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)
"Me either," he mutters. "No one does. Rafe's father wanted the biggest house in Chicago. He succeeded, but it feels like a mausoleum. Not even Rafe likes this house."
"Why does he stay?"
"Because it's the only place that still holds memories of his mother."
"Oh," I whisper, my heart panging in empathy for the man I've heard so much about but have never seen. I know what it is to lose a parent. My mom died giving birth to me. And then my dad was murdered. I didn't get to cling to our house. Instead, I clung to my uncle. By the time I realized I was clutching a monster, it was too late to save me.
"I want you to stay close, Finley. But if things go bad, run to Amalia. She'll make sure you're safe."
"Domani."
"Promise me, mio sole."
"Fine. I promise," I snap, angry all over again that he's risking his life for mine. I know we're going to survive because I won't accept anything less. But that doesn't make the situation suck any less.
He runs his fingertips down my cheek. "I know how much I'm asking of you by asking you to walk in there with me, tesoro. I don't ask it lightly."
"Can we please just get on with it before you make me cry?" I ask, my chin quivering. I need to walk in there as a banphrionsa, with my head held high…someone they can see as Domani's equal. If I walk in as a sobbing wreck, they'll never see me that way. To them, I'll always be the poor little Irish girl he rescued. He needs a queen, not someone they pity.
"In a minute, bellissimo mostriciattola." He pops open the glove compartment, fishing out the small knife he hid there when we changed cars in St. Louis. "I want you to put this in your pocket."
"What? Why?"
"Because it won't take long before your uncle knows we're here. I'm sure he has people watching. If he shows up or anything goes wrong, I want you to be able to protect yourself."
My hand closes around the knife. It's a foreign weight in my hand, one completely unfamiliar to me. Cillian always kept his weapons where I couldn't get to them. I think he worried I might use them on him. Domani shows me where the release is on the knife and makes sure I know how to open and close it before I slip it into my pocket.
"Now, we can go," he says, killing the engine. He brushes his lips across mine before climbing from the car and circling around. I watch the house, but no one comes out to meet him. It's as if they're waiting for him to come to them. Because it's a trap? I hope not.
He helps me out and then guides me up the steps, his hand on the small of my back. I don't try to lace my fingers through his, not wanting to slow him down if he needs to reach for a weapon. I pray it doesn't come to that. But everything I know about Rafe and his family, I learned from my uncle. He wasn't exactly a reliable narrator.
Domani raps on the door.
My heart lodges in my throat. I think it may stay there until we leave this place.
"Io e te per sempre," he murmurs.
"You and me forever," I whisper back.
The door opens. The man behind it doesn't even look at me; his cold gray eyes settle on Domani. He's a few years older than the man beside me and infinitely harder. If Domani is steel, this man is chromium, the hardest metal on earth. He's also furious with my husband.
"Domani," he says, his voice the dangerous rumble of a waking giant.
"Mattia." Domani doesn't bow to him. He meets him as an equal, uncowed and unafraid. I don't think anything or anyone scares my husband.
"Hello," I say politely, inserting myself into their stare-down. "It's nice to meet you, Mattia. I'm Finley."
Mattia's eyes fall to me and the hand I've extended toward him. His expression softens incrementally, and I know he's seen the rope burns on my wrist. That wasn't my intention, but there's no hiding them now. They're a permanent part of me, my wrist rubbed raw too many times for the skin ever to be the same again.
"Hello, piccola," he says, his tone softer too. But he doesn't take my hand. I think maybe that's out of respect for Domani? I'm not sure. "It's nice to meet you." He holds the door open for us to enter. "Rafe and Luca are in his office."
"Where are Gabriel and Diego?" Domani asks as we step inside.
"Retracing the trail they got from the tracker in Coda's car." Mattia leads us through the house. There are men scattered around everywhere, all pretending not to be paying any attention to us. They're well-trained, but it's obvious they're listening.