolutely not. It will be a private argument.”
Valentina looked up at the ceiling. “Mosquito, record it and send the footage to me.”
Is he still listening? No way.
To my shock, the elevator filled with Misha’s voice. “I am staying out of it, Valentina.”
Chapter 24
The Essence of Trauma
Emily
Several minutes later, we made it to our suites with no problem. Paolo remained in my arms the entire time, refusing to let go.
I called Kazimir back on his sister’s new phone.
He didn’t answer.
It was probably good that he didn’t. I was so pissed about him killing my people. I wasn’t sure if I could play nice on the line.
Next, Baba entered my room and announced that she would be giving Paolo a bath.
I rushed to take out Paolo’s braids. Blue helped.
Paolo’s hair had been in a simple no-nonsense design, long lines that went from the front to the back with the ends swinging free. Since his hair was so silky, already strands stood up from the braids and some were unwoven.
After Blue and I undid Paolo’s hair, Baba bathed him. Harlem jumped into the tub and swam around in the bubbles. I was pretty sure my puppy thought the bath was truly for him.
Several minutes later, Valentina lounged at the edge of my king-sized bed and watched me brushing Paolo’s hair. “So, my mother waited for my father to arrive. He showed up just as drunk as I am now.”
Blue stood by the door and smirked.
“That must be pretty drunk.” I laughed. “By the way, how many glasses of champagne have you had?”
“Six.” Valentina raised her hand in the air and shook her finger. “No. Seven. Wait. . .maybe eight.”
“You need food.”
“I need sex, Emily, and lots of it.”
I paused from brushing. “Valentina.”
“Sorry. We have tiny ears in the room.” She looked at Paolo. “I meant to say that I need love.”
Ignoring us, Paolo sat on my lap. One hand held a half-bitten cookie. The other one gripped a green crayon.
Between munching on the cookie, he colored in his notepad.
I put the brush down. “So, what did your mother do when your father came home?”
“When he stepped inside the house, his head met the end of a shovel.”
I opened my mouth. “What?”
“She beat him.”
I stared at Valentina.
“What else would my mother do?” She laughed. “He missed her birthday and was out all night, drinking and doing whatever. She had to harm him.”
I blinked.
“Is that not funny to you?”
“Uh. . .” I picked up a comb. “Hey. . .whatever they like.”
“And they liked it. They had loud sex after that. Oh, sorry, Paolo. Loud loving. Very loud. He must have been dripping blood all over my mother.”
“O-kay.” I parted Paolo’s hair with a comb.
This new braid design would be different and have a mix of patterns embedded into it—short, zig-zagged braids crossing with longer, thicker braids between the sections. The style would be no easy feat, but the end result would be totally worth it.
For some reason, Valentina raised her legs and swayed her feet in the air. “Do you know why I told you that, Emily?”
Her ass is about to fall off the bed.
I gestured at Blue. “Order some food for us please.”
“Caprese Salad with Pesto Sauce! I need it so bad.” Valentina tried to get up and fell over the bed.
I shook my head. “And lots of water too, Blue.”
“And so much bruschetta!” Valentina yelled from the floor. “I need all of the hotel’s bruschetta! All of it!”
Heading to my suite’s living room, Blue chuckled.
Paolo stopped drawing. “Fall.”
“Yes, Paolo.” I combed through his strands.
She busted her ass.
“No one can have bruschetta but me!” Laughing some more, Valentina climbed back on the bed. “Oh, I think I am scaring him.”
Paolo went back to drawing.
“He looks so much like his father.” Valentina sat up and studied Paolo. “Listen, Emily. You must not keep him. It cannot happen.”