Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 72973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72973 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
I widen my eyes at him before nodding at Eden. “Work can wait. This is my girlfriend, Eden Taylor.”
Damiano just nods in her direction, not sparing her a glance.
Angelo throws his arm around Damiano’s shoulder and steers him toward the area where a bar has been set up.
Leaning down, I murmur near Eden’s ear, “Don’t mind him. He’s always like a bear with a sore tooth.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah,” Samantha agrees. “He’s all growl but no bite.”
Unless you piss him off.
For the next thirty minutes, I greet some of the important guests with Eden on my arm, and by the time we head into the auditorium to take our seats, she lets out a breath of relief.
“Did I do okay?” she asks as I gesture for her to sit.
“Yes. You were perfect,” I compliment her, and unbuttoning my jacket, I take the seat beside her.
On my other side, Renzo fakes a yawn. “Wake me up when the show’s over.”
I elbow him in the side. “Fall asleep, and I’ll punch you.”
The lights dim, and a spotlight focuses on the stage.
As the show starts, I take hold of Eden’s hand and places it on my thigh. Brushing my thumb over her soft skin, I watch as the past year’s hard work pays off.
Chapter 21
Eden
During an intense scene where the ballerinas are twirling and flying through the air, my phone starts to ring.
“Shit,” I whisper. Grabbing my handbag, I dig the device out so I can silence it, but when I see Tyrone’s name on the screen, I answer and say, “Give me a minute.”
I give Dario an apologetic look before I get up and quickly leave the auditorium.
The music is still loud as I walk down a hallway, and holding the phone to my ear, I say, “What’s up?”
“Yo- need t-.”
“Hold on, the reception is bad,” I mutter, hoping he can hear me.
The call is disconnected, and once I reach the lobby and make sure all the reporters are gone, I dial Tyrone’s number while stepping out on the sidewalk.
“Hey, can you hear me?” his voice comes clearer over the line.
“Yeah. Why are you calling?”
Jesus, it’s cold. I should’ve brought my coat.
“Shit went down. Men came looking for you and Mandy, and when Junior confronted them, the fuckers shot him.”
“What?” I gasp as shock vibrates through me.
“Don’t come home tonight. Go to Dario’s place. Frankie said he’d take care of shit here.”
“Is Junior okay?” I ask. I might not like the gangster, but hearing he got shot because of Mandy sucks.
“They rushed him to the hospital. I don’t know how he’s doing,” Tyrone says, his voice tense. “You need to be careful. I’m going to check Mandy’s usual hangouts.”
“No!” I exclaim. “Stay away from her. I don’t–”
My words are cut off when a van comes to a screeching stop in the street. When men pour out of the vehicle, I spin around and rush back into the lobby.
“They’re here.”
“Run, Eden!” Tyrone’s worried voice comes over the line.
“What’s wrong?” Quincy asks.
“Run. Run. Run,” I shout at the guard.
I’m grabbed from behind, and my phone flies out of my hand.
Oh shit!
When Quincy reaches for his gun, a shot is fired near my ear, instantly robbing me of my hearing.
All I hear is a sharp buzzing sound as I watch Quincy drop to the floor. My heart instantly thunders in my chest, and a terrifying sensation spreads over my skin.
“No!” I scream as I’m lifted off my feet and dragged out of the lobby.
I begin to thrash, trying to hit and kick my way out of the predicament I find myself in.
I’m hauled to the van and roughly tossed inside the vehicle. Before I can catch my bearings, more hands grab at me, restraining my wrists with cable ties.
“Stop. Stop,” I gasp, just needing a second to gather myself so I can think clearer.
The van speeds away with screeching tires, and I struggle to keep my balance as we swerve around a corner.
One of the men grabs me by the back of my hair, pulling strands out, then he forces me to look at another man who’s staring at me.
“Where’s your bitch of a mother?”
“I don’t know, and she’s not my mother,” I spit out.
“She owes me thirty thousand dollars.”
I try to lift my chin to appear braver than I feel. “Not my problem.”
The corner of his mouth lifts slightly before he backhands me across the cheek. I feel my lip split as pain explodes behind my right eye.
“If Mandy’s not gonna settle her debt, you will,” he barks in my direction.
My tongue darts out, tasting the blood on my lip, then I say, “I don’t have any money.”
The man stares at me for a few unnerving seconds before he lets out a dark chuckle, “If you can’t pay in cash, you’ll just have to work off the debt.”