Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 48585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48585 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
“Sure enough,” he answers.
At that very moment, there’s a knock at the door and Luc reacts instantly by drawing his gun. It surprises me the way his reflexes jump to a heightened threat level, especially since we’re here on his own family’s territory.
“It’s me,” a familiar voice calls from the other side of the door.
I recognize Vincent’s underboss’s voice as Luc shoves his gun back in its holster. I remain seated on the couch as I watch him open the door. Alonzo steps inside and glances over Luc’s shoulder at me.
“Jesus, tell me you’re not fucking Leonardo Conti’s wife,” he says with an exasperated groan.
“She’s here because she needs a safe place to stay,” Luc says without directly answering him. “And she’s not Leonardo Conti’s wife.”
“Well, she was supposed to be,” Alonzo huffs, still glancing over at me as I try to pretend like Luc and I weren’t just sitting here having an intimate conversation about our feelings.
“Why are you here, Alonzo?” Luc asks. “Did something happen?”
“Yeah, actually. Gabriel said he heard word on the street that some of Conti’s men have been snooping around our neck of the woods. I wanted to give you a heads-up before you get yours blown off. Also, you should probably keep the girl inside for a while until things die down a bit. If Leonardo really wants her back, he might send one of his goons to snatch her off the street.”
“He doesn’t want Valentina back,” Luc grumbles. “He only wants control over the situation and her.”
“Same thing,” Alonzo huffs before turning to leave. “How long are you planning on keeping her holed-up in here, anyway?”
“As long as it takes for me to figure out a better plan to keep her safe from being forced to return to the Conti household.”
“Godspeed,” Alonzo chuckles as he walks out the door, mumbling under his breath about how this is the reason he doesn’t have a woman because they are “more trouble than they’re worth”.
“He’s rough around the edges, isn’t he?” I joke after Luc shuts the door.
“We all are,” he says as he grabs his jacket.
“I thought you were going to stay here with me?” I ask, unable to hide my disappointment.
“I need to do a perimeter sweep and keep my eyes open and alert for a few days. I suspect Leonardo will want to make a move that will help him save face after the embarrassment he suffered in Italy. He blames me for that, not just you,” he explains. “It’s best if you stay here where I know you’ll be safe for a few days while I check things out. I promise I’ll be back soon, and you’ll have everything you need in here until I return. If you need anything urgent, just ask a member of the hotel staff. They’re all loyal employees of Vincent’s. They’ll know how to find me.”
After he leaves, I walk over to the window to look outside. A few minutes later, I can see Luc walking across the street outside the building. It’s ironic that I’m right where I started, stuck inside a building. Except that this time, instead of dreading the return of a man like I used to every time Leonardo came home to his estate, I’m eagerly awaiting Luc’s return. It worries me that he’s out there, managing the Moretti mafia family while Vincent is still in Italy with Isla, and while Leonardo is likely scheming up a way to exact his vengeance on us both at this very moment. If that wicked man had his way, he’d kill both Luc and his cousin and force me to return to his side. The only thing currently preventing that from happening is the fact that such action against another Don’s family, and those under its protection, would constitute a war. Still, I don’t think that Leonardo will just let this go. He’s never been one to open the cage and let a bird fly free.
For the next few days, I see Luc only for a few moments at a time. Sometimes, Alonzo is with him, and we both act as if this situation is nothing more than Luciano stepping in to protect a vulnerable friend. Other times, Luc is alone and able to stay just long enough for it to make me long for him even more once he has to leave again.
There is something he’s not telling me—something going on that has his guard up and our time together limited. And it isn’t until he finally comes back to the hotel suite late one night that I have time to ask him about it.
“What’s going on out there?” I ask with a furrowed brow as he comes in and takes off his jacket, and sets his gun on the coffee table. “Are things escalating? Have you heard from Leonardo?”