Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“Crazy as he is for sure,” Ed mumbles and shakes his head.
“I like you. You just earned my respect,” Aldo says.
We get to the house and Eduardo parks the car. I climb out after Emilia and get ready to head inside and go to bed. However, I only make it a few steps before I’m grabbed around the waist and thrown over a shoulder.
The next thing I know, I’m being carried into the house as I bounce on said shoulder. I know it’s Rico because of his cologne and the gun holster on his shoulders. His suit jacket is gone now.
I grasp his dress shirt and hold on as he moves through the house. It’s all I can do to keep from falling onto my head. I’m starting to get a little queasy as we finally reach our destination.
He allows my body to slide down his front until I’m back on my feet. I look up at him as he steadies me with his hands on my waist.
“What were you thinking?” he whisper-yells.
“I … you. I reacted. He was going to shoot you,” I say as I look at him pleadingly.
In hindsight, I already feel stupid. I could have hurt someone or something, or worse. I could have gotten us hurt.
Instead of yelling at me, Rico cups my face and crushes my lips with his. I whimper into his mouth and lock my fingers into his hair. He groans and wraps his arms around me tightly.
“You’re making it hard for me not to—” He cuts off the words he was going to say against my lips.
I swallow hard and look into his eyes. In this moment, I feel like our connection deepens. If I wanted to turn away from him, I missed my last chance. This is it.
This is where I belong. There is no turning back. I can see it in his eyes. I’m his.
CHAPTER 12
Want You to Stay
Rico
My phone is going crazy in my pocket. I should check it, but the only thing that matters to me is Oni. I need to know she’s okay.
She pulled a gun to cover me. She pulled a fucking gun. I’m still trying to wrap my head around what happened tonight.
I was ready to blow that asshole’s head off for putting his hands on her. He was in my spot, touching my girl, and had the nerve to disrespect me. Me … Rico Gallo.
“I’m sorry,” Oni whispers, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts.
I shake my head. “This was on me. I’ve been allowing too much slack around here. You’ve been opening my eyes to a lot since you took that truck.”
I run The Garden as an underground investment. I don’t run around announcing it belongs to me, but if you’re in the know, you know. That motherfucker knows.
Or should I say he knew. I took care of him and his friend. I also fired every one of the guys who were working security tonight.
That dude shouldn’t have gotten in with that gun. My guys and I went in through the back door, where we’re not searched. There was no reason for him to have had that gun in my place.
He had to pay someone to overlook it. Since that gun almost became a direct problem for me, it’s a problem for everyone.
In a matter of minutes, I sorted all that shit out and took off after my girl. She pulled my gun, ready to have my back. I had to get to her and make sure she was all right.
I guess that’s why they’re blowing my phone up now. Just like that, I dropped everything for some girl. I almost told her that I’m falling in love with her.
I stopped myself before I did. It’s been what? Two seconds. In those two seconds, she has shown me that she’s down for me. I have soldiers in my crew who haven’t shown as much loyalty as she has in the less than two days she’s known me.
I search her face, wondering why. Does she feel this connection the way I do? Is it crazy that I’m falling for her?
“Stay the night with me,” I say as I search her gaze.
Her eyes grow wide, and her chest begins to heave. This is the innocence I expect from her. This is the girl I thought I would meet when I went to trap her.
However, that’s not who she is. There’s so much more to her. I want to get to know every nuance of Oni Raven. I will learn everything that makes her tick.
“Won’t your father be upset?”
I shake my head. “I’ll get you out before he notices. I just need you with me. I’m not going to try anything you don’t want. I want you in my arms.”
She chews on her lip as she looks back at me. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until she reaches for my face. She lifts on her toes and kisses me.