《Owned by the mafia boss》 #1 Chapter 1 MIA Everything was gone. I¡¯d trashed my sister¡¯s wedding invitations, deleted our Pinterest gallery, and emptied the kitchen of save-the-dates. Alessio & Carm monograms went into the garbage, along with every marriage-rted detail concerning venues, florists, and bakeries. Mom didn¡¯t need the reminders. A lump lodged in my throat as I buried my sister¡¯s beautiful future. Her hopes and dreams joined bits of eggshell, banana peel, and leftover pasta. My fists clenched her engagement photos, which were the hardest to destroy. I¡¯d spent too many hours dwelling over the what-ifs of the path she¡¯d never take. It was self-inflicted torture. A wound I kept reopening. Carm was nevering back. She couldn¡¯t. How did someone go from engaged to dead?This is from N?velDrama.Org. My sister went missing six months ago. The police had found enough of her blood in a wooded area to investigate her disappearance as a homicide. It was three weeks since her empty coffin was lowered into the ground, dragging with it a piece of my soul. I still couldn¡¯t believe it. The girl who¡¯d nagged at me, taught me how to use lip liner, and seemed indestructible with her iron-d confidence, had left this world. She¡¯d never again belt out an Italian bad or fight me over a pair of heels. Day after day, the finality rang inside like the hollow beating of a drum. Gone, gone, gone. The bag of wedding memorabilia weighed down more than just my arm as I took it outside. I descended the porch and headed into the street filled with Cadics. The sickly-sweet aroma of jasmine, which surrounded the property, clung to my skin. It rainedst night, leaving everything darker, especially the herb garden, which burst with tomato vines and basil. I pushed the swing gate into the side yard, where a tall mafioso leaned against the fence. As the door swung, he snapped to attention. He¡¯d won the Italian gic lottery with his linebacker body and the elegant ridges over his eyes that begged for a kiss. A fitted gray T-shirt with a deep V-neck wrapped his muscled chest, which was sprinkled with fine hair. A soft widow¡¯s peak gave way to a thick, neatlybed, ck mane. It was shortened at the sides, and sideburns swooped to a beard that covered his jaw and upper lip. Gorgeous from all angles. Alessio Salvatore was a drink of a man. He was also myte sister¡¯s fianc¨¦. I admired him from a distance because he terrified me up close. I¡¯d heard so many ugly things about Alessio. Horrible rumors. Graphic anecdotes whispered from one spouse to another until they prated our gossip circle. The Costa underboss had an instinct for brutality, and whenever I¡¯d felt a twinge of jealousy, I¡¯d remember the sordid details. It didn¡¯t matter anyway; his gaze had always seemed to slide past me. Around him, I was invisible. It made it easier to try to pretend he didn¡¯t exist. A fool¡¯s errand, considering the world disappeared to a distant murmur with him in the room. Until recently, every interaction with him left me feeling helpless. Now he looked at me like a hunter through his scope. Please leave me alone. Men like him didn¡¯t answer prayers. Men like him were the reason we needed them. The gravel cracked as Alessio loped toward me. Before I shoved the bag into the recycling bin, he lifted it from my hands and trashed it. ¡°Thanks.¡± I stepped around him, but he stopped me. ¡°How are you?¡± I shrugged, hoping he¡¯d disappear. His hardened eyes told me he wasn¡¯t budging. I couldn¡¯t escape without touching him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask how I am?¡± I allowed my gaze to travel up his leather shoes to the cor of his zer. ¡°You seem okay. Excuse me.¡± Alessio grabbed the gate post before I moved, his white-knuckled grip blocking my way. ¡°We should talk.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Avoiding me won¡¯t change what our families have nned.¡± A thin mist swirled in the air as the sun hid behind clouds. Drops collected on Alessio¡¯s ebony waves as he leaned in, mouth set in a grim line. ¡°This self-denial makes it harder for everyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in denial.¡± ¡°Then look at me.¡± I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯d feel something, and I didn¡¯t want to. The rain fell, darkening spots on my T-shirt. A drop smacked my forehead. I fingered thetch and pulled, but he refused to give. ¡°I just buried my sister.¡± Metaphorically, at least. ¡°Leave me alone.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Fuck him for talking about my grief like it was a head cold. ¡°Carm wasn¡¯t a pet fish.¡± ¡°Life goes on, stellina. Whether or not you want it to.¡± I seized the gate and yanked. He released it, allowing us through. I returned to the house, Alessio quick on my heels. Wiping my feet, I drifted to where a handful of Ri and Costa soldiers mingled. Alessio followed me past my parents¡¯ bedroom that stayed locked because Mom had barricaded herself inside, and shot into my room. Alessio caught the door on his elbow, shutting it. The lock slid home. A thrill rode my spine. ¡°What are you doing? You can¡¯t be in here.¡± Dad was upromising about men with his daughter. One reason I never brought them over. Alessio acted as if he had nothing to fear. ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Crazy asshole. ¡°My father will shit a brick, and I¡¯d rather not deal with the drama.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, you need to wake up.¡± He smoothed his wet hair and wiped the moisture on his zer. ¡°Do you not realize what¡¯s at stake? Do you want more family members to die? They will if you don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Shut up. Just stop.¡± Agony pricked my chest as I turned from him. I couldn¡¯t fight it much longer. My future had rewritten itself the moment my sister¡¯s had ended, but epting her death was impossible. I grabbed a photo of us from my nightstand and stared at our happy faces. The emotional release wouldn¡¯te. Tension clenched my guts. It was a hell like I¡¯d never experienced. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°I know.¡± His touch rolled over my shoulder and squeezed, which through the damp T-shirt felt insanely intimate. It was as though he¡¯d caressed my skin, and jolts zapped across my body. I leaned away, hating how his decade-older gaze absorbed every detail in my room. He was such a predator. There was no subtlety in how he smirked at my Aerosmith poster or the ounting textbooks stacked on the bookshelf. Then his attentionnded on the save-the-date pinned to my corkboard, and the arrogance wiped from his face. ¡°Why did you keep this?¡± A fist-sized lump lodged in my throat. ¡°I¡¯m her maid of honor. I picked the design.¡± ¡°Carm and I are done.¡± A pang struck my heart. ¡°Forgive me for clinging to what¡¯s left of her.¡± Nothing about Alessio was soft, but he dropped his voice so there was less gravel. ¡°I get that you¡¯re in pain, but we have things to do. Together.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do anything with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me be an asshole, Mia. It¡¯s pointless. You know I could snap your spine like a wishbone. This posturing is a waste of time.¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± His mouth thinned as I sted a shotgun to his peace offering. Alessio yanked the save-the-date from the pin and ripped it into quarters. Pieces of my soul drifted to the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve tried being patient. I¡¯m not a patient man, but I¡¯ve allowed you time. Time we don¡¯t have.¡± ¡°Six months isn¡¯t enough-¡± ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.¡± I¡¯d numbed my feelings since Carm died, but his callousness hurt. He was a prick. ¡°You never cared about her.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not true. I liked her. I won¡¯t pretend I loved her, but she was a nice girl.¡± He converged on me like the clouds outside. I swallowed hard when he sank into the mattress, his body crowding mine. Harder than denying my sister¡¯s death was rejecting him. Every time he kissed my cheek, said hello, touched me, a flight of butterflies took flight, and I burned from the inside out. That didn¡¯t mean I respected him. A part of me hated him for not loving her. Alessio¡¯s calluses grazed my jaw as he turned me toward him, setting off a chain of electric impulses that didn¡¯t care about loyalty. Our gazes shed. ¡°I¡¯m going to say three things. They won¡¯t be easy for you to ept, but you have to because there¡¯s no way out of this. Number one. We are getting married in a month.¡± A hot wave of fear bulldozed my steel walls. ¡°Yes, Mia. You¡¯ll be my wife.¡± My stomach clenched as I imagined walking down the aisle with him. I could barely handle his presence. How would I tolerate a marriage? ¡°Two. I know about David.¡± His voice hardened as he dropped the words like a hammer. I sucked in a tight breath, prepared to deny, deny, deny. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Sorry to tell you, but it¡¯smon knowledge. I¡¯m amazed Ignacio hasn¡¯t chopped off his head, because the bastard tells anyone who¡¯ll listen he¡¯s banging the boss¡¯s daughter.¡± An apologetic smile shed across his face. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. He doesn¡¯t have much else to brag about.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not a couple.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck. You¡¯re not to see him anymore. If you do, I will find out. And if he touches you while you¡¯re wearing my ring, I¡¯ll kill him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not serious.¡± ¡°I am.¡± He was horrible. I would never marry him. Alessio didn¡¯t speak for several moments, as if he wanted to brace me. ¡°Three, I want kids. When we¡¯re married, we¡¯ll start trying.¡± That nailed me with a gut-punch. My whole body went limp. The three bombshells exploded in a massive wreck. Men like him didn¡¯t want kids. They tolerated them. ¡°You want a baby. With me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± ¡°Are you fucking crazy?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m practical. In a few years, maybe less, I¡¯ll be boss. My boys-or girls-will be the faces of my legitimate businesses when they¡¯re in their twenties. Plus, I need to be able to y with my children. I¡¯m thirty-three. Do the math. I can¡¯t wait too long.¡± Water plinked against therge windows as I stared at Alessio. He didn¡¯t grin,ugh, or hint that he was joking. My stomach sank. It made sense, but there was no way in hell. ¡°You¡¯re out of your damned mind. I¡¯m not your baby machine. And I won¡¯t marry you.¡± Alessio smiled as though my protests amused him. ¡°Tick-tock, Mia. It¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Leave!¡± A polite man would¡¯ve obeyed, but the smile carving his cheeks proved he was anything but decent. ¡°Get. Out!¡± Dad¡¯s voice boomed through the wall. ¡°Everything okay in there?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± Alessio turned toward the sound. ¡°No need to worry.¡± ¡°Are you staying for dinner?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not!¡± I stormed to the door and threw it open, snarling. ¡°Dad, make him leave!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Ignacio.¡± Alessio cut off the words about to fall from my dad¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll go. I think she¡¯s gotten the message.¡± No, she hasn¡¯t. He said goodbye to Dad, who shook his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll have her ready for you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Alessio buttoned his jacket and caught my gaze. ¡°See you.¡± Fuck you. Fuck you both. #1 Chapter 2 MIA Tomorrow. It kept hitting me like a sledgehammer. I¡¯d had six months to prepare, but tomorrow was too soon. Tomorrow was already here. Midnight blinked on the disy of my phone. In twelve hours, Dad would hand me off to the guy who had allegedly delivered a head to the Legion MC president, among other rumors that had made me lie awake at night and count my blessings that she was marrying him. Now that I¡¯d inherited Carm¡¯s duty, nothing would ever be the same. Not that I enjoyed my routine. If I wasn¡¯t baking ziti for a grieving widow, I wrote sympathy cards. When the only floral arrangements you picked were for funerals, shit was bleak. A person got used to death. I felt like a triage nurse, scrambling to pick up the pieces before the next tragedy. For the Ri men, my marriage would be a cease-fire, but for me it meant subservience. Cooking, cleaning, looking pretty for whatever family function or political fundraiser, and raising children. What would my life be like in a month? Would I make it that long? Alessio¡¯s face materialized in the darkness. Earlier, he¡¯d stepped into my room, so he was easy to conjure. Every encounter with him was memorable, but he¡¯d never said so many jaw-dropping things. I want kids. When we¡¯re married, we¡¯ll start trying. How could I have sex with him? My loathing swam under a deep attraction that had simmered during thest six months. Theyer of denial was so thick, I¡¯d trained myself to ignore the w in my gut, but it wouldn¡¯t be set aside, and the pain was excruciating. I slid off my bed, kicking the torn save-the-date that he¡¯d ripped like an old receipt. When we got married, he¡¯d treat me like a vessel for his legacy. He would tear me from my family and dump me into another one filled with the people who¡¯d hunted my uncles and cousins. I¡¯d watch my dreams cken as Alessio and his dark energy consumed me. Everything I loved about myself would die. No. I wouldn¡¯t marry him. I gazed at the murky, rain-spatteredndscape outside my window. A beautiful life waited for me. Far from Boston¡¯s crimson streets, I¡¯d begin anew. Happiness. Peace. Love. I wanted them so badly, and I¡¯d never have them with Alessio. I gathered my things. Relics of what I was leaving weighed my backpack, and Iughed at the bitter irony. After I packed, I shouldered my bag and crept across thending. Slowly, I eased downstairs. Light from my dad¡¯s office illuminated the floorboards, which groaned with his weight. No, no, no. My father¡¯s stout frame padded to the foyer as he flipped on the lights, illuminating the staircase. His face betrayed zero surprise at my getaway. ¡°Go back to bed. You have a big day tomorrow.¡± ¡°No.¡± The world had gone mad. Topsy-turvy. Insane. Up was down. ck burned white. And at the center of the crazy was my father. I struggled to find any resemnce between us. The physical details were there, but I¡¯d absorbed none of his mania for the family. I couldn¡¯t always get my way, but this was intolerable. ¡°I¡¯m not marrying that bastard.¡± ¡°Remember who you¡¯re talking to.¡± ¡°My dad, who said I¡¯d never have to marry a wiseguy. You promised. You gave me your word that you wouldn¡¯t interfere in my personal life.¡± ¡°And I meant it,¡± he growled, as though irritated I¡¯d reminded him of his failure. ¡°When your sister agreed to the match. But she passed away.¡± I loathed that phrase. ¡°She was murdered.¡± ¡°I know, hon. It¡¯s hard for me, too.¡± ¡°Her body could be anywhere-¡± I broke off, my vision flooding with hot tears. ¡°And we still don¡¯t have justice. I can¡¯t let her go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to.¡± ¡°You want me to marry him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best thing for all of us. I can¡¯t lose you, too.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. I couldn¡¯t look at him, or I¡¯d cry. ¡°Don¡¯t make me feel guilty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep you safe.¡± Dad met me halfway up the stairs. ¡°I love you so much.¡± ¡°Then release me.¡± ¡°I wish I could, but he¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to move on with her fianc¨¦. Dad, it¡¯s insane. Everything about this is nuts.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe, but it¡¯s this or get shot walking to the grocery store. Not just me. Your cousins. Uncles. Mother. You. You¡¯re my heir. Thest surviving link to our fortune. They¡¯lle after you. They¡¯ll kidnap you. Force you into marriage or worse, rape you. Give you a baby, take what¡¯s mine, and threaten your kid whenever you step out of line.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°Oh, sweetheart. The Irish and the bikers are animals. They¡¯re not as evolved as we are.¡± He chucked me under the chin, his tone thick with emotion. ¡°Violence is all they understand. And you¡¯re better off married to a man from a respectable Italian family-that¡¯s Alessio.¡± ¡°No, Daddy. There¡¯s nothing I respect about him.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t survive unless we make peace. Uniting our families starts with a marriage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be part of this anymore.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t walk away.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll call the police.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Alessio owns city hall and the cops. A shed isn¡¯t built without his say-so. He¡¯s got a cop guarding his house. He has the governor¡¯s ear. Nobody can stop him from being your husband.¡± ¡°What if he hurts me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my daughter.¡± Dad cupped my cheeks, his eyes swimming. ¡°You can handle him. Marrying Alessio and building a life with him is more important than anything.¡± What about my happiness? ¡°He¡¯s a murderer.¡± ¡°So what? Killers run this world. One day, your sons will be killers.¡± Alessio would break my spirit. What was left of it, anyway, and the cycle would continue. Only it¡¯d be my children getting hurt, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore my feelings. No matter where I looked, there was bleak horizon. ¡°What about Carm?¡± Dad flinched. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to be with my sister¡¯s fianc¨¦?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing left of Carm to feel betrayed.¡± I could still see her perched on my bed, panicking about her engagement to Alessio. ¡°I can¡¯t ept that.¡± ¡°Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. You don¡¯t have a choice. None of us have-¡± I ripped away from Dad and ran out the door. ¡°Wait!¡± he yelled. I hailed a taxi and took off as Dad stumbled outside in an alcohol-soaked haze. Rain drenched my father as he stood on thewn and screamed. He shouted my name as my cab turned the corner. MY ESCAPE PLAN WAS INTACT. The car was parked in a lot that didn¡¯t open for hours. I needed toy low, but I couldn¡¯t wander the streets of Boston. I¡¯d been photographed too often next to my dad. My face sshed the Times whenever we buried a family member, which meant even street thugs recognized me. The five thousand in cash was in my bag. I¡¯d have to make it stretch until Pornd. Dad read my credit card statements and had ess to my ounts. A notification would pop up in his email as soon as I bought something. I exited the taxi and descended to the subway, escaping the growing darkness. I switched lines at random and mingled with the rush-hour traffic. There was safety in numbers, but my father¡¯s men would find me. They¡¯d check the bus and train stations, airport, and the metro. The junkyard didn¡¯t open until ten. Where could I go to wait? My back was stiff from hours of sitting. The riders dwindled to a handful before I changed trains and headed toward Lower Roxbury, where David lived. He was my on-again-off-again fling-the only mafioso I stomached. I¡¯d run the gamut of wiseguys, and they tended to stick between cruel and dumb. Most never finished high school. Some of the older guys, the ones from huge families who relied on every working hand, never dabbled in public education. David was an obnoxious ass for telling everyone about us, but I was safe with him. Fifteen minutester, I approached his apartment. David sat on his porch, drinking. He had a bad habit of hanging outside, gun in hisp like a goddamned sheriff. I discouraged him against being a target for the Costas, but David had patted my head as though he found my concern adorable. He was my age, fair-haired, and good-looking in the traditional sense. He respected my boundaries, even when my father wasn¡¯t there to destroy him. He waved at me as I crossed the street. Then he drained his ss and rushed to greet me. ¡°Hey.¡± He enveloped me in a bear hug and rubbed my back. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you since the memorial. How are you?¡± ¡°Not great.¡± ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t be. Come.¡± His sympathetic smile transformed into a rakish grin. ¡°I¡¯ll make you feel better. At least for a little while.¡± God, I really wasn¡¯t supposed to be here. I allowed him to pull me into his brownstone. Usually, we got only a few steps inside before ripping each other¡¯s clothes off. David pushed me against the wall, his gaze heavy with an unspoken promise. Alessio¡¯s warning burned in my mind, consuming any desire. Before his lips touched mine, I palmed his chest. ¡°That¡¯s not why I came. I¡¯m in trouble.¡± David hesitated, his smirk still intact. ¡°Whatever it is, it can¡¯t be that horrible.¡± ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s bad. Can we sit?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Frowning, he took my hand and led me into his house, a sparsely decorated bachelor pad with only the essentials. Aside from a table and a sofa, he had zero furniture and didn¡¯t seem to give a damn about decorating. I couldn¡¯t imagine sleeping on that camp bed every night or living in this barebones apartment, but I¡¯d never asked for more from our rtionship. Neither had he. On some level, we must¡¯ve known this wouldn¡¯tst. Which was probably why he didn¡¯t flinch with my next words. ¡°David, I have to leave.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He hunkered near the window, scanning the glistening streets. ¡°Where are you going?¡± It wouldn¡¯t do any good to tell him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have to go before they-before my dad forces to marry him. Alessio Salvatore.¡± A fresh wave of misery hit me when he shot upright, hands balled at his sides. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± In seconds, his attitude shifted from nonchnt to furious. ¡°Holy shit, Mia. We¡¯ve been messing around while you¡¯re with him?¡± ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. I¡¯m not a cheater¡­he was my sister¡¯s fianc¨¦. It was an arranged marriage. A peace offering to the Costas. When she died, I thought it was over. Now everyone seems to think I¡¯m marrying him, and I have no choice. They expect me to walk down the aisle with a man who terrifies me. No fucking way.¡± David was silent, his young face reflecting shock. A stab of pity nagged at me as he rubbed his neck, mouth agape. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t put this on you. Coming here was selfish. I wouldn¡¯t have, but there¡¯s nobody else. Please, help me. Please. I don¡¯t want to be his wife.¡± ¡°Ignacio must be searching for you.¡± A fist-sized lump bulged in my throat at the mention of my father. He was sobbing when I left, and I never even said goodbye to Mom. How was she taking my absence? ¡°I need somewhere to stay for a few hours.¡± I quieted the storm in my head as David absorbed everything with hardening features. He¡¯d never been cold around me, but his withdrawal was almost palpable-as though he¡¯d walked out of the room. ¡°You should leave.¡± I must¡¯ve heard wrong. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go to him. There¡¯s nothing I can do. Even if I wanted to fuck with Salvatore, you won¡¯t get ten miles. He¡¯ll catch you, and then he¡¯ll make an example out of me. I wish I could do something, but¡­ you¡¯re screwed.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t find me. I¡¯ve nned this for months. I just need somewhere toy low.¡± ¡°Salvatore won¡¯t allow you to disappear.¡± David wheeled to my side, his lips set in a grim line. ¡°If you¡¯d have let me ask your father for permission, we¡¯d be more than a fling. Perhaps that would¡¯ve been enough to keep you out of Salvatore¡¯s hands. Now we¡¯ll never know.¡± ¡°David,e on. How could I have known this would happen?¡± ¡°You were always going to belong to someone. Sorry, Mia.¡± David slipped a phone from his pocket. ¡°I can¡¯t help you.¡± I nced at the screen. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯m calling your dad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± I made a grab for the cell, but he lifted it out of reach. ¡°David!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not leaving me much choice. Ignacio will realize you were here. If something happens to you-¡± ¡°-what do you think he¡¯ll do when he finds out you were dating me?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll beat the shit out of me. Frankly, I¡¯m more worried about Salvatore.¡± Great-even David was scared of him. ¡°David, please. I¡¯ll leave. Don¡¯t call my fucking dad.¡± ¡°Fine¡± He closed his phone, his brows knitting with sympathy. ¡°I really am sorry, but you have to go.¡± The one guy I trusted would rather sell me out. I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything less. My shoulder collided with his as I bolted from the living room and zed down the steps, flying into a pitch-ck street. A tall man lounged by a car, texting. He buried his phone in his cks and pushed off the BMW. His suit bled into the darkness as he stepped into my path. The smile carving into his cheeks stole my hope. Alessio. ¡°Found you.¡± #1 Chapter 3 MIA He got me. My life was over. ¡°Mia, let¡¯s go.¡± A voice with a graveled edge yanked me to reality, which was Alessio¡¯s hands, his mouth, his body. All of him would be mine. I was already his. I faced a heather-gray shirt that stuck to a broad chest. My gaze skipped over his Adam¡¯s apple andnded on his face. Rain misted his short beard and gave his skin a pearlescent sheen. Thatbined with his cold-bitten cheeks made it look as though he¡¯d just finished a jog. Heat came off him in waves. I stepped away from the sauna, but he dragged me closer. A sneer curled the perfect lips that had once kissed my sister. ¡°If you try to escape, I have zip ties and a trunk.¡± Horror colder than the brisk wind engulfed my body. ¡°Nod to show you understand. I¡¯ve had a long night.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± His giant palms wrapped my shoulders. My bag¡¯s straps slid off, the heavy weight lifting as he unburdened me. Then he grabbed my waist, urging me toward the parked BMW. The driver exited and opened the passenger¡¯s side door. ¡°Go.¡± The younger man shot into the darkness at Alessio¡¯smand, which meant I would be alone with Alessio as he meted out whatever justice he found appropriate. The hand touching me had already maimed so many people. What was one woman to this killer? I dug in my heels. Alessio doubled the pressure on my head. I lunged, nailing a hard abdomen. The bag dropped as we struggled. He balled my wrists and yanked. A scream tore my throat. He pinned me to his body as he snapped stic around me. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle.¡± He traced the binding, his touch feather light, soothing, and at odds with what he¡¯d just done. ¡°You¡¯ll make it worse.¡± ¡°Take it off!¡± He covered my mouth, muffling my yells. I fought viciously as he packed me into the car, but without my hands I couldn¡¯t do anything but contort my body. My back hit the cushions. Alessio pushed me deeper inside as though wrangling young women was the most normal thing in the world. ¡°See you soon.¡± ¡°Wait! Five minutes! Give me that, and I¡¯ll be quiet. I swear.¡± He hesitated. Seconds ticked by, his mute appraisal growing into something that made me wish I¡¯d stayed silent. Dripping, Alessio slid onto the backseat. He tossed my bag onto the floor. The leather groaned with his weight. He mmed the door and raked his hair. He watched me with a slight curl of his lips. y it cool. Pleading wouldn¡¯t get me anywhere. Callous men like Alessio equaled begging with forey. ¡°I-I came here to break it off.¡± ¡°Liar. You disappeared for hours. We¡¯ve been looking everywhere.¡± Alessio¡¯s gaze narrowed to malevolent slits. ¡°Your steady dick was thest ce I expected. Lesson learned.¡± ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡± I wetted my lips as blood rushed into my head. ¡°I understand, but don¡¯t take it out on David. He doesn¡¯t deserve to die.¡± Alessio said nothing, his silence filling the car with an ugly foreboding interrupted only by the gentle plinking of rain. He shook his sleeve back and checked his watch. ¡°I ran from the house after you took off. I had to escape, but I didn¡¯t know what to do. So I went underground and rode the metro. I was there for ages.¡± I waited for Alessio to acknowledge me, but he stared at his wrist as though counting down the seconds. ¡°Read my ticket. The timestamp is right there. It¡¯s in my jeans.¡± I rolled my hips, inviting him to check. Slowly, he delved into my pocket. His fingers teased my thigh as he fished out the stub. ring, he held it under his nose. ¡°See? I must¡¯ve left twenty minutes ago. I¡¯ve been riding the subway the whole time because I knew you¡¯d visit all the stations and my best option was to stay there. I came here because I was desperate. Out of options. Nowhere to go. You made me run, and I thought he¡¯d help me.¡± ¡°And did he?¡± My throat tightened. ¡°No.¡± He flicked the card to the floor, indicating that it didn¡¯t matter-heartless son of a bitch. Killing David was clearly of no consequence to him. ¡°He didn¡¯t touch me. Do you think I¡¯d be in the mood afterst night?¡± Alessio looked unconvinced. ¡°It was twenty minutes!¡± ¡°That mook only needs five. The concern over your fuck-buddy is precious. I¡¯m sure he appreciates your devotion when he¡¯s describing your tits to his friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not concerned, I¡¯m just-he doesn¡¯t deserve this!¡± When he slid across the seats, my pulse jackknifed. Alessio bent over me, so close I could¡¯ve counted hisshes. He had such beautiful eyes-swirls of caramel and honey mingled with an espresso. A rich depth swam in them. ¡°Are you in love with him?¡± ¡°No. Of course not.¡± Alessio said nothing. He stared. I tried to meet the intensity head-on, but my hands were bound. I couldn¡¯t defend myself. Dealing with Alessio leached my strength, leaving me powerless and overwhelmed. Alessio seemed to decide as he straightened. Reaching over me, he opened the window and shouted into the rain. ¡°John, let¡¯s go!¡± I blew a sigh, not knowing which was the bigger relief-escaping his touch or the fact that I¡¯d convinced him. My triumph smoldered to ashes when the car started. The sudden jolt pitched me forward, but Alessio stabilized me with a hand on my thigh. Then he pulled me down. I copsed, head in hisp. His arm draped over me, anchoring me to him. My mouth grazed his thigh as I turned, humiliated by my position. Which was probably his intention. Sick bastard. ¡°Jesus, this weather. Have we ever had a more miserable November?¡± I nced up, a retort caught in my chest, but he was talking to the fucking driver, who bantered with Alessio the whole way. Both of them ignored the third human being in the backseat. Maybe it was another mind game to teach me how little I mattered. All it did was piss me off. Alessio chuckled at something John said, and met my seething gaze. A smile still yed on his lips as though to ask, why are you upset? A searing heat flushed my neck and face before I returned the smirk. You can¡¯t degrade me more than yourself, asshole. No matter what, I wouldn¡¯t break. ALESSIO¡¯S HOME was a mansion west of Boston, surrounded by acres of parnds and gardens. All brick, ssic Georgian Revival, with a tiered entrance court above the rearwn. It had eight bedrooms, a private courtyard with a fountain, stone patios and porches, a wood-paneled library, a sunroom with nts and patio furniture, a gym, and a massive garage. Carm had gushed about Alessio¡¯s home. She¡¯d told me all about the gorgeous crown moldings and intricate wooden detail. Focusing on the property was better than dwelling on the fact I was zip-tied. If I could reach my phone. Dad would move hell and earth to save me, but he didn¡¯t stand a chance against Alessio. I couldn¡¯t call him. Snitching on Alessio wasn¡¯t an option, either. And I wasn¡¯t winning any fights. What could I do? Escape. All I had to do was keep quiet until things settled down. He had no idea about the Toyota with Oregon tes, and the extra ten thousand I¡¯d wired into a separate savings ount. If I framed my flight as a knee-jerk reaction, he¡¯d forgive me. I¡¯d apologize, y along with his bullshit games, and act like the perfect fianc¨¦e. It¡¯d take time, but he would lower his guard. Then I¡¯d escape. A wicked tension headache mmed me as I considered what would be involved. nning the wedding? Lavishing him with attention? Warming his bed? When I couldn¡¯t tolerate the suspense any longer, wheels crunched the driveway, which looped to a home whose outdoor lights illuminated gorgeousndscaping. Shadows yed on the brick. We parked, and the engine cut off. Alessio left the car. After he exchanged words with the driver, he helped me out.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Come.¡± At Alessio¡¯s gentle urging, I moved forward. He opened the wrought-iron gate, ushering me toward the red door. A st of warmth engulfed my body as I stepped into a vibrant foyer. The blinding whiteness of the walls surprised me, as did the sixrge ck-and-white photos right above his console table. In one, a vivacious woman hugged a much younger Alessio. His sister? More framed pictures crowded the mahogany. Small details jumped out, hinting that they were all members of his family. My fear staggered as he pulled me away from the portraits and guided me upstairs. I wound up like a spring as we reached the firstnding. He palmed the French doors. They swung into a carpeted bedroom with a king-sized bed. The sight of it set me on high alert. He removed his jacket with aching slowness and tossed it onto a chair, his shirt still sprinkled with damp spots. Without the zer, his bare arms took center stage. So big,pared to David¡¯s. Everything about Alessio was harsh. His skin rougher. His features more angr. Men like him just wanted their ego stroked. If I gushed about his strength and dwelled on how insignificant and stupid I was byparison, he¡¯d tone down the aggression. Before I opened my mouth, I glimpsed something that chilled my blood. A knife in Alessio¡¯s grip. He started forward. My heart seized when he clutched my forearms. A sharp edge pressed into my palm. I swallowed a scream as a firm pressure scraped against stic. The bonds snapped, and the tension holding my wrists disappeared. I stared at my freed hands. Alessio stowed the de in his nightstand, bleeding indifference as he pushed me onto the mattress. I jumped when he threw my bag at my feet. ¡°Open it,¡± he barked. ¡°W-what for?¡± ¡°Do what I say.¡± I wasn¡¯t thrilled with exposing my neck to Alessio, but I bent to grab the bag. I unzipped the backpack as Alessio hovered. ¡°Take out everything.¡± Nausea swirled in my gut as Iid it all out on the bed. He swiped the brick of cash from me and flipped through the bills. ¡°Five grand. Who gave you this?¡± Alessio¡¯s voice turned sour when I didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Tell me, or I¡¯ll visit David.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mine. Saved up from holidays and-and whatever my dad gave me.¡± That was a lie. I¡¯d skimmed from my father¡¯s many businesses for years to prepare for my escape, but Alessio probably thought I was a high-maintenance brat. ¡°Why not deposit it?¡± ¡°Dad-Dad always said that there¡¯s nothing better than cash on hand.¡± ¡°For criminals, notw-abiding citizens. What¡¯s this?¡± He grabbed photos of the redwood forest in Northern California. I could see his bewilderment growing as he shuffled through pieces I¡¯d stuck on my vision board. ¡°Running away to the forest?¡± ¡°They¡¯re vacation spots.¡± Asshole. ¡°My n was to bus across the States.¡± That wasn¡¯t aplete falsehood. I¡¯d nned a big road trip with a used car I¡¯d secretly bought. ¡°Where did you want to go?¡± ¡°The Great ins, Grand Canyon, up the Californian coast.¡± I wanted to lounge on beaches, ride cable cars in San Francisco, and then disappear in Pornd, which was as far from the East Coast as I could get. Well out of Alessio¡¯s reach. When I escaped, I would change my name, enroll in college, and date men whosest names didn¡¯t end in a vowel. I¡¯d work at a business that wasn¡¯t owned by my father. Volunteer at more at-risk youth organizations to help kids before they became Davids. I would be free. ¡°A vacation, huh? Life as a boss¡¯ daughter must be tough.¡± His cavalier tone twisted a knife in my rib cage. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The fatigue was getting to me, wearing me down. My skull throbbed as though a spike hammered my brain. He wouldn¡¯t understand. He didn¡¯t care. I met his re, determined to suck it up and lie, but I couldn¡¯t wade above the sadness for another second. The way he¡¯d tossed my photos aside, as though they were meaningless, clenched the fist holding my heart. ¡°I didn¡¯t just want a break. I had to escape.¡± His brows rose. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°My sister went missing. Mom and Dad are a mess. I was beside myself with grief. It was horrible, but I couldn¡¯t leave them after she died. So I put my ns on the back burner.¡± ¡°Until me.¡± ¡°Thest straw.¡± ¡°Why leave?¡± His voice was softer than velvet, and that somehow made it worse. I shook my head. I barely held in the despair. ¡°You don¡¯t give a shit.¡± ¡°Get it out. I¡¯ll listen.¡± Alessio sat next to me, his thigh pressing mine. He touched my cheek, the silky caress knocking David¡¯s heavy petting out of the stratosphere. ¡°You¡¯ll mock me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± What the hell was he doing? Trying to gain my trust? When I didn¡¯t speak, his arm slid across my back. It tightened around my body and anchored at my hip. Then he dragged me like I weighed nothing. My legs glided over hisp, and suddenly, I was pinned to his blissfully warm chest. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just rx.¡± His voice boomed through me. ¡°Rx.¡± Years of constant vignce had wired me to expect anything, but everything about him felt good. The hand stroking my hair. His protective arms. The swells of his breathing. His hot skin. I wanted to close my eyes and sink into the bottomless pleasure. Even weirder was the impulse screaming to hold him. ¡°Tell me.¡± And then it burst from my lips. ¡°I hate it here. I can¡¯t stand the violence, and I¡¯m sick of funerals. It¡¯s one tragedy after another. My sister was murdered, and my dad will probably be killed. That¡¯s all my life has ever been, and I deserve something better. I wanted to be like everyone else. Free. So you can threaten me all you want. I don¡¯t care anymore because I¡¯ve lost the only thing that matters.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t.¡± I sank into the crook of his shoulder as I shook with silent sobs. It was as though a puppeteer had cut the strings controlling my limbs. I sagged into him, returning the embrace. God, I¡¯d needed this. I dug into his muscled back, and tried not to make his shirt a wet mess. Falling apart in a stranger¡¯s arms was so embarrassing. Especially when said stranger abducted me from the street and was rumored to be among Boston¡¯s most ruthless mobsters. Alessio held me like it was the first of many times. His touch whispered across my cor and kneaded my shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re exhausted. You need to sleep.¡± He yanked theforter and tucked me in. When he pulled away, I clung to his shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± I didn¡¯t know how I got here-from fighting to begging-in minutes. Alessio hesitated. I couldn¡¯t see much of him in the dark, but the little of him I made out was pensive. Brow furrowed, he removed his shoes and dove into the sheets. The mattress groaned, and his body touched mine. He rolled me onto his chest. ¡°Sleep.¡± He wiped a strand of hair from my eyes and hooked it behind my ear. When his hand glided to my jaw, I turned my head to feel more of him. Alessio obliged, cupping my cheek. The tension headache lifted, filling me with drowsy ecstasy. I sighed. His mouth twitched into a smile, and it was a real one, nothing like the jaded smirks he usually threw at me. ¡°Sleep.¡± His velvet-soft voice was like a spell as I sprawled on him, sinking further into oblivion. #1 Chapter 4 ALESSIO She finally fell asleep. I peeled a sheet of hair from my cor, which zed after hours of lying still under aforter. I would¡¯ve been ufortable if I wasn¡¯t in cks. She was so goddamned tempting. I trailed my fingers over the hills and valleys of her curves, starting with her cheek that was stuck to my chest. My touch wandered down her neck and across her shoulders to the arm that rested on my torso. I swept back, following her ribs, stomach, and hips, stroking the thigh thaty on me. She was cooking me from the inside out. I grabbed her leg, but instead of moving it, I squeezed her hip. Then I inhaled a stream of curses. Holding her was nice, but I hated the sexual frustration. Her bound hands and pouting lips were enough to work me into a frenzy, which had made me feel like a depraved asshole. I didn¡¯t want to scare the woman I would marry, but that half-open mouth begged for a kiss. I could take it further. She wouldn¡¯t stop me. No. Not worth the risk. Besides, the way forward was ridiculously easy. All I had to do was make her feel safe and keep her life free of murder. Did she think I preferred Boston¡¯s streets running with blood? Nico¡¯s n to unite the families would eliminate all of herints, which meant I¡¯d have my fianc¨¦e wrapped around my finger. I smiled at the ceiling. I blocked out my schedule for the next week, assuming I¡¯d have to fend off escape attempts. She was supposed to be an empty-headed girl, but her head wasn¡¯t preupied with flights of fancy. It was filled with pain. Her cousins, uncles, and sister. All dead. Her father drank his problems away, and her mother was practicallyatose. She needed someone. She had turned to David. He must¡¯ve given her scraps offort in exchange for blowjobs. He used her. Disgusting prick. Didn¡¯t even have the decency to ask Ignacio¡¯s permission. I wanted to hurt him. I peeled away theforter. Carefully, I slid from under her andnded on the carpet. Mia sprawled on the bed. Hershes fluttered, and she murmured. Her crying had ripped at the center of me. My stomach caved in as though she¡¯d reached in and shredded my insides. Guilt dampened my rage as I straightened, preparing to leave. Her petite frame looked so lonely on the king-sized mattress. Light spilled in from the half-crescent moon. She was radiant. She had always been the most beautiful thing I¡¯d ever seen. Unnaturally gorgeous. An exotic brte with wide eyes and a cute, button-like nose and a small mouth. I couldn¡¯t put my finger on what pounded my blood, but I knew it was real.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Something about her disarmed me. Thank God I didn¡¯t have to fight this anymore. I leaned over and brushed the faintest kiss on her cheek. Then I pulled the bedspread to her chin so I wouldn¡¯t be tempted. I had things to do-mainly deal with that son-of-a-whore. David took advantage of her. I¡¯d make him pay. ¡°YOU KIDNAPPED HER.¡± My sigh touched the low ceiling of the storeroom. ¡°I picked her up several hours too early. That¡¯s not a kidnapping.¡± Nico raised an eyebrow. ¡°Tell that to the FBI.¡± ¡°Like they¡¯ll give a shit about Mia Ri.¡± Colorful shrink-wrapped packages stocked the shelves of our ndestine meeting in the back of a candy store. Nico Costa, the don, had a weakness for sweets, and it showed. He kept his overflowing gutrge with a constant stream of cold cuts and wine. When he wasn¡¯t stuffing his face, he cheated on his wife with twoares. One was a baby-faced girl younger than my fianc¨¦e. The other was in her thirties. He was sixty-five. The man needed to slow down before he stroked out from diabetes, warring mistresses, or both. He had ws, but I loved the bastard. He¡¯d weed me when I was a wide-eyed college kid. We hit it off, and I¡¯d advanced quickly, which didn¡¯t win me points with the other members. Nico gave zero fucks. He saw something in me. A knack for solving disputes between our partners pushed me into the center of Nico¡¯s inner circle. ¡°She¡¯s safe. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± I popped a saltwater taffy into my mouth. The disgustingly sweet vor coated my tongue, but I didn¡¯t care. I¡¯d been up all night and day with nothing to eat. ¡°Can¡¯t say the same for David.¡± Nico stared at me. I didn¡¯t fly into rages over women, but it got to me when she told me her reason for running. She deserved better, and David knew it. So I went to his ce and beat the shit out of him. I¡¯d listened to enough of that disrespectful asshole spreading intimate details about Mia to turn my stomach, so I didn¡¯t regret breaking his arm. The asshole would have a long, painful recovery. Nico gazed at his blinking cell. ¡°Her dad¡¯s blowing up my phone.¡± ¡°Shit, my future father-inw is lucky to be alive. He needs to be reminded that there¡¯ll only be one CEO.¡± ¡°Alessio, go easy on him. He just lost his daughter.¡± ¡°Rx. I will.¡± I was all for Nico¡¯s master n, even if nobody believed it¡¯d pan out. He was the most forward-thinking leader I¡¯d met. No boss had ever attempted to do what he proposed. Until now, the gangs fought each other for turf, respect, money, whatever. The streets were a battleground. Wasteful. The days of cracking heads were over. Everyone had cameras. Bystanders uploaded incriminating videos to every social media channel in seconds. Getting away with the same old tricks was a fantasy. We could die young or spend our years in jail. Or we could work together. ¡°I gave you that woman because you deserve a reward. I am in your debt for everything you¡¯ve done for this family, for my son.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful, Nico.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one of us. Your name might be Salvatore, but in here you¡¯re Costa.¡± He tapped his broad chest. ¡°As long as I¡¯m not in your ass.¡± ¡°Such a smart mouth.¡± I sank into a chair. ¡°How¡¯s the kid?¡± Nico made an exasperated motion. ¡°Anthony¡¯s all over the ce. His mother wanted to kick him out, so I put him in rehab. He hates me.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t. He¡¯s just¡­ lost.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never understand where I went wrong with my son.¡± Nico would never admit it, but he wished his boy was his mirror image. Anthony inherited his father¡¯s addictive personality,bined with recklessness and ack of sense. The tatted heroin fiend was a stranger, but love prevented him from cutting the cord. I¡¯d dragged Anthony out of dope dens. I¡¯d babysat him, caught him trying to score smack, stopped him from killing himself. The kid was a mess. Nico admitted once, while drunk and tearful, that he sometimes thought Anthony was better off dead. A father¡¯s disappointment was every man¡¯s worst nightmare. I¡¯d seen it on my dad¡¯s face too often and loathed it on Nico. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His eyes shone as he stood, patting my cheek with his meaty palm. It was a gesture I only tolerated from him. ¡°You¡¯re such a good kid.¡± ¡°When will you stop calling me that?¡± ¡°When you get married.¡± ¡°We should talk about the meeting. When we¡¯ll contact the bikers and where.¡± ¡°No. You have enough going on.¡± He nced at me, brows furrowed at my split knuckles. ¡°Anything I should know?¡± I tightened my fists, the flesh whitening. ¡°I visited David after I dropped her off. She was at his ce.¡± ¡°Diplomacy, Alessio. Not more shit to clean.¡± ¡°I needed to scare him. None of this works if people aren¡¯t terrified of breaking the rules. Can you imagine if anyone found out?¡± I seized the empty wrappers and tossed them in the trash. ¡°Don¡¯t touch him again.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, as long as he stays away from her. We can¡¯t tiptoe around incidents like these. Anyway, he knows he fucked up. He took his beating like a man.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to tell her father?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll smooth it over. I¡¯ll say I spotted her wandering the streets. David will back me up. He¡¯s got everything to lose by telling Ignacio the truth.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the overinted ego of young men.¡± Nico groaned as he stood, yawning as he headed toward the padlocked door. ¡°I¡¯m heading home. You¡¯re wee toe for Sunday. You and your teenage bride.¡± ¡°She¡¯s twenty-three, asshole.¡± Laughing, he waved me off. ¡°Go. Your girl¡¯s waiting.¡± Yes, she was. I hadn¡¯t eaten all day. I was beyond exhausted. It¡¯d been a while since I made an example of someone, and the adrenaline thrummed in me like cocaine. I couldn¡¯t avoid her forever. Nico needed this marriage to work. So did I. I wanted to build a life that struck empty hearts with envy-kids clinging to my knees when I strode into my house, the devotion of a beautiful girl, a picture-perfect family that¡¯d convince my parents I¡¯d changed. And I couldn¡¯t do it alone. #1 Chapter 5 MIA I woke up wrapped in a cloud of male. The scent triggered images I couldn¡¯t untangle-confusing blurs of Italian men, dark street corners, and someone¡¯s protective embrace. I smiled into the downy pillow and stretched my toes, surprised when they didn¡¯t bump the bed frame. My leg stuck out from the nkets. Cold stung my knee. I dove into the sheets that glided on my skin like silk. It was a furnace under theforter. What made it an oven? I inched closer to the warmth, rolling into a man¡¯s body. I moved David¡¯s arm aside, squirmed onto him, and nuzzled his neck. He was so warm, and he smelled incredible. I picked up sandalwood and leather notes, instead of the usual perfumedundry detergent. Did he use a cologne-or was this his scent, and I¡¯d never noticed before? Strange. Whatever it was, the intoxicating essence clung to his pillow. I felt across the broad panes of his chest as my arousal sharpened. Damn, had he been working out? I stroked his massive shoulder and swept to his stubbled jaw and chin. He inhaled through his nose, a shallow noise. Then he released the breath with a deep groan that reverberated between my legs. His hand wrapped my waist. He slipped under my pants and brushed the swell of my ass. Then he squeezed. Hot. I wanted more. I pressed my mouth into his sinewy neck, his sharp jaw line, and then I pushed into his thick hair. When I nibbled his ear, he growled. Sexy as fuck. I had to do it again. A pleased sound vibrated into me. When did David turn into a feral beast? Why did the scent of him make me giddy? I kissed his throat. ¡°I had the craziest dream.¡± ¡°Was it about me?¡± Alessio. His body. His sheets. His bed. I stiffened as the images fromst night arranged themselves. Zip ties burned at the forefront of my brain. I lifted my head, no longer trapped in a happy bubble of safety. He¡¯d taken me captive, and I¡¯d willingly snuggled beside him. What was wrong with me? A bare-chested Alessio sprawled underneath me. His olive skin flushed where I¡¯d kissed him. I ripped from him before I tamed my reaction. Hazel slits opened as he rolled over and settled inches away. A sleepy smile staggered across his lips when he took me in, curled in a protective ball. Oh my God. ¡°Get back here.¡± My insides ckened at the fact I¡¯d groped him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to-I thought you-when did you get naked?¡± Alessio¡¯s grin widened. He pushed himself upright with a yawn. I shoved myself to the other side of the bed, heart hammering. ¡°I¡¯m wearing boxers.¡± Theforter fell off his shoulders as he revealed a sculpted frame that I never could¡¯ve mistaken for David¡¯s. Alessio had a hundred times the sex appeal, especially with mussed hair and a smoldering voice. It was deep with exhaustion. I¡¯d slept with him. I searched my surroundings. The bag and all its contents were gone. Alessio slipped from bed, a Greek godpared to David. Corded muscle rippled down his arms. He shed me a smile so disarming I fisted the sheets. ¡°I¡¯m taking a shower. You¡¯re wee to join.¡± No fucking way. I was too frazzled to respond, but Alessio didn¡¯t hang around. He headed into another room, where I could still see him. Light bounced off charcoal floors as he faced the mirror. Water poured as he turned the faucet. He sshed his face and scratched his stubble, his eyes struggling to open. I admired therge muscles rippling along his back, the seductive line riding his spine, and the two gorgeous dimples just above his ass. He thumbed his boxers, the fabric dragging over his hips. He was perfectly proportioned. Why the hell was I scoping his body? I ripped my gaze from Alessio. The whirlwind of images pieced together as I swung my legs over the mattress. He slept with me, but he must¡¯ve crawled out because his cks weren¡¯t on the floor. I couldn¡¯t find my backpack. I stood. A pressing question hammered my skull. Even if it gutted me, I had to know. I followed Alessio into a luxurious bathroom with gray tiles and white marble walls. His and hers sinks touched the left side, from which a window flooded light. A w-foot tub sat on the right, and ahead, fogged ss. The nude outline of Alessio flitted in and out of view. I glimpsed a muscr thigh and a long, hanging shadow that sucked in my breath. ¡°Are you a voyeur, or do you want something?¡± His voice echoed above the steam, inviting me forward. I didn¡¯t touch a stitch of my clothes as I approached. Working up the nerve to confront a naked Alessio was a fucking challenge. I opened the door. Alessio had braced himself against the stone as the spray hit his head. He looked different underwater. More alive with the blossoming red cheeks and neck where heat kissed his tanned skin. When the cold draft blew in, he noticed me. His lips curled into a tight smile, as though I kept surprising him in ways that pleased him. ¡°Mia. You¡¯re overdressed.¡± He faced me, close enough to taste the water clinging to his mouth. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Where were youst night?¡± ¡°Take off your clothes, and I¡¯ll answer.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me. Where did you go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not married yet. What¡¯s with the interrogation?¡± ¡°Where did you go?¡± Alessio sighed. ¡°David¡¯s.¡± He¡¯s gone. My hand slipped. I thought of David¡¯s weing arms, his kind eyes, the characteristics I admired-they¡¯d vanished. He was dead because I visited him for twenty minutes. While I slept, Alessio had murdered him. He¡¯d warned me. This was my fault. How would I live with myself? ¡°After everything I told you?¡± Hurtced every syble as I ground my fingers into the ss. ¡°How could you?¡± ¡°Mia, rx.¡± ¡°You killed him. I exined how devastated I was by violence, and you did it anyway. Are you that sick and broken? Fuck me, you are. Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t kill him. I taught him a fucking lesson.¡± ¡°You¡¯re full of shit.¡± ¡°Call him if you like, but don¡¯t expect him to respond. I gave him very explicit details on what¡¯d happen if he contacted you. This is for his own sake as much as yours. If you¡¯d cared about him, you should¡¯ve used your vibrator.¡± The relief pouring in almost buckled my knees before that final sentence chased it away. ¡°You¡¯re revolting.¡± ¡°That might be more believable if I didn¡¯t wake up to your hands on me.¡± ¡°I thought Cristiano Ronaldo had slipped into my bed.¡± ¡°Meaning, I¡¯m as hot as an international sports star.¡± I growled. Heughed, his dimples widening. He allowed the spray to hit his neck, and I wished I were the drops trailing the lean muscle that seemed to extend all the way- I snapped to his knowing grin. ¡°Last night, I was weak. Lonely.¡± ¡°Well, I can help with that.¡± Alessio jerked his head, inviting me inside. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t want you to be lonely.¡± His honeyed words were poison. ¡°Join me.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting an eyeful of me. Time to return the favor.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°It¡¯s only fair. Come in. I¡¯ll make you feel so damn good you¡¯ll forget you hate me.¡± ¡°Alessio, I¡¯m not-I¡¯m not ready.¡± Water made rivers on the ss as he palmed the wall, his voice low and earnest. ¡°I won¡¯t touch you. Promise.¡± I saw myself ripping off my shirt and climbing into the steam, but I wasn¡¯t prepared for him touching my naked skin. ¡°Somehow, I don¡¯t believe you.¡± He dragged a finger over his chest, a chill riding my spine when the gesture took a double meaning. Cross his heart. Hope to die. #1 Chapter 6 MIA Alessio had left me alone. For days, I didn¡¯t talk to him, but I felt him everywhere. His weight creaked the floorboards under my feet. He was in my skin, my marrow, haunting my thoughts. He was a looming shadow, out of reach, yet too close. He got inside my head. I hated him for it. I settled into a dull routine he must¡¯ve memorized. Wake up. Shower. Eat. Explore. Nothing, including his drawers, was off-limits. Plenty of hiding spots presented themselves, but the srium became my favorite room because it was the brightest and stayed warm despite the ss. A heavy mist descended over the greenwn. Beyond the walls, I searched the tree line for an escape-Alessio¡¯s cop bodyguards kept watch on the house. Two police officers parked beside the curb all night until another team relieved them at sunrise. I hadn¡¯t yet discovered a deviation in their schedule, but escaping would never be as simple as walking off the property. How the fuck would I leave? ¡°There¡¯s no way out,¡± a graveled voice boomed behind me, making me flinch. ¡°My bodyguards will catch you. I¡¯ve alerted businesses that my missing fianc¨¦e might show up. Nobody will help you.¡± ¡°I thought she was your missing fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± I palmed the freezing wall, wishing the sting could ease the hurt blossoming from those words. There was no inflection in his speech. He¡¯d never given a damn about my sister. ¡°You don¡¯t have to beat me down.¡± I swallowed, turning from the frigid scenery to an even less weing sight. ¡°I won¡¯t run.¡± ¡°Giving up already?¡± Alessio joined my side, buttoning a red shirt over his damp chest. He sucked in air and tucked the fabric into his charcoal gray cks. His skin glowed from a shower, and he¡¯d buzzed his beard. I hated that I noticed. ¡°Yeah. Disappointed?¡± ¡°Very.¡± ¡°What does that say about you?¡± ¡°That I¡¯m an asshole, I guess.¡± Sandalwood and leather scent clung to him. He kept pushing the locks back, and I imagined how wet and warm they¡¯d feel. He always smiled after holding my gaze for three seconds, as though it took him that long to read my thoughts, which would not get over his good looks. He made me want to check the mirror. ¡°Sorry to let you down, but I don¡¯t see the point in humiliating myself.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking forward to that.¡± He weighted my shoulder with his arm as he yed devil¡¯s advocate on my neck. The light brushing teased me with a vengeance. ¡°Might¡¯ve been fun to drag you home and teach you obedience.¡± I gathered he didn¡¯t mean a stern lecture. Heat blistered my cheeks. ¡°Well, my dad beat you to the punch.¡± ¡°Not for what I have in mind.¡± I stepped away, hissing when my shoulders hit the ss. Alessio soothed the fierce bite, pulling me from the frosted walls. ¡°Mia, you¡¯ve got to rx.¡± ¡°Hard to do that around you.¡± ¡°If I wanted to hurt you, I would¡¯ve done it already.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not reassuring. It¡¯s hard to reconcile¡­ this gentle stranger with the ugly gossip.¡± ¡°We can debate morality all year, but it¡¯s not an argument I¡¯ll win, and I don¡¯t care. When you¡¯re facing a loaded gun, I promise you won¡¯t either.¡± Alessio¡¯s touch tickled my palm as he led me upstairs, my breath hitching when he stopped in our bedroom. ¡°Judge me by my actions, not by what you¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve barely touched you, Mia.¡± He hovered behind me, his hushed voice awakening a long-dormant ache. ¡°I¡¯m trying to ease you into this rtionship slowly. But we don¡¯t have long until the big day.¡± The wedding. A lump lodged in my throat as I pictured Alessio mming the door to our hotel suite, ripping off my dress, pushing me onto the mattress where he¡¯d grab my wrists and wedge my thighs open. Our first real night together. My heart pounded as he surrounded me, his hand gliding across my waistband. The intimate gesture dragged my attention to his shapely mouth, thick hair, and the sexy shadow under his jaw. ¡°We don¡¯t have to wait.¡± It was more than a suggestion, with his thumbs tracing my hips and the bed right there. It beckoned like a siren leading me to my doom. I¡¯d always been attracted to him. The need wetting my panties proved my desire was going nowhere, and my chances of escaping without sumbing to him seemed dim. Alessio¡¯s hawk eyes pierced me, seething with impatience. He was so much older. His confidence made me feel like a clueless girl. How the hell would I handle him? God, I needed out of here before I did something stupid, like fall into his arms and beg him to fuck me. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I ripped from his hands and put the furniture between us. My pulse thudded as he let me slip away. ¡°Not yet. I can¡¯t.¡± Alessio epted my rejection with a dark smile. ¡°Time¡¯s running out for you, Mia.¡± HE WAS RIGHT. I had no time. Between my dwindling window for escape and Alessio¡¯s refusal to budge on my independence, I was screwed. Withdrawing bricks of cash wouldn¡¯t work because I couldn¡¯t sneeze without Alessio finding out. I needed his trust. For now, Alessio seemed to be true to his word. He hadn¡¯t raised a hand against me. It didn¡¯t mean he never would, but there was no imminent threat to my body. No, the risk was all psychological. He clearly meant to kill me with kindness or seduction or whatever his fucked-up mind assumed this was. Alessio opened the passenger door, and the cold bit my ankles as I stepped onto the sidewalk. My Givenchy dress kissed the ground, the side slit tempting the chill to freeze my legs. Alessio drank me in, admiration written in his raised brows and upturned lips. I flexed my fingers in his, the words stuck in my throat. We headed down the block toward a lounge with ckened windows. Alessio stopped before we approached the doors. ¡°You might hate everyone in there.¡± No shit. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with mobsters my whole life, Alessio. I can handle lewd jokes and ass grabs.¡± ¡°Nobody but me will touch you. Promise.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised if I¡¯m an asshole. In there, Mia, I¡¯m a bastard. With you, I¡¯m Prince Charming.¡± Pretending to be, at least. His gentleness had to be an borate ruse. ¡°You¡¯re more like Hades.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make you the girl who makes it snow when she¡¯s with her husband?¡± He caught a ke from the air, the tiny flurries dancing around us like fairies. ¡°Hmm.¡± I rolled my eyes, smiling. ¡°So¡­ what should I do in there?¡± ¡°Have fun and mingle.¡± Alessio¡¯s grip tightened as we crossed over an icy patch. ¡°Try to enjoy yourself and remember what I said.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bastard-I mean-Prince Charming in disguise.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Alessio approached the door and opened it, his sweet smile disappearing. We drifted into a Costa-owned lounge. A local artist¡¯s ck-and-white photography lined the brick walls. Gothic-inspired furniture-all ck-filled the space and low-hanging ironmps pulsated dim light from Edison bulbs. People packed the bar. It was hard to tell who was connected and who was a customer, but everyone seemed to know Nico. Fucking Nico. They raised their cups as the fat ass sauntered into the middle of the bar with a stunning blonde attached to his hip. ¡°Good evening, everybody!¡± he roared above the din, the music simmering down. ¡°Thank you so much foring to celebrate this beautiful youngdy¡¯s twenty-second birthday. In honor of Krista, the first round is on me.¡± The lounge exploded with cheers. He turned his big face toward the giggling girl and pressed a disgusting kiss onto her cheek. ¡°Happy Birthday, honey,¡± he croaked with a surprising amount of emotion. ¡°I love you.¡± Alessio pped with the rest, beaming. I whispered into Alessio¡¯s ear. ¡°A party for his mistress? What a decent guy.¡± ¡°Mistresses. And yes.¡± Gross. As the bar erupted with fanfare, Alessio brought me deeper into the chaos where he must¡¯ve introduced me to a dozen Paulies. Over and over, I parroted pleasantries to Costas, whom I hated on principle. Then Alessio tugged me into a quiet backroom where a guard vetted men at the threshold. Deep orange lights cast a sunset-like glow over the counters, leather stools, and suits. Smiles shed in my direction. I felt as though I¡¯d stepped into a pool of testosterone. Alessio ushered me to two men who leaned upright on the counter. ¡°Guys.¡± They straightened, greeting Alessio with curt nods. I could¡¯ve spotted them in a room of dozens for their wolfish stares andmanding stature. They were the sort who always sized up people around them, searching for weakness. Alessio¡¯s calm energy tempered their mes, but without them, they were vtile. Especially that one. His re dipped down from my tits to my toes, his insolent gaze swarming with a wild fury. He caught my stare with interest. ¡°Mia, this is Michael.¡± Alessio gestured to the less intense one. ¡°Michael, my fianc¨¦e.¡± He was in his thirties, attractive, with light brown hair and a smile that put me at ease. He seemed like a guy who smiled quickly and often. My only warning that he was a wolf lingered in his s¨¦ admiration. I shook Michael¡¯s hand. ¡°Lovely to meet you.¡± He winked at me. ¡°If you ever get tired of Alessio-¡± ¡°Flirt with my fianc¨¦e, and I¡¯ll chop off your arm.¡± Michael¡¯s yful arrogance was more ptable than Alessio¡¯s darkness, which eclipsed Michael¡¯s but was second to him. Alessio squeezed my waist, dragging my attention to the other man. ¡°Vinn, this is Mia.¡± If I had to pick an animal to describe Vinn, it¡¯d be a bird of prey. Shadows cast from his massive back expanded like wings as he spread his arms. He didn¡¯t just break hearts. He carved them out of chests, ate them, and sent the remains to the mother. Men that handsome and angry spelled the worst kind of disaster. He scared me. I¡¯d never want to be alone with him. ¡°Pleasure,¡± he boomed in a graveyard voice. ¡°All-all mine.¡± ¡°Michael and Vinn are my captains. You can trust them. If something happens to me, they¡¯ll take care of you.¡± Warmth leached from my limbs at the thought of Alessio being out of reach while these hunters watched over me. Michael grinned at me. ¡°You would love that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± he blurted, answering for me. ¡°Don¡¯t give her any ideas.¡± Theyughed. The sound set my skin on fire. Life twitched on Vinn¡¯s frozen face as he smirked. The men were like three opposing forces bnced in a harmonious power structure. ¡°If you can¡¯t find me, call them. They¡¯ll know where I am.¡± I looked from the dead-eyed Vinn to the more yful Michael. They would take care of me? Sure, I¡¯ll believe that. ¡°Okay.¡± Vinn still examined me, his smile growing under his palm. Alessio noticed, pping his head with a hard cuff that might¡¯ve been posturing. We exchanged numbers, and then Alessio crammed me to his side. ¡°See you guyster. Have fun.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± I whispered when he led me away. ¡°Vinn scares me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s all right,¡± Alessio said dismissively. ¡°I just have to remind him who¡¯s boss once in a while.¡± ¡°Both of them. I don¡¯t understand how you sleep at night.¡± ¡°Because they know I¡¯ll make their lives short and painful if they so much as sneeze on me.¡± The lounge filled with guests and Alessio broke from me to chat with Nico. He encouraged me to mingle. Meet my new family. I watched as he and Nico retreated to the sunset room. They argued, and I was curious about what, but Vinn¡¯s presence prevented me from following. So I nursed a gin and tonic in one of the leather wingback chairs, bored and overwhelmed with the chaos. Dad¡¯s events were mildpared to these, with an old folks home appropriate level of noise. Everything about the Costas screamed excess. A greaseball Italian dropped onto the chair next to mine, his nose bright red as he leaned over and shook my hand. ¡°I¡¯m Paulie, and you must be Carm Ri.¡± I didn¡¯t expect to hear my sister¡¯s name. A fist seemed to wrap my throat. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you engaged to Alessio?¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m Mia, Carm¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± His boozy words tumbled over themselves. ¡°So he was engaged to her, and now he¡¯s with you.¡± Please fuck off. ¡°Yes.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Wow.¡± Heughed into his whiskey tumbler. ¡°Lucky guy.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Paulie put the drink aside, swaying. ¡°I forgot. Your sister was murdered. Did they ever catch the son-of-a-bitch? Do you know what happened?¡± My throat clenched. ¡°No.¡± ¡°The cops have some idea, right?¡± Probably a local rapist. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No? What do you mean, no?¡± Paulie disappeared into a blur of shifting colors. I blinked away the mist as the well of grief overflowed. It was like he had ripped the lid containing my sadness. This was what everyone remembered about Carm-not her fantastic voice or her kindness of spirit-that she was killed. My response was lost in a haze of tears. I stood, grabbing my purse. ¡°Shit.¡± Paulie grimaced, yanking balled tissue from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t trying to upset you-¡± A sharp tone cut through his babbling. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Horrified, Paulie nced at my fianc¨¦. ¡°Nothing.¡± Alessio melted from the darkness, Vinn and Michael nking him like attack dogs waiting for hismand. My fianc¨¦ gave me a cursory look, taking in my agony, my wet cheeks. He seized Paulie¡¯s neck, crashing him headfirst into the coffee table. sses shattered as he ground Paulie¡¯s face into broken shards. Vinn pounced, ripping Paulie¡¯s arms back. Alessio¡¯s fingers whitened against Paulie¡¯s flesh, but more terrifying than his over-the-top rage was his instinct for brutality. Paulie sputtered, his eyes gleaming white. ¡°The fuck did you do to her?¡± Alessio didn¡¯t give Paulie a chance to answer. He ripped back Paulie¡¯s head and smashed his jaw with a vicious right hook. I was a veteran to violence, but I still hated being around it. So I shot away, nudging people as I burst through the door. Cold enveloped me as I stepped outside. Signs for the metro pointed me across the street. My body tensed as I approached the crosswalk, but the glistening roads were free of bodies. Maybe I could escape, but what was I running from? The man who didn¡¯t really scare me? White zed as the sign flickered. I followed it halfway before I heard footsteps. Dread climbed my stomach as I turned around. Alessio. He stood at the crosswalk, head cocked. Fuck. I shuffled toward him, tail tucked between my legs. ¡°I wanted to get out of there. That¡¯s all.¡± Alessio¡¯s handsome features were smoothed from the ugliness I¡¯d witnessed. He was a fucking chameleon. ¡°You headed straight for the subway.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a park by the station.¡± ¡°Strolling the park in this weather without a coat?¡± ¡°Yeah. So? I¡¯m not going anywhere, Alessio. You took my money.¡± ¡°What happened with Paulie?¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°He was just a drunk asshole. You didn¡¯t have to choke him.¡± ¡°Paulie Valente is a loudmouth who doesn¡¯t know when to shut up. He doesn¡¯t deserve your pity.¡± ¡°Ever since my sister¡¯s death, I¡¯m not sorry for anyone. Not much, anyway.¡± I moved away from Alessio because he was like a bright me that hurt my eyes. ¡°Mostly¡­ I feel like this.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± he said, right behind me. I spread my arms at the wintry streets. ¡°Cold and numb.¡± The flickering candle I kept alive for my sister was guttering out. ¡°I miss her. But it¡¯s less and less every day.¡± Alessio wrapped my waist, his cheek like a brand against my skin. ¡°Do you know what I wish for more than anything?¡± ¡°World domination?¡± ¡°No. For you to be happy.¡± He was full of shit. Had to be. But my throat tightened nheless. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happiness looks like anymore.¡± ¡°Yes, you do. You had a backpack filled with pictures.¡± He turned me around, his palms hot against my face. ¡°You can have that, Mia. You can have whatever you want, so long as it¡¯s with me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± I dug my fingers into his chest, willing myself not to cry, but his kindness was drawing poison from me. I kept shaking as the weakness left my body. I¡¯d never allowed myself to be vulnerable. How did he sh through my defenses? ¡°Why are you nice to me? What¡¯s in it for you?¡± He pressed his lips into the corner of my mouth, and then my ear where he whispered, ¡°A life with you.¡± I melted like butter in his palm, burrowing into the crook of his neck. I screwed my eyes shut and tried not to howl with the agony that fought through, and Alessio being the supportive fianc¨¦ that he was, held me more fiercely. He was lying. But it was a beautiful lie. #1 Chapter 7 ALESSIO My fianc¨¦e loathed me more than ever. I thought I¡¯d smoothed it over, but the Paulie Valente incident set us back weeks, which drove me insane because that piece of shit wasn¡¯t worth her rage. She was determined to punish me for thatpse in judgment. Not with insults or threats to bodily injury. Mia didn¡¯t possess an ounce of mean in her body, which was good because I had enough for both of us. She fought back with the silent treatment. God, I hated it. Whenever I walked into the room, she acknowledged me like a noxious fume. Her brows knitted, and her lips pursed. She was a sullen child forced into summer school, uttering concise responses to my questions, taking part only when I prodded. She couldn¡¯t stand my presence. Refused to join me for meals. She grazed on fruit, cheese, and handfuls of nuts. She wasn¡¯t eating properly, and I loathed it because I was Italian. She needed to fucking eat. I was tired of tiptoeing around the princess, so I hunted my mansion until I found her in my library. Mia was curled on the floor, her espresso-brown waves spilling over the carpet. Her naked calves folded to the side as she read a book. Her shift dress ended mid-thigh. All that skin on disy filled my cock with blood and blinded me to everything that wasn¡¯t my fianc¨¦e. My very fuckable fianc¨¦e who hadn¡¯t touched me since the other night. I strolled inside, the rugs muffling my footsteps. Mia flipped pages as I stalked her until my shadow rippled over her. She froze like a feral cat that feared people, except she was only skittish around me. ¡°What are you reading?¡± She snapped the book shut and scooted, hiding the cover. ¡°It won¡¯t interest you, anyway.¡± ¡°Humor me, for God¡¯s sake. You know I¡¯ll look at it as soon as you take off.¡± Mia kicked it under an end table. Such a brat. My patience, already frayed, cracked when she breezed past.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. I sidestepped her, blocking her way. ¡°Why are you ignoring me?¡± I caught her arm, and her thin veneer of defiance seemed to shatter. She resembled the scared girl I¡¯d picked up two weeks ago. ¡°Instead of pouting, use your words. Tell me what the fuck you need.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t give me what I want. Leave me alone, Alessio.¡± She twisted from my grasp and stormed into the hall. Her bare feet pped the wood. The door crashed open and mmed. I charged after her, easily as angry as my pint-sized fianc¨¦e. She was sulking outside for a change. Part of me would¡¯ve loved to lock her out in the cold, but her hunched figure doused the mes in my chest. The dress did her zero favors in the November chill. If she felt pain, it didn¡¯t seem to register. She stared into the deep greenwn surrounded by evergreens. ¡°Mia,e inside. You¡¯re cold.¡± Her lips parted. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Clearly, she was not. Sane people didn¡¯t act like this. Was sheshing out? Trying to hurt me? Why was she so bent out of shape? I grabbed a wool throw and joined her, the air biting my lungs as I wrapped her in the fabric. As soon as it touched her, her rage broke like dried pasta. She clutched her throat, fighting to force out the words. ¡°My sister. It¡¯s her birthday.¡± Shit. I forgot. Which sank a stone in my gut. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been so selfish.¡± Mia bowed her head, two small tears streaking her cheeks. ¡°I-I¡¯ve made this week all about me.¡± I wiped her face before sliding my hands to her waist. ¡°Do you think she¡¯d want you to punish yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not punishing myself. I¡¯m helping my sister.¡± ¡°What does freezing your ass off have to do with Carm?¡± I rubbed warmth into her. ¡°Come inside. Eat.¡± ¡°I have to find her. I¡¯ve been reading things that might help. Missing persons cases. People who turned up months, even yearster.¡± The hope in her voice gutted me. ¡°Mia, she¡¯s noting back.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that. There¡¯s no proof she¡¯s gone. Half a yearter, no answers. Who killed her, how, when. She could be alive-¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead. I saw the crime scene.¡± ¡°How can you be so cold?¡± ¡°We deal with it in different ways.¡± The first month after Carm¡¯s murder was a blur of alcohol and sleepless nights. In my darker moments, I wondered if she cried out my name while the sick son-of-a-bitch murdered her. Now? I barely thought of her. Mia took my hand. Her eyes softened, and her mouth parted. She was about to apologize. I didn¡¯t need to hear it, so I cut her off. ¡°You did everything you could. We searched every corner of those woods. Stop shaking your head. You need to know your limits. You¡¯re not a homicide detective. Or a god. You can¡¯t conjure her from thin air. It¡¯s time. Let her go.¡± Mia looked away as though she couldn¡¯t bear the sight of me. She flushed as she broke from my side and marched down the steps. Barefoot, she strolled through the grass. I caught up to her. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Going for a walk.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± I swept her off her feet and hoisted her high against my chest. Mia gasped, her fingers like icicles on my neck. ¡°You¡¯re staying inside where it¡¯s warm. Then you¡¯ll eat. If I have to strap you to a chair and spoon feed you, I will.¡± My feet slid over the heated tiles as I kicked the door shut. ¡°Save us both the trouble.¡± ¡°Just let me be sad.¡± ¡°Eat.¡± I put her down and adjusted the nket over her shivering limbs. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better. Promise.¡± I kissed her cheek, and her lip trembled. All the fight in her seemed to disappear as I led her to the table. She sat, her face beet-red as I warmed leftover pasta. Silently, she watched as I poured Bolognese over penne and grated parmesan. I pushed it in front of her. She picked up the fork tremulously and stabbed the food. As it touched her mouth, her eyes welled. ¡°That bad?¡± Her lips twitched. ¡°It¡¯s good. Thank you.¡± I could barely meet her gaze. ¡°Carm cooked the gravy on Sundays. She liked to throw in zhini. And mushrooms. Just about every vegetable in the fridge. Made it watery as hell.¡± A tremor went through her, and then she dropped the fork. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She took a few steadying breaths and tried again. She ate as though each bite caused her pain, and her grief ripped me up inside. I couldn¡¯t watch this-I couldn¡¯t stand the gut-punch of her heartbroken gasps. I sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist. ¡°It¡¯ll get easier, Mia.¡± She nodded, pushing away the bowl. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± Here we go. ¡°Do you still have my sister¡¯s ring?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I stuffed it in my sock drawer months ago. Her father gave it back after he found it on her nightstand. I wasn¡¯t sure what to do with Carm¡¯s ring, but tossing it in a river felt wrong. ¡°I want to wear it.¡± Are you kidding me? ¡°No.¡± ¡°I want the ring. It¡¯s thest thing she wore before¡­¡± Mia broke off, swallowing. ¡°It¡¯ll make me feel closer to her.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to dwell on her final moments.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that, Alessio. She loved that ring. I chose the setting, stone, everything. Remember?¡± I remembered quashing many inappropriate thoughts as I picked up my fianc¨¦e¡¯s much more desirable sister for ring-shopping. ¡°I don¡¯t want her jewelry on you.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s ufortable, but I think it¡¯ll help me cope with this.¡± She gestured between us. ¡°Please.¡± I didn¡¯t need the constant reminder, but if it made her happy¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s see if it fits.¡± Mia followed me into the bedroom. A rolled-up pair of socks hid the ring. I fished it out, popped the lid, and grabbed the silver zing with the princess-cut sapphire. I would¡¯ve shut the box if she¡¯d burst into tears. Mia plucked it from my hand and slid it onto her finger. D¨¦j¨¤-fucking-vu. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Thank you.¡± She sighed as though a piece of her had been returned. Then she bounced on her toes to kiss my cheek. My body¡¯s response was a firestorm where there were only ever embers with Carm, and my heart pounded when she pressed an even lighter kiss into my mouth. I closed my eyes at the contact. An instinct to deepen the kiss red, and if I hadn¡¯t had my fist around the reins, I would¡¯ve put her chaste pecks to shame. She wasn¡¯t ready, but she would be. Soon. #1 Chapter 8 MIA ¡°Don¡¯t touch that!¡± Sighing, I bounced from the threadbare couch to chase a curly-haired toddler. He clutched a knitting needle and jabbed the outlet. Sparks flew from the tiny holes. The boy whirled around, beaming. ¡°Fireworks!¡± ¡°Matteo, no. Give me those.¡± I plucked them from his chubby grip. His big blue eyes widened when they slipped from his fist. Then he burst into a crying jag that stabbed nails into my brain. The kid was a handful. I¡¯d stopped him from plunging down the staircase twice. Scrubbed ketchup off floors. Chided him for pulling his sister¡¯s hair. Read him five stories, after which he refused a nap. The toddler would not rest for a single freaking second. Alessio had offered my services to Michael without my permission, which he epted. Now I knew why. His kids were brats. The clock ticked closer to three, which was when Serena would return from her back-to-back salon visits. Babysitting wasn¡¯t the worst thing in the world, but I¡¯d been at it since eight. I grabbed my phone wrote a text. Me: If you¡¯re hoping this will warm me up to kids, think again. Alessio: I don¡¯t intend to raise brats, but with you as their mom? Anything could happen. ?? A reluctant smile staggered across my face. Me: You better hope they turn out like me and not you. Alessio: Preach. Alessio: BTW, going to be an hourte. ?? Growling, I tossed the cell aside. I hated Alessio. I couldn¡¯t stand his gorgeous face or his velvety growl that stood out in a room of hundreds. Even his eyes weren¡¯t an ordinary hazel. They fractured with rich golds and caramels. Staring into them gave me a fever that started with burning cheeks. What else did I hate? His arms, which felt increasingly like shelter. His passiveness during arguments. The way he lowered my guard by refusing to rise to my bait. Hell, I¡¯d yet to hear him raise his voice. Everything about him defied my expectations, and I loathed that, too. It meant I might be wrong. The whispered threads of gossip said the same thing, that Alessio Salvatore was a violent, abusive womanizer. If he wasn¡¯t the typical gangster, what then? Would I stop fighting my instincts? Was I supposed to forget Carm and ride with her fianc¨¦ into a vivid sunset where I made out the vague silhouette of a rtionship that might work? I didn¡¯t know. But my attraction to him grew like an unchecked infection. Doubling every day. Heating the very core of me. My standoff began to feel like a self-inflicted wound. Resisting Alessio gave me nothing but pain. A loud ng crashed into my ears. I¡¯d ripped my gaze from Matteo for too long. He rattled the firece poker against the stand, threatening to topple the entire thing. They needed to kid-proof their house. I seized him before it fell. His ear-splitting shrieks bounced off the ceiling. ¡°You are too amped up on sugar.¡± I lifted him onto my hip, brushing his tangle of messy curls. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯ll distract you.¡± Serena always shoved an iPad under the boy¡¯s nose and let the stream of YouTube videos entertain her child, but I wasn¡¯t a fan. Introducing a screen addiction to a three-year-old seemed like a bad idea. I didn¡¯t grow up with constant positive feedback, and I was fine. Already making notes about raising children. Alessio would be thrilled. Tears streaked Matteo¡¯s fat cheeks as he reached for the iPad. ¡°Sweetheart, no. That will rot your brain.¡± I took his hand as I wandered the hallways. ¡°When you¡¯re a teenager, you¡¯ll have the attention span of a goldfish. I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± I kept everything tidy by picking up their toys. If this became an ongoing job, I¡¯d teach them to clean their messes. My mother had never allowed me to get away with anything. I didn¡¯t see why Matteo should, even if he was super cute. Seriously, this kid was a pro at maniption because every time he grinned, I awwed. He could be so sweet. I led him into the yroom, where his low-maintenance sister sprawled on the colorful rug. Thank God, she wasn¡¯t on a mission to kill herself. Mariette scrubbed a book with bright pink fingers stained with the marker. Her gaze narrowed as I entered with Matteo. ¡°When is Mommying home?¡± I raised my brow at the tone. ¡°Soon.¡± I put Matteo down, and he ran into a pile of blocks. Mariette released a long-suffering sigh, resigning herself to her brother¡¯s loud presence. I piled boulders into towers that he smashed. The kid was obsessed with destruction. After I¡¯d fetched the fifth block from underneath a bookcase, the unmistakable sound of keys jiggled at the entryway. Thank God. ¡°Mommy!¡± Mariette started the stampede, hurtling the halls to jump into Serena, who arrived in a cloud of hairspray. A leggy woman decked head to toe in Lululemon dumped her designer purse on the console table, scooping Matteo in her arms. Serena was tall with a swimmer¡¯s broad shoulders. ¡°There you are, my sweet angel.¡± She draped an arm around Mariette, who clung to her leg and seemed unlikely to let go this century. ¡°Who wants McDonald¡¯s?¡± The children screamed in the affirmative. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need. I baked ziti. It¡¯s in the fridge. Just needs to be heated up.¡± I expected a mother of two to show gratitude, or at the very least, look relieved at my offer. Serena rifled through her bag and dabbed a tissue to her pouring nose. ¡°That¡¯s nice of you, Mia. My husband loves ziti, but I think the kids deserve a special treat for being so well-behaved.¡± Was she joking? Whatever. They weren¡¯t mine. If she wanted to feed them junk, that was her business. Disapproval stoked the embers in my chest as Serena yanked a puffy, pink coat over Mariette¡¯s arms. ¡°Alessio not here yet?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be here in an hour. Something came up.¡± I eyed the couch with longing. ¡°I hope that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Serena dressed Matteo, fumbling with the zipper. ¡°Hold on, buddy. I need to get this on. Mariette, tie your shoes. Mia, sweetie, could youe with us?¡± I didn¡¯t mind helping an overwhelmed mom, but damn. I needed a break. ¡°Maybe I should stay. Alessio will be here soon.¡± ¡°I could use your help.¡± Serena shook as she tied her toddler¡¯s boots. ¡°Goddamned piece of shit. I can¡¯t-my fingers are stiff.¡± ¡°Here, let me do it.¡± I stooped, tying them for her. ¡°Are you sick again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Serena wiped her streaming nose, which smeared with beige foundation. ¡°I have somewhere to be. I need you toe.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I hang out here with the kids?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really important that youe.¡± I didn¡¯t want to, but Serena looked so miserable that I nodded. Between watching her children, cooking lunch, and sometimes dinner, I was doing the lion¡¯s share of housework. What else could she need? I would kill Alessio. ¡°Sure. Whatever. Where are the car seats?¡± ¡°Oh, they¡¯re already in the van.¡± ¡°Give me the keys. I¡¯ll warm it up.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll leave now.¡± Serena ushered Mariette and Matteo to the door. I groaned. The car seats would be frigid. Matteo would cry, and his screams would split my brain. Serena seemed immune to her children¡¯s needs. She was never engaged. Her head was always bent over a smartphone. We piled into the freezing van. Both childrenined about the cold, and I sent a re at Serena that was ignored. She backed from the driveway, wrenching the gear so quickly the engine whined. We shot into Boston¡¯s frozen streets. I barely paid attention to our destination as we glided under two golden arches. My thoughts drifted as she parked, making a show out of rifling through the greasy bags. The car filled with the stench of fried food. I couldn¡¯t wait for home-God, I didn¡¯t even think of my father¡¯s house anymore. Picturing that brick mansion, its gorgeous interior, and even more alluring owner blossomed more warmth within me than the heat sting through the venttion. The kids devoured their hamburgers and drank their Cokes. Serena¡¯s manicured fingers made a drumroll on the steering wheel until they finished. Then she started the van, and we lurched out of the parking lot. ¡°I have something to take care of.¡± She spoke in a conspiratorial tone that zed my rm bells. ¡°It won¡¯t be long.¡± I nced in the backseat as Mariette yawned. ¡°All that sugar and they¡¯re ready for a nap?¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal. I used to drive all the time. Helps put them to sleep.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Serena yanked us onto an off-ramp. ¡°Fuck. I almost missed the exit.¡± I floated into azy daydream of Alessio scooping me in his arms as I nestled into the seatbelt, my feet numbed with cold. A loud bang ripped me from imagining his mouth pressed on mine. ¡°Shit. Pothole.¡± I opened my eyes to chain-link fences and a string of homeless men under makeshift tents. A strip of blue shed between buildings as she brought us closer to the waterfront, weaving through seedy streets and housing projects. I recognized the port. North Dorchester. Well outside our territory. ¡°Serena, what the hell are we doing here?¡± I straightened as she stared ahead. ¡°Serena.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Fine? What was she thinking, bringing her children here?Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Matteo¡¯satose body filled me with suspicion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s sleeping.¡± Both of them were. ¡°They inhaled several days¡¯ worth of sugar, and they¡¯re tired?¡± ¡°I gave them Benadryl.¡± ¡°You what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s safe. I needed a moment of peace.¡± ¡°How much did you give them?¡± She waved my concern away. ¡°A couple pills.¡± A thrill shot into my heart with the sinking realization that she¡¯d done this before. ¡°Jesus Christ, Serena. You can¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°I¡¯m their mother. Whatever I say goes. So take your judgment and cram it up your ass.¡± ¡°They¡¯re kids. If you want them to be quiet, sing them a song. Read them a story. Don¡¯t feed them junk and shove pills down their throats because you can¡¯t handle-are you listening?¡± Disgust roiled my stomach as she rolled over train tracks, pulling us through a gap in a chain-link fence. We rode past a dockside building where men snapped to attention. ¡°Who are they? What are we doing here? Serena, I asked you a question.¡± I seethed when she parked, wrenching on the brake. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m calling Alessio.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She pped the phone from my hand and wed it out of reach. Her bloodshot eyes widened with an enthusiasm I¡¯d never seen before. ¡°I need your help. Five minutes, and then we¡¯ll return home. And you¡¯ll never, ever discuss this with Alessio or Michael.¡± Was she insane? ¡°We¡¯re in North Dorchester.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t our territory!¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t your fianc¨¦ tell you anything? Nico made an alliance. We can go wherever we want.¡± ¡°Serena, we need to go.¡± A man in a windbreaker approached the Subaru, and a ball lodged in my throat. ¡°I said I want to fucking leave! Start the car!¡± ¡°That¡¯s Fitz,¡± she murmured, shoving an envelope stuffed with cash into my hands. ¡°Give him this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going out there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic, Mia. Step out and give him the money.¡± ¡°You do it!¡± I struck my fingers into the lock as the man inched closer, his curls tousling in the breeze. ¡°I¡¯m not your goddamned errand girl.¡± ¡°Mia, please. I don¡¯t want him near my kids.¡± ¡°Then why did you bring them!¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d nevere with me otherwise.¡± Desperation leaked into her voice. ¡°Mia.¡± ¡°What did you get me into?¡± Her eyes zed with tears. ¡°Go outside.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Mia, my kids! Please!¡± I grabbed for the cell, but the seatbelt yanked me back. ¡°Give me the phone! Now!¡± ¡°Mommy?¡± Mariette stirred from sleep, slurring. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Serena whirled, swearing. ¡°Mia, please.¡± Damn it. ¡°You are unbelievable.¡± I seized the envelope and unbuckled the belt. ¡°If anything happens, Alessio will make you pay.¡± I exited and mmed the door. The locking mechanism clicked into ce as she started the engine. ¡°Sorry!¡± Oh my God. ¡°Serena, don¡¯t!¡± I hurled myself at the car and wrenched the handle. It ripped from my palms. I pounded the ss as she peeled away. Dust kicked into the air as she took off. She left me. She fucking left me. Adrenaline sliced my nerves with fire. I dropped the cash and ran. It flipped on its side. The jacketed man scooped the money to his chest. Then he sprinted. I shot from the docks. My trainers crunched gravel as I crossed the train tracks and hurtled down a block. ¡°I just want to talk!¡± he bellowed. I heard the lie in his voice as though he¡¯d uttered a threat. Help me. I didn¡¯t scream. Every breath propelled me faster. I headed into the empty streets. He was gaining, his footsteps echoing in tighter gaps. He made a wide grab. I ducked and changed direction, but another man waited at the end of the street. Nowhere to go. ¡°Easy, hon.¡± He spread his hands like a rancher cating a wild horse. ¡°Easy.¡± I charged at the other man, whose callousughs tore my spirit as my foot caught on a rail. Rocks swung to my vision as the world tipped. My knee mmed into the ground, tearing the fabric. A searing burn registered before terror drove pain out. Someone hauled me upright. I screamed. ¡°Shut the fuck up. Christ, you¡¯d think I¡¯d waved a gun at you. Chill.¡± The heavyset man¡¯s sigh tickled my ear. ¡°Toby, give me a fucking hand.¡± The younger guy was about six feet tall, blond, with blockish features. His almond-shaped eyes were barely visible under swollen brows and cheeks. But there wasn¡¯t any malice in them. Only indifference. Toby seized my bicep as his olderpanion relinquished his grip. He prodded my ribs. ¡°Walk.¡± He marched us toward the white building. If I walked in there, I wasn¡¯ting out. I jammed my elbow into his side and fought until a cruel hold bound me tight. He twisted my wrists until a knife seemed to slice my nerves. ¡°Let me go! Don¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Fitz, get the lights.¡± Toby shoved me through a wide gap that opened to a distillery. It was cold and clinical-steel walls and concrete. My screams rebounded to the high ceiling. He dug into my shoulder with excruciating pinch points, forcing me downward. My tailbone struck a seat. The door closed, shutting out the light. #1 Chapter 9 ALESSIO Me:I¡¯m here. Me: Where are you? I glowered at the screen, waiting for a reply that seemed unlikely toe. ¡°Pick up the goddamned phone.¡± Michael hung his coat andbed his wavy hair. ¡°They¡¯re shopping. Serena called a while ago. Probably elbow-deep in a Victoria¡¯s Secret sale.¡± ¡°She has enough clothes to fill a Salvation Army.¡± I¡¯d boxed her wardrobe, which could¡¯ve fitted the neighborhood¡¯s women and still have more to spare. ¡°Did they say when they¡¯d be done?¡± Michael grinned. ¡°Expect her back at eight.¡± Great. He didn¡¯t seem to mind a reprieve, but I wanted my fianc¨¦e. We barely had time together before the wedding. I was busy making sure Nico¡¯s alliance didn¡¯t fall apart in the first week. Babysitting was supposed to keep her upied, but all it did was widen the gulf between us. It was a mistake. Lately, I¡¯d made a lot of those. Sighing, I followed Michael through a room that normally was a disaster. Toys scattered everywhere. Pillows on the floor. Total chaos. He had maids, but the children were like tornados. They blew through rooms and wreaked havoc. Not today. My fianc¨¦e must¡¯ve run the vacuum and put everything in order. ¡°The ce looks good.¡± ¡°Yeah. I have Mia to thank for that.¡± Out of my captains, I was closest to Michael. He was as pleasant as a wiseguy could be, and he handled disputes among his soldiers quickly. His infectious grin and easygoing charm put everybody at ease, which lent well to his job at Sanctum. The girls liked him. They liked him a little too much. That¡¯s how he ended up with a baby. He was essential for keeping the working girls happy at our very underground club, but that didn¡¯t mean I could let this fly. I grabbed his bicep, stopping him from walking into the kitchen. ¡°Michael, I didn¡¯t send her here to clean your fucking house. You will not treat Mia like a maid. She watches the kids.That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask her for anything. She¡¯s a nice girl.¡± Michael slid out of my grip and yanked open the fridge, his smile faltering. ¡°Shit. She made me a casserole, too.¡± Where wasmycasserole? Bitterness curled my tongue as I sank into his couch. Michaelhada wife. Serena could pick up a goddamned apron instead of them using Mia. ¡°You¡¯re a lucky man, Alessio.¡± I wed the arm of his sofa. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, but she¡¯s been such a huge help. Having her around makes me realize-¡± He broke off, his brows pinched together. ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mike, get it off your chest.¡± He stared out the orange-tinted windows as sunset nketed the city in gold. ¡°I fucked up, marrying Serena. She was the mother of my son. I thought I was doing right by her.¡± I¡¯d never forget how hard his mom cried at their shotgun wedding. ¡°Grass is always greener, buddy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s oversimplifying.¡± ¡°What will you do?Divorce her?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m afraid of losing custody.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°I have a record,¡± he reminded me with a growl. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee she won¡¯t win full custody, and thatcan¡¯thappen. I won¡¯t put them in that position. She has serious issues.¡± ¡°Likewhat?¡± He rubbed the round scar on his neck as though it pained him. ¡°A drug problem.¡± That didn¡¯t surprise me. ¡°Coke?¡± ¡°Heroin. I weaned her off dope, but recently caught her with prescription pills.¡± ¡°You leave her alone with the kids?¡± ¡°Fuck no. My motheres over three times a week. Between her and my inws, she¡¯s never by herself.¡± Except she was with my fianc¨¦e, who had no clue about Serena¡¯s drug problems. ¡°Jesus, Michael. You should¡¯ve said something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to say? My wife¡¯s a train-wreck. If I didn¡¯t have two children, I would¡¯ve kicked her to the curb a while ago.¡± ¡°How about a fucking warning?¡± I jumped off the couch, my senses zing. ¡°Where the hell are they?¡± ¡°Still shopping.¡± Michael flipped open his phone, opening a geo-tracking app. ¡°See? They¡¯re at Macy¡¯s.¡± I erged the image. ¡°That¡¯s the parking lot. How long have they been there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± My pulse galloped as I checked my cell. Mia¡¯s locator dot blinked in the same spot. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they moving?¡± ¡°Maybe they just finished.¡± I called Mia. It went to voicemail. I stabbed her name again-same thing. My palm became mmy, as though it¡¯d been doused in ice water.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Mike, she knows not to ignore my calls.¡± His brows furrowed as he phoned his wife. The fatigue vanished from his face when Serena¡¯s nasal voice chimed through the speaker in a prerecorded message. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± I snagged my coat. I was out the door and in the BMW before Michael stumbled outside. ¡°Wait!¡± He grabbed the passenger¡¯s side door a second before I floored the gas. Every instinct screamed for me to hurry. Something was wrong. THEY DIDN¡¯T MOVE. During that excruciating fifteen-minute drive, Mia¡¯s and Serena¡¯s dots never budged. I nced at my screen, hoping it would light up with an apology followed by an exnation, but nothing happened. Herstmunication with me was over an hour ago. Michael¡¯s suggestions for the girls¡¯ continued silence filled me with a blistering rage. I could smell the iing disaster like ozone before a lightning storm. The closer we got to their geolocation, the more I believed my future was about to change. Whatever I found inside would rip out my insides. Just like Carm. ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Michael repeated with the same manic frequency. ¡°They¡¯re both fine.¡± I could¡¯ve smashed his skull into the console. ¡°They¡¯re not fine, you idiot. They haven¡¯t moved in a fucking half hour!¡± ¡°My kids are in there,¡± he snarled. ¡°Stop with the negative bullshit.¡± Like that would diminish what I was about to find. I pulled into Macy¡¯s parking lot, searching for the van. Michael tapped the windshield. ¡°There.¡± The Subaru was parked where trees cast the vehicle in shadow. Tires squealed as I mmed the brakes. Michael flew out and sprinted. I followed him, my stomach sinking as I took in the utter stillness of the scene. ¡°Serena!¡± Michael pressed his head to the window and bellowed a gut-punching sound. ¡°Serena, open the door!¡± I looked into the darkened ss, bracing for Mia¡¯s corpse sprawled on the floor. Michael¡¯s two children thrashed in their car seats, crying. Serena was motionless, her caramel-streaked hair spilling over a bone-white face. ¡°Where the fuck is Mia?¡± ¡°Alessio, I-I think she¡¯s dying.¡± I seized the tire iron from my trunk and shoved Michael aside. Then I smashed the passenger¡¯s side window. My gaze flicked over aatose Serena. I climbed inside. In the back, the children screamed. Matteo and Mariette struggled in their seats. The boy¡¯s cheeks swam in snot. I touched his ice-cold legs. He¡¯d kicked off his shoe. ¡°Your kids are fine.¡± I yanked the side door open. ¡°Mia! Where are you?¡± I searched the backseat, stumbling over her purse. Her wallet and keys packed the ck leather bag. The relief at not seeing a body disappeared. ¡°Where is she?¡± Michael choked with a sob as he tore his crying son from his constraints. ¡°He¡¯s freezing. What the fuck happened?¡± ¡°Serena.¡± I leaped to the front and grasped Serena¡¯s pale arm. Her lips pursed as I squeezed her jaw. My fingers sank into her neck, where a slow heartbeat pulsed. Then I spotted a needle on the floor and rubber tubing. ¡°Wake up, you junkie bitch!¡± I pped her. She didn¡¯t move. ¡°Mike, do you have any Narcan?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any-¡± ¡°This bitch is dying, and I have no idea where Mia is. We need Narcan.¡± Michael clutched his screaming daughter to his chest. He was barely holding it together, I grabbed my phone and dialed 9-1-1. ¡°What¡¯s your emergency?¡± ¡°Overdose. Probably heroin. Female. Mid-twenties. Macy¡¯s parking lot. We¡¯re in the white Subaru.¡± Maybe Mia went for help-maybe- Light beamed under Serena¡¯s foot, and I lunged for the cell winking with a text. Mia¡¯s phone. It stole the air from my lungs. She wouldn¡¯t have left her purse and her phone. Somebody forced her to leave. How?Why? I hung up, cutting off the responder¡¯s questions as the cold wrapped my heart. #1 Chapter 10 MIA My life didn¡¯t sh before my eyes. I had no epiphanies. I didn¡¯t panic. There was nobodying to save me, yet a strange calm nketed my body. It was as though I¡¯d slipped into a spa instead of the wolf¡¯s den. Did I expect to talk my way out of this? Fitz wasn¡¯t Alessio. He was a forty-something man with thick ginger hair that he¡¯dbed back. His wide, shapely lips pulled into an irresistible grin, one that probably tricked many women with its false promises. Freckles dotted his pale face. Combined with the pretty smile, they gave him an illusion of innocence which might¡¯ve fooled me if I weren¡¯t familiar with gangsters. I¡¯d never trusted Dad¡¯s men. They were always in my peripherals. He was dangerous, but I could handle him. ¡°You¡¯re short.¡± Fitz sat close, his knees touching mine as he tapped the envelope and its contents. ¡°What am I going to do about this? Janine owes us an extra grand.¡± Janine? Fake name, obviously. ¡°She pushed me out of the car. I¡¯ve no idea what this is for.¡± ¡°Drugs.¡± That exined the anxiousness, her constant mise, the running nose. She brought me with her children to pay a drug debt. A ripple of anger crashed against my fortress. Fitz threw the cash on a table scored with hundreds of lines. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re friends with that woman. You don¡¯t have that scattered, junkie vibe.¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have any money. My purse was in that van.¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing here.¡± ¡°Hold on, darling.¡± He touched my wrist, and a wave of revulsion churned my stomach. ¡°I want to see if I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± He flipped my forearm. Grabbing the sleeve of my blouse, he pulled. He sighed, and ran a finger over my flesh. ¡°No marks. Good girl.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t think so when I jam my foot in your balls.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pretty rock.¡± His thumb nudged my engagement ring, sliding the white gold to peer at the sapphire¡¯s many facets. ¡°Could fetch a decent price.¡± Not my sister¡¯s ring. ¡°It¡¯s not for sale.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you offering something else as payment?¡± Fitz¡¯s hunter eyes froze me in the chair. ¡°My wife was just like you. Glossy ck hair. Soft skin. Blowjob lips.¡± ¡°And you were doing so well with thepliments.¡± ¡°Would you like me to keep going?¡± I want to leave. ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hot-tempered. My ex, Miranda, was a mouse. I had to teach her how to give head. She was never great at it, to be honest.¡± ¡°She dodged a bullet.¡± ¡°Not quite. She got unreliable.¡± My guts lurched as he leaned forward, looking at me undershes that were so fair they disappeared. ¡°Patrick told me my wife was a CI. You can¡¯t imagine the disappointment. The betrayal. My lovely Irish rose was a fucking snitch. So I waited for her at home, in the bedroom with the lights off. I¡¯ll spare you the details, but I made my little raven sing onest song.¡± He seemed to reminisce for a moment, staring into space cidly. ¡°Everybody folds, darling. The tough girl act won¡¯t save you. Obeying me will. Give me what I want, and I¡¯ll let you walk.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°Every part.¡± Fitz grabbed his wallet, slipping a portrait of a young girl from the bifold. He offered it to me, and I held it to my nose. Time had creased the photo, which split her sweet smile in half. I handed it to him. ¡°I look nothing like her.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± ¡°Maybe you find her everywhere. Maybe she¡¯s haunting you because you feel guilty, or maybe the story is bullshit.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± He exchanged augh with the man behind me. ¡°Ask him. He was there.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± He traced my jaw with his finger, pushing against my bottom lip. ¡°That mouth wrapped around my cock.¡± My gut clenched. ¡°Not going to happen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting what¡¯s owed to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got the wrong girl.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± he deadpanned. ¡°You¡¯re here, so you¡¯ll pay.¡± ¡°You might as well ask your friend to blow you, because I¡¯m not doing it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a blowjob. I¡¯ll even let you keep your ring.¡± ¡°I will bite off your dick.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll make it very unlikely you¡¯ll leave here in one piece.¡± ¡°Fine. Have the ring, you pervert.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what caught my attention. I¡¯ll have your mouth.¡± ¡°Hurt me, and you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I will.¡± ¡°The people I¡¯m with have a very long memory. If anything happens to me, they¡¯ll make you suffer.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He shed me a disgusting smirk. ¡°Take off your clothes. Start with your shirt.¡± ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡± Fitz¡¯s oily gaze slid to the man restraining me, and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking touch me-don¡¯t you dare!¡± Rough hands seized my elbows. ¡°Easy,ss. This doesn¡¯t have to be torture. I¡¯m not nning to do with you what I did with Miranda.