Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“I’ve seen pictures of Drake Donovan. He doesn’t look much older than you.”
“He isn’t. How old were you when you lost your mother?”
“I’d just turned eighteen. I didn’t have a clue what to do.”
“That’s when he swooped in and married you, taking care of everything, right?”
She nodded, reluctant to talk about her past with him. She had to protect him somehow. The less he knew, the better.
“So, you were with him a year? Two? You don’t look very old.”
She shrugged. “Almost two years. I feel old. It isn’t every woman who can say her husband set a bomb in a car to kill her. If we weren’t legally married, why bother? Why take the chance?”
“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it? Did he carry an insurance policy on you?”
She hadn’t thought of that. She knew there was one on both of them and the payout was enormous, far more than one million dollars. She leaned her head back, tired of thinking about how stupid she was for falling for Sasha. How stupid she was being for falling for Joshua. At least he was a good man. Anyone who worked for Drake Donovan was a good man. She had to hold on to that, because she was falling.
“You’re so tired, you can’t keep your eyes open,” he said, amusement in his voice. “Go ahead and fall asleep, Sonia, I’ll get you to bed.”
“Tell me more about your mother.”
“She was the best. My father risked his life to get us out of a bad situation. In the end, he was killed, but we got away. She raised me alone. She was young, but she never even looked at another man. She told me my father was the only one and when I found the right woman, I would know and she’d be my only one. I was lucky, baby. I found you.”
She drifted off, his declaration running around in her mind, taking one more piece of her heart.
7
“What’s he like?” Molly asked, taking a bite of the club sandwich she’d ordered. “It’s been a week now. You’ve been with him every night.”
Sonia nodded. “I go to work, so does he, and then he comes over at night.” She didn’t say they talked nearly all night when they weren’t all over each other and every morning she made breakfast for him. They talked then too, laughing so much they could barely eat. He was winding himself around her heart far too fast.
“He doesn’t ever take you out?”
“Out where?” she asked, although she knew what Molly was implying – that Joshua wasn’t seen with her in public.
“To dinner. At least take you to dinner.”
Sonia shook her head. “That’s on me, not him. I’m the one who doesn’t want anyone to know we’re seeing each other.” She didn’t like being in public too much, and Joshua drew attention. She liked to cook and it was nice to have someone to cook for.
“Why?” Molly frowned at her. “I’ve heard a few rumors, but most of the gossip says he works for Donovan Security.”
“Most?” Sonia pounced on that. “What do the others say?” She hoped her name wasn’t linked with Joshua’s in any way. She was working out at his place, drawing and coming up with ideas for the renovations. She’d studied the time period for her own home, so she knew what was needed, but she wanted his home to be special. Modern, but with that old-world feel to it. The house had once represented elegance and class. She wanted that same feel and was determined to get it.
Molly leaned toward her and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Some say he took over Rafe Cordeau’s territory with the mob.”
“Why would they say that?” She knew what it was like being around mobsters, and Joshua’s crew didn’t fit that at all. They were friendly. Hardworking. Nice to delivery people. No one stood around looking mean. “I thought they put those rumors to rest.”
“They carry guns. All of them carry guns.”
Sonia’s breath exploded out of her lungs and she realized she’d been holding her breath. “Of course they carry guns. Is that why they’re being judged? They work for an international security company, and they make enemies taking back hostages.”
Molly nodded. “That’s what Bastien said.”
Sonia’s eyebrow went up. “Bastien said that? You and Bastien are talking about Joshua?”
“Well, I knew you liked him, so I casually asked Bastien about the rumors. He said he’d looked into him and couldn’t find a single thing that linked him positively to the mafia, other than that he knows Elijah Lospostos and Alonzo Massi. He also knows Jake Bannaconni and Eli Perez. Eli was DEA, and Jake is a businessman.” She leaned closer again so her whisper would carry. “He’s a billionaire. Joshua knows a billionaire, Sonia.”
Sonia couldn’t help but smile. “You had quite the conversation with Bastien. Was this over dinner and drinks?”