Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 70928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 236(@300wpm)
Up until now, I didn’t have to worry much about her. I knew she was safe living with her parents.
But on her own, she’ll be an easy target.
We climb into the SUV, and during the drive, my temper threatens to spiral out of control. I hate that I have no fucking say in her life.
That stops today.
By the time Nico parks near the address, I’m too fucking upset to take in what the building looks like. I meet Ciro and Alfio in the courtyard.
When Ciro points to the second floor, I take the stairs up with Alfio right behind me. Reaching the apartment, I order, “Open.”
With me being the head of all the families, he has no choice but to carry out the command.
I watch with a world of fucking impatience as Sienna’s guard unlocks the door, and I memorize the code he enters into the alarm’s keypad.
As I step inside, I’m met with silence. I glance around the living room that’s bathed in a warm yellow light. Smelling Sienna’s scent, I inhale a lungful while I walk toward the hallway.
Hearing the soft pitter-patter of rain, I turn right, and when I enter a bedroom, I see Sienna sitting on the floor. She has her legs folded and her palms resting on her knees. Her eyes are closed, and she’s taking deep breaths.
As I stare at her, a calmness washes over me, and my headache’s potency lessens.
I drink in the sight of her light brown hair that’s piled on top of her head and held in place with a clip. Wisps frame her beautiful face.
Suddenly, her eyes pop open and go wide as saucers when she sees me.
“How did you get into my apartment?” she gasps while climbing to her feet.
I close the distance between us, and when I press a kiss to her forehead, I pause to take a deep breath of her.
Jesus, I needed this.
Slowly, I brush my lips over her skin until I’m close to her ear. “Did you really think you’d be able to keep me out?”
Jerking away from me, she levels me with a scowl. “You can’t just let yourself in.”
“I can do anything I want, princess.” Tilting my head, I capture her eyes. “You should know that by now.”
Her scowl darkens, and she hurries past me. “You have to leave. I don’t want you here.”
Not listening, I glance around her bedroom. The cream and pink bedding fit Sienna.
I’ll have to get used to seeing pink in my place once we’re married.
“Christiano!” she snaps.
I turn around to face her and find it fucking adorable that she thinks she can be intimidating.
“Leave,” she orders.
The corners of my mouth curve up as I walk toward her, and placing my arm around her slender shoulders, I guide her to the kitchen. “I’m hungry.”
“I’m not making you food.” The fight in her voice isn’t as intense anymore.
Opening her fridge, I take out a container, and looking inside, I see roasted chicken breasts. “I didn’t say anything about you making food.” I find mayo and bread, and as I slap a sandwich together, I ask, “Do you want one?”
Instead of answering me, she lets out a frustrated sigh and walks away.
“Baby,” I call out.
“What?” she snaps.
A wide smile curves my lips. “Do you want a sandwich?”
“No,” she yells. “I just want you to leave.”
I take a bite and chew while checking the contents of her cupboards. Satisfied she has everything she needs, I open the fridge again and grab a bottle of juice to wash down the rest of the sandwich.
Once I’m done, I find Sienna in the living room, pacing up and down. Her features are tense, and when her eyes dart to me, I see panic and fear.
Stopping near a couch, I shake my head. “What the fuck did I do, Sienna?”
Looking anxious, she begins to rub her palms over her upper arms, squeezing every other second until her skin is covered with blotches.
Recognizing the nervous tick, I close the distance between us and wrap my arms around her. I hold her very tight, and when a tremble moves through her body, mine answers with a shudder.
I press a kiss against her temple, and right by her ear, I whisper with a gentle tone. “Shh…It’s okay.”
Another tremble moves through her, and it takes a few seconds longer before she hesitantly pulls her arms free from between us so she can wrap them around me.
My body does its fucking best to engulf hers, and for a precious minute, I get to hold her and ease her anxiety.
Suddenly, I hear a muffled sob, and when my head snaps up, Sienna presses hard against my chest. She clings to me as if she’s afraid I’ll disappear the instant she lets go.
“Princess?”
Shaking her head, she smothers another sob against my shirt.
I would give everything I have just for a minute inside her head.