Page 58 of Wicked Proposal
“All of all of all of them!”
I see myself smile in the rearview mirror.That’s my kid.My beautiful, neurospicy kid with a heart bigger than the whole universe.
And we can handle whatever the world throws at us.
Even Yulian Lozhkin.
19
MIA
On Monday, the world starts pitching curveballs.
It’s now been two days since I sold my soul to the devil. Two days since the devil has been ghosting me, making me lie awake at night, wondering if it was all a dream: the diner, the wedding, everything.
On those nights, I pad to the kitchen and pull out the contract to read.
It’s real,I tell myself as my fingers brush over the printed words.He’ll call. He will. He’s probably just busy.
When I go take out the trash on Monday morning, however, I realize exactly what Yulian Lozhkin has been busy with.
“Ma’am.” The gorillas at my door salute in unison. “Good morning.”
The garbage bag dangles from my fingers.The hell… ?
“Let us get that for you.”
One gorilla plucks my trash from my hand. The other plants himself in front of the door, as if daring anyone to try and come in. Which is a bit inconvenient, because I was kind of hoping to get back in there.
“Okay, what is this?” I demand. “Who are you? Why are you guarding my door?”
“Boss’s orders,” one grunts.
The vein at my temple starts pulsing. “I never gave permission for this.”
“You didn’t need to, ma’am.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am.”
Say “ma’am” one more time. I’ll shove it up your ass faster than a suppository.“I want to speak to Yulian. Now.”
“That’s not possible, ma’am.”
“He doesn’t want to be disturbed, ma’am.”
“Well, tough.” I fish my phone out of my pocket. “He’s about to be.”
Then I storm back into my apartment and slam the door.
I type the text with shaking hands. Not out of fear, but rage.Why the hell are there mobsters at my door?
Yulian’s reply comes way too quickly for a busy man.Insurance,he types back.
My vein pulses harder.I fucking knew it.Give a billionaire an inch, and he’ll take the whole damn neighborhood and bulldoze it to pave the way for luxury condos.
Too bad I’m not going to let him have his way. I’ve had enough of this attitude—I know where it leads.
This time, I’m nipping that shit in the fucking bud.
