Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 715(@200wpm)___ 572(@250wpm)___ 476(@300wpm)
She’s in protective mode. Panic fills me. I want to see her more than anything, but what will happen to Fernando? Will they kill him for kidnapping me? Has my father requested Antonio help track me down? I dig my fingers into Fernando's shirt, not wanting to let him go. Tears fill my eyes. Seconds ago, I was having the best experience of my life, and now it could all be ripped away from me.
“Don’t cry,” Fernando orders. My bottom lip quivers even though I’m trying to remain strong.
“You can’t order someone not to cry.” I whisper. “It doesn’t work that way.”
“I said open the motherfucking door!” My sister pounds harder on it.
“You’re going to scare my kittens!” I shout back. “You should run. I’ll distract them. Go out the back door.” I hate the words even as I say them. What if I never see my Fernando again? My Fernando. That sounds lovely.
“Kittens?” Angelica’s voice softens.
“Open the damn door. My fucking leg is killing me,” I hear someone else say. I think it’s Antonio, but I can’t be sure. I’ve only heard him speak a few times.
“I told you to use the crutches like the doctor suggested. Should have listened to me,” she sasses him.
“I don’t need crutches,” he grumbles back at her.
“Men,” my sister huffs. I don’t have to see her face to know the exact expression she has on it right now.
“Not going anywhere.” Fernando steps back, but I don’t let his shirt go. “Sweetness. You gotta let me go.”
“I don’t have to do anything.” I dig my fingers in tighter. “Did you call me sweetness?” Is he giving me a pet name? A term of endearment? My heart swells in my chest. I mean, there’s no way I’m letting him go now. I watch as Fernando licks his lips.
“Yeah, sweetness.” Heat blooms through my cheeks, remembering how only moments ago he licked my orgasm from his fingers.
“All right, clear any kittens because I’m busting this door open.” Angelica’s voice breaks me from my dirty thoughts.
“That door is reinforced with steel, Angel. There’s no way you’re busting through it.” Antonio tries to talk some sense into her.
“Oh.” She gives another one of her annoyed huffs.
“I’m coming!” I shout before things get out of hand. I’ll talk them down. Tell them Fernando is a good person who saved me from a terrible fate. Really, if you ask me he’s a knight in shining armor that came to my rescue.
“You did,” Fernando says under his breath. My mouth falls open.
“Did you crack a joke?”
He shrugs.
“You did!”
“Order him to open the damn door,” my sister demands of her husband.
“I’m not so sure he’s under my control anymore. Not in this part of his life,” Antonio responds. I’m really not sure what that means. Does Fernando know Antonio? I release my hold on Fernando to go to the door. He snags me around the waist, pulling me to him, my back going to his chest. He leans down to whisper into my ear.
“No one will take you from me, Bianca. I need you to understand that.”
“Okay,” I agree.
“I don’t think you truly understand. Very bad things will happen if someone tries to come between us.” For the first time since I met Fernando, I sense a darkness to him. It doesn’t scare me. But it does make me frightened for other people.
“I understand.” I turn in his arms and lean up on my tip toes. He has to meet me halfway so that I can press my mouth against his. He releases his hold on me so that I can answer the door. “I’ll be there in a second,” I yell.
I suddenly have the bright idea of grabbing one of the kittens. I quickly run over and pick one of the babies up. I can feel Fernando’s eyes on me the entire time. I take two steps and turn back around to get another one. Two kittens are better than one. “Kittens make everything better.” I whisper to Fernando as I head for the door again.
I pause when I get there, unsure of how the heck I’m going to open the door now that my hands are full. Before I can even turn around, Fernando is there taking them from me. “Good idea. She won’t attack you while you’re holding kittens.” Fernando doesn’t respond. He only holds one kitten in each hand. It’s adorable.
“That’s it! I’m—” I flick the locks and pull the door open to see my sister standing there. Her husband is behind her. He’s got a few cuts on his face.
“Did you do that to him?” I ask. I thought they were in love.
“No, our father and your now-dead fiancé did.” My mouth falls open. Angelica grabs me, wrapping me in a tight hug. Over her shoulder, I see her husband glaring over us, and I know it’s toward Fernando.