Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Could it be her?
Had she come here to talk about what happened earlier in class? Did she want to explain about the boy? Did she still want him?
Alessandro’s concentration wavered, and before he could stop himself, his head had already whipped towards its direction, his incredulous gaze searching, his body stiffening in the event that it was really Kassia—-
It wasn’t.
Instead, it was one of the servants, whose dyed hair under the light had appeared a lot like Kassia’s.
Behind him, he heard someone curse, and Alessandro realized too late he had actually forgotten that he was in the middle of fencing practice.
He turned around, already positioned to block the blow coming his way, but it was pointless, and everyone in the fighting hall knew it. His opponent realized the same thing and tried to diminish the force of the blow, but it was too late.
Alessandro flew across the room at point of impact, his back hitting the wall before he fell to the floor with a heavy thud.
“Fuck.”
Footsteps thundered towards him.
When Alessandro opened his eyes, several pairs were staring back at him in concern. He shook his head and groaned at the pain that resulted. “Fuck,” he said again.
His twin laughed. “Fuck is right. After winning five – no, I heard, your worst fight was ten – against one in public brawls at Lyccan Hall, you now get knocked out by our ancient lovesick brother?”
Said ancient lovesick brother casually but subtly gave Alejandro a shove, which was also strong enough to have his twin flying to the opposite wall with a grunt.
Above Alessandro, Domenico pulled off his mask and offered him a hand, asking formally, “You are all right?”
Alessandro wasn’t able to answer immediately.
Fuck, he thought for the third time.
Since Domenico’s public fall from grace, Alessandro hadn’t been able to look at his older brother in the eye. He had been afraid that if he did, he would lose all respect for him.
But now, with Domenico towering over him——
How in hell had he gotten everything wrong?
All this time, Alessandro had thought the loss of his wife had turned Domenico into a shell of a man. But the warrior looking down at him was anything but. For one thing, Domenico seemed to have stuffed himself with Lyccan-friendly steroids since Misty had disappeared to Faerie-la-la-land. Even so, the impressive show of testosterone was just the tip of the iceberg. No, what made Alessandro realize how blind he had been all these months was in his brother’s eyes. There was a hint of sadness to it, but there was power in his gaze, too, like nothing Alessandro had ever seen before. If something had changed, then it was that his older brother appeared stronger now. He looked wiser, more humble – but somehow, all those simply lent Domenico an aura of almost-tangible strength.
Suddenly, a sense of urgency gripped him.
Kassia.
He had to leave right now.
Kassia. Kassia. Kassia.
Desperation turned her name into an addiction, and Alessandro knew he would not rest until he saw her again. He had to talk to her and make Kassia see that his decision to cut her out of his life was a mistake.
Kassia.
He saw her in his mind, her eyes once filled with so much love and trust, blurring with unshed tears of betrayal.
Kassia.
He had cut her out of his life because he had thought Kassia would make him weak the way Misty had made his older brother weak. But he had seen the truth now. Domenico was at his strongest. He didn’t understand how that happened, and right now it didn’t matter. All Alessandro knew was he had made the biggest mistake of his life, and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to fix it.
Domenico caught him just as he was about to get inside his car. “Alessandro.” An indirect command to stop, and Alessandro had no choice but to heed it.
“You have not been yourself the entire week.”
Alessandro only looked at his older brother stoically. Domenico might not be the weakling he had feared him to be, but it didn’t mean everything was all right between them. Domenico had still chosen to allow other Lyccans to treat him like shit, and in so doing allowed their entire pack to fall into disgrace. That was something he still couldn’t make himself forget or forgive.
When Alessandro didn’t say anything, Domenico pressed, “Perhaps it has to do with a certain redhead?”
Alessandro stiffened.
“It’s clear that she already wields influence over you.”
Was that Domenico’s way of saying Alessandro was no better than he? That he was falling fast and hard for a woman like Domenico had?
“You have nothing to worry about,” Alessandro said coldly.
Domenico stilled. “You misunderstand—-”
Alessandro cut him off. “You were right when you said I haven’t been myself the entire week. I haven’t been able to make a decision, but now what I must do is clear. Through her, I will keep to my end of the bargain.” Even as he spoke, he knew it was a lie. He was not going to Kassia because of any damn bargain. He was going to her because he needed to.