Winona “You’re kidding me, right?”“What do you mean?” I tightened my ponytail. Earlier today, I’d gotten so bored, I’d disguised myself well enough that I could go to a little shop around the corner. HJ hadn’t exactly said I could leave his place, but he had said he was finally taking me out tonight.That called for celebration. The closest store was eccentric, and I was all about it. They had knockoff clothes and secondhand items, but it was someplace to go where I knew I wouldn’t be seen.“We’re not going anywhere with you dressed like that.” He pointed at me accusingly, as if my outfit was completely ridiculous.I had to admit, it was different. The latex fit every nook and cranny of my body like a glove. I was actually surprised it wasn’t custom made for me. To say I was proud of the rare find was an understatement. “This is perfectly legit for whatever we have to do tonight. I’m wearing combat boots and a dark outfit. It’s the best way to hide in the shadows.”“You’re wearing a
WinonaMaybe I should have been concerned about the red stains on my hands as Dante filed in with their cleanup crew. I’d seen a few of them before, but they were nameless associates of our family, ones I’d probably never see again unless they proved theirworth.Had I proved my worth tonight or lost it all? And what was there to prove to a family that wasn’t mine? If Georgie was right, if he wasn’t lying, I belonged on the other side of the tracks.My heart didn’t rush when HJ mumbled that Sebastian would be furious. We stood at the elevator doors, HJ with his hat on and my hood back up for no good reason. The cleanup crew would be calling the police later tonight to have them wipe the cameras.In this city, we were protected.As the elevator door pinged, HJ walked in and then turned to me, black fire licking through his eyes. “Get in the elevator, Winona.”He’d almost told me he loved me in that car, and I’d been ready to drive off into the sunset with him. Now, could I love him kno
HJMen aren’t built like women. Or at least, not like Winona.We could never read emotions as well, navigate a room as well, or know someone else’s next move like her. She didn’t play chess. She dominated it. It was like sittingacross from your opponent and realizing they had all queens lined up instead of pawns.The fight wasn’t fair.We all knew that. Sebastian most of all. He knew he was surrounded by family that was supposed to protect him but that would protect her instead. She’d outmaneuvered him and the family with a love she didn’t even express.Dante trained her, and Carlos talked with her when he wouldn’t open his mouth to anyone. And I slept next to her like a cub trusting a lioness.We respected Sebastian as the king of the family.But we loved Winona.In the family, men aren’t supposed to get close to any woman unless we claim them as our untouchable. None of us had claimed her; none of us had claimed anyone. We’d all been without that love, sailing through life complete
Laura Horowitz—no, that wasn’t right—Laura Augustus glanced around the luxurious sitting room at the many different faces of the world she had married into. Not willingly. No, her father had come home one day, sat her down, and told her that he had big plans for her. Whenever he had big plans for her, she knew they were lies. The truth was, he had big plans for himself. Not that she hated her father. Leon Horowitz was a scary man. Abandoned as a child, he grew up on the streets and fought his way out, earning himself a reputation and wealth that rivaled the mafia family she was currently sipping drinks with.No champagne, not for her. A bad experience on her eighteenth birthday put an end to her alcohol-drinking days. Now, she kept to water or juice. Nothing alcoholic.Not that she had a drink of her own. That would require the waiter to come close to her, and no one ever did that.Her husband, Johannes Augustus, stood near a bunch of men, talking, probably business, or perhaps they w
The man wasn’t mafia, he wasn’t family, and in no way was he blood. There was no denying Leon had worked himself from the ground up, building a reputation for himself and becoming the feared crime boss that he was. His name rivaled the Augustus name for fear. Men were loyal to him, and they never, even under threat of torture or being tortured, turned on him.Lucas Augustus, Johannes’s father, had been impressed and wanted to finally meet the man that no one would break from. Not even to save their own skin.Who instilled that kind of loyalty?The man in front of him was deadly. Johannes saw it in the man’s eyes. There was nothing living there, and he heard the rumors that the only person who was ever safe from this man was his daughter, Laura.So much rumor and gossip followed this man. Johannes didn’t believe it all.He sipped at his whiskey and stared at the man over the rim of the glass. He didn’t fear Leon.Johannes was the only man in the history of the mafia to have killed a ma
Saya approached him and slapped him on the shoulder. “You keep on believing that, buddy. I know the truth. I’ve known you for years, and you want to slit my throat. It’s fine, but maybe you need to know what it is you want first, before you ask people to do this.”“Laura is a slut.”“I don’t think she is. If so, then I’m not the kind of man she goes for. We all know the ladies drop their panties for me.”Johannes couldn’t help but look at Saya’s neck and think how good it would look oozing with blood.“You know that murderous rage you’re feeling right now? That’s not what a guy who wants to have other men sleep with his wife should feel like.” Saya winked at him and left to rejoin the party.Running a hand down his face, he attempted to clear his mind. Tonight was not going well.He was running on only a couple of hours of sleep, and to be frank, he was exhausted. For the last three days, he’d been chasing a goddamn rat, one who wanted to trade their secrets for money and a safe life.
