Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
I could still recall how we first met. It was after my indictment and the court’s subsequent assignment of a lawyer who didn’t give a damn whatsoever about me. I had already accepted that the justice system was going to crush me in its jaws and my life of freedom was practically over, but then Marco Leone came out of nowhere and gave me new hope.
I came from a brutal world where everyone was out to get you and I had been distrustful of him, but his kind eyes and pure smile made me question my initial distrust of him. Then he bailed me out and brought me to his home. No one had been able to do that given the evidence that had been stacked against me. But he had, and from then on, I was fully converted. He was the real deal.
His daughter on the other hand …
From the start, it was hate at first sight for her. She eyed me haughtily and probably regarded me as a lowly criminal, but I was fine with that because it made it easier to curb my strong desire for her. I was indebted to her father, and the last thing I wanted to do was betray him by hooking up with his daughter.
I thought back to that night when I had covered her mouth with mine. I believed it would be the end of my interaction with her, but life sure had a way of bringing back loose ends you hoped would stay that way forever. And in the most gruesome way.
I recalled my conversation with her at the cemetery and the terrible pain in her eyes. She blamed me. I knew it would be nearly impossible to reach her. But whether she could help me or not, my number one priority from now on was to ensure she was safe and taken care of in every imaginable way. Marco had given up his life for her so I would not let the sacrifice be for nothing.
Zola didn’t know it, but I was now her guardian.
Chapter 7
Zola
Antoine got smoothly to his feet from sitting cross-legged on the floor. “I have to return to work at the restaurant tomorrow,” he told me. “It’s been a few days now. Any more and I think I’ll get canned.”
“Of course,” I said, and he came over to squat in front of me.
“What?” I asked.
He softly brushed my hair out of my face. “I don’t know if I can leave you alone yet?”
I smiled. “What do you think I’m going to do? Slit my wrist?”
The smile was immediately gone from his face. “And that,” he said firmly, “is the reason why I’m not comfortable leaving you on your own.”
I reached out and tousled his messy hair. “I was kidding. I will be fine. I wouldn’t dare hurt myself. Wherever my dad is right now, he would look down and be so disappointed. Plus, I don’t exactly like the idea of doing that before I find the bastard who caused this and make him pay. After that, you can be worried about me. But for now, I’ll stay grounded.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I hear the determination in your voice, so I’ll agree for now. But I’ll keep listening for desolation or anything else alarming and then I’ll act.”
Tears filled my eyes as I wondered about how I would have been able to survive if I had been all on my own. Before he could see them, I turned my face away towards the television. It had been stuck on the news channel ever since that devastating night, but it suddenly changed to a different channel. Startled, I looked up and saw Antoine with the remote.
“You should watch something else,” he said.
“No,” I said as I tried to snatch the device away from him.
He evaded me and instead put on a cooking show of some sort.
“I won’t know what’s going on,” I complained under my breath.
“Everything there is old news. Any important development will be communicated directly to you by the police standing guard outside, so rest your poor mind and heart, please.”
He blew me a kiss before he left, and I settled down to watch the show. I allowed myself to be distracted by the visual stimulation until I fell asleep.
I woke up suddenly. The apartment was in darkness. The only light was from the television and for a second I was terrified. I sat up but was too scared to move any further.
“Antoine?” I called, but I didn't get a response.
He was probably still out. I forced myself to get up and turn on the light. The moment the warm golden ambiance filled the room I was able to relax somewhat. I looked out of the window and wondered just how long I would be forced to remain cooped up in here. I didn’t necessarily want to leave the apartment right away, but I wondered if I ever would without looking over my shoulder.