Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82332 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Helen frowns, creasing her brow. "Family? Do you like Antonio's parents?"
"They've passed away. It's just Niko, their friends, and..."
"And?" Helen asks.
I take a deep breath. I was going to wait, but there’s no better time than now, I guess. "We're going to stop at the clinic for my appointment before we meet up with the others. I don't truly need a test, though. I'm pregnant, Helen."
Helen stares at me, completely stunned, before she squeals and pulls me into a hug.
"I'm going to be an aunt!" Helen cries in a sing-song voice.
Her excitement has tears stinging my eyes. I don’t mind, however. These are happy tears. Happy tears. Before Antonio, I didn’t even know those were possible. It's just one of the many miracles that my husband has brought into my life.
I'm so grateful.
antonio
Shit.
This meeting is taking forever. The longer I stare at the clock on the wall, the more frustrated I’m becoming. We’ve spent hours going through the schematics of Dracos' home that Marco had made. We’ve been pinpointing all of the heavily guarded areas along with the easiest entrances to get inside and that somehow developed into a round of spit balling ideas on how to slip in unnoticed.
I know getting to Dracos will be challenging, but I'm confident my men can do it. It helps that the bastard probably doesn't suspect his own son of betraying him. A man with the balls to stand up for himself without hiring someone to do it is foreign to Dracos, and I plan to take full advantage of that.
One thing that has come from this meeting is that I'm now confident that Marco is a good addition to our group. He's smart, able to dissect a situation and determine the consequences of each choice. He's very analytical, and that's a good trait to have in this lifestyle, where that one calculation can save your ass.
That’s even more proof that Dracos is an imbecile. He could've easily taken advantage of that, training his son to take the reins and be more successful. Weak mindedness made Dracos see his own flesh and blood as a threat.
Right now, we're discussing using Marco as a Trojan horse of sorts. That would enable us to slip through the Dracos’ security. It's a great plan with merit. I'm dragging my feet, reluctant because I know that Melina would be devastated if something happened to Marco. I need to make sure that doesn't happen. It's not lost on me how new it is to take another's feelings into account, but she's important to me, so I'm making the effort.
"You're quiet over there, Boss," Marco says.
A ghost of a smile moves over my lips. He's showing me respect. I like it. Some in his position might be resentful, especially considering the fact he's older than I am. I haven't seen a sign of that from him, although I'm closely monitoring it. I don't know him well enough yet. There's every chance in the world he's playing a game just for his survival. I can't hand out trust blindly.
“I’m quiet because I'd rather be surprising my wife at her party, but I’m giving her time with her friends instead,” I answer honestly.
"I'm going after the meeting," Marco says. "I'll let you know how she is."
"Oh, that's right. You have a fiancée to meet. How long has it been since you've seen her? You can ask Antonio to make sure he puts you in a bedroom in the far wing so you can play catch up," Niko jokes.
Niko knows damn well I keep the guest rooms far away from my own. Trust issues and being private means, they've never been used. Letting Melina’s friend stay here—along with her brother—is a form of me trying to be better for her. I need her to know she belongs here. I want her to feel that this house is hers—because it is.
Marco rubs the back of his neck—looking very uncomfortable. "I've never seen Helena face to face. I’ve only seen pictures that her father sent with the contract," he confesses.
"Why in the hell not?" Victorio asks.
"Because she didn't turn twenty-one until a week ago."
"Well, that's a scenario I’m familiar with," Niko grunts. "Thank God I'm not back to living in those days."
Marco runs a hand through his hair, betraying his frustration. He will have to work on his micro expressions. Seeing his emotions right on the surface makes me feel a little sorry for the poor bastard.
"Your sister told me she was twenty-four when we met.”
Marco frowns. "Why did she lie to you?"
"I have no idea," I shrug. "But I can tell you one thing."
'What's that?" Marco asks.
“I wouldn't stay away from her as you have. If you're old enough to purchase alcohol at eighteen in Greece, then you're old enough to be claimed by your man.” Marco scowls at me as I shrug. "I told Victorio, and I'll tell you. A woman wants a man. Be who you are. If she doesn't like it, then move on. At least then, she'll respect you. Hell, you'll respect yourself."