¡± Fitz approached, his oil-slicked grin filling me with bile. ¡°Well, not unless you¡¯re silly enough to give me a good reason.¡± He palmed my cheek. I bit him, hard enough that warmth spilled onto my tongue. Toby dug into my shoulders until I gasped. Fitz jerked out his finger. He smeared his blood over my lip. ¡°When my fianc¨¦ is done with you, I¡¯ll rip out your spleen.¡± The distillery boomed with hisughter. Toby wrenched my arms and restrained me with one hand. I felt like an animal before ughter. His wolfish smile told me I wouldn¡¯t leave until he¡¯d taken everything. Fitz unsnapped the first and second buttons. When he touched my neck, grazing my shoulder and pushing my bra straps, I lost all self-control.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Just like Fitz predicted, I broke. Panic surged up my throat. I screamed as the viting hands stole my dignity. Fitz yanked my blouse, the white satin pooling my waist. His appreciative groan poisoned my stomach. Fitz leaned forward, palming my breast. ¡°Christ, woman. You¡¯re hiding these behind that schoolmarm outfit? Toby, what do you think?¡± ¡°I want her pussy after you¡¯re finished.¡± Iunched my head into Fitz. My skull cracked his nose, and he stumbled off his chair, swearing. A door opened and mmed. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I turned in their direction. ¡°Help me! Please, help!¡± An older gentleman in a parka stood beside a twenty-something man wearing Oxford shoes and a wool sweater under a jacket. Shock widened his brutally handsome face as he took in my body before meeting my eyes. ¡°Vinn!¡± Thank God. ¡°Vinn, please help me.¡± He made a beeline for me, but Fitz palmed his chest. Vinn halted, his expression terrifying. ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Fitz barked. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Alessio Salvatore¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± The offending touch disappeared from my shoulders. A wave of relief buckled my knees. I wrapped my blouse around me. ¡°Oh shit. We didn¡¯t know-¡± Vinn tossed him aside, losing some of his aggression when he approached. He offered me his hand, but my legs were useless. They trembled violently. I ground my teeth to keep from crying as Vinn¡¯s heavy arm helped me upright. ¡°Get me out of here.¡± ¡°Fitz. Start talking.¡± Guilt shed from everyone in the room. Even I flinched from the awful voice booming through me. ¡°She never gave me her name. I wouldn¡¯t have touched her if I knew. Honest to God.¡± ¡°You worthless asshole.¡± His rage vibrated into me. ¡°You fucking degenerate.¡± ¡°That I am, but nothing serious happened.¡± Anger rippled through my numb disbelief, but nobody seemed to buy Fitz¡¯s line of bullshit. The vibe in the distillery cooled as the men exchanged meaningful looks with each other. Why didn¡¯t we leave? Vinn resisted my attempts to head out. Finally, he pinned me in a fierce embrace. I struggled, but his arms tightened. ¡°Vinn, what are you doing?¡± His lips brushed my ear. ¡°Stop, or you¡¯ll get us both killed.¡± I tensed as he yanked me into an empty office. ¡°Vinn.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± ¡°You can calm down. I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°No. We can¡¯t go.¡± He thrust me into a seat and shut the door, locking us inside. I stared at him. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exin soon.¡± He disappeared for a moment. The lights red, illuminating a carpeted floor and stacks of paper. He twisted a tap and returned, a washcloth clutched in his fist. Vinn knelt beside me. ¡°May I?¡± I nodded. Slowly, as though afraid I¡¯d bolt, he dabbed my cheeks, mouth, and neck. He nced down and cleared his throat. My blouse was open. My shaking fingers buttoned it as Vinn rubbed his forehead. ¡°Tell me what happened. Quickly.¡± ¡°Serena-Michael¡¯s wife-drove us here. She made me leave the car and took off. I think she owed them money.¡± ¡°Did you give them your name?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the blood from?¡± ¡°I bit him. Vinn, they would¡¯ve raped me. I want to leave.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because there are three of them, and one of me. They¡¯ll kill me as soon as I turn around. Same with you.¡± Panic rose like vomit. I shuddered and gasped. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡± ¡°You have to shove your fear aside. Right now. If you freak out, so will they¨Cand that¡¯s when people get killed.¡± ¡°Alessio-¡± ¡°-Isn¡¯t here. But I am.¡± Vinn¡¯s clipped tone was hardlyforting, but at least he wanted to help me. ¡°Do what I say.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try, but-¡± ¡°We can¡¯t leave until we convince them they¡¯ll be spared.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll never, ever buy that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our best shot, so do me a favor and y along. Pretend you¡¯re somewhere else. Do whatever it takes, because if you don¡¯t¡­ we¡¯ll probably die.¡± ¡°How the fuck did this happen?¡± ¡°Mia, save it forter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll-I¡¯ll try, but what if it doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m going out in a ze of glory.¡± My heart shrank from hopelessness, but then I met Vinn¡¯s determined gaze and his steely resolve gave me strength. ¡°You can do this.¡± ¡°I can,¡± I whispered. ¡°Yeah, I will.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said, his voice like iron. ¡°We¡¯ll call Alessio in front of them. You can¡¯t tip him off. Say you wandered in here, and I found you.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Alessio can¡¯t suspect anything. Aplish that, and we¡¯ll walk out of here. Ready?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vinn positioned me behind his body, as though that would be enough if everyone shot up the distillery. I did what Vinn suggested. I shoved the emotional part of me into a cage. Mentally, I walked away. I imagined darkness swallowing her screaming face. He opened the door and strolled out. The three men gathered in a tight circle, guns hanging at their sides. Their conversation halted as we joined them. ¡°Guys, we¡¯re willing to let this go with an apology.¡± ¡°I seriously doubt that.¡± ¡°Nobody knows what happened except the people inside this room, and lucky for you, Mia is a reasonable woman. She likes living. So do I.¡± Vinn swiveled to each man, his posture tightening like a spring. ¡°She¡¯ll call her fianc¨¦, tell him a white lie, and we can all move on with our lives.¡± ¡°You must think I¡¯m stupid.¡± ¡°You know what he¡¯ll do if he finds out. Why risk it?¡± Fitz pointed at me. ¡°Because she has nothing to lose.¡± ¡°I just want to go home. I miss my fianc¨¦-¡± Vinn stopped me with a squeeze. ¡°I¡¯ll make the call.¡± ¡°Bad idea, man.¡± Toby crossed his arms. ¡°She¡¯ll bring the cavalry.¡± ¡°She wants to keep breathing as much as you.¡± Vinn slipped his cell from his pocket, and they stared as if he held a revolver. ¡°He¡¯ll find out eventually. Too many people have seen her here.¡± They exchanged nervous looks. ¡°Fine, but if she slips-¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Vinn dialed Alessio and put him on speaker. ¡°Alessio, your fianc¨¦e needs a lift. I¡¯m tied up or I¡¯d drive her.¡± ¡°Mia¡¯s with you?¡± Alessio screamed through static. ¡°Where? Is she okay?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in North Dorchester, at 1215 Marsh Avenue. Yes, she¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Let her talk.¡± I seized the phone. Do not panic. Do not sound scared. ¡°Hey, babe.¡± ¡°Are you really okay?¡± Practically have a gun to my head. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Thank God,¡± he said, his voice breaking. ¡°I found your things in Serena¡¯s van. I¡¯ve been so fucking worried. What happened?¡± ¡°Serena-she took the kids and drove us here. I got out of the car. Next thing I know, she¡¯s locking the doors and taking off. She stranded me and I have no idea why. So-so I wandered around looking for help. I didn¡¯t have a cell or anything but luckily, I bumped into Vinn.¡± I nced at Vinn, who gave me a thumbs-up. ¡°It was an interesting day, but I¡¯m ready to go home.¡± Alessio went quiet. Dangerously quiet. It was as though he heard the gaps in my story. ¡°Alessio, I¡¯m exhausted. Are you on your way?¡± ¡°I¡¯ming, baby.¡± An engine¡¯s roar filled the speaker. ¡°Don¡¯t hang up.¡± ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Just stay on the line.¡± Fuck. I marveled at Alessio¡¯s ability to sniff trouble from a call. I wiped the sweat on my jeans, avoiding Fitz¡¯sser-scope eyes as hispanions argued about what they should do. Vinn¡¯s control over the situation seemed to be slipping. He palmed the revolver strapped to his waist and asionally added his voice to the hissing argument. ¡°I¡¯m pulling in now,¡± Alessio roared from the phone. ¡°Whoever¡¯s listening, I want my fianc¨¦e. You have ten seconds until I force my way inside, along with the guys I brought.¡± ¡°Alessio, stop with the threats. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe that when you¡¯re in my car. Until then, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re a hostage. Ten.¡± Which caused everyone to panic. ¡°I told you this was a stupid idea!¡± screamed Toby, waving his gun at us. ¡°Fucking Christ!¡± Vinn started forward, but Fitz blocked the exit. ¡°We¡¯re not letting go of our only leverage.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any, you moron.¡± Vinn forced me behind his body. ¡°It¡¯s three against however many Salvatore has.¡± ¡°Nine,¡± barked the speaker. ¡°Grab the girl. Use her as a shield.¡± ¡°Do that, and I guarantee Salvatore will hang you on meat hooks and yank out your insides from your asshole. We can still walk from this.¡± ¡°Eight.¡± Fitz waved at Vinn. ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡± ¡°Keeping the peace is more important than evening the score.¡± Vinn tightened his grip on my hand when I pulled. ¡°Nico understands that. He calls the shots, not Alessio.¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Fitz, let us through. Don¡¯t ruin what our bosses nned over a misunderstanding.¡± Vinn¡¯s voice went taut with rage as Alessio counted. ¡°The longer you hesitate, the worse your chances are for getting through this alive.¡± ¡°Five,¡± said the phone. ¡°He¡¯s right, I¡¯m pissed.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s blow him away. Fitz, what are you waiting for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not spending the rest of my life being tortured by Nico¡¯s dogs. Patrick will give us up like that. What¡¯s a couple drug dealers to him?¡± ¡°Mia,¡± Vinn hissed. ¡°When I say go, hit that.¡± I spotted arge red button separating the doors. Vinn had been inching toward it, and the idiots hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Go!¡± He flung me. I crashed into the wall and immediately hammered the button. Vinn threw a table on its side. Bullets mmed into metal. He grabbed my belt and yanked me to the floor as the door shuddered. Daylight seeped into the distillery. Freedom. I dove for the widening crack. Vinn caught my arm. ¡°Do not fucking mo-¡± Shots dented the steel. Vinn returned fire. The older man¡¯s head zipped back. Blood sprayed gray walls. Vinn ducked. Pelletsunched into our protective barrier. ster exploded. Light fixtures sparked. The garage door reversed its direction. Vinn¡¯s pistol locked open. Empty. He tossed the gun aside. ¡°Fuck.¡± A deep fear swallowed me whole. ¡°Get up, bitch.¡± Fitz croaked amidst the chaos. ¡°I don¡¯t want to put buckshot in that pretty face.¡± Vinn balled me against his chest. A gunpowder scent washed over me as I plunged into his arms. His fingers sank into my skin. ¡°Hey! You fuckers hear me? Stand up, or I¡¯ll cut you in half!¡± I detached from Vinn. ¡°No,¡± he barked. ¡°He¡¯ll kill us anyway. Right?¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s dying.¡± Vinn¡¯s cial eyes seemed to search for a way out, but everywhere was blocked. Shouts and fists battered the exit. Vinn wrenched a knife from his boot, but I seized his wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t! You¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Let me go. Mia-¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost there,¡± Fitz growled, his voice much closer. ¡°Last chance.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± I screamed. ¡°I¡¯lle out.¡± ¡°Do it slowly. Hands first.¡± Vinn swore as I hastened to obey. He ripped me behind him. Fitz aimed a sawed-off shotgun at Vinn. Blood soaked his left shoulder, and the distillery echoed with his harsh breathing. Toby was slumped on the floor. The other many in a pool of crimson. So they were all incapacitated, except for Fitz. Fitz¡¯s pained grimace widened. ¡°Step aside, bro.¡± ¡°Take me instead.¡± No, don¡¯t! I squeezed Vinn¡¯s hand, and he returned the slightest pressure. ¡°Are you deaf? I want her.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you both.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. You¡¯ll put that gun down and release us.¡± ¡°The girl and I have unfinished business.¡± Fitz grimaced, the barrel dipping before he recovered. ¡°We have a date, sweetheart. We¡¯ll do it in the office.¡± Fitz jammed the barrel under Vinn¡¯s jaw when I didn¡¯tply. ¡°Come, or I¡¯ll blow out his fucking brains.¡± I pulled away. ¡°It¡¯s over, Vinn.¡± ¡°No,¡± he roared. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move.¡± Our gazes shed like lightning on water. Vinn¡¯s hard exterior seemed to splinter, revealing his youth. ¡°Vinn.¡± His hold ckened. I thought he¡¯d given up, but then a shadow crawled the walls. Behind Fitz, a man emerged from the darkness, and I almost screamed relief. Alessio didn¡¯t make a sound. He was like condensing mist. His features flickered as the lights guttered. Suddenly, he stood at Fitz¡¯s shoulder. A st tore apart Fitz¡¯s skull. He exploded, sprinkling the air with thousands of red droplets. Blood covered me. I stared. The world shrank until it was like looking through the wrong end of a telescope. Loud bangs vibrated through the floor. Vinn had grabbed Fitz¡¯s gun and fired on Fitz¡¯s corpse. Again. And again. He wheeled to each fallen assant like a spring-loaded machine and emptied every round, and then he used the shotgun like a club. And somehow, this violence was second to my horror at the blood on me. Someone cradled my face. Everything remained a pin-sized picture in which I connected to nothing, but it slowly returned with a twitch of my palm, the echo of my name, a man¡¯s frustrated sigh. A sh of light stabbed my heart with fear. I ripped from his embrace, hitting the wall in my haste to run. The thick hands bound me like ropes. He pulled me through the open doors. I stumbled into a jog, my ears ringing from gunfire. Cold stung my cheeks as a bright blue sky rolled overhead. Alessio didn¡¯t make a noise until he¡¯d pushed me into the backseat of his BMW. He slid on the leather seats, mmed the door, and seized me. ¡°You¡¯re safe.¡± Finally. The crushing vise on my lungs disappeared as I sagged into his arms. I screwed my eyes shut and cried. It was an ugly, hysterical cry, but I couldn¡¯t give a single fuck about how I looked because I was alive. He¡¯d saved me. I clung to him as though I still sat in the distillery. Alessio shifted positions, and a primal part of my brain took control. It hadtched onto safety, and it wouldn¡¯t let go. He pried me off his cor, so I grasped his waist. I tried to focus on his reassuring touch and not my violent shaking. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me. Please.¡± Alessio paused his search of my body to nuzzle my ear. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, but I have to check for injuries. Are you hurt?¡± Everything hurt. Tears slid down my cheeks. I felt pathetic when Alessio shushed me like a child. When I allowed him to separate an inch, he peeked under my blouse, palmed my back, and ran his fingers over my legs. ¡°Good. I don¡¯t see anything. Hold on.¡± Alessio grabbed tissues and drenched them with water from a bottle hidden in the door¡¯s side pocket. He wiped me, as Vinn had done. Unlike Vinn, he apologized when it trickled onto myshes. He was so gentle, he could¡¯ve been a member of my family. Then the tissue disappeared, and his burning palm soaked the moisture. My gaze slid from hispels to his eyes, which smoldered with hazel fire. Alessio seemed to exhale pain. He rested his forehead against mine. He cupped my face. His nose trailed my cheek, my only warning before his lips imed me. Blissful heat pressed into my mouth. Lips softer than velvet kissed me in a slow, long, melting stroke that seemed to transfer his aching relief. His nails raked my skin. He exhaled hard, pushing me into the leather. Warmth blossomed from the fear, drawing the poison coursing my veins. As I kissed him, the atmosphere heated. He took my hip. He angled his head and chased my sigh. Alessio rolled me underneath him, his elbows caging my head. His tongue swiped me, and I gasped from the unexpected connection. More teasing parted my lips. Our kiss amped up into a lip-biting, tongue-shing frenzy. Our first kiss. I¡¯d imagined this moment so often before my sister dated him. When our few encounters left me breathless with angst. When it was safe to indulge in a world where I wore his engagement ring. I¡¯d detached the monster from the man and fantasized. Sometimes they were all that kept me going. And I¡¯d pictured stealing ndestine kisses in my room and entertained visions of us marrying in a Tuscan vi, but I never saw him saving me. Even before I found out Salvatore meant death in certain parts of Boston. A violent tremor went through me with a shockwave of fear. Alessio jerked back, fingers tangled in my hair. He was far away again, like a balloon drifting further into the horizon. He patted my cheek several times, his voice sounding as though it came from a gramophone. ¡°Take her to the hospital.¡± #1 Chapter 11 ALESSIO What a mess. Mia had a panic attack on the way to the hospital, and would likely never be the same. The doctor, who assumed Mia witnessed a ghastly hit-and-run, suggested a therapist. Sending her to someone who¡¯d expect her to spill every detail of the triple murder was a bad idea. Therapists were mandated reporters.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Mia would suffer, and it was my fault. I had sent her to Michael¡¯s. ¡°Eat something, for Christ¡¯s sake.¡± Nico turned the sausages while he ignored a rueful re from his wife, with whom he was on the outs again. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t been hungry.¡± I picked up a charred sausage and bit off the end, but the savory taste made my stomach clench. The vor was fine, but eating it felt like ingesting cement. He gave me a knowing look. ¡°How is she?¡± ¡°Better, I think. It¡¯s been rough.¡± My fianc¨¦e seemed okay. She¡¯d cocooned herself in nkets and soaked in mindless TV. Watching her struggle to stay awake because she was afraid of dreaming pitted my stomach with sadness, because whenever she slept she endured whatever the fuck those bastards did before I showed up. She sat in an armchair as a woman I didn¡¯t know talked her ear off. Mia smiled at me, which was my cue to rescue her. I winked at her. ¡°Serena¡¯s out of the ICU,¡± Nico mentioned. ¡°Michael put her in rehab.¡± Not for long. ¡°Will I take care of her, or you?¡± ¡°We are not talking about this now.¡± ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be alive after what she pulled.¡± Vinn stopped me from strangling Serena in her bed, but I wasn¡¯t about to give up on revenge. ¡°This isn¡¯t punishment for being a junkie. She used Mia like shark bait, for Christ¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°I hear you, but we can¡¯t have this discussion.¡± Unbelievable. I¡¯d not been this annoyed with Nico in a while. ¡°What have you always said? Act. Don¡¯t react.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not killing Michael¡¯s wife without talking to him first. She¡¯s in rehab. She¡¯s not going anywhere. Rx.¡± My only silver lining was Mia¡¯splete attitude change. Mia usually spent her mornings and early afternoons in the guest room, wolfing down a pitiful breakfast before searching the house, as though she¡¯d find a hatch to an underground escape route. Lately, she was up earlier. The words she exchanged with me weren¡¯t filled with bile. She¡¯d started to participate in life-rather than flit into my presence like a ghost that haunted my halls. Mia was slowly epting me, but Nico demanded results. He wasn¡¯t a guy who waited for people to do what he wanted. He¡¯d offered me the girl because he expected me to deliver, and I didn¡¯t mind because his interests aligned with mine. Which was knocking her up. ¡°Have you made progress?¡± he asked. ¡°After she was almost killed? No.¡± ¡°Ignacio¡¯s will is straightforward. It¡¯s a trickle-down inheritance with huge incentives. If she has a baby, she inherits twenty-five percent instead of the five. Your wife will be the major shareholder of Ignacio¡¯spanies. Think about how much that womb is worth.¡± I never cared about the money. ¡°I¡¯m taking it slow for her sake.¡± ¡°Why? You don¡¯t owe her or her father anything.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be my fucking wife.¡± He sighed like I was being difficult. ¡°What I mean is Naz wouldn¡¯t havested another year without this alliance. We could fuck him over and steal his businesses, but Detective Harris needs us to stop piling up the bodies. Having a kid with Mia was supposed to be a simple solution. But if it stops being easy, I¡¯m happy to go the other way.¡± ¡°No.¡± A tension headache throbbed between my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡± ¡°I thought you wanted this.¡± ¡°I¡¯d sell my soul for a child of my own.¡± ¡°Then you know what to do. Don¡¯t get sentimental on me, Alessio.¡± ¡°Jesus. Enough, already.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of money between that girl¡¯s legs.¡± Starting to piss me off, Nico. ¡°She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e, not that girl.¡± He didn¡¯t look remotely abashed. ¡°We need this done.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I had a countdown. We¡¯re not even married.¡± ¡°You¡¯re six months overdue. Six-fucking-months. We should be halfway to consolidating the Ri family into ours. Instead, I¡¯m cating Ignacio. He¡¯s driving me insane.¡± ¡°His other child was almost murdered. You need to trust me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always trusted you. I¡¯m just not sure you¡¯re up to this. If you don¡¯t feel up to knocking her up, tell me. I¡¯ll find a new option.¡± I bristled. ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Someone who¡¯s more proactive. Like Vinn.¡± The name dumped gasoline on the fire. Vinn Costa was the biggest threat to my session to boss. When Nico promoted me to captain, Vinn took it poorly. Ever since my rise to underboss, he¡¯d been undermining me at every opportunity. The asshole was careful. He toed the line but never made me forget I wasn¡¯t blood. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? No! I will be her husband. I will father her children. Nobody else.¡± ¡°Watch yourself, Alessio.¡± Nico finished caramelizing the onions, transferring them to a te. ¡°I set up a meeting. Everything should be good to go, which means no more get-togethers. Sorry, kid.¡± Nico patted my shoulder, as though the loss of his cooking was one I felt deeply. We agreed that we should avoid each other. The risk against our lives was too great, which was why I used local PD as rotating bodyguards. They monitored my house and detained gangbangers looking to score street cred by capping my ass. Leading three gangs meant our leadership had to be rock-solid. So I understood why there would be no more big Christmases and Thanksgivings with Nico¡¯s family, even though it stung. If it came down to me versus Nico¡¯s piece-of-shit son, he would choose his flesh and blood in an instant. That didn¡¯t fill me with bitterness. It was the fact that my real dad wanted nothing to do with me-along with my mother and sister. They¡¯d blocked me everywhere except Instagram, where I still glimpsed fragments of my sister¡¯s life. My pain sharpened as my calls went unanswered. She sent back the wedding invitations, unopened. The distance between us grew with every missed holiday. They would talk to me again. We¡¯d be a family. I just needed Mia to cooperate. I waded through a living room filled with Nico¡¯s cousins and uncles. Children ran across my path, ying a game of tag. My gaze scanned the half-eaten tes of imported ham and the men picking them clean before I found her talking to Vinn. They stood in the cramped space, heads bent together. He was closer to her age, and I was sure they had all kinds of bullshit inmon. My vision streaked with red. Vinn had saved Mia from rape. That alone elevated him, but I hated that they¡¯d bonded. I hated that she no longer looked at him with distrust. And I resented his admiration for my fianc¨¦e. He palmed her shoulder when Rob¡¯s huge gut bumped into her. Vinn¡¯s touch disappeared, but my outrage swelled like a hurricane. Mia wore a white tank top over high-waisted, crocodile-print skintight pants, and I had no clue what prompted her to wear leather, but her ass was a tantalizing reminder I still hadn¡¯t tapped that. I grabbed her tiny waist and pulled her close. My cock saluted her curves when she touched my thigh. All I needed was a raging hard-on in the middle of Nico¡¯s house, but she wasn¡¯t making my life easier by unting her beauty at Vinn, who would probably jack off to Miater. I was projecting. Three weeks without sex. It turned me into a beast that popped boners like an eighteen-year-old whenever I heard the shower running or caught her in a silk nightgown. The furtive smiles she gave before closing her guest bedroom door felt like taunts. I could¡¯ve smashed my way inside, but that would destroy her trust. And I couldn¡¯t tell if she was manipting me. Honestly, I wasn¡¯t sure if I cared. I brushed the inch of exposed skin-she was so soft. Blood pounded where I didn¡¯t want attention. I nipped where her shoulder met her neck, burying my face in her vani-scented hair. ¡°You and me. Bathroom. Now.¡± Mia ignored my hissedmand, releasing a strainedugh. ¡°Vinn and I were talking.¡± If he had any sense, he¡¯d fuck off. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s not as important as what I want to do to you.¡± I palmed her stomach and inched toward the creamy strip teasing me all afternoon, and her breath hitched. ¡°Right now.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Underneath her chuckle was a thinly disguised growl. ¡°Vinn, he¡¯s kidding.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Vinn shook his head with a smirk and slinked away. Mia turned in my arms, the movement slowing all mental processes. ¡°You embarrassed me.¡± ¡°What did the bastard say?¡± ¡°So he¡¯s a bastard?¡± ¡°Finding you with him put me in a mood.¡± I pressed my mouth into her ear, nipping her lobe as though we didn¡¯t have an audience. ¡°One I¡¯d rather get rid of because it¡¯s in the way of what I want.¡± ¡°I would appreciate some discretion.¡± I tore my gaze from her cleavage to meet her vengeful brown eyes. ¡°Not my forte.¡± ¡°I expected more self-control from you.¡± ¡°If you were anyone else, I¡¯d have dragged you to the bathroom and ripped off your clothes. Speaking of, I don¡¯t remember telling you I had a biker-bitch fetish.¡± I trailed her leggings, admiring the light bouncing off her ass. ¡°I haven¡¯t had sex in weeks, and my fianc¨¦e taunts me in the morning with very short T-shirts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called beingfortable in my home.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± My pulse hammered as she wrapped her arms around me, probably to help hide that we stood very still. ¡°But all I¡¯ve done since we got here is fantasize about stripping you.¡± ¡°Have you tried rubbing one out?¡± ¡°You¡¯re hrious.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane. This is so not the time or ce.¡± She looked down as though hoping my cock was a gun. The blush spread to her neck. ¡°Oh my God.¡± ¡°Give credit where it¡¯s due.¡± I wanted that color down to her tits. I slipped my fingers inside her waistband and nted kisses along her jaw. ¡°Say. My. Name.¡± ¡°Alessio, we¡¯re in the living room. You¡¯re giving everyone a show.¡± ¡°Good point. Let¡¯s take this somewhere private.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve spent thest hour socializing with the enemy. Men who¡¯ve killed half the people on my family tree. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy.¡± ¡°You dragged me to your house in zip ties.¡± ¡°Well, I needed to keep you in line somehow. Ignacio gave you too much leeway.¡± ¡°Is that what you are?¡± she said, sharine. ¡°My dad?¡± ¡°Watch your damned mouth.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Daddy.¡± ¡°Not yet. Maybe in a few months.¡± That wiped the grin off her face. ¡°I wonder what¡¯ll happen to you if I can¡¯t conceive. Will your head explode? Or will you have a meltdown because I¡¯ve ruined your dream of a mob dynasty?¡± Lord, this woman got my blood boiling. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you haven¡¯t been given every freedom you had at your dad¡¯s home.¡± ¡°Which freedoms? The one where I¡¯m allowed to have sex, as long as it¡¯s with you? Or that I can leave the house, but only if I tell you where, when, and why?¡± ¡°What did you expect?¡± ¡°I demand more than your handouts. I want full transparency about where you are and what you do.¡± ¡°You demand. What do you think this is, equal opportunity?¡± She shoved me, grabbing a bottle from the counter. She uncorked it, stared at me, and drank like a college kid during rush week. Mia all but flipped me off as she strolled into Nico¡¯s office, which was off-limits. Not like she¡¯d listen to reason if it danced in front of her naked. I followed her and shut the doors. Then I wrenched it from her grip. ¡°This is a hundred-dor bottle.¡± I watched as her eyes burned brighter with defiance as she staggered back. ¡°I figured Costas are used to sucking Nico¡¯s cock. They won¡¯t mind tasting my lips.¡± She said what? ss crunched wood as I mmed the bottle into the desk. My instinct was to react with anger, but I couldn¡¯t muster anything but hrity at her failure to insult me. ¡°I¡¯m no Costa, but I¡¯ll take one for the team.¡± I dragged Mia close. Her face had gone up in mes. I was sick to death of being gentle and shoving my feelings aside. She wanted me. I wanted her. The only thing in our way was her pride. My fingers dove into her thick hair as I tipped her head, chasing her gasp with my mouth. The cloying taste of wine stung my mouth until her essence overpowered the sweetness. I¡¯d wanted to shove her against the wall, but she seized my hair and kissed me. Lips softer than down pressed into mine. Sweet. Hot. Like the first taste of spice before the heat kicked in with a vengeance. She drew me closer and crushed my mouth, her kisses setting my body on fire. She leaned into me, palms gliding up and over my chest to cup my face. Suddenly, it got intimate. She touched me like a woman greeting her lover after years apart. Her resistance had melted, but the towering wave of passion knocked me back a step. I imed every corner of her mouth, sucking her in until she hissed. When she writhed into me like she hadn¡¯t had a good fuck in weeks, my cock swelled. She attacked my hair, dragging her nails into my scalp. I shoved her against the bookshelf, a desperate need stiffening my dick. We were in Nico¡¯s office, but I was prepared to bend her over his desk. Someone needed to pull back, and it wouldn¡¯t be me. Then Mia pushed me, hard enough for me to stop. I clung to her, breathing hard, in awe of what happened. Her eyes stayed closed as though she wanted to savor me. When she looked at me, something caught in my chest. A spark. #1 Chapter 12 MIA I threw on a robe and stole into the kitchen for a snack. Noise from the television grumbled in the living room. My feet padded the dark floors, and cold stung my flesh when it switched to marble. I searched drawers, silverware rattling as I hunted for a knife. I found one and pped it on a carving board. Then I opened the fridge-God, it was so bare-and seized a block of cheddar, an apple, and sausage. The refrigerator¡¯s door smacked closed. Behind it stood Alessio. ¡°Good morning. Or is it afternoon?¡± The cheese tumbled from the top of the stack. He snatched it midair and ced it on the counter. I shoved everything into a pile and faced him. Alessio wore a in T-shirt over gray sweatpants that clung to his legs, and I imagined pulling the loosely tied white strings, grabbing that mouth-watering bulge. When he raked his hair, his pecs bunched under the fabric, and it was all I could do to keep fromunching at him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Walk around in my house?¡± He disarmed me with a yful smile. ¡°Check in on the fianc¨¦e?¡± ¡°Scare me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re easily startled.¡± ¡°Maybe because you kidnapped me.¡± ¡°Is that all you see when you look at me? Your kidnapper?¡± No. He smiled as though my silence confirmed his suspicions, his powerful grip wrapping my waist. A swarm of buzzing warmth filled my body as he kissed my cheek. The ghost of his lips seemed to press into me. I reyed how we breathed into each other, his tongue making gentle swipes. I was dying to continue the kiss. I curled my toes, waiting for that delicate pressure to sear more of my skin, but he disappeared from my side. Alessio grabbed a cutting board and lined up the food. His kitchen knife went up and down in a fluid motion as he prepared the charcuterie. He transferred the ham, cheese, and fruit to a te and offered it to me. ¡°Come.¡± Alessio¡¯s big hand swallowed mine. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± I tried to ignore how perfectly we fit and followed him into the wood-paneled library decorated in warm tones with cracking brown leather seats. I couldn¡¯t get over the beauty of this ce, and it was clear from the vastwn, privacy hedges, the safe suburban neighborhood-that he¡¯d chosen this home with children in mind. I didn¡¯t want Alessio to be anything more than a cardboard-cutout gangster. Easier to reject a violent criminal than the guy who cut apple slices and saved my goddamned life. I joined him on the loveseat, my head pounding. ¡°I need you to call your dad. He can¡¯t reach you and thinks I¡¯m smashing your fingers. Do me a favor. Tell him I¡¯m not torturing you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fucked up to let him worry. Your father isn¡¯t young, and he¡¯s not in the greatest shape. He might stroke out.¡± ¡°He can go to hell.¡± ¡°He¡¯s your father.¡± The judgmental tone in Alessio¡¯s voice was precious. ¡°He lost his parental rights when he treated me like chattel. I¡¯ll contact him when I feel like it, not a minute before.¡± A disappointed sound gusted from his mouth as his arm draped my shoulders. The weight of him felt like a security nket.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°He loves you, Mia.¡± Hearing that word from his lips was strange. ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s my fault you¡¯re mad at him, and he¡¯ll be my inw soon. I want a rtionship with him.¡± That¡¯s really sweet. My response stuck to my throat. ¡°Again, why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a good man. I want him in our children¡¯s lives.¡± ¡°Stop bringing up kids. Please.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Alessio plucked a wedge of cheese from my fingers and ate it. ¡°How about we go somewhere? You don¡¯t need to spend every day inside.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, Alessio.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Did he have to make me say it? ¡°I¡¯m too scared to leave. Happy?¡± I expected him tough at the irony, but he held my chin and forced me to meet his sympathetic gaze. ¡°None of this makes me happy.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You¡¯re crying in the shower, in your room, all over the ce, and now you¡¯re hiding from the world.¡± I didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d heard me. Alessio draped an arm around my shoulders, and I curled into his chest without hesitation. We hadn¡¯t touched since the gathering at Nico¡¯s when I lost my temper. Instead of fighting fire with fire, Alessio had kissed me. He was always there with a kind word, a hug, or an affectionate gesture that made everything better. It fucked with my head. Why was he so supportive? How long would my defensesst? ¡°You need to keep yourself busy, leave the house, and take your mind off what happened.¡± Stop being so perfect. My body clenched like a fist. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll visit Michael¡¯s. Help him with the kids. He probably needs it more than ever.¡± ¡°You want to go back there?¡± ¡°Serena¡¯s in rehab, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yeah, but-¡± ¡°Those children shouldn¡¯t suffer because their mom is a piece of shit. It¡¯d make me feel useful. I want to help. And Michael¡¯s a good man.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mia. I¡¯m on the outs with Michael. He¡¯s the reason you were almost killed.¡± ¡°Serena¡¯s the one who put me in danger.¡± ¡°He should¡¯ve warned us that his wife was a drug addict.¡± ¡°Even if he had, I still might¡¯ve gone with her.¡± Alessio sighed, looking torn by amusement and frustration. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t have allowed you to, because I would¡¯ve seen thating a mile away.¡± ¡°Whatever. If I¡¯m willing to forgive him, so should you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not known for my leniency.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been gentle with me. Plenty of times.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, and you make it easy for me.¡± He nted a kiss on my forehead. ¡°And I like you. I¡¯ve always liked you.¡± My face went up in mes. ¡°Always?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you didn¡¯t know.¡± He must¡¯ve sensed my astonishment because he kept speaking. ¡°You were my first pick, but your dad wouldn¡¯t let me have you. Said you were too young.¡± My lips moved, but I couldn¡¯t form words into a coherent sentence. Dad never mentioned a damned thing, but that didn¡¯t surprise me. Alessio¡¯s confession socked me in the gut. ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Right hand to God.¡± I still couldn¡¯t speak. Alessio took advantage of my silence, working his fingers deeper into the tension. I could feel myself softening around him, sumbing to his touch. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± ¡°I was engaged to Carm. Hitting on my fianc¨¦e¡¯s sister is a bad look. I¡¯m not Gandhi, but I¡¯ve never cheated.¡± ¡°You ignored me at family events. Pretended I didn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Self-preservation.¡± He pressed his lips into my forehead, the tender kiss rxing thest of my clenched muscles. ¡°If I wanted to survive a marriage with Carm, I¡¯d have to ignore you my whole life. So I stayed away.¡± Every interaction with him reyed in my head as I searched for proof of hidden feelings in his sliding gaze and cursory nods, but I didn¡¯t need to examine the past. The evidence was in his lingering stare and pounding heartbeat. ¡°This is very confusing.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He didn¡¯t, not really. ¡°I liked you. I had a crush on you.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°I did. Ever since I glimpsed you at that al fresco party. You were so tall, and you wore a navy suit with a brown belt and shoes. You grabbed champagne from a passing waiter, and you were about to drink. Then you saw me. You gave me the biggest smile.¡± I could still feel my glowing admiration when he¡¯d strolled over, giving me his untouched ss. ¡°You looked at me like I wanted someone to look at me.¡± ¡°Then why did you say no? We could¡¯ve dated before the gossip mill ruined your opinion of me.¡± ¡°My dad never mentioned you until Carm¡¯s engagement.¡± ¡°I asked your father about you right after meeting you. After Ignacio fed me that bullshit line about your age, I pressed him, and he imed you weren¡¯t interested.¡± Holy shit. Waves of shock obliterated every other feeling. Alessio seemed to guess the worst from my face, sinking into the cushions with a bitterugh. ¡°Alessio, he was protecting me. I would¡¯ve turned you down anyway.¡± ¡°No, Mia. You wouldn¡¯t have. You¡¯ve said yes with your eyes, your mouth, and soon-you¡¯ll say yes with your body.¡± He took my knee, the touch spreading warmth up my leg. I was almost nude under the robe, and the silk was a flimsy barrier. He grew bolder, sweeping up to explore my thigh. My heart shouted one thing-Give in. Alessio¡¯s kiss jolted my ear. ¡°Should I keep going?¡± Yes. Alessio¡¯s lips smoldered the sensitive skin between my cheek and jaw. A current mmed into me, and I arched into his arms. ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± I didn¡¯t respond. I couldn¡¯t. My cheeks burned when his chuckles vibrated through me. He kissed me again, lower. This one seared. I squirmed with pleasure as his tongue flicked me. Arousal clenched my thighs as he nipped and sucked. Hot. ¡°Answer. The. Question.¡± His voice darkened as he became much less tactful, undoing the knot at my waist, palming my stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll rip this off and fuck you if you don¡¯t speak.¡± I didn¡¯t want to admit the desire consuming my body. It was easier to pretend I had no choice. His mouth trailed my corbone. I moaned from the delicious sting of his teeth filling me with aching, wanting, need. God, I was fucked. ¡°The question, sweetheart.¡± He grabbed my legs and moved downward, his mouth marking my skin. ¡°I can¡¯t keep going if you¡¯re not willing.¡± Myst thread of restraint snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± Alessio clicked a remote on the coffee table. The lights dimmed, bathing us in the darkness of lovers. He pulled me off the couch, onto the rug. My heart thundered as he caged me in his arms. The robe hadn¡¯t opened all the way, but it was only a matter of time. He hovered above me, slowly knotting his fingers in my hair. He lowered, my breath hitching as he pressed his mouth into mine. Lips softer than feathers consumed me with liquid fire. He tasted like apples, and he was so sensual. He made one kiss feel like five. Broad shoulders glided under my palms as I arched into him, desperate for each intense stroke. Wetness slicked my panties, and all he did was kiss me. Fabric dragged across my chest, and suddenly his shirt touched my bare breasts. He broke from our kiss, ncing down. ¡°Beautiful. I¡¯ve avoided you for too long. I¡¯m done fighting it.¡± His hushed tones filled me with toe-curling ecstasy. Every part of me burned, from my tits to my toes. It was as though he chanted a spell that lowered my defenses. Brick by brick, my walls crumbled. Alessio¡¯s rock-hard features softened into a punch-drunk smile as he looked at me. His hand took my knee, and then he sailed up. He wrapped his arms around my thighs, positioning himself between my legs. His mouth pressed into the triangle of cotton, sending lightning bolts of utter shock followed by jolts of pleasure. I dug into his locks. Fistfuls of ck. It was so thick and dark. I¡¯d dreamed about weaving my fingers through it. Alessio explored me with far less tact than David, checking out my curves but avoiding where I ached for him most. He kissed the swell of my hip. Wet heat stroked me, dragging a sigh from me before he sucked in and bit. I gasped. ¡°That okay?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ve never-¡± I was out of my depth. ¡°Everyone¡¯s always treated me like ss.¡± ¡°I can be gentle, but I don¡¯t think you want me to.¡± He wasn¡¯t mistaken, but admitting that felt like signing on the dotted line. It¡¯d mean I¡¯d given up. Why did he feel so good? Alessio immobilized me with his hands, mouth, lips. The little of him I could touch-the softness of his hair, his rugged cheek-glided against me. He soothed the ache from his bite as he blew a stream of cool air, and then he turned to my thigh. He was close. So damned close. My heart thundered as his stubble grazed my leg. He paused, holding my knees. Then he nipped, sinking pain and pleasure into me with so much force I moaned. Dazed from the sting, I allowed him to climb over me. My almost-naked body was bared to a man with zero conscience. Alessio caressed me, grinning like I were a nk canvas, and he didn¡¯t know where to start. He kissed beside my belly button. He was different. Everything was more primal. His breath washed over me like a beast. He sucked me in and left a wicked weal. I dragged my nails on the carpet. His attention pulled upward, but not once did his kisses soften. I stopped breathing as his palm spread buttery warmth across my skin. Alessio¡¯s weight pinned me. He knew exactly what to do-where to kiss me. He alternated between light, barely there touching, and all-out groping. Alessio pressed his lips to my side, stamping a seal of white-hot ecstasy until he reached my breasts and licked between them. No man had ever made me feel as though I plunged in a free-fall. It was pure adrenaline. A desperate sound tore from me when he seized my nipple and pinched. He yed with me, and then he dipped for the kiss I¡¯d been both dreading and anticipating. The one that¡¯d force me to rip off his shirt and drag him close until we sealed our fate as husband and wife. No. I can¡¯t do this. My heart screamed for me to bite my tongue, but I mmed on the brakes. ¡°Stop.¡± A deep growl reverberated from Alessio¡¯s throat, but he obeyed. He lifted away and sat on the coffee table. I shot upright, a sharp frustration nagging where my thighs clenched. My fingers brushed the spots where his mouth left blemishes. He stared at me, cheek in his hand. He¡¯d never looked so much like a predator, his neck flushed, and his gaze nted. I covered my body and willed my pulse to slow. ¡°There is nothing wrong with wanting me.¡± He pushed a wayward strand behind my ear, his touch fanning the mes. ¡°You¡¯ll be my wife.¡± There were thousands of reasons it was wrong. Starting with, he¡¯d belonged to Carm. ¡°We¡¯re so different.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t scare me.¡± ¡°What if we¡¯re notpatible?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we pick up where we left off? I¡¯ll show you how well we fit together. You barely let me kiss you.¡± He leaned in, and I stood. What the hell had I started? Alessio followed me, his sweatpants tenting around a thick bulge. He watched me with ravenous hunger as he approached, once again closing the distance. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been waiting for me your whole life.¡± Laughter burst from my chest. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re Ignacio¡¯s daughter. He might¡¯ve promised you otherwise, but he would¡¯ve married you to a guy like me. Eventually.¡± He cocked his head, his smile broadening. ¡°You thought you¡¯d loathe me.¡± ¡°I do hate you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t hate anybody. You¡¯re scared. Scared of me, the wedding, whatever, but most of all, you¡¯re afraid because you want me.¡± I wanted to throw something at him, but he was right. When he kissed me, all I did was hold tighter. ¡°I wish we had time for you to make these leaps on your own, but we don¡¯t. So I¡¯ll break it down for you. You¡¯re terrified we might be good together.¡± That¡¯s insane. My initial reaction was to blow him off, but I couldn¡¯t deny the burgeoning attraction and the horrible fear when I let myself enjoy him. Alessio spoke as though he read my thoughts. ¡°I get it¡­falling for a devil means there¡¯s darkness inside you, too.¡± #1 Chapter 13 MIA Was I falling for Alessio? He was definitely growing on me. At first, I wanted to thank him for saving my ass so I organized his kitchen, ironed his shirts, and got up before he did to cook breakfast. But it never felt like enough, so I kept up with the good deeds. I wanted to help him. And then I wanted to be around him. So I demanded my driver to take me to Alessio, who apparently worked in a sleazy strip club off the interstate. Its garish billboard loomed over the highway. Grime coated the walls in streaks. I didn¡¯t want to touch the handle, let alone go inside. Was this the right ce? I asked John, who confirmed the address. Then I read the sign: Supersexxx Club. ssy. I crossed the parking lot to the entry. A thickset man wearing a in ck tee red as I approached the gentlemen¡¯s club. He peered at me, frowning. He stepped aside. ¡°The office is in the back.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± With my ts, thigh-length navy skirt, and white blouse strung with pearls, I looked like someone¡¯s wife. No wonder he was cagey about granting me ess. I walked in, met with midnight walls and bulbs that made my shirt fluoresce. A Lady Gaga song red from the speakers. Strobe lights illuminated rows of disillusioned men throwing money onto a stage, their eyes locked on balloon-like tits. Topless women strutted the club in varying degrees of naked. It was beyond seedy. I made a beeline for the office. Music pounded. I braced myself. Then I pushed the door open. Everyone wore cks. Thank God, no one was being blown. A pack of guys ranging from mid-twenties to early thirties surrounded a pool table. They were young. Employees, most likely. My gaze centered on Alessio, who towered above the rest. A diamond-patterned blue shirt opened at the top, teasing a muscled chest that begged for a kiss. The way his pants clung to his legs slipped heat down my throat. He bent over a pool table, silent as he counted a stack of bills. He was so put together that I longed to rake my fingers through his hair to mar that image of perfection. Alessio spotted me. He seemed to shift from several different emotions at once-confusion, shock, disbelief, and finally settling on amusement. ¡°Here for an audition?¡± Alessio shoved the money aside, straightening. ¡°Come here, stellina. Don¡¯t be shy.¡± A young man leaned against his cue, his puzzled gaze raking my body. ¡°Are we doing a girl-next-door promo I don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± Alessio closed the distance between us, wearing a sneer that verged on diabolical. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in the wrong ce.¡± ¡°Daddy issues,¡± the same guy chimed in. ¡°Definitely.¡± Alessio raised an eyebrow. ¡°Whatever she is, she¡¯s trouble.¡± Why was he doing this? And why did I y along? ¡°You don¡¯t look like a stripper,¡± Alessio murmured once he¡¯d looked at me from all angles. ¡°Or a working girl.¡± ¡°I thought your club could use some ss.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t where you belong. Turn your sweet ass around and go home.¡± He emphasized thest two words, and then he pinched my side. He expected me to take his lifeline and leave, but I wasn¡¯t going to make it easy for him. I trailed my fingers up his abdomen. ¡°Give me a chance, baby. I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t your fianc¨¦ be upset?¡± ¡°I can keep a secret if you can.¡± ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want to be your dirty secret.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean that. I only need ten minutes. Fifteen, tops.¡± I slipped my hand into his as his mouth thinned. ¡°Or I could audition with someone else?¡± ¡°No.¡± He still wore the smirk, but his humor vanished. I winked at his employees as he dragged me into the office, a closet-sized room with a steel desk and a concrete floor. It resembled a prison cell, and closing the door felt like being locked in with a depraved convict, especially when he took my waist. ¡°What in the world are you doing here?¡± ¡°Visiting you. Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± I didn¡¯t expect that taunt to work, but he softened with an of-course-I-am guilty smile. ¡°How did you even get here?¡± It wasn¡¯t that hard. ¡°I told the guy I needed you immediately.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill John.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. I can be very persuasive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say. He brought you to a fucking strip club.¡± But Alessio didn¡¯t raise his voice or give any sign he was pissed. Precious little provoked Alessio into a rage, which I liked about him. He never acted like he had anything to prove. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Because his presence was a drug, and I was in heavy withdrawal. The obsession followed me out of bed, into the shower, at breakfast, everywhere. ¡°I wanted to be with you.¡± It was the truth, but that burning gaze threatened to tear me down, revealing the lies thatyered my heart. I liked being with him, and I wanted to give him a chance. Somehow, I worked up the nerve to touch his chest. His heartbeat pulsed like the music outside. I glided up his muscledndscape and stroked his exposed skin. Then I kissed his parted mouth. His sharp intake of breath revealed I¡¯d shocked him. I hadn¡¯t touched him since he¡¯d pecked my cheek this morning on his way out the door, and the kiss felt like slipping into a warm bath. I pulled back, stamping on the bursting mes. Alessio wasn¡¯t in a hurry to disengage. He slipped under my waistband and brushed the swell of my ass. ¡°You could¡¯ve waited until I got home.¡± ¡°But then I couldn¡¯t surprise you with lunch.¡± Detaching from him, I grasped the bag from my purse and slid it over the desk. ¡°Veal parmesan.¡± ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s my favorite.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I dropped my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ¡°Wives talk.¡± Alessio ripped it open and beamed at the food sitting in Tupperware. ¡°Trying to butter me up?¡± ¡°Just being nice.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t want a favor. Tell me what it is instead of¡­ fuck that smells amazing.¡± I had stepped around him and cracked the lid, which filled the office with the savory aroma. Alessio ignored the utensils, grabbed the breaded meat smothered in eggnt, and took a massive bite. He inhaled the cutlet and devoured another, ripping a chunk of bread to mop the cheese and tomato sauce. He ate like my father, as though he¡¯d never seen a meal in his life. ¡°It won¡¯t run off the te.¡± I winked at him as he nibbled a second roll. ¡°There¡¯s more at the house.¡± He chewed thest bit, frowning. ¡°Too much eggnt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect, but you didn¡¯te here to bring me lunch.¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± When he continued to frown, I pped my thighs and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who keeps saying we¡¯re meant to be, and I need to stop fighting my feelings. The moment I do, you think I have an ulterior motive. God forbid I do something thoughtful. You didn¡¯t even thank me.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The deadpan delivery struck a nerve. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable. You know that?¡± ¡°I thanked you.¡± ¡°You also said it like I escorted you to the gallows. What is with you? Are you having a bad day?¡± ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯ve never done this before.¡± ¡°This is what people in rtionships do, Alessio. They make each other meals. Go on vacation. Give each other massages.¡± Alessio stared as though I¡¯d talked in a foreignnguage. He obviously didn¡¯t appreciate the hour and a half of cooking. I felt like an idiot. Fine. ¡°I¡¯ll leave.¡± I moved to grab my purse, but he grabbed my wrist and tugged me onto hisp. His bear hug wheezed the air from my lungs. ¡°You surprised me.¡± ¡°That was the point.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Nobody does nice things for me.¡± His nose trailed mine before he kissed my cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a serious rtionship.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to settle for the longest time.¡± So he was amitment-phobe before this arranged marriage? ¡°What changed?¡± ¡°I grew up.¡± ¡°Okay, but why is this such a big deal? You¡¯re Italian for God¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alone, Mia.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°As in, you like it that way?¡± ¡°No. As in, I don¡¯t have anybody.¡± More painful words had never been spoken. ¡°You must have someone.¡± ¡°You and Nico.¡± He smoothed a strand of hair over my ear. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°What about your family?¡± ¡°They¡¯re out of the picture. For a while, now.¡± No family or close friends. I struggled to imagine a more miserable existence, but Alessio didn¡¯t seem broken up. His features were tighter than a coiled spring, probably to hide the mountain of hurt. I swallowed hard. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not alone anymore. You can expect me to make you lunch, bake you a cake when it¡¯s your birthday, and be annoyingly concerned when you have a cold.¡± ¡°I want to believe you. I really do.¡± I weaved my fingers through his mane, and his eyes fractured. It was so sad. My heart clenched at the aching man who hid behind so many masks. ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Because I have an amazing bullshit detector. If it¡¯s too good to be true, it is.¡± Meaning, I¡¯m too good to be true? My cheeks burned. ¡°You owe me a fair shot.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, darling.¡± ¡°Trust that I want you.¡± ¡°A week ago, you couldn¡¯t stand me.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I linked my arms around his neck, and his frown deepened. ¡°But then you saved my life. And before that, you helped me through the darkest moment in my life. Maybe you didn¡¯t realize how depressed I was.¡± ¡°I understand loss.¡± Alessio¡¯s gritty tones sank into my stomach like lead. The wound inside him seemed to emit a chill. ¡°I guess we have that inmon.¡± I smiled, and the intensity in his gaze dimmed. ¡°Don¡¯t you want this to be real?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Faint shock rippled over his brow, as though the confession had been ripped from him. ¡°But I¡¯m not an idiot, Mia. You can¡¯t expect me to believe this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you to try.¡± The more honesty that poured into my words, the more he pulled away. I didn¡¯t understand him, but I wanted to. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means don¡¯t question my motives.¡± ¡°I will always suspect you¡¯re up to something.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to switch off that voice. Turn it down and give me the chance I deserve.¡± His aura radiated with the danger of a caged animal that mightsh out, but he looked at me like he hung onto every word. ¡°Will you do that for me?¡± He nodded after several heartbeats. I kissed his unyielding mouth. His skin burned me. It was as though a fever ran him hot, and though he raked my thighs he didn¡¯t kiss me back. When I pressed the third kiss into him, he softened and parted his lips. And he responded with a slick but firm pressure that made me forget where we were. As we traded breaths, the room heated with a cloying moisture that clung wherever he touched. I straddled him, kissing him with wild abandon. He fisted my hair and yanked me backward. I panted as Alessio tongued my bottom lip, his teeth sinking into me. A lightning rod of pleasure made me arch into him. One minute I was on hisp. The next, he¡¯d flipped me onto his desk. He yanked my skirt and panties down my thighs. Cold steel kissed my back before his weight covered me. He kissed me hard, nipping, biting, devouring. My wrists pinned, he ripped open my blouse. In less than thirty seconds, he¡¯did me bare. He stroked the length of me. My butterflies did somersaults as he pinched my nipple. Then he sucked me into his mouth. I groaned from the exquisite sting. ¡°I love your tits.¡± Reaching underneath, he unsnapped the lingerie and threw it aside. He teased my nipples until they hardened into aching points, and then he drifted lower. ¡°Everything about you gets me so fucking hard, and I think you know that. You came here to tease me, didn¡¯t you?¡± He palmed my abdomen, sliding downward, but just avoiding the ache. ¡°No teasing. I swear.¡± He released me, gliding up and down my thigh. I shuddered when he nudged my clit. When he rubbed in a circle, I hooked my legs around him and pulled. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you want me.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± I grabbed the hand exploring my leg and dragged it over my galloping pulse. ¡°Still not convinced.¡± A grin staggered across his face as his palm seared a path to my pussy. He pressed into the sensitive nub as he slid along my seam. My cheeks burned when he discovered my obvious need for him. A lump lodged in my throat when his thigh touched mine, and he caressed me in even tighter circles that made my hips rock. Slowly, he parted my folds, and I held my breath when he inched forward. My walls clenched him. I gripped the desk and gasped into my arm. He pulsed, diving into my wetness as he watched me unravel with sadistic greed. ¡°Tell you what, sweetheart. I¡¯ll make you a deal. Give me your body, and I¡¯ll believe you. Let me fill you with cum. I¡¯ll take every-goddamned-word as gospel.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never look at me the same way again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll always think you¡¯re hot.¡± He was so tempting with his gorgeous smile and mussed hair. He hooked in a second finger, kissing my mouth before it shuddered with a moan. ¡°Tell me what it¡¯ll take. I want to fuck you.¡± It was tantalizing. Mainly because his fingers worked me to ather. ¡°Just do it.¡± Alessio stared like a wolf and its struggling prey. ¡°Don¡¯t say that unless you mean it.¡± ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°What do you want in return?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°My fianc¨¦ to trust me. His love and devotion.¡± I sat upright and fingered the harsh outline of Alessio¡¯s bulge. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ying a dangerous game, Mia. Giving me everything is a losing strategy.¡± Alessio faced the desk and slowly unlooped his belt, tugging the leather through its straps. ¡°Are you hoping I¡¯ll be a decent man and back out?¡± I couldn¡¯t keep track of my heart¡¯s desire while he flicked my clit and fucked me. Only that I might stop breathing if he didn¡¯t bring me to an orgasm. ¡°What¡¯s stopping me from calling your bluff?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°I guess that makes you screwed.¡± The belt smacked the floor. His cks dragged over a muscled torso, revealing a thick rope of flesh that stood to attention. He gripped his cock and stroked himself. Mesmerized by his hand, I didn¡¯t speak until he licked my nipple. ¡°I need toe. Please.¡± ¡°Such a good girl.¡± Alessio¡¯s chuckle blew my puckered skin. ¡°Begging me so sweetly.¡± My thighs widened as he stepped between my legs. He yanked my knees even further apart, kissing a smoldering path from the joint to my thigh. His tongueshed as he went, closer to the ce that ached for him. Alessio pulled away, inserting a second finger. I tightened around him, bursting with a frustrated sigh. Alessio made a pleased sound as I chased his thrusts with my hips. I wanted him. Needed him. He nudged his cock against my clit. But he didn¡¯t drive his cock inside. He was right there. It drove me to the brink of insanity as he thrust between my legs. I angled my hips and dragged my calves over his cks, but he wouldn¡¯t fuck me. He was using my wetness to get himself off, pounding me with his fingers. His mouth ravaged mine as my breathing hitched. Ecstasy poured into every nerve as he hit the spot, and then he knew where to hold the pressure. A cry burst from me. I ground into his palm, and he let out a tight groan. Hot threads of cum draped my body as he pumped his cock, and I melted into a puddle, but it wasn¡¯t over. Alessio gathered his seed and shoved it inside with three fingers. My lingering ache, still sensitive, zed like a furnace with all that extra wetness. I released a muffled yell into my arm as he pistoned. Heughed when my legs yanked him forward. He bent over me and snaked under my head, and when his lips crashed into mine, I felt the first wall of my orgasm explode. Like dominos, the rest fell. I seized his hair and moaned so loud it bounced off the walls. When he straightened, I clung to his shirt. It was perfect. I brought him close for a feather-soft kiss that neither of us seemed to want to end. He wrapped me in his arms and pressed his forehead into mine. Alessio¡¯s enthusiastic response rang warning bells. Gaining a mobster¡¯s favor was one thing. Winning his devotion was quite another. #1 Chapter 14 ALESSIO She was good. I had to hand it to Ignacio¡¯s daughter. She could¡¯ve taught the master ss in maniption because I couldn¡¯t tell sweetness from lies anymore. Although she gave me signs that she wanted more, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to fuck her. What happened in the strip club resulted from weeks of sexual frustration, but she seemed to enjoy our tryst at the strip club. Mia had changed. She got up whenever I did. She started the coffee while I cleaned up. She joined me for lunch. She cooked dinner. Texted me emojis that made me roll my eyes and smile. The list went on and on. I thought she¡¯d getzy, but she kept at it. She was killing me with kindness, and it worked, which embarrassed me to death because she was up to something. Against all better judgment, I allowed myself to bask in the attention. Yeah, I was that guy. I¡¯dughed every time Nico bowed to his mistress¡¯ demands. All it took was one high-pitched whine from that girl¡¯s lips, and he¡¯d cave. Here I was, doing the same goddamned thing. I looked forward to her visits, where we discussed everything from philosophy to the rules of football. A week went by without a hup from Mia¡¯s behavior. They were the happiest days of my miserable life. At the back of my mind, a voice screamed that I was a pussy-whipped moron who would soon get what wasing to him. My control over the situation was dwindling, so I said yes when my darling wife-to-be begged me to babysit Michael¡¯s children. I needed the space. I couldn¡¯t figure out this woman. She was thoughtful, considerate, and so goddamned warm she¡¯d won over Vinn. I wouldn¡¯t fuck her because why give her more power over me? I parked the BMW outside Michael¡¯s house. I watched a stunning brte through the bay windows. She cradled a toddler to her breast. She pressed her face into his mess of curls and kissed the boy¡¯s head. Mia sat, bncing Matteo on her legs while she read a children¡¯s book to the six-year-old girl curled up beside her. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away. It was fascinating-like staring into a window of my future. Someday, that would be my kid. Then Michael strolled in, beaming at Mia with a megawatt smile that shattered the vision. My body chilled as he took the child from her. Before I realized it, I stood at his door. It opened before I knocked, spilling light onto the porch. A burst of heat bloomed in my chest when Mia emerged. She gave me a huge hug, her lips feathering my cheek, and the tightness cinching my lungs released. ¡°Bye, Michael.¡± ¡°See you, Mia.¡± He waved as she disappeared, and then his hooded gaze slid to me. ¡°Your fianc¨¦e is a godsend, Alessio. I can¡¯t thank you enough. She¡¯s amazing with the kids.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bring her here.¡± A ripple of anger went through me as Michael rubbed his neck. ¡°I only did because she begged me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a good person.¡± I¡¯m not. ¡°We need to talk about your wife.¡± Michael screwed his eyes shut. When he opened them, they were wet. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Alessio. I know what needs to happen, but I can¡¯t be the one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You won¡¯t have to.¡± I hated the idea of taking a mother from her children, but the facts stacked up against Serena. She was a shit mom who substituted Benadryl for parenting, and if she hadn¡¯t dumped my fianc¨¦e in North Dorchester, I would¡¯ve shown leniency. Serena put Mia and Vinn at risk. There had to be consequences. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them so well behaved. Please bring her over again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask her.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Michael yanked me close and pounded my back. ¡°I owe you.¡± Yes, he did. I turned around without a goodbye. Mia might¡¯ve been a saint, but I hadn¡¯t yet forgiven him. Michael retreated into the house, and I joined Mia in my car. She stared ahead, looking pensive. ¡°How did you mellow out those brats?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call them that. They¡¯re not bad kids.¡± ¡°Thest time I had dinner there, the six-year-old dove under the table and bit my ankle.¡± Mia leaned over and looked down my pant leg. ¡°They¡¯re very appealing ankles. I can¡¯t me her.¡± ¡°Seriously, how did you do it?¡± ¡°Love and attention. That¡¯s all they needed.¡± Mia blushed scarlet, biting her lip as though to keep from grinning. ¡°And I¡¯ve had lots of practice. When you¡¯re the only teenage girl at a family event, you get charged with watching the babies.¡± ¡°I see.¡± She pressed her lips into my forehead. ¡°I missed you.¡± My skin tingled where she kissed me. I had no idea what to say because breaking the silence with I don¡¯t believe you would lead to a fight I didn¡¯t want. Plus, the gnawing at my chest that soothed the moment I saw her gave me another disturbing revtion-that I¡¯d missed her, too. When we arrived home, I shot in the direction of the living room. As soon as my back sank into the couch cushions, I sighed. My relief evaporated when she padded nearby. ¡°Do you wantpany?¡± As usual, Mia didn¡¯t wait for me to answer. d in loungewear that stuck to her body, she crawled over myp and fell into my arms. She was like a persistent house cat, and I was the fool for letting her walk all over me. ¡°Wedding is less than a week away,¡± she whispered into my ear. ¡°I still barely know you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sensing a question.¡± She nuzzled my neck. ¡°Tell me about yourself, Mr. Salvatore.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m at an interview?¡± ¡°Maybe you are.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be the other way around?¡± I teased my hand down her neck, tracing her breasts. ¡°You could be the prospective student, and I could be the admissions officer.¡± Sheughed. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to college, remember? I got a BA in Economics.¡± Mia sat up, mouth agape. ¡°Which university?¡± ¡°Bourton.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°Can we move on?¡± ¡°Hell no. You attended Bourton. The same ce that epted the Hawthornes and the Montgomerys and-Jesus, Alessio. That¡¯s a major aplishment. You should be proud.¡± Here we go. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°You graduated from an Ivy League, and I¡¯m finding out about this now. It¡¯s a huge freaking deal.¡± ¡°My father went there. So did his dad. The school makes legacy admissions, so getting me in was simple.¡± She looked like she¡¯d been struck dumb. ¡°It¡¯s the reason I¡¯m so connected with Boston¡¯s rich and famous. It¡¯s why I own city hall and the police. I took all the connections I made in college and handed them to Nico.¡± I was never, ever good enough for my dad, but Nico treated me like a favorite son. ¡°How in the world did you cross paths with him?¡± ¡°His son and I were in the same fraternity.¡± She burst withughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just-you were a frat boy? You¡¯re messing with me.¡± ¡°Am not.¡± Mia slid off myp, grinning. ¡°Nice try.¡± ¡°Head to my study and open the top drawer. There should be a graduation ring.¡± Wearing a look steeped with suspicion, she bounded into the hall. I followed her as she sprinted into my office. She rifled through pens and papers until she grabbed a silver ring that zed with a ga stone. ¡°ss of 2008. Wow.¡± I squirmed under her admiring gaze. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your diploma?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Somewhere.¡± ¡°Alessio, I can¡¯t believe you. We¡¯re finding your diploma and hanging it on the wall, where it belongs. You should be so proud. Do you know how many of my dad¡¯s men have been to college? Zero.¡± ¡°That¡¯s sad, but not surprising.¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Mia set the circle of silver down on my desk, staring at it. ¡°Thinking about you in college is strange, like imagining Santa us without a beard. Did you enjoy it?¡± ¡°Yeah. Met lots of people.¡± Including Anthony, who changed my life forever. ¡°You must¡¯ve learned loads, too.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t learn a damned thing. Everything I studied is gone from my brain, and I actually had pretty decent grades.¡± Mia¡¯s voice became wistful. ¡°I wish I¡¯d had that experience.¡± ¡°You can, and you will.¡± A desperate glee lit up Mia¡¯s face. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a wealthy alumnus whose generous donations would make my wife a shoo-in. All you have to do is ask.¡± ¡°Are you fucking serious? You¡¯ll get me into Bourton?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Mia released a high-pitched scream that shattered my eardrums, but herughter died as quickly as it came. ¡°But you want kids.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go to school and raise a baby.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s called hiring a nanny. I told you that you¡¯d have anything you wanted, and I meant it.¡± Mia flung her arms around me and kissed my cheeks a dozen times. Her vise-like hold on my neck tightened as she pressed herself deeper into my embrace. ¡°I¡¯m so happy, Alessio.¡± ¡°Just promise me you won¡¯t join a sorority.¡± She beamed at me, and her warmth like mes catching on silk. I¡¯d found something that she needed desperately, which tipped the scales of power back in my direction. It gave me control. At least, I thought it did. TWO DAYS. For better or worse-my life would change. I sat in the srium, drinking whiskey as the trees became silhouettes against dark blue. After we signed the marriage certificate, Ignacio would transfer ownership of his variouspanies. Mia¡¯s future pregnancy would end Nico¡¯s bitching, and I¡¯d have what I wanted. A family. Was I that na?ve? Light feet padded the wood as my fianc¨¦e joined the room, her brte waves tamed into a high ponytail. She dragged her manicured nails on the loveseat before hopping onto the cushion. My drink sloshed the rim as she settled into myp. She wore a long-sleeved top over hip-hugging jeans. She released a contented sigh, closing her eyes once she wrapped her arms around my neck. I touched a freckle I¡¯d never noticed under her ear. ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± ¡°A little nervous.¡± She looked like she wanted to say more. Mia yed with my hair, so close, I counted everysh fanning her olive skin. It¡¯d taken a lot of pep talks to the mirror to get to this moment. Be gentle. Don¡¯t scare her. ¡°I need to ask you something.¡± Her hushed tone indicated she wasn¡¯t interested in my jam preferences. ¡°Shoot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just dawned on me that I¡¯ve never met your parents. Or anyone from your side. I know they¡¯re out of your life, but why? Are they dead?¡± ¡°No.¡± She drew away, rmed. ¡°Sorry.¡± I dialed back the aggression and tried again. ¡°It¡¯s not a happy subject.¡± ¡°If I can discuss me almost being raped, you can tell me about your family feud.¡± Touch¨¦. I smiled, stuck between annoyance that she was right and admiration that she knew when to sh her ws. ¡°What¡¯s the longest you¡¯ve gone without talking to your father?¡± ¡°Two weeks?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to my dad in eight years. He has a restraining order on me.¡± I nced over her shoulder, unable to stomach her shock. ¡°Not because I¡¯m violent or would ever hurt him. He hates me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because of what I do for a living.¡± I could sympathize with his disgust for the mafia, even if it was misguided, but I never understood how he¡¯d turned on me. Nico never gave up on his son, and Anthony was a real low-life. A thieving, dishonest monster with zero redeeming qualities. ¡°Your dad¡¯s not-I mean, he¡¯s not connected at all?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re an underboss.¡± ¡°I know, but I¡¯m not a Costa. Salvatores have never been involved in organized crime. For my dad, getting in deep with Nico¡¯s group was the height of dishonor. Old-money families are snobs for who they associate with, never mind that most are just as corrupt as the mob.¡± ¡°You talk as though you¡¯re not part of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. They cut me off.¡± Mia sat up straight, brows pinched together. ¡°How did you get into Nico¡¯s inner circle?¡± ¡°Anthony and I met in my fraternity. I was a good boy. Never touched a drug in my life. Anthony had done everything. He taught me how to roll a blunt. He had ess to the best parties. My freshman year was a haze of drugs, alcohol, and girls. He was a bad influence, but I knew when to pull back. Thank God.¡± I wondered if this was too much information, but her smile encouraged me to continue. ¡°He unraveled during his sophomore year. Dropping sses. Academic probation. I helped him out of all kinds of trouble, and his father was gracious with gifts and inviting me for Sunday dinner. I went on trips with them. That¡¯s how it began. A favor here and there-that grew to something more. The stakes were always a little higher. I was seduced by the money, the mour, and Nico treating me like a son. I wanted the women, the glory, all of it. And then I got what I wished for.¡± She stayed silent, as though speaking would break the spell that lulled me into opening up. I didn¡¯t realize how badly I needed to talk to someone until it poured from my mouth. ¡°I thought your dad was well off?¡± ¡°Yeah, I already had a taste for extravagance thanks to Dad, but it was on his dime. He¡¯d never allow me one red cent unless I did what he demanded. I guess he saw me bing a hedge fund manager like him, but I was sick of living under my dad¡¯s thumb.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re under a different man¡¯s thumb.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± I admitted, hating it. ¡°It snuck up on me. I became an associate of the Costas, and then I was arrested for second-degree murder. My mother begged me to take the plea deal. When I declined, Nico hired an amazing defense attorney. The trial was rough on my mom. Every day, she¡¯d be in that gallery, weeping. I was found not guilty, but they nailed me for second-degree robbery.¡± ¡°How long were you away?¡± ¡°Four years. I missed everything, Mia. Birthdays, my sister¡¯s wedding, holidays. The birth of my niece. Her birthdays.¡± ¡°Did anyone visit you?¡± Her voice was so small, it almost disappeared. ¡°Your mother?¡± ¡°Twice. She stoppeding, along with everyone else. They rejected my calls. My family ghosted me. A cop served me the RO from my father while I was in jail.¡± Talking about the most painful time of my life was like dragging a knife across my skin, opening wounds that should¡¯ve stayed closed. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Alessio.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s the truth. I can¡¯t imagine how horrible that must¡¯ve been for you.¡± Her eyes filled with tears that seemed sincere. ¡°They really won¡¯t talk to you?¡± ¡°Nope. On a good day, I¡¯ll chat with my mom for five minutes before she starts crying. Then my dad gets the phone and hangs up. My sister is convinced I¡¯m dangerous.¡± Mia frowned. ¡°That¡¯s why I want kids. Maybe they¡¯ll forgive me once I¡¯ve settled down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what you told me weeks ago.¡± ¡°If I¡¯d given you the truth, you would¡¯ve run away faster.¡± ¡°No.¡± She smiled and kissed my forehead. ¡°I think it¡¯s sweet. I mean it. That¡¯s the first genuine thing you¡¯ve said, and now it makes sense why you¡¯re in a hurry to have children. I get it. I lost my sister. I know what it¡¯s like to yearn for that connection. And honestly? You might¡¯ve scared me in the beginning, but not anymore.¡± She pressed the lightest kiss into my cheek, and the warmth that blossomed there spread to my neck and chest. ¡°Can I ask you one more question?¡± I nodded. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Of course. I shed a Prince Charming smile. ¡°Ask me that in two days.¡± #1 Chapter 15 MIA I was supposed to escape. Everyone was distracted with wedding preparations, and it was the perfect time to slip out unnoticed. Instead I spent the day making profiteroles for tomorrow. My side of the family woulde for brunch before we headed to the venue. Italians had big appetites, so every surface of the house as was filled with saran-wrapped pastries, fried crab dumplings, roasted fish, and fresh fruit. When the hour hand nudged into the evening, I finally admitted it to myself. I had feelings for Alessio. During the hours we were apart, I checked my phone for texts from him. I wondered what he was doing in that huge, empty mansion. I pictured Alessio in a tux, his dimpled smirk softening into a real smile when we first danced as a married couple. He¡¯d won me with his unwavering support and gentle spirit. If I had to marry someone in this life, it should be him. I grabbed my cell, and my thumb hovered on his name. It was two in the morning, but I couldn¡¯t not tell him. I opened my messages. A heart emoji didn¡¯t quite capture my epiphany, so I deleted the message and wrote a new one. Me: You up? Alessio: Wide awake. I called him. He answered on the first ring. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Neither of us said anything. I plucked the courage to speak, and then he chuckled through his nose. ¡°Need a pep talk?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± Faint shock rippled through the speaker. ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡± ¡°Not about marrying you.¡± I swallowed what felt like a golf ball, twisting my fingers in sheets. ¡°I wanted to tell you something before we walked the aisle.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t keep me in suspense.¡± ¡°I want this. I¡¯m excited. Tomorrow will be a fun day, and I can¡¯t wait to spend it with you.¡± Alessio¡¯s silence was like needles on my skin. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to think I was being forced. That¡¯s-that¡¯s all.¡± A fierce blush burned my cheeks from Alessio¡¯s muteness. ¡°Things have turned around. I know you don¡¯t trust me-¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying, stellina. I really am.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy. I want you, and only you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make you believe me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll make me. I like the sound of that. Tell me more.¡± I rolled in my bed, sighing. ¡°Only you would turn me pouring my heart out into a sex thing.¡± More static, and then- ¡°Thank you. For saying that.¡± He paused for several seconds. ¡°We should sleep.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Mia?¡± I waited, holding my breath. ¡°Never mind. Sweet dreams.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± The screen went ck as the call ended. I imagined him tossing and turning. He was so ufortable with feeling beyond lust that his lukewarm response didn¡¯t surprise me. He needed to learn how to give and receive affection. I would help him. Tap. I jerked upright. Tap tap. It sounded like a rock hitting the window. I slid from the mattress, wrapping my nightgown tight as I pulled the curtains and peered through the darkness. A white rectangle caught my attention as someone waved their phone. Who was that? The light illuminated the feminine curve of a cheek. She outstretched her arm and beckoned. I grabbed a throw and wrapped it around my shoulders. Then I dashed into the hall and crept downstairs, heading outside. The porch light wouldn¡¯t turn on-probably burnt out. I stepped into the night while the freezing chill grabbed my ankles. ¡°Mia.¡± That voice belonged to a dead woman. No, stop. Stop- ¡°Mia, it¡¯s me.¡± It couldn¡¯t be her. I needed to stop fantasizing and hoping and dreaming. Her straight nose poked through the blue beam, followed by eyes like mine. The bowed lips I¡¯d always envied twitched. Two small tears slipped down her gaunt cheeks. Carm. This wasn¡¯t grief¡¯s cruel tricks. My sister stood on thewn. ¡°Carm?¡± ¡°Hey.¡± She was alive. She was whole. She¡¯de back to us. ¡°Carm.¡± I threw my arms around her and squeezed as the sobs broke through. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s you. It¡¯s a fucking miracle. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here. I never thought I¡¯d see you again. Everybody said you were dead.¡± Wild happiness burst in my stomach. I faced the darkened windows to scream for my parents, to celebrate this blessing. ¡°Mia, stop.¡± Carm held me tight, growling into my ear. ¡°I know you¡¯re excited, but there are things I have to tell you. Privately. Promise me you¡¯ll keep your voice down.¡± ¡°You can tell meter. Let¡¯s go inside. Mom and Dad will be thrilled.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°What do y-you mean, no?¡± My smile faltered when she yanked me toward the evergreen. ¡°We¡¯ve missed you!¡± ¡°Dammit, Mia. You¡¯re not hearing me, and we don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± ¡°Time?¡± Carm stepped away and wrenched her hoodie straight. Disturbing details began to surface-the sharp ridges on her shoulders, the loss of fat from her face, and the barely there glimmer in her eyes. She might¡¯ve survived, but she had suffered. ¡°Mia, I¡¯m not back.¡± ¡°What-what are you talking about? You need to eat something, and visit a doctor.¡± ¡°No!¡± She ripped out of my grasp. ¡°No, don¡¯te closer.¡± She was traumatized. My poor sister. ¡°Carm, we love you. We miss you. Whatever happened, we¡¯ll get through it together.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not hearing me. Please, listen.¡± The desperation cracking her words stabbed my heart. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s-let¡¯s take a cab somewhere.¡± I nodded, ready to agree to anything. ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever you want, just don¡¯t leave.¡± She let me dive into her arms, but Carm didn¡¯t return the embrace. She trembled like an autumn leaf shaking in the wind. She was back. Everything would be fine. CARMELA RICCI WAS a beauty by anyone¡¯s standards. Her hourss shape stood at an impressive height that dwarfed both of our parents. My sister was a statuesque, confident, beautiful woman. So beautiful, I used to agonize over our differences. Her high cheekbones were my source of envy. We¡¯dughed when a Tinder match she rejected called her a blow-up doll-a crude means of summarizing her over-sexed appearance, which seemed like a gift from Aphrodite. By fourteen, she attracted all kinds of attention-most of it bad. But my sister was a good girl. Meaning, she took my father¡¯s bullshit about remaining pure for her husband seriously. She¡¯d had rtionships, but they were brief because Dad wouldn¡¯t approve. Dad¡¯s ns had no room for romantic attachments, and she was content to marry a mafiosi. When her engagement to Alessio was announced, she sighed and let it roll off her shoulders. And here she was. Broken. My horror at this hunched bird that was Carm made my palms glisten with sweat. Gone were the curves that had defined my sister. Her confidence, destroyed. Even her clothes looked different. She wore a gray hoodie that dwarfed her-it was neither her size nor her style. She kept the drawstrings tight, as though she could barely stand the world. Before, Carm would¡¯ve sat with perfect posture and smiled at everyone who nced our way. Now she flinched when the male server met her gaze. Something horrible had happened to my sister. A stack of buttered pancakes and ck coffeey in front of her, but all she did was rest her sallow face into her bony hands. I wanted to cry. ¡°Carm, eat.¡± She didn¡¯t respond. I leaned over and touched her hand. Carm jumped a mile, breathing deep, harsh breaths. She blinked out of a fog. Then she cut into a pancake and ate the smallest triangle. She grimaced. ¡°We really should get you to the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m healing. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me everything. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re alive. It¡¯s been awful. I looked for you. I never gave up, but the detectives told me you were dead. This is like a dream. I keep expecting to snap out of it.¡± She picked at her food. ¡°You¡¯ll hate me once I tell you the truth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my sister, and I love you.¡± The tablecloth blurred as mist blinded my vision. ¡°And nothing will ever change that.¡± ¡°You were always good to me.¡± Carm wiped two small tears from her pale skin. She grabbed a fistful of tissues, teeth clenched with agony. ¡°And I¡¯ve been the world¡¯s biggest cunt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± I left my seat and joined her side of the booth, unable to stomach her quiet sobs. I hugged her, and she sagged into my shoulder. My heart broke with every high-pitched gasp until she blurted- ¡°I wasn¡¯t kidnapped.¡± I stroked her hair, swallowing my questions. ¡°I wanted to leave Alessio and be with another man. Nick,¡± she whispered. ¡°Everybody calls him Crash. He¡¯s a biker in Legion. I-I met him in a bar. We saw each other in secret.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°You never mentioned.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I knew you¡¯d tell me it was a bad idea.¡± She sniffed hard, wiping her nose. ¡°We weren¡¯t supposed to be together, but he was so different. He took me on dates and treated me like a queen. When I told him my name, he said he didn¡¯t care. That he¡¯d do anything to be with me. I fell for him, Mia. I guess I was waiting for someone to love me.¡± She hung her head, her dark mane like brittle straw. ¡°And then Daddy said I had to marry Alessio. I panicked. You heard the stories-what he¡¯s done. I told Nick, and he helped me escape. He staged that crime scene. He paid off the techs.¡± Her gaze flicked at me, as though terrified I¡¯d hit her. ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯ve been this whole time. With him.¡± ¡°Carm, it¡¯s in the past¨C¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± A devastating bleakness burst through her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯ll never know how sorry I am.¡± A chill rode my spine. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He hurt me, Mia. He beat me until I thought I¡¯d die, and let me heal so he could torture me again. I-I escaped a month ago, and I¡¯ve beenying low. I only came here for you.¡± She gripped my arm, her eyes white all around. ¡°You can¡¯t marry Alessio.¡± ¡°What-why?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll do the same thing that Crash did to me. He¡¯ll lure you in with false promises, steal your things-your family, car, clothes-even your makeup. And then when you have no one in your life, and you are a shell of your former self, that¡¯s when he¡¯ll break you. By beating you. Raping you.¡± Jesus. ¡°He¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°Wake up, Mia. They¡¯re the same!¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t. He¡¯d never.¡± She moaned, face in her hands again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening to my little sister. I¡¯m toote. Too fuckingte.¡± My priority was Carm¡¯s safety. ¡°Let¡¯s take you home.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not marrying one of them.¡± ¡°Nobody will make you do anything. I¡¯m marrying Alessio. It¡¯s-it¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re falling into the same trap I did. He will eat you alive.¡± My lips numbed. I¡¯d forgotten how to form words. He had taken my freedom. It was like Carm said-he¡¯d made me dependent on him. I couldn¡¯t leave the house without asking permission, and he destroyed my ess to money. He had all the power. It was wrong. Sick. But I hadn¡¯t noticed because I was happy. I¡¯d talk to him after the ceremony. Alessio cared about my happiness. That had always been themon thread in our discussions. And yet he¡¯d stolen my freedoms. There were never any promises they¡¯d return. ¡°He¡¯ll change. He has to.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t change, Mia. He¡¯s a rotten apple. You need to put as many miles between him and you as possible.¡± I checked my watch, the numbers looking strange on my wrist. It was almost four in the morning. ¡°We should get back. We¡¯ll discuss thister.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going home, and neither should you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lived with him for weeks. He¡¯s sweet with me, Carm. I can¡¯t abandon him. It¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Alessio came to me.¡± She seized my hands, digging into my skin. ¡°About a month after I disappeared. He¡¯s known all this time.¡± Several moments passed in which the tter of pots, distant chitchat, the hissing from a skillet, and the blues music swelled into a crescendo. Behind the cacophony, a roar began to build. It pounded like a drum. That¡¯s what I assumed it was until my throbbing pulse thrummed to the forefront. ¡°He what?¡± ¡°He found me with Crash. No idea how.¡± The past few months seemed to sh before my eyes-depressing dinners with my family, the pain, the nightmare, the should-haves and should-have-nots, my mother wasting away to a stick while my dad drank himself stupid, crying until I vomited, waking up to screaming fits, and who was at the center of the trauma? Alessio. The lying bastard. Two-faced asshole. Now his insistence for me to move on made sense. Him being in a hurry for everyone to forget my very alive sister. Who needed to be rescued and deserved more than his callous disregard. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. Alessio: Found you. ¡°Oh my God. He¡¯s here. He¡¯s fucking here. Oh shit. He must¡¯ve tracked me on the goddamned app!¡± I sprang out of the booth. Carm followed. She trembled as I dug into my purse. I detached the Toyota key from my ring and crammed it into her palm. ¡°Why do I need keys?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for a car I bought ages ago. Parked at Roy¡¯s Junkyard on seventh. Nobody knows about it. Go before he finds us.¡± ¡°Come!¡± I wished I could. ¡°It¡¯s toote. Just go!¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Carm, go!¡± Carm kissed my cheek and dashed out, her hair flying like a banner. I sank into the cushions, so depressed, I didn¡¯t care about the rapid footsteps. Or the pairs of boots surrounding the table. A man fell into the opposite seat, his arm sweeping the dishes to the side. His fingers curled around my forearm. He yanked me forward, forcing me to meet his fury head-on. Alessio¡¯s rxed posture and face were a farce. I sensed the rage in his grip, which became punishing when he held my gaze. ¡°You maniptive, conniving brat. Smart enough to lower my guard. Not enough to leave the phone behind.¡± ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡± The other guy groaned. John stood beside Alessio, hands in his pockets, looking deeply ufortable by the situation. ¡°Make yourself useful and check the fucking bathrooms,¡± Alessio snapped. ¡°Then wait outside.¡± The smaller man¡¯s ice-like demeanor swept over me as he turned to do just that. I watched as he strolled into the men¡¯s restroom. The sounds of loud bangs echoed throughout the restaurant as I imagined him kicking open the stall doors. ¡°Who were you meeting?¡± I gazed at Alessio, my mouth dry. What would I say? I couldn¡¯t tell him about my sister. I needed to buy her a couple of days. ¡°Nobody.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± John returned from the bathroom, shrugging. ¡°Nothing.¡± Alessio¡¯s throat rumbled with a frustrated growl. ¡°Tell me who he is right now.¡± ¡°What?¡± He nced at the second coffee cup, his lips curling. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Good Lord. He thought I was cheating on him. When the hell would I have had time? ¡°Nick. Nick Toffoli.¡± ¡°There is no Nick Toffoli.¡± His fingers gouged my flesh as he leaned forward, his eyes rimmed with fire. ¡°Why are you screwing with me? What have I done to deserve this, six hours before our goddamned wedding?¡± You knew about Carm and abandoned her, you lying bastard.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. The monster probably relished how he¡¯d duped me. He¡¯d yed the concerned inw so well that a corrosive hatred filled my body. I wanted to wound him as much as he¡¯d ruined me. ¡°You¡¯re the worst thing that¡¯s ever happened to me.¡± There. I¡¯d hurt him. It was all over his downturned gaze, as though I had dealt him a staggering blow and had yet to recover. When his attention snapped to me, he¡¯d slipped into a different mask. A feral pain gleamed in his hazel pools, like a rabid wolf that had suffered a severe injury. His anger radiated from somewhere dark he¡¯d kept secret from me. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll go after what¡¯s left of your family.¡± Shit. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± Alessio dragged me closer as the same toxic bile seemed to course under his skin like blood poisoning. His stubble grazed my cheek before his mouth touched the shell of my ear. ¡°Try me.¡± #1 Chapter 16 MIA Alessio was the nightmare in my otherwise perfect wedding day. I married Alessio under a ceiling draped with ck fabric, strung with thousands of lights resembling stars. The hotel ballroom had been transformed into a forest of creamy hydrangeas. Flowers formed columns around a demi circle of a snow-white colonnade supporting a ssical-style roof filled with rose topiaries. More roses, baby¡¯s breath, and greenery arranged the structure. It was beautiful, but I couldn¡¯t absorb it with any joy. I¡¯d recreated every detail of my sister¡¯s wedding to honor her memory, but now it felt like a self-inflicted wound. If another person said my sister was here in spirit, I¡¯d have a meltdown. Carm haunted this marriage, but she wasn¡¯t yet a ghost. Anger pulsed low in my throat as I choked through our six-course dinner, Alessio beside me at our sweetheart table. Thank God we opted out of a bridal party. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to face Mom and Dad. Looking at them across the room was hard enough. Alessio¡¯s jacket brushed my arm as he leaned over, frowning at my barely touched te. ¡°Go easy on the alcohol. There¡¯s nothing tackier than a shit-faced bride.¡± I looked him in the eye and drained my cup. ¡°It¡¯s my right to get wasted on the worst day of my life.¡± ¡°You are such a drama queen.¡± Alessio¡¯s pleasantness never flickered, but he cinched my shoulder. ¡°Whatever this is-we¡¯ll deal with itter.¡± Forks chimed against champagne flutes. The sound of ringing ss filled the venue, and wolf whistles split the air. Alessio schooled his expression, taking my chin as he shot the guests a bemused smirk. Warmth spider-webbed my cheek as my husband pressed his mouth into mine. He angled his head and deepened the kiss, but where there were butterflies hours before all that remained were charred husks and so much goddamned pain. After dinner, we had the first dance as a crowd of onlookers swayed to the music. Alessio gathered me in his arms, beaming. He was a dark prince in his wool tux with silk-satinpels. He¡¯d never been clean-shaven, and theck of beard transformed him from ruthless gangster to wholesome businessman. Especially when he wore that smile. The fake one that hadssoed me across the party and sealed our fates, almost a year ago. Liar, I wanted to scream. Bastard. His jacket brushed my embroidered corset as he pulled me close into what seemed like a loving embrace, another pantomime that crushed my spirit. ¡°Stop pouting.¡± Alessio¡¯s whisper cut into my ear. ¡°You will smile. You will shake hands. You will act like a newlywed. Save the rage for when we¡¯re drunk, sloppy, and alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying not to strangle you.¡± He¡¯d ruined something I¡¯d looked forward to my whole life, and everything was perfect except him. He tapped my chin. Fire zed in my chest when I met his narrowed gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t make things worse for yourself. I have zero tolerance for your attitude right now. If you have any sense, you¡¯ll tone it down.¡± ¡°Or what?¡± ¡°Ever been fucked so hard you couldn¡¯t walk?¡± ¡°Go to hell, Alessio.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already in hell.¡± The rawness in his words was like a knife between my ribs. The difort spread to the hand trapped in his. ¡°You are not going anywhere.¡± He resisted my pull, his grip tightening around my waist. ¡°And we¡¯re not having it out in front of our friends and family.¡± ¡°You mean my family, since yours disowned you.¡± Too far. His eyes shed with a promise that hinted I¡¯d pay for thatment. All night, he introduced me to wiseguys and politicians, CEOs of constructionpanies, and a whirlwind of people in his professionalwork. As the evening wore on and ties loosed from cors, he unglued from my side to join the men roaring with bawdy jokes. At midnight, a table rolled out with junk food, and everyone stuffed their faces with Burger King to fuel the nonstop partying. I was not downing champagne or eating from the ten-tiered wedding cake, whose golden frosting revealedyers of strawberries and Proso filling. Alessio tossed back his fifth or sixth drink. He spent theter hoursworking and fending off drunk girls. Countless women hit on my husband-my goddamned husband-who rejected them but not before giving them a smile that strangled my heart. I wiped two small tears as a bitter wind skated across my shoulders, having escaped to an outdoor patio where the heatmps provided the barestfort. Solitude should¡¯ve done me good, but alone with my thoughts was thest thing I wanted. I couldn¡¯t stop wondering about my sister-where she was, how she was doing, if I¡¯d ever see her again- The door swung. I cursed as a broad silhouette stepped into the crisp air. I dried my cheeks as the man joined my side, his fingers sping the railing I leaned against. ¡°Congrattions.¡± I faced him, caught off guard at the stiff delivery. My gazended on Vinn¡¯s chiseled jaw. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a relief not to pretend, to bask in Vinn¡¯s quiet strength. He seemed surprised that my tone echoed his deadpan. Vinn peeked at my face, absorbing my grief with the same frigid steel he¡¯d shown at the distillery. And yet he had a pulse. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have offered his life for mine. I bit my lip. ¡°How do you do it?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Act like nothing bothers you.¡± Vinn stared. His pupils swallowed his midnight irises, reflecting endless, dark tunnels. ¡°Easy. I ept that I¡¯m already dead.¡± What the hell had happened to him? ¡°Vinn, that¡¯s horrible.¡± ¡°It works. And you might need to lock away the part that hurts to survive a marriage with Alessio.¡± His presence filled me like a cold fog that weighed my insides. Everything he said was so heavy.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Yes, you can. And it¡¯ll get easier.¡± He patted my shoulder and squeezed. ¡°You¡¯ve survived worse than Alessio Salvatore.¡± Not much. I kept my mouth shut, determined not to drag him into my issues, but my silence must¡¯ve spoken volumes. Vinn¡¯s hand fell. ¡°Mia?¡± ¡°You should go.¡± His difort seemed to grow as he hesitated, plunging his hands into his cks. I stepped away. ¡°Do me a favor and forget this conversation.¡± Vinn refusal to budge told me I¡¯d only piqued his interest. Fuck. I fled his side and burst indoors. My waterproof mascara was holding up, but I couldn¡¯t hide the fact I¡¯d spent the few minutes crying. My gaze skipped over darkened columns until itnded on Alessio. His re was like a skewer. ¡°Why are you upset?¡± Pick a reason, asshole. ¡°You have sulked through this whole goddamn wedding. I should¡¯ve expected nothing less from a pampered princess who always gets her way. You¡¯ve been AWOL for fifteen minutes.¡± Alessio stiffened like a big cat stalking prey. His brows knitted as he nced from me to Vinn¡¯s shadow. Something clicked in those hazel pools. ¡°You and Vinn.¡± I gaped at him. Did he mean what I thought he did? ¡°You¡¯re seeing him. Aren¡¯t you?¡± He really was that stupid. ¡°As if I¡¯d trade one damaged mobster for another.¡± ¡°Then why do you look heartbroken?¡± ¡°Because I fucking am.¡± I spoke around a rock-sized lump as I dragged my attention from Alessio¡¯s silkpels up the skin ghosted with blue stubble to the eyes that once watched me with aching tenderness. ¡°I am crying over you. Not Vinn.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± He balled his hands into fists. ¡°You¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sober enough to see you clearly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense.¡± His cold gaze swept me up and down before he grasped my bicep. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± Carm. A ball of white-hot rage threatened to explode from my chest. ¡°You never gave a shit about me.¡± ¡°Then why did I take my time with you? Why did I make sure your needs were always met before mine? Jesus, Mia. You need to visit a shrink if you can¡¯t get how good I¡¯ve been to you.¡± I yanked my arm away, disgusted by my body¡¯s response to his touch. ¡°The hell is wrong with you?¡± You burst in my life, ripped my dreams to shreds, and set them on fire. ¡°Tell me his name, or I¡¯ll drag you upstairs and rip it out of you the hard way.¡± There was nothing more dangerous than an envious gangster, and I¡¯d made things worse by noting clean. Setting him straight was impossible without throwing Carm under the bus. What should I do? When I didn¡¯t answer, his brows narrowed until the round pools became menacing slits. He was jealous of a man who didn¡¯t exist, and I couldn¡¯t reveal the truth. There was no getting out of this. HE BROUGHT me to our hotel suite decked out in silver and cream-the colors of our wedding. A bucket of champagne sat in ice next to an overflowing basket of pale roses, and a letter written by the governor, wishing us congrattions. Alessio moved behind me. He hadn¡¯t raised his voice, or given any indication he was furious beyond the tight pinch in my shoulder as he escorted me. His demeanor had shifted the moment he locked us inside. The heaviness in his gaze was different. ¡°Bedroom.¡± His baritone was like a finger dragging down my spine. I could¡¯ve resisted the hand sliding into mine, but its warmth soothed my nerves so much that I obeyed the soft pressure. Alessio led me into a room with a king-sized bed and mid-century modern furniture. He hit the lights, bathing us in the darkness that felt unsafe, like the shadows in a parking lot. Then he nudged me forward until I faced the mattress. I¡¯d avoided thinking about this all night. Our first time together wasn¡¯t supposed to be infected with anger. What would he feel like? Would I enjoy it? What if he was rough? My heart begged me to save myself, but I wouldn¡¯t stop him. Alessio¡¯s waist pressed into my backside as he palmed my stomach. He nuzzled my neck and unpinned my hair. Then he kissed the shell of my ear. ¡°You make a beautiful bride.¡± My breathing hitched from the unexpectedpliment, but it was as poisoned as every honeyed word that spilled from Alessio¡¯s mouth. ¡°I had so many ns for our wedding night. I was going to make youe on my tongue and hands. I would¡¯ve been gentle. Taken my sweet time before ruining any other man for you. But you took a sledgehammer to that the moment you fucked around.¡± His rage passed through me as he fisted my dress and unzipped me. The cool air might¡¯ve stung if Alessio hadn¡¯t kept me close. He rolled the straps off my shoulders and tugged the embroidered corset. Whispers of his touch teased my skin-his breath on my cor, the fingers tracing thece. I was a living torch when he reached my thong. His lips grazed my thigh. Then he snagged my panties with his teeth. Hot. The contact dragged out a hiss as he pulled it off. Then he removed my heels, and I sank onto the carpet. He sped me to his body, his heat melting through the jacket. He ripped it from his arms, and the warmth doubled. I swallowed hard as his thick erection pressed into my backside. ¡°Alessio.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can say.¡± Except the truth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hate you.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t want to duct tape your mouth.¡± Alessio took my face, angling it toward him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but I will.¡± The silky caress in his voice said otherwise, and my heart skipped when his softer mouth pressed on mine. Desperate to bring this somewhere safer, I closed my eyes and kissed him back. It was a sweet lie, just like every other kiss since tonight. He broke away, breathing deeply. ¡°Alessio, take a step back. Calm down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not calming down. I¡¯m just getting started.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk before you do something you regret.¡± I searched his gaze for an ounce of restraint, but my fear seemed to embolden him. ¡°Alessio, I wasn¡¯t cheating on you, I was-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear you speak.¡± An unraveling sound split the air. He¡¯d taken a roll of duct tape from the nightstand. Good Lord. ¡°Alessio, no!¡± He tore a strip and pped it over my mouth. ¡°Much better.¡± I seized the edge, but he pinned my wrists. A second piece stered over the first. He ttened the sides over my lips, his eyes gleaming as he traced his handiwork. It yed my nerves as though he¡¯d kissed me, and then he pushed his mouth into the imprint of mine. My legs clenched. The swarm of buttery warmth chased away my nausea. I screamed Carm, but it broke out in a muffled groan. Apprehension hung in a pungent cloud, and his nostrils red as though he breathed it in. Shit, shit, shit. I struggled to break free. He restrained my arms with more tape. An electrical current zipped my spine. Then he fisted my hair. ¡°Never thought in a million years you¡¯d y me. I underestimated you.¡± He caressed my shoulders, and my body remembered the other times he¡¯d held me, and the fear ebbed. ¡°I looked at you and saw a future wife. You looked at me and saw a man you could manipte. And it worked.