Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 132498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 662(@200wpm)___ 530(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
My wrists ache. Zip ties will do that.
Yeah, apparently, in his big rescue plan, he’s decided that keeping hostages wasn’t the same.
This whole thing is insane.
And if all this wasn’t bad enough, my hands are numb.
Nico stands near the door with his shoulders squared and his jaw locked.
He doesn’t look at me. Maybe he can’t. Might remind him I’m a person, after all.
“What the hell are you doing, Nico? You know Grant is using you?”
Nico’s gaze drifts to the window. He’s obviously choosing to ignore me.
“Kidnapping me makes you no better than who you think you’re rescuing me from. You do know that, right?”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you? Or are you just Grant’s lap dog?”
“Better than being an Amante dog.”
“‘Cause Grant is an angel?” I bite the inside of my cheek and try a different approach. “Why am I here? Other than to save me.” I roll my eyes.
Nico’s mouth tightens, but he doesn’t respond. He’s probably under strict orders.
I laugh. “You have no idea what you’ve done. But it will be fun when you find out.”
His eyes finally cut to me. “Do you ever shut up?”
I lean forward. “What’s wrong, Nico? Already in over your head?”
Nico holds my gaze now, steady, like he’s daring me to keep going.
Okay, I will.
The room tilts.
“Lorenzo’s going to kill you . . .”
“Actually, he’ll be the one to die.”
My mouth opens, but nothing comes out at first. I try again, voice thin and strangled. “What did you just say?”
Nico shifts his weight.
“He forced you to marry him. He deserves to die.”
“Do you not see the fucking irony—” My throat tightens so hard it hurts. “You fucking kidnapped me.”
“I saved you.”
“You’re delusional. Lorenzo is my husband. You didn’t save me from shit.”
Nico’s eyes flick toward my bound hands, then away. “He doesn’t get to keep you.”
“Grant does?” The sarcasm drips from my words.
Nico’s nostrils flare. “At least Grant loves you.”
I bark a laugh. “You really are stupid. Grant doesn’t love me. He loves the idea of me. Grant loves ownership. Grant loves what my last name buys him.”
Nico’s fingers flex at his side. “He’s better than Lorenzo.”
I stare at him, and something inside me goes cold. “By tying my hands and keeping me here?” I lift my bound wrists as high as I can. “This is protection to you?”
His throat bobs. “It’s temporary.”
“Everything is temporary,” I whisper, the words shaking. “So is breathing, if you make the wrong choice.”
Silence stretches.
I twist again, trying to work the tie until it breaks.
Nico notices the movement and steps forward. “Stop.”
“Or what?” I glare up at him. “You’ll tighten them?”
“I don’t want to hurt you.” His lips press together.
“You already are.” I grit my teeth and keep sawing at the tie.
Nico makes a frustrated sound and crouches in front of me, voice dropping. “Victoria . . . listen. You don’t understand.”
“I understand I’m tangled in a situation with two men who think they know what’s best for me,” I snap. “Spoiler alert: you don’t. I want to be with Lorenzo. I love him. Always have. Always will.”
“You want to go back to him?” Nico’s voice turns rough.
“I want to go home.”
Nico flinches like the word home hits him in the chest. “That isn’t your home.”
“You’re right, it isn’t. He’s my home,” I whisper.
Nico’s jaw tightens. “He’ll destroy you.”
I stare at him. “He already tried, and somehow in doing that, he put me back together.”
Nico’s eyes narrow. “That’s not normal.”
“And this is?”
“You’re defending him.”
“I’m defending myself.” I swallow hard.
Nico’s shoulders stiffen.
The front door rattles lightly, most likely from a gust of wind.
My hands shake as I resume sawing the zip tie. I need my hands. I need control. I need—
The zip tie doesn’t budge. My shoulders sag in pain.
Maybe this is it.
A crash hits.
Sharp.
Loud.
Nico’s head jerks up, every muscle snapping taut. His hand goes to his waistband in one fluid motion.
My heart slams against my ribs.
Another sound . . .
This time, it’s footsteps. Heavy. Fast.
Nico heads toward the door, gun drawn, eyes hard. “Stay here.”
Then the front door explodes.
The entire frame splinters inward with a violent crack that shakes the cottage.
I scream.
Nico’s gun lifs—
A figure storms through the broken doorway like the devil himself.
I know exactly who it is.
Lorenzo.
For one second, the world stops.
Nico’s gun is pointed at Lorenzo. Lorenzo’s gaze locks on Nico. And something in Lorenzo’s eyes goes feral.
He moves before Nico can even think to pull the trigger.
Lorenzo slams into Nico, driving him backward like a battering ram. The gun flies from Nico’s hand, skittering across the floor. They both crash into the wall. Nico grunts, trying to swing at Lorenzo, but he’s too fast. Lorenzo’s fist connects with Nico’s jaw first, and the hit must have been hard because Nico’s head snaps sideways.
Nico stumbles, and Lorenzo catches him by the collar and drives him down to the floor with a savage shove. Then Lorenzo is on him again, this time with a boot to Nico’s throat.