Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Everyone got up slowly and walked around the tables to where Santino and I were standing.
My blood sugar must be low, I both felt like puking and passing out. I swayed on my feet; Andrei steadied me and lifted Santino’s shirt with one hand.
The rest of the men chuckled.
“What?” Santino asked.
Andrei jerked his chin toward him. “She marked a K right over your heart.”
Santino did a double-take between Andrei and me. “Seriously?”
“How are you still standing?” I swayed again.
“Deep breaths, Katya,” Andrei whispered next to me.
I nodded, panicked because I couldn’t read Santino’s expression. He almost seemed pleased that I’d cut him, which was weird even for him.
“All right, now that that’s settled.” Tex took a deep breath, picked up the knife from the ground, swiped it across his shirt, and then sprayed it with something.
Everyone chuckled.
“You know I hate germs,” he grumbled, then faced us. “Hold out your hands, please. Palms up.”
I was afraid of what was next. But if Santino could be brave, I could be too. I held out my hand palm up right next to his.
Tex cleared his throat. “With the witnesses here and as the Capo dei Capi of the Five Families of the Cosa Nostra, I hereby bind Katya Petrov-Sinacore and Santino Sinacore in holy matrimony. Let their blood spill into the earth if either of them goes back on their word and loyalty to The Family.” Before I knew what was happening, he made a quick swipe of the blade across my palm, then Santino’s, and pressed our palms together. He grabbed a piece of rope and tied our wrists, then pressed his hands down on it. “Sangue dentro non fuori.”
Every man in that room repeated it, then looked at me.
Including Santino.
He leaned down and whispered, “Sangue.”
I repeated, “Sangue.”
“Dentro non fuori.”
Shaking, I finished the phrase. “Dentro non fuori.”
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Tex grinned.
“Can you legally do that?” I just had to ask.
Nixon couldn’t control his laughter. “Tex got ordained years ago, and so did Phoenix. Absolutely terrifying what the church allows us to do these days.”
“Why the hell did they reject me, then?” Dante wondered out loud.
Chase started choking, coughed, then gave Dante a shit-eating grin. “I told them to fail you just to piss you off and win a bet.”
“I STUDIED!” Dante yelled and reached for the discarded bloody bat.
Chase’s eyes widened as he swiped the knife from Tex’s hand. “Oh, it’s like that, huh?”
“Shit, not again,” Nixon muttered.
“I’ll separate them.” Sergio let out a flustered sigh. “They just know how to push each other’s buttons way too well.”
Andrei stood stock still behind me, but I could feel his worry. The room was thick with tension, and not just because Chase and Dante were fighting, apparently again.
But because I’d just married the one person Andrei probably didn’t want me to marry, days after being freed from being held captive.
But it had been my choice, and that was all that mattered to me.
“Well…” Tex clasped his hands together. “The code to the manor is White Horse. Nobody knows you’re married or walking around. My house should be the safest for your honeymoon; choose any room but ours because that’s weird. Kitchen’s stocked, pool’s huge, the treehouse is, well, never mind, just have fun. We won’t bother you for a week, but Santino, I’ll text you if anything pops up. So far, other than tonight, everyone’s been extremely quiet.”
“Licking their wounds, no doubt.” Andrei snorted.
“And plotting more murder,” Nixon added.
“Wait.” Everything was happening so fast. “We’re going to honeymoon at your house?”
“It’s not just a house,” Andrei said from behind me. “It’s a compound; he even has a maze.”
“What can I say?” Tex grinned, then winked. “I love a good puzzle.”
“Ew.” Dante stopped fighting Chase briefly. “I feel like you use that maze for nefarious purposes.”
“Anyone else surprised he knows that word? Anyone?” Tex asked the room.
Phoenix was standing a bit away from us, his eyes trained on the group; he suddenly looked down at his phone, then answered it and walked out of the room.
He seemed suspicious, but I knew he wasn’t, that’s just how he did business, but it still made me wonder what he did for the Families other than collect every bad and good secret known to mankind.
“Sergio will dress your wounds.” Tex yawned. “And Katya, I know you don’t have a lot of clothes; Alice will take care of that for you. Pack your bags. You leave within the hour.”
I was both exhilarated to leave and terrified to be alone with Santino. What would happen? Would we train? Have sex? Would we talk? How did I wake up this morning thinking about Home Depot and then end up married?
“Let’s go.” Andrei wrapped an arm around me. “Time for your honeymoon.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” —The Godfather, Marlon Brando