Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Chapter
Eight
BELLE
Oh, man. I’m suffering from orgasm overload that might lead to a lifelong addiction. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’m already addicted to Dante Arakas. The surly mob boss stole my freaking heart the first night we met, and I have no hope of ever getting it back.
“Are you ready to head to work?” Aaron, one of my new permanent bodyguards, knocks on the door.
“Motherfucker,” Dante growls against my lips as I smile. “I hate you leaving me all alone three nights a week,” he grumbles for the millionth time since I moved in two months ago. We’ve had this same argument so many times, I’ve lost track.
“You sleep part of the time I’m gone.” I attempt to placate him. He started working normal business hours at the club after the poisoning attempt, and most of the family business meetings are held at the compound. I’m trying to switch to day shift so I have more time with him, but I have to wait until a position becomes available.
The construction is mostly finished now except for a few buildings on the edge of the massive property, which is surrounded by a tall privacy fence and several booby traps just in case. I’m slowly getting used to the drastic change my simple life took after meeting and falling for the mafia boss.
“I barely sleep anytime you’re not lying next to me.” Dante wraps his arms tightly around me and sighs. “But I won’t stand in the way of you working because I know your job is important to you.”
“Thank you, gramps.” I still get a kick out of seeing his dark eyes flash fire when I use the nickname. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Standing on my tiptoes, I kiss his lips one last time before I grab my bag. “And I’ll make up for my absence.” I wink before blowing him a kiss.
“And your sharp tongue,” he calls after me.
“With my sharp tongue.” I laugh and follow my bodyguards out.
Work is insane. Multiple trauma victims come rolling in the door at the same time, and I end up running from room to room all night long. Needless to say, I’m dead on my feet when my morning replacement comes strolling in.
After the busy night, I barely have the strength to change from my hospital scrubs into my street clothes, but I decide to take a quick shower in the doctor’s lounge to wash all the grime from the busy day off me. “I’ll be right back,” I tell my two bodyguards and leave them sitting on the sofa watching morning talk shows.
I turn the water to stinging hot and step under the spray as the lights go out. My heart stumbles as I realize something isn’t right. A hand comes out of nowhere and wraps around my mouth and pulls me out of the shower. I automatically react, digging my teeth into the smelly hand pinching my nose closed. I kick out at the unknown person attempting to drag me to the door.
“Stop or I’ll break your goddamn neck,” my assailant hisses when my foot makes contact with his leg. A horrible pain bursts through the back of my head as everything goes dark.
I blink awake, lying on dirty carpet in the back of a van with my hands behind my back. When I attempt to sit up, I realize there are plastic bands wrapped around my wrists and ankles and a stinky rag tied around my mouth. Turning off my intense fear, I wiggle each of my limbs to check for injuries. The back of my head throbs, but I can’t feel any other signs of harm. Oh, fudge-muffin. Dante is going to flip the hell out when he finds out I’m gone.
The van comes to a stop, interrupting my thoughts, and I suddenly realize I have greater immediate problems. My kidnapper is going to realize I’m awake when he comes back here. Closing my eyes, I lie still, hoping to fool the jerk. I hear the vehicle door creak open, and the soon-to-be-dead criminal grumbles something to someone else. Oh great. There are two of them.
Brightness hits my closed eyelids as the door opens, but I force myself to stay still. “Why is she unconscious?”
I recognize that voice flashes through my mind seconds before all hell breaks loose. Dante’s men come from all sides and attack the two men standing at the back of the van. I roll out and drop to the ground as the sounds of flesh hitting flesh followed by loud grunts fill the air around me. I somehow manage to wiggle under the van, even though my hands and feet are still tied snuggly with the plastic bands.
Closing my eyes, I ask the universe to let me survive long enough to call Dante gramps again. I lose track of time while my heart nearly beats out of my chest. “Dr. Girardi.” Taking a deep breath, I open my eyes and see Carlton crawling under the van to take hold of my arms. “Let me help you out.” After pulling me out from under the vehicle, he cuts the plastic cuffs off of my hands and feet before lifting me against his chest.