Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72643 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
The men roared so loud that I clapped my hands over my ears. Nate’s eyes cut to me, but he looked away quickly and continued, “Good. Because you will. But when it’s all over, we’ll rule this fucking city.”
Another cheer that seemed to shake the chandelier.
“Get to work.” Nate turned and retreated down the long hallway. Peter and the huge man followed as the room burst into movement and the men dispersed. In a matter of seconds, the entire foyer was clear except for George standing at the front door.
I padded down the stairs and turned toward the hall where Nate had disappeared.
“He’s busy.” Though I’d ignored George, he didn’t pay me the same courtesy.
“He’ll see me.” I continued down the hall and hoped my words were true.
I turned into the study where Opal said he did most of his business. Comfortable couches and a wide desk presided over a sunny room whose walls were lined with books. Nate sat at his desk and stared at an unopened pack of Marlboros in his palm.
“It’s not as bad as all that.” Peter sat on one of the sofas as the other man—the one who looked like a beefy version of Death—stared at me.
“It might be.” Nate peered at the cigarettes, then glanced at me as I eased into the room.
“You still smoke?” I asked. The faint sweet scent of tobacco floated through my memory. He’d used to roll his own cigarettes, though he’d try to hide his smoking from me.
“I quit two years ago, but sometimes…”
I sat on the couch next to Peter and crossed my legs at the knee. “That’s a long time. Would be a shame for you to break your streak.”
“Two years, and you’ve made it through three hit attempts and all sorts of shit without lighting up.” Peter seemed to be on an anti-smoking campaign. “Don’t give up now.”
“You’re right.” Nate sighed and nodded before dropping the pack into his top desk drawer. “Sabrina, you’ve met Peter, and this is David, his brother.”
“Hi.” I offered the big guy a small smile.
“Nice to finally meet you.” Despite being delivered in a chilling baritone, the words were warm.
“I’m glad you’re pleased.” Nate leaned back in his chair. “I want you to start training her in self-defense.”
“What?” David and I said at the same time.
“I already know self-defense,” I protested.
“I don’t think so.” Nate’s green eyes pierced me. “If you did, you would have gotten away from Dmitri.”
Indignation rose inside me. “He had me by the throat!”
“Exactly.” His gaze slid to the bruising at my neck. “You need to be able to get out of a choke hold. David can teach you that.”
I snuck a look at the brooding giant. He seemed just as irked as I was about the training, his dark brows lowering over his light blue eyes. Scary with a placid expression, he was downright terrifying when he was pissed.
“Don’t worry. He won’t hurt you. Well, no more than he has to so that you can learn.” Nate seemed to chew on the words as he said them, as if the idea of David and I sparring didn’t taste very good on his tongue.
“Fine.” I shrugged. It’s not like I had any pressing commitments, and I wanted to be able to fight back if Dmitri or his minions every got their hands on me again. I flinched at the thought. “Did you get any more information about Dmitri? About what he said to me in the car?”
Nate shifted in his chair and took a long while before saying, “Dmitri wants to hurt you. From what we’ve been able to uncover, what he said about your father was true—he sexually abused Dmitri when he was his apprentice.”
My stomach churned, and I almost felt sorry for Dmitri. But my father’s actions weren’t a valid reason for Dmitri’s cruelty toward me or anyone else. “I didn’t know anything about it. I was just a child.”
“That doesn’t matter to him.” Nate shrugged.
David cracked his knuckles. “Someone has to pay. For him, that someone is you.”
A chill seemed to drift through the room. I pulled my feet up and tucked them under me.
“But we’ll protect you and kill him, of course,” David offered in what he likely thought was a helpful tone.
“Guys, be ready for tonight. Let me talk to Sabrina alone for a minute.” Nate’s voice carried a weariness that hadn’t shown during his earlier talk with his soldiers.
“On it.” Peter rose and gave me a small smile before walking out of the room with his brother.
When the door shut behind them, Nate asked, “Did you enjoy the show out there?”
Yes, it was hot. I nixed that comment and went with, “Everyone seems on edge.”
“Good. They should be. We’ve got a rat. Someone who told Dmitri where you’d be and when. I’ll find him. And when I do…” He flexed his fists, his eyes blazing with barely contained fury.