Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 176(@200wpm)___ 141(@250wpm)___ 117(@300wpm)
"The Superintendent of the Chicago PD." Gabriel's eyes run across my face, though he's not really seeking confirmation.
I nod anyway, my stomach churning with the knowledge that I may be putting him in the line of fire too. Powerful men may play together, but no one hates a criminal more than one with a badge and a gun. And Alexander hates the Valentino family and men like Gabriel. He's waxed on about the scourge they are on this city for most of my life. If he finds out I'm with Gabriel, what will he do to get me back? To keep me from spilling his secrets to men far more powerful than he?
"Fuck me," Gabriel growls before I manage to draw a conclusion on that. "You're Genesis Burbank."
"You mean the mentally ill girl whose dad tried to execute the Police Superintendent?" Hot tears burn at the backs of my eyes. I blink them away, refusing to cry over what Alexander turned me into.
"I'm guessing that didn't happen?"
I shake my head. "My dad found evidence that he's been stealing funds from the police department to buy guns, which he then sells on the streets. I guess he thought that since my dad was always his friend, he could just pay him off and my dad would keep quiet…but that's not my dad. He was going to turn over the evidence and Alexander found out." I shrug helplessly. "He called my dad over to his house, claiming he wanted to talk about making things right. My dad went. Instead, Alexander set him up. He didn't expect me to be there though. He didn't expect me to see everything."
"You saw him kill your dad, tesoro?"
I nod silently, a single tear slipping down my cheek.
"Cristo," Gabriel growls, pulling me into his arms. He cradles the back of my head, holding me almost as if he's afraid he's going to break me…as if he's never held anyone before. But he's not bad at it. It's not terrible. I like it. A lot more than I probably should.
"I managed to grab my dad's files and get out of there."
"You have your dad's files?"
"Not that they're going to do me any good. As far as everyone in Chicago is concerned, I'm just the poor crazy girl whose dad tried to kill their precious top cop." A miserable laugh bubbles from my throat. "It's been a year and he still puts on a show like he's so concerned about me. As if I don't know why he really petitioned the court to award him control over me."
"Why?" Gabriel demands, sounding strange.
I snort. "He thinks he can force me to sleep with him. He's been backing me into corners since the minute I turned eighteen. Guess he decided if I wouldn't give him what he wants, he'd just use the courts to help him get it."
"Figlio di puttana!" Gabriel slams his hand down against the tabletop, sending me jolting upward in shock. My heart knocks against my breastbone at the look in his eyes, as if he wants to kill Alexander. It's oddly…touching.
For the thousandth time since I met him, I soften.
I think I have Stockholm Syndrome or whatever syndrome it is that makes one look favorably upon very bad men willing to do very bad things to protect you even while holding you sort of against your will themselves. Is there a term for that, or is my life just that ridiculously screwed up these days?
I don't think there is a term. I think my life has just become utterly, completely, irreversibly fucked. There is no other way to put it. I'm a sinking ship headed nowhere fast.
But I think I want to sink with this man.
"You never answered my question," I blurt, trying to think about anything other than my own problems. I've got ninety-nine of them as Jay-Z said. Brothers aren't one.
Gabriel turns those fiery hazel eyes on me, silent.
"About your brothers," I clarify. "Why don't they help you run your company?"
"Rafe is the Capo dei capi, the king of kings. He has no time to run Valentino International. And Luca deals with acquisitions. The daily running of the company is my domain. The less time we spend in the same general vicinity, the better."
"You don't get along?"
Something a lot like sadness flickers in his eyes before he blinks it away. "We get along fine, tesoro. It's the rest of the world that doesn't seem to fare so well when we're together."
"You don't like what you do." It's a startling realization…one I'm not sure how I didn't see before now. He hates who he is, the things he does. I think they shame him. And yet, he does them anyway. Why?
For his brothers.
He eyes me silently for a moment before slowly reaching out to wrap his hand around my throat. It doesn't frighten me. I don't feel fear. Instead, I shiver. Part of me wants him to squeeze. Part of me loves fighting him. I'm not sure what that says about me…but some small part of me knows what it isn't saying. Don't touch me. I don't belong to you. You make me sick.