Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78076 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
He moved fast for a man decades older than me. He snatched Laura by the hair and threw her down to the cobblestones. The gun was cocked then pointed at the back of her head.
She screamed so loud that I knew they hadn’t rehearsed this.
Laura tried to fight his hold, throwing out her arms then trying to get to her feet. “What the fuck are you doing?”
He smashed the butt of the gun into her head—and then the blood came.
I sucked in a breath through my clenched teeth, traumatized by his brutality.
She turned quiet and slumped over slightly, stunned by the hit.
Leonardo had his eyes locked on me, no remorse whatsoever. “Release the embargo with the distributors in Morocco. Now.”
It was the first time in my life I was too stunned to react. My eyes kept glancing to Laura on the ground, the blood darkening in her hair then dripping down onto her sweater.
“Or I’ll shoot her.”
I knew Leonardo was a motherfucker, but I’d never suspected he was capable of this. “This is how you negotiate?” I asked with a calm voice. “You use your daughter? I’ve seen a lot of shit…but never this.”
He pointed the gun at her arm—and fired.
The sound of the gun echoed through the plaza.
Her screams…were horrific.
Blood immediately soaked her sweater, and she screamed as she grasped her arm, slumped to the ground as she whimpered in pain. Victor tried to break ranks to rush to her aid, but one of the guys put a gun to his head.
Jesus fucking Christ.
“Call off the embargo, or I’ll shoot her in the head next time.” He continued to grip her hair, his gun pressed right into her first wound.
“Alright!” I wanted to rush to Laura and apply pressure, but I couldn’t move, not when Leonardo moved the gun back to her head. “I’ll call it off. Let her go.”
The asshole had the nerve to grin—fucking grin. “Guess she does mean something to you.”
“And nothing to you.” I moved to her, but he tugged her back.
“Make the call.”
“She’ll bleed out—”
“Then you better move quick.” He kept the gun pressed to her scalp.
She cried, and I knew it wasn’t from the pain in her arm, but her heart.
I pulled out the phone and put the call on speaker. My contact picked up after several rings. “Continue your relationship with Leonardo. Our business has concluded.”
He hesitated because this was not the plan we’d established. “Bartholomew, are you sure—”
“When am I not sure about something?” I raised my voice, watching Laura clutch her arm on the ground. “Do as I say. Now.”
“Alright.”
I hung up and shoved the phone into my pocket, never taking my eyes off Leonardo. “I did as you asked. Now let her go.”
“How do I know you aren’t going to call when I let her go?”
“Because I give you my fucking word. Now give her to me!”
“You leave my territory and never come back.”
“Fine.”
He finally pulled the gun from her head. “I’m sorry, Laura. Nothing personal.”
I ran to her and gathered her in my arms. She held her arm as she sobbed, angry tears running down her face. She seemed to be in shock because her face was whiter than snow. I lifted her in my arms and turned my back on Leonardo and his men. “I got you, sweetheart.”
“He shot me…”
“You’ll be alright.”
She didn’t seem to hear what I said. “My father…shot me.”
Then the gunshots started.
I ran to the car, carrying her in my arms, bullets hitting the cars. Their snipers were down and mine took out the other assault rifles. A bullet hit me in the back and made me grunt, but my vest protected me from the worst of it. Then a bullet hit me in the arm. I felt the blood flood the sleeve of my jacket.
I got her into the car, and the driver took off.
I ripped off the sleeve of her sweater and saw her normally olive skin covered in scarlet blood. I grabbed the emergency bandages and secured them around her wound, applying the right pressure to stop the bleeding.
She panted. She cried. Her eyes looked weak, like she was already slipping away.
“Sweetheart, look at me.”
After a short fight, she lifted her gaze and looked at me. Her expression changed, falling into despair.
“You’re going to be okay. But I need you to stay with me until we get to the hospital. Okay?”
She gave a slight nod.
“Eyes on me.”
She gave another nod. “I…I can’t believe he did that.”
I was an idiot for not anticipating it. A fucking idiot.
“I’m so sorry…” Her eyes dropped, and then she leaned against the seat, suddenly looking very tired. “I’m sorry…”
“Sweetheart, stay with me.”
Her eyes closed.
“Stay with me.”
I made my choice...and it was the wrong one. Bartholomew is the only man who's ever truly cared about me. He's given me his fidelity, his loyalty, his everything. I hope I can make this right...because I'll die if he walks away. Read Book Two, Barbarian, to see if I succeed.