Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80550 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“Breathe. Just breathe,” I repeat. “Just breathe slowly for me. That’s all I’m asking. Will you do that for me, Tesoro?”
She pushes her nose into my neck and sucks in oxygen through her nostrils, as if my scent calms her, and after a while, the breaths become less labored and more controlled.
“That’s it. You can do it,” I murmur.
“Is it over?” she murmurs into my shoulder.
I nod. “He’s dead. Gone. Forever.”
She cries a bit more, completely overwhelmed with what happened, and I totally understand. He was a monster, and I betrayed her trust when I pushed her away in order to protect her. In fact, I’ve only ever thought about my own needs and fully neglected hers.
“He tried to …” She can’t finish her sentence.
Her pain makes my knees buckle, but I have to stay calm and be as steady as a rock for her.
“I’m sorry …” I murmur. “I should’ve been there for you, and I wasn’t. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bad husband, and I’m sorry I stole your freedom away.”
She hiccups, and the pause that follows feels eternal. “I’m sorry too,” she mumbles back. “For trying to poison you.”
I chuckle. “I guess we both did things we aren’t proud of. But it’s all in the past now …”
She leans back to look at me with concern. “But what about your mother? The revenge you wanted?”
“He got what he deserved.”
She rubs her lips. “But you wanted him to suffer for the rest of his life.”
“And he did,” I reply. “But his pain is not worth yours. He’ll never hurt you again, Tesoro.”
Her hands drape around my neck, a tired smile adorning her face. “Thank you.”
“No …” I wipe the tear off her cheek. “Thank you for reminding me what truly matters in this life.”
I lean closer and closer until our foreheads touch, and it feels like there’s no one else around but us. “You matter to me more than anyone or anything else. Your safety … that’s all I could ever wish for.”
“But I don’t understand…”
I raise a brow. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m in love with you, Stella. And I’m pretty sure you’ve fallen for me too.”
She frowns in a suspicious manner. “Who told you that?”
A laugh erupts from deep within, and I let it all out, the weight finally dropping off my shoulders. “You did.”
She folds her arms. “I never said a damn thing.”
“No, but your lips sure did, Tesoro,” I quip.
She grabs my face with both hands. “Shut up.”
The kiss that follows makes up for the filth that just left her mouth almost instantly, her mouth on mine so divine I could perish now and not give a care in the world as long as she’s with me.
This … this is heaven.
“Ti amo,” I whisper.
Her lips tear away from mine. “What?”
Suddenly, my brother clears his throat. “I don’t mean to interrupt you two lovebirds, but there’s a whole-ass fight still going on down there.”
Stella’s lips tear away from mine, and she narrows her eyes at him. “Who are you?”
He makes a gesture with his hand. “I’m Angelo—fucking—De Silva. Hasn’t he told you about me?”
“No.”
He rolls his eyes. “Of course. Figured you’d be terrified of losing her to my charms.”
“Wow,” she murmurs. “You two definitely are related.”
I laugh. “Is it that obvious?”
She nods with a cheeky smile. “Very.”
“I actually helped him find you. You’re welcome.” He makes a cutesy, fake bow to antagonize me. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some Agostinis to butcher. It was very nice to make your acquaintance.”
“Thank you for helping Matteo,” she says.
“See? She knows how to say thank you,” he says, making a dirty face at me.
I roll my eyes and laugh as he waltzes off. “Always the center of attention wherever he goes.”
“He could never steal my eyes away from yours,” she says, biting her lip.
“Smooth, Stella. Very smooth.”
I turn around, determined to bring her home safely, even if I have to carry her all the way there myself.
“Are we going back through the window?” she asks out of nowhere.
“No. Why would you even ask that?”
“Because that’s how you stormed in.” She shrugs, making me laugh once again.
I carry her toward the door. “You’re going down the stairs. Like a proper lady.”
She giggles. “And kill anyone who stands in our way?”
“Exactly,” I reply, kissing her on the cheek. “Now let’s go back home.”
STELLA
After Matteo’s wounds were cleaned and sutured by a nurse from the clinic he always goes to, we met up with Franco, who was still in recovery in his own room. Luckily, he made it out alive. I apologized for forcing him to turn around the car and thanked him for saving me, then made Matteo swear to give him a nice bonus for all his work.
The doctors at Matteo’s clinic also checked on me to make sure that I wasn’t injured, and they even tested the vials Lucio used to drug me to see what he put in my bloodstream, but luckily, it was nothing that could cause permanent damage in my body.