《Repaying the Mafia鈥檚 Dept》


 Prologue

    Massimo


    17 years ago


    ¡°Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust¡­¡± Father De La mutters before he pauses for a moment.


    I gaze at him standing at the head of my mother¡¯s grave. The solemn expression on his face deepens, and the pinch in his brows tells me he feels our loss too.


    I remember him telling me stories about my mother when she was little. He was the priest who married my parents. I doubt he thought this day woulde.


    No one did. Not this soon, or so sudden.


    Father De La pulls in a breath, looks around the gathering of mourners, and continues. ¡°In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to subdue all things. God has received one of his angels today¡­ Imit Sariah Abrie D¡¯Agostino¡¯s body back to the earth from whence she came, and I wish for a blessing on her beautiful, kind soul.¡±


    I stare and note how my father looks at him on those final words. I wonder if Father De La found it strange too. That my mother would kill herself.


    Pa is standing paces away from him. A tear runs down his cheek as a light sparks in his eyes, probably from the kindness in the blessing.


    The light fades a momentter, and he returns to being the broken man. I¡¯m twelve years old, but I know what broken looks like. It¡¯s how I feel.


    Up until now, I¡¯ve never seen Pa cry. Never. Not even years ago when we lost everything and were thrown into the streets with nothing but the clothes on our backs.


    My grandfather gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze. When I nce up at him, he gives me a reassuring look. The type that everybody else has given since this all happened.


    Grandfather has one hand on me and the other on Dominic, my youngest brother. My other two brothers, Andreas and Tristan, stand at his other side.


    Dominic hasn¡¯t stopped crying, not once since we told him Ma wouldn¡¯t being home. He¡¯s only eight years old. I hate that he has to go through this. We all teased him for being the baby and clinging to Ma. But then, we all clung to her in some way.


    The only other funeral I¡¯ve been to was my Abuelita¡¯s. But at six years old, I was too young to understand death. Back then, I didn¡¯t feel the way I do now. Like the collision of numbness and anger inside me will rip me apart.


    Maybe I feel like that because it was me who found Ma in the river.


    I was the first person to see her dead.


    I was the first person to confirm our worst fears after she¡¯d gone missing.


    I was the first person to know that thest time we saw each other was goodbye forever.


    We all looked for her for three days. It was while I was walking by the riverbank at Stormy Creek that I saw her, just drifting there in the water amongst the Cattail reeds. Her eyes still open, ssy. Her skin pale. Lips¡­ blue. Her body rocking gently from side to side in the water. I¡¯ll never forget the way she looked. Like a lifeless doll with her white blonde hair flowing out around her, her dainty features still looking so perfect. But lifeless. No more.


    Inside I¡¯m still screaming.


    They said she must have jumped off the cliff. That¡¯s what I heard the grownups saying.


    Suicide¡­


    Ma killed herself.


    It doesn¡¯t feel real.


    It doesn¡¯t feel right.


    I¡¯m pulled from my thoughts when Father De La nods his head and Pa takes a handful of the dirt to throw down into the grave. When he finishes scattering the dust, he gets down on one knee and holds out the single red rose he¡¯s been carrying since we got here. We all have one.


    ¡°Ti amo, amore mio. I will love you forever and ever,¡± he says. My parents always dered their love for each other. Always.


    I know he feels the same guilt that surrounds us. We all me ourselves for not being able to save her. As Pa casts the flower into the grave, Father De La says a prayer and Grandfather takes my brothers to give Ma their flowers.


    I remain where I am. I can¡¯t will myself to move. I can¡¯t say goodbye yet. I don¡¯t want to say goodbye at all.


    I know what will happen next. We¡¯ll leave and they¡¯ll fill the grave with the rest of the dirt. Covering Ma up forever. My legs tremble at the thought and that weakness returns to my body.


    People start throwing in their flowers too, one by one. Some look at me, others just follow suit dropping their roses: lilies, dahlia¡¯s. Ma¡¯s favorites.


    I¡¯ve been holding on to the rose in my hand so tightly the thorns have cut my palms. I almost forgot I had it. I look down at the stains of blood on the stem and leaves. The rich crimson color stark against the dark green.


    A heavy hand rests on my shoulder, startling me. When I look up, I find myself staring straight into the pale blue eyes of the devil. The man who took everything away from us.


    Rardo Balesteri. A man Pa used to call his best friend. That¡¯s who we knew him to be before things changed and he became a monster.


    Pa doesn¡¯t involve us in business, but there was no one to shield us from anything that day two years ago when Rardo came to our home with men and threw us out.


    I didn¡¯t know what happened, but I remember the arguing. I remember Pa pleading with him to be reasonable and Ma crying as she tried to get Dominic and Tristan out of bed. It was Andreas who took me and calmed me down when I tried to help. The men justughed at me.


    Now, this man is here at my mother¡¯s funeral. With a smile on his face.


    ¡°Dear child, I¡¯m so truly sorry for your loss,¡± he says.


    His words are simr to what has been said to me all day, starting when we entered the church this morning and as we arrived at the cemetery. Everyone who said it, though, meant it. They were genuine. This man is not.


    The click-ck of what I know is a gun steals my answer. Not that I would know what to say. I haven¡¯t spoken much since I found Ma in the river.


    I look up to see Pa holding out two guns, aiming them at Rardo. Grandfather ces a protective arm around my brothers while the remaining guests stare on in terror.


    The only person who doesn¡¯t look scared is Father De La. His face is stern and bes harder when Rardo tightens his grip on my shoulder.


    ¡°Get your hands off my son,¡± Pa demands, tilting his head to the side.


    Rardoughs. The sound ripples through me. He squeezes my shoulder so hard I wince and my knees buckle.


    ¡°Gio, trust you to make a scene,¡± Rardo answers in a sing-song voice.


    ¡°I said get your hands off my son. Now!¡± Pa shouts.


    In answer to his demand, Rardo applies more pressure to my shoulder. His fingers dig past the fabric of my suit and burrow into my skin.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I growl, thrashing against his grasp. He¡¯s too strong though. I¡¯m helpless. I can¡¯t do anything.


    ¡°So disrespectful at your wife¡¯s funeral,¡± Rardo taunts. ¡°I wonder what Sariah would think if she wasn¡¯t six feet under. Maybe the disappointment you are as a husband made her jump to her death. Yes, yes. That must be it. Maybe she preferred death to being with you.¡±


    Enraged, Pa steps forward with his guns, but Rardo retaliates by pulling his own, pulling me closer and cing the steel barrel to my temple.


    I cry out, dropping my rose and gritting my teeth. That makes Pa stop in his tracks. His eyes widen with fright and my soul shivers with fear. This man is the devil. Pa always told me to never underestimate. It will get you killed. So, I won¡¯t do it now. I won¡¯t underestimate or assume that Rardo won¡¯t kill me.


    Tears run down my cheeks when he smooths his hand up to my neck and holds me tighter.


    ¡°You fucking dog,¡± Pa shouts. He still has his guns raised though. ¡°How dare you show up here today to gloat. Get your fucking hands off my son.¡±


    Rardo smiles and leans closer, close to my father¡¯s outstretched guns, daring, as if he knows Pa won¡¯t kill him.


    ¡°Look at you, thinking you¡¯re hot shit. You can¡¯t kill me. You know that.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to test me?¡± Pa snarls.


    ¡°Fool, if you could, you would have done it already. But¡­ you know you can¡¯t. You know the moment you do, you¡¯re dead. Your boys are dead. Your father is dead. Your family in Italia is dead. Everybody you know will be dead. The creed of the Brotherhood protects me and mine.¡±


    Pa seethes. Defeat enters his eyes. The same defeated look he¡¯s carried for thest few years as one bad thing happened after another.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Pa replies.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought so. You know you can¡¯t do shit to me. You¡¯re powerless and useless, helpless as shit,¡± Rardo continues to taunt. ¡°You lost everything. She was thest good thing you had left.¡±


    He looks at the grave. Through my tears I catch the first glimpse of sadness in his eyes. He releases me and steps back, lowering his gun.


    ¡°Leave us, Rardo. Go away. Go the fuck away,¡± Pa says.


    ¡°Came to pay my respect to the angel you should never have had. That¡¯s all,¡± Rardo answers. ¡°And maybe to see your face. That look on your face as you ept you¡¯ve truly lost everything.¡±


    With a crude, sardonicugh, Rardo turns and walks away.


    Pa lowers his guns, puts them back in his holsters, and takes hold of me, pulling me in for a hug.


    ¡°Massimo,¡± he breathes against my ear. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    I swallow hard. ¡°No,¡± I answer. He pulls back to look me over. Sees the rose on the ground and picks it up.


    We stare at each other. The sadness in his eyes grips me so bad it hurts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my boy¡­ I¡¯m sorry for everything,¡± he says.


    ¡°Why does he hate us so much?¡± I ask, my lips trembling.


    Pa shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. Don¡¯t, my boy. Today is not about him.¡± He straightens and holds the rose out to me. ¡°Massimo¡­give your mother the rose. It¡¯s time. Time to say goodbye. We will get through this. We will. Please¡­ never think your mother didn¡¯t love you. She did with all her heart.¡±


    I know it¡¯s true, but part of me wants to ask him why she would leave me without saying goodbye. Except I know the answer. Life became too hard after Rardo took everything from us. That¡¯s why.


    ¡°Give your mother your rose, amore mio,¡± Pa repeats, pushing the rose closer to me.


    I take it and then those steps I dreaded. My legs grow heavier with each one. I stop right by the opening to the grave and release the flower from my grasp. As it falls, my heart breaks all over again.


    Rardo was right. Ma was thest good thing we had left. She was truly an angel.


    I gaze off into the distance and see the vague outline of him walking down the path leading back to the car park.


    He called my father powerless, useless, helpless. He med Pa for my mother wanting death, but it¡¯s not his fault. Everything that¡¯s happened to us is Rardo¡¯s fault. All of it.


    In the moment this thought strikes me, I vow vengeance. As I watch his retreating back, I promise myself that I will fix this. No matter how long it takes me, I will spend the rest of my life if I have to, helping my father rebuild. And I will make Rardo Balesteri pay for everything.


    Right now, we might be powerless, useless, helpless, but we will not be that forever.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    He will lose everything too.

 1

    Emelia


    Present Day


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be ourst night here for a while,¡± Jacob states, looking around our little booth in the diner.


    We¡¯ve beening here for so long that the ce has be a second home.


    ¡°I know,¡± I agree.


    A wave of nostalgia washes over me as I think of all the times we¡¯ve spent here and the years we¡¯ve been friends.


    This is also thest night I¡¯ll be seeing him for a very long time. yfully, I toss a cheese ball at him. He catches it with his mouth. We both startughing, and people at the nearby tables nce our way.


    ¡°Have you finished packing?¡± Jacob asks, setting his arm down on the table.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of question that is,¡± I bubble, shaking my head at him.


    He¡¯s my best friend. He should know better than to ask me something like that.


    I leave for Florence in the morning in prep to start my sophomore year at the ademia delle Belle Arti. My dream is to be an artist. I¡¯ve been excited to go to Florence since my father booked the tickets. I¡¯ve always wanted to study in Italy, just like my mother did. Jacob and I finished our freshman year at UCLA a few weeks ago. My bags have been packed since.


    If Mom were alive, she¡¯d be really proud of me. Going to the ademia is thest thing I¡¯ll do to follow in her footsteps. It¡¯s going to be amazing.


    ¡°Sorry, my mistake.¡± Jacob chuckles. Hisrge brown eyes sparkle. ¡°It was more the case of me asking if you¡¯re ready to go. But you were probably born ready.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°I was. I¡¯ll miss you a lot, but I can¡¯t wait to leave,¡± I confess.


    It will be exciting to start my sses because some of the best teachers in the world will instruct me, but I won¡¯t deny that the chance to escape LA and my father¡¯s controlling hand doesn¡¯t appeal to me as well.


    Although I¡¯ll have bodyguards apanying me and I¡¯ll be staying with my uncle, this is the first time I¡¯ll be going to Italy without Dad.


    ¡°I get it. I just hope your old man doesn¡¯t have a heart attack.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°I know. I keep thinking he¡¯s going to change his mind.¡± Like he nearly did about me going to college.


    I wanted to go away to study right from the get-go, but Dad wouldn¡¯t hear of it. We only settled on UCLA because it was close to home. He wouldn¡¯t hear of me living on campus either. The best things about going there were the courses and getting to see Jacob.


    It took the miracle of Uncle Leo¡¯s assurance that he¡¯d look after me and profound begging to get Dad to allow me to go to Florence.


    ¡°Fingers crossed he won¡¯t. You worked hard to show him you¡¯ll be fine, and you worked hard for the cement.¡± Jacob nods, looking proud of me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I know what it means to be a Balesteri, and specifically to be the daughter of a mob boss. My father is a powerful man. As such, he has enemies. I already experienced an eye opener when my cousin, Porter, was gunned down in the street a few years back. My family isn¡¯t average. Neither is Jacob¡¯s. We¡¯re both old enough and smart enough to know where wee from. Jacob¡¯s father works for mine, so we¡¯re well aware of the dangers we could face just for being who we are.


    I love my father dearly and I know he just wants to protect me, but sometimes I feel like I¡¯m living in one big gilded cage. Going to Italy will give me a chance to be free. Truthfully, I¡¯m hoping that if everything goes well, Dad will allow me more freedom so I can travel around without constant supervision. Or his watchful eye.


    ¡°Your mother would be happy and very proud of you,¡± Jacob intones.


    I draw in a breath, nodding slowly, and he reaches across the table to cover my hands with his. Mom¡¯s been gone for three years now. Sometimes it doesn¡¯t feel real. Sometimes the griefes back to haunt me, and I remember how she suffered during thosest few months when cancer got the better of her.


    I wasn¡¯t sure which killed her first-the rigorous sessions of chemotherapy or the disease itself. She didn¡¯t even look like my mother in the end. The only thing that remained was her beautiful spirit. She was watching me paint when she took herst breath. I¡¯ll never forget the way she looked after. Like she was proud of me. Proud for sharing her dreams in art, and proud for my desire to follow my own.


    ¡°That means a lot to me, Jacob.¡±


    ¡°I know it does. I¡¯m seriously going to miss you a lot, Emilia.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯lle and see me, right?¡± I ask, hopeful.


    He releases my hands and gives me one of his cocky grins. ¡°Every chance I get.¡±


    ¡°You better.¡±


    ¡°You know I will.¡± He presses his lips together. I stare back at him as a sliver of awkward silence fills the space between us.


    In his text earlier he mentioned wanting to ask me something important. I have a pretty good idea what that something might be.


    He¡¯s been different since we started college. Different in a way that suggests he wants us to be more than friends. I pretend not to notice, but I do. I see it now as he stares back at me.


    I might be an idiot not to want him too. Jacob is handsome and has always taken care of me. But to me he feels like a brother. I can¡¯t see us being more than friends. I can¡¯t feel it either.


    Besides¡­ even though no one has ever said this, I get the feeling that no matter how close Jacob is, or what ties bind our families, my father would never allow anything more than friendship between us.


    ¡°So¡­ I guess I should talk to you about that something, right?¡± he says, fidgeting. I tense.


    ¡°Yeah, you should.¡± I want him to tell me what¡¯s on his mind so I can be real with him.


    ¡°I was¡­ thinking about us and the rtionship we have,¡± he begins. ¡°We¡¯ve always been great together.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer, biting the inside of my lip. ¡°We have.¡±


    ¡°Emelia, you know I really value you.¡±


    I¡¯m about to tell him I value him too- as my closest friend- when the door to the restaurant bursts open and Frankie, one of my father¡¯s guards, barges through.


    The moment our eyes lock I know something is wrong. My nerves spike when he marches over with a heavy thud.


    ¡°Emelia,¡± Frankie urges, ¡°you have toe with me now.¡±


    I frown. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your father needs you toe now.¡± I look back at Jacob.


    ¡°Why, what¡¯s happening?¡± I prod.


    ¡°Juste, now,¡± he demands with a balled fist, reminding me that while I might be the Balesteri princess, he doesn¡¯t answer to me. He answers to my father.


    I stand. Jacob does too. I nned to stay out with him for a little while longer. We didn¡¯t even get to finish our talk.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You go. I¡¯ll see you in Italia,¡± Jacob encourages me.


    I throw my arms around him, and he nts a kiss on my forehead. He¡¯s never done that before.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in Italia,¡± I answer.


    ¡°Buonasera.¡± He gives me a watery gaze brimming with worry.


    ¡°Buonasera,¡± I reply with a little smile.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Frankie pushes, beckoning me to go with him.


    I move toward him. He ces his hand to the small of my back, ushering me away.


    ¡°What about my car?¡± I ask, ncing over to the parking lot as we step outside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone pick it up,¡± he answers gruffly.


    ¡°Frankie, what is going on?¡± I attempt again, praying Dad hasn¡¯t changed his mind about Italy.


    Frankie doesn¡¯t answer, so I don¡¯t ask again. I¡¯m led to the Bentley. Hugo, my father¡¯s second inmand, is at the wheel. Frankie opens the back door for me to get in, and once I¡¯m strapped inside, he joins Hugo in the front.


    A lump forms in my throat as the car sets off down the drive. I nce back at the diner, seeing Jacob watching me as we pull away.


    This is weird, very strange, even for my father. He¡¯s never done this before.


    Thirty minutester, when we drive down the length of the driveway, my heart squeezes with fear when I look ahead to the house and see cars parked up outside and men at the door I don¡¯t recognize. They¡¯re holding machine guns.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± Hugo says under his breath.


    ¡°Yes, fucking hell indeed. What the fuck is this?¡± Frankie mutters.


    My father hates the men swearing around me, afraid it will taint me. To me it¡¯s foolish to worry over such things when there¡¯s always something bigger to worry about. Like what is happening now.


    We park and Frankie gets out of the car first. Both mene to my side when I step out, shielding me, protecting me as they take me by my arms.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± I whisper. Once again, no one answers me.


    We just walk. Either they don¡¯t know, or they don¡¯t want to say. They must have been told something, though, because they lead me straight to my father¡¯s office.


    I only go in here when Dad wants to talk about my grades or my allowance. Since there¡¯s no reason to speak of either, I can¡¯t even guess what the hell this could all be about.


    Frankie opens the door and I tense right up at the scene before me.


    Dad is sitting behind his desk with a daunting look in his eyes, his face pale and sweat running down the side of his face. I¡¯ve never seen him look so¡­disturbed.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Scared?


    He looks scared.


    Before him in the leather back chair is a man who looks to be the same age as he is. A younger man stands beside Dad, along with Mr. Marzetti, our familywyer. I¡¯ve never seen these men before in my life, and the way Dad looks has me on edge. Panic surges through me, making me feel like I should run away.


    My father is a man most call untouchable, but whatever is happening in here is not good.


    The man standing next to Dad is who holds my attention. With his striking appearance and those piercing turquoise eyes, he¡¯s easily the most handsome man I¡¯ve ever seen in my life. But it¡¯s the way he¡¯s looking at me that rivets me.


    He¡¯s looking at me like he can see straight through me, like he can see right through to my soul. He¡¯s tall and foreboding and has a presence thatmands authority.


    I sense the same air of authority in the older man. Apart from the eye color, they look simr. So, I guess the younger man is his son. I also guess these men are mafia. They emanate the vibe.


    ¡°Emelia, take a seat,¡± Dad instructs, pointing to the empty chair on the other side of the desk.


    Frankie and Hugo release me, and my shaky legs carry me to the chair.


    I steel my spine and try to look like I¡¯m not fazed, although I am.


    I¡¯m used to people looking at me. I¡¯m used to men looking at me the same way they used to look at my mother. She was very beautiful, and while I don¡¯t profess to possess the sort of beauty she had, people tell me I look exactly like her.


    The looks I get now hold that fascination, but there¡¯s more, and I hate that I don¡¯t know what is going on.


    ¡°Dad, what is happening?¡± I¡¯m not usually supposed to speak when it¡¯s clear Dad is in a business meeting. Since this doesn¡¯t appear to be anything of the sort, I push the rules aside.


    ¡°Emelia, this is Gio D¡¯Agostino,¡± Dad introduces the older man, and instantly I wonder if the name has anything to do with D¡¯Agostino Inc., the oilpany.


    I recall it because the name is unusual. It¡¯s Italian, and they¡¯re Italian, but it¡¯s not a name I¡¯m used to hearing.


    ¡°Hello, sir,¡± I say, but Gio just looks at me. No answer.


    ¡°This is Gio¡¯s son Massimo D¡¯Agostino,¡± Dad continues his introductions, pointing to the younger man, who straightens up, giving me a full view of his tall and well-muscled body. His powerfully built shoulders cast an outline over the fabric of his white shirt, showing off the muscle definition.


    I won¡¯t be an idiot with pleasantries and manners like I did with his father only to look like a fool when he doesn¡¯t answer. It¡¯s clear they aren¡¯t here for biscuits and tea. There are men with guns outside, and I¡¯m sitting here in my father¡¯s office like I¡¯m waiting to be sentenced.


    Instead of looking at either of them, I look at Dad.


    ¡°Dad, what is going on?¡± I demand.


    Dad swallows and releases a sigh. He squints slightly and looks like he¡¯s trying to hold his temper.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to marry Massimo in a month¡¯s time,¡± he answers. My mouth drops wide open.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ no¡­ I¡­ no.¡± I shake my head furiously in disbelief.


    Surely, I couldn¡¯t have heard right. Marry? A man I don¡¯t know? No way.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he confirms in that voice that shows the depth of his seriousness. I blink back tears that well up in my eyes, willing myself not to cry.


    ¡°Dad, this is outrageous! I can¡¯t marry someone I don¡¯t know,¡± I gasp.


    ¡°You will do this, Emelia,¡± Dad answers, shocking me. ¡°He wishes for you to leave today. You will leave now and move to his home.¡±


    My head feels so light I might faint. All I can do is stare at him in shock. ¡°Today! What about Italy? I¡¯m leaving tomorrow. What about school?¡± I knew it was too good to be true, but I never imagined something like this happening.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to go,¡± he replies, and my heart breaks.


    ¡°My art¡­ Please don¡¯t take my dreams away from me,¡± I beg.


    ¡°Emelia, do not make this harder than it already is,¡± he answers, holding up a hand.


    ¡°How could you do this?¡± I rasp, but he doesn¡¯t answer.


    Dad holds my gaze, and the fact that he says nothing highlights the seriousness of the situation.


    Mr. Marzetti sets a document on the desk before us and looks at Massimo. I can¡¯t look at either of them. I can¡¯t because the document that¡¯s in front of me looks like some kind of contract. Why would I need a contract?


    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask, but it¡¯s another unanswered question.


    ¡°Mr. D¡¯Agostino, please sign here,¡± Mr. Marzetti says, and Massimo walks over to sign in the section he pointed to.


    Massimo then slides the document to me and sets the pen right down beside my hand. He¡¯s so close, too close, and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end when I turn and face him. Our eyes lock, and when I stare into the depths of his blue gaze, I see nothing. No soul, nothing human, nothing he wishes to give away.


    ¡°Sign, Emelia,¡± Dad orders, breaking the trance, and I look back at the document.


    It¡¯s definitely a contract¡­ I skim the first few lines. Bile churns my stomach then rises into my throat, burning.


    My skin flushes with icy fear as I read the words:


    It is hereby certified by this contract of ownership that Massimo D¡¯Agostino will as of this day, 1st July 2019, be the sole proprietor of Emelia Juliette Balesteri. She will fall part of all assets acquired from Rardo Balesteri in attempt to recover sums of the debt owed, which totals $25 million dors. She will belong to him, and marriage to him will bind all assets and inheritance linked to her name¡­


    That¡¯s all I need to read. All I need to see. I bolt upright and back away. The situation is so much worse than I thought.


    Not going to Italy is bad, the idea of marrying a man I don¡¯t know devastating, but this¡­


    What the hell is this?


    The words swirl around in my mind as I look at each of them. The older man, Gio, who still has that stern face void of emotion. His son, Massimo, who stares back at me in anticipation. Mr. Marzetti, who looks away in shame. Him I give credit. He seems to be the only person before me who knows this is wrong.


    When my gaze settles back on Dad, my brain scrambles and my skin prickles with goose bumps. He¡¯s supposed to love and protect me.


    This can¡¯t be real.


    ¡°You¡¯re selling me!¡± I gasp. My voice is shrill, rising several octaves as I speak, shaking as I tremble from deep within. ¡°Daddy, you¡¯re selling me?¡±


    I have to ask the question. His face contorts and his jaw clenches. Once again, there¡¯s no answer.


    Jesus¡­ this can¡¯t be happening. He¡¯s selling me. It¡¯s true. A debt exchanged. Me for twenty-five million.


    Twenty-five million.


    What the fuck happened? How did this happen?


    My father is incredibly wealthy. He doesn¡¯t owe anybody. Clearly, I¡¯m terribly wrong.


    ¡°Emelia, I need your signature,¡± he states, rising to his feet.


    ¡°Dad¡­ how could you do this? You¡¯re selling me,¡± I croak, and fuck, the tearse hard now.


    One more step back, and I hit a wall, but it¡¯s not the wall. Arms steady me, holding me in ce, preventing me from fleeing. I look up and see Frankie. He averts his gaze, though, and stares right ahead. He was right to think I would flee, but how far would I get?


    ¡°Sign the document, Emelia,¡± Dad demands, glowering at me.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I mutter. ¡°No.¡±


    I knew I would have to marry someday, but I didn¡¯t imagine it would be like this. Sold. Falling part of assets. Belonging to someone under a contract of ownership like I¡¯m a thing? No. I never thought that.


    My parents had an arranged marriage, and they told me how it all happened. How they met and dated and got to know each other and love came. My mother loved him.


    Dad moves to me lightning fast and drags me away from Frankie, shoving me forward so hard I almost fall over. I have to catch the edge of the desk to steady myself.


    With one swift move he grabs the pen, takes my hand, and squeezes my hand so hard I cry out.


    ¡°You will obey me,¡± Dad rages, squeezing harder.


    In all my years, he¡¯s never behaved this way. Never hurt me. Never mistreated me in any way. Desperation and rage mingle in his pale blue eyes. I¡¯ve never seen him look so scared.


    ¡°Do it!¡± he shouts, squeezing my hand so hard I cry out from the pain.


    I¡¯m shocked when a heavy handnds on top of his, nearly covering both our hands.


    It¡¯s Massimo. Dad stills and res at him, but Massimo stares him down.


    ¡°Let. Her. Go.¡± His voice¡­it¡¯s deep and evenly spoken. Eloquent but demanding. Filled with darkness that sends ance of panic through me.


    He releases his grip on Dad, and Dad lets me go. The pen tters to the desk, and just for a second, I look at him and wonder if he sees just how wrong this is. I¡¯m a person.


    I¡¯m quickly reminded he¡¯s not here to be my savior when he picks up the pen and holds it out to me.


    ¡°Sign the document, Emelia,¡± Massimo says, lingering on thest syble of my name. ¡°If you don¡¯t, you will not like what happens next.¡±


    I gaze at him and tremble. Rage flickers in his eyes, yet he seems so calm as he speaks. I am helpless against his threat.


    No one in here will help me.


    His threat holds the menace of deathced between the words.


    Will he kill my father if I don¡¯t sign? Is that what this is? Will he kill me? Torture me? He looks like he would. Beyond the beauty in his face is darkness. Darkness and a menace of evil.


    I don¡¯t want to die.


    I don¡¯t want them to kill Dad.


    So that¡¯s it¡­


    I take the pen. Tears blind me as I sign away my life and my dreams.


    The tears fall onto the contract as my vision blurs.


    ¡°Take her to the house,¡± Massimomands. Someone takes my arm.


    I don¡¯t know who it is. I just move, feeling numb inside. I can¡¯t look at my father as I leave.


    How could he do this to me? Sell me.


    Instead of looking forward to my dreams, I¡¯m walking to what I know will be my destruction.


    What else could it be?

 2

    Massimo


    I stare after Manni, my head guard, as he takes Emelia away. If I were finished up here, I¡¯d take her to the house myself. Not him.


    I already feel my blood boiling watching him touch her. Watching him touch what¡¯s mine. The Balesteri Princess, a woman deemed to be prized.


    She¡¯s the princess locked away in the tower. I just moved her from one tower to another. The difference about this story is, there will be no prince to save her. No one wille to give her freedom. She is the spoils of war. The trophy I came to collect.


    If I were a better man, I¡¯d feel sorry for her. She¡¯s a victim, a piece on the chess board who now belongs to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± thewyer, that fucktard Marzetti, says. I return my focus to them as he applies the Balesteri family seal to the contract.


    ¡°Good,¡± Pa says, taking back the lead on this visit of ours.


    Although I can feel Rardo¡¯s heated gaze on me, I watch Marzetti as he gathers the contract and the other documents with our offer and starts cing them in an envelope.


    He¡¯s what I call a ¡®yes man¡¯. An irritating, spineless piece of shit who does what he¡¯s told. That¡¯s what he does. Vermin who worked for Rardo way back when. I stare the asshole down and wonder if he remembers me as a boy. I¡¯m sure he does. He¡¯s been looking at me like he remembers me just fine.


    As he and hispany of fuckers came to throw my family out of our home, I stared him down just like I am now. Back then, heughed at me and called me a foolish child. I was ten years old. Now I¡¯m twenty-nine, and I¡¯m about to take over my father¡¯s empire. An empire he built from the nothingness we had.


    With the handover of leadership, the repayment of the debt wille to me.


    Unlike the foolish child I was called, I now own Emelia and close to sixty percent of all Balesteri assets. The rest wille when turns twenty-one.


    Power is a beautiful thing. It¡¯s so much better when you can taste it and feel it coursing through your veins.


    Marzetti is notughing now. He¡¯s shit scared, the same as that devil Rardo.


    Pa and I are here before him, and we are so far from powerless, useless, or helpless. Unlike that day at the cemetery, there¡¯s not a damn thing anybody would be able to do if we killed every motherfucker in this house.


    ¡°May I go now?¡± Marzetti asks when he¡¯s finished. I almostugh. He looks like he¡¯s ready to shit himself.


    Rardo looks even worse for the fact that his belovedwyer had to ask us permission to leave.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You may,¡± Pa answers. We don¡¯t need awyer for what happens next.


    It¡¯s Syndicate business and as such will be handled between us. It will be interesting to watch. I continue to stare at Marzetti, who hurries out of here, scurrying away like the rat he is.


    ¡°Leave us,¡± Rardo tells his men, and they follow.


    It¡¯s just the three of us now. Rardo takes his chair. I walk back to mine.


    ¡°Back to business,¡± Pa says with a well-earned smug smile.


    We¡¯re not finished with Rardo yet. Taking Emelia was just the first act. This n of ours was well thought out. It¡¯s what you call the true art of war-knowing when to get your enemy exactly where you want him to be and striking not at the point where he¡¯s injured, but when you know he walks the line between life and death and only a miracle will save him. That is where Rardo is right now, and the fucker knows it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just take my voting rights,¡± Rardo says, trying to keep his tone under control. ¡°They are what tie me to the syndicate. What kind of member would I be without my rights to vote and make decisions?¡±


    ¡°That is not my concern. I want your voting rights, or the deal is off,¡± Pa answers.


    My father is here with me to secure the veryst thing this asshole owns: His voting rights in the syndicate, the Brotherhood. Like Rardo, my father is one of the Syndicate leaders. Voting rights equal power and control. They give control and take away control. This is my father¡¯s final act as boss. His final gift to me before he hands over the D¡¯Agostino empire.


    Our demand for Rardo¡¯s voting right was the shocker we dealt just before Emelia walked in. It was why he behaved the way he did with her. Shock and desperation consumed him. Shock that we had so much power and discovered his secrets. Desperation from being wedged in a corner.


    We came here to kill him for the money he owes. Or offer him a way out that would equally destroy his ass. The offer was this: his beloved daughter and the new set of luxury apartments he bought at the start of the year for the debt, plus his voting rights in exchange for our silence on his crimes to the Syndicate from breaking the creed.


    ¡°You will give it to me, or I won¡¯t hesitate to inform the the Brotherhood of your gross errors. I doubt you want that on your hands.¡±


    Terror makes beads of sweat form on Rardo¡¯s upper lip. Bastardo. He¡¯s an idiot for thinking we, of all people, will let him reason with us. He¡¯s lucky. That¡¯s what he is. Lucky that we only want to destroy him instead of just killing his ass. The motherfucker did the one thing you shouldn¡¯t do in our world: underestimate. He never thought anybody would discover his secret that he¡¯s on the edge of being broke. And that he¡¯s a thief.


    ¡°You are loving this, aren¡¯t you?¡± Rardo sneers.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Pa answers, short, sweet, and sinct, knowing that Rardo doesn¡¯t want the Syndicate on his ass. I bite back a grin as I watch a smile of victory dance across my father¡¯s lips.


    He thought he was untouchable, but everybody loses sometimes. That¡¯s what happened to him. He took a big gamble when he started working with Cartel members and ying with syndicate money. He lost it all and had to turn to us for help. Us, his enemies. He came to us because he knew he couldn¡¯t go to anybody else. Maybe he thought he could prey on the lost friendship he and my father once shared. Then the worst thing happened to him when he couldn¡¯t pay us back. I knew that would happen though. He yed right into the trap.


    ¡°Gio, you took my daughter,¡± Rardo reminds Pa.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going over this again, Rardo,¡± Pa answers, mimicking his tone.


    ¡°It¡¯s a serious matter.¡±


    ¡°This is not up for discussion,¡± Pa adds, cutting through the tense silence that¡¯s be so thick in the air it feels tangible. Like I could take out my pocketknife and cut through it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how you think it¡¯s right to do this to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think is right or wrong. This is the way it¡¯s going to be. Decide now. We don¡¯t have all fucking night. Shall I make the call now to the Brotherhood? Or will you be handing me what I ask?¡±


    Rardo stares back, fury brimming in his eyes along with fear.


    Apart from us, the Brotherhood of the Syndicate is made up of two other powerful Italian crime families and two Bratva families. They will not be pleased to hear how Rardo has been benefitting from their investments for thest ten years and how much he¡¯s stole.


    He knows they¡¯ll kill him. They¡¯ll deal death exactly the way he threatened at my mother¡¯s funeral. It would start with him, then they¡¯d kill his daughter, his family and friends. Everyone he knows.


    The Syndicate is a secret society of crime families set up to protect wealth and allow its members to flourish in more wealth. Cross them and break the creed, and it means death to all you know. There is no way out.


    This selfish fucker, however, is just worried about himself. I know it. He knows we¡¯ll kill him too, and we¡¯d be able to without retaliation for all he¡¯s done.


    Death, however, is too good for him. He did exactly what we wanted. We wanted to watch the asshole fall and crumble. To see his face as he loses everything. It¡¯s interesting though. I thought his daughter might have been his one good thing, but she isn¡¯t. Rardo Balesteri values his money and power. The one good thing in his life was his voting rights in the syndicate. The man makes me sick. He¡¯s more aggrieved to lose that than selling his daughter.


    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be, Rardo?¡± Pa asks and holds out another contract to him. That one would have the same wording as the one Emelia signed. But it needs to be signed in blood.


    ¡°You bastard. You had to take everything,¡± Ricardo says and looks from Pa to me.


    I¡¯ve sat back and minded my ce, allowing my father to talk. It¡¯s my turn now.


    ¡°Be fucking grateful we left you with the roof over your head and the clothes on your back,¡± I answer, and he cuts me a sharp nce.


    He won¡¯t say anything to me. I can tell he¡¯s still shaken from the way I grabbed his hand earlier. I was going to break it. Payback for the stunt he pulled on me at Ma¡¯s funeral. I would have made payback the sure bitch she is and break his fucking hand in several ces. I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time to find a way to get him, and while I¡¯ve seen this man several times since my mother¡¯s funeral, I¡¯ve held back.


    What stopped me was her. Emelia. My cold, dead heart awoke somewhat, and I took pity on the princess. It was how she looked when she pleaded for her dreams and her art that got me. Watching me break her father¡¯s hand would have been too much for her. It would have added to the bomb we dropped on the evening.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have all night, Rardo,¡± Pa states in a menacing voice.


    Grudgingly, Rardo takes the contract, looks it over, and retrieves a pen knife from his drawer. A smile dances on my lips when he cuts the tip of his thumb and blood drips on to the dotted line.


    ¡°There. You have it all now.¡± He looks at me. ¡°You have it all.¡±


    ¡°I do, and you have nothing,¡± I answer. ¡°It will be most interesting to see what happens next. Definitely interesting to see what happens when I marry your daughter, ruining your damn ns.¡±


    Boy, did this bastard ever have his fair share of ns. At Easter, he disyed his daughter to the underground at the charity ball. We all saw her for the first time. Unbeknown to her, that event was what we call a Viewing, a signal to start bidding. He disyed her like a piece of meat for sale, and as she¡¯s been the talk of the underground since then, I can just imagine how many bids he must have gotten. The minute I saw her, I knew the fucker wanted to marry her off and secure some business arrangement with the marriage.


    Then we found out what he was up to with the Syndicate and the trouble he was in as a result of all the money he lost. I knew exactly how to strike then.


    ¡°You will not get away with this,¡± he warns. I¡¯m amazed he has the balls to say that to me.


    I lean forward and hold his gaze. ¡°I think I already did.¡± I reach for the contract and hand it to Pa, who takes it dly. I continue to give this bastard before me a hardened stare. Looking at him the way I¡¯ve wanted to look at him for years.


    I wonder if his daughter knows how truly evil he is. She only just saw the tip of her father¡¯s wrath. I get the feeling she doesn¡¯t know anything.


    As I look at this devil before me, I think back to the day at the cemetery when I vowed vengeance. This is only the start.


    Pa clears his throat and stands. I do too.


    ¡°Pleasure doing business with you, Rardo,¡± Pa says. ¡°I will contact the Brotherhood and make them aware of what¡¯s happening in terms of your rights.¡±


    Ricardo stares back knowing he doesn¡¯t have a leg to stand on.


    We walk out, leaving him to his thoughts. Right where we want him.


    He knows it only goes downhill from here.


    The men follow us, and Pa and I stop on the steps when we get outside.


    I look over the grounds of the mansion. It¡¯s beautiful and worth millions with the design and thend surrounding it.


    ¡°We should have taken the property as well,¡± I state.


    ¡°No, we have to leave him with a base so we can watch his next moves,¡± Pa answers. ¡°Home is where the heart is, even for those with dark souls. He¡¯ll be plotting his next moves right here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I imagine so,¡± I agree. I just wanted to truly leave him in the shit, put him on the roadside with a paper bag if I could. It still wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    ¡°He will try things. We¡¯ve crippled him in a big way, but don¡¯t underestimate him.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    He rests a hand on my shoulder. Pride swells his eyes. To see that in a man like him for me is a massive aplishment. My father is the kind of man who went through hell and back. He rules with an iron fist that shows the extent of his power. I¡¯ve seen him at his lowest, cut down like grass, and at his highest. That is where he is now, and I¡¯m honored to fill his shoes. The fact that he picked me over Andreas is an honor I will take to my grave, bad as I feel about being picked to lead the famiglia over my older brother.


    ¡°You¡¯re ready to be boss. You acted like one today.¡±


    I dip my head in reverence at his words. ¡°My thanks to you, Father.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll finish the asset transferter today in prep for the ceremony. Then there¡¯s the Syndicate meetings. I will initiate you and spend the next few months training you. Then that will be it.¡±


    That will be it. And I will form a new leadership with my brothers.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Pa rests his hand on my shoulder and nods. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this ce, Massimo. Do not keep your woman waiting.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±


    His face hardens, and I know he has nopassion when ites to Emelia.


    ¡°Make sure she knows who is boss now. Make sure she knows who she belongs to.¡±


    Ruthless. That¡¯s what he wants me to be. I have no problem with that.


    I have no problem with showing her who she belongs to. My fucking cock has been hard for her since I first saw her at the stupid ball.


    I¡¯ll have no problem breaking my new toy in.

 3

    Emelia


    Fear hit me the minute I stepped out of the car.


    Then I saw the house. A mansion right on the beach. Dark and foreboding just like Massimo. The property seemed vast, like it stretched on forever, and in the moonlight all I could see wasnd and the gentle breath of the sea pulling in and out from the shoreline.


    Wealth. That¡¯s what it all said. Money and power. Money and power enough to buy a person.


    Whenever I was scared, I used to run to Jacob, or at least call him. Tonight, I can¡¯t do either. I can¡¯t leave this ce, and my phone was the first thing to get taken once we stepped inside the house. An elderly woman hade to the door. Curiosity filling her features. Although she said nothing to me as the men marched me in, I caught the glimpse of curiosity in her eyes and what I recognized to be fear.


    The men marched me up a wide set of stairs and up to the first floor, where we carried on to the room I¡¯m in now. They switched on the lights then left me.


    That was roughly half an hour ago, but it feels like forever. I¡¯m not sure which is worst-being left to my thoughts by myself or being around these people, scared and waiting for what¡¯s supposed to happen next.


    The room I¡¯m in is massive: the floor is hardwood, it has a four-poster bed, grand mahogany furniture, and an entire wall made of ss that has a stunning view of the sea and the rock formations against the beach. With the glow of the silver moonlight it looks like a glimpse of a fairytale.


    But this is not a fairytale. I feel more like I¡¯m trapped in a Tim Burton film, stuck in a nightmare I can¡¯t escape.


    I sunk to the floor with my back against the wall and allowed myself to cry. I¡¯m scared and I feel sick. I feel like throwing up.


    Thest time I felt this shaken was when Mom was sick and we knew there was nothing we could do for her. We knew she was going to die. It was Jacob who was there for me because Dad dealt with his grief by shunning everyone. Including me. I think of Jacob and know that he will be worried. He will call me and get no answer, then worry some more. I¡¯ll bet too that he¡¯ll go to the house in the morning to check, just to be sure I¡¯m okay.


    Will Dad tell him what happened to me? I doubt it. Jacob will go crazy, and it would not be good for him if he did that.


    There¡¯s a side to my father that I¡¯ve caught glimpses of but didn¡¯t see in regard to me until earlier tonight. As he squeezed my hand like he would break it if I disobeyed, I felt the desperation. I would never want anyone to get hurt.


    I would never want Jacob to get hurt just for knowing me and trying to be my friend by protecting me.


    Not even a handful of hours ago, my thoughts were consumed with going to Florence tomorrow. Now, my dream is just that: a dream. A thing my heart wants. I have to push that all aside to think about what is happening to me here and now.


    The reality of the situation is this: I¡¯m supposed to marry and live with Massimo D¡¯Agostino for the rest of my life, and I¡¯m just supposed to ept that?


    How?


    I can¡¯t believe Dad would do this to me.


    And realistically, what now? I¡¯m in this bedroom. Is it his? It must be. Why would they take me to a guestroom if I belong to him? This room must be his. No one spoke to me at all. No one said anything, not to me or each other.


    They just deposited me here like the thing I am and left.


    What will happened when he gets back? Will he take my virginity? Would he care that I¡¯m a virgin?


    Men like him don¡¯t care. They take. I¡¯ll be here for sex.


    I won¡¯t be stupid enough to think he¡¯ll be mine too. Like Dad, he¡¯ll have his women. I already know he¡¯ll be just like that. Just from the way he looks. I never wanted my life to turn out like this. When I married, I always hoped it would be for love. That I¡¯d fall in love. This isplete shit.


    The bedroom door handle turns, and I nearly jump out of my skin. The door creaks open, and I see him.


    He¡¯s here.


    Massimo stands in the doorframe looking me over. He seems taller, and the longer he stares at me, the more intense those piercing blue eyes seem against his olive skin. My breath hitches in my throat and my heart races.


    Terrified, I push to my feet as he walks in and closes the door behind him.


    I find myself wanting to look away, but at the same time his striking appearancemands my attention and rivets my gaze to him, making it difficult for me to focus. I think I¡¯d find this easier if he weren¡¯t so ridiculously gorgeous. He¡¯s the kind of man who you would naturally stare at.


    I¡¯m paralyzed under the weight of his stare, and the anticipation of what he¡¯s going to do makes me want to run. Run far away and never look back.


    He gets closer but stops a few paces away, still towering over me. The scent of his aftershave fills my nose. I grit my teeth.


    ¡°There¡¯s a bed for you to lie on. You don¡¯t have to take to the floor,¡± he says, breaking the silence.


    Unsure of what to say, I decide not to answer.


    ¡°Unless you like the floor,¡± he adds. His voice deepens as it drops, and my nerves scatter when he looks me over from head to toe, assessing me.


    He¡¯s about six foot four, while I¡¯m five two. He feels like a giant next to me.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± I rasp. My voice sounds weak and weary, foreign to my ears. I don¡¯t sound like the strong woman my mother raised me to be. I don¡¯t sound like the woman I was earlier this morning when I woke and told myself I was going to conquer the world and be the best version of myself I could be.


    ¡°What?¡± The corners of his lips turn up into a smooth smile, revealing perfect white teeth.


    Of course, his smile is also beautiful and disarming. Maybe that¡¯s what he uses to intimidate people.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t have me,¡± I answer, trying to steady my heart so it doesn¡¯t leap out of my chest.


    ¡°The piece of paper we signed earlier says different, Princesca.¡±


    Princesca¡­


    If he means that word in rtion to me being a spoilt brat, he¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m not that. I never have been. Yes, I may have never wanted for anything in my life, but that doesn¡¯t mean I was given everything just because I wanted it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know me,¡± I retort.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, you don¡¯t need to know me to know this is wrong. There must be some other way my father can pay you back. Let me go.¡± I¡¯m proud of myself for the little speech, but the pride fades when a deep chuckle rumbles within the walls of his hard chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one the debt is owed. I choose how I want to be paid. I choose what I want to take.¡±


    ¡°So, you picked me?¡± I give him an incredulous re. ¡°Why the hell would you pick me?¡±


    As soon as the words fall from my lips, I feelpletely stupid. I¡¯m my father¡¯s heir, and I get the Balesteri family inheritance when I turn twenty-one. My inheritance alone is worth several million. That contract stipted Massimo would get everything.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°My dear Princesca, you really are living in the dark.¡± He smirks, revealing the dimple in his left cheek.


    ¡°There must be some other way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there is, except I¡¯ve done exactly what I wanted to do,¡± he answers. My heart squeezes. It feels like a rug has been pulled from beneath me. This is the man I¡¯m supposed to marry. While he looks like a fairytale prince, he¡¯s not.


    My lips part, but I¡¯m at a loss for words.


    ¡°So¡­ you see, it can¡¯t be any other way, Emelia Balesteri. I marry you, and I get everything you own. You belong to me, and everything you have and will get belongs to me too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s wrong. You must know that.¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± he orders. His smile fades. That cool, calm demeanor returns, and I realize then that this is his dangerous side.


    ¡°Stop what?¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to prey on my good side. I don¡¯t have one. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m good just because I stopped your father from hurting you. I¡¯m not.¡±


    I tremble now as his gaze bores into me. He¡¯s telling me things I should know, but mostly he¡¯s saying I have no hope.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a heart?¡± My voice has reverted to the weak tone it took when I first spoke as I make one final attempt to reach whatever I see in him that might resemble something human.


    ¡°No,¡± he answers. ¡°I have no heart, Princesca.¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    ¡°Massimo D¡¯Agostino, age twenty-nine, soon-to-be owner of D¡¯Agostino Inc. Last check came up clean.¡± He smirks, and my soul quivers. ¡°We will be married in one month¡¯s time. You will live here, and that is all you need to know.¡±


    ¡°You think that¡¯s enough,¡± Ish back.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough because I say so. Enough nitty-gritty. I think I¡¯ve given you enough answers to your questions. Now, take your clothes off.¡±

 4

    EmeliaN?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    I can¡¯t control the whimper of shock that falls from my lips.


    ¡°No¡­¡± I choke out, shaking my head.


    ¡°Yes. I want to get a look at what¡¯s mine.¡±


    Oh my God. This is it. He¡¯s going to rape me, and there¡¯s not a damn thing I can do about it.


    My survival instinct kicks in and I try to bolt past him, but onerge hand mps down on my wrist and brings me right back to where I was.


    ¡°Please, no¡­¡± I plead.


    ¡°Emelia, if you want to get along here, you will obey me, or life will be very difficult for you.¡±


    ¡°Obey you? Who do you think you are?¡± I must have some death wish asking him such a question. I¡¯m not thinking straight. Who could in this nightmare?


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me answer that, or repeat myself,¡± he hisses. ¡°Take your clothes off.¡±


    My God¡­ he¡¯s serious. I¡¯m going to have to do this. Obey. What will happen to me if I don¡¯t? What is worse? To be willing and allow him to take me and do whatever he wants to me, or for him to take it violently?


    He releases me, and the hardened gaze he gives me now tells me not to push him. If I do¡­ I don¡¯t know what he¡¯ll do to me.


    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m even having these thoughts. His eyes be stormy, turbulent like a tempestuous sea as his gaze rakes boldly over me with lust-filled invisible fingers.


    Swallowing hard, I will myself to do this.


    With trembling hands, I move the tiny strap of my summer dress down my left shoulder, then my right. I curse myself for choosing to wear this stupid dress because it makes me look cute. It¡¯s also very easy to take off. The dress drifts to my feet the moment I slip off the second strap.


    I¡¯m in my bra and panties now. Those and my little ballerina pumps. That¡¯s all I¡¯m wearing.


    He gives me a nod, signaling for me to take those off too.


    ¡°All of it,¡± he states, and his jaw tightens.


    Which should I start with? My bra or my panties? While I decide, I bend and slip off my shoes¡­ slowly. One, then the other.


    No one has ever seen me naked. Not even this much. Nobody, not even my doctors.


    I straighten and note the amused look on his handsome face. Amused at me for taking my shoes off and the slowness in which I did it. My hands shake as I reach up to the little butterfly sp holding my bra together, and I fumble to get it undone. It¡¯s not actually that hard to undo. I just can¡¯t get my hands to work. My breath catches when the clip snaps open, and I wince when the heft of my breasts spill out.


    I can¡¯t look at him. The hot blush of humiliation that sweeps through me leaves me breathless and lightheaded. I¡¯m frightened and ashamed. I¡¯m terrified and angry at what I¡¯m being forced to do.


    I take off my bra, and it drifts to the floor, joining my dress. My breasts bobble when I bend to push my panties down my legs. Once they¡¯re down, I step out of them and steel my spine, willing myself to be strong.


    I keep my gaze ahead, staring at the white of his shirt, avoiding his eyes.


    He reaches out and lifts my chin, guiding my gaze back to his. The brush of his fingers on my skin sends a shiver through me. A shiver of sexual heat that I hate. I shouldn¡¯t feel anything for this man. Definitely not anything sexual. No part of what he does next will be with my permission. Nothing. Nothing at all.


    He holds my gaze and releases me, but not before brushing his fingers along my neck. Then slowly, slowly he walks around me, circling me the way a predator would its prey. His eyes have a lean, hungry look that grows hungrier, greedier with each passing second.


    They touch me everywhere. My head, my chest, my stomach, right down to the smooth mound of my sex, where he lingers before his gaze flicks right back up to meet mine.


    ¡°I can see what the talk is all about now,¡± hements. I don¡¯t know what he means. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± he adds. My traitorous pussy clenches with need.


    I¡¯ve never had a man look at me the way he is. If they have, I wouldn¡¯t have seen them because they would have been scared of my father. I¡¯ve also never had a man call me beautiful either, for the same reason. Not even Jacob.


    ¡°Take your hair down for me,¡± he adds. I pull the band from my ponytail.


    As soon as I do, my long dark locks tumble down my shoulders and gather at the small of my back.


    The desire in his eyes is a tell that he¡¯s ready to strike. Fearnces through me like a bolt of lightning.


    He takes one step closer, and I step back. One more step, and I¡¯mpletely pressed up against the wall. I wasn¡¯t far from it in the first ce.


    He ces a hand right by my shoulder, blocking me in so I can¡¯t move. I can¡¯t stop shaking. The terrores from deep inside. Deep inside my soul. I can¡¯t control it.


    Massimo lowers his head until he¡¯s a breath away and smells my hair. Then he reaches down to touch a lock. His fingers brush over my nipples, making them hard. The contact makes arousal ripple through me, and my throat goes dry.


    Allowing the ends of my hair to curl around his thumb, he watches, fascinated. Then, when he presses his hand to the t of my stomach, I know this is it. He¡¯s going to strike. I just don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll survive it.


    ¡°Please¡­ not this way. I¡¯ve never¡­¡± I wince, hoping he won¡¯tugh at me and make me feel worse.


    ¡°Never¡­ never what, Princesca?¡± he asks. His warm breath tickles my nose.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never¡­ been with a man.¡±


    At the deration, the devilish smile that lights up his face scares me. It¡¯s unlike the one he gave me before. It holds an air of victory, like he just struck the jackpot.


    ¡°Fucking hell. I definitely did well,¡± he breathes out and chuckles. ¡°Are you on the pill, Princesca? I like to fuck bareback.¡±


    My mouth opens, but I can¡¯t speak. I¡¯m not used to people talking to me like that. His dirty mouth shocks me but at the same timemands a response from my body in a way I don¡¯t like.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± he pushes.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I reply quickly.


    ¡°Good girl. Make sure you take them.¡±


    I take the pill for my skin. When my doctor prescribed them, I never even thought about sex.


    When the seriousness returns to his face, he releases my hair and runs his thick finger over the t ne of my stomach, never taking his eyes off me. Pressing into the wall, I try to hold myself up to keep from falling over as he traces the line from my belly up to the deep valley of my cleavage. His fingers flutter lightly over the swells of my breasts then linger on my left nipple. It pebbles at his touch. Wetness gathers deep in my core. He smiles down at me like he knows. Then it urs to me that maybe he does.


    He knows his touch is arousing me. I gulp and fight back tears when he leans even closer and nips the lobe of my ear. It weakens me, and for a moment I give in and allow the arousal to w through me. My breathes out in a rasp as I try to catch it.


    His fingers return to my stomach, then down he goes. Down, down until his hand cups my sex and his fingers slide over the smooth mound of my pussy.


    I gasp when he slides a finger into my virgin passage and starts pushing in and out.


    He moves back to my ear and whispers, ¡°Wow, your pussy is so tight. I¡¯ve never fucked a virgin before. I¡¯m definitely going to enjoy you. You feel so good, Princesca. I can¡¯t wait to feel you around my cock.¡±


    My cheeks burn at his dirty words set to control my arousal and encourage my attraction to him. Then my throat tightens so much I think I might faint from theck of air when he stares down at my pussy and starts pumping in and out faster.


    The smile fades from his lips, and his handsome face takes on that hard edge again, hardening as he fingerfucks me into the wall.


    Arousal hits me, making me hotter. I moan with each thrust, embarrassed and ashamed that my body is responding to him in such a way. When a jolt of pleasure rockets through me, I lose controlpletely.


    My hands leave the wall and grasp his shirt.


    He gives me a wide grin, and I¡¯m shocked when he bends his head to suck my left breast. He starts sucking hard and speeds his movements inside my pussy. Suddenly, pleasure bursts through me. I try to fight it, try to hide it, try to will the sounds of ecstasy away from my lips, but I can¡¯t.


    Ie. Hard. As Ie, I moan so loud I can¡¯t believe the sound escapes between my lips. Wetness gushes from my pussy onto his fingers, and it¡¯s only then that he stops pumping and sucking.


    Straightening up, he pulls his finger out of me and holds it up for me to see the glistening juice.


    I¡¯m shocked further when he ces it in his mouth and licks it off.


    The breath leaves me when he crouches down, pulls my hips to his face, and nuzzles his face between my thighs so he can thrust his tongue up into my passage. Arousal sparks inside my pussy again as heps up the wetness that¡¯s gathered between my legs.


    Shame fills me as I watch the gorgeous man who just bought me eating me out. I¡¯m shocked and enraged at myself when my traitorous side admits that I like what he did to me.


    When he stands up, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. A lock of his jet-ck hair falls over his eye.


    My gaze drops to the distinct bulge of his cock pressing against his pants, and I gulp back the fear.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this interesting,¡± he taunts. ¡°Hope you liked the taster, Princesca. Next time will be even better.¡±


    ¡°Next¡­ time?¡± I mutter, my voice barely audible. I don¡¯t know if I should be relieved that it seems like he might not rape me or worry over next time.


    ¡°Next time¡­ I¡¯m not that kind of monster, sweet, innocent Emelia. I¡¯m not going to fuck you tonight,¡± he says, lifting my chin and gripping the edge of my neck. ¡°I won¡¯t take the cherry between your legs tonight. When I do, you¡¯ll give it to me. You¡¯ll want me to take it.¡±


    Fury grips my insides at his confidence. I hate that he seems so sure of himself. He doesn¡¯t know me.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t give you anything,¡± I snap back. He tightens his grip on my neck.


    His smile widens, and he nods with the same surety. ¡°Oh, you will. You know why?¡±


    I¡¯m curious. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because you already want to. Fear and arousal. I can smell it, even now. I smelled it before I made youe. You wanted me at hello.¡± He lets me go. I sink into the wall, my lips parted. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I wanted you too.¡±


    He winks at me before he turns and walks away. I watch him as he leaves and the door clicks shut. A secondter, a key rattles inside the keyhole. I¡¯m locked in.


    It takes a moment before I realize I¡¯m not breathing, and the smoke clears from my mind.


    This is crazy. I don¡¯t want him. I can¡¯t. He¡¯s the enemy. My enemy. I can¡¯t allow myself to be used this way.


    There¡¯s only one thing I can do.


    Escape.


    I have to try.

 5

    Massimo


    I can¡¯t remember thest time I jerked off.


    It was so long ago, the memory of when it might have happened is aplete blur. And I¡¯m pretty sure I was drunk.


    The minute I left Emelia standing against the bedroom wall, naked and beautiful, aroused again for me, I knew the only release I¡¯d have tonight would be in my shower.


    Either that or heading to the club to pick up a whore for the night. I wouldn¡¯t be able to do that though. I¡¯d gone too far with the raven-haired beauty to want anybody else. I¡¯m used to getting what I want, and what I want is her. My cock wants to be inside her tight, wet cunt.


    I lie down in my bed and rest my head on the stack of pillows. I lick my lips as I gaze up at the skylight. I still have the taste of her in my mouth. It¡¯s a taste I savor. When that sweet nectar flowed from her pretty pussy into my mouth, all I knew was I needed more.


    Fucking hell, I¡¯ve been fascinated since this whole idea to marry her came about. At the ball I thought she was another stuck-up princess, but this girl is far from that. There¡¯s a fire inside her that captivates me. It makes her think she can defy me. Tell me no? I can¡¯t recall thest time a woman uttered that word to me. The fact that it came from a powerless, defenseless being like her in her perfect nakedness is pure arousal. I can see I¡¯m going to be quite amused in this business venture.


    Right now, I¡¯m the happiest motherfucker. I have my enemy¡¯s daughter, a captive in my house, and I¡¯m on the precipice of watching Rardo lose everything. The Syndicate is a dream you hope to happen upon. He won¡¯t be able to rebuild, and once investors start pulling funds, his business will go under and he¡¯ll be useless to them. Once they kick his ass out, he¡¯ll be nothing.


    What must the princess be doing now?


    I can just imagine my beautiful virgin Princesca still pressed up against the wall, mortified at what I did to her. I¡¯ll bet with the way Daddy Dearest runs things, what I did to her was the most she¡¯s ever done sexually.


    I had her checked out and learned that she has a guy for a best friend. Unusual, given who her father is, even if the guy¡¯s father works for Rardo. Everything that man does is tactics. Everything. And I¡¯m willing to bet that little trip to Italy she thought she was going to take was tactics too. I just don¡¯t know in what way. I didn¡¯t know about that until yesterday. That was one reason why we had to move fast. Rardo kept that hushed.


    Unbeknown to the princess, my room is right next to hers. There¡¯s a door that opens right into her room. I used it as a spare room that was never actually used, but it came in handy tonight. I had the ce prepped yesterday when Pa and I decided on what we were going to do. We¡¯d been waiting for a few more details from Dominic before we enacted our n.


    It was him who discovered Rardo¡¯s secrets. My brother can find dirt on anybody. Even when they think they don¡¯t have dirt, Dominic can find shit to use against a person. This time, he hit the motherload.


    I have a n for my brothers if they will join me. I know my ascension to leader has caused a stir. Before I got home, I got a text from him letting me know all transactions have beenplete and transferred to my name. My brothers would have been alerted too. I wonder what they all think now.


    My ownership of Emelia too might cause another stir. We were all at that fundraiser that night when Rardo presented her to the world. I know it wouldn¡¯t have just been me who liked her and wanted her. I just got to have her because I¡¯m boss now.


    Now, she¡¯s in my house, and I want to fuck her.


    I¡¯ll wait though. I meant what I said. I¡¯m not that kind of monster. No matter how ruthless and heartless I am, I wouldn¡¯t force myself on a woman. I like to fuck, and my woman must want me as much as I want her. Even if we just met, that connection has to be there.


    I own a gentleman¡¯s club, and the women I employ there are always willing to give me whatever I want. I have my pickings. I don¡¯t have to try. The fiery beauty next door to me, however, has given me a thirst for more of her. I got my taste, and I want more. More I will have, and like I said to her, she¡¯ll give me what I want. My cock hardens at the thought of breaking her in.


    Attraction is there in abundance. I felt that the moment our eyes locked in her father¡¯s office. What I never expected was to be so taken with my enemy¡¯s daughter, like the call of a siren to a poor bastard sailor who¡¯s lost his way.


    Desire and chemistry are what sparked tonight between us.


    She felt it too. I know she did. I like that she¡¯s fighting it. I like a challenge.


    I want her to ept in mind, body, and soul that she belongs to me.


    On that note, I fall asleep.


    When I wake, I resist the urge to see her. I¡¯ll get my maids to tend to her today and allow her to get used to being here. I won¡¯t let her out of her room yet though. Not just yet.


    I grab breakfast and fire off a text to my brothers, asking them to meet me at the club in an hour. It¡¯s not open for business yet, but that¡¯s where we meet and hang out. I like to keep my business meetings at the D¡¯Agostino Inc. offices, but there are some meetings I hold at the club too. The ones for my rackets I like to keep under wraps.


    I haven¡¯t seen all my brothers together since earlyst week when the shit about Rardo started toe together. We had a meeting at the office with Pa, where he announced that he wanted to wrap up the transfer as soon as possible. That was when I noticed that tension again amongst my brothers. It rubs me the wrong way to think they might not want me to be in charge. Today when I meet them, I¡¯ll be the official boss on paper.


    Tristan is already there when I arrive. He¡¯s ying pool in the lounge with a Cuban cigar slinked to the corner of his mouth.


    My spirits lift when I see him. He sets the cigar down on the ashtray. A smile spreads across his face.


    He meets me halfway with an outstretched hand and a curt nod.


    ¡°Morning, Boss,¡± he says. I smile.


    ¡°Hello, brother,¡± I answer.


    I shake his hand, but he pulls me in for a hug. It¡¯s a rare thing amongst us, only done on special asions. I¡¯m d he seems on board. Of all my brothers, I¡¯m closest to him. Perhaps it¡¯s because we¡¯re only a year apart. Andreas is two years older than me, and Dominic is three years younger than me. We¡¯re also very simr. We even look so much alike we could be twins.


    ¡°You look different, like a man in charge,¡± he notes with a nod. ¡°Or like a man who¡¯s taken charge of his woman.¡± Mischief speckles his eyes. I chuckle knowing he must be curious to hear what happened yesterday.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I confess.


    He shifts his weight from one side to the other and stares at me. ¡°You¡¯re kidding. I purposely didn¡¯t messagest night because I thought you¡¯d be busy with your new toy. I know I would have been.¡±


    ¡°Careful, I might think you¡¯re after my wife-to-be,¡± I joke. He rolls his eyes.


    ¡°You fucker, you know every man in sight is going to be after your wife-to-be.¡±


    ¡°Better not fucking be. They¡¯ll know better than to look at what¡¯s mine.¡±


    I¡¯m possessive, and I don¡¯t care who I piss off. What¡¯s mine is mine. I know there¡¯s truth in his words though.


    ¡°Rx, I¡¯m just teasing. In regard to me I mean. Wouldn¡¯t do shit like that to you. Seriously, though, you did nothing with her?¡± He gives me an incredulous re.


    ¡°No, didn¡¯t do shit. Virgin.¡±


    Now his mouth drops.


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re kidding. I¡¯m not surprised, but still.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Not waiting for the wedding night, are you?¡± He quirks a brow.


    ¡°Fuck no.¡±


    He nods. ¡°Good. How did it go with Rardo? Did you make the bastard suffer?¡±


    ¡°I would say so. I would definitely say so.¡±


    ¡°I have the men on watch.¡±


    I reach out and give him a pat on his shoulder. That¡¯s what he¡¯s in charge of. He oversees the soldiers and associates, so we keep things in line and under control.


    I nce at the door as it opens. Dominices in carrying a tray of coffee from Starbucks. He also holds a pastry bag.


    Dominic chuckles when he sees us. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte,¡± he states. ¡°Boss.¡±


    I smile at that. He seems on board too.


    ¡°You know I won¡¯t beat your ass forteness yet.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, master. I thought I¡¯d appease you with the best coffee in the world.¡±


    ¡°You prick, you just wanted to grab some for yourself,¡± Tristan scolds him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dominic confesses with augh.


    I shake my head at him. When he reaches us, he sets down the coffee and the pastries bag on the little table. Instead of hugging me, he bumps his fist with mine and takes out a stic container from the pastry bag. It has a slice of carrot cake inside it.


    I press my lips together knowing what it means. Ma used to make carrot cake when we had something to celebrate.


    ¡°Thought you might like this. It almost tastes like hers,¡± Dominic says. ¡°Almost.¡±


    I take it. ¡°Thank you. I appreciate it, little brother.¡±


    Now he hugs me.


    ¡°Great, we¡¯re like a bunch of pussies gathering over coffee and cake,¡± Tristan teases and props himself down on the sofa.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a rare day. Alright?¡± Dominic frowns and leans against the edge of the pool table.


    I nce toward the door in anticipation. Hoping Andreas wille in next. Since he¡¯s neverte, I¡¯m inclined to assume he¡¯s noting.


    Seeing my sudden difort, Tristan and Dominic exchange nces.


    ¡°Any of you hear from Andreas?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Nah¡­¡± Tristan replies, sitting forward and resting his elbows on his knees.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just running behind,¡± Dominic states.


    ¡°Or he¡¯s noting,¡± Tristan intones. I nce at him. ¡°Come on, man, when is he everte? Fucking never.¡±


    Dominic looks ufortable. He reaches for his cup of coffee and starts sipping.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll start, then. This was kind of unofficial. I just ¡­ wanted to meet with you and update you.¡± I assume business mode, although I¡¯m disappointed Andreas isn¡¯t here.


    Disappointed and pissed. Unofficial or not, I¡¯m boss, and if I¡¯ve called a meeting, he needs to be here. I guess I really was right about the stir and tension. He¡¯s not happy I¡¯m boss.


    ¡°You changing things up?¡± Tristan asks, giving me a curious but hopeful stare.


    ¡°Yeah, I am. Everything.¡±


    Dominic continues to sip on his drink.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m splitting thepany and the assets four ways,¡± I answer. His skin goes pale. Dominic almost chokes but rights himself and widens his eyes.


    ¡°What?¡± he gasps, choking.


    The two stare on in shock I expected because we¡¯re all greedy mobsters at the end of the day. The only man I know who splits up his wealth is my old friend, a boss in Chicago called udius Morientz. As a result, he has a crew of his men who are loyal to him to the death. I want that here for us. I figured LA could learn a thing or two from Chicago. I also figured it should work better here because we¡¯re already brothers and we¡¯re close. At least that¡¯s what I thought.


    ¡°Jesus, Massimo,¡± Tristan rasps. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying? Do you know how much the empire is worth?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°I know. Your loyalty is worth more to me.¡±


    It¡¯s been four months since Pa announced that he¡¯d chosen me to take the lead. That came about after my grandfather¡¯s death. Pa said whenever that happened, it would signal the time to set up a new structure and he would return to Sicily. That¡¯s his n.


    Any of the four of us could have led the empire, but thepetition was down to me and Andreas. Thest few months, Pa has been training me and showing me the ropes. The next few months will be about the syndicate.


    It took Pa five years to find a new niche of business, and when he did, he hit it big. He went into the oil and gas industry. He went the legit route and set up an empire to rival every other. There¡¯s not a man alive who doesn¡¯t know the D¡¯Agostino brand. Thepany and all that we own is worth billions.


    Tristan and Dominic both look at each other and then to me.


    ¡°You are a better man than I give you credit for, Massimo D¡¯Agostino,¡± Tristan says. ¡°You already had my loyalty, brother.¡±


    I dip my head in appreciation.


    ¡°And mine,¡± Dominic adds. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. You earned it. It was clear from way back that you would be the best option to take the lead after Pa. I don¡¯t want you to think you have to give us anything for what we should give you naturally.¡±


    ¡°My thanks to you,¡± I say. ¡°The empire belongs to all of us. It¡¯s mine, and I want it to be yours too. I¡¯ll get thewyers to draw up the ownership documents stating exactly that.¡±


    I have a feeling that was Pa¡¯s intention. That¡¯s another reason why he gave it all to me. He knew I would do this. We all work for the family business, and we each have our own side business ventures, but at the end of the day, legacy is legacy. That is what D¡¯Agostino Inc. is.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tristan says.


    ¡°I thank you too,¡± Dominic adds.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I guess that leads us to the next matter of what we¡¯ll be as a structure.¡± Pa never had the traditional hierarchy set up. He made us all capos. He was boss, and Grandfather his consigliere. I want to do something slightly different.


    ¡°Fuck, I¡¯ve never seen you look so serious.¡± Dominic chuckles.


    ¡°Time to get serious,¡± I say. ¡°I want Tristan and Andreas to both be underboss, and I want you to be my consigliere.¡± I look at them both.


    Now they¡¯re smiling.


    ¡°Fuck yeah,¡± Tristan muses and grabs a cigar from the humidor. He lights up and nods his satisfaction. ¡°I like that. I¡¯m definitely in.¡±


    ¡°And me, you trust me that much?¡± Dominic asks.


    That¡¯s a no-brainer question for me. ¡°You know I do. There¡¯s not a damn thing that you can¡¯t find. Not a damn thing you can¡¯t do. You wouldn¡¯t lead me into shit, and right now I need a clear mind. I want to focus on the syndicate, and I don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll react when they find out I have so much power.¡±


    I¡¯ve been worried about that. They don¡¯t have a leader. No one is above the other. They don¡¯t want to make mistakes of the past, like some of the other syndicates. We¡¯re a six-family syndicate. Instead of having one person lead the group, each family has a leader. It¡¯s bad enough to be new, the youngest there, and try to fill my father¡¯s shoes in a big organization, but me having the voting rights of two leaders is going to be a big deal. They won¡¯t like it.


    ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of old fucktards who need a good shakeup. You can¡¯t worry about them,¡± Tristan says.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Not like that. It is what it is, and they¡¯ll have to deal with it. What I want is for them to uninitiate Rardo. That¡¯s where I want the focus.¡± That is the next phase of the n, and it¡¯spletely on me.


    That is the ultimate goal. And that fucker knew exactly what we were gearing toward. That was why he was so pissed. He¡¯s scared.


    An eye for an eye, a tooth for a fucking tooth. That¡¯s what he did to Pa when we were younger. That was the start of how we lost everything and the hard life that followed. Pa was uninitiated after the Syndicate deemed him to be no longer useful to them. That was after Rardo stole what was supposed to be a joint business venture that became Balesteri Investments. That¡¯s all the fucker has now, and I would have taken it too if it weren¡¯t going under. Five years ago, when D¡¯Agostino Inc. was dered a Fortune 500pany, Pa was approached by the Syndicate to rejoin them.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be like a fucking bird without wings,¡± I add. ¡°That¡¯s why I need to keep things tight.¡±


    I look at Tristan. Although I¡¯ve chosen Dominic as my consigliere, I¡¯ll need Tristan for this next part of the n as additional muscle. Traditionally, the leader of the family is allowed to choose an apanying member who will attend all Syndicate meetings with him. Most often, the consigliere will be that person, or the Bratva Pakhan will choose a brigadier. I¡¯m going to choose my underboss. My second-inmand.


    ¡°You,¡±-I motion to Tristan-¡°I¡¯m choosing you to join the Syndicate with me.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Tristan looks worried.


    ¡°Yes. You. It has to be you.¡± In case something happens to me. I always have to be mindful of that. I look back at Dominic and know he already understands my drift. ¡°You keep our secrets, and you make shit happen. We¡¯re entering a new era. Things have to be different.¡±


    ¡°I hear you.¡±


    ¡°Andreas is not going to be happy about that. He¡¯ll wonder why you didn¡¯t choose him,¡± Tristan states. He knows too that above everything, the Syndicatees first. If shit happens to me, he¡¯ll be boss due to his link to the Syndicate.


    ¡°Tristan, don¡¯t.¡± Dominic scowls at him.


    ¡°Fuck you, what do you mean by don¡¯t?¡± He raises his shoulders into a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m just saying what we¡¯re all thinking. If I were wrong, he¡¯d be here, right?¡±


    Someone clears their throat across the room, and we all look to see Andreas standing by the door. He¡¯s holding a bottle of wine.


    I straighten up, and while I¡¯m happy to see him, I get that vibe that he¡¯s not exactly thrilled.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Andreas says. He walks to me and smiles.


    His eyes are more like Ma¡¯s. They¡¯re ice blue while the rest of us have a darker shade. To me it makes it easier to see when something¡¯s off with him. Like I can now.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte, Boss.¡± He gives me a smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Why are youte?¡± Tristan challenges.


    Andreas snaps his head around and res at him. ¡°I was upied fucking two waitresses I picked up at the barst night. I saw the messagete. Do you want more details?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡± Tristan grimaces.


    ¡°This is for you.¡± Andreas hands me the bottle of wine.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I answer, taking it. He then holds out his hand. I shake it.


    ¡°Well done. I heard the part about you choosing Tristan to join you in the syndicate, and yes¡­ I am wondering why you didn¡¯t choose me.¡±


    I clench my jaw. ¡°Because you¡¯re my second underboss, and I need you to focus on D¡¯Agostinos. That¡¯s why.¡±


    It¡¯s also because if I were to ce my trust in anybody, it would be Tristan. Although Andreas is what you call ruthless and heartless. He¡¯d make a good boss, a great leader. He¡¯s exactly like me. It justes down to trust, and he knows it.


    He nods, and the corners of his lips curl into a smile.


    ¡°I understand, and my thanks to you.¡±


    My phone rings. I reach into my back pocket to answer it. It¡¯s Manni. I always take his calls, and I¡¯ll definitely take this because some shit could have happened at home with the princess.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I say into the phone.


    ¡°Hey, Boss, you¡¯re not gonna like this. They found Pierbo dead by the docks this morning. They said it was suicide. He hung himself.¡± My breath stills at that word. Suicide. Like it always does. And like always, I think of Ma.


    Pierbo was one of our enforcers tracking Rardo¡¯s activities. It was only yesterday that I spoke to him. He worked solid with Dominic to gather intel. It was him who found out that Rardo was mixed up with the Mexican cartel. Dominic did the rest of the digging. This is suspicious as fuck.


    ¡°You sure it was suicide?¡± I have to ask. In our world, people can make shit look any way they like. I have the attention of my brothers at the mention of death.


    ¡°Hung himself. And there was a note,¡± Manni replies. ¡°Sorry, Boss. I¡¯ll let you know more if I get anything else.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He hangs up, and I look back to my brothers.


    Something¡¯s not right¡­ something¡¯s fishy as fuck. Pierbo was supposed to see meter. He said he had something he wanted to talk to me about in person.


    ¡°Who¡¯s dead?¡± Tristan asks.


    ¡°Pierbo. That was Manni. He said Pierbo killed himself.¡±


    The guys exchange worried nces.


    ¡°Really?¡± Dominic asks. I nod, but I don¡¯t believe it.


    I¡¯m so sick of having that feeling. Just like with Ma. I still don¡¯t believe it.


    On this asion, however, I¡¯m going to check it out.


    Although nobody can easily get to one of our enforcers, I wouldn¡¯t put it past Rardo to start his retaliation sooner than we anticipated.


    Fucker.

 6

    Emelia


    I knew I was going to feel like shit from the minute the sun came up.


    I¡¯m on the floor again. This time, I¡¯m right by the window. In the gap where it meets the door to the ensuite bathroom.


    I¡¯ve been trying to distract myself with the scenery before me, the waves shing against the shoreline of the golden beach. The scene has been my onepanion. Either stare at it or go insane.


    Stare at it or allow myself to slip away into misery at how fucked up this all is.


    There¡¯s no clock in here, but I can tell it must bete morning.


    The flight I would have been on to Florence has long left without me.


    It¡¯s funny. When I imagined myself going, I could see myself at the Academia, but I couldn¡¯t see myself getting on the ne. It wasn¡¯t part of the vision. It was missing. Maybe it¡¯s foolish to think of things like that, but it happened, right?


    I never got on the ne. I¡¯m here, and as the realization that that ne took off this morning without me onboard hit, I truly epted that this nightmare was going to be my new hell.


    I keep going over everything in my mind and wondering if Dad never saw something like thising. How could he owe so much money? What the hell happened? How did it happen?


    Then there wasst night. I couldn¡¯t be more embarrassed at the way I behaved while Massimo touched me. I came. I came on his fingers, and I found my self savoring his tongue licking my clit. Although I did nothing with him, I felt like a slut. I couldn¡¯t even deny that I enjoyed it. The evidence was there in my moans, and the devilpped up my flow and my dignity.


    Shit. It¡¯s all fucking shit. And what will happenter?


    He promised next time.


    I nce at the little tray of food that sat there on the table when I woke up. I assumed he brought it in. I haven¡¯t touched it. I don¡¯t want anything. I can¡¯t eat until Ie up with a sound n of how I¡¯m going to leave this ce. The beach is close, but I won¡¯t be able to get to it from here. There¡¯s a window, but surprise, surprise¡­ it¡¯s locked, and there¡¯s nothing heavy enough in here that I can use to smash it. Besides, smashing it would alert people. I don¡¯t want that.


    I¡¯d rather not escape by sea either because I can¡¯t swim very well. When I was ten, a boy from my elementary school drowned. I¡¯ve been wary of the water since.


    But¡­ I¡¯ll swim if that¡¯s the way out. Judging from theck of people on the beach, and the perfect weather, I¡¯d say the beach I¡¯m looking at is private. I think it belongs to the house. There is a lot ofnd around, like where I live with Dad. So, I¡¯m guessing there will be guards too.


    I won¡¯t know my surroundings properly until Massimo decides to show me around. If he does. I don¡¯t know if he intends to keep me locked up in here, or what the hell it is he¡¯s going to do with me.


    The key rattles in the door. My heart squeezes. Unlikest night, I stand up, rising to my feet, and get ready for him.


    When the door opens, the tension in my shoulders leaves when I see a guard and two maids in uniform. One is carrying a bag from Neiman Marcus, and the other a tray of sandwiches.


    They¡¯re both Italian. One looks to be a little older than me, while the other looks like she might be in her mid- tote fifties. They enter the room, but the guard stays outside. A safety measure to make sure if I try to run away, he¡¯ll stop me. God, this is a nightmare.


    ¡°Good morning, signora,¡± the younger one says with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m Candace, and this is Prici.¡± She points to the olderdy.


    ¡°Buongiorno,¡± Prisci says, speaking with a hint of an ent.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I answer, deciding they seem harmless. At least I hope so.


    Candace looks at the untouched food.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t hungry?¡± she asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I lie. I¡¯m starving, but I think I might vomit and never stop if I eat anything. ¡°You brought the food for me?¡±


    She nods. ¡°Yes. You should try and eat something.¡±


    I don¡¯t answer. They both seem like nice people, so I don¡¯t want to offend either of them.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you try these?¡± Prisci asks. I shake my head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything,¡± I answer.


    They nce at each other. I wonder what Massimo told them. How I got here and everything. Did he tell them the truth? That he practically bought me? Or is it more fitting to describe it as being kidnapped and held captive against my will. I imagine being in a court room scenario and the judgeying down the different sentences. I¡¯m pretty certain any court ofw would agree to all the above. I never agreed to any of this. All someone would need to do is open a door, and I¡¯d run far, far away, never to return.


    ¡°I got you some¡­ um, clothes. Mr. D¡¯Agostino wanted you to have these until your things arrive,¡± Candace says, holding out the bag to me. Her smile fades when I don¡¯t take it.


    I shake my head at her. Fuck pleasantries. Fuck everything. They¡¯re all in on it together. I don¡¯t want anything.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any of it. He¡¯s kidnapped me and brought me here to live with him. I don¡¯t want anything. I don¡¯t need food. I don¡¯t need clothes. Definitely not when I have my own. I have more than my fair share of clothes. I don¡¯t need any new ones.¡± The words reel off my tongue as I ball my fists at my sides.


    They both look like they don¡¯t know what to say to me. I can¡¯t me them since I wouldn¡¯t know either.


    Prisci¡¯s lips part as if she¡¯s going to say something, but she sighs instead.


    ¡°How about we leave them here?¡± Candace offers, cing the bag down in the corner by the dressing table. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll change your mind by lunchtime.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want lunch or dinner. I don¡¯t want anything. I just want to go home.¡± I wince. I look at Prisci, who seems to offer the most sympathy.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. We¡¯ve been told to make youfortable. We can¡¯t do anything else,¡± she says.


    Great. Just great. Perfect.


    I bring my hand to my head and will myself not to cry again. No more tears. I can¡¯t cry anymore. I did enough.


    ¡°When are my things getting here?¡± I demand.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know,¡± Candace replies.


    ¡°Can I make a call?¡± I want to call Jacob. Calling the police would be the reasonable thing to do, but in my world, I know not to call cops. If you get out of a situation like mine, you head for the hills and pray the enemy never finds you. ¡°I need to call my friend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible,¡± Prisci replies.


    ¡°I can¡¯t use a phone?¡± I gasp. The agony in my voice is evident.


    ¡°We¡¯ll speak to Mr. D¡¯Agostino about that.¡±


    I get that lightheaded sensation again, like I¡¯m going to faint. ¡°Can I go outside? For some fresh air.¡±


    When Candace bites the inside of her lip, I get my answer. ¡°Not yet,¡± she says.


    ¡°Where is Massimo? Where did he go?¡± My voice sounds withered.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be in business meetings all day.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Sunday,¡± I point out, feeling stupid. Maybe business is code, like it usually is. Maybe it¡¯s code for screwing around. He¡¯s wealthy. Why would he be in meetings all day on a Sunday?


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna leave and give you some time. I¡¯lle back and check on youter,¡± Candace promises.


    The two leave and the door closes. The key rattles. My heart squeezes.


    I¡¯m locked in again.


    I walk over to the wall and throw a fist into it, hurting my hand. I don¡¯t care. It makes me feel something other than helpless and useless.


    I sink back down against the wall, resuming my former stance of pathetic, and stay there.


    The hours go by. Candacees like she promised. She tries each time to speak to me, but I¡¯m a shell. Priscies too. I give her the same treatment. I don¡¯t eat either. I can¡¯t.


    Night falls. I close my eyes, falling asleep in my new prison. I remember thinking of living with my father as being kept in a gilded cage.


    That was nothing. I had it good back then. I just don¡¯t know why he would take care of me so well and allow this to happen. I me him, but I know deep down that he was forced. That¡¯s the only exnation. The D¡¯Agostino monsters forced his hand. That¡¯s why he behaved the way he did.


    But he sold me.


    Wasn¡¯t there another way?


    I don¡¯t know what to believe and what to do. It all hurts me deeply, and every time I think of Italy, my heart breaks a little bit more.


    I drift and float into a dream, then burning tickles my nose and I stir. Smoke. Tobo smoke like the type Grandfather used to have. Dad also smokes them when he haspany, but my grandfather would always have a cigar.


    My eyes flutter open to see the bright sunlight. It¡¯s morning, and a gentle breeze caresses my skin.


    Breeze. My eyes snap wide. I twist toward the window but stop mid-movement when I see him.


    Massimo is sitting on the window ledge- shirtless, smoking a cigar.


    My breath hitches for two reasons. The first is the sight of him without his shirt. The next is fear.


    I am afraid of him. I won¡¯t lie to myself or be a hero and believe I can overpower him. I can¡¯t.


    He puts the cigar out and stands, giving me a better view of his body. There are tattoos covering the whole left side of his abs and all over his arms. There¡¯s an angel inked on his left pec, and then what looks like Arabic writing all along the right side of his torso and left hip. I don¡¯t know what any of it says, though, and I¡¯m not going to give him the pleasure of staring too long. Not when he looks pissed. I stand up when he moves closer and pray silently my heart doesn¡¯t beat out of my chest. And that I won¡¯t die of fright.

 7

    Emelia


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told you aren¡¯t eating and you¡¯re refusing to wear the clothes I got you. Tell me why that is,¡± he demands, staring me down.


    My lungs constrict, but I will my body to function and block out the fear. If I show my fear, he¡¯ll use that against me. He¡¯ll use it to try and control me.


    Nothing about any of this is good, and if I don¡¯t stand up for myself, he¡¯ll push me around until there¡¯s nothing left of me. I can¡¯t let that happen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from you,¡± I answer, lifting my chin in defiance.


    A deep rumble resonates from his chest. I swear it sounds like a growl. Like the sound a bear would make, or a ravenous wolf.


    ¡°You think that is how this is going to work?¡±


    ¡°Where are my things? You¡¯ve brought me here and expected me to just be okay with this shit.¡±


    ¡°You think that is how this is going to work?¡± he asks again, with emphasis on each syble, baring his teeth.


    I¡¯m pushing him. I know I am, but I have to say what I have to say.


    ¡°I want to make a phone call. Prisoners usually get that, don¡¯t they?¡± I keep my gaze trained on him.


    ¡°The person who needs to know you¡¯re here, knows. The next time you speak to your father will be at the fundraiser.¡±


    I don¡¯t know when that is, but I assume it¡¯s before this wedding we¡¯re supposed to have.


    ¡°I want to call my friend,¡± I tell him. He chuckles.


    ¡°Friend?¡±


    ¡°Friend.¡±


    ¡°You mean that boy? Is that what you call him? Friend?¡± His eyes narrow to slits. If I¡¯m not mistaken, I catch a glimpse of jealousy.


    It momentarily throws me for a loop. I didn¡¯t expect that.


    ¡°Boy? So, what am I? Just a girl?¡±


    He steps closer, but I stand my ground. ¡°Don¡¯t push me, Emelia. Don¡¯t. You will not like it.¡±


    Suddenly, fear weighs me down. ¡°What would you do? Beat me?¡± God, what if he did? I couldn¡¯t bear to be with someone like that. ¡°Is that how you would treat me?¡±


    ¡°What is your rtionship with Jacob Lanzoro?¡± He holds me firm. I see now the sh of anger in his eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s my friend,¡± I answer.


    ¡°Do you fuck your friends?¡± he asks. My mouth drops open


    ¡°No! What is the matter with you? I told youst night that I¡¯m a¡­¡± My voice trails off as the memory of how I was with himst nightes back to me. My cheeks flush.


    ¡°People lie all the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t calling him or speaking to him ever again.¡±


    ¡°You asshole.¡± The words fall from my lips. ¡°How can you be so cruel? He¡¯s my friend. He¡¯ll be worried about me. He¡¯lle looking for me.¡±


    I know Jacob will. He¡¯ll find out somehow what happened, and he¡¯lle looking.


    ¡°If that little fucker knows what¡¯s best for him, he¡¯ll stay the fuck away. Wouldn¡¯t want his blood on my hands.¡±


    ¡°You monster!¡± I cry. When he tries to grab me, I p him across his cheek so hard it leaves a mark.


    He snarls and reaches to grab me again. I jump out the way and try to break away, but he catches me, lifts me up, and throws me down onto the bed. A scream tears from me when he climbs on top of me. All I can do is hit back at him.


    He catches my face, and I p him again. This time, though, because he¡¯s so close, my nails dig into his cheek and rake over the skin, grazing the surface.


    He hisses and stares back at me in disbelief as drops of blood fall onto my dress.


    I can¡¯t believe I just did that.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m a monster, Emelia?¡± he growls. ¡°Be grateful you ended up with me.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I shoot back. ¡°I was going to Italy. I¡¯m an artist. I was going to live my dream, and you took it away. How dare you tell me I should be grateful, bastardo.¡±


    I¡¯m surprised when heughs. ¡°You are naive and foolish if you think that¡¯s how your life was going to y out.¡± He grabs my hands and holds them up over my head, pinning me down so I can¡¯t move. ¡°At some point, he would have sold you. Your father would have sold you. I just got there first.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± I cry. He gets up in my face. ¡°You liar. You forced him to do this to me. How dare you try to justify what you¡¯ve done? You forced him and left him with no choice. Monster.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, maybe I am a monster. But I¡¯m not a liar. At least I don¡¯t double-cross my friends, and I¡¯m not a thief.¡± He gets close to my face and presses his hand into my stomach.


    I¡¯m aware there are things I don¡¯t know about my father, but since Massimo has only shown me cruelty, there¡¯s no reason to give him the benefit of the doubt.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re all the same,¡± I rasp, and I mean Dad too. I¡¯m here because of him. No matter how desperate he was, I¡¯ll never forgive him for doing this to me. ¡°Evil all the same. Whatever you think my father is, you are the same.¡±


    Of all the things I¡¯ve said to him, that seems to grip him the most. I can see it in his eyes.


    ¡°I am nothing like your father. He¡¯s the devil,¡± he growls.


    ¡°You fucking dog!¡± Ish back. He answers by tearing off my clothes. The dress rips right off me in one swift move. Then my braes off too. He tears off my panties. In seconds I¡¯m naked beneath him. I scream and try to fight back, but he holds me down.


    Massimo then flips me over onto my front, and before I can take my next breath, a heavy handnds on the bare skin of my ass, jolting my body forward. Another scream rips from my lips, and other pes down hard on my ass. And another. And another.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± I cry. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡±


    In the reflection against the ss wall I notice he was gearing up to spank me again, but he stops at my cry. When his hand touches my ass again, it¡¯s a gentle caress of his fingers running over my skin.


    There¡¯s a moment of nothingness as I stare at our hazy reflection. Me naked, pinned to the bed with my hair falling over my face, and him half naked. Too close to me.


    I keep still. I keep very still, but my poor heart can¡¯t take this. It¡¯s beating so wild in my chest I think it might explode.


    His fingers flutter over my ass, and it¡¯s only then that I notice how much the skin burns.


    In the ss I watch him bend his head, then I feel his lips pressing against the stinging patches of skin. Four kisses for the three times he spanked me.


    Before I can process the shock of that, he grabs me and pulls me into hisp. Slipping onerge hand behind my head, he cups it and holds me close, bringing me forward until our lips almost touch.


    I¡¯m naked, pressed up against him, with our eyes and our lips close. With no words spoken and just the sound of my heavy breathing, the tension is thick in the air. The myriad of thoughts that race through my mind twists and scatters. My lungs tighten and the air dispels, leaving me breathless the longer he stares at me with those tempestuous eyes.


    The only things I¡¯m aware of are my shaky breath, my racing heart, my skin touching his, my nipples pebbling against the hard wall of his chest. The wetness gathering deep in my core, stirring and growing only for him. Arousal.


    Maybe I¡¯ve gone crazy. Thest forty-eight hours have made me crazy, because how can I feel aroused after what he just did? He ripped off my clothes and spanked me. No one has everid a hand on me and hurt me like that.


    How the fuck can I be aroused by that?


    Now, what is this?


    Is he going to kiss me? Is he going to steal my first kiss away from me too? It¡¯s so naive and child-like to think that way. Foolish.


    When he leans forward and brushes his lips over mine, electricity sparks deep inside me and pulses through my body, but instinct makes me turn my head away. Instinct to protect something that seems more passionate to me than him iming my virginity. I can¡¯t give him my first kiss. I won¡¯t allow him to steal it¡­ yet.


    Yet is the word I need to bear in mind because I can¡¯t fight him. I¡¯m weak and defenseless against his strength, and¡­ this thing that seems to screw with me every time he touches me. This is the second time I¡¯ve been naked in his presence, and look at the way my body responds to him.


    What will happen next time?


    ¡°So pretty, so pure, so innocent. You¡¯ve never been kissed, have you?¡± he breathes. I look back at him.


    I try to pull away from the invasion of my space, but hetches on to my hair and holds me still.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± he demands.


    ¡°You just used me of fucking my best friend. Why are you asking me about something as simple as a kiss?¡± I challenge. I don¡¯t know where my strength, or courage,es from to talk to him with such defiance.


    Maybe it¡¯s an enhanced version of fear talking, but I feel a small victory when annoyance spreads across his face. The victory is only momentary, though, because he presses his cheek to mine and gets close to my ear.


    ¡°Answer the question I asked you, Emelia. You¡¯ve never been kissed before, have you?¡± His voice is crude and demanding.


    When he tugs on my hair, I press my hand to his chest. The taut skin and deep ridge of muscle tighten under my palm, and he runs his fingers over my ass.


    One hand on my head, the other on my ass, making sure I know I¡¯m locked in, paralyzed against his hold on me.


    ¡°No. I have not.¡±


    ¡°Your kisses belong to me now. Your arousal is mine, your fantasies are mine, you are mine. Nothing is yours. You don¡¯t fuck with me, and I won¡¯t fuck with you either.¡±


    And just like that, he picks me off him and sets me back down on the bed. He stands up. My gaze drops to the bulge in his pants. It¡¯s more pronounced against the joggers than what he wore the other day.


    He smiles when he sees me staring and smiles wider when he reaches for the remains of my little dress. Gives it another tear, and another. He rips it up like paper and reaches for my panties, which he pockets.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want my clothes? Well, then you won¡¯t wear any,¡± he snarls.


    ¡°You asshole. You can¡¯t leave me in here naked.¡± I shuffle against the bed and straighten up.


    ¡°Watch me,¡± he answers, reminding me that I¡¯m about to marry a monster.


    Massimo stalks to the corner of the room where Candace left the bag of clothes and picks it up.


    ¡°If you ever want to wear clothes again, you¡¯ll do as you¡¯re told,¡± he warns.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to keep me locked up in here naked?¡± I can¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Yes, I am. When I think you¡¯ve learned your lesson, I¡¯ll let you know when you can wear clothes again.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± He¡¯s crazy. No one behaves this way.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me, Princesca. Unless you want another spanking. That was a punishment, not for pleasure.¡±


    My cheeks heat with embarrassment.


    ¡°I hate you,¡± I rasp.


    He gives me that disarming smile and takes a few steps closer so he can loom over me. ¡°No, you don¡¯t, but that¡¯s a subject for another time.¡±


    My lips part to tell him he¡¯s wrong, but my voice catches when the flicker of something deep within his eyes catches and holds my attention, throwing off my thoughts.


    ¡°How do you expect me to love you if you treat me like shit!¡± I wail.


    The wild smirk on his face is another tell that foolishness has fallen from my lips again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect your love. That is not what this is about.¡± His gaze bes a stony re. In the depths of his piercing eyes I see this whole ordeal isn¡¯t just about money. There¡¯s more to it.


    He has money. He has power. What I see when I look at him is a thirst for revenge.


    Revenge against Dad.


    What did my father do to him? What did Dad do that would have such a repercussion on me?


    Why do I have to pay for my father¡¯s sins?


    When he turns, I see the massive dragon tattooed on his whole back. Dark and inky, filling up the space. He heads to the window, locks it with the little key, and ces it in the same pocket he stored my panties. Then he leaves me. Once again naked.


    Naked and thinking of how the hell I¡¯m going to get out of here.


    I need to find a way to escape.


    How though?


    Massimo will make sure I don¡¯t get the chance.

 8

    Massimo


    She¡¯s right. I¡¯m a monster.


    I just acted like one.


    Is that who I am though? The man I¡¯ve be. Has the thirst for revenge changed me into something I never wanted to be? Have my years of waiting for an opportunity to destroy Rardo made me the kind of man who would prey on an innocent woman?


    Woman¡­ fuck. She¡¯s barely that. She¡¯s neen, and I¡¯m twenty-nine. Ten years apart. I should know better. My fucking cock might stir for her, and I might have wanted to fuck her senseless, but truth is truth. She¡¯s a virgin in every sense of the word. Never been kissed and never been touched, until I defiled her with my dirty mobster hands. Dirty Sicilian. If anybody witnessed what I did today and called me that, they¡¯d be well in their right.


    I¡¯d agree. And I might do it all over again and feel shame all over again just to feel her lush ass jiggle beneath my palms.


    It was wrong. All of it is wrong. She¡¯s innocent in this mess, but she¡¯s a necessary part of the n to destroy Rardo. Taking his heir will destroy him in more ways than one.


    She¡¯s my stolen virgin bride. I took the princess, stole her from Daddy¡¯s nest and watched him sign her away to me. Phase oneplete.


    But fuck¡­ she¡¯s driving me crazy. The woman is driving me crazy and fucking insane if I can bring myself to admit to feeling an ounce of jealousy over her pathetic friend.


    I¡¯m drawn to her, attracted to her. The fact that she¡¯s attracted to me too wasn¡¯t really in the cards. It¡¯s screwing with my mind, and I realize I didn¡¯t n for this part.


    I¡¯m turned on by lust and my dominance over her. Two days in, and I can¡¯t seem to control myself. The lust is like a thirst for blood that leaves me wanting more. I fucking shouldn¡¯t feel this way.


    I head down the corridor and walk past Candace as she polishes the table on the second floor. She watches me as I deposit the bag of clothes in the room I use to store things. It¡¯s two doors down from Emelia¡¯s.


    Usually, Candace would talk to me, but she says nothing. Not even good morning. Most bosses of my caliber would consider that insolence and kill her for it. We have a different rtionship here.


    Candace and Prisci are the only two members of my house staff I treat like family. They¡¯re also the only members of my house staff who aren¡¯t terrified of me.


    They know I won¡¯t kill them if they cross me because their families have worked for mine for generations, right from Sicily. That¡¯s why she¡¯s acting like a younger sister would now, by giving me the silent treatment.


    I grew up with Candace, so she is like a sister to me, and I treat her as such, even though she works for me. We both know she doesn¡¯t have to do that though.


    Prisci was my nanny when I was a boy. When I got inst night with blood on my hands, she didn¡¯t say shit to me one way or the other. She just handed me a rag and bowl of hot water, no words spoken. Neither she nor Candace have to tell me that they don¡¯t agree with what I¡¯m doing to Emelia.


    Regardless to how I treat them, however, they know their ce and would never state their opinion.


    It was Prisci who messaged me to let me know what was going on here yesterday. Emelia refused everything.


    I thought having Candace and Prisci tend to Emelia would be a good idea. Candace is twenty-five, so not that much older than Emelia, and Prisci has that motherly presence. I guess I was wrong.


    Candace returns her focus to her work and ignores me. The flush in her cheeks, however, suggests she probably heard Emelia¡¯s screams. We weren¡¯t exactly quiet or mindful of anyone hearing us, and her room is just down the hall. Candace would have definitely heard, and it would have sounded like I was torturing her.


    Maybe it¡¯s best she doesn¡¯t talk to me today. I wouldn¡¯t know what to say anyway, and I don¡¯t want to end up confessing that I took out my frustration on Emelia over the recent shit with Pierbo.


    I don¡¯t wish to talk to anyone right now, except the guy waiting for me in the hall. When I get to the doorway, I see him. Tristan is standing by the massive firece, looking at my favorite painting Ma did.


    Emelia is an artist. My mother was an artist too. She painted just for us.


    When we all got our separate houses, Pa split up some of our favorite paintings so we could each have some. I got the majority because I have the biggest house.


    Tristan turns when he sees me and raises a brow.


    ¡°Jesus Christ, what the fuck happened to you? You look like you¡¯ve been bitten by wolves,¡± he muses andughs.


    I run my hand over my cheek where Emelia scratched me. wed me is a more fitting word.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± I seethe. He shakes his head at me.


    ¡°Like fuck. You have to tell me what happened.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°She pped me,¡± I answer.


    Heughs. ¡°You¡¯re serious? Does she have ws?¡±


    ¡°Tristan, please. Don¡¯t. It¡¯s all shit. Come, let¡¯s go outside.¡± I need fresh air to help me cool off.


    I walk on ahead through the double doors that lead onto the terrace. I was out here earlier, working out, and I left my T-shirt slung over the patio chair. I grab it, shrug into it, and sink down into the awaiting seat. Tristan sits opposite me and pulls out a document from the inside pocket of his leather jacket.


    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Shit that suggests we¡¯re right. It suggests Pierbo didn¡¯t really kill himself.¡± He hands me the document. I scan over it.


    It¡¯s an itinerary for a package holiday booked for a weekend. Next weekend. At the top of the page, in the column with the contact details, is Pierbo¡¯s name along with a woman¡¯s. She Carmichael.


    ¡°She¡­ who¡¯s she?¡±


    ¡°The woman who is carrying his child. He was going to take her away for the weekend. ording to the preliminary autopsy records from the coroner¡¯s office, he spoke to her a few hours before he died. She said he called to tell her to pack sunscreen.¡± He frowns and straightens up. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like someone who would kill themselves a few hourster, does it?¡±


    ¡°Like fuck,¡± I answer.


    The thing about this is, I don¡¯t know where to go from here. We spent the whole day yesterday trying to find answers. While Dominic and Andreas did their own checking around, Tristan and I took to the streets. I hated going to the morgue and seeing a guy I could trust dead on the b. Lifeless. I hate it more that there was a ny-percent chance that his death was caused by Rardo.


    No proof though. All damn day, we moved from one area to the next, talking to one asshole after another, getting blood on my hands when I had to kill a prick who tried to stab me.


    ¡°What now? We¡¯vee to a dead end,¡± Tristan states.


    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We gotta go with what¡¯s on paper for the moment. Just until something says otherwise. Clearly, Rardo got to him out of spite, but fuck, Tristan. It¡¯s Pierbo. How does anybody get to a guy like that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. And it doesn¡¯t sit well with me. Nothing adds up to anything more than what they¡¯re calling it.¡±


    I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. ¡°We need to focus and stick to the n. There¡¯s too much going on to lose focus.¡± Especially for me.


    I have big things happening over the next few weeks. The first is the Syndicate meeting where I¡¯ll be initiated. After that will be an official family dinner where Pa will give me the ring and dere me to the family as boss. We have family flying over from Italy for that and other members of the D¡¯Agostino n attending. It¡¯s a big deal. Then there¡¯s the damn fundraiser I¡¯d rather skip but have to attend because it makes thepany look good. Rardo will be there too. I¡¯ll be taking Emelia to that, which will be the next time she sees him. That¡¯s three weeks away. The week after is the wedding.


    Anything could happen in the space of that time, so I need to keep my eyes open and my ear to the ground. I don¡¯t doubt that Rardo will be plotting some way to get Emelia back. I know he will.


    ¡°We can¡¯t lose focus. That would be a big mistake. Andreas and I will sort things out for thepany and keep an eye on Rardo. Dominic will do his stuff. Everybody knows what they¡¯re supposed to be doing, so don¡¯t worry. You just be boss. It¡¯s not an overnight job, especially doing the Syndicate business.¡±


    He¡¯s right about that. If it were only about learning how to run business for D¡¯Agostinos, it wouldn¡¯t be too bad. Pa prepped all of us to do that. The Syndicate is different, and my initiation will just be the start. The Brotherhood is a whole other ball game of power. The next level of unimaginable wealth. Wealth I never dreamed of having. Definitely not when we had nothing. Those guys talk in billions, not even millions. That¡¯s why Rardo is screwed. He couldn¡¯t even scrape together a million dors to give us, let alone the twenty-five owed.


    ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it, brother.¡± I raise my fist and bump it with his.


    ¡°No worries. So¡­ you look shaken by this girl. What¡¯s going on, Massimo? Where is she?¡± He smiles.


    ¡°Locked in her room.¡± Naked. I won¡¯t tell him that part.


    ¡°Gonna keep her locked up forever?¡± He quirks a brow.


    ¡°Tristan, I don¡¯t know what to do with her, and I don¡¯t need to be told this is crazy. It is.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is, but I sense you like her¡­¡± He gives me a curious stare. ¡°The marriage was your idea.¡±


    ¡°It made sense. How else would we screw with the whole aspect of the Balesteri inheritance?¡±


    ¡°Fucking fuck the inheritance. Don¡¯t give me that bullshit. You liked her at the ball.¡± He nods. I incline my head to the side.


    This is what happens when people know you too well. Tristan isn¡¯t just my brother; he¡¯s my best friend. Nothing gets past him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t everybody?¡± I say as a final attempt. The way I remember it, every man with eyes who wasn¡¯t happily attached at that charity ball was looking at her. They all wanted her.


    ¡°Fuck, who cares about everybody? Massimo, no one would fault you for acting on what she is instead of who she is.¡± He nods.


    I have tough. ¡°It¡¯s the same fucking thing. Who and what.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°Nah. It¡¯s not.¡± He gives me a wicked smile. ¡°She¡¯s Rardo¡¯s daughter. That¡¯s who she is. The enemy¡¯s daughter. But she¡¯s a woman. That¡¯s what she is. A very beautiful woman who belongs to you. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t notice that part.¡±


    I sit back in my chair. ¡°I noticed just fine.¡± And so did my cock.


    Two times I¡¯ve had her naked pressed against me, and both times I¡¯ve wanted to devour her. Both times, I was very well aware that she¡¯s a goddess with the body made for the way I like to fuck.


    Tristan smiles. ¡°So that¡¯s it. You¡¯ll marry her, and it will be shit? Or are you going to live at the strip club? Noticed how you didn¡¯t gost night. Or maybe you got your dick wet here.¡±


    ¡°Tristan, drop it. This is business.¡±


    ¡°And what business is business without a little pleasure mixed in? When you have the kind of money we have, you¡¯re king. You can do whatever shit you want.¡±


    Footsteps echo against the pavement, and my next words fade.


    Prisci walks toward us. Beside her is the woman who¡¯s probably the closest I could have called to a girlfriend. Gabrie Mine. Her tinum blonde hair looks like a halo on top of her head, and the smile on her face is filled with the mischief we always get up to when she¡¯s in town.


    Tristan leans over to me. ¡°Oh, I see. I didn¡¯t know you were still getting your dick wet with her,¡± he states, voice filled with disdain. He can¡¯t stand her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I answer just before Prisci and Gabrie reach us.


    Tristan and I stand. Prisci simply gives a quick bow of her head then departs. Gabrie looks from me to Tristan, and her smile brightens, reaching herrge green eyes.


    ¡°Massimo and Tristan D¡¯Agostino. I think it¡¯s been awhile since I¡¯ve seen the two of you together,¡± she states, putting out her hand for us to kiss her knuckles.


    Being polite, for me, Tristan gives her a handshake. I don¡¯t touch her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to run,¡± Tristan states. ¡°Remember what I said,¡± he adds, eyeing me with a sharp seriousness.


    He¡¯s talking about Emelia. I give him a nod before he leaves us. I return my focus to Gabrie, who is already looking at me. Her gaze turning more seductive by the second.


    ¡°Gabrie. Haven¡¯t seen you in a while,¡± I state.


    ¡°I was travelling.¡±


    It¡¯s a fucking lie. The truth is, she had an affair with Senator Braxton. His wife found out, and he, instead of leaving his wife like she thought he was going to, he kicked her to the curb. I¡¯ll pretend I was born yesterday, though, like she believes, and ept that she was travelling.


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    ¡°Look at you. How do you get more sexier every time I see you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    She runs her finger over my chest but keeps her gaze trained on me. ¡°Remember thest time we saw each other?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± I remember well. She stayed the whole weekend here, and we never left my bed.


    Her father is the head of the Mine family. They¡¯re incredibly wealthy and have wanted to invest in D¡¯Agostinos for many years. Every time they made an offer, Pa declined. He¡¯s strong that way. Knowing when to ept an offer and when to reject because of the shit that might follow. Me, not so much. I¡¯ve never been able to decline this woman my bed, or¡­ wherever desire might take us. She just hasn¡¯t ventured to my parts in close to a year.


    She chuckles and presses a perfectly manicured finger into my chest. ¡°Me too. It was nice. So, there was news abroad of your ascension to leadership. And your engagement.¡±


    That would have gone out yesterday. News travels fast in our circles. I can just imagine the talk about it. Me, the ruthless D¡¯Agostino prince and the sweet Balesteri princess. Two families people know to be former enemies. Two families only certain special people know to belong to the Brotherhood. What a stir we must have created.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m getting married,¡± I answer to that alone because she would have heard about me being boss months ago. That¡¯s old news and nothing that would send her here.


    She gazes out to the beach and lifts her head, signaling for me to look.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you take me for a walk on the beach? It¡¯s such a lovely day. Just want to get onest fill before thedy of the house takes her reign.¡± She gives me a saucy smile. One I don¡¯t return.


    I¡¯ll walk with her on the beach, though, because we should talk, and I know that eyes are watching us. I¡¯m certain Prisci is watching from somewhere, and I don¡¯t want more judgment today.


    I wave my hand, and we head down the path.


    The beach was what I loved about this property. I¡¯ve always loved living near water. It was a given that I¡¯d be the brother to choose the beach house. My other brothers live more innd. Tristan, however, loves the woods. He likes being away from people, likes his space.


    As soon as we take thest step down the path, we¡¯re on the beach. It¡¯s a private beach that came with the property. I have two miles of it before it connects with the rest of Redondo Beach.


    Gabrie¡¯s hair lifts in the wind. It looks like strands of sunlight. She turns to face me when we get further out.


    ¡°Are you going to invite me to the wedding?¡± she muses.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t decided yet who we¡¯ll be inviting.¡± That¡¯s the nicest anybody will get from me. She knows the answer is no.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get a different invite. I can¡¯t imagine you with an inexperienced girl,¡± she says and circles me like a cat marking its territory. ¡°I heard she¡¯s pretty,¡± she states.


    ¡°She is,¡± I answer.


    I n to be very straightforward with her. In times like these, no one can tell friend from foe.


    Just because we used to screw around doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s here to get back in my bed. Or maybe she is. This was how it started in the past. We¡¯d meet and we¡¯d fuck, then we¡¯d leave. Until next time.


    ¡°It figures. I always wondered what the Balesteri Princess looked like. Rardo kept her away from the world. No one ever knew who she was.¡±


    That¡¯s exactly how it was, but most crime families are like that. It¡¯s how I¡¯d be if I ever had a family. I¡¯d keep them out of business. At the first sign of shit, your enemiese for you through your weaknesses. Women and children. In that order.


    ¡°You seem keen,¡± I note, looking her over.


    ¡°Rx¡­¡± She smiles. ¡°I¡¯m here solely to know if we¡¯ll still be fucking around after your nuptials, or maybe before.¡± She giggles and tilts her head to the side.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Gabrie. We won¡¯t be ying that game anymore,¡± I answer. The smile recedes from her face.


    ¡°Oh please, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve suddenly turned into the doting husband.¡± Sheughs. ¡°How can you with that sort of shit show for a wedding? Arranged. It¡¯s so obvious. I just don¡¯t know what for.¡±


    I lean in closer, and sheughs.


    ¡°You know a lot. Did Rardo send you to check on his princess?¡± I ask, boring my gaze into her.


    It would be a clever idea since anybody else would have been shot dead before they could get to the door.


    ¡°What if he did?¡±


    ¡°Did he?¡± I demand. My blood heats.


    ¡°No. I know what you mafia men are like. It¡¯s always about pussy in the end. I¡¯m just offering it up to you.¡±


    I¡¯m usually good at guessing when people are lying, but thanks to thest few days, my emotions are screwed. From worrying over my brothers and what they think of my leadership to the sexually-charged encounters with Emelia.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t offering it well before the news,¡± I answer, probably showing more emotion than I intend.


    I thought about her. I thought about being serious, and she knew I was just before she hopped in bed with Senator Braxton. I¡¯ve never been serious about anybody, but she made me consider it.


    That¡¯s probably why Tristan can¡¯t stand her. He knew how I felt. I didn¡¯t have to say it.


    The smile that lifts the corners of her mouth is shaky. She raises her hand and touches my cheek, lightly running her finger along the graze Emelia left there.


    ¡°Such a beautiful man you are, even when you¡¯re scarred. Makes you look better. I wasn¡¯t into serious then, Massimo. I am now.¡± She drops her hand and runs it down the length of my chest and down to tug on the waistband of my pants.


    I catch it just before she grabs my dick and smile down at her.


    When her eyes shift from mine and she stares off in the distance, over my shoulder, my nerves prickle. It¡¯s then I feel it. Eyes on me, on us.


    I¡¯m so used to being alone and walking around on this side of the beach by myself that I forgot. How sloppy of me. We¡¯re standing about forty feet away from Emelia¡¯s bedroom.


    I turn around knowing it could only be her watching, and it is. She¡¯s standing by the window I was smoking at earlier. Wrapped in the bedsheet with her raven hair wild and tousled, she looks like we spent the night together. Even from here I can see the dewiness in her skin and those whisky-colored eyes. Striking against the darkness of her hair.


    Pretty isn¡¯t the word I¡¯d use to describe her. She¡¯s beautiful. She is beauty. And the most beautiful thing about her is that she doesn¡¯t know.


    We¡¯re in her direct line of sight. I don¡¯t know what to be more impressed by-the way she stares me down or the fact that she hasn¡¯t moved. She¡¯s been caught watching me with a woman on the beach she doesn¡¯t know, and she¡¯s still standing her ground. Clearly pissed as fuck at me.


    Jealous. Good.


    I can see it. The same way she sparked jealousy in me when she asked if she could call her friend.


    My cock hardens when my gaze drops to her breasts hidden away from my sight with the sheet. I remember how her nipples pebbled with arousal against my chest and how she tasted the other night when I got my first suck on her tits and her pussy.


    She¡¯s going to let me do that again. Next time, I¡¯ll get a good suck and make sure I get my fill of her pussy before we start to fight.


    I look back to Gabrie and note the hard line of her jaw.


    She¡¯s never been a woman to likepetition, and never a woman you tell no. It¡¯s different with me though. I call the shots. When she thought she was using me, she couldn¡¯t have ben more wrong.


    ¡°She¡¯s pretty,¡± she states.


    ¡°I know,¡± I answer. Fury shes in her eyes.


    ¡°I can already tell you¡¯ll be bored quickly too. Call me when you want to fuck a real woman who knows how to please you in the bedroom.¡±


    She walks away, and I allow her to.


    My gaze returns to the princess watching me from the window in her bedroom. My cock hard, ready to fuck her as I think of what she is.


    A woman who is mine. A woman I doubt I¡¯ll get bored of because I¡¯ll be too busy teaching her how to please me.


    A girl I can¡¯t wait to turn into a woman.


    I gaze back at her now and realize I want more than her obedience.


    The spark of attraction that¡¯s rippling between this space between us tells me she wants more too.


    This is going to be very interesting.


    I turn away from her and continue down the beach, nning forter.

 9

    Emilia


    Is this what it will be like?


    He¡¯ll have his women, while I¡¯ll be stuck looking in from the outside. Or rather the inside of this room. I¡¯ll be stuck watching my husband with some woman running her hands all over him.


    I continue watching Massimo walking down the beach. I watch him until he disappears from my view. I blink against tears.


    It¡¯s not jealousy¡­ Okay¡­ maybe it is. But not in the conventional sense of being jealous. What¡¯s grating me is being forced to feel this way because I¡¯m in this situation.


    I wouldn¡¯t feel this way if there were any part of this whole fiasco that was normal because I wouldn¡¯t choose to be with a man who cheats on me.


    The way she touched him, although brief, spoke in abundance of them being together. She looked like his type. Like the kind of woman who knows what to do in the bedroom, or wherever. Not a virgin.


    Although they were far away, I noticed the way he was around her too. She is blond and pretty, has an enviable body. Definitely his type. Probably the kind of woman too he wouldn¡¯t treat the way he treated me.


    So, maybe this is it. We¡¯ll get married, and he¡¯ll have her and maybe others like her. I shouldn¡¯t feel anything close to jealousy, but I guess it was wrong for me to hope that whenever the day came for me to get married, I¡¯d marry someone who loved me.


    I can¡¯t believe the way he treated me earlier. He spanked me and ripped off my clothes, then he said he didn¡¯t want my love. How stupid of me to say such a thing, though, when he had whatever meetup he had with a woman who looked like a Barbie doll.


    I move from the window and wipe away a tear with the heel of my hand. I almost trip over the fucking sheet I¡¯ve had to wrap myself in.


    I walk to the bed and sit on the edge, looking around the room. It¡¯s going to be another day of nothingness. Another day of shit.


    The only difference between yesterday and today is that I have more shit on my mind.


    The woman on the beach with Massimo pissed me off, but what I¡¯ve been thinking about since he left was what he said about Dad.


    Massimo spoke like he knew my father very well. He spoke with confidence in his words.


    I want to know what Dad did to him. To them. The D¡¯Agostinos. In his office were both Massimo and his father. His father would not have been there if he didn¡¯t have some vendetta against my father too.


    So, what was it?


    What happened?


    When did it happen?


    Massimo called my father a liar and a thief. What did he lie about? What did he steal?


    And is Dad broke if he owes so much money? He must be. I know this whole thing with me would never have happened if he weren¡¯t broke. His behavior back home was that of a desperate man. That¡¯s what I remember. The way he gripped my hand screamed desperation.


    He¡¯s done his best to keep me out of business, so I don¡¯t really know much of anything. I know what I¡¯m supposed to know because it¡¯s most often what I¡¯m told in terms of safety and what Jacob told me, but that¡¯s all.


    To my knowledge, Dad¡¯s supposed to be a multi billionaire. I must have been wrong and truly living in the dark because there was also what Massimo said about my life.


    He said that my life wouldn¡¯t have turned out the way I wanted. That Dad would have sold me to someone else. I don¡¯t believe that. I¡¯m stuck on that part because my father has always been so protective over me. He loved me. You would only protect someone the way he protected me if you loved them.


    He even got worked up over guys I might have been interested in dating. Behold, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve never been kissed. And shit, my life was probablyparable to living in a convent. Minus the nuns. I had Jacob, but there was always a constant supply of people watching and making sure I was safe.


    Massimo must have been lying. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to believe a monster over what I know my father to be. He was just telling me bullshit to piss me off.


    But if it was all bullshit, then why do I feel deep down that there¡¯s some element of truth to it? The keyhole rattles. I tense up. My poor body has now been conditioned to be anxious when I hear that sound.


    The door opens. I rx a little when Priscies in with a tray of food. Before she can say good morning, my stomach rumbles loudly. She smiles.


    I¡¯m not surprised to hear my stomach griping. I haven¡¯t eaten anything since that pizza and the double chocte shake I had with Jacob. That was two days ago. I¡¯ve had sips of water. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m so hungry now I could eat a cow.


    Prisci smiles wider when I offer her a kind one.


    ¡°Good morning, signora,¡± she says.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    She looks me over wrapped in the sheet. I wonder what she must think. If I were her, I¡¯d probably assume correctly that I¡¯m naked under it, but then my mind would race over why I might not have clothes on. Maybe she thinks I spent the night with Massimo.


    ¡°Yesterday, I was easy on you. I don¡¯t n to be anything of the sort today,¡± she states, and her ent bes more pronounced. ¡°You need to eat something.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ I will.¡±


    Prici sets the tray of food down on the little table by the dresser. I see she¡¯s prepared some treats. There are sandwiches, just like yesterday, but also cookies and little macaroons.


    ¡°I hope you do. It¡¯s never wise to stop eating. It makes things worse,¡± she points out. ¡°I thought you might like something sugary. My specialty here is pastries. Do you like pastries? I don¡¯t know anyone who doesn¡¯t.¡±


    I can see she¡¯s trying to be friendly and make me feelfortable. I decide I won¡¯t be the bitch I was yesterday. Truthfully, I need someone to talk to, and the worst thing I could do in my situation is make enemies with the house staff.


    ¡°I like pastries,¡± I reply. ¡°Those look great. Thanks for making them for me.¡±


    She looks pleased and relieved at my answer. ¡°You¡¯re wee. I think you¡¯ll like the macaroons. They¡¯re actually an old recipe from Mrs. D¡¯Agostino, Massimo¡¯s mother. She loved adding cinnamon.¡±


    His mother¡­ What must she be like?


    ¡°When do I get to meet her?¡± I ask. Better to ask questions like that to someone like Prisci, because talking to Massimo is like talking to a wall.


    The crestfallen look on Prisci¡¯s face, however, suggests I¡¯ve asked a question I shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. You won¡¯t. She died many years ago. But we keep her spirit alive in our memories and all the things she loved.¡±


    I press my lips together as a pang of guilt sweeps through me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know much about the D¡¯Agostino family,¡± I confess.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve¡­ worked for the family for a long time. I knew Massimo and his brothers when they were little.¡±


    ¡°He has brothers?¡±


    ¡°Three. I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll meet them very soon.¡±


    She speaks fondly of them. Very fondly. If she¡¯s been with the family for such a long time, she must know the ins and outs of what they get up to. As I look at her, I try to think of what Massimo told her in rtion to me.


    ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m here?¡± I ask in a small voice.


    She nods uneasily. ¡°Yes. I do know. News has travelled that you will be marrying Massimo in a few weeks, but I was informed on the day of your arrival.¡±


    My breath catches when I think of that type of news going out to everyone. Family. And Jacob.


    He never got to tell me how he felt about me. I know that was what he wanted to talk about that night, and now he¡¯s heard I¡¯m getting married. What must he think?


    She walks up to me and rests a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Eat. Just eat and take it from there. I¡¯ll be back in a little while with some shampoos and essories you can use in your hair. It will help you to¡­ get used to the ce.¡±


    I nod my thanks. I don¡¯t ask anything else because I know there¡¯s no point.


    No point in asking if I can go outside. No point in asking when my things will get here. No point in asking if I can call Jacob.


    When she leaves, I walk to the food, and the minute I take one bite of a chicken sd sandwich, my taste buds open and I find myself scarfing down the food. One sandwich after the other disappears down my throat, and the pastries too.


    The tray probably held food enough for three people, but I eat it all. When I¡¯m done, there¡¯s nothing but crumbs left on the tes. I¡¯m so full I have to lie down.


    Prisci returns a littleter with a basket of nail polishes, shampoos, and all sorts of things I would normally indulge in on the regr from Bath and Body Works.


    I spend the day distracting myself with the contents of the basket. I wash my hair and spend hours in the bathtub, soaking my wounds from Massimo¡¯s ruthless hand.


    When night falls, I lie in the bed for the first time and find myself thinking about him as my head hits the pillows. I wonder where he is. It must be well into the night now because the days are longer during the summer months. In LA, we can have daylight right up until eight o¡¯clock.


    Is he with that woman?


    Is this how I¡¯ll spend my nights? Alone and wondering whoae bed he¡¯s sleeping in?


    Maybe he¡¯s here and in his bedroom. I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t even know where his room is.


    Is she in there with him?


    Will she be at the wedding? I saw the way she looked at me. I was too far away to see her face properly, but I saw enough to note the scowl and vindictive expression that wrinkled her pretty face. She saw me watching before he did, which was when she started to touch him, like she was marking her territory.


    Bitch¡­ she wouldn¡¯t know that I couldn¡¯t care less.


    The hours pass. I can¡¯t will myself to sleep. I keep thinking he¡¯s with her. Or someone else. Why wouldn¡¯t he be? He¡¯s gorgeous. The kind of man to melt you with his arresting good looks and a face that Hollywood would pay millions for.


    I don¡¯t know what woman could resist him, or who wouldn¡¯t react to him the way I do. Every girl I know would die if a man like that even spoke to them. And they¡¯d bepletely envious of me.


    My mind tracks back to my first night here, how he touched me. My skin heats at the memory, and my pussy clenches with need.


    I¡¯m an idiot for thinking of this shit. I¡¯m an idiot for not being strong enough to resist. Gorgeous as he is, the man is a monster. I shouldn¡¯t feel anything for him.


    What I should be thinking of is how I¡¯m going to leave this ce.


    The door opens. I jump, startled. I was so lost in my thoughts that I never heard the key rattle.


    I have the light turned down to an amber glow. It bathes over him as he walks into the room and locks the door behind him.


    His eyes meet mine, and I straighten up on the bed.


    He¡¯s shirtless again, just like this morning. Except he has a ck towel slinked over his shoulder and his hair looks damp. Damp like he just took a shower, or like he was working out.


    My gaze drifts down to his boxers and those long athletic legs, each muscr and, like his abs, covered with tattoos. I realize that the only parts of his body that I have seen that haven¡¯t been inked are his face and neck. He doesn¡¯t have any on his forearms either. It¡¯s enough to carry the illusion that he has none when he¡¯s wearing a dress shirt. Was that done on purpose?


    My previous worries over him being with that woman are reced by the icy fear that¡¯s crawled right back inside me.


    What does he want now? Is he ready to have his way with me? Jesus, I¡¯m going crazy here not knowing what will happen next. I¡¯m on edge from one minute to the next.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask.


    He tilts his head to the side and regards me with those piercing eyes. ¡°Is it wrong for a man to want to spend the night with his bride-to-be?¡±


    My breath hitches, and warmth flushes over my body. Tonight. It could be tonight. It could be now that hees to im me.


    I¡¯m not ready.


    He sets the towel on the chair by the bed before hees closer. The scent of musk and soap tickles my nose, confirming he just showered.


    ¡°Nice to see you in the bed,¡± he states, pressing one knee on the mattress, which sinks in from his weight.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask again.


    ¡°Rx, I¡¯m not going to fuck you tonight,¡± he answers. I feel silly that I must visibly look relieved at his words. ¡°I¡¯m sleeping in here tonight. We don¡¯t see enough of each other.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might be upied with someone else.¡± I want to ask about that woman and who she is to him, but I think better of it.


    The corner of his mouth lifts, and a smile slides across his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t spy on me, Emelia. You might not always like what you see.¡±


    My blood heats. ¡°I wasn¡¯t spying. I simply stared through the window, and there you were. With her.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Does shee here often?¡±


    He smiles, revealing perfect white teeth. ¡°Be careful, Princesca. I may start thinking you¡¯re jealous.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to be jealous of,¡± I snap, answering too quickly. ¡°You can be with whoever you want.¡±


    ¡°Really? And¡­ you¡¯d be okay with that?¡± He narrows his gaze and climbs fully onto the bed, studying me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do. This is business, and I fall part of the assets, right?¡±


    We stare at each other for a few seconds. Then he tugs at the sheet. Ish out to smack his hands away when he tries to pull it down from my breasts, but he catches my wrists.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± I wince.


    He, however, tightens his grip on my wrist and lowers his head to press his lips to my ear.


    ¡°I can touch you whenever I want, Princesca. You belong to me. You just said it yourself. You fall part of the assets. You remember signing your name, right?¡±


    Enraged, I try to pull my hand from his, but he just holds on tighter. ¡°I was forced. That¡¯s not the same thing as me giving myself to you.¡±


    ¡°Interesting choice of words.¡± He holds up my hand and nts a kiss on my knuckles.


    ¡°They are just words.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so, but I think¡­ you¡¯re curious.¡± I flinch and raise my brows.


    ¡°What am I curious about, Massimo?¡±


    He runs his finger over the back of my palm. ¡°To see what it would be like to give yourself to me. To see what it would be like if I hadn¡¯t stolen you away from your father. Curious to see what it would be like to be with me, for you to give in to desire.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I mutter, swallowing past the lump that¡¯s formed in my throat as the desire he speaks of quickens my pulse.


    ¡°Take the sheet off,¡± hemands, his tone level.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I want to see you.¡± His gaze drops to my breasts. My entire body blushes at the wild sexual mes that dance in his eyes.


    ¡°You saw me already.¡±


    ¡°I want to see you again.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want you to see me?¡± I challenge.


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to you. You don¡¯t follow instructions well, do you, Princesca?¡±


    ¡°Are you always such an ass?¡± I throw back.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You like humiliating me, don¡¯t you?¡± I say in a small voice.


    ¡°Sweetheart, when a man asks you to strip, it¡¯s not because he wants to humiliate you. It¡¯s because he likes looking at your body.¡± His lips lift into a mutinous tilt, and he gives me a disarming grin. When his eyes cloud and darken with that wild sexual haze, it grips me, and the stir of arousal swirls deep in my core.


    Hees closer and hovers over me with that smile and that look, snaring me further. ¡°Emelia¡­ when a man asks you to strip, it¡¯s because he wants you, Princesca.¡±


    The strangest thing happens to me on hearing those words. I forget. Just for a moment, I forget¡­ everything. Shame and desire mingle hot in my throat, and the raw power of attraction holds me at its will.


    I drop my guard. He sees the moment I do. This time when the devil tugs at the sheet, I allow him to.


    He pulls it right off me, exposing my nakedness to him once more. My nipples pucker at the hungry look in his eyes, and my body heats when he runs his finger from the tip of my chin right down to the valley between my breasts.


    The urge to tell him to go away fades away, blending into the air when he climbs closer.


    ¡°Lie back and spread your legs for me,¡± hemands. The mellow baritone of his voiceces with sexual heat. Husky with desire.


    My breath quickens. I swallow hard. The question enters my mind again through the haze. What is he going to do to me? The build of pressure rising inside my body terrifies me because I¡¯m not sure I would put up a fight if he decided to take me.


    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± I whisper.


    ¡°y with you,¡± he says.


    ¡°y?¡±


    ¡°y. Tonight, we y. So, lie back and feel me.¡±


    My heart races. He¡¯s watching me in that predatory way again. Eyes focusing on my every move, my every action. Smiling when I obey and lie back on the stack of pillows with my legs spread so he can y with me.


    He gets on top of me fully, locking me into the cage of that wild sexual energy. His breath tickles and tantalizes my nose as he lingers there before me, looming over me, looking at me.


    ¡°Stop fighting it,¡± he says, as if he can read my mind. His fingers flutter over my pussy lips. I flinch. I move away, but he pulls me back. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything to you that you don¡¯t want me to do.¡±


    I tremble under the weight of his stare that bores its way through me. I don¡¯t want him to be able to see straight through me. He can though. That smile on his face says he can.


    Brushing his nose along mine is the start. Then he presses his lips to my cheek and kisses my skin. He avoids my lips, but it¡¯s like I can feel him there too. His lips trail down to my neck, slowly, so slowly. Desire warms my insides.


    One kiss follows another, and another, until my bodyes alive with the scatter of heat. Kissing my neck, he travels down to the huge swells of my breasts and kisses my nipples, licking at the tips then teasing with his tongue.


    I grab the sheet when he sucks my left nipple. My pussy clenches from the jolt of pleasure. He stops sucking, and that devilish smile from the other night returns to his face, scaring me.


    ¡°Have you ever allowed a man to suck your breasts before, Princess?¡± the devil asks, holding my gaze.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± he whispers in my ear. Embarrassment fills me.


    I look away, but he catches my face and guides my gaze back to his.


    ¡°Answer me¡­ don¡¯t be afraid. Tell me if you like it.¡± His grip tightens on my jaw.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I hear myself say. I can¡¯t believe I said that.


    Satisfaction lightens his eyes from the dark molten heat. He lowers his head to suck again. Sucking hard while he reaches to my right to capture the nipple between his thumb and forefinger.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Conflict rides through my soul when I start feeling good. His mouth sucking my breast feels amazing. His fingers caressing me feels like nothing I can quite describe.


    I can¡¯t control the mindless moan that escapes my lips, no more than I can control the arch of my back as he starts sucking harder. He moves from one breast to the other, sucking and swirling his tongue around my nipple.


    The pleasure that rushes through my veins bes too much. I groan out a loud moan when a greedy orgasm takes me over the edge.


    I fall, and he takes full advantage of my weakened, aroused state to move down to my pussy and startpping up my release.


    He spreads my legs wider, buries his face right there between my thighs, and drinks.


    He drinks as he runs his hands over my ass, which still stings, and holds me to him so he can suck the sensitive, swollen nub of my clit. My body takes over. Somehow, my hands move to his head, encouraging him to continue. He does. But not before looking up at me and smiling at my defeat.


    I couldn¡¯t resist him. I still can¡¯t. He has me right where he wants me, wanting him to continue his feast on me.


    When I start moaning again, he reaches up and grabs my breasts, massaging the mounds while he eats me out, taking me to the height of pleasure again.


    Raw ecstasy shoots through me, sizzling every part of my body, and Ie again. Ie hard, harder than before, so hard I can¡¯t catch my breath.


    He drinks again, taking it all until there¡¯s nothing left, and I¡¯m drained.


    Drained and panting, I can barely focus when he rises and licks his lips, taking thest traces of my arousal into his mouth.


    My hands falls to the bed, limp, but he catches it and positions himself on his knees so I can see the massive bulge of his cock pressing against his boxers. Shock spreads through me when he brings my hand to the bulge and mps my fingers over his hard length. He makes me rub up and down his cock and holds my hand to him so I don¡¯t let go.


    ¡°That is what you do to me, Princesca,¡± he confesses. I feel hot all over again. ¡°Do you want to know a little secret?¡±


    A secret?


    There are so many floating around. Too many.


    Knowing one would lessen the burden of not knowing anything.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A smile dances across his lips. ¡°I¡¯m curious about you too. I¡¯ve been curious since that night I first saw you. You, Emelia Balesteri, my enemy¡¯s daughter.¡±


    As I stare back at him and take in his words, I know he¡¯s not talking about Saturday. What he¡¯s referring to sounds older. Like it was a long time ago.


    If I¡¯d seen this guy before, I¡¯d remember. When is he talking about?


    ¡°What night?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The ball.¡±


    ¡°The charity ball?¡± He was there.


    ¡°You can call it that. It¡¯s best you call it that, Princesca. The truth would hurt you too much, and I don¡¯t want to hurt you that way tonight,¡± he answers as he moves away from me.


    My skin flushes when I realize I was still holding on to his cock. I push the embarrassment away and stare back at him.


    What did he mean? I can call it that. I thought the charity ball was exactly that.


    I was nervous but so happy to finally join Dad at one of his events. It was the first time he¡¯d ever taken me to anything like that. That ball was a few months before I turned neen. I felt so grown up and like a representative of Dad and thepany. He even introduced me to one of the investors. It was a good night for me.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a charity, what was it?¡± I ease up onto my elbows.


    ¡°No. No, Princesca,¡± he says, lying next to me. He reaches out and pulls me closer, setting the sheet back over me then him. ¡°I like you like this. Innocent and untainted. Unknowing.¡±


    Thoughts from earlier return as we stare at each other. Once again, I know he¡¯s referring to Dad in some way. He keeps saying things to make me question what I know. Making me question Dad.


    Making me question him, and myself, and what we just did.


    It¡¯s all going to drive me crazy.


    If I stay here, that¡¯s exactly what will happen to me.


    I¡¯ll lose my mind. And I¡¯ll lose myself too.

 10

    MassimoThis is from N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m on my way to see Andreas and about ten minutes away from his ce.


    I tear down the road on my motorcycle, riding way past the speed limit. I need the speed and the feel of that edge of danger racing through my veins to clear my mind.


    I¡¯ve been opting for my car over my bike over thest few weeks. No particr reason. I just like it. The same way I felt like riding the Ninja X2 bike today.


    I think I needed that buzz to take my mind off everything.


    It¡¯s been four days. Exactly four days since Emelia has been in my care, and the woman is growing on me. I know well enough not to divulge too much information to her that won¡¯t matter.


    Part of me thinks it matters, though, because I want her to hate her father the same way I do. I want her to see him for the devil he is.


    Sometimes I still feel the press of his gun against my temple. My mind tracks back to the day of my mother¡¯s funeral, and I¡¯m that twelve-year-old boy again, unable to do shit to Rardo to defend myself. I hate that prick so much. The thought of Emelia thinking the sun shines from his ass makes me sick.


    At the same time, she¡¯s dirty by association to him. She¡¯s his daughter. It¡¯s enough for me to destroy them both. It¡¯s enough for me to want to cut them down like grass. His empire and his precious daughter.


    If only I didn¡¯t want her.


    Four days, and this is me.


    Last night, when I mentioned the charity ball and watched confusion settle onto her pretty face, I felt sorry for her. Sorry for her and more disgusted at Rardo for taking her to something like that. The Syndicate is a band of powerful men. They have a shit load of money. When you have money like that, ites with certain privileges. Dark, arcane powers that normal people would never have ess to, or ever conceive.


    The charity ball is an example of that. Dressed to look like a fundraising event where members of the associatedpanies can indeed raise money for their sponsored charities, it also masks other activities. Things people ss as dark andbel the Syndicate as such.


    Activities like auctions of virgins and the sale of young women are just some examples. Take your neen-year-old daughter to an event like that and dress her in ck, and that opens the floor for bidding. While the Syndicate provides the facilities for darker tastes like that, they don¡¯t monitor it. So, Ricardo could have dealt with anyone.


    Emelia was like amb led to the ughterhouse. Unknowing why she was really there and probably thinking it was some privilege. Innocent. She shouldn¡¯t have been a part of that.


    I woke this morning with her still pressed up against me. Naked and perfect. My cock is still hard from the memory of her. My heart still warmed from the way her fingers fluttered over my chest as she curled into me, her hair sprawled out on the pillow, like we¡¯d spent the night having wild sex.


    I was being serious when I said I was curious about her too. I shared a secret I shouldn¡¯t have by telling her that.


    For things to go the way I want, I can¡¯t under any circumstances show emotion. This whole ordeal is a war between families that started years ago. The moment her father thought he could steal from mine and try to ruin his life.


    The thing is, doing all this won¡¯t change the past. Not a damn bit. It won¡¯t do shit. It won¡¯t bring my mother back. I know deep in my heart that my father¡¯s life was ruined the moment he knew my mother killed herself.


    Rardo is the enemy, and so is Emelia. I can¡¯t allow myself to feel for her.


    I park on Andreas¡¯ drive and get off my motorcycle. This visit was a long timeing. I should have made it already. Things are not okay between us. I can feel it, and I can¡¯t allow the shit to continue if I want to be the kind of boss I hope to be.


    Setting my helmet on the handle, I make my way past his convertible, which is open. Inside I notice a pair of panties.


    He lives in a condo. He has the smallest house of all of us because he¡¯s never in. When he¡¯s not working at D¡¯Agostinos, he¡¯s sailing. At least we share that simrity with our love for anything to do with the water.


    I walk up the steps to the door and notice that it¡¯s open. It¡¯s fucking nine in the morning, and he¡¯s got his car and door open without a guard in sight.


    Given the circumstances, I feel for my piece in my back holster.


    It¡¯s not like him to be so sloppy.


    I make my way upstairs to his bedroom and instantly regret opening the door the moment I do.


    In his bed are two naked women, fast asleep on top of the covers. Standing beside them is Andreas, getting a blow job from a naked blond woman.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± He winces when he sees me. I back away, closing the door.


    Shit. I¡¯m already in his bad books. Fuck, do I know how to make a situation worse than it is.


    I walk into the kitchen and stand by the door, noticing bottles of wine and other bottles of liquor. Empty and full.


    Hees in minutester wearing a pair of joggers and one of his old college T-shirts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologize.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he replies and looks over the mess in the kitchen.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Came to see if you were alright.¡±


    He chuckles. ¡°I¡¯m fine, brother. As you can see, I¡¯m living my best life. Two women in my bed and another sucking my dick. What could be better than that?¡±


    It¡¯s like watching someone who strived for excellence fall in shit. ¡°It¡¯s not like you to spend the night with whores.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a whorehouse?¡± He raises a brow.


    I bite the inside of my lip. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°How? Massimo, please, whores are a natural part of the package. We all have them. You have them in abundance. And I know this marriage shit isn¡¯t just going to suddenly change you overnight. You¡¯re not wired that way. So, that aside. I¡¯m sure there was a purpose for your visit, Boss.¡± The corner of his lips curl and his eyes darken.


    ¡°Andreas¡­¡± I start, but I don¡¯t know what to say to him.


    Sorry Pa chose me above you? Sorry I chose Tristan to be part of the syndicate, not you?


    He must be pissed as fuck.


    ¡°What? Massimo, what? You know as well as I do that there¡¯s nothing to say. It is what it is. No more, no less. Pa chose who he wants to take the lead, and you chose who you want to support you. It is what it is,¡± he says with a nod.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t okay with it,¡± I state, cutting to the chase.


    He chuckles. ¡°Brother, I have to be okay with it.¡±


    ¡°I want you on board, Andreas.¡±


    He reaches out a hand and holds my shoulder. ¡°You are my brother. I will back you in whatever you do. That¡¯s all you need to know. Doesn¡¯t matter if I look like shit and act like shit. I¡¯m just¡­ licking my wounds. You¡¯d do the same if you were me. And I¡¯d be in your shoes. Going to your ce to sort you out.¡±


    He releases his grip on me.


    ¡°I just want to know you¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I guess sometimes I get stuck in tradition. The oldest son usually gets to be boss. But hey, if Pa were traditional, maybe the right person would never get chosen.¡± He gives me a curt nod.


    I won¡¯t say anything against Pa. He¡¯s a fair man and my fucking idol. I don¡¯t care if I sound like a pussy thinking that, but it¡¯s true. The manid the cards on the table and gave his four sons a chance to shine. That¡¯s what he did. I won the leadership fair and square.


    I just hope it hasn¡¯t cost me my older brother.


    ¡°I need you to take care of business at D¡¯Agostinos,¡± I say to him.


    We never got to go over what I¡¯d talked to the others about because we went on the streets to look into Pierbo¡¯s death. The most I got to tell him was that I was splitting the business four ways. That was all.


    Andreas is a man like me though-he doesn¡¯t care about money. He cares about power.


    ¡°And I will. You can trust me. I¡¯m proud of you, kid.¡± The lightes returns to his eyes.


    I ball my fist to bump his. ¡°Thank you. That means a lot to me.¡±


    He nods and gives me the first real smile he¡¯s given me since Pa announced I¡¯d be taking over. ¡°She¡¯d be proud too. Ma. I know she would. You¡¯re like him. More than me.¡± He chuckles. ¡°Now, get the fuck out of here. I need to get back to my women.¡±


    I smirk. ¡°Okay. See youter.¡±


    He tips his head, and I make my way out. I understand him and understand where he¡¯sing from. The only guy who worked as hard as I did for the position was him. I¡¯d feel like shit too if I didn¡¯t get it.

 11

    Massimo


    By the time I got back home from work, two things arrived for Emelia.


    The ring I¡¯d ordered and her things. Both arrived. Her stuff was sent with one of her father¡¯sckeys, and the jeweler Imissioned to sort out her ring for me on short notice was waiting for me in my living room.


    The ring is beautiful and actually looks like her.


    It¡¯s the kind of ring I¡¯d get if this were real between us and she were my doll. My girl. I put it in my back pocket and head to the hall where all her stuff is. I¡¯m going to go through it personally. Never can tell what that old fucker might have put in here. I was surprised when he agreed to have everything sent over.


    It¡¯s everything she packed up for Florence. It was already packed, so I don¡¯t know why that fucker took four days to send it when I requested it the day after the meeting.


    There were over twenty suitcases and five smaller bags she was supposed to carry on her flight, plus fourrge boxes that were supposed to be shipped over.


    Typical princess with too many bags. Ironic how she packed up to move to a different country and ended up with me.


    It takes me a little over an hour to go through her stuff. I sorted through her clothes first. Then got lost in her art. She¡¯d packed up all her art supplies and ten paintings that I have to admit are breathtaking. She¡¯s good. She¡¯s really good and definitely right to call herself an artist. She was going to the ademia in Florence. I know they don¡¯t take any old person there. You have to be good. And because of who runs it, money can¡¯t buy you a ce with them. You have to earn your ce.


    She seems to do a mixture ofndscape and dark fantasy. Ma was andscape person, and she liked doing portraits too. She loved painting people and did many paintings of us.


    When I checked out Emelia, I had to admit that the first thing to strike me about her was her talent. Now I¡¯ve seen it.


    It¡¯s after seven. Dinner is being made. I have ns to change things up a little bit with Emelia. Now that I have the ring, I think it¡¯s time. I look at the elegant little ck dress she wore to the ball resting on the arm of the sofa and nod to myself. She will wear this tonight. For me


    I grab it and some of her underwear, then head to my room to get showered and changed. I throw on a ck long-sleeved dress shirt and ck cks, then trim my beard just to clean it up. Once I¡¯m done, I make my way to Emelia¡¯s room with the little dress and the bag with her panties, knowing she¡¯s going to bitch at me for going through her things.


    She¡¯s sitting by the window when I walk in, still wrapped in that sheet.


    She sits up and gives me that look a lot of women give me that I¡¯ve grown used to. On her, though, it piques my interest, especially when the fire of fury fills her eyes. I love that she tries to stand up to me. She thinks it¡¯s courageous, but all it does is turn me on.


    ¡°Do you n to leave me locked up in here for the rest of my life with no clothes?¡± she snaps, returning to her former stance of defiance.


    ¡°Do you want to be locked up naked in here? You lookfortable sitting over there, and maybe I like the idea of having a naked woman in my room.¡±


    ¡°Find a different one. The blonde you were with the other day seemed eager to please,¡± she hisses.


    Goodeback. I know she¡¯s jealous of Gabrie. She shouldn¡¯t be, but I like her jealousy. It makes her look prettier, and when her lips pout like that, I imagine them around my cock.


    ¡°Come here,¡± I say. She tenses.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Fuckinge here now, Princesca. If you make me get you, you won¡¯t like it.¡± Or maybe she will.


    Maybe another spanking is in order, although I hope the next time I do that, it will be more for pleasure than punishment. I think of how she yielded to mest night. My mouth waters. I want her just like that again, but next time, I want inside her.


    She likes me. She likes me and doesn¡¯t know what to do with the attraction that ripples between us any more than I do.


    She gets off the window seat and makes her way over. She smells nice, just like yesterday. I know Prisci got her some stuff. I¡¯m d she did. That sweetnesspliments her natural fragrance.


    When she reaches me, I hold out her dress. Her eyes widen when she realizes it¡¯s hers.


    ¡°My dress. My things are here?¡± Her eyes search mine. I almost feel like a prick for depriving her.


    ¡°Yes. Your things are here.¡±


    ¡°Can I have them?¡± She raises her brows.


    ¡°Eventually.¡± I smile.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Her shoulders slump. ¡°Why? Why can¡¯t I have them now? Do you know how weird that is?¡±


    ¡°There are a few things I need you to do for me.¡± It¡¯s time toy down thew.


    ¡°What? What more do I need to do than I¡¯ve already done?¡±


    ¡°Aww, so much more, Princesca. I want your obedience.¡± I spell it out because I haven¡¯t said anything of the sort yet.


    ¡°Obedience? What the hell do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°Like fuck. You better understand me and agree, or you¡¯ll stay locked up in here naked until the wedding. Hit me or strike back in any way, and you¡¯ll know what being locked up means. Do you understand me?¡± I ask, holding her gaze.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°The only way you leave this property is if I say so. And when I buy you something, you wear it. When I tell you to do something, you do it.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just get a dog?¡± she throws back. ¡°There¡¯s a reason they¡¯re a man¡¯s best friend.¡±


    I catch her face and pull her close. She gasps. ¡°That smart mouth of yours is something else. So pretty I want to kiss it, and so hot I want to fuck it. You don¡¯t talk back to me. Baby, if I wanted a fucking dog, I¡¯d have one.¡±


    I release her. She catches her breath. Bites back a whimper and looks at me, disappointed. ¡°You¡¯re like two different people.¡±


    I know what she means, but it has to be this way.


    ¡°This is what you get. Now, put the dress on,e to dinner with me, and we¡¯ll talk about you getting your things.¡±


    ¡°Dinner?¡± she says. I smile. ¡°You want me to have dinner with you?¡±


    ¡°I want you to have dinner with me.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to wear the dress I wore to the ball?¡± she notes and looks me over curiously.


    I bite down hard on my back teeth at being caught but smile that she was so observant.


    ¡°I do,¡± I answer. ¡°What can I say? I liked the way you looked in it.¡±


    It represents a time when I couldn¡¯t have her. She was untouchable, just like her father. I was the boy again, poor in a different sort of way, looking on at something I couldn¡¯t have. I¡¯ll admit it.


    If circumstances were different and she weren¡¯t who she is, and her fucking father weren¡¯t who he is, I would have bid on her. I would have bid on her and made sure I got her.


    But look at me now.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you talk to me at the ball?¡± she asks. The questionpletely throws me.


    I chuckle, deep and low. ¡°No¡­¡± I shake my head at her.


    ¡°No to what.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not those people. I¡¯m not a man who will fight for you, Emelia Balesteri. Your father kept you in the dark. But you are just as evil as he is to me, which makes you nothing. Do not make the mistake of thinking we¡¯re anything more than what we are. We are not. You are not.¡±


    Her eyes brim with tears. I feel like shit, but needs must.


    ¡°Take off the sheet and put on the dress,¡± I instruct, and for the first time, she listens and doesn¡¯t argue.


    She allows the sheet to fall from her, revealing her nakedness to me. I look her up and down. My cock hardens. I¡¯ve never seen a more perfect woman. Everything about her is perfect. Everything. Including her soul. I don¡¯t know how Rardo created a such a being. She must take after her mother.


    I smile when she looks at me. Her cheeks flush. Her nipples turn hard, and the heft of her breasts bounces as she bends down to put her panties on.


    She puts on the bra and then her dress. Then the shoes. Her hair is in a ponytail though. I want it down, just like it was at the ball.


    ¡°Take your hair down,¡± I say. Again, she does as she¡¯s told.


    The tumble of dark locks flows down her shoulders. She tucks a lock behind her ear. I thought that was the style, but it seems to be something she does out of habit.


    I put out my hand to her, and she takes it. My hands swallow hers right up. She feels small next to me.


    We leave the room. I realize this is the first time we walk together in this hall. Manni brought her here on Saturday night, and the only interaction we¡¯ve had is in that room.


    Despite the hold I have on her, the dullness in her mood, and the way I tainted anything we sharedst night, she seems taken with the ce.


    She looks at the design and the decor of the corridor. On this side of the house, I have a balcony that overlooks the ground floor, and the entire ceiling is made of ss.


    The floor is marble throughout the whole house but changes to stone when we step out to the terrace.


    As we step into the night, the cool night air lifts her hair, and it caresses her skin.


    The long dinner table by the fountain is set. Both Prisci and Candace are standing by, waiting to serve us.


    The feast on the table looks amazing. It¡¯s all my favorites. I hope Emelia doesn¡¯t give me any hassle tonight.


    Prisci smiles when we approach, and Emelia does too. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen her smile. It¡¯s a pretty sight.


    ¡°Wow, look at you,¡± Prisci beams. ¡°You look absolutely stunning,¡± she adds. Candace nods her agreement.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Emelia replies.


    They both look like they want to continue conversation with my bride-to-be, but when they see the stern expression on my face, they know they mustn¡¯t. The mood shifts instantly as they both look at me.


    ¡°Well, if there¡¯s nothing more you need, we¡¯ll go,¡± Candace says.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more I need. You may take your leave,¡± I dismiss them, and they leave us.


    I pull out a chair for Emelia to sit. She does. I won¡¯t give her the ring yet.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she says but doesn¡¯t look at me.


    I sit at the head of the table right across from her. It¡¯s too far away, but it works. I want to look her right in the eye when I talk to her and tell her what¡¯s happening next.


    She scans her surroundings and gazes over the sea. In the moonlight it looks like one of her paintings. I wonder what it is she sees when she looks at it. Ma used to say that a real artists see the world through different eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, startling her.


    She returns her focus to me and shakes her head. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°No? You look like you saw something.¡±


    ¡°I did. I just don¡¯t wish to share my vision with you,¡± she answers and sits back in her chair.


    ¡°Eat.¡±


    She starts to serve herself food. It¡¯s not a lot, but at least she¡¯s taking it.


    When her te is full, she sets down her fork and looks to me, her lips parted, readying to ask me a question I know I probably won¡¯t answer.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°What did my father do to you?¡± she says.


    I was right. I won¡¯t answer that question. ¡°That¡¯s a matter for another night.¡±


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you think I should know why I¡¯m here? I think I deserve to know why my life was stolen from me and why I deserve this. You know stuff about me, don¡¯t you? You know who I am and what I am. You know who my friends are. Heck, you knew I was heading to Italyst Sunday and stopped me in my tracks. I worked so hard to get into the ademia. I worked so hard¡­ and the best thing happened to me when they epted me. You took it all away. I want to know why.¡±


    As the words fall from her lips, I ask myself that question again. Of who I am and what I¡¯ve be. What kind of man have I be to do this to an innocent?


    As I look at her, though, as I take in her beauty, I remind myself of the mission and the n. That same beauty is part and parcel of all Rardo Balesteri owned. The beautiful woman before me is indeed an asset.


    ¡°What did he do to you?¡± she asks again, her voice demanding.


    ¡°He took everything from me and made sure my family had nothing,¡± I answer, speaking words I¡¯ve never had to share with anyone. Anybody who knows us already had a good idea of what happened, even if they didn¡¯t know the gory details.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s my fault, and I have to suffer for what he did?¡± she retorts.


    ¡°Art of war. Sometimes things happen and the good have to suffer for the bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. How dare you say such a thing to me? Look at this ce. You have so much. You took so much, and now you¡¯ve taken me to screw with my father. How could you be so wicked? You have so much money.¡±


    ¡°Money is not everything, Princesca. It can¡¯t bring the dead back.¡± She swallows her words. ¡°Enough. We aren¡¯t talking about this anymore.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to, not with her. Not with anyone.


    I stand up, walk back to her, and pull out the box with her ring inside it. She winces when she sees it, but I don¡¯t miss the way her eyes sparkle with surprise when I pop the box open and she looks at the ring inside.


    It¡¯s the beauty of it. Even she can¡¯t resist looking at it for what it is.


    ¡°Give me your left hand.¡± Her features be stony. ¡°Emelia, don¡¯t make me ask again.¡±


    She puts out her hand. I take the ring and slip it on her ring finger, feeling the tremble in her hand.


    She stares at the ring, closes her eyes tightly, and when she opens them, tears again stream down her cheeks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯d get something so beautiful for someone you think is nothing,¡± she states. I grit my teeth pushing aside the emotion that¡¯s threatening to break free and crack the wall around my heart. ¡°Can I go back to my room, please?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she breathes. ¡°Can I go?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She stands, readying herself to flee, but I catch her wrist and hold her in ce.


    ¡°You¡¯ll pick your dress tomorrow. The seamstress will be here at midday. Make sure you¡¯re ready.¡±


    I release her. She doesn¡¯t answer. She just walks away, and I stare after her.


    I wanted to be firm with her tonight, but I feel like the ruthless, heartless bastard I¡¯ve trained so hard to be. I should congratte myself. I made it.


    I should be proud.


    I just don¡¯t feel it because I like her too.

 12

    Massimo


    Tristan walks into my office with a stern expression on his face.


    He messaged an hour ago requesting we meet as soon as possible. I had a meeting with some of our top investors, which I rearranged because I know when my brother requests to meet like this, it¡¯s serious.


    He skips past pleasantries and stalks to my desk. From the inside of his ck biker jacket he takes out a white envelope and sets it down before me.


    ¡°You need to see this,¡± he states with a firm nod and an etch in his jaw.


    I open the envelope straightaway and pull out a picture. My hands tense up when I see who¡¯s on it.


    It¡¯s a man called d Kusov. He¡¯s a Brava assassin who belongs to a group of assassins called the Circle of Shadows. More importantly, he¡¯s supposed to be dead. I should know. I helped killed him, or so I thought.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± I ask.


    Tristan pulls up a chair and sits. I expect the ashen look on his face. It was him who pulled the trigger. One lone bullet to the heart that should have killed the bastard who murdered his wife. Why am I looking at a picture of this man? A very recent photo, given the fucking date.


    ¡°Dominic,¡± Tristan says, running a hand over his beard.


    The one-word answer is enough because Dominic can find shit you don¡¯t even know is happening. Like this.


    Tristan sighs and straightens up. ¡°Our guys found Pierbo¡¯s stuff in a dumpster near the docks. Some burned some not. A camera was amongst them. Smashed and burnt to a fucking crisp. Dominic was able to get the image from the chip. Massimo, look at the date when the picture was taken.¡±


    I do again. My eyes snap wide when I realize it was Saturday. The date Pierbo supposedly killed himself.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    d and his band of assassins are known enemies to anyone in the Italian Mafia and those in the Bratva who don¡¯t fall part of his circle. Those of the Bratva who link up with them are few and far between.


    ¡°If he¡¯s here, someone hired him,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I fucking know it. Fucking hell, Massimo. This knocked me for six. I thought I got this guy. I thought I killed his ass, yet here he is. I already felt like shit because he was the hand that dealt the blow to my Alyssa. But I never got the man who ordered the hit on her.¡±


    I feel his pain as he speaks. Five years have passed, but I know he still feels the pain. Alyssa¡¯s head was delivered to him in a box.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Mortimer Viggo is the elusive leader of the Shadows. None of us have ever seen him, and nobody knows how to find him. If d is here, alive and well, Mortimer sent him. Just like he did when he sent him to kill Alyssa.


    They took her the night of his wedding and sent her head in a box to Tristan, giftwrapped, the very next day. We then found her body in parts, scattered all over LA. That¡¯s not something you get over. Tristan and Alyssa had been together since high school.


    ¡°Tristan. You know as well as I do that Mortimer Viggo is not an easy man to find.¡± I sound like a pussy for saying that. It¡¯s the truth though. We must have searched all four corners of the globe for two years looking for that piece of shit and never found him.


    I know it crushed Tristan to no end when it became clear that we had to give up the search. But now d is back from the dead. His presence here in LA could only be happening if Mortimer Viggo ordered it.


    ¡°Fuck, Massimo.¡± He balls his fists and seethes. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you how screwed I feel right now.¡±


    I get up and walk around to him and rest my hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll get to the bottom of this. Please do not do anything until we have more information.¡± I want to tell him not to do anything stupid but think better of it.


    I can¡¯t say that to him. Whatever he chose to do would not be stupid in regard to retaliation and making sure the dead stay dead. I know him though. He¡¯s a man like me. Vengeance is his when he decides. He hates feeling helpless or being in the dark about anything.


    ¡°I know if you were me, you¡¯d do something about it,¡± Tristan points out.


    ¡°I am going to do something about it.¡± I just don¡¯t want to lose my brother. Rest assured, that is exactly what would happen. I¡¯d lose him. ¡°Tristan. This guy has been a ghost for thest five years and suddenly resurfaces. Clearly, some plot of shit is happening.¡±


    ¡°Right under our noses,¡± he intones. I press my lips together. ¡°Massimo, clearly, Pierbo died because he saw him. d wouldn¡¯t have wanted our guy to find out he was alive and back in our city.¡±


    ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t,¡± I agree. ¡°I can¡¯t allow him to do whatever it is he¡¯s doing though.¡± Thest five years were his get-out-of-jail card.


    ¡°You¡¯d be rocking the nest, Massimo,¡± Tristan points out. Worry filling his eyes.


    ¡°I know.¡± Of course, I know. Rocking the fucking nest would stir trouble. I¡¯m boss, and if Pa were boss, he would say the same as me. ¡°We look into it, get our best men out there, and try to find him no matter where he is. We kill his ass and make sure we cut off his fucking head this time. For Alyssa.¡±


    He releases a sharp breath and nods. ¡°Thank you, brother. It¡¯s a hard thing for a man to ept he was useless to the one person who needed him the most. d and his band of fuckers stole her from me, and I never knew until it was toote. I keep remembering how it happened. I took her home. We were supposed to be leaving for our honeymoon the next day. I went into the kitchen to get the champagne, and when I came out, she was gone. That was it. The one thing I had to hold on to was killing him, but he¡¯s not dead.¡±


    ¡°Tristan, let¡¯s stay focused and get this guy. He dered war bying back here.¡±


    Before I got home, I went to the scene, the ce where it all yed out five years ago.


    The Vincent Thomas Bridge. That is where Tristan and I thought we killed d.


    We were fighting on the bridge. Blow for blow, bullets flying. There were four of us in the end. Me and Tristan. d and Aleksei, his right-hand man.


    I stabbed Aleksei right in the eye and ended him. At the same time, Tristan shot d. I saw it happen. They were paces away from me. That bullet went in his heart and he fell. He fell right over the bridge and even hit the panels before he went into the sea.


    The bullet should have killed him instantly, but if that didn¡¯t get him, the fall should have. The drop is three hundred and sixty-five feet. So, he should have been fucked either way. Yet d is alive. Pierbo saw him and got caught.


    I thought Rardo had Pierbo killed. Now it makes sense. Pierbo was a force to be reckoned with. Only a man like d Kusov and the Circle of Shadows could take down a man like him. So, now I have more shit on my hands.


    More things to get me dirty, and those close to me. Tristan said it well when he talked of rocking the nest. I would be doing exactly that. Rocking an ants¡¯ nest. The thing about that, though, is that they don¡¯t bother you until you disturb them.


    When you do, they alle for you.


    Theye for you and wipe out whoever is with you.


    Right now, we have the advantage. d doesn¡¯t know we know he¡¯s alive. He must think he got us good with Pierbo¡¯s death and destroying the camera.


    There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to be able to keep the fact that we know he¡¯s alive quiet. To look for him, I¡¯m gonna have to ask questions, meaning he¡¯ll know we¡¯re looking.


    That¡¯s the risk I¡¯ll have to take.


    I make my way home and walk into Emelia¡¯s room. She¡¯s asleep, and I don¡¯t n to wake her. The lights are out with just the moonlight spilling in onto her ethereal body.


    She even looks like a princess in her sleep. Graceful with her dark locks flowing over the pillow and her hands rested at her sides.


    The report on her today was that she was quiet. Prisci said she barely spoke and did what she was told to do. She tried on her wedding dresses and didn¡¯t like any. I don¡¯t know if that means she was being difficult or if she genuinely didn¡¯t like them.


    The seamstress ising back tomorrow. I don¡¯t want to be a bastard and pick a dress for her. I already feel bad enough about the ring.


    She stirs, as if she can sense me concocting shit. I back away quietly toward the door.


    Emelia will be my wife in a few weeks.


    Five years ago, I didn¡¯t have anybody like that.


    Now I do.


    Rocking the nest to find d means I¡¯ll involve her too.


    If I get it wrong, it won¡¯t just be me I have to worry about.


    I¡¯ll have to worry about her too.

 13

    Emelia


    I gaze ahead to the long mirror at my reflection. My heart squeezes.


    This wedding dress is beautiful, very beautiful.


    It looks like it was pulled from a fairytale. Definitely fit for a princess. Its sleeveless bodice hugs my frame, entuating my breasts and the tiny curve of my waist. The endless length of fabric flowing from the body creates that magical effect flirting with my legs as I move.


    I can imagine all eyes on me on the big day. I¡¯ve tried on ten dresses today, and this one looks the best.


    I really didn¡¯t like the ones yesterday, but if I¡¯m honest, I didn¡¯t try all that hard. I always felt, though, when you see the dress you want, you wouldn¡¯t have to try. You¡¯d fall for it the same way you fell for the guy. He¡¯d be the one, and the dress would be the one. That¡¯s if it was real.


    If it were real, I¡¯d pick this dress. This morning, I thought I¡¯d make things less difficult on myself by pretending it was real. I knew if I sent the seamstress away again today, Massimo would think I was being difficult and punish me for it, or some shit.


    It sparkles against the sunlight beaming in from the long French windows of the hall. It¡¯s truly, truly perfect. It¡¯s probably the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve ever seen.


    Just like the ring on my finger, however, it doesn¡¯t feel like it belongs to me. It feels like it doesn¡¯t belong on me.


    Both remind me of poison. The same way poison works its way into your body and slowly kills you. Both the dress and the ring have that effect on me.


    Both are designed to hurt me.


    Both are a poisonous reminder that I am owned.


    I belong to Massimo D¡¯Agostino, and just like one of his many assets, I am property. That is all I am to him, nothing more.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going in there?¡± the seamstress calls out from the other side of the curtains. The hall was set up so I¡¯d have some privacy to change.


    ¡°Good, I¡­ like this one,¡± I reply. I give myself a once-over in the mirror and make my way out through the curtains.


    The seamstress gasps, along with Prisci and Candace, who came to help me. I swear Prisci looks like she¡¯s going to cry. It makes me think of how I imagined my mom to be during this time. I tear up at the thought.


    ¡°My God,¡± Prisci says. She walks up to me and holds out her hands to take mine. I give them to her, and she gently squeezes. ¡°Emelia, you look truly beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much,¡± I reply.


    ¡°My dear, you are one of the most beautiful brides I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± the seamstress states, bringing her hands together.


    Candace nods her agreement. ¡°I second that. You look amazing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you all. I guess this is the winning dress, then,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Definitely a winner,¡± she agrees. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. I think we just need to take in the top here a little bit.¡± She tugs on the edge of the binding.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°And may I suggest having your hair up to show off the back design? And a tiara, unless you specially want a veil.¡±


    ¡°I like the idea of my hair up and the tiara,¡± I agreepletely. When I first saw the dress, I already thought the back needed to be disyed. It has scallops going down the curve. It¡¯s as beautiful as the front.


    ¡°Perfect. You¡¯re an easy bride to work with,¡± she beams, rubbing her hands together. Her green eyes sparkle with delight and the crow¡¯s feet at the corners crinkle as she smiles wide.


    If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve noticed so far, it¡¯s that everyone who¡¯s been in contact with me sinceing to live here has been really nice.


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m d to hear.¡±


    ¡°Okay, go change, and I¡¯ll work my magic. I¡¯lle back in a few days, and we¡¯ll talk shoes and essories.¡±


    ¡°That sounds great.¡± It sounds like I¡¯m talking by default. Like the words areing out of my mouth, but I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m actually saying.


    Candace seems to notice. I can tell from the sympathetic look she offers me.


    I duck back behind the curtains and ce a hand at my heart when I look at myself again in the mirror.


    I wish I could be happier.


    I wish this moment could feel better, that I weren¡¯t marrying a monster who has this effect on me I can¡¯t exin. It hurt me to no end when he called me nothing. I can¡¯t quite exin how it hurt me when he said it. It felt worse than feeling like a thing. Now, I¡¯m not so sure where I am in my mind. What I am is stuck.


    I change into a pair of jeans and a camisole. Clothes. My actual clothes.


    When I woke this morning, there were two things in my room that I didn¡¯t have yesterday. The first was my suitcases and bags I was supposed to take to Florence, and the second was a little bit of freedom. The door was open. It wasn¡¯t locked. I could walk around outside the room, and I could open the window.


    It was clear that he¡¯d specificallye into the roomst night while I was asleep and done all of that. I just knew it was him. The scent of him lingered in the air.


    What wasn¡¯t there was my art supplies and paintings. I don¡¯t know if that was because Dad didn¡¯t send them, or if they are here and Massimo decided not to give them to me. I don¡¯t know.


    By the time I unpacked my stuff and changed, it was time for my dress fitting.


    I pull my hair back into a ponytail and head out again with the dress. The seamstress takes it from me and ces it in a bag.


    Candace walks up to me and taps my shoulder. She isn¡¯t wearing her uniform today. Instead, she¡¯s wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Her hair is braided to the side, and she wears a pair of Converses that make her look trendy.


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging out with you today,¡± she says. ¡°How about a walk on the beach?¡±


    I smile at that. ¡°I would love to.¡±


    ¡°You girls get back in time for lunch,¡± Prisci says.


    ¡°We will,¡± Candace replies. I just smile because it¡¯s not like I have a choice.


    We leave the hall and head down the same corridor I walked with Massimost night, but instead of taking the stairs leading up to the terrace, we go down another set of stairs. The door opens out right onto a patio that leads to the beach. As Candace opens the doors, the salty scent of the sea washes over me and I feel alive.


    It¡¯s amazing what we take for granted in life. Small things like feeling the hot sun on my skin as thenguid breeze lift the ends of my hair are things I¡¯ve missed so much over thest few days. I smile and savor the feeling, savor the freedom.


    And since I absolutely love walking on the beach, I take off my shoes so I can feel the sand between my toes.


    Candace chuckles. I smile back.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do that?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Oh yes. I always take my shoes off when I¡¯m on the beach.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m too used to it,¡± she answers. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡±


    We walk down near the rock pool and sit on the sand where it offers a scenic view of endless sea. It reminds me of Italy. Of the beach in Tuscany Dad always took me and Ma to when we went on vacation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay here for a while, then I¡¯ll show you around the rest of the ce and maybe give you a tour of the house,¡± she says.


    I guess she must have been given the okay to show me more than the beach.


    ¡°Thank you. This is beautiful,¡± I say. ¡°I love it.¡±


    ¡°Me too. My family is from Sicily. The beach where they live is just like this.¡±


    ¡°My family is from Tuscany. The beach there is gorgeous too,¡± I say.


    She nods, agreeing. ¡°When did youst go back?¡±


    ¡°A few years ago, with my mother. Just before¡­ before she died.¡± It¡¯s still hard to say the words that confirm her death.


    She looks sad to hear that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was a few years ago. I still miss her so much, but death happens, doesn¡¯t it.¡± I sound braver than I feel. Those words mask the truth of what I feel deep inside. I still cry for her. That sadness never ends, and I know if she were alive now, this wouldn¡¯t be happening to me.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ death happens,¡± she replies. Sadness clouds her eyes. ¡°Both my parents are dead. It was an ident.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear,¡± I sympathize.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°My mom had cancer. Thatst trip to Tuscany was herst visit to her homnd. We painted¡­ that¡¯s what I do. I paint.¡±


    ¡°What do you paint?¡± She sounds intrigued.


    ¡°Everything. Anything my imagination conjures up.¡±


    ¡°That sounds cool. I write poetry. I stuck with it after college.¡±


    ¡°After?¡± I thought she was close to my age.


    ¡°After. I¡¯m twenty-five.¡±


    ¡°You look a lot younger.¡± She beams.


    ¡°Thank you. I think it¡¯s my youthful spirit.¡± She giggles. ¡°I studied English literature. I wanted to be a teacher, but I guess I¡¯ll get myself together eventually. It can be tough out there trying to get started in your career.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree. Myunch into my career has been tough for a reason I¡¯m sure most people never encounter, and it looks like it¡¯s never going to happen for me. ¡°How long have you worked here?¡±


    ¡°Years. I¡¯ve known Massimo all my life though.¡± Her face shows that fond look I¡¯ve seen on Prici¡¯s face. I hope she isn¡¯t going to sing his praises or do anything like that. I don¡¯t want to hear it.


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay, I¡­ don¡¯t really want to talk about him,¡± I say. That¡¯s the best way I can put it without sounding too rude, although I probably do sound exactly that.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± She nods. ¡°I¡¯m not here for that. I thought maybe you could use someone to talk to. Or just hang with. If you do want to talk about him, though, I swear everything you say will be strictly off the record. I mean that.¡±


    I gaze at her wondering if I can let my guard down and trust her. She and Prisci have been nice to me, but that doesn¡¯t mean anything when ites to loyalty.


    I learned well from dealing with people who worked for my father. In the end, they would always answer to him. Maybe though¡­ I could just talk about the things on my mind that she must already be aware of.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard, hard being here. Hard¡­ doing what I¡¯m doing. Marrying a man I don¡¯t know,¡± I exin. Suddenly, I feel like I want to spill my heart.


    She nods, understanding. ¡°I know. I can only imagine. I could see it as you tried on one dress after another. You look like you want to be happy because the dresses and your ring are so beautiful, but the situation spoils it.¡±


    She hit the nail on the head. ¡°Yeah. All my hopes and dreams crushed just like that. My life stolen. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to live like this. There¡¯s no escape for me.¡±


    She looks down at the sand, stares at it for a moment, then her gaze flicks back up to meet mine.


    ¡°Emelia¡­¡± Her voice trails off. ¡°I feel sorry that this has happened to you. I confess that I don¡¯t agree. I¡¯m paid to do a job, but I see many things I don¡¯t like. Your father did a lot to Massimo¡¯s family, but I don¡¯t agree that you have to suffer for it.¡±


    My interest piques at her words. She sounds like she might have answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what he did. I don¡¯t know anything. Up untilst week, I never even knew my father knew the D¡¯Agostinos.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that figures. Women and children are kept out of business. I wasn¡¯t so lucky. Just like Massimo. I saw the ugly side when I was far too young. It changes you forever.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    As she speaks, I get the impression that there¡¯s more to her story than just her parents¡¯ ident.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t talk about my story. Not yet anyway. Maybe someday.¡± She gives me a nervous, shaky smile. ¡°Massimo though¡­ things changed a lot for him when his family lost everything. My family has served the D¡¯Agostinos for many generations. Being the help¡¯s daughter, I hear things. I saw things. I know things I probably shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    My chest tightens. ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever heard of the syndicate?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No. Never.¡±


    ¡°Good. They¡¯re a secret society for the most part, although they don¡¯t keep their existence secret. If you know, you know. What you don¡¯t know is how they operate and what they do, but it¡¯s not hard to figure out they¡¯re untouchable. They¡¯re made up of six powerful crime families. Two of the current leaders are your father and Massimo¡¯s.¡±


    My eyes widen. ¡°My father?¡± I can¡¯t imagine that I wouldn¡¯t have known about them.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not surprised that you didn¡¯t know. Membership is only made up of men. So, maybe your uncles or someone like that would have dealings with them.¡±


    Uncle Leo is basically Dad¡¯s right-hand man. ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°You get initiated based on wealth or resource. Whatever you can bring to the table that¡¯s valuable. They live by a creed they sign in blood to protect each other to the death,¡± she exins, hugging her knees to her chest. ¡°Your father and Gio D¡¯Agostino used to be best friends. Your father stole their business you now have from him and wiped him out. Left him with nothing. And because he had nothing, he got uninitiated from the syndicate. That is worse than having nothing. It¡¯s often worse than death because you aren¡¯t supposed to be in a situation where you can share information about the Syndicate and its secret ns and plots.¡±


    Jesus Christ. I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing.


    ¡°What happened to them?¡±


    ¡°Everything bad. They lost their home. At one point, they were living in a trailer park. Just barely. Fifteen years ago, Gio started his oil business and flourished. The wealth was like wildfire, but it never made up for their biggest loss of all. They lost all they owned during that terrible time, but they lost something worse when Massimo¡¯s mother died.¡±


    ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She killed herself when Massimo was twelve. He found her.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God.¡± I bring my hands up to my cheeks.


    ¡°I know. It was so sad because she was like this perfect being. She was always so nice to me. Called me the daughter she never had. I was always hanging out with the boys. Massimo never said as much, but he mes your father for her death.¡±


    My eyes grow wide as I recall what he said about not being able to bring the dead back to life.


    ¡°This is a nightmare.¡±


    She smiles without humor. ¡°It¡¯s worse than a nightmare, Emelia. This war began long before we were born. Massimo mes your father for her death and the hard life they were forced into when he was growing up. But his father mes your father for so much more. The thing about hearing too much is having to bear the responsibility of knowing when to keep quiet. The reason why their fathers fell out was her. Massimo¡¯s mother.¡±


    My breath hitches in my chest. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They were both in love with her.¡± A steel weight drops in the pit of my stomach. ¡°That¡¯s all I know, but it makes you wonder, doesn¡¯t it? Makes you wonder what else happened.¡±


    Secrets and lies, that¡¯s what my world feels like it¡¯s based on. I stare at her long and hard and wonder why she¡¯s telling me so much.


    ¡°Why? Why are you telling me all of this?¡± I ask.


    She raises her shoulders into a shrug. ¡°Maybe I feel bad that you have to be dragged into a battle that isn¡¯t yours to fight. Maybe I feel bad that your life will be stolen from you if you marry Massimo. Maybe I¡¯d just hate to be you. Or¡­ maybe I¡¯m trying to justify my reasons to help you, breaking loyalty to a man I think of as a brother.¡±


    My nerves scatter. ¡°What are you saying, Candace?


    Will she help me? How?


    She leans in close. Her eyes turn ssy as tears well within them. ¡°He trusts me the most. That¡¯s why I get to hang out with you. Me and Prisci. But he¡¯s not the boy I grew up with. None of the brothers are. It¡¯s not their fault though.¡±


    No, it seems to be my father¡¯s.


    ¡°Candace, are you going to help me?¡± I ask, cautiously. We both look around nervously.


    We¡¯re far away from the closest guard, who¡¯s stationed on the terrace. He can¡¯t hear us talking, but it¡¯s understandable given the circumstances that fear and paranoia would set in.


    Candace nods when I look back at her. ¡°If he finds out I was disloyal in any way, I wouldn¡¯t me him if he killed me.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t bear it.¡± I wince, shaking my head.


    ¡°Evil will always continue if good people stand by and watch, Emelia. Evil will always win if good people sit back and allow it to happen. I would never forgive myself if I didn¡¯t help you, but please think before you act.¡± She holds my gaze as I consider her words.


    Think before I act¡­ A chance to escape is worth gold to me right now, but I know what she means. If I get it wrong, it won¡¯t just be me who will be punished.


    She looks ahead of us and carefully points to the end of the beach.


    ¡°Do you see that cave?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The cave is at the furthest end of the beach. From here it¡¯s almost a blur, but I can see it. The waves crash against the rocks, and the area looks like it cuts off after that point.


    ¡°The cameras don¡¯t work past the area with the palm trees. There¡¯s one camera on amp post. That¡¯s it. The path leads right into the cave. There¡¯s a rowboat inside,¡± she exins.


    I can¡¯t believe my ears. She¡¯s just given me the answer.


    ¡°Oh my God, Candace,¡± I gasp.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see a speedboat too, but don¡¯t even try to take that. Massimo keeps the keys on him at all times, and even if you could get it to work, he has a security system on it that he can control from inside the house. It will alert him the second the boat engine switches on. So, your only choice is the rowboat.¡±


    With trembling lips, I nod. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go for the rowboat. Candace-¡±


    ¡°Emelia, it¡¯s dangerous,¡± she interrupts. ¡°That¡¯s the most important warning I¡¯ll give you. Dangerous waters. You¡¯re right in the heart of it on that side.¡±


    God¡­ I can¡¯t swim well in safe waters, let alone dangerous waters. But it¡¯s a route to escape. I will make sure I¡¯m safe if I get a chance to use it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. I have to be.¡±


    ¡°Then, please¡­ make sure you flee and never look back if you do it, because if he finds you, he¡¯ll know it could only be me or Prisci who told you how to escape. So¡­ please think properly before you try it. He¡¯s given permission for us to show you around. It¡¯s up to you to gain his trust for you to walk around without supervision and the guards on constant lookout.¡± She reaches out and takes my hands. ¡°Please think about it before you do anything. That¡¯s my one request.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I promise.


    The n now is to get him to trust me. I look at the cave and see freedom.


    How do I get Massimo to trust me?


    Obedience.


    Doing what he says.


    Being his.

 14

    Massimo


    I stand, look each member of the Syndicate in the eyes, and raise the ceremonial de.


    All eyes are on me.


    Apart from Pa, Rardo, and his brother, these are men I¡¯ve never seen before. All men of power with incredible wealth totaling twelve, including me.


    They all sit around the long rectangr table in the boardroom and watch me. Me, the youngest, newest member getting ready to initiate myself and sign the blood oath to the creed.


    They will not speak to me until I take the oath. And we have much to speak about.


    As I slice the tip of my forefinger, I rivet my gaze to Rardo¡¯s. I re at him long and hard, making sure the other members of the Syndicate can watch me and take note that I have a problem with him.


    They¡¯ll know the story. They¡¯ll know the past. It doesn¡¯t sit well with me that these are men who could have killed me and my family on Rardo¡¯s word, but this is the next phase of power.


    Drops of blood drip onto the contract. One simr to the document we gave Rardo.


    This one stiptes that I share my resources, power, and life with the members. One body, one power, all to pursue wealth.


    My blood on the contract is my signature. It¡¯s a serious thing because to sign the creed means you sign your life away. The only way out is death, or like I¡¯ve witnessed with my own father, disavowal.


    That will not happen to me.


    When I ce the knife back on the table, Phillipe, the chairman, nods his approval. I saw the way he looked at me when I walked in. He and the two Bratva leaders exchanged nces. Curious nces. There¡¯s a spark of endorsement in his eyes now, as he looks me over.


    They all know I have Rardo¡¯s voting rights.


    What they don¡¯t know is what will happen now that I have them. This sort of thing is not something that¡¯s ever happened before. Taking voting rights for a debt. Questions we won¡¯t answer will be raised.


    I sit. Pa gives me the final nod. I¡¯m a member now, just like him.


    This is where it will all begins. The next generation. When Pa leaves, I¡¯ll be here with Tristan the same way the leaders are with their counterparts. Rardo is here with Leo, his brother. They both look at me from across the table. Seething.


    Powerless, useless, helpless¡­


    I could almostugh. I would almostugh if not for the image of his daughter in my mind.


    Powerless, useless, helpless. It describes her too.


    I haven¡¯t seen her in four days.


    I¡¯ve been busy with my men on the streets, looking for d. I¡¯m sure to shit the rats have whispered to him that I know he¡¯s alive and I¡¯m on the hunt for his ass, because there¡¯s no trace of him. I¡¯ll also admit that I¡¯ve been avoiding Emelia. I thought it was better to, but not seeing her has grated on my nerves.


    Phillipe gives me a nod and clears his throat. His tanned olive skin looks stretched when he smiles. Like he¡¯s stayed in the sun too long. It makes his light blue eyes appear more intense.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s great to have a powerful man like you among our fold. You are just like your father.¡±


    ¡°I take that as the highestpliment.¡± It¡¯s the truth. I do.


    ¡°You should,¡± he says.


    Pa rebuilt himself, and they approached him, asking him to join, after he became a titan without them. I always wondered why he agreed, though, because they turned their backs on him after Rardo¡¯s treachery.


    It took me awhile to realize it wasn¡¯t as simple as turning their backs. They were being as objective as we want them to be now. My father became a loose link in the chain. The same as they will eventuallye to see Rardo.


    When Emelia asked me what her father did to me, it was hard to think of an answer that would summarize everything. What happened was this: Rardo set Pa up. Pa was in charge of the family business. Back then, it was investments. Same as Rardo¡¯s. In those days, the Syndicate was low level and started with our great-grandfathers. When Pa and Rardo joined forces, he set up a pump-and-dump scheme, hired people to cash out and ruined Pa.


    That was after Rardo set up Balesteri Investments and stole all the clients Pa had obtained for years. That left Pa bankrupt. All his money and assets were seized to pay debts, and because some of the members of the Syndicate and their families were clients, it was easy to get him out. The whole plot was a carefully woven n to destroy. We had to go through hell and back, but it¡¯s better to have aplished all that we have with our bare hands than to stand on the shoulders of giants. Doing so made us giants too.


    ¡°Now, on to business,¡± Phillipe says, clearing his throat.


    ¡°Fire away,¡± Pa says.


    ¡°Taking a leader¡¯s voting rights is rendering him powerless in matters we need to agree on as a group. This is the first time such a thing has happened. We¡¯d love for you to shed some light on the matter.¡±


    Phillipe is no fool. I¡¯m certain it¡¯s as obvious to him as it is to Rardo what we mean to do. We¡¯re devilse out to y. Everyone has questions. We¡¯ll decide how we answer.


    Pa steeples his fingers and leans forward onto the table. ¡°He owed a debt to me, and that is one of the ways I chose to be repaid. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be real, shall we?¡± Phillipe states, shifting his gaze to Rardo. ¡°Losing voting rights better be worth it. I¡¯m also aware that a majority of your assets now belong to Massimo in his ascension as boss of the D¡¯Agostino family. All but Balesteri Investments, but if I¡¯m not mistaken, your heir will receive that. News has spread abroad of her engagement to Massimo. Meaning that¡¯s practically his too. It is not my ce to question you on matters outside the syndicate, but if I¡¯m pushed, I will. My question is, what now?¡±


    I like this guy. He cuts straight to the shit. These men aren¡¯t stupid. They¡¯re gonna know that we must have one hell of a debt over Rardo¡¯s head to demand so much. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll most likely guess too that Emelia fell part of the repayment n. It¡¯s not hard to figure out things like that in our world.


    Rardo tenses, as does his brother. Backed into the proverbial corner. Right where we want him.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware the situation is shit, but allow me time, and I will sort it all out. I may not have the assets and wealth I previously owned, but I have my skills, and I¡¯m working on it,¡± Rardo replies.


    ¡°You better hope so. We¡¯ll give you eight weeks to sort yourself out, then we¡¯ll meet again to discuss this further. However, that still leaves the matter of the tip in the bnce of power.¡± Phillipe looks back at me. ¡°Massimo, regardless as to what happens to Rardo, you will hold the voting rights of him and your father. What do you n to do with it?¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to talk. Everything I say now will be the guide for my future.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I do not n to rule over you.¡± They all look at me with enquiring eyes. ¡°The Syndicate is about brotherhood and unity. The creed that protects us binds us together. When it is abused, the structure crumbles, so I won¡¯t be using the extra vote unless the situation arises and I have to. If I have to, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll discuss what will be fair and reasonable and for the benefit of the group.¡±


    When Phillipe nods, I know he¡¯s satisfied with the answer, but he¡¯s not stupid. None of them are. They¡¯ll know revenge made us want Rardo powerless.


    ¡°Very well, then. Wee to the Brotherhood, Massimo D¡¯Agostino.¡±


    I bow my head with reverence. Then they continue talking about business.


