Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 102546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102546 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Nite slams his hands down on the table, and it rattles from his force, making her jump. He stands to his feet. “This isn’t a fucking debate! The cameras are being installed, and that is that!”
Silence follows his outburst. I watch the anger leave her face as it pales. Nite slowly lowers back down into his seat, and her wide eyes go to mine. I think she expected me to be as surprised that he spoke because that anger returns to her face and her narrowed eyes go back to his.
She stands, reaching across her desk, and slaps him across the face. “You son of a bitch!” she screams at him. Then she gets up and exits the office, slamming the door shut behind him.
I sit back in my seat, running a hand down my face. I’m exhausted. And I’ve still got one more place to go to after this. “You didn’t have to say anything,” I tell him.
He surprises me again by adding, “I know that woman, and you weren’t going to win.” He stands and turns toward the door to exit, mumbling under his breath, “She’s as stubborn as they come.”
_______________
CHECKING MY WATCH, I see it’s almost one o’clock in the morning when I enter Luca’s hospital room to see him sitting up in his bed. He’s looking better than when I saw him last. I haven’t spoken to him since I informed him I was going to kill his family. He eventually stopped texting and calling me.
He mutes the TV and glances at the clock on the wall after seeing me enter. “Little late for visiting hours, don’t you think?”
“I knew you’d be awake.” You don’t spend all your life working throughout the night and then automatically sleep. Our bodies aren’t programmed that way. “All alone?” I look over at the bed they have in here for Haven and notice she’s not there.
“She’s at your house.”
“Oh, yeah. Girls’ night.” Mia had reminded me twice this week. Things have been crazy since we returned from New York last week. The fact that we set the pizzeria on fire has kept things to a minimum when it comes to the shit show I was expecting. But we’ve still got a lot going on. And Luca has a long recovery ahead of him. With John and Matteo dead, Nite will take over the family business. No one has any clue right now as to where the twins are. Probably in a penthouse suite somewhere snorting cocaine off women’s asses—doing what they do best.
I toss a small black bag onto his bed, and he reaches inside, pulling out a small box. His body tenses, knowing exactly what it is. Setting it back in the sack, he looks up at me. “Is this you coming to ask my permission to marry my sister?”
I snort. “As a friend and business partner, I respect you, Luca. As a brother to the woman I love, I don’t.” His jaw sharpens. “I’m not asking. I’m here to tell you I’ll be asking Mia to marry me.” I thought he deserved at least that.
He lays his head back on his pillow and lets out a sigh. “I didn’t want this life for her.” Tilting his face, he meets my eyes. “She deserves better.”
I can’t argue with that. “I agree. And I’m going to give it to her.” I pick up the sack and turn my back to him as he speaks again, making me pause.
“My father had the police in his pocket. They may never find out what happened to him and my mother, but once they realize their checks aren’t going to arrive, they will keep looking for an answer.”
I turn back to face him. “It’s taken care of.” And with that, I exit his room.
MIA
IT’S BEEN TWO weeks since we returned to Vegas from New York. The girls and I have been spending all day at a spa getting ready for tonight. Grave has a fight at Kingdom. It’s weird for life to seem so normal. Or at least what I think normal is.
I get to pick up my phone and call any one of them whenever I want. Just yesterday, I was cooking dinner, and there was a knock at the door. It was Alexa bringing over a bottle of wine she thought I might like to try. And she was right. It was pretty good.
It’s like a dream. Better than a dream, really. Dillan has been giving me driving lessons, and I think I’m starting to change his mind about a chauffeur.
It feels good to be free. To get to make my own decisions.
We pull up to Kingdom in the limo that the Kings had sent to pick us up. We thank the valet workers and make our way up the stairs and through the glass doors. Alexa and April are laughing about something Jasmine said, and I’m holding hands with Haven, who is smiling over at me.