Fredrick_Udele

The hottest man I’ve ever seen is now my new boss—
and I’m stuck in a house with him…
Until one of us cracks.

I’ve got debt—yeah, I know, so does everyone else on Planet Earth.
But the bills I’m paying keep my dad and my grandma alive.
So it’s pretty messed-up for Timofey Viktorov to use them as a threat to keep me under control.

Not that he cares.
As a billionaire CEO, he takes no prisoners in the boardroom.
And as the don of the Viktorov Bratva, he takes no prisoners in real life, either.

Which is why he has no qualms about extorting me into taking his deal.
Live in my mansion…
Care for my baby…
Or suffer the consequences.

But he’s not the only one with an agenda.
Timofey has skeletons in his closet—and I’m determined to dig them out.
He’s just as determined to keep me far away from the secrets of his past.

The longer I’m in his house, the tenser things get.
Every time we brush past each other in the hallway, something sparks.
Every time we cross paths in the night, the ice grows thinner.

Sooner or later, it’s going to crack.

Whiskey Poison

I step onto the back patio and pull a cigarette from my pocket.


Emily would slap it out of my hand if she was here. I would pull out another one without hesitation.


"Old habits die hard," I always said when she complained.


She'd inevitably wrinkle her nose in disgust. "So do smokers."


I light up and lean against the brick column. Piper is no longer visible in the yard. Not that I expected her to be. I know she's trying to escape. I could tell she was trying to slip away from the house without drawing notice.


But I noticed. I know what she was trying to do.


What I don't know is when she'll return.


Because she will return. People don't walk away from me that easily. Especially when I want them around. And despite all the trouble she's caused, I do want Piper around.


What I told Sergey is still true: Piper is useful to me. She can take care of Benjamin. More than that, she can help ensure I keep guardianship of him.


CHAPTER 41