    The meeting goes on for another hour before it closes. Throughout that whole time, I could feel Rardo¡¯s eyes on me. I wonder what he¡¯s thinking about the most. What I¡¯m doing to his precious daughter, or what I¡¯m going to do to him.


    When the meeting ends and Pa and I walk out to the car park, I expect Rardo toe after us, so I¡¯m not surprised when he does.


    He calls my name. I turn to face him. Pa stops next to me and squares his shoulders.


    ¡°You better not be hurting my daughter,¡± he seethes.


    All I do is stare at him.


    ¡°You animal. You dirty animal. The two of you,¡± he adds, looking from Pa to me.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t that bright, are you? Coming to talk to us when we¡¯ve barely left the building,¡± I answer.


    ¡°This is an outrage. Aplete outrage. But this is what you wanted.¡± He looks at Pa. ¡°An eye for an eye.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Rardo,¡± Pa tells him. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep making the same mistakes. You don¡¯t get it, do you. We have the upper hand. I can destroy you with one word.¡±


    Rardo balls his fists at his sides and looks at us, his face contorting with rage. ¡°This is not over. You.¡± He points at me. ¡°I remember how you looked at my girl at the ball. You had to tie me down to beat me. Knowing there¡¯s no way in hell you¡¯d get her otherwise. You fucking piece of shit. She will never want you. You can do whatever you want. She won¡¯t want you. You will always be nothing.¡±


    His words should roll off my back. They shouldn¡¯t mean anything, but I want to beat the shit out of him.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he repeats. And that¡¯s it. I lose my shit and grab him by his neck.


    Motherfucker. I don¡¯t know who the fuck he thinks he¡¯s talking to. I hold on tight to his throat and squeeze hard. We¡¯re the same height, but I have more muscle. I¡¯m built like a tank, while he¡¯s an old man. He yelps, trying to wrench my hands free, but I keep hold of him.


    ¡°Get off me,¡± he shouts.


    ¡°Fucking dog. I am walking on thin ice, ready to snap and kill you fucking dead. Believe me, I¡¯m ready to kill your ass dead. I just want to see you suffer, but my oh my, death might be better,¡± I snarl.


    It¡¯s Pa¡¯s hand on my shoulder that snaps me out of the haze of anger.


    ¡°Let him go, son. He¡¯s just rattled because he can¡¯t do shit to us. His words are just that.¡±


    The thing is, his words are just words indeed, but they got to me, and he knows that. That¡¯s why he said them.


    Lifting my head, I see Phillipe and the Bratva leaders ahead of us, watching. That curious look is still on their faces.


    They want to know what really happened. They want to know how it is I¡¯m marrying my enemy¡¯s daughter, and why I have control of his power. They want to know how we got a man who was supposed to be untouchable backed into a corner.


    They would rip Rardo apart if they knew what he did.


    Then they¡¯de for her too. Emelia. They will kill her without hesitation just for sharing the same blood, uncaring what she is to me.


    I think of the other night when I went to her room. When I thought of what d did to Alyssa, I thought of protecting her. That same forcepels me to do the same now. The Syndicate wouldn¡¯t be different from d. Minus the creepy, unsavory fascination he has with women, they¡¯d be brutal about the way they killed her. We¡¯d get more than just her head in a box.


    My temper is drawing attention to us, and to her too. I can¡¯t allow my hatred for this man to get to me.


    I release Rardo on that thought and step back. He notices Phillipe and the Bratva leaders watching and at least has the good sense to tamp dawn his rage.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking talk to me unless you have business with me,¡± I hiss. ¡°See you soon, Dad,¡± I add with menace in my tone and a crude chuckle. Motherfucker. He hates me calling him Dad to no end.


    Pa and I leave him standing there, stewing in his rage.


    That fucker. I wish I didn¡¯t have to see him. Ever. There¡¯s the fundraiser and then the wedding. Other than the Syndicate meetings, that will be it. I don¡¯t want anything to do with him, and I don¡¯t want him near Emelia either.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Pa says, touching my elbow as we stop by my car. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°He got to you. I can tell.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Pa. He always gets to me.¡±


    ¡°How are things at the house with Emelia?¡±


    Shit. Everything is shit. ¡°Showing her who¡¯s boss,¡± I reply because it¡¯s the right thing to say. I can¡¯t tell him otherwise.


    ¡°Good. Those people deserve what they get. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    I nod and watch him go.


    I gotta get this girl out of my head. That¡¯s what. I can¡¯t give anyone ideas that she might be a weakness to me, let alone someone like Rardo.


    I have to keep my head screwed on and follow the n. Marry her and take her fortune. It should be as simple as that.


    She¡¯s just pussy. The spoils of war. A woman to warm my bed and serve a purpose in the grand scheme of things.


    That¡¯s what I have to tell myself about her, no matter how taken I am with her.

 15

    Massimo


    Getting home at four on a weeknight is extremely unusual for me.


    Usually, I¡¯m either at D¡¯Agostinos or the club. But after my encounter with Rardo earlier, I couldn¡¯t focus on being at either.


    At the club, I can chill, but that usually involves fucking. At D¡¯Agostinos, I¡¯d be handling some type of paperwork that I can¡¯t afford to mess with in my unfocused mind, so I got Andreas to fill in for me.


    I¡¯m home. Deep down I know why I¡¯m here. I just don¡¯t want to ept it yet.


    Fucking Rardo. That motherfucking dog always knows how to get under my skin. Always.


    Always knows what to say to rub me the wrong way, even when I have the upper hand. His fucking words about Emelia stuck in my head.


    All damn day, I tried to rid the insults from my mind. But I can¡¯t shake them. I never knew the bastard saw me looking at Emelia at the ball. I never even knew he would have given two fucks about me at an event like that.


    That was my fault. My mistake. I dropped my guard and allowed a moment of weakness, oblivious to the fact that my enemy could see me.


    But why should it matter?


    Why should I care?


    Emelia belongs to me now, no matter what.


    She¡¯s mine. Nothing can change those signatures on the contract.


    So, why do I feel like this? Like it does matter.


    Like I want her to want me.


    Do I?


    Fuck¡­ since when do I try to lie to myself?


    Cards on the table. I fucking know I want her to want me. I have since that damn ball. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been avoiding her.


    The marriage was my idea, but I was being a ruthless bastard when I thought of it.


    I do want her to want me, but I shouldn¡¯t. The second that takes precedence in my mind, I¡¯ll start to care, then I risk this opportunity to screw with her father.


    There are essentially two parts left to fulfill in this n. Marry Emelia, then watch the Syndicate sling his ass out the door. He¡¯ll be nothing without them.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    I slump down on my bed in exasperation and gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the sea pulling in and out of the shoreline.


    The bright sunlight hits the water, sparkling across the surface like diamonds being scattered over it. Then, like a fantasy, Emelia emerges from the water, making me bolt upright.


    My wife-to-be rises with the waves and makes her way to the shore.


    Wearing a turquoise bikini, that body of hers is on full disy, reminding me how much I want to dirty the virgin up and get nasty with her.


    We must be a good thirty feet apart, but I can see her golden skin glistening. Radiant against the sunlight.


    I watch her. And I want her. I want to touch her and taste her. Consume and devour her. Lust is overriding my ability to think straight or control myself. I don¡¯t want to resist. I want to give in and feel that attraction and chemistry that sparks when I¡¯m with her.


    Pushing to my feet, I loosen my tie and make my way out onto the terrace, going after what I want-her.


    Fury fills me when I see Manni walk up to her with a little bag and she hands him something she carried from the sea. Rage consumes me when he says something, and sheughs. I¡¯ve never heard herugh before, and I certainly never expected to hear the sound being elicited by another man.


    To add insult to injury, his fucking eyes are all over her body, lingering on her ass when she bends down to pick something up she dropped. While I¡¯ve known Manni for close to ten years, I feel like ending him right where he stands. He knows better than to be gawking at a woman who¡¯s mine. Lusting after her. What the fuck is he even doing with her?


    I make my way to them, not caring that I look like a jealous bastard who¡¯s ready to kill. What I hate more is that Emelia seems fascinated by him. It¡¯s only when my shoes crunch against the sand nearby that they turn and see me.


    Manni looks like he¡¯s ready to shit himself, while Emelia gives me a hardened stare. The same one she gave me after she saw me out here with Gabrie.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Manni says, dipping his head for a reverent nod.


    ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± The indignation in my tone tells him his answer better be good.


    ¡°I was just keeping Miss Emeliapany. She can¡¯t swim very well, and we thought it would be a good idea for me to be out here just in case something happened,¡± he exins.


    Fucker. He¡¯s telling the truth, but he must know I saw the way he looked at her. Knowing the only punishment I dole out is death, his eyes plead with me not to kill his ass. The length of time he¡¯s worked for me and the fact that I¡¯ve been able to trust him more than most will not make him immune to my wrath.


    ¡°Get out of my sight. Next time, if Miss Emelia wants to swim and needs someone to watch her ass, I¡¯ll do it,¡± I answer, much to Emelia¡¯s embarrassment.


    Manni knows what I¡¯m talking about, though, and that I¡¯m not mouthing off about shit.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he answers.


    ¡°Give me that,¡± I order, beckoning for him to give me the little bag. He does and practically flees.


    I nce into the bag and see that it¡¯s full of seashells. I then look at Emelia and see how upset she is. Because she has her arms crossed under her breasts, though, all I see is the massive swell of her tits and the depth of her cleavage.


    ¡°What is the matter with you?¡± she snaps. ¡°He wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°Do not question my actions. You did not see the way he looked at you.¡±


    She smirks without humor and brings her hands up to her cheeks. ¡°Unbelievable. Who cares how he looks at me?¡±


    My eyes snap wide, and I have to bite down hard on my back teeth to tamp down my annoyance. It seems that my absence has loosened things up a little too much, and people, including her, have forgotten she¡¯s mine.


    ¡°I fucking care. Besides, why are you out here dressed like that? You don¡¯t have a one-piece bathing suit?¡± I realize how ridiculous I sound. She does too.


    ¡°Massimo. I¡¯m wearing a bikini. People wear them all the time. But hey, if we¡¯re ying this game, I should ask where you¡¯ve been for thest four days.¡±


    My lips part, and I gaze down at her. Barefooted, she seems so much shorter. I tower over her. The truth of my absence surfaces to my mind, but I will it away.


    She mistakes my hesitation for something else, and her eyes cloud with something I don¡¯t quite recognize.


    ¡°You were with her, weren¡¯t you?¡± I instantly identify the emotion in her eyes as jealousy. And hurt.


    It takes me a moment before I realize she¡¯s referring to Gabrie. Before I can answer, though, she starts walking away, back to the house. I catch her arm.


    ¡°No,¡± I answer, pulling her back, ¡°I wasn¡¯t with Gabrie.¡±


    ¡°Gabrie¡­¡± she repeats thoughtfully. She didn¡¯t have Gabrie¡¯s name before. Maybe telling her was a mistake.


    ¡°I was working,¡± I continue.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You can be with whoever you want,¡± she scuffs with disgust.


    ¡°Jealous much?¡± I taunt.


    ¡°Why the hell would I be jealous of her? She¡¯s not locked up twenty-four seven and ruled under the thumb of a condescending prick.¡±


    Prick? And a condescending one at that. Jesus. This doll certainly has balls. I can¡¯t remember thest person to talk to me like that and live to tell the tale. Yet here she is, with her foot practically tapping against the sand, calling me a prick.


    A chuckle slips from my lips. ¡°Did you just call me a condescending prick?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I dip my head briefly then smile at her. She tries to bite back a smile but fails and looks away. I catch her face and guide her gaze back to me.


    ¡°You¡¯re prettier when you smile.¡± There¡¯s a noticeable shift in her mood when I tell her. Her gaze softens and her shoulders loosen. The defiance isn¡¯t so strong.


    ¡°Is that you being nice?¡± she asks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t do nice.¡±


    She pouts, and my gaze drops to her lips. Those lips of hers have me thinking of how perfect they¡¯ll look around my cock. That smart mouth of hers will do more than amuse me eventually.


    My eyes flick back up to meet hers, and I find myself momentarily in that state of flux again where I¡¯m not sure what to do. I should walk away, or send her to her room, but desire has already started to infiltrate my mind.


    She sets her hands on her hips, drawing my attention to her body again, when the perfect ideaes to me about how I can reacquaint myself with my wife-to-be.


    ¡°Come and take a shower with me.¡± I almostugh at the deer-in-the-headlights look she gives me.


    Her back bes rigid, and her entire body tenses. Apprehension fills her eyes. However, instead of the way she looked the other day when she was scared I¡¯d deflower her, there¡¯s something else that lurks beyond her gaze that I definitely don¡¯t miss. Lust.


    Invisible fingers of lust reach out to me, curious. I release her, and her cheeks flush pink.


    ¡°No,¡± she replies.


    I give her a grin, and her beautiful whisky-colored eyes be narrowed slits.


    ¡°Princesca, I wasn¡¯t asking you. I was telling you.¡± I lean closer and brush my nose aling her ear. ¡°Stop acting like you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an act.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± I gaze down at her nipples pressing against the sheer fabric of her bikini top. They¡¯re hard distinct points that weren¡¯t there before.


    I reach out and rub my finger over the left one, much to her shock. I run my finger over the taut peak and smile.


    ¡°Your body betrays you, Emelia. Come, have a shower with me. You just got out of the salty sea, and I just got home from work.¡± I yank on my tie, emphasizing on the word work so she knows I was being serious about where I was. ¡°I haven¡¯t yed with you in four days.¡±


    Her face turns red, and a flush creeps down her elegant neck. She knows if we¡¯re showering together, I won¡¯t exactly be keeping my clothes on.


    cing my hand at the small of her back, I guide her to the house and take advantage of the moment to run my fingers over her perfect ass.


    I guide her to her room, deciding I¡¯ll go back to mer, and lock my door. She didn¡¯t see where I came from earlier. Good. The night I decide to show her my room is the night she¡¯ll stay there and move right into my bed.


    I walk her into the bathroom and inhale the sweet scents of strawberries and vani. I smelled it the other day, but it¡¯s stronger inside the bathroom.


    I close the door once we¡¯re inside. She turns to face me, hesitant. Her eyes take me in as they run over my body.


    Nervously, she brings her hands together. I know that all important question hangs heavily over her head. When am I going to fuck her?


    I¡¯m surprised I haven¡¯t done it already. I won¡¯t say anything. It adds to the mystery. It adds to desire.


    ¡°Take your clothes off,¡± I say, and she obeys. I like that she¡¯s be submissive. But maybe it¡¯s not that. Maybe it¡¯s that she wants to.


    Maybe she wants to, like I want her to.


    She takes off her top first. My eyes go straight to her tight nipples and the swell of her breasts, round and perfect with the little pink tips begging to be sucked.


    When she bends down to push her panties down her legs, her wet hair falls over her face and her breasts bobble.


    As she straightens up, that look returns to her eyes and her hands tremble when I look at her pretty cunt right there, waiting for the taking.


    I step forward. She steps back but looks up at me with fear all over her face.


    I smile and brush my finger over her jaw.


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not that kind of monster. I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Why should I believe you?¡±


    I move in, press my lips to her cheek, and linger by her ear. ¡°Princesca, you¡¯ll believe me because I haven¡¯t given you any reason not to. You¡¯ve been in my home for almost a week. If I were that kind of monster, I would have fucked your brains out the way I wanted to that first night.¡±


    I know she¡¯s wet. If I felt her tight little pussy now, I know she¡¯d be wet from my dirty words. When I move back, she tries to assert that defiance again but fails. I smile to myself.


    With that, I unbutton my shirt and slide it down my shoulders. I shed my pants next, along with my shoes and socks. The curious look on her face as she watches me undress is ssic. She¡¯s watching with fascination she¡¯s trying to hide. Fascination, which bes more evident when I get down to my boxers, push them down my legs, and my cock juts free. I¡¯m perfectly erect and ready to fuck her.


    She¡¯s looking exactly where I want her to look, and I hope she answers the next question I have in the positive.


    ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve ever seen a naked man, Emelia?¡± I ask. Her eyes meet mine.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she answers hesitantly. It sounds like music to my ears. I¡¯m still in two minds about that best friend of hers. I don¡¯t know much about him off paper, but I have this feeling he wanted more than friendship with her. Looking at her, I don¡¯t know what man alive wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Come here.¡± She moves closer. I open the door to the shower and guide her inside.


    I get in next and turn the shower on a light spray to sprinkle over us. cing my hands either side of her, I watch the water trickle down the side of her face.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± she asks. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t a man bathe with his bride-to-be? Especially after a long day at work.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have Gabrie for that?¡± she throws back.


    ¡°No. Told you I¡¯m not a liar, so stop with the questions about her. You¡¯re a clever girl, Emelia,¡± I taunt and run a hand through my wet hair. ¡°You know who I am. You know full well if I wanted Gabrie, I wouldn¡¯t be standing in the shower naked with you. You know full well that I¡¯m exactly where I want to be.¡±


    When I move back and stare at her, I get the answer I¡¯ve wanted all fucking day. She wants me too. I wish like fuck Rardo could be here to see his daughter look at me the way she is now. I don¡¯t have to take anything. She wants to give it to me.


    I grab the shower gel and the washcloth, squirt the gel on the cloth, and rub it over her breasts, cleaning the sand from her skin. She turns when I urge her to face the wall, and I run the cloth down her beautiful back.


    ¡°Why do you work so hard? Why when you don¡¯t have to?¡± she asks.


    I linger at the small of her back.


    ¡°It takes my mind off shit,¡± I answer, sharing a little piece of me.


    ¡°Shit like what?¡±


    I move her hair out of the way, pushing it over her shoulder. ¡°Shit I hope you never have to deal with.¡±


    There¡¯s too much to say more than that.


    She nces over her shoulder and looks at me. ¡°That tells me nothing. Is this what it will be like every day? You gone for days while I don¡¯t know where you are because you have shit on your mind?¡±


    Her question surprises me, so I stop and turn her to face me. She presses her back against the wall. Her gaze clings to mine.


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t be like that.¡±


    ¡°What will it be like, then? I imagine being ordered around like a child and being cooped up here like an animal waiting for its master to return.¡±


    I deserve that. Once again, she¡¯s brought out that person in me. The person I was before I saw darkness.


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t be like that. I¡¯ll take you everywhere I go. Here in LA and in Italy.¡±


    Her face brightens at the mention of Italy. ¡°You would take me to Italy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And show you off so people know you¡¯re mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ of course, the trophy wife. The thing you took from my father. You would show me off, so people know you conquered him.¡±


    Lowering my head again, I hover inches away from her lips. ¡°No¡­¡± I sound like an echo. ¡°That¡¯s not why I would show you off, Emelia. I would do it because you¡¯re the kind of woman you show off.¡±


    She blinks then focuses on me, surprised by my words. Her eyes be more open, less guarded the longer she stares back, and the twinkle of desire sparkles back at me.


    My eyes drop to her lips again. This time, looking at the plump flesh makes me think of kissing her. Taking her first kiss, stealing it.


    Or maybe¡­ she¡¯ll give it to me. Willingly.


    When I move to her lips, the innocence in her eyes dissipates into thin air and the beauty moves toward me too.

 16

    Emelia


    Earlier, when I first saw him on the beach, my thoughts immediately jumped to the n of escape. Get him to trust me, and it would open the door to freedom.


    All the ideas that came to me over thest few days came rushing back to my mind, and I saw my chance.


    A chance that faded the second he spoke those words and I no longer felt like the nothing he described me to be.


    Desire flickered in the depths of his eyes. Compelling and maic, it reeled me in like bait, and I could no longer bridle my curiosity or the attraction I felt for him.


    Now, he lingers before me, inches away from my lips, waiting for me to give him my first kiss. Something I know he could take, he could easily steal from me.


    What I¡¯m looking at is a door. A door that could open the path to my escape. Be his, get him exactly where I want, then leave. Just like Candace said. Flee and never look back.


    The door is open, but what I see inside, on that path that could be my freedom, is something else that lures me and entices my curiosity.


    He wants me. That¡¯s what I see. I see want and desire for me. He wants me, and not because he wants to screw with Dad, or even to screw with me.


    I¡¯ve never had a man like him look at me the way he is, and I¡¯ve never been able to look at someone and see so inly what they truly want.


    The confirmation of the thought sends a shiver of arousal spiraling through my body. It sparks my nerves and ignites wild heat through my entire being.


    He moves even closer, beckoning me toe to him. When I do, thoughts of escape flee from my mind. Everything I previously thought is reced by the desire to taste him.


    It¡¯s me who closes the space between us. Me who gives it to him. My first kiss.


    As my lips touch his, fire burns straight through to my soul.


    He¡¯s forbidden to me, my enemy, my captor, but it feels as if I should have always been kissing him.


    Pleasure rouses passion, strong and unrelenting, making the kiss turn hungry, then greedy in seconds. That¡¯s when I lose my mind.


    Lust burns my brain. I moan into his hard, searching mouth. He takes advantage to sweep his tongue over mine. Passion sings through my veins.


    We¡¯re kissing.


    We¡¯re actually kissing, and I don¡¯t want him to stop.


    I want him to keep kissing me.


    When he smoothes his hand behind my head to deepen the kiss, I don¡¯t want him to stop touching me either.


    I savor him. Deep down, knowing this forbidden moment is one I shouldn¡¯t enjoy.


    His hands roam over my face, then down my neck, down to my chest, where they squeeze my breasts. I moan out so loud the sound embarrasses me.


    My naked flesh touches his, and as I kiss him, he feels like mine. Massimo feels like he belongs to me too. Whenever I imagined what my first kiss would be like, I didn¡¯t imagine this.


    And when I imagined what it would be like to kiss this man, there¡¯s no way I thought I would feel like this. Like part of me has lost my damn mind, while the other part¡­ that part of me craves him so much I ache.


    The ache resonates from deep inside my core and cascades over my body, making me crave his touch. Making me want more.


    We kiss until the world fades into the background and everything goes with it. All I feel is pleasure. A primal need for him to take me.


    His lips trail down to my neck. Up my ear. He leans close and brushes his lips over my lobe, his breath a gentle caress on my soul. His lips travel down to my breasts, and he starts sucking my nipples. The exhrating sensation makes my pussy clench. I already feel close to orgasm. He sucks hard and slips his finger deep inside my pussy, pumping in and out.


    I gasp and grab his powerful shoulders, feeling solid muscle beneath my fingertips. I didn¡¯t know muscles could feel like that. He starts alternating from one breast to the other, giving me unimaginable pleasure. It feels so damn good. Ie momentster, and as he continues pumping into me, I feel like I¡¯m at the brink yet again.


    He bends down and buries his face between my thighs,pping over my already swollen clit, licking and drinking up my juices. He grabs my ass while he continues his feast and doesn¡¯t stop until there¡¯s nothing left.


    On standing, a deep groan rumbles within his chest and he presses his cock into my abdomen.


    ¡°Touch me,¡± he beckons. I gaze up at him first before looking down at his long, thick cock. The fat mushroom head is straining toward me in a thick arc. I wonder what it would feel like inside me.


    The same way I never imagined feeling the way I do about this kiss, I never imagined seeing a man look so perfect.


    I look down at it and reach out, running my finger over his length. In that moment, I feel less innocent than I did moments ago. I close my fist around his cock. He covers my hand with his, guiding me to rub him up and down.


    ¡°Harder, Princess. Harder and faster,¡± he groans and cups my face to return his lips to mine.


    We kiss while I do what he wants me to. Rubbing him harder and faster, hoping I¡¯m doing a good job. Touching him like this with him kissing me unleashes a ravenous hunger for him to fuck me, and I start pumping his cock with a furious force.


    His kisses turn the same type of ravenous, but then he pulls back, takes hold of my hand on his cock, and before I know it, the spray of hot cum rushes over my belly and my mound. I don¡¯t stop rubbing him though. I continue and morees out.


    We¡¯re both breathing hard as thest pearly drop to seeps out. So hard I can¡¯t catch my breath. I let go of him. He presses his hands to the wall, looming over me.


    I don¡¯t know what I expect him to say. Or do. Though it¡¯s not what he does next. His face hardens, and he bes the beast again.


    The Massimo I¡¯m used to. Not the man I just gave my first kiss to.


    He pushes away from the wall and leaves me standing there. I don¡¯t know what I did wrong.


    As reality returns to me slowly, I don¡¯t know what the hell just happened either.


    Conflict fills me, and as much as I¡¯d love to lie to myself and believe I didn¡¯t enjoy what we just did, I know it¡¯s not true.


    What about him though? He just left me.


    Why?


    I barely slept through the night. What happened in the shower yed over and over in my mind and was the first thing I thought of when I woke this morning.


    Massimo is my enemy. I¡¯m not supposed to enjoy any part of this crazy arrangement we have. It¡¯s a contract of shit that I have to live with for the rest of my life.


    Live with it. Or try to escape.


    Escaping is definitely still the n, but how am I going to do it?


    I would need help in every sense of the word.


    I know nothing about rowing a boat, let along rowing one on dangerous waters.


    But I can¡¯t live like this. I certainly can¡¯t live with a vtile man I can¡¯t wrap my head around. So, escape has to be something I ce at the forefront of my mind.


    That means sticking to the n to get him to trust me, so I won¡¯t need the constant supervision. I would just need an hour to myself, tops. The cave about ten minutes from where Candace and I sat on the beach. So, not exactly far, but I would have to factor in everything else.


    Aside from the issue of the boat and the dangers of the sea, my problem is my emotions betraying me when I¡¯m with Massimo. There was no acting yesterday. Everything I did with him was real. So, how do I start pretending?


    Maybe the thing to do is allow things to y out. That¡¯s how trust mighte. And since I doubt I¡¯ll earn it before the wedding, I¡¯m guessing everything will happen ording to the n. I¡¯ll have to marry him and represent the symbol of defeat for my father.


    I want to talk to Dad. I need to.


    I want to talk to him outside all of this and get answers. I hate what he¡¯s done to me. It¡¯s been so unfair. I need to get the truth from him. I¡¯ve been here for close to two weeks, and as far as I know, he hasn¡¯t tried to get me back. No one has said anything, but I have this feeling he hasn¡¯t. As to what that means, I can¡¯t say one way or the other until I speak to him. Which means waiting until the fundraiser.


    The day goes by while I feel like a ghost in the house. Nightes. I wonder where Massimo is. I¡¯m not sure if I believe that he hasn¡¯t been spending his nights with Gabrie. Typical her name would be that.


    Listen to me. Christ. Truthfully¡­ I am jealous. I am. I hate to admit it. I never saw her close up, but I could tell what kind of woman she is. Exactly the type I imagined Massimo to be with. She has the perfect shape, perfectly styled hair, and looked like she knew exactly what to do with a man in the bedroom. Unlike me, who¡¯s never seen a cock until yesterday.


    I swallow hard. The thought of him with her pulls at my heart in a way that I hate because I should feel nothing for him. But I know that deep down I¡¯m more than just attracted to him. I actually like him.


    By nightfall I find myself sitting on the balcony on the second floor, gazing out at the beach, wondering where he is. I¡¯m so stupid. He could be here with Gabrie, and I¡¯d be none the wiser. I wouldn¡¯t know shit.


    I still don¡¯t know where his bedroom is. During my tour of the house, that part was left out. There are parts of the house that I haven¡¯t been to. No one said anything regarding those parts. I noticed them but didn¡¯t venture there, not even by myself. I assumed the doors would be locked anyway.


    I turn when I hear footsteps and see Candace approaching me carrying a little te with cookies on it. She appears more rxed than I¡¯ve seen her so far.


    ¡°Hey, there,¡± she says. ¡°I was hoping you wouldn¡¯t be here, so I¡¯d have an excuse to have these all to myself.¡±


    I smile the first real smile of the day. ¡°You can have them. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I wouldn¡¯t want to be greedy or lie to Prisci. You didn¡¯te down for dinner and you haven¡¯t been around much all day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just been wandering around,¡± I answer. I know I can¡¯t really talk to her about what we spoke of on the beach days ago. Not in the house, anyway. I won¡¯t be fool enough not to factor in that these walls definitely have ears.


    She gives me a worried look and holds out the te to me. Then joins me on the balcony.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on in that head of yours, Emelia?¡± she asks in a hushed voice as she gives me a knowing look.


    ¡°All sorts of things,¡± I answer, lowering my voice too.


    ¡°What we spoke of the other day?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s that.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really talk here¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I nod. ¡°I know we can¡¯t talk here.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to do it?¡±


    ¡°I want to. It would be stupid not to try. But I don¡¯t know what could happen at the other end.¡±


    ¡°That is definitely something to worry about. He looks like he¡¯s starting to trust you,¡± she points out. I sigh.


    ¡°Do you think so?¡±


    ¡°I do. However, if there¡¯s any doubt in your mind, don¡¯t do anything,¡± she cautions.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. Besides¡±-I lower my voice and look down to the garden where I can see Manni lighting up a cigarette-¡°there¡¯s always someone watching me. It¡¯s going to be difficult to know when he¡¯ll finally ease up.¡± Right now, it seems like something that might never happen.


    ¡°I would havee and seen you, but the few times I got a glimpse of you, you looked like you wanted to be by yourself.¡±


    ¡°No, it would have been okay to see me.¡± The thought to ask her about Massimo enters my mind. ¡°Candace, where is he?¡±


    She looks back at me, and her eyes twinkle. ¡°Massimo could be anywhere. He¡¯s like that. Here a lot, then not.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Where does he go? There was a woman here the other day called Gabrie. Is he with her?¡±


    A smile tips the corners of her mouth, and she raises her brows. ¡°Emelia, you¡¯re worried about him being with Gabrie?¡±


    My cheeks flush. I¡¯m so silly. I must seem so obvious asking her something like that.


    ¡°I just wanted to know.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ here¡¯s what you need to know about Gabrie¡­ nothing. She¡¯s bad news. Stay out of her way. She would have definitely heard about the wedding, which is probably why she was here the other day. If you see her, don¡¯t engage in any conversation.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No, Emelia, trust me. Sometimes the less you know, the better. So, I¡¯m going to tell you to focus on what you want most and take it from there. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll be home tonight, so don¡¯t wait up. Please don¡¯t ask me more than that.¡± She hops off the balcony and sets the te down. ¡°Call me if you need anything else to eat.¡±


    As she saunters away, I get the feeling that she left because she doesn¡¯t want to talk about Massimo or Gabrie anymore.


    I release a sigh and set the cookie back on the te. I can¡¯t eat. My stomach is in knots.


    Candace said to focus on what I want most and take it from there. My freedom should be the thing I want more than anything. But yesterday, my body wanted Massimo.


    Yesterday, I wanted him. I haven¡¯t stopped wanting him since.


    I don¡¯t know how to stop.


    He¡¯s the devil who¡¯s enticed me with temptation. Part of me wants to go to the dark side. As badly as I want my freedom, now that I¡¯ve had a taste of him, that part of me wants more.

 17

    Massimo


    I walk into Renovatio. It¡¯s the first time I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be here.


    I¡¯ve felt off since yesterday when I left Emelia in the shower. What kind of a fucker am I to practically flee from a woman? A neen-year-old woman who had such a fucking effect on me I had to leave her.


    As her soft lips moved against mine, all I wanted to do was im her sweet, innocent, forbidden flesh. Hunger wed through me, making me want to push her up against the wall and fuck her senseless.


    I¡¯ve never lost control of my emotions like that. It was a dangerous thing because it showed she had power over me.


    Power. That¡¯s the problem. There was a shift in power. In that moment, I gave myself to her and allowed myself to sumb to my need for her. Need and want are two different things. I wanted her. I never expected to need her.


    Now I¡¯m here at the strip club when truthfully, I should be home. I hadn¡¯t nned toe tonight, but I found myself heading here after I finished up at the office.


    It¡¯s barely nine. The usual crowd of wealthy, sophisticated businessmen are here to see my strippers because I pick the best girls with the best assets. Big tits and big asses. They¡¯re all beautiful, and more importantly, they¡¯re girls who aren¡¯t afraid to strip down to nothing and fuck if they have to.


    My club is of the risque variety. It¡¯s not a sex club, but we have rooms where our customers can book ap dance. I have special girls who don¡¯t mind being paid extra to go all the way.


    Pa was so pissed at me when I first set up the ce. He loathes the ce and all it stands for. He said it was something Dominic or Tristan would do and was shocked to shit when I went through with it. It was my way of loosening up.


    What could be better than having an endless supply of women to fuck when you want to? I used to practically live here with that endless supply of whores who were always willing to please me. Some are still here. Some are here tonight and watch me walk by with hungry eyes, hoping tonight will be the night they get back in my bed.


    The best way to get one woman out of your system is to fuck another.


    I make my way to my private lounge. The bartender starts making my drink. A stiff vodka on the rocks. I¡¯ll just have the one tonight. I don¡¯t want to go making mistakes I can¡¯t remember.


    He hands it to me with a smile. I take my seat where I can see the girls stripping on stage, and they can see me too.


    There¡¯s a brte who¡¯s had her eye on me since I walked in. She just took off her bra, and her massive tits bobble as she runs her hands up and down the pole behind her, like she would if she were holding my cock. Instantly, that makes me think of Emelia and the way she pleasured me yesterday. I fucking blew my load all over her. Fuck.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    The stripper smiles at me. I return the smile. She¡¯s exactly the kind of woman I¡¯d end my night with on the regr.


    Fingers flutter over my shoulder, and when I look up, I¡¯m definitely surprised to see who they belong to.


    ¡°Gabrie, what the hell brings you here?¡± I ask. She smiles.


    ¡°Looking for you. I thought I¡¯de here first. You¡¯re usually here at this time when youe by.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me for?¡± I ask. It¡¯s a foolish question. I look at her and know exactly what she wants. It¡¯s the same thing she said the other day. She wants to get back in my bed. Back on my cock.


    She floats into myp and instantly, I remember thatst time I had her. Those bright green eyes flicker as she runs her hand over my chest and wiggles her ass over my cock.


    ¡°You¡¯re hard,¡± she says with a wicked smile.


    ¡°Not for you,¡± I answer.


    ¡°Is it the stripper you were watching? You liked the look of her. What if we both joined you? You like threesomes. A lot, Massimo. And I don¡¯t mind sharing you sometimes. I wouldn¡¯t mind it tonight.¡± Seduction ripples off her in waves.


    I stare back at her, holding her gaze. This has to be a new one for me. A new record. This is the second time I¡¯ve been in the presence of this woman and had to think twice about whether or not I should be with her.


    The first time, I was pissed and in this weird frame of mind. What am I tonight?


    Gabrie runs her fingers over my chest again, pulling me from the stupor of thought.


    ¡°Come. Come upstairs with me,¡± she urges, lowering her head to whisper into my ear. ¡°Come. Let me take care of your needs.¡±


    I should go with her. Fuck her and get Emelia out of my head. Even as I think that, though, I see her in my mind. I see her beautiful face, the pleasure on her face as I touch her, the look in her eyes every time she looks at me. Even when I¡¯ve pissed her off, that look is still there.


    I imagine her soft skin and the gentleness in her kiss. She gave me her first kiss, and to me it felt like it was my first kiss too. It was certainly the only kiss I¡¯ve ever had that made me feel passion.


    I close my eyes when Gabrie runs her hand down my chest and shuffles so she can grab my cock.


    ¡°Do you have a condom?¡± she whispers into my ear. Her lips brush along my neck.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answer. My voice sounds far away, like I¡¯m hearing it on the edge of the wind.


    She gets off myp. A smile of triumph lights up her face. ¡°Come with me,¡± she says again, beckoning me with the crook of her finger.


    I stand up and she walks ahead, knowing exactly where to go. To my suite. The suite I¡¯ve had her in many times.


    We get to the stairs, and when I ce my foot on the first step, I freeze up when I catch a glimpse of long raven hair floating behind one of the curtains. I gaze on at the woman with the willowy body and see her. In my mind¡¯s eye I see Emelia again. My mind conjures up the memory of how I had her in the shower, and I know it¡¯s her I really want.


    What will she think of me if I do this?


    What will I think of myself?


    Fucking hell¡­ this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. I want her, and my damn body wants only her.


    Gabrie turns back to me, seeing my struggle. Her face hardens.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she asks.


    ¡°I have to go,¡± I reply and turn away.


    She rushes down the stairs and grabs my arm. I re at her in a way that should remind her of who I am. She takes heed and releases my arm, righting herself.


    ¡°Why?¡± she challenges. ¡°Because of her? Your trophy bride?¡±


    I¡¯m not ready to admit that to anybody, least of all her. I loom over her. She shudders under the weight of my stare.


    ¡°Watch it, Gabrie. Be careful. Remember who you¡¯re talking to. I don¡¯t want you tonight.¡±


    She backs down and takes a step back. With that, I leave her. I walk down the stairs leading down to the exit, catching a glimpse of Tristan and Dominic at the bar on the way, but I don¡¯t stop. I don¡¯t even know if they saw me.


    My body moves on its own ord. Like I¡¯m being summoned home. Home to her.


    I drive back thinking of her and yesterday. I think of how much she wanted me too. It¡¯s not thatte when I get home, but I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll be asleep. Her bedroom door is open. When I approach, I stop and wait by the door when I see her kneeling on the floor. Before her are some little pots of makeup and white copy paper. She drew on it.


    I make out swallows flying over a mountain. The sky is smudged with shades of blue and violet. She dips her fingers into one of the pots of eyeshadow and smears it all over the areas that haven¡¯t been touched.


    I held back her art supplies because I had ns for them. ns for her. Nothing malicious. It was just an idea, but I actually feel bad now as I watch her make use of whatever she could find to do what she loves.


    She shuffles around onto her hands and knees so she can reach across for arge fan brush. Doing so gives me a view of her perfect ass in those short shorts.


    It¡¯s not until she shuffles back around that she sees me and jumps, startled.


    The worry she usually exhibits when she¡¯s with me instantly settles on her beautiful face. She stands up, readying herself for whatever I might have up my sleeves tonight.


    We gaze at each other in silence for a few moments. She looks better than she did in my imagination, and what I conjured up was pretty damn good. What¡¯s different is that longing lurking beneath her stare. It reaches out to me and tells me she¡¯s been thinking about me too.


    I walk in and close the door, locking thetch so no one will disturb us. The staff will know that if they turn that handle and the door doesn¡¯t open, they mustn¡¯t knock. I don¡¯t know what I n to do to her yet. All I know is that I have to touch her.


    I move closer to her and do exactly that. I touch her cheek, her soft, soft cheek. She steps back, away from me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asks.


    My gaze drops to the rise and fall of her chest and the pulse of her heartbeat quickening.


    ¡°I wanted to see you,¡± I answer. As the words fall from my lips, I sense that part of me that¡¯s been locked away for years.


    Locked away since that day when I found my mother in the river, saw her wide terrified eyes gazing back at me as if she were calling for my help from beyond the grave.


    I look at Emelia and feel like the person I was before that happened. The man I could have been if I hadn¡¯t been burned.


    Her autumn eyes narrow and brim with the disappointment I saw nights ago when she looks at my shirt.


    ¡°There¡¯s lipstick on your cor,¡± she states. ¡°And you smell like perfume.¡±


    Jealousy.


    It¡¯s all over her. Jealousy and hurt. Unlike the other day, however, I don¡¯t want to taunt her about it.


    ¡°Is it hers?¡± she demands, staring me straight in the eye. ¡°Gabrie¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I reply. The hurt in her eyes deepens. I¡¯ve never had a woman look at me like that before. Mostly because I¡¯ve never given them the chance to believe we could be anything more than screwing around.


    ¡°Who is Gabrie to you, Massimo?¡±


    ¡°A friend.¡±


    ¡°A friend you sleep with?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± She looks visibly crushed at the deration. Her chest and shoulders cave. Her brows pinch and her lips tremble.


    ¡°Get away from me,¡± she rasps and backs away.


    I follow her until she backs right into the wall, unsteady. She makes a move to slip away, but I ce my hands on the wall on either side of her, fencing her in.


    ¡°Get away from me, Massimo,¡± she mutters again.


    ¡°No,¡± I answer, and in that moment, I remember what Tristan said.


    Think of what she is, not who she is. I said it was the same thing. It¡¯s not. She¡¯s a woman I¡¯ve been attracted to for months. I got drawn into her. The same way I am now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it tonight,¡± she says, shaking her head.


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    A tear tracks down her cheek. ¡°Listen to you tell me I¡¯m nothing. I don¡¯t want to hear about your night with her. I don¡¯t need to be reminded that I¡¯m with a man who isn¡¯t mine. Now get out, get away-¡±


    I don¡¯t allow her to finish. Before she can say another word, I crush my lips to hers, capturing her pretty mouth. The second I taste her, all the desire I felt for herst nightes flooding back to me..


    The taste of her. Her sweetness, her innocence, everything drives me fucking insane. But I get drunk on the taste of her need for me.


    It¡¯s the same as mine.


    The shock pulls me from the trance of the kiss. I move away slightly and take in her stunned expression and the desire in her eyes. It unlocks the restraint I ced on myself andpels me to tell her the truth.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep with her,¡± I say, shocking myself further. I exin myself to no one. Not my actions, nor my motives for doing anything. Yet this womanpels me to make her the exception. Especially when she does the unexpected thing of reaching up her dainty hand to touch my cheek.


    It¡¯s the first time she¡¯s willingly touched me. It feels like being touched by an angel. A woman too pure for the likes of me. A woman who¡¯s unbroken and uncorrupted.


    She¡¯s like having something hallowed in my presence, while I¡¯m the devil waiting by the door to lead her down the path of temptation. She knows this. She¡¯spletely aware of who and what I am, but she¡¯s looking at me like she wants me. In her gaze I see the path to redemption. Redemption from the vengeance I¡¯ve sought for so long.


    Suddenly, I don¡¯t give a fuck about wanting to prove Rardo wrong. It doesn¡¯t matter because as I look at her, I see who she is too. She¡¯s just Emelia, and right now, I don¡¯t care if she¡¯s my enemy¡¯s daughter.


    When the beauty guides my face back to her lips, I go, answering passion¡¯s call, pushing aside everything past and present so I can savor her.


    Raw passion pulses from me to her when I feast on her delicious tongue. She moans into my mouth. I smooth my free hand up to cup her left breast. Emelia responds by pressing against me, gripping my shirt.


    With my lips still trained on hers, I move with her to the bed and set her down in the center. I only break from her lips to whip my shirt off and take hers off too.


    Much to my satisfaction, she¡¯s not wearing a bra underneath her top, so her beautiful breasts spill out. Instead of the terrified woman she was the other week, she gazes back at me with arousal brimming within her beautiful eyes.


    ¡°I want to fuck you, Emelia,¡± I husk. A crimson blush darkens her skin. Her chest rises and falls. Her breathing grows heavier. I want to fuck her so hard she¡¯ll be screaming my name all night.


    ¡°I want to fuck you, Princesca. Please let me,¡± I add. It sounds like a plea to my ears.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replies. ¡°Fuck me.¡±


    Hearing how I¡¯ve already tainted her has me smiling.


    I back off the bed. She lifts herself up onto her elbows to watch me as I strip off the rest of my clothes. When her eyes settle on my cock, I feel it harden all the more, and the bead of precum on the tip shows how much I want her.


    I move to her and take off her shorts and her panties in one move, exposing her pretty pussy.


    I want to bury my cock deep inside that virgin pussy and make her mine. Brand her as mine. im her in a way that when anybody looks at her, they¡¯ll know just from the look in her eyes that she belongs to me. I know that I have to be careful, gentle. I¡¯ve never fucked a virgin before, but I know everything will be new and scary for her. I don¡¯t want her to have any fears tonight.


    When I move back onto the bed and loom over her, she rests her hands on my shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how ¡± she begins, but I kiss her words away.


    ¡°You trust me. You trust me with your body,¡± I tell her.


    Watching truste into her beautiful eyes is a delight I never thought I¡¯d see.


    ¡°I¡­ trust you,¡± she says, moving in to kiss me.


    I kiss her hard then catch her face and stare at her, taking back control.


    ¡°Spread your legs for me.¡± I release my hold on her, and she obeys. My mouth waters as I watch her part her legs for me, her delicious globes bobbling as she moves with the rose tips hardening under my gaze. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    I nuzzle my face between her thighs, pushing my tongue into her tight cunt to warm her up.


    Fuck, she¡¯s already wet for me. I want to bring her to orgasm once before I take her so it will be easier on her. Easier and more enjoyable.


    I lick over the hard nub of her clit, making her moan. When she holds on to my shoulders, I push in harder and suck on the little bud until she throws her head back and cries out my name.


    My name on her pretty lips has me lifting my head to watch here undone in my arms. I take in the image of pure pleasure on her face andmit it to memory. That¡¯s how I want to remember her. That¡¯s what I want to remember, no matter what happens.


    ¡°Massimo,¡± she gasps, reaching for me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Princess. That¡¯s only the first taste of pleasure.¡± I dive back in and circle my tongue over her clit, inhaling the sweet feminine scent of her,pping up my first taste of her juices as they begin to flow into my mouth. Shees hard, bucking and thrashing against my face, but I hold her ass and press her to me so I can take all that I want from her.


    Ip up enough of her juices and leave just enough to guide me into her entrance. Getting back on my knees, I hold her thighs open. Our gazes tangle as I reach for my cock to guide it into her.


    I never expected to be gentle about this. There¡¯s nothing gentle about me, but I want to try for her.


    I rub my cock over her pussy lips and push into her entrance, working my way in, inching into her virgin passage. I pause as her walls squeeze around the tip of my cock. Fuck, she¡¯s so tight it¡¯s almost painful yet fucking pleasurable at the same time.


    ¡°Massimo,¡± she gasps. I run my fingers over her slender hips.


    ¡°You¡¯ll feel good soon, I promise.¡± On my word, I push past the tightness. She gasps when I m through her maidenhead.


    She cries out again, and her eyes fill with a wildbination of pain and pure pleasure. All for me.


    It¡¯s now that she truly feels like she belongs to me.

 18

    Emelia


    Pleasure and painbust inside me and cascade over my body.


    I feel like I¡¯m being impaled on his shaft when the bolt of pain spears through my body, but the sweet pleasure has my soul spinning right back into the arms of passion.


    Pleasure in its purest form ripples through every fiber of my being, setting me on fire. Ites in ovepping waves. My body bows at the sensation, yielding to it. To him.


    Massimo grips my hips, riveting his eyes to mine as he rocks his hips forward, starting a slow, steady pump.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ Emelia, you¡¯re so tight,¡± he growls. The thick vein at the side of his neck pulses, making my stomach twist into knots.


    The lust thickens in my throat so much so that I can¡¯t talk. Instead, I moan into the rise of more pleasure, this time feeling different than when he first entered me, different to the way I¡¯ve felt when we did other things. My toes curl. Convulsive waves hit me when my back arches against the cool satin sheets beneath my skin as he increases his pace, fucking me like he owns me indeed.


    I search out his eyes, wanting to know what he¡¯s thinking. I can¡¯t tell. From the strain on his face, though, I think he¡¯s holding back. Then something changes with the rise of pleasure. It bes stronger, wilder, hot and carnal with a ferocious hold neither of us can control. He feels it too and grits his teeth.


    His balls p against my ass as he drives his cock deeper into my passage, hitting my G-spot. He plows into my body over and over again. Another orgasm builds and rises, pushing me to the edge. A savage growl tears from his lips as his thrusts be harder, surer, faster and faster. It¡¯s too much, and he takes me right over the edge once more.


    The explosion of passion and pleasure sweeps through me with a vicious force, and I fall into another wild earth-shattering orgasm. My bones tingle and my soul shivers in pure delight that consumes me, leaving me gasping and inhaling the scent of us as our bodies p together.


    ¡°Massimo! Ahhhh ¡­.¡± I moan out loud when he starts rutting into me. My walls tighten around his cock from the intensity of the orgasm, making the friction of his driving beats sh through my mind.


    He fucks me right through that, his eyes giving him away. Massimo pants and mutters a series of inaudible curses in Italian, then jackhammers into me as his release floods my passage. Hot cum coats my walls. That new sensation arouses me all over again. It warms my entire body and fills me with a luxuriating sensation that leaves my nerve endings tingling.


    His shoulders slump forward, and his breathes out in uneven rasps. Against the drumming in my ears of my pounding heart, I hear it more than I do my own.


    He pulls out of me. The instant his thickness leaves my passage, I feel sore and raw. I notice the smear of blood on his length mixed with his cum. He doesn¡¯t seem to care about that though. He seems more fascinated with me.


    Massimo bends down, resting on his elbows on the mattress to brush his lips over mine. I lift my hand to touch his cheek, feeling the roughness of his beard. He brings my hands up to his mouth to kiss my knuckles.


    ¡°Are you okay, Princess?¡± he asks in a low husky voice still filled with the passion we just shared. He rubs his thumb over the top of my knuckles and gazes down at me with his stormy blue eyes.


    ¡°I am¡­¡± I whisper and smile at him. The smilees natural to me, as if I¡¯m supposed to give it to him after what we just did.


    There¡¯s a twinkle in his eyes that I wish I could capture. The look and everything we just did confuses me, but I push away any thoughts that can break this moment I want to remember forever. There¡¯s a noticeable difference between us. Who we were at the start of this day and who we are now is significantly different.


    ¡°You call me Princess when you¡¯re less mad at me for being who I am,¡± I whisper. He presses his lips together.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be mad at you for that.¡± He runs his finger over the ring on my finger and twists it from side to side. ¡°When I saw this, I thought it suited you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    As we stare at each other, I allow his words to sink in. He doesn¡¯t say any more. I know that¡¯s as close to anything sentimental I¡¯ll get from him. I think it might be an apology for the way he gave me the ring.


    I don¡¯t know what this thing is between us. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯re doing, but I don¡¯t want to resist the entity that¡¯s drawing us closer with each passing minute.


    He gets up and pulls me to sit. It¡¯s then the evidence of my lost virginity bes obvious as a mixture of blood and cum flows from my core and leaks down my thighs, running onto the sheets. My cheeks burn with embarrassment, but he lifts my chin to focus my gaze on him.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine. It means you¡¯re mine. Whatever happens, you¡¯re mine. You belong to me, Emelia, with or without a contract.¡±


    I gaze at him and feel the power in every word as he shows me glimpses of his true self. Even though that wall of vengeance is still up. Looking back at him, I wish I could see beyond the wall. I¡¯m stripped bare and naked inside and out. I¡¯ve given him everything. The most precious thing I owned belongs to him now. I gave myself to him.


    ¡°Do you understand me, Emelia?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± How ironic that it should sounds like an eptance of a vow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go take that shower we never finished yesterday.¡±


    He scoops me up, and I slip my arms around his neck.


    The bright morning sunlight wakes me.


    As my eyes flutter open, I rememberst night and everything I did with Massimo.


    We had sex three more times. Moments after the first time, in the shower, and two more times in this bed.


    I roll onto my side and see that the spot where hey when I fell asleep is now empty. I drifted off to sleep with his arm around me and my head resting on his chest. We fell asleep like we were lovers and held each other like it was habit.


    Now he¡¯s gone.


    I reach for the satin pillow and bring it to my nose, inhaling the musky, masculine scent of him that still lingers on the fabric. As the scent fills my nostrils, I conjure up the image of the perfect godlike man who climbed my body all night. He took me ruthlessly, over and over again. Beautiful and dangerous, temptation at its finest.


    God¡­ what the hell am I doing? What have I done? My emotions are all over the ce. Yesterday, I was hell bent on escaping. Yet by the time the sun went down, I was jealous of Massimo and Gabrie. Hourster, I found myself tangled in bed with him.


    Despite the fact that my father sold me to pay off a debt, I feel as if I betrayed him by sleeping with the enemy. Craving the enemy¡¯s touch all over again.


    If I¡¯m going with the story that Dad was forced to do what he did to me, then I have betrayed him. I¡¯m not supposed to feel this way for a man who wants to destroy my father.


    But then there is the other side of the coin, the part I still don¡¯t know about Dad. The vague information I¡¯ve been given is exactly that. Vague. It¡¯s not enough to form any conclusion regarding me personally.


    So¡­ what now?


    What do I do now?


    What do I do about Massimo?


    I pull the covers close to my chest to cover my nakedness. Sitting up, I look around the room and run a hand through my messy hair. It¡¯s bright outside. It must bete morning.


    Once again, I don¡¯t know what shape today will take. My days are spent


    roaming through the house or along the beach when I get to go outside. I know it¡¯s Saturday. Two whole weeks since I was pulled from my life. Two weeks I should have spent in Florence. I would have started the summer school in prep for the official start of the term in six weeks. Thinking about such things isn¡¯t doing me any good, I know. I just can¡¯t help it.


    Deciding to get up, I take shower and washst night from my body.


    The area between my thighs is very sore, and as the water cascades over my pussy, it feels raw and burns. It¡¯s a good burn, though, that I can¡¯t say I¡¯m unhappy about.


    I get out, change into a little summer dress, and pull my hair back into a ponytail.


    There¡¯s a little rap at the door. I already know it¡¯s not him. He wouldn¡¯t knock. He¡¯s never knocked.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I call out. Prisci opens the door. Candace is behind her carrying a tray with toast and coffee


    ¡°Morning,¡± they both say.


    ¡°Hi, there,¡± I answer.


    Candace looks at me. I blush when her eyes twinkle with something that makes me think she senses what Massimo and I got up to in herest night.


    ¡°We are not having another day like yesterday,¡± Prisci proims. ¡°It¡¯s nearly midday, and you haven¡¯te down for breakfast.¡±


    My eyes bulge. ¡°Oh my gosh, I didn¡¯t realize the time.¡± There¡¯s no way I would have thought it was sote. I¡¯m not the kind of person to have a lie-in. When I lived at home, I¡¯d be up early to paint.


    ¡°You will eat this, and we¡¯ll be back in ten minutes,¡± she answers.


    ¡°Massimo arranged something nice for you today,¡± Candace beams.


    I can¡¯t imagine what that might be. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Something you¡¯ll like, dear,¡± Prici answers. The corners of her eyes crinkle as she smiles.


    I bite the inside of my lip and try to look happy. It¡¯s probably more wedding stuff. I know they both liked helping me pick out dresses the other day, and when the seamstress came back, we did everything else together as well. Other people to do with the wedding havee by, and as far as I know, there isn¡¯t much left to worry about because it¡¯s all being taken care of.


    ¡°Eat, and we¡¯ll be back to show you.¡± Candace looks pleased. That heightens my curiosity.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I agree.


    I¡¯m curious to know what this could be. What has Massimo arranged? In my heart I pray it¡¯s not something that will remind me why I¡¯m here and spoilst night.


    They leave. I eat all the food in a simr fashion to how I devoured the food two weeks back after I hadn¡¯t eaten for a couple of days.


    Ten minutester, Candace returns. The suspicion in her eyes makes me think she came back alone to question me.


    ¡°You ready?¡± she asks.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to a different part of the house.¡±


    ¡°Are we? What part?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on the left wing,¡± she answers. ¡°You look better than when I left youst night,¡± she notes.


    ¡°Do I?¡± I ask, feigning innocence. I know full well what she means. Earlier, when I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, my skin was glowing like a lightbulb.


    ¡°Yeah, in a good way. Are you okay?¡±


    When I nod, she gives my arm a gentle squeeze. That¡¯s all she does. She doesn¡¯t ask me anything more.


    We walk across the atrium and then head down the wide marble steps leading down to the hall where I tried on my wedding dress. We get to the hall and continue down the path to another set of stairs. These are stone and lead to arge set of oak wood doors that have always been locked. Whenever I¡¯ve seen them, I¡¯ve thought they led outside. Apparently not. And the doors aren¡¯t locked today. Candace opens the door wide, revealing a hall. What I see inside steals my breath away.


    Art.


    That¡¯s the best word I can use to describe the scene before me. Art.


    Art in abundance. There are oil paintings all along the walls. We walk in, immersing ourselves in the glorious artwork that makes my nerves spike and tingle.


    The paintings are a mixture ofndscapes and people. Because I lovendscapes so much, I¡¯m drawn to those more. I recognize some of the ces. They¡¯re in Italy. Florence, Verona, and Sicily. All so beautiful.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± I mutter and turn back to face Candace. ¡°These are amazing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Massimo¡¯s mother was quite the artist.¡±


    Surprise rushes over me. ¡°His mother painted all of these?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she was incredible. That over there is me when I was little, ying with the boys,¡± she says, pointing to one of therger paintings to our left.


    On it are five small children running through the meadow. A little girl, four boys, and a Golden Retriever.


    We move closer to it, and she points to the boy nearest the dog. ¡°That¡¯s Massimo. He must have been eight there. Maybe seven.¡±


    I notice the way the blue of his eyes sparkles. The bright smile on his face, though, is something foreign to me.


    ¡°These are all truly amazing,¡± I say.


    ¡°They are. I guess Massimo must have thought you¡¯d be more at home inside here. He came in here early to finish setting up the room for you,¡± she answers.


    My mouth goes dry. ¡°What? He set up the room for me?¡± I stare at her in disbelief. She nods.


    ¡°It was more of a storage room. He never invites anyone in here. But he brought those in the other day, and I helped him clean the ce up.¡±


    She points to the corner of the room. I turn to see a stack of boxes and an easel set up by therge archway overlooking the beach.


    The boxes look familiar. I move to them and gasp when I recognize them. They¡¯re mine. My boxes I packed my paintings in, and all my art supplies. Everything I was going to take with me to Florence. The realization makes me rush right over. The boxes are open and set up so I can finish arranging the contents. Candace has a bright smile on her face. An uncontroble tear tracks down my cheek as I rasp out a ragged breath.


    I didn¡¯t realize just how much I missed my art. Having my clothes was nice and eased my mind. But¡­ this calms my soul.


    ¡°Hey, there,¡± Candace says when I wipe away the tear with the heel of my hand. ¡°You okay, Emelia?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answer because that¡¯s the truth. I¡¯m not okay.


    This act of kindness has ced me in a tailspin, a whirlwind of flux. I don¡¯t know right from wrong, or who to trust. It would be easier to hate Massimo if he behaved like the monster I met in my father¡¯s office. The same monster who locked me in that room and chained me to the bed. Naked, to teach me a lesson. It would be easier if he were truly awful. Him doing this for me makes me wonder how I¡¯m supposed to feel.


    ¡°Be strong, Emelia. Be strong and listen to your heart.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, Candace. Listening to my heart would make me betray my father.¡± God¡­I¡¯ve probably said too much.


    She shakes her head. ¡°Think of yourself. Nobody else. In the end, that¡¯s what you have to do to survive this game. You can¡¯t think of anybody else. The moment you do, you lose yourself.¡± She taps my shoulder and gives me a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to get reacquainted with your stuff.¡±


    She gives me a curt nod. I get that sensation again that she¡¯s leaving because she doesn¡¯t want to say more.


    I watch her go. The door closes, and I¡¯m left to my thoughts and the beauty of the art surrounding me.


    Pulling in a deep breath, I decide to look around at the paintings on the walls. I want to see what kind of woman Massimo¡¯s mother was before I dive into my own painting.


    I walk to the painting Candace showed me earlier and find myself staring at Massimo, at his eyes. I can tell from the way his mother painted that she worked with emotion. It¡¯s embedded in the brushstrokes of the painting. The hues and gradients she used in the background texture all work together to create its own story. This was a happy day she painted.


    Massimo said my father made sure his family lost everything. This was a day before that happened to them.


    What must my father have really done? What cruel thing did he do? The more I think about it, the more I realize I don¡¯t know him. And I don¡¯t know who the monsters are in this story.


    I thought it was my husband-to-be.


    Now I¡¯m not so sure.


    I really am the princess in the tower if I continue to pretend that I think my father is a saint. I know he got his hands dirty. I know he did bad things.


    He must havemitted pure evil, however, for Massimo and his family to hate us so much.


    In the deepest corner of my heart, there¡¯s a ce that doesn¡¯t want him to hate me.

 19

    Massimo


    I walk into the hall and see her.


    I was right. She looks at home in here. The same way Ma¡¯s paintings look like they belong.


    Emelia is so engrossed in her painting that she doesn¡¯t hear me walk in.


    My mother was the same. She¡¯d get lost in her work. I¡¯d seen examples of Emelia¡¯s work when I looked through the boxes the other day, but watching her create something live is another thing.


    She has arge canvas set up on the easel. On it she¡¯s painted a stormy sea against the darkness of night, and a midnight ck horse with vapid wings riding the water. It¡¯s a dark fantasy.


    She gazes out momentarily to the sea outside. Against the night it moves in shadows, looking nothing like her painting. But that¡¯s what she sees, what she still sees as she continues to gaze out the archway.


    My gaze travels over her body as her little dress rides up her ass, and I think of all the ways I took herst night. I could have kept going, but I wiped her out. I left her bed this morning in a state of conflict and must have watched her sleep for a full hour before I got up and came in here to sort the ce out. I had the idea the other day, but I wasn¡¯t sure I was ready to share this piece of me yet.


    Now that I see her in here, I¡¯m d I have.


    I stop paces away. She oblivious to my presence. I don¡¯t like that because anyone could sneak up on her. Not that it¡¯s likely to happen here.


    ¡°There¡¯s a horse in the water?¡± I say as calmly as possible, but she jumps, startled, and turns to face me, clutching her chest. I don¡¯t know how, but she looks more beautiful today than when I left her this morning.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to frighten you,¡± I say.


    ¡°You¡¯re home,¡± she breathes.


    ¡°I¡¯m home. See, you don¡¯t have to wonder where I am. Came straight home from work.¡± That¡¯s a little white lie, but she doesn¡¯t need to know details like that.


    I was with Tristan and Andreas, questioning a few people who we knew had links to d. Out of the five we questioned, one lived, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s very close to the verge of death. That happens when you¡¯re left to bleed out. All five were the worst kind of sick fucks anybody coulde across. Right when we happened upon them, they¡¯d kidnapped a young girl who I was sure could be no more than sixteen, and I know they were all getting ready to rape her. Pierbo¡¯s death aside, that was enough for me to end them.


    ¡°You came straight home,¡± the beauty repeats, pulling me from my thoughts. I focus my attention on her because I¡¯m having a repeat ofst night.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she says. I know she¡¯s not talking about meing home. She¡¯s talking about what I did in here for her.


    It¡¯spletely out of character for me.


    ¡°Foring straight home?¡± I ask. That smile I wanted to see appears on her face. The smile just for me.


    ¡°No, not foring straight home. For this. I didn¡¯t know my art stuff came too. This is perfect.¡±


    Here is where I should crush that lightness in her presence toward me. I should ce her back in line and stop her in her tracks from feeling for me. But I decided I don¡¯t want us to be that way. Taking herst night was exhrating because she gave herself to me and allowed me to do what I wanted to her body. Tonight, I want to fuck her hard, the way I like to fuck. That won¡¯t work if she¡¯s scared of me.


    I move closer to her, and she sets the paintbrush down.


    ¡°Perfect enough for you to see to paint?¡± I ask, and she nods. ¡°Is that what you see outside?¡± Ma used to talk like that.


    ¡°I do. I see this stuff all the time. It just presents itself in my mind. Sometimes I think I can touch it.¡±


    ¡°ck Pegasus rising from the waters.¡± There¡¯s a spot that she hasn¡¯t finished, but she¡¯s started painting an orange glow on the water¡¯s surface. ¡°What happens next, Princesca?¡± I ask, cing emphasis on Princesca. She was only half right about what she saidst night. About me calling her that when I was mad at her.


    She tenses at the word, and the smile recedes from her face. I catch her face before that pretty little mind of hers starts wondering.


    ¡°I like calling you that. That¡¯s all. I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a Princesca though.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°You are mine. Now answer the question.¡± I motion back to the painting and release her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a portal in the sea. The horse is going back to thend it came from. Beyond the portal is a reflection of this world. Mirror images of itself.¡±


    I gaze back, fascinated by what I hear. ¡°That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Your mother¡¯s paintings are beautiful.¡±


    ¡°d you like them.¡±


    ¡°My mother was an artist too. That¡¯s where I got it from. We used to paint together all the time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very talented.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She looks like she appreciates thepliment.


    Enough talk now though. I need to taste her. ¡°Come here,¡± I say. She steps closer,ing to me willingly, like an obedient servant.


    I brush my finger over her cheek, and as we stare at each other, the air thickens with desire.


    Pressing my mouth to hers, I kiss her, and she kisses me back. She opens her mouth, letting our tongues tease and tangle as we taste each other.


    She knows what I want. So, she doesn¡¯t stop me when I lift the hem of her dress and cup her pussy through the satin of her panties.


    The doors are open, but few venture down here. I¡¯ve waited all day to have her. Now that I¡¯m with her, I¡¯m going to have her right here. I don¡¯t care who¡¯s listening. If they hear us, it¡¯s warning enough to stay the fuck away.


    I deepen the kiss and slip my hands into her hair to pull it from the ponytail. I like her hair down. I want to run my fingers through the velvet strands while I fuck her.


    I devour her mouth when she tilts her head back and the band slips from my grasp. Her luscious mane of locks tumbles down her shoulders, pouring over my fingers like liquid silk. I love it, the same way I love the feel of her willowy body in my hands. Fragile and delicate but tempting with the dip of her curves and the mounds of her breasts.


    I manage to move the little fabric away from the crotch of her panties so I can finger her pussy. She jolts, gripping my shirt. She moans against my lips, and a shudder of pleasure runs through her when I slide my fingers deeper into her passage. Her pussy walls convulse, and she pants, her lips now trembling.


    Pulling my fingers from her juicy cunt, I pause my assault on her lips to taste her wet desire. The sweet nectar covers my fingers, evidence of her arousal for me. Surprise tickles her cheeks pink when I ce my fingers in my mouth and lick off every drop.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You want me again¡­¡± I state.


    She looks at me like she doesn¡¯t know what to say. I get it. After all, we both have the same problem. We¡¯re supposed to be forbidden. This isn¡¯t supposed to be enjoyable, but here we both are, craving each other like a rare exotic dish.


    I smile at her, and the beauty does the strangest thing. She slides her finger up my jaw and traces my lips. I allow her to, wondering what she¡¯s doing.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A smile that¡¯s not mocking me,¡± she whispers. Her voice quivers. As I look at her, I know she doesn¡¯t deserve any of this.


    She doesn¡¯t deserve to be with a man like me who¡¯s full of hate and death. I shouldn¡¯t have caged her like a wild bird. She deserves to be free.


    I take her fingers and kiss the tips. The beginning of a smile lifts the corners of her pretty mouth. When seduction fills her eyes, though, the urge to be inside heres rushing back.


    I lean close to her ear and whisper against it, dirty words I know will curl her toes. ¡°Is your pussy still sore, Princess?¡± I mutter


    I chuckle as a flush runs down her neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she replies.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been hard for you all day, Emelia. I want to fuck you properly. Hard, just the way I like it. Can you handle my cock?¡± It¡¯s time to take this to the next level and train her to please me.


    My lips are close to hers now, and the sparkle in her eyes is a tell that she more than wants me to take her. More importantly, she¡¯ll allow me to do whatever I want to do to her.


    ¡°I can handle it,¡± she says, confirming my thoughts.


    Good¡­ this is good. The only good thing about this day.


    ¡°Take your clothes off.¡± I like watching her.


    ¡°The door¡¯s open, Massimo. What if someonees in here, or hears us?¡±


    ¡°If they want to live, they¡¯ll leave quickly.¡± I¡¯m serious as fuck, and she knows it. She also knows I don¡¯t like repeating myself.


    She pulls off her dress, leaving just the bra and panties. Her beautiful breasts spill out when she takes off her bra. She steps out of her panties and bes the naked goddess of pure perfection standing before me.


    I take off my jacket and unbutton my shirt, shrugging out of it and pushing it to the floor. Her eyes take me in when I undo my belt and pants and push them down my legs. I reach for her with one hand and my cock with the other.


    Holding her close, I drive my cock inside her tight pussy. She gasps, reaching for my shoulders. She holds on so tight her nails dig into my skin, digging into my skin so sharp I know they¡¯re going to leave a mark. I don¡¯t care though. I love pain sometimes. Especially when apanied by pleasure. She¡¯ll learn that too when we explore some of my darker tastes.


    She¡¯s so tight it hurts again. It¡¯s almost like I wasn¡¯t inside herst night. The look on her face is a mix of pleasure and pain too. I know I must be hurting her, but she¡¯s taking it.


    I pull out slightly then plunge back in, deeper this time. She cries out loud, throwing her head back, arching her back. The sight of her makes my cock harder. The sounds she makes turn my greed for her insatiable. That look in her eyes fills me with selfish desire. I start to fuck her hard. Hard and fast, just the way I wanted tost night. I held back then. Right now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to even if I wanted to. I want her so damn much it physically hurts. I want to take everything from her.


    We both groan and moan as the sounds of wild sex fill the room. There¡¯s no way that anyone passing nearby won¡¯t hear us. I imagine people would hear us even if they weren¡¯t near because of the way sound travels down the corridor.


    Fuck, she feels too good. Her walls tighten deliciously around my cock as a wave of orgasm ims her. That feels fucking good too. I¡¯m not about to allow it to make me lose control though. I want more.


    Deciding just that, I pull out of her again in the height of pleasure and pick her up. She wraps her arms around my neck.


    ¡°Hold on tight, Princesca. You¡¯re about to have the ride of your life,¡± I tell her with a wink and impale her on my dick at the same time.


    Her slick, wet pussy is hot as fuck. It fills me with hunger. I move us to the wall, knocking over the potted nt. It tters to the floor, breaking.


    Pushing her right up against the wall, I n to devour every piece of her. Fingers dig deeper into my skin. Her cries be louder. Pleasure and painbust into a one delicious cocktail as I start rutting into her body at a furious speed, angling her so I can keep my promise of fucking her properly.


    When I¡¯m done with her, she won¡¯t be able to walk, and she won¡¯t forget tonight. As long as she lives, she won¡¯t forget this moment. Never, because I won¡¯t.


    Again, I don¡¯t care that she¡¯s Emelia Balesteri. In a few weeks, she¡¯ll be Emelia D¡¯Agostino. All mine, in everyw of thend and in the eyes of the great beholder when we take our vows in front of the priest.


    The walls of her pussy throb, squeezing my dick like a glove, too tight. She feels too good. And as much as I want to continue, I know when I¡¯ve reached my limit.


    Onest cry from her gorgeous mouth, and the arch of her tits in my face has me blowing my load inside her. Fuck, my damn knees buckle. The pleasure is so intense I almost fucking fall over.


    She milks the cum from my dick and takes it all, leaving me drained. Drained yet still wanting more.

 20

    Massimo


    Two fucking days¡­


    That¡¯s how long we¡¯ve stayed in bed. Two days.


    It¡¯s dawn on Tuesday morning. Tonight is the ceremonial dinner where Pa will give me his ring. It will be a true symbol of his retirement as leader of the D¡¯Agostino family.


    In attendance will be my brothers, my two uncles and their wives, who flew in from Italy, and my three cousins, two of which have wives.


    It¡¯s a big deal. I¡¯m supposed to take Emelia to this dinner as a symbol of our family conquering the devil. She¡¯s supposed to be the trophy, a prize.


    Right now, as I sit on the window bay of the room I¡¯ve given her, watching her sleep, she looks like the woman who¡¯s filled my every waking thought for thest two days.


    Scratch that. Since the night of the charity ball. Starting that night when she floated in on her father¡¯s arm and I knew I had to have her.


    Here I am with her, sitting here, doing something I haven¡¯t done in years, and not unless I had to.


    I woke before the sun rose and sat here smoking. Watching her yet again. I seem to do that a lottely. Watch, ponder, assess. All attempts to figure out what I¡¯m going to do next.


    Looking at her bnces me. She¡¯s so peaceful in her sleep and in this room we¡¯ve been trapped in a fantasy. Her and me. The two of us lost in the throes of passion, where nothing exists besides the attraction and chemistry that draw us to each other.


    I forget the past when I¡¯m with her. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good or a bad thing, since my rage toward her father sates and I find myself just thinking of her.


    The sun casts its radiant rays over my sleeping beauty, hitting her in all the right ces. The sheet is at her waist, she looks like the goddess again with her breasts exposed, that gorgeous mane of hair sprawled out on the pillow, and the soft sunlight spilling over her body. Caressing it the way I want to.


    Maybe I watch her because I want to capture it all before she wakes and we be the people we¡¯re supposed to be. Enemies.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Even though my family and I have this massive vendetta against her father, she doesn¡¯t have to be my enemy. I don¡¯t want her to be.


    Things are changing. We can¡¯t stay in bed for another day. Out of duty I can¡¯t stay in ying house with my doll because I can sense things happening on the streets, which doesn¡¯t sit well with me. I should have called Tristan by now too, just to check in on him. I know he¡¯s not doing too good, and it¡¯s up to me to watch his back and make sure he¡¯s not doing shit to find d by himself.


    As I watch my girl lying in the bed across from me, desire to keep her safe fills me.


    My girl¡­


    Could she be?


    Having a wife out of convenience is different than being with someone you want to be with.


    I don¡¯t know what this is, but I want to explore it. I certainly want to savor it for whatever it is and y with my toy whenever I want to.


    There¡¯s something I have to give her, and when I do, it¡¯s going to test my patience because she¡¯s going to ask me shit I don¡¯t want to hear.


    When I shuffle to grab a cigar, she stirs. Her eyes flutter open and she looks at me. Watching her wake up is the best thing ever.


    She pulls the sheet over her breasts as a smile dances across her beautiful lips. I need those lips on my cock soon. She gets off the bed, wrapping herself in the sheet, and walks over to me, settling down in myp.


    When she does things like this, I think of her bastard father and the shit he said to me. He¡¯ll have a fucking heart attack when he sees the way she looks at me next time. That¡¯s in a few days, when we gather at the fundraiser. It will be like a deja vu of the ball, except she¡¯ll be on my arm.


    She kisses me. I almost get sucked into the wild thrill that¡¯s had us in its ws for thest few days.


    Instead, I press my nose to hers and hold her close. It¡¯s time to set pleasure aside and get back to business. Right now, she¡¯s in the same haze that clouds my mind. She¡¯s forgetting who we are, who I am.


    I¡¯m a mafia boss, and there¡¯s no reality that would see a sweet girl like her with a guy like me. Under normal circumstances, she¡¯d run from me and the darkness thates from being me.


    ¡°I have to go to work today,¡± I begin. ¡°But I¡¯ll be back by six to pick you up for the dinner. I want you to be ready.¡±


    The minute I say that, tension so thick it could stifle us both fills the space between us. I snake my arm around her waist and feel her trembling, probably worrying about how my family will treat her.


    The thing is, I don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll receive her.


    ¡°Do I have to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As my future wife you will be expected to attend.¡± While everyone else may understand if I make up some shit like she was sick or something, Pa won¡¯t ept that.


    He¡¯d have me drag her down to his house, vomiting and heaving if I had to if she were sick. He¡¯s not a heartless man, but when ites to anything to do with Rardo, he bes someone else entirely.


    ¡°What should I do? What do you want me to do?¡± she asks nervously, pressing her pretty pink lips together.


    ¡°You will stay by my side.¡± I know if anyone will show her any form ofpassion, it will probably be Tristan. Both Dominic and Andreas can be assholes when they want to be. ¡°What I need you to do is behave.¡± She has a smart mouth on her sometimes, and these aren¡¯t the people to mess with.


    ¡°Behave?¡± she asks, biting the inside of her lip.


    ¡°Yes, behave. Only speak when you are spoken to. No shitments.¡±


    ¡°And if someone talks shit to me?¡± Her eyes narrow to slits. I have a hard time not dragging her back over to that bed and fucking her into submission.


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± I don¡¯t think that would happen. It¡¯s not their style. The women aren¡¯t even the standard type of mean you¡¯d expect in a situation like this. Although I don¡¯t know what to really expect. They can be jealous, and Emelia is very beautiful.


    ¡°They¡¯ll all hate me, even though they don¡¯t know me.¡± She¡¯s right.


    In defeat, her gaze flicks down to where my hand touches her tiny waist. I lift her gaze back up to meet mine. ¡°Anyone who dares to show you anything of the sort will have me to deal with.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do, but I feel some duty toward her to make sure she feelsfortable wherever we go. This is for life. Till death do us part. They will ept her as my wife from now on, and I expect them to treat her with the same respect they show me. It doesn¡¯t mean it will happen. Thest thing I want to do is get into a fight over it.


    ¡°Do you mean that?¡± She studies me.


    I smile at her. ¡°Princess,¡± I say, knowing she likes it when I call her that. ¡°You¡¯re a clever girl. You know I don¡¯t say anything I don¡¯t mean. Which brings me to this.¡±


    I reach down and pull up the little bag with her phone. It¡¯s her actual phone. I didn¡¯t buy her a new one. She looks at the bag. Her eyes widen when I pull the phone out.


    She takes it when I hand it to her, and emotion swells within her eyes.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± she breathes and holds it to her chest. ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving it back to you. I don¡¯t have to tell you to use it wisely.¡± By wisely, she knows what I mean.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me who I can and can¡¯t speak to?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to?¡±


    She eyes me dangerously, her gaze sharpening. ¡°Please don¡¯t spoil this, Massimo.¡± She shakes her head. Her eyes pleading with me not to taint thest few days.


    ¡°Emelia¡­ this is not about that,¡± I reply, sounding like a broken record. I¡¯ve said those words to her far too much.


    ¡°What is it about? Can¡¯t it just be about us?¡± Her eyes cling to mine.


    I want to say yes, but I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t say no either.


    ¡°Watch it,¡± I warn, tightening my grip on her waist. I¡¯m aware I¡¯ve spoiled it with just those two words.


    ¡°Can I call my father?¡± she asks, ignoring the meaning in my words.


    ¡°No, not until after the wedding.¡± I¡¯m leaving myself open giving her that phone.


    ¡°I can¡¯t call him before? But we¡¯ll see him at the fundraiser. Will you forbid me to speak to him then too if he wants to speak to me?¡± She slips off myp, and I allow her to.


    I don¡¯t want her speaking to that bastard at all, but even I can¡¯t be that cruel.


    ¡°You can for five minutes. I don¡¯t want him filling your head with shit.¡±


    She holds her tongue on her next words. Since her hands are fisted by her sides, I can only imagine what she was going to say to me.


    ¡°What about my friend? Jacob. Massimo, he¡¯s my best friend. We¡¯ve known each other since birth. He¡¯s going to be worried sick about me.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Okay, I¡¯ll do this. If she gives me the right answer to my next question, she can call him all she wants. ¡°Has your friend ever shown any interest in you? Has he given you any inkling that he wants to be more than friends? Answer me truthfully, Emelia. I¡¯m a motherfucking bastard, but I have never lied to you. Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    Her eyes cloud. I already know the answer to my questions.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± I demand. She jumps at my raised voice. I¡¯m pissed as fuck that I was right.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I think he wanted us to be more than friends.¡±


    ¡°Well, then no, there will be no calls or messages to him.¡±


    ¡°How can you be such a prick? He¡¯s my friend.¡± She seems more enraged about not being able to talk to this Jacob than her father. I won¡¯t ask her how she feels about him. I don¡¯t want the answer to that question.


    ¡°He¡¯s a friend who wants to fuck you. This discussion is over.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, were we discussing? It sounded a lot more like you telling me shit.¡±


    I seethe and get up so fast she jumps out of my grasp when I reach for her. I get her though, securing my arms around her middle. The sheet falls off as she tries to hit me. I take her right back to bed,y her down and pin her hands over her head,ying her out like a delicious meal with her gorgeous breasts on show.


    ¡°Let go of me. Get away,¡± she cries, but I hold her down.


    ¡°Emelia, this is bullshit.¡±


    ¡°How is it bullshit? I just want to talk to my friend.¡±


    I have a mind to mention Gabrie and ask her if she¡¯d be alright with me talking to her, but it¡¯s not the same thing. Gabrie is a former bed friend. Jacob is not, and I know that for certain. It was me who took her virginity, not that prick. I bet he wanted to though.


    She¡¯s naive and innocent. She doesn¡¯t know the dirty shit a man can conjure up. I¡¯m doing it now as I watch her struggle beneath me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be okay with you talking to a man who wants my girl,¡± I say. It¡¯s only then she stops trying to fight me.


    I release her hands and back off the bed, away from her. She eases up onto her elbows and stares at me.


    ¡°I could have put a tracker in that phone, or some shit to keep tabs on who you speak to. I could have given you a new one with a new number. I chose not to because I wanted you to have some element of privacy,¡± I exin. ¡°When ites to those two people, however, the rules change. You will not call either of them. You ask me not to spoil this. I¡¯m asking you the same. If you betray me, you will not like it, so don¡¯t do it. You don¡¯t want a problem with me.¡±


    I walk out and leave her on that note, staring after me.


    She was quiet the whole journey to my father¡¯s house, just as I knew she would be.


    She barely spoke to me back at the house when I went to pick her up. I was too absorbed in how she looked to note that she was pissed at me.


    She looks beautiful in a strapless cocktail dress that entuates her breasts and her curves. Her hair is down, just the way I like it, and her face is made up in a way I¡¯ve never seen it before, with smoky eye shadow.


    As I park the Bugatti on my father¡¯s drive and look out to the other parked cars, I get nervous too. It¡¯s an important night for me. I will be boss over these people. Today is the first time I need to garner that respect.


    It starts with her and the presentation of her.


    I look across at her sitting next to me and notice how nervous she is. ¡°You look beautiful,¡± I tell her, and she faces me.


    Her face softens from the anger she exhibited this morning. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°That all I get, Princesca? No kiss?¡± This is the most yful she¡¯ll get from me. She knows I was right about Jacob, but she¡¯s pissed because she can¡¯t call him. I need her to shake off that funk.


    I lean in closer to her, and she kisses me briefly. It will have to do.


    I take a lock of her hair and watch the ends curl about my thumb. ¡°We¡¯ll finish thatter, Princesca.¡±


    When the twinkle returns to her eyes, I know I have her back, if only to calm her from our disagreement.


    I get out of the car and open the door for her. When she steps out, I take her hand. This is the first time we¡¯ve been out together. We look like we¡¯re going on a date. I¡¯m wearing a suit and a dark shirt underneath, while she¡¯s in her dress. I catch a glimpse of our reflection in the car window. We look good together.


    I nce across at her and see she notices too, but she looks away.


    We walk up the rest of the drive. It feels like I¡¯m carrying her to the electric chair. I¡¯m always happy to visit my old man. This is the first time that I wish I could reschedule.


    As usual, Mario, Pa¡¯s butler, opens the door before I can reach it. He was our butler too when I was a boy. After we lost everything, we had to let go of our staff, but the first things we found were those people. People like Mario, Candace, and Prisci.


    ¡°Buonasera, Master Massimo,¡± he wees me, dipping his head for a curt nod.


    ¡°Buonasera, Mario. This is Emelia, my fiancee,¡± I say. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve introduced her as such.


    ¡°Buonasera, Signora, I hope you enjoy your stay,¡± he says to her. I¡¯m d for his kindness.


    Our house staff always act like they don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I know they do.


    ¡°Thank you so much, and Buonasera,¡± she replies. He nods his head.


    ¡°Everyone else is here. They arrived early.¡± It¡¯s a warning to keep my head above water.


    They want to see her. Emelia. They¡¯re curious and probably wanted to be there to watch us enter the dining room. Tonight is definitely going to be interesting.


    ¡°Grazie, Mario.¡±


    He walks on ahead, and we follow. He continues on without us when we get inside, and I make my way to the dining room with Emelia on my arm.


    It will be dinner first, then mingling. I hear talking in the dining room. It ceases in a hush, however, the instant we reach the door and everyone notices us.


    Emelia tightens her grip on my hand. They¡¯re all looking at her and not even doing anything to look less obvious.


    Pa is at the head of the table. There are two empty seats next to him for us. On his other side are my three brothers, sitting in order of rank. That¡¯s the first time that has happened, so Tristan is right next to Pa, and Andreas sits between him and Dominic. Everyone else can sit in whether manner they choose.


    ¡°Good evening, everyone. I hope we aren¡¯tte,¡± I say.


    ¡°Never,¡± Pa answers, tipping his head at me. He looks to my hand holding Emelia¡¯s. A deeper curiosity fills his gaze. When he stands, everyone looks at him. ¡°I wish to extend a wee to my son, the new boss of this family, and his fiancee, Emelia Balesteri.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect him to do that. Doing so, however, has set the tone for everyone else¡¯s behavior tonight.


    ¡°Thank you, Father,¡± I say.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Emelia croaks, her voiceing out in a hush.


    ¡°Come and sit,¡± Pa invites.


    We do. All eyes follow me.


    I pull out the chair for her to sit and lower myself next to Pa. I set the tone too when I set my hand on the table, beckoning her to take it so everyone can see.


    She looks at me but takes my hand, and when Pa looks at me with newfound admiration, I feel better.


    I feel better about tonight, but there¡¯s still more at work I need to worry about.


    Like what will happen next.

 21

    Emelia


    I¡¯ve never been so nervous in my life.


    At the same time, I¡¯ve never felt so strong. The minute Massimo reached for my hand, there was a shift in the atmosphere. The tension almost evaporated, although the curiosity was still there.


    I watched as his father gave him the family ring. He looked different to me. He was in charge before and had this power. But as he put on the ring, he looked more like a leader.


    I still can¡¯t get over how much he looks like his father, and his brothers all look like him too. They have the same tall, dark, and handsome features and eyes that are so striking you want to stare. Andreas shows the only difference. His eyes are bright blue, not stormy like the other three brothers¡¯. Almost like God decided to change things up, or just make him different. He¡¯s the eldest. I¡¯m amazed he isn¡¯t boss. My family isn¡¯t traditional, and it would be different for me because I¡¯m a woman. However, in most Italian families, I know the oldest son is who takes the lead. I guess it must be different here. It¡¯s definitely not something I¡¯ll question. Andreas looks more ruthless than Massimo.


    We ate a wonderful meal I was actually able to enjoy, and I got stuck talking with a few of the wives, who wanted to introduce themselves to me. They took me away from the men and gathered in the sitting room to talk. They¡¯re talking now about vacations. I can¡¯t join in because right now, this is a vacation for me. They¡¯ve been nice, although I can imagine it must have been difficult. They know who I am.


    They know who I am, yet they¡¯ve tried to make me feel wee. Again, it makes me question who the monsters are.


    When Aurora, the youngest wife, starts talking about babies, the others start fussing over her. I don¡¯t know what the heck I¡¯m supposed to say, so I keep quiet.


    ¡°Massimo needs you,¡± a voice says behind me. I turn to see Andreas.


    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± I answer, feeling nervous to talk to him. The women quiet their talk in his presence. I¡¯ve noticed the respect everyone has disyed around the brothers.


    ¡°This way,¡± he says, motioning his head for me to follow.


    I do, and he leads me out into the hallway. Massimo isn¡¯t there though.


    ¡°Where is Massimo?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Rx, you look like you needed saving when they started talking about babies, unless I was mistaken?¡± He raises a brow, and my nerves spike.


    ¡°No. And, oh¡­ thank you. You¡¯re right,¡± I agree.


    ¡°Oh good, I wouldn¡¯t have liked to be wrong.¡±


    I smile, but my nerves are still on edge. I don¡¯t know what it is about him, but I feel more awkward in his presence. Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s older and would have probably remembered my father¡¯s cruel hand more than Massimo.


    Or maybe it¡¯s because I know that I¡¯d be with him if he were boss. What would have happened to me then? I truly doubt I would have faced the same fate as I do with Massimo. That¡¯s saying something since I don¡¯t exactly know where I stand with him, except that I¡¯m to obey and behave.


    He studies me. I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯s thinking, so I don¡¯t encourage the conversation in case I say the wrong thing.


    ¡°I hope my brother is treating you well,¡± he states.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I reply. The only answer to that question is yes.


    ¡°Well, you two look good together,¡± he mutters. Those eyes of his pierce into me. ¡°I hope he continues to treat you well.¡±


    Someone clears their throat. It¡¯s Massimo. I look at him and am surprised to see he has that same possessive air about him like the other day when I was talking to Manni on the beach. I didn¡¯t think he would be that way with his brother.


    ¡°Just saving your girl from the talk of babies,¡± Andreas exins. He called me Massimo¡¯s girl.


    All day, I¡¯ve been thinking about when Massimo said it this morning. Although I¡¯ve been upset about him refusing to allow me to speech to Jacob, I did savor being called that.


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s all you¡¯re doing,¡± Massimo states. Andreas narrows his eyes.


    Andreas walks over to him andys a heavy hand on his shoulder. ¡°Rx, kid,¡± he says and takes Massimo¡¯s hand with the ring. ¡°The ring looks good on you. Proud of you as always.¡±


    I don¡¯t have many friends. Sure, my father kept me on a leash, but I didn¡¯t have many friends because a lot of the schools I went to housed snobs who were jealous of what I had. If it¡¯s one thing I¡¯m able to spot, it¡¯s a fakepliment.


    What Andreas said about the ring was off. I don¡¯t really think he was okay with not being chosen to be boss, and I don¡¯t really think he¡¯s as proud of Massimo as he says. Did Massimo notice that too? To me it was obvious.


    ¡°Thank you, brother,¡± Massimo answers, giving him a one-shouldered hug.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Be safe.¡±


    ¡°Always. You too.¡± Andreas gives him another tap and saunters away.


    Massimo returns his attention to me and moves closer. ¡°Ready to go?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I reply. ¡°Are you always going to be like that when men talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s your brother, and he was being nice,¡± I counter. I don¡¯t know what the story is. I¡¯m left in the dark, but I¡¯ll give Andreas the benefit of the doubt. It must be tough being the oldest and not being chosen to lead the family.


    ¡°My brothers are like sharks, Emelia. In their eyes, until we say I Do, you¡¯re still on the market.¡± He¡¯s being serious.


    ¡°Oh¡­ well, then I¡¯m ready to go.¡±


    cing his hand to the small of my back, he guides me out. I feel like I should have said goodbye to thedies, but it¡¯s okay.


    Gio didn¡¯t speak to me. I didn¡¯t expect him to. I think I wouldn¡¯t have known what to say.


    We get into the car and head back to the ce I¡¯m now calling home. When we pass the diner, my heart aches and I think of Jacob. I couldn¡¯t lie to Massimo earlier. I wanted to lie because truthfully, Jacob has never told me how he felt about me. It would have been easy to lie and say I had no knowledge of him wanting to be more than friends. I couldn¡¯t do it though. And I think Massimo would have seen straight through me.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    When we¡¯re about halfway to the house, the silence gets to me. I want to at least have some idea what his father thought of me. The guys were off talking for a long time. It feels awful when you know people are talking about you. While I don¡¯t mean to be self-centered in thinking they spent the whole time talking about me, I¡¯m sure I was discussed. It¡¯s a given that I would be.


    I turn to Massimo and take in the outline of his sharp features against the mingle of moonlight and the soft amber glow from the lights inside the car. Sometimes I find myself looking at him because his features are so striking. Other times, I look at him because he¡¯s a mystery and a wonder. A man who can change like the wind in temperament, but also one with secrets. Many secrets.


    ¡°What?¡± he asks. The deep baritone of his voice pierces through the nket of silence that¡¯s nestled over the car.


    ¡°I was just thinking,¡± I begin. ¡°Thinking about what your father thought of me.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Massimo says. I¡¯m not too sure how I should take that. Is that good or bad? It can¡¯t be good, surely. ¡°Don¡¯t read too much into it, Princesca. That¡¯s how he is.¡±


    I consider that for a moment and think back to when we first arrived at the house. Gio didn¡¯t have the same malicious vibe I¡¯d witnessed in my father¡¯s office. I¡¯d say tonight almost felt like Massimo and I could have just gone to a family dinner.


    ¡°It was nice of him to introduce me,¡± I state. It¡¯s true. He didn¡¯t have to, and I could tell it set the flow for the way everyone else should treat me.


    ¡°It was.¡±


    It¡¯s starts to rain. Massimo reaches for the ornate dashboard of his car to switch the radio on. He finds a jazz channel and settles for it.


    I take note of little things like that because this man is the definition of a closed book. I was surprised days ago when he shared so much about his mother. Now I know he likes Jazz.


    ¡°You like Jazz,¡± I state and feel better when the corners of his lips turn up into a sensual smile.


    ¡°I do. It calms the soul. Just like my car.¡±


    I chuckle. He turns fully to look at me. I notice whenever I smile orugh, he always gives me a look of fascination.


    ¡°Your car calms your soul?¡± I ask, trying not tough.


    A deep chuckle rumbles in his chest. I savor the sound because I made him do it.


    ¡°My car calms my soul.¡±


    ¡°How? I get that Jazz does. I like Jazz, but how in the world would your car do the same thing?¡±


    ¡°It just does, Princess. This one does.¡±


    ¡°Does it have anything to do with the fact that it¡¯s a big ole Bugatti? A sure sign of wealth?¡±


    He smirks. ¡°I don¡¯t fucking care about that. If you got it, unt it. I like nice things. I didn¡¯t always have wealth, so I guess I indulge when I want to.¡±


    I think about that, about him not always having wealth, and try to imagine what it must have been like for him. Not everyone has the privilege of living asvishly as I have all my life. I think it would be hard to go from having everything to nothing, then having to rebuild.


    ¡°A Bugatti is a good make,¡± he states. ¡°I look at it and remember how far I¡¯vee. It¡¯s a trusty car.¡±


    He¡¯s about to say something else when the car stalls and jerks. There¡¯s a screeching sound, and then the car slows down. Massimo steers it over to the roadside, where it cuts out.


    ¡°Fuck, what the hell is this now?¡± he snaps and tries to restart the car. It doesn¡¯t work. The hazard lights switch on, but that¡¯s all. I don¡¯t know much about cars, but I can take an educated guess that this car won¡¯t be moving anywhere tonight. The electronics seem to be gone, which means it needs to go in to a mechanic.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m gonna check it out.¡± He gets out. The rain stters in, sprinkling all over me until the door is closed.


    I watch him fumble around, lifting the hood of the car and doing all sorts until hees back around to me and rests his wet head on the edge of the door.


    ¡°The car¡¯s busted. It¡¯s gonna take AAA two hours to get to us.¡± The stormy blue of his eyes matches the midnight blue of the sky. ¡°Fuck, I change cars regrly to avoid shit like this.¡±


    ¡°How long have you had this car?¡± I ask. When I drove, I had my car for three years, and I had no ns to change it.


    ¡°Two months.¡±


    I press my lips together and try not tough, but I fail after two seconds.


    ¡°Why are youughing, Emelia?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s ridiculous. Wasn¡¯t it you who said how great this car was, how trusty and well made?¡±


    He gives me a stern expression before heughs too. ¡°That¡¯s not funny. It¡¯s supposed to be.¡±


    Deciding to get out and join him, I open the door and step out. The rain isn¡¯t too bad now, although it¡¯s drizzling. Something I like, feeling the rain on my skin. Especially when the weather is hot, like it is now.


    He watches me keenly as I walk over to him.


    ¡°My Miata never did this, and I¡¯ve had it for three years.¡±


    ¡°Doll,¡± he says, leaning against the car door. ¡°Can you see me driving a Miata?¡±


    ¡°At least it wouldn¡¯t break down like this car. Miatas are trusty cars.¡±


    He looks at me and studies my face. ¡°Come here,¡± he says, tilting his head to the side.


    I move closer to him. He reaches for my waist, pulling me right up to him to close the space between us. His lips find mine and we kiss.


    Every time this man kisses me, I find I forget everything. Every time we¡¯re together in any kind of intimate way, all that exists in my world is him and what we are in those moments.


    It¡¯s dangerous for me to think like this. This whole day has been a big reminder to me, and a warning that I can¡¯t allow myself to fall for him. It¡¯s just hard when he kisses me like he wants to consume me.


    Pulling away from my lips, he catches my face and looks me over.


    ¡°Smart mouth.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. Miatas are trusty cars.¡± I run my fingers over his chest. His eyes roam over my body.


    ¡°We¡¯re about a mile from the house. Let me call a taxi. I want you, and the road¡¯s too open for me to strip you naked right here and fuck you on the hood of this car.¡±


    My cheeks burn in response to the image of him doing exactly that to me.


    ¡°What if we walked? It¡¯s going to take some time to wait for the taxi. We could just walk together.¡±


    His eyes narrow. ¡°You want to walk with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°In those shoes?¡± He looks at my heels. He¡¯s right. They¡¯d be a nightmare to walk in for longer than ten minutes. Tonight, I was grateful that I didn¡¯t have to move around in them too much.


    ¡°I¡¯ll manage,¡± I say because it would be nice just to walk. ¡°Then we could talk about what we like.¡±


    He looks at me like the idea is odd, but then he nods. ¡°I have a better idea,¡± he says. I gasp when he suddenly scoops me up to carry me.


    Iugh, and he does too.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to carry me home?¡±


    ¡°I am, Princess.¡±


    I circle my arms around his neck, and he smiles down at me.


    ¡°I like Bugattis even though that one just made me look like a fool,¡± he says, kicking the door shut with his heel.


    ¡°I like Miatas. They¡¯re trusted cars,¡± I repeat.


    He starts walking down the road. ¡°I ride a motorcycle.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± he answers and then starts talking about his Ninja X2.


    He actually talks to me, and I¡¯m so taken with his words and the way his face lights up as he speaks that I barely talk about me.

 22

    Emelia


    Before I know it, we¡¯re back at the house. The gates open before we even reach them, and the guards at the gate watch us, watching him carrying me.


    No one says anything. We just continue.


    The doors open for us too, and I expect him to set me down, but he doesn¡¯t. He continues carrying me. We head toward my room but branch off down a path I haven¡¯t been shown.


    ¡°Where are we going, Massimo?¡±


    ¡°My room. I want you in my bed. You¡¯ll be in my bed starting tonight. I¡¯ll move your stuff in tomorrow.¡±


    The spontaneity of that decision should throw me off kilter, but it doesn¡¯t. Instead, I¡¯m looking at him. I¡¯m treading those dangerous paths again, not just as a thought in my mind, but my heart. I¡¯m cing my heart at risk because I keep forgetting who we are.


    The idea of being in his bed has my head spinning, and my soul along with it, right into the arms of temptation.


    We reach a door, and he opens it. Once he steps inside, he puts me down, and as the lightse on, I¡¯m stunned to silence at the elegance of his room.


    It¡¯s as big as an apartment. I can see how he¡¯d be M. I. A for days and not be seen anywhere. A person could live in this section of the house. There¡¯s a chill-out area with a ck leather sofa and a fifty-inch screen TV on the wall. To our left is an archway, and I see his bed.


    Massimo takes my hand and leads me inside the bedroom when he sees me trying to get a better look.


    Inside reminds me of a room pulled from a ssic European home. It looks exactly like the type you¡¯d find in Italy. A king-sized mahogany bed rests in the center, with all the furniture matching the bed. A wrought-iron chandelier hangs over the bed. The ceiling is high, and the walls are cream and navy. All except one wall, which is made of ss.


    I can see the beach from here and realize that from what I¡¯m looking at, the room can¡¯t actually be that far from mine. There¡¯s a door at the side, and I¡¯d be willing to guess that it must lead to some sort of corridor that would lead to my room.


    There was a door in my room too, that was always locked. I assumed it led outside. I think it leads here.


    ¡°This room is close to mine,¡± I state.


    ¡°Yes, it is. You look like you¡¯re deciding if you should be mad at me or not.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    ¡°Good, I don¡¯t want to waste time disciplining you tonight. Unless you want me to. You were quite wet after that spanking the other week.¡± He smiles, and my entire body blushes from his scandalous words and the look he gives me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like that,¡± I answer. He¡¯s right to look back at me in disbelief because I was wet. The evidence was there that I was aroused in some way by what he did.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Next time, I¡¯ll make it more pleasurable. You have the perfect ass for spanking.¡± He chuckles as my eyes go wide and I swallow hard.


    I keep my gaze trained on him as he runs his tongue over his bottom lip and moves behind me. Warmth graces my skin as he unzips my dress, and we both watch it float down to my feet. My strapless bra follows. He reaches forward and fills his palms with my breasts, squeezing then kneading, making me moan in response to his touch.


    ¡°The dress looked great on you, but I prefer your naked body. And I love ying with your gorgeous tits,¡± he mutters into my ear, his hot breath tickling my skin.


    I groan with pleasure as he continues to massage my breasts. Pleasure ims my mind. I¡¯m ready to kiss him when he flips me around to recapture the kiss we shared on the road.


    Our lips meet, and I decide tonight will be different. Usually, I¡¯m like a doll in his house, a toy for him to y with, but I want him too. I want to explore his body the way he explores mine. I want to enjoy it.


    I tug at his shirt, freeing it from the waistband of his pants, and undo the bottom button. I¡¯m about halfway up in my pursuit when he catches my greedy hands and sps his over mine.


    A dark smile lifts the corners of his mouth when he moves away from me to get a look at my face.


    ¡°You want me. Say it,¡± he demands with a stare that makes me melt.


    ¡°I want you,¡± I answer. Shame fills me.


    He moves in close in a predatory way, as if he¡¯s going to take me whole. Fright momentarily fills me.


    ¡°Be careful, Emelia,¡± he warns. ¡°My Princesca. Be careful what you want. If you¡¯re not careful, you just might get it, and it won¡¯t always be a good thing. I¡¯m the big bad wolf, the devil.¡± He leers at me, but when I look at him, I only see the Massimo my heart wants.


    The man I¡¯m drawn to, the man who makes my heart beat the same way it does when I think of my dreams.


    ¡°Still want me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to want you?¡±


    ¡°No. Because you deserve better.¡± I think it¡¯s a lie. I think he wants to believe that, and it¡¯s true but it¡¯s a lie. His eyes darken to that of an afternoon sunset as he gazes long and hard at me. ¡°I¡¯m a selfish bastard, Emelia. You must know that by now. So, I want you to want me whether or not it¡¯s good or bad.¡±


    I take charge now and finish undoing his buttons. I take off his shirt, and he allows me to. I start undoing his belt while he runs his thumb over the hard peaks of my nipples.


    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± He smiles.


    ¡°I want to suck your cock,¡± I answer. My ears burn at my words. I¡¯ve never said that before, and I¡¯ve never done this before. I know he¡¯s wanted it. I have too.


    His lips part as he watches me.


    I push down the band of his boxers once I¡¯ve unzipped his fly. As I do so, his cock springs free and I run my fingers over the length. He¡¯spletely erect and ready to be inside me, but I¡¯m having him first.


    I lower to my knees and lick off the precum on the tip of his mushroom head. It tastes salty and masculine. It¡¯s the taste of him.


    I secure a grip on the base and pump up and down, then take him right into my mouth. He groans with pleasure I¡¯ve never hearde from him.


    I have no idea what I¡¯m doing, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m not going to do this properly. I don¡¯t want him thinking of someone like Gabrie when he¡¯s with me. Orparing. I suck harder when I imagine her doing this to him, and heces his fingers through my hair.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Fucking hell, Emelia, you are fucking perfect.¡±


    I take that as a sign I¡¯m doing a good job, so I continue sucking hard. He thrusts into my mouth, fucking my face. He goes deeper, and I take it. He tightens his grip on my head, and I take it. He pumps so hard I think I might choke, but I take it because I know I¡¯m pleasing him.


    When I start to massage his balls, he groans out loud but stops pumping. He runs his fingers through my hair, and I stop sucking.


    ¡°I want to y with you in a different way tonight, Emelia, and finish inside you,¡± he groans, pulling me up. The pleasure-filled expression looks beautiful on his face. Pleasure I gave him. ¡°I want to be dirtier, darker with you tonight, Princesca. Let me.¡±


    He¡¯s still erect and looks like he¡¯s ready to blow but exhibits enough control to kiss me so hard my lips burn.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I ask. There¡¯s something dark indeed lurking in his eyes that hardens his face with raw desire. It intrigues me to find out what he means by dirtier and darker.


    He moves us to the wall with the wardrobe, releases me, and pulls on a curtain I assumed covered the window. As the curtain opens, I see it¡¯s not a window.


    My mouth falls open when my gazends on arge metal St. Andrews Cross unit by the wall and a little table that holds an assortment of restraints. Chains, handcuffs, ropes, and a whip.


    BDSM. That¡¯s what this is. That¡¯s what I¡¯m looking at.


    In only a few weeks, I¡¯ve given away my first kiss, lost my virginity, and now look at me. What am I doing now? What am I agreeing to?


    ¡°Are you scared, Princess?¡± he asks. My gaze drifts from the cross to him. ¡°I want to tie you up and fuck you. I want to live out a wild, dark, reckless fantasy I¡¯ve had of you since I saw you at the charity ball.¡±


    The thought of a man like him fantasizing about me is what hooks me and pulls me into the fantasy of allowing him to tie me up and do whatever he wants to me.


    ¡°Does that frighten you, Princess Emelia?¡± he asks again.


    ¡°No,¡± I answer. I¡¯m not sure if I meant to say that, though, because truthfully, I¡¯m frightened and everything inside me should be telling me to run away. It¡¯s just not. My brain isn¡¯t working more than to tell me to say yes.


    Agree. Agree to everything this man wants to do to me.


    The me of satisfaction lights up his eyes. Desire zes deep within them, with molten heat so hot his stare burns me up.


    ¡°Will you allow me to tie you up?¡± He moves away from the curtain and takes my hand. Lifting it to his mouth, he nts a kiss on my knuckles. ¡°You can say no. I give you freedom to tell me to fuck off because this is too much. But I want you like this.¡±


    I want him to want me.


    ¡°I¡­ want to,¡± I answer and swallow against the desire that burns the back of my throat.


    ¡°You have to trust me. This is us. It would be as simple as that. You and me.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer. It¡¯s the easiest yes I¡¯ve ever given because I want that too.


    ¡°Your safe word is Red, Princesca. I will not hurt you, but if I do anything you don¡¯t want me to do or you want me to stop, you say Red. Understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    He closes his hand over mine and ushers me to the cross. While I look over the structure, he takes a pair of leather cuffs from the table and secures one cuff to the left side of the cross, pushing the chain through the little hoop at the top.


    He holds out his hand to me, asking for mine. I give it to him. He then secures the cuff to my wrist and repeats the same thing on the other side.


    Before securing my ankles, he takes off my panties. When he¡¯s done and I¡¯m tied up, I realize I¡¯mpletely at his mercy.


    I¡¯ve more than given over my body to him. I¡¯ve given him my choice and my mind. My heart made me do it.


    He steps out of his pants and boxers, shedding his clothes so we¡¯re both naked.


    Walking over to me, he crouches down and buries his face between my thighs to start a slow suckle on my clit. He sucks, and the slow softness makes me more aroused.


    The chains on the cuffs on my legs are slightly longer so I can move just enough and he can position me how he wants to eat me out. The cuffs around my wrists are long enough so I can bend forward. All are adjusted to move me into whatever sexual position he wants me to be in. I shuffle against his ruthless tongue as he thrashes over my opening, tantalizing my body.


    ¡°Oh God!¡± I cry out, throwing my head back. ¡°Fuck.¡± Ie before I can pull in another breath. Wetness flows from me right into his mouth. As he drinks, he reaches up to massage my nipples. With the restraints on me, I can¡¯t move in the way I would to take the pleasure. It feels good but painful in a strange way because of the overload of intense pleasure.


    ¡°Massimo!¡± I scream. He answers with a dark chuckle.


    ¡°Scream my name, Princesca. Scream until you can¡¯t talk. I¡¯m not finished with you yet.¡±


    I rasp out a breath when he dives back in and continues feasting on me. This time, his tongue feels amazing, and the fact that I can¡¯t move more than what I am holds me in the grip of pleasure to take what he¡¯s giving my body.


    Dirty, dark, dangerous pleasure I¡¯m now drunk on and greedy for when he feeds me more. Ie again, screaming. No wordse out, just a sound that tears from my lips, of raw, primal pleasure.


    Massimo gets up and licks his lips, licking up the nectar from my pussy that dripped down the side of his mouth.


    His cock looks like it¡¯s bursting, but he still emits that air of control. I want to touch him, but he¡¯s in charge of what we do next.


    He moves behind me, grabs my hips. Lining his cock up with my entrance, he plunges into my pussy. I gasp when my body jerks forward.


    He starts to fuck me. It feels so damn good I can barely breathe. I feel so amazing that I forget I¡¯m restrained.


    He pumps into me hard, and I take his hard thrusts. He grabs a fistful of my hair and pounds into me, making our bodies p together. The sounds fill the room. Our groans and moans join the orchestra of hot sex.


    Another orgasm takes me, and he lets go of my hair. He rocks my body with his deep, rough strokes as I writhe against him, chains clinking.


    The warmth of his fingers moves across my back like a trail of fire and circles over the tight rosette of my asshole. When he pushes his fingers in, my knees buckle, but he holds me up and slows his pumps.


    ¡°Baby, please let me take you here. Let me,¡± he groans. I know I should be mortified, but I want to give everything to him. So I do


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say, and he pulls out of me.


    He coats my asshole with my juices, working his finger inside and around the area. Hyped up on pleasure, I¡¯m only mildly aware of what he¡¯s doing until I feel the fat head of his cock pressing against my ass.


    My eyes widen as he inches in. It feels so strange.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby, I promise you¡¯ll feel good really soon,¡± he soothes me and strokes my back gently. He¡¯s so gentle I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s him.


    I groan and he stops. ¡°Red yet, Princess? You can say Red. You¡¯re the boss of me tonight.¡±


    His words grip me. I try to look back at him, but my hair falls forward.


    ¡°No. I want you to¡­¡± I rasp, and he strokes me again.


    Slowly, he moves in until he¡¯s deeper. A st of pleasure races through my blood. Holy shit, the new sensation feels amazing.


    What feels better is when he starts moving slowly inside me and goes deeper. That¡¯s when I mewl so loudly I¡¯m sure everyone in the house and the surrounding areas can hear me. Shit.


    The sound seems to encourage him because he starts pumping harder. I¡¯ve adjusted to take his thrusts, so as he fucks my asshole, all I feel is raw, undiluted pleasure that shatters me from the inside out.


    Ie again, and as I do, he floods me with a fierce cry, sounding like a warrior in battle. The warmth of his cum sprays into me, iming that part of me like he did when he took my virginity. There¡¯s nothing left to im. This man has taken it all.


    We calm. My knees cave worse than before. Even when he catches me, I can¡¯t right myself.


    I¡¯mpletely spent and drained. There is nothing left of me. The heaviness of exhaustion hase to take me whole.


    He holds me up with one hand while he undoes the cuffs. One at a time they go, releasing me from the mercy of his fantasy. I know he enjoyed it, but the pleasure he gave me was unlike anything I¡¯ve experienced. Like a drug I crave more of. More of him.


    He scoops me up and carries me to the bed. I¡¯m so drained I barely register that he¡¯s left my side. It¡¯s only when he wipes a warm rag over my mound that I figure he must have left me to get it. After he cleans me, he gets in bed next to me and I manage to roll into his arms so he can hold me.


    ¡°Are you okay, Princesca?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± It sounds like a vow.


    Is it?


    I hold his gaze. It¡¯s like I¡¯m seeing him for the first time. There¡¯s a sparkle deep in his eyes. It¡¯s the same as what I saw in the painting his mother did. It¡¯s his soul. That¡¯s what she painted in his eyes. She provided a window to his soul, and I see it.


    ¡°I see you,¡± I say.


    Slowly, he shakes his head, and just like that, the sparkle is gone. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡±


    It¡¯s good advice.


    Don¡¯t.


    I could apply to it anything, but I know what he means.


    Don¡¯t fall for him, that¡¯s what he¡¯s trying to tell me.


    I¡¯ve thought about my heart a lot tonight. Cautioning myself the same. He¡¯s collected pieces of me. I thought I had nothing left to give.


    I do. I have my heart and my soul. That¡¯s what I have left.


    He doesn¡¯t love me. I don¡¯t think he does. I don¡¯t think he can.


    So, I must never allow him to take thest two things away from me.

 23

    Massimo


    I step out onto the terrace, gaze up at the stars as memories ofst nighte back to me.


    It was the twinkle in Emelia¡¯s eyes and the way she looked at me the whole night that I¡¯ll always remember.


    I see you¡­


    That¡¯s what she said to me. I knew what she meant. She could see inside me, past the wall I built, see deep down to the real me.


    Just like at the ball, I dropped my guard. At the ball, when I first saw her, she was so striking I couldn¡¯t keep that wall up. The same thing happenedst night. I allowed her in.


    But I ruined it. I squashed the connection like a bug. Crushed it before it could take full bloom, suffocated the blossom of the feelings people share after they do what we did.


    She trusted me with her bodyst night when she allowed me to tie her up. What she didn¡¯t realize was that she trusted me with more than that. She trusted me with trust. The element of trust. People don¡¯t think of it as a concept that¡¯s as important as love, friendship,passion. It¡¯s the same.


    We had sex twice before morning, when she woke in the early hours. It felt good to have her in my bed finally, but there was something different about her.


    Did she heed my warning? Don¡¯t fall for me.


    I mustn¡¯t fall for her either. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to. I¡¯m already on the edge.


    There are, however, so many reasons why I can¡¯t love her. So many reasons why I shouldn¡¯t. And she mustn¡¯t give me her love either.


    We¡¯re a contract. Love is a weakness I can¡¯t afford. Women are just women in my world.


    The women at the housest night were good examples, although I admit it¡¯s clear that my cousin Matthew is in love with his wife. That¡¯s his choice, and I¡¯m happy for him. All the other men there with wives cheat. I hate it, but what did I think I was going to do?


    Marry Emelia and ept her as my wife the way you should, or would I have women on the side like most of the men in my family?


    Pa was not like that with my mother, and while my brothers are sex-crazed animals, I know when they love, they would love hard. The same way I would.


    That¡¯s why I can¡¯t do it, and I know that¡¯s why they don¡¯t either.


    Love burned my father. Love burned Tristan. Thest thing I want to do is fall in love the way Pa did and lose my girl.


    With Emelia, it would be hard if I lost her or if I failed her in some way. I can¡¯t live my life in fear.


    Fear makes you weak. As boss and as a member of the syndicate, I can¡¯t be weak in any shape or form. Emelia was a n that is unfolding nicely. The wedding is a week and a day away. Things are in motion. I¡¯m about to have it all.


    I make my way back inside when my phone buzzes in my back pocket. Pa¡¯s here. He wanted to see me.


    I just got back from the club. Emelia hasn¡¯t seen me yet.


    Pa¡¯s already lighting up a cigar in the sitting room when I get down there.


    I walk in and close the door. He wants to talk to me, but I need to talk to him too. The situation with d is rubbing me the wrong way.


    ¡°Hey, Pa,¡± I say, sitting opposite him.


    ¡°Son, you look like shit.¡± He smirks, looking me over carefully.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen better days.¡±


    ¡°Talk to me. I¡¯m all ears,¡± he offers.


    I sigh and run a hand through my hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do about d. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s still in LA. He doesn¡¯t normally stay in one ce for too long.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s every possibility that he¡¯s left. At the same time, he could still be here. It¡¯s all a matter of why he¡¯s here. He and the Shadows.¡±


    ¡°I know, and there¡¯s no way of finding that out,¡± I answer.


    Pa looks at me long and hard. ¡°You¡¯re worried about her,¡± he notes. ¡°Emelia.¡±


    ¡°I should protect her if she¡¯s with me.¡± I¡¯m going to find it hard to talk to him about her without giving too much emotion away.


    ¡°You practically dered her yoursst night. I saw.¡±


    He¡¯s not questioning me. He¡¯s stating a fact.


    I run my hand over my beard. His expression softens. ¡°I wanted her to feelfortable.¡±


    ¡°I could see that, but there was more. She¡¯s not like him, Massimo. Not like Rardo.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not.¡± I nce down at the floor.


    ¡°You feel for her,¡± he states. My gaze climbs back up to meet his.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m supposed to. That¡¯s the deal, right?¡±


    He smiles at me. ¡°Massimo, you¡¯re marrying this girl next week. She¡¯s been with you for thest three weeks, and the marriage was your idea. A brilliant idea that I would have agreed to either way, but I noticed the way you snapped when Rardo pushed you about her at the Syndicate meeting.¡±


    I bite the inside of my lip. ¡°He just got to me.¡±


    ¡°Your eyes gave you away. I saw the way she looked at you at the dinner, and I saw how you looked at her. You¡¯re protective of her. The same way I was with your mother.¡± He straightens up and stares at me.


    I gaze back, not knowing what to say. If there¡¯s anyone I can be real with, it¡¯s him. It¡¯s hard because we¡¯re talking about our enemy¡¯s daughter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to happen to her. I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± An uneasy look settles in his eyes. ¡°Massimo¡­ I feel like the time hase to share a thing or two about the past with you. That¡¯s why I wanted to see you.¡±


    My interest piques. What is he going to tell me?


    He draws in a breath. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve always wondered what happened to make Rardo hate me, hate us? I told you we fell out. We did, just not the way you think.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± I¡¯ve been consumed with hate for so long from all that Rardo did to us that I never needed to concern myself with the fine print.


    ¡°We started out as three best friends. Me, Rardo, and your mother. I always loved her. Always. I just never thought I was good enough for her. As we got older, I shied away, and he stepped up.¡±


    I straighten, unsure of where this conversation is going. I knew my parents knew Rardo when they were younger and practically grew up together because their fathers were in the syndicate, but it sounds like Pa¡¯s about to tell me something about my mother I never factored in.


    ¡°Stepped up to do what?¡± I narrow my eyes.


    ¡°Be with her. She was with Rardo first.¡±


    My lips part. ¡°What are you saying to me?¡± I ask, and I wonder who else knew this.


    ¡°I was the coward. I could never muster the courage to tell her how I felt. Then I did it one day. I couldn¡¯t stand it. Watching him with the girl I loved, knowing he knew I loved her more than he did.¡± He pauses, brings his hands together, and continues. ¡°I told her how I felt and asked her to think about it, about me and her. After all, I was about to break up my two best friends. It just so happened to be that the next night, Rardo proposed. But she¡­ couldn¡¯t say yes. I was there when he asked her, right there in front of everyone we knew, and she couldn¡¯t say yes. Instead, she looked at me, and I knew she chose me.¡±


    ¡°Pa, you¡¯ve never told me this,¡± I rasp in shock.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bad story, son. We decided to be together. Of course, that ripped us all apart. It wasn¡¯t until after you were born that Rardo came back into our lives. He saw a business opportunity we could both get involved in and be stronger together. I agreed because I felt guilty for what I did. That guilt made me make a lot of mistakes. I gave him too much power. Then he screwed me over.¡±


    ¡°It was like he changed overnight,¡± I add.


    ¡°He¡¯s only ever behaved like that when it came to your mother. Except at the time he did it, there was no reason to. Years had passed since they were together. So, I think something happened.¡±


    ¡°Like what, Pa?¡± I don¡¯t know what to think. Mom would never cheat on Pa, and not with Rardo.


    ¡°Son, I epted him back into our lives, but I kept one eye open for the eventuality that he might try to take my girl. My guess is he tried to move in on her, but she chose me again, and it infuriated him. At that time, he had power and didn¡¯t need me anymore.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± I breathe.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    He raises his hands. ¡°He turned the Syndicate against me and took everything from us. He hated me because I had her. I felt you needed to know. It provides more context to the story.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for telling me.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t help who you have feelings for, Massimo. It¡¯s just something that happens. So¡­ if you feel for this girl, it won¡¯t matter who she is or where she came from. Don¡¯t be afraid to show her your heart.¡±


    I listen to him and note how he knows me so well. He knows my heart is the one thing I keep locked away from the world and the one thing I¡¯d keep away from Emelia.


    I ce a wall up around my heart. Every time I¡¯m with her, pieces of the wall fall away. I fall too. For her.


    This wedding might be part of the contract, but I know what I¡¯m starting to feel for her is real, and that scares the fuck out of me.

 24

    Emelia


    Today marks exactly one week until the wedding.


    We have a morning ceremony, so by this time next week, we¡¯ll be married. I¡¯ll be Emelia D¡¯Agostino. I¡¯ve been thinking about the wedding a lot since yesterday. It dawned on me that the buildup was now over and this was thest part. The countdown.


    We¡¯re on our way to the fundraiser. This time, we¡¯re in the back seat of a limo.


    Things have been weird between Massimo and me since the other night.


    There¡¯s a noticeable strain that was the result of stepping too far over the line. He¡¯s been distant. I feel like I intruded and saw too much, saw what he never wanted me to see when I recognized that glint in his eyes. The glint that vanished straightaway. A sign that we¡¯ll be close physically, but he¡¯ll never give me his heart. A sign that I must never give mine to him either.


    When I told him I could see him, he said don¡¯t. That one word held so much meaning and carried a lot of weight. It snapped me out of the trance, or whatever spell I¡¯d been under since our first kiss.


    That kiss bamboozled me in such a way that I hadn¡¯t even thought of that n of mine to escape since.


    We¡¯ve been in this limo for over an hour, and Massimo hasn¡¯t looked at me once.


    The limo pulls up in front of the building. The guards are already waiting to escort us out. It makes me nervous. Not even Dad had this many guards.


    A man with so much protection is one with a lot of enemies.


    Massimo is at my side when we step out of the car. A beautiful woman with auburn hair looks at him like she wants him, or maybe it¡¯s that she¡¯s had him and wants him again.


    He sees her watching and takes my hand, but he doesn¡¯t look at me.


    The fundraiser is being held at Stanford Hall, a ce reserved for the rich and the famous. Tonight¡¯s fundraiser is simr to the charity ball. This one is in aid of the Children Society.


    We walk uprge stone steps with pirs going up to the doors. When we step through therge oak doors, Massimo takes me aside to a little break room near the foyer, probably toy down thew on me again.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to be here for long,¡± he begins.


    ¡°I thought we¡¯d stay for the night.¡±


    ¡°No, an hour, tops. Maybe less.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know that he nned to leave so soon. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You ask too many questions, Princesca.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just go out on a normal date?¡± I throw back. He looks at me, surprised.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a date. This is a business arrangement.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are you talking about the fundraiser or me?¡± Why did I bother to ask? As if I don¡¯t know the answer.


    ¡°Watch it, Emelia. I¡¯m not in the mood tonight to argue about shit. Like I said, we¡¯re here for an hour, tops. You have five minutes with your father. No more. Other than that, you mustn¡¯t leave my side.¡±


    He always has a way of spoiling things. I don¡¯t bother to encourage this argument because I know I won¡¯t win, so when he reaches out his hand to me, I take it. We leave the room, and Tristan approaches us.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he says to Massimo, but to me he offers a kind smile and tips his head reverently. It surprises me.


    ¡°Hey, there,¡± Massimo answers him.


    ¡°Rardo is here. Arrived ten minutes ago,¡± Tristan informs us and nces at me cautiously.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Dad is here. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve been in the States for thest three weeks and haven¡¯t seen him.


    ¡°Massimo, there are a few undesirables here too. Nothing we can¡¯t handle. Just thought you should know.¡±


    Massimo¡¯s brow creases. Instantly, I wonder if there¡¯s trouble. ¡°Tristan, if shit happens, you take Emelia and go.¡±


    I nce up at Massimo.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will,¡± Tristan says, and with a nod leaves us.


    I tug on Massimo¡¯s hand. He looks at me. ¡°Is something happening?¡± I ask. Maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s been so tense.


    He reaches out and touches my face briefly. ¡°No. Nothing to worry about.¡±


    When we enter the hall, I see Dad. He¡¯s the first person my eyes go to. He¡¯s standing by the drinks table in the far corner talking with a tall, bulky Italian man who looks like he could be a wrestler. Dad sees me too, and I can¡¯t deny that my heart lifts at the sight of him. It lifts then falters in the same breath as I recall how he sold me and ruined my dreams.


    Massimo and I walk toward the middle, and so does he. We stop when we meet in the middle. I notice the way how Dadpletely ignores Massimo for as long as possible until he¡¯s forced by the awkwardness to look at him.


    ¡°Are you at least going to allow me to speak to my daughter, or is this a disy of power?¡± Dad asks.


    Massimo doesn¡¯t answer him. Instead, he focuses on me and says, ¡°Five minutes. I¡¯lle and get you in five minutes.¡±


    I nod, agreeing, and he leaves us.


    ¡°Come, I wouldn¡¯t want to waste the little time we have,¡± Dad sneers in a mocking voice.


    I look at him, really look at him, and try to see him as the father I always knew, but really, I want to rip into him and ask him what the hell happened.


    We head to the balcony, where we can talk in private. He takes hold of my shoulders.


    ¡°Look at you,¡± he says, voice heavy with emotion. He seems more like the father I know now. ¡°You look so much like your mother. Please tell me you aren¡¯t hurt.¡±


    ¡°Not physically, no. I¡¯m not hurt that way. In other ways, yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get you back,¡± he mutters. Something like hope fills my heart. Those few words seep into me, and I feel valued again.


    ¡°You have?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Of course, Emelia. Sweet girl. I got myself in deep trouble. Them taking you was the massive price I had to pay.¡±


    ¡°What happened, Dad?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t go into it. You have to know that that night, I was just doing what I had to keep us both alive. I would never give you up willingly. No way. And I would never break your heart and spoil your dreams intentionally. In those few moments, as I watched my baby being taken away, everything came crashing down in my world.


    Everything I wanted to protect you from. I was ashamed to call myself your father, ashamed I couldn¡¯t keep my promise to your mother to take care of you.¡±


    Tears run down my cheeks. All these long weeks, I¡¯ve floated from one emotion to the next, not knowing what to believe about him.


    ¡°Oh, Dad.¡± I wince and throw my arms around him. He holds me. I enjoy being held like I¡¯m his little girl all over again.


    ¡°God, Emelia, I¡¯ve been so worried. We all have. Jacob is beside himself with it. I¡¯ve been doing all I can to stop him from doing something stupid.¡±


    ¡°Jacob¡­¡± I mutter.


    I never knew thatst time Jacob and I saw each other, I¡¯d be walking into this reality where I can¡¯t even call him. I knew he would be beyond worry over me without contact. When I switched on my phone, there were over a hundred messages from him. Messages I couldn¡¯t respond to on Massimo¡¯smand. He said he didn¡¯t put a tracker in the phone, and yes, I could delete a message after sending it, but I¡¯m sure there are ways he would be able to retrieve it.


    Dad hugs me hard. The moment, however, breaks when we pull apart and I stare back at him. The sentiment in his eyes falters as he looks back at me.


    ¡°Has Massimo hurt you? I¡¯ve been terrified that he has.¡±


    I bite the inside of my lip and think about how to answer the question. I know what he¡¯s really asking. The look in his eyes suggests he wants to know if Massimo has forced himself on me.


    ¡°He¡­ hasn¡¯t done anything I didn¡¯t want him to do,¡± I answer with the truth. I know my answer gives away some element of my feelings.


    His eyes cloud, and I¡¯m sure he knows. Dad takes both my hands and sighs.


    ¡°Emelia, you are very young. You don¡¯t know how men like that operate. They break women like you. Young and innocent in this mix. You can¡¯t trust him. You cannot. You will never be number one in his life. You will just be a thing. Please believe me on this,¡± he pleads.


    What he¡¯s saying¡­ I know it¡¯s true. I worried about it and saw what I wanted to see through the moments spent with Massimo where I saw his soul.


    ¡°He will never love you,¡± Dad adds. I have to hold back tears. I hope he can¡¯t see my inner turmoil because I feel that sensation of betrayal again.


    What hits me hard too is that in these few weeks, I allowed myself to fall for the monster. I fell, and I¡¯m not sure I can unravel those feelings.


    ¡°I know,¡± I answer and dip my head briefly.


    ¡°I¡¯m still trying to get you back,¡± he deres in that low voice again and nces over his shoulder.


    ¡°How? Will you do something with the contract?¡±


    ¡°No, that way won¡¯t work. I¡¯m working on an escape n.¡± He lowers his voice.


    Escape n? Jesus¡­ like the n I had?


    Escaping with Dad¡¯s help would definitely be betrayal.


    ¡°Escape,¡± I whisper. He nods.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal, but I¡¯ll do what I have to,¡± he promises. ¡°His house is heavily guarded. That¡¯s where the problem lies.¡±


    I have a way. If I¡¯m going to use it, now would be the time to tell him. I won¡¯t get this chance again.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ a way,¡± I start. His eyes widen slightly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a boat in the cave on the beach. There¡¯s no surveince. He won¡¯t see me, but I¡¯ll need help once I get there.¡±


    ¡°God, Emelia. Are you certain of this?¡±


    I trust Candace. She told me about the boat and the way out because she could see everything that was happening was wrong.


    ¡°Yes. But I don¡¯t know when I could do it. I¡¯m practically watched all the time when I¡¯m not with him. I have my phone, but if I use it, I¡¯ll have to use it that one time to call you and have the n ready.¡±


    Nothing will happen before next week. The look on Dad¡¯s face tells me he knows that too.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We can make this happen. We have to try.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say, but my stomach twists into knots.


    ¡°I¡¯ll gather more allies and make sure they don¡¯te after you. We need to do this as soon as you see a clear path,¡± Dad says.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    There¡¯s something I have to know first though. I have to hear the truth from my father. The truth of the past. I want his story.


    ¡°Dad. I heard some things. Is it true that you destroyed their family?¡±


    I want to hear his version of the story. When he nods in confirmation, I know I can trust him.


    ¡°I did, Emelia. It¡¯s not something I¡¯m proud of. Please¡­ don¡¯t hate me. I¡¯m doing my best to fix things.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if this can be fixed.¡± They hate him, and the hate has rubbed my way too.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t. What matters is I won¡¯t allow you to suffer for my mistakes,¡± he says with determination, then sternness returns to his pale blue eyes.


    The curtains pull open, and a chill runs down my spine when Massimo appears.


    Dad releases my hands.


    ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± Massimo says, directing his words at me, ignoring my fatherpletely.


    Massimo puts out his hand for me toe to him, and I do, leaving my father¡¯s side. I tremble, and my legs are so shaky I fear they might shatter beneath me.


    I nce back at Dad as we walk away. Rage changes his features. The tension in his shoulders makes his back ramrod straight.


    I don¡¯t question Massimo when he says we¡¯ll be leaving. I keep quiet and allow him to take me back to the car, guards at our side. I follow him like a puppet being guided by my master.


    What I do as I nce at him out of the corner of my eye and watch the beautiful outline of his profile is think of my escape.


    Betrayal fills my mind as we set off down the road. Massimo is always saying, it¡¯s not about that.


    I¡¯m going to borrow his phrase and apply it to myself.


    Me escaping wouldn¡¯t be about betrayal.


    This was all wrong from the beginning. I was taken and made to sign my life away to a man who wants to control me. I have to do what I have to do to get my life back.


    The hard part is hardening my heart and making the first attempt to close off any feelings I have for Massimo D¡¯Agostino.


    And any love.

 25

    Emelia


    It¡¯s my wedding day¡­


    The moment is finally here. The moment I¡¯ve been counting down to.


    I¡¯m down to thest few minutes of being Emelia Balesteri.


    A hush falls over the congregation in the cathedral as the organist starts ying Mendelssohn¡¯s traditional Wedding March, heralding the start of the ceremony.


    Everyone looks to me as I make my way up the aisle, by myself.


    In the wedding I imagined when I was little, my father would be walking me up the aisle. I imagined flower girls and a page boy. I would have gotten married on the beach. Not that I have anything against being in a church. I just wanted the beach. Somewhere in Italy where it¡¯s gorgeous. Since I imagined Mom at my wedding too, it fits that it would fall part of a dream and right up there with things that will never happen.


    At the altar stands Father De La, the priest who will be marrying us, and possibly the only real thing about this wedding. When he came to the house to go over the ceremony details, there was pride in his eyes for Massimo. The same type I¡¯d seen disyed in most of the people who¡¯d known Massimo as a boy.


    At Father De La¡¯s left stands Massimo, with his father and brothers as his best men.


    Massimo looks perfect in his tux. He looks like the prince in every story, the heartthrob of every movie. The lover in every story told. He looks like the dream, and once again, I can¡¯t deny what I feel for him.


    It¡¯s just everything else that feels wrong.


    I¡¯ve feared this day for weeks, right from the word go. Right from that night I signed the contract in Dad¡¯s office.


    Darkness settled over me the minute I put on this dress earlier this morning. This beautiful wedding dress should have been worn by a bride who was ecstatic to get married. A bride who couldn¡¯t wait to skip into her groom¡¯s arms.


    When I look at Massimo standing ahead at the altar, Dad¡¯s warning ys out in my mind.


    He will never love you¡­


    That¡¯s knowledge I already had and feared. Each step I take feels like pieces of me are dying slowly.


    If I don¡¯t escape, I don¡¯t know what my life will be like from here onwards.


    I imagine us growing apart when the wild sexual haze fades and we¡¯ll just slip into a loveless marriage.


    What I felt the other night was real, but I¡¯vee to ept that Massimo will eventually hurt me. Physical wounds can heal. Emotional wounds are another story. Those are harder to heal. I wouldn¡¯t be doing myself any favors by encouraging these feelings I have for him.


    I would be hurting myself if I truly fell for him


    Such awful thoughts to have on my wedding day. Preparing my heart so it doesn¡¯t love my husband. We haven¡¯t even said our vows yet, and I¡¯m already nning ways to break the simplest one.


    Don¡¯t fall for him.


    Don¡¯t love him.


    I scan the pews looking over the guests who are dressed in their finest. They¡¯re over a hundred people here. A mixture of family from my side and his. He has friends here and people who work for him. I have no friends. I already knew Jacob and his family wouldn¡¯t be invited.


    Who I¡¯m looking for is my father.


    I see him now. I see Dad. There he is in the front pew. Like everyone else, he¡¯s been looking at me. Our eyes connect. The remorse and defeat in his eyes grip me. He wears the face of a helpless man who¡¯s watching his only child marry his enemy.


    His eyes follow me as I walk by, and I swear I see a tear slide down his cheek. I look back and realize I¡¯m right. He wipes it away quickly, though, with the heel of his hand.


    I turn back to face Massimo and find him gazing at Dad with that stern expression I hate.


    I reach him on those shaky legs, and that¡¯s when he focuses his attention back on me.


    Father De La begins with a wee to our guests and jumps right into a blessing on us. Nerves fill me, and I find myself switching to autopilot. I haven¡¯t been to many weddings, but I know ours will be quick.


    When the priest finishes the blessing on our marriage and I know it¡¯s time to say our vows, the gravity of what I¡¯m doing hits me full force.


    I¡¯m getting married. Me. I¡¯m getting married to this man who¡¯s turned my world every way except the way it was supposed to be.


    We¡¯re getting married. I¡¯ll be his wife, and he¡¯ll be my husband.


    Even if I manage to escape, those things will never change until death do us part.


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, you may say your vows,¡± Father De La says, slicing through my thoughts. He looks to Massimo first, who straightens and starts to recite his vows.


    ¡°I, Massimo D¡¯Agostino, take you, Emelia Balesteri, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times, in bad, in sickness and in health. I will honor you all the days of my life.¡±


    I pull in a little breath and focus on what I¡¯m supposed to say. ¡°I, Emelia Balesteri, take you, Massimo D¡¯Agostino, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times, in sickness and in health. I will honor you all the days of my life.¡±


    Father De La smiles and switches his focus to Massimo. ¡°Do you, Massimo D¡¯Agostino, take Emelia D¡¯Agostino to be yourwful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Massimo says. I wonder if he means to keep that vow to me. I wonder how many women he¡¯ll have. Will he still be with Gabrie? At least she¡¯s not here.


    ¡°Do you, Emelia Balesteri, take Massimo to be yourwful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I say. There¡¯s a moment when Massimo and I stare at each other.


    Don¡¯t¡­


    That one wordes back to haunt me, and my heart squeezes.


    Don¡¯t love him. Don¡¯t fall for him. There was no mention of love in our vows. That was done on purpose, by him.


    The sting of that realization makes me hate him so much right now, I wish I could run through that door and make my escape.


    Tristan steps forward with the rings. Father De La blesses mine and hands it to Massimo.


    Massimo takes my hand and says, ¡°I take this ring as a sign of our union and faithfulness in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.¡±


    He ces the ring on my finger. I do the same to him when Father De La gives me his ring.


    ¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife,¡± Father De La deres. I look at him as if I can¡¯t believe what he¡¯s saying. Just like that, I¡¯ve be Emelia D¡¯Agostino. ¡°You may now kiss the bride.¡±


    Massimo leans forward and kisses me. His kisses always feel real to me, like it¡¯s us, like he truly wants to kiss me. This kiss, though, is supposed to be the one that matters, yet I feel nothing. I can¡¯t feel him anywhere. Even his lips are cold.


    He pulls away and takes my hand to lead me away as everyone stands and apuds.


    A shout from the back suddenly catches my attention. It¡¯s near the door. There¡¯s amotion. I look ahead to see what¡¯s happening.


    ¡°I object!¡±es a strangled cry from a voice I recognize.


    Jacob?


    Massimo and I stop in our tracks as Jacobes into view, fighting against the guards. He¡¯s shouting the same two words over and over again.


    I object.


    My blood runs cold. Ice takes residence in the pit of my stomach when I look at Massimo and see his features darken with rage.


    Oh my God. No.


    Jacob¡¯s cries caught the attention of everyone in the church. He wouldn¡¯t know what danger he¡¯s put himself in by doing this. Or maybe he did. He¡¯s my best friend. He¡¯d do anything for me, no matter what.


    He runs in, and the men rush him with guns. I let go of Massimo¡¯s hand and run with everything inside me, throwing myself in front of Jacob.


    ¡°No, please, don¡¯t kill him!¡± I wail.


    Jacob grabs my arm, his face panicked. Terrified. More terrified than I¡¯ve ever seen him. He¡¯s holding on to me so hard it hurts.


    ¡°You¡¯re in danger, Emelia. If you stay with him, you¡¯ll be in danger,¡± he crie. A stone drops in the pit of my stomach.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Leave him. Run away. He and his Syndicate won¡¯t be able to save you.¡±


    My God.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Syndicate? He knows about the syndicate.


    I don¡¯t get to ask him anything else. Someone grabs me from behind. It¡¯s Manni. Him again.


    The guards position their guns again as Massimo and his brothers step forward.


    ¡°Get him out of here,¡± Massimomands, and the guards take hold of Jacob.


    ¡°Run away, Emelia, run far away,¡± Jacob cries as the guards take him away, back the way he came. ¡°I love you. I love you. I love you.¡±


    His voice echoes through the church along with the whispers of the shocked guests. Jacob¡¯s voice is all I hear until therge oak door closes and sucks out the rest of the sound.


    I love you¡­


    It feels like the continuation of that conversation we were having at the diner. That¡¯s what he wanted to tell me. Now that he has- in the worst ce possible-what will happen now?


    Massimo looks at me, and I see the rage again. His hands are fisted by his sides. He¡¯s not a man you embarrass the way Jacob just did. No one would dare, but Jacob tried to warn me I was in danger. Danger woulde for me if I stayed with Massimo.


    ¡°Take her home,¡± Massimo orders Manni, and before I can blink, I¡¯m carried away.


    My heart squeezes when Massimo walks ahead with his brothers following, down the empty trail Jacob and the guards left on. He¡¯s following them.


    Oh my God¡­


    What will Massimo do to Jacob?


    ¡°Massimo, no!¡± I shout. My eyes water.


    He doesn¡¯t look back. He continues walking like the angel of death, his three brothers in tow.


    ¡°Massimo¡­¡± I cry.


    He¡¯s going to hurt him.


    I¡¯m sure he will¡­


    After all, don¡¯t I already know Massimo¡¯s the devil?


    My husband is a monster who won¡¯t think twice about killing my best friend in cold blood.


    Thest face I see is my father¡¯s as Manni carries me through the door and it closes shut.

 26

    Massimo


    Ind a fist in this fucker¡¯s stomach. He tries to double over, but my soldiers hold him up.


    I already messed up his face. This is me trying my best not to kill his ass.


    Act and show my wrath, then ask questionster.


    And my, do I have questions for this little prick.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± Jacob wails. Tristan gives me a stern look.


    Andreas and Dominic, however, are on my other side and seem to be in favor of the beating.


    What the fuck am I supposed to act like after that little disy? Under normal circumstances, I would have popped a bullet in this fucker¡¯s head right there in the church. Of course, I didn¡¯t do it because of her¡­ Emelia. And fucking fuck, Father De La has never seen me kill before.


    I wasn¡¯t about to end this guy on hallowed ground with everyone watching.


    Taking him out back is just a little better, but still bad.


    ¡°Stop? Really?¡± I roar and pull my gun. I hit him on the side of his face with the back of it. Instantly, the skin cracks and blood pours down his cheek. ¡°You motherfucker. It seems like you don¡¯t know who I am. Or maybe you have a death wish. You think you can just burst into my wedding and do shit like what you just dished to me and live to tell the tale? Fuck, no.¡± I get up in his face. He flinches.


    I have to give this kid credit. Maybe he has more balls than me. After all, he did just dere his love for my wife from the rooftop, for all to hear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, Massimo D¡¯Agostino,¡± he answers through the blood running from his teeth. ¡°Kill me if you want. All I care about is her. This marriage wasn¡¯t real. You took her away and crushed her dreams. She was supposed to be in Florence, not here on this day, marrying you.¡±


    I hit him again, but this time, I hit him because he¡¯s right.


    He spurts more blood and starts panting but stares at me head on. I don¡¯t know what infuriates me more. The fact that he loves my girl, or that he loves her so much he¡¯s willing to put himself in danger and die for her.


    ¡°Think you¡¯re brave?¡± I ask. It¡¯s a useless question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. She¡¯s in danger, and when dangeres, it will take all of you. Your Syndicate won¡¯t be able to do anything against the peopleing for you. You will die, and I don¡¯t want her to go down with you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± This fucker knows something. Something that made him risk his life to try and save Emelia.


    ¡°Find your own information,¡± he shouts, trying to kick me.


    I take the kick so I can rush him. The guards drop him when I do, and Ind a one-two punch in his face. I have half a mind to beat his ass, but I hold back. Jesus Christ, do I ever hold back. He can¡¯t tell me what I need to know if I mess him up too badly. Instead, I grab his face and hold his jaw so he can stare me in the eye and see I¡¯m serious as fuck and need to know what he knows.


    He can act all ballsy if he wants, but we¡¯ll see what he says when I break his fucking jaw off for pissing with me.


    ¡°Listen to me, you little shit,¡± I begin and grit my teeth. ¡°You tell me what I need to know right the fuck now. If you fucking love Emelia the way you say you do, you will tell me everything. Tell me so I can protect her.¡±


    It must be a miracle that falls on us, but his eyes soften somewhat, and he seems less adamant to hold on to information.


    ¡°Members of The Circle of Shadows are here,¡± he says, which is enough. I don¡¯t need to look at my brothers to know they¡¯ve tensed up at the mention of the group. ¡°There was a guy. Russian guy. He was talking in a bar on the underground. I heard a conversation I shouldn¡¯t have heard.¡±


    ¡°What did he look like?¡±


    ¡°Long ck hair and a tattoo on his face of a snake, the fire crest of the Shadows tattooed on his cheek.¡±


    d.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± I demand.


    ¡°He said he¡¯ll take back what you stole from him,¡± Jacob answers.


    I release Jacob and narrow my eyes. What the fuck is he saying to me?


    Stole?


    Me?


    I haven¡¯t stolen shit.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t taken anything from him,¡± I rasp.


    ¡°He seems to think so. He said he¡¯ll take it back, and he¡¯ll take pleasure in killing you, your family, and anybody linked to you when the n isplete. He said you can look for him all you want. You won¡¯t find him, but he¡¯lle for you when he¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°What bar were you in?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The Crow. I¡¯ve seen him there three times now.¡±


    I bite down hard on my back teeth. The fucking bar is a ce I¡¯ve been to twice already since we learned of d¡¯s return. Nobody knew anything, yet d had been there three times. Lies. They¡¯ll pay for that.


    ¡°When did youst see him?¡±


    ¡°Last night. Miguel, the owner, was talking to him,¡± Jacob exins.


    I stand and re down at Jacob. He¡¯s looking at me like he doesn¡¯t know what to expect. My brothers are doing the same. What I¡¯m going to do ispletely unexpected.


    ¡°Get the fuck up and get gone. Don¡¯t say shit to anybody. This conversation never happened.¡±


    Now he stares at me like he can¡¯t believe I haven¡¯t killed him.


    He stands up and continues to stare. ¡°What will you do? You know those men are above you. They¡¯re assassins who work differently. Too strong for even the syndicate.¡±


    ¡°Never mind about me.¡±


    ¡°Emelia¡­ what about her?¡± His brows knit together.


    A cruel smile lifts the corners of my mouth. ¡°My wife is none of your concern. She¡¯s mine now, and if I see you again, you¡¯re dead. And so is anybody else you care about.¡± His eyes snap wide when I say that. The fool never thought of his family. ¡°Count yourself lucky for disrespecting me and being the only guy ever to walk away. Now go.¡±


    He¡¯s definitely lucky. Lucky my feelings for Emelia are that strong that I couldn¡¯t hurt him more than I did.


    Jacob knows not to say any more shit to me. I watch him as he hobbles away.


    I turn to the guards once he turns the corner of the alleyway and I can¡¯t see him anymore.


    ¡°Get out of my sight and make sure my wife is safe,¡± I order.


    Wife¡­


    I have a wife now. And what a way to start our marriage, with another man telling the only woman I¡¯ve ever gotten close to that he loves her. And this shit.


    The guards move, and I turn to my brothers. They all look ready to kill.


    Pa hung back to go home with Emelia. I wish he were here now.


    ¡°What the hell could d think you stole?¡± Tristan asks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know,¡± I answer. I can¡¯t think of what the hell it might be. ¡°I need to find him.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve looked everywhere for that prick,¡± Andreas adds. ¡°What the hell is he nning?¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, we weren¡¯t supposed to know he¡¯s alive,¡± I say, swallowing hard. ¡°Then Pierbo saw him. He knows we¡¯re looking for him, and the reason we can¡¯t find him is because of this n. He has help. People who can help him stay hidden.¡±


    ¡°What now? If no one¡¯s talking, it means they¡¯re not scared enough of us,¡± Dominic says.


    My blood heats. I already know the answer to that.


    It¡¯s always the same.


    Be ruthless and heartless.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to fix that, and we know where to start.¡± The Crow.


    I turn and walk down the alley. My brothers follow.


    Blood will stain the streets before the sun goes down.


    I walk into the house with bloodstains all over my face. It¡¯ste, bordering nine.


    Pa emerges from the sitting room looking worried. I sent a message to him earlier letting him know what was happening. Prisci walks out of the kitchen and stops short when she sees me, then turns back in her habitual way to grab stuff to clean me off.


    In silence, I walk back into the room with Pa and take off my shirt.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asks.


    ¡°No. Not a damn bit. I got nothing.¡± Nothing but the blood of the owner of The Crow on my hands, and a bunch of people who fled.


    Can¡¯t talk, run. I don¡¯t me them. Many would have been dealt threats on their families¡¯ lives if they spoke.


    ¡°Stay focus, my boy. Focus on what we need to. All we can do is keep our eyes open and look around.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± It¡¯s ironic. I thought taking Emelia and screwing with Rardo wouldn¡¯t make me feel useless, helpless, or powerless.


    This is the first time I¡¯ve truly felt it.


    ¡°Pa, I can¡¯t just sit around and wait.¡±


    ¡°No, of course not, but you can¡¯t go crazy either looking. You have to stay calm and focus.¡±


    I run a hand through my hair and think of Emelia. ¡°How is she?¡±


    Pa sighs. ¡°Not good. I think you should go to her.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Prisci walks in with a bowl of warm water and some cloths and leaves us. I start cleaning off the blood on me. I¡¯m going to take a long shower, but I want to see Emelia first. And I don¡¯t want her to see me with evidence of death on my body. The first thing she¡¯ll think is I did something to Jacob.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna head out. Call me if anything happens. Sorry for the shit today, my son.¡± Pa rests a reassuring hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Thanks. At least I know more than I did yesterday.¡±


    Pa nods and leaves.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    I head upstairs and gear myself up for an argument with Emelia I don¡¯t want.


    When I get in, she¡¯s exactly in the mess I expected her to be in. She¡¯s still dressed in her wedding gown, and she¡¯s sitting in the corner of the room with her back against the wall. Tears have made the makeup stream down her face.


    ¡°Did you hurt him?¡± she asks.


    I dy answering, which hurts her all the more. I don¡¯t like hurting her, but what about me? How the fuck am I supposed to feel about Jacob? I¡¯m not convinced she doesn¡¯t have feelings for him.


    Look at her. A mess for¡­ what was he? A potential lover. I just happened to get there first.


    ¡°Massimo,¡± she cries. Her voice cuts through me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt your little boyfriend, Emelia. I wanted to, but I didn¡¯t. Instead of killing his ass for daring to piss with me, I roughed him up a little and sent him on his merry way.¡± I wish my voice didn¡¯t hold so much emotion.


    ¡°Roughed him up? What did you do? What does that mean?¡± She looks freaked.


    ¡°He¡¯s not missing any teeth.¡± She wouldn¡¯t know how truly lucky her friend was, or she wouldn¡¯t push me.


    Her hands fist at her sides. ¡°You are such an asshole. What is wrong with you?¡±


    I see red. That¡¯s the color I see before me, and it¡¯s the first time it¡¯s ever happened with her. I don¡¯t know how she can ask me shit like that.


    ¡°What the fuck did you expect would happen? You think what he did was okay?¡± I throw back.


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t okay. Of course, it wasn¡¯t okay. But did you have to beat him up? He¡¯s my best friend.¡±


    Jesus Christ, I can¡¯t do this shit with her right now. ¡°Correction, he¡¯s your former friend. You aren¡¯t seeing that fucker ever again.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± she argues. It seems like she¡¯s definitely forgotten how things work.


    ¡°Yes, I can. Whenst I checked, I own you. You are my wife, Emelia, and you will not disrespect me with this boy. We¡¯ll see how you like it when the tables are turned.¡±


    Her eyes go wide. I know I was an asshole for saying that, but right now, I don¡¯t care. I tried to learn to be gentle for her, and it¡¯s not working, so I¡¯ll y hard.


    ¡°When?¡± she asks. ¡°When the tables are turned, Massimo?¡±


    Good¡­ let her worry that I¡¯ll cheat. But the fucking joke¡¯s is on me. Even if I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t cheat on her. But she doesn¡¯t need to know that. She can stew in her thoughts.


    I¡¯m too hyped up on rage and jealousy to be around her, so I turn and walk away. Before I reach the door, I hear something break. I turn back and see that she¡¯s smashed a vase against the wall.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± she demands, but I don¡¯t answer. ¡°Are you going to her? Gabrie?¡±


    I walk away and close the door. Once outside, I hear her break down, but I keep walking.


    I spend my wedding night at the strip club.


    In the office.


    I order a pizza and beer and watch ssic films until I fall asleep at the desk.


    The phone wakes me early the next day. It buzzes right beside my head on the desk. It¡¯s Tristan.


    ¡°Hey, man,¡± I answer, trying not to sound like shit.


    ¡°Hey, we got a problem,¡± he replies.


    I bolt upright. My first thoughts go to Emelia. ¡°Is Emelia okay?¡± I blurt. It¡¯s a stupid question since I should be with her.


    ¡°It¡¯s not her. It¡¯s the kid, her friend. He¡¯s dead.¡±


    My mouth goes dry.


    ¡°What?¡± I stand, knocking the pizza box to the floor.


    ¡°Bullet to the head. Cop associate said they found him in the back alley of The Crow.¡±

 27

    Emelia


    The second I see Massimo¡¯s face, I know something¡¯s wrong.


    Something happened.


    The look in his eyes and the paleness in his olive skin are enough for me to push aside my fury over where he spent our wedding night.


    It¡¯ste afternoon, and he¡¯s justing home. I push past the fact that his hair is scruffy like it would look if he spent the night in bed with that woman.


    He walks into the bedroom, moves right up to me by the window, and takes my hands.


    He holds my gaze. I know for sure something really bad must have happened.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask, afraid to hear it, not knowing what he¡¯s going to tell me to break me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he says. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Emelia. Something bad happened.¡±


    I stare back at him trying to preempt what he¡¯s going to say. He wouldn¡¯t look so broken if something happened to my father, and I don¡¯t think he would look like that either if he cheated on me.


    I don¡¯t think he would say sorry. Come to think of it, I can¡¯t recall him ever saying that word.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I ask again.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Jacob.¡±


    I pull my hand from his, and a breath leaves my lips. ¡°Jacob¡­ What happened to Jacob? You said you let him go.¡±


    ¡°I did. I did let him go, but I don¡¯t know what happened. I got a call this morning, um¡­ Emelia, he¡¯s dead.¡±


    My knees give, and I fall to the ground with my mouth open. A gamut of emotions swarms my body and shock flies through me, mming into every crevice of my being.


    ¡°No¡­ no.¡± I shake my head.


    He gets down on the ground and stares back at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    My hands fly to my mouth as the tearse hard.


    Jacob.


    My Jacob is dead?


    It can¡¯t be true.


    ¡°He can¡¯t be dead. You told me¡­¡± My voice hitches when I remember in perfect rity what Massimo told me. ¡°You monster. You told me I¡¯d never see him again. This is what you meant?¡±


    When he left herest night, he looked enraged, ready to kill. I back away from him on my hands until I can stand, then I back out of his way.


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t kill him. He was shot. He was¡­ somewhere he wasn¡¯t supposed to be and knew things he shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    I cry harder. Poor Jacob.


    This can¡¯t be real. My poor friend. And why did he die? For me.


    Massimo reaches out to touch me, but I back away.


    ¡°Where did you go? How convenient that you should leave me after the way we argued, and then my best friend turns up dead today? Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°I was at the club all night.¡±


    ¡°Club. You actually went to a club on our wedding night?¡± I shriek.


    ¡°My club. Renovatio.¡±


    My eyes snap wide. I know that club, not because I¡¯ve ever been, and not because I knew it belonged to him. I heard Jacob¡¯s friends talk about it. It¡¯s a strip club.


    I raise my hand and p him so hard my fingers leave a mark, just like that day weeks ago.


    ¡°You bastard. Not even a full day of marriage, and you spoilt it. I hate you. I shouldn¡¯t know you. I don¡¯t know why you couldn¡¯t have found some other way of getting even with my father. Fuck you.¡±


    I don¡¯t care what I say to him. My soul is broken. My best friend is dead. Jacob tried to warn me I was in danger, and now he¡¯s dead.


    ¡°Emelia-¡± He reaches for me, but I rush away from him


    ¡°Get away from me. Get the hell away from me.¡±


    The door opens, and Candace stands there looking in to see what¡¯s happening. I run straight into her arms and cry, feeling my body break when I think of Jacob.


    He¡¯s dead. I can¡¯t believe it. I just can¡¯t.


    And it¡¯s my fault.


    It¡¯s my fault he¡¯s gone.


    I hear his words now. Him telling me he loved me. I didn¡¯t say anything in return. I couldn¡¯t because I gave the wrong man my love.


    The monster.


    ¡°Do you want some more?¡± Candace asks, ncing at the empty cup of hot chocte.


    She made it extra sweet, and Prisci made cookies. They both said sweet things were good for shock. Mom used to say the same thing.


    ¡°No,¡± I croak. It hurts to talk.


    We¡¯ve been out on the terrace for a few hours now. I¡¯ve already gone through a box of tissues and a te of cookies that I know were delicious, except my taste is off and I couldn¡¯t taste the sweetness.


    I ate just to do something with my hands, and chewing seemed to distract me from the pain of loss.


    ¡°Can I do anything for you?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you for sitting with me. I¡­ don¡¯t have many friends. I just had him. All my life, it was just the two of us.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯m so sorry he¡¯s gone. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she says.


    She knows I think Massimo did it. She also knows I know she doesn¡¯t believe he did.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Emelia, talk to me. I think this is the one day when you can truly talk to me and not a damn thing will be said against either of us. I¡¯m all ears.¡± She nods.


    I dip my head and bring my arms in, as if I¡¯m trying to hold the rest of my heart together. When I look back at her, I see nothing but genuine care in her eyes.


    ¡°I just wish I never got dragged into this mess. Jacob would still be alive. He was from our world. He knew not to do certain things, but he got freaked because he thought I was in danger. He would have done anything for me.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t me yourself, Emelia. If he was from our world, then he knew the risks. I feel like an asshole for saying that to you, but it¡¯s true, and you can¡¯t me yourself for something you have no control over.¡±


    ¡°I just feel so awful.¡± I stare at Candace and decide to ask the question on my mind about Massimo. Maybe I just don¡¯t want to believe he could hurt me so badly. ¡°You don¡¯t think Massimo killed him?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Maybe if this was a few weeks ago, I mean, before he knew you, I wouldn¡¯t question it. It would be my first thought. Something changed him when you came along. Yes, he was hard work, and yes, he¡¯s still a hard man to deal with, but¡­ I don¡¯t think he killed him. It would hurt you too much.¡±


    I shake my head at her. ¡°He doesn¡¯t think of me like that.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t speak on that, but I¡¯ve known him long enough to know him as a person. I don¡¯t agree with most things he does, but if there¡¯s one thing you can count on Massimo for, it¡¯s telling the truth. Either he¡¯ll tell you the truth, or he¡¯ll say nothing. It¡¯s his one saving grace. He¡¯s not a liar.¡±


    I press my lips together and gaze out to the sea as the gentle breeze touches my cheeks.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Massimo isn¡¯t a liar¡­


    I can¡¯t think right now to process anything, even if I know she¡¯s right.


    In all the time I¡¯ve known Massimo, he¡¯s never lied to me.


    Sleep never camest night. I spent the time re-reading Jacob¡¯s messages.


    The ones I never answered.


    All one hundred of them.


    I went to the room and sat by the window, never moving except to go to the toilet and get a drink of water.


    Massimo didn¡¯te back to see me. I don¡¯t even know if he was home or if he left and went back to his club. God¡­ I can¡¯t believe he owns that club.


    I push it all out of my mind. Shit like that means nothing given what¡¯s happened to Jacob.


    I need to see his family. Even if I have to swim across the sea, I have to see them, see how they are. I can imagine his parents and his brothers being devastated. Everyone loved him.


    The door creeks open. I look over to see my dear husband walking in.


    So, he is here.


    I epted in my mind that maybe he didn¡¯t kill Jacob, but I¡¯m still mad because this is still his fault. He walks over to me as I look at him. I don¡¯t know what we¡¯ll argue about today. I want details though. I want to know more.


    ¡°I came to check on you,¡± he says.


    ¡°Did you just get back from the club? Were you there all night, again?¡± I ask, unable to hide the fury in my tone.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. The other night, I wasn¡¯t with anybody. I went to my office, and that is where I stayed all night. I have footage of me being there, but I¡¯m not going to take it that far. When I tell you something, I expect you to believe me,¡± he says, cool and even.


    I look away from him. He, however, chooses to sit in front of me so I can¡¯t escape his hard blue gaze.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him, Emelia,¡± he says. ¡°I don¡¯t have an alibi in regard to the proposed time of death because I would have been driving, so unless a camera picked me up enroute to the club, I¡¯m a little screwed when ites to whether you believe me or not, but that¡¯s my word. When I said you weren¡¯t going to see him again, I didn¡¯t mean this. Can I please ask you to think about what I¡¯m saying?¡± His gaze clings to mine.


    I draw in a breath and nod slowly. I¡¯m not ready to be okay with him yet because things are far from okay. They were never okay to begin with.


    ¡°What do you need?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I need more information. You said he was somewhere he wasn¡¯t supposed to be and knew things he shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Emelia, I wanted to give you some context. But I can¡¯t tell you more than that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason we keep women out of business. There are some things you shouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    I¡¯ve heard that mantra before when my mother would ask my father questions.


    ¡°Would the Syndicate have killed him?¡± I want to know that.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think so. But I¡¯m looking into it.¡±


    I hold his gaze. Hearing that lessens the tension.


    ¡°Thank you¡­Can I see his family? Please. They¡¯re like my own. I just want to see them.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± It¡¯s the first thing he¡¯s ever agreed to so quickly. ¡°Do you want me to go with you?¡±


    ¡°No. Thank you, but maybe I should go by myself, if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but you have to go with the guards. Now¡¯s the time to be more careful than we ever were.¡±


    I can¡¯t argue with that.

 28

    Massimo


    I sigh with frustration as I step through the door to the house and take off my jacket. It¡¯s not even midday, and my head is already all over the fucking ce. The guys and I have been on the streets trying to get answers anding up with shit. It¡¯s bing quite clear now that we¡¯re not going to find anything until troublees to find us.


    Even before Jacob confirmed I had something to worry about, I was already riled up about d. Then Jacob got himself killed.


    It¡¯s harsh to think of it that way, but what else am I supposed to think?


    Even after I told him to get gone and keep his head out of shit, he must have gone back to The Crow to snoop. Then d caught up with him.


    I walk into the hall and see Candace in the living room polishing the furniture. Sometimes it grieves me that she can¡¯t move on to be who she was supposed to be.


    After her parents were killed, she wasn¡¯t the same. Her family has always worked for mine in some way, but she was never supposed to end up in my house polishing anything. When she went to college, she lived here, though she didn¡¯t have to. I thought that by giving her a ridiculous amount of money, she¡¯d leave. But it¡¯s not about money when ites to her. It¡¯s the fear from that night. She would have died too. That type of fear leaves you with all kinds of shit and anxiety. That¡¯s what happened to her. She only feels safe with me. Her family was always loyal to us, even after we lost everything. So, this is my way of helping her.


    I walk in, and she gives me that look of disdain she¡¯s been sporting since the wedding.


    I lean my head to the side and shake it. She ignores me and looks back to the vase she was about to dust.


    ¡°Can you stop doing that, please?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Stop doing what, Sir?¡±


    ¡°Acting like you¡¯re my servant. We¡¯ve known each other for too long to be like this.¡±


    ¡°These days, one might be scared to talk, could die.¡± She still doesn¡¯t look at me.


    I walk closer to her, and she sets the dust cloth down.


    ¡°Candace¡­ say whatever¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best I don¡¯t, Massimo. I would prefer, as per usual, to keep myments to myself, like I always have. Emelia is back from seeing her friend¡¯s family, and I don¡¯t think it went well. Your efforts are best ced with tending to your wife, not me.¡±


    My shoulders slump. I hoped that Emelia would find some sce seeing Jacob¡¯s family, but then what did I expect to happen? They just lost their son, and I¡¯m sure they heard what happened at the wedding. They¡¯re probably casting me my way.


    I still want to talk to Candace though. She¡¯s clearly upset with me.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Candace? Talk to me,¡± I insist.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed.¡±


    ¡°I had to.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°We all have to change, but that doesn¡¯t mean going to extra lengths to be cruel. Did you have to go to the strip club on your wedding night? Couldn¡¯t you have just gone for a walk or something?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything there,¡± I justify, but I know what she means.


    ¡°Massimo, seeing those naked women might be somonce to you that they look like part of the furniture. They¡¯re there the second you walk in,¡± she chides. I stifle a groan, recalling the time I had to get her to bring me the keys for a safe.


    I had a business meeting I couldn¡¯t leave. She came, saw the ce, saw the women, and didn¡¯t speak to me for a week after. She knows that even if I didn¡¯t do shit, I saw enough.


    ¡°What do you want me to do? Move the stage?¡± I smirk. I already dealt with the matter of the strip club.


    ¡°Massimo, that¡¯s not funny. Your wife was just as horrified to find out you have a strip club as she was to hear you spent the night there. I couldn¡¯t have been more disgusted.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe you¡¯ll be less disgusted when you hear I gave the club to Dominic.¡± I raise my brows. Yesterday, I tossed him the keys and handed him the envelope with the title deed. He¡¯s there more than me anyway.


    Candace looks visibly surprised at my answer. ¡°You did what?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡±


    She looks proud of me now and taps my shoulder. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°What for? I¡¯m the one who just lost a quarter of my ie.¡±


    ¡°For being the boy again,¡± she answers. I know what she means. She means me before Ma died. I give her a nod. ¡°Emelia¡¯s sitting on the terrace.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go see her.¡±


    Pulling in a breath, I leave her and make my way outside. When I step through the door, a gust of wind lifts my hair and it smells like rain is near.


    Emelia is sitting on the little wall with her knees hugged to her chest. I move to her, and she looks at me. The sun glistens off her wedding band, a reminder that she¡¯s my wife. A reminder of the feelings I have for her that scare me.


    I sit next to her, brushing my shoulder against hers, and she offers me a little smile. It¡¯s more for pleasantries. But it says she¡¯s at least willing to talk to me.


    ¡°Hi,¡± she says.


    ¡°Hey. Candace said your visit to Jacob¡¯s family didn¡¯t go so well. What happened?¡±


    She gazes out to the sea, looking lost. Her lips tremble and her skin goes pale.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t want me there. His mother¡­ she didn¡¯t want me in the house. It was his father who came out and asked me to leave. I got the feeling he wouldn¡¯t have minded me being there, but it was her. I heard her. She was shouting and crying for her son. She said it was my fault he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I say.


    She looks back at me. ¡°I might not have pulled the trigger, but he was doing whatever he was doing because of me. I know I can¡¯t me myself. I know there was nothing I could do, but I feel so bad. Now his mother is ming me. She thinks you killed him. I told them you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You believe me.¡±


    She nods slowly. ¡°You¡¯ve never lied to me.¡±


    ¡°No. I haven¡¯t, and I won¡¯t start now.¡±


    ¡°The funeral is next week. They won¡¯t want me there.¡±


    ¡°You want to go? Can you handle it?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I should be there. I can¡¯t handle it, but I should be there.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but they¡¯d hate me even more if I brought you.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. People¡¯s opinion doesn¡¯t matter in times like this. What matters is who you¡¯re there for. You¡¯re going for Jacob, not his family. And I will take you there personally to make sure you get to say goodbye to him.¡±


    ¡°You would do that?¡± Her gaze desperately clings to mine.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer with conviction.


    I¡¯m surprised when she moves to me and slips her arms around my neck, holding on to me like she¡¯s trying to garner strength. I circle my arms around her and pull her closer so I can cocoon her in my arms as she rests her head on my chest.


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you, Massimo,¡± she whispers, grabbing my shirt. I cover her hand with mine and see my ring too.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Mine and hers.


    When I wrote our wedding vows, I took out all traces of the word love. At the time, I was thinking of my hatred for her father. I wasn¡¯t thinking about her.


    I should have been.


    I hold her now and find myself at that part again when I know the moment I ept what I feel for her, it will make or break me.


    It¡¯s the first time in my life where I actually don¡¯t know what to do.


    She¡¯s my enemy¡¯s daughter.


    Loving her is wrong. But she feels like the only good thing in my life.

 29

    Emelia


    It¡¯s raining.


    Not hard. Just a light spray that trickles over the cemetery.


    Massimo holds my hand as we walk across the pathway toward the gathering of mourners.


    We didn¡¯t go to the church service.


    Not knowing what was going to happen, we just came here. As I look ahead, I¡¯m grateful to have caught the coffin before they lowered Jacob into the ground.


    Like at my wedding, I scan the crowd looking for my father, but he¡¯s not here. I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s because he was told not toe. Maybe Helena, Jacob¡¯s mother, didn¡¯t want him here either. I don¡¯t know.


    The priest finishes a prayer when Helena sees meing. She freezes, her stare on me, causing everyone to look at Massimo and me.


    I have a single red rose in my hand that I want to give to my friend. I want to say goodbye properly. Then she won¡¯t see me again.


    I understand her grief and her pain. I understand that she¡¯s upset with me, but what I won¡¯t allow her to do is make me feel worse than I already do.


    I look at Massimo as he pulls me to a stop just ahead of the crowd.


    He dips his head, and a lock of hair falls over his eye. ¡°Out of respect, I¡¯ll keep my distance. I¡¯ll stand right here, and if anyone says anything to you, call me. You understand?¡± he says with a hardened gaze that flicks between me and the family.


    ¡°I understand¡­ Thanks foring with me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    He releases my hand, and I continue the rest of the way. I head straight up to Helena, but Bill, Jacob¡¯s father, steps forward, probably gearing up to ask me to leave.


    ¡°Emelia-¡± he says, but I stop him. I shake my head firmly and stare him down.


    ¡°No, do not tell me to leave. Don¡¯t do it. All of you.¡± I look at each member of Jacob¡¯s immediate family and some of his cousins, aunts, and uncles I know. ¡°All of you know me. You¡¯ve known me since I was born, and you know how close I was to Jacob. You know I should be here. You can¡¯t tell me to leave.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡± Helena points to Massimo. ¡°Are you going to say the same for him? Your husband?¡±


    It still feels so weird to think of Massimo as my husband, but it¡¯s the first time he feels like he is.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t kill Jacob, Helena. It doesn¡¯t matter what you believe though. He¡¯s here to support me, and I¡¯m here to say goodbye. I¡¯ll do that, and then I¡¯ll go. You¡¯ll never see me again.¡± It¡¯s hard to say such a thing to a woman who was close to me, like my own mother. But it¡¯s harder to have her look at me the way she is.


    Turning away from her, I face the glossy chestnut casket where my best friend wasid to rest forever. I never thought I would experience this day. Jacob had so much to live for. Gone far too soon.


    I walk right up to him andy the rose on top of the casket.


    ¡°Thank you for being my friend¡­ Thank you for being who you were. Thank you for being everything. I love you too,¡± I say and ce my hand on the cool surface of the wood.


    I stay like that for a few moments. Then it really hits me that he¡¯s gone. My legs start to shake, and I tremble.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    When warm fingers caress mine, I lift my head and find myself staring deep into Massimo¡¯s bright blue gaze.


    He covers my hand with his, giving me a gentle squeeze, and that¡¯s how I find the strength to walk. Walk away.


    The next two weeks follow, and I grieve by spending my days in the hall painting. I paint to forget, to cope, and to try and move on. It helped me when Mom died. When I paint, I escape, and I don¡¯t think about anything else. The images that fill my mind rece my worries and fears. This is the first time in my life when I¡¯ve had so much on my te.


    I¡¯ve been purposely avoiding thinking about my less-than-perfect rtionship with Massimo because it¡¯s too confusing right now.


    He¡¯s been nice to me, and nice is what I¡¯ve needed. My brain is trying to keep me grounded and my head screwed on. Although my heart misses the man it fell for. I¡¯m aware, though, that each day that passes gets stranger than thest.


    Today is Saturday again.


    It¡¯s a month since Massimo and I were married, and two months since we¡¯ve been in this arrangement.


    He leaves in the mornings, weekdays and weekends, and most days, he¡¯s home by dinnertime. As to where he goes during the day, I don¡¯t know. It could be work, as in D¡¯Agostinos, the strip club, or something more dangerous. He never says. Though I can¡¯t imagine that he could receive a warning of danger without doing anything about it. He said he would keep me safe. That was all I needed to know.


    At night, we lie next to each other until we fall asleep.


    That¡¯s the routine we¡¯ve fallen into. We don¡¯t even kiss anymore. All that steam and wild sexual energy we shared before the wedding is gone. Not that I had time to think about sex with everything that¡¯s happened with Jacob.


    In the periods of time when I¡¯ve allowed myself to think, I contemted what must have happened to Jacob. What he saw and heard that he shouldn¡¯t have. What more could have happened?


    Today, Massimo left a little earlier than usual, so I decided to change up my routine and spend the day on the beach reading one of the thriller novels I was going to read in Florence.


    Every time since the fundraiser when I¡¯ve gone to the beach, I¡¯ve thought of my conversation with Dad and making that escape. Every time. In the back of my mind, I¡¯ve been waiting for that moment Candace suggested. The right time. The moment when I knew I¡¯d earned Massimo¡¯s trust.


    I think I have it now. I am at the point where he trusts me.


    Thest two weeks have seen that change I was waiting for. Since the funeral, Massimo has eased up on the constant supervision. Maybe it was just as simple as him thinking I needed time to myself to breathe and to heal without having someone always looking over my shoulder. That small change, however, could mean a clear path to leave. A clear path to get to the cave, take the boat, and escape.


    I¡¯ve been out here today for six hours. Only once someone hase to check on me. That was Prici with some lunch. Just her. No guards.


    Unlike all the times I¡¯vee out here before, when the thought of escaping crossed my mind today, I didn¡¯t know if I could it do it.


    I didn¡¯t know if I could leave Massimo. I didn¡¯t know if I could betray him like that, or my heart.


    Things are different from when Candace put the idea in my head. I¡¯m different. It would have actually been easier to run away when we first talked about it than to wait it out the way I have. Doing so changed me.


    Massimo and I have this continuous up and down cycle. We¡¯re back and forward, and he changes like the wind. My heart, however, clings to something it wants from him. Something I only feel with him.


    I finish reading my novel and head back inside when it gets dark. Covered in sand, I start taking off my clothes when I step into the room.


    I don¡¯t see Massimo until hees out of the walk-in closet and startles me. Instinct makes me reach for the beach towel to cover my nakedness.


    With my hand at my heart, I try to calm my breathing.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were in here,¡± I say, feeling foolish. This is his room. He¡¯s usually home by now, except he¡¯d be in his office or the study, on the phone, making business calls.


    A sensual smile slides across his lips as he gives me a once-over that makes my nerves scatter and tingle with heat. ¡°That a problem? Whenst I checked, it shouldn¡¯t be. This is our room, after all.¡±


    Our room¡­ It¡¯s a nice thought.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not a problem. I was just going to shower,¡± I reply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll join you,¡± he answers, stepping forward.


    When he walks up to me and stops a breath away, he feels like the Massimo I¡¯m used to. He definitely bes himself when he tugs the towel away from my body, revealing my nakedness.


    He looks me over with appreciation. My cheeks burn. I haven¡¯t been naked in front of him in over a month.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go,¡± he says, then, with on hand on my ass, he ushers me into the bathroom, where he takes his clothes off and we both step into the shower.


    With the water on a light spray and his arms ced on either side of me, it feels like I¡¯ve stepped back in time to the people we were weeks ago.


    I gaze up at him as he stares at me like he¡¯s expecting something.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± I say, barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Waiting.¡±


    ¡°Waiting for what?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    I narrow my eyes, not understanding. ¡°What do you mean? Why are we waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°Emelia, I won¡¯t be with you when you have another man on your mind. When I kiss you, you¡¯re kissing me. When I¡¯m inside you, I want you to be thinking of me only. So¡­ we¡¯re waiting on you, Princesca.¡± The words roll off his tongue.


    When he leans forward and looms before me, I feel it. That wild sexual energy that always consumes me when I¡¯m with him floods me, and I¡¯m paralyzed by the need and desire.


    I reach forward and lightly run my finger over the tattoo of the angel inked on his heart.


    I trace the outline of the wings and trail down to his navel, lingering by the fine dark hair of his happy trail.


    He touches my cheek and turns his smile up a notch. ¡°You want me.¡±


    I hold his gaze. ¡°Do you want me?¡±


    ¡°Always¡­ I always want to fuck you.¡±


    He moves forward to kiss me, but I turn my face away, causing his lips to brush my cheek. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever done that, and it surprises him.


    He catches my face, holds me tight so I can¡¯t look away, and presses me into the wall, pushing his cock into my belly.


    ¡°What? I can¡¯t know what you¡¯re mad at me for if you don¡¯t tell me. What are you pissed at me for today?¡±


    ¡°How often do you go to the strip club?¡± I ask. I already know it pisses him off when I talk like this, but he¡¯s right. I¡¯m still pissed that he even owns a strip club, and that he goes there.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go back there,¡± I answer and steel my spine, readying myself for some crude remark about me being jealous, or some shit he¡¯ll say to hurt me. I¡¯m definitely surprised when he releases his hold on me and chuckles.


    ¡°I gave it away weeks ago,¡± he answers, surprising me further.


    ¡°What? You gave it away? You-¡±


    He steals my words with a heart-stopping kiss. The type of heart-stopping, bone-tingling kisses we used to share. The one we didn¡¯t had on our wedding day. I missed those. I missed his lips crushing mine the way they are now, devouring me, like he wants to take me whole.


    ¡°Mrs. D¡¯Agostino, just shut up and let me fuck you,¡± he groans, and I nod.


    He slides his fingers inside my pussy, checking if I¡¯m ready for him. I am. I¡¯m always ready for him. He smiles when he feels his way around my passage and pulls his fingers out to lick off my juices.


    Greedily, he lifts my leg, takes hold of his cock, and drives into my pussy, plunging in deep. So deep I gasp and grab his shoulders.


    He fills me uppletely with his thickness, and my body yields to him. I savor that feeling of him being inside me, and I know from the satisfied look on his face that he can see that I do.


    My muscles squeeze around his cock from the intense pleasure when he starts pumping into me. Slow then fast and faster, and oh. My. God.


    I arch my back and scream his name.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, amore mio, scream. Scream my name because only I can make you feel like this,¡± he groans, pounding into me. ¡°Only I can fuck you like this because I know exactly what you need.¡±


    He does. That¡¯s why he knows to pick me up so I can wrap my legs around his waist. Fucking me in this position reaches every inch of my body, sizzling my nerves with fire. It burns, it scorches, it incinerates. It wipes my brain clean of everything that isn¡¯t this wild man before me who¡¯s shaken my world in so many ways.


    Time freezes, and all I feel is passion and pleasure, desire and carnal, primal need that drives us to take all we can from each other. He smiles wide when I start to move against him too and we crash back into the other side of the wall, tearing down the shower curtains. Something smashes and breaks. We don¡¯t know what it is.


    We don¡¯t care what it is.


    Then it¡¯s like we both go crazy on each other. I remembering harder than I ever have, then us leaving the bathroom and heading to the bedroom. Night turns to day. Then we switch from sleep to fucking until it¡¯s night again.


    We¡¯re so engrossed in each other that the next few days pass while we barely eat or sleep. I get to a point where I almost believe we could be like this forever, and I have a hard time believing we weren¡¯t like this before. I have a hard time believing that his lips weren¡¯t always touching mine and I lived my life for neen years without my body touching his.


    I don¡¯t know what day it is when I eventually conk out into a deep sleep where my body feels heavy, like I¡¯m sinking into a state of blissful pleasure. Then a buzzing sound wakes me. It sounds far away, but as Ie to, I realize it¡¯s not that far.


    I open my eyes and momentarily forget where I am, but I see a phone buzzing on the nightstand. It¡¯s dark, pitch ck outside, and I hear Massimo inside the bathroom.


    Instinct must make me reach for the phone believing it¡¯s mine, although I haven¡¯t slept with my phone nearby in months and the person who would have contacted me at this hour is now dead.


    I¡¯m about to put the phone back when I realize it¡¯s Massimo¡¯s. I almost feel afraid for him to catch me with it, but what stops me from all but throwing it far from me is the preview of the text that¡¯s juste through.


    It¡¯s from Gabrie.


    A stone drops in my stomach when I see her name, but fury flies through me when I read the preview.


    My pussy misses you. Come to my ce, and we can fuck for the rest of the night. I¡¯m sure that girl can¡¯t be pleasuring you the way I can. See youter x


    That¡¯s what the message says. This bitch knows we¡¯ve been married for over a month and thinks it¡¯s appropriate to message my husband this.


    Under normal circumstances, I¡¯d call her. I¡¯d call her and tell her to delete his number and never call again. I can¡¯t do that, though, because she must be messaging him because she thinks it¡¯s okay.


    His footsteps echo off the bathroom floor. I set the phone back down quickly, falling back onto the pillow, pretending to be asleep.


    He walks in, and the phone buzzes again. This time it¡¯s ringing, but it¡¯s on silent. He picks it up and answers it.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way,¡± he says in a low voice, careful not to wake me. I press down hard on my back teeth to keep myself from screaming.


    He¡¯s going to see her.


    Fuck.


    He¡¯s actually going to see her.


    He walks out of the room, and when the door closes, I open my eyes and wonder what the hell I¡¯m supposed to do.

 30

    Massimo


    Emelia is thest thing I should have on my mind right now as I walk down the alleyway leading to the chamber. That¡¯s what we call it.


    It¡¯s the ce where we question people.


    Question? That¡¯s a mild way to put it since most people we question don¡¯t make it out alive. In fact, I can¡¯t remember whenst that happened.


    My brothers found a guy who¡¯s been working with d.


    They have this fucker now chained to a wall, waiting for me to interrogate him since he has decided he¡¯s not talking. I¡¯m here to make him talk or pay with his life. We¡¯ll see about defiance when I get there.


    It¡¯s going to be one of those difficult nights, so I need to put my mind in the right frame.


    I continue down the alley, my gun in my side pocket, at the ready in case some wiseguy thinks he can take me out.


    Most don¡¯t mess with me when they see me, and most stay clear of this area, gangsters and mobsters alike. They know it belongs to us.


    I get to the door and steel my spine when Dominic steps out from the shadows. It was he who called me toe down here.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I say.


    ¡°Massimo, this fucker is one crazy son of a bitch. Tried to gouge my fucking eyes out with a knife.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°Fuck. You alright?¡± I still think of him as my kid brother, but he can more than take care of himself.


    He nods. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, bro. Let¡¯s do this.¡±


    We continue down the path and head down into the basement. Above is a bookie office we own.


    It¡¯s busier during the day. At this time of night, we have just one guard on site by the front entrance. Tonight, we have three, just in case any shit happens.


    I push open the metal door, and Dominic and I walk into the room, where our guest is indeed chained to the wall. He¡¯s been beaten badly. Tristan is standing in front of him, sharpening my knives.


    The fucker on the wall is a fat balding asshole with two missing teeth. I don¡¯t know if that came from his encounter with my brothers, or if he already looked like that when he got here. It doesn¡¯t matter to me either way. Missing teeth will be thest of his problems when I finish with him.


    ¡°Knives are ready, Boss,¡± Tristan says with a dark smile.


    I tip my head. ¡°Wonderful, now on to business,¡± I state, looking back at my guest. ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°Yev Lobochev,¡± Dominic replies. ¡°Age thirty-seven, although he looks like shit. He¡¯s from Russia, of the Pelov Brotherhood, or so he used to be until he joined the Circle of Shadows.¡±


    ¡°Motherfucker!¡± Yev shouts at Dominic.


    I answer him with a kick to his stomach, which makes him howl with pain.


    ¡°Speak when you are spoken to,¡± I hiss and eye him sharply. I look back to Tristan and hold out my hand. He passes me two knives. Throwing knives. I have a set of ten. Usually, on the tenth the victim dies, but by then, I have the intel I need.


    I focus on Yev, and the room goes quiet.


    Clearing my throat, I move a few paces forward, keeping my gaze trained on this fucker the whole time. I don¡¯t even blink.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Tell me, Yev, where is d,¡± I demand.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± he snarls. ¡°I¡¯m not fucking telling you shit. You can go fuck yourselves, all of you.¡±


    That¡¯s it. My patience is gone. I throw one knife into his thigh. He screams, howling like a wild animal trapped in a snare.


    A wild animal I would show mercy. I have none for him.


    As blood pours from his thigh, Yev looks back at me like he can¡¯t believe what I just did.


    Just as he¡¯s about to catch his breath, I throw the second knife into his other leg. Not only does the motherfucker scream louder than before, he pisses himself. Piss trails down his leg and runs onto the floor, pooling around his shoes.


    ¡°Fuck, man,¡± Dominic says with a chuckle, looking at Yev with disgust.


    ¡°If you shit yourself, you¡¯re dead,¡± I tell Yev. ¡°I will put a bullet in your fucking head if I even smell anything more than the stench of your piss.¡±


    My tone and my words are hard, and I get the desired effect when he starts to tremble. From the sneer on his face, though, I know I don¡¯t have him where I need him to be just yet.


    ¡°You animal, I will not tell you anything.¡±


    That¡¯s what I thought. I put my hand out, and Tristan passes me two more knives. I send both into Yev¡¯s left arm. He heaves like he¡¯s going to vomit after the screams and cries of agony.


    ¡°Ready to talk yet?¡± I taunt. ¡°We can do this all night. I don¡¯t mind, and neither do my brothers. We¡¯ll be here until you draw yourst miserable breath if we have to. Know why? d is an enemy to us. He¡¯s killed our loved ones, and I¡¯m pretty sure he killed my best guy, Pierbo.¡±


    Yev wrenches and the chains clink. He looks like shit and worse for being covered in blood.


    ¡°Ready to talk, Yev?¡± I ask, readying to throw another knife. I¡¯m aiming for his stomach. He sees that and starts sputtering.


    ¡°Wait, please¡­ no more,¡± he wails. More tears seep out of his eyes. ¡°Please. I was just hired to set up someputers for a job. Surveince. That¡¯s what I do.¡±


    ¡°What kind of job?¡± I demand, holding the knife out to slice him up.


    ¡°d is working with Rardo Balesteri,¡± he blurts. My eyes nearly pop out of my head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Rardo Balesteri has been working with him. They want to take down the syndicate.¡±


    I look at Tristan because he¡¯s the closest to me, then Dominic. Both look shocked.


    ¡°You¡¯re certain of this?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Rardo wants to take down the syndicate? Holy fuck. What the fuck?


    I recall what Jacob said. He mentioned a n. d was going toe for me when the n waspleted. Fucking Rardo. They¡¯ve been working together on this n. A n to take out the syndicate. I don¡¯t know anybody who¡¯s sessfully gone up against the Syndicate and managed to take any of the members out. They¡¯re practically invincible. Then again, so are the Circle of Shadows. No one¡¯s ever enlisted them to take out the Syndicate before.


    How the fuck did Rardo manage to do it? They don¡¯t work with Italians. They¡¯re Bratva.


    I push past the shock in my mind and try to focus. I need to get everything I can from this fucker.


    ¡°What is he nning?¡± I ask.


    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for some important transaction to take ce, then they¡¯ll unleash the n.¡±


    ¡°What transaction?¡± That could anything. They have transactions taking ce daily. Everything from million-dor to billion-dor deals in drugs or diamonds, or some other shit.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is,¡± Yev rasps.


