Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“Lying about what?”
He doesn’t look at me as he talks. “Things were fine. The book was back. The traitor was dead. Even if it broke my heart when your father was killed, we all knew it had to happen. The Black Book was too important. But then my father got sick, his strength faded, and he called me to his bedside barely hours before he slipped away. That night, he told me the truth. We all assumed the Black Book was found, and in a way, it was. Except it’s trapped inside a safe deposit box with no way to get it out, effectively lost forever, at least until I find the key.”
I stare at him, stunned. I’m trying to process all this information at once but struggling. “Your father lied?”
“He told a half-truth. He tracked down the book. Your father must have told him. But there was no key and no way to convince the bank to hand it over. My father’s been tracking the key ever since, and he hasn’t been able to find it. And now that burden is mine. I either find the key and retrieve the book, or my family is fucked.”
I rub my face with both hands and let out a nervous laugh. “How are you supposed to do that?”
“I don’t know.” His expression darkens. “And what’s worse, there’s a Turkish gang leader named Isak Vural who’s been pushing into our territory. I think he knows about the book and I think he wants to find the key too. If that happens—” He leaves it unspoken.
I can put it together. If an enemy of the Corsetti gets the book before Stellan does, they’ll be ruined. Vural will use the blackmail material to destroy them piece by piece.
The full weight of our situation hits me like a bus.
I sink down to the floor, my back scraping against the wall.
“Oh my god,” I whisper, throat hoarse. I throw back the last of my whiskey, even though it makes me gag. “You put me in the middle of a war.”
“In my defense, I didn’t know about Vural until recently.”
“My dad stole that book. Which means they could be after me.”
“You’re safe so long as you’re my wife.”
“But Gem—” I look up in a panic. “Where is she? Is she safe right now? What if they’re after her!” I shove my way to my feet.
“She’s fine, Kira. She’s back at my house. I promise, she’ll be okay. I have people watching my place and keeping an eye on her when she goes to school. They can’t touch her.”
Panic threatens to overwhelm me. I’m breathing fast and barely able to think. My head feels dizzy.
My dad stole a book. And now two rival gangs are fighting over its location.
With me and my sister in the middle.
I had no clue. Not a single idea until right now. All this time, a target’s been painted right on my chest.
“You did this.” I look up, numb all over, save for a spark beginning to grow, a cherry ember in my chest. A little nub of rage. “You dragged me into this.”
“No, Kira—”
“We were fine before you!” I climb to my feet and stalk toward him. “We were fine!”
“If I found you, Vural would have too.”
“You dragged me from my life. I was a waitress! My sister was going to college! Oh, god, they might hurt her, and I swear, I’ll rip you to fucking pieces—”
I try to shove him, but he grabs my wrists. I gasp in surprise as he tugs me close, wrapping me in his arms.
“No, Kira.”
I struggle against him. “Fuck you!”
“Calm down.”
“You’re a murderer! You took my dad away!”
“Your father made his own choices.” His massive body tightens around mine. “Vural would’ve come for you whether I got involved or not. Now that you’re my wife, you’ll be protected. My whole family will throw its weight behind you.”
“I didn’t want this. I just wanted to give Gem a better life.”
“You didn’t ask for your father’s sins to come staining you now, but there’s no pretending like it’s not happening. I’m going to get you through it. I swore I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, and I meant it.”
I finally break. I was holding myself up by sheer force of will, but I can’t do it anymore. I cry against him, hating him, but also aware that I need him now more than ever. His smell, his warmth, his strength. A part of me knows Stellan is right. He didn’t do this to me, and if the Turks knew about the book, it makes sense they would’ve come looking for me too sooner or later.
But I still hate him. And I want him and I need him. But god, all I’ve done to make my sister’s life better, it’s all going to wash away if we can’t survive this.