Capturing Ava: A mafia stalker romance (Shadows Of Desire Book 1) by Calia Quinn

Author:Calia Quinn [Quinn, Calia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CQ Dark Romance
Published: 2023-12-18T16:00:00+00:00

13

NIKOLI BELVEDERE

AVA

I stood as a mere child when I encountered Nikoli. It is always those who pretend to be the Saviour that becomes your undoing. I believed he bore a resemblance to the father figure I never encountered. In the beginning, it seemed like he wanted to help me. I could make-believe that his eyes didn’t dwell on my body for an excessive duration because he presented me with something I didn’t have - he offered me a family or what I imagined a family to be.

I felt grateful for the home he provided me, but nothing comes for free in this world.

How could I possibly know that I had just made a deal with the devil.

Sitting on the streets where I belonged, no family to turn to. It was a sorry state to be in at only fourteen years of age. I would cry, but I don’t think I had any tears left. There wasn’t even any shelter. The rain pounded down, and if I didn’t die from pneumonia, perhaps I would die from loneliness.

I didn’t think you could die from a broken heart because if you could…I would already be dead.

The tears fall down my face, but I’m not sure you’d notice with the torrential rain that pounded down in the night’s dead.

“Now, why does a pretty young thing like you look so sad?” I hear his thick Irish accent. With rapid eye movements through my tears and the rain, my head raises to meet his cold blue eyes. “Hello darling, what are you doing out here alone? You’ll catch your death.”

“One can only hope.” I utter through the tears that still fall.

“Why aren’t you at home?” He asks, but I don’t answer. Apart from anything else, everything inside of me is screaming for me to RUN, but I don’t. I sit there looking up at the stranger, trying to assess his intentions.

He brushes his hand across the stubble on his face. “Oh, you don’t have a home.” He speaks out loud as if he’s just had an epiphany. “You know, I have a daughter about your age.” I squint my eyes at him. “I’m sure you will get on great. Would you like to meet her?”

I should’ve said no. I should’ve placed my trust in my intuition. That’s what it was there for, right? To warn you of situations likes this.

“I can give you a hot meal and a warm bed for the night.” The sick feeling turns around my stomach the moment those words leave his lips. “I promise you’ll be quite safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you. If you come home with me, you’ll always be safe.”

The queasy sensation remains, but it seemed he had no plans to leave either. “I understand you don’t trust me, but I can’t leave you out here alone. I would never forgive myself if something happened to you.” He holds out his hand. “So you’ll be doing me a favour.” He smiles.

Sensing nothing but coldness creep across my soul as he takes my hand and pulls me to my feet.

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