    Fucking Rardo. Damn him. This goes right back to all that money he owed. I should have guessed he would be up to shit.


    What the hell is he up to?


    Yev starts tough. ¡°Look at you, caught in a. I hope d wipes you out. Maybe take that pretty little wife you have and fuck her while you watch. Maybe chop off her head too, like thest girl. Pretty girl. She begged for her life before he killed her. What was her name? Alyssa?¡±


    I pull my gun and fire one bullet, getting to him before Tristan can. The bullet lodges right between his eyes, and blood stters all over me.


    Four more bullets echo next to me, leaving my brother¡¯s gun. Tristan shoots, firing one bullet after another until the life leaves Yev¡¯s body and all that¡¯s left is a bloody mash-up of blood and gore.


    Fuck, he was one of the guys who took Alyssa, and he was talking about my wife. I understand Tristan¡¯s pain now more than ever. I understand his loss. I understand how he must me himself because neither he nor I could stop them from taking Alyssa.


    They killed her because she married him.


    I don¡¯t realize I¡¯m shaking, seething with rage with the gun in my hand, until Dominic rests his hand on my shoulder.


    I look at him and grit my teeth.


    ¡°Focus,¡± he says, but I can see the storm brewing in his eyes. ¡°We need to focus.¡±


    Shit. How can I focus after hearing that? I try because I have to.


    I turn to Tristan, who lowers his gun.


    ¡°I need to cool off,¡± he says and walks out. I allow him to go. He needs to walk off his distress. We watch him go.


    ¡°I have to contact the syndicate,¡± I say. I¡¯ll call Pa first. ¡°I need to find out what transaction d is waiting on.¡±


    ¡°I can look into that and see what I can find out,¡± Dominic says.


    ¡°Thank you, brother.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Try not to worry about Emelia,¡± he tells me.


    If anyone can see straight through me, it¡¯s him. He has a way of seeing past my hard exterior. That¡¯s why he needed to be my consigliere. Even if it¡¯s just to calm me the fuck down.


    I won¡¯t allow anything to happen to Emelia.


    Once again, Daddy Dearest strikes.


    Pa has been going over the Syndicate creed of protocols and policies. I think of them and know straightaway what the fucker is up to.


    You keep what you kill. The Syndicate has a protocol called Code Ten. It¡¯s a way of preserving the wealth umted and keeping it within the group.


    It provides that when one member dies, the remaining members receive their shares and wealth. Ten percent of yearly earnings are put into the Syndicate funds That currently stands at five hundred billion. That¡¯s just the money side of it. There is also the value of services and business specialties the group owns together. If Rardo wiped out the Syndicate and was thest man standing, the fucker would get everything.


    We screwed with him, but little did we know he must have been nning this shit for a while. When his cartel deal went bust and we shit all over his ns, that must have really pissed him off.


    Now I know what¡¯s going on.


    He wants to kill us all. Me included. And take everything.


    That will be how he gets his daughter back.

 31

    Massimo


    Matteo¡¯s hands tense as he gazes down at the image of did out on his office table. He looks enraged


    It¡¯s the image we got from Pierbo¡¯s camera.


    Pa and I are sitting before him, waiting for him to say something. We¡¯ve just filled him in on what¡¯s happening.


    He looks up and aims a cold stare at Pa.


    ¡°I have no idea what transaction he¡¯s waiting on,¡± he states. ¡°It could be anything. There are a number of things happening over the next few weeks that amount in the billion-dor region. Obviously, though, he must wish to enact Code Ten. Kill us fucking dead and take everything.¡±


    Pa nods. ¡°Yes, it could only be that.¡±


    Phillipe looks at me now, then back at Pa. ¡°What is going on between you and Rardo? I¡¯m asking as a friend, Gio.¡±


    Pa nces at me. I don¡¯t know what to do here. We¡¯ve aplished our own mission, but what will it mean? It could mean all kinds of shit.


    ¡°As your friend, I will tell you that I¡¯m not at liberty to discuss that. As my friend, I will expect you to respect my wishes and those of my son.¡±


    Phillipe gives him an exasperated sigh. ¡°Fucking hell, Gio, shit has always been brewing between you and Rardo. Something happened between you two recently. Something to make him give up his voting rights in the Syndicate and his daughter. That¡¯s one hell of debt repayment. You have more dirt on him. More than this with this madman from the circle of Shadows. Dirt you definitely weren¡¯t supposed to stumble over. I think it¡¯s to do with the syndicate.¡±


    ¡°We signed in blood, and I¡¯m a man of honor. I am not at liberty to tell you anything. I took care of the shit, and this is new shit you have hanging over your head,¡± Pa tells him firmly, homing in on his old self as boss.


    ¡°So, what should I do? My allegiance is to the syndicate. Just for this shit I should rmend the blood death to the Brotherhood.¡±


    I bolt to my feet. Pa has to hold me back. He knows I¡¯m about knock Matteo¡¯s teeth down his throat or kill his ass. Blood death means killing Rardo and his family. He means to kill Emelia. That¡¯s who they would start with.


    ¡°Fucking bastard, you leave my wife out of this. Leave her the fuck out of this!¡± I shout.


    Matteo¡¯s face softens somewhat when he sees my response.


    ¡°If you even think of hurting my wife, I¡¯ll slit your throat right where you stand, and you won¡¯t get the fucking chance to rmend shit to anybody,¡± I threaten. Pa tightens his grip on my arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t have to tell you anything. I could have taken my family and fled. I could have run away with my girl like a motherfucker and leave you to die.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He stands too and dips his head. ¡°My apologies,¡± he says and cuts Pa a nce. ¡°I won¡¯t ask again about the feud between you and Rardo, and I won¡¯t rmend the blood death. I am, however, rmending death to him. So, he¡¯ll get the chance toe and plea his innocence if he chooses to ept the chance.¡±


    Pa releases me, and I clench my jaw. Death to Rardo is better than being uninitiated. I don¡¯t care about him. He deserves everything he gets. The Syndicate are ruthless bastards. That invitation he¡¯s talking about basically means death by firing squad.


    ¡°You think Rardo will juste to a meeting he knows he¡¯ll most likely die at?¡±


    ¡°No, so we¡¯ll be looking for him. I think it goes without saying that we¡¯re all in danger until we figure out what transaction he¡¯s waiting for. So, we¡¯ll be looking for him, and when we find him, we¡¯ll lock him up and then give him the chance to talk.¡±


    ¡°He could pull this off, couldn¡¯t he? He must think he can.¡±


    ¡°The significant thing about the Shadows is that they always have help and you never know who¡¯s helping them,¡± Phillipe answers. His pale blue eyes look even paler. ¡°They are enemies who have allies you may be close to you, and you would never know until it is toote. We are powerful, but even the mighty can fall. I¡¯ll get the best men working on it. I suggest you do the same. More hands, less work.¡±


    I already have my best man working. Dominic.


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll check back in when we can,¡± Pa says.


    Phillipe nods and we leave. I¡¯m the first to go through the door. When we get outside, I throw a fist in the wall.


    ¡°Son¡­ calm down,¡± Pa says.


    I turn to face him. ¡°Pa, I don¡¯t fucking trust him. What if he doese for her?¡±


    ¡°We have to protect against everyone and all eventualities. I don¡¯t think he will. He¡¯s just pissed we won¡¯t tell him what Rardo did initially. If we do, it¡¯s death to us too. No question about it. When I found out Rardo was stealing from them, I should have reported it, but I decided to screw with him.¡±


    ¡°We, not just you. Now that it¡¯s done, I can¡¯t feel the redemption I sought.¡± I shake my head at him.


    ¡°I know. Don¡¯t let it get to you. Go home to your wife and cool off. You¡¯ve been back and forth for hours.¡±


    I sigh. I¡¯m fucking exhausted, but I don¡¯t think I can rest until I have some n in motion. I saw Emelia earlier. She could tell something was up with me. I hate being around her when I feel like this.


    ¡°Pa, I¡¯m sick of this shit with Rardo. I don¡¯t know how he got a man like Alexei in on this.¡±


    ¡°Eventually, all things will reveal themselves.¡± He dips his head. ¡°Keep your ears to the ground, Massimo.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Onest look at me, and he head to his car.


    I jump on my motorcycle and ride home, wanting to see my girl. All I want to do for the rest of the day is spend time with her. Then I¡¯ll get back on track tomorrow. Maybe Dominic will have found something. Thank God, I have Andreas holding the fort at thepany. I can¡¯t do business when I¡¯m like this.


    I get home. I¡¯m about to make my way upstairs when the sound of ice clinking against crystal has my head turning.


    Gabrie stands in the doorway of the sitting room. The broad smile on her face suggests she¡¯s here to cause trouble. What she¡¯s wearing does too-a little kimono-and I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s naked under it.


    ¡°Hello, lover,¡± she says with a smile.

 32

    Emelia


    I¡¯ve been on edge sincest night. And¡­ conflicted.


    I¡¯m a mess. Massimo came home in the early hours of the morning. I had to put on that stupid act, like everything was okay, when all I wanted to ask him was where he¡¯d been all night.


    We had breakfast together, then he left for work with the promise to be in and out of the house today.


    Needing to be alone, I stayed in the room to gather my thoughts. I¡¯ve been thinking of how I¡¯m going to talk to him about Gabrie. I can¡¯t think of anything that won¡¯t cause a really bad argument.


    And realistically, what am I arguing for?


    I shouldn¡¯t have to stay with a man who leaves my bed in the middle of the night to go to another woman¡¯s.


    I sit in the room for hours, contemting what to do, trying to calm my anger. Deciding to head down for lunch, I make my way downstairs. When I walk past the sitting room, I hear raised voices. It sounds like Massimo, and¡­ a woman?


    I wouldn¡¯t normally stop, but the door is ajar, and hearing a woman talking has my nerves spiked and my curiosity piqued.


    Who is he talking to?


    I divert my path and walk closer to the door so I can peek in.


    My damn heart squeezes when I see her. Gabrie.


    It¡¯s her, with her luscious blond waves, wearing what looks like a kimono.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this shit, Gabrie,¡± Massimo says to her. He takes a seat. In his hands is arge man envelope.


    ¡°You used to make time for me.¡± Her voice sounds exactly how I thought it would sound. Sugary and slick. Seductive. ¡°You used to always make time for me, Massimo D¡¯Agostino. I¡¯m just reminding you that all work and no y is never a good thing. We used to y a lot. Remember the hours of fucking in the hot tub in Switzend?¡±


    I bite down so hard on my lip I swear I¡¯ve pierced the skin. My back teeth press down so tight I think they might break.


    ¡°Gabrie, like I said, I don¡¯t have time.¡±


    That¡¯s all he¡¯s saying. Any man who was truly mine would send her packing. They¡¯d throw her out. Fuck. They would even say something as simple as I¡¯m a married man. Not him though. Not him. Because he¡¯s not mine. He never was.


    He¡¯s just my husband on paper. Business.


    God. I¡¯ve been so stupid. Dad said I¡¯d eventually just be a thing in the house. He was right.


    ¡°Make time,¡± she coos with seduction, and as her kimono floats down her back, revealing her nakedness, my mouth falls open.


    When she walks over to him and sits on hisp and he does nothing to get her off him, an uncontroble tear slides down my cheek and my heart shatters.


    I back away from the door and fight the tears that threaten toe. I will not stay in this house another minute. I¡¯m leaving now. I¡¯m leaving right now. Rushing back up the stairs, I return to the bedroom and get my phone to call Dad.


    He answers on the first ring, unusual for him. He¡¯s always in a meeting or something business rted. Answering shows he must have been waiting on me, waiting desperately.


    ¡°Dad, I need toe now,¡± I blurt, trying to hold the emotion in. ¡°I need to escape now.¡±


    ¡°Emelia, stay calm. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°No, I need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay, tell me what side of the beach the boat is on.¡±


    ¡°The south side.¡±


    He sighs. It sounds like he¡¯s relieved. ¡°Okay, we need to get this right. We have one shot. Go now, and I¡¯ll send someone to get you. Just try to be okay once you get on the water. Call me again if you can, but go now. They¡¯ll wait if they don¡¯t see you, but they won¡¯t wait for too long.¡±


    I nod even though he can¡¯t see me. ¡°I¡¯ll go now. Thanks, Dad. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, sweet girl. I love you with all my heart. Go now, quickly,¡± he says and hangs up.


    I won¡¯t take anything other than the phone. Massimo has a door leading out to the beach, so I leave through it.


    I walk down the steps on the terrace and head down the sandy path, walking like I¡¯m just enjoying the weather, like I usually do. There aren¡¯t any guards around, but there will be someone on surveince watching this part of the beach. I walk along and pretend I¡¯m picking up shells until I reach the camera Candace told me about. The one that¡¯s not working.


    The cave is just ahead of me. I start to run when I get past the camera. I have to walk in the sea a little, and the water is rough. I pray I¡¯ll be okay once I get out on the open sea. Earlier, it looked like a storm was brewing. The angry gray clouds rumbling in the sky do nothing to calm me, especially knowing the waters are dangerous.


    I rush past boulders and try to focus, pushing aside the sight of Massimo with that woman. I can just imagine what he¡¯s doing with her now. I saw what she looked like. I can¡¯t imagine him saying no to her, and why would he? For me?


    I¡¯m a fool.


    I push and ssh as I enter the cave. There¡¯s a little dock. Moored there is the rowboat, and a massive speedboat in front of it. I know nothing about boats, but the speedboat would make me feel a lot safer. It¡¯s not like I have much choice though. Candace said even if I could get the thing started, Massimo has a security system on the boat he can control from inside the house.


    I rush down the dock and exert extreme caution when I step into the boat. It rocks from side to side on the water, making me unsteady. I almost fall. Luckily, I stable myself. I look at therge wooden oars, take a deep breath of courage, and unhook the ropes holding the boat in ce. As soon as I do, the boat drifts away, pulling out with the current, which is quite strong.


    As I drift, I think of what I¡¯m doing. Escaping. I¡¯m doing it. I¡¯m actually doing it.


    God¡­


    I¡¯m leaving my husband. The man I was forced to marry. Forced? It feels weird to think of it being forced now, given all that I¡¯ve done with him and the way I felt. I loved him. The sad thought hits me. I fell in love with him. It was the stupidest thing I could have ever done.


    I can¡¯t think of that now. It¡¯s my fault my heart is shattered. My grandmother used to say that a snake will always be a snake, no matter what you do. Shame on you if the snake tells you it¡¯s going to hurt you, yet you refuse to believe it. Massimo warned me. He told me he was the big, bad wolf. The devil. That I shouldn¡¯t want him. He told me don¡¯t. That don¡¯t was in reference to everything. Look what he did today with that woman.


    I gather my strength and start rowing. I¡¯ve never done this before. It looks much simpler in the movies. Granted, it looked a lot easier when I¡¯ve seen people rowing on the river as opposed to the sea. What I think of as I pull out from the cave and row out to sea is Titanic.


    Huge waves roll toward me, fueled by the oing storm. The boat lifts high. I yelp when water sshes inside the boat and rocks it so hard I think it¡¯s going to capsize.


    I row hard, but it¡¯s like trying to move concrete. It¡¯s not working. I¡¯m not strong enough. Ahead of me, another wave flows toward me. It¡¯s what Jacob would call a surfer wave.


    Ites for me, and I row hard, As it ps the boat, I fall and drop one of the oars. It¡¯s gone. I made the mistake of looking and nearly fell over the side. I have one paddle now, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be able to do what two paddles would do.


    The angry sea takes me further out as the water turns fiercer. I can¡¯t imagine Massimo using this boat on these rough waters.


    Jesus, it¡¯s too rough. The boat rocks hard from side to side, carried by the waves. Whatever I do with the remaining paddle counts for shit. Water soaks me, and I start to cry. I can¡¯t see anybodying for me.


    Dad, where are you?


    Jesus, where is Dad?


    I nce back to the entrance of the cave when another wave hits me. I¡¯m shocked that I can barely see it. I didn¡¯t realize I was that far away.


    I¡¯m so far away, and the waters are getting more turbulent. Another high-rise wave rolls toward me. I scream when it hits the boat so hard it twists me right around and makes me feel sick, like I¡¯m going to vomit.


    More waves areing, higher and stronger looking than thest. So high they seem to touch the sky.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to make it.

 33

    Massimo


    God, I don¡¯t have time for this.


    Arguing about fucking shit.


    I¡¯ve never met a more stubborn woman. It¡¯s because I know her why I¡¯m sparing the time to have this fucking argument.


    I¡¯m not violent toward women. It¡¯s not my way, but fuck, this woman has me all riled up in ways I can¡¯t describe.


    It took all of ten minutes just for me to get her fucking clothes back on.


    ¡°Something is wrong with you,¡± she snaps at me, setting her hands on her hips.


    ¡°What? What the fuck could be wrong with me? I told you we can¡¯t y this game anymore,¡± I retort. I¡¯m loud and I know I could be causing a scene. What I¡¯m mindful of is Emeliaing in here after hearing the argument and seeing Gabrie.


    I know what Gabrie is like. If that happened, she¡¯d find some way to make Emelia feel bad about shit.


    ¡°Massimo, you¡¯re saying this because of the marriage. It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s an arranged marriage to conquer an enemy. You and I are more than that. Look how many years we¡¯ve been together,¡± she says, giving me an incredulous re, like I should see her point.


    The thing is, I do see it. If I had been with anybody, it should have been her. We¡¯ve been screwing around the way we have for thest ten years.


    I look at her and \ know she can see what everyone else who¡¯s close to me in is seeing when ites to Emelia. Some show me respect. Some keep quiet. She wants to ruin it.


    I fucking hate being forced to do anything. I¡¯m not ready to ept whatever it is I feel for Emelia, but being backed into a corner with a naked woman on myp I used to fuck on the regr woke me up in a massive way.


    Gabrie came here and tried to seduce me again, and I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t do shit because I want Emelia. I want my wife. If that is who I want, I have to tell Gabrie straight that she¡¯s to stop this shit.


    ¡°Listen to me,¡± I say, walking up to her. I get close, real close. So close I see the tremble in her skin she tries to hide. She¡¯s always been afraid of me, never knowing if I just might snap if she pushes me the wrong way. Today came damn close. ¡°Listen to me, Gabrie, and listen well. Today is thest day you do this. You are not toe back here, and you are not to message me about shit again. You are not toe anywhere near me or try to pull shit like you did today ever again.¡±


    She can no longer hide the shaking. Her eyes brim with tears, but I know she won¡¯t cry. She¡¯s not a crier. It¡¯s not that she¡¯s strong. She just doesn¡¯t want to reveal that vulnerability.


    ¡°Right. So, this is it? The end of us.¡± Her voice quivers.


    ¡°We ended when you thought it was a good idea to jump in bed with Senator Braxton. That was it for me. We ended a long time ago.¡± That is the truth and more emotion than I would normally reveal. It tells her I was hurt by what she did.


    ¡°You will never love her. You loved me.¡±


    ¡°Just go.¡± I can¡¯t talk about this anymore.


    She cuts me a crude nce, gathers her purse, and storms out at the same time Tristan and Dominic walk into the sitting room. She almost bumps into Tristan as she makes her exit, heels clicking.


    Dominic¡¯s eyes widen, and Tristan gives me a look of disproval. From what Gabrie was wearing it was obvious she was naked under that kimono.


    ¡°Massimo, did you?¡± Tristan asks, pointing after the empty trail Gabrie left. Dominic looks on curiously.


    ¡°No, these women are driving me fucking crazy,¡± I seethe.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re about to go crazier,¡± Dominic says, chewing on the side of his lip.


    He has news. More pieces of the puzzle.


    ¡°Hit me with it,¡± I say.


    ¡°I hacked, and from what I could see, I think they¡¯re waiting on a shipment of diamonds that¡¯s supposed toe in the next three days. It has to be that. It¡¯s blood diamonds worth a shit load of money. There was references to Africa and mines in emails I saw between him and d. They have a deal. I¡¯m still looking into it, but I wanted to give you the heads-up.¡±


    Fucking fuck. I grit my teeth. Diamonds.


    Before I can open my mouth, the door opens, and Prisci rushes in. She knows never to interrupt when it looks like I¡¯m in business meetings. But I¡¯m not about to talk down to a woman who¡¯s like a mother to me.


    ¡°Massimo, we can¡¯t find Emelia. She was supposed toe down to lunch. She didn¡¯t. We¡¯ve been looking around. The cameras show her on the beach, but then she just disappears.¡±


    My blood runs cold, and my throat goes dry


    ¡°What? What do you mean, disappear? She couldn¡¯t just disappear. The cameras should pick everything up.¡±


    ¡°Where on the beach was she?¡± Tristan asks. ¡°Did she go in the sea?¡±


    Oh my God. What if she did?


    Ma¡¯s cold dead eyese to my mind. Would Emelia do that? Go in the sea and die? If they can¡¯t find her and she was on the beach, there¡¯s only one ce she could have gone. She doesn¡¯t know about the cave. I made sure no one told her. So, what happened?


    ¡°She was just walking on the beach picking up shells. She didn¡¯t look herself,¡± Prici says.


    ¡°How long ago did the camera pick that up?¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°And nothing more?¡± I ask. My fucking voice waivers. This is my fault.


    Prisci shakes her head.


    ¡°I think I know where she went,¡± Candace says, stepping forward. Her face is ghostly pale, her eyes heavy with sadness.


    ¡°Where?¡± I ball my fists.


    ¡°The cave. She would have taken the rowboat. The cameras don¡¯t work on that side of the beach,¡± she confesses. I re back at her. Candace is a woman I trust nearly as much as my brothers.


    ¡°The cameras don¡¯t work?¡± I bark. I wasn¡¯t aware of that, but clearly, security has been keeping things from me. Someone will die tonight.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°And how did Emelia know about the cameras and the boat?¡± I¡¯ve guessed it, but I want to hear it for myself. From her lips. How she helped Emelia escape. So clever to betray my trust.


    ¡°I told her.¡±


    I roar, and she starts crying. I lunge for her. Tristan and Dominic grab me.


    ¡°Massimo, there¡¯s a storming, and Emelia isn¡¯t a strong swimmer,¡± Prisci says quickly. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine a young woman rowing a boat on the sea the way it is. And to where? Where is she going? She won¡¯t survive water like that.¡±


    Panic and terror already have me moving. I don¡¯t care why she left, or how she left, or who helped her leave. Fuck, I don¡¯t even care if she does manage to escape. I just don¡¯t want her to die.


    I run with everything inside me. It¡¯s not until I get outside that I realize Dominic and Tristan are following me. We rush across the terrace and down the beach to the cave. The rowboat is indeed gone. It confirms that part of the puzzle. She took it.


    We jump into the speedboat, and I shove the keys in the ignition. Once we pull out, I instantly see how turbulent the sea is. I usually take the rowboat out on calmer waters to fish. I would never venture out to these types of waters in that boat, not with the sea wild like it is.


    Tristan grabs a pair of binocrs while Dominic starts looking around at the ropes and other things I have stashed under the dashboard.


    ¡°Can you see her?¡± I ask Tristan.


    ¡°No,¡± he answers.


    I¡¯m trying to calcte the timing. Prisci said she was seen twenty minutes ago on the beach. So, maybe she¡¯s been out here for at least thirty minutes, give or take. My guess is as good as shit, though, because it doesn¡¯t count for anything.


    I don¡¯t know how long she¡¯s been out here. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m toote. If she¡¯s thirty minutes ahead of us, then she¡¯s far away. I speed faster and faster.


    ¡°Massimo!¡± Tristan cries. ¡°Over there. Look!¡± he points, and I see. I see the boat rocking on the water.


    ¡°There¡¯s another boating,¡± Dominic states. He points further out to speedboat heading toward Emelia. There¡¯s no mistake it¡¯s going for her. It¡¯s going to crash into her.


    I elerate and get the boat going as fast as I can. When we get closer, I see her crying inside the rowboat. She doesn¡¯t appear to have any oars. I¡¯m not surprised. The boat rocks violently on the waves, and water sshes inside.


    Dominic starts waving a g to the other boat to warn them of a hazard ahead so they can turn, but they keeping. They keeping fast, and they¡¯re heading straight for her.


    They get close, then a fucking bullet whizzes by my ear.


    ¡°Holy fuck!¡± I shout.


    ¡°Fucking hell, this is some kind of n,¡± Tristan cries, grabbing his gun. As the boat gets closer, as do we, I see the guy who¡¯s shooting at us. He¡¯s a bulky-looking Russian guy. Who I see next, though, emerging from the cockpit with a shotgun has my blood turning hot and cold at the same time. It¡¯s d!


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Tristan gasps and starts shooting back.


    Emelia screams. She¡¯s in the middle of this and could get caught in the crossfire.


    d¡¯s boat gets closer to her. He has men readying themselves to get her. Tristan manages to shoot two of them, and they fall into the water. d dodges the bullets but goes to the side to get her while two men cover him by shooting back at us.


    I don¡¯t want him to touch her. I don¡¯t even want him to look at her. The panic has stalled my mind. My brain can¡¯t function right now to process what this means. I just know that if he gets her, she¡¯s dead. I just know.


    When a twenty-foot wave bounds down on her and the boat flips over, I die a thousand deaths.


    ¡°Fuck, Massimo, get her! We¡¯ll handle them and cover you!¡± Dominic shouts.


    I kick off my shoes and jump into the water. As I dive in, all I hear around me is bullets flying and the water pping against my body.


    I push, swimming forward like I have lightning attached to my feet, my arms forward, slicing through the water.


    I catch a glimpse of dark brown velvet hair and speed that way. She¡¯s right at the bottom amongst jagged rock trying to push up, but she can¡¯t. I could breathe fire when I see her foot is mped between the rocks and she can¡¯t get out.


    I swim to her. She¡¯s doing the worst thing she could do by screaming. As the water fills up her lungs, she reaches out to me.


    I head for the rocks and try to free her foot, but she¡¯s mped in like a fucking vice. She must have pushed the rocks out of ce. Her feet are so small that it slipped right in. I kick at the rocks but stop when her body stills. Swimming back up to her, I see her eyes go wide as I grab her and shake my head. All she does is stare at me. Her eyes remind me of that deathly terrified look I saw on my mother¡¯s face. Her lips move. I make out an M. Then she stops.


    No.


    I can¡¯t let this happen.


    Even if I have to break her foot, I will do this.


    I push back down, feeling lightheaded because I should have alreadye back up for air and haven¡¯t.


    One kick to the rocks makes them crumble, but her foot is still stuck. I do the only thing I can think of doing and throw myself into her. It¡¯s then shees free. Grabbing her, I push back up to the surface and swim with her to my boat. And I pray. I can¡¯t remember thest time I did. I can¡¯t remember thest time I thought of God, but I do now as I swim back with my love.


    The bullets have stopped flying, but I can¡¯t think of what¡¯s happening outside the cold, still body of the woman I¡¯m carrying in my arms.


    Tristan lowers himself over the side and reaches for my hand. He takes hold of me. Horror fills his eyes when he sees Emelia.


    We get up on the boat, and Iy her down, positioning her to clear her airway, then check her to see if she¡¯s breathing. She¡¯s not. She¡¯s not fucking breathing, and there¡¯s no pulse either. Fuck. This can¡¯t happen. Not to her. I can¡¯t allow her to die.


    Panic and adrenaline force me to focus on what I need to do. I snap into action, press my lips to hers, and give her five breaths to try and resuscitate her.


    When nothing happens and she¡¯s still not breathing, I start CPR immediately.


    I do thepressions and rescue breaths, yet still nothing happens. One minute passes, then two, and I¡¯ve done two sets.


    I count and I breathe into her mouth, and I press on her tiny chest, willing her toe back to me.


    I count and I breathe, and I press, but nothing happens. She won¡¯t move. She¡¯s not moving.


    In my mind¡¯s eye I remember the time we spent together after the dinner at Pa¡¯s house. Weughed and I carried her down the road as we talked. That was the most normal we¡¯d been. We were just a guy and a girl talking. She wanted to know about me. Then, before the night ended, I did what I always do and fucked things up.


    Can¡¯t we go on a real date?


    I hear her ask in my mind as her lifeless eyes stare back at me and a tear tracks down my cheek.


    ¡°Come back to me,¡± I wail.


    ¡°Massimo,¡± Tristan says, resting his hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, leave me!¡± I shout, shoving his hand away. He¡¯s messing this up. I can¡¯t let her go. I won¡¯t stop trying to pull her back from where she¡¯s gone. I won¡¯t. I can¡¯t be toote. I can¡¯t be toote.


    I pump and I breathe into her lips, but I stop and keep my trembling lips against her. Love flows through me. I don¡¯t want to deny it. I don¡¯t want to fight it. I don¡¯t want to fight that I love her. I have from the moment I saw her.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    That¡¯s what this is about. I love her, and I can¡¯t let her go.


    ¡°Emelia,e back to me!¡± I shout and press down so hard I think I¡¯ve broken her.


    A gasp leaves her body. Whates next is water sputtering from her mouth. She brings it up, all of it, and starts breathing. I think past the haze in my mind and flip her onto her side so she can bring all the water up.


    When she finishes and is coughing, I reach for her and hold her in my arms. I hold her like I never want to let her go while she grabs my shirt. The fucking tearse. I remember thest time tears left my eyes.


    I was twelve. It was just after I found Ma.

 34

    MassimoN?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    We get her back to the house and call the family doc, who can be here on my word. Hees quickly and tends to her.


    Emelia keeps looking at me with fear in her eyes. We haven¡¯t spoken.


    No one has said anything to me because I look like I¡¯m going to snap.


    I know what happened. I know now what shit must have been concocted. The answer is the one-worded answer that has long since gued my mind. Rardo.


    The pale-blue-eyed devil.


    Motherfucker.


    If we hadn¡¯t seen Yev and heard that d and Rardo were in cahoots, I would have thought this was something else.


    And¡­ how did she get everything together so quickly? Her fucking phone.


    Betrayal.


    I¡¯ve killed for less than this, but this woman has my heart and my love. But she doesn¡¯t know that. She doesn¡¯t know I would never hurt her. That I can¡¯t.


    Doc continues to check her out, but she looks at me as tears roll down her cheeks. I have to walk out when I see that. I can¡¯t stay. I have one more thing to attend to, and it¡¯s not going to be nice. I walk past Tristan and Dominic in the hall. They both rush to me when they see me turn the corner and must know I¡¯m heading for Candace¡¯s room.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Tristan says, grabbing my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking hurt her, Massimo.¡±


    He shakes his head. Dominic res at me too, his eyes pleading with me.


    ¡°She betrayed me, and look what could have happened,¡± I snap.


    ¡°It¡¯s Candace,¡± Dominic hisses. Instantly, I think of the painting Ma made of the five of us ying in the meadow.


    Us four brothers and the little girl who used to y with us. We treated her like a sister.


    ¡°Calm down, Massimo,¡± Tristan says. I wrench my arm free of his grasp.


    They won¡¯t do more than that. Out of respect, they won¡¯t do shit because I¡¯m boss, and regardless of who and what we are, they know what crossing me as boss could mean.


    I head down to the room and all but break the door to get inside.


    She¡¯s sitting on the bed with her head hanging down, hands in herp. She hasn¡¯t flinched from my rage.


    ¡°How dare you do this to me?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Just kill me,¡± she says. ¡°Just kill me. I won¡¯t speak to you like this, so I won¡¯t speak at all.¡±


    She raises her head, stands up, and walks up to me.


    ¡°Go on, Ruthless Prince, take out your gun and end me. It would be easier if you did that. It¡¯s always easy if a stranger takes your life over someone you know.¡±


    My hands are fisted at my sides.


    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids,¡± I bark.


    ¡°And yet I don¡¯t recognize you. I look at you, and I don¡¯t know you. I don¡¯t know this version of you, who you¡¯ve be. You¡¯re not the boy I used to y with in the meadows. You¡¯re not the boy who promised to take care of me after my family was killed. So, please just kill me. Don¡¯t I already owe you my life? So, take it.¡± As thest word leaves her lips, her eyes water.


    She looks at me like she really thinks I¡¯m going to do it. The look is expected, and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m not, but her words halt me.


    Her family was killed. She would be dead too if I hadn¡¯t killed the fiend who came to kill her mother and father.


    She was fifteen years old when it happened. I came in and saved her before he could rape and kill her. He was my first kill. I chopped his head off when I saw him on top of her naked body. Her mothery just across from her, half burned, and her father with his head paces away from his body. Somebody put a hit on their family. We¡¯ve never been able to find out who it was.


    She¡¯s the oldest friend I have. To hear her say she doesn¡¯t know me grips me to the core.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± I hear myself say.


    ¡°Because what you did was wrong. Regardless of what you feel for Emelia, you went after Rardo through his daughter. You held her captive like an animal locked in her room. She didn¡¯t deserve that. She was innocent in your game of vengeance, and I couldn¡¯t stand by and allow her to not have a choice,¡± she answers.


    I gaze back at her and press my lips together.


    She¡¯s¡­ right.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know when she was going to do it, and I don¡¯t know why she chose today. We spoke about it months ago,¡± Candace adds.


    I harden my stare on Candace. I need to do something. I need to punish her. As I look at her, though, I feel the same way as my brothers do when ites to her. She¡¯s like family to us.


    ¡°How did you know about the cameras?¡± I ask. She knows that question means I¡¯ll be drawing blood tonight.


    She shakes her head. ¡°Kill me, Massimo. Kill me instead.¡±


    I grab her and catch her face, holding it so tight my nails dig into her skin.


    ¡°Fuck you. I can¡¯t kill you. I love you like a sister. Candace¡­ if you don¡¯t answer my question, I¡¯ll kill the whole security team. Forty men dead because you won¡¯t give me a name. Or was it two?¡±


    The tearse now. I know it can only be a minimum of two of my guys. Manni is my right-hand man, and Jake takes care of the cameras. The men watch the house and have a strict rota to keep things tight. That¡¯s why people like the Shadows can¡¯t just walk onto my property without a big fight.


    ¡°Please¡­ don¡¯t make me,¡± she begs. ¡°We were just seeing each other, and it¡¯s over. I was never supposed to tell anybody. We¡¯d sneak out to the cave.¡±


    As she says that, I know who it is, and I feel like a bastard for it.


    Manni. It¡¯s him. I remember the way he looked at her.


    I release her, but she knows I¡¯m not stupid and I know exactly who¡¯s to me.


    ¡°No, Massimo, please,¡± she cries.


    Reaching for my phone, I storm out of her room and call Manni. She runs after me, trying to grab my arm. Every time she touches me, I wrench my arm free of her grasp.


    Manni answers the phone.


    ¡°Yes, Boss,¡± he says.


    ¡°Get here now. Get to the main floor right the fuck now,¡± I demand and pull my gun from my back pocket. When Candace sees it, she screams and starts crying harder. Manni would have heard her.


    ¡°Yes, Boss, I¡¯m on the way.¡± At least the prick has the sense to sound wary. He should.


    I bound forward down the stairs. Candace follows. Her cries have everyone¡¯s attention. Priscies out of the kitchen, and Tristan and Dominice rushing down the other set of stairs, panic on their faces.


    I zero in on the one fucker I want as he walks in through the door. Manni stops in the foyer when he sees me, his face pale, his body tense.


    I walk up to him andnd my fist straight in his face, knocking him to the ground. Before he can right himself, I aim my gun at him and cock the hammer.


    ¡°You fucking prick. I hire you for a job, and you screw with me,¡± I roar.


    When he sees Candace, he knows what the fuck I¡¯m talking about.


    ¡°Massimo, please, don¡¯t kill him,¡± she begs.


    I can¡¯t listen to her. I can¡¯t look at her. All I see in my mind is Emelia lifeless in my arms.


    She could have died. That¡¯s the fucking bottom line. She could have died.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry. I should have had the camera¡¯s fixed. I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±


    Rage makes me shoot the Ming vase by the door. It shatters. I hate when people use that excuse. They didn¡¯t mean to. Of course, he did. If he didn¡¯t mean to do it, then he wouldn¡¯t have done that shit to me knowing the risk.


    When I aim the gun at him again, Candace throws herself on top of him. I look at them both and seethe.


    ¡°Massimo, no, please.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Candace. There is always trouble. Remember d? Remember how he killed Alyssa?¡± I shout at her.


    She knows the past, so she remembers well.


    ¡°That¡¯s who came for Emelia today. Him. He¡¯s working with Rardo. The cameras are for our protection. I can¡¯t be everywhere, and I can¡¯t keep my arms around everyone to protect them from shit. Something as simple as a fucking camera not working and me not knowing for fuck knows how long could have changed the tide of what happened today.¡± I¡¯m shaking as I speak.


    ¡°I know. I know,¡± she answers. ¡°But this is my fault. I could have told you about the camera too. I shouldn¡¯t have told Emelia anything. I shouldn¡¯t have. Manni didn¡¯t do it. It was me, and I promised him I wouldn¡¯t say anything. You can¡¯t kill him for something I did just because you can¡¯t kill me. If you do, you¡¯ll be no better than those monsters. Please¡­¡±


    I narrow my eyes and press down hard on my teeth.


    I¡¯m not a fucking monster. Her words get to me. They get me good. My finger loosens on the trigger.


    Footsteps sound behind me, and I turn to see my father. I didn¡¯t even know he was here. He shakes his head, and I lower the gun.


    Returning my focus to Candace and Manni, I straighten.


    ¡°Get up,¡± I tell both of them.


    They do as I say.


    ¡°Manni, get the hell off my property. Get the fuck off and don¡¯te back. You better hope I never see you again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Massimo-¡± I hold up my hand, cutting him off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to hear it. It counts for shit. I trusted you, and you know my trust is hard toe by.¡± I look at Candace too when I say that. I¡¯m including her in that because she¡¯s right.


    She shouldn¡¯t have told Emelia anything. She knows how dangerous those waters are.


    Manni leaves. Candace looks at me, expecting me to throw her out too. However, the same way I couldn¡¯t kill her, I can¡¯t kick her out.


    With that, I leave everyone.


    I need to be by myself for a little while to cool off.


    I still haven¡¯t spoken to the person I need to speak to most.


    Emelia.


    It¡¯ste¡­


    I must have been in the study for quite a few hours now. It¡¯s gettingter with each passing second, and I¡¯m still unable to bring myself to see Emelia.


    I don¡¯t want to talk to her feeling this way. The sting of betrayal and fear is too fresh.


    I want to know what happened, why she suddenly decided to do this today. I¡¯m afraid of the answer though. Things have always been shit, but more shit since Jacob¡¯s death.


    Was she nning this all along? It had to be a n, since the only time she could have seen her father and spoken to him was at the fundraiser. Unless she called him.


    God, I need another drink.


    I walk to the drink cab, grab a ss from the little shelf, and toss some ice in from the mini fridge. I pour myself some scotch and knock it back as soon as I swivel it around in the ss and get it chilled.


    A knock sounds on the door. Dominices in. He has that look again. I bite the inside of my lip when I see he¡¯s carrying another envelope.


    ¡°What now? What more?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I found more paperwork. The diamonds are for the Circle as a group. Rardo ns to give the Shadows forty percent of the wealth he¡¯ll get from the Syndicate resources. But this is how he enticed d in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Just have a look, Massimo.¡± He walks up to me and hands me the envelope.


    I set the ss down and open it. I¡¯m getting tired of opening envelopes with bad news. This one, though, is the mother of bad news. I look at the first page and my heart stops when I read over the first few lines. Pieces of the fucking puzzle areing together. Now I know exactly why fucking d thought I stole something from him. Enraged I look back to Dominic.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± I rasp.


    ¡°Massimo, you know me,¡± he answers. ¡°That¡¯s just one more piece of the puzzle falling into ce. I guess we know now all that Rardo was up to and how he enticed d to help him. The man has an affinity for young women with brown hair and brown eyes. Rardo had ns for Emelia too. Big ns.¡±


    My mouth goes dry. ¡°Fuck,¡± I hiss and move past him.


    It¡¯s time to see Emelia and show her exactly the kind of devil her father is.

 35

    Emelia


    I¡¯ve been waiting for Massimo. It¡¯s been hours. The doctor left a while ago, so I expected him toe and dole out his punishment.


    My mind told he me would, but then I remember him saving me.


    He called me back from the dead. I heard him.


    I remember the man who cried as he held me. His heart beating so close to my ear speaking of love.


    Then we got back here, and it was like I entered the Twilight Zone. Everything felt abstract and surreal. Things have been happening around me, and yet I don¡¯t quite know what.


    What I¡¯m certain of is that Massimo is furious. I just don¡¯t know what he¡¯s done with that fury. He would have known that either Candace or Prisci told me about the boat, and since I¡¯ve seen Prisci twice in thest few hours but no sign of Candace, I¡¯m inclined to believe he knows it was her. I just pray he didn¡¯t do anything to her.


    I¡¯ve been in here going crazy with worry, my mind all over the ce. I haven¡¯t even thought of the fact that I¡¯m alive. I¡¯m alive, yet the n went to hell. Dad sent those men to get me. They were shooting at Massimo and his brothers. People died. I never expected that to happen. I¡¯m sure Dad must know by now that we failed.


    I recognized one guy. His name was d. I met him at the charity ball. Dad introduced him as an investor.


    The door smashes open, and I jump with fright, leaping off the bed.


    Massimo stands before me like a raving lunatic, eyes red and face blotchy. Rage and fear are all over his face.


    I¡¯ve never seen him look afraid until today as he held me. This is worse.


    ¡°Tell me what happened. Tell me everything. And don¡¯t you dare lie to me.¡± He raises his right hand and balls it into a tight fist. In his left is an envelope. ¡°Skip the parts about Candace. I know that part. She¡¯s already filled me in.¡±


    I start to shake.


    ¡°Talk, Emelia, tell me what happened!¡± he demands. ¡°Things were good between us, then you suddenly decided to do this today?¡±


    ¡°I saw you with Gabrie. She was sitting on yourp in the sitting room. Naked.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything with her.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t push her away either. And what aboutst night? Where were you? I saw the message she sent you telling you to go to her, and you went.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. Fuck, Emelia, fucking hell. I think I¡¯ve proven to you more than once that I will only tell you the truth. I didn¡¯t see her until today. I would never cheat on you.¡± His gaze clings to mine and he grits his teeth. ¡°I threw her out and made sure she knew to never try anything like that with me again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know what to think¡­¡± I manage, but rage still fills his stare.


    ¡°Tell me what your father had to do with this. You called him.¡±


    ¡°At the fundraiser, he said he was trying to get me back and that I shouldn¡¯t trust you. He said you would never love me. Then I saw you today with Gabrie. I thought he was right.¡±


    He runs his hand through his hair and shakes it. ¡°Well, Emelia, it¡¯s time I give you got a rude awakening on who your father truly is. I will tell you exactly who that man you¡¯re calling father is.¡±


    I tense right up, my body so rigid I can¡¯t breathe.


    ¡°When I was ten years old, your father stormed into my home with his men and threw us out. No warning, no nothing. No time to pack a fucking bag. Dominic was six years old, practically a baby. As he clung to my mother¡¯s side, I watched your father tell his team to destroy everything inside the property and get everyone out. Us and all the people who worked for us. My father went broke overnight. Literally. Your father cleaned him out. Took everything and turned people who could have helped us against him. He threatened the others. If they helped us in any shape or form, they¡¯d die. Them and their families. That is who your father is.¡± He tightens his fist and continues spewing out the vile words of a man I don¡¯t recognize. Dad said he did things he wasn¡¯t proud of, but this is awful.


    ¡°For years, we struggled just to have a ce to live. Everywhere my father went, no one would help him, and you know why? It was because your father was in love with my mother and she wouldn¡¯t choose him. That¡¯s why. Then it ended with her death. He dealt hisst blow when he held a gun to my head at my mother¡¯s funeral. I was twelve years old, Emelia. I was standing a breath away from my mother¡¯s grave. We¡¯d just buried her, and your father came to the cemetery and thought he should do that to me. Threaten to kill me and my whole family. How can you do that to a twelve-year-old?¡±


    My cheeks burn, and my hands fly up to them. I pant as I try to catch my breath.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± I breathe.


    ¡°That¡¯s the summary of me. How about we skip to you. He only took you to that charity ball with him because he wanted to sell you. It¡¯s the kind of ball where you do things like that, in a covert way, to secure a business deal. A business marriage.¡±


    I continue shaking my head. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Did you meet anyone at the ball?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes¡­ the man on the boat today who was shooting at you.¡± I feel sick, and Massimo looks worse for wear.


    He gives me a crudeugh. ¡°Your father is one nasty piece of work. But please, do not take my word for it. After all, you can¡¯t trust me, remember? He told you not to trust me. Don¡¯t trust me. Trust yourself. Trust what your eyes can see.¡±


    He pushes out the document to me to take. I walk to him and reach for it.


    I don¡¯t actually have the strength to do that, but good old curiosity moves me to see what I¡¯m supposed to see.


    I look at the document and can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m reading.


    It¡¯s a contract for sale.


    Sale of me.


    It says


    This Sales Agreement is entered into on November 17th, 2018 by and between Rardo Balesteri (the ¡°Seller¡±) and d (the ¡°Buyer¡±) to agree the sale of Emelia Balesteri for


    $30 million dors.


    Terms of contract


    The Parties agree as follows:


    Emelia will be delivered to your residence in Florence, Italy, on July 10th,, 2019.


    Emelia will join the other women in the brothel and conduct all services requested by your clients. Her body will belong to you to do as you choose.


    You agree that she will be able to go to art school when she isn¡¯t required to work for you¡­


    I stop reading. I can¡¯t read any more.


    At the bottom is my father¡¯s signature, with two nk spaces next to it. A space for me to sign, and another for d.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± I gasp, my hands shaking so much I drop the contract.


    ¡°d would have only wanted you in his brothel to rece one of the women he killed, Emelia. You know what he does to women?¡± I wish he wouldn¡¯t tell me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me.¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°You need to hear this. He rapes, and he tortures, and he makes you beg for death. When he gets his eye on a prize, he doesn¡¯t stop until he gets what he wants, and it¡¯s all for fun. That¡¯s what he did to Tristan¡¯s wife. Then he thought it would be funny to send him her head in a box with a note and her wedding ring.¡±


    I cry out from the horror.


    ¡°Your father sent him today to get you to fulfill the fucking contract. That¡¯s who your father is, Emelia. I¡­ I won¡¯t get my girl¡¯s head in a box.¡± It¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve seen him cry.


    I wouldn¡¯t believe it if I weren¡¯t looking at the tear rolling down his cheek and nestle in his beard.


    I wouldn¡¯t believe it. But I¡¯m so overwhelmed by what I just heard and read that I can¡¯t stop crying.


    Bile rises in my stomach. I run to the bathroom. I heave and start throwing up. My poor body wrenches forward, and everything I ate since I got back from the boates up.


    Massimo follows me. Takes hold of me and holds my hair back.


    I start crying hard while he holds me.


    This horror truly is a nightmare. Dad was going to sell me to this man, and there I was, angry at him because he sold me to Massimo.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Massimo says. I look up at him, trying to see him through tears.


    My legs give, and I crumble to the floor in a flood of tears.


    Massimo keeps holding me as I cling to his shirt and hold him back.


    I kept asking myself who the monsters were in this story. This nightmare fairytale. I wanted to know so badly because I didn¡¯t know who to trust.


    The monster was the person I¡¯ve known my whole life.


    Dad.


    My father.


    He¡¯s the devil.


    I don¡¯t remember falling asleep. Orying on the bed.


    I¡¯m here, though, and the only light that¡¯sing through the window is that from the moon.


    Massimo is sitting by the window, shirtless, in just his boxers, staring outside. He looks like he¡¯s watching over the house, over me.


    I shuffle and see that I¡¯m naked. Since I can¡¯t remember taking my clothes off, I imagine he must have done it when I fell asleep. When I sit and pull the covers up to my breasts, he looks at me.


    ¡°Massimo,¡± I rasp.


    He walks toward me and gets in the bed.


    ¡°Go back to sleep, Princess,¡± he whispers, brushing his lips over mine.


    I feel so fragile, and I don¡¯t want to sleep anymore. I just want him.


    ¡°Can I just spend time with you?¡± I mutter.


    ¡°You went through a lot today. I nearly lost you. You need to rest.¡± Pain still lingers in his eyes, but his voice is gentle and it feels like I¡¯m talking to that part of him again that wants me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel tired anymore. You were looking out the window.¡±


    ¡°Just keeping an eye out,¡± he replies. I know he was watching for d.


    ¡°You think he¡¯lle back after what happened?¡±


    He takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°He will, won¡¯t he.¡± He made it sound like he would.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let him take you, Emelia. I won¡¯t let anybody take you, not even death. I¡¯ll keep holding on. I¡¯m stubborn that way. They¡¯d have to pry you from my cold dead fingers to try and take you from me. Or tie me up to try it.¡± He brushes his finger over my cheek. Warmth spreads over my heart.


    ¡°You¡¯d do all that for me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my wife.¡± He offers me a weak smile that shows his exhaustion. ¡°You are mine. My girl.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry for everything, for all that my father did to you, and for betraying you.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°You can¡¯t apologize for your father, Emelia. You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then I apologize for me. My part yesterday. I saw Gabrie, and I just lost it,¡± I answer, but I think it¡¯s time to be honest. ¡°Before I saw her, when I first got here, I was nning it. I stopped after we got closer¡­ then, when I saw my father at the fundraiser and he said you¡¯d never love me, I believed him.¡±


    He reaches forward and cups my face. As he lowers to my lips, I move toward him too. Our lips meet for a kiss that seeps into my veins and heats my blood. It flows through my body, and for the first time, I feel alive.


    I¡¯m alive, and every inch of me awakens when he starts touching me. He runs his fingers over my breasts. We fall back onto the pillow, into the heat of passion and that primal force that alwayses for us.


    We kiss hard, with the emotions that weigh in heavily on us. It feels like he¡¯s tasting me. The way he touches me and kisses my body is a mixture of need and longing. Sweet and strong, soft and hard. Lovingly and ravenous. Ravenous, like he¡¯s hungry for me and craves me. I crave him too. I need him too. Want him too.


    Need and want are on the same level in this moment. His lips nip the hard bud of my clit. His tongue thrashes up inside my pussy as he eats me out.


    I moan,ing on his face when he pushes into me. He rises, taking my arm to bring me forward.


    ¡°Get on your hands and knees and look in the mirror,¡± hemands. His voice is hard and demanding. Just like him.


    Arousal has my head spinning, but I do as he says. He switches on the light as I get on my hands and knees and turn toward the long mirror on the wall so I can see myself. My hair falls forward, and my breasts hang before me like pillows with the nipples hard and pebbled form his wild sucking.


    He gets behind me and takes his cock into his hands, pumping along the length. He does it so I can see him in the mirror. I look at him, beautiful and gorgeous, all male and muscle, pumping his cock while I submit on my hands and knees beside him.


    ¡°Remember, Emelia, trust what your eyes can see. People can tell you anything, but when you see it, you know. When you feel it, you can believe it. When you believe it without seeing it, you¡¯re unstoppable,¡± he says and grabs my hips.


    I manage to take a breath before he plunges in deep inside me. So deep I feel the length of his cock touch my soul-if such a thing were possible, that¡¯s how it would feel.


    He starts pumping into me, and I moan from the pleasure.


    I dip my head, but he growls. ¡°Look at us. Don¡¯t look away.¡±


    I listen and do as he says, watching him fuck me in the mirror. The sight makes my mouth water and sets my body ame with fire that scorches me all over.


    My breasts bounce with every thrust. My hair tangles, hanging before me like strands of silk. All I can see through the river of brown strands that flow before me is us. Me and Massimo.


    Then I see what he means. Us


    Us like this. It¡¯s the first time I truly feel like this wasn¡¯t about a contract.


    This is us as a couple, doing what we¡¯d do if it were just us and nothing else mattered.


    I see and I know.


    I feel and I know.

 36

    Massimo


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Pa asks


    ¡°Like shit,¡± I answer. ¡°Pa. How did you do it? How did you manage to take care of the family when we had so much shit happen to us? We¡¯re grown men now, and it¡¯s bad, but it must have been worse when we were kids.¡±


    He gives me a little smile. It¡¯s not one of humor though. It¡¯s the kind that attempts to reassure. There is nothing to smile about today.


    ¡°I had your mother. Always, even when she was no longer living. I carried her in my heart knowing what she¡¯d say and do when I needed her,¡± he answers and holds my gaze, studying me.


    He loved my mother dearly, never remarried, never even got close to anyone. It was maybe five years after Ma died that I saw him with a woman, and it was just a date. She seemed nice, but it didn¡¯tst. Nothing eversted. He always stopped anything from getting past that mark where anybody could get as close as my mother.


    ¡°Pa, everything is shit.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried as hell about all of this. I wish we¡¯d killed Rardo,¡± I say. Of course, the fucker is nowhere to be found.


    We got the update from Phillipe this morning. My guess is someone knew we got ahold of Yev and knew he¡¯d talk. Rardo would have gotten the heads-up and head for the hills. Add the failure of yesterday into the mix, and he would know for sure we want his head on a spike.


    ¡°Me too. I fear that our greed to watch him suffer meant that we didn¡¯t treat him the way we would if he were anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Pa, I¡¯m going to hunt those bastards down.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you, son,¡± he says. ¡°But take some time to think about strategy. We have that meeting with the Syndicate tomorrow. Take the day to cool off from yesterday and regroup.¡±


    Maybe he¡¯s right. I¡¯m too hyped up on emotion to concentrate.


    The door opens, and Andreas walks in. I¡¯m relieved to see him. He¡¯s been holding down the fort for me at work.


    ¡°You guys okay?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yeah, son. I¡¯m gonna leave you two to talk,¡± Pa says with a nod. ¡°Call me if you need me.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Pa walks toward Andreas, gives him a pat on his shoulder, and leaves us.


    Andreas sighs and looks me over in that big brotherly way that used to get on my nerves when we were kids.


    ¡°I¡¯m pissed at you for not calling me,¡± he says,es close to give me a one-shoulder hug, but I hold on for a little longer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Too much shit has happened, Andreas.¡±


    ¡°That why I should have been here, not pushing paper in the office. We have extra men. We have eyes everywhere, so try to rx,¡± he assures me.


    ¡°Thanks, Andreas, thanks for having my back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what brothers are for. Do you need me to do anything else?¡±


    An ideaes to my mind.


    I do need a break. I think Emelia does too.


    It¡¯s early enough to get away from here for the day.


    ¡°Could you be boss for the day? Just be boss. I just want to be Massimo D¡¯Agostino.¡±


    ¡°Massimo D¡¯Agostino is boss,¡± he replies.


    ¡°No, not that guy. I just want to be myself for today. Take a break from shit and return to the days when we used to appreciate the simple things in life.¡±


    I think he knows what I mean when he nods.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m starting in here. You have better bourbon than me, and Cheetos,¡± he jokes and ruffles my hair the way he used to when we were kids and I was much shorter than him.


    ¡°Knock yourself out.¡±


    He chuckles, and I head out to go back upstairs to Emelia.


    I get to the base of the stairs and stop when I see Candace. She packed a bag.


    Nerves fill her expression when she sees me, and when I walk up to her, her breathing stills.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask, looking at the bag.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ leaving,¡± she replies nervously. ¡°I thought I should leave. I know you won¡¯t ask me to, so I¡¯m taking the awkward decision out of your hands.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I tell her before she can continue. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave.¡±


    ¡°Massimo, I¡­ betrayed you. We both know if I were someone else, I¡¯d be very dead. Manni¡¯s alive because of me. You showedpassion because you knew what it would do to me. I really hurt you, and my actions could have resulted in much worse. I think I just need some time away. A break.¡±


    She¡¯s never been away from me.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Well, knowing me, my anxiety will make sure I don¡¯t go that far. I don¡¯t really know where I¡¯m going yet. I just think I need to get gone for a while.¡±


    ¡°For how long?¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Good luck with everything. I saw you. The way you were with Emelia yesterday. You proved me wrong. Take care of her. She¡¯se to be a friend to me.¡±


    She releases a little breath, stands on the tips of her toes, and nts a kiss on my cheek.


    I watch her leave, knowing she¡¯s right. We do need a break. I¡¯ll worry about her, but maybe it¡¯s best if she¡¯s away from the shit that¡¯s happening. I¡¯ll send someone to watch over her, just to be sure.


    I head to the bedroom. To Emelia. She¡¯s sitting by the window, gazing out.


    She gives me a little smile when she sees me, but it doesn¡¯t reach her eyes. Finding out the truth yesterday definitely took its toll on her.


    He father proved that whether it was to me or d, he was going to sell her anyway. Everything she knew was a lie. Everything she knew about her father was a lie.


    We keep finding out more shit. I can¡¯t help but feel there¡¯s still more. There always is.


    Not today though.


    I walk over to her, pull the chair from the dresser and sit on it backwards.


    ¡°You alright?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No¡­ but I¡¯m trying to be.¡±


    ¡°I will protect you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I feel like I need more than just protection though. My world fell apart in one breath when I saw that contract. What¡¯s happening now? I know you say you can¡¯t tell me certain things, but I need to know.¡±


    We always keep women out of business, but as I look at her, I feel I can¡¯t honor that. She does need to know.


    ¡°d is working with your father to bring down the syndicate. That was what Jacob was trying to warn us about. He didn¡¯t know about your father though. He didn¡¯t know the two were working together. I don¡¯t know what happened after I let Jacob go at the church, but the other night, when I went out, I got the confirmation they were working together.¡±


    Her face goes ghostly pale. God, this is what I mean about finding out more shit.


    She gasps. ¡°Oh my God. Massimo, do you think he had anything to do with Jacob¡¯s death?¡±


    I release a sharp sigh. ¡°Emelia, I don¡¯t know. I have no idea.¡± I won¡¯t tell her I suspect it. I won¡¯t tell her that I suspect big time now that maybe Jacob heard and saw too much again, and it got him killed. ¡°What I do know is that I have to take precautions and protect what¡¯s mine.¡±


    That means her as a priority, and anybody else who relies on me.


    ¡°What about the syndicate? You told them about my father¡¯s n.¡±


    I nod. She knows that means death.


    She¡¯s an angel. A being of purity. So, I expect the look of remorse that flickers in her eyes. I can¡¯t even be angry at her for it because that¡¯s who she is.


    I reach out for her hands, and she gives them to me.


    ¡°Things are going to be hard. I think we have some difficult times to face, some tough things toe our way, but¡­ we have each other. I want to take you away today.¡±


    A slight twinkle returns to her eyes. ¡°Away?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you know, like a normal couple. We¡¯re gonna go out, and we¡¯ll be gone for the night. Just you and me.¡±


    ¡°Really, Massimo?¡± She smiles.


    ¡°Yes, Princesca.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Stormy Creek¡­¡± I say the words. She smiles, but I get that wave of apprehension that always fills me when I think of the ce I grew up.


    After Ma¡¯s death, I never wanted to go back there. I wanted to leave the first chance we got, and when Pa was able to, we did. It was a long time after though. I was a year away from college.


    I hated the ce because of what it represented, and I only visit to tend to my mother¡¯s grave, yet it was home because she made it home.


    If there¡¯s anywhere I¡¯m going to find strength today, it¡¯s there.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll like it. It feels like home. Pack a bag. Let¡¯s leave as soon as possible.¡±

 37

    Emelia


    Massimo drove the convertible with the top down.


    As we sped along the freeway, I allowed myself to get sucked into the scenery and the time spent with him. Both helped with pushing yesterday from my mind.


    Though I can¡¯t quite forget, and when I think of what is toe and what other truths I might learn, my heart hurts. My soul quivers and my being quakes when I consider Dad having anything to do with Jacob¡¯s death.


    I know Massimo was holding back. When we spoke earlier, it felt like that day when he got angry after I told him he and my father were the same. Now I know why he was so furious.


    That day, though, he made me none the wiser about the truth of who Dad really is. What he would have known back then was enough to turn my stomach. The way Dad treated his family was unbelievable. All because he was in love with his mother.


    There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t mentioned, but I thought about it. About my mother. She would have been with my father during the time Massimo and his family lost everything, and when Massimo¡¯s mother died.


    My parents would have been married for five years at that point. To hear that Dad was in love with another woman and behaved that way because she wouldn¡¯t choose him shocked me. I must have been a toddler during that time. Or certainly during the earlier years, my mother would have been pregnant with me.


    I always thought my parents were in love with each other. That was a lie too. This man I¡¯vee to know as my father isn¡¯t the man I grew up with. He¡¯s not. He¡¯s evil. My world is different for knowing that.


    It took us a little under two hours to get to Stormy Creek. It¡¯s just past midday.


    Massimo verged onto a country road an hour ago, and we followed it all the way to the end. What we¡¯re approaching now is a cottage surrounded by a little bit ofnd, and a woond area that seems to lead to the creek. A river flows along our route that looks amazing.


    When we pull up in front of the cottage, I¡¯m surprised by the way it looks. It¡¯s so quaint and cozy. It looks like a home in a fairytale book. Like somewhere Snow White would live.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Massimo says. He draws in a breath and seems to savor the air.


    The air is different here. Pure and refreshing.


    ¡°This is beautiful.¡± I smile at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± He gets out of the car and opens the door for me.


    I watch him. He¡¯s different. He¡¯s not the ruthless mafia boss I¡¯vee to know. I get the feeling that this is the real him.


    He looks around the ce with a reminiscent expression. His lips press together, and a line etches in his jaw. Not one of tension, like I¡¯ve seen. It¡¯s looser, just an expression.


    When he looks at me, the strangest thing happens. I notice that he looks different too. It¡¯s his eyes. They twinkle like they do in his mother¡¯s painting. I recognize the boy she was trying to depict. The light showing appreciation shines in his eyes. It¡¯s more than happiness.


    It brightens when he reaches out and touches my cheek. He kisses me briefly, and when we part, I suddenly understand it all.


    That painting was a memory. A moment of happiness when they probably had nothing, but they had each other. I¡¯ve seen him with his brothers and his father, with Prisci and with Candace. If it¡¯s one thing I know, it¡¯s that this man takes care of the people in his life who are close to him. He values them.


    He¡¯s looking at me like that now. With that same twinkle in his eyes. It¡¯s a look that makes me feel foolish for thinking he would have done anything with Gabrie. A look like that can only speak of love.


    ¡°I see you,¡± he says, brushing his nose along mine.


    I smile. ¡°I see you too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Well, I¡¯ll let you see me here. All of me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re happy here,¡± I state. He nods.


    ¡°This was our home. Some other little houses used to be around, but they were damaged in a fire. It never spread to our house, but we had a shed, and that went. I bought thend and the cottage a few years back. I wanted to preserve the memory of the home my mother created.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s beautiful. All of this? You bought the whole ce?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Back then we used to pretend it belonged to us. Like one big yground full of adventure. The cottage was our base, the meadows, the river and caves by the creek a different adventure for different days.¡±


    ¡°That sounds amazing.¡±


    ¡°It was. Ma was amazing. She never once allowed us to slip into sorrow over what we lost. The house we lost should feel like home, but maybe it¡¯s because I felt like I grew up and became who I was here. Even when she wasn¡¯t around. She left the magic behind.¡±


    ¡°Magic,¡± I breathe.


    ¡°Magic. Emelia, today I want you to forget everything. All the bad parts. When we take the next step, I want you to leave everything that happened back in LA. It¡¯s not going anywhere, but we can leave it all behind for a day and enjoy being a couple. I can be your husband, and you can be my wife.¡± He lifts my hands and kisses my knuckles. ¡°Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I can. I can do it.¡±


    ¡°Great. So, wife¡­ I¡¯m gonna cook you lunch.¡±


    I giggle. I can¡¯t imagine him making a sandwich, let along cook. ¡°You¡¯re gonna cook? You? Boss?¡± Iugh. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯mughing.


    ¡°Yeah me, Mrs. Boss.¡±


    ¡°And we have food here?¡±


    ¡°We do. I have a custodian. I let him know we wereing by, and he got everything we need for today.¡±


    It¡¯s sounds great. I haven¡¯t seen much yet, but I wish we could stay longer.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you cook.¡±


    ¡°I promise you the best meal you¡¯ve ever had.¡± He intertwines our fingers and leads me toward the house.


    Massimo was right. He made me the best meal I¡¯ve ever had.


    Steak. I¡¯ve had some amazing steak in my life, but his was definitely the best, and the best meal too. He made me eat my words and impressed me further with an afternoon filled with talking andughing. With us.


    I couldn¡¯t believe that we spent the afternoon in such a way.


    To think that I might not have been here at all if he hadn¡¯t saved me yesterday hurts. But I¡¯m pretending that this is our life. In this version of us, we escape here for a break. We live in the gorgeous mansion on the beach ande here when we need a breather. In this version of us, he¡¯s been listening to me talk about art and Florence and what I would be learning at the ademia.


    In this version of us, I look at him and get lost in the beauty of him inside and out. I like it. It feels like this could be our future. Today it is.


    It¡¯s starts to get dark, which saddens me because I know tomorrow, we¡¯ll have to leave and return to the real world.


    We clear the table and unpack our stuff to getfortable for the night. We didn¡¯t bring a lot. Just enough to change our clothes. It all fit in a carry-on.


    ¡°One more thing to do before the sun goes down,¡± he says, tugging on my hand.


    ¡°What? What are we doing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see. This is the highlight of this trip.¡±


    I¡¯m intrigued to find out what it is because everything about this trip so far has been striking.


    Taking my hand again, he leads me away. We walk across the meadow and down to the river. I tense when I see a little rowboat as memories of yesterdaye rushing back to me. I don¡¯t know how I managed to stay alive when the boat capsized. It was the most horrible feeling. A moment of doom and helplessness in which I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to save myself.


    ¡°Are we going inside the boat?¡± I ask because it sure looks like we¡¯re heading that way.


    He smiles and slips his arm around me. ¡°We are, but don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll be in this boat with me, and we¡¯re going on the river. It¡¯s a lot calmer than the sea. Trust me, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    I believe him, so I nod. As we step into the boat, I hold on to his hand for dear life.


    ¡°Sit, you¡¯ll be okay,¡± he promises.


    I carefully lower to sit. The boat feels sturdy. He sits too and releases the boat from the dock. He rolls his sleeves up his thick forearms, and we set off down the river. As he rows with the oars, I see exactly how it¡¯s supposed to be done.


    It¡¯s vastly different from what I did yesterday.


    He rows with strength and surety. He makes it look easy. He chuckles when he sees me watching.


    ¡°You make it look like it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s not nothing. Years of practice. My father taught me to fish when I was a boy. He liked going out in the rowboat. He hates speedboats or sailboats. You wouldn¡¯t catch him in anything like that. Says it disrupts the water. If you want to catch fish, you do the least thing possible. You blend in. That way, you catch the best fish.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t refute his im, since he¡¯s always been right. That¡¯s why I had the rowboat. The sailboat I only take out when I want to go diving or just be out on the sea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lost your boat,¡± I say, raising my shoulders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It wasn¡¯t even a thought. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re okay and here. Not anywhere else.¡±


    Dead or alive. Although I think if d had gotten me, my life would be worse than death.


    ¡°Here¡­ this is where it happens.¡± He looks around as we drift deeper into the woods. It gets darker suddenly because the trees enclose the area.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see, but I suspect you¡¯ll see more than I do. My mom used to bring me and my brothers out here. Every time we came, she saw something different. I guess that¡¯s the way artists think.¡±


    I smile at that. I¡¯m about to say something when I see it. A flow of pink light ahead of us.


    It gets brighter and brighter as we approach, and I wonder what it could be.


    Momentster, I get my answer when I see a flock of mingos resting on either side of the riverbank. There are so many that the color they create together against the setting sunlight looks like a bask of pink light.


    It¡¯s not long before I¡¯m transported into a dark fantasy.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ this is beautiful,¡± I breathe. I can¡¯t resist the smile that fills my face and the warmth that covers my heart.


    ¡°Yeah. It is.¡± Massimo nods. ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°All kinds of things.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    I¡¯m touched that he wants to hear about the creativity that sparks my mind. I¡¯m intrigued that he wants to hear so much about me.


    As I talk, it feels like sharing pieces of my soul.

 38

    Massimo


    I listened to her talk.


    All day, I¡¯ve found the sound of her voice soothing. Hearing her talk about art and what she sees when she looks at the beautiful surroundings I shared with my mother calmed my soul.


    I¡¯m grateful we took this trip. I needed it.


    Night falls, and the pink light fades. The moonlight and stars take over the night, and we head back.


    I wouldn¡¯t normally be out sote on the river because the woods can attract all kinds of people. Today was an exception. There¡¯s only one person who knows we¡¯re here today, and that¡¯s Darius, my custodian.


    I didn¡¯t even tell Pa.


    I wanted today to be about Emelia and me, and I want tonight to be about us too.


    We get back to the riverbank, and I help her get out of the boat. I never expected it to start raining. It does when we¡¯re halfway back to the cottage, and by the time we reach the door, it¡¯s pouring. We run back inside, soaked. I¡¯m so wet my clothes cling to me and my hair slicks down my face.


    Emelia, on the other hand, looks like an erotic mermaid with her slick, wet hair and her white tank top clinging to her breasts. Completely see-through. Her rose-tipped nipples press against the fabric of her clothes, begging to be sucked, and the flowery scent of her arousal hardens my cock.


    She sees me looking at her, and I¡¯m pleased when she doesn¡¯t try to hide from me.


    Instead, she steps forward with a seductive look in her eyes that¡¯s sexy as fuck.


    She tugs on the edge of my shirt, pulling it from the waistband of my pants.


    ¡°Be careful, Princesca. You keep looking at me like that, and there¡¯s only one thing we¡¯ll be doing tonight.¡±


    ¡°As long as we don¡¯t just do it once.¡± She smiles. I cup her beautiful, beautiful face.


    ¡°When have I ever fucked you just once?¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°Never, I just don¡¯t want us to start tonight.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± I promise before I steal her next words with a kiss. I taste her sweetness. I want it all. I want her and everything that makes her, her.


    I run my fingers down her neck and over her elegant shoulders, trying tomit the feel of her to memory. When she tugs on my shirt again, the buttons pop and tter on the floorboards.


    When her fingers touch the bare skin on my abs, I know we won¡¯t make it upstairs to the bedroom.


    I move us into the kitchen and practically tear off her top and bra, leaving her in the little skirt that looks sexy as hell right now with her breasts on show and her hair wet.


    Shoving everything off the breakfast table, I pick her up and set her down like the rare, exotic meal I¡¯m getting ready to feast on.


    She is.


    She absolutely fucking is to me.


    ¡°Spread your legs wide for me, Mrs. D¡¯Agostino. Let me see your pretty pussy.¡±


    This woman has changed into one sexy goddess who¡¯ll have me eating out of the palms of her hands if I¡¯m not careful. When she gives me thatscivious smile again and spreads her legs, I nearly embarrass myself and blow my load .


    ¡°With pleasure, Mr. D¡¯Agostino,¡± the goddess says, then goes one step further by holding open her pussy lips for me.


    Holy fuck.


    Lust wipes my brain clean of everything. Need makes me greedy, selfish, so I dive in and feast on my girl, my wife.


    I lick over the sweet bud of her clit, listening to her moans and groans of wild pleasure. All from what I¡¯m doing to her. Me. I have hering undone in my arms, and she knows I want her. I see it as shees and her sweet nectar flows into my mouth. The knowledge that I want her shines in her eyes. The look intensifies as I drink and take everything until there¡¯s nothing left.


    With her juice on my lips, I kiss her so she can taste herself. She moans into my mouth.


    I¡¯ll have to y with her breastster. I need to be inside her. I¡¯ve been eager to get back in there. I need her now.


    Quickly, I strip out of my clothes, take my cock, and slide into her slick, wet opening.


    She gasps, setting her hands behind her on the table to take me. I hold her still to make sure she does because I¡¯m owning this pussy again tonight. Fuck damn, she feels so good. The sensation of being inside her heightens with this new sense of understanding that¡¯s between us.


    ¡°Massimo¡­ ahhh¡­¡± she moans.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you feel good,¡± I promise and start to fuck her.


    My mouth falls open and her eyes go wide, pleasure filling every inch of her face.


    Infernal heat cascades over me, making me drive into her harder, faster, furious. Fuck.


    My balls tighten painfully in response to the squeeze of her walls around my length. I try to hold on and control my movements so I canst longer, but she feels too good. Everything about her feels too good.


    Mercilessly, I pound into her until I reach my limit and my climaxes at the same time as hers. The table shakes, scratching against the floor as I blow into her and she screams. It¡¯s the most glorious sound I¡¯ve ever heard, yet I want to hear it again before the sunes up.


    I pull out of her, pick her up, and carry her upstairs, where we fall into that cycle we got lost in nights ago. I¡¯m mindful of sharing this one perfect night with my beauty.


    We don¡¯t sleep; we just indulge on each other. As the sun rises, I watch her as that feeling overwhelms me again. I see her. I see who she is, and I don¡¯t feel scared anymore by what I feel for her.


    The sun bathes her in its bright light as her whiskey-colored eyes stare back at me.


    Suddenly I get it. I get love. I understand the risk and what my father meant when he said he carried my mother in his heart.


    That¡¯s where Emelia is for me. She found her way there all by herself, found the key and unlocked the door to a cold heart that¡¯s been closed ever since that day I found my mother in the river.


    ¡°I see you,¡± Emelia says, touching my face.


    ¡°Because¡­ I love you,¡± I answer. It feels so easy to say.


    Shock suffuses her pretty face and her eyes go wide. She looks at me in disbelief at first. Soft strands of silk fall onto the pillow as she straightens and eases herself up onto her elbows to stare at me, lips parted.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± she replies, and I swear to God they¡¯re the best four words I¡¯ve ever heard.


    I take her hand, the one wearing the two rings I gave her, and kiss her ring finger.


    As I do I realize that if I love her the way I do, I have to change things. If I make it through this threat her father and d pose, I need to make changes. I want to.


    The minute we got back home, reality caught up with us. A call from Pa summoning me to an emergency Syndicate meeting heralded that things were about to change big time.


    Rardo would be in attendance. He made contact on receipt of the numerous messages left for him and agreed toe in for us to speak to him. I don¡¯t understand how these people work. If I¡¯d gotten that call, I would have tracked his ass and killed him. Maybe they did track him, but they still want him toe in.


    I left Emelia almost as soon as we stepped into the house. I¡¯m here now, at the high-rise building where the Syndicate meetings are held in.


    The whole group is here. Everyone except Rardo. He¡¯ste.


    Rardo is now close to an hourte.


    Pa and I have just gone into the lobby to get coffee and to talk between ourselves.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯sing, Pa. This is suspicious as fuck,¡± I point out.


    ¡°I know. And I agree, but this is their way. Talking out shit first while God knows what the fuck¡¯s happening. Maybe I¡¯m just being paranoid. The enforcers and soldiers are on high alert in case he tries anything.¡±


    ¡°Pa, this is shit. We¡¯ve been here for an hour. He¡¯s noting. We know what he¡¯s like. This isn¡¯t his style. He wouldn¡¯t bete,¡± I say with insistence.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna talk to Phillipe,¡± Pa says and leaves me.


    I grab a cappino from the coffee machine and sip on it. I need something to keep my mind upied. I hate being in a risky situation where I have to trust people who aren¡¯t part of my team. This right here is exactly that. I don¡¯t know these people, and I¡¯m not really one of them yet. Everything has been spoon-fed to me. I understand there are reasons for that. They have an old-school process they¡¯ve been following since the dawn of time, but fuck, emergencies are emergencies. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve faced a situation in which one of their members has gone rogue.


    A little ticking noise makes me look over my shoulder. It¡¯s like a clock or some sort of timer that just switched on. It¡¯sing from the meeting room. When it gets louder, someone asks what the sound is, then panic flies through me when I realize what it truly is.


    A bomb!


    As soon as the thought enters my mind, an explosion rocks me and I find myself flying backwards. My body ms hard into the wall. So hard I feel broken. Something stabs through my stomach. I open my mouth to call for Pa, but darkness blurs my vision.


    I must have cked out for a few seconds. When Ie to, I look around and see the devastation before me. One whole wall is gone, and fire is burning around me. The meeting room is¡­ it¡¯s gone. It¡¯s fucking gone.


    Pa¡­ no!


    Terror makes me try to lift¡­ my body. The pain that courses through me as I try to move is excruciating. I look down and see one of the spikes from the wall impaling my side. Pain shoots through my body. There¡¯re shards of ss imbedded in my arms and legs. Smoke and dust are everywhere.


    A bomb. A bomb went off. Where¡¯s Pa? I didn¡¯t see which way he went to find Phillipe.


    I try to get up and barely manage it. I need to see where Pa went. I pray it wasn¡¯t the meeting room. I try to remember if Phillipe was inside. The men had dispersed to take a break from waiting. I was talking to Pa and Levka, one of the Bratva leaders, before we came out here. I can¡¯t remember if Phillipe was inside the meeting room, and I don¡¯t know what direction Pa turned when he left me.


    I take a few steps forward, but footsteps crunching against ss cause me to turn my attention to the corridor on my left.


    A shadowed figure emerges from the dust with a smile on his face.


    The devil looks at me with pale blue eyes, exactly the way he did on the day of my mother¡¯s funeral. Rardo hasn¡¯t changed one damn bit. Maybe there is just one thing: he looks more powerful than ever before.


    ¡°Well, look at this. My, my, my, how the tables have turned the shift of power back to me,¡± he gloats.


    I open my mouth to speak, but blood trickles down the side of my chin.


    ¡°Motherfucker, you did this. Where is my father?¡± My voice shakes, and so does my body. I try to lunge for him, but I can¡¯t. I can barely move, so I stumble.


    He raises his gun and cocks the hammer. ¡°You piece of shit. You thought you had me. Threatening me with the syndicate. Where the fuck are they now? When you¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll be thest man standing, and I¡¯ll take back everything you took from me, including my daughter.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t getting my girl. You aren¡¯t selling my girl, you motherfucking dog. You¡¯ll have to tie me up to beat me. You¡¯re a poor excuse for a father.¡± Listen to me talk. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to draw my gun quickly enough to point it at him before he ends me.


    My vison is already starting to flicker as if I¡¯m about to ck out.


    I can¡¯t. I have to kill him. Find Pa and get Emelia.


    ¡°All talk, no action. I¡¯m bored now.¡± He fires the bullet, but something ms into me, knocking me to the ground again. At the same time, another bullet echoes almost simultaneously.


    Rardo shouts, and I manage to shuffle to see that it was Pa who mmed into me and he¡¯s been hit. Rardo got him straight in his stomach. Blood is seeping through his white shirt.


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± Pa says.


    ¡°No,¡± I rasp, holding him. ¡°No, Pa. Come, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°No one is leaving!¡± Rardo roars, holding his arm.


    Fuck. The fucking bullet seemed to have hit the top of his shoulder. It¡¯s bleeding and he¡¯s holding it, but he doesn¡¯t seem fazed.


    Pa¡¯s hand shakes as he tries to feel for his gun. He dropped it. I can see it, but I hold him because I can feel him slipping away from me. His body feels limp, like he¡¯s trying to hold on but is failing.


    ¡°Fools,¡± Rardoughs. ¡°The two of you. Gio, you look as shocked as Sariah did that night when Iid down thew.¡±


    Pa and I both snap our gazes to him at the mention of my mother¡¯s name.


    What is he talking about?


    ¡°What? What are you saying to me?¡± Pa asks.


    ¡°The week before she died, I made onest attempt to get her back. I told her if she slept with me, I¡¯d make sure you got back in with the syndicate. Your family would be taken care of. No more poverty. She did. She slept with me to save you, but I wanted more. I met her on the cliff and informed her of the new terms of our arrangement.¡± He smiles wide. My head grows light. I almost know what he¡¯s going to say next. I know even before he says it. ¡°I wanted her toe with me and be mine. But she chose poverty over me. She still chose you, Gio. I couldn¡¯t believe it, so I threw her off the cliff.¡±


    There¡­


    That¡¯s it.


    That¡¯s what I¡¯ve known deep down. I sensed it. Every time I saw this man after my mother¡¯s death, I sensed that he had something to do with her death.


    He did.


    Pa shouts, crying out. I can¡¯t hear what he¡¯s saying, though. I can barely see through the fucking tears that have welled up in my eyes.


    In my mind I see her. Her eyes. That wide terrified expression on her face. I was right. She was crying out from beyond the grave. Calling to me, screaming out to me for justice.


    Rardo killed my mother.


    ¡°You bastard,¡± Pa says. He feels cold in my arms.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this.¡±


    ¡°Looks like he already has,¡± a voice says across from us.


    When Andreas steps into view, shock ms into my chest.


    ¡°Andreas,¡± I gasp in utter disbelief.


    Pa shakes his head. ¡°No, Rardo. You didn¡¯t turn my son against me.¡±


    ¡°No, Pa. He didn¡¯t turn your son against you. You did that all on your own.¡± He looks from me to Pa. Rardo smiles wide. ¡°I worked hard. I worked so damn hard to get the business. Day and night. And who got the credit? Massimo. I push it aside and continue to work tirelessly day and night, and who gets to be boss? Massimo. Not me.¡±


    ¡°So, you betray us because I chose Massimo. I am your father!¡± Pa grits, sounding like he¡¯s talking with hisst breath.


    ¡°No,¡± Rardo says, straightening up. ¡°You aren¡¯t. You aren¡¯t his father. I am.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how many shocks I can take in this one spell of shit. I don¡¯t know what door I walked through thatnded me in this dimension. This can¡¯t be real. None of it. None of this shit is real.


    It can¡¯t be.


    ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°But it is,¡± Andreas answers. ¡°And now I¡¯ll get everything.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How could you-¡± Pa doesn¡¯t get to finish. Rardo fires a bullet straight into his head, and as my father¡¯s blood stters all over me, a piece of me dies.


    Inside, I¡¯m screaming and shouting. The sound doesn¡¯t escape though. I tremble and quiver from deep within, unable to believe that I¡¯m holding my father dead in my arms.


    Pa¡­


    ¡°I have an idea for this one,¡± Rardo says. ¡°He said I¡¯d have to tie him up to beat him. Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    Andreas lunges at me. I try to block his moves, but I¡¯m already too weak. He gets on top of both Pa and me then hits my temple hard twice with the back of his gun.


    Helpless, powerless, useless. I go down.


    Emelia is myst thought. They¡¯re going to take her. I promised I¡¯d protect her. I can¡¯t.


    Darkness surrounds me.

 39

    Emelia


    I¡¯m starting to worry.


    Massimo has been gone for hours, and I¡¯m on edge again. Like a ghost, I roam the house from one room to the next trying to calm myself and find something to do to distract myself.


    Painting usually does that for me, but I can¡¯t even think of what I might paint to take my mind away. That never happens. I¡¯ve never been in a situation before that painting couldn¡¯t fix.


    This is a first.


    Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m about to lose another parent. One who is already dead to me in my heart. As I read that contract, all the love I had for my father died. It faded into the ether. I couldn¡¯t believe how truly despicable he was.


    I just wish Massimo were here.


    The ce is heavily guarded. Guards were stationed at the front door when we got back this morning.


    I¡¯m supposed to be safe here, but to me there¡¯s nowhere safer than with him.


    It¡¯s strange how that happened. Oh, so strange.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Deciding to go see how Prici is doing, I make my way downstairs. Earlier, she invited me to bake cookies with her, but I wasn¡¯t feeling up to it. I¡¯ll dly do it now to take my mind off what¡¯s happening.


    I enter the kitchen and stop in my tracks by the door when my gazends on d sitting at the breakfast table, eating cookies.


    Oh my God¡­ what is he doing here? Inside the house?


    His appearance gets to me the same as it did the night I first met him at the charity ball.


    Little did I know then what was in store for me.


    He looks up at me and smiles.


    ¡°These are really good. Want one? I¡¯d love to feed it to you,¡± he says, holding out a cookie for me to take.


    Panic makes me back away to run, but I stumble into a wall. I turn to see Andreas, and relief washes over me.


    ¡°Andreas, d is inside the kitchen,¡± I say, grabbing his shirt. My hands are shaking so much I can¡¯t stop them.


    ¡°Now, now, Emelia, don¡¯t you worry. You see, he got inside the kitchen because I let him in. We arrived in the same car, stopped for a bite to eat,¡± he exins with a smile. My jaw drops.


    I release my hold on his shirt and backpedal. He walks toward me as I back right into the kitchen, right into danger.


    I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying. He¡¯s Massimo¡¯s brother. He must know that d is a dangerous man.


    As I take in the sinister expression on his face, it dawns on me. Of course¡­ he does know d is dangerous man. This is something else.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I look from d to Andreas and shake my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you a very interesting story about secrets, and I¡¯m gonna give you the major spoiler.¡±


    ¡°Is the spoiler that you betrayed your family?¡± I throw back. I can¡¯t believe this. Not at all.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. That¡¯s not news since I¡¯ve always been the odd one out. There¡¯s a reason for that. The reason is, they¡¯re my half-brothers, and the spoiler is¡­ you and I have a lot inmon. Like how we have the same father.¡±


    I gasp and bring my hand up to my heart.


    ¡°What!¡± I don¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Ready for the story?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± d says with a smile. ¡°Nothing like a juicy piece of news to get the blood going.¡±


    ¡°I like this guy,¡± Andreas states. d tips his head.


    ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s great to be appreciated.¡± His eyes lock with mine, and a shiver runs down my spine. I only look away when Andreas clears his throat.


    ¡°Ready for the story, Princesca?¡± he asks with emphasis on thest word. ¡°That¡¯s what Massimo calls you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I stare back at the man iming to be my brother. Yes, indeed, I¡¯m ready to hear the story. I¡¯m fucking ready to hear it. Another secret revealed.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I answer.


    ¡°It started with the death of my grandfather. That¡¯s what started this whole thing. The man I thought was my father doesn¡¯t favor tradition in the least. Or I¡¯d be boss and king of the empire, not Massimo,¡± he says with a chuckle. I remember my thoughts about him that night at the dinner. He didn¡¯t look happy when Massimo received his ring and everyone raised their ss to ept him as the new leader. ¡°When I was told Massimo was chosen, it knocked me. In my life, when shit happens, I¡¯ve always sought thepany of my mother¡¯s belongings. That day, I went searching through her stuff and found a journal I don¡¯t think she wanted anyone to find. It carried her secrets. There I learned that she was with your father before Gio D¡¯Agostino. She found out she was pregnant with me after she got together with him and never told him I wasn¡¯t his. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to ruin the rtionship she¡¯d always wanted.¡±


    I start to shake. I don¡¯t want to believe it. I want to tell myself it¡¯s a lie, but I know it¡¯s not. It feels like the truth.


    ¡°I went to your father, and we got tested. The tests confirmed he¡¯s my father. Then we nned. I lived a hard life I shouldn¡¯t have because she decided to stay with my father. You had everything, while I had to go through shit my other brothers didn¡¯t have to go through because I was the eldest. I took care of everything. Thest blow was Pa giving Massimo the empire. And to spit in my face further, Massimo chose Tristan to be part of the syndicate, not me.¡±


    ¡°So, you want to wipe them out? How could you be so cruel?¡± I seethe.


    He grabs my face and squeezes hard. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about things you don¡¯t understand. You haven¡¯t lived my life. You don¡¯t know me, and you don¡¯t want to. I have no desire to know you either. I epted some hard truths when I found out my mother didn¡¯t kill herself, but it was your father, my father, who pushed her off a cliff, all because she chose Gio D¡¯Agostino.¡±


    My mouth falls open, and I stare at him wide-eyed.


    My God¡­ I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing. My father is indeed evil, but how can Andreas just ept it?


    ¡°How can you be okay with that?¡±


    ¡°I never said I was. I said I ept it. I loved my mother to no end. I hate her choices, but my love for her will always be there.¡± His jaw tightens. ¡°I wanted to kill your father when I realized it was him who killed her. I wanted to end him. But it would achieve nothing for me. She is dead and gone, and I¡¯m still here. There are things I want. Things I¡¯m owed. Things only he can give me. You do what you have to do, Sis, to get what you want. You suck up shit feelings of remorse and anger, push them aside, and don¡¯t cut off your nose to spite your face. That is what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me! Get your hands off me!¡± I cry, trying to free myself from his grasp.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. You¡¯re needed as payment. Part of the grand n. There¡¯s one more contract for you to sign. Cross me, and you¡¯ll end up like her,¡± he jeers, flipping me around.


    He forces me to walk around the counter. I scream when I see Prisci lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Bullet holes riddle her body.


    I scream and cry, shaking my head.


    ¡°No! How could you? How could you do this to her?¡±


    ¡°Save your tears, Emelia D¡¯Agostino. There¡¯s worse toe. Wait until you see what I did to Massimo.¡±


    Terror ws its way through me when heughs, crude and hard.


    I¡¯m taken away, taken off the property, and no one says anything. Of course, they wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m with Andreas. Massimo¡¯s brother, one of the most trusted people who coulde and go as they please.


    d disguises himself with arge pair of Oakleys and a hooded sweatshirt. He slips into the back of the ck Sedan quitefortably. Any of the guards or soldiers who saw him wouldn¡¯t have seen his face properly, but again, they wouldn¡¯t dare question Andreas.


    When Andreas tells the men at the gate that Massimo asked him to take me to see him, no one questions him. It makes sense that I would be with his brother. That he got his older brother to escort me with his guard.


    I keep wondering where the guards on surveince are. Who¡¯s watching? Then it hits me that Andreas could have easily done something to the stop anyone from seeing what he was up to. That¡¯s the only thing that makes sense. It will only be when someone discovers Prisci¡¯s body in the kitchen that they¡¯ll know. Even then, they¡¯ll never guess that Andreas could have killed her. I¡¯m still in shock. People I get close to keep dying. I can¡¯t take it anymore. What will I do if something happens to Massimo?


    That¡¯s why I keep quiet as Andreas leads me out. I¡¯m too afraid to breathe. The leverage they have over me is death. Not to me. No, they have ns for little old me, so I mustn¡¯t die. They¡¯re threatening to kill Massimo. I don¡¯t know if they even have him, but Iply because I can¡¯t go on what I don¡¯t know. I have to take this risk, throw myself in harm¡¯s way to make sure nothing happens to him.


    We drive off the property easily. I¡¯m quiet for the whole journey, trembling under d¡¯s stare as he looks at me the whole time.


    I endure two hours of his leer. Him looking at me, licking his lips as he stares at my breasts, undressing me with his eyes. He says nothing the whole time. It¡¯s when we pull up outside the entrance of an old mine shaft when he suddenly grabs my arm and pulls me to him so he can smell my hair.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have so much fun with you, my pretty,¡± he says, licking my ear. ¡°I will fuck you all six ways to Sunday on your knees. I¡¯ll fuck every hole in your body and make sure that pretty little mouth of yours is always full of my cock, and whoever else I tell you to suck.¡±


    I shake and try to hold back tears.


    It¡¯s him who practically drags me out of the car. We¡¯re near the mountains, but I don¡¯t know exactly where we are. There¡¯s a sign ahead saying Danger Keep Out, yet they both usher me inside the mouth of the cave.


    While the outside of the cave looks like it should be deserted, I see that a whole operation is set up inside once we move deeper inside. We walk through a metal door. There are men everywhere. Some sitting atputers, others milling about. Everything so organized. They look like they¡¯ve been in this hideout for months.


    I¡¯m led up a set of stairs and into an office space. The man who wears the face of my father stands by a bookcase and turns around to look at me.


    He smiles. I shake my head at him.


    ¡°Wee, my daughter. I told you I was working on a way to get you back. Good news, here you are,¡± he deres.


    ¡°You evil bastard!¡± I scream. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is you. What happened to you?¡±


    Heughs. ¡°Nothing, my child. Nothing happened to me. I haven¡¯t changed one bit. I guess maybe I was different when it came to you. But needs must. Being sessful means knowing when you have to make certain sacrifices to increase wealth,¡± he exins, as if that¡¯s a good enough exnation.


    ¡°So, you wanted to sell me to this madman,¡± I snap. d tightens his hold on me.


    ¡°Watch it, girlie. You don¡¯t know who the fuck you¡¯re dealing with. I¡¯ll cut out your tongue and feed it to you,¡± d threatens.


    Andreas chuckles and walks inside to grab a drink of scotch.


    ¡°Emelia, you will do as I say. I¡¯m lucky to have found a buyer for you who won¡¯t mind that you¡¯ve been defiled by that scum,¡± Dad says, and my heart squeezes. ¡°I trust you¡¯ve met your brother,¡± he adds, as if we¡¯re talking about the weather.


    Andreas tips his head and knocks back his drink.


    When I don¡¯t answer, Dad pulls out a contract from an envelope on the desk and holds it up. When d marches me over to him, I see it¡¯s a copy of the contract I saw the other night.


    ¡°I¡¯m not signing anything,¡± I bark. Disgust churns my stomach as I recall the contract¡¯s wording.


    ¡°You will sign it,¡± Dad says with confidence.


    I¡¯ve wondered how he thought he was going to get me to sign it in the first ce. That was what was supposed to happen to me if Massimo hadn¡¯te along.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. You can¡¯t do this to me. I¡¯m not a thing.¡± Deja vu. I¡¯ve said this before several times. It¡¯s happening again. ¡°I¡¯m married.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. Give her to me. We¡¯ll see what she says after she sees what I¡¯ve done to her husband,¡± Dad states.


    There¡¯s a difference about him that¡¯s terrifying. Even his voice sounds different.


    d hands me over to my father, who takes hold of my arm roughly. We walk through another door, and I see an open space that looks like an area where people used to work in the mines.


    There¡¯s a pit. Dad takes me to the steps leading into the pit, and I gasp when I see what¡¯s down below. It¡¯s Massimo. He¡¯s attached to two metal poles with chains around his wrists. He¡¯s shirtless, but there¡¯s so much blood on his chest that it covers all his tattoos. He looks like he¡¯s been beaten near death. His face is battered and bruised.


    ¡°He said I had to tie him up to beat him. That¡¯s true,¡± Dad states. ¡°I did, but I did it in a more clever way. Everyone has a price, my girl. I got a man he trusted with his life and his empire to betray him. His own brother, who was so neglected and overlooked. That is the only way you can get to a man like that. Full of hate and rage it almost makes him invincible. Almost and never. You will sign the contract because he is your price.¡±


    I turn my head and look at Dad. He nods, and I burst into tears.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t sign, I¡¯ll kill him. Sign, and he might have a chance if we let him go.¡±


    He releases me, and I run down to Massimo.


    ¡°Massimo!¡± I cry.


    He lifts his bloodied head. His eyes widen at the sight of me.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t be here,¡± he manages.


    I touch his face. Blood stains my hands. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t protect you, Princess. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± I breathe. I didn¡¯t know that when he left this morning, it going to be thest morning we¡¯d spend together. I won¡¯t let him die. I won¡¯t allow him to suffer if I can do anything about it.


    ¡°I-¡± he cries out when a whipnds hard across his back.


    I scream, shaking my head, when I look up and see d behind him getting ready to strike him again.


    Another powerful blownds on Massimo¡¯s back, causing his knees to buckle. Dadughs andes closer.


    d strikes Massimo again, and again, and again.


    My breath stills. I feel like I might fade away.


    ¡°Want it to stop?¡± Dad asks. ¡°He¡¯s strong, but even he has a limit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sign,¡± I answer weakly.


    Dad makes a mockery of me when he ces his hand to his ear and leans in closer, pretending he can¡¯t hear me.


    Massimo gets another hit and cries out loud.


    ¡°What was that, Emelia?¡± Dad says.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sign!¡± I scream. Dad takes my arm again.


    With a bright smile on his face, he takes me away from my love. I look back at Massimo.


    That¡¯s thest time I¡¯ll see him. Thest time I¡¯ll tell him I love him.


    Thest time I¡¯ll feel love for anybody.


    My father leads me away to the fate that awaits. Death.


    It can only be that. I¡¯ll be sold to a madman who will kill me when he decides he wants my life to be over.

 40

    Massimo


    At least I got to see her again.


    One more time.


    I¡¯ll take that as my final memory. Her beautiful face. Her beautiful tear-stained face and whiskey-colored eyes. Love filling those eyes for me as she told me she loved me. I can¡¯t believe I fought so hard not to fall for her. I tried my best not to love her.


    I kept seeing her as the enemy¡¯s daughter. She was never that. Who she is and what she is was right there in front of me the whole time. The woman I love. The girl of my dreams. They¡¯re the same person.


    And no more.


    That was it, thest. They will kill me here. No matter what shit they promise to her, they will kill me here.


    Why? Because they had to tie me up to beat me.


    I can¡¯t begin to process Andreas¡¯ betrayal. I won¡¯t waste time on it. I knew he would be angry that Pa didn¡¯t choose him to take over as boss, but I never expected this. He stood there and allowed Rardo to kill Pa. And he would have known that the devil was responsible for our mother¡¯s death.


    That makes him dead to me.


    A crudeugh makes me lift my head. I see d¡¯s face looming before me.


    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± I hiss, and heughs louder.


    ¡°Look at you thinking you¡¯re still king. You aren¡¯t,¡± d taunts. ¡°Couldn¡¯t kill me the first time, couldn¡¯t get me on the boat, and you definitely won¡¯t now.¡±


    ¡°How the hell did you escape the first?¡± I can barely talk, but fuck, do I ever want the answer to that.


    He fell off a fucking train with a bullet in his chest. He would have gone down into the river. He should be dead.


    ¡°We Russian men are tough. But sometimes you have to lose to gain,¡± he says, rolling up the sleeve on his left arm.


    My eyes narrow when he reveals a robotic arm and smiles. His hand looks normal, but the rest is a titanium simr to what you¡¯d see in a Terminator movie.


    ¡°In the Circle of Shadows, we never give up on our own. The brotherhood found me, patched me up, and turned me into a freaking cyborg. Making me stronger than ever before.¡± Heughs as he res at me. ¡°I¡¯m going to have fun torturing you to death, then I¡¯m going to have fun fucking your wife to death. Then I¡¯m going to have fun with all the wealth we currently own. Diamonds and money. Power.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I snarl.


    He sends a kick to my midsection. I double over, lurking against the chains on my wrists.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to see you try and fuck me, bastard dog. Come and try it. Make my day,¡± he jeers. He moves forward and pulls a knife from his pocket. ¡°You people can¡¯t leave well enough alone. Always taking what isn¡¯t yours. This is the second time you people have done it to me.¡±


    Again, he¡¯s talking about Alyssa. Alyssa and Emelia, both angels. My brother¡¯s love and then my girl. What will he do to her?


    Alyssa was promised to his leader¡¯s son, but d was obsessed with her. He wanted her for himself and was only too happy to ept a job to punish her for breaking a contract. That¡¯s what happened. She married Tristan, and this demon waited until her wedding night to steal her soul.


    ¡°Neither of them belonged to you. Not Alyssa, and not Emelia.¡±


    ¡°Wrong, always wrong, and I¡¯ll get to prove it to your dead body every time I fuck your girl. The same way I fucked Alyssa until she couldn¡¯t even move.¡± Again, heughs.


    He inches closer and lowers his head to me but stops short when something pierces through his chest.


    I look and see the silver tip of an arrow poking out with blood on it.


    Before he can grab his chest, another arrow pierces through him in the same spot, and when I lift my head, I see Tristan leaping down into the pit. Heunches himself into the air, folding into a somersault, and as hees out of it, he pulls two knives out at either side of his legs and stabs d right in his heart.


    Seconds, that¡¯s how long it took to have the fiend on his knees with blood pouring from his body. He looks up at my brother with the same disbelief I do because I can¡¯t believe the stunt I just saw him pull off. I can¡¯t believe he found me. He found me, and he broughtpany.


    Dominic and a team of men storm the tform above. My gazends on Manni, who I nearly killed only days ago and threw off my property. The soldiers rush in with them. I hear bullets flying as my brothers and my men take down the bastards who are working for Rardo and d.


    But my eyes are locked on the scene before me. d bleeding out.


    ¡°You fucker,¡± he says to Tristan.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s you. This time, I¡¯m going to make sure I kill you fucking dead. This is for my wife. You will not do the same to Emelia,¡± Tristan cries, and with that, he uses those same knives plunged deep in Alexei¡¯s body and cuts his head off his miserable body.


    Both head and body fall to the ground in a bloody heap.


    Tristan spares him no time. Hees straight to me and shoots off the chains binding my wrists.


    Dominic joins him, and together they steady me as I stubble upon release.


    ¡°Guys,¡± I rasp, feeling the deepest gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡± I look from one to the other.


    Tristan nods. Dominic looks worried at my appearance.


    ¡°How the hell did you find me?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The ring,¡± Dominic says. ¡°There¡¯s a tracker on it. Pa had it installed for safety. The guards alerted us after¡­¡± His voice trails off.


    ¡°After what?¡± I ask


    ¡°Prisci¡­ she¡¯s¡­ dead. And we think something¡¯s going on with Andreas. He¡¯s being used. He took Emelia. And there was a man with him.¡±


    I don¡¯t know how I can tell them this truth, but I have to.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s working with them.¡±


    Both look shocked.


    ¡°What?¡± Tristan says, shaking his head.


    ¡°He¡¯s working with them.¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Pa, Massimo?¡± Dominic asks, ignoring what I confirmed about Andreas.


    It¡¯s then that Tristan focuses on me.


    I shake my head. ¡°Rardo killed him. There¡¯s a lot to tell you, but I have to get Emelia.¡±


    Rardo has her.


    ¡°Can you walk?¡± Tristan asks.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± I answer, baring my teeth. I will walk.


    I can¡¯t allow that bastard to walk out of this ce with my girl and sell her to the next bidder. She¡¯s my wife.


    I will die trying to get her back. Then I¡¯m going after Andreas.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    He has a lot to answer for.

 41

    Emelia


    I signed the contract.


    One more contract of sale. This time as I sign, all traces of humanity leave me.


    Dad watches in excitement. Of course, he would. He¡¯s going to be a rich man.


    He must be on cloud nine.


    Thirty million just for selling me, and all the syndicate¡¯s wealth. I heard him talking to someone on the phone. I don¡¯t know who it was, but they sounded like they were in on it. On this grand scheme of shit.


    ¡°Wonderful. My dear girl. I never knew you¡¯d be such an asset to me,¡± Dad says.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you could do this to me. How were you going to get me to sign this before? I was supposed to go to Florence. What would have happened there?¡± I really want to know.


    ¡°Your uncle was going to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± I push.


    ¡°By threatening to kill you. Getting you to Florence was the easy part. You were so excited to go and fit right in. At least you would have gotten to go to school.¡± He raises his palms and shrugs.


    ¡°My God. You are truly despicable. I don¡¯t know you. I don¡¯t know who you are. What else did you do, Dad?¡± I ask, narrowing my eyes. I have questions. Questions I want answers to before I¡¯m taken away and there¡¯s no one left to give them to me.


    ¡°I did many things, Emelia.¡±


    ¡°Were you responsible for Jacob¡¯s death?¡± I ask outright. That¡¯s the most important question on my mind. ¡°Did you know he was going to die?¡±


    ¡°Emelia, Jacob always had a habit of sticking his nose where it didn¡¯t belong. I think he was my toughest kill,¡± he reveals. A cry falls from my lips.


    I¡¯m so stupid. There I am, asking him if he knew Jacob was going to die when he was the one who killed him.


    Fuck¡­ fucking hell.


    ¡°You killed Jacob! Dad, you? It was you?¡±


    He actually looks a little sad.


    ¡°I prayed at the wedding that he¡¯d keep his mouth shut. I prayed he¡¯d keep his nose out of shit it didn¡¯t belong, but when ites to you, that kid couldn¡¯t see straight. Friendship and love. That was what he had for you. Even when he was warned by your beloved husband to keep out of trouble, that very same night, he went hurtling himself back into trouble¡¯s arms. He heard too much. Saw too much when he saw me talking to d. He knew about my ns to wipe out the syndicate. He had to die.¡±


    ¡°You shot him. You killed Jacob.¡±


    ¡°I did. Sad but true.¡±


    The door flies open, and Andreas rushes in.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to get out of here,¡± he urges in a hurried voice. ¡°My brothers are here with a team of men. Think we might be outnumbered. Backup won¡¯t get here on time.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Dad snarls. ¡°Where is d?¡±


    ¡°Dead,¡± Andreas answers. Dad¡¯s face grows pale. As pale as Andreas¡¯. It¡¯s understandable because of who d is.


    d¡¯s death means that contract of his no longer exists. No thirty million to buy me.


    Dad gazes back in disbelief. ¡°Damn it, damn it to hell.¡±


    ¡°You go. I¡¯ll keep them upied to give you a head start,¡± Andreas promises.


    Dad seethes, grabs me with one hand and his briefcase with the other. Without another word, we leave through the side other door leading out to a narrow tunnel.


    As he pulls me along, I know d¡¯s death means nothing. All this man has done is sell me from one man to the next.


    He¡¯ll do it again.


    He¡¯s got his back against the wall and greed running through his veins. It didn¡¯t escape me that Dadpletely snubbed Andreas¡¯ offer to stay behind while we escape. Without so much as a thank-you.


    Dad rushes down the tunnel, pulling me along. He¡¯s using his bad arm now, which is just as strong as his good one.


    When we get to a set of stairs leading up to an even darker tunnel, I try to wrench my hand free of his grasp.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± I yell, but he takes pleasure in squeezing my hand until it feels like it¡¯s about to break. I scream so loud the sound seems to be pouring from my soul.


    He¡¯s hurting me just like that day back in his office. I was so foolish to ever consider that Massimo and Gio were forcing him to do anything. They weren¡¯t. That was the first time he showed me his true self, but I failed to see it.


    ¡°Stop it, Emelia. Fucking stop it,¡± he snarls, shaking me. I realize he¡¯s too strong. I can¡¯t fight him.


    Fighting him is only going to result in me hurting myself. I nce back at the tunnel we walked down thinking of Massimo, wondering if he made it. I wish I could do something to save myself. I can¡¯t though. I¡¯m too weak.


    Ahead, the tunnel is dark. It looks like somewhere we shouldn¡¯t be going. Dad stops when we get to a crosscut, confusion filling his face.


    He looks from left to right. We both hear a sound, like someone running, and Dad decides to go left.


    He pulls me along frantically. When we see a light ahead, he starts running. The worst thing we could ever do in a ce like this, where everything is unknown. Dad runs forward on shaky ground as the earth beneath us gives. There¡¯s a rail track ahead, with a rusty mining cart with some old ropes attached to it.


    Twice we nearly fall over because the earth is moving so much. He¡¯s heading to the rusty cart. I think that¡¯s a bad idea. The track ahead looks old. Who knows when it wasst used or even checked?


    ¡°Dad, where are we going?¡± I cry. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look safe.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± he yells.


    Before we can get to the cart, the track we step on breaks. Then we¡¯re falling. The briefcase Dad was carrying goes flying past me, and I scream and scream as we go down, certain this is it. I¡¯ll die now. But then I¡¯m jerked to a stop and hanging in the air. Dad¡¯s still holding me. He¡¯s hanging from a rope. A rope so old it looks like it used to be white but is now brown with age and raggedy.


    I manage to grab a part of it and hold myself up.


    ¡°Come. It won¡¯t hold,¡± Dad urges impatiently.


    He released his hold on me and tries to climb up, slowly. He¡¯s right. The rope won¡¯t hold. I don¡¯t dare look down. Terror has me panting and thinking of pulling myself up as fast as I can. Out of danger. Out of fear.


    The rope jerks and starts snapping.


    Shit, shit, fuck. We¡¯re nearly there. So close, but it can¡¯t hold the two of us.


    Dad stops midway and looks back at me as I try my best to make my way up when the rope gives again. He¡¯s ahead of me, but ourbined weight is just too much.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Emelia. I can¡¯t die here,¡± he says. ¡°I have too many ns.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Before I can process his words, he pulls a knife from his pocket and starts cutting the section of the rope beneath his grasp. The section I am holding on to.


    ¡°No, please. Please don¡¯t do that,¡± I beg.


    He ignores me and continues sawing through the twine.


    ¡°Dad, please, no!! Don¡¯t kill me,¡± I cry.


    A wicked look washes over his face as the twine pulls apart. Just a few more, and I¡¯ll fall right to my death. I¡¯ll die.


    Tears blind me as I look up at the man who¡¯s supposed to be my protector. My father. He really evil incarnate.


    I scream when the rope jerks, and now I truly feel like this is my end. I see parts of the rope snap away. Then a roar pieces through me.


    Massimoesunching through the air, hurtling himself at my father. His foot connects with his jaw, snapping his head back with a bone-crunching sound. While Massimo grabs the rope, Dad falls backwards, screaming as he tumbles past me. Falling, falling to his death.


    At the same time, the rope snaps and I fall too, but Massimo catches me.


    With a strangled cry, he lifts me and secures an arm around me. I don¡¯t know where or how he finds the strength, but he manages to lift us both back up onto the tform and move us away from the shaky track.


    I throw my arms around him and hold him, crying and shaking.


    ¡°I got you. I got you,¡± he says, hugging me hard.


    ¡°Oh, Massimo,¡± I cry into his chest. I never thought I¡¯d have this moment again when we¡¯d be holding each other like this. ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. God, Emelia.¡± He cups the back of my head and holds me close to him.


    Turning my head, I look at the dark abyss my father fell into, and that¡¯s when I see Andreas stepping out from the path with his gun aimed at us.

 42

    Massimo


    It¡¯s not fucking over yet. Not by a long shot. I see him too. Andreas. But not quickly enough. My brother managed to pull his gun on me first.


    ¡°Stand the fuck up,¡± he demands. Emelia and I stand. I push her behind me. ¡°How noble of you. Always thinking of pussy first.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you. Fuck you, Andreas, and everything you are. You have no justification for what you¡¯ve done. I split the empire four ways so we could all be equal.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want equality. I want it all. I would have had it all if not for you.¡±


    Everything about him shocks me to the core. I wonder how it was I missed these changes in a man I¡¯m supposed to be close to. These changes didn¡¯t happen overnight. They existed long before Grandfather died. They would have had to for him to be like this.


    ¡°What happened to you? How did you be like this? Why didn¡¯t you tell me you found out Rardo was your father?¡±


    ¡°What can I say? I must take after our dearest mother. She kept me a secret in her diary. My origins locked away. I only happened upon it after Grandfather¡¯s death. You don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to be me, Massimo. So, fuck no to this conversation. Sign over everything, and I¡¯ll let the two of you walk out of here.¡±


    That¡¯s not happening. I won¡¯t do it, and it¡¯s not because I¡¯m a selfish bastard and want it all for myself. It¡¯s because there¡¯s no way I trust him to let us go. Let Emelia go. He wouldn¡¯t do it.


    I rub my finger over Emelia¡¯s hand on my waistband. I¡¯m going to have to hurt her to save her.


    ¡°What¡¯s it gonna be?¡± he demands.


    Whatever I¡¯m gonna do has to happen now, or it won¡¯t at all. He¡¯s unstable. His ticket to reach his goals just fell into the abyss of hell, exactly where Rardo belonged, and now I¡¯m all he¡¯s got.


    The longer I take to answer, the more agitated he gets. The tick in his jaw is a tell.


    On three. I need to move. One. Two. Three.


    I shove Emelia out of the way, and he fires the bullet. Thank fuck, I dodge and she scrambles out of the way and covers herself in the crevice of the cave.


    I throw myself on him with the rage of a wild animal spawned from the depths of hell. Consumed by the fury over what he¡¯s done. I manage to knock the gun out of his hand and when I push him to the ground. What follows next is a series of punches between the two of us. Two brothers fighting to the death.


    I give my all, blow for fucking blow, and as I do, I unravel any love I had for him and rece it with myst images of my father and every sentimental memory thates to my mind. If not for Andreas, Pa would still be here. Not dead. He would have lived a long life, just like Grandfather.


    Andreas¡¯ hands are as dirty as Rardo¡¯s. Rardo pulled the trigger, but Andreas might just as well have given him the gun.


    I roar as Ie down hard on him with my fist until my knuckles are raw and start to bleed.


    It¡¯s his strength that gives him some leverage. He¡¯s always been strong, so when he flips me over and Ind on my back, I¡¯m not surprised. But I¡¯m strong too. My father taught me to be strong. My mother taught me to be stronger.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m ready for him when he manages to retrieve his gun. He¡¯s gearing up to end me, but that window his movement gives me is an opening to attack. I grab him and flip him back onto the ground. Grab and twist his hand holding the gun, so when he fires the bullet to kill me, he shoots himself instead of me.


    The impact is so intense it shakes me. He doesn¡¯t make a sound. It¡¯s not what I expected. It¡¯s as if the pain is too great for him to scream or shout. His eyes go wide, and a whimper leave his lips.


    He¡¯s a traitor to our family. A traitor to me. Yet as I stare at him, I see my brother. I see my big brother. The guy who always looked out for me and had my back.


    Andreas D¡¯Agostino.


    The light leaves his eyes, and he¡¯s goes too.


    Dead.


    In this one day, I¡¯ve watched two people I love die in my arms.


    Warm fingers rest on my shoulder, and I look up to see Emelia.


    The sound of footsteps approaches. Tristan and Dominice into view. They stop in their tracks when they take in the scene of me and Andreas on the ground.


    As I look at them, all I know is that everything will be different now.


    Our lives will have changed forever.


    In just this one day.


    The next month flew by within a flicker of an eye and was the hardest I¡¯ve lived in a long time. Three funerals. Pa, Andreas, and Prisci.


    Andreas was the hardest because I felt I shouldn¡¯t be there. We decided between us that we wouldn¡¯t make people aware of his treachery. We kept it between us. Those who knew, knew.


    We held a private ceremony for him with just the three of us. Me, Tristan, and Dominic.


    Pa had close to a state funeral. People from far and wide came to honor him.


    Pa¡¯s funeral was hard in another way. A way I can¡¯t describe to anyone. As his body was ced in the earth, I realized how much he meant to me. I looked up to him as a boy and as a man. He was my everything.


    Prici¡¯s was another tough one because of the ce she¡¯ll always have in my heart. She was a woman who was there for me when I needed a mother.


    Hers was thest, closing offst week.


    This week is the first clear week I¡¯ve had. The first time I¡¯ve had to stop and think about the things that still don¡¯t add up.


    There¡¯s a lot, a lot about what happened weeks ago that makes no sense. The Syndicate is no more. I¡¯m thest boss left. Everything automatically came to me. I have theirwyers meeting with me left, right, and center to sign this and that or making contact to discuss what I want to do next.


    I¡¯ve put everything on hold for the moment because there¡¯s one thing I need to do first, and I n to do itter today when Emelia gets back from the stores.


    I¡¯ve been in the sitting room gazing out to the sea. Just thinking.


    The door opens, and in walks Candace, the bag on her back she carried weeks ago.


    She¡¯s been around for the funerals, but I assumed she¡¯s be heading out again. I don¡¯t know if this is goodbye again or hello.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she says.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°So, I got this job at a school as a teaching assistant. It¡¯s a few hours a day. I¡¯m kind of back and I thought I would check on you,¡± she says. ¡°I also thought you might need me here for a little while. I think Prisci would want me to take care of you. You and Emelia.¡±


    I stand up and walk over to her. She gives me a hug, and as I hold her, she feels like a piece of the past.


    ¡°Thank you. I think I do need you.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    ¡°Means a lot.¡±


    ¡°I think my parents would want me to be here too. Maybe there¡¯s reason why the Ri¡¯s have always taken care of the D¡¯Agostinos. We work well together.¡±


    I smile at that.


    ¡°We definitely do.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go unpack, then.¡± She gives me a nod and leaves.


    Emelia will be happy that she¡¯s back. Candace was a good friend to her.


    Things have definitely not been the same without her and Prisci around.


    An hourter, Emelia arrives and heads out to see me on the terrace.


    I decided to do some paperwork out here and enjoy the weather. I¡¯m still cautious about her going out by herself even with a guard, but I¡¯m gonna have to suck it up and trust that she¡¯ll be safe for the next part of my n.


    She went shopping to get some special paintbrushes. The bag is so small it fits in the pocket of her purse. It probably didn¡¯t warrant a trip into the city. I understand, though, if she wanted to get out of the house.


    ¡°Hi,¡± she bubbles as she reaches me. She nts a kiss on my lips and sits opposite me.


    ¡°Hi, Princess. Have fun in town?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I did. Going to the art shop was nice.¡± She nods with a smile and reaches out to touch my hand. It¡¯s the most innocent of touches, but it¡¯s a sign she wants me again. The same way I always want her.


    We have each other. That¡¯s what came out of all of this. My thirst for vengeance sated by my love for her.


    I love her, and she loves me, but I know there¡¯s something more her heart wants, and she won¡¯t be happy until she has it. So, we have a lot to discuss.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you went.¡±


    She looks at the documents before me, and the smile on her face recedes.


    ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ll be busy for the rest of the day?¡± she asks.


    ¡°No, but there are a few things we need to talk about. I think it¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Worry fills her pretty face.


    I pull out a document she¡¯ll recognize when I unfold it. It¡¯s the contract from our first meeting.


    She studies me when she sees it. ¡°The contract.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the contract.¡± I hold it up. She gasps when I tear it down the middle.


    ¡°What? What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not how I want you. So, I¡¯m giving you your freedom back, and all that you own. Your family¡¯s inheritance, the business and assets now belong to you. It¡¯s yours,¡± I say then hand her an envelope. One more envelope. This one holds good news. ¡°That is a gift from me.¡±


    She takes it and opens it. When she pulls the document out and reads through it, her whisky eyes fill with tears of the deepest gratitude.


    ¡°Massimo, this is an eptance to the ademia. You¡¯re sending me to Florence?¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that where you were supposed to be? Emelia, you are an incredibly talented artist. I know you missed out on summer school and the first few weeks of the semester, but they¡¯re cool with it. I got you covered for however long you want to be there and wherever you want to stay when you go to Florence. You just do what you want. Whatever that is¡­¡± I hold her gaze. As happy as she is, she knows by me saying so where my conversation is heading to. She knows what that means for us.


    She presses down on her lips, and her cheeks flush.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to do what I want before.¡±


    ¡°Now you can. That means deciding whether or not you want to stay married to me.¡± I pull in a breath. ¡°I¡¯m a mafia boss, and now I¡¯m the syndicate. I still don¡¯t know what that means yet. All I know right now is that when ites to you and me, I¡¯d start over again if I could. Take it back to nine months ago when I first saw you at the charity ball.¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡± she asks, and I nod. ¡°What would you do?¡±


    ¡°I would ask you out, then date, and I¡¯d ask you to marry me. I would write better vows for you.¡± I focus on her and gaze deep into her eyes so she can see I¡¯m serious. Everything I say next I mean from the bottom of my heart, but she needs to feel it.


    ¡°I¡¯d say something like this.¡± I pause. ¡°¡®I, Massimo D¡¯Agostino, take you, Emelia Balesteri, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times, in sickness and in health. I promise to protect you until the day I die. I will love and honor you all the days of my life and for all eternity because not even death can keep me away from you.¡¯ That is what I would say to you. Because I love you. I would do everything properly because you deserve that.¡±


    I truly mean that for her, whether or not she chooses me. We started things backwards.


    I can dere her mine all I want, and to me she will always be.


    But I want her to choose me.

 43

    Emelia


    I stare at the beautiful man before me and think of how far we¡¯vee and what we experienced together.


    So much has happened in the handful of months we¡¯ve known each other.


    We lost our fathers and had terrible secrets revealed.


    I can¡¯t express how awful I feel when I think of how my father truly damaged him and took away the things that mattered most to him. Family. Both his parents were killed at the hand of my father. My father threw his mother off a cliff and shot his father dead.


    And yet this man still has love for me.


    We exist outside everything. He is it for me. There¡¯s only one answer I can give him.


    When I smile, he gives me a hopeful look.


    ¡°I, Emelia D¡¯Agostino, take you, Massimo D¡¯Agostino, to be my husband. I love you, and I¡¯m staying with you. It means so much to me that you did this.¡± I hold up the letter from the ademia. ¡°You have no idea how much it means. I worked so hard to get in, and I¡¯m so grateful for the chance to go. But more than that, I¡¯m grateful for you. I want to be with you more than anything else. I promise to be true to you in good times, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.¡±


    He reaches for me and slips me onto hisp, pressing his forehead to mine.


    ¡°You choose me?¡±


    ¡°I choose you, and everything that makes you, you.¡± That means I choose this life too.


    ¡°You are mine, Emelia D¡¯Agostino.¡±


    ¡°I think we should go upstairs now.¡±


    As usual, this man never fails to shock me.


    I giggle when he lifts me up, pushes aside the documents on the table, and sets me down.


    ¡°I¡¯m having you here,¡± he deres, shoving my skirt up my thighs. ¡°I¡¯m going to feast on you right here on the table and enjoy making youe over and over again. Then we¡¯ll go upstairs, and I¡¯ll tie you to the bed and have you screaming my name all night.¡±


    ¡°I like that n,¡± I answer, and he kisses me hard.


    ¡°Great, now spread your legs for me.¡±


    Epilogue


    Emelia


    Six monthster¡­


    ¡°Just feel me, Princess. Feel me and enjoy me. I n to enjoy you,¡± Massimo whispers against my ear.


    His nose brushes mine and he kisses me. Hot, fiery kisses are ces over my cheek, then down my neck.


    Against the silky blindfold, all I can do is imagine what his handsome face looks like. Because I can¡¯t see him, all my senses are heightened. His touch seems to reach me everywhere. His voice washes over my skin like a gentle caress. His scent tantalizes me. And the feel of him thrills me.


    Today is my birthday. This morning we got married, again, on the beautiful coast of Sicily. It was just the two of us and the priest. Father De La. Massimo said the only thing real about our first wedding was the priest. So, we got him to marry us again. Here we¡¯re we could dere our love and honor for our union.


    What I got that I didn¡¯t have the first time was the dream and true love¡¯s kiss. I had all the emotions too, that I always imagined for such a special day.


    Now we¡¯re in the beach house living out another fantasy.


    His this time. In it my wrists are bound to the bed with silk ties and I¡¯m blindfolded so I can feel all the pleasure he wants to give me.


    As he kisses his way down my body, I writhe against the silky sheets, cool against my skin, the perfect bnce to the fire from his lips.


    Just like always, it doesn¡¯t take long for me to get lost in him. I do within a few moments as I feel all that he has to give me, all at once.


    The wild suckle of my breasts, the intense tasting of my pussy, the luxuriating sensations that make me surrender to one orgasm after another.


    I feel amazing, but nothing feels better than his cock inside me. As he sears into me, my body wees the thrilling sensation of his thick cock filling my passage.


    Pleasure explodes inside me when he starts to fuck me. I writhe against him hot and wild, arching my back into the bed, the thrill wilder due to the restraints around my wrists. I¡¯mpletely and utterly under his spell with every secret part of me screaming his name.


    The savage energy storms through my body like liquid fire, and as Ie, he does too. Our bodies joint together share the mutual surrender of the unexpected thing that came to im us starting from that first moment we saw each other.


    It takes a few minutes to climb down from the high, but my brain is still buzzing and reeling with delight.


    He pulls out of me and releases the binding from my hands. The blindfoldes off next, and when I see my handsome prince, I smile.


    We kiss, and he pulls me into his arms, where I always feel safe.


    It¡¯s dark outside. We¡¯ve been in this bed for hours. The minute after we said, ¡®I do¡¯.


    ¡°You must be tired, Emelia,¡± he whispers to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t want the day to end. It was perfect.¡± It was the most perfect day I¡¯ve ever had.


    ¡°It is perfect. I promise you many more days like this.¡± He turns to face me and takes my hand.


    ¡°Thank you. I promise you perfect days too.¡± I always try to show him that I want to do things for him too.


    ¡°Every day I have with you is perfect.¡±


    I¡¯ve been in Florence now for thest six months. Hees to see me every weekend. Not one weekend has gone by when he hasn¡¯te. Even though I¡¯m living my dream, I miss him so much when I¡¯m not with him.


    This visit was extra special because of our wedding ns and my birthday.


    We¡¯ll be flying back to LA together for the Easter break. I have another eighteen months to finish the program. Then I¡¯d love to work for a gallery. But I have other dreams I want with this man.


    He looks down at me and searches my eyes. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Our future.¡±


    His smile turns up a notch. ¡°What do you see in this future of ours, Princesca?¡±


    ¡°Everything. I want everything with you. That includes the ten kids you said we¡¯d have.¡± We have this running joke I don¡¯t actually think is a joke. But I like it.


    ¡°That sounds like a great future.¡±


    I reach up and touch his face. ¡°Thank you for giving me my dream and being you. You are my happiness.¡±R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°You are my happiness too, Emelia.¡± He presses his forehead to mine. I know he truly means that.


    Our journey that led us to this moment. We¡¯re exactly where we should be. We belong to each other.


    I¡¯m his, and he is mine.


    Nothing is more perfect than that.


    Massimo


    I look from Tristan to Dominic sitting before me and rest my hands down on the table.


    I have to reread the letter in my hands again just to process it in my head. Dominic brought it to me. It was left at the D¡¯Agostinos, slipped under my office door.


    It says:


    Dear Massimo,


    You do not know me. But I know you, and I feelpelled to contact you in light of the information I¡¯ve recently discovered.


    There was so much more to what happened seven months ago when the Syndicate was obliterated.


    There were more people involved than who you think. So many more who were responsible for the deaths of our loved ones. So many got their hands dirty to end our fathers.


    Rardo Balesteri was just a pawn in a bigger game to eradicate enemies. I urge you not to stand alone but to reform the Syndicate and lead. Be a leader.


    It is only with the strongest alliances that you will be able to hunt your enemies, or war wille.


    Good luck.


    A friend


    Rage I¡¯ve tried to calm fills me at the thought of more people involved in Pa¡¯s death.


    This letter answers questions I had on my mind.


    I should have known that day when the bomb went off in the Syndicate building that more people could be involved. I should have known that more people must have been involved right from the time when we raised the rm that Rardo was involved in a plot to wipe out the Brotherhood and no one could find him nor d. It didn¡¯t make sense for that to happen given who the Syndicate was.


    Now it¡¯s clear as fucking day they had help.


    I ball my fist and m it down on the table.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Tristan asks. ¡°Reforming the Syndicate is not a bad idea, Massimo. They formed for a reason, and we have the next generation of leaders we can look to.¡±


    I¡¯ve purposely avoided talk of it because I didn¡¯t know what to do. Many have contacted me, but I ced it on hold. Tristan is right though. The Syndicate was formed for a reason. The wealth and assets I¡¯ve umted are so vast it blows my mind. It was designed to be shared and used.


    I sigh. ¡°There are few I trust,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why this guy suggested you take the lead. People you select to join you will be more trustworthy,¡± Dominic joins in.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Tristan adds.


    ¡°I want vengeance. Hearing this shit makes me want to hunt the fuckers responsible.¡±


    I know the other bosses and leaders of the crime families who were part of the Brotherhood would feel the same way. It¡¯d have strength in numbers and get blood for fucking blood.


    ¡°Then do it, Massimo. Reform and lead, and we¡¯ll back you up like we always do,¡± Tristan imparts with a firm nod.


    I gaze out to the beach and see my girl off in a distance, painting.


    I promised I¡¯d protect her from everything so we could have this life.


    I don¡¯t want the threat of war or anything to threaten our family. I want everything with her. The future with her and the children we¡¯ll have.


    She chose me to be her husband and protector. Pa chose me to take the lead on the business and the family. My brothers chose me because they believe in me.


    It¡¯s time to be who I¡¯m supposed to be and take the lead, indeed. On everything.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±

 44

    Prologue of book 2 (This book is a serie and will have 5 books in total)


    Tristan 6 years ago ¡­ I nce over my shoulder to check on Alyssa.


    She¡¯s in the living room taking off her shoes. She stands and looks around the little cabin like house we¡¯ll be staying in tonight and lowers back to the sofa.


    She¡¯s scared.


    I¡¯m fucking scared too and that¡¯s not going to help either of us.


    Satisfied she¡¯s not listening in on my conversation I continue talking to Gio, one of my head guards.


    ¡°Make sure the perimeters are secured.¡± I keep my voice low as I speak into the phone.


    ¡°Yes Boss. We¡¯ve got men around keeping watch. They got here a few minutes before you arrived.¡±


    ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want shit today. Not today of all days.¡± I can¡¯t keep the strain out of my voice. It¡¯s times like this when I remember as badass as I am, I¡¯m human.


    We all get the reminder we¡¯re human when the shit hits the fan, and you realize there are some things you can¡¯t control.


    Like a mad man who¡¯s after your wife, insisting he wants her body rather than the millions he was paid to release her from the debt her father owed.


    I sigh and press the phone to my ear, releasing a shallow breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be keeping watch Boss,¡± Gio replies.


    I can hear it in his tone he knows how worried I am.


    Weak.


    Weakness and Tristan D¡¯Agostino are words that should not bebined in the same sentence.


    They don¡¯t fit together. I hate the word weakness with a vengeance. It reminds me of the other word no one from our world likes to feel.


    Helpless.


    ¡°You call me at the first sign of trouble,¡± I order. ¡°I mean it.¡±


    ¡°Yes Boss.¡±


    I hang up the phone and shove it into my back pocket.


    Gazing out to the night sky, I wonder if I did the right thing bying here.


    I rest my hands on the stone surface of the baroque balcony and look over the grounds of the cabin. I can¡¯t see much. It¡¯s pitch ck and secluded. Perfect for hiding out.


    It¡¯s also close to where we need to be for tomorrow. Above anything else it¡¯s supposed to be safe. That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for. Safety.


    It¡¯s just for tonight. I just don¡¯t like to be out of my element when trouble¡¯s on the horizon, brewing. I can feel it, sense itcing through the fibers of reality.


    The Circle of Shadows are a group of Bratva assassins led by the notorious devil Mortimer Viggo.


    That is who wants my girl. Mortimer Viggo. I can¡¯t even believe I¡¯m thinking that man¡¯s name. It¡¯s synonymous with death.


    He and his Circle of Shadows are like demons from hell who will stop at nothing to get what they want. Right now they¡¯re on the hunt for my wife.


    This shit shouldn¡¯t be happening, not to my girl. She¡¯s sweet and innocent and deserved a good day today. Not this.


    It was our wedding day, a day I looked forward to since my crazy ass proposed to her when I was twelve.


    I just never imagined having to watch our backs and pray to God in his high heavens that nothing would happen.


    ¡°Tristan,¡±es Alyssa¡¯s soft voice from behind me.


    I turn to face her and give her my best smile.


    My angel smiles back at me. Those bright brown eyes look back at me with the same love they always show me, and her raven hair frames her beautiful heart shaped face.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I rasp out and walk toward her.


    Cupping her face, I recall our vows we took earlier, and I take a moment to feel the special thing she does for me. She tames the beast. She soothes the raging animal inside me that¡¯s always threatening to break out. It¡¯s abo of emotion that roils within. Primal and raw. It wants toe out and kill. Kill any motherfucker responsible for this situation.


    Really though, it¡¯s just one person who deserves the wrath of what I feel, and that¡¯s her father.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to stay out here all night, are you?¡± she asks.


    ¡°No, I just want to make sure we¡¯re okay. Y ou¡­ you¡¯re okay.¡±


    The twinkle dulls in her eyes and she presses her lips together.


    Swallowing hard she forces a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± It¡¯s not her fault. She¡¯s a victim of greed and the darkness that can happen in our world.


    What¡¯s happening is the sort of thing that the innocent get caught in when evil is at work. I talk like I¡¯m a good man, like I¡¯m not evil myself for being a mobster. But it¡¯s truth. Truth is truth. In our world when people don¡¯t get what they want. they take other things, like those you love.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be on the ind tomorrow. We¡¯ll be able to stay there and no one will bother us. We¡¯ll stay for as long as we need to.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to cage something wild. It¡¯s not right,¡± she says. It¡¯s a saying she¡¯s said to me many times. It was the first thing she said to me when we met many years ago as I attempted to cage a wild bird I¡¯d tended to when it was injured.


    I smile at her. ¡°Bellezza, are you talking about me or you? Whenst I checked we were both as wild as the other.¡±


    She chuckles at that,ughter which fills me with hope. When she schools her features, and the seriousness returns to her face, I get my answer. ¡°You. I¡¯m talking about you. The ind is beautiful, and I can¡¯t believe you actually got it, but a man like you isn¡¯t meant to stay on an ind. Kept away from everyone else, family and friends.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our paradise. The castle for the princess. A refuge from harm. I will keep you safe Alyssa, no matter what,¡± I vow, and I sound like earlier when I pledged my life to her. ¡°You hear me?¡±


    She nods her head. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°I got the ind for us to make our home. Just like I promised.¡± I did promise that. She was ten, but she remembers. At the time I was dirt poor, and we were both living in Stormy Creek. A ce known to house the poor and unfortunate.


    When I release her, she stands on the tips of her toes and nts a kiss on my chin.


    ¡°You did promise. Can I have my husband to myself now please?¡±


    ¡°You may. Head upstairs and I¡¯ll grab the champagne.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t n to,¡± I assure her.


    She smiles and I feel at ease. I watch her and try to push away my fears as she saunters away.


    Everyone is on high alert, the ce is secured, my father and brothers are on the streets looking for the devils. I can take tonight. Take the next few hours as reprieve. A rejuvenation so I can be ready for tomorrow.


    I just hate feeling like I¡¯m being watched constantly by that devil Mortimer Viggo. Him and his bunch of assholes. It was him who ordered the hit on my girl and sent his animal d to do his bidding.


    Closing my eyes briefly I remove the stress from my mind and make my way into the kitchen. I had champagne and some other things delivered earlier in my attempt to garner some part of the celebration.


    I grab the basket everything was delivered in. It¡¯s one of those massive arrangements with an assortment of cake and wine.


    It¡¯s when I walk back out to the passageway something feels off to me. Something more than it already did.


    There¡¯s a presence about the ce that wasn¡¯t there before. The same sort of presence I¡¯ve been trained to pick up on when danger is near. It¡¯s the same presence that tells me I¡¯m not being paranoid.


    I feel for my Berretta in my back pocket and continue up the winding staircase leading to the bedroom.


    ncing around I check the ce. This house is small. Several times smaller than the home we live in on Redondo Beach. It has morend around it, though. Nevertheless, I should be able to tell if someone was in the house.


    That¡¯s what it feels like.


    I walk into the bedroom, expecting to see Alyssa inside but she isn¡¯t.


    I set the basket with the champagne on the bed and look for her in the En suite bathroom but she¡¯s not there either.


    ¡°Alyssa?¡± I call out.


    No answer.


    I make my way into the other two rooms on the floor. The only other two rooms on the floor which are another bedroom and arger bathroom. But ¡­ she¡¯s not there.


    Panic assails me, making my heart gallop and my racing blood pump through my veins like liquid fire. I rush back downstairs into the living room and stop in my tracks when I see the front door wide open.


    It definitely was not fucking open just now when I was down here.


    Fuck.


    ¡°Alyssa!¡± I call out and there¡¯s still no answer.


    Reaching for my phone I call Gio. When his phone goes straight to voicemail a shiver of ice runs down my spine. He always answers his phone. My heart sinks into a chasm of hell when I call my other guards and the same fucking thing happens.


    No one who is supposed to be watching the ce is answering their phones. And I can¡¯t find Alyssa.


    I rush to the door and gasp out a horrified breath when I see her wedding band on the threshold at the door. It¡¯s just lying there, like it¡¯s waiting for me.


    Like it was set there to show me I¡¯m helpless. Helpless, the very thing I feared. Oh God¡­ Fuck!


    No.


    This isn¡¯t happening.


    They took her. She¡¯s been taken.


    She¡¯s gone. They got to her.


    How?


    Fuck, how?


    How did I not see them?


    Why didn¡¯t I hear them?


    I was only away from her for a few minutes. That¡¯s all.


    ¡°Alyssa!¡± I shout, sprinting outside. My shoes meet the gravel path leading up to the driveway.


    Where is everyone?


    I run out to where Gio is supposed to be stationed. Ahead is his car. The door is open. In the moonlight I can make out something on the ground.


    Adrenaline carries me, but I stop short when the night lightse on and I see what¡¯s lying there.


    It¡¯s his phone.


    Walking up to his car I see why didn¡¯t answer me.


    He¡¯s dead. His throat has been slit from ear to ear and blood covers his chest.


    I turn and gaze down to the gates about forty-feet away and my fucking heart stops beating when I see the shadowy figures of the two men who are supposed to be watching the house slumped at the sides and the fucking gate is open.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Tell me everything again?¡± Massimo demands.


    I gaze into my brother¡¯s eyes and I try to calm the fuck down so I can answer him. I¡¯m trying, but I can¡¯t do it. Not now.


    I grab the ss of whiskey and knock back the acrid liquid. Dominic just looks at me, cautiously.


    He¡¯s been quiet this whole time, not saying a damn thing. Not because there¡¯s nothing to say. It¡¯s because of the obvious. It¡¯s not often that someone is taken that we get them back. He¡¯s not talking because he doesn¡¯t want to tell me that.


    I don¡¯t know why but when shit¡¯s going down it¡¯s usually us three who stick together. My oldest brother, Andreas, goes off to be the hero and save the day. Maybe he¡¯s got that big brother gene that makes him do that.


    These two stick together and me with them. Today I don¡¯t know if I want them near me or away from me.


    Dominic¡¯s not saying shit because he knows I¡¯m right to fear the worse and telling Massimo what happened again isn¡¯t going to help.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been looking for her all night,¡± I say, my fucking voice sounds muffled. I¡¯m a mess and I can¡¯t control myself.


    ¡°Tristan, maybe we missed something,¡± Massimo answers.


    I gaze at him and see the reflection of myself in his eyes. People say we look like twins. As I regard my brother now, I see he¡¯s a reflection of me, internally and externally.


    I focus back on Dominic. He¡¯s the youngest of us and although we¡¯re just a year apart I sometimes feel older than he is from the respect he shows me. People know the four D¡¯Agostino brothers are a force to be reckoned with. People see the strength of us. Behind that, however, we each have our individual qualities.


    Dominic is the heart of the group of us, the most perceptive and intuitive. He knows I¡¯m hurting and I¡¯m at the end of the fucking line.


    The intensity of my gaze makes him nce down at the floor of this fucking cabin I thought safety woulde from. I continue to stare at him even as his gaze climbs back up to meet mine.


    ¡°What say ye brother? You¡¯ve been quiet?¡± I say to him. I don¡¯t know why I bother.


    His lips part to answer me but the click of the front door has me bolting to my feet.


    I rush out to the passage as Nick, one of our enforcers,es in the house carrying a box.


    ¡°Boss, this was at the office with your name on it,¡± he says.


    Massimo and Dominic join me.


    My eyes are on the box. It looks like a standard size delivery box. Nothing sinister, it¡¯s my heart that¡¯s clenching with the anxiety that¡¯s gripping it.


    ¡°It was just left?¡± I ask.


    Nick nods. ¡°We checked the footage, and it was wiped.¡±


    Yes¡­ just like the fucking footage here.


    I move to him and take the box.


    It feels heavy. Strangely heavy.


    Massimoes to my side when I set the box down on the side table.


    Drawing in a breath I open it and everything inside me changes when I see what¡¯s inside.


    Everything changes and I know nothing will ever be the same again as I gaze into those bright brown eyes of my girl.


    Her head sits in the box, her eyes open with terror gazing back at me, blood stains her cheeks as tears run down mine and my soul weeps.


    They killed her.


    She¡¯s dead. My worst fears havee to light. Massimo and Dominic are saying something, but I can¡¯t hear them. One of them holds me. I don¡¯t know which. I don¡¯t know anything. Time has frozen and it¡¯s like I¡¯m watching a nightmare unfold before my eyes.


    Except it¡¯s not a nightmare. This is real. It¡¯s what happens in the darkness of my world.


    This is what Mortimer Viggo does to anyone who crosses him.


    I couldn¡¯t save Alyssa. I couldn¡¯t keep her safe.


    My soul weeps, then dies.


    Darkness fills the void as thest traces of the man I was fade away into the ether and the beast takes his ce.


    Darknesses and so does the thirst for vengeance.

 45

    Tristan Present day¡­ The doors to the interrogation chamber crash open, mming against the walls.


    Viktor and Aiden drag in anky looking man with a goatee and a blood sttered shirt. His face is all messed up and he¡¯s begging for mercy.


    Motherfucker. He¡¯s wasting his breath. Mercy is a thing no one in this room will show him.


    Tonight is a night of reckoning. A night for answers and for our enemies to answer for their crimes.


    Eighteen months ago, every man in this room lost a father when the Syndicate of the Brotherhood was bombed in a secret plot to eliminate them.


    Massimo is all that remains. One solitary man who got to keep the wealth of a secret society of crime families who were once deemed a force to be reckoned with. Massimo was initiated when our father made him boss of the D¡¯Agostino famiglia.


    My brother was the only one to survive the bombing, and the only reason he survived was because of other secret plots at work instigated by Ricardo Balesteri. My family¡¯s enemy.


    In a bid to get the wealth of the Syndicate Ricardo betrayed them and formed an alliance with d Kusov, Mortimer¡¯s right hand man in the Circle of Shadows. They were the only people strong enough to take them on. We thought they were solely to me for the bombing until we got an anonymous letter letting us know there were more people responsible. Our quest for vengeance as a group began then.


    For me, however, it went deeper than that because I suspected more involvement in rtion to Mortimer Viggo. I was well versed in how he worked from years back when I tried to get revenge for my Alyssa.


    It was d who killed Alyssa. Him who did everything abominable to my girl before he cut her head off and sent it to me in a box, but Mortimer sent him to kill her. I killed d, but I¡¯m still seeking my revenge on Mortimer.


    d orchestrated the plot with Rardo to take out the Syndicate, but we knew the presence of any Shadow member could only arise if Mortimer sanctioned it. We have no idea who else was involved but I knew getting answers would start with him.


    This fucker here is the first stroke of luck we¡¯ve had in all that time. A fucking spy.


    ¡°This motherfucker is the one with the answers. ying sides, filthy scum,¡± Viktor shouts, his voice heavy with a Russian ent.


    Viktor became boss of the Romanov family with his father¡¯s passing, Aiden is his brother. They are part of the Bratva. Their father like ours was a member of the Syndicate.


    ¡°This piece of shit made the bomb that killed our fathers,¡± Aiden adds, hustling the man along.


    I rivet my gaze to the man in their arms. It was he who made the bomb. That knowledge just put the ink on his death certificate.


    Massimo and Dominic move out of the way as Viktor drags the man over to the wall and Aiden secures his wrists with chains. They both then step aside allowing Massimo to takeover, showing their respect for his leadership and authority here.


    ¡°Name?¡± Massimo demands.


    ¡°Wilson Parker,¡± Viktor replies.


    ¡°Details?¡±


    ¡°Age twenty-nine, resident of Summer Heights. He¡¯s an ex-army bomb disposal officer and aputer hacker. For our purposes he¡¯s the guy who Mortimer Viggomissioned to not only make the bomb that killed our fathers, but he also hacked the systems in the Syndicate building to make it possible. He¡¯s been working with Mortimer Viggo for a very long time.¡±


    There it is.


    There it all fucking is. A taste of what I suspected.


    Mortimer Viggo had more involvement than what we thought. When we got that letter, he was the first person who sprung to my mind.


    Now we know d and Ricardo were just puppets. The master controlling the strings was always Mortimer.


    Just like six years ago.


    Massimo looks to me and Dominic cracks his knuckles. They both know I have a personal stake in this because of Alyssa.


    ¡°Permission to speak brother?¡± I ask Massimo, reaching for my knife in my back pocket.


    ¡°Granted,¡± Massimo replies.


    I step right up to Wilson and he shudders at the sight of me.


    ¡°Please¡­ spare me. They¡¯ll kill me if I talk,¡± Wilson sputters. One of his teeth falls to the ground and I frown at the sight of it.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I shout. My voice carries across the room, echoing off the walls. ¡°What do you think we¡¯re going to do to you?¡±


    I can¡¯t stand idiots like this. The ones who believe we¡¯re just going to question them and let them go.


    ¡°Please I beg you. You already have a name. Isn¡¯t it enough?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s enough when I say it¡¯s enough,¡± I inform him. ¡°Tell us everything. I want to know everything Mortimer Viggo did.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s ¡­ too much,¡± he mutters.


    Too much? Jesus¡­ I wonder when too much is truly too much.


    The type of sins and secrets that have shaken my family since this shit began were the kind no man would ever forget. They were the kind to change a person forever. Inside and out. I watched the change ur in my brothers almost by the second. That change already came for me when Alyssa was killed.


    Everything that has happened gave us a rude awakening no one could foresee. And it all went down in one afternoon. Everything.


    Not only was the Syndicate bombed but the proverbial closet door opened, and all the skeletons fell out whispering secrets on their lips, holding daggers in their hands ready to kill and im.


    In that afternoon we lost Pa. The bomb injured him, but it was Ricardo¡¯s bullet to his head that ended him. We also learned the same devil killed our mother nearly twenty years ago, and made it look like a suicide.


    Then we lost Andreas, our eldest brother. I think of everything that happened his actions cut me deepest. I always suspected if anyone were to go rogue it would be him. He did.


    When Pa chose Massimo to be boss of the family, Andreas sided with Ricardo to destroy us. All an attempt to take the D¡¯Agostino empire for himself.


    All of that shit is what you call too much, and there was more. Those were just the worst parts of the disaster.


    I get right up in Wilson¡¯s face and make sure the fucker can see just how serious I am. I want him to see the real me, see I¡¯m a man with nothing left to lose.


    Men like me have no souls; they know no boundaries. All that fuels me is vengeance and the thirst for blood to sate the revenge that consumes my every thought.


    I want him to see that and know I¡¯m not a man to fuck with. As I stare him down understanding forms in his eyes. Ites along with terror when I raise my knife. I¡¯m not so sure he¡¯s scared enough yet though, so I¡¯m going to have to take things up a notch.


    ¡°Wilson¡­ I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re used to dealing with but now isn¡¯t the time for shit. This is the only warning you will get from me. Talk, or I will kill you slowly. Don¡¯t talk and it will be slower, agonizing, excruciating pain. The type where you will beg me to end you.¡± I smile and his eyes widen.


    Just as I preempted though he keeps his silence.


    I look to Massimo for more permission to act and he nods. On his approval, I ram my knife into Wilson¡¯s shoulder. That won¡¯t kill him, but it will cause enough pain to make the fucker cry. It certainly does.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He howls with pain and starts bawling his eyes out. He then proceeds with more pleas, begging for mercy.


    ¡°You fool, stop it. Stop asking for mercy,¡± I roar. ¡°Why should we show you any? You made the fucking bomb.¡±


    I yank my knife from his shoulder and stab him in the right side. The scream that rips from his lips pierces through me, and again when I push the knife in further and metal scrapes against bone.


    ¡°Stop! Please¡­¡± he cries.


    Looks like we¡¯re getting somewhere. ¡°Ready to talk? Or should I start chopping off limbs?¡±


    He says nothing. I already came in with no patience, so his silence just makes me snap. I pull my gun and shoot him in the top of his thigh. This time when he screams it¡¯s like death hase to take him. I¡¯m hoping that will be enough persuasion. If I do any more damage, he might not be any good to us.


    I cock the hammer on the gun again and he screams once more.


    ¡°No. Please. I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. The floor¡¯s open. We¡¯re oh so eager to hear what you have to say,¡± I taunt.


    ¡°Mortimer agreed to work with Rardo Balesteri when he told him your father had liaisons in motion with the Russian and Italian government. It was for the Syndicate to take over various business contracts,¡± he exins in a weak voice. I ball my fists at the mention of my father.


    I knew there was going to be more shit I wouldn¡¯t like.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I encourage.


    ¡°It would have meant more wealth, control, and power for the Brotherhood. Control over resources the criminal underground thrive on. Owning the oilpany made your father the wealthiest in the Syndicate, so the heads of government agreed to sign over contracts with him. He nned to pass on the ownership to the Syndicate to be shared as a group. Mortimer has always been looking for a way to eradicate the Syndicate. He wanted them wiped out, but he wanted your father dead because without him the contracts would be void.¡±


    I have to look to Massimo for strength because I just got confirmation that Mortimer ordered the death of someone else who was important to me. My father.


    Massimo can¡¯t look at me though. He¡¯s ring at Wilson. So is Dominic.


    I turn my attention back to Wilson and try to keep my cool. I want to find out everything there is to know. Then I¡¯ll kill him. Blow his head off and hope it will feelparable to being blown to smithereens.


    ¡°What else is there?¡± I demand. ¡°There must be more. I don¡¯t care who you are. Ex-army officer, or fucking tech god. You had to have help to pull off such a stunt.¡±


    ¡°Rardo wasn¡¯t the only member of the Syndicate who turned on them,¡± he rasps. ¡°There were five other groups involved in Mortimer¡¯s n.¡±


    Jesus Christ. I did suspect that too. Damn it, I hate being right. When I heard what happened I figured such a plot would only make sense if someone else was helping all of them. And the fucking culprits has to be people we know.


    The Syndicate was made up of six families. Four Italian families and two Bratva.


    Since it can¡¯t be Ricardo¡¯s family, the D¡¯Agostinos, or the Romanovs. That leaves the others.


    ¡°Who are they? Give me names,¡± I demand.


    ¡°I just know of the V olkovs, but Ricardo double crossed them.¡±


    My blood heats and I can feel the tension rippling off everyone around me.


    Massimo was contemting contacting them to reform the Syndicate. Hearing this makes me see people really can¡¯t be trusted.


    ¡°What about the others?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the names of the others. I just know the contracts your father signed was the thing to put the wheels in motion to get everyone together. ¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know any more names!¡± Massimo shouts.


    ¡°No. I heard mention of Italians. No names though.¡±


    The Mazzones were the only other Italian family in the Syndicate. But he hasn¡¯t given their names.


    It might be them, or might not be.


    ¡°Kruv¡¯ omerta,¡± he mutters and my nerves spike at the mention of those words. ¡°I heard that said a few times.¡±


    I narrow my eyes and nce at Massimo. Kruv¡¯ omerta is a secret blood oath for the vow of silence formed between a member of the Bratva and a person from La Costa Nostra.


    It¡¯s a rare oath. In all my thirty years I¡¯ve only ever heard of the oath in passing perhaps twice. It¡¯s not something that¡¯s widely practiced because it¡¯s a serious oath that binds those who have taken it until death.


    ¡°Who did you hear say that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Mortimer.¡± Wilson looks to Massimo then back to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything else. That¡¯s all.


    The people who got together wanted to tear down the Syndicate. The n failed when Rardo died.


    They thought he would be thest member. He was supposed to be an asset to them with all the wealth he would have inherited from the Syndicate. As long as the Syndicate exists and it¡¯s out of their control you will always have those enemies lying in wait for the next chance.¡±


    It seems like he¡¯s given us everything he can, and it is too much. Too much to process because it means eighteen months ago was just the tip of the shit. There¡¯s more to discover, more things we need answers for.


    ¡°And you? What did you do?¡± Massimo asks. I can tell from the tone in his voice death is next in the cards. ¡°You made the bomb, how¡¯d you get it in?¡±


    ¡°The V olkovs helped me. I liaised with them on when I should detonate it.¡±


    Massimo stares at him long and hard. A few seconds of silence pass between them. A few seconds of nothingness, with the silence pregnant in the air.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± I check, cutting in.


    ¡°No,¡± Wilson answers.


    I flick my gun to end him, but another bullet steals the moment from me andnds right between his eyes. Blood stters everywhere and Wilson¡¯s body goes limp.


    I turn to see Massimo with his gun raised, finger still on the trigger. He pulled his gun so fast I never saw iting.


    ¡°He was my kill. After all, his bomb was meant to kill me too. I should have died that day, but I¡¯m still standing. His life was mine to take,¡± Massimo says. ¡°Pa died in my arms¡­¡± His voice trails off.


    He doesn¡¯t need to say anything more.


    Massimo¡¯s jaw stiffens and I can tell he¡¯s trying to hold in the rage. The same as me. Dominic doesn¡¯t say anything. Again, he¡¯s quiet, unusually quiet and I feel like it¡¯s too much for him. There¡¯s only so much a person can take, and he hasn¡¯t been himself since everything when to hell.


    ¡°What now?¡± Viktor asks after a few moments.


    We look to him and I don¡¯t actually have an answer for him. I don¡¯t think Massimo does either. We knew Mortimer was involved but now we know more details and we have no way to find him.


    That¡¯s old news and to add to the shit of that, no one has ever seen his face.


    I¡¯ve been chasing a faceless viin for thest six years and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve ever been close to finding him. Nobody knows what Mortimer Viggo actually looks like. They just know his name, and usually if you get to hear that name you won¡¯t live past the next minute to remember it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep looking,¡± Dominic promises. There¡¯s a menace of darkness in his eyes I don¡¯t like. It¡¯s okay for me to cross to the dark side, but not my little brother. However, I know if anyone can find anything at all it¡¯s gonna be him.


    ¡°What about us?¡± Viktor asks, staring at Massimo. ¡°I think we¡¯ve proven you can trust us. We want in on the reformation of the Syndicate if that¡¯s what you still want. We¡¯ll be stronger together when ites down to it.¡±


    Massimo nods his agreement. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll meet and discuss the next steps. We have much to consider.¡±


    Nothing is truer than that.


    I walk into Massimo¡¯s office at D¡¯Agostinos Inc. and gaze at him standing by the floor to ceiling windows talking to Alfonse Belmond.


    Alfonse was my father¡¯s Pa. They knew each other in Italy when they were boys, and continued being friends. That made him like a second father to us. He trained us to do everything here at D¡¯Agostinos Inc.


    He looks like he¡¯s giving Massimo one of his pep talks. Something I¡¯m sure my brother could use.


    One seeing me walk in Alfonse rests a reassuring hand on Massimo¡¯s shoulder and walks toward me.


    He gives me a stern expression when he stops before me. He¡¯s aware we had a rough nightst night and looks extra worried about us. None of us would have given him details but it¡¯s obvious we went through shit. He also knows about our quest. It was kind of difficult to hide a thing like that away from him.


    ¡°You boys take it easy today,¡± he cautions. ¡°Your father was always saying to take rest when you need to regroup. You need to do that today. The two of you have the same haggard look.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry we will take some time out today,¡± I assure him.


    ¡°All right. call me if you need me.¡± He saunters away and I continue my procession to Massimo.


    We have a meeting with one of our investors in an hour. Massimo wanted to see us first so we could talk. Dominic should be here soon. I¡¯m just early.


    He turns to me as I approach, and I see he has a piece a paper in his hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°The letter,¡± he answers with a smirk. ¡°Wish I knew who it was from.¡±


    Massimo got that letter seven months after the Syndicate was bombed.


    I put my hand out to take it. I¡¯ve read it a hundred times already and each time I keep trying to figure out who it could be from. It¡¯s not going to hurt to read it again, so I do:


    Dear Massimo, Y ou do not know me. But I know you, and I feelpelled to contact you in light of the information I¡¯ve recently discovered.


    There was so much more to what happened seven months ago when the Syndicate was obliterated.


    There were more people involved than who you think. So many more who were responsible for the deaths of our loved ones. So many got their hands dirty to end our fathers.


    Rardo Balesteri was just a pawn in a bigger game to eradicate enemies. I urge you not to stand alone but to reform the Syndicate and lead. Be a leader.


    It is only with the strongest alliances that you will be able to hunt your enemies, or war wille.


    Good luck.


    A friend I pull in a sigh, hand the letter back to him, and shake my head. I still have no idea who the fuck it could be from, but afterst night reading it feels different to me.


    This guy knew what was going on.


    ¡°He knows who the culprits are,¡± I state and Massimo nods. ¡°He knew what Mortimer did and why.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I just wish I knew who he was and why the fuck he couldn¡¯t have juste out with whatever he knows.¡±


    ¡°And now we have the other groups to worry about,¡± I add. ¡°Five more of them.¡±


    ¡°Five more groups, and there was what Wilson said about Italians,¡± he narrows his eyes and shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s like talking in riddles. I don¡¯t know if that means the Mazzones, or if the other groups were Italians. I don¡¯t know if the kruv¡¯ omerta was formed amongst the group or if it was one person.¡±


    I sigh and bring my hand to my head. There¡¯s too much to think about and everything feels jumbled when you just have pieces of the puzzle and parts are missing. You don¡¯t know what fits where and what doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°Usually the kruv¡¯ omerta is formed with one person, but there¡¯s nothing that prevents it from being formed with more people. It¡¯s just rare Massimo. It requires more than just an alliance. It¡¯s a promise to the death, a promise for life.¡± It¡¯s a mystery, and if I¡¯m honest that part doesn¡¯t make sense, but then nothing has since our world turned upside down.


    ¡°You know what Tristan? I¡¯ve been standing here and I may as well have been scratching my ass because I don¡¯t know shit. I don¡¯t know where to begin to unravel anything. All I know is this, if there¡¯s mention of Italians we¡¯re going to have to assume the Mazzones were involved and are as guilty as the V olkovs. That¡¯s half of the fucking Syndicate.¡±


    Pointing it out like that highlights the gravity of the shit. ¡°No wonder things went the way they did.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. What happened eighteen months ago was an eye opener. Shit happened because potentially half of them were ying sides. Even if it was just Ricardo and the V olkovs, it¡¯s enough.


    Because of that, those who remained loyal couldn¡¯t do anything to protect themselves. Everything was based on wealth. Money counted for nothing in the end. It couldn¡¯t help them then and money won¡¯t help us now.¡±


    He¡¯s fucking right. The Syndicate wasrgely based on wealth. They thought unlimited wealth gave them power. It did to some extent. Until someone found a way to turn it against them.


    It was the same damn thing when it came to our losses. The D¡¯Agostino family is a powerful family. No one can just take us down like that, especially not with Massimo at the lead and me and Dominic at his side. The only way to get to men like us is to try and turn the people we trust against us. Since trust doesn¡¯te easy, making a guy we trust double cross us is like tying us up to beat us.


    That is the only way to get to us and our enemies know that. Mortimer knows that.


    ¡°What do you suggest?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I agreed we should reform the Syndicate from the moment I got the letter. Being told to hunt my enemies or war wille was enough to make me want the alliance a syndicate would have. But I¡¯ve taken my time to consider who I want to involve because while I want to keep the structure and the concept the same, I don¡¯t want the same problems so the same shit can happen in the future. I think I can finally make a start at rebuilding, but I¡¯m continuing the hunt. Mortimer is at the top of the list.¡±


    ¡°You know I fully support you. I¡¯ve never stopped looking for that man.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°If we get Mortimer, it will be a big win. If we get the rest of these bastards then I think I¡¯ll look to reforming the Syndicate with the same vision Pa had for strength.¡±


    I nod my agreement.


    We grew up poor, living in shit because Rardo Balesteri made sure our father lost everything.


    Pa rebuilt and gave us a legacy with D¡¯Agostino Inc. He took one step further and allied himself with the Syndicate to protect what we had and make us stronger. We can do that too.


    The door burst open and Dominic rushes in carrying a wad of papers.


    ¡°Guys,¡± he says breathlessly. ¡°I found something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stare at him eagerly.


    He moves over to Massimo¡¯s desk and sets out the papers. We follow and look over them as he spaces them out.


    One looks like a transfer of property deed and the rest are listings of addresses and photos of a young woman with white blonde hair and bright green eyes. Instantly she catches my attention because she¡¯s very beautiful.


    ¡°Look, here,¡± Dominic points to the deed and I see exactly what he¡¯s pointing to.


    It¡¯s Mortimer¡¯s name transferring a house in Moscow to Isabe Viggo.


    ¡°Isabe Viggo?¡± I ask narrowing my eyes, and Dominic nods.


    He then points to another set of documents that lists Isabe Viggo¡¯s rtion to Mortimer as his daughter.


    Fuck¡­The man has a daughter.


    The realization hits me and Massimo at the same time and we look at each other.


    ¡°Mortimer has a daughter,¡± I state and grit my teeth.


    ¡°Correction brother, Mortimer has a daughter only a select few know about,¡± Dominic intones.


    ¡°That house in Moscow is empty but I found an address in Rhode Ind for the point of contact. The woman who lives there, however, is thisdy: Isabe Baker. She¡¯s twenty-two and works at the Ridgewood Clinic as an assistant therapist.¡±


    I sigh. ¡°Same first name, there¡¯s every reason to hide the surname.¡±


    ¡°We have to be careful. It might not be her. We¡¯d need something to identify her as Isabe Viggo,¡± Massimo points out. ¡°Isabe Baker could be someone working with them, or just a contact at the address with the same first name.¡±


    ¡°Or it¡¯s her,¡± I press. Maybe it¡¯s desperation making me eager to jump the gun and get somewhere. Or maybe I don¡¯t want to spend the next six years in the same shit, or worse ¡­ losing someone else.


    ¡°How did you find this Dominic?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°I hacked everything known to man. I¡¯ve had trackers set up on various systems to alert me when Mortimer¡¯s name pops up. This came from and registry office in Moscow. It was filed this morning. The moment it was scanned into the systems my bots picked it up. I did the rest of digging around with the details on the deed.¡±


    Fuck¡­ All I can do is look at him in amazement.


    ¡°Good job Dominic,¡± Massimo says with a nod.


    ¡°Fuck yeah,¡± I agree.


    ¡°So¡­ What are we going to do?¡± Dominic asks nervously. ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°If this woman is his daughter, she¡¯ll know where to find him,¡± I say picking up the photo of her.


    She is really beautiful. That white blonde hair and those bright green eyes are striking. Her eyes hold me in ce like she¡¯s actually looking at me and there¡¯s a sheen of determination in them.


    Is she his daughter?


    If she is then that makes her my enemy too. Guilty by mere association with hands as filthy and her soul as dark as her father¡¯s.


    A n starts brewing in my mind and stirring in my soul. The same n I¡¯ve thought of before, many times. After Alyssa was killed there were countless times when I wondered if Mortimer had anybody he cared about. This could be her. A daughter.


    ¡°If we had her, it would be a step closer to finding him. A massive step,¡± I state.


    ¡°I doubt she¡¯s going to give us that information so easily if Mortimer has gone through so many lengths to conceal his identity,¡± Dominic points out.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think she will. We¡¯d have to take her.¡±


    My brothers look at me, neither disagreeing. We¡¯re each as ruthless as the other. We know what needs to be done sometimes to get what we want. No matter if it¡¯s right or wrong.


    ¡°Kidnap her,¡± Massimo states.


    ¡°Kidnap her,¡± I confirm with a nod.


    ¡°Can we do that?¡± he asks looking at each of us.


    We¡¯re not in the habit of kidnapping women. It should be something to think about properly. Since I¡¯ve already thought, I have no problem with doing it. I guess that must mean my soul might be darker than my brothers. Maybe it is, after all it was me who got my wife¡¯s head in a fucking box. My wife, who was taken, kidnapped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I offer. ¡°I will do it.¡±


    ¡°It means war. If we get her and Mortimer finds out we have her, it heralds war,¡± Massimo says and I think back to the letter our anonymous friend sent us.


    He seemed to know so much; I wonder if he knew the war he cautioned us about might start like this.


    ¡°What if we take her and demand he gives himself over?¡± Dominic suggests and I almostugh.


    That would be the thing to do if we were dealing with a weaker enemy. However, we¡¯d be more likely to see hell freeze over, or fucking pigs taking flight in the sky before Mortimer handed himself over to us.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s important to him,¡± he adds.


    ¡°Yes, but men like him don¡¯t work like that.¡± Massimo shakes his head. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t give himself over to save his child. If he gets her, he knows we won¡¯t kill her because she¡¯s leverage.


    He¡¯ll do everything he can to get her back and that means weakening us in whatever ways he sees fit.¡±


    ¡°If he finds out we took her, it means death to everyone we know, here and in Italia,¡± I say, and Dominic bites the inside of his lip.


    We¡¯re strong, but when you don¡¯t know what your enemy¡¯s full strengths are that leaves you open for attack. Massimo has Emelia, his wife. Kill her and you kill the man he is. I know he¡¯s thinking about her even as we speak. I would be too if I had a woman.


    ¡°Demanding ransom like that might have to be n B,¡± Massimo adds.


    ¡°So, n A. should be focused on the simplest thing we can do,¡± I impart with a sigh.


    ¡°Yes, which is to avoid war.¡± Massimo asks. ¡°The simplest thing to do is to find him andunch a surprise attack to eradicate him. Something he never sawing and can¡¯t prepare for.¡±


    Goosebumps prickle my skin at the prospect of this happening, of finally getting Mortimer Viggo, and in such a way. This is a door that swung wide open for us to go through.


    ¡°I think I should take a trip to Rhode Ind,¡± I offer. ¡°If this woman is indeed his daughter, she¡¯ll know where to find her father. If we could pull off a n like that it would be priceless.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll all go to Rhode Ind,¡± Massimo replies with a determined nod. ¡°Boys lets¡¯ keep this under wraps. I¡¯ll choose a select few to apany us. We don¡¯t tell anybody about this until we need to. The fewer people who know the better.¡±


    Dominic and I both nod.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need a solid n when we get to Rhode Ind,¡± Dominic says. ¡°Providing it¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Let me worry about that,¡± I answer.


    Those eyes of hers stare at me and I already feel the beast roiling inside me getting ready to strike.

 46

    Isabe Dmitri is here again¡­ Why?


    I can¡¯t help the hard look I give him as he walks through the door of the cafeteria. Yesterday was bad enough.


    My job here at the rehabilitation centre is one of the few things I can do to escape reality.


    Just the sight of him drags me back to the darkness of my world. I hate this man with everything inside me. I hate him so much it hurts my heart just to look at him.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m supposed to look at him and not remember the way he killed Eric, the love of my life.


    Under normal circumstances a killer like him wouldn¡¯t be striding toward me without a care in the world. He would be behind bars serving serious time for his crimes.


    In my hell, however, he¡¯s my father¡¯s righthand man. Killing got him to where he is today. At the right hand of the devil.


    Dmitri is a walking nightmare and that smile on his face continuously mocks me. Every time I see this man¡­ this monster, I get the reminder of my ce in this world and that my life does not belong to me. It doesn¡¯t matter where I am. Be it home, or at work. My father is always doing something to put things in perspective.


    Usually I can figure things out and I know to be extra cautious. This week, however, has been a mystery.


    Something is going on. I¡¯m convinced of it now.


    I¡¯m twenty-two years old. If I don¡¯t know by now that there¡¯s never a dull moment when ites to my father, then I¡¯ll never know.


    If something is going on, though, I have a right to know what it is. I hate feeling paranoid. It¡¯s bad enough I¡¯ve had that awful sensation over thest few days that someone is watching me. I don¡¯t need shit like this.


    As Dmitri approaches me, Sacha, my bodyguard, nces over from the corner of the room. He must sense something is going on too. Why else would I need two guards to escort me to the meeting?


    Dmitri stops, paces away, and gives me a clipped nod, a silent order to finish what I¡¯m doing so we can leave.


    I draw in a shallow breath and try to calm my nerves. It¡¯s not time to leave yet. I¡¯m supposed to be here for another three hours. I hate leaving work earlier than nned and for no reason at all.


    I¡¯m an assistant psychologist here. My goal is to be a cognitive behavioral therapist and work somewhere like this in the future, working with people who have suffered from trauma and have PTSD. This clinic has been perfect for me to gain all the relevant experience because they have both inpatients and outpatients.


    I¡¯m ruled under my father¡¯s thumb, so I know all my goals are wishful thinking but I¡¯ve had this job for thest nine months, straight out of college. That¡¯s impressive on its own and I take it extremely seriously. The Ridgewood Clinic usually selects professionals with more post college experience and qualifications. My eptance was based on my impressive academic record at Brown University and the three summers I spent here on a voluntary cement. They loved me so much they epted my application in a heartbeat. I value things like that.


    At the same time, I value being allowed to work. It was something I had to beg my father for.


    Although he granted the small freedom it came with the condition that like college I had to have my bodyguard with me at all times, and if I was needed to be somewhere he wanted me to be I had to do as I was told.


    So, I know there¡¯s little point arguing with any of my father¡¯s guards. Besides, if Dmitri is here that¡¯s as good as my father telling me it¡¯s time to go. I¡¯ll have to leave now whether I want to or not. I would hate for the little freedom I have to be taken away.


    I return my focus to Joseph, the patient I¡¯ve been working with today, and try to gather myposure.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hand you over to Belinda, so you can stay in here a little longer,¡± I tell him.


    He¡¯s a linebacker for the LA diators. He came in two months ago after a car ident and has progressed immensely.


    He rests down on his crutch and gives me a smile. ¡°Sweetheart, how about I take it from here and make my way back to my room. Belinda is just going to try and give me that disgusting soup, again,¡± he answers with a chuckle.


    I can¡¯t help butugh. He¡¯s right. That¡¯s exactly what Belinda will try to do.


    My coworkers and the patients here keep me going. People like them keep me in touch with reality. They help me to forget who I belong to.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to try?¡± He¡¯s capable and a lot stronger this week than justst week but it¡¯s in my nature to be cautious.


    ¡°I¡¯m cool. Trust me.¡± He gives me a wink and I watch him take his time walking away.


    There are many people around, but the second Joseph goes through the double door I feel vulnerable. I feel like I¡¯m alone and exposed to whatever the hell is happening with my father.


    Footsteps approach behind me and I meet the cold maic eyes of Dmitri. He smiles at me and I wish he wouldn¡¯t.


    Sacha hangs back, not daring to interfere. He knows his ce and I should know mine, especially with a man like Dmitri. A man just as evil as my father.


    ¡°You¡¯re here again,¡± I state, tensing my jaw. I can¡¯t help it when ites to him. He knows I hate him, but what I hate more right now is being unable to figure out what¡¯s going on.


    ¡°I am here again,¡± he replies.


    Like most of my bodyguards he speaks with a hint of a Russian ent. Mine ispletely gone.


    I¡¯ve lived in the States for thest twelve years and no one would ever think I spent the majority of my childhood in Moscow speaking little to no English.


    ¡°Howe?¡±


    ¡°Your father moved up your meeting with him,¡± he answers in a t monotone.


    I have a Skype call scheduled with my father in a few hours. We have these meetings once a month when he isn¡¯t visiting, and they don¡¯t normally require the attention of his first inmand. He also doesn¡¯t usually move the time forward either.


    ¡°Is something happening?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s a special meeting.¡± A chuckle rumbles deep and low in his chest.


    Special? I don¡¯t like the sound of that. I pray special doesn¡¯t mean my father has found out I¡¯ve been leaving the house at night. I don¡¯t do it often, just when I need a little break. Sacha has been watching my back, and his own. He wouldn¡¯t take a risk that could cost him his life. I think too if my father knew about that, Sacha would be dead. We wouldn¡¯t be having a special meeting for that.


    Pushing the worry out of my mind I resume my annoyance. ¡°Is that why you decided to apany me? How touching.¡±


    ¡°Feisty. V ery feisty. I¡¯m going to enjoy putting that mouth of yours to good work.¡±


    My eyes widen and I blink several times as my cheeks flush. I¡¯m as shocked as I am mortified by his words. Lately he¡¯s been like this. Speaking the vileness of his mind more freely. That was the worst he¡¯s been, though.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I counter. ¡°How dare you talk to me like that?¡±


    I sound like I have the balls it would take to take him on. However, a shiver runs down my spine when the humor fades from his expression and is reced by something cold and dark that reminds me to check myself.


    ¡°You watch your tone with me, Isabe,¡± he warns with a hardened gaze. ¡°I will speak to you however I want, and I¡¯ll imagine that mouth of yours pleasuring me in whatever way I want.¡±


    A smile lifts the corners of his mouth and a lock of his blond hair falls over his eye. His gaze runs down the length of my body, his eyes touching me everywhere.


    I¡¯m no fool. I see the way he looks at me and I don¡¯t like it. He¡¯s fifteen years my senior, and he¡¯s been looking at me like that since I was twelve. It¡¯s with lust and desire. Two things that are supposed to be enough to get him killed, yet he does it easily.


    No one is allowed to get close to me. It means death. They all know this. They all know what consequences wait for getting close to the daughter of Mortimer Viggo.


    Since he was ordered to kill the one and only man who ever got close to me, I know the only way this man could be looking at me in such an obviously sexual way is if he was given permission to do so.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Dmitri says and nces over to Sacha, motioning for him to follow as he starts walking ahead of me.


    I follow suit and look back at Sacha as he catches up to us. He shakes his head at me. A silent caution to keep my head above water.


    I always listen to him. He¡¯s been taking care of me since birth. Sacha is the only one of my father¡¯s guards to show me kindness and treat me like a person. In fact, I think of him as a father. So, I¡¯ll definitely be heeding his warning.


    I return my gaze ahead and smile at my work colleagues as I walk through the automatic sliding doors. To them I¡¯m Isabe Baker, daughter of a wealthy, overprotective businessman who insists on his daughter having bodyguards apanying her everywhere she goes. It¡¯s always been like that.


    I must look like some pampered princess, though. Little do people realize, that¡¯s the story we tell to keep us safe. It¡¯s the story I tell to have the small freedoms I¡¯m allowed.


    I¡¯ve lived a life more sheltered than most in the Bratva because my father is the leader of the Circle of Shadows. A man people would love to eliminate. No one outside the circle has ever truly met him. They might know his name, but they will never know his face. He¡¯s made it so the name Mortimer Viggo could be anybody.


    No one would know just how badly I¡¯d love to escape him. Just thinking of what happenedst time I tried makes my soul tremble in fear. The punishment I received was a lesson I¡¯ll never forget as long as I live.


    Sacha opens the car door for me and I slide into the back seat. He gets to the driver¡¯s seat and instead of Dmitri getting in next to him like he¡¯s supposed to, he sits next to me.


    Sacha starts up the car and we pull out of the parking lot, easing on to the road.


    ¡°Careful, princess. Your head might explode if you think too hard,¡± Dmitri taunts.


    I only spare him a nce, taking in the calctive look in his eyes, then keep my focus out the window. Soon I get lost in the passing trees the way I do when I drive my own car.


    I¡¯m not allowed to drive further than the city center which is twenty minutes from where I live.


    Work is considered too far, and I¡¯m definitely not allowed to drive to the location of these scheduled calls with my father. They take ce at the home of Nikoli Solteck, the former brigadier of my father¡¯s brotherhood. The Circle of Shadows are considered Bratva, but they aren¡¯t exactly part of it in terms of the traditional hierarchy and set up. Those of the Bratva my father associates with are few and far between.


    We pull up at the house forty minutester. Nikoli greets me in his usual way, which is cold. Cold like fish, just like my father.


    I¡¯m taken to the conference room, but instead of being left alone to speak to my father like I usually am, Dmitri walks in ahead of me.


    ¡°Special remember?¡± he smiles.


    My lips part like I have something to say but I¡¯m at a loss for words. Anything that might havee to mind fades when the image of my father¡¯s stern face appears on therge tv screen at the table at the head of the room. His sea green eyes are the only thing I got from him. My tinum blonde hair and petite frame are from my mother.


    Dad¡¯s graying head looks grayer than justst month. He also has a haggard appearance I¡¯m not used to. It doesn¡¯t however do anything to dim the me of power alight in his eyes.


    ¡°Dmitri,¡± Dad addresses him first.


    Dmitri nods his respect and takes a seat.


    ¡°Isabe,¡± he says turning his attention to me.


    ¡°Hello Dad,¡± I answer and bow my head in the same respectful manner as Dmitri did. It¡¯s not respect I feel. But what I know I must do.


    ¡°Sit,¡± Dad beckons, and like he¡¯s actually in the room, he motions to the chair before the monitor for me to sit.


    I do, bringing my hands together to keep my nerves at bay. As far as I was concerned this was supposed to be the usual monthly meeting. The type a caring father would have to catch up with his only daughter. It¡¯s never like that with him, though. These meetings are to keep me in check. I don¡¯t know what would make this meeting special, however.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± he asks me.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Is something happening?¡± I chance the question.


    My father chuckles cruel and low, then gazes back at me with a pensive stare.


    ¡°My dear Isabe, something is always happening. But I suppose a big something is happening that has reached its peak.¡± He nces at Dmitri then looks back to me. ¡°Something that requires the need to meet with you both.¡±


    I hold my breath. I can¡¯t even guess what is happening. Dmitri, however, seems to know exactly what¡¯s going on. I nce at him out the corner of my eyes and note his calm demeanor. It¡¯s too calm in the presence of my father. Even for a favored man like him.


    Dad looks from me to Dmitri, the suspense killing me slowly as the seconds tick by.


    ¡°It¡¯s been awhile since I¡¯ve felt the need to retire and pass the torch to a sessor,¡± Dad states and as the words fall from his lips my heart freezes.


    All I hear is retire and sessor. The words sink into my brain and as I process them, I know exactly why this meeting has been deemed special.


    He¡¯s retiring and who do I think is going to take over from him?


    It¡¯s not me. Me, the heiress to his empire. No, no. Sure if he¡¯d had a son then of course. But there will never be a woman leading the Circle of Shadows.


    I grip the edge of my seat waiting for the other shoe to drop, because what¡¯s about to happen is something I¡¯ve always feared.


    ¡°I have chosen Dmitri to take the lead and one of the stiptions I have imposed on him is to marry you. Your union will carry on the legacy of my blood and my life¡¯s work in creating the Circle of Shadows.¡±


    I¡¯m shaking my head, and on my feet before I can even register what he¡¯s saying to me.


    ¡°You want me to marry the man who killed Eric?¡± I bleat out. The words just fly out of my mouth, pouring from my soul. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    I know I¡¯ve spoken out of turn, and of anyone, I¡¯m not to speak to my father like this and definitely not in the presence of one of his guards. When I think of how Dmitri killed Eric though I can¡¯t tamp down my rage, nor the shock that¡¯s mming through my heart.


    Yes, I can admit to preempting he would choose someone for me to marry whenever the time came, but I never saw his retirement on the horizon. He¡¯s a man I thought would die on his throne in his rule of tyranny.


    ¡°Isabe-¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t,¡± I cut in and a tear runs down my cheek.


    When he looks to Dmitri, I experience a flight or fight response, but my body can¡¯t choose which to do. I¡¯m toote anyway to do anything. Dmitri grabs me, hands gripping my throat, a haughty smile lighting up his face at my pain.


    I¡¯m choking, gasping for breath, and this man is taking pleasure in my suffering the same way he enjoyed beating Eric to death.


    Dmitri turns me to the tv so I can face my father and receive the rest of the orders he has for me.


    ¡°This is going to happen Isabe and you will obey,¡± Dad sneers. ¡°Do I need to remind you what happens to those who misbehave?¡±


    As the words leave his mouth, my skin crawls at the memory of his cruel hand doling out myst punishment. I recall with perfect rity the sting of the whip on my back. Twentyshes with a whip for trying to escape and ten more for lying to save my driver who he gave a bullet to the head for helping me.


    That was two years ago. I couldn¡¯t walk after for a week. He ims to love me. I don¡¯t know how anybody could treat their own child the way he¡¯s treated me. I¡¯m a thing to him. Property.


    Something he can use and exact his power over. That is all I am to him and that day when he whipped me, taking the skin off my back, he nearly killed me. He very nearly did, and I will always remember how it felt. It was almost as painful as watching him kill the man I loved.


    The goal of the punishment was to tame me, break me, make me submit to the fact that I belong to him. The hidden lesson being if I want to live any kind of life this is the only way. His way. None other.


    That¡¯s how I feel now.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± Dad bellows and Dmitri¡¯s hand tightens around my throat.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± I garble.


    ¡°Release her,¡± Dad orders and Dmitri obeys.


    I look to the monster who was just holding me with hate in my eyes and he smiles back at me like I¡¯ve said something funny.


    ¡°The wedding will take ce in six months,¡± Dad says, and I flick my gaze back to his. ¡°Until then you will get to know each other. Dmitri will alternate the night watch with Sacha and join him on the alternate days. That is all I have to say now. Any questions?¡±


    I have a million, none of which I can ask.


    Fear makes me keep my gaze trained on him, knowing I¡¯ll be hurt if I insult him again.


    ¡°No sir,¡± Dmitri answers.


    ¡°Isabe, anything from you?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°Nothing, sir.¡±


    ¡°V ery well then. We¡¯ll meet in a few weeks as per usual. Goodbye.¡± The screen cuts and the image of my father disappears along with it.


    My hands are fisted at my sides and hate fills my heart. I look back to Dmitri, wishing more than ever I could escape.


    I open my mouth to say something, but he pounces on me, hands at my throat once again. This time he squeezes so hard I think he might kill me. I can¡¯t even scream out for help.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight you little bitch. I own you now,¡± he taunts. ¡°You will be grateful I want you even after you whored yourself out to Eric. You¡¯re lucky your father didn¡¯t kill you, too, for losing your virginity to one of his guards.¡±


    I¡¯m losing air. The room is going dark and spots speckle my vision. His hands are too tight. The door opens and I¡¯m thankful to see Sacha.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± Sacha demands, and Dmitri releases me.


    I cough and bring my hand to my throat. It burns and I feel so lightheaded I just might faint.


    With a cruelugh Dmitri looks at Sacha and shakes his head.


    ¡°Get her in the car,¡± he orders and walks out.


    Sacha takes me and I grip on to his hands, allowing the tears to fall.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay,¡± he assures me.


    All I can do is look at him. I don¡¯t know how he can say that to me. As I look at him, I realize he must have known this would happen too, but there¡¯s only so much he can do.


    He ushers me back to the car.


    Dmitri is already sitting in the back waiting for me.


    While Sacha starts up the car, I turn away from Dmitri only to be met with the chilling sensation I¡¯ve been experiencing for thest few days that someone is watching me.


    I feel it again ¡­ so strong I can almost touch it.


    I¡¯m always paranoid. Always, but this is different.


    As I nce out the window, I see a car off in the distance when we take the corner. We¡¯re far away and moving further, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen that car before.


    At work? Near work? Near home? I¡¯m not sure. I just know I¡¯ve seen it.


    My tears blur my vision, and it¡¯s too far to see who¡¯s inside the car, but I can make out a vague figure and I¡¯m sure they¡¯re watching me.


    In fact, I know it.


    Anyone who¡¯s watching me would only be doing so if they knew me. And if they know me then they¡¯ll only know me because of my father.


    There are so many monsters. Too many and in every corner.


    Which one is it this time?


    Who is watching me?


    Who would be foolish enough or, brave enough, to go against Mortimer Viggo?


    Maybe it¡¯s the devil himself.

 47

    Tristan It¡¯s her¡­ It¡¯s definitely her.


    The instant I saw Dmitri Oleksiak I knew Isabe Baker most assuredly had to be Isabe Viggo.


    The presence of that man was confirmation enough. He¡¯s a senior member of the Circle of Shadows and would only be present out here if he were guarding something special, or someone. And he wouldn¡¯t be guarding a mere person who was just a point of contact. Seeing any senior member of the Shadows is the same as seeing Mortimer himself. They are the strongest and what you¡¯d expect to find guarding a person like the boss¡¯ daughter.


    I¡¯ll take that as evidence enough that it¡¯s her.


    I watch her car disappear around the corner, and I almost feel sorry it¡¯s her.


    She seems to be like any other young woman who wants to pursue her career. A woman who wants to live her life.


    I expected a princess. A privileged, silver spooned beauty like all the other rich girls who live off daddy¡¯s dirty money. I was quickly proven wrong as I watched her at work in the clinic. I could tell she cared about her work, and unlike her father, she cares about people.


    When I saw how Dmitri handled her earlier, I got the true picture of what her life must be like.


    What I saw was someone being ruled with an iron fist. Held under the thumb of a dictator who wants to control every aspect of their life. That was as clear to me as the sensation of her watching me.


    As her car drove away, I could feel that strong maic pull you get when you can sense you¡¯re being watched.


    It¡¯s irony at its finest. I was watching her, and she was watching me too.


    I¡¯ve been following her for thest three days. I arrived on Sunday with my brothers and got a ce close to where she lives. Days ago, when I first saw her working at the center, I almost didn¡¯t think it was her because I couldn¡¯t imagine Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter working in such a capacity.


    The checks we ran on her all looked legit. Everything was made to look like she was the daughter of some wealthy businessman called Russell Baker. A very clever made up name, I have to give Mortimer credit for. He almost made a believer out of me. I almost dropped the mission thinking we were wrong.


    Until yesterday when I thought I saw Dmitri. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt so I couldn¡¯t quite tell if it was him.


    Today he wasn¡¯t. Today he dressed like any regr guy. Anyone would be easily fooled and would never know the man is a deadly assassin who could kill you before you took your next breath.


    The other day when I couldn¡¯t confirm if Isabe was Mortimer¡¯s daughter, I thought the other man with her might be a boyfriend of sorts. He¡¯s a lot older than Dmitri, much older than her by maybe twenty years, but that¡¯s hardly strange. Now it¡¯s clear he¡¯s a guard too.


    I came across Dmitri in my first encounter with d. That was months after Alyssa¡¯s death when I managed to track them down. Dmitri nearly killed me and would have too if I didn¡¯t have my father backing me up. It was a narrow escape. We were too focused on catching d to pay him the attention he should have gotten.


    I wished we¡¯d killed him. From the looks of things, it seems he might have gotten d¡¯s old job.


    I pull in a deep breath and set my hands on the steering wheel.


    This is it.


    We found her. So that means we should be able to find Mortimer.


    It¡¯s a massive step further than I ever imagined. A path to retribution, and I can see from the steps Mortimer has taken to protect and conceal her that she¡¯s the thing he loves.


    The devil has a heart. The devil has a weakness and I just found it.


    Beautiful and angelic as she is, this woman is my ticket to a man I¡¯ve been seeking vengeance on for thest six years. She¡¯s food for the beast inside me that¡¯s been itching for revenge since I saw my Alyssa¡¯s head in that box.


