Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116875 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
I remember when Jaeger claimed his woman. How protective he was. No one was allowed to fuck with her, not even me.
I feel that way about Bella. The difference is, Jaeger is redeemable. I’m not.
There’s too much blood on my hands.
I don’t want to claim her, and I hate that I’m so into her. It makes no sense.
I tried to stay away, but I couldn’t. I revealed myself to her, even though I knew I shouldn’t. It will make my job harder. I didn’t break my vow to Fraternitas, though, but I bent it.
I couldn’t help it. My skin itches all over when I’m watching her, and it’s making me insane.
I’m dying to get my hands on her. Touch her all over and see if I can feel anything more than numbness. I don’t know why I’m so into her, but if I spend some time alone with her, I might be able to figure it out.
I pull off my mask, the rich scent of flowers almost overpowering. I’m smelling roses again, even though I don’t see any around. I don’t deserve to breathe such sweet air, but I gulp it down greedily.
I call St. James, who answers right away. “Any updates?”
“There are some new developments,” I say. “She’s getting into trouble. We need to move up the timeline.”
“The Vesuvios?”
“No. Someone else.” I tell him about Bella’s run-in with the lacrosse captain and how I stepped in to help. “I stepped in to help her,” I confess. “So now she’s seen me.” St. James doesn’t seem too concerned about this, but guilt burns through me. Guilt and satisfaction that she was curious about me. She drank in the sight of me like I was a tall glass of water on a hot day. She tried to ignore me, but I could tell she felt the magnetic pull between us.
She wasn’t afraid, either. Most people in the same situation would be freaked out, but she wasn’t. She was annoyed, intrigued, and fascinated but not afraid. I don’t know why, and I want to know.
I shouldn’t want to know, but she’s driving me fucking crazy!
“Did she poison the lacrosse team?” St. James asks.
“Yes,” I say. I don’t know how she did it, but I can guess the basket of treats had something to do with it.
“Is it possible her father was behind this?”
“He’s the Poisoner, isn’t he?” Bella’s father, Benjiro Bosco, is the premier source of all poisons, both here in Metropolis and in New Rome. If you want to poison your enemies, he’s your first call. “He might have helped, but she did most of the dirty work.”
“The poisoned apple didn’t fall from the tree.” St. James sounds amused.
“We need to lock this down soon,” I say. “She’s already pissed off the lacrosse team. They’re nobodies, but soon the mafia families will be on campus.”
“Including the Vesuvios, and they’re out for blood. I see the problem. They’ll use the daughter to get to the Poisoner. Whoever controls the Poisoner, controls the game.”
I keep silent. St. James knows the game better than anyone. He’s played it successfully since he was barely older than a child.
“Is the Poisoner cooperating?” I ask.
“He will when I tell him we’ve kept his precious daughter alive. We’re the only reason she’s not already in the Vesuvio’s clutches. Have they made any more moves to grab her?”
“Just that scout. I’ll make sure no one gets close to her. The Vesuvios won’t touch a hair on her head.” My heart beats faster while I make that vow. I try to hide it, but my passion bleeds out through my voice.
St. James falls silent. He’s noticed my obsession with her. He notices everything. “You’ve been remarkably diligent about this job, Kaiser. Damien and I appreciate it.”
“You promised me a reward.”
“I did, and you will have it. Anything you want, it’s yours.”
I watch Belladonna Bosco skip away from me, oblivious to the dangers around her. The palm of my right hand tingles, and I flex my fingers, imagining grabbing her ponytail.
“Her,” I say. “I want her.”
6
Bella
* * *
I knew I was being followed!
And now I know who it is. It wasn’t a coincidence that I met Mr. Masked Man/ Muscles/Blondie in the poison garden on Monday. I’ll bet anything it’s him.
Who is he? What does he want?
If he’s stalking me, why did he let me see him?
If he means me harm, why did he step in to protect me from Radley?
Maybe he wants to kill me himself. Maybe he’s a Vesuvio… although I didn’t see any pentacle tattoos on him. Maybe Dominus hired out? Hired a hit man to come after me?
That would be interesting. Oh, I have ways to defend myself. If he lays hands on me, he will regret it. But it’s fun to fantasize about him actually overpowering me. Stripping away my armor and smashing through my careful defenses.