Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23105 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 116(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
After I turn off the television and roll off the couch, I spring to my feet and snag my phone. I wander toward the kitchen, and when I get there, I open the fridge and stare at the same food that was here two hours ago. I need a hobby.
I’m being cut out from all this mob business. I get that Mattia wants to shield me from some things, but I hate being totally in the dark. I should do my own digging and find out what my fiancé is up to. I always feel fancy when I call him my fiancé.
Since his office is currently unoccupied, I go in there and start opening drawers. I’m digging around, but there isn’t much, and it annoys me. The whole time I’m thinking he’s probably out there galivanting all over town while I’ve been tucked away like a beautiful princess.
“Oh my,” I say to myself when I find a gun in one of the drawers.
I reach in and pick it up by the handle with two fingers. A mob queen should know how to work a gun, but I don’t have much practice. I fiddle with the side, trying to find the safety. At least I know that much about guns, but I can’t find it.
“Got it,” I say when something clicks.
It feels so heavy I’m assuming it’s loaded. I think about all the movies I’ve seen and how people will drop a clip out of the gun or cock it back to see if there is a bullet in the chamber. I go with the second one and pull the metal piece back. I have to use both hands to manage it, and the second I see a bullet, I release the metal piece. When it snaps back into place, it scares me, and my finger accidentally pulls the trigger.
I scream when it goes off and then someone else screams too. Looking up, I see that a man is standing on the other side of the office, his eyes wide. He’s dressed in all black, and when he opens his mouth to speak, no words come. The next thing I know, he crumples to the ground.
“Did I shoot him?” I whisper to myself as I stand there, unsure of what to do.
This is Mattia’s fault. How could he leave me alone with guns? I can’t be trusted with mace, and he’s leaving guns around for anyone to pick up?
Realizing that I have to do something, I rush over to the man and try to roll him over.
“Holy crap, you’re heavy,” I grit out as I try to push. “I mean you’re not fat. Just thick,” I add, not wanting to fat-shame.
Finally, I manage to get him onto his back. When I see the blood, I start to gag. It’s pooling around him, and that’s when I see the gun next to him. Mine is bigger. I hadn’t noticed the gun before, but in fairness, I didn’t even notice he was in the room until I shot him.
“Oh, shit.” I lean over and force one of his eyelids open. “Wake up.”
Suddenly his hand flies up and wraps around my throat. I should be careful what I wish for because he’s fully awake now. I scratch and pull at his forearm, but his grip is relentless. Black spots begin to dance in my eyes, and I feel like I’m going to pass out.
“Leonora!” Mattia shouts, and if this guy wasn’t a dead man already, he surely is now.
I hear a loud crack, and the man releases his hand from around my throat as Mattia lifts me off the ground and into his arms.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” I manage to croak out.
He carries me over to the couch and sits down with me in his lap. He closes his eyes and presses his forehead to mine, and I feel a slight tremble from him.
“I’m okay,” I tell him.
“You could have died,” he says as his eyes snap open. There’s a deadly chill in them that has me audibly swallowing.
“It was kind of my fault,” I admit. “I shot him, but I didn’t know he was there. I didn’t know anyone was here, or I wouldn’t have been snooping.” He lifts a brow. “Okay, I’ll always snoop, but he caught me off guard, and the gun is tricky. You should sue the manufacturer. It’s unacceptable.” As I ramble, my eyes fill with tears as all of it catches up to me. “And where were you? Out doing mob stuff without me.” I sniffle. “Probably at a strip club with your mistress.” I hiss out the last part and then look around for the gun.
“Maeve.” He says my nickname in a soothing tone. “You know I’d never cheat on you.”
“I know. It’s because I’d kill you, and clearly I’m capable.” I point over my shoulder with my thumb to the dead man.