Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 56267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56267 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
A light bulb goes off in my mind. What if I turn the gun on him? What if I take him out before he can take me out? My heart beat skyrockets at the mere thought of shooting him. It isn’t fair that he can point a gun at me and feel nothing. If it were me, I wouldn’t have pointed it at him at all.
A clicking sound startles me as the door to my cell opens. Mack walks inside looking as if he would rather stab needles through his eyes than come and deal with me.
“Get up.” His voice is gruff, but is full of hateful promises. I know he will hurt me if I don’t listen to him.
I stand up slowly. My body aches with all the emotions that have been swirling through me. Living in this house gives me a serious case of whiplash. Just as I steady myself, the asshole grips me by the arm, pulling me into his body.
“If it weren’t for your pathetic ass, his head would be in the game.” Mack wants me to hate him, to feel his anger. I can see it in his eyes, and feel it in the way he grabs me. I want to bite my tongue, and I probably should, but something beyond me thinks it will be a good idea to talk back.
“His head is clearly in the fucking game, asshole. He killed a room full of people and you didn’t so much as blink.” I glare at him, my blood running cold.
A wicked smile pulls at his lips. It’s one that causes my knees to rattle and my stomach to heave. I wish I could smack the look right off his face.
“Has he tried you out yet?” His hand travels down to my ass as he grips it harshly. I pull away from him quickly, knowing that’s the last thing he expects. He will never think of me running or fighting back.
Running through the door, I go down the hall and head for the steps that lead to the first floor. I hear his heavy footfalls behind me and I look around in terror.
“When I get my hands on you… I’ll kill you myself.” His voice sounds as if it’s right on top of me. Not a moment later, the air shoved from my chest as I land against the stairs. His body is against mine, and I can feel his erection against my backside.
“Get the hell off me!” I scream. Gripping me by the arm, he twirls me around, his body pushed against mine again as he stares into my eyes. All I can think is I can’t let him do this to me; I have to get away. I push against him with all my might, but my arms are pinned, and my body is exhausted.
“Give up yet?” His breath is hot against my skin, and it feels wrong. All of it is wrong, but there’s nothing that I can do about it. He nips at my neck as his hand begins to slip under my pants. I shake my head back and forth, trying to make myself forget, trying to remove myself from the situation.
With the last of my strength, I scream. I scream until tears are streaming down my face, until my voice is hoarse, and he’s telling me if I don’t shut up that he’ll gut me.
The door above us is open, so I know someone has to have heard us. Footsteps fall against the floor as I hear someone coming. Zerro’s coming; he’s going to save me! It’s going to be okay…
An older woman peers down at us. Her face contorts into anger as she descends the steps. Her words come out in a dialect that I don’t understand… It sounds Italian, but I’m not sure.
Whatever she says has Mack backing away from me. His eyes eat me, though. The way he’s looking at me tells me that he’ll be back to do what he wants when he gets me alone.
“Come, Piccolo.” Her hands are gentle, and her voice soothes me. Tears spring from my eyes, and I grab her, wrapping my arms around her small frame. She’s my savior, my saint.
In the haze of it all, all I can focus on is that word. The one Zerro always calls me.
“What does that mean?” I ask between sniffles. She smiles at me softly. The kind of smile my mom used to give me.
Her frail fingers reach out, pushing loose strands of my hair behind my ear. “It means little one in Italian.” Her voice is heavily accented, and as I listen to it, I want her to say something again. The way the words sound and come together is soothing to my shattered soul.
I look back down the stairs where I was just assaulted. Mack already left, completely enraged as he stomped off. I promise myself that when he comes for me again, I will be ready.
“Let’s get you some food.” My face softens as I take her hand, letting her lead me to the safety and comfort of the kitchen.
Dinner is delicious. Adaline, Addy as she likes to be called, is the head maid in the house. She has been here long before Zerro’s time, and the stories she shares with me make me forget all about the horrific things that could’ve taken place hours before.
Afterward, I slip upstairs, making sure I watch over my shoulder at every turn. Not that I want to, but I am not going to be taken off guard by Mack again. I will tell Zerro whenever he gets back from wherever it is he went. I really, really don’t want to fucking care about him or care about whatever it is he’s doing. Except as I crawl into his bed, all I can do is see him, smell him, taste him. I feel the weight of his body on mine, his lips on my skin, and relish the passion and fire he stokes within me.