ã€ŠKeeping his brideã€‹


 Prologue

    Prologue

    Verona Moretti

    8 years old

    AS SOON AS our nanny opens the back door to the minivan, we jump out and run, screaming at the top of our lungs, towards the huge yground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run!¡± Penelope, our nanny, calls after us, but we don¡¯t listen. We never listen.

    Dante is the first one to the jungle gym, and I¡¯m mad because he always beats me.

    ¡°Beat ya!¡± he calls out, bragging.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah. You have longer legs than I do!¡± I point out.

    He stares down at his legs like he¡¯s noticing them for the first time before he smiles up at me with a toothy grin. I watch in awe as he quickly climbs to the top of the jungle gym with no effort at all.

    Dante is two years older than me. He came to live with us about two months ago after his parents died. I don¡¯t know how they died, and he won¡¯t tell me when I ask. And believe me, I¡¯ve asked a lot.

    The first month, he was really quiet and sad. But slowly, I¡¯ve gotten him toe out of his shell and open up. He actually smiles now, which is something he never did before.

    ¡°Verona, look at me!¡± Dante calls from above me, but I¡¯m too busy searching the parking lot for a familiar vehicle. And when I see the ck sedan pull in and park, I¡¯m practically bursting with excitement.

    I run over to the swings, our favorite ce, and wait.

    I peek a nce over my shoulder and watch as the most beautiful boy I have ever seen gets out of the car and walks towards me. Usually he runs to meet me, but today is different. He looks¡­upset.

    I decide right then and there that I¡¯ll cheer him up, just like I do with Dante. Dante used to be sad all the time, but he¡¯s not anymore. So, I can make my new friend less sad too.

    Pumping my little legs, I begin to swing back and forth, waiting for him. We¡¯ve been friends for a few weeks now, and our nannies always let us y together. Luca is Dante¡¯s age, but the two of them don¡¯t really get along, not like Luca and I do.

    When Luca Vitale steps onto the grassy area of the swings, my smile widens. ¡°Hi, Luca!¡± I call to him as I swing higher and higher. We always have a contest to see who can swing the highest, and sometimes he lets me win.

    He doesn¡¯t answer me. Instead, he just res at me with those strange gray eyes of his.

    I stop pumping my legs, so that I can slow down a little. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask him, curious.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong is that my dad told me you¡¯re a Moretti.¡±

    I stare at him, confused. ¡°Yeah, so?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Well, the Vitales hate the Morettis. And so I hate you!¡± he calls before running over and pushing me off the swing.

    I fall onto my hands and knees, scraping both on the dirt and gravel. Big, fat tears form in my eyes as I stare down at the tiny cuts in my skin. But they don¡¯t hurt nearly as much as Luca¡¯s words.

    My eyes are blurry as I watch him run away from me like I have some sort of disease that he could catch.

    Dante runs over to me and helps me up, brushing the grass and little rocks from me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asks, his brows furrowed. Dante is like a big brother to me; very protective and always taking care of me.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I lie.

    I watch as Luca says something to his nanny, and then she leads him back to the car. My lower lip trembles and tears fall down my cheeks as I watch them drive away.

    ¡°He¡¯s a jerk,¡± Dante tells me, reassuringly.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    Suddenly, I push away from Dante and run as fast as my legs will carry me. I don¡¯t stop running until I¡¯m by myself at the other end of the yground. When I¡¯m all alone, I cry over the loss of my new friend.

    I had told my mother that I wanted to marry Luca someday so that I could stare into his gray eyes forever.

    Luca Vitale was the first boy I ever loved. And he was also the first boy to ever break my heart.

 2

    Verona

    Present Day

    I SIT QUIETLY in the corner of my father¡¯s office. My hands are clenched in myp as I listen to what he¡¯s saying to the other man in the room. Blood is pulsing in my ears so loudly that I can barely make out their words.

    Papa is nning out my life at this very moment, my entire future depending on his every word, and I don¡¯t even have a say in what happens.

    When Salvatore Vitale made an unexpected visit to the house this morning, I should have known my father was up to something.

    I¡¯ve only been back home for a few weeks, and my father hasn¡¯t said more than several cursory words to me the entire time. Maybe he knew this wasing. Or maybe it¡¯s because of something else.

    When I was nine years old, my mother overdosed on sleeping meds and drowned in the swimming pool. I didn¡¯t know what suicide meant at the time, but I still find it hard to believe that my mother would have done it on purpose. She loved me. And I loved her. She wouldn¡¯t have just left me. To this day, I still believe it was an ident.

    After her death, things changed in my house. Papa barely spoke to me. Maybe he simply didn¡¯t know how to handle me and my emotions.

    All I know is that eventually he deemed it not safe for me to be living at home anymore, and he sent me away to an all-girls boarding school in another state. After I graduated, he didn¡¯t ask me to return home. No, he sent me away again to live with a great aunt. And let me tell you, there was nothing great about her.

    When my grandfather passed away a few weeks ago, Papa finally asked me to return home, although it doesn¡¯t really feel like home anymore. So much has changed, and yet my father¡¯s attitude towards me remains the same. I feel like a burden to him. Alone and unwanted, just like when I was a little girl.

    After all the years of being away from my father, I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s trying to send me away yet again. It¡¯s as if he can¡¯t stand the sight of me. Maybe it¡¯s because I remind him of Mama. Everyone always says how much I look like her¡­

    My father abruptly stands up from his desk in therge room and shakes Vitale¡¯s hand. They agreed on something, and I wasn¡¯t even paying attention. I was lost in my own thoughts as my future was decided for me right before my eyes.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°So, we agree that Verona and Luca will be married one week from now?¡± my father announces.

    My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I do my best to keep from screaming out in protest. He can¡¯t just barter me like cattle¡­can he?

    Mr. Vitale nods and firmly shakes my father¡¯s hand before letting go. And then he turns, meeting my gaze with piercing gray eyes that match those of his son. I open my mouth to speak, but Mr. Vitale walks out of the room before I can say a word, leaving me alone with my father.

    My bottom lip trembles as I dare to speak up to my father. He was never a gentle man, even when I was a little girl.

    ¡°Papa,¡± I start as I rise from my seat and take a step towards him.

    He suddenly raises his hand, stopping me dead in my tracks. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear yourints, Verona,¡± he says, boredom dripping out of his voice like he didn¡¯t just decide my entire future without giving me a say in it just now.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry Luca Vitale,¡± I protest with as much vehemence as I can. ¡°I-I don¡¯t even know him!¡±

    The truth is, I used to know Luca Vitale. But that was many years ago when we were children. He was lovely back then, a good friend, probably my first love even though I was so young and naive.

    But then one day, when Luca found out who I truly was, he hurt me, physically and emotionally, and never looked back. I never saw him again after that day in the yground.

    Our families have been at war for as long as I can remember. I don¡¯t know much about Luca Vitale other than the fact that his mother died a couple of years after my own mother passed away. I¡¯ve heard stories about him, though. I¡¯ve heard about the cruel and heartless man he became. And I want no part of him or his mafia lifestyle. I don¡¯t want to find out how ruthless he can be.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know your mother before I married her,¡± my father offers.

    I knew about my parents¡¯ arranged marriage. My mother told me about it not too long before she died. I know she loved my father, but I¡¯m sure that took time. And I know she would want me to marry for love, not for convenience or because of someone demanding it.

    ¡°Please, Papa, don¡¯t make me do this!¡± I plead.

    ¡°What you want is of no consequence to me, Verona. The wills of the patriarchs of the two families forged this union before they passed away, and there¡¯s no backing out of it now.¡±

    My forehead wrinkles in confusion as I move closer to his desk and see the papers sitting in front of my father. My eyes scan the top few pages, reading as much as I can before my father snatches them away and walks over to arge safe in the corner of the room. After inputting a code that even I¡¯m not privy to, he tucks the papers safely inside before closing it and locking everything away from me.

    ¡°The patriarchs of the family decreed this union in their wills.¡±

    Valerius Vitale and Marcello Moretti both died within a couple of weeks of each other. Rivals from when they were children, they never stopped fighting until their dying breath. And now I¡¯m supposed to believe that they wanted Luca and I to marry? That just doesn¡¯t make sense.

    ¡°Grandfather would never agree to this,¡± I say, confused.

    ¡°He did. They did. And unless this wedding happens, neither of the families will get any of the inheritance.¡±

    So it alles down to what always mattered the most to my father ¨C money. If I don¡¯t marry Luca Vitale, then my father gets nothing. He will probably lose everything he owns, because my grandfather was a very powerful man with lots of assets.

    ¡°But the Morettis have always hated the Vitales and vice versa,¡± I tell my father. ¡°Why would they do this?¡± I ask, my voice just above a whisper.

    My father frowns. ¡°I guess theirst wish was to have reconciliation once and for all. And with the two of you married, there will be peace between the two families.¡± He doesn¡¯t seem too pleased about the peace, though.

    I open my mouth to plead again with my father, but he silences me with a re. ¡°Start preparing, Verona. You have a wedding to get ready for.¡± And with that, he leaves the room.

    His departing words are the final nail in my coffin. There will be a wedding. I will marry Luca Vitale whether I want to or not.

    All of my life I¡¯ve been told what to do. I¡¯ve never had a say in what I want to do, and I hate the fact that I can¡¯t even choose whom I want to marry. I can only hope that Luca is not as cruel as the rumors make him out to be. If I have to marry him, I will try to make it work. But one question still remains ¨C will our union be consummated in love or violence?

 3

    Luca Vitale

    I WOKE UP early that Tuesday morning, starving. Mama told me my body is going through some kind of growth spurt, and it¡¯s like I can¡¯t get enough to eat. She always makes me a big breakfast before I go to school, so that I can make it until lunch time without my stomach eating itself.

    With my guts grumbling, I go downstairs to the kitchen. The house is quiet, but I know Mama will be awake. She¡¯s always the first one up.

    When I walk into the kitchen, I slip on something wet and almost fall. Gripping the counter to steady myself, I look down at the tiled floor and see something dark and shiny. My first thought is maybe it¡¯s dirty water or some kind of cleaning product, but it smells like pennies, not bleach.

    My feet are covered in the liquid, and I flip a switch nearby to see what the heck I stepped in. It takes a few seconds for my brain to process what exactly I¡¯m looking at.

    Blood.

    There¡¯s blood everywhere.

    Why is there so much blood?

    And then I hear it. Something scratching against the tile floor. I walk around the center ind and see my mother, crawling towards me. Her throat has been shed, but she¡¯s still alive as blood pours out of the wounds in her neck.

    ¡°Mama!¡± I yell, panicking. I rush to her side, falling to the floor beside her. She copses into my arms, gazing up at me with fear in her eyes. Three deep shes are on her neck, and I can¡¯t stop staring at them.

    She¡¯s trying to talk, but no wordse out. Quickly, I cover the wounds on her neck with my hand the best I can, but I can feel the blood pushing out between my fingers. ¡°No, no, no!¡± I cry. ¡°Someone help us!¡± I yell. I don¡¯t know if anyone will hear me, but I can¡¯t leave her like this.

    Mama¡¯s eyes drift closed, and I scream for her to wake up. ¡°Please, Mama! Don¡¯t leave me! Don¡¯t leave me!¡±

    Her body goes limp in my arms, and I sit there, stunned. I hold her tightly to me, rocking her like she used to rock me to sleep when I was a baby.

    If only I had been a few minutes earlier, I could have saved her. I could have seen who did this. I could have killed them instead.

    I rock her gently, and I cry.

    My mother¡¯s dead.

    She¡¯s dead.

    She¡¯s dead.

    She¡¯s dead.

    ¡°Luca!¡± my father¡¯s voice roars as he barges into my bedroom, effectively waking me out of the nightmare I was having.

    I sit up straight in bed. I¡¯m covered in sweat from head to toe, and it takes me a few seconds to realize where the fuck I am. I don¡¯t have the nightmare about my mother¡¯s death often; but when I do, I always wake up confused and terrified.

    My father walks over to the nearby window and rips open the drapes. I squint my eyes against the ring light and slowly sit up to look at him through narrowed eyes and a growing headache thanks to the rude awakening and my hangover. ¡°Good morning, Father,¡± I tell him sarcastically. ¡°This couldn¡¯t wait until noon?¡±

    ¡°It is noon,¡± he hisses.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I grab my watch on the nightstand and realize he¡¯s not lying. I slept half the day away thanks to all that boozest night and the great sex that followed soon after with a girl whose name I can¡¯t even recall. I don¡¯t normally indulge in that much alcohol, but I was feeling particrly sad and depressedst night. Today marks the anniversary of my mother¡¯s death, and I just wanted to feel numbst night, knowing that today would be so hard to get through. But now that I¡¯m awake, I realize I went about it all wrong. I¡¯m not numb at all. I feel fucking horrible. And having such a rude awakening by my father is not helping matters.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t answering your phone, so I had to stop by here in person.¡±

    Grumbling, I rub my eyes with the heels of my palms. ¡°What did I do this time?¡± I ask, assuming that¡¯s why he¡¯s here ¨C to gripe about something I did or didn¡¯t do.

    ¡°We need to discuss your grandfather¡¯s will.¡±

    I swipe my hand down my face and grumble. My grandfather passed awayst week. His funeral was the other day, and it was the second saddest day of my life, after my mother¡¯s funeral.

    ¡°Get cleaned up,¡± my father instructs. ¡°I¡¯ll be downstairs waiting for you.¡±

    And with that, he leaves me alone in my room. I flop back on my bed and stare up at the ceiling as I wonder aloud, ¡°What does my grandfather¡¯s will have to do with me?¡±

    After I¡¯m showered and dressed in my usual attire  a tailored and expensive ck suit with a ck button-up shirt underneath, I meet my father downstairs in the lobby of my condo building. The car ride to his mansion is quiet and filled with tension. I try to pry into his reasoning for bringing me back home to discuss my grandfather¡¯s will, but my father refuses to budge.

    And by the time we reach my childhood home, I know something isn¡¯t right.

    We walk into the house and go straight to my father¡¯s study on the first floor. He motions for me to take a seat as he goes to stand over papers spread out over hisrge, mahogany desk.

    ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± I ask him, curiosity getting the better of me. ¡°A new contract?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± he mutters in annoyance. My father never had any patience when it came to anyone or anything, especially me. ¡°I need you to read over this and sign it right away.¡±

    I notice the bold heading on the first page, Last Will and Testament, and cock a brow. ¡°This is my grandfather¡¯s will?¡±

    He nods once.

    Intrigued, I sit down in a chair and begin to read the paperwork. At first, it¡¯s all the usual legalese. But then the terms and conditions starting to light, and my fingers tighten around the papers, clenching them tightly as I read what can only be described as archaic bullshit.

    ¡°He can¡¯t fucking do this!¡± I exim, rising out of my seat.

    My father shrugs nonchntly. ¡°But he did.¡±

    ¡°I am not going to marry a Moretti!¡± I spit out, cursing the name on my tongue.

    ¡°Both of the grandfathers agreed to this bullshit use in their wills.¡±

    Valerius Vitale and Marcello Moretti died within a few weeks of each other. And this is what they agreed to?

    ¡°This can¡¯t hold up in court. This is ridiculous!¡± I yell, my voice rising to dangerous levels.

    ¡°We need to honor their wishes,¡± my father simply says.

    Banging my fist on my desk, rattling everything on top of it, I tell him, ¡°No. No, I will not agree to this. I haven¡¯t even seen Verona Moretti in years.¡± mming the papers down on the desk, I say, ¡°There¡¯s no way she will agree to this.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s already signed the necessary paperwork. Her father faxed me the copy this morning,¡± he tells me, causing my world toe to aplete stop.

    Shaking my head in disbelief, I walk away from my desk and pace the room. ¡°There has to be another way.¡±

    ¡°None of us get the money, the estates, the properties, the mansions, the cars, anything unless thises to fruition.¡±

    ¡°Why would they decide this? This is some kind of sick joke!¡± Valerius Vitale and Marcello Moretti were adversaries, some say from birth. Our families feuded overnd, territory, everything for years. And then, when my mother was murdered, everything came to a head. Rivals soon turned into sworn enemies willing to go to war with each other.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    And now my grandfather is requesting that I marry one of them?

    ¡°I suppose the old men reached a point of peace and agreement in their final days. I just wish my father would have told me about his ns, because I most certainly would have talked him out of it,¡± my father exins.

    ¡°This is about peace? There will be no peace if I¡¯m intertwined with the Morettis!¡±

    My father considers this for a moment, but then says, ¡°Maybe this will be the end of the war. We can¡¯t continue to go to war if we¡¯re family. And I think that¡¯s what your grandfather was trying to resolve before he died. He didn¡¯t want us fighting anymore or tearing each other down at every turn.¡±

    A dark chuckle releases from my mouth. ¡°If I have to marry her so that we don¡¯t lose everything we worked so hard for, then so be it. But I won¡¯t be faithful. I won¡¯t ever love her.¡±

    ¡°No one said anything about love, my dear boy. We are talking about marriage after all.¡±

    I scoff at his words. He can say what he wants, but I know he loved my mother. And the day she was murdered, I saw my father cry for the first and only time in that kitchen while he held her lifeless body in his arms. Sure, their marriage had its ups and downs, like all marriages tend to do, but he loved my mother. And he also had the privilege of knowing his bride before their wedding day. They met in high school, dated, got to know each other, had a chance to fall in love.

    Me, on the other hand, I have to marry a girl I haven¡¯t seen since I was a kid. There will be no courtship, no easing into this. ¡°How long do I have?¡± I ask my father.

    ¡°One week.¡±

    Of course I would be delivered this horrible news on the anniversary of my mother¡¯s death. It seems fitting almost. Tragedy upon tragedy. That¡¯s what my entire life has beenposed of.

    ¡°Will you sign the papers?¡± he asks impatiently.

    ¡°Do I have a choice?¡±

    He doesn¡¯t even hesitate when he tells me, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll sign.¡±

    I¡¯ll marry Verona Moretti. I¡¯ll follow the terms of the will so that my family isn¡¯t destitute and out on the streets with nothing. But there¡¯s nothing saying I can¡¯t take my anger and frustration out on my new bride to be, that I won¡¯t treat her like my own little ything. She will be my wife in name only. And I¡¯m going to make her regret signing the contract. I¡¯m going to make her life a living hell.

 4

    Verona

    I STAND IN front of the mirror inside the dress shop and stare at my reflection. I don¡¯t even recognize myself in the wedding dress. I look so¡­different. So grown up.

    ¡°Oh my god, you look gorgeous!¡± the shop owner exims with animated hands. She¡¯s a small, olderdy with frizzy blonde hair and huge sses that make her blue eyes look enormous behind the thick lenses. ¡°I knew this one would look great on you,¡± she gushes.

    Tears fill my eyes when I nce around the empty room. God, I wish my mother could be here with me. After she passed away, an empty void filled me, hollowing me out from the inside, and I wonder if I¡¯ll ever feel unconditional love like that again.

    My father was always a stickler for rules and obedience, but my mother¡­she was more lenient and understanding. She made me smile, made meugh. She was like a real-life angel on this earth disguised as a human.

    And I miss her terribly, especially today.

    ¡°Oh, sweetie, don¡¯t cry,¡± the woman says, handing me a wad of tissues out of a nearby box. ¡°Weddings are happy asions!¡±

    I almost roll my eyes. She¡¯s so oblivious to my situation that she couldn¡¯t even begin toprehend what I¡¯m going through. This wedding is going to be anything but happy. I¡¯m about to marry a total stranger. Sure, I knew Luca back when we were kids, but we were just that ¨C children. Many years have passed since we¡¯ve spoken or even seen each other. I have no idea what happened to him after puberty. For all I know, he could look like a potbelly pig. And smell like one too.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Cringing, I tell the woman, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take this one.¡± There¡¯s no sense in trying any other dresses on. None of them will ever feel perfect to me since I¡¯m being forced to walk down the aisle instead of doing it of my own free will.

    ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s the first one you tried on. I¡¯m not saying you don¡¯t look stunning, but I have many more styles for you to choose from,¡± she says while pushing her big sses up the bridge of her tiny nose.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± I tell her with a firm nod. It was the first dress that caught my eye, and honestly, I don¡¯t even want to try any others on. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been waiting for this day. No, this was sprung on me just a few days ago through a contract that I had to sign. And it felt like signing my life away.

    If Papa wouldn¡¯t kill me, I¡¯d buy a ck wedding dress to suit my mood and feelings towards this arrangement. But I don¡¯t need him any more distant and angrier with me than he already is. He¡¯s the only family I have left. Love him or leave him. And I guess I¡¯m choosing to love him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need to make any alterations,¡± the woman says as she walks around, feeling the fabric and looking for gaps or ws. ¡°It¡¯s perfect, really. It fits you like a glove.¡±

    ¡°Lucky me,¡± I mutter sarcastically.

    ¡°Now, it¡¯s been in storage for a few months. I¡¯ll have it steamed and pressed for you. It will be ready in two days. Is that all right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I answer.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with some veil options, and then we can look at shoes,¡± she tells me before disappearing into the backroom.

    I stand there, admiring the dress in the mirror. It¡¯s a mermaid style dress full of intricatece detail with a V neck and low V in the back and a short train. It really is beautiful. I just wish I wasn¡¯t wearing it to a wedding that I want no part of.

    ¡°Wow, look at you,¡± a voice says behind me.

    My eyes meet Dante¡¯s in the mirror, and I can¡¯t help but smile. Dante is the one who drove me here. He¡¯s been my best friend since I was eight years old. When I was sent away to boarding school, he stayed behind to work for my father. We stayed connected through letters, and we spoke on the phone almost every night when I was allowed to make calls.

    And when I went to live with my great aunt and was back in the same state as him at least, Dante came to visit me every weekend. He never missed a single one.

    Dante has been my rock through all of this. Ever since I lost my mother, he has always been the shoulder I¡¯ve cried on. I don¡¯t know what I would do without him. And I hope I never have to find out.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± I ask, turning to face him.

    ¡°Bellissima,¡± he says with a thumbs up and a wink.

    Beautiful. Of course Dante would say that. He always knew how to make me feel better about myself.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell him as I turn back to face the mirror. I can¡¯t help but let my gaze linger on Dante a little longer than I should as he walks around the store, his handsome face now serious as he looks for any threats to me. A blush creeps up my neck to my cheeks as I check out my best friend secretly in the mirror.

    Dante has definitely grown up over the years. Gone is the scrawny kid I remember so well. In his ce is a tall, handsome man with dark hair, dark eyes and a kind smile. He filled out well, and working out has definitely paid off. His muscles that I sometimes spy when he wears t-shirts are huge.

    When I was a teenager, I used to swear up and down that I would marry him someday. But that was just a fickle dream because, in reality, my father would never allow that. Dante will never be equal or good enough in his eyes, and that hurts. My father has no idea how wonderful Dante truly is. Dante would take care of me. I know he would. Our feelings have never crossed the friendship line into romantic, but I always wondered what would happen.

    But now look where I am. Any dreams I had of marrying someone I could actually fall for went right out the window.

    The womanes back, holding several veils in her hands. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what you like best out of these,¡± she says.

    She ces the first one on my head, and itpletes the look. Now I really do look like a bride. And I can¡¯t help the frown that instantly appears on my face.

    ¡°Smile, dear,¡± she says with an exaggerated grin. ¡°Just think about how happy you¡¯ll be on your wedding day.¡±

    The frown deepens, and I wonder if I¡¯ll ever have anything to smile about ever again. In a few days, I¡¯ll be Mrs. Vitale. And that scares the hell out of me.

 5

    Luca

    I PACE THE floor in the small anteroom off to the side of the chapel. Verona and I will be married in less than an hour. I¡¯m not nervous, not in the least. I am anxious, however. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re going to make things work, the two of us. We¡¯re bound by contract to get married and stay married, but we¡¯replete fucking opposites. I mean, at least I think we¡¯re exact opposites anyway. I don¡¯t even know her well enough to know what her likes and dislikes are.

    What I do know is that she was sheltered most of her life, kept away from the family business and affairs for a long time. She hasn¡¯t had to pick up the pieces of shattered empires or operate day-to-day businesses to keep things afloat. She never had to get blood on her hands or deal with the consequences. She doesn¡¯t belong in my world, and I certainly don¡¯t belong in hers.

    And yet¡­here we are.

    I never saw myself ever getting married, so it¡¯s not like this whole thing has dashed my hopes and dreams like it probably has for her. All girls dream of the perfect wedding, the handsome groom, the happily ever after.

    I never had such illusions when I was growing up.

    After my mother¡¯s death, my father became a bitter, hateful man. He took the brunt of his anger out on me. And if that¡¯s what happens when you lose someone you love that much, then I don¡¯t want to feel that. Ever.

    Marriage was never on the table. I fucked my way through most of the city, never so much as calling the girl again or remembering her name.

    And now I¡¯m about to be tied down. Well, technically. There¡¯s not a cheating use in the contract. Trust me, I made sure.

    No, Verona will be my wife in name only. In reality, she is still the daughter of my enemy, my family¡¯s biggest rival. Her family has been a thorn in my side for years, and this contract isplete and utter bullshit.

    I don¡¯t know what my grandfather was thinking. Marriage doesn¡¯t solve anything. This union won¡¯t bring peace. If anything, it will make me hate the Morettis even more than I already do.

    Sure, our families have put our differences aside for this wedding, but it doesn¡¯t change a thing. Verona is still my enemy. And I don¡¯t n on making her life easy. No, quite the opposite. I n on making her life miserable. I¡¯m going to make her regret ever signing that contract. If she thinks she¡¯s going to be treated like a princess in my home, she can fucking forget it.

    The door to the small room creaks open, and my father enters. He¡¯s dressed to the nines, just like I am. And when he says, ¡°They¡¯re ready for you, son,¡± I swallow hard past the lump forming in my throat.

    ¡°There has to be a way out of this,¡± I tell him for the twentieth time today. I keep protesting, but I know my efforts are futile. The contract has been signed. It¡¯s done.

    ¡°Your grandfather wanted this. We have to respect his wishes,¡± my father says solemnly.

    ¡°This is a mistake. I don¡¯t even know the girl,¡± I blurt out like a petnt child trying to get out of trouble.

    ¡°You knew her once. When you were young.¡±

    I shake my head at his words. There was a time when I can remember ying in the same park as Verona. I would even venture to say we were friends back then. But that was before everything happened and my mother was murdered. I was innocent then. Things were different, so fucking different.

    ¡°We were kids,¡± I tell my father.

    ¡°You loved her then,¡± he remarks, causing my gaze to snap up to meet his.

    ¡°What?¡± I exim.

    ¡°I remember you running home one day, telling me that you were in love with the girl from the park. Let¡¯s just say my reaction when you told us the girl¡¯sst name was not a good one.¡± He shrugs his shoulders. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s my fault you grew hateful of her. When I told you she was the daughter of our rival, the next day you went to the yground and pushed her off the swings.¡± He chuckles at the memory. ¡°Our families almost went to war back then because of what you did.¡± Then his face suddenly grows serious. ¡°Maybe it was just a foreboding of what was toeter on.¡±

    I barely remember the yground incident. ¡°The Morettis are scum,¡± I spit out. ¡°And now I¡¯m being forced to marry one of them.¡±

    My father ps me on the back as he leads me out of the room. ¡°It could be worse, my boy,¡± he tells me. ¡°At least she¡¯s pretty.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I turn to him quickly. ¡°You¡¯ve seen her?¡±

    He nods. ¡°She¡¯s easy on the eyes, so at least you have that going for you.¡±

    I don¡¯t know why that makes me feel a little better, but it does. But her being pretty on the outside could be a disguise for a disgusting personality, one that I won¡¯t be able to tolerate. ¡°Some of the most beautiful things can be rotten inside,¡± I exin to him.

    ¡°That is true,¡± he agrees. He cups my head in his hands and kisses each one of my cheeks. ¡°Good luck, son.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I mutter as I walk up to the altar where the priest is waiting. And as I stand there before the two feuding families packed into pews and divided on each side of the crowded church, I know I¡¯m going to need a lot of luck to get through this.

 6

    Verona

    I CAN¡¯T BREATHE. I¡¯m standing in the vestibule of the church, waiting to go inside¡­to be married¡­and my dress is too tight. It¡¯s weird because I swear it fit me just a few minutes ago. But now I feel like I might pass out.

    ¡°Rx, Verona,¡± Dante¡¯s soothing voice says from next to me.

    ¡°My dress is too tight,¡± I tell him, my voice rising to new heights in panic.

    ¡°Your dress is fine. You¡¯re giving yourself a panic attack.¡± Dante steps in front of me, takes my hands in his and starts breathing in and out slowly. ¡°Do what I do.¡±

    At first, my breathing is rapid, but eventually I¡¯m able to get it to slow down to match his level.

    ¡°See? Just a panic attack.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but smile at Dante. He always was so good at calming me down. When we were kids, I used to have panic attacks fairly often after my mother died. He was always there to make sure I was okay.

    ¡°You look handsome,¡± I whisper in the quiet room. He¡¯s wearing a dark blue suit, and his hair is styled. I don¡¯t get to see him dressed up very often.

    ¡°And you look gorgeous,¡± he whispers back, his eyes roaming down and then back up until finally resting on my face. A frown pulls down at his lips as he tells me, ¡°He doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about what anyone deserves or doesn¡¯t deserve at this point,¡± I tell him with a dismissive wave of my hand. ¡°We¡¯re under contract to do this.¡± Tears burn my eyes. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe my father would allow this.¡±

    ¡°The Morettis and Vitales are all about money,¡± he says, and I can hear the contempt in his voice. When he notices me staring at him, he clears his throat and says, ¡°Well, at least the Vitales are anyway.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°I can¡¯t expect Papa to lose everything because of me. He¡¯s worked so hard all his life. Grandfather wasn¡¯t a nice man. My father had to work his way up in the ranks to even be equal to my grandfather.¡± I stare down at my hands. ¡°This has to be done whether I like it or not.¡±

    ¡°Well, I definitely don¡¯t like it,¡± Dante spits out.

    ¡°What don¡¯t we like?¡± my father asks as he enters the room. He res at Dante and sternly tells him, ¡°Go take a seat, Dante. The wedding will be starting soon.¡±

    I watch as Dante opens the door and disappears inside the church. I catch a nce at some of the pews, the people seated who are waiting. I recognize some of them, while the rest are strangers from the Vitale side of the family.

    ¡°Papa, I don¡¯t know if I can do this,¡± I say when the door closes, turning to my father.

    ¡°You can. And you will,¡± he says, his words upromising¡­and final.

    I nod in agreement. I never was able to stand up to my father. My mother was the gentle, caring one of the two. My father was the disciplinarian. I learned from an early age to never question him or else there would be consequences. He was always quick to get his belt to get his point across, and I feared him as a child. I guess maybe a part of me still does.

    The string quartet begins to y Canon in D, and my entire body seizes up. I can¡¯t move. I can¡¯t think. I¡¯m about to marry a total stranger, someone I knew years ago when I was a little girl, and there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. I can¡¯t say no. I can¡¯t run away, like my legs are protesting to do right at this very moment.

    ¡°Verona,¡± my father whispers at my side. Perhaps he can sense that I want to flee.

    I look up at him with tears in my eyes.

    ¡°You have to do this. For the family.¡±

    I nod even though I¡¯m screaming out no inside of my head.

    The song ends. I can hear someone clear their throat from inside the church, and more tears build up in my eyes as the song starts over.

    ¡°It¡¯s time, Verona,¡± my father tells me before pulling the veil down over my face.

    When I give a final nod, he motions for the ushers to open the intricately carved doors before us. The people sitting on the pews immediately stand, all eyes on me.

    My legs are moving, but I can¡¯t feel them. I feel like I¡¯m gliding. Maybe I¡¯m moving on my father¡¯s sheer will and determination alone.

    Through thece of my veil, I nce at the two families gathered on each side of the room. On the right are the Vitales, and on the left are the Morettis. I can see some of them staring one another down from across the pews. The families have been at war for years, for as long as I can remember.

    And now this union, my union, with Luca Vitale, is supposed to bring peace amongst us all.

    Since our two families are just like the Capulet and Montagues, I guess that makes Luca and I a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Fitting, since I¡¯m named after the city in which the tragedy took ce.

    It¡¯s unimaginable that a wedding can bring a war to an end, and I have my doubts. All I can do is pray that my husband isn¡¯t a monster. I haven¡¯t seen him since we were children. When I first met him, he was the sweet boy who gave me candy on the yground when we snuck away from the prying eyes of our nannies. If anyone ever saw a Vitale and Moretti together, it would have been an all-out war, but we were kids back then. We didn¡¯t know about any violence or hatred amongst our loved ones. We were innocent.

    And then one day, he pushed me off the swing set. It was like a switch had gone off inside of him. And I recall hearing my namee from his lips with disgust and hatred, like he finally figured out who I was, who I really was.

    I remember going home, crying, with skinned hands and bruised knees. I never saw Luca after that day, nor did I want to.

    And now I¡¯m about to marry him.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    If he could be so cruel as a little boy, what kind of man did he ultimately be? I shudder at the thought.

    My father stops walking, and Ie to an abrupt halt, so lost in my thoughts that I didn¡¯t even realize we walked the entire length of the church. My father turns to me and lifts my veil, giving me a kiss on each cheek as he takes the bouquet out of my grip and squeezes my hand in reassurance.

    And then he walks away, leaving me alone.

    My dress feels too tight again as I struggle to pull in a deep breath. I barely make it up the few steps to the altar where the priest and my future husband are waiting. I haven¡¯t even looked at him yet. My future husband, that is. I¡¯m too terrified. I haven¡¯t seen him up close since he was a boy.

    Taking the final step, I stand next to Luca, staring at the priest and refusing to look anywhere else.

    ¡°Face your future husband,¡± the priest instructs me.

    And so, I turn¡­and stare right into the eyes of the devil himself.

    I¡¯m so taken aback by his brutally handsome face that I forget how to breathe. I don¡¯t know what I expected¡­but it wasn¡¯t this. He¡¯s tall. So tall, in fact, that I have to strain my neck to look up at him. He¡¯s wearing a ck suit that fits his broad shoulders wlessly. His raven hair is perfectly styled and is in stark contrast to his steel-gray eyes that narrow the longer I stare at him. His face looks like it was carved out of stone, his jawline covered in stubble and so strong and ticking under the pressure of his teeth grinding together as he stares at me with¡­contempt.

    I¡¯m taken right back to that day at the yground. I hadn¡¯t done anything to the boy back then either, but he hated me so much in that moment just because of who I was and who my family was. And now the man I¡¯m about to marry obviously feels the same way he did when he was a child.

    I snap my eyes shut, blocking his face out. When I open them again, I stare at the priest, hoping that he can see in my eyes that I don¡¯t want to do this. I don¡¯t want to marry this man, but I don¡¯t even have a choice in the matter.

    But the priest simply continues with the ceremony, and the next several minutes are a blur as the priest goes on and on with readings from the bible and several prayers.

    ¡°Verona, do you promise to honor and cherish Luca in sickness and in health, ¡¯til death do you part?¡±

    My heartbeat is pounding in my ears, and I feel like I¡¯m going to pass out. ncing around the room, I see my father with a grim look on his face as he gives me an imperceptible nod.

    ¡°Verona?¡± the priest prompts.

    ¡°I do?¡± I answer, but it sounds more like a question.

    The priest repeats the same vows to Luca, and he responds with a formidable, ¡°I do.¡± His voice has a deep, rich timbre. And I¡¯m sure whenever he talks, people shut up and listen.

    ¡°Verona and Luca will now exchange rings as a symbol of the promises they¡¯ve made here today and their ongoingmitment to each other.¡±

    I begin to panic because I don¡¯t have a ring for Luca. But suddenly, my husband-to-be is thrusting a ring into my hand. I stare down at the simple ck band that will serve as his wedding ring.

    The priest continues on with, ¡°These rings were made from precious metals forged in fire, a symbol to your unbreakable bond for this marriage.¡± He looks to me, ¡°Verona, ce Luca¡¯s ring on his finger.¡±

    Luca holds his left hand out to me. The tattoos peeking out under his sleeve and covering the top of his hand catch my attention as I work the band up his thick ring finger. He immediately pulls away from me, like my touch burned him somehow.

    ¡°Luca, ce Verona¡¯s ring on her finger.¡±

    I hold out my left hand, and Luca¡¯srge hand practically engulfs my small one as he thrusts the diamond ring onto my finger.

    I don¡¯t even have time to study the ring before the priest says, ¡°I now pronounce you husband and wife.¡± He turns his attention to Luca and says, ¡°You may now kiss the bride.¡±

    Luca leans in, and I think to myself, I¡¯m finally going to have my first kiss. But instead, he veers off and ces a cold, inconsequential peck to my cheek.

    He might as well have pped me in the face, because that¡¯s what his rejection feels like. A blush burns my cheeks as I stare out at the crowd. I¡¯m so embarrassed by what just happened.

    The church falls silent. There are no cheers of encouragement or well wishing. In fact, I¡¯m surprised no one¡¯s been shot yet.

    Luca wraps his hand around my arm and roughly forces me to move with him down off the altar and towards the front of the church. Tears are in my eyes as we walk down the silent aisle. I don¡¯t feel like a bride at all. No, I feel like a prisoner being taken to jail for a life sentence.

 7

    Verona

    FTER THE CEREMONY is over, my father, Dante and

    I return to my father¡¯s home to pack my things. I will be moving in with Luca Vitale, my new husband, tonight. The thought of sharing a room with him¡­or a bed makes me nauseous.

    And the sickness stays with me, gnawing at my gut, as I pack.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have much here,¡± Dante remarks as he pulls a few hangers from the closet and brings the clothes over to me. He carefullyys them out on the bed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had much,¡± I admit. The clothes I obtained throughout the years were mostly school uniforms from the boarding school. Those are long gone now. I threw them out as soon as I graduated. And when I went to live with my great aunt, we spent a lot of time thrift store shopping. I rarely was allowed to buy anything, but I umted some things over the years.

    The only thing of value in my entire closet is my mother¡¯s old dress that I snuck away with me to boarding school. Papa doesn¡¯t even know I have it. Not that he would care, I don¡¯t think. I¡¯ve kept the dress with me for years, and it got me through some of the worst days of my life. Having a small piece of my mom with me always kept me sane.

    I fold the dress carefully along with the rest of the clothes and put them inside the suitcase.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to take very long,¡± Dante admits with a sigh.

    ¡°You know, we could always pretend like it¡¯s taking a long time,¡± I suggest with a grin.

    He smiles back momentarily before a frown appears on his handsome face. ¡°Fuck, V, I¡¯m going to miss you.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes when I think about Dante not being around. It¡¯s been nice the past couple of weeks having him around on a daily basis. Our friendship has really growntely, and I¡¯m going to miss him horribly.

    I wrap my arms around him, and he holds me tightly. We don¡¯t normally hug or touch, but this feels nice. It feels right.

    ¡°Maybe I could talk to your father. Maybe he would let me go,¡± he whispers into my hair.

    My mood brightens at his words. I pull back and look into his dark eyes. ¡°You could be my¡­bodyguard,¡± I say. ¡°I will need one.¡±

    ¡°Bodyguard? I like that,¡± he says with a chuckle. ¡°I just don¡¯t know if your father -.¡±

    ¡°Leave that part up to me. I¡¯ll make it work,¡± I promise him.

    Dante goes back to the closet, and I sit down on the bed.

    The wedding ring on my finger feels foreign and heavy, and I take a moment to study it. There¡¯s arge pear-shaped diamond in the center, surrounding by tiny round diamonds. On the white gold band are two infinity symbols encased in diamonds on either side of the center stone.

    Infinity. Eternity. I¡¯m sure it will only feel like eternity, I tell myself, sulking.

    ¡°How do you only have two pairs of shoes?¡± Dante yells from the closet, making meugh. ¡°I thought girls were supposed to hoard these things?¡±

    ¡°Just shut up and put them in my suitcase,¡± I tell him with a grin.

    AFTER A FEW HOURS of pretending to pack my things, Dante and I go downstairs to my father¡¯s office. He¡¯s sitting behind his desk, looking through some paperwork. He nces up over the rim of his reading sses when we enter.

    ¡°Dante is going with me. I want him to be my bodyguard while I live with Luca Vitale,¡± I announce, holding my chin up high.

    I expect a fight from my father, but instead he says, ¡°All right. Fine.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± I turn to Dante, overwhelmed with joy.

    ¡°If Luca Vitale actually lets him stay, then he can stay,¡± Father says, bursting my bubble.

    I didn¡¯t even think about Luca protesting to this decision. Chances are he will say no, but I¡¯m willing to fight for Dante to stay. I will do whatever it takes and not back down from my new husband. We¡¯ve both had to make sacrifices for this marriage, and my friendship with Dante is not one I¡¯m willing to part with.

    I¡¯ll need someone on my side in that house. Maybe even someone to protect me from my own husband.

 8

    Luca

    I

    ¡®M IMPATIENTLY WAITING for my bride to arrive at my new home¡­or I guess our new home. My father gave me a mansion as a wedding present, saying that my bachelor pad was too small for a family. Even thinking about having children with a Moretti makes my blood turn cold. I don¡¯t know why my father would even suggest such a heinous thing.

    He¡¯s taking this marriage contract way too seriously, and it¡¯s starting to piss me off.

    I hated moving from the city to a rural town in New Jersey, but we¡¯re not that far from NYC. Only about forty minutes or so. Besides, it¡¯s not like there are houses with properties of this size avable in the city. The sacrifice will make it all worth it in the end. I can create a nice, securepound here on the acres ofnd my father purchased.

    Along with the new home, I had to hire on a housekeeper and some kitchen staffst minute, so the skeleton crew will have to suffice until I can hire on more people to take care of this huge ce.

    I stare around the foyer, which is probably bigger than most people¡¯s apartments alone. The crystal chandelier screams decadence upon entry, even though the rest of the house does that entirely on its own.

    I¡¯ve only been living here for a week, but the ce feels strange, cold¡­and lonely. And I¡¯m sure Verona¡¯s presence won¡¯t fix any of that. I already have her bedroom picked out. It¡¯s down the hall from mine only because I didn¡¯t have a choice. It¡¯s the only other room in the same wing with the master bedroom. The other wing is allocated for the staff¡¯s living quarters since I¡¯ll need full-time staffing to keep up with this massive home and property.

    If I had it my way, Verona wouldn¡¯t even be under the same roof as me. But some things are beyond my control. The contract clearly stated that we must live together, and so I must abide by the rules¡­for now.

    Benito enters through the front door, drawing my attention to him. He was busy arranging my cars and security¡¯s vehicles in the attached ten-car garage.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Benito is my first-inmand and my most trusted and, well, only friend. We grew up together. His family is mafia as well, but a different kind of mafia ¨C the kind that kills and cleans up messes. Benito has killed more people than I could ever count, and I¡¯m not sure if even he knows the exact number.

    ¡°She¡¯s not here yet?¡± Benito asks.

    I shrug in response. ¡°Her father said she needed to get her things from his house.¡±

    ¡°Must be a lot of stuff,¡± hements.

    ¡°Spoiled little princess,¡± I scoff, disgusted.

    An alert sounds on his phone, and he¡¯s quick to check it. ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°You already installed the motion detectors?¡± I ask, impressed.

    ¡°Yes, of course. That¡¯s the first thing I did, along with the security cameras, when your father bought the property. Well, that and swept the entire ce for bugs.¡±

    He nces at me. ¡°It¡¯s clean, by the way.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± I say with a nod.

    The front door opens, and Verona stands there with a man I recognize as Dante. I remember when we were kids, Dante and Verona were as thick as thieves. It took me a while to win over Verona¡¯s attention, but I did time and time again to Dante¡¯s dismay. He was in love with her back then. Probably still is.

    My eyes narrow as he meets my gaze. He carries in a battered, brown leather suitcase behind Verona, and I stare at it. ¡°Do you need Benito to help you with the rest of the luggage?¡± I ask him.

    Dante cocks a brow at my question. ¡°What other luggage?¡±

    I look to my new bride. She¡¯s no longer in her white wedding gown. Instead, she¡¯s dressed casually with a pair of leggings and arge, oversized sweater, leaving everything to the imagination, unfortunately. ¡°This is all the luggage you have?¡± I ask her incredulously.

    She nods, suddenly looking shy and nervous.

    Grabbing the suitcase from Dante, I flick open the lock and dump the contents on the floor. I nce at the pile of clothing and frown. Looks like I¡¯ll have to do some online shopping after we¡¯re done here.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Verona exims, desperately trying to refill her suitcase of her personal belongings¡­ which isn¡¯t much.

    ¡°Vitales have a reputation to uphold, and I won¡¯t have my wife looking like a homeless person in rags.¡±

    She res at me from on her knees on the floor, and I like the idea of her kneeling before me. Maybe if there weren¡¯t people here, I would make my new bride take my cock into her mouth and show her husband some respect.

    ¡°They are not rags!¡± she yells, breaking me out of my dirty thoughts.

    I watch as she repacks her suitcase and locks it back up before standing and ruining my fantasy of her kneeling to service me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll order you new clothes,¡± I tell her. ¡°Benito will show you to your room.¡± Then, I turn my back on her to head to my new office.

    ¡°What about Dante¡¯s room?¡± she asks, causing me to turn back around quickly. ¡°Dante is staying here, as my bodyguard,¡± she informs me.

    ¡°The fuck he is,¡± I hiss. I stare at the tall, dark-haired, dark-eyed man that I once knew as a boy. ¡°That¡¯s not part of the deal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making it part of the deal,¡± she says, jutting her chin out and up like she¡¯s suddenly royalty in this house with a say in what goes and what doesn¡¯t.

    A dark chuckle releases from my mouth. ¡°I won¡¯t ept any kind of deal from a Moretti,¡± I tell her. ¡°You¡¯re staying.

    He¡¯s going.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡± I test her.

    ¡°If he goes, then I go,¡± she says so stubbornly that I want to take her over my knee and beat the defiance out of her in that moment.

    And just the thought of her bent over my knee has my cock jumping in my pants. I wonder what kind of panties she¡¯s wearing under all those clothes? I wonder if she¡¯s wearing innocent, white, cotton underwear¡­or a ck,cy thong that emphasizes her ass cheeks. Fuck, I want to find out.

    ¡°Do you have a bodyguard here for me?¡± she questions, effectively ruining my filthy musings.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± I answer. Honestly, the thought of protecting her hasn¡¯t even crossed my mind, but she is right ¨C she is my wife now, and protection is a must. Although, if anyone would take her from me, I wouldn¡¯t give them a cent in return. They could keep her, for all I care. She would be out of my hair and the marriage contract would still be valid since it was something beyond my control.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± she says. ¡°Dante is staying.¡±

    I walk over to her and stare her down. She¡¯s so petite, especially without heels on now. At the church, she was a few inches taller, but now I tower over her little frame.

    ¡°He can stay until proper protection is hired,¡± I concede through gritted teeth.

    A smile graces her pouty lips, and I hate to admit that I like seeing it on her pretty face. Turning and walking away from them before I do something stupid like smile back or try to kiss those bee-stung lips, I throw over my shoulder,

    ¡°Benito will show you both to your rooms.¡±

 9

    Verona

    I

    HAVE MY own bedroom. I was not expecting that. I thought I would be in the same room as Luca and forced to consummate the marriage on the first night. I¡¯m relieved, but at the same time I¡¯m confused. Does he not want to sleep with me? I never questioned the idea of how our marriage would work. I figured it would be like all arranged marriages. Eventually, you just make it work like a normal, loving marriage. That¡¯s what my father and mother did anyway. They slowly fell in love, and their bond was fiercer than any I have ever seen.

    Do I want to fall in love with Luca? The possibility seems so far away, like some distant universe, that I can¡¯t even really consider it. But anything is possible, right? Eventually, if we get to know each other, everything will gradually go on a natural course towards love, true love.

    I nce in the mirror as I unpack my things and catch my reflection. Maybe Luca isn¡¯t attracted to me. I did put on the most casual clothes I own. But after being in that heavy wedding dress for hours and feeling like I was suffocating the entire time, I needed a break. Plus, my feet were killing me from the high heels.

    Popping open my suitcase, I stare at my meager belongings and grimace. Luca made me feel so embarrassed earlier when he called my clothing rags that belong on a homeless person.

    No.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    I shake my head, straighten my spine and go to the walk-in closet to begin hanging up my favorite pants, dresses, skirts and shirts. I¡¯m not going to let him make me feel like I belong under him, like I¡¯m not good enough.

    Even though my father is wealthy, I haven¡¯t been privy to his money in a long time. After graduating from boarding school at eighteen, I went to stay with a great aunt in upstate New York. She was in her seventies, strict and cold¡­and even cruel sometimes. I never knew why she agreed to take me in since she acted like she hated me most of the time.

    The only thing I can think of is that my father offered her money in exchange for keeping me. But I never saw a single red cent. No, my clothes were mostly hand-medowns and thrift store finds. God, my great aunt loved her thrift stores. And she knew how to pinch a penny so hard she could make it bleed.

    After my grandfather died a few weeks ago, I was suddenly beckoned by my father to return to my childhood mansion. I didn¡¯t understand it then, but now I know why ¨C my grandfather¡¯s will, and the marriage contract that coincided with his passing. I was simply a pawn in a game that I never knew I was ying.

    My father knew the entire time and didn¡¯t say a word. No, I was blindsided instead, just like I have been my entire life when ites to family matters.

    And did I get a say about whether or not I wanted to marry Luca Vitale?

    Of course not. I¡¯ve never had much of a voice when it came to my father, but I mean, what did I expect when I haven¡¯t even been around him in more than a decade?

    The father I remember growing up was kinder, gentler. The man he became after my mother killed herself turned cold and bitter.

    Shivering, I wrap my arms around myself as I stare at my progress. My fingers run over the familiar fabrics and stop at thest dress. It was my mother¡¯s. The dress is soft and ivory with vibrant flowers. I hold the fabric close to me and sniff. Sometimes I swear I can still smell her even though I¡¯ve worn it and washed it many times. It¡¯s my favorite thing that I own, and I could never part with it. It¡¯s the only thing I have of hers, unfortunately.

    Sighing, I release the dress and stare around the walk-in closet that¡¯s bigger than my old bedroom at my aunt¡¯s house. My clothes don¡¯t even take up one rack of the many dozens that are in here.

    No matter. Maybe I can get Dante to take me shopping soon at a thrift store. I have some money, but not a lot. Maybe I can find something more suitable for the wife of a mobster.

    Another shiver moves through me as I wonder how much power Luca Vitale actually has. How does he make his money? Is he in arms dealing, drugs, or¡­human trafficking? I pray and hope not thetter, but I have no idea.

    For his family to afford a ce like this, maybe they have their fingers in all sorts of pies across the city. I thought my childhood home was immacte and vast, but it doesn¡¯t even hold a candle to my new home.

    Home.

    I nce around the room and frown. It doesn¡¯t feel like home to me. And I have to wonder if it ever will.

 10

    Verona

    A

    FTER DANTE AND I are settled in our separate rooms, Benito offers to take us on a tour of the mansion and property. I try to memorize the rooms, which include a gym, a vast library, two formal living rooms, a den, an enormous dining hall, a billiards room, and a huge state-of-the-art kitchen. Lastly, we pass Luca¡¯s private office, which is off limits. Benito didn¡¯t have to tell me that, but he didn¡¯t so much as even knock or open the door when we passed, so I know it¡¯s not a ce I¡¯ll be wee in anytime soon. In fact, I¡¯d wager money that the door is locked and only Luca is privy to the key.

    Benito then takes us outside. The hot summer sun is beating down on us as we walk across therge patio with outdoor furniture. And then we stop at¡­the swimming pool.

    Instantly, I can feel sweat beading on my face, but it¡¯s not because of the heat. It¡¯s because the pool looks so simr to the one I had at my childhood home.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee to swim anytime you want,¡± Benito suggests, perhaps noticing my difort.

    I shake my head vehemently. No, I won¡¯t be swimming or getting anywhere near that water.

    ¡°What? The pool isn¡¯t big enough for you?¡±es a strong, demanding voice from my right.

    I can¡¯t tear my eyes away from the water, but I would know Luca Vitale¡¯s voice anywhere. A cold shiver runs down my spine as he approaches.

    ¡°Can¡¯t swim?¡± he asks, but I can¡¯t even answer him. I¡¯m glued to where I¡¯m standing, unable to move or speak. Suddenly, Luca grabs my arms and turns me towards him. ¡°I could always throw you in and find out.¡±

    Terror runs through my very bones as I snap out of my traumatized state and beg him with tears in my eyes, ¡°No, please, no!¡±

    He has a serious look on his face, and I¡¯m so scared that he¡¯ll actually go through with his threat that my fight or flee instinct kicks in. Quickly, I tear out of his grip and run back into the house like my life depends on it.

    I don¡¯t stop running until I¡¯m safe and sound in my new bedroom. Panic seizes my lungs, and I go to the bathroom to ssh some cold water on my face to try to calm down.

    Every time I¡¯m near a body of water, I¡¯m instantly brought back to that horrible day in my childhood that scarred me for life.

    My mother overdosed on sleeping pills and decided to end her life by drowning in the family¡¯s swimming pool. I¡¯m the one that found her body floating face down in the water. I knew how to swim back then, so I jumped in and desperately tried to save her. I almost drowned in the process, because I was only nine years old and not strong enough to pull her out.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    I remember the burning sensation of the water inside of my lungs and how hard I coughed, but it still felt like I was drowning.

    And it still feels like I¡¯m drowning to this day every time I think about it.

    It was a traumatic experience that I¡¯ll never get over. I haven¡¯t been able to go near a body of water without sheer panic setting in.

    After several minutes, I¡¯m able to calm myself down. I know I¡¯ll have to exin my dramatic reaction to Luca, but a part of me isn¡¯t ready to tell him yet. I feel like it¡¯s too personal, like he¡¯ll know an intimate part about me when I know next to nothing about him. I figure over time we¡¯ll get to know each other, but I have a feeling Luca will always be an enigma, keeping his most guarded secrets close to him, never letting them out. And maybe I should do the same.

    Luca

    I

    WATCH ON the security monitors as Benito takes Dante and Verona on a tour of the property. For some fuckedup reason, I want Verona to like it here. But I watch her indifferent reaction to each room, and it pisses me off. I don¡¯t know what I expected really. The girl grew up mafioso royalty and in opulence. She¡¯s used to this. It just doesn¡¯t impress her.

    The three of them pass by my office, and Benito doesn¡¯t so much as try to reach for the doorknob, which is what I expected of him. He knows my boundaries, and this room is off-limits to everyone except myself, him and whoever we are having a meeting with. This office will be my sanctuary, the ce I can go to when I need to clear my head or escape the world for a little while. Once I have the keypad installed, no one will be able to bother me here, and I like knowing that fact.

    Standing, I leave my sanctuary and follow them silently outside.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee to swim anytime you want,¡± Benito offers Verona.

    She emphatically shakes her head like the very idea of getting in my pool disgusts her. And the look of what can only be described as revulsion on her face sets me off.

    What the fuck is her problem? Is the pool not good enough for her? Is it not clean enough? I hired a pool guy. And if he didn¡¯t do his goddamn job, heads will roll.

    ¡°What? The pool isn¡¯t big enough for you?¡± I ask, stepping forward. I walk over to the edge and inspect the pool and the attached hot tub situated in the middle of a huge pad of stamped concrete. It looks clean to me, and it¡¯s the standard size, if not bigger than other pools, so what is her deal?

    I turn to her. ¡°Can¡¯t swim?¡±

    Instead of answering me, Verona stands there, not moving or speaking. Angrily, I grab her arms and turn her towards me. ¡°I could always throw you in and find out,¡± I threaten. I¡¯m not truly serious¡­or maybe I am. I don¡¯t know. This girl has me so riled up that I am tempted to throw her in and give her a lesson in respect.

    Tears fill her eyes as she stares up at me and begs, ¡°No, please, no!¡±

    And while I normally like it when women beg, this is not turning me on. I can hear the tremor in her voice and see the fear in her eyes. But why?

    Before I can even ask, she tears out of my grip and runs inside the house like her ass is on fire.

    Standing there, feeling confused, I turn to Dante for answers. Even though it pisses me off, I understand he knows Verona much better than me. ¡°What¡¯s her fucking problem?¡± I demand. I know for a fact that her family had a swimming pool. I remember her bragging about it as a kid.

    I didn¡¯t have one, so it always made me jealous.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Dante asks with a cocked brow.

    I shake my head, internally seething because he obviously knows something I don¡¯t. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Her mother drowned. Verona is the one who found her floating face down in the pool. And she almost drowned trying to save her mother.¡±

    My eyebrows crease in confusion. I knew Verona¡¯s mother died when she was young, but I never knew the details. ¡°How old was Verona?¡± I have to ask. ¡°Nine.¡± Fuck.

    Suddenly, Verona and I have a lot more inmon than I had originally thought. At least my family wasn¡¯t responsible for the murder of her mother, though. I can¡¯t say the same for her family and my mother.

    Curling my hands into fists, I give him a nod before I turn and make my way back into the house and towards my office.

    Verona is terrified of water. And while normally I would use that little tidbit of information against someone, I know I never will with her. Her fear of water runs much deeper than simply not knowing how to swim. She was traumatized that day. Probably never got in the pool or any body of water after that.

    That¡¯s what death does to children. It scars you so deep that you never forget, always remember¡­and you never, never forgive.

 11

    Verona

    LATER THAT NIGHT, I¡¯m requested downstairs for dinner with Luca. I¡¯m surprised when I enter the dining room and it¡¯s just the two of us. I frown, hoping that Dante had something to eat at least.

    Luca is still wearing his suit from the wedding, making me feelpletely out of ce in myfy top and yoga pants. His tie is missing now, though, and the top few buttons of his ck shirt are undone. I¡¯m starting to think that this might be how Luca does casual.

    I approach the table and see bowls of a cream soup and a variety of grilled sandwiches with different kinds of cheeses and meats.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing fancy,¡± Luca says when I sit down to the right of him at the long dining table. ¡°I haven¡¯t hired a professional chef yet.¡±

    I nod in understanding. I didn¡¯t expect anything extravagant, but I don¡¯t tell him that. I think the less I talk around him, the better.

    We eat our meal in silence. The sandwiches are really tasty. The soup is a little nd, but I eat it anyway since I¡¯m hungry. I¡¯ve never been one to turn down food. My aunt was never the best cook, and the boarding school meals were atrocious, so I grew ustomed to eating whatever was served to me. It was either eat or starve, and I obviously didn¡¯t want to starve.

    After I¡¯m finished, I wipe my mouth with the linen napkin and turn to my husband. ¡°Luca, about earlier¡­¡± My voice trails off, but he holds up a hand, stopping me.

    ¡°I know. Dante told me everything,¡± he says.

    I furrow my brows at that. Dante had no right to tell Luca. I was going to tell my husband on my own eventually. Dante didn¡¯t need to share my traumatic childhood since it¡¯s not his story to tell.

    Benito enters the room to announce there¡¯s a delivery.

    ¡°Yes, upstairs. You know which room,¡± Luca says cryptically.

    ¡°Do you always get deliveries thiste in the evening?¡± I ask him.

    He turns to me and says with a smirk, ¡°Only when they¡¯re absolutely necessary.¡±

    I stare at him for several seconds before looking away. A server brings out dessert, which consists of different kinds of cakes and pastries. They all look good, but I only take one piece of mint chocte cake, my favorite. With everything being so new and my nerves on edge, I hardly have an appetite. I¡¯m not even able to finish the delicious cake.

    Luca frowns at my te before he meets my eyes. ¡°Not up to your standards?¡± he questions.

    What is it with him and thinking everything is beneath me? I¡¯m not some stuck-up prude like he clearly thinks I am. ¡°I¡¯m full,¡± I simply answer.

    He nods, but I can tell he doesn¡¯t believe me. ¡°I¡¯ll try to get a chef and kitchen staff hired this week, so that the housekeepers aren¡¯t doing the cooking and cleaning.¡±

    Well, if the housekeepers are cooking, they aren¡¯t doing a terrible job. I¡¯ve had better, but I¡¯ve also had much, much worse. And if this is what I have to eat every night, then I¡¯m fine with it.

    We sit in silence as I sip my water and Luca nurses a small ss of dark liquor. It isn¡¯t until Benito enters the room to let Luca know the delivery was taken care of that Luca tells me I¡¯m free to return to my room for the evening.

    I stare at him, blinking. I figured on our wedding night, of all nights, that he would want to¡­

    ¡°What?¡± he snaps as he res at me, like I¡¯m wasting his time.

    ¡°Nothing. I¡­¡±

    ¡°You what?¡± he asks, standing and towering over me.

    I shrink in his presence. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. Do I even want to sleep with a man like Luca? The answer is a clear and astounding no. I need to get my ass to my room before he changes his mind and forces himself on me. ¡°Goodnight,¡± I tell him before leaving the room.

    I decide to wash this stressful day away with a hot bath. I soak for what feels like hours before I¡¯m finally calm enough to get out. I towel dry my hair and then wrap a white robe around me as I walk into the bedroom.

    I go to the closet to change for bed and stop dead in my tracks. The once almost empty closet is now filled with clothes. New, unfamiliar clothes.

    In awe, my fingers breeze over the soft, expensive fabrics of the racks of new shirts and dresses. I check the tags, and sure enough, they¡¯re all in my size. It makes me wonder if Luca guessed or if he snooped in my closet when I wasn¡¯t in my room and checked the tags of my old clothes.

    Speaking of my old clothes¡­I go back to the rack I had them on. My heart sinks as I realize my stuff is gone. All of my clothes are missing¡­including my mother¡¯s dress.

    ¡°No, no, no, no,¡± I chant as I search rack after rack, searching for the beloved dress.

    After I¡¯ve searched the entire closet and torn my whole room apart ande up empty, I find my feet moving before my brain can even catch up. Logical reasoning ispletely thrown out the window at this point, as I leave my room and go the short distance down the hall for the door that Benito told me earlier was the door to Luca¡¯s room.

    My tiny fists bang against the wood, rattling the frame. It takes him several seconds to answer; but when he does, I instantly regret my decision to confront him.

    No longer in his suit, Luca is shirtless with a pair of dark gray sweatpants hanging off of his hips, his hair dripping wet from a recent shower.

    ¡°May I help you?¡± he asks, agitated.

    ¡°M-my stuff!¡± I blurt out, stammering because I¡¯m so upset. ¡°What did you do with my clothes?¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± he says while crossing his arms across his chest, his muscr biceps on disy, ¡°You don¡¯t like your new clothes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the new clothes!¡± I yell. ¡°I care about my old ones!¡±

    He rolls his eyes. ¡°For a princess such as you, I would think you¡¯d be happy to be rid of those ugly rags.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°They weren¡¯t rags!¡± Tears burn in the back of my eyes, but I refuse to back down or show any weakness. ¡°I want them back. Now!¡± I demand.

    ¡°Now?¡± He uncrosses his arms and takes a step forward, towering over me. ¡°Those clothes belonged in the garbage, and that¡¯s exactly where they are.¡±

    I swallow hard against the lump in my throat. If I lose my mother¡¯s dress, the only thing I have left of her, I just don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do.

    He steps even closer to me and leans down to whisper in my ear, ¡°If youe to my room in the middle of the night again, it better be because you either want to sit on my face or get on your knees.¡±

    A hot blush creeps up my neck and cheeks as I lower my gaze to the floor, all the anger and fight in me quickly depleting. I¡¯ve never had a man talk to me like that before. I was always off-limits to anyone who dared look in my direction. But I have a feeling Luca isn¡¯t used to being told no.

    ¡°Trash doesn¡¯t go until Tuesday. Maybe you can still save your rags,¡± he remarks, fueling my anger and making it instantly spark back up again.

    Furious, I turn away from him and go down the hall and steps. I run to the kitchen, searching for any garbage bins where my clothes might be.

    Benito is sitting at the kitchen ind, eating a sandwich with a ss of milk. ¡°Something I can help you with?¡± he offers.

    ¡°My clothes. What did you do with them?¡±

    He stands, leaving his half-eaten sandwich sitting on the counter as he leads me outside to a row of garbage cans at the back of the house. ¡°Luca told me to throw them away.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I tell him with a sigh before I open one of the garbage can lids. I find a ck stic bag and rip it open. The smell of rotting food hits my nose, and I turn away in disgust. ¡°Do you know which one you put them in?¡±

    Benito goes to the next one and opens it. ¡°Maybe this one.¡± He pulls out some bags, and underneath all the trash are my old clothes.

    ¡°Oh, thank god,¡± I exim before I dig into the pile and pull out my mother¡¯s dress. I bring the fabric to my chest and press it against me. It reeks of garbage, but I don¡¯t even care. I¡¯ll wash it tomorrow and bring it back to life, just like always.

    I catch Benito¡¯s confused expression. ¡°It was my mother¡¯s,¡± I exin to Benito. ¡°It¡¯s the only thing I have left of her,¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Ah,¡± he mutters in understanding.

    Hurrying into the house, I hold on to the dress for dear life. I¡¯m still fuming by the time I make it back to my room. Luca thought he could just take my things and throw them away as if they meant nothing. I wish I knew what he cared about so that I could throw that away. But a part of me thinks he doesn¡¯t care about anything at all.

 12

    Luca

    W

    HEN I WAKE up the next morning, I watch the security camera footage of Verona rooting around in the trash like a fucking roon. My lip curls in disgust as she rips open trash bag after trash bag until she finds her old clothes.

    Hitting a button, the camera zooms in on her face, and I can see the absolute relief flooding her features when she finds what she¡¯s looking for. An old dress? It just looks like a regr garment; nothing special about it. But obviously it holds some kind of significance to her. Maybe it¡¯s vintage Gi or something.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Benito knocks before entering a code into the newly installed keypad to my office. I pause the footage and look up at him when he enters.

    ¡°Enjoy your time dumpster divingst night?¡± I ask him with a smirk.

    ¡°It was her mother¡¯s dress,¡± he tells me.

    My brows furrow as I nce back at theptop and see

    Verona¡¯s ted face frozen on the screen. ¡°I see,¡± I mutter.

    I¡¯m not one for sentimental things, but I do have an old music box of my mother¡¯s that I keep locked away. The song it ys reminds me of her. Perhaps this dress is just like the music box. Something to keep her mother¡¯s memory alive whenever she needs it the most.

    I give Benito a dismissive wave. I don¡¯t want to talk about the past or Verona or the fucking dress she dug through the trash for. ¡°Any news about the deal?¡± I ask.

    That¡¯s really what I¡¯m interested in.

    ¡°Constantine isn¡¯t budging,¡± he answers.

    That angers me. Constantine Carbone has been a thorn in my side long enough. His mob is a rival in notoriety and size to my own family, and he¡¯s been rising through the ranks just as fast as me. We¡¯ve alwayspeted against one another, even if we havepletely different interests at heart.

    For me, I value the drug market, arms dealing,undering money.

    For Constantine, he deals mostly in the flesh trade. Human trafficking. And more specifically, the trafficking of minors. His acquisitions are earning him a lot of money, making him more powerful by the minute and also more dangerous.

    I¡¯ve been trying to put a stop to his new acquired taste in uwful activities, but he won¡¯t even ept my offers to give him territories in exchange for him stopping the trafficking of children.

    I don¡¯t have a soul¡­or a heart. In fact, I like to think the darkness swirling inside of me spills out from time to time whenever needed. But there¡¯s something about what he¡¯s doing that gets under my skin, and I can¡¯t let it keep happening.

    ¡°Offer him the west territory as well,¡± I tell Benito.

    Benito stares at me for a while. ¡°That¡¯s our biggest territory. We will lose a lot of business and money if we do that.¡±

    I narrow my eyes at my most trusted and only friend in the world. ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck.¡±

    ¡°Your father would never allow it.¡±

    ¡°Last I heard my old man is stepping down and putting me in charge. He won¡¯t have a say soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Benito says before leaving my office.

    I push away from the desk, fuming. First, my wife defies me at every turn, and now Benito is beginning to question my motives as well. What the fuck is going on in my world?

    My legs carry me across the room to the safe that is housed behind a very expensive painting on the wall. I punch in the long code and open the door. Inside is everything I value in this world. Money and my mother¡¯s music box.

    I reach out and grab the small box, turning the delicate switch on the back before setting it down. The familiar, soothing music begins to fill the room, and I can instantly feel myself calming.

    Yes, I can understand why Verona wanted that dress so badly. And a very small part of what can only be described as a guilty conscience gnaws at me that I ordered her belongings to be thrown away without asking her permission first.

    After the song is finished, I lock up the safe once more with any new, foreign feelings I have developed towards my wife. It¡¯s dangerous to care about someone in my world, and I can¡¯t afford to care about anyone or anything, let alone a Moretti.

    Verona

    T

    HE NEXT MORNING, I wake up early, too early. In fact, I can¡¯t remember thest time I was up before the sun. I take my time, stretching and rxing in bed for a little while before going to the bathroom to start getting ready for the day.

    After my shower, I go to the closet and sort through all the new clothes. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not happy to have such nice, expensive things. It¡¯s just that the things I owned were perfectly fine in my opinion, even if they weren¡¯t good enough in his eyes. And now that he went through all this trouble of buying me new things, I feel like I owe him something. And I hate feeling that way.

    After several minutes, I finally decide on a cute, blue summer dress. It fits me perfectly, and the material is so soft that it almost feels like silk against my skin.

    I blow dry and straighten my hair and put on a little makeup. I¡¯m just trying to kill time really. But when my stomach growls loudly, I decide it¡¯s time to go downstairs. I don¡¯t think the staff will have breakfast ready, but no matter. I can make something for myself. I¡¯mpletely capable of handling things on my own¡­right?

    Trepidation follows me the whole way downstairs and into the kitchen. I wouldn¡¯t consider myself spoiled, by any means. I would be more likely to say that I wasn¡¯t given the opportunities that most people have in life. I wasn¡¯t able to try new things or learn how to do even the most menial tasks.

    My great aunt wouldn¡¯t even let me step foot inside her kitchen. I swear she loved her appliances a whole hell of a lot more than me. No, scratch that. She didn¡¯t love me at all. I guess I could say that maybe she loved her appliances more than her cats. Her cats were her babies, and they were the only ones who ever received any kind of affection from the cold-hearted woman.

    The kitchen is quiet and empty when I enter. I flick on some lights and stare at the pile of dishes in the sink fromst night¡¯s dinner. I guess the housekeepers figured they¡¯d tackle the dishes in the morning.

    A smile graces my lips as I decide to give them a hand. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be happy to have a little bit of workload off their tes for the day. Besides, they have to clean every room of this huge mansion, and I¡¯m sure that¡¯s timeconsuming and tedious enough.

    I walk over to the dishwasher and stare at all the buttons. I¡¯ve never used one of these before, but the description of what each button does is in as day, so I don¡¯t think it will be too hard to figure out. Getting to work, I rinse off the dishes in the sink and carefully load them into the racks.

    When I¡¯m finished, I stare down at the door where it indicates that¡¯s where the soap should go.

    Looking around, I find a bottle of dish liquid sitting near the sink. Grabbing the bottle, I squirt the liquid into therge detergent dispenser and close the little lid. Then, I add a generous amount to the pre-wash side as well.

    Satisfied, I close the front of the dishwasher and press a button to start it. ¡°All done,¡± I say to the empty room, smiling. It¡¯s not rocket science, and I figured it out on my own.

    I¡¯m feeling pretty proud of myself by the time I go to the fridge and grab a yogurt and a cheese snack for a quick breakfast outside on the patio.

    I watch the sunrise as I eat, loving the way the sun slowly heats my skin in the cold air. After I¡¯m done, I scoop up my trash and take it inside.

    But as soon as I step foot into the kitchen, I know I messed up. Big time.

 13

    Luca

    A

    FTER I SHOWER and get dressed for the day, I immediately go downstairs. I¡¯m hungry. No, I¡¯m fucking starving. I¡¯m hoping the staff has breakfast ready; but when I reach the dining room and hear loud shouting, I¡¯m thinking breakfast is thest thing on everyone¡¯s minds this morning.

    The shouting grows louder with each step. And when I push through the kitchen door, I step knee deep into¡­ bubbles?

    There are fucking bubbles everywhere. The whole room is filled with them!

    My eyes search the room, but everyone is busy yelling back and forth in Italian. Verona stands across the room with tears streaming down her face while my staff calls her every name in the book.

    Dante snaps back in Italian to them while Verona simply stares at him in awe, so I¡¯m assuming she doesn¡¯t even know thenguage. Surprising, given who her father is. But then again, maybe not. Maybe he didn¡¯t want his daughter privy to his private meetings. He probably wanted to keep her in the dark.

    Dante pulls Verona into his arms, rubbing his palms up and down her back, soothing her. My blood fucking boils in my veins at witnessing the intimate contact.

    ¡°Verona!¡± I roar. The entire room is suddenly quiet, and Verona pulls back from Dante¡¯s embrace like she was just burned.

    Her big, honey-colored eyes widen as she stares at me. I can see the fear in her gaze; and for some fucked-up reason, it turns me on.

    ¡°Come with me. Now!¡± I demand, turning on my heel, leaving the room full of bubbles behind me.

    I walk straight to my office, not stopping to see if she¡¯s following me. I know she¡¯ll follow like the good, little, obedient wife that she is.

    I stop at my office door, giving her a chance to catch up. Blocking the keypad with my body, I punch in the code and then open the door, stepping inside and holding the door open for her to enter. I feel like the lion that has just caught themb. She is my prey. But the sick fuck in me wants to y with her a little first before I destroy her.

    I walk behind my desk and stand there as I watch her timidly move to the front of it. I sit there for several long seconds, watching her squirm. And then very calmly, I ask her, ¡°Why is my kitchen full of bubbles?¡±

    Her long, darkshes are still wet with tears as she stares at me with those honey-colored eyes. ¡°I-I-I put the wrong soap in the dishwasher,¡± she says, looking to the ground with embarrassment.

    ¡°And why were you running the dishwasher?¡±

    ¡°I woke up early, before everyone else,¡± she exins. ¡°There were so many dirty dishes. I¡­I just wanted to help,¡± she says with a shrug.

    ¡°Never used one before?¡± I ask her, already knowing the answer.

    When she shakes her head, I roll my eyes. Pretty, little princess never had to lift a finger at home, I¡¯m sure. So why would she attempt it here and try to destroy my house? Is she deliberately trying to fuck things up here? Sabotage me?

    I round the desk and stand behind her. Grabbing her by the neck, I force her to bend over until her face is pressed against my desk. Her breathing picks up as she ces her palms on the expensive oak next to her head.

    When I release my hold, she stays in that position with her face down and ass in the air for me, on disy. She¡¯s so short that she has to stand on her tiptoes to stay bent over the tall, oak desk, and I love how she fidgets, trying so hard to be a good girl for me. And fuck, her obedience makes me hard. I have to step away from her, so she can¡¯t feel my arousal.

    ¡°Do you have any idea what my staff was yelling at you in there?¡± I ask her, curiosity getting the better of me.

    ¡°No,¡± she says, releasing a shaky breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised your father didn¡¯t demand you learn

    Italian. Maybe he wanted to hide things from you.¡± She doesn¡¯t respond to that.

    I pace behind her. She¡¯s wearing a short, blue dress, nothing special, but the material has ridden up, giving me a tempting peek of her ass. I can see the bottom of her perfect globes and the material of hercy, light blue thong between them. I smirk, knowing she doesn¡¯t have much choice in underwear since I only ordered thongs. I can¡¯t help but wonder if she ever wore thongs before now.

    ¡°What do you think your punishment should be for fucking up my kitchen?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°My¡­my punishment?¡±

    I can hear the unease in her voice, and it makes my cock twitch in my pants. I¡¯m sick for getting off on her fear, but I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯ve wanted her to suffer for a long time now.

    Her and her entire fucking family.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    My hands itch at the need to take my belt out of the loops and beat her until she can no longer walk. But I know that if I start hurting her, I might not be able to stop. I don¡¯t trust that I won¡¯t take it too far.

    I curl my hands into fists at my sides. I¡¯d rather take my frustrations and hatred out on her father. But since he isn¡¯t here¡­I guess she¡¯ll have to take the brunt of my anger.

    Walking over to her, I brush my hand over her backside. She jumps at the touch and then slowly rxes. I like how much she fears me. How much she doesn¡¯t trust me.

    ¡°Count, Verona,¡± I tell her while flicking up the back of her dress to expose herpletely to me.

    ¡°What?¡± she asks right before I bring my hand down on her delicious ass.

    She cries out in surprise, but doesn¡¯t give me what I want. ¡°That was one,¡± I say as I lean down to whisper into her ear.

    ¡°One,¡± she says in agreement.

    I p her other cheek, and she cries out, ¡°Two!¡±

    My hands have a mind of their own as they caress her flesh between spanks. Her ass is turning a delicious shade of dark pink, and I still want more. I spank her over and over again, relishing the pained criesing from her mouth.

    The light blue thong grows darker between her legs with every spank. This is turning her on. Who knew Verona would be a little slut for pain? And, fuck, I can¡¯t help but wonder how much wetter she can get just from me spanking her.

    ¡°Please!¡± she cries out suddenly.

    I lean down and whisper into her ear, ¡°Does that mean you want me to stop or that you want me to continue?¡±

    She closes her eyes, effectively blocking me out as a shiver runs through her.

    Standing and moving away from her, I say, ¡°Go to your room.¡± I want her to feel like an ill-behaved child. ¡°Somebody else will have to clean up your fucking mess.¡±

    With tears in her eyes, she slowly stands, fixes her dress and runs out of my office. My cock presses painfully against my zipper, and I grind my palm down against it. I need a fucking release, but now isn¡¯t the time. I have shit to deal with thanks to my new wife trying to be helpful.

    Taking a few minutes topose myself, I finally tame the beast in my pants so that I can take care of the situation in the kitchen.

    When I walk in the door, the staff is still arguing loudly. They haven¡¯t even begun cleaning, because they¡¯re too busy fighting over who should be the one to do it.

    Benito and Dante look at me and instantly shut up. I look at the five housekeepers and tell them, ¡°Sei licenziato! Get the fuck out of my house.¡±

    They all look at me and then at each other, thinking they misheard me.

    ¡°You¡¯re fired!¡± I tell them this time in English. ¡°No one disrespects my wife in my own home.¡±

    I watch and wait as they all leave the room. Benito and Dante stare at me, waiting for what happens next. ¡°Benito, hire some new staff. I want them to start today. And make sure they sign the NDAs.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Benito says, walking out of the room to get started on the task.

    And then, with a grin on my face, I tell Dante, ¡°Clean up this mess,¡± before I leave the room.

    If Dante thinks he holds some kind of power over me because he knows Verona better than me, then I¡¯m going to have to put him in his ce every fucking time he tries to overstep his boundaries. Most men would get their hands cut off for touching another man¡¯s wife. He¡¯s lucky I¡¯m letting him keep his hands long enough to clean up the mess Verona made. Next time, he might not be so fucking lucky.

 14

    Verona

    I

    RUN TO my room and shut the door, locking it behind me. I¡¯m out of breath, but it¡¯s not from running. No, it¡¯s because I¡¯m utterly and ridiculously turned on. I¡¯ve never been so turned on by a man in my entire life.

    Luca spanked me. He spanked me.

    And I liked it.

    I¡¯m so confused¡­and wet. My thong is soakedpletely through. I can¡¯t help but wonder if Luca saw how wet I got for him.

    I walk over to the mirror and nce over my shoulder, lifting the skirt of my dress. My entire backside is red and aching. I can still feel the way hisrge hands caressed my sore flesh between each spanking.

    I bite my lip to keep from groaning out loud. Turning in front of the mirror, my fingers skate their way down my stomach and under my dress and material of my thong. My fingertips slide into my arousal, and I begin to y with my clit.

    I close my eyes and imagine my husband with his hand between my legs, fingering me. I¡¯ve never had so much as a boyfriend, so I have no idea what it feels like to be touched by a man. Especially not one as possessive and demanding as Luca Vitale.

    Just the thought of his hands on me has me racing to the edge of pleasure. My fingertip caresses the little bundle of nerves until I¡¯m crying out softly anding so hard I almost see stars.

    When I open my eyes, I stare at my reflection. My cheeks and neck are flushed, and I look¡­different. I feel different. I¡¯ve never pleasured myself thinking about a specific man before. I want Luca, but I don¡¯t think he wants me. We haven¡¯t even consummated our marriage yet, but I worry if our first time would be out of hate or out of love, because I have the feeling my husband doesn¡¯t like me very much.

    It¡¯s like my very presence annoys him. I don¡¯t know if that will change over time or maybe after we get to know each other better. But considering the fact that Luca barely talks to me, I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll ever really get to know each other. I don¡¯t even know much about my husband other than the fact that he¡¯s ruthless and cruel at times. And he¡¯s always controlling and demanding. That¡¯s a given.

    Shaking myself out of my inner thoughts, I go to the closet and grab a new thong to put on. Then, I leave my room and make my way downstairs. I know Luca told me to go to my room, but he can¡¯t expect me to stay in there like I¡¯m grounded. Besides, I¡¯m responsible for the mess in the kitchen, and I should be the one to clean it up.

    When I enter the room, I see Dante with a mop and bucket, vigorously scrubbing the floor. No one else is around, and my brow furrows as I realize Luca tasked Dante to do it by himself.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± I ask.

    Dante turns, and his scowl softens a bit when he looks at me. ¡°Luca fired them.¡±

    ¡°Fired them? Why?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Dante shrugs his shoulders and goes back to mopping the floor. The bubbles have since dissipated, leaving only a soapy film over the tile.

    ¡°Let me help,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± he says quickly with a shake of his head.

    ¡°I want to help,¡± I say, walking over to him.

    ¡°I said no, V!¡± he snaps suddenly.

    I take a step back. Dante has never so much as raised his voice at me before, so I¡¯m taken aback by his attitude.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he immediately apologizes. ¡°It¡¯s just been a very stressful week, and I¡¯m taking my anger out on the wrong person.¡±

    Nodding slowly in understanding, I tell him, ¡°I¡¯ll just keep youpany while you do this then.¡±

    He smiles at that. ¡°Okay.¡± After a few moments of silence, he asks, ¡°What did Vitale do to you when he ordered you out of the room?¡± He stops mopping and looks at me, concern mixed with anger written all over his face. ¡°Did he touch you? Did he hurt you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I quickly lie. I have no idea why I¡¯m lying for Luca, but I feel like if I tell Dante the truth, he would try to hurt Luca, and that could only end in disaster. ¡°He just¡­he told me to go to my room.¡±

    A smile forms on Dante¡¯s handsome face. ¡°And yet here you are.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Always so rebellious. Even when we were kids.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not rebellious!¡± I protest.

    ¡°Anytime you were asked to do anything, you always wanted to do the opposite.¡±

    I frown as I think about my childhood. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why my father sent me away,¡± I offer.

    Dante shakes his head. ¡°No, you know why you were sent away.¡±

    He¡¯s right; however, I don¡¯t know if I ever understood the full reason. I was only told it wasn¡¯t safe for me at home. It was not long after my mother died. I was shipped off to boarding school in another state with a suitcase full of my things.

    ¡°You were better off,¡± Dante tells me. ¡°The things I saw and did as a kid¡­¡± His voice trails off as he stares off into the distance like a barrage of bad memories are hitting him.

    ¡°I wish we could have just run away together,¡± I whisper,ing closer to him. I wrap my arms around him and inhale his familiar scent of soap. ¡°We spent so many years apart.¡± After I finished with boarding school, I went to live with my aunt. Dante and I kept more in touch then, and he even came to visit me every weekend. When I came home for my grandfather¡¯s funeral, my father appointed Dante as my own personal bodyguard. I trust him with my life.

    The mop falls from Dante¡¯s hands as he wraps his arms around me. I feel him smelling my hair, and it makes meugh.

    ¡°Do I stink?¡± I joke.

    ¡°No. You smell really good.¡±

    The hug starts feeling too intimate¡­and awkward, so I pull away from his embrace. Dante and I have never had more than a friendship, even though I¡¯ve suspected for years that he wanted more. My father would have never allowed it, though. And now that I¡¯m married¡­well, that¡¯s all off the table now. I could never be with Dante, not as long as I¡¯m married to Luca Vitale.

    I walk to the fridge and open it up, inspecting the contents. ¡°How about I make us lunch?¡± I suggest.

    He stares at me for a few seconds, and I can see the longing in his eyes that shouldn¡¯t be there. ¡°Sure,¡± he finally says before returning to mopping.

 15

    Luca

    B

    ENITO COMES TO meter on that day with video footage on his phone of Verona and Dante in the kitchen together. When I see her go to him and wrap her arms around him, I¡¯m so angry I can¡¯t even speak.

    ¡°Do you think something is going on between the two of them?¡± Benito asks.

    I watch closely as Verona pulls away from Dante and tries to y the whole thing off, looking nervous. ¡°Not on her end. But him¡­¡± I study the forlorn look on his face when she walks away from him. ¡°He¡¯s in love with her. I knew it from day one. Hell, I knew it when we were all kids.¡±

    Dante was probably never allowed to act upon his feelings at the Moretti household. Her father probably would have had his head on a stake.

    But here¡­no, here he must feel safer. But if he thinks I¡¯m going to allow him to try to steal my wife away from me in my own goddam house, he¡¯s got another thinging.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Keep an eye on them,¡± I instruct Benito.

    He nods in agreement. ¡°I don¡¯t trust Dante.¡±

    ¡°Me either.¡± I stare at the tiny screen, studying my wife floating around the kitchen, making the two of them lunch like they¡¯re the ones who got married. ¡°Before we went to war, the Morettis and Vitales were in business dealings together. Partners you could even say, although probably more out of convenience than by choice. Dante¡¯s parents were traitors to the two families, and so they were killed for the insolence. For some fucked-up reason, the Morettis took in Dante, raised him as one of their own.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he harbors some ill will towards the families?¡± Benito asks.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    Benito considers it for a second before nodding. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to rest until they all suffered.¡±

    ¡°Which is why we can never trust him. Even if he was a child when it all happened, I don¡¯t believe his thirst for revenge ever totally went away.¡± Maybe he¡¯s nning on trying to take Verona away from me as part of his vengeance. Over my dead fucking body. ¡°He can never be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Benito is halfway to the door when I call out to him,

    ¡°Thank you for the information.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he says before leaving my office.

    Benito is keeping a close eye on my wife. That¡¯s a good thing, because right now I can hardly stand the sight of her. She is the daughter of my enemy; therefore, she is my enemy too. I will never be able to love her. Maybe one day I¡¯ll be able to tolerate her presence, but it¡¯s doubtful. All I feel towards my wife is hatred. There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that her family was responsible for the murder of my mother. And so, for that, I will never be able to forgive their crimes.

    Opening myptop, I bring up the security camera footage from around the house and outside. I scan through the screens until I find Verona. She¡¯s in the library, reading. Her long legs are crossed over the arm of the chair as she rxes with a book in her hands.

    My eyes skim over her legs, and I can¡¯t help but think about this morning when she was in my office, bent over while I spanked her like the naughty, little girl she is.

    I close my eyes, and I can still remember vividly how wet she grew between her legs when I spanked her. Fuck, that was so hot, and my dick jumps at the memory.

    Growling, my eyes snap open, and I try to shake the dirty thoughts out of my head. I don¡¯t need to be fantasizing about Verona. No, what I really need is a fucking release.

    Scooping my phone from my desk, I enter my passcode and then find the number I¡¯m looking for. It connects after two rings.

    ¡°Vitale, what¡¯s up?¡± Marco asks on the other end.

    ¡°VIP, tomorrow night,¡± I request. Marco¡¯s strip club is as ssy as an establishment of that type can get. I¡¯ve frequented it many nights with my team, and we¡¯re always taken care of by Marco and his girls.

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course. I¡¯ll make the appropriate amodations for you and your guests.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Marco,¡± I say before ending the call.

    You know, they say the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. And that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m going to do. I¡¯m going to get Verona out of my system one way or another, even if it means cheating on my new bride.

    Verona

    T

    HE NEXT MORNING, I wake up early again¡­but not to run the dishwasher this time. After the whole bubbles incident, as I¡¯m calling it, I¡¯m desperate to do better. If I¡¯m going to be stuck in this marriage, I¡¯m going to at least try to get along with my husband. And I want him to at least like me. Is that so hard to ask for?

    And so, when I see Benito, Luca¡¯s second inmand, walking down the hall the next day, I corner him. Benito towers over me, and so I have to look up so far it almost hurts my neck. ¡°Hi, could I, uh, talk to you for a second?¡± I ask, feeling intimidated by his size alone¡­not to mention the tattoos covering him almost head to toe or the way his presence alone is menacing.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he says in a gruff voice. He motions for us to enter a separate room, and he closes the door behind us. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asks, already assuming the worst.

    ¡°What does Luca like to eat?¡± I blurt out. My question has Benito raising a dark eyebrow in confusion. ¡°I mean, what¡¯s his favorite food? I would like to cook for him,¡± I exin quickly.

    ¡°Ah,¡± he says, nodding in understanding. ¡°Well, don¡¯t tell him I told you this, but his favorite is his mother¡¯s recipe for spaghetti. I could call Greta, one of the old cooks that used to work for his father, and get the recipe. I¡¯m sure she would remember how to make it. She could help you over the phone, talk you through it.¡±

    ¡°Really? That would be wonderful,¡± I tell him, smiling widely and so happy by his response that I could hug him.

    But I won¡¯t.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Benny!¡± I exim, blurting out the nickname without thinking.

    He pauses for a moment and then a rare smile spreads across his face. ¡°Benny? I like that,¡± he says with a dark chuckle.

    I can¡¯t help but smile as we leave the room and he leads the way into the kitchen, ordering the cooks to help me with cooking dinner tonight.

    ¡°We¡¯re going outter,¡± Benito warns. Then, he quickly adds, ¡°But I promise I¡¯ll try to get Luca back in time for dinner.¡±

    ¡°That would be great. Thanks,¡± I tell him.

    Benito calls Greta on the house phone, and I listen as the older woman rambles on in Italian to the new cooks. They write down every word and assure us that they have all the ingredients already to make it.

    I¡¯m so excited to cook for Luca that I¡¯m practically bursting. I know the way to a man¡¯s heart is through his stomach, or at least that¡¯s what my mama always said. And lord knows I need some kind of miracle to weasel my way into my husband¡¯s cold, dark heart.

 16

    Luca

    T

    HE MUSIC AT the strip club filters through the speakers. Several of us, including Benito, a few other associates and Marco, are upstairs in the VIP section, overlooking the patrons down below. Most of the customers are drinking and throwing money at the women dancing on poles on the middle stages.

    The club is big and popr. Marco makes a killing here, and I¡¯m happy for that since Iunder some of my money through his lucrative business.

    ¡°So, Luca, tell me, how is married life?¡± Marco asks me with a grin.

    He¡¯s sitting across from me in the lounge in a matching leather chair. Marco is my age. We grew up together and have remained friends and business associates over the years. He was born into the mafioso, same way as I, and he thrives on the lifestyle and his family¡¯s money.

    Marco runs every strip club in the city and surrounding areas. He loves the nightlife. I can only tolerate it in small doses, having gotten my fill back when I was just turning eighteen and we were hitting the clubs every single night even though we weren¡¯t exactly of proper age.

    ¡°Word of advice,¡± I tell Marco as I light up a cigar, puffing on it and blowing the smoke up in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t ever get married.¡±

    He chuckles heartily at my words, and everyone else in the room joins in on theugh. We¡¯re surrounded by friends and business associates. Benito, my second-inmand, is by my side. I offered him a drink and a cigar, but he refused both. Benito always chooses to stay level-headed, and I suppose that¡¯s just one of the reasons why I trust him with my life.

    Marco puts his forearms on his knees, leaning in towards me. ¡°At least she¡¯s beautiful, no?¡±

    I nod at his statement, hiding my true feelings towards his statement. I don¡¯t want people acknowledging my wife¡¯s beauty. I don¡¯t want people looking at her. Period. Just because I don¡¯t want her doesn¡¯t mean I want anyone else having her. And the thought of someone else touching her makes my blood pressure rise.

    ¡°Beautiful pussy in my bed every night? I wouldn¡¯t beining,¡± Marco says before blowing out a puff of smoke from his cigar.

    I stub mine out in the ashtray on the center ss table between us. ¡°Noints,¡± I say with a grin even though I haven¡¯t fucked my wife. But I¡¯m not willing to divulge my sexless marriage with my friends and colleagues. Let them think what they want to think.

    Benito checks his watch for what must be the fifteenth time tonight. ¡°Somewhere you need to be, Benito?¡± I ask him snidely.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°We missed dinner,¡± he mutters.

    I narrow my eyes at him. Since when the fuck does he care about missing dinner?

    ¡°Are you hungry? Let¡¯s order something from the restaurant,¡± Marco offers.

    Benito puts up his hand. ¡°No need.¡±

    Marco shrugs and then turns his attention back to me. ¡°I guess you won¡¯t be partaking in the girls tonight, Luca, since you¡¯re tied down now with a ball and chain.¡±

    I chuckle as I take a swig of whiskey. ¡°I¡¯d never turn down pussy,¡± I tell him t out.

    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± He motions to the girls dancing in the other room, and they instantly flock to him. He whispers in a tall blonde¡¯s ear, and she instantly struts over to me and perches on the arm of my chair.

    ¡°I know you like blondes the best,¡± Marco says.

    Before I met Verona, my preference was always blonde. But now¡­I think I might be developing a thing for brtes. Shaking that crazy thought aside, I stare up at the sexy blonde as she trails her fingertips up and down my arm. The sleeves of my ck button-up shirt are rolled up my forearms, and I can see her admiring my tattoos that run the length of my arms and down to my hands.

    ¡°How about you and me go have some fun in the VIP room, sugar?¡± the beautiful blonde asks.

    Normally, I would take her up on her offer. But I instantly shake my head. ¡°Not tonight, doll.¡±

    Someone makes the sound of a whip, and Marco asks, ¡°Pussy whipped already, Luca?¡±

    My eyes snap to meet his. He¡¯s challenging me. And I never back down from a challenge. ¡°Of course not,¡± I scoff.

    Standing, I tell the blonde, ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    I hear a bunch ofughter and cackling behind me as the tall blonde leads me down the hallway to a private room.

    She closes the door behind us, and I make my way over a leather couch. I finish off my whiskey and put the ss down on a nearby table as I watch her.

    The music from the club filters through the speakers in the ceiling, and the blonde begins to move, dancing to the beat. She¡¯s sexy as fuck, but for some unexinable reason, I¡¯m bored with her already.

    Shees closer to me, straddling myp and grabbing my tie. She grinds herp against mine, but my dick doesn¡¯t even jump at the contact.

    What the fuck is wrong with me?

    My initial n was toe here and get some kind of release from the painful blue balls I¡¯ve had ever since Verona moved in. And now my dick suddenly decides to have a mind of its own?

    I close my eyes as she kisses up and down my neck, and all I can think about is Verona. Her tight little body grinding against me, begging me to fuck her. How wet she got for me when I spanked her ass.

    ¡°Mmm, hello there,¡± the blonde says as she grinds down on my hard cock.

    My eyes snap open as I stare into the unfamiliar blue eyes. She climbs off myp and begins stripping off her clothes. She wants to fuck, but I¡¯m not in the mood, my dick quickly deting.

    She shes me her pussy as she bends over the arm of the couch, baring herself to me. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a night with the great Luca Vitale,¡± she purrs. ¡°The other girls said you fuck like a stallion. Left them sore for days from your big cock.¡± She looks at me over her shoulder and bats her pretty blues. ¡°They¡¯re gonna be so jealous when I tell them I fucked you first after your wedding.¡±

    Her words turn me right the fuck off. She wants bragging rights for getting me to cheat on my wife?

    Standing, I tell her, ¡°Get dressed. I¡¯m not fucking you tonight.¡±

    My words seem to stun her, and it takes a few moments for her to understand them. But eventually, she crawls off the couch. I think she¡¯s reaching for her clothes, but instead she falls to her knees in front of me.

    Before I can stop her, her hands are unbuckling my belt, unzipping my fly and reaching into my pants for my cock.

    She pulls myid cock out of my pants and stares at it while licking her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can get you hard, baby,¡± she whispers before moving her mouth towards my cock.

    Before her mouth can touch my cock, I quickly step back out of her range. She pouts and stares up at me with big, blue eyes.

    I¡¯m sure I could get her to beg for my cock. Hell, she would probably let me fuck every hole in her body without a condom. But for some fucked-up reason, I don¡¯t want her.

    I tuck my dick back into my pants, zipper up and buckle my belt before pulling my wallet out of my pants pocket and throwing a few hundred-dor bills down on the table. ¡°For your trouble,¡± I tell her before disappearing out of the room.

    Marco and the boys are all talking andughing when I join them.

    Marco makes a show to check his big, expensive watch on his wrist. ¡°Wow, was that a record, Luca?¡± he asks with a chuckle.

    ¡°What can I say? She was good,¡± I lie. Benito gives me an indecipherable look before I tell him, ¡°Time to go.¡± I grab my suit jacket from the back of my chair and drape it over my arm. Then, to Marco, I say with a smirk,

    ¡°Apparently, we¡¯rete for dinner.¡±

    Marco bursts intoughter. ¡°Remind me never to get married, boys,¡± he announces to the room.

    Benito and I leave the club, and he drives me home. And I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the alcohol or what the fuck is wrong with me, but I¡¯m relieved to be going home¡­to my wife.

 17

    Verona

    I

    LOOK AT the clock and am not surprised that only a few minutes have passed since thest time I checked. I¡¯ve been waiting for hours for Luca to get home. I made his favorite meal today, spaghetti, using his mother¡¯s recipe. I feel like I ved away in that kitchen, cutting up tomatoes and making my own sauce. I mean, I even made the noodles by scratch! I spent all that time and effort¡­and Luca wasn¡¯t even home in time for dinner.

    Before they left, Benny promised me he would try to get Luca home early, but that clearly didn¡¯t happen. Not that I can me him for Luca¡¯s actions.

    ¡°The spaghetti was amazing, Verona,¡± Dante says from the doorway. He must have just eaten some in the kitchen.

    ¡°Thank you, Dante.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that asshole didn¡¯t show up to eat any,¡± he says with a frown.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I should have made sure he didn¡¯t have ns first I guess,¡± I say with a small shrug.

    Dante opens his mouth to say something else, but the front door opens, and Luca and Benito walk in. Dante walks back into the kitchen, leaving me alone in therge dining room.

    ¡°What smells so good?¡± Luca asks when he enters the room.

    I stand up slowly, and all the anger I had from earlier suddenly collects and pours out into my attitude. ¡°I made you dinner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t burn the house down,¡± he says with a dark chuckle.

    I narrow my eyes and stare at him. ¡°I worked all day on making your favorite meal,¡± I tell him.

    His dark eyebrows rise in surprise. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes. Where were you?¡± I ask.

    ¡°What are you ying at?¡± he asks with a grin. ¡°Are you trying to be the nagging wife in this y?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a y, Luca. This is real life!¡±

    ¡°Oh, and a real marriage, is it?¡± he scoffs.

    His words are slurring, and I know that he drank a lot. But that doesn¡¯t excuse his behavior towards me.

    ¡°We¡¯re stuck in this together whether we like it or not,¡± I exin. ¡°The least we can do is try to make it work.¡±

    ¡°Try to make it work,¡± he says,ughing as if I told a funny joke. He walks closer to me, and then that¡¯s when I see it.

    ¡°What¡­what is that?¡± I ask him. On the cor of his white dress shirt is a red smudge.

    He looks down and then back at me with those piercing, gray eyes. ¡°What is what?¡±

    ¡°On your cor. Is that¡­is that lipstick?¡± I exim. The guilty look on his face tells me everything I need to know.

    ¡°You were with someone else tonight?¡±

    He shrugs nonchntly. ¡°And so what if I was.¡±

    ¡°You cheated on me?¡± The questiones out in a whisper, because I¡¯m so afraid of his answer.

    He stares me down, his eyes dangerous, his brows heavy. ¡°You think you can y wife and that I¡¯ll just be faithful to you like a real husband?¡± He takes a few more steps towards me. ¡°We were forced to get married, Verona. Hell, I don¡¯t even like you!¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I lower them down to the floor. I can¡¯t even look at him right now. I¡¯m so angry and hurt!Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°I hate you,¡± I whisper vehemently before brushing past him and running up to my room. I lock the door behind me and copse onto the bed, crying. I thought I could change things between us. I thought I could make this marriage work.

    But I was wrong. So very wrong.

    Luca

    HATE YOU.

    I can still hear Verona¡¯s words ringing inside of my head the next morning when I wake up hungover and full of regrets. I drank too much at the club. I almost slept with a stripper and cheated on my wife. Even though my marriage is anything but conventional, cheating on Verona would have been a mistake. It would have been wrong.

    I don¡¯t know how to make things more civil between us, so I figure I¡¯ll just give her time to get over it. Time heals all wounds, or so they say.

    It¡¯s after lunch by the time I crawl out of bed and get a shower. When I see Benito downstairs in the kitchen, I tell him, ¡°I¡¯m going to eat. And then we¡¯re going to train.¡±

    His eyes narrow. ¡°You think you¡¯re in any condition to train today?¡± he asks.

    ¡°You think a hangover could stop me from kicking your ass?¡±

    He moves his head from side to side, cracking his neck.

    ¡°Bring it on, boss.¡±

    Fuck. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have provoked the beast, but a part of me doesn¡¯t even care if I lose to Benito. Maybe I deserve to have my ass kicked for how I¡¯ve been acting. It¡¯s just that being around Verona drives me crazy. I want to hate her. I truly do. Lord knows I hate her father and the rest of her family. But she makes it so damn hard. And that pisses me off to no end. Why does she have to be so¡­nice?

    ¡°She really made me my mother¡¯s spaghetti recipest night?¡± I ask Benito.

    He nods in response. ¡°I promised her I would get you home in time for dinner, but that didn¡¯t exactly work out.¡±

    ¡°You could have told me.¡±

    He shrugs. ¡°Would it have made a difference?¡±

    ¡°No, probably not,¡± I respond. In all honesty, if he would have told me he was trying to do a favor for Verona, I most likely would have stayed out even longer just to spite both of them. I¡¯m fucked up like that. I don¡¯t like knowing that the two of them are conspiring behind my back about me. It¡¯s bad enough that I¡¯ve heard her calling him Benny.

    I open the fridge and grab the container of orange juice and a couple of leftover breakfast sandwiches. I¡¯m going to need my strength if I¡¯m going to be working out with my men today. They have been trained by the very best. Trained to maim, kill, do whatever is necessary until they reach their target and end goal.

    ¡°We¡¯ll start after I¡¯m done eating,¡± I inform Benito. ¡°Tell the men to get ready. It¡¯s training day.¡±

    LESS THAN AN HOUR INTO TRAINING, I¡¯m already bleeding from multiple ces and barely able to breathe. I bend over with my hands on my knees, trying desperately to catch my breath.

    The men I hired are almost all ex-military. They¡¯re used to training for long hours and barely breaking a sweat. It takes a lot out of me to keep up with them, but it¡¯s worth it. Training with them makes me a better fighter. And when you live in my world, you always have to be ready to fight.

    ¡°Told you that you were too hungover for this shit,¡± Benitoments with a big grin.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up ande at me again. I dare you,¡± I egg him on.

    We¡¯re both shirtless and wrestling on the ground like our lives depend on it when someone calls, ¡°Boss, phone call!¡±

    Standing, I square up with Benito and shake my finger at him. ¡°We¡¯ll continue thister, my friend.¡± Picking up my discarded shirt from the ground, I wipe blood from my mouth. Then, I walk over to one of my guards and grab the cell phone from his hand. Putting it to my ear, I ask, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Luca, how is married life treating you?¡± my father asks on the other end.

    ¡°About as good as can be expected considering I married a Moretti,¡± I respond.

    He chuckles at my answer. ¡°Well, I called because I would like you and Verona toe to my house for dinner tomorrow night.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± I tell him. It will give me an excuse to force Verona to talk to me, because I know she¡¯ll be giving me the cold shoulder until then.

    ¡°See you around seven?¡±

    ¡°See you then.¡± I end the call. ncing around the property, I search the windows until I find Verona¡¯s room. The curtains move ever so slightly, and I can¡¯t help but smile. She¡¯s been watching us train. I wonder if she¡¯s touching her sweet, little cunt, thinking about me?

    ¡°More?¡± Benito calls from across the yard.

    ¡°Oh yes. Much more,¡± I say with a grin. If Verona wants to watch, then I¡¯ll give her one hell of a show.

 18

    Verona

    W

    E¡¯RE ON OUR way to Luca¡¯s father¡¯s house for dinner. I haven¡¯t spoken to Luca since the night when I found out he cheated on me. Or at least I think he cheated on me anyway. He never dide out and admit it, but he was definitely with a girl that night. The evidence of their encounter was clearly written in lipstick on the cor of his shirt.

    I¡¯ve been holed up in my room for a couple of days. Thankfully, Dante was bringing me my meals, otherwise I would have probably starved. Not once did Lucae to apologize or check on me. Not that I expected him to. That¡¯s simply not Luca.

    Yesterday, I spent the day watching my husband train with his men outside of my bedroom window. He was bruised and cut and covered in blood¡­and it was the hottest thing I¡¯ve ever seen in my life. Watching him use his fists to fight his way out of situations where one, two or three men were ganging up on him made me hot and bothered to the point where I was practically drooling.

    I memorized every detail about his body, and I can¡¯t seem to get the images out of my mind. Luca¡¯s body looks like it was carved out of stone. His shoulders are broad, tapering to a narrow waist, and I swear he has an eightpack and not a six pack. And his tattoos¡­they look like inky works of art stamped on his arms and hands.

    Luca is dangerous¡­and hot. There is no doubt about that. He can turn me on with a single look. But with just a few words, he can also turn me right back off. It¡¯s like a light switch when ites to Luca. It¡¯s either off or on; there¡¯s no middle ground. We definitely have a love-hate rtionship, with an emphasis more on the hate.

    The car ride to his father¡¯s house is full of tension. We both remainpletely silent the entire way. I could make an attempt at small talk, but I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin.

    By the time we reach our destination, I am so overwhelmed with anxiety that I open the door and rush out of the car before Benito can even get out of the driver¡¯s seat. I¡¯m just so desperate for fresh air and to not be in close proximity to my husband a second longer.

    Salvatore Vitale is waiting on the front porch of his giant mansion that makes our home seem like an apartment inparison. As I walk up the steps, I realize how much Luca looks just like his father. They both share the same dark hair and light gray eyes, although Salvatore has a tint of silver in his locks. I¡¯m sure if they were the same age, they could probably pass for twins instead of father and son.

    ¡°Wee, Verona,¡± his father says, stepping forward, leaning down and kissing both of my cheeks. ¡°You look lovely.¡± He towers over me just like Luca.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Vitale.¡± It took me over an hour to decide on what to wear tonight, but I just went with a little ck dress and heels. You can never go wrong with an LBD.

    ¡°Please, call me Salvatore,¡± he suggests. Then, his eyes go to his son, and I can feel that growing friction again,

    except it¡¯s not directed at me this time. ¡°Son.¡±

    ¡°Father.¡±

    A shiver runs through me, but it¡¯s not from the chill in the air. I can tell that this father and son rtionship is strained, to say the least. I¡¯m not sure why, and I¡¯m sure Luca would never tell me the truth even if I asked.

    We walk into the grand foyer, and my eyes take in every amazing detail. This house looks like it belongs in a magazine or on TV. It¡¯s so immacte and extravagant. It¡¯s hard to believe that a little boy once lived here. I wonder if Luca was ever able to do anything out of line, like leave his toys strewn about, like all little boys do?

    Salvatore leads us into the dining room. It reminds me of a grand ballroom instead of a ce to simply eat. The three of us sit at one end of a long dining table that could amodate forty guests. Salvatore sits at the head of the table, of course, and then Luca sits to his father¡¯s right while I sit to his left, straight across from Luca.

    Drinks are served promptly, and I opt for wine and water, same as Luca, while Salvatore requests a whiskey on the rocks.

    Once the servers have left the room, Salvatore asks

    Luca, ¡°So, how do you like the new house?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he says in response.

    His father grunts. ¡°Well, for the seventeen million I paid for it, I would hope it¡¯s more than just fine,¡± he says sarcastically as he nurses the dark liquor in a rocks ss.

    I didn¡¯t realize Salvatore Vitale bought us the mansion since Luca had never mentioned it. ¡°The house is lovely.

    Thank you so much,¡± I tell him with a forced smile.

    ¡°Finally, someone with proper manners,¡± Salvatore mutters. ¡°And you¡¯re wee for your wedding present. It was the least I could do. I couldn¡¯t have you staying in Luca¡¯s bachelor pad in Manhattan now, could I? That¡¯s no ce for a family.¡±

    I sneak a peek at Luca, who looks extremely ufortable. ¡°Honestly, I would have been happy anywhere,¡± I confess. Luca looks up and meets my eyes, and I can see his eyes narrow in confusion. He thinks I¡¯m ying games with him, but I¡¯m really not. I¡¯m just trying to ease the thick tension in the room somehow.

    ¡°Ahh, so you¡¯re easy to please. Luca is a lucky man. That¡¯s so rare toe by anymore. Women are all about material things nowadays,¡± Salvatore rambles on.

    I wonder if he knows from experience and if he¡¯s been sleeping his way through New York and New Jersey ever since his wife died? I have a feeling based on his confession that he has. Maybe Luca has too over the years. But I don¡¯t want to think about the women that came before me.

    Salvatore takes a swig of his liquor, finishing off the ss before putting it down. ¡°My very good friend is hosting a party at his home Friday night. I would like for both of you to attend.¡±

    I smile at the invitation. A party sounds like fun and something a real couple would do. ¡°That sounds wonderful,¡± I say.

    Luca shoots me a re before turning his attention to his father. ¡°I suppose we can go. Send me the details.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    One of the staff enters the dining room to announce that dinner will be served momentarily. He goes around the table, refilling our sses with wine before leaving.

    ¡°I had the chef prepare filet mignon. I hope you¡¯re not a vegetarian, Verona. Perhaps I should have checked with my son beforehand.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°That sounds great, and no, I¡¯m not a vegetarian.¡±

    Salvatore seems pleased by my answer. ¡°Easy to please. E ts something other than sds. Luca, I think you hit the jackpot with this one.¡±

    Luca stays quiet as he picks up his ss of wine and takes a long swig. When he sets the ss down, he

    ominouslyments with, ¡°Only time will tell.¡± ¡°You have time,¡± Salvatore remarks.

    I pick up my own wine ss and take a drink just as Salvatore adds, ¡°But not too much time. I do want grandbabies soon.¡±

    The wine I was beginning to swallow suddenly goes down the wrong pipe, and I begin to choke and cough.

    ¡°Are you all right, dear?¡± his father asks me.

    I nod vehemently as I try to collect myself and silence my coughing. The thought of having kids with Luca seems so far off into the distance that I can¡¯t even see the light at the end of that particr tunnel.

    Thankfully, the staff chooses that moment to enter the room with our meals, and we don¡¯t have to further that discussion.

    ¡°Filet mignon, balsamic roasted Brussel sprouts with bacon,¡± one of the men says as he sets the te down in front of me. ¡°Enjoy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell him. If it tastes as good as it smells and looks, then I¡¯m in for a treat.

    The three of us dig in, eating in silence other than the asionalment from Salvatore about how good the meal is.

    When we¡¯re finished and I can¡¯t possibly eat another bite, Salvatore asks me, ¡°How did you like it, Verona?¡±

    ¡°It was delicious.¡±

    This pleases him but seems to piss off Luca. I just can¡¯t win with my husband it seems.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t care for the food at home,¡± Luca says quickly.

    I stare at him. That¡¯s not at all true, but I don¡¯t even h ve time to correct him before Salvatore says, ¡°Well, that¡¯s because you don¡¯t have a professional chef hired. You can¡¯t expect your new bride to eat peanut butter and jelly

    sandwiches every day, can you?¡±

    Luca frowns at his father¡¯s words.

    ¡°Hire on Greta. She doesn¡¯t have much to do here since I don¡¯t entertain much. And to be honest, I eat out more than I eat here. I¡¯m sure she would be happy to cook for you again, just like when you were younger.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Luca answers.

    Greta is the one that helped me with Luca¡¯s mother¡¯s recipe for spaghetti. Just the thought of how that dinner was ruined puts me in a sour mood all over again, but I try to keep my emotions at bay since we¡¯re in his father¡¯spany. I can dwell on stuffter when I¡¯m alone in my room.

    Dessert is brought out next. A slice of tiramisu. I haven¡¯t had this dessert since I was a little girl. And even though I was feeling full, I eat every bite of it. It¡¯s so good, I just can¡¯t bear the thought of any of it going in the trash.

    After dessert, we spend some time touring the house. Salvatore gushes about his expensive acquisitions, but what I notice more than anything is how cold and sterile the house feels. There are no family photos anywhere, and there are no signs that a young Luca even lived here.

    I don¡¯t know the details behind Luca¡¯s mother¡¯s death. I only know that she died because my father mentioned it to me once when I returned from my great aunt¡¯s house for my grandfather¡¯s funeral. I don¡¯t know exactly how she died or when, but it doesn¡¯t really matter. Luca grew up without his mother; something I can definitely rte to.

    I can¡¯t help but wonder what this house was like when his mother was still alive. Did she bring a warmth into this house? Did she give her son the love that he needed and deserved?

    I know what it¡¯s like growing up without a mom and h ving a father who thinks you¡¯re a burden. My father never let go of the memory of my mother; however, and that¡¯s evident in how many photos and paintings of her that he has scattered around the house in her honor.

    Salvatore Vitale is living in a home that seems to have forgotten his past love and former life. But maybe that¡¯s how he wants it. Maybe the memory of her is too painful for him. Deep down, though, I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the case. He seems too cold of a man to hold on to sentimental things and something as trivial as memories or family photographs.

    ¡°I¡¯m very pleased with how this evening turned out,¡± Salvatore tells Luca at the front door when he walks us out. ¡°I was going to wait to tell you this until tomorrow, but I¡¯ll tell you now. I¡¯m going to give you a few more territories to run.¡±

    Luca seems pleased by this revtion, but he schools his features almost immediately. ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmurs.

    Turning to me, Salvatore takes my hand in his and ces a kiss on top. ¡°It was a pleasure finally meeting you,

    Verona.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I feel the same way,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°See you both Friday night at the party,¡± he says before retreating back inside.

    I don¡¯t know what I expected in meeting with Luca¡¯s father, but I think it gave me some insight into why Luca is the way he is, and I¡¯m thankful for that.

    Luca leads me down the steps and into the driveway to the awaiting car. I get in first, and Luca closes the door before climbing into the other side of the backseat.

    The tension is back again ten-fold, and it feels like Luca is a coiled snake, waiting to strike at any moment. I know that if he wants to fight, then we¡¯ll fight, and I¡¯ll give him all the anger and fury that he wants and deserves.

 19

    Luca

    ¡°M Y FATHER CERTAINLY liked you,¡± I tell Verona on the way back home. The whole night pissed me the fuck off. It¡¯s almost as if my father justpletely forgot that the Morettis are our enemies. The way they were schmoozing together all night made me fucking sick.

    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Verona asks from the other side of the car.

    I sink my teeth into my lower lip to keep from blurting out that yes, it is a very bad thing. I wanted my father to give my wife the same treatment that I have been giving her. Treat her like the nemesis that she so clearly is.

    ¡°What is your problem?¡± she asks angrily.

    The question has me swiveling in my seat to look upon the beauty across the seat. Sure, she looks pretty on the outside. But I¡¯m sure her insides are as rotten and ck as her father¡¯s. Morettis are scum. Every single one of them.

    ¡°My problem,¡± I say with a smirk. ¡°My problem is that my own father can¡¯t see you for what you really are.¡±

    ¡°And what is that exactly?¡±

    ¡°A Moretti,¡± I sneer.

    She frowns as she nces out the window. ¡°Well, at least Morettis aren¡¯t known for cheating on their wives.¡±

    Something inside of me snaps just then. Faster than I thought I could move, I¡¯m up and out of my seat. My hand wraps around her neck, pinning her against the back of the leather seat.

    I can feel her pulse beating angrily under my thumb as she gasps for air. ¡°First of all, I didn¡¯t cheat on you,¡± I hiss at her. I don¡¯t know why I feel the need to tell her the truth, but I don¡¯t want her tarnishing the Vitale name, even if it¡¯s in her own damn mind.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± she croaks out with wide eyes.

    ¡°I wanted to,¡± I confess. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t go through with it.¡± I squeeze her throat a little harder, allowing my anger to take over. ¡°And Morettis are known for one thing and one thing only.¡±

    She waits for my answer, gasping for air like a little fish out of water. I realize I want her to suffer, to fight for air just a little longer.

    ¡°They¡¯re fucking cold-blooded murderers,¡± I tell her before releasing her and returning to my seat.

    Verona coughs and chokes beside me as she desperately sucks air into her depleted lungs. I didn¡¯t hurt her¡­even though I wanted to. I only scared her. And maybe that¡¯s enough. For now.

    Verona

    I

    T¡¯S BEEN DAYS since Luca and I had our fight in the car. His confession that he did not, in fact, cheat on me made me feel slightly better. But then his other revtion has stayed with me like a dark cloud. I still can¡¯t get his words out of my mind.

    Luca said that Morettis are cold-blooded murderers. I mean, perhaps my father has killed in the past, but Luca can¡¯t tell me that his father hasn¡¯t done the same. That¡¯s what happens in the mafioso ¨C murder, mayhem, drugs, violence, war. They¡¯re all interconnected and expected.

    Even though we¡¯ve been avoiding each other all week, we still have a party to attend tonight. It takes me hours to get ready, but most of that time is spent on picking out a dress. Some of the dresses that Luca picked out for me are very risque, things that I would never wear. But a part of me wants him to want me. I¡¯m tired of my husband ignoring me and acting like I don¡¯t exist. I need to get his attention, and this is the only way I know how.

    I take a long, hot shower, drying and styling my hair and doing my makeup until it¡¯s perfect. When I slip into the dress, it fits me like a glove. And after I slip into the matching high heels, I stare at my reflection in the mirror.

    I don¡¯t even recognize myself. The dark red dress is short with a revealing neckline, and I¡¯m almost tempted to change. But I decide to hold my head up high and rock this dress. I think I look hot in it, and I can¡¯t wait to see what Luca thinks. Maybe it will have him begging for my forgiveness. Oh, a girl can only dream.

    I leave the room, my hands shaking as I descend the staircase. The party tonight could be a defining moment in Luca and my rtionship. I can feel it deep down inside my bones.

    Every click of my heels hitting a step causes a reverberation through me. What will Luca think of my dress? Will he like it? Will he be upset, angry? I¡¯m scared to see what his reaction will be, but a part of me is also thrilled beyond reason.

    Dante stands at the bottom of the staircase, waiting patiently. His back is turned towards me, but when he hears me approach, he turns. And his reaction is¡­ unexpected.

    At first, his eyes widen, and then they drift up and down, openly perusing me from head to toe, and I can see the longing in his dark eyes as they meet mine.

    ¡°Verona,¡± he says, his voice gruff. ¡°Are you sure you want to wear that tonight?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    I stop at the bottomnding and do a little spin for him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±

    He swallows hard. ¡°Nothing. I just¡­¡± His voice trails off as he suddenly clears his throat and stares at anything in the room except for me.

    I can¡¯t help but smile. If Dante is giving me this kind of reaction, I can¡¯t wait to see how Luca reacts. ¡°Is Luca ready to leave?¡±

    ¡°He already left in a separate car.¡±

    I frown. He didn¡¯t even wait for me? Well, that gives me even more reason to leave the house dressed like this. It will be a punishment for him for forgetting his wife.

    I thought for sure he wouldn¡¯t even let me go to the party dressed like this. But now¡­well, now he has no choice. I have decided for him. I just hope he¡¯s ready.

 20

    Luca

    T

    HE PARTY IS inherently boring, and I can¡¯t wait to be done for the night. I don¡¯t understand the point of masquerade balls. They¡¯re so fucking cliche. Everyone had to don a mask the moment they entered the mansion. But, hey, it gives me a chance to mingle through the crowd with a mask covering my true feelings and intents. That is a bonus.

    Megatron by Laylow is coursing across the speakers scattered throughout the ce, filling the room with a thunderous beat that feels like it¡¯s inside my veins as I make my way through the crowd.

    I check my phone as I walk. Dante said that they would be arriving momentarily. I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t wait for Verona to get ready, but I just didn¡¯t feel like it. She¡¯s been ignoring metely, and it¡¯s been driving me fucking crazy. So, maybe I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine. And not bringing her with me to an event is like a p in the face.

    All the couples around me are enjoying conversations together; and for a moment, I kind of wish I had Verona by my side. But then I throw that fucking thought out the window, because I can¡¯t allow myself to feel like that. We¡¯ll never be a real couple no matter how hard she tries to get under my skin.

    I know she hates me because of our arranged marriage. And I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s purposely getting on my nerves or if it¡¯s just because she¡¯s trying so damn hard to actually make this work between us.

    The music reaches its peak as a woman in a very short, very revealing red dress steps into the main entrance. Several men near me turn to look at her,menting under their breath even with their wives within earshot.

    The woman is beautiful, stunning. She has long, dark hair cascading down her bare, slender shoulders in waves. The dress looks like it was painted on, so short I can almost see her panties¡­or maybe no panties ¨C I suddenly want to know which ¨C as she descends the stairs to the main ballroom.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    For some reason, I can¡¯t seem to force my eyes away from this woman. There¡¯s something so familiar about her. Like I¡¯ve seen her in my dreams before or some strange, sappy shit like that.

    I¡¯m captivated by her, mesmerized by the way she moves. The top half of her face is hidden under an intricate red and ck mask embellished with jewels and feathers. And I can¡¯t stop staring at her full lips encased in a blood red lipstick.

    Her petite body moves like it was made for the bedroom as she passes by onlookers, just as equally enchanted by her as I am.

    She has legs for days, and I take in every inch down to the red high heels adorning her feet.

    Her head turns from side to side as if she¡¯s looking for someone. And the closer she gets to me, the harder my heart begins to beat. My cock twitches against the zipper of my tailored suit pants as she approaches.

    Fuck, whoever she¡¯s here with tonight is a lucky man.

    Tearing my eyes away from her, I check my phone again for the millionth time tonight. There is a text I missed from Dante telling me that they¡¯ve arrived. I check the time. Three minutes ago.

    ncing up at the entrance, I look for my wife, but she¡¯s nowhere to be found. I curse under my breath just as a feminine voice says my name from beside me. I look down at the mystery woman standing next to me. ¡°Yes?¡± I ask her, wondering if she¡¯s lost.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t recognize your own wife?¡± she says with a grin.

    It takes a few moments for my brain to process what I¡¯m witnessing right now. The hot, petite brte that I was just lusting after moments before is¡­Verona.

    ¡°Verona,¡± I spit out through clenched teeth. ¡°What the hell are you wearing?¡± I hiss at her.

    ¡°A dress,¡± she says simply as if there¡¯s not a care in the world. As if not every man in this fucking ce isn¡¯t staring at her and longing for her.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have worn something less revealing?¡± I¡¯m seething at this point, ready to drag her out of this party by her fucking hair.

    ¡°You left without me. So, it¡¯s not like I could have asked you if it was something you¡¯d approve of,¡± she says harshly.

    Ah, so she¡¯s upset that I didn¡¯t wait for her. And this is my punishment? Well, two can y at this game. ¡°I definitely don¡¯t approve of my wife looking like amon whore,¡± I tell her with conviction in my voice.

    My words visibly affect her, and I can see the tears gathering in her eyes behind her mask. I can¡¯t bear to see her cry, so I walk away from her like she means nothing to me. I make my way to the back of the room, pulling out my phone and shooting Dante a text that he is never allowed to let her leave the house in this kind of attire ever again.

    I¡¯ve been so preupied with hating Verona that I didn¡¯t even know I could be attracted to her¡­until I saw her in a different light. Now I can¡¯t stop thinking about those red-painted lips wrapped around my cock.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter under my breath as I subtly adjust my cock in my pants. It clearly has a mind of its own. And in the middle of a crowded room is not where I want to be getting a boner like some teenage boy lusting after his first crush.

    Holding my phone in my hand, I pretend to be immersed in some kind of urgent matter; but in all reality, my eyes can¡¯t stop staring at my wife. I watch closely as she runs off towards the women¡¯s restroom.

    My cock throbs, painfully aching for her.

    I realize I¡¯m fucked in this moment. I never thought I would say this, but I¡¯m attracted to my wife.

 21

    Verona

    FTER HEARING LUCA¡¯S hateful words, I run into the nearest bathroom and tear off my mask, staring at my

    reflection in the mirror.

    Tears fill my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I won¡¯t let him win.

    An old woman steps up beside me and washes her hands. She nces at me once and then twice and frowns.

    ¡°Some guy make you upset, sweetheart?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I admit.

    ¡°Well, if I was your age and looked like that, I¡¯d be out on that dance floor dancing with every eligible man.¡± She stares at me with her beautiful, blue eyes and winks before she says, ¡°Make him pay for hurting you.¡±

    ¡°Make him pay,¡± I say, nodding in agreement. Gathering my mask, I rece it and turn to leave the bathroom. My eyes search the room, finding Luca leaning against a wall in the far corner of the room, away from everyone else.

    He¡¯s not even looking for me. He doesn¡¯t even care.

    Grabbing a champagne flute from one of the waiters, I down it in a couple swallows. I have another and then another before I feel like I have enough liquid courage for what I¡¯m about to do next.

    Making sure there¡¯s a clear view from him to me, I approach a younger guy standing in a group of men twice his age. ¡°Would you like to dance?¡± I ask him.

    His eyes roam my figure, and he nods his head vehemently. ¡°Uh, yeah!¡± he says urgently.

    We make our way to the dance floor in the middle of the room. The beat of the music is hard and fast, and I begin to move, swaying my hips while keeping a safe distance from the young man I just met.

    He steps from side to side, clearly not knowing what to do. ¡°Uh, what¡¯s your name?¡± he asks me over the music.

    I¡¯m about to tell him my name when an older gentleman steps up and says, ¡°Run along and y, Junior.¡± Then, feasting his eyes on me, he says, ¡°Let¡¯s dance.¡±

    Well, I can¡¯t say no to that. At least this guy knows what he wants¡­and obviously knows what he¡¯s doing.

    The man is tall and handsome with hair and eyes as ck as night. He turns me around in his arms, pressing my bare back against his front as he grinds his hips against mine to the beat. His lips are near my ear as he asks, ¡°Do you have any idea that you¡¯re the sexiest woman here tonight?¡± When I shake my head, he continues. ¡°What does it feel like to have over a hundred men fantasizing about taking you home?¡±

    I consider his words before I answer. ¡°Powerful,¡± I tell him honestly.

    ¡°Yes, powerful,¡± he agrees. He turns me in his arms again so that we¡¯re facing each other. He¡¯s so tall that I have to look up to see his face. And it reminds me of the height difference between Luca and me. And that, of course, makes me think about Luca¡­my husband.

    ¡°I noticed you as soon as you walked in the door. I knew I had to talk to you. But I never thought I¡¯d get a chance to dance with you. My name is Constantine Carbone.¡±

    I begin to tell him my name, but his fingertips suddenly graze along my bare back as he pulls me closer. Goosebumps cover my skin, but not the good kind. He¡¯s getting too close, too aggressive.

    I try to pull back, but he holds me even tighter.

    He leans into me and whispers into my ear all the naughty things he wants to do to me once he gets me home.

    ¡°Let her go, Carbone,¡± says amanding voice behind me. Shivers erupt inside of me, racing up my spine.

    ¡°What business is it of yours?¡± my dancing partner asks.

    ¡°She¡¯s my wife,¡± Luca says through clenched teeth. He tears off his mask, and I can instantly see the look of recognition fill the other man¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vitale. I didn¡¯t know she belonged to you.¡±

    ¡°Well, now you know,¡± he says before grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the man, away from the party and towards the front door.

    I stumble a few times thanks to the few sses of champagne I had and to the high heels, but Luca is quick to pick me up when I nearly fall and keep us moving.

    Luca doesn¡¯t say a word as he leads me from the house and straight to a dark, sleek car parked outside. He swings open the door and practically throws me inside. I sy out on the backseat, waiting for his terror as he climbs in beside me.

    He ms the door shut and tells Dante in the front seat to drive us home before he pushes a button for the partition between us and Dante to close. Once it¡¯s shut, he turns to me.

    He¡¯s calm. Way too calm. And it¡¯s scaring me.

    ¡°Luca,¡± I whisper. I¡¯m about to apologize when he suddenly grabs me and pulls me closer. His mouth is

    crashing down on mine before I can evenprehend what¡¯s happening.

    He doesn¡¯t ask if this is okay. He doesn¡¯t even ask if I want him. He just takes. And I am so incredibly turned on that I feel like I could catch on fire.

    This kiss is so powerful that I can feel little tremors erupting all throughout my body. I¡¯ve never been kissed before, but I didn¡¯t think my first time would be like this. This kiss is raw, rough, and possessive. He kisses me with bruising force, like the world ising to an end and we only have a few moments left to live.

    Luca¡¯s tongue prods at my lips until I open my mouth for him, letting him in. Our tongues entwine in a desperate need for each other.

    He pulls back, and I struggle to catch my breath. ¡°You drive me crazy,¡± he admits before his mouth is on mine again.

    I¡¯m boneless in his arms, a weak mess, and he takes the opportunity to conquer me. I¡¯m trembling as his hands explore my body. He roughly grabs my breasts through my dress, kneading them until my nipples are hard peaks.

    Then, his hands go lower¡­lower until they¡¯re lifting up my dress. He breaks the kiss to stare down at my thighs, and I can hear him sigh in relief as he whispers, ¡°A thong.¡±

    I stare at him, confused. Did he think I wasn¡¯t wearing any underwear?

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been wearing panties, I think I would have had no choice but to punish you.¡± He stares at me with his gray eyes glistening in the pale moonlight streaming through the dark windows of the car. ¡°I might still punish you for dressing like this, for enticing all the men at the party¡­and for enticing me,¡± he says, a dark threat permeating through his words.

    So, he¡¯s upset with me because I turned him on? I don¡¯t even have time to c mprehend that information before he says, ¡°Get on your knees, ass facing me.¡±

    I swallow hard at his request, hesitating a second too long, because next thing I know, he¡¯s pushing me onto the seat and forcing me on my knees.

    ¡°Spread your legs,¡± he instructs, his voice deep and full of lust.

    My breathing isbored as I do as he says. This is a new side of Luca I have never seen before. He wants me. I can feel his desperate need.

    And I can¡¯t help it, but I want him too.

    I spread my thighs for him until my knees are as far apart as they can go on the backseat. I¡¯m not prepared for the first smack to my right cheek, and I jump and squeal in surprise. One of his hands presses on my lower back, holding me in ce as the other takes a turn pping each cheek in session until my skin feels hot and sore.

    ¡°So beautiful,¡± he murmurs before he smacks me two more times, eliciting a moan out of my throat.

    I don¡¯t know why, but the pain is turning me on.

    His big hand kneads the tender flesh, getting dangerously close to my clit, and I¡¯m begging silently in my mind for him to touch me there.

    When his fingertip drags up and down my slit over my thong, I think I¡¯m going to spontaneouslybust. ¡°You¡¯re so wet for me. Did that turn you on, dirty girl?¡± He moves the thong to the side, and I can feel his warm breath breathing onto my wetness before it turns cold, causing me to shiver.

    ¡°Please!¡± I cry out before I can stop myself. No man has ever done this to me before; and even though I¡¯m nervous, I¡¯m more turned on, and the lust is drowning out all of my reasonable thoughts.

    ¡°Tell me what you want,¡± he instructs, wanting me to beg for it.

    I sink my teeth into my lower lip. I don¡¯t want to beg. I want to tell him to go straight to hell. But my desire is too great for him at the moment, and I find myself whispering,

    ¡°I want your mouth on me.¡±

    ¡°What? I can¡¯t hear you?¡± he teases.

    ¡°Please put your mouth on me!¡± I cry out, shame burning my face.

    His fingertip traces my slit until I feel him pushing on my most intimate area. ¡°Have you ever been fucked here?¡± he asks, pressing on my tight hole.

    I squirm under his ministrations. ¡°No!¡± I want to tell him I¡¯ve never been fucked anywhere, but I hold my tongue, because I¡¯m so afraid he won¡¯t want to continue and give me the release I need right now. ¡°Please, Luca,¡± I plead.

    ¡°Fuck, I love hearing you beg,¡± he groans. His finger moves down, swiping over my clit, and I jerk forward, feeling like I just got struck by lightning.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    His hand moves from my lower back to around my hip, holding me in ce. ¡°You¡¯re really responsive,¡± hements in almost a whisper. ¡°I like that,¡± he adds with a dark chuckle that has my core clenching.

    I remember the girls at the boarding school talking about their sexual encounters, and I always thought they were bragging or making stuff up. But when I feel the first swipe of Luca¡¯s tongue on my clit, I realize they were telling the truth. It does feel good, just like heaven and beyond.

    I groan out loud, fisting my hands under me as he continues to lick me. He eats me like a starving man, the wicked sounds filling the interior of the car and turning me on even further.

    I feel his fingertip enter me, and I cry out.

    ¡°Your pussy is so tight,¡± he groans. ¡°Fuck, Verona, you¡¯re perfect.¡±

    He pushes his finger in and out while his tongueshes over my clit, and I close my eyes at the sensation. It¡¯s too much. Too great. To powerful. A garbled cry escapes my lips as Ie, riding his face unabashed, drawing out the pleasure as I tremble and sob under him.

    He licks me slowly while Ie down from the high, shivers erupting through my body. My legs tremble until I can¡¯t hold myself up anymore, and I end up copsing onto the seat beside him.

    I can hear his belt buckle before his zipper goes down. And when I sit up in the seat, I see Luca sitting there with his cock in his hand. My eyes widen at the sight. I¡¯ve never watched a guy touch himself, and Luca is sofortable doing it in front of me.

    His cock is impossibly thick and long, and I swallow hard at the sight of it. I¡¯ve seen porn before, of course, but most of the guys were never this size.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about those red lips wrapped around my cock all night,¡± he tells me darkly.

    I lick over said lips and look up at him beneath myshes. He wants my mouth on him, but I¡¯ve never done that before. What if I don¡¯t do it right? What if he doesn¡¯t like it?

    ¡°Verona, please,¡± he groans as he strokes his cock. ¡°I need you.¡±

    Those words send a shiver up and down my spine, and all of my hesitations go right out the window. I need to make him feel as good as he just made me feel. He gave me pleasure, and I want to return the favor.

    I move closer to him and lean down, mesmerized by his hand stroking up and down. He smells like cedarwood and expensive cologne, and my mouth waters as I stick out my tongue and swipe it around his head like a lollipop.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± he hisses through clenched teeth.

    I think that means he likes it, so I do it again and again until he¡¯s begging for me to put him into my mouth. I open wide, barely able to fit him inside as I swirl my tongue and swallow as much of him as I can.

    I remember the girls at the boarding school saying to not use any teeth because guys hate that, so I wrap my lips around my teeth before going up and down on his shaft.

    ¡°Yes, just like that,¡± he says, encouraging me. ¡°Suck my cock, dirty girl.¡±

    I move my mouth over him as his hand intertwines in my hair. I expect him to push my head down and control the rhythm, but instead he simply wraps my long hair around his fist and lets me control the speed.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to cum in that dirty mouth, Verona,¡± he warns.

    I can feel his cock twitch just before he erupts in my mouth, filling it to the brim. I have no choice but to swallow it all down as I continue to suck him. He groans loudly, the deep timbre of his voice filling the car. My clit throbs in response to his deep growls and moans.

    ¡°That¡¯s my good girl,¡± he says as he shudders onest time from the pleasure.

    Pulling his dick from my mouth, he looks down at me with a look of adoration. He smiles at me, and I realize this is a side of Luca that I¡¯ve never seen before. Just like before with the jealousy, this is a whole other side of the enigmatic cube that makes up his personality.

    He tucks his cock into his pants and zips them up.

    ¡°Are we almost home?¡± he asks out loud, and at first, I think he¡¯s asking me. But then I see the light for the inte and realize I never saw him push it.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Dante responds gruffly through the speaker.

    ¡°Did you enjoy the show?¡± Luca asks him.

    Dante doesn¡¯t respond, and I stare at Luca in shock. He must have pushed the button at some point when he was eating me out¡­and he made Dante listen to the whole thing.

    Luca turns off the inte and smiles smugly at me as the cares to a st p.

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± I ask, shame burning my face and chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen the way Dante looks at you. Sometimes people need to be reminded of their ce and where they stand.¡± ¡°You¡­you¡¯re an asshole!¡± I yell at him.

    Luca continues to smile, unaffected by my response.

    The door opens, and Dante is standing there, staring at me with an undecipherable look. I can barely meet his eyes as I whisper, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± before running straight for the house.

    I don¡¯t stop running until I¡¯m safely locked inside my room.

    I thought I had seen a different side of Luca tonight, but now I know that it was all just smoke and mirrors. He¡¯s still a bastard. I just wish I had known what he was up to before I let him touch me.

 22

    Luca

    VERONA¡¯S EFFORTS AT ignoring me have reached a new high. As I sit alone at the dinner table, the housekeeper informs me that my wife refuses to dine with me tonight.

    Last night has been on my mind all day. I can still taste her sweetness on my tongue. And no matter how hard I try to forget her soft skin, I simply can¡¯t. I want her again. One taste wasn¡¯t enough. I¡¯m fucking addicted.

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to eat with me, then she won¡¯t eat at all,¡± I inform the housekeeper. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    After she disappears from the room, I stare down at the rest of my steak, having suddenly lost my appetite.

    What I didst night was cruel. But I can¡¯t deny that it made me feel better. Call it jealousy or what you will, but Dante needed to be put in his fucking ce. I¡¯ve seen the way he stares at my wife, like he could take her at any moment into his arms andfort her like she¡¯s his. She is not his.

    She is mine.

    My hand curls into a fist, and I pound it hard against the top of the long wooden table. She can ignore me all she wants, but it¡¯s not going to change things. I won¡¯t cave. I was born into hatred for her and her family. And even though we were friends when we were kids, that doesn¡¯t mean shit now in the real world while we¡¯re adults. Even though she¡¯s my wife, that doesn¡¯t mean I have to like her or, god forbid, love her.

    Even though my feelings haven¡¯t changed for her,st night something did change. I have a craving for her that I can¡¯t stop. A need for her to be under me, calling out my name as I pound my cock into her tight pussy. I want her to know who owns her body, and I want to reinforce it again and again and again.

    My cock twitches in my pants. And when I press my palm down over it, I groan out loud. I¡¯m so fucking horny I can¡¯t even think straight. Just thinking about her red lips wrapped around my cock drives me insane.

    Frustrated, I pour myself another scotch and drink it down in one swallow. And then I pour another and another until I start to feel numb.

    I¡¯ve been known to down bottles of expensive scotch in one night. I would like to say I¡¯m drowning my demons, but unfortunately, they know how to swim.

    Verona

    M

    Y STOMACH GROWLS with such intensity that it almost makes me dizzy. I¡¯m so hungry. I skipped breakfast, lunch and dinner today just so I wouldn¡¯t have to face Luca, and now I¡¯m paying the price.

    For some reason, I thought maybe he woulde up after dinner to apologize and offer me some food. But now I know I was way too naive to think that would happen. It¡¯s nearly ten o¡¯clock at night, and I haven¡¯t eaten a single thing since yesterday evening.

    Fuming, I wrap a sheer flowered kimono around my midnight blue nightdress and venture out of my room. I tiptoe down the quiet hallway and make my way downstairs towards the kitchen. I¡¯m crossing the dining room when I see movementing from the table and stop dead in my tracks.

    My eyes meet his from across the room. I can tell just by looking at him that he¡¯s drunk, but the almost empty bottle of scotch is a dead giveaway.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asks, his words slurring.

    At first, my mind draws a nk. I¡¯m so taken aback by his rxed state. His suit jacket is slung over the back of his chair, and his button-up shirt is hanging open, revealing a muscr chest that could easily be on the cover of a fitness magazine.

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± he says, drawing out every word.

    ¡°You¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Should havee down for dinner,¡± he says with a shrug.

    ¡°You can¡¯t starve me,¡± I say forcibly.

    ¡°I could if I wanted to. I could do anything I wanted to do to you actually,¡± he confesses. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    His words have me taking a step back. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve any of this!¡± I tell him vehemently. I¡¯m tired of his constant animosity towards me. ¡°I never did anything to you, Luca.¡±

    He closes his eyes when I say his name. ¡°You are one of them.¡±

    ¡°One of them?¡± I ask, not understanding.

    ¡°A Moretti,¡± he sneers as if the name leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

    I don¡¯t know what happens next, but I think I honestly have just reached my breaking point with him. ¡°Fuck you, Luca,¡± I hiss.

    His eyes open and narrow as he stares at me. ¡°What did you just say to me?¡±

    ¡°Fuck you!¡± I yell.

    Before I can even blink, he is up and out of his chair anding straight for me. Squealing in terror, I turn to run, but he¡¯s too fast. He hauls me up in his arms and over to the table, bending me over the edge and pushing my face into the wood. He grasps my arms behind my back and holds them in ce with one of hisrge hands while his other hand grabs the nape of my neck.

    ¡°Say it again,¡± he hisses at me through clenched teeth.

    ¡°I dare you.¡±

    And so I do. ¡°Fuck you!¡±

    The next thing I hear is a ripping sound as my kimono is torn from my body, thecy, delicate material falling into shreds around me.

    His hand reaches for the hem of my nightdress, and I cry out, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    He hesitates and then says, ¡°What will you do, Verona, if I touch you? Will you cry out my name and beg for release just likest night?¡±

    My face mes with embarrassment.

    ¡°Maybe you want me to spank you and make you wet again,¡± he whispers into my ear, the scent of expensive scotch sweeping over my face.

    ¡°Please. Stop,¡± I beg.

    He squeezes my arms before releasing me, scoffing in disgust. He starts walking away from me out of the room when I call after him, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think my family did to you, but we didn¡¯t do anything!¡±

    He stops and turns, and the look in his eyes scares the hell out of me. In a few long strides, he closes the distance between us, wrapping his hand around my neck. He ms me up against the wall and leans in until he¡¯s only an inch away from my face. ¡°Someone in your family killed my mother. I was only twelve years old when she was murdered in cold blood in our fucking kitchen,¡± he says, his voice dangerously low.

    ¡°W-wh-what?¡± I sputter.

    ¡°Do you know what that does to a boy, seeing his mother die right in front of his own fucking eyes, in his fucking arms?¡±

    ¡°Your mother was murdered?¡± I whisper.

    ¡°I bet your dear old dad didn¡¯t tell you that one, did he? No, you were too spoiled, always sheltered and kept out of the loop on all of that shit.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it was my family that did it?¡± I dare to ask.

    ¡°Because they always killed their enemies in the same way. By shing their throat three times. The same number of daggers in the Moretti family crest.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I realize he¡¯s telling the truth. It all makes sense now. The reason why our families went from acquaintances to sworn enemies almost overnight. I knew his mom died, but I never knew the why or how behind it all.

    I swallow hard against his hand wrapped around my throat. He squeezes, and I instinctively bring my hands up, grabbing his wrist.

    ¡°But I guess our grandfathers thought this marriage would bring some kind of peace even though I could never truly love anyone that bears the name Moretti.¡±

    My brain is working on overtime, trying to process all of the information. I guess I was kept in the dark, because my father never told me any of this. I had no idea that the Vitales med my family for the death of Luca¡¯s mother. No wonder their hatred runs so deep for us.

    ¡°Go get something to eat. Starvation isn¡¯t a cruel enough death.¡± He releases me then, leaving me stunned into silence.

    He walks out of the room, and I¡¯m left alone. I nce at the kitchen, but I couldn¡¯t possibly eat anything now. My stomach cramps in protest, but I¡¯vepletely lost my appetite. In fact, I feel as if I could throw up. The fact that Luca witnessed his mother¡¯s death makes me sick. He was so young and innocent. It exins why he grew up into the cold, callous man that he is now. Her murder changed him.

    Now that I know the truth behind his hatred for me, it makes me fear for my safety here, for the safety of my father. With me in Luca¡¯s home, right next to the enemy, it makes us all vulnerable.

    I decide right then and there that I will go visit my father in the morning and get to the bottom of all of this. If my father really is to me for the death of Luca¡¯s mother, then that will change everything.

 23

    Luca

    WAKE THE next morning with a pounding headache. I drank way too muchst night, and now I must suffer

    the consequences.

    I climb out of bed, every movement making the headache worse. I pop some painkillers and hop into the shower. The hot steam seems to help a bit. And by the time I¡¯m dressed, I¡¯m feeling a little better.

    I walk downstairs and pause in the dining room. Memories ofst night bombard me, and I curse out loud. I told Verona too much. I showed my cards. I told her my true feelings behind my hatred towards her and her family. And the look on her face told me exactly what I already knew ¨C she didn¡¯t have a clue.

    Of course her father didn¡¯t tell her that he was responsible for murdering my mother. I mean, why would he? I don¡¯t think that man has ever epted responsibility for any of the bad shit he¡¯s done his entire life.

    He¡¯s killed indiscriminately, but I bet Verona has no idea who her dear old dad truly is or what he¡¯s capable of. At least I know who my father is. I¡¯ve witnessed firsthand the type of destruction he can bring to an entire family. I¡¯ve always wondered why he didn¡¯t take out the Morettis when he had the chance, though. If it were up to me, they would have been eradicated from this earth a long time ago.

    I know we never caught the actual person who slit my mother¡¯s throat. I¡¯ve always envisioned it was Antonio Moretti himself, but that big, lump of shit couldn¡¯t have run fast enough out of the house that morning without tripping over his two fat feet.

    No, it was definitely someone who was hired by the Moretti family. But why my mother? I never understood the answer to that question. It would have made more sense to try to take a hit out on my father. He was Antonio¡¯s rival, his sworn enemy. Why kill someone who was innocent?

    Trying to clear my head, I walk into the kitchen.

    Benito is drinking a cup of coffee while the staff mills about, cleaning up after breakfast.

    One of the housekeepers walks into the room.

    ¡°Breakfast, sir?¡±

    Ignoring her, I ask Benito, ¡°Where¡¯s Verona?¡± I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she ran away afterst night. She knows my true feelings towards her now. And even though we¡¯re bound by this contract, I don¡¯t doubt that she¡¯s terrified of me and what I might do to her.

    ¡°She went to see her father,¡± Benito informs me.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I yell, startling the young woman beside me. ¡°Who drove her?¡± I demand.

    ¡°I believe it was Dante.¡±

    Dante. Of course. He¡¯s been a thorn in my side ever since I can remember. And now he¡¯s pushing my buttons when ites to my wife. He¡¯s taking the role of her bodyguard to a whole other level. And if he thinks he can best me, then he has another thinging. I guess putting him in his ce the other night didn¡¯t change anything.

    I¡¯ll just have to take it a step further to make sure he understands.

    ¡°Breakfast, sir?¡± the housekeeper asks again, her blonde bangs hanging in her eyes.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I tell her. I might as well eat and get some of my strength back. I¡¯ll deal with Dante and Veronater.

    Verona

    M

    Y HIGH HEELS click against the polished hardwood floor as I make my way to my father¡¯s study. I know that¡¯s where he¡¯ll be. I have a lot of questions that I need answers to, and I¡¯m not leaving until every single one is answered.

    ¡°Verona,¡± my father says in surprise when I barge into the room.

    I remember sneaking into his study as a child. The dark, antique furniture used to intrigue me, and I would sit for hours staring at the intricately carved patterns and reading through his old, dusty book collections.

    This room would always bring me a sense of peace, because no one else was allowed in here. I wasn¡¯t even allowed, but my father allowed it when he wasn¡¯t conducting business.

    I give Dante a silent nod before closing the door, effectively shutting him out. I trust Dante, and I¡¯m thankful that he agreed to drive me here today, but I want this conversation to be between my father and me. I don¡¯t want any third-party opinions creeping in.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± my father questions.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°I want you to tell me how Gianna Vitale died.¡±

    ¡°You know how she died,¡± he says, waving a hand, dismissing me.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I figured it was a car ident or something sudden, but you never told me the truth. No one has told me the truth about what happened.¡±

    Papa stands and goes to one of therge, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooks the property. After a long time, he finally says, ¡°Gianna Vitale was murdered in her home.¡±

    ¡°By who? Was it you?¡± I ask, desperation flooding my voice.

    He turns to look at me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you came here to use your own father of murder.¡±

    ¡°I need to know who killed her.¡±

    ¡°No one knows. Her killer was never caught. I heard it was sudden, a thief in the middle of the night.¡±

    ¡°Did you know Luca watched her die?¡±

    Papa grimaces at that information. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know.¡± He ponders that information for a moment. ¡°No wonder he became such a bitter, troubled boy.¡±

    ¡°Did you know that the Vitales me you for her death?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course I do. That is what started the war between our families, after all. But I told them I didn¡¯t know anything of it, and I don¡¯t. I never did, and I never will. The case ran cold even with police.¡± He walks over to his desk and sits down again. ¡°I would never put out a hit on an innocent woman. Even if we had our troubles with

    the Vitales, Gianna was innocent.¡±

    ¡°Luca said her throat was shed three times.¡±

    My father doesn¡¯t seem stunned by that revtion. ¡°Someone wanted to frame us; make the Vitales believe it was us,¡± he says adamantly.