¡± I angled toward the door, but he barked a warning. ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯m not above tying you to the bed.¡± Alessio, please. Nothing came out but mumbled whimpers. He yanked me into his chest. Cotton glided over my hammering heart as he cupped my breast. He tweezed my nipple, sending a lightning bolt of pleasure between my thighs, and I moaned. His hardness dug into my ass. His lips smoldered a path from my neck to my ear, the skin puckering where he kissed. I backed into his waist, seeking more of him. He unzipped himself, and a hard length slipped into my bound hands. Holy shit. He was like velvet stretched over steel. My thumb rolled a drop around his head as he thumbed my nipple into a stiff point. He released me and pulled away. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± What? A crack split the air. I turned, wide-eyed. Alessio snapped his belt, and a horrible foreboding filled my chest. Don¡¯t even think about it, bastard. ¡°Bend.¡± No! He stroked my backside, and sparks seemed to fly into my body. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy this way too much.¡± The belt touched my cheek and drifted down. It was like a me-tipped finger, seductive, sensual. He traced the curve of my tits. I shut my eyes, seduced by it, and Alessio¡¯s hand fondling my breast. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Part of me dared to push him further. I was scared to rebel, but everything he did teased my sexual frustration from embers into a glowing fire. The belt skated across my abdomen, down my belly, to where I was already wet and aching. He rubbed it into my clit, and I groaned. The leather lifted and tapped my pussy. The light smack jolted me with another fierce bolt of ecstasy. Desperate for more, I twisted in his arms. ¡°Told you not to move.¡± I froze, caught in between fear and lust. I¡¯d never done this before. Men didn¡¯t raise their hands to Ignacio¡¯s daughter if they wanted to keep their limbs. He seemed to interpret my hesitation for defiance. He palmed my back and pushed, lowering me roughly onto the mattress. My face pressed into theforter. His appreciative sighs washed over me with warmth. ¡°Gorgeous. And all mine.¡± His silky caress became a firm kneading. Alessio pressed his cock into me. ¡°Can you feel how bad I want you?¡± He stepped away, and the unforgiving touch of the leather returned. It dragged up my thigh, riding the swell of my bottom before it disappeared. And struck me. And struck me. And struck me. The white-hot band seared me. He held me still, raining hell on my ass-swift, brutal agony. I gritted my teeth. Tears mmed into my eyes before he stopped, flinging the belt aside. Then he reced the ache with a soothing stroke. He lifted me upright, cheek pressing into mine. He cradled my ass. The pain smartened as he gouged into me. What just happened? ¡°You will never run out on me again.¡± I screamed a dozen insults he couldn¡¯t hear, but Alessio seemed to get the gist. Then he ripped the tape off my lips, parting with it what felt like ayer of me. ¡°You fucking bastard!¡± His anger stabbed me with every sharp movement as he manipted me to where he wanted. Alessio took my ankle and yanked me across the mattress. The fabric burned my already raw backside. Hands bound, I was powerless as Alessio climbed over me. He fisted my mane. His mouth crashed into my lips. It was violent, as though he made up for the sensual pecks at the wedding. He nipped, imed, and sucked until my bottom lip hurt. All the kisses until now were child¡¯s y. I ached from the need to touch and kiss him, but I could only squirm and grapple at nothing, so my thighs glided over him. He noticed the change with a feral grin and kissed my knee. Warmth shivered across my skin as he canvassed my body. He didn¡¯t part from me as he made hickeys up my leg, his hair like feathers, teasing-so fucking teasing. But he seemed to be sick of taunting me. He slid closer, dragging his stubbled cheek on me like a wild beast. Then he reached between us, and a thrill leaped into my stomach. A broad pressure caressed my clit, slipping in a river of my arousal. As he rubbed my slicked pussy, I strained against the tape. He pressed his forehead to mine. He met my gaze. Meeting his intensity head-on stole my breath. With a brutal stroke, he shoved inside. Pain mmed into me with enough force to make me arch. My walls seared agony as he bulldozed through my barriers. It was like he¡¯d fucked my lungs, too. I couldn¡¯t inhale. It was losing my virginity all over again. Stop rested on the tip of my tongue, but the shock melted away. He slowed his strokes. He reeled back and slowly filled me. I couldn¡¯t breathe. God, it was so deep. He wrapped me in an embrace that kept pulling us together with each aching thrust. It was like sinking beneath the waves. The surface rippled above, but I didn¡¯t care. I could¡¯ve drowned in him-in the ecstasy of our bodies joining and the sweet magic of his sighs. Scorching heat washed over me, like the wave after opening an oven door. My spine arched as he smashed through all my defenses. He drew me in his mouth and sank his teeth. I imed every corner of his lips, heart pounding when he shoved his hands into my hair. His kiss was a punishing bite that said he was still angry. His thrusts increased, and then he growled as though I wasn¡¯t giving him enough. My world swam as he pulled out and flipped me. His knees nudged mine apart, and then he seized the tape binding me. He jerked. The edges seared into my flesh as I flew backward, pinned against his warmth. His chest billowed. ¡°Why did you stop-ow.¡± He¡¯d fisted my tresses, and I grimaced against the needling pain. He cupped my breast. ¡°Show me how badly you need me.¡± Holding my ponytail like a leash, he dragged until his hardness pierced me once more. He sat and watched me. I dropped, captivated by his palms rolling over my breasts and his determination to have me. A swift p burned into my raw wounds, which I absorbed with a whimper as I ground into him, my only bnce tethered to my bound wrists. Alessio glided to my waist as his hips met my downward motions, and he was like a beast-grabbing my ass, pping it, and biting my neck. He pushed me forward, and then yanked on my bindings to break my fall. He drove into me. He¡¯d given me something I didn¡¯t know I craved. Now I needed him fucking me until he was spent and weakened. I wanted his face pressed into my neck. The ache between my legs swelled. Faster. Just a bit more. Alessio tensed. Then he rammed into me with a jolt I felt in my ribs. A groan burst from his lips. Molten pleasure coated my walls, which clenched and milked him of every drop. ¡°More,¡± I begged. His growl billowed my skin as he shoved his hand under my thigh. He plunged and rubbed my clit until electricity skated my body in wide arcs, pleasure radiating to my lips. And then I panted into his arm, unraveling with an orgasm that seemed to shake the foundations like a quake throwing shockwaves into the floor, the ceiling, everywhere. I sighed with a primal satisfaction as relief rippled over me. He held himself tight, pushing his seed deeper as I dissolved into a pool of joy. Alessio breathed hard, his feathery strokes like rippling waves. We kissed as he unraveled the tape. As soon as he freed me, my fingers dove into his thick hair. I touched where it throbbed with his pulse. The bliss had knocked me out. I wanted to wake up tangled in his arms. Just like this. Alessio hovered above, slick with sweat, beautiful, and pensive. He shed a disarming smile. It took a while to remember why I loathed him. He¡¯d tossed Carm aside. Used me. God, he¡¯d filled me with his darkness. My hope evaporated as he dropped to an elbow and leaned in, close enough for me to count those caramel swirls. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± I couldn¡¯t look at him. The fortress I¡¯d summoned was already crumbling. #1 Chapter 17 ALESSIO Eight hourster, Mia hadn¡¯t caved. That suited me fine because I¡¯d never been fucked so well. Mia¡¯s wide-eyed innocence was a front for the sex goddess who rode me all night. The conversation about her betrayal could wait until I¡¯d had my fill of banging my wife. ¡°Alessio?¡± I slid from the bed and strolled into the bathroom, where she stood naked. The belt¡¯s strap had embedded light bruises onto her ass, and other marks painted her beautiful body with purple and red. It tugged at a ce I wanted to strangle. She thumbed the hickeys on her breasts. At my approach, Mia grabbed a towel from the rack. When I dragged it off her shoulders, her cheeks darkened. ¡°We¡¯re not finished. I might never be, to be honest.¡± My head pounded as her curves filled my hands. Tits. Hips. All of them begged to be licked and sucked. ¡°We didn¡¯t use a condom.¡± ¡°I told you I wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Alessio,¡± she reasoned. ¡°We can¡¯t try for a baby while we¡¯re fighting.¡± ¡°Sure we can. We already made a solid effort.¡± I grinned, assailed by a stream of pornographic stills involving Mia straddling my waist as Iy back. ¡°You definitely were riding high.¡± ¡°It was a mistake.¡± ¡°Referring to these?¡± I fingered the gashes she¡¯d inflicted on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve never let anyone do that to me before.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. Sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. I loved it.¡± She¡¯d channeled her frustrations into screwing me, and it was better than anything I¡¯d ever experienced-hate-fucking at its prime. I wanted it again. And again. I cornered her against the counter. ¡°Alessio, we can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I am not done with you.¡± ¡°Bringing a child into our drama is a terrible idea. It¡¯s selfish.¡± She sounded reasonable, which made me want to shut her up. ¡°We have a while to figure it out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think-¡± I kissed her. Mia sputtered. The protest forming her lips melted into a sigh. She teased my chest hair as she kissed me. She allowed me to push her into the shower. I turned on the water. We walked into the spray, kissing. Her hair darkened. Her bruises flushed. Mia broke from me. A deste sadness flowed within those brown pools. ¡°Alessio, how long will we keep pretending everything¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°For at least a few more orgasms.¡± I pushed her into the wall. She hissed when her skin touched the tiles, but she arched when I groped her tits. She crushed her mouth into mine. Her touch burned hotter than the steam. She glided across my waist and grabbed my dick. Then she dragged my hand toward her already soaked pussy. I plunged my finger in her greedy hole. Her walls refused to let go. I tested their resistance before sinking. Her agonized breaths blew on my neck. Mia clutched at my back. I slipped along her seam, gathering moisture before I stuck them into her mouth. The wet heat reminded me of what I¡¯d denied myself for weeks. My cock swelled as I removed my fingers. ¡°Ready to wrap your lips around more of me?¡± ¡°Are you sure you are?¡± She gripped my chin, her gaze swimming with lust. ¡°You might notst.¡± The confidence was hot. ¡°Only one way to find out.¡± She kissed me before kneeling, her hands trailing my body. My pulse throbbed as she grasped my dick. She smiled as she stroked me in her fist, moving up and down. Light flicks of her tongue hardened my erection into a battering ram, and when she slid me inside, I groaned. She made a tight seal as she sucked. I gritted my teeth, fighting the urge to thrust. She took me deeper. My breathing hitched. She touched the base of my cock, and I massaged her scalp. She yed with my head, teased the underside, and made a mockery of my self-control. I caught myself on the wall as the strength drained from me. The pressure to finish cinched my throat. It was as though she¡¯d siphoned all the oxygen. My lungs couldn¡¯t catch up to my galloping heart. The shower echoed with my panting as I sank into the bliss. She stopped. I blinked and looked down, so overwhelmed by her swirling wetness that theck of it was mming on the brakes. I moved strands from her face as her chest rose and fell. Then Mia swallowed my dick. She wrapped my waist and squeezed until her nose brushed my hip. Then she held herself there, all of me jammed in her. She tugged back an inch and pushed forward. Faster and faster. She didn¡¯te up for air. God, she had no intention of stopping. ¡°I¡¯m going toe. Last warning.¡± She didn¡¯t budge. I rolled my hips, surrendering to the need clenching my balls. A jolt struck my cock with pleasure, and jets of warmth burst forth. I pumped twice, my appetite still raging. I pulled out and yanked her upright. I flipped her and nudged her legs apart. Then I thrust home. The liquid-hot silk of her walls hugged my length. ¡°Did you think I was done?¡± Mia slipped and caught herself, gasping. ¡°Alessio.¡± Music to my fucking ears. I plunged into her ruthlessly. Her hand glided over the arm wrapping her tits. I seized her bottom lip. She deepened the kiss as I rubbed her clit. Her tongue shoved in my mouth as she clenched me like a fist. Her breaths hitched to a keening wail as I drilled her tight body. My second orgasm shook my limbs as I buried my face into her neck. The rush of heat jetted into her. She turned, grappling at my chest as the tidal wave of relief pushed me backward. Holding her, I copsed onto the bench. Mia straddled me. She ground into myp. Her rosebud lips parted as I helped her finish. Once she came, she sagged into my arms. We kissed as steam coated our smoldering bodies. ¡°What am I going to do with you? How will I get you pregnant if you suck me off like an angel?¡± She looked like she¡¯d drowned in lust and wasing back to life. ¡°You came twice.¡± ¡°That happens with amazing head.¡± ¡°I¡¯m amazing?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be coy.¡± I didn¡¯t expect this. I knew I¡¯d enjoy her, but I never imagined she¡¯d fuck me into aa. I hit the wall as a fatigue batted my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the best I ever had.¡± Sadness tainted the euphoria because it meant nothing. She¡¯d been with another man the night before our wedding. She¡¯d tooled with me all those weeks so I could drop my guard enough to let her escape, and if she hadn¡¯t brought her cell phone, she would¡¯ve seeded. And she was manipting me again. My mood nosedived. Poison worked its way into my spirit, chilling my body. I detached from Mia and pulled her away from me. She seemed to sense the shift in temperature. Her brows knitted as I pushed her onto the bench. ¡°Alessio?¡± Dripping, I stepped outside. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± I caught her hurt reflection in the mirror, but couldn¡¯t bring myself to care. My feelings had clouded my judgment. Instead of learning my lesson and moving on, I raged. Mia had gutted me. Sternum to belly. She¡¯d lured me in with her over-the-top kindness, and I¡¯d dared to dream that maybe she told the truth. Her candy-coated sweetness was dangerous for a guy like me, but I had indulged. I¡¯d given her the benefit of the doubt. I¡¯d ignored my suspicion because I was addicted, dick-sucked, seduced. I¡¯d let her inside a vulnerable ce I¡¯d never shown to anyone. And what did she do? Use me. I wrapped my waist with a towel, left the bathroom, and mmed the door. Never-fucking-again. As I dressed, I purged every tender instinct from the wound that kept bleeding. I couldn¡¯t ept what I¡¯d allowed her to do. When I¡¯d stewed enough, I searched the suite for Mia. I tracked her to the couch that faced a wall of windows. She curled up on the leather, wearing a white robe. Bile scorched my tongue as I sat on the coffee table, blocking her view of the city. She nced at me, her face and eyes flushed with the tell-tale signs of grief. Even that was a maniption. I hated her. ¡°I want the other man¡¯s name. Now.¡± Her mouth thinned. The more she hesitated, the more I wanted to yell. ¡°I¡¯ll get it out of you anyway.¡± ¡°Will you beat me?¡± A thrill of rage zipped my spine. ¡°You are so eager to paint me like a goddamned viin. Maybe I am one, but I¡¯ve never hit you.¡± ¡°What aboutst night?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to mind my belt on your ass that much.¡± The intensity in her gaze dimmed as pink patches burned high on her cheeks. ¡°Why did you leave the day before our wedding?¡± ¡°To escape.¡± ¡°You and the mystery man, riding into the fucking sunrise.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± she snarled in a tone bleeding with sarcasm. ¡°I was running away with my secret lover!¡± ¡°Why?¡± The word grated my throat, so forceful I felt something tear inside me. ¡°I want to know why. And who. How. Everything. You will give me every detail, no matter how fucked up. I have to know. How long was this going on? Who is he? Where is he? Where the fuck is he? You¡¯re going to tell me, or I swear to God, Mia-¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Have you any shame?¡± Mia¡¯s eyes gleamed as she opened her mouth, looking lost. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what to do.¡± ¡°You do the right thing!¡± ¡°I am.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Alessio, please.¡± ¡°What does that fucking mean?¡± Mia shoved herself to the other end of the couch as my voice shook the ceiling. I grabbed her arm. She twisted like an animal caught in a bear trap. ¡°You¡¯re scaring me.¡± ¡°Oh, am I? Good.¡± I caged her in my arms as I settled into the sofa, disgusted with myself for still wanting her. ¡°When it gets out that my wife was seeing another guy, and I did nothing to retaliate, I am dead. You might not give a shit about that, but you should care about your only barrier to Nico disappearing. What do you think will happen to you once I¡¯m gone? You¡¯ll be passed to the next Costa in line-Vinn. Is that what you fucking want?¡± ¡°No.¡± A tear slipped down her cheek. ¡°And I don¡¯t want you to die.¡± More like she prefers living. ¡°Hate me all you want, but I¡¯m your husband. We are married. Eventually, I¡¯ll get you pregnant. ept that there¡¯s no way out of this.¡± I searched her fractured gaze for defiance, finding only confusion. ¡°Don¡¯t nod. It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. I¡¯ll never believe a word out of your mouth again. You¡¯ve broken my trust.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk to me about trust.¡± ¡°You were with another man!¡± ¡°God, you are so dense. There is no affair, you idiot!¡± Mia turned a beet-red shade and clenched the armrest, almost as though she¡¯d let slip the truth. She stiffened, her eyes like white-hot pokers boring into my skull. ¡°There¡¯s no one else.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one else. It¡¯s always been you.¡± A chill wrapped my torso as she wiped her wet cheeks, the devastation cracking her voice resonating in my bones. ¡°When would I have the time? Why would I even bother? Do you think having a rtionship is really on my list of priorities when I¡¯m recovering from being attacked, or when Michael¡¯s wife is in the hospital, or when my sister is missing?¡± No mistaking that loaded tone. The bottom dropped from my stomach as an image of the two coffee cups blended with the way she¡¯d held mest night. The person she¡¯d visited wasn¡¯t a man at all. Carm. That bombshell detonated my insides. ¡°You know.¡± ¡°I know what?¡± She was toying with me, but I didn¡¯t have the energy to fight. ¡°Carm¡¯s alive, and I kept her from you.¡± Mia¡¯s face betrayed zero surprise, only bitter disappointment. Grief mmed into me. ¡°Mia, I¡¯m-¡± ¡°Do me the courtesy of not lying for once. You¡¯re not sorry.¡± Then why did her agony rip me in half? ¡°You know what¡¯s funny? If you¡¯d brought Carm back to me, I would¡¯ve loved you. Now I never will.¡± #1 Chapter 18 ALESSIO Now I never will. That split me to the bone because having Mia in my life had showed me how empty it had been. Her small acts of kindness had massaged warmth into my body, and theck of them marooned me on a frigid ind. She had shoved a ckened heart into my ribs, but it didn¡¯t know how to beat. I told Mia I was already in hell, but there was a deeper level of agony. Shame. A gallery of my appalling behavior ran in my mind as I counted my sins. I¡¯d threatened her family. Ruined our wedding. Taped her mouth. Then I¡¯d used her all night. Fucking moron. Blinded by jealousy, I couldn¡¯t see the obvious conclusion. Carm had returned. The things I said.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The things I did. I may have extinguished the only light shining in my darkness. Remorse fisted my stomach whenever her crying drifted through the door that stayed closed. We were back home. I¡¯d checked out early and drove us, my guts digesting themselves. As soon as we¡¯d stepped inside, she dashed into the guest room. I had to make this right. I phoned everyone and spread word that Carm was alive, warning Nico that we might have trouble with the bikers. He wasn¡¯t happy. The news my ex survived was not weed. Nico couldn¡¯t afford any hups in his alliance, and this put a major dent in his ns. We had to find her before someone else did. I contacted hospitals. I sent my PIs to homeless and women¡¯s shelters. I called the Missing Persons detective assigned to her case and told him to get off his ass. When I¡¯d exhausted every lead, I stowed my phone. I needed to check on her. I grasped the guestroom¡¯s doorknob and turned, bracing for the inevitable gut-punch. She sat on the bed, tucked in aforter. Motionless as a porcin doll. ¡°Hey.¡± Mia didn¡¯t respond. I approached the tangle of nkets, heart pounding at her enticing curves. The sheets didn¡¯t entirely cover her breasts. I tried to breathe around the lump in my throat. She was so goddamned beautiful. My self-loathing swelled as I sat beside her. Mia blinked, but there was no glimmer of recognition. It was like the days following her attack in the distillery. She¡¯d looked so dead inside. ¡°Everyone¡¯s looking for Carm.¡± Mia stared at the wall, apparently unmoved. When I touched her temple, she didn¡¯t object. I threaded my fingers through her hair and massaged her scalp. She remained still. ¡°Does anything hurt?¡± Mia shrugged. ¡°Talk to me. Please.¡± She wouldn¡¯t meet my gaze. ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°I would if I thought it¡¯d help you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fix this.¡± I couldn¡¯t ept that. ¡°It¡¯s killing me to see you so crushed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± A flicker of pain trembled into her voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t have a problem with my depression before I caught you in a lie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mia. I never wanted to-¡± ¡°Hurt me?¡± Our eyes met, and a jolt shot into my chest. ¡°You¡¯ve controlled and manipted me from the beginning. How is that not hurting me?¡± I swallowed hard, searching for the proper words. ¡°You would¡¯ve been exploited by someone else. And I know it doesn¡¯t seem like it, but I¡¯m one of the better ones.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Mia snarled, yanking from my touch. ¡°David never hurt me like this.¡± Ouch. I deserved that. ¡°You didn¡¯t feel for him the way you do for me.¡± ¡°Did. That¡¯s in the past.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°You imed you were doing everything to find Carm-¡± ¡°-and I did-¡± ¡°Let me fucking finish. You lied to us for months. Months! She could¡¯vee home months ago, but you didn¡¯t want her back. You preferred her gone.¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°You disgust me.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°You knew she was alive. You kept her away. How could you? Alessio, how could you do that to me?¡± Her agony split me open. The background bled into white for a moment, and my father¡¯s sagging frown materialized behind thick panes of ss. Something deep inside me tore. I hid my face in my hands because I couldn¡¯t stand the disappointment on her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You said you were good for me, but you¡¯re not. You¡¯re the opposite of good, you¡¯re-¡± ¡°Terrible. Worthless.¡± The same words Dad had shouted, shortly before he wrote me off forever. ¡°I know.¡± I looked up, my gaze following the blindingforter to Mia¡¯s delicate hand, which still wore my ring, all the way up her bare arm and shoulder, to her flushed pout and wounded brown eyes. ¡°I spotted an opportunity to steal you, so I took you from that prick David and everybody with their eye on you. I¡¯m sorry I hurt you, but I don¡¯t regret marrying you.¡± ¡°That is not an apology.¡± She sees through me. Somehow, that made me want her more. ¡°I can¡¯t undo what I did, but I can make amends.¡± ¡°With what? Your wallet? Go fuck yourself.¡± Pleasee back to me. ¡°I wanted you more than anything.¡± ¡°Alessio, I can¡¯t. I just can¡¯t. You abandoned my sister.¡± ¡°She left me first.¡± ¡°She suffered because you didn¡¯t bring her home. There is no forgiveness in my heart for cruelty. You gave up on her.¡± ¡°Carm is a fucking adult. Leaving was her choice. Did she say I abandoned her?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t get that far because you showed up and immediately used me of cheating.¡± ¡°I had no idea what to think, Mia. Why did you let me believe you were fucking around?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a conscious decision. Carm asked not me to tell anyone she was alive. She told me marrying you was a mistake. She begged me to escape with her. Then you were there, making a spectacle in the diner before I¡¯d processed that my sister was still breathing.¡± A dagger sank between my ribs at the slight. I¡¯d risked everything to leave Carm behind, at her request. And this was how she thanked me-by throwing a wrecking ball into my marriage six hours before it was official. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what happened, and you canpare notes with Carm. Whenever we find her, and she¡¯s ready to talk.¡± Mia crossed her arms, scowling. ¡°The crime scene was staged. I kept it quiet because I didn¡¯t want to give your family false hope. I¡¯ll spare you the details, but the breadcrumb trail led to a patched member of an MC club. Then I tracked her down a month after her disappearance. She was happy. Healthy. Thest thing I expected. I assumed she¡¯d been kidnapped, but she didn¡¯t need to be saved. Then it came together-she was seeing this guy during our engagement.¡± A ripple of anger ran through me at the memory. ¡°All of us were running ragged searching for her, while she lived in a pce the whole fucking time. I could¡¯ve brought her home, but then what? Was I supposed to take her back? A girl who cheated and put me through hell for weeks? ¡°Killing her boyfriend would¡¯ve sparked a war with the bikers. It¡¯d have ruined Nico¡¯s n to unite the gangs, and I had zero interest in vengeance. I wanted to start a family. And I remembered how you and I had hit it off. You were still avable, so I did what she asked. I left her alone. Because of you. Everything I couldn¡¯t picture with Carm, I saw with you.¡± As Mia absorbed my speech, tears gathered in her eyes. Devastation seemed to drown her like a sudden rainfall. ¡°She didn¡¯t ask toe back?¡± I met her watery gaze and shook my head. My palm grazed her cheek, wiping the tear that fell. She stiffened when I pulled her body onto myp, but didn¡¯t object when I kissed her temple. She¡¯d done this to me-over and over until I¡¯d gotten used to her affection, and it was second nature. ¡°I never wanted to tell you any of this.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re selfish.¡± ¡°Carm was determined to leave your lives, and I thought helping you move on was a good thing.¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been, if she were dead.¡± ¡°It was greedy and wrong, but Carm stood in the way of the woman I wanted.¡± I wrapped her shoulders in the bedding, cocooning her in heat. ¡°She¡¯s not the one. You are.¡± Mia looked lost again. She nestled deeper into my arms. ¡°I don¡¯t forgive you. I¡¯m just tired of fighting.¡± Thank God. ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± I swept the fine hairs from her forehead before kissing her. I cupped her face and brushed her lips with mine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She kissed me. She was softer than down, her gentle reciprocation reaching into my chest. She leaned forward, the sheets falling from her neck. As she tongued my lip, I tasted the salt of her tears. I sank into the pillows, threading my fingers in her hair. Mia pulled away and gasped, blinking mist from hershes. ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to want me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Looking at you hurts me.¡± ¡°Then close your eyes. I¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± She hesitated. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± I caught her mouth in a sensual kiss, one that echoed our rtionship before we were married, when it was all sweetness and warmth. Mia didn¡¯t object as I peeled theforter off her naked curves, the sight flooding my dick with heat. I worshipped her body the way I should havest night. She shivered wherever I touched. I grazed her throat, dragging my tongue down her silky skin. I lingered to soothe the small hickeys as I passed over the swell of her tits. I imed her nipple. She arched into me with a moan. I nipped her before trailing to the other breast, the swollen nub rolling between my thumb and forefinger. Lower and lower, I kissed. ¡°Oh my God. Are you-¡± Her eyes flew open when I licked her pussy. She moaned when I dove in. I reached back and dragged her arousal to her clit. Her fitful cries lowered to a guttural sound as I licked her honeyed pussy. I yanked on her legs when she tried to close them. I fastened around her and sucked. Her body¡¯s response made my cock bulge against my cks. It demanded release, but this wasn¡¯t about me. She grabbed at the hand on her thigh and tugged. I resisted the temptation to answer the plea burning in her widened gaze. I wouldn¡¯t stop until she finished on my mouth. Mia¡¯s whine sharpened into a cry when I hooked two fingers inside her. They pulsed as I tongued her clit. Mia convulsed, grinding her hips into me. Her breathing hitched, and then she came, digging her heels into my shoulders. She clenched on my finger as I teased her to climax. Then I wiped my lips and copsed into the pillow next to hers. She rolled onto my chest and crushed her mouth into mine. The kiss felt like a missing piece locking into ce. I smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t gloat. This changes nothing.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± But my smile grew when she nuzzled my neck and yed with my hair. She breathed in deeply and sighed. It didn¡¯t take her long to drift off. Then I surrendered to my exhaustion, basking in the blissful peace. She didn¡¯t understand what having her in my life had done to me. She just didn¡¯t. I was crazy about her. And I wouldn¡¯t let her leave. #1 Chapter 19 MIA I was kidnapped again. Everything was a repeat of my first week in his mansion when he kept a close watch but never forced hispany on me. I contacted seven divorce attorneys-all who mysteriously weren¡¯t epting clients and never returned my calls once I mentioned my husband¡¯s name. Not one goddamnedwyer in this city would touch my case. I was stuck with him. And I might be pregnant. The possibility loomed over my head. He had imed me so thoroughly that there was no question of me belonging to him. Toote to take back the hours of mind-blowing sex, the many times he¡¯d finished inside me, or that I¡¯d relished every moment. I wanted more but I couldn¡¯t because I wanted to hate him. I pictured Carm¡¯s fractured state when she¡¯d popped back into my life, and a swell of contempt would crash into the budding affection for my husband. I¡¯d catch myself smiling at him, and shame would pit my stomach. The contradiction ripped my soul apart. Then Serena died. The news came in a text message sent by my husband. She¡¯d apparently overdosed in rehab. It was horrible, but I couldn¡¯t dwell on Serena¡¯s death. My sister was still missing. Alessio was rarely around. There were politicians to soothe. Permissions that needed to be revoked and granted. He had to pick up ck from Michael¡¯s leave of absence, he had meetings withwyers, bosses from other crime families, and he had to find my sister. I wouldn¡¯t be able to look at my parents without blurting that their daughter was alive. Which was why I flipped through a Bourton University catalog, instead of visiting Mom and Dad. I skipped through pages, the small lines of text blurring together as days of stress caught up with me. A distant door opened and closed. Alessio¡¯s footsteps stopped at the library. I peeked over my book as he strode in, looking pleased with himself. His weight sank into the cushions. Alessio shed me a wide grin. ¡°Good news.¡± ¡°You found her.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Where? Is she safe?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine. She will be, at least. I tracked her to a housing authority in Roxbury. She didn¡¯t want to go anywhere with me. I had to force her into the car.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt her.¡± ¡°No, but it wasn¡¯t pretty.¡± Crap. ¡°You should¡¯ve called me.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t jeopardize losing her when my sanity depends on bringing her back to you.¡± ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°We drove for a while to calm her. I couldn¡¯t dump her on your father¡¯s doorstep in that state. It took a bit for her to stop panicking, and then she told me what that piece of shit did.¡± Alessio¡¯s sigh cut the air as he leaned forward, face in his palms. ¡°I¡¯ll find him and gouge out his fucking eyes.¡± My head pounded. ¡°Tone it down.¡± ¡°He deserves to die.¡± ¡°My sister decides whatever punishment that man gets.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯ll have to wait until after Christmas. Nico will organize a meeting with your father, me, and the MC president.¡± ¡°What do you hope to gain?¡± ¡°That asshole¡¯s head on a tter.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to kill anyone.¡± His arm slid across my shoulders and pulled me close. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t risk your life.¡± ¡°Worried I¡¯ll get hurt?¡± He shed a conspiratorial grin, as though he was in on the joke, but the image of Alessio lying in a hospital didn¡¯t make meugh. I¡¯d been to plenty ofte-night vigils in trauma centers, doing Hail Marys with the rest of them even though I¡¯d long given up on the power of prayer. Nausea pitted my stomach. ¡°Hey, that won¡¯t happen.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand the tenderness in his voice. ¡°You can¡¯t promise that.¡± ¡°If something happens, you¡¯ll be taken care of. You¡¯ll always be looked after, no matter-what¡¯s wrong?¡± I¡¯m not worried about myself, you idiot! I stood, facing a bewildered Alessio, who probably thought his death would mildly inconvenience me. Until now, I hadn¡¯t thought about it. How many gangsters were gunned down in front of restaurants or walking to and from a parking garage or even in their fucking homes? And then I¡¯d have to pick up the pieces of my shattered soul, and move on with our future children. ¡°What if we have kids?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve more than enough capital for them, too.¡± ¡°Can that rece a father? Who will be their dad when you¡¯re gone? What¡¯s your n for that?¡± A ray of understanding dawned on Alessio as his eyes widened. He wrapped his arm around my waist and rested his forehead against mine. ¡°You don¡¯t want to lose me.¡± No. My heart throbbed with the gut-wrenching pain that would consume me if he died. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to take that seriously after everything I¡¯ve been through.¡± ¡°Believe in me. I¡¯m excellent at what I do.¡± Alessio seemed to grow rmed at my silence. ¡°Where is thising from?¡± ¡°We¡¯re stuck together. Forever.¡± Misery tightened my throat as I soughtfort from the very man giving me grief. ¡°And I never wanted this life. It chose me-I didn¡¯t choose it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much.¡± ¡°Repeating that doesn¡¯t help.¡± ¡°My work isworking, bridging connections, finding new business opportunities, and solving disputes. Once in a while, I¡¯ll put someone in their ce, but it rarely gets out of hand.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re safe, but you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Baby-¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can say. I know how quickly people get killed. I¡¯ve been to their funerals, the hospital vigils, and you won¡¯t convince me you¡¯re invincible. Your wealth will help you stay alive, but if you be a problem-you¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°You need to rx.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t while you¡¯re in this. I only hope you¡¯ll change. Because you want out of this, too.¡± Alessio gave me a smile that boiled my blood, and then he kissed my head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± THE DAYS that followed were the happiest in my parents¡¯ life. My heart burst to watch them slowly heal. Dad hadn¡¯t touched a drop of alcohol since Carm, and Mom was epting that her daughter wasn¡¯t going to disappear in the middle of the night. I spent every minute with my sister, whose panic subsided when she realized nobody would force her to do anything. They still had no idea Alessio had found Carm months ago. I¡¯d asked her to keep that detail quiet. I had enough problems without my parents hating my husband, and as much as I loathed lying, they were happier not knowing. Stepping into their home no longer felt like visiting a mausoleum. Our family was knitting together. I could never make Mom and Dad go through this again, so I resolved to never leave Boston. Which meant staying married to Alessio. Forever. My rtionship with Alessio had improved, but it was far from happy. I¡¯d moved my stuff into his bedroom, but his side of the bed was always cold. His duties had increased as Nico piled on more responsibility after Michael¡¯s wife passed away. A weary resignation settled into my bones as we exited the funeral parlor. ck jackets spilled down the steps as people hurried over the snowy street to their cars, families, and warmth-three things Serena would never have again. During the viewing, Michael did nothing but stare at the coffin with a heartbreaking vacancy that echoed Vinn¡¯s toneless sorry-for-your-loss. Vinn wasn¡¯t the only guy who didn¡¯t seem to give a shit. Virtually every Costa who approached Michael patted his back and repeated the same bullshit sentiments as the man before them. Alessio¡¯s somber tone and hug were more convincing, but not by much. Alessio¡¯s hand slipped into mine. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I stared at him. ¡°It ends at six.¡± ¡°We have to do this again tomorrow.¡± As though I needed a lesson on funerals. ¡°Yes, I know. But we¡¯re not leaving Michael.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve paid our respects, and I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Suck it up. This is just another Tuesday.¡± His lip twitched. ¡°That¡¯s dark.¡± ¡°Says the man channeling John Gotti¡¯s spirit.¡± His grin carved dimples into his cheeks. ¡°You realize that¡¯s apliment, right?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t leave until the immediate family leaves, especially when it¡¯s your captain¡¯s wife. Have a fucking heart, Alessio.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You do. And I wish you¡¯d stop pretending otherwise.¡± Alessio beamed as he tugged me down the stairs, and my stomach flipped with the unexpected flood of warmth. ¡°You¡¯re always looking for proof that I¡¯m not a bastard, and I like that. But I don¡¯t give a fuck about that woman. And neither does Michael.¡± The chill seemed to prate the thick wool and freeze my chest. ¡°I hate when you talk like that.¡± ¡°You said you wanted full transparency.¡± I thought I did. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Maybe you can¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°I can tolerate your bullshit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad.¡± Alessio reeled me into a protective embrace that squeezed out my frustration. ¡°You know I mean well. If you¡¯d rather I toned it down, I¡¯m willing to do that.¡± Listening to his unfiltered opinions grated at me, but I preferred the truth. ¡°No. I want you to be you.¡± ¡°But you might be happier without knowing everything.¡± ¡°I want a real rtionship with my husband.¡± He nced at his feet and smiled, as though trying to conceal how much that pleased him. When he met my gaze, he dropped the bravado. He looked taken aback and content, and was that cold biting his cheeks pink? ¡°I¡¯m crazy about you.¡± That dipped me in liquid heat. Then his knuckle brushed my cheek, and I couldn¡¯t fight the grin staggering across my face. Alessio zed with the same warmth, and, for a second, I saw our future together like a Hallmark romance. We had the house and each other. Maybe, one day, love would blossom in him, and he would see the world differently. It would change him. He would change. And we would be happy. His pulse thudded against my palm as I swept over his chest and anchored on his shoulders. Pleasure wrapped my throat as he teased, tipping my chin. His smile didn¡¯t just give me backflips-it stole my breath. Suddenly, he was close enough to taste. I kissed him. His mouth took a moment to soften, as though he didn¡¯t expect me to initiate. He never seemed to take me for granted, but I lived for the moments when he shrugged off his suspicion. I angled my head and deepened the kiss, my heart exploding with his passionate response. He backed me into a tree. Hand at my waist, gliding into my jacket. He skated my thigh until he¡¯d slipped under my skirt and grabbed my ass. He squeezed, releasing a growl that vibrated through my body. We exchanged breaths like two people whose only source of life was each other. A car horn honked. I broke from Alessio, cold washing me as I took in the funeral home and the mourners. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°We can do whatever the hell we want.¡± But Alessio grasped my wrist and tugged me toward his BMW. He rubbed warmth into my fingers as we slid into the backseat. He texted John, who was still inside. As we waited for him, a dark thought popped my happy bubble. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t care about Serena, and neither did Michael.¡± Alessio withdrew from me. ¡°They were having issues.¡± No surprises, there. Then why this rotten feeling? ¡°You¡¯re so callous about her.¡± ¡°You know why. Did you think I¡¯d forget what that bitch did?¡± His hostility only darkened my suspicions. ¡°How did she die?¡± ¡°I told you.¡± Alessio frowned, looking unhappy at the turn in conversation. ¡°Overdose. Heroin.¡± ¡°How did she get drugs in rehab?¡± ¡°Someone must¡¯ve brought it in.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. His leading tone filled my stomach with dread. ¡°Alessio, you didn¡¯t.¡± He hardened. Good Lord. He fucking killed her. ¡°You did it.¡± ¡°I wish I had the satisfaction, but no, I didn¡¯t. The dumb bitch died doing what she loved the most. If I¡¯m beingpletely honest, she wasn¡¯t long for this world. I¡¯m not sorry, Mia. Serena almost got you and Vinn killed.¡± This was the man I¡¯d married. ¡°How can you talk like that?¡± ¡°Mia. Baby. I love how sweet you are, but you¡¯ve got to mellow out. Don¡¯t pretend like she didn¡¯t have iting. She hand-fed you to those animals, and it was dumb luck that you and Vinn survived.¡± I¡¯d peeled away a newyer of my husband, revealing his pitch-ck soul. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make this work even though it¡¯s against every instinct. And then you say something horrible.¡± ¡°No,¡± he snapped. ¡°The real horror was what she inflicted on Mariette and Matteo. Those poor, innocent kids. She treated them like garbage. Exposed to the cold, unsupervised, drugged-what if someone else had found them? Anybody could have broken into that car and taken them. She didn¡¯t give a damn. She just wanted to get high. And how could she put you in that position? You gave your time to be her servant-watch the children, cook, and tidy up. And at the earliest opportunity, she threw you to the wolves. So no, I¡¯m not sorry she¡¯s dead. She can rot in hell.¡± ¡°Jesus, Alessio. She could¡¯ve changed.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Did you-did you ever stop to think about Michael¡¯s feelings?¡± ¡°Yes, I did,¡± he said, softening. ¡°But it¡¯s not up to him. There have to be consequences, or everything we do is pointless. It¡¯s a blessing in disguise, Mia. I don¡¯t have blood on my hands, and Michael can sleep soundly knowing he did everything he could for that woman.¡± ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t want Serena to die.¡± ¡°The Catholic in him cared about her, but he¡¯d already filed for divorce and would¡¯ve sued for custody. Now the children won¡¯t have to attend a dozen hearings. They won¡¯t be stuffed with poison whenever Mommy wants a break. They¡¯ll be with their dad, who loves them and will always elevate them above his needs.¡± ¡°Are we talking about you or Michael?¡± ¡°This discussion is over.¡± Alessio¡¯s anger boomed through me like thunder, crumbling the house I¡¯d built in my heart, stone by stone. Good existed inside him-he meant well-but darkness motivated his actions. He was so intense. He needed to realize that his twisted moralpass was ipatible with raising a family. People don¡¯t change. I was headed for a massive heartbreak. #1 Chapter 20 ALESSIO She wanted me. She hated me. Honesty was killing my marriage. Mia reacted to Serena¡¯s death like I¡¯d pissed on her gravestone when all I¡¯d done was call her out for being a terrible human being. Nothing thawed Mia. I led her on a tour at Bourton. She¡¯d awwed at the limestone buildings and delighted in the rare manuscript library. We ate dinner in the deserted dining hall nked with tapestries of giant elks, and seemed to have a great time, but when we got home, she was as distant as ever. She shut me out, and it frustrated me. Nico had organized a Christmas party at The ck Cat, the upscale joint where I brought Mia weeks ago. He¡¯d thrown caution to the wind and invited the whole gang. Things were going well. Legion controlled distribution. Costas took care of the overseas contacts, and the Irish handled the ports. Carm¡¯s return threw a wrench in our rtionship with the bikers, but we were due to meet the president soon. Nico didn¡¯t anticipate trouble, not when we raked it in hand over fist. Nico was pleased. When he was happy, he liked to celebrate. The lounge looked like someone barfed red and green over the walls and tables. A rotund Santa us handpicked from the pool of soldiers by Nico every year sat beside a mountain of presents. A queue of children waited for their turn on Santa¡¯sp as he handed each a brightly wrapped package. Next to him stood a pine tree that nearly touched the ceiling, decked in golden baubles and strings of white light. Michael danced with his daughter as ¡°Last Christmas¡± boomed from the speakers. Even Vinn had dragged himself to the party and was tapping his finger along with the music. Everybody was in a festive mood, including my wife. She bounced around, as shy as an ornament. She passed out gifts and spread cheer to everyone-well, everyone except her husband. She¡¯d slipped into a cocktail dress with a plunging neckline, her cherry lips grinning as she hauled an overflowing shopping bag. The moment we walked inside, she detached from me and wandered toward Vinn, who slid off the stool to greet her. She gave him a smile that stabbed at my heart and thrust a present into his palms. His eyes widened as he read his name on the tag. Then she left his side and tapped Michael, tipping a pile of bright packages into his arms. Stomach sinking, I headed for the bar. I inhaled a Manhattan, and then had another. I gritted my teeth against the many tidings of goodwill from the damned songs. Fuck Christmas. Nico pounded my shoulder, his cheeks flushed as he pushed a thin package into my hands. ¡°Open that at home.¡± A gun. Great. ¡°Thanks. Mia has a gift for you from us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m drinking it.¡± Nico lifted his other hand, showing thebel of the Californian vintage. ¡°Not Italian, but it¡¯s fantastic. That girl has good taste.¡± She probably poisoned the bottle. ¡°Yeah.¡± He patted my back. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°My marriage is eating me alive, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°That bad, eh? Wee to the club.¡± Nico watched Mia make the rounds, smiling when she nced our way. ¡°I thought you were getting along.¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Want some advice?¡± From a man whose marriage was on the rocks? Not really. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Do something nice for her.¡± ¡°Nico, I¡¯ve tried. She has a car, clothes, a fucking admission into an Ivy League, and all the money.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t need you to buy her shit. Take her on vacation.¡± ¡°I suggested that. She needs to be here for her sister.¡± ¡°Then find out what she wants and give it to her.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°Lighten up, Alessio. It¡¯s Christmas.¡± Nico turned and disappeared into the crowd. ¡°Thank you for the wine!¡± I returned to my ss, emptier than before I finished the cocktail. Refusing to mingle was childish and anti-social, but I couldn¡¯t fake-grin through tonight. After the fourth drink, the joyful music faded to a pulsating beat. The party was tolerable until a hairy arm hooked my neck, and a familiar low baritone boomed. ¡°Sup, brother.¡± ¡°Anthony.¡± I inwardly groaned. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Tony. I haven¡¯t gone by Anthony since I was a kid.¡± Anthony Costa would always be a child, mostly because he¡¯d never grown out of his frat-bro mentality and still used Nico for everything. He hopped onto the stool beside mine, wearing an ugly Christmas sweater. Anthony had shaved his head to piss off his dad when he was younger, but now his hair grew in thick, chestnut locks that brushed his shoulders. ck ink peeked from his chest and snaked his pockmarked arms. Prison tattoos. Lots of them. Though he hadn¡¯t been jailed for anything more than minor drug offenses. Anthony was that guy. He bragged about his father and waved his Glock, but he wasn¡¯t involved in the family business. Nico took vast pains to give the shithead a better life. Anthony was supposed to continue his legacy, but he¡¯d wasted his years partying. The recent stint in rehab seemed to do him good. His skin had regained its olive glow, and he¡¯d probably put on fifteen pounds of muscle. Anthony¡¯s most defining feature was his eyes. They could be round and beseeching, or barely visible and menacing. I¡¯d seen himsso women from across the room with nothing but a heavy stare and a wink. He was excellent at getting people to do what he wanted. So many goddamned times, I¡¯d caved after a tearful don¡¯t-tell-my-father plea. ¡°You look great. Healthy.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± His harsh features smoothed into a Cheshire smile as he grabbed my shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you tied the knot. Sorry I couldn¡¯te to your wedding. Being near that open bar would¡¯ve been a nightmare.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡± ¡°Are you depressed?¡± He sounded delighted. ¡°Over your wife?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re drinking alone.¡± He was trying to get a rise out of me. I had everything going for me, and he hated it. It must¡¯ve burned to see me so aplished while he still begged Daddy for handouts. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Red and green lights flickered over Anthony as he gestured at Mia. ¡°That her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Anthony snapped back as though he picked up on the warning. His grin widened. ¡°You are destroyed by this chick. Unbelievable.¡± My jaw clicked. ¡°We¡¯re married. She gets that privilege.¡± ¡°Dad said she¡¯d bring us a lot of money. Is that why you won¡¯t hang out?¡± He pped my arm, and I stiffened. ¡°Too busy juggling the wife and your new contacts?¡± More like I used them as an excuse. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard about your thing with Patrick.¡± He leaned in, his eyes glittering with savage humor. ¡°And that you wasted three men in front of-¡± ¡°I can¡¯t discuss that.¡± ¡°Oh,e on!¡± ¡°Nico¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bullshit,¡± Anthony growled. ¡°I¡¯ve been sober sixty days, and before that, I was clean for a year. I should be involved.¡± That would be a disaster of epic proportions. ¡°Nico¡¯s decision, not mine.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you have his ear. All you gotta do is tell him I¡¯m ready. He¡¯s always liked you.¡± ¡°He¡¯d rather you not follow in his footsteps.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s good enough for you, but not his son?¡± ¡°Tony, he¡¯s saving you from getting shot or a lengthy prison sentence. You could be anything. Why the hell do you want to do this?¡± ¡°Why do you?¡± ¡°Because I know nothing else.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the same way, Alessio. We¡¯re both rich boys who wanted to please our fathers, but we were never cut out for sitting in cubicles from nine to five. That world bores us to death.¡± ¡°It may be boring, but it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°Since when do you care?¡± ¡°Since I married a woman who¡¯s having my children.¡± His eyes rounded. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant?¡± No idea. Jesus, I needed to ask her. ¡°Not yet, but soon.¡± He seemed to marvel at that, shaking his head. ¡°Whatever. My dad doesn¡¯t get to decide how I earn my living.¡± ¡°I have zero to gain by asking Nico to involve you.¡± ¡°We could be partners.¡± ¡°In what? Smoking weed? Come on, Tony. You¡¯ve burned me too many times to consider this seriously, and you don¡¯t have what it takes.¡± I knew Nico. He¡¯d force Anthony to start at the bottom, just as I had. Unlike me, he would fail. The likable party boy didn¡¯t have the guts tomit a real crime. Anthony red as though you¡¯d make a horrible gangster was an insult. ¡°You¡¯ve spent so much time inside a pussy that you¡¯re bing one.¡± ¡°Shut up, Anthony.¡± ¡°Does Mia carry your balls in her purse?¡± ¡°One more word and you¡¯ll wake up next Thursday, you jealous cunt.¡± He chewed the straw of his cocktail, twisting the red tip in his teeth as he watched me like a hound that scented a rabbit. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you like this.¡± ¡°I have no tolerance for insults against my wife. I wouldn¡¯t let anyone else say that and walk away.¡± ¡°My dad-¡± ¡°Oh, Anthony. Aren¡¯t you a little old for that?¡± ¡°Tony.¡± ¡°Tony.¡± I smiled. ¡°I fight my own battles.¡± Dickless loser. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only guy who¡¯s been through hell.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Oh?¡± I feigned interest as I poured seltzer into an empty ss. ¡°Tell me more. I want to hear what you¡¯ve sacrificed for the family.¡± ¡°I can do anything as well as you.¡± I snorted. He leaned forward, like a kid who needed to prove himself. ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°True. You¡¯ve been known to cover yourself in shit.¡± ¡°Stop being such an asshole.¡± I couldn¡¯t help it. I hated him. The parasite ruined everything. I was burnt out on saving his ass. I would¡¯ve told him to fuck off, but Anthony¡¯s gaze flicked to something behind me. ¡°Hey, babe.¡± A blissful touch sliding across my shoulder apanied the soft voice. She pecked the shell of my ear and whispered, ¡°Merry Christmas.¡± Ignoring Anthony, she kissed my mouth. Heat scorched my lips, fanning into my face. She hadn¡¯t done this in days, and the alcohol¡¯s warmthbined with my lust and turned me into a furnace. I grabbed her waist and dragged her over my knees. Mia barely had time to catch the chair. She braced on my chest as she collided into me. She swept up my shirt, ripped it open, and syed her palms on my skin. Fuck. It¡¯d been too long. Weeks without her body gliding under me and watching her eyes shatter as I fucked her. It drove me crazy. Did she expect me to tolerate this for much longer? She cupped my face. Her button nose trailed my cheek. Then she gave me a bruising kiss that echoed the gunpowder of a month ago when we made out at Nico¡¯s house. She sucked my lip, attacking me with teeth and broad strokes of her tongue. I held her lower back, caressing the sheer fabric as she jerked mypels. She clutched my neck and pressed her forehead to mine. ¡°Part one of your Christmas present.¡± Her alcohol-slicked smile grew as she moved my hand over her skintight dress, her curves filling my hands. ¡°I miss you. I really miss you.¡± I didn¡¯t give a damn how many drinks it took to make that confession. All that mattered was that she had said it. ¡°Me too.¡± Her boozy smirk left no doubt to her intentions. ¡°We should find somewhere private for the rest of your gift.¡± ¡°Exactly what I wanted. How thoughtful.¡± ¡°What do you get the man with everything?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± I yanked her off the stool and dragged her to the bathrooms. She resisted my tug. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Too dirty.¡± Princess. ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants to do this here. You might¡¯ve given me a heads-up.¡± ¡°Then it wouldn¡¯t have been a surprise. What about your car?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be freezing.¡± I searched the bar for a discreet corner that didn¡¯t exist, not with the ce glittering like the North Pole. We exchanged a grin as I gestured to the door. I forced it open. Herughter echoed down the hall as we groped through the darkness. We stumbled through the packed lounge. Her rosy face beamed. I followed her. She bumped into a door,ughed, and my hands slid under her dress and grabbed her ass. A wave of lust mmed into me as I caressed her silky skin while she fumbled with the handle. I opened it for her. ¡°After you, Mrs. Salvatore.¡± #1 Chapter 21 MIA All I wanted for Christmas was my husband. Right now. Laughing, we stumbled into the empty, adjoining dive where I¡¯d met Vinn and Michael. The Sunset Tavern lived up to its name, with dark orange rays filling the space with a vibrant glow, but I only had eyes for Alessio. He smoothed his hair before he removed his jacket and tossed it over a stool. I tackled him against the door, mming it shut. My hands dove into that perfect wave of ebony, mussing it up. I kissed the gorgeous dent below his jaw. He stroked my back and gripped my thighs, sliding beneath the clinging dress. He groaned as his palms rolled over my backside. ¡°Madonn. You better go before my wife catches us.¡± ¡°Smartass.¡± ¡°I¡¯m notining, but going from no sex to fucking in public?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been figuring things out.¡± He grinned. ¡°Did that happen as you watched me across the bar?¡± More or less. ¡°It¡¯s Christmas, and you looked lonely. I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Buzzing with warmth from three hot toddies, I kissed the sinewy length of his neck and the sharp jaw line I¡¯d admired for an hour. I hadn¡¯t touched him in ages, and my heart galloped ahead when I trailed his hard abdomen, caressing the muscle before I grabbed onto the thick bulge demanding my attention. I slipped through the fabric and unzipped him, stroking the steel underneath. Alessio released a growling sigh. ¡°Do you have a condom?¡± ¡°No. I stopped carrying condoms in my wallet a while ago.¡± He chuckled, nting kisses on my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not a dumb college kid.¡± I seized his tie and tugged until his flushed face hovered centimeters from mine. ¡°I want you inside me. It¡¯s been too long.¡± What about the condom? My pulse raced as I searched for the well of fear, finding nothing but an ache that longed for him. He shuddered when I squeezed his dick. ¡°Mia, I have zero self-restraint. Take your hands off me or I¡¯ll-¡± ¡°Will you tie me up?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tie me up. Do what you did on our wedding night.¡± ¡°This is out of character for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called liquid courage.¡± His voice smoldered as he pressed his body into mine. ¡°You need to convince me you want this.¡± ¡°Tie me up.¡± ¡°Say it again,¡± he whispered. ¡°Confine me.¡± ¡°Mia, are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He stared, amusement curling his lip. ¡°All right. Whatever happens after this is on you. You know what¡¯ll happen if we fuck without a condom. I¡¯ve given you ample warning.¡± ¡°Yes, Alessio. I¡¯ve graduated from high school. I¡¯ve learned what condoms are for.¡± ¡°Careful. I¡¯ll shove my cock into that smart mouth.¡± His cheeks flushed as he loosed the tie from his neck. Alessio moved me against the door, holding my hips as he pulled the dress up. He yanked it off my head. My naked skin tingled with the anticipation of what he¡¯d do. I¡¯d missed the thrill of not knowing what brewed in that twisted mind. Alessio looped the fabric over my wrists, cinching it tight. He opened the door, and the noise from the party filtered inside. ¡°What are you doing?¡± He touched a finger to his lips, beaming. Then he dragged the knot up, sliding the trailing end over the top of the frame. He closed the door and gave the silk an experimental tug. It stayed put. ¡°Perfect. How does that feel?¡± Restrained, I couldn¡¯t bring my arms down. Alessio rubbed my hip, his thumb pressing as he glided up. He followed my ribs to my breasts, which desperately needed his warmth. Watching him sink into a bed of lust tickled my desire into a glowing ze. ¡°Exposed. What if someone walks through?¡± ¡°I guess they¡¯ll see you on disy.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to hear you exin our way out of that.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, haven¡¯t you been paying attention? I don¡¯t need to.¡± Alessio stepped closer, adding his second hand to the torture. His fingertips grazed my stomach, between my breasts, across my corbone, and to my face, where he held me. He crushed me against the door and kissed me. Wet heat stroked my lips. It was like he¡¯d spent hours in the sun. All of him burned, and the hottest part of him warmed me through the cks, growing and stiffening. He dug into my neck, arousal jolting down my belly. He bit and imed the corners, sharing the sweetest nectar. I angled my head andshed his mouth until he parted and yed with my tongue. He melted into me with a deep moan that vibrated to my pussy. Sexy as hell. I wanted to grab his cock and shove him inside, and I might¡¯ve if my hands had been free. Alessio broke away with a devilish smirk. ¡°Stay put.¡± He winked and sauntered to the bar, rifling through bottles before he found whatever he wanted, returning with something in his fist. Ice. Smiling wickedly, he moved it over my chest. Cold brushed my nipple. I hissed from the sting. It disappeared as he lifted his hand. Alessio palmed my breast and sucked. Moltenva swirled the hardened point, my thighs clenching from the jolt of arousal. He nipped. He tortured me with hot and cold. Every stinging stroke followed by sultry relief. And when he¡¯d toyed with the other breast, the cube trailed down. So did his mouth. The ice no longer chilled me. It zed. I needed it all over because he would be there, licking and sucking. He parted my knees. A searing bolt of pleasure arced into my pussy when he started with his mouth. I released a sob when hepped and slipped between myyers of arousal, diving into my core. I sagged, the effort to remain upright torture, like the muscle thering my clit. I bucked. He pulled away, the ice recing his wet heat. My walls contracted on the frozen surface. He fucked me. His lips soothed my agony, but his tongue added to the torment. ¡°Will you just fuck me?¡± Ice shed through the air as he tossed it, sinking a finger inside me. I squeezed him as he twisted and pumped, as though priming me for him. I jerked the tie with a whimper. ¡°What¡¯s that, baby?¡± ¡°More.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard sweeter begging, but it won¡¯t save you.¡± His lips pressed into me. His tongue thrust, grinding me hard. I writhed, chasing the bliss I¡¯d denied myself for too damn long. I cried out as short-lived relief washed over me, coating my skin in ecstasy that kept building. Then he stood, hands at my waist. My raw and swollen pussy ached as he swung me so I faced the door. Alessio kissed my spine before retreating a step. The familiar jingle of his pants cut through my steaming thoughts, followed by his shirt. Then he pressed against me, cupping my breasts. He walked into me. His thumbs pulled my folds apart as his cock slid along my seam. I widened my stance. He slipped into my arousal, thrusting near my clit. Excitement and lust zinged my nerves as he wrapped my hips. ¡°Last chance to change your mind.¡± ¡°Not happen-oh.¡± He plunged before I¡¯d finished the word. I¡¯d waited for this all night. My elbows were crushed against the wood as his thickness filled me. I bit my lip as the pressure forced my walls to cave. He reeled and pushed, fighting the softening barriers. He shoved us together. His plunging jarred my body, knocking me into the door, and I imagined it from the other side, trembling. bs of muscle squeezed my back as he ttened against me. He rolled his hips. I braced myself as he mmed. I buried my face in my arm, but Alessio shifted my head sideways. He kissed me with the same sharp intensity as his brutal thrusts. Heshed my tongue and ground into me. My pained gasps sharpened. He fucked me, and we battered the door. Then he pulled out and flipped me again. Dazed, I stumbled backward, hitting the door. I caught my breath as Alessio scooped my thighs. He cradled my ass and lifted, ttening my spine as he shoved himself inside. Pure bliss. I couldn¡¯t get enough of this wild, aching passion. His mouth found mine again. He seemed determined to make me pass out fromck of air. We didn¡¯t have any words for each other except the moans from weeks, no months, of pent-up attraction. We¡¯d denied our feelings until we could no longer contain ourselves. It hade to this frenzied fuck in the middle of a bar. Biting my lip, he turned the doorknob. He stepped away, dragging the tie from the top, and then he kicked the door closed. I clung to his neck and shoved my fingers into his hair, inhaling his scent that filled me with greed. Teeth bared in a feral grin, he lowered me onto green felt. Chips cascaded off piles and bounced on the floor. Good Lord. He fucked me on a poker table. I dragged him close, snapping his buttons before I dug into his shoulders. Alessio reacted as though my lips wrapped his cock. His musclesxed. I pierced his skin. He fisted my mane. His thrusts deepened. His breathing hitched.Content held by N?velDrama.Org. I shattered first, crushed against the felt as Alessio groaned. My walls squeezed him, triggering a wave of spasms in my pussy, abdomen, the sensation traveling to my hands that clutched him. He softened under my touch like butter. Liquid heat surrounded his deep thrust, and then he buried his face in my neck, panting like I¡¯d stabbed him. I raked his head and smiled, glowing with every kiss. My feelings were a whirlwind, circling into a tornado. Then his lips found my mouth. Such perfect magic. I was pretty sure of something else. I was in love. Alessio parted, smiling. ¡°Best gift ever.¡± I loved him. My heart pounded, reeling from the flood of ecstasy-the unexpected pleasure. ¡°Maybe we should take the party home. Plenty of condoms there¡­just saying.¡± ¡°We¡¯re married. Whatever happens, happens.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± he demanded, voice darkening. ¡°And what did you do with my wife?¡± I shrugged. Life seemed brighter with the alcohol numbing all my anxiety. It had peeled away theyers of doubt to the center of me that ached for the same things Alessio wanted-to start a family with someone I loved. I¡¯d spent the whole week avoiding him, convinced I needed to ignore my growing affection, and with enough distance, the feelings would disappear. They hadn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t contain them anymore. I grasped his chin, gazing into his widened hazel eyes. ¡°I want everything you¡¯re willing to give me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fucking with me.¡± No. I¡¯m just falling for you. ¡°I want kids, too.¡± ¡°You have no idea how much I¡¯d love to believe that.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯ll make you believe me.¡± Alessio¡¯s eyes opened, reflecting insatiable greed. He pulled me upright and brushed poker chips from my ass. When we were presentable enough, we slipped out the service exit. Alessio still grinned when he hopped outside. I joined him and tipped my head. The snow stung my cheeks, but the chill didn¡¯t register because there was so much warmth between us. ¡°Merry Christmas, Mia. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have another bad one, as long as I¡¯m with you.¡± I love you. Intense heat stroked my back. I leaned in for a kiss, but he jerked away. In his widened gaze rippled two candles. ¡°Mia!¡± Then the world ripped apart. #1 Chapter 22 MIA A steel dumpster behind Alessio went airborne, filling the sky with mes. I was hypnotized by the sh of orange against navy blue as it sailed high. The atmosphere split with a loud boom, the explosion ripping my hand from Alessio¡¯s. My hearing shattered like the ss from the windows facing the street. Shards rained down as burning debrisunched into the bar, missing my ankle by inches. Everything tipped sideways. Rough hands jerked me backward. A violent shove sent me sprawling through the door, back into the kitchen. I hit the rubber mat as a metallic shriek cleaved my ears. Car horns zed from every direction. Male voices screamed through the agonizing ringing. Alessio crawled to my side. His wide eyes flickered as the lights guttered. He shouted something I couldn¡¯t make out. He pulled me on hisp. I slumped against him, trembling. A msses-like warmth tickled down my leg. I wiped it and marveled at the red stain on my palm. Themps went out. My only illumination was the fire climbing the walls. Smoke rolled inward. Bright orange jumped over the matting, devouring fresh air. My throat clenched. A charcoal nket had settled in the room. I couldn¡¯t see. Alessio stood and yanked my arm. A jagged agony tore my insides. The movement forced it deeper. I shrieked until I couldn¡¯t, as smoke invaded my lungs. My knees buckled, and I smashed into the floor. I dragged myself up, ignoring the stabbing. Alessio seized my dress and hoisted me. My face hit his chest as pain sawed through my muscles. He hauled me into the bar, away from the growing mes, and we burst outside.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. The first inhale of fresh air sharpened my senses. Alessio¡¯s blurry outline cleared. The building streamed with ck plumes. Christmas lights still winked through the smoke-filled lounge. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Alessio sank to his knee, overwhelmed by a coughing fit. I winced from a tugging sensation at my abdomen. Pain returned with a sharp blow as Alessio groped my waist and gasped. His fingers slipped in blood that had soaked my skirt and ran down my thigh. A twisted chunk of metal protruded from my side. ¡°Oh,¡± I said. My vision tunneled into ckness. ALESSIO REFUSED treatment until I¡¯d been admitted into the hospital, and he snarled at the nurse who wanted to clean a trickling gash. They treated me for smoke inhtion, a panic attack, and a two-inch injury made by flying shrapnel. Hours after they¡¯d removed the metal and stitched me up, I plunged into a medicated calm that broke whenever the taste of ash crossed my lips. Alessio hadn¡¯t expressed much, except to reveal that police had found remnants of a pipe bomb in the wreckage. He sat at my bedside, his eyes shifting like burning coals. Mncholy seemed to have seized him since they¡¯d irrigated my wound. I¡¯d screamed during the ordeal. I was fine, but my low tolerance for pain had freaked him out. He watched me like I could drop dead at any second. Crimson stained his tattered shirt. ¡°Alessio, let them look at your arm. You¡¯re covered in blood.¡± ¡°Most of it is yours. I¡¯m so sorry. You keep getting hurt, and it¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°Like we expected this at a party.¡± ¡°Nico and I knew we were taking a risk.¡± He lifted his head from his hands, sounding exhausted. ¡°I promised to protect you from this shit.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve saved me twice.¡± I took his palm, but he flinched as though from the IV buried in my vein. ¡°Alessio, we can¡¯t run from who we are. You¡¯re an underboss, and I¡¯m the daughter of Ignacio Ri. You can¡¯t shield me from everything.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of being a boss if I can¡¯t?¡± Exactly why I¡¯d wanted to leave. I didn¡¯t want toy on a guilt trip. ¡°Alessio, get yourself looked at.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± The stubborn bastard fought anything that so much as involved a Band-Aid. I¡¯d been at this for an hour. I could¡¯ve screamed. ¡°This is not a negotiation. I¡¯m your wife. I didn¡¯t ask how you were feeling.¡± Alessio said nothing, his expression mutinous. ¡°Get a doctor to look at your fucking arm before I have a meltdown.¡± ¡°All right. Easy.¡± The horrible pang blistering my heart soothed when his soft mouth brushed mine. He touched my hair and kissed my temple. Alessio called a nurse into the room and allowed her to disinfect a shallow gash on his forearm. Then I asked them to treat him for smoke inhtion. He breathed in oxygen from a narrow strip attached to his nose before his head tipped, and he fell asleep in the chair. Dragging the antibiotic drip, I slipped out of bed and readjusted the tube so it sat under his nostrils. I grabbed a fleece nket and tucked it around his shoulders, wishing I could crawl on hisp. ¡°Excuse me.¡± A gritty voice dragged my attention to an older gentleman whose skin was bronze silk. His thick salt-and-pepper mane parted to the side. He looked like he¡¯d left a party. A white zer over a red shirt wrapped his skinny frame. He leaned across the threshold and crossed his arms, silently appraising me. The gesture was so familiar that I nced behind to make sure Alessio hadn¡¯t time-traveled. Alessio slept, his sleeping face a dead-ringer for the man. Alessio¡¯s father. A stone lodged in my throat as he sauntered inside, his words affected by a slight Italian ent that he must¡¯ve been unable to shake off. ¡°So, you¡¯re his wife?¡± I offered my hand. ¡°Mia.¡± ¡°Orazio Salvatore.¡± He didn¡¯t need to state the obvious as he took my palm. That half-cocked smirk mirrored his son¡¯s so thoroughly that warmth nudged my heart. He sped both hands on mine. ¡°Nice to meet you. Sorry you couldn¡¯t attend the wedding.¡± Or Christmas dinner. Not that I¡¯d expected him to RSVP to the invitation, but whatever. Orazio nodded, grasping the metal of my bed. He gazed at his son with a vague sadness. ¡°How is he?¡± I could¡¯ve shaken Alessio awake, but instinct rooted me to the spot. I suspected Orazio would disappear the moment Alessio stirred. ¡°He¡¯s okay. Minor scrapes and bumps.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°An explosion outside a party we were leaving.¡± My legs weakened, I backed into a chair, dragging the wheeled saline drip. ¡°He saved my life. Again.¡± Orazio watched me with quiet disapproval. ¡°How did you know we were here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on the board of this hospital.¡± Orazio snatched my chart, scanning the doctor¡¯s notes with a cool arrogance that reminded me of Alessio. ¡°They called with the news that Alessio was in the ER with his wife. I wanted to meet you, and tell his mother you¡¯re both fine.¡± I swallowed a suggestion, terrified I would offend him, and he¡¯d breeze out of Alessio¡¯s life as swiftly as he¡¯d reentered it. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be much longer, Mia. I¡¯m only here because Gloria threatened toe down.¡± ¡°He¡¯d love to see her. Both of you mean the world to Alessio. He¡¯ll be so happy. We should have you over for dinner.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m not interested.¡± My jaw ckened. ¡°But you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I was in the middle of supper with guests. However, I couldn¡¯t blow off my son in front of everyone, especially with my wife and daughter carrying on.¡± Orazio wheeled to face me, his imperial stature radiating menace. ¡°Stop contacting us. Stop sending invitations. Stopmunicating. It upsets my family. We want a clean break from that prick.¡± Heat zed my neck, with it must¡¯ve been a fierce blush. ¡°I-I was just being nice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± He mimicked Alessio¡¯s deadpan so well those words hit me like a p. ¡°He¡¯s dead to me.¡± ¡°All he wants is a second chance. He loves you. He misses you.¡± ¡°I have no room in my life for a degenerate criminal.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him like that.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s hoodwinked you, but Alessio is involved in organized crime.¡± ¡°Alessio¡¯s not like the rest of them.¡± ¡°How would you-¡± He nced at the chart again, repeating my maiden name with a sourness that turned my stomach. ¡°Ri.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°You¡¯re one of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯d much rather be a Salvatore than a Ri.¡± ¡°You might share our name, but you¡¯ll never be family.¡± ¡°Why are you so hateful?¡± I shot upright, the movement tugging my stitches. ¡°You don¡¯t know me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to, darling.¡± He backed away, mouth twisting into a sneer. ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± I caught his sleeve. ¡°Please stay.¡± His eyes were the same shape and color as Alessio¡¯s, but they contained none of his warmth. ¡°Don¡¯t make me visit a judge for a restraining order.¡± ¡°The same thing you did to your son? Do you realize how that crushed him? You drove him into Nico¡¯s arms.¡± ¡°I told him to befriend a notorious gangster? I bought him a gun? He had a bright future ahead of him, and he went into business with that man. They can both go to hell.¡± ¡°You sound just like Alessio.¡± Alessio¡¯s darkness suddenly came full circle. He¡¯d inherited it from his father, not Nico. The ruthlessness was the same. ¡°Do I have your word that you¡¯ll stop contacting us?¡± ¡°No,¡± I ground out. ¡°I won¡¯t until his sister and mother say otherwise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to stop.¡± The rock-hard exterior sheltered an unforgiving spirit that wouldn¡¯t bow for anyone. ¡°I¡¯m protecting my wife and daughter from him.¡± ¡°He¡¯d never hurt any of you.¡± ¡°Look at what he did to you.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t him!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want him in my life.¡± Frustration built in my chest. ¡°What if he left the mafia?¡± Orazio seemed to consider that, his lips curling. ¡°If he hasn¡¯t by now, he never will.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make him leave.¡± ¡°Nobody forces my son do anything.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± A third voice chimed in, jump-starting my heart. Alessio sat cross-legged, head cocked as he took in the argument with a sneer. It softened when our gazes met. He lurched from the chair and balled me into his body, avoiding my wound. His smell washed over me in a pleasant wave. God, he felt like home. Alessio shed a grin. ¡°Merry Christmas, Dad. Did you open my wedding invitation?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°I guess you couldn¡¯t attend.¡± ¡°Your mother and I want no part in your new¡­¡± Orazio¡¯s contemptuous gaze looked me up and down. ¡°Family.¡± Alessio¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Meaning what?¡± ¡°You married into a crime family.¡± ¡°Get over yourself, Dad. There¡¯s no distinction between her and the Russian oligarch daughters you wanted to set me up with, except fewer people had to die to make her rich.¡± ¡°It makes all the difference in the world.¡± ¡°To your social circles filled with white-cor criminals? Your Enron buddies. The Wall Street crooks. The billionaires with teenage-girl harems. They¡¯re fine, but her family isn¡¯t?¡± Alessio tugged his wrist out of my grip, ring at his dad. ¡°You are such a hypocrite. Leave, you old-money fuck. Don¡¯t ever darken my doorstep again. I¡¯m cutting you off!¡± Orazio made a derisive sound and left the room. I gaped at Alessio. ¡°You ruined it! Why couldn¡¯t you keep your mouth shut?¡± ¡°He insulted my wife.¡± ¡°You were too harsh. You-you must¡¯ve heard everything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about him, either.¡± Alessio balled his fists, his temperament cooling. ¡°He¡¯ll never take me back. It¡¯s always been like that. Even if I quit the mob, he¡¯d still be pissed that I married you. And if I divorced you, he¡¯d find another reason to hate me. I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°Mia, it¡¯s okay. Really.¡± ¡°I want him to see you the way I do.¡± Alessio pulled me into a hug. ¡°I know. Thank you for trying.¡± I burst into tears and clung to his shoulders. He stood on my side, and the least I could do was ept him. With a kiss on my temple, Alessio pushed free of my hold. ¡°Mia, I¡¯ve got to go find the bastards who-¡± ¡°Please.¡± A howl trembled from my chest. ¡°D-don¡¯t go! Let somebody else take care of it. I need you here. I need you alive. God, I need you.¡± Alessio seemed at a loss for words. His brows lifted. ¡°You¡¯re having a panic attack.¡± No. I just love you so much. My emotions were haywire. Tears streamed down my face as Alessio yelled for a nurse. I battered him and screamed. He¡¯d leave. He would do things that¡¯d put him in danger. He would get shot or stabbed and be ced on a venttor while I sobbed at his sickbed. Then he¡¯d pass before I told him I loved him-and shit, I was having a panic attack. Alessio pushed me into the bed as the world shrank and ckness covered everything-nothing but despair remaining. The nurses rushed in, and they gave me something that seeped into my veins like liquid euphoria. I sank into the pillows, the fear gone. Alessio touched my cheek. His eyes widened. Then the steel mask he¡¯d inherited from his father slid back into ce. ¡°I¡¯ve got to handle this, but I¡¯ll be back. And then I¡¯m taking you away.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Pick a ce. We need a vacation.¡± He silenced any further questions with his mouth pressing into mine, the kiss building pressure around my heart. The sweet moment that could¡¯ve been more faded when his eyes reflected cold-blooded menace. I watched him go, already mourning the lives he would take. He would always be a killer. And I loved him anyway. #1 Chapter 23 ALESSIO ¡°I can stop this. Your choice.¡± I remained calm, but an avnche of fury blew through my mind, obliterating everything but the need for vengeance. A man sat in a chair, shivering. A defiant eye red at me through a mop of mousey hair stered to his head. Sweat had soaked it through. He was ridiculously young, early twenties, full of bravado despite the two bullet holes in his knees. All he gave was his first name-Jack. He was a bag of bleeding flesh. We¡¯d beaten him for hours. He was going into shock and still hadn¡¯t given us information. I couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯dsted this long. ¡°Who sent you?¡± I fisted his hair, throwing him onto the concrete floor where he cowered. ¡°Or I¡¯ll spray Mace right in your fucking eyes.¡± ¡°Do it.¡± He couldn¡¯t mean that. ¡°Then you¡¯ll be blind and in agony. We can keep you alive for days. Ask Vinn. He¡¯s done this many times.¡± I motioned toward the hunched figure leaning against the wall. ¡°Vinn, meet Jack.¡± He flinched when Vinn stepped from the shadows as though conjured from the darkness. He was my ace in situations like these because there was something about his dead-eyed stare that terrified people. He was like a ck hole trapping all the light. His shadow blended in like wings spreading over gray stone. Jack couldn¡¯t take his gaze off the slow-moving giant who knelt beside his head and ripped the Ka-Bar knife from his boot. Vinn smacked his cheek with the t of the de. ¡°Vinn¡¯s a former Marine,¡± I growled. ¡°And he¡¯s seen things in Iraq he¡¯d like to show you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed men die in every imaginable way,¡± Vinn chimed in with his graveyard voice. ¡°I have a lot of stories.¡± ¡°Tell him about the missing soldier.¡± I¡¯d heard him repeat that story once, and the visuals had stayed with me. ¡°We were trying to find this guy. A deserter. He wandered into a nearby vige, alone. They tortured him. When I found him, he had cups for eyes. They were collecting rain after the vigers had dismembered and torched his corpse.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fucking sick,¡± Jack hissed. ¡°All of you.¡± I kicked his stomach. ¡°You bombed a building filled with women and children!¡± ¡°If he¡¯s been to Iraq, he¡¯s done the same!¡± Vinn snorted. I seized Jack¡¯s neck and squeezed, my fingers going numb. ¡°You attacked my wife. You can die slowly or I can end this now.¡± The man choked and sputtered. Vinn¡¯s finger pressed into my shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s passing out.¡± I let Jack breathe. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t-¡± he coughed, regaining his speech. ¡°They didn¡¯t say who was inside!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I grabbed Jack¡¯s knee and dug my finger into the wound. ¡°Who was it? Vinn will rip off your balls.¡± Two soldiers caught the waistband of Jack¡¯s jeans- ¡°Wait! Stop!¡± Jack curled in a ball, screaming. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you, don¡¯t-don¡¯t-¡± ¡°Name.¡± My fury rippled down my arms, into my hands, manifesting in the punishing blow of the police baton that cracked his leg. ¡°I¡¯m tired of waiting.¡± ¡°Patrick!¡± he howled. ¡°The order came from Patrick.¡± The Irish. ¡°Why the fuck would he do that?¡± ¡°Retaliation for a car bomb. Someone on your side attacked them.¡± ¡°Car bomb?¡± I frowned at Vinn, whose forehead wrinkled. ¡°Did you know about this?¡± He shook his head. I faced Jack. ¡°I call bullshit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth!¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± I headed for the door. ¡°Put him out of his fucking misery.¡± A loud bang echoed in the room, and Jack¡¯s protests fell silent. I turned my back on the flurry of movement as the crew packed the kid¡¯s body and prepared it for disposal. My stomach churned, and I left the warehouse to brave the wintry chill. Vinn joined me, his cheeks flushed. ¡°Is Mia all right?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll live.¡± He glowered. I must¡¯ve sounded like a cold asshole, but I couldn¡¯t think of my wife. Opening the floodgates of remorse could wait until we were alone. ¡°Maybe you should go to the hospital.¡± ¡°What I need to do is handle this before it spirals out of control. You¡¯re exhausted. You¡¯ve been up all night. But we¡¯ll be up shit creek if we don¡¯t take care of this.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Find out more about this car bomb. Who did it-why-everything. I¡¯d ask Michael, but it¡¯s Christmas, and he has kids.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°One more thing.¡± I grabbed his shoulder as we walked into the parking lot. ¡°After this is over, I¡¯m leaving for a couple days. I¡¯d like you to pick up the ck while I¡¯m gone.¡± I waited for questions, but Vinn¡¯s face was nk. ¡°Understood.¡± I WAS JUST as rattled as only seconds after the explosion. My dad showing up after eight years was a barely a blip on my radar. What I¡¯d told her was the truth. I didn¡¯t give a damn. I had bigger problems. Like a rogue father-inw. He¡¯d bombed an Irishman¡¯s car in North Dorchester. Vinn had gotten the intel off the streets. Ignacio almost killed us all. Family drama had nothing on my shit. A Christmas wreath banged the door as an ecstatic Maria closed it behind me. ¡°Alessio, wee! Merry Christmas. We didn¡¯t expect you until tomorrow.¡± Right. We were supposed to arrive at noon and spend the whole day there. I had not been looking forward to spending an awkward Christmas with my sister-inw sh former fianc¨¦e. Nico¡¯s big celebrations were no longer an option-especially after tonight-it¡¯d been reckless in the extreme. ¡°Hi, Maria. Merry Christmas.¡± I kissed her cheek and straightened, searching for Ignacio. ¡°Need to speak with Naz immediately.¡± ¡°He¡¯s out on a walk.¡± Maria frowned as she looked around me. ¡°Is Miaing? We¡¯re doing the feast of the fishes. We¡¯d love for you to join. Hungry?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m-¡± ¡°Come. I¡¯ll fix you something.¡± Knowing better than to refuse an offer of food, I followed Maria. Ginger and spices scented the air as she led me into the kitchen, where Carm scraped cookies from a sheet and piled them onto an overflowing tter. Great. Thest person I wanted to run into. ¡°Carm, look who¡¯s here!¡± Terror rippled across her features as her huge eyes zeroed on me. She flinched when I stepped closer. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± ¡°I have to talk to all of you. Mia¡¯s okay, but she¡¯s in the hospital.¡± I ignored their panicked gasps and demands for more information. ¡°Maria, please get Ignacio. We have urgent business.¡± ¡°He¡¯s out. What happened to my daughter?¡± ¡°There was a small fire. Mia got woozy from inhaling too much smoke. She¡¯s really fine.¡± Guilt nagged at me over the lie, but I needed to keep things calm. ¡°Please call Ignacio.¡± She ran, leaving Carm and me alone. Carm¡¯s looks had improved since I¡¯d found her. Her cheeks weren¡¯t as sunken, and she¡¯d dyed her hair with caramel streaks. It was odd, being confronted by someone who reminded me of Mia without that swirl of warmth. It was like all those times I¡¯d eaten with the family. I¡¯d funneled my attraction to Mia into Carm, hoping it would catch. Carm aimed the spat at me like a knife. ¡°Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°Or you¡¯ll y me with that?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll tell my dad you tracked me down months ago.¡± That would cause me a few problems. ¡°Ruining my rtionship with your parents serves nothing.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to protect my sister.¡± ¡°From what?¡± I snarled, bile eating my throat. ¡°You should be thanking me. I pulled her out of a burning building. I saved her life. We¡¯re on the same side.¡± ¡°You said you weren¡¯t interested in Mia.¡± ¡°I lied. So did you. We¡¯re even.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about even. My sister is my priority.¡± My lip curled. ¡°That makes two of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± ¡°Then ask your sister. She¡¯ll tell you the same.¡± I sighed when Carm continued to re at me with suspicion. ¡°Mia¡¯s happy with me. Why are you trying to fuck up something we both want?¡± ¡°How can she know what she wants when you decide everything for her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not what you think.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known men like you forever.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one me. Give me a fucking chance.¡± I blocked her from leaving, raising my hands in surrender when she nched. ¡°I stayed away when I should¡¯ve brought you back. I did what you asked, Carm. I was merciful. All I¡¯m begging for is the same kindness. Please.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a stranger.¡± ¡°Then get to know me. Don¡¯t ruin my rtionship with Mia because you¡¯re jaded.¡± I was suddenly weary of her negativity. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to do anything. Just hold off.¡± Carm set down the spat, not looking relieved in the slightest. ¡°If Mia keeps getting injured, I swear to God I¡¯ll tell him. I¡¯ll make it sound like you knew I was in trouble, and you left me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what happened.¡± ¡°As long as it saves my sister.¡± I¡¯d never liked Carm much, but this sealed the deal. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to be saved. She¡¯s where she wants to be-with me. We¡¯re trying for a baby. I don¡¯t want her hurt.¡± The kitchen echoed with my voice as Ignacio sprinted into the room, wearing a tracksuit and tennis shoes. He gaped at me. My stomach clenched. ¡°Is Mia pregnant?¡± he blurted. ¡°Is that why she¡¯s in the hospital?¡± ¡°No-I mean-she could be.¡± My muscles rxed as Ignacio and Maria exchanged hopeful looks. ¡°There was a fire at the party. She inhaled a bit of smoke. She¡¯s fine, but if you¡¯d like to see her, we should go now.¡± A frantic Maria insisted on driving to the hospital. Carm threw me an expression of contempt as she went after her mother, but when Ignacio moved, I grabbed him. ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± I snarled. ¡°Alessio,ter.¡± ¡°No.¡± Twisting his arm, I forced him into the office and mmed the door. ¡°She could¡¯ve died, you idiot!¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°They pitched a pipe bomb into a dumpster. Burnt down the whole bar. Nico¡¯s business is gone, thanks to you. We nearly walked into our deaths. What am I supposed to do with you? How will I keep Nico from killing you after this?¡± ¡°You promised me vengeance for Carm!¡± ¡°I was giving it to you.¡± ¡°You were taking your time!¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t wait a fucking week?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want a meeting! I¡¯ll kill them all.¡± My hand whirled into Ignacio¡¯s cheek. Ignacio staggered. It was a love tappared to what I wanted to do to him. ¡°I can¡¯t snap my fingers andmit mass murder. How does a war help your daughters?¡± When he continued to look insolent, I gripped his cor and hurled him into the bookshelf. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯ve done. You blew up that prick¡¯s car while he was with his girlfriend, who is a sister-inw of a patched member! So now we have to offer restitution to both Legion and the Irish. And it gets worse. They live above a ce where the Irish run a gambling operation, so they had to shut down when police swarmed the area. We¡¯ll also be expected topensate them for that. That¡¯sing out of your end, or I will-¡± ¡°Mia would never forgive you.¡± A fresh wave of rage crashed into me, because he was spot-on. Another smack threw Ignacio to the ground. ¡°Wake the fuck up! If you think you¡¯llst longer because I¡¯m your son-inw, you¡¯re wrong. If you cause a problem for Nico, he¡¯ll whack you. I don¡¯t want to kill you, for Christ¡¯s sake. You¡¯re Mia¡¯s father. Don¡¯t force me to tell Nico you¡¯re not cooperating. You know what he¡¯ll do. Don¡¯t be stupid!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± he moaned, struggling to his feet. ¡°You¡¯re not a dad!¡± ¡°Keep this up, and they won¡¯t have one anymore!¡± His lips thinned, dragging forth a visual of my wife so strong that I stepped back. A pang sank between my ribs to the core of my fury, melting it down. I copsed into a chair and raked my head. ¡°You have toe to your senses, Naz. Make this right, or Nico will¡­¡± And then I¡¯d have to choose between my father-inw or my surrogate dad. Pain shed into my chest at either of them dying. I promised I wouldn¡¯t hurt her ever again, but stopping Nico meant killing him. I couldn¡¯t do that. ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want.¡± Ignacio slid off the desk and grasped my shoulder. ¡°You found my daughter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I pushed his hand away. ¡°Never put Mia in danger again.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he softened. ¡°Alessio, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll fix this. Thank you for being so good to my daughters.¡± It was as though I still stood in a burning building. I needed a break. I just wanted to be with her. #1 Chapter 24 MIA I was pregnant. While Alessio was gone, I took a test. The trauma doctor wanted me on an antibiotic, and he asked for a urine sample to make sure I wasn¡¯t expecting and bingo. If I tracked our conception to our wedding day, I was six weeks along. The transvaginal ultrasound had detected a faint heartbeat. I was having Alessio¡¯s baby. He had no idea. I hadn¡¯t said a word because the doctor told me not to get attached. It could¡¯ve been an early miscarriage. I didn¡¯t want to get his hopes up if I lost the baby. I¡¯d tell himter, when the pregnancy was a sure thing. All I thought about from the ride to the airport to the Airbnb we¡¯d checked into was that I carried our future inside me. I was happy, but mostly I was scared. What if I lost the pregnancy? What if he didn¡¯t love me? We strolled the quiet streets of Pornd, caught in a freezing mist that beaded the umbre. Alessio¡¯s hand squeezed. The sensation filled my body with a zing heat that flooded my cheeks. He kissed my head. ¡°Do you think Pornd has decent Italian?¡± ¡°Is that what you want when you¡¯re on holiday?¡± ¡°I go to Italy for vacation.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just like my dad,¡± I snorted. ¡°He has no interest in anything that¡¯s not Italian. Live a little. Venture out of yourfort zone and eat a cr¨ºpe.¡± ¡°I have. They¡¯re called crespes.¡± Alessioughed when I groaned. I learned more about him six hours into this trip than I had in weeks. Alessio obviously didn¡¯t appreciate West Coast food culture and shook his head at the political signs posted on people¡¯swns. The coffee wasn¡¯t dark enough for his liking, but he enjoyed the milder weather. We stopped at a pizza restaurant. A deep frown wrinkled his forehead when he read the cashew and corn special on the chalkboard. I forced him to buy two slices. He dered it inedible after finishing three-quarters of his piece. Pizza restaurant aside, it was fun sampling Pornd¡¯s many delights with my husband. He perked up when we hit our first brewery because the LCD screens yed a Real Madrid game, and apparently, Alessio was a ser fan. He nursed an IPA and hissed abuse at the goalkeeper as I sipped my water. When the match ended, Alessio¡¯s amused gaze dragged across the rustic bar and settled on me. ¡°Do you think you would¡¯ve liked it here? If you¡¯d followed through with your ns?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a smaller city, but the people are super friendly. Everything¡¯s more rxed, and it seems like a good ce to-¡± Raise a family. Shit. Not here. ¡°What about you? Would you live here?¡± Alessio shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s too weird.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me cashew on pizza made you write off Pornd.¡± ¡°Out of everything I¡¯ve seen today, that was hands down the most egregious. Worse than the vegan strip club.¡± ¡°Why did you suggest going, then?¡± ¡°Because.¡± He kissed my temple. ¡°I knew you wanted to take in all the strange sights. I¡¯m happy to tag along.¡± ¡°Next time we¡¯ll visit somewhere you like.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as I¡¯m with you, I¡¯m having a ball.¡± A lump lodged in my throat, rising with it the threat of tears. ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I bit my lip, barely keeping it together. ¡°Can we go back to the house?¡± We zipped to the rental home I¡¯d insisted on getting instead of a hotel, and I dabbed my eyes the whole way. Alessio frowned at my on again, off again crying jags. Theck of control frustrated me. Every feeling in my heart wanted out, especially my love for Alessio. Alessio snapped the door to the cottage and hung our jackets, his weight creaking the old wooden floorboards. He strolled into the bedroom and tugged his jeans off his muscled thighs. He sprawled on the mattress, azy smile staggering over his face. He beckoned me. ¡°Come here.¡± I joined him, nuzzling his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so happy.¡± ¡°I am happy.¡± ¡°You sound surprised.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think it could be this simple.¡± Alessio made a rumbling growl of deep contentment as I sank into his arms. ¡°Getting out changed everything.¡± He was already connecting the dots himself. I beamed. ¡°It¡¯s been nice to have you to myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re different.¡± I love you. ¡°Life would be amazing if we left Boston.¡± ¡°It only feels that way because you¡¯re away from your problems.¡± ¡°Alessio, we¡¯re free. We can do what we want without worrying about Costas or the gangs.¡± ¡°Those issues will exist wherever we go.¡± That wasn¡¯t true. ¡°We could have this happiness all the time.¡± He hardened. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feed those fantasies. We¡¯re not an ordinary couple. You can¡¯t expect to have the same marriage as everyone else.¡± ¡°What if I can¡¯t live without certain things?¡± ¡°Like?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Love.¡± Alessio pushed himself upright and cleared his throat. He rubbed the back of his head. I curved my finger around his jaw until he looked at me. I¡¯d never seen so much vulnerability. ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you that-¡± An ear-splitting chime shattered the air. Alessio lunged for his phone and jumped out of bed. ¡°Michael, hey. No, it¡¯s fine. What¡¯s the matter? What?¡± I sat up straight as his gaze flicked at me. ¡°Nico¡¯s been arrested.¡± #1 Chapter 25 ALESSIO I couldn¡¯t afford another crisis. We were still dealing with Carm¡¯s return, negotiating restitution for what Legion¡¯s patched member did to my ex, and Ignacio¡¯s giant fuck-up with the Irish. Nico had offered them apartments in one of the luxury apartment buildings I had a stake in, and they had epted that along with a cut of our profits. In exchange, we had been free to murder Crash when we found him. Now those negotiations were off the table. Mywyer¡¯s nasal voice dragged my attention to our phone call. ¡°He¡¯s been indicted by a Brooklyn grand jury in connection with the killings of two capos in New York, thirty years ago. If he¡¯s smart, Costa will plead guilty to racketeering and conspiracy tomit murder. He does not want this to go to trial.¡± I rubbed my forehead as I paced the hotel suite, curtains drawn tight across the windows. ¡°How many years is he going away?¡± ¡°Depends on his priors. Could be anywhere from five to ten years.¡± Fuck. A stone dropped in my stomach. Nico in jail was thest thing I wanted, but everywyer I called told me the same thing. He was going down. Nothing I could do. A fist hammered the door. ¡°Alessio, it¡¯s me.¡± Vinn. ¡°I have to let you go. Thanks for your time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mr. Salvatore.¡± I hung up on thewyer and stepped over Mia¡¯s suitcase, making my way to the door. I utched the chain and deadbolt, revealing a motionless Vinn waiting in the hotel¡¯s hallway. ¡°Come in.¡± I stepped back, and he breezed inside. It was unwise to linger out in the open with our leadershippromised. ¡°Tell me something good.¡± ¡°Anthony¡¯s bing a problem. He¡¯s sowing confusion and chaos by calling himself boss and giving orders to our men. He¡¯s also a ma for any street thug who¡¯d love credit for killing Nico¡¯s son.¡± Great. I raked my hair as Vinn stood like a soldier at attention, his eyes half-closed as though he could sleep standing up. ¡°Double his bodyguards. Hire the Bratva if you have to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure more people surrounding him is the answer.¡± ¡°I am not telling Nico I did nothing while his son was in danger.¡± ¡°We need to control him.¡± I was aware of that. ¡°His father is in jail, and he was the only one who kept him in line. The little asshole will not listen to reason. He will get himself killed but we don¡¯t have to make it easy. Vinn, he¡¯s not getting out for a long time. We¡¯re on our own.¡± The enormity of that responsibility loomed over me like a falling skyscraper. We¡¯d been cut at the knees with Nico¡¯s unexpected arrest. ¡°We have a meeting with Nico in a few days.¡± ¡°Right.¡± I closed Mia¡¯s suitcase and righted it, wheeling it to the door where it joined mine. ¡°How¡¯s John?¡± ¡°He¡¯s recovering.¡± After a gangbanger knifed my driver in broad daylight, I had moved Mia and me into a hotel. ¡°Follow me. I need to change rooms.¡± Again. We switched rooms every day. Too many assholes wanted me dead. I opened the door and wearily shoved the suitcases into the hallway. Anything to keep her safe. A BUZZER SOUNDED as the door unlocked, admitting me into a bleak visitation area. A couple of fifties tucked into an officer¡¯s pocket ensured that Nico and I would be allowed an extra hour. Nico sat at a table, wearing an orange jumpsuit. He looked good. My payment with Cesare must¡¯ve worked out because he was whole. Nico nodded. ¡°Hey, kid.¡± ¡°How¡¯re things? Everything okay with our friends?¡± ¡°Yeah, thanks. Has the transition been smooth?¡± ¡°Not really. I met with everybody to make sure their orders wille from me, but some people are a problem. A Salvatore heading the Costas is tough to swallow.¡± Particrly for your son. ¡°Take them out. You¡¯re acting in my stead. Anybody who disobeys you goes against me.¡± ¡°What about Anthony?¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s out of control, Nico. Back on cocaine.¡± Nico¡¯s stoic gaze filled with tears. For someone who had been disappointed thousands of times by his dipshit spawn, he reacted the same. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been in our strip club every night, snorting lines. He¡¯s insubordinate. He brags about Costa business to anyone. His bodyguards aren¡¯t controlling him.¡± ¡°You need to stop him!¡± I was tired of having the same conversations. ¡°Anthony doesn¡¯t listen to me.¡± ¡°Yes, he does!¡± ¡°Only because I¡¯ve been ying the your-father-won¡¯t-like-that card for a decade. It¡¯s different now. You¡¯re in jail. He does anything he wants.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Nico lurched, desperation written on his lined face. ¡°There is nothing I care about more than my son.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m stretched thin.¡± ¡°Then delegate!¡± ¡°Michael and Vinn have enough on their tes, and Anthony is a grown man. He¡¯s made his bed. Guards are with him round-the-clock, but they can¡¯t prevent him from doing drugs.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t throw in the towel! He¡¯s my legacy, for Christ¡¯s sake!¡± ¡°Nico, I don¡¯t have time. I¡¯m trying to start a family of my own.¡± ¡°Who gave you that girl, you bastard? Listen. Nothing is as important as my flesh and blood. Help him. Protect him. He¡¯s all I have left in this world.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not hearing me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from you. I give them,¡± he snapped. ¡°Go to Anthony. Fix him. Do everything you can. You¡¯re the only one I trust.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try, but this can¡¯t continue much longer.¡± As soon as Mia got pregnant, I would check out of Nico¡¯s bullshit so fast. I¡¯d done what I could for Anthony, and I¡¯d stopped caring about him years ago. The only thing that¡¯d save Anthony was death. Fuck him. THINGS HAD COOLED DOWN. After my cops detained two gangbangers casing my home, I delivered their heads to the Legion MC president who hired them. Then I sent police raids into their drug trafficking businesses, and suddenly the president was amenable to negotiating. Shortly after that, the Irish fell into line. Word had spread. I wouldn¡¯t roll over and let them kill me. Such was the nature of this life. We¡¯d moved back into the house. Mia looked up from her phone, her features darkening when the light went ck. ¡°Where have you been?¡± ¡°Strip club.¡± A normal wife would¡¯ve reacted with outrage, but Mia raised her brow. God, she was perfect. ¡°Anthony again?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Mia frowned as she slid off the bed, her silk nightgown shimmering in waves of dark pink. ¡°Nobody ever left a strip club looking so miserable.¡± I was miserable. ¡°I hate him. He keeps me away from you.¡± Mia wrapped her arms around me. I didn¡¯t remember when west talked. My day to day was consumed with putting out fires, babysitting Anthony, and finding a spare minute to eat and sleep. She pushed me onto the mattress. I was too tired to finish undressing. As soon as my head hit the pillow, my mind buzzed with a list of things I needed to get done. Miay beside me, threading her fingers into my hair. ¡°Heavy lies the crown.¡± ¡°How do you know what I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over you.¡± I hated that I¡¯d brought my shitty mood home. ¡°We won¡¯t be like this forever. Just until the madness dies down and people learn their ce.¡± ¡°Are you enjoying it?¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Not at all. ¡°It¡¯s more work than I thought it¡¯d be.¡± It wasn¡¯t rewarding to protect a thirty-something man-child from three-thousand-dor bottle service plus bags of cocaine as big as my fist. Strip clubs disgusted me. The loud music gave me a headache. The workload was too much. I didn¡¯t have an underboss sharing the responsibilities. ¡°Sleep.¡± ¡°No, I miss you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been up for days. It¡¯s not healthy.¡± I was already shutting down, as though the word sleep triggered a response. She removed my shoes, jacket, and tie. She dragged theforter over my chest and kissed my temple. I cupped her face. ¡°Stay.¡± It was an echo of that first night when she begged me to join her, and I¡¯d been unable to resist. Mia slipped inside the sheets, her tiny body folded into mine. I smiled, sinking into bliss. ¡°Will we be able to have dinner together this week?¡± Her voice tugged me from the abyss. ¡°Not if you want to eat at a reasonable hour.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Eleven. Two a. m. Five. Whenever Anthony feels like leaving the casino, the club, or¡­¡± I cleared my throat, my ck spots creeping over my vision. ¡°We¡¯ve a thing¡­Sanctum. Check¡­calendar.¡± She nuzzled my neck, the sweetness of her vani scent enveloping me with safety. ¡°I¡¯ll go. Sleep.