Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Brody’s eyes rolled in perfect disdain. “Pass out, mate. You would be doing us all a favor.”
“I’ve the constitution of a rutting rhino. A bit of drink can’t keep me down,” Alfi vowed. “Am I going to this party?”
“No,” they said at the same time.
Alfi frowned. “What if I get murdered here?”
“I’m willing to take that chance,” Brody replied. He pulled his cell phone out. “I’m going to make a few calls and then we’ll go over and pick up Nate. I think we’re having dinner at the main house before we head to the club.”
“Brody, I think we should talk about this,” she began.
He leaned over and planted those big, sexy lips right on hers. Any thought of protest fled her brain as she felt his hands cup her neck and his body press to hers. The kiss was swift and devastating, and she was lucky to find her balance when he pulled away. There was the most arrogant smirk on his face as he stared down at her. “Don’t think, luv. Let me take control and I’ll show you what it means.” He started for the kitchen door. “If that one gives you trouble, murder him. He’s not worth it.”
He was typing on his cell screen as he walked away, and she was left with Alfi and a million questions.
“Why didn’t you tell me they were speaking Dutch?”
He shrugged. “Didn’t think about it. That day was a mess, Steph. It all happened so bloody fast and I could barely keep up with it.”
“I don’t know about that. You were the calm one.”
He huffed. “I was not. I was terrified. Don’t think because I spent years in the Army that I don’t get scared. Spent half my life scared out of my mind and finding ways to make it look like it don’t matter. That’s how you survive. You were the cold one that day. I barely saw your hands shake until you realized they had Nate. Did you think Keniyah had gotten him out?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“So as long as the nipper was all safe and sound, nothing else mattered, right?”
“It wasn’t like that. I was very dedicated to making sure no one died.”
“Anyone but you.” Somehow he made it almost seem like an accusation. “You know protecting everyone was my job. You didn’t let me do my job. You should have told them you were a volunteer and that the doctor was in the city for the day.”
“And let that man die?”
Alfi’s hands fisted on the table. “He was going to kill everyone, Steph. That damn journalist didn’t have a chance. He would have been questioned and once the boss had what he wanted, he would have killed him. Then he would have killed us. All you were doing was putting off the inevitable. I could have come up with something, but no, you step up, pretty as you please, and walk into the croc’s mouth.”
“I couldn’t let him die. Not when I could save him.” She’d taken an oath when she became a doctor and she took it seriously.
“You couldn’t save him. That’s what I’m telling you,” Alfi shot back.
She wasn’t sure what his point was or why he was angry with her. “I doubt that me telling that man there was no doctor around would have made him go away.”
“We’ll never know now, will we? You should have left it to me.” He let his head fall forward. “I thought Anya would get out.”
Her stomach clenched. “I should have thought about that. I should have stayed there with her or sent her out.”
Those red-rimmed eyes rolled when he looked back up at her. “God, Steph, does it all have to be about you? Are you the only one in the world who gets to be wrong?”
“What is that supposed to mean?” She’d never seen Alfi like this. He was always charming. Smarmy at times, but charming. He never raised his voice unless he was playing football with the local kids, and then he merely shouted out encouragements. He was a rogue, no doubt, but she’d never seen him so dark.
“It’s pretty fucking arrogant, you know. Everything bad is your fault. Like you’re some kind of goddess on earth. It’s not always about you. I can make big fucking mistakes, too.”
“Well, on that we can agree.”
“You’re making another one,” Alfi insisted. “If you let that man go, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
“I thought you wanted me for yourself. Which is utterly ridiculous.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but now that I’m here and thinking about it right and proper, I can see maybe I was right. Maybe we’re more alike than you and Brody. He spent all that time thinking he was bad for you. Maybe you’re bad for him. Maybe you’re the one who would drag him down and not the other way around.”