Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Even though I’m not truly free-free. There’s still a guard following me around wherever I go. He’d prevent me from running or going somewhere other than the agreed locations, and I’m sure he’d call Marcello the minute I’d go missing.
Trust is hard-earned with Marcello.
But now that he finally told me he wants me, not just my body, I’m not even sure I still want to escape. When he kissed me, it felt like the world around us disappeared, and there was only him and me. And I’m not sure I could give that up … or that I even want to at this point.
Do I still want to run?
Or do I want to stay and see where this goes?
I shake my head as the car drives onto the parking lot near the house. It’s been only hours since I was here, yet it feels like ages since I last felt his arms around me.
Have I really fallen for this man?
I sigh and rub my belly as the car comes to a stop. This baby is the connection between us, and it only further strengthens the feelings I have for Marcello. But is it really okay to bring a child into a world as violent as the one I’m in?
The guard opens the door, and I thank him even though I shouldn’t feel grateful. After all, he’s only here to keep me in check. But a part of me knows he’s also there to make me feel safe, and I appreciate that.
Marcello cares about me.
He doesn’t just want his guards to make sure I don’t run a second time. He wants to keep me out of enemy hands. And that means I’m valuable to him.
So I let out a sigh and head inside with a smile on my face.
“Where’s Marcello?” I ask the guard near the door.
The guy points at the gym, so I go there, stopping when I hear Marcello’s gut-wrenching roars.
Clutching the door, I peek inside. Marcello is punching a bag so hard that it split his knuckles, blood covering the bag. I gulp, watching him take out his rage. I’ve never seen him quite like this, and I don’t know whether to approach or to back away.
“FUCK!” he roars, slamming into the bag so hard it rips at the seam, causing the contents to spill out onto the floor.
Marcello grumbles and leans against the broken bag, his breaths ragged. He looks like something is really bothering him. Maybe I should go to him. It would help him trust me more if I showed interest.
So I take a deep breath and walk toward him. When he notices me, his angered eyes soften a little, but he remains restless and on edge.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
He pants and wipes the sweat off his forehead. “My consigliere … Claudio. He was taken.”
My eyes widen. “Taken? What do you mean?”
“Stefan, the Polish don.” He’s still panting to catch his breath. “We went to him for an alliance. But it was an ambush.”
He stumbles away from the bag, searching for his water bottle, but almost loses balance. I catch him in time to help him sit down. He jerks away, and barks, “I don’t need your help.”
“Sorry,” I say, making a face.
He sighs and picks up his towel, running it across his neck. “I apologize. I don’t want to take it out on you.”
He normally never apologizes this quickly. It must be really bothering him that he lost both Claudio and the mission. “Claudio means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”
He nods. “Claudio has been my confidante since I took up the task to become don for this family. He’s been with us for as long as I can remember. He knows every intricate detail about this family. Every detail that I overlook.” He rubs his temples with his index finger and thumb. “I must find him and rescue him from their claws. If only I fucking knew where they’d taken him.”
He slams his fist onto the bench. “Goddammit, why did I run? Why didn’t I stay there and kill those sons of bitches like I was supposed to?”
He picks up the water bottle from the floor and starts gulping down huge quantities.
“You’re the don. No one expects you to sacrifice yourself for the family.”
“But he did!” he yells, tearing his water bottle away from his mouth. “Claudio sacrificed himself for me.”
I rub his back to show my support and to calm him down a little. It’s the least I can do. “He wanted you to stay alive. If you hadn’t gotten out, his sacrifice would’ve been in vain.”
He gets up from the bench and starts pacing.
“How am I supposed to fucking save you from Molly and Frank if I can’t even keep my own men safe?” he rants. “Why did I have to go in there so fucking unprepared? One stupid decision and it could cost him his life.”