¡± I didn¡¯t want to leave her. I wanted out. #1 Chapter 26 MIA Oh. My. God. Sensory overload. The mob-owned underground club, Sanctum, was a den of debauchery dressed in silk. Or in this case, Agent Provocateur. Gorgeous women strolled the catwalks. They lounged on the modern furniture and hooked their arms around much less attractive guys, wearing lingerie studded with crystals, crotchless panties, thongs encrusted in diamonds, and bras that were off more often than on. Every variety of female strutted in five-inch tforms. The club had a waitlist of thousands of girls applying to join Sanctum because of the very stringent membership requirements for men. If you were an A-list actor and you wanted to have a threesome with supermodels, you came here. It was ck and gold, so glitzy that my reflection stared up from the marble floors. Padded leather covered the walls, which spread like a maze to hallways with room after room. Some of the doors stayed open, echoing with low male groans and high-pitched gasps. I peeked inside a red-tinted room, where a gentleman in a horned mask was getting blown by two blondes. ¡°Holy shit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a voyeur.¡± Alessio¡¯s arm looped my neck as he pinned me to his chest, hovering a flute of champagne under my nose. Alessio kissed my ear. ¡°For you.¡± ¡°No, thanks. Wow.¡± In another suite, a shirtless man wore ace mask and nothing else. A yful grin staggered across his face as a woman¡¯s hands glided up his ripped torso until he yanked her into his arms- Alessio tipped my chin toward him,ughing. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s where I spent most of my twenties.¡± Alessio¡¯s eyes zed as though lost in memory, and then he shook his head, smiling. ¡°Are we¡¯re going into a room?¡± ¡°Maybeter.¡± He winked, offering me the ss again. ¡°Have a drink. You¡¯ll need it.¡± I can¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for drinking.¡± I had to tell him, but this was the wrong ce. Frustration needled my chest because all I wanted was a few minutes with my husband. Nine weeks pregnant. A visit to the sonographer showed a strong heartbeat, which meant the pregnancy was a sure thing. Alessio would be a father. His intense stare drifted to my belly as though he¡¯d heard my thoughts. ¡°Aren¡¯t you meeting the New York boss? Vincent? He¡¯s supposed to be scary.¡± Alessio stood still. Colors shifted in those hazel pools. I could almost watch the gears turning as he perhaps wondered when he¡¯dst seen me with alcohol. ¡°Alessio, focus. Stop staring at my tits and exin.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he purred, his gaze dragging up my dress. ¡°Vincent is here. And his wife, Adriana. I invited them to the club because word has it they have alternative lifestyles. I thought I¡¯d introduce myself. Make him realize that everything¡¯s under control. He might be here to gauge if it¡¯s worth expanding into our territory. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t someone kill him?¡± He pinched my cheek. ¡°I prefer diplomacy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Because Anthony is a whiny bitch. He insisted oning, and it¡¯s better he feels involved. Whenever he throws a tantrum, I spend the night cleaning his mess. Distract him.¡± ¡°Babe, I see dozens of tall, beautiful distractions walking all over this ce.¡± ¡°Anthony has been here before. Many times. The novelty has worn off.¡± He sighed, rolling his eyes. ¡°Ask him questions and pretend to be impressed. He¡¯ll do anything you want.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re mob royalty.¡± ¡°What are you trying to aplish with Vincent?¡± ¡°I¡¯m testing the waters. Showing him a good time. Hopefully, he¡¯ll fuck off to New York. Don¡¯t worry about my end. Keep the prince-ah, there he is!¡± Iughed as Alessio¡¯s condescending tone soared into a warm greeting. Anthony leaned on a bar, chatting with the dark-skinned bartender wearing a silk rabbit mask and a thong. Alessio gripped his arm and steered him away, plucking the martini ss from his grip and dumping the liquid. Anthony wore a bright blue suit over a wrinkled shirt. He dipped into his side pocket, and then he snorted a bump of white powder. Wow. He wiped his nose. ¡°Where¡¯s Cesare?¡± ¡°Should be here any minute,¡± Alessio soothed. ¡°I need a favor. Could you hang out with my wife? She¡¯s interested in touring the club, but I¡¯m swamped.¡± ¡°You¡¯re supposed to introduce me.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Alessio said, sounding weary. ¡°After we¡¯ve had our chat.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m Nico¡¯s son-¡± ¡°How many damned times do I have to tell you? It doesn¡¯t matter. You aren¡¯t made. Be patient.¡± Alessio pped Anthony¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m leaving you two alone. Make sure she doesn¡¯t wander into any open rooms.¡± Anthony glowered at the dismissal and shook my hand. ¡°Tony.¡± ¡°Mia. Nice to meet you, Tony. I¡¯ve wanted to talk to you for a while.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Behind Tony, Alessio waved at me. My spirits plummeted as he disappeared into a crowd of suits. ¡°Of course.¡± My gaze snapped to the coked-out Anthony. ¡°We have a lot inmon.¡± ¡°You and me? I doubt it, sweetheart.¡± His smoldering voice filled me with apprehension. ¡°We do. No one understands what it¡¯s like to be the boss¡¯ kid.¡± He cocked an eyebrow. ¡°I guess.¡± I hooked his arm and took the lead. Anthony seemed ttered by my interest. He straightened, and his strides became more purposeful. We strolled into a ck and gold lounge pulsing with dream-pop music. I disengaged from him and sat on a white sofa. ¡°I have questions.¡± ¡°I might have some too.¡± Please don¡¯t be a flirt. ¡°Who goes first?¡± ¡°You.¡± Anthony sank into the cushions with catlike grace. He was very lithe. His attention seemed to bounce all over my features like a predator deciding which part he¡¯d taste. Deep smile lines carved into his cheek. ¡°Ask me anything.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it like being the boss¡¯ son?¡± He rubbed his red nose. ¡°You don¡¯t need me to answer that.¡± ¡°I want to hear your opinion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s shitty. I get the privilege, but none of the respect. I walk in my father¡¯s shadow. He wants me to follow a different path, but I came from him. This is in my blood. I can¡¯t change my nature.¡± ¡°You think being a gangster is all you¡¯re good for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think. I know.¡± Sad. ¡°I¡¯d give it all to be in your position. You¡¯re free.¡± ¡°Free?¡± Bitterness took a bite into his mncholy. ¡°I can¡¯t go anywhere without bodyguards. If I¡¯m on a date, theye with me. Attending meetings is off-limits. I sit by and watch my college buddy take everything that should be mine. I try to please my dad, but it¡¯s impossible. He won¡¯t let me be what I am, and he wonders why I¡¯ve been in and out of rehab all my life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not building a strong case by getting high all the time. It¡¯s a self-fulfilling prophecy.¡± ¡°Maybe if I had a girl like you, I¡¯d clean up my shit.¡± Anthony¡¯s tone was almost sweet as he stretched his arm behind me. ¡°Worked for Alessio.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one telling me not to stand in front of the microwave. Freaks out when I eat anything from a can.¡± ¡°You changed him. He didn¡¯t use to be such a square. We¡¯d find a club like this. Grab a couple girls. Not leave until dawn. Now he¡¯s a good boy. He wants to go home and y house.¡± ¡°He¡¯s aged out of strip clubs.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. He¡¯s found something better.¡± Oh God. Not interested. ¡°Nice of you to say.¡± ¡°Just the truth. Since we¡¯re candid, I¡¯ll mention another thing. And you won¡¯t like it, but¡­ fuck it. My father should have given you to me, not Alessio.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You said it yourself. We have more inmon than you and Alessio-¡± ¡°Tony, stop. I¡¯m married.¡± Jesus. He had a lot of fucking nerve. ¡°Let me get this off my chest. He offered you to a Salvatore. Why the hell would he do that?¡± ¡°First, I¡¯m not a goddamned library book. You can¡¯t check me out and take me whenever you want.¡± I smoldered at his growing smile. ¡°Second, Alessio would be so hurt to hear you talking like this. I thought you were friends!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not. I am his pain-in-the-ass charge keeping him away from his beautiful wife. He reminds me of that every day. He hates me, and I don¡¯t me him. Especially when I look at you.¡± Anthony seemed to crumple until he reached into his pocket for more cocaine. An rming amount of pity swelled in my heart. It was so sad, and yet strangely charming. It was exactly as Alessio said. Anthony was excellent at drumming up sympathy. The story about never being able to follow in his dad¡¯s footsteps freaked me out, because what if my kid ended up just as tortured? God. ¡°Maybe you should go to therapy instead of numbing your feelings.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a goddamned mess, but I¡¯m fine with that. And I¡¯m through following my father¡¯s orders. No more rehab. No more falling in line. No more doing whatever he wants because he says it.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Dimples carved into his cheeks. ¡°Everything.¡± He leaned forward, his touch sweeping under my jaw. His nose trailed my cheek, and he ignored the firm pressure on his chest. His lips crashed into mine, hungry, viting, iming every part of my mouth. I shoved him off. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Anthony¡¯s big eyes filled with remorse. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± ¡°I got caught up-¡± ¡°In what? You¡¯re out of control!¡± His gaze was beseeching, tearful. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Alessio.¡± I headed to the bar, grabbing the nearest drink and gargling the alcohol. I spat, ridding myself of the taste of wine coolers. He was disgusting. And pathetic. I red at Anthony. He sat, head in his palm. His posture was defeated, but his expression wolf-like. A light bulb shed in my brain. It was an act-all of the poor-me bullshit. Why? I hunted for my husband¡¯s imperial frame in backlit corners, but it was like sifting through sand. ck suits drifted throughout the maze. I stopped at a ceiling-high door with a bronze doorknob. The security guard opened it, revealing a private lounge. A gigantic, obsidian firece crackled on the dark brick with silver grout. Ebony was everywhere. The only pop of color was the woman in the red cocktail dress. She perched beside a man whose carnal grin widened when she whispered something in his ear. Orange light flickered over his silhouette, darkening the creases of his dimples. ¡°My wife likes your club.¡± ¡°I love it,¡± the brte gushed. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Alessio¡¯s features softened in the fire¡¯s glow. ¡°Drinks are on the house. If you need anything else, ask.¡± ¡°I appreciate it.¡± The men shook hands and stood. Alessio escorted them to the doors, and when the couple disappeared behind them, he swung my way. He pulled me into his arms, beaming. ¡°Everything went well. He¡¯s not interested in expanding his territory. He had business in the area, so we¡¯re good.¡± Alessio¡¯s smile thinned as he took in my face, and then the lights seemed to dim as though overshadowed by his darkness. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your makeup is smeared.¡± Alessio¡¯s frown darkened as he stroked my mouth and cheek. ¡°Tell me it¡¯s not what I think.¡± Jesus Christ. He¡¯d sniffed out the truth faster than I could summon an excuse, because I had no interest in watching Alessio beat up Anthony. Holy shit. He wanted Alessio to know. His goal was to provoke Alessio into rage. The psycho probably thought he could win, courtesy of the dime bags he kept snorting. ¡°Let¡¯s just leave.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You need to trust me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making me assume the worst.¡± Alessio¡¯s fury grew hotter than the fire. ¡°He touched you, didn¡¯t he? What did that degenerate do? I¡¯ll kill him.¡± Or it could get Alessio killed. ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± I seized his tie and yanked until we were nose to nose. ¡°Anthony is baiting you. He wants to fight you. He¡¯s disturbed, drugged out of his mind, and you don¡¯t have to rise to his bait!¡± ¡°He kissed you.¡± Alessio straightened, cold menace curling his upper lip. ¡°You aren¡¯t doing me any favors by withholding because he¡¯ll brag about it to anyone who¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°Alessio, he¡¯s not worth it!¡± He untangled my fingers from his shirt. ¡°I¡¯m done with his bullshit!¡± I grabbed his arm and weighed him like an anchor. ¡°You can¡¯t. He¡¯s the boss¡¯ son!¡± A fact which seemed to fly over Alessio, because he was out for blood and nothing in the world would stop him. I tore at Alessio¡¯s jacket. He peeled me away like a Post-it note. ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking with a clear head!¡± ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°No!¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He turned, looking like he wanted to throw me over his shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t be long.¡± ¡°You promised you¡¯d spend time with me!¡± ¡°I know, Mia, but-¡± ¡°You said we¡¯d talk, and I¡¯ve been waiting for five minutes of your undivided attention. We¡¯re never alone. I miss you. I can¡¯t stand this!¡± The agony inside me shed across Alessio¡¯s face. Then he headed for the exit. ¡°Alessio, I¡¯m in love with you. I need you. Please, choose me.¡± Alessio paused, his hand on the door. ¡°I am.¡± He turned the handle and left. #1 Chapter 27 ALESSIO Found you, fucker. Anthony sprawled on a white leather sofa as an olive-skinned beauty loosed his tie. Brte waves tumbled down her back. He fisted them as he devoured her mouth with a sloppy kiss. That tongue had been on my wife. I stopped inches away from them. ¡°Shiren.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Salvatore?¡± ¡°Take a hike.¡± ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡± Anthony gave her ascivious grin as she spilled from hisp, ripping his palm on her ass. ¡°She reminds me of your wife.¡± He was baiting me. ¡°Get up.¡± Anthony remained seated,ughing. ¡°You should see your face. Oh, man. You are too easy.¡± ¡°Get the fuck up.¡± ¡°So you can punch me?¡± ¡°You think that¡¯s all I¡¯ll do to you? No, I¡¯m putting you in the hospital. You¡¯ll be pissing out of a catheter for weeks.¡± I faced his bodyguards and screamed, ¡°Clear the room!¡± ¡°Bro, I didn¡¯t give her anything she didn¡¯t want.¡± My hands wrapped his throat, and I mmed him into the table. He tried to gouge my eyes. My knuckles sank between his ribs. He doubled over. I made good on my tube-in-dick threat. I hammered his kidneys. He sucked in an agonized breath and tackled my waist. I introduced his chin to the wall. He kneed my groin. Excruciating pain radiated into my thighs. A vaseunched at my head. I ducked. Jesus, he fought like a little bitch. He threw projectiles that shattered on the walls, feet from their target. I caught his jacket and shoved him to the ground. Then I dealt him the beating his daddy never gave. ¡°Spoiled brat! Waste of space junkie.¡± I hated him. My fist pummeled his stomach. He vomited. ¡°Drugged-out loser. Stand up! Fight back.¡± He grappled me, but I pulled my leg free and jammed my shoe in his skull. He went limp as he sprawled on the marble. Shit. Did I get too carried away? Then a sound wheezed from his crimson lips. Laughter. He wasughing. My rage still burned white-hot as I grabbed a money clip from my pocket. I tossed it, and the cash smacked his forehead. ¡°Here. Shoot it up, snort it, I don¡¯t give a damn. I¡¯m finished with you.¡± ¡°You should be more worried if I¡¯m done with you.¡± I kicked his ribs. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He balled himself and winced. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Alessio.¡± ¡°You evere near my wife again, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± He grinned a bright red smile, apparently undisturbed by my threat. There was no getting through to him while he was high-fucking maniac. I abandoned him on the floor and summoned his bodyguards. ¡°Take him to the hospital.¡± They picked him off the ground as I stewed with a ss of whiskey, and then I prowled the club until I found Shiren. I wasn¡¯t sure how much she¡¯d witnessed and I needed to buy her silence. She was chatting with two other women. She approached me and closed her palm around the wad of cash I offered. Luckily, Michael vetted these girls with great care. Most of them were smart enough not to run their mouths, but I couldn¡¯t afford the risk. Nico¡¯s son. Ten years, and I¡¯d never hit the douchebag. I¡¯dmitted the unforgivable. Nico would lose his mind, but what filled my heart wasn¡¯t sorrow for beating Anthony. Panic. She said she loved me, and I¡¯d left her there. FUCK, fuck, fuck! Not at the club or home. I¡¯d checked every room, but there was no point-she was gone. She¡¯d probably fled to her parents. Exactly what I deserved for being such an asshole. I promised I¡¯d be back and disappeared for forty-five minutes, right after she told me she loved me. Through the ze of terror struck the tiniest bolt of hope. Did she mean it? Part of me hoped not. I had no idea what to do with love. I had zero experience tending to a woman¡¯s feelings beyond her basic needs. Hunger, shelter, happiness, sure-I could handle those. What did I know about love? My family had turned their backs on me. Nico¡¯s son was always his priority. Nobody felt the way she did about me. Maybe it was just a fantasy. She loves you, you idiot. She¡¯d tried to tell me for weeks. Since the Pornd trip. I¡¯d blocked it from my thoughts because while I could beat the crap out of a boss¡¯ kid, I was scared shitless of Mia¡¯s love for me. Love was an impossible standard to live up to. I mmed my fist into the bedroom door, which crashed into the wall and dented the ster. I stormed into the closet, expecting it to be bare of clothing, but the racks hung in ce. Next, I checked the bathroom-her toothbrush was still there. Encouraging signs, but she wasn¡¯t answering my desperate texts. Me: Pleasee back. Let¡¯s talk. Me: Where are you? Me: Are youing home? I paced my house and waited, my heart bursting when a car drove down the road. She¡¯d made me delete all the apps tracking her location, but it was three in the morning. Nausea pitted my stomach as I raided her shit and dumped out her purses, searching for anything that might hint at where she was. Nothing but balled up receipts and change. I was losing my mind with worry. When my call shot to voicemail, I hurled the phone at a console table and shattered the screen. Then I picked it up and called Ignacio. He swore up and down she wasn¡¯t there. Or at her cousins¡¯. Nobody had seen or heard from Mia in hours.This is from N?velDrama.Org. I went to Michael¡¯s. He answered the door in sweatpants and a T-shirt. He raked his light brown locks and stared at me, brows narrowing. ¡°Is Mia here?¡± ¡°No. What happened? Why aren¡¯t you wearing a coat?¡± I didn¡¯t feel the weather. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°What?¡± He brushed snow off my shoulders and winced when he touched my bicep. ¡°Christ, you¡¯re cold. Get in, you moron. It¡¯s freezing. Tell me what happened.¡± ¡°Left me,¡± I forced out. ¡°No clue where she is.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± It was telling that he assumed I was at fault. ¡°She said she loved me.¡± Michael wiped his face, his smile condescending. ¡°And?¡± ¡°She¡¯s never done that before. I had-had something else to do. I just left. When I returned, she was gone.¡± Laughter boomed from his chest, filling the space with the deep, bellyaching sound. ¡°What is the matter with you? How do you leave after your wife says that?¡± I¡¯m an idiot. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Oh, Alessio.¡± Michael rubbed his head, his expression pained. ¡°I thought I taught you better game.¡± ¡°How do I fix it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fucked, my friend.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do? She won¡¯t answer my texts or calls and I can¡¯t-¡± ¡°Calm down. My kids are asleep.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You are unbelievable.¡± Michael made a noise of disgust as he bumped into my shoulder. ¡°You have no idea how lucky you are. She¡¯s beautiful. She¡¯s kind and amazing with children. Mia is everything you want. All she needed was a little validation, and you treated her like garbage.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say it back, you moron.¡± He rolled his eyes and took me by the shoulders. ¡°You love her. Yes, you do. Look at you. You¡¯re in my house without a coat at three in the goddamned morning, panicking over a woman who left you. Of course you love her.¡± He was right. I¡¯d tried to win her over for months. Why? The money wasn¡¯t the draw. I didn¡¯t need more dors in my bank ount. I wanted her. I¡¯d risked it all to get her. She¡¯d sparked a me that wouldn¡¯t be extinguished, and it had only grown as we¡¯d lived together. I¡¯d filled my heart with her for weeks, and without her there was nothing. I loved her. I did. The simplicity of it crashed into me, buckling my knees. I caught my bnce on his couch and sank into the cushions. I bled from the inside out with remorse. All I had to do was repeat her words. Three fucking words! ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°Yeah, shit. Now, he gets it.¡± Michael shook his head, his lips thinning. ¡°Sometimes you remind me of my children. You can be so clueless.¡± ¡°How do I fix this?¡± ¡°Be prepared to grovel. A lot. Rx. You fucked up, but it¡¯s not the end of the world. She¡¯s dodging your calls because she¡¯s pissed.¡± Michael¡¯s wickedughter sent a jolt up my spine. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s finding someone who¡¯ll love her back.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up.¡± ¡°You deserve this, Alessio.¡± I bowed my head into my hands. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Buddy, it¡¯s not hopeless.¡± He patted my shoulder, softening. ¡°I¡¯ll help you find her.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I did this to myself.¡± Michael squeezed me and opened the front door, beckoning to the soldier in the street. ¡°You need to watch my kids for a bit.¡± My phone shrieked with a call. I grabbed the cell and answered. ¡°Mia?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s Vinn. I have your wife.¡± #1 Chapter 28 MIA I wanted to forget my loveless marriage for a while Hours ago, I bumped into Vinn at Sanctum. He offered me a ride. I didn¡¯t want to go home, so he took me to his ce. He didn¡¯t ask questions, but he¡¯d nced at me when I silenced my phone, raising his eyebrows as I jammed it into my purse. Vinn lived in an apartment in North Dorchester-an underground cave that gave me a ustrophobic feeling for itsck of windows. It was neat, but in a cold, clinical way. He¡¯d shoved a military portrait in an end table. He looked different. He was still clean-shaven, but his eyes sparkled with a liveliness that he¡¯d lost. The photo exuded more warmth than the giant perched in the foyer. ¡°You never said you were in the Marines.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize I owed you every detail about my life.¡± ¡°Crabby.¡± I closed the drawer. ¡°If you don¡¯t wantpany, why did you invite me over?¡± ¡°Stop going through my shit.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so interesting.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but feast on my surroundings. The ceiling hung low. No pictures. nk walls, but personality stuffed the drawers-baseball cards, ssic car magazines, video games. ¡°Has anyone ever told you how nosy you are?¡± ¡°What was Iraq like?¡± Vinn offered me a beer that I declined, and then he sank in the leather recliner by the door. ¡°Either you¡¯re burning or freezing. The sand is very white. It looks like talcum powder in the sun and gets everywhere. I had walking pneumonia from it by the time I was done.¡± ¡°They discharged you when you were sick?¡± His smile doused me with cold. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He obviously didn¡¯t want to talk about it, but conversation topics were thin on the ground. ¡°Did you finish your tour?¡± ¡°No.¡± I waited, but he seemed content to drink and stare. I sat on the coffee table, which was closer to him than the couch. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m great.¡± ¡°Is that sarcasm?¡± ¡°You asked. I answered.¡± ¡°You have a sparkling charisma, Vinn. I bet you¡¯re a hit at cocktail parties.¡± But despite that, I still liked him. ¡°What¡¯s your story?¡± ¡°Why do you care?¡± ¡°I find you interesting. You live in a hovel. We¡¯re almost the same age, but you act like you¡¯re fifty. You keep all your things hidden.¡± He lurched upright as though desperate for a reason to get away, and then he poured the alcohol down the kitchen sink. He acted so bizarre. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I upset you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Want to do something else?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You seem really on edge.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have guests very often.¡± Vinn tossed his beer in the recycling and gave me a wide berth. ¡°You¡¯re very odd.¡± ¡°Funny, I had the same thought about you.¡± ¡°People are generally more squeamish around me.¡± Vinn returned to his chair and glowered as I reentered the room. ¡°You¡¯re not scary. You, Michael, and Alessio are all decent guys.¡± Especially Alessio. Though he¡¯d never admit it. He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re so wrong.¡± ¡°You saved me.¡± ¡°I held them off. Salvatore was the hero.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re downying your role. I¡¯m so grateful for what you did. Why can¡¯t you ept a damnedpliment? If I were in a fight, I¡¯d want you on my side.¡± ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m on your side?¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± He moved his big frame over the door. ¡°I¡¯ve nothing against you. I even respect you. You could¡¯ve lost your mind when those micks attacked you, and frankly, I expected you to. But you stood up to him. You did that with no training or experience. That takes guts. But I didn¡¯t save you because I¡¯m a good man. Or decent. I did it because Salvatore would have killed me otherwise.¡± That extinguished the glow of his praise. ¡°Then what was that pep talk at my wedding?¡± ¡°Charity.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to be an ass, I¡¯ll go. Thanks for an interesting night.¡± Difort filled my stomach when I reached for the handle, but Vinn refused to budge. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°So take a nap. You¡¯re not leaving.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only here because I need you.¡± His te eyes roved over me, his eyebrows narrowing. ¡°Not like that. You¡¯re bait.¡± I dropped my purse as my arms numbed. ¡°Oh, Mia.¡± He stooped to grab it, smiling. ¡°You should never have trusted me.¡± KIDNAPPED. Again. Kidnapped by someone who saved my life. As abductions went, it was traumatizing. He¡¯d subdued me in seconds. Bound my wrists and ankles. Unlike Alessio, there was no undercurrent of sexual tension or yful banter. There was just his cutting gaze and the freeze that clenched my heart whenever Vinn touched me. He didn¡¯t look at me. He seemed unable to as he gagged me and stuffed me into his backseat. Then he tucked a nket around me, buckled me in, and patted my cheek. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± What part of this is okay? I could¡¯ve screamed. Are you crazy? After an hour of driving, trees whipped passed the window. Lots of pines with snow clinging to the branches in big chunks. Holy fuck, he¡¯d driven me out of Boston. He was insane. I¡¯d misread his actions in the distillery. He was bringing me to the sticks to kill me. I howled into the gag until Vinn nced over his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re fine. Stop being a drama queen.¡± I hollered until I choked on my saliva. ¡°If you keep working yourself up, you¡¯ll have a panic attack. I won¡¯t hurt you. How many times do I have to say it? If I wanted to murder you, I could¡¯ve done it a thousand different ways before tonight. Calm down. You¡¯ll be free in a few minutes.¡± This can¡¯t be happening. He turned onto a dirt road. I jostled from the movement, another spike of fear mming into my heart. I kicked the armrest and writhed in the seatbelt, flinging the throw off. He tsked. ¡°This isn¡¯t how you behaved when you had a gun to your head. I don¡¯t get it.¡± He applied the brakes and yanked the clutch. The engine cut and the st of hot air dissolved, throwing me into a deep chill. He opened the side door, and the sight of him mbering over me made my lungs seize, and the world shrank into a golf-ball-sized hole. ¡°Oh, for Pete¡¯s sake. Stop panicking.¡± Vinn unbuckled and grabbed me, nket, and all. His grip tightened when I squirmed, trying to break his hold. ¡°There¡¯s ice everywhere. Stop.¡± A pale pink line glowed on the horizon, shimmering light over a sprawlingke. Vinn took me away from the sunrise, into a shabby cabin with frayed furniture. He dumped me on a sofa. ¡°Damn it.¡± He ripped off his winter jacket and threw it on me. ¡°I¡¯ll get a fire going.¡± He disappeared, returning with an armful of logs. When the furnace zed, he stepped back and seemed to remember my existence. He pushed the couch closer to the warmth, and I shuddered from the heat flooding my skin. Suddenly, his fingers scratched at my head, untying the knot with the gag. He flung it into the climbing mes, and my mouth filled with air. ¡°Help! Somebody, help me!¡± Vinn endured my screaming with a grimace. ¡°There¡¯s nobody around for miles.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy! What are you doing? Why am I here?¡± Vinn stared into the firece, his voice like a mousepared to mine. ¡°I knew you¡¯d nevere willingly. I¡¯m sorry for gagging and tying you.¡± ¡°Why am I here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You c-called Alessio,¡± I blubbered, tears streaming my face. ¡°You w-wanted to lure him here alone. You¡¯re going to hurt him.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why? Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be thanking me?¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°No!¡± I roared. ¡°He¡¯s my husband!¡± Vinn stood, his brows furrowing. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed things, Mia. Disturbing shit. I watched you at the wedding. You were unhappy and scared. Whatever. It was none of my business, but it kept happening. Whenever you¡¯re with him, you look so crushed. You hate being with him.¡± ¡°No! I love him!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a wreck.¡± He backed away with a humorless smile, his toneced with bitterness. ¡°You¡¯re one of those women.¡± ¡°Fuck you, you sanctimonious prick. I¡¯m not a battered housewife. You don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on. You made a judgment based on nothing-God! You¡¯re all the same. I¡¯m so sick of you mafia assholes ¨C self-righteous jerk. I don¡¯t need your white-knighting bullshit. I can save myself! Take this off me!¡± Vinnughed. ¡°Your husband is an underboss.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not like you!¡± ¡°Thank God.¡± ¡°Remove the zip ties!¡± ¡°Fine!¡± Vinn gripped the sofa. ¡°But you¡¯re not leaving.¡± I nodded. He grasped my wrists and sliced through the stic, and then he cut my ankles free. I shoved him aside and sprinted. He snatched my arm and tossed me backward. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wrong about Alessio.¡± Vinn blocked my exit, his voice darkening. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I have my reasons for wanting him gone.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± ¡°None of your concern.¡± ¡°You want to be boss, is that it?¡± A chill doused me when Vinn red. ¡°Are you Costas all nuts? First Anthony, now you?¡± ¡°Making an outsider Nico¡¯s sessor was a big mistake. If I don¡¯t do this, it¡¯ll happen anyway. I¡¯d rather it be me.¡± ¡°Vinn, please. Please. Don¡¯t kill him.¡± I grabbed his frozen arms and squeezed. ¡°He¡¯s been amazing to me. You just don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re not there. Nobody sees all the things he does to make me feel cherished. I would never have stayed if I didn¡¯t love him, and I¡¯ve loved every moment of being with him. I don¡¯t want either of you hurt.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand how much I want this.¡± ¡°Please. I¡¯m carrying his child! You¡¯re destroying a family! Please, please don¡¯t!¡± My pleading dissolved into sobs that wracked through me. ¡°You don¡¯t have to murder him. Please.¡± Vinn pushed me, his fingers like icicles wrapping my flesh. His eyes were dark rings, swallowing my emotion without reflecting any. He didn¡¯t give a damn. He was dead inside, gone. ¡°Sit down.¡± A crack yanked my attention to the firece, where a Glocky in easy reach. Vinn watched outside, his focus lingering on the windows. ¡°Why did you think I needed you to take care of my husband?¡± ¡°Because you seemed helpless.¡± My body pulsed with rage. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m weak?¡± He said nothing, shing a condescending grin that roiled my guts. My anger burned like the logs. The fire popped. I grabbed the gun, loaded it, and aimed. I pulled the trigger. Vinn¡¯s gaze widened, but he didn¡¯t defend himself. He didn¡¯t grab the sidearm at his waist. The first bullet struck ster. The second- He jerked, his neck streaming with blood. Vinn crashed into the wall. He shoved himself upright, palming the bloody mass that was his ear. ¡°You shot me.¡± My arm trembled as I pointed the gun at his head. ¡°You¡¯re threatening Alessio. You gave me no choice.¡± ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Just because I hate violence, doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t defend myself. Get rid of the gun, or I¡¯ll put another one between your eyes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re an arrogant asshole.¡± A slow smile spread across his face as he unholstered his gun and slid it over the floor toward me. ¡°Now what? You¡¯ll take me out back and shoot me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never, ever touch you or your husband. Promise.¡± He shook off the mocking tone and darkened. ¡°You¡¯ll have to kill me.¡± ¡°Vinn, stay down!¡± #1 Chapter 29 ALESSIO ¡°Alessio, let¡¯s think this through.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had this discussion a million times. He kidnapped my wife. He¡¯s a dead man.¡± ¡°Vinn didn¡¯t say he would hurt her. Right?¡± Michael flexed his hands, his breath billowing in white clouds. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that. He likes Mia. I¡¯m just-we shouldn¡¯t assume the worst.¡± I paused, ankle-deep in sleet as we trekked along the highway, under cover of trees. ¡°I¡¯m going to kidnap your kids, drive them to the sticks, and tell you to meet me there unarmed. And then we¡¯ll see how reasonable you¡¯ll be.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Point taken.¡± We¡¯d parked half a mile away, hoping we¡¯d catch Vinn unawares, but the cabin stood on an open in near the reservoir. We wore ck among a nket of snow. ¡°Six fucking years, I¡¯ve known this bastard.¡± I¡¯d debated whether to bring my rifle, but I wasn¡¯t the best marksman and couldn¡¯t ept that risk. ¡°If you have a shot, take it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not executing my cousin without talking to him first.¡± All you Costas are worthless. This could end up with two bodies instead of one, and I didn¡¯t want to kill Michael. ¡°Why are you defending him?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s like a brother to me! You¡¯re both my brothers! All I¡¯m asking is that we think about it before killing him. Nico won¡¯t like that you didn¡¯t ask his permission.¡± ¡°If Vinn doesn¡¯t give a shit about the rules, why should I?¡± ¡°Nico will be pissed!¡± ¡°Vinn¡¯s not leaving me with any other option!¡± ¡°And then what?¡± Michael demanded. ¡°I n both your funerals? Listen to you, you dumb fuck. You can¡¯t murder Vinn and expect to live out your days. He¡¯s a Costa. You¡¯re not! He¡¯s family. You¡¯re an outsider.¡± That shed through my armor and stabbed me. ¡°You¡¯re my family.¡± Michael¡¯s hand rolled over my shoulder and squeezed. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget what you and Mia did. I don¡¯t care what yourst name is, but they do.¡± ¡°Get off me and go back to the car.¡± ¡°Alessio-¡± I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. ¡°You¡¯ve lost my trust. Out of my face.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this, man. Please-¡± Deafening booms cracked across the in, and the sound burst through me. Gunshots. He killed her. The agony ripped out my guts as I sank into the snow. Horror had buckled my knees and wouldn¡¯t let me up. A desperate scream I¡¯d never uttered before tore from my mouth, and then it dwindled into a low moan. The sharpest misery sliced me to the bone. Already, the echo of her death faded. She¡¯s gone. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Michael grabbed my arm as the air left my lungs, his lips white and shaking. ¡°She might be still alivee on!¡± She wasn¡¯t, and I wanted to die. I allowed him to pull me upright and drag me into a stumbling jog that became an all-out sprint. I¡¯d rip him apart. She was my life, and he¡¯d killed her. ¡°Alessio, hold on! Let¡¯s go through the windows.¡± I crashed into the door. It swung wide open. I expected the body to be hers, but Vinn sat on the floor. Blood painted his neck. Mia stood in her cocktail dress, unhurt. Alive. I yanked her into my chest and checked her head, her shoulders, arms, legs. Nothing. She was fine. ¡°The gunshots,¡± I breathed into her hair, whispering. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± She faced me, lip trembling. ¡°I shot him.¡± ¡°What?¡± My gears ground to a halt as I mentallybined the gun and Vinn, who didn¡¯t meet Michael¡¯s probing gaze. Michael greeted the scene with a widening grin. ¡°She got you?¡± Vinn groaned. ¡°Fuck you.¡± I slipped from my coat and wrapped her in the wool. The agony of losing her slowly ebbed, and the sweetest relief flooded my soul. ¡°Put it down, Mia.¡± I flipped the safety before loosening the Glock from her grip. Then I held her hand, leading her outside. ¡°What happened?¡± Mia¡¯s brte waves tossed in the breeze as she searched me as though looking for approval. ¡°I shot him. I had to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± I cupped her face, my voice breaking. ¡°You reckless, brave, incredible girl. He¡¯s a former Marine. You could¡¯ve died.¡± ¡°He threatened you. I had no choice.¡± She did it for me. ¡°I thought he killed you, and that I was toote. I wanted to die with you.¡± Mia threaded her fingers through my hair, her brown eyes swimming with tears. ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°Mia, there is no life without you. I love you. I fucking love you.¡± Mia dove into my arms with a sob. ¡°I love you, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I left you there.¡± She gripped my neck and pressed into me. ¡°Ask me how I knew that I love you.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Because when I found out that I¡¯m pregnant, I was so happy.¡± A hole seemed to open under my feet, and I fell through. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡± Wild happiness exploded from the very center of me. I wanted to drown her in thousands of kisses. I wanted to rip off all her clothes and fuck her. I wanted to do anything but leave. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, and I¡¯ll show you the results. We¡¯re having a baby.¡± She filled my heart with that word. She loved me. She did everything to keep me out of trouble, and I wished I could let her. ¡°How far along?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nine weeks. I¡¯ve known since the hospital visit.¡± ¡°The wedding,¡± I realized with a gasp. ¡°And I¡¯m just now finding out?¡± ¡°You¡¯re never around! There¡¯s always a crisis.¡± She sounded so bitter and unhappy, but her eyes glowed with warmth. ¡°The doctor imed it was probably a miscarriage. Thest thing you needed was that on your te, too. When they detected a stronger heartbeatter, I tried to tell you. But we never had a spare minute alone. My n was to do it at Sanctum, but¡­¡± ¡°I fucked up Anthony instead. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be a dad, and I need you to stop flying off the handle. Do what¡¯s right by us, not whatever you feel like.¡± ¡°I am doing what¡¯s right by you.¡± ¡°Not if you murder him.¡± ¡°What do you think will happen if I let Vinn go?¡± ¡°Do it for me!¡± Mia grabbed my jacket, no longer crying with the same tortured sobs that made me want to copse. ¡°Walk away. You can¡¯t do this forever. You know it¡¯s true. They don¡¯t want you. You¡¯ll never be a Costa. You¡¯re nothing to them, but you¡¯re everything to me. I¡¯m the one who can¡¯t live without you,¡± she said brokenly. ¡°I¡¯m your family.¡± I would be a father. I was her everything. I¡¯d never been that to anyone. ¡°I¡¯ll do better.¡± ¡°You have to.¡± I swallowed hard. ¡°I¡¯ll drive Vinn and Michael to New York and meet with Nico. And-and then I¡¯ll say I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her lip quivered. ¡°You mean it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± But there was no guarantee Nico would let me leave. I PUT Vinn in the trunk. I¡¯d bound his wrists and ankles. I hoped the bastard felt every pothole from here to New York. When we were five miles from our destination, I pulled over to a deserted parking lot and released Vinn. We got back into the car and managed not to murder each other for the rest of the way. I¡¯d kept my feelings locked into a steel drum. But when we arrived at the visitation room, and Nico sat at the table, my throat closed. I was nervous. God help me. I couldn¡¯t disappoint the only man whose opinion I valued. I¡¯d let him down. He would fucking hate me, and I dreaded it. ¡°How are you, kid?¡± I sat beside him. ¡°I hurt Anthony. He assaulted my wife, and I gave him a nasty beating. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s fine. If you can call his normal, drug-addicted self fine. I paid for his hospital visit, but I am through with Anthony. For good.¡± ¡°Where were you?¡± he roared, snapping at Vinn. ¡°I told you to watch my son!¡± ¡°He was kidnapping Mia.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Vinn is a lying scumbag who nned to kill me, but I¡¯m willing to move past that as I have with the many attempts on my life. I¡¯m not here for retribution. Nico, I can¡¯t do this anymore. I¡¯m sorry, but I quit.¡± Nico¡¯s cheeks flooded with blood. ¡°Quit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving the position to Vinn, unless you decide otherwise. Whatever. I don¡¯t want to be involved. I need a clean break from the chaos.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in jail for a few weeks, and you fall apart? You¡¯re stronger than this.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Wait, wait. Alessio, slow down. I understand that you¡¯re upset, but you¡¯re talking crazy. You can¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t loyal. I don¡¯t have their obedience. I will not work for a family that won¡¯t ept me. So I¡¯m out.¡± Vinn looked like all his dreams came true. ¡°I want this, Nico.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up. You went against my direct order. I¡¯ll deal with you bothter.¡± Nico swiveled toward me, growling. ¡°Alessio, we need you!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve dedicated thest ten years to serving the Costas. I¡¯m done. I don¡¯t want to do this anymore. Nico, please let me go.¡± Nico¡¯s silence was like needles on my skin. ¡°You¡¯re like my son.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re the father I never had.¡± ¡°You¡¯re treating me like a fucking jerk-off.¡± ¡°Nico, I am grateful for everything. I regret nothing. I tried. I did what I could because you¡¯ve been so great to me. But it¡¯s too much. Mia¡¯s having a baby. I¡¯m never at home. I will honor the contracts I¡¯ve produced, and I¡¯ll be there for you, but I can¡¯t be boss.¡± I swallowed the lump in my throat and stood. ¡°Sorry, Nico. I¡¯ll leave you to discuss arrangements.¡± I headed for the exit, my gaze sweeping over Michael¡¯s expression of stunned disbelief and Vinn¡¯s cautious optimism. It was no longer my concern. I left the jail and stood outside, battling a fierce storm in my soul. Michael and Vinn emerged, their heads bowed together. The betrayal and disgust that had built over the whole day boiled. I joined them. ¡°Did Nicoe to his senses?¡± Judging by Vinn¡¯s smile, he had. I¡¯d never seen him so happy, and I could¡¯ve pushed him down the steps. ¡°Perfect.¡± I patted his shoulder. ¡°Anthony is officially your problem.¡± ¡°Alessio, wait.¡± Vinn followed as I descended. ¡°Jesus, hold up. I¡¯m trying to apologize. I made a mistake. You¡¯ve done a lot for us-¡± ¡°Where was this appreciation when you were nning to blow me away? Six years,¡± I snarled. ¡°You stabbed me in the back. I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± ¡°You feel betrayed,¡± he deadpanned. ¡°I understand, but it wasn¡¯t personal. You were getting killed anyway. I wanted to be a boss.¡± ¡°Nice. Fuck you.¡± ¡°What Vinn means is I fucked up, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± Michael, ever the peacemaker, looped his arm around my shoulder. ¡°Alessio, breathe. You¡¯re out. That¡¯s all that matters, right?¡± ¡°Alessio, you¡¯re the best leader we had,¡± said Vinn in his graveyard voice. ¡°Unfortunately, you were born with the wrong name.¡± I couldn¡¯t take anypliments from Vinn. ¡°If you touch my family, I swear to God. I¡¯ll raze the streets with my vengeance. You will lose my contacts. You can kiss the rotating cops at your house goodbye. And when all the gangs I¡¯ve united leave because you no longer have Sullivan at your disposal to call off raids, you¡¯ll regret crossing me.¡± Vinn smiled, and then he jerked his head at Michael, indicating he should follow. They strolled down the parking lot, walking out of sight, and the enormous weight on my heart finally lifted.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I was free. #1 Chapter 30 EPILOGUE ONE YEAR LATER My daughter looked like her mother. The heart-shaped face and dimpled smile belonged to Mia. Her big eyes were just as expressive, and her nose was a cute, button-like dot. It would¡¯ve been easy to call her a mini-Mia, but the widened jaw, her horizontal eyebrows, and the feistiness were mine. I swaddled Alessia, whose bright gaze had not yet darkened. Such a gorgeous shade of blue. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll have hazel eyes?¡± ¡°I hope so. I¡¯ve always loved yours.¡± Her fingers threaded my hair before she hugged me, baby and all, and pressed her mouth into mine. I nipped her bottom lip and met her stroke by stroke. Mia grabbed my waist and slid her thumbs in my waistband. She flicked her tongue, and I caught it between my teeth- Alessia fussed, and Mia stroked her head, soothing her with gentle kisses. I thought my love for Mia couldn¡¯t grow, but since the birth of Lexy, it had consumed me. Compromising on the baby¡¯s name took forever. I wanted something Italian, and she preferred a non-traditional choice. She gave birth a few days before my birthday, so we decided to name her after me. We agreed on Alessia, but we called her Lexy most of the time. ¡°I love you,¡± Mia whispered, lips touching my ear. ¡°Thank you for giving me this perfect baby.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°It was my pleasure.¡± ¡°Both of ours.¡± I abandoned the purr, lowering my voice. ¡°You¡¯ve made me so ridiculously happy, Mia. I think I had so much love inside me but I had nowhere to put it until you and Lexy. I owe you everything. I love you.¡± Mia broke away and wiped her eyes. She returned to cleaning the kitchen, and somehow the sight of her scrubbing milk bottles filled me with a pang because she had insisted against hiring a babysitter. She would stay home for the six months, and then rely more heavily on her parents. Which meant Mia wouldn¡¯t attend Bourton in the fall. ¡°Sweetheart, I wish you¡¯d reconsider hiring a nanny.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust nannies, and I won¡¯t have strangers raising my child. Anyone who watches our daughter has to be family.¡± I loved that she was so protective. ¡°But you¡¯re missing out on college.¡± Mia shrugged. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll change my mind when she¡¯s older.¡± ¡°I could watch her every day.¡± Mia shed me a yful grin over the counter. ¡°I wish I could tell the man I met about this conversation.¡± ¡°Mia, I want to do this for you. I¡¯m here most of the time anyway. You have to continue your school.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about itter,¡± Mia whispered as the front door opened and closed. ¡°Hi, Michael!¡± ¡°Hey, sorry we¡¯rete.¡± Michael¡¯s cheerful voice boomed into the kitchen, his four-year-old doppelg?nger clinging to his legs. ¡°Somebody was having a tantrum. Is that my godchild? Give her here.¡± I reluctantly passed her to Michael, who gave Lexy a scratchy kiss that provoked a howl. We named him godfather following his very consistent campaign for the responsibility. After he paid back the countless hours Mia watched his children in full, we agreed there was no better person. ¡°Hold her head.¡± ¡°I am!¡± Michael¡¯s furrowed gaze softened when itnded on my baby. ¡°She¡¯s so adorable. Looks like Mia, thank God.¡± I hovered nearby, anxious. That was another new thing-the constant worrying over our kid. I¡¯d never been so fucking concerned. Sometimes I tore myself out of bed to check if Lexy was still breathing. ¡°I¡¯ll watch her. You guys take it easy.¡± ¡°Alessio, it¡¯s fine. He has two kids, remember?¡± Mia rubbed my shoulder as Michael walked out with our baby. ¡°He¡¯s here to help.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Michael and I patched things after the disasterst year. Vinn was a colossal prick whose ego had grown since he was boss, but he had mostly kept me out of the Costa drama. I was no longer at their disposal. Mia didn¡¯t have to worry when I left the house. I had shifted into an investor role while remaining on the board of multiple mob-owned businesses. Leaving the mafiapletely wasn¡¯t an option for someone who used to be in Nico¡¯s inner circle, so she learned to live with the asional Costa-rted function. As an associate, I had the favor of the Costas without the target on my head. A headline had sshed over my news feed this morning with a picture of a disheveled Anthony wrapped in the arms of a leggy blonde, exiting a nightclub at four a. m. Comments from Michael led me to believe he was still a massive pain in the ass. The doorbell rang. ¡°Can you get that?¡± she asked. I lurched from the chair, hoping it was Carm. Mia had seen little of her sister, and I knew it bothered her. Carm had withdrawn from the family over thest year. Crash was atrge, and the attempt to find him had been abandoned. Vinn had no desire to waste the resources, and Carm had asked everyone to stop bringing him up. I passed the nursery, where Michael spoke to my girl in a falsetto that broke with a deepugh. I opened the front door and gaped at my guest. Holy shit. ¡°Mom. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Mia wanted us to meet your daughter.¡± My wispy mother was just as beautiful as I remembered. Remorse filled her eyes. ¡°I couldn¡¯t say no. Alessio, I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± The gut-punch nailed me in the stomach. My voice cracked with joy as I stepped out, wrapping her in a hug. She clung to my shoulders and burst into tears. A taller woman climbed the porch. I let out a second, gleeful shout as my sister tackled my middle. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡± ¡°We heard you left them,¡± Ashley cried, her face buried in my neck. ¡°It¡¯s about time, you idiot. We love you. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± I held them close to the ache in my chest. Mom wiped the tear that skated my cheek and kissed my forehead. I looked through the haze of ecstasy at finally having them back and spotted my wife. She was the dream whenever I closed my eyes, but my reality was even better. I found my family with her. Finally reunited. Finally whole. # # # Read the next book as well Vinn¡¯s story and Michael¡¯s & Carm¡¯s story I hope you¡¯d love it. #2— Chapter 1 ABOUT THE BOOK I stole my trophy wife Her father killed my brother, so I took Carm hostage. I didn¡¯t know how to execute my revenge, but when the innocent little honey attempts to bargain for her father¡¯s life, I devise the perfect n. I won¡¯t just take my revenge. I¡¯ll savor it. She¡¯s desperate to save her father. Her offer: One night. No strings. My counter-offer: The rest of my life, no strings, but plenty of rope. I need a mother for my two kids. A wife to warm my bed. A lover to break. That¡¯s Carm. I thought my only battle would be between us¡­ in the bedroom.¡­but marrying her incited a war I never sawing. If I don¡¯t win¡­I lose everything. I lose her. # # # CARMELA I might be dead in a few hours. I¡¯dmitted no crime in the eyes of thew, but in the menacing gaze of Michael Costa, I¡¯d done the unforgivable. I crashed his daughter¡¯s birthday party. One didn¡¯t enter the home of a notorious gangster without an invitation, especially if you were among his enemies, but the doorman neglected to check my name as I arrived, wearing couture and a big smile. After a quick search of my clutch, he waved me forward. The gift shifted in my hands, curly ribbon sprawling across the unicorn wrapping. I¡¯d gotten the girl an Easy-Bake Oven. Growing up, it was my favorite toy. Hopefully, the seven-year-old had an interest in cooking. Poor kid desperately needed fun after what had happened to her mother. The wrought-iron gate of the Tudor-style manor, which hung over the street like a gargoyle, swung open easily as I pushed it with a finger. Two front-facing gables overlooking leaded windows red at the road. A dense English garden surrounded the inner courtyard, where a few people mingled, clutching their Cristal. nts wove across each other in waves ofvender cosmos and pink foxgloves. Unkempt rose bushes snarled the fence. A meandering stone path led to a fountain with a granite table and bench. It was charming and beautiful-much like its owner. Dappled sunlight broke over my head as I strolled under a Japanese maple and headed to the foyer. My nerves jangled every rm bell as I crossed the threshold, as if I were signing my death warrant. How the hell would I walk out? Dad was counting on me. I¡¯d worry about thatter. I wandered into the mansion. Talk andughter filled the dreary space with the illusion of warmth. Most of the attendees were face-saving assholes-Costa soldiers and their wives, sucking at the power teat. I drifted among a coterie of ros¨¦ drinkers under the beamed ceiling. The chandelier glowed soft and effervescent, casting everyone in a dreamlike hue. Gold was the theme of this party. Shining tes and forks adorned every surface of Michael¡¯s home, which seemed to protest all the glitz. Some homes oozedfort from the color or the arrangement of the furniture, but this was cold and masculine. Steel, cool brown, and dark blues dominated the d¨¦cor. Everything from Restoration Hardware furnished the rooms-so not my style. I couldn¡¯t imagine living in such an intimidating ce. Where was Michael? He wasn¡¯t smoking with the men outside. I didn¡¯t spot him in the kitchen, where his mother coaxed guests with appetizers. I lingered by the bathrooms, but he never came out. Icked the bravery to climb the stairs. That could get me into even more trouble. My fingers dug into the wrapping paper as I pushed my present onto a console table. I slipped the envelope with the card over the box, hoping her father believed the well wishes for his daughter. I headed in the direction of the corridor leading to other areas, colliding with a ball of energy. A boy tumbled backward. ¡°Oops!¡± I caught his arm and righted him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± A navy vest covered his tiny chest, and he wore matching cks over ck tennis shoes. The small child tottered forward, his round eyes locked on mine. A wide grin split his cherub face, which was a dead ringer to the man for whom I searched. Good Lord, I¡¯d almost bowled over Michael¡¯s son. ¡°Matteo, you¡¯ve gotten big.¡± I kneeled as he smoothed his messy curls. ¡°Look at your outfit. You¡¯re so handsome.¡± ¡°Pick me up, Carm!¡± My heart melted. ¡°You remember my name.¡± ¡°Pick me up.¡± I shouldn¡¯t have, but I couldn¡¯t resist the little fingers beckoning me. I hiked him onto my hip. ¡°Better?¡± Matteo nodded, beaming. ¡°I like your hair. It¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He lifted a thick strand, balling it in his chubby fist. Then he whipped me like a horse. He broke into hysterical giggles when I jogged in a circle. His happiness made me smile. How could something so pure and innocente from Michael? I needed to find him. I adjusted my hold on Matteo as I scanned the guests, searching for the man of the house. ¡°Where¡¯s your daddy?¡± ¡°Here.¡± His voice was smoke rolling over whiskey. A man¡¯s hand palmed my naked back and slid upward, anchoring on my shoulder. He squeezed, his grip punishing. Then his body pressed into me. Shit. My gaze tore from the bubbly four-year-old to a man with a lean build, wearing a midnight suit over a fitted white T-shirt. Michael was a demi-god sculpted by loving hands, starting from his longshes to his full lips and dimpled chin. Warm brown waves cropped short at his neck framed a rakishly handsome face. The Michael I¡¯d known was rarely without a smirk-but the one who stood next to me now pulsed with hostile energy. Probably because I held his child. ¡°Matteo, gentle.¡± Michael¡¯s fingers sped over his son¡¯s, which still grasped my hair. ¡°Be nice. Don¡¯t pull.¡± ¡°But I like it!¡± ¡°I know you do, pal.¡± Amusement and fierce pride rumbled through his words. ¡°You do this to every pretty girl who walks in here. You are utterly shameless. So much like your old man.¡± Michael¡¯s touch vanished, and then he brushed my stomach as he shifted Matteo from my arms. As he did so, he beamed with a warmth that seemed to rearrange air molecules. He kissed his son. ¡°Stop chasing girls and go y.¡± ¡°Will you y with me?¡± ¡°Yes, honey. Later. I love you.¡± ¡°I love me, too!¡± Laughing, Michael handed him to a nanny. ¡°Keep him busy.¡± Pain stabbed my gut as I drank in Michael¡¯s tenderness for his son and the love between them. A sickening wave of jealousy mmed into me. It was the wrong time and ce, but the reminder that Icked that missing piece sucked all the joy from my heart. A sallow-faced woman took Matteo as he waved to his father. Once Matteo disappeared, Michael¡¯s radiance dulled to a depressing ck. ¡°Carm. We should catch up somewhere private.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± His tone was light, but the grip circling my wrist was vise-like. He dragged me from the party and guided me toward a door. When it opened, I hesitated. A darkened bedroom waited. The gentle push became a shove. I stumbled forward. A chill rode my spine at the click of the lock sliding. Michael grabbed me before I turned, his hand snaking into my hair while the other yanked me against his chest. The sting reminded me who this man was-a ruthless gangster. ¡°What the fuck are you doing here? How did you get in?¡± Fighting him would¡¯ve made things worse, so I allowed him to bare my throat. Michael¡¯s hooded eyes zed with emotion. He seemed deeply unnerved. ¡°I brought a gift and walked in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re at my house, uninvited, holding my kid. What were you nning to do? Walk out with him?¡± His suspicion wrenched my insides. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m not here to hurt anyone.¡± ¡°Bullshit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just here to talk.¡± ¡°Not in the mood for a chat, Carm. Especially with you.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°You¡¯re rted to your father. That¡¯s enough.¡± Michael rxed, transferring his grasp to my neck as he pushed me against the wall. ¡°What were you doing with my son?¡± I swallowed hard, ignoring the jolt his touch gave me. ¡°I was looking for you, and he asked me to pick him up, so I did. That¡¯s all. I swear.¡± ¡°What was your n?¡± This was blowing up in my face. ¡°Michael, you weren¡¯t answering my calls. Then I remembered this party. I figured it was worth a shot.¡± ¡°You thought you¡¯d ambush me at my daughter¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His expression full of deep mistrust, Michael seized my purse and rifled through its contents, only finding my wallet and keys. I didn¡¯t even bring a phone. I¡¯d wanted zero opportunities to call for help. ¡°You were crazy toe here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to lose.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡± He zipped the clutch and tapped my shoulder, menace radiating from his body. ¡°Michael, what happened to us?¡± Michael tossed my bag onto the bed and dropped the aggression, his smile tugging into that yful nt I recognized. ¡°Don¡¯t sound so wounded, Carm. I¡¯ll get the wrong idea.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I have to fix this. Tell me what to do.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do.¡± He nced at my cleavage and must¡¯ve been satisfied because he dragged his eyes up with a grin. ¡°You get props for dressing the part, but it¡¯s time for your sweet ass to leave.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Go while I allow it.¡± I didn¡¯t budge. ¡°No.¡± ¡°May I remind you what I can do to you and your whole family?¡± My stomach churned. ¡°I¡¯m here on behalf of them.¡± ¡°You mean most of them?¡± Michael¡¯s taunt lifted the hairs on my arm. I¡¯m toote to save my dad. The pounding music from outside faded. ¡°Michael, no. Please tell me he¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°I have no clue what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Oh,e on! You know why I¡¯m here. Tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll give it to you. Money?¡± ¡°Look at this fucking ce. I don¡¯t need your money.¡± What else did I have? ¡°We have properties in Italy.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I could introduce you to the mayor. I¡¯ll hand over the title of my dad¡¯s mansion. You could burn it, put it in your will, sell it.¡± ¡°What good is that house to me?¡± ¡°Michael, tell me what you want!¡± ¡°Watching you guess is making my night.¡± Michaelpped up my desperation with a greedy smile. My mouth went dry. This was part of his mind game. He¡¯d make me believe I had a shot, and then he¡¯d throw me out. If all the material possessions wouldn¡¯t sway him, what did I have to trade? There had to be something I could do. Matteo¡¯s beaming grin shed through my head. His kids. ¡°I can help you. Think about your children-how much they could use a woman in their lives. They lost their mother a year ago. It can¡¯t be easy, raising them by yourself. I¡¯ll keep the house in order.¡± ¡°You want to be the help?¡± ¡°Michael, you have everything but me.¡± He raised a brow. ¡°You sure about that?¡± His knuckles grazed my neck, lingering where my pulse was the strongest. He could do whatever he wanted. Nobody would cry for help if he strangled me-or dragged me to the bed-which, under his feverish gaze, seemed far more likely. The air between us heated into a sauna I was desperate to escape. ¡°Do you want me or not?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t a man in the free world who doesn¡¯t. But your dad killed someone I love. So I¡¯m killing him.¡± ¡°Take me instead.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Take me. Do what you want with me.¡± My stomach tensed as the scent of leather filled my nose, bringing with it painful images. Michael made a sound at the back of his throat. A pleased rumble that paired perfectly with his teasing smirk. ¡°Tempting, but no. Fucking you won¡¯t take the sting out of my murdered brother.¡± ¡°One night. No strings.¡± ¡°The rest of my life, no strings, but plenty of rope.¡± His smile was a dark promise. ¡°I don¡¯t need a fuck doll. No. You¡¯ll be my wife.¡± He took a step away as I absorbed that bombshell. The shockwave sted through my pretense of calm because being tied to him was my worst nightmare. Lying underneath Michael as he used me was much more preferable to marrying him. ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± It was well-known that Michael loved to y with his food before he ate it. I opened my mouth to demand that he stop screwing around, but not a hint of mischief glimmered in Michael¡¯s gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this.¡± ¡°Youid it out for me. I have two kids who miss their mom. They need a strong, confident woman with a good head on her shoulders. That¡¯s you, Carm. Aside from the poor judgment you showed by trespassing.¡± ¡°You¡¯d rather me be their recement mom?¡± ¡°I want your soul, to own you and taste your kiss when I give you an orgasm. I¡¯d love to rip off that dress, fuck you with your heels still strapped on, make you kneel, and teach you to submit. God, the things I¡¯ll do to you.¡± He backed me against the wall, his expression ravenous. ¡°I¡¯ve waited for you to notice me the way I¡¯ve noticed you.¡± Oh, I had. Before this mess with my father, Michael Costa was a stable fixture, a happy-go-lucky devil, always ready with a yful quip. I¡¯d watched him break down my moody brother-inw. After my sister¡¯s baby was born, he was among the first to visit. The asions Michael and I had bumped into each other stuck in my memory because he expressed his interest in me without a drop of shyness. Exchanges with him were heavy on innuendo. Once, he¡¯d steadied my bnce with a hand on my back, and I¡¯d thought about how amazing it felt all week. Despite that-and the fact that my loneliness gnawed at me every night-I stayed the hell away from Michael. I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯d expected him to demand sex for my father¡¯s life, or an exchange that¡¯d cement my position as hostage-not partner. ¡°You¡¯re a status symbol, vengeance, and a trophy wife rolled into one pretty package. I want you off the market and wearing my ring.¡± Gangsters made terrible boyfriends and even worse husbands. Been there and all that. I couldn¡¯t jump into something permanent with another Nick, a man who broke my heart and almost shattered me. It would destroy me. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything else.¡± A bestial grin carved into his face. ¡°You could allow me to kill Ignacio.¡± I can¡¯t believe this. ¡°If I agree, then what?¡± ¡°We get married.¡± He smoothed hispels, running his fingers over the silk. ¡°And I¡¯ll release Ignacio.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Just like that. But he is cut from your life. The details can wait, but I¡¯m notpromising. You know what your dad did. This is his only way out. Marry me-or he¡¯s dead.¡± I¡¯d torch the world for my father. He was the only man I trusted. He¡¯d kicked in doors of men who¡¯d wronged me. He¡¯d always been an unwavering force, and now he was helpless. Dad needed me. Was I going to let him down? No. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t catch that. What did you say?¡± Dread pitted my stomach. He was toying with me, and it was just the beginning. ¡°I¡¯ll marry you.¡± #2— Chapter 2 MICHAEL Family was everything. I loved nothing like I did my babies, but it was an obsessive love. It brought out the worst in me. Like when I beat up a shopkeeper for pping my daughter¡¯s hand. I left him on the sidewalk with mangled limbs and shattered pride, wailing at witnesses for help. Nobody had assisted him because, in my neighborhood, everybody knew me and what I represented. I had one rule. Don¡¯t fuck with my kids. Those who threatened my son and daughter died painful deaths. They were my legacy, body, soul. Anybody who risked their safety bought a ticket to the morgue, or more likely, a grave around the Quabbin Reservoir. Which prompted me to the front gates of my mansion to stare down the world¡¯s biggest moron. The security guard I¡¯d hired stood at an impressive height of six-foot-four and came well-rmended by his peers. He¡¯d served in Afghanistan and graduated from a top-tier executive protection school, and he¡¯d allowed a stranger to enter my home. Bryan was built like an ox, but the steroids must¡¯ve deteriorated his brain. His square jaw ticked as I approached him with a photo of Carm on my phone. ¡°Recognize this woman?¡± He gaped at the picture I took after locking her up. ¡°Yeah¡­I think. She walked in about thirty minutes ago.¡± ¡°Did she give you a blowjob?¡± His brows furrowed. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Were you distracted by her tits?¡± His nostrils red, and a ripple of rage went through me. He had no right to be angry, the dumbass. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the question.¡± ¡°Why the fuck did you let in someone who wasn¡¯t on the guest list?¡± A spasm of panic twitched his face. ¡°She was carrying a gift.¡± ¡°Anything could¡¯ve been inside.¡± ¡°Mr. Costa, I¡¯d never put your family at risk. She had nothing on her.¡± ¡°You have one fucking job-check their names.¡± I wouldn¡¯t use that agency again. If he was that guileless, I had zero faith in the rest of their employees. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Costa. It¡¯ll never happen again.¡± ¡°Damn straight. You¡¯re fired.¡± I shoved him onto the sidewalk, glowering. ¡°Get out of here before I do something I regret.¡± I snagged a money clip and tossed his hourly rate into the air. I watched him scramble after the cash as it scattered with the wind. He was lucky Carm was the honey I¡¯d lusted after for months. I could¡¯ve killed her for bulldozing my boundaries and touching my kid. The fact that she¡¯d strolled through my security without a hitch strangled me, but I knew Carm. I¡¯d seen her at Christmas parties, and she¡¯d babysat my children with her sister, Mia. She¡¯d never hurt a child. She was tall and fuck-hot, with long espresso-brown hair streaked with caramel highlights. Carm was Gal Gadot with curves, a stunning woman who¡¯d been the discussion of many drunken card games at Sunset Tavern. Her hourss figure was a ma for male attention, which she usually ignored. Half of Boston¡¯s underworld had a crush on the leggy Italian goddess with a mouth. Alessio, her former fianc¨¦, had called her difficult. She shot down guys with the delicacy of a flying brick. She was a tough girl. God, I loved them. Specifically, I loved bringing them to their knees. Thinking of her trapped in my bedroom worked me into a frenzy. Once inside, I grabbed a cocktail from the open bar, pressing the chilled ss to my throbbing pulse. I cooled down, and then I rejoined the room awash in wrapping paper. My daughtery on the rug. The coffee table was pushed aside to make way for the mountain of gifts. Matteo hovered near his sister, bawling.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. I knelt beside my son and kissed Matteo¡¯s temple. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Matteo pouted. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The four-year-old looked at the packages waiting to be opened and burst into fresh tears. ¡°What about me?¡± I squeezed his chin. ¡°Buddy, you¡¯re killing me. It¡¯s your sister¡¯s birthday.¡± He pointed at the boxes. ¡°But I want one, too!¡± Mariette tackled a present wrapped in gold. ¡°Ooh!¡± I dragged him over myp. ¡°You cry every time someone else has a party.¡± He turned into my chest and sobbed. I rubbed his back, shaking with barely audibleughter. Then I heaved a sigh, fished a small package from my pocket, and pressed it into Matteo¡¯s hands. ¡°Here you go, honey.¡± Matteo¡¯s sobbing quieted. He disengaged and wrestled the truck from the packaging. Two years ago, I held a party for my daughter with nothing for Matteo-what a disaster. He¡¯d been inconsble. Since then, I never threw a birthday without a gift for the other kid. I tugged on Mariette¡¯s pigtails. ¡°What did you get?¡± ¡°Easy-Bake Oven!¡± Mariette scratched through paper, revealing a giant, pink stic toy. ¡°It makes cakes! Wow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome. Who¡¯s it from?¡± She peeled an envelope from the box and took out the card, frowning. ¡°Dear Mariette, As you grow, make sure you dream big. Smile, live,ugh, and have fun! Happy seventh birthday. Love, Carm. Who is Carm?¡± I took the card. ¡°She¡¯s¡­ Daddy¡¯s girlfriend.¡± Mariette made a face. ¡°Yuck.¡± The note was a nice touch. I smiled, picturing the brte upstairs, wearing that sheer dress. She¡¯d obviously hoped to seduce me and wrangle an arrangement. She got what she wanted. I¡¯d forced her into an engagement. What was wrong with me? I could¡¯ve lied and banged her, but the image of her holding my son had stopped me. I¡¯d always seen myself with a girl like Carm. Life hadn¡¯t been kind. I knocked up a stripper. Married said girl, whose instincts for motherhood were nonexistent. When she wasn¡¯t threatening to take my children, she cheated, scored drugs, and drove me insane. I tried to fix her-rehab, psychiatrists, therapy-nothing worked. I¡¯d been held hostage for six years. So when she died, aching relief had washed over my bones. Finally free. Thest thing I needed was another shitty marriage. I had a feeling about Carm. A stupid feeling, maybe, but it warmed my body. I ignored such an impulse once, and it almost destroyed me. Fortunately, my head and heart screamed the same advice-Don¡¯t let Carm go. So I wouldn¡¯t. #2— Chapter 3 CARMELA I did not do well in cages. Especially those that resembled my worst nightmares. I stood by the leaded windows as daylight leached from the sky. A ball of anxiety throbbed inside me as night descended on the sleepy suburb. Silhouettes of homes disappeared, melting into pitch-ck nothingness. Warmth sapped from my bones as the evening mist dissolved the taillights from thest departing guests. What would he do when he returned? Clues presented themselves in the bedroom¡¯s strange d¨¦cor. Bronze rings stuck out from the four-poster bed. A cast-irontticeprised the headboard. A hook screwed into the ceiling beam. I opened his walk-in closet. Steel boxes lined the top shelf-were they gun safes? I swept aside the rack of bespoke suits, heart pounding when my fingers touched a bundle of nylon rope. Beside it sat a leather blindfold. My breathing hitched. We were so ipatible. I¡¯d never known this side of him. Michael was supposed to be one of the good ones. The gossip surrounding the newly minted consigliere never mentioned the room with sex toys. This bondage crap pushed my boundaries to their limit. The things I will do to you. Jesus, he wasn¡¯t kidding. Several ufortable minutes passed with a walnut-sized lump lodged in my throat. I pictured Michael fisting my hair, bending me over the mattress. A violent shiver ran down my spine. Footsteps tapped outside. Oh shit. I held my breath as the door creaked. A shadow seemed to melt inside. The light stroked Michael¡¯s silhouette with warm colors, illuminating alluring details-a lean form rippling with muscle, the sharp edges defining his angr cheeks, the elegant slope of his nose, and his hooded eyestely, always narrowed. Calcting. He¡¯d discarded the jacket. The untucked T-shirtbined with his swagger would¡¯ve made James Dean proud. His irises were a vibrant shade of amber, and as tempting as whiskey on a chilly evening. ck stubble covered his jaw and chin, chiseling his angr features. Completing the look of perfection were his yful grin and the dimples shaping his face. I absorbed his every detail, as though I¡¯d find a secret in his wrinkles that¡¯d free me. The urge to tten my hand against his chest to keep him at bay was overpowering. ¡°It¡¯s not toote to change your mind.¡± ¡°Why would I do that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a decent man.¡± ¡°Carm. Sweetheart.¡± He brushed his knuckles against my frozen cheek. ¡°I was nice to you because I wanted to getid. You¡¯re easy to manipte, and I¡¯ve had a lot of practice.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a psychopath.¡± Michael looked bored with the turn in conversation. ¡°I¡¯ll be one hundred percent real with you starting now, except around my children.¡± ¡°Have you reconsidered?¡± Please say yes. ¡°No. Cold feet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no coward. I just don¡¯t like to be locked in a freak show for hours.¡± ¡°Freak show?¡± He followed my gaze to the bronze rings, the ceiling hook, and the walk-in closet filled with rope. He lifted his shoulders. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tie you up on our first night together.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were into ropes. Michael, that is¡­intense.¡± Before this, I would¡¯ve attached a thousand different words to Michael-glib, carefree, lighthearted. Everything I¡¯d associated with him had vanished in private. I¡¯d been deceived. He was a friend of the family who dropped in on Christmas with his adorable kids. The same man who cooed at my sister¡¯s newborn had ckmailed me into an engagement. This was Michael-unmasked. He fixed me with a stare that heated my blood. ¡°Intense is how I like it.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re a sadist.¡± ¡°I¡¯m many things, Carm.¡± ¡°Clearly. Why do you do it?¡± ¡°Having a woman at my mercy makes my cock hard.¡± He was so flippant and crass, far from the gentleman who¡¯d kissed my knuckles. ¡°I¡¯ll never look at you the same again.¡± ¡°But you are looking at me.¡± As if my attention could¡¯ve wandered with him in the room. Michael used to be a bright spot in a dark universe. ¡°I never gave you the time of day for a reason.¡± My throat tightened when his smile grew. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve taken a hint.¡± ¡°That you wanted to be chased?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t interested because I¡¯m not attracted to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you got all dolled up and offered yourself as a sex ve.¡± Michael smiled, and gooseflesh pricked my arms. ¡°Never thought you¡¯d do that. It¡¯ll be a great story to tell the grandchildren.¡± Whoa. ¡°Michael, you need to dial back your expectations. When I fantasize about sex, it¡¯s without leather cuffs.¡± Judging from Michael¡¯s walk-in closet, he was the least vani guy on the fucking. ¡°You¡¯ll be happier with someone else.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about my happiness.¡± He bulldozed past that rming statement and adopted a chastising tone. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have higher priorities than my sex life?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all I can think of.¡± He tapped my chin. ¡°Well, get your mind out of the gutter. We have rules to discuss.¡± ¡°Rules?¡± ¡°Yes, hon. Rules. Did you believe I¡¯d let you run amok where my kids live and sleep?¡± He still hadn¡¯t shown evidence that Dad was alive. ¡°I have to see my father. You owe me proof.¡± ¡°Your dad is fine.¡± The glimmer in his eyes disappeared. ¡°I give you my word.¡± ¡°Is that good for anything?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Why would I lie?¡± Easy. ¡°Because you enjoy screwing with people.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather fuck you than mess with your pretty head.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never touch me, especially with that bondage shit.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sending mixed signals, Carm.¡± Michael resisted when I pushed his chest. ¡°Bringing up my kinks over and over.¡± It was hard not tounch at him with everything I had. ¡°I want to see my father!¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s my decision, and I¡¯m saying no. When the timing is right, I¡¯ll allow a visit.¡± That dug the rusted nail into my pit of rage. ¡°Is this a sick game? Keep me in suspense about whether my father is alive?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to see Ignacio. Trust me.¡± So he¡¯d been tortured. Tears mmed into my eyes as I pictured my dad huddled in a concrete cell, gashes marring the face I loved, and God knows what else. Hate swirled into a heated frenzy. ¡°Whatever you want out of this marriage-you¡¯ll never have my love.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll love my kids.¡± I opened my mouth to deny it, but I couldn¡¯t form the words. There was plenty of room in my heart for two innocent kids, but absolutely none for Michael. Falling for a man almost killed me once. It dragged me into a pitch-ck ce, and I emerged with mental scars that still bled. I¡¯d tolerate Michael. But love him? Never. #2— Chapter 4 MICHAEL There wereseven stages of grief, but I only felt one. Rage. Daniel had an anger management problem. A gangster with attitude.Go figure. He wasn¡¯t the easiest person to deal with. Growing up, we¡¯d had a love-hate rtionship. He pped me around until I packed on enough muscle to strike back. We used to beat the shit out of each other. Once, he stabbed me in the thigh. My overwhelmed mother sent him to therapists who made him count to ten and bullshit like that. Daniel never hit pause on his aggression. If a fight broke out, he ended it with a gun. And he won. This time, he hadn¡¯t been so lucky. All I knew was that an altercation had led to Carm¡¯s father sinking two rounds in my brother¡¯s head. Knowing Daniel, he probably asked for it. That didn¡¯t mean my mom deserved to watch his corpse sink into the ground. It was my job to pick up the pieces. ¡°Ignacio. Can you hear me?¡± I doubted he heard anything but the ringing. Ignacio slumped on concrete. Carm¡¯s judgmental gaze seemed to re through her father¡¯s eyes. A patchy beard stained with vomit grew in salt-and-pepper chunks. He still wore his Sunday clothes, although he¡¯d stripped to his tank top. Every day, he¡¯d peeled off another blood-soakedyer, discarding it like a tumor excised from his body. I took it as a sign of progress that he was weakening his resistance, but after countlessfuck-yousandfuck-your-mothers, I decided Ignacio was nowhere close to a mental breakdown. Stubborn ass. My brother had been just as bullheaded, and theparison twisted a knife in my chest. If I¡¯d taken hisints seriously, Daniel¡¯s dispute with Ignacio would¡¯ve stayed harmless. My mom and sister wouldn¡¯t be wrecked. I wouldn¡¯t be struggling to move on in a world without him. ¡°Fuck you,¡± Ignacio growled. ¡°Fuck your mother and your rotten family. I hope they get cancer in the ass and die, all of them.¡± He¡¯d said it a thousand times already. ¡°I¡¯m bored with these exchanges.¡± I stooped and grabbed a fistful of his hair. ¡°You tell me to fuck off. I hit you. And round and round we go. What are you trying to prove?¡± Ignacio grimaced and spat, crimson staining the floor. The sixty-something-year-old staggered upright, shrugging off his pain like he had for five days. Carm¡¯s father was one tough bastard. ¡°Give me what I want, or I¡¯ll introduce you to Vinn.¡± I pointed out my cousin, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. Ignacio¡¯s gaze never strayed far from the imposing Costa boss. Vinn stood in a navy hoodie, rolled to tattooed sleeves, beside the Camaro that needed bodywork. The acting boss before him, Alessio Salvatore, put him in intimidating roles. Vinn was tall and big, with biceps as wide as my neck, and he didn¡¯t know how tonotbe frightening. I loved the guy, but he had zero self-restraint. He wielded an axe when he should¡¯ve used a scalpel. People were scared of Vinn. They zeroed in on what I overlooked. Instead of deadness, I saw decades of trust. Vinn was the kid with nothing to eat until my mom sent me to school with two lunches. He was a tragic character who attracted women like my sister, who wanted to fix him. I switched on the stereo, which sted Metallica¡¯s ¡°Ride the Lightning.¡±Ignacio groaned and pitched forward. Spittle ran from his mouth in a constant stream, and he screamed in unintelligible sybles. I increased the volume. Ignacio wed his ears. The song reached the halfway mark before I stopped the music. His frame straightened to his towering height. ¡°When I get out, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± I grabbed his bound hands and shoved him into the metal chair. ¡°Yeah, yeah. You¡¯re wee to try if you escape.¡± ¡°I swear to Christ. I will burn all you love to the ground.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Naz, I have your daughter.¡± Ignacio froze. A flicker of panic marbleized his bloodshot gaze. He doubled over, cradling his head, whispering a prayer in a shrill voice I¡¯d never heard before. Jackpot. ¡°Carm came to see me. Beautiful girl. Very sweet. Willing to do anything to save you.¡± All we¡¯d done was talk. I leaned back, lost in the memory of that hottie strolling into my house like she owned the ce. Many qualities of Carm appealed to me-smoking-hot body, grab-me-by-the-balls confidence, and her affinity for children. All reservations about marrying Carm disappeared when I remembered Ignacio¡¯s devotion to his daughters. He¡¯d almost started a war with the Irish after a member had assaulted Mia, his youngest. I wanted to twist the de, so I¡¯d cut him from Carm. I would take his darling jewel away from him forever. Ignacio lunged with a snarl, snapped by Vinn¡¯s hand. ¡°What did you do to my girl?¡± ¡°Everything. It was a wild night.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you! I kill your whole fucking family!¡± ¡°Rx, Ignacio. She¡¯s no worse for wear.¡± I winked at him, provoking another hoarse scream. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m keeping her.¡± If someone taunted me about Mariette like this, I would stab their nuts with an ice pick. It turned Ignacio into a frothing beast who leaped at me no matter how often Vinn restrained him. ¡°No. Not my daughter, you son of a bitch!¡± ¡°Give me information. Save Carm.¡± A sharp frustration tugged at my chest as he sat, gnashing his teeth. ¡°Or I¡¯ll continue to do whatever I want with her.¡± Nothing. Maybe he didn¡¯t care. Ignacio attempted to stand. ¡°I can¡¯t say anything!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had it with your bullshit. Tell me, for Christ¡¯s sake. What did my brother do? Why did you shoot him? You¡¯re dragging this out, and it¡¯s pissing me off! Grow a pair and own what you did.¡± Vinn pushed him down. ¡°Michael. Enough.¡± I refused to change the subject. ¡°Why did you murder the man protecting you?¡± ¡°Michael, stop.¡± I grasped Ignacio¡¯s dislocated shoulder and dug my thumb into the joint. His shriek pierced my eardrums. ¡°I saidstop.¡± Vinn seized my bicep and jerked his head toward the office. ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± I shoved him. ¡°I¡¯m not done.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Disobeying a direct order from Vinn wasn¡¯t an option, even if he was family. I stood, kicking the chair on its side. None of them had ever really seen me angry. They knew me as the fun-loving guy, the peacemaker-the man everybody chose for a godfather role. Not anymore. Everything inside was twisted and ck. #2— Chapter 5 CARMELA Michael offered me a big, calloused hand. I did not want to touch him, but I had little choice. His fingers sped mine, ironing me with heat. Then he pulled me outside, and we headed downstairs. As I struggled to match his pace, I took in more of the mansion. Spending my life in this colorless ce seemed like torture enough without Michael prowling its interior. As we passed the kitchen, I nced at the backyard. An English garden surrounded a full, greenwn. A lonely tree house fashioned from the same wood as the mansion stood in the house¡¯s shadow. A blue ball sat in the sandbox, which didn¡¯t even have a shovel. God, it was sad. The house reflected this family¡¯s downward spiral because the cottage he¡¯d lived in months ago didn¡¯t have this depressing vibe. Wall-mounted photos glowed with Serena¡¯s wide grin-histe wife. She¡¯d died in rehab, chasing the same high that put her there. I hoped the kids were okay. Staring at their faces pitted my belly with sadness. What happened to them was so unfair. Matteo had been only three years old. I focused on his cherubic face, and a shock jolted my heart when I nced at Michael. It was hard to connect the grinning man with the dark presence beside me. Michael turned his menace at the family portrait,municating more with a stare than he could in words. ¡°They¡¯re only up for the kids¡¯ sakes.¡± In the kitchen, a nanny scattered as though ordered to leave once he was in the room. Michael detached from me to greet his children, who sat at the granite countertop. He beamed at them and shouted, ¡°Who wants pancakes?¡± ¡°Me!¡± I marveled at his transformation from broody asshole to wholesome daddy. ¡°Morning.¡± The kids crowed a greeting. I joined Michael near the stove as he mixed pancake batter from scratch and dropped blueberries into smiley faces. ¡°Need help? I can start the bacon or cook some eggs.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Michael cleared his throat, softening. ¡°That sounds great.¡± I grabbed a package of bacon and a carton of eggs. Michael watched my every move, not even letting me cook scrambled eggs in peace. Once the food was ready, I set the table, and Michael made everyone¡¯s tes. I sat beside Matteo, my head pounding as my fianc¨¦ served the kids, and then me. Mariette¡¯s judgmental blue gaze pierced me as I sat beside her father, who kissed my cheek. I forced a smile as his face glowed with happiness that didn¡¯t meet his eyes. ¡°Kids, we need to talk. Do you remember Carm?¡± Matteo beamed. ¡°Carmel!¡± ¡°Carm.¡± Michael¡¯s baritone softened. ¡°Carmel is a city in California.¡± ¡°Her name is Caramel,¡± boasted Mariette. ¡°Like candy!¡± ¡°No. Car-mel-ah. She¡¯s Daddy¡¯s fianc¨¦e. She¡¯s staying with us from now on.¡± Mariette¡¯s blonde head snapped up, her lips forming a pout. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because we¡¯re getting married.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because we love each other so much.¡± Michael teased his fingers across my shoulders and nted the softest kiss on my temple. ¡°And we couldn¡¯t wait another second to get engaged.¡± Mariette darkened. She gave her father the stink-eye, and then her haughty disapproval flicked to me. Believe me, honey. I¡¯m not thrilled about this either. The four-year-old, however, glowed. ¡°What about Mommy?¡± Michael sobered. ¡°Mommy¡¯s dead.¡± Ouch. I felt that one in the stomach. It was awful to hear Michael¡¯s matter-of-fact delivery, and even worse to see their confusion. How many times had Matteo asked that question, and how did it feel to give that devastating answer? Mariette frowned at her te. ¡°Why can¡¯t shee back?¡± ¡°She¡¯s gone. People who die don¡¯te back.¡± Matteo shrugged and returned to his scrambled eggs. Mariette flushed beet-red, her forehead creased in a deep scowl. I braced for the outburst. ¡°I hate you.¡± Mariette stood, her tiny frame vibrating with a fury that seemed to match her father¡¯s. ¡°Why are you marrying her? What about Mommy?¡± A lump lodged in my throat. ¡°Mommy¡¯s dead, and it¡¯s your fault!¡± Mariette seized her ss and hurled it to the floor. It shattered across the marble in hundreds of pieces, and suddenly I wished I didn¡¯t have a heart. Good God. A horrible silence filled the air, broken by Michael¡¯s hammer-likemand. ¡°Go to your room.¡± Mariette howled as she raced upstairs. Michael stared ahead, his expression vacant of all pain, but it poured over me like msses. ¡°Do you mind if I talk to her? Michael?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. He sighed deeply. ¡°Go ahead.¡± I slid off the stool and climbed the staircase, following the sound of her crying into a room shimmering with gold. Shey in her bed, wrapped in herforter, and her face streamed with tears. ¡°I don¡¯t like you. Go away.¡± Ouch. ¡°I just want to talk.¡± ¡°No. Go away.¡± ¡°Five minutes, and then I¡¯ll leave you alone. Promise.¡± Mariette rolled over, sniffling. I sank onto the mattress. How the hell should I approach this? Was there a manual on how to talk to a seven-year-old about their mother¡¯s death? ¡°I know this must be confusing. I¡¯m a stranger, and all of a sudden, I¡¯m in your home, eating breakfast with you, doing things your mommy used to do. I¡¯m not trying to rece her, honey. She¡¯ll always be your mom.¡± Mariette turned toward me, crying. ¡°I miss her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey.¡± I wiped the hair clinging to her wet cheeks. ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, but so is your dad. He misses your mom, too.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t. He hates Mommy.¡± Probably true. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°Daddy hates me.¡± ¡°Your daddy loves you more than anything in the world.¡± That wasn¡¯t a lie, at least. ¡°It¡¯s his job to keep you safe and happy.¡± Mariette fell silent and chewed her lip. I pulled a random children¡¯s book from her nightstand. ¡°Can I read you a story?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I opened the watercolored pages and read until hershes fluttered. When her body sagged, I undid her ponytail and smoothed her curls on the pillow. Then I reced the book and stood. I headed for the door. Michael was at the threshold. My pulse galloped ahead at the sight of him blocking my exit. His impassive gaze zeroed in on his sleeping daughter. When it swept over me, his lips parted. Raw emotion pulsed from him, dragging me forward like light spiraling into a ck hole. I felt sorry for him. I didn¡¯t think that was possible ¡°Michael, she didn¡¯t mean it. She misses her mother, and she¡¯sshing out. She doesn¡¯t understand what she¡¯s saying.¡± ¡°You said a lot on my behalf.¡± I followed him into the hall and closed the door. ¡°What was I supposed to say?¡± ¡°The truth.¡± His features were twisted in the shadows, his smile bestial. ¡°I never loved her. I hated that junkie, waste-of-space bitch. I¡¯m d she¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°Michael.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Michael turned away, as though he couldn¡¯t bear the sight of my pity. ¡°Just leave me alone.¡± ¡°You need to lighten up. They lost their mom. They needughter and silliness, not the cold, hard truth.¡± ¡°Jesus Christ, Carm. Go away.¡± ¡°What is your problem?¡± He wheeled around. ¡°They¡¯re my kids, not yours!¡± I jumped, my heart wrapped in barbed wire. A plea stuck in my throat as his overwhelming rage ckened the hallway. My back struck the wall, and he loomed over me. Suddenly, I was yanked to a different time. My senses filled with clove smoke, scarred fingers groping where they had no right, and brightshes of pain on my thighs-and I could not pull from Nick. In my mind, my ex-boyfriend stood in a leather cut, his fist raised to strike. ¡°Please, don¡¯t. Please.¡± His burning palm touched my cheek. ¡°Get the fuck off!¡± I flinched and smacked him away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the horrible voice exploded. ¡°Pick a room and stay there.¡± I ran down the hall and dove into a study, shaking as I slid the lock. Then I dragged a chair under the handle and hid under the desk. I watched the door and waited for it to tremble. So I braced myself. #2— Chapter 6 CARMELA My dreams were ashes. Soon, I¡¯d marry a man I hated. I¡¯d sign Carm Costa onto a marriage certificate and bind myself forever to a psychopath. Starting a family was out of the question. Michael¡¯s two kids meant he was unlikely to want more. I leaned my head back so my tears wouldn¡¯t blur the mascara. I sat in a room in the Boston Cathedral, a magnificent colonial structure from the early neenth century restored by my brother-inw, Alessio. The cost of booking it ran in the tens of thousands, but Michael had spared no expense on this sham wedding. I¡¯d wanted a small ceremony-Michael insisted on a big affair, instructed me to buy a designer dress, and booked a major act for the reception. It was the party of the year, as far as Boston¡¯s underworld was concerned. Everybody would be here, from politicians, CEOs, cops on the Costa payroll, and gangsters from every corner of the Northeast. A ray of sunlight broke through a cloud, stroking my face with warmth. The golden windows were shut against the dazzling sunshine burning through rolling clouds. So inviting. I could so easily open them and jump into that brilliant blue. Seven days had passed since Michael took me into his home. I¡¯d arranged the details for thisst-minute wedding with the help of a nner Michael hired. I thought it¡¯d be a shit show, but over three hundred guests RSVP¡¯d to attend. The stylist pinned my ebony mane into a thick updo, the silk flowers with pearls for buds standing out like stars. J, a willowy makeup artist, dabbed my wrist with swatches of two identical pink lip glosses and peered at the stripes of color. She unscrewed one and painted my mouth. The church bells tolled, ringing the half-hour. J sighed, looking everywhere but my eyes. She leaned over and tweezed hair from my brow. ¡°Perfect.¡± She plucked a Q-tip from the pile and soaked my tears. ¡°The photographers will be in any minute.¡± I wasn¡¯t big on disys of emotion. I hated losing control. I¡¯d never even been drunk, which seemed like a significant aplishment at twenty-seven years old, but I couldn¡¯t look into the mirror without tearing up. This should have been the best day of my life. A fist hammered the door, punctuating thest echo of the bell, and then Michael¡¯s smoky voice boomed through. ¡°It¡¯s me. Open.¡± Someone got the door. Michael stepped through, the sunlight bleaching his expression into something wholesome. Handsome-picture-perfect with the white boutonniere hanging over hispel. He¡¯d tamed his mocha hair into a slick wave. He wore a navy tuxedo and had softened his beard to a shadow clinging to his neck. His brown eyes glowed with a swirl of golden amber. A gorgeous smile curved his full mouth,pleting the look that¡¯d always cemented him as the Safe Guy. It was a con. In private, the temperamental bastard barely spoke. During my seven-day istion, he¡¯d locked me in the east wing of his mansion and popped in only to discuss wedding details, ignoring me so thoroughly it was hard to ept he wanted this marriage. Michael took in my dress with an appreciative nod. He stopped an inch away, blocking the bright rays. ¡°Everybody out.¡± Nobody argued with a Costa. The workers filtered from the room, making so little noise it was as though they passed through the wood. Michael¡¯s knuckles grazed my chin. He touched me with the familiarity of a lover. Before this, we¡¯d done nothing but exchange pleasantries. At my niece¡¯s christening, he sat beside me. Matteo had raced down the pews, so I¡¯d dragged him over myp. I still remembered Michael¡¯s gratitude and the stinging patch on my cheek when he kissed me. ¡°You look beautiful, Carm.¡± The ghost of his lips seemed to press into me. I stamped on the growing mes. I would not be manipted. ¡°Stop pretending to be nice. We both know it¡¯s an act, and I won¡¯t have it around me. Ever.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± His hand fell, and the light in his gaze died. I could¡¯veughed at how quickly he abandoned the fa?ade if this weren¡¯t so depressing. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m less concerned about superstition and more worried my bride will misbehave at the ceremony.¡± Michael pulled from the sun¡¯s brilliance and stepped into shadow. ¡°We have a long day ahead of us. My family is here, including my kids. Matteo will do whatever he¡¯s told, but my daughter ¡­she¡¯s not happy.¡± No shit, Sherlock. ¡°What do you expect? You dropped this marriage on her without warning. She¡¯ll hate you forever.¡± ¡°She already hates me.¡± I can¡¯t imagine why. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°When we¡¯re around my children, we call a cease-fire. No fighting. No insults. No mmed doors. With them, we are the perfect couple.¡± ¡°What do I get in return?¡± His brow ticked. ¡°You won¡¯t be punished. Before your panties twist in a wad, remember that you freaked out over a few sex toys. You¡¯ll cave after five minutes.¡± He was such a prick to throw that in my face. ¡°Go to hell, Michael.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± He checked his watch with a flick of his wrist. ¡°If I were in your position, I wouldn¡¯t consider it a worthy battle. I¡¯ll have you begging for mercy in a heartbeat, and all our bickering does is hurt two innocent kids who didn¡¯t ask for this.¡± I hated that he sounded so reasonable, but I had no intention of dragging those children into our mess. ¡°Makes sense. You don¡¯t want a repeat performance of thest marriage.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Quite clever.¡± ¡°Are we finished?¡± ¡°Not yet. I have something for you. Part one of your wedding gift, so to speak.¡± Michaelzily gestured at the door. ¡°Bring him in.¡± Oak doors swung inward, and a disheveled man stumbled inside. His hair stuck up on all sides. Once free of Michael¡¯s soldiers, he shook his jacket. ¡°Get your fucking hands off me!¡± I stood. ¡°Dad?¡± He wore a double-breasted suit, the material bunching on his chest. A butterfly bandage stretched across a heavily bruised nose. He pivoted toward Michael, who smiled and waved. ¡°Ignacio,¡± greeted Michael with a tight grin. ¡°d you could make it.¡± ¡°Why am I here, Costa?¡± ¡°To give away your daughter.¡± Michael pressed into my side, his arm wrapping my waist. ¡°Isn¡¯t she beautiful?¡± Dad wheeled, his jaw dropping as he took me in, wedding dress and all. ¡°Oh, my God.¡± His wide-eyed horror told me he¡¯d had no idea about any of this. Michael had detonated a bomb, danced in the mes, and pissed on the charred ashes. ¡°Naz, didn¡¯t you believe me?¡± He stared at my father, wearing a wolf-like smile. ¡°I told you I was marrying her. Hell, I even gave you an invitation.¡± It dawned on my father, the tan draining from his face. ¡°All this for a grudge?¡± ¡°Grudge,¡± Michael deadpanned. ¡°Putting it lightly, Ignacio. You killed my brother. You owe me a life, and I¡¯d rather have your daughter¡¯s.¡± ¡°You sick fuck. You son of a bitch!¡± Dad fisted his hair and moaned. ¡°Carm, tell me he¡¯s lying. You¡¯re not marrying this man!¡± I fought to keep calm. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s for the best.¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Michael¡¯s soft purr rolled over my ears as his hand slid up my back, disying a recklessck of boundaries that would¡¯ve gotten him executed a few weeks ago. ¡°I¡¯ll look out for her, Ignacio.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take my daughter from me!¡± ¡°I already have.¡± Michael grasped my neck, his fingers pressing into my throbbing pulse. His touch slipped to my shoulder, his palm heavy and hot. It burned severalyers too deep, like his silky voice. Then he kissed the shell of my ear, and I ignited into a human torch. Two guys mmed into Dad as he lunged for Michael, who watched my father lose his shit with a curl of his lips. ¡°Carm, no! You don¡¯t have to do this. Don¡¯t ruin your life for me. He¡¯ll never give you what you want-¡± Michaelughed. ¡°Actually, I have every intention of fulfilling her wildest fantasies.¡± I faced the monster who¡¯d used my father like a sharpening block. ¡°You disgust me.¡± ¡°Oh,e on, Carm. It¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°Have it at someone else¡¯s expense, or I¡¯ll make today unbearable for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t respond well to threats.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re my dream guy? You¡¯re making this harder than it needs to be, you selfish son of a bitch.¡± The gloves wereing off if he thought I¡¯d y nice. ¡°Leave my dad alone.¡± Michael¡¯s yful smile indicated I wasn¡¯t in any position to bark out orders. He held all the power. ¡°Ignacio, this will be thest your family sees of your daughter. I expect you to behave. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll remove you from the ceremony, and you¡¯ll cut your time with Carm that much shorter. The only reason you¡¯re breathing is because I allow it. I can change my mind anytime.¡± Dad struggled against the soldiers holding him. His forehead bulged with throbbing veins. He seemed on the verge of a breakdown. I cupped his cheeks. Dad choked with a sob. The men restraining him let go, and he sagged into my arms. Michael¡¯s indifferent stare raked my skin. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five minutes.¡± My vision swam with tears before Michael exited. When he was gone, Dad wiped his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe what he did to you. I wish we had longer than five minutes.¡± I shook as he pulled me into a hug. ¡°It¡¯ll-it¡¯ll be okay. He-he hasn¡¯t touched me or anything.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t forever,¡± he said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out-I swear. Once Alessio returns-¡± ¡°Daddy, no. Don¡¯t involve him.¡± I clung to his shoulders. ¡°Mia and Alessio deserve to be happy. Besides, you have no idea where they are.¡± Gang violence had spiraled out of control since the new year. It was confined to other gangsters, and my brother-inw was still a very high-profile target, even after he¡¯d stepped down from an active role. Shortly before my sister Mia fled Boston with him, she¡¯d begged me toe. I¡¯d refused. Someone had to watch my stubborn father, whose resistance to leave verged on suicidal. There was nothing for him here. He was no longer a don, but he went into a rage at the suggestion of running, and I¡¯d stopped bringing it up. My dad wouldn¡¯t be driven from his home, so I¡¯d dug a trench and nned to ride out the storm. ¡°Michael will change his mind. It just might be a while.¡± I gave him a peck on his cheek. ¡°I love you. Stay safe.¡± ¡°I love you, too. You make a beautiful bride, honey.¡± His tone wavered and broke. ¡°It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this.¡± He balled my head into his chest, my heart wrenching as I seized his jacket. The door swung open, and Michael breezed in, the gust of crisp spring air blowing the warmth from the room. ¡°I gave you five minutes. You¡¯ve had ten.¡± He beckoned my dad with a flick of his fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Give him hell, Carm.¡± My soul shattered as they shoved him out of sight and shrank into a bitter husk when I met Michael¡¯s frigid gaze. Give him hell. CLEAR SKIES REIGNED INSTEAD of the promised storms. Boston¡¯s streets were miraculously free of traffic. Sunshine poured through the stained ss, caressing the aisles with colored light. It was something out of a dream with Mariette¡¯s flower crown, the tulip aisle markers, the carpet of orange-pink petals, the pirs overflowing with roses, my mother sobbing in the front row, and Michael. Michael¡¯s glowing smile was ripped from wedding magazines. He looked as happy as his son, who wore a matching suit. He¡¯d plucked the rings from the silk pillow raised by his four-year-old, and slid the band over my finger. Then he took my face and we kissed, his soft lips stroking me with blistering heat. The gesture was surely perfunctory for the photographer, who praised us endlessly-¡°what a gorgeous couple.¡± Everyonevished us with admiration. My rtives were charmed by Michael, who let his son cut the cake. My maid-of-honor, one of Michael¡¯s cousins, gave a generic speech. Single women congratted me on ¡°taming the yboy.¡± It was a sideshow. Michael and I sat with the bridal party, my father surrounded by Costa soldiers. He¡¯d sworn not to make a scene, but the cost was a hard blow to his pride. Dad fisted the tablecloth and didn¡¯t touch the six-course meal, ignoring the waves of duck confit, ck truffle risotto, and buttered Maine lobster. I¡¯d never seen him ignore food. That bothered me more than anything about this stupid wedding. Those who weren¡¯t drunk were getting tipsy at the white linen tables. My guest list seemed to prove Boston¡¯s seething underbelly. City hall officials mingled with wiseguys. Politicians hovered near the thick circle surrounding the acting boss of the family, Vinn Costa. Michael had spent the eveningworking as I hung on his elbow. Countless business cards filled his wallet before we finally sat to eat. Michael looked pleased. Our marriage had scored him a fuck-load of new contacts. He devoured his lobster while I took in my surroundings. ¡°So tell me about yourself.¡± ¡°You want to get to know me at our wedding?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Might as well.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Jesus, he was a piece of work. ¡°You must have hobbies. Pinterest. Barre.¡± He obviously thought I was a vapid idiot. ¡°Music.¡± Singing was more precise. I used to sit at the top of the staircase and practice Whitney Houston¡¯s version of the national anthem. I was a regr at The Rickshaw, a bar ten minutes from my former ce, but with the streets as dangerous as they were, karaoke night was out of the question. Music soothed my soul. I listened to do-wop, blues, pop, anything with a rhythm. ¡°Fascinating.¡± His knife banged into my te. ¡°Eat. Your body needs fuel.¡± Where the hell did he get off on lecturing me? ¡°You¡¯ve killed my appetite.¡± ¡°Remember our agreement, Carm.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Nobody can hear us.¡± ¡°They can see you.¡± Michael gripped my chair and leaned in, his eyes shing. ¡°Best behavior means smile. Look at me without scowling. Act like you don¡¯t want me dead.¡± He didn¡¯t give a damn about me. The indifference behind his words stabbed deeper than if he¡¯d yelled. The earth had opened and swallowed me whole. ¡°Is there nothing left of the man I liked, or am I stuck with this asshole forever?¡± ¡°Insulting me falls under misbehaving. Strike one.¡± ¡°Touch a hair on my dad, and I¡¯ll pay you back in spades.¡± ¡°Threatening me? That¡¯s strike two.¡± Michael took my chin and gave me a chaste kiss. ¡°Keep it up. You¡¯ll regret it when we¡¯re alone.¡± I fisted my dress. I wasn¡¯t sure what did it-his velvety voice or the kiss-but I couldn¡¯t breathe until he¡¯d pulled away. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Your father won¡¯t suffer. You will.¡± The sultry tone suggested it would happen in the bedroom. My fingernails piercedce as Michael beamed, tapping my dish. ¡°It¡¯s a party, Carm. Lighten up.¡± It¡¯s a nightmare. Michael dragged my meal to his side and cut my lobster. He jabbed a chunk of meat and hovered it near me. I parted my mouth, and it slid inside. Michael radiated greed as I bit down. The tines slipped from my lips, and the lobster¡¯s buttery warmth melted over my tongue. ¡°Shit. Not again.¡± He growled his displeasure as Matteo ran across the dance floor, chasing a crying girl. ¡°This fucking kid.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Michael shook his head, standing. He approached his four-year-old, who stopped in his tracks and begged to be picked up. Wearing an expression of deep disapproval, Michael knelt beside him. ¡°Teo, what did you do to her?