Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122216 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“Charles!” Clover runs from behind the tree and flings herself into my arms. I catch her. I always will.
“You saved me.” I kiss her cold nose and warm lips, then pull back to look into her eyes. “I know you saw.”
She swallows hard and nods.
“This is who I am, pretty eyes. Who I’ve always been and on some level, who I’ll always be.” I hold my breath, waiting for her to reject me, to call me a monster, a killer.
“You saved me. First on the road. Then with your love. And now with your knife.” She kisses me hard, a burst of passion in the middle of the bloodied snow. “I want you always, just the way you are.”
I’m not a sentimental man. Never have been. But when she says those words to me, my eyes start to tingle, and I kiss her again before she notices what she’s done to me. Even so, she knows. I can tell from the way she clings to me, embraces me, and loves me. Forever. Just the way I am.
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HIS MISSING QUEEN
1
SOPHIA
Enjoy this holiday story with one of my favorite couples, Sophia and Nick from His Virgin Queen!
“This is a secret. You can’t tell anyone.” I give Fredo a soft tap on his cute pink nose before I adjust the Santa hat I put on him. His tail flicks back and forth. “I’m serious.” I glare at him, letting him know I mean business. This is going to be no easy feat for me to achieve.
I managed to pull off a whole giant wedding for my sister-in-law without her knowing. My husband, however, knows everything somehow. I swear the man is in my head at times. It probably helps that he’s one of the most deadly men in the States. He and my brother Marco have been slowly taking over more and more territory, and that always comes with bloodshed. But they’re tough enough to handle any threats to our family.
Fredo has always favored my husband. I mean, I get it. I can be obsessed with Nick too, but I’m the one that gives Fredo treats all the time. I can usually get him to cuddle with me for a bit, but he always makes his way back into my husband's office to lie on his desk. Neither of them acknowledge each other, but they’re still together. “Maybe my secret is that I’m getting a dog.” Fredo’s tail stops moving. “I’m joking.” I kiss the top of his head. This will be good for Fredo too. He’s getting old, and two little kittens will perk him up.
“Trying to make me jealous?” I spin around to see my husband strolling toward me.
“I don’t have to try.” I smirk. Nick wraps his arm around me, lifting me off my feet.
“Cara mia.” Nick can get jealous of the clothes I’m wearing because they’re pressed against my skin and he isn’t. I’ve gotten many beautiful new clothes because of it, mainly because he’s ripped off my other ones. I rest my hand on his shoulder and give him what he wants. My mouth.
“Oh, gross,” I hear Nikolai groan. “In the kitchen? Nowhere is safe anymore. I mean, we’re about to make Christmas cookies here. This is a family room.”
I laugh at our son's words.
“They kiss everywhere.” Bianca rolls her eyes at her brother for even saying anything. Everyone knows it’s pointless. You’d think they’d be used to their mom and dad showing each other affection by now. The outside world might see Nick Davinci as deadly, but the man showers me with affection. He has from the first day he all but stole me right out from another man. After he shot him, obviously.
“Down, Fredo.” Carlotta shoos the cat off the giant kitchen island. This might be my house, but Carlotta runs this kitchen. I adore her like a mother, and the kids even call her Nana.
“You guys are making cookies without me?” I ask. Nick slides me down his body, putting me back on my feet.
“We’re making them for you.” Bianca smiles, showing her two missing front teeth. She’s growing up so fast. Both of them are. I might need these kittens, too. “Fix my bow,” Bianca says as she climbs her way up the stool. I go to do it, but Nikolai beats me to it, making me smile. I love how he is with his little sister. But I wouldn’t expect him to be any other way. He definitely follows in his father’s footsteps when it comes to treating women with respect.
“How long will you be gone?” Nick pulls me back into his hold, placing a kiss on my neck.
“Not long.”
“Why don’t you say fuck it and we go upstairs?” he whispers into my ear, trying to tempt me to stay. If it were any other day, I would be game.