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 can feel the dampness in the air the moment I open the garage door. The sky is darker than usual. Gray clouds hang low and heavy, swollen with rain.


I grab the motorcycle helmet I've come to think of as Piper's and roll my motorcycle into the driveway.


While I wait for her, I pull out my phone and dial Rooney's cell number.


"Detective Rooney." The greeting is short and clipped, as far as greetings from James usually go. It lets me know someone else is within earshot. He wants this to sound like a professional call, which works for me.


"Missing kid. Seven years old, give or take. Blonde hair."


"Did you—" He cuts himself off and clears his throat. "When did she go missing?"


I realize all at once what he's asking. "Because I didn't fucking kidnap her,mudak."


"Oh. Okay. Good." Rooney sounds relieved, but I don't know why. I've never hurt a child. Ever.


CHAPTER 59