Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
“Such a vulgar mouth for a sweet girl,” the deep, yet familiar voice comes from the front of the car, causing me to snap my gaze up. The panic I felt moments ago slowly dissipates.
“What?”
“I think you need to calm down,” Domenico says calmly, as if him being here is normal. My mouth pops open, shock racing through me. My focus is no longer on the reason I’m leaving my childhood home, but more on the fact that Domenico is here.
“What are you doing?” I glance over my shoulder at the cars behind us. There are three SUVs all traveling in line with each other. A convoy toward the Mosca mansion. “They’re going to find you. They’ll kill you.”
“Not when I’m working for them,” he throws out.
“I don’t understand.” I scoot forward and his cologne hits my senses, instantly calming my nervous energy. “Why are you here?”
“I needed to see that you’re safe,” he tells me earnestly as he makes the way to the house. “I couldn’t see him with you and not know where you are or what was happening to you.”
“But what happens when they find out you’re a Montesano?”
“He won’t. At least, not anytime soon.” Domenico sounds like he’s got this all mapped out. “I’m your new bodyguard. I’ll be watching you all day, every day.”
“You’re coming to Italy?” I squeak, realizing that he’s giving up his whole life to do this. “Why would you do that?”
“I had two choices, but I gave my father a third,” he informs me. “He wanted me to kill you or your mother.”
The breath from my lungs is knocked out as I flop back in the seat. The soft leather does nothing to comfort me. They really want to hurt the Vitale family. I know the hate spans years, hundreds of years, but this is insane.
I’m still in shock. Nothing makes sense. Least of all having Domenico here. But I can’t deny I’m thankful that he’s close. The thought of being alone with the Moscas had set me on edge. “So, you’re here?”
“I am undercover. I’m Diego Guzzi, and I’m your bodyguard. You don’t know me, other than the fact that I’m now driving you home, and tomorrow, we leave for Italy.”
My mind tries to wrap itself around what he’s saying.
“But what are we going to do there?”
I don’t know what I was expecting Domenico to tell me. My heart wanted a happy, romantic ending, but that’s not what we have in store for us. Our star-crossed fate has already been written, and I doubt it ends with smiles and walks into the sunset.
But then he says, “We are going to take down the Mosca clan.”
And that’s when I realize we can still be together.
We just have to be very fucking careful.
Part Two
Bitter Ends
Chapter 13
Lelia
Italy.
A country I’ve always wanted to visit but not for the reasons I am right now. The moment the plane touches down, I’m ushered into a car driven by a stranger who doesn’t greet me, and he doesn’t meet my gaze in the rearview mirror.
The sun is shining as we weave through narrow streets. Along the coast, we make our way to what looks like an enormous house with white walls and large windows overlooking the ocean.
There are high walls and an ornate metal gate that stop us before we can enter the property, and I take note of the cameras pointed at the street, as well as the driveway where the driver presses a button allowing us access to the property.
I’m not sure where Domenico is. I haven’t seen him since we got to the airstrip, and the tension that’s twisting my gut is at an all-time high. I want to escape this, to live a life of freedom away from the man who has taken me from my family. But I also don’t want to return home where I know my father will be waiting with a scowl that I couldn’t do what he wanted.
There are men all around me. It’s as if I’m the crown jewel and they’re trying to keep me safe. The problem is, I don’t feel at ease here. I’m in the home of my father’s enemy. A pawn in a game that I doubt will end in happiness. There will be blood, I just need to decide if it will be mine or the man I’m betrothed to.
“This is your wing of the house,” one of the guards tells me as he leads me down the hallway to an impressive suite that looks like it could be someone’s home. “The Boss doesn’t like anyone going to his side of this place, so I hope you’ll obey him and stick to your suite until he calls on you.” There’s no joke in his tone, and I have no doubt that even though I’m meant to be marrying the older man, he will kill me if I disobey. “Do you understand?”