    Quickly, I fire off a message to Massimo and Dominic confirming we¡¯ve found Isabe Viggo then drive away, heading back to the house.


    I arrive in less than an hour beating traffic.


    Massimo and Dominic are in the living room sitting around the little dining table. Candace is here too sitting cross-legged on the carpet by Massimo, organizing paperwork.


    She works with Massimo at thepany now, but her family has always worked for mine in some shape or form. As a trusted friend we¡¯ve known since childhood we brought her along to help with the research. Since there are few people we trust we had to rely on those we already have at our disposal. Even if we would have opted to keep her out of business, her presence here is a sign that Massimo is keeping his head above water.


    Our small team included all the people in the room, my two main guards Nick and Leo who know what we¡¯re here for, and five guards who are just here for security purposes. They haven¡¯t been given the details of the mission. Those chosen are people we¡¯ve known for more than twenty years and have protected us in battle.


    As I enter the room, I have everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Is it really her?¡± Massimo asks straightening up.


    ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± I confirm with a sure nod.


    ¡°How can you be certain?¡± Dominic asks.


    ¡°I saw her with Dmitri Oleksiak,¡± I answer and that¡¯s confirmation enough. They know Dmitri too.


    ¡°Jesus¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, agreeing we might need to call on the lord¡¯s help. But since he wouldn¡¯t condone the ns we have up our sleeves we¡¯re kind of in the shitter.


    ¡°Okay. Now that we know it¡¯s her, we need to n on when to strike,¡± Massimo states.


    At the mention of striking Candace¡¯s gaze drops back down to the stack of papers in her hands.


    Like all the shit we get up to, she doesn¡¯t agree with what we¡¯re nning to do. But she won¡¯t voice her opinions one way or the other. Not when she also knows this is the only way to get the man responsible for so many deaths.


    We know enough now and all that¡¯s left is a window of time for me to take her.


    ¡°Brother, I don¡¯t mean to overstep,¡± Dominic says. ¡°But if she has the likes of Dmitri watching over her we need to think of how we¡¯re going to pull this off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep watching,¡± I cut in. ¡°I¡¯ll keep looking for a way. I just have to find one. A window.


    When I find it, we just have to be ready to act.¡±


    The n is to take her to the ind.


    My ind. No one will be able to find her if she¡¯s there. I¡¯m supposed to take her there to hide her while Massimo arranges the heist to take down Mortimer. That¡¯s of course providing we¡¯re told his location. That¡¯s the n.


    ¡°All right, you keep watching her and we¡¯ll be ready to act,¡± Massimo says. ¡°Dominic, anything you can conjure to make this go a bit faster?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Dominic replies. ¡°I got ess to her number from the clinic, so I can set up a tracker. I¡¯ll try to make some kind of device so you and Tristan can listen in. I can¡¯t promise anything though. It might not work.¡±


    ¡°Do your best bro. Right now, it¡¯s like watching a film on silent.¡± It¡¯s exactly like that, and now I know it¡¯s her it¡¯s gonna piss me off to no end if I can¡¯t do anything but watch and wait. ¡°If I can hear what¡¯s happening around her then that will definitely make everything go smoother, quicker too.¡±


    I lean against the wall as he nods.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can rig up. You¡¯ll have to get close to her though and attach it to something she carries with her. I can¡¯t think of anything else I can make that doesn¡¯t require you to do that.¡± Dominic inclines his head to the side and cracks his knuckles.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m gonna have to find a way to get near her.¡± She always has her bag with her. It¡¯s a small pink suede saddle bag. Over thest few days, I haven¡¯t seen her without it. If I am going to go for any of her belongings it has to be that.


    ¡°That should work. I¡¯ll get on it tonight. I¡¯ll definitely have the tracker ready by nightfall though.¡±


    Sometimes I don¡¯t know what we¡¯d do without him. Fuck knows what would have happened, and God knows we¡¯ve managed to achieve the impossible with him. Like now. All of this is him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell him, and he nods his appreciation.


    ¡°Good. Looks like we have a n in motion,¡± Massimo says. ¡°I¡¯ll have the men ready for back up when you¡¯re ready to take her. It would be best to take her without a struggle.¡±


    ¡°Massimo, my choices are to knock her out with a tranq or hold a gun to her head.¡± I have to be blunt because neither of those means are going to be without a struggle. If I do either she¡¯s going to put up a fight. I would however prefer not to use my gun, but I will if I have to.


    ¡°Your pick,¡± he answers ncing cautiously at Candace as she closes her eyes for a few seconds, a tell she¡¯s not really coping well with this conversation.


    It¡¯s understandable, more so given her fears from what happened to her in the past.


    Shit. Maybe we should have left her back in LA with Emelia. She returns to arranging the paperwork, but her hands are shaking.


    ¡°Babe,¡± Dominic says to her noticing her reaction too.


    It¡¯s only when he moves off his chair and crouches down in front of her that she looks at him. That flush in her cheeks that only appears for him rushes over her neck and she widens her eyes at the surprise of having his attention.


    ¡°Me?¡± Candace says and blinks several times.


    ¡°Yeah, you. Why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± Dominic smiles.


    ¡°I was just doing these for you.¡± She holds his gaze as if she¡¯s surprised he¡¯s talking to her.


    ¡°Nah, leave it. It looks fine now. Come, let me make you some tea.¡± The flush of her cheeks is more pronounced when he takes the stack of papers from her. He then takes her hands and helps her stand.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I can¡¯t even take a moment to notice it might be the first time my genius brother noticed the woman who¡¯s had her eye on him since we were kids.


    I look back to Massimo as they head out and notice the strain in his shoulders. He looks back to me and sighs.


    ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have brought her along,¡± he states.


    ¡°I know why you did.¡±


    ¡°I just hope this works.¡±


    ¡°Massimo, I don¡¯t n to fail,¡± I assure him. It¡¯s important he knows that. ¡°Failure is not an option for me. This man is the reason my wife is dead, and why our father is dead. I will do this.¡±


    He rests his hand on my shoulder and nods. ¡°I believe you.¡±


    I nod my thanks.


    At least we know who Isabe is now.


    That by itself is a weapon I have every intension of using.


    No matter the cost.

 48

    Tristan I assumed my post in the park that connects with the clinic¡¯s garden about an hour ago. There¡¯s a wooden bench near a grove of Willow trees that overlooks the cafeteria. I¡¯m too far to see inside but I was able to watch Isabe from here yesterday and the day before when she came outside for a coffee break.


    Dominic¡¯s tracker works like a charm and will be useful if I have to follow her by car, or if she goes somewhere and I lose sight of her.


    It will also be useful for keeping an eye on potential openings to take her. It works by linking to her phone remotely. As long as she has her phone switched on, I can track her. When I left the house this morning he was still working on his listening device. I¡¯m hoping he¡¯ll have it ready sometime today.


    For now, this is a good spot to watch because the park is a public ce and I don¡¯t need an excuse to be out here. The public and the patients use it alike. The clinic staff apany the patients on walks to theke where they mingle with everyone else who¡¯s out there enjoying the scenery.


    Although I know I can¡¯t full well take her from here, I like observing her. Sometimes you can get to know a person by watching what they do. their mannerisms help establish personality. Everything is a tool to me and something I can use in some way.


    I have a white origami flower in my hands I made out of a flyer I found stuck on the windscreen wiper of my car. It¡¯s keeping my hands busy while I wait. Things like this stop me from going crazy. It was Dominic who taught me how to make it when we were kids.


    I straighten up when the cafeteria door opens, and Isabees out. She¡¯s out a little earlier than yesterday and there¡¯s no coffee today.


    She looks upset, and instead of stopping by the pond to feed the ducks like she did previously, she continues past the pond and rushes out to the little metal gate thates out to the public park.


    Instantly I snap to attention and look around.


    Could I take her now?


    Fuck, if I could it would be as smooth as smooth could be.


    She¡¯s alone, all alone, without her guards. There¡¯s no one else around, just me and her. I¡¯ve never seen her this far away from her guard. It would be so easy to take her.


    But what next?


    My car¡¯s too far away. Pricking her with the tranq would make her go limp like she¡¯s dead and people would notice. I could chance making up some excuse that she fainted but all I would need is her guard to see me, then the whole mission would be busted.


    It¡¯s too risky. Far too risky. We¡¯vee too far for me to fuck up. I¡¯vee too far for shit to happen.


    So, I watch her.


    I keep my gaze trained on her as she walks into the woods, stopping by the Willow tree furthest away from me.


    She seems distressed.


    I know she is when she rests her head on the thick stump and starts crying. Hard.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I may be a monster lurking in the bright morning sunlight, but fuck me, even I can tell the difference between tears of hurt and when the soul weeps. That¡¯s what¡¯s happening to her now. She¡¯s not just crying.


    Something grips me as I look on, watching her shoulders wrack with each sob.


    I¡¯m a motherfucking bastard. I¡¯m about to shake up this girls life in the worse way possible. I¡¯m going to have to kidnap her at some point soon, any woman¡¯s nightmare, but her tears soften my heart.


    Before I can register what I¡¯m doing my legs are carrying me over to her.


    Before I register it I¡¯m there, close, right there next to her, and my presence startles her.


    She whirls around to face me with her tears staining her blotchy cheeks, but what I see are those eyes that stare back at me.


    I saw pictures of her, and I¡¯ve been watching from afar but, fuck me, up close the woman has the type of beauty that truly makes you want to stare.


    In my head when I imagined getting this close to her I just thought of taking her. One grab and a stick of the tranq on the back of her wrist or her neck. That was the simple version of me taking her.


    Before that I imagined getting my hands on someone Mortimer loved and cutting their head off the same way he did my girl.


    As I look at this woman before me, however, the sight of her distress unlocks something inside me that was once human and enables me to see someone broken.


    When her soft plump lips part I¡¯m snapped back to reality and I realize I¡¯m just gawking at her.


    ¡°I saw you crying,¡± I exin and her cheeks flush with embarrassment.


    ¡°Oh¡­ My¡­ I didn¡¯t know anyone else was out here,¡± she answers and tries topose herself.


    ¡°Did someone die?¡± I ask.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then whatever it is that happened can¡¯t be that bad. Right?¡±


    ¡°I guess. But maybe somethings are worse than death.¡±


    Her words surprise me. It¡¯s not often I meet someone who openly shares such thoughts or feelings in such a tant way.


    ¡°Have you ever had someone die for you?¡± I ask and more tears run down her cheeks.


    She nods and her eyes brim with a wealth of pain. Pain that could onlye from seeing some serious type of shit, and having it happen to you.


    ¡°Is the thing worse than death?¡± I counter.


    ¡°No¡­¡± She shakes her head.


    ¡°Then¡­ it can¡¯t be that bad.¡±


    I¡¯m aware this conversation of ours has jumped to a level not really eptable for strangers.


    She knows it too, but there¡¯s a twinkle in her eye that sparks as she looks at me and nods her agreement.


    I stare back at her taking in her presence, a million things race through my mind, but I wonder what sent her out here. What could have upset her so much for her to cry like this.


    What could be worse than death?


    People say some things are a worse punishment, but death is the end. For those left behind, it¡¯s pain beyond anything anyone could describe.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± she replies. Her eyes go to the little origami flower in my hand and her face lights up. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    I raise it and offer a small smile. ¡°Something to do.¡±


    Her smile widens. ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡±


    Suddenly I find myself pushing my hand out to hand her the flower. ¡°Take it. I can make another.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t have anything like this.¡±


    ¡°Now you do.¡±


    The echo of a door has her looking back in the direction she came.


    Dmitri steps out, lingers on the top step of the stairs and gazes ahead at us. The sight of him makes her back go ramrod straight. A sign she¡¯s afraid of him, very afraid.


    I bite down hard on my back teeth and hope he doesn¡¯te closer.


    He¡¯d recognize me straightaway. At about forty feet away, he¡¯d never guess it was me. I have the element of not being in LA on my side and the fact there¡¯s no way Mortimer or any of the Circle members would know the D¡¯Agostinos are here in Rhode Ind. Thankfully, he hangs back.


    Isabe returns her focus to me as if remembering her manners and gives me a little smile. I can see she¡¯s shaking though.


    ¡°I should go back to work,¡± she says, cautiously. ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡±


    Kindness.


    It¡¯s now I should feel like a prick. I¡¯m a fraud and I haven¡¯t even started to wreak havoc yet. I¡¯vee to learn a man who can control emotion can use that as a weapon. Be immune to the principles of right and wrong. Good and evil.


    You¡¯re dangerous and effective when you wield such control. It helps in the art of maniption.


    And the art of war.


    ¡°Grazie Bellezza,¡± I answer back in Italian sowing the seeds of what I see twinkling in her eyes.


    Attraction¡­ it¡¯s there.


    ¡°Thank you. Have a nice day.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    I watch the beauty walk away from me-the beast-rushing over to a man I¡¯m certain is the same type of monster as me.


    She looks back though. ncing back at me before she gets to him and I see a path open wider to achieve what I must.


    The next time she sees me, she¡¯ll trust my face.


    From what I saw in her eyes, the woman maye willingly, like amb to the ughter. Not knowing I¡¯m worse than the devil she knows.

 49

    Isabe I¡¯m not sure how many more hellish days I can have.


    I just don¡¯t know how much more I can take.


    I want to say today was the day from hell, but every time I think that I remember my handsome stranger from the park. I remember his words.


    It can¡¯t be that bad.


    That¡¯s what he said, and he thought death was worse. The pain you experience when someone dies.


    Having gone through that pain twice, I know what he was saying is truth. Nothingpares to the feeling of loss when you¡¯ve lost someone you love.


    Worst, when you watch them die.


    I watched my mother die and then I watched Eric die. Both deaths were a result of my father. Both cemented the hatred I have for him.


    Hatred that first took root when I watched my father kill my mother.


    As far as I know I¡¯m the only one who knows the truth about the way she died. I¡¯m the only one who knows it was him who killed her. He told everyone else it was the Syndicate who killed his wife. That was how he¡¯d gained support from many of the powerful people who ally themselves with him. He lied.


    He threatened to kill me if I ever spoke the truth and I was so scared and shocked by what he¡¯d done I didn¡¯t speak for a year.


    By then he¡¯d sent me here to live with Nici.


    I was ten when Mama died, and the world turned upside down. But Eric¡¯s death was different. It showed my father¡¯s power and the depth of the darkness of his heart. My father ordered Eric¡¯s death for loving me.


    Nothing can quite describe how it feels to watch someone die, knowing there¡¯s nothing you can do to help them. My father himself held me back with his men to prevent me from doing anything, only releasing me once it was over.


    Death is the end.


    So¡­ I guess my handsome, Italian stranger was right. What¡¯s going on with me can¡¯t be that bad.


    I was crying because Dmitri not only decided he¡¯d take Sacha¡¯s ce today and watch me at work, but he also alluded to me quitting my job at the clinic when we got married.


    He wants to take away the one thing I¡¯d managed to secure for myself, my career. If that gets stripped away from me there will be nothing left.


    I got home about an hour ago and went up to my room to have some privacy.


    Dmitri stayed downstairs taking calls while he waited for Sacha to relieve him for the night shift.


    Sacha isn¡¯t here yet and I¡¯m a nervous wreck in my own home with this creep who will be my husband in the next few months. I can barely believe it. I can¡¯t even believe I¡¯m thinking those words.


    I¡¯ve been updating my work n to distract myself, hoping Sacha wille soon.


    Setting my pen down on the desk, I move over to my bed to rest for a while. I didn¡¯t sleep muchst night. With the damn bomb Dad dropped on me I couldn¡¯t. The ghosts from the past haunt me when I sleep.


    I used to have reurring nightmares every night. Then they became manageable. Last night was the first in a long time I had the nightmare. Last night was about Eric. I saw his death y out like it was happening all over again.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    No one knew we were seeing each other, then someone found out. Until this day I don¡¯t know how. Not even Sacha knew, but I always believed he suspected it. Eric was new and not much older than me. This year is four years since it happened. I was eighteen and he was twenty-five.


    I¡¯ll never know, but I think it was Dmitri who found out and told my father. He had so much fun beating Eric to death I¡¯m sure it was him.


    The man in the park today had apassionate presence about him that stayed with me. I¡¯ll probably never see him again, but he¡¯s not the kind of man a girl would easily forget.


    With those piercing, bright blue eyes, and that longish hair, slightly tussled in the wind. Beautiful, but strong. That¡¯s how I would describe him.


    I reach into my bag by my bedside and pull out the origami flower. It was nice of him to give this to me. A nice thing to do for a stranger. Maybe I¡¯m naive. I don¡¯t really get to talk to many men.


    Whatever his motive, it was nice.


    When he looked at Dmitri standing at the door, he seemed like the kind of man who wouldn¡¯t care who he was. He¡¯d still be able to defy him in a heartbeat.


    I wonder if he would still think my situation wasn¡¯t that bad if he¡¯d heard what Dmitri said to me when I walked up to him. He threatened to tear the skin off me if he had to punish me.


    The door opens and damn it to hell, hees in. Think of the devil and he appears. Dmitri walks in and I get off the bed. I don¡¯t want to give him any ideas.


    The asshole smiles at me and scans the bed. That desire that disgusts mees into his eyes and all I want to do is run away. Run far away and nevere back. Never look back.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to get up,¡± he saysing closer.


    ¡°Do you want something?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Many things my sweet Isabe. I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about that mouth of yours on my cock.¡±


    Heughs and I pray he doesn¡¯t mean to start his vition of me tonight.


    I would hate if he made me do something like that. And what could I do about it? Not a damn thing.


    ¡°Where is Sacha?¡± I ask trying to evade the vile direction this conversation just took.


    ¡°Nearly here. You know when I¡¯m in charge he¡¯s the first thing I¡¯ll change. No more Sacha to protect the poor princess. You¡¯ll have to do everything I say.¡±


    ¡°Good for you. You¡¯ll have all the power.¡±


    ¡°That mouth of yours. I fucking love it. I¡¯m d you know your ce.¡±


    ¡°Did you mean what you said about my work at the clinic?¡± Once again, I¡¯m pushing on dangerous paths. But I want to hear it. I want to be clear about what¡¯s happening next. Was he serious or was he just being a prick?


    ¡°I think you know by now that I never, ever say anything I don¡¯t mean. You¡¯ll do away with all that shit when we get married.¡±


    What an asshole.


    ¡°Why? My father didn¡¯t have a problem with it. Why should you?¡± I¡¯m close to tears again.


    ¡°Isabe, your father is your father. You are for fucking and will serve your purpose in my bed and in my home.¡±


    ¡°How can you talk to me like that?¡±


    ¡°My dear girl you haven¡¯t seen anything yet. The minute we say I do we¡¯ll be on the next ne to Russia.¡±


    ¡°Russia?¡± My mouth falls open. ¡°We¡¯re going to Russia?¡± I have no desire to live there ever again. I have too many memories of my mother there that end with her death.


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°You asshole,¡± I rasp. God, I must have some death wish.


    He does exactly what I expect him to and reaches for me.


    He shoves me hard against the wall and clutches his thick fingers around my throat.


    I scream and God must hear me because the door flies open, and Sacha bounds through it.


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on in here?¡± Sacha demands.


    Dmitri releases me and growls. ¡°You fucking dog, knock next time. Do not barge in when you obviously know I¡¯m in here.¡±


    ¡°Dmitri, you aren¡¯t in charge of me yet and she doesn¡¯t belong to you, yet.¡± Sacha points out. It¡¯s the first time that he¡¯s taken such a stand.


    It¡¯s surprises me.


    Dmitri looks him over and gives him a crude smile. ¡°I¡¯d be careful if I were you Sacha. Don¡¯t want to piss me off and screw yourself over. I¡¯m not a man to fuck with.¡±


    ¡°Nor I. You know we aren¡¯t supposed to issue any punishment unless Mortimer sanctions it, but I just walked in and saw you with your hands around her throat. I wonder what the boss would say if he knew that.¡± He raises his brows.


    Dmitri backs down at the threat, but still maintains that air of arrogance.


    ¡°Nicely yed. Go on, do your work. Watch and be merry. I¡¯ll be very happy to deal with you when the timees.¡± Dmitri walks out, knocking his shoulder against Sacha¡¯s as he passes.


    I¡¯m breathing so hard I can barely focus. I¡¯m shaking again and I¡¯m a mess inside and out.


    I feel like Dmitri¡¯s hand is still clutching at my throat. It feels like he¡¯s squeezing my hopes and dreams from me. Bleeding my mind of thest shred of what makes me, me.


    Sachaes up to me when we hear the front door close and tears stream down my cheeks for the umpteenth time today.


    He takes hold of my shoulders with that fatherly warmth and just holds me.

 50

    Tristan ¡°Hi,¡± Candace beams as I walk into the kitchen.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I answer backing off my jacket and slinging it over the chair. ¡°It smells like heaven in here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m d you like the smell.¡± Her smile widens and she adds a dash of basil to the tomato sauce she¡¯s making. ¡°I thought I¡¯d cook you boys something nice.¡±


    I wanted to cook tonight because she¡¯s been doing it every night this week. That¡¯s why I got back a little early, deciding I¡¯d cut my stake out short. There¡¯s not much I can do in the evenings besides sit in my car and watch the house.


    I¡¯ve been watching the house thest few days to see if anymore guards would being. There are a few higher skilled members of the Circle of Shadows that could arrive. I want to have a heads up if that happens.


    So far, it¡¯s just been Dmitri and the other guard who seems to be the constant. At night Isabe has three more guards who keep watch outside the house.


    ¡°How about I help you cook?¡± I offer.


    She shakes her head. ¡°No. Tristan, you know these types of chores make me feel useful in some way.¡±


    I lean against the counter and look at her with her hair in that fishtail braid. I remember her having her hair like that all the time when we were kids.


    ¡°You are useful in many ways.¡± I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a thing she¡¯s heard several times, but she doesn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that. Means a lot.¡±


    Her eyes twinkle and I hope the lightness means she¡¯s getting better. I don¡¯t know what happens to a person when they face true fear and can¡¯t make it back to how they were before. What I know is it screws with who they¡¯re supposed to be.


    When she was fifteen her parents were killed right in front of her and she would have died too if Massimo hadn¡¯t saved her. It happened during the time we were poor, but Pa took her in and looked after her the same way her parents looked after us.


    Pa got Candace to have therapy, but I don¡¯t know if it helped. I¡¯d say it probably didn¡¯t, or maybe it did in a way I can¡¯t see.


    ¡°I like cooking for you guys. At least I know you¡¯re having something healthy,¡± she says with a nod. ¡°Or eating. Massimo just works all the time, and I can tell he misses Emelia.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She¡¯s right. ¡°Is he upstairs?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and on the phone. Sounded like he was talking to the Romanov brothers. I can always tell.


    He sounds wary when he speaks to them.¡±


    ¡°I picked that up too.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°I know you did. Are ¡­ you okay?¡± she asks nervously and holds my gaze.


    I tap the top of her head the way I used to when she was little. She¡¯s not that girl anymore though.


    Candace is now twenty-six and I¡¯m thirty.


    We¡¯re a long way from being those kids who yed in the meadows of Stormy Creek. We¡¯ve been through life and it dealt us a cruel hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, principessa,¡± I answer, and she gives me a kind smile. That¡¯s what I used to call her.


    ¡°Tristan. I¡¯m not a principessa anymore.¡± At least she¡¯sughing.


    ¡°You are,¡± I insist.


    ¡°Thank you. You do know calling me principessa isn¡¯t the answer I¡¯m looking for though right?¡±


    ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± I answer giving her a wink. She knows not to push. People like us who¡¯ve been touched by the darkness of our world have an unspoken understanding between them.


    But just to be on the safe side I think of something to change the subject. I really don¡¯t want to talk about how I am. ¡°Is it really me you want to find out about, or is there another D¡¯Agostino brother?¡±


    Her cheeks flush. ¡°Dominic isn¡¯t¡­¡± her voice trails off.


    ¡°What? You¡¯ve liked him for a lifetime Candace Ri.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t see me that way, Tristan. I¡¯m the little sister you guys never had. And it¡¯s okay. It has to be. I think that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, Massimo needed me to be here. I think you did too. Dominic, is the one who never really needs anybody, but those are the people you have to take care of the most.¡±


    I¡¯m smiling but the worry that fills her eyes catches my attention and my smile recedes.


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°Tristan¡­ I don¡¯t like to overstep the line, but I¡¯m the one who ends up seeing or feeling too much. Maybe I¡¯ve watched him more than I should because of how I feel about him. But I think¡­ I think something¡¯s going on with Dominic,¡± she states and we just stare at each other.


    I get the feeling she¡¯s telling me this because she guessed that was something I picked up on too.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t get to answer, Dominices in and when he sees me a smile brightens his face.


    ¡°Hey guess what?¡± he beams.


    ¡°What?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I finished making it. Took me awhile to make something small enough to work, but I did it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± I answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna go check on Massimo,¡± Candace says and leaves us. I stare after her as she walks out and as she nces back at me it infuriates me that I never got to finish talking to her.


    ¡°Look,¡± Dominic says lifting a thin strip.


    I take the strip and look at it, then look at him. This guy never ceases to amaze me.


    ¡°Looks like an invisible Band-Aid,¡± I muse. It kind of is with a little speck in the center that I¡¯m guessing is the actual device.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly like that and it picks up any conversation within a one-mile radius,¡± he exins.


    ¡°The device works simr to the tracker in that you can tether it to her phone but I made it so you can tune into her specifically. You can attach this part to your ear and hear everything, controlling it through the same gadget. Now you can hear and track her.¡±


    He hands me an earpiece and I take it.


    ¡°Wow, damn Dominic. You did it.¡± I¡¯m impressed. ¡°I guess it¡¯s up to me now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The sooner you can get that on her, the better.¡±


    Then I should see if I can get in her house tonight. Her bag is the best thing to use so it¡¯s going to be better to aim to put the device in that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head outter.¡±


    ¡°Tonight?¡± he raises his brows.


    ¡°Yeah. It has to be tonight. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.¡±


    Dominic nods.


    I made it.


    I¡¯m inside Isabe¡¯s house.


    I can¡¯t believe I made it in. It wasn¡¯t easy getting past the guards outside. I had to go through the neighbor¡¯s backyard to get into hers, then I hid by the pool house waiting for the guard watching the back to make his way around to the front. When he did, I got in through the back door. That got me in the living room where I was able to disconnect the security system.


    The guard inside who I¡¯d seen Isabe with the most was like a fucking hound. Ready for action and on the lookout. I barely got past him, and I think if I were anyone else, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it. He started watching a wrestling match on tv and that helped to muffle any sound I made going up the wide staircase.


    I¡¯m upstairs now, trying to decide which of the rooms are hers. There are four room doors and a bathroom that looks like you could fit a spa inside it. One bedroom door is open and the room is clear. So, one of the three with closed doors are hers. The question is which one.


    I try the furthest one and it¡¯s not hers. It looks like a storage room. the one next to it is a walk-in wardrobe.


    Instinct takes me to the door close to the stairs and there she isying on the bed, fast asleep.


    I go inside and close the door quietly.


    Feeling like a thief in the night I move to her and watch the beauty sleeping. Still beautiful even in her deep sleep.


    That tinum hair spills out around her and her soft plump lips would make any man imagine them around his cock. I won¡¯t im to be any different. And I won¡¯t look away from the huge swells of her breasts either, or pretend I don¡¯t notice the distinct points of her nipples pressing against her silk camisole.


    She¡¯s beautiful¡­ incredibly beautiful. Beautiful enough to distract me from who she is and lure me to the fact of what she is.


    The fact that she¡¯s a woman. One that definitely got my attention from the second I saw her photo.


    I was definitely not immune to her beauty or the force that lulled me to think with my dick.


    She has that soft, ethereal appearance that could rival the angels. That mass of white blonde hair on her head, like a halo makes her look like one.


    An angel¡­ I could almostugh at myself. Look at me staring at her like a freak.


    I shouldn¡¯t do this to myself. It doesn¡¯t make any sense.


    I¡¯m an advocate of giving someone the benefit of the doubt and seeing past their father¡¯s sins. Not when ites to me though. She¡¯s the exception.


    My damn mind and body can try to screw me over, try to coerce me into thinking about her beauty and innocence, but this is one trip where I need to be focused.


    On that thought I pick up her purse resting on the floor by the bed and secure the device inside the lining. It¡¯spletely concealed.


    I turn to leave but notice the origami flower I gave her resting on the nightstand. It¡¯s just sitting near a magazine.


    She kept it.


    I stare on, then look from her to it and I get that feeling again. That human feeling of sentiment.


    Suddenly I wonder if I can really take an innocent woman captive. Thinking about it and actually doing it are two different things. I¡¯d be the same kind of bastard Mortimer was when he took Alyssa.


    But an eye for an eye and a tooth for a fucking tooth. It¡¯s as simple as that, and a matter of when I¡¯m going to do it.


    How and when.


    I can hear everything that happens around her now.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    So, it¡¯s show time.

 51

    Isabe It¡¯s gray and cold.


    I¡¯m trying to see through the fog.


    Fog?


    How can it be foggy in the house?


    And where¡¯s Mama?


    I walk down the stairs quietly. I¡¯m not supposed to be awake. My father gets angry when I stay upte.


    Mama doesn¡¯t mind so much when it¡¯s a Saturday. Since it¡¯s Monday night I know I¡¯d anger both my parents if they catch me up at this hour.


    A scream makes me jump.


    It¡¯s my mother. Another scream moves me, and I run down the stairs. I stop short when I see her lying on the floor in the living room and my father kneeling over her stabbing her in her stomach over and over again.


    I¡¯m so shocked no soundes from my mouth when I open it to scream too.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Her head rolls to the side and her eyes fixate on me, but I don¡¯t think she can see me.


    She¡¯s looking at me, but not really.


    ¡°Mama!¡± I cry.


    I look back to my father as he looks to me and his face changes into Dmitri¡¯s. He transforms right in front of me as does my mother¡¯s body. Instead of her I see Eric lying on the ground.


    His face is covered in so much blood I can¡¯t even recognize him. There are so many bruises his face is swollen.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look my love,¡± he calls out. ¡°Don¡¯t look!¡±


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t hurt him. Don¡¯t kill him. Stop.¡±


    Dmitri picks up a sledgehammer and brings it down on Eric¡¯s head and that¡¯s when I scream.


    The vision fades before me. Not quite though¡­.


    My eyes snap open and I nearly jump out of my skin when I see Dmitri sitting on my bed, right next to me watching me sleep. Watching me wake from a nightmare of a memory of terrible things that happened.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I rasp out, my heart beating so fast it hurts. ¡°What are you doing in here?¡±


    A dark smile inches across his lips and he tilts his head to the side as he regards me with amusement.


    ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain I told you to watch that mouth of yours when you speak to me. Unless you¡¯d like to start putting it to use. Hard to talk with a mouth full of cock.¡± Heughs and I feel like vomiting.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I quickly apologize.


    He stands. ¡°Quite a lot of eventful dreams you have there, Isabe. I used to wonder what the boss¡¯ daughter dreamt about. With a father so powerful and ¡­ let¡¯s face it evil, what could his child have in that pretty little head of hers. I realized the more I got to know you you¡¯re nothing like him.


    More like your mother instead.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t talk about my mother,¡± I breathe feeling my heart squeeze. I always find it hard to talk about her, and I definitely don¡¯t want to after a double nightmare.


    ¡°Stop with the begging it won¡¯t help you. You should know that,¡± Dmitri says and moves forward to catch my face. ¡°The way I hear it, your mother was the same type of whore you were.¡±


    I gasp at his harsh words. ¡°Stop it!¡± I cry.


    Dmitriughs. ¡°You know you sound exactly like that day when I killed Eric. Begging a man like me to spare anything is fruitless. I remember how you begged for his life.¡±


    I hate crying in front of him, but I can¡¯t help myself. I¡¯ve been a mess since I found out I¡¯ll be marrying this monster and I can¡¯t seem to find myself.


    The tears roll down my cheeks and heughs at me. His fingers loosen from his grasp and I draw in a breath to try and calm down.


    He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the little origami flower my kind stranger gave me.


    ¡°Look at this shit,¡± he taunts and before I can say another word, he tears it up, ripping it to shreds.


    He walks out, mming the door.


    My heart breaks as I look at the pieces of paper on the floor. I slide off the bed and gather them.


    There¡¯s no trace of the beautiful flower. It¡¯s just a mess, like me. Pieces of what used to be, all torn apart and irreparable.


    I don¡¯t know what will happen from one day to the next.


    Everyday seems to get worse.


    Soon there will be nothing left of me.


    This morning was just the start of another disastrous day with Dmitri. Usually on Friday¡¯s I do art therapy with my patients. He wouldn¡¯t allow me to because they were travelling to another clinic for the session. It was from one disaster to the next.


    We¡¯ve been home now for hours. Sacha came to start his shift, but Dmitri insisted on staying and sticking around like the asshole he is.


    I¡¯ve been downstairs with the both of them, just sitting in the sitting room watching TV . It¡¯s safer to be out here with Sacha and not alone in my room where Dmitri can get to me. I¡¯m so suffocated though I feel like I¡¯m drowning. Drowning in sorrow and shit just from his presence.


    It¡¯s nine before he stands up like he¡¯s going to leave. Another ten minutes passes, however, as he goes into the kitchen to make himself a drink.


    I hold my breath when he shrugs into his jacket.


    ¡°Think I might spend the weekend here with you,¡± he says.


    Sacha just looks at him and doesn¡¯t answer.


    Dmitri blows me a kiss. Then the bastard just walks out with that smile on his face.


    I push to my feet when the door closes, and I look at Sacha. He¡¯s already looking at me.


    Hees over and stops before me.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asks.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. What am I going to do Sacha?¡± I rasp out. ¡°I don¡¯t know what my father was thinking. This is going to destroy me. Having Dmitri in my life all the time is going to kill me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Isabe. I wish there were something I could do to help.¡±


    Help?


    I know he can¡¯t. He can¡¯t help me the way I need because what I need is to escape this prison I¡¯m living in. If he helps me do that it¡¯s death. Just like thest man who tried to help me.


    There is, however, one thing that Sacha can do. I need a break. I¡¯m drowning and I need to breathe. If Dmitri is going to be here all weekend, then I need to prepare for it. I need freedom for a few hours.


    ¡°Sacha, please let me out. I just need some time.¡± I need to be by myself for a little while. ¡°Just some time, please.¡±


    His brows knit together. ¡°We need to be more careful than ever Isabe,¡± he replies. ¡°It¡¯s not a good time for you to go out like that. It was fine when it was just me. The other guards would do as I tell them. We could keep things under wraps. Dmitri is a bastard. He¡¯s just waiting for me to slip up.¡±


    ¡°Please, Sacha I need a break. I can¡¯t stay in this house locked up, and I can¡¯t be under Dmitri¡¯s watchful eye at work either,¡± I beg shaking my head at him. ¡°You know what awaits me in a few months when he¡¯ll be with me all the time. He killed Eric and he will be my destruction too. You know this. You¡¯re like a father to me. I know you can see I¡¯m suffering.¡±


    His gaze clings to mine and understanding brims within his eyes. Understanding and sorrow.


    ¡°Mne zhal¡¯, my dear girl,¡± he expresses his sorrow. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry so much has happened to you.


    Your mother must be turning in her grave.¡±


    He¡¯s known me all my life and knows this request is different to any other I¡¯ve made for a break.


    Tonight, I really need it.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be careful, and I won¡¯t be long.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Isabe, please don¡¯t do anything foolish. It won¡¯t just be your head it will be mine. If anything happens to you, or you try to escape your father will kill me.¡±


    That¡¯s no exaggeration. I know it¡¯s true.


    ¡°I promise.¡± I know the risk he takes every time he gives me freedom, so I would never do anything to put him in danger.


    I¡¯ll just go to town, to the little club I sometimes hang out at on Mainstreet. Then I¡¯lle right back.


    ¡°Okay, be safe, take the phone and you call me if there¡¯s any trouble. Just press the rm and I¡¯ll find you.¡±


    I give him a hug and he holds me. This man has been more of a father to me than my own. Always tending to my wounds. Inside and out.


    Trust is what makes us who we are.


    It gives me the small mercy of freedom.


    As I leave the house, I savor the feel of having a break and getting the chance to breathe. I savor just being by myself and I resist the urge to drive away and never look back.

 52

    Tristan The window of opportunity just opened and we¡¯re going in.


    Isabe just left her house.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way. I¡¯m about five minutes behind you,¡± Dominic says. His voice crackles in my earpiece as I ride my bike fast and hard down the road. ¡°Massimo is getting the jet ready.¡±


    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll see you in a little while,¡± I tell him and end the call.


    It¡¯s extremelyte and we¡¯re all out. I was listening in on Isabe¡¯s conversation and couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing when Sacha agreed to let her leave the house by herself.


    I cursed myself because the one time the damn chance to take her arose I didn¡¯t have the car.


    Dominic is bringing the truck though, which is probably better.


    I breeze down the road taking a short cut. I¡¯ve linked the tracking device to my dashboard GPS and I can see Isabe¡¯s car heading into town. I¡¯m a few minutes away from her.


    I didn¡¯t think anything was going to happen today, but that bastard Dmitri made it possible with his assholish ways. I don¡¯t know where she¡¯s going but wherever it is, I have to be ready to take her.


    I catch up with her car five minutester because of the traffic. It¡¯s quiet so the traffic isn¡¯t as bad as it is during the day but there¡¯s some which is good for me.


    As the buildup frees up, her car zips right into the city center and I follow at a good distance behind.


    I¡¯m surprised when she pulls into the parking lot of the Cube Bowl Nightclub. I don¡¯t know where I expected her to go, but it¡¯s not here.


    She¡¯s upset so I thought maybe she¡¯d go to a coffeehouse. She looks the type to go somewhere like that to chill and read a book.


    Parking on the first level, I bite the inside of my lip as I watch her get out of her car. I don¡¯t know how that bodyguard of hers allowed her to leave the house dressed in that romper. It¡¯s what could be deemed as somethingfortable but what¡¯s deadly is how it looks on her.


    With her ample, fully rounded breasts squeezed together and those long golden legs any man with eyes will be looking her way tonight.


    My fucking cock is having a hard time staying still from the sight.


    I get off my bike when she goes inside then I fire of a message to both Dominic and Massimo to let them know where I am.


    I have a good feeling about this. It¡¯s certainly going to be easier to take her in a dark nightclub than anywhere else. I¡¯ll blend in too.


    I take off my jacket and grab what I need from the pockets. I¡¯m wearing a ck dress shirt underneath with ck cks. I look like I could have already nned to be here. When she sees me, I want her to think exactly that. I want this to be done as smoothly as possible.


    As I walk inside the club, I realize why she likes this ce. It¡¯s big but there¡¯s a soothing vibe to it. It¡¯s like most nightclubs in terms of the set up with a bar and the dance floor but there are booths along the sidelines where people are sitting and hanging out with tapas type food.


    I scan over the crowd and find her at the bar. The fucking bartender has his eyes glued to her tits while she¡¯s cing her order.


    I make my way upstairs to the second level where I can watch her. Where I am has the same sort of booth set up and a bar area.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She sits on a stool by the bar and has that same sad, lost little girl look from the other day. The bartenderes back with her drink and hands it to her.


    I watch her and mull over what I¡¯m going to do. This is the part I didn¡¯t n because I couldn¡¯t.


    It¡¯s the part I knew I¡¯d have to y by ear.


    As Isabe sips on her drink I recall all the shit Dmitri put her through today. It started from this morning. Dmitri spoke of someone called Eric, who I know from further conversation that he killed, and he called Isabe¡¯s mother a whore.


    He was fucking vile. He treated Isabe like shit all day and I have to admit I had a hard time listening and holding off on heading over to him and snapping his neck.


    Her need for a break is expected. It¡¯s a shame it also opened the door for me to take her.


    I lean on the rail of the barrier watching her. Attraction lulls me to do more than watch though and I allow my gaze to travel from her long, elegant neck, down to her breasts.


    I get the sensation as my gaze lingers on her perfection she can sense me watching. So, I¡¯m not surprised when she looks over her shoulder and her eyes connect with mine.


    It takes a few seconds for recognition to form in those pretty eyes of hers. We¡¯re roughly thirty feet away from each other, but I see the twinkle that forms in her eyes as she stares back.


    It¡¯s then I remember with perfect rity I¡¯m not immune to her beauty. Neither am I immune to attraction.


    Attraction at its finest stirs deep within the soul and entices you to explore. It entices me to think of what she is. A beautiful woman I would love to explore to see what pleasures that body of hers would delight in.


    The longer I stare the more I imagine what I could do to her.


    But I¡¯m not here for that. I¡¯m not here to think with my dick.


    However¡­ I know how to y this. I¡¯ll just be a bastard for it.


    Sorry bellezza, I might want to taste you, but this isn¡¯t about you¡­ I want your father¡¯s head in a box.

 53

    Isabe Oh my God¡­ it¡¯s him. It¡¯s actually him. The man from the park.


    He¡¯s here, standing on the first floor balcony of the club and I¡¯m just staring at him like I¡¯ve never seen a man before.


    Okay¡­ that¡¯s not quite right. I¡¯m staring because I¡¯m surprised to see him, and I¡¯ve never seen a man as gorgeous as him before. I knew I wasn¡¯t likely to forget his face. Even without feeling his prative stare on me moments ago, he has the type of face I would easily pick out in a crowd. Just like I am now.


    Now I¡¯ve seen him though I don¡¯t know if I should say hi or leave.


    It was embarrassing that we met because I was crying. What he said to me was sweet though. It was even sweeter for him to give me his flower. He didn¡¯t have to be so nice.


    I want to lift my hand and wave, but it feels like I should do more than that.


    When he backs away from the balcony, I know I must do something. I can¡¯t just sit here.


    But, what if he¡¯s here with someone? Like a girlfriend. I¡¯d be surprised if he didn¡¯t have a girlfriend. The way he was looking at me though suggests he might not.


    I¡¯m so silly, I can¡¯t see him anymore. I¡¯m sitting here thinking about what to do while he¡¯s getting away.


    Setting my unfinished drink on the counter I get up and make my way upstairs to look for him.


    There are a few couples making out in the booths and some dancing around. I can¡¯t see him though. I turn down the little path leading down to the other side of the dance floor and scan the area for him. If I came up the only other path, he would have gone down there. Or¡­ maybe he¡¯s behind me.


    I turn and I see him standing over by the wall of the other bar. There aren¡¯t many people there.


    Sure enough, though, he¡¯s watching me.


    Pulling in a breath I make my way over to him, breaking another rule. One more rule to break tonight. When I¡¯m out I break them all. I¡¯m not supposed to talk to men, so I do. No one is supposed to touch me, so I touch.


    I¡¯m not a slut. I don¡¯t sleep around, but with the life I live I can¡¯t exactly have a boyfriend, so I¡¯ve had a few one-night stands. And when I say a few. I literally mean three. With the life that awaits me there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to see a man like this and speak to him. So, I¡¯ll take the chance tonight.


    Heat streaks through me when I get closer to him, the mysterious Italian Stallion who dazzles me even more now than he did the other day.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He looks taller now because I¡¯m wearing my pumps. I ce him at about six foot six, so to my mere five foot four he towers over me, even leaning against the wall.


    Those eyes stare into me with desire I won¡¯t resist and in the dim lights he looks just as striking as in the daylight.


    ¡°You following me, Bellezza?¡± he asks with a smile that¡¯s just as devastatingly gorgeous as he is.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I see. Buonasera signorina.¡± I like how he talks, swapping between Italian and English at intervals like it¡¯s the norm.


    I speak fivenguages, so I understand him perfectly.


    ¡°Buonasera signore, in Russia we say dobryy vecher.¡±


    ¡°Is that where you¡¯re from beautiful?¡± he asks and my mouth goes dry.


    He¡¯s charming, effortlessly charming. He doesn¡¯t have to try either. I can tell charmes naturally to him. This man could talk me out of my panties with just his smile. It¡¯s a dangerous thought for me.


    ¡°Yeah. I am. I haven¡¯t been there in a very long time though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from Sicily. Haven¡¯t been there in a while either.¡± He looks me over and I don¡¯t miss the way his eyes rake boldly over my body, and neither does my body miss the pull of the stimulus. ¡°Are you here by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I sometimese here to hang out. Are you ¡­ here by yourself too?¡± I ask tentatively.


    Thest thing I¡¯d want is for his girlfriend toe and ask me what I¡¯m doing talking to her man.


    ¡°I am by myself. It¡¯s a nice ce to hang, and I guess to reunite with a beautiful woman you ran into in the park.¡±


    I smile, liking him more than I should allow myself.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind, but I wanted to thank you again foring over to help me in the park. I¡¯m not usually like that. I don¡¯t usually cry in public.¡±


    ¡°What are you like?¡±


    His question throws me a little and I have to think of the answer. The answer to which is I¡¯m a sheltered Bratva princess who lives under her father¡¯s thumb. Never mind the fact that I¡¯m supposed to be marrying a monster in less than six months.


    So, what am I usually like?


    ¡°Happier¡­¡± I answer and I think he knows it for a lie. I guess it¡¯s a half truth. I¡¯m happier in my mind when I¡¯m not thinking about my father and when I¡¯m working.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You look happy now,¡± he notes, and I resist the urge tough. Happiness is not what sent me out here in the night to seek a taste of freedom. ¡°Is it okay now? I mean what made you cry the other day?¡±


    I hate lies and I want to tell the truth, but I can¡¯t. Half-truths are what I¡¯ve lived on all my life.


    ¡°Not so much, but I feel better,¡± I answer and his gaze clings to mine. He looks at me like he can see what¡¯s inside. I notice something in him too, something I recognize as the mask I wear to guard what I really feel. The pain I feel. He¡¯s smiling though so I must be wrong. I¡¯m not in the habit of asking a man out or anything like that, but I like talking to him and I don¡¯t want to say goodbye yet.


    ¡°I wondered if it might be okay to buy you a drink,¡± I offer. ¡°Just to say thanks.¡±


    ¡°A drink?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± My cheeks flush when he intensifies his stare.


    ¡°Can I get the name of my damsel in distress before she buys me a drink?¡±


    ¡°Isabe. I¡¯m Isabe. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Tristan.¡±


    He looks like his name would be something like that. It¡¯s strong and manly like it came from the old world. Like something from a Grecian y.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, again. Does that mean I can buy you a drink, Tristan?¡±


    ¡°It does, Isabe. Lead the way.¡±


    I swallow hard, unable to believe my confidence with a man like this.


    I do lead the way heading back downstairs to the bar area. We go where it¡¯s quieter and he pulls a stool out for me to sit. He sits opposite me and the bartenderes over to take our orders.


    ¡°What are you drinking?¡± I ask Tristan.


    ¡°Water,¡± he answers with a cocky smile.


    Iugh and he looks me over with fascination. I¡¯m fascinated too at myself because I¡¯m like a different person to the crying woman I was earlier.


    Tonight, might very well be myst night of freedom with the way things are going, so I¡¯llugh and enjoy the sound and I¡¯ll smile and enjoy the way it feels to smile. And I¡¯ll enjoy thepany of this gorgeous man I¡¯d never usually be speaking to in a nightclub.


    ¡°Water? That¡¯s what you want? You don¡¯t look like a water person. I was expecting you to order something stronger,¡± I say.


    ¡°What did you expect me to order, Bellezza?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­ Something like¡­¡± I think for a moment and look at him, trying to guess his drink.


    ¡°Whiskey or scotch.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, you¡¯re close. Okay, let¡¯s do this; I¡¯ll tell you my drink if you dance with me.¡±


    I bite the inside of my lip and nce out to the dance floor. It¡¯s been so long since I danced with anyone. Thest time was with Eric. We¡¯d sneak away from everyone and go dancing. Since then if I evere anywhere like this I just hung out by the bar or in one of the booths.


    I look back to Tristan, my handsome stranger, and find myself nodding my head in eptance.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll dance with you.¡±


    The corners of his mouth lift into a smooth sexy smile that speak of wild sexual promises. It makes my mouth water. I¡¯m inclined to think from that scandalous look in his eyes that he¡¯s thinking of a little more than dancing.


    I am too and I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m not sure who would be able to resist the thoughts I¡¯m having of this man and with that pensive stormy gaze that could charm a nun out of her panties.


    ¡°V odka on the rocks,¡± he says to the bartender and I smile. ¡°What about you?¡± he asks.


    I shake my head. I had a cocktail. Thest thing I need to be is drunk tonight. I need to get back to Sacha in one piece.


    ¡°I already had a drink and I have to drive back home. I¡¯ll have water.¡±


    He nods and the bartender saunters away to get our drinks.


    ¡°V odka on the rocks sounds like you,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    Our drinks arrive and he takes a big swig of his then sets it back down on the counter. I drink all my water as it¡¯s only a little ss. I expect him to drink more of his, but he stands and stretches out his hand to take mine.


    ¡°Time to dance, Bellezza,¡± he says.


    I take his hand and allow him to lead me out to the dancefloor where the music envelopes us.


    It¡¯s a club mix I haven¡¯t heard before, but smooth and sexy. The beat and the vibe make me move, but I watch him standing before me looking like the definition of perfection.


    I might not have danced like this in a while, but my body remembers how to move. It¡¯s not hard to get lost in the beat when he slips his arm around my waist and his fingers caress me, enticing me to move closer.


    It¡¯s not hard to get lost in him when I do move closer and we start dancing like we¡¯ve done this a million times.


    Christ¡­ the man moves like he was born to dance. The rhythm flows through him and soon it flows through me too. I can¡¯t resist the lure to move closer, be closer. So close my breasts brush over his chest and my nipples tighten painfully with need.


    He turns me around so my back is to him and slips his arm around me. I wiggle my hips over him, moving the way he guides me and suddenly I can¡¯t hear the music anymore. It¡¯s just him and me and I know I can¡¯t do this but at the same time I don¡¯t want to stop either. I definitely don¡¯t want to stop when he presses me to him, and I feel the bulge of his arousal pressing into my ass.


    He holds me there like he wants me to feel it.


    I turn my head to nce up at him. At that he twists me out of the beat then pulls me back so that my hands press against the hard steal walls of his chest.


    My mouth waters at the feel of him beneath my fingertips and what springs to my mind when I think of what it would feel like to kiss him.


    He leans close to my ear as the music dips low and his hot breath caresses my skin.


    ¡°Be careful, Bellezza, I may get the wrong idea if you look at me like that,¡± he warns.


    ¡°What idea?¡± I ask His cheek brushes over mine and we stop moving.


    ¡°You felt me Isabe. What ideas do you think I have when you dance with me like that?¡±


    He moves back and smiles. I¡¯m not sure what to say or do.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I reply still unsure.


    ¡°Are you? Answer me truthfully.¡± That smile beckons me to be honest.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Thene here,¡± he says crooking his finger for me toe even closer than I already am.


    I go to him like a puppet on an invisible string hemands.


    When he moves to my lips I move too and as his lips touch mine, I feel alive. I wake up and every cell in my bodyes alive.


    My heart squeezes and expands with warmth as fire flicks over every nerve in my body.


    When his tongue sweeps against mine I moan, and I truly forget everything. I forget that I¡¯m Isabe Viggo and I feel just like a woman who¡¯s kissing a gorgeous, sexy man who¡¯s devouring her mouth.


    When he cups my face, I savor the feel of his fingers on my skin.


    We kiss and when the kiss turns hungry, he stops and stares down at me. something shes in his eyes and he rivets his gaze to mine.


    ¡°Come home with me,¡± he husks.


    Home¡­ oh my¡­ could I do that? I shouldn¡¯t. It would have been easier to get away with hanging out for a few hours a few months back, but now I do have to be careful. Dmitri is unpredictable. That is why Sacha is so weary. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to go back to the house to screw with me, knowing it will piss me off.


    I know I shouldn¡¯t go anywhere with this man and I should say no. But somehow, I can¡¯t quite form the words. Something draws me to him, and I don¡¯t want to say goodbye yet.


    ¡°Do you want to?¡± he asks with a scious smile, noticing my hesitation.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I hear myself say. I¡¯ve be a ve to my passions and if this is thest time I do anything like this, I choose him.


    ¡°Come then.¡±


    He slips his arm around my waist and ushers me away from the dance floor.


    We get outside to the parking lot and stop in between two trucks. His eyes look silver in the moonlight as he lowers to kiss me again.


    I kiss him back loving the taste of him. I savor the rich masculine taste as he slips his hand behind my neck to deepen the kiss and that¡¯s when I feel the sharp sting of something on the back of my neck.


    Something¡­ it feels like a bee sting and is so sharp I jerk back. It came from his hand.


    What was that?


    ¡°Tristan¡­ what¡­¡± My voice trails off as he blurs from my vision.


    I stumble and my lips part as realization dawns on me.


    He just gave me something and I can¡¯t see properly¡­ ¡°What did you give me?¡± I mutter stumbling again. He steps closer and panic assails me.


    I¡¯m a fool. Oh God¡­ what have I done?


    I came out here for a break and this happens to me.


    Suddenly I put everything in perspective.


    He was in the park the other day and suddenly turns up at the club.


    Coincidence? No.


    In my world there are no such things. I¡¯ve felt like someone was watching me for thest few days. Was it him?


    He could only know where I was if he was watching me.


    I¡¯m not any old person. I¡¯m Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter. That is who I am, and my father has many enemies. There¡¯s a reason why I¡¯m always supposed to have my bodyguards with me. This is one of them.


    I step back in an attempt to try and run away but I stumble. Tristanes forward. He splits in two, three, then four and I look around frantically for some escape.


    My legs feel like jelly. When I take another step my knees cave. He catches me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take me, please¡­¡± I beg, but my voicees out a whisper.


    I think of Sacha. Sacha will suffer for this. I can¡¯t even think of myself.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take me. Please ¡­ people will die.¡±


    ¡°Mne zhal¡¯,¡± he says.


    He¡¯s sorry?


    So am I.


    Everything goes dark and the darkness takes me.

 54

    Tristan I lift Isabe¡¯s lifeless body into the truck while Dominic holds the door open.


    His face speaks of what I feel as he looks at her lying on the soft leather of the back seat.


    I¡¯m on autopilot as I get in, but as I look at my brother emotion seeps in and I wonder when I truly became a monster.


    I¡¯ve been so consumed with vengeance I never thought about this part, and how I¡¯d truly feel about what I¡¯m doing.


    When Pa announced he was retiring after our grandfather¡¯s death he gave us all a chance to be boss of the family. His four sons had a shot at power. He knew though who he was going to choose because he saw something in each of us that made us who we are. He picked right when he chose Massimo because he¡¯s the epitome of my mother and father.


    Me though, no. I¡¯ll always believe I wasn¡¯t chosen because Pa saw this side of me. The beast.


    What else am I if I can do this to an innocent woman?


    An innocent woman who trusted me.


    I look down at her and I find I can¡¯t take my eyes off her. Thatst kiss I gave her was my sorrow for what was about to happen. The first kiss was me ¡­ the real me giving into the call to explore her.


    It wasn¡¯t an act.


    ¡°Tristan,¡± Dominic says, pulling me from my thoughts. ¡°You have to strip her clothes. We can¡¯t take the risk.¡±


    Fuck¡­ Dominic¡¯s right. We can¡¯t take any risk whatsoever. I wouldn¡¯t put it past Mortimer to put trackers in her clothes. I look at him as he hands me a in white gownparable to what you¡¯d get in a hospital.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°I need some privacy,¡± I say taking the gown. I don¡¯t want anyone seeing her but me.


    He nods agreement and when he closes the door, I start undoing the buttons to her romper. She¡¯s weightless so it¡¯s not hard to lift her and slip her clothes off.


    Her head lulls back when I take off her bra and panties exposing her perfect naked form. Not wanting to be more than the bastard I am, I keep my eyes on her face. Her soft, vulnerable, angelic face.


    I know Alyssa¡¯s captors didn¡¯t pay her the same respect. She looked like an angel too. The devil messed her up and allowed his animals to butcher her. They sent me her head in a box but I found parts of her scattered all over L. A.


    There was never any sign of her clothes anywhere. What I buried were parts of the woman I loved. It was the worst experience of my life.


    My father¡¯s killing was enabled by Mortimer¡¯s hand, but there was more at work when it came to Pa. Alyssa died because of Mortimer¡¯s greed and selfish desire to teach a lesson because we crossed him.


    I want topare and contrast the violent death Alyssa suffered to what I¡¯m doing to Isabe to justify my actions. I want to see myself as better because I¡¯m allowing her to live. I want to think of this pursuit as a means to an end because Mortimer Viggo took so much from me and he needs to be wiped out. But I can¡¯t do any of that because this doesn¡¯t feel fucking right.


    Nothing in my world feels right and this is just one more thing.


    Confliction roils within me and I fight to remember the reasons why this has to happen. No matter how right or wrong this feels, Isabe Viggo is coteral damage and leverage. What I¡¯m doing now is a giant step for all of us.


    Mortimer Viggo is a man who is deemed untouchable and the woman before me is a way to touch him. That is what she is.


    I put the gown on her and shuffle to sit so I can hold her to my chest. It¡¯s gonna be a long night but she¡¯ll be out for several hours. The tranquilizer I used on her is the type that would knock out a horse.


    ¡°Ready,¡± I call out to Dominic.


    He jumps in the driver¡¯s seat and tears out of the parking lot.


    We arrive at thending strip an hourter.


    Massimo and Candace are already there. Next to them is the group of guards and enforcers including Leo and Nick who will be staying in Rhode Ind to keep an eye on things. Keeping watch for what Mortimer will do when he discovers Isabe is gone.


    For security reasons it will just be a small party going to the ind. Five guards and our doctor.


    They¡¯re already onboard the jet.


    Candace¡¯s face goes rigid the second she sees me lift Isabe from the back seat and Massimo tenses his shoulders.


    The jet looks ready to go. Everything looks ready, ready to start war.


    Isabe feels smaller in my arms. She¡¯s out so cold and in such a deep sleep she doesn¡¯t even stir when her arm flops down by her side. I pull her closer to my chest and as it¡¯s cold I ce my jacket over her.


    Massimo walks up to me and Candace follows closely behind.


    ¡°You ready?¡± Massimo asks looking from me to Isabe¡¯s still form.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll make contact when we arrive,¡± I answer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll dispose of her things,¡± he states.


    Dominic tosses the keys to the truck to Massimo and he catches it.


    This is where we split off.


    Dominic and I will head to the Ind with Isabe, Massimo will go back to L. A., and Candace will join Emelia in Chicago. Massimo has made arrangements with udius Morientz and a few other bosses in our alliances to protect them.


    ¡°Um guys,¡± Candace says quickly cutting in. ¡°I feel bad just going to Chicago to sit around and wait. I want to help.¡±


    It¡¯s not a good idea for her toe. I don¡¯t like her in the middle of this as it is, seeing us up to no good being the criminals we are. But I take note of the secret message she sends me when her eyes dart quickly to Dominic. Instantly I remember what we spoke aboutst night. It never left my mind, but I was so focused on Isabe I pushed my worries to the back of my mind. She¡¯s worried too that¡¯s why she wants toe.


    ¡°You need to head to Chicago Candace,¡± Massimo answers.


    ¡°I think I could help by going to the ind. She¡¯s gonna be scared when she wakes up. It might help having another woman there.¡±


    She might be right about that, even though fear is what I want Isabe to feel.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± I say, and I can almost sense Candace¡¯s relief. ¡°Everything will help get the information we need.¡±


    Massimo runs a hand over his beard and nods his agreement. ¡°Okay, head to Chicago at the first sign of trouble,¡± he tells Candace.


    ¡°I will,¡± she promises.


    ¡°Okay let¡¯s do this,¡± I order. ¡°Clock¡¯s ticking.¡±


    ¡°Watch each other¡¯s backs and be safe,¡± Massimo cautions the same way Pa would and I feel a pang of grief for my father.


    ¡°And you.¡±


    Dominic and I nod our acknowledgment then make our way on to the jet with Candace.


    I set Isabe downfortably in the cot and strap her in.


    It won¡¯t be long before Mortimer¡¯s men discover she¡¯s missing. Because of the easiness in the way I took her I think they¡¯ll believe she tried to escape. They¡¯ll believe that at first until they don¡¯t.


    I sit in front of her, watching her lying there and remember the feel of her lips on mine.


    I remember how she tasted and think of the night she thought we were going to have. It¡¯s a night we could have had in another life. A fantasy is all it will be because when she wakes, she¡¯ll hate me the way she¡¯s supposed to.


    I¡¯m her enemy now, but she was always mine.


    I don¡¯t expect her to wake until morning. Maybe eventer.


    By then we¡¯ll be on the ind.

 55

    Isabe My head¡­ My God¡­ Why does my head feel like this?


    Like it¡¯s not really there.


    Like it¡¯s¡­ not quite attached to my body.


    I rasp out a sharp breath and force my eyes open only to snap them shut again as bright rays of sunlight blind me.


    Instinctively I turn my head to the side and try again. I open my eyes and find it¡¯s less bright on this side but what am I looking at?


    I blink several times and try to focus my gaze on the scene before me of waves crashing against arge rock formation.


    Waves as in the sea. But there¡¯s no sea for miles where I live, and ¡­ it doesn¡¯t look like that.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Like I could be somewhere tropical.


    I move my head from side to side looking around the room that looks like some type of hotel suite.


    The realization sends a shiver of panic through me as I realize I¡¯m not home. The panic worsens when it dawns on me I can¡¯t remember anything.


    Grogginess makes my body limp, and my mind is so fuzzy I can¡¯t quite connect my thoughts, but I manage to sit up. And that¡¯s when I see what I¡¯m wearing.


    It¡¯s looks like a hospital gown. I lift the edge and gasp when I realize I¡¯m naked underneath. No panties, no bra, just the gown. The horrific realization constricts my lungs, and I can¡¯t swallow past the lump that¡¯s formed in my throat.


    Jesus what happened to me?


    Where am I?


    How did I get here?


    What happened?


    Bringing my hand to my head I wince as I try hard to remember and can¡¯t. Nothing ising to my mind though. I can¡¯t push past the barrier of fog that¡¯s engulfed my mind, stopping me from piecing together what I need to remember.


    I slide off the bed and my bare feet connect with the stone floor, too cold for my feet. The coolness makes me shiver even though the room temperature is quite warm.


    Ahead of me the wall is ss and all I can see is the sea. I turn and see a sliding door to my left at the end of the ss and it looks like it leads on to a balcony. There¡¯s a stony pavement outside.


    Gathering my strength, I rush up to it, thankful my legs can carry me. I¡¯m even more thankful when the door slides open. I was right, there¡¯s a pavement and it actually leads out to a terraced area filled with palm trees and bougainvillea. I recognize the flowers from my travels to the Mediterranean and tropical countries.


    My damn heart sinks below my feet, however, when I assess my surroundings and realize there¡¯s not actually a way out of where I am. I¡¯m high up and there¡¯s nothing but the sea around me. From where I am the sea looks deep. V ery deep. And angry. The waves roll in and out around the rocks, shing against them with a force that shows the sea reigns here and anyone who dares to venture into it had better beware.


    God¡­ where am I?


    Where the hell am I? I need to think and try hard to remember what happened. I need to remember how I got here.


    I run my hand through my hair which is a matted mess. It¡¯s still in a ponytail but the band has been loosened and the ends are tangled. I touch the back of my neck and wince when it feels sore. The area feels slightly bruised like I¡¯ve been bitten by something.


    When I run my thumb over the skin an image pops into my head. I see bright blue eyes on a handsome man I didn¡¯t know was the devil.


    Tristan¡­ Everythinges tumbling to the forefront of my mind and I remember it all.


    Tristan stuck me with something and now I¡¯m here!


    Oh God¡­ I remember. He kidnapped me.


    The bolt of mortification makes my legs move again. There¡¯s nothing out here on the terrace so I rush back into the room and stop short when I see him leaning against the side of the room with the stone wall.


    Dressed in full ck, the sight of him, makes the air rush from my lungs and the icy tendrils of fear race over my body.


    My lips part and my feet nt to the spot in fear. I¡¯m too scared to move, too scared to breathe, too scared to exist right now.


    I am scared of my father and the power he has. Right now, though¡­ true fear assails me, and I realize what I feel for my father is nothing. Right now, I¡¯m terrified of the man before me.


    This man found out who I am, tricked me into believing he was something else, and now he has me.


    Why? The answer is simple. My father.


    I ran from one monster to the next, and it looks like this one is the worse of them all.


    He pushes away from the wall and straightens up. Those eyes of his take me in coolly and calmly.


    Too cool, too calm. It makes my heart gallop, mming against the wall of my chest as the fright paralyses me.


    My lips part as if to say something, but I don¡¯t know what to say first, or if I should say anything at all.


    I know his face, he gave me a name, I¡¯m here¡­. I know what those things mean. He¡¯s going to kill me.


    He takes a step forward and the sun catches his eyes making them so bright they look like vivid blue lights against his olive skin.


    One more step and I feel myself step backward. Another step and I move two more steps backward, not knowing where I¡¯m going, or what I¡¯m doing.


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere to run Isabe,¡± he states.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± I breathe. My voice sounds hoarse and so shaky I barely recognize it as mine.


    ¡°On an ind that very few know about,¡± he answers.


    At first, I think that¡¯s impossible but I right myself, my mind. This man is the same type as my father and if he says we¡¯re on an ind that very few know about, it¡¯s true.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I want to know who he really is. I want to know the power of my captor.


    ¡°My name is Tristan D¡¯Agostino. That might not mean anything to you, but this will¡­ my family is part of the Syndicate of the Brotherhood.¡±


    He¡¯s right about half of that. I¡¯ve heard the name D¡¯Agostino before and I know about the Syndicate. I know they are enemies to my father, who is the enemy to all.


    I really am in big trouble and it¡¯s my fault. I asked Sacha to let me out.


    Sacha, my God ¡­ as I think of him now, I remember the consequences he could face. They¡¯d all know by now I¡¯m missing. He¡¯ll know I was taken.


    Even if the others think I escaped, he won¡¯t think that. He¡¯ll know I won¡¯t have betrayed him in such a way. It will only be a matter of time before me is cast his way if it hasn¡¯t been already.


    ¡°Why did you take me?¡± The words tumble from my lips as foolishness, but I need to know what the position is. ¡°I can¡¯t be here. Please, send me back. My bodyguard will die if my father finds out I¡¯m missing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you know that, so I don¡¯t have to highlight the gravity of the situation to you. I need you to tell me where your father is,¡± he demands, and I could almostugh.


    It wouldn¡¯t be augh of humor, oh no. It would be one of sarcasm.


    I shake my head at him, and a tear runs down my cheek because it¡¯s now I know I really am in trouble.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is,¡± I answer.


    His eyes re with rage. ¡°Isabe, I¡¯m not the kind of man to fuck with. Not even slightly. I hate games, and I hate wasting time with shit. You are his daughter; you¡¯re supposed to know where the fuck your father is.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know. No one does.¡± That¡¯s the truth and that is how my father has managed to walk like some type of god on earth for thest forty years.


    Dmitri is his righthand man, before him was d, a man who was actually worse than Dmitri because he was psychotic.


    My father has six people who travel with him as bodyguards and they look like they came straight out of hell. All they do is guard. Their tongues have been sliced out of their mouths in a vow to silence. Their only purpose in life is to protect my father if dangeres.


    That is the extent of my knowledge.


    ¡°Do you really expect me to believe that no one knows where he is?¡± Tristan challenges. His teeth are bared and his hands fisted at his sides.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe it. It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°Stop lying!¡± he shouts, and his voice reverberates through me making me shudder.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± I wince. ¡°That¡¯s how he stays safe. No one knows about me too, at least they shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t see him at all?¡± He gives me an incredulous re.


    ¡°We never meet in the same ce and the majority of our meetings are by video calls. I don¡¯t know where he is. I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to believe that shit from Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter?¡± He rages andes closer.


    Adrenaline races through me and I do the only thing I can and run.


    I run to the door, grab the handle, and yank it open. I manage to get out on to the corridor, another stony path. I¡¯m about to break out into a sprint when arge hand secures around my middle and I¡¯m lifted into the air.


    I scream and kick with all my strength, fighting him.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°You fucking tell me where your father is.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡± The tearse hard now and the panic of what¡¯s going to happen to me takes route in my soul.


    The shuffling against his grasp makes this stupid gown ride up my thighs to the point where I¡¯m exposed. Anyone, if there¡¯s anyone else here, would see my bare ass and everything else.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I wail. ¡°Please let me go. Don¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    I fight for my life. My life that I don¡¯t own, but it¡¯s always felt like as long as I drew breath my life would be mine one day.


    ¡°Tell me where your father is.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°No. Please, let me go,¡± I beg.


    He carries me back in the room and throws me down on the bed. In seconds he¡¯s on top of me and my hands are pinned above my head.


    The monsters from my father¡¯s world were always lurking around the corner. Now one has me.


    Tristan D¡¯Agostino has me and I can¡¯t give him what he needs. I can¡¯t even try to save myself. I hate my father so much right now. I hate him even more than I already did.


    I hate myself more when Tristan presses his face to my cheek and my body reacts to him, confused by a memory fromst night. His warm breath caresses my skin and I remember how he danced with me and he kissed me.


    I was going to go home with him. To sleep with him.


    How could I be so stupid?


    It was all an act. A trap set for me because he saw I was lonely and desperate.


    ¡°Tell me what I need to know,¡± he demands. ¡°Isabe, tell me where your father is.¡±


    I hear the threat of what he¡¯s not saying, and my soul now trembles with terror. I don¡¯t know him. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of and what would make him see I¡¯m not lying. I just know I have to try something. Anything.


    ¡°Tristan,¡± I whisper. A whisper is all I can manage in my despair. I¡¯m so scared. ¡°What would you do to me if I don¡¯t tell you? Would you kill me?¡±


    I think back to the kindness in his presence when we first met in the park. That was just days ago.


    He seemed so genuine. Why did he give me the origami flower if he was going to do this? It was a meaningless gesture on his part, but it meant so much to me.


    ¡°Would you really kill me?¡± I ask, turning to face him.


    Suddenly we¡¯re eye to eye. Eye to eye, soul to soul. I gaze long and hard into those bright blue eyes that trap me in the lock of his gaze. I feel I must have reached something inside him when his grip around my hands loosen, although he keeps my hands pinned above my head.


    Fear, shock, anxiety, and curiosity roil inside me like a tempestuous storm and as my captor gazes down at me I¡¯m not sure what to feel.


    He lets go of my wrists, but I don¡¯t get the fleeting second it would take to acknowledge freedom from his restraint as his fingers brush over the bare skin of my stomach.


    That part wasn¡¯t intentional, but ¡­ what is, is the linger of his thumb on the edge of my hip bone.


    Tristan breaks the lock of our stare to scan over my body. The gown is just covering my breasts and half of my stomach. The struggle made the thing ride right up to my back so what he¡¯s looking at is my nakedness from my waist down.


    A different type of fear races through my mind as he continues to stare at my pussy, and I remain perfectly still.


    What if he rapes me?


    Men like him do things like that. I don¡¯t know him and so far, I¡¯ve said all the wrong things. I¡¯ve done all the wrong things and I haven¡¯t given him what he wanted.


    He could take something else from me. Punish me in a different way. As I watch him looking down at my pussy, his fingers hovering over my skin, true fear closes up my throat. I don¡¯t know if I could survive if he did something like that to me. It would break me.


    When his gaze climbs back up to meet mine, the desire I see brimming within his eyes eradicates the fear of being raped. At least momentarily. I¡¯m not fool enough to push it asidepletely. That desire I¡¯m seeing though confuses the hell out of me.


    I¡¯ve been raised to watch. To observe. It¡¯s what you do when you¡¯re the daughter of a notorious criminal who treats you like property. You don¡¯t have time for shit because one minute to the next could be the end for you. So, when I see, I see all, and as this man who¡¯s kidnapped me looks at me, what I see is raw desire. Wanting, longing, and I know the same attraction that assails me has him too.


    A moment passes when all we do is look at each other. A moment of light and understanding where the chemical bonds that draw us together start to spark.


    Then he blinks, and just like that it¡¯s gone.


    Gone and reced by something else inside him I fully recognize. I see that unhinged look in my own eyes every time I look in the mirror.


    Now that he¡¯s not smiling, I can see quite clearly what that thing is. Pain.


    Pain from being broken deep inside. The type of broken that can onlye from loss. Grief. Grief from the loss of someone he loved.


    The second I think it he moves away from me, and I wonder who my father killed for him.


    Who did Dad kill?


    Someone died and it¡¯s exactly like he said. Death is the end. Nothing is worse than that. That¡¯s what this is about. Tristan wants to know where my father is because he wants to kill him.


    My awareness returns to me and with it the gravity of the situation. He used me and made aplete fool out of me. I actually liked him. That¡¯s the only reason why my body is still reacting to him.


    I will not feel sorry for him. He¡¯s kidnapped me and brought me to this ce. The thought makes me sit up and pull down the gown to cover myself up.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you some time to think,¡± he says cutting into the thick silence. ¡°It seems like you might need it. If I were you, I would think long and hard about that answer of yours.¡±


    I don¡¯t bother to tell him my answer will still be the same. I have no idea where my father is. I do want to know one thing though even if it gets me in more trouble.


    ¡°Why did you bother to wear that mask?¡± I ask as he takes a step to leave. He stops and looks at me.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he snaps, ring at me.


    ¡°The mask of a man who seems to care. That¡¯s what you looked like in the park the other day.


    Why did you even bother to talk to me? You didn¡¯t need to. I get why you couldn¡¯t take me in the park though. Too risky. Especially with my guard at the door. My father would have had men on you in seconds. You wouldn¡¯t have had a chance. But there was the club. You could have just led me away when I came up to find you. The whole night was so easy.¡± My cheeks burn with embarrassment when I think back to how I behaved with him. ¡°I acted enough like a slut to make it simple for you. You didn¡¯t have to kiss me or make me feel for you. I hate you for that.¡±


    The corners of his mouth lift into a dark smile. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to, Bellezza,¡± he seethes and then he just gazes down at me.


    ¡°Monster. Beast. That¡¯s what you are.¡±


    Something shifts in his eyes again and I can tell I struck a nerve.


    What I see too is my destruction. It doesn¡¯t matter what attraction and chemistry there is between us. This man hates me because I am my father¡¯s daughter. He¡¯ll use me as a scape goat. Coteral damage.


    He hates my father, what he doesn¡¯t know is that I hate my father more than he does.


    I¡¯m as good as dead here.


    I ept that truth as I watch him walk through the door and it clicks shut.


    When a key rattles on the outside I know I¡¯m locked in.


    Trapped.

 56

    Tristan Damn it to fuck.


    What the fuck am I going to do now?


    What am I going to do and what the hell is with me?


    I walk down the corridor consumed by lust and rage. A deadlybo. Something that could make a man like me go ape shit and on a rampage to destroy everything in his path.


    Jesus Christ, I¡¯m supposed to be focused on dragging the truth from her. I¡¯m supposed to just get the damn location of her father, but as I looked at her naked body all I wanted to do was fuck her. I wanted to fuck her well before then, knowing she wasn¡¯t wearing anything under the gown.


    Now I have this conundrum of shit.


    She won¡¯t tell me where her father is, and I can¡¯t think past my dick.


    It¡¯s because I kissed her. I can¡¯t think past my dick because I had a taste of her, and the taste wasn¡¯t enough. My body wants more, and I can¡¯t go there. The woman had more of an effect on me than I realize, and I need to control myself because she¡¯s lying.


    She¡¯s fucking lying to me. She has to be.


    I barge into the kitchen, kicking the door open so hard it almost flies off the hinges.


    Candace jumps, startled. She was standing by the breakfast table talking to Dominic. She was smiling. The smile, however, falters when I enter, and she moves over to the counter to resume chopping the vegetables she was going to use in the soup she was preparing for lunch.


    Dominic set up a camera in Isabe¡¯s room and motion sensors that alerted me when she woke and started moving around. I was down here when that happened and headed upstairs to face her.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Dominic asks straightening up.


    ¡°Not a fucking thing.¡±


    Dominic looks over at Candace and gestures for her to stop. ¡°Babe why don¡¯t you go rest. The staff will be here soon to finish that.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Candace says setting the knife down. Without looking at either of us she leaves the kitchen and Dominic returns his focus to me.


    I¡¯m d he told her to go because I absolutely hate having to tamp down my rage when I feel like this. I don¡¯t want her to be around me when I¡¯m pissed and have cause to fear me.


    Not me, the enraged animal, the beast. Isabe couldn¡¯t have been more right.


    She¡¯s right. Everything she said was right, except I never wore any mask.


    ¡°Tristan, tell me what happened,¡± Dominic says.


    I blow out a ragged breath. ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t know where her father is. She doesn¡¯t know Dominic, and no one knows. It has to be bullshit. How can she not know? How can no one not know?¡± It¡¯s fucking bullshit.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he hisses. ¡°She has to be lying. That makes no sense. Of anyone who should know where he is it¡¯s her.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. There¡¯s no way she can¡¯t know, and I guess maybe we underestimated the situation if taking her hostage hasn¡¯t scared her into telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Tristan, we¡¯vee too far for it to end here with stubbornness.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°I have to find a way to make her tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°What though?¡± he asks, and worry fills his eyes. ¡°Tristan you ¡­ we can¡¯t torture her.¡±


    The fact that he could warn me against that shows just how much he¡¯s thought I¡¯ve changed.


    ¡°Rx little brother, I¡¯m notpletely evil¡­ yet.¡± His face goes rigid at my words.


    We don¡¯t do violence against women and I won¡¯t start now in my desperation. No matter how far gone I am. Our methods of torturing lead to death.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t implying you were. I was just¡­¡± His voice trails off.


    ¡°Cautioning me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not Andreas. I wouldn¡¯t kill the innocent to get what I want. Not yet anyway.¡±


    I need air. I need to think about what I¡¯m going to do so I step away from him and head through the door.


    Dominic calls after me but I keep going. I can¡¯t talk to anyone when I¡¯m like this, least of all him.


    I don¡¯t want to fight with him now and everything I said to him just now was gearing toward a fight.


    Mentioning Andreas alone was enough. I knew he didn¡¯t mean he thought I would stoop as low as Andreas but fuck it I¡¯m still pissed at the situation as a whole.


    I¡¯m pissed that Andreas betrayed us and sometimes I¡¯m pissed that no one talks about him or what he did. I get that the hurt is still there and the pain from being betrayed but everyone glosses over the fact that he was our brother.


    I walk outside and the warm air of paradise greets me.


    This ind is supposed to be refuge and sanctuary. It¡¯s be anything other than that, however.


    Almost a waste.


    I called it Pelogos Ind after the pet bird I had when I was a kid. It was a Peregrine Falcon I cared for when I found it injured in the woods. It had lost a leg but was resilient until the end when it died several yearster.


    When Pa built the D¡¯Agostino empire and ruled the oil industry he gave us each a million dors.


    I invested mine in property development that made me a pretty penny in a noticeably short time.


    That¡¯s how I was able to buy this ce. I bought thend and built the castle like house based on the childhood fantasy of the boy and the girl who dreamed it all.


    Me and Alyssa. We were just two kids who tookfort in each other.


    The ind is near Darby ind, one of the little private inds in the Bahamas. It¡¯s not on the map and those who don¡¯t have the coordinates for the location have no way of getting here. It¡¯s several hours away from anywhere we know.


    You can get here by ne or boat. We have the jet and a yacht the staff will use for going over to the maind There are exactly five people who live in the house all the time to care for it and the ind itself.


    There¡¯s never been this many people here.


    I walk out to the beach and allow the fresh air to fill my lungs and cleanse my mind.


    As my mind clears memories of Alyssa enter. I¡¯d like to say I¡¯m not one of these people who hang on to the ghost of the person they loved and lost.


    I do still love her. What I¡¯m seeking is revenge and justice. I will always, always me her father for what he did. That was the start of our disaster, and it never had to turn out this way.


    Her father never needed the money he sought from the man who was linked to Mortimer. It was greed. Then like all greedy bastards he couldn¡¯t pay up when it was time and ended up selling his daughter.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I wanted my revenge against him too, but someone else got to him before me.


    Six months after Alyssa was killed his body was found washed up on the beach with bullet holes in it.


    Anybody could have killed him, even Mortimer himself. The problem with having too many enemies is exactly that, and nobody knows who pulled the trigger when so many are itching to do it.


    Alyssa¡¯s father was up to his eyeballs in debt and owed too many he couldn¡¯t pay. He had a gambling problem that could never be satisfied. It was two million dors I paid to release Alyssa from his debt repayment. I paid the fucking guy he owed thinking I¡¯d gotten her out of trouble. Then weeks before the wedding her father told her Mortimer didn¡¯t ept the money. He wanted her body to give to d, literally. The shit thing about it was Alyssa¡¯s father didn¡¯t tell us until it was toote. Selfish motherfucker.


    I guess to be fair, there wasn¡¯t anything different I could have done.


    When I think of Alyssa, I try to remember how she was. Doing so, enables me to eradicate the image of seeing her head in the box.


    I was dirt poor when we first met. My family had lost everything years before and then we lost my mother. Back then we thought she killed herself. Massimo found her in the river and people said she jumped off the cliff at Stormy Creek.


    Those years without her were hard and it was Alyssa that helped me get through them. When we met she¡¯d lost her mother, too. Her mother suffered from depression after an ident that killed Alyssa¡¯s younger sister and the guilt over it made her put a gun to her head. That was our connection.


    The thing that glued us together.


    My brothers and I stick together, and Pa did his best to take care of us but there are somethings which can¡¯t just be healed with words.


    It needs one broken soul to another. That was what Alyssa was like for me.


    We sought refuge in each other and fell in love, but she was the daughter of a prick who was always greedy for more.


    Those events led me here.


    I can¡¯t allow this n to fail. If Isabe doesn¡¯t tell me where her father is, the whole thing will go to hell.


    When I sit on the white sandy beach my phone rings in my back pocket.


    I pull it out when I see it¡¯s Nick.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I say.


    ¡°Hi boss, just checking in,¡± he begins. ¡°The guards think Isabe escaped. They started running around like rats this morning looking for her. The guard they call Sacha put it in their heads she must have escaped sometime in the night.¡±


    I figured Sacha would do exactly that to save his ass. I¡¯m also guessing he might know Isabe was taken. When she promised him she wouldn¡¯t do anything foolish she meant she wouldn¡¯t try to escape. I haven¡¯t watched them long enough or heard them converse long enough, but the fact that he let her out suggests they have a rtionship of deep trust. I¡¯m willing to bet money he knows she was taken.


    ¡°It¡¯s best they think that for a while,¡± I answer. ¡°It bides us time.¡±


    ¡°I figured as much. Any luck on Mortimer¡¯s location?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I say as if I have some n up my damn sleeve to get it. I don¡¯t have shit. ¡°What are the guards doing now?¡±


    ¡°Searching. It¡¯s going to be obvious soon enough she was taken though, and that Sacha enabled it by allowing her to leave the house.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You just keep watch and let me know if anything changes.¡±


    ¡°All right boss.¡±


    I hang up and gaze out to the deep blue sea. I watch the waves crashing against the rocks and go over everything I can think of that will make Isabe tell me what I need to know.


    There has to be something, I just have to find it.

 57

    Isabe Fog swallows my view, filling my surroundings fast. So fast, so thick.


    It¡¯s so thick I could cut through it with a knife. The grayness started to rise like smoke, rising like it¡¯sing from thest of the burning embers and all that is left is ashes.


    Then I see it. The stairs. I¡¯m on the stairs again in the house in Russia.


    It¡¯s like I¡¯m watching a film of myself now and I know what to do.


    Walk.


    Walk so that what is to happen next will happen.


    I can¡¯t leave this ne of nightmares until I do. So, I walk.


    I walk then run when I hear the scream.


    Mama¡­ I stop short when I get to the living room and see my mother lying on the ground. My father is kneeling over her stabbing her in her stomach over and over again.


    A scream tears from my lips and I scream again when her head rolls to the side and I see the way her eyes look.


    She¡¯s looking at me, but she¡¯s not looking at me like she can see me, and she¡¯s not moving.


    Blood is everywhere. On the floor, on my father, everywhere.


    ¡°Mama!¡± I cry and that¡¯s when I see the shadowy figure of someone behind my father.


    A shadow ¡­ then a face. A face I¡¯d almost forgotten.


    It¡¯s a man. As I look closer to see who he is, the fog swallows my surroundings and everything fades to ck¡­ Then out of nowhere a hand grabs my throat and starts squeezing hard, squeezing the life from me. Killing me. Dmitri¡¯s face looms before me. He growls like a wild animal revealing the monster he is. A demon straight from hell.


    When he squeezes tighter I see the sledge hammer in his hand. This time he¡¯s not going to use it on Eric. He¡¯s going to use it on me.


    He raises it¡­ I jump out of my sleep and leap off the bed with my hand at my throat. My legs cave and I fall to the ground moving back on my hands. It takes me a moment before I realize Dmitri¡¯s not here.


    Here¡­ I look ahead of me and my gazends on the sea crashing against the rocks off in the distance.


    My heart is hammering so hard in my chest it could explode, and for a second, I think it might, but a sarcasticugh falls from my lips.


    This is sarcasm and irony at its finest indeed.


    No. Dmitri¡¯s not here, but I¡¯ve been kidnapped, and I don¡¯t even know where here is.


    It¡¯s another day. Day two. Yesterday was awful. When Tristan came back to badger me again for my father¡¯s location I just kept my mouth shut. Much to his fury.


    I thought it was best to say nothing. Just sit still and look at him. Why waste my breath when my answer will fall on deaf ears? The ears of a man who will most likely kill me before the week is out.


    God¡­ I prayed I could escape my father, and this is where I ended up. It¡¯s a cruel joke the universe must be having at my expense. Another kick while I¡¯m already down, rolling in the dirt trying to get the fuck up.


    I hug my knees to my chest and try to calm down. That nightmare took its toll on me. They¡¯ve never been so dark and vivid. Real. I¡¯ve never reacted this way. Then again life just got worse with each year that passed. For a long time, I only had my mother¡¯s death to contend with. Then Eric¡¯s came almost a decadeter.


    The reurring nightmares I used to have though just featured either my mother¡¯s death or Eric¡¯s.


    Not a blend of both.


    And as for the nightmares of my mother? Well, that one was different.


    There was something different about it. After I witnessed what my father did, he told me what I saw didn¡¯t really happen, and tried to get me to believe the same crock of shit he told everyone else. I almost believed him until the day he threatened to kill me if I spoke. I remember I was crying so much, then I just stopped.


    Ten years old and being threatened with death? I believed him. I had no reason to doubt he wouldn¡¯t do it. After all I watched him kill Mama. I didn¡¯t want him to stab me too, so I did what he said, and I tried to forget. He had all kinds of doctorse to see me and they told me sometimes children make things up.


    I pretended to believe them too, and acted like I did, although I never spoke. But I always had the truth locked away in my nightmares. Locked in my head.


    Just now there was a man¡¯s face. He¡¯s never appeared before and I can¡¯t quite remember what he looks like.


    My heart races again when the door opens, and Tristanes in with a tray of breakfast.


    I push to my feet wishing I had underwear on, but more so wishing he would just let me go.


    He walks in with that air of coolness, assessing me. I can see it in his eyes he thinks I¡¯m lying. He thinks I¡¯m lying to protect my father. He¡¯d never know that¡¯s the veryst thing I would do.


    My father would never need the likes of me to protect him because he¡¯s given me nothing that would give him away. Nothing at all. Not even a clue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be getting some clothes for you soon,¡± Tristan says. I don¡¯t answer.


    What am I supposed to say? Thanks? I¡¯m not saying thanks, and I¡¯m not going to act like I¡¯m grateful, although I am.


    ¡°I brought you breakfast,¡± he adds.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it,¡± I answer. I don¡¯t want anything. Eating is thest thing I want to do.


    It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not hungry, I am. I just don¡¯t want to eat.


    ¡°You will have it.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± I throw back.


    This is just the second day and he already looks like he¡¯s had enough of me. He actually looks like he¡¯s ready to kill me.


    ¡°Isabe do not push me,¡± he threatens.


    Or what?


    That¡¯s what I want to say. I want to ask him what will happen if I do, but I think better of it.


    I don¡¯t know why I keep remembering the way he was when we first met because it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s anything but the kind stranger I met in the park. The memoryes to me now and pulls on my heart. I was right to say he wore a mask. He did.


    He truly fooled me, and I guess now I¡¯m in the situation I¡¯m in, I¡¯m going to have to disagree with him about death.


    ¡°You were wrong¡­¡± I whisper.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    I shouldn¡¯t get myself so worked up. I guess I¡¯m still pissed he yed me for a fool. He¡¯s just like everyone else who thought they could treat me like shit.


    ¡°You said death was worse. It¡¯s not. This is. Y ou are. Bastard,¡± I hiss, and instantly I regret my words when he rushes to me. I should have kept my mouth shut.


    I keep talking like I have this bravado and I don¡¯t. Fear is making me lose my mind and I can¡¯t think straight half the time. If I were, I know I¡¯d know better than to piss off the man who kidnapped me. A man who knew exactly what to do to not only find me, but to find out who I really am, then steal me away from my father.


    Only someone powerful could do something like that.


    He practically throws the tray down on the bed and the drink slushes, almost spilling. I try to run but he¡¯s too fast, and I¡¯m far too slow. The mere seconds it took for my brain to tell my legs to run were the same he used to put the tray down and grab me.


    I scream when his grasp tightens around my wrist and he pulls me to him. Instinct makes me grab the pillow and hit him with it. That unfortunately was another foolish move.


    With a savage growl, Tristan yanks it so hard from my grasp it rips, and the feather stuffing explodes between us. He casts aside what¡¯s left across the room and shoves me hard against the wall.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m fucking worse than death?¡± he snarls getting into my face, pinning my hands to the wall. He¡¯s too close again. I don¡¯t like it.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I cry. ¡°Get away from me. Get your hands off me. I¡¯m a person, not a thing.¡± I scream the words like I¡¯m not just talking to him. As if everyone who wronged me is right here in this room with us.


    I notice a shift in his gaze like I¡¯ve got his attention, so I continue my tirade.


    ¡°What did I do to you? Not a damn thing. You think you can treat me like this because I¡¯m Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter? You must have thought I was some kind a fool when you saw me crying in the park. An easy target.¡± Self-pity is taking over. I¡¯m at a loss on what I¡¯m supposed to do and while I don¡¯t want to die, I don¡¯t know what to do to live either. ¡°You took one look at me and thought of me as a thing. A thing that was nothing to you. A thing you could-¡± He steals my words away with a kiss.


    Literally steals the words and my breath in one swift move and I¡¯m silenced.


    I taste him and recall with rity how I felt that night when we first kissed.


    Shock crashes through me, flooding my mind first then racing through my body. It surges through me, fueled by the arousal that sings through my veins and the taste of him.


    All I can feel is what¡¯s happening inside my body. I can¡¯t wrap my head around what¡¯s happening and what he¡¯s doing because I thought everything he¡¯d done so far was all an act.


    I thought he¡¯d fooled me, I thought he yed with my emotions to lure me into a trap. The kiss he gives me speaks of the truth.


    The kiss whispers deep, deep down to the most secret part of me telling me it was real. He was real and whether I want to believe it or not, he wasn¡¯t acting when we first met, and not at the club.


    It was real then for me. This kiss feels real now.


    As his lips devour me, tasting me. I truly allow myself to slip away into the exhration of need and desire for this man I shouldn¡¯t want.


    He deepens the kiss, sweeping his tongue over mine, making me cave to desire. I want to resume telling him to get away from me, to not touch me, to leave me alone. But desire paralyses me and unearths what I genuinely want and need. Right now, it¡¯s for him to be near me, to touch me, to stay with me.


    Desire makes me want the night I thought we were going to have. The night I chose as myst of freedom, and I chose him.


    When he releases my hands, I¡¯m able to press against the hard walls of his chest. I slide my hand up and I rest on his shoulders feeling the width and power of solid muscles beneath my fingertips.


    His fingers run over my stomach and fire heats me up when he pulls the hem of my gown up to my hips.


    He keeps his lips on mine, but I gasp when his fingers slide into my pussy. I already know I¡¯m wet and ready for him. Now he knows it too and the knowledge seems to make him kiss me harder.


    The clink of his belt buckle sounds in my ear as a signal, a warning of what we¡¯re going to do next. It was a heads up, a chance to back away, if only desire hadn¡¯t made me greedy to have him inside me.


    He pulls out of the kiss and takes out his cock. I don¡¯t get to see it much before he lifts my leg and hooks it around his, then holds me so he can plunge right into my passage.


    I cry out as he ms into me and grab on to his shirt. He cups the back of my head, holding me in ce so he can fuck me.


    I¡¯m tight. I know I am. It¡¯s been years since Ist had sex, and I can feel the effect my tightness has on him. His cock spears me, stretching me to take the width and length, filling me uppletely.


    Once I¡¯ve stretched to take him, he starts to speed up and truly fuck me. It¡¯s too much.


    Ie hard momentster crying out from the wildness of his savage thrusts. With that he presses me into the wall, fucking me harder against it.


    ¡°Tristan,¡± I cry out his name.


    This time he catches my face, and he seems to slow. ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you harder, princess, hold on tighter.¡±


    I barely manage to follow his caution before he gives me the hard fuck he promises.


    He starts pounding into me so hard I have to slip my arms around his neck and hold on to him.


    Tristan holds me to him, and wee together.


    Hot cum flows into my passage when his cock pulses inside me and as it coats my walls reality ps me in the face.


    We just had wild sex.


    Us.


    Me. I just had sex with the man that kidnapped me.


    I¡¯ve woken up to acknowledge what I just did, but the look of fascination in his eyes catches and holds my attention.


    Tristan rests one hand above my head and just for a few seconds I almost forget what and who we are. But like the other day, he blinks, and the moment is gone. The silent realization of reality seems to hit him too and he releases me. He pulls out and his cum leaks down my thighs.


    Fury takes the ce of that fascination and I watch him tuck himself back in his pants. With frustration he walks out leaving me stunned against the wall.


    Stunned and not knowing what the hell just happened.


    Or what it means.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

 58

    Tristan Jesus Christ¡­ What the hell did I just do?


    Holy fucking hell.


    I walk down the corridor and stop at the end near the window where I can get some air.


    Since it¡¯s only cracked, I swing it all the way open and press my hands on the ledge.


    I hang my head down in shame. I¡¯m a fucking asshole. Just now I didn¡¯t do anything I didn¡¯t want to do. The way I took Isabe, with that ruthless savagery, was exactly how I wanted to take her and when it came to it, I never even tried to resist.


    She told me I thought of her as nothing, a thing, and it made me snap.


    She can call me whatever she wants and tell me she hates me, but I couldn¡¯t allow her to think I thought of her as nothing.


    It¡¯s a juxtapose of shit I can¡¯t exin. How the fuck would I begin to exin that to anybody if they found out I had sex with her?


    Thank fuck only I have ess to the camera in her room.


    Just like when I changed her clothes in the back of the truck, I didn¡¯t want anybody else to see her.


    I bring my hand to my head and breathe out a ragged breath. No one could have seen me, but I know I slept with her. How could I do that? She¡¯s my enemy¡¯s daughter.


    If I were a different type of monster, the kind she used me of being, I would have taken her body as payment and killed her already.


    ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Candace asks.


    The sound of her voice catches me by surprise, and I snap around to face her, hoping I don¡¯t look guilty.


    ¡°Yeah fine.¡±


    ¡°What was she like today?¡± she asks ncing down the hall.


    ¡°The same. Not cooperative.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I could bring her food sometime?¡± she offers.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll let you know when the time is right.¡± I don¡¯t think it¡¯s now. I¡¯m running out of ideas and losing my focus. I need to think of something that will work. Something that doesn¡¯t involve fucking.


    ¡°Okay cool. I¡¯m gonna go for a walk. It¡¯s a nice day. Let me know if you need me,¡± she says.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    I watch her go and I nce back down the corridor wondering what my little captive is thinking now.


    I wonder if she¡¯s as confused as me.


    It doesn¡¯t matter. What happened just now can¡¯t happen again.


    I need to get my act together. Next time I see her I have to reestablish that fear.


    I mustn¡¯t let her know how much I want her. That is a weakness I can¡¯t afford. Especially when I still think she¡¯ll lie to me about the whereabouts of her father.


    I gear up for my second visit at lunch time.


    It was tempting to take Candace up on her offer, but I only want Isabe to see me for the moment.


    I head up to her room with another tray of food. This time I have a bowl of soup and freshly made bread from the maid.


    As I open the door and enter the room Isabe res at me.


    Those eyes find me and hold me in ce as she sits on the bed.


    She shuffles her legs and I get a good view of one slender thigh with golden skin I want to touch again.


    I walk up to the bed and set the tray down next to her, showing my insistence she eats.


    ¡°You need to eat,¡± I tell her, and she eyes me with caution.


    I¡¯m cautious of myself too. I can¡¯t think past being inside her again and I need to focus.


    ¡°Excuse me, do you think some soup and bread will make me talk?¡± she retorts. Her stare intensifies like she can take me on.


    I can see I¡¯ve shaken her by what happened this morning, but I won¡¯t say anything about it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to have you perish on me before I get what I need to know from you. Eat.¡±


    ¡°You need to let me go,¡± she says.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°This is ridiculous. I didn¡¯t do anything to you to deserve this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re well aware that things don¡¯t work like that. If you want freedom of any kind you will tell me where your father is.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± sheshes back. ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    ¡°And that sounds like bullshit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what it sounds like to you. You let me go! How can you do this to me? Fucking let me go!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± I roar but this woman is a fighter.


    I¡¯m shocked to shit when she doesn¡¯t back down. Instead she grabs the te with the bread and throws it at me.


    I underestimated her and that¡¯s why the fucking te hit me right on my forehead. The sudden panic in her eyes suggests she underestimated herself too and didn¡¯t think before she struck. The pang of the blow sends ance of pain through my head, but I push the feeling aside to go after her as she breaks into a run.


    She manages two long strides before I grabbed her.


    ¡°Let go of me, you monster,¡± she wails thrashing and kicking her legs.


    Monster¡­ Yes. I know that¡¯s what I am but it¡¯s okay for me to know that. when I hear the words falling from the lips of my enemies daughter, I lose my shit. I fucking lose my mind and stalk back to the bed dragging her kicking and screaming.


    ¡°Monster,¡± she continues to cry, not knowing she should fucking stop it. That¡¯s okay, I know exactly what to do here.


    I sit on the edge of the bed and haul her over my knee. The stupid gown is already almost halfway up her thighs so it¡¯s not hard for me to lift it the rest of the way and expose her perfect ass.


    Fuck, it¡¯s perfect and I¡¯m supposed to be punishing her. But I can¡¯t help thinking she has the perfect ass for a good spanking and fucking. It¡¯s firm and round and it takes the first blow of my hand exactly the way I imagined it would. It jiggles just the right amount and beckons me to do it again.


    One more spank on her rounded cheeks makes the skin go red and the detail of my handprint.


    The sight and the sound of her cries harden my cock all over again.


    I give her another p and she screams. That¡¯s when I stop.


    ¡°Tristan,¡± she calls my name, and it snaps the sexual reverie that clouded my mind.


    Instead I focus on the sound of her whimpering in my arms.


    This is all bullshit. Coming back in here has only pissed me off and made me want to fuck her again. I suppose she must know that though because there¡¯s no way she couldn¡¯t feel the hardness of my dick. She¡¯s lying right across it.


    Furious, I drag her gown back over her ass and carry her over to the wall. I can¡¯t do what we did earlier. I can¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t lose my mind like that and act like some kind of animal.


    She needs to fear me. She needs to know I¡¯m serious as fuck and she needs to tell me where her father is.


    Isabe stares at me inplete shock as I pull a set of handcuffs from my back pocket. I was going to use them to scare her, now I¡¯m actually going to use them. I cuff one hand to the rails of the window and she starts cursing me in Russian.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± she cries.


    Her eyes snap wide when I get the tray and put it down in front of her.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m some kind of animal?¡± she challenges, and tears stream down her cheeks. ¡°How could you be so evil? What¡¯s wrong with you. This is all so wrong.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking to me like you think you know how to find a chink in my armor. You fucking can¡¯t.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°God, I never thought I could possibly meet anybody worse than my father. But you prove me wrong. You¡¯re worse.¡±


    If she can say that to me then she can¡¯t know what her bastard father is capable of. But its fine, let her think that. It¡¯s good that she thinks that. She needs to.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I am worse, and he made me this way. When the devil takes everything from you, you have to be worse than him if you want the chance to take him down,¡± I tell her and her gaze rivets to mine.


    My answer is probably a shocker. I gave away too much and showed too much emotion. I think I got my point across though perfectly because she doesn¡¯t say anything more as I walk out.


    I sit out on the beach and the sea until it gets dark.


    It¡¯ste afternoon and the sun is just beginning to set.


    Footsteps crunch on the sand alerting me to the presence of someone and I turn to see Dominic.


    Hees up to me and lowers to sit.


    ¡°I guess you can¡¯t run into the sea if you don¡¯t want to talk, or maybe you could,¡± he states.


    I straighten up and stare at him. ¡°Sorry about yesterday.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I guess we¡¯re all on edge.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bring up Andreas. I know you weren¡¯tparing me to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cool. I get it though. If this n doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯re screwed. It¡¯s alreadyte. Two days gone by and they¡¯ve had time to look and think.¡±


    I nod. ¡°Yeah and she¡¯s not talking Dominic. She says she doesn¡¯t know where her father is, and I don¡¯t believe it. People like them hide each other. They¡¯ll die before they give up the other.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure what rtionship she has with her father. She said she didn¡¯t know if she¡¯s ever met anyone worse than him. The statement alludes to how she must feel about him. I¡¯m assuming their rtionship isn¡¯t good, but I doubt if it¡¯s as bad that she wouldn¡¯t put up a fight to protect him.


    ¡°We just have to keep trying and hope she caves. That¡¯s all I cane up with right now,¡± Dominic says.


    He draws in a breath and as he releases it blood runs down his nose.


    I see it straightway, but he doesn¡¯t notice until it starts to drip.


    ¡°Fuck. Must be the heat.¡± He chuckles but he looks thrown as he grabs a tissue from his back pocket and starts dabbing at his nose.


    He stands quickly and I do too ready to talk to him. Nosebleeds are a sign that things aren¡¯t okay.


    ¡°Dominic, you okay?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Of course. Just a nosebleed.¡± He tries to brush it off.


    ¡°Is it?¡± I counter.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a fucking nosebleed Tristan, rx. Worry about the girl. I¡¯m good.¡± He gives me a pat on my back and walks away.


    I watch him go, but I know he¡¯s not okay. And I think I know what¡¯s wrong with him.


    I think he¡¯s using.


    I think he¡¯s on drugs.

 59

    Isabe It¡¯s morning again.


    I shuffle, grab on to the edge of the rail and stand up. At least I can do that. I¡¯m just stationary like a dog that¡¯s been tied up. I imagine Tristan watching me through some camera. It makes sense that he would.


    I gaze through the window, making another fruitless attempt to try and guess which ind I¡¯m on. I know I¡¯m never going to be able to figure it out just from looking through this window, but it beats staring at the wall, epting doom.


    My stomach rumbles and I nce at the untouched food from yesterday, wincing at the sight. Both the soup and the bread still smell nice. I would have eaten it, but I still don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t want anything.


    My stomach might beining from theck of food, but I can¡¯t eat when I¡¯m worried and afraid. I can¡¯t eat anything until I know what¡¯s going to happen to me.


    I barely slept. I don¡¯t know how I was supposed to with all that¡¯s happened in the mere twenty-four hours that have passed.


    I had sex with Tristan, I¡¯m still wearing this piece of shit gown, my ass hurts from being spanked, and my left wrist is cuffed to the rail on the window. There was no way I would have been able to sleep properly.


    Jesus Christ¡­ I can¡¯t believe it all.


    It¡¯s all bad, but I¡¯m still stuck on the fact I had sex with him. I¡¯m mortified at myself and disgusted I never even put up a fucking fight. Not to mention that we didn¡¯t use protection. I guess I should be grateful my father stuck me on the contraceptive injection. It¡¯s one of those types thatst for a few years.


    I didn¡¯t even think about that yesterday as Tristan pounded into me.


    I just allowed desire to take me, as if that¡¯s an actual excuse. It¡¯s not eptable and makes me look weak.


    At the same time, I have to acknowledge the weakness only existed because I did like him. I wasn¡¯t just attracted to him when we met, I liked him.


    Desire rekindled those feelings. That¡¯s what it was. With those emotions present, it wasn¡¯t hard for desire to take over and screw with me. Screwing me over.


    It won¡¯t happen again. I won¡¯t allow it to. Our little crazy sexual stint yesterday doesn¡¯t matter. It doesn¡¯t matter how real it felt or how he looked at me. It doesn¡¯t even matter his actions prior to getting to this damn ind might have been real. What matters is I¡¯m here.


    I¡¯m still here, caught in a trap, and everything he did was still a trick to lure me. That will never change. So, he doesn¡¯t deserve any credit whatsoever. He¡¯s still a bastard. He¡¯s still my captor. He still kidnapped me.


    Right now, I have to assume every moment I¡¯m alive is a blessing. It means he¡¯s keeping me alive because he still thinks he can get what he wants from me-my father¡¯s location.


    I won¡¯t hold out on hope and think he won¡¯t kill me. I¡¯ve long since learned not to hope or see any light in others when there is none.


    I need to escape. That is all I know right now.


    As to how or when I¡¯ll be able to do it¡­ Well, that¡¯s the hard part. The part that¡¯s a mystery to me. I¡¯m locked in this room and the only ways out are through the door and off the side of the balcony.


    As in into the sea. That is not an option.


    I¡¯m a strong swimmer but even I know I¡¯d never survive if I decided to take on the sea. The waters I can see outside are dangerous and a warning in itself not to contemte going in them. It certainly won¡¯t end with the escape I¡¯d be hoping for.


    That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m in this room. Tristan knows I can¡¯t swim away from him and he knows I wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to try it.


    That means my focus has to be on getting through that door. Only that. Not anything else. The fear of never being free again will guide me.


    This is an ind so there must be a boat or something Tristan used to get here. There will be a way off. I just have to be able to find it.


    If I make it out of this, then I owe it to myself to be free of everything else too. Everything meaning my father.


    Tristan confirmed my suspicions when he said the devil took everything from him and he had to be worse. My father must have killed someone for him and now I¡¯m here cuffed to a wall suffering for it.


    The thing to pay attention to is Tristan isn¡¯t going to be the only person my father harmed in that way. Even if Dad finds a way to get me out of this situation, someone else wille for me because I¡¯m his daughter.


    So, if I get out, I¡¯ll run to the edge of the earth to escape everyone.


    The only person who has shown me mercy is Sacha, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve killed him. This is the second day I¡¯ve been missing, even if they thought I escaped he¡¯ll get the me no matter what he says. There is no excuse he cane up with that will suffice how I slipped away from him.


    The key rattles in the door and I turn to face it as it opens. I¡¯mpletely surprised when I see a beautiful blonde woman walk in carrying a tray of food.


    She looks at me uneasily but offers a little smile.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± she greets me. ¡°I¡¯m Candace.¡±


    I¡¯m so happy to see another person who isn¡¯t Tristan that my first thoughts are maybe she can help me.


    ¡°Please help. I¡¯ve been kidnapped. I was taken here against my will. I need to call someone,¡± I blurt, and the difort deepens in her face.


    Her gaze darts to my hand cuffed to the window rail and I realize I¡¯ve been foolish again.


    Look at me. I¡¯m wearing a sack, handcuffed to the wall, she just brought up food for me¡­ because she was told to.


    She¡¯s with Tristan. She has to be working with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to make sure you eat something,¡± she answers.


    I don¡¯t say anything. I can¡¯t. All I can do is shake my head. Not at my situation, at her.


    ¡°You work for him. Don¡¯t you?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I do. Look-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I cut her off. ¡°What are you going to tell me? What are you really going to tell me, Candace?¡± I emphasize the sybles of her name.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you to eat. That is all.¡±


    ¡°Shame on you,¡± I snap, and her eyes widen. ¡°Shame on you. It¡¯s people like you who stand by and watch others suffer. You¡¯re a woman, just like me. A man drugged me and kidnapped me. He brought me here to this ce. What happened to me is every woman¡¯s nightmare and you¡¯re standing there telling me to eat.¡±


    I¡¯m being incredibly rude, but I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m right. If I weren¡¯t right, she wouldn¡¯t look so ashamed of herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to upset you,¡± she apologizes.


    ¡°Yeah? How about you just leave me alone.¡±


    She presses her lips together, visibly humiliated, thenes closer to set the tray down near me.


    Quickly, she collects the tray from yesterday and heads out.


    When the door clicks shut, I bring my free hand to my head and stare down at the food she brought. There¡¯s a Spanish omelette, toast, and fried bacon. There¡¯s a cup of hot chocte too and a ss of water.


    I don¡¯t want any of it.


    I return my gaze back out to the sea and get lost in the motion of the rolling waves as I try to figure out what to do.


    When the door opens again hourster a manes in.


    I can tell straightaway he¡¯s Tristan¡¯s brother. They look remarkably simr and have the same eyes.


    Seeing him makes me wonder how many people are here. I was under the impression it was just Tristan, until I saw Candace earlier.


    Like her, he¡¯s carrying a tray with food. Sandwiches for lunch.


    ¡°Not eating?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Please let me go,¡± I reply, but he just stares back at me.


    ¡°Will you tell me where you father is?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is.¡±


    He sighs and instead of continuing the conversation he swaps the tray around with my untouched tes from this morning.


    As he looks back at me, I sense that vibe of danger and I know he¡¯s just as ruthless as Tristan is.


    I get the impression silence is his weapon. His dark gaze sends a shiver of fear through me.


    ¡°It would be in your best interest to tell us where your father is. If we find out you know where he is and lied to us. You won¡¯t like what happens next.¡±


    That¡¯s all he says and leaves me.


    I swallow hard as the door swings shut and hold back the tears. I don¡¯t want to cry anymore. I can¡¯t resort to being that crying woman who gives up. I can¡¯t allow that to happen to me even if it looks like hope is gone.


    An hour passes and when the door opens again, it¡¯s Tristan.


    He¡¯s carrying clothes that look like they¡¯re for me in one hand and a sandwich in the other.


    When Ist saw him, he spanked me.


    I¡¯ve been whipped. I¡¯ve been pushed around like I¡¯m nothing, but no one has ever degraded me in such a way before. Nobody.


    I know I was wrong to hit him with the te, but fuck, I can¡¯t exactly say he didn¡¯t deserve it.


    Now he¡¯s here again and I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s going to do to me.


    The man confuses me. His body only reacts that way to me because he¡¯s attracted to me too, and I don¡¯t think we would have had the sex we had if he just wanted to chain me to a wall.


    He sets the sandwich down first, then the clothes, and stares at me.


    ¡°Are you going to behave today?¡±


    ¡°Behave? I haven¡¯t done anything wrong,¡± I retort.


    ¡°You threw a te at me.¡±


    ¡°You kidnapped me, so you definitely deserved it. If I had a gun, I¡¯d kill you.¡±


    He actuallyughs at me like I¡¯m a joke. I suppose I am. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s handcuffed to the window,pletely at his mercy.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I can¡¯t do shit and we both know it. Even if I could do anything, I¡¯m sure I wouldn¡¯t get close enough to pull the trigger. He¡¯d stop me.


    He pulls a key from his pocket and I can¡¯t help the feeling of relief that washes over me when he undoes my wrist.


    ¡°Get up,¡± he orders, and I stand. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? Think you can starve yourself and I¡¯ll take pity on you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your food, I want you to let me go,¡± I answer.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten in days,¡± he points out, ignoring my plea.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your food, I want you to let me go,¡± I repeat.


    ¡°You will eat when I give you food, and like I said before you aren¡¯t going anywhere until you tell me where your father is.¡±


    ¡°And like I said before I don¡¯t know where he is. You asshole, what is the matter with you?¡±


    He grits his teeth and clenches his fists at his sides.


    ¡°Isabe, fucking eat the food. I swear if you don¡¯t you will not like what happens next.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat,¡± I cry.


    He reaches for me and I shove him hard in his chest, but I hurt my hands. He has a chest made of steel and I¡¯m useless against a man like him.


    I¡¯m also weak. He¡¯s right to point out that I haven¡¯t eaten in three days and I feel like shit.


    When hees after me again, I can¡¯t move out of the way, so I do the only thing I have strength for and p him hard across his cheek.


    ¡°Get away from me,¡± I cry. ¡°You bastard.¡±


    My eyes dart to the door. If I could just get to it, I could run away. I could try.


    I attempt to move forward but Tristan reaches for me again.


    The moment of hope fades, and fury makes me take the opening I see and dole out another p to his cheek. A p I know I¡¯ll pay for.


    Growling, he lifts me into the air just like the other day and carries me over to the bed.


    This time he¡¯s so mad he rips the gown off my body and tosses it over to the corner somewhere.


    I¡¯m naked and I can¡¯t hide myself from him. He won¡¯t let me.


    I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s going to do to me.


    Spank me, fuck me, or kill me.


    The feral look in his eyes suggests he might do all three.


    Shoving me down on the bed he pins me down with his weight when he gets on top of me and grabs my wrists to hold over my head. In this lock I can¡¯t do anything at all but thrash against him.


    ¡°Get off me,¡± I rasp. ¡°Leave me alone. I don¡¯t want you near me.¡±


    I can¡¯t have him so close, not after yesterday. I can¡¯t allow confusion to take me and screw with me.


    I thrash against him trying to break free. I already know I won¡¯t win but I¡¯m not going down without a fight.


    Unlike yesterday I do my best. I try. But when he presses his lips to mine, I know deep down that the fight is over. The force that¡¯s drawing us together is stronger than the both of us.


    I know yesterday can¡¯t happen again, and he must know too.


    Why are we doing this then?


    Why can¡¯t we stop?


    His savage cruel kiss devours my will to resist him and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m allowing myself to give into him again.


    When he releases my hands, we kiss open mouthed, hungry and greedy. He kisses me like he wants to take everything from me, not just my father¡¯s location, but me too.


    Tristan is kissing me like he wants me, working my lips against his until their swollen and tender from the fire in his kiss.


    He slides his hand behind my head, angling me to deepen the kiss, allowing me to taste him and fall deeper down the chasm of desire.


    I fall, surrendering to passion¡¯s call to make me it¡¯s ve. I fall deeper when he runs his hands down my neck and slides down to the swells of my breasts.


    I want him to touch me so badly by the time he fills his palms with my breasts, I¡¯m moaning into his mouth with need and my treacherous pussy is clenching with that same need, greedy for his cock.


    He squeezes my breasts softly as he continues to make love to my mouth. His fingers caress my skin as he works his way over to my nipples which harden at his touch.


    Pleasure fills me, stirring deep and low in my core and it gets so much better when he leaves my lips and lowers to take my left nipple into his mouth.


    I lie back, allowing him to suck.


    He sucks and circles his tongue around the peak, making it painfully tight.


    When I arch my back, pressing my breasts into his mouth he takes me in deeper, setting my whole body alight with pleasure.


    He touches me like he knows exactly what my body wants. Sucking my breasts hard then moving from one to the other giving each the same attention.


    It¡¯s been so long since I was touched like this, years. Years since a man just wanted to touch me and taste me. He¡¯s doing it all, driving me insane for him to be inside me.


    I don¡¯t know how the hell I went from wanting to kill him, to wanting him to fuck me.


    Reality peaks in on that thought but he eradicates it when he cups my sex and slides his finger right inside my pussy.


    ¡°Tristan¡­¡± I breathe out. The pleasure is too much.


    It¡¯s almost unbearable but I want more of what he¡¯s doing to me.


    I moan again when he circles my clit and starts rubbing the hard nub. Then he just stops, and I wonder if this is how he ns to torture me.


    I¡¯m actually relieved when he grabs my leg and moves off the bed. He pulls me to sit and parts my thighs then crouches and licks over the skin of my mound.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking dare try to stop me,¡± he warns.


    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not,¡± I breathe, my voice hoarse with the deadlybination of desire and need.


    ¡°Spread your legs wider for me. I want to taste your pussy,¡± hemands, and I obey.


    Once I spread my legs, he buries his head between my thighs and starts eating me out.


    Mindless moans fall from my lips I can¡¯t control or stop. I don¡¯t want to. I also don¡¯t want to stop feeling like this.


    He licks and pushes his tongue deeper inside, taking everything I have and I arch my back, pushing against his mouth.


    I run my fingers through his hair, and he nces up at me. It¡¯s for a fleeting second though and I don¡¯t get to take note of anything else because a greedy orgasm tears through my body.


    It takes me violently and Ie hard, thrashing against his face while he cups my ass and continues eating me out until my arousal flows right into his mouth.


    Fuck¡­ I¡¯m on fire. My skin is on fire and I can¡¯t breathe.


    He drinks me and doesn¡¯t stop taking until there¡¯s nothing left. It¡¯s only then that he lets me go and stands drawing my gaze to the massive bulge of his cock pressing against the front of his pants.


    I truly believe the only thing left to do is fuck me again but the shift in his eyes is a tell of the shift in the mood.


    Feares back to my mind when he rests his hands down either side of me andes right up into my face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to fuck you again,¡± he says with a sneer. ¡°And it¡¯s not because I don¡¯t want to. I do.


    You know I do. But I¡¯m not doing it today.¡±


    But he will again¡­ My mind is so tangled I can¡¯t focus. My skin is on fire from what we just did, and I¡¯m shocked at the way my body reacted to him.


    My body?


    No¡­ it wasn¡¯t just my body. It was all of me. I didn¡¯t just react and he¡¯s right. I do know.


    ¡°Why?¡± I whisper and he straightens up.


    ¡°Because right now we can¡¯t be the guy and the girl at the club. This is us and you have information I need.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    He straightens and shakes his head in dismay. It¡¯s clear he still thinks I¡¯m lying.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where my father is.¡±


    ¡°You need to eat Bellezza,¡± he says ignoring myment.


    He makes his way over to the door and I grab the sheet and cover myself.


    I watch him walk away, but there¡¯s something I want to know. It¡¯s not relevant to my situation and doesn¡¯t help me in any shape or form, but it¡¯s on my mind.


    ¡°Tristan,¡± I stop him and his hand stills on the door handle.


    ¡°Who? Who did he kill for you?¡± The moment I ask the question I wish I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I can¡¯t talk about that with you. Not you¡­ the devil¡¯s daughter,¡± he answers, and I feel so bad.


    He goes through the door and numbness fills me.


    My father is his enemy and so am I.


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to get myself out of here. He doesn¡¯t believe I¡¯m telling the truth and that look in his eyes just now was raw hatred.


    I¡¯m not stupid, I know Tristan wouldn¡¯t have contacted my father like the average kidnapper would for ransom. That¡¯s not the n. I¡¯m trying to think the way he would. He wants a life for a life.


    My father¡¯s life for mine, but Tristan wants to find a man that¡¯s managed to keep himself hidden from the world.


    I know my father would never sacrifice himself for me. He¡¯d sooner see me dead than allow that to happen.


    He¡¯ll do everything to get me back, just not that.


    If we continue as we are there¡¯s going toe a time when I won¡¯t be of any use and Tristan will realize taking me was fruitless.


    I don¡¯t doubt he¡¯ll kill me then to get back at my father.


    The only way off this ind might be death.

 60

    Tristan Fuck¡­ I can¡¯t even bother to ask myself what the hell is wrong with me.


    There¡¯s no point.


    Maybe I¡¯ve lost my mind with worry over Dominic, or I really am consumed with lust.


    Nah¡­ even I can admit it¡¯s neither of those.


    Yes, I¡¯m worried as fuck about Dominic, but I won¡¯t use that as an excuse for my actions. Neither will I say I was consumed with lust and couldn¡¯t think straight. That makes me sound like I¡¯m no better than an animal.


    The answer is simple: I want her again. I want to fuck her again. That¡¯s why I was able to tell her as much.


    I¡¯m not supposed to cross that line again and I keep taunting my fucking self.


    Hearing those moans fall from her lips and her willingness for me to eat out her pussy drove me crazy. I had to do it. I needed to do it like I needed oxygen.


    I did it knowing my mouth won¡¯t be enough.


    I wanted Isabe from the first time we met. Maybe well before that when I first looked at that picture of her. I was so focused on the n to take her that I wasn¡¯t really thinking of my internal desires until I was.


    It was the day in the park when we spoke. That was the defining moment for me when things changed. It was when I realized there was something about her that drew me in.


    That look in her eyes I recognized got me good. Now I¡¯m like a fucking schmuck who¡¯s struggling to focus.


    I walk to my room and head to the shower. I throw off my clothes and turn on the cold stream.


    Once I get in, I let the water run over me while I jerk off like a fucking teenage boy. I can¡¯t remember thest time I had to do something like that, but I can¡¯t walk around pitching a fucking tent with Candace around.


    Even if she weren¡¯t here, and it was just me and Dominic I wouldn¡¯t do it either because he¡¯d know exactly what was up with me. I don¡¯t want to exin any of the feelings I shouldn¡¯t have for Isabe, and I doubt he¡¯d understand.


    My attraction to Isabe ispletely different to Massimo and Emelia¡¯s rtionship.


    Emelia is Ricardo Balesteri¡¯s daughter. Before we knew what Rardo was up to, Massimo yed his cards right in a plot to destroy him to get him back for what he did to our family.


    We knew the bastard was broke and he had to borrow from us. Massimo took Emelia as payment for the debt and made the man sign over his assets to him.


    When I could see he had feelings for Emelia well before any arrangement was made it was me who encouraged him to love her. I encouraged him to see her for who she was and not the enemy¡¯s daughter.


    It would not be the same thing for me because Rardo is not Mortimer Viggo. Mortimer is guilty of too much and many have suffered and are still suffering because of him.


    I really do need to get back my control over the situation. That is what I need to do and that¡¯s why I decide to stay away from Isabe the next day.


    While I do somepany work, I watch her through the camera on my phone and see that she takes sips of the water we bring her but doesn¡¯t touch the food.


    I wondered if she thought it might be poison but then I realize it wasn¡¯t that. She literally doesn¡¯t want to eat. Candace and Dominic alternate taking her food, each to no avail.


    I have a meeting with Massimo after breakfast and then I¡¯ll go in and see Isabe again. It¡¯s pissing me off that she¡¯s not eating. She won¡¯t be able to keep it up. The days are passing and the clock¡¯s ticking. We¡¯re nowhere close to where we need to be, and we don¡¯t know where to begin to find Mortimer.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I carry in theptop we¡¯ll be using for the conference call.


    I make my way inside the kitchen and meet Candace¡¯s disapproving re.


    ¡°Good morning to you too,¡± I say sarcastically.


    She rolls her eyes at me and pops a slice of bread in the toaster.


    ¡°Tristan, this is getting out of hand,¡± she statesing over to me.


    I set my hands down on the table and regard her. She knows not to question anything yet here she is.


    ¡°Please hear me out,¡± she pleads. ¡°What if she¡¯s telling the truth?¡±


    I re at her. ¡°Candace, principessa. The only truth Isabe is telling us is that she won¡¯t eat the food.¡±


    ¡°Tristan, I don¡¯t think so. Think about it. What if she really doesn¡¯t know where her father is.¡±


    Candace doesn¡¯t know how these people operate so she¡¯s just thinking logically like any normal person would.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not that and we have to keep trying to find out what she knows.¡±


    She looks disappointed in my answer. ¡°Okay¡­ I guess you know best.¡±


    Dominices in and sits down across from me.


    ¡°You were missing yesterday,¡± he says raising his brows.


    ¡°I needed a break.¡± So did my cock.


    ¡°I can¡¯t me you.¡± Although as he says that he¡¯s eyeing me like he suspects something is amiss.


    We have breakfast and Candace leaves us so we can talk with Massimo.


    The second hees online I know he¡¯s not happy, and I also know I don¡¯t have to guess the reason for that. It¡¯s because we¡¯re taking too long.


    ¡°Morning guys,¡± he begins.


    ¡°Hey,¡± we both say.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid things are slowly beginning to unveil themselves,¡± Massimo states and the unease in his expression intensifies. ¡°Intel has told us Dmitri has a CCTV image of Isabe in her car heading into town. Well before the alert was made that she¡¯d gone missing, Sacha got her car back to the house. But they¡¯re suspicious because of the conflicting information. His word against the image and no footage from the house. It makes him look suspect.¡±


    We had one of our guys wipe the footage at the house, so they had no recording of her leaving.


    Hard evidence against someone¡¯s word is definitely going to be suspicious. This is all taking too long.


    ¡°What have they done to him? Dmitri would have definitely pulled him up on that.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen any sighting of him since yesterday,¡± Massimo answers. ¡°So, he could be dead, or being tortured. It¡¯s what I would do. There are whispers of Mortimer but he hasn¡¯t shown his face.


    Even if he has, I have no idea what the fucker looks like. I hoped we could move faster than we are.


    Guys, it¡¯s been a few days since Isabe was taken. What¡¯s happening? Why don¡¯t I have a location for Mortimer Viggo yet?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not talking,¡± I answer.


    ¡°Then fucking make her talk, Tristan. She must know where her old man is.¡±


    If he were here, he¡¯d see what I meant.


    ¡°She says she doesn¡¯t know. She insists that¡¯s how he keeps himself safe. I don¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I. Guys, don¡¯t feel sorry for these people. They will use all sorts of mental acrobatics and chances you give them to manipte you.¡±


    Mental acrobatics? That¡¯s a good one. I wonder if I could use that to exin my attraction to Isabe and the need to taste her. It¡¯s not maniption in the least though if I¡¯m the bastard who can¡¯t stop thinking with his dick.


    ¡°We¡¯re thinking of ways to make her talk,¡± Dominic says. ¡°We need ideas and right now in my honest opinion we¡¯re running out of time and tactics.¡±


    ¡°There must be some way of getting to her, so she coughs up the info we want,¡± Massimo insists.


    I can¡¯t think of a way that doesn¡¯t include losing a limb or issuing some damage to her.


    ¡°You manipte her. Find a fucking way. Do what you must because the longer this festers the worse it will get. If Mortimer thinks his daughter was taken, he¡¯s going to naturally start looking at the people strong and powerful enough to infiltrate him.¡±


    That¡¯s a given. Although I think the key word is powerful. I look at Dominic. People will know the type of things he can do. We¡¯ve done the impossible by not only finding out Mortimer has a daughter but taking her too. Something like that can only be achieved by having a man like Dominic around. I don¡¯t doubt Mortimer will know that.


    ¡°He¡¯ll consider that we took her,¡± Dominic says and releases a sigh. ¡°He¡¯ll think of the people in the underground with the type of skill it would take to discover his secrets.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Massimo agrees. ¡°That points to us. I won¡¯t be idiot enough to think the man hasn¡¯t been watching us in some way and there is the issue of trust to consider. Things are happening around us and people who are supposed to be trustworthy are proving they can¡¯t be trusted.¡±


    He sounds like he¡¯s found out more shit in regard to the Syndicate, but now¡¯s not the time to worry about them. One thing at a time.


    ¡°Right now, it still looks like Isabe escaped,¡± Massimo adds. ¡°The picture of her in her car and the time the image was picked up makes it looked like she was given a pass to get gone. That¡¯s good for us at the moment. The guards think Sacha helped her because he¡¯s the only person who could have allowed it. The rtionship between them is strong enough to fully believe he would help her.¡±


    As he says that an idea hits me hard and I straighten up. One of the first things Isabe worried about was her bodyguard. She thought her father would kill him when he realized she¡¯d been taken. It was Sacha she was talking about.


    She thought of him first before she even started pleading for herself.


    I look back to Massimo. ¡°I think I have an idea. The guard Sacha. He¡¯s important to her. I think he might prove more useful to us than we anticipated.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°Use him to make her talk or get him to talk. Whichever. She maintains that no one knows where her father is. One of them must know something. Or I¡¯m sure they can be persuaded.¡±


    I can¡¯t torture her but someone else can be tortured to get answers. One of them will talk. Isabe thinks of Sacha as a father figure. When I was listening in on thest conversation she had with him she told him that. That seemed to be the sentiment that made him give in to her request to leave the house. There was something sad in his voice too when she mentioned Eric. They share a bond I can use to my advantage. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t like to see him in pain.


    Massimo nods at that. ¡°Good idea.¡±


    ¡°That is a good idea,¡± Dominic agrees. ¡°You¡¯re not going to bring him here though are you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I answer. ¡°We can sort something out, so he stays in Rhode Ind. I¡¯ll get Nick and the boys to get him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send back up,¡± Massimo says with a nod of approval.


    He likes the idea. It¡¯s just, however, one more thing I¡¯ll feel like a bastard for when it¡¯s done. One more thing for Isabe to hate me for.

 61

    Isabe It¡¯s hot today. So hot I¡¯m sweating.


    I¡¯m grateful Tristan didn¡¯te back and cuff me to the window again. The freedom of movement enables me to shower and clean myself in the En suite bathroom.


    When I finished, I chose a loose-fitting t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants from the stash of clothes he brought me. I wondered if they belonged to Candace. We¡¯re about the same size so it would make sense. I also couldn¡¯t imagine Tristan prepping clothes for me to take on this kidnapping spree.


    I¡¯m out on the terrace because it¡¯s cooler than being inside the room.


    Today his brother brought in breakfast which wasn¡¯t as borate as days gone by. It was just a buttered roll and a ss of water. Both of which I ate and wanted more.


    I feel sick from the days of not having anything to eat. Last night I started sipping water, but it wasn¡¯t enough to sate the weakness in my body.


    The meager breakfast today suggested I¡¯ve pissed everyone off.


    I don¡¯t want to ask them for anything so I¡¯m waiting for the next person toe in with food.


    I¡¯m sitting by the balcony now just watching the sea. I¡¯m the girl who loves the water. I love swimming and doing anything water rted. Watching the sea like this though makes me feel more trapped. The sea out here doesn¡¯t have that calm flow I¡¯m used to. The waves are always crashing against the rocks like a storm is brewing.


    Eric used to tell me that¡¯s a sign the current is stronger in those sections and the parts you stay away from in a storm.


    It¡¯s nice to watch the seae alive and I can tell this ind must have its own wonders, but I¡¯m a prisoner here. Trapped with a man who confuses me. I fear him and I want him. I hate him and I want to know more about him.


    It¡¯splicated and I¡¯mplicated. I can¡¯t exin the want because it doesn¡¯t make sense.


    I guess perhaps it might be simply exined with the fact he¡¯s the first man since Eric to make me feel that wild desire of need which can only be fulfilled by that person.


    What I do know is I¡¯m helpless, and now I¡¯m weak.


    I¡¯ve been sitting here in the heat with sweat running down the side of my face and I¡¯m either too weak to move, or my mind has given up.


    I turn my head when I hear footsteps. They¡¯re faint and sound like they¡¯re near but far away. The person they belong to is a few paces away from me so it must be me in my weakness unable to grasp what¡¯s happening around me. It¡¯s Candace and she stands before me with a te of cookies and a ss of chocte milk.


    There¡¯s something about seeing the cookies that soothes me. My mother used to bring me cookies when she knew I was upset. Or when she suspected I was worried about something.


    Most often I was worried about my father. That was when he was still a father to me, and I used to worry when I didn¡¯t see him for a while. I understood from an early age he wouldn¡¯t always be home, but back then things were different. We were almost like a real family. Almost, but never.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m probably thest person you want to see but I brought this up,¡± she says. ¡°Don¡¯t worry they¡¯re not poisoned.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone will poison me if they need information from me,¡± I answer. I am still infuriated by her, but if she works with Tristan then she¡¯s just doing as she¡¯s told. I know what that¡¯s like.


    It¡¯s like Sacha wanting to help me but he can¡¯t. It¡¯s like everyone who¡¯s wanted to help me but knows it means death if they do. So, I decide to cut her some ck.


    ¡°I just wondered if you might think the food was poisoned. You haven¡¯t eaten properly in days.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat when I¡¯m ¡­ scared,¡± I confess.


    ¡°Me too. The sugar helps though,¡± she answers surprising me. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of monsters to be scared of. Sometimes it¡¯s the little things like this that help. Small and unimportant but sometimes effective.¡±


    I nod my agreement. ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree, then I contemte whether Tristan might have sent her to befriend me. ¡°Did he send you up here to talk to me? My answer is still going to be the same no matter whoes. I don¡¯t know where my father is.¡±


    ¡°Nobody sent me. I just came up on my own ord.¡± She holds my gaze and I search her eyes.


    The eyes are indeed windows to the soul and right now hers seem genuine enough for me to believe her.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sorry for the way I spoke to you the other day. It was rude.¡±


    ¡°You were right though,¡± she says stepping closer. ¡°I won¡¯t say you were wrong. You were right, but things don¡¯t always look like how they seem. People aren¡¯t always who they are, or what they appear to be.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes they are, though. Like me. I can¡¯t change who I am no matter what. I¡¯m the daughter of the devil and that is my death sentence. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve seen enough darkness too. My parents did the devil¡¯s bidding, and the fires of hell came to get us,¡± she exins. In her eyes I see pain that mirrors my own.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I sympathize.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Life happens.¡±


    ¡°Candace¡­ I don¡¯t know where my father is. I would tell them if I knew. I would. I hate that this has happened to me and I hate what he¡¯s done to people I love. He deserves everything he gets. I want to get out of here, but I want to leave everything. I want to¡­¡± My voice trails off as my head feels light.


    Candace fades before me andes back into focus.


    She¡¯s saying something but I don¡¯t know what it is.


    I stand up and then I¡¯m falling.


    I fall to the ground and it¡¯s only then I can hear her. Just for a few seconds though then I lose awareness of everything.


    ¡°Moya lyubov¡¯,¡± Mama says and her eyes twinkle. She¡¯s always called me her love.


    We¡¯re sitting at the table in the kitchen at home. Home in Russia the ce where my mother was killed. But I¡¯m aware I¡¯m here.


    She hands me a te with cookies, and I smile at the sight of them, although I know it¡¯s something to distract me. We haven¡¯t seen my father in days.


    ¡°Spasibo Mama,¡± I thank her and start eating them.


    She takes my hand and watches me.


    Her lips part to say something more but the foges, and she fades away.


    Thick fog engulfs my surroundings and when it clears, I¡¯m on the staircase.


    I¡¯m aware of where I am and what¡¯s going to happen if I¡¯m here. My mother is going to die, and I don¡¯t want to see that again. I can¡¯t. It¡¯s too much.


    It¡¯s a nightmare of a memory I don¡¯t want because I can¡¯t stop it.


    I try to wake up, but I can¡¯t.


    I hear her scream. She screams and the sound pierces through me,pelling me to move.


    I run down the stairs and I see my father plunging the knife into my mother over and over again.


    Footsteps shuffle behind him and I look across the room to see a man standing in the corner.


    He¡¯s Italian with mid-length ck hair and a crooked nose. His almost ck eyes stare back at me with death brimming within them.


    He looks straight at me and I have the urge to run away but I¡¯m screaming so much now I can¡¯t stop.


    Arms wrap around me and carry me away. The foges back and then I¡¯m with Eric.


    This time the scenery doesn¡¯t change. It just appears. He just appears before me.


    I expect to see his death like I always do, but it¡¯s just him.


    ¡°Eric?¡± I ask walking toward him.


    He smiles at me and nods. ¡°Y ou have to get away from here. If you stay here there¡¯ll be nothing left of you.¡±


    Those words¡­ are another memory. That was the first time I knew he cared about me.


    ¡°Can you save me?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t get to answer. I hear the guardsing for him and just like I knew my mother was going to die, I know I¡¯m about to see his death again.


    Dmitries in first and takes him.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I cry. ¡°Someone help him! Don¡¯t let him kill him.¡±


    Someone shakes me and everything starts flickering before my eyes like the fragments of reality are confused.


    At first, I see Eric and then I see¡­ Tristan.


    Warm fingers flutter over my cheek and as I blink Tristan¡¯s facees into view. He¡¯s hovering before me, but I can¡¯t quite pull my mind from the nightmare world.


    Eric. I think of Eric and for a fleeting second, I wonder if maybe the nightmare never happened.


    Maybe I¡¯m not toote. Maybe I can still save him.


    ¡°Please, help me,¡± I beg grasping on to Tristan shirt. He holds me still when I try to get up. ¡°Don¡¯t let him kill him.¡±


    ¡°Isabe it¡¯s just a dream,¡± he says cupping my face.


    ¡°No, please help him¡­ It¡¯s not toote. Please help me. My father will kill him. Please.¡± The words tumble out of my lips before I register what I¡¯m saying and where I am. Or even what¡¯s happening.


    ¡°Isabe¡­¡± he says. ¡°It¡¯s a ¡­ nightmare.¡±


    Nightmare. I blink a few times and look around me, then I remember. I remember I am toote.


    Years toote and thest person who will help me is my captor.


    That heavy feeling of loss and sadnesse over me as I remember the past and present.


    Yes, it was a nightmare of things I can¡¯t change and the weight of everything that¡¯s happenedes crashing down on me.


    With that the tearse.

 62

    Tristan ¡°I¡¯ve given her some rehydration supplements,¡± Doc says and furrows his brows. ¡°She was severely dehydrated and delirious because of it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I reply.


    We¡¯re just in the corridor outside Isabe¡¯s room. She¡¯s inside asleep. Doc¡¯s pulled all manner of field time with us and knows the type of shit we can get up to, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s particrly happy about me holding Isabe captive. Like everybody else though who works for us, he won¡¯t voice his opinions or defy us in any way.


    He adjusts his bone rimmed sses on the bridge of his nose and runs a hand over his salt and pepper beard.


    ¡°Please make sure that doesn¡¯t happen again. We¡¯re on a tropical ind. She can¡¯t go on a hunger and water strike in a ce like this. It¡¯s over a hundred degrees outside. And it¡¯s gonna get hotter.¡±


    ¡°I hear you. Thanks foring so quick.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. The delirium will go away with rest and she should be better in the next forty-eight hours.¡±


    Delirium. I don¡¯t think it was delirium we saw earlier. I¡¯ve heard Eric¡¯s name before and she was talking about her mother. Both people are dead, and I think she saw terrible things no one should ever see.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll call you if I need you.¡±


    Doc nods his head and leaves and I rest against the door.


    Candace was here earlier but left to help make dinner when Isabe fell asleep.


    I¡¯ve been trying to stay away from her. I don¡¯t want that connection but fuck me¡­ Every time I¡¯m near this girl something strengthens, and I¡¯m about to hurt her again. When Nick calls me next, I know it will be because he¡¯s found and has Sacha. That¡¯s thest ace up my sleeve.


    If taking her beloved bodyguard and doling out torture on him doesn¡¯t get me anywhere I don¡¯t know what will. We really will have to start preparing for war.


    I push away from the door and look at the white glossy surface.


    She¡¯s inside asleep, maybe stirring from slumber again, and I remember that look in her eyes when she came to and realized I¡¯m not the man to help her in anyway. To save her and the ghosts that haunt her mind.


    There were things she said that opened the door to her soul and I couldn¡¯t resist taking a peek.


    Maybe I did because like Alyssa, no one can understand the pain you¡¯re going through unless if they went through it themselves. It seems we both have people we wished we could have saved. It¡¯s that soul to soul moment again.


    On that thought I push the door open and she turns her head to look at me.


    She¡¯s awake and resting against the stack of pillows.


    She gives me a cautious look but doesn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I just want water,¡± she answers. Her voice sounds shaky.


    I walk over to the table with the ss of water and take it over to her. She puts out her hand to take it but I sit on the edge of the bed and hold it to her lips so she can drink.


    She seems surprised by the gesture but drinks. She doesn¡¯t finish it, though, she just takes enough and rests back on the pillow.


    ¡°Better?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to bring in food for youter. You have to eat it.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ I don¡¯t feel much like having food, just water.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, you need to have both. Where we are is extremely hot. Tropical,¡± I exin.


    ¡°Great if you like that kind of weather, but not so great if you stop eating and drinking.¡±


    ¡°Where are we? Please ¡­ just tell me that. I think if I¡¯m going to die here then I¡¯d like to know where I am.¡± Her face contorts into sadness and she nces away from me.


    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m going to kill you?¡±


    ¡°Everything. Everything does.¡±


    ¡°How does everything make you think that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Tristan D¡¯Agostino, you forget I¡¯m from your world. I know what darkness is and what it means.


    I know the look of those tainted by it. I know there is no negotiation in situations like this. Men like you don¡¯t have a heart. I¡¯m coteral damage and there will be a time when I stop being that too.¡±


    She pauses for a moment, closes her eyes then continues.


    ¡°You lured me into thinking you wanted to be with me. I never believed you were this, but you are, and I just wish I saw the monstrous side of you first. The man who drugged me as he kissed me.


    The man who lied to me as he knew full well what he wanted to do with me. You brought me here. I know your face and I know your name. You would only do such things if you were going to dispose of me when you were done.¡±


    I look at her and I don¡¯t know what to say. Everything she¡¯s said so far has described me no matter what I feel for her. There is nothing I can say to exin what I¡¯ve done and why because it¡¯s wrong.


    She looks at me long and hard seeing she¡¯s struck a nerve.


    ¡°You¡¯re only nursing me back to health so you can get what you want from me and I can¡¯t give you anything,¡± she adds. ¡°You know it¡¯s funny now that I think of it. I¡¯m the joke. My father has so many enemies, but his biggest enemy is me. I guarantee you there¡¯s nothing he¡¯s done to you that is worse than what he¡¯s done to me.¡±


    Her gaze drops to the sheet and she looks at her hands.


    I consider her words and they grip me. She grips me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what he did to me,¡± I answer. It sounds like just talk though because part of me thinks she¡¯s right.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to. I just know¡­ I belong to him. No different than his pocket watch or a shoe on his foot. I¡¯m property. A thing you can choose to treat however you wish. At least you can do this. You did do this. You can save yourself. You can do something. I can¡¯t do anything. There¡¯s no one to save me. No one could save the people I lost because my father is untouchable.¡±


    This doesn¡¯t sound like a person who would protect her father. I look at her and I don¡¯t know if I can believe her. I don¡¯t know if I should.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    There¡¯s too much conflict in my soul. I can¡¯t make the decisions I used to becauseck of trust didn¡¯t juste to haunt Massimo. It came for me too.


    Despite what I feel I can¡¯t take such a risk and trust her.


    I think I¡¯ll know more when we get Sacha. He¡¯s a man she¡¯ll protect.


    I stand up, deciding it¡¯s time to go. Her gaze follows me as I head to the door. I stop just before I open it and look back to her. There¡¯s one thing I want to know. One thing on my mind that¡¯s bothering me.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Eric? You asked me to save him.¡±


    She shakes her head at me. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about him, and it¡¯s not because of who you are. It¡¯s because it¡¯s my fault he¡¯s dead. He died for loving me. What a mistake to make.¡± A tear tracks down her cheek and she looks away.


    I stare back and I see it. That¡¯s the death that broke her. That one.


    I remember the terror in her eyes earlier and the way she pleaded with me to help her.


    ¡°I would have tried to save him if I could,¡± I state. I don¡¯t know why I say that. It carries no weight to it, and it won¡¯t help anybody. It won¡¯t redeem me from what I¡¯ve done to her, but I say it anyway in answer to her plea for help.


    There¡¯s a little spark in her eyes that tells me I reached her. I reached something inside her that might help and that¡¯s all I can give her right now. I can¡¯t connect anymore. If I do, I¡¯ll start to forget who she is.


    I leave because it¡¯s best, but her words gue me all night and all of the next day. I get Candace to tend to her while I do somepany work remotely.


    When night fallster I make my way down to the beach. When my phone rings I know it is Nick.


    I answer, readying myself to hear the only news he¡¯s supposed to give me.


    ¡°We got him, boss,¡± he says. ¡°We have Sacha.¡±

 63

    Isabe I eat thest of the sandwich that was brought up to me earlier and down a ss of water.


    It¡¯ste afternoon but I¡¯ve already eaten more than I would normally in a week.


    The doctor came back to check on me and instructed me to eat. I¡¯m at the point where I need to, or rather, my body needs to and has taken over control of my mind so I¡¯m just shoving everything thates my way down my throat.


    I¡¯m starting to feel better and stronger. Not that it benefits me. It just meanssting for as long as I¡¯m needed here.


    When I finish eating, I go back on the terrace. Today I sense a storm brewing. I can smell the thickness of rain in the atmosphere. The temperature has dropped, making it more bearable than the other day.


    I haven¡¯t seen Tristan since then. Just like when he avoided me the day after that inappropriate moment we shared.


    After what I said to him, I can¡¯t quite predict when I¡¯ll next see him. There¡¯s something bothering me though, so I¡¯m d for the limited contact with people today.


    In my dreams the other day I saw that man again. This time I actually saw him, clearly.


    My nightmares since my mother was killed only featured my father. I¡¯d forgotten the other man was there too. It was almost like I¡¯d stepped into a room in my mind where my memories are stored away.


    I have no idea who the man is. I¡¯d never seen him before the incident.


    In my delirious state I remembered him. Now that I think of it maybe my mind held on to the memory because seeing an Italian man in my home was strange.


    Back then I wouldn¡¯t have thought it odd, now I definitely do.


    My father hates anyone linked to the Italian mafia. Those he¡¯s done business with areplete exceptions and wouldn¡¯t havee into a house he shared with family.


    My father¡¯s family was killed by a powerful Sicilian mafia boss when he was younger. The man¡¯s name was Federico DeLuca My father was twelve when it happened. His whole family were taken from him. His mother, father, two sisters and a baby brother who was only three months old.


    Federico killed them all because they were part of the Bratva, and he was on a rampage to kill those linked to the loss of his business. He spared my father though, but only because he was in the habit of collecting young boys to keep as ves or to fight for him. He did both to my father. He kept him as a ve, beating him near death on many asions. Then when he got older, he trained him to be a cage fighter.


    My father used to tell me the gruesome stories. The Circle of Shadows began there. He managed to overthrow Federico with the help of others who were taken, and they formed the group with my father as the leader. The only member I know of from that time is Nickoli.


    At first, they were part of the Bratva but as they gained power and strength, they didn¡¯t need anybody anymore.


    During the time my father killed my mother it would have been at the height of his power. Seeing him with anybody of Italian descent would have been odd.


    That man was as guilty as my father in killing my mother. He was there, just standing by, watching.


    I still don¡¯t know why she was killed so violently. Dad stabbed her over and over again in her stomach. He did it with rage.


    The worse part of it, the part that throws me for a loop, was he¡¯d always told me she was the most important thing to him, and I was the result of their love. Living proof that their love existed.


    That was before he changed to what he is today. Or maybe that was what he was all along and at ten years old I was too young to see truth.


    The door clicks open, pulling me from my thoughts and I stand waiting to see who¡¯se to see me now.


    If it¡¯s Candace or Tristan¡¯s brother, it means they¡¯re still showing some mercy. It¡¯s neither of them.


    It¡¯s Tristan so that means he¡¯s back to badger me again for my father¡¯s location.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you downstairs for some questioning,¡± he announces and a shiver snakes down my spine.


    He hasn¡¯t done that before. I haven¡¯t left this room.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask nervously, fearcing through my voice.


    ¡°Juste with me. You¡¯ll see why,¡± He answers and that feeling just intensifies.


    What¡¯s happening now?


    What could this be now?


    I walk toward him, and he takes hold of my elbow to lead me out of the room.


    As we step through the door and proceed down the corridor I realize this is the furthest I¡¯ve gone in this house.


    The corridor is wide with a high ceiling and the wall is stone, the floor is stone too and fitting to the homes in the tropical isles. I contemted that yesterday because of the heat but couldn¡¯t be sure.


    We move down a set of stairs, also made of stone and once we go down them, I take in my surroundings.


    There¡¯s a kitchen ahead of us where two people are cooking and there are two men at the end of another corridor that leads outside.


    To our right, and about twenty feet away is a door that looks like the front door to the house.


    Tristan leads me over to a room where his brother stands by arge TV screen attached to the wall.


    Candace isn¡¯t in here. It¡¯s just the three of us.


    There¡¯s a chair in the center of the room where Tristan sets me down.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± I ask.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Something I¡¯m hoping will coerce you into telling me where your father is,¡± Tristan replies and all I can do is stare back at him knowing whatever this is, it can¡¯t be good.


    His brother switches on the TV and when the image of Sacha¡¯s beaten facees on, I gasp, and shock makes me bolt to my feet.


    ¡°No,¡± I breathe out.


    They got Sacha. They have him. He¡¯s tied to a chair and there¡¯s a man standing over him with a long reach knife. Sacha¡¯s face is beaten so badly I can barely recognize him.


    I look to Tristan and shake my head.


    He thinks this is going to make me talk? It won¡¯t because I don¡¯t know anything.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this,¡± I beg. ¡°I don¡¯t know where my father is.¡±


    ¡°This man has the same mantra as you. He doesn¡¯t know where your father is either, yet he works for him. You are his daughter, and you have no idea where to find your father. Tell me where he is, or your Sacha is dead.¡±


    A stone drops in the pit of my stomach and I gaze back at Tristan in utter disbelief. I can¡¯t believe what I¡¯m hearing. I can¡¯t believe he could be so cruel.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where my father is. Please let Sacha go.¡±


    Tristan looks from me to the screen and nods his head. At that the man next to Sacha switches something on and Sacha¡¯s body starts convulsing. Sparks of white light ripple off his body and I scream when I see its electricity. They¡¯re torturing him. Electrocuting him.


    As Sacha screams , I cry and just like when Eric was killed, I feel helpless. I can¡¯t help him. I can¡¯t do anything. This time I¡¯m not being bound, but I¡¯m still being made to watch.


    Sacha screams and I look at Tristan who¡¯s staring at me with a hardened gaze.


    As our eyes lock, I see destruction. At the same time, I also see another path, one I have to try and take to save the only person who¡¯s been like a father to me.


    I rush forwards and grab on to Tristan¡¯s shirt, hoping against hope that I can appeal to the man I met in the park. I search his piercing blue eyes and try to see beyond the storm brewing within them. I try to find the man I was drawn to and hope I can reach him.


    ¡°Please stop this Tristan,¡± I wail. ¡°Look at me. You did this to make me cave and tell you where my father is. I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Isabe, I need you to tell me where your father is.¡±


    ¡°This is wrong, you must know that. It¡¯s all so very wrong and I don¡¯t believe this is really you.


    Please.¡± I¡¯m begging. I¡¯ve resorted to begging because it¡¯s all I can do. ¡°None of this is going to bring the dead back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Your father has to answer for his crimes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree with you. But this isn¡¯t the way. Tristan¡­ Sacha is like a father to me. Not the devil you seek. The other day you said you would have tried to save Eric if you could. If you meant it, stop this. It¡¯s madness. Save the living. Havepassion on the living. Don¡¯t be worse than Mortimer Viggo. You aren¡¯t. Don¡¯t take away thest person I have left in this world. Please¡­.¡±


    I hold his gaze not knowing if he¡¯s going to listen to me or kill Sacha.


    He looks away from me, switching his focus back to the man on the TV screen and stares, looking on in deep contemtion while Sacha screams in pain. Seconds pass that feel like eons then Tristan shakes his head.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he orders and my whole body sighs with relief.


    I don¡¯t, however, rejoice just yet though because Sacha has stopped moving. He¡¯s not moving at all and he¡¯s not making a sound.


    My heart squeezes and I rush closer to the screen pressing my hands on the surface like I can go through it.


    Everything inside me stills when I see blood dripping from his nose on to hisp.


    Everything else fades when he doesn¡¯t move and all I can think of is the obvious. He¡¯s dead.


    Sorrow closes my throat, and constricts my lungs, and I can¡¯t breathe.


    I back away, not knowing where I¡¯m going and then I run not knowing where to go.


    I head to the front door I saw on the way down as tears pour from my eyes and I run outside.


    I run into the rain as it falls from the sky and joins with my tears. I run until I see sand and then I trip over something and fall into the mud.


    I don¡¯t notice the heavy thud of footsteps behind me until I¡¯m on the ground then I see Tristan running up toward me.


    Realizing I must be in trouble because I ran outside, I try to back away from him but keep slipping in the mud.


    He grabs me and pulls me toward him, but I try to fight.


    ¡°Let go of me, you monster, you killed him! You killed Sacha,¡± I shout. ¡°I hate you. I hate you so much. Let go of me.¡±


    The tears fall harder when he tightens his hold around my waist and I genuinely believe this is it for me. He¡¯s going to kill me now.


    Shock, however, suffuses me when he envelopes me with his arms, cocooning me within the walls of his chest to hold me.


    ¡°Sacha¡¯s alive,¡± he says against my ear. Those words are the only thing that stop me from thrashing against him. ¡°He¡¯s alive, Isabe. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I lift my head to look at him as he cups my face and I search those eyes. That¡¯s when I see him.


    The real him. The man from the park who showed mepassion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he repeats with more fervency, his tone calming my racing heart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where my father is Tristan. You have to believe me. I don¡¯t know where he is. If I did, I promise you that I would tell you.¡±


    He rivets his gaze to mine and when he nods, hope sparks my heart.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± he replies.

 64

    Tristan The sky is still dark from the storm.


    It¡¯s still raining, just not as heavily as it was earlier.


    I¡¯ve been sitting on the veranda outside my room for thest few hours watching the rain fall, thinking about my actions today. It¡¯s almost night now and I feel no better than I did earlier when I assumed my post in this chair.


    I¡¯m not sure if it suffices to say I¡¯m ashamed of myself. Shame doesn¡¯t quite describe the way I feel.


    I can be just as callous as the next mobster who has to do what he needs to, to get a job done, but there are no words for the way I¡¯ve treated Isabe. It¡¯s even worse when I think of the fact she¡¯s a woman I have feelings for.


    I can honestly say that both Alyssa and Pa would have been ashamed of me if they¡¯d been here today and seen the way I behaved. I think both would have frowned upon me from the moment I had the idea to get Sacha to force Isabe to talk. I knew she was going to hate me, and I didn¡¯t care. I knew there was a chance Sacha could die from the torture and I¡¯d have to make her watch, but I didn¡¯t care.


    The fucking beast reared its ugly head in my soul and all I cared about was getting the information I needed. No matter what.


    What the hell happened to me?


    At what point did I truly lose my soul and go so far over the line of reason I lost my humanity too.


    Shit can happen to you to seriously fuck you over, but therees a point when you have to take stock of your inner desire to bring those to justice for the wrongs they¡¯ve done you. It¡¯s that point where you either allow revenge to consume you and you lose yourself, or you be the master of your passions.


    That¡¯s the difference between being a human seeking justice, or a mindless killer who¡¯s lost his soul.


    While I feel like I¡¯m caught between both states of being, I know I believe Isabe.


    I believe she doesn¡¯t know where her father is.


    I think a part of me always did but didn¡¯t want to take the risk.


    I truly knew from the second she looked at Sacha and horror filled her face. I knew then she didn¡¯t know where her father was. And if she did, she would have given her soul in that moment to save him from death.


    What brought me out of the shadows and rekindled that spark of humanity inside me were her words, her pleas. She didn¡¯t believe I was too far gone yet to be worse than her father.


    I saw how Dominic looked. Like a shell. He looked like a fucking shell as we watched a man who didn¡¯t deserve to be tortured being used as a pawn.


    We aren¡¯t good men. We aren¡¯t anything close tow abiding citizens. Most call us ruthless, but we¡¯ve never been heartless, merciless men who kill and torture mindlessly.


    I might be on the verge of being such, but part of my heart hangs on to the man I used to be.


    I¡¯m not sure, however, if I can make it back to the person I was, or if I want to.


    I continue to get lost in the scenery before me as I work through my thoughts. The view from here is the beautiful sea rolling into the shore, gracing the white sand beach. It¡¯s as beautiful in the dark as it is in the bright sunlight.


    It¡¯s that view there that persuaded me to buy the ind. Today it looks quite different to how it looked eight years ago. Back then it was just the house and the plot of surroundingnd. Inparison to most inds it looked in, but that was one of the things I liked about it.


    To me it was tab rasa. A nk te. The ce was perfect for me to do my own thing.


    I was a different man back then. I never knew as Alyssa and I ventured across the grounds talking about our dreams I was going to lose her. I never knew I was going to lose Pa either, or Andreas.


    The man I was back then was imaginative and creative. He still had hope he could have a life outside the hardship he¡¯d endured as a child.


    Today was the first time I felt like that guy.


    It was just a spark of who I used to be, but I felt the old me pushing through the hardness of my heart as Isabe pleaded with me. I felt like my old self for a fraction of a second again when I realized she was telling the truth about her father.


    I straighten up when I see Dominic walking along the beach. He¡¯s smoking. I¡¯m too far away to see what it is he¡¯s smoking but I instantly think it¡¯s drugs, until Candacees into view. She rushes up to him and he takes her hand.


    I watch them and they don¡¯t look like the friends I¡¯m used to, and not when he slips his arm around her, bringing her closer as they walk away.


    I watch them until I can¡¯t see them anymore. They look like a couple and I wish that my brother could see what¡¯s always been in front of him.


    The tension leaves my shoulders and I stand, deciding to go and see Isabe. I might be thest person she¡¯ll want to see but it¡¯s right that I check on her.


    Sitting here for much longer will just make me a pussy licking his wounds.


    I left Isabe¡¯s door unlocked. I¡¯m not sure if she realized that. I didn¡¯t even think when I left earlier.


    The lights are out and she¡¯s lying on her side like she¡¯s asleep, but I¡¯m not convinced she is.


    That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to leave.


    It¡¯s understandable she probably doesn¡¯t want to speak to me. I can¡¯t expect her to after everything that¡¯s happened.


    My worry is what to do now.


    I sit in the armchair at the far corner of the room and shrug out of my shirt. It¡¯s too hot to be wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt anyway.


    I grab one of the unused napkins from the table beside me and make an origami rose out of it while I watch her. I make it and set it down on the table then I rest my head back against the chair and drift off to sleep.


    I fall into deep slumber, but I¡¯m always alert. I never drift off deep enough that I¡¯m not aware of my surroundings or what¡¯s going on in front of me. That¡¯s why I stir when I sense someone watching me.


    I open my eyes and see her.


    Isabe.


    She¡¯s standing in front of me looking so beautiful I wonder if I¡¯m still asleep and she¡¯s a dream.


    In the bright morning sunlight, the rays light up her hair like a halo and the baggy t-shirt she wears swamps her tiny frame.


    She stares at me with those bright eyes and a slight flush in her cheeks. A flush that deepens when I straighten, and she looks over the bare tattooed skin of my chest. When she brings her hands together it snaps me out of the trance, and I reach for my t-shirt.


    ¡°You slept in herest night,¡± she says.


    ¡°Yeah. I just¡­ I must have drifted off.¡± That¡¯s not what¡¯s she¡¯s asking me, though. The question is why I¡¯m in here, but I dodge it and shrug into my shirt.


    ¡°The door¡¯s not locked,¡± she says.


    ¡°Doll, you know the doors not locked and you¡¯re telling me?¡± It¡¯s an attempt at being lighthearted.


    But there¡¯s nothing lighthearted about us, although the trace of a smile touches her beautiful face.


    She looks at the origami flower on the table and reaches for it. Lightly she runs her fingers over the petals then looks at me.


    ¡°Is it hard to make?¡±


    ¡°No. Not when you have a few tries. It justes naturally, and you find yourself doing it with your eyes closed,¡± I exin.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She leans forward to put the flower back, but I stop her.


    ¡°Keep it. I can make more.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She gazes back at me and I run a hand through my hair.


    I don¡¯t know what the hell we¡¯re supposed to do now.


    I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m supposed to tell Massimo besides the truth, and the way I see it, we¡¯re back to square one.


    I¡¯m standing on square one, but now I have her. And I don¡¯t know what to do with her.


    She can¡¯t help me and all I¡¯ve done is wreaked havoc in her life. I¡¯m on a quest for revenge. It¡¯s a mission to gain something to fix a wrong that was done.


    And I¡¯m still drawn to her.


    ¡°Sacha is okay,¡± I tell her giving her assurance again.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry I did that to you. Your father¡¯s guards currently believe you escaped and he helped you. They were going to kill him when we took him. I will see to it that no one wille for him,¡± I add, and she looks at me with gratitude.


    ¡°Thanks. Do you¡­ still believe me?¡± she asks cautiously.


    I nod. ¡°Yes. I believe you. I haven¡¯t known you for long, but your eyes give you away.¡±


    ¡°Do they?¡±


    ¡°They do.¡±


    ¡°Yours give you away too.¡±


    I consider this and know she¡¯s right. I¡¯m curious to know what she sees though. ¡°What do they tell you?¡±


    ¡°Terrible things happened to you.¡±


    ¡°Terrible things happened to you too,¡± I point out and she nods.


    ¡°What now Tristan? I can¡¯t help you,¡± she says and pulls in a staggered breath. ¡°My father has an borate set up so no one can reach him. We meet three times a year now for a few hours. On my birthday, Christmas day and then once in the summer. That¡¯s it. Each time he¡¯s heavily guarded and he takes me to dinner like we¡¯re a normal family. Like he¡¯s just spending time with his daughter. Then he leaves. We talk every month by video call. That is all the contact I have with my father.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it and all it has been for years. Ever since my mother died. Before that I saw him more often. There was a period of time that changed things after she died and that¡¯s when I was sent to live in Rhode Ind. We lived in Russia before.¡±


    ¡°When did you speak to himst?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Last week.¡± She gives me a stiff smile. ¡°He¡¯s retiring and he wanted me to know that I¡¯d be marrying Dmitri in six months when it happened.¡±


    My brows pinch at the mention of marriage. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Married. I guess that¡¯s normal. Fathers make sure their daughters get married to men who can take care of them. Not in my case though. Dmitri isn¡¯t a normal person. It was ¡­ him who killed Eric.¡±


    I bite down hard on my back teeth when I hear that. I already knew Dmitri killed Eric from the conversations I¡¯d listened to prior to taking Isabe. Hearing her tell me though is different. It angers me and I feel bad for her knowing she lost someone she loved, and her father wanted her to marry the man who killed him. It¡¯s disgusts me and gives me more of a peak into her life.


    She moves back to sit on the bed, looking like she¡¯s going to continue and open up to me.


    ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°Eric was one of my father¡¯s guards. We got together when I was eighteen. He was Bratva like the rest of circle members and came from a family my father trusted. I guess that¡¯s why he never expected him to be with me like that. We were going to run away. Someone found out about us and my father ordered his execution. Dmitri beat him to death with a hammer and my father made me watch. He held me himself so I could watch and feel helpless, remembering there was nothing I could do. Every day I wonder which was worse¡­ Being made to watch Eric¡¯s death, or watching my father kill my mother.¡±


    My damn throat goes dry. ¡°Your father killed your mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve said that out loud.¡±


    I thought it was James Mazzone Sr. a member of the Syndicate who killed her. Mortimer killed him. It was actually the first time they¡¯d had a murder. Maybe that¡¯s because people were ying sides for longer than we thought.


    Fuck¡­ When she said she¡¯d been through worse than me I thought it was a bold thing to say without the knowledge of what I¡¯d been through. Now I see she was right.


    I get up and move over to sit next to her.


    ¡°Isabe¡­¡± I rasp.


    She gives me a kind smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. There are just some things there are no words for. What can anyone say to my story?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry about the loss of both of them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate that.¡± She gives me a gentle smile then it fades. ¡°Who did he kill for you Tristan?¡±


    Today as those words fall from her lips, I don¡¯t see her as Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter. I just see her as Isabe.


    ¡°My wife¡­¡± I answer and she brings the hand holding the flower to her chest.


    ¡°You were married?¡±


    I nod. Sometimes it is hard to believe. I was the first one of my brothers to get married, and the first to be a widower. ¡°Yeah. It was just for one day. We knew each other from when we were kids. Six years ago, it was her. Mortimer sent d to kill her. Then eighteen months ago he ordered my father¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    We stare at each other and I can see she wants to say more to me but like me she can¡¯t.


    There are no words.


    ¡°I guess now we both know each other¡¯s stories,¡± I state, and she nods.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    I know why I was so drawn to her now. I was right.


    The question of what to do next still hangs in the air. Setting her free is the obvious thing to do if she can¡¯t help me, but I can¡¯t do that yet. Not until we have a n. She¡¯s still leverage, even if she can¡¯t help.


    I don¡¯t want to talk about that now though and spoil the connection we just formed.


    n B is¡­ well it looks like we¡¯re gonna have to move to n B-letting Mortimer know we have his daughter and demanding he hand himself over.


    It would surely start war. I need to think more about it. It¡¯s a risky n that requires deep thought.


    I stand up. It¡¯s time to go.


    We talked and I don¡¯t feel that angst anymore.


    ¡°I should go,¡± I say.


    ¡°Thanks for talking to me.¡±


    ¡°You too. The door¡¯s open.¡±


    Surprise brightens her eyes and gratitude.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I nod my head and leave.


    I don¡¯t have to say more. She still knows the only way off this ind is if I say so, and we¡¯re a long way from leaving yet.

 65

    ISABELLA My hand lingers on the handle of the door.


    I thought so much about getting through this door on my own that it feels strange now that I¡¯m allowed to.


    It¡¯s not just that though, or rather being able to go through this door. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been able to go around freely without being watched or under supervision.


    I¡¯m an adult and I¡¯ve lived my whole life like a child.


    Whenever Sacha allowed me freedom, I was like Cindere knowing she¡¯d have to go back to her life at the stroke of midnight.


    I¡¯m fully aware if there were a way for me to leave the ind Tristan wouldn¡¯t have allowed me this small mercy, and the ind itself is like one big prison. But being able to walk around is different to being locked away in my room.


    On that note I open the door and take my first free steps through it.


    I woke up a little while ago and got ready to head out to the beach. I just want to walk along the shore and watch the sea roll in.


    I walk the same path I did the other day, heading down the corridor then down the steps. I look at the room I was taken into to see Sacha and cast my gaze past it to the kitchen. Inside are Candace and Tristan¡¯s brother. Both look at me as I stare back. Candace gives me an encouraging smile and I return it.


    Turning away I face the opened door ahead of me and walk through it. The sun kisses my skin as I step outside into the bright light.


    The weather is beautiful, and the deep blue sea ahead looks like something you¡¯d find on a screensaver.


    The picturesque scene beckons me closer, so I walk to the white sand and sit on the beach. That¡¯s where I stay for hours. I just sit and watch the waves roll in and out, thinking of what will happen next.


    I have no idea what the n is now Tristan knows I can¡¯t help him. I¡¯m guessing that means he still needs me. He probably still thinks I¡¯m leverage.


    My father wants me to marry Dmitri only to continue the legacy, but I¡¯m certain if he was ced in a position where he had to save me, I¡¯d be a small sacrifice.


    The same as my mother. He loved her and then he killed her.


    Feeling eyes on me I nce over my shoulder and see Tristan off in the distance gazing at me. I don¡¯t know how long he¡¯s been standing there.


    Instead ofing over he turns and walks away. As he does, I get the feeling he doesn¡¯t want to speak to me. Maybe we crossed another line yesterday by sharing too much.


    I know I did. I opened up to him and spoke about Eric and my mother more than I have with anyone.


    At least after my mother¡¯s death I had therapists. There was nothing like that after Eric. I had to bring myself back and move forward.


    I watch Tristan until he turns the corner, and I can¡¯t see him anymore. It¡¯s probably time to head back inside anyway. I¡¯ve been out here for a while. I make my way back in and run into Candace.


    ¡°Hey, I was just about to see if you wantedsagna,¡± she says.


    ¡°Thanks that sounds great.¡±


    ¡°Cool, I love making it. I convinced the maids to let me cook today.¡± She chuckles.


    ¡°Could I help?¡± I offer. It would be nice to stay downstairs for a while and have something to do.


    It would help me get used to my surroundings.


    ¡°I¡¯d love that.¡±


    We go into the kitchen together and start gathering the ingredients.


    ¡°Did you enjoy the beach?¡± she asks. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous isn¡¯t it.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful, and yes I loved it. It was nice to just sit on the sand and look at the sea. Do youe here often?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± she answers with a sigh and reaches for a vine with some plump red tomatoes. ¡°This is my second timeing here. It¡¯s not a ce we visit often which is quite unfortunate. I always think it¡¯s a crime to allow beauty like this to go to waste. But I get why Tristan wants to keep it that way.¡±


    I want to ask her where we are but hold off. I haven¡¯t been told that information yet, and if anyone should tell me it¡¯s the boss himself. Not Candace. I don¡¯t want to use my first taste of freedom as a means to get information, especially useless information.


    I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯m not going to try to escape. There¡¯s no point thinking I can do it the way I thought I could. I haven¡¯t decided to rx and think things will be okay because I still need to be careful. I do know though that the only way I¡¯ll leave this ind is if I y nice and get from one day to the next. That¡¯s the n right now, and I¡¯ll y everything else by ear.


    ¡°Is it true that no one can find it?¡± I am curious about that.


    Candace nods and smiles. ¡°That is true. I know it sounds farfetched, but these guys have a way of doing all sorts of things. An ind no one can find is just one of them. Tristan and Dominic are alike in those ways.¡±


    ¡°Dominic?¡± I guess that must be Tristan¡¯s brother, but that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard his name.


    Candace¡¯s cheeks flush. ¡°Yeah. Tristan¡¯s brother.¡± She realizes I haven¡¯t heard his name spoken before either, but she doesn¡¯t look worried like it was supposed to be a secret.


    She reaches for the herbs and other seasonings and starts adding it to the minced beef.


    ¡°I can make the bechamel sauce,¡± I offer. I used to watch my mother making hers. she added herbs to her mixture.


    ¡°Cool. Sounds like we have a n.¡±


    I make the sauce and help her with the sd. We start talking about cooking and it¡¯s nice to be able to talk to another woman. We¡¯re so lost in conversation that neither of us see Dominic approach until he¡¯s practically next to us. Next to me, and he¡¯s holding out a phone for me to take.


    ¡°Hi, Tristan wanted you to speak to Sacha when he felt better,¡± he says to me and my heart leaps at the thought of speaking to Sacha. ¡°He¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my goodness, thank you,¡± I breathe taking the phone.


    ¡°You can go out there and speak to him in private if you like.¡± He points out to the back garden.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say and head outside.


    I press the phone to my ear and emotion takes me. I can¡¯t believe thest time I saw Sacha I promised him I wouldn¡¯t do anything foolish. Look what happened after.


    ¡°Sacha,¡± I say into the phone. I hear him draw in a breath.


    ¡°My dear Isabe,¡± he replies in a weak voice.


    It¡¯s so good to hear his voice. I didn¡¯t realize just how much I missed him until I feared I¡¯d never see him again. This is the longest I¡¯ve ever been without him and the furthest I¡¯ve ever been.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Sacha. I¡¯m sorry. This is all my fault. What¡¯s happened is all my fault.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he says. ¡°Never me yourself. It¡¯s your father¡¯s fault. I can¡¯t even sugar coat it for you like I used to. We¡¯re in a situation where everyone feels like the bad guy. But ¡­ there¡¯s just one devil and that¡¯s him. He¡¯s the reason why this is happening.¡±


    I¡¯ve never heard him speak like that against my father.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± I know the answer to that is not in his hands. It¡¯s not for him to decide.


    ¡°My dear I don¡¯t know. We just go along with what they¡¯re saying and hope for the best. I¡¯m still with them, but I suspect it¡¯s not out of captivity. More for protection. If your father sees me again, I¡¯m dead.¡±


    My breath catches. This is just one big mess, but I¡¯m slowly seeing glimpses of the real man under the harsh exterior Tristan D¡¯Agostino shows the world.


    He said he¡¯d make sure Sacha wasn¡¯t harmed. This is what he did. He¡¯s keeping him safe. For me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Sacha,¡± I say holding the phone closer.


    ¡°No more apologies, moya lyubov¡¯. I pray I see you again soon. You told me I was like a father to you. I never got the chance to tell you you¡¯ve always felt like a daughter to me. I¡¯m sorry for the grief and the pain. I wish I could have done different things for you. I wish I could have given you a nicer life. A life where you could be happy.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh Sacha, I¡¯m so grateful for you. Thank you for wishing that for me.¡± I don¡¯t have anyone else who would love me like that.


    ¡°I feel we¡¯ll have to go through much before we next see each other. I know your father. I know what he¡¯s like. The guards think you escaped, but I think he knows you were taken too. Just like me. I knew you wouldn¡¯t escape and put me at risk. He knows that.¡±


    A chill races down my spine. He¡¯s right. My father is no fool.


    ¡°You think he knows then?¡±


    ¡°I think he has a strong suspicion, but he¡¯s waiting. It does look more like you escaped which if I¡¯m honest, is good for everyone on all fronts.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± It¡¯s a foolish question. It¡¯s clear he wants my father stopped.


    ¡°I mean it wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing if these people got to your father. It wouldn¡¯t. I have been bound to your father through my own. It wasn¡¯t my choice and I count myself lucky my duty was to protect you. But the amount of evil I¡¯ve had to stand by and watch does things to a man.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°So, I think there will be much happening that will decide our fate.¡±


    I believe that too.


    ¡°God speed my child, please be careful,¡± he adds.


    ¡°I will. I promise,¡± I say. ¡°Please be careful too.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he replies and with that we hang up.


    I close my eyes for a few brief moments and think about what Sacha said.


    I believe him when he says much will happen to decide our fate.


    What I hate is that I have no control over it.


    I turn to go back inside but I stop when I find myself looking at Tristan walking through a grove of trees in the greenhouse. He¡¯s shirtless and seems to be busy doing something. He can¡¯t see me watching.


    I want to thank him for allowing me to speak to Sacha, but I dare not go over to him.


    He walks through the archway of ivy and like earlier on the beach I can¡¯t see him anymore.


    He still makes me curious, and I can still taste him.


    I still feel desire and it¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure will go away.


    What will his fate be when this is over?


    Will we just walk away at the end like nothing happened?


    He is my dark captor, but he might just be my dark knight too.

 66

    ISABELLA It¡¯s toote for me to be outside. It¡¯s bordering ten.


    I might have lost my mind with this idea of mine but since Tristan seems to be avoiding me again, I feltpelled to try and see him.


    Maybe it¡¯s the worse idea ever, and I should just roll with what¡¯s happening and be avoided.


    However, that thing that draws me to him enticed me out of my bed and beckoned me to head out here.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I don¡¯t know where his room is, and I haven¡¯t asked. I¡¯m not going to because I¡¯m sure my permission to walk around doesn¡¯t extend to it suddenly being okay to be with me.


    I¡¯m still the enemy¡¯s daughter and I doubt it was okay to sleep with me so I¡¯m keeping my mouth shut in that respect.


    Where I¡¯m going is the greenhouse.


    I caught a glimpse of him inside there earlier when I joined Candace for dinner. She said sometimes he¡¯s out here for hours.


    This is me hoping he¡¯s still out here.


    When I get down the steps that lead to the greenhouse, I see him.


    It¡¯s dark in the majority of the house except for where he is.


    Quietly, I make my way closer but hang back behind a fan palm tree where I can watch him and decide whether or not I should disturb him.


    He¡¯s shirtless again and looks focused as he rolls his arms in and out in graceful movements. He surprises me. He looks so controlled and disciplined.


    I¡¯ve seen my father¡¯s men train, but they don¡¯t look like Tristan. They¡¯re more into boxing.


    Whatever Tristan is doing looks like a martial art form that has a beauty to it. A beauty he owns andbines his strength to make it look exceptional.


    It¡¯s fascinating to watch. But so is he. The other day when I saw him shirtless, I had to resist the urge to stare. I did a good job although he wasn¡¯t shirtless for long.


    I¡¯m seeing the masterpiece of him again. Now I have the chance to look, I allow myself to think of him as a man. The instant I do my damn mouth waters and I remember how ruthlessly he took me up against the wallst week.


    My gaze runs over his wide, powerful shoulders, the sharp definition of muscles lining his arms and the ridges of muscles running down his abs. It¡¯s perfection. What adds to the perfection is the tasteful Celtic swirls and Arabic characters inked into the ridges.


    One of the tattoos disappears beyond the waistband of his pants. It looks like a pair of daggers.


    It¡¯s the only object he has on him. That¡¯s possibly the only one I would have seen when we had sex, but he had his clothes on and I never even got a glimpse.


    Not that I would have been taking any time to look at him that day. I was so terrified.


    He stops moving and straightens. With his back turned to me, he nces over his shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s a littlete to be sightseeing, don¡¯t you think?¡± he says and my nerves scatter.


    I didn¡¯t realize he could sense my presence. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d even know I was here.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologize quickly as he turns to face me. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you. And yes, it iste for sightseeing.¡± I¡¯m sure he knows I¡¯m not sightseeing in the conventional sense.


    The flush in my cheeks also gives me away, ratting me out that I¡¯m not just thrown off kilter for watching him, but also for outrightly ogling his body.


    He rivets his gaze to mine and looks me over slowly like he¡¯s trying to assess my motives for being here. He¡¯s also looking at me the way I was with him. He¡¯s just not trying to hide the fact that he¡¯s openly looking at my body.


    ¡°What are you doing out here sote?¡± he asks tilting his head to the side.


    I bite the inside of my lip. There is no reason for me to be out here, and inside this greenhouse other than to see him. This isn¡¯t a man you lie to, or trick. He¡¯ll see straight through the shit. So, I decide toe clean just like I did at the club. This feels like that, but we¡¯vee a long way since.


    ¡°I just came out here to see¡­ you.¡± Nerves fill me. I can¡¯t help it. He makes me nervous and I¡¯m still scared. He¡¯s unpredictable and I don¡¯t know him enough to try and guess what he might be thinking after hearing my answer.


    ¡°Really?¡± Curiosity fills his blue gaze.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He walks up to me and my heart stills. He gets close and I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯s going to do to me.


    Purposely, he leans a breath away from my lips, and heat streaks through my body.


    He¡¯s going to kiss me, or¡­ at least that¡¯s what he wants to make me think because he doesn¡¯t.


    Tristan sees my reaction and reaches past me to grab a hand towel that was draped over a stand.


    I didn¡¯t see it there before and the cocky smirk on his face suggests he¡¯s aware of the effect he has on me.


    He moves away but we¡¯re still close. Running the towel through his hair he dabs at the sweat that dampens his locks, but keeps his gaze trained on me.


    ¡°What did you want to see me for Isabe?¡± he asks. The deep baritone of his voice is smooth and as enthralling as his stare.


    ¡°I wanted to say thanks for allowing me to speak to Sacha.¡± I might have originally wanted to do that yesterday, but it feels weird saying it now even if he is protecting Sacha. Sacha wouldn¡¯t need protecting if not for him.


    I know there¡¯s more to it than that though. I also know what kind of man I¡¯m talking to. He¡¯s not the kind who shows mercy easily.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to thank me for that.¡±


    ¡°It was good to hear his voice.¡±


    ¡°I thought it might be.¡± Again, he looks me over.


    This is the part where I should leave. I¡¯ve said thanks and seen him. If I stay here another second, it¡¯s going to be evident that I wanted to do more than say thanks.


    It¡¯s going to be clear that I want to see him, even after everything that¡¯s happened, and outside of the fact that he¡¯s still my captor.


    The second passes and I experience that need to hold on for a little longer. That pull of attraction and raw chemistry that enticed me to continue with something, anything to prolong this meeting.


    The maism I feel now is so strong I¡¯m sure he must feel it too. I don¡¯t know how he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°What were you doing?¡± I ask, my voice thick with emotion.


    ¡°Tai Chi. Calms the soul and helps me to direct my energy so I can focus,¡± he exins.


    Since I know the only thing he was focused on before was a n to kill my father I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s the same focus he¡¯s seeking.


    ¡°You do it well.¡±


    The corners of his lips arch into a sensual smile. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve done for years.¡±


    ¡°Does it work? I mean to help you focus.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s either that or music. Music is a little hit and miss though. You have to find the right mood and time to y it.¡±


    I actually can¡¯t imagine him listening to music. When I try to think of what he might like nothinges to mind. I realize that¡¯s because he¡¯s a closed book. One I¡¯m not supposed to open but I¡¯m curious about.


    ¡°What kind of music?¡±


    He chuckles and narrows his eyes. ¡°You sure you want to know that Bellezza?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod.


    ¡°Old music. ssic jazz. Anything from the forties or earlier.¡±


    I¡¯m actually quite surprised to hear that. ¡°That¡¯s what you like?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and don¡¯t you dare start criticizing.¡±


    ¡°No. I wouldn¡¯t. I like that kind of music too. I watch old films. ssic films. I love anything with Ingrid Berman, and everything with Vivien Leigh.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. My mom got me into it.¡±


    My daily routine when things are okay usually involves closing off the day with a film. When I was little though my mother always watched a couple a day and she liked the music too. The older the better.


    ¡°My parents got me into music too. They were always dancing. My Pa and his doll.¡±


    That makes me smile. ¡°That¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. There was a time when my family went through a real bad spell and we lost everything, but there were certain things they kept going to show us that the most important things we had were each other. My father loved my mother fiercely and he made sure his boys knew you always put your woman first no matter what¡¯s going on. So, Friday night was date night. That¡¯s when they danced.


    Music was always in my home though.¡±


    That¡¯s such a different life to what I¡¯m used to and we bothe from the same world. I guess not so much the same though. My family, mother and father alike, existed outside everything. What can I expect if my father is the leader of a notorious group of assassins? No matter how much love he professed to have for my mother, it counted for nothing when he killed her.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to live in a home like that, with parents like that. Music is always uplifting.¡± I think of something I could share he might recognize and an old jazz song my mother lovedes to mind. ¡°My mother had this song she yed practically every day. It was an old forties song from the end of the war. She liked it because it reminded her of her father. He served in the army.¡±


    ¡°What was it called?¡±


    ¡°It was called ¡°It¡¯s been a long, long time¡±,¡± I reply and his eyes sparkles. ¡°I always imagined it would be a nice song to dance to.¡±


    I watch him as he moves over to the corner of the room and picks up his phone. I¡¯m not sure what he¡¯s doing until he presses a few buttons and suddenly the roomes alive when the song starts to y.


    It melts my heart to hear it again. It¡¯s been awhile since I have. Sometimes I can handle things that remind me of my mother. Most times I can¡¯t.


    Tonight, is one where I can, and it has a different feel to it because Tristan is here.


    I can¡¯t help but smile as the smooth jazz melody pours through my soul and I watch him gazing over at me.


    ¡°This song?¡± he asks, and I nod slowly.


    It¡¯s nice to hear the song, but my focus ispletely on him as he makes his way back to me.


    ¡°This is the part where we should be dancing,¡± he says, and I stare back at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Dancing?¡±


    ¡°Dancing, you said it was a nice song to dance to. It is. Dance with me.¡± He puts out his hand for me to take and I do.


    I smile as I step into his arms. One strong arm goes around my waist, while he keeps hold of my hand. I press my free hand to his shoulder feeling the heat and strength of his bare skin beneath my fingers.


    We stare into each other¡¯s eyes and allow the music to move us. It¡¯s not hard to get lost in him all over again and forget everything that¡¯s happened outside this moment we¡¯re having.


    We dance as if we¡¯ve always danced to this song and as I look at him, I recognize the instant he bes the man from the park, but now I see more than that. I look a little deeper and see the real him again. The cepassion came from allowing him to look back at me too and not see me as Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter. Not his enemy¡¯s daughter, but just me, Isabe.


    I¡¯m looking at him, the music is ying, and I can tell all of that from one look. He blinks and I¡¯m almost scared the moment will leave like it has done previously, but it¡¯s still there.


    I gaze up at him and see the real Tristan. It seems he realizes too that he¡¯s showing me himself.


    The man beyond the grief and despair.


    We stop dancing, stop moving, but he continues to hold me. Maybe it¡¯s the intensity of his stare, or the pull of attraction. I¡¯m not sure what it is that breaks down my inner walls and I know as he¡¯s looking back at me, he can see the real me too.


    He can see the girl inside me screaming for help. She¡¯s been locked inside me a long time.


    Locked away in the abyss of hopelessness. In the darkest corners of all that destion searching for the light.


    My father put her there, put me there. I¡¯ve been there for thest twelve years, right from the night he killed my mother. I¡¯ve been there waiting for someone to save me because I know I can¡¯t save myself.


    I look away when a tear slides down my cheek. It¡¯s too much and I can¡¯t acknowledge that part of me yet. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t thought much past what¡¯s happening from one day to the next. It¡¯s because I don¡¯t know what to do.


    With all the connections my father has, I don¡¯t know if Tristan and his people are strong enough to get to him and if they fail, my father will find me. I know he will. Then I¡¯ll be trapped in the dark for the rest of my life.


    I should go. This isn¡¯t right. I can¡¯t be out here in the arms of this man with the conflict of emotions swirling within me. And another tear has just tracked down my cheek.


    I must look like a crazy person.


    I move to step out of his arms, but he stops me and catches my face.


    ¡°What makes you happy?¡± he asks quickly. The question throws me.


    As I search for the answer, I realize why he¡¯s asking. He can see straight through me. I can tell.


    ¡°Nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°What makes you wake in the morning? What is that I see fighting inside you to break free? It made you fight me, and if I weren¡¯t for who I was, you would have fought till the end to get off this ind. What is it Isabe?¡±


    ¡°Hope¡­¡± I¡¯m almost afraid to say the word in case what little hope I have left inside me shatters and breaks. ¡°Hope that there will be light one day.¡±


    My pulse quickens when he runs his finger over my cheek. Blood surges from my head to my toes and my heart flutters when he lowers to my lips and presses his mouth to mine for a kiss.