Saya approached him and slapped him on the shoulder. “You keep on believing that, buddy. I know the truth. I’ve known you for years, and you want to slit my throat. It’s fine, but maybe you need to know what it is you want first, before you ask people to do this.”“Laura is a slut.”“I don’t think she is. If so, then I’m not the kind of man she goes for. We all know the ladies drop their panties for me.”Johannes couldn’t help but look at Saya’s neck and think how good it would look oozing with blood.“You know that murderous rage you’re feeling right now? That’s not what a guy who wants to have other men sleep with his wife should feel like.” Saya winked at him and left to rejoin the party.Running a hand down his face, he attempted to clear his mind. Tonight was not going well.He was running on only a couple of hours of sleep, and to be frank, he was exhausted. For the last three days, he’d been chasing a goddamn rat, one who wanted to trade their secrets for money and a safe life.
She should just make it to English. Snooping, or spying, was not for her.Laura was about to make a break for it when fingers wrapped around her wrist, stopping her. She spun toward the person who’d grabbed her and saw Johannes was there. How had he moved from across the grounds toward her so fast?“What are you doing?” Johannes asked.She tugged at her wrist. “Let me go.” She didn’t want to cause a scene. Not many people were around, but there were a few. She hated bringing attention to herself.“Why are you here?” Johannes asked. “Who sent you?” Why was he accusing her?“I’m going to class,” she said. “Please, I don’t want to be late.”“Sir, I suggest you let her go.”This was Bill. This was going to be very bad.She looked from Johannes to Bill, then back again.“Why are you here?” Johannes asked.“I have it on strict orders to keep an eye on her, to protect her, while she goes to school,” Bill said.“She is my wife. She is coming with me.” Bill stepped in front of Johannes, stoppi
HJMen aren’t built like women. Or at least, not like Winona.We could never read emotions as well, navigate a room as well, or know someone else’s next move like her. She didn’t play chess. She dominated it. It was like sittingacross from your opponent and realizing they had all queens lined up instead of pawns.The fight wasn’t fair.We all knew that. Sebastian most of all. He knew he was surrounded by family that was supposed to protect him but that would protect her instead. She’d outmaneuvered him and the family with a love she didn’t even express.Dante trained her, and Carlos talked with her when he wouldn’t open his mouth to anyone. And I slept next to her like a cub trusting a lioness.We respected Sebastian as the king of the family.But we loved Winona.In the family, men aren’t supposed to get close to any woman unless we claim them as our untouchable. None of us had claimed her; none of us had claimed anyone. We’d all been without that love, sailing through life complete
WinonaMaybe I should have been concerned about the red stains on my hands as Dante filed in with their cleanup crew. I’d seen a few of them before, but they were nameless associates of our family, ones I’d probably never see again unless they proved theirworth.Had I proved my worth tonight or lost it all? And what was there to prove to a family that wasn’t mine? If Georgie was right, if he wasn’t lying, I belonged on the other side of the tracks.My heart didn’t rush when HJ mumbled that Sebastian would be furious. We stood at the elevator doors, HJ with his hat on and my hood back up for no good reason. The cleanup crew would be calling the police later tonight to have them wipe the cameras.In this city, we were protected.As the elevator door pinged, HJ walked in and then turned to me, black fire licking through his eyes. “Get in the elevator, Winona.”He’d almost told me he loved me in that car, and I’d been ready to drive off into the sunset with him. Now, could I love him kno
Winona “You’re kidding me, right?”“What do you mean?” I tightened my ponytail. Earlier today, I’d gotten so bored, I’d disguised myself well enough that I could go to a little shop around the corner. HJ hadn’t exactly said I could leave his place, but he had said he was finally taking me out tonight.That called for celebration. The closest store was eccentric, and I was all about it. They had knockoff clothes and secondhand items, but it was someplace to go where I knew I wouldn’t be seen.“We’re not going anywhere with you dressed like that.” He pointed at me accusingly, as if my outfit was completely ridiculous.I had to admit, it was different. The latex fit every nook and cranny of my body like a glove. I was actually surprised it wasn’t custom made for me. To say I was proud of the rare find was an understatement. “This is perfectly legit for whatever we have to do tonight. I’m wearing combat boots and a dark outfit. It’s the best way to hide in the shadows.”“You’re wearing a
