Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
How she challenges me is brave, unwise perhaps, but still brave. Most women in her position would have cowered before me, begging and pleading for mercy or bargaining with whatever they could in order to win my favor and protect themselves from harm. But not Isla, which means she either has a powerful survival instinct or a deluded death wish. I’m betting on it being the former of the two.
I’ll have to deal with this mess head-on in the morning. I’ll send Luc and my underboss to press their ears to the ground and get a read on how much trouble Isla’s disappearance has caused thus far, and I’ll have Zara, my security specialist, come watch over things here at the penthouse. Perhaps having another woman around could help Isla be less stubborn and more cooperative. I’ll address other pressing issues, then decide my prima ballerina prisoner’s fate. And I won’t let her get inside my head, or even worse, my heart. Nothing can crack that anymore. Hell, I don’t even think there’s anything there inside the hollow of my chest.
But as I stand there for a few more minutes, watching the rise and fall of her breathing and the fluttering of Isla’s eyelids as she dreams behind them, I feel an unfamiliar, uncomfortable beating inside my ribcage. I narrow my eyes as I stare at her, wielding some kind of power over me without even trying to, and I press my palm to my chest to squelch the pulsating beat that thunders behind my ribs like a caged animal trying to get out.
“What are you doing to me?” I whisper quietly before I quickly turn and leave.
CHAPTER 5
VINCENT
“Wow, you kind of look like shit,” Zara says sarcastically when she arrives at the penthouse with coffee in hand the next morning.
Only she could get away with saying something like that to me without fearing my wrath. It’s hard for me to get angry at my sassy, cynical tech and security specialist since the sibling-like bond that we have reminds me a bit of my sister. I keep Zara close, not only because she’s highly intelligent and a valuable hacker, but also because she’s devoutly and unquestionably loyal. I saved her from prison a few times when she was a delinquent foster kid, hacking into things she shouldn’t have been. In return, Zara now works for me.
“I got little sleep last night,” I admit as justification for the dark circles under my eyes.
“Do you ever?” she teases.
She’s not wrong—I rarely sleep. But last night was an even more extreme exception than usual. My memories disturbed me too much for me to close my eyes and rest.
“So, why did you call me here?” she asks as she hands me coffee in a disposable cup.
I wave it away and head to the fancy espresso machine on the kitchen counter. “You shouldn’t drink that crap. Roach droppings likely fill those coffee hoppers at the local cafes. I’ll make you an espresso or a latte, your choice.”
Zara laughs and sticks out her chin. “A latte? Since when did you turn into fancy pants drinking fluffy, designer coffees? A little extra protein in my coffee won’t kill me.”
I roll my eyes and take the cup from her hand to pour it out anyway. Zara acts tough, but underneath that bravado, she’s got a soft heart.
“I called you here because I would like you to monitor my guest for the afternoon,” I say as I make her a latte that even she can’t resist.
“Oh, I heard about her, the ballerina?”
“Yes. She’s proving to be a bit more difficult than I had intended. I thought that she’d respond to you better than she seems to get along with men.”
“Difficult in terms of being hostile or in terms of you not knowing what to do with her?” she asks, keenly observant, as always.
“Both.”
Zara takes the coffee that I hand to her and smiles after enjoying the first sip. “Sure thing. And while I’m here, I can also work on updating the camera surveillance system. It was glitching out a bit the other night. It needs a new software download.”
“Perfect. Thank you,” I nod as I reach for my jacket. “Junior is standing by the door outside. I’ll be taking care of a few things downstairs at the club. And if she tries to con you into leaving the penthouse, the answer is a very firm no.”
“So, she’s not exactly a guest, then, I’m guessing?”
“More of a mandatory stay,” I say as I walk out into the hallway.
“Morning, boss,” Junior says dutifully.
“No one goes in or out until I return,” I instruct him.
He nods in compliance as I step into the elevator. My schedule overflows with business, yet I’m headed to the casino this morning for personal reasons.
Despite the bar’s emptiness, I take a seat.