Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
She throws a hand in the air and looks at her watch. “I really have to go. This is a big case today, but this conversation is not over.” My mother places a kiss on my cheek. Although she doesn’t personally take too many cases nowadays, as she and my father have stepped into semi-retirement, she can’t help take over the ones that excite her.
“Give us a moment,” Father says to her. She looks between us and then takes her leave.
“If this is about the marriage thing, I—”
“Good job,” he cuts in, and I’m stunned. “I would’ve done the same thing.” I wonder then if he already knows about the little she-devil I’ve got on a leash. My parents are particularly good at discovering my secrets even before I’m ready to expose them. “I want you to take care of someone for me this evening.”
He slides over a note. “He’s late on payments.” My eyebrows furrow when I look at the name. This is a business partner my father has been managing since the guy first stepped into New York. This task brings me an inch closer to the empire being entirely mine. “And don’t worry about the Bedore family. We are kings in this city, and other families can only gain from us. Just don’t stress your mother out.”
I don’t need to hear that from the man who has most likely given her more headaches than I ever have. But that’s what it is to be the wife of a mafia head. I toss the note back and forth in my hand, considering. Maybe I should be putting my fiancée through some trials of her own with the same hardships.
CHAPTER 22
Jewel
I’m grateful Sage was surprisingly calm about the situation and didn’t tell anyone at work about it. I’ve learned to go without friends all my life, and it wouldn’t be difficult to stay that way, but while I’m in New York I’d like to keep at least one.
I’m so used to coming in and out of people’s lives that it makes sense to not become attached. It’s six in the evening when I return home from my shift, so I decide to call the only person who is irreplaceable to me. I put it on speaker as I shuffle out of my work clothes and put on some comfy jeans and a loose tank top. I fling my bra across the room, finally free.
Craig answers on the first ring. “Lonely in the big city, kid?”
“No, I just wanted to make sure your brain hasn’t rotted from all the television you’re watching these days.” I sit on my bed and cross my ankles. He chuckles, and I can’t help but smile.
My room is still a mess from yesterday. The sunflowers are scattered about, and the ring box glares at me from the corner of the room. I should probably pick both up. “I just got myself into a predicament,” I admit as I start biting the skin around my nails, an old habit I tried to kick but can’t seem to do. Especially lately.
“Hopefully not boy trouble.” He laughs, and I stay silent. “Oh.”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “Boy trouble is the worst.” I roll my eyes. But “boy trouble” doesn’t seem to define what’s going on between me and Eli.
“His name?” Craig asks, and I can just imagine him walking over to his computer now, ready to search for everything he can on the man. But I have a feeling Craig won’t have to do much research. I feel the weight of his name on my tongue. I’m nervous to say it out loud because it’s as if I’m admitting to how much shit I’ve gotten myself into.
Last night, I was tipsy. Now I’m sober. The last forty-eight hours have been a whirlwind, and I can’t help but feel I’m being further backed into a cage.
“Eli Monti,” I finally say.
His breathing pauses.
“Jewel,” he growls out.
“I know.”
“He’s your target. Why are you involved with your target? You know better than that.”
“He stole my guns,” I say the words in a rush because he’s the only person in the world I can trust to have my back no matter what. He’s the only other person who knows how important those guns are to me.
“How did he get hold of your guns? Did he find out you were hired to kill him and is blackmailing you to turn on your client or something?” He sighs. “You got messy on this one. Why didn’t you just take the shot when you had the chance?”
I haven’t told Craig the full story about what the client requested—that I toy with Eli and gather information about his family. I’m barely floating through the situations Eli drags me through, let alone having the time to think how the fuck I’m going to get out of this mess.