Page 41 of Vicious Rule

He’s not making sense. What he’s saying isn’t true, even if I wish it was. He didn’t like me until I came to work for him, and even that took a long time.

“You’re confused. Probably the drugs. Get some sleep and let them do their work. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

As I stand up to leave his side, he clamps his fingers around my wrist and holds me there next to him. I stare down at him in confusion as I see pure fear in his expression.

“Don’t go. Stay with me.”

For a few seconds, I don’t know what to say. I’ve never seen Alex like this. He’s always so fearless and more often than not reckless, but now he looks terrified at the idea that I’m going to leave him alone.

I sit down next to him again as his hold on my arm loosens. “Okay. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

His eyes closed, he smiles. “Good.”

While he drifts off to sleep, I curl up next to him and let myself relax for a few minutes. When Alex is like this—calm and peaceful—I could be with him forever. I wouldn’t even think about leaving if he remained like this.

But he won’t because he enjoys the chaos. I think he might even crave it.

And that is something I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Alex

Beside me, Sasha sleeps as still as the dead, and I can’t help but envy her ability to do that. Maybe if the doctor had given me stronger drugs I’d still be out, but the shit he shot into me wore off sometime around three in the morning. I’ve been up since, and now that it’s nearly seven, I’m waiting for my first meeting of the day to begin.

She turns slightly in her sleep, tilting her head up and looking almost angelic. She really is uncommonly beautiful. I’ve had many women in my life, but Sasha is the most incredible one of them all.

“What time is it?” she softly asks before pushing her blond hair back off her face.

“Almost seven. Salvatore is coming to see me.”

That piece of news makes her sit bolt upright. Scrubbing her face, she gives me a strange look. “Why didn’t you wake me when you woke up? I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

I shrug, forgetting the wound in my shoulder that immediately sends flashes of pain down my entire left side. “Oh, fuck! That’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Are you okay? Do you need me to call the doctor? He said he’d be here this morning. Where is he? Why hasn’t he come yet?” she asks, spitting out questions in rapid fire succession I don’t bother answering.

Holding my hand up to stop her, I smile. “It’s fine. He’ll be here soon, I’m sure. Right now, I’m more concerned with talking to Salvatore about who the fuck thought it was a good idea to pop me. The bullet’s gone, so the shoulder will heal in its own time.”

“How very Zen of you,” she says with a chuckle. “That gunshot wound seems to have changed your personality. Are you sure it didn’t hit your head?”

“No, just the shoulder.”

She stands from the bed and smooths the wrinkles from her clothes. “By the way, your father called last night. I’m sorry I forgot. He’s probably going to be furious that you didn’t call him back.”

The last thing I need to deal with this morning is a conversation with my father. He probably wants to know if the Olivetti job was taken care of, and since it hasn’t been, he’ll demand to know why I haven’t done what he specifically ordered me to do.

That can wait. First, I need to find out who was behind the attack on me.

“Do you want me to get him on the phone for you? I can do that so you can rest more.”

I shake my head as thoughts of dealing with my father begin to ruin my morning. “No. He’ll have to wait.”

“Oh. Okay.”

She stands there silently watching me, so to assure her I’ll be fine since I assume that’s what she’s worried about, I smile and say, “Don’t worry. This is nothing. You should have seen the time I got shot in the leg. You know that huge scar I have on the inside of my thigh? Gunshot wound. That one almost hit the femoral artery. That would have punched my ticket and sent me home if it had. So don’t worry. This is nothing.”

Sasha grimaces. “Does it hurt?”

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