Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 85976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85976 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
I gave him the finger. “I’m not in the mood for your jokes.”
Matteo smirked. “I’m not joking. After the kiss at the party, the tabloids and everyone in our world is waiting for the official engagement announcement.”
Like it always did when someone mentioned engagement or marriage my heart beat faster.
Matteo chuckled but I didn’t get the chance to ask him what was so funny again.
Marcella and Luca returned after ten minutes. Marcella looked as if she’d cried, which sent my protectiveness into overdrive. “What’s wrong?” I asked, heading for her and touching her cheek. She gave me a small but encouraging smile. “Nothing. I talked to Dad and he really didn’t have anything to do with the attempted murder.”
“And you think your father would tell you the truth?”
“Yes,” she said without a doubt. Fuck, how could she be this trusting in a person like Luca. If I’d ever have kids, I could only hope that they’d look up to me like Vitiello’s kids did to him. “Dad swore it on Mom’s life. I believe him. Trust me.”
Her eyes begged me. I pressed my forehead against hers. “Snow White, my trusting in you will be my death one day.”
She smiled. “Talk to him.”
I cocked an eyebrow. Then looked at Luca. He looked a little less hostile than before, which could hardly be considered an improvement.
“Like Marcella said, I’d like to have a word in private with you.”
Shoving my suspicions aside, I followed him down the alley until we were out of earshot even if not out of sight from the others.
“I can’t deny that I’ve been entertaining the idea of getting rid of you from the moment Marcella admitted her bond to you.”
“Trust me, I’ve entertained the same fantasies in regard to you. We’re both not each other’s biggest fans.”
Luca smirked. “No, we’re not, and I’m not naïve enough to believe that this will change quickly. But I think we can overcome our resentments for Marcella. I don’t want trouble within my family. For me and my wife, family is everything.”
“Marcella mentioned it. To be honest, it’s still hard to believe but it’s one thing that I admire about you.”
It cost more than a little effort to admit this, but it was the truth.
Luca looked surprised for a moment before his usual cold mask took over. “I respect you for killing your uncle for Marcella. I would have done the same if my wife had asked me to kill my own father.”
“I guess we have messed up father figures in common then,” I muttered.
Luca nodded. “Next time before you assume I’m behind an attack on your life, talk to me first.”
“You have to admit it’s not completely ridiculous of me to think you might be behind your men’s attack on my life. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time, right? Not even the second. I don’t think I have enough fingers to count off the attempts on my life in the last decade.”
“You tried to kill me just as many times and that’s old history. Now you’re with Marcella.”
“I was with Marcella when you hoped to get me killed by spreading information about Earl.”
Luca’s face darkened. He was pissed? Maybe he needed to try being in my shoes for a bit.
“I told you after that incident that I wouldn’t do it again. I didn’t order my men to kill you. I explicitly told them to regard you as one of us, and protect you like they would each other.”
“Strange way to protect me.”
“I’ll make sure it won’t happen again, you can count on it,” he said firmly, and I actually believed him. Maybe Marcella had rubbed off on me.
“What are you going to do with Peppone and Drooping-Eye?”
Luca gave me a mildly amused look. “Gaetano.”
“I won’t bother to remember his name now considering he’ll be dead soon like his friend Dimo.”
“And you intend to be the one to kill them like you killed Dimo?”
“Don’t give me shit for killing one of your soldiers, all right? It was my life against his, and I really like being alive. And the other two acted against your orders so I assumed they’ll be punished accordingly. Isn’t death the punishment for such a transgression?”
“Not always. I don’t kill every soldier who disobeys me, it depends on the severity of the transgression.”
I nodded. “Then I guess they won’t have to fear death considering they only tried to kill a White.”
Luca glanced back at Marcella and Matteo who were watching us from their spot by the van, which was shaking by now.
“Someone must be awake,” I said.
“Then let me have a word with them.”
I pulled the keys from my jeans and tossed them at Luca, who caught them then nodded. He stalked to the van and I followed a few steps behind him. I felt exhausted and my entire body ached. This was the second time in weeks that my body suffered several injuries. I really needed a vacation.