Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 37733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 189(@200wpm)___ 151(@250wpm)___ 126(@300wpm)
I drag her into my arms, slanting my mouth down over hers. I kiss her until neither of us can breathe, not sure if I'm trying to soothe her mind or my own.
"I told you I was coming back, mio sole."
"I worried anyway."
"I know." I run the back of my hand down her cheek, smiling gently. "But I have news."
"He's dead, and we get to live happily ever after?"
"Not yet."
Her nose scrunches.
"I won't be going into his place alone. I'll have a friend watching my back."
"A friend? From the mafia?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sure if that's good news or bad news, Domani."
I'm not sure, either. I trust Coda implicitly. He wouldn't betray me. But the fact that he's risking everything to do this with me worries the fuck out of me. Either things are far worse on the home front than I suspected, and Rafe still thinks he can stop this war despite all the evidence saying he can't, or Coda has reason to believe we won't survive a war. It's a grim fucking prospect either way.
But Coda didn't betray his oath just because we're ride or die. He did it to protect the Valentino family, the same way he's always protected them. He has his debts to pay to Rafe, too.
Regardless of his reasons, I need him in my corner. And regardless of what Rafe thinks, killing Cillian is the right choice. His buddies in Boston might be pissed about it. His flunkies here might be pissed too. But by the time they can rally to install a new leader, we'll already have his son installed. And he'll play by whatever rules Rafe wants to set, or Rafe can snatch every corner of Chicago out of his grasp. His choice. I don't really give a fuck what Rafe decides. So long as Finley is safe, the rest is just noise.
I just need to survive long enough to see the shit through.
"It's good news, tesoro."
"Okay. If you say so." She lays her head against my chest, sighing.
"Are you hungry?"
"Not really."
"Come shower with me then."
"Uh, I've been in that bathroom, Domani. There's no way we're both fitting in that shower. It's tiny."
"We'll fit." I tug her hand to get her moving, propelling her through the small space. Once we're in the bathroom, I start the water and quickly strip her. Within seconds, steam swirls around us, fogging up the mirror. I run my lips across her shoulder before stripping my own clothes off.
She squeals when I boost her into my arms, carrying her into the shower.
"Told you that we'd fit, Finley." I press her back against the wall. There's no way I can fuck her in here, but that's not why I wanted her in here in the first place. I just wanted her naked, soapy, and in my arms. Any opportunity I have to get her naked, I'm taking.
"Barely."
I run my lips across her cheeks, her eyelids, her lips, raining kisses across her gorgeous face. I touch her everywhere I can reach, long strokes of my fingers down her arms and sides, and then up her legs. She melts beneath me, purring like a happy little kitten as her worry fades, relaxation setting in.
"What are you doing to me, Domani?"
"Making you forget everything but me," I murmur, tipping her head back to wash her hair. She purrs louder, reveling in every touch. It kills me in a way that she's never had that before now. I think I'd kill anyone who put their fucking hands on her before me. But I hate that she's been starved for affection as much as she has been starved for hope. She deserved both. "Would you like to know a secret, mio sole?"
"What?"
"There was never anyone before you."
Her eyes flutter open, a womanly smile curving her lips. "I know, Domani."
"You know?"
"I know you've never been with a woman because you would never give your body to someone when your soul belonged to another. And that's always been mine. You knew it even before you found me."
Cristo. She knows me so well it should terrify me. But it doesn't. The way this beautiful little monster makes me feel is nothing short of utter perfection. I don't deserve it. God knows I've destroyed lives and broken homes and ruined men all over this city. But if there's salvation for me, it's right here in her arms. It's in her eyes. It's in the way she smiles at me as if she sees every piece of me and finds every piece worthy.
I dip my head, taking her mouth in a reverent, worshipful kiss. Even though it wasn't my intention, we end up fucking against the wall of the shower.
I sleep for four hours before my eyes spring open. Finley's still sleeping peacefully at my side, but I'm wide awake. I crawl from the bed and power on my burner phone to check in with Coda.