Page 34 of Kingpin

Then he disappeared through the double doors.

I shot up and scooted to the bed as he closed the doors behind him, but I didn’t dare follow him. What could I have said anyway? I heard him receding down the hallway. For once, he wasn’t silencing his footsteps. It made me wonder what kind of day he’d had at work. It made me wonder what was on his mind. Did he want me to follow him? Did he want me to come after him?

I bit down on my lower lip as I debated my options.

On the one hand, if I went after him, he might let me stay in his bed. That might also end in disaster. He might end up hurting me more than loving me, which would forever taint the bond I wanted to grow between us. But if I stayed where I was, and he wanted me there, he’d feel neglected, as if he were somehow right about us.

Was it a test?

Go after him. What can it hurt?

“Isra—”

I heard my phone vibrating against the bedside table, and the light from the screen caught my eye. I scoffed as I scooted on my ass over to my cell phone and saw “Dad” dancing around on the screen.

Uncle Pava.

I looked back at the door, wanting nothing more than to ignore whatever the message said. He wasn’t calling, so how would he know if I checked it or not? Then again, I knew better. My uncle always knew. So, I reached for my phone and opened the message. Preparing myself for anything.

Uncle Pava: Time is running out.

Four little words that managed to remind me of the predicament I’d gotten myself into. Tears crowded my eyes as I closed out the screen of my phone and tossed it onto the table again. I shut my eyes. I steeled myself against the hurt washing around in my gut. Chills broke out up and down my arms as I kicked my heels off my feet.

Maybe not tonight.

I slid beneath the covers as silent tears dripped to my pillow. I knew I’d wake up to a white pillow smeared with makeup, but I didn’t care. I curled my knees up to my chest and sniffled, ready for the nightmare to end.

I felt trapped between two immovable forces. I didn’t know where to step next.

“I have to break him,” I whispered.

It was my only option. If I was to take the side I wanted, I had to get him to fall in love with me. I wanted to stand by his side. I wanted to support my husband. I knew, deep down, he wasn’t the man who had been painted to me my entire life. He wasn’t as ruthless and as sadistic and as heartless as people believed. But I couldn't prove that if he didn’t weaken to me, at least a little bit.

I know I can make him love me.

But I couldn't make him accept that love for me.

Which was a completely different beast in and of itself.

15

Bonnie

I packedeverything I made up in the kitchen and started for the elevator. I took one last look at my phone and ignored the missed phone call I had from my uncle. I had plans. Plans that didn’t have anything to do with bringing harm to my husband. I pressed the button to call the elevator as the decadent smells of steak and lime dressing wafted up my nostrils.

My stomach growled, and I hoped the snack I brought for myself would be enough.

The golden elevator doors parted, and I stepped inside. I’d spent the last two days planning out how I’d win Israel over to my corner. It was simple, really. It required an equal balance of submission and dominance. He needed to know that I was strong enough to stand by his side, while also understanding that he was the more powerful force in our dynamic. Simple.

Except it wasn’t.

Not really, anyway.

Carrying my small, insulated picnic basket, the two bodyguards on the main floor followed me out the door. One of them quickly opened the rear door of the town car for me while the other offered me his hand to help me into the seat. I thanked him for his generosity and accepted his help, holding myself to a standard I knew Israel would be proud of.

“Where to, Mrs. Rossi?” the driver asked.

I grinned. “The warehouse, please. I have lunch for Israel.”

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