    ¡°Is that why you sent me away? Did you think they would try to take out their revenge on me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± He removes a cigar from a small box on the corner of his desk, snips off the end and lights it up, puffing his cheeks until the cherry forms on the end of it. A plume of smoke escapes his lips as he looks up at me. ¡°I wanted to keep you safe. And that was the only way I knew how. I had to get you away from this ce, all of this.¡± He sighs and takes another puff from the cigar. ¡°Everything calmed down when they couldn¡¯t prove that I ordered the hit or find the man who did it. But obviously Luca Vitale still harbors some ill will towards our family.¡±

    I want to tell my father that it¡¯s more than ill will. It¡¯s pure, undiluted hatred. But I keep my mouth shut. I¡¯m not here to run away from home¡­even if Luca¡¯s mansion doesn¡¯t feel like home to me. Besides, I can¡¯t leave even if I wanted to thanks to the contract binding us to be married and living together.

    ¡°Grandfather thought the contract would fix everything for good?¡±

    Papa nods. ¡°The two patriarchs schemed behind all of our backs. They wanted harmony amongst the families once and for all.¡± He sits down at his desk and rests the cigar on a nearby ashtray. ¡°Valerius Vitale and my father were childhood friends. They obviously were sick of all the fighting, and this was the only thing they could do that would prevent any future war between the families. It was their dying wish to bring peace to all of us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if there will ever be peace,¡± I mutter under my breath.

    He shrugs one shoulder. ¡°Perhaps not.¡± Then he asks, ¡°What else do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Do you have any suspicions of who would have wanted to kill Gianna Vitale?¡± I ask.

    He shakes his head. ¡°No one knows. Otherwise, that person would already be dead.¡±

    That¡¯s true. If the Vitales knew who murdered Gianna, the man would already be six feet under.

    ¡°What else do you need from me, Verona?¡± Papa offers.

    ¡°Can we¡­can we spend the day together?¡± I ask him, and my question clearly surprises him. I need a break from Luca, and I haven¡¯t spent real quality time with my father in years. All this talk about Luca¡¯s dead mother makes me think about my mother.

    I¡¯ve already lost one parent. My father is the only family I have left, and I would be devastated if I lost him too. I know it¡¯s inevitable, but I can make up for lost time, starting today.

    ¡°Of course. For you, anything.¡±

    I smile at him. ¡°Thank you, Papa.¡±

    ¡°You know, the same ice cream shop we used to take you to when you were a little girl is still down the street.

    Would you like to go?¡±

    ¡°I would love that.¡±

    I know Luca won¡¯t be pleased about me being gone all day since I didn¡¯t exactly tell him I was leaving. But for all I know, he doesn¡¯t even know I left. And I¡¯m guessing even if he does, that he definitely doesn¡¯t care.

 24

    Luca

    I

    CAN¡¯T CONCENTRATE. Verona has been gone all day long, and it¡¯s been bugging the fuck out of me. Dante answered only one of my texts saying that she was at her father¡¯s house, and that was hours ago. All other texts have been ignored. And even though he¡¯s being paid by the Moretti family, I am going to reprimand that prick the moment I get my hands on him.

    He drove my wife out of here without my permission. I don¡¯t give a fuck who he works for. He lives under my fucking roof. He eats my food. He shits in my toilets. He will listen to whatever the fuck I say. And if he doesn¡¯t like it, he will be out on his ass. I don¡¯t give a fuck how much Verona wants him as her bodyguard.

    I demand order and control in my life. If I don¡¯t have those two things, then my world feels like it¡¯s spiraling into utter chaos. And the sooner Verona learns that, the better.

    Eight o¡¯clock rolls around, and I¡¯m on my fifth ss of scotch when I see the ck BMW pull into the garage on the security footage. I watch impatiently on myptop while Verona exits the car after Dante opens the door for her. Then, I track her movements through the garage and the house. She walks up the stairs to her bedroom without even so much as a nce into any of the rooms to look for me.

    I¡¯m seething, my hands clenched in anger as I stalk out of my office and go to find Dante.

    He¡¯s in the kitchen, rooting around in the refrigerator when I approach him. ¡°You took my wife without my permission?¡± I throw the usation out there calmly even though I¡¯m anything but calm on the inside.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was against the rules,¡± he says sarcastically, exaggerating thest two words and pissing me off even further.

    ¡°Let me make it clear for you. What my wife does or doesn¡¯t do is my business, not yours. From now on, you¡¯ll clear everything with me first, or you¡¯ll be out of a job.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t fire me,¡± he says, pulling a few things out of the fridge to make something to eat. ¡°I don¡¯t work for you.¡±

    I shoot him an angry re. ¡°You don¡¯t work for me, but I can still kick your fucking ass out of my goddamn house.¡±

    ¡°Verona wouldn¡¯t like that very much,¡± he says, shing me a cocky grin.

    Dante is tall, but I¡¯m taller and bigger than him. I doubt he¡¯s had the type of training I have had in my lifetime. It might be a struggle at first, but I know I could overtake him. I would like nothing more in this moment than to beat him into a bloody pulp. ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck what she likes or doesn¡¯t like. And the same goes for you. Run shit by me, or you¡¯re out of here. Got it?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, boss,¡± he says, and it takes every ounce of strength in me to not walk over to him and knock that smile off of his face along with a few teeth out of his goddamn mouth.

    ¡°And if the other night wasn¡¯t an indication of whose dick she wants, then I don¡¯t know what will wake you the fuck up,¡± I hiss at him. That statement stuns him into silence, and now I¡¯m the one smiling before I turn and leave the room.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    I walk straight to my wife¡¯s bedroom. I startle her when I m open the door. Her petite body is wrapped in a towel, her long hair dripping wet as she emerges from the adjacent bathroom.

    I¡¯m beyond the point of calm now. I¡¯m fucking furious. ¡°Where the fuck were you all day?¡± I roar. I want to hear the words from her mouth in case Dante was bullshitting me.

    ¡°I went to see my father. Is there a problem?¡± she asks calmly, seemingly not affected by my anger.

    ¡°Dante is not to take you anywhere without my permission,¡± I demand.

    Now this gets a rise out of her. She goes from calm to angry in two-point-five seconds. And I can¡¯t help but notice how cute she looks when she¡¯s pissed. ¡°I have to ask for your permission to leave the house to see my father?¡± she exims indignantly. ¡°Luca, that is absurd!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not absurd. It¡¯s smart. You know what kind of world we live in, Verona. You¡¯re not safe out there,¡± I warn.

    ¡°I had Dante with me the whole time!¡± she counters, her voice raising to new levels.

    And I don¡¯t know why, but it pisses me off that she relies on her bodyguard to keep her safe and not her own husband. Although, I guess I haven¡¯t given her many reasons to trust me. Hell, I¡¯ve given her every reason not to trust me.

    Trying to calm myself down, I pace the floor of her room. ¡°Why did you go to see your father?¡± I ask even though I think I already know the answer to that question.

    ¡°To find out information about your mother.¡±

    I stop pacing and turn to look at her. ¡°And?¡± I prompt.

    ¡°He denied any wrongdoing. He had no part in your mother¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°And you believe him?¡± I scoff.

    ¡°Of course I believe him! I was there. I looked into his eyes. He wasn¡¯t lying to me. He was telling the truth!¡±

    ¡°He would never tell you the truth,¡± I say with a shake of my head. I take several steps forward until I¡¯m standing directly before her. ¡°You really think he¡¯d admit something like that to his own daughter?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t do it. Someone wanted it to look like he ordered the hit,¡± she says vehemently, and I can hear the conviction in her voice. She believes him so wholeheartedly. She has no idea how wrong she is.

    ¡°He had my mother murdered to throw my father off of his game. They were fighting over territories. Your father ended up winning in the end. My father was crippled after my mother died. And that¡¯s exactly what your father wanted. That was his goal, and he achieved it triumphantly.¡±

    Tears fill her eyes as she stares up at me. ¡°You¡¯re too blinded by your hatred to believe anything other than what you want to believe. There¡¯s no evidence that my father had any involvement. You can¡¯t prove anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it someday,¡± I promise her. ¡°And when you realize what a dirty bastard your father truly is, you¡¯ll -.¡±

    My words end abruptly when Verona suddenly ps me in the face.

    ¡°You¡¯re the bastard!¡± she screams at me.

    She raises her hand to hit me again, but I snatch her wrist. And then I capture the other wrist when she tries it again. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± I sneer. Pushing her roughly, I toss her backwards onto the bed.

    She sprawls onto the mattress, and her towel opens slightly, revealing a silky thigh and part of her shaved pussy. My mouth instantly waters at the sight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Verona warns, but I can hear the uncertainty in her tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡± I ask, climbing onto the bed and hovering over her. ¡°Don¡¯t make youe with my mouth on your pussy again?¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± she whispers, her breathing out in short, quick pants.

    I trail my tongue from her ear, down her neck and down to between her breasts. She shudders under me, and my cock pushes painfully against my zipper.

    ¡°Please,¡± she begs, and I stop to look at her.

    ¡°Please stop¡­or please continue?¡± I ask her, my voice deep and full of animalistic hunger.

    Her honey-colored eyes are glittering in the moonlight streaming through the sheer curtains, and she has an unreadable expression on her face. Hell, I don¡¯t think even she knows what she wants at this point.

    And so, when she doesn¡¯t verbally answer me, I reluctantly pull away from her. I¡¯ve never forced a woman to do anything she doesn¡¯t want to do, and I¡¯m not about to start with her.

    ¡°Goodnight, Verona,¡± I tell her before I leave her room, mming the door behind me.

 25

    Verona

    DANTE FOLLOWS CLOSELY behind me as I walk around the mall from store to store. Luca gave me his ck credit card and told me to get whatever I needed that he didn¡¯t already buy. I don¡¯t get him. One minute he¡¯s a monster; the next he¡¯s trying to do something nice. It¡¯s like he can¡¯t make up his mind on whether he wants to hate me or not. Although, today, I swear he just wanted me out of the house for a while. We¡¯ve barely spoken to each other for the past week or so since the night I pped him in the face.

    And while I admit it felt good to p him, I regret doing it. Luca obviously harbors a lot of ill will towards my father, but I would too if I thought someone killed my mother. He has every reason in the world to hate the person who murdered his mother, but he¡¯s putting his anger on the wrong person, because my father didn¡¯t do it. I know deep down within my very soul that my father is innocent in all of this. If only I could prove it to him somehow.

    ¡°If I were you, I would max the credit card out on shit you don¡¯t even need just to spite him,¡± Dante says, breaking me out of my thoughts. ¡°We could even throw some of the stuff in the dumpsters behind the mall,¡± he suggests, and I can hear the contempt in his voice. His hatred towards Luca is evident, but he tries his best to hide it from everyone but me.

    ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t do that even if I wanted to,¡± I tell him. I¡¯m not like that. I know how hard people work for their money, and I know what it¡¯s like to live without the finer things in life. And even though Luca doesn¡¯t exactly do anything aboveboard, I don¡¯t want to waste his money. Besides, I¡¯m not into spending blood money either.

    I don¡¯t know much about Luca¡¯s business other than the few things I¡¯ve heard the men in the house mention. Dante assures me Luca is the worst man on the, and maybe he is. Maybe I did marry a monster. He certainly acts like that sometimes.

    But it isn¡¯t as if I had a choice in all of this. And it¡¯s not like we can just get divorced. I¡¯m locked into this contract, this marriage, whether I like it or not. All I can do is try to make our rtionship better over time, if that¡¯s even possible.

    Sometimes it just feels like Luca can¡¯t stand the sight of me. I¡¯m really at a loss for what I can do to make my time with him more tolerable. I try to stay out of his way, but out of sight, out of mind doesn¡¯t really work with him because he¡¯s so controlling and demanding.

    He doesn¡¯t want to see me, and yet he wants to keep tabs on me all the time and know where I am at all hours of the day. It¡¯s so confusing.

    Speaking of the devil, Dante¡¯s phone begins to ring, and he¡¯s quick to answer. ¡°We¡¯re still at the mall,¡± he says with an eye roll.

    I can¡¯t hear the other side of the conversation, but I know it¡¯s Luca on the other end, asking for another update.

    He¡¯s called three times already, and we¡¯ve only been gone for a couple of hours.

    Dante hangs up the phone and shakes his head.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Controlling son of a bitch, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°I wish I could run away,¡± I blurt out. I don¡¯t think I was even meaning to say it out loud, but it¡¯s toote to take it back now.

    Dante¡¯s eyes meet mine, and in all seriousness, he tells me, ¡°Then let¡¯s do it.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°He would find us.¡±

    ¡°I would make sure he never did,¡± he says so calmly and assuredly that it scares me.

    While the idea of escaping my husband is both thrilling and exciting, I know it wouldn¡¯t end well. And if Dante helped me run away, I¡¯m sure he would have to face the consequences. And if anything happened to my best friend, my only friend, I don¡¯t know what I would do.

    ¡°I¡¯m just venting,¡± I tell him, hoping that he believes me.

    ¡°You can always talk to me about anything, V,¡± Dante assures me.

    ¡°I know. You¡¯re my best friend,¡± I tell him with a smile. I point over to a store that sells household goods and gifts, and I say, ¡°Let¡¯s go in there.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± he says, following behind me.

    Luca

    D

    ANTE AND VERONA return from their shopping tripte in the evening. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she maxed out my credit card today. In fact, I¡¯m anxious to see exactly how much she spent and at what stores. I know I already bought her enough clothes tost a lifetime, but I guess it wasn¡¯t enough for the princess. She needed more, more clothes, more material things to make her happy.

    I shake my head as I watch them on the surveince video getting out of the car. I expect them to start unloading shopping bag after shopping bag, but I¡¯m blown away when Verona only appears with one bag before they walk to the garage door that connects to the house.

    Confused, I click out of the surveince video and look up the credit card charges on that particr card. Only one charge is on it¡­for forty dors.

    ¡°Forty dors?¡± I ask out loud. What the fuck?

    I refresh the page, thinking I¡¯m missing other charges, but nothing appears. Maybe the rest of the transactions didn¡¯t go through yet, but I know that¡¯s simply not the case.

    She spent all day shopping and only spent forty dors of my money. And I can¡¯t help but wonder what the fuck she bought for herself.

    There¡¯s a timid knock on my office door, and I hit a button to unlock it. Verona opens the door and stands in the doorway, looking shy and innocent. The monster in me rears its ugly head, wanting to pounce on her and force answers out of her. I want to know why she was gone for so long today if she only spent forty dors on a single thing.

    The bag is in her hand. I don¡¯t recognize the logo, but there are a lot of stores in the mall that I¡¯ve never been in before.

    ¡°Are you busy?¡± she asks softly.

    ¡°No,¡± I snap, causing her to wince at my tone. My frustration is getting the better of me, and so I try to calm down a little before telling her, ¡°Come in.¡±

    She walks forward until she reaches my desk, and then she ces the bag in front of me. ¡°Here,¡± she says.

    I cock a brow at her. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡±

    ¡°A gift?¡± I ask, confused. ¡°A gift for who?¡± I demand.

    ¡°For you,¡± she says with a grin.

    Oh, so I¡¯m amusing her. That¡¯s just great. I stare down at the bag, a frown on my face. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You have to open it to find out,¡± she says, her grin widening.

    This whole situation is hrious to her, but I¡¯m finding it hard to see the humor in it all. She spent forty dors¡­on me? That just doesn¡¯t make sense. She had a card with an unspeakable line of credit on it, and she used it on a purchase for me. What the fuck game is she ying at?

    ¡°I told you to buy yourself something,¡± I tell her, my voiceced with anger.

    She lifts her chin a little in defiance. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything I liked,¡± she says, but I don¡¯t believe her. There are a lot of high-end stores in that mall and surrounding areas. I don¡¯t believe that she couldn¡¯t find at least one thing that she wanted or needed. Most women would have bought one of everything in the mall and not even blinked an eye.

    ¡°Open it,¡± she prompts, shifting her weight from one foot to the next. She¡¯s nervous. Maybe she¡¯s afraid I won¡¯t like what she bought me?

    ¡°Fine,¡± I scoff, grabbing the bag. I pull out the box inside and toss the bag aside. I read the front of the box out loud, ¡°Zen Garden.¡±

    A bright smile is on her face as she nods

    enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a stress reliever.¡±

    ¡°You bought me¡­a Zen Garden.¡± I shake my head, not even knowing what to say.

    A frown mars her pretty face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought -.¡±

    ¡°You thought what, Verona? You thought I would like to rake sand all day while I have more important things to do with my life?¡±

    Tears form in her honey-colored eyes. ¡°You could have just said thank you. That¡¯s what normal people do!¡± she shouts before turning and storming out of my office.

    Pissed off, I stare down at the box. I scoop it up, ready to throw it in the trash, but I stop myself at thest second. Verona bought this for me. She wanted me to have this. She thought I would like it, I suppose. I think maybe deep down I just hate the fact that she thinks she has me all figured out when I can¡¯t even seem to figure her out one bit.

    I always prided myself on the ability to read people. First impressions are important, and most of the time my life depends on me being able to sense what a person¡¯s true intentions are within the first few seconds of meeting them.

    But when ites to Verona, I just can¡¯t make sense of it all. And believe me, I have tried.

    There¡¯s a missing piece of the puzzle when ites to her. And just when I think I have thest piece I need, I realize it doesn¡¯t fit and that I have to start the whole thing all over again. It¡¯s infuriating, to say the least.

    I want to understand her. I want to know what makes her tick. And ultimately, I want to use it against her.

    I¡¯ve always known my biggest foes greatest weaknesses and then used that knowledge in the best most possible way against them.

    Could it be that I¡¯ve been wrong about Verona this whole time?

    No, I tell myself. Impossible. I¡¯m never wrong about anyone.

    But in the back of my mind I can¡¯t help but think that there¡¯s always a first time for everything.

 26

    Luca

    HE NEXT DAY, Benito walks into my office and stops dead in his tracks. ¡°What in the hell is that?¡± he asks.

    ¡°A Zen Garden,¡± I muse. The gift is in the center of my desk. Hell, I even moved myptop to the side so that I could have more room for it.

    T

    ¡°Where the hell did you get it?¡±

    ¡°Verona bought it for me.¡± I never thought in a million years a Zen Garden would make me fucking happy or content, and yet here we are. I have been working on this thing for over two hours now. I started with unpacking the box. Included were several different styles of rakes and miniature Japanese ceramic figurines, along with rocks, moss, and cherry blossom trees.

    I raked different patterns in the sand while I was on a phone call with one of my IT guys, and it helped to keep me calm when I learned that Constantine was nning on taking over some new territory on the west side of the city to help with his human trafficking ring. My IT guy was so surprised at my subdued reaction that he actually asked me if I was having a stroke since I had been quiet for so long.

    After I was done raking, I set up the miniatures and arranged the trees, rocks and moss.

    Benito walks up to my desk and studies the garden. ¡°That¡¯s actually kind of¡­nice,¡± he says. He picks up a rake and starts raking through the perfect pattern I had already created, messing it up.

    I frown at him and snatch the rake from his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll get you one for Christmas,¡± I snap at him.

    ¡°So, Verona bought you this on her shopping trip yesterday?¡± he says, his lips tilting up in a grin.

    ¡°Yes. And that¡¯s the only thing she bought.¡± I checked the credit card statement again this morning, and no other charges could be found to my dismay. I so wanted to be right about her, and once again she threw me for a fucking loop.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Maybe she isn¡¯t the spoiled princess you thought she was,¡± he suggests.

    ¡°I¡¯m never wrong about people,¡± I tell him.

    He nods in agreement. ¡°This is true. But you¡¯re never wrong about your enemies. Verona isn¡¯t your enemy.¡± ¡°Yes, she is,¡± I say pointedly.

    ¡°She may be the daughter of your enemy, but she did nothing wrong. She¡¯s innocent in all of this, Luca,¡± Benito says. ¡°Just like your mother was innocent.¡±

    His words infuriate me. ¡°Whose side are you on anyway?¡± I snap.

    ¡°Yours. Always yours. I¡¯m just trying to open your eyes to new possibilities.¡±

    ¡°Verona isn¡¯t special. She isn¡¯t unique. I just have to figure out why she¡¯s trying to y me for a fool.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she isn¡¯t trying to y you at all,¡± Benito suggests.

    ¡°Just get the fuck out,¡± I tell him. I¡¯m done listening to him for the day.

    ¡°You just want me to leave so you can get back to work on your Zen Garden,¡± he says with a chuckle.

    ¡°Leave!¡± I yell.

    I can hear his big assughing the whole way down the hallway after he walks out of my office.

    Luca

    W

    E ARE ALL gathered in the dining room for a familystyle dinner¡­even though I would call us anything but family. Maybe a mixture of misfits ¨C Dante, Benito, Verona and me.

    Gretaes bustling through the door, a pleased look on her face when she sees everyone already seated. She had insisted on this type of dinner after ¡°all of her hard work in the kitchen¡±, as she put it earlier.

    And even though I¡¯d rather dine with a live, venomous python than be in the same room as Dante having a family meal, I¡¯m willing to put my hatred for him aside for Greta¡¯s sake. Just this once anyway.

    Greta started working for me a few days ago, and I can already tell she¡¯s extremely happy about having to cook for people again. She orders the servers around in Italian, and soon we all have in front of us a heaping serving ofsagna on our tes that just came out of the oven, homemade garlic bread and a caprese sd on the side with fresh mozzare cheese.

    ¡°Everything looks delicious, Greta. Grazie,¡± I tell her, which earns me a beaming smile that she wears the whole way back to the kitchen.

    Verona, who is seated to my right, hums in approval as she takes a bite of her sd.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Yes, very much,¡± she says before forking another piece of lettuce into her mouth.

    Leave it to Greta to finally get approval from the princess. I don¡¯t think anything has been good enough for her since she arrived here.

    Benito speaks up from my left. ¡°So, Verona, what did you do after high school? College?¡±

    I know he¡¯s just making small talk, but it irritates me. I don¡¯t want to hear about her posh lifestyle. I never had a chance to go to college, since running the family business always falls on the eldest son¡¯s shoulders. And with me being the only child, everything was ced on mine.

    Verona takes her time wiping her mouth with one of the linen napkins and taking a sip of water before she answers him.

    This should be good, I can¡¯t help but think. She probably went to one of the most expensive colleges in the country. The best daddy¡¯s money could buy. I wonder what kind of degree she got. Probably one that she would never use. Or maybe she was undecided the whole time, just riding out the college life for a while and living it up on daddy¡¯s dime.

    ¡°After boarding school, I went to live with a great aunt upstate,¡± she says,pletely blowing my theory out of the water.

    ¡°Boarding school?¡± I blurt out without thinking.

    She gives me a small nod. ¡°Not long after my mother died, my father sent me away to an all-girls boarding school in Utah.¡±

    ¡°So this private school,¡± I start, but she doesn¡¯t let me finish.

    ¡°Actually it was a boarding school for troubled girls, so it was kind of rough at times.¡± And then she quietly adds, ¡°I was bullied quite a lot.¡±

    Dante looks over at her with a sad, understanding smile, and I frown. Once again, Dante knows more than me, and it pisses me off to no end.

    ¡°And you were there for how long?¡± I question, curiosity seeping through my pores.

    ¡°Until I turned eighteen.¡± She picks up her fork and tries thesagna. She chews slowly, closes her eyes and then rolls them to the heavens above. ¡°Greta is an amazing cook. How did she not make you fat when you were a teenager?¡± she jokes, but I know it¡¯s simply an attempt to change the subject.

    I want tough, but I¡¯m still in shock at the revtionsid out before me this evening. ¡°I ran five miles every night after dinner,¡± I tell her in all seriousness. I leave out the part where that was part of my brutal regimen ced upon me by my father. Five miles first thing in the morning, another five miles at night, training in between. It was grueling and never-ending, but my father wanted to make sure I was ready for war.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Verona whispers before returning to her meal.

    I nce at Benito, who raises a brow at me. He¡¯s wondering what the fuck I¡¯m getting on about, but I can¡¯t even exin it to myself. All this time I was¡­wrong about Verona. And I¡¯m never wrong. Right from the start I pegged her as a spoiled, rich, little princess. Nothing was ever good enough for her. When, in fact, she isn¡¯t spoiled at all. Her father sent her away after her mother died. So for years, she suffered in a boarding school states away from the only fami y she had left. She was all alone. That exins the att chment to her mother¡¯s dress. Hell, it exins a lot actually.

    And once again, I feel like we have more inmon than I ever thought we could. After my mother died, I felt like I had no one. Hell, Greta was the only one who acted like she gave a shit, and she was hired help. My father definitely wasn¡¯t around to be a parent. He put all of his time and effort into the mob¡¯s dealings and trying to bring down the Morettis.

    Verona asks, ¡°Is everything all right?¡±

    I realize I¡¯ve been staring at her and not speaking. ¡°Your great aunt,¡± I say before clearing my throat. ¡°She was rich?¡±

    Verona narrows her eyes at my question. ¡°Yes, she had money, I suppose. Not that I ever saw a dime of it. She could stretch a dor farther than anyone with the amount of thrift shopping we did over the years I lived with her. I don¡¯t think she ever stepped foot inside a store that didn¡¯t have dor or resale in the title.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she ever paid full price for anything in her entire life,¡± Dante pipes up.

    The puzzle pieces slowly start to click into ce in mind. The suitcase full of ¡°rags¡±, as I called them. They were her only possessions. Verona was never spoiled. No one ever treated her like a princess. No, she fought to survive, having been bullied most of her life and dealing with the death of her mother in secret.

    When I think about the way I¡¯ve continued to bully her¡­ throwing her things away¡­treating her like shit, like she¡¯s less than me¡­

    Suddenly, I¡¯ve lost my appetite. I pull my phone out of my pocket and nce at it before I lie to everyone and tell them, ¡°I need to take this.¡± Then, I stand and walk quickly out of the roo .

    Tucking the phone back in my pocket, I pace the hallway, listening to Verona¡¯s melodic voice drifting out of the dining room. Greta hase back in, and Verona is praising her cooking.

    Why didn¡¯t I see this sweet, innocent side of my wife before now?

    Because you didn¡¯t want to see it.

    I had made up my mind that she was a certain way, and I couldn¡¯t see the forest for the trees.

    Just hearing her voice makes me feel even worse, so I retreat into my office and lock myself away.

    It¡¯s a half an hourter when Benitoes in. ¡°Something wrong?¡± he asks. ¡°You didn¡¯t finish dinner. Who was on the phone?¡±

    ¡°No one was on the phone,¡± I tell him with a sigh. ¡°I faked the phone call to get the hell out of the room.¡±

    Benito is quiet for a while as he tries to figure out why I¡¯m acting so bizarre.

    ¡°She¡¯s not spoiled,¡± I say, which causes him to look even more confused. I shake my head and tell him, ¡°I thought Verona was some rich, spoiled, little princess. Nothing was ever good enough for her. She never had to run a dishwasher or lift a hand in the kitchen; hence, why she covered mine in bubbles.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you were wrong about her,¡± Benito concludes. ¡°And you¡¯re just now finding out about all of this. Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I had a predisposed idea of her in my head, and I was too fucking stubborn to let go of it,¡± I confess.

    ¡°Because I wanted to hate her,¡± I add. Benito nods. ¡°So now you know the truth.¡± ¡°And what the hell do I do with it?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Start over,¡± he suggests.

    ¡°Start over?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s ot toote. You can make amends with your wife.¡±

    But is it too l te? Verona has told me before that she hates me. With good reason. I know that now. But I don¡¯t know if I can just start over with her. How do I make amends?

    ¡°Buy her a gift,¡± Benito suggests. ¡°Women love new things, like jewelry.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°Verona isn¡¯t like most women.¡± I smile at that realization. My wife isn¡¯t into pretty, shiny toys. No, she¡¯s into sentimental things. And I think I have the perfect idea. ¡°Get out,¡± I tell him abruptly.

    Benito doesn¡¯t even question me. He simply walks out of my office, leaving me alone to my thoughts and the crazy n swimming in my head.

 27

    Verona

    A

    FTER THE NIGHT that Luca suddenly left dinner, I didn¡¯t see him again for a couple of days. I have no idea who was on the other end of that phone call, but I hope it¡¯s nothing serious. And I hope it¡¯s not him plotting revenge against my father, you know, the usual Vitale thing to do.

    It¡¯ste in the evening when Benito informs me dinner will be served outside tonight. Confused, I try to ask him questions, but he walks away before I can get any answers.

    I can¡¯t help but get excited about eating outside, though. The property is massive, so hopefully we¡¯ll be in a ce where we¡¯ll be able to see all the stars. I¡¯ve missed staring up at the night sky, which was an almost nightly ritual for me before I married Luca.

    After I shower and get dressed for dinner in a simple navy-blue dress and matching heels, I bump into Dante in the hallway on the way to his room. ¡°Are you changing for dinner?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°I already ate,¡± he says with a furrowed brow.

    ¡°Oh.¡± I just ssumed the four of us would be dining again, but no matter. It must just be Benito, Luca and me. I know Luca can¡¯t stand to be alone with me in the same room for very long, so he¡¯ll use Benito and whoever else as a buffer so that he can tolerate me during the meal.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed early. Goodnight, V,¡± Dante tells me before leaning in and kissing my cheek.

    I¡¯m taken aback by the gesture, but it makes me smile. ¡°Goodnight,¡± I call after him before I make my descent down the stairs.

    Sure enough, Benito is waiting for me. ¡°Shall we?¡± he asks, extending his arm like a gentleman.

    ¡°We shall,¡± I say with a giggle.

    Benito leads me outside the patio, and I hold his arm a little tighter than necessary as we walk past the swimming pool.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you fall in,¡± Benito reassures me in a whisper.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Luca didn¡¯t want to dine in the water tonight as a cruel joke on me,¡± I tell him with a huff.

    Benito is quiet for several steps before he says, ¡°Be patient with him, Verona. Everything will work out in the end. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    I¡¯m about to ask him what he means by that; but then we round the corner, and I stop dead in my tracks.

    The backyard has been transformed into some magical ce with fairy lights, a small, white tent with a table and two chairs. I¡¯m in awe as Benito pulls me forward, and it almost feels like I¡¯m floating to the most serene ce in the world.

    There¡¯s even a nket with pillowsid out in the grass, and I am practically bursting with excitement. ¡°Benny, did you do all of this?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°No. He did,¡± he says, gesturing to the tent.

    And that¡¯s when Luca steps out, looking brutally handsome in a ck tailored suit. He¡¯s sans tie, and the buttons at the top of his ck button-up shirt are undone. He looks like he just stepped out of the cover of GQ magazine, and I can¡¯t help but admit that my husband looks hot.

    Benito carefully drops my arm and walks away, leaving Luca and I alone. My hands fidget at my sides. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m so incredibly nervous all of a sudden.

    Luca motions to the table and chairs. ¡°Please. Sit,¡± he says.

    He pulls out a chair for me; and when I¡¯m seated, he slides me in closer to the table. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whisper to him.

    I watch his every move as he goes to the other side and takes a seat across from me. I look around the gauze tent, which is decorated with more fairy lights than I¡¯ve ever seen in my entire life.

    ¡°Benny said you did this,¡± I say, my eyes darting around before finallynding on Luca. ¡°When did you do this?¡±

    ¡°Today.¡± He nces around and grimaces before confessing, ¡°Took a long time too.¡±

    ¡°I bet.¡± Even though I want to let my guard down around Luca, I know I can¡¯t. This could just be another ploy to get me to trust him. I think back to the party, in the back of the car¡­when he tricked me into saying all those things so that Dante could hear them. Nothing Luca ever does is out of the kindness of his heart, so what does this grand gesture mean for me? He must want something big in return.

    Before I can question him, a few members of the kitchen staffe out with our entrees. When they lift the silver lids, I¡¯m expecting some fancy Italian dish. But I¡¯m shocked when I see¡­a cheeseburger and French fries?

    Iugh out loud at the sight. ¡°What¡­¡± I can¡¯t even finish my sentence. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a burger in so long,¡± I say, my mouth watering at the sight.

    ¡°I thought we could try something different tonight,¡± he offers.

    I don¡¯t even wait for him to start. Instead, I pick up that big, juicy burger and bite into it. It¡¯s cooked to perfection and topped with all of my favorite things ¨C lettuce, pickles, tomato and the perfectbo of mayonnaise and ketchup.

    After I¡¯m done chewing my first bite, I ask him, ¡°How did you know I would like this?¡±

    ¡°It was just a hunch. After you told me you didn¡¯t really grow up around here, I figured burger and fries would be your go-to meal.¡±

    I nod in agreement. Whenever I was feeling down about stuff, I would always go to the nearest burger joint and indulge. It was only ever a temporary fix; but while I was eating, I could just pretend that everything was¡­normal.

    I watch in amusement as Luca rolls up his suit sleeves and grabs his burger. He takes a hearty bite, the juices running down his stubbled chin as he chews. He¡¯s quick to grab a napkin and wipe his face, and the smile he gives me when he sees me watching is breathtaking. He looks so boyish and carefree. I would never assume that the man sitting across from me is a dangerous mafia boss.

    No, right now it feels like we¡¯re on a date. A real date. Just two people getting to know each other without a care in the world.

    The fries are fresh cut, salty and oh so good. I shovel a couple in my mouth after dipping them in ketchup, of course. ¡°I¡¯m assuming Greta didn¡¯t cook this?¡± I ask.

    Amusement crinkles the corners of his eyes when he shakes his head. ¡°No, I had one of the other cooks prepare this. Greta was upset with me when I told her we didn¡¯t want her pasta carbonara tonight.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she can make it for us tomorrow,¡± I tell him with a shy grin.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he agrees.

    We eat our cheeseburgers and fries in silence for a while. I¡¯m actually enjoying Luca¡¯spany tonight. He doesn¡¯t seem so¡­tense and overbearing. Usually he has this aura around him that¡¯s so unapproachable. But tonight, everything feels different. I still don¡¯t know what to make of it all, though. My guard is definitely still up, because I¡¯ve been tricked before by my husband.

    After we¡¯re done eating, the staff brings out a mint chocte cake, my favorite. My eyes bounce up to meet

    Luca¡¯s. ¡°How did you know?¡± He shrugs with a smile.

    ¡°Dante told you, didn¡¯t he?¡± I ask.

    Instantly, the smile on Luca¡¯s face turns into a frown. ¡°No,¡± he says, his eyes narrowing. ¡°Actually you chose that cake the first time we had a meal together.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± I shrug off his reaction to me mentioning Dante¡¯s name and dig into the cake. I savor every bite, even licking the fork clean after I¡¯m done. ¡°That was delicious.¡±

    Luca barely touched his cake, but he doesn¡¯t seem put off by it. It¡¯s almost like he wants me to be happy tonight, for some odd reason. I just wish I could figure him out.

    After the tes are cleared from the table, I¡¯m sipping on a very expensive red wine when Luca picks up something from underneath the table and ces it near me on the white tablecloth. I stare at the wrapped gift in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± I ask, feeling skeptical already.

    ¡°I wanted to give you something,¡± he says before clearing his throat. ¡°I haven¡¯t exactly treated you fairly since you arrived here, and I¡¯m hoping to make amends.¡± His eyes shift to mine before he adds, ¡°Starting tonight.¡±

    The present is wrapped beautifully in white paper and teal ribbon. I carefully remove the ribbon and open the lid. My brows furrow when I inspect the contents of the box.

    It¡¯s some kind of photo album.

    Curious, I pull out the album and open it to the first page. It¡¯s a beautiful ck and white photograph of Luca and I standing at the altar in the church on the day we were married. Our eyes are locked in some kind of weird trance. I think it might have been the first moment I looked at him. The expression in our faces is a mixture of curiosity and amazement. The photographer captured it perfectly, and I¡¯m taken aback by the raw maism we felt in that moment together without even realizing it.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice the photographer,¡± I admit to him in a soft tone. I was so disheveled and nervous that day that I wasn¡¯t able to focus on anything other than the fact that I needed to walk down that aisle and marry a total stranger.

    I flip through the next few pages. There are more pictures of the wedding, people in attendance, and my father walking me down the aisle, which makes tears well up in my eyes. There are even candid photos of the back of my dress and veil and my bouquet.

    ¡°Wow,¡± I gasp when I stare at all the photos in awe.

    ¡°This is amazing,¡± I tell Luca.

    ¡°You like it?¡±

    I look up to meet his eyes, and I can see the trepidation in his expression. He really wants me to like this. ¡°Did you¡­did you put this album together yourself?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he says with a nod. ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asks again.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t like it.¡± I can see his expression fall right before I tell him, ¡°I absolutely love it.¡±

    His lips stretch into a grin, and I can¡¯t help but smile back. Flipping back to the beginning, I look at the photographs all over again, one by one. I¡¯m so enamored by the album that I don¡¯t even realize Luca left the table until I hear him calling my name from somewhere nearby.

    I nce over to where his voice came from, and I see that he¡¯s lying on the nket in the grass that I spotted earlier. His suit jacket is now gone, and his ck button-up shirt sleeves are rolled up, showcasing his muscr forearms and tattoos.

    I gently set the photo album down on the table, and I slip out of my high heels before sinking my bare feet into the cool grass. I walk over to him and stare down at him, switching from foot to foot nervously.

    Luca pats the nket beside him with a warm smile on his face. I only hesitate a second longer before I sink down to my knees and lie beside him on the nket.

    ¡°Give me one sec,¡± he tells me before pushing a button on a remote. The fairy lights suddenly turn off, and then we¡¯re surrounded by darkness. ¡°Now¡­look up,¡± he whispers from beside me.

    And when I look up to the night sky, I gasp in awe at the millions of stars in the sky.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 28

    Luca

    ¡°A ND THAT¡¯S URSA Minor right there, or the Little

    Dipper,¡± Verona babbles away from beside me on the nket.

    I¡¯ve been smiling for what feels like an hour or more since she started excitedly pointing out every constetion in the sky. I had a strong feeling that stars would be her thing, because I knew what kind of books she was reading in our library. When I went inte one night, she was asleep and curled up with book about constetions, the universe, and aliens, of all things.

    My wife is a space nut. And I kind of like it.

    ¡°Show me more,¡± I tell her. I could listen to her talk about stars all night long.

    She points to another constetion. ¡°That¡¯s Perseus, the hero. He rescued Andromeda, the princess. And she is right there,¡± she says, pointing to a nearby cluster of stars.

    ¡°So they are together forever,¡± I say, turning my head to look at her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she says with a smile.

    ¡°You know a lot about stars,¡± I remark.

    She¡¯s quiet for several seconds before she finally speaks. ¡°Well, when I was at boarding school, I would sneak out at night and go lie in the grass behind the buildings. I always thought that maybe my mom was up there somewhere, looking back down at me.¡± Her eyes get ssy as she stares up at the sky. ¡°I missed her so much. It was the only way I could feel close to her.¡±

    I hate that she had to go through so much alone at such a young age. I was a little older when my mother died, but it was still rough. At least I had people, like Greta, making an effort at trying to get me out of my depressed funk. Verona had no one. She relied on the stars to make her feel better. No wonder she¡¯s so obsessed with stars and the universe. She wanted to believe in something, feel something.

    It¡¯s scary how much we have inmon.

    My hand reaches for hers. Her skin is cool, a much lower temperature than mine, and it feels so fragile and delicate in mine. I intertwine our fingers, and I love how soft her skin is against mine.

    ¡°Luca?¡± she whispers.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I whisper back.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±

    Her question catches me off-guard. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The dinner, this, all of this. What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    I release her hand and sit up slowly, staring down at her. ¡°Why does there have to be a catch?¡± I ask, my eyes narrowing.

    ¡°Because there always is with you,¡± she says, sitting up.

    She doesn¡¯t trust me. She thinks I¡¯m doing this with ill intentions. And that pisses me off. Reaching for the remote, I turn the fairy lights back on and stand. ¡°I just wanted to have a nice evening with you, Verona. Is that so hard to ask for?¡±

    Fuming, I storm into the house. I worked so damn hard to make amends with her, and she just ruined it all with a few words.

    By the time I¡¯m in my bedroom, I¡¯m regretting even doing anything nice for her. Fuck, I shouldn¡¯t have listened to Benito.

    Start over, he had said.

    Start over?

    Maybe we can¡¯t start over. We had such a rough fucking start to this marriage. Maybe there is no saving it. And I don¡¯t know why the fuck I thought I could try.

    Verona

    W

    HEN LUCA TURNED on the fairy lights, I could see the hurt in his eyes before he stormed off towards the house. I sit there for a long time, thinking over every single detail of what happened tonight. Luca has always been like a snake curled up in the corner of the room, just waiting to strike. I was waiting for the strike. But I guess this time it was never actuallying.

    He did this¡­all of this¡­for me. Like maybe he truly wanted to make amends. I don¡¯t know why now, all of a sudden, but does that really matter? He was trying. And that¡¯s better than I can say for myself.

    I grab the photo album from the table and my heels I discarded in the grass and rush into the house. I drop my things down near the door and make my way upstairs. I see light under his bedroom door on the way to mine, so I stop and knock gently.

    The door opens, and my breath catches in the back of my throat. My eyes slowly peruse him. Luca changed out of his suit, and now he¡¯s only wearing a pair of light gray sweatpants, which are hanging dangerously low on his hips, showcasing a perfect V. His broad, muscled chest and abs look like they were carved out of stone, belonging to some Greek god, and his arms are covered in sleeve tattoos going clear down to his fingers. The ink is ck and white and violently beautiful, just like him.

    My brain stutters for a few seconds before I finally blurt out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    He takes a step towards me, leans down and whispers into my ear, ¡°Like I told you before, Verona, if youe to my room in the middle of the night, it better be because you either want to sit on my face or get on your knees.¡± When he pulls back, I see a glint of amusement in his gray eyes. ¡°So which is it?¡±

    I take a step back from him.

    He cocks a brow before taking a step towards me. ¡°If you run, I¡¯ll just chase you, Verona.¡±

    My heartbeat picks up speed at his words. And suddenly, I want him to chase me. I want to feel like the prey to this predator. Turning, I run down the hall to my bedroom and burst through the door with Luca right on my heels.

    I squeal in surprise when he tackles me onto the bed. I twist in his hold until I¡¯m on my back looking up at him and he¡¯s straddling my hips. One of hisrge hands has my wrists pinned to the bed above my head. I struggle, but it¡¯s no use.

    Leaning down, he licks the side of my neck. When he stops at my ear, he whispers, ¡°I like when you fight me, honey.¡±

    I practically melt when he uses the term of endearment with me. He¡¯s never called me anything like that before.

    ¡°Honey?¡± I question.

    ¡°Mmhmm. Honey, like the color of your eyes. Sweet, like your scent that drives me fucking crazy.¡±

    His lips trail kisses from my ear to my mouth, and then he¡¯s devouring me. His tongue presses against my lips, demanding entry, and I let him. His tongue sweeps inside, tangling with mine. And by the time he pulls away, I¡¯m a quivering mess.

    ¡°Take off your dress, honey,¡± he tells me, sitting back on his heels.

    I climb off the bed and pull the dress up and over my head, throwing it to the floor. Shyly, I try to cover my matching navy-blue bra and thong with my hands, but Luca shakes his head.

    ¡°I want to see you. All of you.¡±

    I swallow hard, my nerves getting the best of me. Slowly, I unhook my bra, and soon it joins my dress on the floor. My hands are shaking as I remove my thong. I¡¯ve never been naked in front of a man before, and I never knew how nervous it would make me.

    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re beautiful,¡± Luca whispers. He pulls down the waistband of his sweatpants, and his cock bobs free. My eyes widen at the sight of it as he begins to stroke it. ¡°See how hard you make me, honey?¡±

    I can¡¯t look away as he fists his cock, stroking the length over and over again with hisrge hand.

    ¡°Get on the bed. I want to taste every inch of you,¡± he says before tucking his cock back into his sweats.

    I lie down on the mattress. And when I try to cover myself again, Luca frowns. ¡°Keep your hands above you. Hold on to the headboard,¡± he instructs.

    My breathing is unsteady as I do as he says. I grip onto the metal frame, holding on for dear life. I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. I never knew who my first would be, but I never in a million years thought it would be Luca Vitale. And I can¡¯t help the fact that I¡¯m scared out of my mind. What if he isn¡¯t gentle? What if he hurts me?

    Squeezing my eyes shut, effectively blocking out the world, I give in to the rest of my senses to guide me through this.

    Luca leans over me, trailing his lips, mouth and tongue from my neck, down my jawline, to my chest and then my breasts. The heat radiating from his body is only fueling the fire stirring deep inside of me.

    He kisses the side of my right breast gently, trailing his lips over my heated skin. Then, I feel his mouth on my nipple before he bites. Hard.

    I cry out in surprise, and then I hear his soft chuckle.

    He gives the same treatment to my other nipple until they¡¯re both aching and hard to the point of being almost painful. His lips move to my mouth while he kneads my breasts softly, running his calloused thumbs over my sensitive, pebbled nipples.

    I groan into his mouth as he devours me, shoving his tongue inside and tasting me. And, oh, yes, I want more of him. So much more.

    Luca pulls away, and my eyes snap open to watch him moving down between my legs. He gently parts my thighs and ces a trail of kisses from my knee to my inner thigh. I¡¯m shaking with anticipation when he leans down and ces a kiss on my mound.

    ¡°You have the prettiest little cunt,¡± he says, his filthy words setting me on fire. I wriggle under him, unable to control myself. I want his mouth on me again. I want to feel that undiluted pleasure that only he can give me.

    His fingertip strokes the outside of my lips, teasing me. ¡°Tell me what you want, honey. I want to hear the wordsing from your naughty mouth.¡± ¡°Please,¡± I beg.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± he demands, teasing me relentlessly. His fingers are so close to where I need them to be. So close. ¡°Tell me what you want.¡±

    ¡°Touch me, lick me, fuck me,¡± I cry out, my words running together.

    He chuckles darkly. ¡°In that order?¡± Hi fingertip grazes my clit, and the sensation makes me groan out loud. ¡°I think that can be arranged.¡±

    He spreads my lips and touches me so gently and softly that he¡¯s driving me insane. I¡¯m practically climbing the wall with madness when I cry out, ¡°Luca, please, I need your mouth on me!¡±

    His fingers disappear, and they are instantly reced with his tongue. I bite my lip to hold back a scream as he devours me between my legs. Oh god, it feels so good. I grip the bars of the metal headboard until my arms ache as I hold on for dear life.

    ¡°Fuck, you taste sweet like honey too,¡± he remarks, drawing my attention to him. His tongue darts out of his mouth to lick his lower lip before he uses that devilish weapon on me again.

    I¡¯m a trembling mess as he sweeps his tongue over my clit again and again. My head shakes back and forth from the insane amount of pleasure building in my body.

    ¡°I want you toe for me, Verona,¡± Luca says from between my thighs.

    My frantic cries escte as he begins working his tongue over my clit again. Unable to hold back any longer, I suddenly shatter around his mouth, crying out his name.

    I go limp on the bed, my hands releasing the metal bedframe and falling beside me. My limbs feel like they¡¯re made of Jell-O, and I don¡¯t think I could move even if I wanted to.

    I watch as Luca leaves the bed. He bends down to strip off his sweatpants and then stands up. My breath catches in my throat at the sight of his thick and long cock hanging between his muscr thighs.

    Luca strokes himself once, twice, as he climbs onto the bed between my legs. nting a hand beside my head, he leans down. ¡°I touched you,¡± he says, nting a kiss to my left breast. ¡°I licked you,¡± he tells me, moving to my right breast to ce another kiss. ¡°And there¡¯ only one thing left for us to do, honey.¡±

    He stares at me, waiting for me to say it. ¡°Fuck,¡± I say, the curse sounding foreigning from my mouth.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he agrees with a smirk.

    My body is vibrating with anticipation and lust under him as he positions himself between my thighs. He lines up his cock and then enters me in one, long stroke. I cry out when he tears through my virginity, the pain and pleasure both incredible at the same time.

    Luca suddenly stills above me, and the only sound in the room is my rapid breathing. I swear I can hear our heartbeats it¡¯s so quiet.

    Reluctantly, I look up at him, and he¡¯s staring at me with an unreadable look on his face. ¡°You¡¯re a virgin,¡± he whispers. When I nod, he curses under his breath. ¡°You should have told me,¡± he hisses.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± I answer nervously.

    ¡°What have you done with your previous boyfriends?¡± he demands.

    ¡°I-I-I never had a boyfriend. You were my first kiss. You¡¯ve been my first¡­everything,¡± I admit, my face burning with embarrassment.

    His brows dip in confusion as he slowly absorbs my words. And then his mouth is suddenly crashing down on mine, taking me roughly, possessively as his hips start to move. I cry out, and he swallows down my moans as his huge cock gently rocks in and out of me.

    Suddenly, he pulls back, his gray eyes dark from his blown pupils. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he tells me vehemently.

    ¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± I whisper in agreement.

    ¡°Only mine.¡± His thumb traces over my bottom lip, and he watches the movement before his eyes meet mine again.

    ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Only yours.¡±

    And then his lips are back on mine, hi tongue shoving its way past my lips, iming me andpletely devouring me. His hips piston frantically as he picks up the pace, and my nails dig into his shoulders as the pleasure starts to build up inside of me, driving me crazy with desire. He feels impossibly thick inside me, and I groan as he stretches me.

    ¡°Luca!¡± I cry out as I detonate around him, my inner walls spasming and clenching him so hard that it causes him to curse.

    He kisses my lips, my face, my neck, my chest as Ie apart beneath him, the torturous rhythm of his hips causing an endless wave of pleasure to wrack my body.

    ¡°Verona,¡± he whispers in awe as he stares down at me. He fucks me slowly and deeply, chasing his release. He ms into me one final time before he quickly pulls out. His gray eyes flutter shut as he gives in to his own pleasure, his warm seed spilling out over my stomach and pussy.

    Rolling onto the bed beside me, he copses against the mattress. ¡°Holy fuck,¡± he hisses. ¡°That was¡­¡± His voice trails off, unable to find the right words for what just happened between us.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I agree with a giggle. I knew sex with Luca would be good, but I didn¡¯t expect the pleasure to be that mind-blowing. My limbs feel heavy, like I wouldn¡¯t be able to move even if I wanted to. I feel like I ran a marathon, and I don¡¯t know why, but I feel deliriously happy in that moment.

    My happiness is short-lived, however, when I feel Luca¡¯s weight shift in the bed as he gets up and walks away. Tears fill my eyes as I realize he¡¯s not going to stay the night in my bed. I mean¡­why would he? I don¡¯t know why I expected to be cuddled after sex. That¡¯s not who Luca is.

    Suddenly, I feel something warm and wet between my legs as the bed dips beside me, and I gasp before I realize it¡¯s Luca.

    ¡°Let me clean you up,¡± he whispers soothingly to me.

    I watch as he gently rubs a warm washcloth between my legs and over my stomach. ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmur.

    After he¡¯s done, he takes the washcloth to the bathroom, turns off the light andes back to bed, surprising me when he crawls in and pulls me to his chest.

    I close my eyes, listening to his heartbeat as it lulls me into a deep sleep.

    I don¡¯t get much sleep that night; however, because several times Luca wakes me up by entering me or licking my pussy until I¡¯ming so hard I see stars.

    It feels like a dream, but I swear I hear him tell me, ¡°I¡¯ll never get enough of you,¡± before I finally pass out fromplete and utter exhaustion.

 29

    Luca

    T

    HE NEXT MORNING, I wake up with Verona curled up in my arms. I¡¯ve never slept with a woman in the same bed before, so at first I¡¯m confused and disoriented by her warmth enveloping me. I stare down at the top of her head and study her beautiful face and the way her long, darkshes are fanned out over her cheeks.

    God, she¡¯s beautiful, I think to myself.

    Something changed between the two of usst night. To know that I¡¯m her first for everything, that she trusted me enough to give up her virginity makes me feel¡­I don¡¯t know¡­protective of her. And it¡¯s more than just a possessive feeling like I don¡¯t want anyone else to y with my toy. No, I want to protect her in a way that makes me want to kill anyone for looking at her the wrong way.

    Sure, I still view her father as my enemy. But just like Benito told me the other night, Verona is innocent, just like my mother was. I need to stop taking my anger out on people who don¡¯t deserve it. And Verona definitely doesn¡¯t deserve that.

    I pull her closer to me and kiss the top of her head. She doesn¡¯t even stir. No, she¡¯s fucking exhausted. And she has good reason to be. I couldn¡¯t get enough of herst night. I would wake up with my cock aching for her or my tongue watering for a taste of her. I devoured her pussy too many times to count. And the way I was able to just wring orgasm after orgasm out of her made me feel like a powerful sorcerer. She came for me on mymand. Only me.

    I pull her impossibly closer, my cock longing to be inside of her again even though I had her several timesst night. I know I need to give her a break today. I have no doubt that she¡¯ll be sore when she wakes up.

    But as soon as she¡¯s ready, I¡¯ll have her again and again and again. Last night wasn¡¯t enough to quench my thirst. I¡¯m practically starving for her.

    Reluctantly, I roll her over to the other side of the bed and slowly crawl out. I stare around the bedroom. It¡¯s opulent; there¡¯s no doubt about that. But it¡¯s time for a change. Knowing that she¡¯s in here all alone every night is no longer an option for me. I need her close. Having her in my armsst night and waking up with her in them this morning was an indescribable feeling, and I need to experience it more than once.

    I dress quickly and fish my cell phone out of my pocket, texting Benito some instructions. And then, after looking longingly back at Verona onest time, I return to my room for a much-needed shower. Even though I would love to, I can¡¯t stay in bed with her all day long, ravishing her. She needs a break from me even though I know I won¡¯t be able to give her much of one.

    Verona

    I

    WAKE UP the next morning¡­or afternoon? The sun streaming through the windows makes me think that it¡¯s way toote for morning. Panicking, I sit up and nce at the clock on the nightstand. It¡¯s nearly two in the afternoon. I slept in. Really slept in. But afterst night, I was so exhausted that I¡¯m sure I could have slept even longer.

    Swinging my legs over the bed, I stand up and instantly feel the soreness between my legs. I have a pressing urge to pee, and I go to the bathroom to take care of my business.

    After I¡¯m done, I wash my hands and stare at myself in the mirror. My hair is all messed up and out of ce, my lips are swollen, and I look like I was thoroughly fucked. A smile lifts the corners of my mouth as I remember that I truly was. Luca couldn¡¯t keep his hands to himselfst night, and I know that he spent the entire night with me.

    He left at some point this morning, though. Not that I can me him. I slept most of the day away, and Luca has a business to run.

    I walk out of the bathroom and go to the closet to look for an outfit for the day before I take my shower. But when I turn on the light, I realize all my clothes are gone. The only thing left hanging is a robe. Shocked, I grab the robe and wrap it around my naked body.

    Walking back into the bedroom, I realize the clothes I had onst night are gone. Running into the bathroom, I nce into the shower. Not surprisingly, everything is gone from in there as well.

    Cinching the tie around me tighter, I try to wrack my brain as to what is going on. Is Luca throwing me out? All of my stuff is gone, so that can be the only exnation. He screwed me, and now he¡¯s gotten his fill of me. I¡¯m no longer useful to him.

    Fuming, I stalk out of the room and head downstairs. I pass Dante on the way, and his eyes look me up and down before his dark brows furrow.

    He stops me in a hallway. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What did he do to you?¡± he asks quickly.

    ¡°I need to talk to Luca. Where is he?¡± I ask hurriedly.

    He motions over his shoulder towards the kitchen. ¡°He just finished lunch.¡±

    I walk in the direction of the kitchen with Dante on my heels. I burst through the swinging door and see Luca smiling, talking to one of the head chefs. He looks like he¡¯s in a good mood. Probably because he gotid and the fact that he¡¯s probably moving in a new girl soon enough to take my ce.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    I storm into the room, and Luca turns, his smile fading as he stares at me in confusion. ¡°Verona,¡± he says before his eyes dart to Dante behind me.

    ¡°You took my things!¡± I stop an inch in front of Luca, hating the fact that I have to look up at him to meet his gaze. ¡°Are you throwing me out? It wasn¡¯t bad enough you had to fuck me between my legs. You have to fuck me by kicking me out of your house too?¡± I practically scream.

    The entire room is silent as Luca stares down at me. A smirk pulls at the corner of his mouth, and I want to smack it right off of him. ¡°I moved your stuff into my room, Verona,¡± he says calmly. ¡°And just so everyone knows,¡± he says, ncing around the crowded room, ¡°Verona is not going anywhere.¡± He makes it a point to look in the direction of Dante behind me before his eyes return to mine. ¡°Now, if everyone will please leave the room, I think my wife and I have a misunderstanding we need to correct.¡±

    It doesn¡¯t take long for the staff, cooks and Dante to clear the room.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d wake up so¡­hostile,¡± Luca says with a grin. He steps forward, forcing me backwards until my back hits the wall. Then, he¡¯s caging me in with his

    arms. ¡°Can you still feel me inside of you?¡± I nod in response as my core clenches.

    He leans down to my ear and whispers, ¡°Are you sore?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper with a shudder.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± he says softly before cing a kiss on my neck below my ear. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time to recover, but I can¡¯t wait long, Verona. I need to be inside of you again. Soon,¡± he threatens before taking a step back away from me.

    His phone rings, and he¡¯s quick to pull it from his pocket. When he nces at the screen, he tells me, ¡°I need to take this. Why don¡¯t you go to my¡­our room and get ready?¡± he asks, correcting himself. ¡°I want to take you somewhere nice for dinner tonight.¡±

    Then he walks away from me while he takes the call, leaving me breathless. Damn him. I wanted to be mad at him, but he turned my world upside down once again. He moved my stuff into his room. No. Our room. That¡¯s what he had said. Our room.

    I¡¯m practically on cloud nine when I leave the kitchen. I¡¯m barely halfway across the dining room when someone grabs my arm and hauls me backwards.

    Dante¡¯s piercing dark re is on me as he stares me down. His hand is around my arm in a bruising grip as he asks, ¡°You fucked him?¡±

    ¡°Dante, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Answer me!¡± he demands, gripping me tighter and no doubt leaving finger-shaped bruises on my skin.

    ¡°He is my husband, Dante,¡± I exin quickly, grimacing from the pain. I can see the possessiveness in his eyes and exactly what Luca has been warning me about. Dante likes me for more than a friend, but I¡¯ve never returned his feelings, and I definitely won¡¯t now that I¡¯m married. ¡°Let me go. You¡¯re hurting me!¡± I hiss.

    My words seem to have an effect on him, because he finally releases me. ¡°You¡¯re really taking this lie of a marriage too far, V,¡± he says.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie.¡± Not anymore. But I don¡¯t add thatst thought. Maybe it felt like a farce at first, because Luca and I are so different, and he treated me so badly at first. Butst night something changed between us. I don¡¯t feel inferior to him anymore. I feel like I¡¯m his equal. He wants me as much as I want him, and I think we could honestly make this marriage work even if we were forced into it at the beginning. ¡°I just want to be happy,¡± I confess to Dante, who sneers at my words.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before he breaks your heart. Don¡¯te crying to me when he does,¡± he says before walking out of the room.

    His words stay with me for a long time after that. Will Luca break my heart? I mean, it¡¯s highly likely. But we are legally bound by marriage. It¡¯s not like he can divorce me or walk away. We¡¯re stuck in this union together. And ifst night is any indication as to the kind of life we could have together, then I¡¯m willing to take a chance¡­even if it means getting hurt in the end.

 30

    Verona

    ¡°YOU¡¯RE BEING QUIET,¡± Luca says from across the table.

    I look up at him, meeting his silver gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I tell him sincerely. After Dante¡¯s confrontation and his refusal to apany us to dinner, feigning illness instead, I¡¯ve been distracted. But Dante isn¡¯t part of the equation at this moment, and I know I need to focus on my husband.

    ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± Luca offers.

    I want to tell him about Dante and what he said and did, but I don¡¯t. For some reason, just like when we were kids, I want to protect Dante. I don¡¯t want him to get in trouble. And I have a feeling that if Luca knew Dante put his hands on me and left bruises, which took me twenty minutes to cover up with makeup, he would be upset. Well, more than upset. Hell, Luca would probably burn the world to the ground with his fury.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I tell him with a wave of my hand, dismissing the idea. I nce around the empty Italian restaurant. ¡°So, how did you get us reservations like this?¡± ¡°I know the owner, and he owed me a favor,¡± he says with a grin.

    ¡°So, he cleared out his entire restaurant on a busy Saturday night for you. Wow, must have been one heck of a favor.¡±

    ¡°It was,¡± Luca says seriously, and I can¡¯t help but wonder what the circumstances are. But I know he probably wouldn¡¯t tell me, so I don¡¯t press. ¡°Are you enjoying the food?¡± he asks as he takes a bite of his carbonara.

    ¡°Immensely,¡± I admit. The caprese sd was delicious and so is the main course I opted for ¨C chicken parmesan.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had this since I was a kid.¡± ¡°Your mom used to make it?¡± he asks.

    I give him a nod and instantly miss her. When she died, it was like a part of me died with her. And I don¡¯t think that hole in my heart has ever healed. ¡°She was a great cook. My father used toin about how much weight he gained when he ate her cooking,¡± I say with augh.

    Luca stares at me with a thoughtful look on his face.

    ¡°You miss her.¡±

    ¡°So much.¡±

    ¡°I miss my mother too,¡± he says, and I¡¯m surprised by his vulnerable admission.

    I reach across the table and take his hand in mine, squeezing it gently for support. He gazes at me for several long seconds before squeezing back. I can¡¯t help but wonder if he still mes my family for his loss, but I don¡¯t want to bring it up and spoil our evening together. It¡¯s been an amazing night with Luca, and I honestly feel like I¡¯m on a real date with my husband.

    The waiter chooses that moment to reappear. ¡°Dessert, signore?¡± he asks.

    Luca¡¯s heated gazends on me when he says, ¡°I know what I want for dessert.¡± Then he adds, ¡°But it¡¯s not on the menu.¡± To the waiter, he says, ¡°Leave us. We¡¯re done for this evening.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course, signore,¡± the man says before disappearing from the room.

    I swallow hard as Luca stands up from the table, dropping his napkin down on his discarded food. He extends a hand to me, and I take it, my hand shaking from anticipation.

    Suddenly, he turns me around in his arms and bends me over the table. The wine sses spill from the sudden movement, the dark red liquid soaking into the white linen tablecloth.

    Nervously, I nce around the room and at the windows. The shades are pulled down, but someone could still walk in at any moment. ¡°Luca!¡± I whisper in panic.

    But he¡¯s not listening. Instead, he drops to his knees behind me, and I feel the air brushing my backside as he lifts up the skirt of my ck dress. His hands slide up and down my legs as I try to steady them in my high heels.

    ¡°Perfetta,¡± he whispers before cing a kiss on the back of each of my thighs. His fingers hook into my thong and pull it down my legs gently. ¡°Lift your foot,¡± he instructs, and I do, as he removes my thong. ¡°Now spread your legs,¡± he tells me, his voice deep and gruff with desire.

    I spread my legs a little, but then I hear him tsking at me.

    ¡°Wider, Verona,¡± he says. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my naughty girl,¡± he says when he¡¯s finally satisfied.

    I expect him to lick me then, but he surprises me when he stands up. I start to move, but he ces a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Stay right there,¡± he whispers. ¡°Fuck, you look gorgeous bent over the table like that.¡± He circles around me, and I can hear a groan escape his lips. ¡°I should tell the waiter toe back in here so he can witness your beautiful pussy and ass on disy.¡± I open my mouth to protest, but then he quickly says, ¡°But I don¡¯t want another man to see what¡¯s mine.¡±

    His possessiveness sends a shiver through me. My legs are trembling in anticipation when I feel the heat of his body again. He drops to his knees once more, and he doesn¡¯t waste time before licking me from my clit to my tight, little hole. I gasp at the feeling. It feels so wrong, but, god, it feels good.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to im this too,¡± he says before pressing his thumb against my hole. ¡°Soon,¡± he threatens.

    His thumb keeps the pressure on my tight puckered hole as his tongue finds my clit, licking me into oblivion. His tongue, mouth and lips feel so good against me that I turn into a boneless mess, gripping the linen tablecloth beneath me in a death grip. ¡°Luca!¡± I cry out.

    His thumb prates me, making the sensations tenfold, and I suck in a strangled breath. ¡°Oh god, oh god!¡± I cry out.

    ¡°God can¡¯t help you now,¡± he growls from behind me before his mouth returns to my clit.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Incoherent words tumble out of my mouth as the pleasure builds up inside of me until I finally reach the peak and drop over the edge. I shatter into a million pieces on his tongue as he fucks my tight hole with his thumb, dragging the pleasure out of me with every movement.

    A loud moan rips from my throat as the pleasurable waves keep crashing through my body. ¡°Please!¡± I beg, and I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m asking for at this point.

    But he makes the decision for me, pulling out his thumb and licking my clit slowly once¡­twice¡­three times before he finally stops.

    My fingers grip the tablecloth, afraid to let go because my legs feel like jelly, and I don¡¯t think they could support my weight right now.

    ¡°That was the best dessert I¡¯ve ever had,¡± I hear Luca say from behind me. He wipes his mouth with his napkin and then gently pulls down my dress. He doesn¡¯t put my thong back on me, so I have no idea where that went.

    ¡°Are you ready to leave?¡± he asks calmly like nothing even happened, like he didn¡¯t justpletely wreck me in the middle of the restaurant.

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t think¡­I can walk,¡± I say between staggered breaths.

    I see several hundred-dor bills flutter to the table before he lifts me up and into his arms. My head rests against his chest as we leave the restaurant.

    Benito is waiting at the car, and he shes us a rare, shy smile as he opens the back door. ¡°Dinner was good?¡± he asks.

    ¡°It was good. But the dessert was fucking delicious,¡± Luca says, making me blush.

    Once we¡¯re in the backseat, Luca pulls me to him, and I fall asleep in hisp on the ride home. Myst coherent thought is that this man, my husband, is going to be the death of me.

 31

    Verona

    T¡¯S THE MIDDLE of the night when I wake up in bed.

    Alone. Wrapping a kimono around me, I make my way downstairs. A soft light is shining under the door of Luca¡¯s office, so I knock gently. A momentter, the lock disengages, and I enter.

    Luca is sitting at his desk, his attention focused on theptop in front of him. He nces up at me. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± he asks with a warm smile.

    ¡°No.¡± I stay at the door, waiting.

    ¡°Come here,¡± he says, pushing his chair back a few inches from his desk. When I approach, he pats his leg, and I take a seat on hisp. He snuggles me close to him, cing a gentle kiss on the top of my head.

    I really love how affectionate Luca has be. It¡¯s almost like he can¡¯t get close enough to me sometimes, and I feel the same exact way. It¡¯s like I want to crawl inside of him to just be closer.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask. On the screen is a video that looks like it was taken from a powerful camera high above a huge warehouse with a lot of shipping containers near a boating dock.

    ¡°Watching aerial footage from our drones.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in the shipping containers?¡± My curiosity pulls me closer, examining every frame of the footage.

    ¡°People,¡± he says.

    My worldes crashing to a sudden halt. ¡°Like¡­ human trafficking?¡± I can¡¯t stop myself from asking.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he answers, confirming my worst fear.

    I¡¯m up and out of hisp in a split second, my hackles rising. ¡°You are buying and selling people?¡± I use him, my voice rising to a fever pitch.

    ¡°Whoa, calm down, tiger,¡± he says, putting his arms up in a cating gesture. ¡°Put the ws away and listen to me for a second.¡± He pauses the video and turns to me to give me his full attention. ¡°I¡¯m trying to put a stop to it. It¡¯s happening in this city at an rming rate, and I¡¯m not going to allow it.¡±

    His words instantly make me feel better. I knew Luca wasn¡¯t a good man, per se, but I¡¯m d to know he¡¯s trying to help instead of exacerbating this growing problem.

    ¡°The man you danced with at the costume ball,¡± he starts.

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°His name is Constantine Carbone. He¡¯s the one running the human trafficking in the city.¡±

    A shudder rolls through me. I danced with the devil himself, and I didn¡¯t even know it. If I had known what that man was doing and what he was capable of, I would have never let him touch me with those evil hands.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to trade him territories where he can sell drugs instead and make one hell of a profit, but he¡¯s not budging. He found his niche, and he¡¯s running with it, making money hand over fist.¡±

    ¡°Is it just women he sells?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Women, 	men.¡± 	Luca	hesitates 	before 	adding,

    ¡°Children.¡±

    I close my eyes and swallow hard past the lump forming in my throat. When I open them again, I look at Luca and tell him vehemently, ¡°You have to stop him, Luca. You can¡¯t let him do this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying everything in my power to put an end to this. I promise you I will stop him as soon as I can,¡± he vows.

    I nod, takingfort in his words. Climbing back into hisp, I let him hold me for several minutes while I try to process all the information he just dumped on me. Then, I ask him, ¡°What are you looking for in the footage?¡±

    ¡°Any signs of peopleing and going. If anyone is taking food and water to any of the shipping containers.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s watch it and see if we can figure anything out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to go back to bed?¡± he offers.

    ¡°No. I want to help.¡±

    He kisses my temple and clicks the keypad to start the video again. ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡±

    Verona

    W

    HEN LUCA TOLD me to dress up and that we were going out in the city tonight, I have to admit I was a bit nervous. I took my time getting ready, picking out the perfect dress for a night out on the town.

    Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I turn around several times, making sure I look perfect. The floor-length silver sequin dress fits me perfectly. The front is modest with a scalloped V-neck. But that is where the modesty stops with this dress. Slipping into a matching pair of silver high heels, the slit up the side all the way to my hip reveals my entire leg and thigh. And the back is scandalous as well, dipping almost too low and revealing almost too much.

    I decide to wear a matching shawl over it until we get to our destination. I have no idea if we¡¯ll be indoors or outdoors, so I don¡¯t want to get cold.

    My makeup is smoky and dark with a pale pink lip, and I decided to wear my hair down in loose waves. Smiling at my reflection, I think Luca will approve of my decisions tonight. Part of me wonders if we¡¯ll even make it to where we¡¯re going.

    My core clenches just thinking about how many times he was inside of me today. Too many to count. It¡¯s like he can¡¯t keep his hands off of me. Not that I¡¯mining. I want him just as much, maybe even more at times. Even though our marriage was out of convenience, we¡¯re certainly acting like real newlyweds.

    I walk out of our bedroom and downstairs, carefully navigating the stairs in my sky-high heels. Luca emerges from his office and stops in his tracks when his eyes meet mine.

    I watch him openly peruse my body from head to toe and back again. His tongue slips out to skate over his bottom lip, and I can¡¯t help but be mesmerized by the action.

    He¡¯s dressed impably in a three-piece tailored suit that fits him perfectly. It¡¯s all ck, and he looks dark and dangerous. He fixes an expensive watch on his wrist as he walks over to me; and when he reaches my side, I¡¯m met with a kiss to my cheek.

    ¡°You look lovely,¡± he whispers in my ear before gently biting my earlobe. ¡°Fuck, I wish we didn¡¯t have to go to this thing. I want to stay home, send the staff away and fuck you in every room of this house tonight.¡±

    His dirty words have my thighs squeezing together. ¡°Do we have to go?¡± I ask, blinking up at him.

    The corners of his mouth tilt up in a smile. ¡°My naughty girl. You tempt me so.¡± Cupping my face in his hands, he kisses me so passionately that my knees threaten to buckle. And just as soon as the kiss began, it ends, leaving me wanting more. ¡°I promised a friend I would attend,¡± he says begrudgingly. Luca grabs my hand and leads me to the front door. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave, and the sooner I can be inside of you tonight.¡±

    His filthy promise has me buzzing as we climb into the car driven by Benito. On the way, Luca¡¯s hand strokes my bare leg through the slit in my dress. My entire body is buzzing and on fire by the time we arrive.

    I¡¯m surprised to see we¡¯ve parked in front of an art gallery. There are people lining the sidewalks, taking pictures, and waiting for the show.

    Benito opens the door for us, and Luca climbs out first. Then, he turns back to me, extends his hand and gives me a devastatingly beautiful smile. I take his hand and let him help me out of the backseat of the car.

    I decide to leave my shawl behind, and the moment Luca sees the back of my dress, he hisses beside me. ¡°Fuck, honey, if I had known what the back of your dress looked like, you wouldn¡¯t have made it out the front door,¡± he whispers in my ear before leading me into the huge building with floor-to-ceiling windows and ss doors.

    Two men swing open the ss doors, allowing us entrance into the gallery. There are only a handful of people including us in the main room. A man dressed in a bedazzled pink and white tie-dye suites rushing over the moment he spots Luca. They speak in rapid Italian to each other, and the man air kisses both of Luca¡¯s cheeks before grabbing his hand and shaking it. ¡°Thank you foring to my show.¡± Then the man sets his gaze on me from behind his matching pink and white sses. ¡°And this must be the wife I¡¯ve heard so much about.¡±

    So Luca has been talking about me. I sneak a nce at my husband and can¡¯t help but smile at how ufortable he is at being exposed by his friend. I turn my attention back to the artist. ¡°I¡¯m Verona.¡±

    ¡°Verona Vitale,¡± the man gushes. ¡°Ah, it sounds like a superviin name. I love it!¡± he exims with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m Leonardo Lombardi, but you can call me Leo.¡± He sweeps his hand around therge room before adding, ¡°Please take a look around before the rest of the people waiting are allowed in. VIP status for a good friend of mine,¡± he says with a wink to Luca. ¡°I¡¯ll see you both soon,¡± he tells us before walking over to greet another couple who just walked through the door.

    Luca leads me over to the paintings hanging on the wall. They look grandiose and amazing against the in white wall behind them. Luca holds my hand as we walk. He squeezes it gently and says, ¡°Go ahead and ask. I know you have questions.¡±

    ¡°Many,¡± I admit with a grin. ¡°Where did you meet someone so¡­interesting?¡± I can¡¯t help but ask. Luca seems to attract more of the dark and serious type, so it¡¯s nice to see him with such a bright light in his catalog of friends.

    ¡°He used to be a waiter at my favorite restaurant in the city. He was always so depressed, rarely smiled, but he was one hell of a server.¡±

    I can¡¯t see Leonardo Lombardi wearing a dull uniform, waiting on tables. No wonder he was depressed. He seems like he¡¯srger than life now; happiness personified.

    ¡°One day I asked him what he wanted to do with his life besides wait tables. And he told me he wanted to be an artist.¡± Luca walks to another painting and studies it intently. ¡°I told him to show me his art, and he did.¡± He smiles fondly at the memory. ¡°Let¡¯s just say I was blown away.¡±

    I look over my shoulder at Leo as he walks around, greeting people with a huge smile on his face. ¡°You helped him, didn¡¯t you?¡± I ask, turning my attention back to my husband.

    ¡°I gave him some contacts in the art world. Set him up with some funds. No big deal,¡± he says, waving it off like it¡¯s nothing.

    But it¡¯s not nothing. He changed this young man¡¯s life. And now look at him ¨C hosting his own art show in a huge New York City gallery. Not many people can say they aplished that in their lifetime.

    I squeeze Luca¡¯s hand and beam up at him. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Do you know that?¡±

    He simply shakes his head. ¡°I just threw some money at something, and it worked out.¡±

    ¡°No, it was so much more than that,¡± I tell him firmly. I stop walking and so does he. When he looks down at me, I can¡¯t help the feelings that are pouring out of me. ¡°You made his life better. Look at him now. Without you, he¡¯d

    still be waiting tables and be miserable.¡± ¡°Verona,¡± Luca growls.

    I know he doesn¡¯t like to be told he is a good man with a heart of gold underneath all of that hard, rough exterior, but I don¡¯t care. First with the human trafficking ring he¡¯s trying to stop and now with Leo¡­ I just want him to know how much he means to me. ¡°I love you, Luca Vitale,¡± I tell him softly.

    His gray eyes widen at my words. A myriad of emotions cross over his face ¨C shock, confusion, and disbelief. He opens his mouth to say something to me, but then Leonardo suddenly announces in a microphone that the show is about to begin.

    People from the street begin to flood into the art gallery through the front doors. Luca pulls me close and says, ¡°I want you to pick out a piece that speaks to you.¡±

    Well, it¡¯s not exactly what I wanted to hear, but that¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t really expect Luca to say the three words back to me. I mean, he might never tell me he loves me. And honestly, I think I¡¯d be okay with that. I know Luca isn¡¯t ever going to be the overly affectionate type or the type of man to confess his feelings for me openly. Not willingly, anyway.

    I push all those thoughts aside, though, because I¡¯m more than excited to pick out a painting for our home. It feels like such a normal thing a couple would do, and every

    time we do anything normal, it¡¯s ne step closer to feeling like this is a real marriage that can and will work.

    We take our time looking at each painting. I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯ll never find one that speaks to me¡­until I do.

    The painting isn¡¯t overly done or extravagant like most of the others. This one is simple. A light gray background with shadows ying around the centerpiece ¨C a gilded birdcage. The door is open. There is no bird in sight, indicating that the bird is free and living its best life somewhere, no longer trapped in its cage.

    ¡°This one,¡± I announce to Luca.

    He stops walking and stares at the painting for a long time. Then, he gives me a nod and says, ¡°Yes, this is it.¡± Squeezing my hand, he looks into my eyes when he tells me, ¡°You¡¯re the bird in this painting, Verona. I never want you to feel trapped or alone again. I want you to always feel free.¡±

    ¡°I feel that way with you,¡± I tell him, squeezing his hand back.

    He tilts his lips into a smile before he tells me, ¡°I¡¯ll make the payment arrangements. Be right back.¡± He ces a chaste kiss on my cheek before leaving me alone with the painting.

    The crowd of people has thinned out over thest hour or so, and I feel like I can finally breathe. I¡¯m not used to being around a lot of people. When I lived in boarding school, there were a lot of girls there, but I mostly spent my time alone in my room, reading. And when I lived with my aunt¡­well, her idea of a fun time was sitting at home, knitting. We hardly ever ventured out unless it was to a thrift shop, and half the time I wasn¡¯t even allowed to buy anything.

    Tears fill my eyes as I stare at the painting. I was the bird. I was caged. I wasn¡¯t free.

    And Luca changed my life by marrying me. I feel safe with him. I feel like my little, closed-off world opened up into a much bigger and better universe that I never knew existed.

    I step closer to the painting that Luca is currently in the process of purchasing and stare in amazement at each and every paint stroke that Leonardo put on the canvas. From far away, the painting looks like a picture. But up close, I can see all of his hard work, his heart and soul that he put into his work.

    ¡°Beautiful piece, isn¡¯t it?¡± asks a deep voice from beside me.

    I turn to the stranger, ready to agree with him and maybe brag about how my husband is paying for it as we speak, but then I see a familiar face and freeze. ¡°Constantine Carbone,¡± I say out loud before I can stop myself.

    ¡°I see from the look in your eyes that Luca told you about me since ourst meeting.¡± He smirks darkly. ¡°I guess my reputation really does precede me.¡±

    I go to move away from him, but he reaches out and grabs my arm. It¡¯s not a bruising grip, but it is firm, like I don¡¯t have a choice on whether to run from him or not.

    Constantine Carbone is an attractive older man, but the fact that he traffics women and children makes him vile and ugly in my eyes. He¡¯s a cruel and abhorrent monster, and I don¡¯t want to be in his presence a moment longer than I have to.

    ¡°Thest time we met you were begging for attention from anyone but your husband,¡± he says, bringing me closer to him. ¡°What changed?¡± He searches my eyes for answers as I stare up at him, my breathingbored and uneven. ¡°Ah,¡± he says as if he found the answers in my gaze. ¡°You fell for him.¡±

    With his free hand, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, grazing my cheek, and I recoil in disgust from is touch. Those hands. So mu h bl od and death on those hands.

    He grins at my difort. ¡°You know, Verona, if you were mine, I would treat you like a queen. We would travel the world together.¡±

    ¡°And you would pay for it from the blood of the women and children that you sell?¡± I spit back at him.

    He chuckles at my response. ¡°Feisty.¡± His eyes search mine before he adds, ¡°I like when a woman puts up a fight. No wonder Vitale has kept you.¡± Leaning down, he runs his tongue along my cheek, tasting my skin. ¡°I bet you taste like heaven and suck cock like a little whore,¡± he whispers into my ear. ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t want to be mine, I bet I could get a pretty penny for a cunt like yours.¡±

    Grimacing, I pull away from him, hating that I can still feel his touch on my skin. ¡°Stay away from me!¡± I warn him.

    ¡°Or what?¡± he asks with a smug grin.

    ¡°Or this,¡± Luca¡¯s voice says from beside me. I can hear the gun cocking before I even see it. Luca pulls my back to his front and ces a kiss on my temple before raising the gun to his foe. ¡°You know better than to touch what isn¡¯t yours¡­again, Carbone,¡± Luca hisses.

    I nce around the room and watch several people¡¯s startled faces when they see the gun in my husband¡¯s hand. ¡°Please, Luca. You¡¯re drawing attention.¡±

 32

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck,¡± he growls. His eyes never leave Constantine. ¡°You¡¯ve made a deadly mistake here tonight. One I won¡¯t soon forget or forgive.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t suppose you will,¡± Constantine says as a slow smile spreads across his face. He walks slowly around us, cool and collected as if he doesn¡¯t have a gun pointed right at him. ¡°I¡¯ll just be on my way out.¡± Looking at me onest time, he says, ¡°See you again soon, Verona,¡± and it sounds more like a threat and a promise than a goodbye.

    I shudder at the way my name slips off of his evil tongue. Luca pulls me closer and tucks the gun away when we¡¯re finally alone. ¡°I paid for the painting. Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here before I lose my goddamn mind,¡± Luca tells me.

    I nod in response, unable to speak.

    On the way out the door, people are gawking at us, but I don¡¯t even care at this point. My entire body is shaking, and I feel sick. Just having Constantine¡¯s hands on me tonight and breathing the same air as him makes me nauseous. Not to mention the fact that he licked my face! He actually tasted me.

    Constantine Carbone is an evil, vile man. I¡¯m furious that he thought he had a right to touch me. Bile rises up in my throat, and I have to swallow hard to force it back down.

    Benito is waiting outside of the car parked at the curb, and he opens the door with a questioning look on his face. I climb in the backseat without a word, and Luca is quick to follow me.

    Once the door shuts, Luca lets out a slew of curses. He runs his fingers through his thick, dark hair, pulling at the ends angrily. Then, he turns to look at me with a look on his face that sends chills up my spine. ¡°What did he say to you? What did he do? Tell me everything.¡±

    I start from the beginning, not leaving anything out. And by the time I¡¯m done, Luca is eerily still and quiet.

    After several seconds, he pushes the button for the inte and tells Benito to pull over. Once the cares to a stop, Luca whispers, ¡°Get out.¡±

    I stare at my husband in confusion. ¡°What? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°Get out of the car, Verona,¡± he says gruffly. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you again.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I open the door. We¡¯re parked on the curb of a busy street, and I carefully climb out of the car when it¡¯s safe so that I don¡¯t be roadkill by t e oing traffic. By the tim I r und the back of the car, Luca is already outside, pacing the sidewalk.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    I¡¯ve never seen him this angry before, and it¡¯s scaring me. ¡°Luca,¡± I say softly, my voice trembling. I¡¯m shaking all over, fear and trepidation coursing through my veins.

    He walks into a dark, narrow alleyway between two stores, and I reluctantly follow him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left your side tonight,¡± he says so softly I almost don¡¯t hear him at first.

    ¡°Luca, please, let¡¯s go back to the car,¡± I beg.

    I turn to leave, to walk away, and then suddenly I feel his hand wrapping around my throat. In a quick movement, he pulls me backwards and twists me in his arms so that we¡¯re face to face. ¡°You¡¯re mine, Verona,¡± he growls before his mouth crashes down onto mine.

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s his fierce possessiveness that¡¯s gotten to him or the fact that he could have lost me to that evil man tonight, but Luca is expressing himself the only way he knows how. And I let him.

    He pushes me until my back is against a brick wall, and his grip suddenly tightens around my throat. I gasp into his mouth for air, and he takes the opportunity to devour me, shoving his tongue into my mouth and iming me with such brutality it¡¯s almost frightening.

    Just as I¡¯m getting lightheaded fromck of oxygen, Luca releases my neck and bends down, reaching for the hem of my dress. He lifts it higher and higher until it¡¯s pooled around my waist, exposing me. He then forces the fabric into my hands, making me hold it.

    ¡°No panties. My naughty wife,¡± he whispers in my ear as he drags his finger up and down my slit. It doesn¡¯t take long for me to get wet for him. It¡¯s just my body¡¯s natural response to his touch.

    I watch in horror as he drops to his knees in front of me, no doubt ruining his expensive suit in the process. ¡°Luca, please,¡± I beg him. ¡°Not here. Not like this.¡±

    Trembling, I nce to the end of the alley. Benito is standing guard with his back towards us, but there are people walking by. Anyone could look in and see us. Anyone could hear us, including Benito.

    ¡°Luca, no, wait!¡± I cry out. But then I feel his tongue running along my slit, and all my thoughts and fears instantly melt away. I close my eyes and rest my head back on the brick as he eats me like a starving man in the dirty alleyway.

    All of this is filthy and wrong, but I don¡¯t care. I want it. I want him.

    I moan loudly as Luca¡¯s talented mouth, lips and tongue go to work. My fingers squeeze the material of my dress until they go numb. ¡°Oh, god, Luca, I¡¯m gonna¡­¡± I don¡¯t even get the rest of the sentence out before I¡¯m tumbling over the edge of pleasure. My body trembles as the orgasm wracks my body. Luca continues to lick me until I beg him to stop.

    I feel high on the endorphins running through my body. I¡¯m barely aware of Luca¡¯s presence until I hear his belt being undone and his zipper going down. He grabs my hips and hoists me up until my legs are wrapped around him. And then I feel the head of his cock at my entrance. I barely have time to take a breath before he¡¯s impaling me. I cry out from the shock of it. It hurts but feels good all at the same time. He begins to piston his hips, pulling and pushing his cock in and out of me the entire way so that I feel every inch of his length. And I no longer care about the people who might be watching or hearing us. All I can feel is Luca inside of me, his cock iming me as his.

    The brick wall is scraping against my bare back, and I know I¡¯ll have to deal with the consequencester, but I couldn¡¯t care less right now. ¡°Yes! Luca!¡± I cry out.

    With one hand gripping my left hip, his right hand goes back to my throat. He squeezes while staring into my eyes as if testing my response. My eyes widen as he tightens is

    hold on me, no doubt leavin finger-shaped bruises on my skin as he holds me in ce and fucks me harder than he¡¯s ever fucked me before.

    Maybe it¡¯s theck of oxygen¡­or maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re outside in public where anyone can see us and watch, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been so turned on before. All too soon I¡¯m reaching the edge again before I can evenprehend it. I¡¯m dizzy and almost to the point of passing out as I gasp out Luca¡¯s name and my pussy grips his cock in a death grip as I ride out the most explosive orgasm of my life. Starbursts explode behind my eyes as I let out a silent scream.

    ¡°Yes, Verona,¡± he groans. ¡°Come for me. Only me.¡±

    He slowly releases my throat, and I gasp for air. My lungs are desperate for oxygen, and it takes a while for the dizziness to subside. ¡°Only you,¡± I agree once I catch my breath.

    Luca stares into my eyes as he confesses, ¡°I would kill for you.¡±

    Okay, so it¡¯s not the three words that every girl wants to hear, but I know when ites to Luca, that might be the closest thing to I love you that I will ever get. ¡°I love you,¡± I whisper.

    With those words spoken, Luca lets out a guttural sound that sounds almost feral as his seed spills inside of me. He fucks me until he¡¯spletely exhausted and spent. And then he copses against me, pinning me to the wall.

    We stay like that for a few minutes, me wrapped around him, until his cock softens. His lips kiss my neck softly, no doubt trying to soothe the bruises. Then he finally pulls out of me and helps me put my shaking legs down to the ground. I wobble in my high heels as he pulls out a handkerchief from his suit jacket pocket and cleans me up. He throws the used handkerchief in a nearby dumpster before looking at me.

    It¡¯s almost like the spell he was under is broken, because I can see the moment he snaps back to reality. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± he asks as he gently pulls down the hem of my dress.

    I shake my head.

    ¡°I need your words, honey,¡± he tells me, lifting my chin to make my eyes meet his.

    Everything that happened tonightes rushing forward in the forefront of my mind, and I¡¯m suddenly crying. Luca pulls me close and holds me, whispering apologies in my ear. But it¡¯s not the fact that he just fucked me in a dirty alleyway where people were probably watching us. No, it¡¯s the fact that Constantine Carbone had his hands on me. He wants me. He threatened to sell me, and the thought of him taking me is terrifying.

    ¡°What if Constantinees for me?¡± I suddenly pull back and ask.

    Luca stares into my eyes and tells me, ¡°I will never let that happen. He will have to kill me first.¡± He pulls me into his arms and holds me for a long time before finally saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

 33

    Luca

    Y THE TIME we get home, Verona is curled up on myp in a deep sleep. I hate to wake her, but I don¡¯t

    want her sleeping out in the car all night in the cold. I don¡¯t know exactly when Verona snuck her way into my cold, dark heart, but she did.

    I care for her. I never thought I would ever care about anyone. It scares me, but also soothes me in a way. Maybe I¡¯m not aplete monster after all.

    She told me she loved me. I close my eyes, still hearing her melodic voice say those words. Fuck, I will savor them forever. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to say them back, but I know I have stronger feelings for her than I¡¯ve ever had for any other human being in my entire life.

    And the thought of anyone taking her from me has me seeing red. Just thinking about Constantine touching her or thinking he could ever im any rights to her makes my pulse hammer in my veins like an angry war drum.

    And maybe war is the answer when ites to

    Constantine. I¡¯ve gone to war for far lesser things. And now that Verona is the most important person in my life, I want everyone to know the lengths I will go through to protect her. I would die for her,e back to life and kill everyone all over again. My vengeance knows no bounds on this earth or in the afterlife.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Verona asks, her head still in myp. ¡°I thought you were sleeping,¡± I say with a smile.

    ¡°I could feel you tense up. Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No. But we are home. I just didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡±

    She sits up and stares at me with her honey-colored eyes. She looks thoroughly fucked with messy hair and smeared makeup, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s ever looked more beautiful. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re gorgeous,¡± I tell her before cing a kiss on her lips. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed.¡±

    ¡°And where are you going to be?¡± she asks as we climb out of the car.

    ¡°Benito and I have some things to discuss,¡± I say simply before ncing at my first inmand. Benito gives me a nod, and I know he¡¯ll understand what must happen when ites to Constantine once I exin to him everything that transpired tonight. I¡¯m tired of dragging my feet when ites to him. Since Constantine won¡¯tply, I¡¯m going to have to force his hand. It¡¯s now or never at this point. I want to burn his entire empire to the fucking ground, preferably with him in it.

    Verona catches up to me before we reach the front door and grabs my hand, pulling me back to her. ¡°Luca, please, don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret.¡±

    I cock a brow at her. Has she been reading my mind?

    ¡°If you¡¯re upset about Constantine, let it go. He¡¯s dangerous. I don¡¯t want you even being in the same room as him, let alone going after him.¡±

    I put my palm on her cheek, and I love the fact that she sinks into my touch. ¡°I¡¯ve tried being lenient with him, and it obviously didn¡¯t work. He knows he crossed a line that should have never been crossed tonight. I want to put him down like the dog he is.¡±

    Verona pulls away from me, anger swarming in her eyes.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°No?¡± I ask with a dark chuckle.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you no to getting revenge on him. You can still help the people he¡¯s taken, but from afar and by alerting the proper authorities, if need be.¡± She touches thepels on my suit before smoothing them down. ¡°Besides, if you leave, who will be here to protect me? Constantine wille for me when he knows you¡¯re vulnerable and busy trying to take him down.¡±

    I can see the fear in her eyes when she talks about him, and it almost makes me back down. Almost. ¡°Honey,¡± I start, but she doesn¡¯t let me finish.

    Suddenly, she wraps her arms around me. ¡°I can¡¯t lose you, Luca. Please don¡¯t do this.¡±

    And just having her close to me makes the ice around my dark heart melt a little more. ¡°Okay, honey. I won¡¯t.¡± But I honestly don¡¯t know if I¡¯m telling her the truth or lying. I guess only time will tell.

    Verona

    I

    WAKE UP the next morning to the most soothing massage of my life. I groan in pleasure as fingers skate over my back, rubbing in some kind of sweet-smelling moisturizer.

    ¡°The sounds thate out of that dirty, little mouth turn me on, honey,¡± Luca says from beside me.

    I turn my head and stare up at my husband. He¡¯s wearing a ck button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up over his muscr forearms, and ck cks. His hair looks like it¡¯s still damp from a shower.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°What time is it?¡± I worry.

    ¡°A little before noon. You slept a long time. Something must have exhausted youst night,¡± he says with a smug smile.

    ¡°I think someone exhausted me,¡± I quip. It¡¯s those rare smiles of his that I live for. He looks so young and rxed when he¡¯s like this.

    His smile quickly fades as his fingertips graze over my neck. ¡°Do these hurt?¡± he asks.

    There must be bruises on my neck from when he held me tight against the wallst night while we fucked dirty and raw in the back of an alleyway. And just the thought of it has my thighs clenching under the sheet. ¡°No,¡± I tell him honestly. ¡°I¡¯m not made of ss, Luca. You can¡¯t break me,¡± I assure him.

    A cocky smirk reces the frown, and I can¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯s thinking about ways to possibly break me. I hope they all involve him inside of me, but I don¡¯t say my naughty thoughts out loud. Going from virgin to practically a nympho with Luca has been a rollercoaster ride. It¡¯s like I always want him. And when we¡¯re not having sex, I¡¯m thinking about it. I suppose that¡¯s normal for all newlyweds¡­especially if one or both saved themselves for marriage, right?

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asks me, and I hate that he can read me so well that he knows when I¡¯m deep in thought.

    ¡°I was wondering if our marriage is normal or not.¡±

    He cocks his head to the side and chuckles darkly. ¡°It¡¯s anything but normal, honey. Trust me.¡±

    ¡°Not the whole arranged marriage thing. I mean¡­all the sex.¡±

    His dark brows furl together. ¡°Oh. That,¡± he says with an amused grin. Pulling back the sheet, he smacks my ass, leaving a creamy handprint behind. ¡°I think our normal can be whatever we want it to be.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever been like this with another woman before?¡± After I ask the question, I instantly regret it and want to take it back, because what if he says yes? What if this is the norm for Luca?

    ¡°No,¡± he says. ¡°I never fucked the same woman more than once. Never wanted anyone enough to actually want to,¡± he says with a shrug. Reaching over to the nightstand, he wipes off his hands on a towel. ¡°Lift your hips, honey.¡± When I lift them, he sticks a bolster pillow underneath my stomach, which causes my hips and ass to lift up in the air.

    And then he grabs a bottle of oil. Squirting the liquid on my backside, he rubs his hands over the globes of my ass, massaging deeply.

    I groan from the sensation. ¡°That feels good,¡± I murmur.

    ¡°Spread your legs for me, honey,¡± he tells me huskily.

    I do as he says, and he puts his knees between my thighs. Hisrge hands massage the oil into my cheeks, and then I feel a fingertip gliding down the entire length of my slit. He ys with my clit, making me squirm underneath him.

    ¡°I love how wet you get for me,¡± he says as his fingers trail up to my entrance, dipping in and grazing over my G spot, making me groan loudly. He gathers wetness on his fingers and then goes higher, tracing over the rim of my puckered hole. I immediately tense up, but Luca whispers, ¡°Rx, honey. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    I feel his thumb pressing against my tight hole, and I desperately try to rx. Luca told me before he wanted to im my ass, and I¡¯ve been dreading it. I¡¯m expecting it to hurt, but when his thumb enters me, I don¡¯t feel much pain. It¡¯s just¡­strange.

    He fingers my clit as his thumb pushes in and out of my back hole. I wriggle under him, nonsensical wordsing out of my mouth as the pleasure quickly mounts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you toe until I¡¯m inside of you,¡± he warns.

    He climbs off the bed, and I turn to watch him take off his clothes. His hard cock bobs up towards his stomach, and I swallow back a gasp. How will it ever fit inside of me back there?

    He¡¯s between my legs again, and I feel the head of his cock notched at my back entrance. I whimper nervously. ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey,¡± he whispers soothingly to me as he smooths his other hand over my hip.

    My fingers wrap around the sheets in a death grip as he pushes his cock into me. ¡°Luca!¡± I cry out.

    ¡°Touch yourself for me, honey.¡±

    My right hand reluctantly releases the sheet, and I reach down between my legs until I find my clit. I rub the little bundle of nerves with my fingertip, and it feels so good mixed with the pain, but I¡¯m still not totally rxed.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Luca hisses. ¡°That¡¯s my naughty girl.¡±

    He pushes further into my ass, and I finger myself faster, needing the pleasure to mask the pain. ¡°Please!¡± I cry out, but I honestly don¡¯t know if I want him to stop or continue.

    ¡°Breathe, honey. Rx. I¡¯ll make it feel good. I promise.¡±

    His voice calms me, and I¡¯m able to rx enough that he can enter me the whole way. When I feel his trimmed pubic hair touching my ass cheeks, I know he¡¯s fully seated inside of me. I expect him to fuck me hard, but he doesn¡¯t. Luca takes his time, easing in and easing out, adding more oil when needed and stroking my back, murmuring praises as he fucks me nice and slow.

    When he wanted to im my ass, I never thought it would be like this. It feels good. More than good. My fingers stroke my clit as he fucks me, and it almost feels like an out of body experience.

    I groan and move my body in rhythm with his cock, grinding down on my fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯m so close, honey. Your ass feels so damn good around my cock. So tight,¡± he grunts as he rocks in and out of me. ¡°Come with me,¡± he begs.

    His words are my undoing. I detonate around him, my entire body on fire with pleasure. I almost scream, it feels so good.

    ¡°Fuck! Yes,¡± Luca groans before pulling out of me. I feel rope after rope of his seed striping my backside as hees.

    Our harsh breathing fills the room. That was so intense and unexpected. I close my eyes and begin to rx again when I feel Luca rubbing his cum into my skin.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I question.

    ¡°Marking you,¡± he says, his voice husky and raw.

    That whole thing with Constantine really did a number on him, and I don¡¯t think I was ever really in danger at the art gallery. Still, Constantine coulde for me if he wanted to, I suppose. But he¡¯d be going up against Luca and his army of men. And I don¡¯t think Luca would ever let him win that war.

    Smacking my ass yfully, Luca announces, ¡°Let¡¯s take a shower.¡±

    He gets off the bed and helps me to stand. Then, he pulls me into his arms. I can feel something different in that hug, as he holds me, the hugsting way longer than normal. It¡¯s almost like Luca senses something bad is going to happen to us, and it scares the hell out of me.

    Maybe just the thought of losing me is making him fall for me. And that¡¯s probably scarier than anything else in his dark, twisted world.

 34

    Luca

    I

    ¡®M SITTING IN my office the next morning when there is a knock on the door. I hit a button for the door to unlock and raise my voice to tell my employee on the other side toe in.

    Aldo Aband enters. He¡¯s tall and skinny with brown hair and brown eyes. His skin is pale because he spends most of his time indoors on aputer.

    He pushes his sses up the bridge of his nose as he takes a seat in one of the leather chairs in front of my desk.

    ¡°You wanted to see me, sir?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Yes, Aldo. How did your training go?¡±

    ¡°Very well, sir. I excelled in all of the programming and hacking tests they gave me.¡±

    I smile. I already knew how well Aldo did, but I just wanted to hear ite out of his mouth. Aldo is one of the smartest, brightest young men I know, so I had all the faith in the world that he wouldn¡¯t disappoint me.

    I first met Aldo when he was a college student majoring in electrical engineering andputer science at MIT, struggling with paying his tuition. His mom had just died in a car ident, and his father was never part of his life. Before his mother died, she had been working three jobs to support her son¡¯s dream of going to a good college.

    When I learned of his situation, I presented him with a proposition. I wanted him toe work for me. But first, I wanted the college student to graduate and then go study with a team of underground anonymous hackers. The hackers are the best in the world, and I wanted Aldo to be part of the elite group.

    I paid for the rest of Aldo¡¯s college tuition and all of his bills and expenses, past and present. Hell, I even paid for his mother¡¯s funeral since the kid was desperately trying to make payments on it with no end in sight.

    I saw something in him when I first met him ¨C ambition. I knew right then and there that he would be a great asset to our team. And now he¡¯s ready for whatever I throw his way just when I need him the most.

    ¡°Constantine Carbone,¡± I say. And just speaking that name out loud has my blood pressure rising.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Aldo quickly grabs his smartphone out of his pocket and begins typing in a note.

    ¡°I want you to monitor his activities. I want to know what he¡¯s doing, where he is at all times. And if you can dig up any more dirt on him, do it.¡±

    Aldo nods as his thumbs type frantically on the phone.

    ¡°And I want you to move here to thepound full time. Tell Benito to get you whatever you need. We will supply whatever you ask for.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Aldo says.

    ¡°And one other thing.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± he asks, looking up from his phone.

    ¡°I want to book a trip for me and my wife.¡±

    Aldo¡¯s brows raise over the top of his sses. ¡°A honeymoon, sir?¡±

    ¡°Yes, precisely,¡± I agree. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t like water, so it can¡¯t be anywhere tropical,¡± I quickly add.

    Aldo thinks for several seconds. ¡°I can research some ces and send my list of ideas to you, sir.¡±

    ¡°That would be great,¡± I tell him. ¡°And I want somewhere private. I don¡¯t want to have to worry about her any more than I already do now. I want us to have¡­fun.¡±

    The concept is foreign on my tongue and in my mind. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had fun since I was a child, but Verona does something to me that makes me want to feel rxed and less weighed down by life and work when I¡¯m around her. And, more importantly, I want her to have a good time. I love the way she smiles, and herugh makes me feel like everything is right in the world just by hearing it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get working on this right away, and I¡¯ll send you what I find.¡± The young man stands and tucks away his phone. ¡°I¡¯ll move my stuff in this afternoon. I don¡¯t have much to pack.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Aldo. You¡¯re dismissed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    I watch Aldo leave, and then I send a text to Benito about what just transpired so that he is in the loop. I want him to get whatever Aldo needs, because the boy is our greatest asset at the moment.

    I promised Verona I wouldn¡¯t go after Constantine Carbone. But I don¡¯t see anything wrong with keeping tabs on him. That certainly wouldn¡¯t be breaking my promise.

    And if Constantine is going to attack, I will know where and when. And if he thinks he¡¯sing for my wife, well, he¡¯s got another thinging. He¡¯ll soon find out who really rules this city.

    Verona

    A

    FEW DAYSter, I wake up to Luca waving a gift in front of my face. Over the past couple of days he¡¯s seemed happier, having almostpletely gotten over the whole Constantine fiasco that happened at the art gallery, and I¡¯m d for that.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask, sitting up in bed.

    ¡°Open it and find out,¡± he says before setting the present down on the mattress in front of me.

    The only gift I¡¯ve ever received from Luca was our wedding photo album, and I don¡¯t think anything could top that. Still, I¡¯m curious to see what he¡¯s done, so I carefully untie the silver ribbon from the white box and open it.

    Inside is a small flip style cell phone. I carefully pull the phone out to study it.

    ¡°I had Aldo, my IT guy, modify it a bit. There is a tracker programmed into it that works independently whether the phone is on or off. The batterysts for years instead of days. And my number is programmed into the speed dial.

    You can call me anytime by just pressing and holding the number one key down.¡±

    After I absorb all of that new information, I furrow my brows in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Am I in danger?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not. This is just a precaution. Call it peace of mind for me, if you will.¡± His fingertips graze my jaw, and he turns my head so that my eyes meet his. ¡°I want you to keep this on you at all times, Verona. Can I count on you to do that?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    He smiles at my answer. ¡°Okay, good.¡± Then, he releases me and nods to the box. ¡°There¡¯s more inside.¡±

    Turning my attention back to the gift, I lift a piece of tissue paper to reveal two ne tickets. I pick them up and read the destination ¨C Aspen, Colorado.

    ¡°What¡¯s in Colorado?¡± I ask, confused.

    ¡°Our honeymoon,¡± he says before cing a kiss on my temple and standing up. ¡°Our ne leaves in a few hours. Pack only the essentials. We¡¯ll buy warmer clothes when we get there.¡±

    A smile forms on my lips as I realize Luca nned this trip for us. Just us. No bodyguards. No first or second or third inmand. Only us.

    I¡¯m ovee with happiness, so much so that I jump off the bed and tackle my husband. I catch him off-guard, but he still manages to fall with me in his arms to the floor gracefully.

    ¡°I take it that you¡¯re happy?¡± he asks with a chuckle.

    I lean down and ce a kiss on his lips. ¡°So happy,¡± I agree.

    ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I want.¡±

    I give him another kiss before I quickly climb off of him and run to the closet. ¡°I need to pack!¡± I say, my voice highpitched and weird with excitement.

    Luca simply shakes his head in amusement before he leaves the room.

    AFTER WE LAND IN ASPEN, Colorado, we have a rental car waiting for us at the airport. It¡¯s a big Chevy Suburban with huge winter tires. I wonder out loud if it¡¯s overkill, but Luca informs me we¡¯ll need it for where we¡¯re going.

    Excitement is dripping out of every pore in my body on the car ride to our destination, and I¡¯m so nervous that I can barely sit still.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you this anxious before,¡± Luca remarks, reaching over to hold my hand. ¡°Well, maybe on our wedding day.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was going to pass out just from my nerves,¡± I confess.

    He gives my hand a light squeeze. ¡°Well, I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t. Although I do recall you saying ¡®I do¡¯ in the form of a question like we were on an episode of Jeopardy.¡±

    Iugh hard at that. Our wedding day was so hectic and nerve-wracking. I didn¡¯t know which way was up or if I wasing or going. But I¡¯m d we got through it. And even though we had a rough start to our marriage, we got through all of that too. Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t want to be married to anyone else.

    ¡°I love that sound,¡± he remarks.

    ¡°What sound?¡±

    ¡°Yourugh. I love making youugh.¡±

    ¡°Well, I love you making meugh,¡± I tell him with a grin.

    The GPS announces that our destination ising up, so I look out the window, searching for the ce we¡¯re going to be staying at. All I can see is snow and trees, however.

    Luca navigates the SUV up a plowed driveway to a gated entrance. He hits a button inside the car, and the gate opens a secondter. Luca drives on through, and the driveway seems endless. But all the waiting is worth it when I see the house.

    The two-story ck and brown house looks inviting and straight out of a painting surrounded by all the tall pine trees and snowy mountains.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get our luggageter,¡± Luca tells me when we get out of the SUV. ¡°Let¡¯s explore the house first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I say, giddy with excitement.

    Luca unlocks the front door, and we walk into the grand entrance. The floor n is open with exposed wooden beams everywhere. The first floor consists of a formal living room, a dining room next to a huge, modern kitchen, a recreation room, a den with a huge t screen tv on the wall hung over a firece, and the master bedroom with a ginormous walk-in shower in its spacious bathroom.

    I nce up the spiral staircase wrapped around a huge tree trunk leading upstairs. ¡°How many bedrooms are there?¡±

    ¡°Seven,¡± he says before pulling me into his arms. He nts kisses along my neck and up to my ear before he whispers, ¡°And I¡¯d like to fuck you in every single one of them before we leave.¡±

    ¡°Promise?¡± I ask, my voice thick with desire.

    ¡°Promise,¡± he says before grabbing my ass and pulling me flush against him so that I can feel his arousal.

    I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s ever a time when Luca doesn¡¯t want me. And, god, it feels so good to be wanted.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the master bedroom,¡± I suggest.

    ¡°That sounds like a great idea,¡± he says before hoisting me up over his shoulder and carrying me fireman-style down the hall towards the room.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a caveman!¡± I tell him.

    ¡°Only when ites to you,¡± he confesses.

 35

    Verona

    T

    HE NEXT MORNING, we wake up in each other¡¯s arms. We crossed three of the seven bedrooms off our listst night, and we miraculously ended up back in the master bedroom,pletely exhausted before we finally fell asleep.

    The huge bed is positioned facing a wall of ss, and the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows is breathtaking. With the sun rays streaming between the tall pine trees and the glistening snowy mountains in the distance, it feels like we¡¯re in a movie.

    Luca traces his fingertips up and down my arm as I listen to his heart beating. I could lie here all day and have no regrets. Just being with him makes me feel loved; makes me feel safe. Like nothing can hurt me in this world.

    ¡°Although I hate saying this, we can¡¯t stay in bed the entire time we¡¯re here,¡± he says with a sigh.

    I chuckle. ¡°Oh, that wasn¡¯t your n all along? To bring me somewhere secluded and ravage me?¡±

    In a quick move, he¡¯s on top of me, straddling my hips and pinning my arms to the bed. I squeal in surprise as he leans down to nt kisses on my neck. ¡°I would love to keep you here all day and ravage you, but I want to explore the town and have fun with you also.¡±

    I raise my hips off the bed, grinding against his morning wood. ¡°We can have fun here too,¡± I quip.

    ¡°God, I¡¯ve created a monster.¡± A deep chuckle vibrates through his chest and into mine. ¡°My wife is aplete nympho.¡±

    ¡°So is my husband,¡± I say with a grin.

    ¡°Only for you,¡± he says before kissing me.

    The kiss soon grows heated, and I can feel the wetness pooling between my thighs. Pulling back from him, I look up and say, ¡°If we don¡¯t get out of bed now, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll ever leave it.¡±

    ¡°True. Let¡¯s take a shower,¡± he says suggestively while waggling his eyebrows.

    I can¡¯t help butugh at the funny gesture. It¡¯s nice to see Luca being so rxed. He¡¯s never like this at home, and it¡¯s sad in a way. I think here he has less to worry about and can be himself with me. He doesn¡¯t have to be the demanding, controlling boss that he is when we¡¯re at home.

    ¡°Separate showers,¡± I demand. I know if we take a shower together, it will only end up with him being inside of me. ¡°Let¡¯s try¡­dyed gratification.¡±

    ¡°Dyed gratification, Mrs. Vitale?¡± He shes me a gorgeous panty-melting smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can wait until tonight to be inside of you.¡± He grinds his hard bulge against my center, and I almost change my mind right then and there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can wait either,¡± I agree with a groan.

    But as soon as he climbs off the bed and I no longer have his warmth surrounding me, I instantly regret my earlier decision to wait. ¡°Wait!¡± I call to him as he walks out of the room.

    ¡°Toote!¡± he calls back. ¡°Go get a shower. I¡¯ll shower in one of the other bathrooms,¡± he shouts from down the hall.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± I say with a sigh as I stare up at the ceiling.

    Slowly, my hand slides down my stomach and is almost at the apex of my thighs when I hear him yelling, ¡°And no

    touching yourself until tonight!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± I groan loudly.

    Verona

    ¡°I ¡®VE NEVER SKIED before today,¡± I say for the millionth time as I wobble on my skis on the snowy embankment, my legs making me suddenly look like a newborn baby giraffe on ice.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± my personal instructor, Peter, says. ¡°I want you to try putting your hands on your knees. It will help you to stop doing that windmill thing you have going on with your arms.¡±

    Feeling beyond embarrassed, I do as he tells me, and I¡¯m pleasantly surprised that it seems to help.

    ¡°See?¡± Peter says, beaming up at me. ¡°Much better.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say with a sigh. I¡¯m starting to think skiing just isn¡¯t in the cards for me, but I want to try my best since Luca nned this whole trip for us. We¡¯re still on the green slope for beginners, and I have barely made it down the first tiny track. Peter has eagerly been trying to show me the basics, but I¡¯ve fallen what feels like a hundred times already, and I¡¯m afraid my butt will be bruised for weeks after today. At least I haven¡¯t hit my head yet. I guess that¡¯s a plus.

    I watch my instructor as he starts showing me a new maneuver, which I can already tell I will never master. Peter is young and handsome. He looks more like a surfer than a skier with his blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. But even though he¡¯s handsome, I only have eyes for one man.

    Speaking of my husband, I nce over as he watches Peter and I from a short distance away. His goggles are on top of his head, and I can see his gray eyes boring a hole into my instructor. He wasn¡¯t keen on letting Peter teach me to begin with, and now I can practically see steaming out of his ears.

    I giggle, knowing that it¡¯s pissing Luca off. Is it wrong that I absolutely love it when my husband gets jealous? Just the way he acts like a possessive, feral animal turns me on. And I can¡¯t help it when my thighs automatically clench together.

    ¡°Knees apart,¡± Peter tells me, and I almostugh out loud. If he only knew what was going on inside of my head.

    Losing my concentration, I spread my legs too far and begin to windmill my arms again, eventually falling for the hundredth and one time today. ¡°Ouch,¡± I say out loud while internally apologizing to my butt.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting better! You went way longer that time without falling,¡± Peter encourages me as he reaches down to help me up. ¡°So, where are you from?¡± Peter asks, making small talk, but I can see in his eyes that he¡¯s attracted to me. If he only knew who I was married to, I think to myself.

    ¡°Uh, I grew up in New York City,¡± I start to answer, but then this time, unlike the previous times, Peter begins to brush snow from my ski suit. I mean, it is pretty much caked on at this point. His hands start on my outer thighs and work their way around to my backside, lingering maybe longer than necessary on my derriere.

    Luca is out of his skis faster than I can blink and on his way over to us, hoofing it in his boots through the thick snow. ¡°Okay, Peter, that¡¯s enough lessons for today,¡± he snarls.

    Peter looks at him and says in protest, ¡°But we still have thirty minutes left that you already paid for.¡±

    ¡°Consider it your tip,¡± Luca says. ¡°Go help one of your other clients. I¡¯ve got this.¡±

    ¡°Oh-kay,¡± Peter drawls out before handing me his business card. Then, he gives me a wink before telling me, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to call me if you want any more lessons, Verona.¡±

    Oh my god, this guy must have a death wish, I can¡¯t help but think to myself.

    ¡°Mrs. Vitale,¡± Luca sternly corrects him.

    ¡°Oh, sorry. Mrs. Vitale,¡± Peter repeats, blushing. He clearly couldn¡¯t see my wedding ring under the thick gloves on my hands, so it¡¯s not exactly his fault for trying.

    I watch as the poor guy skis away from us towards the main lodge, no doubt wondering what the heck he did wrong.

    ¡°You could have been nicer to him,¡± I say with a sigh.

    ¡°And he could have kept his hands off of you,¡± Luca retorts.

    ¡°Be careful, Luca. Your green-eyed monster is showing,¡± I tell him, grinning.

    He pulls me into his arms, my back flush against the front of his hard body. I can feel the growing bulge of his cock pressing into my bruised behind, and I gasp. ¡°I have another monster that I¡¯d like to show you. It¡¯s been aching to be inside of you all day.¡±

    Iugh and wiggle my behind against his arousal.

    ¡°Maybe I can see itter.¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± he promises. Turning me in his arms, he cups my face in hisrge palms and leans down for a kiss. ¡°Fuck, it was driving me crazy to see his hands on you. I wanted to cut them off!¡± he proims, seething with anger.

    ¡°So violent,¡± I say before cing a kiss on his lips. ¡°I like it.¡±

    He smirks at me. ¡°You would,¡± he whispers before his mouth crashes against mine, and his urgency takes my breath away. ¡°Want to get out of here?¡± he asks when we finallye up for air.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡±

    ON THE DRIVE back to the house, Luca is still seething about the instructor touching me. He has a death grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles white with his forearms tense and vibrating with anger. The tension is so thick in the SUV that I could cut it with a knife.

    When we finally pull into the driveway, I decide to try to lighten the mood a bit. I climb out and immediately go to a pile of snow. Quickly, I make the biggest snowball I can manage before I sneak back to the SUV.

    Luca rounds the corner, confusioncing his features. ¡°Verona, what are you -?¡±

    I throw the snowball, effectively silencing him as it smacks him right in the face. Okay, so maybe I went for overkill, because now he¡¯s covered in snow from the top of his head, his face, his shoulders and part of his chest.

    I cover my mouth to silence my gasp as I watch him slowly wipe the snow from his face. His gray eyes blink open, and I can see the anger in them.

    ¡°Run,¡± he whispers.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask, thinking I misheard him. ¡°Run, Verona.¡±

    I don¡¯t even think twice before I take off running into the snow. I don¡¯t get far before Luca is on my heels, chasing me down like a lion would with his prey. My legs carry me as fast as they can, but Luca is faster.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    He pushes me facedown into the snow and mounts me like a wild animal. I¡¯m struggling to get my bearings when I feel cold air on my backside. Bent over a snowbank, I realize Luca just pulled down my pants, exposing me to the elements¡­and to him.

    His fingertips press into the bruises on my skin, and I cry out in pain. ¡°That hurts!¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about to hurt even more,¡± he says darkly before bringing a hand down on my ass.

    Thebination of the bruises and the cold air makes the smack ten times worse, and I hiss out between clenched teeth.

    He ps my other cheek, and I cry out, ¡°No more, no more! I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    ¡°What was that? You¡¯re sorry?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡±

    I feel his fingertip run up and down the length of my slit. ¡°Why, honey, you¡¯re wet for me.¡±

    I hang my head in shame. Admittedly, I¡¯ve been wet for him all day. Just seeing his jealous side made me all hot and bothered earlier, and Luca is just in hot when he¡¯s angry.

    ¡°This is going to be hard and fast, honey,¡± Luca tells me. ¡°Don¡¯te.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I barely get the question out before I hear the sound of his zipper, and then his cock is pressing against my entrance. My wetness allows him to ease right in, and then he¡¯s fucking me like the beast that he is.

    It feels so good, and I can feel my core starting to clench around his big cock, but then I feel Luca¡¯s handing down on my ass, and it jolts me out of the orgasm I was about to experience.

    ¡°This is your punishment, honey,¡± Luca hisses. ¡°This is for my pleasure. Not yours.¡± He pumps his hips, enunciating every word as he says, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­you¡­dare¡­e.¡±

    I try to move, but every time I do, I just sink down further into the snow. So, I¡¯m forced to just lie there and take it, feeling every inch of his hard cock inside of me and desperately trying not toe.

    ¡°Fuck, yes!¡± Luca roars behind me as he finds his release, pulling out and marking me with stripes of cum on my bruised ass.

    He takes a few seconds toe down from his high before he helps me up and fixes my pants. My legs are shaking from the cold, and I¡¯m so horny I could scream right now.

    Luca chuckles, and that earns him a vicious re from me, which only makes himugh harder.

    ¡°Dyed gratification, Mrs. Vitale. I seem to recall you wanting that,¡± he says with a smile before walking away from me.

    I flip him off and sulk the whole way back to the house.

 36

    Luca

    K

    EEPING VERONA ON the edge all day has been quite entertaining, to say the least. And knowing that she¡¯s so horny and desperately craving my cock, and only my cock, makes me feel powerful, like I can conquer the world.

    ¡°Let¡¯s y some pool,¡± I suggest while we¡¯re sitting on the couch watching TV. She¡¯s been trying to hump my bones all afternoon and evening, and I haven¡¯t given in to her yet.

    ¡°You want to y pool. Now?¡± she asks with a heavy sigh, and I can hear the disappointment in her voice. I bite back a grin and tell her, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s y.¡±

    I get up from the couch and extend my hand to her. When she reluctantly puts her hand in mine, I pull her up to a standing position and lead her over to the rec room.

    A pool table sits in the middle of the room. There are various other games and electronics that we could y with, but I want to see Verona bent over this table as she strokes a long stick with her hands. Fuck, it¡¯s going to take all of my willpower to actually y the game and not put my long stick in her.

    I pick up a pool cue and hand Verona one. The balls are already racked on the table, so I tell her, ¡°Ladies first.¡± I watch anxiously as she lines up a shot, breaking the cluster of balls and sending them scattering over the pool table.

    She manages to get one of the balls in a corner pocket.

    ¡°Stripes,¡± she says.

    I grin. ¡°Then I¡¯m solids.¡±

    She bends over the table, and my cock presses painfully against my zipper as I watch her swing her hips in an effort to get a good angle. I bite back a groan as I watch her stroke the pool cue between her fingertips before she releases it, smacking the tip against the number nine ball.

    She gets the shot in, and, fuck, color me impressed.

    ¡°I married a pool shark,¡± I tell her, and she giggles.

    ¡°My great aunt had an old pool table in the basement. I used to y for hours since we rarely left the house.¡±

    I frown at that statement. Her great aunt was a real piece of work. I can¡¯t believe Verona¡¯s father would send his only daughter to live with someone like that. The woman barely took care of Verona. She didn¡¯t buy her things or spoil her the way she deserved. I¡¯m just d that I can make up for lost time and give her the life she used to probably only dream about.

    I watch her hit four more shots in until she finally misses one. I take my time lining up my shots, smacking ball after ball in and ultimately winning the game.

    ¡°You win,¡± she says.

    ¡°What¡¯s my prize?¡± I ask as I turn to her.

    At this point, she¡¯s pouting, thinking I don¡¯t want her when, in reality, I¡¯ve never wanted her or anyone else more in my entire life than in this moment.

    ¡°Whatever you want,¡± she answers before her pink tongue darts out of her mouth to lick her lips.

    ¡°Whatever I want?¡± I pace around the floor, looking her up and down. She¡¯s still mad about earlier when I wouldn¡¯t let here. I guess I should make it up to her, but I want to tease her a little more first. I love that she¡¯s so hot and wet for me.

    ¡°Get on the pool table, Verona,¡± I tell her. She raises her brows in confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t make me tell you again. Climb on the table, lie on your back and hang your head over the edge.¡±

    She carefully hoists herself up onto the table and does what I instructed. With her head hanging over the edge, her beautiful, long neck is exposed. I stroke her silky, smooth skin and feel her swallow hard under my hand.

    ¡°Do you want to suck my cock?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answers without hesitation.

    I smile, satisfied. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°I want to suck your cock,¡± she says softly.

    ¡°Mm, honey, I love hearing filthy wordse out of your sexy mouth.¡± I pull down my sweatpants over my hips and position myself in front of her. I watch in awe as her pink tongue darts out and licks around the crown. ¡°Open wide for me, honey,¡± I tell her. When she does as she¡¯s told, I feed my cock between her bee-stung lips and into her soft, wet mouth. My cock swells in her mouth as she tastes me, licks me and sucks me.

    I watch my cock slide down her throat. She gags, but she doesn¡¯t fight me or try to make me stop. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re perfect for me,¡± I praise her with a groan. Her hand reaches out to touch my thigh, and then she¡¯s kneading my heavy balls while she continues to suck me. I pump my hips slowly, making her take everyst inch of me in her mouth and throat before pulling out again. I¡¯m so fucking close, but I don¡¯t want toe just yet. Stepping back away out of her reach, I tell her, ¡°Your turn.¡±

    I walk over to the oversized couch and lie down. ¡°Your throne is awaiting, my queen,¡± I tell her before I motion for her to join me.

    Verona slowly gets undressed and walks over to me. ¡°You want me to¡­¡±

    ¡°I want you to sit on my face, Verona. I want to taste that pussy before I ravage it with my cock.¡±

    She shudders at my words before climbing onto the couch and positioning her thighs on either side of my head. Grabbing her ass, I pull her down to my mouth. I don¡¯t start slow. No, I fucking devour her, relishing in the sounds of her whimpers and cries above me as she holds on to the back of the couch for dear life.

    I lick, suck and bite gently, feasting on her like a desperate, starving man. She begins to squirm, trying to escape the intense pleasure, but I wrap my hands around her thighs and hold her to me, not caring if I even breathe at this point. I focus my efforts on her clit, driving her crazy with lust as she begins moaning loudly.

    I know she¡¯s close, so I remove my hands from her thighs and move them around to stick a few fingers into her trembling pussy and press one finger inside of her tight, little puckered hole.

    Verona cries out, ¡°Yes, Luca!¡± And then she¡¯s almost screaming as she grinds down on my fingers and face,ing so hard. I can feel both of her holes gripping me so damn tight, and I can¡¯t wait to fill her with my cock and feel it all over again.

    I keep licking her until she begs me to stop. When her legs eventually stop shaking, I tell her, ¡°I want to watch you ride my cock, honey.¡±

    Moving down my body, she positions herself over my waiting cock, which is weeping in anticipation for her pussy. She slowly sinks down on my length until she¡¯s fully seated. And fuck, it feels like heaven.

    ¡°Your greedy little cunt has been craving my cock all day, hasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± she cries out.

    Verona works her hips, grinding down on me. I grip her hips in a bruising hold as I lift mine to meet her on every downstroke, and it only intensifies the feeling.

    Her hands go to her breasts, and she ys with her little rosy nipples, turning me on even more. I love watching her y with herself. ¡°Touch your clit for me, honey.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Her hand moves from her breast, down her stomach and in between her legs. She grinds against me as she fingers herself, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a more erotic sight before in my life. I¡¯m going to keep this image ingrained in my brain forever.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I hiss through clenched teeth. ¡°Your body was made for sinning,¡± I tell her.

    ¡°So was yours,¡± she groans.

    I grip her hips, driving her down my cock harder and harder and bringing us ever closer to the abyss we both crave.

    Liquid pleasure floods through my veins as I throw my head back onto the couch ande harder than I think I¡¯ve evere before.

    Verona continues to grind down on me, chasing her own orgasm until she shatters on my cock. She copses on my chest, exhausted, and I continue to fuck her nice and slow by pistoning my hips in a relentless rhythm while she rides out wave after wave of pleasure on my cock.

    When we¡¯re both fully spent, I rx my legs and hold her to me. Our chests rise and fall rapidly in a rhythm together until we¡¯re both able to catch our breath.

    ¡°Can you die from having too many orgasms?¡± she asks softly.

    A loud chuckle erupts out of my chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it would be one hell of a way to go, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    We lie on the couch for a long time after that, and eventually she falls asleep on top of me. I don¡¯t want to move her, but I don¡¯t want her to get cold in the middle of the night. So, as carefully as I can, I move her off to the

    side of the couch so that I can stand up. Then, I ick her up in my arms and carry her to the master bedroom.

    I tuck my sleeping beauty into the bed, covering her up. And then I do something I¡¯ve never done before in my life. I watch her sleep. I don¡¯t even realize I¡¯m doing it until a chill starts to set in, and I realize I¡¯ve been standing there for several minutes, just watching her.

    And in that moment, it just kind of hits me all at once, like a ton of bricks.

    I¡¯m in love with Verona Vitale.

    I love her more than anything on this fucking.

    I would kill for her. I would live for her. But more importantly, if it came right down to it, I would die for her.

    She is my entire world now. And I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to protect her.

 37

    Verona

    T

    HE NEXT DAY, something is different about Luca. He isn¡¯t his normal, brooding, controlling self. He¡¯s more demure, quiet. It could just be that he¡¯s still tired fromst night. I know I am. Those orgasms knocked me out. Literally. I don¡¯t even remember Luca carrying me to bedst night, but he must have, because I woke up this morning warm and snuggly inside the king-sized bed under a mountain of nkets.

    After we both shower and get dressed in our warmest clothester that morning, we take a trip into a nearby small touristy town. It¡¯s ourst day in Colorado, and Luca suggested we stay away from the slopes and just do some sightseeing. I overwhelmingly agreed with that idea, because between skiing and riding himst night, my legs are officially out ofmission. I need to recover, and some light walking sounds way better than trying to bnce myself on skis all day¡­or on another kind of pole.

    Luca parks the car and puts some change into the meter as we step up onto the sidewalk. The town looks like it¡¯s straight out of a Hallmark movie. The nume ous store windows are decorated with Christmas lights and tiny trees and wreaths, and there are decorations hanging from every streemp and sign. It¡¯s only the beginning of November but seeing all the holiday decor really puts me in the mood for Christmas.

    The first ce we go to is a little coffee shop on the corner for some hot chocte. The day is cold with a breeze, and the hot liquid is just what I need to stay warm. Back in New York, it doesn¡¯t get bitterly cold like this until December or January, so I¡¯m not used to the sudden change in weather.

    We walk hand in hand, enjoying the scenery and each other¡¯spany as we explore the town. ¡°We need to buy something to remember this ce,¡± I announce as we enter yet another store.

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but I¡¯ll know when I see it,¡± I assure him. We walk through the store, browsing separately for a while. There are a lot of touristy things to buy, but none of them catch my eye. Then, I walk past a wall of mas. It reminds me of the mas Mama used to put on our fridge at home. Whenever her and Papa went anywhere, she would buy a ma as a little memento to remember the time and ce. Since she was always in the kitchen cooking something or other, she looked at the mas often. I was never allowed to y with them or move them.

    They were sacred to her.

    And their tradition can now be ours.

    Searching, I find the perfect one. It has the town name over a picture of the town and even has the snowy mountains in the background, which I havee to absolutely love.

    I pull the ma from the metal wall and find Luca. ¡°How about this?¡± I ask him before cing the ma in his hand.

    He stares at the souvenir and smiles. ¡°That¡¯s perfect.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°We could collect mas at every ce we visit. Maybe someday our fridge will be full of ces we¡¯ve been to.¡±

    He looks up at me with a strange look on his face. And then his mouth is suddenly attacking mine in the middle of the store. His tongue demands entry against my lips, and I grant him ess. His tongue sweeps over mine as he devours me.

    Realizing where we are and that we probably have eyes on us, I put my hands between us and press lightly on his chest. When we finallye up for air, I tell him, ¡°Jeez, if I had known you liked mas so much, I would¡¯ve bought a ton of them the other night.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    A deep, heartyughes from Luca, and it makes me smile. ¡°It¡¯s not the mas, Verona. It¡¯s you. I want to see the world with you.¡± He pulls me close and whispers in my ear, ¡°With you by my side, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I can¡¯t do. I could conquer the universe with you beside me.¡±

    I blush at his words. It¡¯s hard to believe that not that long ago Luca hated the very sight of me. I would go so far as to say he loves me now, even though he hasn¡¯t said the words out loud yet. Actions speak louder than words, though. And if today is any indication of his true feelings for me, then I would say he¡¯s fallen for me just like I have for him.

    After we pay for the ma, we walk outside. It¡¯s starting to snow. Snowkes cascade down around us, melting against our heated skin as the world blurs into the background. It feels like it¡¯s only us on the entire right now.

    Luca pulls me to him so that we¡¯re only a few inches apart and stares down at me with a look on his face that I can¡¯t quite decipher. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he whispers to me.

    I blink up at him with snowkes sticking o my longshes. ¡°Thank you for bringing me here,¡± I tell him. ¡°The past few days have been some of the best in my life.¡±

    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± he says before cing a kiss to my forehead. ¡°You¡¯re freezing. Let¡¯s go back to the house and get you warmed up.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a great idea,¡± I agree.

    LATER THAT NIGHT, Luca doesn¡¯t fuck me hard and fast. No, he makes love to me. He caresses and kisses and licks every inch of my body and fills me with his cock so slowly that my orgasm is almost euphoric.

    And after he reaches his release, Luca looks into my eyes and tells me, ¡°Verona, I love you.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes and I bite my lip, desperately trying to hold back my emotions. I never thought I would hear those three wordse from his mouth. And I¡¯m not sure if I can even process them right now.

    ¡°Say something,¡± he says, his eyes searching my face.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± I tell him quickly. ¡°So much. More than anything or anyone on this entire, Luca.¡±

    He groans at my words and ces a sweet kiss on my lips. He rocks in and out of me, and I can feel him growing hard again.

    ¡°You¡¯re insatiable,¡± I tell him with a giggle.

    ¡°Only for you,¡± he confesses before kissing me until we¡¯re both needy and breathless.

    We spend the rest of the night making love, and I can¡¯t think of a better way to end our honeymoon.

 38

    Verona

    T

    HE MOMENT WEnd in New York, I can sense a change in Luca. Gone is the carefree Luca I had grown to love while we were on our honeymoon. Now, he is back to being his brooding, serious self. But I understand why he has to be that way. You can¡¯t be perceived as weak in the world we live in. Weakness will get you killed.

    When we get back to the house, Luca carries our luggage in. There is arge, wrapped package inside the door, and Luca remarks, ¡°Our painting arrived.¡± ¡°Where should we hang it?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°Wherever you want to,¡± he tells me.

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll think about it,¡± I say before I walk into the kitchen to ce the ma that we bought yesterday on the fridge. It looks so foreign on the stainless-steel surface with nothing else around it, but it makes me smile and look forward to our future together. Maybe one day we¡¯ll have the entire fridge filled with mementos of our adventures together.

    Warm arms wrap behind me, and I sink into his touch. But when I smell an unfamiliar cologne, I wrench away and spin around so fast it almost makes me dizzy.

    ¡°Dante,¡± I gasp. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t hug my friend?¡± he asks, trying to y the whole thing off as friendly when it clearly wasn¡¯t. ¡°I missed you,¡± he says with a warm smile.

    Luca enters the kitchen and looks between Dante and me with a frown. ¡°Leave us, Dante,¡± he says with a severe tone.

    Dante gives me onest longing look before he reluctantly leaves the kitchen.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Luca asks,ing to me and pulling me into his embrace.

    It¡¯s scary how well he can read me now. ¡°Nothing,¡± I say, trying to downy what just happened with Dante. I don¡¯t want to get him into trouble, and I definitely don¡¯t want to ruin Luca¡¯s good mood that he¡¯s been in for days now. ¡°I was just putting our ma on the fridge.¡±

    He peers over my head, and a big smile appears on his face. ¡°We¡¯ll add more soon,¡± he promises.

    I look down at the floor when I tell Luca, ¡°Maybe I can talk to my father about having Dante return to his house to work for him.¡±

    Luca puts his finger under my chin and forces me to meet his gaze. ¡°Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not that,¡± I lie. Recently, Dante¡¯s actions have been weirding me out, but I don¡¯t want to rm Luca. I know Dante would never hurt me. But I think his feelings for me are growing, even though I¡¯m not reciprocating them in any way. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m married now, and the whole wanting what he can¡¯t have thing? I¡¯m not sure. ¡°Maybe you could hire someone else to protect me when Benito can¡¯t?¡± I suggest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make some calls first thing tomorrow morning,¡± he assures me. He seems happy about my decision. Leaning down, he kisses the top of my head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go get some rest? I know you were tired on the ne, but you

    refused to stop looking out the window.¡± ¡°I am pretty tired,¡± I say with a yawn.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to catch up on things with Benito. I¡¯ll see you tonight for dinner,¡± he says before cing a quick kiss on my lips.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± I agree. I walk out of the kitchen and almost run smackdab into Dante. Was he listening at the door? ¡°What are you doing?¡± I ask him curtly.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get something for lunch,¡± he says, but there¡¯s something off about his tone and demeanor.

    I walk past him and to our bedroom. I¡¯m even more convinced now that having Dante move out of the house is the best decision for Luca and me. Dante is proving to be like a third wheel when I¡¯m trying to build a rtionship with my new husband. Luca and I havee so far, and I¡¯m not going to let anyone ruin our chances at real, forever love. Not even my best friend.

    Luca

    B

    ENITO ENTERS MY office a short time after I¡¯ve settled down at my desk. The look on his face is serious and drawn, like he¡¯s been contemting how to tell me bad news for a while.

    ¡°You received a delivery,¡± he tells me.

    I smile. ¡°I know. I saw the painting by the door when we arrived home.¡±

    ¡°No, not that. Something else came in the mail.¡± He approaches and slides a mani envelope across my desk. I stare at the envelope. It seems innocent enough. I turn it over and notice my name scrawled on the front in unfamiliar handwriting. ¡°Who sent this?¡± I ask.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. It appeared in the mailbox the other night.¡±

    I frown at that revtion. A hand-delivered letter can¡¯t contain anything good when you live in the kind of world that we do.

    Opening the envelope, I dump the contents out on my desk. Photo after photo of Verona appears before my eyes.

    Some are far away, through a telephoto lens, like Verona and I in the airport just a few days ago. And others are close, far too close for my liking. Her at the mall, shopping. My fingertips grip the edges of the photos that are zoomed in of her ass and breasts, and I crinkle the edges as a fury erupts inside of me.

    ¡°And you have no idea who did this?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°No, boss.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want to hear. I want to know who sent these and why. What¡¯s their fucking game?¡± I demand, standing and pounding my fists against my desk.

    ¡°We were hoping that maybe you would have an inkling as to who might have done this. Give us a lead,¡± Benito suggests.

    I stare at the photos and look up at him. There¡¯s only one man who would do this. One man who has threatened Verona, touched her, tried to take her away from me. ¡°Constantine Carbone,¡± I say. ¡°He threatened Verona the night of the art gallery. Told her he¡¯d see her again soon.¡± I nce down at the pictures. ¡°He has to be the person behind all of this.¡±

    ¡°We should have gone after him the moment heid a finger on Verona.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I agree, nodding. ¡°But I promised her I wouldn¡¯t go to war over it.¡± I sit down at my desk and lock eyes with my most trusted friend. ¡°Now I don¡¯t think we have a choice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get the men prepared,¡± Benito says before leaving my office.

    I sit in the room alone, pissed off and over-thinking everything. I can¡¯t believe just an hour ago I was nning vacation trips in my head with Verona. I wanted to travel with her, leave this world behind us. But that¡¯s the thing with the mafioso, you can never leave. Not unless you¡¯re in a casket. I shouldn¡¯t have entertained such childish illusions. And thanks to letting my guard down, I have toe back home to this fucking mess.

    My eyes dart to the pictures once again; and the longer I stare at them, the more furious I be.

    Constantine fucked with the wrong man. If he wants a war, then that¡¯s exactly what he¡¯s going to get. Because I won¡¯t back down, and I won¡¯t fucking stop until he¡¯s dead.

 39

    Verona

    W

    HEN I WAKE up the next morning, Luca is nowhere to be seen. I vaguely remember a call in the middle of the night that took him away from me in a hurry, but he promised I had nothing to worry about.

    I slowly sit up, and a wave of nausea hits me instantly. I barely make it to the bathroom in time before I¡¯m retching in the toilet.

    I groan as I flush and manage to pull myself to look at my reflection in the sink. A sheen of sweat covers my face, and I quickly rinse my mouth out with water before brushing my teeth and swigging some mouthwash.

    It¡¯s a good thing Luca wasn¡¯t here when I woke up. He wouldn¡¯t have wanted to witness that mess, and he would have been worried.

    I guess the jeg really got to me¡­or maybe I have food poisoning. I¡¯m trying to think of what I atest night while I¡¯m rummaging through the lower cab for a towel and washcloth when I spot a box of tampons. Furrowing my brow, I try to think of thest time I needed a tampon. It¡¯s been¡­weeks. A month? More than a month?

    ¡°Oh, no,¡± I gasp as I try to count back how many days I actually haven¡¯t had a period. I can¡¯t even remember thest time. Luca and I have been fucking like bunnies for a while, and I can only recall one period.

    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± I groan, wiping my sweaty face with my hand. Pregnancy isn¡¯t something that Luca and I have discussed. I mean, we knew the consequences from having sex¡­so much sex¡­without condoms, so I¡¯m assuming he wanted children. But he¡¯s never mentioned it. What if he doesn¡¯t want children? That would bepletely irresponsible of us not to use protection then.

    I pace the bathroom, trying not to freak out. Then another thought hits me. What if he assumed I was on birth control? What if he thought we were protected the whole time and that¡¯s why he never wore a condom?

    My inner thoughts are strangling me to the point that I¡¯m having trouble breathing. I¡¯m panicking and overanalyzing every single thing, but I can¡¯t help it. Luca is so hard to figure out at times; and when ites to this, I have no idea how he¡¯s going to react.

    cing my palms down on the countertop, I steady myself. I can¡¯t allow myself to overreact to something that I¡¯m not even certain of. First things first, I need someone to get me a pregnancy test. Once I take it, then I can decide the next step.

    ¡°Baby steps,¡± I tell myself out loud, and then I cringe at the word baby. Oh god, this is going to change everything.

    IT¡¯S LATER that morning when I encounter Benito in the hallway. He looks like he¡¯s in a rush and already has a destination in mind, but I quickly pull on his arm and beg him to follow me. He reluctantly does as I ask.

    ¡°I need your help,¡± I tell him.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°What is it? Did something happen?¡± he¡¯s quick to ask, concerncing his features.

    I swallow hard. I¡¯m trusting Benito with more than I¡¯ve ever trusted anyone before. But I¡¯m too afraid to ask Dante for this favor, because judging by his recent reactions to Luca and my rtionship, he¡¯ll just flip out on me and wouldn¡¯t help me anyway.

    I lean up on my tiptoes and whisper into the giant¡¯s ear, ¡°I need you to get me a pregnancy test.¡±

    He pulls back, his eyes wide. ¡°What?¡± he asks as if he misheard me.

    ¡°I need the test, Benny,¡± I say vehemently. ¡°And I want you to keep this between you and me. For now,¡± I add quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Luca. I will. I just want to be the one who does it¡­when I¡¯m ready,¡± I tell him in a rush.

    He groans and swipes a hand down his face. ¡°Luca is not going to be happy that I¡¯m leaving the house when we¡¯ve

    been under attack sincest night.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re under attack?¡± I ask, paning my voice.

    ¡°We have it under control,¡± he assures me. He nces at his watch. ¡°There¡¯s a pharmacy not too far from here. I can be back here in less than fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Benny!¡± I exim, wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

    He stiffens against me, probably not used to such emotion or maybe even affection at all. He clears his throat until I back away from him. And then he¡¯s out the door, retrieving me something that might change my entire life.

    Luca

    B

    EFORE I EVEN made the decision on when and how to attack Constantine, our entireputer server went under attacktest night. Someone cracked into our mainputer and sent out a virus, infecting everyputer connected to thework.

    Aldo has been desperately fixing the problem, but he hasn¡¯t been able to give me a definite answer yet on who is behind all of this. My assumption is Constantine, of course, but it could be any number of enemies that I¡¯ve umted over the years.

    I¡¯m biding my time when ites to going after Constantine until I have hard, concrete proof. And then, once I do, I¡¯m personally going to destroy his empire until there¡¯s nothing left but burning ashes on the charred fucking ground.

    First the photos and now this. It all has to be connected. I just wish I knew who was behind it all and what their reasoning is behind it. If they want money, they can have it. But if they want something else¡­if they want someone else, then that¡¯s a whole other matter, and they¡¯ll have to go through me first to get to Verona.

    My office has officially been taken over by my men. Aldo is in the corner, furiously typing away on hisptop, while he barks out instructions to the other IT guys on my team. There areputers, monitors,ptops, cords, wires and cables everywhere. It¡¯s a fucking mess, but we¡¯re working on borrowed time here.

    I know this is the safest ce on the property given that the walls were specially reinforced. Hell, even the ss in the windows is bulletproof. I spend most of my time here, so I needed to make sure it was secure.

    We have a secret underground bunker on the property, and I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be going there shortly, but I feel safe here for right now. Besides, the reception in the bunker is spotty, at best, and we need as muchmunication as we can get right now.

    Looking around the room, I ask, ¡°Where the fuck is Benito?¡±

    A secondter, Benito rushes into my office. ¡°Sorry, boss. Got hung up on something.¡±

    ¡°We need everyone here,¡± I tell him sternly. I don¡¯t need any of my men to go missing when we¡¯re under attack.

    ¡°Understood,¡± Benito says with a nod.

    ¡°I managed to effectively wipe out the virus on our system,¡± Aldo says, which elicits some cheers and whistles from the rest of my team. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure out how they cracked into thework to begin with. I¡¯m tracing everything back now.¡±

    ¡°Hurry, Aldo,¡± I tell him with urgency. I need to know what the attacker¡¯s game is that they are obviously ying. Do they want to harm us by trying to steal information, or is it something much more sinister?

 40

    Verona

    WO PINK LINES.

    I stare down at the tests. Benito ended up buying me three just in case, and I¡¯m d that he did¡­although all of them read the same results.

    I¡¯m pregnant.

    I have spent the entire morning and afternoon in our bedroom, pacing and freaking out. Luca hasn¡¯t appeared even once, and I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing. I want to tell him about the baby, our baby, but I have no idea what his reaction is going to be.

    Wiping away the stray tears from my cheeks, I gather the tests and hide them in the counter under the sink. There¡¯s a time and ce for everything, but Luca being stressed out and trying tobat a cyber-attack is definitely bad timing.

    After a nice, hot shower, I go to the closet and put on somefy clothes ¨C a pair of ck yoga pants and an oversized tie-dye hooded sweatshirt.

    There¡¯s a small pocket on the yoga pants, and it¡¯s the perfect size for the cellphone Luca insists I have on me at all times. When I pull the sweatshirt down, it hides the pocket and the phone. Even though I usually feel silly having the phone on me, I feel safer having the phone with me today, especially since someone is trying to breach my husband¡¯s security.

    I dry my hair, blowing it straight, and put on a little makeup ¨C some mascara, blush and a pink glossy lipstick. I don¡¯t need much to enhance my natural features, but I want to look pretty since I¡¯ve felt sick, bloated and gross for most of the day.

    I slip on a pair of socks and sneakers and make my way downstairs. The house is eerily quiet.

    ¡°Verona,¡± someone says my name, and I nearly jump out of my skin.

    I turn to see Dante, and I instantly sigh in relief. ¡°You scared me.¡±

    His eyes skate over my body, perusing me so openly that I suddenly feel shy. Dante never lets his true feelings show, but I know he¡¯s attracted to me. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m just noticing it now. Maybe it¡¯s because of everything Luca has been telling me¡­

    ¡°Where¡¯s Luca?¡± I ask, and that seems to break him out of his trance.

    ¡°They¡¯re all in his office trying to figure out who¡¯s behind the cyber-attack.¡±

    I turn to go in the direction of the office, but Dante grabs my arm, hauling me back to him. ¡°You really

    shouldn¡¯t be here. It¡¯s not safe.¡±

    I stare up into his familiar, dark eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure Luca can make that decision.¡± Then, I shrug out of his hold and continue on my way to his office.

    The door isn¡¯t locked. And when I walk into the room, Luca and his team, including Benny, are gathered around numerousputers andptops. Luca looks up when I enter, and I can almost see the look of relief on his face.

    He nces at the expensive watch on his wrist and frowns. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been gone all this time. Have you eaten?¡±

    I nod even though it¡¯s a lie. My stomach has been in knots all day, and I was barely able to keep down a piece of toast earlier.

    I walk over to him and stare at theptop in front of him. The code running across the screen hurts my eyes, and I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s analyzing anything in that mess.

    Luca pulls me into hisp and ces a soft but chaste kiss to my lips. In my ear, he whispers, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to be done with this, so I can take you to our bedroom and get lost for hours in your sweet, tight pussy.¡±

    I wriggle on hisp, instantly turned on even though we¡¯re in a room packed full of people. His teeth nip at my neck before his arm wraps around me possessively. My stomach does a flip knowing he¡¯s holding me¡­and our baby¡­even though he has no idea.

    Suddenly, the lights in the room go out, and then there¡¯s a loud explosioning from the other end of the property.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Luca hisses, holding me so tightly to him that it scares me.

    Benito is the first to speak in the darkness. ¡°Hector reported an explosion just went off near the guard tower on the western side of the property. One of the guards was hurt, but he¡¯s going to be okay.¡± He flips on the light on his phone, as so do several others, illuminating the dark room.

    ¡°This has to be Constantine,¡± Luca says, mming his fist down on his desk and causing me to jump. ¡°I should have killed that motherfucker when I had the chance!¡±

    Constantine Carbone. The man I foolishly danced with at the ball, and the man Luca almost killed for touching me at the art gallery. Little did I know how deep their rivalry went. And now he¡¯s attacking our home, putting us in danger.

    Is this all my fault? I can¡¯t help but wonder that question even as Luca squeezes me tighter to him as if he¡¯s afraid of letting go.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Benito, I want you to take Verona to the safehouse.¡± He gently pushes me off hisp as we both stand. ¡°It¡¯s not safe for her here right now, and I can¡¯t concentrate on what needs to be done with her in danger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± I say at the same time Benito says, ¡°I¡¯m staying.¡±

    Luca narrows his eyes at his first-inmand. ¡°You will do what I say!¡± he demands.

    ¡°My ce is here, with you,¡± Benito answers, standing his ground. If Luca¡¯s first inmand is anything, it¡¯s loyal. And his loyalty to his best friend knows no bounds.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her,¡± Dante says, having suddenly appeared in the room at some point.

    Luca stares at him, and I can feel the apprehension rolling off of him in waves. I turn to Luca and say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave. I want to stay here with you.¡±

    He closes his eyes and nods as if making an internal decision. ¡°Dante will take you to the safehouse. He knows where it is.¡± Then, he turns his attention to Dante. ¡°Take one of the SUVs. Call us as soon as you arrive and if any problems arise along the way,¡± Luca rambles off the instructions.

