Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 267(@200wpm)___ 214(@250wpm)___ 178(@300wpm)
My nerves flared with the possibilities of what this secret could be.
I studied her. “We walk into our marriage with no secrets.”
Sadness filled her eyes. “I. . .agree.”
“After this meeting, I want to hear everything.” I hit her with an intense gaze, letting her know that there will be no escape from that story.
She swallowed. “It’s weird talking about my old love with my new love.”
The line of my jaw twitched. “So, you do admit that there was love between you in the past?”
“Yes, and that love is now gone.”
“Yet, it is uncomfortable for you to talk about it, which tells me that there are still some feelings there.”
“Santino, when I love, I give all of me. So. . .sure once I’m done there may be some feelings of caring for the person.” She lifted my hand and kissed it. “But Gypsy is the past. If I wanted him, I would have been with him, when you arrived. I ended it, and now I’m with you.”
That answer was good for now, but soon I would want more, and after that, I would want him dead.
No other man could walk this earth and have even a tiny bit of her affection. The very thought made my blood boil with fury.
Sleep with one eye open, Gypsy.
I lowered our united hands and nodded. “We will talk more about that later.”
“Okay.” She put her view on the door. “Now for the meeting.”
“I will remain on your side, silent and obedient,” I looked at her. “As long as they remain respectful to my queen.”
She gave me a sad smile. “Then, you might not be so silent the whole meeting. I have a way of pissing Marcelo off to the point where he may lose his temper.”
“He’ll learn to control it soon.” I gritted my teeth in anger.
Chapter 6
The Diamond Syndicate
Santino
Dane rushed up to the door and opened it for us.
We entered a small, white room. A bright light shone above us. I glanced up at the ceiling and spotted a captivating mosaic of intricately patterned glass.
In the center of the room, a petite blonde sat at a large, mahogany desk. Six huge men stood behind her, wearing all black and clutching guns.
The blonde spotted Kashmere, nodded, and pressed a rectangular red button next to her.
A beep sounded on the right.
I looked that way.
A white wall slid open, exposing an elevator door. The beep sounded again and the door slid open fully, displaying the full width of the elevator.
The blonde gestured toward the opening. “Enjoy your visit, Ms. Jones.”
We headed that way and stepped into the elevator. Dane, Rue, and Merik got on the elevator with us, along with three of my main guards.
The rest of our people waited behind. Surely, they would ride down later.
The elevator doors closed. We lowered.
I glanced at the pies in Merik’s hands. “Everyone is very serious about color here.”
Merik grinned. “You have no idea.”
I checked out those pies. “I would love to try your mother’s pies one day.”
“Don’t worry about that. She plans to hit you two up with tons of treats for your honeymoon.” Merik rubbed his stomach with his other hand. “It’s going to be this big red basket full of tasty things.”
Rue nudged him. “I’m going to tell Aunt Irene that you are giving away her wedding gift surprise.”
“Oh shit.” Merik shrugged. “I guess that is a surprise. Huh?”
Kashmere chuckled. “It’s fine, Merik. Surprise or not, I’ll take Aunt Irene’s pies anyway I can get them.”
“You’re right about that.” Merik winked.
Dane cleared his throat. “Enough about pies. Let us focus on the intensity of this moment.”
Kashmere let out a long breath. “Any advice?”
Dane looked to Rue.
She touched her glasses even though they didn’t need to be fixed. That told me that this movement must have been a nervous tick. “Well, the problem with the Diamond Syndicate isn’t so much the presence of conflict as the lack of order.”
I widened my eyes. “I thought Dima was in charge.”
Kashmere frowned. “Only because my brother Romeo was killed.”
“Dima only stepped up to the role because no one else wanted to sit in place of Romeo.” Rue shook her head. “Dima is highly intelligent, but has never needed to stand in a leader position with the Syndicate. While he rules the North, attempting to be in charge of other leaders like Marcelo, Lei, and even Kashmere. . .that is a mind-twisting obstacle that he may not be up to.”
Interesting.
“This meeting will be high-energy.” Dane looked at Kashmere. “Especially, since weeks ago you broke into Marcelo’s condo and woke him up with a gun to his head.”
I grinned. “Oh, really?”
Kashmere rolled her eyes. “It was only because someone had taken my sister’s dead body from the funeral home and they were all dressed in green, so I assumed it was Rowe Street Mob.”