Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 113710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113710 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
He stacks the bands on the dining room table Camille colors at every day, then raises his massively dilated eyes to mine. “That’s half your going rate. I’ll get the rest to you tomorrow morning.”
The ends of my wig scratch my back when I disregard his offer. “I don’t want your money.”
He acts as if I didn’t speak. “Is that enough to keep you out of trouble for a week or two, Cici?” He spits out my stage name with disgust. “Or do I have to pay double since I’m unwilling to rape you?”
“I don’t want your money,” I say again, louder this time.
His reply stings more than an acid burn. “Liar.”
His look of disgust makes tears burst in my eyes before he turns on his heel and heads for the door.
“Where are you going?” The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. He can’t stack a million dollars on the table and then leave. He can fake it all he likes, but this is not how an employee–employer relationship works.
Dante freezes partway through the door, his hand shooting up to grip the frame. “Camille needs me. She has a fever.”
“Camille is sick?”
Finally, his eyes find mine.
A new fear erupts inside me when he bobs his chin.
“Then why did you come?” I’m not aiming to be mean. I am simply trying to understand why he would ever place me before the well-being of his child. Perhaps if he can explain it to me, I’ll understand why I’ve been struggling not to do the same.
My chin quivers when he answers, “I don’t know, Lucia. Why did I come?”
He walks through the door and slams it shut before I can voice a single reply.
Although my brain screams at me to let him go, before I can remember my objectives, I race into my apartment, throw on a pair of sweats, rip off my wig, then hightail it out the door.
Dante is sliding into the driver’s seat of the SUV when I reach the underground garage. Even though he could drive away before I slot into the passenger seat, his only response to my sudden arrival in his peripheral vision is the firming of his grip on the wheel.
Chapter 31
Dante
My knuckles still throb from the fight, and my skyrocketing pulse hasn’t plateaued. Even after I ended the lives of a dozen men, the anger burning through me hasn’t eased one bit. Not even Lucia flinching when I raised my voice, or how her hands still shake as she clicks her belt into place, helped me find my way out of the hell I was buried under when I entered the room to find her pinned to the ground like an animal—seconds away from being sexually assaulted.
I’m furious she put herself in that position. That she’d rather risk being torn apart by drunk buffoons than accept the stable and safe job I offered her. The position I offered pays more than she would have earned tonight even if everything had gone perfectly.
I could give her the fucking world if she’d just trust me.
But no.
Apparently, I’m the bad guy.
That’s why I can’t let go of this anger. Beneath the fury and adrenaline still rushing through my veins is a hurt I’m having trouble moving past. I’m wounded by her lack of trust.
Instead of turning to me when she faced a dead end, she chose something dangerous and degrading. I could give her anything she asks for—if only she’d let me keep her safe.
I wish I had time to sort through the mess, but I don’t have the luxury of dealing with this shit right now. Camille needs me, and at this moment, her well-being is all that matters.
She was fine at the recital. Happiness radiated from her as she commanded the stage. Not long after Camille arrived home with my father and Concetta, Valentina called to say Camille had taken a little unwell during the commute. Valentina planned to bathe her and put her to bed but wanted to update me first. I appreciated that, even as the worry in her voice made my stomach twist.
She called again just as my brothers and I were about to storm the grounds of a rival. This time, she didn’t control the fret in her voice. Camille had taken a bad turn. Her fever was high—dangerously so.
Even though Valentina had called our family’s doctor, I nearly turned around on the spot. Then I heard Lucia’s panicked screams, and instincts kicked in. After telling Valentina I’d be back as soon as I could, I stormed into that hellhole and took down the man seconds from raping Lucia before he had time to register my presence.
The bullet made a mess of his brain. He was dead long before he hit the floor.
The rest of the fight blurred into a haze of fists, rage, and blood-curdling screams until the singular blinding need to get Lucia out of there swamped me. The main culprits had already been handled, so I left my brothers to take care of the rest.