Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 204(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40859 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 204(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 136(@300wpm)
When did Diaz call for the hit on me? Was it after that party? For years, I loved Benny. For years, we had a very private relationship. It bothered me that he wouldn’t take me out. I didn’t understand even when Giulia told me not to pry or push.
I brought this on him and myself. I wanted to know why I couldn’t be seen. All because I made things about me. “Oh Benny, you’re ashamed of me, that’s why you never take me out.” I would tell him this over and over.
In this moment, all the things in my mind that tore me apart about being with Benny suddenly didn’t come from him but from my own head. He never told me I was anything less than beautiful. A gift to him, one he didn’t deserve. Only I couldn’t understand if I was special, why couldn’t we have a real date? Why couldn’t we live together? Why couldn’t I see his house? If Giulia hadn’t sworn to me he wasn’t married, I wouldn’t have believed it.
Yes, I literally asked him once if I was his mistress because I believed he had a wife and kids at home.
Benny didn’t, though.
Benny had Benny and that was it.
No parents, no siblings, no cousins, no one close to him. No friends. He had business associates and that was it.
Other than me.
I was Benincio Cartagena’s weakness, then and now.
He didn’t have to come here today. He knows Diaz sees me as a threat. He knows Diaz wants me dead. Hell, he knew it before I knew it. He knew coming here, he wouldn’t leave alive. He’s here to help me.
All this time I thought it was Benny I should fear, when he only wants to protect me.
He let me go.
Shots ring out from just outside the building. Everything happens in a flash.
Benny grabs me, putting his body between mine and Diaz. There is a distinct pop. I feel Benny jerk over me and warm liquid seeps onto my shirt as his weight takes me down. He reaches out trying to brace us both for the fall as my hands are bound.
“Loved you then, love you now, Leigh,” he whispers.
As I glance up, Diaz is smirking over us with his gun aimed.
“Benny,” I whisper his name, as another shot rings out. I wait for Benny to cry out or shift or show something. I wait to feel pain, but there is none.
Instead, Diaz goes down with splatter covering Benny and a little on my face.
Only then does Benny tell me, “Be free, Leigh. Leave it all behind. Find happiness. You are too good for my world.”
“Benny, don’t you give up,” I tell him shifting from underneath him. “Dammit, Benny you can be happy in your world, but don’t you give up.”
In seconds though, I have a chiseled face in front of me, one full of concern. “Michele, are you hit?” Rogue asks, instantly something inside me soothes like never before.
I shake my head and whisper, “Benny took the bullet meant for me. I’m gonna be fine.”
Rogue’s lips crash to mine and before I can think about anything I give in him kissing him back.
Feeling this close to death, knowing one man lost his life to save mine, I want to embrace everything left in front of me.
Scooping me up, I drop my head against Rogue not wanting to see the collateral damage around me. He takes me to another building where I see some of the other Kings. Gently, he puts me on my feet, not releasing his hold until I’m steady. He takes a knife from his side and removes the bindings on my wrists. Moving to his saddlebag, he retrieves a sweatshirt and puts it over my head as I guide my arms in it. The shirt swallows me and covers the bottom of his shorts I still have on.
I look like a wreck, but I don’t care what any of these people think of me. As Rogue wraps his arms around me pulling me to him, I do the same wrapping him in my embrace before I roll up on my bare feet to press my lips to his.
“Thank you, Jennings, for saving me.” I whisper which gets me a smile.
“Worth it.”
I don’t know what exactly he means by saying that, but I’m exhausted and in shock so I don’t ask.
Another man enters the room beside us, he was there when Rogue carried me out. “Benny?” I ask him.
“Not sure yet, babe. Got him in a van to take him to our doc. He’s alive for now.”
I nod and bury myself against Rogue. “Jennings,” I begin.
“Buttercup,” he replies softly.
“I’m scared to ask, but I need to know. She was nice to me, so kind. She tried to tell me to stay in the closet. I didn’t listen. Is Kitty okay? I told her to run, they shot her though. In your beautiful house.”