Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Wrapping my arms around her, I hold her against my chest and feel the tension ease in my shoulders.
“Am I a bad person?” she asks in the soft candlelight.
“You’re one of the kindest people I know,” I say truthfully. “I don’t know anyone who would do what you did for him.”
“There was little choice in the matter.”
I weave our wet fingers together and hold her hand up so her diamond engagement ring winks in the dim light. “Whatever decisions were made that night were the best decisions of my life.”
When she doesn’t reply, I feel the distance between us deepen. She’s different from how she was only a few days ago. But I don’t press it, hoping I am reading too much into it.
After we dry off, we make love in the soft light of our bedroom. We take it slow and gentle, enjoying the slow build-up. I feel utterly consumed by her as I kiss and lick and stroke deep into her. But despite her moans and the way she cries my name when she comes, it still feels like something has broken.
I don’t know what we are. I don’t know how any of this is going to work. But whatever we are, in the last couple of days Brooke has become disconnected from me.
You kept her from her friends, and she’s still pissed.
But it feels more than that. And as I wrap my arms around her and listen to her fall asleep, I have to fight off the dark whispers in my head that tell me I am going to lose her and force myself to get some sleep.
But my sleep is short-lived.
Just before midnight, my phone rings. It’s Feliks. He knows the news I was delivering to Brooke tonight, so he wouldn’t be calling unless it was important.
“Did you find Vlad?” I ask.
“No, but we found the next best thing.”
I know exactly who he is talking about.
“Good. Bring him to me.”
15
BROOKE
I don’t know what wakes me up, but sometime in the early hours of the morning, I realize Lev isn’t lying beside me. According to the clock, it’s 3:21.
Overcome with a sudden craving for pistachio ice cream, I leave the bedroom and make my way through the maze of passageways and down the staircase toward the kitchen.
The mansion is quiet and still.
Except…
Standing in the massive kitchen, devouring ice cream from the tub, I notice lights moving about outside. My curiosity piqued, I move to the window to see where they’re coming from. The window looks out over the immaculate lawn and across to another wing of the mansion, which has been under construction since I arrived here, and it’s there through the shadows I can see lights moving around.
I know there is nothing to be afraid of. Lev has made it clear that this place is heavily patrolled, so it’s probably some of his men. But I decide to check it out anyway. I’m wide awake and feel up for some middle-of-the-night exploration.
Taking my ice cream and spoon, I set off through the mansion. Access to the forbidden wing is by two tall doors at the far end of the passageway. Usually, they’re locked, but tonight they’re slightly ajar.
Go back to your room, that little voice tells me.
Which, of course, I ignore.
Instead, I creep through the parted doors and step into a world so different from what lies behind me. Instead of fine furnishings and muralled walls gilded in gold, the room I’m standing in is nothing but a shell full of construction material and scaffolding up to the ceiling. Plastic hangs from one part of the ceiling, separating the rest of the room from whatever restoration is taking place behind it.
It’s the middle of the night, so no such work is taking place. But I can hear voices.
Holding my breath, I inch closer and peer around the plastic to see what is on the other side.
I see Lev standing with several of his men, looking down at something on the ground. As I get closer, I can see there is a man on his knees in front of him, and he is speaking rapidly. Swearing and yelling, bits of spittle flying out of his mouth.
I recognize him. He’s the orderly who attacked me at the hospital the night of the explosion.
Finally, Lev lifts his gun and shoots the man in the forehead.
I gasp and quickly slap my hand over my mouth.
But it’s too late.
Lev turns his head, and our eyes lock for a long, painful moment, and I realize I am looking into the eyes of a killer.
My body freezes as I glance at the dead man slumped on the floor in front of him.
Get out.
Get out.
Get out.
I begin to back out of there, unable to take my eyes off the dead man at Lev’s feet.
“Brooke.” Lev says my name, and it snaps me into action.