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)
“Is he leaving?” I asked. “Is that why he’s upstairs? He’s leaving?”
It was hard not to wither underneath my brother’s stare. “Why don’t you go upstairs and find out, and while you’re at it, tell him to get his ass down here.”
I went, but my steps faltered and I turned around again. “Are you going to hit him again?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to?”
“No, I don’t want you to.” I threw my hands up. “I didn’t want you to in the first place.”
“He’s a big boy, Lenora. He can take a few punches. He’s had worse.” He looked away momentarily. “Tell him we’re waiting for him.”
I rushed upstairs. Dean had lowered the house when everyone came inside, so it was dark again. God, it had been torture watching them outside, and it was even worse now that I didn’t know the extent of the damage I’d caused. I stood in front of Rocco’s door and stared at it. Would he be mad at me and kick me out of his room? It was his right to do that, but I wasn’t sure my heart could take it. I opened the door. He peeked out of the bathroom as I walked inside and shut the door behind me. He was shirtless, and while normally his body would have beckoned all of my attention, his battered face had it now. I pressed a hand over my heart, breathing shakily as I walked over. When I reached him, I lifted the tips of my fingers to the dark bruise forming around his left eye. He watched me as I did it and didn’t flinch when I brought my other hand to his jaw and ran my fingertips right next to his split lip.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, searching his eyes, my fingertips still on his face.
“Don’t apologize.” He turned his face and kissed the spot where my pulse beat, cupping my face softly as if I was the one who was all bruised up. He lowered his forehead to mine and shut his eyes.
“He shouldn’t have hit you.”
“Yes, he should’ve.” His eyes crinkled when he pulled back to look at me. “I got off easy. If the tables were turned, I would have probably murdered him.”
“No, you wouldn’t have,” I said softly. “I feel so awful. First, my dad, and now, I feel like I ruined your friendship.”
“What are you talking about?” He pulled away again. “You didn’t ruin anything.”
“I did.” I lowered my head.
“All you’ve done is make me happy. How could you have ruined anything?”
I swallowed. “But Dominic. . .”
“Is fine. He’ll have to get over it and get used to seeing us together.”
My head snapped up. “What do you mean?”
“I plan to be by your side until you get sick of me.” His thumb made soft circles on my cheek.
“But. . .” I frowned. He had to know that was impossible, right? I blinked back tears.
“I’m in love with you, Lenora.”
I inhaled sharply. “What?”
“I’m in love with you,” he repeated.
“Oh, my God.” I set a hand on my stomach because the butterflies wouldn’t quit.
“I’m not telling you this because I expect anything from you.” He kissed my forehead. “I’m just telling you because when I was out there getting my ass kicked, the only thing I could think about was how I felt about you.”
“Rocco.” My words were whispered. The tears I’d been holding back began trickling down my cheeks. Rocco Marchetti was in love with me. I swallowed past the knot in my throat. “I’m supposed to marry Adriano. My father will. . .well, look at what he’s capable of.”
“Fuck them.”
“You can’t just shrug them off. My father is a monster.” I wiped my tears. “And Adriano’s family is very rich.”
“And?”
“What do you mean ‘and?’” I pushed his chest lightly. “He’s a billionaire. He’ll kill you just to prove a point.”
His dark chuckle curled inside my belly as he pinned me with a serious gaze. “‘A billionaire,’’’ he said, air quoting the words like I’d made it up. “You think there’s a chance in hell that a ‘billionaire’ could take me out? Come on, Lenora.”
I rocked back on my heels. The Salvati Family had money that opened up doors meant to be bolted shut, but Rocco was probably right. My father had described Rocco as someone who didn't need a weapon because he was already a deadly weapon. He’d said it so proudly that thinking about it now, knowing what he’d done, filled me with anger.
“You don’t have to worry about me.” He brought my hand up and kissed it.
“Okay.”
I dropped the topic because I believed him and would rather have spent however long we had together actually being together. I sat up on the counter, flinching every time he hissed as he tended his lip. I couldn’t stop staring at him. I wanted to lick every single square of his abdomen. His face, even beat up, was perfection. He’d said he was in love with me. My heart skipped a beat. I replayed it and bit my lip to keep from laughing out of pure joy.