    ¡°No!¡± I exim, clinging to Luca. ¡°Please, Luca! I¡¯m safe here. With you!¡±

    He shakes his head as he stares down at me. ¡°You¡¯re safer where I¡¯m not,¡± he tells me. Leaning down, he ces a kiss on my lips. ¡°I wille get you the moment it¡¯s clear. We¡¯ll be together again soon,¡± he says before kissing me again.

    This kiss feels like thest, for some god-awful reason, and I cling to him for dear life, kissing him like our ne is going down.

    Luca is the first to pull away before saying, ¡°Now, go.¡± Then, to Dante, he says, ¡°You¡¯re responsible for her. Don¡¯t make me regret this decision,¡± he threatens.

    Dante gives him a nod before turning his attention to me. ¡°Come on, Verona. We have to go quickly.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as he rips me away from my husband. I stare back at Luca, trying not to cry and failing miserably before Dante drags me out of the room and towards the garage that houses all the vehicles.

    Opening the back door to a ck SUV, Dante impatiently waits for me to climb into the backseat before mming the door and running to climb into the front seat. He revs the engine, hits a button for the garage door to open and peels out of the garage.

    I fasten my seatbelt, my hands going protectively over my stomach. ¡°Please, Dante, slow down! I don¡¯t want to die on the way to the safehouse!¡± I cry out.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he says.

    We make it past the front gate, and he seems to slow down a little as we venture down the road. I turn in my seat and watch the dark house in the distance. And then that¡¯s when the darkness lights up with fireballs as explosion after explosion erupts within the house.

    I scream at what I just witnessed and reach for my seatbelt, unfastening it quickly. I reach for the door handle and pull, but it¡¯s locked.

    ¡°Please! Dante, we have to go back!¡± I scream at him. I hit the unlock button, but it locks before I can reach the handle.

    ¡°We can¡¯t go back, Verona!¡± he yells. ¡°We have to go to the safehouse, just like Luca wanted.¡±

    ¡°What if Luca¡¯s hurt? He could be hurt! He could be¡­¡± No, I won¡¯t even let myself think like that. Luca can¡¯t be dead. He is not dead.

    Tears stream down my cheeks as I desperately try for the handle again, but I know Dante is holding down the lock button.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to the safehouse, Verona, and that is final,¡± he tells me, his voice devoid of emotion as he stares straight ahead.

    I stare back at the fire engulfing the house as Dante speeds up, driving us away from it.

    Sobs tear from me as I assume the worst. And what makes me cry the hardest is that I never got the chance to tell Luca that I¡¯m pregnant with his child.

 41

    Verona

    I

    ¡®M WRINGING MY hands in myp as Dante drives us to¡­who the hell knows where. I don¡¯t even know where the safehouse is or how long it¡¯s going to take before we get there. It could be in another state, for all I know.

    We ditched the SUV we were originally in because Dante said that¡¯s what Luca wanted him to do. And now we¡¯re in an old sedan that he hotwired in the parking lot of a gas station. Even though I didn¡¯t want to believe it was part of Luca¡¯s n, I have no idea what he and Dante discussed. I mean, I didn¡¯t even know about the safehouse. And Dante hasn¡¯t ever given me a reason not to trust him, so why start now?

    ¡°How much longer?¡± I ask Dante, and I don¡¯t care if I sound like a whiny child on a long road trip. I need to know how soon we can stop so that he can try to reach out to Luca. I need to know he¡¯s okay.

    ¡°Not much longer,¡± Dante says, and his voice sounds different, weird.

    He¡¯s also acting weird; has been ever since we left the house and he refused to let me roam more than a few inches from him this entire time, even when he was hotwiring the car. I guess that¡¯s the biggest reason why I haven¡¯t told him about the cellphone I have safely tucked in the pocket of my yoga pants. The longer we¡¯re in this car, the more I feel like I can¡¯t fully believe or trust Dante. But deep down I know that¡¯s probably just absurd. Dante would never hurt me. I¡¯ve known him almost my entire life.

    And yet my hands keep sweating and my heart won¡¯t stop pounding in my chest every time I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror. Something has changed, and my fight or flight response is kicking into gear against my best friend. I need to find out why.

    ¡°Can you call Luca now?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s dead, Verona,¡± he says so assuredly that it sends a chill up my spine.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that!¡± I protest vehemently.

    ¡°I know. And he is,¡± he says through gritted teeth. Then he adds, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him anymore.¡±

    My eyes fill with tears, but I refuse to let them fall. I was right in not trusting Dante. He¡¯s changed ever since I married Luca. He¡¯s be more possessive and unpredictable.

    Feeling desperate, I keep my eyes locked on the rearview mirror to make sure his eyes are on the road before I carefully retrieve the cell phone from my pocket. I flip it open, turn the volume the whole way down and press and hold the number one button. Once I see the call connecting, I quickly close it so that the light doesn¡¯t give me away and tuck it back into my pocket.

    If Luca is alive¡­or Benny¡­or anyone, hopefully they¡¯ll get the call and be able to trace it.

    ¡°Dante, how much longer?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I already told you, Verona, not much longer,¡± he says vaguely. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re just like your mother. So impatient.¡± I grow angry at hisment. How dare he talk about my dead mother like he knew her better than me. I¡¯m surprised he even remembers her. He was only around her for a short period of time before she died.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my mother like that!¡± I yell, my voice thick with overwhelming emotion.

    A crazedugh escapes his lips, and the car swerves on the road as he cackles loudly. ¡°Your mother was a cunt,¡± he spits out. ¡°Always asking me to do things for her, like I was her goddamn servant. So entitled.¡±

    I shake my head at him. My mother was never like that. My mother was the sweetest person on the. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°She deserved to die. Just like Luca¡¯s mother.¡± His hands tighten on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. ¡°Once I killed your mother, I knew that his was next. It just took a little longer to get to her.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    The breath leaves my lungs in one gasp as I try to process his words. ¡°W-what did you just say?¡± I stammer, not believing him.

    ¡°Your father took my mother away from me. Killed her right in front of me. Along with my father, but hey, he was a bastard that deserved to die anyway. But my mother¡­no, my mother didn¡¯t deserve that horrible fate.¡± He moves his head from side to side, cracking his neck. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to have a mother, so you didn¡¯t deserve to have one either.¡± He continues on with, ¡°Your mother wanted pudding that day. Always asking for shit,¡± he hisses angrily. ¡°So, after the cook was done making it, I crushed up a bottle of sleeping pills I found in her medicine cab and mixed them in.¡± A sadistic smile tugs at his lips. ¡°She stumbled around and around, knocking into things, before I led her outside to the pool. Just a small push was all it took until she fell in.¡±

    ¡°You monster!¡± I scream at him. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I reach into the front seat and start pounding him with my small fists.

    He easily deflects my hits and swerves the car off the road, mming to a stop. I fly into the seat in front of me, the wind knocked from my lungs. I gasp for air to return to my lungs as he looks back at me with a hateful look in his eyes.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t supposed to be the one to find her. I wanted your dad to discover her body floating in the pool.¡± He shrugs nonchntly. ¡°I wanted him to feel the same pain I felt when I lost my mother.¡±

    When I¡¯m finally able to suck in a full breath, I hiss at him, ¡°We saved you! We took you in.¡±

    ¡°Saved me?¡± he scoffs. ¡°Your father ruined my life!¡±

    The car is filled with silence for a long time. And then I have to ask, ¡°But why Luca¡¯s mother? What did she ever do to you?¡±

    ¡°The Morettis along with the Vitales made the decision to kill my family after my father betrayed them. They were all in business together, you see. So, after they murdered my mother and father, I wanted the families to go to war, destroy each other. There was only one way to ensure that would happen.¡± He hesitates, staring off into the distance as if remembering something. ¡°I snuck into the house early one morning and killed Luca¡¯s mother. I killed her the same way the Morettis had killed so many before her, three shes to the throat, so that the Vitales would assume it was them. And the Vitales believed it. They went to war with your father, trying to overtake everything he owned. The war went on for years, and both families just tore each other apart at every fucking chance they got.¡± He shakes his head and sneers. ¡°And then this little wedding fucked everything up. I wanted more blood to be shed. I wanted them to wipe each other out of existence. I wanted to watch your father¡¯s empire crumble to the ground.¡±

    I silently sob in the backseat. There are no words for

    Dante¡¯s betrayal, the hurt he caused both of our families. I

    feel ashamed that I ever had fee ings for this monster. All the times he consoled me after my mother¡¯s death, when he was responsible for it the entire time, makes me physically ill.

    Dante climbs out of the car and looks around, checking his phone. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Where?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Right where we¡¯re supposed to be,¡± he says vaguely before opening the back door and dragging me out by my hair. I scream and kick, fighting for my life in the darkness surrounding us.

    I¡¯m vaguely aware of the phone slipping out of my pocket andnding on the road beneath me as I fight him.

    Dante drags me down the road for what feels like a mile before wee to a stop. In the darkness, I can see the moonlight cascading off the dark water. And as he continues dragging me towards it, panic begins to set in. ¡°No, no, no!¡± I beg, thinking he¡¯s going to drown me in that water.

    Dante throws me to the ground and towers over me.

    ¡°Time to get in the boat, sweetheart,¡± he sneers.

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t! I can¡¯t!¡± I cry out, hysterical.

    ¡°Well, since you won¡¯t do it the easy way, we¡¯ll have to do it the hard way,¡± he tells me right before something hard smacks me in the head and the world around me goes ck.

 42

    Luca

    M

    Y EARS ARE still ringing from the deafening explosion that just happened, and it takes me several long minutes to gather myposure and take in my surroundings.

    The house around us is burning and smoke fills up my lungs as I take a deep breath. Coughing, I struggle to crawl out from under the rubble of what used to be my desk and fail miserably. I¡¯m stuck under here. Blood trickles down my forehead and into my eyes as I call out for my men.

    Some of them answer. I guess some is better than none.

    Someone grabs me, pulling me out from under the charred desk. Benito.

    ¡°Gather what we can, and let¡¯s get the fuck out of here,¡± I instruct him. A huge hole in the side of the mansion is our exit point as we carry out as much equipment as we can.

    ¡°Mr. Vitale,¡± my head IT guy, Aldo, says when he emerges. He looks worse for wear; his dark hair disheveled, his face ckened with soot and his sses askew on his young face.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer quickly, wa ting to know what he knows.

    ¡°I was able to trace the signal that triggered the explosions. It didn¡¯te from Constantine or any outside source. It came from inside our ownwork. It took a little while to trace the source, but I know it was from a phone on or near the property that generated the explosions.¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I hiss, looking around at my group of men. I know none of them are responsible, but then who? Who the fuck would want to hurt us? Who the fuck would try to kill us?

    Realization suddenly dawns on me, and I demand,

    ¡°Where¡¯s Verona?¡±

    ¡°You sent her away with Dante,¡± Benito says slowly, no doubt thinking I hit my head too damn hard and forgot.

    ¡°Track the SUV. I want to know exactly where they are.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to take a few minutes to get the servers back online,¡± Aldo instructs as he sits down on the grass with aptop.

    ¡°Hurry the fuck up!¡± I tell him through clenched teeth. My gut is telling me Dante is somehow behind this and that Verona is in trouble. And the fact that I handed my most prized possession, my queen, over to that bastard makes my chest ache like someone is thrusting a thousand knives into the dark cavity.

    ¡°We need to move everyone to the underground bunker on the other side of the property,¡± Benito says hurriedly. ¡°I doubt if Dante knew about it. He might be ready to set off more bombs in the main house, and we can¡¯t risk losing anyone else.¡±

    I nod in agreement. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s move to the bunker.¡± Normally, I don¡¯t worry about my own life; but if I¡¯m dead, who the hell is going to save Verona? I need to stay alive¡­ for her.

    AFTER WE¡¯RE all safe in the bunker and our generators are up and running, along with the backup servers, Aldo, informs me that the tracker on the SUV stopped at a small gas station outside of the city.

    I go to him and look at the map. ¡°That¡¯s not in the direction of the safehouse. He¡¯s not taking her there. He¡¯s taking her somewhere else.¡± I stare at the time that has passed since the SUV stopped. Twenty-five minutes. Dante didn¡¯t simply stop to fuel up. He ditched the car, knowing we would be tracking him. ¡°Get the surveince footage from the store. They abandoned the SUV. We need to know where they went.¡±

    ¡°Right away, sir,¡± Aldo tells me.

    Benito walks into the bunker with one of our staff that has a nursing background. She looks around the ce warily as she¡¯s escorted straight to me. ¡°You have some wounds that need to be addressed,¡± Benito says.

    I wipe at the blood still streaming down my face. ¡°Head wounds always bleed hard and fast,¡± I say, shrugging him off.

    ¡°You can¡¯t help Verona if you¡¯re passed out cold,¡± he informs me, making me rethink my decision.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I say with a huff. Then, I look at the young brte, who is practically shaking with fear. ¡°Quickly,¡± I instruct her.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she says with a nod before reaching into her medical bag for what she needs.

    As she¡¯s cleaning the wound and stitching me up and I¡¯m trying not to curse and move from the pain, Aldo tells me he has the footage. ¡°They left in a small four-door sedan.¡±

    ¡°Trace the license te. See if we can get a hit on any of the cameras in the area,¡± I say. ¡°Fuck!¡± I yell at the girl when she pierces my skin at a articrly sensitive area around my temple.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir,¡± she says.

    I close my eyes and curse under my breath. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Keep going. Hurry,¡± I tell her.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Three more sutures are in when my phone in my pocket begins to ring. I¡¯m quick to answer it without even ncing at the caller ID. I hear nothing at first, but then voices begin to speak, having their own private conversation.

    Furrowing my brows, I pull the phone back and stare at the caller ID.

    Verona¡¯s name on the screen has my heart skipping a beat. I call for Aldo and tell him to connect the phone to aptop to trace the call and to put the call on speaker so that we can hear the conversation.

    Hearing Verona¡¯s sweet, melodic voice has an instant calming effect. But then when I hear Dante¡¯s much deeper, crueler voice, the anger builds right back up inside of me. My hands clench at my sides as I listen to him tell her that he killed her mother.

    Verona¡¯s sobs fill the room, and it¡¯s almost too much to bear.

    ¡°I¡¯m done, sir,¡± the little nurse tells me, and I wave her away.

    Benito escorts her out of the bunker before returning to my side, listening intently to the call.

    When Dante begins to talk about killing my mother, my anger reaches a fever pitch. ¡°That son of a bitch!¡± I roar.

    I let the enemy into my home. The man that I¡¯ve hunted for so long was right under my nose this entire time. He will suffer for his crimes. I will make him pay ten-fold. I will paint this entire fucking city with his blood.

    I hear Verona and Dante struggling, and the phone falls, her screams fading off into the distance. ¡°I will burn this entire world to the fucking ground until my wife is back in my arms,¡± I tell everyone in the room, making it crystal clear of my intentions. ¡°How long until you get their exact location?¡± I ask Aldo.

    He looks up from hisptop and pushes his sses up higher on his nose. ¡°Almost got it, sir.¡±

    I turn to Benito. ¡°Let¡¯s get the vehicles ready. Aldo can alert us on the way where we need to go. We can head to the gas station first, and hopefully have the information we need by the time we get there.¡±

    Benito nods in agreement, but he seems hesitant about something. Coming closer, he says lowly, ¡°I need to tell you something private, boss.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± The look on his face is something I¡¯ve never seen before. Emotion. Benito is always so stoic, it¡¯s hard to remember that he¡¯s an actual person and not a fucking robot. And, shit, I don¡¯t think my heart can take any more devastating news.

    ¡°Your wife requested a pregnancy test this morning. She wanted discretion, and I gave that to her. But I thought you should know.¡±

    Pregnancy test? Verona is pregnant?

    My legs suddenly give out, and I stumble into a nearby chair.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see the test results,¡± Benito informs me.

    But I already know the result. I can feel it down in my dark fucking soul. Verona is pregnant. She hasn¡¯t had her period in a while, and I would know since I haven¡¯t been able to stop myself from being inside of her every waking moment.

    She¡¯s pregnant with our baby. And Dante has them.

    Clenching my fists, I rise and look at Benito. ¡°We need to go. Now!¡± I demand.

    He motions to several men in the room, and all of us run out of the bunker and to the SUVs in the garage so fast that it¡¯s a blur. All I can focus on is my wife and getting to her as quickly as possible.

    Horrible thoughts barrage me as we fly out of the driveway and down the road. Verona didn¡¯t want to leave, and I made her go. I forced her to leave with Dante, the very man who killed both of our mothers.

    If anything happens to Verona or the baby, I¡¯ll never be able to forgive myself.

 43

    Verona

    COME TO gradually. My head is throbbing painfully, and it¡¯s difficult to even open my eyes. My throat is dry

    as I try to speak and fail miserably.

    ¡°Shh,¡± Dante whispers from beside me. ¡°You¡¯re all right,

    V. I had to knock you out, but we¡¯re here now.¡±

    I

    Where is here?

    I force my eyes to open as wide as they will go. The old cabin is open and decorated sparsely. A few kerosenemps are scattered throughout the ce, illuminating the old wood and rickety furniture.

    I look down and realize I¡¯m tied to a chair in the middle of the living room. I instantly struggle against my bonds, but Dante hushes me.

    ¡°You¡¯ll only hurt yourself, V,¡± he instructs. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. I tied you up pretty tight. You¡¯re not getting out any time soon.¡± Then he adds, ¡°Even if you do¡­we¡¯re surrounded by water. Andst I checked, you don¡¯t swim.¡±

    Despite his words, I continue to struggle until I¡¯m too tired to do so. Then, I simply slump into the chair and begin to think about what happened just before I was knocked out. I made a phone call to Luca. Hopefully he was able to trace it and can find me before it¡¯s toote.

    If he¡¯s alive, a little voice in the back of my head says.

    Tears fill my eyes as I think about my life without Luca. Even though we had a horrible beginning to our marriage, I grew to love him with all of my heart and soul. He¡¯s the father of the baby growing inside of me, and I have no doubt that he would love his little boy or little girl more fiercely than anyone in this world.

    ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± Dante asks me. He¡¯s in the kitchen now, several feet away from me.

    I shake my head. I¡¯m not thirsty or hungry. I just want to be freed and able to return home. ¡°Let me go, Dante. Please,¡± I beg him, my voice raw.

    He turns towards me with an angry look on his face. ¡°This is our chance to be together now, V, and I¡¯m not going to let anyone or anything ruin it.¡±

    I hang my head. Luca was right all along. Dante was obsessing over me, and I just couldn¡¯t see it. I should have listened to him. I should have told my father I didn¡¯t need Dante to watch over me. Luca was protecting me, keeping me safe. And, of course, once I¡¯m away from my husband, I¡¯m in more danger than I¡¯ve ever been in my entire life.

    I hear Dante approaching, and I look up just as he lifts a bottle of water to my lips. I turn my head, but he grabs the back of my neck, forcing me to drink. I sputter and try to swallow, coughing when he finally releases me.

    ¡°I can¡¯t have you getting dehydrated,¡± he exins.

    My hands curl into fists against the wooden arms as I re at him. ¡°Oh, you care about me now?¡± I practically scream. ¡°You killed my mother! You obviously don¡¯t give a shit about me!¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, V,¡± he says, sitting down in a chair across from me. ¡°I love you. I¡¯ve never loved another human being in my life¡­other than my own mother. But she was taken away from me by your asshole father.¡± He leans over to me, and I flinch away from his touch. Frowning, he drops his hand. ¡°I want to be with you. I won¡¯t get another chance like this. With Luca dead -.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not dead!¡± I yell, interrupting him.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s most definitely dead. I set off several bombs in that mansion. It would be a miracle if anyone survived.¡±

    I shake my head at his admission. He¡¯s underestimating Luca and his team. Dante isn¡¯t a trained killer. Sure, he¡¯s probably killed in the past, but he¡¯s not an expert in homemade bombs. He could have messed something up.

    Maybe they weren¡¯t as strong as he thought they would be.

    Or maybe they were stronger.

    I grimace against the horrible thought in my head. I can¡¯t think like that right now. I need to believe that Luca is alive and ising to save me. He¡¯s the only hope I have left. And if I let that go¡­I¡¯ll have absolutely nothing.

    Luca

    ¡°F ASTER,¡± I TELL Benito from the front seat. The

    SUV is almost to the gas station, and Aldo still hasn¡¯t provided me any more information. ¡°What is taking him so long?¡± I hiss in anger.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s trying his best,¡± Benito says in an attempt to calm me down.

    My phone rings, and I answer it on the first ring. ¡°Where is she?¡± I demand.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, sir,¡± Aldo says. ¡°They stopped on a back road. There is nothing for miles. The only thing I can see on the satellite images is an old fishing cabin in the middle of a hugeke.¡±

    ¡°Send me the location.¡±

    ¡°But, sir, it¡¯s abandoned. I don¡¯t think -.¡±

    ¡°He took her there. I know it,¡± I tell him, trusting my gut. ¡°Now, give me the coordinates,¡± I demand.

    Aldo rattles off some directions, and I ry them quickly to Benito before ending the call.

    ¡°You really think they¡¯re in the middle of ake?¡± he asks me.

    ¡°He knows she can¡¯t escape from there. It¡¯s surrounded by water,¡± I say grimly. Verona must be terrified out of her mind. And the moment I get my hands on Dante, I¡¯m going to watch the life drain from his eyes as I squeeze my hands around his fucking neck.

    ¡°Hurry, Benito.¡± Before it¡¯s toote. I don¡¯t say thest words out loud, but I feel them deep down in my soul. Something bad is going to happen. I just don¡¯t know what yet.

    THE WATER IS cold as we slowly and silently swim across it. I have a team of ten men including Benito and me. Who knows what the dark water is teeming with, but I don¡¯t care. All I care about is seeing Verona and making sure she¡¯s safe. And I won¡¯t stop until she¡¯s back home, with me, and in my arms.

    When we reach the shore of the small ind, all of us work on a system of hand gestures and signals. Tall trees and overgrown shrubbery line the perimeter. We slowly move through the brush and towards the cabin that sits in the middle of thend.

    Benito stops suddenly beside me. ¡°Sr trail cams,¡± he whispers, motioning to small cameras and sr panels mounted on nearby trees.

    ¡°Motion activated?¡± I ask even though I already know the answer.

    Benito nods in agreement. ¡°Definitely.¡±

    ¡°The son of a bitch had this all nned out for a while.¡± And the thought of him nning on kidnapping my wife right from under my nose and taking her here to do god only knows what makes my fucking blood boil. The urge to kill him is what keeps my feet moving. ¡°The element of surprise is gone, my friends,¡± I announce to the group. ¡°We need to get to that fucking cabin. Now!¡±

 44

    Verona

    ¡°DANTE, PLEASE, LISTEN to me,¡± I beg him for the millionth time.

    He¡¯s been sitting at hisptop, staring at the screen for what feels like over an hour. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s looking for, but it can¡¯t be good.

    As time ticks by and Luca doesn¡¯t show up, I fear the worst. Maybe he is dead.

    No. No, I can¡¯t allow myself to think that way.

    Luca ising for me. I can feel it deep down in my bones.

    I just need to keep Dante distracted and away from thatptop. ¡°I¡¯m really thirsty,¡± I tell Dante. It¡¯s not a total lie. I am thirsty, but I¡¯m willing to do anything to get him away from whatever he¡¯s keeping track of.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Dante nces up at me, frowns, and reluctantly rises from his chair. He goes to the kitchen and pulls a bottle of water out of the stic case. He unscrews the lid as he walks towards me.

    My entire body shakes the closer he gets. I have so much pent-up fear, anxiety and hate towards him that it¡¯s seeping through my pores. I can¡¯t even pretend any more. I hate him.

    When his fingers sweep across my chin, I pull back like I was just bitten. His frown deepens as he gauges my reaction to his touch. Then, more roughly, he grabs my chin, pinching it between his thumb and index finger as he brings the top of the water bottle to my lips. ¡°Drink,¡± he instructs.

    I open my mouth as he pours a little bit of water into my mouth. I swallow quickly. He doesn¡¯t try to drown me, ironically. No, he¡¯s gentle, patient¡­and kind. And it makes me hate him even more. After what he did to my mother, how could he possibly be so nice to me?

    ¡°Enough,¡± I tell him after the third sip. I can¡¯t bear to have him touching me any longer. And it hurts me to think that soon I might not have a choice in that matter. ¡°How long are we staying here?¡± I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.

    ¡°Not long,¡± he says cryptically. ¡°We¡¯ll head out in the morning. I have a flight already booked for us.¡±

    ¡°A flight to where?¡± I demand, panic setting in. If I get on a ne, Luca will never be able to find me.

    Dante screws the lid back on the bottle and returns to the table, his attention back on theptop. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he says cryptically.

    I hang my head, tears threatening to spill over, and I let them. I silently sob when I think about never seeing Luca again and spending the rest of my life with the man who murdered my mother.

    Suddenly, Dante stands up, knocking over his chair in the process. My head snaps up just as his eyes meet mine. ¡°How the fuck did he find us?¡± he demands. He reaches for something on the other side of the table. A gun. ¡°Did Luca imnt a tracker on you?¡±

    I stare at him and refuse to answer. I know how they found me. The phone. Luca tracked the phone call. But Dante doesn¡¯t know about the phone. He never saw or heard it. He¡¯s assuming they found me by some other means.

    tion fills my body as I realize Luca ising to save me. But that feeling is instantly crushed by the sight of the gun in Dante¡¯s hand. He¡¯ll never let Luca take me. This can only end badly and in bloodshed. Dante will make sure that someone¡¯s not going to make it out of this cabin alive.

    Dante hurries over to me, untying the ropes holding me down so fast my head spins. Then, he hauls me up and out of the chair, pressing the gun to my temple. ¡°He can¡¯t take you from me,¡± Dante says hurriedly. ¡°I won¡¯t let him.¡± And then I do the only thing I can do. I fight back.

    Luca

    M

    Y MEN ARE all getting in ce, surrounding the cabin when a gunshot suddenly goes off. I check with the rest of the team to make sure one of us didn¡¯t fire first. When they all check in with me and ry it wasn¡¯t them, I realize the shot came from inside the cabin.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I cry out, my legs carrying me fast to the front of the house. I have to get to her. Before it¡¯s toote.

    ¡°Luca, wait!¡± Benito calls after me, but I don¡¯t stop.

    Relying on brute strength and adrenaline, I put all of my weight into my shoulder as I run full force into the front door. The old hinges creak and break, and the entire door frame crumbles around me as I fall inside the cabin.

    I¡¯m quick to get on my feet, but it¡¯s toote. Dante already has the gun trained on me.

    My eyes instantly go to Verona, who Dante is keeping a death grip on. I search her body for injuries, and I blow out a sigh of relief when I realize she wasn¡¯t shot. Dante¡¯s face is scratched and bleeding, so I can only assume my little hellcat gave him what he deserved.

    ¡°Look at me, asshole, not her!¡± Dante shouts, shaking the gun in his hand to get my attention.

    Reluctantly, my eyes meet his. ¡°You really thought I wouldn¡¯t find her?¡± I ask him. ¡°I would burn this fucking world to the ground just to find her.¡±

    That earns me a smirk from the bastard. ¡°She¡¯s mine now. She was always mine.¡±

    My teeth grind together in anger. The fact that Dante even thinks he earned the right toy im on my wife makes me want to scoop his eyes out of his fucking skull with a spoon for even looking in her direction.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way out of this, Dante. Let her go,¡± I tell him slowly, calmly.

    Dante grips my wife tighter, crushing her body to his. ¡°Never,¡± he simply says before turning the gun on her, pressing it firmly against her temple.

    ¡°All it¡¯s going to take is one signal from me, and the ten guns trained on you will kill you on the spot,¡± I inform him.

    ¡°Are you willing to bet I won¡¯t pull the trigger first? That she won¡¯t die first?¡± Dante threatens.

    The answer is no. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to Verona, not even so much as a scratch. ¡°Let her go, and I¡¯ll make your death a quick one.¡± Even though I would love nothing more than to torture him and make him slowly pay for the crimes of murdering our mothers, I can¡¯t put a price on my wife¡¯s safety. On her life. That sweet, sweet revenge is simply off the table if it puts her at any kind of risk.

    ¡°Please, Dante.¡± Verona¡¯s soft, melodic voice suddenly fills the tense room. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it be like this. If you love me, you won¡¯t do this.¡±

    I swallow hard at her words. I know she¡¯s trying to pull at his heartstrings, if he even has a fucking heart or a conscience.

    He looks down at her, kissing the side of her head. ¡°I love you more than anything in this world, V. We¡¯re going to be together. Forever,¡± he vows.

    Verona¡¯s teary honey-colored eyes meet mine as she says, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant. I just found out this morning.¡±

    Her words have an effect on Dante. He stiffens, and his grip suddenly loosens. ¡°Wh-what?¡± he demands, shocked.

    Taking the opportunity, Verona pulls out of his grip and runs to the other side of the room, a few feet away from me.

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant with his child?¡± Dante practically screams, waving the gun back and forth from me to Verona and back again.

    He¡¯s unstable, erratic, unpredictable.

    ¡°Well, then¡­if I can¡¯t have you, no one will,¡± Dante cryptically says before raising the gun in Verona¡¯s direction.

    ¡°No!¡± I yell.

    And then everything happens in the blink of an eye, even though it feels like it¡¯s moving in slow motion. I jump across the room, right in front of Verona just as the gun goes off.

    I can feel the burn of the bullets as they rip through my shoulder and forearm right before I fall to the ground.

    More gunshots ring out, and then I watch as Dante falls to the ground, a bullet hole right in between his eyes. He stares at me as the life drains from them and blood pours out of the wound.

    ¡°See you in hell,¡± I tell him before I roll to my back, groaning in pain.

    ¡°Luca!¡± Verona cries, copsing to her knees on the wooden floor beside me.

    I reach up with my good arm and cradle her beautiful face in my palm. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± I tell her. I don¡¯t know that for sure, but I don¡¯t want her to worry about me, especially in her condition.

    Benito rushes inside. ¡°Where?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Shoulder and forearm,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°How bad is it?¡±

    ¡°Hurts like hell,¡± I tell him with a dark chuckle. I try to lift my arm but fail miserably. Benito is quick to realize what I¡¯m trying to do and carefully checks me out. ¡°Exit wounds?¡± I ask, hopeful.

    ¡°We need to get you the fuck out of here,¡± he says instead of answering me, so I¡¯m assuming the answer is no to my question.

    Fuck.

    Benito motions for the men to help me while he speaks in Italian over the phone to who I¡¯m assuming is the doctor we keep on staff for emergencies such as this.

    Verona moves away from me as two of my men haul me up to a standing position. The quick movement coupled with the fact that I¡¯ve lost a lot of blood already has my head spinning. I reach for my wife, but the world around me is already turning ck.

    ¡°I love you,¡± I tell her before I tumble headfirst into the darkness.

 45

    Verona

    ¡°K EEP PRESSURE ON the wounds!¡± Benito yells at the men attending to Luca in the back of the SUV.

    Luca¡¯s team has been working together like they¡¯ve done this a thousand times before, and I¡¯m thankful for it. They managed to get us on a boat and back to the maind in no time. I didn¡¯t even freak out about going across the water. I was too busy being worried about Luca. He¡¯s been passed out for several minutes now, but Benito assured me it was okay.

    I¡¯m in the passenger seat, and Benito is driving. I can¡¯t tear my eyes away from Luca, though. I¡¯m turned the whole way around in my seat. It took everything in me to let go of him, but I knew that I wasn¡¯t going to help, only get in the way.

    His face looks pale, and the tears in my eyes blur his image. I quickly wipe away the tears, needing to see him. I need him to be okay.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Benny,¡± I blurt out.

    Benito nces at me and shakes his head. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Verona.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true! Luca never liked Dante. He had suspicions about him, and I never listened.¡± I sob in my hands. ¡°He killed our mothers. I let a killer into Luca¡¯s home!¡±

    Benito reaches over and grabs my hand, squeezing it gently. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. No one knew what was going through that fucker¡¯s head.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t lose him, Benny,¡± I cry.

    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± he assures me, and I find the strength I need from the confidence in his voice. ¡°Our doctor is good. He¡¯ll fix him up. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°How much longer?¡± I ask, staring at Luca¡¯s brutally handsome face as he starts losing even more color. ¡°Not long. We¡¯re almost there.¡±

    WE PULL up to arge house in the outskirts of the city. It looks like a normal house, and I¡¯m instantly confused. I thought we would be going to a hospital, not someone¡¯s home!

    I start to say something to Benito, but he begins barking out orders to the men in the back.

    Suddenly, everyone is clearing out of the van, four men carrying Luca¡¯s unconscious body towards the back of the house.

    My legs move quickly, walking fast to keep up.

    The doctor turns out to be an older gentleman, probably retirement age, with a weathered face and friendly, blue eyes. He ushers everyone inside the basement, clearly having expected us.

    I anticipate a normal basement with furniture, a TV and such, but I¡¯m blown away by the fact that it looks like we just stepped into a hospital. There is medical equipment

    everywhere, a few hospital beds and IV stands, medicine cabs and pretty much everything you would expect to find in a functioning hospital.

    The doctor instructs the men to carefully ce Luca on one of the beds, and they quickly do. Luca looks pale. So pale.

    ¡°He¡¯s lost so much blood,¡± I say, and I can hear the panic building up in my voice. ¡°He¡¯s so pale. He needs blood.¡±

    Suddenly, Benito steps in front of me. ¡°You need to calm down, Verona. This isn¡¯t good for the baby.¡±

    I stare up at him, and it takes several moments for his words to sink in. The baby. Yes, the baby. I nod emphatically. ¡°Okay, okay, okay,¡± I whisper.

    Benito directs me to a chair in the corner of the room and gently coaxes me to sit down. ¡°He will make it through this,¡± he says assertively, and his confidence alone fills my heart with hope.

    I lean around Benito¡¯srge frame to get a glimpse of Luca in the hospital bed. He¡¯s already hooked up to an IV with a blood bag hanging from a metal stand. The doctor is shouting out instructions to the men as he washes his hands and forearms in a big industrial sink before drying them and slipping on a pair oftex gloves.

    ¡°Time to operate,¡± the doctor announces.

    My feet are stuck to the floor like glue as I watch the doctor grab some surgical instruments from a tray. The moment he cuts into Luca¡¯s flesh, I nearly ck out from all the blood gushing from the wound.

    My stomach turns, and I barely make it to the trashcan before throwing up. Tears cloud my vision as I dry-heave repeatedly. Benitoes over and gently ces a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some air,¡± he suggests.

    Shaking my head, I stand up and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. ¡°I¡¯m not le ving,¡± I decisively tell him.

    He nods. ¡°Okay. Then we¡¯ll stay. But, uh, maybe I should put your chair next to the garbage can.¡±

    When I hear the clink of the first bullet hitting the metal tray, my stomach twists again, and I tell him, ¡°Yeah, that might be a good idea.¡±

    Verona

    H

    OURS PASS UNTIL the doctor finally announces to the room that he¡¯s finished. I slowly stand on wobbly legs and go to the older man. ¡°Will my husband be okay?¡± I ask him, my voice trembling.

    The doctor turns to me and says, ¡°There are always risks ofplications and infections, especially when you¡¯re dealing with gunshot wounds.¡± He carefully takes off his mask and gloves and throws them in the nearby trash. ¡°But I did the best I could, and I¡¯m confident that he¡¯ll make a full recovery.¡±

    I sigh with relief. It feels like I¡¯ve been holding my breath for such a long time.

    ¡°He¡¯ll need time to rest and recuperate,¡± he exins.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Benitoes up behind me and asks the doctor, ¡°When can we move him?¡±

    ¡°He should stay here for a day or two at least. I¡¯d like to monitor his progress anyway, check for signs of infection and keep him on some IV fluids nd antibiotics.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Doc.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± the older man says before ascending the stairs to his home, no doubt going to bed after the long, arduous night he just had.

    ¡°How much will you pay him?¡± I ask Benito.

    ¡°A lot, but he¡¯s always on retainer. We pay him enough that he won¡¯t mind doing this again when we need him to.¡±

    The fact that they have to keep a doctor on retainer because situations like this can arise at any moment makes me feel queasy again. I don¡¯t want to ever go through this again with Luca, but I know it¡¯s just part of being in the mafia. It¡¯s a dangerous and sometimes cruel world. But I hope that the love Luca and I have for each other will trump all the bad things thate our way.

    I walk over to Luca¡¯s bedside. He looks so peaceful lying there. Some of the color has returned to his face at least. I hope he¡¯s not in pain, and I hope he¡¯s dreaming of something good.

    ¡°I love you, Luca Vitale,¡± I whisper to him before cing a kiss on his cheek.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Benito brings me a chair, and I sit down and hold Luca¡¯s hand, afraid of letting go. My eyelids grow heavy, but I refuse to sleep until exhaustion finally sets in and I don¡¯t have a choice. My dreams are filled with visions of Luca and I¡­and our baby. And they bring me peace.

 46

    Luca

    I

    WAKE UP slowly and in stages. First, I wiggle my toes¡­ and then my fingers¡­and then I carefully open my eyes, which feel swollen, for some reason. It takes my brain a little while to process where I am and what I¡¯m seeing right now.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    I stare up at the familiar tiled ceiling and groan. I know I¡¯m in the doctor¡¯s basement. Fuck, I think at one point I counted every single tile in this room from total boredom as I recovered from numerous gun and knife wounds.

    My left arm feels heavy, and when I try to move it, a sharp pain has me hissing through my teeth.

    ¡°You were shot,¡± Benito¡¯s voicees from across the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s alling back to me now,¡± I say with a grimace. I remember the cabin in the middle of theke. And I remember that bastard, Dante, trying to kill Verona. It was a split-second decision that I made in that moment to take a bullet for her. One that I would make a thousand times over again. I never want Verona to h ve to suffer through pain.

    And the thought of possibly losing her¡­well, it wouldpletely and utterly gut me. I wouldn¡¯t want to live in a world without Verona in it.

    ¡°Is he dead?¡± I ask Benito.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he assures me. ¡°Bullet between the eyes. And then I knocked over the kerosenemps for good measure before we left.¡±

    I rx back on the pillows behind me. ¡°I wish I could have seen that ce burn with his corpse inside,¡± I spit out. I would have rather tortured the bastard for what he did to our mothers and what he did to Verona, but I¡¯m d he¡¯s dead. The fucker didn¡¯t deserve to breathe the same air as her, and he sure as hell didn¡¯t deserve to live another day here on this earth. I hope he¡¯s rotting away in hell where he belongs.

    I nce around the room, searching for the one person whom I need the most right now. My eyes finally settle on the chair beside the bed, and my heart skips a beat as I see Verona¡¯s petite frame curled up, sleeping softly.

    ¡°She finally fell asleep about a half hour ago,¡± Benito says. ¡°She fought it for so long. And I know she¡¯s gonna be pissed that she missed you waking up.¡±

    I chuckle at the thought of her trying to stay awake for so long. ¡°Let her sleep. She needs to rest.¡± I stare at her, searing her beautiful face into my brain. Fuck, she¡¯s gorgeous. Like some kind of ethereal creature. She doesn¡¯t even seem real to me right now, but she¡¯s my wife, and she¡¯s mine.

    ¡°When do you want to move out?¡± Benito asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.

    ¡°As soon as possible,¡± I tell him. Then, I nce over to Verona. ¡°But let¡¯s let her sleep for a little while.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± he agrees, and I can hear the hesitation in his voice. But Benito knows better than to argue with me. I watch as he walks over to the sink and fills up a cup of water before bringing it back to me. ¡°Thirsty?¡±

    ¡°Fuck, yes,¡± I tell him before gratefully taking the water with my good arm. I gulp down the cool liquid, and it feels like heaven on my sore, dry throat. ¡°Tell the doctor we¡¯re leaving soon and to pack me what I need.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Benito says before walking up the stairs to the main house.

    Reaching over, I grasp Verona¡¯s hand in mine. She stirs, but doesn¡¯t wake, and I hold my breath until she falls back into a deep sleep. ¡°I¡¯ll never let anyone hurt you,¡± I promise her. And I intend to keep that promise until myst dying breath.

    Verona

    W

    HEN I OPEN my eyes, I see Luca standing a few feet away from me. He¡¯s dressed in a ck suit with his back turned towards me. I blink rapidly, trying to get rid of the hallucination, but he stays there. And when he turns to look at me, I realize he¡¯s real and not a figment of my imagination at all.

    ¡°Verona,¡± he says my name, his voice gruff and strained.

    A sob rips out of me as I jump up from the chair and run towards him. That¡¯s when I notice that the one sleeve of his jacket is merely draped over his shoulder, and that there¡¯s a sling, holding his injured arm to his side. ¡°What are you doing out of bed?¡± I ask, confusion and panic setting in all at once.

    ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡±

    ¡°But the doctor said you needed some time to recuperate,¡± I argue.

    He reaches out with his good hand, and I take it without hesitation. He pulls me to him, holding me tight and

    breathing in my scent. ¡°I¡¯m okay. I promise. I¡¯ve t ken bullets before and spent less time than this in bed.¡±

    I hate that he¡¯s been hurt in the past, and I hate that he finds it necessary to always be so strong when he doesn¡¯t need to be. Not with me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± he tells me before kissing my crown.

    Benito opens the basement door, and tells me as we walk through it, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have a nurse on staff at the estate. She¡¯ll keep an eye on him.¡±

    That makes me feel better, but only slightly. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to fully rx until Luca is one hundred percent recovered. And even then, I¡¯ll still continue to worry about him. We live in a dangerous world, and Luca has many enemies. But at least one of them is dead now.

 47

    Luca

    I

    ¡®M WATCHING VERONA out of the corner of my eye as the nurse gives me a sponge bath. I can practically hear the thoughts in my little naughty wife¡¯s head. Her honeycolored eyes are staring daggers into the nurse. I know Verona is too nice to say anything to deter the nurse, who is just doing her job, but the jealous little green-eyed monster that is my wife right now is amusing to watch, to say the least. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen her jealous before. And despite my injuries, it¡¯s turning me the fuck on.

    Before the nurse can go any further down my stomach and discover my growing hard-on, I quickly tell her, ¡°That¡¯s enough. I think my wife can manage the rest.¡±

    The young brte nods and quickly leaves the room.

    It¡¯s been a couple of days since we arrived back home. Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t recuperated from my wounds as fast as I would have liked. Maybe I¡¯m getting too old for this shit.

    My eyes meet Verona¡¯s as she crosses the room, still fuming. A smirk forms on my lips as I watch her angrily pick up the sponge, wet it, twist it to get rid of the ex ess soap and water and gently run it over my lower stomach.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you jealous before,¡± I tell her.

    The shock on her face makes me chuckle. She didn¡¯t think I would figure out her internal thoughts. But I can read Verona like a book now. She¡¯s not just my wife. She¡¯s my soul mate, my other half.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    I watch her carefully as I say, ¡°You know, in Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four legs, four arms and a head with two faces?¡±

    Verona stares at me for a second before cocking her head. I¡¯ve clearly confused her. She quickly presses the back of her hand to my forehead, checking me for a fever. Chuckling, I take her hand and bring it to my lips to gently kiss her vani and honey-scented skin.

    ¡°With a strike of his lightning bolt, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend the rest of their lives searching for their other halves, their soul mates.¡±

    Verona is barely breathing, hanging on to my every word at this point.

    ¡°I found mine. I found you,¡± I tell her softly before kissing her hand again.

    Tears fill her eyes. I¡¯m not sure if my words have affected her that much or if it¡¯s the pregnancy hormones. She¡¯s been so up and down as ofte ¨Cughing one second and crying the next or sometimes both at the same time ¨C but I wouldn¡¯t trade it for anything in the world.

    I¡¯ve never been so fucking happy in my entire life.

    ¡°I love you, Verona.¡±

    ¡°I love you too,¡± she whispers before leaning in for a kiss.

    Wrapping my good hand around the nape of her neck, I pull her in, my mouth iming her. God, it feels like forever since I¡¯ve been inside of her. My cock grows painfully hard under the nket; and when she identally brushes against it with her elbow, I let out a hissing sound.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Did I hurt you?¡± she asks, pulling back quickly.

    ¡°No,¡± I tell her with a shake of my head. And then, I pull down the nket, allowing my cock to bob free.

    Verona¡¯s eyes widen as she stares down at my arousal. ¡°Luca¡­we can¡¯t. You-You¡¯re hurt.¡±

    Her protests are weak to my ears. ¡°I need you, Verona. Please. I need to be inside of you.¡±

    I pat the bed beside me. She hesitates, but eventually climbs onto the edge on her knees. Her short dress rides up her creamy thighs as she positions her knees on either side of my hips.

    ¡°Touch yourself for me, honey,¡± I tell her. Moving her thong to the side, I watch in awe as Verona strokes her clit with her fingertips, biting back a moan.

    She looks like a sexy goddess, and I¡¯mpletely entranced. When she begins to get close, I stop her. ¡°Enough,¡± I rumble. With my good hand, I grip my cock and stroke it through her wetness. Every time I run it over that little bundle of nerves, she cries out, making my cock impossibly harder.

    It¡¯s practically weeping for her, precum dripping over the crown, before I beg her to ride me.

    Lining my cock up with her entrance, Verona slowly sinks down on my cock, taking every single inch of me until she¡¯s fully seated. A growl erupts from the back of my throat. Fuck, she feels like heaven every damn time.

    Slowly, she impales herself over and over again on my hard length, taking her time and driving me up the goddamn wall. I watch my cock disappear into her sweet pussy so many times I lose count. I¡¯m mesmerized by the sight, and all I can do is moan in pleasure as she sinks down on me again and again.

    Verona falls apart on my cock as she has a pow rful orgasm that makes her entire body shudder. She desperately tries to continue to ride me, losing her rhythm as she cries out. Grasping her hip, I m her down on my cock until I erupt inside of her, moaning deeply.

    I close my eyes and savor the feeling. Fuck, that¡¯s better than any medicine that they could give me.

    Verona copses onto my chest, and I hold her to me with my good arm. I never want to let her go again. ¡°I love you,¡± I whisper in her hair.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± she whispers back.

    She raises her head and looks at me with those familiar honey-colored eyes. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a great daddy,¡± she says, making me smile.

    ¡°And you¡¯re going to be a great mommy.¡±

    Tears fill her eyes, and she leans up to ce a sweet kiss on my mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hold our little son or daughter.¡±

    A lump forms in my throat, and I swallow hard. ¡°Me either.¡±

    I don¡¯t know what the future holds for Verona and me, but I know that our love will conquer anything life throws at us. Together, we¡¯re unbreakable, unstoppable, and nothing will ever tear us apart.

 48

    E P I L O G U E

    Verona

    Three Years Later

    T

    HE WAITING IS the worst part. And I¡¯m not talking about just waiting in Luca¡¯s office, staring at aputer screen and waiting for something to happen. I mean the past three years that we¡¯ve been waiting for this very moment. Constantine Carbone¡¯s empire has finally fallen. He was arrested two weeks ago; and thanks to Luca¡¯s drone video surveince, we¡¯ve managed to locate yet another group of captives who were about to be sold into human trafficking.

    Constantine Carbone¡¯s arrest came on the heels of years of investigation by the FBI that Luca and I were involved in. Luca submitted everything he had on Constantine, anonymously, of course. He still dabbles in some illegal activities that he doesn¡¯t want to draw unwanted attention to, but I think he¡¯s slowlying to the realization that doing things aboveboard is a lot easier¡­and safer. And

    tely that seems to be the only thing he cares about ¨C keeping our little family safe.

    We watch patiently from the drone footage as women and children are freed from shipping containers at the abandoned warehouse that Constantine kept them in. If it weren¡¯t for Luca¡¯s anonymous tip, who knows if they would have ever been found. Constantine certainly wasn¡¯t admitting to anything since his arrest and definitely wasn¡¯t willing to spill any information that could lead to more charges.

    ¡°You¡¯re their guardian angel,¡± I tell Luca, leaning over to give him a kiss on his cheek.

    He doesn¡¯t say anything in response, but I can see the smile creeping onto his face. I know he¡¯ll never admit to it, because he still has a reputation to uphold, but my husband has a heart of gold. Luca has donated a lot of money to help fund the shelters that the women and children go to after they¡¯re rescued. He not only saved their lives but made sure they had the extra help and care they needed afterwards.

    Luca turns off the footage. ¡°That should be thest of them,¡± he says, and I can almost feel the reliefing off of him in waves.

    It¡¯s been a long and arduous process, but Constantine is finally behind bars where he belongs. And the people he was trying to sell are finally rescued. We did as much as we could, and now it¡¯s the judicial system¡¯s turn to lock Constantine away and throw away the key.

    The office door suddenly bursts open, and Nico charges through it with Benito quick on his heels. ¡°Mommy!¡± he cries.

    My little toddler waddles over to me with big, fat tears rolling down his chubby cheeks. He runs straight into my arms, and I scoop him up and squeeze him tight. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask him. ¡°Did you miss Mommy and Daddy?¡±

    He nods his head, and his tears instantly start to dry up. Ib my fingers through his dark hair as he looks up at me with intense, gray eyes. He¡¯s a total miniature version of his daddy. ¡°Thank you for keeping him busy while we dealt with this, Benny,¡± I tell him with a smile.

    Benito looks out of breath as he walks over to the desk. ¡°I tried to keep him upied as long as I could, but he said no to everything I suggested,¡± he says with a huff. ¡°I liked it better when he was a baby and slept all the time,¡± he admits.

    I can¡¯t help but chuckle. Benito has been the best godfather we could ask for. He¡¯s so protective of his little godson, never letting him out of his sight. Who knew he would be so great with kids? Nico and him are best buddies, and I often hear Benito reading books to my little man when he thinks no one is around. Benito doesn¡¯t want anyone to know he¡¯s a big softie when ites to our son, and I think it¡¯s so cute.

    Nico squirms in my hold, and I gently put him down on the floor. He runs straight for Benito and grabs onto his leg, mimicking wrestling moves against the big man. Benito ys along, and Nico squeals withughter as Benito lifts him high up in the air before carefully bringing him back down to his feet.

    ¡°You don¡¯t miss the crying and sleepless nights, Benito?¡± Luca asks.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Benito is distracted with Nico, but he shakes his head.

    ¡°No, I think I prefer that over the terrible twos.¡±

    ¡°Good. Because Verona is pregnant.¡±

    Benito¡¯s eyes bulge out of his head as his gaze snaps up to meet Luca¡¯s. ¡°Wh-what?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re hoping for a girl this time, but another boy will be just fine too,¡± I say while rubbing my t stomach. I¡¯m not far along, so I¡¯m not showing just yet.

    ¡°Maybe it will be twins,¡± Luca suggests.

    ¡°Oh, god. Can you imagine?¡± I ask.

    ¡°No!¡± Benito blurts out, and that makes usugh. Even though he loves Nico, I don¡¯t think he could handle two of him at the same time.

    ¡°Whatever we have, they will be loved,¡± Luca says, cing his hand over mine.

    ¡°Yes, they will,¡± I agree.

    Nico runs over to us, and Luca lifts him up in his arms.

    ¡°Love you, Daddy,¡± he says sweetly.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Luca says.

    I like to think that Nico and I together have taught Luca that loving someone is the easy part. It¡¯s getting their love in return that is hard. But Luca never has to worry about us not loving him back. We love him unconditionally, and I know he loves us just the same.

    THE END

    continue reading for next book. I hope you have enjoyed this book.

 49

    Book 2

    PROLOGUE

    Nichs Vitale

    Ten Years Ago

    I STAND IN the doorway of Selina¡¯s room, watching her pack. My heart aches at the thought of her leaving today, and I absently rub my palm against my chest in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain. She¡¯s be such a huge part of my life that it will be as if she¡¯s taking a piece of me when she goes. Selina has been living with my family for the past six months. I would like to say it took that long to fall in love with her, but I¡¯d be lying. It only took the first day. Maybe even the first hour.

    I¡¯ll never forget the first time I saw her. The tall, thin girl with two different colored irises, one green and one blue ¨C a condition known asplete heterochromia, as sheter exined to me. I barely even thought about girls before that point; but the moment Iid eyes on her long blonde hair, heart-shaped face, and her strange, oceancolored eyes, I was a goner.

    S lina had been rescued from a human trafficking ring that my parents, Luca and Verona Vitale, dismantled. They are constantly on missions to help women and children from being sold and trafficked. And when no one came to im Selina, my parents offered to take her in temporarily until her family could be found. Little did we know what a life-changing decision that would be for both her and me. She¡¯s been here every day since. And she would continue to be here, maybe forever, if her mother hadn¡¯t suddenly appeared out of nowhere, demanding her daughter be returned to her.

    Sighing, I walk into Selina¡¯s room and sit on the edge of the bed as she folds up a white t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, her long locks swaying with every movement. Even though we knew this day would being eventually, it¡¯s still hard to believe she¡¯s actually leaving here.

    Her bottom lip trembles as she zips up the suitcase, finalizing the reality of the situation. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go,¡± Selina confesses with a sigh before she sits down next to me. I don¡¯t know much about her past, given that she hasn¡¯t told me much. But from what she has told me, her mother is a real piece of work, unstable and wildly unpredictable.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go either,¡± I say, my voice heavy with emotion. But the unmistakable truth of the matter is she¡¯s thirteen and I¡¯m fourteen. We¡¯re both minors, and there¡¯s not a damn thing we can do to fix this situation. Her mother is, byw, her legal guardian whether we like it or not, and she¡¯s currently waiting downstairs for Selina to pack her things.

    ¡°I wish I could stay here,¡± she says, her eyes filling up with tears and nearly gutting me in the process.

    ¡°I know. I want the same thing,¡± I agree. I put my arm around her shoulders, squeezing her tightly to me in a hug. God, she smells like strawberries and wildflowers, and I breathe in her scent, stamping it into my brain.

    ¡°Selina, hurry up!¡± her mother yells from downstairs. Her voice is husky and coarse like sandpaper and is followed up by some loud hacking, which sounds like she¡¯s coughing up a lung.

    Selina grimaces at the sound of her mother¡¯s voice before slowly pulling away from me. She stands and grabs her tiny suitcase, which is filled with clothes that my parents bought for her while she was living here. Her eyes are wide and sad as she looks around the bedroom onest time before we retreat out into the hallway. Every single step feels like a thousand as we walk down the hall. I don¡¯t want her to leave, but it¡¯s not up to me. God, I wish it was.

    We reach the top of the staircase when Selina suddenly turns and flies into my arms. ¡°Don¡¯t let her take me,¡± she begs in a shaky whisper against my ear.

    I hold her and smooth my hand up and down her back soothingly. I remember how skinny she was when she first arrived, but now she¡¯s filled out. She¡¯s healthy. She¡¯s happy. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get you away from her, Lina,¡± I promise, calling her by the affectionate nickname that I gave to her on the first day we met. Maybe my parents can pull some strings. Maybe they can buy her mother off. She sure as shit didn¡¯t care about Selina for six months before showing up out of the blue to put im on her daughter.

    She¡¯s practically shaking in my arms, and I curse under my breath. I wish we were older. I wish it didn¡¯t have to be this way. Pulling back, I stare into her eyes and tell her, ¡°Everything is going to be okay. We¡¯ll be together again soon. I won¡¯t just let you disappear.¡±

    Before I can utter any other words, Selina leans in and ces her lips against mine.

    Our first kiss.

    My first kiss ever.

    I¡¯ve been imagining for months what it would feel like. We¡¯re both inexperienced and young, having done nothing mor than hold hands.

    Her lips feel soft and undemanding against mine. I deepen the kiss, pulling her closer, and stroking my thumb over the small heart-shaped birthmark on her neck. She hates that damn mark, but I think it¡¯s cute as hell.

    ¡°Promise me, Nico,¡± she pleads when she pulls back, staring into my eyes. ¡°Promise me you¡¯lle to see me.¡±

    ¡°I promise. Your mom will just have to get used to the fact that I¡¯m going to be around. I don¡¯t care where you go or where she takes you, I¡¯ll stille to visit.¡± I know, without a doubt in my heart, that I would follow Selina to the edge of the earth if I had to. ¡°We can text, email, write letters. Whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°I want all of that and more,¡± she says before wrapping her arms around me in a hug.

    I hold her tightly, inhaling her strawberry-scented shampoo and memorizing the way she feels in my arms. I want to be with Lina forever, but I don¡¯t tell her that. I don¡¯t want to scare her, but I think she knows how I feel.

    And I¡¯m pretty sure she feels the same way.

    ¡°I feel safe with you,¡± she whispers against my chest.

    She guts me again with her words, but I know right now I have to be strong for the both of us. Nothing is going to change the current situation. Pulling back, I stare into her blue and green eyes. I hate when I see so much sadness reflected in them. ¡°Tell you what. How about tomorrow I¡¯lle pick you up, and we¡¯ll go for a pic on the beach,¡± I offer in an attempt to cheer her up.

    ¡°A pic,¡± she says as if the idea is so foreign to her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I muse. ¡°I¡¯ll pack us those juice boxes that you love, a bag of Doritos, and some of those chocte and marshmallow cookies that you keep sneaking out of the jar in the kitchen.¡± That earns me a smile, and I can see some of her tension melting away. ¡°And, hey, I¡¯ll even make you

    PB and J with the crusts cut off.¡± She hates the crust, and it

    mak s meugh every time I see her cutting off the extra bread.

    ¡°So it¡¯s a¡­date?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a date,¡± I promise. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. I know my mom will drive me over to visit you.¡± ording to Selina¡¯s mother, they are going to be staying at a motel for a couple of weeks before she finds an apartment to rent for them. My mother offered to help with the rent, and her mother immediately took her up on the offer, demanding money up front to help with the costs. My mom, of course, handed over the cash, because in the time that Selina¡¯s been here, my mom hase to love her just as much as I have and would do anything to ensure her happiness and wellbeing. And I know that, as long as Selina¡¯s mother promises to get an apartment nearby, my mom and dad will keep footing the bill. Lina¡¯s be part of the family.

    There¡¯s no doubt about that.

    ¡°Selina,e on!¡± her mother crows from downstairs.

    Selina reluctantly pulls away from me, takes a tentative step towards the stairs, but then suddenly stops and turns to look at me over her shoulder. ¡°My mom is not who they think she is,¡± she says cryptically. But before I can ask what she means by that, I hear her mother¡¯s screeching voice calling for her again.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡±

    We round the corner and slowly descend the staircase. My parents and my little sister Aria are waiting patiently in the foyer. My dad has a frown on his face, my mom looks worried, and Aria has tears in her eyes streaming down her red cheeks. She¡¯s just as upset as I am about Selina leaving.

    And when I finallyy eyes on Selina¡¯s mother standing by the front door, I almost begin to plead right then and there with my parents to tell her to leave. She¡¯s skinny, way too skinny, with ratty blonde hair and blue eyes. She has wrinkles on her face even though she can¡¯t be that old sinc Selina told me her mother was a teenager when she gave birth, and her fake nails scratch down her arms nervously as she watches her daughter with bloodshot eyes and a thin-lipped smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s about damn time,¡± Miss McCall mutters angrily to her daughter. But when she notices everyone is staring at her and her cold demeanor, she suddenly changes her tune, stering on a fake smile that stretches out the cracked red lipstick on her mouth. ¡°Did you get everything, sweetie?¡± she asks,ying it on thick but not fooling a single soul in this room.

    No affection or warmthes from either one of them during their little reunion, and the red gs just seem to keep popping up. Lina turns and runs into my arms onest time, and I hold her tightly to me, not wanting to ever let her go. I can feel the apprehension and nervousnessing off of her in waves, and all I can do is whisper in her ear that I¡¯ming for her. Soon.

    Her haunting wordse rushing back to me just then

    ¨C My mom is not who they think she is.

    If it¡¯s thest thing I ever do, I will find out a way to get her out from under her mother¡¯s control. I¡¯ll run away with Lina if that¡¯s what it takes. We¡¯re both young, but we¡¯ll figure it out. I don¡¯t care about the consequences. I just want Lina in my life. Forever.

    ¡°We have to go, Selina,¡± her mother says, roughly grabbing her daughter and ripping her from my arms.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I call out, but her mother is dragging her out the door and onto the sidewalk before I can even say goodbye.

    Aria stands silently next to me, holding my hand tightly as my father puts a hand on my shoulder in support while we watch the only girl I¡¯ve ever loved being taken out of my life by force.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Call me!¡± I yell to Selina as she reaches the old, white, beat-up sedan sitting in the driveway.

    She longingly stares back at me and gives me a nod and a little wave before ducking her head into the car and mming the door shut.

    I know she¡¯ll call. I made sure she packed a piece of paper with my number on it into her suitcase. That was the very first thing she put in there. The most important thing, she had told me.

    I watch as the car speeds away, and my stomach sinks. I feel like this will be thest time I¡¯ll ever see her again, but I know that¡¯s silly. I¡¯m going to see her tomorrow. My mom already promised to drive me to the motel, so that we could check on them.

    ¡°When we go to see them, I¡¯ll make sure Selina has everything she needs,¡± my mom assures me. ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t, well, then social services is getting a call from me.¡±

    Forcing a smile, I nod. See, everything is going to be okay. None of the Vitales are going to let Selina McCall fall through the cracks. She¡¯ll be taken care of no matter what.

    I stand at the doorway watching the car pull out of the driveway, refusing to move or even breathe until itpletely disappears out of sight. I end up staying there for over an hour, just hoping that Lina forgot something she has toe back for or that her mother changed her mind. But they don¡¯te back, and it makes my stomach sour at the thought of Lina being with that horrible woman.

    The sick feeling stays with me for the rest of the day and evening, and that night I have trouble sleeping. I expected Selina to have at least called me or something when they got to the motel, but I don¡¯t hear from her. And by the next morning, I know something is terribly wrong.

    When my mother and I stop by the motel that Selina and her mother were supposed to be staying in, we learn that they only stayed a few hours and then dipped, leaving no information behind with the desk clerk.

    I knew right then and there that I would probably never see Selina McCall again. She was gone forever. And all of my heartfelt promises to get her away from her mother and keep her safe were fucking broken.

 50

    Nichs

    Present Day

    T WO HORRIBLE THINGS happened when I was fourteen years old. The first thing was losing Selina. We were

    never able to find her after that day. She just up and vanished without a trace. And despite our best efforts, we could never locate her or her mother.

    The second thing that happened was when Constantine Carbone was released from jail on a technicality. Carbone was the man who was arrested for human trafficking charges years ago when I was just a toddler. My mother and father had been the ones to bring him down, supplying the feds with all the information they needed to arrest him.

    Carbone made appeal after appeal after appeal until something finally fucking stuck. He had more money than God and used it wisely, effectively buying his way out of jail.

    Prison did nothing to reform the horrible bastard. Just months after his release, word on the street was that he was right back into the flesh trade once again. He was more careful this time around, however, moving people in shipment containers and keeping them out on the ocean instead of on thend. Out in the vast water, thews don¡¯t really apply there and it¡¯s harder to get caught. The son of a bitch was smart; I¡¯ll give him that.

    My father kept tabs on him, however, and still gave information to the feds as often as he could. But Constantine evaded the police and thew at every turn.

    Justice needs to be served on that bastard.

    And maybe I need to be the justice.

    I remember the horror stories Selina told me about being taken from her mother and locked in a warehouse for days and weeks on end. She was rescued by my family before she was sold, but that didn¡¯t mean that bad things didn¡¯t happen to her. She was emotionally, physically and mentally scarred.

    After she was ripped from my arms by her awful mother, who chose to take her daughter and the money my parents gave her and run, I vowed to always help people like Selina. One way to help would be to take down Constantine Carbone once and for all. And I¡¯m beginning to think the only way to stop him is a bullet between his eyes.

    ¡°Champagne, sir?¡± a waiter asks me, offering up a tray filled with several crystal flutes of bubbly liquid.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mutter before grabbing a flute by the stem. I take a sip of the expensive champagne and watch him walk away. I¡¯m not even supposed to be at this party, but Aldo, my father¡¯s best IT guy, was able to secure me an invitation under a false name.

    ¡°If your father finds out about this¡­¡± I hear Aldo¡¯s voice murmuring in my ear thanks to a micro-Bluetooth earpiece that¡¯s undetectable to the naked eye.

    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± I breathe out quickly right before I finish off my ss and set it down on a nearby table.

    Aldo is stationed about five blocks away in a nondescript ck van. He agreed, reluctantly, to this little reconnaissance mission.

    Carbone has been flying under the radar ever since his prison release, but we know he¡¯s still dealing in the flesh trade. It¡¯s just harder to pinpoint his whereabouts. And when I get close to him tonight, I¡¯m going to nt a tracker on him. Aldo will take it from there, securing his coordinates and, thus, gathering the information we¡¯ve been desiring for years.

    If we can just get a tail on Carbone, we can figure out where he¡¯s hiding his warehouses, ships, everything; ultimately saving hundreds, if not thousands of young lives. And even though it¡¯s dangerous getting close to the bastard, I¡¯m willing to do the dirty work if that means bringing Carbone¡¯s empire to its knees.

    Laughter breaks out to the right of me, catching my attention. I look around the crowd of people, dressed to the nines with borate, colorful masksplete with jewels and feathers. It¡¯s a Mardi Gras themed party, and that is exactly why I chose this one in particr to make an appearance. The simple, gold mask I¡¯m wearing will help conceal my identity from the cameras around the property. It will be easier to move around, looking for my target all while staying hidden within the throng of people.

    Alberto Berlusconi throws the most extravagant parties for New York¡¯s most elite, including thergest crime bosses. Alberto enjoys drugs more than girls, however, which is the only reason he¡¯s still breathing. But if Carbone was going to show up at any parties this year, it would be this one. Alberto and Constantine are great friends with mutual tastes and connections in the seedy underbelly of New York City.

    Berlusconi¡¯s mansion is situated in the upper east side of Manhattan. I¡¯ve seen him making his rounds at the party, throwing around his extra weight, boasting about his

    twenty-seven bedrooms and how many maids he¡¯s had to fire because he fucks so many of them and they get too attached. He¡¯s a real piece of work, but he¡¯s not my target.

    My gut is telling me that Carbone will show tonight. He never misses an opportunity to attendvish events and show off his money and power while meeting potential clients. The wealthiest people are sometimes the most perverse, buying young women and children and not even batting an eye. When you are rich and powerful, you can have anything you want, and no one in their inner circles even questions it, no matter how taboo or out of the ordinary their wants actually are.

    Constantine has been out to sea for far too long. If anything was going to draw him ind, it would be this. All of the big hitters are here tonight. The only person missing is him. I check the Rolex on my wrist, watching the seconds tick by. I¡¯m a patient man, but my patience is growing thin. I risked a lot to be here tonight, so he better show.

    A tall blonde passes by me just then, and my breathing stops. But when she gets closer and her dark brown eyes meet mine under her green and yellow mask, I quickly look away. Closing my eyes, I shake my head subtly.

    There¡¯s not a day that goes by when I don¡¯t think about Selina McCall at least once. The image of the sad look in her unique blue and green eyes as she nced back at me onest time as her mother led her away will be forever ingrained in my memories.

    It¡¯s been ten years since Ist saw her, but I still remember every detail about her. My fascination with her is borderline obsession, and over the years I haven¡¯t stopped looking for her. We have tried everything to find her and get her back to no avail. She vanished out of thin air like some kind of cruel magician¡¯s trick.

    The world doesn¡¯t really seem that big until you¡¯re trying to find one p rson in a vast sea of billions. And my fixation with her disappearance haunts me to this very day.

    A waiter passes by me, and I grab another flute of champagne. I¡¯d drink something stronger, but I want to keep myself level-headed and alert. I don¡¯t need expensive whiskey tripping me up even though that¡¯s my preferred drink.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    I decide to leave the corner of the room and walk around, my eyes scanning every single face I pass. The masks make it a little harder to tell who is who, but I¡¯m d mine is hiding my true identity. I can¡¯t risk my face being seen. I look so much like my father that I have no doubt Constantine would be spooked. My family has beening after him for years and will continue to do so until he¡¯s rightfully behind bars for good¡­or dead. Preferably thetter, but I¡¯d be content with him spending thest years of his life rotting away in a maximum-security prison.

    ¡°Any sign of him yet?¡± Aldo¡¯s voicees through the earpiece secured in my right ear.

    I give a subtle shake of my head. Aldo has eyes everywhere in the room, having hacked the security cameras, and I know he can see my response.

    ¡°Ten more minutes, and then I want you to get the hell out of there.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but smile. Aldo Aband is head of my father¡¯s IT team. When I proposed the idea of somehow imnting a tiny tracker on Carbone, Aldo was all for it. But now that I¡¯m here and the danger is real, he suddenly wants me to leave.

    Not a fucking chance.

    I¡¯m not leaving until I do what I came here to do.

    If I can get close enough to Carbone to ce the tracker on his suit, Aldo can then trace wherever he goes after this party. Hopefully it¡¯s to his home base, which we haven¡¯t figured out the whereabouts of yet. This will be a huge win for our team. We¡¯v been trying for years to figure out where Carbone stays when he visits the city. His driver is very good at eluding our men, taking way too many turns and running too many lights for us to be able to follow.

    I continue to walk around the room, searching for him. If my mother and father knew I was here, they would have my fucking head. But they¡¯re in Colorado on their wedding anniversary trip and none the wiser. In fact, this is the perfect time to get this done.

    Finishing off the champagne, I set the ss down on an empty tray and walk towards the doorway leading out of the ballroom.

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Aldo asks, and I can hear the relief in his voice.

    ¡°Gotta piss,¡± I inform him in a whisper as I make my way towards the restrooms.

    As soon as I round the corner, I barely have time to catch myself before I nearly crash into a woman. She bumps into my chest, her fingers grasping thepels of my suit jacket in a white-knuckle grip. ¡°S-s-sorry,¡± she mutters, her speech slurred. She stumbles backwards in her heels, head down as her mask flutters to the floor.

    ¡°No. My apologies,¡± I tell her, quickly reaching down to scoop up the purple and gold feathered mask that she dropped. My eyes drift to her feet, locking on to the gold sky-high stilettos that she¡¯s currently teetering on. Then, they slowly venture up her long, lean legs to a sparkling gold dress, if you can even call it a dress, that¡¯s so short and low cut it should be illegal.

    When I finally stand at my full height, I hold the mask out to her, watching her delicate hand grasp it tightly as if it¡¯s some sort of lifeline. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says softly, and there¡¯s just something about her voice that makes me think that I have met her before. Her fingers lightly brush against mine, the brief contact causing my heart to skip a beat inside of my ch st. My feet suddenly be rooted to

    the floor. It¡¯s as if my body doesn¡¯t want to leave this spot until I see her face.

    She¡¯s about to walk away, her head still down, denying me what I want to see ¨C no, what I need to see ¨C but I reach out to stop her. Ever so gently, I put my hand under her chin and force her gaze to mine. And suddenly, all the air in my lungs escapes in a rush.

    I blink a few times to clear my vision, thinking I¡¯m imagining her, dreaming all of this up. But when she¡¯s still there, still looking longingly up at me, I know she¡¯s real. Long, blonde hair cascades over her bare shoulders, and she¡¯s so damn beautiful that it almost hurts to look at her. But her beauty is not what has my hand clenching into a fist at my side. No, it¡¯s her eyes.

    One blue.

    One green.

    They¡¯re both bloodshot, and her pupils are nearly blown like she¡¯s riding high on whatever poison is in her system, but I can clearly tell they¡¯re different colors.

    Our connection onlysts for a few seconds, even though it feels like minutes, before she mutters another apology and stumbles past me, securing the mask back onto her face. I listen as the sound of her high heels echoing on the hardwood floor fades into the distance.

    Sucking in a deep, unsteady breath, I hurry to the restroom. I take care of business and then wash my hands. Staring at my reflection, I watch my chest rise and fall rapidly. I¡¯m barely holding it together. I¡¯m wound up like a rubber band, ready to snap at any given moment. ¡°Holy fuck,¡± I mutter.

    ¡°What? What happened?¡± Aldo asks in my earpiece.

    ¡°I think I just saw her.¡±

    ¡°Her? Her who?¡±

    ¡°Lina,¡± I hiss in a whisper.

    ¡°Holy fuck,¡± Aldo says, repeating my exact sentiments. Aldo knows the entire story. Hell, he was there when Selina was living at thepound. He probably loved her as much as the rest of us did. She was so damn easy to love. So full of light and life even though she had been through a horrible ordeal.

    And now she¡¯s here. But why? Who is she here with? I have to know.

    ¡°There are a lot of people withplete heterochromia,¡± Aldo reminds me.

    Yes, and I found that out the hard way. I¡¯ve scoured the world looking for the girl with one blue eye and one green eye. It¡¯s rare, but definitely not improbable.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I can check,¡± I tell him. Selina had a heart-shaped birthmark on her neck. She always hated it, but I loved it. ¡°I just need to get close to her again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Nico. What if you run into Carbone while your guard is down?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± I say, but even I can hear the lie in my voice. My previous mission ispletely forgotten. I just want to find the woman and see if she bears the birthmark. I need to know if Selina is still alive. After all these years, all the searching and longing, I need to know for sure.

 51

    Selina McCall

    I STUMBLE MY way back towards the ballroom. My hands are still shaking from my encounter with the man in the hallway. He was the very definition of tall, dark and handsome, wearing an expensive, ck tailored suit. But the way he looked at me, with those steel gray eyes behind his gold mask, unnerved me. It was almost as if he were trying to figure me out somehow; like a riddle he wanted to solve. And I hated the way his eyes seemed to stare through me to my very soul, like he could see all of my fears and ws that I so desperately try to keep hidden and locked away deep within me.

    I grab a flute of champagne from the nearest table as I absently rub at my chin, remembering the way he touched me, so gently, like I¡¯m made of ss. I¡¯ve never had a man touch me like that before. A violent shiver runs through me just then as I nce over my shoulder, expecting to see him following me. But he¡¯s not there.

    A sense of relief surges through my veins as I down the expensive champagne in one long swallow before setting

    the empty ss back down. I nee to avoid any other encounters with that man¡­and everyone else at this party, for that matter. God forbid if I would do something wrong or cause a scene. I would probably never see the light of day again. I shudder at the thought of that. The fact that I¡¯m even here right now, in public and away from the man who has held me captive for the past decade is almost unimaginable.

    I don¡¯t even want to be at this stupid party, but it¡¯s not as if I have a choice in the matter. No, Constantine Carbone does whatever he wants. And tonight, he decided to rent me out to his son like a hooker.

    The thought of running has crossed my mind a time or two, but I know I wouldn¡¯t get very far. Constantine always finds me. And thest time I tried to run¡­let¡¯s just say it scarred me for the rest of my life. I won¡¯t ever try to get away again. I will remain his perfect little pet just like he wants. I won¡¯t be responsible for anyone else getting hurt because of me.

    I drink three more sses of champagne before I steel my spine and make my way towards my date for the night. I¡¯m going to need all the liquid courage I can get. Gino Carbone is cruel and demanding, just like his father. A cookie cutter cut-out of his old man ¨C minus the good looks and charm.

    When Constantine first bought me at the tender age of thirteen, Gino was only a few years older than me. I made the mistake of thinking that he was kind, that he would help me. I learned my first lesson a few weekster when he and his father took turns beating and raping me.

    I never trusted that bastard again. And I loathe the fact that I have to be here with him tonight while he parades me around like a real date and not just the woman he asionally assaults and uses as his own personal punching bag.

    Once I¡¯m at his side again, I reach for another ss of champagne from a waiter passing by, but Gino clucks his teeth in disapproval. ¡°I want you sober,¡± he says before pulling me close and nipping at my earlobe like we¡¯re two lovers who can¡¯t keep their hands off each other. I pull away from him in disgust, and he grabs my arm in a bruising grip. His dark eyes re at me as he mutters angrily, ¡°Do we need to go over your manners again?¡± ¡°No,¡± I say with a vehement shake of my head.

    ¡°No, what?¡± he demands.

    ¡°No, sir.¡± It takes everything in me at that moment not to roll my eyes. Constantine tried to break me over the years, and maybe he seeded, but the drugs he supplies me with make me feel like I have superpowers, like I can conquer the world. I think deep down he likes the defiant streak in me. It makes it that much harder to break me, something he loves doing to all of his women. And I¡¯ve seen him break so many that they will forever haunt my nightmares.

    ¡°I like my whorespliant. Don¡¯t make me beat your defiance out of you again,¡± Gino warns under his breath.

    I wince at his words and at the memory of him whipping me with his belt just a few days ago. I still have the bruises all over my body and the cuts from when the buckle caught my skin. He was high on blow and his girlfriend had just cheated on him. Reason enough to take his anger out on me I suppose.

    I fidget in my high heels. The concoction of benzos I took hours ago are beginning to wear off. Constantine promised me that his son would give me some whenever I needed, and that was the only way I agreed to this little outing. Constantine knows I¡¯m addicted. I can¡¯t go without my precious medicine. And I have done some foul, unforgivable things in order to catch the next high. The pills are the only thing that keep me going most days. Otherwise I would probably sink down into a dark voi , never to be found again.

    ¡°Stop fidgeting,¡± Gino snaps, bringing me out of my racing thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I need my pills. Your father said -.¡± ¡°Fuck what my father said,¡± he says, cutting me off.

    If Constantine could hear those words, his son would be in major trouble. Nobody defies the great almighty Constantine Carbone, not even his own son.

    My skin feels like it¡¯s on fire, and I have the urge to scratch until I open my flesh and begin to bleed. I start at my wrist, but Gino snags my hand and holds it sternly between us.

    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± he growls angrily.

    ¡°I need my pills,¡± I beg him.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs. You¡¯re pissing me off.¡± He grabs my arm roughly, pulling me along with him.

    I nod in agreement. Yes, let¡¯s go somewhere private where I can take my medicine. Constantine promised me Gino would give me my pills before he tried anything.

    We start for the staircase when I hear someone call out, ¡°Carbone!¡±

    I wince, thinking that Gino will turn around and begin talking, dying me my high. But luckily, he just waves off the person, and we continue up the stairs to the second floor.

    I can barely walk in a straight line. Sweat beads on my brow, and I feel like I¡¯m going to pass out or be sick. I¡¯ve never gone this long without my medicine before. The fear of going through withdrawal has me trying to hurry along, but Gino keeps a firm grip on me, guiding me at his own pace.

    My mask feels like it¡¯s suffocating me, so I rip it off my face and drop it in the hallway, not caring if I ever see the damn thing again.

    We walk down hallway after hallway until he finds a suitable room. He opens the door and shoves me inside. I stumble, banging my elbow against the wall. ¡°Ouch,¡± I whisper before I shake off the dull ache and continue on inside.

    The bedroom is opulent, decorated in deep browns and reds with a massive bed in the middle situated under a huge crystal chandelier. Antique furniture fills the rest of the room ¨C a mirrored dresser, arge armoire, and two nightstands withmps, which illuminate when Gino hits a switch on the wall.

    Any other time I would take time to appreciate the decor, but there¡¯s one thing and only one thing on my mind right now. I turn to Gino, who sticks a fat finger in the knot of his tie, pulling it loose. Before I can even open my mouth, he tells me, ¡°Take off your dress.¡±

    Shaking my head, I back away from him to the nearest wall, pushing my back against the cool, floral wallpaper. ¡°Please. My pills. I need my pills first,¡± I plead with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving you shit until you fuck me,¡± he says, making my stomach drop.

    ¡°Your father promised! He promised that you would give them to me!¡± I practically scream, growing more hysterical by every passing second. I can¡¯t fuck him unless I¡¯m high. I can¡¯t.

    Suddenly, Gino crosses the room in a few big strides, swallowing up the space between us quickly. He grabs a fistful of my hair and ms me into the side of an antique armoire. My bones rattle upon the impact, and I catch myself on the corner, wheezing from where it poked me hard right in the stomach.

    ¡°Take off your dress and get on the fucking bed,¡± he orders.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Straightening my spine, I give him a nod, symbolizing that I¡¯m going to behave and do what he tells me to do. He releases my hair, and I walk towar s the bed, putting a little distance between us.

    I can hear his heavy footfalls as hees closer. And then I feel him at my backside, his hands on my waist. I turn slowly in his arms and stare up at him. He¡¯s tall, just like his father, but about a hundred pounds heavier.

    I take a step back from him and pretend that I¡¯m reaching for the zipper of my dress.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good little bitch,¡± Gino murmurs.

    If I¡¯ve learned anything over the years, it¡¯s that being good only gets you in more trouble. Being good only gets you hurt in the end.

    Raising my leg, I kick forward as hard as I can, aiming for his balls. But my foot onlyes into contact with his fat stomach. And I realize in that moment the grave mistake I have made.

    Gino¡¯s face grows red with anger as hetches onto my foot and pulls my leg, making me cry out in surprise as I lose my footing. I slip and fall to the floor, hitting the back of my head on the footboard of the bed on the way down. The room spins around me as I suddenly feel him pinning me on the floor, his heavy weight on top of my chest. He¡¯s crushing me to the point that it feels like my ribs are breaking and I can¡¯t even pull in a single breath.

    ¡°You fucking bitch!¡± he spits out before punching me in the side of the head.

    Pain blooms along my temple, jarring my skull and making my teeth chatter. I try to bring my hands up to protect my face, but my arms are dead at my side. I can¡¯t even feel my fingertips.

    The lights in the room flicker, and I¡¯m starting to think that this is the end. That I¡¯m finally dying and escaping this hell on earth. But then that¡¯s when I hear Gino ask, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    Out of the corner of my eye, a dark figure enters the room, a dark gold mask covering most of his face. It¡¯s the man from the hallway, I vaguely think to myself.

    His piercing gray eyes meet mine for only a split second before he turns his attention to my attacker. I see the de before Gino even does. Suddenly, like in a real-life horror movie, the man grabs Gino from behind and slices through his fat neck. Blood instantly sprays out, soaking through my dress and spattering my face as Gino gurgles a horrific sound.

    I¡¯m instantly taken back to that tragic day¡­ The blood.

    The blood coating my skin.

    I¡¯m wearing their blood.

    The next thing I hear is a hard thud as Gino slumps over, his head resting on the edge of the footboard above me, his wide, vacant stare locked on my face as his gaping mouth spills forth a river of blood that trickles down to my forehead and cheek.

    I whip my head back and forth, trying to somehow stop it from touching me. I can¡¯t bear the horrible coppery smell or the fact that I¡¯m covered in his blood. It¡¯s too much like what happened before, and my anxiety begins to crawl its way to my throat as I struggle to breathe.

    My mouth opens on a scream, but no soundes out. I¡¯m still being crushed by the dead bastard, and my lungs are on fire, desperate for air. I start to gasp, my mouth gaping open repeatedly like a fish out of water.

    The room begins to violently spin around me, and I close my eyes as I begin to fall into a ck abyss. My entire body feels weightless, like I¡¯m floating, and I revel in the feeling. I¡¯m in a beautiful, silent void of absolute darkness. There is no fear, no anxiety, no pain here.

    Sweet, merciful death is finallying to im me¡­and I wee him with open arms.

 52

    Nichs

    I PUSH GINO Carbone¡¯s lifeless body off of the woman.

    Then, I wipe the de of my knife off on the dead man¡¯s shirt before securing it back inside my suit jacket.

    ¡°What about in and out undetected did you not understand?¡± Aldo hisses in my earpiece.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Just a minorplication,¡± I mutter.

    ¡°A dead man is not a minorplication, Nico,¡± he chides.

    ¡°He was hurting Lina.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know if the girl is Lina.¡±

    ¡°Well, even if it¡¯s not her, he was still hurting an innocent woman.¡±

    Aldo has no response to that because he knows I¡¯m right. In the end, I had to intervene. There was no other way.

    I reach down and press my fingers to the girl¡¯s neck. There¡¯s a pulse, but it¡¯s very faint. ¡°I need to get her out of here,¡± I inform Aldo while grabbing a nket from the bed and wrapping the poor girl in it.

    ¡°And how the fuck do you propose we do that, Nico?¡± he asks angrily.

    Obviously, nothing is going as nned at this point, and I know Aldo hates it when things deviate from a certain path. But it¡¯s toote to turn back now.

    ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to work some magic, man,¡± I tell him before scooping the woman¡¯s limp body into my arms. Her head falls back, and I stare down at the heart-shaped birthmark on her neck just below her ear. ¡°Lina,¡± I gasp, my chest aching. A million different emotions flood through me just then all at once. Fuck, I can¡¯t believe I finally found her.

    ¡°It¡¯s her?¡± Aldo asks, and I can hear his fingers tapping rapidly on his keyboard.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s her,¡± I manage to say. Swallowing hard, I cradle Lina against my chest, holding her tightly.

    ¡°There¡¯s a service entrance,¡± Aldo says urgently. ¡°You need to hurry, though. The guards are going to be doing their rounds soon. All of the video is still on loop, so they won¡¯t see you on the cameras, but I can¡¯t protect you from running into the wrong guy.¡±

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    ¡°Coast is clear in the hallway. Go out of the room and turn right. Go to the end of the hall and down the staircase.¡±

    I follow Aldo¡¯s instructions carefully. I stop when he tells me to stop. I disappear into various rooms when he alerts me to a guard nearby. And my chest doesn¡¯t stop aching until we¡¯re finally out the back entrance of the mansion and onto the street. It takes sheer willpower and a lot of luck, but I manage to carry Lina the whole five blocks back to the van without incident.

    ¡°Were you followed?¡± Aldo asks when he pops open the side door. His dark hair is disheveled like he¡¯s been running his hands through it for hours. I probably took ten years off of his life tonight by pulling all the shit I did, but I don¡¯t care. It was worth it. I would do anything, and I mean anything, to save Lina.

    ¡°How the hell should I know?¡± I hiss before gently setting Lina¡¯s limp body down on the floor. The nket falls open, revealing her bloody dress and the bruises beginning to form on her arms and temple, and I cringe at the sight.

    Aldo¡¯s eyes grow wide. ¡°Okay, okay. We need to get the hell out of here before someone discovers his body. After you left, I took off the looping video and cleared the entire security system of all the footage for the past few hours since you arrived. When we get back to thepound, I¡¯ll work on the CCTV footage in the area, but I might not be able to erase everything. Someone could have already seen you carrying her for that distance and reported it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it,¡± I growl before closing the side door. Then, I run to the driver¡¯s side and jump into the seat and m the door shut. Ripping off my mask, I throw it to the floor. Then, revving the engine, I pull out of the parking spot and speed down the street back towards thepound.

    I nce back at Lina lying on the floor, and I have to blink several times to make sure I¡¯m not imagining her. ¡°You¡¯re safe now, Lina,¡± I tell her softly. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡±

    The moment Aldo and I return back to thepound that we call home, I see a huge, dark figure standing in the driveway.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter under my breath.

    I park the van and step out. Benito walks over, tall and menacing with tattooed-covered muscles. He is my father¡¯s number one, and he¡¯s a huge, mean-looking son of a bitch, but he holds a soft spot in his heart for my family and my family alone. He¡¯s actually my godfather and has always been like an uncle to me, watching over me and protecting me over the years while I was growing up.

    His huge muscles bunch under his t-shirt, threatening to rip the seams as he stares me down. Aldo climbs out of the side of the van and shuts the door. I can practically see him trembling from here.

    ¡°Tell me you two weren¡¯t just at Berlusconi¡¯s party in Manhattan,¡± Benito starts.

    I nce at him and give him a one-shoulder shrug.

    ¡°Goddamn it, Nico!¡± he practically roars. ¡°I hope to fuck you didn¡¯t have anything to do with Carbone¡¯s son being dead.¡±

    Damn. Word travels fast.

    I wince at his usation, and I can¡¯t even meet his eyes. I¡¯m not scared of anyone, but I am scared of Benito¡¯s disapproval. I always want to make him proud. And my actions tonight are going to bring a lot of repercussions; ones that I haven¡¯t even had time to think about yet.

    ¡°You better have had a damn good reason,¡± Benito hisses.

    ¡°I did.¡± Slowly, I walk back to the van and open the back doors before moving aside.

    Benito steps closer, checking out the cargo, his eyebrow suddenly arching in surprise. ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡± he questions.

    ¡°Selina McCall.¡±

    His head whips to the side and he meets my eyes. ¡°Your Selina?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I turn to look at the blonde beauty sleeping in the back. ¡°She was at the party. Gino was hurting her. Hell, he might even have killed her if I hadn¡¯t intervened.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s her?¡± he asks, and I can hear the unease in his voice, because I¡¯ve been wrong before. I¡¯ve

    saved what seems like a hundred Se ina McCalls before, iming they were her before finding out they weren¡¯t.

    ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± I tell him confidently. ¡°Not only the eyes but the same birthmark on her neck. I¡¯m a thousand percent sure it¡¯s Lina.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit. After all this time¡­¡± Benito¡¯s voice trails off as he shakes his head. Then with a grim voice, he tells me,

    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with your father¡¯s wrath when he gets home.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to call him?¡±

    ¡°And risk ruining their anniversary trip? No fucking way,¡± he grunts. ¡°They¡¯ll be home in a few days. We¡¯ll figure out what to tell them by then.¡±

    I nod my head in agreement, and then I nce over at Aldo, who emphatically nods. He doesn¡¯t want to piss my father off either.

    ¡°Your team is freaking out over Gino Carbone¡¯s death,¡± Benito tells Aldo. ¡°I suggest you guys cover Nico¡¯s tracks to lessen the fallout from tonight.¡±

    ¡°Right away, sir,¡± Aldo mumbles before jogging off towards the part of the property that houses the undergroundwork ofputers, servers, and IT equipment.

    ¡°Carry Selina inside,¡± Benito starts. ¡°I¡¯m going to phone the on-call doc and tell her we need her ASAP.¡±

    I give him a nod before I lean down to scoop Selina into my arms. Her head lolls against my chest as I carry her into thepound. It¡¯s hard to believe that after all these years she¡¯s finally home where she belongs.

 53

    Nichs

    I WATCH SELINA sleep. She¡¯s currently in a room down the hall from my own, and I¡¯ve been sitting here for hours, waiting, while the doctor ran some tests and a nurse cleaned and bandaged her wounds. It¡¯s still hard to believe that she¡¯s really here. I¡¯m terrified that at any given moment I¡¯m going to wake up from this dream and she¡¯ll be gone again.

    Needing to ground myself, I reach out and skim my fingertips down her forearm, her skin soft under my touch. My hand finds hers, and I hold it, squeezing gently to reassure her while she¡¯s unconscious that I¡¯m here, that I¡¯ll protect her.

    I never stopped looking for Selina ever since that horrible day when her mother took her away from me. Hell, Aldo has been on the case for the past decade. And that¡¯s exactly how long it¡¯s been since thest time I¡¯ve seen her.

    Ten long, agonizing years.

    Despite the dark circles under her eyes and all the cuts and bruises, Selina is still breathtakingly beautiful; an older version of the girl I fell in love with ong ago. But things were different back then. We were different. And when she finally does wake up, I¡¯m going to have a million questions. To be honest, I don¡¯t even know where to begin. I¡¯ll stick with the most crucial inquiries first. I want to know where she¡¯s been. I want to know how she came to be under Gino Carbone¡¯s control. And most importantly, I want to know who got her addicted to drugs.

    However, for right now, the questions will have to wait. I have to let her rest. Her body needs to recuperate from all the trauma it has suffered not only over the past several hours but for the past fucking decade.

    Reluctantly, I pull my hand away from hers and walk out of her room. Selina is sedated for now while the illegal drugs work their way out of her system thanks to IV fluids and medicine, so I feel safe leaving her alone for a brief period.

    When Selina does finally wake, I know that she is not going to be the same girl from all those years ago. I need to mentally prepare myself for the new version of her that I got a glimpse of at the party. I don¡¯t know if I can ever fully prepare myself, however. There¡¯s still a part of me hoping that she¡¯ll be the same sweet, funny, charming girl I once knew and loved.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Dr. Fay Catno, the physician on call that¡¯s been looking after Selina, is waiting for me out in the hallway. When she sees me, she motions for me to follow her, which I do. I¡¯ve been eager for an update on Selina¡¯s condition. We enter an office a few doors down the hall, and I watch as she grabs a thick mani folder from a table, flipping through it as she studies it silently.

    The doctor is an older woman with salt and pepper hair. Her short stature may fool some people, but she can stare down even the bravest of men and have them backing down in a matter of seconds. I¡¯ve seen her do it firsthand. She¡¯s seen a lot in her sixty-some years of life, and it shows.

    She takes a seat opposite of me, and only gives me a moment to settle into my own chair before she begins talking. ¡°I¡¯ve run numerous tests on Selina,¡± she starts, peering up at me through her thick sses. ¡°She¡¯s malnourished and dehydrated. I have her on an IV, giving her the fluids she needs as well as some antibiotics.¡± She continues with, ¡°Selina suffered two broken ribs from the assault at the party, which resulted in a punctured lung. She¡¯s going to need a few days at least of bed rest and then six to eight weeks to recover from those injuries alone.¡± She pushes her sses up the bridge of her nose. ¡°When I deem her fit enough, she can have some light physical therapy to get her back into shape, because I noticed some muscle atrophy in her arms and legs. Perhaps she was tied up for long periods of time. I mean, that would exin the scars on her wrists and ankles,¡± she says as she reads over the reports with a grim expression on her face. ¡°I also discovered a lot of old bruises and untreated fractures, so I would say, unfortunately, this youngdy has a very long history of abuse.¡±

    My hands curl into fists at my sides, and it takes everything in me to sit there and listen as the doctor exins what¡¯s wrong with Selina. Outside, I appear calm and understanding, but inside I¡¯m a fucking wreck. I want to destroy the world, starting with Constantine Carbone and his entire lineage. I already took out his son, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I won¡¯t stop until his whole empire is burning to the fucking ground.

    The doctor scribbles some notes down in her chart. Then, she frowns and hands me a copy of the toxicology report. ¡°Also, Selina has multiple substances in her system. She was on a number of psychotropic drugs that we¡¯re still testing to try to learn the names of them. More than likely they were some type of street benzodiazepines. She¡¯sing down from a dangerous cocktai , I¡¯m afraid, and I¡¯m doing my best to keep her stabilized while she goes through withdrawal.¡±

    ¡°How long will that take?¡± I ask as I look up from theundry list of drugs on the paper.

    ¡°She should start feeling better in a week or so,¡± the doctor concludes. ¡°She¡¯s going to be pretty out of it for the first few days of her stay here, unfortunately, as she goes through a variety of side effects ¨C incoherent babbling, excessive sweating, paranoia, vomiting, the whole nine yards. Sarah will keep a good eye on her while she goes through the withdrawal.¡±

    Sarah Benson is the nurse who works full time at thepound. She¡¯s here during the day and on call at night in case any emergencies arise. I¡¯ve known her personally for years, and she¡¯s great at what she does. I¡¯m more than happy to entrust Selina¡¯s care to her.

    Dr. Catno clears her throat and then tells me, ¡°Selina also has a birth control imnt in her upper arm that I discovered. I left it alone. I¡¯m sure Selina can decide whether she wants that removed or not when she¡¯s alert and coherent.¡±

    I find somefort knowing that Selina at least didn¡¯t have to deal with unwanted pregnancies while she was being held captive by Gino. I can¡¯t imagine the unspeakable horrors she went through, and I know she would have never wanted to have a child go through that, let alone her own child.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t need anything else, I would like to go home for the day,¡± the doctor informs me.

    ¡°Yes, of course. Thank you for all that you¡¯ve done.¡±

    ¡°Sarah has my number on speed dial. I can be here in ten minutes if anything happens,¡± she assures me.

    ¡°Thank you, Doc. For everything,¡± I tell her before standing up and leaving the office. I walk down the hall, passing by Selina¡¯s door, on the way to my room when my feet suddenly stop, my shoes rooted to the hardwood floor. Groaning, I scrub a hand down my face. I know I should get some sleep; but for some reason, I feel an overwhelming need to check on Selina again.

    I tell myself it will only be for a few minutes, but the minutes quickly turn to hours, and soon I¡¯m just sitting there, watching over her¡­and waiting.

 54

    Selina

    I WAKE UP slowly, my vision blurry as I rapidly blink away the moisture in my eyes. Once my vision begins to clear, I study the room I¡¯m in. It¡¯svish, luxuriously decorated in muted grays and purples. And the first thing thates to mind is that I¡¯m back in Constantine¡¯s clutches.

    I try to remember thest thing that happened, and my heart begins to pound rapidly in my chest like an angry war drum when the memoriese flooding back in a rush.

    Gino was assaulting me.

    The man with the gray eyes was suddenly in the room.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    The knife.

    Gino¡¯s neck being sliced open.

    Me being covered in blood¡­and other gross stuff that I can¡¯t even think about right now.

    Me struggling to breathe.

    And then¡­nothing.

    Now I am here, and I have no idea exactly where here is. Did the man at the party work for Constantine? No, he couldn¡¯t have. Constantine wouldn¡¯t have sent a hitman after his only son. And if I¡¯m not with Constantine but with the murderer who ultimately kidnapped me, then I might be in even bigger trouble than I was with my original captor.

    Sitting up, I stare down at my right arm, which has an IV needle sticking out of it. Wincing, I pull the needle out and quickly climb out of bed. My heart beats in a weird stato as I grab onto things to help with my bnce and make my way over to one of therge windows on the other side of the room.

    It¡¯s getting dark outside, so I can¡¯t see much. My eyes dart around, fixating on the high fence surrounding the property. Have I been here before? I search for anything that looks familiar. Constantine has many homes scattered all over the US and in other countries, and I think I have been to all of them. Perhaps I¡¯ve been here before with him.

    I try to think harder, but my brain is fuzzy and I¡¯m having trouble focusing.

    My pills. I need my pills.

    I stare down at my wrists. The fact that I¡¯m not chained or handcuffed in some way and the fact that I am dressed, albeit in a hospital gown, is all new to me. I was Constantine¡¯s property, and he liked to remind me of that often.

    The door to the room swings open suddenly, and I jump back from the window, rmed. A young woman dressed in dark blue scrubs enters the room, and her eyes widen when she sees me.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she says, clearly surprised. Her bright blue eyes immediately shift to my arm, and I follow her gaze there. ¡°And you pulled your IV out.¡± She frowns when she sees the blood dripping down my arm. ¡°Please get back in bed. I¡¯m going to go get some bandages and disinfectant.

    I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    She leaves the room, and the door is left open. When she disappears into another room down the hallway, I decide now is my chance to try to escape.

    My bare feet p against the tiled hall as I run. I don¡¯t even think. I just run. I don¡¯t even know if I can get out of here, but I don¡¯t want to feel Constantine¡¯s wrath for his son¡¯s death. Who knows, maybe he even mes me. Knowing that sick fuck, he was just trying to get me hydrated and well again so he could torture me¡­and kill me. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him. His sickness knows no bounds when ites to me. I¡¯ve be his outlet for his anger over the years, and I don¡¯t want to see how much worse it can get.

    My legs are weak, turning to jelly, but I force them to keep going. A grand staircase is off to my left, and I jog down the steps, gripping onto the handrail for dear life as my feet slip and my knees continuously give out. I¡¯m dripping sweat, the moisture running down my forehead and into my eyes, and I¡¯mpletely out of breath by the time I reach the ground level. I look left and I look right, having no clue where to go¡­or where to hide. There¡¯s a huge door in front of me that looks like it leads outside, but I doubt if Constantine would just let me walk right out, so I don¡¯t even attempt it.

    I decide to go to the right, my lungs screaming for oxygen and my entire chest feeling like it¡¯s going to cave in at any given moment as my pace slows against my will. I¡¯m struggling to breathe by the time I force my way into the next room. There¡¯s a tightness in my chest on the right side that is almost excruciating. I need to get out of here before it gets any worse.

    I hear numerous voices suddenly stop as I burst through the double doors. Inside therge room are six people, and they all turn to stare at me at the same time. I look around at their blurry, unfamiliar faces until I recognize one.

    The ck hair and silver eyes. Even though he was wearing a mask, I¡¯ll never forget those eyes.

    It¡¯s him.

    The killer.

    The man who killed Gino and then obviously kidnapped me, doing Constantine¡¯s bidding like the good dog that he is. I need to know why I¡¯m here, why he took me and what Constantine has in store for me now that his only son is dead and gone.

    ¡°You,¡± I wheeze out usingly. A sharp pain hits me in the chest like I was just run over by a Mack truck, and I copse onto the floor. I try to draw air into my lungs, but I feel like I can¡¯t catch my breath.

    ck spots fill my vision until the pain bes too great, and I finally let the darkness take over as I pass out, not knowing if I¡¯ll ever wake again.

 55

    Nichs

    M Y PARENTS RETURNED from their anniversary trip a few hours ago. Benito confessed everything the moment they stepped foot onto the property; and now we¡¯re all gathered in themon room, facing the wrath of my father.

    ¡°How the fuck could you do this, Nico?¡± my father asks as he paces the floor and runs a hand through his short, dark hair. I¡¯ve never seen him so upset before. Well, at least not with me. His gray eyes, the same color as mine, pin me to the spot I¡¯m standing. ¡°Why the fuck would you think it was a good idea to go after Carbone on your own? What the hell was going through your goddamn mind?¡± he yells, anger seeping out of his every pore.

    I nce around the room at my mother, Benito, my sister Aria and my best friend and Aria¡¯s bodyguard, Renato Bianchi. Everyone is quiet with a solemn look on their face. No one ising to my defense, nor do I expect them to. I know I fucked up. I fucked up majorly, and now I have to face the consequences of my actions.

    ¡°I know we all want Constantine put behind bars¡­or dead, but you can¡¯t do it alone!¡± my father exims.

    I stand with my hands in my pockets, staring down at the floor while my father scolds me. He¡¯s totally right. I went behind his back and could have gotten myself hurt or worse. We¡¯ve discussed in the past about tracking Constantine, but he probably never wanted me to the be one to actually do it.

    I wasn¡¯t even going to raise any suspicions with Constantine at the party; just get close enough to him to nt a tracker on him. But all those ns went right out the fucking window when I saw his son beating on a woman, who ultimately turned out to be Selina. My Lina.

    ¡°And then you ended up murdering Constantine¡¯s only son. Do you know what kind of hell he will bring down upon this family when he finds out it was you?¡±

    ¡°Aldo erased all the security camera footage,¡± I start, but my father doesn¡¯t let me finish.

    ¡°Yeah, from the mansion. But what about all the neighboring buildings? What about traffic cams? You thinkContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Constantine can¡¯t get his hands on all of that footage?¡± ¡°I was careful!¡± I plead with him.

    ¡°You were careful,¡± he scoffs with a shake of his head. ¡°You have no idea the trouble you¡¯re in right now. You have no idea what kind of danger you¡¯ve just put your family in!¡± he practically screams, causing my sister to jump.

    I look over at her, and she quickly steels her spine and meets my gaze for only a split second while she worries her bottom lip between her teeth. God, she looks like a younger version of our mother. They share all the same features even down to the same chestnut brown hair and amber eyes.

    Renato stands stock-still at her side, not moving, not even looking like he¡¯s affected by my father¡¯s yelling. Hell, my father has probably yelled at him so much that it doesn¡¯t even bother him anymore.

    My mother suddenly speaks up. ¡°Now, Luca, Nico told us he had no choice in the matter when it came to Carbone¡¯s son,¡± she says in an attempt to cate my father. She is the only one who can calm my dad down when he gets like this.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I exin to both of them. ¡°He was hurting Selina. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn¡¯t intervened? He probably would have killed her.¡± I can still remember the sounds of her sobs as Gino took his anger out on her in that room. Those sounds will haunt me for the rest of my life. ¡°I did what I had to do,¡± I tell him vehemently, standing my ground. ¡°And I¡¯d fucking do it again.¡±

    My father stops pacing and looks to me. ¡°I just wish you would have waited. Going after any Carbone is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Too dangerous,¡± Benito agrees from the corner, hisrge muscr arms crossed in front of his burly chest as he leans against the wall.

    I knew he would take my father¡¯s side. I¡¯m just d he¡¯s not yelling at me too at this point. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice,¡± I tell them vehemently. ¡°I just wish it would have been Constantine and not his son. That bastard needs to be taken down like the dog he is,¡± I spit out, seething.

    ¡°Yes, in due time. But you can¡¯t just rush him without having an army prepared first. You could have been killed regardless of which Carbone you went after!¡± my father says in a deep rumble, his temper threatening to boil over.

    The whole room is quiet while my father begins to pace the floor again. I swear he¡¯s going to make a hole in the carpet soon.

    I know deep down it was a stupid idea going after Carbone on my own. It¡¯s just I¡¯ve hated him for so long, given our family history with him, and I knew that party was my chance to finally do something for the greater good. I couldn¡¯t just take that opportunity for granted. My goal that night was to get intel on Constantine. What I didn¡¯t expect was his son to be in his ce at that party, but I¡¯m d he was because the sequence of events all led me right to Selina.

    And knowing now that Constantine must have had Selina in his clutches for a period of time infuriates me. When she¡¯s in her right mind, I¡¯m going to have a lot of questions for her. I want to know exactly how she came to be under his radar and for how long. There are too many missing pieces of her puzzle, and I need to figure them all out to get a look at the bigger picture.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no going back now and changing things. We have to deal with what has been done,¡± my father decides, stopping and then turning towards the rest of us. ¡°Gino Carbone is dead. Constantine will no doubt find out who killed him ande for our family. We need to start preparing for the inevitable.¡± He makes a point to look at my sister when he announces, ¡°No one leaves the house without permission. And if you do leave, I want you to always have at least four guards. No exceptions.¡±

    Benito and my mother nod in agreement while Renato stays quiet.

    Aria folds her arms across her chest and res at me. ¡°So, we have to change our entire lives because Nico screwed up?¡± she asks, fuming.

    ¡°Yes,¡± my mother and father say at the same time.

    ¡°What about your connections with the feds?¡± I suggest. ¡°Can¡¯t they do something about Constantine?¡±

    ¡°He was already released from prison on a technicality. We would need all new evidence to build a case against him again. Carbone has moved most of his operations overseas where the feds can¡¯t reach him.¡± My father shakes his head. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing they can help us with at this point.¡± He sighs and scrubs a hand down his face. ¡°I wish you wouldn¡¯t have gotten involved in Carbone¡¯s business, son.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t regret what I did because I finally found Selina,¡± I tell him with angercing my voice.

    My mom puts a hand on my shoulder and pats gently, trying to calm me down. ¡°I know you never stopped loving her,¡± she says softly.

    She¡¯s right about that. Not a day has gone by where I haven¡¯t thought about Lina. A void has been in my life for ten years. And having her back in my world seems like an impossible dream. One that I don¡¯t want to wake up from if she suddenly disappears again.

    ¡°How is she?¡± Mom asks.

    ¡°She¡¯s resting. She had some broken ribs, a punctured lung¡­¡± My voice trails off as my hands curl into fists at my sides. ¡°There¡¯s aundry list of things wrong with her,¡± I say, my voice hoarse and weary. Fuck, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve slept more than a few hours since she arrived.

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s in a good ce for recovery. With the doctors, nurses and therapists on staff here, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be better in no time,¡± she assures me.

    Years ago, my parents turned their home into apoundplete with staff and top-of-the-line security. They have been involved with taking down a lot of human trafficking rings, and sometimes the feds couldn¡¯t ce all the victims in homes or shelters. My parents took a lot of people in over the years, rehabilitated them, and made sure they had a much better chance at life by the time they left.

    They are saints. Well, for the most part. I mean, my father is still a mafia boss and deals in illegal activities and routinely gets his hands dirty. And, you know, there¡¯s that whole pesky business of asionally murdering people. But I think the good mostly outweighs the bad, to be honest.

    They have saved a lot of people from terrible fates.

    Selina was just one of the many souls that they tried to save. And if it wouldn¡¯t have been for her mother, Selina would have stayed here and lived out her days in peace. We have no idea what happened after she left here, and that just adds to the never-ending pile of questions I have for Lina when she¡¯s feeling better and actually lucid.

    ¡°I¡¯m d Selina is safe now,¡± my father says, even though he still looks and sounds grumpy as hell.

    ¡°Me too,¡± I agree.

    Just then, the heavy door swings open, banging against the wall. We all turn in unison as Selina stumbles into the room. I can hear the wheezinging from her chest as she looks at me, her eyes narrowing as she usingly spits out, ¡°You!¡±

    Before I can even react, she copses onto the floor, gasping for breath. I rush to her side, but she¡¯s already unconscious. Her breathing isbored and the high-pitch wheezeing from her mouth scares the hell out of me. ¡°Call the doctor. I think her lung might have copsed again,¡± I tell them before picking her up in my arms.

    With her limp body carefully cradled against my chest, I jog out of the room and up the steps. I race down the hallway with her in my arms. I spot the nurse, Sarah,ing out of a doorway with a caddy full of medical supplies in tow. She looks stunned to see us.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Sarah calls after me as I enter Selina¡¯s bedroom and carefullyy her down on the bed. ¡°I didn¡¯t even see her walk out,¡± she says with a shake of her head in disbelief. ¡°She had pulled her IV out, and I was just getting some things to clean her up,¡± she exins.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I assure her. Sarah is supposed to be taking care of Selina, not guarding her. ¡°They¡¯re calling for the doctor. Try to keep herfortable until she gets here,¡± I inform Sarah, stepping back so that she can do her job.

    My hands rake their way through my hair as I go to stand by the window. A million things are running through my mind as I pull at the ends in frustration.

    The way Selina looked at me, it was as if she despised me. I mean, I did kill someone in front of her. I¡¯m sure she fears me. But what if she never gets over that fear¡­or worse ¨C what if she hates me?

    She obviously has no idea who I am. Hell, she might not even remember me. Maybe I created some sort of fantasy in my head about our time together when, in all actuality, it meant nothing to her.

    No.

    I decide right then and there that none of that matters. I don¡¯t care if she doesn¡¯t remember me. I don¡¯t care if she even fucking hates me for a while. I will win her trust back no matter what it takes. I still love her. I never stopped loving her. And I¡¯m not giving up on her.

 56

    Selina

    T HE NEXT TIME I wake up I¡¯m alone in the strange room again. My chest still hurts, but it¡¯s not an excruciating pain likest time. I try to sit up, but then I realize I can¡¯t move my arms. Panicked, I look down and see that my wrists are cuffed to the metal railings on the sides of the hospital bed.

    I struggle to get free until I eventually wear myself out and give up. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m getting out of these anytime soon, and I need to save my strength for when I really need it. For all I know, Constantine is waiting for me to get better so that he can beat me, torture me and kill me in retaliation for his son¡¯s death.

    I will beg him for mercy, but I know it¡¯s only a matter of time before he kills me anyway. He¡¯s been distanttely, not like when I was younger and I was the most important thing in his world. In his own fucked-up and cruel way, I think he used to care for me.

    The door to my room opens, and a nurse enters. I think it was the same one from¡­ Wait, how many hours or days has it been? How long have I been here? My brain is so fuzzy. I grit my teeth as I try to concentrate. I need my pills.

    The blue-eyed young woman looks at me and gives me a tentative smile. I probably got her in troublest time for escaping. Hopefully Constantine didn¡¯t hurt her. I never handled it well when he would punish people for my faults and actions. He knew I hated that, and he would use it against me often. Maniptive bastard.

    When the nursees over to rece my empty IV bag, I check her face and arms for visible bruises and feel relieved when I see none. ¡°What is he giving me?¡± I ask. I have to know if he¡¯s drugging me. Is this some kind of new drug he¡¯s testing out on me first again?Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°This is just saline,¡± she informs me. ¡°You¡¯re done with the antibiotics.¡±

    Saline? Antibiotics? What the hell is going on here? I think to myself.

    ¡°I need my pills,¡± I tell her quickly. ¡°He knows I need my benzos.¡±

    Her dark brows furrow before she goes to work recing the bag of saline.

    ¡°Please,¡± I beg her. I try to reach out, forgetting momentarily that I¡¯m strapped to the bed. I huff with a resigned sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll go crazy without my pills. I need them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she says in a rush before finishing up and scurrying out of the room.

    I scream in frustration, pulling at my restraints. I¡¯ve never gone this long without being high. Not since I was a kid. Before I was with Constantine, who got me addicted to all kinds of shit to keep me calm and sedated and bending at his every will and demand. When he wasn¡¯t beating the defiance out of me, I was so high I couldn¡¯t protest against his evil ways even if I wanted to.

    And now that his son is dead, his wrath will be magnified to unspeakable heights.

    Tears fill my eyes and stream down my face as I desperately try to hold back a sob and fail miserably. The sound of my tortured cries fills the room.

    Lying back on the bed, I close my eyes and force myself to think of the only happy point in my life. It¡¯s all hazy now ¨C ten years and a lot of horrible memories and moments separating me from my happy ce.

    But I still remember him.

    Nico.

    The only boy I¡¯ve ever cared for, and the only person in the entire world who truly cared about me.

    The six months I stayed with his family was the happiest I¡¯ve ever been. And then I was ripped away from that happiness by my mother¡­who turned around and sold me to Constantine. She needed the money for drugs. She was so addicted that she had no problems selling her own daughter not once, but twice. Nico¡¯s family never knew that my mother was the one who sold me in the first ce before they rescued me and asked me to live with them.

    I felt safe with them.

    I felt loved.

    God, I haven¡¯t felt loved in such a long time. I forget what that even feels like.

    I should have told them that my mother was the one who sold me the previous time, but I was so scared to betray and disobey her. She beat that loyalty into me every damn day. And honestly, I never thought she would do that to me again.

    I should have known better.

    I was too young, too naive, and too trusting. But over the years, I¡¯vee to the realization that you can¡¯t trust anyone but yourself. You gotta look out for number one, because no one else is there for you in the end. Not even your own goddamn mother.

    The only relief I have is that she passed away not too long after I was sold to Constantine. I heard she died in her sleep, choking on her own vomit after overdosing. Her death wasn¡¯t punishment enough, but I¡¯ll take it. Just knowing the bitch was dead and couldn¡¯t hurt me anymore made me feel minutely better through the years.

    Anger boils up inside of me suddenly, and like a volcano erupting, I scream at the top of my lungs. If Constantine is torturing me by making me wait, then I¡¯m going to draw him out by being loud, the one thing I know he hates. He likes docile, quiet girls. Always seen, never heard¡­unless it¡¯s in the bedroom.

    I scream again and again until it feels like my vocal cords are being ripped to shreds. Thrashing on the bed, I test my bonds, but they hold. And not being able to move just pisses me off even more.

    Sweat trickles down my forehead as I squirm around in the bed, trying to slip out of the cuffs. But my efforts soon prove futile. The cuffs are very secure and tight against my skin. There¡¯s no wiggle room at all.

    I need my pills. If I don¡¯t get my pills soon, then I¡¯ll be forced to face my horrendous past and all the things that happened to me. And that is not something I can do. I¡¯ve done everything I could over the years to stay numb, to stay so far out of reality that I wasn¡¯t sure if I was awake or dreaming most days.

    ¡°I can¡¯t be here,¡± I say out loud, a sob ripping from my chest. ¡°I can¡¯t be here,¡± I chant. ¡°I can¡¯t be here.¡±

    If I don¡¯t get out of here soon, I don¡¯t know what will happen to me.

 57

    Nichs

    I WINCE AT the sound of Selina¡¯s screams, and the pen in my hand suddenly drops. I was trying to read over some

    contracts, but I can¡¯t concentrate. She¡¯s been screaming for hours. Fortunately, at this time of evening, her and I are the only ones in this part of thepound. No one can hear her cries for help. Well, except for me.

    Selina is not the girl I remember. Not at all. She¡¯s strung out, living in her own world. The doctor assured me her mind will clear over the next couple of days, and I¡¯m trying to hold on to that promise and not drive myself insane with worry in the meantime.

    They¡¯re slowly detoxing her, but fuck, it feels like it¡¯s taking forever. I don¡¯t want to talk to her until her mind is clear, but her screaming is driving me up the wall.

    When she begins to cry out again, my legs are moving before my brain can even catch up. Frustrated, I leave my room, turn right down the hall and push open the door to Selina¡¯s room.

    Selina startles when she sees me. ¡°Where is he?¡± she yells, her voice hoarse. She pulls at her restraints, and I can see blood caked on the white cuffs around her wrists. The skin underneath is raw from her incessant struggling.

    I move closer to her bed, gauging her reaction to me. I was hoping to see some sort of recognition in her eyes, but she simply stares at me like I¡¯m a stranger. I mean, what did I truly expect? I haven¡¯t seen the girl in ten years, since we were kids. I¡¯m sure I look a hell of a lot different now than when I was a teenager.

    She sure as hell looks different. She looks so¡­grown up. Her face is still beautiful, just like I remember it, though. Heart-shaped with big doe eyes and full lips; the top one a little fuller than the bottom. I remember drawing her face many times after she left. I had etched it into my memory. I never wanted to forget how pretty she was, and I wanted to remember that she was real.

    ¡°Where is who?¡± I eventually ask even though I already know who she¡¯s talking about.

    ¡°Constantine,¡± she asks in a hushed whisper as if she¡¯s afraid to speak his name any louder. ¡°Is heing for me?¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    I can hear the fear in her voice, and it makes me want to kill that bastard with my goddamn bare hands. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know where you are,¡± I assure her, trying to keep my voice level. ¡°You¡¯re safe here.¡±

    An almost crazedugh escapes her lips, surprising me. ¡°You have no idea what he¡¯s capable of. He will find me.¡± Selina turns her pretty face towards the window and whispers, ¡°He always finds me.¡± She then pulls at her restraints, seemingly forgetting that she was bound, and begins to mumble incoherently to herself.

    My brows furrow as I stare at her. The doctor told me the other day that the withdrawal symptoms will make her paranoid and delusional. She¡¯s almost clean. By this time tomorrow, she might actually be in her right mind. God, I fucking hope so. I don¡¯t know how much more of this I can fucking take.

    ¡°Everything is going to be okay,¡± I say in an attempt to cate her.

    She slowly turns her head, looking at me¡­no, looking straight through me. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly know that,¡± she says somberly.

    ¡°I promise.¡±

    ¡°You¡­promise?¡± she scoffs, her voice cracking on thest word. ¡°You don¡¯t know him like I do.¡± Her face turns back to the window, and I can see she¡¯s lost in thought, perhaps recalling memories. ¡°No one knows him like I do,¡± she murmurs in a singsong voice.

    My hands curl into fists at my sides. I hate the fact that Constantine had her under his control. I can¡¯t help but wonder how long she was with him. Was it the entire ten years or for only a brief period of time before I stumbled upon her and his son at the party? Did he steal her innocence away from her just like he¡¯s done with hundreds of other girls and women?

    Feeling my anger trying to boil over, I quickly turn and leave the room without even telling her goodbye. Hell, she probably won¡¯t even remember me being there. The drug concoction Carbone had her on is taking a long time to work out of her system. Dr. Catno is optimistic that there won¡¯t be any permanent brain damage, but there¡¯s no telling until she¡¯spletely clean.

    I have a million different questions I want to ask Selina, but I will have to be patient and wait until she¡¯s clearminded and in a state where she¡¯s able to finally answer me truthfully and honestly.

    Instead of returning to my bedroom, I venture down the hall to a room I¡¯d converted into an art studio years ago. When I open the door, the smell of fresh oils and acrylics wees me. After Selina disappeared without a trace, I spent months taking my anger and frustration out on everyone and everything around me. I turned into a brawler at school, fighting anyone who crossed my path or looked at me the wrong way. After getting kicked out of three private schools, my parents grew tired of my shit and sent me to a therapist.

    Mr. Mackey had a way with words and zero tolerance for bullshit. He taught me how to channel some of my feelings into something more creative. And the very first time I put pen to paper, I was hooked. I could sit and draw for hours, forgetting the world around me, forgetting about all the problems I was so focused on before.

    Pencils and ink soon turned to charcoal and then to oils and acrylics. It didn¡¯t matter what medium I used, I realized I loved to draw and paint. It was so effortless and natural that I imagine maybe I was a talented artist in a previous life.

    As I stare around the room at the dozens of paintings and drawings, I can¡¯t help but remember how I felt during each and every one that I created. There are probably a hundred renderings of Selina in here. I drew her as I knew her and as I imagined she would be. I wanted to age us together even though I had no idea what she would actually look like. Even though she looks ethereal on canvas, none of those drawings or paintings even came close to the real-life woman. She¡¯s beautiful. No, more than beautiful. She¡¯s perfection. Prettier than I ever could have imagined.

    A painting is simply just that ¨C a painting. But having her here in the flesh, seeing her with my own two eyes is nothing short of magnificent.

    When I look around the room, my obsession with her is evident. I¡¯ve had my fair share of women in the past, but they were all one-night stands. No one could even hold a candle to my Lina, and I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of anyone else trying to fill that empty void inside of my chest where I knew only she could fit¡­and where only she belonged.

    I stare at one of my recent paintings. It simply doesn¡¯t do her beauty justice, and I take it off the easel before recing it with a nk canvas.

    And as Selina¡¯s screams echo down the hallway, I paint her. I paint every detail from my memories over the past few days from the time I first saw her at the party until now. Her cries fuel my desire to get every little detail right, even down to the tiny freckles that are scattered across her nose.

    Painting her is cathartic. And by the time I¡¯m finished, it¡¯s nearly dawn, and Selina¡¯s screams have finally ceased.

 58

    Selina

    A FTER DAYS OF being¡­well, wherever the hell I am, I wake up feeling clear-minded for the first time in as long as I can remember. I nce down at my wrists, which were previously bound. They¡¯re now wrapped in gauze and bandages, and I¡¯m no longer cuffed to the bed.

    My brows furrow. Why is Constantine taking so much effort in nursing me back to health? Is he doing all of this so that I have my strength back before he beats me down into nothing once again?

    I shudder at the thought. You never know with my captor. It¡¯s always a mind-fuck no matter which way you spin it. He¡¯s pretended to be nice in the past, only to break me almost beyond repair right after. Trusting him always led to some kind of punishment, but I had to learn that the hard way.

    I nce down at my bandaged wrists and frown. I¡¯ve had open wounds before, and I was always forced to take care of them myself with what little materials I had. He¡¯s never shown me an ounce of kindness, and I have no idea why he¡¯s doing this now. But, with knowing Constantine the way I do, there is always an ulterior motive. He¡¯s like a snake coiled up patiently in tall grass, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike its next victim.

    Lying back in my bed, I breathe in as deeply as I can and release that same breath, my chest still hurting. I have to prepare myself mentally for whatever is about toe my way. Without my pills, I¡¯ll have to face it head-on, and I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready for that.

    A soft knock has my eyes snapping open. I sit up quickly, maybe too quickly, because my head spins slightly before I¡¯m able to focus on the dark figureing through the doorway.

    Dark hair. Steel gray eyes. Broad shoulders under a ck, expensive, tailored suit with a ck shirt and matching tie.

    It¡¯s the man who kidnapped me. The man who killed Constantine¡¯s son right in front of my eyes. Even though I don¡¯t remember very many details from that night, I remember Gino¡¯s violent death vividly.

    I draw my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them, protecting myself the only way I know how.

    The man walks in slowly, like he¡¯s afraid to spook me. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you awake¡­and lucid,¡± hements before stopping several feet from my bed.

    I stay quiet. I¡¯ve learned over the years that my mouth can get me in trouble. It¡¯s better to say nothing at all and wait to be prompted to speak.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asks, his voice deep and calm.

    Again, I just simply stare at him. His dark hair and gray eyes look so familiar¡­ Not just from that night, but like a distant memory that my brain just can¡¯t seem to touch upon. Maybe I¡¯ve seen him in my past. I¡¯ve seen so many men, unfortunately.

    He¡¯s handsome, I¡¯ll give him that. But sometimes the most beautiful things in this world are the most toxic and poisonous. I¡¯ve learned that firsthand the hard way.

    Even though most women would probably throw themselves in front of a bus for just a chance to be with this guy, I can¡¯t say the same. I¡¯m more frightened than attracted to the opposite sex. Men can¡¯t be trusted. They only want one thing. And if you don¡¯t want to give it to them, they¡¯ll just take it.

    The man sighs and rakes a hand through his short, thick hair at myck of conversation. I watch him closely, waiting for a sign that he¡¯s getting upset or mad at me. Because I know what wille after that point.

    Abuse. Pain.

    ¡°You can speak freely here,¡± he assures me. ¡°Nothing will happen to you.¡±

    I want tough in his face. That¡¯s what they all say. Nothing will happen to you. Liars. All of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions,¡± he offers. ¡°Maybe we should start there. Do you have any questions for me?¡±

    ¡°You work for Constantine Carbone?¡± I mutter. It¡¯s not really a question, more of an usation, but I don¡¯t care. I need to know. I need to know who and what I¡¯m dealing with here.

    ¡°No,¡± he scoffs as if it¡¯s the most absurd thing he¡¯s ever heard in his entire life. ¡°I¡¯m trying to take that bastard down,¡± he says, seriousness clouding his features.

    His words shock me to the point where I¡¯m speechless. My hands clench around my knees, drawing them even closer to me. Is that why you killed his son? I desperately want to ask that question, but keep my mouth shut.

    ¡°I rescued you that night at the party, Selina,¡± the stranger tells me, his gray eyes assessing me. He knows my name. I wonder what else he knows. ¡°You¡¯re safe now.¡±

    A sob tries to bubble its way up my throat, but I swallow it down quickly as I slowly lie down on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ve been safe before,¡± I mutter miserably. Tears fill my eyes as I stare up at the ceiling, the decorative pattern in the ster blurring together the longer I stare. I squeeze my eyes shut, stray tears streaming down my temples. Memories of that horrific night in Italy bombard my mind. I¡¯ve had drugs to help me cope before. But now that I¡¯m sober, I have nothing stopping me from dwelling on my past, on my trauma.

    No. I can¡¯t let myself even think about the man and his family that tried to help me. I don¡¯t want to go into that rabbit hole of horrors of what happened to them because of me.

    Panic grips my throat, and it feels like a demon wing its way up through my esophagus. Short bursts of air escape me in panicked breaths as my lungs threaten to lock up altogether.

    It was my fault.

    They¡¯re dead because of me.

    ¡°Selina!¡±

    I hear my name being called, and it takes a few moments for me toe back to the present. The stranger is standing next to my bed, reaching out towards me. I quickly put my hand up to stop him, and to my surprise, he does.

    ¡°You¡¯re in a securepound,¡± he begins to exin. ¡°Carbone would need an army to get to you.¡±

    His words shouldfort me, but they don¡¯t. I¡¯ve tried to escape Constantine before, and he has always found me. He told me once that the only way he would let me go was if one of us were dead. And I truly believe that. He has some kind of sick fascination and obsession with me. He always has, ever since I was first sold to him when I was a young girl. I was his little pet. My body begins to tremble at just the thought of his nickname for me.

    ¡°He¡¯lle for me,¡± I say resolutely with a heavy sigh. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll have to kill me first,¡± the man says with such resignation that I almost believe him.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I don¡¯t know who the hell this guy thinks he is, but if he thinks he¡¯s any match against Constantine, he¡¯s got another thinging. That man is the devil himself, all-powerful. Nothing can stand in the way of him getting what he wants. And he wants me and revenge for his son¡¯s murder, I¡¯m sure. It¡¯s only a matter of time before the guy standing before me is as good as dead.

    ¡°Considering you killed his son, I¡¯m sure he will kill you first,¡± I state matter-of-factly.

    A smile appears on the handsome man¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯d like to see him try.¡±

    Cocky. Confident. He won¡¯t be feeling so confident when Constantine is ripping him to shreds with his own bare hands for killing his son and for taking what¡¯s his.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± I lie, rolling over to my side and closing my eyes, effectively blocking out the stranger. The truth is, I just want to be left alone to process everything.

    The man doesn¡¯t say anything. I hear his footsteps retreat as he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I expect to hear a lock clicking in ce, but there are no other sounds except his footfalls fading as he walks away, leaving me alone just like I wanted.

    I breathe in deeply and let out a long sigh. Am I truly free of Constantine, or is this just simply another one of his tricks to test my allegiance to him?

    Only time will tell I suppose. Until then, I¡¯ll keep my guard up and not allow my walls toe down for anything or anyone.

 59

    Nichs

    A FTER SELINA HAD vanished without a trace, I grew cold and distant with everyone around me. Her disappearance changed me, molded me into the man I am today. The more time that passed, the harder my exterior became until I was just a shell of the former smiling, charming boy I once was. Her leaving left a ck hole in my chest where my heart once was. I threw myself into work alongside my father, and that is when I learned about how truly cruel the world can be and oftentimes is.

    I thought having Selina back would change¡­everything. I thought we would go back to how we were; that the past decade would somehow just erase itself. But it seems like we¡¯re at some sort of crossroads, and I¡¯m having trouble figuring out which direction I should go to move forward.

    I still haven¡¯t told her who I am. A part of me is still holding out hope that she will somehow just know it¡¯s me like I did when I first saw her. Granted, I don¡¯t have a distinguishable feature like she does with her heterochromia. Without her strange eye colors, would I have even known it was Lina in that hallway?

    Probably not. We haven¡¯t seen each other since we were teenagers, and a lot has changed since then.

    I do need to tell her the truth, though. I just have no idea how she¡¯s going to react to that news. Will she be sad, happy? Or will she be mad at me for not finding her sooner?

    I want to tell her that we never stopped looking for her; that there hasn¡¯t been a single day where she hasn¡¯t crossed my mind. She has no idea of the lengths I have gone to to try and locate her. I¡¯ve literally put my life on the line more times than I can fucking count, infiltrating numerous human trafficking rings to try to get some information on anything that would lead me to her whereabouts. Anding up empty so many damn times nearly broke me.

    I guess the unknown is what¡¯s truly preventing me from confessing everything to her. That coupled with the fact that she keeps asking about Constantine, which makes me think he had her under his control for arge part of her life, maybe even the whole time that she was missing. I desperately want to know the answers, but I know I have to be patient when ites to Selina. She¡¯s strong, but she¡¯s in a delicate state right now. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s been through hell more times than anyone ever should, and I don¡¯t want to push her too hard, too fast, especially if she¡¯s not ready. I know the information I seek wille out eventually. And I can be a very patient man when I want to be.

    Making my way into therge dining room on the other side of thepound, I find my parents, my sister and Benito already digging into a delicious-looking dinner. It¡¯s my father¡¯s favorite ¨C spaghetti with homemade bread and sd.

    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± Aria chides me with a grin.

    ¡°I was busy,¡± I mutter before taking a seat.

    My mother smiles at me before passing me arge bowl. ¡°How is Selina?¡±

    ¡°Better,¡± I admit while scooping some of the sd onto my te. I¡¯m d I can finally say that and not be totally lying. Seeing her sober and not under the influence of any kind of substance is refreshing, to say the least.

    ¡°Does she know who you are yet?¡± Aria chimes in.

    ¡°Not yet. But I¡¯ll tell her,¡± I say with a frown.

    ¡°When?¡± Aria asks.

    I roll my eyes at her. Aria has always been one to meddle in my affairs. She¡¯s the nosy, little, bratty sister I never wanted, but I honestly can¡¯t imagine life without her even though she¡¯s a pain in my ass most days. ¡°Soon,¡± I say vaguely.

    She hums in disapproval and then turns her attention back to her meal.

    I¡¯m about to put the first bite of food in my mouth when my father tells me, ¡°Constantine is in town. The funeral for his son is tomorrow.¡± I open my mouth to speak, but he holds up a hand, stopping me. ¡°Just so we¡¯re clear, Nico, we¡¯re not going anywhere near the funeral or the cemetery. Constantine will have eyes and ears everywhere, and we can¡¯t afford to draw any more unwanted attention to our family. I will not have anyone put in that vulnerable position and risk capture¡­or worse.¡±

    Even though we¡¯re missing out on an opportunity to track Constantine and gather intel, maybe even enough information to bring him and his empire down once and for all, I agree with my father. I already fucked things up for everyone, and now we all have to be on our toes if¡­no, when Constantine figures out it was me who killed his son.

    ¡°Selina was with Constantine for a period of time,¡± I announce to the table. I hear Benito curse under his breath, but I continue. ¡°He hurt her. I feel it in my gut. I don¡¯t know how long she was with him, but I know the bastard scared her to the point where she¡¯s afraid he¡¯sing for her even now.¡±

    ¡°It could exin why we never found her,¡± my father suggests. ¡°We have barely been able to track Constantine over the years since he was released from jail.¡±

    I nod in agreement. If Selina was with him all this time, all the previous missing pieces of the puzzle would slowly fit together, creating a crystal-clear image. Constantine somehow got his hands on Selina and was keeping her on his yacht out in the middle of the ocean where the rules don¡¯t apply to people like him. He kept his distance from New York City and kept a low profile, still defiling women and probably Selina along the way without any consequences for his fucked-up actions.

    The thing I can¡¯t figure out is how Selina got mixed up with the likes of him. How did their paths cross? I hope to fuck it wasn¡¯t because of our connection with her, but I don¡¯t feel like that¡¯s it. There¡¯s something else. A big part to this story is missing.

    I push the sd around on my te as I sit and stew in my thoughts. I thought bringing Selina back home would make everything better, but I know there¡¯s a long road ahead of us. She¡¯s slowly recovering, so all I can do is give her time at this point.

    If she was with Constantine, I can only imagine the horrors she lived through and witnessed over the past decade. I shudder at the thought of them and her going through that living, breathing nightmare. The only sce I can muster is the fact that she¡¯s here with me now. She¡¯s finally home. It won¡¯t be an easy road ahead of us, but I¡¯m going to be there with her every single step of the way. I¡¯ll never give up on Selina, because I know she would have done the same exact thing for me had the roles been reversed.

    I¡¯ve been a closed off, moody son-of-a-bitch since she disappeared, but I¡¯ll try to be a better person. For her. Only for her.

    My humanity shut off a long time ago. When she left, my heart ceased beating, leaving a dark, empty hole in my chest. My entire world came to a halt. And now that she¡¯s back, I can feel that dark muscle beginning to beat again. She¡¯s slowly bringing me back to life, and she doesn¡¯t even realize it.

    The only thing that will bring me more peace would be the feel of Constantine¡¯s neck in my hands as I squeeze the very life from him and watch the light in his eyes slowly fade away.

    He hurt my girl. I can feel it deep in my soul. And his blood on my hands would make me rest a little easier. I¡¯m sure it would help Selina immensely as well. Having her real-life boogeyman dead and unable to ever hurt her again would be a great gift to her; one I n on giving.

    ¡°Everything all right, Nico?¡± my mother asks, bringing me out of my dark thoughts.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    I look up at her and force a smile. ¡°Not yet. But it will be,¡± I assure her.

 60

    Selina

    I ¡®VE BEEN IN this ce for weeks, slowly recuperating from my injuries. Going through withdrawal from the concoction of benzos that I was on for years was unpleasant and mind-numbing. At least the breathing treatments are finally done ¨C Dr. Catno gave me the allclear this morning. Small miracles, I suppose, since I was getting so tired of them.

    I haven¡¯t seen a single sign of Constantine since I arrived here, which is rming, to say the least. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s just biding his time or if the man who murdered his son was telling the truth after all. Maybe I¡¯m locked away somece where Constantine actually can¡¯t find me. Yet.

    He always finds me eventually, though, and I don¡¯t think this time will be any different. I think the only way I could truly escape him is if I left earth. I don¡¯t think there is a ce on this that he wouldn¡¯t go to find me. He would never leave his little pet behind.

    Just the memory of him saying those two litt e words to me sends a violent shiver of fear running down my spine.

    ¡°Are you cold?¡± Dr. Catno asks, bringing me back to the present. She¡¯s been in my room for several minutes, silently evaluating me and making notes in a chart.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine,¡± I answer her in a hushed whisper.

    She¡¯s an older woman with a no-nonsense attitude. But that¡¯s totally fine with me, because I like to hear the facts straight instead of someone trying to blow smoke up my ass. And this woman definitely doesn¡¯t beat around the bush. She tells it exactly how it is. And even though my countless requests to her for benzos fell on deaf ears, I¡¯m almost d now that she didn¡¯t give in to me. I don¡¯t remember thest time I was sober. It¡¯s almost like I¡¯m seeing the world around me with a fresh pair of eyes. Even the food smells and tastes better. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve been reborn in a way.

    Dr. Catno stands and says, ¡°I¡¯ll let Mr. Vitale know that you¡¯re ready for physical therapy and -.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± I gasp, cutting her off, as my eyes snap up to meet hers. ¡°D-did you say¡­Vi-Vitale?¡± I ask, stammering. My entire body begins to shake as the name alone brings back a flood of memories.

    ¡°Yes. Nichs Vitale. He¡¯s the one who brought you here,¡± she exins with a cocked brow. ¡°Is something wrong, Selina?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡­¡± My voice trails off. There¡¯s a bitter shock coursing through my system at the fact that Nico killed Gino right in front of my eyes without an ounce of remorse. The young Nico I knew back then was sweet and kind. He would never murder anyone. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be,¡± I whisper. Suddenly, I throw the nket off of me and swing my feet over the side of the bed. On unsteady legs, I slowly walk over to one of the windows.

    I cover my mouth to silence my gasp when I look out over the vaguely familiar estate. It¡¯s daytime and sunny outside, so I can see a lot more details than thest time I was at this very window. Some things have changed around the property, but I remember the little things that haven¡¯t ¨C like the color of the front gate, theyout of the garden.

    ¡°Sometimes I wondered if I¡¯d only dreamt about this ce,¡± I whisper more to myself than to the doctor. ¡°I wondered if he was even real.¡±

    Over the years, I¡¯ve tried to forget my time here at the Vitale¡¯s home. At first, I held on so tightly to the six months of memories that I made here, reliving every happy moment over and over again in my mind. But eventually, it became too difficult to remember that kind of love and kindness when I was suffering every hour of every day. Holding on to the memories became more like a burden. My world was too cruel to believe any of it was real, and so I became more closed off and bitter as I grew older and no one rescued me.

    Not that I expected them to actuallye for me. Hell, I don¡¯t even know if they searched for me at all. I always assumed¡­ or at least hoped that they did, however. That¡¯s just the kind of family Nico had.

    But as time went on, I realized I needed to stop reliving the fairytale that had been those six months and move on with my new, cold and hard reality with Constantine.

    The pills helped. They kept me from facing the truth. And without them now, I don¡¯t know what will happen to me. I can¡¯t face my past alone. It might just finally break me.

    ¡°I understand you were here when you were young?¡± the doctor inquires.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Yes, when I was thirteen,¡± I answer with a nod. ¡°It was only for six months¡­but it was the best six months of my entire life,¡± I confess with tears forming in my eyes. A sob threatens to escape, but I quickly hold a ha d over my mouth as my eyes dart to the door. All I can think is that I don¡¯t want him to see me like this. He can¡¯t see me like this. But the truth of the matter is that Nico¡¯s already seen me at my worst at the party and in the days following. He probably already knows all the horrors that have happened to me. He knows that I¡¯m dirty and used up. That I¡¯m broken.

    Oh my god, I need to get out of here.

    My legs threaten to give out, and the doctor is quick to grab my arm and gently guide me back to bed. ¡°Please, Selina, you need to rest. You¡¯ve been through quite an ordeal.¡± She grabs the mani folder and scribbles some notes. ¡°I have a physical therapy session set up for you tomorrow morning.¡± She looks up at me after she¡¯s done writing. ¡°The therapist¡¯s name is Dwayne, and he¡¯s wonderful, extremely kind and patient,¡± she adds. ¡°I¡¯m also going to rmend that you speak with a psychiatrist. The Vitales have a fantastic doctor on call ¨C Dr. Moira Graham.¡±

    I want to protest and tell the doctor I don¡¯t need any of those things because I won¡¯t be here long, but I keep my mouth shut. If I¡¯m going to run away from here, I need to keep my ns to myself so that no one can lock me up or ruin them.

    I can¡¯t stay with the Vitales. The longer I stay, the more danger I¡¯m putting them in. I¡¯ve seen what Constantine does to people who help me. And I refuse to let him harm anyone else because of me and his sick obsession.

    The first chance I get, I¡¯ll escape from this ce and leave this family behind for good. Anyone that helps me is as good as dead, and I won¡¯t let Constantine hurt them too.

 61

    Nichs

    T HE DOCTOR INFORMED me that she identally let the cat out of the bag earlier. Selina knows who I am now; knows where she is. I was worried for her to find out the truth and the consequences thereafter; but to be honest, I feel more relieved now than anything. Yes, I wanted to tell Selina myself, but I kept dying the inevitable. Selina saw me as some sort of monster that killed a man in front of her, and I didn¡¯t want to confess that the boy she once cared for grew up to be that same monster.

    But now that she knows, it makes all of this easier somehow. It feels like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders. No more pretending. No more hiding.

    Selina is in her room when I enter through the open door. The hospital bed she was in when she first arrived here was reced with a big four-poster bed early this afternoon. And that¡¯s where she¡¯s currently sitting, her legs tucked under her as she quietly reads a book. She¡¯s still wearing a gown, however, but that¡¯s why I stop ed by ¨C to remedy that.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Upon catching a glimpse of me, she gently sets the book down and gives me a tentative smile. I could practically cut the tension in the room with a knife, and I hate that. I hate that we¡¯ve be like this. I wish I could rewind ten years and get a do-over. But the truth is what happened, happened. There¡¯s no going back, and there¡¯s no changing it. The only thing we can do now is try to push forward and look towards the future, whatever that may be for her, for me, for us. Fuck, I hope there¡¯s an us.

    ¡°The doctor gave you the all-clear,¡± I tell her, setting down a bag of clothes on the edge of the bed. The clothes are in, most of them gently used donations that we give to all the women who temporarily stay here. ¡°It¡¯s not much, but I¡¯m sure you can go shopping soon,¡± I exin.

    She opens the bag and sorts through some of the clothes before a small grin graces her pretty face. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°And I brought you dessert,¡± I exin before setting the bowl of mint chocte chip ice cream down on the nightstand beside her.

    Selina stares at it for a while before she whispers in astonishment, ¡°You remembered.¡±

    When her unique eyes meet mine in a stare, I quickly clear my throat. ¡°I might have remembered you eating mint chocte chip ice cream by the gallon back then,¡± I muse, my lips tilting up in a smile.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had it since I lived here,¡± she says, staring down at the bowl like it¡¯s so much more than just ice cream.

    The sadness in her voice imbeds itself deep in my bones. If she couldn¡¯t even indulge in her favorite ice cream over the years, I wonder what else she missed out on. But before I even let myself go there and start thinking about that shit,

    I throw those thoughts right out the window. I can¡¯t dwell on that now, or I¡¯ll ruin this moment by getting angry. I¡¯m barely holding it together as it is. I don¡¯t need to have a major outburst in front of Selina and scare her more than I have already.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a huge container of it in the freezer. So anytime you want it, it¡¯s yours,¡± I offer.

    She gently grips the bowl in her delicate hands and scoops a little bit of ice cream into her mouth. She closes her eyes as she sucks on the spoon, savoring the taste before letting out a long moan of satisfaction.

    Fuck. My cock twitches inside of my pants from the sounding from her throat. Down boy, I internally tell my dick as I cross the room and sit down in a chair by the window.

    As soon as I¡¯m seated, I hear Selina say, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t recognize you before. It¡¯s just¡­you look so different. So much older. Grown up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would have recognized you at that party either except for -.¡±

    ¡°My eyes,¡± she guesses.

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°So you weren¡¯t a hundred-percent sure who I was when you saved me from Gino?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°I knew he was hurting a woman. That¡¯s all that mattered in the moment, and that bastard deserved what he got,¡± I exin, my voice dangerously low.

    She flinches at my harsh words, perhaps recalling that night and what I did in order to protect her. I¡¯m not the innocent, little boy she knew back then. I¡¯ve changed a lot over the years. I just hope we can find a kinship again like before. And I hope she can ovee her obvious fear of me.

    I work my jaw from side to side before continuing with,

    ¡°I was hoping it was you after I bumped into you in the

    hallway, but I wasn¡¯t totally sure until I saw the birthmark on your neck after all was said and done.¡±

    She absently reaches up to touch her fingertips to the heart-shaped mark. ¡°You remembered that too, huh?¡± she whispers.

    ¡°I remember everything about you, Lina.¡±

    My use of her nickname has her eyes growing wide with surprise. I¡¯m sure she hasn¡¯t been called that since she lived here, and it feels so damn good to be able to call her that once again.

    ¡°I tried so hard to forget you,¡± she confesses in a rush. ¡°Remembering you was like the sweetest torture. You were the only good thing in my life at one point, and it was hard to relive those moments in my mind, because I knew I would probably never see you again. But sometimes you were just the saving grace I needed, the only thing that got me through some of the most horrible times in my life.¡±

    I want to ask her where she¡¯s been, but I know she needs to do it on her own. She doesn¡¯t need me pressuring her to tell her story. And so I sit quietly in the chair, watching her slowly eat the ice cream and just enjoying being in the same room as her with everything out on the table and her actually sober and coherent for the first time since she arrived.

    ¡°Nico,¡± she says softly, and I swear my heart stops beating. I haven¡¯t heard her say my name in ten fucking years, and it¡¯s like a distant memory unlocks deep inside of my mind. ¡°How did you find me?¡± she questions.

    ¡°Pure luck,¡± I confess. ¡°When your mom took you and disappeared, we spent years trying to figure out where you went. It was like you just up and vanished. Like a ghost.¡± My hands ball into fists on top of my knees when I think about what her mother did. To Selina. To my family. To me.

    To us.

    ¡°I should have told you the truth the day she came for me,¡± she says before setting down the now empty bowl. Just knowing she has a belly full of her favorite ice cream brings me peace in some way. ¡°My mother had already sold me once for drugs when your family rescued me. And then¡­she did it again.¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± I hiss. I mean, it was one theory I had suspected all along, but to hear the cold, hard truthing straight from Selina¡¯s mouth¡­

    ¡°She sold me to Constantine Carbone a few months after she took me from here,¡± she says with anguish dripping from her tone.

    My world suddenly stops spinning, everythinging to an abrupt halt. I have to force my mouth to form my next words, because I¡¯m floored with this new information. ¡°You

    were with him for thest ten years?¡± She nods.

    Fuck. I was hoping he had just recently gotten his ws into her, for her sake. But the fact that she was with him the entire time she was missing, while she was underage, only thirteen years old, so young and innocent¡­it makes my fucking blood boil. I can feel the anger seeping out from every pore in my body, my muscles vibrating with unreleased fury. ¡°That son of a bitch,¡± I murmur under my breath. Then, I look at her and demand, ¡°Tell me everything.¡± I can¡¯t wait a second longer. I need to know the truth. I need to know exactly what happened, so that I can scorch the earth and all that remains until I find that bastard and put him six feet under where he fucking belongs.

    Selina slowly unfolds her legs and stands, turning her back on me as she begins to speak. It¡¯s as if she doesn¡¯t want to see my reaction to her story, and that¡¯s fine with me. I don¡¯t think I can hide my true feelings from her behind a poker face right now anyway. I¡¯m only human.

    ¡°We stayed in the motel for only a few hours that night. My mother disappeared from the room, came back high as a kite and dered we were leaving just out of the blue. I tried to call you, but she pulled the phone cord out of the wall and hit me.¡± Her hand slides up to her cheek as if she¡¯s remembering the pain. ¡°Said she would kill me if I tried to contact you.¡± She folds her arms protectively around herself. ¡°She took the number you gave me and flushed it down the toilet to make sure I wouldn¡¯t have a way to reach you.¡±

    I always wondered why Selina never called, but I never imagined her mother could be so cruel and evil. Maybe I should have known or sensed it somehow, but I was just a dumb kid back then. I was still viewing the world through rose-colored sses, not believing in true evil untilter on in life when I saw it personally after I started working for my father.

    ¡°We lived out of the car for weeks,¡± she continues. ¡°My mom used all the money that your parents gave us for a little food and a lot of drugs. We couldn¡¯t even afford to go to a hotel,¡± she says, shaking her head with disgust. ¡°And then one day, while we were at a restaurant she was nning on dining and dashing at, she was watching the news on one of the TVs. Something about Constantine Carbone being acquitted of his charges and getting released from jail.¡± She¡¯s pacing the floor now, and I can hear the tremor in her voice by just the mere mention of his name. ¡°The look on my mom¡¯s face. I¡¯ll never forget it. She looked¡­relieved. Like she had just witnessed some kind of miracle.¡±

    I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. Fuck, her mother saw

    Constantine¡¯s release as a solution to her problems, some sort of breakthrough moment. She was willing to sell her own daughter just to get her next high. It¡¯s fucking incredible the lengths some people will ultimately go to to get what they want, especially when they¡¯re addicted to something.

    ¡°A few dayster, she drove us back to New York City. I was so excited. I thought she had actuallye to her senses and was going to let me stay with you and your family.¡± Her shoulders sink as she sighs deeply.

    I sit back in the chair and frown. I can just imagine how excited Selina would have been, thinking she was going to see me again. Little did she know her mother¡¯s ns for her.

    Selina stops pacing and stands before me, staring at the floor, her eyes moving back and forth as if recalling a memory. ¡°But she drove down to the docks. I was forced out of the car by two men. They roughed me up pretty bad, because I fought for my life. I didn¡¯t want to go with them. I screamed for her to help me, but I saw the look in her eyes. I had seen it before. It was the same look she gave me the first time she sold me.¡±

    I watch as she begins to pace again, wrapping her arms around her stomach as if the next words that are going toe out of her mouth are going to physically hurt her. My fingers dig into the fabric on the arms of the chair, bracing for the inevitable impact.

