Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 636(@200wpm)___ 509(@250wpm)___ 424(@300wpm)
I’ve been a fool to think that walking away from him would end the pain. Now I know better. It will only get worse, and nothing can take it away. But I’m worth more than being used as a pawn or arm candy. I can’t go back to being Dante’s prisoner, trapped in a marriage that was forced on me for all the wrong reasons. He married me for power and revenge but never for love. I owe it to myself to end this vicious cycle. I’m tired of being no more than a means to an end. I just want to be myself and find someone who loves me for who I am.
Yes, admitting that Dante and I are done just when he gave me new hope by saving my life slays me worse than the bullet that tore into my flesh, but I’ll get over it. Time heals all, doesn’t it? The necklace is gone. This chapter of my life is finished. I can close the entire book. It would be so much easier to just let it go. Move on.
But I can’t.
I’ve always loved Dante more than life itself, enough to sacrifice myself for him, and a part of me always will. My feelings for him run too deep. My love will always survive just like it did before, flourishing in the darkest corners of my heart whether I’m brave enough to face those shadows or not. That part of me can’t deny him or take away what matters to him most.
“Let me get the doctor.” He stands, still cradling my hand in his. “Can I get you anything else? Say the word, and consider it done. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”
What I want will never truly be mine. However, he still has a chance, one shot at finding closure.
“The necklace…”
“Hush.” He puts my hand under the covers, bends down, and kisses my forehead. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Dante, please listen to me.”
At my tone, he stills.
I take a deep breath, plowing ahead even though it hurts to speak. “I planted a tracker in the necklace.”
His eyes flare and then tighten. Something like disbelief sparks in their depths. “You did what?”
“I always had an escape plan, but I never did anything without a backup plan either.”
His gaze pins me to the spot, drilling into mine. “You’re unbelievable, Tatiana Morici.”
The surname jars me. Not for long. Soon, I’ll be Tatiana Teszner again.
Pushing my emotions down, I do what must be done. “Listen to me. There’s still time, but you have to act quickly. It may not be long before they find it.”
“Where did you put it?”
“Behind the mounting of one of the small diamonds. The chip works with GPS.”
“What about the signal identifier?”
I place my hand that lies on top of the covers over the base of my neck. “Where is it? Where’s my necklace?”
He moves to the nightstand and opens the drawer. “Here.”
“The chip is half of a matched pair. I hid a mirror chip inside the top part of the pendant. If you scan the mirrored chip, it will unlock the shared tracking ID. It works with Bluetooth on any smartphone.”
“Have I told you you’re a genius?”
“You better move quickly. They may decide to take the necklace apart and sell the diamonds individually.”
He wraps his fingers around the pendant, seeming indecisive.
“Go.” I wave him away. “Go get your necklace.”
“Tatiana.”
“I’ll be fine.” I smile, proud of myself for managing to keep my voice level. “Go.”
He kisses me and brushes words over my lips. “Thank you.”
Those words say so much. They speak of a lifetime of suffering. Well, it’s only been seven years since Lee died, but sometimes, seven years can feel like an eternity.
“Go,” I say again, forcing back tears.
I don’t want him to see me cry.
Flashing me a brilliant smile, he leaves to chase the only true love of his life—his vengeance.
Chapter
Forty-Four
Dante
* * *
Sav walks in just as I wrap up with the sad piece of shit that hangs on a meat hook from the ceiling.
The man blows out his last breath despite having spilled the truth two days ago. I swore I’d make his suffering last.
Sav juts his chin toward the carcass dripping blood on the floor. “That him?”
I gnash my teeth. “Yeah.”
That was the man who shot Tatiana. I cut out his kidney and stitched him back up. The pissy screamed right through the procedure and fainted twice. I left him tied up in a bath of ice while I took care of the rest of his team, and then I came back here to finish him off. I wanted to save the best part for last.
Sav nods, his blue eyes gleaming with silent fury. “No one is retaliating. The evidence is too damning.” He drags a gaze over what’s left of the corpse. “Did you film his confession?”