Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 503(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
I nodded, silently hoping she wouldn’t start in about Cole, but I knew that was senseless. He was powerful, elusive, mysterious, dangerous, and wealthy. He’d be Sia’s new project for months, and Jake looked just as excited. He should’ve been scared. Cole was in the mafia. What if someone did something to our building to get back at him?
“You’re okay living here?”
Sia voiced my question, but she directed it at Jake.
Surprise flashed over his face. “What do you mean?”
“The mafia is a big deal. Like, a really big deal. Aren’t you scared something could happen?”
He shrugged. “I was pissed at first, but I’m not in the mob. The guy’s never here, or I don’t think he’s here. This building’s been fine since it opened. What are they going to do? Hurt the building’s shut-in? I think we’re the furthest thing from being in danger. All the security makes sense now, too.”
Jake’s response was weird. Sia narrowed her eyes, so I wondered if she thought the same.
“Besides.” Jake gestured to me. “She’s a Bertal, and she’s living here.”
“I’m not a Bertal.”
“Basically.”
My mouth opened. “I am not. Liam’s parents aren’t either.”
Jake snorted. “I hate to break it to you, but they are. Mauricio himself alluded to that last night. They’re still in, Addison. They just haven’t brought you in.”
“Jake,” Sia said softly.
“What?” he asked.
He didn’t get it. This wasn’t real to him. But Sia was concerned. So was I, more than they knew. Whichever way I turned, I was headed toward someone in the mafia. My own money had come from the mafia—something I hadn’t let myself think about. I didn’t know how I felt about that, or how right it was to keep the money. I’d have so many problems if I gave it back. I’d have to move out, and I really would need the money from selling the house.
I felt a headache coming on. No. I would stop worrying until I knew more. Until things went past the point of no return.
They already are, a voice said in my head.
“I have to go.” I stood abruptly.
Concern clouded Sia’s face. “You okay?”
“Yeah. Uh, I just have to go.” My hand flicked between them. “You guys seem like you need to talk anyway. This is couple stuff.”
Sia stood up with me. “You live here, too. Do you feel safe?”
In Cole’s arms, yes. Outside of them? Still yes. But as we went to the elevator, I lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. This place seems separate from that life. We would’ve noticed something by now if it wasn’t, and there’s also Dawn. If something iffy was going on, she’d know.”
Yeah, Dawn. The realization had merit. The Dawn who hid in closets, who staged a sit-in to find out who owned the building and had her bench removed because of it. The Dawn who snuck around, stole phones, who probably knew everything or most of everything that went on in this building. I didn’t think she knew about Cole.
I hoped not, anyway.
“Yeah, I guess.”
Sia’s tone didn’t agree with her words.
I hit the button to call the elevator. “Are you okay?”
“Huh?” She’d been chewing on her lip.
I pointed at it. “You do that when something’s on your mind.”
“Well, I mean—” She peeked over her shoulder at Jake, who was sitting at his desk now, and quieted her tone. “Cole Mauricio. Even that name is scary. I saw the news coverage about Carter Reed. There was a mob war, and some of it happened here. That guy was their hit man, and now what? Is he out? We don’t really know anything. Yeah, I’m worried. I’m really worried. I don’t want to lose my boyfriend and my best friend.”
He was their hit man. I’d read that online the night before, but hearing those words out loud sent chills down my back.
“Jake’s a mob nut. The geek inside of him is doing somersaults. He can’t see this as reality. Someone really dangerous lives here.”
Carter Reed was dangerous. Cole was dangerous. My throat closed. Cole could kill someone, probably already had…and he’d been inside me just hours ago. And I knew he’d be there again tonight. And the night after, and any other night as long as I let him. I didn’t think I could stop. I didn’t think I wanted to stop.
“Why aren’t you scared?” She grabbed my arm, holding it lightly as she moved closer. “Why am I the only one who’s nervous?”
Because… I had a vision of Cole holding me in the shower as he thrust inside of me. His hips moving, holding mine as I moved right along with him. My body heated, and that ache came back. It was always there. It just took a thought, that was it.
He was my drug.
“Addison?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“You’re insane. Both of you,” she said. “You guys have lost your heads.”