    ¡°The first time I met Constantine I knew he was the devil himself in an Armani suit. He said the sweetest things to me, called me his little pet.¡± She sucks in a sharp intake of air as if it hurts to breathe. ¡°He took my virginity by force that night. It was the worst day of my life. I just remember the pain¡­and the blood. So much blood,¡± she whispers.

    My entire body vibrates with an overwhelming sense of anger and disgust. I¡¯ve never felt like this before. I want to yell. I want to scream. I want to go find Constantine and rip his fucking head off with my bare hands.

    But I force myself to remain c lm, for Selina¡¯s sake. I make myself stay in my seat and not act out even if it¡¯s going against every fiber of my fucking being right now. She¡¯s not even done with her story. I can tell she has more to talk about, and I have to let her continue. I owe her that much at least. The emotional dam has burst, and she¡¯s pouring her soul out to me. The best thing I can do is sit and listen to her as she gets it all out.

    ¡°We lived on his yacht in the middle of the ocean nine months out of the year. Sometimes we would dock in Italy or Spain and spend a few weeks onnd. But he rarely returned to the United States. I know he was afraid of being caught again, of going to jail. That¡¯s his biggest fear.¡± She goes to the bed and sits down, and I can tell that she¡¯s physically and mentally drained from telling her story. ¡°I was with Gino that night. Constantine rarely let me leave the yacht, but Gino begged his father to let him have me for the night.¡± She visibly tenses. ¡°He was just like his father.¡± A shiver runs through her. ¡°I¡¯m d he¡¯s dead.¡±

    The room is silent for a few minutes, and I know that it¡¯s my turn to speak. My turn to tell her everything I¡¯ve been dying to say for the past ten years. ¡°We never stopped looking for you, Lina. The fucked-up thing is the fact that we couldn¡¯t find Constantine, and we were searching for him as well. If we would have found him, we would have found you. But he took every painstaking effort to not get caught again. And in doing that, he actually kept you hidden from us.¡±

    Her gaze meets mine. ¡°I always wondered if you were searching for me. Sometimes, at night, I would look up at the moon, wondering if you were staring up at it as well. I always wished that you were safe¡­and happy. Even if I wasn¡¯t either of those things,¡± she confesses in a soft tone.

    Leaning up in the chair, I rest my elbows on my knees as I look at her and say, ¡°We did everything we could to try to get you back. I want you to know that.¡±

    She nods slowly, taking in nd processing all the information I¡¯m giving her. I just hope she believes it.

    Releasing a sigh, she looks up at the ceiling and says, ¡°I just wish I could have gotten away from him sooner. I wish I would have been stronger.¡±

    I scoff at her words. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest person I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    She turns her gaze back to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe that,¡± she says, her voice wavering with soul-breaking disbelief.

    ¡°Maybe not yet, but you will,¡± I vow. She survived unspeakable hell and came through the other side. She¡¯s so much stronger than she gives herself credit for, and I will remind her of it every damn day if I have to. Her captor didn¡¯t break her. And he sure as hell didn¡¯t take away the fun, loveable girl I fell for ten years ago. I know she¡¯s still in there somewhere, and I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to just let her go. Together, we will get her back.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to let you get some sleep,¡± I tell her as I stand up from the chair. It¡¯s probably going to have permanent imprints from my fingertips gripping it so damn hard.

    Keeping my voice calm and level, I say, ¡°Goodnight, Lina.¡± My entire body is vibrating with pent-up frustration. Fuck, I¡¯m going to have to get ate-night session in at the gym to get my frustrations out. I need to get rid of this rage before it ultimately consumes me.

    ¡°Goodnight, Nico,¡± she whispers.

    I leave her room, feeling like some progress was made instead of taking another ten steps back, like before. And as I¡¯m walking to the gym, a thought suddenly urs to me. All this time we¡¯ve been trying to get close to Constantine, but Selina may just be the missing piece we¡¯ve needed all along. She knows where he regrly docks his yacht and maybe even some secret locations we know nothing about.

    Selina could be the key to fin lly taking that bastard down for good.

 62

    Selina

    I ¡®VE NEVER HAD physical therapy before, so I¡¯m a little apprehensive when I make my way into the gym on the lower level of thepound. But the moment I walk through the door and see a tall, handsome, young man waving me over with the biggest grin on his face that I¡¯ve ever seen in my life, all the trepidation in my veins slowly melts away.

    He has short brown hair and matching soft brown eyes. ¡°You must be Selina. I¡¯m Dwayne.¡± He holds his hand out, and I take it. He shakes it, never losing his smile. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to finally meet you. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from the Vitale family.¡±

    I don¡¯t even know what to say, but Dwayne doesn¡¯t even let a second of awkward silence get in between us. ¡°Let¡¯s start with some light stretching,¡± he offers.

    We start out simple enough. I didn¡¯t realize how out of shape I was until we do some light exercises and I¡¯m already out of breath.

    Living on a yacht nine months out of a year makes it hard to get in normal exercise. And sometimes, if I wasn¡¯t a good girl, Constantine would lock me in a small utility closet for days or weeks at a time. Being confined and cramped for long periods of time obviously did a number on my muscles. I just didn¡¯t realize the damage that was done until today. Now I understand why the doctor rmended physical therapy in the first ce.

    From the start, I can tell Dwayne is very passionate about his job, and I love that about him. Our hour-long therapy session flies by because Dwayne is quite the talker. It turns out he¡¯s the nicest, kindest, purest soul on this earth, and I can see why the Vitales hired him. He spends the hour talking about everything under the sun, including gushing about his boyfriend of four years.

    ¡°So, do you think you guys will get married?¡± I ask him as I go through our final stretches.

    An idle smile ys over his lips as he nods. ¡°Oh, someday,¡± he says before adding, ¡°Hopefully sooner rather thanter.¡±

    Standing, Dwayne asks me, ¡°So, how do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Better,¡± I confess. Even though I¡¯m used to being confined to a room or small spaces, I would much rather be doing something like this with my time. ¡°My muscles feel sore but good,¡± I tell him.

    He nods in understanding. ¡°We¡¯ll keep building up your stamina until we can get some real workouts in,¡± he tells me.

    ¡°That sounds great.¡±

    ncing at his watch, he says, ¡°It¡¯s almost time for your appointment with Dr. Graham. She¡¯s just down the hall and on the left in the library. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll have the door open for you, waiting.¡±

    My face falls. This is what I have been dreading as soon as Dr. Catno had mentioned me speaking with a psychiatrist. I don¡¯t want anyone delving into my mind and trying to pluck out everything that¡¯s wrong with me. God, what isn¡¯t wrong with me?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Selina. She won¡¯t bite. I promise,¡± Dwayne assures me with a wink. ¡°She really is the best. She¡¯s not one of those weird quacks.¡±

    Well, if Dwayne likes her, then I guess I can give her a chance. I mean, what other choice do I have really? If I want to stay here, even if it¡¯s not for much longer, then I need to do whatever the Vitales want me to do. And if they want me to see a psychiatrist, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do.

    Besides, the psychiatrist might prescribe me some medication so that my brain can go offline again and I won¡¯t have to face the truth of my past or my demons that still haunt me. Deep down that¡¯s what I truly want ¨C I want to be numb. I don¡¯t want to feel anything ever again.

    Dr. Moira Graham readies her pen on a notepad resting on herp. She¡¯s short and plump with red hair, brown eyes and sses that match her hair color.

    She has a nice smile and soothing voice, which should make it easy for me to talk to her, but I¡¯ve been shut up like a m since the moment I walked in the door. She seems patient enough, though, not forcing me to bare my soul or talk about anything in particr, really.

    ¡°I notice you keep looking at the door, like you¡¯re afraid someone is going to step through it at any moment.¡±

    My eyes, which were locked on the door, suddenly avert to her face. Shit. I didn¡¯t even know I was doing that.

    ¡°Who are you picturinging through that door, Selina?¡± she asks gently.

    I swallow hard. Speaking his name out loud usually has dire consequences, so I keep my mouth shut and nervously wring my hands in myp.

    She watches my movements with hawk-eyed scrutiny.

    Then, she questions, ¡°Do you not feel safe here?¡± ¡°No,¡± I blurt out before I can stop myself.

    ¡°And why not, Selina?¡± she asks.

    Shit. Why did I tell her no? No always leads to more questions. Questions I don¡¯t want to answer, because then my deepest darkest secret will be out on the table, and I can¡¯t deal with remembering what happened that awful day.

    ¡°I¡¯m never safe,¡± I tell her simply.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°And why do you think that you¡¯re never safe?¡± ¡°Because he always finds me.¡± ¡°Who finds you?¡± she presses.

    ¡°Constantine Carbone.¡±

    Saying his name out loud sends a shiver through me. It¡¯s like speaking the name of a demon and being afraid he¡¯ll appear at any given moment. I can see a change in the psychiatrist¡¯s face as well as she jots down some notes. God, I wish I could see what she¡¯s writing. Does she think I¡¯m crazy? Does she think I asked for all of this? Does she me me for putting her employer on Constantine¡¯s radar?

    No, stop thinking that, I chide myself internally.

    I¡¯ve been battling horrible inner thoughts my entire life. I always expect the worst in every situation. Always. And it¡¯s only because the worst always seems to happen. I¡¯ve never actually been happy and safe.

    Well, except for when I lived here with the Vitales the first time.

    My eyes drift to the wall of windows to the left of me. Thinking about my past here, in this house, causes a familiar ache to take center stage inside my chest. For the first time in a long time, I allow myself to remember. The memories I desperately locked away for many yearse flooding back to me. I can almost smell the familiar grass and the way it used to feel on my feet as Nico and I would run through the yard, ying tag or kick ball. We were always outside or finding excuses to go outside.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± the psychiatrist asks, bringing my gaze back to her.

    ¡°The past,¡± I tell her simply.

    ¡°The past meaning when you werest here?¡±

    I slowly nod. I wonder just how much the Vitale family told her about me. I¡¯m assuming everything up until this point. She most likely knows my history, knows my past. Probably assumes some of the horrors I¡¯ve been through but couldn¡¯t possibly understand them. No one can but me.

    ¡°Do your memories from here help you cope with the present and what happened to you when you were being held captive?¡±

    A lump forms in my throat, and I struggle to swallow past it. It¡¯s like she can see right through me. Maybe she can. Maybe I¡¯m as transparent as a ghost. I mean, I do feel like I¡¯ve been dead for years. Never living; merely existing. ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper. Picking at an imaginary thread on the arm of the chair I¡¯m sitting in, I ask her, ¡°Do you¡­do you think you could prescribe me something?¡±

    ¡°May I ask what you would want the medicine to aplish?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I just want to be numb,¡± I confess. It¡¯s been difficult facing reality since I realized where I am and who I¡¯m with. I don¡¯t want to see the looks of pity and disgust that I¡¯ll no doubt find sometime soon on Nico¡¯s face.

    The psychiatrist nces up at me, her pen finally stopping. ¡°I understand you were on a concoction of drugs when you arrived. Did they ever make you feel better?¡±

    I consider her wording. Did they make me feel better? No, not really. They simply masked everything so that I could ultimately deal with it. I shake my head slowly, answering her honestly.

    ¡°I think dealing with past trauma sober would be a much better option than dealing with it while high or incoherent. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    I fidget in my chair and nce at the clock on the wall. God, it¡¯s only been thirty minutes. It feels like I¡¯ve been in the hot seat for at least two hours.

    ¡°How about this?¡± she offers. ¡°If you continue to see me and we continue to talk, I might be willing to prescribe you an anti-anxiety drug to help with your panic attacks you told me about. But I haven¡¯t been totally able to assess you on this first visit, Selina, so I don¡¯t feelfortable just writing out scripts. Do you understand?¡±

    I give her a small nod. I hate to think about trying to cope with all of this sober, but what else can I do? It¡¯s not like I have easy ess to drugs like I did before.

    ¡°Are we done?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Do you want to be?¡± she questions.

    I nod again.

    ¡°Then we can be done,¡± she says simply. ¡°Same time

    Wednesday?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± I agree.

    I can tell the doctor sees me as a tough nut to crack, and I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll ever make her way through the hard exterior walls I¡¯ve built up around me over the years. I spent a lot of time fortifying them so that nobody could get in. I don¡¯t even really remember the girl I was before Constantine took me and stole my innocence. Maybe she¡¯s in there somewhere, screaming to get out.

    If anyone could find her again, it would be Nico. But I won¡¯t be here long enough for him to break her free. She¡¯s probably lost forever, drowning in an endless pit of sorrow, and I refuse to throw her a life vest. The old Selina is better off dead and gone forever.

 63

    Selina

    I WAKE UP from a nightmare, my body trembling under the nkets. I sit up slowly; and when I raise my hands in front of my face, I can still see the blood covering my skin. ¡°Oh god, no!¡± I gasp as I desperately try to rub the red stains away. My nails scratch at my skin, tearing it open as I try to rid myself of the image.

    Running to the bathroom, I turn on the hot water in the sink and scrub my skin until it¡¯s red and raw. I know their blood is just in my head, but I feel like it¡¯s still on me. The dream followed me into real life, and it¡¯s staining my very soul.

    I can still hear their screams. I can still see their faces when they realized their fate¡­because of me. It was my fault. It was all my fault. They¡¯re all dead because of me!

    Screaming, Ish out, my fist connecting with the mirror before me. The ss fissures, creating a distorted reflection of my face. My features look ugly, warped. And that¡¯s how I truly see myself ¨C a fucking monster, a murderer. If I hadn¡¯t been so damn selfish that day, they would still be alive.

    And now I¡¯m bringing that same danger upon the Vitale family, who have only shown me love andpassion. The curse has followed me here, and I don¡¯t know how long it will be before I¡¯ll be wearing their blood too.

    ¡°No,¡± I say out loud, shaking my head vehemently. I won¡¯t let that happen to them. I refuse to let Constantine harm them. He¡¯s taken everything from me. I won¡¯t let him take them from me too.

    Fleeing from the bathroom, I go to the closet and pick out the darkest clothes I can ¨C a pair of ck yoga pants and a dark gray hooded sweatshirt. I dress quickly, scooping up a pair of ck and white sneakers in the process and stepping into them before I slip out of my room.

    Thepound is quiet. I¡¯m sure there are guards somewhere¡­maybe everywhere¡­but I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not a prisoner here. They have to let me leave whenever I want to. Right?

    Even I don¡¯t know the answer to that question, but I¡¯m bound and determined to find out.

    My feet move quickly, carrying me down the hall. I nce back at Nico¡¯s room onest time, hating the thought of possibly never seeing him again. But I know it¡¯s for the best. I¡¯m only endangering him and his entire family by staying here. And I¡¯m sure he¡¯d rather have his family alive and well with me gone than the opposite of what will happen if I stay.

    I tread lightly down the steps. Thepound is quiet and dark, save for a few dim security lights here and there.

    I stare at the front door when I reach the bottom level, but I¡¯m not that stupid. There has to be some kind of rm associated with that entrance. Instead, I turn and go to the back of the house where I¡¯ve seen the inground pool.

    I stop at the sliding patio door and take a breath. My hand trembles as I grip the handle and test it, pulling it just an inch before stopping, hoping that a loud rm will not sound, waking up the entire house.

    I cringe, waiting, but nothing happens. Blowing out a sigh of relief, I open the door just enough to slip out before closing it behind me. I walk past the swimming pool, anxiety creeping up into my bones as I slink past the patio and make it to the yard.

    Ducking down, I run through therge garden, the tall flowers and shrubs giving me cover. I shrink down by a bush and wait, panting. The night air is crisp and cool against my skin as I look back at thepound. Tears fill my eyes at the thought of leaving behind the only family who ever loved me, but I know it will be better this way. At least I will know that they won¡¯t have to suffer. I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself if anything happened to the Vitales because of me.

    Steeling my nerves, I slip out of the garden and cross the yard. All of this seems¡­too easy, and I¡¯m shocked by theck of security. I¡¯m beginning to wonder why Constantine hasn¡¯t attacked ore for me yet. If I can get out, that means he can get in. And that thought alone is what pushes me towards the fence. I grip the bars, and the metal is cold and unforgiving. The fence is tall, and I know it will not be easy, but my determination and sheer will might just work in my favor.

    I grip the bars, preparing to try to pull myself up when I hear a deep, ragged voice call out, ¡°Stop!¡±

    My heart pounds against my ribcage as I stand still, not sure what to do. Should I stop? Should I run?

    It only takes me a moment to make up my mind. Before the person behind me can make a move, I take off running.

    Nichs

    In the middle of the night, I¡¯m awoken by an rm sounding on my phone. It¡¯s a strange sound, not one of my usual alerts, waking me up out of a dead sleep.

    Unlocking my phone, I switch on my bedsidemp and read the messages popping up on my screen. The first text from Aldo asks what he should do. There¡¯s a photo attached to the message, so I open it up and stare at it. I¡¯m confused at first, not exactly sure what I¡¯m looking at. It¡¯s a photo captured from the motion detector cameras in the hallway. Zooming in, I see Selina sneaking out of her room. Normally that wouldn¡¯t raise rm¡­except that she¡¯s fully clothed, dressed in all ck with sneakers. The subsequent pictures are of her walking downstairs and then disappearing outside one of the side entrances.

    Aldo¡¯s next text has my heart doubling in speed.

    We¡¯ve got a runner.

    Fuck. Texting him quickly, I make sure he alerts the guards to stand down. I don¡¯t want anyoneying a finger on her. Not only would it drive me fucking crazy to see anyone touching her, but I know Selina might lose it if one of the guards manhandles her. They¡¯re trained to not let anyone in. But they¡¯re also trained to not let anyone out without permission first. Selina is not a prisoner here, by any means. It¡¯s simply a safety precaution.

    With Carbone on the hunt for her, we cannot let her leave. If I had it my way, Selina would stay here indefinitely. But ultimately that decision is not up to me. It¡¯s hers and hers alone. However, she can never be allowed to leave until Constantine is either behind bars or dead. We can¡¯t risk him gaining ess to her ever again. And the fact that he possessed her for an entire decade makes me think he desperately wants her back and would be willing to do anything to have her in his grasp again.

    I run silently through thepound and out through the yard until I see her dark, lithe figure by the fence. As soon as she touches the bars, intending to try to hoist herself up and over the tall fence, I yell out, ¡°Stop!¡± My voice sounds deep and desperate, and I wonder if she even realizes it¡¯s me.

    It only takes her a few seconds to make a decision. And as soon as she darts off to the right, I know that decision was made. She doesn¡¯t want to stop. She wants to run. And my only choice is to run after her.

    The adrenaline pumps in my veins as I chase her. She¡¯s fast. But I¡¯m faster. I gain ground on her within the matter of a few seconds, and I gently grab her arm, bringing us to a stop, not wanting to hurt her.

    But then she starts to fight. ¡°Fuck,¡± I curse as she elbows me in the ribs. Grabbing her tightly, I put her in a hold with her arms crisscrossed in front of her and her back tight up against my front. I don¡¯t want to hurt her. That¡¯s thest fucking thing I want to do. ¡°Stop fighting me, Lina!¡± I order.

    ¡°No!¡± she cries out, kicking at my shins.

    I hold her until she wears herself out, and then and only then do I finally release her. Panting, she takes a few steps away from me, ring. And, fuck, if looks could kill, I would drop dead right here on the spot.

    ¡°What the hell is your problem? Why are you trying to leave?¡± I demand, desperately wanting to know the reason behind her sudden erratic behavior.

    ¡°I just need to leave, Nico. You couldn¡¯t understand,¡± she says, her eyes tilting up to the night sky before she lets out a small sigh.

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go for no goddamn reason,¡± I tell her, growing angrier by the second. ¡°Constantine is still out there. Maybe even waiting for you!¡± I yell, trying to get it through her head.

    ¡°I know! That¡¯s the point of me trying to get away from you. Don¡¯t you get it? I don¡¯t want him to hurt you too!¡± she cries. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to end up dead like them!¡± ¡°Them? Who?¡± I ask.

    Her eyes grow wide as she realizes she said something she didn¡¯t mean to. ¡°Nothing. I didn¡¯t¡­never mind.¡± ¡°No, tell me. I want to know,¡± I insist.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°It¡¯s not safe for anyone, not you, not your family, if I¡¯m here. He always finds me,¡± she says resolutely.

    ¡°He¡¯d need an army to get in here. Don¡¯t you get that? You¡¯re safe here, Lina. You¡¯re safer here than out on your own!¡± I say heatedly, trying to talk some sense into her.

    She rolls her eyes at my words. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before. You don¡¯t know him.¡± She wraps her arms around herself. ¡°No one knows him like I do. No one knows what he¡¯s truly capable of.¡±

    ¡°Enlighten me then,¡± I suggest. ¡°I want to know what you¡¯re so afraid of that you want to leave the safest ce on the for you right now!¡±

    She swallows hard and doesn¡¯t speak for so long that I begin to wonder if she¡¯ll ever tell me. But then she finally starts with, ¡°When I was fifteen, I got away from Constantine. They had docked his yacht in this little Italian vige. Constantine wanted to go sightseeing or something. I don¡¯t really remember.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I just know I was able to slip past him and his security guards. I ran until I couldn¡¯t run anymore.¡± She shivers at the memory, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. ¡°I found a house at the end of an alleyway. It was a family of five. The mother and father were so delightful, and their three small children were beautiful and kind.¡± She takes a moment to release a shaky breath. ¡°The father knew a little English, and I exined to him the situation I was in. They agreed to help me.¡±

    I listen to her story carefully; and even though I don¡¯t know the ending, I think I know where this story is going. If it haunts her this much so many yearster, it must be horrifically brutal. It obviously scarred her soul deeply.

    ¡°Constantine found me an hourter.¡± Tears fill her eyes, but she doesn¡¯t let a single drop fall. ¡°He killed them. Even the kids. He killed them all in front of me.¡± She closes her eyes, and a single tear sneaks out and trails down her porcin cheek. ¡°I was covered in their blood. Constantine didn¡¯t let me shower for weeks. I wore their blood on my skin, on my clothes. He told me it was my lesson to learn ¨C that it would happen anytime anyone tried to help me.¡± Her eyes flutter open and she gazes up at me. ¡°I don¡¯t want that happening to you and your family, Nico. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt!¡± she exims, her voice wavering with despair.

    I take a step closer to her. Slowly, wanting her to know my true intentions, I gently raise my hand and cup her cheek in my palm. Her breath catches in her throat as my thumb wipes away the stray tear from her cheek, and then she looks up at me with those haunting eyes of hers. Fuck, she¡¯s never looked more beautiful. ¡°He can¡¯t hurt me, Lina. Only you can. By leaving,¡± I exin. ¡°Constantine can¡¯t get to you here. I promise you that. He wouldn¡¯t get within ten miles of this ce without us knowing.¡±

    Selina scoffs like she doesn¡¯t believe me, pulling away from my touch and taking a few steps backwards. So I tell her, ¡°Come. Let me show you.¡± And then I turn and wait for her.

    She stares at me, uncertainty written all over her face. But she eventually starts to walk and begins to follow me. I¡¯m going to ease her mind and take her to the control room, as we call it. Because then, and only then, will she see how truly safe she is here.

 64

    Selina

    T HE CONTROL ROOM, as Nico exined on the way down here, is an underground bunker of sorts with so manyputers and technical gadgets that it¡¯s almost mind blowing. The room is buzzing with people and the smell of coffee.

    We walk up to one man in particr with dark hair and brown eyes behind ck sses. I can tell he must be in charge based on the number of keyboards, monitors, and equipment at hisrge desk. He has so much more than the average person in here. And when he sees us approaching, a small smile graces his lips.

    Nico ps him on the back and asks, ¡°Aldo, can you please exin to Lina how safe she is here?¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Aldo seems to light up inside. ¡°Sure thing,¡± he says, turning in his chair to face his multipleputer screens. This is his expertise, and I can tell he likes to show off.

    He begins clicking the mouse with his right hand, and multiple camera angles begin popping up on one of the monitors. ¡°We have twenty-four-seven surveince inside and outside of thepound,¡± he exins. ¡°No one gets in without a keycard and facial recognition. Numerous guards are on various shifts throughout the day with rotating schedules, so that they are unpredictable to an outsider. There are also infrared drones that run routine patrols over the perimeter every few hours. And that¡¯s not counting the hundreds of cameras, most equipped with thermal and motion detection on the outskirts of the property.¡±

    My shoulders slump in relief after he¡¯s finished, and I feel like a thousand pounds have been lifted from them. ¡°Wow,¡± is all I can manage to say.

    A dimple appears as the corner of Aldo¡¯s mouth rises. ¡°Yeah. Pretty impressive.¡± He turns in his seat to face us once again. ¡°This ce is like Fort Knox. No one is getting in without us knowing far in advance. And if anyone would happen to get inside the gate, they would never make it to the front door without us stopping them first.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand now when I tell you it¡¯s safe here?¡± Nico asks me.

    I give him a nod. ¡°Fort Knox. Got it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Aldo.¡±

    ¡°Anytime.¡±

    Nico leads me out of the control room and back to thepound. When we reach the hallway for our rooms, I stop outside my door and turn to Nico. ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell him. He has no idea how much he helped me today. I was driving myself insane with fear of Constantine barging in here and taking me or worse ¨C hurting them all right in front of my eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Try to get some sleep. Then we¡¯ll do lunch togetherter?¡± he suggests.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I reply with a nod. I go into my room and close the door. My brain is still processing all of the information I just learned. Thinking I¡¯m too wired to sleep, I lie down on the bed, never intending on sleeping. But it doesn¡¯t take long for me to drift under, because I think, for the first time ever, I actually feel protected from Constantine.

    It¡¯s almost noon by the time I wake up, and I shower and get dressed for the day before making my way downstairs to meet Nico for lunch. I¡¯m hoping he¡¯s still there, and I¡¯m pleasantly surprised when I see him sitting in the kitchen, looking like he¡¯s waiting for me.

    He¡¯s dressed in a navy-blue t-shirt and gray joggers, which hang loose on his hips. I have to force my eyes to his, and I can tell right away that he looks drained. It¡¯s written all over his face. I just figured he went back to bed like I did, but now I¡¯m thinking he didn¡¯t. I just hope I wasn¡¯t the reason he couldn¡¯t sleep, but what else could it have been?

    He shes me a grin when I walk in and sit down on a barstool at the kitchen ind. I wait quietly while he rummages through the fridge. ¡°There¡¯s some leftover chicken sd if you¡¯d like,¡± he offers.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    I watch him closely as he makes us a couple of sandwiches. He¡¯s so meticulous in the way he does every little thing. It¡¯s fascinating to watch.

    He sets a te in front of me, and I waste no time digging in. I haven¡¯t had something as simple as a chicken sd sandwich in a long time. Sometimes I would get fivecourse meals, and sometimes I wouldn¡¯t eat for days at a time. It all depended on Constantine¡¯s mood and if I was being a ¡°bad girl¡± or not. Most of the time I would choose almost starving to death over pleasing him, so I learned to eat whatever was put in front of me, because I never knew when my next meal would be.

    Nico sits beside me and cradles his sandwich in hisrge hand before taking a big bite. I smile as I surreptitiously watch him eat.

    ¡°What?¡± he asks when he finally catches me staring.

    ¡°Nothing. You just¡­you have some mayonnaise on your face.¡±

    He grins sheepishly. ¡°Sorry.¡± He grabs a napkin and wipes his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t eat all day, and my workout this morning kicked my ass.¡±

    Ah, so that¡¯s why he looks so tired. He didn¡¯t go back to bed after all. He chose to work out instead. My eyes roam across the ind, and I can¡¯t help but notice his biceps straining against his shirt sleeves. Nico definitely filled out over the years, and I find myself staring often at his body, which is more like a work of art than anything else. I can¡¯t remember thest time I ever checked out a man or even felt¡­attracted to one. ¡°Do you work out every day?¡± I ask, then take a small bite of my sandwich.

    ¡°Yeah. Or at least I try to anyway. Sometimes shites up, but I try to stick with a routine. And I train with Renato and Benito a few times a week as well.¡±

    I pick at my sandwich, debating in my head whether to ask my next question or not. ¡°Could I¡­could I work out with you sometime?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Sure. The gym is open to you anytime, Lina. You don¡¯t have to ask permission.¡±

    Nodding, I tell him, ¡°Okay. Thanks.¡± I¡¯ve always thought of myself as weak, and I¡¯d like to start building some muscle mass¡­just in case. I hate to think of being in Constantine¡¯s clutches ever again, but it could happen. Anything could happen. I just want to be ready for him this time.

    ¡°If you want some help training, I could help you,¡± he offers, as if he¡¯s reading my mind.

    ¡°Training? What sort of training?¡± I question with furrowed brows.

    ¡°Hand-to-handbat and self-defense,¡± he exins.

    I instantly perk up at his offering. ¡°Can we start right now?¡± I ask eagerly.

    The corners of his lips tilt up. ¡°Uh, sure. Maybe after we eat?¡± he suggests.

    I smile and nod in agreement. Being able to handle myself against someone attacking me is exactly what I need. For far too long I¡¯ve been a victim, and I¡¯m tired of it. I want to be able to fight back. With Constantine, I always felt weak and powerless. Now it¡¯s time to take back some of my power.

 65

    Nichs

    S ELINA IS A quick learner. I only have to show her certain moves once or twice, and she masters them on

    the second or third try. Pretty soon she¡¯ll be kicking ass and taking names, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder.

    We started out easy, but now we¡¯re gradually getting into harder moves, like her breaking out of my holds from the front and behind. We¡¯re both sweating and exerting all of our energy on this as if our lives depend on it, and perhaps in a way they do. I don¡¯t want her to ever be in a vulnerable position again in her life.

    I can¡¯t protect her twenty-four seven, even though I¡¯d like to. There coulde a time when someone could try to take her away from me again, and I want her to be able to fight them off and at least have a chance to escape.

    Just the thought of someone trying to steal her from me has me pushing her harder and harder. I want her ready for anything and everything.

    ¡°And if Ie up behind you and grab you like this?¡± I ask, grasping her and holding her in a tight grip.

    ¡°Elbow,¡± she says before bringing it down gently into my side. ¡°Slide my arms up. Drop to the ground.¡±

    I watch as she falls to the ground out of my grip. ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°And then I run.¡±

    ¡°Good. Very good.¡± I pace the mats in the gym where we¡¯ve been training for what feels like hours. ¡°If you can get a kick or punch to the vulnerable parts of their body, then you do that.¡± I stop and motion to my face. ¡°Eyes.¡±

    And then I point lower. ¡°Balls.¡±

    ¡°Eyes and balls,¡± she says with an eager nod.

    I chuckle, and then Lina smiles sheepishly. While this all seems like fun and games for now, I want her to be serious when someone actually does attack her. And so, when she starts walking away to reach for a bottle of water, I suddenly move up behind her silently¡­and then I grab her.

    At first, she doesn¡¯t do anything, and I¡¯m worried. But then, she suddenly juts her elbow right into my ribs, causing a rush of air to escape my lungs. She drops faster than I can blink, and she¡¯s out of my grip in a second.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I say with a strained grin while grabbing my side.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡± she asks, stepping closer with a concerned look on her face.

    Her hands reach out to gingerly inspect my ribs, and I suck in a breath at the unexpected touch. Fuck, I should let her hit me in the ribs more often, I can¡¯t help but think to myself.

    Her fingers suddenly freeze as if she just realized what she¡¯s doing, and she takes a quick step back. ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispers as a blush creeps up her neck to her cheeks.

    I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s telling me she¡¯s sorry for hitting me or for touching me, but I hope it¡¯s not for thetter, because I want her to do it more. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I reassure her. ¡°You did good today, Lina. We can keep practicing a

    few times a week if you want to.¡±

    ¡°I want to,¡± she says in a rush, and I can¡¯t help but smile.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    People might underestimate Selina considering all the terrible shit she¡¯s gone through, but I know she¡¯s a fighter. No one can break my girl ¨C not even one of the most powerful men on the. She¡¯s fucking indestructible.

    After a nice hot shower, I slip on a white t-shirt and a pair of dark blue sweats and am about ready to crawl into bed when I hear screaming. My first instinct is to check my phone for rms that I might have missed while I was showering. If thepound was breached, an alert would be on my phone.

    But when I find no such evidence on there, I quickly run out of my room and stop in the hall, waiting, listening. My heart is threatening to pound out of my chest as I wait impatiently for any signs of distress.

    ¡°No! Help me!¡± Selina screams from her room.

    My bare feet pound against the wooden floors as I race to her. Even though it¡¯s next to impossible, maybe someone slipped in undetected by our security system. Her screams are heart-wrenching, like she¡¯s being murdered, and I expect the worst as I m open the door to her room.

    Themp on the nightstand by her bed is on, and I quickly search the room for an intruder. No one is here¡­ except for Selina¡­who is in her bed, sleeping.

    She cries out again, and I suddenly realize she¡¯s having a dream. No. A fucking nightmare.

    Her face is scrunched in pain, and I can see sweat beads running down her temples as she fights against imaginary demons. I don¡¯t know if she would want me in her bedroom, let alone her bed, but I can¡¯t just let her suffer in the nightmare. I climb onto the mattress beside her and gently shake her shoulder, trying to rouse her out of sleep. Selina recoils from my touch and a muffled sob escapes her lips. ¡°Shit,¡± I mutter under my breath. I¡¯m only making it worse.

    ¡°Lina,¡± I say softly. Then louder, ¡°Lina, wake up.¡± She doesn¡¯t open her eyes, and my frustration grows as her breathing picks up faster like she¡¯s going to hyperventte at any given moment. ¡°Lina!¡± I yell, shaking her.

    Her eyes snap open, and she immediately goes into defense mode, wing and kicking and screaming.

    I grab her, holding her tight and saving herself and myself from any more harm. ¡°It¡¯s all right. It¡¯s me. It¡¯s Nico. It¡¯s all right, I¡¯m here, I¡¯m right here,¡± I tell her in rapid session to try to calm her down.

    ¡°Nico?¡± she asks as she slowly wakes up fully and bes aware of her surroundings.

    ¡°Yes. You were having a nightmare,¡± I exin before releasing her and climbing off her bed. I stand at the edge, waiting while my jaw tightens. I don¡¯t know what she was dreaming about, but I can guess. I hate that she can¡¯t even sleep without being haunted by her past. If I could, I would erase all those bad memories from her mind so she would never have to relive them ever again.

    ¡°A¡­a nightmare,¡± she repeats. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her voice cracks with soft-spoken guilt as her peculiar eyes focus on me. A little gaspes from her mouth before her fingertips touch her lips, a look of horror on her face. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I say with a shake of my head. She¡¯s always so damn afraid of hurting me. The very thought causes a grin to tug on my lips, but I quickly school my expression and ask her, ¡°Do you want to tell me what your nightmare was about?¡±

    She hesitates, and I figure she won¡¯t tell me since she rarely opens up to me, but then she surprises me by saying,

    ¡°It was about them. That family. Talking about what happened to them today must have trigged another nightmare.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to talk about them¡­or anything, Lina. I¡¯m here to listen anytime you need me,¡± I tell her seriously.

    My words seem to have a calming effect. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispers, and I can hear the emotion in her voice.

    Sometimes I wonder how she survived all those years all alone with nobody to confide in or to vent her frustrations to. She only had herself to rely on. Even though she¡¯s so damn strong, I¡¯m afraid if she keeps bottling up everything inside, one day she¡¯s going to just¡­burst. Lucky for her, I¡¯ll be there if or when she finally does.

    I get up, ready to return to my room to try to get some sleep when I feel her hand grasping mine in a quick, firm grip. I stare down at our connection, her hand looking so damn tiny in mine.

    ¡°Nico?¡± she asks, and her voice sounds so small, so innocent.

    My gaze meets hers. Blue and green¡­like the ocean. ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°Will you¡­will you stay with me tonight?¡± she asks, biting her lower lip nervously.

    ¡°Uh,¡± I start. Damn, I know I should just go back to bed because she might regret this in the morning; but for some reason, I can¡¯t say no to her. And definitely not when she¡¯s looking at me with those big puppy dog eyes and begging me to sleep next to her and keep her safe. ¡°Sure,¡± I say, relenting.

    She lets go of my hand and crawls under the covers, watching me cautiously as I sit down on the bed over the nkets and lean my back against the headboard.

    She turns on her side, facing me, and I watch as her eyelids grow heavy until she can no longer keep them open. When her breathing evens out, I slowly reach down and run my fingers through her long, silky hair. ¡°Go to sleep, cuore

    mio. I¡¯ll be here to y all the monsters th t try to get into your dreams,¡± I promise her.

 66

    Selina

    I VENTURE OUTSIDE in the early afternoon, wanting to escape the confines of my room and any reminders of bad dreams. The sun is shining brightly, not a cloud in sight. The sun glinting off the water in the pool blinds me for a second as I hear a voice call out, ¡°Hey, Selina!¡±

    I put my hand up to shield my eyes from the re as I see Aria in a bikini sitting at the edge of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. Her skin is perfect, tan and smooth, and her long, chestnut brown hair cascades down her back, looking like perfect beach waves even though I doubt she even took the time to fix it today. She¡¯s just one of those natural beauties. She was beautiful as a child too. I can remember seeing her for the first time and wondering how someone could be so perfect in real life. If anything, her beauty only magnified as she aged.

    Even though I¡¯ve only seen her around herpound on a few asions and we haven¡¯t spoken much other than to say hello and goodbye, I would love to spend some time with her. We got along great when we were kids. Aria was like the little sister I never had and would lways tag along with Nico and I wherever we went, wanting to be with us no matter what we were doing or where we were going.

    Aria shes me a warm smile and says, ¡°Water feels great. Want to join me?¡±

    Suddenly, the baggy clothes I¡¯m wearing feel out of ce and strange. Nervously, I pull at the cuff of one of my long sleeves.

    ¡°I probably have a bathing suit you could borrow,¡± she offers, standing up and walking towards me. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go see.¡± She grabs a towel on the way, drying her legs and feet off quickly before we walk to her room.

    I follow her even though I never technically agreed to get in the pool. I haven¡¯t been swimming in a long time; but on an unseasonably hot day like today, it would be almost a sin not to enjoy the water.

    Aria digs in the back of her walk-in closet before she finds a bathing suit. It¡¯s a two-piece, not terribly revealing, but not something I would pick out for myself to wear around the Vitale home.

    I change in her bathroom and step out, shyly covering my midsection with my hands. ¡°Do you have anything less¡­¡± I pause, trying to find the right word.

    ¡°Less revealing?¡± she suggests.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say with a soft chuckle.

    ¡°I think I may have a one piece in here somewhere, but I haven¡¯t worn one since I was, like, twelve.¡± Her voice trails off as she roots around in her closet.

    I remove my hands from my stomach and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My stomach is t and toned, but there are numerous visible scars. Most of my body is covered in scars, and it makes me sick to look at the reminders of my days being held captive and the horrific tortures I had to endure. There¡¯s a roadmap right on my skin of what I went through. There¡¯s no hiding, no denying it.

    Suddenly, Aria appears at my side. She stares at the marks on my body, and I watch her face with bated breath, waiting for it to morph into disgust. But instead of the reaction I¡¯m fearful of, she locks eyes with me in the mirror and¡­smiles. ¡°You look like a fucking warrior, Selina. You survived hell and back, and you lived to tell the tale. Not many can say that. Wear those battle scars with pride, girl. You¡¯re absolutely killing it,¡± she says, shocking me to my very soul.

    I¡¯ve never had a female figure in my life ever praise me or lift me up before. My bitch of a mother was always worried I was eating too much, getting too fat or that I wasn¡¯t pretty enough. And then when I was sold, I always felt wanted for all the wrong reasons.

    ¡°Thank you, Aria,¡± I tell her, my voice unsteady. Tears burn the back of my eyes before I quickly blink them away.

    ¡°Anytime,¡± she responds with a smile. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go swimming before the clouds decide to make an appearance and ruin our day.¡±

    We go back downstairs and out to the patio. Aria perches on the edge again, and I get in, enjoying the warm water. When we lived on Constantine¡¯s yacht, I used to go swimming in the ocean whenever I got the chance. I felt a sense of freedom, even if it was short-lived. Sometimes I would find myself wishing that I wasn¡¯t such a strong swimmer and that the ocean would swallow me up and take me away from that life.

    But today, I don¡¯t feel that overwhelming sense of dread at all.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Cannonball!¡± someone yells before I hear a huge ssh at the other end of the pool by Aria.

    A huge wave of water crashes over Aria, soaking her from top to bottom. ¡°You¡¯re a jerk, Renato!¡± Aria yells as she flips him off.

    Heughs heartily and begins to swimps around the pool. I make my way over to Aria in the water and stare back at Renato. He¡¯s around my age and h ndsome enough with light brown hair, green eyes and more muscles than I can count ¨C I swear he has an eight-pack instead of a sixpack.

    The way they interact with each other every time I see them together makes them appear as more than friends, but I could be totally wrong. Looks can be deceiving. But curiosity gets the better of me, and I just have to ask, ¡°So, what¡¯s up with you and Renato? Is he your boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°He wishes,¡± Aria scoffs as she wrings water out of her wet hair. ¡°He pines over me, and I let him,¡± she says with a shrug and a sassy grin. ¡°Besides, my father would murder him if he touched me,¡± she confesses, her smile faltering a bit.

    I frown at that. So, maybe Aria likes Renato more than she¡¯s letting on, but she keeps her distance because her parents wouldn¡¯t approve. That would be a tough spot to be in. Pining over someone and never being able to actually have them. I can tell Renato really likes Aria. Maybe even loves her.

    ¡°If it¡¯s meant to be, it will be,¡± I tell her.

    She hums in agreement and nods. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go get something to eat. I¡¯m starving.¡± She pulls herself out of the pool and stands up, her wet feet padding along the patio while she goes to a chair with a big, fluffy towel. ¡°You know, we should go shopping sometime,¡± she throws over her shoulder.

    ¡°I would like that,¡± I tell her sincerely.

    She shes me a toothy grin and then disappears into the house. A few secondster, I see Renato climbing out of the water and running after her, and I can onlyugh. He¡¯s like a lost puppy when ites to that girl.

    I stay in the pool for another hour, enjoying the hot sun and warm water until my skin starts to turn a bright shade of pink. Not wanting to get sunburnt, I climb out of the pool, water sluicing down my body as I walk over to where the towels are. Quickly, I dry off my legs and arms before using the towel to get the excess water out of my long hair. My swimsuit is still pretty wet when I walk inside the house, but I n on hanging it up and jumping in the shower anyway when I get back to my room. As soon as I turn the corner, I run smackdab into what can only be described as the hardest chest in the history of chests.

    Firm, gentle hands catch my arms, holding my elbows before I go stumbling backwards. And then I look up into the familiar, steel gray eyes I¡¯ve grown so ustomed to.

    When I nce down, I realize I¡¯ve soaked the front of Nico¡¯s white t-shirt with my wet bathing suit. My eyes roam over his muscr pecs and rock-hard abs, which are now visible through the damp material, and I swallow hard.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you were just in the pool,¡± Nico muses as his lips tilt up into a strained smirk.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I manage to whisper.

    After my nightmarest night, Nico stayed with me. He slept on top of the nkets, never once trying to cross any boundaries. He was there to help me, tofort me. Just as a friend¡­

    But the heat I¡¯m feeling from his body now and the way his hands are gripping my arms makes my heart skip a beat. Something deep inside of me awakens, and it¡¯s hard to ce the exact emotion since I¡¯ve never felt it before in my entire life.

    When I woke up this morning, Nico was gone, and I half wondered if I dreamt about him too after the nightmare. However, when I rolled over, I could smell him on the pillow; his scent of citrus and sandalwood warming my soul.

    I didn¡¯t leave my room this morning, too embarrassed to run into him at breakfast and reliving the way that I asked him to stay with mest night like a desperate child afraid of the monster under her bed.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± his deep voice snaps me back to the present, and I stare up at him.

    My lips suddenly feel dry, and my tongue darts out to lick them. Nico¡¯s eyes darken as he watches the movement. My stomach clenches as warmth races down to my core, and I suddenly feel too close, too hot, too¡­I don¡¯t know. Stepping back suddenly, I pull out of his grasp. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m sorry again about your shirt,¡± I tell him as I wrap the oversized towel around me and cinch it tight, desperately needing the barrier between us.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m on the way to the gym to work out with Renato anyway,¡± he exins.

    I simply give him a nod, unable to speak with the words sticking in my dry throat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, Lina,¡± Nico promises.

    And as he walks away, I know what the foreign emotion is now that I was feeling. It¡¯s desire.

 67

    Selina

    W EDNESDAY MORNING¡¯S APPOINTMENT with Dr.

    Graham went just about as well as I expected it to go. She asked an ungodly amount of questions, and I refused to answer ny-nine-point-nine percent of them. And then we continued the tedious back and forth of her asking and me evading for nearly an hour until she finally relented and sent me away with a notebook so that I could ¡°journal my feelings¡± or whatever.

    The notebook feels heavy in my hand as I carry it back to my room. I¡¯ve never discussed my feelings with anyone let alone had enough guts to write them down on paper. Dr. Graham thinks it will be good for me to journal whatever is on my mind, but she has no idea of the appalling things I¡¯ve seen or what goes on inside of my head. I¡¯m just thankful that she nor anyone in this house can read minds.

    Lying down on the bed, I sigh as I flip open to the first nk page in the notebook. I put the tip of my ballpoint pen to the paper, but my hand just rests there. I force myself to write something, anything, but the words just aren¡¯ting out how I want them to. The sentences look jumbled and messy.

    It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have things to talk about. It¡¯s just that it feels like if I put them on paper, then that makes them all real. The torture and agony I endured feels like an ongoing nightmare in my mind. But if I start to write them down, I¡¯ll be forced to face the truth and fixate on them over and over again.

    Blowing out a frustrated breath, I rip out the page, ball it up and toss it into the nearby trashcan. Staring at the fresh empty page, an ideaes to me. At the top of the paper on the blue line, I write Things I Want to Do.

    It will be like my own sort of bucket list, but this is for the immediate future and just little things, nothing like traveling the world or doing something spectacr before I die. This is more of a wish list for the present; short-term goals that I¡¯d like to aplish while I¡¯m staying here.

    Number one on the list is to get my GED. I¡¯ve already started working on it, thanks to the Vitale family. I¡¯m supposed to be taking a cement test soon, so that I can begin studying and focusing on everything I need to work on. And even though I¡¯m extremely nervous, I¡¯m excited at the same time.

    School was never a priority to my mother. Well, I guess, neither was I really. I was young when she pulled me out of public school, bragging to the superintendent that I would be homeschooled with the best tutors money could buy. She loved to put on airs even though every single person we met could see right through her bullshit. Too bad it took me years to figure her out.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Frowning, I return my attention back to the notebook. I chew on the end of the pen while I think for a few minutes. Drive a car ends up on the list next. I¡¯ve never even been in the driver¡¯s seat of a car before. I¡¯ve always wondered what it would be like to just take off on a carefree ride to anywhere you want to go with the windows down and the music ring. It seems like it would be liberating.

    Go surfing. Nico and I used to go surfing a lot when I lived here. There is nothing quite like the power of the ocean and catching the perfect wave. We used to spend the whole day from sunup to sundown out on the water, and I never grew tired of it. Not even for a second. I found a passion in that pastime that I have never been able to find again.

    I twirl my long hair around my finger as I try to think about what else I want to put on the list. Staring down at my split ends, I know exactly what I want to write next.

    Cut my hair.

    Constantine never allowed me to cut my hair. He told me once that the long hair made me look younger. A violent shiver runs through me as I recall that memory. I hate thinking about him. The sad thing is, he was a huge part of my childhood. Some children fear the boogeyman or the monster under the bed. I actually lived with mine. He was real. He is real.

    ¡°You¡¯re still not safe,¡± I tell myself out loud. I need to keep reminding myself of that. I¡¯ll never be safe until he¡¯s dead.

    And that¡¯s why the next thing on my list I write is¡­Kill

    Constantine Carbone.

    I stare at the words, unable to tear my eyes away from them. I will them toe true somehow. I want the man who assaulted and raped me for years to be brought to his own fair justice. Death might be too lenient for him, however. I want him to suffer. I want him to suffer for all of his victims¡¯ lives, not just mine.

    A knock sounds on my door, and I call out for Nico toe in.

    Nico doesn¡¯t open the door, however. It¡¯s Aria. She looks just like a miniature version of her own mother ¨C pretty and petite with long, dark curls and amber eyes. She¡¯s dressed in a shimmery beige summer dress with sandals. God, she always looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine. I don¡¯t know how someone can be that well put together all the time when I¡¯m over here just trying to not get any more stains on my shirt.

    ¡°I¡¯m bored,¡± Aria says with a pout. ¡°Want to go shopping?¡± she asks with a hopeful expression.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to go shopping,¡± I tell her.

    Aria¡¯s face instantly lights up. ¡°Okay, great. I¡¯ll see you downstairs in five,¡± she says before leaving my room.

    After our pool day together, I feel like Aria and I could be really great friends. We always got along when I lived here the first time, but the age gap made it difficult for us to bond over anything since she was really into Barbies and I had already outgrown them. But I do remember the time we spent together ying outside with Nico and having movie and game nights as a family.

    Now that we¡¯re older, we have all new things to try to bond over. Clearly, she likes to shop as I haven¡¯t seen her wear the same thing twice since I arrived. She¡¯s always in the cutest clothes and dresses, and I definitely could use her help in that department.

    Aria couldn¡¯t have picked a better time to ask me. Sighing, I nce down at my outfit ¨C a pair of ck yoga pants and a in shirt. It¡¯s the best I have at the moment, and I¡¯m definitely in need of a change.

    Nichs

    Aldo and I spent the day examining some of the intel Selina provided us with. We¡¯ve been holed up in the control room; and as I walk back to the house, I relish in the feel of the sun on my skin and the fresh air in my lungs. Even though we were really starting to make some progress, I needed a break to go see my girl. I miss the fuck out of her. Like an addict without his fix, I need to just see her to tide me over until my next hit.

    On the way to her room, I think about the information she gave us that we were diligently working on. Constantine supposedly has been taking girls and women to an ind somewhere and auctioning their virginity off to very rich and powerful men. Selina could only tell us what she overheard Constantine talking about; she hasn¡¯t actually been to the ind. Fuck, if we could find it, we could save so many young women.

    Aldo promised to keep searching until we find it, so hopefully he cane up with something soon. The odds are stacked against us, though; because if the most powerful men in the world go there, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s well hidden and kept secret to only those who attend the auctions.

    The sick fucks.

    I shake out my arms, trying to relieve some of the tension in my body before I knock on Selina¡¯s bedroom door. As I wait, I try to think of a reason to tell her as to why I¡¯m here. Maybe I¡¯ll offer to work out with her again or ask what she wants for dinner. Any excuse to talk to her is fine with me. The door is open a few inches; and when she doesn¡¯t answer after a minute, I peek my head inside. The room is empty, and I frown.

    Where could she be?

    I didn¡¯t see her outside or downstairs on the way here. Worry starts to gnaw at my gut. What if she tried to leave again? She wouldn¡¯t do that, though, would she?

    Pushing the door open, I walk in. There¡¯s a notebook in the middle of her bed that grabs my attention, and my heart squeezes inside my chest. Did she leave me a note? A fucking goodbye letter?

    The first page is open with the pen still resting against it and there are words scrawled neatly down the page. I know I should respect her privacy and not look, but I need to make sure she didn¡¯t run off. If she did, I might still have a chance to find her and bring her back before anything happens.

    I only n on taking a nce, but then I realize it¡¯s a list. My curiosity gets the best of me, and I move closer, reading the list and memorizing it.

    Get my GED.

    Drive a car.

    Go surfing.

    Cut my hair.

    Thest one gives me pause. Kill Constantine Carbone. I can¡¯t help the grin forming on my lips when I read over thest item over and over again. Carbone didn¡¯t break my Lina. No, he only made her stronger, reinforced her will, spirit and determination. She just needs to be reminded of that now and then. And I want to be the person who helps her realize her strength.

    Relieved that it¡¯s not a goodbye note, I leave her room after that and go to seek her out. If she wants to aplish those things on her list, I want to be the one helping her through each and every one. I want to be by her side and watch her aplish all of her goals. I want to be there for her through everything she has to deal with, the ups and downs and everything in between.

    The sun doesn¡¯t rise or set unless she¡¯s with me. She¡¯s my whole world now.

    I run into Renato in the main room of thepound. ¡°The girls went shopping,¡± he informs me, as if reading my mind.

    ¡°Ah, okay,¡± I say with a grin. I¡¯m d Selina could get out of the house. I know she¡¯s been anxious to go shopping too, but I haven¡¯t taken her because I¡¯m terrible with that sort of thing. I¡¯m d my sister is making an effort. I know both of them could really use a friend, so it¡¯s kind of perfect.

    ¡°Want to train with me today while they¡¯re gone?¡± Renato suggests.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I tell him. I¡¯ve been meaning to take my frustrations out on something one way or another.

    ¡°Fists or knives?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Knives,¡± I tell him with a scious grin. ¡°Definitely knives.¡±

 68

    Selina

    I STARE AT myself in the mirror of the dressing room and can¡¯t stop scowling. I feel so strange in these clothes. ¡°How does it look?¡± Aria calls from outside the door.

    I frown as I glimpse at the short but modest, pretty floral dress and jeweled sandals. ¡°I look like an idiot,¡± I call back, being brutally honest.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t, Selina,¡± she huffs. ¡°Just¡­just let me see you.¡±

    My frown deepens. I haven¡¯t showed her the past fifteen or so outfits she forced me to try on, so I guess I¡¯ll show her this one. Just to shut her up, I tell myself mentally.

    When I push my way out of the thick curtain for thevish changing room, Aria actually gasps loudly.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the one!¡± she says with a huge smile, as if we just chose my perfect wedding dress or something. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s too¡­¡± ¡°Too?¡± she prompts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I say with a frustrated huff. I want to say too normal, but I refrain. When I was under Constantine¡¯s rule, I either wore next to nothing or the skimpiest, sexiest dress money could buy. If I wasn¡¯t almost naked, I looked like a hooker. There was no in between. There was definitely nothing like this.

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect for your figure.¡± She grips my shoulders and leads me over to the bright lights over a wall of mirrors. ¡°You can see better out here. Those dressing room mirrors are shit,¡± she assures me.

    I stare at myself in my many reflections, but only for a moment before my eyes automatically go to the floor. Biting my lip, I shake my head solemnly. I can¡¯t even look at myself without feeling a myriad of emotions, and that makes me sad, depressed, angry ¨C hell, all of the above and then some.

    ¡°I wish I had your long legs,¡± Ariaments with a sigh as she sits in a nearby chair, swinging her shorter legs in the air since her feet don¡¯t touch the ground.

    Aria is petite, almost a foot shorter than me. But her height doesn¡¯t do anything to take away from her beauty. Just like Nico took after his father in the looks department, Aria is an exact replica of her mother. I always thought her mother was the most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen. Even as Verona has aged over the years, she¡¯s still stunning.

    My eyes slowly nce over my outfit in the mirror until I meet my own gaze. Aria voicing her insecurities about her height makes me realize that everyone has insecurities, even the people who appear to be wless and perfect on the outside. I need to stop overanalyzing every little thing wrong with me and just focus on living. I just spent a whole day of shopping without a care in the world, and I never thought I¡¯d be able to do something like that. My life is moving forward and changing for the better, and I need to just jump on and enjoy the ride.

    ¡°So, do you like it?¡± Aria asks, and I can tell she¡¯s on the edge of her seat, waiting for my answer.

    ¡°I do,¡± I tell her. ¡°You were right ¨C the dressing room mirrors are shit. The dress looks so much better out here.¡±

    Aria smiles widely and nods in agreement. ¡°Told you.¡± She hops up out of her seat and tells one of the retail workers that I¡¯ll be wearing my outfit home.

    ¡°Yes, of course, Ms. Vitale. I¡¯ll ring everything up right away,¡± the woman says before walking away.

    I¡¯m still scrutinizing myself in the mirror when Aria tells me, ¡°Nico¡¯s gonna love it.¡±

    Herment catches me off-guard. The thought of Nico seeing me dressed up has butterflies taking flight inside my stomach. I like him. I really like him. But for some reason, I keep pushing him away. I don¡¯t ever let our small touches go anywhere even though sometimes I really want them to.

    Maybe it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want him tainted.

    I¡¯m dirty.

    Used up.

    Broken.

    Sighing heavily, I try to shake the bad thoughts out of my head. ncing over my shoulder, I watch as Aria hands over a few bags to one of the nearby bodyguards, who epts them without question, before taking a few steps back away from us.

    ¡°Do you ever get tired of them being around?¡± I ask her in a hushed whisper.

    She shrugs her right shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. It¡¯s been like this my whole life. I guess I don¡¯t know any other way,¡± she confesses.

    From what Nico has told me and from what I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s almost like Aria is a prisoner in her own home. Her parents never let her leave the house on her own. And I can¡¯t help but wonder if Mr. and Mrs. Vitale tightened their grip on their daughter after I was taken not once, but twice.

    I can¡¯ fully me them for being ov rprotective, however. My life would have beenpletely different if I would have been blessed with a helicopter parent instead of the terrible person who gave birth to me. I was sold by my own mother¡­twice. And if my own mother can do something so heinous, then anything could happen to Aria. I¡¯m just happy she never had to go through what I did. Even if that means being locked up inside an ivory tower, I would take that fate over mine any day.

    ¡°My brother is different with you,¡± Aria says, breaking me out of my thoughts.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I ask, turning to her.

    ¡°He¡¯s always so moody and closed off. Been like that for as long as I can remember. But when you¡¯re around, I can see a light breaking out inside all of that darkness. He¡¯s so patient and gentle with you,¡± she exins.

    I want to ask her why she thinks that is, but I¡¯m afraid of her answer. I think deep down Nico loves me¡­or at least maybe thinks he does. But a big part of me wishes he would just get over me and move on with a normal girl. Someone who isn¡¯t so messed up. Someone who can make him happy. Someone without so many issues. He deserves so much better than me, so much more than I can offer him.

    Ariaes up from behind me, and I watch her reflection in the mirror. She takes a lock of my long blonde hair and curls it around her finger. Looking up at me, she asks, ¡°What do you think about going to the hair salon next?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    My eyes meet my own in the reflection. A smile twitches at the corner of my mouth as I nod emphatically. I¡¯ve been wanting to cut my hair for years, and now I have no one standing in the way of my decision. No one telling me what I can or cannot do. This is the sense of freedom that I¡¯ve been craving. And I so desperately want to be free.

 69

    Nichs

    ¡°Y OU¡¯RE NOT CONCENTRATING,¡± Renato sneers as he shoves the de of his knife towards me.

    I barely move out of the way in time. I can hear the snick of the de cutting the air as I dodge it at the veryst second.

    Training has always been a way of life for me ever since I was a little kid. My father taught me to always be ready. For anything.

    I started doing the knives training years ago, because it gives the boring wrestling and fighting an element of danger that really gets my adrenaline going. I can tangle with my father¡¯s men all day and take all of them on. But when you add a real, dangerous weapon into the mix¡­well, anything can happen.

    I grip the hilt of my knife harder and thrust it towards him as we do a dangerous dance around the outdoor training area. He dodges it easily, as always. Renato is in top shape. All of my father¡¯s men have to be in order to carry out what he expects from them. Just because Renato is closer o my age doesn¡¯t mean anyone go s easier on him. If anything, they expect more. And he knows it.

    Sweat drips down my bare back as the sun beats down on it. It feels like the hot rays are trying to peel my flesh off my bones. ¡°It¡¯s hot as fuck today,¡± Iment before moving to the side quickly as Renato tries his best to cut me.

    ¡°It was your idea,¡± he says with a grin as he steps back and bounces on his heels. ¡°Girl trouble?¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s what it is,¡± I tell him with an eye roll. ¡°Fuck, some days I feel like I¡¯m making some real progress with her. And then the next, it feels like I¡¯m back to square one.¡±

    ¡°Time.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Give it time. Time heals all wounds, or whatever the fuck it is that people say.¡±

    Renatoes at me again, and this time I follow through with the attack and have his ass t on the ground in a split second. He squints up at me through the bright sun with a shit-eating grin on his face. ¡°You think I will ever beat you?¡±

    ¡°Never,¡± I tell him with a smirk as I reach down to offer my hand to help him up. We both return to our designated standing spots, and he motions for me toe at him again.

    ¡°I dunno. That girl has your mind all fucked up. I think now¡¯s my chance,¡± he says with a dark chuckle.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I agree. I take a stance before charging him. He not so easily discharges my weapon and tackles me to the ground. When he puts his arm around my neck and we¡¯re wrestling, I instantly tap out. If Renato is good at anything, it¡¯s putting someone in a chokehold and making them take a long nap in record time.

    ¡°Giving up so soon?¡± he taunts.

    I gather my knife from the grass and go back to position. ¡°Not sleepy,¡± I quip.

    Myment has him howling withughter. Then, he lifts up his arms and poses, making hisrger-than-life biceps bulge. ¡°No one can stay awake with these babies wrapped around their throat.¡±

    ¡°Just because the sun¡¯s out doesn¡¯t mean your guns should be out.¡±

    He nods in agreement. ¡°Yeah, I better put these things away before your girlfriend sees them and decides toe to my room tonight.¡± And then he emphasizes that bullshit spiel with a wink.

    I know his insult is all in jest to rile me up, but it has my blood boiling in two-point-five seconds. ¡°The fuck you say?¡± I ask through gritted teeth.

    Renato must notice my change in disposition because he quickly says with a grin, ¡°Ah, there you are. I¡¯ve been looking for you all day.¡± He lifts his hand and motions withContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    his fingers. ¡°Come at me, bro.¡± And I do.

    My de nicks him twice as we fight and wrestle to the ground. And only when I¡¯m on top of him and my knife is threatening to cut into his jugr does he call it, tapping out.

    ¡°Giving up so soon?¡± I ask, repeating his earlier taunt.

    ¡°Fuck, you can be ruthless when you want to be,¡± he says, wiping the thin lines of blood from his side and stomach with his earlier discarded white t-shirt. After he¡¯s cleaned up, he tosses the shirt aside, and I can see the glint of anger in his eyes. He hates to lose. And me getting the best of him even once feels like losing to him. ¡°No more pussyfooting around,¡± he grinds out.

    I can¡¯t help butugh at hisment. Most men wouldn¡¯tst one round in the ring with us even if we weren¡¯t technically going full bore earlier.

    I¡¯m ge ting into my stance, ready to tak on Renato when I get a glimpse of blonde hair. It¡¯s not the long hair I¡¯ve be ustomed to seeing, but a shoulder-length bob style. And I¡¯m so caught off-guard when her peculiar eyes meet mine that I never even hear or see Renatoing at me.

    I feel the de of his knife slicing through my skin as he tackles me to the ground. ¡°Ah, fuck!¡± I cry out as hees down on me hard with all of his weight, effectively knocking the wind right out of my lungs.

    ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Renato yelps as he realizes what he¡¯s done. He quickly scrambles off of me and stands up. ¡°You looked ready, man. I thought you were ready!¡±

    I can hear the panic in his voice. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s more concerned that he might have seriously injured me or what my father will do to him if he finds out about it.

    I¡¯m still struggling to breathe when Selinaes running up to us. I can see the apprehension and fear in her eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± her timid voice asks.

    She looks¡­different. Not just her shorter hair, but everything. She¡¯s in a short floral dress and cute sandals. And fuck, I can¡¯t stop staring at her long legs as I try to recover from the hit. I¡¯m such a sucker for long legs.

    My sister runs up behind her, and I realize Aria must have made Selina her project today, giving her aplete makeover.

    When my lungs are no longer on fire and I can finally speak, I tell them, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Renato offers me a hand up, and then looks down to my stomach and says, ¡°Oh fuck.¡±

    I nce down and see blood flowing out of the open wound. It¡¯s already soaked through the waistband of my gray sweatpants. ¡°It was my fault,¡± I tell him assuredly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±

    ¡°Selina, will you take Nico up to the nurse?¡± Aria asks.

    Lina slowly nods, her wide eyes focused on my wound. Fuck. I know she hates the sight of blood based on what happened to her in the past.

    ¡°Please, hurry,¡± Aria says, gently shaking Lina¡¯s shoulder.

    The urgency in Aria¡¯s voice seems to have its intended effect, and Lina finally snaps out of her odd trance. Grabbing my hand, Lina pulls me towards the house. I walk in a fog, staring down at our joined hands. Her hand feels so small and delicate in mine as she leads me upstairs to the nurse¡¯s room.

    She knocks on the door with her free hand, refusing to let me go, and I can¡¯t help but smile. I know I shouldn¡¯t be excited about holding hands with a girl like a prepubescent teen, but this is the most Lina has touched me since she arrived here. Every little step is a giant one with her, and I¡¯m thankful for every single one.

    Sarah opens the door and takes one look at me before she says with a heavy sigh, ¡°Come in. Lay on the table.¡±

    I do as she says as she walks over to the sink to wash her hands. I expect Lina to let go of my hand, but she grips it even tighter as she sits down on a chair next to the exam table.

    ¡°What happened this time?¡± Sarah asks with a frown as she puts on a pair of bluetex gloves.

    ¡°Knife fighting with Renato.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, usually he¡¯s the one up here, not you,¡± she admits while she cleans my lower stomach with antiseptic.

    ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything,¡± I say with a heavy sigh.

    Sarah fills a needle andes to me. ¡°I¡¯m going to numb the area first, because it looks like you¡¯re going to need a number of stitches.¡±

    I grit my teeth and breathe out slowly as the needle enters my skin, and I hold Lina¡¯s hand a little tighter. Fuck,

    it feels good to have her here with me.

    Sarah walks over to the cabs and begins opening and closing drawers, collecting what she¡¯s going to use. ¡°So, Renato is normally the one I¡¯m stitching up after one of your knife fights.¡± She nces over her shoulder and shes me a toothy grin. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he finally got the better of you?¡±

    I let out a softugh and shake my head. ¡°I was¡­ distracted.¡±

    Lina grips my hand a little tighter, and I gently squeeze hers back for reassurance. None of this is her fault. She¡¯s just so damn beautiful that I couldn¡¯t look away from her.

    When her eyes meet mine, she whispers, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Not your fault, sweetheart,¡± I whisper back.

    My term of endearment has her cheeks flushing with a pink blush, driving me crazy. Fuck, I love that she¡¯s shy with me sometimes.

    Sarah turns around with a metal tray full of what will ultimately mean pain for me. Having missed our whispered conversation, she asks, ¡°So, what distracted you?¡±

    ¡°The most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever seen in my life,¡± I answer before ncing over at Selina. Her pink blush is slowly turning into a deep red.

    Sarah grins, her eyes moving back and forth between Selina and me. ¡°Ah,¡± she utters, her smile growing wider. ¡°Selina, how about you distract Nico again while I stitch him up?¡±

    Selina gives her a nod, but I can tell she¡¯s still feeling guilty. I squeeze her hand until her attention is on me. Then I say, ¡°You cut your hair.¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± she says while touching the shorter ends with her free hand. ¡°Do you like it?¡± she asks, her eyes peeking through some of the stray strands at me.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s -.¡± I stop myself from saying how hot it is. She looks smoking hot with that new haircut. She looks older too. But instead, I find myself telling her, ¡°It suits you.¡±

    She smiles at myment.

    ¡°Holy shit!¡± I holler as one of the sutures goes deep.

    Sarah apologizes. ¡°Maybe this will make you think twice about fighting with knives. You and Renato have better things to do than have a pissing contest every few days, don¡¯t you?¡± she scolds me.

    I grit my teeth and hiss through another deep suture. ¡°No more knives. Got it,¡± I agree halfheartedly.

    A few minutester, Sarah is done stitching me up. I¡¯m probably going to have an ugly scar on my lower stomach, but I¡¯ll just add it to my ever-growing collection of training battle scars.

    Lina pulls her hand from mine, and instantly I miss her touch. It felt so good to feel her skin next to mine. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go read in my room,¡± she tells me before walking out.

    I stare down at my empty hand and curse inwardly.

    Sarahes back over with some gauze and tape. ¡°Try to keep this dry for a couple of days. And then you can take off the gauze and let it breathe. Don¡¯t scrub too hard when you do shower.¡±

    She fires out instructions, but I barely hear her. I¡¯m too caught up in my own thoughts.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sarah says, snapping her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. ¡°Did you hear anything I said?¡±

    ¡°Keep it dry. Let it breathe. Don¡¯t scrub too hard.¡±

    She rolls her eyes and grins. ¡°Good enough. Juste to me if any of the stitches open up. Okay?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± I tell her before hopping off the table.

    ¡°Take it easy,¡± she warns.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I repeat, causing her to roll her eyes again. Then she asks, ¡°Hey, how is Selina doing anyway?¡±

    ¡°Good. I think,¡± I say, my brows furrowing. ¡°Honestly, she doesn¡¯t tell me much. I just know she¡¯s in a better ce than where she was. And that¡¯s all that matters at this point.¡±

    Sarah nods in agreement.

    ¡°See youter,¡± I tell her before leaving. My feet carry me straight to Selina¡¯s room. I knock, and after I hear her tell me it¡¯s okay toe in, I peek my head around the door. She¡¯s curled up on her bed with a book. ¡°Wanna do something fun?¡± I ask her.

    I can see the apprehension in her gaze, but she nods anyway and says, ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°See you downstairs in five,¡± I tell her. I have an idea. I just hope Selina likes it.

 70

    Nichs

    I LEAD SELINA outside and to the enormous garage that houses all of our vehicles. ¡°Take your pick,¡± I tell her.

    Selina¡¯s brows furrow as she nces up at me. ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Which one would you like to drive today?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Drive?¡± she says, her eyes widening. ¡°Nico, I don¡¯t know how -.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯d like to teach you,¡± I exin to her quickly. I know it was on her list of things she wants to do, and I¡¯d love to help her achieve all of them¡­especially thest one. Having Constantine Carbone dead and gone forever where he can never hurt another living soul sounds just fine to me.

    ¡°That one,¡± I hear her say, and I follow the direction that she¡¯s pointing.

    It¡¯s a silver BMW M5. ¡°Definitely a safe option,¡± I tell her, rubbing my chin with my finger and thumb.

    ¡°Which one do you like to drive?¡± she asks.

    ¡°This one,¡± I tell her, bringing her over to my dark blue McLaren 720S. ¡°But since it¡¯s your first time, maybe we should take the BMW just to be safe.¡± Honestly, if Selina would have an ident in my car, I wouldn¡¯t freak out. That¡¯s what insurance is for. It would hurt my soul for a quick instant, but I would get over it. As long as Selina¡¯s safe and not hurt, that¡¯s all that really matters.

    She walks over to the BMW. ¡°Maybe you should drive us somece first,¡± she suggests.

    ¡°I know just the ce,¡± I tell her. Then, I make a phone call to one of the bodyguards and tell him to get a team ready to follow us. Selina seems to visibly rx when she realizes we¡¯re going to have guards with us. ¡°Can¡¯t be too careful,¡± I exin, and she nods in agreement.

    I drive us out to an abandoned airport. There are roads leading in and out, stop signs, and parking ces that she can practice in; the whole nine yards.

    The guards stay at the entrance, waiting for us, while I park in the middle of the huge parking lot. The pavement is cracked and overgrown in ces, but it will be perfect for teaching Selina how to drive.

    We switch seats, and I can feel the nervousnessing off of her in waves as she grips the steering wheel.

    ¡°Gas is on the right. Brake is on the left.¡± I position her hands so that they are at a morefortable angle. ¡°There.¡±

    ¡°There are so many¡­things,¡± she says, her eyes darting over the dashboard, and I can hear the uncertainty in her voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about all the things,¡± I tell her, trying hard to suppress a smile but failing miserably. ¡°Just focus on the road ahead of you and steering. You only have to worry about the gas and the brake today. We¡¯ll have you listening to some good tunes and checking out the other gadgets soon enough, but I want you to concentrate today on just the driving aspect.¡±

    She releases a nervousugh. ¡°Okay. I think I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, put your foot on the brake, and put the car in drive down here,¡± I instruct her, helping her locate the gearshift. ¡°Great. Now, gently release the brake and put your foot on the gas -.¡±

    Selina mashes her foot on the gas, sending us careening forward. A scream releases from her lips before I holler, ¡°Brake, brake, brake!¡±

    She switches her foot over to the brake and tamps it down, causing the car toe to a squealing stop and us to rock hard against our seatbelts.

    ¡°Shit!¡± she cries out.

    I¡¯m afraid to look over at her, scared that I messed this whole thing up by not easing her into it more gently. But I¡¯m shocked when I hearughtering from her side of the car. Peering over at her, I look at her face, which is lit up like the sun, grinning andughing. She looks like she¡¯s having the time of her life. She looks¡­fucking happy.

    ¡°That was exhrating!¡± she exims suddenly as a fit of giggles escape her.

    I can¡¯t help but join in herughter. Fuck, herugh is like a siren¡¯s call. So cute and genuine. My girl likes danger. I can tell already. And I¡¯m totally okay with that. As long as I can keep her safe, she can have all the danger she wants.

    ¡°Okay, Evel Knievel, let¡¯s try that again. But slower this time,¡± I warn.

    She gives me a serious nod and bites her lower lip as she concentrates, driving me insane. My cock instantly hardens at the sight.

    Selina is so fucking sexy without even trying. She¡¯spletely irresistible. And I can¡¯t stop staring at her, taking in every little detail ¨C like how her eyes grow wide with delight when she does something right or the little crease she gets between her brows when she¡¯s really concentrating.

    We spend the next few hours driving around the abandoned airport. I teach Selina how to drive on the main roads leading in, stopping at all the necessary signs, and how to use her turn signal. She picks everything up quickly, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder of her. She really wants to learn. I can tell. And that makes me want to teach her even more.

    When she finally puts the car in park, I tell her, ¡°Now you can cross driving a car off your list.¡±

    Her smile falls off her face, and I know instantly that I fucked up. ¡°You¡­you saw my list?¡± she asks quietly.

    I grimace. Shit. I really hope she doesn¡¯t hate me for invading her privacy. ¡°It was by ident, but yeah,¡± I tell her. ¡°I went to your room, and the notebook wasying open on your bed, and I just kind of looked.¡± Internally, I facepalm myself as I quickly add, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°So you saw¡­thest thing on my list?¡± she asks, her voice barely above a whisper, as she stares straight ahead over the steering wheel.

    Kill Constantine Carbone. How could I forget? ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And what do you think about that?¡± Her eyes finally meet mine.

    I don¡¯t break our eye contact even for a second when I tell her, ¡°I want him dead just as much as you do. And I¡¯m going to make sure it happens.¡±

    Selina visibly rxes, and it¡¯s like an invisible weight has been lifted off of her shoulders. Maybe she was afraid I would think less of her for wanting to kill someone¡­or perhaps my affirmation of her revenge is something she¡¯s needed all along. Either way, I¡¯m happy to see some of the ever-present tension dissipate a little.

    I watch in amusement as Selina reaches down and puts the car in gear. ¡°Can I drive around the parking lot again?¡± she asks eagerly with an easy, carefree smile on her face for the first time ever that lights up my whole fucking world.

    ¡°Yes, of course. Let¡¯s go, speed racer,¡± I tell her with augh.

 71

    Selina

    W E RETURN TO the Vitalepoundte that night.

    Nico and I are stillughing and joking by the time we walk through the front door.

    ¡°Looks like you two had a good time,¡± Aria says with a smirk as she crosses through the foyer on her way to the kitchen.

    ¡°Lina learned how to drive,¡± Nico says with a grin.

    I¡¯ve never seen him smile this much. He would probably say the same thing about me, but ever since I got here, Nico has been serious and broody. It¡¯s nice to know that if I let go a little, he can too.

    His words stop Aria in her tracks. ¡°Really? That¡¯s awesome,¡± she says with a smile, but it doesn¡¯t touch her eyes. ¡°I never learned how to drive,¡± she confesses with a one-shoulder shrug. ¡°But I always have someone driving me around, so I guess there¡¯s not really a need,¡± she adds, but I can hear the sadness in her voice.

    Aria really is sheltered, but I¡¯m sure Luca and Verona had their reasons for doing so. I mean, they¡¯ve seen so

    many children sold i to human trafficking, they probably have a hard time sleeping at night if they don¡¯t know where their children are at all times. And I can¡¯t say I really me them. If I ever have kids, and that¡¯s a huge if, I would never let them out of my sight. I hate to think about living in fear all the time, but I know that¡¯s exactly what it would be like. I know what can happen. And I wouldn¡¯t wish that upon my worst enemy, let alone an innocent child.

    ¡°Well, you kids have fun,¡± Aria tells us with a wave. ¡°I¡¯m going to get some snacks for a movie night with Renato.¡±

    ¡°Wear protection!¡± Nico calls after her, which earns him a re and the middle finger from his sister.

    When Aria disappears into the kitchen, I ask Nico, ¡°Are her and Renato¡­?¡± I know I had asked Aria about their rtionship before when we were in the pool, but she was very coy about the whole thing, making it seem like Renato just has a crush on her and she entertains it.

    Nico shrugs. ¡°I know Renato is in love with my sister. I¡¯ve caught them making out before, but I have no idea what they¡¯ve done or haven¡¯t done.¡± He grimaces before adding, ¡°And I don¡¯t wanna know.¡±

    I chuckle at his difort. ¡°So¡­a movie night sounds like fun,¡± I tell Nico.

    He looks at me, searching my face before he says, ¡°Yeah? You want me to ask Aria if we can crash?¡±

    Nervously, I wring my hands together. ¡°Or we could have our own,¡± I ask, forcing my voice not to break.

    ¡°S-sure,¡± Nico says. Then he clears his throat. ¡°I have Netflix in my room, or we can watch a movie in the -.¡±

    ¡°No, your room is fine,¡± I assure him. I know he¡¯s trying to give me an out to make me feel morefortable. And while I love that about Nico, how he never pressures me into anything and how he always puts my feelings first, I just want to feel normal for once in my life. And a movie night with him alone in his room sounds great¡­and normal to me.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll grab us some snacks if you want to go pick out a movie?¡± he suggests.

    ¡°Sure. See you soon,¡± I throw over my shoulder before I walk upstairs towards his room.

    Nichs

    While the popcorn is in the microwave, I go over and pull out two sodas from the fridge and a few boxes of candy. I have no idea what Lina will like, so I¡¯m just trying to cover all the bases.

    After the popcorn is done, I juggle everything in my arms and take it upstairs to my room where Lina is waiting patiently for me on my bed.

    She¡¯s stretched out on her stomach with her long legs on disy. Fuck, she¡¯s gorgeous. I take a mental snapshot of her looking so rxed and carefree, wanting to paint itter.

    When she looks up at me, she has a grin on her face as she eyes all the snacks. ¡°Wow, did you raid the pantry?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Pretty much,¡± I answer with a chuckle. ¡°Didn¡¯t know what you¡¯d like, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I love popcorn, and that¡¯s a must-have with a movie, so you did good.¡± She sits up and helps me with everything.

    And with her on her knees before me, fuck, all my blood rushes right to my cock. Cursing under my breath, I grab the boxes of candy a d walk over to my desk to set them down. With my back towards her, I will the beast behind my zipper to calm the fuck down. Even though I would love to fuck Selina, I know she¡¯s not ready for that. Hell, I would settle for a heavy make-out session or even a kiss at this point, but I can¡¯t rush anything with her. And I won¡¯t.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    And it¡¯s not because I think she¡¯s too fragile or weak. No, fuck that. She¡¯s the strongest person that I know. It¡¯s simply because I don¡¯t want to scare her off or change anything between us. Our friendship is too important to me to lose just because my dick wants to get wet. Instead, I¡¯m going to wait and let things progress slowly at their own pace. I don¡¯t know how long it will take before she¡¯s ready to move to the next level, but I¡¯m willing to wait. I¡¯ll wait for ten more years, if that¡¯s what it takes. I would wait forever for her¡­

    ¡°You okay?¡± Selina asks, and I realize I¡¯ve been standing over here for far too long, not moving, not talking.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, just trying to decide what I want.¡± I pick up a box of Junior Mints and take it back to the bed. I sit on the mattress with my back against the headboard while she lies down on her stomach again, facing the TV.

    My hand creeps to my hard cock, and I press my hand against it. Fuck, she drives me crazy with those long legs. Snapping my eyes shut, I try to think of anything but Selina and her sexy body.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Selina asks, startling me.

    When I open my eyes, she¡¯s next to me on her fucking knees again, looking concerned. And that makes me feel like the world¡¯s biggest asshole for all the dirty thoughts running through my mind. What can I say? I¡¯m not a fucking saint, and I¡¯m definitely not a monk. I have urges, and right now I have the urge to spread those long legs of hers and bury my face between her thighs until she¡¯s crying

    out my name anding all over my face¡­

    ¡°Um, yeah.¡± Trying to take the attention away from my awkwardness, I quickly change the subject. ¡°What movie did you pick out?¡± I ask, and even I can hear how weird my voice sounds. She probably thinks I¡¯m losing my mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s about a zombie apocalypse,¡± she answers with a grin.

    My lips tilt up. ¡°Nice!¡± Leave it to Selina to not pick something generic like a rom. I totally would have watched a sappy romance movie, though. Hell, I¡¯d do almost anything to make her happy.

    She eventuallyys back down and starts the movie. My eyes keep drifting to her sexy legs and plump backside, but I force myself to chew on the candy and keep myself in check. I have no idea what the movie is about besides zombies¡­oh, and an apocalypse. I can¡¯t even hear the actors¡¯ voices anymore. I¡¯m having an internal battle with my cock, who won¡¯t fucking listen no matter what I say.

    Grabbing one of the pillows, I put it over myp. I feel like a fucking teenager who can¡¯t control his hormones on a first date.

    When the movie is finally over, I almost groan out loud with relief. If I have to stay in this room with her alone for another second, I might just spontaneouslybust.

    Selina stands up, nces at me with a pillow over myp and cocks her head to the side. Does she know I¡¯m trying very hard not toe in my pants right now? Oh fuck.

    ¡°That was fun,¡± she says, nervously wringing her hands in front of her.

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll have to do it again sometime,¡± I tell her with an uneasy grin.

    ¡°Well, goodnight,¡± Selina mutters before walking out of my room and closing the door.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I breathe out in a long sigh before hanging my head in shame. That was awkward as fuck because I¡¯ve been a walking bo er for the past hour and a half. Standing, I make my way into the bathroom. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve jacked off, and I need to take care of business so that shit doesn¡¯t happen again next time I¡¯m around Selina.

 72

    Selina

    I PACE MY bedroom floor. For some reason, the entire movie night with Nico felt awkward. I¡¯m not sure if he felt it too, but I desperately want to know. I need to make sure I didn¡¯t do anything to offend him or make him feel ufortable.

    Before I can change my mind, I leave my room and make my way down the hall. I timidly knock on Nico¡¯s door and wait. I stand in my pajamas, nervously shifting from foot to foot, but he doesn¡¯t answer. Maybe he¡¯s in bed already?

    Gnawing nervously on my lip, I put my hand on the doorknob and turn, carefully pushing the door open. Amp illuminates the room, and I see that he¡¯s not in bed.

    Water running from the en-suite bathroom catches my attention, and so my feet pad across the hardwood floors to the door that¡¯s ajar. The water is louder now, and I can tell that he¡¯s showering instead of just washing his hands, like I first thought.

    I tell myself to walk away, to not look, but it¡¯s almost like

    I can¡¯t help myself. Instead, I step into the space where the

    door is open and peer into the spacious bathroom. Inside the walk-in shower, which is made up of tall ss, I see Nico. His naked body is dripping wet from the water raining down upon him. My heart begins to beat faster at the sight of him ¨C his muscles and abs on full disy. My eyes lower to where his hand is fisting his cock. It¡¯s thick, long and hard, perfect, just like him.

    He ps a hand against the wet tile and groans out, ¡°Lina.¡±

    Oh my god, he¡¯s thinking about me while he¡¯s getting off. Long streams of cum erupt from his cock, and I can¡¯t help the gasp of surpriseing from my lips. It must have been louder than I thought because next thing I know, Nico¡¯s eyes are meeting mine. We stare at each other, and I can see the surprise and confusioncing his handsome face before he¡¯s saying my name again.

    I¡¯m not even conscious of my next move; I just know I have to get the hell out of there. I was caught watching him. I¡¯m embarrassed more than anything, but also¡­turned on. I don¡¯t stop running until I¡¯m safe inside my room with the door closed. With my back against the wood, my right hand covers my heart that¡¯s threatening to beat out of my chest.

    My fingers clench and unclench, and then they involuntarily move on their own ord down my body and under my pajama bottoms. Biting my lip, I slip my fingers into my panties and rub my already wet slit. It feels so wrong, but so damn good. I close my eyes and picture Nico in the shower just as I saw him ¨C wet and hard, stroking his cock and calling out my name.

    I get close to the edge in no time, but I can¡¯t seem to cross that fine line of the edge. Gritting my teeth, the bad thoughts start assaulting me left and right, and I can

    almost hear Constantine¡¯s voice in my ear¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t you daree, little pet.¡±

    Trembling, my eyes snap open, almost expecting to see him standing before me. I¡¯m terrified of pleasure, because with pleasure alwayses pain. My body has been conditioned to ept that, and I fight it until I can¡¯t fight it any longer. My fingers eventually stop trying, and I know I¡¯ve already checked out mentally. That moment full of lust is gone with no relief in sight.

    Blowing out a frustrated breath, I pull my hand from my panties as tears fill my eyes. I feel embarrassed. Dirty. It was wrong what I did. And I can¡¯t stop the tears from falling or the sobs that follow, wracking my body as I copse to the floor. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I curl into a ball on the floor and give over to my emotions.

    A knock is at my door, and my spine goes rigid. ¡°Lina,¡± I hear Nico¡¯s deep, gentle voice call from beyond the door.

    I can¡¯t face him right now. Not in this state that I¡¯m in. So I leave his pleas unanswered, and I go to bed to face my demons alone.

    The psychiatrist clears her throat. I snap out of my daydream and force myself to meet her eyes. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mutter under my breath.

    ¡°Where were you just now?¡± Dr. Graham asks.

    ¡°I was just thinking,¡± I admit. And if the doc was talking just now, I didn¡¯t hear a word of what she just said.

    ¡°Can I ask what you were thinking about?¡±

    My cheeks instantly warm at the question. I¡¯m curled up in the leather chair by the window, and I pull my knees closer to my chest. ¡°I was thinking about¡­Nico,¡± I tell her, my voice barely above a whisper. I don¡¯t want to open up to her, by any means, but I desperately need someone to talk to about everything that happened.

    Dr. Graham seems pleased by my answer. She¡¯s probably thrilled that we¡¯re actually making some progress for once instead of me shutting down and refusing to answer her questions. ¡°Were you thinking about something in particr? A memory or something more recent perhaps?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Something that happenedst night,¡± I confess. God, I¡¯ve been ignoring Nico since it happened. When he came to my door after I caught him, I couldn¡¯t even face him. I felt like the world¡¯s biggest jerk for turning him away, but I was too embarrassed to confront him about what happened. And also a big part of me was worried that I would give in and do something stupid like kiss him or¡­ more. I even refused to go downstairs for breakfast where we¡¯ve been eating together every morning for the past few days, making me feel even worse about everything.

    ¡°And what happenedst night, Selina?¡± she presses. ¡°Nico and I watched a movie together in his room.¡± ¡°That sounds like fun,¡± she says with a sincere smile.

    ¡°Did anything else happen besides the movie?¡±

    ¡°No. I mean yes.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound so sure,¡± she says gently. Her voice is so soothing and controlled. No wonder she got into this profession. Sometimes I feel like I could tell her anything, and there are times when I do tell her some things. A lot more than I¡¯ve ever told anyone.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I went back to Nico¡¯s room to talk to him after the movie, but he was¡­¡± My voice trails off. ¡°I saw Nico¡­in the shower.¡± I bury my face against my knees, trying desperately to hide my face, which I¡¯m sure is red as a beet right now. I¡¯m still embarrassed over the whole thing. But even more so¡­I¡¯m still aroused.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asks while pushing her red sses up the bridge of her nose.

    I¡¯m tempted to tell her no, but in a way, I do want to talk about it. I want to know if what I felt is normal. I have no idea what normal is anymore. ¡°He was¡­touching himself. And I couldn¡¯t look away. I watched him.¡± Closing my eyes, I admit, ¡°He called out my name when he came.¡±

    After a brief hesitation, she finally asks, ¡°And how did that make you feel?¡±

    I open my eyes and stare out the window once again. ¡°It¡­it turned me on,¡± I confess, feeling absolutely horrible as soon as the wordse out of my mouth.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a normal reaction, Selina,¡± Dr. Graham assures me. ¡°I can tell by the look on your face that you don¡¯t agree with that, though.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s wrong,¡± I say adamantly, and I don¡¯t know who I¡¯m trying to convince more ¨C the doctor or myself.

    ¡°Why is it wrong?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be thinking that way about him.¡± ¡°And why not?¡± she prompts.

    ¡°Because he¡­because he¡¯s Nico!¡± I exim, not even understanding my own answer.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s your friend, and you don¡¯t want him to be more than your friend?¡± she suggests.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± I tell her, but that doesn¡¯t sound right to me. Nico is my friend, but I think we deeply loved each other when we were kids; before we even knew what love really was. But so much has changed since then. I could never expect him to want me the same as he once did.

    ¡°Are you attracted to him?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I answer without hesitation. ¡°Nico is beautiful, inside and out. He¡¯s¡­perfect. And I¡­¡± I stop from voicing my negative thoughts out loud.

    ¡°And you¡¯re what, Selina?¡± After a long hesitation when I don¡¯t answer her, Dr. Graham asks again, ¡°You¡¯re what, Selina?¡± she prompts.

    ¡°I¡¯m anything but perfect. I¡¯m broken. I¡¯m used up,¡± I blurt out with tears quickly filling my eyes and spilling out over my zing hot cheeks. I¡¯m not used to talking about

    my fe lings at all. No one has ever cared enough in the past ten years to ask how I felt about anything.

    ¡°You¡¯re not any of those things, Selina,¡± Dr. Graham assures me. ¡°Remember that negative thoughts don¡¯t help us cope with real problems. They only tear us apart instead of healing, which is what we really need.¡± She makes a few notes before saying, ¡°Tell me how you¡¯re feeling right now,

    Selina. Use your words.¡±

    ¡°I feel embarrassed. I feel stupid,¡± I grit out while angrily wiping away my tears. God, I haven¡¯t cried this much in years. And all of a sudden, I get here, and the floodgates are always opening. Maybe it¡¯s because deep down I know I won¡¯t get punished for showing emotion, for crying.

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel embarrassed or stupid. Anything you say here stays between us. Think of me like your own diary, but in human form. You can talk to me about anything, and your words will be locked away just like in a journal for your eyes only.¡±

    I nod, trying to absorb her words. I¡¯ve never opened up to anyone in my entire life before¡­well, except for Nico. He knew the real me, but that was back then when I wasn¡¯t so messed up. Hell, I was messed up even back then, but not as fucked up as I eventually became after being sold to Constantine.

    ¡°Everything you feel is normal, Selina. You know that, right? Nothing you feel is wrong. I promise,¡± she ensures me.

    I nod in agreement even though I¡¯m not sure Ipletely believe that. ¡°After I left his bathroom, I went back to my room and¡­touched myself.¡± My neck and cheeks warm again. I don¡¯t know why this is so difficult to talk about. I¡¯m sure a lot of people talk openly about sex, especially with doctors.

    ¡°Did you enjoy yourself?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­¡± I shake my head, not being able to voice the embarrassing words out loud.

    Dr. Graham clears her throat. ¡°You had mentioned before that you were never allowed to enjoy yourself during sexual encounters with your captor.¡±

    I squeeze my eyes shut. I can still hear Constantine¡¯s words while he forced me to have sex with one of his friends.

    Don¡¯te. Don¡¯t you daree, you little whore! If youe for him, I will beat you until you¡¯re dead!

    ¡°Selina! Selina!¡± Dr. Graham calls out to me, but it sounds like her voice is a million miles away right now.

    I open my eyes and stare up at her in confusion. At some point, I must have climbed out of my chair and huddled into the corner of the room.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Selina.¡± She offers me her hand, but I refuse to take it. ¡°No one is going to hurt you here,¡± she tells me. It¡¯s the same thing she always tells me, but I¡¯ve been told that before, and look what happened ¨C my mother sold me for the second time and I was ripped away from this happy home.

    Suddenly, pure and undiluted panic violently rips through me as my body begins to tremble uncontrobly. I quickly wrap my arms tightly around my knees and curl up into a fetal position on the floor. Iy there for what feels like an eternity with my eyes closed, blocking out everything else in the world and sobbing in the darkness until I hear Nico¡¯s deep voice calling for me.

    My eyes slowly open, and the moment I see Nico on his knees beside me, I suddenly crawl to him and thrust myself into his open arms. He holds me tightly, rubbing his hand up and down my back while whispering soothing things into my ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let me go,¡± I whisper to him frantically, my entire body shaking with fear.

    ¡°N ver,¡± he promises. And that one word makes me feel infinitely better all at once. It makes me finally feel safe.

 73

    Nichs

    A FTER I TUCK a mentally and physically exhausted Lina into her bed, I leave her room and go outside. I need to get some fucking air. When the psychiatrist called me, telling me that she couldn¡¯t get through to Lina and that I was probably the only person that could, my heart sank into my fucking stomach.

    Not only was I worried for her and the mental state she was in, but I was also pretty sure that Lina wouldn¡¯te out of that state because of me. She¡¯s been pushing me away ever since she arrived, and it¡¯s been killing me slowly day by day.

    Last night was a low point for both of us. She caught me in the shower. Fuck, I just couldn¡¯t help myself. I had a moment of weakness, and she witnessed it. She even heard me calling out her name while I came. And when I saw her standing there in the doorway¡­it felt like my world was crashing down around me. I know I need to take things slow with her, and that was not fucking slow, by any means.

    Sh ran out of my room like her ass was on fire, and she refused to open her door when I tried to confront her to talk about what had happened. And having Selina ignore me all ofst night and this morning, when she refused toe to breakfast to eat with me, fucking tore me up inside.

    But there¡¯s no way I¡¯m giving up on her. I refuse to give up. She¡¯s my girl. She¡¯s always been mine. The universe put us together not only once but twice for a reason. And I¡¯m never letting her go again.

    The fact that I got through to her just moments ago, when the psychiatrist couldn¡¯t, gives me some semnce of hope. Selina and I share an unspeakable and unbreakable bond. I think deep down she knows that I would never harm her or let anyone else hurt her again.

    I know that my old Lina is in there somewhere, waiting to be set free. And I want to be the one who gives her that freedom, no matter what it takes.

    When I walk to the backyard of thepound, I see Benito in the outside gym,nding punches on a bag. When he looks up and sees me, he smiles. But as soon as he sees the look on my face, his smile drops off his face, and his expression grows very serious.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asks when I get closer.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I tell him. And then I immediately say, ¡°Everything.¡±

    ¡°Fuck. Okay,¡± he says with a nod. ¡°Let¡¯s work it out,¡± he tells me.

    Benito is the one who taught me how to channel my anger and feelings through working out. It¡¯s almost likending punches on an inanimate object helps me release what I¡¯m trying to bottle up inside. Sure, painting and drawing helps with some of my anger, but sometimes it gets to the point where I feel like a volcano inside, waiting to erupt into a fit of rage¡­or worse. Without Benito, I probably would have just kept bottling everything up with no release, and the consequences of that wouldn¡¯t have been pretty.

    He tapes up my hands as I silently watch him. I feel so fucking drained and lost.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Talk to me, Nico,¡± he says as he holds up a big mitt, which I strike with my right fist.

    It feels good to hit something. I punch a few more times before I finally open up. ¡°Just when I think I¡¯m getting somewhere with Selina, something happens, and then I feel like we¡¯re taking ten steps back.¡± Sighing, Ind a weak punch with my left and then throw my hands up in

    frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fix it. To move on.¡±

    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s been happening so far.¡±

    And so I do. I tell him about seeing her list, about taking her driving, about the movie night in my room. I leave out the part where she fucking caught me in the shower; too embarrassed to regale him with that particr tale. And then I tell him about a few hours ago when she was having a panic attack in the psychiatrist¡¯s office.

    ¡°The doctor couldn¡¯t get through to her?¡± he questions.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°But you did.¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°But. You. Did,¡± he says, punctuating every word. I stare at him, and he gives me a slow nod. ¡°I know you want everything in the fastne, but life doesn¡¯t work like that, kiddo. You just gotta give her all the time she needs, no matter how long that takes.¡± He throws down the mitt and points a finger at me. ¡°Let me ask you a question. If she disappeared from here tomorrow, would you wait another ten years for her?¡±

    ¡°I would wait a fucking lifetime,¡± I confess in a rush.

    ¡°Then there¡¯s your answer. You can wait. You have it in you to wait. Your dick is just trying to tell your brain a different kind of story. Think with your head,¡± he says,

    pointing up. ¡°And not with your¡­other head,¡± he says, pointing lower.

    I can¡¯t help but chuckle at his logic and advice. ¡°Thanks,¡± I huff.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get there with her. I promise you that. Baby steps, Nico.¡±

    ¡°Baby steps,¡± I agree.

    I stare up at the sky that¡¯s beginning to darken. There¡¯s a storm rolling in. But in the distance is a ray of sunshine beaming down to earth. I guess there¡¯s always light to contradict the darkness in every situation.

    Benito is right. Even if it doesn¡¯t seem like I¡¯m making progress with Selina, every day is a push forward towards the future, to a better ce for us. I need to remind myself of that every time I think we¡¯re taking a step back or anytime I feel frustrated. We¡¯re still farther than we were the day before.

    ¡°Thanks, Benny,¡± I tell him as I p him on the shoulder.

    ¡°Any time, kiddo. Any time.¡±

 74

    Selina

    ¡°T AKE AS MUCH time as you need, Selina. This is just a cement test. It will give me a better understanding of where we should begin with your studies for your GED test,¡± the teacher exins. She¡¯s older with gray hair and kind, blue eyes. I swear every single person the Vitales hire are nice, amazing and patient. But considering the type of women and children who stay here and the horrific things they¡¯ve been through, I¡¯m sure most of them need people like that in their lives. I know I definitely do.

    I sit at the desk and stare down at the paper, gripping a number two pencil in my hand. I¡¯ve never had trouble reading. I¡¯ve read enough books to fill a library in my lifetime. At times, books were my only escape from the real world, and I was happy that Constantine at least gave me that one sce. Although, taking my prized books away from me was one of the ways he was able to punish me or manipte me into doing bad things for him.

    Pushing those thoughts aside, I focus on the questions before me. They start out easy enough, and I think they¡¯re going by grade level, getting harder as they go along. The first few I answer quickly. It¡¯s very basic, identifying shapes and colors.

    About ten questions down is a math question. My eyes squint as I try to understand the problem. I don¡¯t even remember taking math in elementary school, and so the numbers just run together until they blur.

    Feeling frustrated, I skip that question and continue on. But theplexity of the questions keeps growing. I can feel a hot blush creeping up my chest and cheeks as I skip question after question. Soon, there aren¡¯t any I can answer. The words blur from the tears quickly filling my eyes, and I m my pencil down on the desk in annoyance.

    ¡°Selina, are you all right?¡± the teacher asks.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± My voice trails off as my mouth suddenly goes dry.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s simply for cement, so that we have a starting point for you. A baseline.¡±

    An angry tear leaks out of the corner of my eye and cascades down my burning cheek. God, I can¡¯t even remember thest time I cried over something as stupid as this, and that makes me feel even worse.

    I can¡¯t even answer a simple math question¡­or most of these questions. Constantine stole my life from me. And I never went to school past the third grade, thanks to my mother, who only pretended to home school me when I was a little girl. They kept me from having a normal childhood.

    I hate them both.

    I hate what they¡¯ve done to me.

    And I hate who I¡¯ve be because of it.

    Standing quickly, the small room fills with the screeching sound of my chair scraping against the tile floor. I grip the test in my hands and begin tearing it apart into little pieces. I don¡¯t remember being this angry before. I¡¯ve been so numb for so many years thanks to the drugs.

    It¡¯s hard to remember what real emotions, like anger, truly feel like.

    A screames from somewhere in the room. It¡¯s feral and deafening. And it takes me a moment to realize the sound ising from my own mouth.

    My vision darkens around the corners, and my hands grip the corner of the desk I was sitting at. Suddenly, I flip it over. A small sense of satisfactiones from that. But it¡¯s not enough.

    It will never be enough.

    Because I have so much repressed resentment inside of me that I¡¯ll never be able to release all of it. And I¡¯m afraid it will end up consuming me and swallowing me whole.

    Nichs

    It¡¯ste in the afternoon when I get an emergency alert on my phone. My stomach drops when I realize it¡¯s about Selina. Racing out of my room and down the hall, I run to the other side of thepound in record time.

    There¡¯s a room that we use for a makeshift school when children are staying here in thepound so that they don¡¯t fall behind in their sswork until they¡¯re returned to their families or ced into foster care.

    I can hear her angry screams filling the hallway before I even reach the door. Swinging the door open, I catch Selina just as she¡¯s flipping over a desk. Numerous desks are flipped over, and I can only assume she did that to all of them.

    The teacher stands at the front of the room, giving me a nervous nce when I barge in.

    Running over to Selina, I grab her before she can flip another desk. She fights me at first, but I force her to stop. Then, I put my hand under her chin and force her to meet my eyes. ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± I tell her. Her eyes are unfocused, and she looks so damn lost that it makes my chest ache for her. My thumb strokes her soft cheek as she slowlyes back to her senses, her eyes finally clearing as she focuses on me. ¡°Talk to me, Lina. What¡¯s going on?¡± I whisper to her.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it! I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t,¡± she says, shaking her head repeatedly.

    I give her a nod that I understand her even though I truly don¡¯t. She¡¯s clearly angry about something and taking that anger out on whatever is nearby. I¡¯ve never seen her this upset before, and clearly she needs to get some frustration out. Taking her by the hand, I pull her towards the door. ¡°Come with me,¡± I tell her.

    She digs in her heels and pulls her hand from mine. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asks warily.

    I stop and turn to her. I can see the fear in her eyes, and I hate that someone put that there. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Fuck, what if she says no? But I feel extremely relieved when she nods her head yes. ¡°Okay. Then, follow me.¡± I leave the room first, and I¡¯m pleased when I hear her right behind me on my heels. I lead her through thepound to where the gym is housed.

    Thankfully, no one is in here at this time of the day, so we have the ce to ourselves. When the door shuts behind us, I exin, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you the first time we were in here, but this room is soundproof. So if you need to yell,

    kick and scream, you can do all of that in here.¡± She arches a blonde brow at me.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just keep your emotions locked up inside, Lina. Eventually, the pressure bes too much. Luckily, I know just the right outlet for you. I¡¯m going to let you channel your anger on something positive.¡± I lead her to the side of the gym where I proceed to grab a roll of sports tape. ¡°Give me your hand,¡± I tell her.

    She hesitates but only for a second before reaching out towards me. I take her hand in mine and begin to wrap her hand and wrist with some sports tape. When I¡¯m done, I do the other until she¡¯s all nicely wrapped up and ready to go. Then, I stick two punching gloves on her hands over the tape. ¡°All set,¡± I tell her.

    Leading her to a long, heavy punching bag hanging in the corner of the room, I stand behind it and tell her, ¡°Okay, start punching.¡±

    Lina throws a right hook and then a left. I can see the tension in her muscles and know she¡¯s not letting go. Not yet anyway.

    ¡°You can imagine this bag is anyone you want to take your anger out on,¡± I remind her.

    Then, instead of the dainty punches she wasnding before, her fists be weapons, her strikes hitting harder and harder until all you can hear in the entire gym is her punching the fuck out of the bag. That¡¯s my girl.

    She cries out,shing out on the bag, and I just know she¡¯s picturing Constantine. She never got a chance to take her anger out on him before, and the release she¡¯s feeling is probably cathartic.

    Shends several more direct, harder punches until she stumbles back, panting.

    ¡°How does that feel?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Good. It feels good,¡± she says with a shaky sigh. ¡°I want to keep going.¡±

    I step back and let her do her thing, taking her anger out on the inanimate object until she¡¯s too tired to keep going. When she¡¯s finally done, I take her to sit down on a bench while I take off the gloves and unwrap the tape around her hands. I inspect them for any damage, but I don¡¯t see a mark on them.

    ¡°You cane in here and do this anytime you want,¡± I tell her, meeting her gaze. ¡°But make sure you wrap your hands and put on gloves. Otherwise, you could really injure yourself.¡±

    She gives me a nod but doesn¡¯t say a word.

    ¡°Do you want to talk about what happened earlier with the teacher?¡± I ask softly.

    Lina worries her bottom lip between her teeth. ¡°I was taking a cement test to see how much work I need to do before trying to get my GED.¡± She frowns as she tells me, ¡°I could barely get through ten questions before they got too difficult to answer.¡±

    I want to tell her that I¡¯ll help her study, that we¡¯ll get through this, but I keep my mouth shut. She doesn¡¯t need my reassurances right now. Right now she needs to vent, get all of her feelings out.

    ¡°I guess I just realized how much of my life Constantine and my mother stole from me. I never had an ordinary childhood. I never experienced the usual stuff teenagers do.¡± She looks up at me, her blue and green eyes meeting mine. ¡°The only time I ever felt normal and safe was when I lived here with you and your family. But that was so brief¡­¡± Her voice trails off as her eyes grow sad.

    ¡°Fuck the cement test,¡± I tell her, which earns me a small smile. Fuck, that little grin can light up my entire world in an instant. ¡°We can start to study every night if you want. We¡¯ll study anything and everything. And after you feel morefortable, then you can take the test again. Okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± she says, her smile growing. ¡°Could you¡­could you help me with math?¡± she asks, and I can tell she¡¯s embarrassed by asking.

    ¡°Of course! I got straight A¡¯s in math in school. Math s easy if you have me as your teacher,¡± I tell her with a wink.

    She lets out a soft giggle, and I can¡¯t believe I got a smile and augh out of her today.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Progress.

    Baby steps, just like Benito told me the other day.

    Slow and steady.

    This isn¡¯t a race when ites to Selina. This is a fucking marathon. And I¡¯m in it for the long haul. I¡¯m here for her whenever she needs me and for whatever the reason.

 75

    Nichs

    WE START OUT easy enough with math. We cover all the basics ¨C addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. And once Selina has those down pat, then we work on the tougher stuff.

    I have her doing mathematical equations during breakfast, and then I give her tests at night based on what we learned that morning. Selina passes with flying colors, of course.

    And after a few days of running through exercises and tests, she¡¯s ready to take the cement test again.

    Nervously, I pace outside of the ssroom, waiting for her to finish¡­or waiting for her to begin throwing desks again.

    But when everything remains quiet and calm inside for an hour, I¡¯m satisfied that Selina won¡¯t be having another meltdown. Not that I can even me her for acting out. Hell, if someone stole my childhood from me, I would be angry too. No, more than angry. I would be hellbent on having a murderous rage, scorching the fucking earth until no one who hurt me remained.

    Fuck, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how she really feels deep down inside. And it makes me so proud to know how strong she is. She keeps it together every single fucking day, not breaking down when so many would.

    When the door opens, I stop pacing and look up to see Selina walking out of the room. She stops in front of me, her eyes to the floor, not giving anything away. But when she raises her head and I see the smile on her lips, I know she did well, obviously much better than the first time around.

    ¡°How did it go?¡± I ask her.

    ¡°Great. Thanks to you,¡± she says. ¡°Thank you for helping me.¡±

    ¡°No problem,¡± I tell her. In all honesty, the time we¡¯ve spent together studying has been amazing. Just being close to her makes me happy, and I haven¡¯t been this happy in a long time.

    ¡°The teacher is going to grade the cement test,¡± Selina exins, ¡°and then we¡¯re going to focus my schoolwork on what my weaknesses are and go from there. She¡¯s confident I¡¯ll be able to take my GED in about a month.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Lina. And when you pass, we¡¯ll have to celebrate.¡±

    ¡°If I pass,¡± she corrects me.

    ¡°No. When you pass,¡± I say confidently.

    ¡°Okay. When I pass,¡± she counters, her smile widening. The watch on her wrist beeps, and she nces at it. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s time for my physical therapy appointment.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see youter,¡± I tell her, hating that I don¡¯t get to spend any more time with her right now and that I have to share her with someone else again. I watch her walk away, not blinking until she disappears around the corner and out of my sight.

    Some people would probably tell me to get over my little obsession I have for her, but I know that will never happen.

    Selina

    It¡¯s early in the afternoon when Dwayne and I are finishing up my physical therapy session. I feel stronger already, like I can conquer the world. And it¡¯s all thanks to Nico and his family. I was living in fear and a deep depression for so long that I forgot what it felt like to just be normal; to be content andfortable. And I do feelfortable here. I¡¯ve been to some of the most beautiful countries in the world and seen things a lot of people never get to see in their lifetimes, but I wouldn¡¯t want to be anywhere else right now.

    I think I could actually be happy here. I think this could very easily be considered home to me someday.

    ¡°So, what kind of physical activities are you into?¡± Dwayne asks, breaking me out of my thoughts. ¡°Hiking, biking, swimming, walking?¡±

    I give him a small shrug. ¡°I used to surf with Nico,¡± I suggest.

    ¡°Surfing? Oh god, you couldn¡¯t get me out on the water, but more power to you,¡± he says with a soft chuckle. ¡°Surfing is great exercise, though.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s ready for it?¡± Nico asks, causing my head to spin in his direction.

    ¡°Oh, definitely,¡± Dwayne tells him.

    I didn¡¯t even realize Nico had entered the gym, and it makes me wonder how long he¡¯s been standing there, watching us. He¡¯s wearing a tight, white t-shirt and gray sweatpants. Damn, those sweatpants should be illegal. And I can¡¯t even stop my eyes from dropping to the outline of his¡­

    ¡°What do you think, Selina?¡± he asks, snapping me out of my trance.

    My eyes immediately sh to Nico¡¯s face, and I watch as he cocks his head to the side and his lips tilt up in a knowing grin. Oh god, he just caught me staring.

    ¡°Uh,¡± I stammer as a hot blush floods my cheek. What was the question?

    Dwayne says, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t go too crazy on your first day, you should be fine, Selina.¡±

    Oh, yes, surfing. We¡¯re talking about surfing.

    ¡°You¡¯re in great shape already,¡± Dwaynements, tapping me on the leg in a friendly gesture.

    I watch Nico¡¯s eyes narrow on Dwayne, and I have to stifle a grin. Is Nico¡­jealous? I think he is. And why does a huge part of me want him to be?

    ¡°We can go surfing this afternoon if you want to, Lina,¡± Nico suggests.

    ¡°Sure. That sounds like fun,¡± I tell him with a smile.

    ¡°Great. I¡¯m sure you could borrow Aria¡¯s board. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s ever used it since Mom and Dad bought her surfing gear as a Christmas gift a few years back.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s a date,¡± Dwayne announces with a huge grin. He stands and tells us, ¡°I¡¯m going home for the day. You kids have fun!¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    We watch him leave, and then the tension that always seems to be there between Nico and I slowly begins to drift into the room, thickening the air until I find it hard to take in a full breath.

    Perhaps noticing the change, Nico clears his throat and says, ¡°I¡¯ll go get everything ready. Meet you in the driveway in twenty?¡± he suggests.

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± I say, my voice sounding throaty and hoarse like I¡¯ve been chewing on gravel.

    I watch Nico turn and walk away. And only when he¡¯s gone from the room do I feel like I can breathe again. I don¡¯t know why there¡¯s always so much tension between us, but I¡¯m going to try to remedy that. I want Nico and I to be friends. Okay, maybe more than friends. God, I don¡¯t even know what I want. But I do know I want things to just be easy and not so difficult.

    I decide to head upstairs and take a shower. Every step of the way I can¡¯t help but think about the way he looked in the gym¡­and those sweatpants hanging so low on his hips.

    Okay, so maybe a cold shower is just the thing I need.

 76

    CHAPTER27Nichs

    IT¡¯S THE OFF-SEASON, so the beach isn¡¯t crowded, save for a few guys with fishing poles and one or two surfers out in the water. Even though the air is cool, the ocean is still warm, perfect for surfing.

    I change first in the back of the van. I hop out, zipping up my wetsuit in the process while I motion for Selina to do the same. We bought her a suit at a little shop on the way. Once she¡¯s inside the van, I close the door and wait for her to change.

    Three familiar SUVs are parked not that far away from us, and I give a nod to one of the bodyguards sitting in the front seat of the closest vehicle. Can¡¯t be too careful, especially with Constantine so close and creeping around in New York City right after the funeral of his son.

    Aldo has been keeping tabs on the bastard, and everyone except me is stumped as to why he¡¯s staying in NYC. I know why he¡¯s not leaving. He¡¯s hoping to get his ws back in Selina. I can feel it deep down in my gut. Constantine doesn¡¯t like to lose, and he fucking lost the most beautiful girl in the world. He¡¯ll never get to have her again. At least not unless he¡¯s prying her from my cold, dead hands.

    The side door on the van clicks just then and Selina steps out. ¡°Uh, could you help me?¡± she asks, turning around. There is a gap in the back where she couldn¡¯t reach, so I grab the zipper and begin to pull it up. My fingertips graze her soft skin as I zip her up, and I feel her shiver from my touch. Fuck. Clearing my throat, I tell her, ¡°There. All set.¡±

    When she turns back to face me, all the breath leaves my lungs. She looks so fucking pretty like this. We used to spend so much time out here on the water, surfing,ughing and talking. God, we would talk for hours. Surfing with Lina is one of my fondest memories from my teenage years.

    ¡°Race you to the sand!¡± she calls out before grabbing her board and taking off running.

    Shit! I grab my board and take off after her. I almost forgot that we always used to race down to the beach, and whoever won got to catch the first wave. I can¡¯t believe she remembered.

    She beats me down to the sand by a few seconds, and I me it on trying to manhandle my board and her getting a head start.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯m up first,¡± she says, practically beaming.

    Chuckling, I tell her, ¡°Okay, fine.¡±

    We paddle out together into the water with our boards. The feel of the saltwater washing over me brings back memories of Selina and I surfing together. Fuck, it¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve been out here. I missed it immensely. I¡¯ve been surfing solo now and again over the past ten years, but it never felt the same. I never enjoyed it as much as I did when I was with her, so I pretty much gave it up.

    ¡°Are you good?¡± I yell to her when she starts swimming out to catch her first wave.

    When she gets to the lineup, Selina simply looks back and smiles, and I know she¡¯s got this. Hopefully surfing is just like riding a bike; something you never forget. But if she gets hurt out there, I¡¯ll lose my goddamn mind.

    ¡°Be careful!¡± I call after her, but she¡¯s too far out in the water to hear me now. I watch her swimming faster and faster until her graceful form suddenly pops up on her board and rides out a small surge. The wave wasn¡¯t spectacr, but it was special. Her first one since she¡¯s been freed.

    ¡°Your turn!¡± she says as she coasts in towards the beach and slides off her board and into the water.

    I paddle out to the lineup, waiting for the perfect wave, which is the third one. Popping up on my board, I cruise along the water, the rushing sound of the ocean almost euphoric as I use my lower body to cut my board along the wave. I¡¯m one with the ocean at that moment, and it¡¯s an amazing feeling. You feel powerful when you catch a big barreling wave; almost like you¡¯re controlling nature or just in the presence of something truly remarkable.

    ¡°Nice!¡± Selina calls out to me as Ie swimming back towards her.

    We take a few more turns catching waves, and I am growing obsessed with the smile on Selina¡¯s face. I haven¡¯t seen her smile this much since she arrived at thepound. A guy could get used to this.

    Exhausted, I paddle back to the beach and crash on the sand. I¡¯m watching Selina in the distance. She¡¯s gearing up to catch a perfect wave. The water crests, and she positions herself beautifully. But just as she begins gliding over the water, I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. Another surfer is breaking through the other end, trying to take Selina¡¯s wave. They¡¯re going to collide in the middle if they both keep going.

    Waving my hands frantically, I yell, ¡°Watch out!¡±

    But it¡¯s toote.

    The two boards hit each other, knocking both surfers off and into the water. Hard.

    Selina goes under, and I lose track of her for several seconds. With all of my strength against the waves, I swim as fast as I can out towards her. ¡°Lina! Lina!¡± I call out, searching the murky water for a sign of her blonde hair.

    Every second without her feels like a fucking eternity, and I¡¯m beside myself, wading in the water and crying out her name.

    Finally, she breaks through the surface, gasping for air. I swim over to her, dragging my board, which is still attached to my ankle by the leash, behind me, and gather her in my arms. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask, checking her head for injuries.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she tells me, her eyes wide with lingering fear.

    I know that probably scared the hell out of her. It scared the hell out of me too. I pull her close, holding her to me. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re okay,¡± I tell her. ¡°Can you swim back to shore with me?¡± I ask.

    She gives me an unsteady nod.

    On the way back, I see the surfer who crashed into hering out of the water. ¡°She had the right of way, dickhead!¡± I call out to him.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sorry, man! Didn¡¯t see her!¡± he calls back with his hands up in apology.

    Muttering curses under my breath, I try to calm myself down. He¡¯s lucky we¡¯re on a public beach with witnesses. He might be losing a limb¡­or two if we were somewhere private. Hell, if I had my gun right now, I¡¯d shoot the bastard right between the eyes. Looking up at the parking lot, I start to wonder if I can get a gun from one of the guards and make it back here in time.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Nico. I¡¯m fine,¡± Selina says, grabbing my face in her hands and forcing me to look at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not hurt.¡±

    I stare into her blue and green eyes as my anger slowly begins to recede. ¡°That guy would be dead right now if you were hurt,¡± I confess to her fervently.

    My words seem to affect her, but I can¡¯t read the expression on her face. ¡°Just forget about him,¡± she whispers before lowering her hands. And, fuck, if I don¡¯t miss her touch already. ¡°I had fun. Even when I thought I was dying,¡± she says with a grin.

    I grimace at her words and then a dark chuckle erupts deep inside my chest. ¡°You really are a little daredevil,¡± I tell her. ¡°First with the car and now with this.¡± I¡¯m starting to think she might enjoy the thrill a little too much. Fuck, I feel as if I aged ten years between today and the day she learned how to drive.

    A sly grin slides onto her pretty face. Then she surprises the hell out of me by saying, ¡°Give me, like, five minutes, and then we can go out again.¡±

    ¡°You want to¡­go out again?¡± I ask,pletely positive that I didn¡¯t hear her right somehow.

    ¡°Yeah, we still have a few hours before the sun sets,¡± she says. ¡°We always used to stay until sunset, remember?¡±

    I nod slowly. Of course I remember. We would watch the sunset on the beach together after we spent hours surfing. Those days were some of the most magical moments of my life.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I tell her. ¡°We¡¯ll keep going if you feel up to it.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± she says with a smile that lights up my whole fucking world.

    I keep forgetting how strong my girl is. She¡¯s been through hell twice and back and fucking survived. Not many can say that.

    We spend the rest of the afternoon riding wave after wave until we¡¯re both too tired to go back in the water. And when we watch the sun setting across the ocean, it feels like my life is finallyplete and full of something other than despair, tragedy¡­and longing.

    It¡¯s when we¡¯re climbing back in the van that I get an eerie feeling, like she¡¯s going to disappear again. The thought of her being ripped from my arms again has my chest aching and my stomach tying up in knots. I try to shake off the feeling, because I know if anyone tries to take her from me again, I will hunt them down and kill them with my own fucking bare hands.

    Selina and I deserve some happiness in our lives. And I¡¯m only happy when I¡¯m with her. I just hope someday she feels the same way.

 77

    CHAPTER28Nichs

    ALDO ALERTS US early Saturday morning about a possible human trafficking situation not too far from here, and I make my way down into the control room. Thousands of servers line two of the walls in the back. There are severalputer stations with multiple monitors, jammers, and all the other high-tech equipment and hardware that our resident hackers need to help us on our quest to hunt down the bad guys and bring them to justice.

    Not that we aren¡¯t bad guys too in our own right. We are just doing some good to help bnce out some of the bad.

    I go to where Aldo is seated in front of five monitors. His skin is pale and his eyes look bloodshot behind his sses. I would tell him he needs to get out more, but we both know he has no interest in the outside world. Aldo has been a loner for as long as I¡¯ve known him. My dad hired him when he was young, probably around the age I am now. And he¡¯s been a real asset to the team in bringing down the seedy criminals who deal in the flesh trade while simultaneously protecting everyone staying here along with my family.

    My father may have several drug rings and do his fair share of gunrunning, but he would never sell a human being for profit. That¡¯s where he draws the line. That¡¯s where we all draw the line. And since the bastards get away with selling young women and children more often than not, we have made it our lives¡¯ work to stop as many of them as we can. The government certainly can¡¯t stop them, and the police are usually being paid off to look the other way. So someone has to step up and bring these bastards down.

    ¡°What did you find?¡± I ask, taking a seat next to Aldo.

    He runs a hand through his dark hair before he begins typing so fast I lose track of the movement of his fingers. ¡°One of our drones caught some suspicious activity in this old, abandoned hospital. It¡¯s supposed to be empty and guarded, but it looks like it might be holding girls until their next shipment. Perhaps whoever is doing this paid off the regr security guard to keep quiet about it.¡±

    I stare at one of the monitors while he brings up feed from one of the drones. That¡¯s the great thing about technology. You can have eyes everywhere and all at once. It¡¯s crazy how the world is evolving so quickly. You just gotta try and keep up, and Aldo is always on top of thetest technological advances and gadgets.

    At first, there¡¯s just grainy footage. But with a few keystrokes, Aldo has the video enhanced and zoomed in. Some big, bald guy is dragging a couple of young women into the decrepit building with boarded up windows. When the man emerges again, he locks the door behind him and leaves in a ck, nondescript van.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to send in a drone with infrared sensors to see how many heat signatures we can pick up inside. Most of the hospital is made of thick concrete and brick, so we probably won¡¯t get an exact number,¡± he exins.

    ¡°But it¡¯s better than nothing.¡± And better than going in blind and risk being ambushed, I think to myself.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± he agrees. ¡°We¡¯ll know a lot more in about twenty minutes or so,¡± he tells me.

    Just then, the door to the control room opens and in walks my father. While Aldo does his thing, I decide to fill my dad in on what¡¯s going on.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for the thermal info before we do anything,¡± My dad suggests after I¡¯m done talking.

    ¡°I want to lead the team,¡± I tell him confidently.

    He hesitates, his gray eyes pinning my own. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re in the right headspace right now, Nico. You know, with everything happening with Selina.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be good for me to get out and do this,¡± I offer.

    My father considers it for several seconds before giving me the go ahead. I¡¯ve watched him lead a hundred different teams before, and now it¡¯s my turn. I know what is expected of me, and I know the danger that¡¯s involved. Extraction of these women won¡¯t be easy, by any means; and there¡¯s a good chance that someone will end up hurt¡­or worse.

    But the reward always outweighs the risk. We¡¯re saving innocent lives. Nothing can surpass that.

    The abandoned hospital sits on the western end of the Rockaway penins in Queens. The beach that the hospital fronts is dead at this time of night, so we drive right over the sand and to one of the side gates with our vehicles packed full of our best men and enough firepower to take down whatever and whoever we find inside.

    The fence is easily breeched; and once we¡¯re inside, all is quiet. Everyone knows what is expected of them from this point forward. We always n ahead for every possible situation and oue. But no matter how hard you prepare; something is always bound to go awry. I just hope that tonight is not one of those times.

    Aldo sends me a text the moment we are inside the fence. I can faintly hear the drone above us, so I know he¡¯s searching for any potential hazards in the area as well as scanning for how many bodies are inside the hospital.

    His text reads: At least eight inside.

    Most of them are going to be helpless, scared women. But we won¡¯t know how many guards are here until we get in the building.

    I hold up eight fingers, signaling the number of people to everyone before I motion for us to get ready to move in. Aldo didn¡¯t spot any motion detection cameras stationed anywhere on the property, so we have the element of surprise on our side. These fuckers won¡¯t know what hit them until it¡¯s toote.

    I grab my Glock from behind my back and hold it steady in my right hand before we move to the back door of the main building.

    Miner takes the lead, standing in front of the old, rusted door with his gun cocked. I¡¯ve known Lance Miner since I was a teenager. He¡¯s a huge guy, ex-military and a total bad ass. He lives for missions like this. After his sister was sold into human trafficking and murdered, he dedicated his life to protect girls just like her. That¡¯s how he came under the employ of my father.

    We became instant friends. Both of us were affected by the flesh trade when someone we loved was taken, and it changed our outlook on life. It changed us more than we let on. And tonight, he is the perfect person to lead this mission with me.

    I hold up my fingers, counting down silently to my team.

    Three¡­

    Two¡­

    One¡­

    And after that, Miner kicks in the door and pushes through as he makes his way into the abandoned hospital.

    The breach didn¡¯t seem to trigger any rms, and we move silently through the dark hallway towards a light source and faint voices.

    The closer we get, the louder the cries and voices grow.

    ¡°Please!¡± a woman calls out before I hear something that sounds like a fist hitting flesh.

    The loud, tortured cry that follows the hit has my feet moving faster. The group moves with me fluidly like we¡¯re one entity. Our footsteps are silent. Our breathing is steady and slow.

    When we reach the end of the hall, there is arge open room that looks like it used to be a waiting room. From our point of view, we can see two guards surrounding six women, who are tied to various chairs in the room. One of the guards is currently assaulting one of the girls, who is crying hysterically.

    And when he raises his hand to strike her again, I take the shot without even second-guessing my decision.

    The man¡¯s hand explodes in mid-air, and he screams out in agony. He reaches for a gun with his other hand, but it¡¯s toote. Miner is already on him, tackling him down to the ground.

    My men take out the other man before he even has a chance to react. Two of them haul him outside, getting him away from the women.

    ¡°We need bolt cutters,¡± Miner urgently requests from one of our men, who is carrying a backpack of tools. We didn¡¯t know what we would need, so we packed all the essentials.

    When Samson hands Miner the bolt cutters, he begins working on the chains around one of the women who is bound to a chair near him.

    The man whose hand was blown off begins to bellow in distress from the corner of the room. ¡°Shut him the fuck up,¡± I tell Samson, who in turns drives the butt of his gun into the man¡¯s face, effectively knocking him out cold.

    The only sounds filtering through the room now are some muted cries from the women and the chains rattling as they¡¯re unceremoniously cut off. We work on freeing three of the women who look to be in bad shape, much worse than the others. Several of us carefully carry them out to an awaiting van while the others are left in the room momentarily.

    Once the three women are safely in the van, Miner offers, ¡°I¡¯ll go back in and secure the rest of the women.¡±

    I give him a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a minute. Be careful,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°Always,¡± he says to me before disappearing into the dark building.

    I¡¯m sending a status update to Aldo on my phone when loud cackling from my right catches my attention. One of the men we captured is grinning andughing, almost in full hysterics now as one of my guards searches his pants pockets.

    ¡°What the fuck are youughing about?¡± I growl at him, taking a few steps closer.

    That¡¯s when I see the man raise his hand. I only have a split second to react when I see the detonator tightly grasped in his palm. ¡°Miner!¡± I scream, but it¡¯s toote.

    There is a faint beeping sound before the entire building trembles and explodes, erupting into smoke and fire. The st hits me, knocking me off my feet and throwing me into the side of the van where the women are. I vaguely hear their terrified screams as I fall to my hands and knees, the wind knocked out of my lungs.

    Quickly, I try to recover and gather my wits. ncing over at my men, I see that all of them are lying on the ground, but they all seem to be alive. My head is still spinning as I stand, and I quickly assess my body for damage. When I find no visible wounds, I run into the rubble that used to be the hospital. ¡°Miner!¡± I call out, hoping to hear a response.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Someone follows behind me with a shlight, the beam of light reflecting off the carnage. The three women are dead, their lifeless bodies covered in blood.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I grind out.

    I hear someone grunting in pain, and I turn to see Miner under some rubble, his legs pinned and his chest moving in a weird rhythm as he stares up at the ceiling with wide eyes.

    Kneeling down by his side, he reaches out for me, and I grip his hand in mine, holding it tightly. ¡°You¡¯re gonna be okay,¡± I grind out, but even I know his chances of leaving this ce are not good.

    His breathing is ragged and panicked. I can see fear in his eyes for the first time ever. He was always so damn strong and confident. His brown eyes slowly find my face and momentarily focus. ¡°Take care¡­of my mom,¡± he tells me as blood trickles from his mouth.

    ¡°I will,¡± I give him my word.

    He takes onest long gasp, and then his eyes go unfocused, the life slowly filtering out of them, and I know he¡¯s gone.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I hiss out between clenched teeth before reluctantly releasing his hand. Even though I know they¡¯re dead, I go to each of the women and check them for a pulse. I don¡¯t find a single heartbeat.

    I¡¯m covered in my friend¡¯s blood when I finally emerge from the hospital.

    ¡°Miner?¡± someone asks.

    I shake my head solemnly. ¡°Didn¡¯t make it. Neither did the rest of the women.¡± I swallow hard. That is a jagged fucking pill to swallow. Not only did I lose my friend, but I also lost three innocent women I was in charge of protecting. They thought they were safe, and I let them down. They deserved so much better than this.

    My hands curl into fists at my sides as I nce around, looking for one person in particr. And when my searches up empty, I can feel my blood fucking boiling inside my veins. ¡°Where is the man with the detonator?¡± I demand in a sneer.

    ¡°He escaped during the explosion,¡± one of my men tell me, unable to even look me in the fucking eye.

    ¡°Find him,¡± I tell several of the guards. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare fuckinge back to thepound without him.¡±

    I get a few affirmative nods before four of them take off running behind the building and two get in vehicles, the tires squealing as they fly down the road.

    I hear sirens in the distance, and I know we have to move. The women that survived are our only concern now. I can¡¯t turn back time. I can¡¯t take back what was. I can¡¯t change anything. The only thing I can do now is move on and survive and make sure these women are okay.

    We pack everything up and get in the van. I tell the driver, ¡°Nearest hospital. Hurry!¡±

    Once I make sure the women are safe at the hospital, then I¡¯ll return home. I don¡¯t know how to deal with what happened tonight. I¡¯m so used to violence and death that it doesn¡¯t affect me as it once did; but Miner was a close friend of mine, and those women were innocent. This means more to me. Their deaths require vengeance. And I want to be the grim fucking reaper that brings them justice.

 78

    Selina

    IT¡¯S LATE WHEN we get word that Nico and his men are on their way back to thepound. I¡¯ve been holed up in my room all night with nothing but my nervous anticipation the only thing keeping mepany. I worried for hours about so many things ¨C about Nico risking his life for those poor women he was so desperate to save; and about the fact that he could be vulnerable from an attack from Constantine.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Even though I¡¯ve kept my distance from Nico and made it some kind of mission to not taint him, I can¡¯t help my feelings for him. I loved him once. Maybe I can love him again. Sometimes I think I don¡¯t even know what love is anymore. The world has been cruel and unfair and full of monsters.

    And a huge part of me thinks that he deserves better than what I can offer him. He deserves to be happy and with someone normal.

    Sighing, I untuck my knees from my chest at the first sound of footsteps in the hall. My heartbeat stutters with every step. But when Nico passes by my open door without so much as a nce inside, the grin I had stered on my face instantly falls.

    Moving before I can even second-guess my decision, I follow him into his bedroom. He¡¯s standing in the middle of the room, unmoving, barely breathing, and I know something is horribly wrong.

    ¡°Nico?¡± I whisper his name before stepping around him to see his face.

    The first thing I notice is the blood. He¡¯s covered in blood. My entire world starts to tilt on its axis, sending me into a tailspin as the memory of me drenched in their bloodes rushing back.

    No, no, no, no.

    I can¡¯t allow myself to break down right now. I need to help him. Yes, I must focus on that and only that one thing right now.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± I ask, my voice breaking.

    He gives me an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

    Okay, so it¡¯s not his blood. I swallow hard as I finally meet his eyes. The nk, distant look I see reflected in them scares me. He obviously had something terrible happen to him tonight.

    Taking his hand in mine, I pull him towards me. He resists at first until I whisper, ¡°Please, Nico.¡± He finally relents, his feet moving slowly across the hardwood floor as I lead him to his en-suite bathroom.

    Tears fill my eyes as I slowly undress him, the blood making his clothes sticky and crunchy. When he¡¯spletely naked, I go over to the shower and turn on the faucet, testing the water to make sure it¡¯s hot enough before I go back and coax him inside the stall.

    Leaving him under the spray of water, I take off my clothes, piling them on the floor beside his before joining him in therge walk-in shower.

    The water is tinged red from the blood as I gently wash his hands first. He stares down at the copper-colored water swirling in the drain, and I whisper to him, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m here with you. I¡¯m right here.¡±

    God, I wish I would have had someone back then to take care of me after Constantine made me wear the blood of the family he murdered like some kind of fucked-up trophy and grim reminder of what happened. I didn¡¯t have Nico back then, but he has me here now. And I¡¯m going to help him through this.

    I grab the bottle of shampoo from a recessed shelf and squirt some in my hands beforethering up his hair. I scrub his scalp gently, and he closes his eyes.

    I help him rinse his hair then, wiping the water from his face. His gray eyes blink open and focus on me then. ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­I couldn¡¯t save them,¡± he says, his voice just above a whisper, so soft I almost don¡¯t hear it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did everything you could,¡± I tell him even though I don¡¯t know the whole story. All I have to go on is the devastated look on his face, and that¡¯s enough for now. I know he tried his best even without him telling me anything.

    ¡°There was a bomb,¡± he says, and my heart skips a beat. ¡°Miner went back in. I let him go back in.¡± He shakes his head and squeezes his eyes shut. ¡°I should have gone back in. It should have been me, not him.¡±

    I grab his face in my hands and force him to look at me. ¡°No, Nico. Then you would be dead.¡± I can¡¯t even imagine a world without Nico in it. In fact, the thought terrifies me so much that I find myself shaking under the hot water. It might as well be ice cold on my skin.

    Nico doesn¡¯t speak any more while I continue to wash him until every speck of blood is gone. When we¡¯re done, I pull him from the shower and dry him off first before myself.

    I wrap a towel around my body and grab his hand, leading him into his bedroom. He¡¯s so despondent, it¡¯s scary. I¡¯ve never seen Nico this way before.

    Pulling back the nkets on his bed, I coax him under them before covering him up. And then I go to the other side and crawl under with him. He rolls over onto his side, facing away from me, and I curl up against his back, wrapping my arms around him and holding him. He¡¯s tense at first, his muscles bunching up from my touch, but they slowly start to rx when he realizes I¡¯m not going anywhere.

    ¡°Try to sleep,¡± I whisper into the darkness. I know it will be hard, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s mentally exhausted after what he went through tonight.

    It takes hours, but I finally feel his breathing even out. And only when I¡¯m sure he¡¯s asleep do I allow myself to drift off too.

 79

    CHAPTER30Nichs

    I WAKE UP the next morning alone. Selina is nowhere to be found in my room, and it almost seems like it was all a dream. But I specifically remember her making me shower before putting me to bed and curling up behind me. Feeling her arms around me made me feel so good¡­and loved. And after everything that happened, she somehow knew exactly what I needed.

    Just then my door opens, and my dream girl walks in with a tray full of breakfast food. ¡°Good morning,¡± she says, her soft, pink lips teased into a little grin. ¡°I figured we could eat breakfast in your room.¡±

    She sets the tray down at the foot of the bed and watches me carefully. She sets a ss of orange juice on the nightstand beside me, and I reach out and grab her hand. ¡°Thank you forst night,¡± I tell her vehemently.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± she says, ying it off before slowly pulling away and wringing her hands nervously in front of her.

    ¡°Yes, it is, Lina.¡±

    ¡°You would have done the same thing for me back then if you could have,¡± she says with a small shrug.

    Her words hit me like a thousand bricks. Back then, when Constantine murdered that family in front of her. Oh fuck, no wonder she knew just what I needed. She went through the same fucking thing almost. Except she was all alone.

    I throw the nkets off and curse when I realize I¡¯m naked. Walking over to my dresser, I slip on a pair of boxer briefs and sweats before returning to the bed where she¡¯s currently sitting.

    She picks up a croissant and tears it apart with her delicate fingers as she eats it slowly. I stare at the food and a part of me wonders if I can even eat. Afterst night, I feel like my world has been turned upside down. We lost one of our best men, and those poor women¡­

    Fuck.

    I squeeze my eyes shut.

    I feel Lina¡¯s hand over mine, bringing me out of my torturous thoughts. And when I open my eyes, she¡¯s staring at me with a worried expression on her face.

    ¡°Your mother talked to me this morning aboutst night,¡± she says softly. ¡°None of what happened is your fault,¡± she tells me fervently.

    Slowly, I nod my head, but I don¡¯t know if I totally feel that way. I was leading the team, so technically everything that happens falls on me. None of us could have predicted that oue, however. Not even Aldo detected the danger, and he¡¯s usually on top of everything. He¡¯s probably ming himself even more than I am at this point.

    ¡°Here,¡± she says. I look down at the fresh croissant in her other hand as she waves it towards me. ¡°Please eat.¡±

    I take it and bite off a chunk before chewing and swallowing. After Lina finishes hers, I watch her stand and walk to one of the windows. She perches on the ledge and stares outside, closing her eyes now and then, and I wish I could crawl into her mind right now. I want to know all of her thoughts and feelings, her secrets. I desperately want to be able to figure her out.

    I take a few swigs of orange juice and pick at the rest of the breakfast tray before giving up. I¡¯m just not hungry, but I think I ate enough to pacify Lina. When I focus my attention back on her, she¡¯s not at the window anymore, but instead looking at a small charcoal drawing in a frame on the wall. That was the first drawing I did after she was taken.

    ¡°Is this¡­me?¡± she questions.

    I try to gauge her reaction before I answer, but she gives me absolutely nothing as she turns her head and blinks at me. ¡°Yes,¡± I finally tell her.

    ¡°Do you have any more?¡± she asks.

    Swallowing hard, I give her a nod.

    ¡°Show me.¡±

    Standing, I walk out of the room. I hear her soft footfalls behind me, so I continue down the hall. I set up my studio in this wing years ago. It was my mother¡¯s idea really. I think we both knew how therapeutic it was for me after Selina was taken.

    I open the door and allow Selina to walk in first. I hear her small gasp and inwardly cringe. Fuck, I hope she doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m some sort of creep.

    Walking in behind her, I try to imagine the room through her eyes.

    Hundreds of sketches and charcoal drawings, even paintings of her face are scattered through the small space. Most of them are from when she was younger. Some of them are what I imagined she would look like as she grew older. She¡¯s beautiful, but the paintings don¡¯t hold a candle to the real thing. Lina is so much more stunning in real life.

    ¡°I tried to imagine what you would look like as you aged alongside of me,¡± I exin to her. My hand rubs the back of my neck nervously as I wait for her to say something¡­anything.

    She takes her time, walking through the room and looking at each and every drawing and painting. Not all of them are of her face, though. No, some are of animals,ndscapes, or ocean waves at sunset. ¡°Nico, these are¡­incredible,¡± she finally says.

    It feels like I can suddenly breathe again, and I blow out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell her.

    ¡°May I ask why you painted so many portraits of me?¡±

    I hesitate before answering. ¡°It¡¯s because I missed you so much, Lina. And I¡­I didn¡¯t want to ever forget you.¡± My mom only managed to take a few photos of Selina while she lived here, but the photos weren¡¯t enough. I needed more. And painting her made her seem more real. Sometimes it felt like she was only a dream while she was here.

    She turns to me as I walk over to her. I stare down at her beautiful face. ¡°When you disappeared, I wanted your memory to live on, not only with me but with everyone who saw my art. I never wanted the world to forget how wonderful you were and how special you were to me.¡±

    Tears fill her pretty eyes as she stares up at me. Before I can stop myself, I cup her soft cheek with the palm of my hand. My thumb slowly caresses her bottom lip. It¡¯s so soft and delicate. Fuck, I want to kiss her. I¡¯m so fucking desperate to kiss her, to touch her. But I need her permission first. I don¡¯t want to ever just take anything from her. And even more than that, I want her to trust me enough to give me her consent.

    It feels like a strong maic pull unlike anything I¡¯ve ever felt before bringing us closer as she rises up on her tiptoes, her mouth so close to mine that I can feel her breath on my lips. Just as her mouth gently brushes against mine, my phone rings, ruining the moment. And as if we were both caught in some sort of trance, which suddenly broke, she goes back down on her heels and takes a step back, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± I mutter quickly. Cursing, I pull my phone out of my pocket and answer it. I listen to my father on the other end of the call.

    ¡°Nico, meet us in the basement. We found the man responsible for the bombst night.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± I tell him before ending the call. Turning to Selina, I frown. She looks so damn beautiful it physically hurts. ¡°I have to go.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she tells me with a forced smile. I can tell she was just as affected by our intimate contact as I was. ¡°Is it all right if I stay here a little while longer?¡± she asks, surprising me.

    ¡°Sure. You can stay as long as you¡¯d like.¡± With onest look at her, I turn and leave. I hate to leave her alone right now after the moment we just shared, but a more pressing matter is present now. All of the pent-up anger I¡¯ve been having as ofte is about to be released¡­and I can¡¯t wait to get my revenge.

 80

    CHAPTER31Nichs

    BELOW THE CONTROL room is a deeper, darker, soundproofed basement that my father had created for his ¡°extracurricr¡± activities. As soon as I open the hatch for the stairs, I can hear a man screaming. A satisfied grin appears on my face as I go down the steps, taking my time and relishing in the sounds of a man getting his justice.

    There are a few separate concrete rooms with a drain in the center of each. It makes cleanup a little easier with being able to hose down the blood¡­and other stuff. When I round the corner, I see that Benito and my father are in the room with the man. I move my head from side to side, cracking my neck, ready to take over. My father narrows his eyes on me when I walk in, but he knows I¡¯m old enough for this shit. I don¡¯t let them baby me like they do with Aria. This isn¡¯t my first time dealing with scum, and it certainly won¡¯t be myst.

    ¡°Has he talked yet?¡± I ask my father, who, in turn, shakes his head.

    ¡°Your mother and I are going to the hospital to check on the surviving women. We¡¯ll be backter.¡± He sps a hand on my shoulder and gives it a strong squeeze. He doesn¡¯t say another word, but I know he¡¯s silently asking me to get the information we want¡­no matter what needs to happen.

    Once he leaves, I turn to the guy, who is strung up in the center of the room. His pale skin is covered in a sheen of sweat, and his eyes dart around the room anxiously.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    I go over to the corner of the room where all of my usual instruments are. I select a pair of rusty pliers first before returning to our captive. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I ask him.

    ¡°Trey,¡± he offers easily enough through chattering teeth.

    ¡°Well, Trey, it looks like you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together down here,¡± I tell him nonchntly before I reach for one of his feet. The sickening sound of his toenail being ripped off by the pliers numbs my soul as he unleashes a horrendous scream. ¡°What we need from you is simple,¡± I tell him before ripping off another nail. ¡°We want to know who you work for. We want to know the location of their operations, and we want to know anything else you feel obligated to tell us.¡± I stare him in the eye as I grip another toenail in the pliers. ¡°And I will keep going until I get all of the above information.¡±

    ¡°Please!¡± he begs as I tear off another toenail.

    Once all five are gone, I start on the other foot. It bes a methodical process now, and I tune out his screams until I¡¯m finished with both feet.

    Returning the pliers to the table, I search the instruments of torture for something that will make him squeal. My eyesnd on an object that always worked in the past, and mind made up, I pick it up.

    The electric drill whirls, therge masonry drill bit spinning wildly when I push the button and turn to Trey whose eyes widen.

    ¡°No, man. No, no, no, no. Please!¡± he begs as I step closer to him.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be like this, Trey,¡± I tell him simply. ¡°Tell me who you work for, and this can all be over quickly.¡±

    Trey trembles all over, his body violently shaking as his bloody toes drag across the concrete floor. ¡°I can¡¯t! He¡¯ll kill me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± I tell him through gritted teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t think you fully understand your predicament here, Trey.¡±

    He shakes his head back and forth vehemently. He¡¯s not ready to talk yet. But he will be. Soon.

    The drill whirs, and I choose his thigh to start inflicting the damage. If he begins to bleed out too much, we can always cut off limbs and cauterize them to stop the bleeding. I wouldn¡¯t want his life ending too soon¡­or too easily. And I will not let him perish before I get everything I want out of this man.

    Therge drill bit digs into his meaty thigh, and he cries out in anguish as it goes straight down to the bone.

    I¡¯m quick and precise as I drill a few more gaping holes into his body. And when Trey¡¯s screams suddenly stop, I realize he passed out.

    ¡°Throw some water on him,¡± I tell Benito, who nods at my request. ¡°I want Trey awake for every fucking minute of this.¡±

    He¡¯s going to suffer until I get what I want. And then I¡¯m going to torture him even after that, because I know that¡¯s what Miner would have done for me had it been the other way around.

    Selina is waiting in the hallway for me, surprising the fuck out of me. It¡¯s well after midnight, and she should have been sound asleep in her bed. She¡¯s perched on the edge of a chair, which she must have dragged into the hall, with a worried look on her face. I¡¯ve been gone for hours¡­or, hell, maybe even a whole day or more. I don¡¯t know for sure. Without any windows or clocks, it¡¯s easy to lose track of time down there.

    ¡°Who¡­whose blood is that?¡± she questions with a concerned look on her face.

    Fuck, that¡¯s twice now she¡¯s seen me covered in someone else¡¯s blood. I know it brings back bad memories for her, but I honestly thought she¡¯d be in bed by now. I didn¡¯t think I would even see her on the way back to my room, but she must have decided to wait for me. And I don¡¯t even know how I feel about that in this moment. I¡¯m still shaken up, still angry¡­still everything other than what I should be in her presence.

    ¡°Go to bed, Lina,¡± I growl at her. I¡¯m not in the mood to pacify her right now. Adrenaline is still rushing through my body after I just killed a man. And even though he suffered greatly, I still feel like his death was too merciful, too quick. My revenge hasn¡¯t been sated, and it courses through my veins like poison. I¡¯m still full of anger and hate, and I refuse to take any of those emotions out on her. She doesn¡¯t fucking deserve that.

    ¡°Nico, wait.¡± She chases me down the hall and stops me before I can make it to my bedroom door. ¡°Don¡¯t shut me out,¡± she pleads.

    ¡°I¡¯m not shutting you out,¡± I tell her with a sigh. Closing my eyes, I grit out, ¡°I just want to take a shower and go the fuck to bed.¡±

    ¡°Did you murder the man who killed those women and your friend?¡± she questions in a whisper.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I growl without an ounce of remorse for his death. And then I open my eyes and focus on her beautiful face. ¡°Even though I do some good things in my life, Lina, I¡¯m still the bad guy. Never forget that,¡± I tell her before pushing past her into my room.

    She doesn¡¯t follow me into the bathroom, and for that I¡¯m grateful. I shower quickly and thoroughly, scrubbing off the dead man¡¯s blood from my skin. He was hard to crack, but everyone cracks eventually in the end. When you realize you have nothing left to lose and feel your life slipping away before your eyes, then the skeletons hiding in your closet begin to slowly pour out of your fucking soul.

    We got the information we needed. With Constantine Carbone really no longer a threat here in New York since he started his affairs overseas, there is a new, up-anding mob boss dipping his toes into the flesh trade waters. We¡¯re sending one of his men back to him in pieces as a message that we¡¯re not going to tolerate this shit in our city. We¡¯re cutting the head off the fucking snake before it can slither its way into the dark underground and try to establish a good, solid position before striking.

    I¡¯ve made it my mission in life to save girls like Selina from the monsters in this world, and I¡¯ll be damned if anyone deals in human trafficking in this city while I¡¯m living and breathing.

    While I was hard at work making that man suffer, we got word that the girls at the hospital are now all in stable condition. That almost makes all of this horror show worth it, but then I think about the ones we couldn¡¯t save, and Miner. They shouldn¡¯t have died like that. I should have been able to save them all. I was head of that team, so the responsibility of their wellbeing falls on my shoulders. It¡¯s my fucking fault, and I will carry the burden of their untimely deaths for the rest of my life.

    When I¡¯m done showering, I climb out, dry off and wrap a towel around my waist. Selina is standing in my bedroom, waiting.

    I¡¯m about to open my mouth to tell her to go back to bed, but she quickly asks, ¡°Did that man suffer before you killed him?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I tell her simply. ¡°He suffered¡­immensely,¡± I say with a sickening satisfaction that I gave some semnce of justice to the innocent people he killed.

    ¡°Good,¡± she responds, surprising the hell out of me. Coming closer until she¡¯s standing right in front of me, she leans up on her tiptoes and ces a soft kiss on my cheek. ¡°You did good, Nico,¡± she tells me before leaving my room.

