Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“Not if I threaten to go to the cops.”
“Oh, Nora.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I have so many ideas of what Dad would do to you, but I’ll just stick to what I know for certain, which is that we own the fucking cops. We either have dirt on them or pay them. You think it’ll be different for Dad?”
“He’s not from here. He doesn’t know the cops in Providence or New York.”
“He doesn’t have to.” His words were louder now. “He can make anyone flip. Do you know why?”
“Why?” I whispered.
“Because he’s not above going after their families. He goes after whatever they love most, and that’s how he makes them bend to his will. That’s the kind of man he is.”
“He wouldn’t.” I looked at him with watery eyes.
“He killed my mother, Nora,” he said, his voice lower now, tired. “Without a second thought, he killed the woman he claimed was the love of his life. You don’t think he’d do the same to yours?”
His words sent a chill down my spine. I wanted to argue with him, to tell him he would never do that, but he was right.
33
LENORA
I didn’t say goodbye to Rocco. I didn’t say goodbye to him inside the Greyhound, because I was too caught up in my feelings about him killing Dad. Outside, I couldn’t risk saying goodbye just in case people were watching. I felt his eyes on my back the entire way inside the building. I tried hard to stay strong on my way to Dad’s penthouse. Thankfully, Rosie and Dominic were with me. The story was that I’d called Rosie when I got back, and Dominic was so worried that he rushed over to bring me. We’d gone as far as calling mom to assure her I was fine from a new phone we’d picked up on the way. When I stepped foot in New York, I had to assume I was being monitored. By my dad. By Adriano. Tomorrow, I was supposed to have a day at the spa for my bachelorette, and even there, I had to continue the ruse that I didn’t want to marry Adriano but was trying to make peace with it. It wasn’t too far off from the truth.
My stomach flopped when the elevator doors opened up in his penthouse. The guard by the elevator, Ronny or something, gave me a stern look, but that was the norm. At least, that was what I told myself. Rosie must have noticed my hesitation, because she held my hand in hers and squeezed. I was shocked that she wanted to come along. When I voiced that, she said, “I’m going to treat him the exact way he treated me all this time,” she said.. We were almost in the kitchen when my father popped his head out, smiling as he met us in the hall. He said hello to Dominic and Rosie before turning to me.
“Welcome home, Lenora,” he said. “You gave us quite a fright.”
“I’m sorry about that.” I looked at the floor. His smile looked more like a grimace when I looked at him again.
“Dominic, Rosalyn, thank you for bringing her home,” he said, still looking at me. “Lenora and I have important things to discuss.”
“Dad,” Dominic started, walking around him so he’d look at him. “Can I have a word?”
Dad exhaled and walked back to the kitchen with Dom. “Sure.”
I covered my face with shaky hands and hoped Dom could convince him to let them stay over. Their voices rose as they argued, but I couldn’t hear much with my pulse roaring in my ears. Whatever was said didn’t work. Dom walked out of the kitchen with a hard look and grabbed Rosie’s hand. She turned to say goodbye to Dad, who smiled at her like nothing was wrong. Dom ignored him and walked over to me.
“If you need anything, call me,” he said, setting a hand on my shoulder and squeezing. He looked like he wanted to say more but couldn’t.
Rosie hugged me. “Stay strong for us, okay?”
I nodded and watched them walk into the elevator, leaving me alone with my father. I’d never been afraid of my father. I’d never had reason to be. The person here right now was not the father I knew. With that in mind, I put up my shield and turned to face him.
“I’m sorry I scared you,” I said quietly. “I was always coming back. I just needed time.”
“You said that but you’re not sorry you left,” he said. I shook my head. “And you’re not sorry you stole from me.”
“I thought I could make you change the wedding.” Tears covered my vision.
Before I could think, he was on me, his hand gripping my hair tightly as he pushed me into the wall behind me, his green eyes cold as he got in my face. I whimpered, tears streaming down my face. Dad squeezed harder. My skull felt like it was on fire.