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)
Matteo started leading me out of the alley, and I kicked my chin up, refusing to act weak and defenseless. I tried to push him away and walk on my own, but his deep chuckle and the way he kissed the top of my forehead had me leaning against him.
“Sono qui per te. Lasciami essere la persona su cui ti appoggi. Solo per questa volta, Amore.”
I’m here for you. Let me be the person you lean on. Just this once, Amore.
Chapter 23
Matteo
“Where are you taking me?” she asked in a hazy voice.
My girl wasn’t a stranger to violence or death, and she was strong as hell. I admired her.
But I noticed how she kept looking at her hands, seeing the drying blood coating them.
She was still so innocent even after living in the cesspool that was Desolation.
“I’m taking you home, Sunshine.” I wrapped my arm tightly around her waist and led her to the SUV parked across the street. I was glad she wasn’t fighting me for being the stronger one right now. She’d done well, my pretty girl.
That fucker would have died from the cut in his neck, but I’d finished the job. I didn’t want that on her hands, and truth be told, I wanted to fucking kill him ten times over just for breathing in her direction.
I’d call Luca and have some of our associates take care of the body before anyone could find it.
I opened the back door, lifted Liliana up, and laid her in the back. She didn’t fight me, and when I covered her with my jacket, she curled into a ball so she appeared even smaller.
Something painful tightened in my heart at seeing her so tired, so scared.
“Let’s go home, sweetheart.” I leaned in and kissed her temple, cupping the back of her head and holding her close for long seconds, just feeling her. Smelling her. “I’m never letting you fucking go. I’ll kill every motherfucker who stands in my way of making that my reality.”
With one more kiss to her head, I got in the driver’s seat and headed home.
Home. That’s what it felt like with Liliana as mine.
Chapter 24
Matteo
It had taken us hours to get back to my place, and right away, I had the staff make her something hot to drink and eat, and I ran a bath for her.
Slowly, as she soaked, she started to relax until she now lay back with a towel placed behind her neck and her eyes closed as I washed her.
She didn’t fight me as I ran the washcloth over her nude body, and I didn’t know if that should worry me because she was in shock or if I should be elated because it meant she was truly mine and felt safe with me.
“What are you thinking, Amore?”
She didn’t answer right away, but I didn’t push her to respond. I wanted her to feel safe and comfortable with me. I felt different with her. At peace. When she wasn’t around, I was the dark man who did whatever he had to in order to survive. But with Liliana? I felt this warmth consume me.
And I had missed it. I wanted it forever.
“You killed a man for no reason.”
I felt my whole demeanor darken at her words. “No reason? He spoke to you. That’s reason enough to kill him. If I’d had more time, I would have cut off his dick and shoved it down his throat.”
She opened her eyes, her throat working as she swallowed after I said those words.
“I killed your worthless brother and father because they hurt you.” I smoothed a finger down her cheek. “I killed that prick from the week before who you drew your knife on.”
She cleared her throat, her expression showing she was surprised I knew about that.
“You were following me this whole time?” She changed the subject, and I let her. Or maybe she didn’t. Maybe she wanted clarity on what I’d done.
I wanted to explain in great detail all the things I would have done to that bastard to make sure she knew how much I could protect her.
The sound of the water dripping into the tub as I lifted the washcloth and ran it over her neck was the only sound surrounding us.
“Yes,” was all I said, but when she cracked her eyes open and let her head fall slowly to the side so she could look at me, I continued. “I told myself not to. I convinced myself pushing you away and letting you go was what I had to do. But I lasted one fucking day, Sunshine.”
She inhaled deeply but showed no emotion at what I said.
“Last week I gutted the fucker who touched you. His father was a congressman. He tried pleading for his life with that information. I made his death slower because of it.”