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)
“He just found out his daughter-in-law is still alive.” Joshua wanted to punch the wall. “I have to tell her. She has to know.”
His phone pinged again and he glanced down. Thanks, man. Sonia’s in here ripping me a new one. She wants me to cancel the order.
He texted back. He was fast and he sent the order immediately. Do not cancel the order. Tell her you need the money. Give her a sob story and she’ll relent. He knew his woman. The sadder the story, the more likely she would back down. I have faith in you. She needs those materials. He knew how Jerry felt about Sonia. The man would do anything for her.
“She’s going to give you trouble,” Evan prophesied.
“Don’t sound so fuckin’ happy about it,” Joshua said. He walked across the room to stand in front of the painting. “Why would he want to buy this? Why make a big deal out of it and just go home without tipping us off that something isn’t right?”
“Good question.”
“He wanted proof, Evan. He wanted the painting and when he couldn’t get it, he took photographs to give someone the evidence. He wanted his son to know – and believe him – that Sonia was alive. The painting depicts the swamp here in New Orleans. He had to know that. I couldn’t very well lie and say I bought it in a city. His leopard would have heard that immediately.”
“You were careful. It was a good thing that we sprayed the house with the scent-canceling formula we got from Remy. It worked when Sonia first came to the house. If we hadn’t, Bogomolov’s leopard would have scented her. She’s been all over the house. I think he bought it that you didn’t know the artist.”
“He bought it for the moment. He’ll have time to think about it and convince himself that I know more than I was telling him, and they’ll come back.”
“You have to talk to her. Get Drake down here. Bring Eli Perez, someone she might trust.”
“As opposed to me.” Joshua wanted to pound the wall. It was a very unusual reaction for him. He was always the calm one. His woman could make him crazy.
“Come on, Joshua. She’s scared with good reason. How can she trust her own judgment? The Russian told her he loved her, married her, promised to take care of her and instead, tried to kill her. Along comes you. You’re all over her. Your leopard is all over her. She really doesn’t have much choice because you didn’t let up for a moment and give her breathing room.”
“She would have run from me.”
“She lives next door,” Evan pointed out.
“Fuck you, Evan,” he snapped, but was ashamed the moment the words came out of his mouth. Evan was right and he knew it. He hadn’t been able to be away from her. Not for five minutes. The more Sonia ran, the more he chased. He shook his head. “Sorry, man. You’re right. I know you are.” He ran both hands through his hair. “How did they do this? Tell their women? Alonzo? Evangeline is my cousin. She’s about as sweet and as innocent as one can get. I think she knew from the beginning what Alonzo was. Sonia is running from the mob. The last thing she’s going to want to do is even discuss this with me.”
“You have to tell her, Joshua.”
He nodded. “She’s safe right now. I’m going to go over everything we have on the Bogomolov family. Drake gathered a lot of information on them.”
He climbed the stairs slowly, his chest hurting. His head was throbbing. Sonia was the most important person in his world and he was going to have to ask her to stay with him knowing what he was, what he’d gotten himself into. Once in, there was no getting out, not without a hefty price on the head and running for the rest of one’s life.
Damn it, Shadow. I got us into a mess.
The big cat yawned. You’ll work it out. You always do.
The confidence the leopard had in him settled him. He was always the one to figure out how to keep the peace. How to get things done. He was given the job of forming a new pipeline through several territories in order to have access to each of those territories. The goal was to find the worst of the mobsters and take over their territories. It would have to be done slowly and systematically, hitting shipments and their books, siphoning money from them, shutting down the businesses that laundered their money and making them weak before the big strike. Once the boss was killed, it left the territory wide open, so they could place one of their allies in the position. It was his job and he excelled at planning it.