Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 52592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 210(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
The whispers about me are true, at least in the sense that I’m everywhere, see, and hear everything. I’ve heard from Elle’s colleagues that she’s defiant and independent to a fault, that she refuses to rely on others, especially authority figures, and often goes rogue without permission from her superiors. I suppose that’s not a surprise considering that she’s Hale Monroe’s daughter. That detective is about as corrupt an asshole as you can get, playing both sides of the law and twisting it to his advantage. I don't doubt that Elle’s mother shielded her from much of that while she was alive, and then after her death, Elle likely grew up emotionally isolated. How could she not, with a father like Hale Monroe? It’s men like him who are the real sinners, hiding behind a badge while looking the other way when atrocities are committed just so they can line their pockets.
But there are other things that I can sense about Elle just by watching her from a distance and seeing how she moves around in the world. She’s skeptical, curious, and observant but also wary. And although she is definitely not corrupt like her father, Elle’s moral compass doesn’t always seem to point true north. The fact that she seems driven by personal codes rather than strict legality means that she struggles with shades of grey when it comes to her morality. I don’t judge that since I can most certainly relate. In truth, I find her fascinating.
If I let myself linger on her for too long and stare at her lean, athletic build and the way her pants hug the curve of her waist, it would be easy to get distracted. She’s beautiful, classically graceful, and entirely enticing, but also strong enough to be dangerous in more ways than one.
I’ve spent years staying out of the fray and away from her, not only for her safety but also for my sanity. Staying detached from the woman who insists on continuing her pursuit of her mother’s mysterious watcher on that fateful night hasn’t been entirely easy. Especially considering how driven and obsessed she is with it. But staying away from her has meant keeping everything that I know about the circumstances of that night away from her, too.
I saved Elle that night, and I’ve vowed to keep her safe every day since. I might be a ruthless monster, but not when it comes to innocent people. My code exists, and like Elle, my demons won’t overcome me, even though it involves ethical ambiguity. I do what I can to clean the blood off my ledger these days, including staying away from her and tempting fate.
As soon as the priest announces that Luc and Valentina are husband and wife, applause erupts, and the two of them walk joyfully back down the aisle. The ceremony was uneventful in terms of threat risk, which is good, and now there will be an enjoyable reception for all the guests to attend. I hadn’t planned on attending it. I came here only to ensure Valentina’s safety because she wasn’t under my care as intended, and I wanted to tell Luciano that I was unhappy about his last-minute change of plans. When I found out that Elle was also going to be attending, I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t part of my reason for coming too. A big, public event like this was a good opportunity to see her in person without getting too close.
“Coming to the afterparty?” Vincent asks as he walks past me on his way out of the church.
“Probably not,” I say, glancing over at the other side of the cathedral where I can see Elle following the crowd of people toward the door.
“You should come,” Isla smiles. “Everyone deserves a break to enjoy themselves once in a while. Besides, I hear it’s going to be extravagant.”
Of course, it is. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Luc and his endless wallet. I open my mouth to decline, but then, I see a man put his hand on Elle’s shoulder as she walks out the door of the church. It’s a harmless gesture, especially when people are funneling out of an event through a single exit. However, no gesture is completely harmless with this crowd of high-profile mafia families. These people wear ulterior motives on their hands like rings.
“Sure,” I say, before I can think better of it. “Sounds fun.”
Vincent looks shocked that I’ve agreed to attend, and honestly, so am I. The fact that I even attended the wedding ceremony is both uncharacteristic and out of my comfort zone. I don’t know what’s come over me.
“Great, see you there then,” Vincent says as he puts his arm around Isla and walks out with her. His attempt to feign good relations between us is delicate. He has nothing against me, but he doesn’t trust me either. That much is clear. And in truth, he shouldn’t. I don’t like to hitch my allegiance to anyone but myself. It would take a lot for me to care about anyone again.