Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 36484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36484 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 182(@200wpm)___ 146(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
He shot the guards, one after the other. Throwing one gun away, he looked toward his father. For the first time in his life, Romeo Giavanni looked frail. He sat behind his desk, face pale and vulnerable.
“Do you really think you’re going to win this?” Gino asked.
“Elenore, are you okay?”
“Raphael?” Her voice was hoarse, clearly from all the screaming. The mess of her back told him she’d been hurt. No one would be able to take a beating like that and remain silent.
“You named the little whore.”
He shot at his uncle’s leg, dropping him to his knees. “She’s no whore.”
“You think I didn’t use her? I saw you watching her and was curious.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you were curious about. What I want to know is why you’re the one I’m talking to. What happened to you, Romeo? Or do I call you Dad now? What the fuck is this? When did Gino start calling the shots? When did Gino become such a fucking buddy?”
“You can’t kill me, Raphael. You see, your father needs me. This entire fucking organization needs me. Isn’t that right, Romeo? You’re not strong enough. No one can take this away from me. This is all mine,” Gino said.
He’d had enough of hearing his uncle talk. Raphael dropped the gun and grabbed his knife. Killing his uncle would be at his own hands.
Closing the distance, he held a knife and slid it into his shoulder. His uncle screamed. “Not so invincible now.”
“You can kill me but you’re a dead man, Raphael. No one will follow you.”
Raphael heard a noise and quickly pulled his uncle against him, holding the knife to his throat to see Antonio there, gun raised.
“Ah, my enforcer. Shoot this traitor, Antonio. I’ll make you capo. I’ll give you everything your heart desires.”
“Untie Elenore,” Raphael said.
“That man doesn’t answer to you,” his uncle said. “He’s mine. He knows who his boss is.”
“He does. He’s a free man, who can make his own choices. He doesn’t have to do as he’s told anymore. He doesn’t bow down to anyone.”
Antonio put the gun down and went straight to Elenore.
Raphael breathed a sigh of relief.
“You’ll regret this,” his uncle said. “I will end all of you. No one will ever work for you. You’re nothing without me. You will all die and I’ll make sure she spends her time with dick inside her. She’ll be fucking broken by the time her usefulness is done. She will be done and finished.” His uncle kept on yelling. The moment Elenore was free, Raphael slid the blade into his uncle’s throat, killing him. He didn’t need his uncle to find out what the fuck happened.
His uncle Gino didn’t die straightaway.
Raphael watched him go, choking on blood. It wasn’t a pretty sight but one he intended to relish. After he took his last breath, he dropped the knife and rushed toward her.
Elenore fell against him but he couldn’t protect her back. He wanted to hold her, care for her, love her.
“I’ve got you. Did he…?”
“No, he just beat me. I fought him, Raphael. I’m no longer his slave girl. I’m me. I’m your Elenore.” She wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I hate to spoil the moment,” Timothy said. “But this will snap my neck.”
Antonio was already walking over to the doctor.
Raphael cupped her face, tilting her head back. “I love you. I love you more than anything in the world.”
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“You’re mine.” He slammed his lips down on hers, kissing her, silencing any protest.
Someone clearing their throat drew his attention.
Raphael looked toward his father. He had his hands out at his sides. “Please, son, this is all I ask.”
“You want me to kill you?” He got to his feet, holding Eleanor close to him.
“I … I fucked up.”
“What happened?” Antonio said. “Why was Gino the one calling the shots?”
“I had a heart attack several years ago. My health has been in decline and in the past few years, Gino has offered to help. I … I didn’t always agree with him or what he did. To keep me in power, he promised to be by my side whenever I needed and in return, he asked for a few things.”
“A few things?” Antonio asked.
“The shipment of girls was an avenue I wanted no part in but it was part of our world already when I took over. Gino wanted me to put more attention to it, so I did. In return for him keeping me at the top, I had to give him what he wanted.”
“Young girls,” Raphael said.
“Unlimited access to them, yes. I, I’m not a good man. I know that. I’ve made a great many mistakes.” His gaze was on him. “This is your rightful place, Raphael. You have the right to be called Boss. To take my place.”