    I release a breath I didn¡¯t know I was holding, still reeling from the touch of her lips against my skin. For some reason, having Selina¡¯s affirmation makes me feel better, even if only minutely. I wanted to save them all, but what¡¯s done is done. At least I can help the ones that survived. We can give them a better life, a future. And for that, I am grateful. And because of Selina, it feels like a great weight has been lifted off my chest and that I can breathe again.

    Lina always did have that effect on me ¨C even on the darkest of days, she would be the tiny ray of sunshine that I needed to make it through. She¡¯s like this beacon of light guiding me home even when I¡¯m feeling so far gone and lost that I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever make it back on my own.

 81

    CHAPTER32Selina

    A FEW DAYS after the rescue mission went awry, Mrs. Vitale suggested that I go to the hospital with her to speak to the three women who survived. I was reluctant at first, but I ultimately agreed to go. I don¡¯t know how well I¡¯ll be able to help anyone, considering I can barely help myself most days, but I just can¡¯t say no to Nico¡¯s family after all they¡¯ve done for me. If Verona Vitale wanted me to jump off a bridge, I would probably do it because I owe them so much. I feel indebted to them. I truly owe them my life. And since she¡¯s not asking me to do something impossible or dangerous, I can, at the very least, do this for her.

    Two of the women are being housed in a room together on the tenth floor of the hospital while another is still in the ICU. The elevator ride is quiet, and I nce over at Nico several times. He insisted oning, and I feel a bit calmer knowing he¡¯s here with me. He¡¯s wearing a dark blue tailored suit, and he looks devastatingly handsome.

    Reaching out, I grab his hand, and the reassuring squeeze I feel in response gives me all the strength I need to get through today. ¡°You¡¯ve got this,¡± he tells me, his lips tilting up.

    Verona went on ahead of us to the tenth floor, wanting to speak with the two women first while Nico and I go to the ICU on the fourth.

    ¡°The woman in the ICU suffered longer and endured a lot more than the others,¡± Nico exins to me. I can see now why Verona wanted me to speak with her specifically. ¡°Her name is Lauren. She¡¯s currently under twenty-four-seven surveince in a room, because she keeps trying to harm herself.¡±

    I cringe at his words. Lauren clearly doesn¡¯t want to be in this world any longer. I can rte with that feeling all too well, and it takes me back to a time when I was in that kind of desperate state. I never want to feel like that again, I think to myself as a shudder runs through me.

    ¡°If you¡¯re ufortable, you know you don¡¯t have to do this, Lina,¡± Nico assures me.

    But I refuse to let my dark, painful memories drag me down into a deep pit of despair. Instead, I square my shoulders, hold my head up high and tell him, ¡°I want to talk to her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± he says with a smile.

    The elevator beeps, and the doors slowly open up to the fourth floor. We step out together, and I grip Nico¡¯s hand even tighter in mine, not wanting to let go. I need his strength right now to get me through this. Dealing with Lauren¡¯s trauma will no doubt bring my own memories roaring back to life.

    We walk down the hall and stop in front of the room that Lauren is currently in. Nico turns to me. ¡°You can do this,¡± he tells me confidently before pulling me close and cing a kiss on my forehead, his hands flexing at my waist as he holds me.

    My breath catches in my throat. He¡¯s so close, but I want to pull him impossibly closer, crawl inside of him and never leave. If I¡¯ve learned anything over the past several weeks I¡¯ve been free from Constantine, it¡¯s that Nico is the only man I have ever trusted and probably the only one I ever will.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right down the hall if you need me,¡± he says before slowly releasing me and walking away.

    Taking several deep breaths, I steel my nerves before I gently knock on the doorframe and then proceed into the room. I take note of the security camera mounted to the ceiling, watching Lauren¡¯s every move. Right now she¡¯s lying in bed, staring out the window. Her curly brown hair is up in a messy ponytail, and she looks thin, malnourished. She¡¯s breathing so shallowly that for a moment I think she might not even be taking air into her lungs.

    ¡°Hello,¡± I say softly, not wanting to spook her just in case she didn¡¯t hear my knock. ¡°My name is Selina.¡±

    ¡°They told me you wereing to talk to me today,¡± she utters.

    ¡°What else did they tell you?¡± I ask, curiosity getting the better of me.

    ¡°They said you would understand what I¡¯m going through.¡± She turns to me then, and I stare at the bruises littering her pretty face. I school my features quickly and move a little closer before taking a seat near her bed. ¡°Do you?¡± she asks.

    ¡°Yes. I know exactly what you are going through right now,¡± I tell her honestly. ¡°I was held captive for ten years by a human trafficker who bought me,¡± I confess. God, when I say those words out loud, it sounds crazy, but that is my story. I¡¯m just grateful I can talk about it in the past tense now.

    ¡°Ten years,¡± she says in astonishment. ¡°I was only gone for six or seven months. I can¡¯t even imagine that long,¡± she says with a shake of her head. ¡°So you do understand,¡± she says with finality, like maybe she initially thought I wouldn¡¯t. I get where she¡¯sing from. Not many women have been in our shoes.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to talk or just to listen,¡± I offer. And then I quickly add, ¡°Only if you want to.¡± I don¡¯t want to pressure her into doing anything she doesn¡¯t want to do.

    Her eyes close momentarily. ¡°The things they did to me¡­¡± Her voice trails off as she stares out the window with a vacant look in her eyes.

    Surprising even myself, I cover Lauren¡¯s hand with mine gently, coaxing her back to the present. She nces towards me again, blinking her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re safe now. Things will get better. I promise,¡± I tell her confidently.

    ¡°It feels like the darkness is just going to swallow me whole,¡± she tells me with tears in her eyes before pulling her hand away from mine to curl into herself. ¡°And sometimes¡­I want to let it. I want to disappear,¡± she whispers, her voice full of sadness and grief.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let that happen. I won¡¯t let you disappear,¡± I tell her adamantly. ¡°There is a light at the end of that very dark tunnel, Lauren, trust me. I was lost, just like you. I wanted to die every single day when I was with my captor. But I held on. For what? I didn¡¯t know at the time. But now I know. I held on so that I could be here, with people that I care for, with people that¡­love me.¡± It¡¯s hard to say the L word, but I manage to get it past the lump forming in my throat. For so long, I felt unwanted, unloved. And it¡¯s hard to imagine a world in which people care about me, maybe even love me for just being me.

    The girl releases a sob from her lips. ¡°I would like to see my grandma again. She was always so sweet to me. I don¡¯t know why I ran away from home. I¡¯m sure I broke her heart,¡± she says, her bottom lip trembling as she stifles her cries. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll ever forgive me for running away.¡±

    My heart breaks for the young woman. ¡°Would you forgive your grandmother if she had been the one to run away?¡± I ask her.

    Lauren pauses, and I can see her expression morph from sadness to understanding. ¡°I would forgive her for anything,¡± she whispers.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t you think she would forgive you too?¡± Her face crumbles, but this time I can see the joy behind her tears. I press forward. ¡°I think she would be happy to see you again, Lauren. Don¡¯t you?¡±

    The girl breaks down then. ¡°She would be so happy.¡±

    ¡°See? There is always a light at the end of that tunnel. Keep that in mind.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    The girl reaches her hand out towards me, and I take it, gripping it gently. We sit in silence for a while before Lauren finally speaks. She tells me story after story about her and her grandmother, and I hang on to every word, listening with rapt attention.

    ¡°Do you¡­do you think someone could call her for me? To let her know that I¡¯m here. That I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± I tell her without hesitation. The two of them clearly had an unspeakable bond, and I can¡¯t wait to see the two of them reunited.

    After writing down her grandmother¡¯s number, Lauren seems calmer, like she¡¯s been able to alleviate most of the stress and anguish that had been weighing her down. Andter, when she falls asleep peacefully, I finally leave her room. Instantly, I feel different. Lighter. Like I¡¯m floating. I believe I really made Lauren feel better; that I actually helped someone who has gone through some of the same things I have.

    Just like my words hadforted Lauren, theyforted me as well. And in that moment, something inside of me changes. I¡¯m tired of running away. I¡¯m tired of not living.

    Like I told Lauren, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark or endless it seems. Nico is my light. And I¡¯m drawn to him just like a moth is drawn to a me. I don¡¯t even care if I catch fire when I reach my destination. I just want to be as close to him as possible, basking in his warmth, in his glow. And I know I can trust him to keep me from burning up. Nico would protect me at all costs. I know that now.

    Nichs

    In the security room, I watched the entire interaction Selina had with Lauren. I was enamored by the way she brought the girl from the edge of darkness and back into the light. Selina is the strongest woman I know, by far, and today definitely proved it.

    Just like my mother told me earlier, this is Selina¡¯s calling, her true purpose in life. She can help these women that we rescue just by being a kindred soul to them; someone they can look up to and trust. Selina knows exactly what they¡¯ve gone through, and there aren¡¯t many therapists or doctors who can rte to their patients on that kind of level.

    ¡°You did great today, Lina,¡± I tell her when we get back to thepound.

    ¡°You really did,¡± my mom agrees. ¡°Those girls have something they didn¡¯t have before.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Lina questions.

    ¡°Hope. Hope for a better future, for a better life. They want to make your sess story their story too.¡±

    ¡°I hope they can achieve everything they dream of and more,¡± Lina says fervently.

    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure of it. I want you to help me make sure of it,¡± my mother offers.

    Lina gives her an emphatic nod. ¡°I want that too.¡±

    When we get inside, Lina says, ¡°Even though it¡¯s gettingte, I would like to call Lauren¡¯s grandmother for her.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡± I lead her into the library and then pull my cell phone out of my pocket and hand it to her.

    She stares at it with trepidation, like she¡¯s looking at a foreign object, and I realize my mistake. Lina hasn¡¯t had much experience with cell phones, especially not thetest technology. I doubt if Constantine ever let her use a phone, let alone even get close to one.

    Pulling my cell back to me, I ask her, ¡°What¡¯s the number? I¡¯ll dial it for you.¡±

    A relieved look is on Lina¡¯s face as she recites the number on the piece of paper, which she holds tightly in her hands like a little lifeline. I know she¡¯s going to be nervous to call Lauren¡¯s grandmother, but I¡¯m hopeful that the conversation goes well, not only for Lauren¡¯s sake, but also for Lina. I can see the optimism in her eyes, and I don¡¯t want anything to ruin that.

    I hand the phone to Lina when it starts to ring, and she holds it up to ear, nervously gnawing on her bottom lip as she waits for an answer.

    Someone on the other end finally picks up, and I hear a faint voice before Lina asks, ¡°Is this Gloria?¡± A smile graces Lina¡¯s beautiful face, and my own face mirrors her expression. ¡°You don¡¯t know me, but I know your granddaughter.¡± She pauses. ¡°Yes, Lauren. I spoke with Lauren this afternoon, and she¡¯s in the hospital -.¡±

    I can hear the grandmother¡¯s worried, erratic voice on the other end, and Lina pulls the phone away from her ear for a moment. After the grandmother calms down a bit, Lina continues. ¡°Lauren would love to speak with you, maybe even see you.¡±

    ¡°We can arrange the meeting,¡± I whisper to her, and Lina rys my words to Gloria.

    ¡°Okay, great. I¡¯ll be in touch. Yes, yes, I¡¯ll call you first thing tomorrow,¡± she says with a wide grin. She hands the phone back to me, and I end the call.

    ¡°It sounds like it went well,¡± I tell her.

    ¡°Very well. I can¡¯t wait to see the two of them reunited. I really think Lauren will be in much better spirits after she sees her grandmother.¡±

    ¡°I think so too.¡± Tucking my cell phone away in my pocket, I walk over to Lina and put my hands on her upper arms, gently squeezing. ¡°You did good, Lina,¡± I tell her, mimicking the words she said to me just the other night. ¡°No, fuck that. You did amazing today,¡± I say, which earns me an ear-splitting grin.

    ¡°Your mom mentioned me helping out with the paperwork for the women and trying to help them get reunited with their families. I think I would really like to do that,¡± she says while tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

    ¡°And I think you would be perfect for the job.¡± I can¡¯t think of anything better for Selina to do. I really do think this is her calling in life, and she¡¯s going to be amazing at it.

 82

    Nichs

    I¡¯M IN THE kitchen with my father when I ask him, ¡°Where¡¯s Mom and Selina?¡± It¡¯s been a few days since the hospital visit, and the two of them have been MIA together a lot. I miss the hell out of Selina, but I know what she¡¯s doing is probably important and rted to the women we rescued.

    My dad shrugs. ¡°Library I think,¡± he tells me.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Carrying a tray of food and drinks for them, I walk into the library on the first floor of thepound. I¡¯m surprised to see my mother and Selina hunched over a desk, poring over paperwork. My mom is on the phone, speaking with someone in hushed tones, so I motion with my head for Selina toe over to me when she looks up and sees me walking in.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ask as I set down the tray on a nearby table.

    ¡°I¡¯m working with your mom on trying to reunite the girls in the hospital with their families.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great, Lina,¡± I tell her. She really took my advice to heart and is doing what she feels is right. ¡°I told you that you¡¯d be perfect for the job.¡±

    She smiles shyly and says, ¡°You were right. I think this kind of work really suits me.¡±

    ¡°So, the women are still in the hospital?¡± I ask.

    She nods. ¡°Your parents are paying for the medical bills. They¡¯re amazing like that.¡±

    I¡¯m practically beaming with pride. My parents are incredible. Not many people would help others financially, especially people they¡¯ve never met. But my parents don¡¯t bat an eye when they save these women from dire situations and then help them beyond what any ordinary person would do.

    ¡°Lauren is going to be moving back in with her grandmother as soon as she gets released by her doctor,¡± Lina informs me with the biggest grin I¡¯ve ever seen on her face.

    ¡°You did it,¡± I tell her. She reunited the two of them, and now Lauren doesn¡¯t have to worry about her grandmother not wanting to be part of her life. ¡°I¡¯m so fucking proud of you, Lina,¡± I tell her sincerely.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she says, blushing furiously at my praise.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you girls get back to work but make sure you get something to eat. Okay?¡± I ask, motioning to the tray.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she says before grabbing a sandwich and taking a bite. She closes her eyes and hums in approval. ¡°I was starving,¡± she says, her tongue snaking out to lick mayonnaise from her lip.

    And, fuck, if that wasn¡¯t the sexiest thing I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.

    My cock instantly grows hard behind my zipper. Clearing my throat, I tell her, ¡°Well, I better go.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we can do a movie night againter?¡± she asks, surprising the hell out of me since thest time didn¡¯t exactly go so well.

    ¡°Uh, sure. That would be great,¡± I tell her with a smile.

    ¡°Okay, great. Well, I better get back to work,¡± she tells me.

    ¡°All right. See youter,¡± I promise.

    Fuck, I can¡¯t wait for movie night with Lina.

    Selina

    ¡°Draw me like one of your French girls, Jack,¡± I tell Nico. We just finished watching Titanic, and it was amazing. I know it¡¯s considered to be an old movie to a lot of people, but I was seeing it with fresh eyes. And even though Nico admitted to having already watched it a few times before because his sister used to be obsessed with Leonardo DiCaprio, he still humored me by sitting through the almost three-and-a-half-hour-long movie with me withoutining even once.

    His lips tilt up from my butchered movie quote as he flips to a fresh piece of paper in his wire-bound pad and props it up on a vintage drawing table in the corner of his bedroom. His thick fingers pick up a piece of charcoal, and his piercing gray eyes meet mine, unnerving me. ¡°Just rx,¡± he whispers.

    I swallow hard and try to do just that on the leather armchair opposite of him. When I first proposed that he draw me like Jack did with Rose on Titanic, I thought it would be fun. But with the electricity circting through the room that has my hair standing on edge and thick tension in the room that you could cut with a knife, now I¡¯m not so sure this was a good idea.

    This feels so much more¡­intimate. He¡¯s staring at me like he¡¯s truly seeing me, and I feel vulnerable. Even though I¡¯m fully clothed, I feelpletely naked under his intense gaze.

    Sweat beads on my forehead, and I find myself squirming ufortably.

    A dark chuckle sounds from behind the drawing table. ¡°You don¡¯t have to staypletely still, Lina. You can move¡­and breath,¡± Nico reassures me with a gentle smile.

    ¡°I know,¡± I say with a roll of my eyes. And just like that, it feels like most of the tension has fled the room just by him joking around. I try to force myself to rx. I¡¯m thinking way too much into this moment. Nico is simply drawing me. No big deal, right?

    My eyes focus on the movement of his long, thick fingers as they delicately blend shadows against the paper. My thighs clench together, and I realize I¡¯m getting turned on by this.

    ¡°Have you done this before?¡± I ask him, curious. And I¡¯m surprised by the bite of nervousness gnawing at my stomach in anticipation of his answer.

    ¡°No. I usually just draw and paint from memory,¡± he admits.

    For some reason, that makes me feel better¡­and less jealous. Oh god, why would I even be jealous about that? I think to myself. Maybe it¡¯s because a selfish part of me wants something intimate and special between just Nico and I and no one else.

    My breathing bes shallow as I watch him watching me with an intense, direct stare that has my heart beating in a strange pattern. God, if we¡¯re not done soon, I¡¯m going to develop some sort of heart murmur.

    A few minutester, Nico, thankfully, tells me, ¡°Finished.¡±

    I hop up and practically run over to him, anxious to see what he just drew. I stare at the charcoal drawing, my eyes narrowing at the beautiful girl. I can barely see me on the canvas unless I really focus hard on all the little details, like my freckles. ¡°This is how you see me?¡± I ask.

    ¡°What do you mean? That is you, Lina.¡±

    I suck my bottom lip into my mouth, chewing on it with my teeth nervously. He can¡¯t be serious. The girl he just drew is beautiful, almost ethereal, and¡­happy. I¡¯m none of those things. Or am I? Am I happy?

    When I stare down at Nico¡¯s gray eyes, reflecting myself back in them, I think maybe I am happy with him¡­or at least I could be if I let myself give in to what I¡¯m feeling. Nico definitely doesn¡¯t make me feel unwanted or miserable. How fucked up is it that I can¡¯t even tell when I¡¯m actually truly happy?

    Nico must notice a change in my mood because he says, ¡°You don¡¯t like the drawing?¡±

    ¡°No. I love it. I just¡­I don¡¯t see myself like you see me I guess,¡± I mutter, feeling stupid that I can¡¯t even look at a drawing of myself without feeling a million horrible things.

    ¡°Lina,¡± he starts. Then, he grabs my hand, gripping my index finger tightly in his grip. Together, we trace over my eyebrows, my eyes, the charcoal coating my fingertip. He takes me through the process, tracing over every one of his lines. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Lina,¡± he murmurs. ¡°This is how I see you. And this is how the entire world sees you.¡±

    Turning to him, I straddle hisp, my legs falling to either side of his thighs. Swallowing hard, I muster up enough courage to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t care how the entire world sees me. I only care about you,¡± I confess.

    He stares at me for a second, his eyes locked on mine. His charcoal-covered fingers grasp onto my face, and then he pulls me towards him. ¡°Tell me I can kiss you, Lina. Please,¡± he pleads with me.

    He¡¯s asking for permission instead of just taking what he wants, and my heart soars with his words. He knows exactly what I need. And right now all I need is him. ¡°Kiss me, Nico,¡± I beg.

    Our lips meet in a smoldering kiss. His thumb gently strokes over the small heart-shaped birthmark on my neck, and memories of our first kiss when we were teenagerse flooding back, hitting me with an unspeakable force.

    A tiny spark kindles somewhere deep within me, making my pulse drift between my thighs. I¡¯m panting wildly when we break the kiss and I look into his steel gray eyes. ¡°It feels just like I remember,¡± I whisper. Closing my eyes, I ask him, ¡°Nico, can I tell you something?¡±

    ¡°Anything,¡± he answers with a rxed sigh.

    Then, I open my eyes and meet his intense gaze. ¡°You¡¯re the only person I¡¯ve ever kissed. I refused to kiss anyone else. I wanted that to be a piece of me that no one else could ever have. I wanted you to own that part of me.¡±

    My tongue slowly edges over my bottom lip, and Nico watches the movement with rapt attention. I get a hint of the fire stoking in his eyes as my only warning before his hand grips the back of my head and he pulls my mouth to his once again. This time the kiss isn¡¯t so sweet and innocent. No, it¡¯s heated, all-consuming, soul-searing and threatening to ruin me for all other men on this earth. No one else will ever kiss me like this. And I don¡¯t want anyone else to ever try. I only want Nico.

    Hisrge hands cup my ass, grinding me down on his erection through his clothes. I gasp at the sensation, and he takes advantage, his tongue delving into my mouth hungrily. His tongue ravages mine as he devours me, swallowing the little moans that keep bubbling up from my throat.

    His right hand slides from my backside to the apex of my thighs, his fingertips tracing the seam of my lips through my shorts and panties. ¡°I want to taste you, Lina,¡± he grinds out. ¡°Can I taste you?¡± he asks, staring at me so desperately that I¡¯m almost rendered speechless.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper before I can stop myself.

    Gripping my thighs, he stands with me in his arms. I quickly wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me to his bed. My back hits the soft pile of sheets andforters as he gentlyys me down and stands at the edge, looking at me like I¡¯m something delicious he wants to feast upon.

    Oh god.

    A shudder runs through me as he slowly pulls my shorts and panties off my hips and down my legs in one sweep. And then he gets on his knees, his head lining up perfectly with the apex of my thighs.

    His charcoal-covered hands grip my thighs and bring me closer to his mouth, leaving dark finger-shaped marks behind on my skin. His tongue darts out and licks over his lips as his hungry eyes meet mine. ¡°Is this okay?¡± he asks.

    Again, he¡¯s making sure I¡¯m all right, that he has my consent, and I can¡¯t even describe the feelings blooming inside of my chest at that moment. No one ever cared enough to ask for my permission before. And it¡¯s almost like I can¡¯t even breathe right now because I¡¯m overwhelmed with the myriad of emotions flowing through my veins. All I can do is nod emphatically.

    A slow,zy grin spreads across his face as he gently spreads my legs wider to amodate him. He hikes one of my legs up over his shoulder and buries his mouth against my tender flesh, licking me from entrance to clit, sending stars shooting behind my eyes as I moan.

    His tongue ttens against my swollen, little nub, licking and tasting me until I¡¯m crying out nonsensical words. I¡¯ve never had anyone give me this type of pleasure before. It¡¯s never been about me in the past. It¡¯s always been about what pleasure my body could give someone else.

    My hands reach out, grabbing onto the bedding and balling it into my clenched fists. My thighs quiver as I squirm and throb against his tongue. ¡°Please!¡± I beg, my voice hoarse and full of lust.

    ¡°Mmm, fuck, Lina,¡± his deep voice growls, reverberating against my flesh. ¡°I love to hear you beg for me,¡± he says before he flicks his tongue against my aching clit, setting my blood on fire, the warm glow of orgasm starting to spread within every nerve of my body.

    As I¡¯m getting closer to the edge, a bubble of panic begins to rise in my chest. My breathing picks up its pace until I¡¯m struggling to get enough air in my lungs and it feels like I¡¯m starting to drown.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Nico says calmly. ¡°Look at me. Focus on me, Lina. It¡¯s just you and me here. No one else.¡±

    ¡°No one else,¡± I say with a shudder. I stare into his eyes as he dips his head down to feast upon me again, the sight so erotic that the spark inside of me ignites into a full-blown inferno. I feel like I¡¯m too close to the sun, burning up before I ever reach the surface.

    ¡°You taste so good, baby,¡± he whispers between my thighs.

    ¡°Oh god,¡± I murmur. I¡¯m so close to the edge, I can practically feel myself beginning to fall. I shake my head, not knowing if I can do it, the bad thoughts beginning to creep in. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know if I can,¡± I mutter in frustration.

    ¡°Just let go, Lina. I¡¯ll be here to catch you. I promise,¡± he says before flicking his tongue against my clit and licking me into obscurity.

    My mouth opens on a silent scream as the unimaginable bliss hits me all at once. My hips shamelessly buck against his face as I reach the precipice and tumble right over the edge. The orgasm is so strong that I have to cling onto the nkets for dear life as I ride out wave after wave of violent, intense pleasure.

    My cries fill the room as my entire body shudders. Nico keeps licking me, not relenting, drawing out every single ounce of pleasure from me that he can get.

    Eventually, I begin toe down from the extreme high, my body going limp as I gasp for air and secretly wonder if a person can die from too much pleasure.

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Nico murmurs against my thigh before cing a kiss on my skin.

    I expect him to fuck me then. I know he¡¯s probably hard and aching. But Nico surprises me when he climbs into bed beside me and draws the covers up over both of us.

    He pulls me into his arms and holds me. Neither one of us speaks, and soon sleepes over me, and I fall asleep in record time, feeling sated and safe in his arms.

 83

    Selina

    THE NEXT MORNING, I sneak out of Nico¡¯s bedroom and go down the hall to take a shower in my own room. I rinse the charcoal marks from Nico¡¯s fingers from my body, the water turning a dark gray as it swirls down the drain. I frown as I stare at the filthy water.

    The bad thoughts that are always lingering in the back of my mind return at full force.

    No wonder Nico didn¡¯t sleep with you. You¡¯re dirty. You¡¯re used up. You¡¯re a whore. He doesn¡¯t want you. Who would ever want you?

    My fingernails w at the sides of my head as I force myself into the stream of water, closing my eyes. I shampoo my hair, hating the bumps from old wounds and scars that my fingertips discover. Nico doesn¡¯t have a single blemish on him other than a few nicely healed scars. Mine are all ugly and jagged since most of them I had to try to sew or fix myself. I probably look like some kind of weird science experiment to him.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I cry out, choking on the water as the bad thoughts threaten to drown me.

    I finish up my shower, and then step out, drying off quickly before wrapping a towel around my body. The moment I step into my bedroom, there is a knock on my door.

    ¡°Lina?¡± Nico calls from the hallway.

    I step closer and force my voice to be steady when I tell him, ¡°I don¡¯t feel very well this morning.¡±

    ¡°Oh, all right,¡± he answers, but I can tell by his tone that he¡¯s not entirely convinced of my excuse. ¡°I can call Sarah if you -.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I say quickly, cutting him off. I don¡¯t want Sarahing in here and realizing that nothing is actually wrong with me; that it¡¯s all in my fucked-up head. ¡°I¡¯ll just¡­I¡¯ll see youter,¡± I say.

    I wait until I hear his footsteps disappear down the hall before I finally release the breath I was holding. I hate feeling like this. It was an amazing night, and now I feel absolutely terrible because I can¡¯t stop second-guessing everything.

    Putting my palm to my forehead, I squeeze my eyes shut. Why can¡¯t I just be normal?

    Sighing, I retreat back into the bathroom and start getting ready for the day. I blow dry my hair and get dressed infy clothes. My PT session with Dwayne starts in an hour, and I don¡¯t want to bete.

    I make it downstairs and into the gym in record time, even beating Dwayne this time. He arrives about fifteen minutester with two jumbo sized juices in his hand. He gives me one that has strawberries in it, thank goodness, and he takes the one that looks like green sludge. Yuck.

    We start our session, but I¡¯m honestly not feeling it. I can¡¯t stop thinking aboutst night and the consequences of what happened. What if I effectively ruined Nico and my friendship? Just the thought of him not talking to me anymore destroys me, eating me up inside.

    ¡°You seem distracted today,¡± Dwayne says to me during one of my leg exercises.

    ¡°Uh, yeah, I just¡­¡± My voice trails off. I don¡¯t know if I should be even talking about this kind of stuff with Dwayne, but it¡¯s not like I have anyone else to talk to. I definitely can¡¯t talk to Nico. I¡¯m already embarrassed and feeling guilty about everything that happened as it is.

    ¡°Spill the tea, Selina. I need something juicy to get me through my day,¡± he says with a wink.

    I can¡¯t help but smile. Dwayne has the ability to put me in a good mood no matter how irritable or upset I am before our sessions. ¡°Um, did you ever¡­? Have you ever¡­?¡±

    ¡°Are we ying that game?¡± he asks, his eyes lighting up.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    I arch a brow at him. ¡°What game?¡±

    ¡°Never Have I Ever?¡± he questions. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m sure I could go steal some liquor from the kitchen if we really want to turn it up a notch.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°Liquor is thest thing I need right now,¡± I tell him with a softugh. I¡¯ve actually been enjoying being sober. For years, I used pills and alcohol to mask my real problems. And now that I¡¯m in a better ce mentally, I want to experience every minute of it, especially with Nico.

    ¡°Oh! Is this about¡­Romeo?¡± he whispers conspiratorially, using our secret nickname for Nico.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper back.

    ¡°Damn, maybe I do need a drink for this,¡± he jokes. ¡°What did Romeo do now?¡±

    Dwayne is very aware of the situation between Nico and me. I didn¡¯t even have to tell him. He told me he could just sense the tension and attraction between us from day one. Whatever that means.

    ¡°Well, we were fooling around in his roomst night.¡±

    Dwayne leans in, loving this story already, and I can¡¯t help butugh at his rapt attention. ¡°And?¡± he prompts.

    ¡°And he¡­went down on me.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah, girl,¡± he says with an enthusiastic nod.

    ¡°But then afterwards¡­we just went to bed.¡±

    ¡°Damn, Romeo didn¡¯t want anything in return?¡± he asks with furrowed brows.

    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head sadly. ¡°And I can¡¯t stop thinking about the reasoning behind it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s waiting on you to make the next move for more,¡± Dwayne suggests.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I drawl out before nodding my head in agreement. Dwayne is right. Nico is a gentleman like that. Never pushing, never asking for too much. What if he¡¯s just scared to push me too far? What if he¡¯s just scared period?

    ¡°Next time you get Romeo alone, let him know exactly what you want. That should clear up any confusion,¡± Dwayne suggests.

    I¡¯m d I spoke to someone about my feelings instead of just keeping them all to myself until they ultimately consume me. I actually feel a thousand times better than I did this morning. ¡°Thanks for the advice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for,¡± he says with a big smile.

    For the rest of our therapy session, I think about what Dwayne and I talked about. I think maybe I do need to just push Nico in the right direction. If I want something, I need to let him know what I want. And if he still rejects me after that, then I¡¯ll just have to deal with the consequencester.

 84

    Selina

    WE¡¯RE WATCHING A movie in Nico¡¯s room. This has be an almost nightly routine with us, and I love it, but I want¡­more. The sexual tension has been building up between us, and I feel like I might finally snap tonight. It¡¯s been almost a week since hest touched me, licking me into oblivion, and I can still feel his tongue on me. The experience was otherworldly, like I was levitating, and I want to experience it again and again with him.

    I¡¯ve been waiting for Nico to make a move, but he¡¯s been stoic, not giving me any signs of wanting anything else beyond what we have right now. So, I decide that tonight is the night. I don¡¯t want to wait any longer. I¡¯ve never initiated sex with a man before, however. I was always forced to do things I didn¡¯t want to do. And having never been in a real consensual rtionship, I have no idea what to do. I¡¯ve tried flirting but failed miserably; probably because I¡¯m afraid my words wille out all weird and rough like a caveman ¨C me like you. Me want sex with you. I internally facepalm myself. Why is this so hard?

    Because it¡¯s Nico.

    Yes, that is precisely the reason why this is so difficult. Nico would never push me to do anything with him, knowing what I¡¯ve been through. But that little voice in the back of my mind keeps wondering if he doesn¡¯t want me. My self-doubt creeps in easily, and I can¡¯t seem to get rid of her.

    Nico would never want you. Nico is the perfect package, and you¡¯re nothing.

    Shaking my head, I try to clear those evil thoughts from my head.

    There¡¯s a sex scene in the movie, and Nico looks back at me nervously, like he¡¯s afraid of me seeing it¡­or maybe he¡¯s just afraid of it getting awkward between us. God, if I had one superpower, it would be the ability to read minds. I want to know what he¡¯s thinking, what he thinks of me.

    Gathering all the courage I can muster, I get on my knees and crawl towards him at the foot of the bed.

    ¡°Notfy?¡± he asks innocently as he nces towards me.

    I shake my head.

    He¡¯s lying on his stomach, his chin resting on his folded arms, his biceps bulging and testing the thread strength of his short-sleeved shirt.

    Lying down beside him, I study his profile. His face is perfection ¨C hard, strong lines like it was carved by stone but with soft features bncing it all out, like his long, dark eyshes and striking, gray eyes that remind me of the sky on a cloudy day.

    When Nico catches me staring, he asks, ¡°You don¡¯t like the movie?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to watch the movie,¡± I tell him, hinting at the fact that I want more. So much more.

    He turns to his side, so that we¡¯re facing each other. ¡°Well, then what do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°This,¡± I whisper before I move closer and kiss him.

    His lips are so soft and warm. They part on a groan, and I take the opportunity to taste him. My tongue tangles with his, and an intense feeling rushes through me straight to my core. Gently pushing him to his back, I straddle his hips and gasp when I feel his hard cock pushing up against where I need him the most. At least I know that I do turn him on. I was worried about that most of all.

    But when I grind down on him, Nico suddenly pulls away. ¡°Whoa,¡± he gasps. ¡°Lina, I don¡¯t think we¡­ I don¡¯t know if¡­¡±

    I stare at him as tears fill my eyes. That little bitch in the back of my mind was right. He doesn¡¯t want me. He¡¯ll never want me.

    Climbing off the bed, I race out of his bedroom and straight to my room. I close the door behind me, quickly locking it before sinking to the floor.

    I hear Nico¡¯s fist pounding on the wood a few secondster. ¡°Lina, let me in,¡± he calls from the other side.

    ¡°No!¡± I yell back.

    He tries the doorknob but has no sess. ¡°Damn it, Lina! We need to talk.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk. Just leave me alone!¡± I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m being dramatic. I was just turned down by the only man who ever gave a damn about me, so I¡¯m allowed to sulk and cry and whatever the hell else I want to do.

    The door vibrates against my back as Nico¡¯s fists meet the wood. ¡°I will break down this fucking door!¡± Nico yells, and I can hear the anger mixed with worry in his voice.

    He sounds like a mad man out there. And why does him acting like that turn me on even more? Oh god, what is wrong with me?

    Standing, I flick off the lock and open the door. Nico pushes inside and stares at me with those gray eyes that I¡¯ve dreamt about almost every night for the past decade.

    ¡°Whatever I did wrong, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he starts, apologizing and surprising me, as he closes the door behind him.

    I thought he was going toe in here using me of trying to force him to do something he clearly doesn¡¯t want to do. ¡°It¡¯s me who should be apologizing. I won¡¯t do it again,¡± I say quickly.

    ¡°Do what again?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t try to kiss you¡­or touch you again,¡± I promise.

    ¡°Lina, what are you¡­why wouldn¡¯t you try to do that again?¡±

    ¡°Because you obviously don¡¯t want me. You obviously think¡­¡± My words trail off. I can¡¯t even say my evil thoughts aloud. That will make them tooreal.

    ¡°I think what?¡± he asks, narrowing his eyes at me. Hees closer, gripping my arms firmly. ¡°Tell me what I think, Lina,¡± he demands, his voice dropping a few octaves.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want me. You think I¡¯m¡­broken.¡± I close my eyes, effectively blocking him out, because I don¡¯t want to see on his face that I¡¯m right. But then I hear himughing? I slowly open my eyes, and sure enough, Nico isughing at me. ¡°You¡¯re an asshole!¡± I yell before I shrug out of his grip and stumble backwards, needing the distance between us before I do something I¡¯ll regret.

    ¡°Lina, you think I don¡¯t want you?¡± he asks with a cocked brow, theughter totally erased and his expression deadly serious now.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I confess in a whisper.

    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a day in the past ten years when I haven¡¯t thought about you, Lina. And ever since you¡¯ve gotten back, there hasn¡¯t been a minute or even a fucking second that has passed when you haven¡¯t been on my mind.¡± He pins me to the wall with an intense look, his eyes darkening. ¡°You think I don¡¯t want you?¡± he scoffs, as if the very notion is inconceivable. ¡°I want you with every single fiber of my being. I want you more than I want to fucking breathe most days. I want to be with you more than I¡¯ve ever wanted anything else in this entire world!¡± he shouts, exasperated.

    His words render me speechless.

    ¡°You think because I don¡¯t fuck you that I don¡¯t want you?¡± he asks with a heavy sigh. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Lina. So fucking wrong.¡± His searing stare causes my heart to skip a beat inside of my chest when he asks, ¡°What can I do to prove it to you?¡±

    The words are out of my mouth before I can even stop them. ¡°Kiss me.¡±

    Nico moves towards me, eating up the space between us in just a few strides. Then, he captures my face in hisrge palms, pressing his lips against mine in a passionate kiss that has my knees growing weak.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    When he pulls back, his eyes meet mine. ¡°You¡¯re not broken, Lina. You¡¯re fucking beautiful and smart and funny and¡­perfect for me. I just didn¡¯t want to push you into doing something you weren¡¯t ready for.¡± He captures my lower lip between his teeth and sucks. Hard. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s been so fucking difficult keeping my hands off of you,¡± he whispers against my mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to push you away. I didn¡¯t want you to run. It would kill me to lose you again,¡± he says vehemently, his eyes so mournful and lost in that moment.

    ¡°That will never happen. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± I promise before I press my mouth against his. And when his lips part on a throaty groan, my tongue darts out and licks against his, tasting him. He¡¯s letting me take control, and I feel¡­powerful, for the first time ever.

    I moan as his hands grip my backside, grinding me against his hard body, his erection pressing up against my stomach. Liquid heat begins to pool in my belly as his lips trail from my mouth down my neck. All my fears and bad thoughts disappear in that instant, and I know that I could easily get addicted to his touch.

    Moving his lips back to meet mine, his hungry kiss consumes me, stealing every exhtion from my lungs. And suddenly, the kissing and touching isn¡¯t enough for me. It feels like my entire body is on fire, my skin burning like a torch is being held against it. I need more. So much more.

    ¡°I need you,¡± I beg against his lips.

    He hums in approval and starts backing me over towards the bed. Our clothes are unceremoniously removed in a hurry, piles of clothes fluttering to the floor like we¡¯re in a race to see who can get naked first. I¡¯m nervous about him seeing me naked for the first time¡­but when I see his eyes feasting on my form, all doubts I had before suddenly float into the background.

    I sit down on the edge of the bed, nervous but excited all at the same time. It feels like I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment forever. Like all the roads we took with the bends and twists and turns all led us to here. And now that it¡¯s finally happening, it¡¯s hard to grasp the existence of it all.

    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re gorgeous, Lina,¡± Nico tells me before his tongue swipes over his full bottom lip. ¡°I need to taste you again, baby.¡±

    Before I can even blink, he hooks his hands under my thighs and drags me down the bed towards him. The moment his mouth makes contact against my swollen little nub, I cry out, fisting the sheets in my hands. I watch him feast on me, the erotic sight turning me on like nothing else has ever done in my entire life.

    His hands lock onto my thighs, holding me still, not letting me escape an ounce of the pleasure he¡¯s giving me. Each swirl over my clit sends me rocketing off to the moon, and he doesn¡¯t stop licking and sucking until I¡¯m tumbling over the edge, calling out his name and panting like I¡¯ve just run a marathon.

    My body is trembling from the aftershocks as he continues tozily sweep his tongue over my clit until I finally cry out, ¡°Nico, please!¡± I have this building ache inside of me that¡¯s growing more painful by the minute. I need him inside of me.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, baby,¡± he tells me before crawling onto the bed above me. With his thick cock in his hand, he strokes it a few times, enticing me. I bite my lip, watching him, unable to look away. ¡°Tell me what you want, Lina,¡± he demands, staring into my eyes, as he rubs the crown of his cock over my wet slit.

    He¡¯s asking for permission. Not just taking what he wants. And he has no idea how much that means to me. ¡°Please, Nico. Please fuck me,¡± I gasp out.

    My words seem to please him. He closes his gray eyes for a moment before he opens them again, and I can see the raging fire brewing inside of him. He notches his cock at my entrance, and gently, so slowly it¡¯s almost torturous, he enters me.

    I grimace, expecting pain. But I¡¯m so wet from my orgasm that his thick cock slides in without even so much as a twinge of difort. ¡°Wow,¡± I pant out in disbelief. Even though I thought sex would always be painful for me, I still wanted to try it with Nico. Imagine my surprise that it¡¯s not and that it actually¡­feels good. My eyes roll in the back of my head as he begins to fuck me nice and slow. ¡°Oh god!¡± I cry out.

    He bends his head down, capturing my beaded nipple in his mouth before sucking and gently biting. Thebined pleasure and pain has me seeing stars. It¡¯s never felt like this, and I can feel the tears gathering up in my eyes. All the fear and trepidation I had melts away with every kiss he ces on my breasts.

    ¡°Is this okay?¡± Nico asks, his face etched with worry.

    I realize I¡¯m crying, but it¡¯s not because I¡¯m in pain or ufortable. ¡°I never knew it could feel like this,¡± I confess in a rush.

    His expression instantly rxes, and his mouthes down to capture mine in a soul-searing kiss. I dig my fingernails into the muscled flesh of his shoulders as his tongue delves into my mouth, ravaging me.

    He fucks me nice and slow, making me take every inch of his cock, as his mouth guides down my throat to my breasts. He runs his thumb over the stiff peak of one breast as his mouth captures the other, licking and gently biting, lighting up every pleasure sensor I have in the process. His worshiping touch and the warm suction of his wet mouth as hetches onto my other breast turns me into a trembling mess.

    My hands glide over the nes of his muscr back, touching every inch of his smooth skin as his hips piston, driving his hard length into me.

    I didn¡¯t realize until that moment how badly my body had been starving, so desperate for his touch and pleasure. A delicious rush of sensation flows through me, and I feel so close to the edge. My fingernails score his back as I pull him impossibly closer, trying to hang on for dear life as my orgasm begins to rip through me.

    ¡°Come for me, Lina,¡± he whispers against my lips.

    Ie apart at the seams at that very moment, crying out his name as I shatter under him. Nico rocks into me, drawing out the pleasure as his breathing grows louder, harsher. Then, he pulls out suddenly, his eyes locked onto mine in an unwavering stare as he reaches his own bliss. ¡°Fuck, Lina,¡± he groans deeply, gutturally, as thick ropes of his seed coat my stomach while he strokes his cock.

    His biceps and thighs shake from the powerful orgasm, and I watch him in awe. He looks like some kind of powerful Greek god in that moment ¨C hooded gray eyes, sexily mussed dark hair, and ripped muscles glistening with a light sheen of sweat from exertion.

    The room grows quiet; our rapid, ragged breaths the only sounds filling up the space. Inguidly lie in the bed as a warmth settles over my body, spreading from head to toe as I enjoy the post-coital bliss that I never had a chance to experience before.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asks, his brows furrowed in concern.

    Am I okay? I¡¯m more than okay. I feel like a phoenix that¡¯s risen from the ashes to be reborn. Nico has done the impossible. He¡¯s pumped new life into someone who swore she was done living.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that again,¡± I purr.

    A deep chuckle escapes him; but when I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and bring his lips down to meet mine, he realizes I¡¯m not joking. He groans in approval as I reach down and stroke his hardening cock.

    In a quick move, he flips me onto my stomach and enters me from behind. I cry out in surprise and then moan in pleasure.

    We make love for the rest of the night. And when I wake up the next morning, I¡¯m sore in all the right ces and I have a permanent smile on my face.

 85

    Nichs

    AFTER A LONG day of surfing, Lina and I sit on the beach, studying for her uing GED test. She has a few more days left before the big day, and I want to make sure she¡¯s prepared as much as possible for it.

    We¡¯re still in our wetsuits, the sun beginning to set in the distance, as I read practice questions from my cell phone.

    ¡°Five,¡± she answers, and I can¡¯t help but smile when I swipe to reveal the answer and she¡¯s right.

    ¡°That is correct,¡± I tell her, doing my best Chris Farley impersonation from Billy Madison, a movie we just watchedst night, while pulling my rash guard up over my head as seductively as I can.

    Selina cracks up and ps me yfully on my bare chest. ¡°Be serious!¡± she says even though she¡¯s grinning from ear to ear.

    I toss the shirt next to me and smile before running a hand through my damp, messy hair. I had to convince her to watch theedy, but it was worth all the begging I had to do. Hearing Selinaugh through almost the entire movie made my night. No, more like my fucking year. I love seeing her happy. I want her happy, always, with me. Only with me.¡±Okay, okay,¡± I tell her before reading another question from the practice test.

    ¡°Uhm, Natural selection.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I say with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re gonna kill this test, baby.¡±

    ¡°I hope so,¡± she says, but I can hear the doubt in her voice.

    ¡°We can keep practicing,¡± I offer.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    ¡°Maybeter. Let¡¯s just enjoy the sunset together,¡± she says softly before moving closer to me in the sand.

    I wrap my arm around her, holding her tightly to my chest. I kiss the top of her head, breathing in her scent. She smells like strawberries and the ocean, and it¡¯s a wonderfulbination.

    Neither of us says a word as the sun sets, disappearing beyond the horizon. Only when it gets dark to the point that we can¡¯t see much around us do I finally break the spell we¡¯re under and tell her, ¡°We better go home.¡±

    Standing up, I reach my hand down and pull her up and into my arms. Grazing my fingertips along her cheek, I study her beautiful face in the moonlight before cing a tender kiss against her lips. Ever since we¡¯ve crossed the line from friends to lovers, I haven¡¯t been able to keep my hands off of her. Not that I think she minds. Half the time, Lina is the first one making the move, which I couldn¡¯t be happier about.

    I was so afraid of pushing her away, of losing her that I almost fucked up and lost her by keeping my distance. I¡¯m so fucking happy that we found each other somewhere in the middle and that we¡¯re in a good ce now, though.

    ¡°Movie tonight?¡± I ask her. Movie nights have be a regr thing between us.

    ¡°I had something different in mind,¡± she says, and I can hear her breath catching in her throat as my fingers trail down her slender neck.

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± I ask, staring down at her as her eyes slowly flutter shut.

    ¡°A shower. Together,¡± she says before cing a kiss upon my lips.

    I hum in approval. ¡°I like that idea.¡±

    ¡°And then¡­¡± Her voice trails off when she ces another kiss on my mouth.

    ¡°And then?¡± I urge, desperate to know whates next.

    ¡°And then you¡¯ll see,¡± she promises with a sexy grin.

    ¡°Oh fuck, I can¡¯t wait until and then,¡± I tell her.

    Selina giggles and kisses me chastely before taking off in a sprint towards the pack of cars sitting in the parking lot. ¡°First one to the car gets to pick the next movie we watch!¡± she throws behind her shoulder.

    I grab my shirt from the sand and chase after her, loving the feeling of adrenaline when I finally catch up to her and pin her up against the car.

    ¡°I win,¡± she says breathlessly.

    ¡°Good,¡± I whisper. I don¡¯t even care that she gets to pick the next movie. I would watch paint dry on a wall if it meant I could cuddle with her in my room all night long. I capture her mouth with mine, shoving my tongue into her mouth and devouring her as she moans and grinds against me. Her legs wrap around my waist, and I pin her against the car while I kiss her senseless. She releases the softest whimpers against my lips, and the sound drives me crazy. Fuck, I can¡¯t wait to get her home so that I can ravish her in my bed.

    Someone clears their throat loudly, and I suddenly remember that we are not alone. I nce over to see Tommaso, one of the guards, staring at us with a grin on his face. He shakes his head at me.

    ¡°Sorry about that, Tommaso!¡± I call over to him. These guys are probably ready to call it a day, and I don¡¯t me them. They¡¯ve been sitting for hours in cramped SUVs, watching us run around on the beach and surf. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading home now,¡± I tell him before opening the door for Selina and shutting it once she¡¯s inside.

    Before I climb into the driver¡¯s seat, I hear Tommaso on his phone saying, ¡°The lovebirds are finally on their way home,¡± and I can¡¯t help but smile.

    CHAPTER37Nichs

    I¡¯M PACING THE kitchen floor, waiting patiently for Selina to return home. She went for her GED testing early this morning. I sent two carloads of bodyguards with her, not taking any chances. I stare down at thest text from one of the guards.

    On our way back.

    That was twenty minutes ago. The ck SUVs should be pulling up the driveway any minute now, and I can¡¯t wait to see her. She¡¯s been studying so hard for that damn test, and I know she will be super bummed if she doesn¡¯t pass. I have no doubt in my mind that she passed with flying colors, however. My girl worked her ass off. And if the universe isn¡¯t a totally cruel bitch, then she¡¯ll make sure Selina passed.

    Light reflecting off the SUV¡¯s windshields catches my eye, and I look out the window, waiting patiently in the kitchen. I watch as Selina steps out of the back, the sun hitting her blonde hair, making it appear as if she has a halo around her angelic form. It takes all of my willpower not to run out the door and scoop her up in my arms.

    She¡¯s be a constant in my world, and I can¡¯t imagine my life without her now. Just the thought of losing her again keeps me up at night and has me waking up in a cold sweat and panting like I just ran a marathon.

    I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, and I know without a doubt that I would kill anyone who tried toe between us in any way.

    When Selina enters the room, my patience finally snaps. I walk over to her and envelop her in my arms, inhaling the familiar strawberry scent of her hair. She lets me hold her for a few minutes before pulling away. She nces up at the huge congrattions banner I hung earlier and frowns. ¡°What if I hadn¡¯t passed?¡± she asks.

    ¡°So you did pass?¡± I ask, pulling her back into my arms and squeezing her tight. ¡°I knew my girl would kick that test¡¯s ass!¡± Releasing her, I walk over to a bottle of champagne and pop the cork before pouring us two sses. ¡°Congrattions, Lina,¡± I tell her before handing her one of the flutes.

    She takes the ss from me and sips the champagne. ¡°Thank you,¡± she says, absolutely beaming.

 86

    I nce at the clock. It¡¯s only ten in the morning. We could have a full day of celebration at this point. ¡°What do you want to do today? Anything. Just name it.¡±

    Her eyes light up when she says, ¡°Let¡¯s go for a drive.¡±

    I smile. She¡¯s been having fun driving the different cars in the garage. Her favorite, though, is my dark blue McLaren 720S. She loves how fast it goes, and I love to watch her drive it. It¡¯s fucking sexy as hell. ¡°All right. That sounds like fun.¡±

    ¡°Let me go change first, though,¡± she tells me before finishing off her champagne and setting the ss down.

    I watch her walk away, her cute ass swaying under her tight jeans. My cock instantly lengthens in my pants, and I bite back a groan. Scrubbing my hand down my face, I wonder how long I can go today without being inside of her. I think our record at this point is just a few hours. God, I¡¯m such a goner for that girl.

    Selina

    I thought I needed drugs to get that ultimate high to sustain life. But, in reality, all I needed was Nico. He¡¯s my newest addiction ¨C a drug so sweet and perfect that I¡¯ll never be able to rid him of my system. He¡¯s running through my veins, pumping adrenaline into my once cold, dead heart, making me feel alive again. Every day with him is an adventure, and I absolutely love that.

    And when we make love, the feelings I get are so addictive that I just want more of them. All the time. I¡¯m insatiable. And I¡¯m thankful that he is too. What once was a small spark between us haspletely ignited into a full-blown forest fire. I just can¡¯t get enough.

    ¡°Slow down, Lina,¡± Nico warns as I take a turn too fast.

    I manage to get the car back under control. I¡¯ve been driving more and more, getting the hang of it, and today I want to be fast and reckless. I nce in the rearview mirror, and the SUV that had been tailing us is no longer in sight. Gripping the steering wheel, I pull onto a side road. We¡¯re out in the country, in the middle of nowhere, not even a house in sight except for maybe at the end of this dirt road.

    Nico leans forward in the passenger¡¯s seat and looks in the mirror. ¡°I think we lost the bodyguards,¡± he says with a frown.

    ¡°Good,¡± I tell him before I unbuckle my seatbelt and scramble out of my seat and onto hisp.

    I catch him off guard, and I can see the moment he realizes my intentions. His pupils dte as he focuses his gray eyes on mine. ¡°I fucking love it when you¡¯re bad,¡± he hisses through clenched teeth as I grind down on his thickening cock. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he warns.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need much time.¡± For some reason, driving¡­and maybe just freedom, in general, gives me such a rush. My panties have been soaking wet the entire drive. And every time I would nce over to Nico, I would get the image in my head of riding his cock in the car, and it turned me on even more.

    Wasting no time, I unzip his pants. He helps me with the next part, pulling his pants and boxers down to his knees until his thick, hard cock is free, bouncing up towards his stomach.

    I wore a skirt for this very reason, so all I have to do is push my panties to the side before I¡¯m sinking down on his delicious length.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Nico breathes, but then he groans as I seat myself, my slickness coating him the whole way down. ¡°Oh fuck, you¡¯re ready for me, aren¡¯t you, sweetheart?¡± he moans.

    I ride up and down on his length, kissing his neck, whispering in his ear, ¡°I¡¯m always ready for you.¡±

    ¡°Kiss me,¡± he demands. ¡°Kiss me like you¡¯re mine.¡±

    My mouth ims his in a soul-stealing kiss. ¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± I breathe against his lips. ¡°I¡¯m only yours.¡±

    His gray eyes darken as his hand grips the back of my neck and pulls my mouth back to his. He kisses me like our ne is on fire and going down. He pulls me so close that there isn¡¯t any space left between us as his cock drives in and out of me in a relentless rhythm, my hips mming down to meet each of his thrusts. ¡°Oh fuck, Lina, you feel so good, so tight,¡± he growls deeply.

    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the excitement of having sex out in public and anyone could see us or the fact that the bodyguards will being soon and catching us, but I reach orgasm in record time. It washes over me with violent crescendos, and I suddenly break our kiss, my moans filling the interior of the car, as my thighs shake from the intensity.

    Nico grips my ass, taking over and driving his cock up into me over and over again until he too falls apart, his cock pulsing deep inside of me, spilling his release.

    He holds me then, our hearts racing together, our breathing ragged. ¡°Fuck, that was hot,¡± he whispers against my neck.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I manage to say.

    I see headlights shining in the rear window, and I watch as the ck SUV pulls into thene behind us. ¡°Shit. They found us.¡±

    ¡°Thank fuck these windows are tinted. I don¡¯t want anyone seeing you but me,¡± Nico growls.

    I can¡¯t help but smile at his possessiveness. I love that he wants me and only me and that I want exactly the same thing. We have a mutual obsession with each other. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s healthy or not, but I could care less. I love it regardless.

    His softening cock slips out of me easily, and then I fix my panties and skirt before climbing back over into the driver¡¯s seat. Nico¡¯s phone rings a secondter, and he¡¯s quick to answer it.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that, Tommaso. We didn¡¯t realize we lost you, so we pulled over so you guys could catch up.¡± He looks over at me with a scious grin on his face, and I cover my mouth to keep a giggle from slipping past my lips. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading back to thepound now,¡± Nico informs him.

    I start the car and turn around in the grass beyond the dirtne. I take my time now, not wanting to piss off the bodyguards again. Nico¡¯s father has been putting more bodyguards on all of us when we venture out of the house. I¡¯m definitely notining about the extra protection. Anything that keeps me safe and able to stay with Nico is fine with me.

    I¡¯m driving down the highway towards thepound when I feel Nico¡¯s hand on my bare thigh. His pinky is dangerously close to my panties, and my breathing begins to pick up speed. I don¡¯t know what it is about him, but everything he does turns me on now. It¡¯s like I was so numb to everything for such a long time, and now it¡¯s like a switch has been flipped. He makes me feel¡­everything. He¡¯s brought new life into me, and I couldn¡¯t be happier. It¡¯s like I¡¯m apletely new person, making up for lost time with a man I truly care about. I feel free.

    ¡°Is my cum leaking out of you and soaking your panties?¡± he asks, his voice rough with lust.

    His question sends a shiver through me. ¡°Yes,¡± I answer.

    ¡°Naughty girl,¡± he says before his fingers move under my skirt to the apex of my thighs. He runs his finger along the wet seam of my panties, pressing his fingertip against my clit, and I bite my lip to keep from moaning out loud.

    I nce down to look at what he¡¯s doing, but Nico tsks at me. ¡°Keep your eyes on the road, Lina,¡± he warns.

    My eyes go back to the highway as I anxiously try to concentrate on driving and what he¡¯s doing to me at the same time. Nico pulls my panties to the side, and I feel his finger dip inside of me, gathering his seed before he brings it up to my clit. All of this feels dirty and wrong¡­but so damn hot.

    He strokes my clit with his cum softly, and I grip the steering wheel tightly, my knuckles turning white from the pressure. ¡°This is very dangerous, Mr. Vitale,¡± I breathe.

    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think you like dangerous, Miss McCall.¡±

    He¡¯s right. I love the thrill. I never knew I would be someone like that, but here we are. I love almost getting caught when I¡¯m with Nico. The danger gets me off.

    ¡°Please, more,¡± I sigh. His light touches just aren¡¯t enough. I need more. So much more.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    He possessively cups my pussy then, his thick fingers entering me, fucking me as his thumb presses against my clit. I groan out loud, almost losing control of the car. A car beside me sts their horn, scaring the hell out of me. ¡°Oh fuck!¡± I cry out, feeling both scared and thrilled beyond measure.

    ¡°Is this the more you spoke of?¡± he whispers against my throat before I feel his lips sucking on my skin.

    ¡°Yes!¡± I gasp. I¡¯m so frustrated with having to keep the car on the road that my brain feels like it¡¯s being torn in two between responsibility and pleasure. ¡°I need¡­I need to pull over,¡± I whine.

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Nico chastises me. ¡°Keep driving, Lina.¡± He drives his fingers further into me, causing me to moan loudly. ¡°You like the danger of it, don¡¯t you? You¡¯re gripping my fingers so tight, pulling me so damn deep inside your greedy, wet cunt,¡± he growls.

    His filthy words are not helping the situation. And just when I think I¡¯m going to scream in frustration, I feel my orgasm hit me like a blinding force of light. I grip the steering wheel tightly, forcing my eyes to stay on the road as my entire body shudders. Tendrils of warmth and pleasure unfurl within me as I cry out in anguish, ¡°Oh god! Oh my god!¡± I shamelessly grind against his hand, and Nico doesn¡¯t stop until I¡¯m literally slumped against the steering wheel,pletely spent and fighting to keep the car on the road.

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl. You did so good, baby,¡± Nico praises me, his fingers slowing until he finally removes them. He gently fixes my panties and skirt before sitting back in his seat.

    I¡¯m panting as I struggle to maintain my grip on the steering wheel, my legs still shaking from two intense orgasms almost back-to-back.

    ¡°Next exit,¡± Nico tells me nonchntly, as if he didn¡¯t just give me two of the best orgasms in my entire life, as if we didn¡¯t almost wreck and die on the highway¡­several times.

    I put on the turn signal, my body going through the motions as I desperately try toe down from my high and concentrate. Thank goodness we¡¯re not far from thepound, and I feel a hell of a lot better when we¡¯re pulling up to the gate. The guard at the front checks our car in, and I drive through.

    When I¡¯m parked, I finally breathe out a sigh of relief. Nico and I climb out of the car, and I re at him over the hood of the car.

    ¡°What?¡± he asks, feigning innocence, and I can¡¯t help but smile.

    Tommaso, one of the bodyguards, steps out of the SUV that was tailing us and asks, ¡°Were you having car trouble?¡± Concernces his features as he says, ¡°You were doing sixty and then ny and then forty-five on the highway, and I saw you swerve a few times.¡±

    Nico shes me a cocky grin before turning to the guard. ¡°Nah, Lina is just learning how to drive. I¡¯ve been trying to teach her, but she¡¯s a terrible student,¡± he deadpans. ¡°She¡¯ll get better with more practice, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Tommaso says with a nod of understanding before giving me a small, uneasy smile and then turning away to continue with his shift.

    I walk over to Nico and smack him in the stomach with the back of my hand. ¡°Asshole,¡± I mutter under my breath.

    ¡°You love me,¡± he retorts with a chuckle before walking towards the house.

    My steps falter behind him. I know Nico was just joking around, but his words have a profound impact on me. I never thought I¡¯d ever be capable of loving someone; never wanted to love anyone or allow myself to be that vulnerable in a rtionship. But I know everything is different when ites to Nico. And I think the impossible is happening ¨C I am starting to fall in love with him.

 87

    Nichs

    ¡°YOU¡¯RE NOT CONCENTRATING¡­once again,¡± Renato tells me before swinging out towards my face with his fist.

    I barely manage to pull away before his fist can connect with my cheek, feeling the whoosh of air by my ear as he follows through with the hit. Thank fuck we¡¯re just using fists today and not knives or half of my ear would beying on the floor right now.

    ¡°Do you want to end up back in Sarah¡¯s office?¡± he mocks me.

    We¡¯ve been training for about an hour in the gym, but I¡¯m not feeling it. This morning was amazing with Selina. I took her driving, and it turned into so much more than a simple driving lesson. The fact that she nned the whole excursion and wanted to fuck me so badly that she drove like a madman to lose our tail has me fucking hot and bothered all over again.

    ¡°Time out,¡± I tell Renato before going to sit down. I feel like a damn teenager, thinking about girls in the middle of the day and sporting a boner while in public. Fuck, she makes me feel so many damn things. She¡¯s all I can think about. And the sex with her is amazing. To say I¡¯m addicted to the way I feel when I¡¯m around her¡­or inside of her¡­would be the understatement of the fucking century.

    I love the fact that she gets off on danger. The risk of getting caught turns me on too. I think it¡¯s funny she thought I¡¯d actually let us wreck on the highway today, though. At any given second, I would have taken the wheel, but she was strong and focused, taking everything I was giving her and not letting us wreck. I wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to her, though. Not a single hair on her head will be harmed while she¡¯s with me. That I can certainly vow.

    ¡°Thinking about Selina?¡± Renato asks as he sits on the bench next to me, the wood creaking under his weight.

    I nod and sh him a grin. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s all you think about, man. Plus, you¡¯ve got this goofy fucking grin on your face.¡± He snickers when I give him the finger. ¡°Man, I¡¯m just d to see you happy for once.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t happy before?¡± I question even though I know I wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°No. You were a miserable fucker for years after Selina disappeared. I¡¯m d you found her. And I¡¯m d she has you now.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, man,¡± I tell him. Renato isn¡¯t one for sappy moments, and I know he¡¯ll try to change the mood in three¡­two¡­one¡­

    ¡°I can only imagine that goofy grin you¡¯ve been wearing the past few days is because you guys are finally fucking,¡± he suggests.

    And there it is. ¡°So what if we are?¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± he says with an emphatic nod. ¡°Attaboy.¡± And then he mutters under his breath, ¡°At least someone is getting some pussy around here.¡±

    My brows crease at his words. I just figured he¡¯d been fucking my sister for years, but maybe I was wrong. I¡¯ve caught them making out in dark corners of thepound before, but maybe she¡¯s saving herself for marriage or something. Who knows when ites to Aria. We were really close when we were kids, but now I feel like she¡¯s distancing herself from everyone. I know she feels like a prisoner here, like a princess locked in a gilded cage kind of spiel, but I also know it¡¯s for her own damn good. Look what happened to Selina. And maybe we shouldn¡¯t be holding Selina¡¯s past against Aria, but we all do it. We have to keep Aria safe and here.

    The thought of anyone taking my sister or, God forbid, Selina again has my blood boiling. My parents made it their mission in life to take down people like Constantine Carbone, and I want to continue that mission now and long after they¡¯re dead and gone. If I could save a million girls like Selina, I would. And I will.

    ¡°You done resting, princess?¡± Renato asks.

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± I tell him with a re.

    ¡°Oh shit. He¡¯s back!¡± he says with a p of his hands. ¡°This should be fun.¡±

    ¡°Very,¡± I say before standing. With my repressed anger and frustration over my terrible inner thoughts, I¡¯m ready to tear someone¡¯s head off. Looks like Renato will be the one going to Sarah¡¯s officeter after all.

    Nichs

    AFTER I¡¯M DONE with my work for the day, I sneak down to the gym where I know Selina¡¯s getting her physical therapy session.

    The therapist has her lying down on a bench while he stretches out her legs and thighs. The way his hands are touching her has me instantly seething. And if Dwayne didn¡¯t have a boyfriend and would be more likely to hit on me than Selina, I would be cutting those hands right the fuck off.

    As I grow closer to the two of them, Dwayne looks up and smiles. He cocks his head to the side, probably taking note of the tension in my shoulders and the frown that¡¯s present on my face. ¡°We¡¯re almost done here, Nico,¡± he tells me with a wink, perhaps knowing what¡¯s got me all riled up.

    ¡°How¡¯s my girl doing?¡± I ask,ying it on thick even though Dwayne is not a threat. There¡¯s just something about Selina that makes my inner caveman act out whenever I¡¯m around her. I want her more than anything in this world, and I feel protective of her, obsessively so. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s my own psychological trauma of having her taken away from me all those years ago and the constant fear I have of losing her again, but some of it is just primal instinct to take care of her and protect her at all costs. I¡¯ve never felt that way over someone else before. Just her.

    ¡°Honestly, your surfing excursions have done wonders for her. I was just telling Selina that I don¡¯t think we need to continue therapy. This is ourst session.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank fuck,¡± I groan out loud and then snap my jaw shut when I realize what I just said.

    Selina¡¯s brows dip before she smiles and gives me a knowing look. Then, she turns her attention to Dwayne. ¡°Thank you. For everything.¡±

    ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll talk to you soon, Selina.¡± He stands and walks out of the gym, leaving the two of us alone. It¡¯ste in the evening, so I doubt if anyone else will be doing any sessions here tonight.

    I go over to the pull-up bar and grip it in my hands before pulling myself up to my chin and dropping back down repeatedly.

    Selina watches me for a few reps before she stands and walks over to me. ¡°So, you¡¯re jealous¡­over Dwayne?¡± she asks incredulously. ¡°You know he has a boyfriend, right?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± I tell her simply.

    ¡°I think it might,¡± she says with augh.

    I drop off the bar and face her. ¡°You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    With a concerned look on her face, Selina walks over to me and ces the back of her hand against my forehead. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re feeling okay?¡± she jokes with a sly grin.

    I grab her hand and ce a kiss on her palm. ¡°I feel just fine.¡± I won¡¯t press the subject. I know Selina has a hard time believing just how beautiful she is. In my eyes, she¡¯s the epitome of perfection. She may not see it, but I¡¯ll always be here to make her feel special and beautiful just like she deserves.

    Frowning, she jumps up and does a few reps on the pull-up bar. My cock twitches in my pants as I watch her pull herself up and drop down over and over. She¡¯s gained so much strength since she arrived, and I couldn¡¯t be prouder. Pretty soon she¡¯ll be able to kick my ass, and the thought of her trying makes my dick rock fucking hard.

    When her eyes meet mine, she gets a telling look on her face. She probably thinks everything she does turns me on.

    And she¡¯d be absolutely right.

    ¡°You know, Dwayne has the most amazing hands,¡± she says as she pulls herself up on the bar again, making it look easy. ¡°I miss his hands already,¡± she drawls. ¡°Maybe I should schedule some¡­private sessions with him.¡±

    ¡°Lina,¡± I warn, stepping up behind her and watching her firm ass bobbing up and down in front of my face. ¡°Don¡¯t poke the beast.¡±

    ¡°But what if I want the beast to poke me?¡± she throws over her shoulder, shing me a look that has all my blood rushing straight to my cock.

    Grunting, I jump and grab the bar on either side of her hand, locking my legs around hers and doing pull-ups with her plump ass pushing against my erection. ¡°See what you do to me?¡± I growl into her neck before biting gently, followed by a lick to soothe the pain.

    She moans, grinding back against me, and I¡¯m a fucking goner. Dropping down, I wrap my hands around her waist and help her down, sliding her down the length of my body, so that she can feel how hard I am for her. With my mouth at her ear, I whisper, ¡°I think you forgot that this room is soundproof. No one will be able to hear you scream.¡±

    A shudder runs through her, and she turns in my arms to look at me with a lust-filled gaze. ¡°Promise?¡±

    I groan. ¡°My naughty girl,¡± I tell her before my mouth crashes down on hers. Backing her up to the wall, I turn her around and drop to my knees. Myrge hands grab her curvy ass, squeezing and kneading her, my fingertips asionally brushing against the apex of her thighs. Every soft brush elicits a moan from her beautiful mouth.

    ¡°Tell me what you want, Lina. I want to hear the wordsing out of your beautiful mouth.¡±

    ¡°Make mee,¡± she moans against the wall.

    Her words go straight through me down to my heavy cock. ¡°Fuck,¡± I hiss before I rip down her leggings. I bury my face between her thighs, licking her pussy before dragging my tongue up her slit to her little asshole and then back again. Her entire body trembles beneath my hands as I pin her to the wall, eating her like a starving, dying man. And I am starving for her.

 88

    Always. Her pussy is a delicacy and makes my mouth water whenever I think about it. She tastes sweet, like a forbidden nectar that I¡¯ll never get enough of. My tongue is buried so deep between her legs that I¡¯ll no doubt be tasting her sweetness for weeks.

    She¡¯s mumbling nonsensical things to the wall when I push a finger¡­and then two inside her soaking wet cunt. It¡¯s weeping for me, and I couldn¡¯t be happier. I curl my fingers inside of her until I reach the sweet spot that has her crying out. My thumb presses against her little clit while I finger fuck her pussy. But that isn¡¯t enough for my greedy girl, and I know just what she needs.

    I tten my tongue against the rim of her puckered hole, licking her until her legs begin to shake.

    ¡°Oh god! Oh my god, Nico!¡± she cries out, practically screaming.

    I can¡¯t help but smile before I lick her again, flicking my tongue over her tight, little hole, until she finally reaches the precipice of her orgasm. She tumbles over the edge, moaning and crying as I keep her pinned against the wall, holding her weight up in my arms as her pussy floods my fingers and my tongue.

    I don¡¯t stop until she¡¯s nothing but a trembling mess and her moans begin to die down.

    I stand, capturing her in my arms, not wanting to ever let her go. But when I hear her sniffling, I fear I went too far. Terrified, I grab her chin and force her gaze to meet mine.

    She looks up at me with tears in those distinctive blue and green eyes and then tells me with a sexy grin, ¡°Your turn.¡±

    Selina

    Nico made me cry. But not in a bad way. It was in a very, very good way. The orgasm he gave me was so damn strong that I lost control of my emotions. It feels like I was waiting a million years for that kind of release.

    It also proved that I can just let go. I don¡¯t have to reaffirm every few seconds that he¡¯s here with me. I just feel it now. I feel his constant presence deep down in my very soul.

    I watch in awe as Nico puts his fingers inside his mouth, tasting me. His eyes close slowly as he moans in appreciation. And when he pulls his fingers free, he tells me in a husky sigh, ¡°You taste so damn good. So fucking sweet.¡±

    My clit throbs from his filthy words. I didn¡¯t know words could turn on a person so much, but Nico has a way with them. He can make me go from the Sahara to the Pacific Ocean with just a few choice words.

    He gave me a powerful orgasm that I¡¯m still feeling the aftershocks from, and I desperately want to return the favor. Falling to my knees, I grab the waistband of Nico¡¯s sweatpants. I look up at him, and he has a concerned look on his face. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s wondering if this is okay, if we should even be doing this, if I even want to do this. And the answer to all of those questions is yes, and I n on showing him with my mouth just how okay all of this is.

    I¡¯m tired of living in the past. I¡¯m tired of being afraid. I want to have a normal rtionship with a man that I trust with my whole heart, body and soul. And I know Nico would never push too far or make me do something I didn¡¯t want to do.

    Tugging down his sweats, I watch in awe as his hard cock bobs up towards my face. He¡¯s so long and hard, it makes my mouth water. My hand begins to tremble as I wrap my fingers around his cock, but I force it to steady along with the bad thoughts trying to enter my head. I focus on the moment. I focus on Nico and how much I want to make him feel good.

    Gripping his length, I lick around the crown softly and gently. This elicits the sexiest growl I¡¯ve ever heard from deep inside his chest, and it sets my blood on fire. Feeling empowered, I move my hand up and down his shaft. Then, I tten my tongue and lick up a bead of pre-cum, moaning at the salty taste of him.

    ¡°Fuck, Lina,¡± he groans.

    ¡°Feed me your cock, Nico,¡± I whisper as I stare up at him.

    He hisses between clenched teeth before gripping the base of his cock and gently pushing the head past my lips, filling my mouth. Moving my head, I lick and suck at his velvety steel length, drawing him as deep as I can into my mouth and then back out over and over again.

    I ce my hands on his thighs, controlling the depth as I suck him. He doesn¡¯t once try to thrust it down my throat. He remainspletely still, and I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s even aware he¡¯s letting me take control, but it makes me feel powerful and urges me on even more to make hime.

    I pull backpletely, his cock releasing from my mouth with a pop before I suck him back in, taking almost the entire length of him. That motion alone causes his thighs to tremble under my hands, and I grin around his cock, loving every minute of pleasure I¡¯m giving him.

    I keep repeating the action until he growls out, ¡°Enough.¡±

    With brute strength, he lifts me up in his arms, cradles my ass and impales me on his cock before I can even blink. I struggle to breathe as he fills me up to the brim, his cock hitting my cervix, mixing delicious pain with a lot of pleasure.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    He gentlyys me down on a weight bench, the same one where he watched Dwayne working out my muscles after our therapy session, and I wonder if he¡¯s doing this on purpose. iming me on this same bench like a jealous barbarian. The thought crosses my mind, but then all thinking goes right out the window as he lifts my hips and drives his cock into me, hitting that special part inside of me that only he can.

    ¡°Oh god!¡± I cry out. I can feel a million emotions building up inside of me again as he hits that spot over and over again. ¡°Nico!¡± I scream right before I tumble over the edge, bing a blubbering mess once more and shattering around him.

    ¡°Fuck yes. Cry for my cock, Lina,¡± he hisses out before he groans out his own release, his hips pistoning erratically before finally stopping. ¡°Oh fuck, Lina. I¡¯ll never get enough of you,¡± he sighs contentedly as he holds my legs tightly in his arms.

    As we both attempt to catch our breath, Nico stays inside of me for a few minutes, cing gentle kisses on my calves and ankles before eventually pulling out of me.

    He helps me up from the bench and then leads me to the shower room. Once we¡¯re under the hot spray, we can¡¯t keep our hands off of each other. And as we make love under the cascade of water, I realize I never want to live in a world without Nico by my side. I want him to be my forever.

 89

    Selina

    A SOFT KNOCKes at my doorte on a Saturday night. I open it, thinking Nico is going to be on the other side, but I¡¯m stunned to see his sister standing there. Aria is dressed up like she¡¯s getting ready to go to a party in a short, gold, sequin mini dress, matching high heels and a full face of makeup.

    ¡°Bored?¡± Aria asks me with a Cheshire cat grin.

    ¡°Very,¡± I confess. Nico was with his father the entire day, and we barely got to see each other. I¡¯m sure they were doing important business, so I can¡¯tin. Nico was so tired when he got home that he just wanted to go to bed and promised he¡¯d make it up to me tomorrow. And I¡¯ve just been sitting here thinking about all the ways he¡¯ll probably be making it up to me¡­

    ¡°Want to go out?¡± Aria asks, snapping me back to the present. ¡°My friend is DJing at a club tonight, and I¡¯m dying to see her do her thing.¡±

    Hesitating, I nce down the hall to Nico¡¯s closed bedroom door. ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My brother doesn¡¯t have to know shit. It will be just us girls.¡±

    A nervous smile forms on my lips. I really want Aria to like me, and this might be my ticket into getting to know her better. She¡¯s just like her brother ¨C a closed book until you really put the time and effort in. ¡°Okay, sure,¡± I tell her with a nod.

    She nces down at my pajamas and asks, ¡°Got anything to wear?¡±

    I look down at my attire, suddenly embarrassed. ¡°No?¡± I say, and it sounds like a question more than an answer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have plenty in my closet. Come with me.¡± She holds out her hand, and I take it, the smile never dropping from my lips as she leads me through thepound and to her room.

    Aria is shorter than me, so finding something that actually fits is quite a daunting task. We spend about twenty minutes raiding her closet until we finally find a dress that doesn¡¯t show my ass cheeks.

    ¡°I love that dress on you,¡± Aria tells me when I step out of her bathroom.

    I nce down at the flowy silver dress and smile.

    ¡°I have a pair of kitten heels that might fit you,¡± she suggests.

    I slip into the pair. ¡°They¡¯re a little tight, but I think they¡¯ll work for tonight.¡±

    ¡°Perfect.¡±

    We make our way downstairs and into the garage where there¡¯s a car waiting. I¡¯m expecting to see a few carloads of bodyguards, like how it normally is when Nico and I venture out, but I¡¯m surprised to see only a driver in the front seat and no guards in the back.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need more guards?¡± I ask Aria, trying to keep the tremor of fear out of my voice.

    She simply smiles and waves my concerns away in the wind. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. There are going to be tons of people there. Nothing is going to happen.¡±

    Anxiety gnaws in the back of my mind on the way to the club, and I can¡¯t stop sawing my bottom lip between my teeth in nervousness. I know Nico wouldn¡¯t like this. If he finds out about us going out, he¡¯s going to be pissed. And angry Nico is never a good thing.

    When the driver pulls up to therge industrial-looking building, he tells us, ¡°I¡¯ll be parked a few blocks away. Just text when you¡¯re ready to leave.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Marco,¡± Aria calls when she jumps out of the back of the car, turning and waiting for me to join her.

    Steeling my nerves, I climb out and stand beside her, looking around. God, I wish I had a cell phone so that I could at least text Nico to let him know what we¡¯re doing and where we¡¯re going, but then I remember the control room. Aldo probably knows that we left and already told him. I mean, I hope so anyway. I don¡¯t know exactly how that all works when one of the family members leaves thepound. I don¡¯t know how much of a leash Aria is on, but at the moment I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s extremely short.

    Aria grabs my hand and pulls me towards the entrance. There is a long line of people wrapped clear around the block, but Aria goes to the guard at the front and says her name. The big, burly guy with a bald head checks his list and then steps aside for us to go through the front door.

    Inside, it¡¯s loud and bright with numerous neon-colored lights moving in various patterns across a huge dance floor. The club is packed to the brim with people drinking, dancing, and talking.

    We go to the bar first, ordering and downing a few shots of tequ while we sit on ufortable stools, waiting for our sexes on the beach to be made all while simultaneously warding off a few cocky guys who approach us, looking to score.

    After Aria tells yet another guy to get lost, she turns to me and says, ¡°You need to rx, Selina.¡±

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been able to rx in my entire life now that I think of it. Nodding, I try to force my body to stop being so wound tightly. It, unfortunately, doesn¡¯t work. After being on high alert for so many years, afraid of what wille next, my body has been conditioned into a state of constant awareness and anxiety.

    Our drinks arrive a few minutester just as an upbeat song begins to y over the speakers. Aria jumps up and grabs my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s dance!¡± she shouts over the music.

    With the liquor coursing through my veins and making me feel bold, I follow her onto the dancefloor. Just her presence alone makes the crowd part like the Red Sea. She¡¯s beautiful, strong, and confident, and I wish I could be like her for even just a minute. Shemands the room, all eyes on her, and I just dance beside her in wonderment.

    She moves her body to the music, her long, chocte brown hair swaying to the movement. And when she asks me to join in, I put my arms up in the air and move in sync along with her.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Aria calls out with a big grin.

    With the alcohol giving me liquid courage, I dance my heart out, never having felt more alive¡­and normal. I give in to the music, close my eyes and let it take over my body and soul. It feels so liberating, just being able to drink and dance like a regr twenty-something. So many things people just take for granted. After having been locked away in a cage for most of my life, I¡¯ll never take anything for granted again. And I¡¯ll remember this night for the rest of my life as the first of what I hope are many good times toe.

    I open my eyes to turn around to thank Aria for taking me out tonight, but my vision somehow locks on a dark figure on the second floor. Most of him is hidden by the shadows, but his hands and how they grip the handrails in front of him have me paralyzed. Those hands. I would recognize those hands anywhere.

    Suddenly, my drink slips out of my hand and stters onto the dance floor.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Aria calls out, bumping into me and stealing my attention away from the man. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re cut off!¡± she jokes. But when she sees my face, she sobers quickly. ¡°What? Selina, what¡¯s wrong?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I look away from her and back to where I saw the man, but he¡¯s no longer there. ¡°Constantine is here!¡± I say in a panic. My eyes frantically dart around the second floor, desperate to catch another glimpse to be certain, but I can¡¯t find him again.

    ¡°Are you sure it was him?¡± she demands, grabbing my arm and shaking me.

    ¡°Yes! No!¡± I shake my head, wishing now that I was stone-cold sober. ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred-percent sure, but I think it was him.¡±

    ¡°Shit!¡± Aria mutters under her breath as she pulls her cell phone from her clutch. ¡°I¡¯m going to call Renato just in case. He¡¯ll know what to do.¡±

    She takes my hand and leads me to the corner of the club. We¡¯re in the shadows, hidden from the neon lights, and I can¡¯t stop searching for him.

    ¡°Renato, it¡¯s me,¡± Aria says into the phone. ¡°Listen, don¡¯t freak out, but we¡¯re at the club.¡±

    ¡°Damn it, Aria! Which club?¡± I can hear him yelling from the other end of the call.

    ¡°Liquid Lounge,¡± she responds. Renato must have some choice words with her, because she pulls the phone away from her ear and rolls her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t need your shit right now, Renato. I need your help.¡± She swallows hard before saying, ¡°Selina thinks she just saw Constantine Carbone here.¡±

    I watch Aria¡¯s face morph from merely concerned into pure panic. Now she knows exactly how I¡¯m feeling.

    ¡°He said we need to get out of here. I¡¯ll text the driver toe pick us up. He¡¯s only a few blocks away. Then we can -.¡±

    She never gets to finish that sentence. A loud, deafening boom sounds, and the music suddenly cuts off.

    Pop, pop, pop, pop!

    I pull Aria down to her knees, sheltering her as the gunfire goes off. The crowd of people erupts into panic, many screaming as they start running for the exits. I push Aria under a table so that we don¡¯t get trampled to death as the shooting continues to explode through the entire club. Dead bodies begin to fall around us until the ce looks like something out of a war movie.

 90

    ¡°Aria! Aria!¡± I can hear Renato¡¯s frantic screams from the cell phone, which is now lying on the floor next to our feet.

    People are crying, screaming and trying frantically to escape, and anyone that moves is just being mowed down by the gunmen. I hold my hands over my ears, trying to silence the horrific sounds as panic bubbles up inside of my chest.

    The gunfire suddenlyes to a stop. Aria looks at me with a wide, unfocused gaze. ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± she pleads, her voice trembling. I think she¡¯s going into shock.

    ¡°Stay low,¡± I tell her quickly.

    We climb out from under the table, and Aria snatches up her phone at thest second, holding it in a vice grip in her hand.

    The nearest exit is by the restrooms, and so I pull Aria along towards them.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you!¡± a deep, familiar voice calls out to me.

    My body locks up like a statue, and my feet suddenly freeze to the floor. I can¡¯t even force myself to move, so I yell to Aria, ¡°Go! Get out of here!¡± She needs to save herself. If Constantine is here, he¡¯s here for me, not her. She needs to get as far away from me as possible if she has any hope of escaping and getting help.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you!¡± she cries, tears streaming down her pretty face as she pulls on my arm.

    ¡°Get out before it¡¯s toote!¡± I hiss at her, pushing her away from me. It¡¯s me he wants. It¡¯s always been me. I refuse to let her get into this mess with me. She doesn¡¯t deserve to witness the horrors I have. If I have to sacrifice myself to save her, I will. I always will.

    Sobbing, she finally turns and runs out the door at the end of the hall. And a sense of relief passes through me knowing that she won¡¯t be caught up in this mess.

    I turn and look upon the devil himself. Constantine is in his normal attire ¨C a dark and expensive tailored suit that costs more than most people¡¯s monthly rent. His short, salt and pepper hair looks immactely styled; not a single hair out of ce.

    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Constantine asks with a wry smile. He looks the same as thest time I saw him. Still as handsome as ever and pristine. Still with that ever-present cruel smirk gracing his lips. Still evil.

    Aria¡¯s screams tear through the hallway, and I watch in horror as one of Constantine¡¯s goons manhandles her back into the club and forces her to stand beside me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± I tell Constantine quickly. ¡°Just let her go.¡±

    He lets out a deep, heartyugh. ¡°Oh, you think you make the rules now, my little pet?¡± he asks.

    I cringe at his nickname for me. I never thought I would hear those wordse out of his mouth again. I had nightmares about it, but I didn¡¯t think I would have to live it all over again.

    I was safe.

    I was actually safe.

    And I left my sanctuary.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    What the hell was I thinking?

    I want to be mad at Aria, but she didn¡¯t force me to go. I wanted to go. I just wanted to be normal. Was that so much to ask for?

    Yes, the little nagging voice in the back of my head tells me. Look what happened the moment you let your guard down.

    For years, I¡¯ve never let my guard down. Not even once. I never could when I was living in constant fear and distress.

    Constantine walks over to us. His hand reaches out to touch me, but I grimace and move away from him. ¡°It seems my little pet has lost her manners,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you your manners again. I¡¯ll beat the fucking defiance out of you until you can no longer walk.¡± He hauls his hand back and ms his fist into the side of my head.

    The side of my face explodes with pain. Grunting, I fall to my hands and knees. I can¡¯t even remember thest time I felt this much pain. I¡¯ve grown weak in my time apart from him. It used to take a hell of a lot more than just a punch to make me crumble.

    ¡°Leave her alone!¡± Aria starts screaming, and I wince.

    Looking up, I watch Constantine walk over to her. His fingertips graze along her cheek and her jaw, before he wraps his hand around her neck and lifts her face to get a better look. ¡°And you must be Aria Vitale. My god, you look just like your mother,¡± he says in awe, and I can see the lust in his eyes. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to have fun with you. All the fun I was denied with her thanks to your no-good father.¡±

    Anger boils up inside of me, overflowing to the point where I can¡¯t contain it anymore. All the years of abuse. All the years of fear. Everything has built up to this.

    Screaming, I pull myself up to a standing position and lunge for Constantine, determined to scratch his eyeballs out. My nails manage to score his cheek before I¡¯m suddenly hauled backwards by one of his men. The man holds my arms down in a vice grip, and I fight him like a wild animal until I wear myself out and go limp in his hold.

    Constantine pulls a white handkerchief out of his suit pocket and wipes at his face, staring down at the blood when he pulls it away. A hearty chuckle escapes his chest before his dark eyes lock onto me. ¡°Save your strength, little pet. You¡¯re going to need it for what I have nned for you,¡± he threatens. Then, he looks to his men. ¡°Hurry up and frisk them, and then let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡±

    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± Aria screams.

    I know she still has the phone hidden somewhere. Hopefully Renato is still listening, but I doubt if Constantine will give our next location out that easily.

    ¡°We¡¯re going on a little boat ride,¡± he says with an evil grin before leaving the club, walking over dead bodies as he goes.

    Police sirens can be heard in the distance while four men roughly search Aria and me, tearing at our clothes and putting their fingers and hands in ces they shouldn¡¯t be.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± Aria screeches. ¡°Don¡¯t! Stop!¡± Despite her best efforts to fight the men off, they manage to manhandle her until they find what they¡¯re looking for.

    ¡°Cell phone,¡± one of the men calls out as he pulls it out of Aria¡¯s bra. He takes the device, drops it to the floor and smashes it against the concrete with the heel of his heavy boot.

    A sob escapes Aria then, and I know exactly what she¡¯s thinking. They¡¯ll never be able to find us now. We¡¯ll be taken, and there¡¯s not a damn thing anyone can do to change that.

 91

    Nichs

    IT¡¯S EITHER LATE or early as fuck when loud banging on my bedroom door wakes me out of a dead sleep. My first instinct is that something happened to Lina, so I jump out of bed and rush to the door. When I open it, I expect to see her, fresh from a nightmare or some other problem she needs me to help her with. But instead, Renato is standing there. His eyes are wide with fear, and he looks like he¡¯s barely holding it together as he tells me, ¡°They¡¯re gone. He took them.¡±

    My brain is working on overdrive, trying to decipher what exactly he¡¯s telling me. My hands grip his shoulders, and I shake him, forcing him to focus on me. ¡°What? Who are you talking about, Renato? Who¡¯s gone?¡± I demand in a rush, my questions running into each other.

    ¡°Aria and Selina are gone. Constantine has them,¡± he grits out.

    I stare at him in disbelief, my hands slowly dropping from his shoulders. ¡°No,¡± I tell him, shaking my head adamantly. This must be some type of living fucking nightmare that I can¡¯t wake up from. ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Hurrying down the hallway, I stop at Lina¡¯s room. I burst through the door, expecting to see her sleeping, but her bed is empty, not even showing signs that it¡¯s even been slept in tonight. ¡°No,¡± I gasp around therge lump forming in my throat. ¡°How did this even happen?¡± I would have known if there was an attack on the house. I would have been alerted by sirens and rms.

    ¡°Aria thought it would be a good idea for them to sneak out in the middle of the night and go to a club.¡±

    My hands curl into fists at my sides. ¡°What the fuck?¡± I scream. Before I can even second-guess my actions, I drive my hand through the nearest wall. My knuckles scream in agony as chunks of drywall and paint chips fall to the floor when I withdraw my hand from the fist-sized hole.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Aria did something so stupid,¡± Renato says, shaking his head. ¡°We have to get them back. Who knows what the fuck is happening to them right now? They could be¡­¡± He doesn¡¯t finish that sentence, and I don¡¯t even want him to.

    ¡°Have you told anyone else yet?¡± I ask in a rush, cradling my cracked and bleeding knuckles.

    ¡°No. I went straight to you when they smashed Aria¡¯s cell phone.¡±

    I wince. We don¡¯t even have a way of tracking them now. ¡°We need to wake up my father and Aldo. Aldo will be able to track them through cameras in the city. The sooner we find out where they¡¯re going, the better.¡±

    ¡°Constantine did say one thing before the call ended. He said, ¡®we¡¯re going on a little boat ride.''¡±

    Fuck.

    If Constantine disappears on a yacht somewhere out in the middle of the ocean with the girls, there¡¯s no telling when we¡¯ll ever see them again¡­if ever.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I say urgently, running down the hall with Renato quick on my heels.

    I pound on my parents¡¯ bedroom door. My dad answers it a few secondster. His eyes are full of sleep, but his body is on high alert, muscles taut under his white tank. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Nico?¡± he asks, closing the bedroom door behind him.

    I know he doesn¡¯t like to worry my mom unless he absolutely has to, and I¡¯m all right with keeping her in the dark on this. I know she¡¯ll do nothing but panic and worry. ¡°Aria and Selina are gone,¡± I tell him. Then, with a grimace, I add, ¡°Constantine Carbone took them.¡±

    ¡°How the fuck did this happen?¡± he asks. I exin everything that Renato told me, and my father¡¯s eyes widen and then narrow. ¡°Does Aldo know?¡± he asks urgently.

    ¡°Yes, I already called him. He¡¯s working on it, trying to figure out where they¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get to the control room. Tell me everything on the way,¡± my dad says in a rush.

    We meet Renato in the backyard, and the three of us hurry to the control room in tense silence. There¡¯s nothing to say; nothing to make this situation any better. My sister and girlfriend are gone, and they were taken by the worst person on the fucking. Who knows what horrific acts he¡¯smitting on them right now.

    I squeeze my eyes shut and stumble against the wall going down the stairs.

    ¡°You all right, man?¡± I hear Renato ask.

    I nod slowly and then force my eyes open. I need to get my shit under control. Selina and Aria need me to be clear-headed. I can¡¯t think about what could happen. I just need to find them and bring them home before anything does happen.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go,¡± I tell him, urging him to keep going.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    The room is buzzing with adrenaline, and the smell of coffee hits me like a brick wall as I look around at our IT guys diligently working on severalputers. Aldo¡¯s fingers are moving feverishly over a keyboard, and the three of us move behind him to stare at his monitors. He¡¯s putting in some kind of code, and there¡¯s camera footage jumping around from one angle to another on one of the wide screens.

    ¡°Aria only took one guard with them, and he was told to wait in the car a few blocks away,¡± Aldo informs us. ¡°He had no idea what even happened until the cops showed up.¡± Then he adds, ¡°I¡¯m hacking into the city¡¯s live traffic cameras. I¡¯m trying to track them from the club to see which direction they were going.¡±

    My father scrubs a hand down his face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Aria would do this. How did she not realize the danger they were in?¡±

    ¡°She couldn¡¯t have known Constantine would show up like that,¡± I tell my father. Aria isn¡¯t reckless. She¡¯s just very naive at times¡­which isn¡¯t totally her fault. My parents sheltered her too much; not that I can really me them after what happened with Selina, however. Fuck. I could go around in circles a million times trying to make sense of it all, but now isn¡¯t the time for pointing fingers.

    ¡°How did he find them?¡± my father asks the million-dor question that is on everyone¡¯s mind.

    Renato shrugs. ¡°Coincidence?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°No. More like convenience.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure Dr. Catno checked her for tracking devices?¡± Aldo asks me, and I can¡¯t say the thought hasn¡¯t crossed my mind in the past thirty minutes.

    ¡°The doctor said she couldn¡¯t find any,¡± I answer, but now I¡¯m second-guessing Dr. Catno¡¯s opinion. If she just did a quick search on Selina¡¯s body, she wouldn¡¯t have found anything. I¡¯m sure Constantine wouldn¡¯t have made a tracker easy to find.

    ¡°We should have been more thorough, ran a scan on her,¡± my father says through clenched teeth.

    ¡°It would exin how he found her,¡± Aldo suggests. ¡°That¡¯s the most usible reason at this point.¡±

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter under my breath. I think back to the time when Selina told me about Constantine mysteriously finding her and murdering the family that was helping her. No wonder she was always trying to leave here. She knew deep down he would find her again even if she didn¡¯t know the logical reasoning behind it. And I dismissed her fears like a fucking idiot. I made her feel safe when she truly wasn¡¯t at any point. And look what happened. I failed her. I failed them both.

    My father sps a hand over my shoulder. ¡°You didn¡¯t fail anyone,¡± he says, and I realize I must have spoken thest part of my thoughts out loud. ¡°We¡¯re going to find them. We¡¯re going to bring them back home where they belong,¡± he tells me.

    I give him a nod. Even though his words make me feel minutely better, my stomach is still doing nervous flips. This is Carbone we¡¯re talking about. He took Selina from me once before and was able to disappear for a fucking decade before I was able to find her again. I don¡¯t think I could live without her, knowing she was out there in the world with him, being his ything to torture and maim.

    My hands clench into fists at my sides. No, I can¡¯t think like that. There is no other option at this point but to find them. I won¡¯t let her disappear again. She¡¯s my girl. I won¡¯t stop until I find her. And once I do, Constantine will pay for what he¡¯s done to her with his life.

 92

    Selina

    WE¡¯RE NEAR THE water. I can feel the humidity in the air, and I can practically taste the salt in the air mixed with the coppery tang of my blood. It¡¯s such a familiar, unwanted memory. Nausea wracks my stomach, twisting and turning painfully until I almost throw up. I manage to keep it down, swallowing hard and focusing on my breathing.

    Aria groans from beside me, and a sense of relief floods through me. She had been screaming and kicking, so one of the guards knocked her unconscious outside of the club before they shoved us in the back of a ck windowless van. I tried my best to wake her on the way here, but she never came to. Perhaps it¡¯s better that way. The less she has to experience, the better.

    We were taken to arge warehouse that houses boats and yachts. Four men strung us up on a rafter and left us alone. It¡¯s been at least an hour since we arrived, and my arms and hands are numb fromck of cirction.

    ¡°Wh-what¡­where are we?¡± Aria asks, slowlying to. She tries to move her arms, and then the panic sets in when she realizes our predicament. She struggles, her breathing picking up speed as she starts to wheeze and panic on the verge of hyperventting.

    ¡°Aria, it¡¯s okay,¡± I try to reassure her, but I know my words are useless right now. We¡¯re screwed ¨Cpletely vulnerable with no end to our torture in sight. It can only get worse from here. That has been my attitude my whole life, and nothing is going to change that now. But I have to be strong. For Aria.

    ¡°It¡¯s not okay,¡± she whines, tears streaming down her delicate cheeks. ¡°We have to get out of here, Selina!¡± she pleads as if I hold the key to our freedom somehow.

    But even if we weren¡¯t strung up like pieces of meat in this warehouse, there would be no easy escape for us. Constantine¡¯s men are everywhere. And anywhere they are not stationed, I¡¯m sure there are motion-activated cameras detecting every little movement and alerting his guards within a matter of seconds.

    Constantine pays his men a lot of money toply with his orders, no matter how depraved they might be. There is no leaving here on our own volition. At least not alive anyway.

    Heavy footsteps echo in the warehouse, growing closer, and I quickly shush Aria. She¡¯s still whimpering, but at least she has enough sense to not talk or struggle.

    The biggest, most dangerous predators do not like their prey docile andpliant. They want their prey to fight for their lives. And that¡¯s exactly how Constantine is. He enjoys delivering pain and causing fear. We have to make ourselves appear weak and vulnerable even if we¡¯re not.

    I close my eyes, and I know that it¡¯s Constantineing closer just by the sound of his footfalls against the concrete floor. It¡¯s sad that I know him so well. I could pick him blindly out of a crowd just by his smell¡­and taste.

    My body begins to tremble on its own ord. Perhaps it¡¯s the coldness seeping into my bones. Or maybe it¡¯s just the fear of the unknown creeping into my soul. I don¡¯t know what Constantine is going to do to me for betraying him. And even though Nico is the one who killed Gino and kidnapped me, it will still be a betrayal on my part from Constantine. I will pay for Nico¡¯s actions and sins that night. But as long as I take the brunt of Constantine¡¯s anger and no one else, I¡¯m willing to do just that. I¡¯m willing to sacrifice myself for any of the Vitales, especially Nico.

    ¡°Hello, my little pet,¡± his deep timbre sounds from a few inches away as he stops walking.

    I slowly open my eyes and face my tormentor. ¡°How did you find me?¡± I ask bravely.

    He seems taken aback when I speak out of turn, especially considering I didn¡¯t address him properly. ¡°I told you I would always find you, my sweet Selina.¡± He moves closer, walks behind me. Carefully, almost tenderly, he lifts my hair from my neck and brushes it aside. Feeling along my scalp, he stops when he reaches a bump. I¡¯ve felt that bump a million times before. A raised scar from one of my many head wounds, or so I always suspected. I was always recovering from something or other, so it was hard to keep track of all my scars.

    ¡°A tracker,¡± he exins, debunking my theory, and my blood runs cold.

    All this time he knew exactly where I was. But he knew he was no match for the Vitale family, so he came at me when I was the most vulnerable ¨C when Aria decided to sneak out of the safety of the house and go to a club. He was there all along, waiting with bated breath until he could get to me safely and easily. And I stupidly handed myself over to him on a silver tter.

    He releases my hair and walks until he¡¯s standing before me once again. ¡°I never lose what¡¯s mine,¡± he tells me, his voice deceptively calm. ¡°It just took a little while longer to get to you, but I knew I would have a chance eventually. You know how patient I can be.¡±

    I swallow hard at his words. Yes, so very patient. Waiting hours, days, weeks, months, years to break me down. Grooming me to be his little pet.

    Constantine moves closer until I can feel his breath on my lips when he requests, ¡°I want vengeance on the man who killed my son. You were there long enough to know the schedules of the guards, theyout of the Vitalepound. I want to know the ess points. I want to know when they¡¯re at their most vulnerable. You¡¯re going to give me every single thing I want.¡±

    I¡¯m d that Constantine doesn¡¯t know exactly who killed Gino, but I¡¯ll never give him what he wants. I¡¯d rather die than speak Nico¡¯s name and give him up like a traitor.

    Suddenly, his hand snatches out and grabs a fistful of my hair, bending my neck at an awkward angle and making me cry out in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her, you bastard!¡± Aria screams from beside me.

    Oh god, I just want her to be quiet. Constantine releases me with a chuckle. And then he turns his attention to Nico¡¯s sister. ¡°And what should I do with my new little pet?¡± he asks out loud.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never be your pet, you fucking psychopath!¡± Aria shouts.

    I can almost see the wheels inside Constantine¡¯s head turning. I can almost smell the arousaling from him. I know everything Aria is doing right now ¨C the screaming, the fighting ¨C is doing nothing but turning him on.

    He walks over to her and reaches out to touch her. She¡¯s quick to kick out at him, nearly missing his balls and catching his thigh instead with her unsteady foot. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± she screams.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to do so much more than touch you, my little principessa,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going to hurt you. I¡¯m going to bend you until you fucking break,¡± he threatens, sending another tremor through me. With a snap of his fingers, two guardse forward. ¡°Let¡¯s show my new little pet some manners. Cut her down.¡±

    The tallest guard brandishes a knife. In a few quick movements, he saws through the rope, and Aria¡¯s body falls to the concrete floor in a crumpled heap. She yelps in pain, and my teeth clench together and tears fill my eyes as I imagine the kind of pain she¡¯s in right now from that hard fall.

    ¡°No! Please!¡± I scream. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want, Constantine! Kill me for your son. Take my life. Just let her go!¡±

    Constantine doesn¡¯t even spare me a nce as he instructs his guards, ¡°Hold her down. I¡¯m going to take what I want from the little bitch before you two get your turn.¡±

    One guard throws Aria to the cold, unforgiving concrete and pins her arms down. She struggles with all of her might until the guard who cut her loose holds a de to her face. Then, she suddenly stills as an anguished sob escapes her lips.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make him carve into that perfection,¡± Constantine warns. He goes to his knees, prying her legs apart.

    I scream and twist against the ropes, my arms and hands crying out in agony. ¡°No, Constantine! Please don¡¯t do this!¡± I cry out. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want. Anything!¡± I scream out, begging, pleading.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    I can hear his belt buckle and the zipper of his pants going down, and I squeeze my eyes shut. I can¡¯t stop this from happening. And I also can¡¯t watch this horrific act, the same exact thing that happened to me so many times over the ten years. I can¡¯t. My breathing besbored as I struggle through a panic attack. My heart feels like it¡¯s hammering its way out of my chest. I haven¡¯t had to deal with the harsh reality of Constantine¡¯s sick ways in a long time. I always had the pills to help me get through the worst of it. But right now it¡¯s just me. It¡¯s just me.

    I¡¯m expecting to hear Aria¡¯s cries as Constantine vites her, but instead I hear her scream out, ¡°No, no, no! Please! Please! I¡¯m a virgin!¡±

    My eyes snap open on thest word. I hope I only heard them in my head, but when my stare meets Aria¡¯s wide, innocent eyes, I know she actually said it.

    Constantine immediately stops. He slowly tucks himself back into his pants and stands up. I can see the look of confusion on Aria¡¯s face and then the relief as to what is happening. She thinks she¡¯s safe. But little does she know she just sealed her fate.

    ¡°No,¡± I whisper right before Constantine announces, ¡°Take her to the doctor and get him to examine her. If what she said is true, put her on the next boat to the ind.¡±

    The ind. The ce I¡¯ve heard Constantine bragging about numerous times before. I struggle in my restraints, desperately trying to get to her, to save her from that awful fate.

    The men wrestle Aria into a standing position. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she screams.

    ¡°Why, you¡¯re going to auction, my dear,¡± Constantine exins with a sneer. ¡°Your virginity is about to make me a lot of money. Some retribution for my son¡¯s death, if you will.¡±

    Tears stream down Aria¡¯s cheeks, and she fights the men as they lead her away.

    ¡°Aria!¡± I cry. ¡°Aria!¡± I wish I could go with her, protect her somehow. ¡°Please, Constantine,¡± I beg him as he walks over to me. ¡°Don¡¯t do this to her. Take your anger out on me, but don¡¯t hurt her. I¡¯m begging you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, pet. I will be taking my anger out on you. But nothing is going to stop me from selling that little Vitale bitch to the highest bidder. Let¡¯s just call itpensation for everything her family has stolen from me over the years¡­including you.¡± An evil smile spreads across his face that makes me shiver. ¡°A big fuck you to the Vitales!¡± he announces with his middle fingers up in the air. Then, he turns to walk away, throwing over his shoulder, ¡°When you¡¯re ready to give me the information I require, then I¡¯ll cut you down and we can finally go home where you belong, my little pet.¡±

    The light is turned off before I hear a door close. I¡¯m left in the dark silence where the only sounds I can hear are my screams.

 93

    CHAPTER43Nichs

    THE ENTIRE CONTROL room is on edge, everyone buzzing with barely controlled rage, the tension so thick in the room that you could literally cut it with a knife. Constantine has Aria and Selina, and there¡¯s not a goddamn thing any of us can do about it.

    ¡°They could be in another state¡­or hell, another country by now!¡± I yell, exasperated, running my hand through my hair and pulling at the ends in frustration.

    It¡¯s been hours, and Aldo isn¡¯t any closer to finding out where Constantine has taken the girls. We lost the trail on them somewhere downtown, and he hasn¡¯t been able to pull enough camera footage to find out where they went. And all of our men out there searching the streets, abandoned buildings and warehouses havee up empty.

    My father¡¯s expression is solemn when he announces to the room, ¡°I¡¯m going to call my contact person with the FBI. We need their resources and manpower.¡±

    ¡°The FBI?¡± I scoff. ¡°If they help us, then Constantine will never get what he truly deserves.¡± Which is a long, gruesome, and torturous death. Only the best for that bastard, in my opinion. I want to see him die and rot with my very own eyes.

    ¡°And if they don¡¯t help us, we could lose them forever,¡± my father says vehemently. ¡°We need all resources on this. We¡¯ve helped them out many times in the past. The least they can do is help us now when we need it the most. I have all the right connections to take care of this and walk away clean with no questions asked.¡±

    I reluctantly nod in agreement. If my father is anything, he is a very smart man when ites to matters such as this one. ¡°Do what needs to be done,¡± I tell him.

    He gives Aldo a nod, and I watch as Aldo begins typing on hisputer, probably setting up the secure line we¡¯ll need to contact the FBI.

    I pace the concrete floor as my father gets on the phone, my hands curling into fists, my biceps trembling as anger begins to boil inside of me. I¡¯ve never felt so goddamn helpless before in my entire life. Maybe back when Selina was first taken from me, but I was a dumb kid. I¡¯m an adult now. With resources. There has to be a way to get them back safely. I don¡¯t want to involvew enforcement, but every second, every minute, every hour that ticks by lessens our chances of finding them.

    My father¡¯s murmurs in the corner of the room cease, and I stop pacing to turn to look at him. ¡°We move in one hour,¡± he announces to the room.

    One hour. Fuck. That¡¯s longer than what I wanted to hear; but considering everything that needs to be put into ce before we can get to Aria and Lina, it could have been way worse.

    One hour. I check my watch, set the timer and watch the seconds tick down.

    I¡¯ming for you, Selina.

    Selina

    ALL I WANT is to be at home in Nico¡¯s arms. I don¡¯t know how I didn¡¯t realize it before this moment. He¡¯s my home. He¡¯s my¡­everything. And I love him. I love him with all of my being, soul and body.

    And if I ever escape from here, if I ever make it out of here alive, I want to tell him all of that. Because if I die before he knows how much I care for him, how much he means to me, I won¡¯t be able to rest in peace. I will haunt this earth forever, mourning my mistakes and missed opportunities.

    ¡°Are you awake, my little pet?¡± Constantine¡¯s voice instantly breaks me out of my reverie, forcing me toe to terms with my present and horrible situation.

    I look him dead in the eyes. I want him to feel my hatred, the hate I have carried around for him for years. It¡¯s been lingering deep inside of my chest, just waiting for the right opportunity to show itself.

    A high-pitched feral scream breaks free from my lungs, and I relish in the surprised look he gets on his face. It¡¯s nice to be the one scaring him instead of the other way around.

    Constantine quickly schools his features and takes a step towards me. When my scream dies in my throat, he tells me, ¡°My, my, little pet. If I wanted to hear you scream, I would just fuck that tight, little asshole of yours.¡± A devilish smirk forms on his lips, and I want to bite it off of his face.

    Hees closer to me, and I strain in my bonds, snapping my teeth together like a wild dog, wanting to actually bite him if hees any closer.

    His hand snatches out to grab my throat before I can even blink, before I can even react. His chokehold on me grows stronger with every passing second, and I struggle to breathe as he crushes my windpipe.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame I¡¯ll have to retrain you. I don¡¯t know what the Vitales did, but they gave you some sort of backbone while you were gone.¡± His hot breath fans over my face as he promises, ¡°I¡¯ll remedy that soon enough. I¡¯ll break every bone in your fucking body if I have to until you obey.¡±

    I struggle against him, but my efforts are proven futile. My vision starts to cken around the edges, and I fear that this is the end for me. It¡¯s hard for me to remember the number of times I thought I would die at the hands of Constantine. There are just too many to count.

    ¡°I could end your life at any given second,¡± he snarls into my ear. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking forget that!¡±

    He releases me then, and my entire body sags towards the ground, my shoulders screaming in pain from the strain. I cough and sputter as I suck in lungfuls of precious air.

    ¡°You¡¯re mine!¡± he says before heshes out, punching me in the stomach.

    I gasp from the pain, all the air suddenly leaving my lungs in a rush as a silent cry leaves my lips.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been mine,¡± he tells me, spittle flying from his mouth and onto my face. ¡°And you¡¯ll always be mine.¡±

    He turns and walks away from me, running his fingers through his hair, messing up perfection. Now I know he¡¯s really upset. If Constantine is anything, it¡¯s a perfectionist.

    And knowing that he¡¯s on edge, I decide to defy him even further. Instead of being the docile, little mouse that I always used to try to be, I decide to let him know exactly how I feel. Looking up at him through blurry vision, I tell him loud and clear, ¡°I don¡¯t belong to you. I never did. And I never will.¡±

    Maybe it¡¯s myst act of defiance. But if he¡¯s going to kill me, I want him to know that he¡¯ll never own me. My heart belongs to Nichs Vitale. And I will love him until myst dying breath.

    ¡°What the fuck did you just say to me?¡± Constantine asks, turning quickly on his heel and heading straight towards me.

    He raises his fist in the air, and I close my eyes, trying to ready myself for the blow, but it neveres.

    ¡°Put your fucking hands in the air!¡± I hear someone cry out.

    My eyes flutter open, and I see a man dressed in all ck holding up a rifle with the words SWAT written across his chest in big, white letters.

    I watch in utter disbelief as Constantine puts his hands in the air and follows the man¡¯s next instruction, which is to get on his knees.

    Thinking I must be dreaming or maybe I¡¯m already dead, I don¡¯t allow myself to feel relieved until I see Nicoing into the room behind more SWAT members.

    A sob bursts free, and my entire body sags in relief when hees running towards me.

    ¡°Help me get her down!¡± Nico yells as hees for me, lifting me up in his arms to take some of the tension off of my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe,¡± he says as I tuck my face against his chest.

    I vaguely feel my numb hands vibrating as someone cuts through the ropes, and then I¡¯m free, falling into Nico¡¯s arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you, Lina. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve got you,¡± Nico whispers to me.

    I want to sink into his arms and stay there forever, but I can do thatter. Even though it kills me to say the words, I know I have to tell him. Hopefully it¡¯s not toote. ¡°They took Aria. She¡¯s gone! They took her to that ind!¡± I gasp, trying to hold myself together but failing miserably.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    His face drops at my words, but he simply holds me tighter. ¡°We¡¯ll find her,¡± he assures me. ¡°We¡¯ll make him talk.¡± Nico¡¯s carries me towards the exit, his gaze hardening into a murderous re as his eyes rest upon Constantine.

    There¡¯s a strong sense of urgency inside of me when I cry out, ¡°Wait!¡± I want to watch my captor, my tormentor get his justice. No, it¡¯s so much more than want. I need to see this.

    Nico reluctantly stops in his tracks and turns me to face the bastard that stole my childhood away from me.

    Constantine is down on his knees, his arms behind his back as they secure handcuffs around his wrists. He looks up at me, and I smile at him as widely and brightly as I can. I want him to know how happy this is making me. I want him to know he can¡¯t hurt me anymore. I want him to know that, by making me suffer, he sealed his fate behind bars. Nothing will get him out now. No technicality in the world can help him. The SWAT team obviously observed the abuse towards me, and my testimony alone will lock him away. And as long as I¡¯m alive, I will testify against him every single fucking time he tries to get parole or overturn his case. I will let the world know what a terrible man he is. I will show the world my scars to prove it if I have to. I will do anything just to keep him from hurting one more person.

    And it¡¯s not until I watch them loading Constantine into the back of a ck van that I feel like I can finally breathe again. Nico takes me to a waiting SUV, and we climb into the backseat where I allow myself to touch, to feel Nico. My needy hands grip his t-shirt, bringing him impossibly closer to me. I can never get close enough to him. I want to bury myself inside of him and never leave.

    Nico holds me the whole way home.

    Home.

    I never really had one before. My mother jumped from trailer park to trailer park, couch surfed or stayed in motels until she could get her fix, dragging me along for every second of her drug-filled antics.

    When the car stops outside the Vitalepound, I lift my head and peer into Nico¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re my home,¡± I tell him.

    Wherever he is, I will be too. And I will be happy.

    Nichs

    Selina is recovering nicely in her room, sleeping peacefully thanks to a sedative. It was almost impossible to calm her down after we got home. She wanted to go find my sister. And while I feel the same way, we must let the authorities handle it. We got them involved, and now we have to, unfortunately, y by their rules.

    If we had known beforehand that Aria was missing, we would¡¯ve approached the situation entirely differently. And I would have taken pleasure in torturing Constantine until he talked. Then I would have killed him with my bare fucking hands, strangling the life out of him until I saw his evil soul leave his lifeless body.

    My muscles ripple with anger, and Ind my fist on the punching bag before me. I¡¯ve been working out for hours, trying to calm myself down to no avail. I¡¯m too angry, too sad, too¡­everything. The emotions I¡¯m feeling are overwhelming me, and I feel like I¡¯m drowning in them.

    Lying there in wait until they gave us the go ahead to burst through the door to get to Selina was torture in and of itself. They almost put me in handcuffs because I refused to back down. I went in with the SWAT team, unprotected, at my own risk, not giving a single fuck. And I¡¯d do it all over again.

    Seeing Selina hanging there¡­fuck, it¡¯s going to be an awful and unwanted memory ingrained in my mind forever. Every time I close my eyes, I see her. Helpless. Her tear-streaked face crumbling with disbelief and then relief the moment her eyesnded on me.

    I punch the bag again, my muscles straining and vibrating against the force of the blow. If only it were Constantine¡¯s face I was hitting and not this stupid bag.

    Renato enters the room, and he looks like he¡¯s barely holding it together. When his eyes lock onto mine, there¡¯s a silent understanding that passes between us. He lost the girl he loves. I know the hell he¡¯s going through right now, and I feel for him immensely.

    Hopefully they find Aria before it¡¯s toote. Selina mentioned Constantine wanting to sell her, auctioning off her virginity at the ind that we never were able to find and probably never will.

    Just thinking about it has my blood boiling.

    What should have been a simple, fun night out for Aria and Lina turned into something horrific and cruel. Aria is gone. And Selina¡­well, she barely survived. Who knows what that bastard would have done to her had we note to save her.

    Renato runs his hands through his hair as Ind a few more punches on the bag. ¡°I was just down in the control room. They still haven¡¯t found her,¡± he says, updating me on my sister, as his fingers tug at his hair in frustration. ¡°She could be halfway around the world by now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± I take a step back and close my eyes. The old feelings and emotions I had when Selina went missing alle rushing back full force. When someone in your life goes missing, your mind goes on a journey of all the possible situations and oues; none of them good. You imagine the worst-case scenarios over and over again until you¡¯re almost crazy with grief. ¡°They¡¯re going to find Aria,¡± I assure him. ¡°We have the entire police force and the FBI looking for her right now.¡±

    He shakes his head sadly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if I lose her, man.¡± Then he adds, ¡°I love her.¡±

    I give him a nod. His words don¡¯te as a shock to me at all even though he¡¯s never voiced his feelings before now. ¡°I know you do.¡± I don¡¯t know if Aria reciprocated those feelings or not, but I know Renato has been in love with her since the day he met her. They spent a lot of time together, but I think it was more out of convenience for Aria since my mom and dad pretty much kept her under lock and key over the years. Although now I can see why they were so strict with her and why they were always trying to rein me in as well.

    There are a lot of bad people in this world, and all they need is one opportunity, one single moment to prove how awful they truly are.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find her,¡± I grind out as my fistnds on the bag multiple times. ¡°And I¡¯m going to make sure that bastard Constantine pays for what he did.¡±

 94

    Selina

    I WAKE UP with a start. Thest thing I remember was the nurses trying to calm me down before they stuck a needle in my arm, sedating me. Everything is fuzzy after that.

    I¡¯m in my bed, so Nico must have tucked me in. But where is he now?

    Movement from my right catches my attention, and I see a dark figure sitting in the chair I usually read in by the window.

    ¡°Nico?¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he says. He sits forward, his elbows on his knees, the moonlight streaming through the window highlighting his handsome features. In one hand is a rocks ss with a dark amber liquid, the ice clinking against the side of the ss with his movement.

    ¡°Any news about Aria?¡± I ask even though I¡¯m afraid of the answer.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± he says, his voice heavy with emotion.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± I tell him. ¡°If I wouldn¡¯t have left the house¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. We had no idea about the tracker.¡±

    The tracker. I told Nico about it after I was rescued. My hand instinctively moves to the back of my skull. There¡¯s a bandage over the ce where the tracker once was. They must have removed it while I was sedated. ¡°I didn¡¯t know about it,¡± I mutter quickly. ¡°If I had known -.¡±

    ¡°No one is ming you for anything, Lina,¡± he assures me.

    I take some sce in that fact, but guilt and shame are still scratching away furiously at my insides. Everything is my fault even if no one sees it as such. Aria is gone because of me. She¡¯s out there, all alone, scared, not knowing if she¡¯ll evere back home again.

    And I know exactly how she feels.

    I lived through all the up and down emotions that trick your mind into thinking you¡¯re on some kind of crazy, evil roller coaster. And just when you think things can¡¯t get any worse, they do.

    Shuddering, I throw the nkets off and go to stand. My legs are unsteady, and I almost fall. I catch myself on the bed. ¡°Damn, that sedative is strong,¡± I curse.

    ¡°You were inconsble,¡± he reminds me. ¡°And plus, they wanted to get that tracker out of you.¡± He sets down his ss andes over to me. ¡°Please get back in bed.¡±

    He moves to grab my arm, but I shrug it off. ¡°I can¡¯t just sit here while Aria is out there. God only knows what he¡¯s doing to her! I need to help. I need to do something!¡±

    I don¡¯t realize I¡¯m near hysterics until Nico suddenly grabs me and pulls me close, crushing me to his chest. The first of many sobs let go, and my fingers wrap around his shirt as I slowly release some of my repressed guilt.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s my fault,¡± I chant against his chest as my tears soak the material of his shirt.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Nico whispers into my ear as his hand gently caresses my back up and down. ¡°There¡¯s only one person to me.¡±

    He¡¯s right. Deep down I know he¡¯s right. And even if I have to live with this survivor¡¯s guilt, or whatever the hell you want to call it, Constantine is the one who needs to be punished. He is the one behind all of this. If it wasn¡¯t for him, none of this would have happened.

    ¡°There has to be something I can do,¡± I plead with him.

    ¡°I could take you down to the control room. Aldo might have some questions to ask you about locations of ces you¡¯ve been with Constantine. Maybe he can figure out where he might have taken my sister.¡±

    I nod. ¡°I can do that. Yes, anything he needs. Anything to help.¡±

    ¡°As soon as you¡¯re feeling better,¡± he adds on the little caveat.

    ¡°No,¡± I tell him with a firm shake of my head. ¡°Now. It has to be now.¡± I won¡¯t wait another minute or even another second without trying to help them find Aria. It¡¯s the least I can do. ¡°I have lots of information I could help Aldo with. The sooner, the better,¡± I plead with Nico.

    He stares at me with those gray eyes that I love so much and then gives me a nod. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go then,¡± he tells me before hooking his arms under my legs and lifting me. ¡°But I¡¯m carrying you the whole way down there. And if you show any signs of stress or weakness down there¡­¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I assure him. I¡¯mpletely focused on finding Aria right now. I can recuperate and dwell on everythingter. She is my main focus, my main priority. And I won¡¯t be able to fully rx until she¡¯s found.

    After hours of talking to Aldo about different ces, cities and countries Constantine frequented or regrly visited, I¡¯m mentally exhausted, and we¡¯re no closer to finding Aria. Aldo promised to take all of the information I gave him and run it until it either gives us a hit or a dead-end. I¡¯m praying and hoping for the former.

    When Nichs escorts me back to my room, I¡¯m too wired to sleep.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take a shower,¡± I suggest. I need to get Constantine¡¯s scent off of my body. I swear I can still smell him and feel his touch. I shudder in response to my inner thoughts. And, without another word, I walk into the bathroom and begin stripping out of my clothes.

    Nico follows suit, slowly removing his clothes while I test the water in the shower. Once I feel like it¡¯s hot enough, I step in. A few secondster, Nico joins me. I¡¯m careful not to wet my hair, because I don¡¯t want to mess up the bandage on my head where they removed the tracker. I hold my head out of the stream while I get my body wet.

    Nico grabs a bottle of his body wash and squirts some into his hand. And then I feel his gentle touch on my back. I¡¯m so overwhelmed by tonight¡¯s events, Aria¡¯s disappearance and Nico¡¯s gentleness with me that I begin to cry. And it seems like once the dam breaks, the flood gates open, and soon I¡¯m sobbing.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Nico turns me around and captures me in his arms. I hold on to him for dear life. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see you again,¡± I murmur against his chest.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have let him take you again, Lina. I would have spent the rest of my days on earth searching for you until I found you. I would have scoured heaven and hell for you. There is no way I would have just let you go. You¡¯re my girl,¡± he tells me heatedly.

    My hands skim up his shoulders to his face, and I ce my hands over his scruffy cheeks and force him to meet my eyes. ¡°I love you, Nico.¡±

    He stares at me, a myriad of emotions crossing over his features.

    ¡°Say something,¡± I say nervously with a softugh.

    He blows out a breath and stares into my eyes as he confesses, ¡°I love you, too. I¡¯ve always loved you, Lina, even from the first time Iid eyes on you. Probably before I even knew what love was. I have loved you for every second, every minute, every hour for the past ten goddamn years.¡± He cups my cheek with his palm and gently runs his thumb over my lower lip, his eyes tracing the movement. ¡°I guess I was just waiting for you to catch up.¡±

    Nico¡¯s words overwhelm me to the point that I¡¯m incapable of speech. Gripping his neck, I pull his face down to me until our lips meet in a passionate kiss.

    My hands roam over his broad chest and then lower until my fingers are running through the soft hairs of his happy trail that lead down to the deep V of his pelvic muscles. But before I can get too far, Nico¡¯s hands grip mine, stopping me. His eyes darken as his jaw tightens. ¡°We can¡¯t, Lina. You¡¯re hurt,¡± he says.

    ¡°Please, Nico. I need you,¡± I beg. I can worry about my bumps and bruises¡­and everything elseter. Right now, I need to feel him inside of me. I need him to feel how much I want him, need him¡­and love him. I need the connection that only him and I share.

    Nico reluctantly releases my hands, and I continue my journey. His abs tense as my hands lightly brush over them, and I hear him blow out a staggered breath. Reaching down, I touch his hardening cock, rubbing him from root to tip, earning me a delicious, deep moan. Nico¡¯s gray eyes re with desire.

    I watch him grow thick and hard as I stroke him. And when a small bead of pre-cum leaks out of the tip, I swipe the drop with my finger and then stick it in my mouth, tasting him and moaning in approval.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± Nico growls, and I can see the exact moment when his control finally snaps. Backing me against the tiled wall, his erection digs into my thigh as his tongueves over my breasts, slowly sucking on each stiff peak.

    My hands dive into his damp hair, holding him to me, needing more. So much more. His teeth scrape over my nipples, biting down gently before soothing the pain with his tongue. Liquid pleasure floods through my veins until it feels like every nerve in my body has awakened just for him. I think I coulde just like this, with his wicked mouth on my breasts, but Nico has other ns.

    His hand slowly ventures down to my wet core; and the moment he touches my clit, it feels like fireworks exploding behind my eyes. My body trembles as he sinks a thick finger inside of me, pumping in and out while he works my clit with his thumb. His worshipping touch leaves me breathless and needy.

    ¡°Please, please, please,¡± I beg in a whisper, needing the pleasure only he can give me.

    ¡°Come for me, Lina,¡± he demands.

    And I do.

    I tumble over the edge so quickly that it takes my breath away. My mouth opens on a silent scream, and Nico takes full advantage, thrusting his tongue into my mouth, tasting and devouring me while I shatter around his hand.

    He doesn¡¯t even give me a moment to recover before I feel his cock notched at my entrance, and then he¡¯s filling me up in one slick stroke.

    I cry out, and he gives me a few seconds to adjust before he begins to slowly rock into me, taking his time as the warm water rains down around us and the steam encases our connected bodies.

    Gripping my left leg, he lifts it up before driving his cock back into me. The new angle causes him to hit the spot inside of me that makes me sees stars. ¡°Oh god, Nico!¡± I moan.

    Nico pins me against the wall as he takes what he wants. What he needs. I can feel the tremor in his muscles as he¡¯s trying to hold it together. Tears fill my eyes as his lock onto mine and I see the raw, undiluted emotion there. We almost lost each other again. And the actuality of the situation seems to hit us both at the same time.

    ¡°I love you,¡± he whispers urgently.

    ¡°I love you, too,¡± I whisper back.

    He moves faster and deeper, giving me every inch of his length. He drives into me, capturing my lips with his. The kiss is raw, heated and full of emotion. Even though he just told me he loves me, he¡¯s making me understand his true feelings without words. He¡¯s letting me know just how important I am to him in the way he holds me so tightly against him, as if he¡¯s afraid that I¡¯ll be taken from him again. But even if I would somehow disappear, I would find my way back to him. He¡¯s my entire world now, my friend, my lover, my¡­everything.

    I whimper against his mouth as my orgasm detonates within me,pletely destroying me in the process. Nico lifts his hips, driving his cock in and out and milking every ounce of pleasure he can get out of me until he joins me in bliss. His warm breath skims across my lips in a low moan as he buries himself inside me one final time.

    ¡°I¡¯m never letting you go,¡± he utters before sealing his vow with a kiss.

 95

    Nichs

    ARIA HAS BEEN missing for weeks. The FBI hasn¡¯t even seen a trace of her, and our family has grown desperate for answers. Every interrogation the authorities do with Constantine turns up nothing. He¡¯s not talking, not giving up one fucking inch to help us. Not that any of us thought he would.

    I¡¯m still angry with the fact that we got the police and FBI involved instead of taking matters into our own hands. Had we known that Aria was missing, we would have never asked for their help. We thought we were doing the right thing, to get Constantine Carbone locked away forever and for justice to be served for all of his victims. We wanted them to have the chance to testify against the bastard, to somehow right all the wrongs.

    But if I could go back in time, I would have tortured him until he gave up Aria¡¯s location. He¡¯s essentially under protection now, locked up in prison. I can¡¯ty a finger on him, and that fucking infuriates me.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Renato calls out as I narrowly miss his face with my fist.

    ¡°Sorry, man.¡±

    He throws down the punch mitts that were on his hands and says, ¡°Maybe we should take a break.¡±

    I nod in agreement and walk over to a bench on the other side of the gym and take a seat. I grab my bottle and squeeze some water into my mouth. We¡¯ve been training for hours, and my muscles are trembling from the exertion. Sometimes working out is the only way I can get my frustration out. And I definitely don¡¯t want to identally snap on Selina. She¡¯s been through more than enough shit in one lifetime. She doesn¡¯t need me taking my internal shit out on her.

    My cell phone rings, and I retrieve it out of my ck gym bag. ¡°Unknown number,¡± I announce with a frown. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Nico. It¡¯s me.¡± I hear Aria¡¯s eerily calm voice on the other end of the line.

    My heartbeat instantly doubles in speed. ¡°Aria? Where are you?¡± I demand. Thinking quickly, I open an app that Aldo installed on my phone for just this kind of situation. It will trace the phone number while simultaneously sending out an alert to Aldo¡¯sputer so that he can try to garner as much information as he can.

    At the mention of her name, Renatoes rushing over. His eyes are wide and glued to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m safe,¡± she says, but I don¡¯t believe it. She sounds¡­strange. Something is very wrong.

    ¡°What happened? How can I find you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she says vaguely, not giving me much, and I know deep down she¡¯s hoping that I¡¯m tracking the call and able to find her. ¡°How are mom and dad doing?¡± she asks.

    ¡°No one is going to be okay until you¡¯re home,¡± I tell her adamantly. ¡°Please, give me any information you can, but only do it if you¡¯re going to be safe,¡± I carefully instruct her.

    ¡°Remember how I always wanted to go to Mexico?¡± she asks. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful here.¡±

    She¡¯s in¡­Mexico. What the fuck? I take a mental note of every single fucking word she¡¯s telling me¡­and not telling me, for that matter.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I ask.

    ¡°No,¡± she says, her voice breaking on a sob, and it feels like my heart is sinking like a stone down into my stomach.

    I get a text from Aldo, and I pull the phone away from my ear to nce at it.

    It reads: Tracing the call now. Try to keep her on the phone. So the app is working. Good.

    When I put the phone back to my ear, I ask her, ¡°Describe where you are. Are you in a house or an apartment?¡± I need her to give me something, anything.

    ¡°It¡¯s big, secluded. Lots of men with weapons,¡± she whispers.

    ¡°What else can you tell me, Aria?¡± I prompt.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Her voice fades away as I hear something in the background. Fast, heavy footsteps. Then I hear someone talking in a deep voice, demanding the phone, and a sliver of fear runs up my spine.

    ¡°I was sold to a man,¡± Aria blurts out, the true panic in her voice evident now. ¡°Please, help me, Nico!¡± she cries into the phone. ¡°His name is Mateo, and he¡¯s -.¡± Her voice cuts off abruptly before she can give me any other information.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to find you, Aria. We¡¯re not going to stop looking for you! Do you understand me?¡± I practically scream into the phone.

    She doesn¡¯t answer. I hear a rustling noise, and it sounds like she¡¯s struggling with someone. And then the line goes dead.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± I yell, gripping the phone so tightly in my hand that I hear an audible crack.

    ¡°Is she okay? Where is she? Did they hurt her?¡± Renato fires off the questions frantically.

    Quickly, I type a short text to my father while I tell my friend, ¡°She was sold to a man and is being held captive in Mexico.¡±

    ¡°Mexico?¡± Renato repeats while running a hand through his hair. ¡°Holy shit.¡±

    My father instantly responds, telling me to meet him in theputer room. ¡°We need to go see Aldo. Maybe he was able to trace the call somehow or can find out more information on this guy.¡±

    Renato nods before running out of the room. I grab my stuff and chase after him. I just hope Aldo can help us somehow.

    I watch Aldo¡¯s fingers move across the keyboard in a blur as he types in all the information I was able to give him. Behind him, my father paces impatiently.

    ¡°I wonder how she was able to get to a phone,¡± Renato wonders aloud.

    ¡°My baby girl is smart,¡± my father answers in a gruff. ¡°I just hope she¡¯s not suffering for her bravery.¡± He grimaces and stops pacing, gripping the edge of a desk in a white-knuckle grip. ¡°We need to find her as soon as possible.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Aldo¡¯s fingers finally stop moving, and he moves his right hand to the mouse, clicking on a few things. ¡°I think I have a hit.¡±

    We all gather around the huge monitor screens as a grainy picture of a man appears. He looks to be in histe twenties, early thirties with ck hair and dark eyes.

    ¡°This is Mateo Navarro,¡± Aldo announces.

    ¡°This is the bastard who bought my daughter?¡± my father asks, fuming.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred percent sure just yet, but I would say this is the man. He¡¯s almost a ghost on the inte. He¡¯s really good at hiding his tracks.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t bode well for us,¡± I mutter.

    Aldo¡¯s expression sours. ¡°I¡¯ll get as much information on him as I can, try to figure out what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±

    My father scrubs a hand down his face. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not going to get Aria back anytime soon if this guy is a goddamn ghost.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll work night and day on this, sir,¡± Aldo promises. ¡°I won¡¯t stop until we know everything we can on this asshole.¡±

    Dad gives him a nod. ¡°Keep working. I¡¯m going to go tell my wife that Aria called. It might lift her spirits a little. I want everyone to keep her in the dark about everything else, however. She¡¯s been suffering enough. She doesn¡¯t need to know that the odds are stacked against us right now.¡±

    We all agree to that. My mom has been worried sick about my sister. Thest thing I want to do is break her heart even more.

 96

    EPILOGUE

    Nichs

    EVEN THOUGH OUR lives have been pretty much turned upside down with my sister¡¯s disappearance, it¡¯s Selina¡¯s birthday today, and I¡¯m determined to make it a great day for her. I can internalize everything, worry about it allter and manage to keep a smile on my face. I can do that much at least for my girl. She deserves nothing but the best today.

    It¡¯s been a week since Aria called me. We haven¡¯t heard anything else from her, but Aldo has been gathering as much information as he can on the man who bought her. Soon, we¡¯ll be traveling to where my sister is being held captive and rescuing her. But for today, it¡¯s all about Selina and celebrating another year of her being on this earth with all of us.

    I¡¯ve been preparing her party for over a week now, keeping my mom, who has been sick with concern over Aria, busy and distracted. Mom picked out all the decorations and the food. I kind of just stood aside and let her take control of everything.

    Keeping my mother upied wasn¡¯t an easy task, but it definitely worked. I saw her smile today while we were putting the decorations up, and I haven¡¯t seen that smile since before Aria went missing. And the fact that she¡¯s not still in her bed, crying and is actually up and awake, running around, decorating and making a fuss over every little thing is a wonderful sight to see.

    Selina has no idea I was even nning anything. I yed it off that I had no idea of her uing birthday. And I can¡¯t wait to see her face when she walks into the kitchen, which looks like a party shop exploded inside of it.

    My mom decided on the colors rose gold and brown. There are helium balloons floating near the ceiling, streamers, a happy birthday banner with Selina¡¯s name on it hanging in the back of the room,plete with a huge balloon arch with the number twenty-four under it. A huge three-tier birthday cake sits front and center on the ind, surrounded by lots of Selina¡¯s favorite foods and snacks; and, of course, there¡¯s a giant container of mint chocte chip ice cream in the freezer.

    ¡°Think she¡¯ll like it?¡± my mom asks, fussing with the candles on the cake. She wants to make sure everything is perfect.

    ¡°Mom, Lina is going to love it,¡± I assure her. I strain to keep the smile on my face. I can see the tiredness in her eyes, and I know she hasn¡¯t slept much since Aria went missing. I can¡¯t even count the number of times I came downstairs in the middle of the night and saw my mother sitting in the kitchen, crying to herself.

    My dad sits at the ind, swirling a ss of whiskey in his hand, his tattoos peeking out from the cuffs of his ck suit jacket. ¡°What¡¯s not to love? I think it looks great, honey,¡± he tells her.

    Mom walks over to him and ces a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Thank you, Luca.¡± Then, she turns to me and says, ¡°Now we just need the birthday girl.¡±

    ¡°On it,¡± I tell her before grabbing my cell phone. I send a quick text to Selina¡¯s new iPhone, asking her to help me in the kitchen with something.

    Her response is: What did you burn this time?

    I can¡¯t help but grin. She knows I¡¯m a disaster in the kitchen, having helped me put out numerous fires and throw away a lot of ruined dinners. I swear I could burn water at this point.

    ¡°She¡¯sing,¡± I tell everyone.

    Benito walks in a momentter. ¡°Am Ite?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just in time,¡± I tell him.

    He makes a beeline for the cake, intending on swiping his finger through the thick icing, but my mom quickly ps his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch that cake, Benny,¡± she scolds him.

    ¡°Sorry, Verona,¡± he says sheepishly before going to take a seat at the ind beside my father. He harumphs in disapproval and then pops a chip into his mouth, surreptitiously watching my mother out of the corner of his eye to make sure he doesn¡¯t get in trouble for sneaking a potato chip.

    I shake my head and chuckle. Only my mom could p a huge beast like Benito and get away with it.

    A few minutester, the door opens and Selina walks into the room as we all yell, ¡°Surprise!¡±

    The look on her face is priceless. She¡¯spletely shocked. And then¡­her face crumbles as tears instantly fill her pretty eyes. She looks around the room and whispers, ¡°This is all¡­for me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, beautiful,¡± I tell her before scooping her into my arms in a huge hug. ¡°Happy birthday,¡± I whisper into her ear.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a birthday party before,¡± she confesses in the crook of my neck while wrapping her arms around my waist and squeezing me tightly.

    ¡°Just another one of your firsts that I get to im,¡± I tell her before pulling back and pressing a kiss to her lips. ¡°Now, go blow out the candles and make a wish.¡±

    My mom has just finished lighting them by the time I let Selina go, and she walks over to the ind. Little mes dance in her beautiful blue and green eyes as she stares at the cake with the biggest grin on her face I have ever seen. ¡°Wow,¡± she whispers in awe. ¡°That cake is almost as big as Benito,¡± she quips.

    Everyoneughs, and Benito just shrugs and nods his head in agreement. My mom went all out on the cake, and now I¡¯m d that she did. It was all worth the look on Selina¡¯s face.

    ¡°You better blow them out before the house burns down,¡± I joke.

    Selinaughs and then closes her eyes before blowing all the candles out in one breath. Everyone in the room ps.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cut the cake,¡± my mom announces.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± my dad offers.

    As the two of them work as a team on the cake and Benito puts his huge muscles to the test scooping the ice cream, I pull Selina aside and ask her, ¡°So, what did you wish for?¡±

    ¡°I wished for Aria toe home,¡± she says in a whisper.

    Of course Selina wouldn¡¯t wish for anything for herself. She¡¯s fucking amazing like that. ¡°That¡¯s a great wish,¡± I tell her before cing a kiss on her forehead.

    Pulling out my phone, I text Renato to join us for ice cream and cake, but he refuses. He¡¯s down in the control room with Aldo,bing through notes, documents, and inte leads. My friend hasn¡¯t been the same since my sister went missing. He¡¯s just been¡­lost.

    If Aria could only see what all of us are going through right now, I¡¯m sure she woulde home in a heartbeat if she could. I just hope she¡¯s okay, wherever she is.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Birthday girl is first,¡± my mom announces, handing Selina a te full of food.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lina tells her with a huge smile on her face. I¡¯ll never get tired of seeing that smile. She¡¯s been so happy since she¡¯s been home. I can only hope to see that same happiness on Aria¡¯s face soon.

    ¡°Nico, you¡¯re next,¡± Mom says before handing me a te.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I tell her.

    We all sit around the kitchen, eating, talking,ughing and enjoying each other¡¯spany. There¡¯s nothing like a birthday party to bring family together. And that¡¯s exactly what we are. One, big, happy family.

    Selina

    After the birthday party, Nico informs me that he has yet another surprise. I don¡¯t know if I can handle any more surprises for one day, but he assures me that I¡¯ll love it, so I go along with his n.

    When the cares to a stop, Nico says, ¡°Okay, you can open your eyes.¡±

    And so I do. Confused, I stare around the familiar parking lot and eye the beach and ocean in the distance. My face instantly lights up when I turn to him and ask, ¡°We¡¯re going surfing?¡±

    He chuckles. ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I had nned.¡± He gets out of the car andes over to open my door. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    He grabs a bag out of the backseat and then we walk hand in hand down to the beach. The smell of salt water and the sound of the ocean waves crashing against nearby rocks soothes my soul. The beach isn¡¯t crowded at this time in the evening, and it¡¯s almost like we have the whole ce to ourselves except for a family building sandcastles near the water and a few fishermen by the pier.

    Nico pulls a nket out of the bag and shakes it out beforeying it down on top of the sand. Then, he kneels down on it and motions for me to sit. I sit down on the nket, cocking my head to the side as I watch him pull numerous things out of the bag. I still have no idea what he¡¯s up to.

    I watch as he ces down a few juice boxes. Thebel looks so familiar, and a memory niggles at the back of my mind. Next is a bag of Doritos. Oh god, I haven¡¯t had them in forever. Then a container of¡­chocte and marshmallow cookies.

    His words from that daye rushing back to me. ¡°I¡¯ll pack us those juice boxes that you love, a bag of Doritos, and some of those chocte and marshmallow cookies that you keep sneaking out of the jar in the kitchen.¡±

    And then he pulls out a container and unsnaps the lid. All the air leaves my lungs in a rush. ¡°You made me PB and J with the crusts cut off,¡± I whisper, my voice breaking. It¡¯s the pic date we never got to go on because my mother took me away. ¡°You remembered,¡± I tell him, my voice full of emotion.

    ¡°I remember everything about you, Lina,¡± he says softly.

    I crawl over to him and ce my lips against his in a heated kiss. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Do you know that?¡± I ask him when I pull away.

    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s still nice to hear,¡± he jokes.

    I can¡¯t help butugh.

    We eat our pic lunch in peace, enjoying the sounds of the ocean, kids ying in the sand and watching the sun begin to set on the horizon. After we finish eating, Nico hands me a small box.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I question, staring at the box with a raised brow.

    ¡°It¡¯s your birthday present,¡± he says with his lips tilting up in a smile.

    My brows furrow. ¡°But you already gave me, like, a gazillion presents today.¡± He¡¯s done more than enough to make my day special. In fact, he¡¯s gone above and beyond.

    ¡°Yeah, well, this is the most important one,¡± he informs me.

    I open the box slowly and carefully and am stunned to see a ring in the middle. It¡¯s not a big shy diamond, and I couldn¡¯t be happier. Nico knows I wouldn¡¯t want something like that. No, instead, this is a handcrafted ring with little words stamped all over the thick, white gold band.

    ¡°I wanted to give you something that would mean something to you. To us,¡± he exins.

    I carefully take the ring from the box and look at the words etched into the band. Tears burn the back of my eyes as I read over the tiny quotes. ¡°We¡¯ll always have Paris,¡± I recite. ¡°If you¡¯re a bird, I¡¯m a bird.¡± I can¡¯t help but smile. The Notebook is definitely one of my favorite movies now. We¡¯ve been watching so many sappy love moviestely, and I wondered why Nico never minded. Now I know why. He was waiting to see which quotes meant the most to me so that he could do¡­this.

    ¡°I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.¡±

    Who knew I would be such a big Lord of the Rings fan? I know Nico was happy about that one.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never let go.¡± My face grows very serious as I meet his gaze and adamantly tell him, ¡°I would have made room on that door for you.¡±

    Nico chuckles. ¡°So, do you like it?¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t like it. I love it. It¡¯s absolutely perfect, Nico.¡± I tackle him backwards onto the nket, cing numerous kisses on his face before saying, ¡°It¡¯s perfectly us.¡±

    Nico takes the ring and slips it down over my left ring finger. ¡°Lina, will you marry me?¡± he questions with a grin.

    ¡°Yes, I will marry you,¡± I answer without even hesitating.

    I ce a kiss on his lips before settling down beside him on the nket as thest rays of sunshine cast over us, warming my skin.

    ¡°So, do you want a big wedding?¡± Nico asks as he holds my hand, staring at the ring on my finger.

    I shake my head. ¡°Just you and me. And your family.¡± Then I quickly add, ¡°But we¡¯ll do it after Ariaes back home.¡± The wedding wouldn¡¯t beplete without her here with us, and she will be here for it. I can sense it deep down inside of my bones.

    ¡°That sounds perfect,¡± Nico says, humming in approval while kissing the top of my head. ¡°I love you, Lina,¡± he whispers into my hair.

    ¡°And I love you, Nico,¡± I whisper back. ¡°Forever.¡±

    ¡°Forever,¡± he agrees.

    THE END

    Continue reading for book 3

 97

    PROLOGUE

    Aria Vitale

    BLOOD RUSHES IN my ears as I huddle in the corner of the concrete cell. My teeth begin to chatter uncontrobly, and my jaw clenches painfully as another violent tremor takes over my body.

    I¡¯m cold. So cold.

    The past several hours feel like a living, breathing nightmare. One that I cannot escape from. I keep willing myself to wake up, but to no avail. This is real. This is really happening to me.

    I hear a woman whimpering loudly from the corner of the room, and my eyes snap up to meet hers. Thest girl who made amotion, who called out for help, was pulled from our little group and brutally assaulted. She was made to be a message to the rest of us ¨C do what you¡¯re told, and you won¡¯t get hurt.

    Slowly, I raise my tied wrists and hold a trembling finger to my lips, silently shushing the woman. She gives me a shaky nod in understanding before huddling into a ball on the concrete floor, self-soothing herself by softly humming an unfamiliar tune.

    My eyes bounce from girl to girl in the room, taking in their faces and unique features. We couldn¡¯t be more different, varying widely in age and race with a kaleidoscope of hair and eye colors. But we all have one thing inmon ¨C we¡¯re all about to suffer the same terrible fate.

    Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to block everything out, but instantly memories of him flood my mind. And, suddenly, it feels like all of the air in the room has been sucked out. Gasping for breath, I open my eyes and search the room for any sign of him.

    Constantine Carbone.

    Satan himself in an expensive Brioni suit.

    He¡¯s the reason I¡¯m here right now. He stole me like a thief in the night, willingly handing me over to these criminals to sell my virginity to the highest bidder. Traveling by boat, then ne and then by vehicle, we finally ended up on what is simply known as The Ind. I¡¯ve only ever heard rumors about this ce, but now I¡¯m about to experience firsthand everything that happens here.

    As I look around the room at the group of women, I can¡¯t help but wonder where we¡¯ll all end up after tonight. Who will ultimately own each one of us.

    Bile rises in the back of my throat, but I quickly swallow it down. God, I can¡¯t even think about it, let alone believe I can actually survive all of this.

    Suddenly, the heavy, metal door flies open, causing my muscles to lock up in anticipation. One of the guards steps inside the room, holding an assault rifle in in view with his finger resting precariously on the trigger. He¡¯s tall and muscr and looks menacing in his military-style clothing with a ck mask covering most of his face. ¡°It¡¯s time for the auction,¡± he announces, motioning with his gun for us to get up and walk out. ¡°Stay quiet or die. Those are your only two options,¡± he says, pointedly looking at me.

    I stand slowly, my entire body bruised and aching. All of us fall in line, our footsteps forced and slow, like animals being led to ughter. It certainly feels that way at this point; because after we¡¯re paraded around, we¡¯re going to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

    As we¡¯re led down a dark hallway, I hear one of the other guards say, ¡°Smile and look pretty, girls. It¡¯s almost showtime.¡±

    And, ever so slowly, my mouth stretches into a roguish grin. They want us to put on an act for those sick perverts? Well, then I¡¯m going to give them one hell of a show.

    1

    Aria

    Two days earlier¡­

    MY FEET POUND against the wooden floor of the hallway as I run as fast as I can. I abruptly turn a corner, pressing my back against the wall and holding a hand over my heart, which is currently threatening to beat out of my chest. Butterflies take flight inside my stomach as anxious anticipation takes over my entire body.

    I can hear his heavy footsteps getting louder, closer. And then, suddenly, they stop. I hold my breath, desperately trying to anticipate his next move.

    ¡°You can¡¯t hide from me, princess,¡± Renato says right before he lunges around the corner and grabs me.

    I yelp in surprise, and then a giggle escapes me as he nts kisses all over my face and down my neck.

    When he finally pulls away, I¡¯mpletely breathless. Reaching up, I touch a light brown lock of hair that¡¯s currently swaying in front of his mischievous, green eyes. His eyes remind me of the forest behind thepound where I used to y as a kid. They remind me of home.

    ¡°I¡¯ll always find you,¡± Renato promises, a smile gracing his full lips before they seek mine in the near darkness.

    Moaning, I finally concede to him as he pulls me closer, his hands roaming all over my body and kissing me until I¡¯m lightheaded. I know his lips better than my own. I have kissed him more times than I can count. The first and only boy I¡¯ve ever kissed.

    A walkie-talkie goes off nearby, making us both freeze. I can feel Renato¡¯s ragged breath on my lips as he blocks me from the hallway with his body, his muscles tensing around me on high alert. When we hear the guard finally walk away, both of us instantly rx.

    God, we¡¯re always ying this dangerous game. Seeing how far we can test our limits before we end up getting caught or in trouble. It¡¯s been this way with Renato and I for years. Every chance we get, we sneak off somewhere in my parents¡¯pound, tuck ourselves away from prying eyes and make out like our ne is going down.

    Renato and I are risking a lot by fooling around, especially in public. Mostly because I¡¯m the daughter of a very powerful mafia boss ¨C Lucas Vitale. And because of the little fact that my father pays him to be my bodyguard, not my make-out partner. If my dad ever found out what actual duties Renato is doing to me almost every night, let¡¯s just say he wouldn¡¯t exactly be pleased.

    And so, when Renato¡¯s hands begin to wander, squeezing my breast through my shirt and then venturing lower, I stop him right as his fingertips graze the waistband of my shorts. ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± I gasp.

