Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
“I hate riddles and games. It’s obvious by the way you didn’t cry out denials with my insinuation which tells me I’m on to something.” I shrug. “As for whatever I’m messing up for you … Don’t care. You wanna run drugs, they go through Kings. You know this shit.”
Alaina gasps and I look to her. “Told you I’m an open fuckin’ book. Never said I was a boy scout,” I explain leaning over, taking her hand in mine and giving it a squeeze. I’m shocked when she doesn’t pull it away.
“You should know you don’t get to own it all.” Konstantin’s voice is calm, but there’s an undercurrent of menace. “You think I’m the one she needs protecting from suddenly?” He shakes his head. “You have no idea what you’re dealing with. I just need her back to work regularly. This doesn’t touch her, but everything has to be as it was.”
I glance at Riot. He hasn’t moved, but I can feel the tension radiating off him. We knew this wouldn’t be simple, but the way Konstantin’s talking… there’s more to this than any of us prepared for. I don’t like surprises. I don’t like being caught off guard. The man has bested me twice now. A third time won’t happen.
“What’s the threat?” I ask, keeping my tone casual. “If it ain’t you, then who?”
Konstantin watches me for a long moment, then sighs and leans back. “My brother owed a debt. A large one. And now that he’s gone, that debt has fallen to me. I need to move a little bit for a few months. I can do that through her shop. When I work this off through the shipments, it will stop. Kings and I will be back to usual as if it never happened.”
Riot stiffens. “Bullshit. If it was about money, you’d have settled it yourself.”
Konstantin’s lips twitch. “True. The money is… a technicality. They don’t want the money as much as the chance to move product for a bit. The real issue is who the debt is owed to. It can’t be paid off in a sum.”
A chill runs through me. “Who?”
His gaze darkens. “Men who don’t forgive. Men who don’t forget.” He takes a slow sip of his drink before setting it down with a deliberate clink. “And men who will kill to collect.”
The air shifts.
Riot and I exchange a look. This just got a whole lot worse.
I exhale through my nose, rubbing my jaw. “So you’re saying she’s got a target on her back.”
Konstantin inclines his head. “From home, yes.”
I drag a hand through my hair. “Jesus Christ.”
“I suggest you return her to me,” he continues, his tone deceptively gentle. “Before they come looking.”
Riot steps forward, placing both hands on the table. “You want her back to protect her, or to hand her over?”
Konstantin’s smile is slow, careful. “Does it matter?”
Alaina squeezes my hand as I feel the trembles over take her. Rage consumes me. This backstabbing motherfucker has zero loyalty not even to family.
I don’t blink. “To her, it does.”
Silence stretches between us.
Then Konstantin stands, adjusting his collar. “You have twenty-four hours. After that, I can no longer guarantee her safety.”
I push out of my chair. “Good thing I can.”
He chuckles, turning for the door. “Then I hope, for your sake, that’s true.”
With that, he disappears into the dark, his men following behind.
The second the door closes, I let out a breath. “Well, fuck.”
Riot rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah.”
Alaina lets out a huff. “How can he leave me like this?” He didn’t give me a single answer and I’m in a world I don’t understand, she whispers as we stand and I pull her against me.
“You’re gonna be safe with me, sweetheart.”
“And if I don’t stay with you?”
“I can’t do what I need to do unless I have you with me and where I know I can keep you out of the crossfire.”
“Are you going to force me?”
I shake my head. “Not a nice guy, not that kind of man though. You should know, you choose to walk away, sweetheart, that’s it.” The truth hurts, but it’s the way I’m cut. I don’t do games. I don’t do seconds. When someone turns their back on me, walks away, there is no coming back. “Baby, I got an attraction. Wanna see how this fire between us can be, but I won’t beg. I damn sure won’t chase. And if you walk away, I never look back. Second chances don’t come in my life.”
She steps away. “I need a minute, Damian. I need to process what just happened.”
I nod and she backs away. She paces the small club space staying within my line of sight.
Good girl.
I glance back at the empty club, then at my brother. “You think she’s gonna run?”
Riot shakes his head. “I think she’ll fight this pull you got going on. But I think she’s got it as bad for you as you got for her. In the end she’s smart. She’ll sit tight until we can figure out who the debt is to and pay it off.”