Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“They don’t play around. If they had a problem with me, they would have handled it directly, probably with a bullet to the head. The people who have reason to get me killed through others are in your family, because they promised you to keep me alive.”
Marcella narrowed her eyes. “Now it’s not just Amo but my whole family wanting you dead?”
Growl appeared by our side. “Luca wants to talk to you in his office in the Sphere.”
I wasn’t surprised Growl had talked to Luca yet again and not about Luca wanting to see me either. I really didn’t want to talk to Luca yet, especially not before I knew if he was involved with the information leak as well. “Do you have a place for this dog yet?” I asked, pointing at Santana.
Growl shook his head. “Too many dogs with too many issues. They never lived outside a kennel. They aren’t broken in and aren’t used to a family life.”
“But she’s still young, only two, she can learn, right?”
“With patience and time, she’ll learn.”
“Then I want to adopt her once I have a place to live…”
Marcella patted the dog through the fence with a small smile. Her hair had shifted to the side and the horrible tattoo Earl had given her peeked through the material of her white shirt. Last night after talking to Gray, I’d very briefly felt an ounce of guilt over having killed my uncle, but now the feeling vanished into thin air and was replaced by the same disappointment and anger I’d felt before his death.
My eyes darted to her ear that had been covered by her hair until now. It was covered by a Band-Aid. Marcella caught my gaze and her expression tightened before she focused on the dog once more.
Growl interrupted the tense silence. “There’s a great furnished apartment in the building I lived before.”
“Famiglia owned, I suppose?”
“One of Luca’s.”
“I’ll see if I can find a place of my own.”
Marcella rose to her feet. “I’m coming with you to the meeting with my father.”
“Luca asked me to bring you home,” Growl said.
“I’m going to the office,” Marcella said firmly.
It was obvious that Growl didn’t like it. “I’ll come with you.”
“All right,” Marcella said graciously. “But I’m driving with Maddox.”
“I can’t allow that. Your father’s orders were very clear. You’re not to be alone with him right now.”
Marcella’s eyes flashed with anger, and it was obvious she swallowed back a reply. She nodded once. I leaned in. “Soon we’ll have enough time to be alone. I’ll show your father that he can trust me with you. Maybe you can use the time for a chat with your brother? Find out more about the information leak.”
I had a feeling confronting Luca first wouldn’t lead to good results. Amo was still more boisterous and might let information slip more easily.
She smiled gratefully but I could tell that she was still pissed over her father’s orders. “If you live in one of our apartment buildings, I’ll probably have it easier to visit you later. My father won’t allow me to go to a place he can’t protect properly, especially after the kidnapping.”
She was probably right. I really didn’t want to live under Vitiello’s watchful eyes but for now, I’d just swallow my pride until he realized I didn’t mean his daughter any harm.
“Come on,” Growl said. “We should hurry. Luca won’t appreciate waiting.”
“We don’t want to make him angry,” I said sarcastically then winked at Marcella. She took my hand and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear. “He’ll try to make this as difficult for you as possible. He hoped that you’d run off, but now that you’re back, he and the other men from my family are going to try to test you until you decide it’s not worth it.”
“They can put me through hell all they want. It’s a place I’m very familiar with and I’ll get burned gladly for you. But they should know I can give them hell as well.”
“I don’t doubt it,” she said then pressed a fleeting kiss on my cheek before she followed Growl to his car. Vitiello had no intention of handing his daughter over without a fight. He was doing this to appease her after everything she went through, probably hoping she’d grow tired of me once she was back in her old life. Part of me worried the same, but I’d fight tooth and nail to keep Snow White, against her father and everyone else who intended to get in the way.
I was patting Santana’s soft head when a bike pulled up the driveway.
Growl immediately positioned himself in front of me and shouted at the lanky teen to get a shotgun. My pulse quickened from fear but then changed to excitement when I recognized Maddox. My heart beat so fast I felt almost dizzy. I’d sworn myself not to let my emotions run the show if I ever saw him again, but I realized I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise.