Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75737 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
"I have a different idea."
"Such as?"
"You. Back at my place, not the rental."
"But how would that change anything? I would still need to be guarded."
"For what reason? If you tell me you won't run again, I trust you."
"Yeah, but your family—"
"Isn't going to know."
"You can't do that," I insisted, shaking my head, even if I knew his idea worked in my favor.
It made no sense at all, but I had this sudden urge to protect him. And him lying to his family for me was only going to bring him harm in the long run. I couldn't be responsible for that. I didn't want that on my conscience.
"The way I see it, if everything works out, if we find the containers, if we can get these men, then you can just show up again, come out of 'hiding.' No one has to be the wiser."
"I thought it was family over everything."
"It is. And it is in the best interest of my family that we don't lose sight of the real issue here. Not you. These containers. And whoever thought we were weak and stupid enough to let them get one past us. If all this works out, Romy, my father will see you as a hero. They won't give a fuck that you ran away. They will see it as you saving yourself."
"You won't feel guilty lying to your family?"
"Only if you end up stabbing us in the back," he told me, head ducking a little, catching my gaze. "But I don't think you are going to do that."
"I'm not. Really. I could never be a criminal. It's absurd that any of you even thought it for a minute. I just want my sister. And I don't want you guys to get in the way of that just because it is taking longer than you think it should."
"So we have an understanding."
"I think so," I agreed, nodding. "But won't your family come to your place?"
"I can't imagine why. When we get together, it is usually at Lucky's mom's house. She and his sisters like to cook. No one wants to hang out at my place."
"But what if someone does show up?" I insisted, wanting to make sure the plan was airtight this time, no more making impulsive decisions and regretting them only a few hours later. We were wasting time with all of that. Precious time I wasn't sure my sister had to spare.
"It's not a small space. If you are there alone and you see someone other than me, or if we are there together and I tell you someone is coming by, you can find a place to wait it out. My closet is bigger than your bedroom at the rental house."
"Okay," I agreed, taking a deep breath.
This seemed... possible.
And possible was better than what I had initially planned on when I ran away.
"Okay?" he asked, reaching out to snag my chin, forcing my gaze up, wanting me to look him in the eye while I agreed.
"Okay," I affirmed.
"Good. But if you stab me in my sleep, sweetheart, I am going to be so fucking pissed," he added, giving me a devilish smirk.
"If I stabbed you in your sleep, you'd be dead, so you wouldn't be able to be pissed."
"Down in hell, I'd be pissed down in hell," he told me, giving me a smile as his hand went to my lower back, guiding me over toward his car.
His palm wasn't even touching my bare skin, but I swear it burned, ignited, tiny tendrils of need shooting off from the contact, slipping around and down until I needed to press my thighs together as I sat in his car to try to stem the chaos of desire building there.
"Do you live far from here?" I found myself asking, not to fill the silence, but because I genuinely wanted to know more about him, because I found myself a little obsessed with that slow, deep, smooth sound of his voice.
"Not far, no. Over this bridge," he told me, pointing it out.
"On the water, or just in one of the neighborhoods there?"
"On the water," he told me, and my eyes moved over toward those properties.
Mansions.
That was what they all were.
One mansion after another on the Navesink River.
I didn't even want to consider how much a house like that would set someone back. Or exactly what kind of criminal activity could afford it.
We drove down to the end of a long street, coming to another bridge, seeming to lead back where we'd come from, but Luca pulled off right before it into a gleaming, seemingly brand new luxury apartment building.
White stucco and floor-to-ceiling windows made up the exterior, showing me five stories, some with balconies, others without.
"Wow."
It escaped me before I could think to hold it in.
"Perk to having it in the family is I get to live here too," he told me, climbing out.