Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Neighbors? What does that mean?
Santos’s body goes rigid, and a weighty silence descends like a shadow.
Caius puts a hand on Santos’s shoulder. A long moment later, Santos’s grip eases on Liam. He breathes in a tight breath as he takes a step backward, then turns to the man who just entered and shoves Liam in his direction.
“Keep control of your family,” Santos says through gritted teeth.
The man, who is bigger and clearly older than Liam, catches him, looks him over and straightens his shirt before releasing him. His eyes cut to me, and his expression doesn’t change as he takes my measure. I’m not sure which out of the three is the most dangerous. This one, with a scar that marks his throat from ear to ear may look the most violent, but the others are just as terrifying.
“Thiago,” Camilla starts, going to him, head tilted to the side, lips in a pout. “We really were just being nice.”
He shifts his gaze to her. “I told you both to stay put.”
“I had to pee.” She shrugs her shoulders, somehow making her big eyes even bigger.
He exhales loudly, gestures with a nod of his head to one of his soldiers, who steps forward. “My brother and sister will be returning home.”
Camilla stomps a foot. She literally stomps her foot like a two-year old. “We just got here!”
Thiago steps toward her. I expect her to back away, but she stands her ground.
“You act like a fucking child, and you will be treated like a fucking child,” Thiago says.
She glares, then gets control of herself. A moment passes where that innocent, pretty face is replaced by something other, something ugly, but it’s gone in the blink of an eye. She grins, glances at me, and gives me that blinding smile again. “See you soon, Madelena. It was really lovely to meet you. Come on, Liam. Let’s go. This is boring anyway.”
Liam, like a little puppy, follows her out, tugging his arm free of the soldier who tries to take hold of him.
Thiago faces Santos. They’re the same height, and of similar build, two dangerous men in a space too small to contain them both.
“He comes near my wife again, and he won’t walk away. I don’t care who he is to you, Thiago.”
Thiago’s jaw is so tense I can imagine how hard he’s gritting his teeth. I hold my breath as I wait for his response, but he forces a breath in and his entire demeanor changes. His eyes move to me, over me, and his mouth morphs into a smile. He looks more like his brother and sister now. A little more. He’ll never be quite as pretty as them. He was once, I can see that, but no more.
One corner of his mouth curves up into a grin and he shifts his gaze back to Santos. “Family is important to men like us, isn’t it? The things we care about, we’ll do anything to protect. Which makes them a weakness.” That last part is a threat. Even I hear that.
Santos’s hands clench into fists at his sides. I get the feeling he’s about to get in Thiago’s face when Caius steps between them, stopping him. He puts a hand onto Thiago’s shoulder. I can’t see Caius’s face; his back is to me. But I watch Thiago’s, as does Santos. Thiago’s eyes move to Caius’s hand. He sucks in a slow, tight breath, every muscle tensing like he wants to pounce.
Caius says something too quietly for me to hear.
“Never. Touch. Me,” Thiago says.
Caius doesn’t remove his hand for what feels like a full minute, then chuckles and steps backward, arms at his sides.
“Just trying to help you, buddy.”
Thiago’s gaze moves to Santos, and his expression is different as he looks at the brothers. He hates them both, I think. But it’s different, and I can’t put my finger on how. I get the feeling that he’s swallowing a bitter pill when he turns to go. But he leaves, and his soldiers follow after him.
Caius turns to Santos.
“What did you say to him?” Santos asks.
Caius tucks his hand into his pocket and cocks his head, looking relaxed. “Asked him if he thought a shootout was a good idea, considering.”
Santos studies his brother while I take them both in, trying to understand through their body language and facial expressions. But Santos turns to me, deciding to drop it, I guess.
“Did he hurt you?” he asks me, closing his hands over my arms. Caius is standing behind Santos. He watches us just like I watched them. Maybe he’s trying to figure out the dynamic between us, too.
I shake my head. Santos’s grip alternately tightens and softens, like he’s still clenching and unclenching his fists.
“She tripped. He caught her. That’s all,” Ana offers, setting a hand on Santos’s arm.