Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 118309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 592(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
“Double whiskey neat,” Maksim requests from the flight attendant a second after sitting next to me and gathering my hand in his. It is always the same hand. The one with the gigantic diamond my fingers struggle to hold up. “Before you ask, she would have more interest in you than me.” His jaw tics, exposing his jealousy. “Mercifully for her, Slatvena is as possessive as I am.”
It is the wrong time to smile, but I can’t help it. I love his possessiveness. I just wish it didn’t arrive with a ton of protectiveness that could take him away from me.
“I wasn’t worried.” I am honest, hopeful it will see him doing the same. “I was just wondering what happened to your last flight crew.”
Maksim waits for the flight attendant to place his whiskey on the table in front of us before he twists his torso to face me. He stares at me for several long seconds, making my skin slick with sweat. “Is there something you want to know, Doc?”
When I sheepishly nod, he waves his hand across his body, giving me unrestricted access to the floor. It is the prime opportunity to ask him about Dr. Abdulov and his Trudny District counterpart, but you’ll never triumph a wolf if you go straight for the kill shot. The slow, smart hunt always yields results, so it is the tactic I’ll use.
“What happened to your last flight crew?”
Maksim takes a generous gulp of whiskey before the rattles of the jet whizzing down the runway can spill a drop, and licks the remnants from his lips before replying, “Although I don’t believe they deserved another cent from me, they were offered a redundancy package.”
“Because?” I ask, feeling like his answer is unfinished.
“Because although they were out of line”—his stare is almost too much. It is needy and lusty but also pronged with admiration—“you’ve proven time and time again that words can’t hurt you, so I offered a rare leniency.”
I smile, thanking him for his honesty before sliding toward home plate. “I was informed today that Dr. Abdulov was under investigation for multiple malpractice suits.” His lack of surprise indicates he was aware of his impending charges. “Is that why you…?” I still struggle to place him and murder in the same sentence.
“Yes,” he answers after a beat, his voice barely heard over the roar of the jet’s engine as it launches us into the air. “And despite the look you’re giving me, I would do it again in a heartbeat if I was forced to go back.”
“I’m not looking at you differently.” I am, but not in the way he is thinking. “I’m just trying to understand.” I scoot closer until our thighs brush. “If the law was already investigating the matter, why not wait until they reached a verdict before responding?”
“Because that isn’t how things work in my industry. We’re governed by a different set of rules.” He seems more displeased by his reply than pleased.
His eyes snap to me when I say, “Mafia law?” I smile at his shock before muttering, “Not every book I read is fictionally based.” I sink back to my side of our shared seat before releasing a slow, long breath. “A Bratva entity took my mother. When my father was sentenced to life, but they got away with their crimes with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, I researched them and anyone associated with them.” Tears burn my eyes when I recall how unjust both my mother’s and father’s cases were. “They convicted my father because they said they had no evidence that my mother was assaulted.” My voice cracks even though it is barely a whisper. “They lied. I took the samples myself. There was trauma no woman should ever face, and multiple indicators that exposed there was more than one assailant.”
When I can’t hold back my sob, Maksim undoes my belt and plucks me from my seat. A handful of tears splash onto his shirt, but for the most part, I keep it together.
It is a challenging feat.
Even more so when Maksim mutters, “The men who took your mother were not Bratva.” He holds on tight when I try to wiggle out of his clutch, refusing eye contact. “They were part of a crime syndicate that worked out of the hospital that denied Stefania’s operation. The same syndicate working out of Myasnikov Private until a few weeks ago.”
The sheer bewilderment in my tone can’t be missed. “But my father… he killed the men responsible.”
“No,” Maksim denies. “He killed the men who raped your mother and left her for dead.” His heart thumps against my ear. “I killed the man who let her injuries overcome her before convincing her daughter that her legacy would live on if she donated her organs.”
He holds on to me long enough for the truth to smack into me, and then he lets me go so I can make sure I have the facts straight by peering into his eyes.