Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Her orgasm is heavy. I lick it up and moan my ecstasy as I do it. When I’m done, she collapses onto the bed and I stand there, cock hard and throbbing, staring down at her.
She stares back, tears streaming down her face.
“You should’ve told me,” she says, shaking her head. “You should’ve told me from the start.”
“I didn’t know I could trust you.”
“You trust me now? After I tried to escape?”
“No, flower, but at least now I know where to stand.” I turn my back on her and it kills me. “You can have the bed tonight. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I leave her there and something deep in my chest cracks, crumbles, falls to dust.
Chapter 17
Kacia
The restaurant is quiet and mostly empty. It’s an Italian place not far from the Valverde compound, a high-end joint with tablecloths, waiters in white gloves and tuxedos, and real paintings on the walls. “My father owns it,” Luca says as he opens the door. It’s the middle of the afternoon and it’s currently closed, but the kitchen staff is already prepping for dinner and a small fleet of pretty girls in tight black dresses roll silverware into napkins. “This is his pride and fucking joy.”
“Why have a meeting here then?”
“It’s got a Michelin star and we like to impress people.” Luca shakes his head and leads me into the back. A bald man comes up, rubbing his hands together, smiling uncomfortably. He’s middle-aged, well dressed, and looks like he wants to fall over himself trying to please his bosses.
“Luca, I heard you were coming today. Can I get you and the lady anything?”
“Bottle of wine, please. Our associates will be here soon, please show them to the table and make sure there’s nobody nearby. And something to eat, but nothing heavy. And make sure the wine’s good.”
“Yes, of course.” The man bows and hurries off.
“Manager,” Luca says by way of explanation and we take the table in the back corner, away from the staff and opposite the kitchen. Several big guys in black suits are sitting at the bar, and I recognize one of them from Greece and the plane ride.
“Your guys?” I ask, nodding toward them.
“They’ll watch our backs, make sure Yiannis doesn’t try something stupid.” He leans against the leather cushioning in his booth and studies me, frowning slightly. “You okay? You look tired.”
“I didn’t sleep well. Also, you’re not supposed to tell a lady she looks tired.”
“What a shame. You had the comfortable bed, too.”
“I was too busy thinking about that bomb you dropped on me.”
“You mean the truth?”
“So you say.”
He shrugs and waves me off. “Yeah, I get it, we’re back to being enemies. Probably better this way, flower. You were getting too comfortable.”
“I was getting too comfortable?” I glare at him and dig my fingers into the table. “You’re the one that kept kissing me and touching me and—”
“Your wine,” the manager says, placing down two glasses and filling them with a flourish. I glare at Luca, cheeks burning pink. I take a long sip to cover my sudden embarrassment and Luca only smirks at me like he finds my anger amusing.
“Let’s clear something up before this meeting starts,” Luca says, staring at me like he’s not sure if he wants to pin me down and fuck me, or if he wants to strangle me to death. Frankly, I’m not sure which one I’d prefer either. “You’re still my wife. You tried to escape last night, but you had your reasons, I get it. I also understand you don’t believe me when I say we didn’t kill your father and brothers. But none of that matters. In this, we’re on the same side. Understood?”
I nod sharply. “But Luca, Adrienne—”
“Later. After the meeting. I’ll take care of your friends, you have my word.” He sits up straight and nods. “They’re coming.”
He stands to greet Yiannis and another young Greek man with dark eyes and dark hair and stubble on his cheeks. Both men are wearing suits, like Luca, and I feel underdressed in a navy designer outfit that shows off my back and flatters my chest. Luca says he picked it out so I could distract the Greeks with my cleavage, but I think he just wants to distract himself. Not that I care either way. I’m aware that I’m just a prop for these men right now.
I wore the stupid dress. I came to this damn meeting. But all I want to do is talk about Adrienne.
I texted her this morning and she says she’s fine and she hasn’t seen that van yet today, but there’s still a creeping, terrible feeling running down my spine.
I think she’s in danger and I’m worried someone might use her to somehow hurt me or Luca or both of us—whether that’s Luca’s own family, some rogue Greek crime lord, or the Russians, I don’t really know.