Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
She didn’t know what to think of that—of any of this. Just when she thought she had his number down, he went and did something to make her question everything she thought she knew about him. She wasn’t fool enough to believe that he had a soft gooey center beneath all those barriers and masks, but maybe he wasn’t as much of a cold bastard as she’d originally assumed. “Thank you.”
Aiden shifted her off his lap so he could climb out of the car. He adjusted his slacks before bending to offer her his hand. “If you get overwhelmed and need a break, just take my hand and I’ll get you out of there.”
“I can handle it.” Her body still hummed from pleasure, but she felt much more in control now. Like she might actually be able to do this.
Because of him.
“I know.” He looped a possessive arm around her waist, a clear signal to anyone who looked that she was his and his alone, and headed into the building.
Charlie didn’t look to the right or the left as they made their way into what was probably a very impressive ballroom. It might as well been a shack, for all she cared. The location didn’t matter—the act did. She let herself lean a bit more into Aiden, telling herself that she was selling the lie, rather than taking comfort from his being so close.
“Brace yourself, bright eyes.”
There was no mistaking his meaning as he guided her toward the dark-haired man standing on the other side of the room, his people flanking him. He was attractive, though not in the flashy way that Aiden and his brothers were. This man had an earthier handsomeness that screamed violence even though he looked perfectly at home in his suit. His men, on the other hand, were almost caricatures of bad guys—all dead eyes and poorly concealed weapons. As a group, they looked out of place in the finery of the ballroom—wolves among sheep.
Except the O’Malleys are wolves in their own right.
“Romanov.” Aiden’s arm tightened around her. “You made it.”
And there he was, the object of so much of her hatred. Charlie had seen pictures of Dmitri Romanov before, and he had always seemed so completely unremarkable. Tall, dark, and handsome, sure, but there was nothing there to indicate he was one of the most dangerous men on the eastern seaboard.
Standing here in front of him, she suddenly understood all too well.
“I prefer to be punctual.” He turned those inky eyes on her. “Who’s your…” His gaze flicked to her left hand, where the ring felt like a line of fire against her skin. It didn’t matter that it was all in her head. She was suddenly half-sure that Dmitri could see how uncomfortable the piece of jewelry made her.
He arched his brows. “A fiancée. Aiden, I didn’t think you capable of surprising me, but I stand corrected. Delighted to meet you…”
“Charlie.” She could barely get her name past her lips, couldn’t do anything but stand there like a statue as he lifted her right hand and kissed her knuckles. It wasn’t anything like what Aiden had done that one time—it was perfectly polite and without the slightest bit of heat.
That didn’t stop her from wanting to bolt to the nearest restroom and scrub at her skin to remove any trace of him.
“I can see why you’ve turned our mutual friend’s head.” He took in everything in a single sweep, and she realized with horror that he’d noted every indication of her arousal before he turned back to Aiden. “Now, where is my fiancée? I have something I’d like to give her before this circus begins.”
“Romanov.” The steel in Aiden’s voice had the other man looking at him with polite disinterest. But he was looking. “You might be planning on marrying my sister, but if you touch her before the ceremony, I’ll skin you alive.”
The Russian smiled, and the sight chilled Charlie despite the warmth of the room. Dmitri picked a phantom piece of lint off his jacket sleeve. “I can’t be responsible for her actions. They are her choice, after all.” He must have seen something on Aiden’s face, because his shark’s smile widened. “Your request is noted.” And then he was gone, moving through the growing crowd, two men trailing behind him.
“I’m going to kill him.”
It was only then that she noted the tension in Aiden’s body. He was holding himself like he was half a second from chasing the Russian down and beating the shit out of him. She stepped in front of him and looped her arms around his neck. To anyone watching, it would appear she just couldn’t get enough of her man. No one was close enough to hear her murmur. “He’s trying to provoke you.”
“It’s working.” His hands on her hips held her tightly enough to bruise, but they relaxed as he took one breath, and then another. “Sorry. That asshole gets under my skin.”