Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“Rafe?”
I look around, but the room’s empty.
I stay in bed for a while. It’s exactly like he promised. The clock says it’s barely past seven, but the monster is gone.
There’s no sign of him in the bathroom. I find clothes in my size draped over the tub. No note, but it’s obvious. I pull on fresh, comfortable underwear, sweats, and a long-sleeve shirt. Simple, but all designer brands.
I keep searching. Nothing in the closet or in the other rooms.
As far as I can tell, nobody else was here last night.
Even the living room was cleaned. My ice bucket and my bottle of Diet Coke are on the kitchen counter like that’s where they always were.
Not spilled on the floor.
I find a note taped to the glass windows right where he fucked me.
The room is paid for through the week. Anything you order goes on my tab. Get what you like. Don’t hold back. Enjoy yourself, doll.
“What the hell?” I murmur to myself. This space has to be thousands per night. But he’s really letting me stay?
This is crazy. I can’t believe last night happened.
But it really, really did.
I have to get back to Marnie and Beth. They’re probably worried sick. I left my phone in the room and have no way of letting them know I’m okay.
I’ll be back though. Why not?
Back in the real world, my life sucks.
Dead-end job, no prospects, a sick grandmother, and debt to my eyelashes.
I’ll go back to taking care of my friends, but when that’s over…
I can pretend to be someone else for a few more days.
3
RAFE
SIX YEARS LATER
Rafe Corvino, 42
June Ashworth, 28
Ifinish writing the check and stare at the numbers.
Six thousand dollars.
There’s no way in hell she’s going to buy it this time.
Like each payment before it, I keep thinking she’ll notice the pattern. Nobody’s that lucky, right?
That’s how life works.
The world takes. That’s all it ever does. The universe never gives.
Except for her.
“The usual place,” I say, sliding it across the desk.
Theodora scoops it up and tucks it into a folder. “How should we route this one? Fake federal program? Lottery winnings?”
“Leave cash on her doorstep in a paper bag.”
“Now you’re thinking, boss.” She beams at me. That movie-star smile. Theodora could be walking the runway if she wanted. Tall, nearly six foot, with big hair, blue eyes, and a figure to die for.
Instead, she’s my personal lawyer, and the best in the world.
“We have other business,” I say, eager to move on from this topic. I text my brother Silas for him to come join us for this part of the conversation.
Theodora knows me well enough not to linger. She sits and crosses her legs, opening her briefcase and tapping a sheaf of documents before putting them on my desk. “Twelve shell companies, as requested, four of which are international.”
I flip through and arch a brow. “Moscow? Really?”
“I’m particularly proud of that one.” Theodora yawns into her manicured nails as the door opens and Silas enters.
“Is my brother boring you already, darling?” Silas approaches with that swagger and his confident smile. It drives me fucking crazy. He’s around my height with our family’s trademark light gray eyes, but his hair’s longer, his clothes are much more expensive, and his ink trends toward color.
Except for the letters on his left knuckles.
Ashes.
“Never. I was up late last night getting everything settled.” Theodora doesn’t bother to look at Silas. They have a love-hate relationship. Mostly love from Silas and hate from Theo.
“Shame, love. I wish you were up late with me instead. When are you going to accept my standing invitation?”
“When cancer finally eats my cold, dead body, then maybe you can sleep with me.”
“Tempting, I’ll be honest.”
Theodora’s nose wrinkles.
“This is all well done,” I say, pleased with her work and doing my best to ignore my brother’s flirtation. “How are the permits coming along?”
“Finished on that end too,” Silas says, stretching out, looping one arm over the back of his chair. I sit straight, shoulders back, but my brother slouches and slinks like he’s back home in his living room. “Wasn’t fucking easy, I’ll tell you that. Had to call in more than a few favors.”
“Wonder how you earned those,” Theodora mutters.
Silas ignores her. “But we’re settled now. Kellan and Devlin are finalizing the warehouse space. I’ll move on to trucking and logistics soon.”
“Theodora? Hiring?”
She nods once. “I have people working on it.”
I sit back and look down at the papers on my desk. My lawyer and my brother fall silent for a moment as the magnitude of what we’re doing slowly settles on our shoulders.
On my shoulders, as always.
“When we’re finished, the Corvino family will be remade,” I say, gazing at the faint but still visible burn scars on my left palm. I still remember the door that gave me those. The brass was so hot it made me scream, but no louder than my brothers begging on the other side. Ashes. “The world is changing, and we have to change with it.”