Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56378 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 282(@200wpm)___ 226(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“What people?” I whisper.
“Men. Evil men. But still, people. I’ve bloodied these goddamn hands. I’m telling you this so you listen to me. You need to be aware. And you need to pretend that everything is okay. It probably will be. But I had to—if I didn’t warn you—if something happened to you,” he shudders, shaking his head.
I put my hand on his chest—big mistake. I feel how solid he is through the thin fabric of his shirt, and I feel his heart pounding just as hard as mine. “It’s okay,” I whisper.
“You don’t know that. You can’t.”
He touches my hand and presses it harder against his chest. What are we doing? It’s like we’re both intoxicated.
“I shouldn’t even have told you this much, but if something happens, I don’t want you to be completely blindsided. I want you to know I’m here for you.”
“That means a lot,” I whisper, my head swimming. “This is crazy.”
We’re still sort of holding hands. He leans even closer and stares right into my eyes. This married man. My uncle. Twice my age. This man who stood up for me, not just against a club owner, but a criminal, a mobster.
“I know. Like I said, I didn’t want to tell you any of this. I shouldn’t be telling you. But you need to know what’s going on just in case. And now I need to ask you the most important part.”
“What?” I whisper.
Is he aware that we are still touching? Does he realize I can feel his heartbeat, drumming hard, as if in response to our closeness? He doesn’t know. He doesn’t know that I’m screaming inside. Does he care?
“You can’t tell anybody. Not your mom or your dad. Not your friends. No one. You need to keep this to yourself.”
Suddenly, I snap out of my stupor and pull my hand away. “That’s why you wanted to meet in secret. In person. Because now, I’ve got no way to prove anything you’re saying. I can’t show them any of your texts. People will think I’m crazy…” Crazier than I am. I don’t add that last part. “You asked me to trust you blindly, but you didn’t want to offer me the same treatment.”
“You need to be mature about this.”
“What’s that? A dig at my age? I’m twenty-one, not a little kid.”
“I know you’re not a goddamn kid,” he snarls, with the same energy as when he clapped back at me for calling him ‘uncle.’ He doesn’t seem to like any reference to the off-limits aspects between us. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you.”
“Why?” I ask.
“What do you mean?” He looks away. “You’re an innocent woman. You’re not involved in the criminal underworld. I’ve always done my best to protect civilians. Arria, what did they call me before I became known as ‘The Savior?’ Nico the Nightmare. I’ve always thought both nicknames were a joke, but there’s truth in both of them. I’ve always done my best to protect people.”
“Is that all this is?”
He glares at me. For a split second, I get a preview of what he must’ve been like when he worked for the mob. Then his expression softens a little. “Just let me protect you. I’m doing my best, Arria. You say I’m not trusting you, but that’s not true. I have to be careful. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t tell you anything. I’d let it all come as a shock. You need to promise me you’ll take precautions. You’ll be safe.”
“I will,” I say. “Not that I’m happy with any of this. I know there’s more you’re not telling me.”
That’s hypocrisy at its finest. I still don’t know what to do about the bombshell of his wife cheating on him.
“I should take you someplace you can catch a cab,” he says with a tired sigh.
“Do you think we’re being followed?”
“No, but Enzo might have somebody watching your house. I don’t think it’s likely. But like I said, if anything happened to you…”
He takes my hand, which is resting on my leg. Then he groans and moves his touch from my hand to my leg, squeezes, a sizzling sensation dancing up my thigh and straight to my core. I close my legs, but not to stop him. It’s like I’m trapping the feeling. It’s so much sweeter than it was in my fantasy.
“I’m thinking of doing something I shouldn’t,” he says huskily. Is he aware his hand is sliding higher and higher up my leg?
“What?” I whisper.
“This.”
He leans in for a kiss.
CHAPTER 10
NICO
This wasn’t part of the plan. She looks so irresistible and opens her mouth. Then she let out a soul-tingling sigh, and considering that she doesn’t run the hell away when I tell her who I used to be, I feel an overwhelming need her. I keep leaning closer, growing hungrier. She moans, her breath caressing my face.