Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 138(@250wpm)___ 115(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | The Butcher's Wife |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | Sam Crescent |
| Language: | English |
| Book Information: | |
Valentina has been picked to be The Butcher’s wife—the most deadly man within the Rossi mafia. He's exactly what men fear, and now she is set to be his wife. He could have any woman, but instead, he picked her. Why? She was passed over by Thomas Rossi’s son because she was broken and damaged. Giovanni Romano is a monster. After his family was killed when he was young, he spent his entire life becoming a killing machine. He swore his loyalty to Rossi, and what he wants more than anything is Valentina. He saved her, and now he'll allow her the chance to live and thrive. Valentina never expected to fall for her husband. He's terrifying and dangerous, but the moment she's close to him, he sets a fire inside her. When she’s with him, she feels complete and never wants to be without him. Now it is up to Giovanni to protect his wife when it matters most, or will he be doomed to lose the only woman he has ever loved? | |
| Books by Author: | Sam Crescent |
Chapter One
Everyone was staring at her like they pitied her. Valentina Berlusconi—no, that wasn’t her name anymore, she was Valentina Romano now—held the stem of her champagne glass and forced a smile to her lips so people would stop pointing and whispering. It was no secret that Giovanni Romano, also known as The Butcher within their circles, had picked her out of all the women within the Rossi circle.
Her father was one of the capos in the Rossi line, and she was part of the selection process. From what her brother had told her, Giovanni hadn’t even hesitated.
Rossi had asked him what he wanted, and Giovanni had said her name, not even taking the time to look at all the candidates. There were so many single young women, not broken or damaged ones he could have picked from. Yet, he chose her. Why?
This had made her the talk of their circle for the second time in her life. The wedding itself had been a whirlwind, and if she was honest, terrifying. Having people stare at her all day wasn’t something Valentina was used to. She much preferred to be ignored.
Like now, she stood on her own as her “husband” talked with her father. She was left to stand alone, and she had no problem with that. She’d never fit in with the inner circle of the women. Women were not seen as valuable in their world. Just pawns in the endless business contracts and bringing families together to avoid bloodshed and rival wars. All her life, she’d been told to not draw attention, to not be seen, and certainly not to be heard.
Why did the Butcher want her? It made no sense. She’d never even met him, unless… She closed off the memory and tried not to think of that time. It was the worst moment of her life. What happened to her had made her another social pariah within their fold. It was why she couldn’t wear the backless wedding dress her mother had wanted her to. Her mother had even wanted her to undergo plastic surgery to have the damage covered up or changed. That was her answer to everything.
She had to keep her scars hidden.
At least her mother had long stopped nagging her about her weight. She had that.
Giovanni was a scary-looking man. She couldn’t help but steal another glance at him now.
He stood out from all of the men there. So much larger, covered in ink. She saw the start of it just teasing at his neck, and she had to wonder if he was covered all over. According to rumors, he was. Not that she ever listened to idle gossip and rumors. If she did, then she was pretty much a monster. The people who kidnapped her a few years ago had gouged out her eyes, sealed her mouth shut with string, and torn her limb from limb, but she was a breathing and talking zombie.
She couldn’t help but smile, which was so out of place. Women rarely smiled at their weddings, especially within a mafia family, like she was. Married off. So close to being an arranged marriage.
She’d been part of one of those before she was taken—an arranged marriage to the eldest son of Rossi. It had been a big deal. Her father had been so proud. Her mother had been petrified that she’d lose that kind of standing within the community, and so she’d forced her to go on a diet and an extreme weight-loss program. That was how the kidnappers had gotten to her. They’d recognized the tight schedule her mother had organized, and they saw how weak her protection was.