Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Elias frowns, head tilted to the side. He studies me, eyes squinting again, and I resist the urge to squirm under that attention. “Russo from Long Island? There are probably a dozen Russos out there… but in the life… is your father’s name Francesco?”
“Yes!” I say, sitting up straighter. “You know him?”
“You have brothers. Dominic and Gabriel.”
“I do. How’d you know that?”
“And your mother.” His voice drops to nearly a whisper. “Her name is Margot. But her parents called her Maggie. She hated that. Drove her crazy.”
I’m stunned. I don’t know how he could possibly know all that. My father’s a well-known man in the life, and my brothers both work with him. But my mother isn’t a public figure, and nobody could possibly know what sort of nickname her parents had for her. I didn’t even know that. Unless this man is making it up, he’s much more familiar with her than I could’ve imagined.
“How?” I ask, heart racing suddenly. “Did you know them? Her parents, I mean?”
“Alessandra.” He’s looking at me with pure sadness in his eyes. “Oh, my dear girl. Massimo didn’t tell me. And he clearly didn’t tell you. I should have recognized you the second you walked in, but you caught me off guard, and it’s been so long. You’ve grown up.”
“Who are you? I mean, how do you know who I am?”
Elias starts to answer, but he’s interrupted by the door abruptly opening.
I leap to my feet, a yelp cut off short as Mass strides into the room. Two security team members stand behind him, weapons drawn. Mass stops at the foot of Elias’s bed and glares at me, face hard.
“I hope she didn’t bother you,” Mass says.
Elias isn’t looking at him. “Not at all, Massimo. You should’ve told me your wife is so beautiful.”
“I’m possessive.”
“You should be when it comes to a woman like her.”
“How long did you talk?”
“Long enough.”
“And you know?”
“Yes, Massimo. I know.”
His face tightens and he nods. “We’ll discuss it later.” He turns to me, expression darkening. “And you better have a good excuse for this.”
All words leave me. Something’s going on between Elias and Mass, but I don’t know what it is, something that involves me. I want to scream at them to come out with it, to just say what they mean, but Mass’s presence is like a weight dragging us both down to the floor. His anger threatens to crush me to pieces.
“I got lost,” I mutter, glancing down at my hands.
He storms over to me. I take a step back as he takes me by the arm. I go with him willingly, since I’m afraid he’ll drag me along behind him if I don’t. Elias watches impassively.
“We’ll speak later,” Mass calls out.
“I look forward to it.”
I catch a glimpse of Elias as the doors close behind us. He’s studying me, his expression hard, like he’s not sure what to do with some intractable and potentially deadly problem.
ALLIE
“Stay here while I clean up this mess.” Mass stands in the door to our bedroom. I sit at the edge of the bed, rubbing my palms together.
“Who was that man? Really, Mass, what was he doing there?”
“No more questions. You’ve gone too far now, Allie. You have no idea what you’ve done.”
“He knows me. How does he know me?”
“No more,” Mass nearly snarls. I flinch back in surprise. I’ve never seen him this angry before, much less at me.
Without a word, he storms off, slamming the door behind him.
“Wait!” I jump up and go after him. I try to open it, but the door is locked tight. I test the handle and turn the knob, but nothing works. “Mass, wait! Bring me Rosie at least! Please, don’t keep me in here!”
I pound on the door. I keep slamming it until my fist hurts. I finally give up, exhausted, angry, and confused.
I can’t believe he’d throw me in here and lock the door like I’m a prisoner.
But I’ve always been one. I got used to the comfort and safety of the Fortress. I even got used to being with Mass.
I forgot that he kidnapped me from my own wedding.
What kills me most is keeping me from Rosie. I sink down onto the floor at the foot of the bed and stare at the door. Tears roll down my cheeks. It’s unfathomably cruel to keep me from my daughter. I have horrible thoughts that she might not be safe, that someone might hurt her to get back at me for breaking the rules, that they might take her somewhere far away—
This is the Dragon I always expected.
And somehow, seeing Mass live up to the reputation is only a disappointment.
I thought maybe he’d be different with me. Up until now, he’s been gentle. Loving even. Obsessed, but in a good way. I was craving his attention. I still do.