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)
“You’ve never done anything like this before.” His brows are drawn together. “I’ve known you since we were kids, and you’ve never even thought of taking a woman like this.”
“I know.”
He takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Okay.” He gives me a hard nod, as if he’s come to some sort of decision.
“Okay what?”
A smirk turns the corner of his mouth. “This is good, because I really didn’t want to have to fight you.”
My confusion only grows as I stare at him, a smile spreading across his stupid face.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
He shrugs and walks over, clapping me on the arm. “I know exactly what’s happened. I don’t know what to do about it, but at least I understand it. Now, the Frangiones want to marry her to Len, one of the younger brothers. They’re searching for her everywhere, even had the nerve to send some of their goons to one of our warehouses to ask questions.”
I crack my knuckles, and the old bloodlust begins to pump through my veins. “I hope you kept them for me.”
“Not necessary. We’ve already crippled them, and they won’t be stepping foot any closer than that small inquiry. They’re still licking their wounds, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous to whoever has taken their prized bride.” He gives me a pointed look.
My bloodlust intensifies a hundredfold. “I’ll never let them take her.”
“I know.” He runs a hand through his hair again. “I get it. For now, I think the safest place for her is here with you. I can have Gilly work on some backchannel intel to send the Frangiones searching far afield for her, throw them off the scent as best I can.” He leans against the post again. “But it won’t last forever. They’ll come, and when they do, we all need to be ready.”
“So you’re with me on this? You won’t let them have her?” I ask.
“First off, Angelica would try to cut off my balls if I let the Frangiones have her sister. Second, I’d never separate you from the woman you love.”
It hits me like a shot to my gut. Love. I should deny it, downplay it, do anything to distance myself from the idea. But I don’t. I can’t. I’m a violent, vicious man, but I’ve always told the truth, especially to Antonio and Gilly. Just because Antonio saw the truth before I ever realized it doesn’t make it any less true.
I love Bianca Larone.
“Fuck.” I sigh.
“I can relate.” He claps me on the arm again even though I give him a death stare at the contact. “It’s a fucking surprise, isn’t it? But it’s the best one I’ve ever had.”
I can only nod as the full weight of what we’ve discussed lands on my shoulders.
Bianca is mine.
Now I just have to convince her that for her, I’m Fernando, and for anyone who crosses her–I’m their Butcher.
10
BIANCA
“Did he hurt you?” Angelica’s hands start to roam all over me. I stand there, still in shock. I’ve heard my father speak of the Butcher before. And there had been a few whispers from the men when they hadn’t noticed I was in the room. I could tell by the sounds of their voices that they were terrified of him.
“He can’t be the Butcher.” I finally say. “He likes kittens,” I mutter.
“Did you hit your head?” She starts to feel my skull.
I smack her hands away. “He didn’t hurt me. All he’s been to me is sweet.” I think I’m in a little bit of shock. I knew Fernando had a dark side, but I’d never imagined he could be the Butcher.
“Sweet?” Angelica points her thumb over her shoulder toward the front door. “We’re talking about that man. With the black eyes.”
“His eyes aren’t black. They’re brown but really dark with different shades of brown. They’re darkest around his pupil then it lightens as it goes out. It reminds me of when you melt chocolate.”
“So you did hit your head.”
“I didn’t hit my head.” I walk over to where Fernando made a space for the kittens so they couldn’t roam all over the house. My sister follows me.
“Tell me what’s going on.” I sit down on the floor and put one of the kittens into my lap.
“Things kind of blew up when Butcher kidnapped you.”
“So he did kidnap me? Just not for a ransom or because you asked him to?”
Angelica pauses at my questions for a long moment.
“I wasn’t going to let you marry into the Frangiones, but no, it wasn’t us who sent the Butcher to collect you. We were still coming up with a plan, but everything blew up when Father figured out it was the Butcher that took you. He thought he’d done it under Antonio’s order so both he and your ex showed up at the house.”