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)
“Will do. Be careful, Luca. Update me when you can.”
He hangs up. I put the phone down and stare at the marble countertop. It’s a nice kitchen, stainless-steel appliances, modern features, and I’d burn it to the ground to be back in New York right now.
My father’s going in for a heart valve replacement surgery and I didn’t even know.
His only son. The heir to his Famiglia. Somehow he decided it wasn’t worth telling me.
I take several steadying breaths and look up at the ceiling and close my eyes.
Something feels off. I can’t tell what it is—until it clicks.
I hear a soft thumping up above. My head tilts and I listen closer, doing a quick mental layout of the house.
That’s Kacia’s room.
I shove the revelation about my father aside and force myself back up the steps. She’s been in there for half the day now and that should be enough time for her to realize that her only chance is marriage. The thumping is rhythmic but louder as I reach her door and unlock the bolt.
The thumping stops. I yank the door open.
She’s standing next to the cot and working on the leg, trying to get it free. It’s loose, wobbling all over the place, and she’s using the edge of the main diamond on the engagement ring as a fucking screwdriver. Her eyes widen as I step inside but instead of giving up, she redoubles her efforts.
The girl almost has the damn leg all the way off.
“What do you think you’re going to do with that?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“I was going to break the window and climb outside after it got dark,” she says and the leg comes free with a loud metallic clank. The cot slumps toward her as she stands and glares at me, gripping the leg like a club. “Now I think I’ll use it to beat you to death.”
I laugh. I can’t help myself. She looks incredible standing there in her tank top clutching that cot leg like it’s her last salvation and holding my ring on her other palm. She’s not wearing it, but I do notice she isn’t actively contemplating the bullet at least.
“Put it down, little flower. You won’t like what happens if you try to use it.”
“I told you not to call me that.” She raises the leg up high and charges me with it, snarling like a monster, and I have to admit, I’m impressed.
She’s fierce and gorgeous, and I let her get close before I catch her wrist, using her momentum to turn her and spin her.
Her breath rushes out as she slams into the wall. I pin her there and wrench the leg from her grip, tossing it aside with a clatter. She struggles as I stare into her face—
Then she spits something hard.
It hits me in the nose, barely missing my right eye, and falls to the floor. I’m so surprised to find the bullet at my feet that I nearly miss her knee coming up toward my crotch with all her strength.
But I was waiting for it. I turn my thigh and take the blow before pulling her from the wall and turning her wrists behind her back. I shove her against the table face down, wrenching her arm hard, right on the edge of breaking.
“Are you finished?” I ask as she groans in pain.
“Fuck you.”
“Gladly. You have no idea how fucking beautiful you looked coming at me with that leg like you wanted to break my skull in.”
“You liked it so much, give it to me again. I’ll gladly try all over.”
I laugh once. The girl’s got a mouth and she’s got guts. I tighten my grip and she whimpers as the pain increases.
“I’m going to let you go. If you fight again, I’m not going to hurt you. I’m going to strip the bed and throw away the pillow. The cot frame is already gone. The more you struggle, the more I’ll take from this room, until you’re alone and naked, all your clothes ripped to pieces. Don’t think I won’t do it. I’d happily strip you now, but I’m still holding out for a nice surprise on my wedding night.”
She snarls then whimpers as I tighten my grip. “Let me go.”
I release her and step back.
She turns around, sitting back against the table, breasts rising and falling with each fast breath. She’s glaring death at me and all I want to do is skip the bullshit and undress her here and now. I want to see her naked flesh, her bare ass in my lap. I want to spank her until she screams, until she begs me to plunge my fingers, my tongue, my cock into her soaking wet pussy. I want to punish her and fuck her and make her come and make her mine.