Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110824 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“Does it bother you?” Her face shows confusion, and her nose scrunches up in a way that makes me chuckle. I bend down, kissing the tip of it. “My job, Kitten,” I semi-explain. There’s no way I’m going into detail of everything I do.
“No. Should it?”
“It would some people.”
She seems to think it over for a minute and then slowly brings her attention back to me. “I know you’re right. It’s just that I’ve seen evil. I’ve seen what it did to me, to my Uncle Max, to Emilia, and even Melina, though I didn’t see that up close. Still, I know what happened. I saw how evil Dante was and what he did to those I love. What you do…” she shrugs, trying to gather her thoughts.
“Tell me, sweetheart.”
“I’ve wanted revenge for a long time for what was done to me, Victor. I know I shouldn’t. I also know I can’t get it. I don’t even know who my attackers…attacker was. Still, I wish I could find them and make them pay. What you do? Is not done to hurt innocent people. When you do something, it’s to do what I’m not strong enough or can’t do in my own case. So, how can I judge you when I wish I could be more like you?”
There’s a lot to what she just said. It doesn’t escape my attention that she uses words that kind of describe what I do but doesn’t use words that are blunt or harsh. I mean, I kill people. She knows that. Yet she skirts around that with her wording. It’s possible that she is burying her head in the sand. That doesn’t bother me. I’m okay with it, as long as it means I get to keep her. It does shock me that she thirsts for revenge. She does, too. I could see it in her eyes as she was talking. Gia doesn’t realize that I’m going to be her avenger. I was already trying before. Now? Now, I will make it a mission. There is one small thing that bothers me. It sounds like there was more than one attacker. God, if that’s true how did my woman survive as well as she has? How does she still manage to keep a smile on her face, love in her heart, and a kindness that blows me away?
“I’m not letting you go, Gia. You need to know that.”
“Victor…”
“I’m keeping you. I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d agree.”
“Marry me?” she gasps. “Are you crazy? Victor, we’re on our first date,” she laughs.
“Kitten, we’ve been together for over a year. Your problem is that you’re just now catching onto that fact. Everyone else already knows.”
She moves her hands up to my chest, putting them flat. One of them rests over my heart and something feels perfect about that, although I couldn’t tell you why.
“We’ve just recently had our first kiss,” she points out.
“And if you think, after having your kiss, I’m going to let another man swoop in and steal you away from me, you’re crazy. I want my ring on your finger. Hell, I want my name tattooed on your body.”
She swallows nervously, her body trembling a little in my arms. I know I’m scaring her. I need to dial it back. The problem is I can’t. I need her to know how serious I am.
“You’re kind of freaking me out, Victor.”
“I know. It’s still better you know how deep I’m in this with you, sweetheart. I want forever with you. I want everything you have to give me. I want babies with your fucking gorgeous red hair, your sweet dusting of freckles, and your beautiful green eyes.”
Her body goes rigid. I know I’ve gone too far, but I can’t make myself feel guilty about it. In fact, I’m not sorry at all. Everything I said is the absolute truth.
“Now, I know you’re crazy,” she huffs. She tries to pull away, but I refuse to let her. I hold her tighter.
“Don’t run from this, Gia. Don’t run from us.”
“Victor, I don’t even know if I can be a whole person again. You’re the first man I’ve ever really looked at like that.”
“Like what?” I respond like a jerk, needing the words from her.
“Victor—”
“Tell me.”
“Like a…boyfriend.”
I frown. “Do I look like a boy?”
“Um… well you aren’t a girl,” she says, and I growl under my breath. I look around the restaurant and there’s not that many on the dance floor, but the dining area is full. For this discussion, I need her alone. This is just another reason I should have planned dinner at home tonight. The two of us have too much to wade through right now. This is Antonio’s fault. If I didn’t have to leave in three days, I could move this along slower.