Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Angelo will get over you in a heartbeat, and Valentina will be there to comfort him,” he continues to say. “Either you fucking leave, or I’ll bury your body in my backyard. When Angelo and Valentina get married here, I’ll make sure they say their vows on the spot where your corpse is being eaten by worms.”
Oh my God. This can’t be happening.
My heart hammers against my ribs, and my breaths grow shallow.
“Angelo will never believe I just left him without a word,” I whisper, tears threatening to overwhelm me.
“He’ll believe what I tell him!” Maurizio shouts in my face, and I flinch again.
I can’t…what?
I shake my head as the gravity of the situation bears down on my shoulders.
What do I do?
My eyes dart to the envelope holding the bribe money, then I spot my handbag.
I need to call Angelo!
My gaze flits back to Maurizio, and when I try to dart past him, he grabs hold of my waist and yanks me backward. I lose my footing and stagger into Maurizio. My side hits the balcony’s railing, and with zero control, I tip over the side.
Fear explodes in my chest, and I grab hold of Maurizio.
Everything happens so freaking fast I don’t realize what’s going on until it’s too late.
I’m unable to scream from the intense shock and stop breathing as we both go over the side of the balcony. My body reacts, and I manage to grab hold of the railing.
I feel Maurizio's fingers grasping at my dress, then a second later, I hear a sickening thud below. Hanging on the side of the balcony, I make the mistake of glancing down.
Seeing Maurizio’s body bent at a weird angle over a boulder, his eyes frozen in death, makes a harrowing emotion darken the world around me.
Mother of God!
My breaths are nothing but shallow rasps, and I feel lightheaded from the trauma I’ve been subjected to.
In grave danger of falling to my death, I let out a desperate sob.
No.
NONONO.
My fingers tighten their hold on the railing, and the fear of falling gives me a strength I didn’t know I possessed to frantically pull myself back to safety.
I drop onto the floor of the balcony and gasp for air as the trauma and dire circumstances shudder through me.
Maurizio’s dead.
Angelo’s beloved uncle is dead, and it’s my fault.
‘Uncle Maurizio’s like a father to me.’
Recalling Angelo’s words, I push myself to my feet and hurry into the room. Frantic fear keeps me from thinking clearly.
It happened so fast that I can’t process it at all.
Desperation and dread have me grabbing the envelope and my handbag before I rush out of the room. My eyes dart around, and I expect the guards or Gloria to intercept me at any moment.
I fly down the stairs, my breaths mere pants while I keep glancing frantically around me. My heart pounds harder and faster as I run toward the front door.
I can’t believe what just happened.
This isn’t real.
It’s just a nightmare.
No! Why? Why did this happen?
God.
I’m inundated with panicked thoughts, and each one has me moving faster as I dart out of the house.
Once Gloria realizes Maurizio is dead, she’ll probably order my death on the spot.
The mafia never asks questions, they just kill.
They won’t believe it was an accident.
The retired head of the Cosa Nostra is dead because of me.
The guards will kill me.
God, Maurizio is dead!
A sob bursts from me as I hurry to the sedan parked out front.
Please, Father. Don’t let them find Maurizio’s body before I’m gone. Help me!
Yanking the door open, I climb behind the steering wheel and start the engine. My eyes flit wildly around, and seeing the guards multiplies my fear.
GoGoGo!
I push the gas pedal to the floor, and with screeching tires, the vehicle darts forward. The guards all glance at me, and it makes me hold my breath as I race toward the gates.
Luckily, the gates start to open, and my lips move as I say one silent prayer after another.
Please. Please. Please.
Forgive me. I didn’t mean to kill him.
Don’t forsake me in my darkest hour.
Why? WhyWhyWhy?
When I glance in the rearview mirror, there’s no sign of Gloria, and I can only pray she doesn’t find Maurizio’s body before I’ve managed to put a safe distance between the villa and myself.
They’re going to think I killed Maurizio. The entire Cosa Nostra will want me dead.
Angelo will never forgive me.
I’m going to hell.
I have no idea where to go as I turn onto a road, but I floor the gas pedal. My knuckles are white from my tight grip on the steering wheel, and I keep glancing in the rearview mirror, expecting the guards to come after me.
My thoughts are a jumbled mess, and the fear, shock, and panic have me spiraling into a dark pit of despair.
Angelo will never forgive me for killing his uncle.