Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
He stroked caresses down the back of her head, massaged her scalp through the thick hair tumbling down her back in an effort to soothe her. The curls and waves were everywhere, a wild mess. He found it more appealing than ever.
“You aren’t in the least selfish, Zelie. If you had your way, we would have remained hidden away from everyone. I was the one insisting you go out with me. I wanted to give you new experiences. It was important to me, and you knew it, so you pushed aside your reservations. You did it for me, not for you.”
Azelie buried her face in the crook of his neck, her arms winding around him, holding him tight. “I don’t want to give you up, Andrii. I don’t. But I can’t have you in harm’s way. I couldn’t bear it if Billows managed to have you killed.”
“Babe.” He said it gently but with a hint of amusement.
He had to hold back a little snicker at the thought of Billows pitting his considerable bullying tactics and henchmen against an assassin trained from the time he was six or seven. Maestro knew more ways to interrogate, torture or kill than Billows could ever conceive of. Maestro had been trained by the cruelest of men. Experts in their field had worked with him and the others, never once suspecting that those children were already crawling through the vents and executing the worst of their brutal jailers.
She lifted her head and glared at him. A hard thing to do when her eyes were glistening with tears that dripped like diamonds off her long lashes. Her lips trembled slightly, just enough that he had no choice but to brush them with his to steady her. He tasted the salt of her tears and could have sworn there was a hint of strawberry on his tongue.
“Don’t do that. Just because you believe you have skills, don’t discount Billows. He’s ruthless and cunning.”
“Not nearly as ruthless as I am. He doesn’t get to take you away from me. It won’t happen. If you prefer to lie low for a while, tell him you need a vacation. I can get you somewhere safe where he won’t be able to find you.”
Her eyes widened with suspicion. “You do plan to do something to him.”
“We’re not talking about that. We’re talking about you being on the verge of flight again. You need to make that commitment to us and stick to it. You need to believe in us as a team.”
The moment the words were out of his mouth, he knew he’d made a mistake. She sat up, pulling a little away from him. Her blue gaze went cool like the liquid in a deep pool. A little stormy, as if a tempest was brewing out over the ocean.
“But we aren’t a team, Andrii. You know Kasimir, don’t you? And don’t try to lie and tell me he follows your band.”
“That wouldn’t be a lie. Kasimir works as a bartender in the roadhouse where we play on a regular basis.”
The intelligence in her eyes gave him a curious pride in her. He liked that she was so damned smart. Quick to figure things out. He really could worship her for her intelligence alone, although right at the moment that meant things were going to get dicey between them.
“You’re looking for a way out because you’re afraid for me, Solnyshkuh. Don’t do that. Say you’ll stay no matter what. I’m not easy. I’ll never be easy, but I’m loyal, and I can promise you that no matter what comes our way, I’ll be willing to work it out to both our satisfaction. I might need to be the one in control, but that doesn’t mean I want to control you. I want to know you’re safe and healthy and happy.”
“That’s what I want for you, Andrii. You aren’t the only one in the relationship. We’re supposed to be partners, but we aren’t.”
“Only because I can’t give you all the answers you need right at this moment.” He caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “I swear to you on our first child that as soon as I can, I’ll give you everything. An answer to every question.”
The merest hint of a smile curved her lips briefly. “You can’t swear on our first child. You don’t know we’re going to have a child.”
“We’re going to have several children.” He placed his hand over her belly, fingers splayed wide as if cradling his baby. “If you can’t carry or don’t want to, we’ll adopt. I’m good with adoption. We can be like a friend of mine, taking in all the throwaways out there.”
“You have a friend who takes in throwaways? What are throwaways?”
“Survivors of human trafficking. Young boys and girls with no families and no one who can deal with their trauma.”