    There¡¯s something else holding me back from going past second base with Renato, and it has nothing to do with my father and everything to do with our friendship. I¡¯ve seen too many couples break up and never speak again. And just the thought of not having Renato in my life, the one and only true friend I have, guts me. I definitely don¡¯t want to lose him over a stupid fight or breakup. I simply couldn¡¯t bear the thought of never talking or seeing him again. Most of the time Renato is the only person I have to talk to or to vent to. He¡¯s my rock. My person. Honestly, I just don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do without him. And I never want to find out.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    So, for that reason, even if it is selfish, I slowly withdraw from him.

 98

    Renato looks hurt by my rejection, so I lean in and give him a sensuous kiss that has him groaning in the back of his throat.

    ¡°One of these days, Aria¡­¡± His voice trails off before he stares off into the distance.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know,¡± I tell him with an eyeroll. He always threatens to stop our little game, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just the blue balls talking; because he is always seeking me out, wanting more even after I wound him, as he often calls it.

    ¡°Are you going to bed?¡± he asks with a frustrated sigh before stepping back and running his hands down the front of his white dress shirt, attempting to get the newly formed wrinkles out.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I lie. I feel bad about lying right to his face, but I can¡¯t tell him what I¡¯m actually nning on doing tonight or he would try to stop me.

    ¡°Alright. Well, goodnight,¡± he says, his lips finding mine once more in a chaste kiss.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Goodnight,¡± I call after him as he disappears down the hall to go finish out his shift.

    Renato is my bodyguard during the day. And when I go to bed, he¡¯s on patrol duty. He¡¯s been working for my father for a long time, and he¡¯s also my brother¡¯s best friend. My brother has caught Renato and I a time or two making out, but Nico doesn¡¯t seem to care I¡¯m messing around with his bestie. I¡¯m sure he would support both of us no matter what we decided to do, because Nico¡¯s just a good brother like that.

    But the fear of losing Renato will always hold me back, and I truly don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get over it. Maybe someday when the cards are right, and the stars align¡­or some crap like that. But not tonight. Tonight, I have ns that don¡¯t involve Renato nor our future together.

    I head to my room and immediately go to my huge walk-in closet, looking for something to wear. One of my friends, whom I haven¡¯t seen for months, is DJing at a club tonight. I promised her I would be there, and nothing is going to stop me. I¡¯m tired of being couped up in this ce and under constant supervision. I¡¯ve snuck out before, so it¡¯s not that big of a deal. Well, as long as I don¡¯t get caught, that is. This time might be a little harder; however, because of recent circumstances, but I¡¯m up for the challenge.

    Sorting through my wide range of designer dresses, I let my fingers slip over the expensive materials. Many of the items in here still have tags. My mother and I have a shopping obsession, much to the dismay of my father and his wallet. My father once told me that she never worried aboutbels much before I was born. But as soon as I became a teenager, it kind of became our special thing. My mother and I bond over thetest designer dresses and shoes, and I¡¯ve be what some would consider a socialite around New York. My Instagram has been blowing uptely with over two million followers. Everyone wants to know what I¡¯ll be wearing next, and it¡¯s kind of addicting to have all the attention.

    But social media is often a total lie, and I¡¯m just one of the many imposters out there, faking how wonderful my life is. If they only knew the truth about my real day-to-day, how I¡¯m kept under lock and key most days, and how I spend a lot of time doing online shopping instead of going to the actual stores or visiting designers like I let on in my posts. I can pretend I¡¯m something I¡¯m not to the world, showing off my perfect life, when, in reality, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been more miserable.

    I¡¯m tired of being a mafia princess, never knowing what my future holds and only knowing that I can¡¯t leave the house without at least five bodyguards and a chauffeur. I mean, I don¡¯t even have my driver¡¯s license, because really, what¡¯s the point?

    Sighing heavily, I pull a dress off a hanger and study it. It¡¯s short with gold sequins, and I know just what shoes I could wear with it ¨C a pair of metallic gold Louboutin red sole heels that my mom gave me as a gift. I dig the box out of the bottom of my closet and open it. They look brand new, and I can only ever remember wearing them maybe once or twice.

    Holding everything in my arms, I go into the bathroom, freshen up and then change into my outfit for the night. After fixing my hair and makeup, I¡¯m almost ready to go. While I¡¯m applying the finishing touch ¨C a nude lip gloss ¨C in the mirror, I realize how sad I look. I try to smile, but it doesn¡¯t reach my eyes.

    I know what most people think about me. Poor little princess. She has everything, and somehow, she still wants more.

    And it¡¯s true in a way. Sure, I have everything I could ever want. But when you don¡¯t have freedom, what do you really have? Material things don¡¯t matter much when you¡¯re miserable and lonely. I¡¯ve been locked up in a proverbial ivory tower most of my life, not even able to so much as go to a gym or a grocery store by myself. Every time I leave the house, I¡¯m surrounded by an entourage of guards, who make their presence tantly known to me as well as everyone around me. It just screams don¡¯t go near her; don¡¯t talk to her.

    I don¡¯t mind when Renato tags along since he¡¯s my friend¡­and sometimes more. And, as ofte, I¡¯ve found sce in his arms. Sometimes the only thing that makes me feel alive is when we sneak around the house into dark corners, running from guards and trying not to be seen. I know my father would kill us both if we ever got caught, and the thrill of that makes my heartbeat race ¨C the only true evidence that I¡¯m not totally dead inside.

    When I¡¯m not sneaking around with Renato, my daily routine is pretty boring. And now that Selina, my brother¡¯s girlfriend, is back, the house is on a tight lockdown, and I have even less to do than I did before. Just getting permission to leave with a carload of guards is like pulling teeth. And unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, my father usually forbids it. He says it¡¯s too dangerous.

    And I get it. I do. A decade ago, Selina was taken from right under my parents¡¯ roof by her own mother and sold to the most notorious kingpin of human trafficking in the city, perhaps even the world. Selina was only thirteen when she came under the control of Constantine Carbone. She was only able to escape after ten years of captivity because my brother killed Constantine¡¯s son to rescue her.

    Selina came back a different person, so unlike the happy, shy girl I once knew her to be. And my brother changed a lot too since he had to take a life to save hers. I was hoping my brother would never take after our dad, who has a lot of blood on his hands from his line of work, but it looks like that¡¯s exactly what is happening.

    I haven¡¯t experienced my father¡¯s dark side personally, but I¡¯ve heard stories, and I know how feared and revered he is. Ourst name brings panic into people¡¯s eyes whenever it¡¯s uttered. Having a lot of power and influence is nice, but it also brings around a lot of enemies and people constantly trying to take them away from you.

    Selina has only been staying with us for the past few months, and it feels like all of our lives have been turned upside down in that short amount of time. I don¡¯t me her, though. None of this is her fault. It¡¯s just that any tiny sliver of independence I had before her arrival was quickly squashed. And if I thought things were bad before, they¡¯re much worse now.

    Giving up on trying to make my smile reach my eyes, I walk out of my room and stop in the hallway. I can see Selina¡¯s bedroom door from here. We haven¡¯t had much time to bond since she¡¯s been back, and a fun girls¡¯ night out would be just the thing to bring us closer. Although I highly doubt if she¡¯ll say yes, I still feel an intense need to invite her. Maybe she¡¯s suffering from cabin fever as much as I am.

    Before I can doubt my choice, I go to her door and knock. When Selina answers a few secondster, she looks stunned to see me; no doubt expecting to see my brother.

    ¡°Bored?¡± I say with a big smile.

    ¡°Very,¡± she confesses.

    ¡°Want to go out?¡± I offer. ¡°My friend is DJing at a club tonight, and I¡¯m dying to see her do her thing.¡±

    A nervous smile forms on her lips. ¡°Okay, sure,¡± she tells me with a nod, surprising the hell out of me.

    I realize she¡¯s in her PJs, so I ask, ¡°Got anything to wear?¡±

    She looks down at her outfit and blushes. ¡°No?¡± she says, but it sounds more like a question than an answer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have plenty in my closet,¡± I exin. Then, with a wink, I tell her, ¡°Come with me.¡±

 99

    Aria

    ONCE WE FIND something for Selina to wear, we sneak outside to a car waiting for us. I had texted the driver, Marco, an hour ago and told him to be ready. He¡¯s constantly grumbling about myte-night escapades, but he never tells me no. And, more importantly, he never tells my father about where I¡¯m going or what I do outside of the house. Maybe it¡¯s because nothing has ever happened on my little outings¡­or maybe it¡¯s because I always slip him a few hundred dors to keep his mouth shut and his wallet happy.

    When we climb into the back of the sedan, Selina nces around nervously. ¡°We don¡¯t need more guards?¡± she asks.

    I smile and wave nonchntly. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± I assure her. ¡°There are going to be tons of people there. Nothing is going to happen.¡± I understand her apprehension, but it¡¯s not like we¡¯re going totally alone. We¡¯ll have Marco nearby in case anything happens, and the club has plenty of security and bouncers.

    Selina shes me a hesitant grin and fixes the hem of her skirt before nervously crossing and uncrossing her legs. The dress I let her borrow fits her figure perfectly. Selina is tall, blonde and insanely pretty. She was a knockout when she was barely a teenager, so no wonder my brother fell madly in love with her all those years ago. She¡¯s twenty-three now, two years older than me, and it¡¯s hard to believe the kind of life she recently escaped from. I personally don¡¯t know if I could have survived. But she¡¯s strong. She¡¯s always been so damn strong.

    Marco drives us into the city, the lights and atmosphere filling me with an overwhelming sense of happiness and peace that I couldn¡¯t ever describe with words. I love the city. I love how it never sleeps and how there is always something happening. So many people live and thrive here in NYC, and I wish I could be one of them even for just a day.

    When Marco pulls up to arge industrial-looking building, he turns around in the seat and tells us, ¡°I¡¯ll be parked a few blocks away. Just text me when you¡¯re ready to leave.¡±

    This isn¡¯t his first rodeo. I¡¯ve done this numerous times before unbeknownst to my parents, who would probably have my head and his if they knew I was sneaking out to clubs at night.

    ¡°Thank you, Marco,¡± I tell him. Then, I climb out of the back of the car, turning and waiting for Selina. She looks anxious and almost like she wants to turn around and go back home, but then she seems to steel her nerves and eventually gets out. Mind made up, I take her hand and pull her past the line of people and right to the front door.

    The huge, burly bouncer at the door tips his bald head at me and narrows his eyes. ¡°Name?¡± he asks, looking bored and unconvinced that it will actually be on the list. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s had numerous people attempt to get in tonight, but I know for a fact that I¡¯m not going to be wasting his time.

    ¡°Aria Vitale,¡± I say with a smile.

    I can see the change in his demeanor almost instantly. My family name sends fear into a lot of people when they hear it. My father is very well known throughout the city for his line of work and ties to the mafia. Even though my family helps innocent people who get caught up in human trafficking rings, my dad still delves in the dark underbelly of the city to make his money. He controls most of New York and New Jersey and owns a lot of territories.

    The bouncer checks his list, gives me a nod and then steps aside for us to go through the front door.

    Inside, it¡¯s loud and bright with numerous neon-colored lights moving in various patterns across the huge dance floor. The club is packed with people drinking,ughing, dancing and talking loudly.

    I lead Selina straight to the bar, ordering us a couple of shots and drinks to loosen her up. God, the girl looks like she¡¯s at a funeral and not at a club right now. I really want us to have a good time tonight, and I¡¯m going to make it my mission to make sure that happens. Selina deserves this, a night out, a fun evening to rx and forget about all the bad things.

    I end up snagging us two seats at the bar while we wait for our mixed drinks to be made, and we take turns downing a few shots of tequ. After the third shot, I can start to tell Selina is beginning to rx, and that makes me so happy.

    A few guyse and go, trying to hit on us, but I shut them down quick. If they want to live to see tomorrow, they¡¯re better off just running the other way and not pushing their luck.

    The bartender sets down our drinks a few minutester just as one of my favorite songs begins to y over the speakers. I jump up, grab Selina¡¯s hand and shout over the music, ¡°Let¡¯s dance!¡±

    She follows me onto the dance floor. The crowd parts as I barrel my way through it. Even though I¡¯m only five-two, I like to think my confidence makes up for the fact that I¡¯m vertically challenged.

    I text my friend, who is DJing, and let her know we¡¯ll be up to the booth soon after we get a few drinks and dances in. And then, I tuck my phone away and start to dance, one of my favorite things to do.

    Selina is awkward at first, barely swaying to the music. ¡°Come on. You can do better than that!¡± I tease her.

    She downs half of her drink, needing the liquid courage before she begins keeping up with me, putting her arm up in the air and looking like a superstar on the dance floor.

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± I call out to her with a big grin.

    She moves so freely, without a care in the world, and it¡¯s a wonderful thing to see. She¡¯s finally letting her guard down and enjoying herself, something she probably hasn¡¯t done in years. It makes me so happy that I asked her toe out with me tonight. She needed this. We both did.

    I finish off most of my drink, dancing andughing when suddenly I realize Selina dropped her drink. ¡°Whoa!¡± I call out, bumping into her. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re cut off!¡± I joke. But when I look up and see the worry and fear in her eyes, I sober up quickly. ¡°What? Selina, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask urgently.

    Her eyes cut away from me and focus in on a specific area on the second floor. I try to look to see what she¡¯s staring at, but all I see are people drinking and having fun.

    ¡°Constantine is here!¡± she says in a panic, her eyes darting around.

    And with those words spoken, what was supposed to be a fun girls¡¯ night out turns into a freaking nightmare within the matter of a few seconds.

    ¡°Are you sure it was him?¡± I ask Selina, grabbing her arm and shaking her hard. I need her to focus.

    ¡°Yes! No!¡± she sputters out. ¡°I¡¯m not a hundred-percent sure, but I think it was him.¡±

    I look around the club, torn between wanting and not wanting to see him. Constantine Carbone has been a thorn in my family¡¯s side for years. I remember overhearing stories about him when I was a child, thinking he was the real-life boogeyman. And the thought of actually facing him tonight has me shuddering. He¡¯s responsible for destroying a lot of lives. Poor Selina was in his clutches for an entire decade while he did all sort of sick and depraved things to her. And if he¡¯s here tonight, that means he¡¯s looking for her and wants her back.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I mutter under my breath before I pull my cell phone from the small clutch in my trembling hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to call Renato just in case. He¡¯ll know what to do.¡±

    When I hear his familiar voice answer the phone, my heart clenches inside my chest. ¡°Renato, it¡¯s me.¡± And then I take a deep breath before telling him, ¡°Listen, don¡¯t freak out, but we¡¯re at the club.¡±

    Renato has been dealing with my shenanigans for years. This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve snuck out of the house without an entourage of bodyguards against my parents¡¯ best wishes and without him knowing until the next day.

    ¡°Damn it, Aria!¡± He curses under his breath before he asks in a demanding tone, ¡°Which club?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Liquid Lounge.¡±

    He berates me for a full minute, telling me how dangerous it is to leave the house without his knowledge, especially now, as if I don¡¯t already know all of that. Rolling my eyes, I cut him off and say, ¡°I don¡¯t need your shit right now, Renato. I need your help.¡± I nce at Selina, who looks ghastly pale with dread in her eyes. ¡°Selina thinks she just saw Constantine Carbone here.¡±

    Renato pauses a beat before he tells me, ¡°You need to get out of there, Aria. Right now. Do you hear me?¡± His tone is severe. ¡°Don¡¯t even pay the tab. I¡¯ll take care of itter. Just get the fuck out of the building.¡± I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever been this brusque with me before, and it¡¯s scaring me.

    I nod in understanding even though he can¡¯t see me. I look at Selina and tell her, ¡°He said we need to get out of here. I¡¯ll text the driver toe pick us up. He¡¯s only a few blocks away. Then we can -.¡±

    I don¡¯t get to finish my sentence. A loud, deafening boom sounds, and the music suddenly cuts off.

    Pop, pop, pop, pop!

    Selina pulls me down to the floor, sheltering me as the gunfire goes off. The crowd of people surrounding us erupts into panic, screaming as they start running for the nearest exits. Acting quickly, Selina pulls me under a table so that we don¡¯t get trampled to death in the ensuing chaos as the shooting continues to explode through the entire building.

    Dead bodies begin to fall around us until the ce looks like something out of a war movie.

    ¡°Aria! Aria!¡± I can hear Renato¡¯s frantic screams from the speaker in my phone, which is now lying on the floor next to our feet.

 100

    People are crying, screaming and trying frantically to escape, and anyone that moves is just being mowed down by the gunmen. I begin to hyperventte; my senses on overload; my flight or fight kicking into high gear. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡±

    Selina nods in agreement. ¡°Stay low,¡± she instructs.

    We scramble out from under the table, and I barely remember to grab my phone at thest second, holding it in my hand like a lifeline. Perhaps because it is.

    My legs threaten to buckle, but Selina drags me alongside her towards what I hope is an exit.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you!¡± someone calls out.

    Selina suddenly stops dead in her tracks as if the voice has an unforeseen power over her. Her eyes are full of pain and regret as she yells at me, ¡°Go! Get out of here!¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I realize she¡¯s sacrificing herself for my safety. Frantically, I pull on her arm, hoping that she¡¯ll change her mind. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you!¡± I cry, my vision blurring.

    ¡°Get out before it¡¯s toote!¡± she hisses at me, pushing me towards the exit and away from her. I can see the hiddenmunication in her eyes. She wants me to go get help; because if we¡¯re both taken, there¡¯s no hope for us.

    Sobbing, I give her a small nod before I turn and run out the door at the end of the hallway. I shove my phone down the front of my gold, sequin mini dress, hoping that Renato is still on the line and ising to rescue us. There are several people gathered outside, all of them turning to look at me, fearing that I¡¯m one of the gunmening out to finish the job.

    I move towards the crowd, hoping to blend in and hide until someonees for us, but I only get two steps in before I¡¯m suddenly hauled up in the air. I¡¯m crushed in a gripping hold against a big, burly man who smells like sweat and grease. I scream at the top of my lungs, begging for someone to help me, but the people who looked like they were willing to help before are suddenly scattering in the wind, afraid for their own safety and self-preservation.

    I fight and kick and scream, but the man manages to get me back inside the club. He forces me to stand beside Selina, who is facing the devil himself ¨C Constantine Carbone. I¡¯ve never seen him in person before, only in pictures, but I would recognize his evil face anywhere. He¡¯s responsible for all of this. But how the hell did he find us?

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Selina pleads with him. ¡°Just let her go.¡±

    I stare at Selina in awe. She¡¯s so damn brave, so tough. And she¡¯s willing to do anything for my safety. If we make it out of this alive, I have no idea how I¡¯ll even repay her for her selflessness.

    Constantine lets out a deep, heartyugh. ¡°Oh, you think you make the rules now, my little pet?¡±

    Selina visibly flinches from the nickname, and I wonder how many times he called her that during their ten years together. I shudder at the thought.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Constantine walks over to us. Up close, he¡¯s handsome with salt and pepper hair and dark eyes. I would never peg him for a monster but looks can clearly be deceiving.

    He reaches out to touch Selina¡¯s face, but she grimaces and takes a step back. He tsks at her, and a cruel smirk forms on his lips as he says, ¡°It seems my little pet has lost her manners. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach you your manners again. I¡¯ll beat the fucking defiance out of you until you can no longer walk.¡± And then he draws his hand back and ms his fist into the side of her head.

    My first reaction to his brutality is total and utter shock. I¡¯ve never seen a man hit a woman before. And then, all too soon, anger begins to well up and seep through every pore in my body, and I scream at him, ¡°Leave her alone!¡±

    The moment his ck eyes rest upon me, I realize my mistake. Constantine slowly walks over to me, like a mountain lion stalking its prey. Gently, so gently, his fingertips graze along my cheek and jaw before he wraps his hand around my neck and forces me to lift my chin. He stares at me, taking in every detail of my face. ¡°And you must be Aria Vitale. My god, you look just like your mother,¡± he says in awe, and I can practically see the fucked-up thoughts swirling inside of his evil eyes. If eyes are the gateway to the soul, this man has none. They look void of emotion, void of any kind of light, void of everything. Just endless shadowy pits of pure darkness. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to have fun with you,¡± Constantine tells me. ¡°All the fun I was denied with her thanks to your no-good father.¡±

    I open my mouth to tell him off, but suddenly Selina lets out a primal scream beside me. In the blink of an eye, she¡¯s pouncing on Constantine, her nails scoring his cheek before one of his guards suddenly hauls her backwards, away from him.

    She fights the man holding her like a wild animal, and I can¡¯t help but silently cheer her on. I step forward to help her, but I¡¯m immediately pulled back. I struggle against my own captor, kicking him in the shin and making him yelp in pain.

    We¡¯re both putting up the fight of our lives right now. We¡¯re not backing down. We¡¯re not making it easy on them.

    Eventually, Selina goes limp in the man¡¯s arms, having worn herself out. Her breathing is ragged and raw as she stares daggers into Constantine. I¡¯ve never seen this side of her before. But considering what she went through as a teen and into her adulthood, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s had to adapt and be someone else, something fierce and unbreakable.

    Constantine casually pulls a white handkerchief out of his suit pocket and wipes at his face, staring down at the blood when he pulls it away. A hearty chuckle escapes his chest before his dark eyes lock onto Selina. ¡°Save your strength, little pet. You¡¯re going to need it for what I have nned for you,¡± he threatens. Then, he looks to his men. ¡°Hurry up and frisk them, and then let¡¯s get the hell out of here.¡±

    A shiver runs up and down my spine. My cell phone. It¡¯s hidden in the front of my dress. I need Constantine to give us more information, something, and I can only hope and pray that Renato is still on the line and listening to all of this.

    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± I yell at him to make sure it¡¯s picked up on the microphone.

    ¡°We¡¯re going on a little boat ride,¡± he says cryptically before turning to leave, stepping over the dead bodies as he goes.

    Police sirens can be heard in the distance while four men roughly search Selina and me, tearing at our clothes and putting their fingers and hands in ces they shouldn¡¯t be. I fight them off as hard as I can. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± I screech. ¡°Don¡¯t! Stop!¡± Despite my best efforts, they manage to manhandle their way inside my dress before pulling out my lifeline to Renato.

    ¡°Cell phone,¡± one of the men calls out before he drops it to the floor and smashes it against the concrete with the heel of his heavy boot.

    A sob escapes me then as I look up at Selina. We know exactly what the other is thinking ¨C they¡¯ll never be able to find us now. We¡¯ll be taken, and there¡¯s not a damn thing anyone can do to change that.

 101

    Aria

    I GROAN MISERABLY as I slowlye to. My entire body hurts. Thest thing I remember was being shoved into the back of a ck windowless van. I screamed and kicked at the guards, fighting as hard as I possibly could¡­until one of them hauled off and hit me in the head.

    Everything went ck after that.

    My head throbs with a painful migraine blooming behind my eyes. ¡°Wh-what¡­where are we?¡± I ask as I force myself to wake up fully and face reality. I try to move, but I realize my arms are trapped above me and I¡¯m literally hanging in the air. My eyes snap open and dart around the poorly lit warehouse. Rope painfully tugs against my skin as I kick out at empty air, my feet dangling a few inches from the dirty concrete floor.

    ¡°Aria, it¡¯s okay,¡± Selina says from beside me.

    I nce over at her and realize she¡¯s strung up and helpless just like me. Selina looks deceptively calm, and it makes me panic even more to the point where I feel like I¡¯m going to hyperventte. Is she mentally preparing for what¡¯s about to happen? I know she survived hell and back many times in her past. She was with our very kidnapper for an entire decade from the ages of thirteen to twenty-three. I can¡¯t even imagine what she went through, and I hate to think that I might be about to suffer that same fate.

    ¡°It¡¯s not okay,¡± I whine, tears streaming down my cheeks. ¡°We have to get out of here, Selina!¡± I hiss, pointing out the obvious. I stare at her, hoping that she had time to think of a n or something while I was unconscious, but I see the despondent look on her face when she turns her head towards me.

    Her somber expression tells me everything I need to know. We¡¯re both totally andpletely screwed.

    A whimper escapes me as heavy footsteps echo in the warehouse, growing closer, and Selina hushes me to be quiet. My entire body trembles when I see Constantine emerge from the shadows. His attention is exclusively on Selina, however, when he walks over to her and says, ¡°Hello, my little pet.¡±

    Selina slowly raises her head and faces her former captor. ¡°How did you find me?¡± she asks, her voice steady and firm. And once again I¡¯m in awe of how brave she is.

    Her question seems to irritate him. ¡°I told you I would always find you, my sweet Selina.¡± He moves closer, walks behind her. Slowly, seemingly tenderly, he lifts the shoulder-length hair from her neck and brushes it aside. Feeling along her scalp, he exins, ¡°A tracker.¡±

    I mutter a curse under my breath. All this time we had no idea Selina wasn¡¯tpletely safe with us. That exins how he found us at the club so easily. He was waiting. Waiting for one of us to do something stupid and for Selina to let her guard down.

    I hang my head in misery. I led him right to her by pulling my stunt tonight. I shouldn¡¯t have snuck out of the house and definitely not without my usual group of guards. This is all my fault.

    He releases her hair and then walks around until he¡¯s standing before her once again. ¡°I never lose what¡¯s mine,¡± he tells her, his voice deceptively calm. ¡°It just took a little while longer to get to you, but I knew I would have a chance eventually. You know how patient I can be.¡±

    I can see Selina¡¯s hard exterior suddenly begin to crack. Perhaps she¡¯s reliving their years together in her mind, torturing herself with the horrific memories.

    Constantine moves closer until they¡¯re only an inch apart, and I clench my jaw so tightly I swear I can hear a tooth crack. ¡°I want vengeance on the man who killed my son,¡± he starts, and I swallow hard.

    My brother killed Constantine¡¯s son to save Selina; but clearly, he doesn¡¯t know who pulled the trigger. This is all about revenge? Well, he¡¯s not going to get it. I will protect Nico and my family with my life, if that¡¯s what it takes. And I know Selina would never give my brother up. It¡¯s just not in her DNA to be a traitor to the only boy she¡¯s ever loved and who equally loves her as much in return.

    Constantine continues with, ¡°You were there long enough to know the schedules of the guards, theyout of the Vitalepound. I want to know the ess points. I want to know when they¡¯re at their most vulnerable. You¡¯re going to give me every single thing I want.¡±

    Suddenly, his hand snatches out and grabs a fistful of Selina¡¯s hair, bending her neck at an awkward angle and causing her to cry out in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her, you bastard!¡± I shriek at him.

    Constantine releases her with a dark chuckle, and then he turns his attention to me. I try to keep the same bravado and stare him down but fail miserably. He is the devil incarnate. I can see it in his eyes. ¡°And what should I do with my new little pet?¡± he asks.

    Over my dead body, I think to myself. ¡°I¡¯ll never be your pet, you fucking psychopath!¡± I yell.

    His tongue darts out of his mouth, and he licks his bottom lip, as he stares at me with a look that can only be described as depraved. Oh god, is he getting turned on by this? I instantly want to take my words back, but it¡¯s toote.

    Constantine walks over and reaches out to touch me, and I swiftly kick out at him, narrowly missing his balls and, unfortunately, catching his thigh instead. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± I cry out.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to do so much more than touch you, my little principessa,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going to hurt you. I¡¯m going to bend you until you fucking break,¡± he threatens, turning the blood in my veins to pure ice. With a snap of his fingers, two guardse forward. ¡°Let¡¯s show my new little pet some manners. Cut her down.¡±

    A tall, skinny guard with bad e brandishes a knife and reaches above me, sawing through the rope. I fall to the hard, unforgiving floor in a crumpled heap, every single bone in my body hurting from the impact. I cry out from the horrific pain jarring my body.

    ¡°No! Please!¡± Selina cries. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want, Constantine! Kill me for your son. Take my life. Just let her go!¡±

    Constantine doesn¡¯t even seem affected by her pleas. His attention is solely on me now, and he simply instructs his guards, ¡°Hold her down. I¡¯m going to take what I want from the little bitch before you two get your turn.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    One of the guards throws me down to the concrete floor and pins my arms down above my head. I struggle as hard as I can until the guard, who had cut me loose, holds the same knife to my face. I can feel the edge of the de nicking my skin, and I suddenly still as an anguished sob escapes my lips.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make him carve into that perfection,¡± Constantine warns. Then, he gets on his knees and pries my legs apart. Inwardly, I curse myself for wearing a damn dress tonight and giving him unfettered ess.

    Selina again contends for me. ¡°No, Constantine! Please don¡¯t do this!¡± she cries. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want. Anything!¡± she screams out, begging, pleading.

    I watch in horror as Constantine unbuckles his belt. And then the zipper of his pants is going down, and I can see his semi-hard cock. He inches towards me, and I begin to panic, my lungs seizing. My first time can¡¯t be like this! I scream inside my head.

    ¡°No, no, no! Please! Please!¡± I beg. And then I make a gamble with thest and only chip I have. ¡°I¡¯m a virgin!¡± I shout, my throat raw.

    And as if I just said the magic word, Constantine miraculously stops. I watch as he slowly stands up, zips up his pants and looks down at me with mixed emotions written all over his face; the biggest of which can only be described as disappointment.

    A sense of relief floods through me when I realize he¡¯s not going to rape me. But when I turn and see Selina¡¯s grim and severe expression, the relief I was feeling seeps out of every pore of my body in a rush, and I know that somehow I¡¯ve just made a very grave mistake.

    I see her mouth form the word no just as Constantine says, ¡°Take her to the doctor and get him to examine her. If what she said is true, put her on the next boat to The Ind.¡±

    The Ind? I shake my head, refusing to believe it¡¯s the same ce my father and brother have been discussing for the past few weeks. I overheard them talking about horrific things that take ce there. Girls and women are auctioned off like prized cattle to the highest bidder, and most of them are never seen or heard from again.

    Two of Constantine¡¯s men wrestle me into a standing position. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± I call out, needing to be sure it¡¯s the same ce.

    ¡°Why, you¡¯re going to auction, my dear,¡± Constantine exins with a sneer. ¡°Your virginity is about to make me a lot of money. Some retribution for my son¡¯s death, if you will.¡±

    I fight, kick and scream as the men lead me away from Selina. I hear her crying out my name, and I can¡¯t help but wonder what¡¯s going to happen to her and if I¡¯ll ever see her again.

 102

    Aria

    BLOOD IS DRUMMING inside my ears as I try to calm my breathing under the ck hood covering my head. It¡¯s strange what your mind begins to do when one of your senses is taken away for an extended period of time. I can almost see objects and colors that aren¡¯t there even though I¡¯m in total darkness, blind to the outside world or really anything within an inch of my face. I can smell metal, rain, desperation¡­and blood.

    Is that even possible?

    Also, I can hear everything, even the raindrops pelting off the roof and the little rocks pinging off the undercarriage of the van we¡¯re riding in as we fly down a gravel road.

    And then a thought urs to me. Maybe I¡¯m just going crazy at this point. Would I even realize I¡¯ve gone mentally insane?

    How long have I been in this van?

    My head aches when I think of the events that transpired earlier tonight that led me here. Led me to this horrific point. It all started with what was supposed to be a fun night out¡­

    The van abruptly hits a pothole, rocking everything violently from side to side and sending me crashing into a woman near me. There are several of us crammed in the back of the vehicle. I quickly try to right myself; the struggle being real since my hands are tied together. At least they tied them in the front and not in the back ¨C one small benediction in this dreadful situation.

    I don¡¯t know exactly at what moment I became a silver lining kind of gal, but here we are.

    Breathe, Aria. Just breathe, I keep telling myself in my head.

    I was vited earlier by a so-called doctor, who physically examined me at the dock. I swear I can still feel his fingers inside of me poking and prodding, and a violent tremor runs through me when I think about it. He was absolutely ecstatic when he realized my hymen was still intact. And after that confirmation, I was immediately put on a boat and then an airne and finally in this cramped van. All modes of transportation have been exhausting, especially without any knowledge of where we¡¯re going or how far it will be until we reach our final destination. And each stop that we made included picking up more innocent, terrified women. I think I counted ten of us before the hood was ced over my head as we boarded the ne, but there could be more by now.

    My lower lip trembles, but I refuse to break down. It¡¯s too dangerous. I can¡¯t appear weak. I know what happens to the weak girls here. To the girl who was crying and screaming and begging for her life in the back of the van an hour ago. I listened in horror as they dragged her out of the vehicle. I could hear the assault even though I couldn¡¯t see it. I knew they were beating her into silence. After that, she was quiet. So very quiet.

    I don¡¯t even know if she got back in the van. But the truth of the matter is I almost hope she didn¡¯t. I think most of us would prefer death than have to face our horrible inescapable fates. Auctioned off like pieces of meat to the higher bidder to do whatever they please with us. Whatever they desire.

    Shaking my head, I clear those awful thoughts from my mind. I can¡¯t think about her. I can¡¯t think about them. I can¡¯t think about anything in this moment except for myself and my own survival. My entire life depends on it.

    The vanes to an abrupt stop, pitching us all forward. I don¡¯t even have time to try to sit up before I hear the back doors opening and someone instructing us to climb out.

    Not wanting to fall and needing to see what¡¯s going on, I carefully reach up and remove my hood. I allow my dark hair to fall around my face, hoping they won¡¯t notice that I took it off.

    The smell of the ocean assaults my senses, and I know we¡¯re on The Ind. My eyes scan my surroundings, frantically looking for a way out. There are numerous armed guards in dark, tactical-style clothing and ck masks leading us towards a huge building. Even if I ran, I wouldn¡¯t get far. I¡¯d either get shot or probably drown while trying to swim with my hands tied.

    Distracted, I stumble and almost fall. My ankles bend awkwardly, and I curse my heels. Why couldn¡¯t I have worn somefy sneakers to the club?

    ¡°Walk,¡± a rough, deep voice says from behind me before the barrel of his gun is digging into my back, shoving me forward.

    I whirl around, staring at the man in the mask. ¡°You try walking in heels, asshole!¡± I snap before I can contain myself.

    I hear a few of the women gasp, and I feel my heart stutter inside my chest. Oh god, what have I done?

    Immediately, my mind goes to the girl in the van. How they forced her into silence. And now I¡¯m about to suffer the same oue.

    The guard raises his gun, intending to hit me with the butt of it, and I tense, waiting for the blow. But it neveres.

    ¡°Easy. She¡¯s the premier choice tonight,¡± one of the other men warns him.

    I slowly open my eyes and see the two guards in a tussle. The one really wants to hurt me, but the other knows the consequences for those actions.

    ¡°Fine!¡± the first guard sneers, pushing the other off of him. ¡°Then you make the bitch walk. And put her hood back on,¡± he demands.

    ¡°No, please,¡± I beg the nicer guard, but he doesn¡¯t listen to me, and soon I¡¯m consumed in darkness once more. I try to breathe, but it feels like I¡¯m not getting enough air as I panic under the hood.

    ¡°Go. Now!¡± he yells, pushing me roughly. Okay, so this guy is definitely not nicer.

    I hold my tied hands out in front of me as best I can so that I don¡¯t identally bump into anything along the way. My fingers be tangled in the long, matted hair of a girl in front of me, and she whimpers when I pull them free. ¡°Sorry,¡± I whisper quickly. I don¡¯t want her to get in trouble because of me.

    We walk for a while before I hear metal scraping. A door opening maybe. And then suddenly, the dark hood is pulled from my head, bright fluorescent lights above instantly blinding me. I m my eyes shut, desperately seeking another way to ground me to my surroundings. I reach out in front of me but instantly regret my decision when I feel the muscr arm of one of the guards. He immediately shrugs me off, almost sending me toppling to the ground. Stumbling around, I manage to grab onto a wall and get my footing in these godforsaken heels I decided to wear earlier tonight. Was it earlier tonight? No. No, I¡¯ve been gone for far longer than that. It must have been at least two days ago now that I was taken. Stolen away from my friends and family by Constantine Carbone. The bastard. I hope he rots -.

    ¡°Keep moving,¡± the guard from earlier says, breaking me out of my bitter thoughts as he shoves me in the back. I fall to my knees, whipping around, ready to snap at him again. But the challenge in his blue eyes daring me to say one word to him has me biting the inside of my cheek to keep from telling him what I really want to say. I have a feeling the other guard won¡¯t save me this time, and I don¡¯t feel like pressing my luck.

    Let¡¯s just say my mouth and choice of words have gotten me in trouble in the past, and right now is not the time to be audacious. Right now, I have to y it smart, bide my time, and hope that someone rescues me from this ce before things get worse. And I have a feeling they¡¯re about to get so much worse.

    With a lot of effort, I manage to pick myself up off the dirty floor and huddle into a corner with the rest of the women, who range in ages from very young teens to middle age. The look on all their faces is the same ¨C we are screwed. Totally andpletely. I tear my eyes away from their despondent expressions and focus on my surroundings.

    We¡¯re in some kind of concrete jail cell. Possibly in a basement, because there are no windows, which ultimately means no way out.

    My designer dress is dirty, mangled and torn, barely providing me any sense of warmth or cover, and my metallic gold Louboutin red sole pumps are scuffed beyond repair. If I wasn¡¯t in such a dire situation, I would be pissed about the shoes. They were in perfect condition when I put them on to go to the club. A present from my mother. Maybe thest gift I¡¯ll ever get from her. And when I think about my parents and the rest of my family and friends, my chest aches with a pain I¡¯ve never felt before. I press my tied hands against me, desperately trying to rub out the hurt when the first of what will probably be many tears finally cascades down my cheek. A sob threatens to break free from my throat, but I don¡¯t allow it. I quickly swallow it down and straighten my back. I was raised tougher than this. My dad and brother did their best to prepare me in case I found myself in any simr circumstances. Although, I don¡¯t think anything or anyone could have prepared me for this exact situation. I know how many bad men there are in the world, and I know how many bad things can happen to people. I¡¯ve seen it firsthand.

    My father has been taking down ces like this for years; even before I was born. He¡¯s a bad man himself, but he does good things, like saving numerous women and children from human trafficking rings. He¡¯s made it his mission in life to save people from being bartered and sold like animals. And I can only hope that he¡¯s on his way right now with his team to save me.

    The door opens suddenly, and one of the masked guards steps inside, holding an assault rifle. I recognize him from earlier; the same one who almost hit me after I smarted off to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for the auction,¡± he announces, motioning with his gun for us to get up and walk out. ¡°Stay quiet or die. Those are your only two options,¡± he says, purposely looking at me.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    I stand up slowly, my entire body bruised and aching. All of us fall in line, our footsteps forced and slow, like we¡¯re being led to ughter. It certainly feels that way at this point. I don¡¯t know exactly what will happen after we leave this room, but I know one thing for certain ¨C all of our lives are going to change forever.

    As the group of us are led down a dark hallway, I hear one of the other guards say, ¡°Smile and look pretty, girls. It¡¯s almost showtime.¡±

    Slowly, a wicked grin forms on my face. They want us to pretend to be polite, pretty, little dolls for those sick, rich perverts? Well, they¡¯ve got another thinging.

 103

    CHAPTER5Mateo Navarro

    WHEN ONE OF my business associates suggested we take a little trip, I didn¡¯t think it would involve traveling in a private jet for hours to some remote ind in the middle of the fucking ocean. Thiago was very secretive about this whole thing, iming it would all be worth it in the end, but he did tell me that one of the rules of where we were going was no weapons.

    The moment wend and exit the ne, there is a team of security that runs metal detector wands up and down our bodies to make sure we¡¯re not carrying. Little do they know that my suit has a special lining that fools archaic methods such as this, and I¡¯m happy that my Glock is secretly resting near my heart inside my jacket where it belongs.

    ¡°Getting felt up by these men is your idea of a good time, Thiago?¡± I quip, irritated by the fact that they¡¯re attempting to pat me down, clearly not trusting their previous search. ¡°Touch me again and I¡¯ll break your goddamn fingers,¡± I tell one of the men. I don¡¯t fully rx until he puts his hands up and slowly steps back, knowing that I¡¯ve had enough of this bullshit.

    Thiago chuckles. ¡°Calm down, Mateo. It¡¯s just protocol.¡±

    I glower at him, contemting all the ways I could kill him right now. I know numerous ways that would be particrly painful, and I wouldn¡¯t even have to make it look like an ident.

    After the security guards have deemed us safe and eptable, we¡¯re put into a car and driven for a while to arge, nondescript building in the middle of the ind. From there, we¡¯re led down a long hallway and into a small ten-by-ten room where we¡¯re told to wait.

    Fed up with the theatrics already, I turn to Thiago and ask, ¡°What the fuck are we doing here?¡±

    He tells me cryptically, ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    I tower over him, wanting so badly to put my fist through his puffy, red face. He¡¯s short, much shorter than my height of six-foot five, and about as wide as he is tall. He nces up at me and shes a mouth full of yellow teeth as he runs his fat fingers through his dark slicked-back hair. The dated hairstyle makes him look older than he actually is when, in fact, we¡¯re the same age of thirty-five.

    Sighing in barely confined frustration, I stare out the wide viewing window before us, stepping closer to examine it. I can see myself in the reflection since the outside of this room ispletely darkened. I tap on the ss, curious.

    ¡°It¡¯s one-way. We can see out, but no one can see in,¡± Thiago informs me. ¡°It keeps everything private,¡± he says, stressing thest word.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been here before,¡± I presume.

    ¡°Oh yes, many times,¡± he confesses.

    He¡¯s never told me about this ce, or perhaps I never remember him telling me. Thiago has a tendency to run his mouth a lot, and most of the shit I just block out for my own sanity. I¡¯ve known him for years. He¡¯s one of my closest associates and biggest dealers, distributing the rainbow-colored fentanyl that my people produce in the numerous warehouses in Mexico that I own and run. So, I let a lot of his shenanigans slide, for the sake of business alone and for the amount of money he makes me.

    But our partnership goes both ways. Thiago wouldn¡¯t have the drugs to sell without me; and thus, wouldn¡¯t have the extremely lucrative ie that he does. So, for those reasons, I trust him¡­to an extent. I know he wouldn¡¯t double cross me, because he knows he would be a dead man before my corpse even got cold.

    ¡°Have a seat,¡± Thiago suggests. ¡°The show is about to begin.¡±

    Grumbling, I go to a chair situated in the corner of the small room as he takes a seat in front of aputer with a keyboard. The monitor flickers on, and a bunch of information runs across the screen. Warnings and disimers, I think. He signs in, and then all the fine print blinks away to a ck screen with a countdown of five minutes in big, red numbers.

    I want to ask him what happens in five minutes, but I know the bastard won¡¯t tell me. He¡¯s being ambiguous, for some reason, and it¡¯s driving me insane. I¡¯m already thinking about who will rece him after I put a bullet in his head. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Everyone is receable, to an extent. Even me.

    Pulling my lucky coin out of an inside jacket pocket, I begin to roll it over the knuckles of my right hand. I do the maneuver repeatedly, and it begins to calm my nerves, like usual. Call it a nervous tik or whatever you want, but it helps me to think, helps me to concentrate.

    I stare through the dark ss, assuming I¡¯m going to see something soon since the counter is down to three and a half minutes now. Sure enough, bright fluorescent lights begin to flicker on, illuminating a circr room and what appears to be a round stage with a runway leading up to it in the middle. The room is huge, and I can see numerousrge, square windows facing the stage. I¡¯m assuming beyond the windows are other rooms, just like the one I¡¯m currently sitting in. But Thiago was right about the one-way ss since I can¡¯t see into any of them to confirm.

    ring at the runway in the distance, I scoff, ¡°You brought me all the way here for a fucking fashion show?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not a fashion show, although you will see many beautiful girls here tonight. I can promise you that,¡± he mutters under his breath.

    I¡¯m just about to demand he tells me what¡¯s going on when a robotic-sounding female voicees over the inte speaker above us, interrupting me.

    ¡°The first auction will begin in three minutes,¡± the voice announces.

    ¡°Auction?¡± I question. ¡°What are you bidding on?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to spoil it. You¡¯ll just have to wait. The first time is always the most exciting,¡± he states, smiling cruelly.

    I steel my features. This is a new side of Thiago that I haven¡¯t witnessed before. Hell, we¡¯re all seedy motherfuckers in the cartel, but he¡¯s bringing on a whole other level of sordidness. After tonight, I¡¯ll decide if I want to keep doing business with him¡­or kill him. The more time that goes on in this room with the two of us, I¡¯m beginning to lean more towards thetter option.

    He¡¯s quiet for a while, his knee jumping and anxiousness marring his features. He¡¯s excited for this, like a gambler before a big horse race.

    I watch the countdown on the screen, and when it gets to zero, I can¡¯t help but hold my breath for what is about to happen. The stage lights blink a few times, and then a blonde woman is walking down the runway with what looks like an armed guard behind her. He¡¯s wearing tactical gear and a ck mask. I narrow my eyes as I turn my attention to the woman.

    She looks young,te teens, early twenties maybe, with short, blonde hair and long legs under a white dress that is so sheer I can see the color of her nipples. She nces around the room when she reaches the end of the stage, looking lost and confused.

    ¡°Dios mio, she¡¯s pretty,¡± Thiago remarks, and I look on theputer monitor, realizing there is a camera pointed at her face and broadcasting it on the screen. Zoomed in, I can see the fear in her deep blue eyes. She looks absolutely terrified.

    The robotic voice announces over a speaker in the ceiling, ¡°Age neen. ce of origin, Russia. We¡¯ll start the bidding at fifty thousand dors.¡±

    Almost instantaneously, several red lights above the darkened windows around the stage begin to sh, lighting up the numbers. The windows are all numbered, and the highest one I see is twelve. There are twelve rooms. Twelve men bidding on women.

    ¡°Three hundred thousand dors,¡± the robot says after filing through multiple bids. ¡°Three hundred thousand going once¡­going twice¡­sold to number eleven.¡±

    The girl is forced off the stage by gunpoint, and I turn to Thiago, who is grinning ear to ear, enjoying his time here like we¡¯re at a normal sporting event and not at an auction for human beings. ¡°What the fuck are we doing here?¡± I demand. I¡¯m tired of him pussyfooting around.

    ¡°When you told me you¡¯ve never been to an auction before, I knew I had to invite you.¡± He pauses. ¡°I haven¡¯t bid on any girls yet, but it is quite entertaining.¡± He shifts in his seat then and not so subtly adjusts himself through his pants. Fuck, is he getting aroused by this?

    I vaguely remember him discussing his sick fascination with paying for whores, but I had no idea he thought I would ever remotely be into this. The very thought of it makes me feel sick and stabby, and I¡¯d love to stick the de of a knife right through his carotid right now. Even though we¡¯ve been cohorts for years, he went too fucking far this time.

    I may live in a sick, fucked-up world where there are no rules except kill or be killed, but I draw the line at hurting innocent women. Thiago doesn¡¯t know about my past or what I went through as a young boy. Hell, only one other person knows, and that¡¯s my uncle. Thiago couldn¡¯t have possibly known that this would trigger me, but that doesn¡¯t make any of this better or okay.

    Several more women are presented on stage, and the bids go higher and higher each time. I pace the floor of the small room, two seconds away from losing my shit. My eyes squeeze shut as a barrage of memories assault my mind. I swear I can still hear them screaming¡­

    ¡°The premier female is being presented now,¡± the robot voice says, thankfully interrupting my thoughts, but not fully pulling me out of them.

    My breathing isbored as I watch the next woman forced on stage. Her long, brte hair has my hands clenching into fists on top of my knees. She struggles with the guard and is rewarded with a hard p to the cheek. She crumbles in her high heels, falling to the stage, her dark hair hiding her face.

    And, suddenly, it feels like my head is under water. I¡¯m drowning between the past and the present, and then I¡¯m right back where I was all those years ago when I was just a little boy¡­

    Her dark hair covering her face as the men force themselves upon her. Her screams fill my ears until that¡¯s the only sound I can hear. Her begging for them to stop, but they don¡¯t stop. They don¡¯t stop until she¡¯s quiet and not moving. Why is she so quiet?

    ¡°She¡¯s a lively one,¡± Thiagoments with a dark chuckle. ¡°Whoever takes her home is gonna have fun with her.¡±

    He¡¯s finding all of this oddly amusing while I¡¯m over here trying not to lose my shit, thinking there is a ghost out there haunting me. I stand up abruptly, knocking over the chair I was sitting in. Moving towards the ss, I point with a trembling finger at the ghost on the stage. ¡°Her face,¡± I whisper.

    Thiago¡¯s eyes widen as he watches me intently. He¡¯s probably never seen me this on edge before, about to lose my shit. I try to always remain calm, regrly masking my inner thoughts, like I¡¯m constantly in a game of poker in this fucked-up world we live in where one wrong move can get you killed.

    ¡°Her face. I need to see her goddamn face!¡± I demand almost in a panic. What I don¡¯t add is that I need to make sure it¡¯s not the face of my dead mother or sisters.

    Thiago stares up at me, confused. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he concedes before he quickly types something onto the keyboard.

    I watch through the window anxiously as the guard checks his radio before grabbing the woman¡¯s arm in a bruising grip. She¡¯s still on the floor, and I can see his lips moving as he instructs her on what to do. She justys there, not moving, not listening. Finally, the guard forces her into a standing position, swinging her around to our viewing window. Then, he roughly brushes her long, dark hair away, revealing her face.

    As if sensing me staring at her, the young woman looks directly at me even though it¡¯s impossible for her to see into the room. A lump lodges itself in my throat, and I¡¯m finding it hard to swallow or even breathe at this point. Those piercing amber eyes of hers seem to somehow focus on me, and I can¡¯t seem to tear my gaze away.

    ¡°Hermosa,¡± Thiagoments.

    Beautiful.  No. Beautiful isn¡¯t even enough to describe someone like her. She looks like a broken angel, fallen to the earth, disced from her otherworldly home. Almost too perfect to be real.

    The guard releases her, and the woman stares through the window before elegantly raising her middle finger and flipping me the bird. I can¡¯t help the smile that stretches across my mouth as Thiago roars inughter behind me.

    The gesture earns her a verbal reprimand from the guard, and then the connection we shared is severed as he forces her to stand facing in another direction.

    ¡°United States origin. Twenty-one. Certified virgin,¡± the robotic voice says over the speakers in the wall. ¡°We¡¯ll start the bidding at¡­one-hundred thousand dors.¡±

    The bidding takes off quickly; and before I can even blink, it¡¯s over a million.

    Thiago points to his screen. ¡°That bastard,¡± he says with a chuckle.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask, reluctantly tearing my eyes away from the girl to go take a nce at theputer monitor. I realize it shows the number of bidders and how much each one has bid on a particr woman. Number ten is lit up with the current max bid.

    ¡°This is the fourth virgin he¡¯s bid on in the past few months.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°I dunno. Damion something.¡±

    So much for anonymity at The Ind, I think to myself.

    ¡°I actually feel sorry for the girl,¡± Thiago continues. ¡°I heard that he tortures and kills them after he brutally rapes them. He brags about it all the time to the others.¡± He shakes his head solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ve even seen some pictures of the aftermath. Fucking gruesome. He¡¯s one sick son of a bitch.¡±

    My blood boils at his words, and the nagging memory of that fateful night hits me with full force once again. Enraged, I grab Thiago by the cor of his shirt and force his beady eyes to look at me. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡± I hiss at him. Does he somehow know about my fucked-up past? Is he doing this to hurt me, to fucking destroy me?

    ¡°I-I-I thought you would enjoy it!¡± he stammers with fear in his eyes.

    ¡°Enjoy it?¡± I say through clenched teeth. I¡¯m two seconds away from ripping out his fucking throat and leaving him to bleed out on the dirty floor.

    ¡°Si! The girls here are exceptional. You can simply look¡­or buy. You could buy yourself a sex ve!¡±

    ¡°You think I need to pay for pussy?¡± I ask with a re, barely containing myself from strangling him to death.

    ¡°No, no, of course not!¡± His hands cover mine when I grip his throat. ¡°Por favor, Mateo!¡± he cries out. ¡°It was my mistake!¡±

    ¡°The current bid is at two million dors for the premier choice,¡± the robotic voice announces.

    Suddenly, I release him and take a step back. My eyes go to the girl on the center stage. Even though she can¡¯t see anyone through the mirrored ss, she flips everyone the bird. She¡¯s screaming something, but I can¡¯t hear her words.

    The guardes back and thrusts a long cattle prod in between her ribs. Her entire body shudders from the electric shock, and she copses to her knees.

    None of the other women even came close to defying their captors. They probably knew what woulde as a result of their misbehavior. This woman doesn¡¯t seem to be scared of anything even though her fate lies in the bnce of everyone in this building.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t bode well for her. Damion likes when they fight,¡± Thiago says in barely a whisper.

    I growl at his words. She¡¯s fighting for her freedom, for her life out there. And if these men can¡¯t recognize the courage it¡¯s taking her to defy it all, then they¡¯re just idiots.

    ¡°Three-point-five million dors going once¡­going twice¡­¡±

    Before I even know what I¡¯m doing, I yell to Thiago, ¡°Bid!¡±

    Thiago presses a button on the keyboard before I can even second-guess my decision.

    ¡°The current bid is now four million dors.¡±

    ¡°F-f-four million dors for a sex ve?¡± he asks, stuttering in disbelief.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    ¡°Counter bid is four-point-five million dors.¡±

    I can see number ten lit up on the monitor. Damion is bidding against me, determined to win her. Determined to rape and maim this poor, young woman and have her be another one of his lifeless, mutted trophies that he brags about to his friends. And in that moment, I decide that I¡¯ll die before I let that happen to her.

    ¡°Bid again,¡± I tell Thiago, my jaw set in determination.

    ¡°Four-point-five million dors is the current top bid.¡±

    ¡°Again,¡± I instruct Thiago, but he hesitates.

    The robot begins saying, ¡°Four-point-five million going once¡­going twice¡­¡±

    I pull the Glock out of my jacket and press it against Thiago¡¯s temple. ¡°Bid. Now!¡± I roar.

    With a trembling finger, he presses the button on the keyboard, securing my bid. ¡°How the fuck did you get a gun in here?¡± he asks, his voice shaking.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just keep bidding,¡± I instruct him through gritted teeth while the robot announces the counterbid from number ten.

    We y this game of bidding and counterbidding until it goes up to seven million dors. That¡¯s when Thiago informs me, ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯ll counter that, Mateo. He¡¯s never gone over seven mil for a virgin before.¡±

    ¡°Seven million dors going once¡­going twice¡­going three times. Sold to buyer number two for seven million dors.¡±

    A sense of relief hits me at first, but then I¡¯m consumed by confusion and then disbelief. I just spent seven million dors on a virgin.

    What the fuck have I done?

 104

    Aria

    SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS. I mean, I guess I should feel ttered in a way. None of the other girls went for much over a million. Although I¡¯m sure my virginity yed a role in my exuberant price tag, because my little act of defiance on stage certainly didn¡¯t help the way I thought it would.

    I¡¯m being led down a shadowy hallway with the other women. I have no idea what will happen next, and not knowing is perhaps the worst part of all. My hands are tied behind me this time, like all the rest. And since I¡¯m at the front of the line, I don¡¯t even have time to react or study my surroundings when they open the main doors and then a ck hood is thrown over my head. Darkness consumes me, and I struggle to breathe through the heavy material.

    I hear cars running in the distance, and we¡¯re being led towards them. I stop walking, and I quickly regret that decision. A boot is nted against my backside, kicking me. I stumble forward but manage not to fall t on my face.

    ¡°Keep moving!¡± someone demands from behind me.

    I can hear one of the women cry out, and I turn my head towards that direction, but I can¡¯t see a damn thing and I¡¯m definitely not in any position to help her.

    Suddenly, I feel the presence of someone next to me. I feel a soft caress on my bare arm before a voice whispers into my ear, ¡°You should¡¯ve been mine, littlemb.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I ask, trembling in fear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± the mysterious man says calmly, but it sounds like a warning¡­or a threat. Then, I hear his footsteps retreat, his presence no longer casting a dark shadow across my hood.

    Before I can even contemte what the man meant or who he might be, I¡¯m being pulled into another direction by someone else. I¡¯m pressed up against the exterior of a vehicle before I hear a door opening, and then I¡¯m violently shoved inside. I fall face first onto a soft leather seat, and then I hear the door close behind me.

    Iy there, still and quiet, my ragged breaths the only sound around me. I can¡¯t hear him, but I can sense someone in the car with me. His scent envelops me ¨C earthy, woodsy with a hint of cinnamon and tobo ¨C and I don¡¯t know why, but it calms me for just a moment.

    ¡°Please,¡± I beg. I have no idea who is here, but I need them to help me out of this situation. ¡°Please help me.¡±

    A metallic click has my senses going wild. Is that a¡­switchde?

    Fingers wrap around one of my bound wrists, and I jump. ¡°Stay still if you don¡¯t want to get cut,¡± a deep voice demands before I hear him slicing through the rope.

    As soon as I¡¯m free, I pull away from him and yank the hood from my head. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust, but then his face slowlyes into focus.

    I don¡¯t know what I was expecting, considering this is a person who kidnaps and buys women, but it definitely wasn¡¯t this. The man sitting across from me is devastatingly handsome, beautiful even, with bow-shaped lips, bronze skin, ck hair, and dark chocte eyes that are narrowed in on me. His strong jaw is clenched as he watches me intently, and I have a feeling his attractiveness is probably the same type that serial killers use to lure in their unsuspecting victims.

    Even though he¡¯s currently seated, I can tell that he¡¯s tall. Very tall, in fact. He¡¯s dressed in an expensive, ck tailored suit, and I can see numerous tattoos peeking out from under his sleeves and cor. My eyes are drawn to the tats on his neck, and I can¡¯t seem to look away. Everything about him screams danger.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asks, drawing my gaze back to his.

    Should I tell him? I¡¯ve watched a lot of true crime documentaries. I know that telling him my name might help. He won¡¯t just see me as an empty shell. He might see me as actually human, and maybe he won¡¯t hurt me.

    Yeah, right, I internally scoff. I grew up around made men, and I can spot one from a mile away. And the man sitting across from me is definitely dangerous and probably kills for fun.

    ¡°Aria,¡± I whisper.

    ¡°Aria,¡± he says, his tongue rolling on the R and sending a shiver through me. ¡°You are twenty-one years old?¡± he questions.

    I nod slowly.

    ¡°Where did they take you from? Where did you live?¡± he presses.

    I think back to the words my father told me once. If anyone ever kidnaps you, don¡¯t give them any information that could lead you back to us. We will never stop looking for you, and we will find you. But don¡¯t give them an advantage. Don¡¯t ever give up the information that could lead them to us first.

    I stare out the window, refusing to answer him. The car begins to move, slowly driving down a gravel road. ¡°What are you going to do with me?¡± I ask. I want to ask if he¡¯s going to kill me and make a skin suit out of my flesh, but I keep my mouth shut. He doesn¡¯t seem to be the type, but you never know. Look at Ted Bundy. He looked normal, handsome, charming even, and he was a certified freak.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± is his vague response.

    ¡°Are you going to rape me?¡± I blurt out before I can stop myself.

    This gets me a reaction. A dangerous one. His dark eyes narrow and a sneer appears on his face as he vehemently states, ¡°I don¡¯t rape women.¡±

    While that should make me feel better, it doesn¡¯t. He could just be saying that and go against his wordter on. I mean, he did just pay seven million dors for a virgin. He also might be trying to gain my trust and get me to put my guard down. Never gonna happen. Frowning, I lean my head against the window as I try to hold myself together. It¡¯s hard, but I manage to do it. I don¡¯t want to break down in front of this guy.

    The car stops a few minutester. I stare out the window, trying to gauge my surroundings, but it¡¯s nighttime, and I can¡¯t see much.

    ¡°I have to put this back on your head,¡± he says, indicating to the ck hood.

    Panic instantly runs through me. I don¡¯t want to be back in that thing. It¡¯s hard to breathe, and I can already feel my lungs seizing up on just the memory of wearing it.

    Perhaps sensing my thoughts, he sighs heavily. ¡°I can keep your wrists unbound if you behave, but the hood is a must,¡± he demands.

    I nce around the car. I mean, what choice do I have? This man bought me. He owns me. Just the thought of that sends a shudder through me.

    If I¡¯m going to do this, any of this, I¡¯m doing it on my own terms. Angrily, I rip the hood from his hands and ce it over my head. Instantly, I¡¯m greeted with my panicked, warm breaths, but I will myself to calm down. Eventually, breathing bes easier, and I force myself to focus on the fact that my wrists won¡¯t be bound. At least I¡¯ll stand a fighting chance if anything goes down, and I can rip the hood off at any given moment. At least I hold that power.

    ¡°Buena nina,¡± he whispers gruffly in what I¡¯m assuming is his native tongue.

    I recognize it as Spanish, which is not one of the threenguages I speak. I know English, Italian and some French. Never had the use to study Spanish, but I know some of the basic words. I think he said good girl, but I¡¯m not totally sure. God, I wish I would have spent some time learning it, though. Not that I could have known that I would have been kidnapped and sold to a man that speaks that specifguage, however. Nope, never would have guessed that fate for myself.

    Sighing, I rest my head against the seat. My entire body is wired with adrenaline, but my brain is exhausted. I feel like I could fall asleep at any given moment, but there is no way I can let myself rx, let alone sleep. Even though this man hasn¡¯t touched me yet, I have no doubt in my mind that he will. Eventually, he will want what he¡¯s clearly paid a lot of money for. Seven million dors, in fact.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    My hands clench into fists on myp. I will never give myself over to him willingly. If he thought he bought a docile doll, he¡¯s got another thinging. I will never stop fighting until one of us is dead.

    The car door opens, and my breathing picks up. I listen as the man steps out, and then I feel hisrge hand on my arm, gripping tightly and pulling me out.

    ¡°Be good,¡± he warns before leading me away from the car.

    Listening intently, I hear what sounds like multiple ne engines. My heels suddenly dig into the ground. If I get on a ne, this man could take me anywhere in the world.

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± I chant, shaking my head in protest.

    I can almost feel the angering off of him in waves as he grips my arm tighter. ¡°Don¡¯t make a scene,¡± he hisses.

    He wanted me to be good. But I can¡¯t let him take me anywhere he pleases. I need to give my family a chance to find this ce first. To rescue me. Maybe they¡¯re here already. Panic overtakes me, and I begin to hyperventte inside the hood. ¡°P-please,¡± I beg.

    The man doesn¡¯t sound amused before he simply lifts me up and puts me in a fireman¡¯s hold over his shoulder. I kick and scream, my fists beating on his back as he continues to carry me up a flight of steps, not even grunting from the exertion, as if he does this type of thing all day long.

    Maybe he does.

    Maybe buying and kidnapping helpless women is his thing. His hobby.

    My world turns upside down as he pulls me off his shoulder and throws me into a seat. Not being able to take another damn minute under that hood, I rip it off my face. The man is crouched before me, and he frowns as he stares at me while I struggle to get enough air into my lungs. I push the hair from my eyes and re at him, daring him to ask me to put it on again. But instead, he simply shakes his head, smirks and goes to the seat across the aisle from me to sit down.

    We sit in ufortable silence as the pilot does several engine checks over the radio. When the older man in uniform emerges from the cockpit, he tells my captor, ¡°We¡¯ll be departing in a few minutes, sir.¡±

    The man across from me gives the pilot a nod before standing. He towers over me as I stare up at him. And when he reaches for me, I flinch, almost jumping out of my seat. ¡°I¡¯m just going to buckle you in,¡± he exins calmly, making a show of his hands with the belt, exaggerating his movements, so that I know exactly what he¡¯s doing and where his hands are at all times.

    Confused, I stare at him and watch him closely as he buckles me in, his fingertips briefly grazing against my bare thigh. A shudder runs through me from his touch. He pauses, his face merely inches from mine as I take in every detail ¨C his strong features, the stubble lining his perfect jaw, his dark eyes that look like molten chocte below his thick, dark brows. In any other circumstance or universe, I would be attracted to him. But not now. Not like this. He¡¯s clearly a monster in disguise, hiding under a painstakingly crafted and handsome facade.

    Turning my head, I dismiss his intense gaze. After a beat, he clears his throat before returning to his seat directly across from me and buckling himself in.

    I stare out one of the small oval windows. The runway is lit up with hundreds of lights, but I can¡¯t see much beyond it. Several nes are boarding and taking off, and I think about those poor women who were auctioned off alongside me and where they might end up. I wonder how many will survive the night and how many will be dead by morning. Tears fill my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. I can¡¯t allow myself to appear weak to this man. I need him to know that whatever he wants from me, he¡¯s not getting it without a fight.

    Several minutester, another man boards the ne. He¡¯s short and overweight, hisrge gut peeking out from under his button-up shirt. His eyes lock onto mine and never waver as his gross tongue darts out of his mouth to lick his thin lips. He stares at me like I¡¯m a juicy steak and he hasn¡¯t eaten in more than a year. My breath hitches in my throat, but I put on a brave face and re at him. I swear if he tries to touch me, I will bite his finger off.

    He tells my captor something in Spanish and thenughs. My eyes shift to the tattooed man, but he doesn¡¯t seem amused by his friend¡¯s choice of words. His eyes darken as he watches the other man approach me.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Thiago,¡± the short man says to me in introduction. He reaches out towards me, and I lean forward, my teeth snapping just an inch from his finger. ¡°Oh, shit, she¡¯s so feisty!¡± he throws over his shoulder to my captor. And then his hooded eyes focus on me once again. ¡°Las cosas que te haria,¡± he mutters before his hand suddenly wraps around my neck. I struggle to breathe as his hand roughly grabs my breasts through my dress. ¡°The two of us could have a lot of fun with you on the way back to Mexico.¡±

    I open my mouth to scream, to yell, or do anything, but nothinges out. I struggle to try to unbuckle myself, but my fingers can¡¯t find the release button. I¡¯m at his mercy, strapped to this seat. Maybe that was my captor¡¯s n all along. Maybe he wanted his friend to have fun with me first while I was helpless.

    ck dots swirl into my vision as the man cuts off my oxygen, and my mouth slowly opens and closes like I¡¯m a fish out of water.

    I¡¯m on the verge of passing out when suddenly the vice grip on my neck is gone, and I can breathe freely again. I gasp and cough violently, sucking in lungfuls of precious oxygen, as I watch the man who bought me grab Thiago and haul him off of me. In a split second, my captor reaches into his jacket and pulls out a Glock, pointing it at my attacker¡¯s head. It¡¯s a gun I¡¯m familiar with since I¡¯ve seen my father and brother carry theirs around a lot over the years.

    My captor yells something in Spanish, and the man, who was literally trying to strangle me to death moments before, puts his hands up in defeat, apologizing profusely.

    ¡°Por favor, Mateo,¡± he snivels like the little worm that he is.

    Mateo. His name is Mateo.

    ¡°I overstepped, my friend. Won¡¯t happen again,¡± Thiago says before straightening his suit and slowly walking back a few rows to sit behind us.

    My captor stares at me, his strong jaw clenching and unclenching before he puts his gun away and calmly returns to his seat as if nothing just happened.

    My breathing is shallow, panicked. And when I swallow, my neck throbs in pain. Mateo stares at me, silently assessing me, but doesn¡¯t ask if I¡¯m okay. I close my eyes, effectively blocking him and everything around me out. And I don¡¯t open them again until the ne is taking off. I gaze out the window as I watch the world go by as we fly to¡­God only knows where.

 105

    Aria

    I WAKE UP as the ne touches down on the runway. Startled, I inhale a sharp gasp as I look out the small window. It¡¯s early morning, and everything outside looks bright and sunny. At least my prison will have nice weather, I think sarcastically to myself.

    I nce across the aisle to the man who bought me. His dark eyes are locked onto me, and the way he¡¯s watching so intensely sends a shiver running up my spine. He¡¯s looking at me like he can¡¯t figure out what he wants to do ¨C fuck me or kill me. Maybe a little bit of both.

    Tearing my gaze away from his, I stare out the window as the ne slowlyes to a stop. I didn¡¯t even know I had fallen asleep. I mean, it¡¯s no surprise given how exhausted I was, but I can¡¯t believe I left myself so unguarded and vulnerable. I guess it says something about my captor, who didn¡¯t assault me or try anything while I was asleep, but I¡¯m still not letting my guard down around him. One little act of kindness can¡¯t make up for the fact that he is kidnapping me.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I ask him, not expecting an answer.

    I¡¯m surprised when he says, ¡°Mexico.¡±

    Mexico. God, I¡¯m not even in the United States anymore. And that¡¯s a long way from New York¡­

    Thiago makes his way down the aisle, winking at me when he walks past. ¡°It¡¯s good to be home,¡± he announces before exiting the ne.

    Mateo stares after him, his eyes narrowed. The tension is almost palpable. Then, his eyesnd on me before he stands and says, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    My hand trembles as I fumble with my seatbelt, and it takes me three times to get the damn release button clicked. Finally free, I stand up and follow my captor down the steps to get off the ne.

    I¡¯ve barely put my feet on the ground when I hear Mateo utter something in his native tongue. I turn to see who he¡¯s talking to, and I barely have time to register the fact that there¡¯s a gun in his hand before it goes off.

    I watch in horror as Thiago falls to the ground in a lifeless heap. There¡¯s a bullet wound between his dead eyes, which are staring up at me. My gaze slowly moves to my captor, who nonchntly pulls out a ck handkerchief from his front suit pocket and wipes away the spray of blood from his cheek.

    I can¡¯t help but wonder if that¡¯s why he wears ck, because otherwise the dry-cleaning bill would be astronomical if he just goes around killing everyone, even his so-called friends.

    I slowly back away from him, my eyes darting around to the small airport in the distance. It¡¯s not deserted. I can see people milling about inside the building through the windows. If I can just get to it, I can¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running,¡± Mateo says, his voice dark and dangerous.

    I don¡¯t even heed his warning. My feet begin moving before my brain can even catch up. I slowly slip out of my high heels and take off running like my life depends on it¡­because it does. Little bits of gravel dig into my bare feet as I run down the tarmac towards the building, towards someone, anyone, who I hope will be my savior.

    ¡°Help me! Someone please help me!¡± I scream, waving my hands in desperation. Maybe someone will call the authorities or do something. But I don¡¯t make it very far before I¡¯m tackled into a patch of grass beside the tarmac.

    The air is knocked out of my lungs as we tumble to the ground. Somehow Mateo keeps most of his weight off of me, taking the brunt of the fall with his shoulder. He grunts in pain, but quickly recovers, straddling me as I reach up, intending to scratch his eyeballs out.

    I manage to score his cheek before he grabs my wrists, securing them both with just one of hisrge hands. He pins them above my head and glowers down at me.

    ¡°What did I tell you?¡± he snaps.

    I stare up at him, my mind nk. All I can think about is how I can get out of this situation.

    ¡°I told you to not even think about running. And what did you do?¡± he hisses angrily. He¡¯s scolding me like a child, and I hate it.

    I open my mouth to scream, but then I hear the cock of a gun before he¡¯s pressing the end of the barrel to my temple.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided whether I¡¯m going to keep you or kill you¡­but you¡¯re making my decision a lot easier by pulling stunts like this,¡± he murmurs, scowling.

    My entire body shivers uncontrobly beneath him. I just watched my captor kill a man, who appeared to be a friend of his. I know he won¡¯t hesitate to kill me.

    ¡°This is your one and only free pass,¡± Mateo warns before standing and hauling me up with him. He jams the barrel of his gun into my back and growls, ¡°Walk.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes, but I don¡¯t dare let them fall. Now is not the time to appear weak. Weakness will only get me killed. So, I simply obey him, doing a walk of shame back towards the ne, slipping back into my high heels on the way and hating the feeling of little pebbles digging into my soles with every step. There¡¯s a car waiting for us, and he guides me to it. The back door is open, but I hesitate to get in. My hesitation earns me a huff of displeasure before he locks one of his hands around my arm and forces me inside.

    It takes a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the dark interior of the car, but I see immediately that I¡¯m not alone. There is a man sitting in the corner of the bench seat opposite of mine. He¡¯s big, bald, tattooed, with a scar running through his eyebrow and left eye, which ispletely white in color. The man stares at me intently, merely acknowledging my existence but not speaking a word.

    A momentter, Mateo climbs into the car and sits next to him and directly across from me.

    ¡°How was your trip?¡± the man asks with a heavy ent.

    ¡°Eventful,¡± Mateo quips.

    ¡°I can see that,¡± the man says with a smirk.

    They begin to speak back and forth in Spanish, and I¡¯m instantly lost in their conversation. Every once in a while, they nce in my direction, so I know that they¡¯re discussing me. I just hope it¡¯s not over where to hide my body after they kill me.

    A violent shudder runs through me, and I wrap my arms around my stomach, trying to hold myself together, because I feel like I could suddenly fall apart at any given moment. I turn my attention to the window as the car begins to drive away from the airport. Focusing, I try to take in every detail, memorize anyndmarks or anything that might prove useful if I manage to escape my captor. If I can make it back to the airport at any time, maybe I can find someone to help me.

    The car ride is long, and I almost give up hope of remembering everything in the small chance I do make it back to the airport. But then I steel my spine and force myself to concentrate. I can¡¯t give up already. If I do, I¡¯m as good as dead.

    I can hear my father¡¯s voice in my head right now. Never lose hope. We¡¯ll find you no matter where you are or who has you. He ingrained those words into my head when I was just a little girl. It had frightened me at the time, but I never imagined it would actually ever happen to me; that I would be kidnapped or sold.

    I stare across the aisle at Mateo, who is staring at me. And I know in that moment that I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to escape. I will never stop fighting.

    Maybe he can sense the change in my demeanor¡­or maybe he can read minds, but he quirks a brow at me in challenge. Narrowing my eyes at him in defiance, I turn my head and stare out the tinted window.

    Eventually, the car slows andes to a stop in front of arge security gate that seems to stretch up into the heavens. The fence surrounding the property must be at least twenty feet tall with barbed wire at the top, and my n of escaping quickly begins to dete.

    We drive through the gate after a thorough check, and then I see the ce that will be my prison for I don¡¯t know how long. Maybe even eventually my tomb.

    Thepound is huge, spanning over a few acres ofnd, darkly utilitarian, and nondescript with gray concrete walls and very few windows in the front. Obviously, they are not trying to unt their wealth or power. They are trying to maintain a low profile here. It almost looks like a warehouse, not a dwelling, but I have a feeling the inside will be quite the opposite. I haven¡¯t known my captor for very long, but I can¡¯t see him living in squalor since his suit probably costs more than most people¡¯s rent.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Armed guards with dogs roam the property as the car coasts up the long, gravel driveway. A nearby dog snaps and barks at the car, and I jump. I hear Mateo chuckle, and it has my blood turning to ice. If he finds pleasure in my fear, it doesn¡¯t bode well for me.

    The car rolls to a stop in front of therge building, and someone opens the door. Mateo studies me intently, motioning for me to exit on my own. I wish so hard to be invisible in that moment, to just disappear inside the backseat. Once I get out of this car, my fate is sealed. I know now that I¡¯ll never be able to escape. This ce is twice as big as my family¡¯spound and at least ten times more secure.

    ¡°Why do you keep defying me every step of the way?¡± Mateo asks, disapproval marking his tone.

    He reaches for me, but I quickly pull away and get out of the car on my own. Several guards surround us, and a few of them stare at me creepily, their eyes raking up and down my body. Suddenly feeling vulnerable, I wrap my arms around myself, trying to cover as much as I can since my torn dress is leaving little to the imagination at the moment.

    Mateo steps out of the car behind me, his tall frame unfolding and towering over me. I nce up at him, but he doesn¡¯t even acknowledge me.

    ¡°E esta fuera de los limites,¡± he announces in a deep, booming voice.

    I have no idea what that means, but it has an effect on his men, who suddenly forget all about me and go about their business. I¡¯m just thankful that they¡¯re no longer leering at me.

    Mateo looks to the bald dude and says, ¡°Take her to my room.¡±

    My eyes widen, and I quickly look around for a way out of this situation.

    Mateo clicks his tongue, bringing my attention back to him. ¡°Did we not learn our lesson earlier about trying to run?¡± he reminds me.

    I think about his gun pressed against my temple, and I quickly shake my head. No, I won¡¯t run. At least not right now. But the first chance I get, I¡¯m getting away from this man and this godforsaken ce.

    ¡°Take her, Ignacio,¡± Mateo instructs him.

    Ignacio grabs my arm in a tight grip and hauls me towards the entrance of the massive building. I want to protest, but I know my pleas will fall on deaf ears.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be backter,¡± Mateo calls over his shoulder.

    Why does that sound like a threat?

    Ignacio leads me through the nondescript front door. But when we walk through the open foyer, I have to stop myself from gasping. The inside of the house looks nothing like the outside. The inside is opulent, immactely decorated with antique furniture and colorful artwork on the walls. I only get the chance to nce around before I¡¯m forced up the grand staircase.

    There are several doors upstairs, and Ignacio leads me to thest one in the hallway. This door is different than the others. It almost looks like the wood was hand carved with intricate patterns and flowers.

    Ignacio turns the knob, pushes through the door and roughly tosses me onto therge bed in the center of the room. I copse against the soft sheets and re at him.

    Then, he points a thick, tattooed finger at me. ¡°Stay,¡± he says, speaking to me like I¡¯m a dog.

    When he¡¯s satisfied I¡¯m not going to try to run out of the room, he leaves, closing the door behind him. I wait to hear a lock of some kind, but I don¡¯t hear anything else but the sound of his retreating footsteps. I think about leaving, about running, but then I remember the numerous guards outside with dogs and the huge, gated fence lining the property. I wouldn¡¯t make it more than a few feet out the front door without being caught¡­or gunned down.

    No, I have to bide my time; wait for the perfect opportunity to escape.

    Climbing off the bed, I look around the room. It¡¯s extremely masculine with dark wood furniture, stone wall panels, a ck shag rug under the huge bed, and a leather and metal armchair in the corner of the room.

    There are no windows in this room, but there are two doors, and I open both of them. One leads to arge walk-in closet full of ck suits, shirts, ties and dress shoes, and the other leads to arge, modern en-suite with a ss-encased shower and a copper wfoot tub.

    I slowly walk over to the sink and stare at my reflection. What I see there scares me. I don¡¯t even look like myself. My hair is a ratty mess; my eyes are bloodshot; streaks of mascara are stuck to my cheeks; and my skin is covered in blood and dirt. My dress ispletely ruined, and I¡¯m quick to strip out of it. Then, I step out of my heels, take off my bra and panties and walk into the shower. Turning the water on, I make it as hot as I can stand it and then proceed to begin to scrub the grime and dirt from my body with a bar of soap I find on a shelf.

    The water feels so good, so soothing that I begin to cry. And once I start, I can¡¯t stop. My mind is assaulted by everything that¡¯s urred over the past few days. Selina and I getting kidnapped and strung up like animals. Constantine almost raping me but then letting me go. Me being taken to The Ind and then sold to my captor. All the people who died at the club. The girl who was taken from the van and beaten into submission, possibly even to death. The man from the ne who was murdered in front of me.

    So many lives taken and irrevocably changed in such a short span of time. So much tragedy. And I¡¯m simply at the epicenter of it all, watching everything happen and having to survive somehow. But how? How can I possibly survive this?

    My legs threaten to give out on me, and I slowly slide down to the tiled floor. I rest my head against my knees and sob under the spray of water. Now that I¡¯m alone atst, I finally allow myself to grasp the gravity of my situation and breakdown.

    I just hope that Selina was rescued somehow and that she¡¯s not suffering a simr fate. That¡¯s the only thing that keeps me sane. The only thing that gives me any sense of peace in this terrible situation.

 106

    Mateo

    AFTER I FINISH exining everything that happened at The Ind to Ignacio, my number one and my enforcer, he sighs deeply and then asks, ¡°So, what are you going to do with her?¡±

    ¡°The seven-million-dor question,¡± I say with a smirk. ¡°I have no idea. I really don¡¯t know what to do. I didn¡¯t n this far ahead.¡± And maybe that¡¯s what pisses me off more than anything. I never make a decision without first mulling over about a billion different scenarios that could happen. But when I saw this young woman standing there, I made a rash, split-second decision that ultimately could change my life. If I let it, I suppose. And therein lies the dilemma.

    I take my lucky coin out of my pocket and roll it across my knuckles; a nervous habit I¡¯ve had since I was a boy. The coin is an old aluminum-bronze peso that my father gave to me shortly before he was murdered. I never sold it, never got rid of it. It¡¯s the only thing I have left of him, so the sentimental value alone makes it priceless in my eyes. The coin has been with me through the years, all the ups and downs; never changing, the only constant thing in my life.

    ¡°I can make it quick,¡± Ignacio suggests, getting my attention. He¡¯s giving me an easy out on this whole situation. ¡°She won¡¯t even feel a thing.¡±

    But the thought of him dragging Aria out back and putting her down like an animal doesn¡¯t sit well with me.

    I dismiss his idea with a wave of my hand. ¡°I just need some time to think,¡± I exin. The girl hasn¡¯t made it easy on herself so far. She¡¯s making me lean more towards a swift death every time she runs or opens her smart mouth. But I should have known she would be a challenge based on how she acted when she was facing the most terrible point of her life on that stage. She knew she was being auctioned off to the highest bidder, and there she was, putting her middle fingers up and screaming, facing her fears and not giving a single fuck.

    A smile forms on my lips when I think about the first moment I saw her. And then I notice Ignacio staring at me like I¡¯ve grown two fucking heads. Quickly, I school my features and get back to the matter at hand. ¡°I¡¯ll handle her when the timees. Until then, I¡¯m just going to enjoy her.¡±

    That causes my number one to grin this time. He likes the idea of me using my newest acquisition like amon whore. Little does he know that I have no ns to do such a thing. I¡¯m going to keep my distance from the girl as much as I can until I can figure out what to do with her.

    ¡°What are we going to do about Thiago¡¯s men?¡± Ignacio questions.

    Sighing, with a shake of my head, I say, ¡°Call his number two to take his ce. Tell him Thiago had an unfortunate ident this morning and won¡¯t be returning to the job.¡±

    Ignacio cracks his knuckles. ¡°Consider it handled.¡±

    My cell phone rings, and I nce at the caller ID before grumbling under my breath. ¡°I have to take this,¡± I tell Ignacio, who simply nods and leaves my office without another word.

    ¡°Uncle,¡± I answer.

    ¡°Nephew,¡± Domingo says from the other end of the call. ¡°How are you this fine day?¡±

    I rub my chin with my hand, hating the small talk. My uncle only calls when something bad or important urs, so I decide to cut him off before he continues on with his charades. ¡°Don¡¯t blow smoke up my ass. What happened?¡± I demand.

    He chuckles, and it irritates me. To say I have a tumultuous rtionship with my uncle, the only surviving family member I have left, would be an understatement of the fucking century. After all these years, I still don¡¯t trust him. How could I trust the only man who made it out of the massacre of my family alive? I still question in my mind his whereabouts that day, and I¡¯ve been trying to prove his involvement for years, but to no avail. Until I have solid, concrete proof that he was involved with the murder of my family, I have to pretend as if blood is thicker than water between us and that I would do anything for him. Some days are harder than most, considering he can be a real thorn in my side when he wants to be.

    ¡°I heard through the grapevine that you shot someone on the tarmac of the airport this morning just before chasing a woman and holding a gun to her head.¡±

    My hand stills, the coin resting over my middle knuckle as I grit my teeth. Even though my uncle is currently living and running his side of the family business in California, he still has connections here. And my reputation around this city isn¡¯t exactly ster. I can¡¯t even take a shit without someone running their goddamn mouth about it.

    ¡°Word travels fast,¡± I tell him, trying to keep myself calm and my voice steady.

    ¡°It does,¡± he agrees. ¡°Did the man you shot do something to offend you?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Yeah. He couldn¡¯t keep his fucking mouth shut. I got tired of hearing it.¡± At least that isn¡¯t too much of a stretch from the truth.

    ¡°I see,¡± he says with a sigh. ¡°And what about the girl? Who is she?¡±

    The fact that my uncle wants to know about Aria sets my nerves on edge. I don¡¯t want anyone to know about her, least of all him. The longer I keep her a secret, the better.

    ¡°We met on a dating app,¡± I joke, lying through my fucking teeth.

    That earns me a loud chuckle from the other end of the line. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a second, nephew, but I¡¯m not going to push you for information.¡± And then he adds, ¡°Yet.¡±

    The most important thing I¡¯ve learned in my lifetime is that you can¡¯t appear weak, and caring for someone is the biggest vulnerability of them all. At any given moment, someone is willing to take what¡¯s yours and use it against you. I¡¯ve gone through life like a lone wolf, not letting anyone in or getting too close. It¡¯s done well for me so far, and I intend to keep it that way.

    ¡°She¡¯s just some whore I picked up during a trip,¡± I tell him nonchntly, hoping that he¡¯ll buy it.

    ¡°I see. Must have been some party on the ne for her to run away from you like that.¡±

    ¡°She likes it when I chase her,¡± I say, keeping my tone light.

    Heughs. ¡°Well, maybe I¡¯ll fly down there and have a turn with her myself. I could use the exercise,¡± he offers.

    I flip the coin into my palm and squeeze so hard I swear blood is going to start dripping from it. ¡°She¡¯ll be gone soon,¡± I tell him, not knowing if it¡¯s a lie or not. I haven¡¯t decided what I¡¯m going to do with the girl yet.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame.¡±

    ¡°Did you want anything else, Uncle?¡± I ask, barely holding myself together. I don¡¯t know why my newest acquisition brings me so many emotions ¨C emotions I can¡¯t remember ever feeling before. Just the thought of someone viting her makes my stomach churn with acid. That¡¯s what caused me to shoot Thiago, even though the bastard deserved it for assaulting a woman in front of me.

    In some fucked-up way, saving Aria from that ind and her horrible fate with the man bidding against me felt almost cathartic for me. If only I had been able to save my own family¡­

    ¡°We¡¯re having a problem with one of our suppliers down your way,¡± my uncle says, interrupting my terrible thoughts.

    Now we¡¯re at the real reason why he called. He just wanted to gossip and waste my time before, like usual. Being head of the familia, I could easily put my uncle in his ce. But out of respect for my father, I never do, even when he deserves it.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°I need you to remind him who he works for,¡± he tells me. ¡°Can you handle that, or have you gone soft over your new whore?¡±

    ¡°Give me the name,¡± I grit out,pletely over his bullshit.

    ¡°Harold Cortez.¡±

    I end the call without another word. Harold will be dealt with, most likely beginning with my fists and ending with my knife or gun. Unfortunately, for him, he¡¯s going to take the brunt of all my pent-up frustration and anger that has built up over the past twenty-four hours.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you caught me on a bad day, Harold,¡± I say out loud before grabbing my special ck bag from the bottom drawer of my desk and heading out the door.

 107

    Aria

    I STEP OUT of the shower and instantly notice a small pile of clothing on the countertop that wasn¡¯t there when I first came in. That means someone was in here while I was showering.

    Was it him?

    Was he leering at me, staring at my naked body, nning all the sick fucked-up things he wants to do to me tonight?

    Even though the heat from the shower had warmed me, a cold shudder suddenly runs through me straight to my very bone marrow.

    I take my time towel-drying my hair and body. Then, I sift through the clothes. They seem simple enough ¨C a in ck t-shirt and ck leggings. They don¡¯t appear to be new, though. I can see some signs of pilling and wear on them even though they smell and feel freshlyundered.

    My heart skips a beat when my imagination begins running wild with ideas as to who these clothes could have belonged to. How many women has he bought? How many women have been here before me? And where are they now? Did he rape and murder them all?

    Shaking from head to toe from thatst thought, I snatch the clothes and quickly put them on, not wanting to be naked and vulnerable a second longer. I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My long, dark, wet hair hangs down my back, soaking into the cotton of the shirt. My eyes are wide, and I can see the fear swimming around in my irises.

    ¡°What am I going to do?¡± I whisper out loud.

    This man just paid seven million dors for me. There is no way he¡¯s going to just let me sleep in his bed. No, he¡¯s going to demand that I screw him, offer him up my virginity willingly. And if I don¡¯t go along with his ns¡­I have no doubt in my mind that he¡¯ll take whatever I won¡¯t give him.

    I need some kind of weapon, I think to myself.

    Focusing on that mindset, I go to work, checking every drawer for something that can be used against my captor. Panicking when Ie up empty, I rummage through the cab below the sink. I sift through body washes, soaps, bath towels, hand towels, some extra unopened toothbrushes, and toothpastes.

    Nothing. There¡¯s nothing here I can use.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I hiss before standing up.

    I stare into the mirror once more, hoping that it will open up into a portal from another world and swallow me whole, taking me away from this ce once and for all.

    Dropping my head into my hands, I realize I¡¯m out of options. The mirror obviously isn¡¯t going to save me¡­

    Or is it?

    My head snaps up, and I stare at the ss, seeking answers. The mirror itself isn¡¯t a weapon¡­but it can be one.

    Before I can internally entertain any doubts about my decision, I reach into the cab below and grab a towel. cing the soft cotton over the bottom corner of the mirror, I grab a heavy-looking soap dish from beside the sink. I breathe deeply, in and out, in and out, gathering up the courage to do whates next. I hope he isn¡¯t in the next room, and I pray that he doesn¡¯t hear what I¡¯m about to do, giving away the element of surprise.

    As hard as I can, I drive the square edge of the soap dish into the corner of the mirror. The impact is muffled by the towel, but I can hear the ss cracking underneath the pressure.

    Removing the towel, I look at my handywork. Arge circle is punched into the mirror with shards of ss splintering out from around it. I take the dish and use it to knock out some pieces, which subsequently fall onto the counter.

    Grabbing a washcloth from under the sink, I wrap it over my hand before I pick up the biggest shard of ss that is on the counter. I feel like a crazed woman as I swing my makeshift weapon forward, shing through the air, practicing for what¡¯s going toe.

    It feels like do or die at this point. Fight or flight; that¡¯s what they always say.

    Well, I choose to fight.

    Mateo

    IT¡¯S BEEN A long day, and I can think of nothing better to do than curling up in my warm bed and getting a good night¡¯s rest. My hands are aching after the brutal beating I put on our wayward dealer, but I can rest easy knowing Harold will never fuck up again. If he wants to live anyway, that is.

    As I¡¯m ascending the stairs, it dawns on me that I won¡¯t be sleeping alone tonight. I can¡¯t even remember thest time I had anyone in my bed, and then I realize that¡¯s because the answer is never. It will be a first for me. And it¡¯s not because I haven¡¯t had my fair share of women. It¡¯s because none of them have had the honor of stepping foot inside my bedroom or even sleeping in the same bed as me. Nightmares often gue me, and they can sometimes cause me to wake up vtile. But more than that, I just haven¡¯t trusted a woman enough to let her see me in such a vulnerable state. And we are the most susceptible when we¡¯re sleeping or unconscious.

    Earlier in the day, Sofia, one of my housekeepers, had informed me that Aria was taking a shower, and I¡¯d instructed her to give Aria some of her clothes to wear since I had nothing readily avable for my new guest.

    A grin graces my lips as I reach thending of the top floor. I wonder if Aria will be sleeping after her shower or if she will be pacing the floor, waiting for whatever depraved things she thinks in her pretty, little head that I¡¯m going to do to her. Even though I have no intentions of touching her, the sick bastard in me can¡¯t help but hope for thetter.

    Walking down the hallway, I pause at my door, my hand on the knob, patiently waiting, listening. I hear nothing on the other side, and so I enter, expecting to see Aria fast asleep.

    When I walk into the room; however, I see quite the opposite. Aria is standing on the other side of the room by one of the dressers, wide awake. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and I can practically smell her fear as I close the door behind me and remove my suit jacket. Tugging at my tie, I turn towards her and check out her current state.

    She¡¯s dressed in a ck t-shirt and matching leggings; and her hair is still damp from her shower, the long strands hanging over her right shoulder. My eyes scour her petite form, and I¡¯m pleased by Sofia¡¯s choice of clothing and the fact she kept it easy andfortable for our new guest.

    ¡°I¡¯ll order you more clothes soon,¡± I inform her.

    ¡°Whose clothes are these?¡± Aria asks, and I can hear the tremble in her voice. I don¡¯t know why, but it fucking turns me on that she fears me so much.

    ¡°Sofia¡¯s,¡± I exin.

    ¡°Was she one of your whores? Did you buy her too? Is she dead?¡± She spits out the questions in rapid session.

    A deep chuckle escapes me. ¡°She¡¯s one of my housekeepers, and I assure you she¡¯s very much alive. I figured you two were around the same size, so I asked her if she would lend you some of her clothes.¡±

    Silence fills the room as I continue to undress. Her honey-colored eyes are narrowed as she watches my every movement like a little bunny would watch a big, scary wolf. I walk over towards the walk-in closet, undressingpletely inside of it before slipping on a pair of dark gray sweatpants, forgoing a shirt. Usually I sleep naked, but I figured Aria would rather I didn¡¯t tonight. When I emerge from the closet, I¡¯m surprised to see that Aria has moved closer to the bed.

    I stare at my little prisoner. Aria¡¯s hands are tucked demurely behind her back with one leg crossed in front of the other as she bites her lip nervously. She looks so damn young and innocent in that moment, and it takes everything I have in me to tear my gaze away from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not going to be much up for conversation tonight,¡± I tell her bluntly. I¡¯m beyond tired. The past thirty-six hours haven¡¯t been the easiest, and I haven¡¯t even had time to dwell on the oue of having Aria here with me. I don¡¯t have a room prepared for her, which is why she is staying here with me. Although the thought of her being somewhere else in thepound makes me nervous. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust my men. I trust most of them with my life. But when ites to pussy, they all have a one-tracked mind. And considering I haven¡¯t put a im to her yet, they might see her as fair game.

    Aria swallows hard at my words and gives me an imperceptible nod, and once again the smell of her fear has my cock twitching in my sweatpants. Why do I like the fact that she¡¯s afraid of me? I suppose I¡¯m just twisted like that.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Without waiting for a response from her, I walk over to the bed, pull back theforter andy down. ¡°Are youing?¡± I ask her. I don¡¯t want to y games. I just want to go to sleep.

    She gives me a nod, and I can see her hand trembling as she peels back the nkets on her side of the bed. Slowly, she climbs in, staying on her knees.

    My brows furrow as I stare up at her. What the fuck is she doing? Before I can form another thought, she crawls over to me, getting closer and closer. My cock throbs in my sweatpants. I never thought she would be a willing participant in bed. Well, really, I haven¡¯t thought much about it or what I¡¯m even going to do with her. I bought her, but I¡¯m still trying to wrap my head around the reasons behind it. I¡¯ll deal with the consequences tomorrow when I¡¯m more rested and clearheaded.

    ¡°Aria,¡± I whisper as she nts her thighs on either side of mine and straddles myp. ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl, as she rests her covered pussy against my hardening cock. Just the thought of sinking inside of her and taking her virginity has my dick roaring to life. I was dead tired before, but now the adrenaline pumping through my veins has me wide awake.

    Ever so slowly, she leans forward. I stare at her sexy mouth, her bee-stung lips begging to be bitten and sucked on. Even though I know the kiss ising, I¡¯m not ready for the jolt I feel between us when our lips finally touch. It¡¯s barely a kiss, leaving me wanting more. So much more.

    Suddenly, an explosion of pain hits me right in the abdomen, and I quickly push her away from me as I try to find a source for the pain. Looking down, I see a shard of ss that¡¯s currently lodged into my side.

    ¡°Que mierda?¡± I shout, scrambling out of bed to stand and assess the damage. ¡°You fucking stabbed me?¡± Ites out sounding like a question rather than an usation. I just didn¡¯t think she had it in her to do something like this. She looks so sweet and innocent. And now I know I gravely underestimated her. She¡¯s not a docile, little doll like I first thought. She¡¯s a goddamn tigress.

    Gritting my teeth, I angrily grab therge shard and slowly pull it out of my side. Aria watches in horror as I do this. But I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s more horrified by the blood or the fact that I¡¯m not dead. She clearly wanted to do me bodily harm, and she definitely achieved that goal tonight. I just hope it¡¯s not deep enough to have stabbed any of my vital organs.

    I watch as blood begins to gush out of my wound. Quickly, I cover it with my hand, putting pressure on it. ¡°Fuck. Look what you¡¯ve done,¡± I tell her, shaking my head as a red river cascades down to my gray sweatpants, soaking the fabric. Stalking over to her, I close the distance between us in three long strides.

    ¡°You should¡¯ve gone for the throat,¡± I tell her before wrapping my bloody hand around the column of her neck. She stares up at me with a frightened gaze. My thumb brushes across her full lips, painting them in crimson. And there¡¯s just something about seeing her covered in my blood that drives me wild. But when I begin to sway on my feet, I know that I¡¯m losing too much blood too damn fast. Taking a step back, I grimace not from the pain but for the pity I feel for Aria. She has no idea what is toe next, the consequences of her actions here tonight. Calmly, I step away from her and push a special panic button on my watch, which never leaves my wrist for this very reason.

    Within seconds, I can hear my men¡¯s footfalls running up the stairs and towards my room. Aria panics and starts looking around for what I¡¯m assuming is a quick and easy exit. But there¡¯s nowhere for her to go. I don¡¯t even have windows in my room for this very reason ¨C someone attempting to hurt or kill me.

    Ignacio enters the room first. He takes one look at my wound, and then he announces in Spanish for the men filing in behind him to capture the girl.

    Aria screams and struggles as they surround her and take her from the room. I hear her crying out my name, begging for my help. But she just sealed her fate. Even I can¡¯t save her from what is about to happen.

 108

    Aria

    MY SITUATION JUST went from bad to worse. So much worse. I¡¯ve been locked in some kind of medieval-looking cell in the basement for days. I¡¯ve only been able to keep track of the time because they feed me twice daily. A small breakfast in the morning consisting of toast and fruit, and then a dinner in the evening that is basically the same as the first meal but with an extra piece of bread. They¡¯re barely feeding me. Only sustaining me enough to keep me alive. And that makes the fear creep even further into my bones.

    It¡¯s on the third night of my captivity that Mateo finallyes to visit me. I watch him with rapt attention as he calmly takes a seat on a stool outside of my cell.

    ¡°So, you are alive,¡± I say sarcastically.

    He res at me with a pissed off look on his face, and I snap my mouth shut, instantly regretting my words. God, I can¡¯t control my mouth even in a situation like this where the only possible oue is probably death at this point. But I¡¯ve been waiting for him for days. He¡¯s my only lifeline here, whether I like it or not, and he couldn¡¯t even be bothered toe see me.

    Mateo¡¯s dark eyes take in my appearance, and his lip curls in disgust. I¡¯m sure I look like hell, considering I¡¯m still covered in his blood, and stink like I haven¡¯t showered in almost a week because, well, I haven¡¯t.

    He¡¯s wearing a three-piece suit, so I can¡¯t tell how his wound is. Not that I care. I stabbed him for a reason. I wanted to kill him in that moment but only because I wanted to save myself and my innocence. I¡¯ve never hurt anyone before, and I¡¯m very conflicted about it. I almost feel bad for what I did. But right now isn¡¯t time to get into my head. I need to get the hell out of here, and he¡¯s the only one who holds the key to my freedom.

    ¡°I have a question for you, Aria,¡± he starts, and I hate the way my name soundsing from his mouth. I would find it sexy in any other circumstance. But it¡¯s distracting, unnerving in a ce like this. ¡°What exactly were you going to do after you killed me?¡± he muses with a smirk on his face that irritates me.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead,¡± I confess in a whisper.

    He chuckles darkly. ¡°You hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead,¡± he repeats with a shake of his head in disbelief.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± I blurt out. Am I truly sorry for stabbing him? No, of course not. I would do it again if I had the chance, except I would go for the throat next time, just like he taught me. What I am sorry for is getting myself in this impossible situation because I tried to kill him, but he doesn¡¯t need to know that.

    ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡± he scoffs, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

    ¡°I was scared. I thought you were going to rape me,¡± I confess.

    He flinches at my usation. ¡°I told you before that I don¡¯t rape women. You should have listened to me the first time.¡±

    ¡°You could just be a rapist and a liar!¡± I exim, exasperated.

    He¡¯s up and out of his seat before I can even blink. He wraps hisrge hands around the bars, his knuckles turning white under the strain. His eyes look evil as he threatens, ¡°Put me and the word rapist in the same sentence again and see what happens to you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you at all. I¡¯m just trying to get you to see it from my perspective,¡± I exin, my voice just above a whisper. ¡°You bought me at an auction where women were sold to the highest bidder like prized cattle! What am I supposed to think?¡±

    His expression falters, but then he quickly builds up all of those armored walls once more and shuts me out of his thoughts in an instant. ¡°If I needed pussy, I could have it at any second, any minute, any hour of any day. I can get sucked, fucked or anything I want anytime I want. Do you understand?¡± he asks through clenched teeth.

    I nod emphatically.

    He releases the bars and returns to his seat. After a few seconds, I watch as he pulls a coin out of his pocket and begins methodically gliding it across hisrge knuckles. The motion is almost mesmerizing, but the silence starts to drive me insane. It¡¯s almost deafening as neither one of us speaks for several long minutes and he just keeps flipping around that stupid coin of his. And when I can¡¯t take the tension or quiet anymore, I tell him, ¡°I¡¯ve apologized. There¡¯s nothing else I can do. I think my punishment should end.¡±

    ¡°Your punishment? You think this is your punishment?¡± he sneers. ¡°Oh no, carino. This,¡± he says, motioning towards my cell, ¡°is just where you¡¯re being kept until your true punishment begins.¡±

    Dread and panic threaten to overwhelm me. ¡°Please. Please just let me go,¡± I beg him.

    ¡°If I were a better man, Aria, I would let you go. But, unfortunately for you, I¡¯m not.¡± He pauses for a moment. ¡°You see, my men need some kind of retribution for what happened. If I set you free, they would see me as weak. And I simply can¡¯t have that,¡± he exins with a tight expression before ncing around, lost in thought.

    Tears cloud my vision, but I refuse to let them fall. ¡°Please, Mateo,¡± I beg. The mention of his name has his eyes snapping to mine. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want. Anything,¡± I stress. I know he paid for my virginity. Surely, he still wants it.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote for bargaining, carino.¡±

    I watch the coin flip over his knuckles, annoyed that he¡¯s still ying with it. It obviously has some importance to him, because I can see how worn and scratched it is even from here. Maybe he¡¯s a gambling man. Well, if he wants to gamble, maybe I can convince him to bet on this. ¡°Why don¡¯t you flip that coin and decide my fate then?¡± I question.

    ¡°What?¡± he asks as if he might have misheard me.

    ¡°You know, heads I get to leave this cell. Tails, I stay.¡±

    He flips the coin to his pinky and then snatches it in his hand. ¡°You want to determine your destiny like this?¡± he asks with a dark quirked brow.

    ¡°I have a better chance with the coin, don¡¯t I? You already told me I¡¯m not getting out of here. At least, this way, my odds are fifty-fifty.¡± Maybe I¡¯m just stalling for time or for a miracle, I don¡¯t know, but I just hope something, anything works in my favor at this point.

    Mateo¡¯s dark eyes pierce mine as he considers my proposition. Then, with a nod of satisfaction, he stands and flips the coin in the air. Itnds on the back of his other hand, and he covers it quickly, neither of us knowing the oue. ¡°Heads, you leave. Tails, you stay right where you are,¡± he suggests, repeating back what I said earlier.

    I give him a slow nod. Oh god, I hope it¡¯s heads.

    He removes his hand from the coin and stares at it for a long time before finally revealing to me the oue.

    I see the eagle devouring a rattlesnake and realize¡­it¡¯s tails. My heart sinks into my stomach, and I bite my lower lip so hard I can taste blood.

    Mateo almost looks disappointed for a split second before he puts his usual, stoic mask back into ce, not giving anything away about his inner thoughts. ¡°It appears Lady Luck won¡¯t be intervening today,¡± he tells me with finality. And with that said, he leaves.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    I wait until I can no longer hear his footsteps before I let the first of what will no doubt be many tears fall. I lie down on the hard, unforgiving floor and curl into a fetal position as all the horrible thoughts of what my true punishment might actually be threaten to consume me from the inside out.

 109

    Mateo

    I FEEL AS restless as a caged animal while I pace in my office. Back and forth. Back and forth. I swear I¡¯m going to wear a path into the hardwood flooring soon. I light my fifth cigarette of the morning, puffing away on it like it¡¯s going to somehow solve all of my problems.

    Today is Aria¡¯s punishment. It will be harsh; there¡¯s no doubt about that. Does she deserve it? Of course. She tried to kill me. And when you hurt or attempt to kill the head of a cartel, well, let¡¯s just say you earn everything that¡¯sing to you.

    But for some reason, I¡¯m feeling conflicted for maybe the first time ever. I know deep down Aria deserves this, but the thought of her being disciplined for it has me torn in two. On one hand, I want to let her go unscathed. But on the other hand, I know I can¡¯t. If I let her get away with this, my men will see me as cowardly. She will ultimately be my weakness, and I can¡¯t let that happen.

    My phone rings just then, and I¡¯m quick to answer it. There¡¯s a problem at one of our warehouses, and it takes me a good thirty minutes to fix it. It requires every ounce of my attention, making me temporarily forget all about what¡¯s going to happen today with Aria, and I don¡¯t mind the distraction. In fact, I wee it.

    But when Ignacio barges into my office a short timeter without knocking, I know something¡¯s wrong. His eyes are shifting from side to side, as if he¡¯s afraid to look at me. I¡¯ve seen him act this way many times before. I know he needs to tell me something, but he doesn¡¯t necessarily want to because of what my reaction might be.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call you back,¡± I tell the warehouse manager on the phone before ending the call. ¡°What the fuck happened?¡± I ask, knowing before he even speaks that it¡¯s probably going to piss me off.

    ¡°They started without you.¡±

    It takes a few moments for his words to register. ¡°What the fuck do you mean they started without me?¡± I hiss in anger.

    ¡°The men. They got restless. Demanded justice.¡±

    I stub out my cigarette in the ashtray and say, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    I follow him to the basement. My feet can¡¯t seem to move fast enough, and I can hear themotion before we even arrive. Fifty or so of my men are chanting and cheering; the noise almost deafening. And I know they don¡¯t just want justice. They want fucking blood.

    Ignacio goes downstairs, but I stay on the second floor where there¡¯s a viewing area surrounded by a metal railing. When I step closer to the edge, I can see that Aria is already chained to a giant pole in the middle of the open room below. I watch her intently as she clings to whipping post for dear life, trembling violently. Her pretty face is pressed against the wood as tears stream down her flushed cheeks.

    The back of her shirt has been cut open, exposing her perfect, beautiful, naturally tan skin. I can see three whip marks already on her flesh. They don¡¯t look very deep, but I know how Alvaro is. He¡¯s just warming up. He always goes easy at first, making the person on the post think he¡¯s not going to hurt them too badly. And then that¡¯s when the real torture begins.

    The rule is fiveshes for anyone who steps out of line and ten for minor infractions within my organization. But for stabbing me? Fuck, Alvaro will probably want to give her fifteen¡­or maybe twenty. She is the enemy in their eyes, and they won¡¯t rest until justice is served against her.

    I take another step forward and notice that the sides of Aria¡¯s breasts are visible. ncing around the room, I see that several of my men are salivating over the sight. My hands clench into fists at my sides, and I almost stop the whole thing right then and there. But I can¡¯t stop it. Even if I wanted to. My men want retribution for what was done to me. I should want that too; but for some reason, I don¡¯t.

    When I first saw Aria in that dirty cell with desperation dripping from her, I wanted to somehow turn back the hands of time and change everything. I shouldn¡¯t have even called my men into my room that night after she stabbed me. I should have tied her to the bed and left her there while I tended to my wounds on my own.

    But then there would have been too many questions. Rumors. Gossip. My men would have wanted answers; and eventually, they would have found out the truth. Either way, no matter what I did, we would have found our way back here. She can¡¯t escape this punishment, because she can¡¯t be my weakness, and I also don¡¯t want a fucking mutiny on my hands.

    I watch breathlessly as Alvaro looms behind Aria. He¡¯s a huge guy, tall and wide, and Aria¡¯s petite form dwarfs in his presence. There¡¯s a roguish smile on his face as he circles around her. He loves being in charge of the whippings. I swear the bastard gets off on it.

    He rears back and the whip flicks out, hitting hard, the force splitting her flesh wide open. The sound of Aria¡¯s terrified screams echoes in the room, and the sick fuck in me savors every sound. I just wish she was screaming for me and not because of the terrible pain she¡¯s in.

    Alvaro whips her in session, a few of the strikes fileting her skin with precision. I flinch during one particrly hard hit, and my side begins to ache against the pull of my stitches. Aria cut me deep, deeper than the whip is cutting through her now. The painful throbbing keeps me grounded and reminds me of why she¡¯s here, and the clearly irrational part of me wanting to put a stop to all of this is temporarily restrained, for the moment at least.

    Aria¡¯s screams turn into cries of anguish as the punishment goes on, and I close my eyes against them as my hands grasp the railing in front of me in a white-knuckle grip. I try to assure myself that she¡¯ll be okay. I survived this once when I was a young boy, but I didn¡¯t have the luxury of it ever ending. I was whipped until they thought I was dead, my body lying amongst the rest of my massacred family members. I was left there in a pool of my own blood with only my internal screams to keep mepany.

    Forcing my eyes open, I watch as Aria¡¯s frantic gaze searches the room, looking for something or someone. My breath hitches in my throat when our gazes lock. We share an indescribable connection in that moment. Her honey-colored orbs are full of emotion and of pure, undiluted fear. I¡¯ve seen that same look before. And it instantly reminds me of them.

    Suddenly, it feels like all the air in the room has been sucked out by a giant vacuum, and I¡¯m having trouble catching my breath. My lungs burn as painful memories bombard me. I¡¯m taken back to that time when I was younger, and I was forced to watch the most vile and horrific crimes against my family take ce.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Staggering, I sway and fall against the wall behind me. It takes all of my strength to suck fresh oxygen into my lungs and regain my wits.

    When I manage to get back to the railing, I look down just as Aria¡¯s eyes flutter closed. Her body slumps against the post and her extremities go limp because she¡¯s fallen unconscious.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter under my breath.

    I watch in horror as Alvaro rears back, ready to continue to whip her lifeless body and continue out the punishment. My anger suddenly rises to the surface, my blood boiling inside of my veins until I see nothing but red.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± I roar. My deep voice bounces off the walls, drawing the attention of every single person in the room.

    I jog down the steps, telling a few of the men to let her loose. They heed my instructions, having the ropes untied by the time I reach the bottom. I scoop Aria into my arms, her blood soaking through my shirt as I carry her up the stairs and through thepound.

    My hurried footfalls echo through the halls as I carry her to a room that we use for all of our medical care. This morning, I had called a local surgeon, the best one I know. I wanted him here, prepared to care for Aria in case he was needed. No one before her has ever gotten this type of treatment. If you make it onto the whipping post in the first ce, it¡¯s because you earned the punishment you¡¯ll receive. And if you deserve the punishment, then you deserve to wear the scars for life.

    I thought I could remain indifferent to Aria and the process, but I was wrong. I was so fucking wrong. As I nce down at her pale face covered in a sheen of sweat, the way my heart beats erratically in my chest scares the hell out of me. I¡¯ve never given a shit about anyone but myself for the past fifteen years. So why now? Why her?

    Because she¡¯s innocent. Just like your mother and your sisters.

    I let out a growl of frustration as I push through the door to the room. The surgeon is waiting, dressed in scrubs and putting on a pair oftex gloves as Iy her unconscious body facedown onto the sterilized metal table.

    The doctor stares at the open wounds on her back, but he doesn¡¯t say a word. He simply turns and begins grabbing what he needs. He squirts some kind of saline solution to clear away the blood and dirt, and the sight of the whip marks turns my stomach. It takes everything in me to not lose my fucking breakfast. I¡¯m used to seeing blood and gore. Hell, I think my hands are permanently stained in the blood of my foes. But this. This is different. This makes me feel. And I haven¡¯t felt much of anything for most of my life.

    My hands begin to shake, but I quickly curl them into fists. ¡°She deserved this,¡± I say out loud, trying to convince myself more than the doctor, but he simply stares at me before giving me a small, reassuring nod. But what I said feels like a tant lie. The worst goddamn lie I¡¯ve ever told.

    You did this to her. It¡¯s your fault. You could have stopped it, but you didn¡¯t.

    I haven¡¯t heard from my conscience in such a long time, and it shocks me to my very bone marrow that I actually feel an overwhelming sense of guilt over all of this. This girl has my head going in several different directions at once. I can barely keep up. One minute I want to kill her, and the next I want to keep her and never let her go.

    I run my hands through my hair, pulling at the ends in utter frustration. This is exactly the reason why I need to keep my distance. She¡¯s already worming her way under my skin, and I can¡¯t let that happen. Not now. Not ever.

    ¡°She will be all right. Not too much blood loss,¡± the doctor assures me. ¡°Will have lots of scars, though.¡±

    And his words suddenly send me tipping over the edge. ¡°No scars,¡± I demand, my tone low and deep like an angry growl. My own voice sounds foreign, like some kind of feral animal.

    ¡°Que?¡± he asks with a confused look on his face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a single scar on her. Do what you can to make the incisions as small and neat as possible. Take care of her wounds so that they don¡¯t turn into scars.¡±

    ¡°Some of these are so deep. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s possible, Mr. Navarro,¡± he says, and I can hear the unease in his voice.

    ¡°Steady hands, Doc. Not. A. Single. Scar,¡± I say, enunciating every word. ¡°If you fuck up, you won¡¯t have your hands much longer,¡± I warn him. ¡°Lo entiendes?¡±

    He nods in agreement.

    I watch every movement, every incision he makes, and I¡¯m d that Aria is unconscious for all of this. But when she wakes up, what will happen? Will she hate me for what was done to her?

    Yes, I suppose she will hate me. She may never stop hating me for the rest of her life.

    Shaking my head, I decide that I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll take her hatred and any other emotion she wants to feel towards me. I¡¯ll take all of them and absorb them, shaping and molding myself into a new creature like I¡¯ve done for almost my whole life. I¡¯ve been a chameleon for as long as I can remember, always adapting, always changing. In this world, you can never sit still for too long. Someone is always looking to take off the head of the snake. Someone always wants what you have, what you treasure the most.

    Sighing deeply, I take onest long look at Aria before I force myself out of the room. I can¡¯t be attached to her. It¡¯s too dangerous. For the both of us.

 110

    Aria

    THE NEXT SEVERAL days pass by in a blur. I¡¯m barely coherent or awake for more than a few minutes every few hours. The pain when I wake up is excruciating; and every time I open my eyes, the man responsible for that pain is there. Always waiting. Always watching. Never leaving my side.

    As soon as I wake up, groaning in pain, he¡¯s there to shove a pill into my mouth and force me to swallow some kind of broth. The pill is nasty, but the broth tastes good; just like the chicken soup my mom used to give me when I was a little girl whenever I was sick. It gives me some semnce of peace when I slurp up the broth just before I pass out again.

    I try to talk to Mateo, to ask him why he¡¯s doing this, why he¡¯s helping me, but my wordse out in gibberish and slurred beyond recognition. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s giving me, but I wee the peace and the escape from the pain.

    The next time I wake up and I¡¯m semi-coherent, the pain feels just like a dull, throbbing ache. And so, I refuse the pill he tries putting in my mouth. ¡°No,¡± I grumble, pushing away his hand.

    ¡°How is your pain?¡± he asks.

    My eyes open and narrow into slits as I stare up at him. He¡¯s sitting on the edge of the bed in his ck designer suit, acting like he gives a crap about me when, in reality, he¡¯s responsible for all of this. All of the pain I¡¯ve been experiencing is because of him.

    ¡°How is your pain, Aria?¡± he asks, more forcefully this time.

    ¡°Not that bad,¡± I confess.

    ¡°Good, good,¡± he says with a nod before standing. ¡°If you need anything for pain,¡± he starts, but I don¡¯t let him finish.

    ¡°I hate you,¡± I whisper. Once the words are out of my mouth, I almost wish I could take them back. A fissure of terror courses through my veins, and my eyes dart up to his, fearful of his reaction.

    ¡°I know,¡± he simply says with a nod.

    He knows? I guess I haven¡¯t been exactly hiding my contempt for him. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s been written all over my face. I¡¯ve always been told my poker face is less than ster. Well, since I¡¯m already pressing my luck, I decide to push even further. ¡°I¡­I want to call my family,¡± I demand. It¡¯s the least he can do considering what I just went through. When I see him hesitate, I quickly think up a lie and tell him, ¡°My mom¡­she¡¯s sick. I need to make sure she¡¯s all right.¡±

    Mateo¡¯s gaze sears into mine, searching for the deception. I keep my facex and neutral, hoping that he won¡¯t see right through me. ¡°Okay,¡± he says after an excruciatingly long time.

    ¡°Okay?¡± I say in disbelief. A huge sense of relief and hope blooms inside of my chest. I know my brother has technology on his phone that can track the call and find my whereabouts. If I make that call, maybe they can get me out of here. ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell him,ying it on thick.

    He gets up and walks out of the room, only to return a few minutester with a phone that looks like an old walkie-talkie.

    ¡°It¡¯s a satellite phone,¡± he exins.

    I bite my lower lip as I wonder internally if that means it can¡¯t be traced. Well, I guess I have no other choice but to try and find out. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to offer me his personal cell phone, which I¡¯m sure is locked with a code that would take me a million tries to figure out anyway.

    He pushes a few buttons on the device and then hands it to me. ¡°Just punch in the phone number,¡± he says.

    I stare at him, wondering if he¡¯ll give me some privacy. But when he just stands there with no indication of moving anytime soon, I let out a resigned sigh. His eyes are narrowed, watching me carefully as I dial my brother¡¯s cell phone digits. When I hear the call connect and begin to ring, tears fill my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s ringing,¡± I whisper in relief. Please, Nico. Please answer, I beg inwardly.

    ¡°Hello?¡± my brother answers on the fourth ring.

    ¡°Nico. It¡¯s me,¡± I say, keeping my voice as calm as I can even though I¡¯m screaming on the inside for help. With Mateo staring me down, I need to keep the phone call as normal as I can so that he doesn¡¯t get wind of my deceit.

    ¡°Aria?¡± Nico says in disbelief. ¡°Where are you?¡± he demands. I can hear him shuffling his phone around, and I know that he¡¯s trying to help me by tracing this call. I just need to stay on the line and not break down.

    ¡°I¡¯m safe,¡± I lie, my eyes drifting to Mateo. He¡¯s still watching me, scrutinizing every word, every movement I make. I wonder if he can see the sweat building up on my forehead or the way my lips are trembling. Maybe he¡¯ll just chalk it up to excitement and not the fact that I¡¯m trying so hard right now to not yell out to my brother to help me.

    ¡°What happened? How can I find you?¡± Nico presses.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I say vaguely. ¡°How are mom and dad doing?¡± I ask him.

    I normally don¡¯t believe in miracles; but in that moment, I do, when Mateo¡¯s cell phone begins to vibrate. Grumbling, he pulls the phone from his pocket and stares at the screen. His eyes sh in warning before he slowly walks out of the room, leaving me alone.

    ¡°No one is going to be okay until you¡¯re home,¡± Nico tells me, and I can hear the anguish in his tone. ¡°Please, give me any information you can, but only do it if you¡¯re going to be safe,¡± he carefully instructs me.

    ¡°Remember how I always wanted to go to Mexico?¡± I ask him, my eyes searching the doorway that Mateo just walked out of, fearing he¡¯lle back any second. ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful here.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Nico hesitates, but I know he¡¯s picking up on the clues I¡¯m giving him. I just nonchntly gave him my location, but I know it¡¯s not enough. I don¡¯t know how much more I can give him; however, without getting caught, but I know I need to do my best. My brother is my only hope at this point.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he finally asks.

    My body begins to tremble with anxiety when I think about everything that has transpired between the night at the club until now. Memories of Constantine, the kidnapping, the assaults, the auction, the whipping, everything hits me at all once like a freight train. ¡°No,¡± I say, my voice breaking on a sob. I can¡¯t hold it together anymore. I was being so strong, but I¡¯m tired of being strong. It feels so good to hear a familiar voice, and I just want to be home so badly. I want that more than anything. I want to wake up in my own bed and realize this whole thing was just a terrible, cruel nightmare.

    He hushes me on the other end, and I try to quiet myself down. ¡°Describe where you are. Are you in a house or an apartment?¡± he asks.

    ¡°It¡¯s big, secluded. Lots of men with weapons,¡± I whisper.

    ¡°What else can you tell me, Aria?¡± he demands, needing more.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Mateo appears in the doorway, his eyes automatically glued to me. I¡¯m sure he can see the change in my demeanor and the expression on my face.

    He walks towards me, a frown marring his features. ¡°Time¡¯s up. Give me the phone, Aria,¡± Mateomands, holding out his hand.

    He¡¯s going to take away my only lifeline, my only chance to get out of here. And so I shout out quickly, ¡°I was sold to a man!¡± If I wasn¡¯t panicking before, I¡¯m truly panicking now. ¡°Please, help me, Nico!¡± I cry into the phone to my brother. ¡°His name is Mateo, and he¡¯s -.¡±

    My captor finally wrestles the phone out of my vice grip, cutting my words off abruptly. I try to grab for the phone, but my efforts prove futile. He¡¯s so much bigger and stronger than I am.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to find you, Aria. We¡¯re not going to stop looking for you! Do you understand me?¡± I hear Nico screaming into the phone right before Mateo ends the call.

    I sit there, my panicked breaths the only sound in the quiet room for a long time before Mateo finally asks, ¡°Is your mother actually sick, or was that just a lie?¡±

    His eyes are boring holes into me as I confess in a whisper, ¡°A lie.¡±

    Mateo slowly nods his head. After a while, he finally says, ¡°You better hope they never find you, Aria. Because the moment they step foot onto mypound, they will be killed.¡± For the final blow, he adds, ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure you watch them die from the consequences of your actions.¡±

    And then he walks out of the room, leaving me a quivering, sobbing mess.

 111

    Aria

    AFTER THE PHONE call to my brother, I wait in anticipation for my rescue. Every day that passes, I think maybe today is the day I¡¯ll be saved. But at least a week goes by without any sign of that happening anytime soon, and my sense of hope begins to slowly dete. I know my family will do whatever they can to get me back, but I just wish I could speed up the hands of time. The more time I stay here, the more confusing it gets. The lines between captor and captive are beginning to blur, and I don¡¯t like it.

    ¡°These are healing nicely,¡± Mateo says as he rubs a soothing balm over my back.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Even though I should hate his touch, I¡¯ll admit it does feel good. ¡°What does my back look like?¡± I question, wondering if I look like a scarred freak because of him.

    ¡°The doctor did an excellent job. You can barely even tell that you were whipped,¡± he says. ¡°I guess he¡¯ll be keeping his hands after all,¡± he murmurs.

    His statement has my head whipping to the side. ¡°You threatened to take his hands if I scarred?¡± I ask in disbelief.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he states matter-of-factly as if it¡¯s not a big deal at all.

    I turn away from him once more, overanalyzing everything in my head. Why would he want me to be whipped for stabbing him and then want me to not be scarred? Unless¡­ Fear grips me tightly by the throat, refusing to let go. And suddenly I need to know the truth about my future here. ¡°Are you¡­are you going to sell me?¡± I ask, my voice just above a whisper. The thought has crossed my mind a time or two, but now I feel even more certain that it¡¯s a possibility. It could be the reason why he hasn¡¯t taken my virginity. He¡¯s just biding his time until he sells me off and recoups some of his money he wasted on me.

    Mateo doesn¡¯t even hesitate before saying, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you going to do with me?¡± I don¡¯t know which is worse¡­knowing or not knowing at this point.

    His hands hesitate before continuing to rub the balm over my back. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± he eventually answers.

    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s really reassuring,¡± I say sarcastically before pping a hand over my lips. Damn my smart mouth. Always getting me in trouble.

    I expect Mateo to get mad, but instead he chuckles softly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything right now.¡±

    Yeah, right now. But what about a few days or a few weeks from now when he gets bored of me or when I slip and say something to piss him off? Will he whip me again? Or even kill me?

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky,¡± he says quietly, interrupting my thoughts.

    ¡°Lucky?¡± I question in disbelief.

    ¡°Your back. No scars,¡± he exins. ¡°You¡¯re lucky.¡±

    I scoff at his words. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t consider myself very lucky.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to endure the pain either. You¡¯re extremely fortunate, Aria.¡±

    His words upset me, and I pull away from him. I stand up on shaky legs, grabbing the edge of the bed to steady myself as I keep a vice grip on the sheet wrapped around my front. ¡°What would you know about the pain I¡¯ve endured? Has anyone ever whipped you?¡± I ask crossly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he says, giving me a searing look. ¡°I was only eleven years old, but I still remember every strike of that whip, every time my flesh was ripped open.¡±

    I stare at him, searching for any signs of deceit but finding none. He endured this when he was a little boy? How did he ever survive it? I barely survived. I can¡¯t even imagine being whipped when I was a child.

    ¡°Who hurt you?¡± I ask him, my voice soft.

    ¡°The same people who murdered my parents and sisters,¡± he answers quietly before standing and ncing at his expensive watch. Clearing his throat, he tells me, ¡°I think dinner is almost ready. I¡¯ll have one of the maids bring you up a tray.¡±

    And then he just walks out of the room after dropping a bombshell and ultimately leaving me speechless. God, he has a knack for doing thattely.

    Aria

    I STEP OUT of the shower and look over my shoulder into the mirror. The whip marks on my back have healed, leaving only ghost trails behind of what really happened to me. Even though I won¡¯t bear the scars physically, I¡¯ll never be able to forget everything I endured. I¡¯m scarred emotionally and mentally, probably for life.

    Over the past few days, Mateo has slowly weaned me off the drugs he was supplying to me. And although I miss the high and escaping reality and the gravity of the situation I¡¯m in, I¡¯m d to be coherent and clearheaded for once.

    It¡¯s also been nice to be able to shower on my own and not have to rely on one of the housekeepers for help. I¡¯m sure that poor woman has enough to do around this ce without having to worry about me. She cooks for an entire army of men but ims to love it. Her passion is cooking, and I¡¯ve promised to help her in the kitchen as soon as I¡¯m better.

    Even though I shouldn¡¯t be making false promises that I probably won¡¯t be able to keep, it felt good to see her smile. I¡¯m still not giving up on hope that my family is on their way to rescue me. It could be any day now, and I have to stay vignt. I must stay prepared.

    I¡¯m brushing my teeth when a cramp in my lower back has me almost doubling over in pain. I drop my toothbrush and clutch the edge of the sink to keep from falling over. I¡¯ve been off my feet for a while, so I chalk it up to my body protesting all the moving I did today and decide to just get ready for bed. I¡¯m suddenly feeling exhausted, and sleep sounds like just what I need. I rinse my mouth out quickly and dry my face with a towel.

    When I emerge from the bathroom, themp by the bed is on and Mateo ising out of the walk-in closet wearing only a pair of boxer briefs. His muscles and numerous tattoos covering almost every inch of his bronze skin are on full disy, and I can clearly see the outline of his dick through the thin cotton material. I have to tear my eyes away. He looks¡­huge. And I can¡¯t help but wonder if he¡¯s hard or if that¡¯s just him soft. Oh god, what if he¡¯s a shower and a grower?

 112

    He shes me a knowing smirk before disappearing into the bathroom. Internally, I facepalm myself and force myself into bed, rolling over onto my side facing the wall and closing my eyes. I¡¯m so tired, but the pain in my back doesn¡¯t subside, and I end up tossing and turning well into the night.

    Sweat beads on my forehead as I begin to have the most lucid dreams. I¡¯m back home. With my family. My brother is the first one to hug me, telling me how much he missed me. And then I hug my father and mother. I¡¯m so happy to be home.

    Something or someone is telling me to wake up, but I don¡¯t want to leave the dream. I just want to stay here. Forever.

    Mateo

    IN THE MIDDLE of the night, I feel Aria stirring beside me. She¡¯s been restless for a while, and it¡¯s been driving me crazy. I¡¯m a light sleeper; my body and mind always on constant alert. And every time she moves, I¡¯m wide awake.

    It¡¯s almost morning I realize when I nce at my watch. Aria snuggles close to me, muttering about being cold. And when she presses her backside against my cock, I have to stifle a groan. Fuck, her body is so damn sexy. What I would give to take her right now. And therein lies the problem. I would probably give everything to be inside of her. My entire empire. All my riches. Maybe even my own life. Because I know I would die a happy man having been inside of her virgin pussy and hearing her chanting my name like a prayer as shees all over my fucking cock.

    I try to shake away the thoughts, but her ass keeps grinding on my dick. ¡°Aria,¡± I warn, gripping her hip and forcing her to stop.

    ¡°Please,¡± she begs. ¡°Please, Mateo,¡± she whimpers like she¡¯s in pain.

    ¡°Christ,¡± I hiss. I feel like a wound-up rubber band, threatening to snap at any given moment. And when she presses her luscious backside against me once again, my constraint finally shatters. ¡°What do you want?¡± I growl into her ear. I need to hear her speak the words.

    ¡°You,¡± she whispers. ¡°Please¡­touch me.¡±

    My hand gripping her hip slowly eases its way down. She¡¯s wearing tiny shorts and panties, and I find my way under them in the darkness. And the moment I touch her bare pussy, I curse under my breath. Fuck, she¡¯s so soft and smooth. Perfecta. My fingers gently part her lips, and I find her clit, rubbing slow circles as she grinds against my hand.

    ¡°Yes, please. Oh god,¡± she pants. Her hand grips my wrist, her fingernails like little ws digging into my skin.

    My lips find her neck. Fuck, she¡¯s so hot for me. She certainly lied about being cold. But as my mouth creeps up to her cheek, I realize she¡¯s not just hot. She¡¯s burning up.

    I snatch my hand out of her panties and quickly reach around to turn on the light by the bed. ¡°Aria?¡± I question, pulling back the nkets and looking down at her.

    A sheen of sweat is present on her beautiful face, which looks ghastly pale in the dim light, and she stares up at me with an unfocused gaze. I put the back of my hand to her forehead, and it feels like a wildfire is raging inside of her.

    Her teeth chatter as she reaches for the nkets and protests, ¡°I-I-I¡¯m c-cold.¡±

    ¡°The fuck you are,¡± I snarl. ¡°You¡¯re burning up with a fever.¡± I scramble out of bed and grab my cell phone. It takes me two tries to unlock it before I¡¯m speed dialing the doctor in town. When he answers, I tell him, ¡°I need you here. Now.¡±

    He doesn¡¯t say a word or even goodbye. He simply ends the call, knowing what is expected of him. He should be here in several minutes. Until then, I don¡¯t know what to do with her. I scoop her up in my arms and take her into the bathroom. cing her down on the counter, I grab a nearby washcloth and wet it under the faucet before running it over her face and then down her arms.

    Her skin is so damn pale it scares the hell out of me. Her eyes flutter shut as I gently run the cloth over her pretty face. ¡°Stay awake, Aria,¡± I demand. ¡°Do you hear me?¡± I say, raising my voice.

    Her honey-colored eyes blink open, and a grin appears on her face. ¡°I love it when you¡¯re bossy,¡± she says, her words slurred. She inches forward, wrapping her legs around my waist and drawing me closer. ¡°I want you, Mateo,¡± she moans.

    ¡°You¡¯re delirious,¡± I tell her with a shake of my head. Of course she would only want me when she¡¯s out of her mind. I should have known something was wrong the moment she begged for me to touch her.

    I continue to wet the washcloth and gently run it over her fevered skin until one of my guards alerts me that the doctor is downstairs waiting. ¡°Time to go,¡± I tell Aria before lifting her off the counter and cradling her in my arms.

    About halfway down the stairs, I realize she¡¯s gone limp in my arms. ¡°Shit,¡± I bite out before I haul ass to the room that we use for medical procedures and exams.

    ¡°Put her down,¡± the doctor tells me in Spanish. He¡¯s an older gentleman, short in stature with salt and pepper hair. He¡¯s the only doctor in a forty-mile radius, and I pay him well to always be on call for emergencies.

    I gentlyy Aria on the table. ¡°Is she¡­is she breathing?¡± I ask him, and even I can hear the worry¡­and fear in my voice. Fuck, I haven¡¯t been this scared of anything in a long damn time.

    The doctor checks her breathing and then presses two fingers to her wrist as he watches a clock on the wall. With a grim look on his face, he tells me, ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡± He reaches into his medical bag and produces a digital thermometer. He scans her forehead. ¡°One-oh-four,¡± he reads.

    I mutter a curse under my breath. ¡°Do something!¡± I demand as my heart drums in an irregr rhythm. ¡°Save her. Please. I¡­I can¡¯t lose her too.¡± My words don¡¯t even make sense at this point, but I can¡¯t dwell on them right now. All I know is that I want her to be okay.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    When I look up, the doctor is readying a needle. He swipes an alcohol pad across her arm and then injects her with something. I trust this doctor, so I don¡¯t question him. He knows that if he double-crosses me, a painful, agonizing death is the only suitable punishment he will endure.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to run some tests,¡± he informs me. After a few seconds, he looks up, realizing I haven¡¯t left the room. And when I cross my arms in front of my chest and stare him down, he says, ¡°Just try to stay out of my way.¡±

    I nod in agreement. I¡¯m not going anywhere.

    Reaching out, I hold Aria¡¯s hand. It feels cold to the touch, and I swallow hard, studying her pretty face and the way her long, darkshes fan out over her pale cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m here, Aria. You¡¯re going to be okay,¡± I try to assure her even though she probably can¡¯t hear me.

    Just the thought of not hearing her sassy wordsing out of her beautiful mouth or seeing those honey-colored eyes locked onto me as they narrow and throw invisible daggers into my skull absolutely crushes me.

    I realize in that instant that I would miss her. Terribly so. And that scares the fuck out of me.

 113

    Mateo

    ARIA REMAINS UNCONSCIOUS for two days. The doctor eventually figured out she was suffering from a kidney infection. Most likely urred when she wasid up in bed while healing from the whipping. Aria¡¯s been on an antibiotics treatment for the past forty-eight hours, and the doctor is sure that she¡¯ll be just fine.

    After a quick shower, I get dressed for the day and go to the room that Aria has been staying in. It felt weird not having her in my bed at night. And I hate to say it, but I¡¯ve fucking missed her. More than I thought I would. More than I would ever admit out loud.

    Aria somehow wormed her way into my dark heart, and I didn¡¯t even realize it. It happened so quickly, like some kind of cruel magic trick.

    When I enter the room, Aria is sitting up in a cot in the corner of the room, wide awake and alert as she tries tomunicate with the doctor as best she can with thenguage barrier. The man knows some English, so that should make it a little easier at least.

    As Aria turns to me, all the air in my lungs leaves in a rush. I have a strong urge to run to her side, to nt kisses along her beautiful face and tell her that I¡¯m d she¡¯s okay. But I abruptly suppress that urge and slow my walk. I can practically feel the mask slipping down over my face as I school my features. I can¡¯t let this obsession, and that¡¯s exactly what it is and nothing more, take ahold of me.

    ¡°Nice to see you awake, Aria,¡± I tell her coolly.

    ¡°Nice to be awake,¡± she counters.

    I force my attention to the doctor. I ask him in Spanish about her condition and what needs to be done from this point forward.

    ¡°Lots of rest and liquids. Need to keep her hydrated,¡± he informs me.

    ¡°Considerelo hecho.¡± Consider it done.

    ¡°The doctor told me you barely left my side thest couple of days,¡± Aria says, a slow, mischievous grin spreading across her face.

    My lips thin, and I re at the man beside me. That bastard ratted me out.

    I can see the amused sparkle in Aria¡¯s eyes as she continues. ¡°I didn¡¯t take you as the Florence Nightingale type, Mateo.¡±

    She¡¯s testing my limits. ¡°I think I liked you better when you were unconscious,¡± I snap.

    That earns me a smile, and fuck, it causes my mask to slip a little. A couple of days ago, I would have done anything to see that smile. And to see her awake and happy now¡­it makes me feel things. Things I have absolutely no business feeling.

    ¡°I have some matters I need to take care of,¡± I inform her before turning to leave. When I learned that Aria was going to be okay, I purposely scheduled meetings outside of thepound today so that I could get some fresh air and have time to think about all these new emotions I¡¯ve been trying to deal with. I need to get away from Aria and see if the real world wakes me the fuck up without her in my constant presence.

    That¡¯s what I¡¯m chalking this all up to. Taking care of her, having her by my side almost twenty-four-fucking-seven for the past week or so. Anyone would think they¡¯re developing some sort of attachment towards another person in that case. That¡¯s all this is. Pure and simple.

    ¡°Thank you!¡± Aria calls after me before I make it out the door.

    When I turn to face her, I cock a brow in question. She¡¯s thanking me?

    ¡°For staying with me, making sure I was safe, and for calling the doctor,¡± she says in a rush. Then, she stops, takes a breath and says, ¡°For¡­everything.¡±

    I nod and walk out of the room before my mouth gets me in trouble once again. Fuck, I need to get away from her before I do something stupid, like tell her that I¡¯ve missed her¡­or, God forbid, try to kiss her.

    Mateo

    THE STRIPPER GYRATES her hips in front of me, trying desperately to entice me. Gritting my teeth, I snag my drink from the table and take a long swig of the dark liquid, doing my best topletely ignore the woman.

    ¡°Maybe blondes aren¡¯t your thing?¡± Vidal, my business associate, surmises. ¡°I can bring in some brtes or maybe a redhead,¡± he offers.

    ¡°Not in the mood for any variety today,¡± I tell him, barely able to contain my irritation. We¡¯re at Vidal¡¯s strip joint, just one of the many businesses he owns that weunder our money through. He insists on conducting meetings here; and any other time, I wouldn¡¯t really mind. But today, I¡¯m not in the mood.

    Vidal nods in understanding and waves his hand, dismissing the girl. The blonde walks away with a backwards nce at me, pouting. Any other day, I would have taken her to one of the back rooms and fucked that pout right off of her face. But now that Aria is in my life, it would feel wrong somehow.

    When did I suddenly get so fucking righteous?

    Groaning, I rub a hand down my face while I desperately try to block Aria from my thoughts. The whole reason for me getting out today was to forget about her; and so far, it¡¯s not working. In fact, her not being with me is making my thoughts drift to her even more often. ¡°Fuck,¡± I grit out before finishing off my drink.

    ¡°Another?¡± Vidal suggests.

    When I nod, he gestures for one of his men to bring forward the bottle of expensive liquor, and I watch as he carefully refills my ss. Vidal is dressed casually today with a Hawaiian-looking shirt and khaki shorts. He¡¯s short and skinny with a pencil thin mustache and warm, brown eyes. He doesn¡¯t seem like much to look at him, but I¡¯ve seen him take down three men much bigger than him in a fight before. He¡¯s scrappy and gets shit done when it matters the most. Maybe that¡¯s why I chose to work with him several years ago. There¡¯s something profound that can be said about a man, who is an underdog, with the odds stacked against him and the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he still ends uping out on top when it counts.

    ¡°Something wrong, Mateo? I¡¯ve never known you to drink so much or turn down pussy,¡± he says, leaning back and stroking his mustache.

    My eyes sh towards him, narrowing as a warning.

    Vidal puts his hands up in a cating gesture. ¡°Alright, alright, no need to talk about it,¡± he says with a smirk.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I just want to talk about business,¡± I inform him. And forget about a certain pretty brte with a smart mouth, I add internally.

    ¡°Good enough.¡±

    ¡°Why is my shipment not here yet?¡± I inquire. The materials I need from California never arrived, and it¡¯s been a thorn in my side. Production has halted at several of my warehouses. And if they¡¯re not making the product to sell, then that means I¡¯m not making any money.

    ¡°Our usual dockworker wound up deadst week,¡± Vidal exins. ¡°We¡¯re still working on trying to bribe another man to take his ce.¡±

    ¡°Any progress?¡±

    ¡°I found a man with a family ¨C a wife and kids. I have no doubt he¡¯d be willing to do it if I paid them a visit, gave them a little scare. Hell, he might even do it for free if I take his family for a few days and rough them up to help convince him.¡±

    I hold up my hand to silence him. ¡°Your words should suffice. We don¡¯t need to go to extremes unless it bes absolutely necessary.¡± Children are innocent. They don¡¯t choose what their fathers end up bing. ¡°Pay him the same rate,¡± I add on. It¡¯s worth the money if I can get my shipments docked safely.

    ¡°If everything goes well with our new rat, the rest of our deliveries should be a breeze.¡±

    I nod. ¡°Good. Make sure there are no further problems,¡± I tell him sternly before standing and buttoning my suit jacket. ¡°I need to head home.¡±

    ¡°So early? It¡¯s not even five o¡¯clock,¡± Vidal says incredulously.

    I move my head from side to side, cracking my neck. The tension I feel there is almost excruciating. I¡¯ve been trying to handle business as usual just to get away from her. But even my associates are noticing a deviation in my behavior. Maybe I just need to fuck Aria to get her out of my system. If only she would give in to me. I¡¯m sure one good romp in the sack would make everything better. I could quickly get over her and move on with my life.

    ¡°I have a woman tied up in my bed waiting for me,¡± I lie through my teeth.

    He smiles wickedly. ¡°Nice.¡± He stands and shakes my hand. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t keep you from your little captive.¡±

    My little captive.

    Yes, that¡¯s exactly what she is. And tied up in my bed is exactly where she should be right now. Just the idea of seeing Aria¡¯s big doe eyes wide and helpless as she struggles against her bonds has my cock hardening in my cks.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch,¡± I tell Vidal before departing.

    Once I¡¯m in the back of the car, I pull out my cell phone. I read over my texts, hoping for an update on Aria, but there is nothing. Frowning, I tell the driver, ¡°Hurry home.¡± I have an almost overwhelming need to see her. And an even stronger need to touch her and make her mine.

 114

    Aria

    AFTER DINNER, I return to the room I¡¯ve been staying in for the past few days while I¡¯ve been recuperating from my kidney infection. But when I see the cot rolled up in the corner of the room and all of my things missing, I stand there, confused.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mateo asks, startling me.

    I turn to see him leaning against the doorjamb, looking devilishly handsome in his ck three-piece suit, like usual. ¡°I just¡­I thought¡­¡±

    ¡°What? You thought this was your new room?¡± he questions with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°This is a medical room. We need it for emergencies.¡±

    ¡°Oh. So, where will I be sleeping now that I¡¯m better?¡±

    ¡°With me,¡± he says with conviction.

    I just assumed since he was done taking care of mysh marks and my infection is over that he would put me in another room in the house. The fact that he wants me to stay with him, to sleep in his bed every night makes me feel uneasy. We¡¯ve already been walking a very fine line between hostage and kidnapper, and I need to put an end to all of this. ¡°No,¡± I tell him with a shake of my head.

    ¡°No?¡± He cocks a brow as a smirk forms on his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice in this matter, Aria,¡± he says with finality.

    Damn it, I hate when he says my name. It sounds so sexying from his mouth, especially when he rolls the R with his tongue. ¡°Fine,¡± I say, storming out of the room and upstairs with Mateo hot on my heels. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve had any choices since I arrived here anyway,¡± I call out when we make our way into his bedroom.

    ¡°You always have a choice, Aria,¡± he says.

    Even though I¡¯m sure he¡¯s meaning when ites to my virginity, I decide to plead with him anyway. I turn around and face him. ¡°Then let me leave,¡± I implore.

    ¡°Well, not a choice when ites to leaving,¡± he corrects, and I just want to smack that grin right off of his face.

    Rolling my eyes, I go to the bathroom and m the door shut. I swear I hear his dark chuckle behind the wood. Fuming, I get in the shower. The hot water does little to calm my nerves. And after I¡¯m done and get out, I realize my mistake. I didn¡¯t grab any clothes first. And now I have to do a walk of shame to the closet with nothing but a towel.

    Feeling even angrier now than I was before, I open the door and stalk out of the room with dripping wet hair and a towel precariously cinched between my breasts. I can almost feel Mateo¡¯s gaze on my exposed skin as I move to the closet and pull out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. They¡¯re worn with lint balls covering them, but I have nothing else to wear.

    Taking the clothes back to the bathroom, I m the door again. It feels good to m that door and show a little act of defiance. I dress quickly andb through my wet hair with my fingers. There are some tangles I can¡¯t get through thanks to not having any conditioner, and it frustrates the hell out of me.

    I¡¯m practically steaming by the time I emerge from the bathroom. Mateo is sitting on the edge of the bed, his attention on the cell phone in his hands as he types something quickly with his thumbs. He nces up at me and quirks a thick, dark brow, looking bored.

    And that¡¯s when I snap. Holding an usatory finger at him, I raise my voice and say, ¡°If you¡¯re nning on keeping me here, then I¡¯m going to need things. Like¡­like conditioner and a hairbrush!¡±

    I expect him to be pissed off by my demeanor and demands, but instead he breaks out intoughter. ¡°You know, you¡¯re really cute when you¡¯re mad.¡±

    Wait. Did he just say I was cute? I¡¯m so taken aback by what he said that I can¡¯t even remember what I was angry about in the first ce.

    His face goes back to serious in two-point-five-seconds. ¡°Make a list, and I¡¯ll get someone to fetch what you need tomorrow,¡± he instructs me. And then he stands and walks into the bathroom, mming the door in my face this time.

    With a huff, I climb into bed, staying as far over on my side as I can. Turning over onto my back, I ball my hands into fists and repeatedly strike the mattress under me. Mateo is so infuriating! One minute he¡¯s angry, and the next he¡¯s smiling and¡­calling me cute.

    And then I realize that I have a big, stupid grin on my face. Oh my god, why am I even smiling right now? Because he called me cute? Because he¡¯s going to let me make a list of things that I need? Because he looks so damn handsome when he smiles, which is so rare it¡¯s like catching a glimpse of a falling star in the sky?

    Quickly, I grab one of the pillows from the bed and shove it over my face before screaming my frustrations into it. Oh my god, I think I¡¯m losing my mind.

    Mateo

    IGNACIO LOOKS AT the list incredulously. ¡°All of this?¡± he questions for what seems like the tenth time.

    Aria made the listtest night, using an entire sheet of paper. Front and back. I wanted to tell her no, but I couldn¡¯t go back on my word that I would get her what she wanted. I just didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d want everything but the goddamn kitchen sink.

    ¡°Yes, all of it,¡± I stress. ¡°Make sure you get every single thing even if you have to order it online.¡±

    He shakes his bald, tattooed head in disbelief. ¡°Tampons? Mateo, I can¡¯t go into a store and buy fucking tampons!¡± he hisses angrily.

    Just the thought of my number one walking into a store and carrying out a dainty box of feminine products has me biting back augh. ¡°Then take one of the women from thepound with you. Send her in the store with the list and money.¡±

    This seems to calm him down in record time. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll take Flora,¡± he says with a renewed attitude and a grin on his face before walking away.

    He¡¯s been fucking Flora, one of our housekeepers, for years. Hell, I¡¯ve caught them together inpromising positions more times than I can count. He has a thing for older women, especially maids. Mommy issues perhaps. Hell, I think we all have mommy and daddy issues here. We¡¯re all from fucked-up families with fucked-up pasts. Mine might be the worst of all, however.

    On the way to my office, I spot Sofia in the hallway. She¡¯s the one I¡¯ve been borrowing clothes from for Aria. ¡°Sofia, a word?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course, Mr. Navarro.¡±

    She follows me into my office and closes the door behind her. I sit at my desk and light a cigar. I puff on the end, loving the taste of a real Cuban. These cigars are expensive but worth every penny.

    Sofia stands on the other side of my desk, patiently waiting with eager eyes. She¡¯s petite, like Aria, with short, ck hair and brown eyes. She¡¯s had an obvious crush on me for years. I don¡¯t doubt that she would bend over onmand or suck my dick if I asked her to.

    But when I started my empire, I put a provision in ce ¨C never fuck an employee. Also, the whole one and done rule that I stick by wouldn¡¯t go so well if I had pussy avable to me twenty-four-seven. And lord knows I¡¯ve been in a dry spell since Aria arrived. Hell, I feel like my dick is going to spontaneouslybust soon if I don¡¯t get some sort of relief.

    ¡°Is there something I can do for you, Mr. Navarro?¡± Sofia asks, batting her eyshes.

    I¡¯ve been spending more time with her as ofte, constantly asking her to borrow clothes for Aria and giving her money to buy new ones for herself. She probably thinks I¡¯m showing her attention for another reason. But she would be wrong. While Sofia is attractive, she couldn¡¯t hold a candle to my little captive. Aria is one of the most beautiful women I¡¯ve ever seen. She¡¯s probably ruined me for life, because I doubt if I will ever find the likes of her beauty ever again.

    I puff on the cigar, cursing under my breath. This girl is ruining my life slowly but surely, but I can¡¯t even dwell on that right now. ¡°I need to borrow a dress for Aria,¡± I tell Sofia.

    Her face falls. She really thought I was going to request something else. ¡°Oh. Of course, Mr. Navarro. I might have a few in my closet.¡±

    ¡°Bring them to me,¡± I instruct her.

    ¡°Yes, sir. Right away, sir.¡± She leaves the room in a hurry, and I can faintly hear her saying perdoneme in the hallway.

    A few secondster, Aria enters my office. She looks mad, but I mean, what else is new?

    ¡°Did you take my list?¡± she questions, but it sounds more like an usation.

    I give her a nod. I found the piece of paper by the bed this morning. She must have spent most of the night writing it before finally crashing early this morning. ¡°Ignacio is on his way to buy the things you requested,¡± I exin.

