Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77359 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Really?”
“Really. I’d never have let you marry him if I didn’t believe that.”
“You wouldn’t?” I was learning so many new things tonight. Like maybe my father cared about me more than I thought he did.
“Of course I wouldn’t. And I’m sorry if I ever made you believe otherwise.” He hugged my shoulders. “I wish that things were different. That you could be an ordinary young woman who went to school and had friends and didn’t have to worry about any of this. But since that’s not possible, I believe that Massimo will keep you safe. And maybe ... if you two can find a way ... you can have a good life in spite of everything. I really hope you can.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. And if he mistreats you, let me know that, too.” The expression on his face darkened, and I was reminded of how dangerous he could be. But at least now I knew that there were some lines he wouldn’t cross.
25
LEILA
We didn’t get home until late, and then I followed Massimo into his bedroom, moving as if in a trance. Stefano had tried to talk to me when he passed by in the hallway, but I just couldn’t make my jumbled thoughts focus on any one thing. Moving on autopilot, I put on a black T-shirt of Massimo’s that I liked to sleep in.
Once my head hit the pillow, I thought the racing thoughts would fade, but they didn’t.
“Good night,” Massimo said, lying down next to me. He wore black pajama pants. He’d started wearing them around the time when I’d begun to pull away in the evenings. After my lunch with Zoey and Piper.
Now I wished I hadn’t pulled away. It might make tomorrow night—my wedding night—easier.
But maybe, just maybe, I could do that myself by trying to clear the air between us. I scooted closer to him, putting my hand on his sculpted bicep.
Massimo looked surprised. “I thought you didn’t want to touch me anymore.”
“I was working through some things.”
He nodded, his eyes dark and unreadable. “I thought you were afraid of tomorrow night.”
He’d thought I’d pulled away because I was afraid of having sex with him? I suppose that did seem like the kind of thing I would have feared when I’d first arrived here. But things were different now. If I could believe he was as good a man as he could be, considering the circumstances he’d been born into, then I’d welcome sharing my body with him. But despite my father’s reassuring words earlier, I still needed to know. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” That was a different answer than he likely would’ve given me if I’d asked when we’d first met.
I shook my head, trying to choose my word carefully. “Something important, I mean. And I need you to tell me the truth.”
His expression grew more solemn as he nodded. “I will if I can.”
“Swear to me,” I said, “as the future father of my children that if you can answer, it’ll be the truth. If you can’t answer, then please don’t say anything. Don’t lie to me.”
“I swear.”
“Thank you.” I tilted my head forward, my gaze falling on his tight abs. But for once, I was in no mood to admire them. “Who was C?”
“C?” Confusion filled his face.
“I found something upstairs in a box of your old things. A note ... and a scrap of women’s clothing with blood on it.”
Massimo’s expression tightened and he suddenly looked decades older. He rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. My hand slid off his arm onto his flat stomach until I pulled it back.
“Massimo?”
It didn’t seem like he was going to answer, and my stomach sank. I’d told him to say nothing if he couldn’t. So it seemed like I’d have to wed him tomorrow without knowing. If I could do that.
Then his low voice reached my ears. “Her name was Crystal.”
“Is she ... dead?”
“I don’t know.” His voice was little more than a whisper.
“What happened to her?”
“She was taken. Held captive by my father’s men. I was just a teenager when I met her. She ... in spite of the circumstances, she was kind. Funny, even. But God, the desperation in her eyes.” The pain in his voice canceled out any jealousy I might have felt otherwise.
“Her note asked you to help her. Did you?”
“I tried.” He put his forearm over his eyes. “I really tried.”
“What happened to her?”
“I don’t know. I looked ... but I never found her.”
I wrapped my arm around his waist, giving him a sideways hug. “And your organization doesn’t do that anymore?”
“No.” Even though my father had said the same thing, it was a relief hearing it directly from him. Then he uncovered his eyes and looked down at me. “But we’re not saints. Far from it. You know that, right?”