Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Silence stretches between us, and I swallow, his words wielding their way far deeper than they should and leaving a pathetic thought in their wake, because there is no way a reality exists where Enzo actually respects the ring he slid onto my finger. Right?
“That’s—” Ridiculous. The complete opposite of how people are going to react to seeing the man who threatened the Revenaw empire with a Revenaw on his arm. “Oddly specific, and quite presumptuous of you.”
Enzo stands perfectly still for a moment before a slow smirk curves his lips. “Tonight will be the first night the rumors are confirmed. There will be no you or I, only us.” His attention shifts to my hair, and he reaches out, pulling the long Hollywood waves forward. “Tonight.” He takes in the deep part to the right, focusing on the left side that’s slicked down and tucked behind my ear, held in place with three diamond-tipped pins he runs the pad of his thumb over. “The burning curiosity will be fed, and trust me when I say, they’re famished, Little Bride.”
His wrist, so close to my lips, forces his scent down my throat, and I can’t deny the way the spicy sweetness warms my skin. I swear the man isn’t wearing cologne. There is no lab on this planet that could produce the masculinity encompassing him. It’s simply…him.
I can’t believe we’re about to do this.
I shouldn’t be so excited, but I can’t deny I am.
Months in the making, I’m finally at Enzo’s side.
This is what I’ve been waiting for, our first official outing in front of the masses, and we look damn good together, if I do say so myself.
We’re about to blow people’s minds and call me crazy, but I think he might be as eager for this as I am.
Enzo’s gaze snaps to the left then, and my eyes lock onto my mark on his skin. The ink is healing beautifully, though it looks like he could use a little balm to soften it out.
I almost tell him so, but then his attention moves over my shoulder, and he smiles.
It’s a smile I haven’t seen, and curiosity wins out. I glance back, every nerve in my body jolting at once as shock snaps through me.
Katana stands there with a tiara on her head, absolutely glowing in a glittery, golden gown.
Chapter
Eleven
Boston
One of the first things I learned in my training for survival in this world was masking my emotions. Welcome the feeling, mold it into something else and package it up, but don’t forget to throw away the fucking key.
The key must have been thrust into my spine, and with each roll of the tires, the seat digs the jagged metal farther into my flesh until it’s grinding against bone. That’s how bad my back is aching right now, my muscles seemingly frozen fucking stiff.
Anger, frustration, and raw humiliation burn through me at a dangerous rate. It boils low in my stomach and high in my throat, rendering me speechless. A fact that’s confirmed when my secret husband’s ex-wife naively decides it’s safe to speak to me.
“I’m nervous.” She smiles, looking out the window as we wait in the red carpet line, her hands clenched tight in her lap proving her words right.
She wouldn’t last a day in the private rooms at The Enterprise. They would chew her up and spit her out so fast she wouldn’t know what hit her until she felt the blood trickle down her temple.
Her mystic green eyes are wide and happy as she swings them to me, and I have the sudden urge to take the pins from my hair and drive them through her pupils, dirty them up a bit and hide the fact that her bright eyes make mine look like the knockoff version of hers. They’re duller in every sense of the word.
“You look fantastic, by the way.” She grins.
I press my teeth tighter together.
“The color really suits your complexion.”
My heart is beating manically, but I take slow, controlled breaths.
Inhale. One second, two seconds. Exhale.
Repeat.
“And the shoes—”
“Enough.” My voice is level and calm and I deserve a medal for it.
Katana frowns, her mouth opening as she moves her eyes from me to the man beside me. “I don’t—”
“I will make the scene of all scenes if you so much as look my way again tonight. I don’t give a shit who you are, where you came from, or why you’re still here. For however long it is that I have the seat you were pushed out of, you will stay the fuck away from me. Talk to him all you want, fuck him for all I care, but stay the hell out of my way.”
Her eyes flare wide and a deep grumble comes from the asshole beside me, but I’m done.
I don’t wait for our turn, reaching over and throwing the door open when we’re still two cars away.