Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22616 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“Yo, princess. Don’t go falling asleep on the chair. The bedroom is over there. The boss ain’t gonna want you all uncomfortable.” I stared around the room, my eyes uncertain. “Come on now. We already told you that Don DeSalvo wouldn’t be happy if anything happened to you, so go rest properly.”
“Okay,” I answered, sleepily, the stress of the day had worn me out. I walked to the master suite and face planted on the most comfortable bed I’d ever seen, falling quickly asleep.
Chapter Three
Elio
The call with Ana didn’t help my mood. I wanted to calm her down and work her up at the same time. She needed protection and it should have been my job to do it. Granted, she would always have a guard around her at all times, even if it wasn’t the same one. I wanted her to be safe, but I needed her to need me.
I’d been too busy for him to speak, but his body language screamed a million and one questions. “Go ahead and ask what you will, Joey.”
He huffed out a sigh that was mixed with both anger and fear. I wasn’t the kind of man who allowed anyone to second guess me and we both understood that was what he was about to do. “Why are you doing this? I can pay you back and you know I’m good for it.”
“Why are you looking at a gift with such fear? Your life is spared and you act so upset.”
“She deserves…”
“Better?” I cut him off before he dared say something he’d regret.
“No, I didn’t say that.”
I chuckled because he didn’t have to say it. “No, but you were thinking that.”
“I thought she deserved to make her own choice.”
“She wasn’t going to make a better one. We only get to select what is around us, those we insulate ourselves with. She’s stuck around losers and bad choices. You were planning to bring her into our world. Do you think there’s a better option in our world than myself?”
“I don’t know, but maybe she’d have a choice.”
“Do you think I’d let someone step in my way?” From the moment I learned of her there was no way I’d let anyone steal her from me.
“No.”
“So then why bother causing more death and destruction.” In my head, she was mine and if he had allowed her to date anyone else, I’d have to slit the prick’s throat, and maybe Joey’s for the betrayal.
“Tell me about her,” I commanded, wanting to understand everything about the woman I’d pledged a life to from a brief, deranged moment.
“She’s the perfect, good girl any dad should be proud to have, but my brother fucked up and just ignored her. She’s smart, obviously pretty. She works hard every single day at her two jobs.”
“Two fucking jobs,” I barked out, unable to hold back the instant ire. Even though I’d already learned about them, it still infuriated me. If her father wasn’t decomposing somewhere already, he would be. The bastard let her suffer while he pissed away their lives. I wished I dug deeper sooner because she’d have been mine.
“Yeah, that’s why I had to step in. It killed her to ask me, but she’d become frightened, and I begged her to run away, but she believed they were following her. That’s when I booked the flight.”
“Well, we’ll get there soon and then we’ll deal with these fucks.”
“We don’t need to deal with them. We can just snag her and be done with it.”
“I just stabbed Frankie for talking about fucking her like a dog. Now, what the hell do you think I’m going to do to someone who threatens my wife.”
“Damn, you are taking this marriage thing seriously.”
I leaned forward, cuffed my fist around his throat and whispered with deadly intent. “Everyone will take my marriage to Ana Maria seriously, understood?”
“Yes, of course,” he choked out. I released my grip and then he dared to sputter out, “As long as she’s cared for.”
“That’s my promise to you and you know I’m a man of my word.” I sat back and waited while we submitted the proper documents to enter the private hangar. Once inside, I warned Joey, “Don’t make me regret letting this slide. I’ll be back with Ana tomorrow at the latest.”
“Is there anything you need me to do?”
“Just go back and make sure there is nothing out of place for my bride. I want her happy and you know what she likes. Please have some nice things provided at my home.”
He nodded. “That can easily be done.”
“Any funds needed, use the master account.”
“Yes, Mr. DeSalvo.”
“Good, now get out of here while I go get my bride.” I considered taking him with me, but I didn’t trust him enough to believe he wouldn’t dissuade her from marrying me. Not that it would work, but I’d hate to tarnish our marriage with his blood on my hands.