Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 231(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
I don’t bother hiding my delight that I’ve progressed further than his quickie Vegas marriage. He can’t see my smile since he is in front of me—though you wouldn’t know that from how clammy his hand gets when I set it free.
My heart is already in a state of disrepair, but it surges to coronary failure territory when we pass through thick plastic curtains at the side of a warehouse. All the catering products I wrote down, and a handful of missed ones, stretch from one wall to the next.
Everything I need to bring Justine’s wedding reception to its glory is in this room. He even sourced the engraved caviar spoons most guests don’t know how to use.
“How?” My mouth moves, but that is all that comes out.
I’m too shocked to speak.
I didn’t give him my list, so how did he get everything I need?
I’m torn between hollering in excitement and growling in anger when Nero answers, “The buyer Roy sought was a friend of a friend. He had no clue he was purchasing stolen goods. He thought it was a regretful sale of a once-loved business because of the dissolution of a marriage.”
I talk through the lump in my throat when the entirety of his reply works through the lust haze stealing my smarts. “This is my stuff?”
Nero nods, and the nonchalance of his response makes me laugh. It is highly inappropriate, but it is either laugh or tackle him to the floor and let him impregnate me like the desire shouldn’t only ruminate from the exhaustion of multiple orgasms.
Regretfully, I go for what I believe society will find acceptable for a woman still technically married.
“Will Roy get in trouble for this?” I pick up a napkin holder I purchased specifically for Nikolai and Justine’s wedding before twisting to face Nero. “I don’t care about what happens to Roy. I’m just curious as to the process of selling stolen goods to someone in the mafia.”
“Bratva,” Nero corrects. “This is the bratva.”
He twists his kissable lips, disappointing me that I went for the route society deems acceptable even after he’s proven time and time again the past week that it isn’t close to what I crave.
“And I guess it depends.”
“On?” I ask, his reply seemingly unfinished, and fighting like hell not to backflip on my earlier decision.
Nothing but honesty rings in his tone when he steps so close to me that I can smell my perfume on his skin. “On how you want to punish him.” He frees my lower lip from my menacing teeth before he says, “He stole your belongings, butterfly. So you’re the only one who can choose his punishment.”
I place down the engraved napkin ring before stepping closer to him. I’m grateful for the natural rub of my thighs. I need something to take the edge off before I make a fool of myself.
“Is that how it usually works in the bratva?”
With how fast the bulge in Nero’s crotch grows, you’d swear I moaned my last word while climaxing. That’s how rapidly his cock thickens from my underhanded respect of his world.
“Is the person who was hurt always the judge of their perpetrator’s punishments?”
My answer doesn’t come from Nero. It is from a voice outside the room. “Not always… but a king who respects his queen is always open to compromise.”
My heart patters in my ears when Nikolai enters the room. He has the swagger of a man who knows how attractive he is but also the aura of a mass murderer. Unlike the times we’ve met previously, when his wife-to-be was present, he screams danger and is extremely on edge.
After taking in my flushed cheeks and Nero’s balled hands, Nikolai shifts to his left. “Is everything here?”
Again, the chance to answer is given by an outside source. “From what I can see, yeah.”
A guy who’d have to be at least seven feet tall joins our trio, plumping it out to a quartet. I’ve seen him previously, though we’ve never officially met. He was behind the steering wheel of the vehicle Nero was seated in when I exited the hotel.
“Though I wouldn’t say no to a second look from someone in the know.”
When everyone’s eyes shift to me, I melt like a popsicle on a hot summer’s day.
It isn’t in a good way.
Nero’s gaze is still hooded, but some of the lust brimming in his eyes only moments ago has switched to anger, meaning they now house as much unease as Nikolai and the unnamed man hold.
They’re hard for me to read. I can’t tell if they’re looking at me as their friend or the enemy Trey warned Nero about earlier.
“Um…” I swallow to replenish my throat with spit before saying, “We did a stock take recently to prepare for tax season. I have a copy of the report on my laptop…”