Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 21139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
My finger curls around the trigger.
One squeeze. That’s all it would take. I’ve done it hundreds of times before. One squeeze and Seth Rossi’s brains would paint the walls of the warehouse behind him. I can see it…
…but then I see her. Unfathomable beauty in my mind’s eye. I feel the warmth of her body against mine, and the way my heart melts when she’s near me.
I see her eyes filled with tears before I left her. The way she looked at me this morning, begging for me to have mercy on her lech of a father.
“The man who took me to dinner, made me breakfast—that’s the man you truly are, Viktor!”
Her voice echoes sweetly in my head, so soft yet so certain.
I’ve never trusted anyone in my life—not completely. Until she came along…
I trust Bella with my life. She’s my queen. She would never hurt me. Nor would she ever lie to me.
So is she right? Is it true?
Can I be more than just The Ice Man?
“Do it…” Seth sobs. “Just do it.”
My hand is shaking. My hands never shake. I’ve executed men and then gone back to dinner, killed my rivals without blinking. But now, this worthless drunk’s life has me trembling like a boy with his first gun.
Because I know that if I pull this trigger, I lose her.
Bella…
Maybe not today or tomorrow, but down the line, she’ll realize she can’t forgive me. And she’ll be gone.
The warmth in her eyes will turn cold. The way she melts into my arms will never be the same. And slowly, she’ll pull away.
And what will my life be then?
I’ll have lost the only good thing that’s ever happened to me. My life. My soul.
I lower the gun. Seth looks up at me with complete astonishment, his eyes red.
“Your daughter. You can thank her for making me merciful.”
He stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. Viktor Morelli doesn’t have mercy. The whole city knows that.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” I say, my voice fierce but controlled. “You’re going to disappear. Tonight. Leave New York and never come back. Never contact your daughter again. Understand?”
“But she’s my—”
I grab his throat, tight enough to make my point. “She’s nothing to you anymore. You sold her for a gambling debt you couldn’t pay back. She belongs to me now.”
He nods frantically, relieved that his life is not ending tonight.
“If I see you in this city again or hear about you running your mouth about me, I’ll make you wish I killed you. I’ll make you beg for death, Seth. You got me?”
“Yes! I got you!”
I release him, and he falls to the floor, instantly scrambling to his feet. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a wad of cash—at least a few grand.
“Use it to get out of the city and disappear. Consider your debt to me paid. I’m buying you out of Bella’s life.”
Seth reaches out and takes the wad, staring at it like he can’t believe it’s real.
“But…why, Viktor?” he asks, his voice barely even a whisper. “Why are you doing this?”
Why indeed.
The old Viktor would have ended his life in an instant and not missed a minute of sleep. The old Viktor would have made an example of him—made sure everyone saw what happened to those that crossed him.
But the old Viktor didn’t have Bella waiting at home for him…
Never had someone who looked at him like he was anything more than a monster.
“Because she asked me to,” I tell him simply. “And because I, unlike you, would give my life for her.”
Seth pockets the money with shaking hands. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank your daughter. I won’t lose her because of you.” I turn to leave, then stop. “Oh, and Seth. If you gamble again and end up in debt to men like me, they won’t be so merciful. And I won’t be there to help you.”
He’s gasping for breath as I leave him and walk out into the evening air. The city itself feels different tonight—cleaner, hopeful. My hands are steady now.
I’ll have Anton leak a story that I found Seth’s money stash and jacked it, then sent him packing. It’ll reinforce my control over the city, show people I’m still not afraid to get my hands dirty.
I break down the gun in my hands, the cylinder, barrel and grip, and drop the pieces in a couple different dumpsters and a storm drain.
For the first time in my life, I showed mercy. Not weakness—mercy. And there’s a difference. A difference I’m learning.
A difference she’s teaching me…
The drive back to the penthouse is torture and feels like eternity.
What if she’s gone? Couldn’t stand waiting and not knowing and just got the hell out of there? But she wouldn’t be able to get past Anton and my men.