Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
“Holy shit.”
“And be warned, I’m not sure you’ll be able to walk straight once I’m done with you.” His response was gruff and almost drowned out by the sound of a garage door going up, but I still didn’t miss the sensual promise in his tone.
I couldn’t deny I was in over my head when his threat sounded like a good time. But hey, walking was overrated, right? Except for when he helped me out of the car and led me down a hallway to Nic’s office. Not being able to walk in this particular instance would have been embarrassing as hell.
“Carly,” Nic greeted me, standing when we walked into his office.
I stepped forward to shake his hand and was surprised when he lifted it to his mouth to place a kiss on the top of my hand. Only when I noticed the humor in his eyes at Brandon’s reaction—a low growl and yanking me back into his body—did I understand what he was up to. But considering the bombshell I’d unknowingly dropped on his now-wife when I hadn’t realized she was unaware of Nic being a mafia boss, I couldn’t really blame him for messing with us. Especially, since the first thing he had to handle after he returned home from his honeymoon was a meeting with me to discuss what to do about my da.
“I’m glad to see things worked out so well with your queen,” I said, lifting my chin towards the huge framed photo of him and his new wife on their wedding day hanging on the center of the wall to the left.
“No thanks to your father,” he answered grimly.
“Yet another reason why he needs to die. And fast, before he causes any more trouble.”
“I can’t really argue with your logic, but the death of your father will cause a major void in the O’Reilly family and that wouldn’t be good for my city.”
It probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do considering who Nic DeLuca was, but I snorted at the obviousness of his statement. “I hope that doesn’t mean you aren’t willing to do it because he”—I aimed my thumb towards Brandon—“promised to protect me and break me free of my da. The only way to do that is to put him six feet under.”
“Blood thirsty little thing, aren’t you?” Nic chuckled, glancing over at Brandon. “Are you sure you want to keep her?”
My back straightened in outrage, more at the implication that Brandon shouldn’t want to keep me than the idea that he could just decide he was going to. Brandon slid his hand up my back and wrapped it around my neck, practically shackling me in place. It was a macho move, but I found comfort in his show of possession and relaxed into his hold.
“Quit messing around,” Brandon growled. “You knew she was mine before I was willing to admit it.”
“That I did,” Nic murmured with a smug grin before turning his attention my way again. “When you first came to me, I offered to eliminate your father and you refused to believe it was the best way to proceed. What’s changed since then?”
My breath caught in my throat as I tried to fight against the tears that welled in my eyes. I’d learned long ago that my da didn’t really love me, but it didn’t stop the pain of knowing how very little I meant to him. “Killing my da would only halt things in his organization temporarily. I wanted to blow it the fuck up. But, now he knows about my betrayal. Chances are, I’ll end up in his next shipment of girls.”
Brandon’s fingers dug into the skin of my neck, hard enough I wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up with bruises. “No fucking way,” he hissed, turning my head until I was staring into his eyes. “I knew he was after you, but I can’t believe he would sell his own daughter into slave trade.”
“He likes to play his cards close to the vest as much as he can,” I explained. “I wouldn’t even know about it, except Tommy overheard my da on the phone with one of his guys when I disappeared. Apparently, he was royally pissed that his ditzy little girl was able to outsmart him. Da told the guy I’d be worth the trade and ‘kept in line’ with a firm hand, or find myself saying Hail Marys on my way to hell.”
“Motherfucker,” Nic growled.
I laughed without any humor. “Oh, and let’s not forget how valuable I am, being a virgin and all.” In any other situation, I might have felt uncomfortable discussing my sexual experience, or lack thereof, with Nic Deluca, but I didn’t have the luxury of being squeamish.
“There’s no fucking way that’s gonna happen.” Brandon’s voice was deceptively soft. “No one will lay a fucking hand on you."