Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 93506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
She smiles a little, but she nods. “As long as you don’t erase me.”
I never did. Erasing her is nowhere near possible. I did a perfect job at pretending she wasn’t there, though.
That was easier than replaying everything that happened in Russia.
“That depends on your performance.” I release her, and she pauses before wrapping the blanket around herself.
“Speaking of performance.” She clears her throat. “Let’s talk about that reward.”
“What about it?”
“I want to become your senior guard.”
“You what?”
“Senior guard. Viktor’s current position.”
“He will kill you.”
“I don’t care. You promised me a reward, and I already took your punishment, so you have to give me what I want.”
“You’ll have to share that position with Viktor.”
“No, I want to be on my own.”
“Not possible. I trust him more than you, and, therefore, he can’t be removed from his post.”
Her lips push forward in a scowl or a pout, I don’t know which, but I want to lick her lips with my tongue anyway.
“Fine.” She lifts her chin. “One day, you’ll trust me more than him.”
Highly doubt it.
But I give her hope anyway. This might be the best way to have her lower her guard.
13
SASHA
Maybe I lost my mind.
There’s no other explanation to what I told Kirill a week ago after he proceeded to deny me one orgasm after the other in the worst form of torture I’ve ever experienced.
But when I woke up to find myself enveloped in his arms, all that discomfort vanished. However, the moment I actually felt strongly about making this decision was when he not only let me hug him, but also hugged me back.
Well, he only wrapped his arm around my lower back, but that counts.
Those aren’t the only reasons I did it, though. After my grandmother and uncle disowned me, Kirill is the one who gave me purpose. Yes, it came with pain and heartbreak, but it was purpose all the same.
Is it a surprise that I pledged my loyalty to him for life? In a way, no, since that’s exactly what I’ve been doing since I came here with him after he was shot.
And who knows? Maybe in a couple of months when his trust is restored, I can confirm that he has no involvement in my family’s deaths.
He’s just not the type.
So I scrapped my previous plan that entailed sneaking around his office. From now on, I’ll be direct and refrain from using any deceitful methods.
On one hand, I have no clue what else I can do. But on the other, it feels like the best decision I’ve ever made. Kirill doesn’t only make me feel like the woman I yearn to be again, but he also makes me feel.
So much, it’s painful.
Uncomfortable, too.
Sometimes, I think it’d be better if I just removed myself from his side. Maybe I’d fly back to Russia or a different country altogether and start over again.
But the mere thought of separating myself from him physically hurts and I have to take a few moments to recover from its imaginary impact.
“Move it, Lipovsky.”
I stand in front of the car and stare at Viktor, who’s been glaring at me ever since Kirill announced that we’re sharing the senior guard position.
To say he doesn’t like it would be an understatement. He asked Kirill if I’m threatening him with something—as if I could ever do that.
The others, though, took the news well. Actually, Maksim threw a party for me a few days ago and nearly got himself killed by Yuri when he tried to make him dance.
Even Karina showed up wearing the most beautiful lace dress and gave me a gift—a stunning coat that I will only wear on special occasions.
She told her brother that she still hasn’t given up on me and will one day have me as her guard.
Kirill, on the other hand, wasn’t impressed with the whole party thing and kept glaring at anyone who held me by the shoulder or bro-hugged me—mainly Maksim. He even retreated to his office early and spent the entire night there, telling us not to disturb him.
Viktor, who currently looks like he’s plotting my death, barely showed his face that night and only came to shadow Kirill.
Now, we’re standing in front of the main car while Kirill, Damien, and Rai are inside a traditional Japanese restaurant for a meeting with the higher-ups of the Yakuza.
Since Kirill will be leaving with Damien in the same car, only one of us gets to ride in the front. Usually, that’s Viktor, because he makes everyone follow his order.
“You, move it,” I say casually. “You can ride with Maksim.”
He steps forward so that he’s towering over me. “The fuck did you just say?”
“You heard me just fine.”
His eyes blaze as he glares down on me. “Move it. That’s an order.”
“You have no right to give me orders anymore. I’m in the same position as you.”