AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He grits his teeth. “It’s complicated.”
“Then explain it to me.”
Something is devastating in the way he sighs. It’s like he wants to turn back time and go back to just being the CEO. I’d like that, too. Things felt high stakes enough when it was just me and him and our heat, but this is something else. My ears are still ringing, and my heart is still thudding.
“Soon,” he mutters awkwardly.
“Tell me where you’re taking me, at least.”
“The compound.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s the Sokolov house with around-the-clock security. It’s the safest place for you right now.”
“But I’ve got work tomorrow.”
“Not anymore, you don’t. I’m sure your boss will understand.”
Since the road is long and empty, he’s free to turn to me with a smirk, but it’s not like before. This one has an edge to it—a killer’s edge, maybe—but he’s trying, so I do, too. I smile back. “Ya think?”
He laughs humorlessly, and then the silence is back. If he won’t tell me what’s happening, what’s the point of talking and saying nothing? After another fifteen minutes, we turn into the middle of nowhere. Soon, tall walls come into view, and a massive silver gate appears. Beyond the gate, I can see a vast property, two large houses, and a long lawn. Is that a tennis court?
Dimitri stops at the gate, lowering his window. I see a small pad with a digital thumbprint shape on it. Before he pushes his thumb against it, he turns to me.
“Before we go in there, you need to know something…”
“I need to know alotof stuff,” I tell him.
“Yeah, but this is important. A woman is staying here. Her name is Mila. Before my father passed away, he arranged for me tomarry her. He made a deal with her father. I’m trying to get out of it, but I just wanted to warn you.”
His words slam into me so hard, it doesn’t even make sense. Or maybe it’s that I know itshouldn’tmake sense. I shouldn’t let myself care so much about this stranger, this liar, but… No, I don’t. I can’t. Oh, hell. I almost wish I could turn back time before I met him, when the idea of him marrying another woman would’ve meant absolutely nothing to me. Even now, it shouldn’t.
I try to hide my reaction, try to keep my voice calm.
“What sort of deal?” I say, , hoping he can’t read my resentment. Resentment is probably an understatement. I don’t know this woman, and yet I hate her for taking my man.My man?Get a grip, girl!
After everything that just happened, this should be at the bottom of my list of concerns.
“If I don’t marry her in just over two weeks, her father will take over the city. He’s going to flood it with drugs. He’ll kidnap women and sell them into sex slavery. He’s an evil bastard, but mostly, he’s kept that shit in LA, but apparently, not anymore.”
“So it’s either marry her… or sacrifice the city?”
Dimitri nods grimly. “Like I said, I’m trying to get out of it.”
“What if you can’t?”
He frowns, and that tells me everything I need to know. But I still need him to say it.
“Well?” I snap.
He flinches, like my anger is surprising to him, which just makes me want to snap at him all over again. How can he pretend to be shocked that I’m mad, that I’m… jealous? As crazy as that sounds, that’s the only word I can think of.
“I can’t let this city burn,” he growls. “But I can’t marry her either.”
“But if you had to choose?”
He looks at me with clear misery in his intense, captivating eyes. “I’ve spent my whole life ignoring what I want. Putting the city first. I can’t change that now just because…”
