Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
I stepped out of the main doors of the house and onto the stairs, and I found my brother standing at the bottom, a cigar in his mouth.
“How is he?” he asked, leaning against the stone banister with one hand in his pocket.
All I did was shake my head.
He released the smoke from his mouth and gave a sigh. “Never seen him like this.”
“I get it,” I said. “Did we ever figure out who the traitor is?”
“No. None of the soldiers knew who it was. They might be dead…or might still be alive.”
“I’m sure we’ll figure it out eventually.” And by we, I meant Wolfe.
“I’m not so sure. Wolfe killed everyone who knew who he was, so…”
I heard the distinct beep of a tractor in reverse and looked across the clearing between the buildings to the oak tree in the distance. Wolfe had told me not to look at whatever was over there, and as soon as my eyes shifted in that direction, they looked away again and focused on something else.
Roman appeared at the top of the stairs behind me. “Leo, Don wants to see you.”
Leo pulled his cigar out of his mouth then waggled his eyebrows at me. “Wish me luck.”
I gave him a little nudge in the arm when he passed me. My eyes immediately shifted to the tractor working the dirt in the distance again, but thankfully, there wasn’t much to see anymore. Whatever had been there had mostly been cleaned up. But then I felt that stare against my flesh, felt that heated blaze that could puncture holes in my bones.
I turned back toward the stairs and felt the origin of that stare from the terrace. My eyes found his, dark like the earth after a heavy rain. My entire body paused—my heart, my lungs, everything, just went silent.
He stared at me like I was his, just in case I’d somehow forgotten.
Then the pause ended and life continued.
He reached the stairs then came down to join me. Wolfe wore a charcoal-gray t-shirt and black jeans, his dark ink acting like literal sleeves that completed his shirt. He moved to the other banister, keeping several feet between us, a distance that we never shared when we were alone together.
He stared at me.
I stared back, my nerves in a tight bunch.
He continued to look at me like we were in the middle of a conversation that I’d missed.
“Why are you staring at me like that—”
“Did you tell him?”
“Tell him what?”
He didn’t move or flinch, but somehow, he made his inferno of rage known.
I quickly realized my error. “He’s just not in the right place right now, Wolfe.”
He didn’t blink. Hadn’t blinked since he’d joined me. And all that anger surged in his enormous muscles.
“He has a funeral every day this week. You know it’s not the right time.”
He worked his jaw slightly, eyes mad as hell.
“Wolfe, you know I’m right.”
He took a slow breath then released a growl. A literal growl.
“Wolfe—”
“Mark my words, Francesca.” He stepped toward me, closing the distance between us for everyone to see. “Drag your feet too long, and I will take matters into my own hands—”
“I’m not dragging my feet,” I snapped. “You’re the one being impatient.”
“I killed every last one of those motherfuckers—not for him, but for you. I’ve earned you, and I want to claim what’s mine.” He made a fist then slammed it into his chest, hard enough to make a thump.
I loved how passionate he was, but he was like a wild horse that couldn’t be saddled when he was like this. “Well, it’ll need to wait.”
“How long?” he demanded.
I didn’t want to say, knowing he wouldn’t like the answer and he might flip.
“How long, Francesca?”
I took a slow breath in preparation for his wrath. “A couple weeks…maybe a month.”
“Are you fucking kidding me—”
“Let’s finish this conversation at home.” Before he could flip out on me further and start yelling so everyone would hear our business, I walked off and headed to one of the other buildings that held some of our filing cabinets.
I didn’t hear him behind me, so I knew he didn’t pursue me.
But I knew I would get an earful later.
I was making dinner in the kitchen when I heard the front door open and close. When he was finished at the winery, he went to his home to do his daily workout and shower before he headed over. It was an unspoken routine we’d silently agreed to. Despite the beautiful home in his possession, we continued to spend our time here, even though we were far more likely to get caught with his Range Rover parked outside.
But knowing Wolfe, that was exactly what he wanted.
I heard his footsteps behind me, but they weren’t followed by an affectionate greeting. His hands didn’t grab my ass either, so that wasn’t a good sign.