    Fire ripples through me, a delicious sensation that heats up my blood as the kiss sings through my veins.


    The velvet warmth of him expands as spirals of ecstasy flow through my body, touching every part of me, every fiber of my being awake.


    I drink in the sweetness, the tenderness, the luxuriating sensation.


    But then the moment dispels when the music suddenly cuts and his phone starts ringing against the table.


    We jump apart and he looks over to his phone.


    I take that moment to leave before anything more can be said.


    That was too much. That kiss reached too deep. I already know it would be a big mistake to start falling for my captor.


    I mustn¡¯t do it. I can¡¯t.


    Doing so would make things worse.


    I just have a habit of doing exactly that and making things worse for myself.


    Even when I know it will be to my detriment.

 67

    TRISTAN Damn it¡­ Although I know I should let her go, I feel like I should go after her.


    I¡¯m only not doing so because when my phone rings while I¡¯m here on the ind, it¡¯s going to be either Massimo or Nick.


    I pick up my phone and see it¡¯s Nick.


    I¡¯m almost d it¡¯s not Massimo because he wasn¡¯t happy the n with Sacha didn¡¯t work. I also know even though he didn¡¯t question me, he wasn¡¯t happy I believed Isabe.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I say.


    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m just checking in. I¡¯ve noticed some senior shadow members arrive to help with the search for Isabe. Just thought you should know.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I reply. The sign of senior Shadow members is good and bad at the same time. ¡°Keep watch.¡±


    ¡°You know I will,¡± he assures me, and we hang up.


    I haven¡¯t stopped thinking about what the fuck we¡¯re supposed to do now. The fucking door of opportunity is still there for us to move in with a surprise attack. But we need to know where Mortimer is.


    I¡¯m thinking of everything we can do that doesn¡¯t involve n B. Without a location though I¡¯m at a loss. I keep going around in circles in my mind and that¡¯s the same answer I keeping up with.


    I¡¯ve taken time we don¡¯t have to think, and it feels like a waste.


    I decide to head up to my room. I don¡¯t sleep for long though. My mind is on Isabe, on what I saw when I stepped into the window of her soul and took more than a peek.


    She looked like she needed to be saved. Not from me though. It was the darkness she¡¯s lived in as Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter.


    When I kissed her, I felt her fears. When she kissed me back they faded away. It was like that hope she wished for filled her and at the same time it filled me too.


    I wanted more. More of the feeling, but more of her. I always want more of her and it¡¯s getting harder to resist. Even harder since I know she wants me too.


    She gave me a little piece of her soul. A piece of her I didn¡¯t have to take. She gave it willingly and gave me another thirst in the same breath.


    Isabe is thest thing on my mind when I eventually fall asleep, and she¡¯s the first thing on my mind when I wake.


    I wake with that thirst making me crave her more than I didst night.


    It makes me get up and as I make my way to her room, just to see her I think of nothing else. Not how wrong my intentions might be, and not that she¡¯s a woman I shouldn¡¯t cross the line with again.


    I stop at the door and for the first time I knock.


    When she opens the door, surprise fills her beautiful face.


    ¡°Morning,¡± I say speaking first.


    ¡°Good morning. You knocked?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I came to see how you were.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay. I was just getting ready to go outside. Just on the beach. It¡¯s nice out there.¡±


    She nces outside then looks back to me. There¡¯s a light in her eyes that sparkles.


    ¡°Good, you cane outside with me,¡± I tell her, and her eyes widen slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll show you around.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­ I¡¯d like that,¡± she agrees, and I can seeshe knows something has changed between us. I think she also knows I want more, whatever that more may be.


    Walking out into the woods feels like walking in my back garden.


    I usually go to the beach, avoiding venturing to the other parts of the ind that I¡¯d been to with Alyssa. Today isn¡¯t like that.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The memories exist, yes, but like a wisp of smoke they evaporate into the air and what I see is the beautiful woman walking next to me absorbing the scenery. Her face lighting up at everything. The sight of the house, the beach, the whole setting.


    I thought she would like the miniature rose garden so I Ieave that for thest part of the tour. It leads to what I think is the most beautiful part of the ind-the waterfall.


    When we get there I¡¯m as taken with the beauty of the surroundings as I was when I first bought the ce.


    The view is breathtaking, and so is she.


    ¡°My God¡­ this is so beautiful,¡± she smiles, and reminds me of how she was at the club. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a beauty.¡±


    She looks around at the hummingbirds and gasps, moving closer to them.


    She turns back to me and smiles wide.


    ¡°Where are we Tristan? There¡¯s no way you can withhold such information from me now. I just want to know because it feels like paradise.¡±


    I smile back at her and decide it wouldn¡¯t hurt to share some information. She deserves to have some idea of where she is. ¡°It¡¯s considered part of the Bahamas. But it¡¯s a private ind.¡±


    ¡°Yours?¡±


    ¡°Mine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone with their own ind before. It¡¯s cool. So now I know I¡¯m in the Caribbean. I like it here.¡±


    We sit by the bank and suddenly we¡¯re talking. We¡¯re talking like we aren¡¯t the people who left the house. We don¡¯t talk about our situation, just our surroundings. I talk about the ind and she tells me about her job.


    Then it starts to rain. And as the rain falls it washes away the persona we¡¯ve created for thest few hours.


    I swear I look up to the sky and when I look back at her there¡¯s a shift in the mood that calls to the part of me who wants her again.


    It¡¯s raining but still bright and her eyes give her away again.


    I reach out and cup her face and she closes her eyes like she¡¯s savoring the feel of my fingers on her skin.


    It¡¯s a light rain but it only takes seconds for it to drench her t-shirt, making the fabric cling to her gorgeous breasts. The points of her light pink nipples be more noticeable and she sees me looking at her.


    I can¡¯t look away, no more than I can stop myself from tasting her. I wanted more the other day. I still do.


    I¡¯ve never stopped wanting more of this woman and the look in her eyes is a tell that she wants me too.


    I reach for her left breast and stroke over the huge swell, watching in delight as the nipple pebbles just from my touch.


    The taut peak points toward me, begging to be sucked. There¡¯s no fucking way I¡¯m gonna see tits like this and not indulge myself so I do. I lower my head and take the pleading nipple into my mouth, sucking through the cotton of her t-shirt.


    As her nipple hardens further, so does my cock.


    I run my hands over her soft, silky skin, pulling her closer so I can suck harder.


    Wanting to feel her soft flesh in my mouth I lift the hem of her t-shirt and tug at the cup of her bra, so the nipple pops out. When I return my mouth to her bare skin, I nearly blow my load.


    She moans and it¡¯s all I can do to control myself.


    I stop because if I¡¯m going to venture down this forbidden path, I¡¯m doing it properly.


    ¡°Come here,¡± I say to her and shees closer to me, leaning in to receive the kiss I¡¯ve been dying to give her since thest.

 68

    ISABELLA The rain sprinkles over us in a light pour of desire like it¡¯s holding us here in this moment, making sure we don¡¯t stop.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    A thrill of exhration races through me as he kisses me.


    Our tongues tangle and tease, tasting and iming, venturing deeper to get more.


    I¡¯m giving into the call of something I shouldn¡¯t answer, but temptation has me running toward it greedily like I¡¯ve been starved of this man.


    He kisses me in that wild way like he wants to devour my mouth and I kiss him back the same way.


    When he lifts my shirt again, I know it¡¯s not just for a taste.


    I allow him to take off my t-shirt and the little bra I was wearing, leaving me in just the yoga pants. When my breasts spill out, he returns to the wild suckle he gave me moments ago.


    His mouth on my breasts with his tongue swirling around each nipple drives me crazy and I don¡¯t just give into desire, I let it take me. I let ite for me and wipe my brain clear of everything that isn¡¯t him and this moment we shouldn¡¯t be having.


    He¡¯s my captor and I¡¯m his enemy¡¯s daughter. There shouldn¡¯t be anything between us but there is.


    There was when I became his captive, or maybe it was just that he ensnared me at hello.


    He picks me up and takes me over to the garden wall as the rain starts to pour heavier. There¡¯s a little canopy provided with an archway of ivy leaves that shelters us.


    We¡¯repletely soaked and that just encourages us to continue.


    Tristan presses me against the wall, and I tug on his shirt. I want to see him likest night. I¡¯ve never seen a man with so much muscle, nor one who looked like a perfect work of art.


    He pauses from my lips to whip off his shirt and I allow myself the pleasure of looking at his amazing body.


    ¡°Like what you see Bellezza?¡± he asks with a cocky smile.


    ¡°I do.¡± I answer and he resumes kissing me.


    When his hands run down my waist and cups my pussy I moan into his mouth, greedy for his cock to be inside me.


    Tristan works his way past the waistband of my pants and under thece of my panties so he can slide his fingers straight into my pussy.


    He starts pumping and oh God¡­ it feels too good. I¡¯m going toe.


    I can¡¯t control myself when I¡¯m with him. He¡¯s too much. Too wild. Too demanding.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to taste your pussy again before I own your body,¡± he informs me like he¡¯s giving me a courtesy.


    I open my mouth to say something, but a moan falls out. I¡¯m not even sure of what I was going to say. Whatever it is disappears into the ether and all I feel is pleasure as his thick fingers slide in and out of my passage.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I moan and Ie hard.


    He pulls down my pants and panties, moving my thighs apart so he can lick andp up my juices as they flow into his mouth.


    With his head buried between my legs, his mouth sucking on my clit and his tonguepping up my arousal I¡¯m almost there again. Right there at the precipice of pleasure. Right there epting another call to indulge in this man.


    He pushes me against the wall so he can finish tasting me. I rest back against the smooth surface and allow him to do what he wants to me.


    Momentster he finishes and takes my clothes offpletely, leaving me naked before him.


    He undoes the belt on his pants and yanks down the zipper on his fly.


    ¡°I¡¯m clean, I want to feel you again when I¡¯m inside you.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer and it¡¯s clear that¡¯s enough talk for now.


    He pushes his pants and boxers down and my gaze drops to his thick cock as it springs free from the prison of his jeans. It¡¯s thick, long, and perfect. Perfectly erect to fuck me with the head jutting toward me showing his need for me.


    It does something to me to know I made a man like him so aroused.


    When he reaches for me again, I know this is it.


    He lifts my leg, securing it around him then starts rubbing the head of his cock over my pussy lips.


    I grasp on to him and prepare for him to take me. He pushes in hard and I cry out. He doesn¡¯t relent though and it¡¯s not surprising. This is a man who takes and when he takes you, you know you¡¯ve been imed. Owned. Just like he said.


    With one savage thrust he¡¯s deep inside me and Ie again from the intensity and the undiluted pleasure that rocks my body straight out of reality.


    I hold on to him as he starts driving into me, widening my tight passage, the tightness making me feel everything. The pleasure of every thrust of his cock. The tingling of every nerve in my bodying alive as liquid fire burns through me fueled by lust and an infernal need for this man to make me his.


    I feel even better when he grabs my waist with one hand to keep his pace going and brings my lips to his with the other. Now I have the amplified pleasure of his lips on mine and his cock driving into me.


    I cup his face and kiss him back. When I do, he stops pumping and we just kiss. We kiss and this kiss feels different, like our lips are the source of the pleasure we seek.


    I run my hands over his wild locks and when heces his fingers through the fibers of mine, he starts fucking me hard with a raw, primal force.


    Faster and faster he moves inside me and at such an intensity that my knees cave. He¡¯s ready for that.


    He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist tight so he can resume taking me. When he does Ie again and the squeeze of my walls around his length makes him fuck me harder.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you hard Belleza. Mze thal,¡± he groans. I¡¯m too consumed with his sexy voice and the feel of him moving inside me to pay attention to what he said.


    All I registered were the words fuck and hard to prep myself for more pleasure. As he gives it to me, rutting into my body, I see stars.


    My head feels light when he pushes me into the wall and holds me at an angle so he can truly fuck me.


    When Ie again, he does too.


    The burst of his cum hits my g-spot with the same infernal fire that¡¯s been pulsing through my veins. This however heats me from the inside out and I cry out his name over and over again until I can¡¯t, and he stops moving inside me.


    We¡¯re breathing so hard and fast I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re supposed to stop. I don¡¯t know if I can.


    My heart is racing, my mind spinning.


    My thoughts scrabble, but as they start to unravel, and I calm down, I think about what we just did again.


    I move to unwrap my legs from his waist, but he holds me, stopping me.


    ¡°Just a few more minutes,¡± he whispers in my ear. ¡°Give me a few more minutes then we¡¯ll go.¡±


    I take in his plea and savor it, holding him too. I don¡¯t want to break this moment either. I don¡¯t want to go back to the real world yet.


    Minutes pass of us holding each other and he sets me down.


    I rest against the wall while he presses his hands on either side of me.


    The rain is heavier now. So heavy it¡¯s trickling through the ivy and falling near where we stand.


    He touches the edge of my jaw and I just stare into those eyes.


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Come home with me,¡± he answers like we¡¯re back at the club. I can¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Do you want to?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±

 69

    Tristan I had her for the rest of the day, and night. The only break we had was dinner where I slipped back downstairs to touch base with Dominic and Candace.


    As soon as I was satisfied I¡¯d spent enough time away from Isabe, I left them with the excuse I was going to do somepany ounts with Alfonse, and they probably wouldn¡¯t see me again until morning.


    Lies.


    I lied and instead of making my way to my room I headed straight back to the princess¡¯s room where I took her all night, over and over again. Fucking and losing myself, always wanting more and never being satisfied.


    Now it¡¯s morning and I¡¯m greedy again. But I can¡¯t take any more from her.


    A new day has dawned and with it, reality.


    I slip off the bed and pull on my clothes as I watch her sleep. The woman in the bed looks spent,pletely wiped out from a wild night of equally wild sex with me.


    Her tinum hair is tussled out of its perfection and the rain caused it to go into loose sexy waves.


    The sheet has moved down her body exposing her massive globes with the nipples still erect, still begging me to suck them.


    I want to. Fuck do I ever want to, but I have to bridle my passions and get back on track.


    A fucking day has passed, and the situation is just hanging in the air, waiting. I¡¯ve taken the devils daughter and I have to be ready for what happens next.


    I haven¡¯t spoken to Dominic properly since the incident with Sacha. We haven¡¯t talked over what we¡¯re going to do. It¡¯s a difficult conversation because it¡¯s talk of luring the devil into our homes to put all the people we know in danger.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I look at Isabe and I think about everything. I think about what I did with her and I know we can¡¯t do this again for so many reasons.


    The thought widens the hole in my heart. Being with Isabe started to fill it.


    I can¡¯t feel like that about her though. She can¡¯t be my redemption, because of who she is.


    Onest look and I leave her, hoping that no one else saw mee in here or suspects I spent the night. There¡¯s no reason for anyone to check or suspect it. At least not that I can think.


    I¡¯m the one with the camera linked up to her room. I¡¯m the only one who can see all that happens in the house. But if Dominic were to suspect something, he could have a look too if he wanted to.


    After all it was him who set everything up.


    I leave and head down to Dominic¡¯s room. The door is ajar, and he doesn¡¯t hear me approach.


    I look in just in time to see him sniffing something from the palms of his hands.


    My lungs tighten as I watch him, and I make myself stay there long enough to confirm what I¡¯m seeing.


    It¡¯s not until he lifts his head and takes a deep breath that he sees my reflection in the mirror watching him. With that he whirls around and faces me.


    V ery few things pull on my heart but fuck the sight of my little brother¡¯s eyes is enough to confirm what I worried about. His pupils are wide, so wide I can barely see the bright blue that¡¯s supposed to mirror my own.


    ¡°What are you doing Dom?¡± I ask, referring to him with the nick name Ma used to call him. We stopped calling him that after she died.


    It felt like too much. It¡¯s too much now as I look at him and he straightens but looks uneasy.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he answers, but the disgruntled tone in his voice at having been caught doing something he shouldn¡¯t gives him away. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything.¡±


    ¡°No, so you just naturally sniff your hands?¡± I growl.


    I think of all the drugs you can take thate in powder form and I find I actually can¡¯t think. I¡¯ve had many friends who use. A whole ton of them. Some have OD¡¯d and died. I tried crack once back in college and when I woke up on the edge of the roof of the Begio not even remembering how I got to V egas, I vowed never to try shit like that again.


    I nearly died and the experience was enough to deter me, and here is Dominic in front of me with all the signs he¡¯s taking drugs.


    ¡°Tristan, why don¡¯t you go back to your new ything. Or something. I¡¯m sure there is much you can busy yourself with.¡±


    With that I lose it. I rush him andnd a fist right in his face.


    He goes crashing into the chest of drawers but he¡¯s ready for me whether he¡¯s high or not. Hees at me with a fist that connects with my jaw, but like him I¡¯m a dirty motherfucker when ites to fighting with my bare hands.


    When we fight we don¡¯t care that we¡¯re brothers. I don¡¯t care now because I¡¯m fucking freaked out and panicked he¡¯s taking shit. That fear and panic gives me strength and soon we¡¯re on the ground giving blow for blow, but I manage to get on top of him and pin him to the ground.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing, Dominic? You¡¯re taking drugs,¡± I blurt.


    ¡°Man, fuck you. Get the fuck off me,¡± he roars, and I know what¡¯sing next.


    We fought like this one time only. Just once and it was over foolishness. It was over my car. Back in high school he stole it, crashed it, and I gave him the beating of his life, but the man fought back, giving as much as he got.


    He does that now as he drives his knee into my stomach and sends me flying over his head.


    I tuck and roll right back on to my knees and in the corner of my eyes I see him pull something from his back pocket. I know what it is, that¡¯s why I reach for my gun at the same time he gets his.


    Suddenly we¡¯re on our knees in a standoff holding guns at each other and that¡¯s a testament of what thest eighteen months have done to us.


    We don¡¯t trust each other anymore.


    If we can do this, that¡¯s the only answer I can reason with for this situation.


    Dominic doesn¡¯t trust me, and I don¡¯t trust him.


    I look at him and I see the kid who used to follow me blindly. He¡¯s only a year younger than me, but because he was the youngest, we always just saw him as the kid.


    He¡¯s not that now, hasn¡¯t been for a while, and he¡¯s no longer the glue that keeps us together.


    ¡°Kid¡­¡± I rasp, ring at him. ¡°Dom,¡± I try seeing if I can reach him the way Ma used to.


    It doesn¡¯t work. What works is me lowering my gun.


    Candace runs up to the door and gasps when she sees Dominic pointing his gun at me.


    ¡°Dominic no,¡± she cries, and she runs to him.


    It¡¯s only then he lowers his arm and takes hold of her when she throws her arms around him.


    I stand up and look at him kneeling there holding Candace and I wonder what would have happened if she didn¡¯te in.


    ¡°Dominic-¡± I say but he cuts me off.


    ¡°Get away from me,¡± he orders.


    Now I¡¯m looking at him properly and I can see the redness in his nose. But I do as he says and leave him because it¡¯s best.


    I walk out to the beach, my refuge, and gaze out to the sea. The rain never stopped falling yesterday, and it¡¯s falling again today. A reminder we haven¡¯t made it through the storm life has cast our way.


    This has happened to us because of Andreas¡¯ betrayal. Our brother set out to kill Massimo and he would have killed us all too, to get what he wanted.


    Now I don¡¯t know what to do.


    Candace finds me a few hourster. She brings me a te of cookies in her habitual way of trying to help.


    I¡¯m still sitting on the beach. She sits opposite me and puts the te out to me to take.


    I¡¯m not hungry but I take a cookie to humor her. It¡¯s funny I see her as a kid too.


    I remember her doing the same after my mother¡¯s funeral, except it was her mother that made them and sent them over to us; the D¡¯Agostino boys.


    I remember the little girl with the braid in her hair and her dresses which made her look like a doll. She still looks like that now with the same hairstyle.


    ¡°You and those cookies principessa,¡± I say.


    ¡°My mother always told me they helped,¡± she answers with a little smile. ¡°People can¡¯t say no to sugar. It¡¯s a way of testing sadness. Cookies are supposed to make you feel better no matter what happens to you. But¡­if a person were to refuse then I¡¯d know the heart is truly broken. As long as they ept there is hope.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being in our lives. I swear to God you keep us from slipping into the dark.¡±


    I take a bite of the cookie and she gives me a grateful smile.


    ¡°And you all help me too.¡±


    I look her over and think long and hard about what¡¯s been happening over thest few months.


    She¡¯s never gone far from Massimo. In her mind he was the one who saved her from death, so she¡¯s always stayed close to him. Even when she went to college.


    Just after he married Emelia, she got a job at a school and I thought maybe she was getting better.


    Then all the death happened, and it put her right back at square one. She stuck with Massimo, working for him in his home, then at thepany.


    That was our idea to give her some kind of career because she¡¯s qualified for something more than cleaning our homes.


    She¡¯s here now, far, far, away from Massimo. The only reason she would have dared toe this far was Dominic.


    ¡°You knew it was serious, didn¡¯t you?¡± I ask and she nods.


    ¡°Yeah, I did. I just didn¡¯t know how serious it was or what was happening to him.¡±


    I recall how she looked when we were about to board the jet to take us here. She was worried about him and as much as I knew her request to be here for Isabe was genuine, I knew she had to have been over worried about Dominic to offer toe with us.


    ¡°How long has it been happening?¡±


    ¡°I think since the end ofst year, so eight months. I hate saying this but it¡¯s true¡­ he only notices me when he wants something. Hees back to me when he realizes I specifically can do something for him. I keep the secrets in our group, so he knew when he was stuck one night in a club downtown, high off his face, I was the person to call.¡± She pulls her knees to her chest and continues. ¡°At first, I thought he was drunk, but then I suspected it couldn¡¯t have been that, even though he was drinking. He was drinking heavily so it was a good mask. But you know when you just have a bad feeling about something?¡±


    Jesus¡­ I can¡¯t believe what she¡¯s saying to me. I nod, knowing exactly what she means.


    ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°I took him home and watched him all night. His behavior was justpletely oundish. I didn¡¯t know what people behaved like when they¡¯re on drugs until I saw him and it was then I knew he couldn¡¯t have just been drunk. It happened again a few monthster, that time he got robbed. Maybe I was stupid to finally have his attention that I never wanted to believe what was wrong with him. I didn¡¯t want to see the obvious when he asked me not to say anything to anyone.¡± She wipes away a tear with the heel of her hand. ¡°He only asked me to help him because he knew I wouldn¡¯t say anything. There wasn¡¯t any other reason.¡±


    ¡°Candace, I know you mean more to him than that.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but it doesn¡¯t matter. That doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is I think he needs help. I should have said something well before now.¡±


    ¡°Candace why didn¡¯t youe to me?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Tristan, and realistically I still don¡¯t really know. I have seen him sniffing once but it wasn¡¯t long enough for me to establish anything. Just now though? The truth was in his eyes and he had a nosebleed after you left.¡±


    Fuck¡­ I don¡¯t know what the fuck I¡¯m supposed to do here and not when Dominic is telling you he¡¯s doing nothing and telling me to get away from him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± I say, but I don¡¯t know where to start so I pull her into my arms.

 70

    Tristan ¡°I feel like we¡¯re at a standstill,¡± I say to Massimo.


    I¡¯m on the phone in my room. It¡¯s been the longest day ever.


    I¡¯ve avoided Isabe because I needed time and space to think without emotions driving me insane.


    Massimo sighs and there¡¯s a moment of silence.


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s a fucking shame because we¡¯ve managed to cover ourselves extremely well. We¡¯re fortunate the general consensus amongst Mortimer¡¯s men is still that Isabe escaped and Sacha got away. We¡¯ve never had such an opening to strike on a powerful enemy as we have now. Tristan, we¡¯ve managed to fool him.¡±


    ¡°I know brother, I know.¡±


    ¡°Mortimer isn¡¯t preparing for an attack from us. He¡¯s preparing to get his daughter back and punish the guard who allowed her to escape. We need to know where the man is soon, or it really will mean war and I can¡¯t keep everyone safe.¡± He sounds drained out. ¡°Tristan, I gotta ask¡­ you believe her? Isabe? It¡¯s bold to take such a risk. How can you trust her?¡±


    I don¡¯t think I could exin it to him the way I¡¯ve reasoned it with myself.


    ¡°I just do. Can you trust that I do? Can you trust me?¡± It¡¯s a double-edged question. I want to know if he can still trust me and I want to know if he can trust my judgment in this situation.


    ¡°You know I do,¡± he answers effortlessly and relief washes over my body in waves. ¡°I just want to know that we¡¯re doing the right thing. But, Tristan, what the hell now? The clock¡¯s ticking and I¡¯m at a loss. Other than moving to n B, I can¡¯t think of anything else.¡±


    We epted we might have to be mentally prepared for n B from the start. I should agree and we jump on ahead. I just think we¡¯vee so far with the opportunity we have to waste it. I don¡¯t want to screw with that if there is something else we can do.


    I don¡¯t know if Isabe might be able to think about something more. Maybe something she never thought of before. I tend to think though that if there was anything, she would have told me by now.


    ¡°Let me think about it for a few more days,¡± I impart. ¡°Don¡¯t think about n B just yet. Our silence in this mission has been for our benefit. A few more days isn¡¯t going to hurt us, especially if we move to n B. We still have that time of reprieve while they think she¡¯s escaped. Let¡¯s use it to our advantage.¡±


    ¡°All right. We¡¯ll take the time to think and put our heads together. I guess having Isabe is still a big advantage.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree. ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Dominic? I messaged him earlier and he didn¡¯t respond.¡±


    Damn it¡­ I don¡¯t want to tell him about Dominic yet. Not when he so worried about everything else. But I have to tell him something. The point of having someone¡¯s trust is making sure you maintain it. So, I can¡¯t lie to him now or sidestep the problem.


    ¡°There¡¯s something going on with Dominic, Massimo. I can¡¯t be sure yet, but I¡¯ll find out.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s happening to him?¡±


    ¡°I need you to trust me with this too. I just ¡­ need you to let me handle it.¡± It¡¯s a big thing to ask a man who likes to think he has the power to protect everyone.


    ¡°Tristan, you have to give me something. I¡¯m all the way across the sea I can¡¯t just drive up and see you guys.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s taking something,¡± I confess.


    ¡°Fuck¡­ what is he taking?¡±


    I want to say heroin because that¡¯s what I figured it had to be, but I hold off on telling him that. I don¡¯t know it as truth yet and I don¡¯t want to specte and assume anything until I have facts. I respect Dominic enough not to do that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t know what it is yet, but he¡¯s taking something. I¡¯ll keep tabs on him.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ, I don¡¯t believe this. It¡¯s the pressure and the shit. I should fly over.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say quickly. ¡°Let me handle it. You should stay there. When you go people will start to suspect something. I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± It¡¯s the same thing I told Candace.


    ¡°Okay¡­ call me at the first sign of trouble.¡±


    ¡°You know I will.¡±


    I hang up and I lean against the wall.


    I¡¯ve told two people now who are relying on me that I¡¯ll figure something out.


    What am I going to figure out though? Am I suddenly going to conjure up Mortimer¡¯s location, and am I going to wave my magic wand and make Dominic better?


    Fuck¡­ I run a hand through my hair and think of Isabe as the weight of the stress takes me.


    I think of her because I know she must be waiting to see me. I¡¯ve avoided her again and I have to tell herst night was justst night. It can¡¯t happen again.


    I leave my room to do exactly that, knowing that if I do one thing to alleviate some of the load from my mind it will be one thing less to worry about.


    But then I open the door and see her.


    My gazends on her and everything I nned to say fades from my mind.


    She¡¯s wearing a silk slip. The other day I¡¯d grabbed a bunch of Candace¡¯s clothes because we didn¡¯t have anything here for Isabe to wear. Earlier I¡¯d gotten one of the maids to go over to the maind to get clothes. This looks like it¡¯s part of that collection.


    When I said to get somefortable things, I didn¡¯t realize she was going toe back with seductive shit to harden my cock all over again.


    ¡°Hi, I was just¡­ going to bed,¡± Isabe says and my eyes dart to the bed.


    The bed we spent all night in getting up close and personal with each other¡¯s bodies.


    I walk into the room and move closer to her.


    A flush of crimson races down her neck and I know she can look at me and know what I want.


    I haven¡¯t answered her yet.


    ¡°Thought you were going to avoid me again,¡± she states.


    ¡°No,¡± I answer and reach for her face.


    I run my finger along the silky smooth skin lining her jaw and I see her as Isabe again. Not my enemy¡¯s daughter. I just see her as a woman I can¡¯t resist, a woman who¡¯s tempting the hell out of me with just the way she looks at me.


    When I bend my head down to kiss her, she moves to me too. I kiss over those soft plump lips and run my tongue over hers. Doing that fans the mes of lust inside me and I know any hope I had of resisting this woman tonight was outside that door, long before I walked in.


    Any trace of that hope has drifted through the window and it¡¯s gone.


    Gone from me and like yesterday I don¡¯t want to stop. I just want her, and I just want how she feels to be in my mind.


    I don¡¯t want to think about the past and I don¡¯t want to think about the present. Nothing besides right now.


    I pull away from her and she presses her dainty hand to her lips, looking up at me with anticipation.


    ¡°Take your clothes off for me,¡± I tell her, and she slips off the little straps to her slip.


    It¡¯s a flimsy piece of fabric that leaves nothing to the imagination. It floats down her body and drifts to the floor, pooling at her pretty feet.


    To my satisfaction all she¡¯s wearing underneath is her panties. She tugs on thecy edge and pushes them down her long, elegant legs, and as she bends down those gorgeous breasts bobble, the nipples already hardening.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    I have to touch them. I run my fingers over the tight peak of her nipples even before she can stand and I¡¯m still holding her when she does.


    ¡°Is this what you want?¡± she asks, and my damn brain nearly explodes in my head.


    The sexiest women are the quiet, sweet ones who you never expect to tempt you. This one is like that.


    Deadly, because she could have some serious power over me I don¡¯t want to give anybody.


    I run my gaze over her body and nod with approval.


    ¡°You are exactly what I want,¡± I tell her, and I know my words carry more meaning than what she asked.


    She leans in to kiss me and I kiss her back, when she pulls on my shirt, I allow her to take it off only breaking to pull it over my head.


    We kiss and her hands on me feel amazing. I touch her, fondling her breasts and she runs her hands over my chest as we kiss.


    It¡¯s the perfect feast of giving and taking. Until her fingers flutter over my cock and I remember my fantasy of her lips taking me in.


    I grab her hand and press it to my length and the temptress knows exactly what I want.


    She secures her hand to around my length, holding me through the fabric of my pants as she runs her fingers up and down.


    I groan and grow in her hands.


    She steps back releasing me, but I reach for her pulling her back.


    She smiles and it¡¯s the best sight. I like us like this, and I do the dangerous thing of wanting it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare stop me,¡± I say yfully, knowing from the saucy smile on her face she has no intention of stopping either.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I just want to suck your cock,¡± she answers and any shred of sanity I had left dissipates from my mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m all yours Bellezza,¡± I tell her, and the beauty drops to her knees.


    My belt buckle clinks as she undoes it and my cock strains when those fingers flutter over my fly as she undoes my zipper.


    The beauty takes my cock out of my boxers and starts licking over the tip with her little pink tongue that¡¯s the same rosy color as her nipples.


    She mps one slender hand around the base of my shaft then runs her tongue up and down from tip to base then back again.


    Watching is the stuff fantasies are made off and fuck damn do I want this wild fantasy tost forever.


    By the time she takes me into her mouth, I¡¯m all hers. All I do is feel and watch her head bobbling up and down as she sucks my cock and takes me deeper and deeper until she¡¯s deep throating me.


    It feels too good, so good I throw my head back and groan out my pleasure then I lose control andce my fingers through her hair so I can fuck her face.


    I pump into her mouth furiously and she allows me to. She takes what I give her and only sucks me harder.


    The stress leaves my body, but when my balls tighten I know I¡¯m going toe.


    I want toe in her mouth and watch her swallow my seed, but more than that, I want toe inside her.


    The desire to do so allows me to garner some control. I take her arm and stop her from sucking.


    She does but her plump lips look swollen from my assault on her mouth.


    ¡°I want to fuck you, you can y with my cockter,¡± I tell her and kiss her hard. ¡°Get on the bed on your hands and knees.¡± I want that ass. I want to take her like I didst night, starting the way we finished.


    She does what I tell her, moving on to the bed and settling down on to her hands and knees.


    I shed the rest of my clothes and get on the bed behind her, naked.


    I take just a few seconds to admire her ass before I grab it, then I part her thighs to lick over her slick opening, licking over her pussy lips then thrusting my tongue into her passage.


    She moans out the sweetest sound, a sound I¡¯ll never tire of hearing.


    She was already wet and ready for me, but I just made sure she¡¯s ready for the hard fuck I want to give her.


    I line the head of my cock up with her entrance, grab her hips and m into her. Her body jolts forward and the sweet sexy moans that fall from her lips fuel me to drive into her.


    I start to fuck her the way I like to fuck. Hard and relentless and her body takes me like she was made for me.


    We both get lost in the sensation of the wild rhythm thates to take us over the edge, and up we climb to the pinnacle of passion.


    Higher and higher we go and when she expects to fall, I keep her there fucking her harder so that her hair falls forward over her face and she¡¯s calling out my name.


    I take full advantage of the fact that we are on the other side of the house. Right at the back, where no one but me can hear her screams of ecstasy.


    Just me, she¡¯s all for me, all mine and I don¡¯t n to stop tonight. This is just the beginning.


    Shees first but I still fuck her. I love the feel of her walls wrapping around my cock like a vice. Last night her pussy was so tight every time I entered her it was hard to control myself.


    Now that she¡¯s adjusted to take my width and length, I can give it to her how I want.


    But only to a limit. I reach it and m into her over again as I climax, thundering into her like a hurricane.


    Her pussy walls squeeze me clean, milking me of everything I have and with it she pulls down the wall I secured around my heart to stop me from ever knocking on love¡¯s door again.


    Wanting to fuck is one thing. but wanting her is another.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m always left feeling like I can¡¯t get enough. It¡¯s because I want her.


    I want more than the physical, more than sex. I actually want the woman.


    I want to keep her.


    But that¡¯s not possible. No matter how many times I take her like this, I can¡¯t have her the way I want.

 71

    ISABELLA I¡¯ve been awake for a while now, just lying in Tristan¡¯s arms.


    He¡¯s still asleep.


    Thest few days have been so strange. Mind blowing, but strange, and I don¡¯t know what to make of them.


    He¡¯s in here. He spent the night again and he didn¡¯t leave like he did yesterday.


    I¡¯ve woken up in his arms like we¡¯re a couple and this is what we do in the mornings.


    His arm is around me, holding me to his steel chest and my hand isced through his. I remember doing so when I stirred from a nightmare. It was the feel of his fingerscing back through mine that calmed me.


    Now I¡¯m awake again and faced with that same question I had yesterday of what we are and what we¡¯re doing. The same question races through my mind, along with more things to worry about.


    I know Tristan and I can¡¯t be together, and this isn¡¯t okay. We¡¯re supposed to be forbidden and I¡¯m pretty sure a secret.


    Our situation isn¡¯t the sort where he¡¯s taken me captive to do what he wants with me. There are people here with him who have a n. He¡¯s not supposed to be up here with me ying house, pretending this is a home, and we¡¯re the guy and the girl who went home with each other from the club.


    This is not that. Not in the least. Not even a little bit.


    I¡¯m here in his arms and my mind is an ocean of confusion.


    I should want to flee, to run forever, and never stop, but being in his arms is the safest I¡¯ve ever felt. Next to him is the safest ce I¡¯ve ever been, and those are all thoughts I shouldn¡¯t be having.


    Soft lips press against my shoulder and I turn to see Tristan looking at me.


    He gives me an uncertain smile. The sort that¡¯s greeting me but acknowledging a new day with its own problems.


    ¡°Morning Bellezza,¡± he says.


    ¡°Morning¡­¡± He leans forward and we kiss. We kiss like we¡¯re still in the fantasy of each other. When we pull apart, he shuffles to sit and slides off the bed to pull on his boxers. I sit up then and look at him, wondering what it would be like to be his.


    He was married.


    What kind of woman did he love? What kind of woman did he give his heart to, to want to spend the rest of his life with her?


    I imagine someone he loved fiercely and wanted to protect. Someone he loved with the same love he told me his father had for his mother.


    He loved a woman like that, and my father got to her. Killed her. I feel ashamed to think of her.


    The same shame I feel knowing I¡¯m Mortimer Viggo¡¯s daughter.


    He sees me looking at him and stills as he was about to shrug into his t-shirt.


    ¡°What, doll?¡± he asks as if we don¡¯t both have a million things on our minds.


    I shake my head. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to ask him about her and not when there are more pressing things on my mind.


    ¡°What are we doing, Tristan?¡± I mutter and he runs his hand through his hair in that habitual way.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I ¡­¡± He straightens up, pulls on his shirt, and looks at me.


    ¡°Tristan, what are you going to do with me?¡± I can¡¯t live another day with that question hanging over my head. We haven¡¯t talked about it. We haven¡¯t done much talking in the time we¡¯ve spent together, but that¡¯s something I need to know. ¡°I just want to have some idea of what you¡¯re nning for me.¡±


    ¡°I know what I¡¯m supposed to do with you¡­ but I can¡¯t do it yet.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± I ask ¡°Let you go.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m no use to you anymore. He won¡¯te you know. My father won¡¯te. Don¡¯t make the mistake of thinking you can demand his life to save mine as some ransom. It won¡¯t work,¡± I say.


    I¡¯m sure he must have figured that out already, I just feel I owe it to him to point it out. ¡°He won¡¯te for me. Not only does he not love me like that, but I¡¯m just a way of him making sure his legacy continues. I¡¯m supposed to marry Dmitri and he¡¯ll be leader. I¡¯ll just be a breeding machine. That¡¯s all I am. Don¡¯t expect my father toe if you tell him you have me.¡±


    Tristan walks around to me. He brushes his fingers over my jaw before he crouches down and takes both my hands into his.


    ¡°Your father loves you Isabe,¡± he states shocking me to the core.


    My brows snap together. ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t love me. How can you hurt someone you love in all the ways he¡¯s hurt me?¡±


    ¡°Believe me when I say you are the only thing that man loves in this world.¡± His gaze clings to mine. ¡°All this time he¡¯s kept you away from the underworld. Nobody knows about you. Nobody would and we only found out by chance. You wouldn¡¯t believe the type of shit we had to go through to find you and it was no mere task to take you. A man would only ce that type of protection on someone he loves.


    ¡°Telling him we have you is not ransom, it¡¯s war. It¡¯s a deration that we¡¯re ready to fight and we won¡¯t give back the most precious thing to him until he gives himself up. That is what telling him does. We don¡¯t know what that kind of fight it will bring and that¡¯s why we hoped you knew where we could find him. Knowing where he is would ce us one step ahead of the game. Especially when he thinks you escaped.¡±


    All I can do is stare at him. Everything he said makes sense I just believed my father hated me for such a long time that it¡¯s difficult to believe or ept anything else.


    ¡°I feel awful that I¡¯m his daughter. I truly do. I just want to be free.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t set you free yet. Not yet. Having you is leverage we need, even if he doesn¡¯te to us on our terms. Having you gives us a window of chance. He¡¯ll definitely want you back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back. I never want to see him again. I just want out of this dark world of death where he rules me with an iron fist. This isn¡¯t me. I¡¯m the wild child. The free spirit who wants to live. It¡¯s not right to cage something wild.¡±


    Something shes in his eyes when I say that. It¡¯s that pain again, but I can tell I¡¯ve struck something inside him.


    ¡°I know. I promise I will set you free when the timees. I promise to make sure you¡¯re free to live the life you want. I just can¡¯t do it now.¡±


    I look away. Hearing that I still have to remain the captive wasn¡¯t the answer I wanted to hear. But what did I expect?


    I¡¯m still needed for a n. He still needs me to get to my father.


    I¡¯m still coteral damage.


    And what are we?


    ¡°What about us? I know you¡¯re not supposed to be with me.¡± Better if I say it than him.


    He dips his head, a sign that he doesn¡¯t know what to do in that respect either.


    When he looks back up to me it¡¯s with sad eyes.


    ¡°I should tell you thatst night was the end. Last night I should have said the same, but something stops me every time.¡± He stands up and stares down at me.


    I gaze at him waiting to hear the rest of what he has to say, but he doesn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°Is that it?¡± I prod.


    ¡°No, but I think it¡¯s the best thing I can tell you right now.¡± He pulls in a ragged breath. ¡°Isabe what I need you to do is think about anything you can that will help me find your father. That¡¯s what I need right now. If you meant what you said about wanting to tell us where he is then that¡¯s what I need from you. But know this¡­ the minute you tell me anything at all it means betrayal and he¡¯ll know it could onlye from you.¡±


    With that he leaves.


    I watch him go and allow his words of caution to sink in.


    I must sit there for an hour just thinking about my father and anything I can think of that can help find him.


    I search my mind ande up with nothing so I head down to the beach, hoping the fresh air will help. I find a good spot and sit in the sand. I¡¯m far away from everyone, as far as I can be which is close to the start of the rock formations in the sea.


    As I stare out at the waves crashing against the jagged rocks Tristan¡¯s words run through my mind.


    He said my father would know I betrayed him because there are certain things only I would know.


    So, I think about what I do know. I think about what only I know as his daughter and as I do I think about what it would mean if I betrayed him in such a way.


    I think of everything he¡¯s told me, of his upbringing and what happened to his family. I think of how he formed the Circle of Shadows and how he gained power over the years.


    As I think I remember how he killed my mother and med the Syndicate. He gained more power when he did that but that wasn¡¯t why he killed her. He wouldn¡¯t have murdered her in such a violent way if it was that. I think he would have just put a bullet to her head.


    I¡¯d bet Nikoli would know. He¡¯s close enough to my father to know a truth like that.


    Something strikes me on that thought.


    Nikoli¡­ I always, always have my conference calls at Nikoli¡¯s house. Always for thest twelve years. I grew up in that house with the same mantra.


    All my father¡¯s orders are also passed on through Nikoli. No guard speaks to him directly without speaking to Nikoli first and when they meet, it¡¯s always at his house.


    Like everybody else, I don¡¯t think Nikoli knows where my father stays, but he must have some idea of where the calls areing from.


    Or maybe there¡¯s a way of finding out.


    I think I have an idea.


    I get to my feet ready to run and tell Tristan but stop in my tracks as his wordse back to haunt me.


    My father will know it¡¯s me who betrayed him. He¡¯ll definitely know this because this is something personal. I¡¯m the one he talks to at Nikoli¡¯s house.


    For a fleeting second, I remember the man who used to take care of me and my mother. The man who used to tell me stories of his bravery. The man who told me my mother was the most important thing in his world and I was what came from their love.


    When the second passes I remove that image from my mind and remember him for who he is.


    Thinking of who he was will bring no justice or redemption. It will only allow him to flourish in strength and continue to do what he¡¯s always done.


    Thinking of who he is, is what¡¯s going to allow me to do the right thing.


    Who my father is, is the same man who killed my mother, the same man who killed Eric, the same man who whipped me until I couldn¡¯t move and the same man who wants me to marry the devil who killed Eric.


    That is who my father is.


    Those images and that knowledge moves me. I rush back to the house and find Tristan.


    He¡¯s on the front porch talking to one of the guards. He acknowledges me when he sees me.


    ¡°I think I have an idea,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Really?¡± Hope lights up his eyes.


    ¡°Yes. I think I came up with something that might work.¡±


    I hope it does because if I get this wrong and my father knows I set out to betray him, he¡¯ll kill me.

 72

    Tristan Isabe¡¯s idea just might work.


    It¡¯s all we have now. The only lead. A man Mortimer trusts to use his house as a base where he canmunicate with his daughter.


    I messaged Massimo requesting an urgent meeting and with that I had to approach Dominic, who hasn¡¯t spoken to me sincest night.


    We gathered in the meeting room ten minutes ago and connected with Massimo so we could see him.


    While he still has that worried appearance from the other day, he looks hopeful.


    As Massimo talks though, there¡¯s tension in the air so thick I¡¯m not sure the proverbial knife could cut it, but we¡¯re all talking because we¡¯re working.


    ¡°I think this could work,¡± Dominic says to Massimo. ¡°Isabe says she talks with her father once a month so the man will be conversing with this guy regrly to make arrangements for that, and maybe other things to do with the guards. I can do something simr to what I did the other week and track the location of calls thate to that house and try to hack in.¡±


    I listen to him and it¡¯s the first time I think that someone who can do all that is an extremely dangerous man.


    ¡°You think you could do that?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°I can try. I¡¯m positive I can do something. I just need to get my head around how I¡¯ll do it. We don¡¯t have a phone number for him. I¡¯ve checked him out and the house phone is delisted. I¡¯ll have to design something.¡±


    ¡°All right, design something. Do what you can. I have faith in you that you can do it,¡± Massimo says. ¡°I think if anything¡¯s going to work it¡¯s that. If that¡¯s the only way Mortimermunicates with his guards then we¡¯re bound to find something that will help us. I don¡¯t know anybody else who can work this kind of magic.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, it¡¯s nice to be appreciated,¡± Dominic answers. That¡¯s not an answer he would normally give.


    I resist the urge to look at Massimo. Dominic is not a man who misses a beat. If I look, he¡¯ll know I said something. In fact, I¡¯m guessing he¡¯ll already suspect I¡¯ve spoken to Massimo because we¡¯re not the kind to keep secrets.


    ¡°You know I appreciate you,¡± Massimo replies. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re my consigliore.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Dominic nods his head.


    ¡°Okay, looks like we¡¯re getting somewhere. In other news, the V olkovs are nowhere to be found.¡±


    My lips part when he says that and when Dominic and I exchange nces I know I haven¡¯t lost himpletely yet.


    ¡°What do you mean nowhere to be found?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I mean exactly that. Nowhere to be found. The Romanovs and I got together yesterday deciding we¡¯d pay the V olkovs a visit, and we found nothing and no one anywhere.¡±


    This is exactly what I mean about trust. Now who the fuck could have told them we knew they were responsible for the bombing of the Syndicate?


    ¡°Who do you think told them?¡± I ask. That¡¯s the question to ask. None of us have time to pussyfoot around shit.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Viktor or Aiden, it¡¯s not any of us, so I think someone followed them that night when they got Wilson. That¡¯s all we can think of. Someone followed and alerted them that we might know of their guilt. Guys there¡¯s not a damn sign of any of them. men, women, and children are all gone.


    Hiding.¡±


    I release a ragged sigh. ¡°What the fuck do we do now? What are you nning to do?¡±


    In my opinion we need something like the Syndicate. Yes, they had dark practices I didn¡¯t agree with but the only reason why men like Mortimer would want to dismantle them is because of the power they held. Having a force like that is something to be reckoned with.


    You just have to have the right men. The right people.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to be official about reforming the Syndicate and get on with it. I¡¯ve waited long enough and maybe forming the alliances will help us find the traitors quicker. I think our anonymous friend wanted me to do this because of who I know. The letter mentioned forming strong alliances.¡±


    I stare back at him wondering if he¡¯s serious. I know who he knows because we all know the same people.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Dominic says catching on to his meaning.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m serious as fuck. There are many powerful men in our circle. Many.


    And I¡¯m not thinking six families either like before. I¡¯m thinking of whoever I trust most. I¡¯ve already broken the idea to udius Morientz and Vincent Giordano. They¡¯re thinking about it.¡±


    I actually get goosebumps at the mention of those names. Those are two powerful bosses from Chicago who are also friends.


    ¡°You really did that Massimo?¡± I have to ask.


    ¡°I did. I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while and that¡¯s the conclusion I¡¯vee to. I can¡¯t imagine them saying no to this opportunity, but they won¡¯t join us in shit, not when they don¡¯t need to.


    I need all the secrets to reveal themselves and to find out what the fuck happened. I¡¯m holding a meeting tomorrow evening. Before I venture to reform the Syndicate I¡¯m going to pick out the devils.


    This meeting will be the first of that kind. I think it¡¯s time to talk to the Mazzones.¡±


    Spoken like a true leader.


    I nod and ept what he¡¯s saying. Dominic does too.


    ¡°What do you need us to do?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Well. With this new n in the works it would be good if you guys coulde over for the day, just for the meeting. I need you to be my eyes and ears.¡±


    That¡¯s doable. I think it would be okay to leave the ind for the day ande back the following day.


    ¡°I think that would be okay. Dominic what about you?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he answers but he¡¯s not looking at me. He¡¯s looking at Massimo. ¡°It might be a good idea too, since I can get some of the gadgets I¡¯ll need.¡±


    ¡°Great. Okay. I¡¯ll need you both at D¡¯Agostinos by two.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll fly out first thing,¡± I say.


    ¡°Perfect. See you then guys.¡± He nods his head and looks at both of us.


    The look he gives me though holds worry for Dominic. He can see too that Dominic was different.


    The call cuts and Massimo¡¯s image disappears from my view. Dominic gets up ready to leave and I watch him really wondering if he¡¯s gonna just leave like that.


    I wait for him to walk out before I follow and gear myself up for another argument when I call after him.


    At least he stops at the base of the stairs and looks back at me.


    ¡°What? What do you want?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Dominic, is this how we¡¯re really going to be? What the hell happened the other night?¡±


    ¡°You tell me brother.¡±


    ¡°You pulled your gun on me,¡± I point out.


    ¡°You pulled yours on me too.¡±


    ¡°You fucking know why I did.¡± No way am I going to stand here and allow him to make me feel guilty when he must remember it was he who reached for his gun first, not me. There¡¯s no way in fuck I¡¯d think to do a thing like that if I wasn¡¯t protecting myself first. That¡¯s the only way. ¡°This isn¡¯t us.


    It¡¯s not you and me. We¡¯re not the brothers who do this.¡±


    ¡°Stop it, fucking stop it. Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re there for me. Don¡¯t,¡± he says shaking his head. I¡¯m shocked to hear this because as far as I¡¯m concerned I was there. I¡¯ve always been there for him whenever he needed me.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Tristan¡­ I have too much shit on my head to argue with you now. I can¡¯t do it. Right now I have to do the things I¡¯m needed for and make miracles happen. No one will have a hopes chance in hell if I don¡¯te up with a solution.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right about that. We don¡¯t have a chance without you. But finding out what¡¯s up your ass is more important to me now than anything else. What¡¯s going on Dominic, what do you mean I wasn¡¯t there for you?¡±


    He grits his teeth, looks at me long and hard then presses his lips together .


    ¡°Look I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Give me something, you can¡¯t tell me that and just expect me to ept it and not do shit about it.


    I want to be there for you,¡± I insist. ¡°Dominic please tell me you know that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I know. Look, don¡¯t worry about me. There¡¯s too much to worry about to waste time on me.¡±


    ¡°Dominic, you heard what I said. I mean it. It¡¯s important to me to hear what¡¯s going on with you.¡±


    ¡°No. Nothing is going on with me.¡± Is all he says and I think of what else I can say to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I tell him. I owe him that if he thinks I¡¯ve wronged him. Maybe I have and I don¡¯t know. ¡°All I can say is I¡¯m sorry. Please¡­ tell me how I can help you. I saw you take something the other night. You wouldn¡¯t have acted the way you did if it wasn¡¯t true and you would have been able to trust me.¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m not taking anything,¡± he answers and we both know it for a lie.


    ¡°Dominic, I saw you. Was it drugs?¡±


    ¡°No. Now stop.¡± His tone tells me not to push.


    I don¡¯t push back because I don¡¯t want to upset him.


    I stare back at him and he turns away from me, proceeding up the stairs.


    That conversation was fruitless. Nothing came of it except knowing he thinks I haven¡¯t supported him.


    When I think of what he could mean I think of everything that¡¯s happened. It¡¯s been too much for him and we¡¯ve had to do shit we¡¯ve never pushed the limits to before.


    I remember how his face looked when we kidnapped Isabe and how he looked when we tortured Sacha.


    It¡¯s all shit I¡¯m not proud of, even if I can stand here and say I¡¯m a man who can push the limits to do what I have to.


    My shoulders slump but I will myself to keep my head above water. I can¡¯t check out now I have to stick to the n. When it¡¯s over, if I make it I¡¯ll figure everything else out.


    At least he¡¯s on board with helping in whatever ways he can.


    I have to see Isabe and let her know I won¡¯t be here tomorrow.


    Earlier I couldn¡¯t give her an answer when she asked what we¡¯d be doing about us.


    The answer should have been as I said¡­ we can¡¯t be. Except I don¡¯t want to let her go yet and if I have tonight with her then I¡¯m spending it with her doing what I want.


    Right now it feels like she¡¯s the only thing that can keep me sane.


    The woman I kidnapped and I¡¯m holding captive is the one thing keeping me going. I¡¯m not proud of the way I¡¯ve treated her either.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    She¡¯s the first person in years that¡¯s made me think outside the darkness. She¡¯s pushed me over the line of reason. I can¡¯t see the line anymore, although I know it¡¯s still there.

 73

    ISABELLA Every time I see Tristen my heart skips a beat.


    Then I get nervous. I¡¯ve been anxious to hear if he thought my idea about Nikoli would work or not.


    I stand up from the little bench on the terrace and look at him as he approaches.


    He has the same look asst night, like he wants me again.


    ¡°Hi,¡± he says first reaching out to touch my cheek.


    ¡°Hi.¡±


    ¡°We think your idea might work. It¡¯s a good shot and we¡¯re gonna take it.¡±


    I smile. ¡°I¡¯m d I was of some help.¡±


    ¡°I think it might be a massive help.¡±


    ¡°Well he¡¯ll know it was me if all goes well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°I figured it was best I tell you. I want justice too. I know he¡¯lle for me, but somehow I feel like he¡¯s waiting for me to do that anyway. He keeps doing things to push me. Wanting me to marry Dmitri was just the thing to break me. I can¡¯t imagine how he would think that would be okay.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have let that happen. Even if I just do that. I wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to marry someone like that because of who he is and um¡­¡± his voice trails off.


    ¡°And what?¡±


    ¡°Never mind. I¡¯m going away tomorrow for two days. I should be back by night fall on Thursday.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Home. Actual home.¡±


    I stare back at him and I realize I don¡¯t know anything about him. I know when this is over, whenever that might be, that will be it. It should be it and we¡¯ll end. I just have that pesky little thing about me that doesn¡¯t want this connection to end.


    ¡°Where¡¯s home? Where does Tristan D¡¯Agostino live?¡±


    He smirks at that. ¡°LA. I live in LA in a house simr to this but it¡¯s not by the sea. It¡¯s in the woods.¡±


    ¡°Both sound like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ want to show you something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s outside.¡±


    I press my lips together realizing we¡¯ll be sneaking off again.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He takes a few steps toward the door I thought was a closet and unlocks it with a key. To my surprise when it opens I feel a drafting through.


    ¡°Does that go outside?¡± I ask.


    ¡°It does. I designed this house to have a few secret doors. This one will be good for us.¡±


    He waves his hand motioning for me to go through the door so I do.


    A set of lightse on lighting up the path, brightening the way so I can see some steps leading down to the bottom.


    We go down them and through another door that leads out to the beach. It¡¯s not the same beach I¡¯ve been going to. this is just a little patch and then the rest of the area is the woods.


    In the oing night there¡¯s almost an eerie vibe about the ce, at the same timest remains of the sunlight cast a soothing glow over the scenery making it look serene.


    Tristan takes my hand to lead me and it feels like the most natural thing.


    I didn¡¯t think we could go anywhere more beautiful than where we were the other day, but I was wrong.


    I gasp when I see the waterfall flowing into a flurry of white light sparkling like pure starlight. A closer look and I realize it¡¯s a swarm of fireflies.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I beam and marvel at what I see.


    When I look back to him I watch his eyes darken with desire. I can be fascinated all I want at the setting but one look at him and I know what he wants.


    ¡°Come here,¡± he says.


    I¡¯ve realized now that my body only answers to him. I¡¯m not sure if I could fight the temptation even if I wanted to.


    I move to his lips and we kiss in thefort of this secret alcove.


    He pulls out of the kiss and moves me over to the little crook between the waterfall and the grove of trees. When I see the wall I guess that we¡¯re on the other side of where we were the other day.


    He presses me against the wall and gives me a wicked smile.


    ¡°Tonight I want you. Slow fucking. It¡¯s where I get to enjoy tasting you everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Do I get to do the same to you?¡±


    ¡°On the next round.¡±


    I don¡¯t get to answer him. He steals my words away when he lifts the hem of my dress and cups my sex.


    He rubs over the skin of my mound then smiles at me as he pushes his fingers past thece and starts stroking over my clit.


    ¡°Your pussy belongs to me,¡± he informs me and I still can¡¯t answer.


    All I can do is moan from the pleasure thatnces through me. It feels so good it makes my mouth water and the anticipation of what he can do to me sends a shiver of need through me.


    ¡°You hear me Isabe? It doesn¡¯t matter who has you after me, I own you.¡±


    He crouches down and I suck in a sharp breath when he nuzzles his face between my thighs and pushes his tongue right into my pussy.


    I press my fingers against the wall and savor the feel of his tongue licking andpping over my clit.


    I prepare my mind for a night of wild forbidden pleasure.


    He licks and sucks until Ie on his face and then he drinks all the juices that flow from me, arousing me all over again.


    He pulls down my panties and pockets them with a smirk on his face when he stands.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°That¡¯s for my trip.¡± He smiles wild and dark and I swallow hard when he pushes the strap down on my dress. ¡°This is for me right now.¡±


    He hooks his fingers in between my bra strap and pushes that down too.


    He pushes my dress down the rest of the way. It floats down to my feet and when he takes off my bra releasing my breasts he fills his palms and caresses my skin.


    Our lips meet and when we start kissing it¡¯s crazy and wild. Reckless. His clothese off and we kiss each other naked under the waterfall.


    He turns me to face the wall and I press my palms on the wall waiting to take his massive cock.


    Grabbing my hips, his fingers burn the skin, making me crave his cock. When he plunges in deep inside me he satisfies the hunger I¡¯ve had for him that¡¯s been wing at me all day.


    As he moves inside something feels different and the glow of his touch inside and out consumes me. It overwhelms everything inside my mind and overpowers all thoughts beyond this moment.


    We¡¯ve crossed this line too many times and I¡¯ve already epted that we aren¡¯t supposed to be together. I already know I shouldn¡¯t feel this way about him, yet it terrifies me that I may never feel this way again. I may never feel this way about anybody ever again.


    My brain is robbed of any more thoughts when he pushes his finger into the tight rosebud of my ass and caresses over the edge.


    It feels good. his fingers moving over the hole while he plunges into my pussy feels so damn good.


    My whole bodyes alive and he pushes in harder when I moan louder from the pleasure.


    ¡°Bellezza, I have to take you here. Let me, Please.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I groan. ¡°Fuck me.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, believe me I n to.¡±


    He pulls out and uses my juices to rub over my asshole then slides his fingers in again. Slowly, he goes slowly, smearing my juice inside me.


    ¡°How does this feel?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I say just barely managing to get the word out.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± he answers and as I look back at him the devilish smile he gives me is a tell that he ns to take me ruthlessly.


    I snap my gaze back to the wall when he rubs the head of his cock over my ass.


    He pushes in and it feels weird as he stretches me to take his width. Then it feels good. There¡¯s something about the way his goes in that feels good. then he starts pumping and it feels amazing.


    God it feels amazing and just like I thought he takes me as ruthlessly as he owned my pussy.


    Fuck, Ie again and from the feel of his cock inside me I know he¡¯s nigh oning too. I have to hold on to the wall to keep myself from falling over. My knees can¡¯t support me and my head feels so light I might fade away.


    He starts pumping hard and it¡¯s not long before I feel his cum spray into me.


    As it does we both cry out from the sensation of his cock spasming inside me and my knees actually buckle. He slips his arm around me to keep me up, then pulls out of me so he can hold me close to his chest.


    ¡°I want you,¡± he whispers into my ear. ¡°I keep wanting you, more of you.¡±


    The words sink in and I want him too. I can¡¯t see how I can have him though.


    I turn to kiss him and he kisses me back with reckless abandon.


    When we pull out of the kiss I¡¯m about to tell him I want him too but the words freeze in my mind as I swear I see someone watching us. Right over there by the grove of trees I¡¯m sure I saw a face in the bushes and then they were gone. They weren¡¯t there long enough for me to get a good look at who they were but I know I saw a face.


    Tristan looks over to where I¡¯m looking and back to me.


    ¡°What, Bellezza? Did you see something?¡±


    ¡°I think someone was watching us. I think they saw us.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I saw a face but I don¡¯t know who it was. They were looking right at us.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t say anything, but I can see in his eyes that that¡¯s a big problem. One I already knew could happen. Now it has.

 74

    TRISTAN I¡¯m trying not to think about who could have seen us.


    I¡¯m trying to tell myself it might have been one of the guards but the tension I feel stirring inside me tells me otherwise. I have a bad feeling and usually when I have these bad feelings I tend to be right.


    I push it out of my mind along with everything else when Dominic and I head out for the journey back to LA. It¡¯s going to take us well a little over two hours by jet to get there.


    Dominic has given me the silent treatment all morning and he¡¯s avoided looking at me. He¡¯s just been distant.


    At least talking to him would help establish if it was he who saw me with Isabe.


    When we get to L. A I do feel like home. there¡¯s afort about being back that¡¯s good for me.


    almost like a rejuvenation.


    That was what the ind should have felt like but I never really got to enjoy it as such.


    We saw Massimo just before the meeting so we were able to talk prior to everyone arriving. It was good to talk amongst ourselves as brothers. And, if I¡¯m honest just good to see him.


    He wants us to keep an eye on the Mazzones.


    The problem with not knowing who to trust is exactly that. It creates anxiety because you have no idea what to begin to look at to establish why you shouldn¡¯t trust a person. It¡¯s not like it will be as easy as looking to see if a person sweats too much or talks too fast, or even says shit that doesn¡¯t make sense.


    The mening here today are going to be men who would have experience in the art of maniption.


    We gather in the meeting room first then our guestse in ten minutester.


    There¡¯s Viktor and Aiden representing the Romanov family and Franco and La representing the Mazzones.


    As I see them I keep my eyes peeled on them. I¡¯ve never met with these men before, but I¡¯ve seen them at Syndicate functions. Back then they looked normal, standard, but then most traitors do. You can¡¯t usually tell who the traitor is until he¡¯s ready to show his face.


    They are all we¡¯re expecting so when they walk in and the door closes, Massimo rises to start the meeting.


    ¡°Thank you all foring,¡± he states and looks at each of us.


    We all nod to acknowledge the greeting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gathered you here today because you are all that remains of our fathers who formed the Brotherhood. As this is the first time some of us have gathered to sit down and discuss the next steps I take this time to express my condolences for our losses. It was a great loss and should never have happened.¡±


    Viktor and Aiden are the only ones we¡¯ve had dealings with since Massimo decided to reform the Syndicate. They were the first to contact and the first to suspect foul y.


    ¡°My thanks to you,¡± Franco says.


    ¡°The reason for our meeting today is twofold. The first is to establish my ns for the future and also to discuss certain things that need to be hashed out before that future takes ce.¡±


    Out the corner of my eye I can see Viktor giving Franco a hard stare. He suspects him. He thinks the other traitors are them. I¡¯m not so sure now that I¡¯ve seen them.


    I¡¯m not getting the vibe that they¡¯re anything but grateful to be here.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I nce at Dominic who looks focused. He¡¯s staring ahead at Massimo.


    ¡°I am reforming the Syndicate and I will keep most of the structure as it was because those practices were set in ce for a reason. Even though or fathers are gone everything is stillid out as it was. Some practices are still in motion. Those have not fallen away. It¡¯s just rebuilding who we are, who the Syndicate are and who will fall part of the Brotherhood.¡±


    ¡°When you say you intend to keep the structure as it was do you intend to have no leader?¡± La asks. ¡°The old ways did not include a leader.¡±


    Massimo shakes his head. ¡°That will be the first thing I change. I think that was one of the things that led to the downfall. I appreciate having equality, but this Syndicate will be formed of those I trust. It will operate on trust not equality because sometimes you can¡¯t have that. It can¡¯t exist in a group like the Syndicate because you need someone to take charge and enforce order where it needs to be enforced.¡± Massimo exins and I feel proud of him for doing so in such an eloquent way.


    I always thought the same. I didn¡¯t think a group of crime families who were all as cut throat as each other could live by principles of equality the way other groups might. We¡¯re not wired that way and that¡¯s why they had traitors amongst them. people who wanted power and to overthrow the system as it was.


    ¡°So what now?¡±


    ¡°What now is this,¡± Massimo states and gives him a piercing re. ¡°I started with us today because I felt that you should have a chance to be part of what your fathers built. But there are traitors amongst us and I will not have traitors part of my Syndicate.¡±


    As if he¡¯s just reaching for a pen from his back pocket, Massimo pulls out his gun and aims it at them.


    They look at each other in panic. They would have left their guns at the door.


    The only people allowed guns in here were Viktor and Aiden.


    ¡°How dare you do this?¡± Franco counters. ¡°We have done nothing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that. It¡¯s been brought to light that an Italian family were working with the culprits who blew up the Syndicate. The only people that points to is you guys.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Franco argues. ¡°Massimo I know you. We¡¯ve met before on several asions. I think on those asions you would have seen the type of man I am. Neither me nor anyone who falls part of my family were responsible for any of what happened.¡±


    I actually believe him. I do. I haven¡¯t had dealings with him like Massimo has but he sounds like he¡¯s telling the truth.


    Massimo alternates pointing his gun between Franco and La.


    ¡°The thing about traitors is this, you don¡¯t know who they are or when they¡¯re telling truth from lies. Get up, get to your feet,¡± Massimo orders and they obey.


    When they stand I can tell they¡¯re shit scared. They look like men about to face certain death.


    I think this would be the part where if either were guilty they¡¯d make some kind of move to defend themselves but they¡¯re just following orders as Massimo motions for them to move to the wall in a standard interrogation lineup.


    Massimo signals for us to join him so we do.


    Me first then Dominic at my side. Viktor and Aidene to my right. We all aim our guns at the men standing by the wall. Men who look afraid.


    Fear ripples from them and sadness at what mighte next.


    They both look afraid, and sad, both are signs I always take to mean something for good or bad.


    The guilty never tend to look the way these men do. Either they¡¯ll jump straight to terrified when they¡¯ve been caught out and beg for their lives, or they¡¯ll have a nonchnce about them as they continue to lie about their innocence.


    ¡°I want to hear what dealings you have with Mortimer Viggo,¡± Massimo demands and they look shocked.


    ¡°The leader of the Circle of Shadows would not converse with men like us. You know how he feels about Italians. It¡¯s obvious he swayed Rardo because they both needed each other,¡± La says.


    ¡°You might have needed him too,¡± Massimo replies. ¡°That man will work with whoever can benefit him the most and he¡¯s always been seeking to eradicate the Syndicate. Tell me now what part you had to y in helping him, or you¡¯re fucking dead.¡±


    ¡°Massimo please don¡¯t do this,¡± La says.


    A chorus of begging begins but I hear something strange against the background of conversation.


    It¡¯s a chopping sound¡­no. That¡¯s not it.


    Thrip, thrip, thrip.


    des slice through the air, beat against the air. Dominic hears it too, then we all do.


    It¡¯s toote when that happens because we see what¡¯s making the sound.


    A military helicopter hovers in front of the floor to ceiling ss windows with a man dressed in full ck carrying a machine gun.


    No one can just walk into D¡¯Agostinos Inc without being searched, so it makes sense for our enemies to fly.


    Fuck.


    As the bullets spray smashing the ss, I dive to my left covering my brother. I knock Dominic to the ground getting him out of the way and we both flip the table to cover ourselves.


    Panicked I look for Massimo and see he¡¯s shooting back from behind the pir near where he stood. He¡¯s covering himself as best as possible but he¡¯s in the open. The pir isn¡¯t wide enough.


    it¡¯s not going to be enough to shield him from all those bullets. Franco is shooting from the ground.


    La and Viktor got hit. They¡¯re on the ground with bullets all over their bodies. Dead. They¡¯re dead. This is shit, more shit we never sawing. There¡¯s never been an attack on thepany like this before. How the fuck did this happen?


    Aiden is behind the desk with the overhead projector shielding himself the way we are.


    Franko rushes to Massimo but both are too exposed. Franco gets hit and that¡¯s when I know I have to do something or I¡¯ll lose another brother today.


    I turn to Dominic who looks as freaked out as I do. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move. You fucking hear me?¡±


    I tell him and I thank God when he nods.


    I look back to the shooter. I have just one shot but I have to get in the right position to take it, and quick.


    On three I run out and fire one lone bullet that gets him in his head and he falls from the helicopter.


    I continue shooting hitting the pilot as he tries to get away and the helicopter spirals out of control.


    It flies off at first thenes down hard over in the park, crashnding with a loud explosion that shakes everything like an earthquake.


    A hollow takes residence inside me as I watch the mes go up and the people around scramble for protection.


    This was nned. Someone knew we¡¯d be here.


    I turn around returning my focus to those in the room both the living and the dead.


    A rush of sadness washes over me as I focus on Aiden holding Viktor¡¯s lifeless body. Tears stream down his cheeks. Tears he tries to hold back but they flow from the pain of loss. They force through until he caves and breaks down.


    I see Viktor¡¯s face and grit my teeth. He was a good guy, one I felt I could trust. He loved his father the way we loved ours. In our world it¡¯s not often to get supportive fathers who love their sons the way ours did.


    The work he and Aiden did helped us to find out the extra information we needed to have about Mortimer.


    Clearly this is him. This is his doing. Trying to kill us again andunch an attack on what remains of the Syndicate.


    Massimo¡­ Dominic is with him. Both look to me with worry in their eyes.


    This was nned because of who was here. The people who were about to reform the Syndicate.


    That was a n to kill all of us, me included.


    The three remaining D¡¯Agostino brothers, the Romanov brothers, and the two remaining brothers of the Mazzone family.


    Franco and La Mazzone are both dead.


    I was right. they weren¡¯t guilty. They weren¡¯t traitors. Not the ones we¡¯re after.


    They weren¡¯t part of the secret plot, and not the kruv¡¯ omerta¡¯.


    So who was it?

 75

    ISABELLA Fog¡­ I¡¯m here again.


    Back in the house, stuck in the dream. The nightmare and just likest time I¡¯m aware.


    Stuck in a dream within a dream, knowing what¡¯s going to happen before it does. cursed to watch it y out over and over again.


    I¡¯m on the stairs, fully reverted to my ten-year-old self.


    I¡¯m walking then rushing down the steps as my mother screams. The scream like always pierces through me chilling me to the bone. I feel it the same as I do every single time I see this moment y out in my mind.


    She¡¯s there on the floor and my father is stabbing her over and over again.


    ¡°No!¡± I scream as if I can stop it from happening.


    I can¡¯t.


    The stabbing continues and then I see that man behind my father.


    The Italian man with mid-length hair and a crooked nose.


    He sees me and I fixate on him. Who is he? What is he doing here? Why did he stand back and watch my father murder my mother in such a brutal way.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    As arms grab me I jump out of my sleep.


    My eyes snap open and I see Candace standing over me. her face a mixture of concern and curiosity.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s just me,¡± she says. ¡°You were dreaming.¡±


    I open my mouth to talk but I can¡¯t catch my breath. She rushes over to the table with the pitcher of water and pours me a ss.


    When shees back over to me she sits on the edge of the bed and hands it to me.


    I take it and practically down it. The cool liquid soothes my throat and calms me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell her.


    ¡°Feel better?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks for the water. Hits the spot every time.¡±


    I might have calmed from the effects of the nightmare but now my heart is racing because of her. I don¡¯t know if it was her who saw me and Tristan the other night in the garden.


    Before Tristan left, he told me Candace would take care of me, but my embarrassment made me avoid her yesterday. I figured it could only have been a select few people who would have seen us and she was one of them. There are two guards I¡¯ve seen making rounds but the majority have their positions around the ind and inside the house.


    The thought that it could be her makes me blush. Yesterday she came up to give me food and invited me toe downstairs but I told her I wasn¡¯t feeling well. Now she¡¯s back, most likely with instructions to keep mepany. I¡¯d rather she didn¡¯t until I know for sure who saw us.


    I¡¯m the sheltered princess. I can¡¯t believe someone caught me having sex outside, and I don¡¯t even know who it is.


    ¡°You okay? The dream, or rather nightmare seemed pretty bad,¡± Candace says.


    ¡°It always is,¡± I answer and think about it. I¡¯ve been seeing that man in the nightmare more. I never saw him at all until I came here.


    It¡¯s understandable that I¡¯d feelpletely disorientated given what¡¯s happened to me in getting here but it¡¯s weird. Maybe my mind is trying to tell me something.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it? Sometimes it¡¯s good to talk about things that might be bothering you like that. It helps release them from your mind.¡± As she speaks I feel like maybe it wasn¡¯t her who saw Tristan and me. She¡¯s not acting like it was her.


    ¡°When you fainted you had nightmares too. You were saying simr things,¡± she points out. ¡°I used to have really bad nightmares.¡±


    It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve gotten the impression that Candace went through tough life experiences like me. That same day when I fainted she said her parents did the devil¡¯s bidding. Mine was the devil himself.


    I¡¯ve never really spoken about my dream and I¡¯m not sure I should. She¡¯s right about releasing things from your mind but I don¡¯t know if I can, or if I should. When I told Tristan that my father killed my mother it was different.


    ¡°It was a nightmare about my mother¡¯s death. I saw it,¡± I exin.


    ¡°Is it always the same?¡±


    ¡°No,tely they¡¯ve been stranger.¡± I don¡¯t bother to tell her that being kidnapped could do that to a person because I know she already feels bad enough about her hand in that.


    ¡°Are you worried about your father?¡±


    ¡°No, I stopped worrying about him when I was little. I¡¯ve mostly been afraid of him.¡±


    She brings her hands together and the concern deepens. ¡°I understand. I guess not having the guys around might make you antsy too.¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re safe here. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything happening,¡± she says. ¡°I thought maybe we could hang out today. Maybe have breakfast pic style and we could explore the ind until lunch time.¡±


    I don¡¯t feel much like doing anything but that¡¯s just because my emotions are all over the ce.


    I¡¯m neither here nor there in my mind and I don¡¯t like the fact that someone saw me and Tristan the other night.


    It is however going to be better for me to hang out with Candace than to stay in here all day left to my thoughts. That¡¯s what I was like yesterday. Just overthinking and worrying.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like that. I¡¯ll get ready.¡±


    ¡°Cool, I¡¯ll pack the basket and we can head out,¡± she beams and I nod.


    When she leaves I head to the shower and change into a t-shirt and a pair of shorts.


    It¡¯s so weird not having my own clothes around. Things I¡¯m used to, that I bought myself.


    Although, I definitely have to give the maid credit for all the clothes she got, and for getting my size right. She even got my bra size right and I usually have to get fitted for that.


    It¡¯s just been strange to have someone buy clothes for me that I didn¡¯t pick out myself. It¡¯s as strange as my situation of being captive.


    A role that¡¯s starting to fade from me. I¡¯m not feeling like I am anymore. The feeling started to go from that day when Tristan told me he believed me. With that came that glimmer of hope that I might make it out alive. I most certainly haven¡¯t felt like a captive since I gave the information about Nickoli and not since I¡¯ve been sleeping with Tristan.


    All of which betrays my father, all of it. Even telling them that I didn¡¯t know where he was is part of the betrayal because I could have made something up that would have tricked Tristan and got a message to my father.


    But¡­ I feel nothing.


    If things go as nned it will be over soon. All of this will be over, even if I¡¯ll still be who I am.


    Isabe Viggo.


    At least when it¡¯s over I might be able to disassociate myself from the blood that flows through my veins.


    I put my hair up in a messy bun and venture downstairs.


    Candace is ready with a basket and it smells like she has freshly made bread inside.


    We walk out to the garden that overlooks the beach and has the perfect view.


    It¡¯s a bright sunny day, and the sky is so clear I have a hard time believing it rained so heavily the other day.


    Candace spreads a table cloth out on the grass and starts taking out the food which is as gorgeous as it smells.


    There are rolls of bread just like I predicted. There are chocte muffins and cookies, croissants and little pots of jam. She also packed mini omelettes and an assortment of goodies that admittedly cheer me up.


    ¡°Wow, this all looks so great,¡± I state as I sit on the cloth and sit cross legged.


    ¡°I thought you might like it. It¡¯s also my attempt to distract you¡­ from everything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I answer, seeing that her reference to everything really means everything. ¡°I should let you know them that I¡¯m distracted, from everything.¡± She chuckles ¡°So, now that we¡¯re out here we can rx and forget everything that exists beyond those trees.¡±


    She points at the grove of trees ahead of us that lead back to the house.


    ¡°Okay, I can do this.¡±


    She starts buttering the bread and hands me a roll which I dly take.


    ¡°You know for the amount of sugar I eat I¡¯m surprised I don¡¯t gain more weight,¡± Candace muses.


    ¡°I stay the same size all the time.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh really? I¡¯m so jealous. I have to watch my weight, but when you have as much stress as I do the weight naturally falls off.¡± I say that like it¡¯s funny. It isn¡¯t really.


    ¡°I know what you mean. What do you do in Rhode Ind?¡±


    ¡°I want to be a therapist. I work at a therapeutic clinic.¡±


    She looks impressed. ¡°Wow, that sounds amazing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. It took me awhile to work out what I wanted to do but I have. If all goes to n though, I¡¯m hoping to move somewhere I can have a fresh start.¡±


    ¡°Where did you want to go?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere, just not there. I enjoyed college and I love my job, but Rhode Ind has too many bad memories.¡± Like Eric¡¯s death.


    Russia has my mother¡¯s death and I don¡¯t wish to go back there either. As to whether I might feel different in the future is my guess. Right now it¡¯s how I feel.


    ¡°I hear you. I¡¯m almost, almost like that with LA. Although my bad memories aren¡¯t really linked to the ce.¡±


    ¡°What do you do in L. A?¡± I ask.


    ¡°That¡¯s a really good question since I think I¡¯ve been in a state of flux for some time. Right now I guess I¡¯m an assistant to the brothers at theirpany.¡±


    Again I realize that I don¡¯t know much about Tristan, and I¡¯m not sure how much to ask Candace.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You seem close to them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since we were children. I¡¯m probably one of those friends who hung around that you can¡¯t get rid of,¡± she says with augh but I can see a dullness in her eyes. ¡°At least I make myself useful by working. Today though I thought what the heck, we¡¯re here on this beautiful ind, might as well enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree. ¡°It¡¯s a truly beautiful ind.¡±


    ¡°It definitely is that. Tristan surprised the hell out of me. You can marvel at most ces because of the natural beauty which of course this does have, given it¡¯s an ind but he designed everything that makes it striking,¡± she exins and my eyes widen.


    ¡°What do you mean? He actually designed the ce?¡± He never told me that.


    ¡°From the house to the waterfall and all the gardens around. He and Alyssa were crazy together when they were kids. They used toe up with all sorts of madness when we were growing up.


    Like the ind with a castle on it that no one could find but them. This ind is their fantasy. Every single part of it.¡±


    Alyssa¡­ I guess that was her name. Tristan¡¯s wife. Candace must have thought I knew about her.


    I steady my breath and try to look nonchnt and as impressed as I should be but I¡¯m not so sure I do such a good job. Right now I think I might fail at not looking jealous, which ispletely absurd.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive,¡± I say with a little smile. ¡°He must have truly loved her.¡±


    She seems to sense the uneasiness in my voice.


    ¡°Yeah he did. I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t talk about her. You look upset which is understandable.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s beautiful to hear about love like that. It¡¯s me who shouldn¡¯t talk about her though. It was my father who was responsible for her death.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make you guilty.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m here because of her, right? I¡¯m guilty by association. I know things have changed but it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s not. I don¡¯t believe in guilty by association. I think that¡¯s a concept that wanting revenge creates. You aren¡¯t your father Isabe and while you can feel sorrow for the things he¡¯s done, you can¡¯t feel guilty because blood doesn¡¯t define who you are.¡±


    Her words mean a lot.


    ¡°Thanks. I appreciate that,¡± I say and she gives me a curt nod. ¡°I¡¯m not like him. I was never like him, and honestly I don¡¯t know how it was my mother ended up with a man like him.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes we¡¯ll never know the reasons for things our parents do,¡± she replies. It¡¯s another wise answer I agree with.


    I¡¯ve never been able to understand either of my parents and both their decisions led me here to a ce where I¡¯m plotting my father¡¯s death.

 76

    Tristan I open the door and smile when I see Alfonse standing on the other side.


    He marches into my house the same way Pa would and has a stern expression on his face. He¡¯s been edgy since yesterday.


    The edginess skipped over me and I¡¯ve been filled with rage.


    ¡°Must you boys head out again?¡± Alfonse asks.


    ¡°Yeah. We need to,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s a good idea to go separating yourselves? I certainly don¡¯t,¡± he states.


    We¡¯ve had this conversation before. If he knew who were going back to he¡¯d understand better, but since we¡¯ve kept Isabe a secret to most it¡¯s understandable why he¡¯d be worried about us.


    ¡°Alfonse, I have to. It¡¯s important.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you keep telling me. You do realize you guys could have been wiped out yesterday right? All three of you gone like your father and brother. Everything gone in minutes.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I shuffle my weight from one foot to the other and stare back at him. I don¡¯t have much time. Our flight leaves in an hour. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us Alfonse. There are important things we need to take care of. Things that can¡¯t be left.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it more important to find out what¡¯s going on here?¡± he throws back.


    ¡°It¡¯s Mortimer Viggo. That¡¯s the answer.¡±


    ¡°And what if it¡¯s not him? Your father taught you to never assume. It will get you killed.¡±


    As if I don¡¯t remember Pa¡¯s teachings.


    I remember well and I don¡¯t think I¡¯m assuming. ¡°By saying Mortimer Viggo, I mean everybody else who¡¯s working for him,¡± I fill in.


    ¡°Tristan I don¡¯t like the fact that you¡¯re all dispersed. Yesterday could have gone different if it was just Massimo in the room. Being together meant you could protect each other.¡±


    ¡°Alfonse, I think it was because we were together why that happened. I don¡¯t know who the fuck told the other side we¡¯d be there. There¡¯s a fucking fox in the henhouse, again. Or, rather he or she has been there the whole time and never actually left.¡±


    The staff at D¡¯Agostinos are being questioned and checked out. When shit like this happens we check everybody out and leave no stone unturned. Since everyone so far hase back clean I think our phones were tampered with. Dominic can do all kinds of shit people could never imagine. I won¡¯t assume Mortimer doesn¡¯t have someone like him working with him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. It¡¯s sad and unnerving that it¡¯se to this.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more.¡± He looks scared, more scared than I¡¯ve ever seen him and he has every reason to be.


    Until yesterday I considered us to be powerful enough that nobody would be able to do such a thing to us. I couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. It was a nned assassination.


    After the incident I contemted whether Mortimer might know we have Isabe, but then I realized that was impossible. It was an isted incident.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I still freaked though and called Candace to check in to see if she and Isabe were okay. When you have a target on your back paranoia is expected. Honestly I¡¯m anxious to return to the ind and I¡¯m even more anxious to get to Mortimer. Even though it means saying goodbye to Isabe.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get to the bottom of this,¡± I promise him. ¡°We have ns in motion that should eradicate the major threat,¡± I say. I owe him some form of reassurance.


    If I were in his shoes I¡¯d want it. He¡¯s worked for us long before I was born. He¡¯s like family, and I¡¯ve worked close enough with him in thepany to consider him part of the family who are as valuable to me as the staff I grew up with. They all took care of us and he¡¯s just doing that now.


    ¡°I just worry for you.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that. Alfonse, I gotta run,¡± I say. Dominic is supposed to meet me on board the ne but I wanted to see if he would agree to grab coffee first. I messaged him earlier but he didn¡¯t reply.


    Surprise, surprise. He¡¯s still not fucking talking to me, even after yesterday. The first person I thought to protect was him.


    I¡¯m hoping to get to the airport early just in case he does decide to turn up.


    ¡°Alright, be careful. Please,¡± Already says and I give him a nod.


    Dominic arrives a few minutes before we¡¯re scheduled to board the ne. It¡¯s not as early as I wanted him to be but since he came carrying two cups of coffee I can¡¯t exactly argue.


    I hope the sight means we¡¯re past this flux of shit that¡¯se to get us.


    I¡¯m standing just by the jet smoking a cigar. I put it out when he approaches and take the cup he hands me.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say.


    ¡°No worries. Couldn¡¯t trust you to get coffee, you get the cheap stuff.¡± He smirks and he looks like he¡¯s on board again.


    I pull him in for a one shouldered hug. I can¡¯t help myself, I might look like a pussy but he¡¯s worried the shit out of me.


    ¡°You do what you think for coffee, I don¡¯t care, just as long as you turn up.¡±


    He nods. ¡°Okay¡­ Tristan, thanks for having my back yesterday. Didn¡¯t get to say much after.


    Saying thanks for my life was hard when the others lost theirs.¡±


    ¡°No worries, you don¡¯t have to thank me for that. You would have done the same thing. That¡¯s why we have each other¡¯s backs.¡±


    He nods agreement.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting dangerous. Real dangerous, Tristan. If we can be attacked just like that in broad daylight who knows what else can happen. I¡¯m eager to get Mortimer out of the picture and whoever else we can take down with him.¡±


    ¡°I know. Me too. It feels like we¡¯ve been on this journey for several lifetimes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly what it feels like. Like this one life has been stretched to capacity. There¡¯s only so much we can take. It won¡¯t just stop with Mortimer. There were four others and this Italian family. We don¡¯t even know where to start looking for them. There¡¯s no clues anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Except for our anonymous friend,¡± I impart. Again I wonder who the hell it is.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that guy is going to show his face until he¡¯s ready. If at all. I doubt we can rely on him more than we have with the letter. It was that letter that got us in motion. We wouldn¡¯t have known things were being plotted under wraps.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it seems like the war he warned started when we read the letter. Think about it.


    Things have been quiet for over eighteen months and then there¡¯s an attack when we get together to reform the Syndicate. It¡¯s suspect Dominic. That guy-assuming it¡¯s a guy- who wrote the letter, wrote it because they knew we wouldn¡¯t read something like that and do fuck all. War wille?


    Nah, war has been brewing. That¡¯s what.¡±


    ¡°Christ¡­¡± ¡°Well¡­ if we get Mortimer then that¡¯s a big enemy down.¡±


    Big enemy¡­ I hope so. I hope he¡¯s the worst of the bunch, but I can¡¯t assume. If this goes well and we can get to him then I have to be aware that there might be bigger fish in the sea. People who don¡¯t want the Syndicate to reform and definitely not with the kind of mafia bosses Massimo wants to include.


    It¡¯s night by the time we arrive on the Ind.


    It¡¯s close to ten and all I want to do is see Isabe.


    I pushed the desire to the back burner when Dominic insists on us making dinner. I wanted to watch him. I didn¡¯t ask him anything more about the drugs because I didn¡¯t want to ruin what we seemed to reconnect.


    He went up to bed around an hourter and I made my way to Isabe¡¯s room to check on her.


    Much as I wanted to see her, I didn¡¯t have any intention of waking her.


    I never expected to see her light on or find her sitting on the terrace watching the sea crash against the rocks.


    She stands when she sees me and I can see her trying not to look too happy but failing.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she says with a little smile.


    ¡°Yeah, I got back an hour ago. Thought you might be asleep.¡±


    ¡°No. I couldn¡¯t. I thought I¡¯d wait to see¡­¡± Her voice trails off like she¡¯s stopping herself in thought and word from saying the wrong thing.


    I however want to hear what it was she was going to say.


    ¡°See what?¡±


    She nces down at her feet, bashful and tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear.


    I move closer and reach for her beautiful, doll like face. I lift her chin and guide her gaze right up to meet mine.


    ¡°See what, Isabe?¡± I prod and gaze deep into her eyes.


    ¡°You¡­¡± she says in barely above a whisper.


    Every time I¡¯m with her I tread a dangerous path. One I know I must take. I look at her and we¡¯re not captor and captive anymore. we aren¡¯t even those people from the club. we¡¯re us. we¡¯ve grown past all of that and I¡¯m trying hard to resist what my heart wants me to feel for her, but I can¡¯t.


    I look at her and I¡¯m not thinking at all of where she came from, or who she came from. I¡¯m not thinking of who might see me with her, or what they might think. I¡¯m thinking of right now when I lower to her lips and kiss her.


    She kisses back with the same passion and I pick her up to carry her into the room, on to the bed.


    Layer byyer our clothese off , then all it is, is skin to skin body to body. soul to soul.


    When I slide into her slick opening, the infernal heat of need grips me. I take her like I¡¯ve never taken anyone and I control the swirl of emotion that takes me.


    I know when I¡¯m making love from when I¡¯m just fucking around. This is making love and it¡¯s only ever happened to me with one person.


    I never thought It could happen again. I never thought I¡¯d allow it to happen again. It¡¯s well known in our world that women are a weakness we shouldn¡¯t afford. But what happens when you meet one you want to keep forever?


    I allow myself to be selfish. I allow myself the indulgence I know I can¡¯t have but I¡¯m having. I allow my heart to feel what it wants for the woman in my arms and be the man I used to be before the darkness took me.

 77

    ISABELLA The sun rose a little while ago. I¡¯m not sure what time it is. I think it¡¯s still early enough to be ssed as early morning.


    I¡¯ve just been lying next to Tristan watching him sleep.


    He¡¯s out cold. It¡¯s moments like these when I feel like I¡¯m the one who has him at my mercy.


    I openly stare at him, admiring the beauty of his face and his gorgeous mass of hair, wild and tousled. A result of our wild love making all night.


    That¡¯s what we didst night. Make love. I might not have been with many men or be as experienced as other people but I know how I feel. I know how I feltst night and the change urred from the second he kissed me.


    It was a surrender to the call of what we want to be. It¡¯s like that man and that woman who met in the park weeks ago are calling to us to explore what they wanted us to be.


    His breathing changes and then his eyes flutter open. The piercing blue is the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.


    He lifts his head slightly when he sees me looking and smiles revealing his straight white teeth.


    ¡°You¡¯re watching me again, Bellezza, if you¡¯re not careful I might get the wrong idea,¡± he says.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what other ideas you could have signore than all we¡¯ve done,¡± I say.


    ¡°Well I might think you want to have me all over again, like you haven¡¯t had enough.¡±


    ¡°You might be right. I might not have had enough.¡±


    His smile widens then falters when he looks past my head and sees how bright it is outside.


    I watch him and can almost read his mind. He¡¯s thinking about leaving because it¡¯s going to look suspicious that he¡¯s in here with me. I just don¡¯t want him to go anywhere.


    Once he goes through that door everything will change again. Realityes back.


    Maybe it wouldn¡¯t if he stayed with me.


    ¡°Do you have to go? I mean¡­ I know you have to go. I get it, but couldn¡¯t you just stay today? We could go outside or something and you could find some excuse to stay with me. Just today.¡±


    His gaze clings to mine. ¡°I¡¯ll stay. How about I just stay and we don¡¯t worry about any excuse. I¡¯ll just stay.¡±


    My heart lifts at the thought and I smile at him. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. So¡­ what do you want to do with me today?¡±


    Iugh. ¡°What do I want to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more about you. I want to know about you.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­but only if you tell me more about you.¡± He straightens up and a lock of hair falls over his eye.


    ¡°I thought you knew everything about me.¡±


    ¡°No, I want the stuff you can¡¯t find. The things only you can tell me. Like your favorite color, although I have a feeling it¡¯s pink.¡±


    ¡°It is pink.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now I can check that off my list.¡± He smiles.


    ¡°What else do you want to know that¡¯s not on paper?¡±


    ¡°Everything, Bellezza. I want to know everything.¡±


    ¡°I want to know everything about you too.¡±


    ¡°Okay then the first thing you should know is I like you.¡±


    I smile back at him. ¡°I like you too.¡±


    We spent most of the day on the beach and when we went back we had dinner on the terrace of my room.


    Candace and Dominic weren¡¯t around when we got back in so we just brought up the food the maids made and enjoyed thepany of each other.


    I had Tristan all to myself all day and all night.


    I fell asleep cocooned in his arms, safe. But then I was stolen away by my dreams. Taken away captive to the memories that enve me to the past.


    That is where I¡¯m truly helpless against my will. Kidnapped by my memories of the nightmares that haunt me.


    Fog fills the room thick and stifling.


    I¡¯m here again.


    I¡¯m on the stairs.


    I¡¯ve been here so often I¡¯ve be part of the fog, part of the memory that won¡¯t leave me.


    My mother screams and I run to find her on the floor. My father, that wicked devil stabs her over and over again.


    Blood is everywhere. Mama¡¯s head rolls to the side and she looks at me with cold dead eyes.


    Seeing me but not seeing me.


    ¡°No!¡± I scream as my father continues to stab her.


    He doesn¡¯t stop, but I see that man behind him.


    His facees into view clearer than before.


    His crooked nose seems more pronounced and his brown eyes hold a dark sheen to them as he stares back at me .


    I¡¯m paralyzed by his stare. I wait to be taken away likest time but the arms that bound me don¡¯te tonight.


    I realize then that whoever that person was knew what was going on. They knew my mother was being killed too and did nothing.


    I wait for something to happen, anything. I¡¯m just stuck here standing around waiting. Staring at the scene before me as everyone stays where they are, frozen in time.


    the fog suddenly thickens and then their gone. Gone but reced by something else. another memory.


    I see myself this time sneaking down the passageway of somewhere dark. I¡¯m young. Maybe twelve¡­ yes¡­ I remember this. I am twelve. I¡¯m at Nikoli¡¯s house. His was the first home I stayed in when I moved to the States.


    It¡¯s dark and I remember hearing voices.


    I creep in the passageway and stop in the shadows where I can see three men. My father, Nikoli and that man from the night my mother was murdered.


    ¡°Y ou have proven your worth,¡± my father says to the Italian man. ¡°Y ou have been a true brother in arms for enough years and now the time hase for us to ept you as a member of the fold. We will form the Kruv¡¯ omerta. The blood code between Russia and Italia.¡±


    They raise drinks and clink sses then set them on the table. Then one by one they take a knife and pierce the tops of their fingers. Blood drips on to a piece of paper and one by one and they all say ¡®kruv¡¯ omerta.


    ¡°Cu e surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent¡¯anni ¡®mpaci,¡± the Italian man says. ¡°He who is deaf, blind and silent will live a hundred years in peace. I be a brother of the Circle of Shadows this day forward, pleading my allegiance to the order. A pact between Russia and Italia.¡±


    I watch then suddenly those arms I waited for to take mees for me. And I can¡¯t breathe.


    Everything fades to the darkness.


    ¡°Isabe¡­¡± someone is calling me but they sound far away. ¡°Isabe, wake up Bellezza. It¡¯s just a nightmare,e back to me.¡±


    It¡¯s Tristan.


    His voice pierces through the darkness like a light and I follow it. I open my eyes and see him.


    I start coughing and run my hand through my hair which is matted with sweat. I¡¯m drenched in it.


    He sits me up in the bed and switches on the light, then grabs a cup of water.


    I down it and need more. He gets me more and it¡¯s only with that second ss that I feel better, but not calm.


    ¡°Isabe, it was a nightmare baby,¡± Tristan says taking both my hands into his.


    ¡°I keep having the same nightmare and it¡¯s not of Eric anymore. It¡¯s just of her¡­ my mother.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re finally able to do something to get justice,¡± he suggest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Tristan¡­ there was someone else in the room with my father. A man. He watched as my father stabbed her over and over again. He was there watching.¡± I recall the whole blood ritual too. I¡¯ve heard of things like that and that was the one and only one I saw. That time it was Sacha that grabbed me and told me to never let my father know I saw them.


    He didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d seen the man before. I think though it was more about what they were doing, as in the significance of it. Kruv¡¯ omerta. I know what it trantes to but not what it means.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Bellezza.¡±


    I want to know what it all means. I¡¯ve never been able to ask anyone.


    ¡°Kruv¡¯ omerta. Cu e surdu, orbu e taci, campa cent¡¯anni ¡®mpaci. He who is deaf, blind and silent will live a hundred years in peace. Kruv¡¯ omerta,¡± I say and Tristan¡¯s hand stills on mine. His skin goes pale and I realize I¡¯ve said something of importance.


    ¡°Isabe where did you hear that?¡± he asks.


    ¡°It was a secret meeting I shouldn¡¯t have seen. I dreamt about it. It happened ten years ago. The same man was there with my father and Nikoli. Does Kruv¡¯ omerta have some significant meaning. I know Kruv¡¯ is blood in Russian. Omerta¡¯ refers to the Italian code of silence. But I¡¯ve never hear the two words together except for that night. I remember the man because it was the second time I¡¯d seen him after my mother¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God. Oh my¡­ God. Do you know who he is?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s Italian. That¡¯s all I know.¡± Which is nothing. Tristan is Italian.


    ¡°Did you ever see him again?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No, never.¡±


    ¡°But you could recognize him?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I would. I would definitely recognize him if I saw him.¡±


    We stare at each other. I notice the shift in his mood.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening? Who do you think he is?¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Someone who¡¯s part of the plot to destroy us all. Kruv¡¯ omerta is a secret blood oath the Bratva and Italian mafia take. It¡¯s a rare thing. Thank you for telling me about your dream.¡±


    ¡°I dream about him almost every night. It¡¯s like my mind is screaming to me to remember the past.


    I¡¯m scared of what could happen next.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you,¡± he promises. ¡°I will take care of you.¡±


    He brings my hands up to his lips to kiss and I fall for him even more than I should.

 78

    TRISTAN Dominic stares back at me in shock and runs a hand through his hair.


    I just told him what happened with Isabe and he¡¯s as stunned as I am.


    I decided to head down to his room when Isabe went back to sleep. It¡¯s morning now. The sun has just risen and it seems like we have pieces of the puzzle fitting together to form something.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t know who he was?¡± Dominic asks.


    ¡°No. She would have first seen him when she was ten,¡± I exin. ¡°Then again when she was twelve. She hasn¡¯t seen him since and has no idea who he is. Kruv¡¯ omerta. It has to be our guy Dominic. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    I can¡¯t believe the coincidence.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s one hell of a lead, especially if she can identify him. Bearing mind we¡¯re talking about ten years ago from when shest saw him. It¡¯s a lead though. Did she say anything else?¡±


    ¡°No. It was all part of the nightmares she¡¯s been having.¡± I say that without thinking first so I should expect the cautious look he gives me.


    ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with her, so I guess you¡¯d know.¡± he states.


    I decide to do the sensible thing and think about my next words carefully since now I¡¯m beginning to sense that it was him who saw me and Isabe in the garden.


    I¡¯m aware I wasn¡¯t supposed to cross the line with her, but I don¡¯t want to hide whatever I have.


    It¡¯s temporary. At least that¡¯s what I¡¯m telling myself. I know when this is over it¡¯s the end, so I won¡¯t upset anybody because I couldn¡¯t keep my dick in my pants.


    ¡°It¡¯s something I noticed,¡± I answer and he gives me a look of disbelief.


    ¡°Right. Guess you see a lot.¡±


    I¡¯m not in the mood for shit or to argue with my brother like we¡¯re squabbling infants. Now isn¡¯t the time to be poking at each other but if he wants to poke at me I can do the fucking same to him. I¡¯ve been holding off to keep the peace, but it hasn¡¯t meant I stopped worrying.


    ¡°Yeah I guess I do see a lot, like when I saw you sniffing that shit,¡± I throw back. ¡°I haven¡¯t dropped it Dominic. I¡¯ve just been taking my time with you.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you. Mind your damn business and stop using me of bull shit.¡±


    ¡°Stop denying it. I saw you. Stop keeping secrets from me that could hurt you,¡± I argue.


    ¡°Looks like we all have our secrets.¡±


    I think that¡¯s confirmation enough that it was indeed him who was watching me with Isabe the other night.


    We stare at each other. I won¡¯t deny anything if I¡¯m asked. I¡¯m not a man like that. Clearly he¡¯s seen me and right now he¡¯s waiting for me to challenge him and be some kind of fucker who lies through his teeth.


    I know I¡¯m in the wrong. What I feel though isn¡¯t wrong.


    I¡¯m about to say something when a beeping sound steals my thoughts. Dominic¡¯s eyes snap wide and he practically trips over himself to get to hisputer.


    There¡¯s a red light beeping on a device he has attached to the monitor.


    ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± he hisses when his screenes to life. ¡°I found Mortimer. Oh my God.¡±


    I rush over too and watch as his hands fly across the keyboard tapping in all manner of letters and numbers lightning fast, until he pauses and a mapes on the screen. There¡¯s one red dot beeping at a location in Rhode ind; Nickoli¡¯s house, and there¡¯s a blue dot beeping in Mongolia.


    ¡°He¡¯s actually talking to Nickoli now,¡± Dominic says hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get to see and hear him. I¡¯ll know if the sequence works in a few seconds.¡±


    My God, then tension is gripping. It¡¯s fucking gripping and I swear I could die right here from the suspense.


    The blue dot shes and then the screen goes ck. There¡¯s a crackle of static for a second and then and image of the devil I¡¯ve been looking for thest six years appears.


    Hees on screen, unknowing he¡¯s been watched, and fuck, I realize I¡¯ve seen the fucker before. I saw him at Allyssa¡¯s father¡¯s house.


    He¡¯s sitting in a arm chair looking like he¡¯s some kind of king. His hair is silver now and his eyes have the look of evil.


    ¡°There¡¯s no sign of Isabe,¡± Nikoli says to him. ¡°No sign of Sacha either.¡±


    ¡°I cannot believe this. How is it possible that we can¡¯t find either of them. you make me look bad, like shit.¡± Mortimer growls at Nickoli, his Russian ent is thick and demeaning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where to look next. It¡¯s clear she escaped, we have the image of her in the car.


    There was no sign of a struggle so I don¡¯t think she was taken.¡±


    Good, I¡¯m d they still think that. I¡¯m d it all yed out in this way because it still buys us time. The element of surprise is always best.


    Sun Tzu couldn¡¯t have said it better in the Art of War  the whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent.


    That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re doing. Confusing this fucker. This motherfucker thinks he¡¯s so powerful and so untouchable he can¡¯t even guess that his precious daughter has been taken. It¡¯s been weeks.


    This is going into the third week since I¡¯ve had her and they still think she¡¯s escaped, Sacha too.


    ¡°I¡¯ming over to Rhode Ind Saturday. I¡¯ll be at your ce there by six. I¡¯ll find Isabe myself if you haven¡¯t found her by then and deal with her ordingly for pulling a stunt like this. Kill Sacha if you find him.¡±


    The extent in his fury is evident when the call disconnects and the image cuts.


    Dominic and I look at each other.


    We have him, we got him, we know where he is and what he looks like.


    ¡°We found him Tristan,¡± Dominic rasps.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Can I suggest we wait for him to get to Rhode Ind. That gives us five days to n and it¡¯s going to be quicker. Looks like where he¡¯s in Mongolia is difficult to get to. And we¡¯re gonna need bigger wings. It¡¯s doable but not efficient because it would take us about three days to get to him and by then he might be on his way out.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. I agree. I think we use the time wisely, head back to LA and gather forces then go to Rhode Ind on Thursday.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like we have a n. We should leave tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°We should.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    So this is it.


    It¡¯s goodbye Isabe. It doesn¡¯t need to be me who makes contact to identify our elusive Italian friend. In fact I think I¡¯ll just let Massimo know and he can liaise with her on that.


    When I leave tomorrow I think that should be it, a clean break. It¡¯s best not to prolong things, not in our case.


    Better to just get it over and done with.


    It will be best for the both of us, even if I don¡¯t want to believe it.

 79

    ISABELLA Tristan has been away for most of the day. I had a feeling he was speaking with his brother about my mysterious dream. I couldn¡¯t imagine that a dream locked in my head could be of so much importance, unearthing more secrets.


    Tristanes through the door, his face a tell that things are about to change. I can always sense things like that. The clue is in his eyes and the way he moves as he takes his stride toward me.


    I¡¯m exactly where he always finds me. Out on the terrace watching the sea, watching the waves crash against the rocks. What once used to terrify me for looking so foreboding hase to soothe me. Just like this man.


    His hair lifts in the gentle breeze and his eyes take me in with a glow of admiration I savor. It¡¯s nice to be looked at like that. Nice to have a man look at you and you know he can see what¡¯s inside you.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I say.


    ¡°Hey.¡± He lowers his head and we kiss.


    It¡¯s a brief kiss but it¡¯s nice.


    ¡°I found your father,¡± he tells me and a soft gasp escapes my lips.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he breathes. ¡°Your idea worked. We were able to pick him up from a telecall made to Nikoli.¡±


    ¡°You can do all of that?¡± I¡¯m more impressed.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to take credit but it¡¯s Dominic who¡¯s the brains of the operation. He worked his magic and we located your father. Things are going to move fast from here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be in Rhode Ind on Saturday so we¡¯re going to strike then.¡± He pauses for a moment and runs a hand over his beard. ¡°Um¡­all day I¡¯ve been thinking about what to do with you to keep you safe.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do with me?¡± The longer I look at him the more rification fills my mind.


    The change in the atmosphere I feel is goodbye. The end.


    ¡°Truthfully, I want to keep you here on the ind forever where I know you¡¯ll always be safe. A world away from the darkness, no one can find. That¡¯s what it¡¯s supposed to be. It¡¯s built on a dream from my heart, and since I can¡¯t lock you in my heart this is the only ce I can think of. I want to keep you away from anything and everything that could hurt you. But it would be wrong to do that. It might not be good to cage something wild, but it¡¯s not good to cage anything at all. This is your path to escape everything and do all that you want to do. Live where you want to live, be with whoever you want to be with.¡±


    ¡°Tristan¡­¡± I rasp. My heart is so full and I¡¯m inplete awe at his words. ¡°No one has ever said anything like that to me.¡±


    The other day when Candace told me Tristan built this ce for his wife, I wondered what it would be like to feel so loved. Now I know. I know what it feels like. People have been telling me all my life that the restrictions ced on me were all for my safety and keeping me locked away from the world was all for my good, but all my father did was kill my soul.


    ¡°It¡¯s true Bellezza,¡± he says stroking my cheek. There¡¯s a smile in his eyes but then it fades and the seriousness returns. He drops his hand to his side and straightens up. I know now I¡¯m about to hear the real n. ¡°We¡¯re heading out tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll go to LA first, somewhere safe where you¡¯ll stay until it¡¯s over then someone will apany you back to Rhode Ind where you¡¯ll reunite with Sacha. My guards will sort everything out and make sure you¡¯re both safe.¡±


    I rivet my gaze to his and gaze deep into his bright blue eyes, brimming with so much emotion.


    The wealth spills over into his soul. He said someone would apany me back to Rhode Ind.


    Someone as in not him.


    ¡°What about the man from my dream? Aren¡¯t you going to need me to identify him?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m going to arrange for one of my brothers to talk to you about that when things blow over. I was thinking that maybe going over images of people we know would be a good way to start.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re going to arrange for your brother to talk to me? And someone to take me back to Rhode Ind?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Not¡­ you?¡±


    ¡°Not me. I think it¡¯s best Isabe.¡±


    ¡°So when you leave LA it will be goodbye? I won¡¯t see you again.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t see me again.¡±


    The pang of sorrow that presses against my heart isn¡¯t something I expected. I knew this wasing. Saying goodbye was always on the horizon, I just didn¡¯t know it would feel like this.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was all going to happen so soon, so fast. It was just this morning we spoke.¡± I sound so foolish. I¡¯m making it sound like we really were in a rtionship. We barely know each other. It¡¯s been three weeks since that day we met in the park. That¡¯s not long even if it feels that way.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a man you should see ever again Isabe. I¡¯m not a man you should have in your life, someone who treats you like coteral damage. You and I both know you deserve better and so much more than that,¡± he stops talking and draws in a slow breath. ¡°You need someone who can look at you and the second they see you they think of the person you are. It doesn¡¯t matter where you came from, or whose daughter you are. You are your own person.¡±


    I press my lips together and nibble on the skin. I appreciate his words and confession of what he wants for me, but I¡¯m not ready to say goodbye to him yet.


    ¡°What if I want to see you again?¡±


    ¡°Isabe, I kidnapped you. I drugged you and took you so I could use you to get the location of your father. I will always hate myself for that. I can¡¯t even say sorry, it¡¯s not enough. There¡¯s no sorrow anyone can express for doing what I did. There¡¯s nothing I can say to make it right because it was wrong and of anyone, I should know better than to do something like that to you.¡±


    Everything he¡¯s saying he¡¯s right. Any normal person would agree. In fact it should be me saying those things to him. Me telling him he can¡¯t apologize and there¡¯s no words of sorrow to suffice the terror I felt when he first took me.


    It should be me telling him I shouldn¡¯t have a man like him in my life but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°Are you sorry?¡±


    ¡°I am. I am truly sorry and if I could I¡¯d go back to the night we were at the club and do everything different from there. Everything.¡±


    ¡°What would you have done?¡±


    He gives me a smile. ¡°I would have taken you home. Then I would have gotten to know you. We would have watched those ssic films, and I would have danced with you under the stars every chance I got. Most of all, I would have tried to be the kind of man you deserve.¡± A tear runs down my cheek and he catches it. ¡± Even if you could forgive me, my problems are not going to end with your father. I¡¯m always going to have danger in my life. As long as you¡¯re with me, you¡¯ll be the caged bird who wants to fly and can¡¯t. So this is best. ¡± I shake my head. ¡°Tristan¡­¡±


    He lowers and nts a kiss on my lips. It¡¯s another kiss but one that feels final. One that signifies the end of this whirlwind romance. The forbidden romance we shouldn¡¯t have had.


    ¡°Mne zhal¡¯ my Bellezza,¡± he says and give me a curt nod. Then he turns to go.


    I watch him leave and my heart squeezes.


    I remember wanting to escape.


    I wanted to escape my father and then I wanted to escape Tristan.


    I never realized that being with Tristan was my escape from my father, and being with him was freedom. He allowed me to just be me.

 80

    TRISTAN Saying goodbye like that was one of the hardest things I¡¯ve had to do in a long time.


    When we boarded the ne it felt strange too. Isabe sat with Candace and me with Dominic.


    The tension was noticeable. More than when we were trying to keep our rtions secret.


    I know Candace picked up on it straight away. I think she knew we were involved. She¡¯s the kind of person to pick up on things like that without being told what¡¯s going on. She¡¯s known me my whole life and she¡¯s gotten to know Isabe too.


    From the vibeing off the both of us it¡¯s a little obvious.


    As the ne took off I found myself looking at the ind and promising myself that if I made it through this next battle, I¡¯d go back soon. I never got the ce to let it go to waste.


    I imagined growing old there with Allyssa and having all kinds of memories you cherish. I think it¡¯s time to move on, move past the past and focus on the future. I will be able toy Allyssa to rest properly once I kill Mortimer. I think then and only then will I be able to truly let her go from my heart.


    I steal a nce at Isabe. I can see the perfect image of her on the reflection of one of the little circr mirrors ahead near the tv. She can¡¯t see me. it¡¯s just like before when I was watching her, when she never knew I existed.


    She¡¯s looking through the window. Her head is resting back on the seat and she looks a million miles away.


    I meant what I saidst night. I would have done everything different if things were different. I definitely would have loved to have a chance with her.


    We¡¯re all staying at Massimo¡¯s house as a base.


    We arrived a little over an hour ago and started unpacking. Just like the other day it feels good to be back in L. A. This time it¡¯s good because it feels like we¡¯re moving forwards with a n I¡¯m positive about.


    Dominic is out getting what he needs ready. He¡¯ll be the man with the magic breaking down walls so we can go in and do what we have to do. Everything is ready for us to head back to Rhode ind when the timees. We just need to n out what we¡¯re doing.


    I make my way to Massimo¡¯s office on the ground floor when I finish and find him going through paperwork. It seems strange to see my brother with paperwork all the time now. He started to get like that before Pa died, and now he¡¯s up to his elbows in it.


    I walk into the office and close the door.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yeah, you?¡±


    ¡°Just getting ahead of the game so I don¡¯t have to worry about business. I¡¯ll be der.¡±


    ¡°Do you need help?¡± I offer but I have my own business to tend toter when I speak to Alfonse.


    He¡¯s thest part of the mission.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s all contracts that needed to be signed. Little things that can pile up.¡± He pushes aside the document he was looking in and schools his features as he looks at me. ¡°This looks like it could be it brother. We have a path to get Mortimer once and for all and a lead to this other guy. Two down and the rest is ¡­ well the rest.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think we¡¯ll all feel better when Mortimer is gone and out of the picture. We have personal ties to consider every time we think of him.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more. I¡¯m thinking about the man from Isabe¡¯s dream though. That¡¯s going to be an interesting discovery.¡±


    ¡°You can say that again.¡± I nod.


    When I told him about it he was as shocked as I was. The problem is we don¡¯t know where to start looking for such a person and it¡¯s all still vague as to who it is when ny percent of the people we have dealings with are Italians.


    ¡°Well one thing at a time. There¡¯s no point digging another hole when we haven¡¯t crawled out of the hole we¡¯re already in. But¡­ I have a question for you.¡±


    I incline my head to the side when he takes a cigar from the humidor on his desk and hands it to me. I take it because I¡¯m desperate for a smoke. I also know he¡¯s about to ask me something I¡¯m going to find difficult to answer.


    ¡°What do you want to ask me brother?¡± I say.


    ¡°You asked me to speak with Isabe about this guy. You didn¡¯t want to do it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I light up and take a draw.


    He stares at me and bites the inside of his lip.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know me at all, and she¡¯s gotten to know you a lot over thest few weeks. You don¡¯t think you¡¯d be a better candidate for the job?¡± He raises his brows. I know he¡¯s pussyfooting and trying to drag the truth from me.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I think your best ced to do it. You¡¯re neutral and all about business.¡±


    ¡°And she doesn¡¯t have any sort of feelings for me?¡± he intones.


    I wait a moment before I nod. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Tristan, you are not yourself. I don¡¯t expect you to be in light of what¡¯s happening and I haven¡¯t expected you to be the brother I know since you lost Alyssa, but I sense you care about this girl. Do I have to remind you what you told me about Emelia?¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t and that was different.¡±


    ¡°How? You¡¯re going to seriously tell me that me falling for Emelia was different from whatever you might feel for Isabe?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± And it¡¯s no longer for the reasons I originally thought.


    ¡°You told me to think of what she was. The beautiful woman who captured me from the first moment I saw her. Then Pa told me it didn¡¯t matter where she came from. You can¡¯t help who you feel for.¡±


    I must be wearing my heart on my sleeve because he wouldn¡¯t be talking to me like this if he couldn¡¯t see straight through me.


    ¡°Her father is Mortimer Viggo. She¡¯s lived her life in darkness. She deserves a life free of that. A life free of danger where she can have dreams. She deserves to be able to fall asleep at night and dream, not to be trapped in the nightmares of dark memories.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you could give that to her,¡± he states surprising me.


    I have to smile, briefly, then shake my head. ¡°You know I can¡¯t.¡±


    On that deration I stand and leave.


    Alfonse walks into my living room with that edgy vibe again. I wanted to see him away from everyone so I got him to meet me at home.


    I have special things I need to talk about.


    The first is to inform him of what¡¯s been going on.


    Massimo has allowed me to but only because I need something from him.


    We sit down in the living room and he has that look I¡¯ve grown used to from when I was a boy.


    He looks worried.


    ¡°Tristan, you could give an old man a heart attack with all this suspense,¡± he muses.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, and you aren¡¯t old. You¡¯re barely sixty.¡±


    ¡°I was sixtyst year and this one year that¡¯s flown by has carried enough to age me by a hundred more years.¡±


    I feel the same so I can¡¯t argue that.


    ¡°I have to talk to you about a few things. Notpany rted. You¡¯ve been like a second father to me so I think I trust you as such.¡±


    He sighs and his pale brown eyes gaze back at me with more worry. ¡°I deeply appreciate that and I think of you as a son. You do realize though that you¡¯re scaring me.¡±


    ¡°I know and I don¡¯t mean to but I have to be realistic. There are serious things happening. very serious things I might not make it back from. Alfonse we found Mortimer Viggo,¡± I say and his mouth drops.


    ¡°What? Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I quickly fill him in on what¡¯s been happening for thest few weeks and by the time I finish I swear he looks older.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± he says bringing his hand to his temple. ¡°You have his daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Tristan, that¡¯s like stealing an egg from a dragon¡¯s nest.¡±All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t told you until now. We¡¯re going in to get him once and for all on Friday. If it goes well then great, but if it was that easy to get to a man like that I guess it would have been done already. I don¡¯t expect to make it back out.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying to me?¡±


    ¡°Alfonse, we have to be real. I have to be realistic. I expect to die and it¡¯s the price I pay for what I must do. So I pray I don¡¯t fail. What I want you to do is escort her back to Rhode Ind. I trust you that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking. Ofte trust is a hard thing toe by. You¡¯re the only person I can think of that I trust to take her home, safely.¡±


    He nods with appreciation. ¡°Then I won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. If something happens to me please make sure my brothers know I love them.¡± I¡¯m the only brother who doesn¡¯t have anything left to lose. Massimo has Emelia and there¡¯s a chance for Dominic and Candace. I¡¯m nning to sacrifice myself if I must to make their lives easier. Better.


    ¡°I will,¡± Alfonse replies.


    ¡°Grazie.¡±

 81

    ISABELLA The scent of jasmine and freesia tickle my nose. There are flowers all along the window of this room.


    It¡¯s beautiful just like the rest of the house.


    I met Tristan¡¯s brother earlier. The boss, Massimo.


    That was a few hours ago.


    I¡¯ve been in the room mostly, just wondering what I¡¯m supposed to do now. it seems like I¡¯m just meant to be a sitting duck.


    I haven¡¯t eaten since we arrived so the queasy feeling in my stomach shouldn¡¯t surprise me. Nor the headache that snuck up on me. Both are what you get when you don¡¯t eat enough.


    It¡¯s just that there¡¯s too much going on and I¡¯m on edge. I¡¯m on edge just being here, knowing Tristan is in the same house. We haven¡¯t spoken sincest night.


    It¡¯s night again. Another day has passed by and I¡¯m one step closer to the end. What¡¯s filling my soul with angst is I don¡¯t know what the end looks like. I won¡¯t know what the and will look like until I get there.


    There¡¯s a knock at my door. It makes me jump at the sound because it cuts through the silence.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I call out. I¡¯m grateful to see Candacee in but I bite the inside of my lip when I see the tray of cookies and cupcakes she¡¯s carrying in one hand and the giant tub of ice cream in the other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to tell me you don¡¯t want to eat. You didn¡¯te down to dinner. I¡¯m not having you faint on me again.¡±


    I giggle and I have that appreciation again for her friendship.


    ¡°Candace you¡¯re like the sugar fairy.¡± I smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m happy to be that. Come let¡¯s eat. These muffins are still hot from the oven.¡±


    That¡¯s why they smell extra nice.


    ¡°Thank you. I will eat.¡±


    She makes her way to join me on the bed and sets the tray down.


    ¡°I was thinking we could watch some films, just until we¡¯re tired or fall asleep.¡±


    I smile at that. ¡°That would be cool.¡±


    ¡°Nothing takes your mind off like a little sugar and a great film. What do you feel like watching?¡±


    ¡°You pick. I think the average person would consider my choice of films boring.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to raise you one on that since I¡¯ve seen Gone with the Wind a hundred and one times and I could watch it again a few more times.¡±


    I gasp. ¡°What, you like films like that? That¡¯s exactly me.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so you should know that I beat you because I¡¯ve seen it two hundred times.¡±


    She startsughing. ¡°This is gonna be good. I¡¯ve never met anyone who was into ssic films. I like anything though.¡±


    ¡°My mom got me into watching ssic films. She loved all of them.¡±


    ¡°For me it was just something I got into. The older the movie the better. Look at as talking about films.¡± She beams. ¡°See, good distraction, if only for tonight. Do you feel better forughing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± I reach for a muffin and start eating. It taste amazing and opens up my tastes buds to want more. ¡°These are amazing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Eat up we have plenty. I thought it might help you to settle in, especially being in another strange house, and I ¡­ noticed you looked a little off all day.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ things are going to change again. In a big way.¡±


    ¡°Change could be good. Especially when it¡¯s in line with your goals.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I just wish¡­¡± I¡¯m wary of how much I say. I can¡¯t say much if anything at all.


    She reaches out and touches my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure whatever he chose to do was well thought out,¡± she says and I gaze at her.


    She said he.


    ¡°Tristan,¡± she rifies. ¡°Tell me to mind my own business if you want but I sensed you must be sad because of him and not because of the situation. I guessed you stopped wanting to escape awhile back.¡±


    I release abored sigh and rx my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s wrong of me to feel anything.¡±


    ¡°Why? Who says it¡¯s wrong? Especially if you seemed to like each other before he took you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡± she looks curious.


    ¡°This week is goodbye. That¡¯s basically it. It¡¯s goodbye and I wish it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I know him Isabe and I assure you he would have thought about all sorts of things before he made that decision. I saw the way he looked at you and what I saw was his heart. I haven¡¯t seen him look at anybody like that.¡±


    It means a lot to hear that. ¡°Thanks for saying that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. Sometimes it helps to hear what others can see. That¡¯s what I saw when I looked at him.¡± She gives my hands a gentle squeeze. ¡°This week is going to be a very difficult week. We¡¯ll need anything we can hold on to for hope.¡±


    I nod agreeing.


    ¡°I think whatever happens next is what¡¯s meant to be,¡± I say.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    That is what I have to ept. It will help me prepare for better or for worse.


    TRISTAN I walk into Massimo¡¯s house and sigh.


    Today was long and stressful but I got everything done. ns are all in ce for our trip back to Rhode Ind.


    Everything is ready and the men we¡¯re taking have been briefed on the mission ns. It¡¯s just to get it done now.


    I walk down the corridor and decide to go through the back passage to avoid everyone. Everyone meaning Isabe. I managed to avoid talking to her all day yesterday and being away today has helped with the distancing.


    I turn the corner heading into the second living room and it¡¯s just my luck that I nearly crash into her. I have to steady her to stop her from falling over.


    ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m so sorry. I wasn¡¯t looking where I was going,¡± she apologizes quickly.


    As I hold her I remember how much I miss her, and miss feeling like she was mine. Realizing I¡¯m just holding her and staring, I let go.


    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t looking either.¡± I was, but it¡¯s something to say.


    She gives me a coy smile and the sweet rose color fills her cheeks.


    ¡°Well it¡¯s nice to see you. I was just getting something to eat. Candace gave me sugarst night and I can¡¯t stop eating.¡± She sounds nervous.


    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re eating. Regardless to what it is.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I guess.¡±


    I should go. This prolonged tension is throwing me off and screwing with me. I would like to know how she is though. Just to see how she¡¯s doing.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She nods. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nice here. Everyone¡¯s been great. How are you?¡±


    We sound like that old married couple who are struggling to find things to talk about.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Are you ready for Friday?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, all set.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°What no kiss?¡±es a voice from the dark living room.


    Isabe and I both turn to look. The lightses on and Dominices into view with it.


    My blood runs cold when I see he¡¯s got his gun resting against the side of his head. Casual, like it¡¯s nothing.


    ¡°Dominic,¡± I rasp out.


    He stands but he staggers and his eyes have that spaced out look which look more pronounced when he smiles.


    ¡°I came in here and I can¡¯t remember what for. To polish my gun, sniff a little heroine or watch you two,¡± he answers with augh that sounds off key.


    He¡¯s high.


    Fucking hell. Christ¡­ this is all we need now. But there¡¯s going to be a reason for it. I¡¯m just not prepped.


    ¡°Dominic put the gun away,¡± I demand.


    ¡°No. Not yet. hate that fucking vase,¡± he says and shoots the vase in the corner. It smashes and I move Isabe behind me. ¡°And that fucking picture of that stupid shit.¡± Another bullet echoes andnds in a painting of some abstract designs.


    ¡°Dominic stop it,¡± I yell.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± he turns to me and waves the gun around. ¡°Look at you acting all noble. The underboss by day, and by night you fuck the enemies daughter. You should be ashamed of yourself.


    How quickly you forget it was her father¡¯s fault that Alyssa¡¯s dead. Her father did that to you and you don¡¯t care. All you care about is your fucking dick and pussy.¡±


    I¡¯m numb and I¡¯m infuriated. He¡¯s saying things I¡¯ve already battled in my mind. While I can¡¯t see Isabe I know she must bepletely humiliated.


    ¡°I saw the two of you on the ind, fucking, fucking without a care in the world. Alyssa was reason enough not to go there Tristan, but Pa¡­¡± he winces and then I see the answer to what happened to him. He¡¯s grieving. ¡°Gonna deny it? here¡¯s proof.¡±


    To my horror he presses a button on his phone and the wide screen tves on with footage of Isabe¡¯s bedroom back on the Ind. The two of us are in bed having sex. The image of us is there and our moans and groans of pleasure fill the room.


    My eyes are fixed on the screen before me of me devouring the woman I shouldn¡¯t have had.


    Dominic is high and acting on it, but what he said is shit he¡¯s wanted to say. What he¡¯s doing is what he truly wanted to do.


    Isabe grabs on to my shirt and I dare not look at her. It was my fault we crossed that line. Not hers. I took the first step.


    ¡°Switch it off!¡± roars Massimo from the other side of the room. Candice is standing next to him.


    The two are staring back at both Dominic and the recording with dismay.


    Dominic switches it off but he smiles. ¡°Of course boss, you would side with him. You¡¯re well versed in fucking the enemy¡¯s daughter. Maybe I should find someone to fuck too to join the club.¡±


    ¡°Dominic you¡¯re in trouble,¡± Massimo says.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not in trouble. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve never felt better. Never felt more alive. You should try it.


    When I¡¯m like this I forget the pain. I forget I have no one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bull shit and you know it!¡± I cut in.


    ¡°Is it? You two stick together. Andreas was the loner. All I had was Pa and he¡¯s not here anymore.


    He¡¯s dead and I was just expected to move on and get revenge. Like that¡¯s gonna solve anything or bring him back. We don¡¯t talk about how we feel, not with me anyway. You all leave me out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Massimo says.


    It isn¡¯t true but Dominic believes that.


    ¡°It¡¯s fucking true,¡± Dominic counters and fires another shot. This time he gets the window and the ss smashes.


    ¡°Dominic please put the gun down,¡± Candace says.


    ¡°No.¡± He wails and shoots the metal panel on the wall.


    I almost die as I watch the bullet ricochet off the metal and recoil into her, hitting her right in her chest.


    She screams out a sound so piercing it seems to rock reality.


    ¡°Candace!¡± Massimo shouts as she falls to the ground. He grabs her and Isabe rushes over to them crying hard.


    It must be shock that has me paralyzed because I can¡¯t move. I watch Dominic as he realizes what he did.


    He lowers the gun first and then it slips from his hands. He¡¯s shaking his head and looking at them.


    ¡°No¡­ oh God, no. Candace, my angel,¡± he says. He takes one step to go to them but I intercept.


    I rush him with the rage I felt and send a punch straight to his face knocking him to the ground. He scrambles to get up but can¡¯t. He¡¯s stunned from my blow and the fucking drugs he¡¯s taken.


    ¡°Fucking bastard, don¡¯t you dare go to her. You don¡¯t deserve her. You don¡¯t. We all grieved when Pa died. Don¡¯t tell us bullshit to make it okay for you to believe the lies you tell yourself.¡±


    He¡¯s staring back at me with tears streaming down his cheeks.


    I pull out my phone to call 911.


    When Massimo starts CPR, my heart breaks. There¡¯s so much blood everywhere.


    Candace isn¡¯t moving and she¡¯s not breathing, all she¡¯s doing is bleeding.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I can¡¯t lose her. We can¡¯t lose her.


    Massimo continues CPR, but it¡¯s not working.

 82

    TRISTAN The paramedics came and took over from Massimo. We all stood on and watched as one agonizing second after another ticked by. With each passing second I saw Candace¡¯s life slipping away.


    Candace.


    Candace the girl who means so much to us. Such a true friend she felt like family. Such a true friend there was never any doubt about trust when it came to her. She¡¯s the kind of person who will always be true to you and always put herselfst. She¡¯s the heart of us. The person who keeps us from slipping away into the darkness of our world. She¡¯s ¡­ She can¡¯t die.


    Everything fades around me as I continue to watch the paramedic trying to save her. As he resorts to getting the defibritor I know we¡¯re in serious trouble. The severity of the situation has gone past hoping she¡¯ll make it with the right people helping her. Those trained to save lives.


    It¡¯s gone past that. The time for miracles has arrived. The time for prayers and wishes, anything that will help. Thest time I saw my brothers cry the way they are was when Ma was found dead in the river. We were all children. This is yearster and if we lose Candace I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll be able to deal with that type of loss.


    I see the look on the paramedics face. His colleague is looking at him like he should stop, but I think he keeps going because of us.


    All of us.


    He looks to me, and I silently bid him to continue. Never stop until shees back. Never stop until the lifees back to the girl we love so much. Never stop until he pulls her back from wherever she¡¯s gone.


    Turning his gaze away from me he gives her one st, then another and ¡­ her heart starts beating.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    It¡¯s a faint beep but it¡¯s there. I hear it. Beep¡­ beep¡­beep, beep.


    Her heart is beating! I release the breath I was holding on to.


    I want to rush over to her and thank her foring back, thank her for staying and not joining the ghosts of loved ones on the other side. However, the swiftness with which the paramedics next move tells me she¡¯s not out of the woods yet.


    ¡°We have to get her to surgery now,¡± the paramedic says and they head out.


    The next few hours go by in a blur because it happens so fast. Candace is taken to the hospital for surgery and we all go there and wait.


    One hour goes then another follows and we wait.


    The hospital waiting room is packed with those living on a prayer, hoping their loved ones pull through.


    We¡¯re all here but sitting apart, split like the wild cards life dealt us.


    Dominic is in the far corner, Massimo is standing by the floor to ceiling ss windows gazing out to the night and I¡¯m sitting with Isabe.


    In the back of my mind I try to pin point when it was Dominic started to change. His grief over Pa made him slip. That was clear, but I think Andreas betrayal did something to us as brothers. it had to, and that exins everything since we¡¯ve always been close.


    I nce at his pale, grief stricken form sitting over in the corner and I find I can barely look at him. he looks like he¡¯s climbed down from the high and he¡¯s himself again, but fuck¡­ fucking fuck, look at the shit that happened. He clearly didn¡¯t know what the fuck he was doing if he was just shooting up the fucking house the way he was and waving the gun around the way he did when Candace tried to intervene. I know it was an ident. Having had that same gun pointed at me, I can say he would have been more likely to aim at me and shoot me than her, even in his state of drug induced craziness.


    I can¡¯t imagine how he must feel now.


    Feeling the intensity of my stare he nces at me and shame makes him look away.


    Y eah, fucking right. He¡¯s right to do just that because ident or not, if he wasn¡¯t my brother he¡¯d be dead right now. I know Massimo feels the same way, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s keeping away from all of us. We came in here together and automatically split off when we were told we¡¯d have to wait.


    Soft fingers stroke over my palm. The motion so soft and stark against the roil of emotion raging inside me. I look down at my hand and see I¡¯m holding Isabe¡¯s. I don¡¯t remember doing that. I¡¯m holding her hand and squeezing. That¡¯s why she¡¯s stroking me. She knows I¡¯m enraged.


    My gaze climbs up to meet her tear stained eyes and she reaches out to touch my face. I go to her when she pulls me closer for a hug and allow myself to beforted. I need it. I need this moment of respite. I need her.


    I just need to have a break so I can find my footing. My mind needs to rest from the worry and her arms around me is helping.


    As she holds me my mind drifts to the past. Far, far away to the past when I was a kid.


    There¡¯s one memory I¡¯m sure all my brothers share and that¡¯s all of us ying in the meadows of Stormy Creek. Ma did a painting of us. Massimo has it at home. We thought he was the best person to keep it but I kept the memory in my heart.


    I remember because those were the days when we just had each other. life was hard. I remember life being so hard but having each other was all we needed. It was a life lesson of what we¡¯d need as time went by.


    Another hour drifts by, then another and I find I actually can¡¯t calm my mind, not when I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.


    I straighten up when the surgeones into the room. He¡¯s closest to Massimo so he sees him too. Dominic next.


    We all snap to attention and rush over to him.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Massimo asks first speaking the words tumbling around in our minds.


    ¡°She¡¯s stable,¡± the surgeon answers. ¡°We managed to get the bullet out and there doesn¡¯t seem to be any grave damage we can¡¯t work on, but since she was out for a while before her heart started beating we don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll wake up. That kind of trauma can impact the brain a lot.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in aa?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t say when she¡¯ll pull out of it. We finished surgery an hour ago and we¡¯ve been monitoring her. She could wake up soon, or it could be tomorrow or next week, or next month, or¡­ well we have no idea. Her vitals are strong so we have hope, it¡¯s just on her now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you for saving her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I suggest you all go home and get some rest. You won¡¯t be allowed to see her for another few hours anyway while she¡¯s in the recovery suite. I can call you to let you know if there are any changes.¡±


    ¡°Call me. I¡¯ve got my name down as her next of kin,¡± Massimo says.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that,¡± the doctor says and leaves us.


    ¡°You guys go home,¡± Massimo says looking to each of us. ¡°I¡¯m gonna stay but hang out in my car.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying, I¡¯m sorry I know you just gave me an order but I can¡¯t leave,¡± Dominic says. A tear drifts down his cheek and he walks away not waiting for Massimo¡¯s answer.


    Massimo¡¯s face softens as he watches him walk back over to where he was previously sitting.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Isabe home ande back,¡± I say.


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer to stay,¡± Isabe cuts in. ¡°I want to stay if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    She looks exhausted, like she can barely keep her eyes open. I¡¯m touched she wants to stay but I think she should go back to the house and sleep.


    ¡°It is okay but you need to sleep. I¡¯ll take you back and I¡¯ll call home to make sure you have any updates,¡± I answer. ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    I put out my hand to take hers and she takes it.


    As we walk out I notice Massimo doesn¡¯t go to his car like he said he would, he goes over to sit opposite Dominic.


    I give him credit because I don¡¯t know if I could do the same, or when this rage will leave me.


    Dominic was on drugs. I still can¡¯t believe it. I still can¡¯t.


    Isabe and I drive back in silence. She falls asleep for a little while on the way back but wakes up before we reach. When we get out of the car and walk into the house it feels strange. There¡¯s a hollow feel to the ce I can¡¯t ignore.


    We¡¯re on the other side, far from the living room where Candace was shot, but that hollowness is so thick it surrounds the house.


    I take Isabe up to her room. As I¡¯m about to leave her I realize this should be goodbye again.


    This should be it.


    We walk in and she turns to face me with huge sad eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she says. ¡°I feel like my presence was what got him so worked up. he was really upset and it¡¯s understandable.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t me yourself for what happened. Dominic was high Isabe.¡±


    I still want to beat the shit out of him. I don¡¯t even know how he gathered himself so quickly after he shot Candace. I full well expected him to shoot all of us in the state he was in.


    Back at the hospital, his pupils still looked dted.


    ¡°I feel like I was the straw that broke his back. I could see it when he spoke about your father.¡±


    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have talked about you that way,¡± I say. ¡°The problem existed before we met you.¡±


    I think about it all, reying tonight¡¯s events in my mind. Dominic believed we weren¡¯t there for him. That wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯s said that to me. He said that the other week too. Tonight he pointed out that no one spoke about losing Pa. That¡¯s true. If I¡¯m being honest he¡¯s right about that. We didn¡¯t.


    I think having to grieve Pa by himself set the chain in motion for him to get hooked on drugs.


    I gaze on at Isabe and see how sad she looks. I move closer to her and she moves to me, arms outstretched.


    I take her into mine and hold her. My heart starts beating rapidly and the closeness makes me want to takefort in her.


    Everything she is to me stops me from resisting the pull of need that stirs within my soul. It feels like the most natural thing to do when I lower my lips to hers and we kiss.


    We kiss and suddenly fall into bed kissing. I¡¯m not going to resist what my body feels like doing next, because my mind, heart, body and soul need to escape in her and it¡¯s not just because of tonight¡¯s events. It¡¯s because she¡¯s what I need.


    Our clothese off and I slide right into her weing passage, she¡¯s ready for me. always ready for me to take her.


    I do. As I start driving into her body, making love to her everything that I feel for heres rushing to the forefront of my mind. The way she touches me, the way she looks at me, the way she feels to me are things I never thought I¡¯d have again. but¡­ it¡¯s not again. This is the first time.


    I fell for her the first time I looked at her and now I know I wasn¡¯t imagining things. She unlocked something inside me that only she had the keys for. It made me fall for her, fall in love with her.


    Only she could make me love her the way I do.


    Wee together giving into the climax of the pleasure that takes us with mutual surrender. When I look at her again I know she can see how I feel. It¡¯s that soul to soul moment. It¡¯s happening again. A moment where words don¡¯t need to be spoken. You just look at each other and know exactly what the other is feeling.


    I¡¯ve never experienced that with anybody and as I continue to look at her I know I never will with anyone else, just her.


    It¡¯s best though that I say nothing, because I can¡¯t give her what she needs.


    It¡¯s because I love her why I have to let her go.


    I want her to have the best and that¡¯s not me.

 83

    Isabe Tristan held me as I drifted off to sleep.


    I slept and it¡¯s the first time in years that I fell into a deep sleep without stirring and without the threat of a nightmare.


    That happenedst night of all the nights to happen, while Candace was in hospital fighting for her life.


    I just woke up and the memory of the horror was the first thing to fill my mind.


    I¡¯m alone and there¡¯s a hollow feeling in my soul that I can¡¯t shake.


    I still me myself. the moment Dominic started talking I knew he was furious about me and Tristan, and I had that leprous feeling again. Guilt by association to my father.


    Then when the bullet left his gun thatst time, I just knew it was going to hit someone. I saw it all in slow motion. The instant the first bullet left his gun I knew disastery ahead. I was certain of it.


    Then Candace got shot.


    The scream that tore from her throat still pierces through me. It was a cry from deep within her soul and the only sound she made. After that she just went still. That was the effect of the bullet.


    Now it¡¯s the waiting and I wish I could have stayed, but I understood the need for some privacy.


    She¡¯s a friend to me but she¡¯s like family to them and there are boundaries.


    Since it looks likete morning so I get up and change.


    I¡¯ve decided to head downstairs where I can wait for some news.


    I don¡¯t want to look like I¡¯m herefortable while Candace is in such a bad condition. I already feel like shit just for being here.


    To say the world has turned upside down over thest few weeks feels like an understatement. It¡¯s more fitting to say it¡¯s turned all sorts of ways except the right way.


    I make my way downstairs and see the house staff cleaning. There are a few maids making their rounds. The head maid asks me if I want breakfast and I politely decline. I¡¯m not hungry and I have that queasy feeling again. I just feel like I¡¯ll vomit if I have anything even water.


    I¡¯m hoping the feeling will pass once I hear something about Candace.


    I go out on to the terrace leading down to the beach and watch the waves roll in. It¡¯s different to being on the ind but just as gorgeous. The whole house is gorgeous.


    I heard that Massimo¡¯s wife is staying somewhere safe. Looking at this ce makes me wonder what kind of woman she is and what it must be like to be married to the boss.


    It wouldn¡¯t be like me marrying Dmitri. The Circle of Shadows is not like the Italian mafia. They exist just to kill and gain power. That¡¯s it. Money and power. The story of my life. They are ruthless and the heartless devils, every one of them and there is no life where they exist.


    I don¡¯t know what will happen now. I doubt Tristan and his brothers will carry on as nned, not with Candace in the hospital. I don¡¯t want them to.


    I hardly wanted to leave the hospital. I can just imagine how they must feel. Rhode Ind is across the country. Far, far, away from Candace if she needs them.


    I stay out on the terrace until it starts to rain then make my way into the kitchen deciding I¡¯ll get a ss of water.


    I walk in and through the other set of doors the man who tortured Sachaes in. I tense when I see him even though I know he doesn¡¯t mean me any harm.


    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Nick,¡± he says.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Tristan sent me to let you know there¡¯s no change with Candace. He wanted to update you so you didn¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate that.¡± I nod and bring my hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here for the rest of the day. Do you need anything?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ll just get some water and head up to my room.¡±


    ¡°Just call down if you need anything. The staff have been instructed to continue as normal so lunch will be made soon.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I answer. He seems so normal. Like he could never hurt anybody. I recall with perfect rity though how he administered the electric shock to Sacha without any remorse.


    He tips his head and leaves me.


    I rest my hands down on the counter top and think of what I can do today to stop me from going crazy with worry. It looks like it¡¯s going to be another day of waiting. Waiting and worrying. Just like I did on the ind.


    I have that suffocated feeling again and the nausea that takes residence in the pit of my stomach isn¡¯t helping either. I actually feel sick, so sick I get a roll of bread from the freshly made stack on the table and eat it. It helps somewhat, but only a little.


    Pulling in a deep breath I grab a ss from the cupboard but the shuffle of footsteps has me looking over my shoulder.


    I thought it was Nicking back, but it¡¯s not. It¡¯s not Nick and the man I seeing into the kitchen has only ever been present recently in my nightmares.


    My eyes widen and feel like they¡¯re going to pop as I stare on at the Italian man with the crooked nose.


    ¡°You,¡± I gasp and the ss falls from my hands, smashing on the floor. It shatters at my feet.


    I look at him and a smile inches across his face. He¡¯s ten years older, looks older but he has the same look to him. The look of someone who¡¯s been wearing a mask for too long and takes it off to show their true face.


    ¡°You remember me,¡± he notes.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I breathe out. if he¡¯s here then my father can¡¯t be too far. they found me. it means I¡¯ve been found.


    ¡°My dear, I wear many faces. This is just one of them. Alfonse, the trusted advisor to the D¡¯Agostino family. So trusted Tristan asked me to keep you safe because I was the only person he could trust with such information. But I¡¯m bound by blood oath. Kruv¡¯ omerta¡¯.¡±


    I gear myself up to run. I make it to the door Nick went through only to crash into Dmitri. My father is standing next to him.


    Nickes running into the kitchen through the other side and Alfonse shoots him right in his chest.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I don¡¯t get the chance to scream.


    Dmitri covers my mouth with a cloth with a pungent scent that snuffs away my consciousness.


    As my head rolls back I see my father¡¯s cold hard stare. He looks at me with disappointment, anger, rage, death.

 84

    TRISTAN Massimo and I just stepped outside for a coffee break leaving Dominic at Candace¡¯s bedside.


    She¡¯s in a room now attached to tubes and all sorts of machines. All I hear in my head though is the heart monitor.


    As long as I hear that sound it gives me some hope that she¡¯ll pull through.


    Maybe it¡¯s because of anyone I know, Candace has a strong heart physically and emotionally.


    The doctors encouraged us to give her breaks so we don¡¯t overwhelm her mind, but at the same time talk to her so she knows we¡¯re there.


    I have and Massimo has. Dominic hasn¡¯t and that¡¯s probably for the best. Strong as her heart is I¡¯m not sure how she¡¯s going to feel about Dominic after this. I don¡¯t know if hearing his voice will help, even if it¡¯s to express his sorrow.


    Massimo and I get coffee from a little shop and sit on the bench outside the main hospital entrance. We don¡¯t n to be away for too long.


    Massimo looks like he needs the break and some sleep so I¡¯m going to offer to stay here while he goes home. I had a break when I was with Isabe, leaving a few minutes after she fell asleep. That was several hours ago.


    ¡°Hey, how about you go home in a little while. Go and I¡¯ll take over,¡± I suggest.


    ¡°No, I need to stay even if I get an hour of sleep in my car. I don¡¯t feel like I can leave her. I don¡¯t think she¡¯d want me to, especially now.¡±


    He¡¯s probably right. ¡°Massimo, you need some sleep. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen or what she¡¯ll be like.¡± That brings me to the other thing on my mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can go through heading to Rhode Ind with her in this condition.¡±


    He stares back at me and nods. ¡°I know, but I¡¯m going to tell you to do it brother. You need to. It needs to happen. Not taking the chance is like leaving a wound open to fester. I just contemte on whether or not I should go. That¡¯s not a mission for me to cast on you though because we¡¯re going to be strongest together.¡±


    ¡°Together? What about Dominic. I don¡¯t think we should take him. Massimo, I knowst night was an ident, but it showed the seriousness of his problem. He needs help.¡±


    ¡°I agree and that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to suggest that we don¡¯t take him. I barely recognized himst night. I always want to be the guy to take care of everything and everybody, but that spreads me too thin. When you do that it means you¡¯re just touching base and not quite prioritizing. We might feel like we were there for him, but he doesn¡¯t feel that way, and he¡¯s right that we didn¡¯t talk about Pa. We didn¡¯t. I can¡¯t. Pa died in my arms Tristan. That¡¯s not something I want to remember.¡±


    I nod understanding. ¡± I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re here though. At this point with Candace in the hospital because Dominic shot her.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t sound real. It sounds like some crazy shit I made up because when I think of them I remember them looking like a couple as they walked along the beach. I think of her eyes brightening every time he spoke to her.


    ¡°If she pulls through this is going to change them. It¡¯s going to change her.¡±


    I release a sigh of frustration.


    He downs his coffee and I take a sip of mine. I can¡¯t drink anymore so I set the cup back down on the bench table.


    Massimo stands after a few minutes. ¡°Come on let¡¯s go back in.¡±


    I nod and throw the rest of my coffee away.


    We walk back to the room. Dominic is still in the same position.


    Obviously, questions were raised as to what happened and how it happened. Everyone was so distraughtst night that exining Candace was shot by ident sufficed forst night so the doctors could do their work. I expect the cops soon though. In our world things get covered up and we get away with all kinds of shit as the criminals we are. But things like this are answerable, especially when ites to people we know.


    He looks across at us when we go inside and difort fills his eyes.


    He looks like he wants to say something to us but holds back because of Candace.


    I think it¡¯s best that we don¡¯t talk too much around her just in case it turns into an argument, but we¡¯ve been silent for hours. It¡¯s not going to be easy to stay silent forever.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Dominic says. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything and for this. I can¡¯t begin to apologize enough. I know saying sorry isn¡¯t enough and she¡¯s thest person that should be here. Candace is the one person in my life that I just¡­ she means so much to me. Last night I didn¡¯t know what the hell I was doing. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m here with her like this. I¡¯m going to talk to the cops when they start questioning.¡±


    I nce at Massimo who is looking straight on at him. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Massimo. Yes, of course it was an ident but that¡¯s bull shit. Everything else that happened wasn¡¯t. I was high. I took more¡­¡± his voice trails off and I see he¡¯s struggling to talk to us.


    ¡°Tell us,¡± I say. ¡°Tell us what¡¯s going on with you Dominic.¡±


    ¡°At first it was just to take the edge off. I got some prescription pills to help me sleep. Losing Pa and Andreas cut me deep. I thought as brothers we trusted each other, but Andreas worked with the other side to destroy us. It did something to us to second guess each other. First I over did everything to make sure I looked like you guys could trust me, then it got too much and I sought the hard stuff and it screwed with me. It screwed with me in a way that I couldn¡¯t stop, or think beyond a sniff to make me feel like I could cope.¡±


    ¡°You should havee to us, Dominic,¡± Massimo says.


    ¡°I know. I know I should have. My problems made me feel fucking weak and weakness is not a thing associated with us. There we were on this path to revenge and I felt like I was losing my shit. It wasn¡¯t important. I don¡¯t have to be told I was wrong, I know I was. I know taking drugs wasn¡¯t the way. I¡¯m stopping. I assure you that. I¡¯m so ashamed of myself and now my angel lies here suffering.¡±


    He looks back to Candace and takes her hand into his.


    Her hand is attached to tubes but he nts a kiss on the tip of her fingers.


    ¡°My angel, you don¡¯t know how much you mean to me,¡± he rasps rubbing over the tips of her finger. ¡°I love you.¡±


    I can¡¯t say anything. There¡¯s not a damn thing I can¡¯t think of saying because he¡¯s shocked me.


    He¡¯s shocked and restored something inside me because he¡¯s the same guy I know him to be. not the person who switched out on me over thest few weeks.


    He bows his head, resting it near Candace¡¯s hand.


    It¡¯s the change of the beeping on the heart monitor that turns my attention away from him. It¡¯s faster. Panic makes me look back to Candace and my heart soars when I watch her hand run over Dominic¡¯s head.


    Her eyes open and close and she looks around.


    We rush to her side. Her lips part and she looks at each of us but focusses on Dominic.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t go.¡± Her voice sounds weak but I¡¯m so d to hear it. She squeezes his hand and he holds her gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything Candace.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he assures her. ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get the doctors,¡± Massimo says.


    He rushes through the door and gets the doctors.


    Momentster my phone rings. I answer it because I know it could only be Nick.


    It is. I asked him to check in with me if he hadn¡¯t heard from me in a while. That way we¡¯d keep a good flow ofmunication.


    I answer and he sounds like he just woke up. he groans like he¡¯s injured and that¡¯s when I know something¡¯s going on.


    ¡°Nick, what happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been shot. They took Isabe. Mortimer and Dmitri took Isabe. Alfonse was working with them,¡± he exins in one blurt.


    I nearly drop the phone as the blood drains from me. I experience that daze of shock a person goes through when they hear something that can¡¯t be real, and their brain can¡¯t process it.


    ¡°What are you saying to me? Alfonse?¡±


    ¡°Alfonse¡­ Kruv¡¯ omerta. That¡¯s what I heard him say. Kruv¡¯ omerta.¡±


    It suddenly all makes sense. He was the Italian.


    He was the real traitor all along. As my brain processes everything I realize that anything that evercked sense makes every bit of sense now.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Alfonse was the man ying sides well before we were born, the perfect candidate to exact betrayal.


    We would never have suspected him.

 85

    ISABELLA My head¡­ Jesus my head feels like it¡¯s going to explode and my whole body is on fire.


    That nausea has only escted and I feel so much worse than I did earlier.


    My eyes open slowly one at a time and I find myself staring up at a white ceiling with swirling patterns that look like tiny whirlpools spiraling into the sky.


    As I blink and try to process where I am I remember what happened to me and a flush of ice, races down my body.


    Oh my God, oh my God. I remember exactly what happened.


    The terror moves me but as I try to get up restraints hold me in ce. I shuffle and realize I¡¯m lying on a hospital type bed. My wrists are bound and so are my feet. Both tied down like I¡¯m stuck in a horror film. Frantically I try to free myself but I know it¡¯s to no avail. There¡¯s no point. The person who tied me down wouldn¡¯t exactly make it possible for me to escape. Not again.


    The door swings open and ines the man I fear the most.


    My father.


    I still when I see him. I gopletely still, so still that my heart slows in beat and I worry that it will stop in my chest from the sight of him.


    That look of death still lurks in his eyes, lingering there as a reminder of who he is.


    ¡°Isabe¡­ I never knew we woulde to this. Not you and me. Definitely not you and me. The child I took such care of,¡± he states.


    I want to argue and tell him that his version of care is not the human way. I doubt that animals treat their young the way he treated me. I hold my tongue though. I know him. He hasn¡¯t tied me up to prevent me from escaping. That¡¯s not why. Whips is more his style or something with immediate pain.


    I don¡¯t know what this is. It¡¯s something else. Something I can¡¯t guess because I¡¯ve never seen him do this before. If it¡¯s one thing I know about my father it¡¯s that the extent of his evil heart has no bounds. No limit.


    ¡°You are the worse kind of traitor. I know everything you did. Everything you did with the enemy.


    Thank God for my alliances.¡±


    ¡°God¡­ you thank God? How can you even talk about God?¡± I argue. The words fall from my lips uncontrobly.


    He answers with augh. A cruelugh that echoes across the room.


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. That was a slip of the tongue I guess. In any event some higher power had to have been on my side, guiding the way to the one person who could have overthrown everything I worked so hard for. You.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± I want to cut to the chase. I want to cut the bull shit speech. I know what I did and I would do it all over again if I had to.


    ¡°We¡¯lle to that. I¡¯m not finished talking to you yet. Think of it as myst act in this life as your father. The scolding before the punishment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you just punish me. I don¡¯t want to hear what you have to say. You¡¯re evil,¡± I throw back finding my voice. For years I existed as this spineless shell of a person who did what she was told. I was a thing he thought he could treat like nothing. Having the weeks of freedom fueled me with the power to speak up.


    ¡°I am evil. Of course I am, but you will hear me. I¡¯m so furious with you. While I had men looking everywhere for you, you were busy helping the enemy in a plot to destroy me. They kidnapped you and instead of finding a way to contact me to save you, you saw your route to escape me. You saw a chance to be free of me and then you helped them n to destroy me.¡±


    ¡°You talk like you haven¡¯t destroyed me,¡± I reply. ¡°You killed my mother and you killed Eric. You killed anyone who ever got close to me or tried to help me. You thought it was a good idea for me to marry Dmitri.¡±


    ¡°Such insolence. There is no reasoning here. I do not care what you feel. I¡¯m disgusted with you.


    Truly and utterly disgusted with you. how dare you question my actions. I do what I do for reasons.


    Dmitri will lead this group and will see to it that my ns are fulfilled and my mission achieved.¡±


    ¡°You speak so highly of your mission, why don¡¯t you do it yourself? Why the hell are you retiring?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m dying.¡± He throws back stunning me to silence. ¡°I¡¯m dying. That will be the only reason why I won¡¯t be doing it myself.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± I want to know. He stares back at me and I think back to when I was a child. I used to be terrified that something would happen to him. Now I¡¯m being told it is and I feel nothing but curiosity to know what it is that will take him from this world.


    ¡°Brain tumors,¡± he says tapping the side of his head. ¡°I look good now but in eight months I doubt I¡¯ll look anything close to this. I wanted to sort everything out while I still had the capacity.¡±


    I stare back at him with nothing to say.


    I feel nothing. Nopassion whatsoever. Not even the natural familial sympathy a person would bepelled to feel because he¡¯s my father.


    ¡°You very nearly ruined me, Isabe. It¡¯s almost poetic, my own creation turned against me like Frankenstein¡¯s monster.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think I am?¡± I counter thrashing against the restraints. ¡°I¡¯m not the monster here.


    You are.¡±


    ¡°To me the monsters are anyone who support the Syndicate. That is what you have done. Whether the Syndicate exists as one man or many it is a threat because of the power. It¡¯s too much. I weed the union I took with others to eradicate them and at the time I believed I¡¯d have Ricardo Balesteri on my right hand. I believed I¡¯d have control. But it didn¡¯t happen that way. At least now I know what they¡¯re up to and believe me I n to fight back. I¡¯ll deal with you first though.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not marrying Dmitri,¡± I balk.


    ¡°Marriage? Oh no it¡¯s gone past that I¡¯m afraid. You are no longer worthy to be part of my life for what little remains of it, nor my group. The only thing you will be good for is the example I¡¯m going to make out of you. You will receive the same punishment your mother got. You are exactly like that whore and history has repeated itself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ going to kill me,¡± I breathe, barely able to get the words out.


    ¡°Conspiring with the enemy, sleeping with the enemy, and like your mother carrying the enemies child.¡±


    My mouth drops open and shock ms through my body making my head feel lighter than it already was.


    ¡°What? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. We had you checked out to make sure you didn¡¯t have any trackers on you and that¡¯s what we discovered. And the way I hear it Tristan D¡¯Agostino did not force himself on you.


    You gave yourself willingly to a man who was nning to kill your father. I will not allow such an abomination. Like your mother you will die.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you killed her?¡± Now I¡¯m more taken aback by that than my own situation.


    ¡°I loved that woman more than anything. More than life. She was the most important thing in the world to me and you were the result of that love. Then she betrayed me. Alfonse Belmond was the man who informed me of her betrayal. She was having an affair with James Mazzone Sr. a syndicate member. She got pregnant. So I killed her and I killed him too.¡±


    My heart squeezes as everything falls into ce. I have answers now for everything, all of it. All that happened in the past.


    ¡°Like her, I will kill you,¡± he adds. ¡°We¡¯ll head back to Rhode Ind and at noon tomorrow I will invite the senior Shadow members to watch me cut the child out of you. I will kill my own daughter as a symbol of my loyalty to our cause, then Dmitri will burn what¡¯s left of you whether you¡¯re alive or dead when I¡¯m finished with you. We will show that disobedience will not be tolerated in the Circle of Shadows. You will not get away with this.¡±


    The tears fall down my cheeks making my vision blur. The drumming in my heart takes over my thoughts and fears.


    He looks me over and walks away and as the door closes darkness overwhelms me inside and out. I¡¯m dead.


    I¡¯m going to die here.


    I¡¯m pregnant and my father¡¯s going to kill me.


    Tristan¡­ He¡¯ll never know.


    I¡¯m sure by now he must know I¡¯m gone and he won¡¯t think I escaped. Not with Nick watching the ce. Nick was shot. He¡¯ll find him and I¡¯m certain the first thing he¡¯ll think is that my father got to me.


    He¡¯ll know the n is off. It only worked with the element of surprise and I was their leverage.


    They don¡¯t have that now and I have nothing.


    He wouldn¡¯te just for me.


    No one will.

 86

    TRISTAN I gaze out the kitchen window feeling like a lost soul.


    We just got back to the house.


    Nick was taken to the hospital before we arrived.


    We discovered our security systems had been screwed with sincest night.


    Screwed by Alfonse, a man I trusted. A man we all trusted. He betrayed us.


    He betrayed me.


    This whole crock of shit is my fault. It was me who told him I took Isabe, me who told him that we nned to eliminate Mortimer, and like a love sick fool I asked him to take Isabe back to Rhode Ind. I asked him because I trusted him with her care, all the while not knowing he was a fucking spy.


    That man has been in our lives for as long as I can remember.


    No one questioned anything when Alfonse came in the house. The men on site didn¡¯t know what Mortimer or Dmitri looked like so they all came in and took Isabe easily. The only man who would have been able to do anything was shot with the intention to kill. And, if Nick hadn¡¯t survived and told me it was Alfonse who took her I would be none the wiser. I¡¯d even contemte the possibility of her escaping, although I would have thought it impossible because she wouldn¡¯t have been able to pull it off with the ce so heavily guarded.


    Heavily guarded and look what happened.


    What¡¯s the point?


    Alfonse did the very same thing Andreas did. He used his face to fool everybody. Just like Andreas, he walk in in sight on the right hand of the devil without a soul raising any rms because of who he was.


    I can¡¯t even be mad anymore because if I do I¡¯ll go on some rampant rage and destroy everything in my path including myself.


    Massimo and Dominic walk in and I turn to face them. We hardly got to spend time with Candace when she woke up.


    ¡°Came to talk. It¡¯s time,¡± Massimo says. His face is stern.


    I don¡¯t know what he has nned to say to me but he¡¯s right. It is time to talk.


    I have one thing to say but they won¡¯t like it. The fucking n to get Mortimer is a bust and we now have nothing to hold over him. He has his daughter back and I know he¡¯s going to kill her because she helped us.


    Alfonse is the only person who could tell him that. Mortimer will kill her for betraying him. I can¡¯t let that happen to her. I promised her I¡¯d take care of her. It was a promise made to be kept.


    I kept saying I was the brother with nothing left to lose. I was wrong. When they took Isabe they took thest thing from me. When I decided to let her go it was different. It was so she could have a life. Freedom. Freedom is the only thing I would allow to have her over me.


    Not bondage. Not death.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get her back,¡± I begin and Massimo tenses. Dominic stares back at me and I wonder what he¡¯s thinking. The things he said about Isabest night still don¡¯t sit well with me. ¡°Mortimer will know she helped us I¡¯m going to get her back and I¡¯m not asking you toe with me. The element of surprise is gone so if I go in I know I might not make it back out, but I¡¯m going.¡±


    That¡¯s all I have to say. I¡¯m just going to head to the airport and get on the first ne out. I won¡¯t even be as bold as to ask for the jet or anything.


    ¡°Tristan-¡± Massimo says but I cut him off.


    ¡°No. You said to me not just a few days ago that I could be the one to give her, her dreams back.


    My version of doing that was not this. I don¡¯t want her to be any part of it. so I¡¯m going.¡±


    I move past them and head to the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with you,¡± Dominic calls out and I stop midstride.


    I turn around and stare at him, thrown by the offer to help. ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You gonna tell me I can¡¯te too?¡± Massimo challenges. ¡°Let¡¯s all go. I wanted to talk about what we¡¯re doing but it looks like we know what we want to do.¡±


    ¡°I still think we have the element of surprise,¡± Dominic states.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Mortimer won¡¯t expect you toe for his daughter. He¡¯s got the leverage now so he won¡¯t think we¡¯ll do this and since he¡¯s already in the States I see no reason to wait. We should leave tonight. That¡¯s assuming they¡¯re in Rhode Ind. They might not be.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m checking there first. Nikoli¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Rhode Ind it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure. I know you have strong feelings toward her and I understand why, but if anyone should have feelings for better or worse toward her it¡¯s me and I¡¯m past it.¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have talked about her like that. I didn¡¯t mean it,¡± Dominic replies. ¡°I think this could still work. I have the n ready to go. If we leave in the next hour we could be in Rhode Ind by eight at thetest. Then we can gather the men together and head out by morning.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna need to go in guns zing. I want this finished. I want this guy out of the picture,¡± Massimo states.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s do this,¡± I reply and the three of us head out.


    It¡¯s time for the real war.


    TRISTAN We made it to Rhode Ind before midnight.


    We went straight back to the house we left. The second we put our bags down we started gathering our support teams.


    Our guys arrived earlier and we have strength from Chicago.


    It¡¯s ten o¡¯clock in the morning and in the living room we currently have two of the most ruthless bosses I know of. udius Morientz and Vincent Giordano arrived with the main guys in their crew.


    Vincent has his three brothers and his cousin. udius has his men who make up The Four. Add them together with us and I feel we have a chance.


    Dominic has been looking at the ns for Nickoli¡¯s house. He¡¯s managed to track Mortimer the way he didst time and he¡¯s actually there. Thank God I had the good sense to hold my tongue when I was talking to Alfonse. I never exined How it was we found Mortimer. That part would have been a mystery to him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to use the underground pass to get on to the grounds of the property,¡± Dominic exins. This is the final run through of what we¡¯re doing. ¡°I¡¯ve set a virus to lock down their surveince. That means we can¡¯t see inside either. Once we get in that¡¯s it. He¡¯s got the ce surrounded. There will be guards everywhere, even more so now that Mortimer is there.¡±


    ¡°I get to kill him,¡± I say before anyone else can talk. ¡°I want the chance.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all yours,¡± Massimo replies.


    I tip my head in appreciation.


    After a few more minutes of brainstorming we head out.


    The underground path is the sewers that cover the whole area. As it¡¯s dark we carry shlights.


    To me this is the part that will shock the shit out of them the most.


    Us, vicious creatures emerging from the sewers like we¡¯re pouring in from hell.


    I¡¯m going in packing some serious weapons. My guns for taking out the vermin and my knives for Mortimer¡¯s head.


    It takes about an hour for us to get through the passage. There are two entrances. One to the front of the house and another at the back near theke. We¡¯ve got our men heading to the front while we take the back.


    The men at the front will be keeping the bulk of the guards distracted so we can get the chance to get in the house.


    ¡°Ready boys?¡± Massimo says into hismunicator. ¡°On three let¡¯s go in and get this motherfucker.¡±


    I pull my revolvers from my back pocket. I¡¯m killing anything that moves.


    ¡°One. Two. Three. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    We kick out the railed metal entrance and file out. We¡¯re just near the garden so we don¡¯t see the first guard until we get closer to the house. I end him before he can process what he¡¯s seeing.


    Dominic takes down the next guard but by then we¡¯ve gotpany. There are twenty of us with the skin of triple the amount of us.


    We wipe out most of the men shooting at us within minutes.


    Moving forward we shoot up the floor to ceiling ss windows of what looks like the living room and get in through there.


    It¡¯s a massive house but I¡¯m sure they must know that trouble is here and they must know we¡¯re only people who can bring it to them.


    I keep moving forward. with the guys. Massimo and I are at the head while we have our support line backing us up.


    I pass a room with someone shouting inside for help. I recognize the voice as Sacha¡¯s and stop.


    Fuck, I didn¡¯t even contemte that they would have him too. I told Alfonse where he¡¯d be because I wanted Isabe to have Sacha¡¯s protection.


    ¡°You guys keep going. I need to get him out,¡± I say.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you to back you up,¡± Dominic offers.


    ¡°Be quick,¡± Massimo orders and he and the others leave us.


    Sacha continues to scream for help with an urgency that makes me think he¡¯s being tortured.


    We kick the door in and see he is. his hands and legs are bound by rope and he¡¯s being stretched.


    There¡¯s a guy operating a mechanical device that¡¯s pulling his body apart. I¡¯ve seen this shit before.


    it¡¯s literally designed to rip your limbs from your body slow and torturous.


    These fuckers never cease to amaze me.


    Before the guy can talk I shoot him in the head and blood stters everywhere.


    Sacha¡¯s in a bad way.


    I¡¯ve never met the man before, but he looks fucking happy to see us.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I help him out of the device and he¡¯s breathing so heavy he looks like he¡¯s going to pass out. I thought we messed him up bad, but his face is so badly beaten all I can see are his two puffy eyes starting back at me.


    ¡°You have to get her quickly. At noon he ns to kill her,¡± he blurts in one go.


    ¡°What? Why would he do that?¡± I gasp.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant,¡± he answers and I swear time just freezes.


    It feels like I¡¯m stuck in a dream and can¡¯t move.


    I¡¯ve had several shockerse for me over the past years, but this one is¡­ this one changes everything.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant?¡± I ask and Sacha nods.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to burn her alive. They¡¯re in the basement. The senior Shadow members are all here for the punishment.¡±


    Dominic grabs my arm and I snap out of the trance of shock.


    ¡°Come Tristan. It¡¯s noon now.¡±


    I rush out ahead of him and he catches up.


    ¡°The basement is this way,¡± Dominic points toward a set of stairs leading down.


    I¡¯m grateful he¡¯s here. I¡¯d be running around trying my best to find the entrance and I¡¯d be toote.


    As we descend down the stairs I grab mymunicator and alert everyone to round back this way with the men.


    When we run down the stairs and I see why this ce is called The Ring.


    This isn¡¯t a basement. It¡¯s an arena style room. We¡¯ve just got on to the first floor where we¡¯re met by a group of what I¡¯d ss as the real Shadow members. Their all men dressed in ck, all have their guns trained on us.


    Down at the bottom is Isabe tied to a gurney and that motherfucker Dmitri is standing over her with a broad smile on his face.


    We¡¯re about thirty feet away. Far away from each other but our eyes lock and I see that spark of hope in them.


    I steal a few seconds to look at her. She¡¯s carrying my child and both of them are in danger. In those seconds I love her even more and I realize I can¡¯t be without her. I was a fool to think I could. if I make it out of this I¡¯ll do everything I can to be the man she deserves. I¡¯ll do what I must to be the man I wanted for her. the best version of myself that I can be for her and my child.


    All I can spare are those few seconds because Mortimer just walked in front of us with a smug expression like he¡¯s already won.


    Seeing him face to face now I remember the glimpse I¡¯d seen of him all those years ago.


    Now I stand before the bastard.


    ¡°Well look at this, ssic case of Romeo and Juliette,¡± he says looking me over with disgust.


    ¡°Not with my daughter I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯d tell you to find someone else but you won¡¯t make it out of here alive.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± I challenge.


    ¡°No.¡± he answers and as his men ready their guns I do wonder how the fuck we will make it.


    I don¡¯t know where Massimo and the other¡¯s got to but it would have been to the other side of the house because they were heading toward the front.


    I¡¯m about to say more but the words fade from my mind when I see Alfonse standing in the corner next to Nickoli.


    I look at Alfonse and the sight of him churns my stomach. The fucker doesn¡¯t even look remorseful.


    God¡­ trust really is a thing to be careful with. He was the hand that rocked the cradle all this time. The fucking fox in the hen house that had be part of the furniture. This is the result of letting the devil in.


    I find my voice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the power of the D¡¯Agostinos. Then again maybe you do if you¡¯re trying so hard to get rid of us,¡± I say and it¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t like that answer.


    ¡°Tristan and Dominic, we¡¯re behind you,¡± Massimo says in themunicator. His voice buzzes in my ear. ¡°On two duck, we¡¯ll clear the path.¡±


    Thank fuck.


    ¡°One, two.¡±


    Dominic and I both drop to our knees allowing Massimo and the others to fire a course of bullets taking down a good amount of the men in front of us. the surprise attack got them good.


    Massimo and the others pour in and shoot. We¡¯re equally matched in men and the people we have give blow for blow and bullet for bullet in a way that can onlye from raw- assed gangster skill of costar nosa.


    I right myself to get in the fight and find Mortimer backing away down the path with blood pouring down his arm. I get up to follow him but there¡¯s one thing I need to do first.


    I whip around and catch Alfonse trying to get away with Nickoli. Without any hesitation I fire two bullets. One that gets Alfonse in the back of his head and the other gets Nickoli in the back of his neck. Both drop to the ground. Dead.


    I turn back to Mortimer and follow him. Ahead of him there¡¯s a door he¡¯s trying to get to.


    I run but two shadow members nk me and I get stuck fighting them. the thing about these guys is that they¡¯re skill to fight and the fight dirty. One throws a punch at me, hitting me in the face. I dodge the next and stab him to the heart.


    The other guy has a knife too and he knows how to use it.


    The motherfuckeres at me in a flying kick with the knife aimed at my throat.


    I know how to use my knife too, and I have two.


    I whip the other knife out from the sheath on my left leg, tuck and roll so the he flies right over me, and by the time the fucker rights himself I whip around and plunge both knives into his back. I know one gets his heart because I hear that sucking gurgling sound of blood pooling and flowing the wrong way.


    I pull my knives out and continue my pursuit to Mortimer. Damnit he¡¯s at the door and it¡¯s practically on the other side of the room.


    Seeing that the only chance I have of getting him is if I shoot him from her, I stop in my tracks and aim my revolver at him. I fire one bullet and it hits his back. he falls to the ground giving me the chance to get to him.


    I run up to him and find him crawling in his resilience. Still trying to get away. Fucking worm.


    Blood drips from his back and his mouth. He stops trying to move himself when he sees me and looks up at me with that smug expression on his face.


    ¡°Mortimer Viggo, I am definitely going to take pleasure in killing your ass,¡± I say.


    ¡°Listen to you talk big.¡±


    ¡°This is retribution for Allyssa and my father. You will die this day for your crimes against my family.¡±


    He¡¯s knocking at deaths door but the man starts tough. People like this infuriate me. Fuckers who think death is nothing to them.


    ¡°You think this will be over with my death?¡± he snarls.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t but it will be a good start.¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t Tristan D¡¯Agostino. I am just the beginning. More will take my ce ande for you. You thought I was a big threat? No. Even I can ept when I¡¯m just the pawn. The stronger pieces on the chess board haven¡¯t started ying yet. Wait until they do. When The King himselfes, you¡¯ll all be fucked.¡±


    ¡°Who are these people?¡± I demand.


    ¡°As if I¡¯m going to tell you,¡± he answers and moreughter rumbles from his body.


    Motherfucker. He starts coughing blood. Coughing and sputtering.


    I give him credit for managing to get himself to his knees. But that just ces him in the position I want. When I swing the long reach knife, the de slices through his skin and cuts through bone and sinew effortlessly.


    Blood sprays from his body as his heades off and both crumple to the ground. I think he was gearing up to say more shit to me.


    He can save it.


    I don¡¯t get to savor this moment I¡¯ve waited so long for. A scream rips into the sounds of battle around us and my gaze snaps to Isabe.


    Dmitri has a can of gasoline and is pouring it all over her. I¡¯m already rushing to the balcony and as he takes out a lighter to set my girl on fire I jump.

 87

    ISABELLA Tristan jumps from the balcony andnds, breaking into a run with his guns ready. That should be enough to deter Dmitri but it¡¯s not because he wants me dead.


    It should also deter him when he sees Massimo and Dominic firing shots his way from above, but it¡¯s not. Neither is the bullet Tristan fires at him.


    Hellbent on burning me alive Dmitri only rolls out of the way and I scream again as he manages to light one of the logs. It sets aze in an instant and lights up the next one.


    I¡¯m covered from head to toe in gasoline. V ery soon I too will be on fire. I¡¯ll burn to death taking with me the tiny human inside me. Only a few weeks old. Dmitri really was as evil as my father.


    ¡°Get the fuck away from her!¡± Tristan roars bounding forward like a wild beast.


    I still can¡¯t believe he came. He came after all, came for me.


    Several bullets fly and I don¡¯t know where they¡¯re alling from. the fire starts to spread and I can already feel the hot mes.


    ¡°Shame I never got to fuck you,¡± Dmitri taunts, always and ever the asshole, even when faced with oing danger.


    He evades another one of Tristan¡¯s bullets. Tristan is right here now. still far away from me but here.


    Dmitri and Tristan meet together in a collision of fists. Both drop their guns from the blow of crashing together. Then all I see is them on the ground rolling around punching each other.


    The fire is zing now, spreading around me. I can barely see them. I look on in hope that I¡¯ll still make it. Hope that Tristan will save me. the fire is so hot though and it hasn¡¯t even touched me yet. I can imagine it consuming me when it does. I might not even feel the pain, and if I do I don¡¯t think it will be for long.


    Dmitri rolls on top of Tristan getting ready to send another round of punches his way but Tristan lunches him over his head and he goes flying.


    I¡¯m surprised at the way Tristan fights. As my father¡¯s right hand man Dmitri is skilled in all manner ofbat and fighting techniques. So I¡¯m not surprised when he springs back to his feet, whipping around in a kick that sends Tristan back to the ground as he gets up. Tristan however flicks out his leg and swipes Dmitri off his feet. I can tell straightaway that when Tristan fights it¡¯s not just with his fists. It¡¯s with his tact too.


    Dmitrinds hard on his back and winds himself. He blows out a breath and that¡¯s all he gets to do. Tristan grabs his gun from the ground and shoots Dmitri in his chest. Another bullet goes to the same ce and he drops back but he¡¯s not dead yet.


    ¡°Talking about fucking my girl? No, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Tristan says and fires one more bullet. that goes straight in Dmitri¡¯s head.


    The fire is a wall now and my head drops back on to the bed. I stop pushing against the restraints and lie there.


    I see Tristan trying to stop the fire.


    Dominices with an extinguisher and starts spraying it over the mes. Massimo does the same.


    Tristanes to me using his jacket to put out the mes that has started to burn the bed. I never even realized that.


    He gets them out and frees me from the restraint.


    I try to reach for him but I¡¯m so weak.


    He scoops me up and holds me to his chest as the tearse hard.


    ¡°You came, thank you so much,¡± I whisper against his chest. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I love you,¡± he answers and the magic in his words fill me with life.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± I tell him and finally I allow myself to savor the feel of him. Savor that feeling of him being mine.


    I had to spend the night in the hospital for observation.


    Tristan stayed with me. I was severely dehydrated so I had some IV drips.


    The second my strength came back I asked about Candace and felt stronger for hearing she woke up and was out of thea.


    After a morning of tests and ns set in ce, Tristan brought me back home to my house which is free of guards.


    Sacha is in a bad way with a few broken bones so he¡¯ll be in the hospital for another week or so.


    Since I never really ssed him as a guard, but more like a guardian angel I will always wee him wherever I go.


    We¡¯ve just stepped inside and the ce feels strange.


    Now that I¡¯m free of my father the house feels like I can be free of it too.


    I sit on the sofa and look around at everything in the house. None of it feels like mine. I¡¯ve lived here since I started college. That¡¯s just a little over four years ago. Everything in here was handpicked for me and was already decorated.


    From the pictures on the wall to the flowers in the vase, which my father insisted on being dahlia¡¯s, my mother¡¯s favorites. In his evil mind I¡¯m sure he was trying to use something as simple as that as a reminder of his power over me.


    I haven¡¯t really thought about him at all. I saw Tristan kill him and maybe I¡¯m that messed up in the head that I felt that nothingness again. Nothing one way or the other. not sad because he¡¯s just been killed, and not happy because justice has been served.


    I think now that I understand how people feel when they say justice can never fully be served. It can¡¯t. Whatever is done to alleviate the wrong, is only for the people who feel wronged. The people left behind in the aftermath. People like me and Tristan.


    Tristan sits opposite me so we face each other and we have that soulful moment where I feel like he knows what I¡¯m thinking.


    I know it¡¯s time to have a serious talk. That serious talk that will let us know where we stand, and what¡¯s happening next.


    I know he knows I¡¯m pregnant.


    We just haven¡¯t spoken about it yet.


    In my weakened state he refused to leave my side when we got to the hospital, not even when the doctors said they wanted to talk to me in private. I knew what they were going to tell me and since I didn¡¯t want him to go either I asked for him to stay.


    I watched him when the doctors were talking to me about it, and telling me I was two weeks along. Tristan didn¡¯t seem surprised so I guessed he already knew when he rescued me. I don¡¯t know when he knew but that¡¯s not important.


    He gives me a soft smile as he looks at me and I take one of the pillows to hug to my chest.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Free,¡± I answer. That would probably sound strange to anyone else, but I know he gets it. ¡°I can look around and not have to worry about watching my back, I can go to the stores without having someone constantly with me, I can work and not have to exin why I have a bodyguard, and I can stay out all day in the sun if I want. I feel free to be Isabe.¡±


    ¡°Not Isabe Viggo?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want that name. I can¡¯t change the blood that flows through my veins but I can change my name. I lived as Isabe Baker for so long that it hardly feel like I¡¯d be doing anything different. I want to be someone else and not Baker either. My father gave me that name and I hated it as much as Viggo.¡±


    He nods understanding, but there¡¯s a sparkle in his eyes.


    ¡°How do you feel? You got to do what you wanted.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I cany my ghost to rest, but that¡¯s as far as it goes. Your father was just one person of many and he made it sound like I had my work cut out for me.¡±


    I don¡¯t doubt that for one moment. ¡°The Circle of Shadows are a big group. The people who were there were senior so you took down a good chunk, more than enough to weaken them, especially with my father gone. But it won¡¯t eradicate them. if you¡¯re a member you were trained to be as good as the leader. They¡¯ll only gather and reform.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I figured as much. It¡¯s all pieces of the puzzle, but let¡¯s take this as a massive win.¡± He smiles. ¡°There are more important things to talk about.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Heat races my skin. I have no idea what he¡¯s going to say about the baby. All he¡¯s done is take care of me and treat me like I should be in a ss ball. That¡¯s just been since yesterday.


    ¡°Sacha told me,¡± he states. ¡°When we got to the house I saw him first and he told me you¡¯re pregnant and what your father was going to do to you.¡±


    I feel like I should apologize in some way because it was me who told him I¡¯d had the injection and didn¡¯t remember when it ran out. That first time we were together we didn¡¯t even ask questions.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my inject-¡± ¡°No. Don¡¯t apologize. You don¡¯t have to. I would never want you to.¡± He reaches for my hands and covers them with his. ¡°Isabe, my words is dark because of who I am. It¡¯s always going to be that way but I promise you if you stay with me and give me a chance, I¡¯ll make sure there will always be light wherever we go.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I smile at that and a swirl of joy courses through me. ¡°That sounds amazing. That sounds like a dream.¡±


    ¡°Then be with me. Be mine.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± He pulls me on to hisp and we fall into a kiss that speaks of what¡¯s toe.


    As we kiss I realize I don¡¯t need to know what will happen next.


    As long as I¡¯m with him I¡¯ll be free. Free to live, be happy. And, in love.

 88

    TRISTAN I only left her when I was sure she was okay and I made sure I had a man watching the house. Just outside. Not inside because I didn¡¯t want to disturb the air of freedom Isabe spoke of.


    I¡¯ll be backter to help her pack what she wants and we¡¯ll head back to LA in a few days.


    I¡¯m on my way back to the house we rented. We had some casualties on our side but nothing close to what the Mortimer and his men suffered.


    Our main people got out alive. What a fucking battle though. These past years have seen us in battles that were life or death.


    The ones where you know if you make it out once you hope to never experienced anything like it again. Having it happen twice and making it out again changes you.


    I saw how my brothers had my back and I feel that trust is restored between us.


    I don¡¯t know what will happen next but I know I have to be on the lookout for it.


    One thing I promised myself though is that I¡¯m not going to spend my days consumed with rage and allow life to pass me by. I¡¯m not going to spend every waking hour thinking of revenge the way I have for thest six years.


    I won¡¯t do that to myself because things have changed for me and I¡¯m about to be a father. I won¡¯t allow myself to take anything from my girl and my kid, and that means stealing happiness.


    I¡¯ll be ready for whates next but what I do from here on will define me.


    I want a chance at happiness too and I want that light I promised Isabe. More than anything I want it with her.


    I walk into the house and Massimo rushes down the stairs. There¡¯s a panic in his eyes that tells me something else is going on. instantly I think of Candace.


    ¡°What¡¯s happened? Is Candace okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Candace is fine¡­¡± he runs a hand over his beard and nces over at the window. When he looks to me again the panic turns to sadness.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on Massimo?¡±


    ¡°Dominic¡¯s gone,¡± he answers and my chest tightens.


    ¡°No¡­ what? Maybe he¡­¡± I can¡¯t think of what to say. My brain scrabbles in a gamut of confusion because Dominic wouldn¡¯t just leave like that. ¡°Massimo, he wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°He has. He left me this,¡± he says holding up a little note. ¡°He left one for you too in the bedroom.


    I woke up and found mine next to my pillow. I¡¯ve been looking around for him ever since. Looks like he must have left in the early hours of the morning.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡±


    ¡°Tristan¡­ you had other important things to tend to, and I knew¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to find him. I¡¯ve never lived a day without knowing where you guys are. All I can do is hope hees back soon, and that wherever he is he¡¯ll be okay.¡± He rests a heavy hand on my shoulder and gives me an uneasy smile. ¡°Go read your letter. You should read it.¡±


    I walk up the stairs with a heavy heart and I see the letter on the nightstand.


    It¡¯s sitting there just waiting for me.


    I pick it up and open it hoping it will give me some clue as to where Dominic has gone.


    It says:


    Dear Tristan, I know you¡¯re gonna lose your shit when you read this and discover I¡¯m gone.


    I know you¡¯ll me yourself at times for not being able to help me, and I know you¡¯ll be the one who goes looking for me.


    Of anybody I¡¯ve ever met you are the most determined person I¡¯ve ever known in my life. Y ou never give up even when it looks like there¡¯s no hope. Y ou also never lose that fight inside you to go after what you want.


    That¡¯s why I know it will be you who will try the most to find me.


    I¡¯m going to ask you a favor. I don¡¯t want you to look for me. I want you to focus on your new family. Congrattions on the wonderful news of your baby.


    It¡¯s the best news we¡¯ve had in our family for years and it couldn¡¯t have happened to a more deserving person. I also couldn¡¯t have been happier to see you with someone as pure as Isabe.


    When she looks at you I can see that she loves you.


    I want you to focus on that.


    I need a break for a while. I need to be able to find myself and fix myself. Until I do that I don¡¯t think I can be the Dominic you guys need. I don¡¯t think I can help you the way you need to be helped.


    I¡¯m no good to you the way I am. I¡¯m no good to anyone with this addiction.


    Words can¡¯t describe how ashamed I am of myself for what I did to Candace and to you. We aren¡¯t the kind of brothers who pulls guns on each other.


    We¡¯re the kind who have each other¡¯s backs. During thest few weeks there were several times when I did not have your back, and you shouldn¡¯t have had to worry about me at any point.


    I¡¯m truly sorry for that.


    I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be away but I need to go.


    So this is me checking out for a while.


    Be safe.


    Love Dominic.


    I gaze out the window feeling that hollow inside me. He¡¯s right that I would be the one to go looking for him. That¡¯s exactly what I feel like doing now. Looking.


    He asked me not to.


    How must I?


    He¡¯s my kid brother.


    Candace is awake and propped up on a stack of pillows. She¡¯s still attached to tubes but the color hase back to her cheeks.


    Massimo was here a little before me. She¡¯s still under keen observation and we¡¯re still being cautioned not to overwhelm her.


    She offers me a kind smile when I approach but her eyes are filled with sadness.


    I¡¯m sure she knows about Dominic.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± she greets me.


    ¡°Buonasera principessa,¡± I reply and she smiles.


    ¡°You always know how to make a girl feel like a princess even when she¡¯s lying in a hospital bed looking like hell.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like hell.¡±


    ¡°Liar, I caught a glimpse of my hair. Even rats have better ces to sleep.¡±


    It¡¯s tangled and not neat the way she normally has it, but it¡¯s nowhere near as bad as what she thinks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get a brush from the nurses and sort it out for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll brush my hair?¡± she starts tough. Herughter is weak but it¡¯s such a good sound I feel like telling my stupid jokes of the past.


    It doesn¡¯t feel like the time to joke though, far from it. I look at her and I just nod and smile.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I know Candace in this condition, and what could have happened to her is what pushed Dominic to leave.


    He¡¯s ashamed of himself for doing this to her.


    ¡°Thank you in advance,¡± she mutters and I reach for her hand.


    As we stare at each other the seriousness fills the space between us.


    ¡°Dominic told me he was going to do it,¡± she says and her eyes be ssy. ¡°He said he was going to leave.¡±


    As she says that I remember what she said when she first woke from thea. She looked at Dominic and said don¡¯t leave.


    Although it struck me weird that she would say that I thought she just meant not to leave that day, that moment.


