Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107402 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 430(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
CHAPTER NINETEEN
NICO
Sitting in my office, I stare out the window and look at the rain that begins to hit the glass. I hear the staff preparing dinner just down the hall, but Emelia is the only thing I can think about. The way I blurted out I love her without even thinking still has me more lost than anything. I can’t believe I’m even capable of feeling it, let alone saying it.
It takes all of me to not go to her and wake her up with soft touches and eager lovemaking. I need her like I need to breathe right now. Luckily, Giulio knocks on my office door and distracts me.
“Come in.”
He steps in and shuts the door behind him.“Sir. We have men in the air and set to land in New York in a few hours. I also looked into the yacht explosion. Luckily at the time, all staff and the captain had been off-site. No one was hurt. But the damage is significant and will have a high price tag to replace it.”
Giving him an incredulous look, he nods, understanding what I’m giving him that look for.
“Will do.”
Money isn’t a fucking problem in our world, and my yacht isn’t something I care enough about to spend a high price fixing. I’ll just get a new one. My only concern is finding out the information I need so I can build my case for Emelia.
“It was her family?” I prompt with conviction.
Giulio waits a moment.“The bomb was one that most of the outfits carry, sir. It wasn’t a generic one. In fact…” He pauses, and I bark at him.
“Get it out, Giulio. Enough pussy-footing around.”
“It was traced back to ours. It was one of the unaccounted weapons we lost in the stolen shipment.”
Standing, I slam my hand down on the desk.“Fuckers!” I turn and face the windows, placing my hands on my hips and letting out a string of curses.“It was her fucking family, Giulio. I know it. This man wanted my father dead, and now he wants me dead so he can reign.”
“So we take them out. We have enough to do it, sir.”
“We are missing one thing,” I murmur, staring intently out the window.
“What?” Giulio sounds dumfounded.
“My wife’s approval,” I grumble.
“Excuse me?”
I turn to face him. “You heard me. I need Emelia’s approval to go forward with this.”
You’d think I just told him the most insane story he has ever heard. I don’t blame him. When did having anyone’s approval be a requirement in any of my choices?
“Sir, what does it matter? This marriage was all a part of using her as a last-minute ‘fuck you’ to her father. Given the recent change in events, I would say you got that. You have her wrapped around your finger like some brain-dead idiot.”
Without fucking hesitation, I pull out my gun and stride up to him. Grabbing him by the collar of his dress shirt, I pull him within inches of my face and put the gun harshly against the underside of his chin.
“Don’t you ever fucking disrespect my wife, Giulio. I don’t care about our fucking history or your loyalty to me. I will empty a fucking clip into your thick skull. Do you understand me!” I yell, spit flying from my mouth.
“Yes, sir. I'm sorry. I didn’t know things had progressed on your end,” he admits.
I push the gun harder.“I don’t care if I hate every breath she takes. You don’t talk about her in that way. Ever.”
This time, he remains silent. Smart fucking man. I release him with force, and he slightly stumbles back.
“Get the fuck out of my office until you have news to report about the Notellis’s delivery tonight.”
Without a word, Giulio departs.
Fuck me! I slam my fist into a wall and watch it go straight fucking through.
I know a snake when I see one and I can smell a skunk from miles away. I know her father has everything to do with this. And now I have to wait for Emelia to either agree to my choice or betray my father’s legacy.
What would my dad have done if my mom’s family were the enemy?
Tonight, I will send my men into the den, and if they find anything that belongs to me, then this will be the end. I will tell Emelia that not only did her father kill mine, but he had plans to kill her and me both without a look fucking back.
“I have no choice, my principessa,” I say into the empty office.
Hours pass, and Emelia still hasn’t woken up. I spent most the night on the phone, answering emails and text messages, trying to get some work in without ruining any time I will have alone with Emelia. I found myself thinking back to the way I blurted out I love her without any warning or hesitation.