Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149338 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
My father always kept his friends close, but his enemies closer. It was another mentality that kept you alive. We finally told him we were getting married a few days after we graduated three months ago. He took the news of our engagement better than we expected. Catching us all off guard when he offered us his blessing. It wasn’t as if I would have given him a choice in the matter if he hadn’t.
Mom insisted on stealing Sophia, walking with her around the room at our party, introducing her to everyone. She was the belle of the ball who had all of my mom’s rich bitch friends hanging on every word she said. Kissing her ass, knowing who she was to me. A part of me knew that as much as Sophia was scared of this life, she was also secretly drawn to it. It was hard not to be. From an outsider looking in it was a glamorous life.
When in reality it was Hell on Earth.
Once I finally got Sophia back from my mom, I took her out on the dance floor. Holding her tight, humming the soft melody in her ear.
“I can’t believe you made me think that I lost my ring.” She peered down at the three-karat diamond that I had added to her infinity ring. Setting the stone right in the center of the symbol.
I surprised her with it that morning, and she spent the rest of the day thanking me for it.
“I’m still shocked your dad reacted so calmly to our engagement. Maybe he isn’t so bad, Alejandro,” she admitted out of nowhere.
As soon as those words left her mouth, I stopped dancing. “Look at me,” I ordered in a harsh tone. “He’s the Devil, Sophia. He’s the goddamn Devil. I never want you thinking he’s anything but.”
She lowered her eyebrows. “And you? What does that make you?”
“Next in line,” I replied without hesitation, starting to move with her again.
She grimaced, following my lead. “Are you going to change when you take over? Am I not going to know who you are anymore?” she finally asked what had been plaguing her since the day she made my mom that promise.
I would be lying if I said I hadn’t noticed a change in her after that day.
More questions in her eyes.
More worry in her tone.
More uncertainty in her actions.
More. More. More.
I grazed her cheek with the back of my fingers, getting her to relax. Promising myself right then and there I would never lie to her.
“You look beautiful, cariño.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“You shouldn’t ask questions you really don’t want the answers to.”
She jerked back, hurt, taking a step away from me.
“I am who I am, Sophia.”
She didn’t falter, blurting, “Have you killed anyone else, Alejandro? I mean since that night. Is there anymore blood on your hands?”
“What I do is none of your concern.”
“So that’s a yes,” she huffed, shaking her head in disbelief.
“It’s not a no.”
She backed further away from me, my statement causing her to shudder. For the first time, she looked at me as if she didn’t know me. A glare of disgust spread over her face. It killed me not to lie her. I hated that I couldn’t tell her what she wanted to hear. It would have been easy to pull her into my arms and relieve her worry.
I wasn’t made like that.
I may have been a lot of things.
But a liar wasn’t one of them.
She turned her back on me, wrapping her arms around herself in a comforting gesture. Needing to get away from the truth that was blatantly staring her in the face.
Me.
I allowed her the space she needed, even though I fucking hated it. I ran my hands through my hair in a frustrated gesture, locking eyes with my father across the room. He was smoking a cigar with his associates standing around him. Lifting his glass of whiskey out in front of him in a congratulations gesture.
I grabbed a glass off the table in front of me, nodding, returning the sentiment. I swiftly downed the contents before turning to leave. Desperately needing to get some air and space of my own. Feeling as though the room was closing in on me. I needed to clear my head from the fear that I felt in my heart and the thoughts that cluttered my mind.
My present and my future colliding.
I grabbed a bottle of bourbon from the bar and left. Taking a swig as soon as I walked outside the back entrance of the banquet hall. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to drown my sorrows. I wanted to get lost in my own thoughts.
My own compulsions.
My own Hell.
The fiery liquid burned as I took another swig, welcoming the pain that resonated in my chest. I wanted to pretend like the last ten minutes didn’t fucking happen. Like my whole world hadn’t crashed down around me with a look I never wanted to experience again. I knew it was only a matter of time before Sophia would want answers I couldn’t provide.