Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 66697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Instead, Tessa sat in the rattan chair by the window, knees tucked against her chest with a mug cooling on the side table. She stared out the glass at the valley and the sky. The last of the light went gold across her face, and her hair caught a copper ray. She looked like she hadn’t moved in hours.
I stood in the doorway and waited, not wanting to intrude on her peace. Honestly, I had no idea how to approach her. I would have stayed there forever if she hadn’t spoken.
“You do that a lot?” she asked. Her voice sounded kind of flat. I thought she might have got more than she bargained for when she insisted on watching. I also knew she’d likely rather chew off her own arm than admit it.
“Often enough,” I said. “When necessary.”
She made a noise in her throat. “Does it bother you?”
“The only person it wouldn’t bother would be a true monster. So, yes. But I also realize the only way to keep peace in the city is through fear. Our enemies quickly become allies, neutral, or they die.” I don’t know why I explained that to her. The why of it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I’d killed on multiple occasions and would do so again.
She didn’t look at me, but took a sip from the cup. “Would you do anything to keep the peace?”
“That’s a trap if ever I heard one,” I muttered, but I got it. “No, honey. I absolutely will not hurt innocents. I’ll be the first to admit collateral damage happens. But I never sacrifice innocents.”
I left the threshold and crossed the room, keeping to the edge. She didn’t turn her head, but I saw her gaze flicker to mine in the glass as I passed behind her. I took the chair opposite hers as I shrugged.
She set her chin on her knees. “I’m not sure why, but I believe you.”
“I thought you’d be upset,” I said.
She didn’t look away. “I was. Just… not about that.” She set the mug down and sat up, stretching her legs out, then stood. She crossed the brief distance to kneel in front of me.
Everything inside me stilled. “Tessa?”
She reached up, put her palm against my jaw, her thumb tracing the line of my cheekbone. Her skin was warm and soft. I wanted to close my eyes and lean into her touch. Which had never happened in my entire life. Not like this.
I gripped the armrest, trying to keep myself from pulling her up onto my lap and kissing her until we both got the relief we obviously needed.
“If I ask you a question, will you tell me the truth?”
I considered her question. “It’s not a matter of will I, but can I. I won’t tell you anything about the family. That’s not for anyone but family.”
“I understand. But if it concerns me. Will you tell me the truth where it concerns me?”
“Yes. That I can do.”
“Good.” She placed her other hand on my face, framing it in both of her small hands. “Why did you bring me here? And I want more than ‘because I needed protection.’ We both know Kiss of Death could keep me safe.”
I wanted to lie, just to keep her hands there. I didn’t, though. I didn’t have it in me to break the trust she was banking on. Not with her touch as gentle as this and her eyes looking through me with more faith than I deserved. “I wanted you here because I wanted you here. I can’t protect you if I’m not near you. And I…” The truth stuck in my throat like a bone. “You… unsettle me, Tessa. More than anyone has in a long Goddamn time.”
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t flinch or draw back. “Is that bad?”
“No.” I realized this was the first time I’d admitted, even to myself, how much I felt for this girl. “Not bad. Just not easy.”
She searched my face, her gaze skipping from my eyes to my mouth and back. “You know I’m not scared of you. Right?”
“You should be.”
Her smile was sharp and hard. In her eyes, I saw a woman every bit my equal in will. I could rule her, but in doing so, would I break her spirit? Somehow, I didn’t think so. I thought maybe, if I took my time and broke her the right way, she’d be mine for life. “I’m not scared of you, Tonio.” She leaned in and kissed me.
The second Tessa’s lips met mine, every rational cell in my body flared up in protest, shouting warnings and rules and all the reasons I shouldn’t do this. Her hands trembled where they framed my jaw, but her mouth was steady, and when I breathed her in, it hit so hard I almost forgot how to breathe out.