Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Her arms twine around my neck, and she holds me tight, her breath coming in sobs.
“I love you,” I murmur against her ear, nipping the shell with my teeth.
She goes still, her heart beating against mine. “I love you, too,” she whispers.
That’s when I know it’s all over for me. This woman walked in and flipped my entire life in one week’s time. She makes me feel whole in a way I haven’t felt since Valentina died. I don’t ever want her to walk back out.
If Abrasha Rostov tries to take her from me again, I will end him.
Chapter Twenty
Baron
After Lara and I shower, we make it downstairs to find Melinda curled up on the couch with Anders.
Her face is pale, and her eyes are red. She somehow looks even skinnier than usual. Frail breakable. It makes me want to pop someone’s head off their neck for hurting her.
She sends me a teary glare. “You can’t ban me from your house after what happened.”
Christ. I feel terrible for hurting her like that.
“Of course not.” I walk over and lean down to give her a tight hug. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
“I guess you were right,” she said, her voice clogged with tears. “I did bring unwanted attention to your house.”
“No. I had it backward. We already had the attention, and they used you to get to us. Instead of keeping you away, I should’ve brought you closer in.”
Anders clears his throat. “That’s good because she doesn’t want to be alone right now, and I said she could stay in my room.” He looks like he has a litany of arguments prepared to throw at me when I refuse, but it’s a good idea.
I need her closer, so I can protect her. If her dad becomes Vice President of the United States, and they put Secret Service on her, I’ll deal with that problem then. After this morning, I suspect they already know who I am and what I might be up to. I doubt much gets past Black Shirt.
“Good,” I say. “I want you here where we can protect you.”
Relief sweeps over Ander’s face, and Melinda settles back into the crook of his arm.
“Melinda, this is my wife, Lara.”
Lara gives her a hug as well. “I’m so sorry you got attacked.”
The sound of my voice has pulled various house members into the living room. Alex and Leo show up, and the twins.
“She wasn’t raped,” Anders says quietly. “The DNA tests came back, and she was just drugged.”
Thank fuck. I don’t have to figure out how to dispose of a body today.
Leo speaks up. “I pulled every recording with Melinda in the frame from the party, and no one appears to have come close to her, at least not that we caught with cameras.”
Melinda shakes her head. ”No, I didn’t even get a drink while I was here, so there would be no opportunity. I brought my own water bottle. And I was only with Anders.”
Anders has one arm around the back of the sofa behind her shoulders, and he strokes the back of her head.
“So we’re thinking the security guard, right?” I say.
“Yeah. I’ve got a name on him,” Anya says. “Gregory Smith. He’s not a member of Titan house, but he is on the football team.”
“He’s a sophomore,” Alex says. “Not that bright. Football scholarship.”
“Do you think you can hack his bank records?” I ask. “Maybe they paid him to do it.”
“I already did.” Anya looks smug. “There are no large deposits recently made to his account. But they could’ve paid him cash.”
“True,” I muse.
“I also have his address, found out he lives alone, and he’s working right now.”
“Did you now?” I roll my shoulders. “Who is up for a little recon?” I glance at Leo.
“I’ll get my lock picks.”
Melinda gets up from the sofa, and Anders follows. “I’m going.”
“Me too,” Lara says.
I wince. “We’ll be breaking the law, malyshka. I don’t want you involved.”
Lara’s mouth takes on a stubborn set. “I’m going.”
Everyone else politely looks away.
Fuck. If there’s one thing I learned from my dad it was not to involve family in the business. Keep things clean at home. Lara is my wife and shouldn’t be tainted with anything illegal.
But she’s ready to throw down with me over this, and I don’t want to be the bad guy anymore. It feels too good to have her on my side for a change.
I draw in a breath and let it out. “Fine.”
Suddenly everyone is up and moving.
“Hold up. Not you guys.” I wave my hand at the rest of them.
Alex, Feliks, and Phoenix look disappointed as they sink back to the couch.
“What?” Anya asks with mock innocence. “I thought the sexism had ended. Lara and Melinda are going.”
“I don’t need your dad kicking my ass for getting his precious daughters in trouble. Anders, you should stay, too. If you get caught, you could lose your student visa.”