Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
He landed on his knees, gasping in pain as he grabbed his broken ribs. Three of his fingers were missing. I took them out of my pants pocket and tossed them into the enclosure as a treat. Lev’s expression twisted, and he threw up. He had already done so twice, and only foam tinged red with blood came out. The tiger stretched leisurely, then hopped off the boulder.
Lev crawled toward the fence. “Please! Please! I’ll do anything to make you forgive me. Just tell me what to do.”
“Die,” I said.
The tiger began running, then, with a jump, it sank its teeth into Lev’s bleeding calf and dragged him backward. Lev’s fingers flailed over the grass. I watched for the next fifteen minutes as the tiger enjoyed its treat and Lev wished for death. When his neck snapped, I turned and left.
I needed to make sure the Bratva regretted the day they decided to kill Amelia. Sure, I had killed ten of their men brutally, but attacking my wife? That went beyond simple retribution.
I loathed the idea of leaving Amelia even for a second, but I needed to make sure she was safe, and that meant I had to erase any thought of Amelia from my enemies’ minds. They needed to dread her name. Once I was done with the mediocre Pakhan in Los Angeles, even the Bratva would know that Amelia was on a pedestal.
Amelia sat on the sofa in our bedroom when I entered. She was dressed in a soft-looking white knit dress and barefoot. I wanted nothing more than to kiss her and pull her into my arms, but covered in blood as I was, it was out of the question.
“He’s dead,” I said. She gave a small nod. In her lap, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was open. It had become her comfort read, like it was mine. I moved into the bathroom and took a quick shower before I returned to the bedroom. I held out my hand, and Amelia allowed me to pull her to her feet. I wrapped my arms around her and buried my nose in her hair. The residual anger I’d still felt toward her because she’d killed her father was gone. The moment I’d heard of the danger she’d been in, my worry and fear had trumped everything else.
“Are you still mad?” she whispered against my bare chest.
“No. I’m not. I’m mad at your father because I never managed to get even with him.”
“You wouldn’t have ever felt like you did, no matter how long you tortured him.”
My heart clenched. “I know.”
She sighed, and I tightened my hold further. “I need to leave in the morning to deal with the Bratva, dove. I can’t allow them to think they can attack you without raising hell.”
“But you’re staying the night?” She sounded hopeful, but also scared.
“I’ll stay until the sunrise.” I kissed her gently.
We settled into the bed together. Amelia motioned at a bouquet I hadn’t noticed before. It was white and yellow and light green. I didn’t recognize the flowers.
“I bound it. I miss working with flowers.”
“Then plant flowers in the garden. There’s enough space. You can decorate the house with the flowers you grow.”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with me changing anything.” She pursed her lips.
“You can change everything but the maze.”
She smiled and pressed her face against my chest. “Do you want me to read you The Tale of Peter Rabbit?” I asked when I realized Amelia was still holding it.
“Yes, please,” she said quietly.
Before I began reading, I asked her, “Will you be all right?”
“I don’t feel sorry for him, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“You almost got killed,” I reminded her. Maybe she didn’t realize how close she’d gotten to dying. I certainly hadn’t forgotten the entire time I’d tortured her attacker.
“Maybe I’m simply used to being at risk of dying. The time in the basement messed with my mind, too.”
I kissed the top of her head. “Your mind is as beautiful as your body.”
“My mind can be a cruel, dark place, too. Not often, but there’s potential for it.”
I sighed. “I love even the darkness of your soul, even if I wish it had never been tainted.”
She swallowed thickly. “I love you too.”
My heart galloped in my chest. I focused on the pages of the book in front of me, not wanting to dwell on my softer emotions. I needed to focus on the rage deep inside me if I wanted to make tomorrow the darkest day in the LA Bratva’s history.
After ten minutes of my reading, Amelia’s breathing evened out. I put the book on the nightstand and grabbed my phone to tell Niccolo about my plan. He needed to get the ball rolling and call in our soldiers so we could ambush every Bratva establishment in the city. I would seek out the Pakhan personally and make him wish he had never been born. His skull would be the crowning piece in my trophy gallery.