Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 278(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“Two of your son’s men.”
He muttered in Russian and Lance waited. “Anything else missing?”
“Not so far.” He reached out and took a drink of his iced soda. “To be fair, I’m only halfway through.”
“Save it and come with me.”
Without a word, Lance shut down the computer and got to his feet. He took another drink before following Dusan out of the office.
Two of his daughters were running through the home and they skidded to a stop when they saw him.
“Papa.” The youngest, Agata, was five and she had glossy brown hair in braided pigtails. Her yellow polka-dot dress hovered around her ankles.
“Agata,” he rumbled, bending to pick her up and toss her in the air.
Her older sister by two years, Iya, was pale blonde and her hair was yanked back in a single ponytail braid.
“You two should be somewhere else. Where is your nanny?”
Iya shrugged. “Michel had her cornered in the playroom. I didn’t want to see him hitting her anymore before he fucked her.”
It’s sad, her language and his behavior don’t surprise me any longer.
He set her down and made his way to the door. “Find your mother.”
His men flanked him and Lance trailed them. They piled into his waiting SUV and Lance didn’t say a word, just stretched out his legs as they began moving. Ten minutes into the ride, he withdrew his phone and opened his contacts.
My woman was the one he clicked on, and he sent her a short message.
Business is running long, not sure when I’ll be home.
“Where did you meet your Jasmine?”
“Running from the cops.”
An amused snort escaped the man who had been like ice the years he’d been with him. The few times he’d witnessed the man show something else was around his daughters. But for some reason, he found Jasmine entertaining.
“She is a unique woman.”
Lance nodded, thinking this was a basic conversation, talking about his woman. For a moment it wasn’t crime boss and lackey going who knew where to do who knew what, just two men in the back of a vehicle.
“I want her to do more for me. She is fast, thinks on her feet and isn’t fooled.”
Every instinct in him wanted to yell ‘fuck no’ to the man but Lance swallowed that desire.
“I don’t speak for her.”
Another chuckle. “I know, I wanted to see if you would try to keep me from talking to her.”
The urge to end his life for even thinking that he could be close to Jasmine slammed into Lance. “Like I said, my woman can speak for herself.”
“I know, but you should tell her to listen to me and accept the offer. It may be smarter that way.”
Anger burned but Lance didn’t respond other than a shrug. The rest of the ride passed in silence. When they pulled up at the docks, Lance knew his day was about to get bloody.
Damn it all, I’m ready to be done with this.
Chapter Eight
In the midst of chaos there is also opportunity.
~ Sun Tzu
The television was on low as he walked up from the hallway. Lance didn’t think Jasmine was even watching anything, she just stared at the wall. He swiped two beers from the fridge, opened them then continued to the living room where she sat.
Without a word, he sat beside her and offered her one. Jasmine wore one of his shirts and a pair of his boxers. She looked fucking adorable and he wanted to keep her in his clothing. She put the beer bottle right against her crotch as she sat there but didn’t look at him.
“What are you thinking about?”
“My nephew.”
He’d already swept for bugs so knew this conversation would be fine to have.
“What about him?”
“That I’m missing him growing up. He doesn’t know me and I don’t know him. Hell, I barely know my sister. My twin.”
Her agony pulled at his soul. What was left of it anyway. Beer on the table in front of them, he angled his body toward her, making sure he didn’t physically touch her. Not that losing themselves in the bliss of the physical was bad, for it wasn’t, but he sensed she needed something more right now.
“When was the last time you spoke to any of them?”
She sniffed and his gut wrenched at the sight of one solitary tear making a solemn trek along her skin.
Fuck it.
Lance reached out and swiped it away with the pad of his thumb.
“Jasmine?”
“I spoke to her on Christmas when he was first born. Other than that, it’s been nothing but cards.”
She ran her hands over her face before pushing them through her hair and exhaling even as she flattened her lips. As she shook her head, slightly, she put the bottle to her lips and drank.
Lance held his tongue as she drained the bottle and put it on the coffee table with a yawn.