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± A shy grin carved into Matteo¡¯s little face. ¡°Don¡¯t lie. Did you kiss her?¡± Michael guessed the worst from Matteo¡¯s continued silence, and took his arm. ¡°What did I tell you? Kissing is only for grown-ups, like getting married.¡± I snorted, and Michael shot me a ck look. I couldn¡¯t help it. The absurdity of the day¡¯s events had reached a new level. Michael was pretending to be all about boundaries. That was rich. Motherfucker ckmailed me into a marriage, but the irony seemed to be lost on him. Michael¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Apologize to her. Now, Teo.¡± Matteo stuck his fingers in his hair and faced the child clinging to her father¡¯s pants. ¡°Sorry, Ashley.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good, buddy.¡± The girl¡¯s father, a blond man in a double-breasted suit, grabbed Michael¡¯s son. ¡°Give your Uncle Julian a hug.¡± Uncle? He didn¡¯t seem rted to Michael. Julian¡¯s fair features screamed Nordic, the pr opposite of my husband. He wore his brassy waves in a tidy man-bun, and the golden stubble covered his neck and cheeks. He was likely in his mid-thirties. He had to be Serena¡¯s brother, which meant the entire family was probably here. A twinge hit my gut as I imagined them sitting through the ceremony that ignored histe wife, erasing her so thoroughly it was as though she¡¯d never existed. ¡°Carm, this is Julian,¡± Michael deadpanned. ¡°Julian, Carm.¡± ¡°We¡¯re d you could make it.¡± I shook his hand. ¡°Are you having fun?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been fantastic.¡± Julian offered a polite smile. ¡°Congrattions to you both.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, forcing a grin. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got the invitation a week ago.¡± Curiosity seared in Julian¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why did you send them sost minute?¡± ¡°Because I just popped the question.¡± Michael¡¯s arm slid around my waist, and he squeezed my hip. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for a while. This was a long timeing. Isn¡¯t that right, baby?¡± That was my cue to lean into my husband and kiss him, which I did, bumping my lips clumsily on his cheek. Julian raised his brow. ¡°I had no idea you were seeing someone.¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t call it dating.¡± Michael¡¯s voice lost its airy quality. ¡°More like animal maism.¡± I dug into his midriff. ¡°Michael.¡± Michael¡¯s wickedughter boomed through me. Julian glossed past that over-share, smiling. ¡°How did you meet?¡± ¡°At a restaurant. She was the hottest thing I¡¯d ever seen, and all I saw was her neck.¡± He traced it with his knuckle, starting with the hollow under my ear. My skin burned almost as hot as my rage. Talking like this to Serena¡¯s brother was insensitive as hell. He shouldn¡¯t be rubbing me in Julian¡¯s face. ¡°Michael. You¡¯re embarrassing me.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯ll tell him how I proposed.¡± Michael¡¯s attention flicked to Julian, who had gone quiet. ¡°My kids helped. My four-year-old popped the question while I kneeled. I thought I stood a better chance if I involved them.¡± Two could y this game. ¡°They wore matching suits. It was adorable.¡± I fondled Michael¡¯s tie, grinning. ¡°He was in tears before he¡¯d finished asking me to marry him. It was so sweet.¡± ¡°No shit? Huh. I can¡¯t imagine Michael crying over anyone.¡± ¡°Neither would I.¡± Both men exchanged venomous looks, which Julian broke with a sigh. ¡°You and Carm shoulde over. Or she and I could get together for ydates with my daughter.¡± Julian nced at the toddler nuzzling his cks. ¡°Say hi, Ashley!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, honey!¡± I reached toward the girl, but she turned away. ¡°Aww, she¡¯s precious. I¡¯d love to have a-¡± ¡°Carm¡¯s schedule is filled for the next few weeks.¡± Michael took his son from Julian. ¡°Too bad.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Julian¡¯s tone was resigned, but he seemed to burn with frustration as Michael handed Matteo to his au pair. He pped Julian¡¯s shoulder and shed him a condescending smirk. ¡°Enjoy the party, and don¡¯t steal the silver.¡± Julian¡¯s mouth twisted, and he stepped back, taking his daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s more cake.¡± I watched them leave, my stomach churning with the undigested wine and lobster. ¡°Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Because he needed to be put in his ce.¡± ¡°Did you have to be such a jerk?¡± ¡°No, but it has its perks. You look good with color in your cheeks.¡± Michael¡¯s stare was like a lightning rod. ¡°Also, strike three.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You scoffed at my kid.¡± ¡°No, I wasughing at you. You are ridiculous. A man who forces a woman into marriage has no business teaching anybody about boundaries. He watches you with women. You¡¯re the reason the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree.¡± A dark shadow rippled across Michael¡¯s features. He hadn¡¯t stopped smiling, but the shadows dragged his grin into a taut leer. His fingers bit into my side. ¡°Time to go home. Come.¡± I dug in my heels. ¡°I am not a dog. I do not fetch, heel, or beg.¡± ¡°Fetch? No. But you will beg.¡± My breathing hitched. ¡°You said I wasn¡¯t a ve.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t y with you.¡± #2— Chapter 7 CARMELA Trapped. I couldn¡¯t escape him here. For the entire night, I had Michael¡¯s undivided attention. He¡¯d hired a sitter for the kids, and we¡¯d headed straight for his bedroom. Heat tiptoed along my spine like a me-tipped finger rolling down. The evening would end here, and there was no avoiding the moment we slipped into bed. I had a lot of experience with sex. Most of it wasn¡¯t positive. I sealed my fate once I said, ¡°I do,¡± but my throat closed when I pictured sleeping with Michael. The safe guy, a man with a cloyingly sweet smile that dragged every woman in the vicinity to their knees. The one my sister had nudged in my direction. I should¡¯ve recognized the lie. Michael used good manners and warmth like a shield that reflected suspicion. Everybody trusted him, my sister included. But the fa?ade he worked so hard to maintain seemed to be gone, purged by his brother¡¯s death. Now there was a void. I wiped my palms and disappeared in the bathroom, yanking the pins from my hair, shaking off the stupid flowers, and removing pearl drop earrings. I scrubbed off the pound of foundation. I needed out of this ridiculous dress, but I couldn¡¯t reach the back. ¡°Carm.¡± Damn it. I rejoined Michael in the bedroom, who watched me with a sour look. His fingers whitened on the ss. It hit the metal bar cart as he set the drink down. Then he approached, stopping inches away. His unflinching re bored into me. He wanted an apology. He wouldn¡¯t get one. Michael said nothing, but he didn¡¯t have to. My pulse throbbed as he lifted a strand of hair from my face. It slipped from him, and then he bunched my mane into a ponytail and swept it to my other side. Cold stung my neck as he unzipped, his knuckle grazing my skin. Hismand brushed my cheeks with heat. ¡°Take off your dress.¡± I didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Do what you want with me. Your words, right?¡± I could¡¯ve called him things I¡¯d hurled at Nick-sick, twisted, cruel, broken. Michael was just like my ex-boyfriend. He took advantage of vulnerable women, except he¡¯d find out I had no boundaries left to damage. Nothing he did could hurt me. I moved the straps from my shoulders. The delicatece slid off my curves and pooled at my feet. Gooseflesh raised in rows across my arms as I wrapped myself, waiting for a degradingment about my body. He closed the distance between us, his waist nudging mine.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Everything. Off.¡± I unsnapped my bra and flung it aside. I treated my panties and heels with the same disregard, and then I imagined a shoreline. Blue was the calming color. It would fill my vision as he pushed me onto the bed and shoved himself inside me. I waited, expecting him to walk into the blue. Michael didn¡¯t move. Why wasn¡¯t he touching me? What was happening? I shifted my attention to his tented cks and cream button-up to his heated gaze. He wasn¡¯t looking anywhere but my eyes, and that sent a shock down my spine. Get on with it, you bastard. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Taking my time.¡± I didn¡¯t want this dragged out. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your fear. Just your submission.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have either.¡± ¡°When will you realize that you¡¯ve won? Your father gets to live. You saved him. You¡¯re married to me.¡± I¡¯d escaped Nick only to be tortured by another viin. How was that winning? ¡°That¡¯s a punishment, not a reward.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve done a lot worse. The world is filled with terrible men.¡± Michael¡¯s hand cupped my cheek. ¡°But I¡¯m not one of them. Far from it.¡± His burning palm distracted me from the lie in his words. ¡°How can you say that, with your rap sheet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a rebel, not a monster.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re up there with James Dean.¡± I shook my head, sighing. ¡°You¡¯ve been arrested for assault.¡± ¡°Who hasn¡¯t?¡± I snorted. ¡°Me.¡± ¡°No shit? That¡¯s surprising, given your reputation for ball-busting.¡± Was this lighthearted banter supposed to put me at ease? ¡°I would kick yours, but that¡¯ll just excite you, and I¡¯m not into kicking a man¡¯s nuts for his sexual gratification.¡± ¡°I like the way your mind works, but I¡¯m not a masochist.¡± ¡°Right. You like hurting other people.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get it twisted, sweetheart. I don¡¯t hurt women. I spank them. I fuck them. I leave them aching and wanting for more, and soon, you¡¯ll know what that feels like.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not attracted to you.¡± ¡°Are we pretending thest six months didn¡¯t happen?¡± His bourbon eyes seemed to pull me closer as he spoke. ¡°You wanted me, Carm.¡± ¡°Your arrogance is staggering.¡± ¡°You dodged me every time I came around. At parties, holidays, your niece¡¯s christening. You ran off after the service. I looked for you.¡± I¡¯d been overwhelmed with his attention, and I¡¯d camped in my room like a fifteen-year-old. It wasn¡¯t my style. When men were out of line, when they annoyed me, I told them off. ¡°I was under the weather.¡± ¡°Bullshit. You were hiding because I kissed your cheek.¡± Michael turned his head, his lips brushing my ear. ¡°That¡¯s called a crush.¡± My face burned, and I jerked away. ¡°I don¡¯t have crushes, and even if I did, you¡¯re not who I thought you were.¡± ¡°Never trust the guy who only smiles at you, Carm.¡± Good advice-given way toote. I couldn¡¯t stand talking to him. I¡¯d been so transparent, and I hated that he rubbed it in. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± ¡°No.¡± I swallowed my shock. ¡°No?¡± My hair stood on end as Michael held my gaze, the silence suffocating and hot, like steam. He seemedfortable, not at all in a hurry, so controlled. ¡°This isn¡¯t like ripping off a Band-Aid. I fuck women because I need to, because they need me,¡± he said, his voice hardening. ¡°A marriage with me doesn¡¯t have to be hell.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°You will.¡± Buttons unsnapped as he yanked off his shirt. The fabric tugged over his sculpted shoulders. Tight, corded muscle rippled across arms covered with dark hair. A mad impulse begged me to explore the broad panes of his chest and the bs of strength defining his back. Two dimples begging for my mouth peeked above Michael¡¯s cks, which he unzipped and let fall, exposing muscr thighs and his briefs, tented with a massive erection. He kissed my cheek. ¡°Stay.¡± His warmth disappeared as he retreated to the nightstand. I froze, counting the fleur-de-lis on the wallpaper. Michael rummaged through the drawer and retrieved something that jangled. He returned with a small box wrapped in silver. ¡°Your second wedding gift.¡± It probably wasn¡¯t a bracelet. He smirked as I pulled the bow. I sliced open the present, revealing a creamy band with a shiny buckle. A cor. He got me a fucking cor. Shock rooted me to the ground as he swept my hair aside and bound the thick leather around my neck, slipping the straps through the buckle. I swallowed hard, fingering the metal loops. It wasn¡¯t too bad-like a thicker-than-average choker ne. Still holding me, he pressed his body into mine. ¡°Come.¡± Michael hooked a finger through a hook. He tugged, and I stumbled toward the mattress. He walked backward, his smile growing with rapturous delight. He ripped the sheets and slid into bed, leading me forward. My palms ttened onto the satin as I crawled on all fours, my cheeks burning. I focused on the shimmery ze of the white under my hands, and not my building humiliation, which burst into mes with Michael¡¯s soft chuckle. ¡°Look at you, acting like the perfect submissive. And I thought you¡¯d give me trouble.¡± I was getting fucked whether or not I wanted it. I¡¯d been through this before. Fighting him would cause me pain, and sex with Michael wouldn¡¯t kill me. Risking his anger might. I¡¯d let him have me. He could toy with me all he wanted-I couldn¡¯t be defiled. He sat on his knees, touching me lightly. I sank into the bed as Michael hovered above, apparently speechless. After a few moments, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Drinking you in.¡± Michael lowered himself, nting a searing kiss on my brow. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± ¡°You said that already.¡± ¡°I meant it.¡± Whatever. He pulled back, holding a feather. He ran it through his fingers, the barbs pleating. I eyed it warily. ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°This.¡± He lowered it to my mouth. Tiny sensations brushed me like wisps of a brisk wind. The softest strokes caressed my skin in winding paths. He followed my shoulders, the sensation tickling. Then it reached more intimate areas, and my pulse hammered. ¡°This has been on my mind for too long. What I want to do with you-how I¡¯d make youe.¡± He certainly was making me feel. The feather swiped my breast. The tickle skated the curve, narrowing in tighter circles until stroking my nipple. Jolts struck me like lightning bolts. My nipple contracted, his antics feeding the fire I thought was forever doused. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be good. I wanted to fade from my body, to disappear. Michael made that impossible. Shutting my eyes kicked my arousal higher because I imagined his fingers instead. I gave up, looking at the ceiling, but he touched my jaw, and my attention snapped to his gorgeous face. ¡°You¡¯re mine. I¡¯m not letting you hide.¡± My hands fisted the sheets. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Please, what?¡± Stop. Demanding that no longer made sense, because the agony I pictured didn¡¯t match what he did to me. Nobody had ever given me pleasure-it was always taken. Taken without consent, until I had nothing to offer, just squeezing it from me. ¡°Please¡­what?¡± he prompted. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± Everything was confused, but Michael¡¯s dimpled smirk suggested that he understood my dilemma. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetheart?¡± he said in a tone filled with mock-concern. ¡°Look at me.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Scared of seeing something you like?¡± My heart pounded as I met his nted gaze, which was a mistake. I saw my desire reflected. Michael seemed hell-bent on giving me ecstasy. He thumbed my lips, almost sinking through. The feather changed course, dipping south. He lowered himself, nuzzling my neck. Wet heatshed me, and then he sucked. I inhaled a sharp breath. His smile pressed into my throat, the kisses bing hungrier, wetter, hotter. He pushed into a spot that thrummed wildly with my pulse. I shouldn¡¯t enjoy this. What the hell? The feather teased in tantalizing circles, down my cleavage, and around the other breast. Wherever it swept, I ached. I craved more pressure-more of this lightning filling me with so much glorious warmth. No, this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Pain and horror were all men like him knew how to give, and yet this was the opposite of everything I expected. His ragged breathing brushed my skin. Michael grasped my hip, his grip smoothing into an intimate stroke that stole my air. He grabbed my ass. Iy there, melting into the sheets. ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± ¡°Making you ache for me, just like I promised.¡± It was working. The feather skated my abdomen, tracking my hips, sliding around my thigh like the lightest finger, teasing my legs apart. My hand flew to his chest unbidden. He leaned into me as he stroked my clit. A bolt of desire hit me, the jolt of pleasure tearing through me, the first strike of a brewing storm. I arched into him, gasping. ¡°That¡¯s right, baby. Just feel it.¡± Michael tossed the feather aside. He swept his palm over my body, sending a dark thrill to my pussy. He found my clit and rubbed it in slow circles. A whimper escaped my lips. I was caught in a storm¡¯s eye, surrounded by a whirlwind that blotted the sun. Michael was everywhere, and soon he¡¯d be inside me, something that had terrified me moments before. Now I¡¯d surrendered to him. There was no escape-no corner of my mind I could hide. I¡¯d be aware of every thrust. I slid up his pecs, raking through a sprinkling of hair shadowing his muscles. His pulse thundered under my touch. My gaze jumped to his flushed face, absent of arrogance. He seemed possessed by lust. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m doing this. His mouth scorched a path down my neck as his fingers moved faster. Arousal slicked my thighs, and he pressed harder, the pressure growing into a demand that begged to be released. He grazed my nipple. Liquid heat smothered me in toe-curling ecstasy as he nipped and sucked. Then he dipped into my pussy, gathering its wetness to my clit, not quite prating. Animalistic noises burst from me. I fisted his brown locks, digging into his scalp with a force that seemed to encourage him. He sucked my nipple into a hardened point. Then turned his attention to the other breast. ¡°Jesus fuck.¡± ¡°He gets the credit?¡± he tutted, his voice measured. ¡°So not fair.¡± ¡°Michael.¡± His eyes fluttered, and he smiled, as though savoring the sound of his name. I watched him tongue me, unable to focus on anything but that searing image. Then he ripped away, leaving me in a horrible void. No, no, no. ¡°I think you¡¯re ready.¡± Was I? My heart felt like it was exploding. Michael straightened, tugging his briefs off. My pulse raced as my gaze followed his muscled stomach to the shadow of hair leading to a long silhouette. He was putting that in me? My mouth dried as he gripped his cock and stroked. He pressed it into me. The head rubbed my aching clit, electricity ricocheting into my body. ¡°You¡¯ re-you¡¯re big.¡± Dimples carved into his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± He lowered himself, pushing inside me. His weight bore on me. I bit my lip as the broad pressure filled me, the sting chased by warmth as he pulled back and inched forward. His nose touched mine as his strokes deepened, making my breath hitch. ¡°Don¡¯t stop.¡± I squeezed his shoulders, stunned by the confession I never meant to make. Michael¡¯s chuckle tickled me before he imed my mouth. Slow and sensual, like his rhythm. His lips fluttered on mine, sucking gently. He tasted like citrus and mint, fresh and lively. I dragged him closer, deepening the kiss. His tongue swiped across, parting my lips. I groaned, and he chuckled. His pace picked up as he adjusted me, sinking in deep and fast. The sensation stabbed into my stomach. I couldn¡¯t breathe. Desperate sounds escaped me that he swallowed. His arms bound me in a vise grip as he pounded me. Michael¡¯s guttural sighs sharpened into grunts. He yanked me, mouth crushing me as we dissolved into a frenzy. He fucked like he needed me, like his soul screamed to be inside of me as he rolled his hips and punched forward. I wed him, every stitch of skin burning for him. I jerked his hair. His lips devoured me in frantic strokes. His hand slipped between our bodies. Fingers pressed into my clit, lighting a fuse to my arousal. Suddenly he vanished, leaving me to throb with aching want as he pulled out, his warmth gone. No. Did I say that out loud? Michaelughed, his smile ghosting my tits, my hips- Oh my God. He parted my thighs. His sigh billowed over my pussy before a slick heat stroked me. I melted as the towering furnace returned with a vengeance. His fingers dove into me, filling the void as he tongued my clit. I turned into a bucking madwoman. He fucked me, my feelings building into a crescendo until he locked his mouth on me and sucked. Violent pressure tensed my abdominals as I orgasmed. I arched and convulsed. I cried out when he withdrew, but he returned a secondter, his cock ramming into me. He wrapped me in an embrace, our mouths crashing into each other as he thrust. I grabbed his face, pulling him closer. His tongue shed me, and I tasted myself, greedy for more. He pounded me without restraint, fucking with a reckless passion as he devoured my gasps. His kiss broke as he fought to catch his breath. He touched his damp forehead to mine, his sighs deepening to satisfied groans. Then he pulled out and sat back. Michael grasped himself, stroking fast. His expression smoothed from tension as he finished on my navel. His lips twitched into a rxed grin. He dropped to his side and seemed to admire the view. Then he caught his shirt and wiped me. Pleasure nketed me like a sun-kissed glow. My eyes fluttered, all of me sore in the best way. He hooked his finger through the cor. He tugged, and I yielded, too tired to resist. I trembled as I hovered over him. ¡°Lay down.¡± Anger rippled through me, a sting puncturing my bubble of happiness. So far, I¡¯de when beckoned, heeled, andy down. The only thing left was begging. Humiliating. The leather cut into my skin. My arms buckled, and I fell onto his chest. Heat bloomed between my thighs. The hills of his muscles molded into mine. The space between us heated to an inferno. He adjusted me, his arm weighing on me like an anchor. His other hand yanked the sheets over our bodies. The fabric glided on my stomach and settled like a thin membrane. Then he stroked my hair. I endured it, wide-eyed. ¡°Sleep.¡± Hisstmand boomed through my back. He sounded halfway there already. What just happened? Poison reced the fire in my veins. He¡¯d teased that orgasm out of me. He¡¯d ravished me, lit my soul aze, owned me, and made me beg to prove a point. Worst of all, my body had betrayed mymon sense. I pictured myself sliding out from the hot cage of his embrace and stealing across the room. Taking to the streets naked, screaming. Going to the police with my cored neck. They¡¯d believe anything I told them. Then Michael would use his connections to make every charge I filed disappear. My dad would suffer. He believed he could dominate me. He was wrong. And this twisted game would be one he¡¯d forever regret. #2— Chapter 8 CARMELA The nightmare was familiar. My knees stung from kneeling on splintered wood. Nick¡¯s steel-toed boots creaked the boards, the only part of him I could see. He was proud of those boots. They made up his identity, like the leather cut stamped with his biker name, Crash. Nick¡¯s dirty blond hair fell to his shoulders in a messy wave that I used to love touching. He wasn¡¯t the best-looking man, but he¡¯d once held the key to my heart. He¡¯d lured me in with honey-coated poison, and now I couldn¡¯t meet his eyes. I couldn¡¯t appreciate the sprinkling of freckles across his nose. His full mouth used to entice me until it spewed the most hateful garbage. I used to picture us at the altar-him in his leather cut and me in a white dress. I¡¯d given him my heart, and he¡¯d grated it into a fine powder. In my head, I defied him. I called him Trainwreck. I did everything I could to stay sane, especially when he got this bad. He¡¯d beaten me in front of the clubhouse, the humiliation worse than the pain. I¡¯d stopped looking at them for help. Anybody with a semnce of a conscience couldn¡¯t meet my eyes. I was naked, helpless. He stopped, his soles inches from my face. Crimson had soaked through the leather. ¡°Lick it off me, Beauty.¡± ¡°No.¡± He fisted my hair. ¡°Lick his blood off my shoes.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to put your mouth to work some other way.¡± I met his nted gaze, refusing to show him fear. ¡°Fuck you, Nick.¡± ¡°Poor choice of words.¡± I ripped his hands into shreds, struggling to break free. I screamed so hard that my voice cracked. He tore at his belt and unzipped his jeans. His cock slipped out. It bulged in his hands like a pale worm. Think of the ocean. I pictured an endless sapphire-blue horizon on white sand. Nick¡¯s steel-toed boots kicked the water as he walked, deep inside the blue, the wavespping around his ankles. I was that ocean. I was the water he defiled. Filling my eyes with all that blue used to help, because he couldn¡¯t turn it ck. He was just a speck of darkness-a flea. Smaller than a flea, an amoeba. He couldn¡¯t hurt me. It all faded to ck. Iy on a bed. Naked. A man¡¯s body pressed into mine. He palmed my shoulder, shaking me. ¡°Carm-¡± I pped him off and dove from the sheets, but they¡¯d wrapped my torso. The gentle touch returned, and I mmed my elbow into his body. He grunted. I freed myself and spilled onto a pile of clothing. There must be a weapon somewhere. If I could gain the upper hand for a minute- The lights red on. I whirled, looping a belt around my fist. Michael stood beside me, massaging his bare chest. A red mark red on his left side. His heavy-lidded gaze flicked to my hand, and then his lips curved. ¡°What are you going to do, flog me?¡± The panic from the dream lingered like a suffocating fog. ¡°Stay away.¡± He grabbed his briefs and pulled them on. ¡°Put down the belt, Carm.¡± I tightened my grip on the leather. ¡°Take a step toward me, and I¡¯ll hurt you.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Your ass will be raw after I¡¯m done with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fucking do it! Stay away from me!¡± ¡°Well, that put me in my ce.¡± Mischief gleamed in his eyes as he lurched forward. I loosed the belt and let the buckle fly. It missed his face and gouged the wall. Michael seized the leather, wrapping the strap around his arms. He yanked. I mmed into his chest. He gathered my wrists in one fist and knotted them behind me. A sharp pain jolted my elbow when I twisted. I couldn¡¯t free myself. This was familiar. Way too familiar. ¡°Stop-stop! Please!¡± ¡°You stop.¡± ¡°You have to let me go!¡± Michael cinched his arm around my waist and utterly immobilized me. ¡°I will when you calm the fuck down.¡± I couldn¡¯t. My senses were filled with Nick. I stomped his feet and sank my nails into his legs. He snapped my wrists, stopping me. I screamed. I couldn¡¯t break free. I was trapped. ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Stop fighting me.¡± I jabbed my elbow into his abdomen, but it was like concrete. I shoved with my feet. His back hit the wall. Hisughter vibrated through my body. I slipped from his loosened hold. He seized my arm andzily yanked me into his embrace, which wrapped around me like ropes. He dragged me to the floor, one arm covering my torso, the other cinching my legs. No. A scream caught in my throat. ¡°Breathe. I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± Michael crushed me against his burning chest. ¡°Breathe.¡± He tucked my head under his chin, and his earthy scent surrounded me in a cloud of intoxicating bergamot and spiced orange. Rough hands grazed my forehead. I flinched. My eyes screwed shut as he palmed my head. I expected pain-a stinging p-but the soft pressure returned. Soothing. Gentle. What was he doing? I recoiled even though it wasn¡¯t painful. My heart pounded as I anticipated pain. I dug my elbow in his ribs, wrenching left and right. My panic reached a crescendo, and the air vanished. I sagged into his arms, numbed, giving up. This was the part where I¡¯d float above my body and disappear, but Michael pressed his mouth to my temple. I grimaced and shuddered, but after two more kisses, my body melted. The lump in my throat shrank as his metronome heart thudded into my back, and his scent enveloped me in a fog that embraced me like a tight hug. His knuckles grazed my hair. Warmth bloomed where he kissed me. Suddenly, there was nothing else, not his hands or his body, just the imprint of his lips. It felt so good. My breathing slowed. This was Michael. And he wasn¡¯t restraining me. I pped his arm away and dove to the opposite corner. Michael didn¡¯t follow. He remained on the floor, back against the wall, his face flushed. He looked more alive than he had all week. He watched me with restless greed, head propped on his hand. His hair stuck up in all directions. He smoothed it back into a loose wave. ¡°That was fun.¡± ¡°Fun?¡± The word stuck to the back of my throat. ¡°You almost gave me a panic attack.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I was controlling the situation before it got out of hand.¡± Michael¡¯s tone darkened, and the smile ttened. ¡°I don¡¯t tolerate violence in my home.¡± ¡°Really? What the hell is all this?¡± ¡°They¡¯re toys, and there¡¯s a huge difference.¡± A lump swelled in my throat. ¡°You tie up women.¡± ¡°Only those who want me to tie them up.¡± Michael fanned his flushed chest and gave me a look as though I¡¯d made him too hot, and it reced my fear with a dark thrill. ¡°You attacked me, Carm. That¡¯s not okay.¡± ¡°Are you lecturing me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the rules.¡± I ground my fingers into the carpet. ¡°You backed me into a corner.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let it slide because you were scared, but you can¡¯t do that again. I am not your punching bag.¡± ¡°All right.¡± My stomach roiled as I imagined what might¡¯ve happened if I¡¯dnded a hit on Michael. I had never thrown a punch before my ex. Myck of control brought home the fact that I was damaged. Michael sat beside me. ¡°Bad dream?¡± I looked away from him. ¡°Seemed pretty intense.¡± I¡¯d rather drink battery acid than tell him. ¡°Drop it, Michael.¡± An awkward silence settled between us. Evidence fromst night throbbed between my legs. Blemishes marked my chest that I covered, buttoning the shirt. Michael stretched out his legs, pissing me off with his casual elegance. He didn¡¯t deserve his good looks. He dipped, kissing the shell of my ear. I moved away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± He sounded genuinely shocked. ¡°Kiss me. Touch me. Act like you give a shit. Ever again.¡± My anger boiled over when his eyebrow lifted even further. ¡°You owe me honesty, not maniption.¡± ¡°I¡¯mpletely lost.¡± Liar. He knew what he was doing. God, I was tired of being used. He seized my hand as I stormed away. ¡°I had you floating on cloud ninest night. Don¡¯t pretend you hated it.¡± I didn¡¯t hate it, and that was the problem. I couldn¡¯t be that vulnerable again. ¡°Never again.¡± #2— Chapter 9 MICHAEL Yes, I was a monster. I spent my youth in petty pursuits-sleeping with high-ss escorts, married women, anyone who caught my eye-and I didn¡¯t care about the fallout. I robbed businesses. I killed. I helped lesser men cheat their way to the top, and no matter how many people I destroyed, there were always more idiots waiting in the wings. If a man had the money to buy them all, he could conquer the world. At twenty-three, I became the youngest captain in the Costa Family. I led a crew of six men that helped me move cocaine from Montreal. My part-time gig involved managing Sanctum, an underground sex club filled with beautiful women. I was young, the girls were hot, and I snorted anything that wasn¡¯t nailed down. Then I got a girl pregnant. Suddenly, I was responsible for a life other than my own. I sold my penthouse apartment, moved to the burbs, and cleaned up my shit. Serena was a disaster, but if it weren¡¯t for my children, I¡¯d be dead. I owed them everything. That single-minded devotion had crashed headlong into Carm Ri, the woman I¡¯d married on a fucking whim. My head pounded. I¡¯d finished half a bottle of wine. I needed to fuck my wife, but she loathed me, and I hated being around her. Those weighted res. Her sullen presence. With my kids, Carm was pleasant, but her incongruous smiles dug at me. Her contempt burned into my sheets every night. I couldn¡¯t stand being at home, so I stayed away as much as possible. In the five days of my new marriage, Boston had seen a spree of grisly murders, attempted assassinations, and car bombings. I was in charge of damage control. The violence wasn¡¯t our doing, but a sock-puppet MC club called Rage Machine. I took phone calls all day. My role as advisor to the acting boss meant I handled a lot of the diplomacy. Considering Vinn was piss-poor at dealing with people, most of the kowtowing fell to me. Everybody was outraged over a civilian¡¯s recent death-a missionary and father of three, which meant on top of everything, an entire Baptist congregation was out for blood. Not good. Civilian deaths meant a lockdown on business. Police cracked down hard, raiding Irish and Legion drug operations, which threatened our alliance with them because we no longer had Alessio¡¯s connections. A chime echoed through my home, the persistent ringing hinting at my visitor¡¯s animosity. I nced through the leaded windows. The glimmer of blonde hair and a tell-tale khaki wool coat set my rms on high-alert. Oh shit. Brooke. She was a working girl at Sanctum that I¡¯d fucked around withst year after Serena¡¯s death. Brooke had big fake tits, a model-thin body, and loved kink. The perfect submissive. She dropped to her knees when I pointed at the floor, but she had one huge drawback. Insanity. I hurried downstairs and froze as my unsuspecting wife utched the door, having already buzzed Brooke in. It was like stopping to check out a car crash. I had to watch. Sunshine spilled over Carm¡¯s bronzed skin. Her lips pulled into a bright smile that faltered with Brooke¡¯s using re. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Brooke.¡± Her nasal, West Coast ent shot into my house. ¡°So you¡¯re the wife.¡± ¡°Carm.¡± She hesitated before shaking Brooke¡¯s hand. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°You can step aside. I need to talk to your husband.¡± Carm didn¡¯t budge. She took up more space between Brooke and the threshold. I expected her to call for me, but Carm didn¡¯t tear her gaze from the blonde. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°His girlfriend,¡± Brooke said, lowering her shades. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you?¡± That crazy bitch. Carm crossed her arms, not taking the bait. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t invite you to our ce.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± Carm frowned. ¡°What do you want?¡± To wreck my home, obviously. ¡°To speak with Michael.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think so.¡± I renewed my descent, amused by the whip-like crack in Carm¡¯s voice. She was keeping a remarkably calm head. Herck of giving a fuck made me swell with pride. Brooke tapped her heel. ¡°Honey, Michael and I-¡± ¡°Mrs. Costa.¡± ¡°Mrs. Costa. Michael and I go way back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she deadpanned, closing the door. ¡°This is my house. He¡¯s my husband. Get your own.¡± Brooke wedged her fist into the frame. ¡°He¡¯ll be upset when he finds out you did this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn. March your fake Louboutins off my porch, or I¡¯m calling the police.¡± Time to intervene. I strode across the room. The snap of my soles on the wood echoed, and they nced at me. My rage must¡¯ve been obvious because Brooke staggered before I mmed the door shut. ¡°Daddy? Who¡¯s there?¡± Shit. Mariette stood several feet away, gaping at us. ¡°Why was she so mad?¡± ¡°Nobody, hon. Just a crazy person.¡± I caught Carm¡¯s waist, her body folding into mine with zero resistance. ¡°Sweetheart, why don¡¯t you fix the children a snack?¡± Carm may have yed it cool in front of Brooke, but when the door closed, her eyes shed at me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the nutcase. Go on.¡± I grasped her chin and kissed her frown lines, then her cheek, and then her angry pout. A shock jumped into me with the slightest pressure of her lips. Jesus, it was electric between us. Jaded women like Brooke didn¡¯t hold a candle to my wife. Carm¡¯s buttery-soft mouth melted into mine, tasting like vani, like the girls I¡¯d chased in my early twenties, her purity as refreshing as iced tea. I angled my head and met her tentative kiss with a harsh stroke. Carm sank her nails into my side. I pulled away, my heart thundering. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the kitchen.¡± Carm detached from me, red-faced and feral. She looked like she wanted to clock me. I¡¯d get shanked in my sleep. Where the hell was my self-control? I watched Carm sweep Mariette from the foyer, zeroing in on my wife¡¯s ass. It took a moment to remember the psycho standing outside. I wrenched open the door. Unsurprisingly, Brooke hadn¡¯t left. ¡°A nutcase? You¡¯ll take care of me?¡± she exploded as soon as I stepped out. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± ¡°A powerful man who can make your life miserable.¡± I seized her arm and shoved her backward. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I heard you were married!¡± So she¡¯d decided to show up at my home like a lunatic. No fucking boundaries. I¡¯d ghosted her after she wouldn¡¯t stop texting me. I¡¯d blocked her number, twice. She¡¯d bought another line just to harass me. What was it with me and crazy chicks? Did I have a sign embedded on my forehead? Brooke¡¯s tearful gaze slid to my living room window, where Carm observed, arms folded. ¡°How could you marry her?¡± ¡°Watch your tone.¡± Her voice broke. ¡°Are you in love with her?¡± ¡°Is that any of your business?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be.¡± She seemed tortured by the idea, which struck me as hrious. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have fooled around with me.¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t in my life then, and blowing me on a semi-regr basis hardly gives you the right to be jealous. I never promised you anything.¡± Brooke¡¯s knees hit the ground. ¡°Please.¡± A pretty girl on her knees was my weakness. It should¡¯ve filled my cock with heat, but I was as limp as a rag doll. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°Make me,¡± she purred. ¡°This isn¡¯t a scene. I was done with you months ago. You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t kill you for ambushing me at my house and harassing my wife. Leave my property.¡± ¡°You said you weren¡¯t over Serena!¡± She shot upright and nudged my chest. ¡°Why would you say that?¡± ¡°I lied to get rid of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a fucking bastard, Michael!¡± This was what I deserved for letting down a woman easy. I¡¯m never sticking my dick in crazy, ever again. She resisted the pressure as I wheeled her toward the gate. ¡°I¡¯ll tell everybody the truth about you!¡± ¡°You going to tell them the size, shape, and taste of my cock? Feel free to shout it from the rooftops.¡± ¡°You traffic women into Sanctum. You¡¯re a monster.¡± What a ridiculous lie. I pushed her onto the sidewalk. ¡°Goodbye, Brooke.¡± ¡°I know about Serena! She used to be a Sanctum girl. You met her there and got her pregnant.¡± Why was she digging into my past? ¡°Careful, Brooke. Remember who you¡¯re talking to.¡± I clearly needed the same reminder. Brooke was a danger whore. Me strangling her would probably be the highlight of her miserable life. ¡°You know what the girls think of you?¡± She clung to my arm, and I shook her off. ¡°Some of them love you. Others believe you murdered your wife.¡± I mmed the wrought-iron gate and stalked to the house. Brooke¡¯s threats followed me in high-pitched screams. She would reveal my crimes. She hated me. She¡¯d take me down. Get in line.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Serena overdosed in rehab. Everybody knew that. Didn¡¯t they? Brooke was lying. She¡¯d thrown that in my face to rattle me, and it worked. The thought that I¡¯d mistreated Serena for a single second during our dumpster-fire of a rtionship left me so agitated that I charged into a pink and ck blur. I steadied Carm with a hand on her waist. The sight of her froze my anger. She was stunning in the kimono. A wide sleeve fell when she clutched her chestnut waves, exposing a length of her slender, olive-skinned arm. My mouth went dry as I took in her curves filling the silk, the tempting shadow of her corbone, the peaks of her breasts, the hollow at the base of her throat begging for a kiss. ¡°Carm, she¡¯s nothing to me.¡± She tucked a strand behind her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°You threatened to call the police.¡± Her brows pinched as she breezed from my side, heading to the living room. ¡°That was for your benefit, not mine.¡± I yanked her into my arms. She turned, red patches burning high on her cheeks. ¡°Michael. Stop it.¡± ¡°Not until you admit that you¡¯re pissed.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m angry.¡± She elbowed out of my grip, dropping her deadpan. ¡°I¡¯m trapped in this house with a man I loathe, who has mistresses and invites them over.¡± ¡°Did you miss the part where I threw her ass out?¡± Suspicion and fury darkened her gaze. ¡°I will not tolerate another woman, Michael. I have my pride. If you¡¯re unfaithful, I¡¯ll leave you.¡± She thought I¡¯d let her go? Cute. ¡°I¡¯m not a cheater.¡± ¡°Does it matter if I believe you?¡± Yes, it fucking matters. ¡°If you¡¯re going to hate me, I¡¯d like to know I¡¯ve earned it.¡± ¡°You kidnapped my father. Stole my freedom and happiness. Trust me, it¡¯s earned.¡± She stepped around me. I blocked her path. ¡°The same applies to you.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I demand loyalty.¡± I leaned in, her vani scent triggering a dozen memories from that night. ¡°Like it or not, I¡¯m your only option.¡± ¡°You may be my husband, but you don¡¯t own me.¡± Carm shoved me, much harder than Brooke¡¯s pathetic tap on my chest. The force sent me back a step. The first real smile in days carved into my face. If she was this upset over cheating, she¡¯d already bought into this marriage. I had no intention of messing with our life together, but Carm¡¯s head? That was fair game. #2— Chapter 10 CARMELA Don¡¯te back. I hovered over the send button. Was that line too ominous? I gave my email another read-through. Dear Mia, This will be myst message. I can¡¯t go into detail. I know that¡¯s vague, but it¡¯s not safe for us tomunicate. You¡¯re better off wherever you are than here. Boston¡¯s streets are flooded with violence. It¡¯s only a matter of time before this city implodes. I¡¯m only staying for Mom and Dad¡¯s sakes.This is from N?velDrama.Org. If I¡¯m happy about anything, it¡¯s that you and Alessio escaped. I¡¯m proud of you for making that leap of faith. It can¡¯t have been easy. Please live life to the fullest. I wish you, Alessio, and baby Lexy all the health and happiness. I love you. Don¡¯t tell me where you are. Don¡¯te back. C She¡¯d hop on the first flight to Boston if I used that. I selected the block of text, hit Delete, and began anew. Dear Mia, I¡¯m sorry that Lexy is teething! Hopefully, she grows out of it fast. Poor thing! That video of her tantrum was adorbs. I have so many pics of Lexy on my phone that people ask if she¡¯s my baby. As much as I adore updates, don¡¯t send any photos. Vinn asks about Alessio whenever he sees me. They¡¯re obsessed with finding you guys, and I know you¡¯re taking precautions, but it¡¯s not worth the risk. Everybody¡¯s great! Mom and Dad are homebodies. Dad¡¯s into gardening. He¡¯s overzealous with the shears. Our rhododendrons are bare. Drives Mom nuts. I¡¯m doing well. I don¡¯t live in Boston-proper anymore, but guess what? I¡¯m working full-time at Sanctum as a bartender. Isn¡¯t that crazy? Michael gave me the job. And you¡¯re right. He is such a sweetheart! #2— Chapter 11 MICHAEL Some women wanted children. Others liked the idea of them. Serena was thetter. She didn¡¯t realize how much she hated motherhood until the responsibility dropped in herp. She was decent for a while, and then it got too hard. She stopped trying. My children paid the price for her coldhearted approach to parenting. Carm woke when she said she would. She took the kids to the park, made sure Mariette finished her homework, and helped my daughter prepare a memory box of Serena¡¯s things. When Mariette missed her mom, she opened it. Simple, and it worked. Mariette kept it under her bed. After a couple of weeks with zero hups from Carm, I rxed. I checked in on her through the camera system, but not that often. She was nothing like Serena, and I frequently found new qualities to appreciate, like Carm¡¯s utterck of drama. Several days ago, Mariette broke into our walk-in closet and found Carm¡¯s makeup. She¡¯d identally defaced one of Carm¡¯s expensive purses. I¡¯d spent hours dreading her meltdown, but when Carm returned from her salon appointment, she shrugged off the damage. Mariette¡¯s confusion when Carm hugged her stood out in my mind because I¡¯d remembered feeling the same bewilderment. Maybe I¡¯d gotten used to crazy. I never realized we could handle problems without a screaming match that took down the walls. Fucking and fighting-it was all I knew. Carm showed me that there were more sane ways of existing. I stepped outside. A warm front had left us with mild weather. Dew clung to the grass, but it was drying in the vibrant sunshine. Yellow finches jumped from branches as I walked under the dogwood. The garden was turning green. Life ran through the dead-looking vines that snarled the property, blooming with thick leaves. My gorgeous brte sprawled on a nket under the growing rosebushes. Her caramel-streaked hair gleamed where the dappled light stroked her. Shey on her side, wearing a bright pink cut-off over ck leggings, whispering to my son in a sweet voice as she tried to coax him with tubs of y-Doh. My four-year-old shook his head and disappeared behind a tree. Smiling, Carm rose to her feet and chased Matteo, who shrieked when her arms wrapped his middle. She tickled his chest and kissed his cheek. My son was beside himself with all the attention. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her. Neither could I. Carm had rolled her ebony mane into a messy bun. Still, it didn¡¯t distract from her pillowy lips, the arching eyebrows, and her irresistible curves. I imagined her in heels and a swimsuit, posing next to a vintage car. Honestly, there wasn¡¯t much she could do without making my jaw drop. Matteo¡¯s head turned. ¡°Daddy!¡± He ran, a blur of rainbow tie-dye, until he crashed into my knees. My chest tightened as he locked my legs in a vise grip. When I bent over, he threw his arms around me. I hoisted him to my hip,menting the day he¡¯d be too big to hold. Tears misted hisshes. ¡°You okay, buddy?¡± ¡°He was a second ago.¡± Carm joined my side in a breeze of floral scents, rubbing Matteo¡¯s back. ¡°Maybe he needs a nap.¡± ¡°Nah. He has preschool soon.¡± Matteo disengaged from me, sobbing. His pain rammed into my stomach like a swift kick. It wasn¡¯t the usual I-skinned-my-knee crying. Matteo probably had no idea what to make of Carm¡¯s undivided attention. My poor kid had never really had a mother. He looked on the verge of a meltdown, and Carm¡¯s affection seemed to do the trick. He bawled, hiding his face in my neck. ¡°What happened?¡± Carm smoothed his hair, looking stricken. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, honey?¡± Matteo shook his head. I patted his shoulder as my shirt cor became soaked. I sank onto the steps leading to my house as he curled on myp, bawling. Every time Carm touched Matteo, he howled louder. Carm appeared to take it as a personal failure. She stepped away, her glow draining from her features. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I sagged with relief when a car rolled to the curb and honked. ¡°Look, your ride to school is here!¡± Matteo faced it, hupping. He slid off me, his tears glistening. His crying stopped when he spotted the ck Lexus. A bewildered Carm handed over his things. We walked Matteo to the driver, who packed him inside. He waved at Carm and me. She waved back, beaming. When the car disappeared down the block, her smile vanished. She hadn¡¯t let go of my hand. ¡°Why is he so upset?¡± ¡°Four-year-olds cry about everything.¡± She still gazed in the car¡¯s direction. ¡°He gets overwhelmed easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s courtesy of their dearly departed mother.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Carm squeezed my fingers, her voice husky. ¡°Did she hit them?¡± A white van in a parking lot burned in my mind. The echoes of their screaming crashed through the birdsong, siphoning the warmth from the world until the coldness seeped into my chest. I pulled from her grip and strode inside. Carm was clearly horrified. She was already assuming the worst, and I couldn¡¯t bear her pity. I¡¯d done what I could to minimize the damage Serena had caused, but nothing ever alleviated the guilt. ¡°Michael?¡± I bristled. ¡°Don¡¯t push it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for the gory details. I just want the general idea of what they went through. If they¡¯ve been abused-¡± ¡°Unless you¡¯re ready to spill the darkest moments of your life, leave it alone.¡± I seized the shopping tote I¡¯d left on the kitchen table and pushed it in her arms. ¡°I got you a present.¡± Carm set it aside, ring at me. ¡°Open it.¡± Her lips ttened as she yanked the tissue paper, pulling out a Burberry bag. I¡¯d found a store and searched for the bag my daughter had ruined, but they no longer carried that model, so I¡¯d bought something simr. I had no fucking clue about purses. An employee picked it. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°Mariette destroyed yours. I thought you¡¯d like a recement.¡± Carm dropped it on the granite, softening. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this, Michael.¡± ¡°I wanted to.¡± ¡°I appreciate the gesture,¡± she said bracingly. ¡°But I don¡¯t care about the damned purse. You can¡¯t throw gifts at me and expect your problems to disappear.¡± Well, it had worked for thest wife. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you can¡¯t handle the answer to.¡± ¡°Who says I can¡¯t?¡± Because she was as pure as the driven snow. ¡°Life isn¡¯t a fairytale. The answers aren¡¯t always pretty.¡± ¡°Believe me, I know.¡± ¡°How could you possibly understand?¡± Carm shot me a look filled with poison. ¡°Something you want to say?¡± She held up a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dying to have a go, so do it. Get it out of your system.¡± ¡°I like your kids, but I do not like you.¡± Carm seized a dishcloth from a drawer and wiped crumbs from the counter. ¡°And I don¡¯t think I ever will.¡± Not surprising. ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a bully,¡± she boomed, throwing the rag in the sink. ¡°A joyless asshole. You¡¯re lonely. You¡¯re hurting over your brother and Serena.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t be more wrong.¡± She cocked her head and smiled. ¡°About her or the rest of it?¡± I¡¯d kick her out if my children didn¡¯t already love her. ¡°How am I joyless?¡± ¡°You dodge family events. You don¡¯t want to join the band or the pajama dance party-¡± ¡°Banging on pots and pans is not music.¡± She red at me. ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rupturing my eardrums.¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping your ungrateful ass, which you¡¯d notice if you stopped behaving like a jerk!¡± Carm blew air in a steady stream, the only sign that she was distressed beyond the slight pink of her cheeks. I¡¯d known no one with more grace. Beautiful, even when she gazed at me like slime under her heel. I pulled her close. ¡°Do you hate me, Carm?¡± Some of the fire in her eyes dimmed. ¡°You¡¯re giving me little reason not to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to change that.¡± She nced at the purse. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Looking at you is torture, but not touching you is killing me.¡± Her hourss curves filled my hands, triggering a dozen images of us tangled in the sheets. Carm¡¯s flush had spread to her neck and chest, and I dipped, kissing her cheek. Her lips parted, and she let out the smallest sigh. ¡°Should I tell you what I think of you?¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. Her nostrils red. ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks. I¡¯ve had my fill of truth.¡± ¡°I might surprise you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to hear it.¡± ¡°The man before me left a deep wound.¡± I traced an invisible scar over her heart. ¡°You¡¯re hurting. You¡¯re lonely. And you¡¯ll be eating from my hand soon¡­ because only I can give what you want most in the world.¡± She lifted her head, bewildered. Nothing was more exciting than a strong woman surrendering control-that copse of everyyer of defense until all that remained was their true essence. The key to Carm¡¯s soul wasn¡¯t hard-I¡¯d discovered it within a few minutes of conversation. She had yet to figure me out. #2— Chapter 12 MICHAEL I was a gangster, not a diplomat. But I was expected to fix our fraying rtionship with Legion MC. The bikers didn¡¯t understand why we couldn¡¯t call off police raids anymore. They wanted a bigger cut. They demanded this and that while they terrorized Boston with their sock-puppet club, Rage Machine. The president of Legion had requested a meeting, so we booked an event venue where violence was unlikely to break out, a brick dining hall lined with elk tapestries. Rich people and their majestic animals. The Ivy League school, Bourton, was not the ideal ce to discuss business, but it was neutral ground. Nobody would be tempted to open fire on a college campus. Nico had donated so much cash that all we had to do was mention him. Plus, the food wasn¡¯t bad. My olive branch included free barbecue, which the biker scum would devour like rats. Steam spiraled from the heated trays that¡¯d been picked through minutes before the president arrived. Carm and I sat against the wall, surrounded by suits. She wore a pink dress with a plunging neckline, and I couldn¡¯t look at her without imagining my mouth on her tits. Eventually, I¡¯d have to find Vinn, but I had zero desire to detach from the brightest thing in the room. She was in a testy mood, probably because she kept catching me ogling her cleavage. She tapped my chin, forcing my gaze to crash into her deep browns for the third time. ¡°Where¡¯s your self-restraint?¡± Almost dead. ¡°I¡¯m restraining myself right now.¡± Carm rolled her winged eyes, dismissing me. She drank her Proso, her neck tipped in a graceful arch. ¡°You act like you never moaned my name during sex.¡± She choked, her lips shining with alcohol. I imagined iming her pout and sucking it dry, or better yet, spilling more of that golden liquid between her breasts and licking them clean. Our wedding night was never far away. Every smoking-hot minute of handling Carm was fresh in my mind. She had a gorgeous body. The taste of her invaded my senses when I jerked off. She¡¯d infused my blood with reckless lust that wouldn¡¯t shut up. Carm set the ss down. ¡°Can we not talk about-¡± ¡°I love the sound of youing. I wonder what noise you¡¯ll make when I fuck your mouth.¡± Carm ground her teeth. ¡°Not going to happen.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess finishing in your mouth is a waste of cum.¡± She threw me a suspicious look. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± I was dropping anvil-sized hints, hoping the pieces would click in her brain. All she had to do was ask-my answer would be yes. I leaned across the table, fighting to keep my voice even, to be patient. ¡°You know what it means.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Perhaps she was that obtuse. ¡°Jesus.¡± ¡°Either exin or shut up.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. That¡¯s not doing you any favors.¡± My knuckles glided under her neck, pressing into her throbbing pulse. ¡°Figure out what you want.¡± ¡°My family.¡± This was a waste of time. If she wasn¡¯t ready to ept it, forcing her down the path would inflict more damage. She flinched when I kissed her forehead and darkened as though clouds shifted overhead. ¡°I¡¯m owed your trust, but you won¡¯t leave me alone with the kids.¡± ¡°I will. Someday. Don¡¯t I deserve points for that?¡± Apparently not. Her face crumpled as she ripped from my hands and stalked away, disappearing into the crowd. A stone sank in my stomach as heads turned to watch the blur of pink march across the marble floor. A couple of facts became apparent. One-Carm had a mental block the size of Texas. Two-I wished I were on her good side. It was out of character for me. Carm could assume whatever she wanted about me. I was trying to getid. It¡¯d be a win-win situation. She needed to snap out of her denial. Maybe that would never happen. I couldn¡¯t trust her, and she¡¯d never see past the bastard who had tortured her father. After Serena, I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t invest myself in another rtionship. Marrying Carm was for my children, and maybe a little for my career. She wouldn¡¯t love me, and that was fine-the hooker who loved me was insane. Carm would love my kids. That was all that mattered. My mood nosedived as a broad shoulder nudged mine. Vinn scraped a seat and stole Carm¡¯s vacated spot. He settled into the chair, which groaned with his weight. His clean-shaven appearance and ck suit channeled an Italian James Bond. I still wasn¡¯t used to seeing my cousin in suits. He was more of a hoodie and jeans guy, but he had to dress the part. He flung an arm across my shoulders. ¡°Trouble in paradise?¡± ¡°We¡¯re great.¡± ¡°Oh, Mike. What did you expect? You kidnapped her dad. Everything she says and does is under duress.¡± ¡°Did I ask your goddamned opinion?¡± ¡°If you had, I would¡¯ve told you not to marry a stranger. Why did you do it?¡± ¡°She checks off the boxes on my list.¡± ¡°So do a million other girls.¡± Vinn¡¯s stare bored into me, but I had no interest in listening to him mock me for the next half hour when I gave him the real reason. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡± I finished my drink, the heat hitting my throat. ¡°She makes Mariette and Matteo happy, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°You almost sound like you believe that.¡± ¡°Mind your own business.¡± ¡°Fine. Have you asked about Alessio?¡± I dug into my ss. ¡°She has no idea where he is.¡± ¡°You think she¡¯s telling the truth?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve ess to her emails.¡± Which was a lie, but I nned on hacking them eventually. Vinn rubbed his temples, his forehead rippling with an uncharacteristic show of strain. ¡°Alessio wille back.¡± I pictured him in a Hawaiian button-up and board shorts, and snorted. ¡°He¡¯s too Italian to be content with grocery store cold cuts that taste like ass. He¡¯ll miss his espressos, cannolis, prosciutto di parma, and he¡¯lle back.¡± ¡°I swear to God-he lost his fucking marbles once that kid was born.¡± ¡°Someday, it¡¯ll happen to you, too.¡± I patted his bicep. ¡°Then you¡¯ll understand why I married Carm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not having kids, ever, and you marrying Carm will always be crazy.¡± He gestured across the room. ¡°Speaking of, you might want to save her.¡± ¡°What?¡± He pointed at a drunk Anthony, who swayed as he chatted with my wife. Anthony was the son of Nico Costa, the actual boss of the family who was serving a five-year sentence in jail. Anthony was an alumnus of this ridiculous school. He¡¯d graduated with a bachelor¡¯s in psychology and had done nothing with his life but party and abuse drugs. We used to hang out all the time until I wised up and ditched the cocaine. All I¡¯d needed was the right motivator-fatherhood. I had hoped he¡¯d have ae-to-Jesus moment, but the man was thirty-four. My chair pushed back before I realized I¡¯d stood. Bodies blocked my way to Carm, whose smile widened as Anthony leaned in with a conspiratorial wink. He wore a Bourton zer over cks and looked surprisingly put together, given his state. That was the danger with Anthony. At first nce, it was hard to tell he was so troubled. He caught my eye and toasted the air. ¡°Mikey!¡± I groaned at the nickname. ¡°Hey, Anthony.¡± ¡°Tony, man. It¡¯s Tony. How many times do I have to remind you?¡± ¡°At least a few more.¡± I buried my grin and grabbed Carm¡¯s waist, distracted by the skintight fabric hugging her hips. I cinched her to my side. Then I pressed my mouth under her chin, kissing that delectable spot. Carm beamed, sliding her arms in my jacket. ¡°You two are so cute.¡± Anthony jostled his drink, the ice clinking the ss. ¡°Makes me want to vomit.¡± Pissant. ¡°Pretty sure that¡¯s the J?gerbomb.¡± Anthony drank, frowning. ¡°What do you see in him?¡± Your jealousy¡¯s showing, you snide little fuck. I held in thement because I was eager to hear what she¡¯d say. ¡°Plenty.¡± Carm ced a hand on my chest and stared at me. ¡°Michael has a great sense of humor. He respects me. He¡¯s loyal-heys everything on the line for family.¡± ¡°Any ns for children?¡± I peeked at Carm, who seemed unwilling to answer. She swallowed hard and nced at me. ¡°Carm¡¯s dying for a baby.¡± I smirked at my wife, whose face registered naked shock. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that soon, won¡¯t we?¡± Anthony sipped his cocktail. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a guy who wanted kids.¡± ¡°Nonsense. What about Alessio?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a weirdo-doesn¡¯t count.¡± Anthony shrugged, slurring his words. ¡°Seems to be something men put up with to keep a woman.¡± ¡°Not for me.¡± Anthony shot me a ck look. ¡°That¡¯s what I love about you,¡± Carm gushed in a sweet tone she reserved for Mariette. ¡°You are an amazing father.¡± Did she mean it? She¡¯d said it before, but never with a caress in her voice. It hit me in the only ce I was vulnerable. I had to know if she was messing with me, but I couldn¡¯t read anything in her expression. Carm¡¯s hands glided up my throat. She stopped, her mouth centimeters away. I leaned in, my heart hammering- Anthony made a juvenile noise, cleaving through our energy. He murmured a goodbye before stomping off. I could¡¯ve hurled my ss at his head. Carm slipped out of my jacket and stepped back, her cheeks pink. ¡°He¡¯s a character.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pain in my fucking ass.¡± I growled, checking my watch. ¡°Damn. I have a meeting I couldn¡¯t care less about, but when I return you¡¯re sitting in myp all night.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t that give you an erection?¡± Probably. ¡°Try not to break too many hearts.¡± #2— Chapter 13 CARMELA I hated wiseguy parties. My dad couldn¡¯t stand that I was twenty-seven and unmarried, so every few months he¡¯d invite all the single mafiosos for a barbecue. Mom bore the brunt of the cooking, so I¡¯d helped roll the dough for the tomato pie and kept the liquor flowing for the greedy sons of bitches. They¡¯d packed my parents¡¯ home like vermin-fat, power-hungry, cheese-eating rats. Some were old enough to be my father. Men with pot bellies. Guys who talked too loud and leered at me with disgusting grins. I felt like I was reliving the past at this party with all the Costa soldiers and their wives. There were no families. It was mind-numbingly boring, and I didn¡¯t have Matteo and Mariette to keep mepany. I nursed my Proso, unable to shake Michael and the things he¡¯d said. Carm¡¯s dying for a baby. I¡¯d never so much as hinted at that, despite it being one hundred percent true. What the hell was he ying at? Men wearing leather drifted through the crowd, heading for the buffet. My pulse galloped as six-foot giant with a ginger beard loaded his te with steak. Tattoos decorated his arms, and a Legion MC patch covered his chest. Nick¡¯s gang. My stomach filled with ice. Michael had mentioned it was a get-together with his partners, but I had no idea that meant Legion. Nick could be here. I had to leave. I opened my phone and called him, but it went straight to voicemail. My thoughts raced. I was better off at the house than here. Staying put me at risk of bumping into Nick, who likely still lived in a fantasynd where I was his loving girlfriend and he didn¡¯t repulse me. I pushed people aside in my haste, bursting from the service exit behind the kitchens. Frigid air stung my feet and legs. Men lounged against the brick, smoking. Leather cuts shed into view as I hurried past. A wolf whistle cut me to the bone. ¡°Lift up your dress. Show us that pussy.¡± ¡°Want a ride, baby?¡± The familiar baritone poured gasoline on the mes. The universe couldn¡¯t be that cruel. ¡°What¡¯s your name, beautiful?¡± A man peeled from the wall, flicking his cigarette. ¡°Hold up.¡± I picked up my pace, my heels cracking the pavement. A lightbox glowed ahead. If I reached it, I could call campus security- ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± Heavy footsteps thumped the concrete with a jingle of metal. ¡°Baby, hold on.¡± He pawed my shoulder as something drifted into my nose. Cloves. I used to connect the scent with home, but now it reminded me of death. The smell came from Nick¡¯s ebony cigarettes. So many times, I¡¯d watched him light up. Before our love story turned into Fatal Attraction, I¡¯d bought boxes and slipped them in ces for him to find. ¡°I said, hold the fuck on.¡± His yfulness evaporated as he dug into my forearm. His mouth twisted into a scowl that smoothed over when I spun around. ¡°Beauty.¡± He looked the same as he did months ago, still wearing his golden hair in a messy California wave. A snarl of one-percenter imagery wrapped his sleeves in vivid, ck ink. A dark shadow covered his jaw and cheeks. He kept his beard short because it grew in patchy chunks. Nick cupped my face, his eyes zed with lust. ¡°Hi, Nick.¡± ¡°Hi, Nick. That¡¯s all I get?¡± Nick¡¯s broad hand settled over my chest as he pushed, with way too much force. When he¡¯d hurt me, he fed me a line of bullshit. I don¡¯t know my strength, babe. Michael¡¯s imperial frame was just as strong, and he¡¯d never injured me. I had the feeling he¡¯d scoff at a man who used that excuse. ¡°Nick, it hurts.¡± Nick hissed, crushing me against the wall. His fingers glided up my neck, and squeezed my artery. I slumped, my heart pounding, my lungs struggling. He loved keeping me on the edge of suffocation. ¡°Nick, stop.¡± ¡°Where have you been? I¡¯ve searched everywhere.¡± He pinched, cutting off my tether to life. Nick watched me gulp for air, his lips curled in sadistic greed. His mouth caught mine, hungry, devouring. A tide of vomit threatened as his tongue shed my lips open. He tasted like his disgusting cigarettes, the clove spice invading my senses. He kissed me as ck spots ate my vision. He released me, the rush of oxygen flooding my body with vigor. I yanked to the side. ¡°Get off me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done with you, Beauty.¡± ¡°Back away.¡± ¡°You want to talk?¡± He retreated several inches. He sighed, zeroing in on my cleavage. ¡°Start by exining yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± ¡°Doing what, running out on me?¡± Nick had no idea I was married. If he found out, he¡¯d crush my throat. A faint tingle shot down my spine. I¡¯d been prepared to die for a long time. I wished he¡¯d just do it.This is from N?velDrama.Org. At least I¡¯d be free of him. Suspicion darkened his gaze. ¡°Carm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here with someone else.¡± ¡°You¡¯re messing with me.¡± His finger stabbed my neck. He drew a line as though mimicking a de, his nail scoring my flesh. ¡°You must be. I¡¯m a jealous man. You know I take no prisoners.¡± ¡°We broke up.¡± ¡°I never agreed to that. You walked out on me, and ever since then we¡¯ve been ying this cat-and-mouse game.¡± He slipped under my dress, sliding up my thighs to cup my ass. ¡°I find you. We fight. We fuck. Then you run. I¡¯ll admit, it was fun for a while, but now I need you back.¡± I ripped him off me. ¡°Nick, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°The hell it is. I love you.¡± No, no, no. ¡°I don¡¯t feel the same anymore.¡± Nick yanked me off the wall. ¡°You can¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°I do. We weren¡¯t good together.¡± ¡°Bullshit. We have what everybody in the world wants.¡± ¡°Which is what?¡± ¡°Love.¡± He wasn¡¯t capable of empathy, and I didn¡¯t love him. Maybe I thought I did in the beginning, but I was so na?ve. His overprotectiveness, the grand gestures, the over-the-top disys of affection, thevish gifts-they were a hollow imitation of love. ¡°You¡¯re my olddy.¡± Nick tapped on his bicep, to the ck-and-white rose. ¡°You¡¯re in my heart, Carm. In my soul. I¡¯m tired of banging girls who look like you but aren¡¯t you. I want you every day, not once in a while.¡± As though a tattoo proved anything but his obsession. ¡°You beat me constantly.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. You hurt me so often that it took weeks to heal from everything you did.¡± ¡°You are crazy-¡± ¡°You raped me in front of your brothers.¡± ¡°I warned you. I told you that a rtionship with me would be intense. You said you didn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°I had no idea what I was getting myself into.¡± ¡°If I was a monster, it was because you pushed me.¡± ¡°I never want to see you again.¡± I wrenched from his grasp and rubbed at the red mark. ¡°We¡¯re over.¡± ¡°No.¡± Nick shook his head, his expression maddening. ¡°You will get over this.¡± I headed toward the service entrance, and Nick¡¯s toxic presence followed, demanding my attention. ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking turn away.¡± He seized my left arm, scowling at something. I balled my fist. Toote. ¡°What the fuck?¡± He brushed his thumb over my wedding ring, his voice rising into a shout. ¡°What did you do!¡± ¡°Nick-¡± ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± He let my hand fall as though he was gutted. ¡°How could you?¡± ¡°How could I find happiness? How dare I be with someone who doesn¡¯t hit me? He treats me like a human being and not a blow-up doll, which is all you¡¯ve ever done.¡± ¡°You slept with me two months ago!¡± ¡°What was I supposed to do? Fight you? You broke into my house. You¡¯re sick. Crawl into a hole and die.¡± My throat tightened as I staved off the images from ourst encounter. ¡°I fucking hate you. I hate you so much.¡± ¡°Carm-¡± ¡°No. You had your chance, and you ruined it.¡± A heavy silence filled the space between us, broken only by his brothers, who were cat-calling another woman. A bitter smile staggered across his face. ¡°Who is it, Carm?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°Give me his name. You said you loved me. You wanted us to marry and have kids, or did I imagine that? Lying bitch. You whore.¡± Nick¡¯s shouts attracted attention from the employees gathered by the door. ¡°Who the fuck is it?¡± ¡°Michael Costa.¡± ¡°Michael Costa.¡± Nick¡¯s voice lowered to a deadly simmer. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you together, and suddenly you¡¯re married to that dago wop?¡± ¡°Yes, and thank God, he¡¯s nothing like you.¡± His hand whirled, and my cheek exploded with pain. My palms hit the concrete, the rocks digging into my skin. Ahead, a group of men in smocks approached. One of them spoke on the phone, ring at Nick, who squared his shoulders and whistled at his brothers. Normally, Nick wouldn¡¯t think twice about blowing them apart, but we stood on a college campus. He backed off, his eyes reduced to malevolent slits. ¡°Lady, you okay?¡± A forty-something dark-skinned man helped me upright. ¡°Should we call the police?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m good.¡± The concerned men formed a circle around me as I reentered the venue. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I must¡¯ve repeated that phrase thousands of times in the weeks after I escaped Nick, when everybody saw that I was a shell of my former self. Bumping into Nick didn¡¯t rattle me. My hands were shaking because it was cold. I was fine, except for the foulness that was Nick sitting heavy in my stomach. It churned violently. Acid shot up my throat. I shoved people aside and hung over a trash can. The bitterness raked my tongue as I purged. I always vomited when Nick left. Every single time. It didn¡¯t matter that he never got the chance to rape me, because he¡¯d find me and do it again, and again, and this would never stop. The rage that consumed me could¡¯ve blotted out the sun. ¡°I disappear for a few minutes, and this happens.¡± Michael¡¯s warmth stroked my back, and suddenly a napkin hovered near my lips. ¡°You all right?¡± ¡°No.¡± When I straightened, Michael¡¯s smile thinned and the tan drained from his face. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°My ex-boyfriend is here. He hit me.¡± ¡°What the fuck? Are you serious?¡± ¡°We had a really bad rtionship, but we broke up a while ago.¡± I brushed the mark on my cheek. ¡°He¡¯s with Legion. He found out I¡¯m married, and he was very upset.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Michael¡¯s voice chilled to subzero as his arms wrapped me in heat. ¡°Where is the prick?¡± ¡°Outside.¡± He tucked my head under his chin, stroking my hair. ¡°I¡¯ll send you home with Vitale. Take a bath. Do something rxing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you. Promise.¡± He gestured at Vitale, who peeled himself off the wall. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Crash.¡± #2— Chapter 14 MICHAEL The name sounded familiar. All biker handles blended together because they were stupid fucking names-Axel, Diesel, Crash. Was Mommy¡¯s ident taken? ¡°Bad rtionship¡± meant beatings and rape. A lot of Carm¡¯s behavior now made perfect sense. Red gs I should¡¯ve noticed smacked me in the face. Men who hit women were a half-step above pedophiles. Crash was garbage. He terrorized her to feel big, because his ego was fragile. I¡¯d find that piece of shit. I¡¯d drag him into my car, shove him in a dark cell, and spend a few days inflicting unimaginable pain on him. I¡¯d sent Carm home with Vitale. She was a mess. It took a while to calm her, and then I¡¯d amassed the troops. Six Costa enforcers-brutes with hard-ons for fighting-and then we¡¯d interviewed the staff. They gave me a much more harrowing ount. ¡°He did what?¡± My voice smoked with rage, and the atmosphere pulsed with fury. Everyone wanted to beat up bikers. When I was little, my brother would drink and rave about MC guys corrupting nice Italian girls. A deep mistrust of one-percenters was in our blood. Costas were protective of our own. Nothing enraged us more than bikers¡¯ filthy hands on our women. ¡°He choked her,¡± the forty-something caterer repeated. ¡°She tried to run, but the asshole wouldn¡¯t let her. He called her a whore. pped her.¡± A hush descended over the room. Men had died for lesser offenses, but what Crash had done was egregious. He¡¯d assaulted my wife. I was Vinn¡¯s right hand-was this guy out of his mind? His fate was sealed. He¡¯d die slowly. ¡°Where is he?¡± He frowned, his mouth thinning. ¡°You seem like a decent man. You don¡¯t want to be mixed up in that kind of trouble.¡± ¡°Buddy, I am trouble.¡± I patted his back and shoved a fifty in his pocket. ¡°Thanks for the information. I¡¯d appreciate it if you kept what you saw to yourself.¡± As soon as he¡¯d vanished from the kitchen, someone smashed their fist into the wall. ¡°We should kill them all!¡± Agreed. I faced the hungry wolves desperate for a fight. ¡°Nobody is firing their weapon. Understand? Thest thing I need is the governor on my ass about a school shooting.¡± They nodded. ¡°I¡¯m serious. Somebody better keep a calm head, because I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fuck him up, boss.¡± My shoulder rammed into the service exit, and it blew open into a darkened alley between two buildings. A dumpster sat to my left, and trash littered the ground. Bikers lounged against the brick wall, smoking, their Harleys parked in a row. I spilled into the cool darkness, my enforcers covering my six as I approached the men wearing leather cuts. ¡°Crash!¡± They angled their heads at me. I had no idea which was him. Carm had described him as blond and tall. ¡°Which one of you is Crash?¡± ¡°I am.¡± A soft voice beckoned me toward a man with a linebacker body. ck ink wrapped his sleeves, and he wore faded leather over a Metallica T-shirt. He was in his mid-twenties, his light features reminding me of Julian. His hair was swept back. A dusting of a golden beard clung to his jaw. The rounded cheeks gave him a baby-faced innocence that shed with the biker outfit. He looked like a kid who¡¯d watched too much Sons of Anarchy. He smoked an ebony cigarette, which he flicked in my direction. Red sparks danced across the pavement. ¡°So you¡¯re the dago that married my girl.¡± He was begging to die. ¡°And you¡¯re the chrome-humping rapist.¡± His friends slid from the shadows, reaching for their weapons. He raised a palm, and they stopped. ¡°Is that what she says I am?¡± ¡°She never mentions you.¡± ¡°Because you can¡¯tpare.¡± Crash¡¯s mouth curved into an arrogant smirk. ¡°She¡¯s sparing your feelings because you don¡¯t do it for her. I know my woman. She doesn¡¯t want a nice guy.¡± ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m nice?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an alpha male. You¡¯re a beta bitch, and you¡¯re not what she wants. You¡¯ll give her up.¡± ¡°Over my dead fucking body.¡± He shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let you live after tasting my woman¡¯s pussy.¡± It was as though a blood stter had blinded me. I seized my knife. I swung, burying the de. It pierced his leather and struck something hard. There was no gush of warmth. The fucker wore armor. His knuckles smashed my head. Two more punches caught my jaw. I staggered. My enforcersunched at the bikers, armed with knives and ckjacks. I rammed my shoulder into Crash¡¯s stomach, pinning him against the dumpster. He hammered me. A blow to my kidneys knocked me down. Fucking asshole. I gritted my teeth and socked his gut. He unsheathed a de and sliced, forcing me to jump. I blocked his blows with my forearms until a wild stab seared into my skin. I grunted as heat spilled into my palm. His knife whistled the air. I avoided it, ducking and diving. I grabbed his wrist, twisted, and wrenched the handle. Then I kicked his leg out. His knee mmed into the concrete, and I grappled him. I couldn¡¯t get a hold on him. I dropped my weapon. I jerked him into a chokehold. He pushed with his feet, attempting to dislodge me. He thrust my chin and punched. Agony burst through my insides. Nausea radiated from the fire in my groin. I let him go, gasping. He lunged. I took a bottle rolled under the dumpster and swung it like a golf club. It shattered on his cheek, ss raining the pavement. Crash swore and stumbled. I seized his jacket and tugged him to the ground. I smashed his face into the shards, introducing my knuckles to his eyes, his nose, beating every exposed inch. I scraped the broken bits and shoved them in his mouth. ¡°Choke on it.¡± Crash rolled on his side, vomiting. ¡°Stop!¡± Dimly, I recognized my cousin¡¯s baritone as rough hands seized my arms. They yanked. My elbow cracked into a jaw. I was ripped off Crash. Another body tackled me, knocking me backward. I roared as Crash crawled upright, spitting crimson. ¡°Let me the fuck go!¡± A red-haired Legion member patted Crash¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You okay, man?¡± ¡°Get off me.¡± Crash pushed him. He scooped a knife from the floor. His brothers waid him. Four of them subdued him, but he was like a rabid tiger. He shed the ginger beard¡¯s chest, slicing his leather cut. Then the president stepped into the fight, mming his fist into Crash¡¯s skull. He dropped. His palms hit the asphalt. ¡°I gave you a goddamned order.¡± The president of Legion stood beside Vinn, whose stony features betrayed nothing. ¡°What the hell¡¯s going on?¡± Crash slowly got to his feet, his bleeding lips stretched into a leer. ¡°Costa and I had a disagreement.¡± ¡°He assaulted my wife. I have witnesses. I demand his life.¡± ¡°Carm belonged to me before she was yours.¡± Crash twisted the de in his palm. ¡°Give her back.¡± ¡°If you have to make demands for a girl, she¡¯s not yours.¡± ¡°You stole her-¡± ¡°I proposed. She said yes.¡± Iughed, pointed at the president¡¯s shocked face. ¡°Even he thinks you¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°Two months ago, I was fucking her. We were together!¡± ¡°And then she ghosted your ass. Too bad.¡± I¡¯d carve this motherfucker and blowtorch his lying mouth. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve offered her more than your small dick.¡± ¡°I will rip you apart, Costa. I¡¯ll destroy your world and everybody in it.¡± This dumb fuck didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d marked him for ughter. ¡°You¡¯ll never get the chance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Vinn shoved me, his actions shing with his tempered voice. ¡°Not here, Mike. Look where we are.¡± I didn¡¯t tear my gaze from Crash. ¡°I¡¯m killing the bastard.¡± ¡°Not here.¡± The president motioned to his men, who dragged Crash to the bikes. As much as I wanted to end this here, I couldn¡¯t execute him on a college campus. A gunshot victim on Ivy League grounds would attract national attention. This wasn¡¯t the way to dispose of Carm¡¯s ex. I would kill him. Soon. WE HELD AN EMERGENCY MEETING. Vinn yed the diplomat with Legion¡¯s president, who insisted that his road captain made an error in judgment. It was like Crash hadn¡¯t groped and hit my wife. He expected us to shake hands and forget, which would never happen. ording to Vinn, this was not the first time Legion had been soft with Crash. Then I screamed into the receiver and threatened to cut off their drug supply, and he caved. We were free to murder Crash, provided we could find him. He was probably holed up in a motel, licking his wounds. If it weren¡¯t for Vinn, Crash would¡¯ve died on a gurney in between spitting out chunks of ss. His pride was shattered. Carm had rejected him, and I¡¯d beaten his ass. He had to die. Eventually, I cooled down. I visited the ER to get stitched up. It was past midnight when I got home. My heartbeat jacked, I climbed the steps to our bedroom. Light bled under the door. Shit. She was awake. I hesitated before entering. Carm whirled. She¡¯d cleaned up, but red marks etched her cheeks as though she¡¯d gripped them for hours. She wore nothing but the ck T-shirt I used for sleeping. She stalked toward me, her eyes burning. ¡°You bastard. Why didn¡¯t you call me!¡± Carm grabbed me, her forehead pulsing with a throbbing vein. ¡°I¡¯ve been out of my mind with worry. You didn¡¯t return my calls. I didn¡¯t know if I should contact hospitals or the morgue or-¡± ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. I thought you¡¯d be asleep.¡± ¡°Sleep? Are you insane?¡± Carm swelled like a bullfrog, clutching my zer. ¡°You crazy son of a bitch.¡± She enveloped me in a bear hug and dissolved into sobs. Breath caught in her lungs as she struggled to inhale. It killed me. I¡¯d never seen her fall apart. My words stuck in my throat as she clung to me. ¡°Sorry.¡± I cradled her shoulder, burying my nose in her sweet scent. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I fought him. It didn¡¯t end on good terms.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be vague.¡± ¡°He sliced my arm, so I shoved ss in his mouth. He¡¯s still alive-¡± ¡°Oh my God,¡± she moaned, fingering the bandage. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Just a scratch.¡± Carm crumpled as she unfastened the knot at my neck and pushed the jacket from my shoulders. She gazed at the strip of white wrapping my arm, her voice husky with regret. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Michael.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do it again. And again. Carm, breathe. You¡¯re safe.¡± Carm shook her head, so agitated she couldn¡¯t exhale without shaking violently. ¡°I hate him. I wish he¡¯d disappear.¡± Working on it. ¡°How long has he been an issue?¡± ¡°A couple of years.¡± ¡°Years?¡± ¡°Sometimes he leaves me alone for a few weeks. I move constantly. I rent apartments under pseudonyms. I do everything I can to avoid him. He always manages to find me.¡± I didn¡¯t know where to begin. ¡°How did you meet this guy?¡± ¡°A bar.¡± She closed her eyes. ¡°I thought I was in love. We were together for a while. I ran away to be with him, but after a few months of living with him, it turned into a horror show. I left him, but he hasn¡¯t left me.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve asked me for help. You were at my house on Christmas. We hung out all the time. I would¡¯ve handled him for you.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°You have two adorable children.¡± ¡°What do they have to do with anything?¡± Everything. My stomach dropped as Carm slumped onto the mattress, depression descending over her like a cloak. ¡°You were such a nice guy. I couldn¡¯t bring him in your lives.¡± Nothing she¡¯d said tonight devastated me more. ¡°You¡¯re worth it, Carm. I don¡¯t care what kind of trouble you¡¯re in.¡± Her head sank. ¡°Crash is the reason you never gave me the time of day. Isn¡¯t he?¡± Carm burrowed into bed and pulled the quilt to her forehead. It only slightly muffled her crying, and her agony pained me more than my throbbing wound. I sat beside her, peeling theforter to stroke her ebony tresses. ¡°Do you wantpany?¡± She nodded. I stripped, sliding in next to her. Carm flung her arm over my chest and snuggled close, her warmth burning me. I smoothed her sleeve. ¡°So what¡¯s with the shirt?¡± ¡°It smelled like you.¡± She stared ahead, her expression nk. I pressed my lips to her cheek, and as we touched she made a desperate sound, a sharp inhale that sliced into my chest. I turned my head and caught her lips. The salt from her tears slid over my tongue. I kissed her harder, determined to stop that awful, gut-wrenching sound. She sighed, melting into the sheets. Her touch drifted to my face as she leaned into the kiss. Her arms coiled over me as she deepened it. She was so eager, sucking, biting, her delectable pout iming every corner of my mouth. My hands skimmed her thighs. She ground into me. I ripped off her shirt in a whirl of ck cotton and tangled hair. My cock stiffened as she wriggled into a position that squished her breasts against me. I kneaded her ass, following the curve to a waist, up her velvety skin. My thumbs brushed the side of her breast. I cupped her tits, and she crashed her mouth into mine. I grabbed her hip and switched our positions. Carm¡¯s brte waves syed over white satin. Her tongue shed my lips, invading my senses with vani. My instincts screamed to answer her softness with bruising force, but I yanked the reins on my arousal. I liked rough sex. I tied girls inpromised positions. I spanked them and forced them to beg for orgasms. I loved it, and I made sure they did, too. When I was frustrated-when life got too stressful-I fucked women. But Carm needed a gentle man right now. I was the furthest from that, but I could try. I counted to ten. I closed my eyes and clenched my teeth. Carm¡¯s hand wandered below my midriff. She rolled over my cock and squeezed. Her passion stirred a primal urge that screamed one word-Dominate. It was more than a desire-an imperative to control snared my limbs and made my cock hard. I had to stop. I flipped onto my back, away from her. Carm followed, her touch red-hot as she drifted to my briefs. I moved her hand to where my heart thundered. She shook from my grasp, raising my lust to a five-story fire. I pulled her off me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I stumbled out of bed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t be what you need.¡± Hurt shed across Carm¡¯s beautiful face. This is too intense. #2— Chapter 15 CARMELA I¡¯d never love again. I¡¯d barely survived myst rtionship. Love was an indiscriminate killer of hearts, and mine was broken beyond repair. But Michael¡¯s fight with Nick had thrown that into doubt. He¡¯d stood up for me. He¡¯d shoved ss down Nick¡¯s throat without skipping a beat. Michael hadn¡¯t wasted time with twenty questions. He¡¯d believed me and acted swiftly. That meant everything to me. I told myself Michael was defending his pride, not me, but I couldn¡¯t separate his actions from the safety they¡¯d given me. And maybe I didn¡¯t love him, but there was room in my heart for his children. I loved them. Matteo was such a sweet kid. He hugged me at every opportunity, said hrious things, and hero-worshipped Michael. His daughter was moreplicated. Her fierce independence challenged me. She was prone to mming doors and I-hate-yous. She was guarded, like her father. The responsibility over both kids made me feel needed, but however much I lost myself in this new role, I couldn¡¯t forget that Nick was out there. Giant oaks towered above us like giants as we strolled the deep greenwn toward the yground. Mariette raced ahead, hooting with pleasure as she hurled herself onto a swing. Matteo¡¯s legs dashed for the stic tree house. He beat the bongo drum and twisted the gear wheel. Michael¡¯s hawk-like gaze zeroed in on his kids. Sleep lines etched his face, but other than that, he seemed normal. An untamed scruff covered his jaw and neck, and his mocha waves were half-tamed. When his amber eyes flicked at me, my heart jumped. ¡°What is it?¡± I smiled. ¡°Want coffee?¡± His attention slid to the children. ¡°Sure, I like it with-¡± ¡°Milk and enough sugar for a diabetica. I know.¡± He raised his brows as I wandered toward the espresso stand. Dew clung to the grass, slicking my ankles as sunshine broke through the murky sky. It was a beautiful spring morning. Cherry blossoms floated on the wind, clinging to my hair. The crisp air bit my cheeks. As I mixed Michael¡¯s coffee, I examined the lightness in my chest-happiness. I joined Michael¡¯s side, handing him the cup. ¡°I put in four sugars.¡±This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Perfect.¡± He frowned at it, as though he suspected poison, but he drank anyway. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You have a sweet tooth,¡± I said when he shot me a probing look. ¡°Peppermint candy in all your pockets. And I found your hidden stash in the walk-in closet.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you watched me.¡± He wasn¡¯t angry. He looked ttered. ¡°Are you after my heart, Carm?¡± ¡°With a lousy cup of joe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± Michael¡¯s smile widened behind the cardboard. ¡°What else do you think you know?¡± ¡°You¡¯re eating all the children¡¯s snacks. Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°What a monster.¡± ¡°I gave them life. The least they can do is give me their Snack Packs.¡± Michael¡¯s fingers skimmed my leggings and pinched my ass. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°Your favorite vegetable is broli. You have a thing for id suits. You use a butter knife to cut meat. I could go on and on, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Your quirks don¡¯t offer any insight to who you are as a person. And I want to know my husband.¡± Michael acted like he was half-listening, his gaze hyper-focused on the kids, but he stilled. ¡°Tell me about your parents.¡± ¡°Dad¡¯s dead,¡± he said baldly. ¡°Passed away when I was five. The guy you met at our wedding is my mom¡¯s boyfriend.¡± ¡°Sorry about your father.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember him. The funeral stuck in my mind, but other than that¡­he¡¯s a stranger.¡± So he grew up without a dad. That pitted my stomach with sadness. ¡°What happened after he died? Who helped raised you?¡± ¡°Daniel.¡± All the light seemed to disappear within Michael. ¡°My brother was fifteen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ton of pressure for a teenager.¡± ¡°Yeah, but he did the best he could. He packed lunches and walked me to school. Bought all the candy I wanted. When I got older, he¡¯d take me to arcades and p a ten-dor roll of quarters in my hand. That was a lot of money in those days. Especially for a kid. Daniel wasn¡¯t perfect. He wasn¡¯t even nice, but he was the closest thing I had to a dad.¡± Clouds rolled overhead, blocking the sun. He shook off his mncholy, the smile returning to his face. ¡°Life with me isn¡¯t so bad, is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not torture.¡± ¡°Easy on the praise, honey. When you let loose thosepliments, my knees knock together.¡± I took his shoulder and kissed his brow. He stared at me, toying with the empty cup. ¡°Do I make you nervous?¡± I asked. He snorted. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ever since I told you about Crash, you¡¯ve been different.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to be gentle. I¡¯m not making excuses or getting out of anything. I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± He leaned in, his breath tickling my cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t have a pause button, sweetheart. When we¡¯re hot and heavy, it¡¯s tough to stop.¡± ¡°I never asked you to change.¡± ¡°I married you to build a better life. If I give in to my impulses, I will hurt you. And I can¡¯t live with that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that for sure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk I¡¯m not selfish enough to take. I want you to be happy.¡± He couldn¡¯t mean that. My heart drank it in anyway. I¡¯d waited for someone to appreciate me. Nobody had ever seen my worth. They never cared to look beyond my face and body. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°Then why did I marry you?¡± I had no answer. Michael no longer resembled the monster I¡¯d met in his mansion. Piece by piece fell, like a badly fitting costume over a beautiful man. He¡¯d sucked me in like a ck hole, pulling me into his dark orbit. He¡¯s lying. I didn¡¯t care. I needed this. I dragged him by hispels, kissing him hard. Michael let a shockedugh into my mouth. A rumble vibrated in his throat, the sound deepening as I crushed him against a tree. His growl settled between my thighs as he flipped me around. He palmed my back before I hit the wood. Our bodies molded together. His lip caught mine with a sh of teeth that nipped before a liquid heat swiped me. He devoured me in a slow, agonizing stroke while he glided down in silky caresses. I pulled away, just enough to be warmed by hiszy smile. ¡°Is this what you¡¯re like when you don¡¯t hate me?¡± ¡°I never hated you, Carm.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, either.¡± ¡°Thank fuck.¡± He tipped forward, iming me again. He was softer thanst time, his tongue flicking my lip in such a wanton disy we were seconds from being called out. ¡°I want you. The real you.¡± I brushed his hair, fingers tangled in his hair. ¡°Not the man you pretended to be.¡± #2— Chapter 16 CARMELA I belted out an Italian bad. The high notes strained my voice because the singer was a soprano, and I was a first alto. I¡¯d lowered the key two half-steps but it was still too much, so I switched to a Patsy Cline song. As thest lyrics of ¡°She¡¯s Got You¡± faded, pping burst from a room. My stomach tightened as I followed the sound into the office, where my husband lounged in the darkness. A sliver of light shed his face into a diagonal slice, illuminating the faint outline of his silhouette. He sat on the couch, feet raised on the coffee table. He brought his hands together. ¡°Bravissimo.¡± Patches of heat burned my cheeks. I had no problem singing in front of strangers. Michael was another story. ¡°You¡¯re home early.¡± ¡°I had aplication.¡± He was nothing more than a shape, which gave me no insight into his mood. He seemed to guess mine from the silence. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. Keep singing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t when you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯llugh?¡± My anxiety had more to do with his presence, which rippled toward me like dark tendrils, snaring me no matter where I hid. He¡¯d always been overwhelming in a simr way to Nick. Michael was a different vor of monster. I wanted to know how far he could be pushed. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m finished with practice.¡± Michael cocked his head. ¡°Howe I never hear you?¡± ¡°I do it when you¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°We¡¯re married. You don¡¯t have to hide from me anymore.¡± He wouldn¡¯t let this go. ¡°I¡¯m not hiding. I sing to Matteo sometimes.¡± ¡°That kid has you wrapped around his pinkie.¡± Not that Michael minded, judging from the softness in his voice. ¡°Now he has me reading him five stories a night.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I love him.¡± It slipped out before I could swallow the confession. Love was a dangerous word. Nick had done unspeakable things in its name, and men like Michael considered their sons extensions of themselves. Zero degrees of separation existed between him and Matteo. He¡¯d assume I loved him. He would use it against me. What the hell was wrong with me? ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± Suspicionced Michael¡¯s tone. ¡°Or are you ttering me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about ttering you.¡± ¡°I believe that.¡± That hung between us, heating the air. Then Michael interrupted the silence with a whip-likemand. ¡°Come.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Ask nicely.¡± Michael drummed the couch before conceding. ¡°Please.¡± I was surprised he caved so easily. I approached him, sinking into the space beside him. Michael¡¯s head turned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± Michael went rigid, as though guarding himself from a strike. ¡°Why do you love them?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. I just do.¡± I stared at Michael, who was impossible to read in the dark. ¡°They¡¯re cute children, and I bond quickly.¡± ¡°I could never feel that way about somebody else¡¯s kids. I¡¯m indifferent to everyone but me and mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that heartless.¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t have one of your own.¡± That dug into me like acid. ¡°Thanks for the reminder, asshole.¡± ¡°Carm, I¡¯m okay with trying.¡± My stomach tensed. A baby. He couldn¡¯t have meant that. He grabbed my wrist, pulling me down before I¡¯d risen from the sofa. ¡°I could give you a baby.¡± ¡°Are you fucking with me?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯d like to be fucking you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke. Not about this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I tried to tell you weeks ago. I¡¯ve hinted at it heavily, but your skull is thicker than my cousin¡¯s. You can¡¯t believe anything good about me.¡± ¡°You want a baby.¡± I was still stuck on that bombshell. ¡°With me.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, for starters, you already have two. What would you do with another?¡± ¡°There are perks to having kids with you, Carm. Besides the obvious.¡± Michael¡¯s thigh pressed into mine. ¡°Matteo is half-Italian. He¡¯ll never follow in my footsteps, but our sons will.¡± Oh my God. ¡°What if we have girls?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll braid their hair and I¡¯ll build them dollhouses.¡± ¡°And if we have a son?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll groom him into this life. I need somebody to take over when I¡¯m old.¡± Michael leaned over, softening. ¡°You have to be okay with that.¡± I expected nothing less from a man like him, though it stung my heart. ¡°What about Teo?¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°Are you nning the same for him?¡± Michael shook his head. ¡°The kid is too sensitive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s perfect!¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s not a criticism. I love how nice he is, but I have to face facts. You were right. We¡¯re not alike. Plus, as only half guido, he¡¯ll never be made. I can¡¯t ask him to join something that¡¯ll never ept him.¡± This conversation was crazy. ¡°We are not even pregnant.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather clear the air now. It¡¯s up to you. I¡¯m happy either way.¡± This was insanity. ¡°You¡¯re fine with doctor¡¯s appointments and changing diapers and-¡± ¡°Do you want a baby or not?¡± Was that a serious question? ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve always wanted to be a mom.¡± I gasped as Michael¡¯s attention drifted to the zipper at my neck. ¡°What are you-¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a baby.¡± Michael unzipped my dress, his hand slipping down my back. As the cotton peeled from my body, he pulled my bra straps down, chasing them with hot kisses. His mouth was ecstasy. He palmed my breast, his tongue following his thumb¡¯s movements. Michael stroked up my leg, the swell of pleasure knocking me off bnce. I threaded my fingers through his soft hair, and Michael rewarded me with a sharp nip. He dragged me onto hisp. My thighs syed over his as he cradled me like a doll. I ripped into his shirt, trailing his chest, sliding over the bs of muscle. Desire lodged in my throat like a fist. I undressed him, wetness soaking the fabric. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Blood,¡± he murmured. ¡°But it¡¯s mine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Shit. I¡¯ll grab bandages.¡± ¡°I have all the healing I need right here.¡± He kissed me, and then he brushed the seam of my panties. ¡°And here.¡± Oh God. ¡°What do you get out of this?¡± ¡°I fuck you however I want.¡± A dark thrill shot through my veins at his clipped tone. It was a warning. One I should heed, because he was covered in blood. Something deadly stirred in him, but he wouldn¡¯t unleash it until I consented. A heavy silence stole the air as I considered surrendering control. ¡°Anything for a baby.¡± He took my wrists, his grip biting. ¡°Carm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to meet you halfway.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t exist. There is all the way or nothing.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± I grabbed his hand and guided it lower. ¡°It¡¯s my choice.¡± Michael seized my chin and gave me a hard kiss. He slipped from my grasp and ripped off my bra. Then he pushed my dress, sliding the thong off, his strokes roughened. A fire bloomed where his lips pressed into me, and his tongue stroked with liquid heat. With every stitch of clothing shoved off my feet, Michael cradled me in his arms. Slowly, he unbuckled himself. Leather pped his cks as he pulled his belt free. He held it taut and brushed my jaw. ¡°I can¡¯t be gentle. When I fuck, it¡¯s rough. It¡¯s intense. It¡¯s the opposite of your needs. You have to know that this isn¡¯t malice. I just can¡¯t hold back. I¡¯m trying to be a good husband.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I can handle you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll destroy your limits, Carm. All of them. If you¡¯re not feeling that, you better march your ass out of here.¡± ¡°I want you, too.¡± He narrowed his grip. ¡°You don¡¯t mean that. You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I said yes-¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you.¡± He kissed me. It was so brutal, he cut off my air. I tasted his earthy essence as he shed my mouth open. He angled his head, the stroke crushing me. He pecked my cupid¡¯s bow, and then my bottom lip. He looped the belt around my waist. It slid up my abdomen, tightening, cutting off my mobility. It slipped under my breasts, and stroked my nipples. He tightened it, ttening my tits. Weeks of watching his children hadn¡¯t dulled the urge to have a baby. My heart burst with jealousy when his kids piled on hisp. I¡¯d started to resent him, thinking there was no way he¡¯d ever agree. There was nothing I wouldn¡¯t give for that experience. I wanted this. I could do this.This is from N?velDrama.Org. As he restrained me, my world got silent and dark. I drifted into a state of numbness. I sagged in his arms, giving up. Michael made a triumphant sound and leaned forward, his smile pressing into my cold lips. He pulled away. ¡°No. You don¡¯t get to disappear.¡± He hauled me upright. He thrust me backward, hands drifting to my ass. Then he lifted me. My legs hit the desk. He scooped under my thighs and pushed me onto the hard surface. Paperweights and folders scattered as he shoved everything off. Then he ttened me on the wood. He retreated and strolled to the curtains, yanking them aside. Light streamed into the room. I gasped. Patches of crimson had stained his sleeves. He ripped off his shirt, his lips curled into a feral smirk. There was no lightness in him. The monster hade out to y. He kneeled, shoving my knees apart as his head disappeared between them. His mouth seared my pussy, and he sucked. Delicious warmth stroked my clit. Back and forth, he licked. Intense heat seared my cheeks as I groaned. Convulsions down my leg as he puckered, dragging me into him. Sweet Jesus, it was hot. All of me smoldered. I wriggled on my stomach, desperate to clench and chase his teasing, but Michael¡¯s grip never yielded. He struck my ass. I burned at the blow, but he soothed it with a pass of his hand. Then he hit me again. And again. Each time, harder. Not enough to make me scream-to test my boundaries to their limit. But even if he never relieved the raw skin, his tongue was there, licking and fucking me. I didn¡¯t give a damn about being spanked if he kept using his mouth. So long as it swirled in my wetness, which coated my thighs. I shouted, unable to bear the sharp frustration, the agony of not being able to ride him. Suddenly, he ripped away. No! I cried out as he left, on the brink of self-destruction from the pounding ache that needed something to fill- Michael¡¯s cks crumpled to the floor. He pressed into my legs, as he took my waist. His cock rolled over my clit, slicked with my arousal. He yanked me by the tether, his voice seething with lust. ¡°You love this. Don¡¯t you?¡± He gripped my face and taunted me with a fierce tap. ¡°I asked you a question.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you really hard.¡± His grip slid to my throat. ¡°Remember what I said, Carm.¡± Which part? He entered me with a brutal thrust. His cock rammed home, allowing me no time to adjust as he squeezed, cutting my oxygen. A buzzing emptiness filled my head as he rutted me. It was overwhelming, the gliding, slick length massaging my sparks into a roaring inferno. I fought to breathe, taking in less air, and yet I ground against him. I pushed back, not at all eager to numb out. He felt too damned good. A needy moan burst from my clenched lips. Michael rolled his hips and gave it to me harder. A blow cracked over my ass, the vibration tingling my pussy. Euphoria tingled my mouth. It glowed around the fingers slowing my air. It rode his cock, which knocked out what remained of my oxygen. More. My chest burned as I attempted to inhale. My orgasm was building, tightening. He settled into a frenzied rhythm. His palm moved between us as he rubbed circles into my clit, the gentle touch sparking electricity into my core. He pinned me. The hold on my throat let go, and my orgasm crashed into me like a semi. A desperate cryunched from me. I gasped, throttled by a deep thrust as he finished inside me. Heat jetted my walls as his muscles spasmed, his hand still rubbing. He¡¯d promised to destroy my limits and he had. My barriersy in shambles, all of them obliterated by Michael. And I was beyond happy. An aphrodisiac like I¡¯d never known nketed me as Michael peeled me off the desk. He unbuckled me, and my arms went limp. Dragging me into his chest, he fell onto the couch. He tucked my head under his and held me, the madness purged from him, no more deadly than a teddy bear. I fingered my neck, in awe of the ache between my legs. Why did his domination feel so liberating? Why did I want him to do it again? Michael brushed my hair, wiping the tears tracking my cheeks. ¡°Under my control will be your favorite ce. I promise.¡± I WOULD HAVE A BABY. I wasn¡¯t pregnant, but it was only a matter of time. We¡¯d made love three more times that day, Michael waking me up in the middle of the night, his erection pressing into my back. I¡¯d already downloaded an app to track my cycle and had figured out when I was ovting. I shared the calendar with Michael, who¡¯d agreed to block out those days for us. His support was more than I¡¯d hoped for. I was cautiously optimistic. I looked forward to Michaeling home, and not just for the amazing sex. I missed him. It happened after I woke up one morning to an empty bed. A void had gaped in my chest. I snuggled the pillow on his side for an hour before it dawned on me what the emptiness meant-I was catching feelings. Shit, shit, shit. With Nick, it was love-at-first-sight. I fell for him hard, and his obsession had dug into me with hooked barbs. We didn¡¯t know how to treat each other well. We never had twenty-four hours without a blow-up argument, screaming, fighting, and angry sex. Tearing him off me had hurt me, deeply. Michael and I never really fought. He didn¡¯t have annoying habits. His world sprawled over a vastndscape. He wasn¡¯t an emotional basket case. The man wanted to fuck his wife, y with his children, and do repairs. In the weeks I¡¯d been here, he¡¯d repainted the fence, re-grouted the bathroom, fixed kitchen cabs, and the list went on. He was always looking for something to mend, almost as though it calmed him. I liked that he was self-reliant and he tipped his staff generously, and that he wasn¡¯t too good to check the rat traps in the crawlspace. His routine may have been predictable, but I¡¯d been aching for stability. Maybe this would work. I smiled as I checked on the rack ofmb sizzling in the oven. The children yed outside. Michael had invited his family over for Easter, and we¡¯d spent the morning preparing an egg hunt in the backyard. Instead of drinking with the adults, Michael was ying babysitter. Children piled on his back, demanding his attention. He dyed eggs with his son and corralled the kids when it was time for a snack. Michael was never happier than when he was with Mariette and Matteo. It was sweet to watch, and it also stabbed at me somewhere deep. Only one thing was missing from the perfect picture-my family. Mia was gone. My parents-banned for life. We¡¯d never celebrate a holiday together. I¡¯d never hold my niece, and to top it all off, Matteo had developed a distressing habit of running away from me. I chased him into the granite kitchen, a stitch stabbing my side from chasing his little ass. He shrieked as he collided into Michael, whose wine spilled over the rim. He set it down and sucked his fingers. