Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
While my mind screamed fight, my body surrendered as the sedative took hold.
I was a limp rag doll when he lifted me over his shoulder and trudged back to the car.
Roughly tossing me across the back seat, he quickly shut the door. Seconds later, I heard as if through a long, deep, dark tunnel, the sound of the door locks tripping.
My eyelids were too heavy to lift.
Darkness descended as the car engine turned over.
Whirr. Thud. Whirr. Whirr. Thud. Whirr. Whirr. Whirr.
CHAPTER 21
ELLA
Aslap to the face woke me up.
“Get up. We’re here.”
My head lolled to the side, coming to rest against the jamb of the car door.
"Here" looked to be a train station. After rubbing my eyes to clear them, I could make out the words Cavalieri Porta Nuova on a rectangular sign with a dark blue background and gold letters.
Cavalieri.
The Cavalieri family was so rich and powerful they had an entire freaking city named after them.
As if I were just an uninterested passenger watching the world go by, I stared as Tasso/Terzo/Tomasso unloaded my suitcase onto the nearby platform before tossing my cello case on top. I supposed my sister thought letting me have my cello would soften the blow of her betrayal.
Tasso/Terzo/Tomasso pointed to the north. “The Cavalieri winery is over there a few kilometers from town, in the foothills of the Apennine mountains. Now get out.”
“You’re just going to leave me here?”
He yanked on my arm, pulling me from the car. “Yeah, you think I’m stupid or something?”
Even through my drugged haze, I knew better than to answer that honestly.
He continued. “I’m not going up to the winery so those arrogant bastards can shoot me. If you wait here long enough, I’m sure someone will come to help a pretty girl like you, especially dressed like that.”
I scratched at the faceted crystal neckline again. Leave it to Toni to put me in a completely inappropriate cocktail dress just to be a bitch.
As the car pulled away, the passenger side window rolled down. I ran up to it, thinking he had changed his mind. My purse hit me in the face as he threw it through the window. Then drove off.
Frantically, I searched inside while rubbing my cheek where the zipper hit. I lifted my mobile out of the bag although it was pointless, I could already tell it was dead.
I slumped onto the top of my suitcase. Great.
Just then the capostazione, the stationmaster, with his official gold-braided coat and cap came running out to the platform. “Sei una bella ragazza! Che begli occhi! It breaks my heart to tell such a beautiful woman as you that you have missed the last train of the night.”
“Actually, I—”
He sidled closer and placed a proprietary hand on my suitcase handle. “You should come inside to my office, where I could keep you warm.”
I bit back a retort. Already in enemy territory; there was no reason to pile on more.
Giving him my most gracious smile, the one I used for all my father’s grabby-hands cronies, I said, “Actually, if you would be so kind as to direct me to Cavalieri Winery.”
His gaze narrowed. He lifted his hand from the suitcase as if it suddenly burned him. “What business does a woman”—his gaze traveled over my highly inappropriate attire—“like yourself have to do with the Cavalieris at this time of night?”
I wrapped my arms around my ribs and rubbed my upper arms against the chill. Of course, Antonia didn’t think to put a jacket on my comatose form. Why would she? She rarely wore one herself, saying it covered up what everyone came to see.
Despite his attempt to flirt with me before clearly changing his mind, I didn’t begrudge the capostazione his judgmental tone. Without looking in a mirror, I was certain after being drugged, twice, and spending the last thirteen hours thrown in the back of a sedan while wearing one of Toni’s highly inappropriate, super tight and short dresses, I was not making the most gracious first impression.
Although I hated to do it, until I got ahold of my sister, I had no choice but to play the part of Matteo’s fiancée. Might as well start now.
Clasping my hands to my chest, I softened my gaze and tilted my head to the right, the way I’ve seen Toni do when she wants something from my father. “Please accept my apologies for my attire. I’ve had a nightmare trip.”
That is an understatement.
His lips thinned as he continued to eye me speculatively.
I sighed dramatically, looking off into the distance, somewhere over his shoulder.
Antonia once called this her damsel look, as if she were searching for her knight in shining armor.
“If only my fiancé, Matteo Cavalieri, were here to vouch for me, I’m sure you’d be more sympathetic to my plight.”
I batted my eyelashes for good measure.