Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Feeling a little safer, I glance back to the fountain.
Finally, I’m alone.
I do my best to shove down the horrific memories brought to the surface by Lucian’s question. Taking a seat on a bench, I pull my legs up. I wrap my arms around my shins and rest my chin on my knees. Then I just listen to the water, and the sound feels cleansing.
Dante isn’t here. It’s just me, the night, and the beautiful garden.
My eyes lift to the statue’s face.
Who do I pray to when God himself has forsaken me?
Her somber look is answer enough. No one.
What am I going to do? I can’t return to the villa. I can’t marry Dante. Just the thought of being bonded to Dante for life is enough to make my throat close up with panic and fear.
My body begins to tremble as hopelessness overwhelms me.
You have to learn to protect yourself, Elena. Learn how to shoot a gun. Learn how to fight.
The trembling subsides at the thoughts. St. Monarch’s is the perfect place to learn the skills I’ll need to kill Dante… before he kills me.
LUCIAN
Walking into the armory, I nod at Miss Dervishi. She’s been at St. Monarch’s for over a decade, giving training in weapons. She’s helping Kim Yung, a smuggler, choose a gun.
Shots are fired in the shooting range and picking up a Glock, I check the clip. “Who else is here?”
“Miss Lucas,” Miss Dervishi answers.
My gaze snaps to Miss Dervishi, surprised to hear Elena is here. Especially seeing as it’s six in the morning.
Interesting.
It’s the last place I expected to run into Elena. Especially after not seeing her for the past three days, yet she’s been constantly on my mind.
The other night, I learned a lot from my conversation with her. I have no doubt she was a prisoner in her father’s villa. When I took hold of her hand, her reaction spoke volumes. I could feel the fear and panic vibrate off her.
There are still hundreds of unanswered questions, and the fact that I’m even thinking about them should make me worry. I’ve never had a personal interest in a woman, and not able to stop thinking about Elena should be warning enough for me.
Still, it’s a warning I clearly intend to ignore.
With the Glock firmly in my grip, I walk to the shooting range. There are ten stalls to choose from, but I keep passing the empty ones until I reach the stall next to Elena. She doesn’t notice me as she closes one eye while aiming at the target. Her tongue peeks out from between her lips, and then she pulls the trigger. Her whole body jerks, and she misses the target completely.
As cute as she looks at the moment, a frown forms on my forehead as I ask, “Have you ever handled a gun before today?”
I instantly regret speaking up when she lets out a squeak as she spins to me. The firearm falls from her hand, but then she scrambles to pick it up.
She must’ve been totally focused on the dismal job she was doing to have someone sneak up on her.
“I’ll take that as a no,” I mutter. “Why isn’t Miss Dervishi in here showing you how to fire a gun?”
Elena places the weapon on the counter her stall provides before she answers, “I have a training session with her at seven. I just wanted to get some practice in.”
“You’ll end up killing yourself,” I say, not happy about the fact Elena’s allowed to handle a weapon when she knows nothing about it. I step closer while shoving my own Glock behind my back. When I reach for Elena’s gun, a Heckler and Koch, I notice how she tenses. “Come stand in front of me,” I order.
“I don’t want your help.”
My eyes snap to Elena’s. “I won’t offer a second time.”
She lets out an annoyed huff but comes to stand in front of me. When I wrap my arms around her and my chest presses to her back, Elena takes a sharp breath, and she instantly starts to tremble. “Relax, I’m just going to show you how to shoot so you won’t kill me while I’m here.”
I take hold of her right hand and shove the gun against her palm. Then I bring up her left hand, forcing her fingers to wrap tightly around the handle. “Always have a firm grip on the weapon. Straighten your arms and lock your elbows, so the recoil won’t make you jerk.”
Elena nods, and leaning my head a little forward, my cheek presses against hers. “Keep both eyes open. Squinting won’t help shit.”
She nods again, her soft skin brushing against the bristles on my jaw as I line up the barrel with the target. Standing body to body with her is overwhelming, making every inch of me come alive with the undeniable attraction I feel toward her. Dropping my voice low, I murmur, “Pull the trigger.”