Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 48854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48854 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 244(@200wpm)___ 195(@250wpm)___ 163(@300wpm)
I leave my bedroom and head down the hall to see my father. When I reach the bedroom door, I knock. I can feel the guards watching me, but I no longer care. It’s time to end this.
My mother opens the door and smiles. “Darling.”
“Mom,” I say as she embraces me.
“Come in.” When I do enter the room, I find my father at the desk, working. I knew he would be. The man never sleeps.
“Lelia,” he says as he stops looking at the computer screen and turns to me. “What are you doing here?”
“Dad,” I say, my heart thudding in my chest. “If I told you I didn’t want to get married, what would you say?”
“Oh, darling,” Mom pipes up. “You’re just getting cold feet. Ignacio is a lovely man, and he’s got so many connections. Anything you want to do in life he’ll be able to help with.”
“It’s not about that, Mother. I want to love the man I marry, not live a life alone and be kept like an owned pet.”
“Sweetheart,” my dad says then. “You’re acting like a child. This is your destiny.” The words sting because I know it’s a lie. Nico is my fate, not Ignacio. There’s no getting through to them, so I nod. Playing the role.
“Sorry to have bothered you.” I turn and stop at the threshold of their room. “See you tomorrow.”
When I shut the door behind me, I feel alone.
“My cousin,” Cassio’s voice carries from down the hall and my stomach once again drops to my feet. He’s the last person I wanted to be alone with. But I have no choice but to be the perfectly poised woman.
“Cassio.”
“What are you doing out here all alone?” He stops right in front of me, leaning in so I have to step back. My body hits the wall, and I have no escape.
“I wanted to talk to my parents. Is that okay with you?” I snap back. I’m tired, and I don’t feel the need to talk to him.
“No need to be rude.” He chuckles. “Come, I’ll walk you back to your bedroom.”
I want to refuse him, but if I do, he’ll get suspicious.
“Soon you’ll be a married woman. I bet he’ll fuck you endlessly until you’re carrying his child.” My cousin has always been vulgar, but he’s taking this to another level. “Thankfully, you never ran off with a Montesano,” he says as he stops short, gripping my arm so I’m turned to face him. “Right?”
Fear twists in my stomach. He knows something. “Of course.”
Cassio leans in close, his eyes locked on mine. “Don’t fuck with me, cousin,” he says in a dangerous tone. “If you’re spreading your legs for filth, I’ll know. I’ll kill all the Montesanos.”
His words are a sword straight to my heart. Cassio knows. I have no doubt about it. The question is—why hasn’t he told Ignacio? Unless he already has.
“Get some beauty rest. You’ll need it for tomorrow.”
I don’t reply because he’ll hear the fear in my voice. Instead, I turn and rush into my bedroom, then lock the door from inside. I lean against it, needing support. My eyes close as I try to make sense of what the hell just happened.
It’s then I hear the tap at my window before I see the shadow. I move to the curtains slowly, unsure of who the hell is out there in the rain. My heart thuds against my ribs as I tug the curtain aside.
And there he is. Soaked, reckless, beautiful. I pull the window open and he climbs through without a word.
“Are you insane?” I whisper.
His jaw is tight. “I had to see you.” He’s dripping wet, shirt clinging to him, hair slicked back with rain.
I close the window, then grab a towel from the bathroom and throw it at him. He catches it but doesn’t thank me. Just starts drying off, his eyes never leaving mine.
“What happened?” I ask.
“Marco cornered me.”
Fear coils in my stomach. “What did he say?”
“Asked questions. Too many.” He shakes his head as he stands before me, and I know something is wrong. So very fucking wrong.
I press a hand to my mouth. “You need to leave. Tonight. Before he tells my father and Ignacio.”
But Nico shakes his head.
“I’m not leaving.”
“You have to,” I insist urgently, taking steps toward him. I need to be close. I want to feel him. “You’re in danger—”
“So are you,” he throws back. “I called reinforcements yesterday. They’re already on a flight. I didn’t think I’d need them, but my cousins are arriving soon. I thought if they were close, and we were overpowered, we can use their strength.”
We stare at each other.
Then his voice softens. “Lia… I came here with a plan. A mission. It was always to save you, to take you as mine, and spend my life with you.”