Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81947 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I caught the inference.
Although there was no way any of us would condone killing a woman, that didn’t preclude certain extreme scare tactics.
“She’ll talk. Soon.”
He then poured us all another round of vodka shots. “And if she doesn’t?”
Without waiting for them to toast, I swallowed mine back. Slamming the glass on the table, I curled my fist around it. “I’ll handle it.”
“A difficult decision might have to be made here.”
“I said I’ll handle it.”
Anton raised his palms and leaned back.
The table went silent.
I met each of their gazes as I tapped the table with my forefinger. “I want to make it very clear. No one touches her. Understood? You have my personal guarantee she will not cause us any more problems. I’ve hired her as my assistant. I’ll be able to keep a close watch on her.”
Vaska’s eyebrows rose. “You hired an assistant? I don’t believe it.”
Maxim winked. “Well, this one does have fringe benefits.”
“Enough,” I said with more force than I’d intended.
Several heads in the restaurant swirled in our direction.
My friends and partners exchanged looks.
Anton’s lips rose in the corner. “So, it’s like that?”
I wasn’t prepared to say yes, but deep down, I already knew my answer. “Maybe.”
Vaska laughed as he reached for the vodka bottle to pour us another toast. “You know the rule, brother. You better introduce her to the girls sooner rather than later for their approval before shit gets too real.”
“You’re not honestly suggesting that I get your women’s approval on the woman I’m with?”
The table was silent for a moment. Then they all burst out laughing.
Maxim slammed his open palm on the table as his head tipped back. “Holy shit, that’s funny.”
Vaska wiped a tear from the corner of his eye as he continued to laugh.
Anton slapped him on the shoulder as he held his middle. “Aw, our little boy is about to get his first lesson in women.”
My brow furrowed. “Shut the hell up. I know all I need to know about women.”
They lifted their shot glasses. “To famous last words.”
“Fuck all of you,” I growled, before downing my shot and rising to go change.
They were wrong.
This was a solid plan.
I would keep Vivian close and keep the deeply satisfying pressure on her until she broke.
Then, once I handled the current entanglement, Vivian would be so far under my control, there would be no more worry about her being a liability.
Problem solved.
And we’d continue to have kinky, mind-blowing sex.
Fuck, yeah. This was a good plan.
CHAPTER 20
VAR
“What the hell is going on in here?”
After a quick meeting with the front of the house staff in the gambling ballroom, I headed through the lobby of the club and noticed the distinct lack of activity. While the exclusive club gambling room would not open until later, there were still the restaurant, private hotel rooms, and the new spa run by Brynn on the property.
Despite the early hour, there should be at least one or two security guards.
And my sommelier had missed the meeting as well.
Heading back to the office, intent on reaching out to Polina about any recent schedule changes, I first heard the laughter.
No one laughed in my office.
As I rounded the corner into the open antechamber lounge to my public office, I found half of my staff milling about.
And then I heard her.
“So then I said, ‘But Officer! These are Manolos!’”
The men in the room burst into another round of laughter.
Through their shoulders, I glimpsed Vivian holding court at a desk. At least, I was looking at Vivian; I was fairly certain my men were staring at her tits, which were on marvelous display.
Vivian clasped her hands together in delight, which only pushed her boobs up further. “And that’s how three Chicago police officers stopped traffic on Randolph Street to save my high heels.”
More laughter.
Pulling my GSh-18 semi-automatic pistol out of its shoulder holster, I fired a single round into the floor, knowing the thick, reinforced cement below the polished wood would harmlessly capture the bullet.
“Get the fuck away from her!” I bellowed.
They scattered like rats.
Vivian slowly rose. “Was that necessary?”
I holstered the gun. “Very.” Nodding, I asked, “Where did this come from?”
Vivian ran her hands along the edge of the desk. “Isn’t it great? Some of the boys were nice enough to retrieve it for me from an empty office.”
Some of the boys?
My arm moved toward my gun again, tempted to chase the helpful boys down and put a bullet in them. I just bet they were eager to help her out.
“Nice isn’t exactly the word I would use.” My gaze traveled over her. “What are you wearing?”
Her chin rose as she smoothed her hands over her gorgeous hips. “I happen to like this outfit. It’s very Mad Men.”
The black dress hugged every curve. On a normal woman, the collar would be respectable, but on Vivian’s pin-up girl, wet dream body, it was borderline pornographic.