Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 251(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 251(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“This is my alley. You don’t get to pass for free,” that gravelly voice said on her right. She spotted the shadowy figure, standing a few feet away. Freezing, she didn’t know what to do.
Run, Little mate! Titus’s order reverberated inside her head.
Alessia didn’t hesitate. With her heart pounding, she raced toward the exit, ignoring the pain that speared through her feet with each strike of her sneakers on the pavement. Thudding footsteps followed.
“What the…”
A loud snap sounded in the alley behind her and then silence. Alessia didn’t pause. When she emerged into the ring of light from the streetlamp, she kept running. When she turned at the next block, Enzo’s man and the car waited. Damn. He’d sent Frankie.
Frankie pushed away from the car when he spotted her. He tossed his cigarette, leaving the butt glowing on the street. “You’re lucky I didn’t take off.”
“Thank you for waiting for me, Frankie. The club was packed. I had to navigate around a ton of people to leave.”
“What are you wearing?” Frankie snarled.
“The shoes? Can you believe my heel broke?” She held up the evening shoes. Her new sweatshirt pulled away from her wrists. The glowing moon had already faded. The bar stamp’s disappearance emphasized how alone she was. A prickle of Titus’s presence in her mind reassured her.
“Not that. You went to a nightclub in a sweatshirt? That’s not a good way to seduce information out of someone.”
“I wasn’t there to seduce anyone, Frankie. I was wet and got cold. Besides, buying a souvenir allowed me to check out the shop.” Alessia faked a yawn. “I’m so tired. Could we go home now?”
Frankie opened the passenger door for her. Alessia would rather have ridden in the backseat, but she didn’t suggest that. When Frankie was pissed, he was dangerous. He touched her in the guise of helping her settle into her seat, and her skin crawled. Alessia couldn’t help but compare the impact of Titus’s caresses versus Frankie’s clammy skin on hers. Gritting her teeth, she didn’t shy from him and pretended she didn’t notice or mind. When he closed her door, she shrank back against the luxurious leather seat, not relaxing around the predatory man but glad to be free of him.
A shadow of movement along the side of the buildings caught her attention. Glowing red eyes flashed. Was that some kind of animal? Her instincts told her to be careful—not to draw Frankie’s attention to that spot. Alessia stopped herself from leaning forward to peer out the windshield.
Titus?
Be safe, Little mate. I will see you at two.
Chapter
Four
Frankie navigated slowly up the winding drive toward Alessia’s family’s mansion. The trees created a darkened canopy over the road, with the occasional patch of moonlight peeking through to help guide him along the way. Good childhood memories of fun activities with her parents and siblings floated through her mind, making Alessia smile faintly—picnics together under the big trees, making snowmen in the backyard, and jumping through the cold water of a sprinkler on hot days. Whatever happened to that tire swing Enzo pushed her on?
The pleasant memories drifted away as the large mansion loomed into view. Her father had sheltered them from the realities of life in the family. That all changed when he passed and Enzo seized control of the family business. Now the building, which had once held laughter, had taken on a menacing gloom.
When Frankie pulled up to the entryway and stopped the car, a man walked down the stairs to open the door. Alessia didn’t recognize him. Another one of the new guards, no doubt. He had the same look as the rest of them—tall, hard, athletic—and all carrying guns beneath their jackets.
After shifting the car into park, Frankie’s hand wrapped around her thigh, pinning her in place before she could get out. Without thinking, she jerked away from him. Instantly, his fingers tightened painfully on her leg, making her wince.
When her gaze met his, Frankie snarled, “You’ll learn to be nice to me, Alessia. When your brother marries you off, you’ll lose the Costa name. Mine will be the only one that affects you. Better start practicing now. I won’t put up with disrespect. You’ll welcome my touch whenever I wish to have you.”
Alessia stared at him in disbelief. Shock quickly replaced her incredulity at his crude words and plans. He was right. If Enzo forced her to marry Frankie, the brutish man could require her to do anything he wished. Beating his wife wouldn’t cross any lines for a man like Frankie. And no one in the Enzo family would stand up for her. She’d have to run away and hopefully never be found or die. Those would be the two ways to escape that abusive fate.
An image of Titus popped into her mind, and Alessia realized she had another option. The one she would choose even if the other two weren’t horrendously bad. She didn’t challenge Frankie, but when the security guy opened her door, she slid from the car quickly, letting out a long, calming breath as she stepped out of the car. Her shoes crunched on the gritty drive. The residual foot discomfort even in the cushioned sneakers reminded her she wasn’t out of danger yet.