Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Confused, I call out, “Where are you going?”
Ignoring my question, he slams the door shut behind him.
“He’s upset because he hurt you,” Riccardo says, drawing my attention to him as he stops beside Gianna.
“But he didn’t–”
Riccardo shakes his head. “You puked your guts out, Rosie.”
“Ugh.” I scrunch my nose, giving him a disgruntled look. “Don’t ever bring that up again.”
“Are you okay, Rosie?” Georgi asks.
I let out a sigh. “Yes, I’m one hundred percent fine. Everyone can stop worrying.”
Yeah, I have high hopes.
While I’m bathed in attention, I can’t stop thinking about how upset Enzo was when he left.
Don’t, Rosie. Of course, he loves you, but only as a friend.
Chapter 3
Rosie
While I get ready, I second-guess my decision to have sex with some stranger.
It’s been a year since I first thought of going to Paradiso, and I must’ve changed my mind a hundred times.
Also, we were busy planning Gianna’s wedding while I had to get used to being a capo. Spoiler alert. I haven’t and don’t think I ever will.
At least there’s the upside that I managed to get millions out of all the capos to build my fortress, as I lovingly like to call my masterpiece.
I took an old eight-story building and converted it into my base of operations. The place is badass even if I say so myself.
I made a secret entrance in what used to be the underground parking area for us to use. The original first-floor entrance isn’t used by anyone. It’s guarded by high-tech cameras that scan every inch around the clock and rigged to explode if breached.
Nothing and no one gets in without my knowing.
Once someone makes it through the parking area, it’s up to me to allow them into the first elevator that scans for weapons. Only three people have codes to let themselves in. Christiano, Enzo, and Dad.
When the elevator opens on the fifth floor, visitors have to get past a hidden wall that reveals the second elevator, which opens up to the nest where the control center is located.
I keep the temperature near freezing so my babies, the servers and mainframes, don’t overheat.
Wanting to be a little dramatic, I have floor-to-ceiling monitors covering an entire wall. My workstation, which sits at the heart of the room on a raised platform, is surrounded by massive curved screens, custom hardware, and enough processing power to cripple governments.
There’s still a lot more I want to do, though. I’d like to build a safe room in the underground parking area that can double as a boardroom. Just in case I have to blow this place, I’d like to have a room that can take the beating.
Before my thoughts can run away with me, I focus on what I’m doing as I pick up the blond wig and carefully put it on. I’ve braided my light brown hair very tight to ensure the short bob style looks natural on me.
Knowing Gianna doesn’t approve of me losing my virginity to some stranger at a club, I haven’t brought it up to her again after I told her at Christiano’s birthday party last year. Instead, I waited for her to leave for her honeymoon before setting my plan in motion.
Once I’m done getting ready, I stand up and check my reflection in the full-length mirror.
I’m wearing a provocative lace bodysuit, which I’ll keep covered with a coat, stilettos that might break my neck, and the most makeup I’ve ever put on.
If I accidentally run into someone I know, they shouldn’t recognize me.
Lifting my eyebrow, I give myself an approving look.
Not bad, Rosie.
The bodysuit has a slit at the bottom for easy access. That way, I won’t have to get butt naked.
It’s now or never.
Grabbing the coat from my bed, I shrug it on and tie the belt tightly as I leave my apartment on the seventh floor of the building.
I’ve only told Alessio, my head guard, where I’m going after swearing him to secrecy.
When I reach the underground parking area, I walk to the SUV with the blacked-out windows and grin at Alessio. “What do you think?”
His eyebrows fly up, then he shakes his head. “The blond hair and makeup are so not you.”
“Good. That’s the idea.”
Alessio has been my guard for over three years, and we’ve become good friends.
He’s the only guard I allow in my fortress. The rest stay outside. Christiano is so damn stressed about my safety, he’s saddled me with a team of ten men, and it gets very overwhelming at times.
After I climb into the backseat and Alessio starts the engine, he asks, “Are you sure about going to Paradiso?”
“Yep. Don’t try to change my mind.”
“As long as this is what you want,” he murmurs before pressing the remote to open the steel doors.
While he drives me to the Vitale’s club, I check to make sure everything is ready. I hacked into the system and booked lucky room number seven for myself. Not wanting to know who I’ve been paired with, I avoid looking at the guy’s information and just make sure it still shows my fake profile.