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Chase me!¡± ¡°No. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± Michael kneeled, wiping grass off Matteo¡¯s shirt. ¡°Wash your hands before you eat.¡± ¡°I was going to make him do that, but he keeps taking off.¡± I snatched at Matteo, who escaped between his father¡¯s legs and shot into another room. ¡°See?¡± Michael nced over his shoulder, shrugging. ¡°He does that.¡± ¡°Am I doing something wrong? We were getting along, and now¡­it¡¯s like he hates me.¡± Michael¡¯s softugh dipped into my belly. ¡°Definitely not.¡± ¡°Do they like me?¡± ¡°They¡¯re crazy about you.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll always love you more. You¡¯ve been there all their lives.¡± ¡°Give it time, Carm. Love isn¡¯t earned overnight.¡± I knew I had unrealistic expectations, but it was hard to detach from children that I took care of every day. I sang them songs. Read them stories. We watched movies, yed games, cuddled. Michael grabbed my arm when I headed for Matteo. ¡°Speaking as an overprotective asshole, you¡¯re taking your role a little too seriously. The house is packed with adults. Nothing will happen to him.¡± ¡°I walked in here and picked up your kid without anyone noticing.¡± ¡°I noticed.¡± He raised a brow. ¡°Everyone will think you like my kids more than me.¡± ¡°Well, I do.¡± ¡°How can I change that?¡± His touch glided to my hand, the gentleness filling me with steam. ¡°You can¡¯tpete with Matteo.¡± ¡°I know, and I¡¯m not even going to try, but at least tell me you¡¯re breaking down.¡± Michael¡¯s tone made me feel plunged in liquid heat. ¡°Because you¡¯re sure growing on me.¡± ¡°Your kids are happier, and you¡¯re getting your dick wet. Isn¡¯t that all you wanted?¡± ¡°I want so many things from you, Carm. It¡¯s impossible to boil them down to just a couple.¡± Michael¡¯s fingers brushed my cheek, and then my neck. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°I told you a million times, yes.¡± I¡¯d slipped under Michael¡¯s spell. Themands delivered in that voice. His possession over my body. The passion. I¡¯d loved it all. The belts, ropes, and toys that baffled me in the beginning now seemedughably harmless. I saw them for what they were-bits of nylon and cowhide. Only the person who wielded them could hurt me. That wasn¡¯t Michael. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked, facing him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. All this fucking is wearing me out.¡± He winked. I rolled my eyes, but didn¡¯t fight when he gathered me in his arms. I sank into his impossibly warm embrace and tried not to smile at all the happiness bursting from inside me. ¡°I¡¯m just checking in, Michael. Marriage is a two-way street, or so they say.¡± ¡°I could do with a blowjob.¡± Heughed as I dug into his back. ¡°All right, fine. There is something I want.¡± ¡°What?¡± Warmth slid around my waist as he pulled me close. His mouth grazed my jaw. Several more kisses seared my face and ear before his ragged whisper cut through my muddled feelings. ¡°Go on a date with me.¡± #2— Chapter 17 MICHAEL Happiness was a fickle thing. In my twenties, I chased it with a series of ridiculous goalposts. I¡¯ll be happy when I make two million dors a year. I¡¯ll be satisfied when I bang three girls at the same time. I¡¯ll be content when I¡¯m not trapped in a dead marriage with a woman I hate. You get the picture. It set me up for disappointment because the goalposts never stopped moving further away. It wasn¡¯t until I destroyed them that I found joy in everyday things-a cup of coffee, rain washing the pavement, fucking Carm. It had been a perfect morning. Perfect, like Carm¡¯s lingering kiss when I tried to say goodbye. Sweet and hot. She didn¡¯t want to let go of me, and leaving her felt wrong. She¡¯d given me everything I¡¯d wanted, and it¡¯d made me optimistic. Maybe this could work. Maybe we¡¯d be like those obnoxiously cheerful couples I usually hated. I was riding high after she¡¯d ridden me all night, and I¡¯d never been so exhausted. My face cracked with a ridiculous grin as I strolled into Sanctum, my underground sex club. The club was all ck ented with gold, and everywhere was jammed with beautiful women and guys thirsty for high-ss ass. Girls wearing animal silk masks and designer lingerie hung like ornaments beside their malepanions. A naked woman sat on all fours, bncing a tray of drinks on her back as two men chatted. Others did a striptease. People fucked on chaises and sofas, in rooms with doors opened. Pure hedonism. Madness. I¡¯d been known to indulge, but those days were over. Familiar faces smiled at me, but I ignored them. I¡¯d never been so indifferent to naked women. I made a beeline for the round entrance. The doors yawned into a room flickering with orange light from a ss wall firece. Obsidian furniture packed the space, the barely visible silhouettes shimmering. Silver grout around brick shimmered. This area was invitation-only. It was where we kept our A-listers, Saudi princes, British royalty, anybody who needed more privacy. I spotted a stoic man standing outside a booth along with Julian¡¯s sh of blond hair. His expression said he was bored out of his mind. He tapped on his smartphone, his pale gaze meeting mine when I approached. ¡°Hey, Michael.¡± I grunted. ¡°How long has he been here?¡± ¡°All night.¡± I nced inside the booth. Anthony¡¯s hair spilled over the leather, his eyes closed and his lips curled inzy contentment. ¡°Is he high?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Fucking Anthony. The dad in me wanted to fix him, to guide him by the hand and teach him things. Mostly, I wished I could strangle him. He was a pain in the ass, like my four-year-old could sometimes be, except I didn¡¯t love Anthony unconditionally. The booth was a mess. Empty bottles, ssware, mounds of powder littered the marble table. The idiot thought he was Scarface. The girls helped themselves to lines of coke as I stomped inside. ¡°There are no drugs allowed in this club.¡± Leticia straightened, rubbing her nose. ¡°Wha-Michael? Oh shit.¡± She elbowed the other woman, a new hire. ¡°Michael, we¡¯re so sorry. We didn¡¯t-he offered.¡± ¡°Get out.¡± They scampered. ¡°Michael. What a surprise.¡± Anthony pushed himself upright. ¡°Have a seat-join me. Want a hit?¡± He knew damned well I was off cocaine. ¡°I have two kids at home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just as boring as Alessio.¡± Anthony patted his jacket, recovering a pack of cigarettes. He stuck one between his lips and searched for a lighter. ¡°Never mind. How¡¯ve you been?¡± ¡°Pissed off.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°For starters? I¡¯m here instead of knocking up my wife.¡± Anthony grimaced. ¡°Jesus Christ, man.¡± ¡°I have enough on my te without you. I spent the day talking to our partners. Trying to convince them you¡¯ll stay out of trouble. You¡¯re killing me, Anthony. You really are. What are you doing?¡± ¡°Having a cigarette.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no smoking in here.¡± I plucked it out of his mouth and crushed it. ¡°And I don¡¯t allow drugs at Sanctum. Not now-not ever.¡± Anthony grinned as he gave me a heavy-lidded stare. ¡°You¡¯re the boss.¡± I cuffed him across the face, and the gleam in Anthony¡¯s eyes burned brighter. ¡°Don¡¯t talk back to me.¡± ¡°Who the hell do you think you are-my dad? We¡¯re the same age.¡± ¡°Act like a child, and I¡¯ll treat you like one.¡± Anthony raked his hair, behaving as though he was on the verge of a meltdown. ¡°Fuck you, Michael. I have an addiction.¡± ¡°How many trips to rehab do you need?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Why do you keep doing this? Is it a cry for help? A drawn-out suicide attempt? Do you want to die?¡± His voice darkened. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°No,¡± he sulked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°Then prove it. Stop doing this shit to yourself.¡± I grabbed his arm, marveling at how much weight he¡¯d lost. ¡°Go home andy low.¡± ¡°Give me something to do, and I swear I¡¯ll dump the coke and-and the clubs.¡± I was all for giving the dipshit some responsibility, but Nico was adamant about keeping his son out of the mafia. ¡°Absolutely not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the next in line! I should be acting boss, not Vinn.¡± ¡°One, you¡¯re a train wreck. Nobody will follow your orders. Two, this isn¡¯t Ennd. You don¡¯t just inherit the throne. Three, you get killed if you hang out in public. Every gangster in Boston is gunning for you.¡± Anthony seized the bottle of vodka and brought the neck to his lips. I yanked it from his grip and resisted the urge to crack him over the head. I pulled him out of the booth and shoved him into a bodyguard¡¯s arms. ¡°I promised your father I¡¯d keep you alive, but you seem hell-bent on killing yourself, so I¡¯m cutting you off. No more visits to Sanctum.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll freeload somewhere else.¡± Talking to him was a waste of time. I faced his bodyguard, who had bags hanging under his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m hiring more guys to help you. I want him surrounded day and night. No drugs. No alcohol. No fucking clubs.¡± ¡°You got it.¡± I waved my hand, indicating they should go. Anthony shot me a look filled with poison as they dragged him to the exit, and then I turned to Julian. He watched Anthony leave,ughing when he tried to grab a hooker on his way out. ¡°Useless junkie.¡± That bothered me,ing from him. ¡°When you see Anthony with drugs, you call me immediately. Not after he¡¯s snorted a felony¡¯s worth of cocaine.¡± ¡°Michael, you¡¯re fighting a losing battle. This kid¡¯s going to die.¡± ¡°If that idiot dies, Nico will murder all of us.¡± I beckoned at Julian, who followed me into a private room. ¡°I need you to do something.¡± ¡°Sure. What is it?¡± Julian¡¯s deadpan grated at me. He was probably annoyed that I delegated my shitty tasks to him, like babysitting Anthony. He¡¯d lost his job a year ago. I took pity on him and offered him work because Serena had begged me. Somehow, he was still in my fucking life. ¡°I want you to manage this club¡¯s ck-tie events.¡± Julian leaned back, sighing. ¡°What do I know about event nning?¡± ¡°Throw a party every other Friday to induct more suckers into Sanctum. The less I¡¯m here, the better.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I get it. Happy wife, happy life.¡± Julian sank his head onto his palm. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, but only if we have regr y dates. I want a rtionship with my sister¡¯s children.¡± And I¡¯d rather he disappeared. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°How¡¯s everything at home?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said bracingly. ¡°Carm seemed upset at your wedding. I thought that was odd. Then I asked around, and nobody knows when you started dating.¡± ¡°Do you have a question?¡± Julian hesitated. ¡°Why did you propose?¡± ¡°I told you. I¡¯ve known her for a while. We reconnected at my daughter¡¯s birthday, and by the end, I wanted to marry her.¡± ¡°So you proposed, and she agreed. Just like that.¡± ¡°Yeah, asshole.¡± ¡°Rx, I¡¯m not picking a fight. You and Serena weren¡¯t a great match. I¡¯d hate for history to repeat itself.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± I stood and yanked the door, gesturing outside. That was the thing about Julian. He was a sarcastic bastard underneath all that fake concern. I loathed the whole family. Now the fucker had gotten into my head. Carm did seem too good to be true. She was amazing with the kids and drama-free. She¡¯d respected everything I¡¯d asked-no fighting-which never happened with Serena. I thought I¡¯d have to throw credit cards at her and tolerate weekend retreats at Nantucket, but all she wanted to do was garden. Carm ripped up the grass and built nter boxes while I was at work. Tomato nts now lined the east wall. The other day, I caught her clipping a flyer. Who the fuck did I marry? She was a rich girl who used coupons. A beauty who shoved her hands in dirt. She was a walking contradiction, and I couldn¡¯t figure her out. It bothered me. I stared at myptop as Julian left, the door closing softly. When thetch clicked, I opened the lid. I pulled a web browser and typed the credentials into her email. I¡¯d hacked it weeks ago, but I¡¯d held off from viting her privacy. I shouldn¡¯t. But I had to. A festering boil bubbled in my stomach as I searched her inbox, finding nothing but promotional messages. Then I dove into her Sent folder, determined to leave no stone unturned, and what I saw gutted me. Fuck me. My lips curled as I read every message, including the one iming I¡¯d hired Carm. Within seconds, I¡¯d stripped the camera information from Alessio¡¯s pictures and discovered his location. Vacationing in the Amazon, my ass. He was in Boca Raton, Florida. Sloppy. She¡¯d whitewashed the content of these emails to keep her sister hidden, but that didn¡¯t bother me. She¡¯d lied to my face. She swore she had no idea where they were. Did I not exin how important it was to bring him back? I stared at the text until the ck lines bled into white, and a sickening rage engulfed my body. My impulse to make Carm¡¯s life easier vanished. Carm had no idea who she married. I replied to the email: Michael forced me to marry him. Help me. #2— Chapter 18 CARMELA Michael fisted my hair. His gasps billowed my neck as his body rocked like a wave. His muscles glided under my hands, sweat slicking his tanned skin like oil. He stered his face into my cor. He sucked and bit down, hard. He burst with a wordless groan. Something wild in Michael exploded when he fucked me. Maybe it was his orgasms, the way they sounded like a wound, or his hold on my wrists as he came. A low growl rumbled through his chest. His thighs twitched with spasms as he spilled inside me. His breathing calmed. He released me, the darkness purged from him. I loved having sex with him. But I cherished the moments when he melted into me, kissing. He was so sensual it made braving the mes worth it. Tonight, though, his kisses stung me with white-hot bites. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± Michael broke from me, groaning. He yanked sheets over our bodies as Matteo crashed into the room, dressed in his jammies. He vaulted onto the mattress and threw himself onto Michael¡¯s back. Michael cringed. ¡°Buddy, give us a minute.¡± ¡°What are you doing to Caramel?¡± Matteo cinched his arms around Michael¡¯s neck. ¡°Carm.¡± ¡°Grown-up things. Teo, go y with your sister.¡± ¡°I wanna sleep with Carm.¡± Michael gave his son a wry grin. ¡°If you were any other guy, that¡¯d be a hard pass.¡± ¡°There¡¯s too many people on this bed,¡± Matteo roared as he flung himself between us. ¡°Daddy, you can sleep on the floor.¡± ¡°What?¡± I covered my face andughed. Michael pulled on boxers before dragging Matteo off. I went into the bathroom. Michael joined me, hugging me from behind. His heart hammered as he folded me in his sweat-streaked body. ¡°My sweet caramel.¡± A rush of warmth apanied those words. ¡°Still want to go out?¡± ¡°Hell yes. I hired a sitter.¡± I showered, slipped into a cocktail dress, and did my makeup. When I finished, I rejoined him. Michaelbed his hair, eyes on the mirror. His forehead rippled with a deep frown, and then he nced at me. The nce turned into a stare and his lips curled into something feral. He dropped theb and approached me like a hunter stalking prey. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a temptation. Ditch the mom jeans and wear this every day.¡± ¡°When have you ever seen me in pants?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t pay attention to your clothes. Only when your outfit gets me so hard, my brain stops working.¡± His finger prodded my chin until I¡¯d met his gaze. ¡°Wait outside.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t go to dinner with a loaded gun.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He pushed me toward the door and swatted my ass. Twenty minutester, Michael emerged from the bedroom. He¡¯d shaved his face, slicked his hair on the sides, and put on a navy zer over ck cks. We went downstairs, said goodbye to the nanny, and packed into his Audi, my stomach leaping with excitement. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°Somewhere you¡¯ll like,¡± he deadpanned as we pulled from the driveway. ¡°Traffic sucks.¡± ¡°Did you make reservations?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Interesting. ¡°Now I¡¯m wondering if I overdressed.¡± Michael¡¯s hand glided up my thigh, his touch burning through the fabric. ¡°You look fine with a capital F.¡± ¡°You¡¯re handsome, too. I¡¯m happy we¡¯re doing this.¡± ¡°Me too. You know what? We¡¯re due for a family vacation. I¡¯m considering Florida.¡± ¡°Disney World? Yeah, that¡¯d be great.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not Ondo-Miami. Palm Beach. Boca Raton, maybe.¡± My heart galloped ahead. ¡°Sure.¡± Michael frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine-I¡¯m just thinking.¡± ¡°Thinking what, honey?¡± Honey. ¡°Are you feeling all right? You seem different.¡± He shot me a puzzled look that made me doubt myself. The discussion ended as we stopped at a familiar road. He got out of the Audi and tossed the keys to the valet. Then he took my hand, smiling so broadly that I must¡¯ve imagined things. I read the restaurant¡¯s name on the glowing awning and gasped. ¡°This is my dad¡¯s ce!¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°How?¡± I hadn¡¯t been inside in months. ¡°I practically grew up here.¡± Michael smiled at the building, as though he was lost in nostalgia. ¡°It was one of the property titles your dad transferred to me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re eating here?¡± ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°No, this is perfect. Thank you, Michael.¡± It was as though the weirdness in the car never happened. I balled my fingers in his jacket and kissed him. He was unyielding at first. A stone structure that breathed but emanated zero warmth. Then he opened his mouth. ¡°Of course, baby. I thought you¡¯d might like to eat here before I tear it down.¡± #2— Chapter 19 MICHAEL Carm gaped at me like I¡¯d shot her dog. White light paled Carm¡¯s golden skin as we stopped under the awning. The glow faded from her smile. ¡°What do you mean, tear it down?¡± ¡°Boston doesn¡¯t need another Italian restaurant. I¡¯ve done some market research in the area, and guess what¡¯s in high demand? Weed shops.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her voice was like a thunderp. ¡°I¡¯m turning this ce into a marijuana dispensary.¡± I savored the devastation on her face. ¡°Cash only. Perfect for moneyundering.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re getting rid of my father¡¯s clean business to build a pot store that the FBI will raid.¡± Carm¡¯s eyes radiated with unrestrained fury. ¡°That is the dumbest idea ever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of calling it Starbuds.¡± ¡°Why would you get into that business? There¡¯s so much regtion.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll self-regte. I¡¯ll bribe city officials to nce the other way.¡± I palmed her shoulder and wheeled her toward the building. ¡°I¡¯ll paint it gray with a green trim. I¡¯ll gut the kitchen. Donate the furniture to homeless shelters.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not destroying my fucking restaurant.¡± ¡°I own the title. I can do anything I want.¡± Before she opened her mouth, the hostess took our coats and showed us to a table. Brick surrounded the dining room. Espresso-brown padded booths were shoved against the wall, next to rustic wooden tables. Cast-ironmps hung over them, the white glow bouncing off the patent leather. Sheer ck curtains draped over windows. It was the same aesthetic as my house. A jazz quartet yed music on a tiny stage. It was sonorous, boring shit. The space was packed with young couples. It was gorgeous. Ignacio had invested a fortune in remodeling. I seized the wine list as we sat, scowling. ¡°These prices are a racket.¡± ¡°Look around, Michael. People loveing here.¡± Carm leaned over the table. ¡°I love it here.¡± ¡°Then I suggest you order everything because I¡¯m shutting it down.¡± ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Because you¡¯re a fucking liar. ¡°I¡¯m expanding into new business opportunities.¡± ¡°Do it on one of your properties!¡± ¡°There you go again,¡± I teased, reading the short menu. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re married. What¡¯s yours is mine.¡± ¡°So you won¡¯t mind if I ruin your home?¡± ¡°Have at it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Her voice trembled, the sound stabbing me. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°This restaurant is nothing to me, but it¡¯s something to you. I¡¯ll close it down. I don¡¯t give a damn.¡± ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± A lot. ¡°Nothing. I like seeing you hot and bothered.¡± I faced the grimacing waiter. ¡°We¡¯ll have it all.¡± ¡°Sir, we don¡¯t make smaller portions-¡± ¡°You know who I am. Bring me the whole goddamn menu, or you¡¯re fired.¡± The man paled. ¡°Right.¡± Carm set the ss down, fingers pinching the stem as though she wished it was my neck. ¡°You touch a brick, and I swear to God, Michael.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll put salt in my coffee? Key my car? Destroy my sex toys?¡± I enjoyed watching her squirm. ¡°They can be reced.¡± ¡°I can think of a few things on your body you¡¯d miss.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have it in you.¡± I leaned forward, patting her hand. ¡°Plus, I¡¯d truss you up before you got a knife anywhere near my balls.¡± ¡°You better sleep with one eye open.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tie you to the bed frame. Problem solved.¡± The waiter approached with our appetizers-bruschetta, grilled octopus, and burrata. Carm beamed at the server, which caused him to linger until I shot him a pointed re. She dove into the bruschetta and piled on cheese, her face suffused with greed as she ate. She moaned. ¡°So good.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous.¡± ¡°Michael, try it.¡± I did. I sank my teeth into the ciabatta zed with basil. The sharp, nutty vor yanked me to the Mediterranean, where I had a fantastic bowl of pesto. Nothing in the States had everpared. All I saw were the turquoise waters and white umbres of Portofino. The vision faded behind Carm, who watched me with a knowing grin. ¡°It tastes just like Italy, doesn¡¯t it?¡± I tried not to enjoy it. ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°The secret¡¯s in the pine nuts. Most ces import them from China. Cheaper, but the vor profile¡¯s not the same. You have to go to the source. The Mediterranean.¡± I thrust the half-eaten appetizer away, hating that she¡¯d gotten to me through food, of all things. ¡°Portofino.¡± ¡°See?¡± Carm seized on that, glowing. ¡°This isn¡¯t just another Italian restaurant, Michael. You have no idea how hard I pushed for those nuts. They cost a fortune, but they¡¯re worth it. You can¡¯t eat them without your taste buds exploding.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What are you, the head chef?¡± ¡°I managed this ce for a while. I worked in a lot of Dad¡¯s businesses.¡± Carm picked up her fork and scrubbed at a watermark. ¡°I¡¯de here, work the lunch and dinner shifts, and attend meetings with his builders.¡± ¡°Builders?¡± ¡°Yeah, Dad wanted a brewery and tasting room. It was an enormous project-lots of permits. Dealing with construction was a nightmare. I had to be on them for every minor thing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in a brewery besides four walls and concrete?¡± ¡°Bureaucracy. It took forever.¡± A smile ticked over my cheek. A scrappy woman existed underneath all that beauty. I was drawn to her because of her tits and ass. I liked curves, and she had plenty. I never thought she¡¯d done something with her life besides spend her dad¡¯s paper. Now I knew better. She wasn¡¯t a crushing wallflower or a high-maintenance brat. She was a hustler. A girl who toiled twelve hours a day just to keep busy. She sounded like me. This new side of her pitted my stomach with dread. I needed to destroy this woman before she killed me. I beckoned her. ¡°Come.¡± Irritation flicked across her gaze. ¡°What do you want?¡± Could she do anything without arguing? ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to save your daddy¡¯s restaurant.¡± She slid off the chair, her big eyes widening with hope that I¡¯d crush. ¡°Since you¡¯re a renaissance woman, it should be easy for you to entertain this crowd. Follow me.¡± Her cheeks pinked as I wove through the tables, making a beeline for the stage. I unfolded a hundred-dor bill and approached the man singing in the microphone. I waved money in his face. ¡°We don¡¯t do song requests-¡± ¡°Get off. Let my wife sing.¡± I tucked the cash in his hand. When he raised his brow, I shoved in several more bills. ¡°Fuck off.¡± He stepped aside, the music grinding to a halt. The patrons didn¡¯t nce our way. Carm gaped at me. ¡°Michael, what are you doing?¡± ¡°You are tonight¡¯s entertainment.¡± I gestured at the hipsters neck-deep in their Bolognese and wine. ¡°Get this whole room to p, and I won¡¯t bulldoze this ce.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Fine? Carm smiled like I¡¯d handed her a trophy, and faced the guy behind the keyboard. ¡°Can you y ¡®Valerie¡¯ in E-t?¡± By the time I returned to my seat, Carm had already wiped herself of emotion. She seemed calm-in her element. She adjusted the microphone stand as though she¡¯d done it thousands of times before. The band picked up with a jazzy, upbeat tempo. Once people locked eyes on the maic woman on stage, nobody looked away. Carm belted the lyrics. I didn¡¯t recognize it, but voices joined in the chorus. She was perfect. She never stumbled over a lyric. She sounded great, and before the tune ended, half the ce shouted the chorus. People pped when she finished-even the fucking barman. The guitarist palmed her shoulder, mouthing good job. She reced the microphone, beaming like she¡¯d taken a hit of ecstasy. Heads followed my smoking-hot brte to our table, where the jealous stares of men raked my back. Carm bounced with a liveliness I never saw before. The torch-like intensity of her confidence blinded me. ¡°I win. You lose.¡± I didn¡¯t care. I was awestruck. ¡°You were amazing.¡± Carm sank into her chair, her cheeks flushing. ¡°Where the hell did you learn to perform?¡± I dragged my seat so that we sat beside each other. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Everybody likes ¡®Valerie.¡¯ It¡¯s a popr record.¡± Carm shrugged, picking at the fried cmari. ¡°I¡¯ve had a lot of practice. I used to sing karaoke.¡± ¡°You seemed really happy up there.¡± ¡°I was. Singing is my passion. If I had to do it over again, I would¡¯ve joined a band.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin.¡± ¡°You made a room of strangers ecstatic. They¡¯re still watching you. Maybe you belong on stage, Carm.¡± Carm looked how she did outside. The bruschetta crumbled in her fingers. She wiped them on her napkin, wide-eyed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You could do gigs at my club. I throw ck-tie events every month. Interested?¡± ¡°Oh my God, yes. Yes, I¡¯d love to.¡± I turned to the food, but she grabbed my wrist. Her eyes zing, she pressed her mouth into mine. She kissed me in a way she never had before. An electric current passed through me, her aggression stirring my cock, awakening feelings that should¡¯ve stayed dormant. We parted. She crushed her lips into my cheek until I halfheartedly pushed her away. ¡°All right, settle down.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve always wanted.¡± I toasted her. ¡°To your new career.¡± She melted. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No skin off my back.¡± ¡°I owe you. I wouldn¡¯t have put myself out there if it weren¡¯t for you.¡± ¡°Are you kidding? I thought you¡¯d fall on your face.¡± She sipped her wine. ¡°Joke¡¯s on you.¡± I couldn¡¯t stay mad at her. ¡°I got my ass handed to me.¡± ¡°I like a man who admits defeat.¡± ¡°Yeah, well. I admire a woman who proves me wrong.¡± Carm¡¯s cheeks went pink. ¡°I never know where I stand with you.¡± I dabbed her finger in the pesto sauce and licked it off. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I¡¯ll show you.¡± CARMELA WOULDN¡¯T LEAVE my head. I imagined her tits filling my hands, her ruby-red lips milking my cock, how I woke up with her thighs syed over me, and how she¡¯d tasted mild and sweet. Her mouth and pussy-the way I¡¯d gone back and forth. She¡¯d loved it so much I¡¯d done it again this morning. I¡¯d also taken a picture of Carm, fast asleep in my sheets. I looked at it as often as a teenage boy with a crush. Giving her a gig at Sanctum wasn¡¯t an act of love. I was cating the wife. Feeding her a fantasy. I didn¡¯t even mind being upstaged at my challenge. I respected her for turning the tables on me without throwing a fit. She had a lot more guts than I gave her credit for, and I liked her as a role model for Matteo. He needed a mom who didn¡¯t throw tantrums. Yeah, she¡¯d fucking lied, but that was a week into our new marriage, and she was protecting Mia. I could forgive that. During the post-orgasmic bliss ofst night and the haze between waking, I was at peace. That¡¯s how I stayed until I arrived at Sanctum. Julian wanted to be anywhere but here. His face was pinched with fatigue, his normally clean-shaven jaw glistening with stubble, and I had to talk to him about his wrinkled shirt. An employee of Sanctum couldn¡¯t look like he¡¯d just rolled out of bed. ¡°Is there a reason you can¡¯t pick up an iron?¡± His mouth twisted. ¡°My kid was sick, and the nanny waste. She had a car ident, so I didn¡¯t have time. Is that all right with you?¡± ¡°Your eyes are bloodshot.¡± ¡°From working nights.¡± Julian raked his hair and sighed. ¡°Can¡¯tin about the scenery, though.¡± I¡¯d never exined that I met his sister here. He had no idea she was a hooker. Serena told her clueless family that she was an actuary, which was hrious because the only numbers she knew were the grams of heroin to get high. I was courting disaster by having Julian at Sanctum. Someone would bring up Serena, and the truth would wreck him. ¡°I did it for years. Suck it up and don¡¯t get hustled by the girls.¡± I nced at the calendar hanging on the wall. ¡°I need you to do me a favor.¡± Julian sagged into the chair and released a gigantic sigh. His attitude was ungrateful, considering I¡¯d paid for the clothes on his fucking back. ¡°Perhaps you need another reminder of why you work for me.¡± Julian¡¯s lips thinned before he pushed out a barely audible no. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be such an asshole.¡± Julian¡¯s short-lived defiance red out like a dud. That was the way he was-an easily cowed loser who folded at the slightest pressure. His entire family was full of weak character. ¡°My wife will perform at our ck-tie events from now on. Give her anything she needs. Turns out, she¡¯s a phenomenal singer.¡± A faint glow of pride warmed my chest. ¡°She can do whatever she wants, so long as the vibe is good, and people are signing up for memberships.¡± ¡°Your wife is working here?¡± ¡°I warned her about this ce.¡± That didn¡¯t mean I trusted the horndogs from hitting on Carm. ¡°Keep an eye on her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± I slid arge mug shot of Carm¡¯s ex across the table. ¡°Be on the lookout for this man.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°Biker scum. He goes by Crash.¡± I tapped the photo, dragging his attention to me. ¡°This is important. You see him, you call me. Immediately. If he attempts to leave, stall him. Give him everything. Comp his drinks and girls. Drop to your knees and suck his cock. Don¡¯t let him leave. Got it?¡± ¡°Michael, I¡¯m not a gangster. I¡¯ve no interest in being involved. You should use one of your soldiers-¡± ¡°Man the fuck up. I¡¯m not asking you to kill him. Just make him stay. ¡± I doubted Crash would show up here, but I had to prepare for any possibility. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°If Carm is here, get her somewhere safe. She can¡¯t run into this guy. Understand?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°The less you know, the better.¡± Julian opened his mouth, but I waved him off like a Sanctum girl. ¡°And change your fucking shirt. I have extras in my closet.¡± Julian mumbled something indistinct as he shuffled from the room. My gaze fell on Nick Smith¡¯s dead-eyed mug shot. I¡¯d put a hefty price on his head. It was only a matter of time before someone gave him up. Since Carm told me the whole story, I¡¯d been consumed with vengeance. The gossip surrounding Carm and Alessio¡¯s breakup never mentioned a biker or an eight-month captivity. Alessio had kept every sickening detail on the down-low, discouraging any mention of Carm. He¡¯d glossed over the incident so thoroughly I¡¯d pushed it from my mind. She imed he¡¯d done it to spare her humiliation, but that was bullshit. Alessio was a selfish dick. He didn¡¯t want to look bad. Why hadn¡¯t he killed Crash? Why the fuck didn¡¯t he fight harder for Carm? I needed Alessio back. I had a lot of questions. #2— Chapter 20 CARMELA I stepped off the stage. Bartenders apuded between serving drinks. Men whistled and pped. Although I¡¯d stumbled through a few of the lyrics from sheer nerves, I¡¯d finished my first set. Unreal. Boundless energy zipped through my body as I made a beeline for the ebony bar. I was just the opener for the main act, but that suited me. I needed the practice. Singing in a dive was nothing, but performing at a high-ss establishment sawed through my spine. My hands shook as I reached inside my purse. ¡°You need a drink.¡± A masked stranger thrust a tumbler filled with amber liquid near my elbow. He was old enough to be my grandfather. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Carm, and she¡¯s married.¡± Julian¡¯s grave tone cut the air as he pushed into my side, channeling a jealous husband vibe. ¡°My mistake,¡± the man said, turning away. My husband¡¯s ex-brother-inw raked his thick blond waves. ¡°You could¡¯ve let me handle him.¡± ¡°Yeah, but Michael gave me specific instructions. Some guys can get super creepy.¡± A wide grin staggered across Julian¡¯s handsome face. ¡°I had my doubts, but you were amazing.¡± A ripple of warmth ran through me. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got pipes, girl.¡± ¡°I might change the key for ¡®Someone to Watch Over Me.¡¯ I think it was too low.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re perfect. Your voice is clear as a bell.¡± He leaned against the counter, ignoring a naked blonde making eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re too ssy for this ce.¡± ¡°Eventually, I¡¯ll upgrade to more intimate lounges, but this is a decent start.¡± I didn¡¯t mind that it was a sex club. Nobody would bump into me here, so it didn¡¯t matter if I screwed up, and Julian was amenable to my requests. We hadn¡¯t spent much time together aside from the asional one-hour ydate, but he was easygoing. I didn¡¯t know why Michael had such an issue with him. ¡°How¡¯s Michael treating you?¡± ¡°Good. The kids are great, too.¡± I fingered my dress, unable to fight the rising flush from iming my cheeks. ¡°How¡¯s your daughter?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with her mom for the week.¡± He rubbed the bridge of his nose and yawned. ¡°Damn. Graveyard shift is tough. I have no idea how Michael did it for so long. He used to work nights while my sister took care of the kids. He¡¯d sleep through the mornings, wake up around noon, and spend the day running after Mariette before having to do it all over again.¡± I sipped the drink as grief seemed to pour from Julian. He blinked, his voice tight. ¡°Does he ever mention Serena?¡± ¡°Never.¡± His lip curled. ¡°Of course.¡± Truthfully, I was dying for the whole story. I¡¯d heard wild tales from Mia. ¡°What was she like?¡± ¡°Beautiful. Like you, in that department. She had this ridiculousugh. She could be warm and gracious, but she was also selfish. Entitled. Greedy.¡± ¡°Michael hates talking about her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯d like to forget she existed, but those children are still half my sister.¡± I palmed his shoulder. ¡°So you know, I¡¯m not trying to rece her. I encourage the kids to talk about her. Mariette has a memory box. I want them to remember Serena.¡± He smiled, his eyes gleaming. ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t treat you the way he treated her.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°They had a vtile rtionship. Lots of fighting. I love my brother-inw, but he can be harsh. My sister called me all the time, crying. If you need help, ask. I¡¯m a phone call away.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± My skin prickled at his somber tone. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A jacketed arm slid across my waist, tugging me into a man¡¯s body. A bundle of tulips wrapped in cellophane slipped into my hands. Then a smoky voice tickled my ear. ¡°Bravissimo.¡± Heat blistered my lips as Michael¡¯s kiss burned me from the inside out, and then he faced Julian, radiating aggression. ¡°Is there a reason you¡¯re standing here?¡± Julian sighed and murmured a goodbye. Michael watched him disappear in the sea of ck jackets. His wolf-like stare followed Julian until I grabbed his tie. ¡°Why do you have to be so rude?¡± He pinched my cheek. ¡°He needs to be knocked down a peg.¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. He¡¯s a nice guy.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°That¡¯s what you said about me in the beginning.¡± Michael bumped his forehead on mine, grinning. ¡°You still like nice guys?¡± ¡°I care about how you treat people. I don¡¯t want to be known as the wife of the jerk.¡± ¡°You already are.¡± I growled. ¡°Why do you hate Julian?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t respect him. He¡¯s a sarcastic, ungrateful fuck.¡± ¡°Would it kill you to tone it down?¡± ¡°Probably not, but I won¡¯t.¡± He cupped my cheeks. Heat rippled up my neck. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You like me how I am.¡± ¡°Oh, I like you?¡± He smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± He¡¯de a long way from my first night. He¡¯d defended me from Nick. He¡¯d gotten me gigs in a club. He would eventually give me a baby. He gave me hugs, texted silly emojis, cooked me breakfast, and showered me with small acts of kindness. Something warmer than affection coated my heart when he held me. I lifted the flowers to my nose, inhaling their scent. ¡°How did you know they¡¯re my favorite?¡± ¡°Easy. You picked them for our wedding.¡± ¡°You remember that?¡± ¡°Hard to forget anything since you came into my life.¡± I tipped my head and kissed him. He met my pressure with a flurry of hot strokes. His sigh caressed my mouth. Then he pulled away, eyes closed as though he savored my taste. His expression broke into azy smile. He hooked my elbow and dragged me from the guests mingling with half-naked women. He stepped into an empty, darkened hall where open doors beckoned into rooms. ¡°You¡¯re nice today.¡± ¡°You and that damned word.¡± He grabbed my waist and pushed me into a room. A thrill rushed down my spine as he backed me against the wall. He pped my arm against the concrete and fastened a leather cuff around my wrist. ¡°I¡¯m crazy about you, Carm. That¡¯s why I¡¯m nice.¡± Sweet Jesus. A second jolt shot through my ribs. Did he mean that? Was this part of the sex? I assumed the yful banter started and ended in the bedroom-but he brought it to Sanctum. He looked at me like I¡¯d hung the moon in the sky. My mouth went dry as I put it together. His passion reminded me of another man. Nick. #2— Chapter 21 MICHAEL The devil makes us sin, but we like twisting in his grip. My mother said that all the time. I considered it hand-me-down nonsense, but I was never sober long enough to string two thoughts together. I didn¡¯t understand it until I stopped using. Once the withdrawal plunged me into constant migraines, all I could think about was taking more. I couldn¡¯t function without drugs. I¡¯d let them consume me, destroying everything I liked about myself. I never realized how badly I¡¯d wrecked my body until I quit cocaine. The kids saved me from self-destruction, but another devil was waiting in the wings. Vengeance. I¡¯d gotten Crash¡¯s number. Common sense dictated I shouldn¡¯t contact the guy I would kill, but the PIs I¡¯d hired weren¡¯t finding the fucker. I needed to know which rat-infested whorehouse he slept in so I could throttle him. I wanted him angry. I hoped he¡¯d fuck up and show his face somewhere. I opened my burner phone and dialed. My thumb hit the green call button before I¡¯dposed myself. It rang once. ¡°Crash.¡± A toneless voice answered. ¡°This is Michael.¡± ¡°Costa. How¡¯d you get this number?¡± I smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°I got nothing to say to you.¡± I had plenty. ¡°How¡¯s your mouth? Still healing?¡± ¡°Does it bother you she was sucking my cock two months before she said I do?¡± ¡°We never dated, so there¡¯s no blow to my pride. You know, she didn¡¯t want me, either.¡± I wheeled in my chair, looking out the window. ¡°But at least I was man enough to keep her.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lose her.¡± ¡°You did.¡± ¡°Just because I like the chase-¡± ¡°I beat you. She¡¯s married to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over yet!¡± he bellowed like a wounded animal. ¡°You¡¯re the fuckboy. I¡¯m her forever.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that backward. She¡¯s wearing my ring. We¡¯re building a life together. We¡¯ll have a baby. You¡¯re a douchebag rapist. A burnout loser. Biker scum.¡± ¡°Give her back, you piece of shit!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll torch your bike and throw it into the Bay before I let you touch her.¡± ¡°Shut your fucking mouth, or I¡¯ll kick your teeth down your throat and shut it for you-¡± ¡°I will find you,¡± I growled into the receiver. ¡°I¡¯ll slip into your house while you¡¯re sleeping and gut you. Before I do that, though, I¡¯m banging my wife.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll murder your whole guinea family you fucking dago-¡± I ended the call. Then I cracked the case before hurling the destroyed phone at the wall. Threatening my loved ones hit a sore spot. I left my office as Carm¡¯s footsteps thumped the staircase. She disappeared into our bedroom. I creaked open the door, lured by the sound of the shower. My gazended on a pair of heels beside the bed, crumpled panties, a bra. I caressed the velvety pads, still warm from cradling her tits. My cock stiffened as a rush of heat surged to my groin, and then I marched to the bathroom. Carm stood behind the half-fogged ss. The spray washed her neck and shoulders. I drank in her tanned curves, every cleft and dimple, her teardrop breasts, the graceful arches that were forbidden to other men. I thought of Crash, how he¡¯d once coveted the same woman and gained her trust, only to defile it and inflict harm on that body. I needed to execute that bastard. The door clicked as ittched.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Carm¡¯s head turned. Her lips parted, taking me in before she faced the showerhead. Shethered soap, massaging her scalp, streams of white foam running where my hands ached to touch. I ripped my shirt off and undid my belt, stepping out of my cks and briefs. I stepped into the shower¡¯s steam. Carm¡¯s brows twitched when I entered the jet of water. Things were better between us. I¡¯d wake in a vani cloud, with her arm flung over my chest. Sometimes it was all I could do to not say the three words begging for release, but I¡¯d only dented her armor. If I told her, she¡¯d panic. Carm¡¯s thick walls shot up whenever I hinted at having stronger feelings. It had something to do with Crash. I massaged her shoulders. Carm let out a ragged sigh, backing into my embrace. ¡°I don¡¯t tell you how beautiful you are often enough.¡± I caressed her olive skin and kissed her shoulder. ¡°Biggest crime I¡¯vemitted.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a cheeseball.¡± ¡°And yet, you love my stupid jokes.¡± Carm rolled her eyes and smiled, her dimples growing as she faced me. She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me,shing me with electricity that jumped everywhere. I caught her lips with a sh of tongue and teeth. I groped her curves, kissing the dent below her ear. The heat searing my insides was unbearable. It towered to an inferno as Carm grasped my waist, teasing the edge of my cock as she drifted downward. I turned off the water. We stumbled into the bedroom. I snatched a towel and patted her down until Carm gently tugged it from my hands and wrapped me. ¡°When¡¯s thest time someone took care of you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need-¡± ¡°I know. You don¡¯t need anyone.¡± She seized my chin and ghosted my lips. ¡°That¡¯s why I like you so much.¡± I need you. She kissed me, cutting me off before I could utter my confession. Carm was the life in my veins, the fire in my soul, and once she was pregnant, she wouldn¡¯t leave me. I had to seal the deal. She bit me, soothing the hurt with her tongue. She broke off, her sexy grin widening. Her nails raked my body as she descended to her knees. Blood drained from my brain as Carm palmed my thighs. I fisted her hair. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± ¡°You to tell me how you want it.¡± My cock twitched at the sight of her, naked and kneeling. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t need directions.¡± Her touch tickled my balls before she gripped my shaft, sliding up and down. She stroked, massaging the stream of precum around the head. Her velvety skin teased me until I was ready to wreck her. She kissed the tip. Swiped me with wet heat. A jolt shot into my groin. I rocked my hips and slid along her mouth. Her lips parted. She took me inside. I grazed her scalp as she leaned forward. Her tight warmth hugged me. Goddamn, she went deep. I pulsed, trying not toe like I was eighteen and not thirty-four. Stamping down on the mes was next to impossible when she deepthroated me, her eyes locked on mine. She pulled away, gasping. ¡°Yeah, take a breather. That was hard work.¡± Sheughed. My chest tightened as she swallowed my cock. I traced the length of her neck, up the delicate arch, and under her jaw. Her muscles flexed. It was beautiful to watch. I was seduced by this dick-sucking Siren, who seemed determined to drain me. ¡°Slow down. You¡¯ll make mee.¡± She didn¡¯t. Carm worked me vigorously, shing that coy smile whenever she paused. She taunted me with the tickling of her tongue, her smooth cheeks, and her touch, gliding up and down my legs. My fingers sank into her hair. I couldn¡¯t stand giving up control. Allowing her to pleasure me was more than I could bear. I would¡¯ve fucked her face, but the desire melted once I met her gaze. I couldn¡¯t. Watching her in this position sawed into me because it forced me to confront my crimes. Innocence gleamed in those big brown eyes that trusted me. She¡¯d given me everything. And what had I done to her? I stilled her with a hand on her shoulders. Then I hauled her upright and dragged her into my embrace. ¡°Why¡¯d you stop me?¡± I steered us toward the bed. ¡°Because I¡¯d rather do this.¡± ¡°Was I doing it wrong?¡± ¡°You¡¯re perfect. Always perfect.¡± I lowered her onto the mattress. I slid between her thighs and pushed inside her. My lips met hers as my hips rocked, slow and sweet. Her legs cinched my waist. She sighed as I filled her deeply. She dug into me, but I resisted the temptation to rut her like a beast. I wanted to make love to her. When was thest time I¡¯d done this? In my early twenties, I figured out I was into kink and never looked back. Vani did nothing for me. If I wasn¡¯t dominating a woman, I got bored. But I didn¡¯t feel like being rough. I pulsed in and out, rolling over her slicked skin. I kissed her pout as heat webbed across my chest. My rhythm picked up, and Carm arched. She gripped me and yanked me, but I didn¡¯t lose control. Her eyes searched me. Questions swam in her gaze-ones I wouldn¡¯t answer. Not yet. Our lovemaking reached a crescendo of rapid thrusts and sloppy kisses. Carm¡¯s orgasm shook through her body. Her walls clenched me, massaging my cock until I came. I buried myself. A wave of euphoria leached the strength from my limbs as I spilled into her. Carm pressed her smile into my cheek and nipped my ear. ¡°That was different.¡± ¡°Vani.¡± I grabbed a strand of her hair and inhaled. ¡°And you liked it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± I kissed her flushed face, surprised at the genuine worry in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re always great.¡± ¡°I just want you to be satisfied.¡± I was more than satisfied. I was in love. #2— Chapter 22 CARMELA My life was a fairytale. The storm clouds had blown away, and the horizon of my bright future awaited me. I waited for the snide asshole to return, but Michael seemedmitted to being the perfect husband. He felt different. I never woke up without his hand on my thigh or hip. He took longer to release me from hugs, and he dragged his feet whenever he had to leave, although that might¡¯ve been because I cooked more often. I baked him sweets because he inhaled rolls of store-bought cookies, and I didn¡¯t want him eating crap filled with preservatives. ¡°Gotta go.¡± Michael finished the snickerdoodle and kissed the kids¡¯ heads. ¡°Later, babies.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± I dipped a spoon in the pot on the stove and offered it to Michael. ¡°Taste this.¡± Michael sipped. ¡°What is it? Soup?¡± I grimaced. ¡°Spaghetti sauce. Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s watery.¡± ¡°A little,¡± he admitted. ¡°But it tastes great.¡± ¡°I used too many vegetables.¡± How else would I make these kids eat properly? I couldn¡¯t believe how hard it was to get them to consume anything that wasn¡¯t a potato. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Let it simmer for a few hours.¡± Michael lingered when I caught his hands, marveling at the heat spinning my insides when he leaned forward, his mouth brushing mine like goose down- ¡°Stop kissing!¡± shrieked Mariette, who glowered at her dad. ¡°You¡¯re always kissing. It¡¯s so gross.¡± Michael grabbed Mariette and nted a noisy kiss on her cheek. Then he rumpled her braid and headed out. ¡°Disgusting,¡± she muttered, wiping her face. They ate, and I washed dishes. The doorbell chimed as I cleaned the counters. I threw the rag in the sink and got the door, peering at the man lounging on the wrought-iron fence. His skin was as dark as mine, and he wore slim-fitted navy pants under a V-necked ck T-shirt. He had thick ebony hair and angr features. His brooding demeanor oozed over thewn. Relief flooded his expression as he straightened, beckoning. ¡°Alessio?¡± I stepped outside, gaping at what must¡¯ve been a mirage. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I rushed to the gate and yanked it open. Alessio entered, raking his espresso-brown locks as he looked through me, at the mansion. ¡°Is Michael here?¡± ¡°No, you just missed him.¡± My eyes burned as Alessio scooped me into a fierce hug. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Mia¡¯s at the house. Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Carm, can we y twenty questions at my ce? I want to leave before he shows up.¡± ¡°Why are you even here?¡± I headed inside, frustrated when my brother-inw stood in the garden. ¡°Don¡¯t stand there. Come in.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to dawdle.¡± But he sank his hands into his pockets and followed me inside, his widened gaze flicking at the portraits on the walls, the children¡¯s drawings stuck on the fridge, and me. ¡°I read your message. I couldn¡¯t believe it, to be honest. I thought for sure someone hacked your email, so I spent thest few weeks reaching out to my old contacts¡­and they told me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a clue what you¡¯re talking about, but it was a mistake toe back. Take Mia and go.¡± Every second he lingered put them in danger. ¡°They¡¯re still looking for you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving without you.¡± ¡°Alessio, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m breathing and everything.¡± I pped my sides, hating his pity. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± ¡°Honey, you asked me for help!¡± ¡°What?¡± My former fianc¨¦ gaped at me as though I¡¯d suffered brain damage. His brows knitted as I left his side, strolling into the living room. Both children sat on the couch, stabbing iPads. Their heads whipped around, and Matteo shrieked. ¡°Zio!¡± Mariette elbowed her brother aside in her haste to tackle Alessio, whose shell-shocked expression never flickered. He looked like he was waking from a terrible dream. He patted Mariette¡¯s head. ¡°Hey, hon.¡± ¡°Where¡¯ve you been, Zio?¡± Alessio¡¯s gaze swiveled to me, wide-eyed. ¡°You didn¡¯t send it. He did.¡± ¡°Send what?¡± ¡°The fucking email!¡± He dropped his voice at Mariette¡¯s scandalized gasp. ¡°You-he wrote-that you were forced into marriage.¡± It clicked together when Alessio opened his cell and showed me the message. Michael forced me to marry him. Help me. I¡¯d never typed those words. I would¡¯vemitted Seppuku before dragging my sister and her husband back to Boston. Michael did this. He¡¯d vited my privacy. He¡¯d lured my brother-inw into a trap, and he¡¯d done it without consulting me. The betrayal sliced me to the bone. It stuck in my throat. ¡°You need to go. Right now.¡± I grabbed his arms and squeezed. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re up against.¡± ¡°Yeah. Your parents are missing.¡± What? ¡°They¡¯re at home!¡± Alessio¡¯s face creased with sadness. ¡°They disappeared weeks ago. Nobody has seen or heard from them.¡± My warmth vanished. The lights seemed to dim. My world shrank into a destendscape. ¡°No. That¡¯s impossible.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Carm, I was there. Thewn is overgrown. Their mailbox was so full the post office stopped delivering. They¡¯re gone.¡± he said, incredulous. ¡°Did you not know?¡± I¡¯LL RELEASE IGNACIO. Michael¡¯s callous voice taunted me during the quick drive to Alessio¡¯s mansion, the kids chattering the whole way. I hadn¡¯t told Michael I¡¯d left and I wasn¡¯t sure what to do. I was barely holding it together, my shoulders shaking, my gasps silenced by the music Alessio cranked up. His worried gaze swept over me once we parked in his driveway. ck escdes surrounded the Georgian-Revival home, but all the security wouldn¡¯t stop Michael. Alessio hiked Matteo to his hip as we walked toward his house. Mariette flew through the kissing gate andunched up the steps, where my sister stood in white capris and a pink top. I broke into tears as the pint-sized brte tore across the garden. She crashed into me, arms cinching my waist in a bear hug. We stumbled inside,ughing and crying as Alessio shepherded the children. ¡°Are you okay? Do you need anything?¡± Mia patted my shoulder as though searching for wounds. ¡°Should we get a doctor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The next half hour felt like a rey of the weeks after I escaped my ex-boyfriend when my battered body was all they saw. They still looked at me like a broken thing, and it roiled my guts because I wasn¡¯t damaged. I¡¯d survived Nick. I¡¯d survive Michael, but this hurt like hell. Mia¡¯s manicured nails dug into my shoulders as we settled into their yroom, which seemed covered in an inch of dust. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why¡¯d you pretend everything was okay?¡± ¡°Because you deserved to be happy.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± she fretted, sping my palm in her tiny one. ¡°You think it makes me d, knowing you were being tortured-¡± ¡°Michael neverid a hand on me.¡± Mia exchanged a nce with Alessio, who sat beside his wife. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. He crossed the line.¡± ¡°He said he¡¯d let Dad go if I married him. I thought he¡¯d follow through. I guess I was that desperate, but it was so stupid of me. I can¡¯t believe I trusted him.¡± He never released my father. Dad was probably dead. And Mom? Who the fuck knew? Devastation cut me to my knees. My hands pped the floor as pain balled in my throat, bursting out in a scream. Mia flung herself on me, dissolving into tears as Alessio¡¯s appeals for calm were ignored. My life was a lie. He¡¯d conned me, and I¡¯d fallen for it, seduced by his charm and the promise of a baby. How could he do this to me? How could he be so cruel? I broke into loud, unrestrained sobs, the sound echoing through the house. Mia clung to me, her low growl shaking with wrath. Nothing calmed me-not Alessio¡¯s promises or my sister¡¯s support-it wasn¡¯t until a small body pressed into my side that I fell silent. Fingers touched my cheeks as a soft voice pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mommy.¡± That word cleaved me in two, filling me with the sweetest joy and the sharpest agony. Michael must¡¯ve encouraged Matteo to call me that, knowing what it¡¯d mean to me. He¡¯d manipted me from the beginning. I loved them too much. I couldn¡¯t leave Michael without abandoning his kids. ¡°Sorry, honey.¡± I wiped my face and forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sad because I haven¡¯t seen your auntie for a long time. It¡¯s okay. Go y with your sister.¡± Matteo¡¯s warm eyes filled me with grief. They were so like his father¡¯s. He returned to the pile of LEGOs and seized fistfuls of them, spraying Mariette with colorful blocks. ¡°I should text Michael.¡± ¡°Carm, you shouldn¡¯t go back there.¡± Mia gaped at Alessio, as though asking him for guidance. ¡°We¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. They need me.¡± Alessio and Mia exchanged worried looks. ¡°They¡¯ll survive. They have a team of nannies.¡± ¡°I love them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find someone else.¡± Alessio lowered to his knees, softening. ¡°You¡¯ll have kids of your own.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m not leaving them.¡± A chime echoed from Alessio¡¯s pocket. He hissed into the receiver, and then he faced us. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± I sighed, standing. ¡°Stay with us. We have plenty of space.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll never allow it.¡± My insides copsed as the front door creaked, the floor clipping with his youthful gait. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Mia growled, seizing Alessio¡¯s jacket. ¡°You can¡¯t let him take her away.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t keep the man from his children!¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Michael¡¯s smoky cadence seemed to suck all the air as he strolled through, poisoning the room with his presence. My husband surveyed Alessio with a curled lip. ¡°You look very tan. I guess Boca Raton agreed with you.¡± Alessio¡¯s jaw tensed. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°My wife and kids. Right now.¡± ¡°They should crash here for a few days.¡± ¡°No. They belong with me. You ought to prepare for Vinn¡¯s arrival. He¡¯s on his way.¡± Michael cocked his head and shed me a sweet smile. ¡°Come.¡± Mia balled her fists as Michael tugged his daughter along. ¡°Good to see you, Mia. Sorry you couldn¡¯t make the wedding. We¡¯ll share the photos with you.¡± They followed us to the door, Mia¡¯s face vivid with fear. Alessio fisted my husband¡¯s sleeve. ¡°You¡¯re dead to me.¡± Michael yanked from his grip. ¡°Cool story, bro.¡± #2— Chapter 23 MICHAEL Carm¡¯s eyes shot fire. As soon as I put the kids to bed, she¡¯d stalked into the walk-in closet. She unzipped her dress and hurled the delicate fabric into the corner. She kicked off her heels, her mouthwatering curves on full disy. Carm slipped the bra straps from her shoulders. Her gaze burned with unshed tears as she removed every barrier, and my cock swelled, indifferent to her pain. But I wasn¡¯t. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Giving you what you want.¡± Carm palmed my chest and shoved, hard enough to knock me backward. She didn¡¯t understand what her rage did to me, the dangerous impulses it stirred. ¡°All you ever wanted was a body to use and a mind to fuck with.¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°I have no idea who you are anymore. Only that you¡¯re a liar and a disgrace to your children.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I married you. You¡¯re their moralpass.¡± I stepped back, reining in my boiling feelings. ¡°Carm, all I¡¯ve done has been for us.¡± ¡°You broke into my email!¡± ¡°I had a strong hunch you were lying when I asked you about your brother-inw. Your story wasughably thin. Yeah, I read your emails. Want an apology? Look elsewhere.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°My children are more important than Alessio, and his absence threatened their safety. Do you read the news? It¡¯s getting worse out there. Partly because he left us without his contacts. I¡¯m not sorry for manipting Alessio.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a bastard.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not mad I hoodwinked him. You¡¯re upset because you think I betrayed you. I didn¡¯t. I¡¯ve always been in your corner.¡± ¡°You vited my privacy!¡± Why was she stuck on one minor detail? ¡°Go through my messages. I don¡¯t give a damn.¡± I tossed my phone onto the carpeted floor. I expected her to nce through my cell, but she shook her head like I was dangerous. ¡°I can¡¯t be with you.¡± My insides twisted. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not just the email. You lied about my dad. You were dishonest about everything. I feel stupid for believing in you. Marrying you was a huge mistake. I¡¯m taking the kids for a few days.¡± ¡°You want to rip out my heart, too? I can¡¯t live without them.¡± And that included her. ¡°Go to hell.¡± She choked, her wordsced with so much bitterness that my skin tingled. She trembled, her hands balled into fists. Carm was furious, and that gave me hope. She cared. So I confessed thest thing I was hiding. ¡°Carm, I love you.¡± The color drained from her face. She seized a suitcase, turned it on its side, and packed it with stacks of clothing. Suddenly, she couldn¡¯t leave fast enough. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°Stay away.¡± I hadn¡¯t moved a muscle. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re scaring me. You don¡¯t love me, Michael.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this way about anyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called infatuation.¡± She was wrong. I loved her. The realization didn¡¯te in a Hallmark-worthy moment with confetti and fireworks. It was a slow burn. Her picture was a screensaver on my fucking phone before I admitted it to myself. She was on my mind all the time, and I¡¯d started to think crazy things. ¡°It¡¯s love.¡± ¡°No, Michael. You love what I¡¯ve done for you.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be both?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying it¡¯s not.¡± She paced the walk-in closet, her teeth clenched so hard they ground together. ¡°That¡¯s the problem with men like you.¡± ¡°Why are you such in a hurry to dismiss my feelings?¡± ¡°Thest man almost loved me to death.¡± ¡°Carm, I¡¯m not him.¡± I watched her freeze when I took her hand. ¡°I love you. What do I have to do to prove it?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I show you that I care? Haven¡¯t I been there? I¡¯ve given you everything you¡¯ve asked for. What else do you need? Tell me, and it¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°This is too intense.¡± Patches of heat burned high on her cheeks. ¡°I need a break from you.¡± But I didn¡¯t want a break. I wanted her in my arms, on the bed, the sofa, in my office, anywhere and everywhere. ¡°You¡¯ve lit a fire inside me. How am I supposed to put it out?¡± ¡°Figure it out.¡± ¡°I already have. I love you.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Tears squeezed from her eyes as she shook her head. ¡°You don¡¯t love me!¡± ¡°Yes, I do. Because if I didn¡¯t? I would¡¯ve killed your dad when he threatened toe after my children.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± ¡°He said it, Carm.¡± I rubbed my neck, remembering Ignacio¡¯s parting shots after our wedding. ¡°I was all set to let him go, but then he ran his fucking mouth.¡± ¡°What did you do with my parents?¡± ¡°I spared them. For you. I went against instinct andmon sense because I love you.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°Italy. They¡¯re fine.¡± I sighed as she trembled. ¡°I kept it from you because I was worried you¡¯d hate me.¡± ¡°I do. I fucking hate you!¡± Her indifference would¡¯ve stung, but the rage got my blood flowing. ¡°Baby-¡± Her hand whirled, crashing into my ear. My skin red with the brutal p, and Carm uttered a horrified gasp, backing into the closet. This was sick. I shouldn¡¯t. I grasped her wrist as she swung again, yanking her into my chest. I leaned forward, my nose touching hers. I swallowed her whispered fuck you, and imed her mouth. She shuddered as my lips stroked hers. She gasped, and I deepened the kiss. My tongue chased her honeyed vor as I kissed her harder- Her fist crashed into my jaw. I staggered back, stunned by the unexpected pain, and then I snatched her wrist. I pinned her against the wall, my heart hammering. No violence. ¡°Apologize.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Apologize, or I¡¯ll punish you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry that your upbringing was so fucked up that you turned into a sadistic human being.¡± Her passion broke as she dissolved into tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I trusted you. I¡¯m sorry I thought we could raise a child. I¡¯m sorry I everid eyes on you.¡± I grabbed the cor from the shelf and wrapped her neck. Itched it on before she¡¯d tugged it off, and then I hissed in her ear. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry for any of it.¡± The darkness burst forth. Everything I¡¯d built to stave off my worst impulses crumbled. All that I¡¯d locked away rushed toward Carm. I dragged her to the mattress. There was nothing loving about how I shoved her onto the bed. I climbed over her. Greed had consumed me. She tangled her fingers in my hair. She didn¡¯t pull or push. She watched me with a seething fury that was so fucking hot. She tipped her head, taunting me with a half-open pout. Her skin baked with the heat of contempt. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°Show me. Use your mouth, not your words.¡± Carm seized my jaw and smashed her lips into mine. I peeled off my jacket, and then the shirt. My belt pped my cks as I ripped it off. Carm tore my body as every barrier disappeared. My naked chest molded into her tits as we made out with frenzied, biting kisses. Blood seeped onto my tongue, the metallic tang swimming with her sweet vani, a taste I¡¯d corrupted. She raked me. Her nails dug into my ass like tiny puncture wounds of hate. I weed the pain. She could batter me, scratch me bloody, or scream. It didn¡¯t matter. I¡¯d always love her. Especially her tits. I licked them as she moaned. I swirled her nipple. Her grip softened. I kissed between her breasts, under her ribs, where her heartbeat mmed, and down her belly. I thrust her thighs apart, fingers gliding along her seam. I toyed with her as shey still, fists digging into the sheets. ¡°Oh, now you want me?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Her insolence shot a red-hot wave down my spine. She deserved to have my handprint permanently etched on her butt, so I flipped her and fisted her hair. I pulled the strands, forcing her to arch. Then I cracked my palm on her ass. She twisted around, her cheeks zing. ¡°The fuck are you doing?¡± ¡°Disciplining my wife.¡± Carm wrenched free. I seized her wrists and pinned them above her back dimples. She wriggled, immobilized by my weight. ¡°Get off!¡± ¡°What did I say the night after our wedding?¡± I smacked her ass, relishing her pink flush. ¡°Tell me the rule you broke.¡± ¡°No violence!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be so raw, you won¡¯t be able to sit for hours.¡± Carm shuddered with each blow, her mouth twitching when I pinched and stroked the burn. She groaned. It didn¡¯t take long for her olive skin to blush. I glided up and down her thick curves. Carm¡¯s gasp melted into a sigh. ¡°You¡¯ll have a nice reminder for a few days,¡± I hissed into her ear. ¡°Every time you see my hand, remember what happens when you disobey me.¡± Carm¡¯s expression was dazed as I flipped her over and settled between her thighs. I dragged my cock down her clit, slipping into her wetness. I shoved her legs onto my shoulders and lowered myself. I pushed inside her, hard. Her breathing hitched as I anchored. ¡°Fuck you.¡± ¡°I am. I¡¯m fucking the hate right out of you.¡± I pulled out and stabbed deep, and she gasped. ¡°Hate me. Fight me. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll always love you.¡± Her growl deepened into a rich groan. ¡°I hate you.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. And yet she kept pulling me closer, whimpering, chasing me with her soft lips. She hated me, but she couldn¡¯t get enough of me. She curled with me on the couch, in bed, everywhere. Her influence had enriched my children¡¯s lives. She did so many things to make me love her. So I did. How was that a surprise? Catching her throat, I squeezed while her heart hammered. My mouth crashed into hers. I pounded her hard, my thrusts shoving her backward. She glided up my arms, attacking me with kisses. She bit my shoulder. Her tongue wetted the sting. I held her hips and rammed into her. Then my cock twitched, and a yell burst from me. My limbs shook. Euphoria tangled my body, as swift as alcohol rushing through veins. I kissed the tears skating her cheek as I pulsed back and forth. Carm was getting close. She rocked, meeting my thrusts. Her brows pinched as she clung to me. She dug her nails into me, her teeth clenched. She made a frustrated sound and grabbed my neck. I gave her a Prince Charming kiss. Carm met my gentle strokes with a furious passion. She wed my ribs, convulsing around my cock. Spasms rippled over her face, like shockwaves of pleasure. ¡°I love you.¡± Her eyes still zed with hurt. ¡°Stop saying that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep repeating it until it sinks into your thick head.¡± Carm ripped from my side. She dropped from the bed, snagged a robe, and tossed me a fearful nce before dashing outside. Her bare feet pped the wood as she disappeared into another room. A lock slid into ce. I didn¡¯t chase her. It would take a while to regain her trust. I wanted her to have everything. But it had to be with me. #2— Chapter 24 CARMELA I love you. Every time the warmth from those words washed over me, my throat closed. I froze. My body seized with panic. Michael went ahead with life as though nothing had changed, but for me everything was different. I love you. This was my worst nightmare. Nick¡¯s love had almost destroyed me. What would Michael¡¯s do? Somehow, I¡¯d forgotten that Michael¡¯s wrought-iron fencing wasn¡¯t a white-picket utopia. It had felt like a home. I¡¯d started to appreciate his leather chairs and steel-gray sofas. The walls weren¡¯t so lifeless after I¡¯d stered the kids¡¯ paintings everywhere. My colorful throws had brightened the ce, and once I¡¯d switched out the pieces I¡¯d hated with softer, more feminine furniture, I¡¯d befortable. I didn¡¯t see him much for the next few days. Alessio¡¯s return had consequences. There were city hall officials to court, gangsters to control, and an unruly public to soothe. Alessio¡¯s PR machine needed time to work. I spent hours hanging out with my parents, who¡¯d returned from Italy. Having everybody home was nice, but the undercurrent of tension kept me from rxing. I¡¯d told Dad and Alessio about Crash¡¯s return to my life. They were upset, especially my father. Dad broke down in tears. Alessio mmed his fist into the wall, shattering a picture frame. I felt nothing but a vague annoyance. It was hard enough processing what¡¯d happened without having to deal with other people¡¯s feelings, so I wandered the house until I heard them arguing with escting voices. Alessio stood with his back against the bookshelf, his ck eyes pinched shut. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Vinn would go after my family. I was wrong. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Dad shook his graying head. ¡°You fucked up, kid.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Alessio sank into a chair, rubbing his face. ¡°Mia and I wanted out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pipe dream. You don¡¯t have a father-figure anymore because he got locked up, so I¡¯ll give you advice. Get your shit together. You have a family.¡± ¡°I was trying to make her happy-¡± ¡°My daughter¡¯s a young girl. But you? You knew better, you fucking moron.¡± I gaped at Dad. Alessio glowered. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± There was no resentment behind his words, only resignation. Dad made a derisive sound and stomped from the room. The walls trembled from a distant door mming. Alessio stared at the floor, which left me in the awkward position offorting my ex. We had hated each other, but he¡¯de a long way from the angry gangster who used to be my fianc¨¦. His love and devotion to my sister had changed my perception. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± I squeezed his shoulder. ¡°Mia will move on. She¡¯s not an idiot. She knows you can¡¯t just quit.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a dreamer,¡± he said, the roughness tamed from his voice. ¡°Telling someone to give up on happily-ever-after is tough. There¡¯ll always be a crisis.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to abandon all hope. Once she settles in, she¡¯ll realize that raising a child surrounded by family is better than doing it alone in Florida.¡± ¡°Yeah, if it weren¡¯t for the constant violence.¡± He shook his head, as though dislodging the memories. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯m back. If you could do me a favor and visit Mia I¡¯d-shit.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alessio stalked to the window, glowering at the Audi rolling to the curb. ¡°Michael.¡± A ripple of anger ran through me. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°You expected him to listen?¡± ¡°See youter.¡± Alessio grunted as he watched the street. I trudged out of the house, not bothering to look for my dad. He was probably drinking heavily, and Mom was busy in the kitchen, cooking a feast for people who seemed unlikely to coexist. Michael strolled the driveway, his hooded gaze softening when itnded on me. He balled me against his cashmere chest. Then he spotted Alessio, and he dug into my shoulders. He cupped my face and kissed me. It was a hard and possessive, the bruising pressure filling me with heat. His hand sailed down my spine until it rode my ass. He acted so much like Nick. It scared me. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to stay away from my parents.''¡± ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of you.¡± Michael looped his grip around my waist as we headed toward his car. He kept ncing at Alessio, and then he flipped him off. ¡°Michael, stop.¡± ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± Michael¡¯s smile faltered as he opened the passenger¡¯s side door. ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel a little jealous. The man was engaged to you.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t care about me.¡± Michael made a doubtful sound. ¡°We were the worst couple. We hated each other.¡± I settled into the leather cushion, shuddering at the idea of having Alessio for a husband. ¡°He¡¯s okay, but I wouldn¡¯t want to live with him.¡± Michael sank into the driver¡¯s seat, fingering the key fob. ¡°It¡¯s none of my business, but-¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t sleep with him.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was asking. What was your reaction when he married your sister?¡± ¡°Worry. I thought he was abusive.¡± The irony of that never ceased to dig into my ribs. ¡°I never wanted him. He¡¯s not my cup of tea.¡± ¡°What is?¡± The ros I¡¯d binged led me to believe my dream guy was someone kind, funny, and romantic. What had I gone for? Psychotic. Damaged. Obsessive. Michael started the car, smiling. He squeezed my thigh as we drove from the curb. ¡°Well, you¡¯re my type.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t. I would tell you more often if you didn¡¯t scowl at me, but you¡¯re a beautiful woman. Alessio has eyes. He must¡¯ve regretted letting you go.¡± ¡°Michael, he didn¡¯t like me. Once he found me with Nick, he took off-¡± I stopped talking, but the damage was done. ¡°What?¡± Michael tapped the brakes and whipped his head around. ¡°He found you?¡± Oh shit. ¡°What do you mean, he found you?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± I waved my hand, my heart hammering. ¡°Forget about it.¡± Michael pulled over on a suburban street, giving me his undivided attention. ¡°I want to hear this.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it¡± ¡°You will.¡± His words throbbed with restrained anger. ¡°Right now.¡± The engine quieted as Michael turned the keys. I worried my lip as his stare bored into my skin. ¡°Today, Carm.¡± ¡°Fine. Alessio found me with Nick, about a month after I ran away.¡± He gaped at me. ¡°You¡¯re kidding?¡± ¡°No. I begged him to leave, so he did.¡± ¡°He found you at a clubhouse. With Crash. You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°I told him to go, Michael.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck. He left you there. Alone.¡± Michael¡¯s voice almost disappeared. ¡°This makes me sick.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He should¡¯ve realized what¡¯d happen to you. He knew better.¡± Michael¡¯s tone soured. ¡°The son of a bitch went after your sister. That motherfucker!¡± ¡°Michael, stop. I¡¯ll never tell you anything if this is how you¡¯ll react.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Michael dialed back the aggression and squeezed my hand. He said little during the ride. Once we got home, he flung the keys onto the counter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± he deadpanned, but his hands balled into fists. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Okay. I strolled into our bedroom, and Michael¡¯s soft footsteps followed. He held a box. ¡°I bought a test since you mentioned you felt under the weather.¡± ¡°That was just one day.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°You want me to take this?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to, but aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Hell yes. I ripped it open and slipped into the bathroom. Michael caught the door before it shut. He lingered there, a sliver of a man. His expression was pensive as I peed on the stick. ¡°Well, what¡¯s it say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± Electricity jolted my skin as I flushed the toilet and dropped it beside the sink. ¡°I¡¯ve never done this before.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Michael shrugged. ¡°Both kids were¡­happy idents.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t learn the first time?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I like being a dad. I was never against having more.¡± Michael sat on the tub, shing me a wicked smile. ¡°And I¡¯m still not.¡± ¡°What if it says yes?¡± The possibility was real, and now fear mingled with the excitement. There¡¯d be no escaping Michael once I was pregnant. He¡¯d be all over me, more than he was already. Michael leaned forward. ¡°We make an appointment with the doctor, find out how far along you are, and start arguing about baby names.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry with you, Michael. Don¡¯t forget that. You¡¯re so lucky that my parents are safe and healthy. If anything had happened, I would¡¯ve divorced your ass.¡± ¡°Good luck finding an attorney to take your case,¡± he quipped, his gaze sliding to the test. ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± My stomach sank as I read it. Disappointment welled inside me, the bitterness wing at my throat. One line. Not pregnant. #2— Chapter 25 MICHAEL I needed Crash dead. It was only a matter of time before Carm got pregnant. Once that happened, I¡¯d never sleep without one eye open. My tireless efforts to find the guy had gone nowhere, so I zipped back to Ignacio¡¯s house. Alessio¡¯s Lexus was still parked in Ignacio¡¯s driveway. Good. I was due for a talk with my new inw. Watching them through that window gave me a nasty shock. I trusted my wife, but I couldn¡¯t ignore that they had a history, however brief and loveless. My fist bashed the door. Ignacio answered in track pants and a knit shirt, nursing a cocktail. He didn¡¯t seem to give a shit that his captor stood on his doorstep. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Just a chat.¡± Ignacio grunted in annoyance and backed into his mansion, his insolent gaze sliding from me like I was a pesky stray cat. He didn¡¯t look to see if I followed. He strolled in, beckoning to his wife. She beamed at me. ¡°Hi, Michael!¡± Maria had Carm¡¯s shape, but Mia¡¯s wide-eyed innocence. She kissed my cheeks. Clearly, she had no idea I¡¯d tortured her husband. Ignacio had fed her a bullshit story to exin his disappearance. I was there when he called her. I¡¯d thought he was an idiot for wasting a phone call. Now I understood. He loved her. He¡¯d do anything to keep her safe, even offer his home to the likes of me. If he hadn¡¯t murdered my brother, I would¡¯ve admired this man. Carm had inherited his courage. I hoped she¡¯d pass it on to my future sons. Ignacio slid an arm around my shoulders and smiled. ¡°Maria, can you bring us something to eat?¡± I waved a no-thanks. ¡°Don¡¯t go through any trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡± Maria flitted from the cupboards to the fridge, fetching this and that while her husband steered me into the dining room. She was just like my mom, gracious with guests and pushy with offers of food. ¡°What is it?¡± Ignacio drank, settling in his chair. ¡°Come to break my balls about my other useless son-inw?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not useless.¡± ¡°What have you done except try to make my life miserable?¡± ¡°I gave you a vacation at my Tuscan vi instead of a permanent one with Jesus.¡± Heughed bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about Crash.¡± Ignacio¡¯s expression darkened to midnight-ck as Maria set down appetizers. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to know everything about him.¡± ¡°Again. Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking care of him.¡± Ignacio snorted. ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you do. That¡¯s what I¡¯m doing.¡± He sank into his wicker-backed chair, offering a vague smile at Maria, who disappeared into the kitchen. ¡°Kill him, and you¡¯ll be my favorite son-inw. All will be forgiven.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this for her, not you. She deserves justice.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Ignacio ate from the charcuterie board, smiling. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not a worthless asshole.¡± ¡°You have a fucking mouth, Naz.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± No shit. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re all bark.¡± ¡°How many times did I beat you?¡± Ignacio offered me prosciutto, which I declined. ¡°If you wanted me dead, I¡¯d be in a hole. Instead you sent me to Italy to get fat and drunk.¡± Ignacio chuckled, and it engulfed my body in fire. He grasped my wrist and yanked before I stood. ¡°I¡¯m breaking your balls, Mike.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mike.¡± That was what my brother called me, and I couldn¡¯t stand it from him. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about Crash.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll text all the information I have. It¡¯s not much. The PIs I hired got nothing useful, and Carm made me drop them.¡± I could¡¯ve screamed. All he had to do was put a tail on Carm, and they would¡¯ve found Crash months ago. It saddened me to think about how she¡¯d suffered, putting on a brave smile for everyone while that dickhead terrorized her. Ignacio raised his brow when I waved off a coto. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯m not eating here for the next decade.¡± I gathered my coat. ¡°Let me know if anything elsees to mind.¡± On the way out, Maria osted me with leftovers. I turned them down five times before she shoved ziti into my hands. The woman was pushy. Alessio¡¯s broad frame slid into the hall. He gave me a meaningful look and gestured outside. We said goodbye to the Ris. Maria shouted down Alessio¡¯s refusal of ziti. Then we stood in the crisp air, cradling our Tupperware containers. Alessio faced me, his stony features hardening. He was like a dark cloud. His gaze shot lightning bolts as though I¡¯d showed him my dick. ¡°Are you mad that I married your ex?¡± He was silent for so long that my skin crawled. ¡°I¡¯m pissed that you¡¯re fucking with my family. Carm deserves better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m better than you.¡± I winked at him and strolled to my car, grinning when his footsteps scraped the pavement behind me. ¡°Michael, why did you marry her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t owe you an exnation.¡± Iughed when I opened the car door, and he mmed it shut. ¡°What are you going to do? Punch me? You¡¯re not in a position to do anything except what I want, so fuck off.¡± He grabbed my shoulder. ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°Carm¡¯s no longer your concern.¡± I shook from his grasp and dumped the ziti into a curbside trash. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°You forced her into this marriage. She¡¯s been through enough horror.¡± ¡°Whose fault is that?¡± Alessio¡¯s eyes shuttered like blinds on windows. ¡°I never hurt her.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t care about her. You left her for dead.¡± I was hoping he¡¯d deny it, but Alessio stuck his hand in his hair, which he did whenever he was overwhelmed. ¡°You abandoned her with that biker piece of shit.¡± ¡°She wanted to stay with him, Mike.¡± I couldn¡¯t look at him the same ever again, not after falling in love with Carm. ¡°You left her alone in a clubhouse. What did you think would happen?¡± ¡°I had no idea he was dangerous.¡± ¡°Stop lying.¡± I shoved his chest, knocking him several steps backward. ¡°You wanted the younger one.¡± ¡°Careful, Mike. You don¡¯t want to say something you¡¯ll regret.¡± ¡°Why, you¡¯ll take off again?¡± He pped the Tupperware on my car hood. ¡°She doesn¡¯t hold it against me, so why do you?¡± ¡°Because you took a backseat while that nutcase was raping her! He¡¯s be a big problem because you failed to act. Jesus Christ, you¡¯re not the guy I thought you were.¡± ¡°Neither are you. You¡¯ve lost your way.¡± ¡°Meaning what?¡± ¡°You have no clue what the hell you¡¯re talking about.¡± Alessio raised his chin, sounding dead. ¡°It¡¯s best you don¡¯te around anymore.¡± A jagged edge cut into me, but I couldn¡¯t forgive Alessio. I looked at him and saw a coward. Good riddance. ¡°You and I are done, but I¡¯ll be visiting my father-inw.¡± I flung open the door and sank into the seat. Alessio hadn¡¯t moved from his spot. He stared ahead, his features frozen. ¡°Watch your toes, asshole.¡± I started the car and drove off. The stic container flew off the roof and smashed, spilling ziti over the road. Fuck him. My wife¡¯s psychotic ex prowled the streets because Alessio had dropped the ball. He should¡¯ve ended Crash¡¯s life. Instead he ran off with the sister and imed it was love. Unbelievable. My phone rang as I approached our driveway. ¡°Yeah?¡± Vinn¡¯s frantic voice boomed through the speaker. ¡°Anthony¡¯s been kidnapped.¡± #2— Chapter 26 MICHAEL He was taken while he walked his dog. They found his Husky rolled in a ditch, dead with a single gunshot wound. Anthony had dismissed his bodyguards. All they¡¯d had to do was grab him. Tubs of white-wrapped sweets packed the candy store¡¯s stockroom, which we used for meetings. I stuck my hand in a tin container and grabbed a few, tearing off the paper. Rich sugar coated my tongue. Vinn sat at the table, his skin drained of color, his eyes listless. His pitch-ck gazed flicked at me, his irises so dark they blended with his pupils. ¡°We¡¯re so fucked, Mike.¡± It wasn¡¯t like him to panic. ¡°We can¡¯t dwell on the consequences.¡± ¡°Uncle Nico will kill us. His son! His only fucking son was kidnapped under my watch.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s bad.¡± ¡°We¡¯re finished.¡± Vinn kicked his chair aside, raging. ¡°I will not die for that junkie!¡± It was lucky I¡¯d sent everyone out of the room. Vinn seized the desk and hurled it into a rack. Saltwater taffy spilled over the floor. He unsheathed his Ka-Bar knife and shanked the cushion until stuffing poured from the gashes, and then he threw the chair at another rack, knocking tins off shelves in a massive, noisy crash. ¡°It¡¯ll be all right, buddy.¡± ¡°No, it won¡¯t.¡± He whirled at me, still holding the knife. ¡°How are you so calm?¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting Anthony back.¡± Hope shed across Vinn¡¯s face before it died in a nasty wreck. ¡°Whoever did this is carving out Anthony¡¯s heart as we speak.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°You¡¯re way too optimistic.¡± ¡°They killed Comet. Why not shoot Anthony, too?¡± I unwrapped a candy and popped it into my mouth. ¡°If it was a hit, they wouldn¡¯t have dragged him off.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t they contacted us with their demands?¡± ¡°They will. Trust me. Do we have any witnesses?¡± ¡°Just one.¡± Vinn rubbed his forehead. ¡°His neighbor said they were all dressed in ck. They rolled up in an SUV. Shot the dog. Grabbed him. Gone.¡± ¡°Where the hell were his bodyguards?¡± Alessio pushed off the walls and unfolded his arms. ¡°Or did you retards screw that up, too?¡± I scrolled through my cell, checking for missed calls. ¡°The dipshit dismisses them all the time.¡± Alessio raked his ebony mane, swearing. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Judge Gilstrap and pull the camera footage from his street. Somebody will have to tell Nico.¡± Nobody wanted that job. Alessio¡¯s hand wavered as he thumbed through his list of contacts. Vinn grimaced. ¡°I¡¯ll call him.¡± ¡°No. Let me handle him.¡± Alessio heaved a sigh. ¡°He¡¯ll take it bettering from me, but we should have information for him besides ¡®your son was taken, and we have no idea where he is.''¡± ¡°We shouldy low for a while. Check into a hotel and keep changing rooms.¡± I needed to get the kids, fuck. ¡°I¡¯ll call our people in prison. Nico will need more muscle.¡± A fist hammered the door, and Alessio let Vitale inside. He approached me, unlocking his phone. ¡°We have a situation.¡± A gruesome image shed on the screen. A nude woman curled on grass, des tangled with her lengthy, ck hair. Ligature marks wrapped her wrists and neck. Her ssy eyes stared skyward. Elena. A Sanctum girl, and the happiest hooker I¡¯d ever met. She baked everyone cookies on Christmas. We¡¯d fooled around a couple of times. Elena was one of the few girls that didn¡¯ttch on like a barnacle. She was nice. Now she was dead. I nced at her abdomen. A dagger stuck from her ribs, with a note. I HAVE YOUR PRINCE GIVE HER BACK The air vanished from my chest. ¡°They found her in Sanctum¡¯s parking lot.¡± Vitale swiped his thumb, disying additional views of the corpse. ¡°We took care of her.¡± Vinn shuffled to my side. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you understand what the hell this means.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Sick fuck. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a message for me, from Crash.¡± A tinkling of ss drew my attention to Alessio, who¡¯d dropped his cell. The screen had splintered into shards. ¡°He wants my wife,¡± I exined, facing Vinn. ¡°He must¡¯ve abducted Anthony hoping for an exchange. The takeaway here is Anthony is alive.¡± Vinn zoomed in on the photograph. ¡°We need to bait a trap.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°I¡¯m not involving Carm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting that.¡± Vinn gestured at Alessio, who glowered at him. ¡°We send an email from Carm to the psycho.¡± ¡°It might work,¡± Alessio muttered. ¡°He¡¯s off his rocker.¡± ¡°But not stupid.¡± I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯ll search for Rage Machine¡¯s clubhouse. We¡¯ll triple the reward for information. We won¡¯t involve my goddamned wife.¡± ¡°What if we just-¡± ¡°No. She can¡¯t find out about this.¡± My gaze wheeled from Alessio to Vinn. ¡°We are not bringing Carm into this.¡± ¡°I agree. Family¡¯s off-limits,¡± Alessio murmured with a hint of a sneer. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of what we discussed.¡± He left, the door banging shut. ¡°Anthony will never survive this.¡± Vinn¡¯s vacant stare swept over the mess. ¡°Even if we get him out, he¡¯ll never be the same.¡± Too fucking bad. I would keep her safe. Even if it meant Anthony had to be the sacrifice. #2— Chapter 27 CARMELA Matteo ranps around the coffee table.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. I stumbled as he crashed into my knees, upsetting the te filled with cucumber and smi sandwiches. I groaned as one slipped off the edge and pped the floor. I sank into the L-shaped steel-blue couch as Matteo zoomed the living room. ¡°Teo, settle down.¡± ¡°No!¡± I cleaned up the mess and passed the snacks to Mariette, who glowered at Matteo. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re not watching the film until you sit.¡± Matteo bumped into the table, knocking over the popcorn. Mariette scowled at him. ¡°You¡¯re such a butthead.¡± ¡°Your face is a butt!¡± he shrieked, his eyes welling with tears. White rained on Matteo¡¯s head as she hurled fistfuls from the bowl. Heunched. They tussled, Mariette subduing Matteo in a headlock. I tossed a pillow at them. ¡°Mariette.¡± She released Matteo, who dug into the cushions for spilled kernels and stuffed them in his mouth. I grabbed his hand. ¡°Teo, don¡¯t eat couch popcorn.¡± ¡°Put on the movie!¡± Mariette roared, bouncing on the cushion. ¡°Is Daddying?¡± ¡°Not sure.¡± I frowned, ncing in the office¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯ll get him. Mariette, watch your brother.¡± I¡¯d seen very little of Michael. When he was home, he shut himself in the office all day. He refused meals. He stared into space, jaw locked in a tension that kept growing. My life would never be perfect. It hit me at Mia¡¯s ce when Anthony Costa¡¯s toothy grin shed across the evening news. His disappearance had consumed our husbands¡¯ lives; they¡¯d temporarily put aside their feud to work together. Michael had deflected Anthony¡¯s kidnapping like he did all Costa business. Everything was under control. Nothing ever was. I¡¯d grown up surrounded by violence. Mia and I had attended so many burials that we were on a first-name basis with funeral directors. My father shot a man in the back of the head in our backyard. Why did I think I could have two kids and a loving, supportive husband who was not homicidal? I grabbed a sandwich and entered a room with white floorboards and concrete walls. A built-in bookshelf took up the left side. His desk sat in the middle. Michael lounged in a leather chair, wearing a ck sleeveless button-up over dark jeans. I¡¯d never seen him in denim. It suited him. The way the pants clung to his thighs pricked my chest with heat. His suits slimmed him, but these made him look like a ser yer. I knocked on the door. ¡°It¡¯s movie night. The children are asking for you.¡± ¡°Start without me.¡± His tone made me pause. Lately, he¡¯d sounded so heavy. It was as though he exhaled lead. He frowned at the desk. His beard was overgrown. ¡°Brought you a snack.¡± I slid the te over the desk. His lips tugged into a brief smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± Michael barely nced at it, which raised my rm bells. I took his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He peeked at my hand, and then my face. ¡°Why does something have to be wrong?¡± ¡°Because when guys refuse food, it¡¯s because the world is on fire.¡± ¡°Not all men are the same.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Thinking about Anthony.¡± Michael yed with the sandwich. He grabbed a bite and set it down. ¡°Do you have any leads?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± I didn¡¯t know Anthony well, but I hoped he was all right. He¡¯d seemed troubled but harmless. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°You seem upset.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried, but otherwise I¡¯m great. I¡¯m content with my life.¡± He pulled my wrist, reeling me closer. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± That was aplicated question. ¡°Not while bosses¡¯ sons are being kidnapped.¡± ¡°Forget him. Are you happy?¡± I shouldn¡¯t be, but my honest answer was yes. Resenting him seemed petty, considering the facts. I¡¯d already forgiven him in my heart. ¡°I¡¯d like to see my parents and sister more often.¡± He red at the floor. ¡°Then do it. Just don¡¯t expect me to tag along.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because they hate me, and I hate them.¡± ¡°What do you have against Mia?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s Alessio I have a problem with.¡± He soured, ring at his desk. ¡°He¡¯s a coward. Left you to die.¡± ¡°I thought he was your best friend.¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± Michael¡¯s arm hooked my waist, and he drew me onto hisp. Heat rushed into my face as he held me tightly, his anger vibrating through my back. ¡°He¡¯s a dick. He abandoned you with that monster.¡± Devastation flickered in his bourbon eyes. ¡°He didn¡¯t give a damn about the consequences. He just left you there.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being really harsh. I told him I was safe.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t, and he knew better. If you¡¯d been my fianc¨¦e, I never would¡¯ve done that.¡± Honestly, I held zero animosity toward Alessio. We were forced into an engagement we didn¡¯t want, and I¡¯d run out on him. I¡¯d fallen in love with another man. I¡¯d had no desire to be chased by Alessio. But mes licked my body when it was Michael. I kissed him. Michael stiffened, and then he melted into me. Sparks danced across my skin as his fingers teased my waist. He slid me over the desk. His touch sailed up my dress, and he kissed me in long, torturous strokes that reminded me how much I loved being naked with him. It¡¯d been forever-fuck-almost a week. ¡°Will we watch the movie, or are you kissing all night?¡± Mariette¡¯s dry voice cut into the room. We jumped apart as Mariette crossed her arms. Michael chuckled as he pushed the straps over my tingling shoulders. Then he took my hand, and we strolled into the living room covered in popcorn. He brushed kernels off the couch before we sat together. Matteo dove into the crook of his arm. It was dark and peaceful. Michael¡¯s heartbeat pulsed into my back. The swell of his breathing lulled me into closing my eyes. I sank into oblivion as he nuzzled my temple and whispered words that made my heart race. ¡°I love you.¡± I STILL WANTED A BABY. The desire grew into a full-fledged obsession by the time I¡¯d left Mia¡¯s house and arrived at our quiet, oak-lined street. It¡¯d hit me hard as I¡¯d yed with my fourteen-month-old niece, who¡¯d started walking. The bubbles were almost gone. A floral scent saturated the lukewarm water. Heatpped my neck as the soap fizzled. I¡¯d disappeared into our bathroom, hoping he¡¯d notice. I didn¡¯t wait long. As soon as he put the kids to bed, the doorknob twisted. Michael¡¯s Derby shoes slid into view, the rest of him hidden in the fogged mirror. The visual of my well-dressed husband stepping through steam tickled my skin with mes. He approached the bath, wearing a smirk that licked my body. The air was stifling, the bathwater boiling, and I couldn¡¯t stand it. My toe snagged the chain blocking the drain and knocked it out of ce. Michael grabbed a towel, taking his sweet time. He held it toward me. I reached. Then he jerked it away. ¡°I didn¡¯t see that oneing.¡± ¡°Then why did you try to grab it?¡± Michael grinned as he dried me off. He patted my face and soaked the drops clinging to my shoulders. He wrapped me, kneeling as he wiped my stomach and hips. The cotton ran down my legs. Judging from the smile that turned feral, he assumed I was game for more than yful banter. He was right. Michael stood, the cotton sliding into my hair. He massaged my head. ¡°You want to fool around?¡± ¡°I need more than fucking you once in a while, Michael.¡± ¡°We were going at it pretty often.¡± ¡°That was before I found out you were a liar. You¡¯re not the man I was falling for.¡± ¡°Perhaps I am. I never pretended to be good. Ask me a question.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said you don¡¯t know who I am, so ask.¡± I couldn¡¯t think while his pulse bumped my naked skin. ¡°Tell me about your life.¡± ¡°I grew up poor. We didn¡¯t have two nickels to rub together after my father died, so my brother dropped out of school to work. I returned the favor when I was older-trips to Italy, gifts, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°What were you like as a kid?¡± ¡°Like Matteo, but a lot meaner.¡± ¡°So, you were his opposite.¡± ¡°I was energetic. Always bouncing off the walls, causing trouble, wreaking havoc in ssrooms because I couldn¡¯t sit quietly.¡± That side of him had passed on to Matteo. Michael nudged me. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°My teenage years were ufortable. I had big boobs when I was ten, so I was fending off men from a young age. Dad never wanted me to date, so I didn¡¯t. He told me to save my purity for my husband, which had never made sense. Why did I have to be pure? He sure as hell wasn¡¯t.¡± Michaelughed. ¡°I stopped being pure at fifteen. Did it in the backseat of my brother¡¯s car, which I stole to bang my girlfriend. He beat the shit out of me, but it was worth it.¡± ¡°Your brother hit you?¡± ¡°Yep. He resented quitting school to watch us. We fought constantly. When I was thirteen, he stabbed me in the thigh. I would¡¯ve bled to death if he hadn¡¯t wised up and called the ambnce.¡± I rubbed his bicep. ¡°God, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°He was an asshole, but I still loved him.¡± Thinking of my father, I nodded. ¡°Yeah, I know what you mean.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± I met his gaze, startled by his tone. Did I love him? He leaned in, the smell of him enveloping me like a fog. ¡°Michael, I want to keep trying.¡± The towel ckened. It struck the floor with a wet p. His palms scooped my face. ¡°Thought you¡¯d never ask.¡± ¡°I just want a baby. I¡¯m not saying that I-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± His grip settled on my hip. The other brushed my hair off my shoulder, and a violent shiver ripped through my skin. A feather-light stroke sailed down my abdomen as his breath skated my neck. I whimpered. Michael¡¯s chest and groin pressed into me. He turned my head toward him, fingers sping my jaw as his other hand drifted across my legs. I gasped as he grazed my clit. The gentle pressure mmed desire into a body that didn¡¯t worry about Michael¡¯s crimes. His lips crashed into mine. He rubbed my clit in brisk circles, sliding up and down my seam. I moaned, arching against him. He unzipped his cks and took off the belt, whichnded with a jingle. He pushed me onto the bathroom counter, rubbing me harder. My hands smacked the mirror, my limbs on the verge of copse. His cock slid inside. I groaned as he filled me. It¡¯d been too long. I needed this. God, did he make me feel. With Michael, surrendering never felt like giving up. Not when he ran his tongue down my neck andshed my breasts like I was made of sugar. Or when he parted my thighs and drank from my pussy. Pure bliss. I felt worshipped. He fisted my hair and fucked me. A thrillunched into my heart as I watched us in the foggy mirror. He was goddamned beautiful, a spectacle of masculine power as he removed his shirt. He lowered himself, his mouth twisting into a snarl as he transformed into a rutting beast. He was so hard. It was like being impaled. I hissed, but Michael didn¡¯t take it easy on me. He yanked me upright, his hand wrapping my throat. Michael¡¯s growl reverberated deep as he stabbed into me. He squeezed, and a lightning bolt of pleasure shot into me. My breathing ragged, I bucked against him. My muscles tensed. He hammered me faster. My hands slipped off the mirror. He caught me before I dropped. Thest thrusts were like two swift blows as he groaned. He let me go. The air flowed into my lungs. I came with a shuddering moan, the sound broken by his pounding hips. I slumped onto the counter, trembling. He dragged his knuckles through my hair. A rumble resonated in his chest. ¡°I fucking love you.¡± My eyes burned. I wanted to say it back, but I needed the warmth that apanied those words without the sting of fear. I kissed him before realizing my mistake. Feeding his feelings was dangerous. I had to stop. Sooner orter, they¡¯d turn him mad as they had with Nick. Love had ruined him. And Michael-it would destroy him. #2— Chapter 28 MICHAEL Sundays used to be my favorite day. Every weekend, I¡¯d pack the kids into the car, and we¡¯d head to Mom¡¯s. Serena was usually sober enough to make it through dinner, even though I had to micromanage her wine intake. Daniel¡¯s empty seat weighed on my mind as we tucked into Mom¡¯s gravy. The mood was somber, probably because Carm took Daniel¡¯s spot near the sliding ss door. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her she should¡¯ve stayed home, but she insisted oning. Carm wanted everybody to get along. I loved that about her, but it was naive. I would never trust Ignacio with my children. I wouldn¡¯t forgive Alessio or y nice with that prick. My sister¡¯s fork shrieked the ceramic as she spiraled her pasta. Mom stared at her te and drank. At least she hadn¡¯t burst into tears. Carm coaxed Matteo into finishing his supper. His doctors wanted him to gain more weight, but he was a stubborn eater. Carm had taken to blending vegetable soup. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be as strong as Daddy?¡± Carm squeezed his little biceps. ¡°They won¡¯t grow if you don¡¯t eat. Come on. One more bite.¡± ¡°No.¡± Matteo shook his mess of curls. ¡°Not hungry.¡± Carm began anew with a different tactic, ¡°You can¡¯t leave the table until you finish.¡± Liana watched with a lifted brow. My sister was a petite woman and practically a baby at only twenty years old. I considered her family, but we weren¡¯t rted. Mom adopted her after a mob assassination orphaned Liana when she was four. Daniel had raised her with a much gentler hand. Liana¡¯s gaze tore from Carm. ¡°Is Vinnying?¡± Not this again. ¡°Vinny. He¡¯d die if he heard you call him that.¡± Hope swirled in her blue eyes that I wished would disappear. ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ve always called him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not Vinny. He¡¯s the boss.¡± I ignored Carm squeezing my thigh and speared a meatball. ¡°Remember that.¡± ¡°Is he on his way?¡± God, she wouldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°No idea.¡± I dunked a chunk of bread in the sauce. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t returned my calls.¡± Of course, he doesn¡¯t. ¡°Baby girl. Put down the torch already. Vinn is not interested. Find somebody else before he breaks your heart again, and you be an old maid.¡± Judging by the sudden absence of ttering knives and forks, I¡¯d crossed the line. Liana turned a shade of beet-red and glowered. ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend.¡± Good. She knew damned well I didn¡¯t approve. He would never, ever share her feelings. Daniel would tell me to knock it off, but I was tired of watching her agonize over my heartless cousin. Carm seemed to want to fill in for my brother. She seized my knee, dug in, and dragged up my thigh. Hello. I grabbed her leg. Carm¡¯s nails pierced my cks. I pushed my chair back before she stabbed my balls. ¡°Michele. Your sister is just concerned.¡± Mom used the Italian pronunciation of my name whenever I was a shit. Too bad it never worked. ¡°So am I. She has a crush on our cousin.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a crush,¡± she seethed. ¡°And we¡¯re not rted, you jackass.¡± ¡°Hey. Language.¡± Mom took the bowl of gravy and passed it to Carm, who heaped a second helping over her pasta. Liana shot away, disappearing in a blur of pink. Carm grimaced into her ss of water, and Mariette raised her head, looking thoughtful. ¡°What¡¯s a jackass?¡± ¡°Great.¡± I red in Liana¡¯s direction, my voice rising into a shout. ¡°You see what happens when you curse at the dinner table?¡± Carm¡¯s haughty disapproval deepened into disgust. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°Yes. Go apologize.¡± Fine. I left my seat, sighing. My sister sulked in the kitchen, tearing a napkin into fourths, pacing, her blue gaze spilling with tears. She was so sensitive. I never knew what to say. Our age difference sometimes made it feel like we lived on differents. ¡°Li, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Liana crossed her arms. ¡°I don¡¯t like hurting you, but you know I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°Shut up and stay out of my life. You¡¯re not Daniel. You¡¯ve never acted like a big brother.¡± Ouch. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to make the same mistakes I did.¡± ¡°Believe me. I won¡¯t. I watched you destroy yourself with Serena.¡± Liana threw silverware into the dishwasher. ¡°I miss Vinny. I wish he came by more often. That¡¯s all.¡± He¡¯d stopped dropping in a year ago, after Nico promoted him to acting boss. She¡¯d probably only showed because she hoped Vinn mighte. God. ¡°Why don¡¯t you find yourself a nice guy?