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)
“I’d die for her.” I spit out more blood and chuckled, because, leave it to me to fall for the one woman I’m not supposed to have. “I don’t know how else to describe this, Dom.”
“You’re in love with my sister? Jesus Christ, Rocco. You’re. . .and she’s. . .” He held the bridge of his nose and muttered things under his breath; then he looked at me. “What the fuck, man? You know she’s supposed to marry Salvati.”
“She’s not getting married,” I said. His eyes widened. “I don’t care if he’s a king or a fucking god. She’s not marrying anyone.”
Except for me, I wanted to say but held my tongue because that would’ve been overkill.
“You’re in love with my sister,” he said. A statement, not a question, as if trying to make sure he understood me correctly.
His words didn’t warrant a response, so I spat more blood and remained silent. My face was starting to hurt like a bitch. When he moved toward me again, my stomach clenched, my body instantly preparing for the next onslaught. I kept my hands down, though, even as he brought both hands up. I kept mine down and focused on not flinching. He set a hand on each of my shoulders. It was so shocking that I almost moved away.
“Fuck,” he breathed, letting his head hang between us for a moment. He lifted his eyes as he dropped his hands. “I just thought. . .I just figured. . .” He searched my eyes, swallowing hard. “I know you’ll do right by her. I do. It’s just. . .”
“She’s your little sister,” I said, finishing the sentence for him. “I know, Dom. Trust me. This wasn’t planned. I didn’t fucking want to fall in love.” I scoffed. “Look at you and G and Lor. A bunch of fucking pansies.”
His eyes narrowed and he shook his head again. “Fuck, man.”
“I don’t regret it,” I said. “I’ll take any punishment that comes my way, but I will never regret your sister.”
He looked at me for the longest time. I knew he wouldn’t hit me again, but I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, which was a first. Suddenly, he stepped forward and threw his arms around me. He gave me an actual full-on hug. I was so shocked by it that I couldn’t return it even if I’d wanted to.
“You fucking better be willing to die for her.” He stepped away, his brows tugging. “Shit, you actually might.”
No truer words had been spoken. The way things were looking, I probably would.
29
LENORA
Rocco went straight to his room when they came back inside, and I stayed downstairs with Rosie, Dom, Dean, and Michael, brooding, waiting for the acceptable moment to excuse myself and go after him. We were all just standing around anyway. Dominic hadn’t said a word to me. He shot me a pointed look and walked over to Rosie to whisper in her ear like a middle schooler. Dean and Michael grabbed a bottle of whiskey and sat in the den. I had no idea what the outcome of their fight had been. I couldn’t read my brother’s mood. Was he finally blaming me for it? I’d take the blame a hundred times. I didn’t care. It was better than seeing Rocco just stand there while Dominic beat him up. I couldn’t take it anymore. I either had to ask him or go upstairs, but I couldn’t just sit here as if nothing happened.
“What happened outside?” I asked. Dominic’s face snapped up. Of course, he just fucking stood there looking at me. “What did you say to him?”
“What’d you think would happen, Lenora?”
“I don’t know.” I threw my hands up and paced the tiny space. “This is my fault, you know? I was the one who kept pushing him. I didn’t want. . .” I swallowed, this was going to be TMI for my brother, but I was past caring. “I didn’t want Adriano to be my first.”
“I didn’t want to hear that, but I understand,” Dom said after a moment.
“The point is, if you’re going to be mad, be mad at me.”
“You know what they say, Nora. It takes two to tango.” He turned and opened the fridge.
“I know, and I’m telling you that I was the one who started the dance.”
He turned around, looking amused at my response, and for the first time in my adult life, I wanted to hit my brother. I would have if I thought it would hurt him. Instead, my heart sank as I went over this mess. We were already in the middle of an important disaster that my father created, which just added to it. Would Rocco leave? Was that why he was taking so long upstairs? Because he was packing? Had I been the cause of breaking up a lifelong friendship? Damn it. Of course that had crossed my mind initially, but I didn’t think it would actually happen this way. I don’t know what I thought. I guess I thought we’d take this secret to our graves along with my heart, which only seemed to beat for him.