Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 35602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
That photo... he knows who I am.
I shoot one more guard in the face and blood sprays me. The last bullet finds its way into the last man's chest, and he falls to the ground, groaning. I kick him in the face hard, ending his tyrant reign.
"Not today, fuckers," I say to their corpses, winking at Yvette who's shivering on the ground. "Come on. We have to get out of here before it's too late."
Chapter 9
XAVIER
It was Saul's idea to come to the strip club.
I didn't want to come. I prefer losing myself in drink and the work that I have to do for the cartel, but Saul said I needed a distraction. That getting out of the house would help me maybe get me help me get my mind off of things.
And now here we are, sitting in the front row. Best seats in the house. Staring at scantily clad women on the stage. But I can bring myself to enjoy the show. My mind is still stuck on her.
It's like a record repeating itself over and over again. Tallulah is front and center in my mind and always will be. I should have realized that a long time ago. I should have caged her to my bed so she could never escape. But I underestimated her and now, I'm paying the price.
I can see one of the strippers, a gorgeous girl with raven hair, eyeing me, but she seems too afraid to approach me. I assume most of the women here feel the same way. After all, I am the capo of the most notorious cartel in the city. And I'm sure even if they don't know, I exude an air of confidence and arrogance that prevents them from sitting on my lap or offering me a lap dance.
"You're lost in your thoughts again, aren't you, Xavier?" Saul asks. "You should get your mind off of things, enjoy tonight. There won't be many nights like this."
"What do you mean by that?" I grumble.
"I mean, unless you find some way to fill the hole that Tallulah left behind in your heart, you're never going to get over her. You need to get with another woman. And look what a fine choice we have."
I raise my eyes to the stage again, admiring the dancers. Their outfits are beautiful and they look gorgeous. But I have no desire to take one of them back home, though I'm sure any of them would appreciate the chance.
"I have an idea," Saul suggests. "Maybe we could find some women some who look like her. You could take it out on them. You know, like you used to like doing with her. Maybe that will help you to slowly get over this vixen and all the trouble she's caused to your life."
"That's a terrible idea," I mutter. "I have no interest in any of these women and I don't want to fuck them."
"I think you'll be changing her mind soon enough," Saul smirks before standing up and walking over to the bartender. He whispers something in her ear. It doesn't take long before I'm escorted into a champagne room.
But I'm uneasy, my thoughts still preoccupied with the one who got away.
Still, I follow the girls' lead and walk into the champagne room where I'm now alone with ten women. Saul walks in close behind me and smirks when he sees me sitting on the couch.
"Still not in a better mood?" he asks me and I wordlessly shake my hand. "Maybe this will change your mind. Girls, why don't you present yourselves to Xavier here. Maybe one of you will be lucky enough to get to experience him."
The first girl steps forward, and instantly my mind begins to think of all the things that are wrong with her. She's confident, wearing a smirk and an expression that tells me she's well versed in the art of everything they do here.
"My name is-" she starts, but I cut her off, shaking my hand dismissively. Her face looks crestfallen. But Saul walks her out of the room anyway.
"Okay, so that one didn't fit your criteria. How about this one?" He pushes another girl forward.
This one looks similar to Tallulah, though her hair is a few shades darker and her eyes are brighter. But the attitude is almost right. She stares at the floor, too shy to look up at me or maybe too intimidated by all of the stories she's heard about the ruthless leader of the Scorpion cartel.
"She's pretty, isn't she?" Saul asks, trailing a finger down her collarbone. But now I have no interest in the girl anymore. I'm possessive, jealous. The only way I'll have a woman as if no other man has ever had her.
"This is stupid," I say. "We're never going to find the right girl here. There is only one Tallulah. None of these girls are virgins, are they?"