Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Before he stood, Dean said, “This isn’t the time, Dom.”
But he was already on the move.
“Dominic, what the hell?” Rosie said, but Dom was already in my face.
“What. The. Fuck. . .is this, Marchetti?” he seethed. “Get up, Lenora.”
“No.” She threw her arms around my neck and turned to her brother.
The glare he directed at me reminded me of the way he looked before we killed the man who’d been abusing Rosie. The way he looked when we ransacked and burned down buildings that belonged to people who had wronged us. I’d never been on the receiving end of this look, just like he’d never been on the receiving end of mine, and I had to admit, I understood why people were scared shitless when we showed up anywhere together.
“Get up, Lenora. I won’t ask again.” His jaw tensed.
“Dominic,” Rosie started.
“No.” His shout was so loud that my brother and Russo shot up from the couch and walked over.
“It’s okay. Get up,” I whispered in Lenora’s ear. Her eyes snapped to mine, big and hesitant. She shook her head.
“No. I’ll only get up if you promise not to hurt him,” she said, her voice fierce as she looked up at her brother, who was looming over us, waiting to attack me the second she stood up.
“You don’t have a say in the matter,” he said, his voice low, quiet, the way he spoke right before he tore into someone.
His eyes didn’t waver from mine, and mine only did when I addressed his sister, still on my lap. I needed her to get off me before he yanked her off, because if he bruised her with his force, I’d have to fight him back and I knew I didn’t deserve to. I knew I needed to let him take his anger out on me, even if that meant some broken bones. I deserved it. Shit, he probably thought we just hooked up for the first time in this safe house, so I probably deserved worse.
“Go sit by Rosie,” I said, my voice low as I brushed her hair out of her face.
This made Dominic angrier. He clenched his fists at his sides. I knew it was taking everything in him to hold back. When Lenora didn’t get up, I stood up, carrying her with me and setting her feet down slowly. She stood in front of me, facing her brother, spreading her arms like a shield.
“Do not hurt him, Dominic. Whatever you’re going to do, do it to me, blame me,” she yelled, her voice catching. “This was all me.”
Dominic tore his gaze from mine and looked at his sister. “If I have to tell you to get away from him again, you’re not going to like what happens.”
“Go.” I tapped her waist gently. She shook her head and turned to me, tears gathering in her beautiful eyes.
“Tell him it was me. Tell him,” she cried, her sobs starting up again.
Last night, I’d wanted her tears. Today, they were clawing at my chest. I stopped looking at her brother and wiped her tears with my thumb. I grabbed the back of her head and pressed her face against my chest one last time. The alarm sounded, the whirling started, and the house started moving. Russo was a smart man and knew we had to take this outside. When we were bathed in sunlight, I pulled back and grabbed Lenora’s chin, tilting her face up.
“Marchetti, I swear to fucking God,” Dominic roared.
“Go sit by Rosie while I talk to your brother,” I said. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Outside,” Dean shouted. “Right fucking now, Dominic. Rocco.”
I gave a nod. Dominic shouldered the shit out of me as he walked past me; I knew this would hurt. Lenora still looked like she didn’t want me to leave.
“Come here, Nora,” Rosie said. “This is between them.”
I stepped back and turned to the door, my brother at my heels, as I heard Lenora tell Rosie that this was all her fault.
“Dude, what the motherfucking fuck were you thinking?” Mikey said as we reached the door. He slapped it before I could open it, holding my gaze. “She’s marrying Salvati.”
That sentence made my blood boil. “Over my dead fucking body.”
I opened the door while Michael cursed behind me. Russo and Dom were already outside. Dom was pacing, probably winding up his arm to deliver a right hook to my chin. As soon as he turned around and saw me walking over, he charged at me, punching me square in the face. My head turned with the force and my cheek instantly burned. Fuck. It had been a while since I’d taken a punch. I’d forgotten how much it hurt. Still, I clasped my hands in front of me and looked him in the eyes as I straightened and waited for the next one. His eyes were wild as he bounced from foot to foot like he was standing in front of a punching bag. In a sense, he was.