Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48087 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 240(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48087 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 240(@200wpm)___ 192(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
The instinct in me said to run, to go as fast as I could, and get away from the danger. But I knew the reality of my situation. I was in Matteo’s house, and he knew this place like the back of his hand.
I could feel him watching me despite being alone. I had to be clever, even if the chance at getting out right now was slim to none.
I looked down at my bare feet knowing that even if by some grace of God I got outside, I probably wouldn’t get very far.
With one more stabilizing inhale and exhale, I glanced down the hallway once more.
I took a left, gripping the lamp, my arm already aching from the weight, my palms sweaty from my nerves.
The only thing I heard was the steady tick-tick-tick of a clock in the distance and the soft thump of my feet hitting the plush floor runner beneath me.
When I turned the corner, I spied a set of stairs. I was so close. I could sprint toward it and touch the polished, smooth wood.
But I froze mid-step when I came face-to-face with a man dressed in all black, two guns strapped to his waist, and the ugliest, coldest expression on his face I’d ever seen.
My heart was beating so fast and hard. I couldn’t hear anything other than the sound of it in my ears.
I curled my fingers tightly around the lamp and saw him look down at my “weapon”. He chuckled humorlessly and then curled his lip in a snarl of disgust.
I was running on pure adrenaline right now.
We stared at each other for a few seconds, as if time stood still and neither one of us could move.
“Get over here, you little, fucking bitch.” His voice was thickly accented and as ugly as he was.
On instinct, I took a step back, not realizing I’d done the act until the watch dog came forward, his eyes narrowing, his lips pulling back to showcase his teeth.
Although they were straight and white, they seemed sharp. Like a shark. Like a predator.
He said something harsh and guttural in a foreign language. Italian.
“You stupid fucking whore. I don’t know what he sees in you.”
His voice sent hard shivers down the length of my spine, and I took another step back. Then one more.
I was about to throw this fucking lamp at him and hopefully buy myself some time so I could get away.
Matteo was dangerous, more so than this man. But where Matteo was a quiet storm that destroyed, this brute was a hurricane. He wanted everyone to know he was coming.
I could see the violence in his eyes. He got off on it. Of that, I was sure.
He charged forward, and just as I turned, I felt him wrap his big hand around my hair, yanking me back hard enough that I screamed.
I reached behind with the hand not holding the lamp, instinctively trying to ease the pressure and pain.
He kept speaking in Italian, words that I didn’t understand but ones I knew were nasty.
As I felt tears from the discomfort slide down my cheeks, survival kicked in. With my hand wrapped around his meaty wrist, I turned and used all my strength to swing the lamp up.
It clipped him on the side of the throat hard enough I heard him grunt from the impact and loosen his hold on me.
He cursed something ugly and low under his breath, and I used his momentary lapse of surprise to wiggle away from him, the lamp crashing to the floor. I heard the bulb break, and when I stepped back, shards dug into the bottom of my foot.
But I felt nothing aside from the need to survive.
I only got one step before he grabbed my nape and dug his fingers into my flesh. His hand was like a vise, locked around me so tightly I expected him to crush my spine.
“Stupid, fucking, little girl.” He slammed me hard against the wall and leaned in close, snarling, “When the boss is done with you, I’m gonna fuck you raw. I don’t even care that he’ll use you up. I’ll gladly take his sloppy seconds and tear you up—”
I was staring up into his eyes when I saw them widen a fraction as if something shocked him. Then it was the warm wetness that covered my face and neck that I registered.
My ears rang after, followed by a massive weight landing against my body before sliding down and dropping at my feet.
I couldn’t breathe as I was looking at a corpse.
My mouth dropped open as I gazed into his lifeless face, his dead eyes locked on me. There was an entrance bullet wound at his temple, and on the other side of the exit wound, the bullet lodged in the wall right beside me.