Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
“What is this place,” I heard myself asking.
“It’s home,” Angel answered.
He was staring when I looked away to face him. “Home?”
“The Knight Estate. It was built over a century ago by the second Knight.”
“Aren’t there more of you in your family?”
He shook his head. “TheKnight not a Knight.”
“I’m not following.”
“The Knight is the head of the family. The head of the family will only ever be The Bandit.” It sounded like a riddle, which I strangely got. The real legacy must be his place as The Bandit. The book he thinks I stole was just a shiny crown.
“So why don’t you live here?” He didn’t claim his father’s home, and I knew now it was because it never truly felt like home to him.
“Because the house can only be inherited after the death of The Knight.”
“And since your father died before your grandfather could—” When our gazes met, words were lost.
“Something else your father took from mine...and me.”
His hate was my truth. I could feel it as if it coursed through my veins. I turned away to admire the house as much as I could from the limited vantage point of the car. When the car slowly stopped, Angel took the box from Lucas. I watched, feeling my heart race, as he opened the box. He lifted a black leather mask from the box and secured it onto his face. When he turned to me, the top half of his face was covered by large wings that extended away from his face. The feathers were captured in amazing detail.
His eyes, lips, and jaw were the only visible parts of his face now. He looked sexy and scary all at once, and I was grateful my body was hidden under so many layers. He would have used my reaction as a weapon to take what he wanted.
The car was uncomfortably silent as we stared at one another. My face was hidden by a mask I had yet to see, and now, so was he. Suddenly, Angel’s door was opened, breaking our moment. He took my hand and helped me from the car. Nervously, I glanced around. The circular driveway was full as women in gowns and men in tux’s poured from their limos and made their way inside.
Light shone from the white terra-cotta home through the spacious windows while music I didn’t recognize, and hoped I didn’t have to dance to, played through the open doorways.
Suddenly, the unexplained meaning of my presence here turned my legs to jelly. Prisoners didn’t go to balls. Angel said I was the final act. What had he meant?
“Don’t be scared, girl.”
I turned to Lucas who grinned down at me. “Why would I be scared?” I was totally scared.
“Because you stopped walking and gave Angel no choice but to stop, too, or drag you.” Angel’s expression was curious as he stared down at me. I lifted my chin and walked ahead while ignoring the stares. It was then I noticed that no one else wore masks. Not even Lucas.
I was stopped from entering when we reached one of the three entryways and was asked my name. “She’s with me,” Angel answered. The man must not have noticed him standing just behind me. He sputtered to correct himself and lifted the red velvet rope.
Angel’s hand fell on the small of my back. I couldn’t feel anything else but the place where his hand and my back met. As he led me through the grand foyer and mingling guests, his thumb caressed me.
We eventually made it past the stairs and through another set of open doors into a ballroom. Guests danced under the chandeliers to the soft music. The ballroom floor looked bigger than my entire apartment. There were people mingling on the sidelines with drinks in their hands as they talked and laughed. A stunning blonde in blue gossamer caught Lucas’s attention. He broke off to pull her onto the dance floor.
“Where’s Z?” I’d only just noticed a member of their trio had been missing.
Angel selected a champagne flute from a passing waiter and handed it to me. “Why?” His gaze was steady as he ignored the guests around us and waited for my answer. I shrugged after noticing how tense he became. “He’ll be joining us later.”
“Why am I here?”
“I told you.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re going to get.” He nodded to the untouched glass in my hand. “Drink.”
“Why should I?” I didn’t feel right enjoying a party with the man who held my son’s life and mine in his control.
“Because it could be your last.” He watched me from behind his mask. I didn’t get the feeling he was playing a game, so I tipped the glass back and let the cool liquid caress my tongue and throat.
Suddenly, a man with thick white hair and beard appeared at Angel’s side and clapped him on the back. “Nice of you to join us, son.”