Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 48709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Lots of Bratva hate me the second they look at me, the fact of my existence, another Cartel member in their city.
He keeps staring, eyes fixated on me.
Time seems to stretch as I wait for his response.
Several of his men look over, trying to be sneaky about it, wondering what’s going on.
Finally, he smirks. Tension uncoils inside of me.
There’s something else, too, a glimmering within as his lips twitch. My body does something silly, making me tingle as he holds me there with his intense eyes.
“You should be more careful,” he says. “You almost crashed right into me.”
I swallow, nodding. “Yeah, maybe I should.”
He takes a step forward, lowering his voice. I have to stretch and listen over the sound of the jazz band playing.
I can’t risk mishearing or not hearing something Damien Dovlatov says. I have to respond in the right way in case word gets back to Gabriel. I have to remember that all it takes is one person reporting back something bad, and I’m done.
Nick is done.
Yet there’s another reason, one I can’t admit.
His scent is musky, manly. This pull makes me want to get closer to him, to wrap my arms around his solid body for the thrill of feeling how muscular he is.
A deranged voice whispers, You could be happy with him.
I ignore it, stuffing all the confusion away.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
A small sigh escapes me. Even if some crazy part of me wanted this man, it’s all going to end here.
“Liliana,” I tell him. “Liliana Lopez.”
When Damien takes a short step back, I try not to let the hurt show on my face.
Of course, he’s going to move away from me.
I’m poison. I’m marked. I’m a reminder of the war, a Cartel girl who has no business speaking with him.
He recoils as though disgusted.
And my heart won’t stop sinking.
CHAPTER
THREE
Damien
Her name punches me right in the chest.
Liliana Lopez.
At first, I want to call her a liar. There’s no way this woman can be the same girl I saw, the dead-eyed girl with braces covering her teeth, staring blankly as the rain hammered down.
She’s all woman now, wearing a snug black dress that highlights her curvy body. Her hips make my hands twitch with the need to grab them, to guide her into position. Her breasts are big and beautiful and roaring at me to free them.
Her face is gorgeous, her features flushed, her eyes wide and expressive. Wavy brown hair frames her frown.
She looks young, beautiful, sexy, and curvy, and…mine.
It’s the thought that hit me the moment I saw her.
This woman belongs to me.
It’s impossible for me to know this with so much certainty.
She’s a Cartel girl. Or, at least, that bastard Gabriel is forcing her to pay homage whenever he feels like it.
She’s still from the other side of the tracks.
But I’ve never felt this before.
Even now that I’ve learned her name, it’s a struggle as my manhood threatens to push against my pants, and my pounding heartbeat tells me this is it; I’ve found the woman.
Not that I was ever searching.
But here she is.
Mine, and mine alone.
As I’m lost in the confusing thoughts, Liliana dips her head.
“I’m sorry to have bothered you, Mr. Dovlatov.”
I feel Max watching me, along with our other men. Her hands are turned away from us, concealing the tattoo, but I can see the red edge of the crosshair creeping around her forearm.
My instinct is to reach out, to grab her before she can leave. I’ll pull her close to me and lean down, crushing my lips against hers, letting her feel that the tattoo doesn’t make her less of a person, less of a woman.
To me, she’s all woman.
She turns before I can say anything, giving me a greedy look at her round ass. The animal in me inflamed as I imagine walking up behind her, taking those childbearing hips in my hands, and pulling her up against my stiff dick.
Childbearing.
The thought bounces around my mind as I forcibly drag my gaze from her, turning back to my men.
That’s even crazier than knowing she belongs to me; crazier than knowing I have to have her…from just one look.
I want to fill that curvy young body with my seed, get her pregnant, and have a family with her.
I know it deep inside, deeper than I’ve felt anything in years, probably ever.
How can I know that?
Because she’s your woman, my voice roars, and she belongs to you.
Max gives me a look when I return to our circle. I know he’s silently asking me what’s up, but I turn away, not giving him anything.
I can’t let him see the captivation in my expression, can’t let him see how hungrily I’m aching for this woman.
As I make small talk with my men, I have to fight the urge to turn around and find her.