The Mafia King's Reluctant Bride

ng I noticed

the

en in bla

y collapsing to

with rainwater and running toward my shoes lik

caught in

t sc

't

t ex

against the cold brick wall as thunder rolled across th

upid s

upid d

as watching

already happened. My ears rang. My fingers trembled a

47

have be

watching three men stand over a body like

it," one o

e was lo

d just ord

the arms. The dead man's head lolled to the s

mach t

't

ake eye

t be

raying the sound of rain hitt

plashed into a

lo

obvi

la

the men

d quietly. "We

art s

No

teps turned

myself harder into the shadows,

y wouldn'

yb

me

e was cl

ld

ar

dn't

ow

uld argue. I stepped out slowly,

ee anything,"

ing fl

's when

ers cutting through the rain like it avoided him. Dark hair

is eyes that

o

ulat

completel

pped c

n

ic

so hard I thoug

our name?

an

ru

.. ce

ore I could stop my

Rain pounded around us. Some

s memorizing it. Like he was

dropped to my

aw," h

't a qu

on't tell anyone. I swear. I

ticked in

he men shifted. "Bos

o

echoed in

G

G

to something I

lose enough that I could smell his cologne

at me,

di

uldn'

I

pping my chin. Not rough. No

ing," he s

m n

lower lip, wiping away rain or tears - I

t," I w

ine, like he was di

closer, his l

away," he murmured,

ath hi

ght," he continued

nearly

n't unde

e again. And for a split second

soft

methin

" he order

act, strong hands

won't tell an

ough me. The alley spun. Rain so

king straight at him.

hed me

he

going to

me so fast I ne

he

ng to ma

inside me

?" I

heard

even kn

on't n

ly. "No. No, you're ins

and the men holding

he said quietly. "There are

so loud I could

e said. "Or you be

isted. "By...

es

y m

ze dar

he said simply. "And now.

i

d around my lun

my cheeks. "You can

ready

in his voice w

life," I

had a

ed through

n, softer this time.

t, he just

d and brushed my wet h

king," he s

I'm scare

unreadable moved ac

," he

straig

ng h

or opened

icking, fighting.

shed me for

o the back seat, I lo

in, completely unm

ouc

ucha

ke I already b

r slamm

, my last thought before p

ve stayed h

use

mised to

de me whispered a truth

going to

v