Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 548(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“You were never weak,” I whispered. “You survived under your father. You survived three years of my father’s torture! Evolution? Is that what Remo Falcone calls it?”
Nestore shook his head as if I couldn’t possibly understand what he meant. “Remo understands me. He understands what it means to be born from darkness, to live and breathe it.”
I reached for Nestore’s hand resting on his thigh. His gaze zeroed in on my fingers as they touched him, a look of weariness in it.
“I can’t just disappear from my current life.”
“You mean from Flavia? I know she helped you disappear.”
“Please don’t blame her. She wanted to protect me.”
“From me?” he growled, leaning forward with narrowed eyes.
I remained silent. Did I need protection from Nestore? In the past, I would have said no, but I wasn’t so sure anymore. The look in his eyes was terrifying. Whatever had protected me from his monster in the past had been destroyed by my running.
Eight hundred days and one day without Amelia. Not a day had passed that I hadn’t thought about her. Amelia was far more beautiful than I remembered. Watching her sleep beside me in the back seat, a peaceful look on her gorgeous face, I was torn between utter rage and admiration.
Sometimes I had almost given up hope that I would find her, but even when everyone told me to give her up, I had kept going. Giving up had never been an option. Amelia was too deep in my heart and head. Sometimes I truly hated her for it. I had shaken off her father’s shackles but was still her slave.
On the other hand, she had built a new life for herself. She had moved on. What would I do if I could do the same?
“We’ve crossed the border,” Sasha announced. “We’ll arrive at the airport in about ten minutes.”
“Good.” I pulled my phone out from my pocket and called Niccolo, who answered after two rings.
“You got her?” Disbelief tinged his voice. He had tried to talk me out of chasing her numerous times, but I simply couldn’t stop. It was the equivalent of not breathing, which would probably be less arduous for me than being without Amelia.
“Yes.”
“What now?” Niccolo asked.
My gaze followed the long strands of shiny hair down Amelia’s arm. Her face was that of royalty. She would be the princess by my side. “You need to organize a wedding.”
Niccola paused. “Wedding?”
“A wedding. I have waited long enough. I won’t waste any more time. It will happen in two weeks and needs to be splendid. I want people to talk about it for years to come. Invite everyone who needs to attend.”
It would be a show and Amelia’s public submission. Everyone would see me marry a Lamorgese, and Amelia would be mine forever.
“You realize that the Camorra is still in a difficult situation? I don’t think any of the Underbosses or Falcones will be able to make it on such short notice.”
“I won’t wait for anyone. In two weeks, Amelia will be my wife.”
Huge blue eyes regarded me in shock as she struggled into an upright position. Holding her gaze, I hung up. The car pulled up next to the private jet. I motioned at it. “Our next ride. It’ll take us home.”
Amelia licked her lips, the gesture flipping my stomach in the most frustrating way. Amelia’s power over me was too great. “You didn’t even ask me to marry you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Would you say yes?”
She tucked a strand behind her ear, then looked away toward the jet, biding her time. My heart clenched in a way that reminded me of the day I’d read her letter. She could cause me pain without even putting a finger on me, and she was wholly unaware of her power. Or maybe she was simply good at playing innocent…
“Don’t bother lying,” I said with menace. “Your consent is irrelevant. Where we’re going, only my word matters.” I shoved the door open and got out, drawing in a deep breath of fuel-saturated air. Usually, when someone enraged me like Amelia, they died.
Amelia slipped out of her door before I could open it and rounded the car. She stopped in front of me. She wore jeans and a sweatshirt, a way-too-ordinary style for my future wife. She belonged in splendid dresses.
Her expression became pleading. “I have to tell Flavia that I’m leaving. She’ll be worried sick if I just disappear, and she needs me to watch Luciano. I can’t just disappear without a trace.”
“You did with me,” I snarled. “Don’t remind me of Flavia’s role in your disappearance, or I might change my mind about sparing her.”
She swallowed hard. “You can’t force me to marry you. You’ll ruin everything we ever shared. We used to be friends. Isn’t that worth anything to you?”
Rage roared in my head. I grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed her against the side of the car. My men rushed toward the jet to give us space. They knew better than to be near me when I was in a mood.