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 blow out a breath that feels like it might be my last and nod. "Okay."


Quick as a hummingbird, Timofey presses his lips to mine. It's so fast that I almost don't believe it happened. Then I'm stepping into the dark, narrow closet while Timofey pushes the door closed.


"I'll be back as soon as I can," he says through the crack. "I'll always come back for you, Piper. I'll never leave you."


When the door closes, I think I might have imagined his words of comfort. Still, I cling to them as I slide down the back wall with Benjamin in my arms.


"We'll be okay," I whisper to the still sleeping baby. "Timofey will come back for us. He'll take care of us."


I hope to God I'm telling him the truth.


Over and over again, I fill my lungs and release, hoping some of the tightness in my chest will ease. But it gets worse.


CHAPTER 77