Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Tapping my fingers on my knee, I thought about what I had learned so far. It wouldn’t be long before I got Hank and Benjamin. They were already on the run, and I’d made sure there was no possible exit for them without being detected by my men.
What I didn’t like was the possibility of who they were working for. The cartel were always a problem, but I had removed them from the docks when I first took over my city.
My cell phone went off and I answered it without looking at the caller ID.
“Hello,” I said, rubbing at my eyes.
“Why haven’t you returned my calls?”
Rage. I’d recognize that irritating voice instantly.
“I didn’t realize I had to answer your calls so fucking quickly.”
“If you valued your territory, you’d answer them. I’m trying to contact Ivan, where is he?”
I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself because I had no fucking idea how to contact him either, but I wasn’t going to let him know that. I didn’t like Rage. In fact, I didn’t like anyone from the Evil Savages MC. Making deals with them always ended in disaster, and seeing as I was now married to Charlotte, I had to wonder what shit was going to happen.
No, that wasn’t it.
I didn’t like the Evil Savages MC before, but seeing the scars on Charlotte’s back, and just knowing in my gut what her bastard father had been like, I didn’t like Rage, or any of them. I’d gladly kill every one of them, and it wouldn’t cause me to bat an eye. I hadn’t wanted them at my wedding either, but Ivan was all about making friends. Fuck that. I wanted to annihilate the MC, and one day I hoped to get that chance.
They weren’t my current problem, though. No, Hank and Benjamin’s mystery fucking companions were.
“You bore me with your threats.”
“These aren’t threats. I was approached by a Hank Belafonte, claiming to be a front man for the cartel, claiming it was only a matter of time before the Volkov Bratva was destroyed.”
Okay, shit, fuck, maybe I should have answered his call, but I wasn’t going to admit it.
“We need to talk,” I said.
“I’m already on my way into town. Also, I brought Cassie, she wanted to see her sister, and seeing as Charlotte hasn’t returned any of our calls, I can only assume you took away the cell phone I gave her.”
I didn’t respond to this. I needed to talk to Ivan, not make small talk.
“You know where to meet me,” I said.
Hanging up the call, I dialed Ivan’s phone again. This time, it didn’t go to voicemail.
“Ive, I had to wonder when you’d call me.”
“Where are you?” I asked. “I just got a call from Rage. We need to talk, and not over the phone. This is important.”
“So, you are on your way back home to see your lovely wife?”
This made me frown. Why the fuck was Charlotte being brought into this?
“And you got her a birthday present as well. See, my dear, no one forgot your birthday.”
Ivan hung up the phone and I gritted my teeth. Shit. Fuck.
Dialing Rage’s number, he answered within two rings.
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me it was Charlotte’s birthday?” I asked.
“Oh, fuck,” he said. “That explains why Cassie was so desperate to come and see her.”
Yeah, we had all messed up.
****
Lottie
I watched as Ivan talked to my husband, and I knew he was lying.
I’d seen Ive this morning before he left for work, and he’d not wished me a happy birthday. He did make me some hash browns and eggs, which I enjoyed, but he’d not said the words. He didn’t know.
It was rare for anyone to wish me a happy birthday.
Cassie never forgot my birthday, but I hadn’t seen her since the wedding, nor had I heard from her. I wished I hadn’t given that phone to Ivan. It would have been nice to have someone wish me a happy birthday. Ivan had arrived at Ive’s penthouse apartment two hours ago, and he was the only person to remember. He handed me a present, and then kissed my cheek.
I watched him hang up, and he turned to smile at me. “He forgot.”
“Did you happen to remind him it was your birthday?” Ivan asked.
“I didn’t realize I was supposed to do that for my husband.”
Ivan tutted. “Don’t you know men are useless with dates? Do you know Ive’s birthday?”
“September second,” I said. “I asked when he was born.”
“Ah, all those pesky little questions. Did he ask you?”
“No.”
“Men are pigs.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. I covered my mouth, and I don’t know what happened, but it set off even more laughter. Ivan joined in, laughing along with me. Tears fell from my eyes, but not from sadness. Ivan had made me laugh.