Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 55792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55792 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
He’s kept his distance all day. Even on the flight, he sat the farthest away from me. I meet his gaze for a moment, but he turns away and heads to the door.
“Come,” Judah orders before offering me his arm. From the outside, people looking in may think it’s rather romantic that we’re walking in together, but I know different. “Mario is the one who will lead the dinner, but make no mistake, any of these men here can do what they please.”
“What if Mario doesn’t like it?”
Judah shrugs, I can feel the movement against my arm. “He’ll kill them.” He says it so nonchalantly, it’s as if he’s talking about the weather. To them, murder, torture, and violence is second nature. So it doesn’t surprise me when he says, “Or he’ll make a public spectacle of them. Mario is happy working for Enzo, even though he’ll still oversee a lot of the Errani family business, he has stepped aside to allow Kai to take over. They’ll work in unison.”
That shocks me. It’s unheard of for there to be two heirs, and one to take a back seat to his own family’s organisation. “That’s never been done before.”
We step inside before we can continue our conversation. The house is nothing like the Venier mansion. The exterior is one colour rather than brickwork. And as Judah leads me inside, I take in the modern interior. There are bright artworks hanging on the walls, while the large chandelier takes over the entrance hall.
“There is more to Mario than meets the eye,” Judah says once we’re greeted by servers with silver trays of champagne, and before he can continue, we’re led into the living room which has no furniture except for a long bar along the one wall. The rest of the room has been emptied and I’m guessing it’s making space for the hoards of men in black suits and white shirts.
It’s as if they’ve all been given a specific uniform. One they cannot stray from. There are other women. I seek them out with glimpses around the room and find some of them are watching us.
“You’re going to be the belle of the ball,” Judah whispers in my ear. “I think you may need to watch your back.”
“Why? Because you’re such a catch?” I throw back my response, and I have to fight my smile when I feel the tension in Judah’s arm.
“Don’t push me tonight, little spy,” Judah warns in a low whisper. “Let’s get a drink.”
“Venier,” a deep baritone comes from behind us, and when we turn, I see a man who looks like he should be on the cover of a fashion magazine.
“Errani,” Judah says as he holds his hand out and they shake on it. “This is my fiancée, Brielle.”
“So this is the princess on the isle,” Mario remarks with a grin. He takes my hand before bringing it up to his lips and presses a kiss to my knuckles.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I offer with a shy smile.
“I can see why my brother is so intrigued by you,” he says then, and my mouth pops open. “He’s mentioned he was training you in some fighting. It’s good for a woman who is stepping up into a role like you will be.”
“He’s taught me a lot.” I nod, remembering that nobody else knows about our connection.
“Good.” He offers me a bow, before he says he needs to work the room. He’s an intriguing character, and I wonder if he’s also adopted, or if his bloodline was of the Errani clan.
I don’t ask Judah. Instead, I focus back on the men in the room. Each of them offers me a quick glance, but when they realise I’m with Judah, they turn away, as if they’re trying not to stare.
I don’t know exactly what the dynamic is between the Underbosses, but I do know there are families who are stronger than others.
We stop at the floor-to-ceiling windows and patio doors that lead out to a back garden. There isn’t beautiful greenery, instead, there’s a swimming pool that’s lit with soft blue lights. The water is crystal clear, and I’m pretty sure if the sun was still shining, it would illuminate the water.
I want nothing more than to run. I want to escape to the island, back to the Venier mansion. Never did I think I would ever want to go back there.
But now, being here, I want to go home.
I sip my drink, my mind still on the outdoors, and I wonder just how easy it would be to get off the property. Escape hasn’t been on my mind for months, but right now, in this moment, it’s at the forefront.
The clink of a champagne flute captures my attention, and I turn to find Mario at the fireplace. His expression is neutral, but his gaze is on me.