Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
“Why didn’t you make a deal with them?”
He sucks in a long breath and lets it out. “Can’t trust the Russians.”
“Why did you have to attack them like that?”
His lips pull back into a smirk. “Nobody interrupts my run with my wife.”
“This doesn’t make sense, Luca. If you wanted to neutralize them, wouldn’t it be better to cut a deal?”
Slowly, he stands back up and leans in my face. “The Russians will say whatever they have to say to get what they want. We’ve tried to work with them in the past, and it always ends with blood. No Russians.” He turns away. “Now come on. We’d better get back before they decide to sweep this entire park and try to kill us.”
I hesitate, looking back over my shoulder, and a chill runs down my spine. Am I going to have to worry about getting murdered every time I go for a run from now on?
No, it’s worse than that.
I have to worry every time I open my eyes.
Because Luca will always be there.
Chapter 12
Kacia
I spend another quiet, boring day in the room. The only consolation is, the house staff brings up whatever food I ask for and their library is surprisingly well stocked with decent stuff to read. I have TV, I have comfortable couches, I have a wardrobe filled with designer sweats, and even a decent view out the front windows. It’s boring, and it’s exactly like being trapped back in Greece, but at least I’m safe. For now, anyway, so long as I stay in this room.
Luca makes me lock the door and I swear only to open it for him. I cheat a little bit and open for staff, but otherwise I’m not interrupted by any angry capos looking to threaten my life. Which is probably a good thing.
He gets back late and looks tired. He doesn’t talk as he strips from his clothes and takes a shower. I stay out of the bedroom but when he’s finished, he beckons me from the doorway. “Time to sleep,” he grunts like he expects me to obey.
“What, I have a bedtime now?”
“Yeah, you do. It’s my bedtime. Now get in here.”
I glare at him but I don’t put up a fight. I keep thinking about the way he took down those Russian guys this morning, how he attacked them first and viciously before they had a chance to get their bearings. The potential for violence and pain is always with him, hiding beneath his surface. If he hadn’t taken the bald guy down like that, I’m not sure what would’ve happened—both those Russians were armed and we were in nothing but running clothes. I have a feeling he’s going to be jogging with a gun strapped to his back from now on.
I get myself ready for bed and join him. He snaps the lights off and I burrow under the blankets, but he seems restless. He rolls onto his side, onto his back, and stares at the ceiling.
“Something’s bothering you,” I say in the dark because there’s no way I’m getting to sleep with him thrashing around like that.
He grunts in response. “A lot’s bothering me, flower.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Aside from the Russians this morning? My father still doesn’t want you around and the other capos are furious. Rumors are flying all over the Famiglia and I’m about ten seconds away from the soldiers straight up revolting. Everything is precarious.”
I run my hands down the sheets, smoothing them compulsively. “How mad are we talking?”
“More than a few have openly questioned my sanity, which is a big deal.”
“What about your personal soldiers? You have your own crew, right?”
“They accept the situation even if they don’t like it.” He closes his eyes for a moment. “Fio survived.”
“Fio?” I hesitate a second. “That’s the guy you shot.”
“He made it to a hospital. I sent a couple men to make sure he was taken care of. I visited his mother today and told her what’s happening.”
“Is he coming home?”
“Eventually. We’ll deal with him eventually.”
“You don’t sound happy.”
“It’s complicated.” He looks at me and his eyes seem to glow in the darkness with an inner intensity. “Fio is a friend, but he betrayed me. He turned against my orders and chose my father over me. All the others backed me at the time, but now I’m not sure who they’ll obey and who they’ll turn on, and I don’t know if I can trust anyone in this fucking family. All because I brought home a new pretty Greek wife.”
I move slightly closer to him and put a hand on his chest. He seems surprised, but he doesn’t brush it away. “It’s my fault. Well, it’s your fault. But it’s mine too.”
“No, flower. It’s entirely my fault. I’m the one that made you marry me. I made this choice and now I’m living with it.”