Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 123153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123153 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
The look on my sister’s face kills me. “I need to go, guys,” she says. When she speaks, I hate that I’ve done this.
“Jace?” I nearly sob.
He kisses the back of my head. “We’ll fix it. I promise.”
I breathe and finish what I’ve started. I send Liz the link to the forum in Discord. Reaching for my phone, I call her. Tears run down my cheeks as I listen to it ring. When she answers, she doesn’t speak, but I can hear her breathing.
“Hello, do you see this?”
“Please stop,” she sobs.
“Liz?” I say, almost breaking. “Are you crying? You said you didn’t really like him. I only wanted you to see the shit he’s been spewing behind your back so you’d stop wasting your time thinking he’s some nice guy.”
The silence on the other end kills me. I shouldn’t have done this. There had to be another way.
“Don’t cry, Liz. You’re beautiful and amazing. I’m so sorry,” I nearly sob.
“Thanks, Ny. I need a minute. I’ll call you back.”
“I love you, Liz. Everything I do is for you.”
“I know. I love you too. Later.”
I shake with my tears as she hangs up. Jace tightens his arms around me. I feel like complete shit.
“You know he’s right. It had to be this way. Dante will swoop in like the protector he is, and everything will fall into place,” Jace whispers.
“In theory, but this is her real life, her real feelings.”
“I wish I could stay with you, but I need to go. Trust me, he’s not going to allow this to last long. He loves your sister like his own.”
I scoff but bite back my retort.
Gio
“How did it go?” I ask as I climb into the SUV so we can meet up with Dante to go see Gustloff.
“They’re both hurting,” Jace grumbles.
I ball my fists. I didn’t want to hurt either of them, but this had to be done. “I’ll take care of that. If Dante does his part, I won’t have to do much.”
Jace grunts. “Angelo will be where you want him by Monday morning.”
“I can’t wait for Dante to beat his ass,” I mutter. “And Gustloff, he knows his orders? We’re not going to have a problem tonight, are we?”
“We shouldn’t. I made sure he got to talk to Adrian this morning like you asked. I think he’ll comply.”
“Good, good.”
“You don’t think the death threat is a little too much?”
“Not at all. This is Dante, that shit is going to fuel him. Just watch.”
He grunts and falls silent. I know he’s thinking about Ny like I am. Lizzy is on my mind too. I rub at my chest. I know I did what’s necessary. It will all be worth it in the end.
Chapter 56
My Sister
Nyla
I stand in the shower with my arms wrapped around my middle. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I kept hearing Lizzy’s voice on the phone. I’ve already called her twice this morning. She’s not answering.
My head hurts from crying. I should be protecting my sister, not breaking her heart. I’m questioning myself on so many levels.
“From the first time I met Lizzy, she stole my heart and made me want to be her big brother. To protect her and boost her confidence. The way she looks at my brother. That’s how I know we did the right thing,” Gio says in my ear as he wraps his arms around me. “Come on, stop crying and come talk to us. We need to make a plan to fix this and get the two of them together.”
“I’m not worried about your brother. I want to make sure she’s okay. Are you forgetting she once wanted to kill herself?” I bite out.
“No, I haven’t. I also know this is not the same Lizzy. She has me and she’s in a happier place.”
I spin to look him in the eyes. “She has you? What happens when she learns who you are? What if this doesn’t work out? You can’t just go around orchestrating people’s lives in whatever way you want. That’s my sister, G. She’s my responsibility. Damn it, Gio.”
His nostrils flare. “My mistake was hiding you away. Leaving you on the outside for so long, you don’t see all that I see. What makes me great at what I do and who I am is the fact that I people-watch. I read everything about them.
“Your sister’s breath hitches whenever Dante enters a room or he gets too close. Her eyes light up when he talks to her and if he gives her a compliment, she looks like she’s going to turn into a puddle of goo.
“When Dante looks at your sister, there’s a fire that returns to his eyes. He gets lost in thought, staring at her. He’s been possessive over her since before he knew he was attracted to her. I watched the moment he went from being intrigued to being in love.