Page 96 of Misdeeds of a Billionaire

“You’re right. I’m crazy about something. Or someone, rather.” Shit, did that make me sound too whipped? I was too old for this crap. I just wanted things back to the way they were before. There was no holding back. The Odette I knew didn’t hesitate to tell me what was on her mind nor what she wanted—in bed or outside it. “Anything else?” I inquired.

There was something different about the strong-willed woman I fell for. It was almost as if she feared something aside from this diamond smuggler. But for the life of me, I couldn’t quite figure out what. It couldn’t be me. Right? I had never given her reason to fear me. For Christ’s sake, I couldn’t stand seeing her in pain. It was the main reason I respected her wishes when she asked me to leave that day in the hospital. I didn’t want to be the cause of her pain.

She remained on the line, quiet, almost as if she needed to say something else but couldn’t think of a way to. “Take him to get more trains and accessories for it.” When she didn’t answer, I continued, “There’s a toy store downtown. He’ll like that.”

Still no response, but this time I let the silence linger.

“Your note said to use the card for whatever,” she finally stated softly.

“I did.”

She cleared her throat. “Can I use it to withdraw money?” I stilled. The first thought that slammed into me was that she’d try to run. That she’d leave me. “Umm, Billie has things she needs—okay, wants—to do and…” She trailed off, letting out a sigh. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I get a job. I just… She’s done so much for Ares and—”

“That card is yours to do as you please.”Except leave me. “It doesn’t have a limit. Withdraw as much as you need.”

“I’ll pay you back.”

A sardonic breath left me. Had she already forgotten that I didn’t make her sign an NDA or prenup? With any other woman, it’d be the first thing I’d do. With her, I never worried she’d take me for my money. If anything, she was reluctant to touch it.

“It’s your money, Odette. You can do whatever you want with it.”

I could hear her frustrated sigh through the phone. “I bet if our positions were reversed, you wouldn’t be saying that.”

I chuckled. “When you’re a famous surgeon, you can pick up the check at dinner.” I could practically see her rolling her eyes. “Did you just roll your eyes?”

She coughed. “Do you have cameras here?”

I did have cameras around the house, but I didn’t need them to read her mannerisms. “You better use that card by the time I’m back. I fully expect a dent in it.”

“Sure thing, hubs. I’ll wave it all around D.C. like a white flag. And I’ll hit every ATM from here to the toy store.”

“That’s a good wife.”

“You are just as arrogant as I remember,” she said, then ended the call.

A deep chuckle came from behind me.

“You got it bad,” Vasili tsked, shaking his head. “Welcome to married bliss.”

I laughed. Today was a good day. One of the best days I’d had in far too long.

Returning my attention to the guy in front of me, I grinned. “Let’s wrap this up, shall we?”

“We should have taken him to the basement of my other building,” Vasili said. “There are so many tools I’d enjoy using on him. For entering my city without my permission. For beating awomanin my fucking city.”

“Please,” Danso sputtered, teeth chattering, chest caving in. “I didn’t know she was under your protection.”

“Stop begging,” Alexei declared coldly. “It doesn’t matter whether she was under our protection or not. Nobody is to lay a hand on a woman in our city. ”

“And it just so happens, I’m not the forgiving type,” I seethed, the images of Odette trying to fight him off rushing through my mind.

An hour later, Danso was tied to the chair, his face and body covered in bruises as he gasped for air. He looked like a purple pig. My hands were just as bruised and bloodied.

Alexei tsked, turning his head in my direction. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Indeed I am, brother-in-law,” I deadpanned. Alexei dumped the towel back on Danso’s face and emptied another bucket of water on it.

Reaching for a baseball bat, I swung it through the air and it smashed against his face, crushing above his nose. He let out a scream, fighting against the chains. Unsuccessfully. I hit his ribs next. His back. Then his cheek. Back to his knees.