Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“What about…Phoebe and Mimi?”
They share a look and Starla’s face crumples. She covers her face with her hands.
Who the hell are Phoebe and Mimi?
“Her golden retrievers,” Sergio says in a low voice. “We can’t find them, Starla. We don’t know what happened to them.”
If someone hurt her dogs — I’ll fucking end them. End them.
I want to hold her. I want to comfort her.
But they’re watching.
“Starla, I need to talk to Sergio and Romeo alone,” I tell her. I don’t even know if she hears me.
“Starla, let’s get you packed up,” Tosca says gently.
“Come,” Nonna says, her arm up as if to embrace Starla and welcome her into the kitchen. “Breakfast. Coffee. Then go.”
To Nonna, feeding those she loves is akin to medicine.
Sergio, Ricco, Romeo, and I assemble in the reception room. They wait for me expectantly.
I go straight for the jugular.
“Let me protect her.”
Sergio shakes his head. “You’re not strong enough. You were only brought to us yesterday, and you—”
“I’m strong enough. Yeah, I’m not a hundred percent. But you all have families, and goddamn it, Sergio, I don’t trust any one of the guards as much as I trust myself.”
Sergio and Ricco look at each other.
“You’re afraid I’m too weak,” I say, shaking my head. I’m on my feet. Toss my gun on the table. “I’ll show you I’m not.” My ribs have been wrapped and I can handle pain. I’m ready to fight.
“Jesus, Timeo, sit down,” Sergio says. “That’s not it. We don’t know who the fuck is after her…” His voice trails off.
Ah. I get it now.
“And you think I had something to do with it.”
Fuck, if he only knew—
When they don’t answer, anger surges through me. “I won’t let anyone hurt her.” I point at my chest. “I’ll die before I let that happen.”
Sergio gives me a pointed stare.
I’m so fucking tired of being the youngest one, never able to prove myself, never able to be exactly who I’m meant to be under the shadow of my older brothers. I was the one that made people laugh, but never the one they turned to unless they needed some goddamn computer hack.
And I’m the one who has everything at stake here.
“If you give me one goddamn chance—”
“To fuck her?” Sergio finally snaps, his eyes smoldering at me. I know I’ve crossed a line when Sergio’s face hardens and I feel like I’m staring at my father’s ghost. “To ruin her? To make her think you love her, only to leave her?”
I stare at him. So that’s what this is about?
“Sergio,” Ricco begins, trying to calm him, but Sergio holds up a hand.
“Her sister’s my wife. And no one, no one, will hurt Eden’s sister. Not you, not anyone.”
I sit silently, unable to respond, because even I know I can’t promise Sergio I won’t hurt Starla.
I know I will, but not in the way he thinks I will, and if I tell him the truth—
“I know. Let’s go back to Bella Notte,” I say, changing the subject. “All of us. And come up with a plan.”
Sergio watches me coldly.
Romeo nods. “Makes good sense, Sergio. What if The Castle’s more compromised than we thought?”
“Revealing everyone’s location while here may not be the wisest move.”
Sergio presses his lips together in a firm line. “If they know we’re at my house or Bella Notte, they know there’s no fucking way anyone’s getting past our security measures.”
We talk in detail about what needs to happen until the door to the reception room opens and Starla and Tosca walk in. Starla carries a white backpack and wears a matching white winter coat, still open, as if she put it on only to please Tosca but hasn’t even processed what she’s doing.
I want to get her alone and soothe her. I want to hold her, stroke her hair, and listen to her tell me what’s in her heart and on her mind. I hate that she’s hurting, and I can’t bridge that gap between us.
I have to stay strong. I have to stay the course.
“Car’s out front,” Sergio says.
“I’ll be there in a minute. Need to get a few things. Meet you out front.”
I turn on my heel and leave before he can stop me.
I need a few minutes alone, where no one can see me.
When I know they’re gone, I step into a vacant hallway and pull out my phone — not the one Sergio gave me, but the burner phone. I type out a message, grit my teeth and press send. I silently pray that this will be enough, that they’ll take this as payment for now, until I can give them something more substantial.
I close my eyes and ask a nameless god for forgiveness for the sins I have yet to commit.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Starla
“Change of plans. We’re taking you to Bella Notte to regroup before we move to plan B.”