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)
"Tesoro." He dips his head, claiming my mouth in a hard kiss. He pours everything into it. His heart. His soul. His fierce pride. He gives me everything he has and everything he is, holding nothing back.
I taste my tears on our lips, seasoning our kiss with pain. In this life, we only know happiness because of pain. So it's fitting, I suppose, that the taste of my tears makes the joy of his kiss all that much sweeter.
"Ti amo," he whispers.
"You and me forever," I whisper back.
My uncle and Cian arrive half an hour later with four of their men in tow. It's far fewer than I expected he'd bring. They have tape over Coda's mouth, and his hands are bound behind his back. Even tied up, he's far more powerful than my uncle could ever hope to be, towering over him like a veritable giant.
My uncle tops out at five-nine. He's short, with crew-cut red hair and icy blue eyes. He's handsome in his own way…if you can look past the fact that he's a complete psycho. Cian looks just like him, though he's several inches taller and stockier.
I've never seen the four men with them. They seem uneasy about being here now. I don't think they're entirely on board with taking on Rafe Valentino and his family. The man's reputation precedes him. From what little I know, everyone in this city walks softly in Rafe Valentino's presence. Apparently, that includes my uncle's cronies.
But my uncle has always had an unquenchable thirst for power. I've always wondered if he was the one who killed my dad in a bid to claim his throne.
They never caught who did it. His death has always been a big question mark in my mind. For a long time, I refused to even consider that Cillian might have had something to do with it. But that was before he moved me to Chicago and kept me locked up in that house, claiming it was for my own good. That was before I listened to him rape and murder and destroy.
Would he kill his own brother? Yes, he would. But did he? I don't think I'll ever know. He'll never tell me.
My hands shake as he and Cian stalk toward us across the concrete floor of the warehouse. I'm sitting in a chair, my hands behind me as if they're tied. They aren't, but he doesn't know that.
"Valentino," he growls to Rafe.
"Brennan."
Cillian flicks a dismissive gaze at Mattia and then turns those cold eyes on Domani. "Brambilla."
"Brennan."
"I want my fucking niece."
"Send Coda over, and you can have her."
"No. Coda stays here. She stays there. We swap sides," Cillian says. "No bullshit."
It's not ideal. It puts him far closer to me than I know Domani wants to risk. But he isn't getting out of here alive. I can practically read Domani's thoughts. I feel his rage. My uncle hasn't even looked at me since he walked into the warehouse, and Domani is livid about it.
I'm not in the least surprised. Cillian doesn't care about me. He isn't concerned about my safety or welfare. He's simply pissed that Domani took me from him. That's all he cares about…the fact that something that he believes belongs to him was taken.
Well, I have bad news for him. I don't belong to him. I never will. I belong to Domani. I always have. Even before I met him, my soul was his to take. Since the moment I was put on this earth, I've belonged to him, and he's belonged to me.
But Cillian wouldn't understand that. He doesn't even have a soul. He sure as hell doesn't know how to love.
"Fine," Domani growls. "Just get the fuck on with it. We've got more important shit to do."
Everyone steps forward at the same time. I hold my breath, terrified of what the next few seconds will bring. I already know it comes with a hail of bullets and death. I just hope it's not Domani's death. Or Rafe's. Or Mattia's. Or my own.
No one says anything as they close the distance between each other. The tension in the warehouse is so thick I could cut it with the knife clutched in my shaking hands. The gap between them shrinks smaller and then smaller.
They pass by each other. Cillian and Cian are on my side of the warehouse now, moving closer. My uncle reaches into his waistband. I see the gun hidden there.
"Gun!" I scream at Domani, warning him of what's about to happen.
Cillian looks at me now. His cold eyes flash to me, full of malice. Full of shock.
That's right, asshole. You don't own me.
"You little bitch," he roars.
Domani and Rafe spin, their guns already in their hands.
I throw myself out of my chair, landing on my side on the floor.