Page 84 of Wilt

I fold my arms and sigh, leaning against the frame of the door. “Why do I always hate it when someone starts with that fucking sentence?”

Tony’s eyes pop wide. This is a big man. Strong. A killer. A bruiser. That expression is so little boy with his hand in a jar he shouldn’t be rifling in, it almost makes me laugh.

Almost.

“I don’t doubt your loyalty. It’s just that sentence always leads to annoying questions that honestly make me want to shoot people. I’m not going to. It’s just how I feel.”

He frowns. “Mia’s concerned for Sylvie. If you set up the meeting, then…”

I sigh. “I’m not going to. We’ll get her back. Finnegan is a bully, but that’s the cover for every fucking coward on the face of this planet. He’s going to have to make a decision. If he decides to do nothing at all, then…”

Finnegan’s not about to do that. I know my enemies. I make it my business. Derek is someone I’ve known since I was a wet behind the ears teen. I’m not going to say I was innocent; I don’t think I’ve ever been that. Inexperienced with this business? Yes. A brute like him? No. I’ve known men like him my entire life. If my uncle hadn’t saved me, I’d have… I don’t know what. I don’t like to think about that, but I know Derek Finnegan through and through.

“Then,” I say, “we will go in. Decimate him and his team, get her, and seize control.”

He nods.

“It won’t go down like that, Tony. We’re getting everything we want. Everything I want. We’ll get Sylvie. He’ll never see his daughter without Sylvie in our hands.”

His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t say a word. I also know Tony. The man is smart, and no doubt he’s put it together that I’ve tweaked everything once more, but I’m not letting anyone know until it’s time.

Once he leaves with the box, I go back inside, not bothering with the alarm.

In her room, because I can’t fucking help returning to her, I take a seat in the armchair and pick up one of the books I left her, flicking through it. I watch her sleep, my gaze returning to her time and time again, imprinting, burning her image into my brain, even though it’s already there.

I watch her and wait for her father to make his move. He has to. For my plan.

No one knows the change yet. To get Sylvie, to get everything I want, to bring this man down, I’m going to have to do something I’ve never done before.

Lose.

Chapter29

Rosalind

Icome awake in stages, naked, sticky, a mess of aches and sore muscles, inside and out.

Pushing back the sheets, I know a few things.

I’m naked.

I’m no longer a virgin.

He took off the collar and put me into my bed but left me his shirt.

I’m alone.

Nikolai isn’t here.

Yet…

I pull on the shirt and button it, loving the feel of it against me, the faint scent of him. I forgo a shower for now because I want to see him. Maybe I can entice him into one with me, have him clean me, and I can…

Swallowing, I put my fingers to my burning cheeks. I can feel him, like he was here, in the room. I slept so deep, so well, that I’m at peace.

My heart is fluttering behind my ribs. Everything about last night was perfect, everything a girl dreams about with her first time.

I need to see him.

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