WinonaHe’d left a note for me that morning.Notes weren’t my thing.Not anymore.I’d only ever gotten two. One from HJ telling me he’d never write me again—which was ironic now that I held another one of his notes in my hand—and the other . . .The other one was from the only other person I’d ever loved. It was a bad one, a deadly one. One that made me want to lie down and die with him.My mood soured. The man better wake me up next time he was going to leave me for hours on end.Plus, the note wasn’t even good. There weren’t any hearts or balloons or our names scribbled next to each other.I’LL BE BACK in a couple hours. The cabinet next to the bookshelf has food.HJPS Do you think Cleopatra was ever kidnapped?PPS Books written by Poe are on that shelf if you want to read.BY FOOD, he meant granola bars and apple juice. My stomach growled in protest when I’d eaten three and still felt starved.When I heard footsteps in the hallway, I sat up in the bed. I chucked one of the bars at
HJI left her to get breakfast, to get my bearings, and to get intel on the fact that I was sleeping with the heiress to the Russian mob.Carlos had already pulled intel from Georgie’s phone, and he called both Sebastian and I aboutit that morning. “Well, there’s a lot more information than I wanted in here.”Sebastian grumbled into the phone, surely tired from lack of sleep. “Is there information on where the fuck Winona’s at?”“We’ve got everyone out looking,” I said, lying through my teeth. I hadn’t looked at all last night.“Dimitri took her. It’s obvious from the communications,” Carlos announced. “I’ve got— I think we need to meet to discuss this.”Carlos was always worried about tapped phones. We were intelligent enough to have people within the FBI bury our conversations. We switched out phones too. Still, you could never be too careful, and I was sure Carlos had the information I needed, information that would start a war I wasn’t sure I was ready to participate in.I foun
WinonaI came to, and the first thing that hit me was a migraine from the chloroform hangover.I didn’t move. Waking up as a captive and waking up next to an angry, violent lover were very much the same.I relaxed my body and kept my breathing slow. I listened for any sound—voices, TVs, footsteps, traffic outside; any clue that could tell me where I was.I lay across a cushioned surface that felt much like a leather couch, and some cloth was draped over my body. I felt the tulle of my dress still wrapped around me, but the knife that should have dug into my ribs was gone.My kidnapper had wrapped me in a blanket and laid me on a couch? Left me dressed? It seemed they’d be playing nice once they knew I was awake.With just the sound of cars in the distance, I knew we must still be in the city, but whoever was with me, they weren’t giving much away. No one talked or walked around, and I couldn’t smell anything except . . . a hint of metal mixed with aftershave, like he’d washed away the
HJThe warm candlelight flickered on the face of every man watching Winona too closely as we walked back in. I wanted to leash her and drag her from the gala. Yet no wild animal like her was meant to be tamed. I only got that privilege when I was making her moan my name.She glanced at my watch. “It’s probably time for you and me to go our separate ways.”“As long as they intersect at some point later on,” I mumbled as I nodded and started to back away from her.Her dark cat-eye makeup had smudged around her misty gray eyes, and her hair wasn’t bone straight anymore. The wave that broke through her ponytail was a sign of the heat that had passed between us before. That look of dishevelment only worked in her favor. As the music swayed the guests, her presence mesmerized them. For the next hour, I watched her bounce around while hungry eyes tracked her movements.I should have been satisfied. We’d settled on the fact that her place wasn’t with Sebastian. He’d agreed to let her go, a
WinonaMen, by nature, had to be stupid. I was sure of it.Sebastian had given me numerous lectures about not leaving his side, as if I were a sheep, only accustomed to being herded.I played the role well enough and nodded at his requests. Then I promptly faked having to pee.He didn’t even question me.Women should have been leading the world, not men.It took one coy look Georgie’s way and a lift of an eyebrow for him to excuse himself. He knew better than to draw a crowd. He wanted time alone; he wanted an explanation.He wanted me.I strode out onto the balcony. The wind chilled me, and the night air washed over me like a calm before a storm. The stars from this far out of the city shone brighter, louder, and more vividly.The cool cement railing was just thick enough to allow me to lean on it and really peer up into the night, get lost in the darkness of it all. This was the place I felt most at home, surrounded by nothing but myself in a fine outfit, bathed in ink-black shadows
HJShe wore the dress.It was like the devil himself wanted a damn show and had wrapped her up, helped her get ready, and served her to all of us that night. He was laughing in hell right now. I could almosthear his cackle.She strutted in on Sebastian’s arm. Regal, fuckable, mesmerizing. That dress was a waterfall over her legs, but every curve of them was visible. The beads shimmered under the crystal chandelier light, and her dark stiletto heels elongated her stride down the carpet.I tensed as she looked up at Sebastian and smiled adoringly. It may have been a show, it may not have been.Either way, it didn’t matter.The back of her bound up by that black-as-ink ribbon and the way her ass flared out from her waist, I heard some of the men visibly moan.Fucking breathtakingly beautiful.Feathers and beads and black strings had been wrapped around the most dangerous woman here. The mob and the government were watching. Everyone wanted her for different reasons, but we’d all take