Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54360 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 217(@250wpm)___ 181(@300wpm)
“Guards!” Alessandro yells, and I don’t miss the hint of fear in his tone.
“They’re not coming,” I say smoothly. “They are either dead or have turned against you. Not surprisingly, most of them simply hated you and were happy when I offered them an out.”
“Take another step closer, and she is dead, you bastard.” He digs the knife into her tender skin, drawing both blood and a whimper out of Monroe. I stop, my feet suddenly connected to the floor.
“Let her go, and I will make it quick,” I offer. “You might be a vile asshole, but you are not dumb. You know you’re not going to make it out alive.”
“You are in my house! I don’t need to make it out. My men are loyal!” he screams, making Monroe flinch.
“Then where are they now? If they are so loyal, where are they now? Do you think I killed them all in the five minutes I’ve been gone?”
His face turns red, the vein on his forehead building, ready to explode. He knows I’m right. There is no way I silently killed his twenty guards, plus the other staff around the house. Shots have been fired, and no one is coming for him. He never cared about a single person in his life, and in return, no one cares about him.
“If that’s so, I’m taking your fucking slut with me,” he sneers. His hand tightens around the knife, and my heart stops. The same heart that was frozen for so long begins and stops beating again, all in the same day.
The blade slices through her delicate skin, and blood runs down her slender throat. I aim my gun at Alessandro's head, but I don’t lift it fast enough…
A shot rings out, and I lunge forward at the same time. The knife slips out of Alessandro’s fingers and falls to the ground between us. Monroe’s fear-stricken face goes ghostly white, her hands clutching at her bleeding throat hysterically.
I drop my gun and reach for her, pulling her into my body. I simply hold her to my chest as I sink to my knee. “Baby, look at me. Let me see,” I order, tugging her hand away just enough to see how bad it is.
Blood is trickling down her wound, but it’s not deep. He didn't hit an artery. I pull her body close, and she buries her face in my chest and starts sobbing. Her whole body trembles, but I sigh in relief. She is alive—shaken up, but alive.
I take in Alessandro’s lifeless body on the floor, a puddle of blood forming around his head. His eyes are open, but they are dull, the life in them already vanished. Savio is standing like a statue behind him with his gun still raised. He came in through the terrace door and shot him in the back of the head. It was his plan. He told me that it needed to be done because Alessandro had lost his way. But even so, Alessandro was still his brother. Evil or not, blood is blood, and Savio just killed his own.
“You did the right thing,” I try to assure him, but I don’t think he can hear me. His eyes are glued to the man he just murdered.
Another moment passes before the door opens and two guards walk in. They scan the room, quickly assessing the situation. “Boss?” One of them approaches Savio carefully.
“What?” He lifts his head, snapping out of whatever shock he was in.
“The compound is secure. The men who were loyal to your brother are all taken care of.”
“We can take care of this too.” The second guard motions to the three dead bodies on the floor.
Savio nods. “Yes, take care of this… What about the other staff?”
“The maids and the cook are in the basement like you’ve asked. None of them were harmed,” the guard assures.
“Good work,” Savio praises his men, something his brother never did. “You should take your new wife home, my friend.” He turns to me. “I’ll have one of my men drive you to your place.”
“Thank you. I won’t forget this, Savio.” I owe him more than my life now. I owe him everything. He simply nods and orders his guard to have the car ready for us.
Monroe is still huddled up against my chest, her hands clutching onto my button-up shirt like her life depends on it. I rub my palm against her back and speak softly into the shell of her ear. “It’s okay, sugar. You’re safe now. Let’s go home.”
Holding her shaking body tightly, I stand and walk out of the dining room. On my way to the front door, I pass a few more guards eyeing me curiously as I carry my bride outside, but none of them stops me or asks questions. Savio must have been planning this for a while even though he only told me about his plan today.