Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 60572 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60572 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 303(@200wpm)___ 242(@250wpm)___ 202(@300wpm)
It didn’t matter. I felt the reality of what happened settle in my gut.
I snuggled in close to him and refused to let the moment shatter. I could deal with the repercussions later.
For now, I’d enjoy the post-orgasm glow, and the feeling of his arms wrapped around my body.
Chapter 16
Nervosa
I was surprised when Melanie took me into her room. I was floored when she let me strip off her clothes.
I was in heaven when she told me she was a virgin.
It made sense. A rich girl in a rich cage, with no real prospects. It must’ve been hell, growing up surrounded by comfort and privilege, and being unable to truly live.
I felt like I understood her drive to uncover her family’s history better. It wasn’t just about getting truth and justice—it was about so much more.
Freedom and responsibility and a quest for self-realization.
I slept in a different room that night. No reason to give the staff something to gossip about. I couldn’t tell if she’d wanted me to leave or not, but I managed to pull myself from that couch and the delicious embrace of her smooth skin.
I dreamed about her. About her lips and moans. About her legs wrapped around my hips as I fucked her until she came. In the morning, I woke cold and alone, my fingers gripping the sheets. Sweat drenched my skin.
“What’s happening to you?” I whispered to myself. It was still dark outside. Barely past five in the morning.
I got up, showered, and dressed. I found my way down into the dining room, where a surprised staff girl brought me coffee and a paper. I drank and read, and toast appeared not long after. I was halfway finished with the front page when the door opened and a man stepped inside.
I looked up, and we both froze.
Redmond Orchard looked a little bit like his sister. They had the same nose and hair. But where she was petite and soft, he was hard and square. He wore casual clothes, jeans and a button-down, and his skin was still damp from a shower. I guessed he’d only just arrived not long ago.
“Hello, Nervosa,” he said, standing in the doorway.
“Good morning.” I smiled, doing my best to defuse the situation. “Coffee?”
He snorted and took the seat across from me. We stared at each other, and I almost felt sorry for the girl that brought him an espresso and a buttered English muffin.
“I didn’t expect to see you until later,” he said, doing his best to keep his tone level.
“And I hoped I’d have your sister to break the ice. But here we are.”
His jaw flexed. I wondered if he guessed at what I’d done with Melanie the day before.
Not that I wanted to flaunt something so private in front of her brother. Only, I hoped he wouldn’t make assumptions and start this meeting out with aggression.
He sipped his espresso and held it between his hands as if savoring the warmth.
“Melanie told me you wanted to speak. Most Oligarchs make an appointment with my people and we choose neutral ground.”
My lips quirked. “I wanted to avoid the normal channels.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because my fellow western Oligarchs are going to try to kill you.”
He sat back, eyebrows raised. The silence was thick and impenetrable.
I let my statement sit. It was dramatic, but I needed him to understand the gravity of our situation. This wasn’t some dick-measuring, muscle-flexing Oligarch bullshit, but a real plan to move on his territory.
“Okay,” he said, speaking slowly, drawing it out. “Why would you come here and tell me that? You realize it doesn’t paint you in a very positive light.”
“I understand,” I said, pushing my toast to the side. I leaned forward on my elbows. “But I don’t agree with my fellows. If I can do something to avoid the inevitable war, I’d like to try now before it’s too late.”
“Why come to me? Why not Roman or Darren or Kaspar? Hell, even my wife.”
I snorted and shook my head. “I don’t know your wife. And your territory is the closest to ours. You’ll be the first hit in what’s coming.”
“And what’s coming, exactly?”
I leaned back, studying him.
I’d thought about this moment for days before coming here. I pictured what I wanted to say and how he’d react. But now that I was sitting across from him, I saw my plans crumbling to dust. It wasn’t realistic to think he’d take this news well, especially if I gave him all the details. He’d blame me, or find a way to blame me, and I wouldn’t get out of this house alive.
“War,” I said quietly, forcing him to lean in. “You’ve all grown too strong. You and your wife are both Oligarchs. That’s bad enough. But Roman, Darren, and Kaspar have all strengthened and consolidated their holdings. Roman’s spreading overseas. Kaspar broke into Japan. I know what comes next, and so do the others.”