Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“What happened, Q? What happened to your sister?” I ask, assuming he won’t tell me, but hoping he will.
After a brief pause, he sighs, and I can feel every single ounce of pain in his words. “She died.”
The confession slices through me, taking the air from my lungs. Dead? I’m not sure why I never thought that she was dead. Maybe because in the world we live in, the Rossi name is untouchable.
No one can hurt them, and no one tries.
“What do you mean, she died?” I whisper the question.
“She had leukemia. We tried everything possible to save her, but there just wasn’t… cancer doesn’t give a shit who you are, it just takes, and it took her, snuffed out her life before it could even be lived.”
All the pain I’ve felt over the last few weeks seems insignificant compared to the hurt in his voice. My heart breaks for him as I look at his handsome face draped in a darkness that only death can bring. I never realized how lost he looks until now.
It is all making sense. His need for control, his rage, and pain. He’s still grieving, and unfortunately, he found an outlet for all of it. I became his punching bag.
“I’m sorry, Quinton. I had no idea—”
“No one knows, and I expect you to keep your mouth shut about it. I’m only telling you because Adela obviously had a soft spot for you.”
“Of course. I would never tell anyone.”
“Good,” he growls, and I feel the vibration of his voice like a current rippling through my body. “Now, go to sleep. You need to build up your strength for tomorrow.”
“What happens tomorrow?”
“We head back to Corium.”
I don’t ask him if this makes us any less of enemies, but I want to. Good thing my eyes drift closed, and I fall asleep listening to the steady drumming of his heartbeat before I can.
4
QUINTON
My body is tired, but my brain won’t shut off. I’m consumed with the need to kill Matteo. Fifty different scenarios run through my mind of the ways I want to inflict pain until I snuff out his worthless life.
I should probably think about something else, but if I didn’t think about this, I would have to let reality sink in. And right now, reality is not looking too rosy.
We are trapped out in a storm in the middle of Alaska. Aspen’s leg is broken, and we don’t have heat or a way to get back to Corium. We’re also out of water and food. Looking down at Aspen’s face, none of those worries reflect back at me. Aspen is wrapped up in a blanket, sleeping peacefully, her cheek pressed against my bare chest.
The last time she slept in my arms like this was the night when I forced her to suck me off. Before, the memory would have my dick hard. Now, I’m riddled with guilt.
It’s not because of what I did to Aspen; it’s because Matteo was watching. Because I let him touch her that night. I want to break each of his fingers, then carve his eyeballs out and feed them to him… actually, I might still do that.
By the time the sun rises the next morning, the storm has settled completely, and the forest is back to its normal tranquil self. I want to let her sleep longer, but I know we need to get moving. It’s going to take me a while to carry her out of here, and we don’t want to get stuck at night.
“Aspen,” I whisper.
Her eyes flutter open, and a ghost of a smile graces her lips when she zeros in on me. As if she remembers where we are and who I am, the smile leaves her face before it can fully form.
“Hey,” she greets me sleepily. “We survived the night.”
“Yes, but we still have to make it back to Corium. We’re about five miles away, and I’ll have to carry you there.”
“You can leave me here and go back for help. You’ll be much faster without me on your back.”
She looks up at me, hopeful, and I don’t have the heart to tell her that no one else is going to come for her. It’s me or nothing. If I return to Corium without her, then I’ve signed her death sentence.
“I don’t know if I could find the way back here,” I lie. “Plus, you’re cold. I don’t think I can leave you here without the risk of you freezing to death. I didn’t come all the way out here to save your ass just to leave you behind today.”
“Okay.” She sighs, and I can hear the relief in it. She didn’t like the idea of being alone, either.
I pull our clothes from the front seat and start dressing myself first before helping Aspen into hers. They aren’t completely dry, but it’s better than they were last night.