Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
I have to kill her uncle. And hope like hell that her cousin is willing to negotiate once the motherfucker is dead. If not…we're going to war. And it's going to end with my head on a pike.
Rafe will put it there himself.
Chapter Four
Finley
"Wake up, mio sole." Domani runs the back of his hand down my cheek, speaking softly. I fight the urge to nuzzle into his touch, even though it's precisely what I want to do. We've been in the car for hours, nothing but the hum of the road to keep us company. Every time I breathe, his scent fills my lungs.
It's lulling me toward something vast and deep. Or maybe that's complacency talking. I'm not sure. But the longer I spend with him, the more I soften toward him. I know who he is and what he's about, and it doesn't frighten me nearly as much as it should.
"I'm not asleep."
"Little liar," Domani chuckles. "You've been sleeping for the last hour."
"I've been resting my eyes."
He chuckles again, the rich, decadent sound hitting me deep in my stomach. He has an incredible laugh. Who am I kidding? If ever a man was made for sin, it's this one. Everything about him is decadent and sensual. "You missed the last of the drive while you were resting them, mio sole. We're here."
I pop my eyes open and glance around. We're in the middle of the forest, massive trees shooting up into the sky all around us. It's beautiful, but there's nothing out here. "We're here? Where?"
Another simile of a grin touches his lips. "We have to walk from here, Finley."
The thought of walking through the forest excites me. It's been…a long dang time since I was outside, free to roam. I can't even remember the last time I had fresh air and open space. But I peer through the trees anyway, anxious.
"Is it safe?" I ask, hating how small and vulnerable I sound.
He runs the back of his hand down my cheek again. "Perfectly, tesoro. Anything out there will be more afraid of us than we are of it."
"No." I shake my head. "You don't understand. I mean, is it safe to leave the car? What if we have to leave in a hurry?"
"Ah," he says, understanding. "This is the back of the property, Finley. I'm leaving the car here for that very reason. There is another at the cabin and a small gravel road leading to it. We're going in this way."
"Another precaution," I mumble.
"Precisely."
"You take a lot of those, don't you?" I shift my gaze back to him, infinitely curious about this man and the life he's lived. I know the things he's done. But how many have come back to haunt him? Not his mind, but his reality? Do his demons chase him in the waking world, or do they only rear their heads at night? He knows so much about me and my life, but I have more questions than answers about him and his. We aren't on equal footing, and I don't like it.
"I do. They keep me alive. Now, they'll keep you safe."
I take his word for it and unlatch my seatbelt. He climbs from the SUV and circles around, grabbing our bags from the back before he offers his hand to me. I take it, letting him help me out. I expect him to release it once I'm on my feet, but he doesn't. He tugs me toward his massive body, getting in my personal space again.
I tip my head back to look up at him.
"You said my name in your sleep," he murmurs, staring down at me as if I'm a puzzle he desperately wishes to solve.
"Did I? How strange," I say, pretending I have no idea why I'd do that. I know, though. I remember exactly what I was dreaming about, but hell itself couldn't pry the truth from my lips. Some secrets are too delicious to share.
Another of those almost smiles graces his full lips. He lifts my hand, brushing a kiss across my knuckles. "Keep your secrets for now, mio sole. But you'll tell me by the time the sun sets tonight."
"No, I won't."
"You will, but keep telling yourself that, Finley." He releases my hand, slamming the door to the Rover. "Come on. We need to get moving."
I stare after him for a moment, surprised that he just walks away and leaves me standing there. Either he isn't worried that I'll run, or he doesn't care if I do. Do I even want to run? Freedom is right there. All I have to do is turn and go in the opposite direction, and it's mine. For the first time in my life, I'll be on my own. No one telling me what to do. No one holding me against my will. No one in charge of me but myself.