    ¡°When did he tell you?¡± I ask eager to know.


    ¡°While I was unconscious. I sense you guys and there were moments when I could hear you. He spoke to me.¡± She nods. ¡°The first thing he asked me is if I would allow him to talk. he didn¡¯t want the sound of his voice to upset me. He said he was sorry for what he did to me, that he loved me and that he felt the only way he could find himself is by leaving.¡±


    ¡°He said all that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yesterday when I woke up there was a letter. It seems like I was hisst stop.¡± She points over to the little table in the corner with a letter.


    I release her hand and take a seat next to her.


    ¡°I got a letter too. He asked me not to look for him. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to honor that.


    Where the hell did he go?¡±


    ¡°Tristan, there¡¯s going to be several reasons why Dominic asked you not to look for him, but I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s one you didn¡¯t think of,¡± she points out.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t find him. He told you not to look because you won¡¯t find him. You underestimate what he can do sometimes. He¡¯s the kind of person who can just disappear if he wants and gopletely off grid.¡±


    All I can do is stare back at her knowing she couldn¡¯t be more right. There have been several times in my life when I thought of Dominic as a genius. The man who could make miracles happen and do the impossible. He¡¯s doing it again now, just for himself.


    Fuck. I¡¯m not gonna find him.


    ¡°No one will be able to find him until he¡¯s ready,¡± she adds. ¡°And I have the feeling we¡¯re not gonna see him for a very long time. He wouldn¡¯t do all of this if it was just for a few months. I could see something like this happening. It was there on the horizon but I couldn¡¯t put my finger on what it was I thought he¡¯d do. I also didn¡¯t expect to end up in a hospital bed with a bullet wound close to my heart.¡±


    I bring my hand to my head. ¡°Candace I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t apologize. I can¡¯t pretend I¡¯m okay with it. I¡¯m not. I¡¯m here and I hate hospitals. It¡¯s making me anxious just knowing I¡¯m here, but I know it was an ident Tristan. I know it was an ident. Dominic never even aimed the gun at me. The cops were here the same day I woke up and I told them the same. I¡¯m not pressing charges or anything. Dominic spoke to them too. I think before you left. I don¡¯t know what was discussed but he didn¡¯t want to make it look like he was fleeing from trouble or trying to avoid jailtime.¡±


    ¡°Candace, I don¡¯t want to y devil¡¯s advocate here but you were shot. That can¡¯t just go unpunished no matter how sorry he is.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re saying. I do, and I know if I didn¡¯t drop the charges he would have felt the same and served whatever punishment he needed to make it right by me. It¡¯s enough and that¡¯s why I ept his apology.¡± A tear runs down her cheek. ¡°Tristan I¡¯m tempted to press charges so I can have the cops look for him for me. I lie here talking you like I¡¯m calm and I understand why he left and I do. I get it. But that doesn¡¯t mean I wanted him to go. In my letter he told me not to wait for him, so I¡¯m not.¡±


    I¡¯m couldn¡¯t be more surprised to hear that. It means she really thinks Dominic won¡¯t be back any time soon. The thought weakens me further and I realize I¡¯m at a loss here.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t,¡± she answers. ¡°I¡¯ve loved him my whole life and this disappearing act is one we¡¯re not supposed to have answers to. He wrote us letters as a parting gift. Something that wouldn¡¯t make us hold out on seeing him soon. I can¡¯t live the rest of my life waiting and wondering when he¡¯s going toe back. Neither should you.¡±


    I nod my agreement. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t.¡±


    She reaches for my hand again and gives me a little smile. ¡°Live Tristan. Be alive. Be a person and love. I watched you crumble when Alyssa died. It was like you died too. You only came back to us when you met Isabe. Treasure that.¡±


    ¡°I n to.¡±


    She gives my hand a gentle squeeze and her smile widens. It doesn¡¯t reach her eyes though like it usually does so I know she¡¯s hurting. I know she¡¯s deeply sad that Dominic is gone.


    I brush her hair and spend another hour with her then I head home to Isabe.


    I find her in the living room going through her stuff. We arranged for her things to be transported here from yesterday. Looks like everything is here.


    She didn¡¯t take much. It was a few boxes of her books, films and her clothes.


    ¡°Hey, you were supposed to wait for me to do that,¡± I tease.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d get a head start.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you lifting anything,¡± I walk over to her, passing the boxes and give her one kiss on the lips for her and a kiss on her tiny stomach for the baby.


    Sheughs when I do that.


    ¡°You are so cute, I don¡¯t have a bump yet.¡±


    ¡°Cute, Bellezza don¡¯t let anybody hear you say that,¡± I chuckle. ¡°I¡¯ll be kissing my girl and kid every chance I get so you better get used to it.¡±


    ¡°I love you,¡± she says, words I want to hear over and over again.


    It will mean even more with the ns I have up my sleeve. I can¡¯t do anything about things I can¡¯t control. I too hope that wherever Dominic is, he¡¯s safe and he¡¯ll be back soon.


    Until then my focus is on making this woman mine.


    ¡°I love you too.¡±

 89

    EPILOGUE Isabe Four monthster¡­ Massimo steps forward with our wedding rings. Father De La blesses mine first and hands it to Tristan.


    I¡¯m doing my best to hold back the tears of joy but I find I can¡¯t when Tristan takes my hand and stares back at me with so much love. His eyes are brimming with it.


    He keeps hold of my hand and says, ¡°I take this ring as a sign of our union and faithfulness in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.¡±


    Tristan slips the ring on my finger and I feel the overflowing sense of happiness I always dreamed about.


    Father De La gives me Tristan¡¯s ring and when I take his hand love rises and flows within me.


    I just want to savor the moment and remember today, our wedding as a day that was one of the best in my life.


    I smile up at my dark knight and I remember the day I first met him. I remember so clearly that day in the park. I was upset. I wished my life would change and then he happened.


    ¡°I take this ring as a sign of our union and faithfulness,¡± I say. ¡°In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.¡±


    ¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife,¡± Father De La deres and I be Isabe D¡¯Agostino. What a great name change. ¡°You may now kiss the bride.¡±


    Tristan kisses me and our guest apud.


    It was a beautiful wedding.


    As we pull apart I Iook at the people in the church who came to support us. Candace has the biggest smile on her face. She¡¯s so happy for us and she¡¯s be such a great friend to me over thest few months.


    Next to her is Sacha. He walked me down the aisle and gave me away. I couldn¡¯t have had a better person give me such an honor. If not for him there would have been many times in my life when I would have slipped into the dark, never to return.


    He¡¯s smiling at us but he also has the pride a father would have. He truly was the father I always wanted.


    ¡°Come on Bellezza, time to start this adventure of ours,¡± Tristan beckons and we take our stride down the aisle as husband and wife.


    As we do I think of everything that¡¯s happened in theses few months. I got everything I ever wanted, and get my life back on track to how I imagined it to be.


    When Tristan and I got engaged I wanted to get married before I got bigger so thest few months have been busy with wedding arrangements, but also with arrangements for my career.


    I got a job at the medical Centre here in LA and I¡¯ll be able to work until I can¡¯t. When the babyes I¡¯ll take enough leave and head back to the ssroom to continue my studies and get my final qualifications to be a therapist.


    It all worked out exactly how I wanted it to be.


    And now Tristan and I are heading back to the ind.


    I can¡¯t wait to get lost in him all over again, and again forever.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Tristan Eleven monthster¡­ ¡°Tristan, let me take the baby, he needs his bath,¡± Isabe giggles. She tries to reach for Gio but I pull away. My wife then gives me that sexy pout she¡¯s trying to make look like she¡¯s angry at me.


    ¡°Baby, tell mamma you only need to bathe twice a day, no more than that, and she should alsoy of the fluffy animal outfits. We¡¯re men, not stuffed animals.¡±


    When Gio gives us a wide toothy grin Isabe and I both startughing.


    ¡°You leave my choice of clothes alone, and the only reason I bathe him so much is because you have him crawling around in the dirt. Look at his fingers.¡±


    She¡¯s right. Even I can¡¯t argue when the baby has mud on his hands. I surrender and hand him over to her. The kid is a mini version of me. From his eyes to his hair. But there¡¯s something about his inner beauty that¡¯s all her. we named him after my father. At five months old, he¡¯s the light in our world.


    She takes him and gives me a kiss.


    Today is my birthday. It was a good day but she can see I¡¯m not okay.


    ¡°Massimo should be here soon, why don¡¯t you go get everything ready. I¡¯lle back when the baby¡¯s napping.¡±


    ¡°Okay, hurry back. Miss you already.¡±


    She gives me another kiss and as she walks back into the house Massimoes out on to the terrace.


    He greets her and gives Gio a little pat on his head thenes over to me.


    ¡°Hey, happy birthday,¡± he says and I tip my head in thanks.


    ¡°Thank you. here¡¯s to another year.¡±


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    With the sentiments over, it¡¯s time to talk again.


    I reach across the table and pick up the envelope that arrived bright and early this morning. ¡°I got this,¡± I say and hand it to him.


    He looks at it and pulls out an origami swan.


    It¡¯s from Dominic. There¡¯s no note in the envelope and no address except mine on but I know it¡¯s from him. It could onlye from him. It¡¯s the sort of thing he would do on a day like today. A sign to show me he was thinking of me.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? No note or anything?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    He sighs with frustration, looking the way I feel. ¡°Well your day is about to get stranger. I got this.


    No note or anything. I think it was from him too,¡± he says pulling an envelope from the inside of his jacket. It¡¯s the same kind as what I got.


    I open the envelope and take out a piece of paper. It looks like the end of a contract, except where all the names are usually listed there are initials. There are seven of them, with signatures next to them. All signed an agreement to The King.


    M. V , R. B, L. V , T. N, K. G, B. F, F. S ¡°What the hell¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Clues. Look,¡± he points to the first set of initials. ¡°Mortimer Viggo, Ricardo Balesteri, Levka V olkov.¡±


    I look up at Massimo with wide eyes. ¡°Fucking hell.¡± I didn¡¯t even notice that.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know who the others are but that¡¯s them. Signed to this person called The King.¡±


    The King¡­ I remember Mortimer talking about the King. He wasn¡¯t just given abel. He was talking about an actual person they call the King.


    ¡°You sure it¡¯s Dominic who found this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s our anonymous friend?¡±


    ¡°No, this feels like Dominic because if our anonymous friend had found it he, or she would have sent it already. This has Dominic written all over it. Only he can get his hands on shit like this. Not knowing where he is, is driving me fucking crazy.¡±


    ¡°I know, but what can we do? There¡¯s not a damn thing we can do besides wait.¡±


    It¡¯s been over a year since Ist saw Dominic and all I know from the letter today is he¡¯s alive.


    Waiting is all we¡¯ve been doing. It doesn¡¯t feel right not knowing from one day to the next if I will ever see him again. I¡¯m not sure which brother could just sit back and not worry.


    ¡°I know. I guess it¡¯s good he sent this letter. It gives us hope,¡± Massimo says.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still helping us and I think it leaves us with the question on whether or not we continue with this quest. It¡¯s been years. I have a kid on the way and you have one. Should we be encouraging war?


    I don¡¯t want to seem like I¡¯m continuously cing my family in danger.¡±


    I see exactly what he means and I know now why there¡¯s no note. Because it puts the question to all of us.


    Do we continue?


    Massimo and I are both fathers, married to women we love with all our hearts.


    But the past still haunts and lingers in the corner of my mind.


    ¡°These people are jointly and severally and guilty together. They plot to kill our father. Mortimer was a pawn. I want them all Massimo. It¡¯s not about encouraging war. It¡¯s about ending it. We reformed the Syndicate and they didn¡¯t want that. I¡¯d say they still don¡¯t. They¡¯ve just been quiet.¡±


    Massimo officially reformed the Syndicatest year and invited Aiden, udius and Vincent to join us. That¡¯s all, for now. They¡¯ve joined us with their counterparts. We stuck to tradition in that respect.


    ¡°Quiet and maybe watching,¡± he says.


    ¡°Mortimer said more wille and the bigger pieces on the chess board haven¡¯t started ying yet. Time is irrelevant here. Just because they haven¡¯t struck yet doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t. They just might not be ready right now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think this both has to be something we all agree to do. I¡¯m in. What say ye?¡±


    I think about it and nce up at the window above us. I can see Isabe rocking Gio to sleep. The two of them are my world.


    I promised my bellezza I¡¯d take care of her, and there would always be light wherever she went with me.


    I have to do this to make sure I can keep that promise.


    I nod. ¡°I¡¯m in brother. I¡¯m in.¡±

 90

    Prologue of book 3


    Candace


    13 years ago¡­


    I rest my elbows on the rigid wood of the window ledge, my hand at my cheek as I gaze at the boy who has always made my heart skip a beat.


    He¡¯s sitting cross-legged in the moonlit meadow, gazing out at the vast expanse of the woods and theke.


    He¡¯s far, far away from me. A good forty feet and it¡¯s dark, bordering on nine, but I can see him.


    I always see him.


    Dominic D¡¯Agostino.


    The youngest of the D¡¯Agostino pack. The girls at school call them ¡°the Godlike Boys.¡± There are four of them: Andreas, Massimo, Tristan, then there¡¯s him¡­ Dominic.


    Against the silver moonlight, I can just make out the outline of his jet-ck hair. He¡¯s always had it longish on top with a lock hanging over his eye, making him look more alluring, and I can¡¯t remember a day when I didn¡¯t feel this way. Like watching him was an escape into a fantasy. A dream my heart wants.


    He¡¯s seventeen years old. Older than me by two years, eight months, and five days. Exactly. I used to count down to the hour and minute, but I stopped doing that a while back. Maybe about the same time I started trying to learn everything I could about this guy.


    Like the way he tries to be as badass as his brothers-and he is-make no mistake about that, but he also tries his best to hide his intelligence.


    People like me spot things like that straightaway. We¡¯re the help. We see everything and notice things others might not.


    I¡¯m not sure how long he¡¯ll be able to keep that up though, because he has the kind of intelligence which will overpower his desire to hide it.


    Like today when Humphrey Damson, one of the Ivy league wannabes, insulted his intelligence and told him there is no way a Stormy Creek rat like him could figure out some difficult equation they were arguing about.


    Dominic didn¡¯t hesitate to put him in his ce by solving the equation in seconds. The ssic look of shock on Humphrey¡¯s face was one I don¡¯t think anyone will forget anytime soon.


    Now Dominic¡¯s doing the usual Friday night routine. It might look like he¡¯s just sitting there, but he¡¯s not. The ritual is partly to avoid the sadness of going home and partly for reflection, a time to remember his mother.


    She died when he was eight.


    Ahead of him is the D¡¯Agostino home. Inside it, his father, Gio, is ying that old jazz song he used to dance to with Dominic¡¯s mother. Gio always called her his doll.


    If I were to open my window and listen carefully, I¡¯d be able to hear Billie Holiday¡¯s melodious voice singing, ¡°The Very Thought of You,¡± like a whisper on the wind. A voice singing a song filled with memories of his true love. When Sariah D¡¯Agostino died, it was like the stars fell from the sky.


    Everyone knows how much Gio loved his wife. He used to dance with her on the porch every Friday for date night. I know I wasn¡¯t the only one who watched them. They brought life and light to this dark ce.


    Sometimes when I look down there, I still see them dancing. Like ghosts of memories imprinted on my soul.


    My family has worked for the D¡¯Agostinos for generations. In that time, the years of friendship made us as close as family could be. I know that is why my parents followed them to Stormy Creek when Gio lost everything and they still continue to work for him in some capacity.


    We¡¯ve lived here for eleven years. I would have been too young to remember what it was like to live in thevish mansion they still talk about.


    I¡¯ve only known this life in Stormy Creek, a ce reserved for the poor and destitute. It¡¯s a ce filled with broken souls trying to make their way in the world from one day to the next, one where dark things happen behind closed doors.


    Or maybe¡­ that¡¯s just in my house. I don¡¯t know.


    Most of the people who live in this godforsaken ce do all kinds of shady shit. But at least those people don¡¯t pretend to be something they aren¡¯t.


    They aren¡¯t like us, under the facade of the vani cereal box family. The Mother, father, daughter, and the uncle who seems to support them. All that¡¯s missing is the white picket fence and the shaggy dog.


    That¡¯s how people see me and mine, and I wear the mask well. I do such a good job they can¡¯t see I¡¯m screaming inside. Outside, I¡¯m Candace Ri. The girl with her little princess bag and homemade cookies.


    I¡¯ve gotten so good at pretending no one will ever guess what goes on at night in the Ri household.


    Desperation is a terrible thing.


    That¡¯s what happened to us.


    Desperation made Papa ask Uncle Lucas for a job. Then everything changed in a way no one expected. Ways he never expected. I know in my heart Papa never knew he was selling his soul to the devil or opening the gates of hell. Two nights ago, he got a rude awakening when he discovered what was happening to my mother when he was away working. We¡¯ve been on edge ever since.


    I¡¯m pulled from my thoughts when Dominic gets up and walks in the opposite direction of his house. The ritual is over and like always, he¡¯spletely oblivious to me.


    He¡¯ll never see me the way I see him, and he¡¯ll never know the real darkness of my world.


    The terrified girl who lives inside me wants to call out for his help and beg him to fight the monsters, save me. I want to scream and tell him what happens when the lights go out. But I can¡¯t do that.


    Only God knows how I wish I could take back the night when I disobeyed the rules and my eyes were opened to the truth behind my mother¡¯s cries and the voices of those strange men in our home at night.


    Theye when Papa¡¯s not here.


    See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.


    That was the one rule I grew up with. As the help, you know those three things. We know especially not to speak no evil.


    I watch Dominic until I can¡¯t see him anymore and ept there will be no one to save me. When I stand, my bedroom door flies open and Mom runs inside, her eyes wide with panic.


    ¡°Candace grab a bag quick, we have to leave.¡± The words tumble out of her mouth so fast it takes me a few seconds to register what she¡¯s saying.


    ¡°What? Mom, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Please, just get a bag.¡± She rushes back out the door.


    My heart lodges in my chest, too afraid to beat. What is happening now? What on earth could be happening?


    Instead of getting a bag like she asked, I follow her into the living room where Papa is pacing around with a rucksack. He¡¯s stuffing paperwork inside it.


    A sickly green hue mingles with beads of sweat darkening his skin, and terror etches across his face, his shoulders, his body.


    Mom walks over to the dinner table, brings her hands to her mouth, and starts crying.


    ¡°Mom, Papa, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    Neither answers me.


    ¡°William, are you sure they saw you?¡± Mom asks Papa.


    ¡°Yes. They know it was me who took the information. We have to leave now.¡± Papa looks from Mom to me and his gaze lingers on me.


    I almost think he¡¯s going to tell me what is happening, but he doesn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°William, what if they find us? They could. Where would we go to be safe?¡±


    His gaze snaps back to my mother, who is now cowering into the wall like she can go through it. Like she can disappear, or it can save her. I¡¯ve never seen her look so terrified, so I know whatever this is, is really bad.


    ¡°We have to try. We¡¯ll leave here and nevere back,¡± he answers, and it feels like invisible hands mp around my lungs and squeeze. By the time he nces at me, I¡¯m gasping. ¡°Candace, sweetie, get a bag.¡±


    My lips part to say something but the words freeze in my mind when I hear the loud voices of men outside on the porch. Secondster our front door crashes open, smashing into the wall.


    Mom screams and races over to me when masked men storm into the house holding guns. They alle in so fast there¡¯s not enough time or the chance to do anything besides scream and run. But run to where?


    A burly man grabs my father. A scream tears from my lips when he hits him with the back of his gun and Papa falls to the ground holding his head. The man sends a round of kicks to my father¡¯s stomach and blood sputters from his lips.


    Mom and I both scream out, pleading with the man to stop, but Papa bes the least of our worries when I¡¯m ripped from my mother¡¯s arms and a tall man grabs her by her hair and ces a gun to her throat.


    I¡¯m held against a solid chest, terror racing through me at such a rapid pace I can¡¯t breathe.


    There are six armed men in the room. One morees through the door, his gun held out, ready to open fire. He too has a mask, but with his sleeves rolled up his thick forearms, I recognize his tattoo. It¡¯s a ck dagger with the word eternal written on the de and a cobra wrapped around the dagger¡¯s handle. The first time I saw that tattoo, I knew I¡¯d never forget it. Nor his face.


    I wasn¡¯t supposed to see his face the night I caught him with my mother.


    That same night when I heard his voice, I realized he¡¯d been here several times before. As he speaks now, I recognize his voice the same way. It¡¯s him.


    I don¡¯t need to see his stony face or his dark coal eyes to remember how evil he looks.


    That night he didn¡¯t see me watching him. No one did.


    The man walks in, and a quick nce at my mother suggests she recognizes him too. I can see it in her eyes.


    ¡°William Ri, I hear you¡¯ve been up to no good,¡± the man intones in a singsong voice. The deep timbre and the air of menace in his tone linger like a bad dream.


    ¡°Please, let my wife and daughter go,¡± Papa begs, but his pleas are met withughter. ¡°Take me. You want me.¡±


    ¡°Tell me where the information is,¡± the man demands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Papa answers.


    ¡°Fucking dog, you won¡¯t lie to me. You pick the wrong method to save your family.¡±


    Oh God¡­ what does he mean?


    What did Papa do?


    The other night when Papa found out what was happening to Mom, I don¡¯t know what he did after. Whatever it is, has resulted in this.


    ¡°Please, let them go. You want me. Let my wife and my girl go.¡±


    ¡°Tell me where the information is.¡±


    This is about information. On what, though?


    What information did Papa find?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have it.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You dumb fuck. We know what you did, and the boss isn¡¯t happy. Bring her here.¡± The man points to Mom who starts screaming when she¡¯s dragged over by her hair.


    ¡°No, please. Don¡¯t hurt her,¡± Papa cries.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± the man demands.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the information anymore. I don¡¯t know where it is. My wife and girl know nothing. Take me, take me, take me.¡± Each plea that falls from his lips rises an octave higher and stirs more horror in my soul.


    ¡°Can you remember now?¡± The man taunts, cocking the hammer on the gun.


    Click-ck is all I hear. It¡¯s all I focus on, along with the sight of Mom trying to break free.


    ¡°Please no, don¡¯t. Don¡¯t hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what I need to know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have it. Please. Not my girl.¡±


    ¡°Yours? No.¡± The manughs.


    I know what he means, after all, I saw him in bed with my mother.


    For a fraction of a second, there¡¯s a shift of sadness and regret in my father¡¯s eyes as realization dawns on him too. Everything, however, evaporates from my mind when the man takes out a little bottle from the inside of his jacket and throws some sort of liquid all over Mom. A whiff of the pungent smell burns my nose, and the instant I realize what it is, the nightmare really begins. It¡¯s gasoline.


    A snap of a lighter flickers on and suddenly my mother is on fire. The man holding her drops her as the mes cover her body.


    The anguished cry that rips from my throat is so intense I think I might die from the sight of the mes on my mother. My screams mingle with those of my parents and tears blind my vision.


    ¡°Tell us where the information is, and I might put the fire out,¡± the man taunts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have it!¡± Papa shouts. ¡°Someone took it. Please. Please, I beg of you, please.¡±


    The man stares Papa down. The seconds that pass between them feel like lifetimes and there¡¯s a moment something changes, and I just know it¡¯s over.


    It¡¯s over and there¡¯s no one to save us. Our closest neighbors will mind their own business and the only people who might be able to help live at the bottom of the hill.


    Gio D¡¯Agostino is, however, so engrossed with his ritualistic remembrance of his wife I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t hear a thing. He¡¯d probably never suspect anything anyway out of the ordinary happening in the Ri household.


    Time stands still, my soul breaks, and the world stops when the man fires one shot into my mother¡¯s chest. Before I can get over the shock, he pulls a long-ded knife from his sheath and cuts Papa¡¯s head off before he can utter another cry.


    Like a scene from a nightmare, both my parentsy dead before me. Papa¡¯s body, his head sitting next to it in a pool of blood and Mom still on fire. I can¡¯t stop screaming and crying.


    ¡°Do what you want with her, make sure you dispose of the body after,¡± the man orders.


    He means me.


    Oh, God¡­


    He¡¯s talking about me.


    I¡¯m going to die.


    The men file out of the house and I scream harder when the clothes are ripped from my body and I¡¯m pushed naked to the floor.


    I scream and scream and scream as the man who is holding me gets on top of me. I try to fight, but he¡¯s too strong and fierce.


    I can¡¯t form words; I¡¯m just screaming and crying. Wailing for help.


    One second the man¡¯s disgusting head looms over me, with his hot, raw breath husking. The next thing I see is his head falling from his body.


    Before I can quite realize what¡¯s happened, blood sprays into my eyes, and the man¡¯s headless body copses onto mine.


    I blink and I can just make out Massimo¡¯s face before me. He¡¯s holding a long knife, blood is on his face too, and he¡¯s looking down at me in horror.


    ¡°Candace,¡± he calls to me, but I¡¯m screaming so much I can¡¯t answer.


    Terror sets in as my mind tries to process what happened, and screams continue to pour from my body,ing from deep in my soul.


    What did just happen?


    My mother¡­ my father.


    They¡¯re dead¡­


    ¡°Candace, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay,¡± Massimo says, pushing the man¡¯s bulky body off me.


    ¡°Guys get in here,¡± he shouts. Footsteps echo on the floorboards outside.


    I can¡¯t see anybody. Tears and blood blind me.


    My name is called again, and someone lifts me.


    The tears and blood are wiped from my eyes, and I see him holding me.


    Dominic¡­


    His face looms before me, filled with panic as he looks me over.


    ¡°I got you, Angel. You¡¯re safe,¡± he says and pulls me to his chest.


    My head rolls to the side and my gaze meets my mother¡¯s wide, dead eyes.


    Onest scream rips from my soul and the air leaves my lungs.

 91

    Dominic


    Present day ¡­


    There¡¯s a good reason why people tell the good girls to stay away from the bad boys. The guys who are trouble. It¡¯s the same reason why the angel isn¡¯t meant to be with the devil. The angel is always too good for him, even when she tries to see the good in him. The devil is filled with too much darkness to see the light.


    That¡¯s me and her.


    Me: Dominic D¡¯Agostino. Devil, darkness.


    Her: Candace Ri. The angel¡­ my light.


    She was nearly mine.


    Almost then never¡­


    I watch her walking around in her kitchen,pletely oblivious to me. Her long honey blonde hair in that fishtail braid bounces as she moves from the cupboard to the counter with a te. She¡¯s beautiful with the kind of beauty that gets stuck in your head. Her willowy body with curves in all the right ces is the kind that would have a man on his knees begging to touch her. She wouldn¡¯t know though.


    She¡¯s the girl next door type who¡¯s beautiful and doesn¡¯t know it.


    Contrary to what she¡¯s always thought, she¡¯s never far from my thoughts. Not even when I have a million things on my mind.


    In the two years I¡¯ve been away, she¡¯s never been far from my heart either.


    My ne touched down at LAX less than an hour ago and I came straight here.


    Like a stalker, I¡¯ve been standing on the roof of the apartment building opposite hers, watching her with a pair of binocrs. Thankfully, I¡¯m enveloped by the thick darkness of night so no one can see me.


    I¡¯m far away from her, so far away. Yet that rose-infused scent that¡¯s always lingering in her hair is right here with me. Her silky, smooth skin still sparks the nerve endings on my fingertips, and the taste of her still burns my lips enticing my hunger for things I shouldn¡¯t want, but still crave.


    As I look at her now, I remember finally having my taste of her perfect body that night we spent together.


    That night is etched in my mind on rey, the same as the night I ruined everything and lost her.


    Candace Ri¡­


    I don¡¯t have a single childhood memory that doesn¡¯t include her face.


    Those chase memories of innocence were, however, exactly that. Chaste. My problems began as we grew older and I started to want her.


    But she was the good girl who was forbidden to me. The one woman, who unknown to many, I promised not to touch.


    Two years ago, I broke the promise, and selfishly took my chance to be with her. Then I fucked up and showed her exactly what kind of monster I was when my fucking mistakes left her fighting for her life.


    Guilt sweeps through me as I remember how I left her attached to tubes and machines in a hospital bed, barely alive because of me.


    Barely alive because of the bullet I put in her chest.


    Me¡­ that¡¯s what I did to her. It was an ident. I know it was. But it doesn¡¯t change the guilt I feel or the fact that I will always, always me myself.


    ident or not, Candace nearly died. That¡¯s the fact.


    The bullet missed her heart by a mere three millimeters.


    Millimeters made the difference between life and death of a woman who deserves everything good in this world.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Shame and guilt over what I did to her were what gave me the push to leave. Along with the reason it happened.


    Drugs¡­.


    I was a drug addict.


    Me¡­


    I still can¡¯t believe it.


    I can y the badass mobster, or the Einstein of the D¡¯Agostino pack with his double honors degree from M. I. T. Underneath it all though, I¡¯m me and I hate not being in control. When the shit started to hit the fan, I took a path that nearly destroyed me, and her too.


    I¡¯ve been clean now for ten months straight and my addiction is behind me. But cleaning up wasn¡¯t the only thing I had to worry about.


    When a person turns to drugs, that part is just a coping mechanism for what¡¯s really bothering them. What was bothering me was life.


    Now it¡¯s back to screw with me and I have to deal with it or more people I love could die.


    I¡¯m back, but I¡¯m only here because the time hase where I¡¯m needed.


    When I left, I know my family had to trust I was alive, and I¡¯d be back when I was ready toe home. Thatst part is what I¡¯m struggling with because I¡¯m not ready. I¡¯m not ready to be home or be the Dominic D¡¯Agostino they¡¯re all used to.


    I pull in a breath as the gravity of the situation hits me.


    Danger¡¯s on the horizon again.


    Danger regarding the Syndicate.


    As Candace checks the wide framed UPVC casement windows, making sure they¡¯re locked, and she¡¯s safe, I¡¯m reminded that I¡¯m one of the monsters who should stay away from her.


    I should stick to the darkness and leave her out of my world.


    Wicked lies and broken promises are the things that define us. Both are a sign we were never meant to be.


    Thirteen years ago, darkness took her parents away from her and she hasn¡¯t been the same since. They were killed in front of her in the most gruesome way. Fear is just the beginning of what cursed her after. A symptom of what happened. Or rather, what was going on.


    I want better than darkness for her.


    As Candace ces an assortment of cookies on the te and walks out of the kitchen with her phone at her ear, I lower my binocrs and leave too.


    Tomorrow is going to be a very interesting day.


    I¡¯ll see my brothers then, and I¡¯ll see her too.


    I don¡¯t know what their reaction will be like.


    Candace would have every right to hate me.


    Staying away is the best thing I could do for her.


    The only problem with that is, I still love her.

 92

    Candace


    ¡°Good news,¡± Helen beams.


    Eagerly, I press the phone to my ear. ¡°Please, tell me you got me in.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she squeals, and I sigh with relief, mentally crossing my fingers and toes this n of mine might work. ¡°And, because of your ties to the D¡¯Agostinos, I managed to persuade the auction organizer to ce you fourth on the list.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh, you¡¯re the best. Thanks so much, Helen.¡±


    As I walk out of the kitchen, I nce back through the window. It¡¯s odd, I had a weird feeling. That weird sensation you get when someone is watching you. I can¡¯t see anybody outside though, just the darkness of the night and the shadow of the building opposite mine. It¡¯s at least forty feet away. Clearly, I¡¯m just paranoid because of the shit I¡¯m about to dive into.


    ¡°I¡¯m just fascinated. Candace Ri, it¡¯s not every day a woman like you signs up to an auction of this nature.¡± Sheughs.


    The deadline to apply for the Decadent Auction closedst Monday. On Friday when I came up with the bright idea to take part, I begged Helen to work her magic to get me in as ast-minute participant.


    ¡°I know,¡± I chuckle, bncing the phone between my shoulder and the crook of my neck so I can open my bedroom door. I pad over to my bed and sit, setting the te of cookies down next to me.


    ¡°This year you¡¯re in for a real treat of filthy rich, gorgeous men. If I didn¡¯t have Adam, I¡¯d be signing up too.¡±


    I¡¯m sure she would. She¡¯s a veteran of these types of auctions. I on the other hand loathe them.


    ¡°I only have my eye on one guy,¡± I coo, lying through my teeth.


    ¡°Of course, forgive me. How dare I forget this clever n is all about Jacques Belmont?¡± She giggles in that saucy way she does when we¡¯re talking about men.


    ¡°The one and only.¡±


    ¡°That uber gorgeous French man could charm a nun out of her panties.¡±


    Since I¡¯m certain he could, I can¡¯t disagree with her. A month ago, when Jacques signed contracts as D¡¯Agostinos Inc.¡¯s newest client the man turned heads with his GQ looks and that same charm she¡¯s talking about.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so into him.¡±


    ¡°Thought I¡¯d give him a chance. The auction is something different for me and one sure way to know if he¡¯s as interested in me as he says.¡± I feel bad for lying to her. I wasn¡¯t raised to be a liar. Then again¡­ I was raised to keep quiet so maybe it¡¯s the same thing.


    Jacques has had his eye on me since we met. He¡¯s been trying to get me to go out with him for over a month and I¡¯ve declined every time he asked.


    Last week I changed my tune when I stumbled across something significant and realized he might have answers to questions I¡¯ve had for thest thirteen years. Questions about my parent¡¯s deaths.


    When I found out Jacques would be attending the auction, I saw it as my chance to get closer to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I just hope you¡¯re prepared. You do know the man will basically own you for thirty days and thirty nights, right?¡±


    ¡°I know, and I¡¯m definitely prepared.¡± Another lie. I¡¯m not prepared in the least and poor Helen ispletely unable to see through the crock of shit I¡¯m dishing her.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Helen and I became friends a few years ago when I started working for Massimo as his PA. She¡¯s the PR manager. Although she¡¯se to be a great friend, and the only one I have who isn¡¯t married with children, she doesn¡¯t know me enough to know a date auction is thest thing I¡¯d ever be signing up to, let alone one being run by the Syndicate.


    In an ordinary date auction, a couple would be expected to go on an actual date and do something like dinner and a movie. Anything to do with the Syndicate would be the stark opposite.


    Massimo might be in charge now, but he kept all the old practices and events alive to please the old school gentleman¡¯s club type investors. So, this auction is literally a woman auctioning her body to the highest bidder.


    At least it¡¯s partly for charity. Fifty percent of the winning bids will be given to help the people in Long Beach who lost their homes in the floods. Beneath that facade is the enticement of sex.


    These types of events attract billionaires and businessmen with special tastes for the dark and decadent. Men with dark fantasies of buying women. Men like Jacques Belmont. With the starting bid at a hundred thousand dors and the remaining fifty percent for the woman on sale, the expectations areid out on the table.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got me hooked on this n of yours,¡± Helen bubbles. ¡°The question on my mind though is how you¡¯re so certain Jacques will bid on you.¡±


    ¡°He wants me. Jacques won¡¯t just bid on me, he¡¯ll win.¡± I sound exactly like the vindictive debutant bitches I grew up around who were constantly throwing themselves at the D¡¯Agostino boys.


    Helen sucks in a breath and I can just imagine the shock on her face at my words. I don¡¯t normally talk like this.


    ¡°Candace you¡¯ve gone from shy wallflower to confident temptress overnight.¡±


    I wish it were that. It¡¯s not though. I just know how to handle rich assholes who want sex.


    ¡°I know his type.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my gosh, this is so juicy.¡± Sheughs louder. ¡°But what if someone outbids him?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t allow that to happen.¡± I know what men like him do.


    Jacques is one of those Neanderthals who isn¡¯t used to hearing the word no. He would have seen me as a piece of ass to add to his list of conquests. I¡¯m also certain he just assumed that I was ying hard to get. My interaction with him over thest few days probably made him think I was warming to his continuous advances. That is what will make him want me more, and thatpetitive streak in him will never allow another man to have me.


    What I¡¯ll be doing this week is sowing seeds to cement his interest. The auction is on Saturday. When I tell him I¡¯ll be taking part that will seal the deal.


    ¡°Oh, my God. You are on fire. I like it. Candace, you sound like a new woman.¡±


    ¡°I feel like one.¡± One on a mission for answers and justice.


    ¡°What about the brothers, aren¡¯t you worried Massimo or Tristan might say something?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± One more lie. They would go ape shit. ¡°They won¡¯t even be there.¡± And if they were, they¡¯d think I¡¯d lost my mind.


    Massimo and Tristan are both married and have their hands full with their babies. They don¡¯t usually concern themselves with these sorts of events, but they definitely wouldn¡¯t agree with me entering such a thing. Even if the subject of anything to do with rtionships has been approached with care since Dominic left.


    I frown and release an exasperated breath. ncing at the clock on the wall, I wince. It¡¯s nearly ten. Another two hours and I would have gone a whole day without thinking about Dominic D¡¯Agostino. Another two more hours and I could ss myself as almost at the point where maybe I was getting over him.


    Maybe.


    He¡¯s been gone for two years. Moving on should be easy when I think of all the reasons to hate him. The man left me in a hospital bed after he put a bullet in my chest. It was like he stayed around long enough to make sure I was alive, then he just left, leaving me a note telling me not to wait for him.


    Even though I put on a brave face, I¡¯m still heartbroken knowing the boy I love deserted me when I needed him the most.


    I stifle a groan, shake my mind free of his face, and focus on Jacques. Thinking about Dominic isn¡¯t going to do me any favors.


    ¡°I absolutely can¡¯t wait to see how this is going to y out,¡± Helen says.


    ¡°Me too. It¡¯s gonna be fun.¡±


    ¡°It will, and if you don¡¯t mind me saying, a good move for you. Giving another guy a chance will help you move forward.¡±


    She means moving on from Dominic. Before he left, people would have seen us together, but we weren¡¯t a couple then. We were barely a couple at the point we got together, and no one would have seen us.


    Helen is the kind of woman who can figure things like that out for herself, though. I¡¯ve also been obvious in my avoidance of forming any new rtionships.


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°Make sure we book a shopping date. I want to see your dress before the big night.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Well, see you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°See you.¡±


    When we hang up, I set my phone down and press my hand to my chest. I inhale shallow, even breaths. I must look like I¡¯m on the verge of a panic attack or I¡¯m trying toe out of one. With the bizarre n I¡¯m concocting, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I did have a full-blown panic attack.


    Sliding off the bed, I put the cookies to the side on the nightstand. My appetite¡¯s gone and I doubt it wille back tonight. When I think of what I¡¯ll have to do to get answers, I feel sick.


    As the help¡¯s daughter, I used to hear things. Secrets and plights. I¡¯ve heard of women selling themselves for sex. That¡¯s what it¡¯s going to look like when I stand on that stage and auction myself.


    When I was talking to Helen, I sounded like a woman who was excited to sign her body up for a risque event. Women who do those events live for the money and the thrill of the dark fantasy of being owned. I¡¯m nothing of the sort. Not even close, and that¡¯s not why I¡¯m doing it.


    Eight months ago, I decided I wanted to change my life. Being shot and nearly dying can make a person reflect. When I took a look at my life, I didn¡¯t like what I saw. I saw myself as a person who was co-dependent on others, and a shadow of what I was meant to be.


    Moving into this apartment was the first step to getting my life on track. The other step was tackling the biggest thorn in my heart¨Cthe loss of my parents.


    I realized I couldn¡¯t move forward until I revisited the past and got answers for their deaths.


    Gio D¡¯Agostino took me in to live with his family after my parents died. He did his best to find my parents¡¯ killer. His attempts were, however, to no avail. Of course, it would have been difficult looking for a dark-haired man I didn¡¯t know the name of and just going by the description of his tattoo. That was all I had.


    My description came with the omission of my first encounter with that man. I¡¯d simply exined that he¡¯d been at the house before and I recognized the tattoo. Those details were hardly anything to investigate with, and of course, when you live in Stormy Creek, nobody sees anything they¡¯re not supposed to.


    This auction is my way of trying a different tactic.


    I believe Jacques may know or have information on the man my father worked for. The same man who sent those men to kill my parents and me.


    Because questions like that aren¡¯t the sort I can simply ask without the worry of repercussions, my n is to get close to Jacques with the hope he will tell me. That auction is how you get close to a man like him.


    He¡¯s a billionaire yboy who wants sex, and when it¡¯s over it¡¯s over. But something like the auction is a hook for those like him with dark fantasies. The thought of owning me for thirty days will keep him interested.


    That thirty days would give me time and ground him in L. A. because he¡¯s always traveling. With the meetings for his contract wrapping up within a week or so, I wouldn¡¯t see him as much as I do now.


    Over thest few days, I¡¯ve asked myself if there wasn¡¯t a better way or something different I could do with Jacques¡¯ interest in me. The only sure answer I kepting up with was taking part in the auction and making sure he wins me.


    It¡¯s the kind of n that only a desperate person like me would think of.

 93

    Dominic


    ¡°Anything else you need, Boss?¡± Cory asks.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± I turn to face him as I shrug into my biker jacket.


    It¡¯s strange being called boss again. My brothers and I each have our own street guys. Cory has been mine for thest ten years. I¡¯d bet I shocked him to shit when I called himst night requesting his presence at seven a. m. sharp. I also asked him to keep quiet about my return. Much as I wanted to speak to my brothers before anyone else, I can¡¯t afford to waste time. Not with what I found.


    ¡°Check in with me as soon as you get any info,¡± I add, and he nods.


    ¡°You know I will. I ran a check and I have a hunch I want to look into.¡±


    That is why I like working with this guy. He works like me. We follow hunches until we have a lead.


    ¡°Perfect.¡±


    He nods and gives me a half-smile. He¡¯s an enforcer for the family now, and I have to say he earned his stripes. The man doesn¡¯t pussyfoot around shit, and he¡¯s not afraid to take risks.


    ¡°I gotta say, it¡¯s good to have you back, Dominic,¡± he states.


    ¡°Thanks. Good to be back.¡± It sounds like a lie, although I¡¯m looking forward to seeing everyone. ¡°Wish it was under better circumstances though.¡±


    ¡°I hear ya, but it is what it is. I¡¯m sure your brothers will be d you¡¯re home. See youter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Onest nod and as I watch him go, I hope he¡¯s right.


    I¡¯ve returned with bad news, but I hope Massimo and Tristan won¡¯t be too mad at me for staying away for so long.


    We didn¡¯t exactly part on good terms either, and no one likes to be the bearer of bad news. Definitely not in rtion to the Syndicate.


    The Syndicate of the Brotherhood is a secret society that was originally made up of six crime families. Four Italian and two Bratva. The group was one my family belonged to for many generations.


    When I was a kid my father lost everything, including his membership in the Syndicate too. Then when he built the D¡¯Agostino empire and became a titan of wealth, he was reinstated and that¡¯s where I think all the trouble began. It certainly started brewing from then. From that time, one secret was revealed after another. Each wreaking havoc in our lives.


    Three and a half years ago, the original Syndicate was bombed in a secret plot to eliminate them. That was the day my father died.


    The secret plot was instigated by Rardo Balesteri. An enemy to our family who killed both my parents.


    The bomb only injured Pa. He could have survived those injuries, but it was Rardo¡¯s bullet that killed him as hey in the rubble and debris in Massimo¡¯s arms.


    I keep thinking things would have been different had Rardo not turned my eldest brother, Andreas, against us, but that was the final blow. Turning a brother against his own. A man we would trust with our lives.


    Tristan would say he saw Andreas¡¯ betrayaling. He¡¯d probably bet good money on it too because he knew Andreas was jealous Pa made Massimo boss of the D¡¯Agostino empire. Me though, with all my intelligence, never saw that hit until the blow was dealt and I was being told my father was dead and my eldest brother in his greed made that happen.


    Rardo and Andreas allied with other enemies who wanted to control the Syndicate. The goal was to enforce Code Ten: you keep what you kill. That was the Syndicate¡¯s protocol of preserving the wealth umted and keeping it within the group. It ensured that when one member died, the remaining members would receive their shares and wealth. To my knowledge, the wealth at the time estimated at five hundred billion. Then there were all the assets, businesses, and properties they owned worldwide that brought in consistent wealth. Eliminating ny percent of the members of the Syndicate should have meant that Rardo would have gotten everything. He would have been an asset to our enemies.


    Much to their dismay, things didn¡¯t work out as nned when Rardo and Andreas both died, and Massimo was thest man standing with the powers of the Syndicate at his disposal.


    A handful of months after that saw my brothers and me on a quest for vengeance when an anonymous letter I found informed us that more people were responsible for the bombing, and we had more enemies who would bring war to our doorsteps.


    That brings me to the reason I¡¯m back.


    I¡¯m back because they are.


    The problem is Massimo¡¯s ownership of the Syndicate means he has too much wealth, control, and power.


    That problem is not one that will be going away anytime soon. As long as the Syndicate exists and it¡¯s out of the enemy¡¯s control, we will always have trouble. We will always have to watch our backs because they¡¯ll be lying in wait for the next chance to take control.


    I¡¯m very protective of my father¡¯s vision and I know he wanted us to be part of the Syndicate, continuing the legacy of our forefathers. I¡¯m not sure, though, he knew just how much danger we¡¯d all be in because of it.


    I grab the keys for my motorcycle and head out.


    It¡¯s showtime.


    People do a double-take when they see me stroll into D¡¯Agostinos Inc. They stare like they¡¯ve just seen a ghost.


    I tried to get here as early as possible to avoid the fuss. I greet those who talk to me like it was just yesterday we saw each other and try to keep any discussion to a minimum.


    Thankfully, I¡¯m early enough to avoid the bulk of the crowd and I¡¯m able to make my way up to Massimo¡¯s office without drawing too much attention.


    Each person I speak to has that look of awe and curiosity, making me wonder how much they knew in rtion to my absence. I doubt anyone would have given full details on why I left. In a family like mine, however, there¡¯s never a dull moment and in my world, there¡¯s always some sort of scandal. To be fair, the greetings I received appeared genuine, which is probably the result of being part of a family run business with down-to-earth people.


    D¡¯Agostinos Inc is a multibillion-dor oilpany that my father built from the ground up. Pa got the idea to go into the oil business a few years before I turned eighteen. The summer after that was when things really took off. The idea was something well and truly legit and outside anything you¡¯d expect from a crime family with roots in the Sicilian Mafia. Thispany here is my father¡¯s legacy.


    I step out of the elevator and walk down the corridor. Candace has the office at the end. A year before I left, she started working here. I don¡¯t expect her to be here yet, but I hurry along to Massimo¡¯s office just in case. This isn¡¯t how I want her to see me.


    Massimo¡¯s door is never locked so when I get to his office, I just open it and walk right in. Anything he has of value is in the safe or locked away in the grand mahogany desk that¡¯s sitting in the far corner of the room near the windows.


    The smell of the old wood and polished leather reminds me of my father. This used to be his office. It took Massimo a year to move in here after my father¡¯s death. We just kept it with all his stuff until the day he realized it would be easier to have ess to everything he needed to be in charge of thepany.


    I make my way over to the floor to ceiling ss windows and look out at the surroundings while I wait.


    On a Monday morning, we usually meet in here before we do anything else, but that might have changed for my brothers now that they¡¯re husbands and fathers. Both major differences to me. I just turned thirty-one and I still feel like the kid.


    I¡¯ve missed a lot with my departure. Massimo was already married when I left and had been for close to two years. Tristan wasn¡¯t even talking about a wedding, but I knew it was in the cards for him.


    I¡¯m pulled from my thoughts when I hear Massimo¡¯s and Tristan¡¯s voices on the other side of the door.


    ¡°Tristan, that fucker doesn¡¯t know how good he has it. If he wasn¡¯t a family friend, I¡¯d knock his teeth down his throat for wanting such a discount,¡± Massimo fumes.


    At least he¡¯s still as hot-tempered as he ever was.


    ¡°I keep telling you to get rid of his ass. It¡¯s not like we need him. Threaten to give him the boot and you¡¯ll see how fast hees round to reality,¡± Tristan answers.


    As the door handle turns, I tense, hoping it was a good idea to wait in here.


    The door swings open and Massimo stops short, words, and movement gone when he sees me. Tristan wears the same expression when his gazends on me.


    The two couldn¡¯t look more alike. People used to think they were twins when they were kids. Now they both rivet their gaze to me, shock suffusing their faces. Shock and emotion from the deep worry they must have had for me.


    Instantly, I feel more shame. They aren¡¯t the kind of men to worry, but I gave them cause. We came as a unit. A team. Even before Andreas died, it was always us three. I don¡¯t think either of them thought they¡¯d have to ever worry about me because I was always there, always around, always reliable. Until I checked out.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I say first, swallowing hard. ¡°I¡­ got backst night.¡±


    Both continue to stare at me, and I almost thinking here like this was a bad idea. But then Massimo steps forward.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He looks me over like he¡¯s trying to figure out if I¡¯m really here, then he makes his way over to me. Tristan hangs back.


    I don¡¯t know what I expect as I watch Massimo. He¡¯s my eldest brother and tougher than nails. He¡¯d sooner kick my ass from here to kingdome for leaving before he would think of doing anything else. So, I don¡¯t expect the hug he gives me.


    ¡°My God,¡± he breathes, and I feel worse. ¡°Dominic¡­ you¡¯re back.¡±


    He pulls away but keeps his gaze trained on me.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Last night?¡± He searches my eyes.


    ¡°Last night.¡±


    ¡°We¡­ could have picked you up at the airport, or something.¡±


    ¡°Nah, it was fine. I got back reallyte.¡±


    I look back to Tristan who hasn¡¯t said anything, and I know of the two of them I probably hurt him the most. In the days before I left, I said some unforgivable things to him. I was high on shit and didn¡¯t know what the hell I was talking about. No one could reason with me, and I ended up shooting the one person who tried. Candace.


    Before I left, I wrote each of them a letter exining I needed to have a break. I did that because I did need a break, but I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be the kind of break where I would be back anytime soon.


    I also knew I was having the kind of break where no one would be able to find me. That¡¯s why I asked them not to look.


    After what I did to Candace, I knew Massimo would understand straightaway, although he¡¯d look and do his best to find me. Tristan though is a little different. He¡¯s more persistent, so I knew he wouldn¡¯t stop looking for me until he found me even if it took him forever. I wrote him the longest letter, and I sent him the most meaningful notes while I was away. Sometimes I wouldn¡¯t say anything. I¡¯d send mostly origami objects, a thing that held meaning for both of us because we used to make them when we were kids.


    He stares back at me now, and his eyes give him away. He¡¯s not sure how to act. I get it. We¡¯re raw assed gangsters who don¡¯t hug and don¡¯t cry.


    I walk up to him and he keeps his gaze trained on me with every step I take. When we¡¯re standing face to face, I see how much my disappearing act got to him when a lone tear tracks out the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Kid,¡± he rasps.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tristan,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡±


    ¡°I know. I know you are.¡± He nods and hugs me.


    When we pull apart, Massimoes closer.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± he asks.


    ¡°All over, but recently I ended up in Tibet.¡± That was where I strengthened my mind after I got cleaned up.


    ¡°Tibet?¡±


    I nod and they exchange nces. When they look back at me, I can almost read the question on their minds. I feel I should take the burden off the awkward task of asking.


    ¡°I went to rehab in Hond. I had to do six months, then another three when I slipped up. It was after the anniversary of Pa¡¯s death. It hit me again that he was gone, and I had one bad night.¡± That was hard, and it¡¯s harder to be so open with them, but one problem I had previously was not talking enough to people I should. ¡°Thatst stint was it. I don¡¯t wish to be that guy anymore. Tibet was about healing and getting back on my feet.¡±


    I had alternative therapy that seemed to cement the mental strength I needed to kick the addiction for good.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± Tristan says. ¡°I wish we could have been there.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I wanted to clean up by myself. I think it was the kind of situation where I needed to be away.¡± I also didn¡¯t want them to see me that way.


    Getting off drugs was one of the worst experiences of my life. That first week of detox was hell, and that¡¯s putting it mildly. It was enough to make me not want to touch the shit ever again. But what happened after were the fucking withdrawal symptoms and the depression. It was like everything I¡¯d suppressed came back with a vengeance to fuck me over.


    ¡°Did it help?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nod without hesitation. ¡°It helped Massimo. I am truly sorry I left you guys, but I needed to go. I just hope you know I wasn¡¯t running away from my responsibilities.¡±


    I want to make that clear. Despite shame being the driving force that sent me away, I don¡¯t want anyone thinking of me as a coward.


    I had a responsibility to Candace, and I¡¯m Massimo¡¯s consigliere so I had a responsibility to the family too. Traditionally, the boss of the family doesn¡¯t do anything until he¡¯s consulted his consigliere. In my drug-induced, grief-stricken, shame-filled state, I wasn¡¯t anything close to being the guy Massimo needed me to be.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t think that,¡± Massimo assures me. ¡°We were more concerned about you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I tip my head reverently and give them both a smile of appreciation. ¡°How are your wives and children?¡± I look at them both but keep my gaze on Tristan.


    I missed his wedding, and I missed the births of both their kids. I was far from ready toe back at that point.


    Tristan nods, and pride fills his eyes. ¡°Good, both are good. Sometimes I can¡¯t believe I have them.¡± As he speaks, pride and love brims within his eyes for his Isabe and his son, Gio, named after our father.


    I know my brothers both have sons, but they don¡¯t know I know.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Massimo adds with the same sort of look for his Emelia and his son, Lorenzo, named after our grandfather. ¡°You¡¯ll have toe to the house for dinner on Thursday to see them. Everyone will be there.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world.¡±


    I would love to continue this heartfelt reunion¨CGod knows I probably need it¨Cbut it¡¯s time to get down to business.


    The instant I think that a look of seriousness washes over Massimo¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡­ found something, didn¡¯t you?¡± he asks, and Tristan looks at him.


    Both tense when I nod. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it looks like trouble¡¯s here again. The big kind this time.¡±

 94

    Dominic


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± Massimo asks.


    I¡¯m almost afraid to tell him. There¡¯s nothing I¡¯m going to say today that won¡¯t make them worry for their families¡¯ lives.


    ¡°You guys should probably sit,¡± I answer.


    Massimo moves over to his desk to sit on the edge while Tristan and I pull up the nearby chairs.


    ¡°You got myst note, right?¡± I ask Massimo. That¡¯s probably the best ce to start.


    Massimo goes over to the safe and returns with two pieces of paper. One is a copy of a page from a contract I sent him eight months ago. The other is the anonymous letter I found years ago that started this journey. Both are key documents and pieces of the puzzle we¡¯ll need to create the big picture. Ironic that both documents were found by me.


    The contract is what I¡¯m referring to. Massimo hands it to me. I have the original copy at home, but that is a copy of a copy I stumbled over by ident.


    It seems to be thest page of the contract. Except, instead of names at the bottom section, there are the initials:


    M. V, R. B, L. V, T. N, K. G, B. F, F. S


    Beside each initial are the signatures of the people who signed this agreement to The King.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know who the first three initials belong to,¡± I say quirking a brow.


    ¡°Mortimer Viggo, Rardo Balesteri, and Levka Volkov,¡± Tristan answers.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mortimer Viggo was the first person to tell us about the King. That was just before Tristan killed him. Mortimer was the leader of a notorious group of Bratva Assassins called the Circle of Shadows. Rardo aligned with them first then Levka, another Syndicate member.


    The other names, including the King, are part of the bigger picture. When I left, we knew there were five more people who teamed up with Mortimer in the plot, but we didn¡¯t have a clue on how to find out who they were.


    Finding the contract opened the door, and I¡¯m about to open another.


    ¡°I found out who K. G and B. F are,¡± I dere, and Massimo and Tristan¡¯s eyes widen.


    ¡°Who are they?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°K. G is Karl Grunberg, and B. F is Bradford Ferguson. Both are high profile international ck-market dealers. Both were on the world¡¯s most-wanted list until they died, five years ago.¡± This is where things are about to get extremely interesting.


    Massimo shakes his head. ¡°Before they died? Dominic five years ago would take them outside the time frame. Wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°They faked their deaths,¡± I smirk and pull my smart pen from my pocket. One press of the button on the side syncs it with theputer, and secondster the file I want appears on the overhead projector¡¯s screen. I open it and bring up two pictures of our new friends.


    The first is a notice from the C. I. A website, with mugshots of Karl and Bradford confirming their deaths in a shootout. The article was dated five years ago and has details of their bodies being found in Sweden.


    I open another file I saved from what I picked up days ago. When Tristan and Massimo see the images of the two men walking in the alleyway, they look at me inplete surprise.


    ¡°That¡¯s them,¡± Tristan states.


    ¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t found out why they faked their deaths, but I guess for our purposes it¡¯s not really important. What¡¯s important is they¡¯re alive and they¡¯re in L. A.¡±


    ¡°L. A? As in here?¡± Massimo¡¯s brows snap together.


    ¡°L. A. as in here, Boss.¡±


    I bite down hard on my back teeth because I¡¯m just getting started. There¡¯s more they¡¯re not going to like. Seeing these men and getting their details was just one thing. If these images were all I¡¯d found, I would have just sent Massimo another note so he could look into it. Finding these images, however, led me further down the rabbit hole where I found enough to rm me.


    ¡°Dominic, how do you know these guys are the ones we¡¯re after?¡± Tristan asks. ¡°How did you find any of this?¡±


    I draw in a breath. ¡°I found a secret file on Alfonse¡¯sputer.¡±


    Alfonse was my father¡¯s trusted advisor. It was revealed before I left that he was a spy working with Mortimer Viggo. He fed our enemies all the information they wanted. There were events that happened in the past that didn¡¯t make sense to me until we found out he was the guy who was ying sides and getting shit done in the background. Saying his name is enough of an answer to Tristan¡¯s questions.


    ¡°Before I left, I downloaded his files,¡± I add. ¡°I figured there had to be more to him when we found out he was a spy. Like he might have more answers to what was going on. It turned out he did, but I had to dig deep. The file I found was encrypted with some wacked up code with serious firewalls.¡± Put something like that in front of a guy like me and I¡¯m asfortable as reading a second nativenguage.


    ¡°God, that fucker¡­¡± Tristan sighs and runs a hand over his beard. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that man screwed with us the way he did.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Learning he was a traitor was another hit because he was like a second father to us. ¡°Anyway, the file was fucking huge with all manners of documents going back decades that had been scanned on to the system. It was in that file I found the contract. Then I started poking around for names. That¡¯s when I found Karl and Bradford. It seems Alfonse had more direct dealings with them and he worked for a lot of other people. It threw me for a loop though when I found them listed as dead. To cover all bases, I had alerts set to notify me if anything else came up. It was my facial recognition bots that picked them up.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Dom, what the fuck?¡± Massimo winces.


    ¡°Yeah. And¡­ there¡¯s more.¡±


    ¡°More?¡± He grits his teeth, and his eyes darken with rage.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Show me.¡±


    I click on the file with the image that sent me flying back to L. A. and both my brothers straighten to attention when the image spreads across the widescreen showing Karl and Bradford in the same alleyway talking to a man Massimo and Tristan will both recognize from the past. It¡¯s been a while, but they know his face.


    ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± Massimo rasps.


    Tristan bites the inside of his lip and nces from me to the man on the screen.


    We only know him as Kazimir. No surname. He¡¯s a senior member of the Circle of Shadows. We ran into him after Alyssa, Tristan¡¯s first wife, was murdered. Like vermin, these people keep resurfacing from the shadows of hell. Like vermin when you see one, one as powerful as Kazimir, you know there¡¯s more.


    Two years ago, when Tristan took down Mortimer and several high-level members of the Circle of Shadows, we weakened the unit, but it went without saying that those left behind would reform. The Circle of Shadows was worldwide, and I never made the mistake of thinking Mortimer kept his best men in one ce.


    ¡°Fucking Kazimir,¡± Tristan breathes, riveting his gaze to the image.


    ¡°That was two days ago. Word on the underground has it that Kazimir is the new leader of the Circle of Shadows. I flew home straight away when I heard that.¡±


    Massimo returns his gaze to me. ¡°They¡¯ve reformed.¡±


    ¡°And it looks like the n is back in motion,¡± Tristan adds.


    ¡°Yes, which means eliminating the Syndicate. A. k. a us,¡± I fill in.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Massimo hisses and rises to his feet. He walks over to theputer screen and res at the image of the three men. ¡°Things have been quiet for two years. Why now?¡±


    ¡°That was my next question,¡± Tristan says. ¡°Why the hell now? Why did they wait for so long? Why didn¡¯t they strike before? Mortimer told me the bigger pieces on the chessboard hadn¡¯t started ying yet. We know Kazimir and he is anything but ordinary. And these other guys are a whole other species of criminal we haven¡¯t dealt with before.¡±


    ¡°And those guys don¡¯t just work for the run of the mill,¡± I point out. ¡°It begs the question of who the king really is, and the other guys I haven¡¯t been able to find. T. N and F. S.¡± I bite the inside of my lip and think about it. ¡°Something¡¯s changed somewhere along the line.¡±


    I hate vague. It¡¯s like being spoon-fed. Or in our case being tortured slowly, receiving drips and drabs of information on how we might die.


    Massimo turns back to me. ¡°Nothing much has changed here.¡±


    ¡°Is the Syndicate still the same?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Before I left the newly formed Syndicate consisted of the three of us, Aiden Romanov who like us was a descendent of the old syndicate, udius Morientz, and Vincent Giordano from Chicago. Apart from us, the others had a counterpart like the old setup.


    ¡°Many have approached me, and I¡¯ve put them on the back burner or turned them away. The only person I would have taken on straight-up was Alejandro Ramirez, but he¡¯s in two minds about joining. I¡¯ve been focusing on establishing what we already have. Now that¡¯s settled, I have ns for expansion.¡±


    That sounds like business as usual, with nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°What about new contracts? What caused the original group of enemies to form in this agreement was Pa¡¯s contracts with the Russian and Italian governments. Do you have anything on that sort of scale happening?¡±


    Massimo shakes his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have anything above board. So maybe they¡¯re just gathering to take us out likest time. They didn¡¯t want me expanding the Syndicate. We have powerful members just with the alliance we have now. Aiden¡¯s Bratva has control of diamond mining and gun trafficking, The Giordano¡¯s have the shippingpany and udius practically owns Chicago and the coast of Sicily.¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something going on that we can¡¯t really see. Something they¡¯ve seen that¡¯s drawn them out. Which means you¡¯re being watched.¡±


    Massimo releases a ragged sigh, and worry fills his eyes. Not for himself, but for his wife and child. Tristan looks the same.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to increase security all around and start looking into this straightaway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I agree.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a Syndicate meeting in a few weeks, but I¡¯ll give the others a heads up to keep watch. We¡¯ll discuss it properly when we meet up.¡±


    ¡°That will be good.¡±


    Of the group, Aiden will probably feel the same way we do. It¡¯s going to be weird when I next see him, but truthfully it was he who saved me. He gave me that connection in Tibet. Aiden knew well before anyone else that I was on drugs. He knew without any of the obvious signs others noticed. He was also thest person I saw before I took off.


    I nce at the letter Massimo rested on the table. The anonymous letter that set us on this path. I have a copy of it, but I just want to read it again. From time to time, I read it and it holds different emotions and meanings for me. ¡°Can I see that?¡± I ask, pointing at the letter.


    He picks it up and hands it to me.


    Abored sigh escapes my lips as I scan over the words. It says:


    Dear Massimo,


    You do not know me. But I know you, and I feelpelled to contact you in light of the information I¡¯ve recently discovered.


    There was so much more to what happened seven months ago when the Syndicate was obliterated.


    There were more people involved than who you think. So many more who were responsible for the deaths of our loved ones. So many got their hands dirty to end our fathers.


    Rardo Balesteri was just a pawn in a bigger game to eradicate enemies. I urge you not to stand alone but to reform the Syndicate and lead. Be a leader.


    It is only with the strongest alliances that you will be able to hunt your enemies, or war wille.


    Good luck.


    A friend


    I hand it back to Massimo and he sets it back down on the table.


    ¡°All these long years and I still don¡¯t have a clue who sent that letter,¡± I state, furrowing my brows.


    ¡°Nor us.¡±


    ¡°Every time I read it, I wonder why this asshole couldn¡¯t have juste to us.¡± I shake my head with dismay. ¡°He would have known more than this. Or maybe it¡¯s a woman. I don¡¯t fucking know.¡±


    Even though I left home to clean up and sort myself out, I never stopped the mission for retribution. Losing my father affected me more than anyone could ever know, and so much more than I could ever express. Learning more people were responsible for his death, in whatever capacity they were involved, signed the ink on their death certificate. I won¡¯t stop until I get everyst one of them, whether I have the backup of my brothers or not.


    ¡°At least we have this information,¡± Massimo says. ¡°Thanks to you. Thanks foring back with it.¡±


    I¡¯m a little thrown by the gratitude. I wasn¡¯t expecting it. Not because I think they¡¯re ungrateful. It¡¯s more the case that it was a given I¡¯d do this no matter what.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. I wouldn¡¯t leave you guys to deal with this. I knew I had toe back and help.¡±


    ¡°We still appreciate your help.¡±


    The phone rings on Massimo¡¯s desk, and he walks over to answer it. He pauses when he looks at the screen, and a cautious nce at me makes me tense my shoulders. When he presses the button to receive the call and the angel starts talking, I understand the look of caution.


    ¡°Morning, Candace. What¡¯s up?¡± Massimo asks, but he keeps an observant eye trained on me.


    ¡°Hey Boss,¡± Candace replies, and the sound of her voice instantly fills me with life. I haven¡¯t heard it in so long, too long. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be going for coffee with Jacques, do you boys want anything?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get you some cookies. You know you want them,¡± she chuckles.


    ¡°Only if they were made by you.¡±


    ¡°Starbuckses a close second. See you in a little while.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The phone goes dead, and Massimo looks back at me.


    ¡°I take it you haven¡¯t seen her yet,¡± he says.


    ¡°No.¡± Last night doesn¡¯t count. I wouldn¡¯t tell them about that, anyway. ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°Getting better, finally,¡± he answers, and it sounds like a warning to not ruin whatever she has going. I don¡¯t n to do anything of the sort.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    ¡°When are you going to see her?¡± Tristan asks.


    ¡°Next. Maybe when she gets back from coffee with Jacques. Who is he?¡± I direct the question at Massimo.


    Candace is not a let¡¯s-go-to-coffee kind of girl. I¡¯m not the kind of bastard to think a woman like her would still be hung up on me, especially when I told her not to wait. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m the kind of bastard who doesn¡¯t get jealous.


    Massimo quirks a brow. ¡°Jacques Belmont is a client. But I have something more in mind for him.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I don¡¯t like the sound of this guy, and all I¡¯ve been given is his name. That and knowing he¡¯s going to get coffee with Candace.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it more.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I answer, wary.


    ¡°We¡¯ll focus on that today.¡± He points to theputer screen holding the deadly faces of our enemies.


    I nod, agreeing.


    The importance of what¡¯s going on hasn¡¯t left my mind, but neither has Candace.


    I guess I¡¯ll see herter and find out where I stand.

 95

    Tommy


    ¡°Mr. Valetti,¡± begins the gorgeous woman who¡¯s all curves and sweetness. She¡¯s looking back at me like we¡¯re on good terms. Like she can talk to me as though I¡¯m an old pal of hers. She¡¯s either fresh blood, or she¡¯s damn good at what she does. This good cop/bad cop routine would be easy enough with detective Harrison being the jackass he is. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve run into him, and I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t be thest.


    Judging by her bodynguage when she walked in here, and the pissed-off looks Harrison keeps throwing her, I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s new. I wouldn¡¯t mind having her try to cuff me. Wish it was her who¡¯d brought me in, not that fuckface from earlier.


    ¡°We know you were at the scene of the crime after it urred based on the fact that your prints were found covering the prints of Lucas Mikhailov, a man found dead on sight.¡± She reaches into the man folder and slides a photograph of a doorknob across the table. Her small hand holds it in ce. She doesn¡¯t move it, and I find myself eyeing her chipped nail polish. It¡¯s a soft cream color and it makes her appear even more dainty that she already looks. What the hell is this little thing doing trying to y cop? She interrupts my thought as she takes her hand away and asks, ¡°Would you like to exin how that could¡¯ve happened?¡±


    I meet her gaze and love that she¡¯s not intimidated by me. Her eyes are the most beautiful shade of green I¡¯ve ever seen. And they¡¯re staring back at me waiting for an answer. I¡¯m real fucking sorry to disappoint her. But even a sweetheart like her can¡¯t get me to talk. I¡¯m not saying shit.


    I almost apologize¨Calmost call her love, or sweetie. But I keep my mouth shut and remind myself that this is an act. These cops like to set the scene. It¡¯s all lies in here. I give her a simple shake of my head and answer, ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for mywyer.¡±


    If I¡¯m being honest with myself, this is the most nervous I¡¯ve ever been, but I don¡¯t show it. I don¡¯t give them anything.


    They have my prints, even though they¡¯re smudged, and so are the ones beneath mine. They have the tire tracks to the Escde, which is in my name. They have a witness who says she saw me, although she was drugged up. At least that¡¯s the evidence the judge was willing to hand off to Vince. Three pieces of shit evidence. One piece of evidence by itself could be a coincidence. But put three pieces together, and it starts sounding real fucking bad.


    ¡°Mr. Valetti. Are you aware that a Miss Georgia Stevens was found dead in the back of the rental car left at the scene of the crime?¡± the sweet little thing in front of me says, and it takes me a moment to register what she said.


    My heart skips a beat, and my blood goes cold. A dead woman. No. We saved those women. But we didn¡¯t check any cars. Fuck! I wanna ask whose car. I wanna know how she died. More importantly, was she alive when we left?


    My eyes search hers. She could be lying. She could be fucking with me just to get me to talk. But I see her expression soften withpassion. She can tell I didn¡¯t know. I lean back in my seat and do my best to wipe every emotion off my face. It¡¯s quiet for a moment. It¡¯s been about an hour, so mywyer should be here soon. I just need to hold on till then, and then I can look up the woman they found dead. Vince never said shit about her. At least not to me, but I¡¯ve been out of the loop.


    ¡°The car was rented to a man we believe to be Abram Petrov. His prints were found in the car, although his body was never found.¡±


    None of this is throwing up red gs to me. His body was sent back to the buyers as a sign from us that we weren¡¯t willing to partake in that aspect of the business. Our hands won¡¯t be forced. If they didn¡¯t know it then, well they sure as fuck know it now.


    ¡°Do you have any information regarding Petrov¡¯s whereabouts?¡± She leans forward, and I have to resist looking straight down her blouse. Her body is lean and toned with a touch of color from the sun, but her tits are bigger than you¡¯d think they¡¯d be for a woman as athletic as her.


    I give her a weak smile and shake my head no again. I¡¯m grateful for the bit of information she¡¯s given me, if it¡¯s true, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m gonna talk. I need to know if the woman she mentioned was alive when we left. It couldn¡¯t have been more than twenty minutes before the cops got there. But a lot can happen in twenty minutes.


    As if reading my mind, she answers my unspoken question. ¡°Drug overdose,¡± she says simply. My lips press into a tight line and my heart sinks. Maybe if my brother had seen her, like the other women, maybe he could¡¯ve saved her. I drop my gaze to the edge of the table as I try to keep calm and not give her anything.


    ¡°She¡¯d been dead for almost a day, judging by the autopsy.¡± My eyes fly to hers. Thank fuck. That makes me feel better. I feel like an asshole for feeling any kind of relief. That poor woman didn¡¯t deserve to die, but at least she didn¡¯t die on our watch. We never had the opportunity to save her.


    I run a hand through my hair and look at the closed door.


    ¡°Do you have any details that could help us uncover who was responsible?¡± I hear her sweet voice and I almost turn to her to answer, but I can¡¯t. We don¡¯t say shit except for what I¡¯ve already given them. I¡¯m waiting on mywyer. That¡¯s the familia way.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any fucking sympathy, do you?¡± Harrison starts up again with his shit from across the table. ¡°The jury¡¯s gonna eat you alive.¡± I resist rolling my eyes and sigh instead. This is fucking draining. Usually I don¡¯t give a fuck, but I am a bit worried. I don¡¯t like the sick feeling in my gut that keeps rising up on me.


    ¡°Are you charging me? If not, I¡¯m gonna go ahead and leave,¡± I say, looking at the door. I¡¯m tired of waiting. I just want to get the hell out of here.


    Harrison shoots up from his seat. I know he¡¯sing over to get in my face. I stand up as he walks around the table. They can keep me here longer for questioning. I know that. But he¡¯s fucking lost it if he thinks he¡¯s gonna yell standing over me while I¡¯m sitting down. That shit¡¯s not gonna fly.


    I stand up and stare back at his narrowed eyes. I vaguely sense that the cute ass broad got up from her seat and is backing away. That puts me at ease. She doesn¡¯t need to get into this. She can keep ying the good cop part and stay the fuck out of the bad cop shit.


    Harrison¡¯s body bumps into mine slightly, but I allow it. I know he¡¯s pushing me. He¡¯s done it before. Sometimes I get a little hotheaded. More than I should. But when you¡¯re here, in this position, you keep your cool. Otherwise you¡¯re just giving them a reason to keep you locked up. And that¡¯s thest thing I want.


    ¡°I¡¯ll charge you with everything possible, to the full extent of thew. Your ass isn¡¯t leaving here tonight. Or tomorrow. Or the next day.¡± I focus my eyes on his crooked smile and imagine my fist mming into it over and over. ¡°Your big shotwyer isn¡¯t getting you out of this one, Valetti.¡±


    His hands knock into my chest, palms first and push me backward ever so slightly. I¡¯m a big fucker, and that¡¯s a bold fucking move for this little prick. I make a white-knuckled fist with my hand and clench my teeth.


    Before I can even think about swinging, I feel the softest touch on my forearm. Gentle, but firm. And then it¡¯s gone. I don¡¯t turn to face her; I don¡¯t make any move that I even registered her touch. Harrison¡¯s yelling in my face, but my anger is gone and instead I find myself angling my body to guard her from this prick.


    Why? No fucking clue. She¡¯s one of them. But I know she¡¯s just to my right. I can sense her there, and I don¡¯t like it.


    She¡¯s a cop, and as far as I know she could hold her own. But I don¡¯t want her to. I track her to my right, hoping she doesn¡¯t try to get in between us. It might be sexist, but that¡¯s no ce for a woman to be.


    Harrison still hasn¡¯t caught on to the fact that him screaming in my face and subtly pushing his body against me isn¡¯t affecting me.


    The sound of the door opening has Harrison taking a step back and trying to maintain eye contact with me, but I break it to watch her leave. He¡¯s no threat to me, so I couldn¡¯t give two shits about keeping an eye on him. But it wasn¡¯t her opening the door. Instead, mywyer¡¯s standing in the doorway.


    ¡°Is there a problem here, Mr. Valetti?¡± Scott Kemmer is the familia attorney, and he¡¯s good at what he does.


    I give him a tight smile and shove my hands into my pockets. ¡°Not at all. I was just asking if it was time to go.¡± I look over my shoulder and see the pretty little thing who didn¡¯t even bother to give me her name. Her eyes are shooting daggers at Harrison. I don¡¯t waste my energy to see what he¡¯s doing behind me. I bet she thought she could get me to talk if he wasn¡¯t being a prick and doing the shit he does.


    She has no idea what she¡¯s up against, though. She¡¯d never get an ounce of information from me. She must be really fucking new to think she¡¯d get anything from a Valetti.


    ¡°Are you ready, Mr. Valetti?¡± I barely hear the words from mywyer and that¡¯s when I btedly realize I¡¯m good to go. I didn¡¯t hear all the bullshiting from Harrison about how I can¡¯t leave, and mywyer¡¯s response. It¡¯s the same shit every time.


    ¡°All set.¡± I give him a nod and make my way through the doors, not giving either one of them another look. But I have to admit, I wanna turn back and see her. I at least wanna know her name.


    I let myself breathe freely for the first time all day as I leave the station, and see my brother in his car waiting for me, just like he said he would.


    ¡°Told you,¡± Anthony says, lowering his window and giving ourwyer a salute.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, you wanna do something today?¡± I ask him.


    Wicked curiosity shes in his eyes.


    ¡°I wanna look someone up.¡± He tilts his head and keeps his eyes on me as I round the car and get into the passenger seat.


    ¡°Look someone up?¡± he asks as I shut the door and lean back, making myselffortable.


    ¡°Yeah, a cop,¡± I tell him. The humor¡¯spletely wiped from his face until I add, ¡°I think she¡¯s new.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± He chuckles as he puts the car in drive. ¡°Maybe we should¡¯ve left you in there a little longer.¡±


    Iugh and roll my window down so I can put a hand out and feel the breeze.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a little bored, and a lot curious,¡± I say.


    ¡°You know what they say about that, don¡¯t you?¡± He looks at me like what I¡¯m doing is stupid as fuck. And maybe it is. But I at least need to know her name.

 96

    Tonya


    I feel like a fucking failure. I sigh heavily and lean my back against the wall of the station. I run my hands over my face and feel like shit. Damn it¡¯s been a long couple of days. I got the approval to keep an eye on Thomas, so there¡¯s one positive thing that happened. Tomorrow I¡¯ll get something, even if it¡¯s just learning his routines. I have the next three days off. I can use them to get a good look at the Valettis and try to talk to Thomas. I may be off-duty, but if anything happens, I¡¯ll just say it¡¯s field work.


    I really think I could¡¯ve gotten information from him. I could tell he didn¡¯t have shit to do with Georgia¡¯s death. I could¡¯ve fed off that emotion. I¡¯m good at reading people, real fucking good at it. I get people to talk. There¡¯s just something about me that puts people at ease. I don¡¯t know what it is, but I love it. It¡¯s a gift, and it¡¯s always worked in my favor.


    If Harrison had just shut his fucking mouth, I know I would¡¯ve had Thomas right where I wanted him. I recognize the way he looked at me. I know what he was thinking. If I¡¯d just kept it up, I would¡¯ve had him talking to me and confiding in the poor, sweet girl who just wants to make things right. In some ways I¡¯m a bitch for thinking that way. After all, I can be sweet. I just needed him to give me anything at all on Petrov. Everyone keeps saying he¡¯s probably dead. I need to know for sure.


    If he¡¯s already dead and gone, it would kill the sick, twisted part of me that wants to beat him to death with my own two hands. I¡¯ve spent years trying to find a way to get to him. I¡¯vee too close to give up hope. If he¡¯s dead, I need to know. I need to be able to let go. I can¡¯t really say goodbye to her until I know for sure.


    The thought makes my eyes water, but I just blink a few times to shut that shit down. She would tell me not to cry, and if there¡¯s one person I took advice from, it was my sister. My fingers reach for my locket, the one with Melissa¡¯s picture in it. But it¡¯s not there, so instead I rub the dip in my throat. I never wear it when I¡¯m on duty, but it does wonders to calm me down and keep me focused.


    I shake my head to get rid of all the emotions threatening to consume me, and hit the unlock button on my key fob. The key itself is sticking out through my clenched fist. Just in case, I look to the right as the lights go off on my car and the gentle beep fills the air. I pass the corner of the building. No one¡¯s there. No one¡¯s out here. You can never be too careful, though. I always check. I¡¯m always on guard. I¡¯d say ites with the training, but that¡¯s not why I do this. I wish I could lie to myself, but I can¡¯t. I know why I do it. And I hate the reminder.


    I feel like I¡¯ve felt eyes on me thest few days. So I guess being on guard like this may eventually pay off. I just can¡¯t get rid of the feeling that I¡¯m being watched. My stomach coils into knots, and I try to shake it off. I¡¯m just paranoid and tired. That¡¯s what I tell myself, over and over. This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve felt like this. And I was fine then. It¡¯s just my past that¡¯s haunting me.


    I climb into my car and toss the messenger bag onto the passenger seat. I have so much paperwork to go through. I¡¯m not looking forward to it, but if I have to work overtime to get it done and still be able to keep up with the Valetti case, then that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do.


    I put the key in the ignition and start the car. My mind drifts as I drive back to my apartment. My sister was the only person I really had in this world. She was no one special to anyone but me. Just a nurse. No one who anyone would ever want to hurt. She never really went anywhere high-risk. She hardly went out for a drink. But one night she went out to get groceries and never came back. One night is all it took, and she was gone. Her body was found a few monthster, among others, in Russia. At first I was filled with disbelief. This sort of thing doesn¡¯t happen in real life. Definitely not in America.


    But it does. And it did to her. When I got over the sadness, the anger set in. I had nothing to hold me back. I was already in college for forensics, so it was a small step to get into the academy. Anger turned into determination. I read everything I could. I became obsessed.


    It was almost like a graduation present that there was a position avable in a town where Petrov wasst seen in the US. I¡¯ve never been so lucky. But since I¡¯ve gotten here, the leads have gone cold. And so has everyone else I¡¯ve been surrounded by.


    I watch the red light as I pull up to it, waiting for it to turn green, and my eyes catch movement to my right. It¡¯s a small Italian water ice shop. A few kids are standing out front with their parents leaning into the window to order. I hear their little screams of joy as they each dig into their treats.


    Their life is normal; I wonder if they do that every Friday night. We used to go to the ice cream parlor a few blocks away when we were younger. Melissa talked about how she would keep up the tradition with her kids when she bought her house close to where we grew up.


    The light turns green and I slowly move along. I¡¯ll never have that again. I don¡¯t see how I can ever have a normal life. How can life go on when you¡¯ve suffered that type of tragedy? My mother¡¯s doped up on antidepressants. I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t go back to coke. She¡¯s barely a shell of a human being. My father took off when I was young, so I don¡¯t even know him. So now I¡¯m just ¡­ alone. Chasing what may be a ghost. But I won¡¯t stop looking until I know for sure.


    I pull into my spot and put the car in park. The street light is shining down perfectly, and the entrance to my building is only a few feet away. I make a quick exit and enter the building and only breathe once I¡¯ve made it upstairs. I can¡¯t help that I feel this way. It¡¯ste, it¡¯s dark. Nothing good happens at this time of night.


    I climb the stairs and make my way to my ce. I take a look out of the peephole and expect to see someone watching, but I don¡¯t. There¡¯s no one there. I wish this paranoia would leave me. It¡¯s only been this bad for a few days, ever since I saw Thomas. The reminder brings me back to my sole purpose.


    I lock the front door and walk calmly to my bedroom. The ne is on my dresser. I pick it up and open the little oval locket.


    I want to end this for her.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I have a feeling in my gut that Thomas Valetti is the next step. I always follow my intuition, and it¡¯s clearly pushing me to talk to him. I feel like I already know the truth, but I just need to hear him say it.


    If I can just get an in with Thomas, I know he¡¯ll lead me to something.

 97

    Tommy


    ¡°I mean, what¡¯s the worst they can do?¡± The Bratva may be pissed we took a shipment from them, but they should¡¯ve known better than to assume Petrov could speak on our behalf. Apparently they did make that assumption though, and now they¡¯re saying we owe them. I lean back a bit on the bar stool and look around. We¡¯re in the bistro now, just chatting it up.


    ¡°They coulde here, but I doubt they will. Too much effort,¡± Kane says. Most of the guys are here, bullshitting and having a drink. I like Kane. He¡¯s new to the familia, but he knows his shit and he¡¯s good at what he does. Which right now is taking over my position.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the loss of one shipment, it¡¯s their entire trade structure that they have to rebuild. A few million in revenue,¡± Vince says from across the bar. I cross my arms and take it in. They haven¡¯t threatened us, but they made it clear they were pissed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not our fault they were doing all their shit through Petrov,¡± Joey says.


    ¡°Maybe sending his body to them instead of the women wasn¡¯t the way to go?¡± Anthony¡¯s question has a few of the men chuckling.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s even worth replying. It¡¯s not like we do business with these people.¡± I offer up my opinion. We keep our trades to Mexico, and that¡¯s it. The new dealer there is low-key and reasonable. Nice and easy. None of this overseas shit.


    ¡°We need to respond with something.¡± Vince takes another drink and adds, ¡°I want this to be a clean break away from them, but I sure as shit am not buying them off.¡± They want 2 million for their hardship, which is bullshit, and I know Vince isn¡¯t going to pay them. It¡¯s quiet for a few minutes.


    ¡°Fuck ¡¯em,¡± he finally says, ¡°let ¡¯eme to us. Tony¡¯s got eyes on their contacts here. We¡¯ll know they¡¯reing before they strike.¡± He puts his ss down and pulls out his phone. I know he¡¯s checking on his wife, Elle, and his little one. Angelo is a cutie and almost six months old now. Ever since he¡¯s made his arrival, Vince checks his phone on the hour every hour.


    Marcuses up behind me and pats my shoulder as he says, ¡°Your shadow¡¯s out front.¡± He says it loud enough so that the rest of the guys can hear. Anthony chuckles into his drink, ¡°Funny how you wanted to keep an eye on her, and now she¡¯sing to you.¡± He smirks and throws back his drink.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I spent a couple days just watching her after I looked her up. I had Tony do a little digging, too. I can¡¯t shake this broad. She looks on edge every time she¡¯s alone, yet she¡¯spletely confident and at ease any other time. Something¡¯s off about her, and I wanna know what it is. She knows her shit though. She¡¯s a tough bitch, not quite the quiet, demure type I pegged her for. And she fucking hates Harrison. The first time I saw her mimicking him behind his back and rolling her eyes, Iughed so fucking hard I thought they were going to hear me. I like that about her, but there¡¯s something else there, too. Something that had me chasing her ass.


    I¡¯d be a fucking liar if I said something about fucking a cop doesn¡¯t have me interested. Most of the time I was watching her that¡¯s all I could think about Bending her ass over and taming that wild side of her. The taboo aspect has me getting hard thinking about using her own cuffs to chain her to my bed. I think I just need to fuck this broad out of my system.


    Vince rolls his eyes and says, ¡°You need to tell her to back the fuck off, Tommy. We have restraining orders for a fucking reason.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have them on her.¡± I can hear how defensive I am, and it throws Vince off. I¡¯m quick to add, ¡°I¡¯m being watched and on lockdown; better her than that prick.¡±


    I like her watching me. I like knowing she¡¯s close. And besides, I¡¯m inactive until I¡¯mpletely in the clear, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about there. If nothing else, it¡¯s giving me something else to take my mind off this shit.


    ¡°Well, get her out of here,¡± Anthony says as he looks me up and down. ¡°And try to keep your dick in your pants.¡± The guysugh as I stand up.


    ¡°I hear you.¡± I¡¯m ready to get out of here anyway.


    Vince follows me to the door.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this talk about fucking a cop,¡± he says.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, so it¡¯s all good.¡± He watches me as I look past him at the door. I don¡¯t tell him I want to, but I¡¯m too fucking obvious.


    ¡°You¡¯re a shit liar, Tommy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± I don¡¯t even believe me as I say it. But it¡¯s the truth. I haven¡¯t touched her. Yet.


    ¡°You¡¯re not telling the truth, either.¡±


    I open my mouth to respond, but I don¡¯t. He knows I wanna fuck her. Everybody fucking knows it.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for trouble, Tommy,¡± Vince says in a lowered voice. ¡°And that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to get.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna do anything stupid, boss.¡± He¡¯s gotta know I wouldn¡¯t say shit to her. I¡¯d never breathe a word of anything.


    ¡°Women make us do stupid shit. And she¡¯s a cop.¡± He stares into my eyes, willing me to listen to him. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking believe a word she tells you.¡± His hand grips my shoulder as I nod.


    I know this shit looks bad. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m drawn to this broad. She could fuck me over in a heartbeat. I¡¯m not going to give her shit. But the thought of ying with her is giving me a high I haven¡¯t felt before. I know she wants in, and I¡¯m dying to find out how much I can push her.


    Vince shakes his head as he warns me, ¡°Do not fuck this up to get your dick wet.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say shit, Vince. You know I won¡¯t risk the familia.¡±


    He huffs augh and pinches the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that shit, I¡¯m worried about you fucking a cop, Tommy. Tell me you aren¡¯t trying to get into her pants and I¡¯ll feel better.¡±


    I hesitate to answer. I¡¯m not gonna lie. I wanna fuck this broad, she¡¯s hot as shit and the idea of those lips wrapped around my cock has my dick hardening every fucking time ites to mind. Even right fucking now.


    ¡°Jesus, Tommy,¡± he says with exasperation. Fuck. I don¡¯t wanna piss off the Don.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I say with regret in the pit of my stomach.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking lying to me,¡± he says, although he doesn¡¯t sound that pissed about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never lied to you before.¡± I look him in the eyes, ¡°if you¡¯re telling me to stay away from her, I¡¯ll end this shit right now and threaten a restraining order.¡±


    ¡°Good. End this shit,¡± he says with relief and finality in his voice. Well that fucking sucks. I take a frustrated breath and leave the guys to go tell her she needs to stay away.


    I feel a wave of disappointment as I leave the bistro. But then I see her walking toward me with quick steps. She¡¯s in civilian clothes. Jeans that hug her curves and a teal tank top that rides up a little as she walks. The color brings out her eyes.


    I can y a little more. Just a little before I have to give her up.


    Fuck, no. I told Vince I wouldn¡¯t, and I know I shouldn¡¯t.


    I hate that I want her and that I can¡¯t go after her. But I have to listen to Vince.

 98

    Tonya


    ¡°Thomas.¡± I call out his name as he tantly turns away from me and starts heading down the street. I know he saw me. He fucking smiled before blowing me off.


    I have to jog to catch up to him, but before I can put my hand on his shoulder to stop him, he turns around.


    ¡°What the hell are you thinking, Tonya?¡± he asks with more concern in his voice than anything else. ¡°You could get yourself into serious shit hanging around out here waiting for me.¡±


    My brow furrows with confusion. ¡°How do you know my name?¡±


    He smirks at me and turns his back on me once again. I don¡¯t fucking like it. I don¡¯t like being ignored.


    I reach out to grasp his arm. I shouldn¡¯t. I know I shouldn¡¯t, but something is telling me he¡¯ll allow it. Probably the same something that has my core soaked with arousal.


    He turns sharply and grabs my wrist. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡± He doesn¡¯t let go as the words drip from his mouth with a threat. He walks toward me and I find myself taking a step back. My back hits the brick wall of a building and it makes my heart thud in my chest.


    ¡°I just wanna talk.¡± I say the words through the hint of fear I¡¯m feeling. His eyes hold a look of hunger, but also a dark look that has me questioning my instincts. Maybe I was wrong about him.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t.¡± He releases my wrist and walks away again. My heart sinks in my chest, and I hate myself for feeling like I¡¯ve failed. I can¡¯t rely on Thomas alone. I know that, but somehow there¡¯s more to this ache in my chest than just losing a lead. His rejection hurts.


    I watch his back as he walks away, and the hurt turns to anger. He¡¯s not going to blow me off like that. I¡¯m not giving up that easily. I walk faster to catch up to him. I¡¯m shorter than him, and he¡¯s walking fast, but I quicken my steps until I¡¯m right behind him. I need to know. I just need him to answer one question.


    I grab his arm just enough to get his attention and pull away before he can touch me again. He opens his mouth to tell me off again, but I blurt out the question I¡¯ve been dying to ask him since I first saw him at the station. ¡°Abram Petrov, is he dead?¡±


    The anger on his face morphs into curiosity as he tilts his head, looking me up and down.


    ¡°It¡¯s a simple question.¡± I swallow thickly as a lump grows in my throat. I already know when he says yes, I¡¯m going to want more answers. I¡¯m going to want proof. I clench my fists and make sure I keep my voice down as I say, ¡°I need to know if he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is for you? Revenge on Petrov? Is that why you¡¯re so damn stubborn?¡± he asks, like I¡¯m being a petnt child and he finds itical.


    ¡°He¡¯s why my sister¡¯s dead, asshole. You can at least tell me if he¡¯s dead.¡±


    Remorse shes in his eyes as he answers, ¡°I wish I could, but I even if I knew one way or the other, I can¡¯t say shit to you. You¡¯re a cop, remember?¡±


    ¡°You can tell me.¡± My eyes plead with him. For the first time since I graduated, I wish I wasn¡¯t a cop. It never urred to me that being a cop would close doors I¡¯d need to go through to get to him. At the time, it was the most obvious way to move forward. I never thought twice about it until I got here.


    He presses his lips into a straight line and looks at me for a moment, considering. I don¡¯t budge. I won¡¯t. I need to know.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid?¡± he asks, and I can see that he¡¯s gearing up for a showdown, but that¡¯s not what I want.


    ¡°You¡¯re not stupid, I don¡¯t think that at all. I¡¯m not wired or anything. You can just nod. I swear.¡± My words fly out in desperation.All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯d have to strip you down to make sure you weren¡¯t. Is that what you want, little miss good girl?¡± A wave of arousal soaks my pussy as he leans into me. My mind starts fantasizing about things it shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good girl. And if that¡¯s what it would take.¡± I say the words before I can regret them. It¡¯s so fucking wrong. Would I really do that? Would I lower myself to stripping for him? I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d go through with it. His eyes heat with lust, and I start to think it¡¯s a real possibility.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not a good little girl at all, are you?¡± His smile widens as he takes a step back. ¡°You¡¯re such a bad girl.¡± He¡¯s mocking me. Fucking prick. I bite my tongue and watch as he turns away. My ego takes a huge fucking hit.


    I turn my back on him and take a left into an alley between a convenience store and a barber shop. I know my car is parked somewhere on the next street over, parallel to this one. I don¡¯t pay attention to the men at the corner when I turn, but I sure as fuck hear them walking behind me.


    Fuck!


    I shouldn¡¯t have gotten so damn emotional. What the hell was I thinking? I listen to the crunch of the gravel beneath their shoes as I pass arge dumpster. I¡¯m certain there are three. Maybe four. I¡¯m halfway through the alley when I hear their steps pick up.


    My hand drops to my gun. I¡¯m ready for this shit. I didn¡¯t graduate at the top of my ss for nothing. This is the first time I¡¯ve been faced with a real-life situation like this, though. The realization makes my confidence slip as I take threerge strides and turn on my heels. My gun flies out in front of me as I face three men. Two are in ck hoodies, and the other one is wearing a bright green t-shirt and ck jeans. I take it all in. Their heights, their weights, every bit of information I can. It¡¯s second nature at this point from all of my training.


    I can feel my face heating and my body needing to tremble with fear, but I ignore it. Adrenaline flows through my blood, and the only thing I can hear is the sound of my heart beating chaotically in my chest. I swear I can feel it trying to climb up my throat.


    They smile at me, like they think it¡¯s cute that I¡¯ve got a gun. Like they expected me to turn around with it aimed at them. It sends a bolt of fear through me. I don¡¯t like that they knew this wasing. It means they don¡¯t care and they decided it was worth the risk. Shit, maybe that¡¯s why they followed me down here. Maybe it¡¯s obvious I¡¯m a cop because of the way I talked to Thomas. I bet they were watching. Fuck, fuck, fuck!


    I rock hesitantly on my heels, not liking the situation. I¡¯m outnumbered, and they¡¯re looking for a fight.


    One takes a step toward me and moves his hand toward his waistband. My heart ms to a stop and a cold sweat takes over every inch of my body.


    ¡°Hands up!¡± He continues to approach me, and I yell out again to make sure he hears me clearly. At the same time, I lift up my shirt with my left hand so he can see my badge. ¡°Hands up!¡± I¡¯m surprised I¡¯m soposed, but I have been trained for this. I¡¯ve prepared myself for this situation. ¡°I am a police officer and I will fire. Put your hands where I can see them.¡±


    My left hand steadies on the butt of the gun and I watch as they show no signs of letting up. They don¡¯t give a fuck that I¡¯m a cop, or that I¡¯ve got a gun. As I prepare to shoot this prick in his hand as he reaches for his gun, I see a movement in the back of the alley.


    I can¡¯t get distracted, not now. I focus, and I shoot that fucker as he grips his gun.

 99

    Tommy


    I almost flinch as her gun goes off. I¡¯ve been around God knows how many guns going off, so I never flinch. It never bothers me. But I didn¡¯t see iting. I guess it¡¯s just something about a cute little thing like her, I don¡¯t know what, but I underestimated her. The lowlife clutches at his hand, blood flowing freely from the wound, and he actually drops to the ground. Like a little bitch. She turns to face the other thug, but he¡¯s quick enough to close the distance between them and grab her arm.


    I don¡¯t fucking like it. My blood heats, and I stride quickly to get there before shit gets out of hand. Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I grab the third guy by the nape of his neck and m his head into the wall. I hear a loud thud and a partial scream as I take a swing and hit him square on the nose. I know it¡¯s broken. His eyes roll back in his head, and his body goes limp. I wait a second, watching to make sure his chest rises and that he¡¯s still breathing.


    It does. The fucker¡¯s just knocked out, not dead. Blood leaks out of his nostrils and pools above his lip before dripping down his face and onto the pavement. He¡¯s gonna have a busted up nose and two ck eyes, but he¡¯ll fucking live.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart beats loud in my ears as her gun goes off, hitting nothing but the brick wall and then falling to the ground with a loud bang. My surroundings go quiet and everything seems to happen in slow-motion as I take in the scene.


    She¡¯s struggling with the second asshole. The first is crawling toward his gun that dropped a few feet in front of him. What a fucking pussy. The bullet passed right through his hand. I yank him backward and lift him up so I can stare that fucker in the eyes. They widen with recognition, and then fear.


    He should know who I am. Everyone here knows who we are. And they know not to piss us off, either.


    ¡°Get the fuck out of here.¡± I toss him backward like he¡¯s nothing and watch as he scrambles off. He¡¯s still clutching his hand like it¡¯s gonna fall off if he lets go. He tries to go to his friend, but that¡¯s not going to fly. I want them all separated. I want them to feel alone and scared, so they think twice about ganging up on someone else on my turf.


    ¡°Leave him.¡± He looks back at me for a split second before taking off. Fucking prick.


    I turn back to watch as Tonya knees her perp in the gut and then smashes an elbow into his jaw, blood flying from his mouth. Damn. It looks like it fucking hurt.


    I walk slowly toward them, not sure if I want to interfere or not. I admire her strength. And honestly, I¡¯m getting pretty fucking turned on watching her beat the shit out of him. The guy scoots on his butt away from her and she crawls to her gun, picking it up and pointing it at him. She¡¯s leaning back slightly and her legs are parted. She looks hot as fuck with her hair a little messed up, and her cheeks flushed.


    I can tell she¡¯s out of breath because of the the heaving movements of her chest. But she¡¯s calm on the surface. I stand back and wait to see what she¡¯s going to do. She¡¯s got this shit. She kicked his ass.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, or I¡¯ll shoot.¡± The fucker looks up at her with daggers in his eyes and a bloody nose; he¡¯s clearly pissed that she got the best of him. She reaches into her pocket for her phone, and I have to put an end to it. I can¡¯t let her call for backup. I look at her and shake my head no.


    ¡°Give me your wallet.¡± I walk closer and motion for her to put her phone away. She looks hesitantly at me, but she listens and slips it back into her pocket.


    I have to admit that earns her a little brownie point from me. I like her obeying me. She¡¯s a cop, she has power, she can obviously kick some ass. But she obeyed me. I fucking love that. My dick loves it too and I have to work hard not to palm my growing erection.


    I watch as she slowly gets up off the ground and brushes the dirt off her ass. She doesn¡¯t look shaken up at all. She looks pissed.


    The dumbfuck looks at me like he¡¯s not sure who I¡¯m talking to. I reach down and grab him by the shirt. I pull him up and speak through clenched teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask again.¡±


    I toss him backward and hends hard on his ass. He doesn¡¯t waste a second as he pulls out his wallet, holding it up for me to take.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any cash. I got nothing on me.¡± I open up his wallet and take out my phone to take a picture of his driver¡¯s license.


    ¡°This your current address?¡± I ask. Fear shes in his eyes, and the blood drains from his face.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± I yell louder than I should, but it doesn¡¯t make Tonya flinch.


    ¡°Y¨Cyes,¡± he stutters out.


    ¡°What were you nning to get out of this,¡± I look the fucker¡¯s license and chuckle, ¡°Earl?¡± I crouch down so I can look this fucker in his eyes. ¡°What were you hoping to get from messing with her?¡±


    ¡°Nothin¡¯!¡± He¡¯s quick to deny everything and I just tilt my head and get ready to beat this fucker to a bloody pulp. I don¡¯t have a problem getting people to talk.


    I smash my fist against his jaw so fucking quick he didn¡¯t see iting. I hear Tonya take a step back and I look at her from the corner of my eyes. She looks back at me with no fear. She¡¯s watching me. I need to keep that in mind. I straighten my back as the little prick wipes the blood from his mouth and tries to figure out whether or not he should be looking at me. The coward doesn¡¯t even try to look me in the eyes. I have to tame the animal in me that wants to rip him to shreds. I should, he earned it, but I can¡¯t, knowing a cop is watching my every move. Even if it is for her. I¡¯m not sure I trust this broad. My jaw ticks. I shouldn¡¯t fucking trust this broad. Ever.


    ¡°I like this broad, and I don¡¯t like that you fucked with her. You understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    ¡°It w¨Cwon¡¯t happen again.¡± He stutters again, and I swear to God I smell piss.


    ¡°Damn right it won¡¯t.¡± I toss his wallet back to him. ¡°Get the fuck out of here.¡±


    As he walks away, nearly stumbling over his own two feet, Tonya walks closer to me and says, ¡°I could¡¯ve handled it myself.¡±


    I look at her with a bit of disbelief. My eyes roam her body. She¡¯s a bit scuffed up. She takes the hair tie out of her hair and pulls it back up, casually tying it into a ponytail. Like messing up her hair is the worst thing that happened.


    When she looks back at me, I see her true emotions in her eyes. She¡¯s pushing down the fear and anxiety I know she¡¯s feeling. I know it well, because I do that shit, too. I walk over and stand close to her, wanting to hold her, but knowing I shouldn¡¯t.


    I shouldn¡¯t have evene down here. I¡¯d ended it. But I saw those pricks and the way they looked at her. I wasn¡¯t letting that shit happen.


    I don¡¯t care what Vince has to say about it.


    ¡°You could have, but you didn¡¯t have to.¡± Her eyes sh with surprise and then sadness. I try to lighten the mood by saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t let you have all the fun.¡±


    I put my hand on the small of her back and lead her out of the alley, onto the sidewalk. There¡¯s no one out thiste. I doubt anyone around here called the cops either. I take out my phone and text Nicky about the prick we left behind. He¡¯ll clean it up. The fuckers will live, but they¡¯ll know never to do stupid shit like that in our territory again.


    As soon as I hit send, she seems toe to her senses and tries to turn back.


    ¡°I have to call for backup,¡± she says as she turns to look back down the alley. Fuck that. She¡¯s not calling anyone. I spin her around in my arms and look her right in her eyes.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t happen. Nothing happened.¡± A moment passes between us, like she¡¯s weighing her options. Finally, she nods her head slightly with understanding, but I know she doesn¡¯t like it.


    She looks past me at the passed out fucker in the alley.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him,¡± I tell her as I grab her by the arm. ¡°He¡¯ll live.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t put up much of a fight. She just looks at me with curiosity on her face. It¡¯s not good that she¡¯s curious, but at least she¡¯s smart enough not to ask questions. I¡¯m surprised how she lets me lead her out onto the street. She doesn¡¯t care that I¡¯m practically manhandling her.


    That¡¯s another thing I like. She obeys me, and she likes my hands on her. Fuck, I can¡¯t help how much that turns me on. My dick is begging to get inside her. Damn it. I really was going to listen. I have to fucking listen. I try to will away my erection, but it¡¯s not doing anything but getting harder for her.


    As we get to the end of the sidewalk, her eyes steady on a parking lot across the street. I recognize her car and let her lead a bit so she doesn¡¯t realize I know that¡¯s where we¡¯re going.


    I push my luck a little further and wrap my arm around her waist. She doesn¡¯t lean in, but she doesn¡¯t pull away. I¡¯m fine with that. I like feeling her body up against me. I know being out with her like this is a risk. If Vince sees it, he¡¯s not going to believe I¡¯m not trying to get into her pants.


    Shit, I can¡¯t even believe I¡¯m not trying to get into her pants. I have enough willpower to say no though. I¡¯m just taking a little more than I should. After seeing her take care of that asshole, though, fuck it was sexy as fuck. How could I not put my hands on her? I wanna teach her a lesson though. She shouldn¡¯t have gone down that alley.


    If she was mine, I¡¯d have her ass red by now.


    I always thought I wanted a good girl, but this woman is a bad, bad girl in need. I look down at her and watch as her eyes dart around the parking lot as we near her car. It¡¯s the same shit she always does at night. I don¡¯t like it.


    ¡°You alright?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she says simply, and pulls away as she takes her keys from her back pocket. I let her go as she unlocks her car and turns her body toward me. I have to remind myself she¡¯s a cop, and that¡¯s not okay.


    She looks up at me and I can¡¯t help but feel like a dick for holding that against her. Besides, it¡¯s fucking hot. I wanna test her, I wanna push and see what I can get away with. After all, she left that prick in the alley for my men to clean up. I wonder how far she¡¯d let me go before she did anything.


    I put my hand on her hip and push her ass against the car.


    Her eyes widen as she gasps, and I swear her thighs clench. She bites down on her bottom lip, looking up at me with a hint of fear, but mostly lust. Fuck me, but I fucking want her. I lean down and take in her sweet smell, then dip my head into the crook of her neck. I want her so fucking bad, but I can¡¯t.


    I pull back and look down at her again. I get a glimpse of her badge, and suddenly she¡¯s not the hot bad girl who needs a lesson. She¡¯s the woman who sat in the interrogation room. This is a woman who may be setting me up, but all I can see is a woman who needs my touch.


    Her eyes close and she tilts her head just a bit. Enough that it makes me want to cup her chin in my hand and start out nice and slow. That¡¯s how I¡¯d do it. I¡¯d be sweet and gentle, let her lips mold to mine. I¡¯d make sure she was rxed after that shit that happened. I¡¯d make sure it waspletely out of her mind. And then I¡¯d take her wrists in my hand, pin them to the car and push this raging erection that won¡¯t let up into her thigh so she¡¯d know how much I want her. I can see it all ying out before my eyes.


    But I can¡¯t have it.


    I have direct orders to stay away. And usually that doesn¡¯t mean shit, but Vince is right. This broad could be ying me. I don¡¯t think she is, but she could be. All this tension I feel between us could be her doing, just so she can find something to pin against me.


    My dick jumps in my jeans thinking about pinning her against her car and slipping those jeans down so I can feel if she wants me as much as I want her. My eyes roam her body in appreciation and when I look back up, her eyes are open.


    She looks vulnerable and I take the chance to give her a little smirk and a pat on the ass. She may be using me and until I¡¯m sure she¡¯s not, I¡¯m not giving her anything. Even if my body is fucking begging me to indulge.


    She pouts and then narrows her eyes. But I saw that little pout. Sexiest fucking look a woman¡¯s ever given me. Then she swings her door open and nearly punches me right in the dick. She smirks back with a tilt of her head before climbing in.


    I grab the door before she can shut it and that smirk on her gorgeous face fucking vanishes. I wanna say something smart, something that an asshole would say to push her away, but there¡¯s a look in her eyes that¡¯s telling me it¡¯d really fucking hurt her. And that¡¯s something I don¡¯t want to do. I should push her away. I know I should. But she just had three fuckerse after her and she¡¯s not showing any signs of giving a fuck when I know she is.


    It¡¯s hard for me to understand. I¡¯m not used to women taking shit like that. Not in our family. They stay out of familia business. It¡¯s an unspoken rule. Women are off-limits. Yet she chose a career that puts her in harm¡¯s way every fucking day.


    My grip tightens on the edge of the door. I have no right not to like it. It¡¯s her decision and she¡¯s not mine, but I¡¯ll be damned if I say I¡¯m okay with what happened.


    I ask her again, making sure the concernes through, ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    She blinks a few times as if gauging whether I really do give a shit before she answers. She nods her head and replies, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She puts her hand on the door to close it, but before she does, she looks up and asks, ¡°Is he dead?¡±


    She keeps asking the same question and I don¡¯t like it. Cops ask questions. And answering that particr one could mean trouble for me. The concern is wiped off my face like it was never fucking there.


    ¡°You have a nice night, Officer Kelly,¡± I say as I turn my back on her and walk away. I get a few feet from her when I hear the car door shut and her engine roar to life.


    As she drives away, the anger and disappointment settle in. What the fuck was I thinking? She could¡¯ve handled herself; I could¡¯ve stayed back and made sure she was fine after the fact. Instead I got shit on my hands that she could arrest me for.


    But she didn¡¯t. I¡¯m not sure I trust it though. I sure as fuck don¡¯t trust her. As I walk away with more resolve to keep my distance and listen to the orders Vince gave me, my phone goes off. It¡¯s a text from Vince.


    Why the fuck did you need Nicky?


    Fuck.


    This is exactly why I need to stay the fuck away from her.

 100

    Tonya


    I still don¡¯t understand what happened. I park my car under the light and look up at my steps. I sit there for a moment. It¡¯s a moment too long. I should get inside. I¡¯m quick like I always am, and I walk straight upstairs. It¡¯s not till the keys fall into the ss bowl on the end table that I realize my hand is shaking.


    I take a deep breath and try to calm myself. It happens a lot. I thought it would stop eventually. It¡¯s a reaction from the adrenaline and endorphins wearing off. It¡¯s not shock, but it¡¯s not okay, either. I see it as a weakness and I hate it.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I sink into the sofa and try to calm myself down. I can do this. I have to do this. Other women are strong enough. Fuck, if a man can do it, so can I. Men use brute strength, while women use leverage, and brains. I truly believe that. But damn, this is fucking hard. It¡¯s so goddamned hard. I thought police academy was rough. And it was. But real-life situations are scary as fuck.


    Hand-to-handbat is its own kind of beast. It¡¯s terrifying at times. Women are worse than men. Way worse. Men sometimes only go a blow or two. They wanna prove a point. I¡¯ve seen them tear each other to pieces in front of me. Even the bang of my gun going off didn¡¯t pull them off each other. But that¡¯s rare.


    Women are the opposite. When they go at it, they¡¯re going for damage. They want blood. Humiliation. They want to scar their opponent and ruin them. They go for the face and eyes, their hair. Anywhere visible. I¡¯ve pulled men apart on my own before. Men stronger than me. But it¡¯s nothing like pulling women apart. They go for damage and they don¡¯t give a fuck who goes down with them.


    I swallow thickly, trying to just calm down. It only takes a moment to think back to when things were easier. I remember why I¡¯m doing this. Why it¡¯s worth it to continue.


    I remember ying with my sister in the front yard with chalk. Her graduation from nursing school. Talking to her on the phone. I remember thest time I heard her voice. I hear the conversation echo in my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a dork, Melissa. You need to go have some fun,¡± I say to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m seriously fine at home, you go ahead without me.¡±


    ¡°You are truly missing out. Like you have no idea.¡± I can¡¯t believe she¡¯d hold herself back again; she¡¯s gotta learn to live a little. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with going clubbing. You gotta get some from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, don¡¯t talk like that!¡± she admonishes me with a hushed tone.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask.


    ¡°¡®Cause you sound like a slut!¡± I can hear the humor in her voice.


    ¡°So?¡± We bothugh at my joke. ¡°You just need to loosen up is all I¡¯m saying.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m not like you, Tonya.¡± I can hear a little disappointment in her voice and I hate it. ¡°I don¡¯t have that confidence.¡± I want to tell her she should. I want to tell her she¡¯s beautiful and deserving of happiness and that includes meeting up with me to go out for drinks. But I don¡¯t want to upset her. I don¡¯t want to be pushy. So I don¡¯t say anything at all.


    And because of that, I missed out on one more night that I could¡¯ve had with her.


    She really was a prude and an ¡®inside person¡¯ as she used to say. She didn¡¯t read the same smutty books as me or enjoy the dirty jokes I liked. But she didn¡¯t hold it against me, either. She never judged me. I¡¯m guilty of judging her, though. I assumed she¡¯d meet a doctor and make lots of babies and drive a minivan in just a few years. I teased her all the time about it. To her, it was a dream. To me, it¡¯s a fucking nightmare.


    I shake my hands out and wipe away the stray tears as I walk to the fridge. I grab the opened bottle of wine from the bottom shelf, a cabe. I take a ss from the cab above the sink and ignore the dishes. They can wait. I just need to settle in a bit first.


    I close my eyes and watch the scene from the alley y out again. I did everything right, shed my badge, said hands up. First guy reaches, I shoot him in the hand. Second guyes at me, but I¡¯m too slow. I y the scene over while I fill the ss about halfway. Both hands were on the gun. There was nothing I could do with the other oneing after me. I needed a hand free.


    I rey it over and over, trying toe up with a better strategy. But I don¡¯t think there was one. I definitely did right by going for the armed one first. Maybe if I¡¯d used the butt of the gun to smash in the second fucker¡¯s nose, that may have been more effective. I rewind a bit in my mind. I should¡¯ve turned sooner, before I¡¯d gone so far down the alley. Fuck me, I just shouldn¡¯t have gone down there in the first ce. That was fucking stupid.


    Thomas is why my head is all fucked up. He does something to me. He makes me stupid, that¡¯s his fucking superpower. He blinds me from all this shit that I¡¯ve trained myself to do. He makes me feel¡­ safe, in a weird way. I feel unstoppable around him. That¡¯s not a good thing. Maybe it¡¯s because he gives me hope. When I think about the end to all this shit, when I think about having some sort of closure, I see him there. I can see him handing it to me. Telling me Petrov¡¯s dead. That I don¡¯t have to face my demons, because he¡¯s already killed them for me. Maybe it¡¯s my way of dealing with the failure of not finding Petrov. Maybe I¡¯ve made it all up.


    I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not a fucking shrink.


    I tip the ss back and drain it. Mmm, I love the taste. I set the ss down on the counter and strip as I make my way to my bedroom. Most of my things are still in boxes. I need to make time to put that shit away. I toss the clothes into the hamper. At least that¡¯s not overflowing. Score one for me.


    My feet patter against the tiled floor as I turn the water on to fucking-scorching, just how I like it. I look at my face in the mirror as the water heats and steam starts to fill the stall.


    I look back at a stranger.


    This isn¡¯t who I used to be.


    I look¡­ tired. That¡¯s exactly how I look. And I am, I¡¯m so damn tired. I¡¯m lonely and angry. And fucking sad and miserable.


    The need for justice. The need for vengeance. They¡¯ve taken over a part of me that I miss. But they are needs. I need to know if Petrov is dead. If he¡¯s not, I won¡¯t stop. I hate that I¡¯vee to the end of this lead, all because Thomas won¡¯t give me an inch.


    Suddenly, I wish I had more on his ass. I want something to make him talk. I need him to tell me. I could use what happened today. But that¡¯d be so fucking wrong. I feel like a bitch for even thinking it. Maybe this anger that¡¯s driving me, this desire to fuck him over until I get what I need, maybe that¡¯s what fuels Harrison every fucking day.


    The realization snaps me out of my thoughts. No, I can¡¯t do that. I shouldn¡¯t want that.


    But I know that Thomas knows. He could tell me where Petrov is, or if he¡¯s dead. I know he can.


    I step into the shower deciding I need to push him just a bit more. After all, I¡¯ve given him something. I could have called it in, the scene today. I should have called it in.


    But he didn¡¯t have to do it. He didn¡¯t have to help me.


    Oh fuck, I¡¯m such a bitch. I never even thanked him.


    I let the hot water hit my skin and fucking hate the obsession that¡¯s taken me over. Who am I? I shake my head and try to shake off all these unwanted feelings, all these horrible thoughts. I don¡¯t like the person I¡¯ve be. I just want it all to stop.


    If only he¡¯d help me.

 101

    Tommy


    I look out of the peephole and curse under my breath. This broad has a fucking death wish. I stand in front of the closed door and listen as the loud knock echoes in my apartment. Fucking hell. She just won¡¯t let it be.


    This is what I get for wanting to find out more about this broad. Vince already bitched at me for involving myself. He couldn¡¯t hold it against me though. Not when I fed him a little lie about how she was shaken up from how they¡¯d roughed her up.


    I really think she was a bit messed up from it. But I may have exaggerated some to get myself off the hook.


    I decided I was done with this that night, done with her. I should threaten a restraining order. I could do it, too. I¡¯ve told her I don¡¯t want to talk.


    And now she¡¯s standing outside my door.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re home, Thomas,¡± she yells from the other side. ¡°I just wanna talk.¡± I roll my eyes. No shit. That¡¯s all this broad wants from me. ¡®Cause she¡¯s a cop.


    I need to send her away. I need to do it now.


    I swing the door open and it stops her fist in the air. I look at her clenched hand pointedly until she lowers it and then I stare at her. I keep my face impassive. None of that bullshit I gave into before. This needs to end.


    ¡°You wanna talk, go ahead and talk,¡± I tell her in a no-nonsense tone.


    She opens her mouth and then closes it. She clears her throat and looks to the ground before looking back up at me. ¡°Thank you. I just wanted to say thank you.¡±


    I stare at her, not quite understanding. I¡¯m surprised by her sweetness. It catches me off guard. Which isn¡¯t a good thing.


    ¡°For helping me with those guys.¡± She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. ¡°I never thanked you for stepping in. It would¡¯ve really sucked if you hadn¡¯t.¡± It would have sucked. That¡¯s putting it mildly.


    I should just stare. I shouldn¡¯t respond. She¡¯d get the message loud and clear, but I can¡¯t do that. I look past her and give a curt nod as I say, ¡°No problem.¡±


    She noticeably swallows and asks, ¡°May Ie in?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± It¡¯s easy shutting that down. The only reason I¡¯d bring her in here is to fuck her. And that¡¯s not going to happen. My dick doesn¡¯t like that answer and starts hardening in my pants. I clench my jaw, trying to get it to go down. I¡¯m only in a pair of sweats. She¡¯s gonna see how fucking hard I am for her. Fuck it, I still can¡¯t have her. Doesn¡¯t fucking matter if she knows I want her or not.


    I need to push her away.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the wrong part of town, Tonya,¡± I say, keeping my eyes on her with my voice low.


    A smile spreads slowly across her face, making her look gorgeous as fuck. She cocks a brow and tries to suppress theugh that I can practically hear escaping from those full lips of hers. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± She¡¯s not really asking though, and she has a point. I¡¯m a scary fucker, but it¡¯s not like I live in the rough part of town.


    ¡°You know what I mean.¡± She should know not to fuck with me. Maybe I¡¯ve been too easy on her. I¡¯ve given her this idea that I won¡¯t hurt her, and I¡¯m her pal. But I¡¯m not her buddy. She should be fucking careful around me. She should be scared of me.


    She rolls her eyes at my words and it¡¯s thest straw.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re such a bad ass bitch, don¡¯t you?¡± I walk into her space, pushing her farther out into the hallway.


    She seems taken aback by my tone, and it takes a moment for her to square her shoulders. I can see her changing before my eyes. Like she just realized who I am, and that she¡¯s a cop. She may think she doesn¡¯t have to take any shit from me, but I¡¯m about to prove her wrong.


    ¡°You think you can y this good girl act with me, but I know who you really are.¡±


    She looks confused and then pissed. ¡°I never said I was a good girl, and I¡¯m not putting on an act.¡± She speaks through clenched teeth with her hands balled at her side. It really pisses her off when I call her that. That¡¯s good to know. I like pissing her off and getting her riled up.


    ¡°So what? You¡¯re a bad girl then? Just like I said, you think you¡¯re a bad ass. You¡¯re not.¡±


    She huffs augh and rolls her eyes. She literally doesn¡¯t give a shit. I need to instill fear into this broad. I¡¯ve given her too much length on her leash.


    I look her in her eyes and lower my voice. ¡°I could fuck you raw in the front of this building, and no one would stop me. No one would say shit to me.¡±


    Her lips part, and her eyes soften with lust at my words. Fuck me, that¡¯s so fucking hot. That¡¯s not at all the reaction I expected. I anticipated disgust. I would think she¡¯d pull out the cop card. But she doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°You¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± I ask as I grip her hips and turn her around to pin her to the wall next to my open door. ¡°¡®Cause you¡¯re such a bad girl.¡± I lower my lips to her neck and whisper in her ear. My lips barely touch her. ¡°You¡¯d love it so fucking much, you¡¯d cum on my dick as I fucked your greedy cunt however I wanted.¡±


    I shove her back against the wall. I¡¯m not gentle, but only because I can see how much she likes it rough. I grab her ass with both hands and hold her against the wall with my hips. My hard dick pushes against her thigh, digging into her. I can see the moment she realizes she¡¯s about to get fucked. Her eyes widen and she pushes her hands against my chest. I pull back slightly, but my hands and hips keep her in ce.


    My heart beats wildly in my chest. My blood¡¯sced with desire and races with a primal need to fuck her against the wall. She¡¯d fucking love it. We both want it.


    I lean forward and barely hear her say, ¡°Ssst.¡± She knows she should say it, but she hasn¡¯t yet. She likes me pushing her boundaries.


    ¡°Stop?¡± I ask with a lopsided grin. ¡°Is that what you were gonna say?¡± She presses her lips together and turns her head to the side, refusing to look at me and refusing to answer. I heard it on the tip of her tongue. But she doesn¡¯t want this to stop. She wants to be impaled on my dick.


    ¡°You¡¯d better fucking say it, Tonya.¡± Her eyes whip up to mine with a sh of anger. She doesn¡¯t like me telling her what to do. Good. It¡¯s going to be fun getting her so worked up. I love it already.


    I wrap my hand around her throat and give her a gentle squeeze. My left hand grabs hold of her thigh and she spreads her legs for me. I cup her pussy and rock my palm against her clit. I can feel how hot and wet she is. Her eyes go half-lidded, and her lips part with a small moan of pleasure. It¡¯s the sexiest fucking thing I¡¯ve ever heard. I bend my head down and hesitate just a second before taking her bottom lip in between my teeth.


    This is dangerous. At first it felt like a game. But the more I push, the more she gives me. I¡¯m already addicted, and I haven¡¯t even had a taste of her yet. I should stop this before it begins, but I can¡¯t. I want her, and now that I know how much she wants me, I¡¯m taking her.


    I¡¯m going to have to fuck this broad out of my system. Just once. Just once, so I can satisfy this beast wing at me to fuck her into submission.


    I lower my lips to the crook of her neck and bite down hard enough so she knows I won¡¯t be gentle. She rocks her hips and rubs her hot pussy against my dick. Fuck, yes. I growl into her ear, ¡°Get your ass inside.¡±


    I pull back and stare into her green eyes. They spark with a challenge. ¡°Thought you said you could fuck me out here.¡± My dick jumps in my pants.


    ¡°Bad girl.¡± I back away so I¡¯m not touching her. ¡°Get inside.¡± I see the defiance in her eyes. She fucking loves this. She¡¯sing alive with my touch, and I love that I can do this to her. She bites down on her lip and looks to the stairs. For a moment, one split second, I think she¡¯s going to leave, but then her cute ass starts walking inside, and I know I¡¯ve got her.


    After I close and lock her door, I grip her waist and lead her to the bedroom. I¡¯m not wasting any time. I don¡¯t want to give either of us a second to think and realize what a fucking disaster this is.


    I kick the door shut behind me and give her anothermand. ¡°Strip.¡± I fucking love how she turns on her heels and looks back at me like she¡¯s debating on giving me a hard time.


    ¡°You have thising. For teasing me like that. You better take them off before I rip them off of you.¡± Her mouth parts and the moan I was fantasizing about hearing finally hits my ears. ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck if you have to walk back home naked.¡± Yes. Yes I really fucking do give a shit, but that gets her ass moving to obey.


    Her hands slowly remove her jeans, and then her top. She reaches around behind her to remove her bra, but I can¡¯t wait any longer.


    I pick her ass up, a cheek in each hand and let my knees hit the edge of the mattress. She¡¯s quick to wrap her legs around mine. Her heels dig into my ass as my lips crush hers. I fall onto my bed with her beneath me and push down my sweats. My cock smacks against her clit as it bounces out, and the force of it makes her break our kiss. She moans into the hot air and it fuels me to grip my dick in my hand and smack it against her swollen nub. I want to hear that sound again and again. Her back arches and her head digs into the mattress. I move my cock through her folds from her entrance to her clit, making sure to watch her body for her reaction. She fucking loves this. She¡¯s loving what I¡¯m doing to her.


    She still isn¡¯t looking at me though, and I don¡¯t like that. I want her eyes on me as I sink deep into her heat. I line my cock up and then grip her chin in my hand. She looks back at me with half-lidded eyes. She¡¯s already so close. My bad girl is dying to be fucked.


    I hold her gaze as I slowly push into her tight cunt. Fuck, she feels so fucking good. My thick cock stretches her walls as I slowly thrust deep inside her. Her eyes widen and her lips form a perfect ¡°o¡±. I¡¯d smirk at her if I could, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m lost in how fucking good she feels.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I rock into her once, twice, and then a third time, keeping my pace slow and steady with short, shallow strokes letting her adjust to my size and then I thrust into her hard enough that the bed ms against the wall. She screams out and I capture her screams of pleasure with my kiss. My fingertips dig into her hips, holding her in ce as I continue mercilessly fucking her into the mattress. The bed groans and creaks as I pound into her pussy with a relentless pace.


    Her thighs tighten around my hips as she bites down on her lip to keep from screaming out from the intense pleasure.


    The bed smacks against the wall with each thrust. As I fuck her harder it gets louder, and I fucking hate that she looks up at the headboard. It was only a nce, but it¡¯s enough that I want to drag her ass onto the floor and fuck her there. She can hear the creaking and groaning and it¡¯s distracting her. It pisses me off. That¡¯s not going to fucking happen. I want her so far gone that she can¡¯t think about anything but my dick giving her the release she so desperately needs.


    I pick her ass up in one hand and press my thumb against her clit. I push down hard and ignore her body trying to thrash in my arms. I don¡¯t stop. I don¡¯t let up on my ruthless thrusts as I circle her clit, taking her higher and higher. Her head thrashes from side to side as her pussy spasms around my dick. I feel her hot arousal and groan as the sound of my dick mming into her gets louder and messier. I fucking love that I made her cum. I want it again. I want more of her.


    I ride through her orgasm and push her to another level of ecstasy. I rub her clit with the rough pad of my thumb and keep up my pace. My spine tingles and my toes curl, wanting my release, but I hold it back, waiting for her to go off again. I need it again. I want to take her over the edge. She ws at theforter and screams out as I pinch her clit.


    Only when I feel her body trembling and see her back bow with her own orgasm, only then do I let the sensation wash over me. I cum violently deep inside her and groan into the crook of her next as the pleasure runs through every inch of my body. I brace my forearms above her head, and we sink into the mattress as I pump short, shallow thrusts until I¡¯mpletely spent and have nothing left.


    I roll onto my back and pull her close to me while we both catch our breath. It¡¯s been a long time, a really long fucking time, but it¡¯s never felt like that before. More than anything, I feel triumphant. Like I¡¯ve tamed the untamable.


    I let a few minutes go by for my heart to calm down. You¡¯d think I held my breath the whole fucking time. My lips travel along her shoulder and I leave a sweet kiss on the tender part of her neck, just behind her ear before getting up. She was so fucking good, better than I fucking hoped she¡¯d be.


    I need to get her something to clean up with.


    When I get back from the bathroom, she¡¯s sitting up on the bed holding theforter across her chest. Her hair¡¯s a mess, her lips are swollen from my kiss, and her skin looks radiant. She looks like she got fucked, and it looks damn good on her.


    I pass her the washcloth and pretend like I¡¯m looking away while I pull on my boxers.


    She rolls off the bed and sashays her ass in my face. I know she did that shit on purpose. I smack my hand yfully across that perky, lush ass, and smile as she jumps and turns around to face me. A deep red blush colors her cheeks as she smiles shyly back at me.


    That¡¯s when it hits me.


    This broad is getting to me. I watch as she grabs her clothes. All the bits of happiness leave me in an instant. I didn¡¯t check for a wire. Fuck. Fuck, how could I forget she¡¯s a cop?


    I didn¡¯t say anything, though. I know I didn¡¯t. I rey the scene in my head.


    It¡¯s like snapping back to reality. I don¡¯t know what the fuck happened.


    Shit. Maybe she wanted this. She wanted to get close to me. Fuck. Fuck. I keep fucking this up. I¡¯m so drawn to her. I run a hand down my face in exasperation. What the hell was I thinking? I keep losing my shit when she¡¯s around.


    I look at her from across the room as she pulls her jeans up and over her sweet ass. Fuck, even right now as I¡¯m telling myself this is wrong, my dick is hardening at the chance to be inside her again.


    ¡°This shit can¡¯t happen.¡± I say the words before I forget that I need this to be over. ¡°It can¡¯t happen again.¡±


    She turns to face me with a look of shock and hurt. But she¡¯s quick to cover it up. It fucking kills me. A weight pushes against my chest. It fucking hurts. I hate that I hurt her. ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry it happened.¡± She talks clearly, and with a hint of sarcasm, but doesn¡¯t face me. She sounds fucking pissed, but there¡¯s an undertone of sadness. She¡¯s doing what she does best, and masking her true feelings.


    I walk over to her to hold her, or apologize, or something¨CI don¡¯t know what, but she makes a beeline for her purse and then starts heading to the door. It fucking hurts, but that¡¯s what I get. What did I expect, opening my mouth and ruining it?


    We were ying house though. Caught up in something that doesn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°I¡¯m not kicking you out.¡± I talk to her back as she walks out on me. I may as well have kicked her out though. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. This needs to go down like this. She needs to be pissed at me. But I don¡¯t want that.


    This is all so fucked.


    She turns to face me as I walk up behind her before she can open the door. I want to say something to her. I don¡¯t know what. I just don¡¯t want her to leave like this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Her voice is hard and full of menace, but her eyes are ssy with tears. It fucking guts me.


    ¡°Stop it, Tonya. It¡¯s not like that.¡± She turns her back to me to open the door, but I put my hand above hers to keep it from opening. She turns around and I cage her in. She closes her eyes to avoid my stare.


    ¡°Stop it. You know I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± I talk with a gentle tone and try to calm her down. But her defenses are way up. She¡¯s not giving me anything. ¡°You don¡¯t want this anyway. You¡¯re a cop. I¡¯m suspect in your case for fuck¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do it,¡± she says calmly. Her admission shocks me. If she knows I didn¡¯t do it, what the fuck is she after me for? ¡°You¡¯re right though. This shouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± She opens her eyes and speaks calmly, ¡°I want to leave now.¡±


    There¡¯s no emotion left. No sadness, no disappointment, no anger. She¡¯s got her mask on, and she¡¯s not giving me anything.


    I should make her open up. I shouldn¡¯t let her leave like this.


    But it¡¯s what¡¯s best for both of us. She¡¯s a cop, and I¡¯m mobbed up. This shit should¡¯ve never happened.


    ¡°Alright.¡± I stand back and let her open the door. I fucking hate that I feel anything for her. She¡¯s a cop. I have to keep repeating it in my head. I have to remember I can¡¯t have her. I¡¯ve been ordered to stay away from her. I shouldn¡¯t have let it get this far. This is bad. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking.


    ¡°Can you just tell me one thing?¡± she asks, as she steps out into the hallway. ¡°Is Petrov dead?¡± She looks up at me with nothing in her eyes, no emotion. Not a damn thing.


    I bite the inside of my cheek fucking hating that she¡¯s asking that.


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t tell you anything. Stop asking me. I¡¯m not gonna answer.¡± I can¡¯t. I¡¯d be a stupid prick to admit anything.


    ¡°Yeah, I figured. Couldn¡¯t hurt to ask one more time though.¡± She walks down the hallway without looking back.


    I feel fucking used. But what¡¯s worse is that I want to stop her. I want to tell her how he suffered. How a woman who he tortured killed him. But I can¡¯t.


    Instead I stand in my doorway and listen to her steps. I grip the door jamb tighter as I hear the door open and listen as she leaves.


    Fuck, I want to tell her. And that¡¯s not good. None of this is good.

 102

    Tonya


    I¡¯m not gonna cry. I don¡¯t fucking cry. Sure as shit not over men. I¡¯ve had a few boyfriends here and there, but that¡¯s never happened to me. It¡¯s never been a hit it and quit it situation. And sure as fuck not five minutes after cumming inside of me. Asshole. He didn¡¯t kick me out, but he could¡¯ve picked a better time to start talking like that.


    It was a mistake. I know that. It never should¡¯ve happened. I have more restraint than that. I don¡¯t know what it is about him that makes me so weak. I cave to him, when I haven¡¯t ever caved before. I don¡¯t like it. I also don¡¯t like that he brought it up first. I was thinking it, but I was pushing it down.


    It just felt so nice to be held. It¡¯s been a long time. I feel so fucking deprived of human interaction. It¡¯s been too fucking long. I take a deep breath as I lie down on my bed. It¡¯s cold. But it feels good to just rx against the bed. I snort a humorlessugh.


    I shouldn¡¯t be rxing. I shouldn¡¯t even want that. I¡¯ve lost sight of my purpose. I swore I wouldn¡¯t stop until I found Petrov and destroyed him and everyone who works for him. It¡¯s like I was wearing blinders all through the academy. I didn¡¯t even care about how much my body hurt. Nothing else mattered. I was just obsessed at taking a leap forward.


    And then my huge break when the department had an opening was as if the stars had aligned. Like God was handing me my revenge on a silver tter. But then nothing. Not a fucking trace of him. The other names on my list are all dead. There are no leads. I shouldn¡¯t be rxing, but I don¡¯t know what else to do.


    It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve been running as hard and as fast as I¡¯m able, chasing a ghost. And now he¡¯s disappeared, and I¡¯m finally taking a look around.


    How did I get here? This isn¡¯t what I went to college for. This isn¡¯t what I wanted to do. My life wasn¡¯t supposed to end up like this. Even back then I wasn¡¯t really sure what I wanted, but the shit I was studying was at least interesting. All of this is just depressing as fuck.


    But I owe it to my sister. She was older than me. Only by three years. She was reserved and polite. I was the handful child that always got into trouble. Maybe that¡¯s why I never got along with my mother. I don¡¯t know. But that rtionshippletely vanished when Melissa died. My mother couldn¡¯t take it. She¡¯s not a fighter like me.


    The night Melissa didn¡¯te back, my mom was sure she was dead. The next morning when I went looking for her, putting up signs and waiting for the police to actually do something, my mother did nothing but cry. I was pissed. She wasn¡¯t even trying. I think she buried Melissa that day. And what was left of her own soul.


    Ever since I¡¯ve been so fucking alone.


    Melissa could¡¯ve been trapped. She could have hit her head somehow and been unconscious. A million scenarios ran through my head. I knew deep inside me that she needed me. She needed us. Yet my mother did nothing but sob inconsbly.


    I hated her then. It was like I could feel my sister¡¯s pain, and I tried so fucking hard. I looked everywhere I could. But I never would have found her. I was looking in all the wrong ces.


    It wasn¡¯t long after that when her body was discovered. I couldn¡¯t believe it. I couldn¡¯t imagine that someone would take her. After the shock and the sadness, all that was left was anger. I knew I had to do something.


    I took a semester off school to join the groups that all promise to bring awareness to sex trafficking. I went to meetings, presentations, and counseling. But it didn¡¯t feel like enough. More than that, I saw my sister in the women who survived. I could see her in their ce.


    But I knew she¡¯d never be there. She was dead. She wasn¡¯t ever going to sit in the chair across from me, and tell me what happened to her. She wasn¡¯t going to be making ns with me on how to handle simple, everyday tasks that now felt impossible. I had to stop going.


    I needed to go after the man who¡¯d led her to her death.


    I feel like it was just yesterday that I¡¯d made up my mind to chase after Petrov. Like I¡¯d gone into a dark tunnel and sprinted through it blindly, only to emerge and not realize where it was taking me.


    He may be dead. I may never get to face him. I may never even know for sure. But I won¡¯t stop.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    The rest of the Valettis know something, and I can question them. Well, I can try. I know it¡¯s risky. But I have to try. I¡¯ll do anything to make sure Petrov never puts his hands on another woman. I hope he suffered. Tears leak down my face and hit the pillow beneath me. A sob tears through me, and I have no idea where it came from.


    My anger is waning, knowing he may no longer be alive. What¡¯s left if I don¡¯t have the anger to hold onto? My chest feels hollow. And I can¡¯t stand the distant feeling of sadness.


    I wish I knew one way or the other.


    He could¡¯ve at least told me. Thinking of Thomas makes the pain subside, if only for a moment. He made me weak. I enjoyed it though. I¡¯m tired of being the strong one. I¡¯m tired of fighting an enemy I can¡¯t even see. I¡¯m tired of chasing ghosts.


    I close my eyes and try to think of anything other than the dark past, and twisted obsession that¡¯s brought me here. I steady my breathing and see Thomas¡¯ face.


    I feel his hands on my body. His lips against my neck.


    ¡°Bad girl.¡± The memory of his deep, baritone voice sends a shiver through my body. I can imagine a time when I would have run off with him. When I would have gotten on my knees and done everything and anything he asked, just for the thrill of it.


    That time¡¯s passed though. And now neither of us are in a position to allow what we did to ever happen again. My eyes pop open, realizing if he told anyone, I¡¯d lose my job. I expect to feel fear, or shock, or anger at the thought. But I feel nothing. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d care.


    It would hurt though, for him to use it against me. He should. If I were him, I would. What we did wasn¡¯t right, and it would certainly add a level of distrust and uncertainty to the case if I got pulled off. It would severelypromise the case.


    But the evidence is iffy as is. All we really have are the prints at this point. The tire tracks are circumstantial, and the witness deposition is inadmissible due to her state of mind.


    The partial print is the only piece of evidence that¡¯s damning, ording to the prosecutor.


    There¡¯s no more evidence to collect, and everything we have points to the Valettis ending the deal and saving the women.


    I can¡¯t even fathom why Jerry is still gunning for them, unless he¡¯s hoping for the same oue as Harrison, just in a more professional way. I guess it¡¯s professional to leverage and threat in order to get information for other cases.


    The lines are blurred so much more than I ever thought they could be.


    And I¡¯m tired of looking at ck and white. I rest my head into the pillow and try not to think about any of it at all. I just want to rewind time. I want to go back to thest time I saw Melissa and hold her. If I¡¯d known then, what I know now, I¡¯d never let her go. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s crazy. I would do anything I could to save her.


    The tearse again and I hug my pillow. I can¡¯t save her. I¡¯ll never be able to save her. My throat closes as I sniffle and try to breathe into the pillow.


    She¡¯s nevering back. And nothing I¡¯ll ever do can change that.

 103

    Tommy


    ¡°What the fuck is that broad thinking?¡± Anthony walks up behind me at the bar, and I have to turn around to face him.


    He looks worried. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Your chick, Tonya Kelly. The cop.¡± He says, ¡°the cop¡± like I wouldn¡¯t know who he¡¯s talking about. My eyes lower to the drink in my hand. I haven¡¯t had one fucking moment go by where I didn¡¯t think about her. From the way she felt writhing beneath me, to the pissed off and hurt look when I shut it down before the situation got any worse than was necessary.


    I fucking hate this. I hate that I can¡¯t get her out of my head, and I hate that I can¡¯t have her. I¡¯ve never had this problem before. And I don¡¯t fucking like it.


    ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡± I ask, looking past him at Vince. Vince is in the corner of the room talking to his brother over a beer. They barelye in here anymore with the kids taking up so much of their time. I hope whatever my bad girl has gotten into, it hasn¡¯t found its way back to either of them.


    ¡°She¡¯s about to get pped with a harassmentwsuit if she keeps her shit up.¡± I look him dead in the eyes, waiting for more. ¡°She went to Tony¡¯s and waited for him outside his house. She keeps pushing for information.¡± He looks over his shoulder at Vince. ¡°She¡¯s worse than a fucking reporter.¡±


    He turns like he¡¯s gonna go tell Vince, and I stop him. My hand grips his shoulder. His forehead pinches, and his eyes narrow. ¡°What the fuck, Tommy?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him, and tell Tony to keep his mouth shut.¡± He looks at me with disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± I say, standing up from my barstool.


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? You can¡¯t go around making threats to an officer. You aren¡¯t off the hook yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I have in mind,¡± I say under my breath.


    Anthony closes his eyes and lets his head fall back. ¡°You¡¯re fucking kidding me, Tommy. Tell me you¡¯re not fucking around with her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I¡¯ve never been good at lying, and I sure as shit don¡¯t like lying to him. But it¡¯s partially true.


    ¡°Good. That¡¯d be a fucking mistake.¡±


    ¡°Stay out of it, Anthony.¡± I¡¯m done with this conversation. I turn to walk away and he doesn¡¯t stop me. I feel like a prick, but I¡¯m going after what I want.


    Before I make it to the door, Vince and Dom approach me, and I know I need to stop and hear them out. I just hope it¡¯s not about her. She really should know better; she shouldn¡¯t be doing this shit. She¡¯s gonna get herself into deep shit, and I can¡¯t fucking have that happen.


    ¡°Tommy, you alright?¡± Dom asks. I¡¯m sure they can see the stress on my face. I need to man the fuck up and y it cool.


    ¡°Everything considered, I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± I talk easy, but the tension in my body is keeping my guard up.


    ¡°You know we got you. It¡¯s all gonna be taken care of. Soon, too. We already got the witness stuff thrown out, the prints and the tire tracks are close to being gone too, and then they won¡¯t have shit on you.¡±


    I nod my head, not really listening. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m gonna get off, so I¡¯m not too worried about that. But my bad girl is gonna get herself into some deep shit, and I need to stop that. I don¡¯t want them thinking of her like they do Harrison.


    ¡°Has that bitch cop been bugging you?¡± Vince asks, and it takes everything in me not to make a fist and smash it into his face.


    ¡°She¡¯s not a bitch,¡± I manage to say back, and he doesn¡¯t like that answer. Dom seems surprised and takes a step back. He doesn¡¯t get involved with this shit. I can¡¯t help that the wordse out. I don¡¯t like him calling her a bitch. She may be a little rough around the edges. She¡¯s a little pushy, but she¡¯s not a bitch. Nothing about her makes me think that.


    ¡°She¡¯s still a cop though, isn¡¯t she?¡± Vince asks in a hushed voice.


    ¡°Yeah she is.¡± I answer him quickly, wanting to get rid of the tense air between us.


    ¡°She still bugging you?¡±


    I answer him honestly. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her?¡± he asks, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s that mean, Tommy?¡±


    ¡°Means she hasn¡¯t been around to bug me. She¡¯s not like the others, Vince.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re talking Tommy.¡± Vince wraps his arms around my shoulder and leads me to the back room. ¡°You talking like that to anyone else?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said shit to anyone about anything.¡± That¡¯s always the correct answer to give.


    ¡°You sound like you¡¯ve got something going on with her, Tommy. You talking to a cop?¡±


    ¡°Fuck no, Vince.¡± My body goes ice cold. I can¡¯t have anyone think I¡¯m talking to a cop. That gets your ass killed.


    ¡°If you were anyone other than my cousin, I¡¯d be thinking twice about believing the shiting out of your mouth right now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a woman, is all,¡± I answer back.


    ¡°She¡¯s a cop, Tommy. You can¡¯t forget that shit. You can¡¯t go easy on her just because she¡¯s got tits. She¡¯ll still use anything you say against you. Isn¡¯t that one of their fucking lines?¡±


    I press my lips into a tight line and nod diligently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking talk like that around anyone else. I can¡¯t have anyone thinking you¡¯ve got a thing going on with the cops. They can¡¯t start spreading shit about you talking, Tommy. There¡¯s only so much I can do to squash shit like that.¡±


    He sounds desperate for me to listen to him. And I am, but only partially.


    Even as he¡¯s warning me away from her, I already know I¡¯m going to lie to him. I already know I¡¯m not going to listen. I think I¡¯ve just been waiting for a reason to go to her, and she just gave me one.


    Tonya


    I shut the door, dropping my keys in the ss bowl on the end table, and drag my ass over to sink down on the couch. It¡¯s been a long fucking day. I wince as I scrape the wound on my arm against the rough fabric of the sofa. I suck in a deep breath through clenched teeth. Fucking asshole made me chase him through the woods, all for what? A couple hundred bucks he stole from his parents? Seriously? It fucking pisses me off. I¡¯m so fucking tired of dealing with junkies and this stupid shit. What¡¯s worse is I know he¡¯ll be out soon. Only to get hauled back inter. I lean my head back against the couch.


    I put my hands on my forehead, and try to let the stress leave me. This isn¡¯t what I thought being a cop would be like. I shake my head and forget that shit. I knew this was going to be hard. It¡¯s not what¡¯s eating me. I know exactly why I¡¯m all fucked up. It¡¯s because I have no leads to the only case I really care about.


    My heart twists in my chest. I don¡¯t want to think about him. I¡¯ve been trying to avoid it, but he keeps haunting me. I don¡¯t know what hurts worse, the fact that he could end this pain for me, or the fact that he¡¯s gotten to me. I haven¡¯t been with anyone in so long. I don¡¯t remember it feeling like this. But then again, I¡¯ve never been dumped like that either.


    I snort, and force my tired body off the sofa. Like we were seeing each other. As if I mattered to him.


    My gut drops, and I find myself regretting it. But I can¡¯t stand that. I don¡¯t like regret. I do what feels right, and I don¡¯t do what feels wrong. It¡¯s my own insurance policy so that I never regret anything.


    At any point in my past, I know whatever I was doing was exactly what I wanted. At least right then and there. And I¡¯d be a fucking liar if I said I didn¡¯t love every minute of Tommy fucking me. I came alive under him. I smile, remembering how loud his bed was. I shake my head and open my fridge looking for a snack or something.


    It sucked though, when it was over. I look at the half gallon of milk and the rest of my practically-empty fridge and frown. I close the door and try to shake off this shit feeling. I don¡¯t hold it against him. It never should¡¯ve happened. But it still fucking hurt.


    I¡¯m not going to let him stop me from getting to the bottom of Petrov¡¯s case though. I¡¯m sure as fuck going to avoid him like the gue though. I need to get him out of my head. If anyone at the station found out what happened between us, I¡¯d be fucked.


    I feel like a bitch for judging all of them and how hard they are after years of doing this shit. No wonder they look at me like I don¡¯t belong. Fuck! I lean my head against the fridge and breathe in and out slowly. I can¡¯t shake this negativity. I can¡¯t get out of my own fucking head. I¡¯m second-guessing everything, and feeling like shit as a result. I need to stop. But I don¡¯t know how.


    I slowly open my eyes as I hear a loud knock at my door.


    My heart stills in my chest. I have no clue who woulde over here thiste at night. I wait with anxiety trickling through my limbs for a voice. But I don¡¯t hear anything. I walk silently, but quickly to the end table and pick up my gun where I left it. I hold it down and walk steadily as I hear a loud knock again.


    Bang. Bang. Bang! On the third, I hear his voice say, ¡°Open up, Tonya.¡± Relief washes through my body and I almost put the gun down, but then I think twice.


    I look at it in my hands and remember how angry the other members of the Valetti familia were. In two days, I¡¯ve managed to piss off more men than my mom has in her entire life. That¡¯s saying something.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re in there, you may be a bad girl, but I don¡¯t want you pushing me right now.¡± His voice doesn¡¯te out hard, but it¡¯s not yful either. It¡¯s almost a little worried. Like he¡¯s fairly confident that I¡¯ll answer him, but scared that I won¡¯t.


    I like that.


    I like making him wait. Not because I don¡¯t want to answer him, I do. The wild side of me is jumping at the chance to answer him. But I also like keeping him on edge.


    I put the gun down on the end table. It may be stupid, but I don¡¯t care right now. I walk to the door and unlock it. I wait a second to see if he¡¯ll open it. But he doesn¡¯t. He respects that boundary. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I can¡¯t let myself go back to how it was before. This is going to be professional.


    I open the door and curse myself as my eyesnd on his hard, muscr body. Fuck, I want him. I want all of him. I close my eyes and don¡¯t open them as he speaks.


    ¡°What are you doing snooping around?¡± He gets right to the point, and anger rises within me. Enough so that I can stare back at him.


    ¡°Snooping around?¡± I¡¯m not snooping. I¡¯m simply trying to get answers.


    ¡°You need to knock it off.¡± His voice is stern and admonishing. It pisses me off, but also lights something else in me. Something I need to let die.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to do anything, and as far as you¡¯re concerned, you weren¡¯t giving me what I needed, so I had to go somewhere else.¡± I know the double meaning there. And I hate that it slipped out. I feel fucking pathetic.


    His eyebrows raise, and he looks me up and down like he¡¯s sizing me up, but I can see he¡¯s angry. ¡°Is that so?¡± he says with a neutral tone.


    I start backpedaling the best I can and say, ¡°I need answers for my own sanity.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a cop, you think they¡¯re going to give you anything?¡± He raises his voice as he continues toy into me, ¡°They¡¯re not like me, Tonya. They aren¡¯t going to treat you like I do.¡±


    ¡°So they aren¡¯t going to fuck me and then toss me aside?¡± I¡¯m so fucking bitter I can¡¯t help but spit it out. I don¡¯t feel any anger toward him, but apparently some part of me does.


    ¡°Is that what you want from them?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Fuck off, Thomas.¡± I start to close the door. I don¡¯t have the energy for this. If he¡¯s not going to help me, fine. If he doesn¡¯t want to fuck me anymore, that¡¯s fine, too.


    Thomas stops the door and pushes it open so he can lean in. ¡°What the fuck? You trying to piss me off, Officer Kelly?¡± I don¡¯t like the way he¡¯s saying my name. Like he¡¯s asking if he¡¯s talking to me or someone else, someone who he doesn¡¯t trust. I¡¯ve never been anything but honest with him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I ask with irritation coloring my voice, but I¡¯m not irritated. I¡¯m hurt. I want him to say, ¡°You.¡± I want him toe in and take me. I want him to make everything better. And that realization makes me feel weak. It makes me feel sick to my stomach.


    ¡°I wannae in and talk.¡±


    ¡°Now you wanna talk?¡± I shake my head and try to push down the bit of hope growing in my chest. It¡¯s stupid. I shouldn¡¯t be hoping. This can¡¯t happen.


    ¡°You gonna let me in?¡± he asks, like I might actually say yes.


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head and open my eyes, making sure to only look at his face. The thought of himing in here only makes me want to test whether or not he can make my bed creak and groan like he did his. This is bad. Real fucking bad.


    ¡°Why the fuck not?¡± He sounds all pissed off.


    ¡°¡®Cause I don¡¯t have to, that¡¯s why.¡± I¡¯m flippant as I say it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me, baby.¡± He narrows his eyes at me as he says it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your baby. I¡¯m not your anything.¡± I at least have a little pride knowing that those words came out strong.


    ¡°With a mouth like that, right now you¡¯re my bad girl. That¡¯s all you are.¡± My pussy clenches at his words. I can¡¯t help that it turns me on. But I have to remember that this can¡¯t happen. This is wrong.


    ¡°Bad things will happen if youe in here.¡± I tell him the truth and regret it when his eyes heat with lust and his lips pull into a smirk.


    ¡°You want me that much? You really can¡¯t control yourself?¡± he asks with a cocky grin.


    It pisses me off. And I hold on to that anger so I can push him away like I know I should.


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I grab the edge of the door and try to m it shut, but his boot hits the door, blocking it.


    For the first time ever in his presence, I feel scared. I don¡¯t know why, but a sense of danger takes ahold of every part of me, and I race to get to my gun. I grip it with both hands and point it at him as he takes a step inside.


    His eyes go wide when he sees the gun pointed at him. He raises both of his hands, ¡°Whoa, baby, what are you doing? Put the gun down.¡±


    My hands tremble slightly, and I feel so fucking insecure. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing anymore. I don¡¯t trust anything that I¡¯m feeling. My hand starts shaking. It¡¯s never done that. I¡¯ve always had control. But I¡¯ve never been in this situation before, either. I don¡¯t even know why I grabbed it.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s alright.¡± He keeps his hands raised. ¡°You really want me to go? I¡¯ll go.¡±


    I don¡¯t know what I want. I slowly aim the gun down and keep my head down. I¡¯ve fucked this up so fucking bad.


    ¡°I know I push you. I didn¡¯t mean to threaten you though.¡± I watch in my periphery as he walks toward me like one would a wounded animal. And that¡¯s exactly how I feel. I¡¯m so fucked up. So worn out and torn.


    ¡°I¡¯d never hurt you, Tonya.¡± I shouldn¡¯t believe him, but I do. He reaches out slowly and grabs my gun. I think about resisting, but I don¡¯t want to. He gently ces it on the end table and looks at me like he doesn¡¯t know what to do with me.


    He takes his gun out, making sure to point it away from me and quickly sets it on the end table next to mine.


    He cups my chin in my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I pushed you like that. I really thought you were just pushing me back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing,¡± I say weakly, and look up at him through my thickshes.


    A soft chuckle rumbles through his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t either, baby.¡± He lowers his lips to mine. He whispers with his full lips barely touching my own, ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. And I won¡¯t let anyone else hurt you, either.¡±


    I open my eyes and see sincerity in his dark stare.


    ¡°You gotta stay away, though.¡± My gaze drops to the floor. I try to push him away, but it¡¯s a weak and useless effort.


    ¡°Not from me.¡± His words pull me back from the defeated ce I¡¯d sunk to. ¡°I want you. But they can¡¯t know. No one can know, and you need to stay away from them.¡±


    His chest rises and falls, and his breathing is the only thing I can hear other than my own heart thumping in my chest.


    This is dangerous. It¡¯s forbidden. But I want it. I want him.


    ¡°Tell me you want me, baby.¡± His voice is confident, but I can tell he needs the reassurance. He needs me to tell him I want him, too. And I do. I desperately want him.


    ¡°I want you.¡± Before thest word leaves my lips, his hands grip my hips and he pulls me under him as he falls onto the sofa.


    His fingers tickle my skin as they travel under my shirt, slowly lifting it up past my breasts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you feel better, baby.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper. Please. I need to feel better.


    ¡°You¡¯re just too tempting. I fucking need you under me.¡± He stares at my breasts as he pulls the cup of my bra down and pinches my hardened nubs. It sends a direct shot of need to my clit.


    A soft smile ys at his lips, but he looks into my eyes with concern.


    ¡°You really thought I¡¯d hurt you?¡± He pulls my shirt over my head, taking the bra with it and lifts me into hisp. His arms wrap around my waist as he leans back against the sofa.


    I feel ashamed, so I try to look away, but he cups my face and turns my head so I have to look at him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I say barely above a murmur. I am. I¡¯m so damn sorry.


    He smirks a bit and says yfully, ¡°I had iting, messing with a bad girl like you.¡±


    He takes my lips with his, and I feel every emotion crash down around me. The only one left standing is lust. I moan into his parted lips and let his hands roam my body. I need him to take me away. I need to feel something else.


    He tosses me backward and climbs between my legs, ripping off everything in his way. I want to close my legs, but I don¡¯t. The look of hunger in his eyes keeps my legs spread wide for him. He licks his lips and gently runs a finger down my hip bone and over my clit. My body shudders under his touch, and his lips twitch into a satisfied smile as he lowers his lips to my pussy.


    His deft fingers pump in and out of me while he sucks my clit. My eyes roll back in my head as my back bows and I struggle with myposure. It¡¯s so intense. Too intense. My body begs me to move away, not knowing if I¡¯ll be able to stand the power of the orgasm he¡¯s forcing out of me. My fingers dig into the couch and scratch along his back.


    He pulls away as my thighs loosen, and the sight of him is nearly enough that I cum just from looking at him. His chiseled frame is all ripped muscle, with his left arm covered in intricate tattoos. His eyes are intense with his own need, and his breathes in pants. He stares at my pussy in awe as he curls his fingers and mercilessly rubs my G-spot. His thumb presses down on my clit and I find my body trying to turn away. It¡¯s too much. I can¡¯t stand the overwhelming sensation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you move,¡± he says while withdrawing his fingers. My eyes pop open and my breath finallyes back to me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± I¡¯m so ready. I want him so fucking bad. I was so close. So fucking close.


    He smirks at me and backhands my clit. My back arches, but my pussy mps down on nothing. I need it. I¡¯m so close.


    ¡°Bad girl,¡± he says with a smirk. If he wasn¡¯t so fucking hot, and I wasn¡¯t so delirious with my own needs, I¡¯d tell him off. Instead I bite my lip and wait with bated breath for him to take me over the edge. ¡°Hold still.¡± He lowers his head and relief flows through me, but it¡¯s immediately reced with the tingling sensation of every inch of my skin being lit ame.


    Heps at my pussy, and gently ces his thumb against my ass. My mouth opens as the foreign sensation of him pushing against me adds to the intensity of his tongue massaging my clit. My eyes close, and my lips part. My breathinges in ragged pants as he starts fucking my ass and sucking my clit at the same time. It¡¯s too much. So fucking overwhelming.


    In an instant, my body goes numb and then immediately explodes with paralyzing pleasure.


    My thighs clench around his head as I cry out inplete ecstasy. Every nerve ending heats in waves, starting at my toes and working their way up. Each wave of pleasure is higher and more intense than the previous. My body is twisted and still stiff, unwilling to move. I try to rx as Ie down from the high. I try, but my body doesn¡¯t respond. I can only feel.


    After a few minutes of lying limp on the sofa, Ie to my senses. My body is covered in sweat, and my legs are still trembling. I try to speak and realize my throat is sore and dry.


    I look down my body and watch as Thomas stands up and shoves his jeans down his muscr thighs. He grabs his thick cock in his hands and strokes it once. The head glistens with a taste of his cum. He embodies power and lust. And the sight of him is intoxicating.


    ¡°I want you on the bed next.¡± With the heated look in his eyes and my arousal glistening on his lips, I can¡¯t deny him. I can¡¯t deny what I want either. I love the way he makes me feel. In this moment I¡¯d let him have me however he wanted. And I do.


    I¡¯ll give him every bit of me that he wants.


    I can¡¯t remember how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve felt this alive. A spark I haven¡¯t felt in years is zing inside of me. He lifts my body in his arms and carries me to the bedroom. I lean into him. I don¡¯t want to think about anything except how good it feels.


    That¡¯s all I care about. I just want to feel.


    He tosses me onto the bed and immediately crawls toward me. He looks dangerous, he is dangerous. He licks his lips and climbs over my body, forcing me onto my back.


    His lips crush mine, and I can faintly taste myself on his tongue. I smile and pull back as a blush rises to my cheeks. His chest shakes gently with his rough chuckle, and it warms every bit of me.


    ¡°Where are your cuffs?¡± he asks. My eyes widen at his question. My heart races in my chest.


    ¡°You need to learn to trust me, baby.¡± He kisses me with such passion I have to close my eyes.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°I can help you with that. Let me.¡±


    I pull away from him and look at my dresser. They¡¯re in the top drawer. My anxiety spikes.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I push the words out. I know there¡¯s something between us, but what that is, I¡¯m not sure.


    ¡°You can,¡± he says, standing up from the bed. He walks to my dresser, following my line of sight and guessing correctly that the cuffs are there. They¡¯re right on top, so he doesn¡¯t have to look very long to find them.


    ¡°You could hurt me,¡± I state simply. It¡¯s one thing to fool around, but another to give up control and make myself so helpless. I don¡¯t want to be vulnerable. The very thought chills my blood.

 104

    He looks at me with incredulity before pointing out, ¡°My arm is almost asrge as your head. I could hurt you right now if I wanted.¡± My eyes linger on his corded arms and broad shoulders. I know what he¡¯s saying is true, but I don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t like how urate his words are.


    ¡°That right there,¡± he walks back to me and gentles his hand on my forearm, ¡°That fear. I¡¯m going to take it away.¡± I stare into his heated gaze and feel too muchfort.


    ¡°Why?¡± It¡¯s stupid to even consider it. But I am. I don¡¯t want to be scared anymore. I don¡¯t want to be angry, either.


    He shrugs and dangles the two sets of cuffs from his finger. He watches as they sway. ¡°You look like a girl who could use a little help.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need help.¡± I know I sound defensive, and I don¡¯t mean to.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t need it. But you could use it.¡± He hands me the cuffs. ¡°Lock them around your wrists.¡± He gives me themand and it instantly heats my core. I have to stop myself from scissoring my legs.


    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± I ask him in a breathy voice. Now that I¡¯m holding the cuffs in my hand and he¡¯s standing so close, it¡¯s turning me on. His muscr chest ripples as he takes a step back from me.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to watch as you cuff yourself to the bed.¡±


    I bite my lip and watch him stroke himself. ¡°Just the thought of you being at my mercy has me almost cumming. You know that?¡±


    I feel my cheeks heat and a wave of arousal shoots through me. I shift the cuffs to my other hand and look at them and then at him.


    ¡°Then what?¡± I ask. My lips stay parted as my breathinges in short pants.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna do whatever I want with you.¡± My eyes fall and the insecurityes back. I don¡¯t like not having a n.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to start by getting between your legs and getting your taste back on my tongue.¡± My eyes shoot to his as I listen. ¡°I need to get you ready to take me.¡± My thighs clench, and I know I¡¯m already ready.


    ¡°Not your pussy, baby. I want your ass.¡± My eyes widen, and I actually scoot away slightly on the bed. He chuckles and strokes himself again. My eyes focus on the bead of precum leaking from his slit.


    ¡°Not tonight, baby. But I¡¯m gonna get you ready for me. Tonight I¡¯m fucking your pussy like I own it. But next time, I¡¯m taking your ass.¡±


    His words force a moan from my lips. I want that. I want all of that. But I don¡¯t want to give up control. I look up at him with apprehension, and see nothing but desire written on his face. I have to tell him how I really feel though. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± I whisper, and it makes me feel weak.


    ¡°That¡¯s normal. But I promise you, you¡¯re going to love it.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s too much?¡± I ask.


    He smirks at me as he says, ¡°You have to trust me.¡± He walks over and nts a soft kiss on my lips before I can object to anything else.


    His hand strokes my hair. ¡°All you need to do is trust me.¡±


    This is stupid and reckless, but I feel like I need this. I close my eyes and quickly tighten the cuffs on both my wrists. I bring my right hand up to the bedpost and attach the cuff to the thin metal cylinder.


    My heart races in my chest. ¡°Just tug, baby.¡± I hear his words and it takes a second to understand the meaning of them. I do as he says. I pull against the restraint, and I can see why he wanted me to. If I struggle hard enough, the post will give. It¡¯ll fuck up my wrist, but I could get out. It would fucking hurt though.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything that¡¯ll make you feel like you need to. I just wanted you to realize, if you really needed to, you could take control back.¡± He nts another soft kiss on my lips and I close my eyes and lie back against the pillow. I put my left wrist up against the post and wait for him to tighten it.


    My heart races in my chest. He could do whatever he wants to me now. His grin widens into a gorgeous smile as his eyes roam my body.


    ¡°Spread your legs,¡± hemands, and I instantly obey.


    ¡°See, you can be a good girl when you want to.¡± He climbs on the bed and buries his head between my legs. I moan and arch my back as he sucks my clit into his mouth and massages it with his tongue. His fingers push into me and curl up, hitting the sensitive bundle of nerves. He¡¯s rough and brutal. His movements are harsh and strike my desire each and every time. My body heats so hot I swear I¡¯m not alright and then the trembling waves start from the pleasure stirring in my center.


    My orgasm hits me with a force I¡¯ve never felt before. Ites so quickly, and so forcefully that I wasn¡¯t prepared. I scream and convulse as a white light blinds me and my skin turns to fire. He kisses my thigh, my hip. His rough stubble scratches gently across my sensitive skin and makes my body shudder.


    I breathe heavily as Ie back down and watch as he sucks on his fingers with a look of pure rapture.


    He takes them out of his mouth with a pop and smirks at me. ¡°I told you you¡¯d enjoy it. Now lie back and be a good girl for me. I¡¯ll give you everything you need.¡±


    When the morning light shines through the bit of my window not covered by the curtain, I roll over in my bed to avoid the light and reach out to nothing. My eyelids part and I sit up to make sure, but I already know he¡¯s gone. My hand rests where he wasst night and it¡¯s cold.


    I clench my thighs and feel so fucking sore. My pussy is slightly swollen and the movement sends a shot of need through me. If he was here, I¡¯d want him again.


    But he¡¯s not.


    I lie on my back and stare at the ceiling not knowing how to feel, or what to think.


    I want him, obviously, and our chemistry is undeniable, but I can¡¯t possibly expect anything toe of this. It¡¯s a bad idea to y a man who won¡¯t keep you. I pull the covers tighter around my shoulders and sink back into the warmth of the bed.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    I close my eyes and try to ignore it. I¡¯m not in any state to even think about what happened, let alone try to figure out where this is going.

 105

    Tommy


    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m here. I¡¯m practically stalking a cop. She looks different today. She¡¯s wearing a cute little sundress. It¡¯s ck on top, and white on the bottom, with a bright pink sash separating the two colors around her waist. It looks cute on her. Different, but cute. I watch as she takes off her sunsses and looks into the window of a sandwich shop. She¡¯s hungry, good. I wanna feed her. I keep watching as she purses her lips and puts the sunsses back on and walks closer to me, even though she¡¯s on the other side of the street and hasn¡¯t even seen me yet.


    I¡¯m just waiting for her to feel my eyes on her. I wanna see her reaction. I grin from ear to ear as she stops in her tracks with her head turned in my direction. A smile spreads across her gorgeous lips. That¡¯s a good reaction. I see her shoulders rx as she looks down the road, checking for oing traffic. She crosses the street and I motion for her to follow me into the shop I¡¯ve been standing out in front of. I don¡¯t want us meeting on the street. We need to be inside for this.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Once I¡¯m sure she knows I¡¯m heading inside, I walk into the coffee shop and sit at a table near the back. No one should really notice us here. No one would recognize me so far from our territory. It¡¯s still a risk, but it¡¯s one I¡¯m willing to take.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asks in a hushed voice as she sits down. She looks around the restaurant and I let her. I give her a moment to realize it¡¯s alright. Her hair is in a high ponytail, but a small piece has fallen out and it tickles along her corbone. She turns to look at the customers in line. She looks so fucking beautiful. Her skin has a faint flush to it, and I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because of me, or something else. But I¡¯d love to think I caused it.


    I wait for her to look at me with those beautiful green eyes full of curiosity. ¡°I had nothing better to do.¡±


    ¡°Nothing better than to follow me around?¡± Her tone has a bit of admonishment to it. But I know she¡¯s happy. I can tell. And I like that. Her hand is fiddling with the locket hanging from her ne. I¡¯ve seen her do that before. I wondered back then what¡¯s inside her locket, or who gave it to her. It¡¯s someone important and I want to find out, but now¡¯s not the time.


    ¡°Yeah, well, my day job is on hold at the moment.¡± I watch her eyes widen as I answer her. She didn¡¯t expect me to talk about work, but if we¡¯re nning on fucking, and I sure as hell am, then we need to be blunt and honest.


    She noticeably swallows and looks toward the front of the restaurant. ¡°Should you really be telling me that?¡±


    ¡°Are you wired, baby? Thest couple of times I¡¯ve checked your clothes, you weren¡¯t.¡± Her cheeks go bright red, and it¡¯s fucking adorable to see.


    ¡°Thomas¨C¡± I cut her off before she can finish.


    ¡°Tommy. Call me Tommy.¡± It feels good telling her that. Such a stupid thing. But everyone calls me Tommy. And I want her to do the same. I shouldn¡¯t. I know this is wrong, but I do.


    ¡°Tommy, I don¡¯t know about this.¡± I can hear the worry in her voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to know?¡± I shrug, and then lean in a little. ¡°I like fucking you.¡± My words make her smile even though she¡¯s trying to contain it. ¡°I want what happenedst night to happen again.¡± Her chest rises and falls. Her pupils dte with desire. I made sure to make up for the squeaky bedst night, and I know she enjoyed herself. I bet she can still feel me buried deep inside her.


    ¡°You know we shouldn¡¯t.¡± Her words are breathy. I know I¡¯ve got her. So long as I want her, she¡¯s mine.


    My lips pull into an asymmetric grin as I agree, ¡°Yeah, we shouldn¡¯t. But we¡¯re gonna. ¡®Cause I¡¯m a bad boy, and you¡¯re a bad girl.¡±


    She bites her lip and rests her elbow on the table, cradling her cheek with her hand. Her forehead pinches with worry. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tommy.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what? If you wanna cum on my dick again?¡±


    As I ask the question, a barista walks up with a pad and pen to take our orders. I watch as Tonya¡¯s eyes go wide, and she looks down at herp like there¡¯s something there that¡¯s going to save her from embarrassment. I doubt the barista heard because she seems unaffected, but that doesn¡¯t stop Tonya from having a moment.


    ¡°Can I get you two anything?¡± the girl asks in a sweet voice. She¡¯s young. If she heard, I doubt she¡¯d be so calm.


    ¡°Yeah, could I have a coffee with cream, a blueberry muffin, a slice of banana nut bread¡­¡± I lean back to look at the menu. I figure I might as well order a few different things to see what Tonya likes. ¡°A cake pop, and a cookie too, please.¡±


    ¡°Is all that for you?¡± Tonya asks.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll share with you.¡± My answer makes her smile shyly. I like this side of her.


    ¡°Just a coffee, please. French Vani, with cream and sugar.¡± She likes it sweet. I could¡¯ve guessed that, but I wouldn¡¯t have been shocked if she liked her coffee ck, too.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s it going to be, Tonya?¡± I ask as soon as the waitress is out of sight.


    She looks down at the table with pursed lips and then back up to me. ¡°Just sex?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I¡¯m quick to answer.


    My sweet forbidden bad girl. I want her so fucking bad.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she agrees. My dick stands at full attention and pushes against my zipper. Yes! I can¡¯t fucking wait to be inside her again. It takes everything in me not to bend her over the table and fuck her right here and now.


    I y it cool though, leaning back in my seat. ¡°Good.¡± I keep it simple and let my eyes wander to her breasts. I don¡¯t give a fuck that it¡¯s tant. She¡¯s mine now. I remember biting down on her nipples and pulling backst night, forcing those moans from her lips. I can¡¯t fucking wait to do it again.


    The barista sets a tray down in front of me, and brings me back to the present.


    Tonyaughs under her breath and thanks the young girl before she walks away.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re drooling, Tommy,¡± she says with confidence. She shoots me an I-own-your-ass type of look, and I fucking love it. I love how damn confident she is around me.


    ¡°I might be.¡± I lift her hand to my mouth and make a sweet, soft giggle erupt from her lips. This side of her is different. It¡¯s soft and sweet. I like it. Even more, I like that I bring it out of her.


    I watch her pick off the little bits of sugar on the top of the muffin and pop them into her mouth. She picks at it for a while and then finally bites into it.


    As she takes a bite, she looks up and sees me watching her. She¡¯s quick to cover her mouth as she chews and sets the muffin down. ¡°What?¡± she asks, still covering her partially full mouth.


    I chuckle at her and shake my head as I reply, ¡°Nothing.¡± It¡¯s cute I guess to watch her eat like that.


    She finishes swallowing and takes a sip of coffee before asking me, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°No, I just thought you may be hungry.¡±


    She smiles sweetly and takes another sip of coffee. ¡°I¡¯m good to go, if you are. I have some errands to run.¡± She wipes her hands on the napkin and tosses it onto her te.


    I nod my head and reach into my pocket for my wallet.


    ¡°You don¡¯t¨C¡± she starts, but I cut her off.


    ¡°Knock it off, I wanna buy you breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she looks shy as she says it. She downs the rest of her coffee and stands to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to your car.¡± She looks at me for a moment, as though she doesn¡¯t understand. But as I stand she nods obediently. I might call her my bad girl, but she¡¯s so fucking good to me. She just doesn¡¯t know it.

 106

    Tommy


    As we walk out of the coffee shop, she looks all around us, like she¡¯s just waiting to be spotted. I don¡¯t know what the fuck is wrong with her. Apparently she forgot how to y it cool.


    ¡°Rx,¡± I wrap my arm around her waist to make a point. ¡°No one¡¯s gonna see us.¡±


    We walk in amiable silence. I let her lead the way.


    After a few minutes she says, ¡°I just don¡¯t know about this, Tommy.¡± I hate the insecurity in her voice.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t concerned about that just a few minutes ago,¡± I point out as I look down at her to watch her expression. ¡°You changing your mind?¡±


    ¡°No, I¨C¡± she clears her throat and walks a bit straighter as she continues. ¡°I enjoyedst night.¡±


    ¡°Good, then there¡¯s no problem.¡± I enjoyed it, too. I loved ying with her body. Watching how she responded to every move. I got her off every way I knew how. She was limp and sated and I still wanted more. I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m not going to keep going after what I want. I¡¯ve never known real limits before. I¡¯ve never wanted to venture past what the familia gave me. But I¡¯m not giving this up. Now that I¡¯ve had a taste, I¡¯m not willing to let go.


    ¡°This is just so wrong,¡± she says as I spot her car. She parked behind a little shopping center. There are a few cars in front of us as we walk in, but hers is off to the side. It¡¯s a vacant lot. I take a quick nce to make sure no one¡¯s around us, and I decide right then that I¡¯m gonna teach her a lesson.


    She walks to her door but I take hold of her hip and keep her walking to the backseat door so we¡¯re a bit more hidden. She looks shocked and a little confused until I press my lips to hers, and let my hands roam down her body.


    She breaks the kiss and looks out into the empty lot, seeming to remember we¡¯re out in public. That¡¯s the shit I¡¯m gonna punish her for. Right fucking now.


    ¡°You wanna know how wrong it is?¡± I grab her ass in both my hands. I give her a firm squeeze that makes her gasp, and then spin her around in my arms. I shove her front against her car. Her breasts tten against the window, making them appear even more lush and biteable. ¡°You wanna see how much I don¡¯t give a fuck that it¡¯s wrong?¡±


    My hand cups her pussy and I have to stifle my groan. She¡¯s already hot and wet and ready for me. I¡¯ve waited long enough for that ass, though. I push the inside of her thigh and she obliges, spreading her legs. She looks over her shoulder to look at me with a wicked spark in her eyes and taunts, ¡°You gonna punish me?¡± Those words on her lips nearly has me cumming in my pants.


    I¡¯m quick to unzip my pants and unleash my cock. I stroke it once as her mouth opens and her tongue darts out to lick her bottom lip. She looks around the parking lot like there¡¯s no way we aren¡¯t getting caught. I almost change up my ns and push her down onto her knees to have her suck me off, but this isn¡¯t about me taking pleasure from her. It¡¯s about her seeing just how much we can get away with.


    ¡°Only if you¡¯re quiet.¡± I grip the nape of her neck and pull her back so I can take her bottom lip between my teeth. Her ass backs up against my cock and she teases me, rocking it back and forth like she wants to ride me.


    I let go of her and lift up her dress. The desire written on her face fades as she hears voicesing through the narrow sidewalk. She looks at me with a hint of fear. I hold her gaze as the voices fade just as quickly as they came. I¡¯m sure these cars belong to employees of these shops. No one¡¯sing back here. I know she¡¯s scared of getting caught. I¡¯m gonna show her that shit¡¯s not going to happen.


    ¡°Your greedy pussy wants me, but you¡¯re gonna have to wait.¡± My thumb probes her puckered hole, and the motion makes her moan. A rough chuckle grows up my chest as I slip on a lubricated condom. I hate condoms, but for this I need to make sure there¡¯s lube. She¡¯s gonna need it. I spit in my hand and make sure my dick is nice and wet for her. I line my cock up and slowly push just the head in. I gotta get her loose and feeling good before I finally take her ass with my dick. I¡¯ve been thinking about it all day.


    ¡°Tommy,¡± she moans my name as my fingers dip inside her heat and spread her moisture to her swollen clit. I pinch her lightly and she arches her back in response, causing my dick to slip in a little deeper. It feels so fucking good. I wanna m into her, but this is the first time, I¡¯ve gotta be gentle.


    My arm wraps around the front of her so I can cup her pussy. I press my palm to her clit and gently slip my fingers into her hot cunt. I rock my hand as I pick up my motions. I keep rubbing her clit and ying with her pussy until she writhing under my touch and letting her moans slip out with no inhibition.


    She¡¯s getting louder and bolder, moving her pussy against my hand to take what she wants. That¡¯s exactly how I need her. She¡¯s so fucking easy to get off. A few more rough pumps and she¡¯s biting down on her lip while her thighs tremble with her orgasm. Her pussy mps down on my fingers and I¡¯m too fucking excited to get my pleasure next.


    ¡°You like that, baby?¡± I ask her.


    She tilts her head slightly and smirks as she answers, ¡°Fuck you, you know I do.¡± I fucking love it. I love how she pushes me.


    I put my lips up to her ear and speak in a low, threatening voice. ¡°My bad girl is really pushing it. That¡¯s a brave thing for you to do with my dick in your ass.¡±


    I take a quick look up and to my left. I¡¯ve been so busy watching her I haven¡¯t been paying attention, but there¡¯s no one there.


    Soon she¡¯ll be ready for me to fuck her rough and deep. I just need a few more minutes to get her ready. I keep looking ahead of us and every voice makes my heart beat a little faster. She¡¯s trusting me, and I don¡¯t want to ruin it because I was so damn set on fucking her ass.


    I aim my spit and get my cock more lubed as I push in a bit more and pull out. ¡°Push back, baby,¡± I tell her.


    She obeys me and I slide in a little deeper. It only takes a few more gentle rocks until she¡¯s moaning and pushing back to take more of me.


    Finally, I¡¯m all the way in, and it feels like fucking heaven. She moans against the window, and I take a quick look to make sure no one can see her. Right now she¡¯s mine. I pull out slowly and push back in with just as much care. I need to be gentle until she¡¯s adjusted to me being inside her.


    Her forehead pinches, and I know she¡¯s feeling a little pain. I rub her clit to make sure it¡¯s only going to heighten her pleasure. I don¡¯t want to hurt her. I want this to be just as good for her as it is for me. Each movement makes those sweet sounds fall from her lips. Her eyes are closed, and her hands are gripping onto the frame of her car. She¡¯spletely lost in pleasure.


    ¡°Tommy,¡± she whispers my name. ¡°Harder, fuck me harder.¡± Her words are a desperate plea.


    I grip her hips and thrust into her harder. She cries out, and I have to wrap my hand around her mouth. I lean in and growl into her ear. ¡°You want everyone to see me fucking you, don¡¯t you?¡±


    She shakes her head and moans into my hand as I keep fucking her ass like I own her. My balls smack against her pussy with each hard thrust. Over and over I pound into her. She struggles to keep quiet, and I have to remind her. ¡°Shut the fuck up and take it.¡± Her pussy mps down on my fingers at my dirty words. She¡¯s loving this. I move my other hand away from her mouth so I can grip her hip and mercilessly fuck her ass. She bites her lip and pushes her head and breasts against the car door.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my cock, baby?¡± I ask her as I keep up my ruthless rhythm. Her ass is tight and hot, and I¡¯m getting close already.


    ¡°In my ass,¡± she whimpers, and her mouth stays open with her eyes closed tight. I know she¡¯s close again. She just needs a little more.


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡¯cause you¡¯re a bad girl, and bad girls get fucked in their ass.¡± I thrust in and out of her, loving the soft moans she¡¯s giving me. I strum her clit as she pushes back against me. ¡°Do you feel like a bad girl now?¡± My body starts to sweat, and my breathing getsbored as I give her ass a punishing fuck.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She¡¯s louder than she should be, and it makes my eyes dart up. Still no one.


    ¡°Say it.¡± I push my dick all the way in and lift my hips so I¡¯m as deep as I can go. Her mouth opens in a silent scream. I pull back slightly, and she¡¯s quick to obey mymand.


    ¡°I¡¯m your bad girl.¡± Her words bring me that much closer to my release, and I desperately rub her throbbing clit to get her off. I need her cumming with me. Her body goes limp, and her legs tremble. Her head flies back with her teeth digging into her bottom lip. Fuck yes. I pump into her again, and fucking lose it. I hear her words over and over in my head as my spine tingles and waves of pleasure rush through my body. I thrust my hips once more to give her everything I¡¯ve got.


    I pull out of her gently and steady her hips. Her legs are quivering, and I know she must feel weak. She took a rough fuck. ¡°Lean against the car, baby. I got you.¡± She listens and rests her head on the window, catching her breath. I look to my left and right, and there¡¯s still no one there. Thank fuck. I don¡¯t want anyone to see her like this.


    I remove the condom and tuck my dick back in my pants. She¡¯s still trying to regain herposure, so I pull her panties back into ce as her breathing calms. I pet her back in soothing circles. Her hair has fallen out, and I have to push it away to give her a small kiss on her shoulder.


    After a minute she rolls her body on the car so that her back is leaning against it and she¡¯s facing me. She gives me a small, satisfied smile and it fills my chest with pride. I knew she¡¯d like that. I give her a kiss just below the tender spot behind her ear. She hums with approval. My lips tickle her neck as I ask her, ¡°Did you like that, bad girl?¡±


    ¡°You fucked the ponytail out of my hair,¡± she says weakly, with a bit of humor. Her eyes light with happiness, and the smile grows on her gorgeous face.


    I shrug and wrap an arm around her waist as she bends down with trembling legs to pick up the hair tie on the ground. She looks around us as she stands up. ¡°Did anyone see?¡± she asks with a quiet voice.


    ¡°Not this time.¡± I grin at her.


    She gives me a small smile, but I can see she doesn¡¯t like that answer. She runs her fingers through her hair and breathes deeply. ¡°Just sex.¡± She says it like it¡¯s a reminder. To herself and to me.


    She takes a few steps to her door, looking as though nothing even happened. She¡¯s pulled herself together, the only signs that she just took my cock up her ass are the flush in her cheeks, and her slightly swollen bottom lip.


    I clear my throat and answer her, ¡°Yeah, just sex.¡± That¡¯s all this is. I¡¯m fine with that. And she sure as shit enjoys it just as much as me.


    She nods and steps out of my embrace to open her door.


    ¡°I have to get going.¡± Her words are weak, almost filled with regret.


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± No I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t have shit to do but fuck her. Even though she¡¯s the one that¡¯s supposed to be watching me, so I could probably run errands. It¡¯d be stupid to risk it though.


    She parts her lips and looks up at me through hershes as she settles into the driver side door. She winces slightly instead of saying whatever was on her mind. I don¡¯t know what she was going to say, but she decides on nothing. It makes an uneasiness settle in my chest. She¡¯s unsure of something.


    ¡°You good?¡± I try to keep it lighthearted, but she just nods and doesn¡¯t look me in the eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter,¡± I tell her. I lean in and nt a small kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she says, looking up at me with a slightly confused look. I don¡¯t understand where it¡¯sing from.


    ¡°You alright?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m good,¡± she says as she puts the key into the ignition. But she¡¯s not good. I don¡¯t like it.


    I want to ask her why she¡¯s being so distant, but I hold back. No questions is better. For both of us. I wanna fuck her, she wants to fuck me, we have to leave it at that. I grip her doorframe and gently close it as she lowers the window.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter then,¡± she says, and I give her a tight smile.


    As she drives away, I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯m not going to see her again. She¡¯s going to realize what a mistake this is.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I want to prove to her it¡¯s not, but it is. Maybe I should just stay away. I run my hand through my hair and sigh. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. It¡¯s gonna be like this every time we leave each other. And I don¡¯t like this raw hollowness in my chest.


    I watch her car drive away before I start walking back through the opening to the sidewalk.


    I hate how she left. But that¡¯s what this is. It¡¯s all it can be.


    It didn¡¯t ur to me that I don¡¯t just want sex until right this moment. And that¡¯s not good. That¡¯s not fucking good at all.


    Fuck, this was a mistake. A big, fucking mistake.

 107

    Tonya


    I stare at the folders on my desk, and then back up at theputer screen. I have a ton of shit to update. I need to put all this information in the system, but I keep fucking up. I have to do this right, but my head¡¯s not in it. I just can¡¯t think straight. I¡¯m exhausted from thest two days on the job. I¡¯m miserable.


    It¡¯s not that the work is any harder, it¡¯s just not what I want to do.


    I¡¯m on cases that mean nothing to me. I¡¯m getting spit on and kicked while I arrest assholes I don¡¯t give a shit about. I feel beat up and abused. I know this is the right thing to do and people do appreciate it, even if I never hear it. But damn, this is hard. And it¡¯s wearing me down.


    I heard back from our contacts in France and Russia, still no sign of Petrov. He has to be dead.


    I feel defeated more than anything. Like the finish line vanished before I could make it there.


    ¡°How¡¯s iting along?¡± Chris¡¯ voice makes me jump in my seat. Heughs at me and pats my back. ¡°You need more coffee.¡±


    I smile weakly up at him. Chris has been a cop all his life. He¡¯s gotta be in his fifties now, but he¡¯s still smiling, and still kicking ass. I don¡¯t know how he does it.


    He¡¯s not chasing a case or running toward the darkness. He deserves to be a cop. I don¡¯t. I was using this position for my own selfish reasons. I feel like fraud.


    ¡°Yeah, for real.¡± I clear my throat and scoot back in my seat. ¡°I¡¯ll run out and grab one, you want anything?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good,¡± he says. ¡°Hey, I just wanna say, you¡¯re doing good, kid. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I try to look him in the eyes, but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°We can¡¯t get ¡¯em all, and the Valettis are a big fish. It¡¯ll go on their file, so we can use it next time. Trust me, there will be a next time.¡±


    I look up at him with a deep crease of confusion marring my forehead. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh shit. I thought you were all bent out of shape because the prosecutor gave you the news.¡±


    ¡°No, Marcy didn¡¯t tell me shit.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fuck, she must¡¯ve told Harrison. He didn¡¯t tell you? He¡¯s supposed to be taking you under his wing.¡±


    I huff a humorlessugh. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°The judge ruled against us. We can¡¯t use the fingerprints.¡± He shrugs and looks like he feels guilty for telling me. ¡°There¡¯s no case.¡± I don¡¯t answer. I don¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°He really should¡¯ve told you.¡±


    A lump grows in my throat. Tommy¡¯s off the hook.


