Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 95627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
The entire night, he was attentive and caring; by the end, something fundamental between us had changed.
When I looked at him, I didn't see the monster who traded lives like they were playing cards.
I saw the man who loved his family, who created jobs and often beat people at their own game.
I saw the man who was born into a violent life who had to make hard choices.
Somehow, he had made me see beyond the bloodshed to the man.
I couldn't tell what was real, what was a carefully constructed manipulation, or what was his true self.
That terrified me more than anything else—the possibility that I was falling for a fiction, a calculated performance designed to break me.
Or worse, that I was falling for the real man behind the monster.
CHAPTER 36
ARTEM
The silence of the estate shattered with the sharp crack of gunfire.
The sound jolted me from my sleep. Instinctively, I reached for Viktoria, but she wasn't there.
She should have been in bed next to me, fast asleep, but she was gone. My heart pounded as more shots were fired.
I grabbed the pistol that was fixed to the bottom of the bedside table and checked that it was loaded.
First, I had to find Viktoria; I had to get her safe, secured, and then I would deal with the intruders.
My phone buzzed on the table. I grabbed it to see a message from Gregor.
Gregor: The compound has been compromised.
No shit.
Gregor: Damien says there is a guard they paid off, so they got past all of security until they reached the house you're in. I'm sending backup, once the others are secured.
I didn't bother with getting dressed.
After dinner, Viktoria and I had more wine and talked late into the night.
When I brought her to bed, she was more than a little tipsy.
So instead of ending the night deep inside her like I planned, I slid on a pair of sweatpants and just held her while she slept.
Now she was gone, and this house was compromised.
Keeping her safe was my top priority, and I had failed.
I moved silently across the bedroom, praying to any god that would listen that she was in the bathroom.
Finally, someone above was paying attention.
I opened the bathroom door to a disheveled and scared Viktoria.
"What was that noise?" she asked, even though she knew. Her eyes were wide and scared, her fists balled in the hem of the oversized T-shirt I had put on her to sleep in. Even now there was something so satisfying about seeing her wear my shirt.
I placed my finger on my lips to tell her to be silent as I grabbed her hand.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked in a hushed, tense voice.
I didn't answer her. There wasn't time to talk this out and ask her what she would like to do. I needed her to be quiet and to understand. She wanted information, she wanted to fight, and I just didn't have the time to give either to her.
Viktoria needed to understand that when I had the luxury of time, I would explain my decisions to her. When I didn't, she needed to follow orders and trust that I would give her an explanation when it was time.
I pulled her back into the bedroom, opening the massive walk-in closet. She fought me harder, but I didn't care. With the hand that still held the gun, I moved aside a picture frame and typed in the security code.
This was why I had chosen this room to be the master. The rooms upstairs had better views, more luxurious bathrooms with soaking tubs and even sitting areas I knew Viktoria would have loved.
However, this was the bedroom that had the closet with the faux back that held the panic room.
"What are you doing? We need to call the police, we need to—" Her words were cut off when I pushed her into the small room. It was large enough to hold a small table and provisions if she needed. Best of all—it could only be opened from the outside.
She tried to push her way out, but I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close.
"I'll come and get you as soon as it's clear."
"And what if you're dead?"
"The second I lock the door, Gregor's security team will be notified that someone is in the safe room. If I die, they'll come get you."
She opened her mouth to say something else, so I kissed her hard on the mouth.
I kissed her like it was the last time I'd ever get a taste of the indignation on her sweet lips.
I poured every ounce of love I had for this woman into it.
"Let me protect you, princess," I said, pressing my forehead to hers when I broke the kiss. "I can't fight these men if I don't know you are safe. Please stay here."