Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
I come back to the room a few minutes later, shaking my head. "Did you go on a little shopping spree?"
"I picked up a few things," he says with a shrug. "We're having steak for dinner too. Supposedly, liver is really good for you, but that sounds disgusting."
I nod in agreement. "I’d rather be in pain than eat that. But I don’t want to stay in bed all day.”
"Just for today," he says softly but firmly. "After today, I'll consider letting you out of bed again. But for now, you stay here."
Frustration wells in my chest, and I cross my arms, staring him down.
"But I don’t want to."
I barely refrain from stomping my foot like a damn brat. "What if I get out of bed anyway?"
He gives me a look and quirks an eyebrow.
"Do you know exactly what will happen if you get your little ass out of bed?"
"Don't patronize me."
"Don't disobey me."
I throw my hands up in the air. "I don't need to stay in bed all day!"
"And if you step foot out of bed, you won't sit for a fucking week. So maybe make a choice."
A little thrill runs through me.
Why do I like this?
I’m not going to unpack that right now. I’m still trying to sort out the whole cage thing.
"Bed," he says sternly.
"Fine, Daddy," I throw back at him.
Oh fuck. I’m not prepared for that feral look in his eyes.
My heart sings. This, this, HIM.
He picks me up and gives my ass a—kind of—gentle smack. For him.
He doesn't want to hurt me because I’m already in pain. Oh my god, he's so cute. Bossy prick.
"You are so fucking lucky that you're not feeling well right now," he mutters as he carries me back to bed. "I swear to god, I would redden that pretty ass of yours so damn fast.”
"Is that a promise?" I tease, trying to sound sultry, which only earns me an adorable growl.
He lays me back down, and I’m very reluctant to admit that it actually feels really good. Fresh sheets, clean linens, and a thick duvet still warm from the hot water bottle he tucked inside.
I sigh contentedly.
"See? It's not that bad. And I have a couple of other things to keep you busy too. First, Rafail has a job for you."
He grabs the huge tablet, rifles through a couple of apps, and taps one.
“See this? You can help. Yana is going to walk straight into Interpol and erase every shred of evidence they have on us.”
I blink. “I’m sorry, she’s doing what?”
Matvei doesn’t even look up. “You heard me. They’ve got files—names, locations, transactions. Your picture. It’s bad. Yana is the only one who can get inside without raising alarms, with your help.”
I stare at the screen, the official database pulled up in front of me. “And how does she plan on doing this?”
“That’s where you come in, of course. She needs an airtight cover—new credentials, backstory, access to codes. You’re going to make her disappear into the system.”
I exhale, already calculating the layers of forgery I’ll need to pull this off. “And if she gets caught?”
His expression darkens, and my heart thumps. “She won’t.”
Okay, alright.
I rub my hands together with glee.
I didn’t want to lie in bed all day because all I’d do is think about how uncomfortable I am. But now that I have a job to do? That’s so much better.
"But she doesn’t need that until tonight, so you can take your time. However, after that…" He smirks. "I downloaded a few things."
I flip through, my eyes widening at the details.
Wow, I love this.
"There are three different streaming apps for you. Zoya and Ember did give me a whole list of books for you to read, but I don’t trust them. They read mafia romance. Who the fuck does that?"
"Um, me? Starting today?"
He shakes his head, smirking at me.
"I downloaded a couple of games too. No idea what they are. They were highly rated.”
I narrow my eyes suspiciously. "Why did you do all this?"
"Because I’m trying to make sure that I don’t have to tie you to the bed," he says with practiced patience. Then he lowers his voice, and his eyes darken, half-lidded.
"Believe me, I have every intention of tying you to this bed. But not until you're better."
A shiver runs through me, heat pooling in my stomach.
“Wait. Did you buy me…a teddy bear?”
A caramel brown teddy sits at the foot of the bed.
He shrugs. “So what if I did?”
Then his phone rings.
"Under the covers," he orders. "I have to take this."
I curl up, flipping through the tablet with glee. It’s slick. And I love this next job.
Yana is intelligent and capable. I know precisely what kind of disguise I'm going to put her in.
And she's going to love it.
I’m flipping through my contacts, creating the document she needs, and making really good progress when I hear Matvei on the other line.