Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 354(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
But yeah, I deserved that.
And a strange pang of bitter regret jolts into my core, only briefly.
Like I wish he actually would.
“I didn’t think you were,” I say, shaking my head rapidly. “It’s just, I talked to Roxie and she pointed out that a ten o’clock invite is a booty call for most normal humans, and I thought—”
“You thought I was going to blackmail you into sex?” He crosses his muscular arms, smile fading. Leaning away from me.
“Uh,” I say, not really sure how to respond. Since yes, that’s pretty much what I thought. I mean, I didn’t use the word blackmail but that’s what it would be.
Maybe blackmail I’d enjoy, but still.
“I do not need to coerce my employees into fucking if all I want is sex,” he says, shaking his head. “I’m filthy rich, relatively young, and I live in goddamn Las Vegas. If I want sex, I can have it whenever I need it. While you are attractive, Ms. Kiernan, you are far from my type.”
I take a step back, totally stunned.
What a wild freaking ride that sentence was.
Did he just say I’m attractive? Did Adler Costa, most perfect bachelor in the whole world, call me attractive?
Then he smashed me back to earth with one stunning move.
“You’re not my type either,” I snap at him, starting to fume. I don’t know why I’m having this reaction. I don’t even care if he’s into me or not—actually, it’s better if he’s not. “Seriously, how are you standing there acting all appalled? Did you not even consider the implication of inviting your young, female employee to your private house in the middle of the night?”
His jaw works. “People at the Sunrise gossip too much. I wanted our discussion to be between us. This is the only room in this entire building that I can guarantee is truly private.”
“Maybe you should’ve said that instead of, I don’t know, freaking me out!”
He takes several deep breaths. I can tell he’s annoyed, but I’m finding it hard to empathize at the moment.
He’s the one that dragged me up here. He’s the one that set our meeting for the middle of the night. He’s the one that made it seem like he was getting something from me tonight, something serious, something big, in exchange for my brother’s life.
I thought Roxie might be right—I figured he wanted to fuck me.
Nobody mentioned freaking shakshuka.
“Okay,” he says at last. “I acknowledge how you might get that idea.”
His concession surprises me, even though it’s half-assed. “Wow. Really? Huh. Okay, I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“But,” he says, talking over me. “I am not going to apologize for your own filthy mind. Now will you please follow me so I can take you into my dungeon, tie you up, and fuck you in every hole until you beg for more?”
My mouth falls open again. How is this guy doing this? Shocking me into total silence? Words try to come out of my throat, but I can only make a weird grunting sound. I’m half angry, half ringing with a sudden, piercing desire.
Then he laughs, shaking his head.
“Couldn’t help myself,” he says, turning away. “Just fucking with you. Come on, we’re going to the balcony. There’s something I want you to see.”
Then he walks off, going through the double doors, which lead into an office.
I gape after him, head reeling.
Then I get mad. “You asshole!” I call after him.
I’m tempted to get back on the elevator. It’s right there—I could press the button and disappear from this psychotic situation.
Adler is clearly torturing me for fun.
But Shane’s life still hangs in the balance, and even if I’m having some bizarre hate-flirt situation with my boss right now, I still need to have a serious talk with him about not murdering any of my family members.
I follow, not feeling happy, and somewhat hoping he throws me over the railing and puts me out of my misery.
Chapter 5
Casey
The view is absolutely gorgeous.
Once I head through an austere office-slash-library and through another set of French doors, the whole of Atlantic City spreads out in front of me. The strip disappears in a spew of lights and motion, and beyond that, the ocean fades into the darkness. The smell of salt and brine fills the air, and I breathe it deep. There’s nothing I love more than that smell and the sound of the surf against the sand. For all the pain my family’s put me through, part of me feels lucky to have grown up so close to the ocean.
Adler stands at the edge of the railing, staring down at the buildings. I pause, looking around. We’re nearly on the roof; only one floor is above us. Chairs are scattered against the walls and an ornate, crystal ashtray sits alone on a wooden table. He looks back and catches me staring. “My father was a smoker,” he says. “Haven’t been able to get rid of that yet.”