Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 57028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
I turn in a slow circle, my heart catching in my throat. This isn’t just a studio. It’s a love letter… to craftsmanship, to artistry, to me.
Tears sting my eyes, and I want to scream at him in joy and appreciation and resentment… resentment for making me care when he so clearly wants to pull this cold and distant routine.
He stands in the center of the studio, his hands behind his back, trying to look nonchalant. “Do you like it?”
Losing control, I run at him and throw myself into his arms. He catches me and spins me in a circle as our lips meet. I kiss him passionately, ignoring the weight of the anklet, the cold metal gripping my leg.
He pushes his mouth against mine, groaning as he sets me down, ending the kiss but keeping close, staring meaningfully into my eyes.
“I love it,” I tell him.
“I know it’s tough being here. I thought this might help.”
“This is literally a dream come true.”
He kisses me again. I sink into the moment, ignoring the little voice in the back of my head whispering, He’s painted the bars in pretty colors, but this is still a cage.
His cellphone rings before we can get carried away. He groans when he checks it. “It’s Rafe. I have to get this,” He answers, then frowns. “It hasn’t been ten days yet. Why would they do that? I’ll be there soon.”
He hangs up.
“Is it them?” I ask.
“The Vultures vandalized one of my recording studios.”
“How do you know it was The Vultures?”
“I’ve put Rafe in charge of security. He caught one. This could be our chance.”
“Are you going to… get answers from him?”
Dom stares bleakly at me. “You don’t need to know the details. But the sooner we find them, the sooner you get to leave.”
He turns away. I grab his hand, pull him toward me, and throw myself into another confusing kiss. He holds me tightly, then brushes the hair from my face. Romance and lust clash in the darkness of his eyes.
I move my hands down his arm, touching his silver cufflinks.
“Thank you for this.”
“The look on your face is all the thanks I need.”
He leaves me in the large, improbable room. Once he’s gone, I turn in a circle, taking it all in again. It honestly is like he’s reached into my imagination and plucked out my wildest, most impossible dream and brought it to life.
I go to the workbench, running my hand over my engraving: Evie Davis.
It feels permanent, like I belong here. I don’t know how to feel about that.
CHAPTER 15
DOM
It feels strange walking into a mob bar after all these years. The barman flinches when he sees me. His name is Mario, and I’ve known him since I was a kid, though I haven’t seen him in almost twenty years. His hair has turned grey and thinned in the middle, but I remember his serene smile.
“Long time no see,” he says. “Drink?”
I offer my hand, and we shake. Just because I resent being here, it doesn’t mean I have to be rude. “No, thank you. I’ve got business with Rafe in the basement.”
“Business,” Mario repeats.
“The fewer questions, the better.”
“Fair enough. Wouldn’t want the Don coming after me.”
He laughs, and I force a smile. I don’t want to have this conversation. If it wasn’t for my Keepsake, I’d never step foot in this place again. As I walk out the back and down to the basement, I think about the look of wonder on her face when she saw the studio.
During our week apart, I wondered if I’d lost my mind as I ordered the quick, expensive construction. In total, including the materials, it cost nine hundred thousand dollars… all for a studio she might only use a handful of times. Was it worth it? Hell yeah.
It doesn’t change the fact she’s my prisoner, but at least she won’t go insane with boredom.
Rafe is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette.
“Has he said anything?” I ask.
“I haven’t questioned him yet. Wasn’t sure how far you’d want me to go. Thought it’d be better if you took the lead.”
“Good, then let’s get this over with. Hang back, Rafe. Try to look intimidating.”
He raises an eyebrow. “What’d you mean, try?”
As I open the door, it’s like I can pretend we’re just two stupid kids again, two balls of mayhem who just want to go into the world and make names for ourselves. He was my brother-in-arms before I had buddies in the military: the soldier at my side before I realized this was a war I wanted no part of.
When I see the young man – more a kid, really – tied to a chair in the middle of the basement, any sense of nostalgia fades. He’s got a smear of blood across his face, nothing serious, but under the bright overhead lights, it’s a stark reminder of the situation he’s in.