Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
I begin to frown because I don’t know what he’s referring to.
Suddenly, Renzo moves away, and a second later, he switches the light on. Standing near the door his eyes sweep over my body, then he smirks.
“Yeah, I’m starting to think Franco’s onto something.”
What?
Not explaining himself, he walks out of the room, leaving me feeling confused as hell.
Shaking my head, I replay the conversation we just had while walking to the closet and pulling on a sweater.
It’s the first time Renzo’s bothered to ask me how I feel.
It’s weird.
Who’s Franco, and what is he right about?
Walking to the doorway, my teeth tug at my bottom lip. There’s no reason for me to leave my bedroom. We’ve already had dinner.
Still, Renzo seems calm and willing to talk.
Maybe I can reason with him, and if not, I might be able to plant a seed of doubt by adding to what Dario said to him last week. It’s clear it bothers him, or he wouldn’t have asked me whether I think I’m innocent.
Leaving my room, I glance at the closed door at the end of the hallway before I head toward the staircase.
Halfway down the stairs, there’s a loud crack of thunder before the penthouse is plunged into darkness.
A peep escapes me as I jerk with fright. “Crap.”
I don’t hear anything but the rain and wait a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness.
The eerie sensation creeps down my spine, and I glance over my shoulder. Seeing Renzo’s silhouette, I say, “I’m here. Just in case you don’t see me.”
His tone is a low whisper that sends shivers racing over my body. “I see you just fine, topolina.”
My muscles instinctively tense as if they recognize the predatory tone before my brain does.
When Renzo prowls toward me, I take another step down and almost lose my footing from not being able to see shit. His arm wraps around my side, and I’m kept in place as he moves in front of me.
Renzo’s right. I’m becoming used to my new circumstances because my heart doesn’t race like crazy with fear anymore. Even though my breathing speeds up, there’s no threat of me hyperventilating.
Instead, I’m overly aware of his powerful presence as the scent of his woodsy cologne fills the air I breathe.
I’m beginning to think the man has excellent night vision because he grips my jaw and tips my head back without any effort on his part. There’s a glint of light in his eyes that makes him look even more predatory.
He presses closer to me, and with his face an inch from mine, he says, “The last thing we need is you breaking your neck on the stairs.”
In the moment that follows his words, a weird tension fills the air around us. It sizzles with electricity as if a lightning bolt is about to strike.
His head begins to lower, and I suck in a shocked breath before holding it.
What’s he planning to do?
Surely…no, he wouldn’t.
Would he?
The warm air of his breath fans over my lips, making them tingle. My stomach does a somersault, and my brain struggles to think of how I should react.
The air around us tenses even more. His arm holding me to him tightens. His body presses closer to mine.
Holy shit.
Suddenly, the lights come on, and seeing how close Renzo’s face is to mine has my heart instantly beating like a wild horse trying to get out of a burning barn.
Before another second can pass, Renzo lets go of me and takes the stairs down before walking to the living room.
Stunned out of my ever-loving mind, I remain standing in the middle of the staircase.
I place a hand over my fluttering stomach and suck in deep breaths of air.
Did that just happen?
Was he about to try and kiss me?
But why?
I should be terrified if that’s really the case.
Turning my head, I stare at Renzo as he pours himself a tumbler of whiskey.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
Did Dario get through to him, and he’s softening toward me?
My heart starts to race for a whole different reason.
If I can make Renzo care about me, he might spare Dad’s life. Maybe he’ll give me my freedom.
With my chest rising and falling and the idea taking root, I watch as the hot-as-hell mafia boss takes a sip of the whiskey while staring out at the city lights beyond the window.
Chapter 24
Renzo
It’s been two weeks since I took Skylar, and as I watch the live stream on the TV screen, it’s clear Harlan Davies is losing his mind.
Unshaven, disheveled, and losing weight, the man looks like death.
My eyes flick to Skylar where she’s cleaning the kitchen after we just had dinner.
With an annoyed sigh, I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Carlo’s number.
“Yes, boss?” he answers.
“Take two men and bring Harlan Davies to the warehouse,” I order.