Page 29 of Broken

Liam

"I hope you know what you're doing?" Val said, standing with a glass of scotch in his hand. I preferred bourbon myself. Scotch had never set right on my pallet.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I asked, eyeing him.

"You need to keep your eye on the game," he shrugged. "I don't know why you want to play games with this girl. Kill her and be done with it."

I stiffened at the thought. "No one is going to kill, Nova."

The doorbell to my house rang right on cue. The security cameras outside of my house had picked up Nova's movements before I ever had the chance to. I looked up from the laptop and found Valentin smiling a shit-eating grin.

"You play a dangerous game with this woman," Valentin said.

"I want you to go check on the shipment of cocaine," I replied to my cousin. "I have business elsewhere today."

He shook his head and finished his scotch. I stood and exited my office. The housekeeper was letting Nova in just as I arrived. She was dressed in a short leather jacket, and jeans with a beanie keeping her hair hidden.

"You made it," I breathed, my hand going to her neck, the urge to apply pressure surging through my mind.

She rolled her eyes and knocked my hand away. "It's either I show up and keep being stalked or get this shit over with so you can punish me."

I looked her up and down but noticed she wouldn't look me in the eye. Damn, her defiance was turning me on. Nova wasn't the type to roll over and die. The fact that she thought I was going to punish her now...well, that was cute. I chuckled, and I watched her roll those pretty brown eyes that I only wanted trained on me from now on. I came forward and tilted up her chin so that she could do just that.

"For the first part of your punishment," I said, slowly and invitingly. "You are going to be at my beck and call. And for that you will require a new wardrobe."

"What?" she asked sternly.

"Little Thief," I whispered. "I'm taking you shopping, and you will try on every piece of clothing for me."

She shook my hands away; her skin had already set my hands on fire. I wanted them to roam over her body, but I quieted my thoughts. I wouldn't give in just yet. "So, your punishment is to take me shopping."

"Yes."

Her eyes lit up, and she smirked. "Hope you brought your black card."

I felt eyes on us and turned to see Val standing behind us. Nova noticed him too, and she looked between us, a frown on her face.

"Cousin, introduce me to your guest." He had a shit-eating grin on his face.

"No," I replied.

"I'm Nova," she replied as Val came closer and extended her hand. "And you are?"

"Valentin." My cousin stuck his hand out to shake Nova's hand but kissed it instead, causing me to scowl.

"Don't you have things to oversee?" I snapped at him.

"On my way," he addressed me. "Nova, hope to see more of you."

She smiled and watched him go. "Your cousin is extremely attractive."

Her words set something off in me; a fire started in my stomach that immediately roared into my ears. My veins seemed to burn with something that I hadn't felt over Valentin in years: jealousy.

"You would do wise to ignore him, should he be within our presence ever again," I spoke, trying to keep myself calm.

She stopped smiling. "And if I don't?"

"Then you will incur my wrath..."