Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“His brother?” Her eyes flare. “Good grief.” She blinks. “I didn’t even know he had a brother.”
“Remember how Dante disappeared after working for my father for two years? It happened just before then. When our paths crossed again another two years later, Dante and my father were enemies, but he never told me why. He couldn’t. If I’d known the truth, he wouldn’t have been able to use me to get his revenge.”
“This is terrible. And we thought he just wanted your father’s territory.” She adds hastily, “Not that it justifies what he did to you.”
“It’s always been about a vendetta and never about the money.” Bitterness rises up inside me. “Although, I suppose the money didn’t hurt.”
She paces in front of me. “I’m not saying Leander doesn’t merit what’s coming to him, but Dante has no right to use you just as he did before.” Stopping, she faces me again. “How the heck are you supposed to help him?”
“I have a feeling it’s got something to do with my company shares that Leander is managing. I think Dante is going to force me to sign them over to him.”
She gasps. “He can’t do that. That’s all you have left. If he’s taking you back, you may as well claim your inheritance.”
“If that’s what it’s going to take to get rid of him, he can have my shares. Whatever the case, I’ll know what he’s scheming soon.” Too soon. “He wanted to leave straight away, but I won a bit of time by convincing him to let me finish this job.”
Concern transforms her features. “Win time for what?”
“To come up with a plan that will get us out of this crazy situation.” Although, I have to admit, I’m out of plans, and the clock is ticking. “He’s taking us back next week.”
“Tiana…” She bites her lip. “There’s something I haven’t told you. Hell, I was going to, but there just wasn’t time.” Her eyebrows snap together, her blue eyes brimming with sympathy. “Dante bought your parents’ condo when Leander put it up for auction.”
I wince. “I saw the news.”
The wariness in her gaze intensifies. “Dante lives there now. He lives in your old home.”
I wipe a hand over my brow. “I know.”
“You can’t just move in there with him. It will be the same as having your face rubbed in what he’s done.” She bites off each word. “Every single day.”
A sudden bout of tiredness overwhelms me, the past as well as the unknown future weighing heavy on my shoulders. “Do I have a choice?”
“He can’t be that unfeeling. You’re the mother of his child, for crying out loud. Surely, he must care about what the memories will do to you.”
“Maybe that’s the whole point. Maybe he wants me to suffer.”
“For what?” she exclaims in a soft voice. “For saving yourself?”
“For not telling him about Noah.”
“He can hardly blame you for that.”
“I don’t think he sees it the same way.”
“He killed your fucking family,” she says under her breath.
My ribcage shrinks, squeezing like a fist around my heart. “And not a day goes by that I don’t think about that.”
“I’m sorry.” She takes my hands. “I didn’t mean to hurt you by bringing up those horrible memories. I’m just worried about this whole freaky situation.” She steals a glance over her shoulder before continuing in a whisper. “What are our chances of escaping?”
I hate to admit, “For the moment? Zero. Dante’s men aren’t here for our protection.” The truth hardens my voice. “They’re here to make sure we don’t get away.”
“Yeah.” She scoffs before muttering, “It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure that out.”
“Hey.” I give her hands a squeeze before letting them go. “I’ll get you out of this, Jazz. I promise.”
“Don’t worry.” Her grin is aimed at making light of a serious situation, but she doesn’t quite succeed. “It’s not as if I have anywhere else to be.”
“I’ll speak to Dante about letting you go.”
“Don’t,” she says quickly. “I’m not leaving you and Noah on your own with him. Let’s just take it one day at a time and see exactly what he wants from you. We’ll figure something out.”
She doesn’t sound convinced about the last part. Frankly, neither am I. I’ve always prided myself on my escape plans, but Dante isn’t your average criminal. He has an army of loyal and well-trained men as well as powerful alliances. One of those allies is Saverio De Luca, a crime boss no one is dumb enough to mess with.
When Dante came back into my life after his disappearance, he was working for Saverio, who happened to be one of my father’s rivals. Together, Saverio and Dante manage the biggest territories in their state. Of course, they’re only the biggest now since Dante added my father’s territory to his own.