Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
The entire room is a perfect recreation of his boyhood New Jersey home, right down to the seating arrangement. It wasn’t easy making this room look exactly how he remembered, but he’s much happier in here ever since we made it happen.
“You haven’t been down here in a few days. Busy out there in the real world?”
“I wouldn’t call the Fortress the real world, but we’ve had some issues.”
“Medved.” Elias’s face twitches at the name. He touches his chest, right on top of an old puckered scar, one of dozens riddling his weakened body. The machines around him beep as his heart rate increases. “Still bothering you, isn’t he?”
“Don’t worry about him.”
“He’s kicking at my operations still too. Even after all this time.”
“None of that matters, Elias. You only have to rest up.”
He waves a hand ruefully. “I know, I know. I’ll be healed and ready to leave soon, don’t you worry. I bet you can’t wait to get rid of me.”
“Can’t wait to watch you walk out of here.” I smile at him and pretend like that’s true, but we both know he’s never leaving this room.
We make small talk. He tells me some news he heard. Despite his health, Elias remains sharp as ever and he’s still managing to hold his empire together from a distance, even though he hasn’t been seen in public in years.
“By the way, I heard a rumor recently. Apparently, there’s a woman living in the Fortress? And a baby?”
I grunt and lean back. “You don’t ever leave this bed. How the hell do you know about her?”
Elias’s eyebrows raise. He coughs into his elbow and grins at me. “I was a Dragon when you were still sucking at your baby bottles. I have my ways.”
“Your nurse talks too much.”
“But she’s got a fine ass. Don’t fire her.”
I grunt and cross my arms. “I married her, you know.”
“My nurse?”
“The woman. And the child’s mine.”
He nods slowly. His eyes unfocus for a moment and his face twists in momentary agony. But the spasm quickly passes. “Congratulations then, Dragon Cardone. I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Thank you, Dragon Thorne.”
“How’d she rope you into that one?”
“I got her pregnant and decided to do the right thing.”
“More like you couldn’t imagine letting another man touch your property.”
“Something like that,” I admit, glancing away. His television’s playing an old black-and-white film. “Or at least that’s how it started.”
“Things changed?”
“I feel for the girl.”
That surprises Elias. He leans back and tips his glasses forward. “Don’t tell me you’re falling in love.”
“I wish I wasn’t, but I can’t help myself. You’d understand if you saw her.” Allie’s smile, her perfect lips, the sound of her laugh, the smell of her. I hate it all and need it so badly it hurts. There’s not a soul in this world who I could ever admit any of this to, including Lucy, but Elias is different.
We understand each other in a way nobody else ever could.
“That’s a big deal, Mass. Love’s not a small thing. How’d this happen?”
“Slowly. Without my knowledge.”
“Now you can’t stop thinking about her?”
“It’s disgusting.”
“I’ve been there.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “Really? The blackheart Dragon was in love?”
“Dozens of times!” He laughs until he doubles over in pain. Another spasm takes him. Today’s a decent day, all things considered. I’ve been here during some of his terrible episodes, and those are hard to watch. There’s a reason he can’t get out of bed and won’t survive long out in the real world.
Despite the way this room looks, it’s essentially an isolation ward. Very few people are allowed inside, mostly to make sure that Elias doesn’t get some kind of virus or bug that’ll drain the last dregs of his remaining physical strength.
He tells me about his younger days. About all the women he loved, or at least women he thought he loved, and all the times he let them down. “That’s the curse of a Dragon,” he says softly. “In the end, the job comes first.”
“I’m afraid that’s not the case with Allie. That’s the worst part. I’d burn down my entire empire if it meant keeping her safe.”
“Then you really are hopeless.” Elias smiles and his eyelids flutter. Even having a conversation drains him faster than normal people. “Don’t let that stop you though. If I learned anything in this life, it’s that love comes around rarely and shouldn’t be ignored.”
“Really? That’s your takeaway from years of being a Dragon?”
“I learned other things. Like power is the best drug imaginable. Killing is easy, mercy is hard. I could write a damn book.”
“You should. I’d read it.”
“I’m taking all these secrets to the grave, my young friend.” Elias looks at me thoughtfully. “Send her to see me sometime. I’d love to speak to the girl that stole Massimo Cardone’s heart.”
“I’ll do that.” I stand and pat my old friend’s shoulder. “Some other time. You should get some rest.”