Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 91164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91164 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Cassian eyes don’t quite focus on me. He switches his grip to hold my hand tight. He tucks his weapon into its holster, and we climb into the backseat of Jet’s SUV. Jet looks at him, clearly worried, but he doesn’t speak. He just climbs into the driver’s seat, and I realize the rain had slowed to a drizzle when it starts up again.
“My bag,” I say, remembering the things I’d started to pack.
“I’ll have someone bring them,” Jet says.
I nod and turn to look at Cassian whose jaw is set, the back of his head pressed to the seat. He doesn’t speak on the drive home and I watch him and see how Jet is watching him, too, from the rear-view mirror.
When we get to the house, Cassian seems somewhat recovered. He pulls himself together, standing tall and nodding to his men who greet him. Jet walks on one side of him and I’m on the other. Cassian hasn’t let go of my hand yet. Not once on the drive back.
“Thanks,” he says to Jet once we’re inside. He looks and sounds bone-tired.
Jet simply nods.
Enzo comes walking around the corner of the corridor that leads to the crypt. When he sees us, his step only falters momentarily, but he’s shaken. I can see that.
We meet half-way up the aisle. “He’s down there,” he says to Cassian.
Cassian nods.
“What did—”
“Did you know?” Cassian asks, cutting him off, his voice at its usual commanding tone.
Enzo shakes his head.
“Will he bleed out?”
“No. You didn’t hit an artery, and I wrapped the wound. He’ll just be in a lot of pain.”
“Good.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Go get Allegra’s bag from the house,” Jet says, answering for Cassian.
Enzo glances at Jet. It takes him a beat. There’s a subtle tic in his jaw, but he nods. “Sure. Where is it?”
“Upstairs on my bed,” I tell him.
He glances at Cassian, but doesn’t say more before leaving.
“Let’s go to bed,” I tell Cassian. He needs to sleep. I expect a fight. Some refusal, but I’m surprised when he simply nods.
I glance at Jet who shrugs. “I’ll be around if you need me.”
“Thanks,” I say, and Cassian and I walk to the bedroom. Once we’re inside, I close the door, and look at him, really look at him. He does the same to me, searching my eyes.
“Joseph’s dead,” he says.
I figured as much. I want to ask him about Angelo, but right now, I want to take care of Cassian like he’s taken care of me so many times before. So, I push the jacket off his shoulders and remove his holstered gun. I’m careful with it, setting it on the table before returning to unbutton his shirt. I alternate my gaze between my work and his eyes and although he watches me, there’s a distance there.
The blood has dried and sometimes it flakes off the buttons. I ignore it, push it off him and let it drop to the floor. Walking him backward, I sit him on the edge of the bed and kneel before him. I touch the stab wound, the one I am responsible for, and brush my fingers over his healing stitches, the bullet he took for me.
He sets a hand on the back of my head. “My Little Moth. My Allegra.”
I smile up at him, begin to untie his shoes and pull each off in turn, then his socks. I bend my head, and I kiss the tops of his feet and when I look at him, he is still looking at me. I reach for his belt, undo it. He stands so I can unzip his pants and take them, then his briefs off.
“Take off your clothes,” he says. “I want to see you. I want to see you as you are.”
I set my hands on his thighs and rise to my feet to strip off my dress, my underthings. I let them fall on top of his clothes.
He lets his gaze sweep over me before taking my hands, holding them lightly. He brushes the back of one over my nipple and it tightens in response.
“My Allegra,” he says, the knuckles of that hand graze over my belly soft as a feather, a breath.
I lean down to kiss him then kneel once more, my hands on his thighs.
He reaches to pull out the few pins keeping my hair in place and lets them drop to the floor before combing his fingers through my waves.
“My beautiful Allegra.”
I push his knees apart as he cups the back of my head and draws me toward himself. Licking my lips, I open to take him into my mouth and I keep my eyes on his as he guides me, his cock thickening, hardening even more. I taste the salt of him. This man I love. This man who will be my husband. Who has and will continue to deliver my enemies to me in pieces. This man who has only ever protected me, even in the beginning, when we were enemies. My villain. My beautiful villain.