    When Aria steps closer and wrinkles her nose from the smoke in the room, I quickly stub out my cigar in the ashtray. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t give a fuck who was bothered by my cigarettes or cigars; but it was an almost knee-jerk reaction when I realized she didn¡¯t like it. For some reason, she makes me care. Damn it.

    Turning my attention away from my five-hundred-dor discarded cigar to Aria, I notice that she¡¯s nervously wringing her hands and fidgeting like she has something on her mind but doesn¡¯t want to say it out loud. ¡°What is it, Aria?¡± I ask, doing my best to sound bored and unaffected.

    ¡°Who was that girl that just came out of your office?¡±

    ¡°One of the housekeepers,¡± I answer nonchntly. I can practically hear the wheels turning in her pretty, little head. ¡°What¡¯s your other question?¡±

    ¡°Is she¡­is she your girlfriend?¡±

    Her question has me barely constraining augh. ¡°Girlfriend? No,¡± I tell her with a shake of my head. Fuck, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever had a girlfriend. I¡¯ve had lots of women under me, but no one has ever stuck around long enough to be considered more than a casual fuck. And I¡¯ve never been interested inmitment before. Women make you weak. I can practically hear my uncle¡¯s words echoing inside my brain.

    ¡°So you two just¡­¡± Her voice trails off as she fidgets some more.

    ¡°We just what, Aria?¡± I know what she¡¯s too afraid to ask, but I want to hear the naughty wordsing out of her mouth.

    ¡°You two¡­fuck?¡±

    Dios mio. I close my eyes, savoring the sound of that word in her sweet voice and tone. When I open my eyes again, I can see that she¡¯s desperately wanting an answer. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± I question out loud.

    Her eyes narrow. ¡°No, I¡¯m not jealous. I just want to know how many diseases you have. You know, we sleep in the same bed!¡±

    ¡°Yes, we sleep.¡± I stress thest word.

    She opens her mouth to say something, but then closes it. I¡¯ve rendered my little captive speechless. That¡¯s a first.

    ¡°I¡¯m clean, by the way,¡± I tell her. I always wear condoms, and I get tested regrly. With my proclivities, I can never be too careful.

    Before either of us can say another word on that particr subject, there is a knock at the door, and I yell for the person toe in. It¡¯s Sofia again, with a few dresses. She gives Aria the side eye beforeing straight for me. She holds the dresses up, and I study them. There¡¯s a ck one that looks like something a grandmother would wear, a white one that¡¯s delicate andcey, but reminds me of a doily, and a red one that appears to be more like a scrap of fabric than an actual dress. I motion for Sofia to turn, and then I ask Aria, ¡°Which one do you like the best?¡±

    Aria locks her honey-colored eyes on me for a moment before she thoughtfully considers the dresses. ¡°Red.¡±

    ¡°Red it is then.¡± I turn my attention to Sofia. ¡°You can leave it there on the chair. Thank you,¡± I say, dismissing her.

    Aria watches the other woman walk out before staring at the dress. ¡°Who is that for?¡±

    ¡°You. We¡¯re going out tonight.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she whispers in what I can only assume is disbelief.

    ¡°Ignacio should be back soon with everything on your list. I expect you to get ready and wear that dress,¡± I exin.

    She slowly picks up the red dress and holds it tightly in her hands. It looks like she might refuse at first; but when her eyes meet mine, I can see the hopefulness swirling in her honey-colored orbs.

    Aria hasn¡¯t set foot outside of thepound since she¡¯s been here, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already nning every kind of little escape n that she can inside of her head. She probably thinks I¡¯ll let my guard down so she might have a chance to run away while we¡¯re out in public. Little does she know that I own this entire city and everyone in it. And soon enough, I¡¯ll own her too.

 115

    CHAPTER20Aria

    ¡°WHERE ARE WE going?¡± I ask for what feels like the millionth time during the car ride.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Mateo answers for the exact number of times that I have asked.

    Scowling, I stare out the dark tinted window, trying to take in every detail in case I need to remember anything. Wherever we¡¯re going, I¡¯m prepared to scream and fight and call out for help. I want to go home¡­before I forget what home felt like. My life prior to being kidnapped is starting to feel like some sort of surreal dream that I was suddenly woken up from. It¡¯s scaring me how I¡¯m growing ustomed to my life here, to Mateo, to everything. I don¡¯t want to get used to things. I want to go back to my old life.

    I can hear the music before we even pull up to the club. It makes me think of that awful night when I was taken and my entire world changed and crashed around me. My heart starts beating faster, and I begin knotting my fingers nervously in myp.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mateo asks, his dark eyes assessing me.

    I shake my head, dismissing my inner thoughts. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    He stares at me for a beat before he reaches for the door handle. He opens the door and impatiently waits for me to emerge from the car.

    I¡¯m wearing the red dress that Sofia let me borrow and my scuffed-up Louboutins. I step out of the car and almost fall thanks to one of the heels being cracked. Mateo catches me in his arms at thest second and hauls me against his chest. He¡¯s so tall that I feel like a child in his arms.

    ¡°Those shoes have seen better days,¡± he remarks gruffly. ¡°Sofia should¡¯ve let you borrow a pair of her heels.¡±

    ¡°They were a gift from my mother,¡± I respond. I couldn¡¯t bear the thought of throwing them away. And when I wear them, I feel like a part of her is with me, giving me the strength I need to carry on.

    Mateo nods slowly in understanding. With me still in his arms, he gazes down at me, studying my face with rapt interest. Since all the things on my list were brought to me, I decided to get all dolled up with a full face of makeup. I did a smokey eye and a nude glossy lip. I can¡¯t even count how many times Mateo has looked at me tonight. I look hot. I know I do. I was always used to the attention back home, but I¡¯m not so sure if I want his attention. What if he decides he¡¯s done being patient with me? What if he just takes what he wants?

    Mateo releases me then, taking a step back. He clears his throat and then motions towards the club. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he says, his voice deep and gravelly.

    With his hand on my lower back, he guides me towards the front door. Several times I almost stop, wanting to turn and run the other way, but his hand is persistent, moving me forward.

    One of the bouncers gives him a subtle nod as he opens the door and motions for us to enter. The moment we walk inside the dark club, the volume of the music almost knocks me over. It¡¯s so loud¡­and bright. It reminds me of the club I was in when I was taken. When Constantine had a bunch of people gunned down in front of my eyes. Memories of that night assault my mind as I nce around, making sure everyone here is alive and well, and not lying dead on the floor with vacant stares. My breathing bes erratic as I try to calm my nerves but desperately fail.

    Mateo stops and turns to me. He studies me for a moment, his dark brows furrowing. ¡°I have some business I need to take care of. You¡¯ll wait for me upstairs with Pablo and Javier in the VIP lounge. Alright?¡±

    I nod several times, unable to speak. He probably thinks I¡¯m looking around for a way out of here. I mean, technically I am, but not just for the reason he thinks.

    Grabbing my arm roughly, he leans in closer to tell me, ¡°Behave yourself while I¡¯m gone, carino.¡± And then he vows, ¡°I will punish you if I have to.¡±

    He pulls back and stares at me for several seconds until I finally break eye contact and stare around the club, keeping my face stoic and feigning interest. And then he eventually walks away.

    I search the area around me, wondering if anyone speaks English. But when I feel a firm hand at my elbow, I know my time is already up. Mateo¡¯s goons are going to take me upstairs whether I want to or not.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Pablo says sternly. He¡¯s the bigger of the two. While Javier is tall and skinny, Pablo is stout and muscr. I¡¯ve seen them around thepound often, but I don¡¯t know much about them other than their names and that they work for Mateo.

    I¡¯m led upstairs, and my entire body is trembling by the time we get to the top. Javier opens the door, and I slowly enter. Several men are in the room, ying Poker at arge, oval table, and they all turn at once to look at me with hungry eyes. But as soon as Javier says, ¡°This is Mateo¡¯s girl,¡± every single one of them turns their attention back to the card game.

    Sighing, I realize tonight is not the night to n an escape. Mateo has all of these men in his back pocket, and I¡¯ll never be allowed to leave this room on my own. Sitting down on the couch, I try to calm myself down. ¡°May I have some water?¡± I ask Pablo.

    He mumbles something in Spanish under his breath, but then begrudgingly turns and grabs a bottle of water from a nearby mini fridge.

    I take the water with a small note of appreciation. My hands are shaking, and it takes me several attempts to open the cap. The water feels cool and soothing on my throat, but it does nothing to take away from the loud music thumping downstairs and making my stomach turn with every drop of the bass.

    I can feel a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead, and I fan myself to try to get rid of the nausea. Goosebumps form on my arms as I think about that fateful night. The club. The music. The gunshots. I squeeze my eyes shut and press the cold bottle of water against my neck, trying to bring myself back to reality.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    My eyes open, and suddenly the room I¡¯m in feels too small and suffocating. I feel like I can¡¯t get enough air into my lungs. I¡¯ve never had a panic attack before, but I think that might be exactly what¡¯s going on.

    I stand quickly, teetering in my heels, and all the blood rushes to my head to the point where I¡¯m lightheaded. Just the thought of passing out in a room full of these criminals makes my anxiety even worse.

    ¡°What the fuck is your problem?¡± someone asks.

    And that¡¯s when I hear it.

    Pop, pop, pop, pop!

    It¡¯s loud and distinctive over the music. At first, I think I¡¯m hearing things, stuck in a memory of that night, but then I see the men in the room all going on high alert all at once; all of them reaching for their own weapons.

    The men who were all previously in the room before our arrival go storming out the door. Pablo looks to his partner and says, ¡°Stay with her. I¡¯m going to go check things out.¡±

    Javier stands by the door with his gun in his hand, ready to shoot anyone who dares to cross the threshold.

    ¡°He¡¯sing for me,¡± I whisper, ice crystallizing in my veins as I shiver with fear. Even though it doesn¡¯t make any sense, I truly believe that somehow Constantine found me. He¡¯s shooting up the club just like he did the night he kidnapped me. He¡¯s going to take me again. And even though I wanted to be rescued from Mateo, I now realize that there are crueler fates out there and more dangerous men than my own captor.

    ¡°He¡¯sing!¡± I yell in a panic, my voice tremulous and sounding high-pitched and strange even to my own ears.

    Javier turns to look at me with an inquisitive look on his face. ¡°Who? Who¡¯sing for you?¡± he demands.

    My mouth opens, but the only sound thates out is a horrified scream.

 116

    Mateo

    I STARE DOWN at the dead man with a bullet between his eyes. His lifeless body is lying on the floor in the back room of the club, along with two of his men, who tried ying hero in protecting their boss.

    What was supposed to be a peaceful meeting between the two heads of thergest Mexican cartel families turned into what almost became an all-out war and a fucking bloodbath. But I solved the problem quickly by taking the head off the snake before things could escte any further.

    Hernando Cruz is no more, suffering the same fate as every other man I¡¯ve killed before him. His empire is now mine. With him gone, I will liquidize his entire cartel, taking all his drugs, money, weapons and men. Everything will be part of my kingdom, only strengthening it and ultimately giving me more power.

    Cruz thought he could cheat me out of a deal, cheat me out of millions. Well, I showed him what happened to people who double-cross me.

    He took the first shot. My ear is still ringing from the bullet that passed by my ear, narrowly missing my head. Maybe it was supposed to have only been a warning, but I didn¡¯t take too kindly to his methods of persuasion. And so, when I pulled my Glock from my jacket, I didn¡¯t just aim to wound or maim. I aimed to kill.

    ¡°Anyone who wants to work for me, talk to Ignacio,¡± I tell Cruz¡¯s men. ¡°Anyone who doesn¡¯t, get the fuck out of my club.¡±

    A few leave, which is understandable. They just witnessed their boss and possibly friend get murdered. But the rest stay, which only means more manpower for me at my discretion. At this rate, I¡¯ll own half of Mexico by the time I¡¯m done.

    The door to the backroom swings open, and I watch as my group of men from the VIP loungee barreling in. They¡¯re on high alert with guns drawn, but I tell them to stand down. The show is over. And I can tell a lot of them are mad they missed all the action.

    When Pablo steps forward, he surveys the scene quickly and then asks, ¡°What the hell happened?¡±

    I announce to the room, ¡°Cruz wanted to have a dick measuring contest.¡± With a smirk, I tell them, ¡°And I obviously won.¡±

    My little joke seems to take away some of the tension in the room, but there¡¯s still the little matter of the dead bodies. ¡°Take care of this,¡± I tell Ignacio, pointing to the floor.

    He nods in response before spouting off instructions to the men. They immediately begin wrapping the bodies in rugs and tarps, getting ready to transport them out of the club. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll end up in the middle of the desert in shallow graves or at the bottom of ake somewhere. It doesn¡¯t really matter much to me just so long as they aren¡¯t continuing to bleed all over my club floor.

    My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I take it out. A frown tugs at my lips as I read the text from Javier.

    Something happened to the girl.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± I mutter under my breath. My stomach drops with the feeling that it¡¯s been filled with a thousand rocks. ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± I tell Ignacio.

    I button my suit jacket and make my way out of the room and up the stairs, taking them two at a time towards the VIP lounge. On the way, I think about the worst-case scenarios in my head as to what could have happened to Aria. Did one of my men betray me and touch her? I let them know from day one if any of themy a single finger on Aria, they will lose their entire fucking arm and most likely their life.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    I burst through the door and look directly at Javier, who is standing with his hands on his hips, looking beyond frustrated. I open my mouth to ask what is going on, but then I hear Aria whimpering from the bathroom.

    Rushing to the door, I reach for the knob and turn; but it¡¯s locked. ¡°Aria, open the door!¡± I yell, banging against the wood, shaking the entire frame. My threat only makes her crying worse, and I can hear her begging like her life is in danger.

    ¡°Who is in there with her?¡± I question Javier.

    ¡°N-No one,¡± he stammers with wide eyes.

    I study him for a few seconds to see if he¡¯s lying. I don¡¯t find any deception in his eyes, but I¡¯m notpletely satisfied. Would Javier lie to me to protect one of his cohorts? I would hope he wouldn¡¯t be so stupid, because he knows the consequences for defying me.

    ¡°Fuck this,¡± I say before I take a few steps back. I swear to all that is holy that, if someone is in there with her, I will be adding them to the pile of bodies I left downstairs. Putting my shoulder into it, I ram up against the door. My shoulder screams in protest at the impact, but I step back and do it again and again. Once the wood has softened up and is starting to splinter, I kick at the doorknob until it breaks, sending the door flying open.

    I expect to see someone in the small room with Aria, but she¡¯s alone, huddled in the corner by the sink. Her head is pressed against her knees, her entire body trembling.

    ¡°Aria,¡± I say as gently as I can. Her trembling intensifies. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± I demand. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡±

    When she doesn¡¯t answer me, I grow infinitely frustrated. Grabbing her, I roughly haul her to her feet and force her to meet my gaze. The tears make her eyes look like two endless pools of honey, like I could fall into them for miles.

    ¡°Tell me. Now!¡± I growl at her, shaking her. I¡¯m barely able to keep myself together. Someone obviously hurt her, and I need to know who it was, so that I can hurt them a thousand times worse.

    ¡°He¡­he took me,¡± she whispers so softly I barely catch her words.

    ¡°Who?¡± I demand. If any of my men touched her, so help me God, it will be theirst night on this earth.

    ¡°He was at the club. The music was so loud. He shot up the ce. There were bodies everywhere. Selina and I hid under the table. We tried to get out, but he¡­he caught us.¡± She closes her eyes, squeezing them shut, and it takes me a few moments to realize she¡¯s recalling a memory and not talking about anything that happened tonight. ¡°They took Selina and I from the club. He tried to¡­he was going to rape me,¡± she whispers, her words making my blood boil inside of my veins. ¡°I told him I was a virgin, and he stopped. But then he told me he was going to sell me, and they took me to The Ind. I was on The Ind, and I¡­I¡­¡± Her beautiful face crumbles as fresh tears form in her eyes.

    She¡¯s barely making sense, but I understand the gist of it. She was taken from a club just like this before she was brought to the auction where I bought her. Obviously, being here reminds her of that time, and she¡¯s been traumatized by it. The gunshots earlier must have triggered some sort of PTSD episode.

    ¡°Look at me,¡± I demand. And when her amber eyes finally meet mine, I tell her, ¡°No one is going to hurt you. I would kill them first. Do you understand?¡± I give her a small shake when she doesn¡¯t answer, but her eyes look lost, unfocused, like she¡¯s not even here in the moment, like she¡¯s looking right through me.

    I know all about traumatic experiences. They still haunt me at night in my dreams. But I don¡¯t want that for her. I don¡¯t want her to be afraid for the rest of her life because of what happened to her.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± I tell her, taking her hand and dragging her towards the broken door.

    ¡°No!¡± she cries. ¡°He¡¯s out there!¡± she pleads, and it sounds so genuine that I almost fucking believe it.

    She pulls away from me, but I catch her before she can run back to her corner to hide. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you, Aria.¡± I put my hand around her waist, dragging her out of the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you how to rece your pain with pleasure.¡±

 117

    Aria

    I CAN BARELY breathe. Sucking a full breath into my lungs is too daunting of a task at the moment while my senses and my mind y tricks on me. I¡¯m barely aware that Mateo is leading me somewhere. My feet are moving of their own ord. I¡¯m too caught up in my own head to even focus on my surroundings. The thunderous music is doing a number on me, taking me back to that fateful night when Constantine Carbone and his men took me, changing my life forever.

    I¡¯m numb as to what¡¯s going on around me until I hear Mateo¡¯s deep voice tell me, ¡°Look down.¡±

    My breath catches in my throat as I nce down through the ss floor, a sea of people twenty feet below us, dancing and moving with the music. My head snaps up, and I realize the entire room we¡¯re in is made of ss, a three-hundred-sixty view of the club with floor-to-ceiling concave ss windows.

    I go to step back, but Mateo pins my front against the railing. Hisrge hands envelop mine and ce them on the cold, metal bars on either side of me. ¡°Don¡¯t let go,¡± he tells me. ¡°There will be consequences if you let go, Aria,¡± he warns. ¡°Do you understand?¡±

    I give him a shaky nod, my grip tightening on the railing.

    He disappears behind me, and I struggle to pull air into my lungs. My panic attack hade on so quickly that I barely had time to register what was happening until I was already locked in the bathroom and huddled in the corner. Mateo¡¯s henchman banging on the door didn¡¯t help matters, only making my anxiety-riddled mind think that Constantine really wasing for me.

    My breathing begins to pick up again when I think about it, but then I hear Mateo tsking behind me.

    ¡°No thinking, carino. Just allow yourself to feel. Focus only on that,¡± hemands as his hands possessively grasp my hips.

    I slowly nod and lick my lips, forcing myself to do what he told me. Focus on feeling.

    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he says, and I do.

    His hands slowly move from my hips down to my knees. And then I feel him wrap his hands around my trembling thighs. His calloused fingers trail up under the hem of my dress, lifting it ever so slowly until I¡¯mpletely exposed to him.

    I gasp when Mateo grips my thong in between his fingers. He pulls the material taut, and my hands squeeze the metal bars as the rough fabric grazes against my clit. I shudder at the feeling, my legs trembling in nervous anticipation. I know I should tell him to stop; but for some reason, I can¡¯t. My mouth opens, but no wordse out.

    Mateo maneuvers the cloth, allowing it to gently saw between my lips, teasing my aching little nub until it¡¯s driving me insane with want and need. My hands ache as I grip the railing harder, desperately trying not to cry out.

    ¡°I can smell your arousal, Aria,¡± Mateo rasps.

    A surge of heat rushes to my core, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from moaning. Oh god, this is wrong. So wrong. And I feel like I¡¯m being torn in two. The rational part of my brain is telling me that I shouldn¡¯t be doing this. But then there¡¯s another part of me that wants him to keep going, to drive me over the edge and never look back.

    ¡°Do you want more, my little captive?¡± he asks, his voice deep and raw.

    I want to scream out yes, but I resist the urge and stay quiet. If I don¡¯t answer him, I can pretend that I¡¯m not a willing participant; that I don¡¯t actually want this¡­even if my body is silently begging for it.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Mateo releases my thong, and I almost cry out in frustration. But then I feel him grip the strings and pull the thong down my legs until they fall to the floor around my ankles, a rush of cold air running over my now bare skin.

    He lifts my feet, one at a time, until I step out of my panties. And then I hear a deep hum of approval. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so wet for me. Such a good girl,¡± he praises me.

    And, oh god, why do those wordsing from his filthy mouth turn me on so much?

    He runs his fingertip from my clit up to my ass, and it takes everything in me to stay quiet. I don¡¯t want him to know how much I want this. I don¡¯t even want to know. I shake my head, trying to convince myself to tell him to stop, to not let this happen. But for some reason, I want it to happen. I want him to touch me. I want him to make mee.

    Mateo takes a step back, and I think for a moment that he¡¯s done with me. Maybe this was his n all along ¨C to tease me just enough to distract me from my panic attack. But when I open my eyes and nce over my shoulder, I see Mateo dropping to his knees behind me. And I realize he¡¯s not done with me. He¡¯s just getting started. Seeing him on his knees does something to me. I¡¯m sure Mateo has brought many men to their knees in war, but I¡¯m sure no one has ever brought him to his own.

    But I just did.

    And the very thought makes me feel powerful.

    His fingers gently part my lips before his tongue touches my clit. The very first lick has my knees threatening to buckle. Oh god, it feels good. Why does it feel so good?

    I don¡¯t even get to think about that before Mateo presses his face against my center and begins feasting on me, his tongueshing my clit with ravenous strokes, causing me to cry out. My clit throbs against his tongue while I desperately cling to the metal bars in front of me.

    ¡°Does this feel good, Aria?¡± he asks me, his voice a guttural whisper.

    Again, I refuse to answer. Instead, I moan loudly, my eyes rolling back in my head as his tongue swirls around my throbbing clit.

    A sudden p on my pussy has meing back to reality. ¡°I need your words, Aria,¡± he demands. ¡°Tell me to stop, and I will. You hold all the power here.¡±

    I hold all the power? I¡¯ve never felt more powerless in my entire life. But then I realize I can tell him to stop, and all of this would end. I open my mouth to say it, but the words won¡¯te out. A frustrated sob escapes my lips instead. I don¡¯t want this to feel good. I don¡¯t want him to make me feel good. And yet I don¡¯t tell him to stop. I can¡¯t.

    There¡¯s a fine line between wanting to keep my dignity and wanting to continue taking all the pleasure he¡¯s giving me. Slowly, I feel myself falling over the edge of the line until I¡¯m begging him for more. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t stop,¡± I plead shamelessly.

    He hums in approval, and I can feel the vibration against my flesh. And then his tongue assaults my clit as his thick finger teases my entrance, causing every nerve in my body to awaken at his adept ministrations.

    ¡°If anyone would look up right now, they would see your dripping, wet cunt,¡± he breathes against my thigh.

    My head falls forward, and my lungs suddenly seize as I stare down at the crowd below us. Anyone could nce up here at any moment and see us; see what Mateo is doing to me. That should be enough to turn me off and tell him to stop all of this. But why does it seem to have the opposite effect? Why is it turning me on?

    Before I can even question that¡­or my sanity, Mateo groans, ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m addicted to your sweet nectar, carino.¡± He dips his finger into my entrance, testing me, teasing me. ¡°Tell me, Aria. Have you ever done this? Has anyone ever tasted you before?¡± he asks.

    I know I should lie. I know I should tell him that it¡¯s happened at least once or multiple times. But for some reason, I end up telling him the truth. ¡°No,¡± I admit.

    His tongue slides against my clit, a low, possessive growl slipping past his lips and vibrating against my center as he licks me, making me groan loudly. I no longer care about hiding my pleasure from him. I¡¯m too far gone.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be tasting you on my tongue for weeks,¡± he confesses.

    I shudder at his dirty words and moan in desperation. I can feel my pending orgasm curling low in my stomach, but I¡¯m scared to go over the edge. I¡¯m scared for what it means for me, for him, for us.

    My legs begin trembling uncontrobly as I reach the precipice. A hazy wave of lust courses through my veins as his tongue flicks back and forth over my clit.

    ¡°Please!¡± I beg, not even knowing what I¡¯m truly asking for.

    ¡°Come for me, Aria,¡± Mateo demands before he presses his mouth on my exposed sex and tortures my clit with rhythmic circles.

    I cry out my captor¡¯s name as the orgasm is ripped from my body, shattering me and leaving mepletely and utterly destroyed. Mateo¡¯s strong hands hold me up when my knees give out, and he continues to lick me until I¡¯m a quivering mess in his arms.

    I feel like I¡¯ve just gone to space and touched the surface of the sun. I¡¯m burning up and struggling to find enough oxygen to fill my lungs. I cling to the railing, trying to catch my breath. Mateo¡¯s tongue gives my clit a fewzy licks, causing me to shudder, before he finally stands. Then, he surprises me by carefully fixing my thong and the back of my dress. I wouldn¡¯t think he¡¯d care about that considering he just made me sh my vagina to a few hundred people below us.

    I can hear his cell phone buzzing, and then he informs me, ¡°We need to go, corazon.¡±

    I take an unsteady step and clutch the rail. My legs feel like jelly. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can walk,¡± I confess as a blush creeps up my neck.

    ¡°I could always carry you,¡± he offers with a smirk.

    Shaking my head, I straighten my back and re at him.

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re back to hating me,¡± Mateo says with a glint of amusement in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting downstairs for you then,¡± he tells me before turning and walking away.

    Reluctantly, I follow him down the stairs, the music growing louder with every step I take. Only, this time, I don¡¯t feel the panic trying to snake its way inside of my chest with every drop of the bass. I guess Mateo¡¯s little stunt upstairs did work even though I hate him a little more because of it.

    My first orgasm was given to me by my captor, a man who bought me at an auction. And it was in a public ce. But even more than that, what if thispletely changes the dynamic of our rtionship?

    No, I won¡¯t let it, I decide right then and there.

    If Mateo thinks I¡¯ll give in to him so easily again, he¡¯s got another thinging. I won¡¯t let my body override my brain next time. I need to keep a safe distance from him and not let his talented fingers¡­or tongue near me again.

    When we reach the bottom of the stairs, I nce back up to the VIP room where we just were. I see the ss encased room we were in, but then I realize the ss is reflective and not see-through. There was never a threat of anyone looking up and seeing me even though Mateo led me to believe there was.

    He protected me. Once again.

 118

    Mateo

    VIRGIN. INNOCENT. MINE.

    Thest word roars inside of my mind, but I don¡¯t let it stay. I immediately push that thought aside. Because if she bes mine, it will change everything. And I can¡¯t afford to have her as a liability. I¡¯ve built my empire from the ground up, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of my desecrated family and eventually securing my own ce in the world. I will not have it crumble for a woman. Especially not one that I paid for.

    I can¡¯t get the image of her at the club out of my mind. At first, my intention was to simply scare her out of her panicked state. But the moment the sweet smell of her arousal assaulted my senses, I was a fucking goner. It sparked a dark, primal urge from deep inside of me. I had to taste her. I had to give her pleasure.

    My body was shaking like an addict with the need for her. She¡¯s like a drug tailored for my specific tastes. And if I don¡¯t quench my thirst and feed my addiction again soon, I feel as if I might go mad.

    If she had told me no at the club, I would have stopped. It would have taken every ounce of strength in me to do it, but I will never force a woman. I may have done a lot of fucked-up things in my life, but that¡¯s where I draw the line.

    But when all I heard were her staggered breaths and panicked whimpers, I continued. And when she finally begged me not to stop, I think she needed me just as much as I needed her in that moment.

    As I stand under the hot spray of water, I tug on my hard cock, closing my eyes and remembering the taste of her. Fuck, I never want to wash away her essence. My dick is hard steel in my hand as I work my fist up and down my length. My balls tighten to the point that they¡¯re almost painful, and then I groan out low and deep as my release shoots against the tiled wall.

    My entire body shudders with that release. It feels like years of pent-up frustration even though she¡¯s been here for a much shorter period of time. Fuck, that woman is going to be the death of me.

    Rinsing off, I step out of the shower and dry off. I slip on a pair of boxers and walk into the dark bedroom. Aria is already in bed with her back turned towards me. Sighing, I slide under the nkets and bring my arms up, resting my head on my hands and staring up at the ceiling.

    The orgasm satiated me to an extent, but I¡¯m wide awake. I realize we haven¡¯t even talked about what happened earlier tonight. Not about the panic attack over someone who kidnapped her, hurt her; nor me tasting her sweet cunt and making here on my tongue. In fact, she refused to talk to me at all after we left the club.

    The entire night reys over and over again in my mind as we lie in bed together. Aria is huddled on the other side, pretending to be asleep, but I know she is as alert as I am. I¡¯ve grown ustomed to knowing the sound of her slipping peacefully into slumber and also to knowing when she¡¯s awake, like right now.

    I turn on themp by the bed, dowsing the room with a soft amber glow. ¡°The man who took you and tried to rape you. Tell me his name, Aria,¡± Imand.

    I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s going to t-out refuse, just like she does with everything else, but then she turns on her side to face me. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do,¡± she tells me, surprising me. ¡°He¡¯s untouchable, like he¡¯s been for years. He might even be in prison again by now. Or at least I hope so anyway,¡± she says. And then she adds, with sadness dripping from her tone, ¡°No one can get to him. Not even my father could.¡±

    I listen to her words and pick them apart carefully. Her father must be a powerful man, but so is the man who assaulted her. I stare into her amber eyes in the softmp light. I can still see the panic and the fear inside them, and it makes my muscles tremble in anger. ¡°His name,¡± I demand through clenched teeth.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Aria sighs dramatically, and I can hear her resigned tone when she finally says, ¡°Constantine Carbone.¡± Rolling back on her side to face the wall, she tells me, ¡°No one has ever been able to bring him down. Like my brother always said, he has more money and power than God,¡± she resolves.

    I turn off themp and lie awake for a while after she¡¯s done speaking. I listen to her breathing even out as she eventually falls asleep. And then I listen to her whimpers as she fights through a nightmare. I can only assume she¡¯s dreaming about the bastard that kidnapped and sold her. The man who attempted to rape her.

    Possessiveness that really has no business being there in the first ce suddenly wells up inside of me. My blood is boiling by the time I throw back the sheets and climb out of bed.

    Whoever this man is, he will be dead soon. I don¡¯t give a fuck who he is or where he is hiding or how powerful he pretends to be. He is not untouchable in my eyes. The moment heid his hands on Aria, his fate was sealed. He¡¯s a dead man walking.

    Aria

    THE NEXT MORNING, I wake up in bed alone. I reach over to feel the sheets beside me, and they are ice cold. Mateo hasn¡¯t been here for a while. I vaguely remember our conversation before I fell asleep. He wanted a name, and I gave it to him willingly. And, hell, if he can do something about Constantine, then so be it. Lord knows that monster certainly deserves everythinging his way.

    Giving Mateo any kind of information felt wrong, though. But I was so exhausted, mentally and physically, after what had happened, that I gave it up willingly. Also, I knew he would just keep pressing until he got what he wanted. If Mateo is anything, he¡¯s definitely relentless.

    My thoughts turn to what else happenedst night. I swear I can still feel Mateo¡¯s tongue between my thighs. The orgasm he gave me was so powerful, it felt like my soul was leaving my body. I¡¯ve never felt like that before; and while it thrilled me beyond belief, it also scared the hell out of me. I can¡¯t afford to fall under whatever spell he¡¯s trying to put me under when the crystal-clear, ring fact remains ¨C he¡¯s my captor.

    Clenching my thighs together, I groan out in frustration before tossing the sheets aside and climbing out of bed. I take a shower to clear my mind and get ready for the day, dressing quickly in worn yoga pants and a in, ck t-shirt. I frown at my reflection while I brush through my hair, but it¡¯s not like I can do anything about my wardrobe choices. If I were home, I would have a closet full of dresses, outfits, and shoes that would make even the biggest socialite green with envy.

    After my hair is dry, I venture out of the room and down to the kitchen. There are several guards on the way, but they don¡¯t even so much as make eye contact with me. I can¡¯t help but wonder if they were instructed to ignore me by Mateo. I wonder if they would pay attention to me if I ran, though. The thought crosses my mind, but only for a split second before the phantom scars on my back remind me why I will never run or misbehave again.

    When I enter the kitchen, one of the cooks is busy making breakfast, and there¡¯s a smorgasbord of food on the center ind. When the older woman sees me approaching, a big smile graces her pretty, wrinkled face. ¡°Por favor,¡± she says, motioning towards the food.

    I smile at her and take one of the pink and brown seashell-looking breads from the counter. I tear off a fluffy corner and pop it into my mouth. The ky, buttery crust hits my tastebuds first and then a sweetness that¡¯s divine, and I hum in approval.

    The woman seems pleased by my reaction. ¡°Concha,¡± she says while pointing to what¡¯s in my hand. ¡°Good?¡± she asks.

    I emphatically nod as I put another piece in my mouth.

    ¡°Bueno,¡± she tells me, motioning for me to say the word.

    ¡°Bueno,¡± I repeat.

    She smiles appreciatively. ¡°Muy bueno. Very good,¡± she says with a thick ent.

    ¡°Muy bueno,¡± I agree.

    She points to herself and tells me, ¡°Esmeralda.¡±

    ¡°Aria,¡± I respond.

    She says something in Spanish, but I don¡¯t understand a word of it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t -.¡±

    ¡°She said ¡®beautiful name for a beautiful girl,''¡± a deep voice says behind me.

    I turn to see Mateo sitting in the corner of the room. I¡¯m not sure how long he¡¯s been here. He looks immacte in a ck-on-ck suit, shirt, and tie. His eyes look tired, however, like he didn¡¯t sleep muchst night.

    I nce back at Esmeralda, but she¡¯s back to busying herself with making breakfast. Nervousness gnaws at my belly as I sit down on a nearby stool and pick at my concha. Just seeing Mateo makes my thoughts turn tost night. I stare at his mouth, the same mouth that gave me so much pleasure. And then I quickly tear my gaze away when he smirks, because I¡¯m convinced he can read my mind and hear all the dirty thoughts I¡¯m thinking right now. I stare down at my breakfast,pletely focusing on it while I eat.

    ¡°I have a few peopleing to see you today,¡± Mateo exins, surprising me. I¡¯m about to ask him who, but he cuts me off by saying, ¡°They¡¯re going to get your measurements and fit you for a new wardrobe.¡±

    My eyebrows crease in confusion, and I stare down at the clothes I¡¯m wearing. Why would Mateo suddenly care what I wear?

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the slim pickings you have right now aren¡¯t up to your standards.¡±

    What would he know about my standards? I think to myself, but I keep quiet. Instead, I simply say, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He gives me a nod before he stands, his form towering over me. ¡°They should be here within the hour.¡± And with that, he walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Esmeralda.

    The delicious smell of eggs frying in a pan wafts over to me, but I¡¯m suddenly not feeling very hungry. Mateo¡¯s unexpected knowledge of my supposed standards has me on edge and wary. Did he figure out who I am? Did I identally let something slip that could have led him to myst name?

    Constantine.

    I told him about Constantinest night, but how would he link him to my family? Gnawing on my lower lip, I suddenly wish I had a cell phone. Some way to Google his name to see if it leads to anything about me or the Vitale name.

    Turning to Esmeralda, I ask her, ¡°Do you have a phone?¡±

    She cocks a brow at me and shakes her head.

    Damn. Even if she does understand me and has a phone, I doubt if she would let me use it. And I can¡¯t even think about her punishment if she did help me out. I don¡¯t want anyone else to ever go through what I went through down in that basement. Just the memory of it has my hands shaking. I almost drop the rest of my bread, but I hold on tightly and finish it quickly, not wanting to waste it in front of Esmeralda.

    I feel numb, like I messed up. Did I unknowingly put my family in danger by giving Mateo the name of the man who kidnapped and sold me? If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll never be able to forgive myself.

 119

    Mateo

    THE INFORMATION I found in connection with the name Aria gave mest night proved quite fascinating, to say the least. Constantine Carbone is currently in jail for the kidnapping and false imprisonment of Selina McCall. Also included in that article was the fact that police are searching for another woman he kidnapped that very same night ¨C Aria Vitale.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    I now know her full name. And I must admit it suits her.

    With a few strokes of the keyboard, I found out some interesting information about her parents. The Vitales are a powerful mob family in New York; but, to my surprise, they work together withw enforcement and the government to bring down human trafficking rings. How ironic it is that their own daughter was ultimately sold into the flesh trade.

    I¡¯m sure Aria¡¯s father has some sort of deal with important higher-ups in the government. The Vitales probably clean up the trash no one else is willing to touch; and in return, the police look the other way on their extracurricr activities that earn them the money and power attached to their family name.

    In my obsession to find everything about her, I ended up not even sleeping a winkst night or this morning. Curiosity literally had a stranglehold on me as I Googled everything I could think of, not being able to stop myself. Knowing her full name led to a whole new door opening of endless possibilities, and I willingly fell down the rabbit hole to gather as much information about my little captive as I could.

    Aria is on the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, and there are numerous news articles about her kidnapping and disappearance. None of that bodes well for me considering I¡¯m currently holding her captive in another country. I¡¯m very careful about covering my tracks and keeping my identity andpound private and secure, but the U. S. government is a force to be reckoned with. They could invade my entire empire and shut it down in minutes, taking everything I¡¯ve worked so hard for and killing me in the process without even a second thought.

    But I can¡¯t dwell on something that might or might note to fruition.

    The fact of the matter is that I could easily return her to the U. S., to her family and wipe my hands of this entire situation altogether. I can¡¯t say the idea hasn¡¯t crossed my mind a time or two. But the thought of letting my little captive go does not sit well with me. I like to think that it¡¯s because Aria could rat me out and I could lose everything, but I don¡¯t truly believe that¡¯s the only reason. And I simply won¡¯t allow myself to dwell on what else could be keeping me from letting her go.

    Even more interesting than her family connections was the fact that I found all of Aria¡¯s old social media ounts. I shamelessly spent hoursbing through her Instagram. Aria was quite a popr socialite in the States. She never wore the same thing twice; always appearing in designer clothes and dresses with expensive high heels.

    One thing I noticed in all of the pictures, however, was that she was never alone. There are bodyguards in every single picture. Even the one of her by the pool in a bikini. That picture affected me the most. The fact that so many people have seen her half naked pisses me off.

    She¡¯s not yours, I have to remind myself. Not yet, a voice in the back of my mind says.

    I sit back in my chair, bringing myself back to the present while I watch the seamstresses work with Aria, measuring her and speaking in Spanish. Aria can¡¯t understand them, but I can. One of the womenments on how she wishes she had Aria¡¯s figure, and the other one emphatically agrees.

    Aria is petite, perfect in every way, like a real-life doll. But she¡¯s definitely not docile like a little doll. No, she¡¯s a hellcat when she wants to be, and I have the scar on my stomach to prove it. A smile tugs at my lips when I think about her attempt to kill me. That¡¯s definitely a first for me. And for some fucked-up reason¡­it still turns me on.

    I adjust my hardening dick in my cks before finding a morefortable position in the chair. I listen to the women chatter about which designers they think Aria would look best in, and I nod in agreement when they nce in my direction.

    After seeing Aria¡¯s Instagram photos, I want her to look more like her former self. I want her to feelfortable here. I could dwell on the motives behind that all day, but I refuse to even acknowledge them. I¡¯ll chalk it up to my selfish desire in seeing her tan legs in high heels and walking around in skirts, giving me easy ess to her pussy.

    Fuck, my cock painfully presses against my zipper at just the thought of tasting her again.

    She¡¯s still a virgin, but I would love to remedy that. And soon. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can restrain myself and stay away from her. But I¡¯ll never ever force her or take what I want. I need her toe to me willingly. And that in and of itself would be a heightened sense of pleasure. Just the thought of hearing Aria beg for my cock has me biting back a groan.

    Perhaps with enough pressure, I could finally break her. Give her enough pleasure that she would finally give in to me. And, fuck, it would be fun trying.

    But I need to face facts. The moment I take her is the moment she will be mine. And no matter how much I would love to give in to the temptation, I¡¯m not ready tomit to that yet. It would change everything. Aria would be not only a danger to me but to my entire empire; something that I can¡¯t afford right now when I have people constantly trying to overrule and undermine me. I would never be able to set her free, and that type ofmitment is not something that either of us are even remotely ready for.

    No, I have to maintain my distance even if it¡¯s killing me inside. I have to remain inplete control of my emotions¡­and my cock. I can¡¯t let pussy get in the way of what I want the most ¨C power.

    Standing, I reluctantly walk out of the room with my cock pressing painfully against my zipper, begging to be released, and a deep scowl on my face.

 120

    Aria

    IT¡¯S AT LUNCH one sunny, hot afternoon when Mateo announces at the table, ¡°Constantine Carbone is dead.¡±

    I choke on the bite of sandwich that¡¯s in my mouth and quickly take a swig of water to wash it down past the lump forming in my throat. ¡°What?¡± I ask him incredulously.

    ¡°I took care of your problem. No more nightmares. No more panic attacks,¡± he says with a nod, like everything is finalized.

    The past several nights I have been waking up in a cold sweat, the memories of the club and being taken to The Ind fresh on my mind. I stare at him in disbelief. He has to be lying right now. My father and the government couldn¡¯t get to Constantine, and they spent years trying everything. ¡°How do I know you¡¯re not just telling me this?¡± I question with a quirked brow.

    Mateo pulls out his cell phone, taps a few keys and says, ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    I slowly stand up and round the table. I stand next to Mateo and stare down at the screen, at the Google search he¡¯s pulled up. I instantly see Constantine¡¯s name stered all over the top pinned news stories. My eyes skim over the headlines and snippets of each article as Mateo scrolls through them.

    Constantine was murdered in jail. Shanked by a fellow inmate. Pronounced dead a few hours after the attack.

    I take a step back in shock. Then, my eyes search his dark orbs. ¡°You had him killed. Why?¡± I ask in a whisper.

    ¡°Because he hurt you,¡± is his response.

    Those four words speak volumes about Mateo¡¯s feelings for me. He cares for me in some way. Even though I doubt he would ever admit it, I know it to be true.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Staring down at his phone, a thought urs to me. ¡°Did you happen to see any articles about Selina McCall?¡± I ask, desperately needing to know.

    ¡°She was rescued that night. She¡¯s safe at home,¡± he tells me.

    My heart skips a beat inside my chest. Selina is safe. And suddenly, I feel like a thousand-pound weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I had been so worried that she was back in Constantine¡¯s clutches. Just knowing that she¡¯s home with my brother and my family makes me feel a million times better. I exhale an uneven breath and tell him, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Mateo nods as if it¡¯s nothing, as if he didn¡¯t change my life or, hell, the entire world. Constantine was a menace, buying and selling women and children, raping and pilfering his way through this earth, and now his reign is over. Just because Mateo willed it so. He did what always proved impossible before.

    I return to my chair on autopilot. Mateo has no idea how much good he has done for so many people. My immediate thought goes to Selina. I wonder if she knows her tormentor of an entire decade is finally dead? I close my eyes, imagining her face when she hears the news. She would be so happy and relieved. No longer having to live in fear of her real-life boogeyman.

    Tears spill down over my cheeks, and I don¡¯t even bother to sweep them away. I¡¯m crying for the joy that Selina must be feeling or will be feeling. She can go on and live a normal life now, not constantly looking over her shoulder. And so many women and children won¡¯t have to deal with Constantine¡¯s wrath in the future. So many lives saved. So many virtues that will remain unbroken.

    I startle when I feel Mateo¡¯s touch. He hooks a finger under my chin and brings my gaze up to meet his. ¡°Are those sad or happy tears?¡± he asks, his dark eyes assessing me.

    ¡°Happy. Very happy,¡± I confess.

    He growls lowly in his throat before his thumb sweeps over a rivulet of tears running down my cheeks. And then I watch in awe as he brings his thumb to his mouth to taste them. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty when you cry,¡± he says, his voice deep and guttural.

    We stare at each other, both of us barely breathing as this strange maic connection keeps us tethered to one another. I can¡¯t exin it, but if Mateo kissed me right now, I wouldn¡¯t pull away.

    However, he doesn¡¯t kiss me. Instead, he walks out of the room, leaving me confused and desperate for his affection.

    Mateo

    WHEN I WAKE up in the morning, Aria is in my arms. This has been happening every day this week. Our nights always start out the same way. Aria climbs into bed and situates herself as far away from me as physically possible on the opposite side of the mattress before closing her eyes. But at some point, while she¡¯s sleeping, she gravitates towards me like a ma and ends up curled in my arms, cuddling with the monster she was desperately trying to avoid.

    Even though all of this feels foreign to me, I truly don¡¯t mind it. I could easily push her away or demand she sleep in another bed or another room, for that matter; but for some fucked-up reason, I want her close to me. I could do without the puddle of drool she always leaves behind, though.

    I stare down at her as she snores softly against my chest, drool leaking out of her beautiful mouth and onto my skin, and I have to bite back a chuckle. Even the drooling is kind of¡­cute.

    Fuck, I must be losing my goddamn mind.

    I know deep down we shouldn¡¯t be doing any of this domestic shit for a million different reasons ¨C not a single one of whiches to mind at this moment.

    Aria stirs, her pretty amber eyes blinking open and focusing on me. Our mornings continuously begin this way. At first, she¡¯s surprised and confused to see that she wound up in my arms again. And then, she quickly withdraws from me, like she can¡¯t stand touching me for another single second.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispers as she sits up, moving away from me.

    I grind my jaw at her response. I would think she would stop apologizing after doing it for so many mornings, but she¡¯s still trying to hold back from me, still trying to act like she¡¯s not affected by any of this. And it¡¯s driving me insane.

    ¡°What are you sorry for? For falling asleep on me or for trying to drown me with all this drool?¡± I snap.

    She turns to me, appalled, clearly offended and embarrassed by the very notion that she could possibly have a w. ¡°I do not drool,¡± she says indignantly.

    ¡°I have ake on my chest that proves it,¡± I tell her, pointing to the evidence.

    Huffing in frustration, she climbs out of bed and goes to the bathroom, mming the door behind her. I can¡¯t hold back the chuckle. Fuck, I love it when she gets mad at me.

    Iy in bed, listening to the sound of the shower turning on in the other room. She hogs all the hot water too, but I won¡¯t bring that up. I love when she emerges from a fresh shower or bath, smelling like flowers and honey. Her soft, unique scent drives me crazy, though. It makes me want to taste her, lick her, bite her and fuck her. I don¡¯t even care in what order. I just want to feel her writhing under me as I take what I want.

    Biting back a groan, I sit on the edge of the bed, scooping up my cell phone from the nightstand and unlocking it to check my messages since I have time to kill.

    I¡¯m halfway through typing out an email when my phone rings. A Bolivian by the name of Cristobal Espinoza is calling. He¡¯s an older gentleman who throws some of the mostvish parties in the country. He¡¯s been out of the game for a long time; now dedicating his life to more phnthropic adventures.

    I answer it on the fourth ring. ¡°H?¡±

    ¡°Buenos dias, Mateo.¡± His voice is deep and gruff from fifty plus years of smoking.

    ¡°Buenos dias,¡± I respond. Cristobal only calls when he¡¯s hosting parties or events and needs my presence and money to make a difference. I donate a lot of money to charity. Hell, there¡¯s even a school named after me in the south. But my benevolent side does not make my enemies fear me, so I rarely discuss it with anyone who¡¯s not in my inner circle. Only those closest to me the most know about my humanitarian efforts.

    ¡°I¡¯m hosting an event at my house on Friday. I¡¯m only inviting my biggest donors to join me for a special dinner. It¡¯s to benefit the influx of families and orphans that have been recently deported back into our country. Can I expect to see you there?¡±

    ¡°Of course, mi amigo,¡± I tell him. ¡°I¡¯ll be there with a hefty checkbook.¡±

    That earns me a chuckle. ¡°Bien, bien,¡± he says. ¡°Now, for the dinner, will you be bringing a plus one?¡±

    He always asks me this question even though he already knows the answer. ¡°No,¡± I say.

    ¡°Ah, just checking,¡± he admits.

    The thought of having Aria there does appeal to me. By then she¡¯ll have received her new wardrobe. And having an excuse for her to dress up and take her out of this ce for some much-needed time away is what has me speaking without second-guessing the consequences. ¡°Wait. Yes, I will be bringing a plus one.¡±

    I can sense the smile on his face as he tells me, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news. I¡¯ll be delighted to meet her. Adios, Mateo.¡±

    ¡°Adios,¡± I say before ending the call. The old man holds a soft spot in my ck heart, and it¡¯s hard for me to tell him no. When I was first building my empire, I had the help of my uncle, yes, but Cristobal is the one who funded most of it. He had lots of money, and he did the one thing that nobody back then did ¨C he believed in me. He could see my potential, what I would ultimately be.

    Now I am head of the familia with more money than I would ever need in ten lifetimes and more power than one man should ever have. And so, if the old man needs money for his charities, I¡¯ll dly fill his pockets. It¡¯s the least I can do.

    The bathroom door opens, and Aria¡¯s familiar scent wafts in the room. My cock stirs in my boxers as I slowly stand and stalk towards her. Fuck, if she were mine, I would ravage her right now. She wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against me. I would bring her mind-blowing pleasure until she begged me to fuck her.

    Aria¡¯s eyes widen when Ie towards her. Perhaps she can sense my predatory thoughts. She stifles a gasp when I walk past her, closing the door and pressing my back to it. Releasing a sigh, I know that neither one of us is ready to cross the line between prisoner and lover. But perhaps taking her to this party will be the start of something. If she sees my other side, then maybe, just maybe she¡¯ll start to see me as more than her captor.

 121

    Aria

    IT TAKES A few days for the shipment of clothing to arrive at thepound. Several of the housekeepers take my clothes to the walk-in closet, moving Mateo¡¯s suits and ties to one side as they fill most of the space with my things.

    After they leave the room, I stare in awe at my new wardrobe. The clothes are even better than I imagined. Fine silks and designer brands. I have several new pairs of heels, but I end up cradling the beaten up Louboutins that my mom gave to me against my chest. These damn heels went through hell and back, and they remind me of her and her strength. They remind me of home.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mateo asks, startling me.

    I turn to look at him, and he has a stern look on his face when he notices the unshed tears in my eyes. ¡°Nothing is wrong. I just¡­¡±

    ¡°You just what?¡± he prompts, his frustration seeping into his tone.

    ¡°I just miss home,¡± I say in a whisper.

    He¡¯s quiet for a beat. ¡°Are you going to throw those out?¡± he asks, eyeing the heels in my hands.

    ¡°No,¡± I say vehemently. ¡°I¡¯ll keep them. I just won¡¯t wear them,¡± I exin before tucking them carefully in the back of the closet.

    Mateo nods in understanding but doesn¡¯t broach the subject. ¡°The new clothes are what you wanted?¡± he asks instead.

    ¡°Oh, yes. Everything is so beautiful.¡± I know he must have spent a fortune on everything. ¡°Thank you,¡± I tell him sincerely.

    He watches me carefully when he says, ¡°Pick out something nice to wear. We¡¯re going to a dinner party this evening.¡± And then he adds, ¡°It¡¯s for charity,¡± throwing me for a loop.

    Charity?  God, I didn¡¯t think Mateo had a charitable bone in his body. Considering what he does for a living, I wouldn¡¯t imagine humanitarian endeavors being on the top of his list. I want to ask him a million questions, but I already know he won¡¯t answer them. So, I tell him, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wear something nice.¡±

    An appreciative sound slips from his lips before he turns and leaves.

    Turning back to the dresses, I pick out one that I¡¯ve been dying to wear ever since one of the seamstresses showed me a picture of it several days ago. It¡¯s an Oscar de Renta crystal floral-embellished halter mini dress. The beige lining of the dress gives the illusion that the person wearing it is naked underneath all the flowers, and the thought of Mateo seeing me in it and his reaction makes me grin from ear to ear.

    I have something simr at home, but it was a full-length gown that turned many heads at the Met G a few years ago. This dress is a little more risque. Before I can question my decision to wear it, I grab the hanger and take the dress into the bathroom with me. I need to get ready. Not only am I excited for the party, but I¡¯m also eager to see this new, unfamiliar side of Mateo I haven¡¯t seen before.

    As I¡¯m showering, realization dawns on me. I¡¯m going to be outside of Mateo¡¯spound. If it¡¯s a dinner party, I¡¯m assuming we¡¯ll be at someone¡¯s house. And all houses have phones.

    I swallow hard as I shampoo my hair. This could be my chance. My chance to call home. Maybe even my chance to escape.

    I could leave Mexico, go back to my family¡­and never see Mateo ever again.

    Closing my eyes, I sigh before slipping my head into the spray, allowing the water to cascade over me in an attempt to drown my worries. I¡¯ve wanted nothing more than to escape this entire time. So, why does the thought of leaving Mateo behind scare the hell out of me?

    Mateo

    WHEN I FIRST saw Aria in the dress she decided to wear tonight, I almost told her to go back upstairs and change. But then my cock chose in that moment to override my brain, and I simply led her outside to the waiting car without demanding she put on something more appropriate and¡­less sexy.

    Fuck, with her smooth, tan legs crossed in front of her, my eyes feast upon them, all the way down to the nude pumps on her feet. She looks like a wet dream. She did her hair and makeup, and it makes me regret buying her everything on her damn list. She¡¯s too damn enticing, and the thought of me not being able to just have her, taste her, fuck her has my blood on fire with liquidva coursing through my veins. I want her. She¡¯s making me want her. And that pisses me off even more.

    I skim my coin across my knuckles anxiously, staring out the window. Perhaps bringing her along tonight is going to be a mistake. I trust Cristobal, but there are going to be a lot of people at his house; a lot of people that I don¡¯t know or trust. I¡¯ve never taken a woman to a gathering like this before. Aria is making me do a lot of firsts. And I don¡¯t know if I like that or not. Although, having her in my bed every night hasn¡¯t been terrible.

    Needless to say, I have a car full of guards following behind us. Anything could happen, and I don¡¯t want anything bad urring while Aria is with me. So, I took every precaution necessary.

    ¡°Who is hosting the dinner?¡± Aria asks, drawing my attention back to her.

    Eyeing her suspiciously, I hesitate in answering. Is she making small-talk, or is she perhaps plotting against me? This is the first time she¡¯ll be at a public ce where she isn¡¯t under constant supervision. ¡°An old friend. His name is Cristobal Espinoza.¡±

    ¡°And you said this is for charity. What¡¯s the charity?¡±

    I rx a little. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s asking how many floors and exits are in the ce. This is a safe, normal question. ¡°Money to support the orphans and families that have been recently deported into the country.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Oh,¡± she says in surprise. ¡°Do you donate a lot of money?¡±

    Curious little kitten. ¡°Yes,¡± I tell her.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so¡­¡±

    ¡°So what?¡± I prompt, dying to hear what she was going to say.

    ¡°So human of you,¡± she blurts out.

    Okay, so I wasn¡¯t expecting that. ¡°Human of me? Are you saying I usually act like an animal?¡± I point out derisively as a smirk tugs at my lips.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± She covers her mouth with her fingertips, suppressing a grin. ¡°I just mean that it¡¯s very kind of you to donate to charity.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± I mutter in understanding.

    The rest of the ride is filled with afortable silence. I watch Aria as she stares out the window. She looks like a beautiful, caged bird. And I have to admit, if she were mine, I would do everything in my power to keep her safe. Even clipping her wings, so to speak, if I had to.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± the driver announces from the front of the car.

    Aria¡¯s eyes widen when she takes in the grounds. I remember the first time I ever saw Cristobal¡¯s estate. I was a young teen and had never seen such opulence before in my life. I knew within the first five seconds that the man had more money than God. I still don¡¯t know what he saw in me back then, but he helped to shape me into the man I am today.

    The driveway is a mile long with flowering trees and shrubs lining it. The perfectly manicuredwn is vast and dark green beyond it. I swear Cristobal spends most of his money on his yard. He prides himself in thendscaping. Many times, I would swing by only to be told he was out in the garden tending to his treasured roses.

    When we finally reach the mansion, I hear an audible gasp escape Aria¡¯s lips. ¡°Wow,¡± she breathes.

    I can¡¯t help but grin. The ce Cristobal calls home is one of the grandest manors I¡¯ve ever stepped foot in. But the outside doesn¡¯t evenpare to the luxury inside. I can¡¯t wait to see her reaction once we enter through the front door.

    ¡°So, what does your friend do for a living?¡± Aria questions.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the same business as I am,¡± I answer.

    ¡°Which is?¡± she asks, genuinely interested. Aria doesn¡¯t know what I do, and I¡¯d like to keep it that way. The less she knows, the better. It¡¯s safer that way. For both of us.

    ¡°We deal in what people desire the most,¡± I exin. Then I add, ¡°And we murder anyone who gets in our way.¡±

 122

    Aria

    WHAT MATEO TOLD me right before we exited the car gnaws at me until it feels like a festering wound in my gut. We deal in what people desire the most. And we murder anyone who gets in our way.

    I know Mateo is a bad man. Deep down I know he does bad things. So maybe it¡¯s for the best that I don¡¯t know exactly what it is he does.

    It could be drugs. It could be arms dealing. It could be anything really.

    And this friend of his that I¡¯m about to meet, the man who is hosting this party for charity, of all things, is corrupt too. Just as devious as my very own captor.

    Mateo¡¯s hand is on my lower back as he guides me toward the grand entrance of the houseplete with marble pirs and tall, intricately hard-carved arched doors. A man in a suit opens the door for us, and we enter.

    And if I thought the outside of this ce was nice, it didn¡¯t even prepare me for the inside. A huge, beautiful crystal chandelier is above us in the round entryway with two grand staircases on either side of the room leading up to the second floor. A small oval table in the center features a delicate vase with fresh cut roses and greenery, and the smell is divine.

    ¡°This way, Mr. Navarro,¡± the man, who let us in the front door, says, and we follow closely on his heels.

    I nce behind and realize Mateo brought several of his guards along with us. Their eyes canvas the area, searching for trouble. And when none of them seem on edge or spooked, it puts my nerves at ease. Even though it might thwart my ns of making a phone call, I do like the fact that we¡¯ll be protected. Mateo has let on before that people are constantly trying to knock him off his proverbial throne and take away his empire. He has enemies everywhere, or so he alludes to frequently.

    Lavish art and paintings litter the hallway as we¡¯re led to a big open room. There is a string quartet ying music softly in the corner as people mill about, talking andughing. Everyone is dressed to the nines in designer dresses and tailored suits.

    I don¡¯t know what I expected, but it wasn¡¯t this. I figured all sorts of mafia men would be standing around with their guns out, having pissing contests, but none of that is here. This looks like a reputable event for charity, and I couldn¡¯t be more pleased.

    An older gentleman approaches us with a huge smile on his face. He must be in his seventies with thinning, gray hair and a trimmed white beard. ¡°Mateo,¡± he deres with open arms.

    I¡¯m taken aback when Mateo actually hugs him. ¡°Cristobal, good to see you,¡± he says.

    The man¡¯s blue eyes lock onto me. ¡°And this must be your plus one,¡± he says with a knowing grin.

    ¡°Ah, yes. This is Aria,¡± Mateo says, his dark eyes locking onto mine. ¡°Aria, this is Cristobal.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I say to the man. He holds out his hand, and I take it.

    ¡°E es hermosa, Mateo,¡± hements while cing a kiss on the back of my hand. ¡°Bien hecho.¡±

    ¡°Gracias,¡± Mateo replies.

    ¡°The two of you should go mingle. Enjoy the party,¡± Cristobal says before walking away from us.

    ¡°What did he say?¡± I whisper when he¡¯s not within earshot.

    ¡°He called you beautiful,¡± Mateo tells me.

    I can¡¯t help but smile. ¡°How long have you known him?¡±

    ¡°Since I was a teenager. He helped me build my empire,¡± Mateo exins.

    And then I realize there¡¯s something I never asked Mateo before. Since he seems open to questions, I guess now is the perfect time. ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Thirty-five.¡±

    I look up at him and take in his handsome face and strong features. I wouldn¡¯t have guessed he was over thirty, so I¡¯m surprised at the age difference between us. ¡°You don¡¯t look thirty-five,¡± I assure him.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°And you don¡¯t look twenty-one,¡± he counters.

    ¡°Do I look younger or older?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Sometimes both.¡±

    ¡°Both?¡± I ask with a quirked brow.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He leans in close, his arm caging me against the nearby wall, while murmuring in my ear, ¡°Younger when you¡¯re lying on your stomach on my bed with your hair up, reading. You look so damn innocent.¡± His warm breath skates across my neck, and I shiver. ¡°And then, on nights like this, you look older, sophisticated, and sexy.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m sexy?¡± I whisper conspiratorially.

    ¡°Oh yes. Very sexy,¡± he whispers back.

    Mateo pulls back slightly, his mouth merely inches away from mine. My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and his dark gaze focuses on the movement. It feels like electrical currents are flowing between us, like what you might feel right before lightning strikes. My heart is racing overtime as his lips grow closer to mine. Time seems to stand impossibly still as I feel him ghost his lips across mine, teasing in a barely-there kiss. I could stop this if I wanted to, but I don¡¯t want to. The lines have been blurring for a while, my resistance waning with every passing day that we spend together.

    Just as his lips brush over mine, someone calls out, ¡°Mateo!¡±

    And just like that, the spell has been effectively broken. Mateo squeezes his eyes shut before reluctantly pulling away from me. He turns to the man who called his name and shes him a strained smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he tells me before walking away.

    I stand there, stered against the wall, trying desperately to calm my erratic heartbeat. I swear I¡¯m going to end up with a murmur.

    I surreptitiously watch from the other side of the room as Mateo mingles with a group of people. They all seem enthralled by his presence, and I hate to say it, but I know exactly how they feel.

    The kiss we almost shared not only thrilled me and scared me at the same time, but also solidified in my mind what must be done. I need to call my family before I grow too attached to my captor and never want to leave.

 123

    Aria

    MATEO IS STILL in the middle of arge group of people when I slowly begin to slink away. I try to appear calm and demure on the outside as I nonchntly check out the artwork on the walls; but on the inside, I¡¯m a nervous wreck; my heart pumping a hundred beats a second as I try not to freak out.

    I eventually escape into the hallway without anyone stopping me. ncing back, I see Mateo engrossed in conversation, not even realizing I¡¯m gone. Watching him from afar gives me a different perspective. He¡¯s so brutally handsome, and I can tell why everyone who talks to him is instantly captivated. He¡¯s taller than most of the people in the room, towering over even the tallest men. Add his height with hismanding presence, and he¡¯s one powerful man.

    Giving Mateo onest look, I steel my nerves and set out to do what I promised myself I would. My heels click in the empty corridor as I find my way back to the entrance. And then I go down a new hall filled with doors. The first door I check is a half bath. The second contains a small office. I peer around the room, but there¡¯s not much in there and definitely not a phone.

    I¡¯m walking out of the office when a deep voice says from the shadows, ¡°Are you lost, littlemb?¡±

    A chill runs down my spine as I turn, searching the dark hallway for a face. And when the man walks into a ray of sunshine casting in from the far end, I take in every detail of him. Tall, lean, muscr in a designer suit that probably cost thousands of dors with an expensive watch on his wrist. His dirty blond hair is styled perfectly, not a hair out of ce. He adjusts the cuff of his suit, and I stare at his manicured fingernails. At first nce, this guy is the ultimate perfectionist.

    ¡°Uh, no, just looking around. I was bored,¡± I tell him, the lie slipping out of my mouth easily enough. What I¡¯m really after is a telephone, so that I can try to call my brother, but I can¡¯t tell anyone here that.

    ¡°These types of events bore me too,¡± he confesses, his gaze never wavering from mine. I don¡¯t know who this man is, but his blue eyes creep me out. They¡¯re deep, like the ocean, but cold, giving me the feeling that I could drown in the dark water while he watched from the shore, never bothering to offer me a lifejacket.

    While he looks like he belongs on the cover of a GQ magazine, there¡¯s something off about him. The same chill from before runs up my spine, and I know that it¡¯s time to leave. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯m going to get back to the party,¡± I mutter before walking in the opposite direction from him back towards the main entrance.

    ¡°Have you seen the library?¡± he calls after me. ¡°It¡¯s quite exquisite.¡±

    I stop in my tracks. The library could have a phone. I turn to look at him. ¡°Not yet,¡± I answer warily.

    ¡°Oh, then you must see it,¡± he says, stering a wide smile on his face, showcasing his perfectly straight, overpoweringly white teeth. God, this guy could do a toothpastemercial.

    ¡°Come with me.¡± He begins walking, not even looking back to see if I¡¯m following.

    Swallowing hard, I nce back towards the party. The prospect of finding a phone or using this as my opportunity to reach out to my family or escape Mexico is too great for me not to do it. Straightening my spine, I begin to walk after him like the good, littlemb that I am, even though I¡¯m beginning to wonder if I¡¯m following the big, bad wolf into ughter.

    The man leads me down a series of hallways until he stops before arge door. He grips the handle and pulls it open, revealing an expansive library. I gasp at the sight. I¡¯ve never been in a library of this size before. I turn around and around, looking at all the wooden shelves withdders that stretch up to the ceiling. There is a reading corner by a huge bay window where I could see myself tucked away for hours at a time. I¡¯ve been doing a lot of reading as ofte. Mateo brings me lots of books to keep me busy while he¡¯s working. I was never into books back home, always deciding early on that they were just a waste of time. But now I have newfound respect and love for them when I figured out that every book can let you escape reality and leave all your troubles behind, even if it¡¯s only for a little while.

    ¡°It¡¯s lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± the man asks me.

    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± I agree emphatically.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it,¡± he tells me with a grin, those teeth beaming brighter than the damn sun. ¡°My name is Damion Tuffin, by the way. And yours is?¡±

    ¡°Aria,¡± I tell him, offering my first name only.

    There¡¯s a glint in his blue eyes when he realizes I¡¯m not going to give him more than that. ¡°Just Aria? Like Cher or Madonna,¡± he jokes.

    ¡°You could say that.¡±

    ¡°I see. Mysterious. And I like a little mystery,¡± he says with a small shrug.

    Damion goes over to the mini bar and starts reading over the variousbels on the bottles and decanters. ¡°Cristobal keeps the good shit in here. Would you like some?¡± he asks while popping the cork off of what looks like an expensive liquor.

    ¡°Ah, no thanks,¡± I tell him with an adamant shake of my head. He seems disappointed by my answer, but then he turns his back on me and begins pouring a drink.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    While Damion is distracted, I find arge desk in the opposite corner of the room and start searching for a phone. There¡¯s aptop resting on top next to a cup full of pens, along with some papers, a paperweight and some little sticky notes. Theptop is locked with a code, so I give up right away. Finding nothing else on the desk that can help me, I carefully pull open the top drawer, searching its contents.

    ¡°Are you trying to find all of Cristobal¡¯s secrets?¡± Damion asks.

    His voice makes me jump almost out of my skin, and I whirl around to face him. I had no idea he was right behind me. ¡°N-no,¡± I stammer.

    He grins. ¡°Here you go. It will help calm your nerves,¡± he tells me before shoving a small ss full of dark liquor into my hands. When I go to refuse, he holds up a finger and tuts at me. ¡°Now, now, this is the most expensive scotch in the world. The least you can do is try a sip or two,¡± he says, watching me closely.

    I stare down at the ss, wrinkling my nose at it. I don¡¯t want to drink it, but I have a feeling this guy isn¡¯t used to women telling him no, and I¡¯m scared of what will happen if I¡¯m the first. A sip won¡¯t hurt, I tell myself as I bring the ss to my lips. I take a very small sip, the liquid warm and burning my mouth and throat as I swallow it down quickly. It¡¯s strong with an extremely bitter aftertaste. If that¡¯s what the most expensive scotch in the world tastes like, I can¡¯t imagine what the cheap stuff tastes like. Putting the ss down on the desk beside me, I return my eyes to him, letting him know that I¡¯ve tried it and I¡¯m done.

    ¡°What did you think?¡± he asks with curiosity in his eyes.

    ¡°I think it sucks.¡±

    That earns me a bark ofughter. ¡°My, my, beautiful and funny. Quite thebination. You know, Mateo is a very lucky man.¡±

    My eyes narrow on him. He knows who I came here with, and he still lured me into the library, knowing what will happen if Mateo finds out. Red gs are flying all over the ce, and I realize I need to get the hell out of here. ¡°I wonder if dinner is going to be served soon? I better get back,¡± I tell him as I take a few steps towards the door.

    ¡°But we¡¯re just getting started,¡± the man says before grabbing my arm in a vice grip.

    ¡°Let me go,¡± I seethe at him, trying to shake off his grasp.

    ¡°There¡¯s that fight! There¡¯s that anger I saw on stage at The Ind,¡± he says with a maniacalugh.

    I jerk and suck in a harsh breath as my eyes search his, my brain going into overdrive.

    He brings me in closer and whispers, ¡°I told you I¡¯d be seeing you soon, littlemb. And I never break a promise.¡±

    That voice. I don¡¯t know how I didn¡¯t recognize him earlier when he called me by that strange nickname. He had kept his tone just above a whisper on The Ind, and so it never clicked until right now.

    ¡°I wanted you that night. And I never let go of something that I want,¡± he tells me through gritted teeth. ¡°I eventually let Mateo outbid me, because I knew I¡¯d get my chance to get you for free.¡± His hold tightens on my arm, no doubt leaving finger-shaped bruises behind. ¡°Let me ask you this, littlemb,¡± he whispers before forcing me against his body and putting his mouth to my ear. ¡°Are you still a virgin, or did Mateo pop your little cherry?¡±

    Disgusted, I muster all the strength I possibly can to finally pull away from him. I stumble backwards, falling into a nearby shelf. Books go tumbling to the ground around me as I try to regain my bnce. The room spins violently around me, and I clutch my stomach as Iy there, sick and vulnerable.

    A dark chuckle escapes his lips, but it sounds like it¡¯s on repeat as I try to get up. ¡°It¡¯s okay, littlemb. You only had a sip, unfortunately, so you should get over the side effects rather quickly.¡±

    ¡°You¡­you drugged me,¡± I say, my vision clouding over as my mouth tries to cooperate with my brain.

    ¡°Usually, I take my time breaking my new acquisitions down over an extended period of time, but, you see, my time with you here, unfortunately, is very limited. I needed to make sure that you were broken quickly before I take everything from you, littlemb. And believe me when I say, I want everything you have to give.¡±

    I search therge room for something I can use as a weapon, but my limbs are getting heavier by the second. I doubt if I¡¯ll be able to move fast enough in time to get away from him or fight him off if ites down to that. I¡¯m quickly running out of options.

    Mateo¡¯s face shes in my mind, and so I do the only thing I can do at this point. I scream out my captor¡¯s name because I know deep down he¡¯s my protector and he wouldn¡¯t let anything bad like this happen to me. ¡°Mateo!¡± I scream at the top of my lungs.

    My scream echoes through the room, and I watch in horror as Damion¡¯s face immediately morphs from calm to enraged.

    ¡°Stupid littlemb,¡± he says before eating up the distance between us in a few strides. He bends down and grabs my face, squeezing my jaw until I cry out in pain. ¡°If you were mine, I would have cut out your tongue on the first night,¡± he snarls, suddenly transforming from a man into some kind of savage animal.

    He releases my jaw and pushes me to the ground. I watch in horror as he unzips his pants and takes out his semi-hard cock. He strokes it a few times while looking down at me. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you how a real man fucks,¡± he tells me before he tackles me to the floor.

    I struggle against him as he manhandles me, my dress ripping in the process. His knee forces its way between my legs, and I cry out in anguish, desperately trying to keep my thighs clenched together. If he wants to take something from me, he¡¯s going to have to fight me for it.

    ¡°I knew you would be fun. That¡¯s why I wanted to win you at the auction,¡± he seethes, wrestling my hands down to my sides.

    ¡°No! Stop!¡± I cry out, tears blurring my vision.

    I manage to get one of my hands free, and I reach up, scoring his cheek. Streaks of red form on his skin as he rears back, hollering in pain. He touches his cheek, and when his fingertipse back crimson, he res at me and says, ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that, littlemb.¡±

 124

    Mateo

    I¡¯M TALKING TO several men gathered in a circle at the edge of the party when the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Call it sixth sense or intuition, whatever you want to call it, but I know in that moment that something isn¡¯t right.

    Looking up at the ce where I left Aria, I find it empty. My eyes then quickly scan the party, looking for her. Several women are wearing simr dresses and colors as her, but none of them even so much as get a second nce from me.

    ¡°What is wrong, Mateo?¡± someone asks, clearly concerned over my sudden, erratic behavior.

    ¡°Nothing. I¡­I¡¯ll be right back,¡± I tell the group before bowing out of the conversation and heading towards one of my guards. ¡°Where is Aria?¡± I ask him.

    He shrugs his shoulders.

    ¡°Find her,¡± I snarl at him, and his nonchnt manner suddenly turns stiff and serious.

    I look back to the party, searching the room hastily once more, hoping that I simply just missed her the first time around.

    Did she run from me?

    The possibility has my hands curling into fists, my knuckles bleaching white from the force. If she did run, she¡¯s made a grave mistake. I will go to the ends of the earth to find her and bring her back to me. And then I will beat her little ass so hard she won¡¯t be able to sit for a week. She will truly know the definition of what it means to be mine. And I realize in that moment that she is most definitely mine.

    Fuming, I walk down a hallway towards the bathrooms, thinking maybe she¡¯s just powdering her nose. If she doesn¡¯t want my anger raining down on her, that better be all she¡¯s doing.

    Cursing under my breath, I me myself for not keeping her with me the entire night. I should have been more careful. This is our first outing. I wouldn¡¯t me her for trying something, for running.

    But if my little captive wants to run, I hope she¡¯s prepared for me to chase her. Just the thought of chasing her down has my blood coursing through my veins as my heart triples its rhythm inside my chest. A part of me in that moment hopes that she did run. But another part hopes that, for her sake, she¡¯s still at this party.

    I check the bathroom and then walk the length of the hall but don¡¯t see her. I¡¯m about to turn around when I hear a noise that draws my attention instantly. And when I hear Aria screaming my name, I know it¡¯s a sound that will haunt me for the rest of my life.

    My feet are carrying me fast towards the noise before my brain can even catch up. I hit a button on my watch, alerting my men to my location. They know that signal means to drop everything and rush to where I am.

    The manor is massive and full of halls and rooms, something I never minded before right now. Standing in the silent hallway, I listen carefully, waiting for any kind of sign to point me to where Aria is. Then, suddenly, a man cries out, and I know exactly which room they¡¯re in ¨C the library. I turn the doorknob slowly, wanting to get a jump on whoever is behind the door, but it¡¯s locked from the inside.

    Pulling out the Glock from behind my back, I position myself in the hall. Three of my men are running towards me, and I motion for them to break down the door.

    Two swift kicks, and the door is breaking off its hinges and falling inwards. My eyes survey the room. There¡¯s a man on top of Aria, assaulting her. He¡¯s too focused on her to even care about us.

    And with one look at Aria, I see fucking red. Her dress is disheveled with arge tear at the top, exposing the top of her breast. Tears are streaming down her beautiful face, her makeup running alongside them.

    Her honey-colored eyes lock onto mine, and a sob of relief escapes her lips. Fuck, that lookpletely guts me.

    ¡°Get the fuck away from her!¡± I roar, pointing my gun at the man.

    Now I have his attention. He slowly stands, puts his hands up and turns to us. His jeans are undone, his littleid cock sticking out of his underwear.

    A darkness I¡¯ve never felt before consumes me in that moment, and I pounce on him like a wild animal, tackling him to the ground while my fists and the butt of my gun repeatedly collide with his face. I beat him until he¡¯s nothing but a bloody lump of tissue, bones, and broken teeth. One of my men manage to pull me away from him, and I stand there, my breathing ragged, my knuckles stained in crimson.

    Aria¡¯s attacker opens his mouth to say something, maybe to plead for forgiveness or his life, but he doesn¡¯t get to even speak before I raise my gun and squeeze the trigger. The shot rings out, temporarily deafening me. The room looks like it¡¯s straight out of a horror movie with blood and pieces of his skull and brain sttered all over shelves of books and expensive bottles of liquor in the mini bar.

    Aria¡¯s designer dress is covered in blood as she stares up at me in shocked silence. I tuck the Glock behind my back and reach my hand out for her. Shees willingly to me, throwing herself into my arms as she trembles.

    I hold her tightly to me. ¡°Ready the car,¡± I tell one of my men. He gives me a nod before running down the hallway.

    My eyes follow him, and I can see several party guests havee to see what all themotion is about. They stand there with wide eyes, staring at the dead body on the floor of the library.

    Cristobal stands behind all of them, a look of displeasure on his face. I¡¯ve shot someone in his home during a party that he was hosting. Even more so than that, I destroyed his beautiful library, something he takes a lot of pride in. He¡¯s definitely going to be upset with me, maybe even want me dead after all is said and done, but I would do it all over again. I would do anything to protect Aria.

    Stripping off my suit jacket, I wrap Aria tightly inside of it. I don¡¯t want anyone to witness her in a vulnerable state. ¡°Take her to the car,¡± I tell Ignacio.

    He goes to protest, probably wanting to stay with me in case shit goes down with Cristobal, but I give him a look that lets him know I¡¯m fucking serious and it¡¯s not open for discussion.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Aria¡¯s fingers grasp my shirt tightly, not wanting to let me go. And, fuck me, in that moment, I don¡¯t want her to let me go. But I have shit to take care of right now, and I want to know that she¡¯s safe while I¡¯m conducting business.

    I give Ignacio a nod, and he grabs an unwilling Aria and pries her hands from my shirt. She looks hurt and scared as she¡¯s led away from me, but it¡¯s for the best.

    I watch until she disappears around the corner, and then Cristobal steps forward and says, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a little chat, Mateo.¡±

    I follow him past the group of people, who stare at me with curious and frightened looks. Once they leave this party, word will spread fast that Aria is my one and true weakness. That she is mine. That I would kill and have killed to protect her. And even though I haven¡¯t taken her virginity yet, everything will change after tonight, whether we want it to or not.

 125

    Aria

    I¡¯M STILL IN shock as I sit in the back of the car, my hands trembling uncontrobly as I stare down at the blood soaking into my Oscar de Renta dress. Mateo shot the man who hurt me. He saved me.

    Damion was going to rape me.

    My first time would have been with a man I didn¡¯t know and by force. Just the thought of it has fresh tears building up in my eyes, and I can¡¯t even stop them from spilling down over my cheeks.

    And now Mateo is dealing with the consequences of his actions. They could be in there torturing him¡­or killing him. And if Mateo dies, then what happens to me?

    A violent shiver of fear runs through my entire body, and I can¡¯t stop shaking. The adrenaline is wearing off, and now I¡¯m just left with the overwhelming sense of fear of what could have happened. I wrap Mateo¡¯s jacket tighter around me, inhaling his familiar scent of expensive cologne and tobo, and it seems to ground me somehow.

    Just then, the car door opens and Mateo climbs into the backseat beside me. He barely acknowledges my presence as he tells the driver to go. I watch carefully as he pulls the coin out of his pocket and rolls it over his knuckles in restrained agitation. Once we¡¯re about a mile down the road, Mateo finally turns his attention to me. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asks, his voice a guttural whisper.

    I open my mouth to answer, but nothing but a high-pitched, mournful cryes out. I fling myself into hisp, and to my surprise, he holds me. His arms envelop me in the warmest, most tender hug I think I¡¯ve ever had in my life. I bury my face into his chest, wanting to be impossibly closer, wanting to literally crawl inside of him. His hand soothingly rubs circles on my back as he shushes me.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aria. You¡¯re safe now,¡± he assures me.

    I feel so small, so vulnerable in his arms. He allows me to cry, soaking his shirt in the process while he holds me. I seekfort in his embrace, in his touch, in his soothing voice even though I know I shouldn¡¯t. I watched him kill two men in front of me now. Two men thatid their hands on me, and Mateo protected me from both. He will always protect you, a voice in the back of my mind reminds me.

    And if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve learned while being with Mateo, it¡¯s that there are worse monsters out there than him.

    ¡°Why were you in the library, Aria?¡± he asks, his voice measured and controlled even though I can feel his muscles tensing.

    ¡°I¡­I was looking for a phone.¡±

    ¡°You were trying to run away,¡± he says usingly, pulling back to search my eyes for any deceit.

    ¡°No!¡± I say quickly before adding, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± Sniffling, I tell him the truth. ¡°I wanted to call my family. Let them know that I¡¯m okay.¡±

    He huffs in disapproval but doesn¡¯t say a word.

    ¡°I made a mistake,¡± I cry. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have left your side.¡±

    He stares at me, his dark eyes assessing me and making me feelpletely exposed. ¡°My life is dangerous, Aria, and now you¡¯re a part of it. After tonight, people will see you as my weakness, and they will try to expose that to get to me. Do you understand?¡±

    I nod slowly.

    ¡°You can¡¯t ever run away from me again.¡±

    ¡°I-I won¡¯t,¡± I stammer, struggling to promise what I know is ultimately wrong. I should want to keep fighting, keep running away, keep trying to escape. But after today, I think my burning desire to leave Mexico, leave Mateo is going to be extinguished. It¡¯s safer for me to stay with him. For now.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Cristobal told me the man who attacked you was Damion Tuffin. Did you know him?¡± he questions.

    ¡°No, not really. He was on The Ind. I remember himing up to me after the auction was over. He told me he would see me soon. I didn¡¯t recognize his voice until it was toote. He tried to drug me. He tried to¡­¡± My voice trails off as fresh tears flow down my cheeks.

    Mateo wraps his tattooed hand around mine and squeezes gently. ¡°He can¡¯t hurt you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Damion told me he was the one bidding against you on The Ind and that he let you win because he knew he would have a chance to get me for free.¡±

    ¡°That son of a bitch,¡± he grinds out, his entire body vibrating with anger. ¡°If I had known he would be at this party, I never would have brought you here. You have to believe that, Aria.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s true?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯d only heard rumors about The Ind before Thiago, my former friend, took me there. Probably as a sick joke on his part. He was like that,¡± he says with an exasperated sigh. ¡°I knew I wasn¡¯t going to bid on anyone. I wanted to leave straight away. But then I saw you¡­¡± His voice trails off as he looks off into the distance out the window, perhaps lost in memory. ¡°Thiago told me how the top bidder treats the virgins he purchases. Rapes and beats them until the life is gone from their eyes. And so, when Damion began bidding for you, I knew I had to counterbid. I had to win you no matter the cost, no matter the consequences,¡± Mateo says, his voice deep and steady. ¡°I had no idea who was behind the ss, though. I would have killed him a long time ago had I known.¡±

    I rest my hand gently against his stubbled jaw and force his gaze to mine. His dark chocte eyes are filled with emotion, probably reflecting back some of the same ones I¡¯m feeling right now.

    He saved me from a horrible fate on The Ind. He saved me before he even knew me.

    ¡°What?¡± Mateo whispers as I stare at him, taking in every detail of his brutally handsome face.

    And then he gently cups my cheek, his thumb grazing my bottom lip. My breath catches in my throat. It¡¯s almost like a switch has been flipped. I¡¯m not seeing Mateo as my captor but as my savior. A man willing to do anything to protect me. A man willing to kill for me.

    I don¡¯t know what possesses me, but the next thing I know, my lips are seeking his out. The kiss is awkward at first; both of us shocked by the unexpectedness of it. But then his hand moves to the back of my head, fisting my hair as he pulls me closer, consuming me and incinerating thest of any resistance left in me.

    A whimper escapes my mouth as he kisses me like no other man has ever or will ever kiss me. He kisses me like he owns me ¨C mind, body, and soul. And in this moment, he does.

    And then just as quickly as the kiss starts, he ends it, pulling back. ¡°It¡¯s the adrenaline,¡± he tells me with a ragged groan. ¡°It will wear off soon.¡±

    He thinks I¡¯ll regret kissing him. I want to tell him it¡¯s already worn off, but I don¡¯t say a word. I move to return my lips to his, but he turns his head at thest second, staring out the window, dismissing me.

    Tears fill my eyes, and I quickly scramble from hisp and go back to my seat. Feeling rejected by him is a jagged, little pill to swallow. Weeks ago, I never would have gone to him willingly, and now I¡¯m upset because he doesn¡¯t want me? A psychiatrist would have a field day with me at this point.

    We¡¯re riding in the car for a long time before Mateo finally breaks the deafening silence. ¡°When youe to me again, Aria, I don¡¯t want it to be because you¡¯re sick with fever or because something bad has just happened to you. I want you toe to me because you want me. Only me,¡± he says quietly.

    His intense words permeate the air and stay with me for the remainder of the trip home. And once we reach thepound, I¡¯m left confused with no clearer answers than before.

 126

    Aria

    I¡¯M LYING IN bedte that night, still reeling from everything that happened earlier today. Mateo killed a man for touching me, for hurting me. He risked his business, everything, even his own life for me.

    I know it¡¯s wrong, and maybe I¡¯m sick, I don¡¯t know, but the way Mateo protects me turns me on. I¡¯ve been lying here, waiting for him to finish up his shower, my clit throbbing at just the thought of him touching me with those bloody, murderous hands. Oh god, maybe I¡¯m losing my mind. I can¡¯t help how I feel, however. My thighs are so slick from my arousal; it¡¯s almost embarrassing.

    The rational side of my brain is telling me that I¡¯m taking my power back. I¡¯m choosing who takes my virginity. Living in this dangerous, foreignnd surrounded by bad men, I could lose my innocence at any point unwillingly. At least this way I get the choice. And I¡¯d rather lose it by my own volition than by force from a total stranger.

    And so, when Mateo climbs into bed, I can¡¯t stop myself from inching closer to him in the darkness. He¡¯s on his side, facing me, and I slowly press my backside against him.

    His body goes rigid, stilling to the point where I wonder if he¡¯s even breathing. ¡°What are you doing, Aria?¡± he asks in a growl, his warm breath caressing my neck and sending a shiver through me. ¡°Are you burning up with fever again?¡± he uses.

    ¡°No,¡± I whisper. Gathering up all the courage I can muster, I grind my ass against his hardening length.

    His hand immediately goes to my hip, clutching it in a bruising grip. ¡°I only have so much restraint, carino,¡± he breathes. ¡°So, if you tempt me too much, know that I won¡¯t be able to stop¡­no matter how much you beg,¡± he threatens.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to stop,¡± I tell him.

    In a sudden movement, he flips me onto my back, causing me to cry out in surprise as he pins me to the mattress, his hard length pressing up against my bare pussy.

    Reaching over, he turns on themp beside the bed and stares down at me in awe in the soft light. ¡°You¡¯re wearing one of my shirts.¡± Then his eyes drag down the length of my body, and he corrects himself by saying, ¡°You¡¯re only wearing one of my shirts.¡±

    It was ast-minute decision on my part. When I was getting ready for bed, I grabbed one of his ck t-shirts that I found in the back of the closet. It smells like him, and the scent made me feel safe.

    Mateo breathes in deeply and then lets out a low hiss. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re already wet for me.¡±

    I lick my lips, and his dark eyes track the movement.

    ¡°This is yourst chance to tell me no, Aria,¡± Mateo warns. ¡°Tell me to stop, and I¡¯ll go back to bed and we¡¯ll pretend none of this happened.¡±

    I know I should tell him no. I should tell him to stop. But I can¡¯t. I me all of my decisions tonight on temporary insanity fueled by everything that transpired today. I can worry about everything tomorrow. But for tonight, I want him. I need him. Damn the consequences and regret I might be feelingter.

    ¡°I want you, Mateo,¡± I whisper.

    His eyes close as if he¡¯s savoring my words. And when his eyes open once more, I can see the fire inside of them; like two endless moltenva pools of desire. ¡°I need to taste you again, mi pequena cautiva,¡± he rasps.

    Heat pools between my legs from his dirty words. ¡°What does mi pequena cautiva mean?¡± I ask, desperate to know the answer.

    ¡°It means¡­my little captive.¡±

    Oh god, why does that turn me on?

    Gripping my hips, he lifts my lower half off the bed, and then he dives between my thighs, his tongue finding my clit. I choke out a cry of surprise and then moan in pleasure. From this angle, I¡¯m wide open for him, and I can see every little thing he does to me. The sight is so erotic that it has my heart stuttering inside my chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been craving your taste ever since that night at the club,¡± he confesses before he licks me from ass to clit, sending tiny electric shocks to every nerve ending in my body. His thick finger circles my entrance before dipping into my channel, testing, teasing as his tongue ttens over my clit, licking, sucking.

    My head thrashes from side to side at the indescribable amount of pleasure he¡¯s giving to me. ¡°Mateo!¡± I cry out.

    His name escaping my lips seem to please him, because he growls low in his throat, sending a vibration straight to my swollen little nub. My thighs begin to quiver in his grip, and the orgasm washes over me before I can even prepare for it. With a choked cry, my back arches, pushing me harder against his talented mouth. I almost scream as he tortures my clit with his mouth, wringing out every ounce of pleasure he can while I ride out the violent waves, unabashedly bucking against his face.

    With a final lick, he tells me, ¡°You taste so sweet. Just like heaven.¡± Releasing me, I plop down on the bed as he ces kisses on my inner thighs. Then, his eyes meet mine. ¡°I need to see you, Aria. All of you,¡± he says, desperation dripping from his tone as he reaches for hem of the shirt, gripping it in his hands and ripping it. I gasp as the material tears easily in his strong hands all the way up to the cor, leaving mepletely naked and vulnerable underneath my captor.

    His intense gaze driftszily over my naked body, taking in every detail. And then his tongue drags over his bottom lip as he hums in approval.

    Self-doubt begins to creep in, and I quickly grab the remnants of the shirt, pulling it together as best I can, hastily trying to cover myself.

    Mateo clicks his tongue in displeasure. ¡°You are the most beautiful fucking creature I¡¯ve ever seen on this earth, Aria. Don¡¯t ever hide from me,¡± he says vehemently. ¡°Let me see you.¡± And then he adds, ¡°Please,¡± his voice strained, raw and deep.

    I stare at him, searching his face for any signs of deception. After finding nothing there, I slowly strip out of what¡¯s left of the t-shirt, tossing it aside before lying down again. My chest rises and falls quickly as my breathing bes unsteady while he stares down at me with a predatory gaze.

    Lying down beside me, Mateo gently trails a finger along my hip and then over my stomach, circling my bellybutton. I shudder beneath his demanding touch. Gently, he cups my breast, thumbing over my nipple until it¡¯s taut. And then he leans down, capturing the stiff peak inside his hot, wet mouth. The feeling is so intense. He takes his time with each one of my breasts, sucking, licking and biting until I¡¯m writhing under him. Oh my god, I think I coulde just from this.

    ¡°You¡¯re close again, aren¡¯t you?¡± he whispers before returning his mouth to my nipple, sucking hard. I moan, my body bing rigid as small tremors erupt inside of me. His hand cups me between my legs, and he grinds his palm against my clit, the added friction drawing out my orgasm as I shudder under him.

    Mateoves his tongue over my breast as he watches me with an intense gaze. ¡°You¡¯re so responsive,¡± he breathes against my skin. ¡°Fuck, I love that.¡±

    I watch as he climbs off the bed, unfolding his tall form as he stands at full height. Reaching down, he grabs the waistband of his boxer briefs and pulls them down, revealing a thick, hard cock curving up to his ridged, tattooed-covered abdomen.

    I gasp in surprise. I haven¡¯t seen a lot of dicks in my lifetime, and my limited knowledge is mostly from porn, but his is huge. Long and thick and perfect, but¡­so, so big. And suddenly, the achy want and need I had earlier to feel him inside of me is reced by pure, undiluted fear.

    Mateo notices the change in my demeanor, and he narrows his intense gaze on me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aria?¡± he asks before getting back on the bed and kneeling between my thighs.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to fit,¡± I utter in a panic. ¡°You¡¯re too big.¡± I scramble away from him, digging my heels into the bed and pushing until my back hits the headboard.

    A dark chuckle rumbles low in his chest. Well, I¡¯m d he finds this amusing at least.

    I cry out when Mateo snatches my ankle, wrapping his hand around it and dragging me down the length of the bed until I¡¯m right back where I was before. ¡°Trust me, carino, I will fit,¡± he assures me with a confident smirk. ¡°Rx,¡± he murmurs before notching his cock at my entrance.

    mping my eyes shut, I brace myself for the pain that I will ultimately feel. I expect him to push inside, roughly, with no warning, but he doesn¡¯t. Instead, he softly drags the crown of his cock up and down my slit before he rocks in and out of my channel, shallowly, teasing all of my nerve endings until I can feel my pussy practically flooding around his cock. Slowly, I open my eyes and watch in awe as he reaches down, his thumb circling my clit and bringing me to the brink of mind-numbing pleasure with thebined sensations.

    ¡°You¡¯re so nice and wet for me,¡± he hisses through clenched teeth as he dips the crown inside of me once more. ¡°Your greedy, little pussy wants to take all of me.¡±

    He continues to tease me, rubbing his cock all over my pussy and clit before pushing inside, giving me only an inch at a time before pulling out again. He repeats the action over and over again, taking me right to the precipice but not letting me fully topple over the edge until I feel like I¡¯m going to lose my mind. ¡°Please,¡± I finally plead, and I don¡¯t know whether I¡¯m begging for him to stop or for him to take me and put me out of my misery.

    His dark eyes meet mine. Perhaps he can sense my internal conflict, because he says, ¡°Tell me what you want, Aria.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I need you inside of me. Please, Mateo!¡± I nearly shout.

    ¡°Mmm,¡± he grunts. ¡°My new favorite sound is you begging for my cock, Aria.¡± Then, he tenderly grips my hip and stares down at me. ¡°This is going to hurt, carino, but only for a moment. I promise,¡± he tells me before he drives his hips forward, entering me and tearing through my virginity.

    I whimper from the sudden sensation, but the pain is brief, just like he said it would be. Mateo¡¯s eyes roll in the back of his head before he focuses on me with a lustful gaze. He grabs my hip and pulls me closer. ¡°So tight. So wet,¡± he breathes. His hips flex as he begins to fill me inch by glorious inch.

    The intense pleasure mixed with pain as my body desperately tries to adjust to his girth feels so wrong but so damn good. My head falls back as I let out a soundless scream.

    ¡°Open up for me, Aria. Be a good girl and take every inch of my cock,¡± he demands.

    It feels like he¡¯s trying to destroy me, but then I notice a bead of sweat is on his forehead. He¡¯s restraining himself, taking his time to make sure he¡¯s not hurting me. I didn¡¯t know my captor was capable of being gentle. And for some reason, it makes me want this even more. I force myself to try to rx, slowly breathing in and out.

    When Mateo is finally buried inside of me to the hilt, he groans low and deep. ¡°That¡¯s it. Such a good fucking girl,¡± he rasps.

    I¡¯m practically melting from his words. Hearing this normally rough and guarded man praise me and be tender does strange things to me. I thought our first time together would rough and over quickly, but now I see that he has other ns. The fact that he¡¯s not trying to hurt me or scare me away speaks volumes. Mateo wants my first time to be pleasurable. Maybe even memorable. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening between us, but I¡¯m just going to me it on the endorphins clouding my judgment.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna move now, carino,¡± Mateo warns, holding me by the hips as he withdraws partway before plunging back in with a hard thrust, causing me to gasp. ¡°Fuck, your pussy was made for me,¡± he murmurs.

    With a low groan, he cages me in under him, securing his weight on his muscr, tattooed forearms nted on either side of my head. Mateo¡¯s dark eyes stare down at me, and we share this intense connection in that moment that I¡¯ve never had with anyone before. It¡¯s like he¡¯s looking through me into my very soul. It thrills me but scares me all at the same time.

    When my tongue darts out to moisten my lips, Mateo watches the movement with rapt attention. ¡°Kiss me, corazon,¡± he pleads, and there¡¯s a hint of vulnerability in his voice.

    Corazon? That¡¯s different from what he usually calls me. I absently wonder what it means. But all my thoughts go right out the window when his mouth suddenly crashes down on mine, stealing the breath right from my lungs. He tastes like mint from his toothpaste with a hint of tobo, and it drives me insane. His tongue urges my lips open, and I willingly grant him ess. His tongue strokes against mine, swallowing my moans as he flexes his hips, taking everything he wants all at once. I can taste myself on his tongue, and the eroticbination of both of us is intoxicating.

    My hands explore his muscr back, and I feel the roughness of his skin under his tattoos. Scars, I realize. I don¡¯t get to touch him long before he suddenly breaks the kiss and pulls back, kneeling between my thighs once again. Gripping my hips, he drags my pussy down onto his cock. This new angle hits a sweet spot inside me that I never knew existed before, and I groan out loud at the new, overwhelming sensation.

    He stares down at our connection, his thumb circling my clit as his thick cock pumps in and out of me. My pussy clenches uncontrobly around him as an orgasm begins to unfurl deep within my belly. It all feels like it¡¯s too much. Like I¡¯m dangling on the edge of a cliff, about to fall to my demise.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Please, please,¡± I beg. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± I confess as my gaze meets his.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, corazon. Just let go. Allow yourself to feel¡­everything¡­I¡¯m giving to you,¡± Mateo says in between thrusts.

    I moan in desperation as my climax washes over me suddenly and violently. My legs begin to tremble until my toes curl and my entire body trembles under him.

    ¡°Dios mio. Come for me, mi pequena cautiva,¡± Mateo hisses as my pussy mps down on his cock like a vice. He continues fucking me relentlessly, pumping brutally into my pussy, and I meet him thrust for thrust, prolonging my pleasure as I cry out his name.

    Mateo leans down, caging me in once more, his lips finding mine as he fucks me. Hard. Gone is the tender lovemaking from before. I wrap my hands around his biceps, feeling his body shuddering with the need toe as he ravages me with his cock.

    Suddenly, he pulls his mouth away from mine, his breathing ragged. His entire body trembles as he buries himself into my pussy onest time. And then he lets out a primal roar as he releases inside of me.

    His hair falls rebelliously over his chocte eyes as he trails kisses across my face and lips. Then, he slowly pulls out of me and copses onto the bed beside me. He whispers something in his native tongue. I don¡¯t understand a word of it, but the grin on his face is pretty telling. He enjoyed our first time together as much as I did.

    I rx next to him, my whole body aching but sated, with my brain swimming in a fog of endorphins. I never knew sex would feel like that. I¡¯ve heard my girlfriends talk about it before, bragging how good it is with their boyfriends, but I doubt if they¡¯ve ever gone through what I just did. It was almost like an out-of-body experience. A spiritual awakening of sorts.

    My bliss is short-lived, however, when I nce over at Mateo¡¯s softening cock and stare at our mixture of juices¡­and my blood. He didn¡¯t wear a condom. We weren¡¯t safe, and I¡¯m not even on the pill.

    The harsh reality of the situation crashes down around me, and the overpowering feeling of regret hits me so violently just then that I almost double over from the phantom pain. I just willingly gave my virginity to my captor, and I could end up pregnant with his baby.

    What have I done?

 127

    Mateo

    I CAN SENSE the moment the switch flips in Aria¡¯s brain. One minute, she¡¯s lying there in post-coital bliss, smiling and happy. And the next, she¡¯s freaking the hell out. She seemed to be fine until her eyes locked onto my cock, seeing her blood and my release coating it.

    So, I didn¡¯t wear a condom. I know I should have, but I had to feel her with nothing between us for the first time. I swore to myself I would don one after I started, but then all logical sense went right out the window when I felt her pussy wrapped around my cock. It was like dipping my dick straight into heaven, and I just didn¡¯t want to leave.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Standing, I scoop Aria up in my arms and take her to the walk-in shower. She doesn¡¯t even protest, further worrying me. Setting her down on the tiled floor, we stand there under the spray of warm water. She¡¯s so still and quiet that it¡¯s starting to scare the fuck out of me. I¡¯m used to her smart mouth and scrutinizing gaze. I don¡¯t like this new, docile version.

    ¡°Aria,¡± I whisper, reaching for her.

    Her face suddenly crumbles, and big, fat tears stream down her face. She tries to run from me, but I grab her and pull her up against my chest. I hold her as she cries, whispering sweet affirmations in Spanish in her ear as I let the warm water cascade down her back, soothing her.

    This is all new to me. Usually, I fuck somewhere, either private or in public ¨C let¡¯s face it, I don¡¯t mind an audience ¨C and then I send the girl on her way, never hearing from her again. I never fuck the same woman twice, not wanting to have her perceived as something more than a casual fuck and bing a casualty in the wars that I constantly seem to be in.

    But I¡¯ve never taken a woman¡¯s virginity before. Especially not one that I purchased like a prized possession and that¡¯s been in my captivity. I¡¯m not used to all this warm and tender shit, but I¡¯m trying. For Aria. I didn¡¯t want her first time to be traumatic, so I forced the demons inside of me down and took her nice and slow even though I wanted nothing more than to fuck her so hard she saw stars and couldn¡¯t walk for days.

    I hold Aria tighter in my arms and kiss the top of her head, but her sobs only grow louder.

    Fine, if she doesn¡¯t want gentle, then I can give her my true self. Angrily, I pull back from her, roughly grasping her chin and forcing her eyes to meet mine. Her honey-colored orbs are shimmering, and my god, her tears do something to me. A shock of lightning shoots right down to my cock, my length hardening against her stomach. Aria steps back suddenly, her face full of rm and then horror as she stares down at my cock growing to epic proportions between us.

    ¡°You¡­you¡¯re sick!¡± she shouts at me. ¡°You¡¯re getting off on my pain?¡±

    I grab her, twisting her around in my grasp, so that my hard cock is situated in the crack of her ass, and loving how she struggles. ¡°What can I say? Your tears obviously turn me on, mi pequena cautiva.¡± My lips find her neck, and I gently nip at her with my teeth. ¡°Maybe you can cry for me next time,¡± I tell her darkly.

    ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time. I¡¯m never doing¡­that again,¡± she hisses with angry, little breaths puffing from her mouth. I¡¯m surprised steam isn¡¯ting out of her ears at this point.

    ¡°Doing what?¡± I question her. ¡°Begging for my cock like you did earlier when you wereing all over it?¡± I ask with a roguish grin stretching across my face.

    I can see the dark pink blush spreading from her chest to her cheeks at my filthy words. ¡°I¡¯m never having sex with you again,¡± she rifies, but her tone holds no conviction.

    ¡°Oh, on the contrary, Aria. Now that I¡¯ve had a taste for you, I will have you again and again, whenever I want. Make no mistake of that.¡± I lick the side of her neck, chuckling when she tries to pull away from me in disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be begging for me soon enough, mi pequena cautiva.¡± I pitch my hips forward, letting her feel how hard I am for her just for good measure.

    Then I release her, allowing her to escape to the other side of the walk-in. I grab my body wash from the recessed shelf andther up, taking extra care to soap up my cock, stroking my hand up and down my length several times. Aria sits down on the bench and watches me. Her plump lips part, and I swear she¡¯s getting turned on by watching me caress my cock. ¡°Little voyeur,¡± I tease her. Aria¡¯s gaze immediately leaves my cock and goes to my face, ring at me through narrowed eyes. Ah, she¡¯s back to pretending to hate me. And, fuck, I¡¯d be lying if I said I haven¡¯t missed that.

    I rinse off and motion for her to join me under the spray. ¡°Your turn,¡± I say. Aria adamantly shakes her head, but then I tell her, ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking.¡±

    With a sexy, little pout on her face, she reluctantly stands and joins me under the hot water. I squeeze a handful of body wash in my hands and then I start washing her. This is the kind of intimacy I never thought I would share with a woman, but I don¡¯t exactly hate it. It¡¯s actually sort of¡­nice having someone to take care of. She stays quiet as I wash her until I brush over her perky breasts. That gains me a stifled groan, and the sound goes straight to my aching cock.

    I know she¡¯s probably sore after her first time, and that¡¯s the only thing keeping me from sinking my cock into her pussy again. She¡¯s lucky I¡¯m feeling generous tonight and not like my typical uncaring, asshole self.

    My hand drifts down between her legs, massaging her tenderly. Her head falls back on my chest as I stroke her clit. Even though Aria¡¯s mind is telling her she doesn¡¯t want me; her body certainly didn¡¯t get the fucking memo. I bring her to orgasm in record time, her little nails digging crescent moons into my forearm as she rides out the pleasure against my hand.

    Fuck, I¡¯ve lost track of how many times I made here tonight.

    I can feel her muscles begin to tense as she begins toe down from her high. She¡¯s back in defense mode already. Sighing, I stop touching her and take a step back. ¡°Rinse off,¡± I tell her before stepping out of the shower, giving her the space she obviously wants.

    My dick is practically weeping as I dry off and go to the closet to slip into a pair of clean boxers. Searching one of the drawers, I grab one of my shirts for Aria and take it to the bathroom. She¡¯s just emerging from the shower as I walk in. And when she sees me, she quickly grabs a towel and covers herself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen every inch of you, Aria. No sense in getting shy now.¡± I love watching the angry blush that spreads across her chest and up to her cheeks from my words.

    She res at me before turning her attention to drying off while simultaneously trying to keep as much of her body covered as possible, making me grin. When she¡¯s done, I throw a clean t-shirt at her. She catches it, staring down at it with a confused look on her face.

    ¡°You will wear one of my shirts to bed every night,¡± I inform her. And then I add on quickly, ¡°And only one of my shirts.¡± Just thinking about her wearing something of mine night after night while she lies in bed beside me causes my cock to jerk in my boxers. And having such easy ess to that sweet, silky pussy every night has me biting back a groan.

    ¡°No,¡± she says with a vehement shake of her head, throwing the shirt back at me.

    ¡°You act like you have a choice in the matter,¡± I say with a devious grin. ¡°Don¡¯t make me burn all of your clothes, Aria, until you¡¯re left with absolutely no options.¡± I thoughtfully rub my chin with my forefinger and thumb. ¡°You know, on second thought, I bet the guards would love to see you walking around naked with your bare pussy and tits on disy for them every day. Maybe I should do them all a favor and just burn your wardrobe right now.¡± My threat holds no real value. I would cut out any man¡¯s eyes for even looking upon Aria¡¯s naked body. But she doesn¡¯t know how deep my obsession for her truly runs, and so I hope she finds the warning credible.

    Snatching the t-shirt from my hands, she drops her towel and pulls the material over her head, angrily punching her arms through the short sleeves.

    Fuck, I love it when she¡¯s mad at me.

    She leaves the bathroom in a rush like her ass is on fire. I follow behind her, biting back a chuckle when I see her under the covers and tucked into the bed as far away from me as she can be. I¡¯ll give her some breathing room tonight, because I know that¡¯s what she needs the most after the day she¡¯s had, but I won¡¯t be able to stop myself from taking her again soon. She gave me her virginity, and so she¡¯s mine now¡­whether she likes it or not.

 128

    Aria

    I¡¯M IN THE kitchen angrily eating a piece of bread and ring at Mateo ¨C or as I now call it, my new favorite pastime. I still can¡¯t believe I willingly offered my virginity to himst night. It all feels like a strange, vivid dream. But when I clench my thighs together, I can still feel him down there, and I know it wasn¡¯t a dream at all.

    And when the bastard looks in my direction, he gets an indecipherable look on his face. His eyes are dark and hooded as if he¡¯s remembering being inside of me. And when he licks his lips, my core clenches when I think about how his mouth was on me¡­down there¡­only several hours before.

    I gasp, almost choking on the bread in my mouth. Coughing, I stand up and scamper out of the kitchen, leaving him and my dirty thoughts behind.

    I need space. I need time to think. I need¡­ Well, I don¡¯t know what the hell else I need, but I know that I definitely need to get away from Mateo for a while.

    So I lost my virginity. Big deal, right? But the more I think about it, the more of a big deal it actually bes. I didn¡¯t just lose my virginityst night. I voluntarily gave it up to my captor. The very man who is holding me hostage.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I ask out loud as I round the corner and run smackdab into the middle of a hard chest. I bounce backwards, barely managing to catch my bnce and save myself from falling.

    ¡°Did I do something to offend you?¡± a deep voice with a thick Spanish ent asks.

    When I look up, I see someone who looks like an older version of Mateo. In fact, they could almost pass for father and son, but I know that Mateo¡¯s father is dead. He told me before that his family was murdered, so who could this man be who looks almost like a carbon copy of him? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was¡­talking to myself,¡± I admit.

    ¡°Oh. Then you did something to offend yourself?¡± he asks with a smirk. He runs a hand through his perfectly styled hair, which is gray at the temples, as his dark brown eyes study my face.

    I shift my weight nervously from foot to foot, feeling suddenly very vulnerable under his heavy, scrutinizing gaze. I open my mouth to answer him, but then I hear Mateo call out, ¡°Domingo,¡± from down the hall. Mateo approaches us, his intense gaze glued to me for an instant before he sters a forced smile onto his face and greets the man I now know as Domingo. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting until tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°What? I can¡¯t visit my nephew a day early?¡± he asks with a strained grin.

    So, this is Mateo¡¯s uncle. Why do they seem to be forcing their affection towards each other then? I don¡¯t understand the mechanics of their rtionship, but even an outsider can feel the obvious tension in the air between them.

    ¡°Introduce me to your new¡­friend,¡± Domingo says, emphasizing thest word while turning his attention back to me.

    ¡°This is Aria,¡± Mateo offers. ¡°She was just going to her room,¡± he says, narrowing his eyes on me.

    I know better than to make a scene or question him right now. Instead, I nod in agreement and practically run away from the two of them towards our bedroom.

    When I finally reach the safety of the room, I close the door behind me. Something isn¡¯t sitting well in my stomach after meeting Mateo¡¯s uncle. The way he looked at me. The way they spoke with each other. The overwhelming sense of tension between them. And the way Mateo said about me going to my room as if we don¡¯t sleep in the same one.

    Something¡¯s not adding up, and I intend on finding out the truth.

    Aria

    I¡¯M GETTING READY for dinner with Mateo¡¯s uncle. Mateo told me to ¡°dress demurely¡± ¨C his words, not mine. A defiant part of me wants to find the raciest dress in my closet and put it on, but I¡¯m afraid of the consequences from defying Mateo, especially when he¡¯s in a bad mood. And he¡¯s been in a terrible mood ever since his uncle arrived.

    As I look through my clothing options, I have so many unanswered questions in my head. Mateo had mentioned before about his parents and sisters being murdered. How did Mateo and his uncle survive an obvious attack on their family? Why is there so much friction between the two of them? And why is his uncle here now?

    Frowning, I pick out a dusty rose A-line scoop neck chiffon cocktail dress and slip it over my head. It¡¯s knee length, and I won¡¯t be showing too much cleavage, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s about as demure as it can get. My makeup and hair are already done, so I just need to find a pair of shoes to match, and I¡¯ll be ready to go downstairs for dinner, which will no doubt prove to be vtile but hopefully insightful.

    I settle on gold,ce-up heels and put them on my feet, carefully crisscrossing the tie-upces up my legs before securing the ends in bows to make sure they stay put.

    I¡¯m tying the final bow when the bedroom door opens and Mateo walks in. He¡¯s dressed in a ck suit with a ck shirt and ck tie. He¡¯s the literal definition of tall, dark and handsome, and I have trouble tearing my eyes away from him. He has a pissed off look on his face; but as soon as his eyes find me, his entire demeanor changes.

    I watch his Adam¡¯s apple bob in his throat as he swallows hard. His dark eyes scorch my skin as he stares intently, looking me up and down and taking in every single detail. ¡°What are you wearing?¡± he asks, his voice suddenly turning dangerous.

    ¡°What? You told me to dress demurely,¡± I say, dragging out thest word and mimicking him. ¡°This is about as modest as I can get.¡±

    His eyes drift down to my feet. ¡°You look like a pretty package begging to be unwrapped.¡±

    I stare down at my heels. ¡°Do you have a foot fetish or something?¡± I ask him with a cocked brow.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t before tonight.¡± He rubs his thumb across his bottom lip. ¡°Seeing any part of you tied up does strange things to me, Aria,¡± he confesses.

    The thought of him tying me up and taking what he wants causes my thighs to clench together. Oh my god, why does that turn me on? It definitely should not.

    ¡°Stand by the edge of the bed and bend over,¡± he demands as he slips his belt out of the loops.

    Thinking I¡¯m about to get the beating of my life, I put my hands up in protest. ¡°No, please, Mateo. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±

    He stares at me and then down to his belt before he tosses it to the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you, corazon. I¡¯m going to give you pleasure, and then I¡¯m going to fuck you.¡±

    ¡°B-but dinner,¡± I protest weakly, stammering as every nerve ending in my body lights up from his dirty words.

    ¡°Fuck dinner. We¡¯ll bete.¡± He stalks across the room over to me. Swiftly, he grabs my arm, twists me around and pushes my chest down on the bed. I¡¯m dizzy from the sudden movement, not even realizing what¡¯s happening until the skirt of my dress is lifted up, and I feel a rush of cool air against my backside.

    I squirm under his palm on my back that¡¯s pressing me into the mattress. ¡°Mateo,¡± I breathe out. I know I gave him my virginity, but I wasn¡¯t nning on having sex with him so soon after ¨C or ever again, if I had it my way. I need time to think. I need time to somehow get away from him; not give myself to him again.

    But then he drops to his knees behind me, pulls my thong to the side; and the moment his tongue finds my clit,mon sense flies right out of my thoughts. I moan, loudly, all rational thoughts and prior protests dying in my throat as he licks me into oblivion.

    ¡°I¡¯m fucking addicted to you, mi pequena cautiva,¡± he breathes against my sex.

    ¡°Oh god,¡± I sob against the bed, my hands fisting the sheets as his tongue flicks over my clit in torturous circles. His mouth is sinful, creating pleasure that should be considered illegal. I never knew something could ever feel so good.

    My thighs begin to quake with my pending orgasm, but then his tongue suddenly disappears, abruptly stopping my pleasure-filled ride. I then feel him teasing my entrance with one of his fingers, dipping it into my wet channel and fucking me slowly. All too soon he adds another thick digit,pletely filling me, stretching me. His fingers curl and stroke the front wall of my pussy, and I unashamedly grind against his hand, wanting more, needing more.

    He withdraws his fingers, and then his mouth is back on my center. His talented tongueps furiously between my legs, and I cry out as pleasure begins to wash over me, my core tightening to the point of it almost being painful. I¡¯m so close toing, but then he stops again, making me cry out from the sudden loss. He keeps taking me to the edge but is forcing me to stay there, not letting me topple over, and it¡¯s frustrating the hell out of me.

    ¡°I want you toe on my cock. Do you want that too, corazon?¡± Mateo asks, his voice strained.

    I bite my lip and nod emphatically against the mattress. My mind is screaming no, but my body¡­my body wants him and everything he¡¯s going to give me. It¡¯s almost like I crave his touch and the pleasure only he can give me so much so that I¡¯m like an addict looking for their next hit.

    ¡°Tell me you want my cock. Tell me you want me inside of you.¡± When I don¡¯t answer him, he grips my hair, wrapping it around his fist and twisting my neck back to pull my mouth to his. ¡°Tell me, Aria,¡± he orders roughly, his breath on my lips.

    ¡°Yes, please. Please fuck me, Mateo,¡± I shamefully beg. I can¡¯t deny him anything when I¡¯m this needy, and I hate that and love it all at the same time. It feels like I¡¯m constantly being torn in two ¨C my sanity and dignity on one side and my libido and irrationality on the other. And it seems like thetter is always winning the fight.

    My words seem to please him, and he ces a rough kiss on my mouth before releasing me. ¡°That¡¯s my good girl,¡± he rasps. And then I feel his cock notched at my entrance. A surge of heat rushes to my core in anticipation of what¡¯s toe. I know this is wrong, but I need him. The bliss he gives me takes me to another ce; one where I¡¯m not his captive and he¡¯s not my captor. One where I¡¯m not being held against my will with the possibility of never going home. In this subliminal ce, all of the bad things seem to disappear until there is only mindless pleasure.

    He enters me slowly, stretching me to the point of it being painful. I groan out loud as my body attempts to adjust to his thick, hard cock.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a good girl for me, Aria,¡± he praises me as he drives his steel length inside of me. ¡°You took all of me before. You will take me again.¡±

    My wetness coats him, allowing him to ease inside until he finally reaches the hilt; and we both moan in unison when he reaches that point. I feel full. So damn full.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he says, rocking in and out of me. ¡°Your greedy cunt is gripping me so tightly,¡± he growls. ¡°Doesn¡¯t want to let me go.¡±

    His fingers reach under me and find my clit. Thebined sensations have him bringing me to the brink once more. My thighs begin to quake right before he pulls his hand away and stills behind me. This time, I groan out loud in frustration, and that earns me a deep chuckle.

    ¡°So impatient, mi pequena cautiva,¡± he says. Then, I feel his fingers prodding at my lips. ¡°Make them wet for me, Aria,¡± hemands.

    I suck on his fingers, moaning around them as he begins to fuck me again. He pulls his hand away from my mouth after a minute, and then I feel pressure at my back hole. Instantly, my body locks up, and I attempt to crawl away from him. But Mateo pushes his hand firmly down on my back, holding me down, not allowing me to escape. ¡°Don¡¯t fight me, Aria. I promise it will feel good.¡± And then he whispers, ¡°Just trust me.¡±

    I whimper as he touches the tight ring of muscle between my cheeks, and then I feel an intense amount of pressure as he pushes one of his fingers inside of me to the first knuckle. A tortured cry escapes my lips as I fist the sheets.

    ¡°Touch yourself for me, corazon,¡± he demands as he continues to drive his cock into me.

    My hand snakes under me until I find my aching clit. I rub the swollen little nub, moaning from all the different sensations. I feel like my brain is short-circuiting, trying to keep up with everything I¡¯m feeling simultaneously. My clit throbs as I rub it, my pussy and ass are stretched and full. Every muscle inside of me is clenching with desire until it all bes too much.

    ¡°That¡¯s it. Feel me, Aria. All of me,¡± Mateo growls.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    His thick cock pumps in and out of me, my pussy clenching around him as my orgasm unfolds in a rush. I sob into the sheets as I suddenly let go, allowing the liquid pleasure to flood my veins and devour me from the inside out.

    My name is a rough exhale on his lips as Mateo pulls his finger out of my ass, grasps my hips and begins to fuck me deep and hard. His cock ms into me again and again, hitting that sweet spot inside of me, and I can feel my channel spasming as I suddenly shatter around him with no warning.

    Crying out, I copse onto the bed, no longer able to hold myself up. Mateo continues to fuck me until hees with a shout, gripping my hips and holding me tightly against him. ¡°Fuck,¡± he groans. His hips flex onest time, and I feel every spasm of his cock as he releases into me.

    Iy there, unmoving, trying to catch my breath as he nts kisses up my spine. That was¡­incredible. Just like the first time but better. How is that even possible? If it keeps getting better, I¡¯ll never be able to tell him no. I¡¯ll never be able to resist him¡­or his monster cock and talented tongue.

    Mateo slowly pulls out of me as I groan in frustration, hiding my face with my hands.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, corazon?¡± he asks as he fixes my thong and my dress.

    I part two of my fingers, staring out at him in the space between. And just seeing his heavy, long cock hanging between his powerful thighs and the way it glistens with ourbined juices has me squeezing my eyes shut.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I lie. And then I confess, ¡°Everything.¡± Sighing, I stand up, my legs feeling like jelly.

    ¡°Well, while you decide, we¡¯rete for dinner,¡± he tells me while pulling up his pants. He nces at his watch and then says, ¡°Veryte actually.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Scowling, I walk past him and towards the bathroom.

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± he asks me, and it feels like a loaded question.

    I turn, facing him. ¡°To the bathroom to clean up,¡± I exin even though it should be obvious.

    Mateo shakes his head and closes the distance between us in a few strides. ¡°No, Aria. I want you to wear my cum inside of you to dinner,¡± he orders, his voice low and deep.

    I open my mouth to protest, but he puts a finger under my chin and forces my mouth shut. ¡°Do this for me, Aria.¡± And then he says, ¡°Please,¡± and I can see the intense fire behind his dark eyes.

    I want to ask him why, but I don¡¯t. Instead, I simply re at him and make my way out the door on shaky legs, cursing him and his cock internally the whole way downstairs.

 129

    Aria

    AS I WALK towards the dining room, I can feel Mateo¡¯s release coating my thong and thighs, and I squirm ufortably. This is such a bad idea, but it¡¯s toote to turn back now. I don¡¯t know why I gave in to him. There was just something in his eyes and the way he begged that made me surrender. I¡¯m sure Mateo has never begged for anything in his entire life. And once again, it gave me a sense of power over him.

    Mateo catches up with me, guiding me into the room. And when we enter, I see his uncle and some of the staff milling about. Paranoia instantly hits me, and I suddenly worry that everyone knows. Knows what we just did. And maybe they can even smell his cum between my legs. Embarrassed¡­and a little aroused by that fact, I can feel the heat of a blush coating my chest and making its way up to my ears.

    ¡°It¡¯s about damn time,¡± Domingo says, his words slurring. I see a myriad of empty sses in front of him at the table. ¡°I drank your most expensive whiskey. Hope you don¡¯t mind, but I was getting bored.¡±

    Mateo shes him a grin, but I can see the shadows flickering in his eyes. ¡°You could have started dinner without us,¡± Mateo suggests as he pulls out a chair for me.

    ¡°Bah, I wanted to wait,¡± Domingo says with a shrug.

    I watch as Mateo rounds the table and sits opposite of me. His uncle is seated at the head of the table, and I don¡¯t like the fact that he¡¯s basically in between us. The man gives off a creepy vibe. I felt it the first time I met him.

    Domingo turns to one of the staff members and says, ¡°You may serve us now.¡±

    The staff get to work, rushing back to the kitchen and bringing out our meals ¨C juicy steaks with rice and grilled vegetables.

    We¡¯re just beginning to eat when Domingo asks, ¡°So, is this the woman who was on the ne?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    My eyes dart to Mateo, and I can see him tense up in response to the question. He takes a sip of red wine before he answers with, ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯ve been with Mateo for a while now. Interesting,¡± Domingo says with a vigorous nod as he cuts into his steak. ¡°Has Mateo told you about his family yet?¡±

    This gets a bigger reaction from Mateo. I watch as his hands curl into fists on the table. His eyes shoot invisible daggers at his uncle before he turns his gaze to me. ¡°Aria knows that they¡¯re dead,¡± he says.

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything about your past other than that, though, does she?¡± Domingo says, looking towards me with amusementcing his features.

    ¡°You¡¯re drunk,¡± Mateo says, dismissing his uncle with a wave of his hand.

    ¡°Did you not tell her what happened, Mateo?¡± Domingo starts. Instead of letting Mateo answer, he just continues. ¡°Mateo was just a boy. They left him alive,¡± he says, taking a swig of liquor. And then he adds, ¡°Well, barely. They whipped and beat him within an inch of his life.¡± He looks in his nephew¡¯s direction. ¡°Do you still bear the scars from that night?¡±

    Mateo¡¯s eyes flicker to mine for a split second. I remember feeling the scars on his back that he¡¯s tried to cover up with numerous tattoos.

    Domingo continues. ¡°Did you not tell your new, little whore about what they did to you? What they did to our family?¡± he asks, raising his voice.

    Mateo ms his hands down on the table, causing me to jump. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± he shouts. I¡¯ve never seen him this angry before, and it¡¯s scaring me.

    ¡°No, I think she should know. She should know that your mother and sisters were beaten and raped in front of your eyes while they executed your father and cousins!¡±

    The room grows still and quiet, the silence stretching on until it eventually sharpens to a sharp point. The tension is so intense and thick that I¡¯m afraid to even breathe or move.

    ¡°Get the fuck out of my house,¡± Mateo finally says in a low growl.

    Domingo chuckles sinisterly. ¡°I¡¯m the only family he has left. And see how he treats me?¡±

    ¡°I said get the fuck out!¡± Mateo roars. ¡°You cane back when you¡¯ve sobered up.¡±

    I watch as Domingo stands and stumbles out of the room. And then the room grows quiet once more.

    I stare across the table at Mateo, who is seething, his shoulders rising and falling with every ragged breath. Tears fill my eyes when I think about what he endured as a child. To witness his family being brutally murdered. To see his mother and sisters beaten and raped. A lot of what he told me when we first met makes sense now. He told me he would never rape a woman. That¡¯s why he never took anything from me, and why he¡¯s always making me say out loud what I want before he takes anything. He doesn¡¯t want to be like those men. Although he¡¯s not a good man, he¡¯s not evil like them.

    ¡°Mateo,¡± I whisper, my voice wavering with soul-breaking disbelief.

    Mateo raises a hand to stop me. And then he orders roughly, ¡°Come here.¡±

    I slowly get up and walk over to his side of the table. When he finally meets my eyes and sees the tears in them, his face morphs into anger. Before I can even blink, he stands, grabs me and bends me over the table. ¡°I will not have you pitying me like some pathetic creature,¡± he growls into my ear as he lifts the back of my dress. I hear his belt whooshing through the loops as he pulls it free. And even though I¡¯m trying to mentally prepare for what happens next, I simply can¡¯t¡­until the first blow hits me.

    I scream as sudden, intense pain blooms over my backside. I fight to get away, but Mateo pins me down to the table with his free hand. He strikes me over and over again with his belt while I squirm, trying to escape. Each hit is like fire licking at my skin.

    After a while, I begin to realize that the more I fight, the harder he hits me. So, I decide to do the opposite. I force myself to rx and just take it. I rest my cheek against the table and silently cry, my tears soaking into the linen tablecloth as the fight inside of me slowly dies. I know he needs this right now, as fucked up as that is. I also know deep down his anger doesn¡¯t reside with me; however, he¡¯s taking it out on me. It¡¯s not fair. But nothing has been fair ever since I arrived here.

    Mateo is panting by the time he¡¯s done, and I hear his belt tter to the floor beside my feet. I¡¯m a blubbering mess when he leans down and whispers raggedly into my ear, ¡°I need you, Aria.¡±

    I feel him gripping the material of my thong before he rips it with his hands, the shreds falling down my legs. The air hits my wetness, and I hide my face against the table in mortification. How am I turned on by all of this? I must be sick. Sicker than he is.

    Mateo runs his finger along my seam and groans in approval. ¡°I think you like the pain as much as the pleasure,¡± he says in awe. And then I feel his cock notched at my wet entrance. He enters me roughly, filling me to the hilt without hesitation. I cry out in anguish when he presses against my sore ass and then moan in pleasure when he begins to move inside of me.

    I curse my body when I feel my inner walls clenching around his thick cock. He knows what I need more than I do myself, and it infuriates me. I¡¯ve never known this type of pleasure before, and I hate to admit it, but it¡¯s addicting. When we¡¯re in these moments together, I forget about everything else in the world and just focus on the copious amounts of pleasure he ultimately gives me. I now know what an addict must feel when they get the perfect high. I¡¯m taken to a ce where all the bad things are suddenly forgotten, and all I can focus on are the good things about to happen.

    Mateo pistons his hips, fucking me so hard against the table that it moves half an inch every time he pounds into me.

    One of the staff suddenly walks into the room, and we both look up to see him at the same time. The young man¡¯s brown eyes widen as he takes in the sight before him. ¡°Perdoname,¡± the server says quickly.

    Mateo holds up a hand when he tries to leave. And then, he leans down to my ear and whispers, ¡°Should I have him stay and watch as I fuck your tight, little pussy?¡± before he punctuates the question with a flex of his hips.

    A violent shudder runs through me at the idea of someone watching us, but I ultimately shake my head. ¡°Please, Mateo,¡± I beg.

    He shouts something in Spanish to the man, and the server takes off running from the room. Mateo pulls his cock almost the whole way out of me before ramming himself in to the hilt again, causing me to cry out. ¡°I felt your pussy clench around my cock when I asked the question, corazon. I think you were turned on by the idea.¡± He fucks me nice and slow then. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t¡­share,¡± he says, enunciating each word with a pump of his hips. ¡°I will never share you with another man, but I would love to see the jealousy in his eyes while he watches me fuck you.¡±

    My hands fist the tablecloth, and I squeeze my eyes shut, telling myself to not give in to him. But my body betrays me once again. I begin to tremble uncontrobly as a wave of emotion hits me all at once. My orgasm crashes over me like a tsunami, and I sob through it.

    Mateo rolls his hips, grinding his pelvis against my clit and prolonging my pleasure. Desperate hands dig into my soft flesh as he fucks me, chasing his own release.

    Suddenly, he pulls out of me, and I feel ropes of hisending on my bruised ass and thighs. The room is quiet then except for our ragged breaths as wee down from our highs and the realization of what just happened dawns on both of us.

    I expect Mateo to apologize or take me into his arms andfort me. But instead, he leans down and whispers against my ear, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Aria. You fucking loved every second of it. There¡¯s nothing wrong with enjoying the pleasure¡­. and the pain.¡±

    And then he walks out of the room, leaving me there, bent over the table with his release coating my sore, bruised ass and a myriad of emotions flooding my veins.

 130

    Mateo

    ARIA COMES TO bed not long after I do that night. I watch her closely and grow angry when she refuses to meet my gaze even once. She¡¯s mad at me. But, hell, I¡¯d be mad at me too. I lost my temper with her earlier. When my uncle opened his fucking mouth about my past, spilling my secrets, it pissed me off. But when I saw the look of pity in Aria¡¯s face, well, let¡¯s just say the rage inside of me overtook my emotions. I don¡¯t want her fucking pity. I don¡¯t want anyone to feel sorry for me. But least of all, her.

    She changes in the bathroom andes out wearing what looks like a silk blouse and matching shorts. I don¡¯t even have it in me to remind her that I want her wearing one of my shirts to bed. She can wear whatever she wants tonight. But just for tonight.

    With a pained whimper, she climbs into bed andys down on her stomach as far away from me as she can.

    Reaching for a special numbing cream on the nightstand that I used on her whip marks, I get up on my knees and go to her.

    She immediately tenses up when I reach for the waistband of her shorts. ¡°Please, no,¡± she begs with fear flooding her voice.

    She thinks I¡¯m going to take her again. And while I would love to do just that, I know I went too far tonight. ¡°I¡¯m going to put some cream on you,¡± I exin. ¡°It will help with the pain.¡±

    When she visibly rxes, I pull down her shorts. Her plump ass is covered with my belt marks, and just the sight of them has my cock roaring to life. She looks so damn sexy with my marks on her, but I force myself to settle down and focus on the task at hand.

    After scooping some of the cream out of the container and into my hands, I begin to gently rub it into her backside. At first, she flinches with every movement, but eventually she just learns to ept my touch.

    This reminds me of when I was taking care of her after she was whipped, and a deep frown tugs at my lips. I didn¡¯t want her to be in pain like that ever again and just look at what I did to her tonight.

    I fucked up. Royally.

    ¡°I should have taken my anger out on my uncle,¡± I tell her by way of apology. I¡¯m new to this shit. Apologizing for my actions. I¡¯ve never had to ount for any of my fuckups before. I¡¯ve always either fought or killed my way through them as a solution.

    Aria doesn¡¯t answer me. I suspect she¡¯ll be mad at me for a while. And why does that thought upset me? I never cared before who liked me or who hated me. But I suddenly care what she thinks? I want her to like me?

    I shake my head. She shouldn¡¯t like me. Just look at what she¡¯s endured since she arrived here. I¡¯d hate me if I were her.

    And the brutal realization of that hits me like a massive tidal wave, threatening to drown me altogether. She¡¯s just trying to survive in my world here. And she¡¯s been such a brave girl in doing so. Hell, she tried to kill me the first night here. And if our roles were reversed, I would have tried the same damn thing.

    It¡¯s toote to take back what I¡¯ve done. And I know I¡¯ll inevitably fuck up in the future with her. It¡¯s not like I can just change overnight. What I can do, though, is try. I can try for her. Try to be a better man, someone she can learn to care for. And maybe, someday, I could learn to care for her too. I¡¯ve already killed for her. That was the easy part. I¡¯d do it a thousand times over. I¡¯d kill anyone who tried to hurt her or so much as looked at her the wrong way. But the idea of falling for her scares the ever-living hell out of me.

    When I hear Aria¡¯s soft snores, I realize that I put her to sleep with my soothing touch. That makes the future of our rtionship seem possible. As long as there is some gentle aftercare, she can perhaps handle everything I give to her. And there is so much more I want to do to my little captive.

    I rub the rest of the lotion in as gently as I can before pulling up her shorts. Then, I cover her with a sheet andy beside her, watching her sleep for a while before I eventually drift off.

    Aria

    I WAKE UP the next morning alone and confused. I barely remember falling asleepst night. Mateo¡¯s soothing touch on my bottom somehow caused me to slip into a peaceful slumber. God, I¡¯m so messed up. He beat me with his belt, but I ended up craving his touch afterwards. I seriously think I¡¯m losing my mind here. And the longer I stay, the worse it will no doubt get.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    After I take a shower and get dressed, I debate whether I even want to go downstairs and face him. My stomach chooses that moment to grumble loudly, though, reminding me that I can¡¯t stay in this room forever and starve to death.

    Sighing, I make my way downstairs and to the kitchen. When I grow closer, I can hear loud, boisterous voices andughter. But as soon as I enter the room, all the chatter seems to die. Mateo is surrounded by a group of his men on the far side of the kitchen.

    Feeling his burning stare on me, I nce in his direction, barely acknowledging him before I grab some food from the center ind and turn to leave.

    ¡°Aria,¡± I hear his deep voice call for me.

    I stop and squeeze my eyes shut, hoping that somehow I can disappear or that he¡¯ll just miraculously forget that I¡¯m here.

    ¡°Aria,¡± he calls again, forcing me to acknowledge him.

    Slowly, I turn, and it takes every ounce of strength inside of me to meet his gaze. He looks brutally handsome in a ck three-piece suit with dark stubble lining his strong jaw, and somehow that pisses me off even more. It¡¯s not fair to be that beautiful, especially when I¡¯m mad at him.

    ¡°Come,¡± he demands, moving his index and middle fingers in ae-hither motion.

    I glower at him. ¡°I¡¯m not a dog,¡± I spit out.

    His men around him sit in shocked silence, and then they burst out inughter. Mateo smirks and says something in Spanish to them, causing them tough even harder.

    Fuming, I stalk out of the room, not giving a care in the world. But when I hear the door swinging open behind me, I realize I messed up.

    ¡°Aria!¡± he calls.

    My steps falter, but then I decide to act like I don¡¯t hear him. Maybe he¡¯ll just go back to his cohorts and leave me the hell alone.

    In a few strides, he¡¯s on me, grabbing my shirt in his fist, spinning me around and pinning me against the wall. My breakfast falls to the floor, and I stare at it longingly. And then I raise my head and re at him. ¡°Hey, I was going to eat that!¡± I say furiously.

    ¡°Are you hungry, corazon? I doubt if you even know what true hunger is,¡± he says, seething.

    I can tell in his expression and in his dark chocte eyes that he does. Tearing my gaze from his, I stare at the wall beyond us, ignoring him. Look what my pity for him got mest time. I¡¯m not falling for that again.

    He grips my hips in hisrge hands and then he leans down, his mouth at my ear when he whispers, ¡°Are you always such a brat when you¡¯re hungry?¡±

    My hands curl into fists at my sides, and I defiantly raise my gaze to his. ¡°No. I¡¯m always like this after someone beats me with their belt!¡± I snap.

    My words have their desired effect because he visibly flinches. ¡°Aria,¡± he starts. ¡°Last night was¡­wrong,¡± he confesses, shocking me. His fingers slowly drift down my hips and around to my backside. He gently touches me there, and I wince. His dark eyes study my reaction, and he frowns. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aria. I won¡¯t ever do that again out of anger. Do you understand?¡±

    I carefully dissect his words. ¡°You won¡¯t do it again out of anger, or you won¡¯t ever do it again?¡± I question him.

    ¡°I must confess,¡± he starts, his mouth so close that I can feel the heat of his breath against my skin. ¡°You were so very wet after I took my belt to you. I swear I can still feel your tight cunt pulsing around my cock.¡±

    I shudder and let out a small gasp when he ces a kiss to my neck, and I curse my traitorous body. Why do I always seem to melt when he talks dirty to me? I have to stop reacting this way to him, I mentally chide myself.

    He pulls back slightly, his eyes meeting mine. ¡°Go soak in a hot bath. I will bring breakfast to you. And then I¡¯m going to feast on your pussy for hours until you finally forgive me,¡± he says, stepping away and leaving me breathless.

    His threat has me clenching my thighs together, and I hate when I see the knowing glint in his gaze. He already knows my body so well. I¡¯m like an instrument that he has fine-tuned. And he¡¯s the maestro, constantly ying me and knowing exactly which strings to pluck to get the sweetest sounds.

    On unsteady legs, I walk away from him, inwardly cursing at myself for being sopletely and utterly turned on and perhaps the stupidest girl on the right now.

 131

    Aria

    ¡°AGAIN,¡± MATEO DEMANDS.

    ¡°Please! No!¡± I cry out, shaking my head vehemently. I feel like I¡¯ve been wrung dry of every sensation and any sane thought I¡¯ve ever had in my entire life.

    I took a bath earlier, just like Mateo asked me to. And he did bring me breakfast, which I ate with a smile on my face. But after the bath, when I walked into the bedroom, he was waiting for me.

    He didn¡¯t even give me a chance to protest. He simply threw me on the bed and dove between my thighs, the exact same spot he¡¯s been for what feels like hours now.

    ¡°I¡­can¡¯t,¡± I say, struggling to catch my breath.

    ¡°You can. And you will. Come for me again, Aria,¡± he demands before sucking my swollen and extremely sensitive clit into his mouth.

    ¡°Oh god!¡± I scream as I feel the buildup fast approaching deep inside my belly.

    ¡°Yes, I am. I¡¯m your fucking god,¡± he says right before I shatter around his mouth for what feels like the hundredth time since I got out of the bathtub.

    I shudder violently, my entire body quaking with the mind-numbing release. I can¡¯t even form a single coherent thought or sentence ¨C hell, not even a single word at this moment.

    Mateo keeps softly licking me until Ie down from the high. ¡°Do you forgive me, Aria?¡± he asks before cing a kiss to my mound.

    Even though I¡¯ve denied his forgiveness since he first began, now I¡¯m ready to concede. It¡¯s either that or perhaps die from too much pleasure. I swear it feels like my heart is going to give out any second. It¡¯s beating a terrible rhythm inside of my chest. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! I forgive you!¡± I practically scream.

    His tongue teases my slit, and my back bows off the bed. I¡¯m so sensitive down there now. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please! Fuck!¡± I cry out.

    ¡°Mmm, I love when you curse. It sounds so filthying from your mouth.¡± He ces a kiss on my thigh and then climbs off the bed. He slips out of his suit jacket and shirt. And then he unzips his dress pants, allowing them to fall to the floor along with his boxers. I watch in awe as his erection bobs to his stomach. He looks impossibly hard and long and so thick.

    ¡°See something you like?¡± he asks with a knowing grin as he grips his cock with hisrge hand and begins stroking his length.

    I swear something in my brain short-circuited with all of those orgasms, because all I¡¯m capable of doing is lying there and staring at him, watching him like some sort of creep.

    ¡°Have you ever sucked a cock before, Aria?¡± he asks me.

    My eyes meet his as I shake my head no. Mateo hums in satisfaction as his eyes flutter closed for a moment. When he opens them again, there is a fire burning behind their dark depths. ¡°I would love to fuck that virgin mouth of yours too,¡± hements.

    He¡¯s not demanding I suck his cock. He¡¯s giving me a choice. I could easily tell him no. I could simply sit here and watch him get off.

    But I only lie there for a few moments before I crawl over to him like a lost puppy. I suddenly want to feel him inside my mouth. I want to give him the same mind-blowing pleasure he¡¯s been giving me for hours.

    He continues to stroke his cock as I lick my lips, staring at him. ¡°Tell me you want to suck my cock, Aria,¡± he demands.

    ¡°I want to suck your cock.¡±

    He closes his eyes for a moment as if he¡¯s savoring my words. ¡°Fuck. You¡¯re such a dirty girl.¡±

    Tentatively, my tongue darts out of my mouth. And when I lick around his perfect, thick crown, Mateo releases an unintelligible curse. His hand grasps the back of my skull, his fingers spearing through my long hair. I lick down the length, the vein on the underside of his hard cock throbbing against my wet tongue.

    Mateo¡¯s hand tightens in my hair. ¡°Open your mouth, Aria,¡± hemands, his voice rough and deep.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    I do as he says.

    He clicks his tongue in disapproval. ¡°Gonna have to open it wider than that, corazon.¡±

    I open as wide as I can, and then Mateo gently feeds his cock into my mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use your teeth,¡± he says in warning.

    I wrap my lips around my teeth as I take as much of his length into my mouth as I can, which isn¡¯t much.

    His hips flex as he fucks my mouth slowly, groaning loudly. ¡°Yes, such a good girl,¡± he praises me. A muscle jumps along his clenched jaw as he stares down at me. He guides his cock in and out of my mouth, controlling the depth and speed. A few times he hits the back of my throat, causing me to gag and my eyes to water. Saliva instantly pools in my mouth, coating his cock and allowing him easier ess.

    His thumb brushes away a stray tear from my cheek. ¡°Look at me, Aria,¡± he orders roughly. When my gaze meets his, he tells me, ¡°You look so pretty with my cock stuffed in your mouth.¡±

    His tattooed arm flexes as his grip on my hair tightens. He¡¯s losing control, his hips pistoning erratically as he slides himself between my lips. I ce the palms of my hands on his muscr thighs, and they tremble under my touch as he groans loudly.

    ¡°Yes, Aria. Please,¡± he raggedly whispers.

    It feels good to have him begging me for pleasure for once. And having this powerful man pleading for something only I can give him makes me feel powerful.

    ¡°I¡¯m going toe in your mouth,¡± he warns before the salty taste of his release hits my tongue. He groans deeply, gutturally. ¡°Swallow me,¡± he demands as he slowly fucks my mouth.

    I swallow quickly, and he hums in approval. And when he pulls his cock out of my mouth, my tongue darts out to lick up every single drop as thest of my sanity flies right out the window. In that moment, I feel like I¡¯ve been fractured into two different people ¨C the old Aria and this new Aria, whom I don¡¯t even recognize anymore.

    Mateo bends down, and then his mouth descends on mine. His tongue delves into my mouth, tasting me, tasting himself, possessing me, iming me. And when he finally pulls back, his dark eyes are filled with an emotion I can¡¯t decipher. Something is changing between us. I can feel it, and I know he feels it too. This is a dangerous, losing game the two of us are ying, and I can only hope that I survive in the end.

 132

    Aria

    LATE THAT NIGHT a strange noise startles me awake. I try to remember the dream or nightmare that the sound must havee from; however, I can¡¯t remember a thing. But when I hear moaninging from beside me, I realize I didn¡¯t wake up because of a bad dream.

    I nce over at Mateo as he stirs. I can barely make out his features in the dim lighting from the cracked door of the bathroom, but I see that his eyes are screwed shut and realize he must be in the midst of a nightmare. He groans softly, his face twisting in pain as he fights imaginary demons in his mind.

    Sitting up on my knees beside him, I watch and wait. I don¡¯t know what to do. Should I let him fight through it, or should I try to wake him? When a tortured soundes from the back of his throat, I make a decision. ¡°Mateo?¡± I call out. I gently ce my hand on his chest, and it only takes me a split second to realize I made a horrible mistake.

    Before I can even blink, my entire world is turned upside down as he flips me onto my back and tackles me onto the mattress. His hand is wrapped around my throat, and his dark eyes bore into me as he pants and growls like a feral animal on top of me.

    ¡°Mateo,¡± I gasp as I struggle to breathe.

    It takes a few seconds, but his eyes finally clear and he quickly pulls his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aria,¡± he apologizes before sitting on the edge of the bed. Themp by the bed turns on, and he scrubs his hands down his face while muttering something in Spanish that I can¡¯t understand.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I tell him.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    He draws in a rough breath between his teeth before slowly releasing it. ¡°It was just a nightmare,¡± he says out loud, but I think he¡¯s trying to convince himself rather than exining it to me.

    ¡°What was your dream about?¡± I ask.

    Several long minutes of silence stretch between us. And just when I think he¡¯s not going to answer me, he finally says, ¡°Mi familia.¡±

    ¡°Your family?¡± I ask.

    He nods.

    I don¡¯t know what possesses me, but I find myself saying, ¡°Tell me about them. Before everything that happened. I want to hear what they were like before.¡± Even though Mateo and I don¡¯t have a conventional rtionship, by any means, it still would be nice to know about his past and where he came from.

    ¡°My father was born in Colombia. He met my mother while visiting America.¡± He reaches up and touches a strand of my hair. ¡°She was Italian, like you.¡± He drops the lock and continues on. ¡°They fell in love and got married within a week of meeting.¡±

    ¡°Wow. That was fast,¡± Iment in awe.

    ¡°They knew the moment they met that they were destined to be together. Fate had brought them together for a reason.¡±

    His words sink in slowly, giving me goosebumps. Did fate bring Mateo and I together? I guess, in a way, it did. But I can¡¯t dwell on that when I¡¯m still under lock and key with no real promise of being able to leave or going home anytime soon.

    ¡°Nine monthster, my oldest sister Isabe was born. A couple of yearster, Gabri came into the world. And then me, their only boy. We all thought my parents were done having kids after me. And then Lucita was born. We all called her Little Lucy. She was the youngest. Only eight years old when she¡­when they¡­¡± His voice trails off, and I reach over to squeeze his hand.

    ¡°So, you lived in Colombia or America?¡± I ask in an attempt to change the subject.

    ¡°We lived everywhere. Colombia, Portugal, America, Rome, Athens. My father¡¯s business took us to a lot of ces. We traveled the world.¡±

    That exins why he speaks multiplenguages so well and why he has a lighter ent than everyone I¡¯ve met, including his uncle.

    ¡°What brought you to Mexico?¡± I question.

    ¡°After my family was¡­gone, I had to run. My uncle had his own business set up in California, and he suggested that I hide in Mexico. We had no idea who sent the hit out on my family,¡± he exins. Then, he pauses for a beat and says, ¡°We still don¡¯t.¡±

    That sends a shiver up my spine. After all these years, Mateo has never gotten his revenge for his family. I¡¯m sure that weighs on him every day of his life. No wonder he still has nightmares about it. I can¡¯t even imagine how that feels.

    ¡°I lived on the streets from the time I was eleven until I was a teen,¡± he goes on to say. ¡°Then I began working for a Bolivian drug cartel, making my way through the ranks. I met Cristobal Espinoza soon after, and he helped me to fund what you see now,¡± he says, waving his hand.

    ¡°Your uncle should have taken you in. He should have protected you,¡± I say angrily. It¡¯s not fair that he was an eleven-year-old boy fending for himself on the streets while his uncle stayed happy and healthy in his fortress in California.

    ¡°Probably. But maybe it was my destiny. Maybe all of that happened and led me to this point. If my uncle had taken me in and babied me, I wouldn¡¯t have developed the work ethic I have now. I also wouldn¡¯t have the empire I have now,¡± he concedes.

    I sit beside him on the edge of the bed, and he turns to me. ¡°I don¡¯t like your uncle,¡± I confess in a hushed whisper.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so fond of him myself,¡± he says with a harshugh. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever told my uncle about what happened that day. And even he doesn¡¯t know all the details.¡±

    ¡°If you ever need to talk about it, Mateo, I¡¯m here to listen,¡± I tell him gently. I rest my hand on his arm, and his muscles flex under my touch.

    He nods a few times, and I think he¡¯s going to dismiss me, shut me out like he normally does. But instead, he says, ¡°The day started like any other normal day. We were living in Colombia at the time. Had only been there for a few months. My father was dealing with a lot of new cartel bosses, so we always had our guard up, but we thought we were safe.¡± His voice is thick with overwhelming emotion as he speaks. ¡°They murdered my fatherst. They wanted him to watch everything that was happening to his family and carry that over into the afterlife to make his soul suffer the burden.¡± He spears his fingers into his thick, dark hair. ¡°My mother and sisters were beaten and raped. I was held down, forced to watch. I could see and hear everything.¡±

    ¡°And you were eleven years old?¡± I ask, my voice just above a whisper.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he breathes out. ¡°I was weak. I couldn¡¯t fight back.¡±

    ¡°You were just a boy.¡±

    ¡°I should have done something. I should have helped them somehow!¡± he says, his voice raising an octave.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Mateo,¡± I tell him, trying to calm him down. I stand up and straddle hisp, cupping his face in my hands. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± I say again, more forcefully this time.

    His hands grasp my hips and hold fast. ¡°They beat and whipped me until I was unconscious. Left me for dead.¡±

    ¡°But you survived.¡±

    ¡°I survived. But my soul and my humanity were gone,¡± he admits. His hands grip me tighter. ¡°That¡¯s why I never wanted to grow attached to you, Aria. You would only be too much of a liability in my fucked-up world. People will always try to get to me through you. This life is not something I would wish on my worst enemy.¡± He pulls me closer, his mouth only an inch away from mine, as he stares into my eyes. ¡°If I were a good man, I would have set you free a long time ago, mi pequena cautiva.¡± Then he confesses, ¡°But now it¡¯s toote. I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±

    His words should scare me. They should make me run, screaming from the room in terror. But instead, they calm me.

