Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 38670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 193(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 193(@200wpm)___ 155(@250wpm)___ 129(@300wpm)
Jimmy sucked in a breath at the sound, and a sour smell permeated the air. I’d literally scared the piss out of him.
“I wasn’t gonna take it all,” he whined. “Just a few pieces.”
“Your honesty is appreciated, Jimmy,” I murmured. After a few tense seconds, I flicked the safety lever on my gun down, decocking it, then lowered the weapon and tucked it into the holster on my hip. “Perhaps you’ll earn more goodwill by giving us the names and locations of your crew.”
“Fine!” he sobbed, making me want to roll my eyes.
This jackass didn’t deserve the name Dominici.
I was about to turn and speak with Dario when someone smacked into my back. Though it was a hard hit, the person was clearly much smaller than me because it hadn't even thrown me off-balance, while they’d clearly bounced off me. Whirling around, I caught their arms to keep them from being thrown to the ground.
My lungs froze when frightened, big blue eyes stared up at me. Blond wisps of hair floated around a pale, angelic face filled with terror. In an instant, I was filled with the need to protect this woman and obliterate whatever, or whomever, she was running from.
“Whoa, cara,” I murmured. “Careful.”
“I’m so sorry!” She glanced frantically over her shoulder and tried to wiggle out of my hands, but I held her firmly, though I was careful not to hurt her.
“Don’t apologize. Are you alright?”
“Um, I just…I have to go.”
Frowning, I released an arm and cupped one side of her face, forcing her to look at me. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, cara. I—” My words broke off when the light illuminated her face, and I saw her rapidly swelling red cheek. “Cazzo!” I cursed through clenched teeth. “Who did this?”
She blinked up at me, her eyes filled with confusion. I nearly smiled when I realized there was no fear when she looked at me, which was probably the reason for her mystified expression.
Honestly, I was experiencing some of that as well. I’d never felt so possessive of another person. Nor had I ever felt the level of chemistry that sizzled between us.
My eyes flicked to Dario, and I jerked my head back toward Jimmy. He nodded and disappeared out of my peripheral vision. A second later, I heard the whisper of several feet and the faint sound of a muffled cry. Luckily, my angel hadn’t noticed.
“My, um…” She tried to look behind her again, but I kept her facing me by delving my fingers into her hair, dislodging the bun thing it was twisted into.
“Focus on me, cara.”
“My fiancé,” she admitted with a flinch.
Briefly, I was filled with a blinding rage, but her reaction when she said it quickly washed the feeling away. While I hated hearing her use that term for another man, I was soothed by the obvious disdain in her tone. Clearly, she was unhappy in the relationship, although it wasn’t surprising if he’d hit her.
I was stunned at how any man would treat this angel with anything but reverence. It was easy to get lost in her striking blue eyes, but the rest of her body certainly hadn’t escaped my notice. Her cheeks were adorably plump despite the slender shape of her face, and her rose-painted lips were round. She was above average height, but at six foot four, I was still easily a half foot taller than her. It put her delicate curves in all the right places so she would fit perfectly against me.
“He will come for you?” I asked. I couldn't imagine anyone letting her go without a fight.
She nodded, but her brow crinkled. “I thought he’d be right behind me, but maybe I hurt him more than I thought when I slammed my heel into his foot. It was too bad that I didn’t have my purse with me, or I could’ve whacked him upside the head with it, too. I always have a book in there in case I get the chance to sneak in a few pages, so it really would’ve hurt him.”
My lips almost tipped up into a smile. It seemed her former fiancé hadn’t snuffed out all the fire inside her.
Amused, I clarified, “You stomped on his foot?”
Pink bloomed on her cheeks, and she stared at my chest. “I had to slow him down, so I—”
“You don’t need to justify your actions to me, cara. Any man who would hit a woman, especially one he is contracted to love and care for, deserves much worse than what you did.” And he would pay for hurting her. I’d see to it personally.
She raised her gaze and searched my face for a few moments before she relaxed, obviously having seen what she’d been hoping for. “Thank you.”
A large black SUV suddenly rolled to a silent stop beside us.