Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55263 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“Now, sit tall and look pathetic. He’ll be here any minute now.” He took a few steps forward and raised the gun until my eyes crossed from looking at it. “Don’t do anything stupid. I won’t hesitate to kill you, especially knowing how much it’d gut my cousin.”
Yes, you will, I thought but once again kept it to myself.
The large metal door opened, followed a moment later by the sound of footsteps echoing against the walls. My heart slammed against my ribs.
Enzo walked in alone.
Where is his security? Why isn’t Luca with him?
I sat up taller and took in every detail I could.
He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t had a moment of peace since last night. His jaw was shadowed with stubble, but he was still devastatingly handsome in a dark suit with no tie. He wasn’t the businessman today; he was the mafia leader. He was the man I loved wrapped in designer clothes and lethal calm.
His gaze found mine instantly, emotion flashing there for half a second before disappearing behind iron control. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
I nodded. “Getting to know your cousin.”
“Enough,” David snapped, waving the gun at me. “Enough with the reunion bullshit.” He kept the gun on me, but his gaze went to Enzo. “We need to talk.”
Enzo folded his arms. “I’m listening.” He looked calm and relaxed, which should have been the first clue that this wouldn’t go how David thought it would. But he was too drunk on power to notice.
He opened his mouth to speak, but I interrupted.
“David wants your job,” I said simply, stealing whatever speech he’d been about to unleash.
David glared at me.
“Sorry?”
“Keep your fucking mouth shut!” David shouted loudly, jabbing the gun closer to my throat.
I held his gaze, unflinching even as my heart raced like crazy. Earlier, I was mildly afraid of him, but now that Enzo was here and that crazed look had returned to David’s eyes, the fear was genuine. My hands were suddenly cold even though his attention was fully on Enzo now, which was exactly where I wanted it.
“The family business is mine,” David declared. “You step down, and you both walk out of here alive.”
Enzo smiled. It was slow and dangerous. “Is that all you want?” he asked mildly.
David nodded eagerly. “Yes.” He wanted it so bad his body vibrated with it.
“Done.”
David blinked in confusion. His earlier pride had deflated—disappointed he hadn’t gotten the fight he desperately wanted. “Don’t fuck with me, Lorenzo.”
“I never wanted any of this,” Enzo continued, his voice eerily calm as his gaze landed on mine. “I only wanted Ren. You know that.”
My chest tightened. The sincerity in those words was undeniable.
David groaned. “Yeah, we all knew how much you wanted her.” He rolled his eyes.
“So,” Enzo sighed, “does this mean we can go?”
David hesitated, seeming to consider if this was genuine or a trap. Then, he nodded. “You hand everything over, and yes.”
Enzo crossed the room and knelt in front of me, carefully cutting the ties at my wrists. Blood rushed painfully back into my hands. I shook them instinctively, gasping as the tingles brought my fingers back to life, and Enzo immediately wrapped his big hands around my wrists, rubbing gently until all I felt was his touch. “You okay?” he asked again in a soft, tender voice.
I nodded, leaning into him as he pulled me into his chest. His arms were solid. Real. The hug was exactly what I needed in that moment, the real sense of belonging to this man, of handing my heart to him. Again.
My eyes slid closed for just a second while I let myself savor being here with him again. I wasn’t sure it would happen, and it felt damn good, even though I was incredibly aware of the way David watched us.
“Keep walking,” Enzo whispered against my hair. “No matter what.”
I nodded silently, swallowing down my fear and anxiety before I pressed my palm to his when he took my hand. We made it about halfway across the room before David spoke again.
“Looks like you were wrong, Ms. Masters. You are much more than the nanny to him.” His words were punctuated by the sound of the gun clicking.
I froze dead in my tracks and turned slowly.
The barrel was aimed straight at me. Again.
“It’s too bad I can’t let him walk away with that kind of happiness,” David groaned, shaking his head. “Not after everything.”
My heart galloped in my chest. Fear, real and visceral, enveloped me, and I squeezed Enzo’s hand tighter.
Enzo, for his part, looked like a man who was unbothered by the drama. “You don’t want to do that, David.” His words came out simply, as if he were warning a child against something harmful but mildly so. Each syllable was a warning I didn’t think David would heed.