Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136915 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Nevio had been absolutely furious but Dad had insisted he stay in Vegas. It would have only crushed what was left of our truce if he’d come. His anger had been potent, and I was still worried he’d do something stupid. While Nevio respected Dad, his boisterous nature often made him forget reason and Dad’s orders.
I brushed the finger where a ring would have been if I’d accepted Amo’s proposal.
It had been my choice, the only reasonable choice at the time, to let go of Amo, but right now it felt as if something had been ripped from me that I didn’t want to lose.
Voices sounded in the living area of our suite. I finally got up and went there. Fabiano, Nino and Dad were talking in hushed voices. Adamo sat on the sofa, his arms stretched out on the backrest. He was the only one who didn’t look completely tense. He’d enjoyed his time in New York and was friendly with many Famiglia soldiers. If more of us made the effort he had made, things would be far less tense between the families.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Dad slanted me a look. “Nothing.”
I pursed my lips. I could tell that wasn’t true. He always said women were treated like the weaker sex because they acted like it, but his protectiveness sometimes made it difficult to act out of my comfort zone.
“Nino has a sort of premonition,” Adamo said with a chuckle. His curly hair was all over the place.
“What kind of premonition?” I asked.
“There’s nothing clairvoyant about my observations.”
“I won’t flee New York in the middle of the night like a fucking coward because you’re overly cautious.”
“And you’re being arrogant and prideful.”
“I know Luca. He always prides himself for his goddamn honor. He would never use a wedding night to attack. That would be deeply dishonorable.”
Dad obviously thought there was nothing wrong with using a wedding for nefarious purposes.
“Aria was her usual nice, excited self. No alarm bells there. But Luca doesn’t tell her everything. Maybe he wants to give you a taste of your own medicine,” Fabiano said with a shrug. Dad sent him a warning look I didn’t understand. “Luca can adept if he thinks it’s necessary. Recent events might have made him reevaluate his values.”
Dad’s lips curled. “Let him attack if he thinks himself so clever.”
“You’re letting your rage overshadow reason,” Nino muttered. “But there’s more on the line than our lives.”
Dad glanced at me, obviously still unwilling to listen to reason. “I have to admit Luca would get my respect if he really lured us here under the false pretense of peace, only to attack. That would mark a new low for him, one I’ll gladly return.”
I trusted Nino’s judgment on principal but what he suggested was so horrible I couldn’t, I didn’t want to believe it to be true.
A soft beep drew my attention back into my room. I moved to my nightstand where I’d left my cell, my eyes growing in surprise when I saw a message from an unknown number.
I clicked on it.
Leave the hotel now, Greta.
My heart sank and I whirled around, rushing back into the living area. Without Nino’s words, I might have thought this was Amo trying to meet me in secret, but I knew this was a very different message. It was from Amo, but he was trying to warn me. My instinct left no other conclusion.
Dad took a look at my face and strode over to me. I handed him the phone. “Get every gun! Wake everyone!”
Dad stormed into his and Mom’s bedroom, rousing her. Seconds later, he dragged her out only in her nightgown. A minute later, we were rushing down the staircase to the underground garage. Dad refused to take the elevator.
When we reached the garage, the lights went out.
“Damn it!” Dad snarled, his grip on my arm tightening. In the dark, we stumbled toward our cars. Mom, I and Kiara huddled in the backseat with Dad and Nino in the front. Fabiano and Adamo were in the other car with Aurora, Leona and Dinara. The car’s engine roared to live and we jerked forward. Dad held toward the rolling gate with full speed. “Down!” Nino ordered, and we ducked our heads. Mom wrapped her arms around my body, shielding me. An ear-splitting bang sounded as we crashed through the gate. I whimpered, my heartbeat fluttering in my chest.
Soon gunshots rang out and Mom’s arms around me tightened even more. Kiara shielded me from the other side, not letting me get up. I didn’t want them to risk their lives for me. Several bumps and turns threw us around on the backseat until I lost every sense of up and down.
Suddenly we began spinning and the car jolted to the side, then crashed against something that made a metallic sound. My head collided with Kiara’s and everything turned black.