Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48087 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 240(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48087 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 240(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Coming up on my building, I was suddenly pushed from behind. I stumbled and fell to my knees, my hands landing hard on the ground, the heels of my palms getting scraped up.
“Oh shit,” the slurred, masculine voice said from behind me.
I was about to pull myself up, but his hands on my waist propelled the action so I had no choice to do it on my own.
“I’m sorry.” He laughed.
I shoved myself away from him, looking down at my skinned palms, and hissed out when I felt the sting of them when I ran them down my jeans.
“It’s fine.” I went to leave when he grabbed my arm.
“Hey.” His hand tightened on my wrist, and I grimaced.
“Let go.” I pulled on my arm, but his hold was like a vise.
He let go but moved forward so I was forced to step back. I realized we were now in the side alley in between a closed bakery and car dealership.
“I think I’ve seen you before.” He was grinning, all sweaty and smelling of beer. “Yeah.” He pointed to me, his smile widening. “You work down the street. At that fifties diner, yeah?”
“I have to go.” I went to move around him but he stepped forward, crowding me so I moved back again, the brick of the wall forcing me to stay in place.
Something changed in his expression the longer he stared at me.
Heart slamming hard in my chest, I kept my focus on him as I reached in my bag and curled my hand around the first thing I felt. The knife.
My flight-or-fight instinct kicked into gear. But more importantly… my strength rose.
“I bet you smell good.” He leaned in. “I bet you feel even better between those long legs.” He pressed his body against me, his erection thick and threatening.
Fuck. No.
“Come on,” he murmured, his hot breath in my face. “We’re alone. I’ll be fast. It’ll be over with before you even know it.” He reached down to pull himself out of his jeans, but I didn’t let him get that far.
I had the knife out, but he saw it and curled his lip, swinging out with his fist. His knuckle clipped my chin, but he was too drunk that it barely skimmed me. I knew if he had the opportunity, he would knock me the hell out.
I swung out, but I didn’t know if I’d connected. It was only when I felt the spray of blood covering my face and neck that my breath stalled in my chest, and I was frozen in place.
I felt those droplets dripping down my cheeks and chin, that slippery fluid slowly turning sticky as it covered my fingers and wrists.
I felt my eyes widen in shock at the massive gash on the side of his throat. He placed his hand on the side of his neck, his mouth open in shock when he brought his fingers to his face to see blood covering them.
For long moments, we just stood there, staring at each other. Both of us were in a state of absolute horror.
But this? I’d never hurt a man like this. I’d never killed a man before.
“You stupid fucking bitch.”
Although I knew that wound had to be life-threatening because of the amount of blood that poured out, it was like a strength coursed through him as he narrowed his eyes, bared his teeth, and charged at me.
I swung my arm out, the handle slippery in my grasp from the blood. I expected him to slam into me and take me to the ground, but that never happened.
Somebody came out from the shadows and pulled the guy back, tossing him away, as if he were a rag doll. His body landed with a hard thump on the pavement.
He only had half a second to understand what was happening before the massive body was taking the knife from my grasp, kneeling beside the asshole, and opening his neck from ear to ear.
Oh. God.
Even in the shadowy alleyway, I saw his flesh open up, parting so easily. Blood spurted out, pulsating with each beat of his heart.
Matteo was here. He’d come for me.
After a long second, Matteo stood menacingly over the dying man. The dim light from the streetlamp washed him in a muted yellow glow. I felt my eyes widen as Matteo slowly turned to face me. He smoothed his palms over his suit, his hands looking dark like spilled ink covered them.
Blood.
The dark rage that came from Matteo was like icy fingers along my body, a tangible grasp around my throat. I grew dizzy from it. My legs threatened to give out from under me, but Matteo was by me a second later.
He pulled my body close to his, his gaze locked on the side of my jaw where I’d been hit.
“I wanted to kill that motherfucker for even looking in your direction.” He kissed my forehead, then my cheeks, and finally gave me the lightest press of his lips to my jawline.