Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
My features grow tense, and I struggle not to burst out in tears as I whimper, “But I have nothing to do with any of it. Why me?”
Leo takes another sip of his drink before he saunters closer to me. Every muscle in my body tenses, and I’m trembling horribly by the time he stops right in front of me.
God, he’s so much taller than me.
When he lifts his hand to my face, I flinch and squeeze my eyes shut. Instead of hitting me, he brushes a finger over my left cheek.
The surprisingly soft touch confuses the hell out of me.
“You remind me of someone I used to know,” he murmurs.
I open my eyes again, and feeling very uncomfortable with him touching me, I take a step backward. All the fear I’m experiencing is becoming too much to handle.
Leo lowers his hand, and letting out a sigh, he just stares at me for a while before he says, “Take a seat.”
My movements are stilted as I sit down on the nearest couch.
When Leo takes a seat across from me, the sight of the dried blood on his skin draws my attention once again.
God.
Another sob bursts from me, and I quickly cover my mouth with a trembling hand.
A frown line appears between his dark brown eyes, then he says, “I’m not going to kill you.”
I suck in a desperate breath, and lowering my head, I stare at the sand-colored tiles. “Please, let me go.”
“You can leave at any time, but then your family dies.”
His brutal words have my head snapping up again, and horrified, I meet his angry gaze.
He sips on his drink, then says, “That’s the deal, Haven. Either we get married and peace returns between the Toscanos and Romanos, or I’ll wipe out the Romano name.”
More fear creeps through me as I whisper, “But I’m a Romano.”
Leo just shrugs while he finishes the last of the amber liquid. He sets the tumbler down on the glass table between us. The sheet of glass rests on a beautiful piece of driftwood, but I’m too traumatized to truly appreciate it.
My emotions spiral into a chaotic mess, and I can’t stop from crying out, “Why me? I’m just a regular girl. I’m American and I…I…”
“There’s nothing regular about you.” His voice rumbles like thunder between us, making more shivers rush over my skin. Suddenly, his eyes narrow on me. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
The corner of his mouth lifts in a dangerously hot smirk, “You’re far from a girl, principessa.”
An ungodly fear hits me so hard, my vision blurs, and for a moment, I have to fight to keep from passing out.
I stare at the way-too-attractive man who’s covered in blood. He looks like he’s around thirty, and his toned body tells me he’s strong.
He expects me to marry him. I’ll be forced to have sex with him.
Panic surges through me, and darting to my feet, I run through the foyer. Just as I grab hold of the front door, Leo’s blood-covered arm shoots around me, and I’m hauled off my feet.
“No!” I scream, and as if the raw horror I’m experiencing isn’t enough, another memory flashes through me.
I’m grabbed and thrown to the floor beside a bed. Gunshots fill the air, and a second later, a teenage boy falls over me. I can’t make out his face, but I feel safer with him right by me.
‘Shh…’
I sob as the boy is ripped away from me.
“Calm down,” I hear Leo murmur in a much gentler tone.
When the memory of the nightmare fades, I become aware of Leo’s arms wrapped around me. My face is pressed to his chest, and all I smell is gunpowder and blood.
My tears are soaking into his shirt, and my breaths are choppy.
“You’re going to be fine,” he continues to speak. “You’ll get used to everything.”
What?
Suddenly, it sinks in that he’s holding me, and I yank backward while bringing my arms up between us. My palms slam against his chest as I keep rearing back to get away from him.
Leo, let’s go, and I stumble before I bump into the front door. Gasping for air, my eyes lock on the menacing man, and it feels like I’m a second away from losing my mind.
This can’t be happening to me!
Leo takes a deep breath, and looking tired, he says, “I’ll show you to your room. Take some time to calm down while I get cleaned up. We’ll talk over an early dinner.” Turning away from me, he walks through the large foyer, and when I don’t move, he mutters, “Follow me, Haven.”
My face crumbles, a hopeless feeling filling my chest as I reluctantly step away from the door.
What was I thinking, trying to escape? Leo made it abundantly clear that he’ll kill my whole family if I don’t marry him.
God. I can’t marry him!