Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59983 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 300(@200wpm)___ 240(@250wpm)___ 200(@300wpm)
“Funny seeing you here,” Roman drawls, like he’s some kind of royalty walking into my space.
“Not really,” I reply. “It’s my bakery.” I’m not playing any damn games with him.
“Your bakery?” He smiles, cruel and mocking. “I’m not so sure about that.”
I cross my arms and don’t change my expression.
“Because I happen to have a contract your parents signed, that states this shithole is mine unless that money is paid off.” He’s too smug about it, like this is the deciding line that he thinks I’ll bow to.
The future of the bakery is a huge detail that Anton and I will need to address. Even with his love and knowing he’ll provide for me and our child, I refuse to entertain charity from him. But it’s not anything to discuss with Roman.
“It’s not yours,” Jenni argues, still at my side. “It’s your father’s.”
“This loan is too small an account for him to even care about,” Roman growls. “This is my account. You owe me.” He stabs a finger at his chest and leans in, as though to intimidate me. His angry face doesn’t make me budge.
“It doesn’t matter that he brought you to that gala last night. You’re nothing to him. You know that, right, Liliana?” He scoffs, shaking his head. “You’re nothing to a man like him. He’s not going to waste any more time on some fat, frigid bitch. A nobody in debt.”
I blink and lift my chin higher. “Are you through with your tantrum yet?”
“No. This isn’t a fucking tantrum, you stupid whore.” He pounds his fist on the counter. Jenni jumps, and I grit my teeth, wishing I could slap him. With those two amateurs here, though, I’m wary of lashing out. I have to keep a level head. It’s not only myself and the workers I’m worried about. I need to protect my baby, too.
“You think he’s going to choose you? Keep you? That’s what’s so fucking comical. Last night you play his woman, and here you are again, done with the dream and back to slaving away for this pathetic bakery you’ll never pay me back for and never own again.”
I sigh, wishing he’d burn off this hysterical energy and go whine to someone else.
“You don’t agree?” he taunts. “You really think he’s going to commit to you?”
I don’t reply, letting him stew in my silence as an answer.
I don’t think it.
I know Anton will stand by me and our child.
“This place will be gone if you don’t quit this bullshit. Knock off this nonsense,” he warns, slanting toward me. “Stop seeing my father.”
I smile, and damn, if that doesn’t trip him into rage.
“This is a fucking joke, Liliana. End it with him and let me take you back.”
“No.” I can’t help but bark a single incredulous laugh. “Now leave.”
My head snaps to the side with the smack across my cheek. One of the men flanking him keeps his arm raised, hand flat, ready to hit me again. I press my palm to my cheek, burning from the impact.
I can’t believe he actually hit me.
That Roman’s trying to start a war like this.
“Get the fuck out of here,” I growl.
Jenni moves closer to pull me back.
The other man sneers as he raises a gun and aims it at my head. “Watch your attitude.”
I tense, holding my breath. I barely register the door opening behind them. But I don’t miss the pure fear that snaps the idiot’s eyes wide. His head tips forward slightly, as if something is pressing against the back of it.
Roman scowls, twisting to see why his friend is freezing up. As he completes his turn and faces the newcomer, all blood drains from his face.
28
ANTON
Ipress my loaded gun to the back of the man’s skull. His name doesn’t come to me, not that it matters with the red-hot rage rushing through my veins.
Whoever he is, he’s new. A recruit who probably figured that teaming up with Roman and doing what he says would move him up the Bratva faster. Just because Roman’s my son.
He’s not.
Not anymore.
From this day forward, I will not deviate from the line drawn between us.
Viktor gets the other man under control. A couple of my guards are with me, and they fill the narrow space in front of the bakery counter.
All I can think as this rage consumes me is that I’ll never stop being grateful I got here when I did. That I arrived before anything serious could happen. Before any harm could come to the woman I love, the mother of my unborn child.
Roman pivots just enough to see me. He pales. For the first time since he came into this world, he doesn’t fall back on his usual tricks. There’s no fake charm, no cocky grin, no wheedling for a way out. He’s not even trying to flatter me down from my anger.