    I press my lips against his in a soul-searing kiss as he crushes me against him, holding on to me like I¡¯m his only salvation. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to me, to him, to us, but it¡¯s toote to turn back the hands of time. Even though none of this makes sense and we don¡¯t make sense, I can¡¯t help how I feel. When we¡¯re together, we share this inexplicable bond that I never want to break.

    Maybe this is what fate had nned for me all along. Maybe Mateo is my destiny. Only time will tell. But I know one thing is for sure ¨C I think I¡¯m falling for my captor.

 133

    Mateo

    A FEW DAYSter, my uncle calls to apologize. He¡¯s already back in his secure stronghold in California, not wanting to stir the pot any more so than what he did down here in Mexico. Even though I¡¯m still upset with him, I can forgive him¡­to an extent. Whether I like it or not, he¡¯s the only family I have left. And if my parents taught me anything, it¡¯s that you always forgive family. Even when they fuck up.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°It¡¯s in the past,¡± I tell him through the receiver, lying through my fucking teeth as I roll my lucky coin across my knuckles. Domingo¡¯s behavior ultimately led to my outburst, which in turn caused me to hurt Aria. If I had to do it all over again, I would have taken my anger out on his face.

    ¡°Good, good,¡± he says. A pause, and then, ¡°And what happened to your friend after I left?¡±

    I grind my jaw. ¡°Nothing,¡± I growl out. He doesn¡¯t need to know my business, especially not when ites to Aria.

    Domingo chuckles darkly on the other end of the line. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a fucking second, nephew.¡± He whistles low and long. ¡°She is quite the beauty. Honestly, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen.¡±

    I sit up straighter in my chair, gripping my coin in my hand and squeezing it tight. His words are pissing me off. ¡°Your point?¡± I prompt through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Many men will try to take her from you. Keep her close,¡± he warns, but it almost sounds like a threat.

    ¡°I intend to do just that,¡± I inform him. Just the thought of someone trying to take Aria from me has my inner beast roaring to life. In the short time we¡¯ve been together, she has grown to be the most important person in my world. A man looking in her direction would easily lose his eyes. And I would kill anyone forying a hand on her. I¡¯ve already proven that level of possessiveness with the number of bodies that have been piling up around her. First, with Thiago, then Constantine, and finally with Damion. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t be thest men I have to kill because of my little captive, but I¡¯m notining. I would kill a thousand men if it meant keeping her safe.

    It¡¯s funny how this is exactly what I didn¡¯t want to happen when I acquired Aria. I didn¡¯t want this level ofmitment or insane jealousy. But, let¡¯s face it, my sanity train derailed a long fucking time ago. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to protect her. She is mine. And I pity any poor soul who would ever try to get between us.

    After some boring chitchat about business, I finally end the phone call with my uncle. Relieved to be done with him and his bullshit apologies, I tuck my coin into my pocket. And then I delve back into my favorite pastime ¨C creeping on Aria¡¯s social media.

    I¡¯m on her Instagram profile, looking through her photos and trying to see if there are any newments alluding to any updates about her or any recent searches that have been conducted, when I notice something up at the top of the screen. Aria¡¯s birthday is tomorrow. I doubt if she even realizes that. Probably doesn¡¯t even know what month we¡¯re in now. It¡¯s not like I allow her ess to a phone or aputer, and I don¡¯t have any archaic calendars hanging around.

    I realize I want to make her day special here even if she won¡¯t feel like celebrating. I¡¯m sure the whole thing will make her miss her family and friends even more, but I don¡¯t care. I can¡¯t just let her first birthday with me go by without doing something.

    Wanting an idea on what to buy her, I nce through her photos until one catches my eye. I recognize the heels right away. They were the same ones she wore at the auction and the night out at the club. I remember her telling me they were a gift from her mother, and sure enough, the caption of the photo rings true. They obviously hold a spot in her heart since she stuffed them in the back of the closet and refused to throw them out.

    Leaving my office, I go to our bedroom where Aria is quietly sleeping in my bed. I fucked her until the wee hours of the morning, not being able to quench my thirst for her, and I doubt if she¡¯ll be awake for another few hours. I should probably feel bad for putting her into sexas every day, but I don¡¯t. Her body was made for sinning, and I¡¯d dly and willingly follow my little temptress straight into hades time and time again.

    Searching the closet, I discover the pair of Louboutin heels. They are scuffed badly with one of the heels cracked almost to the point of falling off. I can remember her stumbling around in them at the club. No wonder she almost fell getting out of the car that night.

    Feeling inspired, I carry them back to my office and call Ignacio. When he walks in a few minutester, I tell him, ¡°I want you to take these to the city and see if anyone can restore them.¡±

    His brow creases as he stares at the heels like he¡¯s trying to figure out a puzzle, but he smartly decides to keep his opinions to himself. Instead, he asks, ¡°Can I take Flora?¡±

    I roll my eyes and wave my hand, dismissing him. ¡°Yeah, sure. Just don¡¯t let your fucking her get in the way of what I want you to have done today. I need them finished by tomorrow morning. Pay extra if you have to.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± he agrees before taking the shoes with a confused look on his face.

    He¡¯s probably wondering why the hell I want a pair of heels repaired, but I don¡¯t have time to exin. I have a birthday party I need to prepare for.

 134

    Aria

    WHEN I WAKE up, I notice the bed is empty, but there¡¯s a note resting on Mateo¡¯s pillow. I read the masculine script over and over again, trying to make sense of it. He wants me to stay in the room until hees to get meter this evening and also to look nice for something special he has nned.

    I set the note down, wondering what the ¡°something special¡± could possibly be. Yesterday, Mateo let me sleep most of the day away while he was holed up in his office, acting all secretive and shit. Something is definitely going on, but I have no idea what he¡¯s up to. Not like he would even tell me. He obviously wants this to be some sort of a surprise.

    I spend most of the day racking my brain and trying to figure it out, but then ultimately give up and end up distracting myself from the thing that shall not be named by soaking in the wfoot bathtub for hours until my fingers turn pruney. After I¡¯m done, I dry off, do my hair and makeup and go to the closet to pick out an outfit. I end up settling on a cute, navy blue eyelet embroidered patchwork shirtdress with a belt. Iplete the look with a pair of strappy heels and pop some red lipstick on my lips before patiently waiting. Since I don¡¯t have a clock, time has no real sense here. I could be waiting for ten minutes or a half an hour and not really be able to tell the difference unless I count the seconds down inside my head.

    Eventually, though, the door opens, and Mateo steps in, looking debonair in a ck suit with his hair perfectly in ce. Although I love the unruly look he always seems to be rocking when ites to his hair, this put-together style is hot too.

    ¡°You look gorgeous,¡± he tells me, his eyes devouring me.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look so bad yourself,¡± I remark. ¡°So, are we leaving the house for this special asion?¡± I ask, desperately wanting to know what is so unique about today.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re staying home. I have everything ready downstairs.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± My curiosity is piqued. Maybe he nned a dinner party? I just hope it goes better than the one we went to in the past. I guess if I don¡¯t end up being assaulted by a stranger, I¡¯ll call that a win.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Mateo asks, perhaps sensing my difort from my inner thoughts.

    ¡°Nothing. Just wondering what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he says cryptically before reaching out his hand for me to take, which I do. He leads me down the stairs, and the first thing I notice is how many balloons there are. Arches of balloons above all the doorways, balloons covering the floor and helium balloons dancing across the ceiling. ¡°Is it someone¡¯s birthday?¡± I whisper conspiratorially to him right before I see several people jump out from the next room and yell, ¡°SURPRISE!¡±

    Ignacio, Flora, Esmeralda, and most of the staff are standing at the bottom of the stairs looking expectantly up at me. Confused, I nce at Mateo, who has a roguish smile stretched across his handsome face. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday?¡± I question.

    ¡°No,¡± he answers. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡±

    Suddenly, I feel the sensation of dropping down a very steep slope of a rollercoaster. I have trouble breathing as my chest tightens with anxiety. If it¡¯s my birthday, then that means that months have passed. Months without seeing or hearing from my family and friends. Months that have passed with events and parties and special asions that I will never get to experience or relive. Months that I¡¯ve been held captive against my will with no promise to ever be let go.

    I¡¯m barely aware that we¡¯ve made it to the bottom of the steps until Mateo grips my chin in his hand and forces my gaze to his. ¡°Aria, what¡¯s wrong?¡± he insists, confusion and worry thick in his voice.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s wrong?!¡± I mimic him, giggling beforeughing hysterically. Oh god, I think I¡¯m finally losing my mind.

    Mateo turns to Esmeralda and tells her, ¡°Take everyone to the kitchen. We¡¯ll be there shortly.¡±

    Once we¡¯re alone, Mateo grips my arms, shaking me gently. ¡°Talk to me, Aria,¡± he orders.

    ¡°How long?¡± I blurt out.

    ¡°What?¡± he questions.

    ¡°How long have I been here, Mateo? How long?¡± I demand.

    He checks his watch, and then quickly says, ¡°Three months, eleven days, six hours and twenty-eight seconds.¡±

    I¡¯m stunned speechless by his words. He knows down to the very second? ¡°Wait¡­¡± My voice trails off as all of my panicked thoughts are suddenly consumed by one burning question. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    His dark eyes pierce mine as he states, ¡°I keep track of the important things in my life. The things that matter.¡±

    It takes a moment for his words to slowly sink in. Mateo isn¡¯t the kind of person whoes right out and says exactly how he feels. You have to constantly read between the lines when ites to him, but this is the most precise he¡¯s ever been with me.

    I matter to him. I¡¯m important to him. And he knows how long I¡¯ve been here down to the minute and even the second.

    Gripping the stair railing, I take a seat on the first step, needing a minute to calm myself down. I was on the verge of a breakdown with the startling news of how long I¡¯ve been here, but now¡­now I¡¯m just trying to process everything.

    Mateo doesn¡¯t push, doesn¡¯t try to pry into my thoughts. He simply just stands there; aforting force even if I don¡¯t want him to be.

    ¡°I wonder if my family thinks I¡¯m dead,¡± I ponder aloud. I can imagine my mother sick with grief; my father angry beyond words that he hasn¡¯t been able to find me yet. My brother and Renato would definitely be sharing in the rage and guilt. And Selina¡­ Oh, Selina is probably distraught, ming herself for everything. She couldn¡¯t have known about the tracker that Constantine had inserted into her body. Had she known, she would have told someone, and she would have never left the sanctity of our home.

    Mateo is quiet for a beat before he offers, ¡°I can put out word that you¡¯re alive and well, if that would make you feel better.¡±

    My eyes lock onto his, searching his face for any signs of deception. He¡¯s been so against me contacting my family since that phone call where I spilled a lot of information to my brother out of fear. ¡°You would do that?¡± I ask, my voice just above a whisper.

    ¡°For you, yes,¡± he responds.

    Again, I¡¯m reading between the lines with him. I don¡¯t know exactly when I became the woman he cares for instead of the woman he purchased and was forced to take care of. But more importantly, I don¡¯t know when he became the man I want to be with instead of the man I¡¯m trying to run away from.

    ¡°Consider it one of your birthday presents,¡± he offers. And then he reaches around the corner and pulls out a pretty, white box with a bright pink bow. ¡°Along with this.¡±

    Tentatively, I take the box and open it. There¡¯s ayer of matching pink tissue paper, and I carefully pull it back. My eyes widen at the pair of metallic gold Louboutin heels nestled inside. They look exactly like the same shoes I was wearing the night I was kidnapped. The pair of heels that my mom had given to me as a present.

    Slowly, I pull out one of the heels and study it. It looks new, but I suddenly have to know. ¡°Are these¡­?¡± My voice trails off as a lump forms in my throat.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mateo says. ¡°They¡¯re the same ones. I had them restored.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I hold one of the heels to my chest. I know it¡¯s stupid to cry over a pair of shoes, but these were a gift from my mother. Quite possibly thest gift I¡¯ll ever receive from her. I wore them when I thought my life was over. I endured so much with them on my feet, and they made me feel powerful. Unstoppable.

    Mateo could have gone out and bought me something new, something meaningless like a piece of jewelry or brand-new shoes. But instead, he went above and beyond and did something he knew I would love, something I would cherish.

    And now I¡¯m crying for a whole different reason.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Mateo frowns, studying my reaction. ¡°I hope they didn¡¯t fuck them up. I paid a lot of money to -.¡±

    I don¡¯t let him finish his sentence. I set the box down and throw myself into his arms, practically tackling him as my mouth ims his in an intense kiss. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. When he pulls back, his eyes search mine. ¡°Do you like them?¡±

    ¡°I love them,¡± I confess in a rush. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    A smile graces his sexy mouth, and it takes my breath away. Shaking my head, I slowly step away from him and take a deep breath. I went from my lowest low to my highest high in a matter of a few minutes, and I¡¯m still trying to y catch-up. All these new feelings are bombarding me, but I¡¯ll deal with themter when I¡¯m alone and have time to think.

    ¡°So¡­is there cake?¡± I finally ask.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Mateo says, his expression softening. ¡°Esmeralda makes the best chocte cake you¡¯ve ever tasted in your life,¡± he promises.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± I tell him before I let him lead me into the kitchen and to my birthday party that goes well into the night.

 135

    Aria

    MATEO HOLDS TRUE to his word, and he even lets me sit on hisp while he types out an encrypted email, informing his contacts in the United States that I¡¯m alive and well and to put out the word to my family.

    After that¡¯s done, he takes me on the surface of his desk. He fucks me slow with emotion hidden behind every thrust. I think he¡¯s scared of losing me. And honestly, I¡¯m scared of losing him too. I know deep down we shouldn¡¯t be doing any of this for a billion different reasons, but I can¡¯t seem to slow down or stop. And maybe I don¡¯t want to.

    Mateo gets a phone call shortly after our lovemaking, and I retreat to our room to take a hot shower. The water feels so good cascading over my sore muscles. It feels like I just did an hourlong cardio session. Sex with Mateo is just like doing a workout, but better. I get toe afterwards. And I don¡¯t remember that happening in my old spin ss.

    Stepping out of the shower, I go to the sink andb out my long hair and brush my teeth. I stare down at my t stomach, studying it in the bathroom mirror with a frown on my face. The thought of getting pregnant with my captor¡¯s child should scare me. The part of my brain with rational thought is definitely terrified, but then there¡¯s a curious part that wonders¡­what if. What if I get pregnant with Mateo¡¯s baby? Would he be a good father? Would he take care of us?Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    I think the answer to thosest two questions would be yes. I think he would be an amazing and extremely protective father. But the thought of having a baby down here in Mexico away from my family and in captivity scares the living hell out of me. The realistic part of my brain overrides all curiosity. And that is why when I emerge from the bathroom and see Mateo, I tell him, ¡°I need to take n B. Do they have that down here?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he simply answers as he goes to the walk-in closet, ignoring me.

    I follow him. ¡°No as in they don¡¯t or¡­?¡± I ask, my voice trailing off.

    ¡°No as in you are not taking it,¡± he says as he begins stuffing clothes into a ck duffle bag.

    ¡°But¡­but what if I get pregnant?¡±

    He turns and looks at me. I can practically hear the gears in his mind working as he looks down at my stomach. I bet he¡¯s imagining me pregnant with his child right now. And I can¡¯t help but wonder what he¡¯s thinking. Self-consciously, I wrap my arms protectively around my naked body; and as if the spell has been broken, he blinks and tears his eyes away.

    ¡°I have to go,¡± he says, dismissing me, as he grabs a few suits on hangers, loading his hands.

    ¡°Mateo, we need to talk about this,¡± I say urgently. ¡°Do you not understand how babies are made?¡± I ask incredulously.

    He stops and pins me with narrowed eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you were,¡± I say exasperatedly, throwing my hands up in the air. ¡°But it¡¯s like you¡¯re not understanding me right now. Maybe I need to get on birth control or something,¡± I spit out, rambling.

    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this after I get home.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I ask, annoyed.

    I don¡¯t expect him to answer me, and I¡¯m amazed when he does. ¡°There was an explosion at one of our warehouses down south. I need to go and make sure everything is all right. Should only take a day or two at the most.¡±

    So, he¡¯s leaving¡­for a day or two? I should feel relieved, but I don¡¯t. I feel quite the opposite. Mateo has never left me alone for that length of time before.

    ¡°Ignacio will watch over you,¡± he assures me, and I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn¡¯t. Ignacio isn¡¯t exactly the friendly type, and we haven¡¯t really gotten along ever since I arrived. I think he feels like I have some kind of powerful ulterior motive when ites to his boss and friend, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth.

    Mateo walks over to me. cing a finger under my chin, he tips my face up to his. And then he leans down and ces a searing hot kiss to my lips, leaving me breathless.

    ¡°Behave yourself while I¡¯m gone,¡± he tells me before he walks out the door, closing it behind him.

    I stare after him in disbelief. My fingertips sweep over my lips, reliving that kiss in my mind for a long time after he leaves.

    Aria

    MATEO¡¯S TRIP TURNS from one day into two, and then from two into three. On the third day, Ignacio lets me know that Mateo ordered him to take me shopping so that I don¡¯t die of boredom. It¡¯s funny how Mateo knew exactly what would cheer me up and make me happy. Even though I¡¯ve been helping Esmeralda in the kitchen and enjoying my time with her ¨C she even taught me how to make concha ¨C I must admit that getting out of the house is exactly what I need.

    We¡¯re in our fifth department store of the day when Ignacio hands me a small, ck flip phone. ¡°It¡¯s Mateo,¡± he exins when I look up at him in confusion.

    I put the phone up to my ear and ask, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Buenos dias, Aria,¡± Mateo¡¯s deep voice answers. ¡°How are you?¡±

    I chew on my bottom lip. It¡¯s so nice to hear his voice. What¡¯s that old saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yeah, well, it¡¯spletely true. I miss him. Way more than I ever thought I would or could. And much more than I should. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I tell him. ¡°How are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been better,¡± he grinds out.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I ask, concerned.

    ¡°Nothing, Aria. I¡¯m just missing a certain little captive of mine.¡±

    His words steal the breath right out of my lungs. Mateo isn¡¯t the type to confess his true feelings, so him admitting that he misses me is a big deal. And I find myself foolishly blushing like a silly, lovesick teenager.

    ¡°How¡¯s the shopping trip?¡± he prompts.

    I sigh deeply and stare across the store at Ignacio and Flora. They¡¯re practically having sex against a shoe rack while nearby employees look on in surprise and horror. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me Ignacio and Flora are, like, a thing,¡± I hiss conspiratorially. I wondered why Ignacio was so adamant about hering along. Now I know.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t exactly call them a thing,¡± Mateo muses. ¡°But they¡¯re definitely fucking.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no shit,¡± I say sarcastically, and that earns me a dark chuckle on the other end of the line. ¡°They can barely keep their hands off each other, so it¡¯s been hard to get any shopping done when I¡¯m trying not to see¡­all of that.¡± I have seen Flora¡¯s boobs and butt cheeks more times than I can count since Ignacio is constantly lifting her skirt or pulling down her shirt and pawing at her like some kind of wild animal.

    There¡¯s silence on the other end of the phone, and I wonder for a moment if Mateo grew tired of myining and simply hung up. But then he says, ¡°I took care of the problem.¡±

    I nce up at Ignacio, who is looking down at his cell phone with a heavy frown on his face. He quickly backs away from Flora, straightens his back and res in my direction. And if looks could kill¡­

    ¡°Yeah, I see that,¡± I tell Mateo, tearing my gaze away from Ignacio, who looks like he wants to strangle me for messing up his ydate with his fuckbuddy. ¡°So, this should be fun,¡± I groan, rolling my eyes.

    ¡°Try to enjoy yourself. I know how much you love shopping.¡±

    I grin. I do love shopping. And I love the fact that he doesn¡¯t care or set limits on my obsession. Several nights ago, I sat on hisp in his office while I shopped for hours online, ordering whatever I wanted. His cock was hard the entire time, and I loved teasing him. And when he finally had enough of the teasing, he took what he needed, fucking me on top of his desk for hours.

    I bite my lip, shaking my head to clear my naughty thoughts.

    ¡°I have to go, Aria,¡± he informs me.

    ¡°Okay. I¡­¡± My voice trails off, but then I decide to suck it up and just tell him how I feel. He¡¯s been gone for three days, and I have an ache in my chest that I don¡¯t think will go away until he returns. ¡°I miss you,¡± I whisper.

    He¡¯s silent for a beat before he eventually says with a contented sigh, ¡°I miss you too, Aria.¡±

    ¡°How much longer?¡± I ask, and even I¡¯m surprised by how needy my voice sounds.

    ¡°Two more days at the most. I promise I¡¯m hurrying.¡± And then he adds, ¡°Have fun spending my money.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I will,¡± I say with a grin.

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl.¡±

    He hangs up, and I immediately miss the sound of his sexy, deep voice. I stare down at the phone, sighing and wondering just what the hell is wrong with me. Mateo and I havee a long way since he first bought me on that ind.

    I don¡¯t know what the future may hold for both of us, but I hope that we can find a way to be together. I just pray that when the timees to make a choice, that it won¡¯t end up in me having to decide between him and my family. Because I¡¯m not sure who I would choose. And that scares me more than anything.

 136

    Mateo

    I GRIT MY teeth as the doctor sews up the gaping wound in my shoulder. I¡¯ve taken a lot of bullets in my lifetime and survived them all. I don¡¯t n on letting this one be any different.

    What started out as an argument overnd for my new warehouses soon turned into a fucking bloodbath with one of the local cartel leaders in Guatem. Needless to say, he shot me first¡­and missed, catching me in the shoulder instead of my head. I returned fire and didn¡¯t miss. And as hey there on the floor with a bullet between his eyes, I almost felt sorry for him. His reign was over. Everything he had been fighting so hard for only moments before was gone in an instant.

    If he had just given me what I wanted, none of the violence would have ensued. Now his men are my men, and his preciousnd is mine as well. Such is the life in the cartel. You die, and the world keeps moving on. The war and violence continue until no one even remembers your name. We¡¯re all ghosts here.

    ¡°Done,¡± the doc tells me.

    I move my shoulder, grimacing. It¡¯s going to hurt like a son of a bitch the next few days, but I¡¯ll live. And through the pain, I grin, knowing just how concerned Aria will be.

    It¡¯s been too damn long since I¡¯ve been inside of my little captive. Blood rushes to my cock as I leave the medical room and go straight to my bedroom, knowing that she¡¯ll be there, waiting for me. My fascination with her has twisted and morphed over the past few months into a full-blown obsession. She is my life now. I live and breathe only for her. And if I were to lose her in some way, I would find a way to leave this earth, because I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear an existence without her.

    When I walk into the room, there she is ¨C my reason for living ¨C lying on her stomach, reading a book with her hair pulled on top of her head in a messy knot. My shirt that she¡¯s wearing is riding up her thighs, exposing the bottom of her ass cheeks. And I have an almost overwhelming urge to sink my teeth into them.

    But when she looks up at me, her eyes widen with shock. ¡°What happened?¡± she asks, her voice trilling with anxiety.

    I can only imagine seeing myself through her eyes right now ¨C shirtless, covered in blood with a freshly sewn wound on my shoulder. I must be quite the fucking sight.

    ¡°I was shot,¡± I exin as my cock presses painfully against the zipper of my pants. Dios mio, Aria has no idea what is about to happen to her. I feel like a beast ready to be unleashed; ready to ravage her until she begs for mercy. When I take a step towards her, Aria gets on her knees and holds her hands up in surrender.

    ¡°Mateo,¡± she whispers, my name dying on her bee-stung lips.

    I stalk over to her and stand at the foot of the bed. ¡°You have been running through my mind for days, mi pequena cautiva.¡± My little captive. And that¡¯s exactly what she is. What she¡¯ll always be, because I will die before I ever set her free.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she softly protests.

    I chuckle darkly at her weak excuses as I tower over her. God, she looks so young and innocent on her knees like this. ¡°Aria, I haven¡¯t seen, touched, licked, or fucked you in five days. Nothing on this earth could stop me or keep me away from you.¡± I grip her chin in my hands and stare into those honey-colored eyes that I¡¯ve been fantasizing about all week. ¡°Tell me you haven¡¯t thought about me at all while I was gone. Tell me you haven¡¯t thought about my mouth between your legs and my cock inside of your wet pussy. Tell me, Aria, and I¡¯ll leave you alone.¡±

    She opens her mouth, but nothinges out but a disgruntled groan. Ah, so my little captive did think about me. Thought naughty things about me too. I wonder if she touched her perfect, pink pussy while thinking those thoughts? Fuck. Just picturing her touching herself makes my cock turn into pure steel.

    ¡°Lose the shirt,¡± Imand forcefully.

    She cocks a brow, and I expect her to argue, but she does what I say. She¡¯spletely naked, having decided to forgo panties as well. I swallow hard. ¡°Fuck, you really were waiting for me toe home today, weren¡¯t you, corazon?¡± I told Ignacio to let her know hours ago that I would be home, wanting her ready for me. But nothing could have prepared her for what is about to happen.

    Aria gives me a shaky nod.

    ¡°Lay down and spread your legs. I want to see what¡¯s mine,¡± I instruct her.

    I can see the apprehension in her gaze, but her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths and her pupils are blown. This is turning her on already. She hesitates but eventually obeys me. I watch with rapt interest as she lies down on her back and slowly spreads her legs. My god, she¡¯s fucking beautiful.

    ¡°Touch my pussy for me,¡± I demand possessively. ¡°I want to watch you.¡±

    Her hand is practically trembling as she skates it over her t stomach and down to her shaved mound. Her pointer finger dips between her folds, and the moment she finds her clit, her mouth opens up into the perfect O.

    My cock throbs inside my pants, begging to be released. Popping open my button, I tug my zipper down and slip out of my restraining clothes. Naked, I kneel on the bed before her, watching as she touches herself.

    Her eyes move to my shoulder and then back to my eyes. ¡°Who¡­who shot you?¡± she asks breathlessly.

    ¡°A rival cartel boss,¡± I exin. ¡°He shot at me first.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill him?¡±

    I cock a brow at her, wondering if this conversation is turning her on or off. ¡°Yes, I killed him,¡± I tell her truthfully.

    ¡°Good,¡± she whispers, her fingers working her clit harder. And then she releases the sweetest fucking moan I¡¯ve ever heard in my life.

    So she is turned on by the violence. Fuck, she¡¯s going to be the death of me. ¡°I need to taste you,¡± I murmur before gripping her ankle and dragging her down the length of the bed closer to me. And then I lift her hips, pulling her sweet pussy to my mouth while I lick, taste, suck, bite and nibble on her. I¡¯ve been craving her taste for days, and I intend on getting my fill of her.

    Her moans turn to whimpers and then screams as I ravage her with my mouth and tongue. There isn¡¯t an inch of her pussy or ass that I leave untouched. Fuck, I¡¯ve missed her body, her scent, her taste. But most of all, I missed her. Even though I enjoy fucking Aria, since it feels like nirvana every single damn time, I missed herpany more than anything while I was gone. I missed the looks she always gives me with what can only be described as the worst poker face in the world. I can always tell what¡¯s going on in that mind of hers with a single look or nce. I missed the way she looks fresh out of a shower with no makeup on and her hair undone. I missed the way she throws invisible daggers in my direction whenever I piss her off and the smile on her face that¡¯s more beautiful than the rising sun.

    When Aria¡¯s thighs begin to shake, I stop my ministrations. I want to feel here around my cock. No, I need to feel it. It¡¯s like a craving that¡¯s so strong I could never fight it. I would never want to. She¡¯s my obsession, a bad fucking habit, and I only want more of her. Damn the consequences.

    I toss her down on the bed, my shoulder throbbing. Fuck, I must have pulled some of the stitches out already. I quickly run my hand over the sore spot; and when I pull away, my palm is covered in fresh blood. Aria watches as I reach down and fist my cock. I expect her to cringe or shy away, but I think even this is turning her on. And now I know that she was made for me.

    I stroke my cock and let out a low growl while she ys with her clit once more. I can tell she¡¯s getting close again by the sounds she¡¯s making. ¡°Don¡¯t you daree, Aria. I want to feel youe on my cock,¡± I demand.

    She slows down her ministrations, practically pouting. She really thought I was going to let her get herself off when I¡¯ve been thinking about her tight little cunt milking my cock for five days straight? I don¡¯t fucking think so.

    Hovering over her, I grip her delicate neck with my bloody hand. I squeeze gently, testing her, loving the feel of her erratic pulse under my thumb. Her eyes grow wide, but she doesn¡¯t try to escape. And when I pull away, the bloody handprint left behind with my unique fingerprints marring her beautiful skin does things to me. I marked her as mine. Only mine. And suddenly, I want to bathe her in my blood. ¡°Hands on the bedframe,¡± I instruct her.

    She slowly raises her arms above her and grips the metal bars. I stare down at her beautiful body. Gripping my cock, I seek her entrance and enter her. She moans loudly as I fully seat myself inside of her wet channel. Her body trembles under me as she works to take all of me. I give her a moment to adjust to me before I¡¯m moving inside of her. I can¡¯t hold back. Not now. I want her too badly.

    My hand wraps around her neck as I stare into her eyes. There are so many things running inside of my mind right now. So many things I want to say to her. But the only thing that actuallyes out of my mouth is, ¡°You¡¯re mine, Aria.¡± Okay, so not really romantic, but I¡¯m not exactly the type.

    I stare down at our connection, watching my cock move in and out of her tight pussy, stretching and filling her to the brim. ¡°Dios mio, that¡¯s so fucking hot,¡± I rasp. Pressing my chest against hers, my blood coats her skin as I flex my hips, fucking her hard. Her hands strain to keep hold of the bars as she moans loudly.

    Her thighs clench and quiver around me, her liquid heat coating my length as I pound into her with vicious, unforgiving thrusts, eliciting the sweetest sounds from her throat. She loves the way I fuck her, and I¡¯m happy to give her what she wants. What she desperately craves.

    We fuck like animals, time having no ce here as my blood coats our skin and the bedsheets. Aria begs me to let here, and I realize this is my new favorite thing. Making her beg for it does something to me. Having control over her has the beast inside me rearing its ugly head. I make her beg until her voice is hoarse and her entire body is trembling uncontrobly. I edge her to the point of no return until finally I demand, ¡°Come for me, Aria.¡±

    A scream tears from her throat as she ultimately lets go, her body sumbing to the unsurmountable buildup of pleasure that I¡¯ve been giving her. Sobs wrack her body as her cunt grips my cock so tightly, I wonder if it will leave behind bruises. Hot tears leak down her cheeks, and I¡¯m quick to lick them away, savoring the salty taste. ¡°Cry for me, Aria. You¡¯re so fucking pretty when you cry,¡± I praise her.

    I bury myself deep inside of her and allow myself to give in to my own bliss. My balls tighten up as the pleasure hits the back of my spine, traveling all the way up my body. I shiver as my orgasm takes over, every nerve ending firing all at once. I roar with my release, flexing my hips and giving her all of me, as I fill her up to the brim with my seed.

    I know it¡¯s risky as hell, especially when she was asking me about birth control before I left for my trip. But when I think about her belly swollen with my child, it unleashes a different kind of beast inside of me. I want to see that. No, I need to see it. I root myself inside of her, staying there, making sure she gets every single drop as her sweet, tight pussy grips me hard, pulling my cum right in.

    Out of breath, I slowly pull out of her and copse onto the bed beside her. I gather her into my arms, her head resting on my heaving chest. ¡°Mine. You¡¯re mine,¡± I murmur. Swallowing hard, I then confess, ¡°And I¡¯m yours.¡±

    She lifts her head and stares at me, an indecipherable expression on her face. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± she agrees.

    A smile graces her lips then, and she suddenly looks ethereal to me. Too beautiful to be real. And I realize in that moment what a lucky bastard I am to have found her in this fucked-up world. Our meeting wasn¡¯t conventional by any means, but we still managed to find each other. Call it fate, call it whatever, but I¡¯m never going to let her go. We belong together. In this life and the next. I¡¯d dly follow her into the afterlife and make her mine all over again until the end of time.

 137

    Mateo

    I GRIT MY teeth as the doctor sews up the gaping wound in my shoulder. I¡¯ve taken a lot of bullets in my lifetime and survived them all. I don¡¯t n on letting this one be any different.

    What started out as an argument overnd for my new warehouses soon turned into a fucking bloodbath with one of the local cartel leaders in Guatem. Needless to say, he shot me first¡­and missed, catching me in the shoulder instead of my head. I returned fire and didn¡¯t miss. And as hey there on the floor with a bullet between his eyes, I almost felt sorry for him. His reign was over. Everything he had been fighting so hard for only moments before was gone in an instant.

    If he had just given me what I wanted, none of the violence would have ensued. Now his men are my men, and his preciousnd is mine as well. Such is the life in the cartel. You die, and the world keeps moving on. The war and violence continue until no one even remembers your name. We¡¯re all ghosts here.

    ¡°Done,¡± the doc tells me.

    I move my shoulder, grimacing. It¡¯s going to hurt like a son of a bitch the next few days, but I¡¯ll live. And through the pain, I grin, knowing just how concerned Aria will be.

    It¡¯s been too damn long since I¡¯ve been inside of my little captive. Blood rushes to my cock as I leave the medical room and go straight to my bedroom, knowing that she¡¯ll be there, waiting for me. My fascination with her has twisted and morphed over the past few months into a full-blown obsession. She is my life now. I live and breathe only for her. And if I were to lose her in some way, I would find a way to leave this earth, because I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear an existence without her.

    When I walk into the room, there she is ¨C my reason for living ¨C lying on her stomach, reading a book with her hair pulled on top of her head in a messy knot. My shirt that she¡¯s wearing is riding up her thighs, exposing the bottom of her ass cheeks. And I have an almost overwhelming urge to sink my teeth into them.

    But when she looks up at me, her eyes widen with shock. ¡°What happened?¡± she asks, her voice trilling with anxiety.

    I can only imagine seeing myself through her eyes right now ¨C shirtless, covered in blood with a freshly sewn wound on my shoulder. I must be quite the fucking sight.

    ¡°I was shot,¡± I exin as my cock presses painfully against the zipper of my pants. Dios mio, Aria has no idea what is about to happen to her. I feel like a beast ready to be unleashed; ready to ravage her until she begs for mercy. When I take a step towards her, Aria gets on her knees and holds her hands up in surrender.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Mateo,¡± she whispers, my name dying on her bee-stung lips.

    I stalk over to her and stand at the foot of the bed. ¡°You have been running through my mind for days, mi pequena cautiva.¡± My little captive. And that¡¯s exactly what she is. What she¡¯ll always be, because I will die before I ever set her free.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± she softly protests.

    I chuckle darkly at her weak excuses as I tower over her. God, she looks so young and innocent on her knees like this. ¡°Aria, I haven¡¯t seen, touched, licked, or fucked you in five days. Nothing on this earth could stop me or keep me away from you.¡± I grip her chin in my hands and stare into those honey-colored eyes that I¡¯ve been fantasizing about all week. ¡°Tell me you haven¡¯t thought about me at all while I was gone. Tell me you haven¡¯t thought about my mouth between your legs and my cock inside of your wet pussy. Tell me, Aria, and I¡¯ll leave you alone.¡±

    She opens her mouth, but nothinges out but a disgruntled groan. Ah, so my little captive did think about me. Thought naughty things about me too. I wonder if she touched her perfect, pink pussy while thinking those thoughts? Fuck. Just picturing her touching herself makes my cock turn into pure steel.

    ¡°Lose the shirt,¡± Imand forcefully.

    She cocks a brow, and I expect her to argue, but she does what I say. She¡¯spletely naked, having decided to forgo panties as well. I swallow hard. ¡°Fuck, you really were waiting for me toe home today, weren¡¯t you, corazon?¡± I told Ignacio to let her know hours ago that I would be home, wanting her ready for me. But nothing could have prepared her for what is about to happen.

    Aria gives me a shaky nod.

    ¡°Lay down and spread your legs. I want to see what¡¯s mine,¡± I instruct her.

    I can see the apprehension in her gaze, but her chest rises and falls with rapid breaths and her pupils are blown. This is turning her on already. She hesitates but eventually obeys me. I watch with rapt interest as she lies down on her back and slowly spreads her legs. My god, she¡¯s fucking beautiful.

    ¡°Touch my pussy for me,¡± I demand possessively. ¡°I want to watch you.¡±

    Her hand is practically trembling as she skates it over her t stomach and down to her shaved mound. Her pointer finger dips between her folds, and the moment she finds her clit, her mouth opens up into the perfect O.

    My cock throbs inside my pants, begging to be released. Popping open my button, I tug my zipper down and slip out of my restraining clothes. Naked, I kneel on the bed before her, watching as she touches herself.

    Her eyes move to my shoulder and then back to my eyes. ¡°Who¡­who shot you?¡± she asks breathlessly.

    ¡°A rival cartel boss,¡± I exin. ¡°He shot at me first.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill him?¡±

    I cock a brow at her, wondering if this conversation is turning her on or off. ¡°Yes, I killed him,¡± I tell her truthfully.

    ¡°Good,¡± she whispers, her fingers working her clit harder. And then she releases the sweetest fucking moan I¡¯ve ever heard in my life.

    So she is turned on by the violence. Fuck, she¡¯s going to be the death of me. ¡°I need to taste you,¡± I murmur before gripping her ankle and dragging her down the length of the bed closer to me. And then I lift her hips, pulling her sweet pussy to my mouth while I lick, taste, suck, bite and nibble on her. I¡¯ve been craving her taste for days, and I intend on getting my fill of her.

    Her moans turn to whimpers and then screams as I ravage her with my mouth and tongue. There isn¡¯t an inch of her pussy or ass that I leave untouched. Fuck, I¡¯ve missed her body, her scent, her taste. But most of all, I missed her. Even though I enjoy fucking Aria, since it feels like nirvana every single damn time, I missed herpany more than anything while I was gone. I missed the looks she always gives me with what can only be described as the worst poker face in the world. I can always tell what¡¯s going on in that mind of hers with a single look or nce. I missed the way she looks fresh out of a shower with no makeup on and her hair undone. I missed the way she throws invisible daggers in my direction whenever I piss her off and the smile on her face that¡¯s more beautiful than the rising sun.

    When Aria¡¯s thighs begin to shake, I stop my ministrations. I want to feel here around my cock. No, I need to feel it. It¡¯s like a craving that¡¯s so strong I could never fight it. I would never want to. She¡¯s my obsession, a bad fucking habit, and I only want more of her. Damn the consequences.

    I toss her down on the bed, my shoulder throbbing. Fuck, I must have pulled some of the stitches out already. I quickly run my hand over the sore spot; and when I pull away, my palm is covered in fresh blood. Aria watches as I reach down and fist my cock. I expect her to cringe or shy away, but I think even this is turning her on. And now I know that she was made for me.

    I stroke my cock and let out a low growl while she ys with her clit once more. I can tell she¡¯s getting close again by the sounds she¡¯s making. ¡°Don¡¯t you daree, Aria. I want to feel youe on my cock,¡± I demand.

    She slows down her ministrations, practically pouting. She really thought I was going to let her get herself off when I¡¯ve been thinking about her tight little cunt milking my cock for five days straight? I don¡¯t fucking think so.

    Hovering over her, I grip her delicate neck with my bloody hand. I squeeze gently, testing her, loving the feel of her erratic pulse under my thumb. Her eyes grow wide, but she doesn¡¯t try to escape. And when I pull away, the bloody handprint left behind with my unique fingerprints marring her beautiful skin does things to me. I marked her as mine. Only mine. And suddenly, I want to bathe her in my blood. ¡°Hands on the bedframe,¡± I instruct her.

    She slowly raises her arms above her and grips the metal bars. I stare down at her beautiful body. Gripping my cock, I seek her entrance and enter her. She moans loudly as I fully seat myself inside of her wet channel. Her body trembles under me as she works to take all of me. I give her a moment to adjust to me before I¡¯m moving inside of her. I can¡¯t hold back. Not now. I want her too badly.

    My hand wraps around her neck as I stare into her eyes. There are so many things running inside of my mind right now. So many things I want to say to her. But the only thing that actuallyes out of my mouth is, ¡°You¡¯re mine, Aria.¡± Okay, so not really romantic, but I¡¯m not exactly the type.

    I stare down at our connection, watching my cock move in and out of her tight pussy, stretching and filling her to the brim. ¡°Dios mio, that¡¯s so fucking hot,¡± I rasp. Pressing my chest against hers, my blood coats her skin as I flex my hips, fucking her hard. Her hands strain to keep hold of the bars as she moans loudly.

    Her thighs clench and quiver around me, her liquid heat coating my length as I pound into her with vicious, unforgiving thrusts, eliciting the sweetest sounds from her throat. She loves the way I fuck her, and I¡¯m happy to give her what she wants. What she desperately craves.

    We fuck like animals, time having no ce here as my blood coats our skin and the bedsheets. Aria begs me to let here, and I realize this is my new favorite thing. Making her beg for it does something to me. Having control over her has the beast inside me rearing its ugly head. I make her beg until her voice is hoarse and her entire body is trembling uncontrobly. I edge her to the point of no return until finally I demand, ¡°Come for me, Aria.¡±

    A scream tears from her throat as she ultimately lets go, her body sumbing to the unsurmountable buildup of pleasure that I¡¯ve been giving her. Sobs wrack her body as her cunt grips my cock so tightly, I wonder if it will leave behind bruises. Hot tears leak down her cheeks, and I¡¯m quick to lick them away, savoring the salty taste. ¡°Cry for me, Aria. You¡¯re so fucking pretty when you cry,¡± I praise her.

    I bury myself deep inside of her and allow myself to give in to my own bliss. My balls tighten up as the pleasure hits the back of my spine, traveling all the way up my body. I shiver as my orgasm takes over, every nerve ending firing all at once. I roar with my release, flexing my hips and giving her all of me, as I fill her up to the brim with my seed.

    I know it¡¯s risky as hell, especially when she was asking me about birth control before I left for my trip. But when I think about her belly swollen with my child, it unleashes a different kind of beast inside of me. I want to see that. No, I need to see it. I root myself inside of her, staying there, making sure she gets every single drop as her sweet, tight pussy grips me hard, pulling my cum right in.

    Out of breath, I slowly pull out of her and copse onto the bed beside her. I gather her into my arms, her head resting on my heaving chest. ¡°Mine. You¡¯re mine,¡± I murmur. Swallowing hard, I then confess, ¡°And I¡¯m yours.¡±

    She lifts her head and stares at me, an indecipherable expression on her face. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± she agrees.

    A smile graces her lips then, and she suddenly looks ethereal to me. Too beautiful to be real. And I realize in that moment what a lucky bastard I am to have found her in this fucked-up world. Our meeting wasn¡¯t conventional by any means, but we still managed to find each other. Call it fate, call it whatever, but I¡¯m never going to let her go. We belong together. In this life and the next. I¡¯d dly follow her into the afterlife and make her mine all over again until the end of time.

 138

    Aria

    THE NEXT MORNING, I wake up to the sound of voices shouting in the hallway outside of the door. I blink, taking in my surroundings; confused at first but then quickly rememberingst night. Mateo and I stayed in a spare bedroom, because his bedroom¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say things got a little messy.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    The voices get louder, drawing my attention, and I can hear Mateo arguing in Spanish with a woman. Covering myself modestly with a sheet, I wrap it around myself and get out of bed. I need to find out what¡¯s going on.

    Just then, the door opens and Mateo peeks in. When he sees that I¡¯m decent, he swings open the door wide and says with a dramatic wave of his hand, ¡°See, I told you. Aria is alive and well.¡±

    Esmeralda peers into the room and sighs dramatically with relief when her eyesnd on me. She makes the sign of the cross against her chest and says something in Spanish while looking up towards the heavens.

    ¡°When Esmeralda changed the bedsheets in our room this morning, she got it in her head that I murdered youst night. You know, because of all the blood,¡± Mateo says with a roguish grin. ¡°She didn¡¯t believe me when I said you were all right.¡± He turns to her. ¡°But now you see that she¡¯s fine.¡±

    Esmeralda res at Mateo before looking at me with a much softer but worried look. ¡°Hungry?¡± she asks.

    I give her an emphatic nod.

    She says something quickly in Spanish to Mateo and then disappears down the hall. Mateo walks into the room and closes the door behind him. ¡°She¡¯s going to make us a big breakfast.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re celebrating the fact that you didn¡¯t murder me in my sleepst night?¡± I ask him sarcastically.

    ¡°Basically,¡± he answers with a chuckle.

    I stare at his shoulder. It looks way better than it didst night with a fresh bandage. ¡°The doctor stitched it back up?¡± I ask.

    He nods. ¡°A few minutes ago. Told me to take it easy this time.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to listen to him?¡± I question with a cocked brow.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± he answers before stalking towards me like a lion would with its prey. He¡¯s the ultimate predator, but I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. He tackles me onto the bed, making me yelp in surprise.

    ¡°Mateo, your shoulder!¡± I protest as he ces kisses down my neck and over my chest.

    ¡°I pay him a lot of money. The bastard can sew it up againter,¡± he says gruffly before he trails his hot, wet mouth down my stomach. And when his tongue sweeps over my slit, all former protests quickly die in my throat.

    Mateo

    AFTER ANOTHER ROMP in the sack and a nice, long, hot shower, we finally made our way down to breakfast. And Esmeralda wasn¡¯t kidding when she said she was making us a big breakfast. The spread is immacte, including all of our favorites and then some.

    We eat, talk andugh over the meal, and for a minute, I forget who I am. Aria always makes me feel¡­normal. Like we could be just a normal couple doing mundane things like having breakfast together without a care in the world.

    But that feeling is short-lived, however, when my cell phone suddenly rings. When I see my uncle¡¯s namee up on the caller ID, I frown. ¡°Give me two minutes,¡± I tell Aria before disappearing outside.

    It¡¯s early afternoon, and the sun is beaming down. It hits me full force as I answer the call. ¡°Domingo.¡±

    ¡°Mateo, how are you this morning?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± I grumble. I hate when he tries to make small talk. He knows I like to get straight to the point and not beat around the fucking bush.

    ¡°There¡¯s a deal here in Cali that needs your attention.¡±

    I swipe my hand down my face and nce back at thepound. I can see Aria through the window, and it hurts my soul to think I have to leave her again so soon. Those five days away from her almost killed me. ¡°Right now?¡± I growl. ¡°I just got home from a trip.¡±

    ¡°It will only be for a few days. Four at most,¡± he says. When I hesitate again, he then adds, ¡°Hell, bring your whore with you, if you want.¡±

    It takes everything in me to not throw my cell phone. Instead, I grip it tightly in my hand until I hear an audible crack. ¡°She¡¯s not a whore. And she¡¯s not involved in our business,¡± I exin.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend you,¡± he says quickly. ¡°Aria can stay at the mansion under guard while we conduct said business,¡± he offers in an attempt to pacify me.

    I pause. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    My uncle chuckles on the other end of the line. ¡°I think we both know you¡¯ve already decided.¡± And then he ends the call.

    When I walk back into the kitchen, I can hear the melodic sound of Aria¡¯sugh as she jokes around with Esmeralda. The thought of leaving her so soon for almost another week tears me up inside.

    Aria¡¯s attention turns to me, and the smile on her face quickly drops. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asks, the little crease between her brows making her look cute and fuckable.

    ¡°My uncle needs me to go to California.¡± And then, without second-guessing my decision, I blurt out, ¡°And I would like for you toe with me.¡±

    Aria¡¯s gaze meets mine in surprise. But I can practically hear the gears turning inside that pretty, little head of hers, as she thinks about what a trip to the States could mean for her. Even after everything we¡¯ve shared and all of our time together, she still wants to go home. Not that I can me her after everything that¡¯s happened and what she¡¯s gone through¡­but the thought of losing her does strange things to me. It feels like a possessive beast deep within me is rising to the surface,tching its long ws into Aria before dragging her into the deep, dark depths of my world, iming her, and refusing to let go.

    She¡¯s mine.

    She¡¯ll always be mine.

    And I¡¯ll never let anyone take her from me.

    ¡°Maybe¡­maybe I could visit my family,¡± she offers, her voice just above a whisper and her eyes so full of optimism.

    ¡°Visit or go home permanently?¡± I ask, barely containing my anger. She would leave me so easily? Never looking back? It¡¯s not like I could simply walk into the front door of her parents¡¯ house and present their daughter, who I¡¯ve been holding captive for the past several months. I would probably be shot dead on the spot. But I¡¯m sure Aria is not thinking about that. She¡¯s only thinking about herself and being reunited with her family.

    ¡°Mateo,¡± she starts, but I don¡¯t let her finish.

    I stand up, fuming. ¡°We¡¯re going to California, but under no circumstances will you see or have any contact with your family,¡± I snap in a heated growl.

    Aria¡¯s face instantly falls, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.

    I leave the kitchen after that, busying myself with work in my office for hours. I try to do anything and everything to distract myself from my little captive, but my thoughts always go back to Aria ¨C her hopeful face when she thought she might be able to see her family ¨C and it guts me all over again.

    I stay away for as long as I physically can before I go to bedte that night. Aria is curled up on her side of the bed in one of my shirts. She¡¯s pretending to sleep, but I can hear the asional sniffle, letting me know that she¡¯s been crying.

    Iy there for a while, telling myself to just go to sleep and notfort her. But my dark heart somehow overtakes my logic, and I find myself reaching for her. I pull her into my arms and hold her as she cries. She misses her family. I understand that more than most people. But I can¡¯t let her go.

    I pull back and stare down at her. Tears fill her eyes, the amber shining like melted honey as she looks up at me. In that moment, she¡¯s the most beautiful creature I¡¯ve ever seen in my life.

    ¡°You know what your tears do to me,¡± I tell her before my mouth crashes down on hers. I kiss her until her whimpers turn into soft moans. And when I slide into her wet channel, I lick away the salty tears on her face and whisper beautiful words to her in my native tongue. I take my time fucking her. She reaches the precipice of orgasm several times before I wean her off, not allowing her to tip over the threshold just yet. I want to savor this moment with her. I want to keep her on the edge until she¡¯s mindless with lust under me. Until I¡¯m the only thought on her mind. Until only the two of us exist in this fucked-up world.

    We fuck slow, like time has no value here in this room. Our lips explore each other¡¯s mouths and necks and chests. I memorize every curve of her body with my hands. She touches my scars, and I let her. Her soft touch and kisses against my rough skin hidden under tattoos feel like nirvana, like she¡¯s somehow healing me from within.

    And when the buildup of pleasure bes almost too much, I stare down at her beautiful face. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re mine, Aria. I need to hear the words,¡± I beg. I¡¯ve never needed something so badly before in my fucking life.

    ¡°I¡¯m yours,¡± she whispers just before a violent shudder rocks her body. And then she¡¯sing, her tiny nails carving crescent moons into my skin as she cries out the sweetest sounds.

    Her pussy milks my cock, squeezing so tightly that I can¡¯t resist any longer and I give in to my orgasm. I chant her name like a benediction as I rock in and out of her slowly, making her take every inch of me until I¡¯mpletely and utterly spent. My head feels like it¡¯s going to split in half from the insane amount of pleasure I just overloaded my body with. My lungs ache as I try to catch my breath as my heart beats like an angry war drum inside of my chest.

    Sex has never felt like this with anyone before. Aria is different. Shepletes me somehow. It¡¯s like I was living in a ck and white world before her, and suddenly my entire life is a myriad of vibrant colors. I can¡¯t remember ever smiling before her, ever having a happy moment before her, ever¡­loving anyone else before her.

    And I do. I love her, more than I ever thought possible. Just the thought of confessing that out loud; however, feels like falling out of a ne without a parachute. Because if she wouldn¡¯t say the words back, if she didn¡¯t confess the same back to me, I would want to do just that ¨C take a header off a tall building without looking back. I couldn¡¯t bear her rejection, and so I gently pull out of her and don¡¯t tell her about a single thought in my fucked-up head.

    Aria cuddles into my arms as wey there infortable silence. And just before she falls asleep, I tell her, ¡°You can call your family when we¡¯re in California. Hell, maybe we can even arrange a video call.¡± My uncle has the technology to make that happen. And if it¡¯s going to make her happy, well then, I¡¯ll fucking do it.

    I can feel her smile against my chest. ¡°Thank you, Mateo,¡± she whispers.

    Kissing the top of her head, I pull her impossibly closer to me. My hands begin to tremble as a horrible thought hits me hard in that moment. This could very well be the beginning of the end for us, but I refuse to let her go without a fight.

 139

    His right hand grabs my breast while his left hand travels under the skirt of my dress. The moment he finds my hot, wet core, I let out a loud moan.

    ¡°I thought you were going to be quiet?¡± he says with a soft chuckle.

    I press my lips shut and whimper when he continues his ministrations. God, he¡¯s so talented with his hands, ying me like a finely tuned instrument only he knows how to control.

    My ass grinds against his erection, and he grunts against my neck. ¡°I was just going to make this about you, but you¡¯re making it very hard for me to concentrate on that, Aria,¡± he says in a dark tone.

    ¡°I need you, Mateo,¡± I beg. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s been going on with metely, but it¡¯s like I can¡¯t get enough of him. This past week I¡¯ve turned into some kind of nympho. Maybe I¡¯m getting my period soon or something and my hormones are all out of whack. And when I add on, ¡°Please,¡± that is his breaking point.

    One second, I¡¯m in hisp; and the next, we¡¯re both standing, and he¡¯s suddenly bending me over the armrest of an aisle seat. He unceremoniously lifts my dress and pulls my thong to the side. I feel his thick head move between my folds, caressing my wet slit, up and down, up and down, teasing me, testing me. I shift my hips backwards, wanting him to enter me, but he simply tsks at me and continues to tease, driving me to the brink of insanity.

    ¡°Look how wet you are for me, Aria. It¡¯s running down your thighs,¡± he says in awe.

    In any other circumstance with any other man, I would probably feel embarrassed or ashamed, but I know that Mateo likes it; that it turns him on.

    He teases me, running his crown up and down the length of my slit until I cry out in frustration. I hear his dark chuckle right before he eases an inch of his dick inside of me. He rocks in and out of me shallowly, causing my nerve endings to fire all at once. I almost orgasm just from that, but he quickly stops moving altogether. ¡°Not yet,¡± he warns.

    Trembling, I grip the seat and hang on for dear life. It¡¯s going to take everything in me not to tumble over that precarious edge, but I know it will be worth it in the end. Every time he makes me wait, the orgasm I experience is a thousand times stronger and mind-blowing.

    He eases another inch inside of me before withdrawing, and I want to scream in frustration. Instead, I bite my lip, not wanting to disappoint Mateo or wake up Ignacio. He continues the torturous rhythm until I¡¯m a panting mess.

    ¡°Please,¡± I plead hoarsely, unable to hold back any longer.

    ¡°Did you ever think you¡¯d be begging for your captor¡¯s dick, Aria?¡± he questions, and his dirty words have my mind spinning.

    ¡°Please, Mateo. Please fuck me,¡± I beg in a whisper-yell.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been such a good girl,¡± he says, gripping my hips in his strong hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you exactly what you¡¯ve been craving. What you¡¯ve been begging for.¡± And then he enters me and doesn¡¯t stop until he reaches the hilt.

    My mouth opens on a silent scream, and I can¡¯t even stop the rush of pleasure that courses through my veins. He fucks me fast and hard, and I ride out the violent orgasm, trying desperately not to cry out. I bite my bottom lip so hard I taste blood. The pleasure is indescribable, just like I knew it would be. I¡¯m a weak, boneless mess by the time I reach the end of the roller coaster ride I was just on when Mateo suddenly demands, ¡°Again.¡±

    I mumble incoherent excuses, feeling too drained, but then I feel his fingertips stroking my throbbing clit, and my body awakens to his magic touch. Tears fill my eyes as the pleasure begins to rapidly build inside of me once more.

    Suddenly, Mateo pulls out of me and returns to his seat. He¡¯s still dressed in his suit, but his pants are undone and pulled down with his boxers over his hips, his huge cock jutting up towards his abs. ¡°Come here, corazon,¡± he tells me, watching me carefully through hooded eyes.

    I walk over to him on unsteady legs, my breathing ragged as I straddle hisp. He grips his cock, lining it up with my entrance before pulling me down onto it, effectively impaling me. My head falls back as a loud groan escapes my throat and my thighs tremble as they clench around him.

    ¡°Ride me, Aria,¡± hemands. And then his free hand grips the back of my neck, forcing me to look at him. ¡°Eyes on me. I want to see youe.¡± His thumb skates over my bloody lip before he sucks the digit into his mouth. ¡°Every part of you tastes like mine,¡± he whispers darkly before capturing my mouth with his.

    His tongue presses up against my lips, demanding ess, which I dly give him. He devours me then as I ride him, my legs quivering and my inner walls gripping him like a vice, not wanting to let go.

    He breaks the kiss, panting as his left hand grips my hip. ¡°You take my dick like such a good little girl,¡± he praises me. ¡°So tight. So wet,¡± he groans. His pupils are blown as he stares into my eyes, and we share this indescribable connection in that moment, neither of us talking, both of us moving as one.

    ¡°I¡­¡± I begin, but the words quickly die in my throat. I want to tell him how I feel, how I really feel, but I¡¯m scared. Terrified of his reaction, of what he might say in return. Most of all, I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t return my affection. We never talk about the future or what is really going on between us, and now isn¡¯t exactly the right time to have this conversation¡­but soon. Soon we¡¯ll have to discuss everything. Right now, I just want to focus on the present and the immeasurable amount of pleasure that he is wringing from my body. Gripping his muscr shoulders, I ride his cock like my life depends on it, and the tension slowly melts away, giving way to new feelings, new emotions.

    ¡°Fuck, Aria,¡± he hisses. His right palm ps my ass before gripping it, hard. ¡°Your body was made for sinning. Made just for me,¡± he tells me before his mouth finds my neck, kissing and biting and licking my heated skin. ¡°I know you¡¯re close. I can tell by the way your pretty, little cunt is gripping my cock. Come for me, mi pequena cautiva.¡±

    His dirty words are my undoing, and I shatter, my orgasm washing over me with violent crescendos. His hand wraps around my throat, forcing me to look into his eyes as Ie. He whispers to me in his native tongue as I detonate around him. My thighs quiver uncontrobly, and I bite my sore lip again so that I don¡¯t scream out.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°Voy a mantenerte para siempre,¡± Mateo groans before he stills under me. He pumps his hips once, twice, three times before shuddering through a powerful orgasm. He pulls me close to him, cradling me against his chest and filling me up with his release.

    We stay like that for a long time in each other¡¯s arms, our heartbeats racing one another, until we finallye down from the high and realize we¡¯re on a ne¡­and we¡¯re not alone. Thankfully, Ignacio is still snoring away in the back of the ne when we part and start fixing our clothes.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go clean up in the bathroom,¡± I say before walking up the aisle. When I pass by Ignacio, he suddenly stirs and wakes, yawning and stretching. I shake my head in amusement. My footsteps woke him up¡­and not the loud fucking that urred just moments earlier.

    ¡°What did I miss?¡± he asks.

    I turn and stare at Mateo as he answers with, ¡°Some, uh, in-flight entertainment.¡±

    Ignacio nces around the ne, curiosity etching his features. ¡°Yeah? Was it any good?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. It was excellent,¡± Mateo tells him before ncing up at me and winking.

 140

    Mateo

    THE PLANE TOUCHES down on U. S. soil without incident. We¡¯re immediately escorted from the tarmac into a private car and are on our way to my uncle¡¯s home within the matter of a few minutes. The drive won¡¯t be long; I¡¯ve made it many times before.

    Aria stares out the window, and she¡¯s practically buzzing with curiosity and nervousness. If Ignacio wasn¡¯t seated across from me, I would pull her into myp and have my way with her again. Even though I was inside of her less than an hour ago, I want her again. I always want her. She¡¯s like a bad habit I just can¡¯t kick, but, fuck, I don¡¯t know that I want to. I could happily be addicted to her for the rest of my life with no regrets.

    When we were fucking earlier, she started to say something. I think I know exactly what she was going to say ¨C the same thing I¡¯ve been longing to say to her, but I don¡¯t know if either one of us is ready for that right now. Maybe when we get home.

    Home?

    Closing my eyes for a moment, I release a steady breath. I haven¡¯t had a ce to call home in a long time, but, yes, I suppose I do consider mypound precisely that now that Aria is part of it.

    Everything I¡¯m feeling with her needs to be put on hold; however, until we¡¯re safely back in Mexico. When I¡¯m at my uncle¡¯s ce, I need to wear my usual, stoic mask and be cautious of my surroundings at all times. It¡¯s even more crucial that I¡¯m on constant guard this time around since Aria is with me.

    Once we reach my uncle¡¯spound and are checked in with security, I lead Aria straight to his office. I want to get the phone call with her family out of the way so that she is not thinking about it when I¡¯m sinking my cock inside of herter. Even though this is a business trip, nothing will stop me from fucking my little captive while she¡¯s here with me.

    Moreover, I don¡¯t want either one of us distracted about the call. I need us both to be focused, alert and on guard at all times.

    I knock on the door to Domingo¡¯s office, and he shouts for us to enter. ¡°Buenas tardes,¡± he says with a huge smile on his face.

    ¡°Buenas tardes.¡±

    ¡°How was the trip?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Good. Best ne ride I¡¯ve ever had,¡± I say, squeezing Aria¡¯s hand gently in my hand.

    I hear her breath hitching in the back of her throat, and I have to cough to mask a chuckle.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°I see,¡± my uncle says, suspiciously eyeing us both. ¡°I had the staff make up your usual room on the second floor,¡± he informs me. ¡°They should be taking your suitcases there now if you want to freshen up before our meetingter,¡± he offers.

    ¡°Actually, there is one thing I wanted to discuss first,¡± I tell him before clearing my throat. ¡°Perhaps you have a secure line we could ce a call or maybe even a video call to Aria¡¯s family on?¡± I inquire.

    He seems flustered by my question. He stalls for a few moments, making a big show of clipping the end off a cigar and lighting it up before answering with a stern, ¡°No.¡±

    Aria shifts ufortably next to me, and I lean towards my uncle with a discerning gaze. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t be long, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about. Two minutes tops. She just wants to let them know that she¡¯s all right.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been having trouble with the satellite lely. I don¡¯t trust it,¡± he says, and I can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s lying or not. I trust my uncle¡­to an extent. But over the years, that trust has been slowly waning. At one point, I trusted him with everything, even my life. But I¡¯m no longer the naive, little boy he found on the brink of death that horrific day.

    ¡°Maybe Ignacio could take a look at it,¡± I press.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming you obtained Aria in not so legal ways since she¡¯s so desperate to contact her family,¡± he presses back. ¡°I already have the FBI breathing down my neck. I don¡¯t need any more reasons for them to investigate mypound.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± I concede, not wanting to further argue on the matter, especially since I can tell the whole conversation is making Aria nervous. I gently squeeze her hand reassuringly. ¡°We¡¯ll go to our room, and I¡¯ll be downter for the meeting,¡± I tell him before leaving the room and taking Aria with me.

    Once we¡¯re in my room on the second floor, I turn to Aria and tell her, ¡°We¡¯ll figure out something when we¡¯re home.¡±

    ¡°Home?¡± she questions. ¡°Oh right. Back in Mexico,¡± she corrects herself.

    Even she¡¯s struggling with the prospect of mypound being our home. Maybe I could build a separate house on thend, a ce for just her and me. It would have to be beautiful, something filled with books and art and all the things she likes, including a huge walk-in closet full of designer clothes. Shaking my head, I almost chide myself for being fucking pussy-whipped, but then I decide I don¡¯t give a single fuck. I would give Aria the entire universe, all the stars and the moon if I could and not regret it for a fucking moment, because I know that she deserves it and so much more.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if your uncle doesn¡¯t want me to call. I understand,¡± she says softly, but I can hear the sadness in her voice.

    Putting my finger under her chin, I force her gaze to mine. ¡°As soon as we¡¯re home, I¡¯ll work something out.¡± The wordes easier to me now. And while that should scare me, it doesn¡¯t. I like considering any ce Aria is in my home.

    Gently, I tuck a strand of her chestnut brown hair behind her ear. A smile graces her lips then, and it causes my cold, dead heart to begin beating again. It beats for her. Only her.

 141

    Mateo

    THE NEXT DAY, Domingo sends Ignacio and I to take care of some business matters. He¡¯s buying some new docks and buildings to support our import and export business side of things. But honestly, it all feels trivial, like busy work. And I don¡¯t like leaving Aria behind, especially with my uncle milling about. I don¡¯t think he would touch Aria, and I would hope he would protect her in my absence. But I still feel something in my gut that¡¯s telling me to be careful. And my gut is never wrong.

    ¡°What the fuck are we even doing here?¡± Ignacio asks, and I can¡¯t say the thought hasn¡¯t crossed my mind several times since we arrived.

    ¡°Not sure. Let¡¯s just get this over with,¡± I tell him before looking over the contract onest time before applying my John Hancock to the bottom.

    The owner made us tour the buildings and docks for hours only to have use in for an early lunch to go over some contracts. My uncle definitely could have handled this, and I can¡¯t seem to find a logical reason as to why he needed us to do it.

    When I get back to his ce, I¡¯m going to question his motives. There must be an underlying reason why he wanted me here, and I know it wasn¡¯t to spend quality time with his nephew. My uncle and I aren¡¯t that type of family. We tolerate each other, at best.

    I push the signed contract across the table towards the owner. ¡°We done here?¡± I grind out.

    He scratches his bald head and asks with a crooked grin, ¡°You in a hurry all of a sudden?¡±

    My palms itch with the need to shoot that fucking grin off of his face. I want to get the hell out of here and go back to thepound. I don¡¯t like knowing that Aria is alone. Even though she¡¯ll be under constant guard while I¡¯m gone, I still worry. I¡¯ll only feel better when she¡¯s in my sight and in my arms.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Ignacio says as he looks down at his cell phone, drawing my attention to him. ¡°Another explosion in one of our warehouses,¡± he informs me.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Que mierda?¡± I mutter under my breath. The timing couldn¡¯t be worse.

    ¡°Suspicious,¡± Ignacio says with a severe look on his face.

    ¡°Very,¡± I agree. I¡¯ve never had an explosion in one of my warehouses since I started my cartel business. And now I¡¯ve had two in the span of a week? Something is not adding up, and it¡¯s making this whole trip feel¡­wrong. ¡°Go back home early. Find out what¡¯s going on,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Aria and I will fly back tomorrow,¡± I exin.

    ¡°Alright. Whatever you say, boss,¡± Ignacio says before packing up his stuff. ¡°Call me if anything happens,¡± he says, giving me a pointed look.

    Even he is feeling like something is amiss, and it makes my anxiety grow. Standing, I button my suit jacket and say goodbye to the owner.

    The drive to my uncle¡¯s ce feels like it takes forever. I¡¯m about two feet in the door when I hear a group of men whispering about a hot woman on the beach. Thinking nothing of it, I keep walking until I hear one of the guards say, ¡°You know, they say the short girls have the deepest pussies. I¡¯d like to find out if that¡¯s true.¡±

    Are they talking about Aria? Curiosity has me going to the window. Hoping, for their sake, that I¡¯m wrong, I look out over the beach. And that¡¯s when I see her.

    Aria is lying on a towel in a bikini that looks like it was made two sizes too small for her body.

    ¡°I bet you a hundred dors I could make that little bitch moan my name in five seconds.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit. Your little dick wouldn¡¯t make that bitch moan,¡± another says with a loudugh.

    ¡°Little? Have you seen the size of my cojones?¡± he jokes.

    ¡°Who cares about the size of your balls?¡± one retorts. ¡°She¡¯s only gonna care about the size of your cock when you¡¯reying the pipe!¡± he calls out.

    The four of them areughing, but all thatughter stops the moment I step into the room. ¡°Something funny, gentlemen?¡± I ask.

    ¡°No, sir,¡± the youngest one says. ¡°We were just talking about the woman on the beach.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes. Funny thing about her.¡± I nce around the room, meeting all of their nervous stares one by one before I tell them, ¡°That¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± Aria and I have never staked im on each other in the sense of putting titles on our rtionship, but she¡¯s the closest thing to a girlfriend I¡¯ve ever had. And I must admit it feels good calling her that.

    After I drop that little bombshell, you could fucking hear a pin drop by how silent the room gets. No more joking. No moreughter. Just nervous nces and clearing of throats.

    If they were my men, I would have killed them all. Fortunately, for them, they don¡¯t work for me. And I can¡¯t go into my uncle¡¯s house and take out his security detail without a better reason than because I wanted to. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t teach them a very valuable lesson.

    ¡°So, which one of you said you could make her moan your name in five seconds?¡± I question.

    One of them steps forward. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Navarro,¡± he spits out. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean -.¡±

    Pulling out my Glock, I shoot him in the shoulder. It¡¯s merely a flesh wound, but it will hurt like hell and teach him some fucking manners.

    The man screams in pain as he cradles his fucked-up arm.

    The rest of the guards stand there in shock with their mouths hanging open as they look upon their now wounded colleague.

    ¡°Now, did anyone else want to talk about my girlfriend out there?¡± I ask.

    They all shake their heads.

    ¡°Good,¡± I say with a wicked grin spreading across my face. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, gentlemen, I have an urgent matter to address.¡± Then, I walk out of the room and make my way towards the beach.

 142

    Aria

    I¡¯M LYING ON the beach just minding my own business when a huge shadow engulfs the sun I was trying to bask in. Squinting, I look up and see Mateo standing above me with a pissed off look on his face.

    ¡°What the fuck are you wearing?¡± he growls.

    Rolling my eyes, I spit out, ¡°A bathing suit.¡± Of course, I knew Mateo would be upset by the tiny bikini, but I¡¯m not letting him ruin my time outside. I haven¡¯t so much as felt the sun on my skin in months since he¡¯s been keeping me under lock and key. This is my one day I get to do something like this, and you better believe I¡¯m going to enjoy it. Consequences be damned. I¡¯ll deal with his wrathter after I¡¯m tan and full of vitamin D that I¡¯ve been desperately deprived of.

    ¡°Where did you get it?¡± he demands.

    ¡°One of the maids let me borrow it.¡± When he doesn¡¯t budge, I sigh. ¡°It¡¯s just a bathing suit, Mateo,¡± I huff. ¡°I am on the beach after all.¡± I¡¯m so close to rolling my eyes at him again, but I refrain at the veryst second because the dark and stony cold look on his face is frightening.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    A muscle jumps along his locked jaw. ¡°Your smart, little mouth is going to get you in trouble, Aria,¡± he warns before running a thumb over his bottom lip, stewing in his anger. ¡°I overheard some of my uncle¡¯s guards talking about you and your choice of bathing suit. I almost scooped out their fucking eyes with a spoon and cut out their tongues.¡±

    ¡°So, why didn¡¯t you?¡± I ask boldly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    I clearly caught him off-guard for once. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you scoop out their eyes and cut out their tongues?¡± I ask. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s killed men for less.

    ¡°Because they aren¡¯t my men. It would be disrespectful to my uncle, taking out some of his top men in his own home.¡± His gaze darkens as he adds with a smirk, ¡°I did shoot one in the shoulder, though. He was bragging about how he thought he could make you moan his name in five seconds.¡±

    I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s telling the truth or not, but then I decide that I don¡¯t want to know. Maybe I¡¯ve just be so ustomed to his violence that it just doesn¡¯t faze me anymore. ¡°Can you move, please?¡± I ask. ¡°You¡¯re blocking the sun that I was enjoying.¡± I lie back down on the towel and close my eyes, effectively shutting him out.

    ¡°Run, Aria,¡± he says in a deep whisper.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask, thinking I must have misheard him somehow.

    ¡°Run. And you better pray I don¡¯t catch you, mi pequena cautiva.¡±

    My eyes snap open, and I stare up at him. He¡¯s serious. Dead serious. I¡¯m about to say something sarcastic, but my fight or flight senses suddenly catch up to my brain. Scrambling to my feet, I take off running down the beach.

    It¡¯s a private beach, and there are no other people down here, but I know Domingo has his men stationed around the perimeter. They¡¯re going to see me running like a crazy woman and stop all of this. Right? Okay, maybe not.

    My legs pump furiously as my feet dig into the sand. I run as hard as I can, but it¡¯s not fast enough. Mateo gains ground on me within the matter of a few seconds, and I can almost feel his breath on my neck.

    Suddenly, he grabs my arm, twists me, and we tumble into the sand together. It reminds me of the first time I ran from him at the airport. I was terrifiedst time, but this time¡­it¡¯s exhrating.

    He flips me onto my stomach and crushes me under his weight. ¡°You¡¯re a psychopath!¡± I scream at the top of my lungs as he grinds his hard dick into the crease of my ass through my bikini bottoms.

    ¡°I¡¯m your psychopath,¡± he tells me with a dark chuckle before he raises his hand and ps my ass cheek. Hard.

    I¡¯m about to yell something else, but suddenly he hauls me up out of the sand. I¡¯m hoisted over his shoulder like a lifeless doll, and then I¡¯m being carried off towards a small surf shack on the end of the beach.

    It¡¯s open on one end, housing surfboards and swimming gear. Mateo pushes me up against the wall, locking my arms behind me, my face grinding against the hard wood as he sinks against my backside. Speaking of hard wood¡­

    ¡°Fuck, you drive me crazy, Aria,¡± Mateo says, grinding against me. My bikini bottoms are pulled down my legs even as I attempt to wrestle against him. ¡°I love when you fight me, corazon.¡±

    I instantly stop fighting just to spite him, and a small bout ofughter erupts from his chest.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be mad at me for wearing a bikini on the beach, Mateo. Do you know how messed up that is?¡± I ask usingly.

    I feel him fumbling with something, and then I feel his cock pressing against the crack of my ass. He runs the velvet steel over my skin, caressing me. ¡°I¡¯m mad because you wore it for others to see. You¡¯re mine, Aria. All mine.¡±

    Keeping my arms locked in onerge hand, his other hand reaches around my hip and teases my clit. I sink my teeth into my lip to stop myself from moaning out loud. I¡¯m not going to give him the satisfaction. His thumb dips into my pussy, and he sucks in a harsh breath. ¡°You¡¯re already wet for me.¡±

    I hang my head in embarrassment. The chase down the beach gave me such a thrill. And the thought of him catching me turned me on. Oh god, I¡¯m so screwed up.

    He fingers me until I¡¯m panting hard. And then his hand suddenly stops. I let out a soft sigh of displeasure, and it makes him chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, corazon. I¡¯ll have you seeing stars soon enough.¡±

    I feel his cock notched at my entrance, and then he enters me, taking me roughly. I cry out from the intrusion as my pussy desperately tries to adjust to his girth. He doesn¡¯t allow me much time before he¡¯s shoving up to the hilt, iming me. Owning me.

    He feels impossibly thick inside me, and I groan as he stretches me, my fingernails digging into the wooden wall as he drives his cock in and out of me in a relentless rhythm.

    My legs begin to tremble, but Mateo clicks his tongue. ¡°Not yet, Aria.¡± And then he pulls out of me and turns me around. Lifting me, he props me up on a narrow bench and drops to his knees. His tongue licks over every inch of my pussy and ass until I¡¯m panting harshly. Clutching fistfuls of his hair, I pull his face closer to my center needing more. Wanting more.

    I feel a finger sink into my wet channel and then another prodding at my back entrance. I gasp from the intrusion as he pushes his fingers deep within me. It doesn¡¯t hurt. It just feels different. But when he adds his tongue to the mix, it feels absolutely mind-blowing.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± I chant. My thighs clench around his head, and I don¡¯t even care if I suffocate him at this point. He deserves it for ruining my beach day.

    ¡°Come for me, Aria,¡± he whispers against my flesh before ttening his tongue against my clit.

    I detonate around his mouth,ing onmand; my body so attuned to him and the pleasure he gives me. I cry out his name as he continues to lick me until I¡¯m a quivering mess in his arms.

    I¡¯m barely aware of him standing until I feel the thick crown of his cock resting against the rim of my puckered hole. I watch in awe as a trail of spit travels from his mouth down to his cock. His dick is so wet from my pussy and his added lubrication that he pushes in the first inch with no resistance.

    ¡°I want to im all of your holes. I want to ruin you for all other men,¡± Mateo grinds out as he presses in slowly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already ruined me for anyone else. I¡¯m yours,¡± I confess, my breath hitching in my throat.

    ¡°And I¡¯m yours,¡± he says before his mouth ims mine. He kisses me then, his tongue delving into my mouth as his cock pushes past the tight rings of muscles in my ass. He takes his time until he¡¯s fully seated and there¡¯s no resistance. ¡°That¡¯s my good girl,¡± he rasps. He gives me a few moments to adjust before he begins fucking me deeply and slowly.

    His fingers travel to my heat, dipping into my wet channel. He curls his fingers, softly stroking against my front wall as his thumb tortures my clit with rhythmic circles. My nails dig into his muscr ass as I pull him closer to me as he rolls his hipszily.

    ¡°Such a good girl,¡± he says against my ear before licking the side of my neck. His mouth ces a kiss against my skin before it¡¯s reced by his hand. He wraps his hand around my neck and gently squeezes.

    Panic instantly sets in, and I try to fight him off. He shushes me, holding me still. ¡°I told you I wanted you to see stars. Do you trust me?¡± he asks, his voice thick with desire.

    I think about it for a moment. Do I trust Mateo? My brain is shouting obscene things at me, because I know I shouldn¡¯t. But my stupid mouth opens and I say, ¡°Yes.¡±

    He drives his hips up into me, fucking me while his hand grips my neck. Every nerve ending in my body lights up as he continues to finger me and rub his thumb against my clit. All of the sensations are driving me crazy with desire.

    Mateo squeezes my neck harder, taking my breath away. ck dots appear in my vision, and I see an explosion of the night sky. He wasn¡¯t kidding about seeing stars. Just when I fear I¡¯m going to ck out, Mateo releases his hold, and I scream as the rush of oxygen hits my lungs and my orgasm ms into my body. I violently spasm around him, and he holds me close to him as he whispers into my ear, ¡°That¡¯s it, Aria. Come all over my cock like a good little girl.¡±

    It¡¯s the most powerful orgasm I¡¯ve ever had in my life, and it feels like it¡¯s going to destroy me from the inside out. I shatter into a million pieces, and I know I¡¯ll never be the same after today.

    Mateo¡¯s fingers tighten on my hips almost to the point of pain as he thrusts into me, chasing his release. I can feel his cock spasming inside of my ass as he growls, mming a hand onto the wood beside us to steady him and filling me up until his release spills out around his thick cock.

    ¡°Fuck, you were made for me,¡± he breathes against my neck.

    We stay in that position for a while, our ragged breathingpeting with the sound of the ocean beyond the shack. Mateo ces a kiss on my bare shoulder before gently pulling out of me. I can feel his cum leaking down my thighs as I shudder from the sudden cold of not having his warmth pressing up against me.

    My brain is trying to process everything that just happened as I stand there, shocked. Tears instantly form in my eyes, and I think all of my emotions are finally catching up with me. My body and mind have been on a rollercoaster in the past half an hour. A sob suddenly escapes from my mouth before I can stop it.

    Mateo¡¯s dark brows draw tight as he reaches for me. He wraps his arms around me, holding me as I cry against his chest. ¡°It¡¯s all right, mi corazon,¡± he whispers as he strokes my back soothingly.

    I¡¯ve never heard him call me that before. Sniffling, I look up at him and ask, ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    He hesitates. And just when I think he¡¯s not going to answer me, he finally says, ¡°My heart.¡±

    I open my mouth to speak, but he shuts me up by sealing his lips over mine. He pours all of his emotions into that kiss. And he doesn¡¯t need to say anything else because that kiss tells me everything I need to know.

 143

    Mateo

    DOMINGO IS WAITING for us when we get back to thepound. Aria and I spent a long time on the beach after our little fuckfest. We even watched the sun set like a normal couple. If someone would have told me even a few months ago that I would be watching sunsets on beaches with a woman I have feelings for, I probably would have shot them for even suggesting such sphemy. I never thought I would be doing these things¡­or feeling the things I am. Aria has changed me. For the better, I suppose. I know now that I wasn¡¯t living before her. I was merely existing.

    She¡¯s still my greatest weakness, but I can¡¯t let her go. The only thing I can do is be even more possessive, keep her close and hope that nothing ever tears us apart.

    Pressing my lips to Aria¡¯s ear, I whisper for her to go upstairs and change. I can¡¯t stand the thought of my uncle ogling her when she¡¯s wearing next to nothing.

    Domingo clears his throat, having trouble wiping the smirk off his face. ¡°My men told me you gave them quite the show this afternoon. They were just disappointed that you fucked her in the shack instead of on the beach. They could only hear her cries and not actually see her.¡±

    ¡°Your men are lucky to be alive,¡± I growl at him. ¡°I overhead them talking about Aria.¡±

    ¡°One of my guards said you shot him in the arm for saying something inappropriate?¡± he prompts, his eyes narrowing. He¡¯s pissed off. With good reason.

    ¡°Just a flesh wound,¡± I say with a small shrug. ¡°I consider it a small inconvenience considering the alternative of being six feet under,¡± I tell him.

    ¡°So possessive of your little prisoner, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Even though his use of the word prisoner irritates me, I guess deep down she is. Would she be free to leave anytime she wanted? No. I wouldn¡¯t be able to let her go. I¡¯m going to keep her for as long as I can and pray to all that is holy that it¡¯s forever. ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± I tell my uncle through clenched teeth.

    ¡°But for how long?¡± he says cryptically. I stare him down, wondering what he means by that, but then a smile appears on his face, and he changes the subject by saying, ¡°Dinner will be served soon. I expect that the two of you will be joining me?¡±

    I give him a nod before I go upstairs to seek out Aria. There¡¯s something off about my uncle, and it¡¯s been continuously sending up red gs in the back of my mind. Ever since his visit down in Mexico, he has been acting differently. It¡¯s making me question¡­well, everything. Even the past. Why he wasn¡¯t at my parents¡¯ estate the day my family was murdered. How he escaped it all unscathed and then conveniently showed up in the aftermath. I can still remember the look on his face when he realized I was still alive while Iid in a pool of my own blood. It wasn¡¯t one of relief. It was almost like he was surprised.

    Moving my neck from side to side until I hear a few satisfying cracks, I push my way into the room. Aria is standing there naked, and she turns quickly, grabbing theforter from the bed to cover her body. When she realizes it¡¯s me, she drops the nket and gives me a shy smile.

    And I don¡¯t know what hits me just then, but it feels like a ton of bricks mming into my body all at once. I realize that I¡¯ve fallen head over heels in love with my little captive. It was gradual, her slowly filtering into my veins, infecting me to the point of no return. And now I know there is no cure for my obsession with her nor do I want one. I will possess her until the end of time and well into the afterlife. I have no doubt of that. She is mine in every sense of the word, and I am hers. Utterly andpletely hers.

    ¡°What did Domingo say?¡± Aria asks as I approach her.

    I ignore her question and press my mouth to hers. ¡°Let¡¯s shower,¡± I breathe against her lips before leading her into the bathroom.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Under the cascade of warm water, I take her gently, fucking her against the tiled wall until she cries out my name. Our lovemakingsts for hours until the water begins to turn cold and her teeth begin to chatter. Even then I don¡¯t want it to end, but I don¡¯t want her to get hypothermia.

    Drying her off with a towel, I realize something has changed. No, everything has changed. I¡¯ve never felt this way about someone before. I know that I would do anything to protect her even if that meant giving my own life in exchange for hers. And if that isn¡¯t love, then I don¡¯t know what is.

    As I stare down at Aria, I can imagine us walking down the aisle. I can imagine her pregnant with my child. I can imagine us growing old together and me carrying her to bed when she¡¯s too tired to walk.

    I never thought about any of those things before Aria. The person I was before her was cold, distant and cut off from the world around him. I only cared about revenge for my family and my empire. This new version of me is capable of loving her, taking care of her, protecting her at all costs.

    ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aria asks me as she stares up at me with those familiar honey-colored eyes that I¡¯ve grown to love. She can perhaps sense the change in me. I¡¯m sure my conflicting emotions are written all over my face.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I lie. ¡°We¡¯rete for dinner,¡± I say instead, hating myself for being too much of a coward to tell her how I really feel.

 144

    Mateo

    ARIA AND I join my uncle in his great dining hall. The room boasts high cathedral ceilings with a ridiculouslyrge and expensive chandelier hanging from the center over a long table that can seat fourteen.

    Domingo stands when we enter, and he holds out a chair for Aria to his left. Grumbling under my breath, I allow him to seat her next to him as I take the chair to his right.

    We¡¯re all dressed casually tonight. My uncle is wearing a tropical print shirt and khakis. Even I decided to forgo a suit and tie and just went with a ck button-up shirt and trousers while Aria is wearing a strapless, sage green sundress that exposes her sun-kissed shoulders.

    I watch closely as Domingo pushes Aria¡¯s chair in once she¡¯s sitting, and I don¡¯t miss the way his hand brushes her bare shoulder before he goes to his own seat.

    My eyes narrow on him before I nce around the room and notice something tantly obvious and perhaps rming. Ever since we first arrived here, Domingo has had guards stationed in every room of his home and almost every fucking inch of his property. It¡¯s been so noticeable and suffocating. But tonight, I barely noticed anyone standing guard.

    ¡°No security detail tonight?¡± I question him.

    He shrugs and waves his hand in nonchnce. ¡°Sometimes even they need a break. Unless you¡¯re nning on something happening tonight during dinner?¡± he throws back at me with a suspicious gaze.

    I stare at him, watching him closely for any sense that something is off, but I see nothing. His face is rxed, his demeanor calm. Sitting back in my chair, I allow myself to loosen up a little, but I¡¯m still not totally convinced. Something is off; I just can¡¯t put my finger on it. I¡¯ve spent almost my entire life having my senses trained to be on high alert at all times. I am always prepared for the worst in all situations. And just because I¡¯m in my uncle¡¯s home and he¡¯s the only person I have left to call family does not mean I willpletely be at ease in hispany. If anything, the fact that he is my only remaining family member makes me even more on edge. And suddenly, I¡¯m wishing I wouldn¡¯t have sent Ignacio back to Mexico early.

    The first course is served promptly, consisting of a mixed green sd and gazpacho. I carefully take a bite of each, and then I, perhaps irrationally, wait to make sure it¡¯s not been tampered with. But I know deep down if I really thought something was wrong with the food, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed Aria to eat hers. Although maybe he would just poison me¡­

    ¡°Not hungry?¡± my uncle asks in between mouthfuls of his sd.

    I shrug my shoulders. ¡°I guess not,¡± I offer.

    He wipes his mouth with a napkin and nods. ¡°Perhaps we can talk then.¡± He gives me a pointed look as he questions, ¡°So, you never did tell me the truth about how Aria magically appeared in your life almost overnight. How did that alle about, if I may ask?¡±

    I cock a brow at him. He wants to bring this up tonight? I can¡¯t help but question his motives behind it. Clearing my throat, I answer him with the partial truth. ¡°A former associate of mine introduced us.¡±

    ¡°So, a blind date?¡± he asks, his eyes shifting back and forth between Aria and me.

    I notice Aria growing ufortable across from me. She doesn¡¯t have to speak or move. I know her body so well now. It¡¯s like we¡¯re connected on some kind of subconscious level. I hate that my uncle insisted we sit on either side of him. I want her by my side, so that I can calm her down. And I know just what would calm my little captive down ¨C making her purr by stroking her soft pussy under the table.

    ¡°Rumor has it you bought her at an auction,¡± my uncle announces, pulling me from my dirty thoughts.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    I re at him, wondering how he could have heard that. ¡°Rumors are simply just that. Rumors,¡± I quip.

    ¡°Aria, perhaps you will tell me the truth about my nephew acquiring you,¡± Domingo urges, turning his attention to her and causing my hackles to rise.

    She stares at him with doe eyes before her gaze darts across the table at me. She doesn¡¯t want to upset me, and I can see the fear in her eyes. Even after all this time she still fears me. And fuck, does that make my cock rock hard.

    ¡°Go ahead, Aria. Tell him the truth,¡± I urge her. I want to hear the origin of our storying out of her pretty, little mouth. And thenter, when we¡¯re alone, if she disappoints me, I¡¯m going to spank the hell out of her ass before I remind her of who she belongs to.

    ¡°We¡­we met at a¡­charity auction,¡± she says, and I can¡¯t help but smile at her little fib.

    ¡°A charity auction,¡± Domingo repeats beforeughter bursts from his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a minute, my dear. The only thing charitable about my nephew here is how many women he has bed in his lifetime.¡±

    I m my fist down on the table, causing the crystal stemware to rattle against the force. ¡°What game are you fucking ying at?¡± I ask him through gritted teeth. Why does he want to know the truth? And why now? That niggling feeling that¡¯s been in the back of my mind ever since I got here is getting bigger and louder like a warning beacon.

    ¡°I just want to know how my nephew came to obtain such a beautiful woman,¡± he says with a soft chuckle, ying it off as if it¡¯s all fun and games.

    ¡°Are you saying I can¡¯t possibly get a beautiful woman? Are you calling me ugly?¡± I ask, my voice full of anger.

    ¡°Of course not. You look like your handsome uncle, after all,¡± he says with a scious grin.

    I grab the wine ss in front of me and stare at the liquid. And when the thought that it might be poisoned crosses my mind, I put it back down without taking a single drop. The hair on my arms stands on end. The only thing I had after my family was murdered was my instinct. I never question it. Something is definitely not right here.

    ¡°Why did you want us toe to California? You were so urgent about it on the phone, but we have barely conducted business since I arrived.¡± I nce across the table at Aria. She shifts slightly in her seat. Perhaps she can sense that something is off as well. She¡¯s so intuitive, my girl.

    I turn and look pointedly at my uncle. ¡°Is this about Aria?¡± Is he nning on trying to take her from me? He¡¯ll have to pry her out of my cold, dead hands first.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to make conversation,¡± he says, dismissing me. ¡°Let¡¯s just enjoy our meal.¡±

    I push my te away, untouched. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± I stand and look to Aria. ¡°We¡¯re going to return to Mexico. Now, in fact,¡± I say.

    ¡°Sit the fuck down, Mateo,¡± Domingo says through gritted teeth. ¡°We are not done here yet.¡±

    I tower over him and stare him down. He doesn¡¯t fucking scare me anymore. When I was a little boy, he was a cruel man, and I feared him greatly. But now, he is nothing but a foot soldier underneath my boot. ¡°Who the fuck do you think you¡¯re talking to? I am head of the familia,¡± I remind him.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m aware of that. Trust me, I think about it every fucking single day of my life. How you managed to survive and take my rightful ce,¡± he scoffs.

    I narrow my eyes at him and wave a hand in his direction. ¡°Enlighten me, Uncle. Tell me again how you also managed to survive unscathed when the rest of my family was brutally raped, tortured, and murdered.¡± For years, I¡¯ve been wanting to know the truth. ¡°I still remember the look in your eyes the moment you realized I was still alive. It wasn¡¯t one of relief. It was one of surprise.¡±

    He res at me. ¡°What are you trying to use me of, Mateo?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not using you of anything. I just want the truth.¡±

    ¡°I was out of town that day,¡± he starts, repeating the same story he has told numerous times over the past fucking decade.

    ¡°Enough! No more lies!¡± I shout. I rarely remember a day when he wasn¡¯t by my father¡¯s side. And then he chose that day to take a business trip. I might have been a naive little boy back then, but he can¡¯t pull the wool over my eyes anymore. mming my fist down on the table before pointing an using finger at him, I demand, ¡°I want the fucking truth!¡±

    ¡°You want the truth?¡± he spits out as he stands, gripping the edge of the table until his knuckles turn white. ¡°That empire should have been mine! Your father didn¡¯t know how to run it! He ran it into the ground is what he did!¡± He¡¯s seething now, and I can see the true hatred in his eyes when he stares at me. Maybe it¡¯s always been there, but I never wanted to see it before now. ¡°Your family deserved to die!¡± he blurts angrily, spittle running down his chin. ¡°The men I paid were told to leave no survivors, but you made it. You survived,¡± he says with a shake of his head in disbelief. ¡°I should have killed you myself back then with my own bare hands, but the doctors were so convinced you wouldn¡¯tst more than a day.¡± He shakes his head with regret. ¡°I should have twisted your little neck until it snapped. Then everything would have been mine, and I wouldn¡¯t have been working for a sniveling little fuck like you all these years!¡±

    His revtions hit me hard, but somehow deep down I think I always knew the truth. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I tell him with a wicked grin. ¡°You should have killed me that day. Because I am going to be your reaper now, Uncle. I am death, knocking on your fucking door!¡± I yell before reaching down and grabbing a small pistol from its holster on my ankle. It¡¯s not my Glock, but a bullet is a fucking bullet. It will still kill him.

    I cock the gun and point it at him. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have told your guards to take the night off,¡± I say with a sneer, relishing the fear in his eyes.

    ¡°Red,¡± he says, and I cock my head as I try to understand what he means.

    Less than five secondster, I realize it was a code word. I hear the metallic cling of the smoke bombs being thrown down the hallway and into the room before they explode. My only thought in that moment is to keep Aria safe as the room begins to fill with thick, gray smoke.

    I mber over the table, managing to find her in the sudden darkness. I grab her hand and pull her tightly to me. I force her to the ground, hoping that the smoke is less dense down there. Her panicked coughing fit has my heart beating in a terrible rhythm. If anything happens to Aria, my uncle will not only die, but I will make sure it¡¯s slow and torturous.

    It takes several minutes for the air to clear enough to see through it. And then that¡¯s when I see the men in ck filing in with rifles raised.

    ¡°FBI!¡± someone announces. ¡°Put your hands up!¡±

    In that moment I realize my worst fear hase true. They will no doubt take Aria away from me forever. They¡¯re going to take my little captive, and there is not a damn thing I can do about it. I will never see her again after this night.

    ¡°Aria,¡± I groan as we slowly stand. I stare into her glittering, honey-colored eyes, memorizing every detail of her beautiful face. I wet my lips, wanting to tell her how much she means to me. How much I love her. But I realize that wouldn¡¯t be very fair, confessing my feelings in a situation like this, giving her no choice in the matter. So, if I can¡¯t say the words, I can at least show her how much she means to me.

    Turning her in my arms, I force her back against my chest, and then I hold the gun in my hand against her temple. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aria,¡± I whisper in her ear.

 145

    Aria

    ¡°I¡¯M SORRY, ARIA,¡± Mateo whispers.

    My entire body trembles at his words. What is he sorry for? He¡¯s sorry because of the situation we¡¯re in, or he¡¯s sorry that he has to kill me now? With the gun poised against my temple, it¡¯s hard to not think thetter.

    No, Mateo would never hurt you, I internally assure myself. Deep down in my gut I know that¡¯s the truth. And so, I rx in his grip, fully trusting him even if I shouldn¡¯t, considering he has a weapon pressed against the side of my head. But I know he¡¯s scared. Scared of so many things right now. Afraid of the FBI taking me away from him. Afraid of losing everything he¡¯s ever worked for.

    Mateo holds me tightly against him, his familiar scent enveloping me. As the smoke dissipatespletely, I stare at therge group of FBI agents, and I can feel Mateo¡¯s muscles flexing. I don¡¯t think either one of us expected this. The front line is dressed in full tactical gear with numerous weapons pointed right at us.

    ¡°Drop the gun!¡± one of the men yells.

    Mateo¡¯s arm tightens around my waist, holding me closer. He keeps the gun trained at my temple, and I close my eyes, focusing on our breathing and our racing heartbeats. The devastating realization slowly dawns on me that there¡¯s no easy way out of this situation. The FBI is going to take me and arrest Mateo. That is the only possible oue here. The only variable is dependent upon whether Mateo cooperates or not. And if he doesn¡¯t, I fear they will shoot him or even kill him.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    As far as the FBI is aware, Mateo kidnapped me and held me captive in a foreign country. While that was true in the very beginning, I eventually became a willing captive. But they don¡¯t know that and probably wouldn¡¯t even believe me if I told them. Any way we try to spin it, none of this looks good for him.

    ¡°Drop your weapon or we¡¯ll shoot!¡± another agent calls out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot!¡± I call out. ¡°We¡¯ll surrender. Please don¡¯t shoot him!¡± I cry. Turning to face Mateo, he slowly lowers the gun, staring down into my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go, but I have to,¡± I exin. Tears stream down my cheeks as he cups my palm, swiping away the rivulets with his thumb.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find you, Aria,¡± he vows.

    I close my eyes, savoring his words. ¡°Promise?¡± I ask, opening my eyes once again.

    His dark gaze burns into mine as he says, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Then, I hear his gun tter to the floor beside us as he drops it. Nothing will stop them from taking me away from him now. And just the thought of being taken from Mateo and never seeing him again has me panicking. I know this is the way it has to be, but I hate it.

    I always wondered what I would do in this kind of situation when I made up this sort of scenario in my head. Would I run away screaming from Mateo, or would I run towards him, never wanting him to let me go? What would I choose?

    And as a set of hands grabs me, hauling me away from Mateo, I know exactly what choice I would make. I would choose him. I will always choose him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± I call out as I watch four FBI agents descend upon him, knocking him to the ground with force. I watch one kick him with his boot, and it sets me off. Fighting against the agent holding me, I scream, ¡°Leave him alone!¡±

    I wrestle with the man who has his arms wrapped around me in a vice grip. I fight him like a wild animal as I have an overwhelming need to get to Mateo, to protect him somehow. ¡°Let me go!¡± I scream. ¡°Let me go!¡± We wrestle, and he suddenly twists me at an awkward angle. I cry out when I feel my shoulder popping out of its socket. The man immediately loosens his grip, and I stand there with my arm dangling by my side, gritting my teeth from the intense pain.

    When I find Mateo¡¯s darkened gaze, I can see the switch being flipped. One moment, he¡¯s calm, epting his fate. And the next, he¡¯s seeing red.

    ¡°Get the fuck off of her!¡± Mateo roars, stalking towards us.

    The agents swarm him then, tackling him down to the ground, and I watch in horror as he fights them. Two of the men fall to the ground with bloody noses and a third is cradling a broken arm. And then Mateo ising for me again, his face bloody, his shirt torn, his visible tattoos flexing as his muscles tense with rage. His steps are determined, his gaze unwavering.

    And that¡¯s when the first shot rings out. It¡¯s almost deafening, and I gasp when I see Mateo jolt from the force of the bullet hitting him. Crimson blooms through the hole in his shirt, and yet he¡¯s still standing. His eyes meet mine, and I can see the resolve inside of them. Gritting his teeth in pain, he steps towards me again. He¡¯s willing to die to get to me, to protect me.

    ¡°No!¡± I scream just as I see another agent raise his gun and shoot.

    This time I see Mateo¡¯s shoulder tearing open from the bullet. He staggers backwards, but doesn¡¯t fall.

    ¡°Mateo, stop!¡± I cry out. ¡°Please!¡± He¡¯s going to get killed trying toe for me.

    But he doesn¡¯t stop. He takes another step, and then another.

    A third shot rings out, and this one causes Mateo to crumble to the ground. He roars like a feral animal, but his gaze never leaves mine. He¡¯s willing to take bullets for me. He¡¯s willing to die for me.

    ¡°Please!¡± I beg him with tears rolling down my face. ¡°Please stop.¡±

    I can see a myriad of emotions in his piercing gaze as he studies my face. He¡¯s probably wondering if I want him to stop because I want to be rescued or if I¡¯m telling him to stop because of my feelings for him. I wish I could tell him it¡¯s because¡­I¡¯m in love with him. Lord help me, but I love him with every part of my heart and soul.

    I finally manage to pull out of the agent¡¯s grip and run to Mateo. He¡¯s broken and bloody, but he manages to grab me and hold me.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asks before drawing in a rough breath between his teeth.

    I don¡¯t know whether tough or cry. He¡¯s been shot three times, and he¡¯s asking if I¡¯m okay? Before I can even answer, I¡¯m suddenly being picked up and dragged away from him. I scream, kick and fight while calling out his name.

    Thest thing I see before I¡¯m taken out the door is Mateo¡¯s eyes slowly rolling into the back of his head before he copses to the floor in a pool of his own blood.

 146

    Aria

    ¡°THIS IS GOING to hurt,¡± Nico tells me before he grips my arm, pulls and effectively pops my shoulder back into ce.

    I cry out before gritting my teeth. It definitely feels better than what it did, but it still throbs painfully. Tenderly, my brother wraps a makeshift sling around my arm as I sit in stunned silence. We¡¯re in a cked-out SUV cruising down the highway at a high rate of speed, trees and houses blurring in my peripheral vision, on our way to the nearest hospital, ording to Nico.

    ¡°We¡¯re just going to get you checked out,¡± he had told me earlier.

    But I know what¡¯s really going to happen there. They¡¯re going run a bunch of tests on me, both physically and mentally. They¡¯re going to think I¡¯m traumatized from being held captive. I saw the look on my brother¡¯s face when I first got in the SUV. He thinks I¡¯m broken, damaged psychologically.

    Maybe I am.

    I¡¯m still trying to process everything that just happened.

    I¡¯m safe. My brother is here with me. I¡¯m free.

    But I don¡¯t feel free. I feel like a thousand-pound weight is sitting on top of my chest, threatening to suffocate me at any given moment. I should be happy. I should be thankful. But I can¡¯t feel any of those things; because every time I close my eyes, I see Mateo lying on the floor of his uncle¡¯s dining room, bleeding and dying.

    My eyes snap open, and a shuddering breath escapes my lungs as I slowlye back to reality. Nico¡¯s brows furrow as he stares at me with a concerned look on his face.

    ¡°Is Mateo okay? Did they call an ambnce for him?¡± I ask, but he refuses to answer, just like the twenty times before when I asked the same exact questions.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re safe, Aria,¡± he says instead. ¡°Everyone has been worried sick about you.¡±

    I stare down at my knotted fingers, anxiety tightening my ribcage. ¡°I missed everybody,¡± I confess. The only downside to being with Mateo was that I couldn¡¯t see or speak to my family. Maybe someday we could have remedied that, but now I¡¯ll never know how or if that would have even worked. ¡°Where¡¯s mom and dad?¡± I ask.

    ¡°They¡¯re waiting at the airport with Selina. After we¡¯re done at the hospital, we¡¯ll all fly back home.¡±

    Home.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    I was supposed to be returning home with Mateo. Tears fill my eyes, and I angrily blink them away. This isn¡¯t fair. I shouldn¡¯t have to choose between my family and the man I love. My hands tremble as I nce over at my brother. He¡¯s the spitting image of our father with dark hair and gray eyes. And they both share the same expressions when they¡¯re upset or worried, like right now. ¡°Nico, you have to understand that when I called you months ago, things were very different then. Everything changed. Mateo and I¡­¡± My voice trails off as I swallow hard past the lump forming in my throat.

    Nico reaches over and ces his hand over mine, squeezing it gently. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s not talk about what happened just yet. Okay?¡± he offers with a kind smile on his face. ¡°I think it might be better for you to speak with a psychiatrist before anyone else.¡±

    He¡¯s been down this road before with his girlfriend. When he rescued Selina from human trafficking, she wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind for a while. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s thinking I¡¯m in the same boat, needing to talk to professionals first.

    Instead of fighting him on it, I stay quiet for the rest of the ride to the hospital. He helps me out of the car. And when we enter through the emergency room entrance, we have to pass through an archway metal detector. When I walk through and it beeps, I stare at the security guard in surprise.

    He doesn¡¯t look impressed; however, sighing heavily before asking, ¡°Do you have anything in your pockets, ma¡¯am?¡±

    Staring down at my sundress, I realize I have two tiny pockets in the front that I didn¡¯t even know were there. ¡°No,¡± I tell him before I reach into one of the pockets. And when my fingers touch the edge of something metal, I gasp. I pull out a coin and stare at it, recognizing it immediately. Mateo¡¯s lucky coin. He must have slipped it into my pocket earlier right before I was taken away from him.

    ¡°What is that?¡± my brother questions, and I can hear the apprehension in his voice.

    ¡°Just a coin,¡± I lie.

    ¡°You have to put it in the basket, ma¡¯am, and walk through again,¡± the guard instructs.

    Reluctantly, I ce the coin in the small, ck, stic bin and then stroll through the archway again. This time, the sensor doesn¡¯t go off.

    As soon as the security guard pushes the bin towards me, I snatch up the coin, holding on to it like a lifeline. It¡¯s the only connection I have to Mateo, and it somehow makes me feel minutely better.

    I¡¯m led to a room shortly thereafter where I sit and wait by myself. Nico wanted toe with me, but I told him it¡¯s probably better if he stayed in the waiting room. My emotions are all over the ce, and I don¡¯t need him seeing me in this current state that I¡¯m in. My mind ispletely obsessed with wondering if Mateo will survive his gunshot wounds. Every time I hear the police scanner going off at the nurses¡¯ desk, I wonder if it will be a call about him. But I don¡¯t hear anything about trauma or gunshot wounds; and eventually, what little hope I had of seeing him here dies inside of me.

    Of course they wouldn¡¯t take my captor to the same hospital. It¡¯s probably protocol or some shit.

    Sighing heavily, I open my palm and stare down at the coin. It¡¯s scratched and worn but still beautiful. Carefully, I run my fingers over the edges. I know Mateo treasured this more than anything, treating it like a talisman; the veryst connection he had with his father. And the fact that he gave it to me makes my chest hurt. He loves me. Even though he never uttered the words, I know he does. Just as much as I love him.

    As I sit there waiting for the doctor, all the dark doubts begin to creep back into my mind.

    What if Mateo doesn¡¯t make it?

    No. I shake that bad thought right out of my head. He¡¯s going to make it. He will make it. He vowed toe find me, and I¡¯m holding him to that promise. Squeezing the coin in my hand, the realization dawns on me as to why Mateo gave me his most treasured possession. It¡¯s because he¡¯s going toe for me as soon as he can.

    While that should scare me, it doesn¡¯t. It gives me hope and fills me with an overwhelming sense of peace.

    I make a silent vow right then and there that I won¡¯t let him go to prison because of me. If I can help his fate in any way whatsoever, I will do just that. And then I¡¯ll figure out a way for us to be together. I refuse to give up on him, because I know he would never, ever give up on me.

 147

    Aria

    I AM HOME. I¡¯m finally home. I should be happy. I should be overjoyed. I should feel blessed beyond measure. But I don¡¯t feel any of those things, because Mateo is not here. He¡¯s in a hospital somewhere, fighting for his life. My father finally updated me after pleading and begging for hours on end. He finally relented and let me know that Mateo is alive but in critical condition.

    I can¡¯t sleep, eat or breathe without thinking about him.

    Staring out the window of my old bedroom, which feels foreign to me now, I sigh deeply. I¡¯m being held against my will by my own family. I haven¡¯t been able to leave my room, let alone the house since I¡¯ve been here. They all think I¡¯m suffering from severe PTSD and Stockholm syndrome, and they¡¯re patiently waiting for me to snap out of it. But what they don¡¯t realize is that there¡¯s nothing to snap out of. I know all of this sounds insane, but I fell in love with my captor. And I won¡¯t be able to rest until I know that Mateo is okay.

    A knock sounds at my door, startling me out of my inner turmoil. ¡°Come in,¡± I call.

    My father walks into the room. He looks worse for wear, his face etched with worry, and I feel awful my family had to go through so much while I was gone. I¡¯m sure the constant concern and not knowing what was happening to me all this time got to everyone, emotionally and mentally.

    Dad stands a few feet away from me, and I realize he¡¯s holding a piece of paper in a vice grip in his hands. He¡¯s wearing a suit, but the tie is undone, and his shirt is wrinkled. His dark hair is disheveled like he¡¯s spent some time running his hands through it. This is so unlike my father¡¯s usual appearance that it¡¯s scary. He¡¯s always so put together and in control.

    I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. ¡°What is that?¡± I ask, although based on my father¡¯s reaction to it, I¡¯m not sure I even want the answer.

    His gray eyes lock on mine before he nces down at the paper, gripping it so hard I swear he¡¯s trying to bleed the ink from the typed words. ¡°Your blood tests came back,¡± my father starts. ¡°Aria¡­¡± His voice trails off, and I¡¯m suddenly anxious.

    God, with the way he¡¯s acting, did I contract some kind of incurable disease or something? ¡°Dad, what is it?¡± I press.

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, Aria.¡±

    I stare at him, blinking rapidly like I¡¯m attempting morse code with my eyes or something. ¡°What?¡± I ask even though I heard him loud and clear.

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant,¡± he says, his voice strained with emotion.

    My eyes drift down to my t stomach. I¡¯m not even showing yet. Haven¡¯t experienced any obvious symptoms. I had no idea¡­

    My father clears his throat and says, ¡°Now, we have a few options here. We can take you to a clinic -.¡±

    I hold up my hand to stop him. ¡°I¡¯m keeping the baby, Dad,¡± I exin vehemently.

    He nods solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s your choice,¡± he says, his voice full of anguish. And then he adds, ¡°I just didn¡¯t know if you would want to keep it.¡±

    ¡°Why would I not want to?¡±

    ¡°Because you think you¡¯re in love with the man who held you captive for months,¡± he exins adamantly.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t think that, Dad.¡± I can see the sense of relief in his face, and I almost hate to burst his bubble with what I¡¯m about to say. ¡°I don¡¯t think I love Mateo. I know that I love him. I fell in love with him.¡± Steeling my spine, I continue with, ¡°Dad, I don¡¯t have Stockholm syndrome or whatever the hell else those people think I do. I¡¯m not delusional or in denial of what happened to me. I¡¯m well aware of how crazy all of this sounds, but I don¡¯t care. My feelings are my feelings, and I won¡¯t pretend that they just don¡¯t exist.¡± I take a few seconds to calm down before I add, ¡°Did you know Mateo was the one who had Constantine Carbone murdered in prison?¡±

    A surprised look is on his face, so I know he wasn¡¯t privy to that information.

    ¡°When Mateo found out Constantine had kidnapped me and hurt me, he put out the word to take Constantine out. He did it for me, Dad.¡± My breathing stutters when I think about all the times Mateo protected me. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only thing he did for me. He kept me safe. He always kept me safe.¡± No one has let me tell my side of the story yet, and it feels freeing being able to tell them something good about Mateo.

    My father takes a few minutes to absorb my words. Clearing his throat, he says, ¡°You do realize Mateo¡¯s going to prison for the rest of his life.¡±

    My head protests with a vicious throb when I think about not ever being able to see him again except for when he¡¯s behind ss or bars. ¡°There has to be something we can do. I can testify on his behalf or something! Tell the FBI that it wasn¡¯t his fault; that I wasn¡¯t there against my will.¡± I¡¯m near hysterics, but I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t want the man I love going to prison because of me.

    ¡°I wish it were that simple,¡± my father starts. ¡°You have to understand that it¡¯s not just the kidnapping charge, Aria. Mateo is not a good man. The FBI has had him on the top of their most wanted list for a long time. He is the head of a very dangerous cartel. His rap sheet is a mile long. They are going to prosecute him to the fullest extent and never let him out of prison.¡±

    A sob attempts to escape, but I press the back of my hand to my lips to silence it. I can¡¯t break down right now. Mateo needs me even if he doesn¡¯t realize it.

    Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I put my head in my hands. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do, but I know our story can¡¯t end like this. I think about the beginning of our rtionship and how my horrible fate on that ind led me to him.

    The Ind.

    And then an idea hits me like a freight train, and my head snaps up, my gaze meeting my father¡¯s. ¡°What if Mateo offers the FBI something that they really want?¡±

    My dad cocks his dark brow. ¡°Tell me more.¡±

    And so I do. I tell him everything, knowing that this is myst chance to save the man I love¡­and the father of my unborn child.

    THERE¡¯S A KNOCK on my door the next morning, and then a secondter it opens. I expect to see my parents or my brother, since they¡¯ve been checking on me religiously, but instead it¡¯s Renato.

    My breath leaves my lungs in a rush when I see his familiar, handsome face. Months ago, I would have run and jumped into his arms. But everything changed the moment I met Mateo. I¡¯m not the same person I was before I was kidnapped. And I doubt if I¡¯ll ever be the same again.

    Renato used to make my heart skip a beat whenever I saw him, but my rhythm is steady now, unwavering. It only beats for one man, and he¡¯s not in this room.

    ¡°Hi,¡± he whispers, his green eyes searching my face carefully. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    I¡¯m not sure if my father and brother told him about the pregnancy or many details surrounding what happened to me, so I decide to y it safe. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m okay,¡± I say quietly.

    ¡°How¡¯s your shoulder?¡± he questions, motioning to the sling.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Not too bad. I¡¯ve had worse pain,¡± I admit before cringing. That probably wasn¡¯t the best thing to say, but it doesn¡¯t seem to faze Renato much. I feel like he¡¯s not really epting of what happened to me, or maybe he just doesn¡¯t want to. It¡¯s probably easier that way. He seems full of anxiety, and I watch as he nervously shifts from foot to foot. He doesn¡¯t know how to act or what to say, and I can definitely say the feeling is mutual. Thest we were together, we were making out in the hallways of thepound, trying not to get caught by the security guards. And now it feels like we¡¯re total strangers.

    ¡°How have you been?¡± I ask, not knowing what else to talk about.

    Renato quickly swallows up the distance between us with a few big strides across the room. ¡°It¡¯s been hell without you here. I barely slept. I couldn¡¯t eat. Fuck,¡± he rasps, taking in every detail of my face as ifmitting it to memory. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you, Aria. So much.¡±

    Before I can even blink, he¡¯s gathering me into his arms and holding me tight. At first, it¡¯s innocent. Just a friendly hug. But when I feel his mouth on my cheek and my neck, cing kisses as he whispers how much he¡¯s missed me, I quickly push him away with my good arm.

    My breathing is ragged as I stare up at his wounded face, and it kills me a little inside. Even though Renato and I never discussed a future together, I know he definitely wanted one. He always wanted more than I was willing to give. I never really had a definite reason as to why I was always holding back with him, besides the possibility of losing our friendship, but I have one now. I have two actually.

    ¡°Renato, we can¡¯t do this,¡± I try to exin.

    His dark brows furrow, and he begins pacing the floor a few feet away from me, dragging his hands through his hair and pulling at the ends in frustration. ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting here for months, Aria, waiting for you toe back to me. I was sick to death worrying about you every minute of every day. Don¡¯t you get that?¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I try toe up with words that will make this whole situation better, but I can¡¯t. There¡¯s nothing I can say that will make any of this okay.

    He stops pacing and looks at me. ¡°I think after you¡¯ve had some time to think, you¡¯ll realize what that monster did to you. You¡¯ll realize that what you went through was trauma and -.¡±

    ¡°I love him, Renato,¡± I blurt out, ripping off the band-aid.

    He winces at my words, shaking his head in disbelief. He doesn¡¯t want to ept anything that doesn¡¯t involve him and me. I get it, I do. Renato and I have been friends and more for years. He assumed nothing would ever change that. Maybe I did too. But fate unexpectedly intervened and set me on a different path, one that forks away from Renato and what we had. I never had to question if it felt right with Mateo or if we were better off friends. And that only solidifies my true feelings and that I¡¯m doing the right thing. With Renato, our friendship came first, and I never wanted to ruin that. I still don¡¯t.

    ¡°Why, Aria?¡± he finally asks.

    ¡°Because Mateo protected me. Because he sacrificed himself over and over again for me. Because¡­¡± My hand drops protectively over my stomach.

    ¡°You¡­you¡¯re pregnant?¡± he asks incredulously.

    Shit. So, no one told him. I had just assumed someone had. Groaning inwardly, I look up at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Renato. I¡¯m sorry for everything.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. So am I,¡± he says before leaving and mming the door behind him.

    I stand there for a long time afterwards, hoping that he¡¯lle back, but he doesn¡¯t. I could try to go after him and fix things, but that won¡¯t make anything easier. It will only make things harder, for the both of us.

    The bottom line is that we were destined for very different things. My only hope is that, in the future, when Renato meets the girl of his dreams, he¡¯ll finally realize the same thing that I did ¨C that what we shared was special but only temporary.

    I want him to find somebody that makes him happy. Somebody he doesn¡¯t have to hide his rtionship with. I want that for him so badly, even over my own happiness. And if that isn¡¯t true friendship, then I don¡¯t know what is.

 148

    Mateo

    I¡¯M LYING IN a hospital bed, barely aware of my surroundings. I¡¯ve been in and out of consciousness for days, I think. Maybe longer. But even though my body is stationary, my brain is moving at a million miles a minute. The events that urred and led me here are guing my mind in a torturous, never-ending loop.

    My uncle betrayed me. I should have known all along, but I was just a young boy when he came to get me in the aftermath of my family¡¯s death. I clung to him like a lifeline, never knowing that he was the one who had orchestrated the whole thing to begin with. He deceived his own brother for power and money, hurting and killing a lot of innocent people in the process. I was supposed to die along with them, but I survived. I was able to thrive, much to his dismay.

    Now that I know the hard, cold truth, everything is starting to make sense. I have no doubt in my mind that he coordinated the attacks on my warehouses as a way to distract me. And who knows how long he¡¯s been working with the FBI. Maybe from the first moment heid eyes on Aria. He probably recognized her from media coverage and devised a n to easily take me down without even getting blood on his hands. He always did take the easy way out; letting others do his dirty work for him.

    My uncle not only cost me my family and childhood, but he also set the n in motion for me to lose the most precious thing in my life, my only reason for breathing ¨C Aria.

    The image of thest time I saw her beautiful face will be engrained into my memory until I die, and her tortured cries when I fell to the ground, my body finally sumbing to its injuries, will haunt me well into the afterlife.

    I still remember the moment I slid my lucky coin into her pocket. It was a goodbye message. I was prepared to die in that room, because deep down I knew I was going to lose her. And if I truly lost her, then there would be no reason for me to continue on. I simply can¡¯t imagine a world without Aria in it. Life has no meaning without her light breaking through all of my darkness.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    While I stew in my inner turmoil, I vaguely realize the sedatives they¡¯ve given me must be finally wearing off, because suddenly I can hear everything around me more clearly. It no longer feels like my head is under water. However, now that my senses are returning, the incessant beeping of the machines keeping me alive is driving me up the wall with madness. Growling, I force my eyes open and try to raise my hands, but quickly realize that they¡¯re cuffed to the bed rails.

    ¡°Good. You¡¯re awake,¡±es a voice.

    My eyes snap to my right where a man in a suit presently sits. He¡¯s tall with dark hair and gray eyes. I recognize him immediately from my extensive research on Aria. This is her father. I don¡¯t know whether to feel relieved or not. But I suppose if he wanted to kill me, I would be dead already. So, I look him straight in the eye and say, ¡°Mr. Vitale, I presume.¡±

    He nods once as he sets his calcting gaze on me. ¡°Mr. Navarro.¡±

    ¡°Now that the formalities are over with, maybe you can tell me what the fuck you are doing here,¡± I snarl. A migraine is blooming behind my eyes, and I squeeze my eyes shut, internally trying to calm myself down. I¡¯m desperate for information about his daughter and starting off our conversation this way won¡¯t help matters at all. Opening my eyes again, I keep a steady tone and ask him, ¡°How is Aria?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping you would ask about my daughter since you¡¯re all that she seems to care about at the moment,¡± he says bitterly. The man is like a statue, not giving anything away. But I can see the subtle hints that being in the same room as me is bothering him. Like the way he adjusts the cuffs of his suit jacket before he says, ¡°Aria is fine.¡±

    I study his face for a moment, but I don¡¯t find many simrities between him and his daughter. Thinking back to the photos I scoured through; Aria is a younger version of her mother. And, fuck, just thinking about her causes my migraine to intensify. I miss my little captive. It¡¯s hard to even breathe without her here by my side. ¡°How long was my uncle working with the FBI?¡± I ask, curiosity eating away at me. He¡¯s the reason Aria was taken from me. He¡¯s the reason for all of my misery and pain my entire life, in fact. And I¡¯m still trying to process the depth of his betrayal to my family and to me.

 149

    ¡°Months,¡± Mr. Vitale admits. ¡°When he saw Aria at yourpound in Mexico, he recognized her from the news. Her face has been stered all over TV ever since she was kidnapped by Carbone.¡± He sits up straighter in his chair. ¡°We set up a n for Domingo to get you to bring Aria to the U. S. where it would be easier for the FBI to intervene.¡±

    I grunt. ¡°I¡¯m assuming my uncle sold me out for some kind of deal orpensation?¡±

    ¡°Reward money,¡± he says. And then he adds, ¡°Ten million dors, to be exact.¡±

    I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s always been about money for him. He¡¯d sell his own fucking soul for the right price.¡±

    The room is quiet for a while after that. And then finally, Aria¡¯s father stands and moves closer to me. ¡°You have to understand, as her father, it¡¯s taking everything in me to not kill you right now with my own fucking bare hands,¡± he says, his voice dangerously low and full of barely restrained rage.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect anything less,¡± I tell him with brutal honesty.

    ¡°But I promised my daughter I would hear you out before I did anything¡­impulsive,¡± he says before returning to his seat in the corner of the room. After he sits down, he moves his head from side to side and then straightens his back. When he¡¯s done, he¡¯s noticeably calmer, the anger inside of him simmering but not boiling over. ¡°Aria has told me her side of the story, painting you as some kind of savior,¡± he says, punctuating thest word. His tone suggests he doesn¡¯t believe that for a fucking second. ¡°And now that I¡¯m here, I want to hear your side. How did youe to learn of the auction ind?¡± he questions.

    ¡°A former associate of mine took me there. He thought I would enjoy it, I suppose, but he was wrong. Dead wrong. I had no idea what was happening until the auction actually started.¡± I close my eyes, thinking about the first time I saw Aria out there on that stage. She was a fighter even then. So fucking strong.

    ¡°Former associate?¡± he questions with a quirked brow.

    ¡°I killed the bastard the moment our ne touched down in Mexico for putting his hands on Aria.¡± I open my eyes and stare at Mr. Vitale. ¡°I may be a bastard, but I draw the line when ites to men hurting innocent women and children.¡±

    My words seem to have a visible effect on him. Even though we are pr opposites, we do share onemon bond. We¡¯re both bad men, but we have a soft spot when ites to women and children.

    ¡°When I was just a boy, I watched several men brutally rape and murder my sisters and mother,¡± I exin. ¡°And that son of a bitch had me in a bidding war with a man named Damion Tuffin, who rapes, tortures and maims every woman he purchases from that auction. That very man was infatuated with Aria, determined to win her, take her home and do vile things to her.¡± My heart races inside my chest at just the memory of it. ¡°I didn¡¯t go there looking to purchase a woman or women, but I simply couldn¡¯t allow Damion to take Aria, vite her and snuff out her life. So, I outbid him and purchased her.¡±

    ¡°And Damion was the same man who ended up attacking my daughter at a dinner party?¡± he asks, anger changing his tone to menacing.

    I nod. Curling my hands into fists, I tell him, ¡°He hurt her. And I killed him for it. I would do it all over again too. The only thing I would change is that I would take my time and make him suffer longer.¡±

    ¡°And how the hell did you get to Constantine Carbone?¡± he inquires.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say someone in prison owed me a favor.¡±

    He shakes his head with a smirk on his face. ¡°So, Aria was telling the truth. You have been her saving grace,¡± he says. I can still see the skepticism in his eyes, but it¡¯s less prominent now. He sighs heavily, folding his arms across his chest. ¡°The FBI has told me all about yourundry list of offenses. You¡¯re on their most wanted list. And in their eyes, you¡¯re one of the most dangerous men on the. They want you locked up for a very long time.¡±

    I lie back on my pillow and stare up at the tiled ceiling. I did a lot of horrible things to make my way to the top of the food chain. A lot of people were hurt. A lot of people died. And I can¡¯t expect Aria to wait for me while I spend most likely numerous life sentences in prison for my crimes.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    What I¡¯m about to say next to her father is not only going to gut me from the inside out but is also going to haunt me for the rest of my life. I can¡¯t even look at her father when I say my next words, because they aren¡¯t the truth. They aren¡¯t how I truly feel, but they need to be said. ¡°I want you to tell Aria to forget about me and move on,¡± I say, my voice guttural and raw.

    I¡¯ve already made up my mind that I¡¯ll get revenge on my uncle, for the sake of my family. And then I¡¯ll find a way to leave this earth. Because without Aria, I wouldn¡¯t want to continue living.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you really want?¡± her father questions, standing.

    I close my eyes for a moment and nod, unable to even voice the lie again. Just the thought of never seeing Aria again makes me feel like my entire world is falling apart. But the truth of the matter is, I have to let her go. I love her too much to make her wait for me. I want her to live a good life, and this is the only way for her to have it.

    The rm on my heart monitor begins beeping out of control behind me. ¡°I want her to be free of me and all the bad memories of our time together,¡± I tell him. My blood pressure is going through the roof with every lie I tell myself and her father. And then, I decide to tell him the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t want this kind of life for her.¡±

    ¡°You love her that much?¡± he prompts.

    My eyes snap to his. He sees right through my bullshit. ¡°I do,¡± I confess. ¡°I love her so much that I¡¯m willing to let her go. To let her be happy without me.¡±

    His brows furrow as he stands there, thinking, deciding. On what? I don¡¯t know. But then he asks me, ¡°Do you remember where The Ind is?¡±

    I¡¯m taken aback by his question and the sudden change in direction, but I tell him, ¡°I¡¯m sure I could figure it out.¡±

    He nods and considers my words for a few moments. ¡°What if I told you that information was invaluable to the FBI, and I managed to secure you a plea deal that would let you walk away from all of this a free man?¡±

    I stare at him before I burst outughing. ¡°There is no way you pulled that many strings.¡±

    Mr. Vitale takes a few steps towards me. ¡°What if I told you I pulled every fucking string I could for the sake of my daughter and her happiness?¡±

    Theughter dies in my throat. His face and tone are so serious. Could what he says be true? ¡°How? What would I have to give up?¡± There has to be a catch. A big one.

    ¡°Would you give up your life for my daughter?¡± he asks.

    ¡°In a heartbeat,¡± I say without hesitating.

    ¡°Then that is what they require. Your life ¨C past and present and future. After the deal is made, you would cease to exist. The records will indicate that you died in that raid on your uncle¡¯s home.¡± He takes one more step until he¡¯s right beside my bed, staring down at me with narrowed eyes. ¡°You give them everything they want, including your drug suppliers, traffickers, warehouses, and the location of The Ind. Then you and Aria can be together, if that¡¯s what she still wants.¡± He turns and walks away. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a little while to decide,¡± he calls over his shoulder before leaving the room.

    I stare after him in stunned silence. There¡¯s a way to be with Aria¡­but only if I give up my entire life for her. My worst fear has been exactly this ¨C losing the empire that I built from the ground up. It will all have been for nothing. Everything that I worked so hard for and fought for over the years will be taken and seized by the American government.

    On one hand, I¡¯d be losing my identity, my power, and my empire. But on the other hand, I would be gaining the most important thing in the world to me.

    The choice is easy.

    Too damn easy.

    And so, when her father returns a half an hourter, I have my mind made up¡­with one small stiption.

    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I need to do before I agree to this,¡± I tell him. ¡°And then I can be out for good. Mateo Navarro can die after I finish what needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°And what is the one thing?¡± Mr. Vitale questions.

    ¡°Retribution,¡± I tell him.

    Aria¡¯s father slowly nods. ¡°Okay,¡± he agrees.

 150

    Mateo

    THE DOCTORS WERE amazed with my progress. I should have been bedridden from the bullet wounds I suffered for weeks. But with the promise of revenge coursing through my veins, leading me to my end goal ¨C being with Aria again ¨C it gave me the strength I needed to strive toward a fast recovery. I onlyid in bed for four days before I began grueling physical therapy to get me back into shape. If I was going to aplish what I wanted, I would need to be in top form.

    And two weekster, I¡¯m finally ready. I¡¯m making myst stance as Mateo Navarro. And then, after today, he will no longer exist.

    When I stroll into Domingo¡¯s house on a beautiful, sunny morning, I have a smile on my face. I¡¯m not smiling because I¡¯m happy. No, I¡¯m smiling because vengeance has finally been able to rear its ugly head after all these years and the day for retribution is upon us.

    My uncle is sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast. I¡¯m sure his morning went as normal as possible. He probably woke up a couple of hours ago, brushed his teeth, maybe took a shit, read the newspaper and then came downstairs for a meal consisting of over-easy eggs, bacon and fresh squeezed orange juice.

    When his gaze rises and rests upon me, I watch in amusement as his face grows pale like he¡¯s just seen a fucking ghost. ¡°M-Mateo,¡± he stutters in disbelief. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Uncle. You¡¯re not happy to see me alive and well?¡±

    Domingo clears his throat, wipes his mouth with a napkin before tossing it down on the table beside his now forgotten meal. ¡°Of course I¡¯m happy.¡± I can see him reaching for his phone to alert his guards, and I don¡¯t stop him. ¡°Listen, Mateo, you have to understand that I only did it for the money.¡±

    ¡°You only did what exactly for the money, Uncle? You only had my entire family ughtered in front of my eyes for money? Or you had my only reason for living taken from me and thus almost killing me in the process for the second time?¡± I shrug nonchntly. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific.¡±

    ¡°Money is the root of all evil, and people will do almost anything for it,¡± he tells me, as if I didn¡¯t already know that.

    ¡°No shit,¡± I tell him with a smirk.

    I can see his eyes shifting, ncing around the room as beads of sweat gather on his forehead. I¡¯m not telepathic, by any means, but I can read his precise thoughts in this moment.

    ¡°Your guards are noting,¡± I inform him. ¡°You were right about people doing almost anything for money. Pay your guards enough and offer them asylum back in Mexico, and they will leave their master in a heartbeat.¡±

    He swallows hard, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing in his throat. ¡°Mateo, please. I¡¯m the only family you have left.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± I pull out the Glock behind my back and point it at him.

    ¡°Please! Don¡¯t kill me, Mateo!¡± he begs, groveling and sniveling like the pathetic, little weasel he is.

    The coward.

    ¡°My mother, my father, my sisters. Little Lucita,¡± I say, my voice breaking with her name. I close my eyes briefly, trying to block out the memory of her screams. ¡°Lucy was only eight years old,¡± I tell him through gritted teeth. ¡°She was the most innocent.¡±

    ¡°It was wrong!¡± he says, throwing his hands up in surrender. ¡°I know what I did was wrong, but I can¡¯t take it back, Mateo. And none of this will bring them back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. None of this will bring them back. But maybe their souls can finally rest knowing the man who betrayed them is finally six feet under.¡±

    I squeeze the trigger and shoot him right between the eyes.

    He slumps forward, his cheeknding in his te of food. I watch the life drain from his dark eyes before I breathe a sigh of relief. After all these years, the retribution I was seeking is finally finished.

    I tuck the Glock behind my back and leave the house. My mind isser focused on one thing and one thing only ¨C finding my little captive.

    Aria

    I¡¯M PACING THE floor, waiting for my father to return from California. His flightnded an hour ago, and he still isn¡¯t home. He¡¯s been across the country for months, trying to work out a deal between Mateo and the FBI. Nothing was even set in stone before he left. He simply told me he would try.

    He used his connections in the agency to try to set Mateo free from his crimes, but even my father has his limitations. What if they backed out of the deal and sent Mateo to prison?

    Tears stream down my cheeks as I think of the worst possible oue. Damn these pregnancy hormones. My hands drift down to my baby bump. I¡¯ve really started showing over the past several weeks. And thinking about Mateo not being here with me during the birth of our son or daughter has a wave of fresh tears cascading down my face, and I furiously try to wipe them away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Aria. You know what your tears do to me,¡± says a deep voice from the doorway.

    Gasping, I turn and see him. He¡¯s wearing his normal attire of a dark suit and dark shirt ¨C ck on ck. His hair is shorter, and he has a thicker beard, but he¡¯s still as brutally handsome and intimidating as ever.

    My tears blur his face as he approaches and scoops me up in his arms. He buries his face in my neck and says, ¡°Dios mio, I missed you.¡±

    I sob against his chest. ¡°I thought I would never see you again,¡± I confess.

    ¡°It almost didn¡¯t happen,¡± he tells me. He pulls back and stares into my eyes. ¡°Choosing you was the easy part. Working everything else out is what took forever.¡±

    Slowly, I climb down out of his arms. There¡¯s so much we need to discuss. But first thing¡¯s first. Grabbing his hand, I pull it towards me and ce his palm over my swollen belly.

    Mateo¡¯s eyes widen before narrowing. ¡°What¡­¡± And then he surprises me by getting on his knees. He lifts my shirt and stares at my stomach.

    We never discussed having children¡­or having a future together, really. So, I¡¯m not sure if he even wants this baby. ¡°Mateo,¡± I start.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how happy I am right now?¡± he asks, interrupting me. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been this happy before,¡± he tells me before gently cing a kiss above my belly button. ¡°I¡¯ve dreamed of this moment with you, mi corazon.¡±

    My shoulders sag in overwhelming relief, and I wipe away a stray tear as I stare down at the man I love adoring our baby that¡¯s currently growing in my belly.

    ¡°Your father never told me,¡± he whispers in disbelief with a slight shake of his head.

    ¡°Knowing my dad, he probably wanted to make sure you were making the choice you wanted to make and not the one you thought you had to make.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Mateo nods in agreement, nuzzling his thick beard against my sensitive skin. ¡°He¡¯s a smart man. I know now where you get your intelligence from.¡± His big hands wrap around my baby bump. ¡°Pregnancy suits you, mi corazon.¡± And then one of his hands drifts lower under the waistband of my pants and thong. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so fucking much. Your face. Your smile. Your body.¡± The moment his fingers touch my clit, I can¡¯t help but groan out loud. ¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve heard those noisesing from your throat.¡±

    I stare at the door and wonder out loud, ¡°Someone coulde in.¡±

    ¡°Let theme in. Nothing will stop me from tasting you right now, Aria.¡±

    And with those words spoken, he pulls my pants down and moves my thong to the side before his tongue delves in between my folds. I ground myself by digging my fingers into his hair, and he growls from the sharp bite of my nails into his scalp.

    He eats me like a man starving for my taste, and it turns me on even more. I can feel my wetness coating my thighs. I¡¯ve been so desperate for his touch over the past few months.

    ¡°Tell me I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s ever tasted you.¡±

    I can¡¯t help but smile at his possessiveness. ¡°You¡¯re the only one. No one touched me while we were apart.¡± And then I confess, ¡°I didn¡¯t want anyone else. Only you.¡±

    My words seem to spur him on, and he flicks his tongue rapidly over my clit, sending me soaring.

 151

    ¡°Oh god, Mateo!¡± I groan.

    Suddenly, he pulls his mouth away and stands at his full height, towering over me. I swallow hard as I stare up at him, his eyes dted and full of hunger.

    He moves me over to the bed in the center of the room, ridding me of the rest of my clothes as we go, and then gently pushes me down onto theforter. I sit there patiently like a good girl while I watch him undress. And when he frees his cock from his boxer briefs, my mouth practically waters at the sight.

    ¡°See something you like?¡± he asks with a smirk as his hand closes around his thick shaft, stroking himself.

    I grin widely. ¡°Oh yes.¡±

    He steps in between my open thighs and draws me closer to him before he teases me with his cock running up and down the length of my slit. ¡°Have you been aching for my cock, mi corazon?¡± he asks.

    ¡°Yes!¡± I cry out, biting my lip to keep from cursing him for teasing me and not giving me what I truly want.

    ¡°Then let me give you what you¡¯ve been craving.¡±

    When he enters me, the feeling is almost indescribable. It feels so familiar but so strange at the same time. We¡¯ve been apart for far too long, but my body still remembers his.

    He doesn¡¯t take me softly or slowly, and I don¡¯t expect him to. No, he¡¯s already gone, lost in his pleasure as he fills me to the hilt and takes what he wants, rutting inside of me and groaning against my neck before sinking his teeth into my skin, marking me.

    ¡°Mine,¡± he growls against my skin before soothing the sting with his tongue.

    ¡°Yours,¡± I agree with a sigh.

    ¡°And I¡¯m yours, Aria,¡± he breathes. He pulls back, and I watch his eyes go to my baby bump. A possessive look is in his eyes as he runs his hand over it. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so beautiful, so fucking sexy.¡±

    I can¡¯t help the blush that rushes to my cheeks. Most days I feel bloated and disgusting, but the fact that he finds me sexy and beautiful makes my heart soar inside my chest.

    ¡°I want you pregnant. Always,¡± Mateo confesses as his hips flex.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have this baby first and then see what happens,¡± I try topromise.

    He frowns at my response but then nods his head in agreement. Leaning down, he ces his lips against mine and kisses me, putting all of his emotions into that kiss. When he pulls back, I can see an undecipherable emotion written all over his face right before he confesses, ¡°Aria, I love you.¡±

    Tears fill my eyes as I desperately try to blink them away. ¡°I love you, too, Mateo. So much.¡±

    A deep moan rumbles from inside his chest as he captures my mouth with his again. He fucks me slow and deep then, sending me closer to the edge. ¡°Come for me, mi pequena cautiva.¡±

    His words are my undoing, and I break apart, shuddering underneath him as he holds me through my bliss. He whispers terms of endearment in his native tongue while I cry out his name. And then he finds his release, his body trembling against mine.

    Then, he gently pulls out of me andys down on the bed, motioning for me to join him. I eagerly go to him, cing my head on his chest as I listen to his racing heartbeat. Just hearing his beating heart has my own soaring. I thought I lost him forever. And just having him here, having him a free man who can be with me and our baby is almost too good to be true. It¡¯s almost like a dream.

    Wanting to be absolutely sure, I reach over and pinch my arm. ¡°Ouch.¡±

    ¡°Did you just¡­pinch yourself?¡± Mateo asks me.

    ¡°I wanted to make sure I wasn¡¯t dreaming.¡±

    A deep chuckle rumbles through his chest. ¡°Maybe I should pinch myself too.¡± I watch with a smile on my face when he does it. ¡°Nope. This is real, baby,¡± he says with a satisfied grin.

    Wey there in silence for a while until our breathing and racing heartbeats return to their normal rhythm. And then Mateo tells me, ¡°I¡¯m never leaving you again.¡±

    Sitting up, I stare down at him. ¡°Promise me,¡± I say in all seriousness.

    He reaches up and gently pushes a stray hair behind my ear. ¡°I promise. I¡¯m all yours.¡±

    ¡°Forever.¡±

    ¡°Forever and always,¡± he swears.

    EPILOGUE

    Aria

    Seven monthster¡­

    I WALK INTO the backyard of my parents¡¯pound. It¡¯s beautifully decorated with earthy tones, tulle, lights and a wooden wedding arch right in the middle of the butterfly garden. When my brother told me about wanting to get married in my parents¡¯ backyard, the pessimistic side of me never thought it would work. But now, after seeing everything put together, it¡¯s absolutely perfect. This is the ce where he and Selina met and fell in love, after all.

    A familiar cry has me turning my head and looking in that direction. Mateo is holding our daughter, bouncing her and cooing, trying to get her to settle. She¡¯ll be three months tomorrow, and she¡¯s brought nothing but love and light into our lives.

    After Mateo was legally dered dead, for all intents and purposes, we moved to the suburbs in Eastern Pennsylvania where life has been calm and quiet ¨C theplete opposite of what we¡¯d both been ustomed to.

    And while I don¡¯t see Mateo buying a minivan anytime soon, he¡¯s taken to the suburban life better than I thought he would. We regrly visit my family, and Mateo even works remotely for my father as part of his team that helps women and children escape human trafficking. I know he¡¯s not used to being on the other side of thew, but he doesn¡¯tin. In fact, I would even venture to say he actually loves his work and enjoys the slower pace of things most days. I know he definitely likes not having to look over his shoulder all the time.

    ¡°I think Little Lucy misses her mommy,¡± Mateo says as I approach. He¡¯s dressed in a ck suit with a ck shirt and matching tie. I swear he¡¯ll never own any other color, but I definitely don¡¯t mind and never want him to change. The tall, dark and handsome look suits him so damn well.

    I happily open my arms and take our daughter. I hold her close to me and stare down at her adorable face. She has my eyes and her daddy¡¯s smile ¨C a perfect mixture of the both of us. We named her Lucita after Mateo¡¯s youngest sister, and I think the name suits her perfectly. And considering her name means little light in Spanish, it¡¯s even more fitting.

    I calm our baby down, having learned a few tricks over the past month or so thanks to some parenting forums I¡¯ve be obsessed with; and soon she¡¯s back to smiling and being the little angel she normally is.

    ¡°I thought I heard Lucy crying,¡± my brother says as he approaches us with Selina following close behind.

    Selina looks absolutely radiant in her ivory, full-length vintage gown. And my brother looks as handsome as ever in his dark brown tux.

    ¡°Lucy is so adorable in her little purple dress,¡± Selina says with a huge smile before putting her hands out to hold her.

    ¡°What if she spits up on your wedding dress?¡± I worry.

    ¡°So what¡¯s a little vomit from my niece? Hey, maybe it will be good luck,¡± she quips.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need luck,¡± Nico reminds his bride to be. He looks upon Selina so adoringly that I would be jealous if I didn¡¯t, in fact, get that same look from Mateo every time I see him ncing in my direction. It¡¯s a look of pure, undiluted love. The kind of love I only ever read about in romance novels or saw in the movies before I met Mateo.

    I hand Lucy over to Selina, and she¡¯s a natural. I don¡¯t know if the two of them are nning on having children or not, but they would make great parents. And even if they don¡¯t have any of their own, they¡¯re going to be an amazing aunt and uncle to their niece. I¡¯m so lucky to have them in our daughter¡¯s life.

    Just then, a sh of navy blue catches my eye, and I see Renato walking into the backyard with a blonde on his arm. She¡¯s tall and insanely gorgeous. And I can see the diamond on her ring finger glistening in the sunlight from here.

    Renato looks in my direction, and I give him a smile. He nods over to the corner of the property, wanting me to join him. So, I tell everyone I¡¯ll be right back before heading over to a secluded part of the party where people are going to be taking pictures under a giant weeping Willow tree.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Renato says in greeting.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    I haven¡¯t spoken to Renato much over the past several months. After our talk when I got home, he decided to take another job for my father, no longer wanting to be my bodyguard. I didn¡¯t me him for not wanting to be around me, but I must admit that I missed him.

    I¡¯d still consider us friends, but we¡¯re definitely not as close as we once were. I think the time apart did us both good; however, because he ended up finding a girlfriend, whom he adores and proposed to a few weeks ago. She said yes, of course, because she¡¯d be crazy not to. Renato is quite the catch. He just wasn¡¯t meant for me.

    ¡°I heard you and Leona got engaged. Congrattions,¡± I say with a smile.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± He stares at the ground with a shy grin on his face before he looks up and meets my gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re happy,¡± I tell him. And I mean that wholeheartedly. Renato and I were on the same path for a long time before fate intervened and we went down very different paths. And now that we¡¯ve both found our way out on the other side, I¡¯m thrilled, for the both of us.

    ¡°I feel the same way,¡± he admits. ¡°And you are, right? Happy?¡± he asks.

    I nce back at Mateo, who is currently staring invisible daggers into Renato. I can¡¯t help but grin at my boyfriend¡¯s jealousy. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll take it out on me in the bedroomter¡­and I can hardly wait. Blushing, I turn back to Renato and bite my lip to contain augh. And then I tell him, ¡°Yes, very happy.¡±

    ¡°Good. That¡¯s all I ever wanted for you, Aria.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    And maybe I¡¯m throwing fuel on the fire, but I don¡¯t care. I lean into Renato and hug him tightly. He hesitates, but eventually puts his arms around me. ¡°Thank you for being there for me every time I needed you,¡± I whisper into his ear.

    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s what friends are for,¡± he tells me with a grin when we part.

    And that¡¯s exactly what we are. What we¡¯ve always been. At the end of the day, we were always friends before anything else.

    ¡°Go back to your girl,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s wondering where you ran off to.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He gives me a nod, and it feels like something settled between us. I can¡¯t exin it, but I think we needed to have this little talk to clear the air. ¡°See you around, Aria,¡± he throws over his shoulder as he walks away.

    ¡°See you.¡±

    I return to a deceptively calm Mateo. As soon as I¡¯m within arm¡¯s length, he wraps his hand around my elbow and pulls me in close. ¡°Friend of yours?¡± he asks.

    ¡°That was Renato,¡± I exin.

    Mateo¡¯s eyes narrow in understanding. He knows everything about my past. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± And then he leans down and whispers into my ear, ¡°If we weren¡¯t surrounded by all these people and if this wasn¡¯t your brother¡¯s wedding, I would bend you over my knee, spank your ass red, and then show you who you belong to.¡±

    I gasp, my heart stuttering in my chest. ¡°Can you show meter?¡± I question breathlessly.

    A growl rumbles low in his chest as he stares down at me with a look that screams I¡¯m a delicious meal and he¡¯s a ravenous man. ¡°Oh yes, mi pequena cautiva. Definitelyter,¡± he promises.

    He hasn¡¯t called me his little captive in a while, and I can¡¯t help the shiver that runs through my body and straight to my core. Mateo smirks and then winks. The bastard knows exactly what his words do to me.

    The string quartet begins to y, and someone announces that the ceremony is about to begin. Selina rushes Lucy back into my arms before instructing us to take our seats in the front row.

    Watching my brother and Selina get married has me crying more than Lucy ever has in the time since she¡¯s been born. Just seeing them up there, exchanging their beautiful vows and staring into each other¡¯s eyes has my heart pitter-pattering. It took them so long to get to this point.

    Who knew that when they met as teenagers, they would someday reunite, fall in love and get married. Their love is the kind of love that people write about or only dream of. They have endured so much to get here. But it was all worth it in the end, because now they will finally have the happily ever after that they both deeply deserve.

    When the preacher announces them as husband and wife, everyone cheers and ps. After the ceremony is over, all of us, including the newlyweds, move to the giant tent that¡¯s decorated with lights. We eat, drink and enjoy each other¡¯spany as the party goes on in the background.

    All too soon it¡¯s time for Selina to throw the bouquet, and the DJ calls out on the microphone for all the singledies. Mateo eagerly takes Lucy from me and tells me to join them.

    Technically, I¡¯m not single, but I guess not being married yet qualifies me. I feel like an idiot standing there with several cousins that look like they¡¯re half my age. One young girl beside me, who can¡¯t be more than twelve, scoffs at me and says, ¡°I¡¯m catching that bouquet.¡±

    ¡°Game on,¡± I challenge her, suddenly feeling verypetitive.

    And when Selina turns her back on us and whips that bouquet in the air, I go for that thing like my life depends on it. I almost take a nosedive but save myself at thest second and hoist the bouquet up in the air as people around me apud my valiant effort. The twelve-year-old beside me huffs in disappointment, and that makes it all worth it.

    The DJ announces, ¡°Looks like the sister of the groom will be the next one getting married!¡±

    Suddenly feeling embarrassed, I stare down at the bouquet. I just wanted to catch the damn thing. I didn¡¯t even think about the meaning behind it all.

    Mateo hasn¡¯t even proposed yet, and I don¡¯t know if he ever will. Not that I even expect him to or want him to. Everything has been perfect the past several months. And if nothing changes, I would still be as happy as I am right now.

    ¡°That was amazing,¡± Mateo says with a grin when I approach him. ¡°I thought you were going to tackle that little girl and make her cry.¡±

    ¡°I would have if she would¡¯ve gotten in my way,¡± I dere.

    That earns me a dark chuckle. ¡°Savage,¡± he says.

    When I set the flowers down, I notice that Lucy has a small box in her hands she¡¯s fumbling with. ¡°What is that?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Open it and see,¡± Mateo says cryptically.

    Taking the small box, I open it and stare at the diamond ring inside. It¡¯s beautiful with a huge diamond in the middle surrounded by tiny little diamonds on the gold band. My eyes shift from the ring up to Mateo¡¯s gaze. ¡°Are you doing this because I caught the bouquet?¡± I question.

    A smile twitches on his lips. ¡°No, it¡¯s not because you caught the bouquet, mi corazon. I¡¯ve had that ring for months. I was going to wait until the perfect moment¡­but the timing just hasn¡¯t been right.¡±

    ¡°Now is perfect,¡± I inform him.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asks with a cocked brow.

    I nod my head.

    He slips the ring out of the box with his free hand and holds it out. ¡°Will you marry me, Aria? Will you be mine forever?¡±

    I watch as he slips the ring onto my finger. Tears fill my eyes as I blink up at him. ¡°Yes and yes.¡±

    He leans down, and we hold Lucy between us as our lips meet in a heated kiss. She begins to squirm, and weugh, breaking our embrace. I look up at him and then down to our daughter. Our little family.¡±I love you,¡± I tell him, meeting his dark eyes once again.

    ¡°I love you, too.¡± He cradles Lucy in his arms and stares down at her with such adoration that it almost takes my breath away.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t change a thing, just so you know,¡± I confess.

    His eyes meet mine. ¡°Me either,¡± he agrees.

    We exchange a knowing look with one another. Even though our rtionship started off tumultuous and unconventional, it all led us to this very moment. Who knew that being kidnapped and sold at an auction to the highest bidder would turn into this? Just when I thought my entire world wasing to an end, it was actually just beginning. Mateo turned my life upside down for the better. And I can¡¯t imagine going on this crazy journey called life without him by my side.

    THE END

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