Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92474 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 462(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Fine. The truth is, we were on our way for a meeting with Santiago when we were hit.”
“Carlos Santiago?” she asked. Then she wished she hadn’t spoken as everyone glanced over at her.
“You know him?” Victor asked.
“What? No. I’ve heard of him, though. He has a bad reputation.” She tried not to look at anyone as she said that.
“We’ve all got bad reputations, doll,” Maxim said as he placed a small plate with a roll on it in front of her. She had no appetite though. “But Santiago’s rep is worse.”
“Do you . . . own brothels?” Somehow that thought hadn’t occurred to her.
“No,” Regent said. “We don’t sell flesh.”
She flinched at the term, and Lottie looked slightly ill.
“You think Santiago did this?” Nico asked. “That he paid off that guy to crash into you?”
“Him or someone else, yes. The cops will rule it a drunk-driving incident, I’m sure. But it’s too much of a coincidence. Santiago sent a message telling me he was sorry about the crash. And we didn’t tell anyone what happened.”
“Dumb bastard,” Liam muttered.
“Yeah.”
“Why would Santiago want to take you both out?” Nico asked. “You having issues with him?”
Regent sighed. “We got a tip that Patrick was seen back in the city at one of Santiago’s clubs. We discovered someone boasting about what he was planning on doing to me. And when we, uh, questioned him, we found out that Patrick likes one of Santiago’s dancers. It doesn’t mean he’s working with Santiago, but someone has to be helping him. Hiding him from me.”
“So, what are you going to do?” Liam asked.
Regent shared a look at Victor. “We’re going to fight back. I’m working on flipping one of his men. But this attack . . . it means we need to tighten security. That is why everyone is going on lockdown. You don’t travel anywhere without guards. None of you. Liam, you’re to take Lottie and Nico home. I told Jardin to keep his family far away for a while. He’s not happy, but he’s going to take them to Haven to see our cousins.”
Victor tore off a small piece of the cinnamon roll and held it to her lips.
“I’m not hungry,” she whispered.
“Eat.”
Argh. Fine. She took the bite, but her tummy didn’t react well.
“Maxim, this applies to you too. I want you to move back in here.”
Maxim nodded. “Yeah, okay.”
Regent turned to her. “Gracen, you’ll be moving in here as well.”
It wasn’t said as a question. She narrowed her gaze at Regent. He didn’t get to boss her around.
“We’ve already discussed this,” Victor said with a frown at Regent. “Gracen is staying.”
“Good. Now, about your work, we should be able to spare a couple of men to—”
“Don’t worry about that,” she interrupted Regent.
He raised one eyebrow. Whoops, he probably wasn’t used to someone interrupting him.
“You need to be guarded,” Victor told her, not unkindly. “I’m afraid you can’t go to work or anywhere else alone. Having a bodyguard is part of being in this family.”
“You don’t have one,” she pointed out.
“You’re more important than me.”
Oh, no, he didn’t. She turned to scowl at him and prodded his chest with her finger. “What bullshit. You are just as important as anyone else in this room. Right?” She glared around at everyone, daring them to argue.
But they all nodded.
“Of course he is,” Lottie said. “Vicky has always thought he needs to act the bodyguard for the rest of us, but the truth is we’d be lost if anything happened to him.”
Victor shifted around on his seat, obviously uncomfortable, but she didn’t care. He needed to hear this. She turned to Regent.
“Nothing will happen to any member of my family,” Regent swore. “They all mean everything to me. And Victor has more importance than he knows.”
Victor leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Brat. You’ll pay for this.”
Poor Victor, he was all embarrassed.
“And he doesn’t have a bodyguard because he refuses to,” Regent told her.
“That’s going to change.”
“Indeed,” Regent replied. She thought she heard a hint of amusement in his voice.
“I like you even more now,” Lottie told her. “You’re exactly what Victor needs.”
“Thank you.” It was her turn to be embarrassed.
“So, about the bakery,” Regent said. “I can spare two men.”
“No, I didn’t mean I don’t want bodyguards. I’m saying that I don’t think it’s worth reopening at this point.”
“But you love baking,” Victor said.
“Well, it seems you guys need some help around here. I can cook and bake until Gerald gets back.” She glanced at Regent. “If you want me to, that is.”
“That would be very good of you. But I don’t want you to feel obliged.”
“I don’t. I want to help out.”
Victor turned her face up toward his. She stared up at him and shrugged, trying to fight tears.
“Little bit, why don’t you want to go back?”