Total pages in book: 206
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
I stared at him. Words won’t form on my lips.
His gaze narrowed. “No need to be rude.”
I shook my head, “I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just a bit overwhelmed. Thank you. For the congrats.”
He nodded, curtly. “Dario, get a bottle of water for Athena.”
Angry hot blond guy nodded and left the room.
“So, I take it your father filled you in? Why don’t you tell me what he said to you, ah? He used to have an unfortunate habit of leaving out important facts. Maybe he still does.”
Boy, did I know that.
Blond guy, Dario, returned quickly with a bottle of water and handed it to me, then left the office.
“Um thanks.” I took a sip. “I haven’t seen much of my father in years. He turned up today at my high school graduation and told me I had to be a marker for a few days so he could get money together to clear up a gambling debt.”
Thomas Ferrano laughed. “Interesting spin.”
My heart plummeted. Spin? If that wasn’t the truth, what was?
“Isn’t that the truth?” I asked, starting to tremble.
“Not exactly. Your father owes me a rather large debt, one I’m not sure he can ever actually repay.” He looked at me expectantly.
“Why am I here, then?”
“Let’s say you’ve been drafted.” He smirked.
Huh?
“My son Tommy needs to get married. He hasn’t found Miss Perfect yet. Your father owes me a great deal. I’ve agreed to consider writing off the debt if my son decides you’re Miss Perfect.”
I started to laugh. “Am I being punk’d?”
“Excuse me?” he asked and I knew, then, that he was serious.
“I don’t understand.” The room began to slowly turn. I was white-knuckled, gripping the arms of the chair I sat in.
“Simple, really. As of now you are property of the Ferrano family.”
If my chin wasn’t touching the floor right now, it must be awfully close. Had I been transported back to the dark ages? I didn’t know what to say. I was totally and utterly gob smacked.
“So, I’ve arranged for you to be transported to Tommy’s home. There, you two can get acquainted and go from there, see if this is an amicable arrangement for him.”
For him? For him?
“What?” I can’t fathom this. “No.”
Don’t I have to agree to this? I don’t agree to this. He raised his index finger and his eyes narrowed. He took on a much more menacing look. “Listen carefully. This meeting, the one between you and my son, if it doesn’t go well it won’t bode well for your father and it may not bode well for you, either. We have many options available for where you could go. I think you’d prefer ending up with my son over the alternatives. We’re a wealthy and powerful family so you could be in a much worse position, believe me. I’d advise you to cooperate. You’re in an enviable position, Athena. I’ll be seeing you soon. Tommy’s brother will drive you. Dario!”
Enviable? Was this man whacked in the head?
The door opened and Dario popped his head in.
“Take Athena to your brother. Athena, don’t be difficult. I wouldn’t advise it. It was nice to see you again. You’ve grown up to be a lovely girl. An almost dead ringer for your mother.”
He gave me a big smile. My blood ran cold.
My mother? This man knew my mother? See me again? When had he seen me before? This man was scary. The brother was scary. Their thugs or whatever they were --- really scary. Was I in the middle of the fricking dark ages or what? An arranged marriage to a mafia kingpin’s son to save my father’s life? This was nuts! If I was asleep, I wanted to wake up right now!
Dario led me back out to the SUV and two of the other guys got in, too. One had apparently opted out of this leg of the drive. They thought they needed muscle to get me from point A to point B, evidently. Were they afraid I’d try to run? I didn’t know what the heck I was dealing with here so no, I wasn’t about to run now before sussing things out. I didn’t want to end up dead. I didn’t want Dad to end up dead.
Did Dad really sell me out like this? I mean, he was a lousy father, for sure, but did he really sell me to the mafia in exchange for payment of his old gambling debts? Not a marker. Not temporarily. Sold, like chattel. Married off. No way. He was capable of a lot, but this? Surely not. This was North America and the 21st century. This kind of stuff didn’t happen.
I combed through my memory. The name Ferrano rang bells. Was he known in the city as a mafia guy? Where had I heard his name from?