    He¡¯s going to be okay. A weight lifts from my chest, but that only makes the pain I¡¯m feeling there grow stronger.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Chris asks. I look at him for a moment. I see the kindness in his eyes, and I know I don¡¯t deserve it.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m¨C¡±


    ¡°Kelly! We need to talk.¡± Harrison interrupts us, and I swear to God I¡¯m gonna strangle him if he yells at me.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m all ears,¡± I say, not holding back the sarcasm.


    ¡°We lost our case, but I¡¯m betting something¡¯s gonna blow up in their faces soon. We just gotta stay the course.¡±


    I¡¯m surprised by his tone. It¡¯s not condescending or full of anger. He¡¯s almost excited.


    ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s going to blow back on them?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t fuck over a Kingpin and not get dealt with.¡±


    ¡°I imagine Petrov is dead,¡± I say tly. It kills me to say it, but it¡¯s the truth.


    ¡°Possibly, but Nikev has taken over.¡± He says the words like Petrov was no one special. After a moment of quiet he adds, ¡°There¡¯s always going to be another one.¡±


    My heart thuds once in my chest and stops. I try to push the words out, but I can¡¯t hear them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot to learn.¡± He grins at me. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get ¡¯em. I know we will. They¡¯re getting sloppy, and soon enough, it¡¯s gonna happen.¡± I¡¯ve never seen him this happy and I don¡¯t know how to handle him. Or all the emotions bombarding me.


    He pats me on the back and turns to walk away. ¡°I can feel it. It¡¯sing,¡± he says as he walks off.


    I try to sit back down, but I can¡¯t. I just need to get out of here. Something in my gut is telling me everything is wrong. And it¡¯s all revolving around Tommy.


    It¡¯s been four days since I¡¯ve seen him. I don¡¯t understand. I thought he meant he¡¯d see meter that night. But he never showed. I guess I was presumptuous. And then I got a message. A text from his cell. I only know because I looked up the number.


    I¡¯m sorry, Tonya. It¡¯s over. You were right.


    He told me to stay away. It fucking hurt.


    I know it was wrong. I knew we shouldn¡¯t have done it. But still. It was nice to be held. I feel like I have nothing. I have no one. I need something. I need him right now. Whether he wants me or not. That¡¯s my selfish sideing through again. I wonder if I¡¯ll ever learn.


    I take a deep breath and grab my jacket to get out of here. I walk over to Jerry¡¯s office, but stop before knocking. The door¡¯s ajar, and I can hear him talking to his wife on the phone. I press my lips into a straight line as I listen to him lie to her about being on a jobst night. I take a peek at him and see he¡¯s still in his clothes from yesterday. My heart drops in my chest.


    It hurts to think he¡¯s cheating on her, but it¡¯s so fucking obvious. I don¡¯t ask to leave early, I just keep walking and try to ignore all this shit. My thoughts are running a mile a minute, about everything, and everyone. I thought I had shit all figured out, but I didn¡¯t.


    I don¡¯t have anything figured out. I¡¯m just lost. I¡¯m so fucking lost.


    I thought I knew how all of this would y out, but now what I wanted seems impossible.


    I thought I knew what Tommy would be like before I ever met him. I read his profile and looked at the evidence. I had him painted in my head as an arrogant prick who thought he could get away with whatever he wanted. And then I met one of the women. The only one who was coherent. She said she saw Tommy. She heard gunshots and shouting, but she couldn¡¯t move. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was the drugs or the fear. She was in and out of it for a while, but one of them, one of the Valettis shot her up with something. She tried to make him stop, like the other times. But they said it was to make her better. To help save her. And it did. And Tommy was the one calming her down and telling her it would be okay.


    My heart clenches in my chest. The line between ck and white is so goddamned blurry. And at this point, I¡¯m having a hard time knowing what¡¯s right and what¡¯s wrong.

 108

    Tommy


    I look out of the peephole and my heart sinks. I knew this was going to happen. I¡¯m surprised she waited. I prepared for her anger that night when I sent the text. It¡¯s not fucking right the way I ended it. I rest my head on the door and she knocks again. Right in that very spot. Like she fucking knew I was there.


    It hurts, and I wince like a little bitch. Shit! I need to get this over with. I open the door and part my lips to tell her I¡¯m sorry, but she walks right past me, brushing against my body and continuing to the bedroom like I wasn¡¯t even standing in the doorway.


    What the fuck?


    ¡°Tonya!¡± I call after her, but she doesn¡¯t stop. I shut the door and follow her to my bedroom, not knowing what to expect.


    I walk in and find her sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting for me. She¡¯s gripping the edge of theforter and looking at the ground.


    ¡°Charges are dropped,¡± she says to the floor.


    I take in her appearance. She¡¯s nothing like the woman I was with this past weekend. Not the sweet spitfire in a sundress. She¡¯s hurting bad. I walk over and sit next to her on the bed, but I keep my hands to myself. We can¡¯t keep this shit up.


    ¡°I know.¡± I¡¯m not going to tell her I found out from the judge. She doesn¡¯t ask though. She¡¯s quiet for a while. I let her sit and think. I won¡¯t push her to tell me why she¡¯s here.


    ¡°I need you right now, Tommy,¡± she finally says. Tears leak from the corners of her eyes and it breaks my heart in two. I lose my resolve and wrap her small body in my arms. I pull her into myp and hold her while she cries.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± She cries harder at my words, and I can¡¯t stand it. I just want her to stop. She¡¯s a strong woman. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d hurt her like this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I kiss her neck. I wish there were another way. I wish we hadn¡¯t met like this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it has to be this way.¡±


    She nods her head into my chest, but she doesn¡¯t let up on the tears. I stroke her back and rock her. Kissing her hair, her shoulder. I keep soothing her the best I can.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve this, baby. You deserve better.¡±


    She shakes her head and heaves in a shaky breath. ¡°Don¡¯t act like I¡¯m good enough for you. I¡¯m not. I¡¯m a thug, and you¡¯re a cop,¡± I point out.


    She doesn¡¯t respond. The only reaction I get is that her cries slowly stop. It takes a few more minutes before she lifts her head and wipes away the tears.


    Her cheeks are tear-stained and red, her eyes are ssy. She sniffles and I reach to the nightstand for a tissue for her.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be alright, babe, you¡¯re going ces.¡± My heart clenches in my chest. I don¡¯t wanna do this. I have to admit, when she didn¡¯te that night it hurt, even though I told her to stay away. A part of me hoped she wouldn¡¯t listen, and she¡¯de to me. Even if it was just to yell at me for putting her through that shit. But I realized it was for the best. I¡¯m only gonna hold her back. I¡¯ll ruin her career. And just being with me puts both of us in danger with the familia. It¡¯s impossible.


    She was right to question us being together. It never should¡¯ve happened.


    ¡°I just need to feel something right now.¡± She turns her head to look at me. Her eyes are pleading with me. And I sure as hell am not going to refuse her. I want her. Even if it¡¯s only once more.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± I pull her into my chest and lie on my side to cradle her. I leave an opened-mouth kiss on her neck. She takes my face in both of her hands and crushes her lips against mine.


    I can feel all of her emotion pouring into her kiss. She needs me right now. I can¡¯t deny her anything. In this moment, I¡¯m only hers. She takes my bottom lip between hers and kisses me sweetly. I moan into her mouth as she parts her lips and grants me entry. My hand brushes against her hip and then slowly lifts her shirt. I let my fingers skim her skin. I smile against her lips as she pulls away and shivers from my touch.


    I lift her shirt over her head. I kiss her belly, her breasts, and then the dip in her throat. I can hear her heart beating calmly as she raises her hands above her head. The tie holding up her hair loosens and slips out, letting her hair fall around her shoulders. She shakes it out gently and looks back at me with her beautiful green eyes. There¡¯s a small amount of lust and desire, but mostly need and vulnerability.


    My heart swells in my chest as I grip her hips to keep her steady and lean forward, making her fall back on the bed as I kiss her. I suck her top lip and move down her body. I kiss her belly as I unbutton her jeans and slide them off. I watch as the goosebumps slowly show along her skin. My hot breath blows across her skin as my fingers slip off her thong and leave herpletely bared to me.


    I¡¯ve never felt so powerful as I do when I look down at her. It feels like a heavy weight on my shoulders, but I want it. I want her. I want to give her everything she needs.


    I take anguid lick as her fingers spear through my hair. Her thighs tremble as I blow over her sensitive clit.


    ¡°Please, Tommy,¡± she moans into the air above me. I look up and find her staring down at me. ¡°I need you,¡± she whispers.


    I kick off my pants and crawl up her body. I kiss her once and watch as her eyes close while I slowly push into her. I lower my head and groan into the crook of her neck as her back bows, and I slide deeper inside of her weing heat. I angle my hips so I push against her clit as I settle in as deep as I can go.


    I brace myself on my forearms, and watch as her mouth parts with small pants and her eyes stay closed. I cup her chin in my hand and lean down for a sweet kiss. I give her a moment to adjust to my size, and then I pull back and m into her. Her eyes open as she gasps from the impact and pleasure.


    I hold her gaze as I do the same again and again, hitting her clit each time.


    ¡°More,¡± she whispers. I run my hand over her thigh and let my blunt fingernails dig into her ass. I tilt her so she¡¯s at just the right angle and hold her there as I thrust harder and deeper. Her head rocks, and her breasts bounce slightly with each pump of my hips, but her eyes stay on mine.


    I want to kiss her, I want to bury my head into her neck and fuck her with wild abandon, but I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t break her gaze. I pick up my pace and brutally fuck into her greedy cunt, again and again. A strangled cry of pleasure escapes her lips as her thighs tremble and her nails dig into my back, leaving small scratches behind. I feel her walls tighten and I know she¡¯s close. She¡¯s so close, and so am I.


    I suck her nipple into my mouth and pull back. My teeth bite down enough to hold on as I pull back. Her back bows off the bed as I do the same to the other breast. My breathinges in pants and so does hers. It¡¯s all I can hear. It¡¯s all that matters right now.


    I pick up my pace and gently kiss her lips. It¡¯s soft, and our lips barely touched, but it feels like more. Her lips stay parted as she moans my name. ¡°Please, please,¡± she keeps begging me, and I thrust harder and deeper every time, but I know this isn¡¯t what she¡¯s begging for. It only fuels me to hold her closer and kiss her more deeply, searching for the same feeling. I give her everything I have.


    Her body tries to twist away beneath me as she calls out my name. My name. It sounds perfecting from her lips. I slip my hands under her knees and push them forward. Her head thrashes as I fuck deep into her pussy. My hips smack against hers with each brutal thrust. Faster and harder until I can feel the highest peak. It¡¯s so close.


    ¡°Tommy!¡± she cries out as her body shakes uncontrobly. My name on her lips. I¡¯ll never stop loving that. It just sounds too perfect.


    My spine tingles at the base, and a cold sweat breaks out over my entire body as I pump into her three more times, chasing that high that I always get with her. And then her eyes close, and her body trembles beneath me with her own orgasm. I find my release with her, lowering my head to her neck and breathing in her sweet scent.


    After a moment, when the high of our release dies, the pounding need of my heart slows, and I realize it¡¯s over.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    That was thest time.

 109

    Tommy


    Tommy


    I know when I let go, I¡¯ll never hold her again. She¡¯s lying still in my arms, thinking the same, I¡¯m sure.


    So I don¡¯t move. I pretend there¡¯s no reason for her to leave my embrace. That there¡¯s nothing waiting for either of us beyond these walls.


    But I¡¯m weak. I¡¯m the weaker of the two of us, because she¡¯s the first to speak.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmurs without looking at me. She¡¯s thanking me, like I did her a favor. Like she didn¡¯t feel that. She didn¡¯t feel the same emotions I felt between us. I rest my head just above hers on the pillow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. Don¡¯t degrade what just happened like that.¡± The wordse out harsher than I intended.


    Her shoulders turn inward like she¡¯s cowering from my hard words. I wanna tell her I love her. But it¡¯ll only make it harder. After a minute, she molds her body against me again and rxes in my embrace. I kiss her hair, and just as I lose my resolve and decide I should risk it all and tell her, I hear my front door open.


    My blood turns to ice. I move quickly to get to the other side of Tonya, to block her from whoever just came into my ce uninvited. A million possibilities race through my mind. It could be the copsing to get me for something, a rival prick trying to prove he¡¯s tougher than me. For all I know, I could be on someone¡¯s hit list. I open my drawer for my gun. But then I hear Anthony¡¯s voice as he calls out, ¡°Tommy! Where are you, bro?¡± My heart only races faster as I look between Tonya and the closed bedroom door.


    ¡°Wait here,¡± I whisper to Tonya as she stares at the closed door with fear.


    ¡°Coming!¡± I yell out to him before leaning down and kissing her.


    ¡°Yo! We gotta talk!¡± I hear Anthony yell, and I resist the urge to hold her longer and finally back away.


    I grab my pants and shove them on as quick as I can. I can¡¯t let him back here. I can¡¯t let him see her.


    By the time I get to my living room, I¡¯m pissed and aggravated. And worried. I breathe out slowly as I see Anthony going through the liquor cab. He turns to face me with two sses in one hand, and a bottle of scotch in the other.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re all good now. Why the fuck do you look like that?¡± Anthony¡¯s pissing me off, but it¡¯s not his fault. I gotta calm down, but I can¡¯t. My heart¡¯s banging in my chest with the fear that shit¡¯s about to get real.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s up?¡± I ask him tly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look fine,¡± he says.


    I exhale heavily and think of a way to get him out of here.


    ¡°We gotta talk about Judge Steckel. He wants his¨C¡±


    I¡¯m quick to cut him off. I know she can hear, and this shit cannot fucking happen right now. ¡°Not now, I can¡¯t talk now.¡±


    He looks at me like I¡¯m fucked in the head. And he¡¯s right, too, ¡¯cause I am fucked.


    ¡°You can¡¯t talk to me?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Not at the moment.¡± His eyes fly to the bedroom.


    He looks confused for a moment, and then it hits him. ¡°Are you serious, she¡¯s back there?¡± His arms lower and he almost drops everything in his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be fucking kidding me.¡±


    Tonya must¡¯ve heard him because shees out, pulling her shirt down and looking all sorts of pissed and upset.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking idiot, Tommy.¡± Anthony sneers his words and moves to the other side of the room while she walks to the door. He intentionally turns his back to her, snubbing her, and it¡¯s thest straw.


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you? Don¡¯t treat her like that!¡± I grab his shoulder and turn him around to face me while Tonya walks past us.


    ¡°Like what? Like a cop?¡± He raises his voice with disgust as I hear the door open.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking prick.¡± I turn away from him. I have nothing to say, and I need to get to Tonya before she leaves.


    ¡°Me?!¡± he yells with disbelief. He grabs my arm to stop me from going to her and I turn around and swing. I don¡¯t hold back and hit him square in the jaw.


    His back hits the wall and leaves a dent in the drywall from his right shoulder and head. He winces from the pain and cradles his chin. I feel regret for only a second. But he crossed the line.


    He looks up at me with raw anger in his eyes. He spits blood onto my floor and rights himself. I face him, waiting for his response, waiting for something.


    He flexes his jaw and avoids eye contact. ¡°I have to tell him,¡± he finally says with a hard look. His eyes sh with pity, anger, and betrayal.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not saying shit to her.¡± My heart beats wildly in my chest.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fucking believe this, Tommy. What have you done?¡± His voice cracks on thest word.


    ¡°I just wanted her.¡± That¡¯s all this is. We just wanted each other. We fit together in some crazy, fucked up way.


    ¡°You wanna getid, you go to the strip joint.¡± He looks at me with a pained expression. ¡°You had to settle on a cop?¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t happen like that.¡± He doesn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Fuck, Tommy.¡± He leans back against the wall as I look to the door.


    ¡°I have to go get her,¡± I tell him, feeling like I¡¯m stabbing him in the back.


    ¡°How could you even think it¡¯s gonna be alright?¡± he asks.


    ¡°It¡¯s not, I know it¡¯s not. It¡¯s over, she just needed me.¡±


    He snorts augh as he sarcastically says, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure she needed you.¡±


    ¡°One warning, Anthony.¡± I walk toward him and hold his stare. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her like that.¡±


    He holds my gaze for a moment, neither one of us backing down. And then I break it and grab my keys.


    ¡°Tommy, just think about what you¡¯re doing,¡± he calls out after me.


    I look back at him over my shoulder, with my hand on the doorknob.


    I¡¯m betraying the familia. I¡¯m risking everything. But I can¡¯t let it end like this.


    I hit the gas pedal on the way to her ce. She got a head start, but I wanna get there before she has a chance to think too much. If Anthony hadn¡¯t barged in there, I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened, but something was happening. I know we need to end this. But I don¡¯t want to hurt her. She said she needed me, and I owe it to her to at least make sure she¡¯s okay.


    As I pull in front of her ce, I see her car and she¡¯s sitting in it, with her head down. Her hands are covering her face, and her shoulders are shaking. She¡¯s crying. The realization makes my heart sink.


    I pull in a few cars down and quickly make my way to her as she opens her door. She stands up and goes still when she sees me. Her face is red, and her eyes are swollen. I don¡¯t waste any time pulling her into my chest and hugging her. At first she¡¯s tense and stiff in my arms, but I know she¡¯ll rx. What we have between us is fucked up, but I know I make her feel good. Just like she does for me.


    She molds to me and I don¡¯t hold back, leaving little kisses on her cheek and neck and shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I tell her. I don¡¯t know what else to say.


    She shakes her head and sadly says, ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± She wipes under her eyes and pulls away from me. ¡°You were right to end it. This shouldn¡¯t be happening. I shouldn¡¯t havee to you.¡±


    She pushes away slightly, and I almost let her, but instead I tighten my grip on her.


    ¡°One more night, Tonya. Just one night more.¡±


    She stares at me with longing in her eyes before saying, ¡°When I wake up, Tommy, you can¡¯t be there.¡± The finality is evident in her voice. Her hand cups my chin, and her eyes water. I nod my head and kiss the palm of her hand and lean into her touch. It hurts like a bitch, but I answer her, ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be gone.¡±

 110

    Tommy


    I don¡¯t know what to expect as I walk up to Aunt Linda¡¯s. I know Vince knows. Anthony called to apologize and told me he wouldn¡¯t say shit. But I told him to. If anything happens, I don¡¯t want the familia thinking Anthony knew something, but didn¡¯t say anything. I know fucking around with Tonya wasn¡¯t smart. I¡¯m going to have to take the consequences. I just don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll be.


    I grip the doorknob and push the door open. The normal sounds of Sunday dinner fill the air. Gino and Jax are running around the living room making screeching tire noises. The women are in there chatting away and bouncing the kids on their knees like the shrill noise is normal.


    I¡¯m already starting to get a headache. I walk past them giving a short wave and head to the right, to the dining room. Most of the family is already here. Looks like I¡¯m thest to arrive. Uncle Dante sees me and smiles. The guys carry on with their conversation. Everything seems normal. It¡¯s not quite what I expected. I anticipated Vinceying a punch on me the second he saw me, but instead he keeps talking and gives me a nod to let me know he¡¯s there.


    ¡°Tommy!¡± Aunt Lindaes up behind me and gives me a hug even though she¡¯s got an oven mitt on one of her hands. She nts a kiss on my cheek and says, ¡°You got here just in time. Dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡±


    I chuckle at her as she keeps on moving to the kitchen, ¡°Dinner¡¯s always almost ready,¡± I tease.


    She smiles over her shoulder, but keeps moving. I take a seat at the table and listen in as Dom rattles off some numbers and argues with Joey about a college football game. If I had to guess, I¡¯d bet Joey made a dumb bet. And judging by Dom¡¯s smile, that bet was with him.


    ¡°Anthony.¡± Vince calls out my name, but so quietly, only I hear him. The rest of the conversation carries on around us as I look at him down the table.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Help me with something outside real quick. I gotta carry this painting shit to the car for Elle.¡± I stand up and follow him out. No one seems to notice.


    My heart beats a little faster as we walk out front. This is it. I take a deep breath. I went against orders. I fucked around with a cop. Shit could get real ugly, and I¡¯d fucking deserve it.


    ¡°Anthony told me what was going on,¡± Vince says as we stand out on the porch.


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Not long. It¡¯s only been a few times.¡±


    ¡°A few times is a few times too many.¡± He lowers his voice and he leans into me as he says, ¡°You lied to my face.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I never lied to you.¡± I would¡¯ve told him if he¡¯d asked. ¡°Things got carried away.¡± He steps back with a real pissed-off expression, and I put my hands up in surrender.


    ¡°I fucked up. I know that, Vince. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen.¡±


    ¡°A cop though, Tommy, what the fuck? I told you to stay away.¡± The anger he¡¯s feeling at mees out in his voice.


    ¡°I know. I¨C¡± He cuts me off before I can finish.


    ¡°You can fuck any broad you want, Tommy. You got ¡¯em hanging all over your dick at the club. Why would you settle for a fucking cop? One I told you I wanted you to stay the fuck away from.¡±


    I look away, not liking how he¡¯s talking to me. I also don¡¯t like the way he¡¯s talking about Tonya. Like her being a cop is such a bad thing. She¡¯s good at keeping her mouth shut. She trusts me. It could¡¯ve worked. Even though we¡¯re done with, I find myself defending her. ¡°We have judges in our back pocket. Why not a cop?¡±


    ¡°She could never be with you if we had her on our payroll. It doesn¡¯t work like that. Red fucking gs everywhere, Tommy. The whole point is for us to stay far away from those people. So there¡¯s no goddamn connection.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vince. She didn¡¯t get anything from me,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°She could¡¯ve though. You let a cop get close to you. That looks real fucking bad.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, Vince. It¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re damn right it¡¯s over. I have no fucking clue what to do with you.¡± He runs his hands through his hair and starts pacing. ¡°If you were anyone else, you¡¯d be dead. You know that?¡±


    His bold statement makes the air leave my lungs. I do know. I knew it was stupid, and it was risky. But he¡¯s gotta know I¡¯d never say shit.


    ¡°And thank fuck it was your brother who saw. If it was someone else¡­ If anyone else knew?¡± He shakes his head but his eyes aren¡¯t angry anymore. Now he just looks sad as fuck. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking put me in that position.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. It¡¯s over.¡± I say the words with a defeated tone. Any thought of going back to her is gone. If they¡¯d kill me, I know they¡¯d get rid of her, too. I can¡¯t risk that.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, over. It¡¯spletely done with?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yeah, it never should¡¯ve happened.¡± My heart twists in my chest as I say the words. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pats my back.


    ¡°Thank fuck, Tommy.¡± He walks us back inside and we stand in the foyer. Aunt Linda is setting dishes down on the table and Elle¡¯s strapping Angelo into his high chair.


    Vince lowers his voice and reminds me, ¡°No one can know about this. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know.¡± I nod my head as I watch the scene in front of me unfold as though I¡¯m not even there.


    I watch in a daze as Elle sings in an upbeat voice to Angelo. ¡°Sitting in my high chair, my chair, high chair. Sitting in my high chair, banging my spoon!¡± She bangs on the tray in rhythm to the words, and the little one squeals with joy.


    Vince is saying something, but all I can hear is Elle. The happiness in her voice, the love in her words. I want Tonya to have that. She deserves that. I could give it to her. I should go to her and beg for her to take me back. I¡¯d give her the world. I¡¯d change for her. I swear I would.


    She asked me for one thing, and I never even gave it to her. All this time I could¡¯ve told her. I should¡¯ve told her that Petrov¡¯s dead. But I didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Jesus, Tommy! Are you even listening to me?¡± Vince¡¯s voice snaps me out of it and I turn to look at him. I feel all choked up like a little bitch.


    ¡°You gotta get your shit together,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yeah, I know, boss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you as family, Tommy. What the fuck is wrong with you? You should be happy. The charges were dropped. You¡¯re a free man, but you look like death.¡±


    I shake my head, not knowing how to tell him. I look back at my cousin and know that I can¡¯t. You don¡¯t leave the familia. Well, there¡¯s one way to leave.


    I turn my head back to Elle as Vince leaves me with a pissed-off sigh.


    ¡°Bring on the carrots, bring on the peas,¡± she lowers her voice, ¡°Somebody feed this baby, please.¡±


    Both she and her babyugh. My eyes drop to the floor.


    I don¡¯t deserve Tonya. I won¡¯t ever be able to give her that. I¡¯m only going to bring her more pain or worse¡­Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

 111

    Tonya


    I feel like hell, I look like hell; I¡¯m fucking living in hell. I¡¯m in a meeting with half a dozen cops going over the portfolio of several suspects in the investigation. There have been three reports of missing women in the upper east side suburb over thest two months, all fitting the same description.


    I can¡¯t even look at their pictures. Melissa was a tall blonde with dark brown eyes. These women look nothing like her. Yet I only see her face. She¡¯s staring back at me. And I can¡¯t face her. I have nothing. I¡¯vee this far, for nothing.


    ¡°I wish we¡¯d known when the other women were abducted.¡± For some reason I blurt out the words, and Harrison pauses his presentation.


    ¡°Which women?¡± Jerry asks from my left. ¡°All their data is in the portfolio.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°The twelve. Petrov¡¯s dozen.¡± That¡¯s what they named them at the station. It¡¯s what the media used when they released the story. I hate it. I hate the name. Each woman was her own person, with her own name. But that¡¯s how they¡¯re referred to here. And I¡¯ve been trying the ¡®fake it till you make it¡¯ approach. So I¡¯ll do what¡¯s expected and call them that. But I hate it.


    ¡°What do you mean? We knew,¡± Carl answers from across the table. He¡¯s an officer like me, with a few years of experience under his belt. But a nice guy in general. He¡¯s got a wife and two kids. One¡¯s in middle school and the other is in kindergarten. I stare at him nkly, thinking I must¡¯ve heard wrong. We didn¡¯t know Petrov¡¯s men had them. We had eyes on two locations. We were waiting for him to be seen so we could arrest him. We had enough against the other men, three were wanted in multiple countries. We left them as bait for Petrov. But we didn¡¯t know about the women until the day we found them.


    ¡°You were a bit wet behind the ears, so you weren¡¯t in on that intel, but we had eyes on a Felipe Barros.¡±


    Harrison continues for Carl, and I look between the two of them with a mixture of disbelief, hate, and disgust. ¡°It was important that we waited until Petrov was spotted so that we could link him to the abductions.¡±


    ¡°You knew where the women were located?¡± I ask in a voice I don¡¯t recognize. It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m watching the scene, rather than participating.


    Jerry puts his hand on my forearm in an attempt to cate me, but I pull away and stare at him. ¡°We felt it was best since you were new on the case to keep you in the dark on some aspects. We were nning on telling you, but everything just happened so fast.¡±


    They knew. I look around the table and everyone¡¯s eyes are on me.


    ¡°You all knew?¡±


    ¡°Not about all of them. We had reason to believe that three of the women were being held at their headquarters,¡± Harrison says.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t go in?¡± I look at him with confusion.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t risk the operation,¡± Harrison responds simply.


    ¡°But we could¡¯ve saved them.¡±


    ¡°We did.¡± Harrison speaks up and I find myself biting my tongue. We didn¡¯t save anyone.


    ¡°What about Georgia Stevens?¡± I ask them with a dull voice.


    ¡°Which one is that?¡± Carl asks. My eyes bore into his skull.


    ¡°She was the victim in Abram¡¯s car,¡± Jerry answers to my left. I clench my teeth and feel the tears prick at my eyes, waiting for an answer that doesn¡¯te.


    ¡°Did you know?¡± I look Harrison in the eyes, and he has the decency to look ashamed.


    ¡°We knew,¡± he answers after a moment, and it¡¯s thest nail in the coffin. I lose all sense ofposure.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t look for her? You didn¡¯t try to save her?¡± My breathing picks up, and I have to try hard to keep it steady.


    ¡°Petrov would¡¯ve been a big fish to catch. The number of crimes and murders we could¡¯ve stopped¨C¡± Harrison speaks calmly and with conviction, but that¡¯s not enough for me.


    I cut him off and raise my voice as I ask, ¡°One woman wasn¡¯t enough? How many women would have been worth it to step in?¡± Tears slip down my cheeks.


    ¡°We were keeping an eye on their location¨C¡± Carl starts to respond and I cut him off, too.


    ¡°Oh, so was she dead before, or after he shoved her in the trunk?¡± The room goes silent, and the only thing I can hear is the pounding of my heart in my chest.


    ¡°We did everything that we could¨C¡± Jerry starts to give me an excuse, but I¡¯m not having it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking lie to me.¡± I¡¯m so angry I¡¯m shaking. I pound both of my fists on the table as my voice cracks. They knew, and did nothing. My heart beats too hard, my blood rushes too fast. ¡°Why wasn¡¯t she good enough?¡± I feel my heart twist in my chest. Would Melissa have been good enough? Would they have saved her? Tears leak from my eyes as multiple people start talking over one another to justify their actions. This happens. Sacrifices are made. I know this. But it¡¯s not okay.


    I stare into Harrison¡¯s eyes as I inform him, ¡°She had a son.¡± I don¡¯t bother wiping the tears off my face. I¡¯m too far gone for this. ¡°What if it had been your mother? Or your sister?¡± I yell out my questions so loud it makes my throat sore. I see Jerry reaching out for me from the corner of my eye. I stand up from the table and my chair falls back. I almost stumble over it, just trying to get out of the room.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    She was a person. She was a victim. She was worth saving.


    I would have saved her. I would have risked everything to save her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. We couldn¡¯t risk the entire operation,¡± Harrison calls out to me as I turn my back on him and leave. I can faintly hear the other officers, but I don¡¯t listen to what they¡¯re saying. I don¡¯t make it to my office. I turn the corner and crouch to the ground. Sobs tear through my chest and I know they can hear me, but I don¡¯t care. I have to purge this sickness that¡¯s taken over my body. I feel lightheaded and nauseated.


    I would do anything to go back and save her.


    I can¡¯t do this. I shake my head as my face heats and my hands tremble. It¡¯s too much. I¡¯ve failed my sister, but I¡¯m just not strong enough to handle this.


    I brush away the tears with the back of my hand and slowly stand, resting against the wall.


    I¡¯ll find another way. I can¡¯t chase ghosts anymore.

 112

    Tonya


    I look around my apartment, and it¡¯s almost pathetic how little there is to pack up. I don¡¯t know how I didn¡¯t notice. I look down at the open box next to my bookshelf. It¡¯s full of all my favorite romance novels. I used to love reading. From Fifty Shades and BB Hamel to Riley Rollins¡¯ Bad Boys and Marci Fawn¡¯s Mafia men. I huff augh, but it¡¯s humorless and pains my chest. I only read books with happily ever afters, but this is real life, and there¡¯s no guaranteed HEA for me.


    I didn¡¯t take a single book out the entire time I¡¯ve been here. I used to read every night. It¡¯s been so long. It was my stress relief. I could get lost in a book and forget the world around me. A woman with a book never goes to bed alone. But I¡¯ve been alone every night and I never sought out thefort. I never tried to get lost in a different world. Maybe a part of me was just punishing myself, like I deserved to be alone and without any happiness.


    I should call my mom to let her know I¡¯m headed home, but I don¡¯t want to. Thest time I called her she picked a fight. She likes to throw the fact that I used to party in my face. She likes to me Melissa getting taken on me. She twists it around in such a sick way that I can see her logic. And I can¡¯t take that shit right now.


    I pull my hair up and into a ponytail. It¡¯s just habit now. I hardly ever used to wear my hair up, but it¡¯s nice to get it away from my face. I¡¯ll have to think of something else though, I want as few reminders as possible. I want everything about thesest few months to just disappear. It hurts too much.


    I feel like a failure on so many levels. I know my sister wouldn¡¯t think that, or at least she wouldn¡¯t tell me that I failed her. My chest hurts just thinking about how she would try to console me if she knew how much I was hurting for her.


    I¡¯m not sure this pain will ever go away. I¡¯m ready to deal with it, though. I have to. With no one to me and no one to chase, all I have are memories flooding my thoughts. I lick my dry lips and take a seat on a box. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in it, and I don¡¯t care. I just need to sit down. I¡¯ve wasted too much time and energy searching for revenge. Harrison is right about one thing at least. There¡¯s always going to be someone like Petrov.


    My heart pangs in my chest. I still don¡¯t know for sure. Tommy could¡¯ve told me. I think if I¡¯d asked him, he would¡¯ve told me. I¡¯ve thought that before though, and I was wrong. But something about ourst time together makes me think¡­ I close my eyes and stop that train of thought. I can¡¯t possibly think that.


    Love isn¡¯t something I¡¯m used to feeling. Not for a man. But the way he held me, the way he soothed every pain. My hands cover my face and I hunch over, sobs wracking my body. I¡¯m such an idiot. What kind of person falls for a man like him? I¡¯m a cop, for Chrissake! Or was a cop. I could¡¯ve been killed. That¡¯s all I could think when I heard his brother¡¯s voice. They¡¯re going to kill us. The reality pped me across the face.


    But what if it was love?


    The thought strikes my heart and causes a lump to grow in my throat. I try to stand, but a wave of lightheadedness and nausea make me slowly lower myself to the floor in a crouched stance. I bnce myself on the balls of my feet for a moment. Once I think I can stand, I slowly rise, but the nausea hits again and I sprint to the bathroom.


    I dry-heave into the toilet and it fucking hurts.


    I turn and sit on the tiled floor with my back against the cab. My face feels hot and I close my eyes. I¡¯m so tired and feel so sick. It¡¯s almost as if I¡¯m pregnant.


    My eyes pop open at the thought, and my heart refuses to beat in my chest. Pregnant. Fuck! I frantically try to remember the day. It¡¯s the end of the month. Fuck! Fuck!


    I don¡¯t remember thest time I got my shot. I get one every three months. I¡¯ve lost track of time, but I know I get them at the beginning of the month. I went a full month without birth control. How could I be so fucking stupid?


    Fuck, no fucking way. I put my hand to my forehead as if I¡¯d be able to tell I had a pregnancy temperature. Fuck! We¡¯ve only been fooling around for a few weeks.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    It only takes once.


    Panic sets in and I storm through my apartment, picking up boxes until I get to a small one marked bathroom supplies. It was still half packed up until today, when I tossed the rest of the contents back in. I dig through it and find an old pregnancy test. The kind with a + sign for positive. It¡¯s not in a box so I look on the thick foil surrounding it for an expiration date, but I don¡¯t see one anywhere.


    My skin heats and anxiety runs through me. I can¡¯t be pregnant. I can¡¯t.


    I rip it open and leave the foil on the floor as I dart to the bathroom.


    I¡¯ve never been shy or anxious about peeing before, but it takes way too long for me to get a stream going, probably because I¡¯m so nervous. Finally, my bodily functions obey and I put the stick under the stream for what seems like a long enough time and then slip the cap back on. I wipe it off with some toilet paper and set it down on the sink to wait, but I don¡¯t have to.


    As the liquid runs through the window, I can already see it. Positive.


    A faint + sign shows up almost immediately.


    I stare at it without breathing.


    I can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m pregnant.


    Nausea and lightheadedness hit me at once, as if my body wants to confirm what the test is saying. I fall off the toilet and turn to hug the bowl as the sicknesses up. My skin flushes with heat, followed by chills as I wipe my mouth and try to sit up.


    I¡¯m pregnant.


    I never nned for this. I never even considered children or a life where I settled down. I just didn¡¯t think it was for me. That kind of life was for my sister.


    My hand hesitantly touches my belly, and tears well in my eyes. She would have loved to have a baby. But not with a man like Tommy.


    I stand at the sink and turn on the water to gargle it and try to feel better.


    I can¡¯t be far along. The thought enters my mind quickly, that I could leave and he¡¯d never know. He¡¯d most likely never find out. Even if he did, he¡¯s not the type of man who¡¯d want a child. Right? If he found me, if he ever thought to look for me and found me with his child, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯d do.


    The thought makes my chest hurt even more. I¡¯m bringing a child into this world and I don¡¯t even know if the man I think I love would want either of us.


    I¡¯ve felt strong my entire life. But right now, all I feel is weak.


    I slowly stand and try to calm my breathing.


    I can¡¯t just leave. I have to tell him.


    If he doesn¡¯t want this baby, I¡¯ll leave and nevere back. But if he does¡­ I pause my steps and lean against the wall. If he does, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do. I can¡¯t stay. I doubt he¡¯d ever leave his familia. As if they¡¯d give him a choice. I close my eyes and shake my head as I walk to the bed, gripping the locket in my hand. I lie back and try to think of what my sister would do. I know what she¡¯d do. She¡¯d tell him she was pregnant. And she¡¯d move on with her life, loving her child. She may have never seen herself as strong. But she was. She was so fucking strong for always doing the right thing and sticking to what she believed in.


    ¡°I need you.¡± My fingers slowly scroll over the locket¡¯s tiny engravings. ¡°I need you right now.¡± I whisper my words in a pained voice as tears slowly roll down my cheeks.


    Do the right thing. That¡¯s what she¡¯d tell me. She¡¯d smile. She¡¯d make sure this baby was born into a life surrounded by nothing but love.


    And I will, too. I won¡¯t settle for anything else. I wipe the tears away and get my shit together. I breathe in with a long inhtion, and breathe out just as long.


    Holy fuck, I¡¯m really pregnant. An hour ago I felt like I had nothing, and no one. And now, everything has changed.

 113

    Tonya


    The walk up to Tommy¡¯s apartment is difficult. Every step toward him brings me closer to knowing whether or not he¡¯ll want me and this baby. My hand settles on my tummy as I get to the firstnding and continue walking up the stairs. The oue is most likely going to kill a piece of my soul. He can¡¯t be with me, and a man like him doesn¡¯t want to settle down with a baby. But it¡¯s the right thing to tell him. So I have to do this.


    With my resolve firm, I brace myself to walk up to his door, but when I look up, my heart freezes in my chest. Vincent Valetti stares back at me with a look of contempt.


    I push down all the emotions I¡¯m feeling and school my face. My heart pounds in my chest with fear. I can¡¯t die now. Now when I have this life to protect.


    ¡°Officer Kelly.¡± Vince speaks with a hard voice and an even harder expression.


    ¡°Miss Kelly, now,¡± I respond without backing down from his stare. He may be the Don, and he can definitely hurt me, but I know better than to show weakness to men like him.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Did you think that¡¯d make it alright for you to cuddle up to my men?¡± he asks.


    The way he says it makes me want to knee this prick in his groin. I may not be in amitted rtionship, but I¡¯m not a whore. And what he¡¯s implying pisses me off.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. And if my slut memory is correct, I¡¯ve only been fucking Tommy, so you can shove that bullshit right back up your ass.¡±


    He narrows his eyes and grinds his teeth. He¡¯s looking at me like he¡¯s not sure what to do with me. After a long moment of neither of us backing down he says, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you.¡±


    ¡°Yes you did,¡± I¡¯m quick to answer.


    He grins at me with a twinkle of delight in his eyes and agrees, ¡°You¡¯re right. But I¡¯m generally not fond of cops. Please ept my apology.¡±


    My eyes finally break away from his and I feel like I can breathe. I nod and swallow thickly, looking at Tommy¡¯s door.


    ¡°You¡¯re here to see Tommy, then? You quit to be with him?¡± he asks.


    I shake my head. ¡°No, I quit because I never should have been a cop.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think you have what it takes?¡± he assumes.


    ¡°No, I think I¡¯d be a great cop if I had the determination for it. If I had the heart for it. But I don¡¯t. I joined for the wrong reason.¡±


    ¡°What reason is that?¡± He tilts his head as if he¡¯s sizing me up. He¡¯s going to judge me, just like everyone else. I don¡¯t give a fuck, though. They can all judge me if they like, but I¡¯m not going to change for them.


    ¡°Because my sister was taken by Petrov. I wanted to find him; I wanted to kill him.¡±


    ¡°So you wanted to know about Petrov?¡± he asks, and I know exactly what he¡¯s thinking. He thinks I was trying to get information out of Tommy. He thinks that¡¯s why I was with him. That may have been the reason in the beginning, but that¡¯s not why I slept with him. And I hate that Vincent thinks that.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I answer him, not willing to borate.


    ¡°And now you¡¯ve quit?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He looks at Tommy¡¯s door with a pissed-off look. He thinks Tommy told me. I can¡¯t let him think that. I don¡¯t want Tommy to get shit for it, and I won¡¯t have to lie anyway.


    ¡°He never told me. Even after we were together and everything happened between us. He never told me, but I think he¡¯s dead.¡± Between us. My walls go down and I have to work real fucking hard not to break down. Maybe it was one-sided, and I just imagined him feeling anything toward me.


    ¡°So you think he¡¯s dead, so you quit.¡± Although it¡¯s not a question, I know he¡¯s asking.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve had a hunch he¡¯s been dead for awhile now. I quit because I realized revenge wasn¡¯t the answer. There¡¯s always going to be someone to fight. I¡¯m not the person to do it. I need to find another way.¡±


    ¡°Another way to do what?¡± he asks.


    ¡°To let go.¡± Tears prick at my eyes and I feel so fucking weak. I try to keep myposure and walk closer to Tommy¡¯s door. ¡°I just need to tell him something.¡±


    ¡°What do you have to tell him? I¡¯d be happy to ry the message.¡± He takes a step closer to me, and I instantly take a step back. I don¡¯t feel the same sense of security with him as I do with Tommy. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt that way about anyone before.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he says, but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°I¨CI can¡¯t.¡± I¡¯ve never spoken to Vincent Valetti before today. And I have no idea what kind of man he is, or what all he knows about us.


    ¡°Is it about police matters, or personal?¡± he asks.


    I stare at the door, not knowing how to answer that. I don¡¯t want Tommy to get hurt.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. You know that¡¯s not smart, right? A cop, and a man like Tommy?¡± He shakes his head before continuing. ¡°It¡¯s over now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I came to tell him something before I leave.¡± A part of me just wants to tell Vincent so I can leave and avoid the rejection I feeling.


    ¡°Good. It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re leaving. It¡¯s for the best.¡±


    I look back at him, not sure how to respond. It fucking hurts. All of this is really none of his goddamn business.


    He presses his lips into a straight line and then he asks, ¡°You tell anyone about this little arrangement you had with Tommy?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s over, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The wordse out hard, but I stand my ground and maintain eye contact.


    Vince rocks on his heels and looks to the left. ¡°Good. So what do you have to tell him?¡±


    ¡°Something that¡¯s none of your concern.¡± He narrows his eyes, but I don¡¯t care.


    ¡°Tommy¡¯s in a bit of hot water right now, sweetie, so you might want to be a little bit more forting.¡± The way he says it makes my heart stop. I don¡¯t want Tommy to get hurt because of me. My mother¡¯s words ring in my head, it¡¯s all because of you.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± The words fall from my mouth, and his eyes widen in surprise as he looks at my stomach. I feel the need to exin, so I blurt out, ¡°It¡¯s early. I can¡¯t be any more than a few weeks along.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s been going on for a few weeks, huh?¡± he asks.


    ¡°About that, yeah.¡± I answer him and he nods his head. His eyes stay pinned on me, like he can read my thoughts. He¡¯s judging me. And along with me, Tommy.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s his?¡± he asks me with an odd expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fuck around.¡± I bite out the words with a little anger and instantly regret it. He hardens his expression and stares back at me. ¡°Yes,¡± I say.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asks me, without any indication of what he¡¯s referring to.


    ¡°Why what?¡± I look at him with confusion. Surely he isn¡¯t expecting me to tell him why women get pregnant. In my case it¡¯s because I¡¯m a fucking idiot who got lost in a man¡¯s touch and wasn¡¯t thinking straight.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you go after him?¡± he asks me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. It just happened. We didn¡¯t mean for this to happen.¡± It strikes me that Tommy may be in deep shit. Really deep shit. ¡°He tried to end it, more than once.¡± I breathe in deep, remembering how he left me, how he never showed and sent me a text. Each time he tried to break things off I knew it was for the best, but it still hurt.


    His brows raise in humor. ¡°So he was that good, huh?¡± He huffs a smallugh and I give him a sad smile in return. That¡¯s all I can offer.


    Vince puts a hand on my back and hesitantly gives me a pat as he says, ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯ll have him call you.¡± Hisfort is awkward, like he doesn¡¯t want me to cry, but he doesn¡¯t know what to do to make me stop.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be okay, right?¡± I ask him, before turning to walk away.


    His eyes narrow, and I shake my head and wish I hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t ask questions. I take it back.¡± He looks at me for a long time and I just want to hide.


    ¡°My wife didn¡¯t learn as fast as you. She¡¯s got a real problem with being nosy.¡±


    I look at him with a bit of worry.


    ¡°You know she tried to kill me once?¡± My mouth falls open in a little shock and I¡¯m not sure what to say. ¡°It was a horrible effort, really. But I¡¯m just saying, shit can start out rough and end up alright.¡±


    I stare back at him, speechless.


    He smiles at me as he says, ¡°Everything¡¯s gonna be alright. I trust you¡¯ll see that soon.¡±

 114

    Tonya


    I¡¯m still shaken up as I park my car. It¡¯s different to say I¡¯m pregnant out loud. It makes me feel more vulnerable than I ever have before. It almost hurts, admitting the insecurity that I may be on my own and Tommy may truly want nothing to do with either myself or our baby. I take a look at my apartment building and I have to squint. Something¡¯s different. My heart pounds in my chest. The light, it¡¯s too dark. My breathing halts as I realize the street light is broken. Something¡¯s wrong. No, I¡¯m just freaking out. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s just a light. I tell myself that over and over as my eyes dart from my left to my right.


    Something deep in my chest is telling me something is wrong. Something is not right.


    I¡¯m not safe. I hear my sister¡¯s voice screaming at me to run. ¡°Run!¡±


    Warning bells ring in my ears and I quickly turn the key in the ignition. But it¡¯s toote.


    The window smashes and something hard crashes into my skull, splitting the skin on my forehead. I scream out and try to put the car into drive, butrge hands reach in and grab my body. Blood drips down my face as strong hands wrap around my neck. I try to scream; I try to fight. The seat belt digs into my skin and holds me down as I hear the doors being unlocked. I open my eyes and see arge man wearing all ck open the passenger side door and reach across the console. He¡¯s older, and his skin is tanned and wrinkled. His lips are thin and his eyes are deep set and dark. I try to move and get away, but I¡¯m pinned in ce by the man I can¡¯t see reaching in through the window.


    The man to my right turns off the car and removes the keys. I feel hopeless and weak. I should¡¯ve known better. How could I let this happen? Anxiety courses through me.


    ¡°You will not scream.¡± The man in the passenger seat speaks in a deep, low voice. A voice I don¡¯t recognize. Maybe Vincent didn¡¯t trust me after all. Maybe they¡¯vee to kill me because of Tommy. My heart twists with agonizing pain. Maybe they killed Tommy. It¡¯s also possible that Tommy knows. My throat dries up as the man ps his hand across my face. The p burns my skin, and it¡¯s so forceful that it splits my lip.


    ¡°You will answer me!¡± I hear a faint ent as he yells at me. Russian. My eyes pop open and I stare back at the man.


    His lip curls into a sick smirk. ¡°Do you recognize me, Officer Kelly? You should. We know who you are.¡± I do. I¡¯ve seen his face before. He¡¯s a member of the Russian Bratva not far from here. One of thest times Petrov was seen was on their territory.


    Revenge. They¡¯re here for revenge. But we didn¡¯t kill Petrov.


    My eyes widen with fear. Maybe he¡¯s still alive.


    A sick part of me wishes it were true. I find strength in thinking I¡¯ll see him. I want to see his face. My fear and anguish dissolve into nothing but sheer determination.


    The hand over my mouth slowly moves away. I wish I could wipe the spit off of my mouth, but I can¡¯t. The arm pinning me down doesn¡¯t move.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to listen to me, and answer me when I tell you to.¡± I stare back at the man who thinks he¡¯s calling the shots.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say obediently. I¡¯m just waiting for my chance.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to call Tommy,¡± the man says, staring me in the eyes. ¡°We need one Valetti. And he¡¯lle to you any time you call him. He doesn¡¯t tell anyone, just sneaks off to find his bitch in heat.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask him in a calm voice. So calm it nearly terrifies me. I don¡¯t recognize my own voice.


    ¡°Why do you think, sweetheart?¡± He gives me a twisted smile. ¡°We need to set an example.¡± He looks at the man holding me and I¡¯m released. I hear more ss fall as the man to my left leaves my side and opens my door. ¡°Be a good girl, and call him.¡±


    I look down at my purse and consider doing just that. But I don¡¯t want to lead him to his death. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to live?¡± he asks. If I didn¡¯t know I was pregnant, I would never do it. But I have to do what I can to save my baby.


    They¡¯ll never let you live, a sad voice whispers in my ear. My eyes dart to his. They¡¯re dark and full of excitement. I know they¡¯re going to kill me. There¡¯s nothing I can do to stop them. I turn my head, and see there are two more men standing outside the car. Four men total.


    I think back to the alley. There were only three, and I had my gun in my hand aimed at one. I had an advantage there, that I don¡¯t, here. My heart stutters in my chest. I¡¯m not going to be okay. I can¡¯t do this. And I need to. I can¡¯t fail.


    I look back at the man as I take out my phone. I have to call Tommy. He¡¯s my only hope.


    Tommy


    I¡¯ve never been nervous going into Vince¡¯s house, never. It¡¯s a good sign that Elle opened the door and didn¡¯t seem to act any differently. It¡¯s funny seeing her with a baby in her arms. She¡¯s carrying him around like a pro now.


    I open the door and reluctantly take a seat across from Vince. I know this isn¡¯t good. All his text said was that we needed to talk. I wonder what happened between Sunday and now. A million possibilities are running through my head. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d kill me, not his own blood. Especially not with Elle around. But giving me a head start to run, or telling me to go away and nevere back? That thought is a very real possibility.


    I don¡¯t know how I ever thought I could get away with being with Tonya. I never should¡¯ve fucked with a cop. I swallow and it hurts my dry throat. I crack my knuckles and try to rx, but I can¡¯t. If I had to take it back, I don¡¯t think I would. That¡¯s the worst part of it all. There was something between us that I¡¯m d I felt. Even if it left a scar on my heart. I wouldn¡¯t change it.


    They may think it was wrong. But there was nothing wrong about what we did.


    ¡°We gotta talk, Tommy,¡± Vince says from across his desk. His body is stiff. It¡¯s not a good sign. As I open my mouth, my phone goes off. Vince¡¯s eyes dart to my pants.


    I should¡¯ve put that shit on silent. I take it out quickly to turn it off and see it¡¯s Tonya that¡¯s calling. My bad girl. She sure has some real shit timing. I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s calling me. She shouldn¡¯t be. She should know I can¡¯t answer. I look Vincent in the eyes and I know that he knows who¡¯s calling. I hit the switch to turn it to vibrate and put it on his desk.


    The shit part is that I would¡¯ve answered her. Even though we¡¯ve said our goodbyes. If I was anywhere other than here, I would¡¯ve answered.


    ¡°You need to make a decision today, Tommy. If you go to her, you¡¯re leaving the family,¡± Vince says simply. It fucking hurts. He¡¯s telling me he¡¯d kick me out. My own blood. The familia is all I know. They¡¯re all I have.


    ¡°It¡¯s like that?¡± I ask him, not holding back how hurt I am. Fuck it, he should know what he¡¯s asking.


    ¡°We can¡¯t have a cop in our family.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, letting the pain consume me. My eyes settle on a dark swirl in the rug beneath my feet. ¡°It¡¯s over. I told you that.¡± My voice is t, just like my emotions.


    ¡°I know you did. But you have to have one more talk with her.¡± My eyes dart to his. What the fuck does he want from me? I¡¯m not using her. She¡¯s staying out of whatever shit he¡¯s thinking up in his head.


    ¡°She¡¯s leaving town. She quit being a cop, did you know that?¡±


    She quit? Damn. I wish I knew why. My brow furrows. I don¡¯t know why it hurts me to think that she quit. I should be happy. That means she¡¯s not a cop anymore. But whatever her reason is for quitting must have something to do with how fucked up she was the other night. And I don¡¯t like that. I don¡¯t want anything to hurt my bad girl. And something did, something tore her up. And I¡¯m not there for her. She needed me. She still does. I know she does.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know.¡± She never told me, maybe that¡¯s why she called. Just as I think that, the phone goes off again. It¡¯s a gentle vibration. The screen lights up and I see her number.


    We both ignore it.


    ¡°She went to your ce today.¡±


    My heart stops in my chest and I lean forward in my seat. I have to grab the armrests so hard my knuckles turn white just to stay seated. ¡°You better not have fucking touched her.¡± I swear to God if heid a hand on her I¡¯ll fucking kill him.


    He cocks a brow at me and shows no signs of fear. That¡¯s why he¡¯s the Don, but I know my threat didn¡¯t fall on deaf ears.


    ¡°She came to tell you she¡¯s pregnant.¡±


    His words strike me with a force that makes me fall back in the chair. I stare at the phone as the words settle. She¡¯s pregnant. She¡¯s going to have my baby.


    ¡°So you need to choose between her or the family, Tommy.¡± Vince¡¯s words smack me across the face and bring me back to reality.


    ¡°Choose? Between family and my child? I fucking love her, Vince. I¡¯m not giving her up.¡± Saying it out loud feels so fucking good. I love her. And I love that she¡¯s having my baby.


    ¡°I¡¯m sad to see you go, then.¡± He¡¯s firm in his response.


    ¡°You said she quit.¡± He can¡¯t honestly expect that I¡¯m going to leave her when she¡¯s pregnant.


    ¡°I can¡¯t allow it, Tommy. Do you know what kind of position this puts me in?¡± My angeres back with full force, just as the phone rings, again.


    ¡°Fucking answer it already.¡± He looks at me with an exasperated expression. It pisses me off, but I answer it.


    ¡°Hello,¡± I answer her without giving anything away.


    ¡°Thomas,¡± she answers me with my name like that, and I hate it. Just because we ended things doesn¡¯t mean that she¡¯s gotta do that shit. I loved hearing her call me Tommy.


    ¡°Talk to me, baby.¡± I hope my answer warms her up to me. I know she¡¯s gonna tell me she¡¯s pregnant and she¡¯s probably worried. I don¡¯t want her to be though. I¡¯m gonna be there for her. Even if Vince tells me I¡¯ve gotta leave, I¡¯m not leaving her.


    ¡°I need you to meet me,¡± she says calmly. There¡¯s no emotion from her at all.


    ¡°Sure, baby. Wherever you want.¡± Again I soften my voice. I want her to know I¡¯m receptive to whatever it is she¡¯s gotta tell me. I¡¯m also anxious though. I wanna hear it from her lips. ¡°We could talk now, if there¡¯s something on your mind,¡± I offer.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± My forehead creases. Nothing? She¡¯s carrying my child, and she thinks it¡¯s nothing?


    ¡°I just want to see you before I leave. I thought we could meet where we first met. A small smile ys at my lips as I answer her, ¡°At the station.¡± She doesn¡¯tugh. Instead she replies tly, ¡°At Rosetti¡¯s. I know it¡¯s closed now, but it¡¯d be nice to say goodbye by the creek in the back. Where we first met.¡±


    Something¡¯s off. My eyes bore into Vince¡¯s skull until he looks at me.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± I mouth the words to him as I put it on speaker. We¡¯ve never been there before. It doesn¡¯t make sense. She¡¯s trying to tell me something. ¡°Sure, baby, you want me to bring anything?¡±


    ¡°No, I think it will be quick.¡± I don¡¯t understand what she¡¯s getting at, what she¡¯s hinting at.


    ¡°Maybe a bottle of wine. I can bring those choctes; you remember the two packages we had at your ce the first night? The two on the end table before I had your taste on my mouth for the first time. How many of those are you expecting?¡± I¡¯m hoping she¡¯s getting what I¡¯m talking about. Vince looks at me like I¡¯ve lost my damn mind.


    ¡°I think four would be good.¡± She¡¯s quick to answer, and I nod my head. Four men. I knew it. Thank fuck my girl is so smart and so damn strong.


    ¡°Alright, baby. What time do you need me there?¡± I ask.


    ¡°As soon as you can.¡± Herst wordes out with strain. My heart aches in my chest like it never has before.


    ¡°Hey, baby, you okay?¡± I have to ask, even though I know she¡¯s not.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be better when you get here.¡± With thosest words the phone cuts out.


    I put the phone down and look at Vince, my cousin. The boss of my familia, but also my friend.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asks as I try topose myself. I can¡¯t help that I¡¯m choked up. I just realized how much I love her. I just chose her over everything, and now she¡¯s in danger.


    ¡°There¡¯s gonna be shit happening tonight,¡± I tell him. ¡°I need you.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s a setup? She¡¯s setting you up?¡± Vince looks pissed.


    ¡°No. No, she wouldn¡¯t do that. But someone¡¯s got her, Vince. Four men.¡±


    He stands up and runs his hand through his hair. ¡°Fucking hell, Tommy.¡± Vince looks out of the window like he¡¯s debating on what to do.


    ¡°You gonna leave me to go in there alone?¡± After everything we¡¯ve been through, too. We grew up together. He¡¯s my blood. My familia.


    He cusses under his breath. ¡°You go in first, but we¡¯ll be there.¡±

 115

    Tonya


    I can¡¯t stop my body from trembling. They didn¡¯t bother blindfolding me, but I¡¯m gagged, and my wrists are tied behind my back and my ankles are bound. Zip ties dig into my skin. I¡¯m on the ground, propped up against a shed to the right of the restaurant parking lot. There¡¯s a creek to my left, and I¡¯m almost certain that¡¯s where I¡¯ll be soon. I guess they wanted to hit him with shock factor. His girl, tied up and gagged, in clear view of the dirt road that leads here. Just beyond the treeline is the highway. I can hear the cars. I can even see the headlights. But they can¡¯t see me. No one can save me.


    Maybe Tommy, but I may have also led him to his death. I¡¯m certain he knows this is an ambush, though. Why else would he talk in code? My heart stopped when he said packages. My eyes almost darted to look at the man holding the phone, almost gave me away. Thank fuck I stayed calm. Four men. The odds are against us, but hopefully with the warning I managed to give Tommy, he¡¯ll have a chance.


    They dumped me here like I was a bag of trash. Tossed me to the ground and went to stand behind their cars. Two ck cars blend into the dark. But they¡¯re there, and if he¡¯s looking for something off, he should see them. They aren¡¯t in their cars. They¡¯re standing behind the one closest to me, with their weapons drawn and ready.


    Jagged rocks dig into my knees as I move slightly across the ground. I¡¯m moving slowly, so they don¡¯t notice. They aren¡¯t paying attention to me. One¡¯s smoking, and the other three are talking in hushed whispers. I can barely hear though, except for the asionalughs. They¡¯re also going back and forth between Russian and English, so even when I can hear them, I¡¯m not exactly sure what they¡¯re saying.


    I¡¯m not certain, but I think they want him to watch me die. As soon as he drives down and sees me tied here and struggling, that¡¯s when they¡¯ll do it. Shoot me until I fall lifeless on the ground. Although one keeps saying how he wants to see Tommy run to me as they shoot us both. The others don¡¯t. They don¡¯t want to kill him right away. They have questions that need to be answered.


    I don¡¯t care what they¡¯re saying. I know their endgame is to have both of us dead. I¡¯ll most likely end up in the creek, and Tommy¡¯s corpse will be sent back as a message to the Valettis.


    I¡¯m not going to let either of those scenarios happen. I need to live; I have to survive this. And right now, there¡¯s only me. If I can get free, I can run. My eyes dart to the four men who are in in view and holding guns. My heart beats rapidly in my chest. I¡¯ll have to wait until I have a chance, but I¡¯ll try. I can¡¯t fight back without having any weapons on me. That would be suicide. But I can give Tommy a warning, and I can run. That¡¯s my only hope.


    There¡¯s a broken bottle only a foot from me. If I fall over, I should be able to snag a piece. There¡¯s only a single zip tie binding my wrists, and one more binding my ankles. I can do this. Ankles first, so I can run as soon as Tommy gets here.


    I scoot my knees across the dirt and they scrape against the gravel. I ignore the pain. Just another inch and then I prepare myself for the fall. It¡¯s gonna fuck up my shoulder since I can¡¯t brace for it. But I can fucking take it. I crash against the ground and hit my shoulder. My head bounces from the impact. The men look over at me while I struggle to take a piece of ss in my hand. My fingers graze across a few small pieces, but they aren¡¯trge enough. The jagged chunks pierce through my shirt and cut into my skin. Again, it¡¯s not horrible, but fuck it hurts. The fucker smoking sets his eyes on me. He tosses his cigarette onto the dirt and walks over with quick strides.


    His dark eyes stare into mine as my fingers finally find arge chunk. I¡¯m quick to make a fist to conceal it, even though it digs into the palm of my hand. I can¡¯t risk him seeing it. It¡¯s my only chance at freeing myself.


    My heart skips a beat as he grabs my shoulders and drags my body back to the shed. The ss and gravel scrape my legs and I try to cry out, but the gag mutes the screams.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stay!¡± he yells, pointing his finger at me like I¡¯m a dog. It gets augh from the other men. Hisrge hand grips my chin and then he smacks my face several times-not hard, just enough to demoralize me. ¡°Bad bitch. Stay.¡± His ent is thick. I rest my head against the shed and pretend that I¡¯ve lost all hope. I let the tears that beg to be released, slide down my cheeks. Heughs sickly and his foul breath fills my lungs as he turns to leave me, walking back to stand with the others. They¡¯re talking louder now, and in Russian.


    As soon as I hear them patting him on the back andughing, I push the ss to the zip tie on my ankle. It almost slips from my hand. The blood from my hand makes it difficult to hold. But I keep my grip and move it back and forth across the stic. The ss is uneven and cuts into my ankles a few times, but the pain doesn¡¯t register at all. My eyes are focused on the gap in the trees, marking the entrance to this area. Tommy will be here soon; all I need to do is free myself before that happens.


    It feels like forever, but it must only be a few minutes until both the zip ties around my wrists and ankles have snapped. I don¡¯t move yet. My limbs are screaming at me to take off. But they don¡¯t need me alive, they just want to make it hurt that much more for Tommy. If I run, they could shoot to kill me and there¡¯s no reason they¡¯d hold back. Even worse, if I did run and they caught me, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯d do to me. But I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t let me get out again.


    So I wait. My skin prickles with anxiety, and the only thing I can hear is my heart beating loudly in my ears. I remember my phone in my back pocket and I struggle to keep my movements slow. Every time one of them looks at me, I freeze and try to remain as still as possible.


    I should call the cops. I need help, and I know they could possiblye in time to save me, but they may also find Tommy. I don¡¯t want him to get caught in the middle of this, but I have to do everything I can to save myself and our baby. My skin feels like ice as I dial the numbers 9-1-1 behind my back. But I¡¯ve done it.


    I can faintly hear the dispatcher speaking, even though I can¡¯t give her any verbal confirmation that I¡¯m on the line. I hit a button every few seconds, hoping she¡¯ll catch on.


    ¡°Are you unable to speak?¡± I barely hear the words. I don¡¯t hit any keys.


    ¡°If you can hear me, dial a number.¡± My thumb presses down. I barely hear a faint beep. I keep my eyes on my captors. They show no signs that they can hear anything.


    ¡°Assistance is on its way. Is there a threat in your immediate vicinity?¡± she asks.


    The phone slips from my hand as I try to push a number. It falls to the ground with a faint thud. I watch them, but they don¡¯t hear it. I can¡¯t hear her anymore.


    There¡¯s no one else.


    All I can do now is wait. There¡¯s nothing else left that I can do to save myself. I need Tommy.

 116

    Tonya


    Time passes slowly, yet nothing happens. I keep my eyes on the road and then on the men. My heart won¡¯t calm, and my skin sweats with anxiety. He¡¯sing. I know he is. But what if he isn¡¯t? What if the copse and the men hear? It¡¯ll only take a single bullet to end my life before they take off.


    I¡¯m relying on someone else to save me. And I fucking hate that.


    I think I hear a caring through the trees and closer to the entrance, and it distracts me. It also gets the men¡¯s attention and they raise their guns. No, no! I can¡¯t let them shoot. I start to stand, but the deafening sounds of guns being fired stops me in my tracks.


    Bullets ring out from my left and right. But I can¡¯t see where they¡¯reing from. They ricochet off the cars, and I instantly scramble back behind the shed to find cover.


    I turn my body to run, but I m into a hard, unmoving chest. My eyes sh to a set of light blue eyes, but before I can react, the man¡¯s pinning my arms down and carrying me toward the back of the shed. I kick out as hard as I can andnd a blow to his shin. I try to push him off me as he curses and nearly drops me. I hear bullets hitting the metal of the cars. I hear men shouting and yelling. The sound of a man getting shot and falling to the ground fills my ears.


    ¡°Left, left!¡± someone calls out. These are the sounds of an ambush.


    Fear overwhelms my body, but I force my limbs to push him away. I didn¡¯te this close to escaping, just to be taken again. I refuse to stop fighting.


    ¡°Jesus, woman, I¡¯m here to protect you.¡± He pushes me against the shed with all of his body weight. I try to move my arm so I can get an uppercut in, but he leans his entire body against me, rendering both of us useless. I continue to struggle. I won¡¯t give up. ¡°Calm the fuck down! Tommy sent me.¡± My body stills as I hear a few men call out. ¡°On the passenger side!¡± A bullet and then another.


    ¡°Tommy said stay here.¡± He pulls away a bit. ¡°He¡¯ll fucking kill me if you go out there.¡±


    I turn my head to face him as the sounds die down and see a kid. He can¡¯t be any more than in his early twenties. He¡¯s got shaggy hair and an uneven patch of stubble. He backs his body away slowly, looking at me like I might take off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he says with his finger pointed at me. If I was in a different situation, I¡¯d roll my eyes. But right now, I¡¯m full of nerves and apprehension.


    ¡°Can I have a gun?¡± My body heats as I ask.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tommy said you¡¯d ask for one.¡± Heughs and slowly hands me a gun. The first thing I do is check for bullets. It¡¯s loaded. He eyes me warily. ¡°You think he¡¯d short you on ammo?¡±


    ¡°Not him, no,¡± I say, taking a step toward the edge of the shed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. He¡¯ll kill me. For real,¡± he pleads with me, rocking on his feet. ¡°Just stay here.¡±


    He takes a peek around the corner and grins. ¡°They really only sent four.¡± He shakes his head and smiles from ear to ear. ¡°Fucking idiots.¡± He turns to face me, leaving his body exposed, and I yank him back to the safety behind the shed.


    ¡°Take cover,¡± I practically yell at him. Dumbass kid.


    ¡°They¡¯re done,¡± he says defensively, with his forehead scrunched up.


    ¡°Stay back here until you hear otherwise.¡± I feel like I¡¯m back at the academy. This kid¡¯s gonna get his ass shot.


    He smirks at me. ¡°No wonder Tommy likes you.¡± It¡¯s silent all around us; I think it¡¯s over. ¡°You really a cop?¡± he asks.


    Before I can reply, I hear the answer behind me.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not.¡± I turn and immediately wrap my arms around Tommy¡¯s neck. I have to stand on my tiptoes. Hisrge arms wrap around my body as he lifts me up. He buries his head in my neck.


    ¡°Is it over?¡± I ask him, looking around to see something, anything, but I¡¯m still in the back, so I can¡¯t see shit.


    ¡°It¡¯s over. Probably a little overkill,¡± he says with a huff of augh.


    ¡°Really, only four?¡± the kid says from behind me. I lift my head up in Tommy¡¯s arms to face the shaggy kid.


    ¡°Well, they thought it¡¯d just be me,¡± Tommy exins.


    ¡°Dude, you should take offense to that.¡±


    ¡°Get outta here, Brant.¡± The kid takes off as Tommy turns me in his arms.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asks me, as his eyes roam down every inch of exposed skin. He touches the small gash on my forehead and it makes me wince. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, baby,¡± he says in a voice so soft and sincere I can feel his agony.


    I shake my head, ¡°don¡¯t be. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He tries to object, but I give him a small kiss and try to distract him, but when I pull back there¡¯s still pain in his eyes.


    He gently brushes the pieces of rock and ss off of me, but I fall against his chest and hold onto him. ¡°It¡¯s alright baby, I¡¯m right here.¡± He pulls back from me and takes my chin in his hand. It feels so good to just be held by him. He gives me a soft, sweet kiss and it soothes every part of me. ¡°Is the baby okay?¡± he asks, looking down on me with worry in his eyes.


    Tears prick at my eyes as I say, ¡°Vincent told you.¡± My heart stops beating, and the world seems to blur around us.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he says, putting a hand on my belly as he asks, ¡°Tell me you¡¯re alright?¡±


    I push the words out through my sob, ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± I bury myself in his chest, feelingpletely safe and secure. But then I remember, the cops will be here any minute. ¡°You need to go. I called the cops.¡±


    At the word cops, the noise around us stops and I realize the other Valettis are still here.


    ¡°You called the cops?¡± Vincees up to our left, and Tommy angles his body so that his shoulder is between me and Vincent. I hold onto him as my body heats and a wave of nausea hits me. I had to. I didn¡¯t know they were alling. I never would¡¯ve guessed that.


    ¡°What was she supposed to do, Vince?¡± Tommy asks. ¡°We¡¯ve got enough time to get out of here anyway.¡±


    Vince looks between the two of us and then says, ¡°She has to stay here so they¡¯ll find her. Or else they¡¯lle looking.¡±


    Tommy nods his head slowly, but he¡¯s clearly not nning on listening. His grip on me tightens. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Tommy. She¡¯ll be fine. She¡¯ll be out in a few hours,¡± Vince points out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna leave her.¡± His words are absolute.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say I was inside the shed and I didn¡¯t see anything,¡± I quickly say. Vince searches my face, like he¡¯s not sure if I¡¯m being truthful or not.


    ¡°They touch you?¡± Vince asks. At first I¡¯m confused, but then I realize what he¡¯s asking. I shake my head as my eyes fall and Tommy¡¯s grip tightens on me.


    ¡°You did real good. Guess they taught you something right, huh?¡± Vince talks to me, and I struggle to respond. I don¡¯t want to talk about being a cop with him. Not now, not ever.


    I give him a tight smile in return and say, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°We saved your ass, remember that,¡± he says before turning away from me. He yells out to the men who are picking up the bodies and lifting them into the back of their cars.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you,¡± Tommy whispers into my ear.


    ¡°Go, baby, please.¡± The danger is gone and the cops will be here soon. He needs to go. Him being here will onlyplicate things. It¡¯ll give the department leverage to use against the Valettis, and more ties to the Petrov case. The reminder of the case has me wanting to know if Petrov is truly dead. My eyes fly to Tommy¡¯s. I should ask him. I still don¡¯t know. The words are there, but I don¡¯t say them. The power they held before has waned. Before I can ask, I hear the sirens in the distance. ¡°Go,¡± I tell him, staring in his eyes, begging him to listen to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be watching and waiting, baby. I¡¯ll be right here for you.¡± He kisses me again as Vince¡¯s car pulls up in front of us.


    ¡°Move your ass, Tommy! We gotta go!¡± he calls out, and I hear a door open.


    ¡°I love you, Tommy.¡± I have to tell him. I can¡¯t hold it in anymore.


    Before he leaves, he gives me a small smile and brushes the hair out of my face as he says, ¡°I love you, too.¡±

 117

    Tonya


    ¡°You sure you didn¡¯t see anyone?¡± Jerry asks me, for the fourth time. He¡¯s nodding his head and trying to get me to talk. He should know I¡¯m not going to say shit. I haven¡¯t for thest three hours. They found the blood at the scene. They ran tests and came back with nothing. All I told them was that I was taken against my will by men with Russian ents who wanted information.


    I shake my head with downcast eyes. I hate lying and putting them in this position, but I¡¯m not going to give them anything to lead them to the Valettis. I told them I was blindfolded the entire time. I hate lying, but I need to stick with the story.


    The Russian mob is in deep shit, and there¡¯s plenty of evidence on them. But nothing against Tommy or his familia.


    ¡°Not a damn thing that could tie them there?¡± Jerry asks. He has a hunch it was the Valettis who came in and took the Russians out. All three of us know it was them. It makes sense. A Russian mob on their turf? It doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure it out.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking one of them, aren¡¯t you?¡± Harrison sneers at me from across the table. I fucking hate the way he says it. I also hate that he¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t buy that I was taken in order to get information on the Valettis. That¡¯s the story I¡¯m supposed to give the cops. That the Russians wanted intel on their routines and addresses. Everything and anything I knew about them. But it doesn¡¯t make sense that I would be left unharmed. Not unless the Valettis needed me alive. Or if I meant something to one of them.


    Harrison can see right through that. I¡¯m not a good liar. Jerry can as well, but he hasn¡¯t said anything. I can see the disappointment in his eyes.


    ¡°Get out, Harrison.¡± Jerry doesn¡¯t yell, doesn¡¯t even turn to look at him.


    Harrison clenches his fists and mutters an apology before stalking out of the room. There¡¯s no love lost between us. As the door closes, Jerry leans forward and asks in a low soothing voice, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± Concern is written all over his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright.¡± I cross my arms over my chest and take a deep breath. I¡¯m still a little shaken up. A lot shaken up maybe, but Tommy¡¯s there waiting for me. I close my eyes and I can feel his lips kissing my neck and his arms holding me close to him. He¡¯s my happy ce. I need him, and now I have him. I¡¯m not letting him go. I can¡¯t. He better know that.


    ¡°If you¡¯re in any trouble, you know toe to me. Don¡¯t you?¡± he asks, and I know he means it.


    I nod my head. There may be times I don¡¯t agree with him, but I know he¡¯d help me if he could. Right now I don¡¯t need help though. At least not from him.


    ¡°Are you sure you wanna go through with this?¡± He puts his hand on the table, offering it to me in a sweet gesture offort.


    I ept and put my hand in his, and he squeezes. ¡°I dug into you a bit after you left the conference room and found out about your sister. You may have joined for the wrong reasons, but you¡¯re a good cop. It¡¯s not toote to stay.¡± He emphasizes thest line. If only he knew. It¡¯s toote for so many things.


    ¡°My mind¡¯s made up.¡± I pull my hand away and breathe in deep.


    ¡°As long as you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± he says, leaning back in his seat.


    A shortugh erupts from my lips. ¡°I have no clue what I¡¯m doing,¡± I confess. I run my hands through my hair and lean back, shaking my head. ¡°I just want to be happy.¡±


    ¡°You deserve to be happy, Tonya. Don¡¯t let him hurt you. And when the timees, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to hurt me, not ever.¡± I don¡¯t know when the conversation changed, but we both know who we¡¯re talking about. I won¡¯t say it though. I won¡¯t name him.


    ¡°Not the way you¡¯re thinking.¡± He walks to his door and locks it before shutting the shades. ¡°What are you going to do when he gets charged with something, and it sticks?¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out when it happens.¡± My hand subconsciously goes to my belly. I jerk it away before he has time to see. I know he loves me; I know I love him. And he¡¯ll take care of us both.


    ¡°I hope he treats you right, Tonya. I really do. But if he ever does anything, or any of them ever do anything,¡± he looks at me with absolute sincerity, ¡°I¡¯ll be here for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Jerry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± he says bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re asking for trouble.¡± I know what he means, and I understand it, I really do. But I can¡¯t help what I want.


    A sad smile ys at my lips as I say, ¡°I¡¯m good at that, apparently.¡±


    He looks at me for a long moment and I don¡¯t know what he wants from me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright, Jerry. I promise you.¡± I stand up and walk over to give him a quick hug.


    He walks to the door and unlocks it, but before he opens it, he adds, ¡°I just hate to see a good girl like you wind up with a man like him.¡± I can¡¯t help the smile that grows on my face. He has no idea that I¡¯m really a bad girl at heart.


    Tommy


    That was intense. I¡¯m shocked at how fucked up I am over that shit. I scouted it out first. It took everything in me not to run to her as that prick put his hands on her. I got that fucker. I took him down first. I¡¯ve been in worse situations though. Vince brought everyone. It feels so fucking good to know he still had my back.


    Those Russian pricks didn¡¯t stand a chance, and only two of ¡¯em even got a shot off. They aimed at nothing. They couldn¡¯t see us in the dark. The one that took cover¨Cfuck, if I was him, I would¡¯ve just killed myself. Instead now he¡¯s sitting there, chained to a chair with a gag in his mouth. He should¡¯ve known this was going to happen.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Whatcha gonna do with him, boss?¡± I ask Vince.


    ¡°Well, we got the information we need, so I couldn¡¯t give two fucks. Figured you may wanna take some aggression out, since it was your girl he took.¡± Vince walks over to the sink in the back room. We¡¯re in the basement of the safe house. It¡¯s fucking freezing down here. The fucker in the chair has bruises all over his face. His one eye is swollen so bad his face looks inhuman.


    Anthony¡¯s drying off his tools. I instinctively look down and see three fingers on this fucker¡¯s right hand have been removed. That¡¯s usually Anthony¡¯s first move. They¡¯re easy to cut off, and it makes a pretty bold statement.


    ¡°So you got everything you need?¡± I ask Vince as he dries off his hands. He turns back to me.


    ¡°Yeah, they aren¡¯t going to fuck with us unless they want their entire operation shut down. Thanks, Nik!¡± Vince ps a hand on the man¡¯s shoulder and he doesn¡¯t even react. He¡¯s so close to death.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m good. Just kill the bastard,¡± I say.


    Vince looks at Anthony and he nods as we turn to leave. Anthony¡¯s not talkative when he¡¯s on the job. Never has been. I used to take offense to it. But now I get it; he has to be in the right headspace, and that doesn¡¯t include saying a fucking word.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more reason I called you down here,¡± Vince says as we climb the stairs.


    ¡°I figured there was.¡± And it¡¯s about Tonya. I know it is. I waited at the station and followed her homest night. I just held her all night; I needed to feel her. Knowing I almost lost her fucking hurts. I¡¯m not letting her go. I can¡¯t.


    ¡°I understand that you wanna be with her. And truthfully, she¡¯s a nice broad.¡± We walk into his kitchen and he grabs me a beer. The faint sounds of a chainsaw can be hearding from the basement. It sends chills down my spine.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her, Vince. I can¡¯t do that.¡± My stomach drops, knowing that what means. I don¡¯t wanna leave my family. The familia is all I know. But I¡¯m not letting her go.


    ¡°I get that. I do.¡± He passes a beer to me and shuts the fridge.


    Leaning against the counter, he pops the cap off his beer with his keys. ¡°She¡¯s still associated, Tommy.¡± I put down my beer and shake my head as he tries to pass me his keys. I can¡¯t drink right now. ¡°You know we can¡¯t have that shit.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I know.¡± I do know. I wouldn¡¯t be a smart move to have that shit known.


    ¡°Good,¡± he says with finality. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tommy.¡±


    I nod my head, my throat closes, and my heart tries to leap out of my chest. ¡°What¡¯s it gonna mean, boss?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do errands anymore. It can¡¯t happen. You can¡¯t represent the familia.¡± I wanna argue with him, but I can¡¯t. I know it¡¯s true. Fuck¨Crealistically, he should kill me. It¡¯s a risk keeping me alive. It¡¯s a risk letting her get close. ¡°Not like that, anyway,¡± he says, and it brings my attention back to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about you and your brother. I think it¡¯d be good to finally take on those contracts. We¡¯d get a shit-ton more money from the hits. And it¡¯d keep us in a good ce with our contacts. Anthony always said he¡¯d need another person to help. That¡¯s what I want from you two, and he agreed already. Just need you in on this, too.¡±


    My heart slows, and I swear to God I lose feeling in my hands. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, if you¡¯re gonna be taking a cop as your girl, then you¡¯re going to have to be a contractor.¡±


    ¡°A contractor?¡± I ask, not understanding.


    ¡°You two will do the hits. We¡¯ll give you the names and you get it done.¡± I nod, taking it all in.


    ¡°What about the rest of the familia business?¡± I ask.


    He shakes his head and says, ¡°That¡¯s no longer a concern of yours. It keeps things a little neater.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± I take a moment to process it as he opens my beer himself and hands it to me. I finally ask, ¡°Does that mean I don¡¯t have to call your ass ¡®boss¡¯ anymore?¡± We both give a smallugh. I have to admit it hurts a bit, but I understand. And I¡¯m fucking grateful to still be around.


    He smiles broadly. ¡°It¡¯s the best I can do, Tommy. She¡¯s loyal to the family, and to you. That¡¯s enough for me. She¡¯s a good girl, like my Elle. She¡¯s not gonna say shit. So long as that¡¯s the case, everything¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°That mean I¡¯m not made anymore?¡± That¡¯d put some bigass targets on my back.


    ¡°You¡¯re still a Valetti. And just likest night, we¡¯ve got you, and you¡¯ve got us, right?¡±


    I pull my cousin in for a hug and feel like a little bitch for getting even the least bit emotional. This is better than I¡¯d hoped for.


    ¡°You¡¯d better fucking marry that broad, too. The sooner, the better,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yeah, I know, so she doesn¡¯t have to talk.¡±


    He looks back at me with a grin as he says, ¡°Well, that and Ma will be pissed if you don¡¯t do right by her.¡± His joke fills my chest with warmth. He¡¯s right, too. Aunt Linda will kick my ass.


    ¡°Love you, cuz,¡± Vince says.


    ¡°Love you, Vince.¡± We both pat each other on the back harder than we should to make up for getting so emotional.


    ¡°Still family?¡± I ask again, not really believing it could be that good.


    Vince nods his head, ¡°Always.¡±

 118

    Tonya


    ¡°You gotta meet the familia.¡± Tommy wants to take me to his aunt¡¯s house for dinner. To Dante Valetti¡¯s house. Dante Valetti is the former Don and father of the current Don, Vincent Valetti. I¡¯m nervous as hell. It¡¯s been two weeks of just us. Two weeks of hiding away in his apartment while we figure this shit out. There¡¯s no doubt in my mind that I made the right decision leaving the department and doing what feels right. But then I remember his family, and I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t worried.


    ¡°They know I was a cop.¡± That¡¯s the only exnation I need. That right there is enough for them to want me dead.


    ¡°Yeah, they do. And they know you¡¯re my girl.¡± Tommy rubs his hand over my belly and forces a smile from me. ¡°You¡¯re a woman, Tonya, and I know you hate this, but we keep women out of it.¡±


    ¡°But I was a cop.¡± I¡¯ve seen them all a handful of times now, and each time it gets easier. But this is different. It¡¯s not one or two of theming over to drop something off, it¡¯s all of them in one ce. And I feel like I¡¯m going to be an outsider.


    ¡°Yeah, for under a year. And they know about your sister and why you joined. They know you¡¯re loyal to me.¡± He stands behind me and wraps his arms around my body, pulling me into his hard chest. I feel cocooned in his warmth. I close my eyes and breathe in deep. It¡¯s not fair that he can put me at ease so effortlessly.


    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s someone there I really think you should meet.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You should meet Ava. I think you¡¯d really love getting to know her. She lost her sister, too.¡±


    ¡°Ava?¡± The name rings a bell, but I¡¯m not sure why.


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s been asking about you. She wants to meet you.¡± He speaks his words softly, like he¡¯s waiting for something.


    ¡°Why does that name sound familiar?¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ivanov.¡± He says herst name and everything clicks into ce. I turn in his arms to face him with wide eyes. She¡¯s supposedly dead.


    I part my lips, but I don¡¯t ask. I know not to ask questions.


    He gives me a small smile and says softly, ¡°A bad man hurt her once, but she made him pay. She¡¯s a strong woman, like you. I think you two are going to get along great.¡±


    Tears prick at my eyes, and I hold onto him with everything in me. He kisses my hair, while I try to calm down.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you sooner, but he¡¯s long gone, Tonya. He¡¯ll never hurt anyone else.¡±


    I cry in his arms. I haven¡¯t cried in weeks, but the need to purge all my sadness has me leaning against him in tears. He rubs my back while I cry for all of them. For my sister, for Ava¡¯s sister. For Ava and the other survivors. I cry for them all. A calmness washes through me as I settle with exhaustion into his embrace. A feeling like a rebirth. Like I¡¯ll finally have a fresh start. Maybe now I can finally get the catharsis I¡¯ve been striving for all this time.


    My blurry eyes catch a glimpse of the picture frame I put on Tommy¡¯s nightstand. It¡¯s the same picture that¡¯s in my locket. My hand reaches up and I grab onto it. We were just young girls in middle school and high school, but it¡¯s my favorite picture of us. I can¡¯t wait until we move and make a new ce of our own. We need a fresh start. And moving is the way to make that happen.


    I look up at Tommy with wonder, but also a sense of insecurity. I haven¡¯t forgotten what Jerry said, and if I¡¯m honest with myself, I¡¯m worried about Tommy and about him staying in the familia.


    ¡°Spit it out, baby.¡± His hand settles on the nape of my neck, and his thumb brushes along my jaw. It soothes me. Everything about him soothes me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can live with you doing this, Tommy. I don¡¯t¨C¡± I just want to list all the reasons this is so wrong. But his lips silence mine in a sweet kiss.


    I moan into his mouth, just loving his touch. He pulls back, and looks at me with sincerity.


    ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not working for the familia anymore.¡± I know what he said, but he¡¯s too fucking happy for that to really be the case.


    ¡°Forget about right and wrong for just a moment. Just listen to your heart, baby. What does it want? Us being together may be fucked up and wrong. But it¡¯s what I want.¡±


    I struggle to respond. He¡¯s right. I do want him. He¡¯s the only thing I want.


    ¡°Just give me a chance to love you.¡± His hand brushes along my belly, where our baby¡¯s growing.


    It may be wrong, but I want him. I love him.


    He must see that I¡¯ve decided. He smirks and says in a yful tone, ¡°You know you¡¯re my bad girl.¡±


    I shake my head and let a smallugh escape me. Tommy takes my chin in his hand and kisses me. My lips mold to his and I give in.


    I love him, and that¡¯s all that matters.


    ¡°I love you, Tommy,¡± I whisper as he pulls away from me.


    ¡°I love you, too.¡±

 119

    Epilogue of book 4


    Tommy


    I¡¯m so fucking nervous. I don¡¯t remember thest time my heart beat so damn hard in my chest. I shake out my hands again and start pacing.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s gonna say no.¡± I turn on my heels to face Anthony. The fucker¡¯s grinning from ear to ear.


    ¡°You fucking love this, don¡¯t you?¡± I ask him.


    He smirks back at me and says, ¡°You know I do. You get all stressed out about shit you shouldn¡¯t be worried about.¡± He takes a sip of his drink and then adds, ¡°Besides, you¡¯ll have plenty of stress when the next listes in.¡±


    He¡¯s right. I¡¯m not as calm as Anthony is yet. I¡¯m doing hits with him now. I¡¯m cut off from familia business, and taking the contract hits instead. Anthony¡¯s been showing me the ropes. And I have to admit I¡¯m enjoying it, but I¡¯ve got a ton of shit to learn.


    I should probably be worried that I¡¯m not really seen as a member of the familia by outsiders, but I¡¯m not. Vince told me not to be. He¡¯s my cousin, my blood, and he¡¯s grown to love Tonya. All the family has.


    He said things need to blow over, time to settle down. And I¡¯m fine with that. I¡¯d be lying if I said I was unhappy taking these hits with Anthony. It¡¯s a nice change of pace, and less risk than what I¡¯m used to. I don¡¯t really give a shit what I do, so long as I have my family and my girl.


    She¡¯s epted, especially with the women. They¡¯ve been pampering the hell out of her since she¡¯s pregnant with our little boy. She¡¯s having a difficult time now that she¡¯s so far along. But he¡¯s going to be here soon. We can¡¯t fucking wait.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Anthony asks. Then he teases, ¡°He¡¯s gonna ruin your sex life.¡±


    I shake my head and grin at him. He¡¯s got a shit-eating grin on his face. ¡°You said her pregnancy was gonna ruin our sex life, and look how good that turned out.¡± I can hardly keep up with her. My bad girl still wants me. All fucking day if she can. ¡°You¡¯re so damn negative, you know that?¡± I tell him, as I peek out of the back doors and into the restaurant.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a little jealous, I gotta admit that.¡±


    I look at my brother with surprise. ¡°Of me?¡± He¡¯s never been jealous of me my whole life.


    He scrunches his forehead as he replies, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I can be jealous if I want.¡±


    ¡°If you wanna girl, go get one. You wanna baby, go make one.¡±


    He huffs augh and downs his drink. ¡°It¡¯s not quite that simple, Tommy.¡±


    I start to tell him, ¡°Yeah, it is that simple,¡± but think back and realize that no, it¡¯s not. Not for the right one. Then I hear my girl. She¡¯sughing, and I¡¯d recognize that beautiful sound anywhere. I open the door a crack and look out.


    She¡¯s in ck leggings and a hot pink sweater that hugs her swollen belly. She went out fordies¡¯ night and looks so damn happy. Ava¡¯s hanging on her arm. The two of them are close now. Thick as thieves. I¡¯ve gotten to know more about Kane than I ever wanted.


    ¡°Showtime.¡± Anthony smacks my shoulder and gets ready to open the door.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I say quickly, shutting it and taking a deep breath.


    ¡°Bro, knock it off. It¡¯s in the bag.¡± I look back at him and try to calm my nerves. ¡°For real, Tommy. She loves you.¡± He pats my back and adds, ¡°She¡¯s gonna make a good wife.¡±


    I nod my head. She is. She¡¯s gonna be my wife. And I¡¯m going to give her our happily ever after that she deserves.


    Anthony smiles at me. ¡°That¡¯s the Tommy I know. Go get yourself a wife.¡± He opens the door and I take a few steps out into the restaurant.


    She¡¯s facing away from me in her seat. They sat her like that on purpose. Ava sees me first, and lights up. She grabs a drink menu and tries to distract Tonya. Thedies look up at me one by one, and try to not make it obvious.


    Aunt Linda¡¯s smile is so fucking big, though. She¡¯s gonna give it away. She covers her face with her hand and pretends to cough. I get down on my knee behind her and look to my right to see the guysing out. We¡¯re all ready to surprise her with a baby shower. I knew I wanted to do this in front of everyone, and doing it here and now, it just felt right.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    While thedies distract her, the guys open up the back room doors where the party will be. I hear them all standing behind me. It¡¯s go time. I know it is, but I can¡¯t fucking move. My nerves are getting the best of me.


    I shake out my hands with my eyes closed, and that¡¯s when I hear her.


    ¡°Tommy?¡± Her voice is full of shock. I open my eyes with the ring box in my left hand, get down on one knee, and see her wide-eyed and covering her mouth. She¡¯s got her hands up like she¡¯s saying a prayer.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a bad girl. You were supposed to wait till I told you to turn around.¡± I smirk at her. Just seeing her excitement and the happiness in her eyes puts me at ease.


    Her hands fly down and start pping like she¡¯s a little kid.


    ¡°Tonya Ann Kelly, marry me.¡± I hold up the box to show her the three carat, cushion cut diamond ring with side ents I¡¯ve picked out for her. I went to three different stores, but the second I saw this one, it was all over. I knew I needed to put this one on her finger.


    She flings herself at me and wraps her arms around me. I don¡¯t wait for her to answer. I slip the ring on her finger, where it belongs. Everyone¡¯s pping andughing. I can hear Aunt Linda crying, ¡¯cause that¡¯s what she does. But the best sound ising from my bad girl¡¯s lips. She¡¯s got her head buried in my neck while she clings to me, ¡°I love you so much Tommy. I love you.¡±


    I pull back to look into her gorgeous eyes; they¡¯re full of nothing but happiness. ¡°I know you do, baby. I love you, too.¡±


    The End.


    Continue reading for book 5¡­

 120

    Anthony


    I stare at the picture from the envelope and feel so damn conflicted. I crumple the edges in my hand, not knowing if I really wanna go through with this. My eyes travel along each feature of her face, pausing to admire herrge, brown eyes and long, thickshes. She has gorgeous full lips I want to bite, but also see wrapped around my cock. Her nails are done in a ssic shade of red, and her light brown hair hangs over her shoulders in loose curls. Her breasts peek out just above the neckline of her flowing blouse. I wish I could slowly strip her out of those clothes. But I can¡¯t. She¡¯s not mine. Even worse, I¡¯m supposed to kill her.


    I shove the slip of paper back into the envelope containing the other photos, those hits I couldn¡¯t give two shits about. They¡¯re for assholes who have iting to them. One stole and ran in order to keep up with his addiction. You don¡¯t steal from a mob boss and think you can get away with it. The second killed a made man. He knows it¡¯sing. Neither are doing a good job of hiding. They¡¯ll be easy hits.


    I take another swig from my beer and debate on taking the sheet back out. But I have her face memorized already. I want her. More than that, I want to break her. My thoughts are depraved, and I know it. I think back to thest chick I had. She liked to y. But that¡¯s all it was to her. y. I want the real thing. I want to earn a woman¡¯s submission, earn her desire to please me through training. So far, it¡¯s always been pretend. I¡¯ve never had an opportunity like this. But it¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s so fucked up and wrong.


    But then again, so am I.


    I carve up assholes and kill them for a living. The torturing and their screams don¡¯t affect me in the least.


    This broad has iting to her, even if she doesn¡¯t know it. She probably thought she was doing the right thing by going to the cops. She probably thinks she¡¯s safe in the witness protection program. She¡¯s not. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing, and now it¡¯s my responsibility to make her disappear. She cost the Cassano familia a lot of money, but more than anything, they lost face. The fucker she was involved with doesn¡¯t care that she¡¯s on a hit list. He¡¯s just pissed she ratted on them, even if the charges didn¡¯t stick.


    Killing her is purely about their pride and the deal they lost.


    I grind my teeth and slowly peel back thebel on my beer bottle. I have to be delicate so it doesn¡¯t tear apart. Patience. I need patience. With everything I do, I need patience.


    I¡¯ve been looking into her, and I know she¡¯d fit the part. Poor girl didn¡¯t know what she was getting herself into when she started fucking around with a member of the Cassanos. She¡¯s a sweet little thing who thought she¡¯d like a taste of the more dangerous things in life. I can give her more than a taste though. I can give her exactly what she was looking for and fulfill those fantasies I know she has. And she can give me what I¡¯ve always wanted.


    I spied on her against night. She was reading one of her books, and I watched as it turned her on. Of course she had no idea, but I was right fucking there. The only thing separating us was a brick wall. With her window open, I clearly heard all those soft moansing from her lips. I had to know what she was reading, so I snuck in and took a look around.


    I Googled that book the second I got home. Her own dark desires sealed her fate.


    She has deviant fantasies just like me. She¡¯s fucking perfect.


    ¡°Anthony, you wanna talk now?¡± I hear Vince ask as he pulls up the stool to my right. I messaged him earlier. I ce my bottle on the bar and push it to one side as the bartender slides Vince his usual Jack.


    I lean back a bit and tap my knuckles on the bar before facing him. Vince is a ruthless fucker, and he doesn¡¯t take any shit. He¡¯s also my cousin, so I feel safe with him. But this is the mob, and he¡¯s the Don. I¡¯m never that safe.


    ¡°It¡¯s about the hits we got in,¡± I tell him in a low enough voice that no one else present is going to hear. Not that it matters. It¡¯s our bar, and we know everyone in here.


    ¡°You need help? Tommy¡¯s not enough?¡± he asks, cocking a brow. Tommy¡¯s my brother, and he¡¯s also my second-inmand. Technically we¡¯re both contractors for the familia. We only do hits, and we don¡¯t bother with that other bullshit.


    ¡°No,¡± I say with certitude. I never need help. Hits are easy for me, in addition to being good money.


    He takes a sip and licks his lips. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, then?¡± he asks.


    ¡°There¡¯s one that I¡¯d rather not do,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± he asks, setting the ss down to face me with his shoulders squared. He¡¯s in business mode. Right now he¡¯s not a friend, and he¡¯s not my cousin. Right now he¡¯s the boss.


    ¡°I want to make them an offer instead,¡± I exin.


    His brow furrows as he replies. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°One¡¯s a woman.¡± His eyes sh with sympathy. None of us like taking women out. It¡¯s something that rarely happens, but when it does, we don¡¯t like it. We make it quick and painless for them. Maybe it¡¯s sexist, but I don¡¯t give a fuck. I¡¯ve tortured a lot of men for information. Never a woman though. That¡¯s where I draw the line.


    ¡°They won¡¯t let her walk.¡± His words are said with finality.


    ¡°I want to ask if they¡¯d ept a substantial mary offer from me to buy her.¡± I feel my blood rushing faster and hotter. No one knows about my perversions. I¡¯m sure they can all guess. But I¡¯ve never said a thing about my tastes, and they¡¯ve never asked. They keep me on the edge of the social circle for the most part. I¡¯m fine with that. It¡¯s better that way.


    ¡°Buy her, and then what?¡± he asks with his eyes trained on the back of the bar.


    ¡°I want to keep her.¡± My voice is low, but steady.


    ¡°As a pet? As a ve?¡± Equal amounts of disgust and disbelief color his voice, and it almost makes me regret letting my dark desiree to light. Almost. But I want this. I want it more than anything.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to call it.¡± The determination in my voice rings out clearly. I¡¯m sure my eyes look dark and absolute. I¡¯m not ashamed of what I want. But I¡¯m not willing to risk my position in the familia over it. Not yet, anyway. It¡¯s been a week since I was given the hit. Each day my obsession with her has only grown. I cleared out a room for her already. In my head, she¡¯s already mine. This is just a formality. But to Vince, this is a twisted sickness.


    He looks me dead in the eyes as he begins, ¡°After that shit Ava went through¨C¡±


    I stop him right there and say, ¡°This would be nothing like that.¡± My voice is louder than it should be, and the dark stare he gives me in return makes that clear. I settle in my seat and continue with a respectful tone. ¡°I would never hurt her. Not like that. Not beyond any pain she didn¡¯t want.¡±


    ¡°Ava said some days she would¡¯ve rather been dead than been in that position.¡± My heart hurts for her. Ava¡¯s aare to a member of our familia. To Kane. He¡¯s a good man. He saved her, and in a lot of ways, she saved him as well.


    She went through a lot of shit. Her captors loved hurting her and humiliating her. She¡¯s a strong woman to have survived all that. That¡¯s not what I want though. The idea of doing that to a woman makes me angry. I¡¯d never do that. Never.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± I reach for my beer and turn away from him slightly. He doesn¡¯t understand. I didn¡¯t expect him to anyway. ¡°She¡¯s already dead. She¡¯s on their list.¡± I take a drink and then look back to him. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a choice.¡±


    ¡°Death, or your ve?¡± he asks with a humorless grunt. I know to him she¡¯d be seen as a ve, as a pet. That¡¯s fine. To me, she¡¯d be mine. Nothing else but mine.


    ¡°Better than death with no escape,¡± I respond tly.


    He takes a sip of Jack, looks at me, and says, ¡°It may not be to her. You want to hurt her and abuse her, rather than carrying out an order that would give her a quick death.¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t want that. It¡¯s not like that.¡± He doesn¡¯t fucking get it. I torture and kill people for a living. I can see how he thinks that¡¯s what I¡¯d do to her. But I wouldn¡¯t. I don¡¯t know how much I should exin. To be honest, I don¡¯t fucking feel like exining anything.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    My blood heats with anger, but then I have a pang of worry and think, What if she doesn¡¯t get it either? I brush my doubt aside. I¡¯ll show her. I¡¯ll have to teach her how perfect it would be to be mine. I¡¯ve looked into her. I¡¯ve been obsessed with learning everything about her. She¡¯s smart. She¡¯ll learn. She¡¯ll catch on quick that I¡¯ll be a good master to her. And she¡¯s familiar with the concepts. She¡¯s read enough to have an idea of what I want from her. ¡°Think of it as hardcore BDSM,¡± I say. I look at him from the corner of my eye, but it¡¯s not convincing him.


    I want this too fucking badly to let this opportunity pass me by. And after thinking about all the ways she¡¯d calm the beast in me, I don¡¯t know if I could actually go through with killing her.


    Vince shakes his head and asks, ¡°What are you looking to get from me, Anthony?¡±


    ¡°I want your permission to offer them a deal for her.¡± I need my proposal presented to the Cassano boss. He¡¯s the one who ordered the hit. A number of other bossese to us for hits, and we take care of their messes. For the right price, anyway. I don¡¯t want to piss anyone off, and I want this to be a clean deal. Vince is quiet for a long time as he considers.


    ¡°You won¡¯t hurt her?¡± he finally asks.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. It¡¯s about something else for me.¡± Control. Desire. Submission. I want it all from her, but not her pain.


    He nods his head once and I take that as an agreement. I can¡¯t help that an asymmetric smile grows on my face. Step one is done. Now to contact the other mob head. He¡¯ll be easy to convince, I¡¯m sure. He didn¡¯t give a fuck about the soldiers she gave up. He cares about the deal he lost, and the money that went with it.


    I down the rest of my beer and nod a goodbye to Vince. I don¡¯t have anything else to say to him. I¡¯d rather he forget this conversation ever happened.


    As I turn to leave, eager to clear out the cell I¡¯ve prepared for her and put the finishing touches in her room, he turns in his seat and grabs my arm to stop me.


    ¡°What are you going to do if she chooses death?¡± he asks as I turn to face him. The idea of her dying makes my heart stop in my chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± Chills run down my body at the thought of those beautiful eyes staring into mine, begging me for death. That¡¯s not what I want. I know she¡¯ll want this when I show her how good it can be.


    ¡°It might,¡± he says, looking at me with sympathy in his eyes. I don¡¯t want his sympathy.


    She¡¯s going to fucking love what I do to her. But I¡¯ll have to break her first.

 121

    Catherine


    3 weekster


    I tip the edge of the porcin cup to my lips and close my eyes as the perfect temperature of tea spills into my mouth. My eyes close and thefort of routine washes through me. But the feeling is only temporary. That¡¯s when I register the change. Something feels off. I remember thinking that earlier as well. It¡¯s too quiet. Crickets and other creatures of the night always provide soothing background noise for my evening tea. But tonight the noises are muted. It¡¯s as though something¡¯s scared them away.


    I always drink chamomile tea to help me rx and sleep. My normal routine is to sit on the porch while I finish a cup, followed by a mtonin pill. I¡¯ve had issues falling asleep for thest year or so. Ever since my lifepletely changed. Staying asleep is never an issue, but falling asleep is difficult. In the year that I¡¯ve been here, I¡¯ve done the same thing every night.


    Before my life changed forever, I didn¡¯t have a care in the world and slept like a baby every night. I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. Then I hit my mid-twenties and decided I needed to sow my wild oats. My mother had just passed away. She was older when she had me, and she died peacefully¨Cas peacefully as you can with cancer¨Cbut it was hard on me and I didn¡¯t want to face the pain. To say I engaged in high-risk behavior would be putting it lightly. Then I fell in love. Or rather, what I thought was love with an asshole named Lorenzo Passanova. I called him my Cassanova because I was a fucking idiot, high on lust and loving the risk that came with being with a man like him.


    I thought being with him would be just like the books I love to read. Like I¡¯d be living out the plot of a romance novel. I was a fucking idiot.


    Meeting that asshole was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I didn¡¯t even realize it until it was toote. He sucked me out of my safe little bubble into his world, and I felt alive for the first time in my life. But it was a mistake. A horrible fucking mistake.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    When you y with fire, expect to get burned. Over and over, I¡¯d heard my mother¡¯s warning, but I ignored it. The first time it happened, I knew I¡¯d seriously misjudged him. Lorenzo smacked me so hard across the face that I fell to the ground. Even worse, I eventually tried to sneak out and leave his ass behind, but ran into his familia beating the shit out of a guy. Bags of dope were scattered everywhere as they made their threats. That was it for me. I saw and heard too much. I ran like hell, but they got me. They cornered me and took me back to Lorenzo and then to their Don.


    Lorenzo beat the hell out of me in front of them. He told them he¡¯d keep me in line for now, so they didn¡¯t have to kill me right then. His familia were cold-blooded murderers who wanted me dead. I¡¯ll never forget the looks in their eyes. Or the disgusting joy that filled Lorenzo¡¯s dark eyes when he would repeatedly hurt me. I had one chance to slip away, and I took it. I ran like hell and bbed to the police so they¡¯d protect me.


    That¡¯s what living on the edge got me. As a result, I¡¯ve settled my ass down tremendously. And now I¡¯m back to being the good girl my mother raised me to be. Being through that shit and getting ced in the witness protection program will do that to you.


    So now I stay in my cozy house feeling alone but safe, and surround myself withfort and familiarity. It¡¯s different now; I¡¯m more alone than I¡¯ve ever been in my entire life, but at least I¡¯m safe. Thest time the marshals checked in on me was nearly three months ago. Now I¡¯m on my own and settled in.


    This screened-in porch is now my favorite room in this snug, raised ranch house.


    My toes sweep across the soft and high pile of the rug beneath the wicker furniture set. Across from me I have my antique curio cab. It contains myrge collection of teapots and cups. When I run a load ofundry, I can faintly smell it from here. I inhale deeply and my lungs fill with all my favorite scents.


    But the best part is the location. I¡¯m nearly half a mile away from anyone. My home is set back into the woods and I¡¯m surrounded by trees. The moonlight shines down and tonight it¡¯s full, illuminating the woods as though it¡¯s nearly dawn. Usually my ritual helps put me at ease, but tonight it¡¯s less familiar, lessforting.


    The night air feels a bit colder on my shoulders, sending a shiver down my back. I wrap the cashmere throw tighter around myself, all the way up to my neck. I feel my forehead crease as I realize I feel someone¡¯s eyes on me. The sensation freezes my body for a moment as the fear I had nearly every night when I first moved here returns. I turn quickly in my seat and feel my heart racing. The sound of blood rushing through my ears is all I can hear. When I first moved here, I was terrified the Cassanos would find me. But they didn¡¯t. It took a long time for me to feel safe, and an even longer time for the nightmares to stop, but it¡¯s all over now. I breathe in deep and concentrate on rxing.


    I settle my back against the seat, thinking I¡¯m just being paranoid. A thought urs to me. Maybe this is my survival instinct warning me. The idea causes a row of goosebumps to travel down my arms. But just like all of the anxiety I¡¯ve dealt with this week, I push it down and chalk it up to my nerves.


    I ce the teacup down gently on the table and stand up, stretching slightly and covering my mouth as I yawn. The nket slips off my shoulders, and a chill runs through my body. I¡¯m quick to pull it back up to cover me and grip it close. Fall must being. It¡¯s the change of the season that¡¯s throwing me off. I close my eyes and listen harder. Some noises are faint, but they¡¯re still present. I just need to rx and ept the approaching transition from summer to autumn. Some things can¡¯t be helped.


    Still, I check the locks at the front door twice after depositing my cup in the sink. Being alone in a cabin in the country isn¡¯t the smartest thing for a young woman on her own. My options for disappearing and starting a new life were limited though, and when you want to hide, it¡¯s best to be far away and alone.


    I move the curtain away from therge window in the front room and look down the gravel driveway, seeing nothing. The grass is tall and needs to be mowed. I sigh and again the throw slips, but it¡¯s warmer inside the main part of the house, so I let it drape over the crook in my arm.


    My bed is made and I can¡¯t wait to sink into it and drift to sleep, but I need to check over my email and messages onest time before I can pass out. The one good thing about my job is that I can do it from anywhere. When I first moved here, I had to stop working on anything associated with my real name. My blog, my columns and articles, anything else tied to my online presence, you name it-done. I was crushed. I had been a renowned book reviewer, beta reader, and part-time writer. The money was great, but I would have loved it all regardless of the pay.


    I had to say goodbye to my former life though because the Cassano familia could have found me that way. The mafia that saw me as a rat could have easily tracked me down if I¡¯d continued working under my real name, and it wasn¡¯t worth it.


    So I started over under a pen name, and it¡¯s going better than I ever imagined it could. The experience and knowledge that I gained in my former life helped me tremendously. Now I¡¯m firmly established in the industry, and I¡¯m doing even better than I was before.


    This is my life now¨Cbooks and tea in a remote cabin in the woods. I love it, buttely it¡¯s felt empty. I could go on like this, feeling as though I¡¯m living a full life, but I¡¯m so alone. I wanted nothing more than to be by myself when I was running and hiding. But now I find myself questioning if I¡¯ll ever have anyone real in my life, and anything substantial.


    I¡¯ve thought about getting a dog-a big one, to help make me feel secure. A dog¡¯s love is unconditional. I want that love desperately. I need it from someone, or something. But a dog would need walks and interaction, plus dogs have to be taken to the vet. Those are all opportunities for people to see me. I don¡¯t want that. I want to stay hidden. I need to stay hidden. But I do needpanionship. I¡¯ve been craving it more and more as I¡¯ve settled into this new life.


    At least I have my business. I have my blogging, my books, and my friends, even if they¡¯re all online. I almost didn¡¯t start over. I almost gave up and poured my heart into a book of my own. But my life is no romance. And writing it down would make it real. Once I¡¯d gotten over the fear, I didn¡¯t want to relive it. So I did my best to move on.


    I was hesitant to start from scratch, but I pushed myself to do it anyway. Within two months my new blog had taken off, and I¡¯d revitalized my ie. I log on and see twelve new messages in my email. The first few are easy enough to reply to, requiring nothing more than copying and pasting from a temte of other answers I¡¯ve already given. The next email takes some time to write out though. I¡¯m responding to a new author who messaged me looking for advice on her series. I¡¯ll have to get back to her in the morning. I don¡¯t have the energy right now. But I take this business seriously, and it shows. And it pays. Just before I close theptop, I hear a ping.


    It¡¯s a message from a new book friend. She joined my book club a few weeks ago. Right now it¡¯s just a small Facebook group, but it¡¯s my baby. Although she¡¯s not very active in the group, she¡¯s messaged me a number of times. I get so many messages a day. Some are from other bloggers and columnists who are just starting out and looking for advice. Others are from authors wanting to send me advanced reading copies and beta reads. I can read two books a day, so I¡¯m always happy to help where I can. But Val¡¯s messages are different. They¡¯re more personal.


    What did you think of the book?


    I scan the message twice as my fingers hover above the keys. I read and receive so many books that most of the time I have to sift through my emails before replying in order to make sure I¡¯m keeping everything straight, but not this time. I know exactly which book Val¡¯s referring to.


    Smut, also known as erotic romance to some, is a genre with which I¡¯m intimately familiar. I prefer the term smut though, because it fills me with life. Like I¡¯m naughty for reading it. The book she picked out though is exceptionally taboo. Arousal heats my core. The idea of being taken by a strange man has certainly been a dark desire of my own. I clench my thighs and bite down on my lip. I won¡¯t admit how I touched myself to some scenes.


    I decide to respond with a professional answer.


    I thought the author did a fabulous job of depicting the scenes with vivid imagery and capturing the heroine¡¯s emotions and character arc. Overall a well-written book.


    She¡¯s quick with a reply. So you enjoyed it?


    I did, I message back.


    Is it so wrong that I¡¯d want it toe true? Her reply makes me stop and consider her words.


    I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with the fantasy. But I¡¯m sure real life would be much different.


    You don¡¯t think you¡¯d enjoy it in real life? Her question forces a smallugh from my lips. Although it¡¯s wonderful to get lost in them, these books aren¡¯t real. I know I¡¯d enjoy some things. I¡¯ve often fantasized about them. But this conversation is veering a little more into the territory of my personal preferences and is less about the book. It¡¯s alsote, and I need to go to sleep while the mtonin is still active or I¡¯ll never get to bed. So I settle for a quick reply with a little humor that she¡¯d enjoy.


    Oh there are scenes I¡¯d enjoy, but I¡¯ll stick to role ying for that ?? Gotta go to bed, ttyl!


    Night!


    A shiver of want travels through me as I exit her message and look at the list of remaining emails. I¡¯ll get to them all tomorrow.


    I close myptop, but I feel more awake now than I was when I first sat down. The book Val mentioned is all I can think about as I change into a nightgown. The imagery of a dark, damp cell and chains flood my mind. I can picture being the heroine. I can understand her desire to please her master. I wasn¡¯t a huge fan of the ending though. It wasn¡¯t the happily ever after I enjoy from romance. It was more realistic. After all, how could you ever fall in love with your captor, but still be sane? Would it even be possible to have both the sweet fantasy and the dark reality?


    As I crawl into bed and lie on my back, I let my fingertips gently brush along my clit as I think about the book. I hear the clinking of the chains and the smack of the whip. I see her back arch as she raises her lower half to him for more. He takes her however he wants, and she¡¯s more than happy to let him use her body. My legs part, and I dip my fingers into my slick pussy and run the moisture over my clit. A small moan escapes me as I see the scenes y out in my head.


    She¡¯s been trained to love the sting of the belt, and the feel of his hand pping her ass. His bites. His marks. My hand grips my breast and I pinch my nipple between my fingers and pull, imagining it¡¯s him. I turn my head as though his lips are touching my neck, as if his teeth are about to pierce my skin. Anything and everything he does to her is a reward. He thrusts into her and takes his pleasure, over and over. Using her body. And she enjoys it. She thrives under his touch. I circle my clit, wanting him to reward her for her obedience. It¡¯s all she lives for. She is his, and that¡¯s all she desires. She only lives to please him. He doesn¡¯t stop until he has his fill and cums deep inside her. That alone is enough to bring her over the edge. And I find my own release with her.


    You don¡¯t think you¡¯d enjoy it in real life?


    I remember Val¡¯s question as my breath steadies and I turn on my side, feeling exhausted from cumming.


    In real life, that scenario would be a fucking nightmare. Just as I close my eyes, I feel a pinch in my neck. My lips part as I wince and raise my hand to feel what caused the sting, but it falls lifeless to my side. I vaguely make out a dark figure rounding the bed to approach me.


    ¡°Sleep, kitten.¡± I hear his voice. But I can¡¯t respond as darkness overwhelms me.

 122

    Catherine


    My shoulders are so sore. I roll onto my back against the cold, hard concrete and wince. After taking a moment to adjust to the difort, I push off the floor and into a sitting position. My eyes open and try to adapt to the darkness. I can barely see anything. My heart pounds in my chest, beating faster than it ever has before. I have no idea where I am or how I got here, but this shit isn¡¯t good. A cold sweat pricks my skin as I think back tost night. I remember lying down in my bed. I was tired, and then I fell asleep.


    I have no clue how I¡¯ve ended up here, in the middle of what looks like a small basement cer. It¡¯s nearly pitch ck. The only light is streaming through three small windows high up on the ceiling of the far wall. Each window is only about the size of a cinder block, and all three are blocked by something, but a small bit of light is still shining through. Terror runs through me and seems to freeze my blood.


    I open my mouth to scream, but I¡¯m too scared. They¡¯ll hear me.


    I¡¯ve been taken. They found me, and they took me. I know exactly who it is. The Cassanos. Fuck! I never want to go back to him, to Lorenzo. I won¡¯t let him touch me ever again.


    Tears threaten to reveal themselves. But it¡¯s useless to cry. Some small part of me always knew it woulde to this. You can¡¯t escape your death. I didn¡¯t really think I¡¯d ever be able to run. I swallow the lump growing in my throat. My eyes fall to the ground. I have no idea why they would keep me alive, since I¡¯m no use to them. I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll kill me soon. Or worse.


    There are only two options I can think of. One, they left me alive to torture me because I went to the cops. Two, they left me alive to torture me for fun. Knowing Lorenzo, it¡¯s number two.


    I close my eyes, letting the realization settle in. My body shakes as tremors of fear run through my limbs, but I try to soothe them. I got out before. I¡¯ll do it again. I may be a meek little mouse, as that fucker used to call me, but I fight when I have to. And right now, I have to.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    My eyes slowly open and adjust to the light.


    The air is cold and damp, but my throw is in a pile on the floor next to me. I quickly grab it and wrap it around me as though it can protect me. Fear cripples me as I hear the sound of a chair moving across the floor. My heart stills and a chill prickles my skin. I¡¯m not alone.


    As I search the dark, vacant room, I see him. The look of a hunter stares back at me. I don¡¯t recognize him. His broad chest and chiseled muscles flex as he leans forward. His eyes are a brilliant light blue and they pierce through me. His cheekbones are sharp and only appear more contoured with the shadows from the dim light. If he had any other expression on his face, I¡¯d think he was the most gorgeous man I¡¯ve ever met.


    As if reading my mind, he smirks at me. The fucking bastard thinks this is funny. My heart tries to climb up my throat as he sits back in his seat and his hand settles on the raging erection in his jeans.


    Fuck!


    My eyes dart back up to his. That shit¡¯s not happening. I¡¯ll w his fucking eyes out. I look for a door and then back to him. I don¡¯t see one, but I don¡¯t care if I kill him and I¡¯m locked in here and starve to death. I won¡¯t let that happen.


    We stare at each other in silence. I want to ask him what he wants from me, but I already know. I want to plead for him to let me leave, but I¡¯ve learned that doesn¡¯t work. Instead I wait for his move. He cocks his head after a moment and slowly stands.


    As he moves toward me, I resist the urge to scoot away. I can¡¯t do that. I can¡¯t back myself into a corner.


    He crouches in front of me and leans in closer. His eyes hold a hint of danger, but also a spark of desire. I¡¯m just not sure what he wants to do with me exactly, besides the obvious. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to kill you,¡± he says. His deep baritone voice is low and threatening. He tilts his head as I slide slightly backward on my ass out of natural instinct. I take control of my body and tilt my chest away from him, giving myself leverage to kick this motherfucker in the balls if he gets any closer.


    His full lips pull into an asymmetric grin. ¡°You can¡¯t get away from me just yet.¡± I hate how he¡¯s taunting me, like he expected this.


    My breathing is ragged, and my heart is beating so fast I swear my chest won¡¯t be able to contain it. It feels as though my heart¡¯s trying to leap out of my throat. I barely get the words out, but I manage to say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    His grin widens into a perfect smile. This man¡¯s too handsome to be a predator. There¡¯s a darkness about him, but he could fool anyone with just a small amount of charm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die either, kitten.¡± His pet name sends a bolt of desire to my clit. Shame washes through me. I shouldn¡¯t like it. This is wrong. He stands up and towers above me. I tilt my head to keep my eyes on him. ¡°You have a choice,¡± he says.


    I wait for him to continue as I stay huddled in a ball beneath him. My blood rushes loudly in my ears and I try to calm my racing heart. He doesn¡¯t want me to die. That should rx me; it should make me feel even the faintest bit better. But it doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°You can die.¡± He speaks to the far wall, not looking at me. I find my eyes searching for a door, looking for a way out. To my right, I finally spot a steel door, with a keypad to its left. ¡°Or,¡± he continues, and I feel his gaze on me as my eyes fly to meet his and my heart thuds painfully in my chest. ¡°You can agree to be mine.¡±


    I can¡¯t help that the way he says it makes my core heat. A wetness pools between my thighs and I feel ashamed. This isn¡¯t a fantasy. This is real life. I feel the blood drain from my face as I be lightheaded. The only reason I¡¯m not dead is because he wants to keep me. But I doubt his intentions are anything but kinky and sick.


    I don¡¯t want this. Tears leak from the corners of my eyes and I shake my head. ¡°No.¡± My voice is hoarse and barely audible.


    This isn¡¯t real. This isn¡¯t happening. I wait for him to grab me. As soon as he does, I¡¯ll strike. But he merely searches my face for something and stands far enough away that I can¡¯t do any real damage.


    He cocks a brow and his voice softens as he says, ¡°You haven¡¯t heard my terms. How sure are you that you don¡¯t want to be my pet?¡±


    Terms?


    Again the offer makes my pussy clench and my cheeks redden with a violent blush. ¡°No,¡± I blurt out without thinking.


    His chest rumbles with a deep chuckle. ¡°Some part of you wants me. There¡¯s hope for us after all.¡± He smiles down at me and turns to walk away. My limbs refuse to move and attack him. Instead I stay frozen on the ground. I watch his corded muscles ripple as he walks to the door and enters in a code.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I ask before thinking. Apparently the fear of being left alone in this room to rot is greater than my fear of him. I don¡¯t want to die here, left to starve because he changed his mind. I may have said no, but I sure as fuck don¡¯t want to die here.


    He turns and gives me the same sexy smirk. ¡°My kitten needs to eat.¡±


    Tension coils in my body. I can¡¯t let him leave. I need to get more information. I don¡¯t like not knowing anything about this situation and not having any other options.


    ¡°Wait. What¨C¡± I swallow thickly before continuing. ¡°What are your terms?¡±


    He smirks at me as he opens the door and says, ¡°The first is that you¡¯ll listen to me. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    My chest rises and falls with anxiety and fear as I stare back at him in silence. I pull the throw tighter around my shoulders and watch as he walks through the door and leaves me in the dark room. I¡¯m all alone and barely able to breathe. After a short moment, lights in the ceiling slowlye to life, illuminating the room dimly and gradually getting brighter. I look around my surroundings and see a small toilet in the corner and the metal chair my captor was sitting in, but nothing else. Tears prick my eyes and my blood runs cold. I can¡¯t stay here like a prisoner.


    I stare at the door waiting for him toe back, letting everything sink in.


    I¡¯ve been taken.


    And he wants to keep me.


    The only thing I¡¯m certain of is that I need to find a way out of here. Run as fast as I can, and never look back. But I¡¯ll have to rely on him to get out of this fucking cell first.

 123

    Anthony


    I¡¯ve never done anything that¡¯s felt this wrong before. Nothing¡¯s evere close to giving me this thrill that¡¯s surging in my blood. Her reaction was perfect. I knew she¡¯d deny me, but the fight in her is something I didn¡¯t expect. I fucking love it.


    I had to be in there when she woke up. I didn¡¯t want her freaking out, thinking she was going to die. Instead she can be absorbed with thoughts of me and being mine. My dick is fucking leaking in my jeans. I can¡¯t help that I want this. I want her. And now I have her. But not her submission though. That much is obvious and expected.


    I feel like I¡¯m on the highest high I¡¯ve ever had in my life. I should feel conflicted. I should have second thoughts about this, or feel remorse. But I don¡¯t. She¡¯s mine.


    I pace back and forth in the kitchen as I think about what I¡¯d like to feed her. I¡¯m not sure what to offer her first. I need to make it tempting for her to obey me, but this isn¡¯t a reward. I have to stay vignt. I want to shower her with everything she¡¯d ever want to convince her she¡¯d enjoy being my pet. But that would defeat the entire purpose of all this, and she needs to know what her position is. She needs to earn her rewards just as much as I need to earn her submission.


    There are simple truths to this rtionship.


    I will always give her shelter and food, no matter how disobedient she is. Even if she refuses every order, which I imagine will happen at some point. Hell, I fully expect her to try to kill me at some point, too. Even the best submissives refuse their positions at times. And she¡¯s being forced into this, so I wouldn¡¯t me her if she did. There¡¯s no reason for me to deliver physical punishment unless I¡¯d like to prep her for pleasure. Which I can¡¯t fucking wait to do.


    I imagine it¡¯ll be her mouth that makes me blister her ass red. My dick jumps in my pants at the thought of watching her ass turn a beautiful shade as my palm smacks against her pale skin.


    Equally as important as punishment is reward.


    Although I¡¯ll always feed her, some kinds of food are definitely a reward. This won¡¯t be one of them. But it needs to be good. She didn¡¯t eat dinner, so I know she must be hungry. It¡¯s far past breakfast, so a light brunch it is.


    I looked up her credit card history and I know what she likes to eat. I¡¯ve taken everything she does into consideration. I know everything about her. I¡¯ve spent every day for nearly a month studying her habits and learning how best I can meet her needs and reward her. I also needed time to get the rooms together and decide on the best way to go about everything in between taking care of the other hits. I¡¯ve fantasized about this day since I got the approval from the mob bosses. But I never imagined I¡¯d get this fucking rush of adrenaline.


    One thing I hadn¡¯t decided was what her first meal should be.


    Although she¡¯s not too picky, I don¡¯t want it to be mediocre. However, I can¡¯t spoil her just yet, so I decide on fresh ahi tuna. It¡¯s something that will be simple to feed her. I smile as I realize I¡¯m going to feed my kitten tuna. A rough chuckle rumbles through my chest. I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t find humor in that, but I sure as fuck do.


    I grab the tuna tartare from the fridge. It¡¯s fresh. I bought it just for her since it¡¯s one of her favorites. I¡¯ll give it to her now even though it¡¯s certainly on the reward side of food. She needs to know I¡¯ll treat her well and give her what she likes so long as she obeys. She¡¯ll probably throw it in my face or on the ground, but I¡¯m prepared for that to happen. And then she¡¯ll have to settle for something less appealing when I serve her dinner.


    If she¡¯s a good girl, I¡¯ll move her into her room. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll react well to being kept and told to obey, but the thought makes my dick press even harder against my zipper. I¡¯m dying for her to disobey me, but there¡¯s a very real possibility that it¡¯ll take a long time to convince her that she should listen to me. I can¡¯t get carried away with my excitement. I have to be patient. I have to give her every reason I can to submit to me willingly.


    She will though. I¡¯m certain of it. I know this turns her on as much as it does me. It¡¯s what sealed her fate. We both have this fantasy, and I¡¯d be a fucking idiot to let it pass us by. That¡¯s why I watched her for so long. I needed to make sure this is really what I wanted. And it is. She¡¯s exactly who I want. Everything she does is perfect. She¡¯s a natural submissive.


    I pull back the stic wrap holding the delicately pressed chunks together, and ce the stack neatly in the center of a ceramic te. It looks delicious. I grab the apanying stic container of sauce and put it on the dish. She¡¯ll enjoy this¡­ if she eats it. I thought about using a stic te, but I want the dish to be breakable. I want her to think about smashing it and using it against me. Fuck, in all honesty, I hope she tries. That way I can show her how useless her struggle would be. It feeds into my need to train her to be submissive to me. Maybe it¡¯s wrong of me to tease her like that and to dare her to disobey me, but I don¡¯t give a fuck.


    Right now I just need to get her to agree and follow a simplemand. To eat.


    I have to adjust my erection at the thought of her parting those full lips and letting me slip chunks of tuna into her mouth. I¡¯m so fucking hard for her. All I want to do is pin her down and sink deep into her hot cunt. I know she¡¯s turned on by this. If nothing else she wants to fuck me. It¡¯s a long way from her craving to be all mine, to wanting to submit to my every wish. But at least her desire is a start. A really good fucking start. I wasn¡¯t anticipating that just yet.


    I thought she¡¯d be crying by now. I imagined her screaming and begging to be set free. That¡¯s not what I want, but that would be a natural response. Maybe that¡¯lleter. I¡¯m hopeful that it won¡¯t though. She¡¯s too smart for that shit. I think she¡¯ll probably pretend to y along and wait for the perfect opportunity, just like she did earlier. She¡¯ll go along with everything, waiting to see my hand and then calcte her next move.


    I¡¯ll be ready though. I can¡¯t wait till she lets her ws out and tries to fight me so I can show her just how easy it would be to take her.


    I shake my head, hating where my thoughts are going. I¡¯m such a sick fuck. For as long as I can remember, I¡¯ve had these dark desires. I want her to fight me, to run from me. I want to feel her body struggle against mine. But I want her to do all of that willingly. I want her eager for me to chase her and pin her down, forcing her legs open and fucking her until she¡¯s limp and filled with my cum. I won¡¯t give in to that temptation, not until she begs me. Not until I earn it.


    I can¡¯t get carried away. I need her to want this just as much as I do.


    As I prepare to head back to her cell, my phone goes off in the dining room. From the sound I can tell it¡¯s a text, and I know it¡¯s from Vince. I put the te on the counter and walk to the table to give him the news.


    Is the shipment taken care of? he asks in his text.


    Usually I¡¯d reply with a simple yes, meaning that the unlucky bastard on my list is dead, but that¡¯s not the case this time.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    It¡¯s been delivered, I respond.


    You¡¯ve kept the shipment?


    Yes. I¡¯m quick to answer. My heart beats faster in my chest. He gave me permission, so now I¡¯m keeping her. I don¡¯t like that he¡¯s questioning me. Maybe he was wondering if I¡¯d really go through with it. I watch my phone and see he¡¯s writing a response. Then nothing. Then he starts typing again. I¡¯m not sure if he doesn¡¯t know what to say, or if he¡¯s just trying to figure out how to word it.


    Will the order keep a shelf life? he asks, and I know what he¡¯s really asking. Will she live? Am I going to kill her? Or possibly he thinks she¡¯d rather die than be with me.


    I stare at my phone and look through the kitchen toward the back room where the door to the basement is. I¡¯ve got all three of her rooms set up with locks on them. The cell, her suite, and her office. I didn¡¯t do all this prep work and make sure she was the one for me only to have her taken away. Or worse, have her choose death. She may have said no to being mine out of a knee-jerk reaction at first, but she¡¯s curious, and I know I can change her mind. She doesn¡¯t mean it. Before I leave her cell tonight, I¡¯m going to leave her wanting more. I want her to start fantasizing about being mine and what an opportunity this really is for her.


    I type in my answer and push send, leaving the phone on the table and walking quickly to get back to her.


    I¡¯m keeping her.

 124

    Catherine


    After a minute of watching the door, I slowly rise and take a look around the room. It¡¯s small and a bit cold. The only escape is the door he went through. The one locked with a keypad.


    I can¡¯t fucking stay here like a caged rat. My heart stills in my chest. That¡¯s what I am to them. My eyes rise with defiance to the door. I did what I thought was right, and the only thing I could do to survive. They can all fuck off. I don¡¯t deserve this shit. I¡¯m not a mouse or a rat.


    I picture that sexy smirk and hear the man keeping me here call me kitten. It sends a shiver down my spine. I¡¯m not his fucking kitten either. Even if I do think that pet name is sexy as hell, and it makes my pussy clench.


    I walk to the chair and imagine smashing it against his head when that fucker gets back in here. I don¡¯t know the code to unlock the door though. I¡¯d have to be on the other side of the room to get a good view of him punching in the keys. Even then, I doubt I¡¯d be able to make them out; it¡¯s too fucking dark. I need to get the fuck out of this room, and I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to be able to do that unless he physically lets me.


    I know pleading with him to let me go would be of no use, but maybe I can beg him to let me out of this room and into another. One without a fucking lock. I need to be smart about this. I grip the back of the chair wanting so desperately to just beat the shit out of him, but I can¡¯t. First of all, I¡¯m weak as shit. Second, no matter how much I don¡¯t like it, I¡¯m stuck here until he decides to let me out.


    My body tenses as the door opens. I watch as he walks into the room with a te bnced in his hands. Anger heats my blood. This is a game to him. He thinks he can y with me. He stops as the door clicks shut behind him and he stares at me. I try to school my expression to neutral, so I don¡¯t reveal how I¡¯m really feeling. But then I see his expression, and he looks pleased. He¡¯s happy that I¡¯m angry. I release my grip on the chair and take a step back before I give in to the urge to pick it up and throw it at him.


    ¡°You look upset, kitten.¡±


    My nostrils re. I decide to settle on the truth. ¡°I am.¡± I keep my hands straight so I don¡¯t ball them into fists. It won¡¯t do me any good to fight a man like him head on. I need to save my energy for when I¡¯ll haveto fight him off, since I¡¯m sure that¡¯sing. I should also be adopting a more submissive tone considering I¡¯vee to terms with the fact that he¡¯s the only way I can get out of here. But I¡¯m holding on to my anger. It¡¯s better than giving into the hopelessness of the situation.


    ¡°With me?¡± He tsks and shakes his head as he takes slow and deliberate steps toward me. I take another step back as he sets the te down on the chair. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry with me, kitten. I¨C¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me that!¡± I scream at him, hating how he¡¯s talking to me. Like he¡¯s cating a disobedient child.


    His shoulders stiffen, and the soft angles of his face harden with anger. ¡°Now now, you shouldn¡¯t speak to me that way. You¡¯re a smart girl, so you should know better.¡± His tone is soothing, like he¡¯s trying to appease me, but it¡¯s right on the edge of taunting me with condescension.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I ask with a choked voice. I want to get this part over with. That¡¯s really what I need to find out. I want to know what I have to do to get the fuck out of this room.


    ¡°I want you to submit to me,¡± he answers simply.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I whisper the word. I need to y along in order to get the fuck out of here. I rx my shoulders, trying to channel a softer side of me.


    He tilts his head and echoes, ¡°Fine?¡± A low chuckle rises in his chest, and I have to keep my eyes wide open and my lips mmed shut to avoid showing how much it turns me on. What the fuck is wrong with me? My breathing picks up and I take another step back, not trusting him or my reactions.


    ¡°Alright, then¡­ kitten.¡± He stares at me, waiting for a response to his pet name for me. I don¡¯t give him one. Instead I hold my tongue and push down my pride. ¡°Come over here and get down on your knees.¡±


    My heart sinks. I¡¯m not doing that shit. He¡¯s out of his fucking mind if he thinks I¡¯m going to suck him off. As much as I want to obey him so I can get the fuck out of here, I¡¯m not going to do that. I¡¯m not a whore. I could bite his dick off though. I feel my eyebrows raise at the thought, and the tiny cer fills with a deep, roughugh from the man standing across from me.


    ¡°You¡¯re adorable, kitten. But that¡¯s not going to happen. Not yet.¡± He shakes his head with a small smile on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s not going to happen?¡± I y dumb, like I wasn¡¯t that obvious just now.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t earned my touch yet, and you don¡¯t need it right now.¡± He picks up the te and moves the chair so it¡¯s facing me before sitting down. ¡°Nowe here and get on your knees so I can feed you.¡±


    I hesitate to move. I don¡¯t believe him, not for one second. And kneeling before him would put me at an even greater physical disadvantage.


    ¡°Come on, I know you¡¯re hungry.¡± He sets the te on hisp and motions with his fingers for me toe to him. ¡°It¡¯s almost eleven, and you didn¡¯t eatst night. You must be starving.¡±


    My eyes narrow on him. I hate that he watched mest night. I knew it. I should have trusted my instincts. I knew someone was out there. ¡°How long did you watch me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you ever since I got the hit on you.¡± He¡¯s quick with his response, and it chills my blood.


    ¡°Are you a member of the mafia?¡± I ask.


    He chuckles and says, ¡°Which one?¡± The fact that he thinks this is funny really pisses me off.


    ¡°Are you a Cassano?¡± I ask with force.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°So why are you going to kill me then?¡± My heart sinks. I don¡¯t understand. How many fucking people did I piss off?


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you,¡± he says with a hard voice. His blue eyes turn dark and I can feel the weight of the conviction in his voice. ¡°It took a lot for me to be able to have you. But I bought you from the Cassanos, and now I¡¯m keeping you.¡± I can¡¯t help that my pussy twitches at his words.


    ¡°Why?¡± my voice asks, without my conscious consent.


    He leans forward slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve asked you twice now toe and get down on your knees. You need to learn to listen.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    My feet move of their own ord until I¡¯m standing in front of him. My legs tremble as I slowly kneel before him. I swallow thickly. Finally, I sit on my heels and keep my eyes on the door behind him. I have to do what needs to be done. My heart sinks and I just want to cry.


    ¡°Look at me, kitten,¡± his deep voicemands me, and I look up at him reluctantly. I feel weak, and I hate it. Everyone assumes I¡¯m weak. Now that I¡¯m on my knees without a fight, it¡¯s hard for me to disagree. I look at his gorgeous face with nothing but sadness on mine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. You¡¯ll enjoy this.¡± He leans forward and ces arge hand on my shoulder. I fucking lean into his touch and close my eyes before I can stop myself. ¡°Trust me.¡±


    My eyes harden at his words, but before I can spit back that I don¡¯t even know him, let alone trust him, he takes his hand away and says, ¡°You¡¯ll learn to trust me.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek and wait for his next move. My eyes are drawn to his fingers as he reaches for a chunk of what I think is tuna. My mouth waters as he dips it into some sort of sauce and brushes it along the side of the cup until none of the sauce is dripping from the chunk of fish. He brings it to my lips and I instinctively lean back and move my hands up in front of my face.


    The man¡¯s deep voice rings out. ¡°No.¡± My body jumps at his disapproval, and my heart races as I look into his eyes. Half of me still expects him to be violent toward me, even though he hasn¡¯t yet. ¡°You know what I want.¡±


    He seems to rx some as he registers my fear. ¡°Hands on your knees like they were, and mouth open. You were seated perfectly.¡±


    I obey him even though my fear seems to paralyze my body. I¡¯m simply moving to hismands in order to survive. I have to admit him saying I was ¡°seated perfectly¡± gives me a small thrill. And I fucking hate that. I wish he didn¡¯t have this affect on me.


    ¡°Open,¡± hemands, and I do as he says. He gently ces the chunk of tuna in my mouth and as he does, my stomach grumbles from hunger.


    He smiles down at me and dips another piece in the sauce. ¡°I knew you were hungry, kitten.¡± He looks at me again with curiosity, holding the piece over the te. ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    My heart beats slowly as I search his face. I wonder if he¡¯s toying with me. If I admit that I like it, he might take it away and make me starve.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to answer me quickly and honestly, Catherine.¡± His voice holds a note of admonishment, and I feelpelled to apologize.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, s¨C¡± Sir is on the tip of my tongue, but I pause as I realize I don¡¯t know what to call him.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± he says, answering my unspoken question. ¡°No need to be sorry.¡± His other hand grips my chin to get my attention. ¡°You¡¯re learning. I can be reasonable so long as you¡¯re making an effort to obey. Is that understood?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± His fingers stroke my jaw briefly. ¡°Did you like that?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Anthony.¡± It feels odd saying his name again so soon. But I imagine it¡¯s what he wants.


    He smirks at me, the fucking bastard. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it every time.¡± He holds the fish out and I open my mouth obediently.


    It¡¯s so fucking good. It¡¯s not fair that I am fucking loving this fish. It¡¯s sweet, with a hint of spice. I¡¯d eat this every day if I could. My eyes widen. He knew I¡¯d like it. He smirks at me again as if reading my mind.


    ¡°Open,¡± he says, holding out another piece.


    I do as he says. And again and again. His fingers brush against my lips more and more. He puts a piece up to my mouth, and I take it and swallow before I realize his finger is still in front of my face.


    ¡°A bit of sauce, suck.¡± My core heats and stirs as I maintain eye contact and open my mouth. His lips part as he slips his finger slowly into my mouth. I gently suck and massage him with my tongue. His eyes go half-lidded, and his breathes in pants. And that¡¯s when I push my teeth down. Not hard, but enough that they scrape against him as he slowly pulls his finger free from my mouth. I know it didn¡¯t hurt him, but he got the message.


    Once his finger is finally released, he grabs my jaw forcefully. He shoves his thumb into my mouth, tilting my head slightly. I¡¯m forced to remain still, with my neck bent at an awkward angle. ¡°Be a good girl, kitten. I know you could hurt me if you wanted to.¡± He leans in closer and whispers in my ear. His hot breath sends shivers down my back. ¡°Just remember, I could hurt you too, if I wanted.¡±


    The threat makes me regret my action. My eyes fall, and tears prick the back of them as he releases me. My heart hurts, and anxiety races through me.


    ¡°Open.¡± I hear him give hismand, but I can¡¯t. I feel sick to my stomach. I fall back onto my heels and turn away from him. I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t do this. I back away slightly as he moves to the floor, setting the te on the metal chair with a clink. Tears leak from my eyes.


    ¡°Hush, kitten,¡± he says as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his chest. ¡°I understand, I do.¡± He rubs my back gently and it calms me. I lean into his touch, loving the warmth. It¡¯s been so fucking long since I¡¯ve been held. Once I went into hiding, I was always alone in that house. It¡¯s made me weak.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I want you to enjoy this, and I don¡¯t want you to be sad. But I don¡¯t want you to push me either. Not unless you want to be punished.¡± I bury my head deeper into his chest, trying to resist how everything he¡¯s saying is making me want to y. This isn¡¯t pretend though. There¡¯ll be no stopping this once it¡¯s started, and that terrifies me. But as much as I¡¯d like to tell myself it hasn¡¯t started, I know it already has. And I¡¯m ying into his hands.


    The realization sobers me. I slowly back away and get back into a submissive position, although my eyes aren¡¯t on him at all. I stare at the floor and try to gather some kind ofposure. I quickly wipe the tears away and chance a look at him as he sits back on the chair. He looks uncertain. It¡¯s an expression I haven¡¯t seen on him before. It makes me fucking terrified. He¡¯s quick to adjust the look on his face.


    ¡°Come,¡± he says with a firm resolve. He pats his left leg. ¡°Let¡¯s try this again.¡± He waits patiently as I stand and sit awkwardly on hisp. His left arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me closer to him. Even though he¡¯s so tallpared to me, his head is nearly level with mine with us seated like this. He rests his left hand in myp, dangerously close to my pussy. My nightgown has ridden up some and I feel exceptionally vulnerable. I¡¯m stiff on hisp, and I can¡¯t rx with his hand where it is.


    He waits a moment before saying or doing anything. It¡¯s awkward as fuck.


    ¡°You need to rx.¡± He dips his finger into the sauce and brings it to my lips. He stares into my eyes rather than giving me themand. I do as he wants and open my mouth. He slips his finger past my lips. His eyes are drawn to my mouth as I gently suck his finger clean. When he pulls his finger away, he gives me a satisfied look.


    ¡°Good kitten.¡± He puts another piece of the tuna tartare to my lips and I ept it. Seeing his approval eases something in me. I know so long as he¡¯s pleased, I¡¯m safe with him. And so far, pleasing him is simple, but I don¡¯t know what other terms he has.


    On the next bite, I find myself leaning into his fingers. He tsks and pulls the piece away from me. My heart rate speeds up until I realize what I¡¯ve done to upset him. I swallow and sit back on my heels, exactly the way I was positioned before. His left hand runs along the thin fabric of my nightgown, just above my clit. ¡°Good job, kitten.¡± My pussy spasms around nothing. I close my eyes, hating how my body is betraying me. My nipples are hard, and the light brush of the fabric against them only turns me on even more. Other than his hand edging closer and closer to my pussy, he shows no signs of his own arousal.


    ¡°Eat until you¡¯re full.¡± He grabs another piece, and we continue like this. Each time he feeds me his fingers brush a little closer to my throbbing clit, until finally his deft fingers are massaging small circles over my clit. I¡¯m soaked for him, and primed for him to fuck me. And I fucking hate it. He¡¯s ying me and using my body against me.


    He leans into my neck and whispers with his lips barely touching the shell of my ear, ¡°I knew you¡¯d like this. You just need to admit that you want it.¡±


    I¡¯m not sure what angers me more¨Cthat I¡¯ve allowed myself to be such easy prey for him, or that he¡¯s right. I want him to fuck me, and I fucking hate him for it. But I¡¯m not going to let him reduce me to nothing but a whore.


    I push away from him and kick the te off hisp while I fall to the floor. The dish smashes on the ground as I fall backward.


    He rises quickly, somewhat bracing my fall. The anger washing off of him is so strong that I scoot backward on my ass without even realizing at first. My heart races in my chest, and my blood rushes in my ears. Fear consumes me.


    Making Anthony angry is something I shouldn¡¯t do. I know this as a truth, but I pissed him off anyway. I was going to y along. Why couldn¡¯t I just do what I needed to?


    I expect him to hit me, or to grab me like he did earlier for my outburst. Inwardly I¡¯m cursing myself for not just going along with this. But I can¡¯t. I¡¯m more than that.


    I anticipate his aggression. He doesn¡¯t get violent. Instead, he turns his back on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed in you, kitten,¡± he says as he carefully picks up several pieces of thick porcin. He¡¯s slow to pick them up, and for a moment I imagine myself grabbing a single piece, the one closest to me. But I don¡¯t. I¡¯m frozen with fear. After a moment of him cleaning up the mess I made, he looks me in the eyes as he picks up thest shard.


    He turns to the door with an expression of discontent and that¡¯s when I realize he¡¯s leaving me.


    My racing heart tries to leap from my chest. I can¡¯t be left here. I need to get out. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me here!¡± I scream and beg. I didn¡¯t want to, but I have to try. I don¡¯t want him to leave me here alone. I can¡¯t sit here with nothing. No n, no hope, fucking nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, kitten,¡± he says as he turns his back on me. ¡°Tonight training will begin. It¡¯s best that you put this rebellion behind you. You won¡¯t enjoy being punished.¡±


    Tonight? How fucking long will I have to wait in this room alone?


    ¡°I have a life! Please just let me go!¡± I feel weak and hate what I¡¯ve be.


    ¡°I know you do, kitten. And I would provide for you in every way you need.¡±


    ¡°I want my life back!¡± I don¡¯t want to be his version of a pampered pet. I want my job and my friends. I worked hard to create this new life for myself, and I want it back. I don¡¯t want it torn from me.


    He turns back to me with anger sparking in his eyes. It¡¯s enough to make me retreat until my back hits the wall. He strides toward me with a dark aura surrounding him.


    ¡°You want an office? You want to go online so you can work? Do you want your books, kitten?¡± I stare at him, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°I told you to answer me when I ask you a question,¡± he says with barely contained anger.


    ¡°Yes. Yes, that¡¯s what I want.¡± I answer him in a strangled voice I don¡¯t recognize.


    He smirks at me, and that expression ispletely at odds with the aggression choking the air between us. ¡°You would¡¯ve had all of that, if only you¡¯d behaved.¡± I stare at him with disbelief as he makes his way back to the door.


    He¡¯s lying. He must be. I can¡¯t help but hope.


    ¡°Please. Just another chance.¡± I take a hesitant step forward as he punches the code into the keypad.


    He turns to face me with sympathy in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll try again at dinner.¡± Before he leaves me alone again, he turns to face me. ¡°I¡¯m going easy on you right now, but remember this is only because it¡¯s your first day and we haven¡¯t discussed terms yet.¡± He looks at me expectantly as I wipe the angry tears from my eyes.


    ¡°I expect you to answer me,¡± he says with the hint of a threat in his voice. ¡°You will look at me when I¡¯m speaking to you.¡±


    My eyes dart around as my breath catches in my throat. I don¡¯t even remember what he said. My mouth parts, but words don¡¯te out.


    He takes long, quick strides toward me, letting the door fall shut behind him. I cower and find my back up against the wall again. He stops inches away from me likest time, but this time he grips the nape of my neck and pulls me toward him.


    ¡°I want you so fucking badly.¡± His low voice sends a chill down my body. ¡°I want to show you how good this is going to be.¡± His fingers tangle in my hair, and he makes a fist at the base of my head, forcing me to expose my neck to him.


    He leans forward, pressing his body against mine and hisrge erection digs into my belly. Being held like this sends a need coursing through my body. Every nerve ending is on alert and ready to spark to life. I clench my thighs as my nipples harden.


    He leaves an open-mouthed kiss on my neck. It¡¯s so gentle, and so at odds with everything else.


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn to obey me, kitten, and you¡¯ll fucking love it when you do.¡± His hand pushes between my legs and he cups my pussy. His lips brush against my ear as he whispers. ¡°I will give you everything you need. Everything you want. But you need to submit to me.¡± His hot breath gently caressing my sensitive skin forces a moan from my lips. He takes my earlobe into his mouth and gently nips it. ¡°You¡¯re going to beg me to fuck you, kitten. I¡¯ll wait for it. I¡¯ll wait for you to beg me.¡±


    With that, he leaves me. My body sags against the wall and the chill of the damp cell reces his warmth. I take in a ragged breath and barely catch sight of him as he leaves me cold and alone. I watch the door close quickly behind him, like he couldn¡¯t get out fast enough.


    I close my eyes, hating that I¡¯m so turned on by him. I shouldn¡¯t be. All of this is wrong in every way. Even worse, I hate that I already crave his touch.

 125

    Anthony


    I hear the door shut with a loud click and lean back, reveling in how perfect she is. She¡¯s caught up in her own mind and holding back, but she¡¯s exactly how I dreamed she¡¯d be.


    It¡¯s going to be so fucking good when she finally lets go. I need to break those walls down and I¡¯m doing that as soon as fucking possible. Fuck patience. She needs a push. She¡¯s desperate to get out of that room and I can¡¯t me her. Come tonight, if I don¡¯t let her out, she¡¯ll be sleeping on a hard as fuck floor. I don¡¯t want that for her, and I don¡¯t want her in that cell. But I don¡¯t have a choice. She needs to learn.


    The thought brings to mind the memory of her scraping her teeth against my finger. If I¡¯m honest with myself, it was hot as hell. I love how brazen she is, but she knew what she was doing.


    She had to be punished. There¡¯s a lot of research on the psychology of motivation via punishment and reward. Reward is always better, but when punishment needs to happen it¡¯s best if the severity of the punishment is in direct proportion to the offense. Ideally it should also be swift, taking ce as soon as possible after the misdeed. If you merely give a p on the wrist, the behavior is more than likely to ur again, and also more likely to be a worse transgression.


    I needed that punishment to be aggressive to keep her from pushing. But I didn¡¯t like that I had to do it. It¡¯s better now that it¡¯s over with. Hopefully things will continue to go as nned, and the next time she pushes it¡¯ll be minimal. And that way I can get my hands on her ass and move this along to other forms of y.


    My fingers twitch with the need to touch her again. I don¡¯t know if she noticed how she rocked her cunt against my hand. I know she was hot and wet from what we did, and she should have been. There¡¯s nothing wrong with being turned on by what happened. It¡¯s natural.


    I just need to break down the social constructs she has built in her head. She has to learn to give in to her needs and desires. She has to learn to trust that I¡¯m gonna give her everything she could ever want. The life she¡¯s built; she can have it. But I can add so much more. I can let her give in to her own dark desires and show her a world she¡¯s only dreamed of. I¡¯ll teach her that. Tonight I¡¯ll give her a test, and if she obeys the onemand I give her, I¡¯ll let her out of that room. That will be huge for us. I only hope she doesn¡¯t disappoint me.


    She¡¯s too headstrong and preupied with right and wrong. She knows she wants this, but I don¡¯t think a girl like her gives into desires. She¡¯s strict in her regimen, and doesn¡¯t reward herself much. I¡¯ll have to ease her into enjoying this, one reward at a time.


    I make my way to the dining room where I left my phone and cringe when I see I¡¯ve missed messages. Three are from Vince. I put my password in and take a look. The first and most recent text is from Tommy, my brother, but also my partner in the hits.


    Cassys have another for us.


    Cassys are the Cassanos. Ever since we started taking on outside hits, they¡¯ve been good customers. Apparently they get pissed off. A lot.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    The next three are from Vince. It looks like he sent them within minutes of each other, and the first one arrived almost immediately after myst message to him.


    They seem to be under a different impression.


    They want a timeline.


    We¡¯re talking tonight.


    Fuck. I don¡¯t like any of the shit in those messages. I don¡¯t really give a fuck what impression the Cassanos are under. I bought her freedom from them. If they changed their minds, that¡¯s on them. I don¡¯t have to do shit for them, and neither does Vince.


    I finally text back, I paid for this shipment.


    What the fuck am I supposed to tell them? he asks, and I can practically hear his anger.


    The deal¡¯s done. I tell him simply.


    I know we do a lot of business with them, but I don¡¯t like where Vince¡¯s head is at. He¡¯s the Don and even though technically Tommy and I aren¡¯t included in the familia shit, we¡¯re not fooling anyone. He¡¯s the boss, and we¡¯re still untouchables. We¡¯re still family and familia and nothing changes that. It also means I have to listen to the fuck. Usually I agree with him. But on this? No. I don¡¯t fucking like the way he¡¯s talking.


    What do you need from me? I ask after a moment.


    I need a timeline.


    I stare at the phone. I don¡¯t know what to say. I never had one in mind. And I sure as fuck don¡¯t n on making one now.


    I don¡¯t have one. Your call.


    I send the text, knowing full well that whatever deadline he gives me, I¡¯m going to try to and extend it. The phone goes off, but I don¡¯t look at it. I¡¯ll figure this shit outter. Nothing is going to ruin this for me.


    I put the phone down and leave it there, knowing damn well I¡¯m not going to like anything he has to say about this. I need to get started on something to eat tonight and make sure her room is set up.


    I don¡¯t want to get my hopes up, but I have a good feeling that she¡¯s going to pass this test. I fucking hope she does. She desperately needs to cum. My eyes fly to the door to the basement. Fuck! I didn¡¯t tell her she wasn¡¯t allowed to touch herself without my permission. Fuck me, I didn¡¯t tell her anything.


    She¡¯s a smart girl though, and she¡¯s read a lot of dirty books. She should know better.


    She had better know better.

 126

    Catherine


    I¡¯m fucking rocking like a crazy person. I could sit in the chair, but it¡¯s tainted now. So instead I¡¯m huddled in the corner rocking. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m crazy though. It¡¯s because there isn¡¯t a fucking thing to do, not a damn thing to do in this empty cell.


    I¡¯ve walked around every inch of this room. Even though it¡¯s dark, the cell¡¯s not too dirty. I should know, since I¡¯ve searched everywhere for a second door, or crack, or opening. Anything. I bet he watched me; in the books, they always watch. I even expect some kind of punishment for it, but I had to do it. I had to try.


    All the shbacks keeping forward, and I keep pushing them down. They make me weak. I can¡¯t go back to that. He¡¯s not one of them.


    ¡°Come on, little mouse,¡± Lorenzo says as he parks his car in front of the restaurant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± I already told him I don¡¯t want to, but he¡¯s not listening.


    He has his dick out and he¡¯s pushing me to go down on him here, but there are people everywhere. At first when we met, I was looking for that thrill. But we kept getting caught by his friends, and now they give me weird looks and make jokes that I don¡¯t like.


    He moves faster than me, and it takes me by surprise. He fists my hair and yanks my head back. I scream out in pain and try to pry his hand off of me. ¡°Stop, it hurts.¡± Tears prick my eyes. ¡°It hurts!¡± I scream out.


    ¡°Dumb bitch,¡± he says under his breath. ¡°You know what you got yourself into. You fucking want it this way.¡± My heart sinks in my chest. I don¡¯t want it, and especially not like this.


    ¡°Suck it,¡± he says, releasing me while pushing my head forward. I look back at him with daggers in my eyes.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I sneer at him, and wipe my eyes. He barks out augh.


    ¡°Aw, little mouse. You don¡¯t want to y?¡± I feel sick to my stomach. Things never used to be like this. When he¡¯s rough with me in bed now, it¡¯s different, too.


    ¡°I said no.¡± I hate that I have to tell him twice.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he says as he tucks himself back into his pants and I feel a small sense of relief.


    ¡°Come here, you know I didn¡¯t mean it.¡± He leans across the console to give me a kiss and I hesitate, but I lean in anyway. Because I¡¯m a fucking idiot. Because I thought I just needed to make the lines clearer. Like it was my fault.


    That was right before I tried to leave him. I had no one else, and I was afraid to be alone. I was so desperate for his ¡°love¡± that I stayed with that fucking creep far too long. Things only got worse after that. I remember the night I tried to sneak out and run away. Before I left, I looked down on his sleeping body and thought about slitting his throat. How awful of a person had I be where I thought I should kill him? Not fucking awful at all. That bastard deserved to die. But I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t lower myself to bing a murderer, so instead I sneaked out through a window and hoped I could start over. Instead I fell right into a new world of hell.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I hear themugh as Lorenzo backhands me again. This time I fall. I learned to make it look real.


    When he was drunk that¡¯s the game he yed. How many hits until the mouse would fall? He liked his nickname for me even more after I saw what happened. He was daring me, taunting me to be a rat. If I stayed on the ground, he¡¯d only kick me a few times. I learned to just stay curled on my side and wait for the beatings to be over, no matter how much he urged me to stand. He only made it worse if I obeyed him. Bruises gave way to broken bones, but by then, I had no way to leave. I was trapped and beaten regrly for his enjoyment. I barely escaped them. And I only managed because they were reckless. Their desires to cause me even more pain is what eventually gave me my out.


    They came into the room they kept me in. It¡¯d only been a few days of being trapped there, feeling helpless and weak, trying to recover from the beating he gave me. The three of them came into the room and left the door wide open as they stalked to my bed. I knew what they were going to do. I rock harder, remembering the fear. I fucking bolted. I just kept thinking, Please don¡¯t let them catch me.


    They can never catch me. Never. I had to do everything I could to escape that hell. But I had no one. Not a single soul to run to. My mother was everyone and everything to me. But she¡¯d been dead for nearly a year. I ran to her grave and prayed for a sign. That¡¯s when the cops showed up, sirens ring. I thanked my mom every day.


    I thought she¡¯d saved me like she always did.


    But they did catch me.


    Only they didn¡¯te after me directly like I thought they would. They sent someone else.


    I have no clue how long it¡¯s been. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing. Or what this training is going to be like when he gets back. I have absolutely no control in any of it either, and I don¡¯t like it. I tug at the hem of my nightgown, wishing it were longer so I could cover myself up more. My knees are drawn up to my chest, and I rest my head on them as I consider my next step.


    I don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t know what my options are. He said he¡¯d give me my life and everything I needed. I want to believe that¡¯s true, but what¡¯s the catch? I know his intentions aren¡¯t pure. And I¡¯m certain his terms aren¡¯t negotiable.


    I¡¯m eager to hear what he has to say though. I want to know what I¡¯ve gotten myself into. That way I can figure out how to get the fuck out of here.


    My back is killing me, so I keep up my rocking. It feels better than just sitting still for however fucking long it¡¯s been. I¡¯d get up and stretch or do yoga, but I don¡¯t want to be standing when he walks in. I want to be ready.


    Well, as ready as I can be.


    I close my eyes and remember his words. An office, my books. How much does he know about me? He¡¯s been watching me, obviously. I wonder if there were signs I missed. Red gs I should have seen, but didn¡¯t.


    The only time I ever felt that things were off wasst night. That was the only chance I had. I should have gotten into my car and driven away. I should have listened to my gut.


    But I didn¡¯t.


    I¡¯ve never felt so fucking helpless. Not when I was with Lorenzo. Not when I was taken by those fucking Cassanos. Not even when I went to the police and they told me I¡¯d have to leave my old life behind forever. Never. Because there was always hope. But now, I only have his word. And I don¡¯t trust him.


    For all I know, he has a bet going with someone. How long would it take him to get into my pants willingly? And then boom. He¡¯ll kill me. Or he¡¯ll let someone else in here to have a go at me. How the fuck would I know? I don¡¯t know shit. And it¡¯s not like he¡¯s offering up any information. He¡¯s just ying this game with me.


    In all the books I¡¯ve read, there¡¯s been some sort of contract, or list. Terms. Like he said before.


    That always happens first.


    But he¡¯s ying with me. Testing me. And as far as I¡¯m concerned, he¡¯s winning.


    My body betrayed me, and I gave into the weakness. I was practically ready to cum on hisp. If he¡¯d flipped me over and put his mouth on my clit rather than whispering in my ear, shit. I don¡¯t know what I would have done. I was so weak. So desperate.


    It¡¯s pathetic.  I¡¯m pathetic.


    But what real choice do I have? I can fight his game, or I can y along. I can stay here and let him toy with me, or I can use him to get out of here.


    Use him.


    I like that idea. It almost makes the desire for him to touch me feel justified. That giving in and caving to his touch is alright. I¡¯m merely ying into his hand because it¡¯s what I have to do.


    As if hearing my thoughts, Anthony opens the door.


    My breath stills in my lungs as the loud click echoes off the walls.


    I make a promise to myself. I¡¯ll do whatever I have to do to get the fuck out of this room. I need to see if I can trust his word at least.


    Just as I make that promise to myself, I see what he¡¯s pulling behind him. It¡¯s arge bench with leather shackles. Fuck! Tears prick my eyes.


    I bury my head in my knees and just fucking cry. He¡¯s going to chain me to the bench. He¡¯s going to fuck me.


    A wretched sob heaves through my chest.


    I shake my head, and that¡¯s when I hear his footsteps. But I don¡¯t back away. I have no options. What choice do I have?

 127

    Anthony


    I turn around as soon as I hear her crying.


    Fuck. I wanted to shock her, but I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d cry.


    She had so much fight in her when I left her. I don¡¯t know what happened while I was gone. I know that being alone for hours can be torturous when you have nothing. No noise but the sounds you make, nothing to touch but yourself and the walls and floor.


    But I didn¡¯t think it would affect her like this.


    ¡°Kitten,¡± I begin as I crouch down next to her, although I keep my distance. She could be ying me for a fool. Waiting for me tofort her so she can strike. I¡¯m certain I picked up therge chunks of the te. There were only three or four of them. But maybe she found a smaller piece and she¡¯s nning to stab the shit out of me with it. She doesn¡¯t trust me, and I sure as fuck don¡¯t trust her.


    I didn¡¯t watch her in the monitor. I was driving myself crazy watching her do nothing. More than anything seeing her like that pissed me off, because all I wanted to do was to go to her. But she¡¯s being punished.


    This is a part of her punishment.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony,¡± she answers in a strangled voice. She raises her head with tears staining her reddened cheeks. I¡¯m surprised she answered. She wipes the tears from her face and I see she doesn¡¯t have anything in her hands. She¡¯s not armed, and she¡¯s not trying to fight me. She¡¯s just genuinely upset.


    ¡°Why are you crying?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Because I give up. I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want. I just want this to end.¡± My heart stops in my chest. That¡¯s not at all what I expected, and so far she¡¯s done everything I thought she would.


    I haven¡¯t broken her yet. But maybe I¡¯ve taken away her hope of getting out of here unless she obeys.


    ¡°And that makes you sad?¡± I ask to rify. ¡°You¡¯re upset that you¡¯re giving me control?¡± Truthfully though, she never had any control. Maybe over her own actions, but not at all over the situation. She¡¯s a strong woman. I guess that very realization could be troubling her.


    She takes in a small gasp and shakes her head. ¡°Of course I¡¯m upset about that. Normal people don¡¯t do this.¡±


    Although I appreciate her honesty, that fucking attitude is going to be the first thing I correct.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, kitten.¡± She looks up at me with nothing in her eyes.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony. I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± She says the words without a hint of sarcasm in her voice. And it¡¯s disappointing. I¡¯m surprised by my reaction to it.


    ¡°Could I know the terms, please? Before you chain me?¡± she asks in a t voice. It¡¯s unsettling how much I don¡¯t like it.


    ¡°No.¡± I watch her as I answer sternly. She merely nods her head slowly, as if she figured I wouldn¡¯t tell her anything.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Her voice is small and she¡¯s finished crying. She sniffles once and nods her head again. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    I was foolish to think that this behavior didn¡¯t indicate her inner strength. She¡¯s resigning herself to a fate she doesn¡¯t want so that she can move forward. That in and of itself is strong. I feel my tense muscles rx now that I understand.


    I grip her chin with my thumb and forefinger and make her look me in the eyes.


    ¡°You won¡¯t regret this, Catherine. I promise you.¡± As I say the words with confidence, I remember Vince and the Cassanos, and I fucking hate myself for thinking of them right now. I won¡¯t let them take her. And I won¡¯t let her regret this either.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to put you on the bench, and I want you to hold onto the straps.¡± She nods her head and then whispers, ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Once you agree to the terms, and only then, I¡¯ll bind your wrists.¡±


    She closes her eyes and I can see her pride leavepletely as shame overwhelms her. I knew this would happen. But I still don¡¯t like it. This isn¡¯t the part of this rtionship that I looked forward to. But the next part, the part where she learns she can trust me and that it¡¯s not the nightmare she perceives it to be? That part will be worth all of this.


    ¡°Up, kitten.¡± I stand up and hold a hand out for her. She starts to get up on her own, but then she sees my hand. She looks dejected and depressed. That¡¯s exactly what she is. Depressed that she¡¯s given in to me. But I¡¯m going change that. I¡¯m going to make her love giving in to me.


    I walk her over to the bench and help her on. I fucking love this idea. It¡¯s meant for spanking and fucking, and I intend to do both in time. But for now, that¡¯s not what we¡¯re going do. Iy her down so that her chest is t against the lowered part and her ass is in the air. Her eyes are focused on the leather binds.


    I take one strap out and hold it for her to take. ¡°Go on, kitten. It won¡¯t magically wrap around your wrist.¡± Again her eyes meet mine and I see a spark of the smart-mouthed woman from this morning. But it¡¯s only a dim flicker of defiance, and she takes the leather without much hesitation. She does the same with the right without my help. Sheys her head and body t with her legs and hand off the side. She waits for my nextmand with her pussy almost fully bared to me, covered only by a thinyer of fabric.


    She¡¯s perfect like this, vulnerable and waiting for me. But she¡¯s obviously unhappy and only doing it because the other choice isn¡¯t really a choice at all. I sy my hand on her back, and although she stiffens, she doesn¡¯t move away from my touch. I walk around her slowly, moving my hand in soothing circles until she slowly rxes her body.


    I keep my voice soft andforting. ¡°The terms are simple. You do your best to obey me. If you don¡¯t, youe back here.¡± Her eyes close as I speak. ¡°If you please me, I will reward you. I will give you everything you need. You want your old life, and you can have it.¡± Her eyes fly to mine, but before she can question me I add, ¡°I will simply be a new constant in that life.¡± Her eyes fall to the floor and then close again.


    She whispers, ¡°Yes, Anthony. I understand.¡± That was too easy.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any questions?¡± I¡¯m surprised by that.


    ¡°What questions should I ask?¡± My dick finally starts hardening. Her submission is just now starting to arouse me.


    ¡°Any questions you have, kitten. I¡¯ll answer them all truthfully.¡±


    ¡°If I do this, you¡¯ll let me out of this room? You said I¡¯d have an office and my old life back?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to keep working?¡± she asks.


    ¡°You will,¡± I reply. I walk around to where her head is and ce my hand on her chin to make sure she sees my face and knows how serious I am. ¡°It will be heavily monitored though. And any sign that you¡¯ve disobeyed me by doing anything at all that would obviously upset me will result in you being sent here. And not just for a few hours, kitten.¡±


    She nods her head and says, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± I ask.


    She shakes her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know what I¡¯m going to do with you?¡± I ask. I imagine she¡¯s already made up her mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to do what you¡¯d like to me.¡± Her voice is t, but dampened by sadness.


    ¡°Close,¡± I answer. ¡°I¡¯d love to fuck you, kitten. But I¡¯ve told you I won¡¯t do that until you beg.¡± Her head lifts slightly off the bench and her eyes widen with hope. That¡¯s the woman I want with me. Her reaction makes me smile.


    ¡°You thought I was going to fuck you right now?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answers with a tinge of confusion.


    ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t going to until you begged. I mean it,¡± I say.


    ¡°Do I have to let you do that in order to get out of here?¡± she asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I answer, and love how much her body rxes at my answer. I love it because she¡¯s showing trust in my words. I¡¯m giving her hope and her strength back. Even if she doesn¡¯t realize that.


    ¡°Will I ever have to¡­?¡± she starts to ask, but trails off. My eyebrows raise and Iy a hand on the small of her back.


    ¡°I want to reward you as a dom should reward his submissive.¡± I let my hands travel to her ass. I cup her cheeks and spread them slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I¡¯d like to be pleasured. But it¡¯ll be your choice if you¡¯d like to give me that.¡± I let my thumbs skim along the seam in the center of her panties.


    ¡°I do want to reward you, kitten. Do you know what that means?¡± I ask.


    She nods her head, seeming very much at ease with the knowledge I¡¯ve given her.


    ¡°Tell me what you think it means.¡±


    It takes her a moment to respond, but when she does, I¡¯m pleased. ¡°It¡¯s what you were doing earlier.¡±


    I smile at her backside as my fingers slip past her panties. I run them along her slick heat and I¡¯m rewarded with a soft moan.


    ¡°You rubbed my clit,¡± she says as she continues her answer.


    ¡°Why?¡± I ask as I gently ce her panties back where they belong.


    ¡°To reward me,¡± she says.


    ¡°What was I rewarding?¡± I ask her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll say it¡¯s because she was listening to me. Or because she did as she was told. But in actuality it¡¯s because she was enjoying it. I rewarded her desire for my control to continue. I¡¯m intentionally conditioning her reactions and her emotions.


    ¡°Because I listened to you and obeyed. Because I earned it.¡± She adds thest part forcefully. I smirk behind her. That¡¯s how that dirty book went about it. You obey, and you get rewarded. Disobey, and you get punished.


    I agree to an extent, but emotions are far more powerful a tool. She¡¯ll thrive with my touch. She¡¯ll love my control. And it¡¯ll only bring her happiness.


    ¡°I want to reward you now, kitten. Should I?¡± I ask her.


    Yes. Yes, I fucking should. But right now I want her permission. I want her to control this next step. If she answers yes, I¡¯ll have her shackled and cumming harder than she ever has before. If she¡¯d prefer not, that¡¯s fine, but I won¡¯t shackle her. I¡¯ll merely move her to her room, unrewarded in some ways, but feeling safe in others. It¡¯s a fair trade. And either way, she¡¯s rid of this room so long as she isn¡¯t disobedient.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    After a quiet moment, I look at her face. She seems lost in contemtion.


    ¡°I think so,¡± she finally answers. I chuckle at her response.


    ¡°You¡¯re being very good, kitten. How would you like me to reward you?¡±


    She bites down on her bottom lip.


    ¡°I¨C¡± she starts to speak, but stops herself. I know she¡¯s ready. I know she¡¯s craving a release. Each time I rest a hand gently on her lush ass, she tilts it slightly.


    ¡°Tell me, kitten. I want you to know that you can tell me anything. So long as you¡¯re respectful, you won¡¯t be punished.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to¡­ have sex with me.¡± Hearing those words fall from her lips is disappointing. But I simply tack on the unspoken ¡°yet¡± to the end. Obviously she won¡¯t admit that she wants me just yet. She¡¯s angling for control as well. This is her bid to ensure that if she says no, it¡¯s not going to happen. And that¡¯s a truth. I want to earn it. I want her to yearn for my touch and desire pleasing me more than anything else. And I will. This is just a step, a small hurdle, in that direction.


    ¡°I don¡¯t intend on fucking you. Not until you beg me, remember?¡± She eyes me warily and I know I should just y my cards so she has more confidence in her decision. I reach inside my pocket and pull out a small vibrator.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing very well, kitten. I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯m very pleased. But you haven¡¯t earned my touch yet.¡± Her brows creases and she almost looks disappointed. ¡°This is all I¡¯ll use.¡± She looks between my face and the vibrator.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to tease me? Until I beg.¡± It pisses me off that she makes that assumption. Although I know she¡¯s read that shit in her books.


    ¡°No. That would not be a reward. I¡¯m going to put this vibrator against your clit and make you rock yourself on it until you cum. That¡¯s all there is to your reward.¡±


    She may not notice that her ass raises just slightly, but I sure as fuck do.


    ¡°I asked you a question. Do you think you should be rewarded?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She finally gives me the green light in a breathy voice that makes my dick impossibly hard.


    ¡°I think so too, kitten.¡± I push the vibrator under her, past her clit and snug between her body and the bench, just to warm it and then walk around to the front of the bench. I take the strap in her left hand and move it into ce. She pulls back and nearly falls off the bench. ¡°This is your reward, but you will receive it how I see fit.¡±


    Her big brown eyes look up at me with worry. I can¡¯t wait to ease her concerns.


    ¡°I told you what¡¯s going to happen. I won¡¯t lie. Once you¡¯ve cum, I¡¯m going to want you, and I¡¯ll ask. But if you say no, or don¡¯t beg well enough, I¡¯ll release you and show you to your room.¡± She nods her head and ces her chest t on the bench again. Her breathing ising in pants and I know she¡¯s scared. But she¡¯s trusting me. In only a day, I¡¯ve gained enough trust to make her bared to me,pletely vulnerable¨Cand she did so willingly.


    The realization thrills me.


    I strap both her wrists and her ankles, letting my fingers trail along her exposed skin. I gently pull the nightgown up to her waist and then slip her panties slowly down her thighs. They don¡¯t go far, but it¡¯s enough to expose her. I bend slightly and blow against her glistening sex. She¡¯s so fucking wet. I want to lean in and take anguid lick of her sweet cunt. I want to slide my fingers inside and feel her tight walls clench as she cums. But right now, I¡¯m limited. Soon. Soon, she¡¯ll beg me for more. She¡¯ll desire nothing else. I smile as I pull away and pull out the warmed vibrator and twist it on.


    Soon, she¡¯ll be begging me.

 128

    Catherine


    I pull my wrist slightly, but I can hardly move. My arms don¡¯t even bend. The leather straps around my wrists have virtually no give. My ankles are strapped as well and I can barely move my legs at all. I¡¯mpletely restrained. My heart beats frantically as his hands move down my body. My ass is higher up and I know why. This bench was made for fucking. And I¡¯m strapped to it. Willingly.


    As soon as he locked in the first buckle, I felt regret. I don¡¯t know him. He¡¯s not a good man. That¡¯s really all I¡¯m sure of, at least about him. I know one other thing. I have to do this in order to get out of here. And he promised he would let me out. He¡¯s made all sorts of pretty promises. My blood heats as his hand lingers on my ass. His other hand moves to the other cheek and he spreads them. I can¡¯t help that I¡¯m turned on. I¡¯m so fucking hot for him. It¡¯s been over a year now since I¡¯ve felt a man¡¯s hands on me. And I¡¯ve definitely never felt the hands of a man like Anthony. It¡¯s exhrating.


    I¡¯m wet and hot and desperate for his touch. It¡¯s sick. I shouldn¡¯t want this, but I do.


    And he knows it. My cheeks me with embarrassment. My pussy is fully exposed to him and I¡¯mpletely vulnerable. The only sounds I can hear are my own ragged breath and the humming of the vibrator. My lips part and I hold back a moan as he gently pushes it against my pussy lips, just beneath my clit.


    ¡°Are you an over or under girl, kitten?¡± he asks in a sexy-as-fuck voice while putting slightly more pressure against me. I instinctively try to pull away. The intensity is just too much. He moves the vibrator over my clit, and my entire body heats and tingles. The pit of my stomach stirs with a hot, radiating pleasure. My ass bucks up, but the rest of my body remains in ce due to the restraints.


    ¡°Ah, over it is.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    I whimper and turn my head from side to side. I¡¯ve never felt something like this. It¡¯s too intense. My body¡¯s pleading to move away as the sensation grows and grows and my legs quiver. ¡°Stay still. You¡¯re going to enjoy this,¡± he whispers.


    I try to keep my body from wanting to move, but it¡¯s useless.


    ¡°Move your hips, kitten.¡± I instantly obey him, wanting and needing to move. The motion sends a surge of arousal to my core and soft gasps fall from my lips. I grind harder, loving the intensity of the pulses shooting through me. Close, so close. My neck arches back as I desperately search for my release.


    Hisrge hand sys on my lower back and pushes me down harder onto the vibrator. His force is what does it; I cum violently and scream out as the waves of pleasure roll through my body. The first wave is the most intense, then the rest grow dimmer and dimmer. My body feels limp on the table as I take in deep, uneven breaths.


    ¡°Have you ever used a vibrator before, kitten?¡± I shake my head no, and try to answer aloud, but he starts talking before I can respond. ¡°You obviously enjoy the stimtion.¡±


    I nod my head and breathe out as I agree. ¡°Yes.¡± I swallow thickly, realizing I¡¯m still pinned down. My eyes open a little more and I look at him to my left as he looks from my bared pussy to my face.


    ¡°Do you want to cum again?¡± he asks.


    My breath stalls in my chest. I do want that again. But not from him, not now. I only did that so I can get the fuck out of here.


    ¡°You do, but not like this,¡± he says. I break eye contact, hating how obvious I am. But then again, anyone else in my position would be this fucking obvious.


    ¡°Time to see your new room.¡± he says, shutting off the vibrator. He reaches down and unstraps the bands. I stay still, feeling uneasy yet rxed at the same time. I want to be tense and on guard. But I¡¯m too exhausted from all the shit I¡¯ve been through. He unstraps thest restraint and I try to brace myself on the bench, but his handes down on my shoulders, pushing me back down.


    It sets off every red g. My heart beats faster and fear sets in.


    ¡°Let me pick you up. Your legs are still trembling.¡± His voice is calming and soothing. I instantly feel myself rx. At the realization, I throw my guard up even higher.


    I blink a few times to clear my head. I feel drunk on lust and pleasure. I breathe in deep as his arms tilt my body and he cradles me against his chest. He gently sets my feet down, but holds onto my waist. I want to push him away. I don¡¯t need his help. My legs are shaky, but I¡¯m fine. It was just one orgasm, for crying out loud. One intense, earth-shattering orgasm, but still. I can manage on my own.


    I¡¯m sure as fuck not going to tell him that though. I just need to be good so I can get out of here and see where he¡¯s taking me. His body brushes against mine as he releases me. My eyes nearly close as I feel his massive erection through his jeans. I have to bite the inside of my cheek as my thighs clench and my pussy mps down around nothing. I trap the moan in my throat.


    His hand grips my shoulder and he leans down, cing a kiss on my shoulder before whispering, ¡°You alright?¡± I can practically feel his smile.


    He knows exactly what he¡¯s doing. Instead of telling him off, I continue to y the role. That¡¯s what I need to do now. ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡±


    He lets out a deep chuckle as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of ck silk cloth. He holds it up with both hands and that¡¯s when I realize it¡¯s a blindfold.


    Fuck. I was hoping I¡¯d be able to see where we¡¯re going so I can get theyout of this ce. I need toe up with a n to get out of here. I¡¯m sure the next room will be locked as well though, and then what? I¡¯ll be fucking stuck there, just like I am now. He promised though. I hate that I¡¯m relying on his word. But I am. His word is the only hope I have.


    My lips press into a hard line and his response is to smirk at me and raise a brow.


    ¡°Come on kitten, behave.¡± His tone is yful and it makes me hate him even more. It¡¯s like we¡¯re ying cat and mouse, but he¡¯s always two steps ahead of me. I swallow my pride and turn around so he can ce the cloth over my eyes.


    I have no other option but to trust him. And I fucking hate it.

 129

    AnthonyText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    My little kitten thinks she¡¯s slick. It¡¯s fucking adorable. I can practically hear her thoughts. I know all of this is an act, but for a moment, I had her. I had a sweet submissive who trusted me and craved my touch. I want more.


    I tighten the sash over her eyes and take a step back. Her arms move out slightly, as though she¡¯s off-bnce. Without me there to guide her, I¡¯m sure she is. Her mouth parts, but then she closes it and moves her hands to her side.


    Good girl. She¡¯s trying hard to obey. I know it¡¯s only so she can use me. She¡¯s not doing it because she wants to. Not yet, anyway. But we¡¯ll get there. I just need to be patient.


    I put my hands on her shoulders so she knows I¡¯m there, and then let them fall to her hips.


    ¡°Walk with me and hold my hand.¡± I take her small hand in mine and slowly lead her to the door. Her other hand opens and closes. I know she¡¯d like to reach for the blindfold. But she doesn¡¯t. Not yet. It won¡¯t do her any good to get it off though. Even if she does manage to get it off and race up the stairs somehow without me on right on her ass, she¡¯d juste to another lock. And thebinations to enter her rooms are all different.


    The entire basement is soundproofed. She could scream all she wanted, but she would be locked down here. The doors are programmed to unlock after three days though, if anything were to prevent me from returning to the house.


    I punch in the code and lead her through the door. Her right hand twitches, and I know she¡¯s fighting the urge to bolt. She¡¯s working hard to stay by my side and not take off.


    But ultimately she obeys. It¡¯s a fucking relief. Also, quite an achievement. A dozen or more scenarios yed out in my mind, ranging from her starving herself to her throwing the chair at me. But this is nearly all I could hope for. It¡¯s perfect really. She¡¯s still resistant, but cooperating. I knew she¡¯d be like this. She¡¯s perfect.


    She¡¯s making it easy while still being a challenge. I like that. No, I fucking love that.


    We get to her bedroom and I punch in the code. I see her shoulders sag slightly and the corners of her mouth turn down. She should be smarter than to think I¡¯d ce her in a room without a lock. I¡¯m sure she knows better than that.


    As soon as the door shuts behind us, I take off the sash. She blinks a few times before letting the astonishment show on her face. I look over her body and realize how unkempt she looks. Her skin¡¯s still flushed and gorgeous, save for a few smudges on her face. But her feet are bare and dirty, and her hair¡¯s tangled and in need of a wash. Even her nightgown looks rumpled and dirty on the part covering her ass since she sat on the floor most of the day. She was only in the cell for one day, but one was enough for her to get this disheveled. I¡¯m not looking forward to having to send her back there, but I know she¡¯s going back. It¡¯s only a matter of time.


    I made sure her room was spacious and would satisfy her every need and desire. It¡¯s abination of her bedroom and living room. The en-suite is to the left, through a pair ofrge antique doors, and to the right she has an office that¡¯s essible through another locked door. I hope that it will be hers one day. For now, all contact she makes with the outside world will be monitored. I made sure to take her phone with me when I left. She hasn¡¯t received any messages or calls yet, but her social media shit is fucking constant. I have my ways to ensure we¡¯ll both be happy as far as that¡¯s concerned.


    This room that I¡¯ve prepared for her is nearly the size of her entire cabin. It takes up the majority of my basement. But she needs the space since this is all she¡¯ll have from now on. I tried to section it off for her so she¡¯d have a clear separation between the living room and bedroom. It¡¯s all the same soft grey in color though, which helps to unite the spaces. Most of the linens are white, giving it a very clean and modern look. The ents are pink though. Very pale pink. I even hung floor-to-ceiling crushed velvet curtains for her. They¡¯re only covering small windows that hardly let in any light, but they make the room lookrger and more luxurious. I¡¯m hopeful that everything is to her taste. Every piece I selected reminded me of her. I want this to be a dreame true, and the setting is every bit as important as the story.


    In reality, her new home is much nicer than her cabin. Everything is new and fresh. I wanted everything to have the same feel as her cabin, just with more luxurious furnishings and decor. A huge bookshelf is in one corner. Some of the books are favorites of hers, but the others are my choices. I even brought herptop for her so that she can keep working. Of course she¡¯ll only have ess to it when I¡¯ll be present for now, and I installed a tracker and a logger so I¡¯ll be able to remotely monitor her, but she should still be thrilled to have it.


    I watch her as she walks to each item, putting her hand out, but barely touching the furniture. She seems shocked, but also pleased, and that makes me happy. I¡¯m proud that I can provide for her. I want that. I want her to see how good I can be for her.


    She walks slowly to the table in front of the sofa. It¡¯s where I set her Kindle. The tablet¡¯s in its case, and she pauses as she recognizes it as hers. Her eyes widen, and she looks back at me.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d give you what you need. And I understand your needs,¡± I say. I know all of her needs, and I can¡¯t fucking wait to fuck her exactly how she needs it. She looks at me hesitantly, but I don¡¯t give her a moment to respond.


    ¡°You will obey me.¡± Now¡¯s the time for me to start going over the terms since she¡¯s seen the alternative. ¡°You will do what I say, when I say. I¡¯ll do my best to be reasonable and keep your limits in mind.¡± I smirk and add a touch of humor to lighten the severity of the situation. Her eyes remain clouded with worry. I can tell she¡¯s thinking there¡¯s a catch beyond what I¡¯ve told her. ¡°But I will push you, and you will obey. If you don¡¯t at least try to obey me, you¡¯ll be punished, and this room will be taken from you.¡±


    I give her a moment to digest what I¡¯ve told her.


    ¡°You said¡­¡± She pauses to clear her throat before continuing. ¡°You said I would have to agree?¡± I nod.


    ¡°On physically pleasing me, yes. I only want your touch if you¡¯re eager to give it to me.¡± That¡¯s absolutely true. I have no interest in taking my pleasure from her, I want her to give it to me freely.


    She nods her head in understanding, appearing a bit more rxed, but still unsure.


    ¡°Kitten, I have desires. And I want you to fulfill them.¡± My hand burns with the need to touch her soft skin. ¡°When Ie into the room, I want you to kneel and wait for mymand. My needs will be your priority.¡± I want her submission more than anything. I want her to need me, and to look forward to mypany. I need herplete trust. I will earn it.


    Her breathes in short pants, and I¡¯m hoping this is turning her on more than anything else.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony,¡± she answers in a respectful low tone.


    ¡°You can speak freely, so long as you¡¯re respectful. But I will punish that smart mouth of yours if you back talk or raise your voice to me. Is that understood?¡± I keep my voice soft, but firm as I face her. I want to brush her hair off her shoulder and wipe the smudges off her face. She needs to be cleaned and pampered.


    She nods her head and says, ¡°Yes. I understand.¡± Her bodynguage tells me everything I need to know. She¡¯s scared, and she doesn¡¯t trust a word I¡¯m saying. She¡¯ll learn though. She just needs time. She needs space as well. I can¡¯t rush this fantasy. Deep down, she wants this. I¡¯ll still be here when she¡¯s ready for it. Until then, I¡¯ll have to control my own needs and desires.


    ¡°Now,¡± I begin, as I walk to the soft grey sofa and pat the seat next to me as I sit down. She listens and quickly sits with her hands in herp. Her eyes keep dancing around the room, so I wait for her full attention. It doesn¡¯t take long, which pleases me.


    ¡°I want to go over your earlier behavior,¡± I say.


    Her eyes widen slightly and she inhales deeply. I keep my face impassive, but it makes me happy that she¡¯s nervous to discuss it. She should be.


    ¡°You know what a good submissive does and how she behaves, don¡¯t you? I was under the impression I wouldn¡¯t have to teach you that,¡± I say with a frown.


    Her eyes lock on mine as she replies. ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± Herplete attention and obedience is fucking beautiful. And hearing my name on her lips makes my dick jump. I know she has expectations just as much as I do. They¡¯ll help us for now, but they can hurt us, too.


