Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
I pull on a pair of black jeans and slide my leather belt through the loops before I pull on a dark gray button-up. Most times on jobs, I’ll wear a sleeveless tank top under my shirts. I don’t like getting blood on my clothes, but tonight, I hope there isn’t any mess.
I glance at my holster on the desk and decide not to wear it. I’m going to party, not to start a fight. Even though I do slip my blade into a leather sheath I wrap around my waist. I’d rather be prepared than not.
My phone buzzes and I find Romano telling me he’s outside, wanting to get there early. I glance at the time and note that it’s already seven in the evening. Most parties only start at nine, but perhaps we can fade into the crowd.
There’s only one person who will be there that sets me on edge. The one person who’s been my enemy ever since I can remember. The bastard is a thorn in my side. Cassio Vitale is nothing more than a pest, and I would enjoy eradicating him from this earth.
The feud between our families has been going on for hundreds of years. It started way back when the two Bosses were trying to work together. But one sold out the other, killed most of the Montesanos, and left us in the dust.
We fought back.
We rebuilt.
And there’s nothing more dangerous than an enemy that comes from the gutter. They know how to fight, how to claw their way up from the darkness. I respond to Romano, letting him know I’ll be right down.
I shrug on a black jacket and hope this will not stand out in the crowd. With my phone and wallet in hand, I make my way down the stairs to see my mother in the living room. She’s nursing a gin and tonic like she does every night. She told me once that it eases the fear she lives with.
Her two favorite men in the mafia. Even though my mother may come across as soft and gentle, there’s a fire to her. I make my way to her, needing to see her before I leave. I’ve learned that in this life, you’re never sure if you’re coming home once you step out the door.
“Mother.”
“Oh, my boy,” she says with a smile, pulling me in for a kiss on the cheek. “Be careful out there,” she tells me in her ominous tone. If I were going anywhere other than the Vitale house, I’d wave her off. But this time, it causes the serpent in my gut to twist and hiss in warning.
“Always, Mother,” I tell her confidently, and I wonder if she can see the anxiety in my eyes. I press a kiss to her cheek before I head out the door. When I slip into the passenger seat of Romano’s midnight blue Maserati, I breathe deeply, hoping that something good happens tonight.
And I hope to hell that I can find the damn jewel my father wants or I’ll have to put up with his disappointment even more so than I usually do.
Chapter 6
Lelia
Frustration.
It’s one emotion I’m well versed in. At eighteen, I want to be free. I ache to run off with friends from school and live a normal life. But I know I’ll always be the Vitale principessa. The men stare at me as I make my way down the hallway to my bedroom.
Security tonight is extremely tight. More than usual. The party for my mother’s birthday has been announced far and wide, and everyone who is anyone is here. Actors, politicians, Capos from every familia there is in the city. Some even traveled from New York and Los Angeles to be here.
It’s no secret that I hate the life.
My parents know I would like to escape, but there isn’t a way out, unless you’re in a coffin being buried six feet under. In my bedroom, I find two of the maids tidying up the mess I made trying to find something to wear tonight. My mother insisted on a designer dress, which didn’t cover much of my body. Showing off my assets is not what I want.
“Please leave me,” I tell them gently. I don’t like being rude to the staff. My father, on the other hand, would have manhandled them from the room. My mother would have insulted them in some way and made them cry.
Once I’m alone, I pull out the sleek silver dress from the floor. It’s form-fitting, which I’m sure will satisfy my mother’s requirements. Also, it’s mostly covered, only hinting at a slight cleavage. Suddenly, my bedroom door whooshes open and my father’s enormous frame fills the entrance.
“Lelia, why aren’t you ready?” he questions but doesn’t wait for me to respond. “I need to speak with you.” His voice lowers and my gut churns at the ominous tone. He shuts the door behind him and settles at my vanity. He’s a big man, sturdy. One of the oldest Bosses in the city. “There’s something I need you to understand,” he starts. “This life comes with certain rules, with alliances that need to be formed.”