Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69945 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“But now you’re in a position to help, to protect the people they were going to hurt.”
“If you’re concerned about protecting people, why do you work here?” Why did I ask that? If I offended her I wouldn’t have anyone to talk to.
“This family is complicated, but they have a moral code. It may not be the same as yours. It may not be the same as most people’s, but the people they go after—the ones they hunt—they’re the bad guys. The really bad guys. The Marchesis don’t involve themselves in things that hurt innocent people—certainly not children.”
“And the man who arranged for me to come here, do you know anything about him?”
She shook her head. “Nothing except that he is a good man. He’s certainly done things not everyone would agree with, but they were in service to good. Please don’t worry. You are safe here, and you’re not contributing to anything that would hurt someone. You’re putting a stop to it.”
“What exactly are the Marchesis involved in?”
“I don’t know the extent of it, but I know that nothing Mr. Marchesi has ever done is as evil as what his ex-wife did to him.”
“Were you here when they were married?”
She shook her head. “No, he didn’t live in this house then. He bought it once he could leave the hospital.”
“And you’ve been with him since then?”
She nodded. “I have.”
“Are you related to the family?”
“Distantly, but I’m not part of the main line.”
Things were getting crazier every moment. “I keep thinking maybe I’ll wake up and this will all be a dream.”
“I’m sorry you’re in this position, but you’ll get through it, and then you’ll go back to your life in New York, and everything will be okay.”
Would it? And how much of a life did I really have? Apparently, it hadn’t been what I thought it was, and now I’d need a new job and maybe a new place to live. I wasn’t sure I could go back to the old place. I wasn’t sure I could go back to any of my old life. As far as the few friends I still saw semi-regularly knew, I’d just up and disappeared.
How long would I be here, and how would this all come to a head? Would the trial be televised? Would my friends see me? What would they think?
“I feel like I’m going to be a different person, to see the whole world differently.”
She laughed. “Meeting the Marchesis can do that to you.”
“What does that mean exactly?”
“Just that they are… Their personalities are all very big.”
I considered this. “Dominic seems to keep his personality very quiet.”
“He’s in pain. And I don’t mean from his injuries. Give him grace.”
“Do you want to elaborate on that? Or on what happened with his wife?”
Beatrice sighed. “She betrayed him and left him for dead. That’s all I can say for now.”
“Shit. I guess that would turn you cold.”
She nodded. “I didn’t know him before, but from what I understand, he’s always been a serious, focused man. He’s never been talkative or jovial, but his decision to be a recluse came after the accident.”
“How long has it been?”
“Almost ten years.”
“God, how awful.” Closed up here for ten years, hardly leaving, hardly smiling. Could I help him? Could I pull him back out into the world?
“His sons have been working most of that time to change him. They’ve only just begun to break through some of the barriers. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Just show him respect and do what he asks.”
“Okay. Thank you,” I said.
She left the kitchen to continue with her other duties. Once I finished my breakfast, I went to the sunroom. I wanted to peruse the other books there and see if they gave me any more clues about the man who had my life in his hands.
8
DOM
Istayed in my room until dinnertime, getting a few hours of sleep and taking care of paperwork I would normally do in my office. I was avoiding the rest of the house since I might run into Corey if I left my room. I wasn’t ready to see him again, even though that was ridiculous. I had no reason to be afraid of anybody.
Yet here I was, frightened to encounter Corey. The awkwardness would be paralyzing. What had I been thinking last night? I should’ve told him to get dressed or simply turned around and left. I certainly shouldn’t have stared at him like some stupid kid with a crush.
I was disgusted with myself, but it was Beatrice’s day to leave early, which meant I would need to go down and get my own dinner. I’d only picked over my lunch, and I’d had no breakfast. I needed to eat so I could take something for my leg. It was stiff as hell from sitting around all day. I usually went to work out in the gym, but again, Corey might be there, so I’d avoided it.