Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“If something happened, it was just a one-time fluke, okay? I almost died, but he protected me. The guy threw himself on top of me to make sure I didn’t get hurt. And I guess I must’ve gotten a concussion, because if we did something in that office, I obviously wasn’t thinking straight.”
Elisa snuggles against me and wraps her arms around me tightly. “I’m proud of you. Finally letting your defenses down a little bit.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I mutter. “More like we were trying to kill each other with sex.”
She laughs, pressing her face into my side. I hug her close and let myself relax. I’m home and safe now. I don’t have to be so tense all the time. But even now, the memory of being trapped still haunts me, years after it last happened. I’m tempted to ask Elisa if she still thinks about it, but we don’t talk about that day. Not since it happened.
And now I have new trauma to dump on my therapist, which is always fun.
If I ever get a therapist, anyway.
“Seriously, Fio, I’m happy you’re okay. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d survive.”
“No way. Are you kidding? I’m the little weakling in our family. You’re the strong, older sister. Who would protect me?”
“You can protect yourself. Remember that time you kicked Raf in the balls because he called you a little bitch?”
She laughs to herself. “Good point, but you’re so much better at it.”
I nudge her with my elbow. “I’m glad I’m okay too, by the way.”
“So what’s he like? Is he a good kisser?”
“I’m not talking about that.”
“Come on! You haven’t had a guy in your life in forever. Give me one measly little detail. I’m desperate!”
“Use your imagination then.”
She sighs and shakes her head. “That’s no fun.”
“You’re too boy crazy, Elisa.”
“And you’re not boy crazy enough.” She gives me a teasing grin and flops onto her back, stretching her arms and legs. “You’re way too repressed.”
“You’re way too—” I wave a hand at her. She’s wearing skin-tight bottoms and a low-cut tank top. Elisa’s got a great little body, but sometimes I wish she were a little bit less willing to show it off. She’s cute and flirty in a way I’ll never be. Boys have always been drawn to her our whole life, while I’ve done nothing but try to push them away. Life is better without the male gaze hammering down on my tits all the damn time. Baggy, oversized clothes have always been my friends.
“Beautiful? Self-confident? Why, thank you, sister. You could be too, by the way, if you didn’t dress like a homeless person.”
“I’m just a grease monkey, that’s all.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re way more than that. I just wish you’d see it too.”
I don’t bother arguing. We’ve gone over this a million times. I’ll never be soft and girly like her, and she’ll never know the joy of spending a week rebuilding a drive shaft on a finicky vintage car like me. We deal with our problems in different ways, and it’s fine. Mostly, anyway.
There’s a knock at the door. It opens, and our older brother Raffa pokes his head inside. He looks so much like the younger version of Dad that it’s startling. Dark eyes, deep black hair streaked with premature gray, and that patented scowl. The man has resting asshole face.
“Heard you were home. Glad you’re okay.”
“I’m fine. Thanks for checking in.”
He nods slightly. “Come on, Dad wants a word.”
“Uh-oh,” Elisa says, waggling her eyebrows. “Fio’s in trouble.”
“Shut it. I’m the one that nearly got killed today, remember? Whatever I did, I’m sure Dad’s in a forgiving mood.”
Raf’s expression gives me nothing, but it rarely ever does. He’s good at keeping his emotions locked down. I always admired that in him. For years, I looked up to our older brother, hoping I could be like him one day, but I’m starting to learn that’ll never happen.
Because I’m just me. Little old Fiorella. Black sheep of the family. Not the perfect, soft, doll-like mafia princess like Elisa, and definitely not the strong and masculine leader like Raf. I’m something in between. Something nobody else wants.
Which is how I like it.
“Seriously, Fio, I’m glad you’re okay.” Raf looks at me sidelong as we head to Dad’s office at the back of the house. “I’m going to find the guys that did this and make sure they suffer for it.”
“Don’t go to all that trouble on my account.”
“You’re my sister.”
“I’m the least important person in this house, and you know it.”
He stops moving. His expression softens the slightest bit, which worries me. What’s got Raf looking like he’s having actual feelings for once?
“Listen, Fio. I just want to warn you—” He glances to the side and leans in closer. “You’re not going to like what Dad has to say, but it’s important, okay? Try not to react, you know, like you usually do.”