Total pages in book: 152
Estimated words: 144979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 483(@300wpm)
I join my husband with all the enthusiasm of a sheep being led to slaughter. The Society must have sanctioned Matteo’s murder, or else Angelo wouldn’t have been so obvious about it. The question is why?
One of the witnesses steps forward and bows his head. “We’ll send word to the Tribunal and have your gifts shipped to the island.”
Angelo nods, and we turn to leave. As we go, their haunting final words ring out behind us.
“Long live the newlyweds.”
I don’t remember much of the walk back to the car or the ride to Rome thereafter. I sink into the seat and stare out the window, not really seeing a thing. Bocelli’s music fills the gaps in time, and I know from this day on I will always associate it with this moment.
I’m numb and exhausted by the time we reach the port. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised, but part of me expected that he’d have us on a flight home just as soon as he could. Maybe he plans to dump me overboard instead. Except, if he wanted to, he would have done that a long time ago.
Before we board, Angelo stops to greet a small army of men waiting for us. Ten, to be precise.
“These are your guards.” He delivers this news in a detached tone.
I stare at them in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”
Angelo drags his inked fingers over the hard line of his jaw and glances at his men. “I need a word with my wife.”
At his command, all his men scatter—furthering the evidence of the power he has over everyone in his life, including me.
Once we’re alone, he closes the distance between us, tipping my chin up so I have to meet his gaze.
“Learn to pick your battles now, cara. This isn’t a point I will compromise on. You’ll have five men on your detail at all times.”
“But why?” I ask. “It’s not necessary.”
“You’re a Vitale now,” he says. “That means every enemy of mine is an enemy of yours. And in case you forgot, you were bought and paid for with Vitale money. One million dollars, to be exact. You should know I expect a return on all my investments.”
Those words land just as he intended—cold, precise, and brutal.
Now, it makes sense. Angelo knew he’d never pry that money back from my father. The contract was signed. Our marriage is a matter of numbers on a ledger with the added benefit of revenge on the side.
His gaze cuts over the water as he releases me. “Trust is a luxury you’ve already lost. Don’t test my tolerance for betrayal again.”
My eyes move over his face, searching for a glimpse of the man I used to know. The one I mortally wounded. But there’s no trace of him anymore.
“You have more money than you could ever spend in a thousand lifetimes,” I choke out. “Is a million dollars really worth being miserable with someone you hate?”
“Karma is a funny thing,” he says. “You wanted me in prison, and now this marriage is yours. Except, in your case, you’ll have a life sentence.”
An uneasy feeling grabs me by the throat and doesn’t let go. Does he truly believe I had something to do with his prison sentence?
“Angelo—”
“Let me be clear.” He pins me with his cold gaze. “This mutually beneficial arrangement will keep us both alive. You can despise me all you want, but you’ll do it from my bed.”
“So what?” I scoff. “You’re going to hate fuck me every night until you get me pregnant? Is that it?”
A mask of indifference settles over his face, and he shrugs. “As it turns out, I am a curable romantic. Don’t mistake me for the man you once knew, Abella. I’ll have no problem hate-fucking you until my goal is achieved. Once a reasonable amount of time has passed, we can have more children until we’ve produced a sizable family. After that, I’ll take my pleasure elsewhere if that’s what you prefer. But you should know that you’ll never have that option. For you, it’s me or nothing.”
A hollow ache pulses in my chest as I imagine the bleak future he just painted for us. It’s no different than any other marriage in our world, but I know I won’t survive it. I need more.
“And if I say no?” I ask.
Tension winds its way through the muscles in his neck. “You may be foolish, but I know you aren’t stupid. You know what’s at stake here. Do you really want to start a war over your precious feelings for a dead man?”
I swallow my argument because he’s right. The reason I ended up in this mess in the first place was to avoid a war. If Matteo had been here with me tonight, I wouldn’t have asked for anything more than a business arrangement between us. But Matteo didn’t have the power to destroy me.