Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
“Do you think they’ll kill him if they know he’s there?” Brielle’s concern isn’t unwarranted, but she has to realise her father walked into the lion’s den. If he chose to go to Naples, there has to be another reason.
“We won’t know anything until we talk to him, or find out from them directly.” Judah’s voice is firm, the confidence he exudes when there’s a job at hand makes me proud to call him both one of my best friends, and the man I love.
By the time we’re in the air, on the way to Italy, Brielle is pacing in the bedroom. I can hear her soft footfalls. I try to get a hold of Mario, but there’s no reply. He’s probably asleep or busy, but he has to respond at some point. Hopefully before we arrive in Italy.
“Do you think he’s going to even admit to anything?” I ask Judah as I look over at him swallowing back the alcohol he poured. “A man like that always makes me wonder if he has any morals.”
“He doesn’t have morals. The thing is, I don’t want Brielle to be heartbroken when she learns the truth.” He’s really worried about this. I think Brielle will be strong, focused on the truth, but then again, parents have so much power over us, I can’t truly tell her reaction. It may be worse than I think.
Pushing to my feet, I head into the bedroom to find her sitting on the bed. When she looks up, I can see she’s been crying.
“Talk to me.” I settle on the bed beside her and take her hand in mine. “You know you can tell me anything. There are no secrets amongst us. We’re together now and it won’t change.”
She sighs softly, and then whispers, “My father wasn’t a good man. He has done things that I’m sure I’ll regret learning about, but it hurts my heart to know he couldn’t sit me down and tell me the truth.”
“Some people want you to see the best in them. They know they’ve done something wrong, so instead of confessing their mistakes, they hide them, or they force you out of their lives.”
“Do you think he sent me to live with Judah because he was trying to get me out of his life, or out of the way?” In this moment, I can hear just how pained her voice is. She’s broken up about this, and I can’t imagine sending her away because of something I’d done. The idea alone makes me sick. Her father is a stupid man.
“Maybe,” I say with a shrug. “You can’t tell until you hear it from him. Until the moment he gives you answers, don’t sit here alone and dwell on it. I know it’s easier said than done.”
We sit in silence for a long while, and I wonder if she’s going to ever heal from this. Parents are people we look up to. We put them on pedestals, and when they don’t live up to those expectations, we find it difficult to cope with.
My biological parents were pretty much the same leaving me with nothing. I was convinced that I wasn’t worthy of love, but in the end, love did find me in the form of the Erranis.
“You know,” I say to her, “we can go and relax in the front, or we could invite the guys in here and we can rest for the last bit of the flight.”
Brielle smiles, and nestles her head into my chest. Her sweet scented perfume invades my senses and takes over my need to have her right here.
“You all make me feel so special,” she whispers. “I don’t know how I would survive without any of you in my life. To be honest, I didn’t think I would ever be able to fall in love with any of you.”
“How could you not love me, I’m delightful,” I tease her, causing her to giggle and I smile at the sound.
“I think I’d spent so long hating this world that forced my father out, I didn’t expect to be back in it. And I certainly didn’t think I would ever want to be a part of it.”
“Lie back,” I tell her as I rise and allow her to relax back into the bed.
“What are you doing?” Brielle whispers when I lean in and kiss her lips, then trail my mouth down her neck, over her collarbone. My hands gently tease her breasts, and I pinch her nipples enough to get a squeak out of her. When I reach her hips, I tug at her leggings, and along with her underwear, I drag those down her legs, and to her ankles. Once both items of clothing are on the floor, I spread her thighs.
“I’m having some fun,” I tell her. “Do you want to be watched?” I whisper against her soft skin which makes her whimper.