Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
She holds up her thumb to show me the small bloodstain there then slowly brings it to her red-lipped mouth. Her pink tongue darts out and laves the pad of her thumb, and my heart begins to race.
I’m uncomfortable with Ling’s sensuality, have been from the beginning.
Her face lowered, she puts her thumb into her mouth and sucks a moment before letting her arm fall by her side. Then she speaks, “You remember what I told you after the club that night? About what I would do if you took Julius away from me?”
I think hard, trying desperately to remember her wording.
“…if you take him from me, what happens as a consequence of that will be your fault, not mine.”
After a long moment, I nod, because it doesn’t sound like a threat any longer. Now, it sounds like regret.
Taking a single step closer, she looks me in the eye. “I’m sorry.” When I search her expression, all I see is genuine remorse.
I open my mouth to respond, to tell her it’s okay, that from now on, we’ll tolerate each other for Julius’s sake. But she stuns me.
Reaching up, she takes hold of my elbows, gripping them tight in silent apology, then leans forward to place her lips on the corner of mine, kissing me there. I still, unsure what to do. The last thing I want is to offend her. An offended Ling could end my life. A second passes and she pulls back far enough to rest her forehead against my temple. “I’m sorry, Ana.”
This sorry is different. Colder somehow.
And when she raises her head and speaks again, my heart stutters. Her eyes glacial, she utters, “But you brought this on yourself.”
Turning on her heel, she strides out of the motel room, leaving the door wide open.
The evening breeze is cool and, as it passes over me, chills me to the bone.
I wrap my arms around myself, rush toward the door, gripping the handle and moving to close it, but I never make it.
The door swings inward so fast it’s as if a bomb has exploded on the opposite side of it. I’m thrown backward onto the floor, the door hitting my head along the way. Stars dance behind my eyes as I fight to stay conscious. The shirt now gathered around my waist with my ass completely bare, I hear him.
I hear him and die inside.
“Hello, Alejandra.”
Before even having the chance to look up at him, my body begins to tremble in dread as I fight tears of utter terror.
This is it.
This is the end.
He found me.
I’m screwed now.
My first reaction is to cover my bare bottom, and as I shuffle around to do just that, Gio laughs, low and rough, as he moves toward me. “No need for that. I’ve all but eaten off of it before.”
I scuffle backward in a lame attempt to get away from him, but he grips my upper arm and pulls me up with little to no effort at all. I grit my teeth in an attempt to control my breathing, but my chest heaves.
He looks at me and frowns in confusion, tilting his head in thought and speaking on a whisper. “What does he see in you, I wonder?” He shakes his thoughts off. “Same thing my brother saw in you.” He looks at me from under hooded brows. “Nothing but ass.”
I bite my bottom lip to silence the whimper threatening to escape.
He grips my arm, squeezing hard enough to bruise. “How long did it take before you fucked him? A day? Two?” He looks down at me and chuckles quietly. “I s‘pose I can’t blame you. It’s all you know. Isn’t is, Alejandra?”
“Please,” I pant, and I feel stupid for it, because I have no idea what I’m pleading for. A quick death maybe.
His face softens, but only marginally, and he shushes me. “Hey. Quiet now. It’s okay, Ana.” He pulls me close, his front to my back, and locks me in with a firm arm around my shoulders. “It’s okay. You’re coming with me. And we’re going home.”
I can’t fight, not now, not without one of us ending up dead, and that would more than likely be me. I’m smarter than to let pride kill me. So I don’t fight. I let him hold me, and I do it without complaint.
Gio leans down to place his cheek next to mine, rocking me softly. “I missed you, you know?” His free hand slides down my right side, running over my hip to clutch at my right hand. “So, married again, huh?”
I nod slowly, submissively, and he brings my hand up to look at it. He turns his head into mine, to gauge my expression. His brows rise. “No ring?”
I shake my head and stay quiet, although I’m screaming on the inside.