Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59804 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Nixon frowned. “Did you pull your gun?”
“We both did.” Andrei looked down. “And if that bastard says he hit it first, he’s a liar!”
“You shot a bird. At Home Depot,” Nixon deadpanned. “You’re the weirdest straight married couple ever.”
“Very funny,” Andrei grumbled. “I’ll send Santino.”
“You’ll send me where?” Santino had put a shirt on and was at least done bleeding.
“Home Depot,” I piped up. “Can I go too?”
Andrei groaned.
“Please! I’ll wear sunglasses and a disguise, and I’ll have Santino with me. We’ll just go there and back.”
“You realize if you die, he dies, right?” Andrei said. “You’d risk his life.”
“Yes,” I said quickly. “Please, I can’t stay trapped here every day.”
“Let her go,” Nixon said. “No hits have been made, and all intel points to our enemies biding their time.”
“Goody.” Andrei sighed.
“Don’t say goody…” Santino made a face. “And you…” He jabbed a finger at me. “…stay next to me, or we’re leaving. You listen to every order. No arguments, are we clear?”
“Yes.” I licked my lips.
“Good, now wear something baggy and ugly, don’t put any makeup on, dark sunglasses, and I’m gonna need you to slouch.”
“O-okay…”
He sighed and looked down. “This is a bad idea.”
“It’s Home Depot. You’ll be fine.” Nixon beamed. “Andrei, a word?”
They left us both staring at each other.
I broke eye contact first. “I’ll get ready fast.”
“You have five minutes,” he barked before leaving my room. I bet he wished he had a door to slam.
And for some reason, that made me smile.
Maybe the bad guy sleeping on my floor wasn’t really bad—after all, he’d just let me fight him so I could feel better.
And for the first time in weeks.
When I looked in the mirror to get ready. I had a slight smile.
CHAPTER TEN
“It would be a kindness.” —Sergio Abandonato
Santino
“Fucking Home Depot? Are you kidding me?”
“You need supplies.” Andrei shrugged. “What better way to get supplies than with an innocent girl you’re sworn by blood to protect? Besides,” he just had to add, “you look less suspicious that way.”
A hand came down on my shoulder and squeezed to a painful degree.
With a grunt, I shoved his hand away and glared. “It won’t work.”
Andrei frowned. “Why not?”
“Because.” I looked away, suddenly weirdly embarrassed, which was the exact opposite of my personality.
“Because? You have other shit to do?”
Yes. No. I hated him.
The end.
I stared across the living room at the grandfather clock. I waited, took deep breaths, and told myself this was all worth it, that everything would be back to normal soon, and I wouldn’t be thinking about the girl I had to guard every second of every day, ready to strangle and kiss her and knowing that no matter what I wanted to do, death was the only future I had if I went through with it.
Did Andrei know?
Did he really know that going back to Sicily meant death if I didn’t do exactly what I was told?
And did he also know that being tempted made me think death would be worth it? Even if I meant I could escape from them? Even if it meant that he was the one that pulled the trigger?
I cleared my throat again and rasped, “She’s too pretty; she’ll stick out.”
“Of course she is.” He scoffed. “She’s my sister.”
I really should have called that, seen it coming, batted it out of the house with my bare hand, and rolled my eyes while sighing heavily and wondering how the hell I got myself into this position.
“Right,” I said. “Even in disguise—”
“Even in disguise…” He reached for my shirt and tugged my body with incredible force. “What?”
“She. Stands. Out.” I bit off each word like I was spewing poison.
He barked out a laugh and shoved me back until I nearly stumbled against the wall. “And you don’t?”
I looked down and frowned. I was wearing black joggers, a black T-shirt, and a hoody. I was going for casual. “I look normal.”
He shook his head. “Nah, you look like a killer.”
I refused to give in, so I leveled my head and crossed my arms. “If she comes, she has to act—can she actually act—”
“Like a team player?” Her beautiful voice rose to the heavens like fucking bells as she descended the stairs in nothing but a gorgeous white sundress that fell to her knees, a big black hat, and a tan coat. Her heels matched her coat, red bottoms, of course. She looked every bit the mafia princess. “Sorry, I had to borrow some things.”
“No worries,” Andrei said. “I’m sure your sister-in-law had fun tossing expensive things at you.”
“That she did.” Andrei’s wife came down the stairs. “She looks perfect, right?”
“Right.” I gritted my teeth. “Just like the perfect team player.”
Katya grinned up at me like she’d just been given a free day at Disneyland by herself, then she smacked my cheek lightly with her palm. “I’ll do good.”