Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74035 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74035 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 370(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 247(@300wpm)
Mario nods and jerks his head at the one closest to me. “The one near Vivia.”
“Dario, take Vivia home. Castle.” Romeo turns to me, sees something that makes his face soften, then drops to one knee. When he speaks, it’s like he’s talking to a small child he’s trying to convince to take the meds she doesn’t like. “You alright, kiddo?”
I nod, still shell shocked. “Dario’s gonna take you home, Vivia. You two have some catching up to do. I’ll give you that time. Then when you’ve told him everything it’s time you tell us what you know. You get that?”
I nod again, thankful for his compassion right now. I feel like I’m coming apart. I can’t now, though. Not after all I’ve survived and endured.
Dario’s taking you home.
Home.
Home would be The Castle then.
Dario beat up Sergio.
Sergio’s still mad at me.
I wonder what will happen when I tell them everything I’ve found. I’m fully prepared to be exiled. I’m honestly halfway there already.
The ride back to The Castle feels surreal. Dario reaches for my knee and gives me a squeeze, then rests his hand on my leg as if to remind me that I’m really here.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I hope when I tell you everything, you’ll understand.”
He lifts my hand and brings it to his lips, then kisses the palm and closes my fingers around it as if to remind me to hold his kiss in my hand and not to let it go.
“You don’t need to. You did what you had to, and there’s nothing to apologize for.”
“I made sure you were safe before I left, I promise I did.”
“Of course you did, baby,” he says gently, kneading my knee beneath his strong, warm hand. “And thank you for that. It’s because of you I’m still here.”
I want to cry, but I swallow the need and only stroke the top of his hand on my leg. We ride like that back to The Castle.
“I found out who was after us. Who still is. I found the group that tried to attack Marialena and used me as the fall guy.”
He nods. “I thought you would.”
I have to ask him. I have to know. “Did you think I left you?” I ask quietly.
He swallows, and when he answers, his voice is gentle but firm. “I hoped you did.”
My heart sinks. “You hoped I did?” I whisper. We aren’t far from The Castle. I won’t get the time alone with him that I crave. I still have to prove my innocence.
“I wanted you to have your freedom, Vivia. I didn’t want you to have to stay with me, knowing what that might cost you.”
“Oh.” My voice is a whisper. I swallow hard. “Thank you.”
He only nods. “Will what you have to tell us exonerate you?”
I nod. “It will.”
My heart feels light again as hope blooms. I had to give up hope that we’d be united after everything we’ve been through, and it feels so damn good to be with him. I want to kiss him. I want him to hold me. I want to tell him everything I’ve done since I left and hear him tell me how proud he is. I want to condense the past few days into seconds so we can avoid the hard talk and skip right along to where we unite.
Without a word, he squeezes my hand again, then threads his fingers through mine and holds me like that as we pull up to The Castle. It’s then that I look down and actually realize we’re basically driving a tank.
“Uh… Dario? What are you driving?”
He grins, making my heart flip-flop in my chest. I missed that grin. A rare shining light amidst the darkness. He doesn’t always smile or grin or give me any more than that lopsided upturn of his lips, but when he does, I feel like I come alive. Like I have purpose and that purpose is to keep that smile on his face.
“Some kinda armored truck the guys fixed up. Santo and Mario pulled their magic. You like it?”
“Like it?” I ask, dragging a reverent hand across the supple leather seat. “I’d… do dirty things in this truck if you asked me to.”
His low, responding growl tells me he likes that answer very much.
“I’ve got a lot to tell you,” I say as he pulls the huge truck into the garage beside the others. “But… before I do…”
I snap my seat belt open, and I’m in his lap straddling him before he can stop me. I frame his face between my hands. Tears fill my eyes as I look at him, at his handsome, rugged, honest face before I bend to kiss him.
When my lips meet his, I stifle a sob that rises in my throat. I’ve missed him so badly. I didn’t know if I’d ever see him again, but I never gave up hope. Dario is mine. He belongs to me. He saved me when I was given up for lost, when my own family had turned their backs on me. And I won’t ever let him forget what he’s done for me.