Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82517 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
She breathed out a sigh of relief as silence filled the arguing.
“Will you both stop it? Or why don’t you get your dicks out and measure them? Ew, gross.” She scrunched up her face, realizing what she said. She’d overheard a couple of women downstairs talking about different men, and how they were always arguing. It just dawned on her what she said. “Please, ignore what I just said, because that is … you’re arguing here, and none of you have thought to ask me what I think.”
She looked at Roman and rolled her eyes. “I understand why you did it. You and your … family don’t believe in actually asking a woman her thoughts, right?” She turned to her father. “What do I do? What did I do wrong? You said I could go back to school. Why were they waiting for me?”
She felt tears fill her eyes, and she clenched her hands into fists.
“Honey,” Liam said, and she shook her head.
“No, Dad, being the calm one right now is not going to work.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I don’t want to be a pain. I don’t want to cause you guys any trouble, and I am so sorry, Mr. Greco, for doing that.” She licked her dry lips. “What did I do wrong?”
The men looked at her. Her father gazed at her with sadness, and she wasn’t sure how the others looked at her.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Antonio, of all people, said. “You’re a powerful woman now. A weakness to our enemies. You’re married to Roman Greco, who will one day be The Boss, and you’re Liam Smith’s daughter, who is a powerful man in his own right.”
“Roman has said all of this, but I am no one.”
Liam stepped forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “Stop saying that, sweetheart. I was wrong about this. I put your life in danger.”
“Dad?”
“Yes, little mouse.”
She groaned. “What do I do?”
“You come home,” Roman said. “I will protect you. I have been protecting you.”
“I don’t want to hide,” Alex said. “I’ve never done that.”
“Only until we find those responsible, Alex,” Liam said. “And we will. It will be safe for you to do what you want.”
“You can study,” Roman said. “There are online courses you can take. I will talk to the school personally and have it arranged for you to do that.”
She frowned as she looked at him. “Why?”
“It is what you want, and regardless of what you think, I am not that cruel.”
Alex didn’t believe him. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared at the room full of men. There was way too much testosterone tonight, and she knew she was nearly killed.
“Okay.” She looked at her dad. “Can I … stay home tonight?”
“I’m taking you home,” Roman said.
“I mean in my old bedroom.” She didn’t want to be with Roman. He didn’t make her feel safe. She missed her old home, her old house, and Millie. The only way for her to feel strong right now was to enjoy a nice big bowl full of Millie’s comfort soup. She didn’t even know what was in the soup, she just knew that she wanted it.
“I’m not letting you out of my sight,” Roman said.
Her father snapped back, and then they were arguing again. Of course, they were arguing.
“Fine!” Alex yelled, raising her voice loud enough to be heard. “You can stay. I’m sure my dad has plenty of rooms.”
“I will stay in your room,” Roman said.
He was just doing this to rile her dad.
“I don’t care,” Alex said, looking at her dad. “Can I go?”
“Yes, I will drive you,” Liam said.
“And I’ll be there.” This was from Roman.
“Actually, Mr. Smith,” Lucas said. “I would like for us to have a word. I think it is only fair that we give Alex and my son some time. They have, after all, had an awful experience. We can talk.”
Alex wasn’t in the mood to argue.
“I will be home soon,” Liam said.
She went to her father and wrapped her arms around his waist, holding him close and breathing him in. Whenever she hugged him, she always felt safe and warm.
Nothing and no one could get her. No imaginary bogeymen or scary, real hooded men. Nothing. She was safe.
As with all things, she had to pull away. She kissed his cheek and stepped toward Roman, who took her hand. Antonio also followed, and then she found two other men outside.
“Alex, this is Marlo Guerra and Cash Vitale.”
She held her hand up in greeting. They were his other two friends. She had seen them at the wedding, but they hadn’t been introduced.
They left the strip club out the back entrance, where a car was already waiting for them. Antonio and Marlo took the front seat while she sat in the middle between Roman and Cash.