Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 330(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“Let’s talk,” Uncle Nicolo says again, his tone filled with caution and fear.
My eyes fly to Leo, and I watch as he shakes his head. “You knew what would happen if Luciano fucked up.”
“He’s just a boy,” Uncle Nicolo says, his voice rising with panic. “He’s still learning the way of the mafia.”
Mafia?
The word sends another wave of fear shuddering through me.
Slowly, Leo tilts his head in a scary as hell way, and his voice sounds like a rumble of thunder. “I was just a boy at sixteen when my father was killed and I had to take over. Luciano is a grown ass man of twenty-five.”
My breaths keep bursting over my lips while I cling to Mom.
Is this really happening?
It’s like some crazy scene out of a book or movie.
When Leo lifts his weapon a little higher, still keeping it trained on Luciano, Uncle Nicolo shouts, “Don’t! He’s my heir. We can come to an arrangement to make up for Luciano failing you today.” Uncle Nicolo gives Aunt Giada and his children a panicked look, then he says, “We can arrange a marriage between you and Liliana.”
When Leo lets out a bark of laughter, it gives me the fright of my life, and I tighten my grip on Mom.
“I wouldn’t marry your daughter if she was the last woman alive,” Leo sneers.
The next second, another shot rings through the air, and Luciano falls backward while Aunt Giada scrambles to cover him with her body as she screams, “No! My baby!”
‘No!’ the boy shouts while the monster carries me into the darkness.
I sway on my feet from the memory of the nightmare, and when I’m able to focus on my surroundings again, I see Uncle Nicolo taking a threatening step forward.
Leo’s arm moves, and the barrel of his gun is trained on Uncle Nicolo’s head in a split second.
“I’ve waited seventeen years for this,” Leo growls while looking downright brutal and dangerous.
Mom wraps her arm tighter around me, and all we can do is stand and watch as the nightmare unfolds in front of us.
“I had nothing to do with the attack on your family,” Uncle Nicolo pleads, his voice brimming with fear. “This is going too far, Leo. Marry Liliana and let's make peace. No one has to die.”
Aunt Giada’s trying to stop the blood seeping from the wound to Luciano’s side while she sobs, “For God's sake, Leo! Stop this madness.”
A sob bursts from Mom, and the sound draws Leo’s attention back to us. Just having him look at us has my legs going weak with terror.
His eyes lock on me, then they narrow, and I swear my heart has never beaten as fast as it’s thundering in my chest right now. I’m overwhelmed by the urge to run.
Leo’s deadly gaze moves back to Uncle Nicolo, and his voice is a deep rumble when he says, “I’ll take your niece in payment for Luciano’s spinelessness.”
Men instantly come to grab hold of Mom and me and rip us away from each other as we’re hauled down the stairs.
“No! Leave my daughter alone,” Mom screams hysterically while she fights with all her might to get free.
“Mom,” I cry as the man, who’s much stronger than me, drags me toward Leo.
My fear spirals into a chaotic mess, and I’m trembling so badly, I keep stumbling over my feet.
I see blood as I scream for Mommy, but the monster moves fast, carrying me away into the darkness.
I think I hear gunshots, and there are a lot of men towering around me.
My heart hurts, and I can’t stop crying.
I’m shoved down and end up kneeling in front of Leo, my hair hanging around my face while I gasp for air.
“Haven!” Mom screams. “We have nothing to do with this. You can’t just take her. Haven! Let me go!”
Tremors keep hitting my body hard, and I don’t have the guts to look up.
“If Luciano survives today, make sure he leaves Italy. If I lay eyes on him again, I’ll kill him,” Leo mutters with an unforgiving tone.
God.
Someone takes hold of my arm again, and I’m hauled to my feet. Only when I’m standing do I see that it’s the huge man by Leo’s side who has a firm grip on my arm. It looks like he’s strong enough to crush my skull with a single blow, and it makes my fear morph into the most overpowering horror I’ve ever experienced.
I’m carried away from the light, and the darkness is cold.
I rear back and manage to yank free.
“Haven!” Mom cries as I spin around to run to the safety of her arms.
Before I can reach her, the man who’s restraining Mom swings an arm at me, backhanding me across my jaw.
The blow sends me skidding across the tiles while my head spins violently from the blow.