Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
How could she even be normal?
“Babe, I promise you that no matter what, I will never physically, emotionally, or sexually harm you, ever. I care about you too much to ever harm you.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“I want to get to know you.”
That had to be one of the sweetest things she ever heard. “You do?”
“Yeah, I do. It’s why we’re going away to my private island. No one is going to be there, apart from a couple of maids to keep the place tidy. For the next month, I want you all to myself.”
“A month?” she asked.
“Yeah. I worked damn hard to get what I want.”
“And do you always get what you want?” she asked.
“I do.”
She couldn’t help but chuckle. “You are certainly sure of yourself.”
“Always.” He gripped the back of her neck and pressed a kiss to her lips. “No more panicking. It’s just you and me. No reason to be scared.”
She put her hand on his chest and nodded. “You’re right.”
“Of course, I am.” He winked at her, and Valentina had to wonder about this man. The Butcher. Her husband evoked fear in so many people, and yet, he offered her nothing but comfort.
He climbed back behind the wheel.
“So you own a private island?”
“That I do.”
“Will it … is it safe?”
“Totally safe. We’ll be alone. No distractions.”
She liked that. After being under the watchful eye of so many people over the last few days, she wanted to be alone. Valentina had a horrible feeling people were going to constantly keep an eye on them to see how they work.
The Butcher and the broken daughter. They certainly made an unlikely partnership.
“I didn’t want to talk to Leo,” she said. “Just so you know.”
“Do you wish you had married him?” Giovanni asked.
“No.” The word slipped from her mouth quickly. She looked toward him and felt the nerves hit her. “I mean, it was … I was, everything was complicated, and he has Victoria now, and it is such a much better fit. I would have married him.”
“When we speak, Valentina, you’re speaking to your husband, and not Thomas Rossi or your father. What we say is between us.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I want us to be in an honest relationship. I don’t want you to fear being open with me. If you don’t like someone, tell me. Don’t … lie. Don’t hide from me. I can’t help you if I don’t know how you feel.”
“Wow,” she said.
“Try me.”
She opened her mouth and then closed it, not exactly sure how she could tell this man her true feelings about Leonardo.
“Fine, I’ll go first. I think Leonardo Rossi is an entitled, selfish prick who has way too much power. I don’t like the way he looks at you or the fact he is next in line to take over from his father.”
If she was to tell anyone what he’d just said to her, it could mean death in their world.
“I … I hate him,” she said. “He makes my skin crawl, and I saw him hurting a few maids.” She closed her eyes as the memory flooded her. “I couldn’t do anything to stop him, and they, the women, they looked broken afterward.”
She chanced a look at Giovanni and noticed his knuckles were white.
“Did he ever do anything to you?”
“No. He was never given the chance. I was … I was never allowed alone with him. I don’t know if it’s because my father knew of his reputation and he didn’t want to risk anything happening. The moment he broke off our engagement, it was the happiest day of my life. It sucked because of the way my parents reacted, but everything else, that was awesome.”
He chuckled. “You’re never to be alone with him.”
“Is he as bad as I fear?” she asked.
“Worse. He has done so many bad things, and now that you’re mine, I think it’s safe for me to tell you. He doesn’t like me, but that’s okay. I’m going to make you ready.”
“Make me ready?” she asked.
He nodded.
“For what?”
“I’m one of the most feared men in the Rossi empire, babe. What do you think I’m going to do?”
“Train me?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
He chuckled. “I’m going to have to get used to your shock, aren’t I?”
“It’s just that no one ever allows us to do that. You mean so I can defend myself?” she asked. After the kidnapping, she had wanted to train, but her father had forbidden it, saying a lady didn’t need to learn to fight. No matter how many times she pointed out that even with the guards she’d been taken.
He’d gotten angry with her pointing out the obvious, and he still refused to allow her to learn. Even her brother had refused, and sometimes he liked to defy their father’s orders. Not this time.
She had spent the last three years attempting to hide her fear from everyone every time she left the house. No one knew how she felt. Only her mother, and she hadn’t been very supportive.