Page 58 of Dragon Touched
“I made sure he didn’t see me, but he’s up to no good, I can assure you.”
“Fuck.” A torrent of anger shot through his veins. “I should’ve killed them all when I had the chance.”
“You need to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”
“Oh, I plan on doing something, alright.”
Though Sacha’s short, impersonal letter made him want to wash her down the drain like a bad memory, she was soaked into his heart, and he couldn’t clean the stain away.
“Bring my dagger. Seems another tracking spell is in order. If I catch him going anywhere near her, I’ll blast him into ashes.”
The thought of paying the man a visit in the middle of the night flitted through his thoughts. He could take care of the craven sod before he had the chance to become a problem.
But, if I murder him in cold blood, before having any evidence he’s up to no good, wouldn’t that make me a killer like Vito?
He had no desire to be anything like Sacha’s father. No, he would keep tabs on Lorenzo and bide his time. These days, he had an abundance of control, power, and time without a sassy, young woman or a vicious, evil murderer for a distraction.
Chapter 33
Sacha
Ithadbeenfiveweeks since Sacha last heard from Fin. The absence of a new letter caused little teeth of worry to gnaw inside her chest. Deep down, she’d hoped he’d decided to stay in her world.
I’m being stupid. I don’t mean anything to him. He probably changed his mind and left.
She couldn’t blame him. Sometimes, all the hustle and bustle of today’s modern world made her head spin, too. How different would it be to live in a place without pinging texts, blaring televisions, or smog and pollution?
“Or maybe I should’ve put more into my response.” But she didn’t know what else to say without getting too emotional, so she tried to keep it short and impersonal. He needed to be free from the Ninnette family—including her.
A newspaper lay on the table. The front headline read:Former Mob King “Vicious” Vito Ninnette Headed to Prison.
Her eyes drifted from the old news to Fin’s letter. Always on the table where she could see it in the morning. She smoothed her fingers over its surface again. Like a burst of warm sunshine blasting into her soul, it made her heart flutter.
In the beginning, she’d held out a small hope their relationship might someday move beyond a casual, hot night of dirty, almost-sex to something deeper—even if it was long distance. Then it dawned on her—he had his freedom now and didn’t need the daughter of his enemy jeopardizing his future.
I imagine seeing or hearing from me is an unwelcome reminder of what my father did—both to him and his dad.
With the continued silence reinforcing this thought, she’d thrown herself into her new life, filling it with work and classes. Her heart ached every time soft, blond hair and slanted, red eyes trickled into her mind.
She brewed a cup of coffee in the personal-sized machine on the cabinet. When it finished, she leaned a hip against the kitchen counter and stared out the window above the sink.
The neighbor kids across the street boarded a school bus. Mom waved, then slid into her car and headed down the road.
I really should try to get to know people. Even after several weeks, she didn’t feel like she fit into this new life, new city, new world.
Maybe it was the culture shock, going from an overbearing mafia dad to Nowhere, Texas—she wasn’t sure. But something inside felt broken and scarred.
Thinking of the word, Fin’s little scar flashed in her brain, and she remembered running her tongue over its smooth surface. The thought of her dad beating him with such brutality made her stomach drop. No wonder he stopped replying.
The smell of coffee filled the kitchen. Blowing air out of her lips, she sat at the small, warped table and sipped the hot brew. With a sigh, she prepared herself for another day of swiping groceries across the scanner and asking if customers knew their reward numbers.
At least I’m not married to Lorenzo.
This was paradise considering how her life could’ve turned out if Fin hadn’t saved her. A small smile tugged the corners of her mouth.
“Thank you, Fin.” There was no one to hear her words, but it felt good saying them, anyhow. “I’ll never forget what you did for me, and I hope you find what you desire, too.”
A textpingedon her cellphone. Kimmie, now her manager, had been begging for a girl’s night out. Maybe that’s what she needed—a night of carefree dancing and gossip to get her mind off Fin and try to fit into this new life.
