Pakhan's Rose (Pakhan #1)(53)
A magnificent city.
We were on the main street, where all the shopping happened alongside various cathedrals and buildings filled with famous paintings. One of the best things about this city was the fact that no matter where you went, art surrounded you in its purest and most beautiful form.
Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rafael. I could have looked at the work of those men forever. Renaissance … the rebirth era, was still my favorite through all the eras.
"Happy we are here?" Strong hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me back to his muscled chest, and I willed myself not to wince. He pushed the hair from my neck and rested his chin on my shoulder. "You always loved Florence. That's where I proposed to you." Oliver's voice husky and deep did nothing to me, and for the hundredth time, I wondered why I ever considered marrying him?
Although all those framed photos of us enjoying cruises, Europe, and ski resorts proved we once shared an unbreakable bond. The woman in those pictures seemed in love, even if I couldn't recognize it.
Not that he wasn't hot, quite the opposite actually. He had a James Dean haircut, blond hair, and olive skin that gleamed perfectly in the sun. His lean yet muscular body caught the attention of many women. The man looked gorgeous in suits.
But something about his touch always seemed wrong.
"Yes, it's beautiful," I murmured. "I didn't know you were back."
Oliver had some serious business to attend to in the States. He didn't really share what, but he wanted to be done with everything before our wedding, which was supposed to happen in a few days.
Yay freaking me.
No matter how many times I started the conversation about postponing it with my family, they refused, claiming it all had to do with the accident, and someday, my memory would come back to me. But how could I be anyone's wife in the meantime, if I couldn't remember loving the man?
Just the idea dimmed the beauty in front of me, and it no longer excited me. "I wanted to surprise you." He spun me around, palming my face. "Did my girl miss me?" He leaned down, his lips a breath away from mine, but before he could press them to me, I shifted my head to the side, so his soft lips grazed my cheek lightly. Since waking up in the hospital, we didn't even share one kiss. He chuckled as mischief played in his eyes. "Still so innocent. But I'm willing to wait."
The idea of sharing a bed with him caused me to be nauseous. Before I could answer, he announced, "My business partner came with me. He agreed to attend the wedding. Dominic Konstantinov." Oliver wrapped his hand around my shoulder and turned us to the side. We came face to face with the most magnificent yet dangerous man I'd ever seen.
His soul-piercing eyes clashed with mine as my breath hitched.
They held so much inside, and everything in me wanted to shake the hold Oliver had on me and run with all my might toward the stranger. Both of us took a step toward each other, as my mind blocked out everyone else, and when he stopped, his perfect mouth with full lips spread in a welcoming smile, although it didn't reach his eyes. "Nice to meet you, Angelica."
Of their own accord, my hands closed over the cross hanging from my neck, and his attention focused there. I wondered why-through all this year after the car accident, when I was surrounded by my family and the man who loved me, and who I supposedly loved back-the voice of this stranger created a protective, safe cocoon around my heart.
Dominic's and Rosa's story concludes in ''Pakhan's Salvation''.
Thank you, Sommer from Perfect Pear Creative Covers for fabulous cover.
Lindee Robinson for beautiful cover photos.
L.J. Anderson from Mayhem Cover Creations for formatting, banner and teasers. Always a pleasure working with you!
Thank you to Ena and Amanda from Enticing Journey Book Promotions for hosting my blog tour.
Kiki, Ruth and the team at The Next Step PR. Thank you for guiding me and for everything else you do for me. Also thank you for hosting my cover reveal and release blitz.
Thank you to my V's Sapphires, ladies you are amazing!
Thank you to all the bloggers for spreading the word about Sociopath's Obsession and Revenge, and leaving reviews.
And finally to all the readers who took a chance on this journey of love between Pakhan and his Rose. Thank you to each one of you.
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Introduction
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Acknowledgments
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