Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“I’ve been here for twenty-four hours, Dad. You expect me to have a rundown of his entire operation already? You're comical.”
My father can’t hit me, and I cling to that and talk freely.
“You little bitch. You watch your goddamn mouth.”
I roll my eyes, knowing he can’t see it and punish me for it.
“I’m not his keeper. For a boss, you seem—“ I pause. “—misguided.”
“You better remember who you’re speaking to, Emelia.”
I knew that would elicit that response. I want to get under his skin and make him angry. Knowing he can’t touch me from his place all those miles away adds so much fire under me that I run with it. It's years of anger, of torture—of malice and regret for never sticking up for myself—rearing her beautiful head.
“And you remember this. I am now the one in charge of what happens. You reap what you sow.” I end the call, feeling empowered. I don’t know what was in the air on the flight here, or the switching of times zones, or hell, even in the water, but there’s a side of me that stayed so deeply buried now peeking through that I can’t help but push her out, pulling her from inside me, and unleash her to the cruel world that used to drown her with its misery.
I do all but toss my phone across the room. Feeling this overwhelming surge of retribution, I smile, dragging my tongue across my teeth.
My phone chimes, interrupting me from my moment of glory, and I see his name.
Damian.
Opening the text, my eyes dance along each line.
Damian
I miss you. I shouldn’t have let someone else come in and claim what I should have kept all to myself.
Tears. I feel tears welling in my eyes. I still hate him for leaving, but I crave his affection. The only man who made me feel loved and adored. Sexual and the beautiful kind of love, the one that only happens once in a lifetime.
I debate what to say. How do I tell him I hate him but need him again? That living with a husband who will never love me makes me want to claw my way out of my own flesh to erase the life I was born and sworn into?
Emelia
You don’t get to tell me these things. Not now. And IF you valued your life, you would leave me alone.
As much as I want to lean on him and feel that connection again, I can’t. I shouldn’t.
Should I?
Damian
I value what we had, and I want it. Your father told me what your plan is. I will come back for you, Emelia.
Emelia
You’re working with him? Tell me you’re not.
Damian
Leave that to me. You just hold on, princess. I’m coming for you.
Suddenly, I err on the side of caution.
Me
Nico is the worst man there is, and you have no idea what you stand to lose. You think you and my father can just come in with a mediocre plan and have Nico killed? Well, you can’t, and you’re going to be the only ones in body bags. I have to go. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from me and anything that has to do with the downfall of Nico Valiente.
Damian
You know I was never good at listening. Talk to you soon, my love.
I grip the phone. Flashbacks of him inside me, telling me I was his love, come flooding in, pulling me under like a riptide. Damian knows what he’s doing, and I’m just supposed to sit here and pretend it’s not happening? Why would I ever do that? As much as he hurt me, I still love him, and I don’t want him mixed up in my father’s plan.
Infiltrate Nico’s life, find out all I can, get to his Achilles’ heel, and end him. We’re all at risk, and I don’t think I have it in me for Damian to be included in that risk because of me. The more people brought into this, the more casualties there will be. I grew up with soulless and heartless people, but those are tracks I’ve never followed in, nor do I intend to in the future.
I crawl into bed, one I will most likely be alone in all night.
There’s no need to be jealous, but aren’t we all by nature? Knowing that we don’t love each other is fine. Marrying for love or with the intent to fall in love wasn’t part of this plan, but still, couldn’t he be faithful?This will most likely be a loveless marriage like my parents have, but why can’t he give me the courtesy of monogamy?
Stupid girl, you’ve known for years men in this life see no reason for any of that.
So why do I suddenly want Nico to be that way with me?
“Doesn’t matter anyway. He will most likely be dead in weeks,” I say to the empty room. Until then, I will get in his head, cut the underbelly of the beast, and handle what needs to be done.