    ¡°Earlier, you hadn¡¯t agreed to be mine. In fact, you said no and chose death at first.¡± Her eyes stay locked on mine, but her mouth stays closed. ¡°Because you weren¡¯t aware of my terms, you weren¡¯t punished. But now, you¡¯re mine. That behavior you disyed will get your ass whipped, kitten.¡±


    She nods her head diligently.


    ¡°You deliberately teased me.¡± I bring my finger to her mouth and trace her bottom lip. Her mouth parts slightly, but I pull away. ¡°Next time you¡¯ll find out what happens when you tempt that side of me.¡± I have to work hard to keep my eyes locked on hers rather than roaming her body and picturing those sweet lips wrapped around my cock. ¡°Do you understand, kitten?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± A wicked smirk pulls my lips up.


    Now that she¡¯s agreed, we can really y.

 130

    Catherine


    ¡°You need a bath and then dinner, kitten.¡± Anthony rises, towering above me as I sit paralyzed on the sofa.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± The words fall easily from my lips in a tone I¡¯ve only ever imagined coulde from me. I feel¡­ numb. Almost as though I¡¯m not present in my own body. I don¡¯t understand how things have changed so quickly. I¡¯ve gone from being in a dark, cold cell with nothing, to this room that¡¯s more beautiful than anything I could ever imagine.


    ¡°Come.¡± Anthony holds his hand out for me and I quickly ce my hand in his. I¡¯m relying solely on my instincts and what I¡¯ve read in my romance novels. My heart flutters as he leads me to a set of double doors carved from wood. I want to touch them, but I don¡¯t. Not with him here. I imagine he has cameras everywhere, but as soon as he leaves, I want to touch everything. I need to see what all he brought from my home and what he has for me here. A part of me wants to cry with joy and feel nothing but gratitude. But that part of me is fucking stupid.


    And I¡¯m not stupid. This is a gilded cage for his pampered pet. And he intends for me to be that pet, his kitten. I can y along. I will y along. At some point I¡¯ll be able to get out of here. I just need to survive and be whatever it is that he wants me to be until that timees.


    He opens the doors and reveals the most gorgeous bathroom I¡¯ve ever seen.


    The walls are lined with a beautiful pale blue paisley wallpaper. Hanging from the center of the ceiling is a silver and Lucite chandelier positioned directly above arge, oval soaking tub. Running the entire length of the back wall is a huge walk-in showerplete with waterfall shower heads and massage jets arranged symmetrically on the walls. There¡¯s arge double vanity to the left, and that makes chills prick over my skin. Is he staying here, too? It never urred to me that he would. This space is feminine and designed for a woman. I try to ignore the fact that there are two sinks and walk forward to the shower.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    My heartbeat picks up. I know what he¡¯s going to want. I¡¯m not an idiot.


    ¡°Kitten.¡± I hear Anthony¡¯s rebuke from behind me and I quickly turn around to face him. I don¡¯t know what I did wrong. My knees weaken and my immediate reaction is to lower myself to the ground to showplete submission. I don¡¯t want to go back to the cell. I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t go backward.


    Before I can drop to the tiled floor, Anthony reaches out and firmly grips my arm and waist. ¡°Now now, you¡¯re alright. I just want you to rx.¡± His hands loosen on my waist and I struggle to look at him. I feel lost and powerless.


    ¡°I want you to undress out here. I need to take a look at you.¡± I nod my head at his words. Obviously that¡¯s what he wanted. He¡¯s already made me cum and seen my naughty bits, so this isn¡¯t that far of a stretch. But it feels dirty somehow. I guess in a way it¡¯s more intimate. I pull the straps off my shoulders and let the thin nightgown fall into a heap around my feet.


    Naturally I want to cover myself, but I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve read enough dark romance to know better. A submissive doesn¡¯t hide her body from her dom.


    Anthony¡¯s quiet. He doesn¡¯t move to touch me, and he doesn¡¯t say anything at all. I find myself growing more anxious the longer he stays silent. What if he doesn¡¯t find me attractive? What if he changes his mind? I close my eyes and try to breathe easy, but I can¡¯t.


    I¡¯m not skinny, but I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m overweight either. I¡¯ve got a pear shape and the cellulite on my ass to go with it. My breasts are small, but perky. I think I could be cute if I wasn¡¯t so fucking pale. His eyes don¡¯t give anything away. I wish he¡¯d just say something already.


    Before I can go into a full panic attack, he reaches out and ces his hand on the dip in my waist. He crouches low and puts his face just inches above my pelvis. His fingers trace over a small scar on my hip.


    ¡°Where did thise from?¡± he asks.


    I look down at the shiny white scar. It¡¯s hardly noticeable. I¡¯ve had it most of my life and I¡¯ve never thought twice about it. ¡°When I was younger, I hit something I guess, or fell.¡± I swallow thickly and say, ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    He nods his head and walks around my body, looking over every inch. I feel like he¡¯s evaluating whether or not he¡¯s going to keep me, and I¡¯m terrified he¡¯ll find mecking.


    From behind me, I feel his hands gently rest on my hips, and I close my eyes as I feel his hot breath on my shoulder. I gently tilt my neck, expecting him to kiss me there, but he doesn¡¯t. In an instant he¡¯s gone, and I¡¯m left standing awkwardly as hepletes the circle and stands in front of me as though it didn¡¯t happen.


    For a moment I wonder if he even touched me at all. Maybe I imagined it.


    I clear my throat after a moment of silence, but he speaks before I can and says, ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. Every inch of you.¡± I look up at him with surprise and wonder. He sounds so sincere. I can¡¯t help but believe he really does find me beautiful.


    ¡°You¡¯re dirty though. Let me clean you.¡± I back away out of instinct as he walks around me toward the shower. My breathing picks up, and I can¡¯t hide the fact that I don¡¯t want this. I don¡¯t want his hands roaming my body for a mix of reasons. He¡¯s fucking good at this game, and there¡¯s a small piece of me that I know would cave at his touch. I don¡¯t trust him. I don¡¯t want him to take care of me.


    ¡°Would you rather I give you space, kitten?¡± he asks.


    I can¡¯t hide my shock. I can hardly believe that he would leave me alone in this room. That¡¯s a lot of trust for him to extend to me. I could easily break the ss and use a piece as a weapon. Either on myself or him. As if reading my mind, he cocks a brow.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to make me regret that, are you? You¡¯ve been so good today. I¡¯d hate for you to upset me just before bedtime.¡± There¡¯s a dark threat in his voice, and I¡¯m quick to shake my head and alleviate any worries he has.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would. You¡¯re smarter than that,¡± he says.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± My response earns me a warm smile, and I hate that it eases the apprehension in me, but it does.


    ¡°Dinner will be ready in an hour; you¡¯ll need to be done by then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not very hungry.¡± I speak just above a murmur and stare at the beautiful marble floor. The silence he gives me in returnpels me to look at him. He gives me a tight smile.


    ¡°I understand not having an appetite, but you need to eat, kitten.¡± He takes a step back and looks into my eyes. I try to break eye contact, but I can¡¯t. The intensity of his gaze has me pinned.


    ¡°Tomorrow will be different; you know that, don¡¯t you?¡± he asks with an even voice.


    Tomorrow I¡¯m his, and I¡¯ll have expectations to meet. I know. I know what this is. Regret overwhelms me. I¡¯ve read this story so many times. Girl gets taken and held against her will. But this is no story. It¡¯s not something I can edit and critique. What¡¯s happening right now isn¡¯t the same as words on a page that can be changed on a whim.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be good, kitten.¡± His calm tone eases the stress threatening to consume me. He grips my chin in between his thumb and forefinger. He leans down with his lips close to mine, but he doesn¡¯t let them touch. My body ignites from the proximity of our bodies¨Cmine naked, and his fully clothed. He holds such power over me, yet his touch is gentle. I almost lean into him, expecting him to kiss me, but he doesn¡¯t. He whispers, ¡°You¡¯re going to love this kitten; I promise you.¡±


    I close my eyes, waiting for him to kiss me, but instead he drops his hand and turns to leave me. ¡°Sleep well, kitten,¡± he says as he opens the double doors and leaves me alone.


    I watch the doors shut as his body leaves my view. The loud click fills the bathroom and I finally wrap my arms around my body. I feel stunned. Confused. And scared. More than anything, I feel lost.


    I turn the water on and let the steam fill the room before I finally get into the shower. The heat feels like absolute heaven on my sore shoulders. I stand under the stream, letting the water hit me as I absorb everything. It takes a long while for me to reach for the soap and and wash the grime of the cell away. When my fingers travel lower, the angeres along with bitter disappointment. I let him touch me.


    I scrub my body harder and turn up the heat. The reality of the situation makes my breathing be ragged.


    I close my eyes as the tears leak out and lean my body against the cool tiled wall. I slowly slide down until I¡¯m on my ass and holding my knees to my chest.


    I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll ever get out of here. But I will.


    Part of me thinks I should be grateful. The fucking psycho who took me is at least giving me space and letting me stay in a beautiful prison. It could be worse. But it¡¯s still a prison. And I don¡¯t deserve this. It¡¯s better than death. I can¡¯t deny that. I¡¯m safe for now. Or at least I¡¯ve been given the impression of safety.


    I¡¯ll obey him to save myself from punishment, but I can¡¯t forget what¡¯s really going on here.


    I can¡¯t let him break me. I can¡¯t let him win.


    The first chance I¡¯m given, I¡¯m running and never looking back.


    It takes me an hour before I finally go back to the bedroom.


    I stop in my tracks when I see a tray on the end of the bed. I walk closer to it with disbelief. Sitting on the tray is a sage green teacup with the corresponding saucer on top to keep the heat in. And next to it are two mtonin pills.


    I reach down and slowly move the saucer; the steam spills out beautifully from the freshly steeped chamomile tea.


    He was watching. I already knew that though. I knew he would be watching me.


    I¡¯ve read countless books where the heroine is taken and forced to submit. I pick the teacup up and put it to my lips. I close my eyes as I take a sip and sit down on the bed. I look around the bedroom, the one he designed with me in mind, and think back to all those dark romances.


    I¡¯ve already read this story, but this is different. The way this story ends is entirely up to me and my choices from here on out.

 131

    Anthony


    I pull the covers closer around me. I do it every night as though they¡¯ll protect me, but they won¡¯t. No one can protect me. This is something that has to happen. I ruined her life. When she had me, everything changed. She¡¯s hurting because of me. Dad¡¯s never nice to her anymore. He always makes her cry now. When he hits her, she hits me. It¡¯s only fair, she says. I deserve it. I should never have been born.


    I hear the door creak open and shut behind her. I know it¡¯sing. The beltes down hard and I cry out as little as possible. I hear her, but I ignore it. I feel the pain, but I pretend I¡¯m numb. I think about Tommy. As long as she stays here, he¡¯s safe. He didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s not his fault. It¡¯s my fault. I try to be good and stay quiet, but the belt whips through the air and smacks across my face. I can¡¯t help that I screamed.


    I can¡¯t help it. I hear theming. No! I shake my head as she shoves the belt under the covers. My heart beats faster. I tried to be good. I tried. Please forgive me.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    My eyes slowly open and and my body seems frozen. It takes a moment for my heart to calm. I¡¯m used to this. Everything will be fine. It¡¯s nothing that matters anymore. My racing heart is the only indication that I¡¯ve had that fucking nightmare again. I clear my throat and get my shit together. I do my best to feel nothing, and for the most part that¡¯s true.


    I don¡¯t feel a god damned thing reliving that memory.


    I look over to my rm and move the switch before the clock has a chance to disy 6:00 AM and go off. I can¡¯t remember thest time the rm actually had a chance to go off. It doesn¡¯t matter though, as long as I¡¯m up to start the day.


    I check my phone again. Vince still hasn¡¯t written me back.


    I look at thest message he sent me. It reads, 1 month. I have one month with her until the Cassanos want proof that she¡¯s dead.


    One month, my ass. I¡¯m not giving her up in a month. No fucking way. I¡¯ve only just gotten my hands on her.


    I calm myself by thinking about how she¡¯s safe here. Having her in her room soothes the beast inside of me. My kitten is where she belongs, and she¡¯s adjusting well.


    She cried for nearly an hourst night. I hated watching her break down like that. It¡¯s only natural though. And now that it¡¯s out of her system, she¡¯s taken to her surroundings well. She checked everywhere for an escape though. I chuckle as I make my way to the monitors in the closet.


    Her rm is going to go off at 7 a. m., and she¡¯s still curled up in bed. I imagine she¡¯s going to want to fight me on this one. She¡¯s used to getting up at 8 a. m. I¡¯d be happy to let her have the extra hour, if she asks. I may prime her to ask for permission so she can see that I¡¯m willing to adjust for her. But I¡¯m not sure she¡¯ll bring it up and risk going back to the cell. She might be afraid that even just asking me will displease me. Her fear is a big part of what¡¯s holding us back. I just need to give her time and let that dissipate.


    I watch her sleeping peacefully and something inside of me seems to shift into ce. I know everything is going to work out perfectly. Every ounce of worry leaves me.


    I walk with purpose to the bathroom and go about my daily ritual. I look at my reflection in the mirror and run my hand over the stubble on my jaw. I need to get myself together before I go to her. And she should be doing the same for me. She isn¡¯t though.


    I cluck my tongue before pulling out the razor and shaving cream.


    I¡¯m happy about that. This will be a perfect training opportunity. I asked her if she needed me to exin what being a submissive means, and she said no. She was wrong. Obviously my little kitten missed some vital information in her books. She should always be presentable for me. I can¡¯t wait to show her what happens when she doesn¡¯t meet my expectations. My kitten¡¯s in for a treat.


    As I rinse the razor in a hot stream of water, my phone pings. I close my eyes with frustration.


    I¡¯ve told them I¡¯m taking some time off, but Tommy insists I¡¯m needed. I¡¯d do anything for my brother, but sometimes he gets on my fucking nerves.


    I text him back that I¡¯ll meet himter tonight. I just want to enjoy this, but instead I feel tense. It¡¯s because I know they¡¯re going to take her from me.


    They can¡¯t.


    He said I could have this.


    He gave me his word.


    I don¡¯t give a fuck about the business that we get from the Cassanos, or what their expectations were. I bought her, so she¡¯s mine to do whatever I fucking want with her.


    And right now, I want to get information from her, whip her ass for not being ready and then have her writhing beneath me.


    My shoulders loosen up and I let out an easy breath as my dick springs to life. Maybe if I just keep all the blood in my cock I won¡¯t get so fucking worked up over Vince and hisck of a god damned backbone.


    I ssh some water on my face and pat it dry. I¡¯m only in pajama pants that are hanging low on my hips, and my erection is obvious. That¡¯s good though. I want her to know how much I want her.


    I look back in the mirror and breathe easy.


    It¡¯s only me and her right now.


    Time to y with my kitten.

 132

    Catherine


    I wake up with a shriek ripped from my throat as a hard hand smacks against my ass.


    I bolt upright from the bed and grab the covers, pulling them close to my body as I stare wide-eyed at Anthony. My heart beats rapidly with fear, but then is reced by something else entirely. The brief dread that I feel fucking vanishes.


    Holy fuck, he looks like he came straight off the cover of my favorite smutty novels. That chiseled ¡°V¡± at his hips and his hard and lean muscr body are exactly what I¡¯ve longed to wake up to. Except that he just spanked me, and he¡¯s looking at me like I kicked his puppy.


    I have no fucking clue what I did to piss him off. I slowly move into a submissive position, watching him cautiously. But his eyes aren¡¯t on me. They¡¯re on my ass and probably admiring the bright red mark he left.


    ¡°Nice of you to wake up.¡± He finally gives me a clue as to what I did wrong. His tone is yful and it eases a small part of me, but I can¡¯t forget. This is an illusion and a game to him. I can¡¯t rx; I need to keep my guard up. I pull at the hem of the nightgown I¡¯m wearing. It¡¯s the longest one I found in the dresser, but it still shows far too much of my ass.


    My eyes home in on the clock on the nightstand, but I can¡¯t see the time. I vaguely remember smacking that annoying fucker when the rm woke me up earlier. My heart sinks, and my stomach drops with fear. Day one, and already I¡¯ve fucked this up. I didn¡¯t fucking know, although I should have.


    ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡± he asks with a heated stare.


    I¡¯m fucking exhausted because a psycho took me from my home and said psycho happens to get up earlier than I do. Add that to the list of things that make you a prick.


    I clear my throat as softly as possible and decide to apologize. I can¡¯t risk getting in even more trouble right now. I can¡¯t go back to the cell. I remember how nice he wasst night, I just need to appeal to that side of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anthony. I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be presentable for me.¡± His voice is stern.


    I keep my eyes on his as my breathing picks up. He¡¯s right, I should¡¯ve known that. It¡¯s not like I thought I could sleep in and lounge around all day.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure when you¡¯d be here,¡± I say as softly as my voice allows.


    ¡°You should always be ready.¡± He walks to the nightstand and picks up the clock, holding it out for me to see. ¡°But this should give you a pretty good fucking clue as to when I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    A yawn creeps up on me and I really do try to hold it in. But I can¡¯t stop myself, and I literally let out a huge yawn as he¡¯s reprimanding me. I cover my mouth with my hand and shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t what?¡± he asks with a hard edge. His eyes narrow as he sets the clock down with more grace and care than is needed. I can tell he¡¯s trying to hold in his anger. A darkness I haven¡¯t seen yet gathers around him. Fuck, this isn¡¯t good.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anthony. I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡± Fear heats my blood as I scoot backward on the bed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to yawn. It just slipped out, and I didn¡¯t know about the time.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have rxed a little too much, kitten. Did you forget who you are?¡± he asks. His words send chills down my spine and strike fear into my heart.


    I don¡¯t know how to respond; my mouth opens, but words don¡¯te out. I don¡¯t know what he wants me to say. He puts his knee on the bed and reaches out, grabbing my ankle and dragging me across the bed. The nightgown travels up my body and I desperately try to keep it down. But I don¡¯t struggle against his hold, and I don¡¯t fight him. I let him drag me over to him.


    ¡°Mine. That¡¯s who you are. You. Are. Mine.¡± His anger wanes as I look back at him. Hemands me in a calmer tone. ¡°Say it.¡±


    I hold his gaze and answer quickly. ¡°Yours. I¡¯m yours.¡± His chest rises and falls with his steadying breath. My pussy clenches as I see how my words have tamed him somewhat. I love the power I have over him, but I¡¯m not a fool, and this isn¡¯t right. It¡¯s wrong. What I feel for him, this entire situation¨Cit¡¯s all wrong.


    He¡¯s still trying to calm himself down and I know I need to say something to make him less angry with me. ¡°I will be pres¨Cpresent¨C¡± I try to tell him I¡¯ll be ready for him at all times. But I stumble over the words. Although he hasn¡¯t hit me, I¡¯m scared to death he will. Or worse, that he¡¯ll throw me back into the cell and leave me there.


    ¡°Shh.¡± His hand cups my chin and he looks me in the eyes. ¡°You will be presentable for me by 8 a. m. every morning. Unless that¡¯s too early for you?¡± He cocks his head at me, daring me to disagree.


    I swallow the lump in my throat and nod my head. ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± He looks back at me like he¡¯s waiting for more. But I don¡¯t know what he wants me to say.


    After a moment he asks, ¡°Have you disobeyed me?¡±


    I shake my head no. My breathing bes erratic as I wonder if I¡¯ve defied him unintentionally. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to. Not on purpose.¡±


    ¡°I know you haven¡¯t. But you also haven¡¯t been a very good pet, have you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be better.¡± I don¡¯t want to go back to the cell. I can¡¯t go back there. My heart begins to thump painfully in my chest as I imagine being imprisoned there again. I¡¯ll be better for him. I know I can be better.


    ¡°You need to try harder, or this will never work.¡± I search his eyes for sympathy or understanding, but I see nothing. He doesn¡¯t wait for me to speak as he continues.


    ¡°Right now, for instance. You¡¯re hesitating to answer me. You aren¡¯t speaking to me. You aren¡¯t ready.¡± I draw in a short breath at the no-nonsense list of shit I¡¯ve done to displease him already. The worst part is that I really should know better. I¡¯ve read dozens or more books about submissives and dominants. I know all about power exchanges¨Cfuck, I¡¯ve fantasized about it. And yet here I am. Failing at it. Failing at being a submissive pet like I¡¯ve dreamt about.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like that,¡± he says quietly. Fear grips my heart as I register his words. I can do this. I can be better. I need to be better so he keeps me. At least until I can get the fuck out of here. ¡°I¡¯m going to punish you for it.¡±


    I start to shake my head; my body feels paralyzed. It was just one mistake. I can fix it. ¡°Please don¡¯t send me back¨C¡±


    ¡°No, kitten,¡± he says as he strokes my cheek and looks me square in the eyes. I instantly close my eyes and hold my breath. ¡°Not a punishment for disobeying me.¡± He gently pulls me by the hands into a seated position and pets my hair. ¡°The kind of punishment that will push your limits and end with both of us being satisfied.¡± His angerpletely vanishes as he gives me a small smirk and says, ¡°You know the type of punishment I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    Everything in my body rxes as I nod back and reply, ¡°Yes.¡± I know what he means, and the thought makes my blood race. I have to break his gaze as a blushes over me and my core heats. What the fuck is wrong with me?


    A low chuckle rises in his chest.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, kitten, it¡¯s time to really start ying.¡± I look anywhere but his eyes and end up staring right at the erection in his pants. Oh, fuck, another wave of arousal hits me. I close my eyes and try to ignore it. This is just pretend. This is something I need to get through until I can escape.


    I feel the bed dip, and I know he¡¯s sitting next to me. I slowly open my eyes as he speaks. ¡°Time to be a good pet and take your punishment, kitten.¡± I want to ask him why he¡¯s doing this. I want to ask him to just let me go. But a darker side of me wants to be punished. I want to feel the pain turn to pleasure, just like I¡¯ve read about before. I want those scenes toe to life. I crawl on my knees and move to drape my body over hisp with my hips atop his thighs. I know that I have thising. I have to be better next time. It¡¯ll be easy. I¡¯ve read so many god damned books so I should fucking ace this.


    I think about them as he slips my gown up to my waist. I¡¯m not wearing any underwear because he simply didn¡¯t provide me with any. My heart sputters in my chest as his hand caresses one of my ass cheeks and then the other. My body is stiff and I keep waiting for the smack every time I feel his hand lift up, but he just continues to massage my ass, drawing out my punishment. I turn my head to the side and just breathe. My shoulders ease lower and I close my eyes, enjoying his touch.


    He positions me across hisp and ces one of his legs over mine. My eyes open, and I know it¡¯sing. A hand gentles on my ass and then lifts beforending hard with a loud smack!


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I yell out, and resist trying to move away. My eyes scrunch as another hard, stinging smacknds on my right cheek and then again on my left. I ball my hands into fists and close my eyes tightly as the stinging makes my eyes water. My throat closes, and I can¡¯t help that I flinch at the next smack. Tears leak from my eyes. Fuck, it hurts. Fucking hell. I cover my face with my hands as another hard smacknds on my ass and forces a scream from me.


    I prepare for another blow, but it doesn¡¯te. He rubs my tender ass and whispers, ¡°You¡¯re close, kitten. So close.¡± My ass feels so fucking hot and so damn sore that even the faintest soothing touch stings. He lifts his hand and brings it down over the crack of my ass. His fingertips barely touch my pussy. I try to arch my back as a warmth stirs in my belly. I shake my head as he continues my spanking. Soon the stinging pain turns into a numbing sensation, and the numbness is reced by something else. Something hot and delightful that makes my core clench.


    I groan into the sheets as his hand ps my tender skin repeatedly. He pauses to rub my ass, and I find myself moving against him.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Stay still, kitten,¡± he says as a warning. His fingers dip between the folds of my pussy.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± The words fall from my lips with lust. He raises his hand, and another hard spank greets my ass. ¡°Uhh!¡± I scream out as my body bows. I¡¯ve never felt this before, this heated need for more. I writhe under him, but then remember hismand.


    Still.


    I force myself to remain motionless as more blows rain down on my ass. Right, left, center. Over and over again. Each time he hits the center, his fingers sink lower.


    The pain morphs into something entirely different and I feel myself rise higher and higher. My head thrashes as I try to resist, but my body betrays me. I¡¯m fucking soaking wet for him. After a few more hard swats, he stops and leans down, nting a kiss on my left ass cheek.


    ¡°What do you say, kitten?¡± he asks as his hands gently caress my ass.


    I have no fucking clue what he¡¯s talking about. My heart beats faster with the desire of wanting to answer him correctly. And then it hits me.


    ¡°Thank you for my punishment,¡± I say just above a murmur.


    His fingers travel down my ass and over my puckered hole. My lungs stop as his fingertips hover there. They prod slightly, but only for a moment. Then they travel lower and dig into my heat. The feeling is so unexpected, and so shockingly needed.


    I grind on his hand as his fingers pump in and out of me. I moan into the sheets shamelessly. He pulls them out, only to move the moisture to my clit and circle it with no mercy. My back stiffens and my body tingles as every part of me is on edge. And then he pinches my hardened nub and I shatter. I fall off the edge and break, with waves of pleasure controlling every inch of my body. It¡¯s a paralyzing release that leaves me breathless.


    It¡¯s quiet for a long moment as I lie limp across hisp. Finally he breaks the silence. ¡°Good job, kitten. You did really well. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± For some reason his praise makes my heart swell. I quickly look away and try to ignore the warmth I feel in my chest. Not to mention his fucking erection digging into my stomach.


    He reaches over me to grab something off the nightstand, but I don¡¯t see what it is. I hear a cap snap open and I hiss as a cool dab of creamnds on one ass cheek and then the other. He chuckles, and it¡¯s the sexiest fucking sound I¡¯ve ever heard. He gently rubs the cream into my skin and I practically purr with affection. Aftercare. A small smile ys at my lips, but then I remember everything. Shame reces every good feeling. I swallow as spikes seem to grow in my throat. What the fuck just happened?


    He reaches over to the nightstand for something else, and this time I look. My brow furrows as I catch a glimpse of something that I¡¯m almost positive is a syringe.


    He stabs the needle into my ass, making me wince before I can do a damn thing about it. After a second he pulls it out and rubs the tender spot. ¡°There kitten, now you¡¯ve had your shots.¡±


    I look at him from the corner of my eye as he lifts me off hisp to sit next to him. Fuck, my ass hurts! I¡¯m too scared to ask what the shot was, but I can¡¯t take my eyes off of it. I need to know what he¡¯s putting into my body. I swallow thickly and bite out the words.


    ¡°Anthony, what was that?¡±


    ¡°A shot of Depo-Provera,¡± he answers confidently.


    Birth control.


    He sits me upright, making me cringe from the stinging sensation and moves off the bed. I keep my head lowered and try not to show how fucking worried I am.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in one hour. Be ready for me this time.¡± He cups my chin in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been going easy on you, so don¡¯t make me regret that.¡±


    His lips hover an inch away from mine, but he doesn¡¯t lean in. My breathing picks up and I wait for him to kiss me. But he doesn¡¯t.


    He drops his hand and walks quickly to the door.


    ¡°One hour. Don¡¯t disappoint me, kitten.¡±

 133

    Catherine


    I breathe in deep and look at my reflection as Iyer on one more coat of mascara. The cab is filled with high-end beauty products that are all brand new. It also contains my makeup bag, which he obviously stole from my house.


    I¡¯ve been watching the clock like a hawk.


    My hair¡¯s tied back in a loose braid, and my makeup is clean and natural-looking, just enough to cover the imperfections.


    The closet is stuffed with all sorts of clothing. From cocktail dresses, to slutty role-ying costumes, to everyday pieces that I actually love. He also brought along a duffel bag packed with a few items that I wear all the time.


    The variety of clothing, makeup, and essories is strangely familiar. Some things I recognize as mine, but the new additions are all nicer, more luxurious versions of what I already own.


    The one thing he didn¡¯t grab were the owl earrings my mother left me.


    They were hers, and when she found out she only had three months left to live, she gave them to me.


    They¡¯re gorgeous. I¡¯d admired them since I was a little girl. The earrings are yellow gold with ruby flowers in the centers of the owls, but I¡¯ve never worn them. I was always too afraid I¡¯d lose them. And now they¡¯re gone.


    I tilt my head back and exhale, waving my hands around my face to cool my eyes and keep me from crying. It¡¯s almost time, and I can¡¯t ruin my makeup and piss him off.


    I don¡¯t know why I was sockadaisical when he came in this morning. Maybe it¡¯s because I slept so damn well. It took forever to actually get to sleep, but when I did, I slept wonderfully. I guess allowing myself to cry some helped. I¡¯m not sure why I wasn¡¯t more alert this morning. Maybe it¡¯s because he was so lenientst night, but whatever the reason, I can¡¯t let it happen again.


    I calm myself down and put the mascara back. Everything¡¯s neat and put away. It makes me feel at ease. I just need to make the bed and then I can wait for him.


    I always make my bed in the morning. I think staying at home all day has made me a tidier person than I ever was before. So long as I¡¯m capable of making the bed, I¡¯m able to do anything. I snort a humorlessugh as I move the sheets into ce and reach for the duvet. It¡¯s so pretty and soft. It¡¯s off-white, with thin silver threading making a paisley design throughout.


    I bend at the waist toy my head down on the bed and love how I sink in to the mattress and smell theforting scent of freshundry. As I inhale deeply, I hear the doorknob turn and the door slowly open. I quickly climb the bed and kneel at the end of it. I don¡¯t know if this is where he wants me. My heart races. I don¡¯t know any of his preferences. He never told me. He may want my hair a certain way, my makeup to be heavier, or my clothes to be different. I have no fucking clue. I need to ask him. He hasn¡¯t given me anything. He¡¯s not ying fair.


    As soon as I find out what kind of mood he¡¯s in, I¡¯m asking. So long as it¡¯s a good mood.


    I hear him walk by the sofa and toward the bed, but I don¡¯t look up. I keep my head bowed and wait. I¡¯m on my knees, sitting back on my heels with my hands slightly in front of me, palms up.


    I¡¯ve read a lot of books and there are so many damn positions. I don¡¯t know which one he means by kneel. For Christ¡¯s sake, in movies they kneel on one foot, but I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t mean that though.


    I watch as he picks up my hand and ces it gently on my thigh and does the same with the other. His fingers tilt my chin up so I have to look at him.


    ¡°No need to bow, kitten.¡± He pets my hair as he talks. It¡¯s soothing and rhythmic. ¡°I want your eyes on me always. You never have to look away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± I feel like I¡¯m ying a role. It gives me a small thrill, but I have to remember this is an act. All of this is an act.


    ¡°Did you find everything you need?¡± he asks.


    I look up at him through myshes. He¡¯s so fucking handsome. It still amazes me that he felt the need to take a woman when he could have anyone he wanted. That a man like him would stoop this low. I realize I haven¡¯t answered his question and bite my lip. I want to tell him I want more of my things, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m too scared to do anything to upset him. Because of that, I merely nod my head in assent.


    ¡°So I packed everything that you need, then?¡± he asks with slight disbelief in his tone. The way he says it makes me feel like I¡¯d be a liar now to tell him that I want more of my things. My skin heats and I feel nauseated. I feel trapped in a corner, like no matter what I do, it¡¯ll be wrong.


    ¡°Kitten,¡± he says as he leans my body against his chest and runs soothing strokes along my back.


    ¡°You can tell me anything. I promise I won¡¯t get mad,¡± he says.


    ¡°I want to go home.¡± The words fall out easily. As though they¡¯ve been perched there, waiting for me to release them.


    ¡°I know you do, but you can¡¯t.¡± He keeps petting my back and I hate him for it. I want to move out of his embrace, but at the same time I don¡¯t. I need thefort.


    ¡°What else did you want to ask?¡± he says. I¡¯m quiet for a moment and he adds, ¡°If you want certain things, you¡¯ll need to ask for them.¡±


    ¡°I have other things I want,¡± I say softly into his chest. I wait with bated breath for his reaction.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go together. Later tonight.¡± His answer surprises me so much I gopletely still. I¡¯m afraid if I move, or if I even breathe, he¡¯ll change his mind.


    ¡°I want you to be happy here. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± I respond with the only answer that seems fit, but really, I don¡¯t know that to be true. He wants me here to serve him. To y his fucked up game. He doesn¡¯t want me here to be happy. He¡¯s not doing me any god damned favors.


    He finally releases me and I maintain my position.


    He looks me over, assessing me before taking me by my hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for breakfast, kitten.¡± He leads me off the bed and to the door. We¡¯re leaving the room. Hope rises in my chest. I wait for the sash, but he doesn¡¯t pull it out. Maybe he¡¯ll let his guard down today, and I¡¯ll have a chance to run.


    He looks back at me as he enters in the code. I bite my bottom lip and look away. Damn it. He grunts augh and it pisses me off. At the click he opens the door and reaches out to prop it open with his foot. I consider grabbing the door, swinging it open and running. My heart beats fast and adrenaline rushes through my blood at the thought. But I don¡¯t do it. I watch as he wheels in a steel cart and the door slowly closes. My eyes fall to the ground and I feel like a fucking coward.


    ¡°Now now, kitten, stop that.¡± I look up at my captor, at my dom, with sad eyes.


    ¡°I just want to go home.¡± I say the words again and I¡¯m sure I sound pathetic.


    ¡°You are home,¡± he says absolutely. It crushes something inside me and I have to work hard not to cry. I stand there while he wheels the cart over to the sofa and sets up covered dishes on the coffee table. I look between him and the locked door.


    It could be so much worse. He was supposed to kill me. I close my eyes and steady my breathing as I consider how many other ways this could have gone. I just need to behave. He can¡¯t keep me here forever.


    ¡°Come, kitten.¡± My feet move toward him before I¡¯m even fully conscious of hismand.


    I start to sit on the sofa, but he holds his hand up and I freeze.


    ¡°On your knees,¡± he says.


    I only hesitate a fraction of a second before gracefully sitting on my heels. I put my hands on my thighs where he ced them earlier. I can do this. I know I can. And I can win his trust and I can get the fuck out of here. I just need to role-y. I can do it. I know I can.


    ¡°Let¡¯s y a game, kitten.¡± He starts talking and I give him my full attention, but I don¡¯t want to y a game. I want to go home. I want to read my books, talk to my clients, and engage with my group of readers on social media. Every hour I¡¯m away from them kills the interaction rates. It¡¯s fucking horrible for business. I breathe in deeply. My books and my work are my life. And he¡¯s murdering both of them right now.


    ¡°Between every bite we¡¯ll ask each other a question.¡± He lifts a silver dome off of a te and a delicious scent fills my lungs. I inhale deeply, loving the smell of peppers and sausage and eggs. I eye the dish. Omelets. My mouth waters. ¡°Does that sound like fun to you?¡± he asks.


    No, I think, but of course I answer, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Does it really?¡± he asks, immediately countering my simple answer.


    ¡°Fun? No, it doesn¡¯t. But it sounds like something to do,¡± I answer honestly out of instinct. I don¡¯t have time to be nervous about it. He barks augh at my answer andys a gentle hand on my hair.


    ¡°Thank you, kitten.¡± He leans down and nts a kiss in my hair and strokes me gently. It¡¯s soothing, and I hate howforting it is.


    I look his body over as he moves to cut a piece of the omelet. I still don¡¯t understand why a man like him would do this. I want to ask him. But I¡¯m not going there. I think I¡¯ll stick to, What¡¯s the weather like outside, since I can¡¯t fucking see it?


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first, kitten,¡± he says as he stabs a piece of the egg and puts the fork in front of my mouth. I obediently open and wait for his question. ¡°I know what happened with the Cassanos. But I want you to tell me what you saw.¡± I chew the food slowly as my blood chills. I don¡¯t want to talk about it. I also don¡¯t know if this is a test. Maybe he really does work for them. Maybe this is all a ploy of some sort. Anxiety creeps up on me. As if reading my mind, he reassures me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a trick. I¡¯m just curious how it happened.¡± He sets the fork down as I swallow.


    ¡°Would it help if I tell you what I know?¡± he asks. I nod my head, still unable to speak. Everything that happened fucking destroyed me. I may have been a sweet, shy, book-loving nerd before, but at least I was strong and confident. Going through that shit robbed me of that. I don¡¯t want to go back to that fucked up ce.


    ¡°You saw three of their soldiers kill Judge Hawthort. He was killed by Michael Davis, and Joseph and Brandon Becker. Andter you were able to identify them all as well as ount for their missing kilos of dope,¡± he says.


    I shake my head no and say, ¡°He was alive. I¡¯m fairly sure he was alive.¡± I didn¡¯t testify that I saw him dead, and I¡¯m confident that he was alive at the time that I witnessed everything. His body was never found though. It¡¯s a very real possibility that he¡¯s dead simply because I saw them. Talking about this triggers the memory. I see the hammers in their hands and hear the sound of Brandon smashing his against the judge¡¯s knee. He was alive. I hear his screams echo in my head. The bricks and the bags are there. My body turns to ice.


    He holds another bite to my lips; my appetite is gone, but I take it. ¡°What else did you see?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Nothing. I never saw anything else,¡± I say.


    ¡°They were charged with more,¡± he points out.


    ¡°Nothing that I testified to,¡± I answer quickly.


    ¡°But you testified to attempted rape and kidnapping?¡± he asks.


    I look away and nod.


    ¡°I have another question for you and then I¡¯ll lighten it up, kitten.¡± My eyes fall. I don¡¯t want another question. This game fucking blows. ¡°I want you to be honest.¡±


    I wait nervously for his question.


    ¡°Did they touch you?¡± I know what he¡¯s getting at.


    I shake my head no. ¡°They tried,¡± I answer, looking to the floor. ¡°That¡¯s when I left.¡± Not a single one of them did. Not even Lorenzo. He was having too much fun beating me for sport.


    ¡°What about your boyfriend?¡± he asks. I fucking hate that I ever called him that. Lorenzo helped me escape the pain of losing my mother. He made me feel free and wild. And then he destroyed me. I shake my head no, and I don¡¯t realize until Anthony says something, but my hand moves to my cheek.


    ¡°He hit you?¡± I lock my eyes on Anthony¡¯s. His voice is calm. He¡¯s been calm the entire time. But his eyes spark with a darkness I never want to see directed at me. I give one curt nod in response. I¡¯m ashamed that I let Lorenzo hurt me. I¡¯m ashamed that it all ever happened.


    He scoops a piece of omelet onto the fork and holds it out for me.


    I take it simply to fill my mouth so I don¡¯t have to talk.


    ¡°Your turn, kitten. Ask me anything.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 134

    Catherine


    I can ask him anything at all. Anything I want. ¡°Why me?¡± I ask simply. I want to know what I did that put a target on my back.


    ¡°Well. I told you I was supposed to kill you,¡± he says. The reminder makes my stomach churn. ¡°You were on my list, and like everyone on my list, I did a little digging. In your case, I liked what I found.¡± He spears a small piece of pepper and puts it to my lips.


    ¡°Have you¡­ done this before?¡± I ask before epting the bite. I fucking hope the answer is no. If it¡¯s yes, I know what my next question will be, but I¡¯m afraid of the answer. Did you kill them when you were done with them?


    ¡°I¡¯ve yed before, but it was only y. You¡¯re the first real submissive I¡¯ve had. And the firstplete 24/7 power exchange.¡±


    I don¡¯t know why, but I hate that there were others before me.


    ¡°What happened to them?¡± I ask before receiving another bite.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t a good fit,¡± he answers without looking at me. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s done that, and I don¡¯t like it.


    ¡°What did you do to them?¡± I ask before I can think twice.


    He cocks a brow at me. ¡°You mean, did I kill them?¡± he asks.


    My throat closes as I answer in a choked voice, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No, kitten. I didn¡¯t kill them.¡± He doesn¡¯t answer my unspoken question. If we don¡¯t fit, will he kill me? He holds another piece out for me to take. But I shake my head. I¡¯m not hungry. The thought of eating another bite makes me sick to my stomach. Of course he will. I¡¯m already supposed to be dead. If we don¡¯t fit, or once he¡¯s done with me, I¡¯ll be dead.


    Tears prick my eyes, but I push them back. I need to be good. I need to be fucking perfect until I can get out of here. And the first chance I get, I need to run as fast as I can. I can never stop running. Never.


    His strong arms wrap around me as he picks me up and pulls me into hisp to lean against his chest. ¡°I chose you for a reason, kitten.¡± He gently strokes my back and I concentrate on how good it feels to distract myself from the pain. He kisses my hair and then pets me as Iy my head t against his hard, hot body. I hear his heart beating as he speaks. ¡°You fit me, and this is exactly what I wanted. You are exactly what I want.¡±


    For now. I focus on the n. Survive until I¡¯m given an opportunity. I¡¯ll be as perfect as I can be. I¡¯ll make him want to keep me. I pull back and he readjusts me so I¡¯m sitting in hisp.


    I don¡¯t know what to say to move past this, but I really just want to move forward and forget that this breakdown ever happened.


    ¡°Do you like your new home?¡± he asks. I¡¯m grateful to discuss a more casual topic, but I can¡¯t forget that the fact he¡¯s even asking me that question is fucked up. I didn¡¯t need a new home. I loved my cabin, and I want to go back.


    I nce around the room again. It¡¯s as perfect as a gilded cage can be. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Do you have everything that you need?¡± he asks.


    ¡°There are a few things I¡¯d like to get,¡± I say quietly.


    ¡°Yes, you told me that. Other than a few trinkets, is there anything important that I¡¯ve forgotten?¡± I feel like he already knows the answer to his question. Like this is a test.


    What¡¯s the one thing I need here? One thing he hasn¡¯t given me is myptop. I¡¯m afraid to ask for it. It¡¯d be stupid to ask. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d let me go online.


    He reaches past me to the cart and my mouth drops open.


    ¡°I told you earlier, you only need to ask,¡± he says.


    I stare at myptop in his hands. My fucking life is on there. I reach out to take it, expecting him to snatch it away, but he doesn¡¯t. Instead he kisses my hair and gently rubs my back. I hug it to my chest and wait for the other shoe to drop.


    ¡°Go ahead. I know you have work to do.¡± I swallow the lump in my throat and slowly open my MacBook Pro. It¡¯s ten years old. I got it in college. It¡¯s really past time to get a new one, but I fucking love my baby.


    I type in my password, and the same screen pops up that¡¯s greeted me every morning for thest year. It¡¯s a meme that says, ¡°You can¡¯t read all day, if you don¡¯t start in the morning!¡± I can¡¯t help my smile. I instinctively look to check the inte connection. I have a few books loaded on here that I need to put on my Kindle, but what I really need to do is catch up with my FB group and my blogs, plus the editor for my column. I also need to check my email, my website for beta readers, my Goodreads ount, and the reading groups online. I take a deep breath and click on my web browser and then hold my breath and stiffen as the screen pops up. I quickly hit exit and look back to Anthony self-consciously.


    ¡°Go ahead, kitten. I want to watch you work.¡± I release a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding and look back at Anthony with disbelief.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d give you your life back. I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± I search his eyes for anything but sincerity, but that¡¯s all I see. I bite my lip and look back to theputer.


    I have work to do, and this is going to take me fucking forever. I shift in hisp. This isn¡¯t going to work, but I don¡¯t want to push my luck.


    ¡°You typically write on your bed, don¡¯t you?¡± he asks.


    A chill runs through me at the reminder that he watched me before taking me. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll sit here. I have a book I¡¯d like to read.¡± It takes a moment for his words to sink in, but when they do, I take my chances and get my ass up and move to the bed with myptop. I keep my eyes on him as I put the pillow against the headboard for support, and another on myp for theputer. I¡¯ve always typed this way. I imagine I always will. It¡¯s a bad habit to break.


    I watch as Anthony rises and walks to the bookshelf, choosing a paperback and lying down on the sofa. He crosses his ankles and it¡¯s the sexiest sight I¡¯ve ever seen.


    It¡¯s fucking unreal that he¡¯s letting me get online.


    Something¡¯s up though. And I don¡¯t fucking like it. Everything is a test. Everyst fucking thing. My eyes stay on him as I type in my password. My email is slow to open, but it does. I click on my emails one at a time and type my responses, but I keep looking back to Anthony. He simply turns a page, appearing fully engrossed in his reading.


    I feel so fucking uneasy. He¡¯s not at all what I expected, and the thought that I¡¯d be able to do this is just¡­ insane. He¡¯s fucking insane. Not just mentally unstable, but certifiably insane if he thinks I¡¯m not going to message someone¨Canyone¨Cthat I¡¯ve been taken. I don¡¯t give a fuck that he¡¯s been nice, or that he¡¯s hot, or that this is literally a fucking dark dreame true for me. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m not going to try to get the hell out of here.


    I click on a new tab and bring up Facebook. Cheryl¡¯s my personal assistant and my go-to gal for everything. My cursor hovers over the box to message her, but she¡¯s already sent me five messages. The third one was her freaking out that I didn¡¯t respond at all yesterday, but the fourth and fifth are her fixing my shit and wishing me well because she refuses to believe that I¡¯m dead and I better fucking message her back or she¡¯ll find me and kill me. Yeah, that¡¯s Cheryl.


    I type in ame excuse and don¡¯t mention shit. Yet. I want to. Every fucking voice inside of me is screaming to do something and tell someone. But I¡¯d be stupid to think I¡¯d get away with it, right? I watch Anthony for a minute as I copy and paste an email to send to another reader.


    What would he do to me if I did? Kill me. The answer is obvious, but he hasn¡¯t hurt me yet. My ass smarts at the thought. It still fucking hurts, although the cream he rubbed in did wonders for the worst of the pain. I don¡¯t know where I am. I¡¯m not sure that there¡¯s any way they¡¯d find me.


    Hey, Cheryl. Some psycho took me, I¡¯m not sure where. Could you figure out a way for someone to rescue me?


    Yeah¡­ that¡¯s not going to fucking work. My heart races and my fingers itch to type something, anything to help me get the fuck out of here.


    I will be good. I will not email the police and post all over social media that I¡¯ve been kidnapped. ¡®Cause that would be fucking obvious. But I could sure as fuck sneak in some clues.


    I type in, Busy with Comfort Food, hoping she¡¯ll catch on. It¡¯s a ssic book where the heroine is kidnapped. I hope she understands and catches the subtlety. Maybe she can help me. She can ry information for me, and I can figure out where the fuck I am.


    She instantly replies, Whatcha eating?


    Jesus, Cheryl. I barely keep myself from rolling my eyes. As I consider what to type next, Anthony¡¯s phone pings in his pocket. He takes it out and looks at it and then right at me. My heart stops. But he merely gives me a tight smile and goes back to his book.


    I can¡¯t help but think that message was about me. That I¡¯d been caught. My skin prickles with goosebumps and my hands shake. What would he do if he caught me? What good would it do for people to know I¡¯d been taken if they had no way to find me? It takes me a moment, but I¡¯m finally able to type back, Omelets, brb.


    No more of that shit. I go back to checking all of my notifications. I post a few memes, along with a fun pic of a hot man with a question for the readers to answer about Linda¡¯s new book release. I download four betas to my Kindle as I message three authors that I¡¯m a day behind. The hours tick by as I make small dents in my work.


    I only look up when I see Anthony rise and stretch. I hold my breath and wait for him as he strides toward me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back, kitten.¡± He leans down and looks over myputer for only a second and then gives me a smile. I feel that sexual tension between us, the need to lean forward and kiss him.


    But instead his brows furrow and he looks back at the screen, reading over the posts in my group. After a moment he breaks the silence. ¡°I wonder what your group would suggest, kitten,¡± he says, taking a seat next to me. His arm wraps around my waist. Like this is normal, like we¡¯re a couple.


    ¡°Ask them this.¡± It¡¯s amand.


    I click the box and prepare to type in a question. My heart beats chaotically in my chest as he tells me what to write. ¡°What would you do if you woke up in a basement and a man gave you two choices: die, or be his?¡± I type in his words and hover over the submit button. It¡¯s fucking insane that he¡¯s having me ask them. But it¡¯s also amon thing I do. I pose a question by picking a scenario from amon trope to engage them. I already know what most will answer.


    I hit enter, and it doesn¡¯t take long for them to startmenting. They love these questions, and frankly, so do I. But not this one. Because this is real.


    ¡°Well, your friends have some good ideas as to what you should be doing.¡± I consider pointing out thement from a reader about gouging his eyes out, but I don¡¯t.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I read down the list of responses. Nearly fortyments already. Most say the same thing.


    Be his!


    I choose the second option!


    Well, if he¡¯s hot¨Cthat¡¯s a no brainer!


    All their responses seem so natural online. They¡¯re meant for humor, and to be cheeky replies. A week ago, I would have said the same. But it¡¯s not real. You wouldn¡¯t really do that. It¡¯s not that easy. I want to yell at Anthony. I¡¯m pissed that he would do that shit to me, that he would make me feel like I¡¯m the one holding back.


    ¡°Given that the choice is to die or to be his, it¡¯s clearly a given.¡± I read the words tly. It¡¯s one of thements, but also the truth. I keep my voice even and my eyes on the screen.


    I can feel Anthony¡¯s eyes on me, and I regret opening my mouth at all. I can¡¯t look at him, so I stare at the screen. Thements continueing in.


    Agree to be his¡­ duh! lol


    Well I wouldn¡¯t make it easy for him¡­


    Agree! It could be hot as hell ??


    I close theptop and try to swallow the lump growing in my throat. I can¡¯t read them. I hate the ease at which the repliese in. Normally I love them. I love my group of readers and authors. But right now I can¡¯t stand how easy they make giving in sound. Anthony pulls theptop from me and cradles me in hisp.


    ¡°I just wanted you to see why it was easy to pick you.¡± His voice is gentle and it vibrates up his chest. I lean deeper into him. ¡°You¡¯re primed to enjoy this because deep down you know how good this can be.¡±


    I shake my head against his broad shoulders. Those are fantasies.


    He grips my chin in his hand and leans into me. Our lips are closer than they have ever been before. ¡°Real life and fantasy can blur, kitten. This can be whatever you want it to be.¡±


    My heart aches in my chest. Be his. How easy it seems to give in.


    And I do. A piece of my armor cracks enough that I lean into his embrace and brush my lips against his. He doesn¡¯t kiss back, not at first. And it kills something deep down inside of me. Before I can pull away, his hands grip my hips and he pushes me down onto the bed and kisses me with passion. His erection rubs against my clit and he rocks against me as our tongues meet and our kiss turns into something more. I feel my walls falling down around me. It would be so easy to give in to him. To live something I¡¯ve only ever thought would be a dream.


    Just as the word touches my tongue, please, he pulls back and stands, leaving me panting and lost in lust. I slowly push myself into a sitting position as he climbs off the bed and gives me a heated re. I know he wants me. I would have begged him though.


    I close my eyes and turn back to myputer. A moment of silence passes. I fucking would have begged him. I was going to do it. What the ever loving fuck is wrong with me?


    ¡°Time¡¯s up, kitten,¡± he says, reaching for theptop.


    ¡°I need to work.¡± I speak without thinking. His eyes narrow and I reword my plea. ¡°I¡¯m really far behind. Please, Anthony.¡± I sound so pathetic and weak. I hate it. I¡¯m so fucking weak.


    ¡°You can download the books and write your articles without going online,¡± he answers, and he¡¯s partly right, but he¡¯s fucking wrong, too. I have to be avable. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so sessful. I respond immediately. If they need something done, I get it done that fucking second. Yesterday took a toll on my work already. I¡¯m going to have to bust ass to get it back up. And his inte is so god damned slow that everything is taking longer than it should.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I have to be avable,¡± I say.


    ¡°You want to be able to go online without being monitored?¡± he asks.


    I nod my head even as I realize how ridiculous my request is. But he said he¡¯d give me my life back. And this is my life. It¡¯s my passion.


    ¡°Alright, kitten,¡± he says as though it¡¯s perfectly normal. As though there¡¯s no harm whatsoever in allowing me to do this without him here. I remember the ping from his earlier text. But that had to have been a coincidence.


    Hope rises in my chest. Maybe I can get the fuck out of here after all. I don¡¯t need him fucking with my emotions and manipting me into fucking begging him like he just did. He hands me back theputer and I take it as gently as possible to hide my intentions. I¡¯m going to escape. I just need to figure out how.

 135

    Anthony


    I have shit to do, but I¡¯m waiting. I know she¡¯s going to push. Especially after leaving her all hot and panting for my touch like I did. I walk about five steps away from her door and lean against the wall. If I¡¯ve learned anything about my sweet little pet, it¡¯s that she acts on impulse. And right now, she¡¯s not too happy with me. But she needs to learn that she¡¯s not always going to get what she wants. I readjust my erection and think back to how she writhed under me. She fucking wanted me. But she didn¡¯t beg. And I had to get the fuck off of her before I broke my word.


    I log on to my phone that¡¯s now on silent and go through the alerts. There¡¯s a logger on herputer and I set up a script to monitor what she¡¯s doing. Even shit that she types, but doesn¡¯t send. Titles of books or authors that could trigger clues. Words and phrases or certain sites that she¡¯d think of going on. There¡¯s also a feed. I can watch everything she¡¯s doing as she¡¯s doing it. And I can veto it, too. I go through the list of triggers again. Three triggers¨CComfort Food, ¡°help me, please¡±, and ¡°taken.¡± Thest two triggers seem harmless enough in context, but that first one? I know what my kitten was up to. I thought about going over and busting her ass. But I¡¯m gonna wait until she makes a clear offense. Something she can¡¯t deny is wrong.


    I lean my head against the wall realizing what that means. I don¡¯t want her back in the cell. But she¡¯s going back. I¡¯d bet my life on it. And that fucking sucks. I was hoping we¡¯d make more progress; I was sure we would, but I was wrong.


    Ping. Another notification pops up and I¡¯m quick to hit¨Cckout. My kitten is about to freak the fuck out. I hear her cuss and move around in the room. Her screen just went ck, and she sure as fuck knows why. I pocket my phone and punch in the key code to her room. I check my other pocket for the sash and it¡¯s there. Good. I¡¯m gonna need it. I¡¯ve got all sorts of shit I use for work out here in the hall. She doesn¡¯t need to see that and think it¡¯s for her.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    I open the door and examine her room. She¡¯s nowhere in sight, and the room is silent.


    I close the door behind me quietly. ¡°Kitten,¡± I call out for her, but she doesn¡¯t respond. Even I have to agree the calm manner I¡¯m calling out with is creepy as fuck. But it¡¯s better that I¡¯m calm. She¡¯s already on edge, and I can¡¯t push her away with my anger. She¡¯s scared, and I don¡¯t need her to turn violent. She would. I¡¯m sure she would.


    ¡°Kitten, you will answer me.¡± I take a few steps past the living room area and into her bedroom. ¡°Do you want to make this even harder on yourself?¡± I ask. There¡¯s only a hint of anger in my words. I don¡¯t want her scared of me. I want her scared of displeasing me. There¡¯s a very big difference.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anthony.¡± I hear her words as I open her closet doors. They came from behind me. I look at the bed, and then at the space underneath. Oh, how¡­ pitiful. I walk over and stand where she should be able to see me, if she has a view from wherever she is under there. At least I feel a little relief knowing she responded to me at all. That¡¯s a good sign.


    ¡°Kitten, you need toe out,¡± I say.


    ¡°Please,¡± she begs with a sob. She sounds remorseful and truly upset. And she should be.


    ¡°Please what, kitten?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me,¡± she whimpers. I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose as I exhale with frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you, kitten.¡± My wordse out soft to help her rx somewhat. ¡°I can promise you I won¡¯t. You already know your punishment.¡± I hear her sniffle amidst the small sounds of movement. ¡°I knew I¡¯d have to wait to leave. At least I can say I¡¯m only mildly disappointed that you disobeyed me so quickly. It¡¯s best we get this out of your system now.¡± A moment passes, and she doesn¡¯t appear. I¡¯ll give her one more chance.


    ¡°Come out now.¡± I make my voice harder and then regret that I did. She cries louder, but I still don¡¯t hear her moving toe out.


    ¡°If I have toe get you, you¡¯re really gonna regret it.¡± The thought of dragging her out makes my cock jump in my pants. Fuck, I would fucking love it. I can¡¯t wait until we¡¯re at that point. Once that pussy is all mine, I want her to hide from me so I can punish her. I want to punish that ass with my dick, rather than my hand. Soon. I remind myself that I just need to be patient. If I did it now, it would ruin everything.


    As I open my eyes, I see her sliding out. Her small body drags on the floor as she squeezes between the floor and the frame. Poor Catherine. She looks so despondent.


    I stand with my arms folded across my chest and watch as she slowly stands up. She hangs her head low and she¡¯s angling her body in a way that makes it obvious that she expects me to hit her. She should know that I won¡¯t. But she¡¯s still going to be punished. It will help her. I remind myself that this needs to happen. She¡¯ll learn. I only want the pain to be pleasurable. And this punishment will contain zero pleasure.


    ¡°I had to try.¡± She looks at the ground as she speaks, and I fucking hate it.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t. You didn¡¯t have to.¡± It makes me angry that she thinks she needed to disobey me. She needs to get over that shit. Hopefully a day and a half in the cell will be enough. ¡°You chose to.¡±


    I pull out the blindfold and she submits to me, turning around so I can tie it and lead her to the cell.


    We¡¯re quiet the entire way to the cell. The only sounds are the echoes of our footsteps and her uneven breathing. I pet her back with every step and at times she seems like she¡¯s ready to lean into me, but she doesn¡¯t. She¡¯s rejected my touch, myfort, my trust. I sigh heavily as I take off the sash and prepare to leave her, but then I see mascara running down her cheeks as she crumples onto the floor and scoots away from me.


    I need to wait until she¡¯s calm. She¡¯ll learn to ept her punishments. When she¡¯s fully aware of what she¡¯ll receive in return, that knowledge will keep her from failing to obey me.


    I lean down and stroke her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s alright, kitten.¡± She doesn¡¯t respond, but she doesn¡¯t move away from me either.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to go get your things without you. You need to tell me everything you want.¡± I don¡¯t tell her that her things will always be there for her. I n on keeping up with her mortgage and bills. Every contact that she gets will go through me, and to her, and then back to the sender. I don¡¯t need any red gs to go to the WPP. Fuck that.


    The reminder of life outside of these walls pisses me off.


    None of that will be necessary if I have to kill her at the end of the month. I press my lips into a straight line. That¡¯s not going to happen. I¡¯ve only just started to have my time with her. Vince will give her to me. I bring in so much fucking money with these hits. He¡¯ll give me this. I just need to deal with the Cassanos.


    ¡°I¨C¡± She hesitantly looks at me and then back down, grabbing onto her fingers nervously. ¡°I have a pair of earrings in my armoire.¡± She speaks so quietly I can hardly hear her. ¡°I need them. Please.¡± She looks up at me with a pleading expression. ¡°They¡¯re owls,¡± she says as her voice cracks and she breaks down at my feet. She bends over with her hands on the floor as a wretched sob heaves through her chest. She needs me right now. This is more than just being sorry about getting caught. It¡¯s more than being ashamed that she broke the rules, or fearing that I¡¯m going to hurt her.


    I sit on the floor next to her and pull her shaking shoulders into my embrace.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to get them. Anything else?¡± I speak softly into her hair and breathe in her sweet scent. Her small body is so warm against me. She¡¯s leaning into me like I¡¯m her savior, regardless of the fact that I¡¯m about to leave her in a cell with nothing.


    After a few minutes of me gently petting her back and her hair, she pulls away slightly. She still doesn¡¯t look me in the eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± She wipes her eyes and sighs. ¡°Nothing I can think of.¡±


    I¡¯m going all the way to her house for one pair of earrings. It¡¯s nearly two hours away. Obviously they mean something to her though. I give her a curt nod that she doesn¡¯t see, because she¡¯s not looking at me.


    I take her chin in my hand and force her eyes on me. ¡°You¡¯ll be here until tomorrow night. That¡¯s your punishment.¡±


    She noticeably swallows, but nods her head and manages to push out, ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± Good girl. She¡¯s taken this well at least.


    I have to leave her. I don¡¯t want to, but I do. ¡°I have to go, kitten,¡± I tell her gently. I hate that I¡¯m leaving her in here, but she knew the consequences. It¡¯s important for her training that I stick to my word.


    She leans against my leg as I pet her hair. I know she doesn¡¯t want me to leave, but I have to.


    I pat her head to let her know I¡¯m going, and she responds by looking up at me with sad brown eyes, glossed over with tears.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t do it again,¡± she says, but her plea is weak. She¡¯s resigned to her fate.


    ¡°You earned your punishment, kitten. I¡¯ll be back to give you dinner,¡± I say.


    With that I turn and leave her. She barely grips my leg, but releases me without me having to scold her.


    It fucking hurts my chest as I press the keys to leave.


    I wish she hadn¡¯t done that shit.


    But if I was her, I would have done it, too.

 136

    Anthony


    Rigs, Vince¡¯s giant assb, is lying pathetically on the floor begging. He¡¯s a good-looking dog. I look to Vince and say, ¡°See, told you the kids would ruin him. He¡¯s a biscuit-begging mutt now.¡±


    Vince shakes his head and my brotherughs, taking another drink of his beer. All the women are in the living room with the kids. Usually Rigs goes where the kids go, but we¡¯re still in the dining room, and so is the food. Smart dog.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°He was so fucking good before the kids. You could drop a steak a foot from his face and he wouldn¡¯t move,¡± Vince jokes, and we all have augh even though he¡¯s shaking his head.


    ¡°God, the kids. Cockblocking and dog ruining,¡± Tommy says with his hands over his eyes. He¡¯s worn the fuck out with the little ones. But he still says it with a smile.


    ¡°Gotta love ¡¯em though,¡± Vince answers.


    ¡°I need another beer,¡± Tommy says with a touch of humor.


    ¡°Grab me one, too?¡± I ask him. He gives me a nod and heads out. Vince gets up from his seat to pour more Jack in his ss.


    As soon as no one¡¯s looking, I give the dog thest meatball from my te. He swallows it down so fucking fast there¡¯s no way he even tasted it. I chuckle at him and watch him lift his head up higher so he can see what¡¯s left up here. Greedy ass dog.


    Vince takes the head seat again and leans back with his ss at his lips. When he looks at me this time, there¡¯s tension surrounding us. I know what it¡¯s about, too. I¡¯ve been waiting for it.


    ¡°We gotta talk, Anthony,¡± he says.


    Tommy makes his way back with the beers and passes me one. I don¡¯t want him in here for this though. I don¡¯t want him to know about Catherine. She¡¯s my secret. She¡¯s mine. I wish even Vince didn¡¯t know. It kills me that he does. Even worse is that I know he doesn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Hey, bro, could you give us a minute?¡± I ask Tommy as I pop the cap off my beer. He looks between me and Vince with a touch of confusion, but nods his head with a bit of a frown.


    ¡°Everything good?¡± he asks. He¡¯s always worrying about me. He always has.


    Vince and I both nod as I answer, ¡°Yeah, I just need a minute.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourselves,¡± he says, grabbing a bun off the table. He whistles at Rigs and the dog bounds off after him, wagging his tail.


    ¡°You need to take care of her,¡± Vince says the second Tommy¡¯s out of earshot.


    ¡°See the thing is, I am taking care of her, Vince. We had a deal.¡± I put my beer down and lock eyes with him. ¡°I paid, and she¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°They seem to think otherwise.¡± He says the words as though them backing out is eptable.


    ¡°That¡¯s their fault. They made an assumption. They were wrong.¡±


    ¡°They give us almost thirty percent of the ie from the hits, Anthony. Your ie. You really wanna piss them off?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t give two fucks about them, to be honest.¡± I say it with a hint of menace in my voice. I take another drink, trying to calm myself down.


    Vince looks at me with hesitation. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? You aren¡¯t usually like this.¡±


    ¡°Like what? Stubborn? Opinionated?¡± I ask. I know I¡¯m pushing my boundaries. But I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m always on the outside with them. I have been for most of my life. I never ask for anything. This is the first and only request I¡¯ve ever made.


    ¡°Look, I know you have your issues and all.¡± He talks in a hushed tone, and I fucking hate it. I hate how the entire family feels sympathy for me because of that shit with my mother. They talk about it behind my back. I know they do. But they fucking fear me, too. I¡¯d rather have the fear than the sympathy any fucking day.


    ¡°My issues?¡± I ask, putting the beer down on the table and staring back at Vince like he¡¯s going to have to spell it out.


    I look back at him, and suddenly he¡¯s not the Don. He¡¯s one of the boys huddled around the broken, bloodied dumb fuck we were supposed to teach a lesson.


    They all stare back at me. I can feel their eyes on me as I breathe heavily and try to calm myself. My shaking fists are dripping with his blood. He had iting to him. They all know I¡¯m fucked up. He should¡¯ve known better than to push me.


    ¡°You alright, Anthony?¡± Tommyys an unsteady hand on my shoulder. I look up at him and past him to see the other guys. They look nervous as fuck. Like they could be next. I¡¯m not a savage. I can contain this. I do contain it. Every fucking day.


    ¡°Good job, Anthony.¡± Vince says as he looks between the dead fuck and me. ¡°Pops is gonna be proud.¡± He says the words, but there¡¯s more to it than that. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s jealousy, or if he hates that he fears me.


    That day I decided not to give a fuck about any of them. All of them except for Tommy. Tommy¡¯s all I have.


    That was the day they started giving me a little more space than normal. I had to push my humor onto them to loosen them up. But it wasn¡¯t quite the same. Not with us doing jobs together. Thank fuck for Uncle Dante. He gave me the hits and the other shit I could do on my own. It was a release for me, but more than that, it saved me from being the social pariah. I always knew they felt that way about me. But having Vince say the words¡­ fuck, it hurts to know it¡¯s true.


    ¡°You know what I mean, Anthony.¡± He straightens his back and meets my gaze head on. I have to hand it to him, he deserves to be boss. But I can fucking smell his fear from here.


    ¡°I bought her, and now she¡¯s mine. That¡¯s what happened. End of story,¡± I say tly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the end. You also agreed to one month, and that¡¯s what they were told,¡± he says.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¨C¡± I start to answer, but he cuts me off.


    ¡°You did.¡± He says the words with finality. I never should¡¯ve said it was his call. It pisses me off. I shouldn¡¯t have trusted him. It wasn¡¯t his decision to make.


    ¡°I have work to do, and I need to get home to check on her before bed.¡±


    ¡°Check on her?¡± he grunts a humorlessugh and it takes everything in me not to nt a fist on his jaw. I can hear Aunt Linda in the kitchen and the kids ying not twenty feet from us. I clench my fists at my side, but hold back. I finish the beer and grab my keys off the table.


    Checking on her is my job. This isn¡¯t about gettingid, it¡¯s not about fucking her or using her, or demeaning her. That¡¯s not what I want. This is more than that. It¡¯s deeper than Vince could possibly know. It¡¯s about having someone need me. And she does, whether Vince likes it or not.


    ¡°I mean it, Anthony,¡± he says to my back.


    I don¡¯t answer him. I still have time with her. It may be best that I don¡¯t get too attached though. I close my eyes as I open the door and step out into the night.


    The cold air whips against my skin. She¡¯s in a cell for trying to get away from me, for fuck¡¯s sake. I shake my head and feel torn. I thought this would be perfect, but it¡¯s not.


    I¡¯m just damaged goods. That¡¯s all I am.


    Perfection doesn¡¯t exist. Neither do fantasies.

 137

    Catherine


    I wake to the faint hum of the lights being turned on in the cell. I¡¯m so fucking cold. The only thing he gave me besides the chair was my chenille throw. At least it was freshly washed. Not like that matters now though, since I¡¯ve got it bunched up underneath me as a makeshift mattress. It fucking sucks.


    The lock clicks and the doorknob turns. I quickly get into position. I¡¯m mindful of keeping my hands exactly how he likes them.


    My heart flutters in my chest. Last night he didn¡¯t stay. He left me with dinner and watched me eat it in silence. An air of disappointment and distrust surrounded him. I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s angrier with me now than he was when he put me in here. I feel like I¡¯m failing, and I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m missing. I wish I could go back in time. If I could, I would.


    He walks in front of me and stops. I look up at him, hopeful that today he¡¯s in a better mood.


    ¡°Good morning, kitten,¡± he says simply.


    ¡°Good morning, Anthony,¡± I respond.


    He puts a bowl down on the floor. It¡¯s oatmeal with strawberries and cream. It¡¯s my favorite. I had a shit-ton of it at my house and I find myself wondering if he went back there. I want to know if he was able to find the earrings, but I don¡¯t ask. I stay in my position and look at the bowl and then back at him. He didn¡¯t feed me dinnerst night like he did before, and I didn¡¯t think much of it. But this morning reminds me of the first time we met, of him feeding me.


    He shakes his head no and walks to the chair to sit down. ¡°You don¡¯t get my touch in here, kitten. That¡¯s part of your punishment.¡±


    My heart sinks as I pick up the bowl and watch him cross his arms. I feel fucking sick. He¡¯s so fucking angry with me, and I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll ever be able to take it back. I had to try though, didn¡¯t I? No, I chose to.


    ¡°I got your earrings. You won¡¯t get them until you¡¯re back in your room.¡± His voice has a hard edge.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± My voice cracks, and I have to take a deep breath to steady myself.


    ¡°What do they mean to you, kitten?¡± The use of my pet name brightens my spirit and my chest fills with hope. It¡¯s not lost on me that if he decides not to forgive me, he could kill me. He will kill me. It¡¯s not just that though. I hurt him. I disappointed him. That shouldn¡¯t affect me like this, but it does.


    I jump at the opportunity to answer. And at the chance to do something and to talk to someone after spending hours alone and barely sleeping in this room. ¡°They were my mother¡¯s.¡± I wipe the sleep from my eyes and clear my throat of the knot growing there.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± His words are short and simple, but I can hear the faintpassion in his voice.


    ¡°Cancer,¡± I answer as I stir the oatmeal. I¡¯m hungry, but it¡¯s not nearly as appetizing as it was before. I don¡¯t talk much about her. I don¡¯t like remembering.


    ¡°I know,¡± he says, not moving from his position. A small, sad smile forms on my face. Of course he knows.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you want to y the game, kitten?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I immediately answer, and I don¡¯t even care that I sound desperate. I fucking hate that game, but I want him to stay.


    ¡°How does a girl like you wind up with a man like Lorenzo?¡± I hate his question. I don¡¯t want to talk about him or think about him. I have to work hard not to show how upset it makes me.


    ¡°I just needed something different. He distracted me, I guess.¡± He did. I nod my head thinking about how I went from crying all day and struggling to pack up my mother¡¯s things, to getting drunk and doing things I never thought I would.


    ¡°So you went for the bad boy.¡± He says the words like he¡¯s disgusted by them, which is fucking ironic.


    ¡°It works in the books,¡± I barely get the words out. It¡¯s what I really wanted. I wanted to find love. Even if he didn¡¯t love me back at first, I was hopeful that I¡¯d eventually find my own happily ever after. I thought I¡¯d found a hard man who¡¯d melt for me in time. Instead I found an abusive fuckface. ¡®Cause let¡¯s be real, that¡¯s what life gives you when you go out looking for Mr. Wrong.


    ¡°Your turn, kitten. One question.¡± He leans forward in his seat like he¡¯s ready to leave, and I hate it.


    I ask the one thing that¡¯s been on my mind for hours. One thought that sickens me. I wish he¡¯d just hit me and make that my punishment. I¡¯d let him beat me if it meant this would be over with.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t hit me,¡± I say. He makes no move to answer me, and there¡¯s no change in the expression on his face. He¡¯s silent for a moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hit you,¡± he finally answers. And I believe him.


    ¡°Why?¡± I just don¡¯t understand. Lorenzo thrived by showing me how strong he was. He fucking loved dominating me physically. I keep expecting the dams to break and for Anthony to let loose on me. I expect to be physically punished for my infractions. I¡¯d thought he was restraining himself before, but now that I look back on it, I don¡¯t think he was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never hit you. My father used to hit my mother, and it made her do bad things. I don¡¯t want that for you or anyone else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± My heart twists with agony. That¡¯s a horrible thing to grow up with. I can¡¯t even imagine. My own father passed away when I was younger in a car crash. I hardly remember him. I can¡¯t imagine growing up in a house with abuse. My eyes search his, but he gives nothing away. ¡°Bad things?¡± I ask tentatively.


    ¡°She beat me instead since she couldn¡¯t hit my father back.¡± My mouth falls open with a gasp as he continues. ¡°I was young, but I remember.¡± His voice is t and devoid of emotion. My heart is fucking destroyed by his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I shake my head, as though I can deny the truth.


    ¡°She¡¯s dead now.¡± My throat closes and dries. His life just gets sadder and sadder. I want to scoot closer to him, but it¡¯s obvious he doesn¡¯t want that. He doesn¡¯t want sympathy. I don¡¯t even think he¡¯d eptpassion.


    ¡°Did your father¡­?¡± I don¡¯t finish, but I don¡¯t have to. He nods his head once with his eyes locked on mine.


    ¡°He killed her when he saw what she¡¯s done; snapped her neck in front of me. He thought he was doing the right thing.¡±


    My mouth hangs open in shock.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know if he ever hit her or if he didn¡¯t love her. I know next to nothing about what their rtionship was like, apart from what my mother told me. We never talked about it. She beat me and he killed her for it. That¡¯s all I know.¡± He gives me a sad smirk. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of, ¡®let¡¯s not talk about it¡¯ that happens in the familia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± I repeat my words; I don¡¯t know what else to say. I feel pathetic that I have nothing to offer him. Tears threaten to fall. I feel nothing but empathy for him and the pain he must¡¯ve felt. Both our mothers are dead, but mine never hurt me. I never once questioned if mine loved me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. My brother¡¯s always been there. And in a lot of ways so has my father.¡± His hard expressions soften somewhat. ¡°I have to go, kitten,¡± he says.


    ¡°No, please,¡± I say. The bowl falls from myp to the ground as I crawl closer to him.


    ¡°Are you telling me no? Are you the one giving orders now?¡± My shoulders hunch in as I lower myself to the ground. Tears slip down my cheeks. Some for me, but most are for him. I want to hold him and soothe the broken part of him I know exists. But I also need to be touched. I can¡¯t stay here like this.


    ¡°Please, Anthony. I want to earn your touch.¡± I say the words with the desperation I feel.


    His eyes widen with surprise and the darkness that¡¯s gued him sincest night seems to lift slightly.


    ¡°What are you thinking, kitten?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Whatever you want. I¡¯m yours.¡± I¡¯ve never said truer words.


    ¡°Lie on your back and spread your legs for me.¡± He gives hismand and I obey. I refuse to think of this as anything but meeting my own needs. I need to feel something other than this emptiness.


    ¡°Good kitten,¡± he says and rises from his chair. ¡°I¡¯lle back tonight once your punishment is over.¡±


    With that, he leaves me.


    Alone and pathetically bared to a man who won¡¯t touch me, I curl up on my side and cry. I don¡¯t know how long, but it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not long enough to fill the emptiness inside of me.

 138

    Catherine


    It¡¯s been over a week. He¡¯s barely touched me or said anything to me. It¡¯s as though my punishment still hangs over my head. All I have is this room and myptop. My old life. I¡¯m surprised he gave it back to me.


    I feel empty though. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve hurt him. It¡¯s like he doesn¡¯t want me. I don¡¯t understand it. He doesn¡¯t trust me.


    A few nights ago he came for me. Only one night has he touched me like he did before. He said I was being good and I deserved a reward. Heid me across hisp and instead of making my ass red with his hand, he pumped his fingers in and out of my needy pussy. He knows that I¡¯ve been craving his touch, but I haven¡¯t begged him to fuck me yet. I just haven¡¯t been able to get the words out.


    ¡°I want my mouth on you.¡± I remember him saying that as I came on his hand. I can¡¯t deny that I wanted it, too.


    He throws me on my back and I part my legs for him. His shoulders dive between my legs, but he bites my thigh. I scream out as his fingers stroke my G-spot. It feels so good. My body heats with need. I wait for his lips to touch my clit. But they don¡¯t. He sucks my inner thigh, so tantalizingly close but not quite there, and I wish that touch was where I need it most.


    I beg him, ¡°Please, Anthony. Please!¡± He pulls away from me and fingers me until I cum again from the ruthless pace of his touch.


    I¡¯m breathless and limp. I lie there until my body¡¯s no longer useless.


    I press my fingers against my hot cheeks. Everywhere still feels hot, but my cheeks and chest are burning. Each time he touches me, it¡¯s more and more intense. I¡¯ve never been so¡­ sated in my life. It¡¯s more than forey. It¡¯s like he¡¯s taking me higher than I could have taken myself. And what¡¯s better is that he wants to push me there.


    It¡¯s a game to him though. I can¡¯t forget. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s doing a good deed. He wants me to break for him. He wants me to beg. And I did. The memory reheats my body. He said he wanted to put his mouth on me, and I begged him to, but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°I said yes.¡± The words tumble from my mouth without a filter.


    He looks up at me with a neutral expression. ¡°I heard you.¡±


    His admission makes me feel self-conscious. Why have me beg for him if he wasn¡¯t going to do it? I don¡¯t understand why, but it hurts. I pull the duvet up and around my body and scoot up into a seated position. I can see him putting his shirt back on, but I don¡¯t really watch him. I just want him to leave.


    ¡°You hesitated.¡± Anthony sits on the bed next to me, making it dip. I look up at him through myshes but I keep my mouth shut. An apology is trying to climb out, but I won¡¯t. I¡¯m not going to apologize for not begging quicker. I fight to keep my face from showing my anger. He cups my chin and leans down to kiss me and I lean into him. I can¡¯t help that I want his affection. I won¡¯t deny that it fills a deep need I¡¯m only now realizing how much I craved. His lips break from mine and I miss them instantly. I know he¡¯s leaving, and I¡¯ll be alone until tomorrow.


    He gives me a soft smile and rubs his nose against mine. It makes me close my eyes. When I open them he¡¯s already across the room. Before he leaves he says, ¡°Next time you¡¯ll answer more quickly, kitten.¡±


    The wordse out before I¡¯m even aware I¡¯m saying them. ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡±


    That was three days ago. And he hasn¡¯t touched me or hinted at anything else since. Most of the time I think he regrets this. I think he really doesn¡¯t want me anymore. I¡¯m not the pet he wanted. But then I think maybe I¡¯m just missing something. Maybe he¡¯s waiting for me. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m ready to beg. I hate this empty feeling that I¡¯m not wanted or that I¡¯m not good enough.


    I look at the clock and it¡¯s almost three. He¡¯se in everyday to check on me around now. My fingers tap on the keys, but I¡¯m not typing anything. I¡¯m just waiting for him. My work¡¯s done anyway. It¡¯ll pile up quickly, but it can wait.


    Finally, I hear the sounds I¡¯m used to. He¡¯sing. I set theptop to the side and climb to the foot of the bed. I kneel there for him and wait.


    I hear the door open and I watch as he walks into my room. He gives me a small smile and it fills my chest with warmth.


    ¡°Kitten,¡± he greets me as he walks toward me.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± I say his name with a breath of reverence. He cups my chin and I lean into his embrace.


    ¡°How are you today?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Well.¡± I look up at him through myshes and almost don¡¯t say the words, but I need to. I need to let him know that I do want this. I¡¯m sick without his presence. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    His eyes light with a sh of something I don¡¯t recognize. ¡°I missed you as well.¡±


    I just need him to touch me and tell me that I¡¯ve been good. I¡¯ve done everything he¡¯s told me to. I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s treating me so differently now. I¡¯m doing everything I can to prove I won¡¯t betray his trust again.


    ¡°Will you stay with me?¡± I ask him.


    ¡°I have to work tonight, kitten.¡± I love the use of my pet name. ¡°I only came in to check on you.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave me here.¡± I grip onto him and he gives me a look of reproach, but I don¡¯t let go.


    ¡°This is your room.¡± He looks around the gorgeous suite. ¡°I made it just for you.¡±


    I don¡¯t want this room if ites with this feeling of nothingness. I need more. I say the words that have been eating me alive.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°I want to prove to you that I¡¯m yours.¡± I feel so needy, so pathetic. I just don¡¯t want him to turn me down and throw me away. I don¡¯t give a fuck about anything other than being his. I need his touch. I need the taste of the fantasy he gave me before I betrayed him. I¡¯ve had a lot of time to think, and I want to try. I may be forced to be here, but I want to give in to the temptation. I¡¯m scared to do it, but I have nothing to lose. I can¡¯t deny that a growing part of me finds all of this incredibly sexy.


    He says nothing and a feeling ofplete despair washes over me. ¡°Please.¡± I cling to him, needing something. I can¡¯t keep going like this. I¡¯m trying so hard to be his, but I feel like I mean nothing to him. I¡¯ll beg him; I¡¯m ready.


    He strokes my hair and says, ¡°We¡¯ll see when I get back.¡±


    ¡°Can I give you something now, please?¡± I would do anything to hear him tell me I¡¯m a good girl.


    ¡°Please, Anthony. I want to please you,¡± I say.


    A moment passes as he searches my face for something. And then my eyes fall to the button on his jeans. I watch as his deft fingers easily undo them.


    ¡°On your knees, kitten.¡± His voice holds a hint of danger to it as he issues themand. I love it. It reminds me of our first morning together. Well, technically the second. Before I disobeyed him. Before he changed.


    I climb off the bed and move to my knees for him.


    He strokes himself once in front of me. I lick my lips and wait patiently. If he wants me to suck him off, I will. I want to. I¡¯ll make him want me. I know he will. My pussy clenches and heats with excitement as I watch him stroking himself, his eyes focused on my mouth. This turns him on as much as it does me. The intensity of my desire rises. I have a power over him that he can¡¯t deny and it¡¯s simply intoxicating. I¡¯ll make him need my touch.


    ¡°Open, kitten,¡± He starts to put the head of his dick on my tongue, but then he pulls away. ¡°No teeth this time,¡± he says with a dark look in his eyes. I nod my head and feel a wash of shame. I¡¯d never do that. Never.


    Maybe the old me would have considered it, but the new me¡­ Mentally I shake my head. I had an old life before my mother passed away, and a new life after I went into witness protection, but deep down I¡¯m the same person I¡¯ve always been. It¡¯s just taken my time here with Anthony to really open my eyes to that fact. My training with him has awakened all my hidden and taboo desires. All the things I always thought could never be more than unrealized fantasies. But we can make our fantasiese true together. I just need to submit to him fully.


    I feel a small sense of shame that he feels like he¡¯d have to tell me that. I¡¯ve changed. I¡¯ve epted that I¡¯m his, but he isn¡¯t acting like I have. I open wider and wait for him. I want him to know I¡¯m willing. I want him to see me as his so I can really live this dark fantasy.


    He fills my mouth with the head of his cock, but then pulls back. ¡°Only the tip kitten. No more than that.¡±


    I look up at him and nod with my mouth still open. I¡¯ll take anything he¡¯s willing to give me.


    I moan around the head of his cock and swirl my tongue. Hisrge hand strokes his cock and I wish I could do it for him. My fingers dig into my thighs as I gently rock back and forth doing everything I can to get him off. The tip of my tongue dips into the slit of his dick and I fucking love that he hisses and throws his head back.


    I¡¯m so wet for him, so needy. But this is all for him. I want to take him all in. I want to shove him so far down my throat that I choke on him. But I obey him. It takes all of my willpower, but I do it. I suck his head so hard it hollows my cheeks. He takes it out with a pop and smacks it against my cheek.


    ¡°Again, just like that,¡± he says with a ragged breath.


    I look into his eyes as I do it again and I see the moment he reaches his climax. He keeps my gaze and parts his lips with an admiration I¡¯ve never seen before. Hot jets of his cum stream into my mouth and I¡¯m quick to swallow it and gently suck him until he¡¯s done.


    ¡°Swallow it all,¡± he says with a rough groan that makes my pussy clench. I do.


    He pets my hair as I wipe the corners of my mouth. I lick his slit until he takes it away from me. I bite my lip, staying exactly in the position he left me in. I¡¯ll prove to him that I¡¯ve learned to listen and that I can obey.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back tonight, kitten,¡± he says as he buttons his pants. ¡°Beg for me tonight, and you can have whatever you want.¡±

 139

    Anthony


    ¡°Do you know what I don¡¯t want to be doing right now, Tommy?¡± I ask my brother.


    ¡°Taking this guy out with me?¡± my thickheaded brother answers. He used to be the muscle for the familia. Now he does hits with me. He just happens to fucking suck at some aspects. Give him a long-distance kill, and he¡¯s fine. Up close though, and he¡¯s sloppy as fuck.


    I tap my pointer to my nose.


    We¡¯re in a car parked across from Barcode. It¡¯s a dive bar on the strip and we¡¯ve been waiting in the dark for a good two hours now. I keep looking at the monitors in the app on my phone. My kitten¡¯s been lying in bed reading and stretching or doing some yoga shit on the floor. I want to get back to her. I want to hear her beg for me. Even more, I want to hear those soft moans from her lips as she cums on my dick.


    Instead I¡¯m doing this stupid shit ¡¯cause Tommy didn¡¯t want to do it on his own.


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t wanna be out here either. I¡¯ve got more important shit going on, but we need to take this guy and not just kill him.¡±


    I can¡¯t me him for being hesitant to take over and do this without me. I grunt a response and then think about his wife and my sweet little niece as I say, ¡°Yeah you do. You gotta be happy to not be hearing all that screaming for once.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    He smiles back at me. I don¡¯t fucking get it. He¡¯s overjoyed about that little bundle of high-pitched lungs. She is a cutie, but damn, if only they coulde out already talking and walking.


    ¡°You know she¡¯s adorable.¡± He smiles back at me, finally taking his eyes away from the bar across the street.


    ¡°She¡¯s real cute, Tommy.¡± I can admit that. She¡¯s adorable when she¡¯s sleeping. ¡°You did good. I¡¯m proud of you.¡±


    ¡°I meant what I said, it¡¯s gonna happen for you. You don¡¯t have to be so fucking jealous all the time,¡± he says.


    I hold in a deepugh. Jealous isn¡¯t quite the right word. I made up my mind a long time ago. That world isn¡¯t for me. I¡¯m not meant to be a husband or a father. I don¡¯t have that ability. I know I¡¯m capable of love, because I truly love my familia. But I¡¯m fucked in the head. I know I am. They know I am.


    There¡¯s no reason for me to ever think about taking that path in life. Even with my sweet Catherine.


    My thoughts are interrupted when I notice the movement from across the street. I lean forward in my seat as the fucker on our list exits the bar, nearly stumbling as he lights a cigarette. Tommy starts talking, but I simply nod my head and keep my eyes on the dumb fuck who skimmed off the top of our shipment. He fucking knew better. He¡¯s been on the inside for a while now. He¡¯s almost a made member. Maybe he got tired of waiting. Maybe he just wanted the money. I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care. I just need two pieces of information from him and then we can get this shit over with.


    Who¡¯d he sell it to, and where¡¯s the money?


    Louie leans against the wall, taking a few puffs of his cigarette. I¡¯m sure he thinks he got away with it. He looks like he doesn¡¯t have a care in the world.


    I take a look down the street and it¡¯s busy as fuck. There¡¯s a narrow alley in between the two shit buildings. I¡¯m sure we could take him for a walk. I¡¯ve gotten away with that shit before, and I know I could keep his ass from screaming too loud.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this shit,¡± I say.


    Tommy looks at me anxiously. ¡°Out in the open?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yeah, quick and easy. Let me show you how it¡¯s done,¡± I reply.


    I step out into the street and walk quickly, keeping my head turned to the right. The only camera is on the side of the street where we parked. But it¡¯s angled so they shouldn¡¯t get shit. Better safe than sorry though. I already messaged Tony about it. I¡¯m sure the owners won¡¯t have any problems erasing the feed tonight. Not when the orders areing from the Valettis, and their business has been going steady on the loan we gave them.


    That¡¯s one good thing about the familia. We want this town running like a well-oiled machine. And it does.


    ¡°Louie.¡± I let a grin slip into ce as he kicks off the wall and walks toward us like we¡¯re his pals. Like he didn¡¯t steal from us.


    ¡°Anthony, Tommy, what¡¯s up guys?¡± His words are slightly slurred and it pisses me off. I find when they¡¯re drunk they¡¯re more likely to piss themselves. More than that, they scream louder, sooner. Tonight that can¡¯t happen. ¡°You here for a drink?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Nah,¡± Tommy says and he starts to say something else, but I cut him off. I want him to watch this time, so he can see how it¡¯s done and be able to do this shit himself next time.


    ¡°Louie, we gotta talk.¡± I say the words firmly and hold his eyes. The fucker holds his breath and I know he¡¯s scared shitless. I need him scared, but more than scared, I want him willing to talk and wanting to make me happy. I want him to think I need him.


    I lean forward and lower my voice so it seems like I¡¯m letting him in on intel. ¡°There¡¯s someone,¡± I start talking then look to my left as a group of young women dressed in sequined, glittery dresses that ride up their asses pass behind us. The street¡¯s not packed, but it¡¯s busy enough to want to get out of the open so we can have some privacy. I make it a point to look at the entrance to the alley and nod my head. ¡°Let¡¯s go down there for a sec.¡±


    He starts to put his cigarette down with a look of dread on his face. But I don¡¯t want that. I don¡¯t want him thinking anything¡¯s wrong.


    ¡°No need, I don¡¯t mind the smoke,¡± I tell him as I start walking ahead of him. ¡°You first, Tommy.¡± I need my brother to catch on to the fact that you don¡¯t intimidate targets in public. Not till you have them where you want them. Tommy walks ahead of me with a nod. My brother¡¯s smart, even if he does do dumb shit sometimes. He¡¯s good at reading people. My back¡¯s to Louie. It¡¯s a sign that he¡¯s not a threat to me. The two of us walk quickly while Louie stays behind for a moment. I keep walking. I know I don¡¯t have to tell him twice.


    It only takes a minute for Louie to follow us down the alley. It¡¯s a few feet wide and blocked off at the back entrance by a dumpster and a chain-link fence. That¡¯s not good for the clean-up crew. They¡¯re going to have a hell of a time getting the body out without anyone seeing, but that shit¡¯s not for me to worry about. Tommy stops about halfway down the alley and leans against the wall. I put my hands in my pockets and face the entrance, waiting for Louie to catch up. He¡¯s walking slow, but he sure as fuck isn¡¯t stumbling around anymore. Having the feeling you¡¯re about to get caught by the mafia for stealing from them is a surefire way to sober the fuck up.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He tries to keep his voice from wavering, but he¡¯s shit at it. To be fair though, I¡¯ve tortured a lot of men. And almost all of them are scared at first, even the ones that didn¡¯t have shit to tell because they were genuinely innocent. Poor fucks. But this prick is dripping with sweat and his shifty eyes are looking all around us for some hidden door that will lead him to safety. There¡¯s no safety here though. Just me, my knife, and Tommy¡¯s gun.


    I want Tommy to stay out of this one. There¡¯s no need for him to get involved beyond keeping this fucker here.


    ¡°Listen, Louie. There are some things I need to know before I kill you.¡± His eyes go wide and he takes a step back. He¡¯s closest to the entrance, so he¡¯s thinking of running.


    Tommy¡¯s already got his gun on him and we all hear the click of him cocking it back. Louie¡¯s eyes lock on the barrel and he nearly tips back as his legs go weak.


    He shakes his head and I know he¡¯s getting ready to deny it. His hands are raised in the air. ¡°Hey. I wanna make this easy on us all, Louie,¡± I say as I reach into my pocket for a rag as I slowly walk toward him. He takes a step back and I shake my head. His breathinges in short breaths as he starts spewing off, ¡°Whatever you heard, it wasn¡¯t me. I didn¡¯t do it.¡± The desperation is clear in his voice.


    I wrap the cloth around my fist a few times. It¡¯s thick; thick enough so he won¡¯t be able to bite down on my hand. The thought reminds me of my kitten. My sexy-as-fuck little minx, scraping her teeth down my finger. I close my eyes and will the images away. It only fuels my need to get this shit over with. I walk around him and let him retreat until his back is against the wall. We¡¯re still almost halfway down the narrow alley. It¡¯d be hard as fuck to see or hear anything from us, as long as he doesn¡¯t scream. I look at my left fist, wrapped tightly with the rag and back at Louie.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got one chance. Who¡¯d you sell it to, and where¡¯s the money?¡± I ask him clearly, but I already know I¡¯m going to have to ask again.


    He¡¯s shaking his head, thinking he can talk his way out of this.


    I¡¯m quick to shove my fist in his mouth. He only gets a partial scream out before the rag mutes his frantic screams. He struggles against me, his hands wrapping around my wrist, trying to rip my fist from his mouth. I push my fist harder into his mouth, stretching his jaw. I need to be careful not to break it though. I need this fucker to talk. He¡¯s a pretty decent-sized guy and he¡¯s doing a good job of throwing my body off of him, but I pull out my knife and hold it to his throat, my forearm bracing his shoulders against the wall. That makes his entire body still. Tommyes up to my right and holds the gun to Louie¡¯s head. Louie looks between the two of us and starts fucking crying. It¡¯s pathetic.


    ¡°It¡¯s just two questions, Louie, then we get to move on from this. You had a chance. You should¡¯ve taken it.¡± I gave him a warning, and he chose to ignore it. Now he has to ept the consequences.


    I nod at Tommy. ¡°Get his hand.¡±


    Tommy grabs Louie¡¯s right arm, still holding the gun to his head. Louie¡¯s quick to pull his arm away, but I dig my knife into his neck, slicing his skin to make a point of what will happen if he keeps this shit up.


    He tries to speak into the rag, but it¡¯s toote for that. I¡¯ll give him a chance in a minute, once the screaming is over with. Louie¡¯s got his fist balled, which is a bad move on his part. It would¡¯ve only been one finger, but with them all bunched together, I slice into his middle finger and thumb as I cut off his pointer. Tommy struggles to keep the fucker¡¯s wrist up as I cut his finger off and the dumb fuck screams into the rag.


    I let the finger fall and the blood drip down onto the ground as I wipe my knife off on his jacket and push it up to his throat again. I choose a new spot, one an inch up from the first cut. ¡°Stop your screaming,¡± I growl out as I push my fist deeper into his mouth. He whimpers in response, tears flowing down his cheeks as he cradles his arm in his hands.


    I talk while I wait for him to calm down. ¡°We have you on tape taking the product, so there¡¯s no backing out of this one. You know it. There¡¯s only one way out. You just tell me who you sold it to and where the money is, and it¡¯s all over.¡±


    He cries out something muffled by my hand, but I keep it there until he¡¯s calm.


    I hold his eyes and wait.


    When I take my hand away, his body sags and he closes his eyes. ¡°The Cullums, they bought it.¡±


    ¡°Did they know it was ours?¡± Tommy asks.


    Louie shakes his head no.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the money, Louie?¡± I bet the fucker¡¯s already spent it, but Tony couldn¡¯t find it anywhere in his bank ounts.


    ¡°I gave it to my brother.¡± Hearing his confession makes my heart sink. I know his brother has a problem with alcohol. They both do. His brother¡¯s also a gambler though. And that¡¯s not a goodbination. I nod my head and wait for him to look me in the eyes.


    ¡°You stole from us to get your brother out of debt?¡± I ask him and I see a sh of hope in his eyes. Like maybe that¡¯ll save him. But it won¡¯t. As he raises his head to speak, I stab the knife through his neck until ites out the other side and quickly push it up toward his face, splitting his throat open. It¡¯s a silent kill, efficient and quick.


    Once his eyes ze over and his hands fall to his side, I let him drop to the ground. I shake my head as Tommy dials up the crew toe clean this shit up.


    He should¡¯ve known better. No one fucks with us for a reason.


    ¡°Damn, Anthony. I need to practice with a knife.¡± I turn around to look at my brother. He¡¯s looking at me the same way everyone always has. Like he fears me, because I do this shit without thinking twice and without feeling remorse. It¡¯s simple. He had iting. It had to happen. Catherine used to look at me like that too; only sometimes though in the beginning. Not anymore. She would if she knew I did this shit. If she really knew who I was. When people break the rules, they die. That¡¯s just what happens. Just like my mother. I¡¯vee to terms with it long ago. I don¡¯t get why everyone else gets so shaken up over it.


    I don¡¯t feel any different than I did when we walked back here. A little bit of a high on adrenaline, but I just want to get the fuck out.


    Tommy says, ¡°I don¡¯t think I could do that shit.¡±


    ¡°Sure you could, anyone¡¯s capable of it.¡± My words remind me of my kitten. Her patiently waiting for me, and telling me all the things I want to hear. I don¡¯t think she would ever hurt a fly. That¡¯s just not the kind of person she is. But if she wanted to kill me, she could. I still expect it at some point. If I was her, I¡¯d try to kill me. The thought makes my blood run cold. At some point she¡¯s probably going to try to kill me.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Tommy asks. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Anthony. He had iting to him.¡±


    He had iting to him. I bet that¡¯s what she¡¯s going to think when she gets the courage to try. I want to believe in her, but ever since that night with Vince, all I keep thinking is that I¡¯m fucked up. That I was wrong. That this is destined to fail.


    I school my expression and look at Tommy as I say, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    It¡¯ste, but I need her right now. Even if my little kitten wants to sink her ws into me. Even if it¡¯s all lies. Even if it¡¯spletely fucked up. I want her.

 140

    Anthony


    As soon as I put the keys on the table, I make a beeline for the door. I need to get to her. She could be lying to me; she could be gearing up for a fight. I don¡¯t fucking know. But right now I want her, and she¡¯s ready to beg for me. I¡¯m giving in. Whether it¡¯s my dark needs and issues or something else causing this impulsive behavior, I don¡¯t give a fuck.


    I go straight down to the basement. My steps are loud as fuck. I enter the code and swing open the door just in time to see her falling to her knees and breathing heavily. Her hair¡¯s a mess, like she was sleeping when she heard meing. I look past her at the bed and I know that¡¯s exactly what happened.


    ¡°You want me, kitten?¡± I walk to her with hard steps. ¡°You still want to prove to me that you¡¯re mine?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony,¡± she responds with a deep need in her eyes. I run my hand down my face, knowing this is stupid as fuck. But I¡¯m going to do it. I¡¯m tired of questioning this shit, and I¡¯m tired of waiting.


    I lean down and grab her by her waist, carrying her in my arms.


    She snuggles into me and stares at my face as I take her up to my room. I want her there. If she¡¯s really mine, she¡¯ll be mine everywhere. She doesn¡¯t look around; she doesn¡¯t try to squirm away. She grips onto my shirt and kisses the dip in my neck.


    Iy her gently on the bed, but she¡¯s quick to pop up on her knees and wait for me.


    ¡°You want my dick, kitten?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Please. Please, Anthony,¡± she begs me as she pulls the nightgown over her head and lies naked on my bed. She¡¯s desperate for something from me. Anything. This is what I wanted, but right now, I fucking hate myself for it.


    Her lust-filled eyes look back at me as she whispers, ¡°I want to prove to you I¡¯m yours.¡± Fuck, she sounds so sincere.


    I nod my head slightly and kick my pants off. If that¡¯s what she wants, then she¡¯s going to get it. She¡¯s going to earn it.


    ¡°Fuck yourself on my dick,¡± Imand.


    I climb on the bed and stay on my knees stroking my cock. Precum¡¯s already leaking out and I use it to lube up the head.


    She¡¯s quick to get on all fours and look back at me over her shoulder. She¡¯s too fucking sexy for her own good. She lowers her breasts to the bed andys her head to the side, keeping her eyes on my dick as she backs her ass up.


    I put a hand on her hip to steady her and let her take me in. My breathes in short pants but I make sure they¡¯re low so she can¡¯t hear how much I need this. Her ass looks so fucking good. I give it a loud smack. She jumps, and I slip out of her.


    ¡°Uh-uh, kitten. You¡¯re going to take it. This is your cock right now. Lean back and take it.¡± Her mouth stays parted as she reaches between her legs for my dick. Her small hand strokes the head and I almost cum right there.


    Smack! I hit her ass to keep from cumming as she slips the tip inside of her weing heat and moves back, stretching her walls slowly around my dick. I watch my cock slowly disappear. So fucking slowly. It¡¯s almost too much to take. I ball my hands tightly into fists and fight the urge to just let go. I want to copse on top of her and bury my head into her neck. I want to bite down on her and fuck her ruthlessly and let my savage beast out. But I need control. I thrive with control. And this is for her, not for me.


    She rocks on her knees to get more of me inside her tight little pussy. Fuck, it feels like heaven. I ce my hand on the small of her back, but I don¡¯t take control. This is for her own needs, not for my pleasure. There¡¯s a difference.


    I grip her hips, but she¡¯s still in control. She slides easily on and off my dick. Her sweet sounds fill the air. That¡¯s when it really hits me, she really has given herself to me. I¡¯ve broken her down to this. She wants this. She wants me. She¡¯s doing this to please me. What more could she possibly give me? My heart clenches in my chest, and I can¡¯t fucking stand it.


    Not now. I can¡¯t think about this shit right now.


    She moans as she slides back deeper and my dick fills her cunt. I can¡¯t help the groan that slips past my lips. She feels so fucking good. She rocks forward and I watch as her cream coats my dick. It¡¯s the sexiest fucking sight I¡¯ve ever seen. I want to push deep into her and pound her pussy so fucking hard her body copses. But not yet.


    She fucks herself on my cock, searching for her release, but she¡¯s so far from getting that highest high that I can give her. I tilt my hips and thrust back as she impales herself onto my dick. I¡¯m rewarded with a sweet strangled cry of pleasure. ¡°Yes!¡± she screams out. The sound of her panting and smacking her wet pussy against me is everything I ever dreamed of.


    ¡°Please, Anthony!¡± she cries out as she fucks herself faster and harder. ¡°Please,¡± she begs me.


    ¡°Please what?¡± I ask her. I just want to hear her tell me how much she needs me.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Please, Anthony,¡± she begs again.


    ¡°You want me to make you cum?¡± I ask her.


    ¡°Yes!¡± she answers.


    ¡°You want to cum all over my cock to please me, is that it?¡± I smack her ass again and again.


    ¡°Yes!¡± she cries out, and it¡¯s thest straw. I give in and lose what little self-control I have left.


    ¡°Coat my dick with your cum,¡± I growl into her ear as I push her shoulders down and hammer into her. My other hand moves to her slick clit and I strum it until she screaming into the sheets.


    Her pussytches onto my dick and starts milking it with her release. I pump into her harder and faster, and with each thrust her cunt holds onto me tighter, trying to suck me in deep. I nip her earlobe. I bite, kiss and suck all over her neck. Her pussy pulses around me and her body trembles beneath me. She cries out my name, and it¡¯s what takes me over the edge. I cum deep inside her. I groan in the crook of her neck, loving that I gave her more than she could give herself.


    I slowly release her and her body falls forward and I slip out of her, ourbined cum leaking from her pussy.


    Sheys on the bed panting and curling on her side as I leave her to get a shirt from the hamper to wipe up with. She hums softly in appreciation as I clean her off. She looks so weak and tired as she slips her nightgown back on. I love the sight of my cum leaking out of her tight little pussy, but I need to clean her up before bed. And she¡¯s obviously fucking exhausted.


    I watch her as I climb in next to her. I expect her to plead with me to stay. I expect her to ask me for something. But she doesn¡¯t. She scoots her body against mine and rests her cheek on my shoulder. She cuddles with me. She holds me.


    I feel my guard lower from herforting touch. I should put her back in her room, but I need this as much as she does. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt someone hold me with such need and adoration. She rubs her body against mine and I rx into the mattress.


    I kiss her hair and pet her back as she nestles into my chest.


    ¡°Sleep, kitten,¡± I whisper into her ear.


    She looks up at me through hershes with a small smile. ¡°Good night, Anthony.¡± And she nts a kiss on my lips. I can still feel it as she lies back down and getsfortable in my arms.


    I watch her for hours before I can finally sleep. It never once urs to me that in the morning she won¡¯t be there.


    Because I know she will.

 141

    Anthony


    My eyes slowly open and I move to turn onto my side, but a warm andforting weight rests against my side. Kitten. A slow,zy smile graces my lips. It feels good to wake up next to someone. I never have before. I¡¯m not angry that I let her sleep herest night. But it¡¯s a one-time thing.


    I stare at her while she sleeps. Her chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm. Her chestnut hair is fanned out on the pillow. I gently brush the hair off her face and fucking love how at peace she is. With me.


    This is going better than I ever imagined it would. My hand gently eases on her hip as my eyes roam over the dip in her waist. She begged me to fuck her. She wants me. She truly wants me.


    I lie back down on my back and sigh. She¡¯s seen my darkness, and she craves my touch.


    Only because she has no choice. Only because I¡¯ve conditioned her.


    All traces of her warmth and tenderness leave me. And then she stirs beside me. I close my eyes and wait to see what she¡¯s going to do. I¡¯ve no idea what kind of trouble my kitten will get into if I let her roam the house without supervision.


    But I¡¯m curious. The idea that locks aren¡¯t needed makes me feel powerful, as though I¡¯ve perfected the rtionship I desired. But there¡¯s only one way to find out if it¡¯s possible.


    I feel her body press against mine as her cheek nudges gently against my chest.


    She¡¯s trying to wake me, but I don¡¯t move.


    It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve pretended to be sleeping, but I¡¯m still good at it.


    Maybe she has no intention of leaving my side. Maybe she¡¯s scared of being punished if she does.


    I¡¯ve never said I would. There are no rules against it. But she¡¯s made up in her head what this is supposed to be like. She¡¯s decided on her own that it would upset me if she wandered around the house without me. That¡¯s smart of her, but I want her to push. I want her to learn I can give her freedom if only she¡¯d ask for it.


    I wait as she rests on her side and lies still next to me. I know she doesn¡¯t want to disappoint me. That¡¯s a good thing, but it¡¯s also holding us back.


    She runs her fingers along my jaw gently, and I have to stifle a soft groan of tenderness so she won¡¯t realize I¡¯m awake. I crave her touch as much as she craves mine. But she¡¯ll never know that. I can never show her that weakness.


    After a moment, she slowly and easily slips off the bed. My little kitten¡¯s curiosity got the best of her. Good.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Excitement races through my blood as I hear her walk through the room. I peek through myshes as she opens the closet.


    She can see all the monitors, but she seems unaffected. She knows I watch her. She closes them after a moment of watching the screens sh to different angles in her rooms. She walks slowly and quietly across the room. Her fingers trace over the notebook on my dresser. She slowly opens it and I don¡¯t like that.


    It¡¯s my list. There are names in there she shouldn¡¯t know. Her brows raise and she quickly shuts it, taking a step back as though it bit her.


    Good girl. She turns on her heel and walks quietly to the door, looking back at me once.


    As soon as she¡¯s out the door, it¡¯s my cue to get up and follow my sweet submissive who¡¯s being a bit naughty.


    For all I know she could be trying to leave. But I doubt she would. I¡¯m fairly certain she just wants to snoop. I can¡¯t me her. I listen from my bedroom and hear her walk to the next room. The door opens, and she gasps and quickly shuts it.


    It¡¯s the armory. If she wanted, she could grab a gun in there. But none are loaded and the ammunition is locked away separately, so I¡¯m not worried. But she doesn¡¯t. I hear her feet patter faster away from the room and move on to the next door. It¡¯s just a guest room, so there¡¯s nothing in there, but I can¡¯t hear her any longer and I imagine she walked in.


    So I decide it¡¯s time to put my kitten to the test. My dick hardens at the thought of chasing her. YES! I need this. I want to prepare her first and give her a fair chance to run. I¡¯ll catch her though. I¡¯ll always catch her; she can never escape me.


    I walk silently to the door and peek in. She¡¯s fiddling with a wooden puzzle on the desk.


    I walk up behind her and quickly press my front to her back, wrap my arm around her waist and cover her mouth with my hand. She screams out of fear but I gently kiss the crook of her neck and she instantly rxes.


    ¡°My kitten is being naughty,¡± I say as I move my hand from her mouth to her throat and the other lifts her nightgown up for me to sy my hand on her bare lower belly. My fingers tease along her clit.


    ¡°Did you find anything you shouldn¡¯t have?¡± I ask.


    She nods her head obediently. I smile behind her back.


    I could ask her what she found, but I already know and I know she¡¯d tell me the truth.


    ¡°Did you find anything interesting?¡± I ask her instead. She presses her body against mine and her ass rubs against my dick.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she says. My dick is so fucking hard for her.


    She turns her head slightly to see me and I reward her with a rough kiss.


    ¡°I have to punish you, kitten. You should know better than to run off without me,¡± I say sternly.


    That knocks the confidence out of her, but she nods her head and stays still in my arms. Once she realizes what this is, she¡¯ll fucking love it. So sweet and obedient. She¡¯s so fucking perfect.


    ¡°This is as much for you as it is for me.¡± She closes her eyes and tries to hide her smile. ¡°It would make me very happy though, if you fought me back.¡± She arches her back and moans softly as I whisper the words into her ear. My fingers slip past her clit and I cup her pussy. She¡¯s so fucking wet. ¡°Do you want to fight me, kitten?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispers into the hot air between us as I push my palm against her clit.


    ¡°You have five seconds,¡± I say as I pull away and take a step back. She turns to face me, breathing heavily with lust-filled eyes. ¡°Run, kitten,¡± I say.


    At my words, she takes off.


    It¡¯s the longest five seconds of my life. One. She runs out the door, mming it into the wall. Two. I walk slowly to the hall behind her. Three. Her small feet bounce off each step as quickly as possible. Four. She holds onto the railing and swings around making her way toward the kitchen. Five.


    My long strides and taking the stairs three at a time has me on the first floor before she¡¯s through the dining room. She doesn¡¯t turn around to look at me. Instead she keeps running, pumping her arms and nearly crashing into the table.


    She makes a sharp right to go through the hall and I¡¯m on her tail before she can do a damn thing. Her hand grips the doorknob, but she doesn¡¯t have time to open it. I grab her waist and pin her to the ground. Her legs thrash against my body and Iy my weight on top of her. She tries to push me off, but I¡¯m bigger. I¡¯m stronger. She doesn¡¯t stand a chance against me. My kitten¡¯s fighting me though. I fucking love it. Her hands smack against my face and push against my chest.


    I growl as I take both her wrists in my hands and pin them above her head, moving them to together so I¡¯m able to hold them with one hand. She continues to struggle against me as I rip her nightgown open with my free hand and pin her down with my hips. I stare down and marvel at her gorgeous bodyid out under me. I take one perky breast in my hand and squeeze. Her tiny pink nipples harden and I take it as an invitation to suck them in my mouth one at a time and nibble them as she writhes under me. I pull back and let one out with a pop, leaving a red mark. Fucking beautiful.


    Her eyes are shooting daggers at me as she ys along, but they¡¯re filled with lust. Her breathing is heavy andbored. I can feel her passion, and that¡¯s everything I want. I push my forearm against her chin, pushing her head back so I can lean down and kiss her, knowing she won¡¯t be able to bite me.


    Her lips are hard at first, but they mold to mine. I¡¯m quick to pull back and keep this fantasy alive.


    Her back arches as she tries to buck me off. But I have her right where I want her. My free hand pries between her legs and I push my fingers into her heat. She¡¯s so fucking wet.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking dirty. You want this,¡± I say.


    I lean down and take her earlobe in my teeth before nipping at her skin, leaving tiny pink marks all over her neck.


    ¡°Please!¡± she cries out.


    ¡°Your cunt is begging me to fuck you,¡± I whisper in her ear.


    ¡°Is that what you wanted, kitten? You wanted me to punish you like this?¡± I ask as I push a third finger in and pump them in and out as she begs me. ¡°Please, Anthony. Please fuck me. Punish me, please.¡±


    She stops struggling and moans as I curve my fingers and stroke against her G-spot. My dick is so fucking hard for her.


    My blood heats as I line my dick up. Yes! I¡¯ve waited so long to sink deep into her hot cunt and take her like this.


    I don¡¯t ease in slowly, and I¡¯m not gentle as I thrust all the way in and keep myself buried deep inside her. Her walls tighten around me as I rip through her, taking her exactly how I¡¯ve wanted since I firstid eyes on her.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± She screams and cums as her walls stretch and spasm around my cock. Her arousal leaks out between us and onto my thighs. I easily move in and out of her tight pussy, pumping my hips against hers and watching my cock slide in and out.


    ¡°Anthony.¡± She moans my name as her body trembles. I pull almost all the way out and then piston my hips over and over, pounding her hips into the floor. Her arms pull against me, but her wrists are still pinned.


    I groan as I rut between her legs, watching her tits bounce slightly with each hard thrust of my hips. I push all the way in and grind my pelvis against her clit until her mouth is open with a silent scream and her pussy pops around my dick.


    I want her cumming harder than she ever has before, so I don¡¯t let up. I grind harder and let her scream and struggle against me with more force than before. Her legs stick out straight and her head falls back hard against the floor as wave after wave of pleasure and heat consume her body. Her eyes ze over and it¡¯s only then that I pull back.


    I let go of her wrists so I can spread her legs wider and sink in deeper. My hands grip her thighs as I pound into her.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± she moans softly. Her hands travel down her body and then to mine. She moans into the air and her soft eyes stare at me. I reward her by keeping up my relentless pace and pushing the pad of my thumb against her clit.


    ¡°Good girl, watch me fuck your pretty little pussy.¡± Her mouth opens as her body stiffens again. Her back bows and she cums a third time. Her nails dig into my back and she urges me to get closer to her body.


    I won¡¯t deny her. Iy my forearm above her head and let my lips fall onto hers.


    She pulls back to breathe and whisper my name. ¡°Anthony, Anthony.¡±


    Her fingers grip my hair, holding my lips close to hers.


    Over and over she says my name against my lips and then presses them to mine in a sweet kiss.


    I cum violently inside her, harder than I ever have before as her lips part and she kisses me with more passion than I¡¯ve ever felt.


    I stay buried inside her, lying down beside her while we both catch our breath.


    It¡¯s almost been a month; less than two weeks left. I can¡¯t let them take her. She¡¯s everything I¡¯ve ever wanted.


    I won¡¯t let them take her from me. I pull her body closer to me and kiss her shoulder. I won¡¯t let her go. They¡¯ll have to kill me first.

 142

    Catherine


    I¡¯m still sore from yesterday andst night. Plus this morning. Ever since he had me in the hall, he fucks me nonstop. That¡¯s the only difference now. Every morning¡¯s still the same otherwise. I get ready and wait for him. I greet him on my knees. And I still stay in my room.


    ¡°Your pussy¡¯s open for business now.¡± His dirty words echo in my head.


    Maybe it¡¯s wrong to be so turned on by him, but I don¡¯t care. I am. Just thinking about him has my nipples hardening and my back arching off the chair. I clench my sore pussy and instantly hate that he¡¯s not here to sate me. I need him.


    Myputer pings and it¡¯s only then that I realize my hand has slipped into my blouse and I¡¯m pinching my nipple between my fingers.


    I¡¯m ready for him.


    I look down at the message and smile.


    My kitten is needy today.


    I don¡¯t know which camera he¡¯s watching so I wave to the screen and nod my head. A blush travels up my chest and into my cheeks.


    Get back to work, kitten. I¡¯ll take care of you tonight.


    I no longer feel trapped. It¡¯s like he¡¯s given me my life, but filled a hole I was only vaguely aware was empty. All my needs are met. He¡¯s seen to that. I have my work, my friends, and a sex life that somehow manages to be hotter than anything I¡¯ve ever read about. And it¡¯s all thanks to him. It hurts to think I may have lived my life without this. Without him.


    I¡¯m busy editing this piece for my column, and so immersed in getting this paragraph flowing better that I don¡¯t hear the lock or the doorknob turn. I don¡¯t even hear the door open.


    The only thing I can hear is thenguage of the text over and over that I keep reading in my head. The wording is just clunky and passive, but I don¡¯t know how to reorder them. I bite down on my lip and copy and paste a few times, reordering the sentences. My fingers click against the keys.


    ¡°Kitten.¡± His voice holds a threat and my body stills. My heart slows but even with the fear of displeasing him clouding my emotions, my pussy aches with need.


    I push the chair away and fall onto my knees. I crawl around, keeping my body lowered. Once I see his shoes I stop and sit back on my heels with my hands where they should be. I don¡¯t look up though. My heart beats chaotically. I¡¯ve never not been ready for him. Not since that first day. Every time I hear the click of the lock, I immediately kneel and wait for him. It¡¯s been what, maybe weeks at this point? I¡¯ve been his good kitten and he¡¯s kept his word. But this time, I failed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you enter.¡± My neck strains as I resist the urge to look at the clock. He usuallyes to me around the same time every day. But I got lost in work today.


    His handes down and rests in my hair. I close my eyes and wait for his response. ¡°Please forgive me, Anthony.¡± The words slip out and I don¡¯t try to catch them. My heart swells with agony in my chest. I don¡¯t want him upset with me.


    ¡°What were you doing, kitten?¡± he asks as he pets my hair. I open my eyes and finally look up at him. His stubble is a little longer than usual and his hair is as well. It has a tousled look that¡¯s fucking sexy.


    ¡°Work,¡± I reply easily, and then realize he may want more. ¡°My column is due tonight, but the editor is overbooked. So I¡¯m trying to get it done myself.¡±


    He hums, ¡°I see.¡± He looks past me and to theptop sitting on the desk. I love this little office he made for me. It¡¯s so cute with all the book nerd touches, and therge window gives me more sunlight than I¡¯d ever get in the bedroom.


    ¡°I think maybe a short break would be nice. We could go get you more flowers.¡± I look up at him with surprise.


    ¡°Would you like that, kitten?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± I nearly crawl up his body with the need to press my lips to his. But I¡¯m an obedient pet. I keep my hands nted firmly on my thighs and wait for his direction.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re ready to go out?¡± he asks.


    I nod my head. I¡¯m never been outside of these locked rooms. The only exception was that one night. The night I gave myself to himpletely. I crave a different environment. A voice deep inside me tells me I can run; I just need one chance. But it¡¯s such a small voice, I barely hear it.


    ¡°Come, kitten. I think you need a break.¡± My brow furrows with confusion at first and then I realize he meant I need a break from work. He holds his hand out for me and I take it instantly.


    He chuckles as he reads the writing on my tank top. It¡¯s a racerback that hangs just past my ass and is almost as long as my yellow shorts. The top reads, Book lovers never go to bed alone.


    I give him a small smile and walk with him as he presses the keys to unlock the door. I know not to look even though he doesn¡¯t try to hide the code from me.


    It¡¯s cold and dark and empty down here. Only a florescent light is above us. It looks so dungeonlikepared to my room. I stay behind him as we walk up the stairs and he presses in keys to another lock. He doesn¡¯t give me the chance to look, but I don¡¯t mind. I just make a note of it. I¡¯m not sure why though.


    My eyes wince as he opens the door and leads me into an open-concept first floor. I take a look around in wonder as if seeing Anthony for the first time in a new light. I don¡¯t remember this room when I was out before.


    There¡¯s arge te firece with a t-screen television above it. Everything is modern with dark ents and clean lines. It¡¯s orderly and nearly barren of any character at all. For some reason it makes me sad. His bedroom was like this, too.


    ¡°There¡¯s a farm stand down the street,¡± he says as he leads me through the hall without giving me a moment to look around. There are stairs to the right, next to the front door and a hallway that looks like a dead end. That¡¯s where he took me. A smile spreads on my face as I remember.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    He opens the door and keeps my hand in his. I¡¯m surprised to see that his home isn¡¯t in the middle of nowhere. It¡¯s just a normal house, in a homey cul-de-sac. There are two kids riding bikes to our right, and a third ying with chalk on the sidewalk. Anthony walks to the left and leads me past the houses to a busier street. The sounds of kids ying and a car passing me by seem odd, butforting. Out in the cabin, I never had this. I like it. It¡¯s different.


    It doesn¡¯t fit with how I pictured Anthony would live though.


    ¡°You look surprised, kitten,¡± he says without looking at me. He knew I¡¯d be surprised. He does this often. He says things or asks questions when he already knows what my response will be. He thinks I haven¡¯t caught on, but I have. He needs it though. And I¡¯m happy to give it to him.


    ¡°I am,¡± I answer honestly.


    ¡°Monsters don¡¯t live in the dark; they hide in in sight.¡± His response makes my heart twist in my hollow chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a monster.¡± I spit out the words and look away. I can feel his eyes on me as we stand at the stop sign and a car drives through the intersection. He tugs my hand and we walk to the front of the development and to the right. I can see the stand ahead. It¡¯s a shabby-looking shack that¡¯s probably been there before the development was built.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I can¡¯t help that the words fly out of my mouth.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Cars fly by us but the breeze still feels fresh against my skin.


    ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re a monster?¡± I ask him. Ever since he told me about his mother, I¡¯ve thought he was broken, but never a monster. He¡¯s just missing a piece of his heart. I ache to fill that hole for him.


    ¡°Many people have died because of me, kitten. That makes me a monster in a normal person¡¯s eyes.¡± I know he¡¯s including his mother in that statement. And I hate that.


    I stay quiet as we walk closer to the empty stand. There¡¯s an old man sitting behind a wooden counter in the shack. Baskets of produce are on the ground, but the flowers are on the counter.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± he asks as he lifts a bouquet of purple and pink flowers to my nose. I inhale deeply and close my eyes.


    I shake my head at his question and take the flowers from him with a smile. I whisper close to him so the old man doesn¡¯t hear, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a monster.¡± My fingers y with the tiny soft petals, but I¡¯m careful not to break them.


    He looks down at me while he digs in his pocket for his wallet. ¡°You did at one point, kitten; you were right about me then.¡±

 143

    Anthony


    I¡¯m so fucking tired. I haven¡¯t slept in I don¡¯t know how many hours. I drag my hand over my face. Fuck, that hit was brutal. It was a former Cassano who double-crossed Marcus. The Don, Marcus Cassano, wanted him to suffer, but I wasn¡¯t prepared for that shit. It was a struggle to get him to say a damn word and when he did, it left me frozen with panic.


    ¡°Cassanos areing for you.¡± His dark eyes stare back at me as blood drips from his mouth. The bruises are already starting to show as he wobbles in the chair he¡¯s chained down to. Even with all the pain we¡¯ve inflicted, heughs at me as I stare back with anger.


    He looked right at me and I knew why. Tommy smashed his fist into the dumb fucker¡¯s face. Too hard and too fast though. That¡¯s the only info we got from him.


    Tommy kept asking me what I thought he meant. I couldn¡¯t even look him in the eyes as I lied to him, and told him I had no idea. They want her back. They want her dead. My time¡¯s up.


    I push the door open to the house and then kick it shut. That didn¡¯t go as nned. My eyes fly to the backroom, to where the stairs are to the basement. If I¡¯d die, she¡¯d be in there alone for three days until the door would unlock and let her out. I need to change that shit. She wouldn¡¯t be okay for that long. She¡¯d be hurting and hungry. I decide on twenty-four hours, tops. And then all her doors are opening.


    I head to my bedroom and go right to the monitors so I can change that shit now. It¡¯s done within two minutes and I find myself staring at her sleeping form on the bed. She¡¯s got a book in her hands still. I squint at the screen, but I don¡¯t recognize which one it is. That stack of books on her nightstand has been there for a week. I don¡¯t remember what books I got her though. It¡¯s rare that she¡¯s got a paperback. She¡¯s usually on her Kindle whenever I check on her. I¡¯m d she found something that I picked out for her. Well, she fell asleep, so maybe she didn¡¯t like it all that much. Azy smile kicks my lips up.


    She should be waking up soon and getting ready for me. Waiting for me. I don¡¯t give a fuck that I¡¯m worn out. I¡¯m not making her wait. Not today. Not ever again if I can help it.


    I need to program something for her to let her know what the hell happened if those doors ever open because I never made it home. Or maybe leave a note each time I go. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯d do. Or what she¡¯d think. I drag my hand down my face. I can¡¯t deal with this shit right now. I¡¯m tired as all hell.


    I drag my ass to the shower. I want to make this fast. I have one thing on my mind, and I need it as soon as fucking possible.


    All I care about right now is feeling Catherine cum on my dick. It¡¯s all I want. I need to feel her body against mine and hear those sweet moans as I push her closer and closer to her release.


    I¡¯m in and out of the shower and punching in the code before I know it. She¡¯s sound asleep. Doesn¡¯t wake up at all. She doesn¡¯t hurry to get on her knees and in position like she¡¯s supposed to. I walk over to the desk in her room and see on the clock that it¡¯s already past 9 a. m. The rm¡¯s supposed to go off at 8 a. m., if she set it. Which she didn¡¯t.


    She finally had the courage to ask me to change the wake up time from 7 to 8. It¡¯s one of the first things she asked me to change. And I was more than happy to do it. I think if she never set an rm though, my kitten would sleep in all morning. She used to on the weekends when I watched her. But then she¡¯d feel like shit when she woke up to all the work that piled up. I love how she told me that. I love how she¡¯s starting to open up to me and really be her true self. It¡¯s perfect. She¡¯s perfect.


    I sigh heavily with my eyes closed. I don¡¯t fucking want to punish her. I don¡¯t want to do this shit right now.


    I study her beautiful body on the bed. She¡¯s still in her shirtdress fromst night. I wonder if she ever even got out of bed after I left her. I bet I just wore her out and she wanted to rx.


    I make my way over to the bed and see a pad of paper on the other side of her that was hidden from the cameras. I take a quick look at her scribbles before tossing it onto the nightstand. It looks like my kitten is keeping a diary. I make a mental note to read thatter.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Kitten,¡± I say loud enough that should wake, but not so loud that it should startle her. She rolls her head a bit, but she doesn¡¯t wake up like I want her to.


    I kick off my pajama pants and crawl into bed with her. I fucking need her right now. Iy my body next to hers and pull her in close, loving her warmth and how she molds her body to mine in her sleep. I gently kiss her neck, hoping that will rouse her. I get a small satisfied moan and a rock of her hips, but nothing else.


    ¡°Catherine.¡± My lips barely touch the shell of her ear as I speak just above a murmur. ¡°Wake up for me, kitten.¡±


    Her eyes slowly open and seem to settle on my face. A faint smile crosses her face before her eyes shut and she settles her head into the crook of my arm. It makes my heart swell. It only takes a minute for her brain to catch up and her eyes pop open and her body stiffens slightly.


    I instantly take her lips with mine, wanting to ease her worry. Her lips are hard at first, caught by surprise, but soon they mold to mine and she leans into my touch. Her small hands press against my chest as my tongue slips into her hot mouth. My hands travel along her body. The feel of the fabric pisses me off. I need to feel her. I grip her dress in both hands, pushing her onto her back and ripping the dress open.


    She gasps and clenches her thighs as the buttons pop off and her gorgeous skin is exposed to me. Nothing separates us and that¡¯s just how I want it.


    I kiss the underside of her breast, taking the other in my hand to feel her soft, supple skin. My tongue swirls along her nipple, leaving a wet trail in my path and then I blow lightly until it¡¯s a hardened peak. I do the same to the other side and then pinch and pull them slightly. Her back bows and she moans inplete rapture. The sight of her and the sounds of her pleasure make my raging erection leak.


    My fingers dip into her heat and thank fuck, she¡¯s already soaking wet. I could y for hours, but not right now. I need to be inside her.


    ¡°Spread your legs for me, kitten.¡± She immediately obeys and I don¡¯t waste a second as I thrust into her all the way to the hilt. Her eyes open wide and her mouth parts with a silent scream as I pound into her tight cunt.


    My fingers dig into her hips as I keep up my ruthless pace. She screams out her pleasure and ws at the sheets before fisting them and biting down on her lip. I usually start up nice and slow, but I need her. I need this. It¡¯s so fucking sexy to watch her take this punishing fuck I¡¯m giving her. Her breasts bounce with each thrust and her lips slowly part in ecstasy as she gets closer to her release. I don¡¯t let up. I need more of those noisesing from her lips. I need her eyes to squeeze shut with the intensity of her pleasure.


    I¡¯m hitting her cervix every time, but I still don¡¯t feel deep enough. I want more. I turn her onto her hip and straddle her leg, bringing the other up to rest on my shoulder. I fuck her hot pussy and there¡¯s nothing stopping me from pounding into her farther and deeper than I ever have before. She thrashes on the bed and tries to move away, but I push down on her hip, forcing her into the mattress and making her take every brutal thrust. Her pussy spasms around me and I lose it. I stay deep inside her until her pussy¡¯s filled.


    It was a quick fuck, but I needed to feel her. I needed to be deep inside her.


    She falls to the bed limp, breathing heavily with her eyes closed. Her body rolls slowly onto her side and those sweet lips part as she winces and brings her knees up. For a second I¡¯m worried I hurt her, but then she gives me a sated look with a soft smile.


    I still have to ask. I push the hair out of her face and cup her jaw. ¡°You alright, kitten?¡±


    She nods her head slightly in my hand, ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± She responds like she should, but then adds, ¡°I am.¡± A blush makes her flushed cheeks even redder. ¡°Better than alright.¡±


    ¡°I was worried I hurt you.¡± I want to make sure I didn¡¯t. I search her eyes for the truth to make sure she¡¯s not just giving me the answer that she thinks I want to hear. And they shine back with sincerity.


    ¡°I like it when you fuck me like that,¡± she says with a shy smile. I always knew it turned her on, but hearing it makes it different.


    I¡¯m fucking exhausted, but I can¡¯t sleep here. I need my own bed. I want herpanionship though. I don¡¯t want to go to sleep alone.


    I wrap my arms around her and carry her to my room. Cum drips onto my hip and leg, but I don¡¯t care. I kiss her hair as she snuggles into me. I¡¯m so fucking grateful I have her. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without her.

 144

    Anthony


    Catherine pulls away from me slightly as we make our way up the walkway. ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asks. No. I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m taking her to dinner at my aunt¡¯s house, but Vince has no clue. He just needs to see her. He needs to know what she means to me so he can understand. I know she¡¯ll be good for me.


    ¡°No one has any idea about how we got together, and what we do behind closed doors. That¡¯s our business. Just be yourself, and everything will be fine,¡± I tell her with so much confidence in my voice that even I start to believe it. I take a deep breath and open the door. If they¡¯ve epted me, they should sure as fuck ept her.


    When I open the door, I can hardly fucking breathe. I¡¯ve never done this before. I¡¯ve never asked for eptance. Maybe because I never wanted it. Maybe because I never thought I could have it. But now I need it.


    The guys look over at me and do a double take. Tommy looks shocked at first, and it guts me. He¡¯s quick to rece the shock with a wide smile. He¡¯s the first to get up and greet us as we make our way to the dining room.


    ¡°You brought a friend?¡± he asks with his eyebrows raised. I look past him at Vince and answer as Tommy pats my back. ¡°Yeah,¡± I say as I bring her close to me. ¡°Meet my girl, Catherine.¡±


    My sweet kitten blushes a beautiful shade of red and holds her hand out for Tommy. He chuckles but epts it, which is a good thing. He doesn¡¯t need to have his paws all over her.


    I expect a lot of things when I walk in, but I don¡¯t expect the cheers from the women and Aunt Linda rushing over to greet Catherine.


    It¡¯s obvious that she didn¡¯t expect that either. She holds onto my hand for dear fucking life. The sounds of the kids ying and the menughing fills the room. But all I can see is Vince, staring at me like I¡¯ve betrayed him. And maybe I have, but I had to do this. He needs to know she¡¯s not going anywhere.


    Vince just needs to understand. What happened wasn¡¯t her fault. That fucking prick hit her. She had to leave. He can¡¯t expect that she wouldn¡¯t have done otherwise. She¡¯s strong for what she did.


    I¡¯m not going to let him take her. He¡¯ll listen and he¡¯ll understand. My confidence sways, but I ignore it. She¡¯s mine.


    I stand from my chair in the dining room. Vince is alone in the kitchen. The women are in the den and the men are all in here. Now¡¯s my chance to talk to him. I push the chair back, pick up my dishes, and go to him. I need him to hear me out. The tension¡¯s been thick between us all night. I just need him to understand. Now that he¡¯s seen her, he has to know what she means to me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a rat here. Around my familia. In my home.¡± He speaks to me in a hushed tone as I set my ss in the sink. It takes all my strength not to break it, not to smash him over the head with it.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t have a choice, Vince.¡± He just needs to listen to me.


    ¡°You¡¯re defending her?¡± I hate that he questions me at all. Someone has to defend her. She¡¯s not a rat. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be killed, and I won¡¯t do it.


    ¡°He beat her. When she saw that shit, he made her life hell. She had no choice!¡±


    ¡°He kept her? Are you fucking serious? What¡¯d he keep her as, Anthony? A fucking pet?¡± He sneers thest word and it¡¯s thest fucking straw.


    ¡°How fucking dare you!¡± That fucking prick! He has no right!


    ¡°How can you do that to her when you were supposed to kill your own wife? Catherine¡¯s not good enough to spare?¡± I ask, raising my voice.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I love Elle. She¡¯s my wife!¡± he screams at me. I don¡¯t hold back any longer, I can¡¯t. I let loose and swing as hard as I can,nding a punch on Vince¡¯s jaw. He staggers back a few feet, cupping his chin and looking up at me with daggers, but he doesn¡¯t make a move to counter. He stands there waiting as he rubs his jaw. He gave me a pass this time. But I won¡¯t get another.


    He takes two steps and spits in the sink. ¡°If you can tell me right now that you love her, I¡¯ll back off. You going to marry her, Anthony?¡± He¡¯s asking like it¡¯s a dare. Like he knows me. It fucking tears me up inside that he¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t know her. He doesn¡¯t know us.


    ¡°She¡¯s as close to a wife as I¡¯ll ever have.¡± I didn¡¯t even know how true the words were until I spoke them.


    ¡°Until you kill her.¡± Vince says the words just as Catherine walks into the doorway. Her mouth parts and her eyes widen as she looks between us.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I say with disdain at Vince and quickly go to her. I take Catherine by the hand and brush past my brother as he walks into the doorway.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± he says with shock. ¡°You guys alright?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± I answer with my back to him and drag her out of the house with everyone staring at us.


    As the door ms shut behind us, I look at my girl, but I know she¡¯s not okay.


    My heart hammers with a fear I¡¯ve never felt before. Although I¡¯m gripping onto her like my life depends on it, she¡¯s already gone. I¡¯ve lost her.


    Catherine


    I sure as fuck wasn¡¯t expecting this to be so¡­fortable and normal. I¡¯m usually a bit awkward with people-and I still am today, don¡¯t get me wrong-but I don¡¯t feel the nervous energy I thought I would. I¡¯m able to rx somewhat and just be my usual awkward self. At least around the women.


    ¡°So, do you want to be a writer?¡± Elle asks me. She¡¯s Vince¡¯s wife. Her voice is soft like you¡¯d think it would be after taking one look at her since she¡¯s sweet and petite. Vince isn¡¯t. He looks scary as fuck. All the men are intimidating. I¡¯m super fucking happy to be in a room with just the girls.


    Being around the men is different. I felt like a sheep brought to the ughter. I couldn¡¯t stop trying to determine which position in the mafia each man had. I couldn¡¯t even breathe for the first few minutes. So many fucking shbacks made me feel like I was drowning. But this is nothing like what I experienced with the Cassanos.


    Lorenzo would start talking about things with the other members of his familia anywhere, and then look at me like I shouldn¡¯t have been there. Like it was my fault. It happened a few times, and then they started doing it on purpose and blocking me from leaving. They liked scaring me and taunting me by calling me the meek mouse. I never felt safe, and they said that was a good thing. Lorenzo said it was good to be afraid. And I was. They made damn sure to keep me afraid.


    I stayed with Lorenzo far too long because of that fear and then¡­ well, by the time I had the courage to leave, that¡¯s when I actually saw shit. Shit that changed my life forever. I shake my head and try to forget. I don¡¯t want to go there in that headspace. Not now.


    It¡¯s not like that here though with the Valettis. Everything is lighthearted. It took me a while to even want to eat, but when I did it seemed to help. I just kept something at my mouth the entire night hoping no one would talk to me. It¡¯s odd how I still felt included in conversations even though I only really ever smiled and nodded. It felt nice though. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve even talked to anyone. I¡¯ve been too afraid. Back when I was in hiding, I had the ridiculous idea that the very first person I talked to would somehow know the Cassanos and they would tell them where I was.


    But that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I have Anthony now. I¡¯ve never felt more safe in my entire life than I do tonight. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve felt like I could fit in, like I could have a family again. And I want it. I haven¡¯t wanted for anything in so long. But I want this.


    The kids are all in bed now and the men are in the dining room. Anthony left me alone with the wives. I start to answer Elle¡¯s question, but hear a crash of toys from the living room. His aunt, Linda I think, is straightening everything up. I feel weird sitting here not helping. Even though it¡¯s not my mess.


    ¡°Should we¨C¡± I start to ask.


    ¡°No,¡± Ba answers before I can finish. She¡¯s a bit older than me and she¡¯s a no-nonsense kind of person. ¡°Trust me,¡± she ces a hand on my forearm, ¡°she will not let you help.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I draw out the word and the girls allugh. It forces a smile from me. I can¡¯t help it. I feel included. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve felt that. My mom was everyone to me. She was my best friend. When she died, I had no one else. It feels good to feel like I belong here. Even though I don¡¯t.


    ¡°So do you want to write? Or do you just do the columns and blog thing?¡± Elle asks again and I know she¡¯s geniunely interested. She¡¯s been asking me questions ever since Anthony told them that I work in romance literature. I literallyughed when he said it like that. Romance literature. I love smut. That¡¯s my genre. Smutty smut smut. I shut the fuck up real quick when he gave me that look though. I¡¯m still a little worried about that look. It could be a good thing though.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d like to,¡± I start to answer, but I hear Anthony yell something. We all look to the doorway to the kitchen. But none of the women stand up. Elle grabs my wrist as I start to walk toward him, but I shake her off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I hear her whisper, but I ignore her. The women stand up, but they don¡¯t stop me. I know they¡¯re right and I should stay away. But something deep down is telling me Anthony needs me. I need to be there for him.


    I walk into the kitchen in a daze and see Vince and Anthony yelling at each other. Their hair is a mess and they¡¯re both breathing hard. Vince has the start of a bruise showing on his face. Anthony doesn¡¯t see me as he says, ¡°She¡¯s as close to a wife as I¡¯ll ever have.¡± It soothes my soul to hear those wordsing from him. But then my heart shatters as I realize what¡¯s happening.


    ¡°Until you kill her.¡± Vince¡¯s words ring out clearly, and I hear them repeated in my head. Over and over. Kill her. Anthony finally sees me and I expect to see something in his eyes that proves to me that Vince didn¡¯t mean that. That there¡¯s no truth there. But it is true. I can barely breathe. I feel him take my hand in his and squeeze, but I don¡¯t return the gesture.


    People move around us as he leads me away. It¡¯s as though I¡¯m watching this scene y out from a distance.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± I barely register Anthony¡¯s words as he leads me away. What just happened? Until you kill her. No. I shake my head. No, it¡¯s not true. But he said it with such conviction. And didn¡¯t I always think he would? Didn¡¯t I know this would happen? I should have run. A small voice whispers inside of me. Weak, you¡¯re so fucking weak.


    ¡°You said they didn¡¯t know.¡± I barely speak the words as Anthony leads me to the car. I have to keep blinking to focus. I feel lost and confused. That didn¡¯t just happen. It couldn¡¯t have. Everything was perfect. It was perfect. It was fake.


    ¡°Vince was the only one.¡± Was. But now they all know.


    I remember the look in Vince¡¯s eyes and everything changes. My world tilts on its side and my vision blurs with my tears. Vince isn¡¯t a forgiving man. He wants me dead, just like the Cassanos. I don¡¯t belong here. I watch Anthony as we drive away and the same cold, impassive look he had when I first met him is on his face.


    In this moment I don¡¯t know why Anthony brought me here, but I do know two things for certain. The first is that Anthony lied to me. And the only other thing I know is that the Valettis want me dead.

 145

    Anthony


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me?¡± she whispers as I shut the front door behind me. She walks aimlessly in the hall.


    ¡°No,¡± I tell her again. She said it in the car and I shut that shit down. But she won¡¯t look at me. She doesn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why?¡± She still doesn¡¯t look at me, and I hate it. What we had was pure. But now it¡¯s tainted with doubt.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you repeatedly I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± She finally looks at me, but I can tell she doesn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Come here, kitten,¡± I hold out my arms for her. She just needs my touch. I¡¯ll keep her safe. Vince can go fuck himself. They all can. I¡¯ll run away with her if I have to.


    She looks at me, but takes a step back.


    ¡°I saide here.¡± I take a step forward and she turns her back on me to run. She¡¯s defying me. She¡¯s running from me. It only takes three strides until my arms are wrapped around her small body and she¡¯s shrieking for me to let her go.


    It hurts. It fucking kills me.


    I walk to the basement with her struggling in my arms. She ils and kicks. She yells and cusses as I take her down the stairs. I almost drop her as I enter in the code. She¡¯s fighting me. She hates me. I know she does. My heart hurts, but I ignore it. I hold on to the anger. I hate that she thinks I¡¯m lying to her. I¡¯ve done nothing but tell her the truth. I will take care of her. She needs to calm down and listen. She has to listen to me.


    I open the door to her cell and she looks up at me with anger and then betrayal in herrge brown eyes. She needs to learn she can never question me. She¡¯ll learn.


    She shakes her head and backs away from me as I stand in the doorway. Her bodynguage and the look in her eyes make my heart squeeze with pain.


    ¡°You will obey me.¡± I say the words with force, but they¡¯re choked. She looks back with defiance in her eyes. I don¡¯t recognize her, and she doesn¡¯t recognize me.


    What we had is gone and I wish I could take it back. I hate Vince. I hate myself.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I watch in the monitor as she huddles into a ball on the concrete floor. Hard sobs rock through her small body, making her look weak and fragile. I know she¡¯s not at all weak. But she¡¯s be reliant on my approval and I know this hurts her.


    I¡¯ve seen this before. I¡¯ve only had two subs before who thought they¡¯d enjoy aplete power exchange.


    They think they want to be told what to do. And they think they¡¯ll be able to listen, and be rewarded and pampered. But there alwayses a time when the desire to obey is challenged too far. The desire can be lost over some concept of degradation or pride, or an issuedmand can simply be too far outside theirfort zone. Submissives have to learn to trust that everything their dom does is for their benefit. Doubt andck of trust are the real issues.


    Susan and Cassie were sweet girls. But when it came time to push them, it ended up like this. It would have never worked with them anyway. They cried and then left me. The only difference here is that Catherine can¡¯t leave me. Instead she¡¯ll hate me.


    She doesn¡¯t trust me. I pace my room, not knowing what to do. I can¡¯t leave her in there to think about leaving me. Her cries ring out from the monitors and I walk quickly to turn them off. I can¡¯t take it.


    It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. I don¡¯t think about anything other than what I want. And right now I want tofort her. I want her in my bed. I need her in my arms. I take the stairs two at a time until I¡¯m at her door. No more locks. She¡¯ll learn to trust me. I¡¯ll do anything I can to prove it to her. She just needs to stay with me.


    Stay with me.


    I walk into the room with purpose, but she doesn¡¯t lift her head. I scoop up her body into my arms and hold her to my chest. I rock her gently and pet her back and her hair. Just holding her calms the beast pacing within me. She needs me, and I need her. That¡¯s all that matters. Doesn¡¯t she know that? She¡¯s all I need. I kiss her hair, but she doesn¡¯t look up. I walk us slowly to my room, but I don¡¯t even know if she notices.


    I try to kiss her, but she shoves me away. I hold her closer to me, but she tells me, ¡°No.¡± She won¡¯t let me in. I watch her deny me over and over as she sheds her pain in my arms.


    I want to make love to her and show her what she means to me. But I feel like I¡¯ve already lost her. My need to control her was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have punished her. It¡¯s my fault. I hold her close to me as she cries herself to sleep.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whisper into her ear as her shoulders gently shake. ¡°Please forgive me.¡± She doesn¡¯t respond and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because she never will, or if she¡¯s fallen asleep.


    I hold onto her as tight as I can and watch her. That security I¡¯ve had since I firstid eyes on her is gone. I look down and I know I¡¯ve lost her.


    I shake my head and swallow the lump in my throat. I don¡¯t know if I can make this right. I don¡¯t see how it¡¯s possible to move forward. I¡¯ve broken her trust. I need her to forgive me, but I know she won¡¯t.

 146

    Catherine


    I can hear his steady heartbeat and feel his warm body against my back. We fit together perfectly, and that very thought frightens me to the core. My heart hurts as I try to ignore it. But this isn¡¯t right. I¡¯m not okay. I¡¯m falling in love with a man who¡¯s taken me against my will. These feelings can¡¯t be real. I need to leave. I have to get the fuck out of here before I lose what little sanity of I have left. Before he kills me.


    I slowly move away from him and hate myself. I watch him sleeping peacefully and I have to cover my mouth to keep the sob froming up and waking him. If I don¡¯t leave now, I may never have another chance. And I know I have to leave.


    I walk as quickly and quietly as I can. I remember him leaving the keys in the dining room. I know it¡¯s a risk trying to leave. He coulde down here. He could take me back upstairs by force, or he could lock me away in the cell, and part of me hopes he does. I¡¯m sick for having these thoughts, and I know it. But I use the knowledge that his familia won¡¯t keep me safe to motivate me. I summon my strength and force my limbs to move and go to the door. I take onest look around, gripping the frame and try to keep down the sickness threatening toe up.


    I can¡¯t even take anything with me, because it¡¯s all locked in a room I don¡¯t have a code for. If that¡¯s not a fucking sign that this was never real, I don¡¯t know what is.


    Rain beats against my skin and thin clothes as I run to the car. My heart pangs sporadically and I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s from the pain or the fear.


    What hurts the most is knowing I would have stayed. I never would have questioned him. What we had was fucked up. But it was my fucked up fairytalee true. I loved him. I know I still do.


    Tears cloud my vision and I brush them away, shoving the keys into the ignition. I look over my shoulder and hate the pain growing in my chest. I¡¯m leaving him. I don¡¯t want to, but a small part of me is saying if I don¡¯t leave him now, I never will. Is it so wrong? I can¡¯t answer the question. ¡°Forgive me,¡± I whisper as I put the car in reverse and turn the wheel.


    I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s wrong, I fucking loved him. Even knowing he was going to kill me, I still love him and all his broken pieces.


    I wipe the bastard tears from my eyes and sniffle as I speed away. I¡¯ve left him. He¡¯s the only man I¡¯ve ever truly loved, and I¡¯ve left him. The car swerves and I fight the steering wheel in the rain to stay on the road. I try to steady my breath as a pain radiates in my chest.


    In two turns, I¡¯m out of the development and onto the busy road. It¡¯ste. It¡¯s nearly deserted, with just three cars parked at the front of the entrance.


    I had to go, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯m not safe with him. I shake my head in denial. He¡¯d keep me safe, but he¡¯d have to fight the world to keep me. I feel so torn and so confused. I hit the brakes and turn off the side of the road. I let the tears consume me.


    I know I need to keep going. I need to run as fast as I can. He¡¯s going to find me if I stay here. The thought brings me morefort than anything else. Maybe I¡¯m sick. Maybe the feelings I have aren¡¯t healthy. But I hold on to them so I can calm myself. As I look in my rear-view mirror I spot the three cars from earlier driving toward me. None of the cars have their headlights on.


    Something triggers inside of me and I quickly put the car into drive and hit the gas. As I speed up, so do they.


    My heart beats in my chest with a fear I haven¡¯t felt in so long. They¡¯ve found me. I swallow thickly and search the cars for a face. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the Valettis or the Cassanos, but as I make a sharp right and see them follow me, I know it¡¯s one or the other. I wish I could turn around and drive back to him. To Anthony. I wish he were here. I wish he could save me.


    He would save me.


    Out of instinct, I yell for Anthony. Tears fall down my face. No! I hit the gas harder and the back end of the car swerves. I try to straighten the wheel as my hands grip the leather and I pull to the right, but the car spins out, and in a blur my body smashes to the side. My head smacks against the wheel and my body falls limp. My hand touches my forehead and I look down at my fingers only to see blood. My vision spins and my breath feels hollow, but I have to run. I unbuckle the seatbelt and prepare to run. I have to run. I have to fight.


    As my hand grips the handle, the door opens and I look up to see a sick smile from thest person I ever want to see.


    ¡°My little mouse came back to me.¡± I hear his words, followed by the smash of his fist against the side of my temple. I¡¯m vaguely aware that he¡¯s gripping my hair and pulling me out of the car, but I can¡¯t move my legs. Slowly, darkness overwhelms me, and I lose the battle to stay awake.


    Anthony


    I push the curtain back and watch her drive away. I see her look over her shoulder with onest nce at the house, and it kills me not to run out and get her. I couldn¡¯t move as I felt her stir next to me and leave me. I knew that¡¯s what she was doing, and it took all of me to lie still and let her go free.


    I knew she¡¯d leave me. I was a fool to think I could have her. I was wrong to think she¡¯d be safe with me.


    She needs to leave me. I can¡¯t protect her. I need to let her go. She doesn¡¯t love me, and Vince will never let me keep her if she doesn¡¯t love me back.


    They¡¯ll never understand.


    If I could tell her anything right now, I¡¯d tell her to run. Run far away from me.


    It hurts. The pain in my chest hurts so fucking much as I watch the car disappear.


    She left me. I really thought it was love in her eyes.


    Mom. I thought she loved me too.


    When Dad killed her in front of me to get rid of the fear and the nightmares, she cried out how much she loved me. I thought that was love, too.


    Maybe I¡¯m wrong and I just don¡¯t know what love is.


    If love is what¡¯s causing this pain, I don¡¯t want it. But I still want her. Fuck me, I do. I want to lie to myself and think that we can be together in this fucked up way and that the world will leave us alone. But I can¡¯t put her in danger. I¡¯ve been selfish and stupid, and I fucking hate that I ever took her the way I did. At the same time, she¡¯s all I want. If I could go back upstairs and keep her lying in bed with me, I would. If I had to lock her up and never let her out again, I would. That¡¯s only more reason that I need to stay here and let her go. She deserves so much more than a man like me.


    I sit outside in the rain, letting it soak through my clothes, just thinking about how I should have let her go right from the start. I should have let her go free. I thought I made her happy though. I thought she wanted the same things I wanted. But I was wrong.


    I hear a car swerve in the distance and my heart starts pounding in my chest. I run inside for the keys to my pickup truck and haul ass as fast as I can. It can¡¯t be her. I pray she¡¯s okay. It takes too fucking long to get there. I¡¯ll save her. She needs me. I¡¯ll protect her. I slow the car as I see skid marks, but there¡¯s nothing there. It looks like a car crashed, but then drove off.


    I stay at the scene for a long time, thinking it wasn¡¯t her. It wasn¡¯t my kitten.


    She¡¯s left me and now she¡¯s safe. She¡¯s better off without me. I wish I had a way to track her to know for sure. Again, another reason she needs to run from me.


    The pain won¡¯t go away.


    I can¡¯t get rid of this hurt in my chest. I just know something¡¯s wrong.


    I close my eyes and shake my head. It¡¯s all in my head. I¡¯m only hurting because she left me. I¡¯m looking for reasons to search her out. It¡¯s my own sickness.


    I need to let her go. I settle on that truth as I drive back home. But I can¡¯t sleep. When the sun filters through the curtains and my phone pings a few hourster, I reach for it like it was meant to go off.


    I expect it to be my kitten. I don¡¯t know how, but I do. All night I¡¯ve waited up, hoping she¡¯de back to me.


    I stare at the phone and I fucking hate myself. I click it off and move as quick as I can.


    Cassys want a meet.


    I know why. And I¡¯m ready to end this. They¡¯re all fucking dead.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

 147

    Anthony


    I can¡¯t stop pacing. It¡¯s not a fucking coincidence that the night she left we got a call for this meetup. We¡¯re supposed to meet at the garage in an hour. It¡¯s not right. Something¡¯s horribly wrong. She¡¯s not okay. I can feel it. My girl¡¯s not okay.


    ¡°Vince, it can¡¯t just be us two,¡± I say. I know this is a setup. It¡¯s not just going to be Marcus there wanting to rify the situation. There¡¯s more to this, and I know it deep down in my gut. He texted Vince toe meet with him, andter asked to bring me along. But I know this is a trap. I fucking know it.


    ¡°We can¡¯t trust them,¡± I tell him again.


    ¡°What the fuck, Anthony?¡± Tommy asks me for the fourth fucking time.


    I just shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s not good. It¡¯s not going to be good.¡±


    Vince has been watching me like a fucking hawk. I haven¡¯t told him yet.


    We¡¯re all here and I haven¡¯t said shit, but I can¡¯t shake this feeling. I need to tell them.


    ¡°Let me go in first,¡± I finally speak up and look back at Vince.


    He doesn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re freaking me out, Anthony,¡± Tommy says, grabbing my arm.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t fucking listen!¡± Vince yells out, and it gets the attention of everyone. The air is thick with tension.


    ¡°You know I wasn¡¯t going to.¡± I can¡¯t reach his eyes. I know I fucked up, but I need him right now. I can¡¯t let them hurt her. Not her. She didn¡¯t do anything wrong. She can¡¯t pay for my sins.


    ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± Tommy asks with a pain that breaks through his words. He¡¯s worried. He¡¯s worried for me and it¡¯s all my fault.


    ¡°They have her; I know it.¡± I say just above a whisper.


    ¡°Catherine?¡± Tommy asks, confused. It breaks my heart to know I¡¯ve betrayed him. I betrayed all of them.


    ¡°Why? Why would they do that?¡± Tommy asks.


    ¡°War. It¡¯s the start of war.¡± I answer him with pain in my chest.


    ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± Tommy demands to know as he shakes my shoulders, and I have to look him in the eyes, but I still can¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°Catherine¡¯s a rat. She¡¯s supposed to be dead.¡± Vince answers over my shoulder and Tommy¡¯s grip loosens until his arms fall to his side. He looks at me like it can¡¯t be true. But it is.


    ¡°She had no choice.¡± I try to defend her. They have to believe her; they have to believe me. She needs me. She¡¯s mine.


    ¡°This is over Catherine?¡± Tommy asks with doubt.


    ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± I say with finality. A look of hurt shes in my brother¡¯s eyes. He doesn¡¯t understand. They¡¯ll never understand.


    ¡°You fucking bought her as a ve¨C¡± I understand Vince¡¯s anger, but I don¡¯t need it right now. I need him on my side. I need my familia to help me get her back. I need her. I need her right fucking now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t understand. None of you ever understand me. That doesn¡¯t make me any less family. If I say she¡¯s mine, then she¡¯s fucking mine,¡± I growl out.


    ¡°If she¡¯s yours, then how did they get her?¡± Vince steps up to me like he knows. Like he already knows that she left me. But that makes no difference to me. I let her go because I love her, and I¡¯ll save her because I love her. Even if she doesn¡¯t love me back.


    ¡°She left me.¡±


    Tommy grips his hair like he can¡¯t believe this shit. I hear the men walking around us, waiting on their orders, even though they already made up their minds. No one fucks with us. They mess with one of us, they fuck with all of us. The only thing that would hold them back is if Vince told them not to.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t let her go?¡± Vince asks with disbelief.


    ¡°I watched her leave me. She needed to.¡± I swallow the lump in my throat as I add, ¡°But I know they have her. I know they found her.¡± He looks at me with doubt and then nods slightly.


    Vince looks past me and addresses the familia. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what started it. Get your guns ready, boys, and call for the rest of ¡¯em.¡± I nod my head. Thank fuck. Thank fuck I have a real chance to save her, if they didn¡¯t already kill her.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± Vince says to get my attention. I look up at him. ¡°We¡¯re going in first.¡± I put my hand on his shoulder before he has a chance to move away. I lean in and give him a quick hug. He¡¯s shocked, and it takes him a moment, but he pats me on the back in return.


    I don¡¯t let him go. ¡°I have to save her, Vince.¡± I pull back to look him in the eyes. ¡°She can¡¯t die. I can¡¯t let her die.¡± His brow furrows with confusion and I know I¡¯m not getting through to him. He doesn¡¯t have to understand. He just has to give me his word.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid¨C¡± he starts to answer me, but I cut him off.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°If it¡¯s between the two of us, save her. I can¡¯t let her die,¡± I say.


    That¡¯s the moment his look changes.


    He gives me a small nod, and only then do I release him.


    There she is. Just like I fucking knew she¡¯d be. Fuck! She couldn¡¯t run fast enough, could she? It¡¯s my fault. She¡¯s on her knees with that fucker¡¯s hand gripping her shoulder, pushing her down. She looks up at me with the saddest expression and cries out, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± The man behind her whips his hand across her face and shends on her side. My hands fist at my side and my blood boils.


    Not her. He¡¯s not going to get away with it. He cocks the gun in his hand and aims it at her head. His eyes are on me though.


    ¡°Was this little bitch worth it, Anthony? Was she worth war?¡± I hear the words but I can¡¯t take my eyes off of her. Lorenzo is still standing behind her. And behind him are a dozen or so of his men. I know I¡¯ve walked into a sentencing. Her sentencing.


    ¡°Knock it off, Lorenzo.¡± Marcus finally speaks. He puts his hands out as if to wee us.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Vince asks from behind me as he walks up to my side. It¡¯s just the two of us, for now. ¡°It was just supposed to be us, Marcus.¡±


    Marcus gives him a twisted smirk and shrugs his shoulder as he says, ¡°Thought I might need a few more men to make my message clear.¡±


    Vince looks at Catherine and motions to her. ¡°Is this really necessary?¡± He¡¯s keeping his voice even. If you didn¡¯t know him, you¡¯d think he waspletely unaffected. But I know him, and he¡¯s fucking pissed.


    ¡°It¡¯s the fucking rat your boy didn¡¯t fucking kill like he was supposed to.¡±


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what the deal was,¡± Vince says as though he¡¯s on my side, but I know he¡¯s not. All this is my fault. I brought this onto my familia. I put us all in danger for her. Simply because I wanted her. I wanted to break something so beautiful. And I did. And now I have to take my punishment. I hope I fucking die today. I¡¯ll never forgive myself if I see her die though. I¡¯ve watched death all around me my entire life, and it¡¯s never affected me. Not since my mother. But I can¡¯t today. Not her. Not my Catherine.


    I walk toward the men and a few take a step back, but Marcus and Lorenzo hold their ground. ¡°I bought her fair and square.¡± I say the words like I¡¯m not ready to rip them apart. Like this isn¡¯t war. Like this is just a business meeting over terms.


    I hear the rest of my familia walk in behind us. A few guns cock. The clicks fill the air. Marcus¡¯ eyes turn hard. He tried to set us up, but the dumb fuck wasn¡¯t ready for an even match. The doors behind the Cassanos open and more of our crew walk in, guns loaded and ready. We have on our vests; I¡¯m sure the Cassanos do as well, but this is nowhere near an even match. They¡¯re fucking dead.


    ¡°You really wanna do this, Vince?¡± Marcus sneers at my boss behind me. My eyes are locked on Lorenzo¡¯s. My hand¡¯s on my gun.


    ¡°You brought this on yourself. You wanted to put on a show,¡± Vince says as he reaches for his gun, but keeps it pointed at the ground.


    ¡°What¡¯d you think was gonna happen?¡± he asks. Silence fills the air and the men line up on both sides. We¡¯re in the middle. Vince is by my side, and my kitten on the floor just a few feet away from me. Everyone¡¯s armed but her. My eyes dart to hers and I can see she¡¯s already epted it. She¡¯s gonna be the first to die.


    I can¡¯t let it happen. I can¡¯t.


    A few men start moving around. They¡¯re lining up. Some of the Cassanos start looking behind them, but most are going to be gunning for us. It doesn¡¯t matter either way, they¡¯re all going to die. The only thing they can do is try to take out a few of us first. I can¡¯t let that happen. I have to do something. She can¡¯t die, and our men can¡¯t go down because of my mistakes.


    ¡°Give her back, and we¡¯ll go away.¡± I say the words and hate the weakness in my voice. I also hate that Vince is looking at me like I¡¯ve lost my damn mind. He¡¯s ready for a fight. No one takes us on like this and makes fools of us. I know he won¡¯t stand for it. But I have to try. I¡¯d beg them for her. I¡¯d trade ces with her if I could.


    ¡°It¡¯s not happening, Anthony. Not after you betrayed us.¡± Marcus¡¯ voice rings out with rity. He¡¯s firm in his decision.


    ¡°Take me instead then. Take me and it¡¯s over.¡± Vince still hasn¡¯t said anything. I hear Tommy yell out from behind me. But Vince holds up his hand and silences him.


    ¡°Your gun,¡± Marcus says loud enough for everyone to hear. I don¡¯t hesitate to lower myself, ce my gun on the ground, and kick it away.


    As I stand up, the fucking prick in front of me, Lorenzo, shrugs his shoulders and raises his gun at me. Every man in the room raises their weapon but me. I¡¯ll make the trade. I¡¯ll do it for her.


    Catherine looks up with wide eyes and shakes her head. As the reality presses down on her, she does the stupidest fucking thing I can think of. She jolts upright and grabs the gun. She yanks it out of Lorenzo¡¯s hand. It falls to the floor with a loud ck and goes off. The room fills with the sounds of bullets.


    ¡°Fucking bitch,¡± Lorenzo yells out and reaches for the gun. A bullet flies past me, but my eyes are on his gun. He¡¯s going to get it first. I see it happening in slow motion. I run to her and cover her small body as the sounds of bullets firing and men yelling ring out and ricochet off the wall.


    She screams and cries. She tries to push away from me to fight. But I can¡¯t move, or she¡¯ll be in danger. She¡¯ll die. I have to protect her. I can¡¯t let her die. Not her. If I do anything good with my life, it¡¯ll be keeping her safe and alive. I need to get her through this. Even if I die, at least she¡¯ll know what I felt for her.


    My body flinches with impact of a bullet, this one at close range. I feel a radiating pain throughout my shoulder as the bulletes out the other side. The vest can only cover so much. I duck my head and tell her to stay down. I hear her crying and the thud of bodies hitting the floor. I lift my head for only a moment to look into her eyes and she looks wretched with guilt. I push my lips to hers to try to take the pain away. And as another bullet rips into my back, I do everything I can not to let her know.


    I just want one more moment with her. One real moment where she can see the real me and what we really had.


    The pain expands inside of me. I¡¯ve been shot before, and more than once, but fuck it hurts. My body loses its strength and I fall onto her body, unable to brace myself any longer. I hear a few more shots and then silence. I don¡¯t look. I can¡¯t move. I can¡¯t risk her. It hurts. Fuck, it hurts. I cough and blood spills from my mouth. Men yell, ¡°Take those three.¡± Fists are smashing against flesh. I recognize the voices. We won. It¡¯s over.


    ¡°Anthony!¡± Vince calls out.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± she cries out. Her grip on me is strong. She¡¯s okay. She¡¯s safe.


    Vince pulls my body off of her and I lie t on the ground. A pounding ache in my chest makes it hard to breathe.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± she says as she holds on to me as she frantically searches my chest for the wounds. She¡¯s okay. She¡¯s on her knees, hovering over my body. Tommyes up behind her.


    ¡°Take her away!¡± Vince yells.


    I use thest of my strength and grip onto his shirt, pulling him close to me.


    ¡°Promise me she¡¯ll be safe, Vince.¡± I hold his stare and make him promise me. ¡°Promise me.¡±


    ¡°I swear on my life, Anthony. But I don¡¯t need to tell you shit.¡± He¡¯s bullshitting me. I know he is. Blood fills my mouth and it¡¯s hard to breathe. I should¡¯ve died a long time ago. It¡¯s alright with me, as long as she¡¯s safe.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna be fine. You¡¯ll make it through this,¡± he says. I shake my head and let my head fall back.


    ¡°I love her, Vince. I don¡¯t deserve her, but I love her.¡± I have to tell him. He has to believe me and take care of her when I¡¯m gone.


    ¡°You can tell her yourself.¡± Vince looks down at me as my vision starts to spin and darkness fades. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll keep her safe for you.¡±


    Thest words I heare from her mouth as she pushes Tommy away and runs for me. ¡°Anthony,¡± she cries out. But I can¡¯t answer her. My world fades and I dream of her touch. Of her love.

 148

    CatherineBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°No!¡± I scream while shaking my head in denial. They try to pry me away from Anthony. My hands grip onto his shoulders and my tears fall onto his chest. I feel numb everywhere, but my heart is aching.


    Blood¡¯s soaks into Anthony¡¯s shirt and pools around his back as he lies still on the ground. ¡°Help him!¡± I frantically scream out. They need to do something. He can¡¯t die. No! He can¡¯t leave me like this. He can¡¯t die because of me. Please, God, save him. I pray as I watch Vince rip off his shirt. Anthony doesn¡¯t move. His limp body sways as Vince looks over the bullet wound in his back.


    I vaguely hear the grunting of men as they haul off dead and limp bodies. I hear the smash of a fist pounding into tender flesh and threats being made. They took prisoners, but most of the men are surrounding their own man, the only Valetti to fall. My Anthony.


    ¡°Get her out of here,¡± Vince yells back. He looks directly past my shoulder at Tommy who¡¯s holding me back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave him,¡± I say. I search for understanding in Tommy¡¯s eyes, but he¡¯s not looking at me. He looks like he¡¯s carrying the pain that Anthony must be feeling. His eyes are full of anguish. He grips me closer to him as I try to push away and go back to Anthony. I can¡¯t let him die. He can¡¯t die.


    ¡°Right now you need to,¡± Vince says as he looks at me, but it¡¯s not said with hate or anything other than sympathy.


    ¡°The cops are going toe and you can¡¯t be here. You shouldn¡¯t be anywhere around them.¡± He motions to our left, where the Cassanos are all lined up execution style. My heart twists. I don¡¯t care about them. I don¡¯t care about any of this.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave him,¡± I cry out to Vince as Tommy drags me back.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you again.¡± Vince looks me dead in the eyes. ¡°If you never want to see him again, go ahead and stay. Have him try to exin it to the cops.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stay. Just listen to Vince. He¡¯ll take care of Anthony,¡± Tommy whispers into my ear. I know he¡¯s hurting, too. I turn around in his arms and close my eyes tight, willing Anthony to be alright.


    From my left, I hear a grunt of augh and someone spit. My eyes open and I see that prick. The bastard who started all of this. His hands are tied behind his back and he¡¯s on his knees. He¡¯s lined up like the others. Two of them are getting the shit beat out of them. But not Lorenzo. He looks at me with one ck eye and gives me a bloody smile, and I¡¯ve never wanted to hurt him more. I¡¯ve never felt such a strong need for vengeance. It¡¯s his fault. All of this is his fault.


    I don¡¯t think about it, and I don¡¯t consider the consequences. I just reach for Tommy¡¯s gun tucked in his waistband.


    I hear his scream as I pull out of his grasp for just enough time to pull the trigger. I fire once, and it hits the fucker in his shoulder. I take a single step and scream with all the rage and pain I¡¯m feeling. He falls backward with a cuss ringing in my ears. My second shot hits him square in the chest. Tommy¡¯s arms wrap around mine. Several men yell. I don¡¯t care. I stare at the man who made my life hell. The man whoughed at my pain. And I watch the life leave his eyes.


    A strong hand rips the gun from my hand and I look up to see Vince scowling at me. He looks between me and Lorenzo. I can¡¯t look him in the eyes. I swallow the lump in my throat and stop fighting against Tommy. His hold on me loosens, and I instinctively try to go to Anthony. But Vince is blocking me, and Tommy¡¯s still gripping my wrist.


    ¡°Your ex?¡± Vince asks.


    I nod my head as tears fall down my cheeks. I look back at him. That piece of shit should have died long ago.


    ¡°You snitched ¡¯cause of him?¡± he asks me. I fucking hate that he brings it up. I want to cower, but I don¡¯t. I nod my head in response. Vince looks me in the eyes and gives me a small smile as he says, ¡°He fucking had iting.¡± He pats my shoulder and leans into my ear as he reassures me, ¡°You did good.¡±


    He pulls away from me and I feel the faintest bit of relief. But it¡¯s not okay. Nothing can change what¡¯s happened. Lorenzo being gone won¡¯t bring Anthony back. He can¡¯t die on me.


    ¡°But don¡¯t do that shit again,¡± Vince says to me, handing Tommy back his gun. ¡°Get your shit together, Tommy.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tommy says, pulling me away from the scene.


    I hear someone ask Vince a question. I don¡¯t know what the question was, but I hear Vince¡¯s response clear as day.


    ¡°All of them. They¡¯re fucking done.¡± Bullets ring out in an instant. I look over my shoulder to see the Cassanos falling to the ground, blood sttered on the ground in front of them. I should feel a sense of shock. But I feel nothing. I turn back around and let Tommy take me away before I give in to the urge to run back to Anthony.


    I walk, but not by my own free will. I keep looking back, but they¡¯re surrounding Anthony. I can¡¯t see him. It hurts. It hurts too much. I feel like I¡¯m dying. I get in the car, but I don¡¯t know how. All I can see is the look in Anthony¡¯s eyes as the bullets hit his back. I cover my face with my hands and let all the pain out as I sob.


    ¡°Catherine?¡± Tommy asks me after a long time. I look up and see that we¡¯re driving, but I don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going. He pulls over and holds me against him as I cry. His hand rubs gently on my back and for a moment I pretend it¡¯s Anthony. I pretend it¡¯s okay. ¡°I know Anthony has problems. It¡¯s not his fault.¡± He chokes on his words and refuses to look me in the eyes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I don¡¯t know how to respond, so I say nothing.


    ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± I hear the pain in Tommy¡¯s question and I look up at him with confusion. Did Anthony hurt me? It takes me a long time to gather the strength to answer. ¡°No. Never.¡± My heart twists with a pain I¡¯ve never felt before.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was keeping you against your will. I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispers. ¡°I¡¯ll take you anywhere you want, Catherine. You¡¯ll be safe. I¡¯ll make sure of it. He¡¯ll never find you if you don¡¯t want him to.¡±


    I shake my head frantically. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s not like that. I want to go to Anthony,¡± I insist. I hold onto Tommy¡¯s arm with an unrelenting grasp. My heart stammers in my chest and anxiety races through my blood. They can¡¯t send me away. I need to know he¡¯s okay.


    ¡°Do you love him?¡± Tommy asks.


    ¡°I do; I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s wrong.¡± It¡¯s the truth, and I pray Tommy knows that. But he doesn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°He can¡¯t die for me; tell me he¡¯ll be okay.¡± He has to be okay.


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d ask me for something I can give you, Catherine, but I can¡¯t give you that.¡±

 149

    Catherine


    The faint humming of the machines and the steady beeping of the monitors are the only sounds in the room, but I need to keep hearing them. They tell me he¡¯s alive. They removed the breathing tube from his throat today. It¡¯s been three days and they keep telling me he¡¯s going to wake up soon since now he can breathe on his own. They¡¯re just waiting on him now.


    I¡¯m waiting on him, too.


    Tommyes back into the room and hands me a styrofoam cup with a lid on it and the string from the teabag draped over the side. I give him a small smile and say thank you. I haven¡¯t slept at all. I didn¡¯t realize I haven¡¯t had to drink my tea or take my pills to sleep until I found myself curled up in the hospital chair, wide-awake and watching Anthony.


    My voice is hoarse as I thank him.


    ¡°You can go if you want,¡± Vince says from across the room as Tommy sags in the seat next to him. He keeps telling me that, and I give him the same response I didst time.


    ¡°I want to stay.¡± He nods his head and looks down at his phone then back up at Tommy. They start talking in hushed tones. I don¡¯t mind. I don¡¯t listen. I just keep my eyes on Anthony¡¯s chest as it slowly rises and falls.


    I put my cup down and scoot my chair closer to Anthony¡¯s bed. The clink of the metal is the only sound in the room. I take his hand in mine and rub my thumb along the palm of his hand and wait. I need him to hold me back. I just need a sign that he¡¯ll be alright.


    I look up and my heart stops beating as Anthony clears his throat and his head turns to the side. He¡¯s waking up. My eyes widen and I do what I¡¯ve been trained to do. I get onto my knees in the chair and kneel as best as I can. I watch my dom, my master, my love, and my life as I wait for him to wake and acknowledge me.


    I see Vincent and Tommy rise from their seats from my periphery. I don¡¯t look at them though. I don¡¯t care what they think. I need Anthony to see me waiting for him like this. I need him to know I was waiting for him, that I would always be here for him.


    His eyes slowly open and he looks down at me with confusion as he takes in a heavy breath and winces. My heart hurts for him. I know he¡¯s in pain.


    ¡°Kitten,¡± he barely manages to get out.


    ¡°Anthony,¡± I say as I look up at him and move my hands to his bed, crawling to get close to him.


    ¡°Can I get in with you?¡± I ask him. I know he¡¯s in pain, but I need to feel him. I need to be next to him and be by his side.


    ¡°Please,¡± I beg him. ¡°I need to feel you.¡± He gives me a nod and watches as I quickly move to him. I never want to leave his side again.


    I climb onto the small bed and hold him close to me. Tommy and Vince stand and talk to Anthony, but I don¡¯t listen. I can¡¯t do anything but hold him.


    Once they¡¯re quiet I finally speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Anthony,¡± I say as I bury my head into his chest.


    ¡°Nothing to be sorry about.¡± He kisses my hair and rubs my back. He¡¯s consoling me when he¡¯s the one who¡¯s so badly hurt. I pull away and brush the tears from my eyes while I shake my head.


    ¡°I never should¡¯ve left you.¡± I push down the sob threatening to choke me.


    I look over to the left and see Vince and Tommy watching us. Both look confused and are obviously judging us, but I don¡¯t care. I need him to know how much I want him, how much I need him. I can¡¯t go back to a life without him. Never.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the cell. I deserve to be punished.¡± I speak clearly and I know the other men heard, but I don¡¯t care if they know. It¡¯s none of their fucking business, and what they think of me is none of my business. I¡¯ve never felt more safe andplete as I do with Anthony. I¡¯m not letting that go.


    ¡°No, you need to go. Now,¡± Anthony says dully as he stares at the back wall.


    ¡°You¡¯re throwing me away?¡± I ask him as my heart shatters in my chest. I shake my head inplete denial. I feel so broken. Every part of me hurts all the way to my soul.


    ¡°Please, Anthony,¡± I beg him. ¡°Please don¡¯t throw me away.¡±


    He closes his eyes and refuses to look at me. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Catherine. You¡¯re free now. No one wille for you. You can live your life in peace.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re safe and settled in.¡± Vince interrupts us and motions for Tommy to follow him. He holds the door open and they both look back at us. ¡°Whatever you two decide, we¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re safe, Catherine.¡± He locks eyes with Anthony for a moment before leaving and closing the door behind him.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go.¡± My shoulders shake and my voice cracks. I try to scoot closer to him and he lets me. Thank God he lets me. ¡°Please, Anthony. I can¡¯t live without you.¡±


    ¡°You can.¡± His hand cups my chin and his thumb strokes against my jaw. I lean into his warmth and kiss his palm.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find a man who can love you.¡± It breaks my heart that he¡¯s willing to let me go. That he¡¯s shoving me away. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± He says the words with finality.


    ¡°Just the fact that you¡¯re saying that means you do.¡± I breathe out the words, my hands clutching his. I need him to take me back.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything.¡± I will. I¡¯ll do anything he wants for him to take me back.


    ¡°Then leave me,¡± he says.


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I almost yell the words, but somehow, saying it in a calm voice and locking my eyes on his, ites out with force.


    His eyes heat with anger and a dark lust that I¡¯ve missed. ¡°Are you disobeying me, kitten?¡± he asks. His chest rises and falls with a sharp intake of air.


    ¡°Yes. I am.¡± I stare back at him defiantly, hoping it¡¯s enough. That his need to punish me is enough that he¡¯ll keep me. Even if he doesn¡¯t realize it, I know he loves me. And I love him.


    I close my eyes and gather up the courage to spill my truth to him. ¡°I love you, Anthony.¡± I wipe the tears away angrily. ¡°You¡¯d better not throw me out. I¡¯d rather die.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± he says as though he knows it to be true.


    ¡°I would. I can¡¯t live without you.¡± The pain in my chest is unbearable. I know I won¡¯t be okay without him. Never.


    ¡°I did that to you,¡± he says with regret.


    ¡°You did what I wanted, Anthony. You always did what I wanted.¡± I take his hand in mine and press his palm to my cheek. ¡°I need you now more than I ever did. I¡¯ll beg until you cave. I swear I will.¡±


    He looks at me for a long time and I remain still, waiting for his verdict. My heart pumps slowly in my chest as though it¡¯s prepared to stop beating if he denies me.


    ¡°Come here, kitten.¡± I crawl up to him, loving my pet name. I nestle into his side, careful not to hurt him. ¡°You¡¯ve been very disrespectful,¡± he says, staring into my eyes. ¡°And you disobeyed me. You left me, and then disobeyed me again. You put yourself in danger.¡± His admonishment makes my shoulders droop in shame. What¡¯s worse is that it¡¯s all true.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± he says, taking my chin in his hand and tracing my lower lip with his thumb. ¡°If youe back to me now,¡± he says, ¡°I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±


    My heart swells in my chest and I push my lips to his. My tear-stained cheeks heat as he kisses me back with the passion I know he has for me. I break our kiss and finally breathe.


    ¡°Never let me go, Anthony.¡± I look into his tortured eyes and I hurt so much for him. For everything he¡¯s been through, but also because I know leaving the way I did hurt him, and I fucking hate that. ¡°I love you.¡± I¡¯ll say it every day until he believes me, although I¡¯m not sure he ever will.


    His forehead scrunches and he takes in a deep breath. He swallows thickly and looks out of the hospital window. Finally, he looks back to me and says the words I want to hear every day for the rest of my life. ¡°I love you, too. But that¡¯s not even close enough to describing what I feel for you. I want you to remember that. Always.¡±

 150

    Monthster


    I¡¯ve been looking for Catherine everywhere and I¡¯m trying to push away the feeling that something¡¯s wrong. I keep waiting for her to leave me again, no matter how many times she says she loves me. She says I just need time to ept it, and maybe that¡¯s true. I don¡¯t care what holds us together, so long as she never leaves me.


    I almost pass by the pile of two-by-fours and cans of paint, but then I catch sight of her out of the corner of my eye. She¡¯s curled up in a ball on the reading nook I built for her. Each wall is a shelf for her books and there¡¯s a giant window with a bench that I n on padding for her. She¡¯s curled up on the wood, napping.


    ¡°I gave you a fitting pet name, kitten,¡± I say as I pet her hair. She blinks a few times and yawns. She¡¯s been tired from the move and from all the changes, but the one thing that stays the same is the look of devotion I get from her every waking moment. The move¡¯s been good for her. She said she needed to be close to family. My familia. Ourfamilia.


    I have to admit it¡¯s been good for her. For me, too. Which is surprising. Even Vince seems to be as happy as a pig in shit. And Catherine and Elle are thick as thieves when ites to nning these fucking get-togethers she forces me to attend. Apparently having a girl that gets along well with everyone looks good for me and makes me more approachable. I¡¯m still on my own when ites to work, but that¡¯s the way I want it.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I¡¯m about to whip her ass though and she should know it. ¡°You were supposed to be upstairs twenty minutes ago,¡± I tell her with a hard voice. She knows it¡¯s y though. There¡¯s a time for that side of me toe out, and right now, it¡¯s time. She wanted to y, and so did I. She should¡¯ve been there to greet me on her knees.


    Her eyes go wide and she¡¯s quick to pick up her phone. She checks it and shakes her head as she taps the screen and looks at her rms. She winces and holds the phone up for me to see. She never turned the rm on.


    ¡°I really hate to have to do this,¡± I say even though I fucking don¡¯t hate it at all. She looks up with a bit of apprehension, but her eyes are full of lust and her legs subconsciously fall open. She knows she¡¯s going to be cumming soon. She¡¯s a spoiled pet. But I fucking love it.


    I sit next to her on the bench and she quickly sits up and waits.


    Since moving I¡¯ve punished her ass at least a dozen times. Not for disobeying me, since she knows better than that. She deliberately disobeyed me once before we moved. She sought out Vince after I told her not to. I told her to leave it alone and let us break off from the familia. I thought it was best, but she defied me. My hand twitches remembering how I spanked her. I got her on edge and left her there, alone and crying. She took her punishment and waited for me to go back to her. It couldn¡¯t have been more than fifteen minutes. I¡¯m not a man who makes love to a woman, but if I ever have, it was with her that night. And then of course I gave her what she wanted.


    ¡°What¡¯s my punishment, Anthony?¡± she asks as she looks up at me with big doe eyes. She¡¯s an awful actress. There¡¯s nothing but excitement on her face.


    ¡°I set the bench up in the dungeon.¡± I can¡¯t help but smile at her name for the basement. She bought a whip and a riding crop, stuck them in the corner on top of a bed and called it the dungeon. My little kitten is fucking adorable.


    Her eyes ze over with longing and she speaks in a breathy voice. ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡± She loves that bench. I had to reinforce it because I almost broke it thest time I fucked her on it.


    My brow furrows as she waits for me to lead her to the basement so she can take her punishment.


    ¡°Do you still want to y, kitten?¡± I ask her. After everything we¡¯ve been through, I keep thinking one day she won¡¯t want this. One day she¡¯ll decide she doesn¡¯t want this anymore.


    ¡°Always,¡± she answers. ¡°I¡¯ll always be your kitten, and you can be my bad boy.¡± She tells me like it¡¯s a fact.


    ¡°Boy? No, kitten. I¡¯m a bad man.¡± It¡¯s the truth, and I wish she¡¯d just ept it, but I don¡¯t think she ever will.


    Her eyes go soft and fill with sadness.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t a bad man.¡± She shakes her head and it breaks my heart. I wish I¡¯d never burdened her with my shit. None of that matters; it¡¯s in the past where it belongs. And my sweet love is my future. It¡¯s all for her.


    ¡°Bad boy?¡± I ask her. She¡¯s gotta be fucking kidding me.


    ¡°It¡¯s a genre of romance,¡± she exins.


    Jesus Christ.


    ¡°Call me whatever you want, kitten, when we¡¯re home. But please don¡¯t call me your romantic bad boy in front of another human being ever.¡± That has her eyes filling withughter and a silent giggle shaking her shoulders. That¡¯s my girl.


    I finger the ring in my pocket nervously. I just got it back from the jeweler. I had it custom designed for her to match her owl earrings. It took a little convincing, but now that she doesn¡¯t fear losing them, she never wears anything else. I thought rubies in her engagement ring would be a nice touch. It¡¯s the entire reason I wanted to y today. I need her to do this for me. We need this.


    ¡°You know you love it,¡± she teases me. As she says the words I slip the ring on her finger. She pulls back with a gasp and stares down at the diamond. She covers her mouth with her other hand.


    ¡°Marry me, Catherine.¡± I tell her simply. I want everyone everywhere to instantly know she¡¯s mine. Always.


    She nods her head as tears slip down her cheeks. She rises from her chair and wraps her arms around my neck as she says, ¡°Yes, Anthony.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Catherine,¡± I whisper as I lean down for a kiss.


    ¡°I love you too, Anthony.¡±

 Epilogue

    Catherine


    I type away and continue hitting the keys even though I hear himing. I just have to get this thought out before I forget. I was hit with a wave of inspiration for this scene and I don¡¯t want to lose it. I¡¯ve been writing steadily ever since we moved into the new house. My office has a huge window, just like it did at our old ce. Well, this one¡¯s even bigger, but the feeling is the same.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He walks up behind me at the back of my desk and rests his hands on my shoulders, but other than that, he doesn¡¯t interrupt. It only takes a minute for me to finish my thought and when I do, I¡¯m quick to look up at him and give him a small smile. I reach my hand behind his neck and pull him down to me for a kiss.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± He hums against my lips. ¡°What is my naughty girl up to?¡± I blush at his low tone and rest my head against his chest.


    ¡°I wanted to write our story.¡± I feel him stiffen behind me, but I keep going and decide to spill it all. ¡°All of our stories.¡±


    ¡°Kitten,¡± Anthony says in an admonishing tone.


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s fiction. Under a pen name. No one will ever know.¡± I look up at him searching for approval. I love romance novels, and I just have to write all these love stories I¡¯ve heard. The whole family is filled with fairytales, albeit dirty smutty fairytales, that have to be told. I¡¯ve never feltpelled so much in my life to write them down. Ours will best, because in mypletely unbiased opinion, it¡¯s the best.


    He smirks at me and ces a hand on the nape of my neck, massaging slightly. ¡°Can I read them?¡±


    ¡°If you want to.¡± I wouldn¡¯t be shocked if he did. He reads over my work from time to time. I used to think he was making sure that I wasn¡¯t trying to put clues or hints out there for someone toe rescue me from him. As if. But then he started doing things in bed that were incredibly familiar from my blogs and columns.


    ¡°Well, I definitely want to read ours. I wanna know what my kitten was thinking when I brought her home.¡± He smiles warmly at me with love in his eyes before leaning down to give me a sweet kiss. My chest warms with his affection.


    ¡°I have a question I need to know¡­ for the story.¡± I don¡¯t know what he¡¯ll answer. But I really do want to know. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have me call you master?¡± I ask him.


    It takes him a moment to answer. ¡°I knew from the second I saw you that I would be just as much a ve to you as you would ever be to me. If not more.¡± Tears prick my eyes. I fucking love his answer. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what you call me, babe,¡± he says as he tips my chin up so I have to look at him, ¡°You¡¯ll always be my kitten.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be my bad boy.¡± That earns me a chuckle as I lean into his chest savoring how happy we both are.


    It might not be ideal or perfect, but I¡¯m more than satisfied with my happily ever after.


    This is the end of all the books.


    Do read my other books as well.


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