I rolled alongside him while he got us trays from the cafeteria. The woman scanned my hospital band and apparently that meant I got free lunch.Then, I rolled to a table to sit across from him.“You didn't really answer me before. How’s married life treating you?”Ethan’s smile faltered just a bit.
AlbertWhen I returned to the hospital, I was informed that Mia was in the cafeteria with a doctor. My initial thought was to check in with her and ensure everything was okay. As I made my way there, my mind was preoccupied with the ongoing adjustments to Elio’s territory and the responsibilities th
As we walked through the hospital corridors, Albert cleared his throat."There's something I have to ask you about.""What's that?""It's an event being hosted in a few days. I know you won't be fully healed, but do you think you might be up to going?"I paused; my curiosity piqued. “Is it a bratva
MiaHe seemed surprised that I asked, but he smiled all the same."It was a long day," Albert replied, tucking his phone in his pocket. "Mostly paperwork and meetings. The usual." He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "But there was an interesting development with the Bennett portfol
She shook her head. After a few stops, Katie finally relaxed slightly, though her eyes remained vigilant.“We should be okay for now,” she said, her voice low. “We lost them, I think."She looked at me. "You turned off the app, right?"I blinked at her and nodded, lying as I started to put it togeth
MiaI couldn't believe my ears."What?"Katie finished her drink and tapped the bar for another. I offered her mine and she drank it."I know! "He's the best boyfriend I've ever had, but I... When I saw him, I just..."I reached out and placed a comforting hand on hers. “You don’t have to have all t
Lorenzo's grin widened as he reached the bar, his eyes glinting with a dangerous gleam. He seemed to relish the discomfort he was causing and it could only get worse.“Well, well,” Lorenzo drawled, his tone dripping with malice. “What do we have here? Mia, I didn’t expect to see you in a place like
LorenzoI was seated in a secluded booth at what used to be Elio's club, now the Volka's by right of conquest. The dim, pulsating lights and the throbbing bass of the music and the curvy whore in my lap did little to brighten my mood. I was on a shit ton of painkillers and drinking and yet everythin
She leaned against the bar.“Thank you for the flowers,” she said quietly. “What did you want to talk about?”I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't expect it to be easy, but I had hoped for a slightly warmer reception.“There’s a lot we need to discuss. About us, about what happened, and
MiaNearly a month had passed since the raid, and life had settled into a new routine. I was working as a nurse, and the steady rhythm of the hospital shifts was both grounding and exhausting. Mom was at the penthouse on bedrest, recovering from her surgery, but her spirits were high. She had a job
"Everybody on the ground now!"Agents burst into the room, guns drawn. The attendees opened fire on them but they were overwhelmed.In the midst of the chaos, I spotted Dimitri, clutching his shoulder. Glaring at me, his face twisted in a mix of anger and fear. He tried to get toward the backdoors a
AlbertPolina was mingling with various guests, a smile plastered on her face that took over her whole face. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration when I thought of her. She really thought this was going to go a certain way.I moved through the crowd avoiding her. I noticed several of Dimit
It was bittersweet and lonely and not the mood I needed to be in the day before all my plans would come to fruition.Ivan came into the study nearly an hour later, already dressed for bed. He poured himself a cup of whiskey and sat across the table from me.“I’ve been looking for places for Katie an
AlbertThat night, I found myself sitting across from a few government operatives in a discreet, dimly lit office. The atmosphere was tense as we went over the final elements of the plan, including the layout of the Kulak Estate.The operatives were efficient and to the point. Things were going well
I shook my head. "I don't have to explain myself to you."She set her jaw. "Because you can't.""Because it's none of your business. My relationship with Mia, whatever it is or was, has nothing to do with you. Leave her alone, Polina. I mean it."Polina’s face twisted with a mixture of hurt and disb
AlbertI set my jaw at the sound of the knock. It might be the whiskey, but I really wanted to kiss her. I was almost sure that she'd let me. I turned to answer the door. It was one of my subordinates with a report from Ivan.Definitely more important than almost kissing my soon-to-be ex-wife.Mia s
“How did you get here?” I asked. "I didn't think you had a casino in the city."He glanced around briefly before responding. His tone clipped but informative. “It was Elio’s. I'm doing my rounds.”I winced at that. I wanted to know what that meant and I didn't want to know. Had Elio just paid Albert