Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Dom’s phone started buzzing. He looked at it and frowned but answered immediately. “I thought you were leaving town?”
Lenora stiffened. I watched her as she looked at her brother. Dom just kept saying a series of “uh-huh” and “no fucking way” and “Nah, that’s impossible” over and over. When he hung up, he let out a whistled breath.
“What happened?” Lenora asked, sitting up straighter.
“Someone broke into the Connecticut house,” Dom said, brows pulled.
“How?” Gabe asked.
“When?” I asked. “Last night?”
“He doesn’t know.”
“He wasn’t there?” Gabe asked.
“No. He got there yesterday and noticed a few things missing.”
“A few things like what?” I asked. Giuseppe’s homes looked like art galleries. Anything a robber would have stolen would be worth millions.
“Who would do that?” Rosie asked.
“He’ll find out soon enough. He has cameras everywhere,” Gabe said.
“He’s going through the footage of the last month. It’s going to take a while,” Dom said.
“Wow,” Yari breathed. “I’ve only met him once in passing, and he was nice to me since I was with Rosie, but even I know not to mess with that man.”
“Excuse me,” Lenora said, setting her napkin on the table. “I have to go to the restroom.”
I looked at the front of the restaurant and ensured a guard was there. There were two in the back where the restrooms were, so I knew she’d be safe, but I needed to know why she suddenly looked uncomfortable. Who was she texting? Had they scared her? I texted my brother.
Me: Call me
My phone rang a second later. “Mikey’s calling. Be right back.”
“What’s going on?” he said when I answered.
“Nothing. I needed an excuse to get up from the table. Thanks for calling.”
“Since when do you need excuses to do anything?” He stayed quiet, waiting for me to answer. When I didn’t, he said, “Roc, I don’t know what you’re up to, but you better be fucking careful.”
“Who said I’m up to anything?”
“Your silence.”
I groaned. “I’ll be careful, Dad.”
“I’m serious, Roc.”
“I know you are. It’s nothing to worry about. Listen, I have to go.”
I hung up the phone as I reached the bathrooms. I’d deal with my brother later. The bathrooms were all unisex, so I tried each of them. Only one was locked. I knocked on that one.
“I’ll be right out.”
“Open the door.”
I couldn’t hear it, but I swore she caught her breath. I waited. Waited. I knocked one time, loudly. “Now, Lenora.”
She unlocked the door. I stepped in, shut the door with the bottom of my shoe, and locked it behind me. She was looking down and sniffling, so I gave her a minute. When she looked up, it was obvious she’d been crying — mascara clumped and puffy lips. I hadn’t kissed her last night. I wasn’t sure why, but I regretted it as I jerked off this morning. Seeing her lips like this, all I wanted to do was kiss her. So I did, because what the fuck difference did it make if I crossed another line? I stepped forward, cupped her face, and brought my mouth down on hers. I meant for it to be hard, but our lips moved slowly. Her tongue sought mine first and I granted permission immediately, deepening the kiss, holding her face closer to mine, lifting her ass with my other hand, and slamming her back against the wall as the kiss turned frenzied. Fuck. I was already hard and having difficulty remembering what made me come after her. I pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” I asked against her lips.
Her eyes welled with new tears, her lip wobbling. I backed away and let her set her feet on the ground. Tears didn’t bother me. I’d made grown-ass men cry. Crystal was always fucking crying, and it annoyed me most of the time. Seeing Lenora cry didn’t sit well with me. She was already going through enough and was too innocent to suffer.
“Tell me.” I lifted her face so she’d look at me. Tears slid down her face, and I leaned down and licked them before they reached her mouth. Even that tasted good. Jesus.
“You shouldn’t be here, Rocco,” she whispered.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I. . .” she shook her head, averting her eyes. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Lenora.”
“I’m fine,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “I’m fine.”
I stared at her, feeling completely out of my depth. For all I knew, I was the reason she was crying. Did she regret last night? My chest felt heavy at the thought because if that was the case, I couldn’t help her. I couldn’t give back what she gave me, what I willingly took, and if I were being honest, I wouldn’t even if I could. Maybe that made me a selfish bastard, but she’d trusted me. Would they check for her hymen? Was that what she worried about? Fuck. It would make perfect sense if she were worried about that.