Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
No amount of tears is going to lessen the pain of losing her family. Scabs might grow over the chunk that was ripped out of her heart, but the hole will never heal.
My eyes stay glued to the woman who has an unexplainable hold on me. A sob escapes her, and she turns her face into the pillows.
Most people who meet me, think I’m an emotionless robot, but I’m not. I climb to my feet and shut the door. After I close the blinds, I walk back and sit down on the side of the bed.
Taking hold of Cassia’s shoulders, I pull her to me. She shakes her head, but when I press her face to my chest and engulf her in my arms, a broken cry rips from her.
“I wish I had the ability to protect you from the pain,” I whisper as I start to caress her caramel-colored hair. “But I can make sure no one else sees you like this.”
She nods, and I’m surprised when she wraps her arms around me.
Cassia weeps, her cries echoing in my heart, and all I can do is close my burning eyes.
Not once have I cried for Ronnie, but God, I wish I could. I think it would help.
Minutes tick by, and holding Cassia while she mourns her family makes a foreign emotion seep into the cracks in my soul.
It makes my protective side, that’s already out of control, grow even more. Whatever hold she has on me becomes stronger and it has red flags going up in my mind.
Fuck.
Pulling my arms away from Cassia, I get up and walk to the door. Without a word, I let myself out of the room before shutting the door again.
I shake my head while I stand in the hallway. I can’t become attached to Cassia Dimitrou.
I shake my head again and move to the side so I can lean back against the wall. Crossing my arms over my chest, I snuff out whatever kindling of emotion Cassia is making me feel.
Caring about someone eventually turns into love, and then it hurts like a motherfucker when you lose them.
This is only a temporary arrangement.
I just need to make sure Cassia survives the bratva and becomes the head of the Greek mafia, then I’ll return to helping Santiago.
Jasmine comes down the hallway and she gives me a nod, the expression in her eyes cautious as she says, “You should go so Cassia can rest.”
Ignoring her words, I turn around and walk to the restroom. I empty my bladder and wash my hands.
I’m only gone for a few minutes, but as I near Cassia’s room, I notice the door is open. I pick up my pace and when I step inside, it’s to see Jasmine shaking Cassia’s shoulder to wake her up.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I snap.
Jasmine’s head swivels to me, and her eyes go wide. “It’s time for her to eat.”
“Outside,” I order through clenched teeth. “Now.”
Jasmine hurries out into the hallway, and I shut the door behind me before I level her with a look of warning. “When this door is closed, you don’t go inside unless it’s an emergency. Do you understand?”
She nods but then says, “She hasn’t eaten all day, and it’s already two o’clock in the afternoon.”
“She had oats for breakfast. I’ll make sure she eats when she wakes up. She needs sleep more than food right now.”
From Jasmine’s pale face, I can tell I scared the living shit out of her.
I soften my tone a little as I say, “Just do as you’re told, and everything will be okay.”
She nods before briskly walking away from me.
I open the door and enter the room without making a sound. When I see Cassia is still asleep, I let out a breath of relief.
I sink down on the armchair, barely sparing the tray with a silver food cover a glance.
I prop my elbow on the armrest and rest my cheek against my palm. A good thing about being in the Navy, it made it easy for me to sleep anywhere.
Closing my eyes, I start to count from one to ten, repeating the process so my mind doesn’t drift off to the dark place.
Chapter 12
CASSIA
When I wake up, I feel groggy as hell, my body aching something fierce. Especially my lower back.
The urge to cry wells in my chest as I listlessly turn my head from side to side.
“What’s wrong?” Knight asks, drawing my attention to him.
“Pain.”
He gets up and stalks out the door, and less than a minute later, Jasmine comes rushing into the room as if hellhounds are chasing her.
“Hi,” she says with a tight smile around her lips. “Your guard says you’re in pain?”
I nod while trying to smile at her.
“I’ll give you something that will start working fast. It might make you drowsy.”