Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78236 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“For the baby?” I ask, gesturing to her belly. She looks down and rubs it, a soft smile on her face. It still seems strange to me when I see her like that. To think that we were teenagers sneaking our parents’ liquor and going on an escapade whenever we were given the chance, and now… well, things have changed.
“Yep. We don’t want the baby born here. And even if Crue plans to stay here long term, it’s not somewhere I want to live.”
“Why?” I ask.
“It’s too dangerous,” she whispers.
“I think anywhere can be dangerous.”
She shakes her head and says, “Back home, they know Crue is in charge, but he has to reinstate the name and boundaries here. A lot of the families here have become power-hungry, and Crue’s been shedding blood for sport. All to make sure the Monti name is respected and feared.”
It goes without saying that movement like that takes a while. A lot longer than being here for only a few weeks.
“How long has he been here?” I ask, placing my glass down.
“Years,” she admits.
I don’t know why that comes as a shock to me, but it does. Why now, of all times, does he reintroduce himself? Because he has less than a year to fulfill his marriage contract? So why not act on it sooner? Why wait to visit me on my thirtieth birthday and ruin my entire celebration? It was the ultimate dick move.
“He killed my boss,” I remind her.
“Yes, I overheard that convo as well.” She picks at her chocolate cake with her fork, then pops a bite into her mouth, a bliss-filled smile spreading across her face. Angel always had a sickening appreciation for sweet treats. She points her chocolate-smeared fork at me. “Your boss was dirty, though. And not just that. He also had stuff on you.”
“Me?” I ask, surprised. I’d worked with Brian for years. He was ruthless, maybe. But dirty? I doubt that.
“He put cameras in the women’s bathroom and kept all the files he had on you. Just you. He was nothing but a dirty perv.”
I slump back in my seat. “No, he wouldn’t have done that,” I say, shaking my head. “We would have known.”
“Crue is many things, but he’s not a liar. And he always has a reason when he kills someone.”
“Crue is the type of person to kill someone for looking at him the wrong way.”
She shrugs and takes another mouthful of the rich chocolate cake.
“He killed Andrew,” I add. “No reason there.”
“Yeah, I overheard that one too.” She bites her bottom lip. “Didn’t he warn you not to go on a date with him?”
“Yes, but he isn’t the boss of me,” I say, getting defensive.
“No, he’s just the man who killed your boss.”
Touché.
A bubble of anger rises inside me. It’s not that I’m mad at Angel. It’s how calm we are with this conversation. Most likely, it’s because we’ve both seen our fair share of shit and dead bodies. It isn’t anything new, and I wasn’t attached to Andrew. But, damn. He never deserved that.
“He had no right to walk in and kill Andrew. No matter what he was feeling.”
“But in his head, you’re his.”
His control, which extends even to my best friend, is infuriating. And it’s not anyone else’s fault but my own for thinking he wouldn’t actually kill my date.
“I am not his,” I remind her. “I am a person, and I belong to myself.”
At this, she smiles a wide smile. “I know that. Why do you think I’m enjoying you giving him a run for his money so much? It’s nice to see someone finally put him in his place. He’s a little too demanding for my liking.” She laughs. “And you’re the same, so it’s a match made in heaven… or hell.” She laughs again.
I can’t help but smile as I take another drink of my wine. “You know, this whole situation is fucked-up.”
“Don’t I know it. But I’m not the one who slept with him.” She raises an inquisitive eyebrow.
Before taking another sip of red wine—my personal form of dessert—I easily admit, “I can neither confirm nor deny.”
She slips in another forkful of her chocolate cake, her words coming out muffled. “It looks like Crue isn’t the only one playing with fire.”
CHAPTER 19
Rya
It’s been less than two weeks since Brian’s murder. And since I haven’t accepted the new role, his stuff remains in his office. He didn’t really have a family, and not even his ex-wife wanted to collect his things. A testament to how swimmingly their divorce went.
So I came in early, looking for what, I am entirely unsure. But anything that might confirm Angel’s claim. I find it hard to believe that Brian was that type of man. We weren’t close, but he had given me every opportunity in this firm. And to think he was doing something like that? But what reason would he have? For a personal collection or some kind of blackmail if ever needed, perhaps? I’d been around too long now to know that either was equally possible.