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you see a therapist for your rage issues? Or your drug problem? Or whatever hole you¡¯ve dug yourself into this time. I don¡¯t need your advice. Mind your damned business.¡± Well, that went well. I shut my mouth and left Liana. My mother took over looking after the kids as Carm gathered tes. I kissed her cheek. Carm¡¯s lips thinned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re burning bridges with your sister.¡± My insides squirmed. ¡°Vinn isn¡¯t good enough for her.¡± Her eyes shed with disapproval. ¡°Did you have to humiliate the poor girl?¡± ¡°I hate that she pines after Vinn.¡± I helped her gather dishes, sighing. ¡°She¡¯s loved him ever since they were children.¡± ¡°So what? She¡¯s a young girl. Give her a break.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to keep her away from Vinn.¡± I snorted. ¡°He¡¯s too thick to put it together.¡± ¡°Why not tell him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my ce.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s your ce to stop her from dating the man she wants?¡± ¡°He is a violent man with a drug addiction.¡± The cutlery rattled as I dumped them in a bowl. ¡°I was married to someone simr. My sister is never going through that. Period. End-of-fucking-story.¡± ¡°Vinn seems healthy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been sober for years, but still.¡± There was a lot more I could say, but I wouldn¡¯t. I loved my cousin. I did, but I¡¯d never trust him around my sister. Carm carried everything into the kitchen. ¡°Deciding that for her won¡¯t work. Let her make her own mistakes.¡± ¡°No fucking way.¡± My attention snapped toward the front door as a key scraped the lock. It swung open to admit a broad-shouldered man with a wide, chiseled jaw. Fuck. Carmughed as Vinn strolled inside, slipping the keys into his jacket sprinkled with rain. Mom rushed to his side. ¡°Sit down. Eat.¡± ¡°Hi, Zia Lena.¡± ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m good.¡± He bowed, kissing the air beside her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to Mike.¡± ¡°You should eat. Sit.¡± Mom gathered a mountain of pasta and grabbed his elbow, steering him into the dining room. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°Refusing my mother is pointless,¡± I shouted, wiping the te Carm had washed. ¡°She won¡¯t leave you alone. Just say yes.¡± Vinn dropped into the seat, as Mom whisked over a napkin, water, and cutlery. Within a few seconds, she¡¯d gathered enough food to feed a football team and shoved it at Vinn, who seemed to have cut his losses. A stampede of feet cascaded down the stairs. Liana appeared in the doorway, beaming. I cringed as she bounced over. Carm¡¯s grip dug into me, but I ignored her. ¡°Hey, Vinny. How¡¯ve you been?¡± Liana slid her arm across his neck and hugged him. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in ages.¡± Vinn nced up, looking like he always did when confronted with the sheer force of my sister¡¯s affection-deeply ufortable. He patted her. ¡°Fine.¡± Would it kill him to fake a little warmth? Liana wasn¡¯t dissuaded from his one-word reply. ¡°Did you read my texts?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Yeah, sorry¡­Been super busy.¡± Liana couldn¡¯t take a hint. Vinn¡¯s gaze swept over my sister and found me. His eyes narrowed with a pointed save-me-from-your-sister plea, which I used to ignore because I loved how he squirmed. It stopped being funny when I realized Liana¡¯s childhood crush wasn¡¯t fading. Six years ago when he joined the Marines, Liana had been a fucking mess. She¡¯d called me every week, bawling. Vinn would get shot. He would die. She¡¯d never see him again. He returned home monthster, kicked out after an incident he refused to discuss. Nobody would hire him after he was dishonorably discharged, so I got him a job as an enforcer. He booted his drug habit soon after, but he was never quite right again. I rapped my knuckles on the wall. ¡°Vinn and I need to talk business. Li, could you give us the room?¡± Her arms disengaged from Vinn, who didn¡¯t seem to notice her disappointment or catch her lingering stare. They were two of the dumbest people I¡¯d ever met. I sank into the seat beside Vinn. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Anthony¡¯s been kidnapped, and you¡¯re having Sunday dinner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m supposed to put my personal life on hold?¡± I seized Carm¡¯s drink and drained it. ¡°There will always be a crisis. Learn from Alessio, who never took five and burned out.¡± ¡°Yeah, but nothing slipped past him.¡± ¡°Except you kidnapping his wife.¡± He made an amused sound, already halfway finished with his meal. ¡°Rage Machine.¡± ¡°What about them?¡± ¡°Sock-puppet clubs are litmus tests for patched members. If they run through a gauntlet of vicious crimes, they¡¯re epted into the main club, Legion. Seems to attract guys with zero brain cells.¡± Vinn sighed and raked his ebony hair. ¡°Anyway, guess who¡¯s the leader?¡± ¡°Crash?¡± ¡°President ims he¡¯s lost control of his little experiment, which means Legion is on itsst legs. He¡¯ll get killed, and we don¡¯t have the numbers for a war.¡± ¡°Then we import soldiers from the old country.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll take time. Negotiations.¡± Vinn picked his Bolognese without interest. ¡°We should¡¯ve murdered him while he was spitting ss.¡± Carm walked in. I shot her a pointed re, but she sat beside me. ¡°Honey, we¡¯re having a conversation.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Crash?¡± She cut through my denial, frowning. ¡°I heard his goddamn name. Let me help. I have more reason to want him dead than either of you.¡± ¡°What¡¯ll you do? March into his clubhouse and shoot him?¡± Vinn sneered, gesturing toward the kitchen. ¡°Keep washing dishes.¡± I slugged his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious! Use me to draw him out!¡± I hardened into stone. ¡°Vinn, can you give us a second?¡± He lumbered into the living room, where my sister osted him. Their voices rumbled in the background, but I tore my attention from them and took Carm¡¯s chin. ¡°How often do I have to repeat myself? Let me handle him.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± What does that mean? Carm ripped from my side, shoving the chair under the table. In a whirl of skirts, she disappeared into the bathroom. A sob echoed before the door shut. Carm wasn¡¯t big on crying. She was such a pir of strength-one of the many reasons I loved her-but something had crumbled her resolve. I nudged the door open. The curtain of hair almost hid her frown. She sniffed hard when I approached. She turned away, as though ashamed by her tears. ¡°I¡¯ll get him, Carm. I-¡± She whirled around. ¡°Why were you talking about a war?¡± ¡°I was exaggerating.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not helping by downying everything. You think I¡¯m an idiot? I read the news. I know you¡¯re stressed out of your mind. And I¡¯m not a fucking robot. If killing Nick means starting a huge conflict, I don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°This will never touch you or the kids.¡± She made a hopeless sound. ¡°Michael, I¡¯m worried about you.¡± Ah. It urred to me that Carm had been awake all week when I got home, no matter what the hour. Maybe she was falling for me. Finally. ¡°When did this be about my life?¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± She captured my mouth with a swipe of her tongue. Her arms looped my neck. I kicked the door closed, and then I lifted her onto the counter. Carm¡¯s eyes zed as I stepped in between her legs. ¡°Let¡¯s test how quiet you can be.¡± #2— Chapter 29 CARMELA ¡°Higher, Mommy!¡± I pushed Matteo on the swing. The mid-morning sun stroked my face with warmth. Sometimes bits of Michael shed out in charming ways-the coy smiles, the yfulness-but his daughter was just like him. Fiercely independent. Upromising. When Mariette called me Caramel, it was without Matteo¡¯s innocence or Michael¡¯s sweetness. I was the intruder. Matteo barely remembered his birth mother, but Mariette had years of memories. She was still grieving. She glowered whenever she caught her brother calling me Mommy. Michael stopped pretending to give a shit about Serena. It must¡¯ve been gut-wrenching to watch her dad cozy up with a new woman. ¡°Stop pushing me!¡± A pink-and-blue blur ran across the yground, howling as Mariette stood at the top of the slide, arms folded over her sequined tiger T-shirt. Oh, Mariette. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I told her to go home. She¡¯s stupid,¡± she burst in a scathing tone. ¡°We¡¯re ying pirates. Not cheerleaders.¡± ¡°Honey, we don¡¯t use that word.¡± ¡°Daddy does!¡± ¡°When you¡¯re thirty-four years old, you can say whatever you want. Until then, you¡¯ll follow the rules.¡± Mariette¡¯s lip curled, echoing her father¡¯s sneer. She ignored the kids jostling for the slide and zoomed down. Her trainers hit the gravel, and then she stalked to her brother, giving him a push on the swing. The heat bristling my chest softened as she yed with Matteo. At least they got along. I waved at a three-year-old who crossed my path. Her wide eyes gaped at something over my shoulder. A shadow rippled over me. Then a man¡¯s body pressed into me. He grabbed my waist and glided up, squeezing. I smiled, leaning against Michael. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°I am.¡± My entire body went cold and dark. That voice. I slid my gaze from the kids to the man of my nightmares. Nick stood in full biker regalia-id shirt under his leather cut, steel-toed boots, the gun half-hidden in his jeans. Sun rays stroked him in warm light. This harbinger of death was so out of ce on a yground. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d give up on you?¡± He grasped my jaw. No. Nick¡¯s hard mouth crushed mine. He kissed me like a man ravaged with hunger. He shoved his tongue down my throat. Clove spice vited my senses as he swept me in breathless strokes that I didn¡¯t return. I jabbed his ribs. He stopped short of mauling me, his grin still intact. He didn¡¯t seem to care I hadn¡¯t reciprocated. ¡°Nick, you shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, babe. I¡¯m taking you home.¡± My insides recoiled as his attention shifted to Michael¡¯s children. ¡°You¡¯ll never have to watch his brats again.¡± ¡°Leave them out of this.¡± Mariette¡¯s fierce re locked on Nick as she stepped from Matteo¡¯s swing. ¡°You¡¯re not Daddy. You can¡¯t kiss her.¡± ¡°I can do whatever the fuck I want.¡± ¡°Nick, stop!¡± I yanked his leather cut, and when that failed, I shook him. ¡°Nick. Look at me.¡± ¡°So those are his kids, huh?¡± ¡°Nick, you don¡¯t have to do this. Don¡¯t hurt them. I¡¯ll do anything. I¡¯ll go wherever you want, please-¡± ¡°Rx, baby. I¡¯m not hurting anyone.¡± ¡°Leave them alone!¡± Women in the yground nced at Nick and walked away quickly. He pushed me off him, his eyes shing as he approached. ¡°Mariette, run!¡± She didn¡¯t budge. Nick gave me an exasperated look as he reached into his side pocket and fished out a magazine. Then he knelt beside Mariette. ¡°I¡¯m just giving them a present.¡± ¡°Nick, please stop.¡± I looked for our bodyguard, but he was nowhere in sight. ¡°Please-¡± He popped two rounds from the clip. He tucked one in Matteo¡¯s shirt and offered another to Mariette. ¡°This one¡¯s yours.¡± You sick son of a bitch. Mariette held out her shaking hand. Nick dropped the bullet in her palm, and then he patted her cheek. ¡°Tell your daddy it¡¯s from me. My name¡¯s Crash.¡± Agony tore my guts as Mariette burst into sobs. Nick stood, his face nk. Then he grabbed my bicep. ¡°Now, we can go.¡± ¡°Wait. Let me say goodbye.¡± ¡°You are such a bleeding heart.¡± He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Make it fast.¡± I turned to Mariette. ¡°Honey, I have to leave with Nick.¡± ¡°Why?¡± she demanded. ¡°I need you to be brave. Stay close to your brother.¡± I pressed my phone into her palm. ¡°As soon as I¡¯m gone, you find an adult. Call your father.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving us?¡± Her broken tone cleaved my soul. I took Mariette¡¯s hand and cinched it on Matteo¡¯s. The phone trembled in her grip. Tears slipped down her cheeks. ¡°Why are you going?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± I wrapped them in a fierce hug. ¡°I love you both so much.¡± I forced a smile. Theirst memory of me wouldn¡¯t be tainted with horror, so I swallowed my anguish. I turned my back on them as my stomach copsed. Nick beamed at the kids and wheeled around, hands in his pockets. Bikers lounged near the trees surrounding the lively park. He loped beside me. ¡°Give me your hand.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. When I refused to uncross my arms, he seized my wrist and ripped the ring from my knuckle. A sh sparkled through the air as he tossed it toward the yground, where Mariette and Matteo stood. A silent howl went through me. When would be the next time I¡¯d see them? Never. #2— Chapter 30 MICHAEL I¡¯m ready to give up Tony Costa. The number matched the one I¡¯d called weeks before. The text was from Crash, who¡¯d sent a proof of life photo. We¡¯d pored over the grainy picture of Anthony, who still wore his jogging pants and T-shirt. His beard was overgrown. Chains wrapped his arms and legs. His clothes were dirty, but they weren¡¯t sttered with blood. His vacant expression troubled me. I¡¯d seen it before in Vinn, after he¡¯d returned from his service in the military. It was as though he¡¯d given up. Additional messages said to prepare for a call at eleven this morning, which brought us to Vinn¡¯s monochrome penthouse. We stood in his living room, streaked with ck, grays, and white. Light streamed in from the wall-to-wall windows facing downtown. Was Anthony somewhere in that maze spread below? ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± Vinn¡¯s colossal frame straightened over the concrete table. His eyes flicked from my phone¡¯s silent screen. ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned.¡± ¡°A guy who sends notes attached to dead hookers won¡¯t hand over Anthony.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fresh out of options.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we should humor him.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ignore Anthony¡¯s kidnapper.¡± Vinn swigged the energy drink and crammed a handful of almonds into his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re just worried he¡¯ll ask for your wife.¡± ¡°He will, which makes this a waste of time. We could be searching for him. I have your prince,¡± I huffed, repeating the words on the note. ¡°This is a game to him.¡± Vinn waved me off. His wrinkled shirt hung like a battered g over his pants. He paced his monochromatic apartment, rubbing his unshaven cheek. He was fucking exhausted-we all were. Since Crash took Anthony, we¡¯d been working around the clock to find him. Several days ago, a shell-shocked Alessio returned from a trip to New York to visit Nico in prison. Uncle Nico was furious. The news about his son¡¯s disappearance went over so poorly that he¡¯d attacked Alessio. Guards had to pull him off. He med us for Anthony¡¯s kidnapping. Nobody was off the hook. If his son died, we were all fucked. I needed Anthony to be all right. I¡¯d made promises to Carm, promises whispered in the dark as Iy there, spent and wrapped in her arms. I love you. I will never leave you. What good was my sentiment if I died? ¡°It¡¯s eleven.¡± Vinn stood. His broad frame cast a winged shadow on the cold floor. ¡°Maybe I should do the talking.¡± ¡°He texted me.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fly off the handle with this guy. If he hurts Anthony-¡± ¡°He already has. Did you look at the photo?¡± I shook my head as Vinn shrugged. ¡°Sadism is Crash¡¯s thing, and Anthony¡¯s an easy target.¡± Vinn grabbed my shoulder and pinched hard. ¡°Don¡¯t lose your temper. No matter what he says about Carm. Do not give him a reason to hurt Anthony.¡± I pushed him off. ¡°Fine.¡± The phone rang. I breathed deep and epted the call.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Crash¡¯s loathsome face popped into the screen. He sat in a booth of what appeared to be a diner. A ss of water sat in front of him. A smug grin curled his lip. ¡°Costa, thanks for joining.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Anthony?¡± He sipped his drink. ¡°I¡¯ll get to him in a minute. I want to chat first.¡± ¡°Are we getting to the point sometime this century? Vinn gestured violently, mouthing, Stay calm. ¡°You¡¯re not who I thought you were. I assumed you were my total opposite. Boring. Safe. Spineless. Then I did some digging. About you. You and Beauty. Nobody could tell me when you started dating. And I mean nobody. They all gave me the same story. Those I persuaded to talk, anyway. They imed you forced Carm into marriage.¡± The judgment ringing in his tone was precious. ¡°If I owe an apology to anyone, it¡¯s her. Not the piece of shit looking at me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the asshole? You dragged her down the aisle. Put a gun to her father¡¯s head.¡± Another softugh shook through the speaker. ¡°You think you¡¯re better than me? Look in the fucking mirror, you filthy dago.¡± ¡°Where is Anthony?¡± ¡°Oh, fuck him. He¡¯s such a whiny bitch. I don¡¯t understand why you care about that limp dick.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s Nico¡¯s only son, and he¡¯s never been involved in the family business-¡± ¡°You Italians and your legacies. What good is that if it¡¯s attached to a man like him? Whatever. I¡¯ll keep him alive if you do one thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving you Carm.¡± ¡°Beauty is mine.¡± ¡°Her name is Mrs. Costa,¡± I hissed into the phone. ¡°And I¡¯m not handing over my wife, you sick fuck.¡± He rolled his eyes, grinning. ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission. This is already a done deal.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I have your wife.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± A horrible thrill shot into my heart. Then my phone vibrated with a notification shing with Carm. ¡°She¡¯s calling me right now, Dipshit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your daughter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my kids.¡± ¡°When you pick them up, I want you to ask for the present I gave them.¡± He winked, and then he smiled at something off-screen. ¡°Say hello, baby.¡± The camera panned, revealing a woman¡¯s arm and the anchor-patterned white dress she¡¯d worn this morning, and my wife¡¯s terrified face. Carm sat in the booth, pinned to Crash¡¯s side. No, this couldn¡¯t be real. ¡°I stole her back. How¡¯s it feel, Costa?¡± A wounded howl tore from my throat as he caressed her shoulder and yed with her bra. It felt like being stabbed. The agony twisted my insides with fire. Carm ripped away from him, her mouth twisting. Her pain doubled my anguish. ¡°Take a good look. You¡¯ll never see her again.¡± ¡°Let her go!¡± ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Carm, where are you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. Sorry.¡± My wife shrieked from the speaker, ¡°Get the kids! They¡¯re at Salmon Creek Park!¡± No. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with me,¡± Crash boomed, shifting the view to him. ¡°And that¡¯s where she¡¯s staying. If I catch one whiff of a Costa, I will crush Anthony¡¯s skull. Capiche?¡± ¡°You better sleep with both eyes open! Because I won¡¯t rest until I bring her home.¡± ¡°She is home.¡± The call ended, but my phone still vibrated. A wild hope seized me as Carm shed across the screen. I squashed the cell against my ear, but the voice that answered wasn¡¯t Carm¡¯s husky sigh. It was my daughter¡¯s. ¡°Daddy, she left us!¡± #2— Chapter 31 CARMELA I would fucking kill him. Son of a bitch put a bullet in Matteo¡¯s pocket. He¡¯d taunted a seven-year-old girl, terrorized her father, and kidnapped Anthony. His list of crimes kept growing, and I could¡¯ve stabbed him in the neck with a fork, but that wouldn¡¯t help me win. Nick¡¯s revolting hands would never touch a child, ever again. Nick pulled out his Zippo and lit a clove cigarette, the perfumed smoke curling around his silhouette. ¡°Get a grip, Carm.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to hurt them!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You scared those innocent children, and now they¡¯ll think I abandoned them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you give a shit about his kids.¡± Nick¡¯s disgust seemed to grow when I slumped against the wall. ¡°The fuck is your problem?¡± ¡°You.¡± I grabbed his leather jacket, tears shaking down my cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re what¡¯s wrong with me. You destroy everything good. You¡¯re a cancer. You should¡¯ve never touched them.¡± Nick nced at my fists beating his chest and balled them. He squeezed hard. ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind.¡± ¡°I love them.¡± Nick pped me, the sting deepening my rage. He gave me a look as though worried for my sanity. ¡°Snap out of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡± ¡°Are you that desperate for kids? You¡¯d lower yourself to take care of another man¡¯s brats?¡± ¡°I spent weeks caring for them.¡± My gaze wandered across the parking lot to the highway. ¡°You ripped me away from what made me happy.¡± Nick red at me through his veil of smoke. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a baby.¡± Hell no. I wouldn¡¯t want your spawn if you were thest man on Earth. If I blurted that out loud, he¡¯d make me eat a bullet. Sparring with Nick while he was this vtile would earn me a trip to the morgue. I needed to calm down. My nails ground into my palm. ¡°You never wanted children.¡± ¡°That was before I realized you¡¯d run off with a guy willing to give you what I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Nick flicked his cigarette and sighed, malicecing his tone. ¡°You could have asked.¡± ¡°I did. You said no.¡± Thank fucking God. Nick¡¯s jaw jumped with an angry tic. He hated being proven wrong, and even he couldn¡¯t forget our fights. He¡¯d broken my heart so many times by quipping that he¡¯d rather jump off a bridge than be a dad. ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea.¡± Nick swallowed hard, his pupils reduced to dots. He rarely cracked his shell, but it suddenly zed wide open. Difort poured from him in sickening waves. ¡°I¡¯ll be a shitty father.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say, because it was true. ¡°Will you?¡± ¡°Without a doubt.¡± Nick¡¯s pale gaze raked me as he blew smoke through his nose. ¡°I have no clue why you want them-why anyone wants them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to pass on your legacy?¡± ¡°What do I have to pass on, Carm? Getting so pissed I can¡¯t see straight, and I wake up with a dead hooker in my bed?¡± Nick took another drag. ¡°You knew exactly what I was, and you still begged for them. You¡¯re the only girl who¡¯s ever done that.¡± No shit. ¡°I¡¯m not father material, Beauty.¡± His giant hand wrapped my head, his fingers like ice. ¡°You have to realize that.¡± ¡°Then release me.¡± Please God, make this work. ¡°If you don¡¯t want them, that¡¯s fine. I get it. I do. But I need to be a mom. I deserve that experience. You can¡¯t take that from me.¡± His eyes gleamed with emotion. ¡°Nick, it¡¯s okay. You can let me go.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He yanked me into his arms and gave me his version of a hug, which felt like a steel cage. He couldn¡¯t give anybody warmth, because he didn¡¯t possess any. Nick pulled away. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He kissed my temple. I wanted to vomit. #2— Chapter 32 MICHAEL I mmed the brakes and wedged open the door, leaving Vitale as I sprinted the bowl-shaped park. Pink leaves scattered the ground. A girl in a yellow T-shirt yed in the sandbox. Everything was blue and green. Bright and happy. The world spun in a haze of children¡¯sughter and the groan of swings as I screamed for my kids. ¡°Mariette!¡± It was like shouting into wind. I couldn¡¯t hear myself. Only the rawness in my throat registered. ¡°Matteo!¡± At the sound of my voice, Matteo always streaked from wherever and collided with my knees, but there was no pitter-patter of feet. I tore through the yground like a tornado. My gaze swept thewn. I¡¯d told Mariette to hide. That was probably what she was doing, but Carm¡¯s phone battery died one minute into the call. They had to be safe. A sh of gold grabbed my attention to the branch of a gigantic pine. I stared at the gap in twigs. Blonde hair peeked from the thicket of needles. I approached the group of trees and crouched. Two pairs of eyes gleamed. I parted the branches, and a body flew into my arms. I crushed my son with a giant hug, my insides copsing. He pressed his tear-stained face into my neck and sobbed. My daughter crawled out from the tree, tears streaming down her chin. I grabbed her and yanked her into my chest. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± I patted her stomach, her jeans, rolling over something hard and small. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The bad man gave it to me.¡± I pulled out a bullet. A rock swelled in my throat. It was like barbed wire cinching my heart. I clenched it in my fist, trembling. I found another in Matteo¡¯s shirt pocket. He¡¯d touched my kids. A red ze coated my vision as I hiked Matteo to my hip. ¡°Crash took Carm, Daddy.¡± Mariette¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°Is sheing back?¡± ¡°Yes, honey. I¡¯ll find her.¡± The bullets clinked. I pocketed them. I¡¯d save them for his skull. Crash had seen hisst sunrise. I COULDN¡¯T RUN after him. No matter how much I wanted to look for Carm. I had to double security around my house, wait for my sister toe over, and then I could leave. Vinn had already put the word out, but since Rage Machine didn¡¯t wear identifying colors and its member list was unknown, nobody knew where to search. Matteo wouldn¡¯t be consoled. I balled him against my chest and covered his ears, hissing obscenities through the phone. ¡°Make the judge sign a subpoena. Throttle him if you have to. We need his license te. I don¡¯t fucking care! Do it, or I¡¯ll get you another reason to hate me.¡± Once I ended the call, there was nothing but Matteo¡¯s soft crying. The full weight of Carm¡¯s kidnapping mmed into me. She¡¯d sacrificed herself to spare them from that psychopath, who¡¯d yed me like an idiot. He¡¯d scheduled that meeting, knowing I¡¯d be distracted, and then he¡¯d waltzed into the yground. Where was the soldier supposed to be watching her? Out buying a coffee. I¡¯d have him killed. Crash had undone the stitching of my life and ripped my soul in half. The visual of his hand on her shoulder tormented me. The pain radiated to my teeth. I had to save my wife before he murdered her. That had to be part of his end game. A man who called himself Crash didn¡¯t care about anyone. His ego wouldn¡¯t be able to handle that she¡¯d chosen me. He¡¯d torture her, and then he¡¯d kill the woman I loved. No. I had to find her. I couldn¡¯t live without her.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. A chime echoed throughout the house, and I sprinted to the entryway. Liana. Fucking finally. I put down Matteo, who clung to my cks. Tearing him off me was the hardest thing in the world. His screaming stabbed at me. ¡°Matteo, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She stepped through, her widened gaze filled with questions as she gathered Matteo in her arms. ¡°Is he okay?¡± ¡°Carm was kidnapped.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. Vitale will drive you to a hotel. You¡¯ll stay with the kids. Do not step a foot outside. Understand?¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she whispered. ¡°But-¡± ¡°I have to go after her.¡± I grabbed my keys. ¡°Be safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch them. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°If anything happens, take Mom and leave town. Ask Vinn for help.¡± Liana¡¯s eyes beaded with tears as she gripped my shoulders. ¡°Please don¡¯t do whatever it is you¡¯re nning.¡± ¡°I have to.¡± ¡°Your kids need you!¡± I wouldn¡¯t ept that advice. I ripped out of her hands and headed out the door. ¡°Michael, I love you! Be careful!¡± Outside, my cousin lounged beside the gate, phone mashed against his ear. Vinn ended his call, his stony face carved with a grim frown. ¡°She¡¯ll be all right.¡± Useless words, but I clung to them. I started the car. ¡°Everybody is on this, Mike. We¡¯ll find her and Anthony. Let¡¯s head to Legion.¡± ¡°We¡¯re past the point of negotiations.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t n on talking.¡± Vinn¡¯s nudged the duffel bag in the passenger side. He unzipped it and slid an H&K MP5 from the ck depths. ¡°There¡¯s a suppressor and a folding stock.¡± ¡°You want to shoot up the clubhouse?¡± ¡°Crash has been a problem for years. Now he¡¯s broken off with that sock-puppet club and Legion does nothing but sit on their ass. The city is in an uproar with bombings, dead civilians, and now he¡¯s taken your wife. I¡¯m sending them a message. If they don¡¯t put down their rabid dog, I¡¯ll be back with more guns.¡± ¡°Fine by me. I¡¯ll drive.¡± A heavy silence nketed the car as I drove in the clubhouse¡¯s direction. Vinn screwed on the suppressor and armed the H&K, bncing it over his thigh. Once we approached the strip mall, Vinn rolled down the window. ¡°We¡¯ll do a couple passes.¡± I flipped the turn signal. ¡°Make sure you get their fucking bikes.¡± #2— Chapter 33 CARMELA As the wind dried my face, I dwelled on the night we met. I¡¯d gone to a dive to drink. Dad had just informed me that I was arranged to marry Alessio Salvatore, a gangster with a violent reputation. I had no interest in walking down the aisle with him. So I¡¯d escaped to a bar. Two drinks in, a biker slid into my booth. His thighs barely fit under the table. He shoved a cocktail into my hands-something fruity. He¡¯d blocked my escape, but all I remembered was the giddiness of being seen by a man like him. The diamond tattoo with the one-percent should¡¯ve turned me off, but the liquor had muddled my senses and sparks flew when he anchored his arm across my shoulders. I liked that he was so forward. I loved that he didn¡¯t care whose daughter I was. We had nothing inmon. He listened to heavy metal. That was the only music I couldn¡¯t stand. He had no family. I was all about mine. He was a yboy. I¡¯d never had a boyfriend. We went together like olive oil and whiskey, but that didn¡¯t stop us from falling for each other. A half-hourter, I hopped on his bike. He whisked me from my bodyguards and brought me to his home, where he took my virginity. Iy in his arms while he smoked. Then he told me I was his olddy, and that he¡¯d never let me go. Nick still looked at me with that unblinking stare that shot my heart with panic that I¡¯d previously mistaken for excitement. We stopped in a wooded area west of Boston. The scent of pine clung to the air. Nick cut the engine and removed his helmet. I slid off the bike. He escorted me to the ranch-style house. Nick¡¯s boots creaked the wooden floorboards as he opened a rusted door. His fingers brushed my ass as I walked inside, and a chill iced my spine when his body pressed into my back. ¡°Remember what we talked about. You will behave.¡± Michael had made a simrment, but there was zero yfulness behind Nick¡¯s words. ¡°You don¡¯t like it when I behave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with your sass.¡± ¡°I thought you liked that about me,¡± I snapped. ¡°Or why did you take me?¡± ¡°Because I love you, you crazy cunt. I will never let another mane between us.¡± ¡°I never asked to be saved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I like about you.¡± Nick bumped me into the wall, his kiss like steel. ¡°Not many girls could survive being my olddy, but you¡¯re tough.¡± When I left him, I sure as hell didn¡¯t feel strong. His thick fingers smacked my cheek, and it smarted, but that was nothing new. He¡¯d hurt me all the time. Nick¡¯s hand swallowed mine as he pushed me into a living room converted into a bar. The home was ransacked. Smoke stains crawled the walls. ss crunched under my feet. Cigarette burns marked the carpet. ¡°What is this ce?¡± ¡°A temporary holdout. We¡¯ll move somewhere else tomorrow.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Smashed portraits of a wholesome-looking family lined the floors. Nick took one, smiling. He tapped at the polo-wearing man. ¡°This was his house.¡± Obviously. ¡°What happened to him?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let us camp on hisnd, so we shot him.¡± My heart throbbed in my throat. ¡°And his wife?¡± ¡°I sold her.¡± ¡°Sold? As in, trafficked?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than leaving a body, and I make decent cash with the flesh market. It¡¯s a big business.¡± He tossed the portrait in the firece filled with crumpled cans. The frame shattered in a cloud of ash. My horror at Crash trafficking human beings barely registered. I couldn¡¯t process anything. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ll do to me?¡± Nick¡¯s mouth thinned. ¡°You¡¯re not for sale.¡± Was he lying? ¡°You don¡¯t believe me,¡± he mused with augh. ¡°Would I start a war just to let you suck another guy¡¯s cock?¡± Men in leather cuts greeted Nick, who gave them a magnanimous wave. As we sat at a square table removed from the chaos, a woman slid a beer in front of Nick. She wore a Metallica tank top over cut-offs. Tattoos covered her thighs and arms. She leaned over, pawing his shoulder. Michael¡¯s face popped into my head, and a dozen other memories of being held by him, his touch, smell, mouth, everything thatforted me, lodged in my throat and swelled. Being stuck with this asshole reminded me of what Nick had alwayscked, of what Michael possessed endlessly-warmth, loyalty, and love. Real love, not this toxic obsession. I missed him. I needed my husband. In my misery, I imagined him bursting through the door. I saw Nick¡¯s skull exploding and Michael yanking me into the shelter of his arms. A world without him seemed lifeless. I wiped my eyes as the girl slid a drink in front of me. The temptation of numbed senses was too strong. I gulped it, shaking. A frigid hand dragged me across the table, toward the man I loathed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t put it together. You and Costa made no sense. I knew it wasn¡¯t right. You¡¯d never betray me. When I found out the truth, you were unreachable.¡± His voice dropped, husky-soft. ¡°I had no idea you were forced.¡± He still thought Michael was the viin. Psycho. ¡°I wasn¡¯t forced. We had an arrangement.¡± ¡°Baby,e on. You¡¯re smarter than this. The guy hadplete control over you.¡± I balled my fists, seething. ¡°You should have stayed away, Nick. There will be major consequences for taking me.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have them if you stopped running.¡± The worst thing I could do was submit. He hated easy prey. ¡°Which is it, asshole? Was it Michael¡¯s fault or mine?¡± ¡°Both,¡± he snarled. ¡°You had opportunities to call me.¡± I couldn¡¯t face apologizing to this piece of shit. ¡°You¡¯re thest person I¡¯d ask for help. I had to leave you. You were going to kill me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d never do that.¡± He was in serious denial. ¡°Nick, what are your ns? Now that you have me, what will you do?¡± ¡°For starters, I want to get that guy¡¯s stench off my woman.¡± He wrenched my hand. I flew out of the seat, and he tugged me on hisp. His breath gusted my ear. ¡°Then I¡¯ll find that prick. Kill him. His family. All of them. Every single Costa.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do anything for you.¡± His mouth swallowed mine. I thought of pretending he was my husband, that his touch didn¡¯t disgust me, that the clove invading me was Michael¡¯s fresh taste, and that his eyes swirled with amber instead of green. I tried to imagine Michael¡¯s lips, his body, his stubble tickling my skin. No. Michael was in my heart. Faking with Nick was impossible. I couldn¡¯t do it. I wouldn¡¯t. He dragged me upright. He made an anguished noise as he backed me across the room. I struck a column, pain radiating up my spine as Nick mauled me. Then we switched positions, and he pulled me. He broke away to kick a chair aside on his way to the bedroom. ¡°No-no.¡± He groped at my zipper. ¡°No.¡± The door mmed. My back knocked the wall. Nick tore off his leather cut and threw it into the corner. The sound shot my belly with fear. Then he yanked off the id, pressing his naked chest into me. ¡°Nick, no!¡± I pped him. His palm mmed into my cheek, throwing me onto the bed. A hammer-like ache pounded my skull as he sank into the mattress. Fingers rolled in my hair as he ripped my head backward. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°You are a pain in the ass, Carm. What is wrong with you? Did Costa p you around? Did he hurt you?¡± Nick¡¯s voice lowered into a hush. ¡°He did, didn¡¯t he? That¡¯s why you¡¯re so fucked up.¡± How delusional was this guy? ¡°Never.¡± I met his furrowed gaze, my fists clenched. ¡°He never hit me. He¡¯s good to me.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He smiled, caging me with his arms. ¡°The man who threatened your father and forced you into marriage is good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You are batshit crazy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rich,ing from you.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not the one in love with her kidnapper.¡± Me? In love with Michael? The thought stabbed me, the white-hot de of those words slicing open my denial. I couldn¡¯t deny it. I loved Michael. God, I loved him. I really did. I couldn¡¯t live without ourzy afternoons, the corny jokes, his quirks and his back hugs. I loved him so much that I wanted my ashes spread with his so we could always be together. He¡¯d brought light into my darkness. He¡¯d breathed air into my lungs. Another thought that gut-punched me. Michael loved me, too. And I hadn¡¯t said it back. It was like a fist clenching my throat. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I sobbed. I clutched my face, but I¡¯d never been able to hide a single thing from Nick, and now he knew. He¡¯d kill me. ¡°Seeing you like this wrecks me. He fucked you up.¡± Nick cradled my jaw, his calluses rubbing my skin. ¡°I¡¯ll fix you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get you through this.¡± My throat tightened as he unzipped me. ¡°I¡¯ll help you forget him.¡± Even if I lived in Nick¡¯s dungeon for the rest of my days, the warmth of my husband¡¯s love would never leave me. Nick descended over me. His pulse bumped my chest, an unfortunate reminder that he had a heart. He pulled down my dress. His appreciative groan made my stomach churn. The moan deepened into an angry grunt. Nick hung over me, ring. He pressed a thumb into a red mark. He hissed, straightening. ¡°What the fuck did he do to you?¡± ¡°They¡¯re hickeys,¡± I snarled. ¡°Not bruises.¡± His hand swept over my mouth. He pinched my lips shut. ¡°Not another word about Costa.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t threaten me into bed,¡± I snapped, seized with a need to defend Michael. ¡°I went willingly.¡± ¡°Hon, you only think you did. I can¡¯t stand that he touched you.¡± ¡°Then why did you take me back?¡± ¡°Because you belong to me.¡± He said it with zero passion, as though the hickeys had stolen his desire. A wave of relief hit me until Nick¡¯s finger hooked my underwear. He started kissing my thigh. Panic swelled behind my ribs. I was barely holding it together, my thoughts wild with prayers and begging. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this.¡± ¡°After months of riding his cock, you¡¯re done with mine? I don¡¯t think so.¡± He yanked the thong off me. ¡°Nick, this is too intense! I¡¯m not ready-I¡¯m really not ready.¡± He unzipped his jeans and pinned my arms. Then he wedged open my knees, lowering himself. ¡°No!¡± He grasped my neck and squeezed. ¡°You once told me that being deeply loved by someone gives you strength. You can handle me.¡± No, I can¡¯t. ¡°Nick, stop!¡± Nick paused, his grin widening. He drank in my fear like an aphrodisiac. He kept his touch light. It staked up and down my forearm, across my cor. ¡°Why, you enjoy it more with him?¡± Of course. ¡°I-you¡¯re both good.¡± ¡°I want the truth.¡± He darkened like a storm cloud. ¡°I asked you a question. Who¡¯s the better lover?¡± Michael. ¡°I won¡¯t answer that.¡± ¡°You will. And I¡¯ll know if you¡¯re lying. I always do.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± He shoved a finger in my mouth. ¡°Or I¡¯ll stop being so nice.¡± I bit him until he retreated. A blow crashed into my head. Agony radiated into my teeth. He would hit me no matter what I said, so I faced him, grinning. ¡°Michael. He can make mee with his voice.¡± ¡°Because you do what he wants.¡± He snorted, the amusement shing with his malevolent gaze. ¡°Otherwise you¡¯d have way more hickeys.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t hurt women.¡± ¡°Oh, baby. You¡¯re such a naive little thing. I¡¯ve been to his club. I¡¯ve talked to his whores. Paid one to spill her guts,¡± he broke off with a smirk. ¡°She told me all sorts of shit. The man gets off on punishing his women. Just like me.¡± Theparison made me fume. ¡°I guess you have a type, Carm.¡± ¡°Shut up. You don¡¯t understand him.¡± ¡°Understand? Honey, I am him.¡± No. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Nick¡¯s fingers curled around my throat and squeezed, then his lips molded into mine, the soft pressure filling me with bile. He pulled back, whispering. ¡°He does this when hees, right?¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± ¡°He likes it when you¡¯re tied up. Loves it when you kneel. When you struggle. Just. Like. Me.¡± I turned away. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to fuck you. I¡¯m inside you, Carm.¡± He peeled off me, his chest unsticking from me. ¡°Always.¡± ¡°I want my husband.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how long thatsts.¡± #2— Chapter 34 MICHAEL Vinn was shot in the drive-by. The bullet sliced into the gap of his vest and mmed into his shoulder. I hauled his ass to Alessio¡¯s hospital, where the staff wouldn¡¯t report the gunshot wound to authorities. We killed six bikers. One of them was the president. Their faces shed over the evening news-two members and four prospects. We¡¯d thrown Legion into chaos, which was not our intention, but I didn¡¯t give a fuck about public safety or broken alliances. All I cared about was my wife. Was she all right? Was he hurting her? I missed her with a hollow in my lungs, an all-epassing ache that consumed me. My stomach didn¡¯t unclench in the twenty-four hours she¡¯d been gone, because my mind ran with violent images. I had no idea what he was doing, but if he hurt her I¡¯d run Boston¡¯s streets red with biker blood. My life¡¯s mission would be to kill as many of them as possible. They wouldn¡¯t be able to shit without watching out for me. I¡¯d make my name known and take my vengeance. They¡¯d all suffer. ¡°Michael.¡± I nced up from the gleaming floor as a palm glided through my hair. Liana stood in nnel pajamas, her chestnut waves gathered in a high ponytail. ¡°Are you kidding me? You were supposed to stay with my kids.¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s with them. They¡¯re safe.¡± Liana slumped into the seat beside mine. ¡°What happened?¡± I sipped my lukewarm coffee, the only sustenance I¡¯d allowed myself. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything.¡± ¡°Is he okay?¡± I was in no shape tofort anyone. ¡°No clue.¡± ¡°What about Carm?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She rubbed my back. ¡°Maybe you should sleep.¡± ¡°I have to find her.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done everything you can.¡± ¡°Not until I¡¯ve strung up every fucking biker in this city.¡± ¡°Are you Michael Costa?¡± An Asian woman in pink scrubs stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m Doctor Yang. I was the surgeon assisting for Vinn¡¯s procedure. He was wounded in the brachial plexus, which is which is therge nerve bundle that controls arm function.¡± ¡°Will he be able to use it?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know that for a few weeks. Most likely, he¡¯ll need follow-up surgery. I can take you to see him now.¡± She brought us where Vinny, wrapped in gauze. He stared at the ceiling in a drugged haze, his mouth half-open. His expression remained nk as Liana pulled up a chair. ¡°Vinny. I came as soon as I heard.¡± She folded her palm over his hand. Vinn¡¯s gaze flicked to their linked fingers. His lip twitched. ¡°¡®M fine.¡± Liana smoothed his hair, her voice thick with tears. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay.¡± A knock at the door dragged our attention to a nurse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but visiting hours are over. You¡¯ll have to leave.¡± I squeezed Vinn¡¯s ankle. Liana bent over Vinn and kissed his cheek. His eyes flickered as she untangled from him. He brushed the spot where her lips touched him. We left. Liana huddled in the waiting room, dragging a nket from her big purse and draping it around her shoulders. ¡°Li, go home. Sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯m staying with Vinny.¡± I almost said something, but a memory of Carm¡¯s disapproval cut into my impulse. Liana curled on a stic seat as I headed toward the staircase, so tired I could¡¯ve copsed down the steps. I descended a flight of stairs before I realized someone called my name. ¡°Michael!¡± Alessio¡¯s rugged features swam into recognition as he straightened his jacket. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you.¡± A sickening amount of hope lodged in my throat. ¡°Did you find her?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Of course. He¡¯d already failed her once. Disgust churned in my stomach. ¡°Then get out of my sight before I cave your head in.¡± ¡°I want to help.¡± ¡°Make a time machine, you miserable prick. Kill Crash when you were supposed to because there¡¯s nothing you can do now.¡± I seized his cor, a corrosive hatred steaming the air between us. ¡°I can¡¯t stand you.¡± ¡°Stop ming me for things out of my control.¡± ¡°You could¡¯ve stopped him years ago!¡± ¡°He was her goddamned boyfriend,¡± he bellowed, shoving me. ¡°She wanted to stay. She begged me. What was I supposed to do?¡± ¡°Save her from the psychopath.¡± ¡°Yeah, I should¡¯ve used my magical crystal ball and predicted him turning into this, just like you should¡¯ve seen what Serena was doing to your kids-¡± My fist smashed into his face. He threw me down the stairs. I tackled him into the wall, and then we were tearing at each other. Pain spider-webbed across my jaw, and then he pushed me off, his eyes zing. ¡°How does this help Carm?¡± My anger dissolved. I continued my descent, my misery like a jagged knife sawing my heart. It hurt so bad. ¡°I fucking love her. He doesn¡¯t. I can¡¯t do this without her. I can¡¯t pick up the pieces and move on.¡± He squeezed my shoulder. I shook off my grief. ¡°Search for their clubhouse. Wherever he¡¯s holed up, that¡¯s where Carm and Anthony are.¡± ¡°Everybody¡¯s looking for Rage Machine members, but they don¡¯t wear patches. Nobody knows who these bastards are. The cops have no idea they even exist, but they must be paying off everyone. We need someone in our pocket who¡¯s talked to him recently. Otherwise this will take forever.¡± I stopped at the ground floor, pacing the stairwell. ¡°I don¡¯t know any of his associates besides Legion.¡± ¡°Can you think of somewhere he might¡¯ve visited?¡± I flipped through my phone, hunting for ideas until my thumb slid over the picture of Elena. Sanctum. FUCK THIS PLACE. I¡¯d dropped so much cash in here I could¡¯ve opened a substance abuse clinic. Back when Alessio was Nico¡¯s prot¨¦g¨¦ and Anthony¡¯s best friend, we partied here every weekend. I thought I was living the high life, but all this club had done was distract me from what mattered. The dreampop music pulsed in semi-lit corridors as we strolled over the ck marble. Alessio scowled at the brte cozying to his side. He stepped away, shing his wedding ring. ¡°That¡¯s not a problem for me,¡± she purred. ¡°I¡¯m not here to y.¡± Alessio shouted Elena¡¯s name over the noise as I scanned the sea of naked women. A glimmer of blonde caught my eye. Brooke¡¯s winged eyes shed terror as she ducked into another room. I followed and spotted her crouching between two sofas. ¡°Why are you hiding from me?¡± She ran for the door. I seized her arm. ¡°Brooke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m working, and you¡¯re in the way.¡± ¡°Were you here when Elena was murdered?¡± Brooke¡¯s pink mouth trembled as she ripped from my grasp. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s fucking missing. She was taken by Elena¡¯s murderer, and I need details about that night.¡± ¡°Lost her, have you? That sucks.¡± I grabbed her throat. ¡°I¡¯m not ying. I¡¯ll crush the life out of you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything!¡± ¡°My patience is gone.¡± I squeezed hard enough to make her breathing ragged. ¡°Talk.¡± ¡°The man whose photo you put up came here, asking all kinds of questions about you.¡± ¡°About me?¡± I relieved the pressure on her neck, my pulse racing. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Who you fuck. How you like to fuck. That kind of thing.¡± ¡°And you talked?¡± ¡°Not me,¡± she gasped, digging into my fingers. ¡°It was Elena. He was dropping a ton of cash, buying everyone¡¯s silence. It must¡¯ve been at least thirty grand. He asked Elena to go home with him. She said yes.¡± ¡°Then he dumped her in the parking lot.¡± I wiped my face. ¡°This is why you¡¯re not supposed to leave the club with anyone. What else happened?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I know. I swear.¡± I stepped back from her and wrenched my hair, agonized by images of Elena¡¯s lifeless body. ¡°Who was working that day?¡± ¡°Who am I, the manager? Look at the schedule.¡± The manager. A dark suspicion shot into my heart. Julian. #2— Chapter 35 CARMELA I¡¯d never see Michael again. He¡¯d never give me tulips, draw hearts on Post-it notes, or take me to my first ultrasound appointment. I¡¯d miss Matteo¡¯s fifth birthday. I wouldn¡¯t be there when the kids grew into adulthood. I¡¯d be here. With Nick. He¡¯d get me pregnant to trap me. He¡¯d never smile at the baby or change diapers or do anything that wasn¡¯t self-centered. Our child would grow up in a violent home. Nick¡¯s heartless infidelity would grind my spirit into dust. He¡¯d suffocate me. From here on out, it was pitch-ck darkness. No more light. Just the soul-crushing despair of being stuck with this man. Nick had locked me in his ramshackle bedroom. He¡¯d settled into a restless sleep in the queen bed, his body like a block of ice. When sunlight peeked through the Roman blinds, he peeled from the mattress and disappeared on some an errand. I dressed quickly, my gaze sweeping over Nick¡¯s belongings-clove cigarettes, Zippo, motorcycle restoration magazines. The person who¡¯d lived here before Nick had hung a calendar on the wall and gash marks punctured where Nick had thrown knives. Cigarette butts scattered the floor. Nick was careless with his guns, but with the ce surrounded with one-percenters, I¡¯d never make it out the door. My old leather jacket draped the chair pushed into the desk. I swallowed hard at the words stamped on the back. PROPERTY OF CRASH. I fingered the worn fabric that¡¯d once covered my shoulders. Wearing it would feel wrong, like slipping into ill-fitting skin. I wouldn¡¯t wear it-couldn¡¯t stand another second of this. Heavy boots scraped the wood as the doorknob turned. Nick bowed his head under the frame and strolled in with a stic bag. Lines gouged the skin under his eyes as he shoved a pink box into my hands. ¡°Do it.¡± My thumb brushed the text. A pregnancy test. A lump lodged in my throat. ¡°Why?¡± He grabbed my arm and steered me into the white-tiled bathroom, his pale gaze narrowed but resolute. ¡°Take the goddamned test.¡± ¡°Could I get some privacy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nick folded his thick arms. I opened the box and removed the test. It trembled as I sat on the toilet and peed on the stick. Nick plucked it from my hand and returned to his spot, tapping the counter. He red at the tiny window. ¡°How long does this take?¡± ¡°A couple of minutes.¡± I backed against the shower. I didn¡¯t think I was pregnant, but what if I was? What would he do to me? Nick left, guarding the results to himself. He raked his blond hair. He popped open the first buttons of his id shirt, more agitated than I¡¯d ever seen him. My insides boiled. His fingers whitened, and then he picked up the packaging. Whatever he read on the cardboard made him rub his forehead. ¡°Shit.¡± The stic ttered to the floor. Two lines etched the window. I was pregnant. My heart swelled and constricted, the relief chilled by the block of ice sliding against my side. Nick slumped beside me. He stared ahead, pale and lifeless. He looked like he¡¯d been shot. It was the best news, but my eyes flooded with the sweet misery that Michael wasn¡¯t here to share it with me. We would have a baby. It was everything I¡¯d wanted. My vision zed over. He grasped my jaw. ¡°Is it mine?¡± It definitely wasn¡¯t his. Nick seemed to interpret my emotion for confirmation. His palm smoothed over my belly and stroked me. ¡°We never used a condom.¡± I gaped at him. ¡°This happened so fast. One time, and boom, you¡¯re pregnant. Jesus.¡± He believed I was four months along? Did he know anything about pregnancy? ¡°You¡¯ve gained like fifteen pounds since then.¡± Nick slid from the bed, running his hands through his hair. ¡°How¡¯d I not see thising?¡± The idiot didn¡¯t consider that when we were together I¡¯d starved myself from stress, and being with Michael had healed me. Allowing Nick to believe this absurd fantasy turned my stomach, but it might ease my escape. I had to save us. ¡°What did you think would happen when you came inside me?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± Nick opened a ck box, ripping out a cigarette. ¡°Is there a test to make sure I¡¯m the dad?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t smoke around me.¡± He threw it on the floor. ¡°Is there a fucking test?¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not avable over the counter.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Shaking, he undid the holster at his waist and dumped the gun on his nightstand. I could grab it. ¡°I¡¯ll raise our baby alone.¡± ¡°Hell no.¡± ¡°Nick, you won¡¯t be able to handle thete-night feedings, the screaming, dirty diapers, and you¡¯ll take off when the kid¡¯s sick and needs to go to the doctor.¡± Nick¡¯s eyes shot lightning bolts at me. ¡°We¡¯ll have help. Just like Costa.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the fucking same. He wants this with me.¡± He had no idea what he was talking about. All the nannies in the world couldn¡¯t rece a parent like Michael. ¡°He told you what you wanted to hear. He knows you¡¯ll never leave if you get pregnant. He¡¯s a good liar. That¡¯s all.¡± No. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°Easy on the attitude, Carm. My patience has limits.¡± They weren¡¯t the same. It was getting to me, the constantparisons with my husband. Nick was determined to tarnish my beautiful life with Michael, but it could never resemble what Nick had done-the torture, beatings, and rapes. ¡°I saved you from a man who used you like a ve, and you believe he¡¯s better than me. Call me broken. Fine. You¡¯re the one with the damaged brain. You begged me for a baby, and when I said no, youtched onto an inferior version of me.¡± He had it all backward. ¡°I don¡¯t love him because he¡¯s simr to you. He¡¯s an amazing dad and a wonderful partner, and I feel safe when I¡¯m with him. He listens to me. He wants the best for me. You never gave me that. You¡¯re a cheat. An abuser. You are nothing like him.¡± ¡°He killed six peoplest night. Legion guys. Drive-by shooting.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Maybe it was sick that I didn¡¯t, but it was the truth. Michael would have to do a lot worse than kill a bunch of gangsters to turn me against him. ¡°You would if you were yourself.¡± He paced the room, color returning to his cheeks. ¡°We have to leave. I¡¯ve got to find Costa. I need to put an end to this, especially now.¡± No. ¡°Nick-¡± ¡°Enough!¡± he roared, whirling on me with raised fists. ¡°We¡¯re having a goddamn kid together. Stop pining for a man who won¡¯t live out the weekend. Once he¡¯s dead, you¡¯ll be free. And then we¡¯ll marry.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He pushed me toward the door, but I dug in my heels. ¡°Michael¡¯s not dying, and I¡¯ll never marry you!¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll sue you for full custody and bribe the judge. I¡¯ll make him give me the brat. You¡¯ll never see our baby again.¡± It¡¯s not yours! ¡°Wear your jacket. Let¡¯s go.¡± Nick¡¯s steel-like presence vanished, and then he thrust the leather into my arms. I flung it to the floor. Nick¡¯s eyes followed. His hand whirled, smashing into my face. The blow mmed me into his nightstand. My skull cracked the wood. Something heavy wobbled on it. His gun. I grabbed it and fired. A picture frame exploded beside Nick¡¯s head. He flinched as I aimed at his chest. Boots stomped in the hall. Voices outside shouted. They smashed through distant doors. Nick stared at me, wide-eyed. ¡°What the hell?¡± ¡°Hands up! I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t murder the father of your child.¡± You¡¯re not. ¡°I have to get away from you.¡± ¡°Kill me,¡± he sneered. ¡°They¡¯ll rape you. Every one of them.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± ¡°All right. Calm down.¡± Nick¡¯s tone was soft, beseeching. ¡°Take a deep breath and look at where you are.¡± ¡°I have to leave.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll hurt the baby.¡± The door burst to a man with a shotgun. ¡°Axel, no. Back the fuck off!¡± Nick gripped the barrel, shoving himself in the line of fire. ¡°Carm, put the fucking Sig down.¡± ¡°No.¡± Nick roared at the biker. ¡°Back off!¡± The man retreated. Nick wheeled at me, his lips thinning. Shock flickered across his gaze. ¡°Are you kidding me with this gunslinger shit? Is this because I¡¯m the dad?¡± ¡°I told you not to hit me.¡± ¡°You whip out a gun because I pped you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nick swallowed hard. ¡°Carm, this isn¡¯t a game. You¡¯ll die. Lower the piece.¡± ¡°At least I¡¯ll be free.¡± I gestured toward the hall. ¡°Move.¡± He backed into the darkness,ughing. ¡°What is your n? You¡¯ll attack the whole clubhouse?¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± A high, coldugh boomed down the corridors. He stepped forward, eyes filled with mirth. ¡°I swear to God, Nick.¡± ¡°Beauty, you¡¯re surrounded. There is no way you¡¯re getting out of here.¡± Nick glowered at the men inching closer. ¡°Anybody shoots at my pregnant olddy will have their balls blowtorched. Leave us the fuck alone!¡± They lowered their weapons, and I walked Nick to the door as he grinned at me. He looked like I¡¯d grabbed his dick. He enjoyed torture, but there was one thing he loved more. The chase. We strolled the porch, heading to the row of motorcycles. ¡°Want these?¡± Nick pulled the keys from his shirt pocket, dangling them. ¡°Put down the gun.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to kill me to steal my Harley.¡± ¡°Are you willing to test me?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll let you have a ten-minute lead.¡± ¡°Follow me, and I won¡¯t hesitate to murder you.¡± Heughed, the air misting with his breath. ¡°I missed this side of you, Beauty.¡± ¡°Keys.¡± He stopped near the Dyna Super Glide. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to ride.¡± ¡°Give them, or I¡¯ll shoot you.¡± He tossed the ring. Itnded a foot away. ¡°Bend over, and they¡¯re yours.¡± I squatted and groped until my fingerstched onto metal. My hands shook as I opened the disk and slid the key inside. ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to move it from the driveway,¡± Nick scoffed, his smile widening. ¡°You can¡¯t even shift gears.¡± ¡°Yes, I fucking can. It¡¯s a simple concept. I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± The panel lit up. I hopped on and grabbed the clutch, mashing the buttons. My control over the situation slipped into doubt as it failed to start. Nick watched, arms folded. ¡°Want me to show you how it¡¯s done?¡± I fired. The dirt beside his boot exploded. ¡°That was yourst warning.¡± ¡°How many rounds are in that clip?¡± ¡°Enough to kill you.¡± ¡°Yeah, but what about them?¡± Nick gestured to the ranch house. ¡°You fuck me. They fuck you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving!¡± ¡°Baby, you won¡¯t make it five miles. Put it down. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± I twisted the left handle and pressed a button on the right. The seat vibrated as his Harley rumbled. Yes. ¡°Carm, don¡¯t be an idiot. You¡¯ll end up a stain on the road!¡± Nick stepped forward, the barrel sinking into his stomach. ¡°You¡¯re putting the baby¡¯s life at risk.¡± My chest tightened as that hit home. I could¡¯ve blown out his heart. Nick slowly glided to my wrists. He pulled until the nozzle aimed at the ground. Nick sped my hand and shook the weapon from my limp fingers, and then he buried the gun in my hair. ¡°Crazy bitch. You¡¯ll regret this stupid stunt.¡± The light in his eyes died as he climbed onto the bike. ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡± ¡°I have a home. It¡¯s not with you.¡± #2— Chapter 36 MICHAEL I kicked in the door. It smashed the wall. I strode inside the bachelor pad filled with ck patent leather. Pussy and cigarettes filled the air. I followed the stench into a bedroom, where a naked Julian had fallen out of bed. Beer bottles littered the carpet. I ripped the satin sheets off. Whoever he¡¯d slept with was already gone. Good. No witnesses. Julian struggled to his feet, dragging a baseball bat from under his desk. Deep lines carved his dimples. His pupils were blown with that drugged-out haze I recognized from all my dealings with Serena. Heughed. It was half grief and rage. ¡°Serena was your whore. She was your fucking slut!¡± Spittle flew from his mouth as he readied his bat, oblivious to the pistol I pointed at his chest. ¡°You knew I¡¯d find out. You¡¯re sick. You¡¯re deranged.¡± ¡°Not as crazy as I¡¯ll be if my wife dies. Where is Carm?¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± I pulled the trigger. Blood sttered the floor as a hole blew through his right knee. He copsed, howling. The bat rolled toward me as Julian iled, sobbing. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°It hurts. Oh my God. Help-¡± ¡°Take another hit, you junkie.¡± I seized his hair and dragged him off the mattress, heat slicing my nerves as rubber tubing fell off his nightstand. ¡°Is this what you¡¯ve been doing with my money? Shooting up and selling out my wife! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t! I have a daughter.¡± ¡°She¡¯s better off without you.¡± I shoved the Glock to his temple, and he shrieked. ¡°My wife! You gave that psychopath Carm!¡± ¡°An eye for an eye,¡± he snarled. ¡°We know what you did to Serena.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what this is about? Serena?¡± He lunged at me with a beer bottle. I yanked it from his clumsy grip and clocked him. He spilled over the dark floor as I lodged my foot in his upper back. As soon as I twisted his arm, Julian sagged. I¡¯d fucked women who put up a stronger fight. ¡°You¡¯re inhuman. Pure evil.¡± His voice was a low, guttural moan. ¡°She showed me her bruises. You beat her. You killed her.¡± Myte wife had bitch-pped me from the grave. She¡¯d made her brother think the worst of me, and our children had almost paid the price. She¡¯d tortured me with threats to take the kids. She¡¯d done so many horrible things, and now, she¡¯d cost me the love of my life. I wanted her gone. My gun ripped across Julian¡¯s jaw. He mmed into the bed as crimson poured from his nose, his eyes wide and beseeching. I hammered him until my knuckles split, his soft body breaking under my blows. ¡°Do you know what he did to my children?¡± I screamed. ¡°You fucking degenerate! Tell me where he is.¡± His panic saturated the air like the unwashed, sharp scent of a man. ¡°You¡¯ll kill me anyway.¡± ¡°Your life could still get a lot worse.¡± ¡°You stole from him. He just wanted her back, so-so I told him Carm¡¯s routine. He must¡¯ve snatched her. His address is on my phone. He said to bring her there if-if I got the chance.¡± I lunged at his cell, swiped it open, and found the information hidden in a note. I pulled it up on a map. Fifteen minutes away. ¡°Please.¡± Julian held up his hands. ¡°I have a kid.¡± I had two, and he¡¯d handed them to Crash.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I aimed at his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t murder Serena, but I am killing you.¡± Three holes zipped into Julian¡¯s head, blowing out his skull. Blood seeped under his hair as he stared at the ceiling. I grasped his arm and yanked, catching most of the mess on the bed. Then I walked into the hall, beckoning at the tall silhouette. ¡°Clean this up.¡± The soldier did my bidding, rolling Julian in the sheets. His sightless gaze disappeared under ck. Good fucking riddance. There was no triumph from his death. Only rage. #2— Chapter 37 CARMELA He kicked me downstairs. My hip crashed into the steps. I fell, sliding off the staircase. A scream ripped from my throat as I lost my bnce. I mmed into hard-packed ground. I spat out dirt and flipped to my back, groaning. Lights red, revealing an unfinished basement. My gaze swept across concrete walls and a low, wooden ceiling. Nick hurtled after me, gun in hand. He raised his arm. I covered my face. Giant bangs erupted as he fired, the clumps exploding around me. My ears rang with gunshots. ¡°How do you fucking like it?¡± His knee crushed my ribs as he leaned over me, white-faced with fury. ¡°Crazy bitch!¡± ¡°Nick, stop!¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t. You pointed a gun to my head, you psycho. I don¡¯t have enough to worry about without my olddy trying to kill me? How dare you?¡± ¡°Let her go!¡± A hoarse voice bellowed from the corner. The sound seemed to snap Nick from his rage as he faced a shirtless man who hunkered under the beams, his legs and feet bound. Familiar big eyes peered at me, a scowl darkening his pleasant features. A thick beard masked his jaw, but it was Anthony. Dirt streaked his jogging pants. Bruises and welts painted his chest red and purple. Ligature marks circled his wrists, and his teeth chattered. ¡°Did you hear me, you Aryan-nation piece of shit?¡± Anthony strained against his bindings. ¡°Leave her the fuck alone.¡± ¡°He finally grows some balls.¡± Nick shot Anthony a grin and turned his attention to me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you sucked his cock, too. I don¡¯t think I could handle that.¡± His hand wrapped my throat. He cut off my oxygen with a hard pinch. I raked his arms, unable to dislodge even a finger. Everything burned. My body screamed agony, and my ears filled with Anthony¡¯s desperate scream. A chime interrupted the chaos. Air rushed into my lungs as Nick pulled away. He answered his phone. Then he climbed the stairs, disappearing into the house. I gasped, crawling toward Anthony. Blood ran down his hands from his restraints, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice. He stared at me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. What did he do to you?¡± ¡°He just wants a punching bag.¡± A tremor went through him as he nced upstairs. ¡°Prejudiced asshole. I¡¯ve wasted my whole goddamned life, and this is where it ends. In a fucking crawlspace.¡± ¡°Your life isn¡¯t ending. He¡¯s not getting rid of us that easily.¡± Anthony slumped forward, as though he¡¯d spent all his energy shouting. I grabbed a bottle and pressed it to his mouth. He drank small sips, and then greedily, grabbing it from me as he guzzled the water. He wiped his face with the drops that spilled and tossed it aside. Anthony was only here because of me. I had to free him. I ripped at his bindings and bit the stic, but it was unyielding. Hard as a rock. Rope tied him to a pipe. I undid the knot- ¡°Stop,¡± Anthony hissed. ¡°He¡¯sing.¡± Nick descended the steps, looking undisturbed that Anthony was untied. ¡°Up. Now.¡± Anthony glowered as Nick yanked the rope, tugging him upstairs. I followed them as he led Anthony into a sparse living room and shoved him onto a couch. ¡°I just got off the phone with your new owners.¡± Nick ignored me as I joined them, focused on Anthony. ¡°They¡¯ll get more use out of you. You¡¯re pathetic. My olddy could beat you in a wrestling match.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you remove these zip ties.¡± Anthony grinned. ¡°Then we¡¯ll see who¡¯s the real tough guy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tear your liver out with my teeth.¡± ¡°Then take them off, pussy.¡± I gaped at Nick. He wouldn¡¯t seize the bait. He wasn¡¯t that stupid, but something inside him had unraveled since the clubhouse. Fear. It pulsed like a diseased heart, turning his rage ck. He was that fucking scared of being a father. Nick unsnapped the knife from his waist and knelt, sawing through Anthony¡¯s bound ankles. Anthony leaned forward, his muscles taut. He caught my eye and jerked his head at the door. I barely reacted when Anthonyunched with his feet, bashing Nick¡¯s stomach before he¡¯d untied his wrists. Nick hit the wall,ughing. He pushed Anthony with one palm. Nick waved the de. ¡°Do that again, and I¡¯ll stab you.¡± ¡°Carm, run!¡± Anthony seized a chair and shoved Nick, who batted it aside. Anthony grimaced through Nick¡¯s blows and tackled his legs, punching the backs of his knees. I ran, but the door was locked with dozens oftches. So I grabbed a window and threw it open-impeded by iron bars. Everything was blocked. Fuck. Anthony¡¯s sacrifice would be for nothing. Their fight crashed into the foyer. Blood ran down Nick¡¯s forehead as he dragged Anthony by his hair while he pummeled Nick¡¯s abdomen. Anthony tried. He did, but he was beaten, starved, and restrained. Even the desperation to live wasn¡¯t enough to overpower Nick. Nick stabbed Anthony¡¯s shoulder. Anthony screamed. I sprinted toward him, and Nick sank his fist into my belly. I copsed to a breathless heap as pain radiated inward. God, the baby. Anthony slumped, moaning. Nick unlocked the door and opened it, facing outside. ¡°Take Costa off my hands before I kill him.¡± The guy slid into the room, but the only part I saw were his leather boots. ¡°He was supposed to be unspoiled.¡± ¡°Yeah, well. He¡¯s also a pain-in-the-ass.¡± Nick stooped to Anthony and ripped out the knife, causing a fresh wave of screams. ¡°I¡¯ll knock off a thousand dors for the damage.¡± ¡°Done.¡± They exchanged money, and several men picked Anthony up. I scrambled to my feet, glimpsing Anthony¡¯s tortured face before the door mmed, shutting them out. Secondster, the crunch of gravel under the departing car¡¯s tires filled me with dread. I rushed to the window as headlights swept across the darkness. He was gone.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. A howl went through me. Nick¡¯s bloody hand rolled over my neck. He dug into my skin, turning me around. Red patches burned on his cheeks, and he still gripped the knife. His lips were white and shaking. ¡°You fuck him, too? You did, didn¡¯t you?¡± Anguish rippled through his words as he cut through my denial. ¡°You had sex with him, and God knows how many other dagos.¡± The slur sent a ripple of anger through me. ¡°I¡¯m Italian.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± I would die tonight. Nick twisted the dagger, the mad gleam in his eyes sharpening. Obviously, the idea was growing on him. At this point, I was more of a nuisance than a lover. If I raised my hands, he¡¯d beat me. If I submitted, he¡¯d torture me. If I breathed, he¡¯d choke me. ¡°I¡¯m just being honest, Nick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re never just doing anything,¡± he exploded, throwing me into a wall. ¡°You know how to fuck me up.¡± ¡°All right. Take it easy.¡± ¡°No, you take it easy.¡± He grabbed my throat and shoved the dagger under my chin. ¡°You fucking take it easy, Carm. I will fuck all the women until you feel a fraction of what you¡¯ve inflicted on me.¡± It was always about him. His suffering. His orgasms. Nick stepped back. He fisted his hair. ¡°Loving you is constant pain. It is a never-ending agony. I want it to stop.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Ever since I met you, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve been dying a slow death.¡± Nick¡¯s hand trembled, and something wet rolled down my skin. ¡°It has to stop.¡± He would do it. ¡°Nick, if you kill me, we can¡¯t make ns for the future, raise a family, or give us another shot.¡± Sweat beaded my upper lip as I groped for a weapon. ¡°No. This has to end.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start over-a clean te.¡± My fingers brushed something solid, and I gripped it. ¡°I want to be with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°I have to live for the baby. The baby¡¯s done nothing to you. There¡¯s a piece of you living inside me. Don¡¯t you care?¡± His eyes swam with tears. The door burst open, and Nick¡¯s head turned. He lifted the de. I swung hard, smashing him with a firece poker. A red gash split his cheek. Michael grabbed him from behind, and they ripped at each other like beasts. Michael grasped the poker I¡¯d dropped and cinched it against Nick¡¯s throat. Alessio crashed his foot into Nick¡¯s jaw, and then Michael shoved him down. My brother-inw rolled his sleeves before he joined Michael in pummeling Nick¡¯s ribs and stomach. Savage blows knocked Nick down, again and again. They were like wolves, tearing into struggling prey. They beat him until they¡¯d exhausted themselves, panting. Nick¡¯s broken hands waded in blood as he picked himself up. Alessio seized his hair. ¡°Where is Anthony?¡± ¡°Kill me, and you¡¯ll never find him.¡± ¡°What did you do with him?¡± ¡°Sold to the highest bidder.¡± Nick spat a mouthful of crimson. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the information if you leave us alone.¡± ¡°There is no us.¡± I wiped the warmth tickling my cor and reveled in his helpless position. ¡°You and I were nothing but a disaster. And the baby is Michael¡¯s, not yours.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± I stepped around him and headed outside. ¡°Beauty, I lov-¡± Three deafening booms cut off Nick¡¯s voice. I flinched at the sound and settled onto the wetwn, grateful for the tickle of des hitting my palms and the dew clinging to them. It was like being hurled into a brand new world. Nick¡¯s death was supposed to make me ecstatic, but horror balled up inside me at how it¡¯d ended. Then Michael held me. He balled me against his chest. The citrus scent triggered a bomb that exploded my every reserve of calm. I dove into his heat and buried my face in his neck. I cried like I never had before. My nails sank into his back. I ran my fingers along his stubble, the gentle cleft in his chin, his mouth. Then I smashed my lips into his. He returned the pressure with a softness that slicked me with heat. Angling his head, he imed me. It was like we¡¯d been separated for weeks. His big hands stroked my hair as I choked on my tears, desperate to get it out of me. ¡°I love you. I missed you so much.¡± Michael¡¯s forehead pressed into mine. ¡°I love you, too.¡± ¡°Are the kids okay?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re fine. You did good.¡± Michael¡¯s kiss stung my cheek, and then he hovered. ¡°Are you really pregnant?¡± I smiled. ¡°He made me take a test. Michael, we¡¯re having a baby.¡± Shock rippled through his bourbon eyes. ¡°Are you-are you happy?¡± I asked him. He cupped my cheeks, beaming. ¡°Beyond happy.¡± #2— Chapter 38 MICHAEL I had my wife back. That was all I cared about. The weeks since Crash¡¯s death saw a flurry of activity. Everyone worried about a still missing Anthony. All we had to go on was Carm¡¯s vague description of an Eastern European ent and his leather shoes. My poor wife agonized over Anthony, but Ipartmentalized it all. It was hard to ignore what gave me so much joy. Carm loved me.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. She¡¯d bounced from the incident with Crash a lot faster than I had, shelving that part of her past behind us so quickly it made my head spin. The house echoed with her singing, and she glowed whenever I walked into the room. I woke up to blowjobs. She couldn¡¯t keep her hands off me, and I loved it. Nothing could get me down. Not Anthony¡¯s disappearance. Not even dinner with the inws. Carm¡¯s hand stiffened around my wrist, preventing me from opening the door. She shot me a smoldering look, and then her eyes slid to the backseat. I grinned, catching on. ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± ¡°Too shy?¡± ¡°Baby, it¡¯s broad daylight. You want me arrested?¡± I nced up and down the suburban street. ¡°Or does the danger of that turn you on?¡± She leaned in close and nipped my ear. ¡°I want you.¡± My cks tightened as she climbed into the back. I followed, dropping in the seat beside her. She¡¯d already ripped off her panties and straddled me before I¡¯d settled in. She smashed her lips against mine. Her kiss got as hard as a diamond. It was all tongue-pure lust. ¡°The backseat of an Audi,¡± I teased. ¡°What are we, teenagers?¡± I stopped asking questions when she unzipped me and grabbed my cock. I spent more daysying pipe than working because the second trimester had turned Carm into a raving sex addict. Ten minutester, her hands pped the fogged window as I moaned into her hair. She came soon after, and then we dissolved into the leather seats. Carm¡¯s phone beeped with text messages as we tidied ourselves. Then I staggered out of the car. Sweat dotted my shirt, which I tucked into my cks. Carm chuckled as she wiped my face free of lipstick. ¡°Now we¡¯re reallyte.¡± Not that I minded. I had no desire to be here. My father-inw¡¯s house was still the ce where my brother had died, no matter howplicated our rtionship had been. Hanging out here didn¡¯t feel right, and neither did rubbing elbows with Ignacio, but I wanted to tell him the news. Carm slipped her hand into mine, her cheeks flushed. ¡°Am I decent?¡± ¡°The just-fucked look suits you.¡± Carm sighed, letting that roll off her shoulders. We headed to the mansion, and I knocked on the door. Maria answered. ¡°We¡¯re already eating!¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. So sorry.¡± I stepped in, waving at everyone in the dining room. ¡°Fucking traffic.¡± Alessio looked up from his chicken ciatore and smirked. Heughed, drawing questioning looks from his clueless wife and our mother-inw. Ignacio stood, his voice blistering. ¡°At my house, you show up on time, or you don¡¯t eat at all.¡± Fine by me. I lurched toward the door until Carm shot me a plea, which worked too well. Maria manhandled us into seats. Baby Lexy sat in a highchair, mashing spaghetti into her face. I buried a stab of annoyance at Alessio¡¯s presence. As far as I was concerned, his inaction had set forth a devastating chain of consequences that resulted in Anthony being sold into very and Carm¡¯s horrific trauma. Helping me take care of that asshole didn¡¯t undo the damage. Mia and Carm were always trying to get us talking. They invited us to the same events. Alessio and I ignored each other. asionally, we bickered. Sometimes it made Carm burst into tears. And I couldn¡¯t have that. So I told her I wasn¡¯t doing it anymore. Unfortunately, Carm could rope me into anything. I refused a seat. ¡°Ignacio, we should talk.¡± ¡°Can it wait until after dinner?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be long.¡± Ignacio sighed, wiping his mouth. He ruffled Lexy¡¯s glossy hair as he passed, grabbing his wine. He drank deeply as he strolled into his study. I followed, closing the door. ¡°What is it?¡± I unlocked my phone and showed him the photo. ¡°Here¡¯s the first.¡± ¡°Holy shit.¡± Ignacio grasped my hand, yanking the cell toward him. ¡°That¡¯s him. Crash.¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s left of the prick.¡± I¡¯d instructed my men to desecrate his body, and I had wheeled his bike into the Bay. Watching his beloved Harley sink into the water was cathartic. Carm and I kept the details about her kidnapping quiet. She didn¡¯t want her parents to worry and had no desire to relive those twenty-four-hours. ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°A few weeks ago. I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Plus, I didn¡¯t exactly relish more time with Ignacio. ¡°You did it,¡± he said, sounding bewildered. ¡°You fucking did it.¡± ¡°Say that I¡¯m useless.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not. I¡¯m sorry. Thank you, Michael. You have no idea what a load off my mind this is-¡± ¡°Stop begging Carm to have us over. I don¡¯t want to be in your life. You still murdered my brother.¡± Ignacio wiped his face, and I looked away. ¡°I never wanted to hurt him.¡± My throat tightened. I couldn¡¯t do this. He grabbed my wrist before I headed out. I shoved him into the bookshelf. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what happened. It might cost me, but I owe you.¡± He gestured at the seat. ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stand.¡± Ignacio backed onto his desk, suddenly tired. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to murder your brother. Nico asked me to do it. One of his associates approached me. Said to keep my mouth shut because you couldn¡¯t find out that Daniel was a snitch. They imed he was a CI.¡± What the hell? My head jerked up. ¡°Are you fucking with me?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I had nothing against Daniel.¡± I believed him. He had the same tells as Carm. My brother was a snitch. My insides copsed, and I sagged on the chair. It was a blow to all I¡¯d known about my brother. The pieces fell like dominos-Uncle Nico using the guy under my brother¡¯s protection to assassinate him, and Ignacio¡¯s bullheadedness. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me the truth?¡± ¡°Your uncle¡¯s instructions were very clear.¡± Ignacio¡¯s eyes zed over as he stared beyond me. ¡°I think he was trying to spare you.¡± As though being in the dark made it any better. ¡°Does my cousin know?¡± I doubted it. Uncle Nico knew we were close. Vinn would¡¯ve shared that information in an instant. ¡°No idea. I¡¯m sorry, kid.¡± Ignacio patted my shoulder. He tried to drag me into a hug, but I pushed him aside and burst from the office, following my wife¡¯s bubbly voice into the dining room, where she tucked into chicken ciatore. Her eyes sparkled with happiness. I didn¡¯t want to ruin it, so I left the house. I slumped on the porch steps and buried my head in my hands. Secondster, the door opened. She sat next to me. ¡°Go back inside. Finish your dinner,¡± I said. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk around the neighborhood.¡± My face heated, her disappointment leadening my guts. I¡¯d already upset Carm by refusing to bring the kids to Ignacio¡¯s ce. After Crash and Julian, I needed to wait until I was certain they¡¯d be secure. Carm leaned on me. ¡°What about Alessio?¡± Too bad I didn¡¯t have kinder words for my brother-inw. ¡°We don¡¯t get along.¡± ¡°You know I love the way you defend me, but I wish you¡¯d forgive Alessio. Please.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve forgiven him. I want you to do the same.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, babe.¡± I pressed my mouth into her frown until her lips softened. ¡°He needs to earn my forgiveness.¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t he?¡± I shrugged. ¡°He helped me take out the trash. That¡¯s not good enough.¡± Carm kissed me hard, her eyes zing. ¡°I love you.¡± Warmth bloomed in my chest. God, that never got old. #2— Chapter 39 SIX MONTHS LATER ¡°It¡¯s my turn! I wanna y-¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s my Nintendo. Carm got it for me.¡± Mariette shed her younger brother a superior grin. ¡°Carm, tell him it¡¯s mine.¡± Carm sipped her virgin cocktail. ¡°Let him y. You¡¯ve had it all morning.¡± ¡°Told you so,¡± Matteo gloated. Mariette sulked as he took the video game controller and bounced on the couch, mashing its buttons. Carm prepared a smi board as I rolled prosciutto di parma with goat cheese. The moment she told me she¡¯d bought a half-pound of this shit, I knew who it was for. ¡°Alessio¡¯sing over?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Carm returned to her task, swallowing hard. ¡°It¡¯s the six-month anniversary of his disappearance.¡± Anthony was still missing. When she¡¯d revealed everything that happened in that twenty-four hours, I didn¡¯t sleep for weeks. I wished Crash was still alive so I could kill him again. Poor bastard. He¡¯d taken a knife for Carm. Now that was bravery. If he hadn¡¯t been there to stall Crash¡­ who knows? I owed him. I wanted to get him back, but leads were thin on the ground. We¡¯d tracked down Crash¡¯s trafficking ring on the dark web. It was how he was able to pay off so many people. He had awork of buyers who¡¯d deleted their ounts when he died. Carm cried when she discovered what I¡¯d done to Julian. She insisted on checking in on Julian¡¯s kid, who seemed like she was doing well with her mom. Once Carm realized the kid was fine, she rxed. I washed my hands at the sink and wandered down the hall. Pictures of Carm and the children covered the walls. A photo of Serena hung in each of the kids¡¯ rooms. Carm encouraged me to release my anger, and I was trying. But there was one thing left to do. I found my daughter in the library, where she¡¯d stalked after handing over the Nintendo. She smiled as I sat next to her, which was a significant improvement from ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°Hey, honey. I need to talk to you.¡± Mariette paused, setting down the pencil. ¡°About what?¡± I grabbed Serena¡¯s wedding ring from my pocket. ¡°This was your mother¡¯s.¡± Mariette plucked it from my hand, her blue eyes widening with awe. She slipped it on her finger. ¡°It¡¯s too big for you but I¡¯ll give it to you when you¡¯re older.¡± I stroked her beautiful hair, admiring how the light made it shine. ¡°Your mother and I didn¡¯t get along, but that doesn¡¯t mean I never cared about her. One day, I hope you¡¯ll understand. Just know that I love you. Always.¡± ¡°I love you, too.¡± I took the jewelry and ruffled her head. A glow of pride balled in my chest as she gave up on coloring within the lines and scribbled over the page. Then I headed out. Carm leaned on the threshold, beaming at me. ¡°That was nice of you.¡± ¡°You and that word.¡± I hooked her waist and dragged her into an empty room. ¡°I¡¯m not nice.¡± ¡°You are, though. You didn¡¯t scowl when I mentioned Alessio.¡± ¡°He is my brother-inw-¡± ¡°And you let me name our baby after Anthony.¡± ¡°Luke Anthony Costa. It¡¯s his middle name, and I only agreed because he will find the whole thing so hrious.¡± ¡°Bullshit. You said yes because you love me. You don¡¯tin when Alessioes over. You do everything to make my happy, all the time, and you never ask for anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all I¡¯ll ever need, Carm.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. I didn¡¯t want to forgive Alessio, but I would anyway because I would always bend over backward for her. I wasn¡¯t a good man. No doubt about that. My impulses were just as dark as they were when we first married, but she¡¯d softened me to people in our lives. She showed me that marriage wasn¡¯t supposed to be a constant battle of wills. That it was okay to disagree without disrespecting each other. Giving her the world seemed like a fair trade because I¡¯d found peace. I¡¯d found her. ~~~ Hope you¡¯ve love this book. I love you all, thanks for supporting me ? #3 —Chapter 1 My feelings are forever¡­ the engagement is not.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Vinn Costa used to hang the moon in my sky. He¡¯s my brother¡¯s brutally handsome best friend. He doesn¡¯t know I exist, but I¡¯ve always loved him. Until he did something unforgivable. Vinn¡¯s not a sweet boy anymore. He¡¯s grown into a cold gangster. He¡¯s the most powerful man in Boston, a beautiful lost cause. I cut him from my life. I moved on. Or I would have, if he hadn¡¯t roped me into a lie so dangerous I had no choice to y along. Now I have to pretend I¡¯m his expecting fianc¨¦e, or we¡¯re both dead. I need to walk away, but I have to see this through. I¡¯m stuck¡­ with the monster in the Vinn-suit. PROLOGUE Liana Dead. The word made no sense. Sometimes I heard it in cartoons, but I could never understand what it meant. They¡¯d said it over and over-your parents are dead. Where was Mommy? Why wasn¡¯t she back yet? The quilted coverlet wrapped my body. My head pounded. I¡¯d spent the day crying, dragging Charlotte, my stuffed rabbit, throughout the strange house with cold floors, chased from rooms by that boy-Mike. He was mean. He¡¯d stolen Charlotte, and I couldn¡¯t go to sleep without her. I rubbed the crust of tears sealing my eyes shut. The door creaked. A boy stepped through in pajamas. I tried to disappear under the covers, and stopped. His hair brushed his shoulders. He seemed much younger than Mike. A shy grin tugged at his lips as he lowered something to me. ¡°Charlotte!¡± The wool scratched my face as I hugged the rabbit. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Vinny. I¡¯m Mike¡¯s cousin.¡± He kneeled beside the bed. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Liana.¡± A dim hope flickered in my chest. ¡°Do you know where my mommy is?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± He pulled theforter to my chin. Then he stroked my hair, from the side to the back, just like my mother. ¡°Everything will be all right. You¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°I miss her.¡± ¡°You have us now. We¡¯ll be your family.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure about that, but I believed Vinny¡¯s smile. His gentleness had lulled me into safety. I slumped with exhaustion. ¡°It¡¯s time to sleep, Liana. Close your eyes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He nted a kiss on my brow, and then he disappeared, closing the door softly. Heat red across my cheeks and burrowed into my heart. Yearster, I wondered why its warmth had never left me. #3 —Chapter 2 TWO YEARS AGO It took being trapped in a burning building to realize I was in love with Vinn Costa, my brother¡¯s best friend. It was Christmas. Vinn sat at the bar as my brother Michael danced with his seven-year-old daughter to a George Michael song. Tinsel and green decorated the walls of The ck Cat, a mob-owned lounge and restaurant where the boss of the Family liked to hold his annual holiday celebrations. A mountain of catered food was piled on tables, but the tantalizing scent failed to draw Vinn from his lonely corner. Twinkling lights cast a colorful pattern over him. He had a broad hero¡¯s face, with a chiseled jaw. A shadow of stubble peppered his dimpled chin under a shapely mouth which beckoned a kiss. A strong nose led to eyes so dark and terrifying, staring into them gave me a thrill. A full-blooded Italian, Vinn sported the oliveplexion I¡¯d always envied. He was gorgeous-I¡¯d seen him shirtless-and he could¡¯ve given Henry Cavill a run for his money. A flood of heat engulfed my cheeks. The breath sucked from my lungs. I was a five on a good day, but Vinn was a perfect ten. Since I was four, I¡¯d crushed on Vinn Costa. He¡¯d held my hand on trips to the beach. He¡¯d saved me from running off and hurting myself. From the moment I met him, he¡¯d protected me. But as we grew older, we drifted apart. It¡¯d been a while. School had kept me busy. Thest text message we¡¯d exchanged was back in April. I stepped forward. Rough fingers wrapped my arm, stopping me. I frowned at their owner, my oldest brother, Daniel. We looked nothing alike, because we weren¡¯t rted by blood. His mom had adopted me. My birth parents were a mystery, present only in faded photographs and even more distant memories. Daniel¡¯s skin was darker, his hair cker, and his eyes two amber mes next to my blues. He was more than twice my age at forty-three, and my only father-figure. His hooded gaze narrowed as he followed my beeline to Vinn, his attitude drenched in disapproval. ¡°Liana. Don¡¯t.¡± My stomach fell. ¡°What?¡± Michael detached from his daughter to stand beside Daniel, wearing an identical frown. They stood within an inch of each other¡¯s heights, but Michael was more fine-boned and lean. Though, as simr as they may have looked, they never agreed on anything. Growing up with two older brothers hadn¡¯t been easy. Family dinners became an excuse for Michael and Daniel to try to assert dominance over the other. They¡¯d left me out of their fights, but it was still a grim way to grow up. ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Daniel¡¯s frigidity gave no doubt on the subject. ¡°Leave him alone.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Christmas,¡± I whispered. ¡°I was just going to say hi.¡± ¡°And you hoped he¡¯d ask you out? Because you brought him a gift?¡± Daniel¡¯s smirk was a little too knowing. ¡°Oh, Li. You need to give this up.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Come on, Li. You¡¯re not that dumb.¡± ¡°Easy.¡± Michael shot him a re. ¡°She¡¯s a kid.¡± ¡°Not anymore,¡± Daniel snapped, oblivious to the agony building in my chest. ¡°I should¡¯ve said something a long time ago, but I held off because you¡¯re so young. Watching you pine after him embarrasses me.¡± His caustic tone bit my cheeks. They¡¯d both seen through me, and it stripped me emotionally naked. ¡°Who says I am?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious, hon. I thought you¡¯d grow out of it.¡± Michael¡¯s mouth twitched with a bleak smile. ¡°I know you¡¯re crazy about him, but it¡¯ll never happen.¡± It was like he¡¯d fisted my heart. ¡°You don¡¯t think Vinny likes me?¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Not the way you want him to, sweetheart.¡± My eyes burned before he finished the sentence. ¡°Maybe-¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen. Ever.¡± A violent flush imed my face as my insides rebelled. Michael took my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re such a nice girl. There is a guy out there for you, but he won¡¯t be Vinn.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Daniel groaned, kneading his forehead. ¡°Fuck¡¯s sake, Liana.¡± ¡°He¡¯s too damaged,¡± Mike cut in. ¡°He¡¯ll hurt you. And, more importantly, he is not interested.¡± Michael¡¯s determination to stamp out my attraction to Vinn was nothing new. He always had a not-so-subtle jab ready whenever he caught me hanging around his cousin-turned-best-friend, but I¡¯d never heard it so bluntly. Every word sawed into me. ¡°Did he say that?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have to.¡± Michael released a long sigh, his tone pitying. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. Vinn¡¯s twenty-eight years old. You¡¯re neen. That¡¯s a big gap.¡± ¡°You¡¯re both assholes.¡± Daniel patted my head. He left, abandoning me with this hateful bastard. Michael and I had never gotten along. He¡¯d mellowed out once he had a baby, but I¡¯d never forget the angry teenager who hated me for existing. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you leave me be?¡± ¡°Trust me. This conversation is just as painful for me.¡± Michael massaged his temples. ¡°I¡¯d rather jump into a wood chipper than discuss my sister¡¯s crush on my best friend.¡± ¡°I wish you would. I can¡¯t stand you.¡± ¡°Nice. That¡¯s real nice, Li.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not one of your kids,¡± I hissed. ¡°You don¡¯t get to swoop in and be overprotective after a lifetime of being an ass.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to give you a fast track to happiness.¡± Michael gestured at his wife, Serena. ¡°Life¡¯s too short to waste it on someone who doesn¡¯t notice you.¡± Ganging up on me about Vinn was a bridge too far. All I¡¯d wanted to do was talk. What gave Michael the right to police my business? Compared to him, I was halfway to sainthood. I looked at Michael. ¡°What does your loveless marriage have to do with me?¡± Michael bristled. His grip whitened on his ss before he mmed it onto the bar. ¡°Fine. Don¡¯te crying to me when he blows you off again.¡± Ouch. A rush of heat imed my cheeks, but he¡¯d said worse. Was I wasting my time? Vinn had a life. I¡¯d spent mine wishing I could change the impossible. If only I weren¡¯t Michael¡¯s kid sister. If only Vinn felt a fraction of my longing. If only he weren¡¯t trapped in the arms of a gorgeous redhead. A girl of staggering beauty had materialized on Vinn¡¯sp. She used Vinn¡¯s massive thigh like a bench. Her manicured fingers caressed his glossy ck shirt and tie with an intimacy that clenched my guts. She stered kisses over his jaw as I struggled to breathe, the pain at watching him with another woman so raw. I wanted to disappear. Vinn responded to her antics with lukewarm interest, sliding his hand under her thighs, riding up her dress, but his gaze wandered as though he searched for a recement. His eyes found mine. He stared, probably wondering why I red at him while a woman dry-humped his groin. Without breaking away, he uttered a dismissal. ¡°Get out of here.¡± She giggled. ¡°Merry Christmas, baby.¡± ¡°Yeah, whatever.¡± ¡°See you.¡± She seized hispels and kissed his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve got a gift waiting for you in my apartment. You should stop by.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± he said, but rolled his eyes at her back. He beckoned at me. ¡°Li,e here.¡± As I approached, violent words begged to purge from my lips. I could barely hold my tears from the vicious gut-punch. ¡°Who is she?¡± Vinn shot me a peculiar look. ¡°Some chick.¡± ¡°Your girlfriend?¡± ¡°For the week, sure.¡± Vinn¡¯s low, gravelly tone stirred my stomach, awakening the butterflies. ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± ¡°Were you ever going to say hello?¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°¡®Course.¡± Looking at him pained me. His shirt and cks were wrinkled where she had rubbed on him, and she¡¯d mussed his beautiful hair. I could practically smell her on him. Vinn peered at me. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Why does something have to be wrong?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not talking my ear off, which is a red g.¡± I wanted to tell him the truth-he meant the world to me, and it killed me that I¡¯d always be his best friend¡¯s baby sister. I understood why we couldn¡¯t be together. Michael and Vinn worked for the Family. Thest thing the boss needed was a rift between his captains, and as Michael pointed out, Vinn wasn¡¯t interested in a neen-year-old. I usually grimaced through the pain, but not tonight. I couldn¡¯t talk to him. I flourished the wrapped present-a stupid throwback to our youth-and shoved it onto the bar counter beside his hand. ¡°Merry Christmas, Vinn.¡± Then I grabbed a half-open bottle of Chianti and disappeared into the Employees Only area. I walked through three sets of doors before shutting myself in a closet-sized office. I lifted the wine to my lips as the party raged. Nobody would miss me, and at least I wouldn¡¯t have to float on a wave of sadness when Vinn summoned another girl to keep himpany. I was sinking into a stupor when a loud explosion rocked the wall. Drunken idiots. Christmas parties frequently spiraled out of control. Everybody overindulged. They sometimes performed ridiculous stunts. Before Michael had kids, he was wild. He¡¯d done the dumbest shit, like drunken races with his cousins with a lit cigarette in his mouth. For a while, they got into firecrackers. Not the cheap, kiddie ones-the sort that blew a hole through your eardrum from the st. Michael¡¯s Audi used to ze through the Pike as he threw fireworks at other people¡¯s cars. Explosions seemed par for the course, so I wasn¡¯t rmed at the noise nor the scandalized shrieking that was probably my aunts yelling at some moron. I drank, ignoring themotion, and then rms shrieked overhead. Whoa. I should see what¡¯s going on. I stood. The world swam as I opened the door and inhaled acrid air. As I headed out, my skull pounded. Everything became a confusing swirl of ckness. The smoke thickened. Where was the exit? The air bit at my nostrils. My eyes stung. I coughed and doubled over, swooning. ¡°Liana!¡± No, not him. A deep burn scorched my cheeks at the idea of Vinn catching me in a vulnerable state. He stood near the light, his male figure silhouetted against smoke. His head turned left and right. ¡°Li, where the fuck are you?¡± I raced headlong into the ck, toward the heat. Go away, I prayed as he tore through rooms. Leave me alone. My head spun as I slumped down, close to tears, way too drunk. ¡°Liana!¡± His heavy footsteps shook the ground. ¡°Jesus Christ, kid. Do you not hear the sirens? What are you doing on the floor?¡± Kid. The swell of pain was beyond tears. I opened my mouth to tell him to go away and inhaled a lungful of smoke. My consciousness zipped out and snapped back into ce. He¡¯d seized my upper arm and yanked me upright. He propelled me forward, dragging me across the floor and outside, where my exhausted lungs filled with oxygen. His powerful grip spun me around. He shoved me toward an EMT. A mask smothered me as Vinn stood nearby. He had saved me-after heartbreak had almost killed me. His image melted as my vision misted. Then he patted my head the same way Daniel had. The ache mmed into my chest. Damn¡­I really loved him. But I would never be happy if he lingered in my life. Vinn was an unhealthy addiction. Interacting with him gave me hits of dopamine. The false high always left me unsatisfied and craving more. Michael was right. I¡¯d never have Vinn. I had to find someone who loved me. I¡¯d learn to exist in a world without him because, if this continued, I wouldn¡¯t live at all. While his back was turned, I abandoned the sidewalk blinking with red lights. I didn¡¯t crane my neck to check if he¡¯d followed. I was done with Vinn. #3 —Chapter 3 TWO YEARS LATER I moved on. It wasn¡¯t the straightest of lines. Like all addicts, I rpsed, but after Daniel¡¯s murder, I deleted Vinn from my phone and strangled the part of me that loved him. That Vinn was long gone. I shoved him out of my life, but sometimes he dropped into my mind unbidden, like a pleasant summer rain tickling my skin. Then I¡¯d remember my brother¡¯s closed-casket funeral, and heartache fisted my throat. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be here. My insides froze as my gaze passed over a familiar frame. Awash in gold-red light, Vinn¡¯s carved features stood out among the in-faced mafiosos. A pretty girl I¡¯d seen once or twice kissed his granite-like mouth. I wanted it not to hurt. I spun from the infuriating sight, searching for Michael in the smoke-filled bar. He sat beside a mafioso in his thirties, who shot me an ear-to-ear smile. ¡°Speak of the devil.¡± Michael grinned as the man got up. ¡°Li, join us.¡± ¡°Hey, Liana. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. It¡¯s Leo, right?¡± Leo beamed, as though his name falling from my lips had made his night. He offered me his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll let you catch up with your brother.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± I took my seat, and he drifted away. My elbows upset the pile of cards, earning a hiss from Michael. ¡°Watch it.¡± ¡°Sorry. What are you ying?¡± ¡°Hand and Foot. Not that it matters.¡± Michael shoved the cards together and clicked his tongue. ¡°Vinn can¡¯t sit still long enough to finish a round. Anyway, thank you foring. I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you.¡± ¡°What¡¯d that guy want?¡± ¡°You.¡± Michael chuckled, packing his Ziplock. ¡°He asked for permission to date you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a bit old, though. Thirty-eight.¡± I spotted Leo nearby. He caught my eye and winked. ¡°Someday, a man will ask me out instead of going to you.¡± ¡°Not done in our world.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°A girl can dream.¡± He snorted. ¡°You¡¯re thinking like an outsider, not a Costa.¡± Daniel¡¯s constant refrain. My throat tightened. ¡°He would¡¯ve wanted me to follow my heart.¡± ¡°Daniel would¡¯ve sold you to the highest bidder.¡± That sank a stone in my gut. Daniel wasn¡¯t perfect, but he was like my dad. Michael felt the same way, but it had never stopped him from insulting Daniel. ¡°Sorry,¡± Michael murmured, looking remorseful for once. ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡± I nodded. He¡¯d turned a one-eighty after marrying a kind woman named Carm, whom he¡¯d met after Serena died. I was happy for my brother, but a pang of jealousy hit my chest. I¡¯d kill for a rtionship like theirs. ¡°I just want what you have, Mike.¡± He raised a brow. ¡°Carm?¡± I threw a straw at him. ¡°You know what I mean, idiot.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to love her,¡± Michael conceded, smiling wistfully. ¡°Though I¡¯d hoped it would lead to something more.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t have that, too?¡± ¡°Sure you can.¡± Michael eyed the seashell hanging around my neck. ¡°Where¡¯s the guy who gave you that?¡± Dead. A vision consumed my mind-navy dress pants with a red stripe, seagulls cawing, warm wavespping my feet, and the soldier who folded my fingers over a jagged shell. Our love was never allowed to blossom, because it¡¯d been one-sided. Unrequited. When I finally realized he was gone, I smothered those feelings. I mourned and moved on. I shook my head, clearing my senses of the sea and his gentle touch. ¡°He¡¯s out of the picture.¡± Michael digested that, his brows creasing. ¡°So you know, I¡¯ve received offers demanding your hand in marriage. I¡¯ve said no to them, but you have a very aggressive suitor. He¡¯s a biker in Legion.¡± My heart pounded as I pictured the man who¡¯d terrorized Michael¡¯s wife. ¡°A biker? Who?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never met him, but he¡¯s seen you at events.¡± My chest tightened as the sounds in the bar seemed to magnify. ¡°You¡¯re not considering this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple-¡± ¡°After what happened to Carm, you¡¯d give me to them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m stalling him,¡± he ground out. ¡°There¡¯s a difference.¡± ¡°When did he propose?¡± ¡°A while ago.¡± Michael tucked the cards into his jacket, his hooded eyes narrowing. ¡°You¡¯re my sister. You¡¯re more than a bargaining chip. That¡¯s why I want to set you up with someone who will treat you well. I don¡¯t care who you pick but do it fast. This guy is relentless.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell him no?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯re in a bind. He¡¯s high up. I can¡¯t say no without a good reason, like if you¡¯re already engaged.¡± ¡°Ah. Engaged. I get it.¡± ¡°No, Li.¡± His lips pulled into a taut smile. ¡°None of my guys will settle for a fake engagement.¡± ¡°But you just dumped this in myp! How long do I have? Two weeks? One? You expect me to find a husband like that-and why am I even considering this? I¡¯m not getting married. I¡¯m barely legal to drink.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what I wanted, either.¡± ¡°I have my own life, Michael-separate from this mafia shit.¡± ¡°Mafia shit,¡± he repeated, his tone cooling. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have a sick-ass apartment in Allston-Brighton if it weren¡¯t for mafia shit. You wouldn¡¯t be able to afford the tuition at your ridiculously expensive Ivy League school or have any money for shopping, food, and clothes, if not for me.¡± ¡°I need those things.¡± ¡°I know you do, but show some respect for the Family.¡± Michael leaned over the table, pinning me with his intense re. ¡°You¡¯ve had it easy, baby girl. You have no idea what it¡¯s like to grow up hungry. You¡¯ve had a cushy upbringing, and I¡¯ve never asked you for a goddamned thing. All I want from you is your part.¡± I followed his gaze to Leo. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying you have to marry him, but give Leo a chance.¡± Fuck. ¡°What if I hate him?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. He¡¯s nice.¡± Whatever. It wasn¡¯t a big deal to talk to a man for a few minutes. I¡¯d entertain Michael, make my excuses, and split, but my brother was high if he thought I¡¯d elope with a stranger. No, I¡¯d get out of marrying the Legion biker on my own. I stood and headed toward the bar, forcing a smile as I approached Leo. He was handsome in the traditional sense, but he wasn¡¯t drop-dead gorgeous. Crow¡¯s feet wrinkled his skin, and gray peppered his brown mane. He stepped aside, giving me his stool. ¡°Hey, there.¡± I liked his voice. It was smooth and thick, and as tempting as a warm bath. I sat beside him, which unfortunately gave me a front-row seat to Vinn making out with the vor of the week. ¡°So.¡± Leo stared at me shrewdly. ¡°You old enough to be here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m twenty-one.¡± Relief rippled across his brow. ¡°What¡¯s your poison?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still figuring that out.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to guess.¡± He gged the bartender. ¡°Two Moscow mules.¡± Leo passed the copper drink and bumped his mug against mine. I sipped, my nose wrinkling at the harsh taste. ¡°So, what do you do?¡± ¡°I deal with construction. I¡¯m a project manager. Lots of meetings with architects and city hall officials.¡± He waved it off and leaned into his hand. ¡°What about you? College student?¡± ¡°Yeah. Bourton.¡± He whistled. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be impressed. I have no clue what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t let just anyone into Bourton.¡± ¡°Sure they do. You just need deep pockets or a family member who was an alumnus.¡± I motioned him closer, whispering. ¡°Have you heard of Alessio Salvatore?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°He paid off the board to admit his wife. She didn¡¯t even take the SATs.¡± The injustice of it burned every time I glimpsed her on campus. ¡°Sounds like my line of work. Bureaucracy gets waived with enough cash. Do you know what you want to do?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Well, a girl like you has a lot of options. Especially for dating.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m Michael¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re beautiful.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Thepliment stroked my body like warm feathers. It was a little cheesy, but I liked the attention. ¡°I saw you here a couple of days ago. All by yourself.¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°No bodyguards, either.¡± I grabbed his wrist. ¡°Tell Michael, and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Do I get anyst requests?¡± ¡°None.¡± Heughed, his rich voice smoothing to a decadent silkiness. ¡°I won¡¯t say a word, but I insist on walking you home.¡± ¡°If you must.¡± My brother¡¯s promotion to consigliere came with its consequences, like an increased risk of being shot. Michael oftenined that Vinn refused his security. I hated him, but still hoped he was safe. My gaze darted to Vinn. Leo¡¯s finger slid along my jaw, pulling me toward him. My skin tingled as he released me. ¡°Your hand looks heavy. Can I hold that for you?¡± My cheeks burned, but I nodded. Leo¡¯s rough calluses glided over my palm, and then he balled me in his fist. Warmth buzzed inside me as he stroked me, right there on the bar counter. I chanced a look at Vinn, who¡¯d stopped reacting to the girl on hisp. His stare struck me through the smoky lighting. Seconds ticked by, and Vinn stood, a fortress of power. He muttered something that made his date flinch. Abandoning her, he stormed across the room. He was like a dark cloud, gaining energy, siphoning attention. What the hell? Men in suits gathered behind him like predators sensing a kill. This would not end well. Vinn was tall and packed with enough muscle to fuel a football team, and he seemed to despise Leo, who greeted him warmly. ¡°Mr. Costa. Can I help you?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Vinn¡¯s graveyard voice was like a magic spell, infecting the atmosphere with fear. A deathly quiet interrupted the clinking of pool balls, theughter, and the ttering of tware. Everybody watched us. Leo cleared his throat. ¡°Leo DiMaggio.¡± Vinn didn¡¯t seem soothed by the information. He stared at Leo as though he¡¯d just admitted to fucking me without a condom. His lip curled, taking in our closeness with apparent disgust. His usatory gazended on me. My stomach clenched. What did I do? Leo squeezed my hand. It felt nice, like lukewarm tap water, but Vinn¡¯s presence made it off-putting. Vinn red at our linked hands. ¡°DiMaggio, a word in private.¡± ¡°Be back soon.¡± Leo sighed heavily, following Vinn to a deserted corner. Chatter broke out as they walked away. I fiddled with my jewelry until their animated discussion pushed my curiosity and overwhelmed mymon sense. I approached them, Vinn¡¯s baritone railroading Leo¡¯s softer, insistent words. ¡°This isn¡¯t happening. You¡¯re not dating that girl.¡± Unexpected warmth shot through me. Since when did Vinn take a vested interest in who I dated? ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Leo croaked, gaping at Vinn. ¡°What¡¯s your problem with me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to exin myself.¡± ¡°So it has nothing to do with you wanting to add her to your Rolodex of flings?¡± ¡°Nobody uses a Rolodex anymore, but you wouldn¡¯t know that because you¡¯re too fucking old.¡± Vinn¡¯s sneer rose to a shout as he cornered the increasingly rattled Leo. ¡°I can make a scene and hurt you, or you can walk out of here. Those are your options. No. Don¡¯t look at Michael. He can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°He gave me permission!¡± Vinn¡¯s ck eyes flickered in the direction of Michael, whose stare burned with an air of a ravenous wolf waiting for the other to kill his struggling prey. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. You didn¡¯t ask for mine.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware I had to.¡± ¡°Not everybody knows how close I am to Michael¡¯s family, so I¡¯ll give you a pass. One fucking pass. I don¡¯t approve, and it stops now.¡± ¡°Based on what?¡± ¡°She is a catch.¡± Vinn¡¯s re could¡¯ve melted paint from the walls. ¡°You are not.¡± I winced, the pain from that viciousment nailing me in the gut. ¡°Vinn, stop. You¡¯re way out of line.¡± Vinn kept his focus on Leo, pointing at the door. ¡°Go.¡± Leo¡¯s dejected gaze flicked to my shoes before he murmured a goodbye. Then he turned and disappeared into the crowd of smirking men. Mortified, I went after him. Vinn grabbed my arm, pulling me into his orbit. ¡°You¡¯re not seeing him again.¡± ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± Vinn¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°Me? What are you doing with a loser like DiMaggio?¡± ¡°We were getting along fine.¡± I shrugged, irritated. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to run him off. I liked him.¡± ¡°Unless you¡¯re into changing adult diapers in a few decades when he turns geriatric, I suggest you move on.¡± The bastard was probably right. That didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d thank him for ruining my night. Annoyance darted my heart as he winked, apparently taking my silence as submission. Then the arrogant fuckhead dragged his fingers through my hair, patting my back as though he¡¯d done me a huge solid. Rage festered inside me like an infected wound, boiling to the surface. He was such a condescending asshole. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Fuck off, Vinn.¡± Michael¡¯s groan cut through the male, scandalized jeers, but I ignored his chastising Li-ah-na and stared Vinn down. ¡°What did you say to me?¡± I squared my shoulders. ¡°Fuck off.¡± Michael shot upright. ¡°Li, that¡¯s enough.¡± No. I¡¯d never been so rude to Vinn. I¡¯d always been a tongue-tied, stammering mess, throwing myself at the nearly-ten-years-older man with an embarrassingck of self-control, but I was finished with being nice. I didn¡¯t care how bad it looked. ¡°Everybody here might scrape and bow to this asshole, but I won¡¯t.¡± I tore my gaze from Vinn and red at a horrified Michael. ¡°I¡¯m not a sycophant. If you don¡¯t like it, my middle finger salutes you.¡± I shed it at them and strolled for the exit, elbowing past grinning men. A couple of them cheered as I burst outside into the streets clinging with a warm mist. I headed toward the subway, heart hammering. ¡°Li, wait!¡± I kept walking. ¡°Hey.¡± Vinn jogged to my side. ¡°You¡¯re ignoring me now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not worth it.¡± ¡°Says the girl who used to be all up in my shit.¡± ¡°Yeah, well.¡± My face burned at the reminder. ¡°Those days are over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me. I don¡¯t tolerate-¡± ¡°Go nurse your wounded pride with someone else.¡± Heughed. ¡°When did you be so difficult?¡± ¡°About the same time I stopped giving a damn about you.¡± ¡°Liana.¡± He gripped my elbow, stopping me. ¡°I¡¯m not messing around. You can¡¯t talk to me like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll insult you however I want when you mess with my personal life.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t-¡± ¡°And whenever you¡¯re with another woman, I¡¯ll be there to make a big stink about how their vagina isn¡¯t the right fit for your cock and run them off.¡± Vinn raised his brow so high that it was in danger of joining his hairline. I¡¯d never said the word cock in front of him. If anything, he seemed amused. ¡°Have at it. I¡¯d pay good money to see that.¡± I snorted. ¡°You might change your mind when you can¡¯t get hookers to line up for you anymore.¡± ¡°You have a filthy mouth.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve grown up, in case you haven¡¯t noticed.¡± Judging by his bobbing throat, he hadn¡¯t. ¡°Leo¡¯s not your type.¡± ¡°How would you know?¡± His mouth thinned. ¡°What were you doing in there?¡± ¡°Looking for a one-night stand.¡± A sh of warmth passed through his stony expression, like a match igniting kindling. ¡°What was the n? Leave with the first guy who paid you attention?¡± ¡°Yeah. So?¡± I smirked when that seemed to infuriate Vinn. ¡°I should¡¯ve let you take off with DiMaggio,¡± he said acidly. ¡°He would¡¯vested about five seconds.¡± ¡°I doubt it. I¡¯ve dated older men.¡± I hadn¡¯t, but Vinn¡¯s outrage tickled my stomach. ¡°I think he would¡¯ve been quite the ride. Handsome. Confident. Nice. A great flirt. Gosh, the things he said.¡± ¡°He¡¯s lucky I didn¡¯t hear them.¡± ¡°Would you have hurt him?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He ground the word out. ¡°That¡¯s sick.¡± He still saw me as a little girl. A ripple of anger went through me. ¡°I¡¯m not a China doll. I won¡¯t break if I go out with Leo DiMaggio.¡± ¡°No, but he will.¡± I shot him a prating re. ¡°Not up to you.¡± A shadow flickered over his face. ¡°Liana, I¡¯m trying to protect you.¡± ¡°All you did was massage your ego.¡± My gaze dragged down his body and flicked to his nted eyes. ¡°Makes a girl wonder why you feel the need to flex your muscles. Are you not measuring up in another way?¡± ¡°I¡¯d tell you to go fuck yourself, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be disappointed.¡± ¡°Hrious.¡± I stepped around him, and he uttered a frustrated noise. ¡°How are you getting home?¡± ¡°The same way I arrived,¡± I threw over my shoulder, surprised that he still followed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take the subway.¡± ¡°Yes, I can.¡± ¡°Martialw. Mandated curfew.¡± He gestured at the walled-up businesses. ¡°There¡¯s a biker war tearing apart this city. Michael would lose his shit.¡± ¡°Leave me alone.¡± He grabbed my elbow and yanked me into his chest. ¡°Stop blowing me off.¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± He clutched my neck, startling me. Then he pushed. My back struck the wall, but the hand didn¡¯t pin me there. His eyes. Fathomless, ck, and fiery. They wouldn¡¯t let me go. Vinn¡¯s frosty demeanor rarely thawed. He was a beautiful, giant block of ice suspended in outer space. I used to think he was unbreakable, but I was mistaken-he was unreachable. It seemed that I¡¯d provoked him into an unreasonable rage. The freezer burn spread where his touch lingered, and, as he closed the distance between us, heat consumed me. ¡°I¡¯m the boss of this family.¡± He steamed with an anger never before directed at me. ¡°Not your childhood friend.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s been clear for a while.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hesitate to make an example of you.¡± Whenever Vinn made an example of someone, they ended up in a funeral parlor. I despised him. I hated the thin chill clinging to his words, his instincts for brutality, the way he looked at me, his infuriating arrogance. Most of all, I loathed the heat spinning in my belly as he held me. When he was close, he bathed me in his fresh scent that recalled those summers at Salisbury Beach when I was too young for him. My memories of Vinn were sweet. Reality was bitter. He¡¯d finally noticed me, but I hated him. I had to finish this before he destroyed me, so I rattled off what I¡¯d spend the week regretting. ¡°Vinn, go fuck yourself with the fat end of a pineapple.¡± #3 —Chapter 4 LIANA I¡¯d pushed him too far. The set of his chin suggested I was in trouble. His tall figure stiffened, his stony features kindling with rage. His pupils had dissolved into the ck pools that¡¯d watched the end of so many lives, and his fingers tightened on my neck. The gold chain cut into my skin, which struck me as morbidly ironic. I¡¯d die wearing this stupid ne, strangled by the very thing that had shoved me into Vinn¡¯s path. Hope. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re under the impression that you¡¯re special,¡± he rasped in the dead voice I hated. ¡°You can talk to me however you want. You¡¯re Michael¡¯s little sister. I¡¯d never put my hands on you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that anymore. You¡¯re nothing but a huge disappointment.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. His mouth curved with a cynical twist. ¡°What part of me isn¡¯t living up to your expectations?¡± My hand grazed his muscled chest and rested over his heart. Vinn¡¯s head jerked as though startled by the touch. He frowned, cold dignity carving into his face. He scooped up my hand and pinned it on the wall behind me. Our eyes shed, and my stomach flipped. ¡°If I¡¯m harsh, it¡¯s because I have to be.¡± What a pitiful excuse. ¡°Nobody makes Vinn Costa do anything.¡± ¡°For now,¡± he agreed. ¡°That won¡¯tst if I allow you to disrespect me.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s your n? Beat me until I cry?¡± I smoldered when he rolled his eyes. He shot me a look that flickered with heat. ¡°Something like that.¡± His threat hung in the air, darkening the atmosphere. ¡°If Michael were here, he¡¯d stop you.¡± My words tumbled out in a broken whisper. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he drawled. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere private.¡± Fear jangled in my insides as he grabbed me, but I couldn¡¯t deny the spark in my chest. His embrace still wrapped me in all-epassing warmth, and his appeal was devastating. I shut out my awareness of him and shoved his biceps, fighting his viselike hold. ¡°Stop! Let me go!¡± He pulled me violently toward him, locking his arm around my waist. I choked back a scream as he cinched tight. My breathing hitched as he kicked open a random service door, yanking me through a darkened restaurant. His loud footsteps drowned the thudding of my heart. Stainless steel gleamed from the moonlight that filtered inside, but Vinn manhandled me past the kitchen and thrust me toward an eating area with vinyl booths. ¡°Get off, Vinn.¡± I swallowed the tight knot begging for release. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this.¡± His lean body molded into my curves. ¡°What am I doing?¡± My stomach churned. ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°Guess.¡± I flinched at his whiplike tone. Vinn wasn¡¯t a man of impulse. He weighed every action against its rewards and consequences. He took nothing lightly, which meant I¡¯d soon be writhing in pain. His hand was buried in my thick hair, his grip punishing. Hard. My struggle ended in a few breathless seconds. He rendered me immobile with a vicious yank of my arms. He¡¯d twisted them behind my back, balling my wrists in his powerful fingers. He shoved me over a table. His hard body was on top, pinning me. ¡°Vinn, stop!¡± ¡°Stop what?¡± he taunted. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I growled into the wood, desperate for a wall between us. ¡°But going any further is a huge mistake!¡± ¡°I doubt my life will be impacted in the slightest.¡± He teased the hem of my dress, gently stroking a growing fire. ¡°And maybe you¡¯ll learn to shut up.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be silent if you hurt me!¡± ¡°Let me count all the fucks I give.¡± His quiet voice seethed with cold contempt. ¡°None.¡± My startled hurt turned to white-hot anger. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± My pulse skittered as he grabbed my thighs and casually moved upward. The brazenness lodged a golf ball in my throat, the roaring in my head drowning the panic. He¡¯d never fondled me. An rming amount of heat dipped into my belly as he took my hips, close enough to thrust my legs apart and- No. ¡°Vinn, this is crazy.¡± I turned, catching his feral gaze. ¡°What would Michael say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about your brother.¡± He pped my cheek. ¡°But he¡¯d agree that you need a firm hand to tame that out of control mouth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d kill you.¡± ¡°What about my wrath?¡± His grip tightened, and blood rushed where his fingers branded me. ¡°You should worry about what I¡¯ll do to you.¡± ¡°Get off me!¡± ¡°No.¡± I stamped on his boot, grinding my heel where his toes should¡¯ve been. It broke off on the hard surface, causing me to stumble. His softughter grated at me as he slid closer, wedging me between his knees. ¡°Congrattions,¡± I snarled. ¡°You¡¯ve overpowered a woman a quarter of your size. I¡¯ll buy you a fucking medal. Can I go home now?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°But I did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Liar. You¡¯ve been rude, obnoxious, and petnt. You told me to fuck off in front of everyone. If you think I¡¯ll let that slide, you¡¯re delusional.¡± He bent, his body folding over mine. ¡°I am not letting you go until I believe you¡¯re sorry.¡± I wouldn¡¯t be. He would. My chest pulsed against the wood as his weight crushed me. Somehow, I found enough air to snap at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not a braindead idiot like everyone else.¡± My heart somersaulted as he yanked at something on his waist. There was a metallic jingle, followed by the pping of leather. A sensual thrill stroked my body as he fisted my dress to my middle back. Too fast. ¡°Wait,¡± I begged, licking my lips. ¡°Let¡¯s-let¡¯s talk.¡± A deep note rumbled from his throat. ¡°An improvement already.¡± I had no idea what he intended with the belt, and I didn¡¯t want to find out. ¡°Look. I was having a bad day.¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± I burst, fed up with his bullshit. ¡°That I misspoke? I meant every fucking word. I should¡¯ve kept it to myself. I should never be honest with you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t turn this on me. You screwed up.¡± ¡°I told the truth!¡± ¡°You keep saying that, like honesty gets you far in life. It fucking doesn¡¯t, Li. Look at where you are. Bent over, humiliated, about to be punished. Just because you couldn¡¯t smile and kiss my cheek.¡± His featherlight touch became a swift burn as the leather swatted me. ¡°I¡¯m the boss. You are an unmarried woman. We aren¡¯t equal. You belong to nobody.¡± ¡°Michael-¡± ¡°Michael isn¡¯t here, and you can¡¯t hide behind him forever.¡± This was spiraling out of control. Since Vinn took over as boss, his arrogance had soared to dangerous heights. He thought he could get away with this? I struggled to free myself, but he shoved my back. ¡°You¡¯re good right there.¡± ¡°Vinn, please. You¡¯ve made your point.¡± ¡°I have yet to make an impression on you.¡± He palmed my ass, giving it a rough squeeze. A hot ache grew in my throat. ¡°Vinny!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t Vinny me. That hasn¡¯t worked for a while.¡± A surge of heat consumed my body as though I¡¯d been shoved into a furnace. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Michael!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of your brother.¡± Vinn wound the belt around my wrists, cinching the knot. Then he pulled the excess leather like a leash, forcing me to hover. My heart pounded as he explored my curves, his hands soft. A sheer ck fright kept me riveted. I ignored the strange pang ensnaring my limbs as Vinn yed with my thong. He hooked his finger, snapping it. The sound was like a gunshot to my heart. When did my childhood crush be a nightmare? ¡°Stop now, Vinn. I won¡¯t mention this to Michael. Any of it.¡± My voice broke as I bargained for control. ¡°Go any further, and that¡¯s off the table.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± I bucked forward. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking lunatic!¡± ¡°You were doing so well with the pleading and negotiating.¡± He tutted, tracing my lips with his forefinger. ¡°Vinn, take a breath. Think about what you¡¯re doing!¡± ¡°Oh, I am.¡± He yanked my arms, pinning me against his chest. ¡°You¡¯ll remember me whenever you sit. When you step out of the shower. When you meet my gaze at a social function and I smile.¡± A spanking? Oh my God, he couldn¡¯t be serious. Shame flooded my cheeks as I pictured my yed body underneath Vinn¡¯s. My pulse throbbed so hard that he probably felt my fear. ¡°Fuck you,¡± I growled, hating myself for trembling. ¡°I will get you for this, Vinn Costa. I swear to God, I will ruin you.¡± He smiled a rare grin that would¡¯ve made me melt like butter if he weren¡¯t such a monster. ¡°We both know I run this town. I¡¯m untouchable. You, however¡­¡± Vinn palmed my back, bending me. ¡°You¡¯re begging to be pped, groped, and fucked.¡± He gave my ass a condescending tap. Then his palm lifted. WHACK! Agony burst across my skin. Hended another blow. The force knocked the protest from my mouth. Vinn¡¯s big hand struck me. Pain returned with a sh. I jumped forward, gasping with the fierce sting. Agony spread from cheek to cheek as his palm rained hellfire. He hit me-I couldn¡¯t believe it. Humiliation flushed my neck and face as he unleashed his rage. The more I struggled, the harder he smacked. He alternated between open-palmed blows and sharper swipes, hitting me so hard that tears mmed into my eyes. I bit my lip to keep from crying. It hurt, but the shame of a man I¡¯d held a torch for beating me into submission was a thousand times worse. Vinn stopped. He stroked the raw skin as I clung to the table, shaking. A thrill knotted in my stomach as his fingers scraped my thong, pulling it to my knees. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Vinn answered with a brush of his fingers on my inner thigh, the sensual touch lighting me on fire. He continued to spank me. With each strike, he was a little bolder, following my curves to intimate ces. Oh my God. ¡°Vinn, please. Please let me go.¡± ¡°Tell me you¡¯re sorry and that you¡¯ll be a good girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be¡­¡± I trailed off, swept in the heat blooming in my body. ¡°Jesus.¡± He pinched me. ¡°Say it.¡± I gritted my teeth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I told the fucking truth!¡± ¡°Li, I can give it to you much harder.¡± I bit my lip against the delightful shiver of wanting. Do it. The challenge almost tumbled from my mouth. Graphic images flooded my head, my pulse racing. I enjoyed this. I¡¯d never known that I liked it rough. Waves of shock pped me. I could¡¯veughed at the irony, but he would get more forceful and then¡­it¡¯d be obvious that he¡¯d affected me. I couldn¡¯t let him find out. ¡°Enough. Stop.¡± ¡°You know what to say.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± I licked my dry lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be a good girl.¡± ¡°And you won¡¯t tell Michael.¡± He tweaked the burning muscle, his voice smoldering. ¡°Because if you do, my retribution will be a lot worse than a sore ass.¡± My stomach dropped. I couldn¡¯t believe what I heard. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said, grinning. ¡°I am.¡± He squeezed. I gasped. The pain sharpened from the dull ache, and then his palm lingered below my ass. A small noise rumbled from his chest, an appreciative groan that charged the atmosphere. This felt different. Dirty. He swept the curvature of my hip, his grip tightening and loosening. He cupped my cheeks, stroking my curves. The burn from my wound spread inward, seeping through me, diving between my legs. What the hell? A delicious shudder heated my body, and then he yanked me upright. My bound wrists bumped into his groin. He hooked his neck over my shoulder, his closeness tingling my belly. ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll take it further.¡± My breathing hitched. He wouldn¡¯t dare. Shock zinged up and down my spine as Vinn slid from my thighs. He shifted the fabric over my ming skin, but his hard body stayed glued to mine. I syed my hand over a rigid muscle. As I touched him, he inhaled sharply. I moved over the thick bulge and traced the mushroom head-holy fuck-and I rubbed his cock. I released him. ¡°Keep going.¡± His velvetymand slicked my body with liquid heat. ¡°Since you¡¯re so concerned about my size.¡± Now he was inviting me to touch him? ¡°Vinn, this isn¡¯t right,¡± I stammered, suspended in a freefall. ¡°You don¡¯t talk to me like this.¡± ¡°I do now.¡± I opened and closed my mouth, unable to string a sentence together. My shattered thoughtsy in pieces. I couldn¡¯t pick them up fast enough. ¡°I-I didn¡¯t mean-I wasn¡¯ting on to you.¡± Vinn pressed his mouth into my ear. ¡°Now you¡¯re acting like the blushing virgin?¡± I am a virgin. My cheeks med. ¡°Vinn.¡± ¡°Touch me.¡± It was amand, not a plea. I shouldn¡¯t have yed along with his twisted game, but he left me little choice, with my hands confined and his pelvis grinding into my ass. I drifted from across his cks to the hardness. Somehow, his warmth smoldered here. I wrapped my fingers around him. Vinn¡¯s grip bit into my arm. Tension loosened my muscles. My palm moistened as it followed his length. He was so big that he madeying pipe an urate visual. I couldn¡¯t imagine that monster fitting anywhere. I tightened my grip, moving up and down, warmth chasing the ice in my limbs. My body ached with the need to be touched, a need that grew as Vinn¡¯s cock thickened. He was so hard it made me feel powerful. The fact I¡¯d done that to him was intoxicating. He grabbed my hand, stilling my movements. ¡°Touch me, not jerk me off.¡± His judgmental tone should¡¯ve annoyed me, but I couldn¡¯t stop shaking. Vinn wasn¡¯t supposed to be attracted to me. His heart hammered my back. His breathing slowed, as though he struggled to regain hisposure. He uttered a soft curse, but he didn¡¯t immediately let me go. Vinn clenched my fist. ¡°Well, now you know who you¡¯re dealing with.¡± His silky voice boomed through me. ¡°Next time, it goes in your mouth.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± I didn¡¯t believe him. Maybe I¡¯d wake up to find this was a bizarre wet dream. I touched my seashell ne after he ripped at my restraints, freeing me. Vinn whirled me around, fingers biting into my shoulders. I tried to throttle the dizzying current racing through my body as he closed the distance between us. Red stained his neck and face. I¡¯d never seen him so agitated. ¡°I don¡¯t want you dating Leo. Understand?¡± Vinn grabbed my chin, frying the oxygen in my lungs. His ck pools danced over me before settling in one ce. My mouth. ¡°You so much as bat your eyes in Leo¡¯s direction, and I will make you dig his grave before I kill him.¡± #3 —Chapter 5 VINN Damn her. That sweet temptation would be my undoing. The mental image of Liana in her revealing dress taunted me. My reaction to her ass hanging out hadn¡¯t been disgust. Far from it. What I felt-apart from a murderous rage toward Leo for touching her-was pure lust. Which made the fact I¡¯d almost fucked Liana problematic, considering Michael was my consigliere, best friend, and pretty much my only family. After she left in a taxi, I jerked off in a bathroom. Then I circled the block a few times to cool off. I couldn¡¯t stroll through the bar looking all hot and bothered, advertising that I¡¯d crossed the line with Michael¡¯s sister. Jesus. If he¡¯d seen what I¡¯d done. Michael¡¯s little sister. What a hell-raiser. She used to be the picture of innocence. I could never raise my voice around her, even when she badgered me with questions. I met her when I was thirteen. She was four. She¡¯d always hovered in my life. She¡¯d written when I was deployed to Iraq. I¡¯d kept the letters folded in my pocket. When I was shotst year, she¡¯d visited me in the hospital. She¡¯d kissed my cheek while I basked in a fentanyl haze, and the warmth zing across my face made me smile. Sure, she turned heads. But it wasn¡¯t like I¡¯d wanted to fuck her. That¡¯s changed. I used to squeeze the cute dimple in her chin, charmed by her doll-like face. I didn¡¯t like kids, but she was different. Maybe because I¡¯d been abandoned by my piece of shit parents and hers were dead. So I¡¯d picked her up, held her hand, kept her safe, and smacked Michael around when he was too rough with his sister. She grew up. She filled out. Little Liana had grown more beautiful by the year. It¡¯d been way too easy to get her alone. In a blink, I had her tied up, bent over, and her thong to her knees. I could¡¯ve gone further. I imagined rubbing my thumb along the shadow of her pussy. She didn¡¯t put up a strong fight, which gave me ideas. My filthy thoughts revolved around Liana, kneeling and choking on my cock. I¡¯d never look at her the same. I didn¡¯t bother wiping my grin until I returned to The Sunset Tavern, a dive whose orange lights cast everybody in sepia tones. Uncle Nico, the don of the family, owned the bar. He was serving a five-year prison sentence. I maintained things in his absence. I oversaw Nico¡¯s investments in condo developments and was partner to several construction firms. Later, I had a meeting with Larry Spada, a municipal politician, who would help me with zoning if I took care of Skunk, a crazy street boss who¡¯d named himself after the bold white streak in his hair. Michael sat at the same table, staring at his phone. He frowned as I approached. ¡°What the fuck did you do to her?¡± Shit. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d squeal that fast. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°She¡¯s pissed, man. Check it out.¡± He showed me his cell. Liana: I never want to see V again. Me: Why? Liana: He¡¯s a PSYCHO. Liana: Don¡¯t ever put me in the same room as him. Me: What did he do? She never replied. Good girl. Zero remorse gued my conscience, but there was no sense in pissing off my most loyal associate. If Michael saw my hands all over his sister, he¡¯d fly into a fucking rage that¡¯d end with one of us beating the other into aa. We were total opposites. Michael was the life of the party. I couldn¡¯t charm a potted nt. He wore tailored suits. I¡¯d rather be in shorts and a T-shirt. He loved children. I¡¯d never wanted them. He was easily provoked. I barely felt anything these days. And I¡¯d let her get to me. A lethal calmness settled in Michael¡¯s gaze. ¡°Did you threaten her?¡± In a manner of speaking. ¡°I was harsh.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± I waved, indicating it was nothing. ¡°I gave her a stern talk.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve left that to me.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t working from you. You never follow through.¡± I needed to steer the conversation away from these dangerous waters. ¡°She knows better than to mouth off to me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on between you two?¡± I wiped images of Liana from my mind. ¡°No idea. I only see her when you¡¯re around.¡± ¡°She¡¯s stressed.¡± Michael sighed in the same way he did when his kids misbehaved. ¡°I need her to pick a husband, but she¡¯s dragging her feet. I¡¯ll have to decide for her, and our rtionship is already strained.¡± A husband? That shot a bolt into my chest. ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± He swept his brown hair. ¡°Alessio came back from New York. Nico wants us to make peace with Legion MC, but the president is demanding Liana¡¯s hand in marriage.¡± The vision of Liana in a wedding dress next to an MC member shoved a white-hot poker of rage into my heart. ¡°Are they fucking crazy?¡± ¡°I know,¡± he groaned. ¡°It¡¯s insane. They¡¯ve never even met, but I guess he thinks she¡¯ll be good coteral.¡± She would be. I didn¡¯t have a lot of people in my life, but she was one of them. If I ever had to choose between Liana and the family¡¯s interest, I¡¯d take her. No question. I¡¯d destroy every Harley dealership from here to California before giving her to a biker. ¡°No.¡± I balled my fists. ¡°Hell no.¡± ¡°Preaching to the choir. You should hear what my wife has to say about it. Anyway, that¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to find her a husband.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve told me.¡± ¡°Doing that right now. You asked me to handle Legion,¡± Michael reminded me in a sharp voice. Yes, we needed to end the biker wars.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Since Boston had spiraled intoplete chaos, the mayor had contacted me weekly, threatening to call in the National Guard if the car bombings didn¡¯t stop. They¡¯d already imposed martialw and mandated curfews, mming all business to a screeching halt and tanking the local economy. I had enough on my te with Legion and Rage Machine turning Boston into a war zone. Ending Crash¡¯s trafficking ring was supposed to cut Rage Machine at the knees, but they seemed to have an endless supply of guns and cash to bribe judges. They¡¯d also been stealing dynamite from our construction sites to terrorize the city. Helping Legion defeat them made sense, but I¡¯d had no idea the president of the club wanted Liana. The possibility of Michael setting Liana up triggered an avnche of no. How could he do that? You didn¡¯t give a prize to a decrepit soldier like DiMaggio. I could¡¯ve reached across the table, grabbed his tie, and bashed his skull into the wood. ¡°So that¡¯s the reason behind the DiMaggio disaster.¡± ¡°Funny you mention him.¡± Michael tensed, his amber gaze lighting with fire. ¡°I wondered why you ran off the harmless guy I set up for her.¡± ¡°He would¡¯ve slid his disgusting hands under her dress as soon as he got her alone.¡± ¡°No.¡± Michael shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s old school. He wouldn¡¯t have touched her before marriage.¡± ¡°Yeah. Right.¡± ¡°You know, I thought maybe you noticed something I didn¡¯t.¡± His mouth took on an unpleasant twist. ¡°Now I¡¯m ny-nine percent sure it was jack shit.¡± ¡°I saw a pathetic waste of space.¡± My throat burned as Michael gave me a searching look. ¡°He¡¯s a soldier at thirty-eight, which means hecks ambition or he¡¯s ipetent. He¡¯s chasing a twenty-one-year-old who¡¯s way out of his league.¡± ¡°I decide that. Not you.¡± ¡°Mike, you¡¯re out of your mind. She won¡¯t be happy with him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting a distinct jealous vibe from you.¡± I wasn¡¯t jealous-I was fucking annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m amazed you¡¯d hand over your sister to a guy who doesn¡¯t make six figures.¡± ¡°If you think Liana cares about money, you don¡¯t know her at all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± I shouted, fed up with this argument. ¡°He¡¯s a nobody. Unworthy.¡± ¡°And you are?¡± Yes. ¡°It¡¯s not about me.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he boomed, his voice heavy with sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯m d we agree on that.¡± I could¡¯ve hit the son of a bitch. ¡°If you have such a hard-on for DiMaggio, why did you let me kick him out?¡± ¡°Like I said, I thought you saw something. I also wanted to see if he¡¯d stand up to you, but he didn¡¯t, so¡­¡± Michael clicked his tongue, shrugging. ¡°No matter. I¡¯ll find someone else.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Nico¡¯s hounding me about this deal. I can¡¯t stall any longer. I shouldn¡¯t go behind Nico¡¯s back, but I won¡¯t give my sister to those animals. So I¡¯m bringing her to the g at the Institute of Contemporary Art. She¡¯ll pick from the pool of guys there.¡± Irritation burned a hole in my chest. ¡°What a desperate, stupid idea.¡± ¡°You have a better suggestion, smartass?¡± ¡°Give her to me.¡± Themand ripped from my mouth before I could bury it under ayer of denial. Michael jerked back, knocking over a ss of water, but he paid it no mind. ¡°I¡¯m acting-boss. I¡¯ll tell Nico we¡¯re dating, and that¡¯ll be that. No need to marry her off.¡± ¡°Except you¡¯re not dating her.¡± ¡°Who the fuck cares? It¡¯s what he believes that matters.¡± Michael¡¯s tone cooled. ¡°I appreciate it, but no.¡± He was unbelievable. ¡°You¡¯d rather force a stranger on Liana than let her fake-date me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. I know where this is going, and the answer is hell no.¡± He pulled an ankle over his knee, his voice rising. ¡°You¡¯ve shown no interest in Liana. But now that she might be off the market, you¡¯re breaking my balls.¡± He was right, and I hated it. I also didn¡¯t need his permission. ¡°There¡¯s something else I could use your help with.¡± Michael¡¯s gaze flicked at me, his eyes burning. ¡°Liana keeps ditching her bodyguards to go out alone.¡± A thrill of heat seared my spine. ¡°She¡¯s pulling an Anthony.¡± Michael rubbed his forehead. ¡°This girl. I swear to God. I hope my daughter¡¯s not this much trouble when she gets older.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°Talk to her. Make her see sense.¡± All I wanted was an excuse to be near her again. Michael wed the arm of his chair. He looked on the verge of giving me a warning. He hated asking me for help. I smiled. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± he said, suddenly stony. ¡°And Vinn?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Hands off my goddamned sister.¡± I wiped the smile off my face. Toote, buddy. #3 —Chapter 6 LIANA It was a trick of the light. Vinn couldn¡¯t be standing in the middle of a rowdy college bar. He hated crowds. And people. He was allergic to fun, too. Pink and blue lights shed across a wide jaw and full mouth that pulled into a kingly frown. Vinn scanned the crowd with aser-like focus until his gaze stopped on me. Gotcha. I red at him, convinced the Vinn-lookalike would vanish into smoke. He didn¡¯t hang out in ces other than Italian caf¨¦s and the bars and restaurants he owned. Of course, he¡¯d also never dragged me into dark rooms, bared my ass, and spanked me. The whole incident made me burn with an unwee blush. Was he trying to punish me? Did he want me turned on and flustered? What was his angle? Vinn¡¯s over-the-top behavior had to be a fluke. He¡¯d been angry. The power had gone to his head. He got carried away. We both did. It meant nothing. I pushed it from my mind, but that was hard, considering I woke to bruises on my ass. In the days that followed, they burned with the acute sensation of Vinn¡¯s handprint. I¡¯d ignored Michael¡¯s probing texts. As much as I¡¯d have loved to see Vinn get his due justice, Michael would go overboard and kill him. I hated Vinn, but I didn¡¯t want him dead. Vinn¡¯s nk stare hardened as it fell on the man beside me. His menace seemed to pour into James, a boat-shoe-wearing moron who¡¯d gained admission into Bourton with a resum¨¦ of bullshit jobs like Wellness Advocate. ¡°What¡¯s with that dude?¡± James grumbled, sipping his beer. ¡°He¡¯s, like, staring at me.¡± ¡°Who knows what¡¯s wrong with him.¡± ¡°Come at me, you little bitch,¡± James muttered at Vinn, who made his way toward us. ¡°You want some?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to watch you fight him.¡± James grinned, not catching on. Watching James and Vinn club each other to death would be nice, but I knew better. The former Marine wouldn¡¯t break a sweat subduing James. The fight would end swiftly, or Vinn would drag it out to be cruel. Vinn¡¯s merciless expression suggested he was down for torture. I needed to head this off. ¡°Holy shit. Is that-is that your Vinny?¡± Queenie¡¯s face broke into an ecstatic grin as he stomped in our direction. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding. He¡¯s a freaking babe.¡± ¡°Keep that to yourself,¡± I whispered. ¡°His head¡¯s so swollen it might explode.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± she slurred. ¡°He has a big dick, right? I¡¯m right. I can¡¯t even see you through his blinding Big Dick Energy.¡± That reminded me of the thigh I¡¯d grabbed, which actually was his long, impossibly thick cock. I¡¯d traced the mushroom shape before making the connection. My toes curled. I said nothing, but Queenie seemed to guess the truth from my flushed cheeks.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She knocked her ss against mine. ¡°Awesome.¡± Then she slugged my arm. ¡°I¡¯m so mad at you. You¡¯re seeing him, and you didn¡¯t tell me? Bitch.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not dating.¡± ¡°Bullshit! He¡¯s here for you.¡± Queenieunched from the couch and headed off Vinn before I caught her. ¡°Hi, Vincent!¡± ¡°Vinn,¡± he barked. ¡°Never Vincent.¡± She took his hands, forgetting everything I¡¯d told her about his personality. ¡°This is like meeting a celebrity. It¡¯s so nice to meet you.¡± Vinn yanked from her grip, scowling. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°Queenie! Liana¡¯s ride-or-die girl.¡± Queenie whirled, ring at me. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not dating! Jesus H.¡± Vinn beckoned me with a finger. ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¡°What part of I never want to see you again do you not understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done with you.¡± Queenie¡¯s drunk ass still hadn¡¯t put it together that we weren¡¯t a couple. She beamed at me. ¡°He¡¯s feisty.¡± I pointed at the exit, ignoring her. ¡°Door¡¯s there.¡± ¡°I know where the fucking door is,¡± he barked, my sarcasm flying over his head. ¡°I just walked through it.¡± ¡°Good for you. You¡¯ve mastered the basics of entering and exiting a building. Now turn around and do it again.¡± ¡°Careful, Li. I¡¯m in a mood.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write down the name of Michael¡¯s therapist. He¡¯ll give you a discount for all the sessions you¡¯ll need.¡± Daniel had raised me to be a killer. He didn¡¯t back down until someone was on the floor, bleeding. He¡¯dcked an instinct for self-preservation. Apparently, so did I. ¡°You¡¯re very brave tonight, considering I had you begging for mercy on Saturday.¡± His eyes narrowed into ck slits as he grasped my jaw. ¡°Remember?¡± His thumb brushed my bottom lip, echoing his promise to take it further. Fine. I¡¯ll stop. My nerves tingled when he didn¡¯t budge. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here without bodyguards.¡± His voice pulsed with disapproval. ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°My apartment is four blocks from here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. We¡¯re going.¡± He grabbed me, but I twisted out of his grip. Vinn fumed. ¡°You¡¯re driving me up the wall.¡± Sorry, not sorry. ¡°This might be tough for you to understand, but I don¡¯t need your approval.¡± ¡°You need a lot more than my approval.¡± Like your big dick? I almost rattled off the saucy response before I remembered this man wasn¡¯t the brotherly figure who¡¯d stopped Michael frommitting countless pranks. He¡¯d threatened to shove his cock into my mouth two days ago, which should¡¯ve bottomed my stomach. Heat pricked the skin around my lips as I imagined his hands mming into my shoulders, making me kneel, forcing me to take him. The hell was wrong with me? I pulled from him, overwhelmed. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± ¡°I swear to God, Li. If you weren¡¯t my best friend¡¯s sister, I¡¯d throw you over my goddamned shoulder. Twenty minutes, and then your little ass is out that door.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Vinn sat beside me, shooting James a pointed re. ¡°The fuck you looking at?¡± James snapped his head to the side, cowed. My other friends had noticed nothing strange. Luckily, they¡¯d been distracted by pickleback shots. Vinn sank into the couch, his back ramrod straight, unaware of the dark spell he¡¯d cast on the group. He had a menacing presence and intimidated everyone I knew. The overprivileged, pampered, indulged kids at Bourton could never understand the criminal underworld that¡¯d made him ruthless. Most people wouldn¡¯t recognize him unless they stayed up to date with local news, but some had probably seen or heard his name mentioned in connection with gannd shootings or thrown in with the Commission of Public Inquiry. ¡°Everyone, this is Vinn Costa.¡± I searched for the words to describe him. ¡°He¡¯s a family friend.¡± ¡°Just a friend, huh?¡± James¡¯s round face trembled with a good-natured grin. ¡°I thought you wanted to kill me.¡± Vinn was supposed tough and apologize. He did neither. He stared, his expression nk. I grimaced at James. ¡°Sorry. He¡¯s a bit extra.¡± ¡°You¡¯re him,¡± Queenie blurted, shattering the tense silence. ¡°You¡¯re the guy!¡± Vinn gaped at her, ignoring James. ¡°Yeah,¡± she gushed. ¡°You¡¯re the one she talks about! Vinny!¡± His mouth fell open. Then he turned, his eyes raking my burning face. ¡°I¡¯m the guy? You talk about me?¡± Cat¡¯s out of the bag. Fuck. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± I dismissed Queenie with a wave, and she snickered into her drink. ¡°She¡¯s drunk.¡± Vinn leaned toward Queenie. ¡°What does she say?¡± ¡°A lot. Most of it¡¯s too inappropriate to repeat.¡± Heughed, the loudness stunning me. ¡°I¡¯ve got to hear this.¡± I waved my hands behind Vinn, mouthing a silent plea. Queenie, stop. ¡°You¡¯re dating him. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± She huffed, turning her attention to Vinn. ¡°If you guys aren¡¯t married and pregnant by the end of the year, I¡¯ll be shocked.¡± I would kill her. ¡°Queenie!¡± ¡°Huh. Imagine that.¡± ¡°Oh, she has. Many times, buddy.¡± Queenie giggled, offering him a ss that he declined. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want a drink?¡± I winced hard, very conscious of Vinn¡¯s stare. ¡°Queenie, please shut the hell up.¡± She grimaced. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m pretty lit.¡± I¡¯d take care of herter. I had a more significant concern-Vinn. He¡¯d corner me afterward and mock me about this revtion. Worse, he might think I still felt the same, but I didn¡¯t. I¡¯d stopped obsessing over Vinn a while ago, but, of course, Queenie wouldn¡¯t forget the years I¡¯d spent moping in our shared dorm. I clenched my fists because it was preferable to wrapping them around Queenie¡¯s throat. The twenty minutes were up, and then Vinn tapped his watch and dragged me upright. ¡°This was fun.¡± Queenie beamed at a smirking Vinn. ¡°I totally get why she likes you. We must have brunch!¡± ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s been¡­illuminating.¡± He shook Queenie¡¯s hand, ignoring everyone else. ¡°Have a good night.¡± Vinn palmed my hip. I obeyed the pressure, my heart galloping ahead. A growing awareness pulsed behind my ribcage, wing at me like a frightened animal as we crossed Boston¡¯s deserted streets. Somehow, I preferred his outrage to the unpredictable silence that hummed between us. I climbed the staircase to my brownstone, refusing to acknowledge him, clinging to a desperate hope that he¡¯d disappear. I searched for my keys, and then dropped them twice. ¡°You can go.¡± The heat of his body warmed my back. His head hooked over my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ming inside.¡± ¡°Do I need a condom or a gun?¡± His softughter tingled every nerve, and regret sunk into my stomach at the joke. Vinn¡¯s voice smoothed into a purr. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got both.¡± I fumbled with my purse, dropping it. He stooped, picking it up. He¡¯d taken control in the guise of helping me, and now he had my key. He slid it into the lock, opened the door, and strolled in. A fiendish expression lit up his face. Terror stirred in my belly. ¡°Vinn, you need to leav-¡± He grabbed my arm, yanked me into the apartment, and locked the door. Vinn cradled me, and a shudder heated my body. Darkness carved a vulgar smile between his cheeks. My rms zed red as Vinn¡¯s six-foot-something frame pushed me deeper into my home. I bumped into a wall and rolled into the kitchen. The expression in his eyes made me wish I were closer to the door. Vinn gripped the counter, caging me in his arms. ¡°You¡¯ve given me an interesting night.¡± ¡°H-how so?¡± ¡°I came here to punish you. Again. Now I¡¯m rethinking that. Spanking you didn¡¯t work because you liked it,¡± he whispered, awed. ¡°You enjoy my hands on you. Don¡¯t you?¡± I jerked my head in the negative. ¡°There¡¯s nothing pleasant about being tied up and beaten.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t exaggerate.¡± ¡°You hit me. It hurt.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Vinn grabbed my chin, staring me down. ¡°Some lessons hurt worse than others. Especially when they¡¯re given by someone you like.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like you. I find you revolting.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He passed a thumb over my bottom lip, showering my skin with sparks. ¡°Is that what you tell your friend when you talk about me?¡± The only thing more infuriating about being outed by Queenie was the fact I¡¯d beenpletely off his radar. He¡¯d needed someone to tell him about my feelings. Pathetic. And now he was throwing them in my face, humiliating me like a monster. Heatshed my mouth. ¡°Get out of my house.¡± ¡°Oh,e on.¡± ¡°I mean it. You¡¯re not wee here.¡± Vinn wasn¡¯t in the listening mood. His touch fluttered across my waist, sending off a chain of electrical impulses that begged me to march us to bed. ¡°I haven¡¯t gone to Michael,¡± I said, shoving his chest. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I never will.¡± Vinn¡¯s smile and raised eyebrows suggested he didn¡¯t believe me, but he allowed me to retreat. I left the kitchen. He followed like a giant shadow, barging into my bedroom like he belonged there. It wasn¡¯t much. A queen bed and desk covered with trinkets from my youth. sts from the past decorated the walls in the form of posters, things I¡¯d never outgrow, the most important one standing in front of me. Amusement flickered over his face as I stumbled into my desk. My ass hit the corner, and I hissed in pain. His self-satisfied smirk seemed to mock me. ¡°Did you bruise?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I murmured, hating him. ¡°I took photos.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to see them.¡± I ignored the thrill shooting down my belly. ¡°I n to send them to Michael after I tell him what you did.¡± ¡°Just what every brother wants-pictures of his sister¡¯s ass.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll put them on Tinder.¡± ¡°Do that, and I¡¯ll bend you over. You¡¯ll get another reason to hate me.¡± I sat on my bed, arms crossed. ¡°Why are you here?¡± An unfathomable look smoothed his face. ¡°I want you.¡± I forced myself to settle down. I¡¯d worked hard to cut Vinn from my life, and I couldn¡¯t afford to be distracted by a fantasy. I wouldn¡¯t fall under his spell. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want you, so it¡¯s time for you t-¡± ¡°Li, I can¡¯t go back to treating you like Michael¡¯s little sister.¡± His t eyes prolonged the moment, my skin prickling as I gazed into their infinite depths. ¡°Put it behind you, and I¡¯ll do the same.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an option.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± I clenched my jaw to kill the waver in my voice. ¡°Why the fuck did you spank me?¡± ¡°Why did you grab my cock?¡± I met his using eyes. ¡°To mess with you.¡± Vinn¡¯s lips parted. He ripped open the first button of his shirt and red as though I¡¯d made him too hot. His possessive gaze bored into me. ¡°Well, it worked.¡± Blood pounded in my temples. ¡°Vinn, I¡¯m not one of your goddamned floozies.¡± He blinked. ¡°My what?¡± ¡°The girls you see for a week and discard.¡± Vinn smirked, reminding me that while he might¡¯ve been a sweet boy, he hadn¡¯t grown into a tender-hearted man. ¡°You¡¯re way above them, Li.¡± ¡°I thought I wasn¡¯t special,¡± I sparred. ¡°I let you get away with a lot.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re nothing to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not worth a damn.¡± Vinn¡¯s tone sparkled with sarcasm. ¡°Otherwise your friend would know my name.¡± Screw you, Queenie. ¡°She didn¡¯t mean you.¡± ¡°Vinny is what you¡¯ve called me since you were four.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s a nickname for someone else.¡± That sucked the joy from his face. The life drained out of him. He gave me a ck lookyered with bitterness. I¡¯d shot an arrow through his maddening arrogance, but it felt less like a victory when his features clouded over, transforming him back into the block of ice. ¡°Queenie mistook you for another man. That¡¯s all.¡± My hand anchored on my hip as Vinn cleared his throat. ¡°You share the same name, but that¡¯s about it.¡± His gaze bolted me to the floor as hepsed into a stony silence. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I met him?¡± ¡°Because he left me a while ago.¡± Not quite a lie. The old Vinn died. He¡¯d abandoned me for war, and he¡¯d never returned. His body had survived. Everything I¡¯d loved about him hadn¡¯t. ¡°This Vincent,¡± he drawled. ¡°Is he Italian?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t talk about him to you.¡± A hardness reced the twinkle in his eyes. Apparently eager to change the subject, Vinn headed toward the desk. He picked up a photo of us as children. A shirtless, teenage Michael stood in board shorts beside Vinn, who¡¯d slung his arm over eight-year-old me. I¡¯d never grinned so hard, but I¡¯d also never been stered to his bare chest. I fidgeted with my dress. ¡°Do you remember those summers at Salisbury Beach?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Disappointing. ¡°I think about them often. You, me, Mom, and my brothers. All of us hanging out at the beach. The heat baking my feet. The waves.¡± ¡°Only you would reminisce about that ce.¡± ¡°I like remembering a time when I was happy, and my family was whole.¡± Vinn¡¯s gaze locked on Daniel¡¯s portrait. ¡°It never gets easier. You learn to deal with the pain.¡± The pain of losing Daniel-or killing him? A crushing sadness squeezed my lungs. The seashell ne burned my throat, like it contained a piece of Vinn¡¯s ck soul. Maybe wearing it every day, having the constant reminder, was less of a token of hope and more a torture device. ¡°I want you to leave. Now.¡± My voice throbbed with agony. Thankfully, Vinn must¡¯ve decided he¡¯d tortured me enough. He stepped past me, his fingertips brushing my waist, as though to remind me what he¡¯d done. ¡°I¡¯m your date for the g.¡± He paused, halfway out. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up at eight.¡± My stomach clenched. ¡°Why are you messing with my life?¡± He offered no answer as he strolled toward the exit. Michael had probably filled him in on the dumb n, and Vinn took it upon himself to save me. ¡°Vinn, I¡¯m not going with you!¡± ¡°You are. Everyone will think we¡¯re an item.¡± He curved his hand over the edge of the wood. ¡°You¡¯ll hang on my arm. You¡¯ll smile. It¡¯ll confirm rumors that we¡¯re dating, which will get back to Nico.¡± ¡°Like a stupid game of telephone.¡± ¡°Exactly. He can¡¯t give you away if you¡¯re already mine.¡± I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall, wishing I could tell him what an arrogant dickhead he¡¯d turned out to be. ¡°You¡¯re not the boss of me.¡± ¡°I am, and I don¡¯t care how many summers we spent on that shitty beach. I¡¯ll make you submit, and not in the way you hope, darling.¡± Asshole. ¡°Do as you¡¯re told, Liana.¡± #3 —Chapter 7 VINN Why was she blowing me off? Why did I care? I cycled through my phone, swiping past Girl A through Girl E to banish Liana from my mind. I banged a handful of girls on a semi-regr basis, never giving anyone too much attention because I had no use for a clingy mistress. My tolerance forpany dried up long before the cum on my cock. Luckily, Boston didn¡¯tck hot girls with low expectations. Girl B had sent a nude photo, a mouthwatering shot of tits beading with moisture. It generally would¡¯ve dragged me to her ce. Instead I put her on read and paused at Liana. I didn¡¯t chase women. That required effort, which was beneath me. And yet, I¡¯d spent hours checking my cell, wondering why I didn¡¯t have her wrapped around my thumb, annoyed that I¡¯d ignored my mistresses because I¡¯d assumed Liana would take up my time. On paper, Liana and I made little sense. She was too good for me. The girl never went outside without looking perfect. She¡¯d never touched a drug. Unblemished, inside and out. Until recently, she¡¯d acted like a teddy bear stuffed with cotton candy. I¡¯d climbed a mountain of bones to get where I was. I wanted nothing to do with marriage. I didn¡¯t like people, so having one chained to my side for eternity seemed like a horrible idea. If I walked down the aisle, it¡¯d be for political gain.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Never love. We couldn¡¯t be together. Liana would not like being a mistress, and I couldn¡¯t do that to her. Michael would have a big problem if I fucked his sister, and I had nothing she¡¯d want. The reasons to leave her alone outweighed getting involved, but I couldn¡¯t stomach leaving her future to Michael. The idiot wanted to give her to a stranger like DiMaggio. I wouldn¡¯t let that happen. Liana should¡¯ve fallen in line, but she¡¯d returned zero of my messages. I showed up at her doorstep as nned, only to have to field a call from Michael. She¡¯d taken a taxi. And she¡¯de with another man. I parked my armored car next to the waterfront museum and stormed inside, almost blowing off the mayor on my way to find Liana. Michael waved from a balcony strung with lights. Beside him stood Alessio, a tight-lipped, broody asshole. He¡¯d been acting-boss before I ousted him. I¡¯d fucked him over, and he paid me back by disappearing from Boston, leaving us without his wealthy contacts for months. We were even, but Alessio still stared at me like he¡¯d love to have my head on his wall. I ignored them, looking for a brte among the red, white, and blue decorations until I found her lurking near the catered food. Liana wore a backless, sparkling, wine-red dress, the shiny bauble of this boring party. Her hair was pulled into a braid, and she¡¯d put on dark eye makeup, her eyes popping like icicles against the ck, her porcin innocence transformed into savage beauty. A dimple shadowed her chin, but I couldn¡¯t believe this was the same woman. I tuned out a man who called my name, lost in a daydream that involved Liana hanging on my arm, her face tipping to mine. My hands clenched and released. I wanted her. Want was too subtle a word for the warmth that grabbed my balls. I needed to be inside her, my hands tangled in her hair as she moaned my name. A man in a suit approached, embracing her from behind. My jaw clenched as he linked his arm with hers. His shaven baby face filled my stomach with fire. The college boy. She¡¯d brought him to the g. The possibility that kid had seen her naked infuriated me. My abs tensed as his palm roved all her skin. Suddenly, her going home with him was intolerable, like inhaling smoke. My throat tightened. Air was scarce. I headed for them. A body slid in front of me. Convinced he was yet another politician with a grievance, I raised my head and schooled my tone, but my best friend blocked my path. His hawk-like stare narrowed as he followed my gaze to his sister. ¡°Vinn. What are you doing?¡± I could¡¯ve thrown him aside. ¡°Getting my date back.¡± ¡°About that,¡± he snapped, setting his wine ss down. ¡°You never asked my permission.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± A muscle flicked in his jaw, and his lips ttened. His chest puffed out. I held my ground, resenting the line in the sand he¡¯d drawn. It shouldn¡¯t have been such a big fucking deal to go out with his sister. Michael was being unreasonable. ¡°I¡¯m interested in her. Why is that a problem?¡± Michael said nothing for the longest time. Then he spoke in a tight, angry voice. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend, but I don¡¯t want you dating Liana.¡± I saw thating, but it burned. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an addict,¡± he exined, as though he wasn¡¯t one. ¡°You were kicked out of the military.¡± ¡°What the fuck does that have to do with anything?¡± His body tensed. ¡°You don¡¯t do rtionships. If I look in your phone, I¡¯ll see Girl A because you can¡¯t be bothered to use your mistresses¡¯ names. You have no interest in kids, marriage, or a rtionship beyond sex. Of course I don¡¯t want you involved with Liana.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯d do that to Li?¡± ¡°I never know what you¡¯re thinking. All I can do is make a judgment based on the facts.¡± ¡°Who looked after her when she was little? Who pped you around when you were too rough? You think I¡¯m not good enough. You.¡± I spat the word like it¡¯d poisoned my stomach. ¡°The man who snorted everything in sight and knocked up a stripper.¡± ¡°Fuck you.¡± If he dug up my past, I¡¯d do the same with his. ¡°Remember when you strangled a made guy to death?¡± It happened during one of his coke binges when the hotheaded idiot reacted to insults by dialing everything to eleven. ¡®Course, I wasn¡¯t much better. ¡°Lower your goddamned voice,¡± Michael hissed. ¡°They¡¯re still looking for him.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk down memoryne tost year. You and Alessio murdered Anthony¡¯s kidnapper and lied about it.¡± I smiled as a spasm of panic crossed Michael¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware of that.¡± Anthony was Nico¡¯s silver-spooned, pain-in-the-ass son who¡¯d never shouldered any real responsibility. He¡¯d been a constant liability, so I didn¡¯t give a fuck when he disappeared. Unfortunately, his father cared. He threatened me daily for ¡°losing¡± Anthony. The risk of my uncle¡¯s wrath hung over my head every waking moment. The fear wafted from Michael as I talked. He¡¯d gotten rid of the only guy with information on Anthony¡¯s whereabouts. If Nico ever found out, he¡¯d kill Michael. ¡°Honestly, Mike. If we hadn¡¯t grown up together, you¡¯d be dead, many times over.¡± Michael¡¯s foot tapped an erratic beat. He nced over his shoulder, eyeing the exit. Motherfucker should¡¯ve been worried. He¡¯d made a severe error in judgment. ¡°I was protecting my wife!¡± ¡°Carm was safe. You killed him because you felt like it. Now I have to deal with the consequences.¡± Michael stiffened as though I¡¯d struck him. ¡°You need to make this right.¡± ¡°How do I do that?¡± Give me your sister. It was on the tip of my tongue, but I didn¡¯t want to be given Liana. If I wanted her, I¡¯d have her. ¡°You¡¯ll stop setting up Liana with other men. And you¡¯ll step aside when I take her.¡± ¡°No. She won¡¯t be Girl H on your fucking phone!¡± I fisted Michael¡¯s cor and dragged him out of sight, hurling him into the wall. My arm ttened his throat, a show of dominance more than anything. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to raise a hand against me. ¡°She¡¯s not walking down the aisle with a biker.¡± I leaned in, increasing the pressure on hisrynx. ¡°And the next time you feel the urge to share your holier-than-thou bullshit, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no pushover, Vinn.¡± ¡°Neither am I.¡± I threw him into a table, which he caught and shoved. sses toppled, shattering over the marble. Michael balled his fists as though to stave off a violent impulse. Part of me wanted to let loose. I¡¯d love an excuse to beat his ass. My heart throbbed, anger pulsing through me in sickening waves. I¡¯d never been so angry with him. I couldn¡¯t figure out which bothered me more: his assessment of me or that I agreed with him. His mouth twisted, and he straightened his suit. A staff member approached him with a broom. Michael moved away as they swept the broken ss. The action seemed to defuse the tension, but when Michael looked at me, his eyes filled with fire. ¡°Fine. I apologize.¡± He¡¯d said the words, but the lie burned in my chest. He wasn¡¯t sorry, so I wouldn¡¯t be. I had things to do. His sister. #3 —Chapter 8 LIANA ¡°Want to get out of here?¡± James¡¯s voice echoed as though from an empty grave. His hollow words rang with a slight suggestion, but they stirred nothing inside me but contempt. Barely thirty minutes into this ck-tie g that cost thousands to attend, and the high-maintenance jerk wanted to leave. To fuck me, no less. As though he even had a shot. Did he think this date was going well? He¡¯d worn enough cologne to knock out an elephant, and he¡¯d annoyed me all night, jerking my arm, pointing at people like a toddler at the zoo. Look, Li, there¡¯s the mayor! We stood next to the window wall overlooking the harbor outside the museum, which lit up like the Fourth of July despite the violence rocking the city. Red, white, and blue dominated the d¨¦cor in a patriotic disy that fooled nobody. This was aworking event for my gangster brother and his friends. ¡°Li, I¡¯ve had my fill of this party. It¡¯s nice, but not my thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯d rather have cheap beer and chips? I¡¯m not leaving this food.¡± I shoved a spoon into the bowl of chocte-covered strawberries to heap them into a te. ¡°Aren¡¯t you an athlete? Eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put you in my mouth.¡± Not a chance in hell. I smiled at him as though mildly tempted by the idea, but his husky voice made me want to barf. ¡°Oh my God,¡± he moaned, abandoning his Lothario vibe as he tugged my hand. ¡°It¡¯s the running back for the Hurricanes, DeShaun Brown. I¡¯m going to ask for his autograph.¡± I grabbed him. ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I just want a selfie.¡± ¡°Do I have to call security?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a party. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± A faint line settled over his brow as he downed his drink. ¡°And why is your bro rubbing elbows with politicians andbor union officials? He owns restaurants.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a rich guy who invests in hismunity.¡± ¡°How did that happen?¡± James seized the strawberry from my fingers. ¡°I know someone who opened a roasted chicken ce in the heart of downtown. Rent costs a fortune. It took him years to turn a profit.¡± ¡°He owns a lot of them.¡± ¡°Huh. Does he have a fairy godmother?¡± I red at James, annoyed that he¡¯d guessed correctly that something was amiss, but wasn¡¯t smart enough to Google myst name. ¡°Can we not discuss my brother?¡± He shrugged, his lip forming a pout. I deserved this for taking an outsider to the g, which was more about securing the Family¡¯s interests than a fundraiser. I couldn¡¯t walk without stumbling into a Costa or a Ri. Depressing. Hating the mafia wasn¡¯t that easy, because everybody I loved was involved. I¡¯d been orphaned by mob violence and adopted by Costas, but I wasn¡¯t one of them. Blood was everything, so I¡¯d always felt like a pariah. I resented Michael¡¯s world. More than anything, I craved an identity outside of Costa. No matter what I did or where I went, I¡¯d be Michael¡¯s sister, forever trapped in a gilded cage, unable to get a coffee without a bodyguard hounding me, reporting to Michael, myings and goings monitored. Anybody who dated me would defer to my brother. An arranged marriage was the price I paid for having this name-Costa-the albatross around my neck. I wouldn¡¯t trade my family, but sometimes I fantasized about a saner upbringing. That¡¯s why I liked my Bourton friends and teachers. Nobody sucked up to me there because they had no idea who I was. Bringing James to this was like taking a stripper to a tech conference-inappropriate as hell. I¡¯d only invited him to thumb my nose at Vinn and Michael. I thought he¡¯d be easy to control, but I¡¯d spent the evening fending off his hands, pretending to care as he waxed about growing up in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and fantasizing about stabbing my ears so I couldn¡¯t listen to him speak. ¡°You¡¯d think they¡¯d have oysters.¡± James frowned at the banquet of seafood. ¡°Not all this fried garbage.¡± Ungrateful jerk. He stuffed his mouth with shrimp, chewing loudly, and then he wiped his chin with the back of his hand. Crumbs clung to his cheek. College boys were so disgusting. I should fake a crisis. ¡°You ready to go, babe?¡± he asked, patting my butt. I exhaled a sharp breath. ¡°A-don¡¯t call me that ever again, and B-don¡¯t touch my ass.¡± ¡°God, you¡¯re such a priss. You act like we¡¯ve never fooled around.¡± He shot me a wounded look. ¡°You were all over me at the Sigma Fi party.¡± ¡°I was unconscious for most of our fooling around, so I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re surprised.¡± I¡¯d never brought up the incident, because it embarrassed me to death. Part of me wanted to pretend it never happened. James reacted like I¡¯d taken a dump on the floor. His eyes widened, and he shook his head. ¡°You weren¡¯t asleep.¡± My nails bit my palms. ¡°We both made mistakes, but you put your hand down my pants while I was out of it.¡± A muscle jumped in his mouth before he went on the offense. ¡°So you¡¯re one of those girls. Everything¡¯s all good until you sober up, huh? Suddenly, it¡¯s a mistake. Fuck you, Liana. I didn¡¯t-I did nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Then why are you freaking out?¡± ¡°using me of this could get me expelled!¡± ¡°This? What do you mean?¡± He shot me look. ¡°You know.¡± ¡°Say it,¡± I taunted sweetly, watching the tan drain from his face. ¡°What is that called, James?¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± He chewed on his lower lip, looking away. ¡°I mean-just-wow.¡± Your gaslighting is on point tonight. Behind James, a man¡¯s silhouette carved through the crowd. He walked with a nonchnt grace, towering over the other men. The rich outline of his powerful shoulders strained against his jacket. Vinn¡¯s square jaw tensed as he spotted me. Just the man who¡¯d beat James into a puddle of crimson if I felt so inclined. It wasn¡¯t like me to crave vengeance, but inviting James had been like lighting a match to a powder keg. Luckily, Vinn paid James as much attention as the dirt under his shoes. He approached me, beautiful with his hair tamed to a smooth wave, his well-groomed appearance incongruous with ourst exchange. Do as you¡¯re told, Liana. I hadn¡¯t. His fingers, tapered and strong, brushed my corbone before his palm rolled over my shoulder and held me. His biting grip sent a chill through my body. ¡°You were supposed to wait at your apartment,¡± he admonished, squeezing hard. ¡°What am I going to do with you?¡± Danger throbbed behind those words. The warmth of his smile wasn¡¯t echoed in his tone. It said I¡¯d suffer a worse fate than a bruised ass if I defied him. ¡°What the fuck, Liana?¡± James snapped, reminding me of his presence. ¡°You still with the Neanderthal?¡± Vinn¡¯s eyes lit up in vague amusement. ¡°Get lost, kid.¡± ¡°I¡¯m her date, Mr. Cockblock,¡± James snarled. ¡°Sorry, I mean, Costa.¡± Vinn¡¯s firm mouth curled as though on the edge ofughter, but when he slid his gaze from mine to James, a cold fury radiated from him. ¡°I¡¯m feeling charitable tonight, so I¡¯ll allow you ten seconds to leave. Mouth off to me, and I¡¯ll stop being amused at the man-child throwing a tantrum. I¡¯ll drag you outside and hurt you.¡± James flinched and stepped backward. My stomach knotted. ¡°James, just go.¡± ¡°How can you blow me off?¡± He shot a terrified nce at Vinn. ¡°That dead-eyed creep needs to be locked up.¡± I groaned. ¡°James, go home.¡± ¡°Why the hell did you even invite me?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s pissed at me.¡± Vinn caught a loose tendril on my cheek. ¡°My girlfriend likes to act out, but she knows who she belongs to.¡± Girlfriend. My hands found the seashell ne, and I stroked the ribbed edges, pressing my thumb into the sharp corners as though the pain might distract me from my most desperate ache. I imagined the old Vinn saying that, my insides somersaulting with butterflies. The same heated rush from all those years ago, when he¡¯d kissed my head, stained my cheeks. Then his stare drifted to two men hanging in our peripherals. He nodded. They grabbed James, who protested with a loud, ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°Take him outside.¡± Vinn dismissed the security with a wave. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a few minutes.¡± ¡°Let me go,¡± James roared, struggling. ¡°Stop! I want to speak to your manager!¡± The lump in my throat sank. I hadn¡¯t meant to harm James. I¡¯d pictured a public humiliation-my way of teaching the fucker that there were consequences to treating women like garbage. Vinn delivering a beatdown was over the top. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him.¡± I studied his clenched jaw. ¡°We¡¯re in the same social circles. Queenie will never forgive me if I let you beat him up.¡± ¡°Let me? You have no pull over me.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not going to care!¡± His hawk-like gaze swung to me. ¡°You should¡¯ve thought of that first.¡± ¡°Vinn, this is ridiculous. James is just a friend.¡± ¡°Not when you ask him out and wear a fuck-me dress.¡± A sliver of heat rippled through his words,shing my face. His ck eyes burned with a strange intensity. It was an insolent, possessive stare, like he had every right to look at me and gape down my neckline. He plucked the drink from my hand and mmed it on a table. ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± ¡°We were supposed to go together. Coming here with that fucking kid messed everything up.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like hanging on your arm all night.¡± ¡°You¡¯d rather be on his?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The lie heated my cheeks. ¡°It might surprise you, but some women like to be treated like they¡¯re more than flesh wrapping your cock.¡± ¡°Or you just did it to piss me off.¡± Vinn wheeled us away from the open bar, his fingers gouging my waist. ¡°For someone who hates me, you sure have a lot to say about me.¡± I gritted my teeth, annoyed at Queenie. She had nted this seed in his brain, and it¡¯d grown out of control, taking root in ces it had no business. He was getting all sorts of wrong ideas. They needed to be killed with fire. Now. ¡°Vinn, I am not interested in you. At all.¡± ¡°The more you say that, the less I believe you.¡± ¡°Well, you need to,¡± I blurted. ¡°I can¡¯t stand you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my favorite person, either.¡± I grabbed his tie and yanked. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°So am I.¡± Vinn¡¯s roaming gaze lingered on my mouth as he stole the tie from my fist. ¡°I like my women submissive and easy. You¡¯re a pain in the ass.¡± ¡°Cut your losses and leave.¡± ¡°Not happening.¡± I held out my hand. ¡°Give me your phone.¡± He lifted a brow. ¡°Why would I do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll block your mistresses since you¡¯re so hell-bent on controlling my life. Or maybe I¡¯ll tell them humiliating stories, like the time I caught you and my cousins watching porn in the living room.¡± ¡°That story is only embarrassing because you were nine.¡± ¡°No, it was weird because we¡¯d just returned from a funeral.¡± I still remembered tottering downstairs after the wake, captivated by the moving limbs on the television. ¡°What kind of kid watches porn after seeing a dead person?¡± ¡°me your brother. His idea.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all Michael¡¯s fault?¡± ¡°He was in charge,¡± said Vinn, not looking remotely abashed. ¡°We visited the video store after the funeral to rent something. We were trying to cheer up our cousin. He¡¯d just lost his mom.¡± ¡°Nothing says I¡¯m sorry for your loss more than a porno.¡± ¡°Teenage boys.¡± Vinn shrugged. ¡°We didn¡¯t know any better.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Did it work?¡± ¡°Well, no. You barged in and ruined everything.¡± Waves of heat bounced from me to him as the light overhead dimmed, throwing us into shadows. Candlelight softened Vinn¡¯s stony features, making him less a predator, more Prince Charming. ¡°Mom was so mad,¡± I whispered, rmed by the electricity pinging my skin. ¡°I remember you springing from the couch to cover my eyes.¡± ¡°Like this?¡± Vinn slid his palm over my gaze. Warmth bloomed inside me. A slender thread of attraction slowly formed between us. His hand weighed as heavy as it had back then, and the arm hooking my shoulders echoed his gentleness. Suddenly I was a breathless girl, disarmed by his undivided attention. He pressed his mouth into the shell of my ear, sending a jolt through me. ¡°Close them, Little Li. I¡¯ll know if you cheat.¡± ¡°I hate this game.¡± ¡°Do as I say, and I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡± Twelve years ago, he¡¯d lured me from the living room with those words to the attic. My reward was half an hour of board games, which for a nine-year-old was huge. We¡¯d yed while the floor rumbled with my mother¡¯s scandalized voice. My mind swam with the image of Vinn hunched in the cramped space. Until his lips grazed my neck.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. The sensation made my head spin. Still blind, I sank into his arms. He kissed a line from my ear downward, every touch striking a vibrant chord inside me. He slid against my palm, hot and dry. Then he led me by the shoulder, steering me across the room. My heart pounded an erratic rhythm, his maism so potent that I obeyed. A door groaned. He crowded my back, his impatience making me stumble. The noise from the party dropped as the door mmed. A locktched. We stood in an empty gallery. White walls and concrete surrounded me. Vinn grabbed me, dropping the pretense. My smile dissolved. Reality set in. This wasn¡¯t Vinn, my protector. He was a predator who¡¯d lured me away from safety, locked the door, and immobilized me. His arms wrapped me like a straitjacket, freeing my vision but binding me everywhere else. It¡¯d all been an act-the banter and his gentleness. He¡¯d put on a show to get me alone. Fuck. #3 —Chapter 9 LIANA I bucked against his strength, but it was like pushing rock bs. My breath hitched as he wheeled me toward a nk wall. I was too aware of his brutal power. He could strangle me by squeezing me too hard, but Vinn had other ideas. ¡°Put your hands on the wall. Bend over.¡± The impersonal wordsshed my mouth with unbidden heat. ¡°Too soon, don¡¯t you think?¡± I rattled off, my nerves haywire. ¡°Usually guys start with dinner and drinks before jumping into forey.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just like your goddamned brother.¡± Vinn stered my wrists above my head, his weight buckling my knees. ¡°Impulsive. Hotheaded. No sense.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one ordering me to bend over.¡± I should shut up. But I relished his punishing grip. Vinn never lost his temper. He seethed. I still remembered the re of indignation across his brow those few times I¡¯d disobeyed him, but this was something else. Vinn had no reason to grind against me. His thigh brushed my hip, and a jolt seared me. ¡°You push me to the brink.¡± His words sted my ear. ¡°I should rip off this dress and parade you outside. Leave no doubt who you belong to.¡± ¡°My brother would have a problem with that.¡± ¡°He can go fuck himself.¡± His palm slipped through the side slit and stroked me. My senses leaped to life at the hands roaming my curves, though I could¡¯ve thrown myself off a cliff for my body¡¯s response. His touch hardened as he groped my bruised skin. His roughened voice interrupted my gasp. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d overlook that little shit? I¡¯ll kill him for touching you.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Liar. I saw his arms around you.¡± I twisted, intending to slip from his loosening grasp, but his re riveted me to the spot. The jealousy caught me off guard. Vinn and I were barely friends. My heart pounded. ¡°Why the hell do you care?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve marked you as mine.¡± Vinn pulled the fabric off my thigh, continuing his leisurely caress. ¡°And, petnt brat that you are, you mean something to me. You¡¯re decent most of the time. You¡¯ve done things for me that nobody else has.¡± He paused for a moment, as though to dwell on them. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to the sweet girl who doted on me, but I want her back.¡± Now he wanted me? He¡¯d never known me. He didn¡¯t want the messy,plicated version of me. The girl who exploded when she didn¡¯t get her way. I¡¯d always been difficult, but I¡¯d toned it down in front of Vinn. He missed the girl who worshipped him, never questioned him, who did anything for his attention. I¡¯d immersed myself in distractions, hoping the routine would camouge the deep ache of loneliness. Pathetic. I choked out augh. ¡°The Liana who waited on you hand and foot is gone, and good riddance.¡± ¡°Bring her back to me.¡± The torment of his presence ate at me. A terrible bitterness crushed my heart. ¡°No.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± His sensual touch slid to my waist, igniting sparks. ¡°If I¡¯m faking a rtionship with somebody, it¡¯ll be with a girl who ys nice in public. Not a vindictive woman who brings her exes to the party.¡± He¡¯d said some infuriating shit, but that bothered me the most. ¡°James is not my damned ex.¡± He paused, his breath tickling my neck. ¡°Bringing him here was a big mistake, Li.¡± His painfully light fingers teased me, as though he knew how much I¡¯d suffered, and he intended to make me beg. I won¡¯t. ¡°What will you do about it?¡± ¡°I have some ideas.¡± The taunt sent a thrill down my spine. Slick mes wrapped my stomach as his hands cascaded down my shoulders, rippling over my curves. He seized my dress and pushed it over my hips, dragging a hiss from my teeth. ¡°No underwear,¡± he purred. ¡°Was this for James, or for me? Did you want to be prepared?¡± ¡°I hate to pop your overinted head like a bubble, but that has nothing to do with either of you. A thong would show under this dress.¡± ¡°You wanted to look hot for me.¡± My jaw dropped. ¡°You are so delusional.¡± He gathered the flesh under my ass and pinched brutally. ¡°Fuck-ow!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t help it,¡± he murmured, his thumb drifting close to my pussy. ¡°You¡¯re so inviting, with your tight ass shining with my handprint. I never in a million years pictured myself doing this.¡± He traced the fullest area of my butt, sighing. ¡°Now it¡¯s all I think about.¡± His hand unstuck from my cheek, and my skin prickled in anticipation. SMACK! Heat bloomed over my skin with the loud crack. Just as before, the shock of it ran through me. An indignant part of me demanded justice. He should pay for the humiliation, but the shame stinging my cheeks was not because Vinn spanked me. It was because I liked it. I enjoyed the pain, his possession, this demeaning position, even his unhinged violence. He¡¯d transformed from an ice giant to a red-blooded man. His blows radiated inside me as though he imed my soul, too. Warmth shot to my pussy as he cracked his palm on me, his movements less brutal and more yful. He seized handfuls of me, squeezing, swatting. He made delicious groans that dipped in my throat. He stopped, soothing the burn with a caress. Vinn¡¯s hips jammed into mine. A growing hardness pushed against my sore ass. My senses short-circuited. I breathed hard as his hands seemed to search for pleasure points-ass, thighs, hips, stomach. He touched me everywhere, stroking a path so sinful I couldn¡¯t breathe. I staggered through a fog of ecstasy, palms slipping. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could move.¡± He shoved them where they belonged, and then he eased my bra aside to tease me. The rough pads of his fingertips were surprisingly tender as he followed the swell of my breasts, ying with my swollen nipples. He seared a line down my abdomen and into my thigh. Oh my God. He groped my hip, reaching into an intimate space. The shock doused me in liquid heat as two fingers traced my clit. They were barely there. He brushed me. Then he danced about in a slow stroke. I cked against the wall, panting. He pped my clit, tearing a groan from me. ¡°You knew what you were doing when you wore this fucking thing. You unted that asshole in front of me, knowing I¡¯d fly into a rage.¡± His growl darkened as his hold bit into my hips. ¡°You¡¯ve blown the lid off my self-restraint.¡± His hands were harsh, but they gave me a sense of protection. His raking gaze made me clench everywhere. I struggled to stay calm. My determination copsed like a crumbling rock inside me. I couldn¡¯t take this anymore. I lurched toward the door. He yanked me back. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± I¡¯d dreamed of being trapped in his arms. It didn¡¯t help that I fit perfectly in the crook of his head and shoulder. A thrill shot into my battered heart as I scrambled for an exit strategy. ¡°Vinn, you¡¯re not doing yourself any favors.¡± I forced my lips into a stiff grin, cobbling together words that¡¯d stop him. ¡°Michael¡¯s outside.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already talked. He won¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°You told him we were together?¡± ¡°I said what I needed to get him out of my way.¡± He turned me around and thrust me against the wall. Vinn¡¯s mouth brushed the pulsing hollow at the base of my throat. It triggered a wild swirl in the pit of my stomach. ¡°Vinn, I want you to let me go.¡± I raised my voice to a shout. ¡°Vinny!¡± ¡°Thought that was the other guy¡¯s name.¡± My whirlwind thoughts couldn¡¯t make sense of anything. Oh, yes¡­I¡¯d taunted him with that, days ago. ¡°Wonder where he¡¯s from,¡± Vinn mused as he leaned in, smiling. ¡°Allston. Hyde Park. Dorchester.¡± The neighborhood he grew up in. ¡°He¡¯s not you.¡± He patted my cheek. ¡°Sure he¡¯s not, honey.¡± ¡°I feel nothing for you.¡± ¡°Liar. You went out with that jamook just to piss me off.¡± He jerked toward the door. ¡°The college boy with a major crush on you.¡± ¡°What right do you have to be jealous?¡± A war of emotions raged within me as he dragged my hair behind an ear. ¡°The fact that you want me means I own a piece of you.¡± ¡°Vinn, that¡¯s not true.¡± The words were weak, even to my ears. ¡°Please leave me alone.¡± ¡°Not a chance in hell.¡± He moved in, angling his head. His full mouth molded to mine. He was like crushed velvet, so soft and sensual that my skin burst into mes. It was tentative, a kiss worthy of a Hallmark romance, and my mind reeled. Heat fanned my cheeks. This was like a daydream, so euphoric it couldn¡¯t be real. I swam through a haze of desire and confusion. Would I kiss him back? I hesitated, my insides tearing apart. Then I slid my hands up his chest. I anchored on his shoulders, lifted on my toes, and pressed my lips into his. It was like dipping into a spa after a long, cold night. Sweet and clean, like mint. Hot. Dangerously silken. My nerves buzzed with need. It was so right to be held by him. I wanted to offer him all of me, my neck, my hardening nipples. He indulged, nipping under my jaw before a wet heat soothed the sting. The stars had aligned. Vinn Costa was kissing me. His mouth returned, crushing me with harder strokes. He cupped my face as I released tortured sighs. Perfect. Better than my imagination. I couldn¡¯t believe it. The teenage-girl crush I¡¯d buried alive wed to the surface, bursting forth like champagne bubbles. We exchanged slow, drugging kisses, and then Vinn¡¯s forehead rolled over mine. His luminous eyes flicked open. A burn settled into his tan, spreading to his chest. I¡¯d seen him make out with countless models, but none of them had seemed to give him pleasure. I thought he was dead inside-the fact he wasn¡¯t sent a shockwave through me. We separated as though struck by the same lightning. He definitely wasn¡¯t dead. The proof thudded against my hand and slicked my palm where I held his neck. He stared at me with a silent question. He was a man who¡¯d finally noticed me. He grasped my chin. Then he fused his lips with mine. He seized my hips, shoving me backward. A wall hit my back. I gasped at the impact, forgetting the shock as he crushed me over and over. He smothered the sounds I made, even the pathetic, small moans when his tongue dove in. He slipped down my waist and cupped my bare ass. A groan broke from his lips. Jesus. This wasn¡¯t the tender stroke I¡¯d imagined,plete with a confession that he¡¯d always loved me. Vinn¡¯s feelings were anything but loving. The kiss deepened into something carnal. Biting. He sucked me like I was candy. There was no angst. No second-guessing. I was on fire. My pussy throbbed. I clutched his cor and met him, stroke for stroke, bound to this savage harmony. I kissed every inch of him in case this never happened again. I sucked his bottom lip, and he gripped the backs of my thighs and slid up, cupping my ass. He hoisted me up the wall. He gyrated into me, rolling his very hard cock against me. He bit me, soothing the hurt with his tongue. I groaned. The sound seemed to snap him out of our frenzy. He backed away with a low hiss, looking half-mad with lust. A bright re sprang into his eyes. He blew a stream of air. My heart exploded with need and anguish. I couldn¡¯t disguise my body¡¯s reaction to him, and now he¡¯d have more ammunition against me. I ran toward the door and seized the handle. Vinn mmed it shut with his foot. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Home.¡± ¡°After we mauled each other like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡± His gravellyughter made me flush. ¡°You sure as hell pick an odd way of showing it.¡± I had to shove my confused thoughts in order, and I couldn¡¯t do it if he touched me. The stitching of my life had unraveled. It was his fault. I needed him to stop touching me. I headed out, but he caught my waist. ¡°Vinn, please.¡± His finger curled under my chin, and an electric shock scorched my body. ¡°Come home with me, and you¡¯ll get anything you want.¡± My pulse skittered. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The electricity of his touch became a lightning storm as he traced the fullness of my mouth. ¡°I think we¡¯ll work out our differences better in bed. So you might as welle over.¡± This was too much. I wouldn¡¯t say yes, but my heart squeezed at the what-if. I¡¯d pictured losing my virginity to Vinn. Even now, I liked imagining him shattering thest of my innocence. It dangled in front of me like a rope. If I dared reach out¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I swallowed hard, stepping back. ¡°This is too sudden, and I¡¯m not-I don¡¯t-we¡¯re not a thing.¡± ¡°We are as of now.¡± Vinn scooped my hand and kissed it, making me feel like a rose blowing apart in the wind. ¡°Fake. Real. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± It mattered to me. My throat tightened. ¡°No.¡± His voice raised sharply. ¡°Why?¡± I slid away from him and strolled to the door, trembling. ¡°I don¡¯t owe you an exnation.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the harm in taking it further if I¡¯m already dating you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not dating,¡± I seethed. ¡°Fake or otherwise.¡± ¡°Yes, we are,¡± he snapped, blocking my way out. ¡°It¡¯s not up for negotiation. This isn¡¯t about me.¡± I gave his boner a pointed look. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Liana, you¡¯d hate being with a biker. You think I¡¯m harsh? Just wait until you¡¯re a sweetbutt.¡± ¡°Come again?¡± Vinn hesitated before answering. ¡°A girl that¡¯s passed around by club members. Yeah. They have a name for their whores.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t with yourares?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the same. I don¡¯t like my women fucking other men. I tolerate it, but I don¡¯t invite guys to touch what¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m not marrying him.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll take the decision from you. You don¡¯t understand what they¡¯re like.¡± ¡°You hate them. They hate you. Werewolves hate vampires and vice versa. I get it.¡± I sighed, bored with the conversation. ¡°I read Twilight.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what the fuck that is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke. I¡¯ve listened to Daniel and Michaelin about bikers my whole life. I¡¯m sure they do the same with us.¡± ¡°Their culture is sick. We cross the line here and there, but we don¡¯t traffic women and kids. We¡¯re not involved in anything so fucked up.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re an angel. Right up there with Mother Teresa, canonized for your huge cock. Saint Dick.¡± He stood over me, hands on his hips. ¡°Liana, don¡¯t start with the smart mouth.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t scare me into a rtionship with you, fake or otherwise.¡± I crossed my arms, the warmth from his kiss gone. ¡°I¡¯ll take my chances with the biker.¡± Vinn could barely contain his rage. He jerked his shoulder in an irritated shrug. ¡°You¡¯re just trying to piss me off.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± I snapped. ¡°If I have to marry someone, why not him?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± The force of his yell sted my ears as he rounded on me, snarling. ¡°Are you out of your fucking mind?¡± I flinched from every syble. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I damn well pleased, you annoying brat. Is there one thing you can do without aggravating me? What is wrong with you?¡± I lunged for the door, and he kept tossing me back like a rag doll. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± ¡°Not until you start making sense.¡± ¡°I see no difference between my choices. He¡¯s a gangster. You¡¯re a gangster. And also-I don¡¯t want your help!¡± I screamed brokenly. ¡°I¡¯m sick of you. I¡¯d rather marry him than pretend to be with you.¡± Vinn¡¯s eyes shed and dulled over. He seemed to stare through me, but I knew I¡¯d hurt him. He¡¯d hurt me, too. I¡¯d spent every waking moment trying to heal from what he¡¯d done. ¡°Li, I will only say this once.¡± His graveyard voice spread ice through my stomach, his dark face set in a vicious expression. ¡°You are mine.¡± #3 —Chapter 10 VINN Michael would kill me. He¡¯d eviscerate me for locking her in a room. Then he¡¯d boil my balls in motor oil for making out with his sister because I¡¯d done it under his nose. Fondling her pussy at the charity g wasn¡¯t part of the n, but how could I resist? She¡¯d given me the perfect opportunity. She had a sentimental side that I¡¯d picked up on after visiting her apartment. Stepping in that bedroom was like looking into a time capsule of my youth. I¡¯d been surrounded by photos of us, warm memories, things I¡¯d forgotten. Luring her away from Michael had been easy. I traced my lips, reying how she¡¯d kissed me so eagerly. If only I¡¯d dragged that gorgeous fuck doll to her knees, I could¡¯ve fed her my cock. As amazing as that would¡¯ve felt, it was good that she rejected me. Hooking up with Michael¡¯s sister would¡¯ve been the scandal of the century. That didn¡¯t stop me from imagining. For days, I marveled at her reaction. I¡¯d barely touched her, and she¡¯d thrown herself at me. Liana was hot for me, and clearly in deep denial. I¡¯d rather marry him than pretend to be with you. A feeble lie. Her tongue had been in my mouth only minutes before. She knew she wouldn¡¯tst a second as Killian¡¯s wife. The hell was wrong with her? I kept tabs on her with the bodyguards I¡¯d hired to rece Michael¡¯s. It took everything not to drop in her neighborhood. I had to figure out what I¡¯d do with Little Liana. I couldn¡¯t just fuck her. Michael would murder me. He¡¯d have to ask permission, but Nico would give him the go-ahead. Knowing Michael, he wouldn¡¯t bother dealing with our boss. He was never the rational type. He¡¯d just shoot me-and I¡¯d deserve it. I owed him the truth. Confessing my sins wasn¡¯t an option. I needed a well-crafted story that¡¯d satisfy Michael and my aunt, the only people in my life who mattered. Lying would be easy enough. Getting her to agree would be difficult. I thought about her way too much. Obsessing. Stalking. Poring over photos. I¡¯d made a social media profile just to follow hers. Then Ibed her online presence for information to answer a burning question. How could I make her want to be with me? ¡°Hey. Are you listening?¡± A baritone cleaved through my half-baked idea. I dragged my gaze from the floor to Sergeant O¡¯herty, a police officer in his fifties with bags under his eyes, who was having another meltdown. His use as an insight into the Organized Crime Task Force hadn¡¯t dried up, but I hated the coward. We stood at the construction site of Nico¡¯s next condominium development. ¡°I wasn¡¯t. Go again.¡± ¡°Rage Machine told me they¡¯d break into my house, tie me up, and make me watch as they rape my wife if I didn¡¯t release their member,¡± he babbled. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one, Mr. Costa. Anyone who doesn¡¯t take bribes gets a death threat or their car torched!¡± ¡°Then ept a fucking bribe. What do you expect me to do? They¡¯re animals.¡± I shrugged, watching a forklift shower dirt onto a pile. ¡°I¡¯m staying out of their war.¡± ¡°Help Legion crush Rage Machine.¡± Fuck you, pay me. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s worth my time.¡± ¡°Well, you have to do something.¡± Or what? I wasn¡¯t in the habit of throwing my soldiers into unnecessary conflicts. I had enough of that shit with other men in charge. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a cop? Arrest someone.¡± ¡°No judge is willing to sentence a one-percenter. Nobody is standing up to the MCs. People are dying.¡± Pete wiped his brow, leaning against his beat-up Chevrolet. ¡°How sad.¡± He stilled. Loathing marked his face. ¡°You¡¯re a callous prick.¡± ¡°Might surprise you, but I dislike not being able to walk around my city without a bomb going off. However, I won¡¯t get involved until it makes sense for the Family.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t care about anyone.¡± Correct. ¡°Look, you want to stop Rage Machine? Follow their money. Find it. Choke it. Cut it off. Do whatever it takes to kill their finances. Everything will calm down when they can¡¯t finance their fucking war.¡± What could I do? I wasn¡¯t a detective. I had no clue how a brand new MC group had the means to out-finance the muchrger Legion with chapters in several states. I didn¡¯t feel like solving the mystery. It didn¡¯t concern me. ¡°Tell them to stop threatening us!¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Unbelievable. Tell them-like I could pick up the phone and boss a guy I¡¯d never met. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ask if I can fuck their wives, too.¡± ¡°This is serious!¡± He banged my car hood, and I shot him a re. ¡°The local economy is dead in the water. If you don¡¯t give a shit about citizens, maybe you care about your business drying up when everybody leaves Boston.¡± ¡°Jesus, fine.¡± I was sick of his mewling. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my ears open. If I hear anything, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± I leaned in the driver¡¯s seat as Pete drove off. I viewed the biker wars like a cold. It¡¯d worsen before the power struggle shook out its kinks, and then we¡¯d be back to normal. Inserting myself into the conflict was unnecessary. I didn¡¯t understand why Nico kept harping on making peace with Legion. Who cared which MC emerged the victor? If they destroyed each other, perfect. My money was on Rage Machine. I hated Legion on ount of the president demanding Liana¡¯s hand. My thoughts went haywire. I¡¯d offered to save her from them. What more did she need? I scanned our conversation-why had she been so pissed? Vincent. My stomach clenched. I¡¯d assumed Vincent was a dumb lie, but she¡¯d practically thrown me from her house. Then she¡¯d shown up at the g with that college boy. She mouthed off to me constantly. Perhaps she resented me for taking her from the other guy. My knuckles whitened. Heat pricked my chest. Maybe she wanted to get with the other Vincent-or that prick who¡¯d made my skin crawl. What was his name? James. I let him off way too easy. My lip curled as I pictured them cozying up in some diner. I shoved my keys into the ignition, stopping as a shadow rippled the ground. Fucking Pete. I rolled down the window and stuck out my head, but the angry retort lodged in my throat. Because I stared into the barrel of a gun. #3 —Chapter 11 VINN Nico got out of prison. Two years early. Nothing could¡¯ve prepared me for being jumped by my bodyguards, forced at gunpoint into a car, and driven to my boss¡¯s mansion. He¡¯d materialized in Boston like a rabbit out of a magician¡¯s hat. Nobody told me he¡¯d been released. Not thewyers I kept on retainer or my informants inside his jail. He¡¯d blindsided me. I stood with Michael in Nico¡¯s living room, which doubled as a museum for my cousin Anthony. His athletic trophies filled the china cab. Pictures of the shithead smiled at me from every direction. My father gave me his stupid name-Vincent-shortly before running out on my mom after I was born. I had no family except Michael¡¯s, and they were a hot mess. Anthony had it all-money, great schools, sports, parents who loved him. I¡¯d always felt like a peasant when I visited here. My clothes were too dirty for their furniture. I taught myself not to eat everything in sight because my mother couldn¡¯t pull it together enough to make me a sandwich. I¡¯d envied Anthony. I¡¯d resented his privilege. I¡¯d stewed in jealousy at the mountain of gifts under the tree every Christmas. As I grew older, my contempt for him deepened into disgust. He¡¯d wasted his potential. Thrown away all that education to be a waste of space. He¡¯d been a junkie and liability. But as I watched my heavyset uncle pace the living room, gun in hand, I wondered who was the real disaster. ¡°How did prison treat you, zio? They feed you well?¡± I pretended not to notice the thirty pounds of weight he¡¯d added, smiling. ¡°Should¡¯ve told me you were back. I could¡¯ve stopped at Lhese¡¯s.¡± ¡°Alessio did already.¡± He motioned to a pile of meat on butcher paper. ¡°Got me it as soon as he heard. Good kid.¡± That fucking asshole. I ground my teeth. ¡°He knew?¡± ¡°No. I called him a couple hours ago.¡± Nico grabbed the bottle of wine, his hands trembling. ¡°I wanted to get the full story. He said a lot of things that concerned me.¡± Great. ¡°So he¡¯s underboss now?¡± ¡°I offered, but he doesn¡¯t want the job anymore-¡± ¡°Which he made clear when he left town!¡± ¡°You ruined what I built.¡± His voice leapt from the low baritone to a thundering roar. ¡°You destroyed our leadership,promised our position in Boston, and you lost my son!¡± Jesus. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose your dipshit son!¡± Nico seized the handle of his Glock and pointed it at me. ¡°What did you call Anthony?¡± Was he drunk? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time Nico had one too many and shot someone. But I wasn¡¯t in the mood to lie down and die. ¡°Nico, put it down. You¡¯ve had too much to drink.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not drunk.¡± He stabbed it in the air like a toddler. ¡°You have a lot to answer for. Both of you.¡± I rolled my eyes, meeting Michael¡¯s nted gaze. He stood beside me, fists clenched. He looked ready to blow, and the sight of his lips pressed together winded me like a gut-punch. ¡°You fucking maniac. You bastard.¡± Michael¡¯s words zed like a wave of fire as he screamed at Nico. ¡°You took me in front of my kids! While I was picking them up at daycare.¡± A shock rippled through my limbs. Even I wasn¡¯t that crazy. I stared at Nico. ¡°Seriously?¡± Nico seemed unconcerned. ¡°I needed a conversation with you both.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Alessio, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already dealt with him,¡± he snapped, wearing a sneer that reminded me of his douchey son. ¡°You¡¯re next.¡± I opened my mouth to snarl an insult, and changed my mind. I bit the inside of my cheek. I fought the ribbon of anger working through my muscles. Michael seized my arm, his grip biting. His pleading stare dug into my chest. He didn¡¯t deserve to have his brain dashed out in Nico¡¯s dated living room. People depended on him. Unlike me, he had a family who¡¯d miss him.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. So be it. ¡°Send Michael away,¡± I muttered, my stomach hardening. ¡°You¡¯ve made it clear you can get him wherever he is. If you need to put a bullet in my head, fine, but leave him alone. Anthony was my responsibility.¡± Nico didn¡¯t budge. ¡°He stays.¡± I had to save him. I licked my dry lips. ¡°Michael shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°He. Stays.¡± Let him go, damn it. ¡°This is fucked up, Nico.¡± ¡°You know what¡¯s fucked up? Sitting in a cell while your nephews destroy everything you¡¯ve built. You¡¯re a goddamned parasite, Vinn, and you.¡± He faced Michael, who went rigid. ¡°What the hell were you thinking? You murdered the asshole who knew where Anthony was!¡± ¡°I gave the order,¡± I blurted. ¡°Michael was just following orders. It¡¯s my fault-not Michael¡¯s.¡± A total lie, but whatever. Michael buried his head in his hand. The other wed his leg. It probably killed him to say nothing. The idiot better stay quiet and let me take the fall. ¡°How could you do something so stupid?¡± Nico screamed, the sound sting my ear. ¡°You should¡¯ve kept him alive for questioning.¡± ¡°No point. Crash was out of his mind. He didn¡¯t want to negotiate. He wanted to torture, so I made a decision.¡± ¡°Yeah, a reckless one,¡± he replied in a low voice. ¡°Alessio would¡¯ve never pulled this shit. He would¡¯ve run it by me.¡± ¡°How was I supposed to do that with you in jail?¡± Nico pointed the gun at my face. I waited for his judgment. Images streamed in my head-wavespping ashore, preening seagulls, gloomy skies and cold nights, tall sses of beer and stacks of fried cod. A flicker of warmth shot into my chest. The sting of metal on my cheek chased it away. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m in a forgiving mood,¡± Nico sneered. ¡°I¡¯ll give you onest chance.¡± Michael blew a sigh, but my insides roiled. ¡°Toe the line, because if I pull this trigger, you¡¯re headed straight for hell.¡± He dipped his head, teeth shing. ¡°You cold snake.¡± Nico backed off, stowing the piece in his robe. ¡°We¡¯re repairing the alliance you broke. The Legion president knows where my boy is, and all he wants is the girl.¡± The president didn¡¯t have Anthony. He was dangling him in front of Nico, hoping he¡¯d bite. ¡°The girl is Michael¡¯s sister, and it¡¯s a scam.¡± I jigged my knee restlessly, eye-fucking him. ¡°They¡¯re ying you.¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re not,¡± he muttered. ¡°He¡¯s on Leda, but I can¡¯t get to him without their connections.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s convenient.¡± Leda was an ind off the Caribbean owned by several billionaires. White-cor criminals, arms dealers, drug traffickers, and all manner of rich and corrupt flew in at invitation-only towork and make multibillion-dor business deals. It was also a major human trafficking hub. I hadn¡¯t bothered investigating because a mafia boss from Boston didn¡¯t pull any weight on Leda, and I¡¯d assumed Anthony had been sold to a local rival syndicate and murdered. ¡°They sent me a proof-of-life video. He¡¯s there. I¡¯m getting him back,¡± Nico said, his fat face melting with a smile. ¡°All I have to do is give him the girl. Liana.¡± A tide of nausea crawled up my throat. Michael exhaled a ragged breath. ¡°Again, we are not giving Liana away because it¡¯s up to me, her brother, not you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up for debate.¡± ¡°You might be boss, but there are rules.¡± Michael¡¯s voice strained like a piano string, his growl darkening. ¡°Break them, and you better be ready for the consequences.¡± Nico closed his eyes as though to shut out everything. ¡°You¡¯d understand if it was your son.¡± Michael shot upright, upsetting his chair. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to stand by and watch one of those animals marry my sister? No fucking way.¡± ¡°Michele,¡± Nico warned. ¡°Remember who you¡¯re talking to.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe Nico would sink so low. This was the man who¡¯d harped on the importance of family at every get-together. Blood is thicker than water was his constant refrain. Never mind that he¡¯d picked an outsider to seed him. And now, he was willing to sacrifice his niece for his impotent son. The hypocrisy stabbed me in the brain, provoking a white-hot response in my body. Pain spiked into my head from my clenched teeth. I wanted to rip him apart. ¡°She¡¯ll be raped, Nico.¡± Nico jerked his head. ¡°The president gave me his word he won¡¯t mistreat the girl.¡± ¡°Do you know what this will do to my mother?¡± Michael exploded, his nostrils ring. ¡°You¡¯re forcing her to be a hostage.¡± ¡°We are making this deal,¡± Nico fired back. ¡°I forgive you for screwing up with Crash, but you need to meet me halfway.¡± No. My hands shook as I fought to keep them from wrapping Nico¡¯s throat. Michael met my gaze. Bloodlust zed his red eyes. He would attack Nico. If I didn¡¯t defuse the situation, he¡¯d beat the shit out of Nico, and it would end with him dead. We couldn¡¯t kill a boss and escape untouched. The hired guns outside would make sure of that. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Nico said, interpreting our silence as mute eptance. ¡°Killian¡¯s picking her up right now.¡± My stomach knotted as I pictured the president throwing Liana over his shoulder. I had to do something. ¡°Nico, I¡¯m dating Liana.¡± I licked my lips, grasping. ¡°I actually¡­I just asked her to marry me, and she said yes. We¡¯re engaged.¡± Nico set down the bottle, a ring of burgundy staining the tablecloth. ¡°Bullshit.¡± I needed to sell this. If I didn¡¯t, I had no idea what I¡¯d do. ¡°I swear to God, I¡¯m marrying her.¡± He fisted my hair, digging the barrel into my temple. ¡°I¡¯ll put my gun up your ass for lying to me, boy.¡± ¡°Nico,e on. We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids.¡± He¡¯d have to confirm the news at least, and that¡¯d buy me time to talk to Liana. ¡°I never told you, but I¡¯ve been seeing her for a few months.¡± Michael stared at me before he had the sense to wipe his expression. ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth.¡± I met Nico¡¯s pitiless gaze. It wouldn¡¯t be good enough. He was desperate. He¡¯d do anything to save his son, even order me to break my fucking engagement. ¡°There are other women, Vincenzo.¡± His bitter voice bottomed out my stomach. I blurted the first thing that came to mind-¡°Nico, she¡¯s pregnant.¡± #3 —Chapter 12 LIANA Three days passed, but the memory of Vinn¡¯s mouth ghosted mine in the shower, pressed into me at work, and swirled my head with doubt. The intimacy of those kisses burned me. As did the ache when I pulled away. Whenever I reyed his flicking tongue and that initial jolt of surprise, sparks flooded my cheeks and spread everywhere. He¡¯d kissed me like he¡¯d waited his entire life for a taste, and that poked a splinter of hope into my pessimism. Maybe he had feelings for me. People¡¯s opinions changed, didn¡¯t they? Michael had shed with Carm before falling for her. I needed to stop thinking about Vinn. I had to reorient myself and find the level-headedness that had severed him from my life, but I couldn¡¯t think about dating without wondering if I¡¯d recapture the dreamlike intensity of that kiss. I clocked in from my lunch break, returning to the ss-walled cafe. It faced Bourton University¡¯s limestone buildings, the grandness a harsh reminder that I¡¯d never afford the tuition. Luckily, Michael footed the bill, but I used as little of his money as possible. Working as a barista was all right. asionally, I dealt with frazzled grad students crying over their thesis papers between wiping tables, steaming milk, and drowning shots of espresso in vored syrups. The summer job distracted me from my brother¡¯s death, Mom¡¯s chain-smoking, and the danger on the streets. Without it, I spent too much time cooped up in my apartment. Staying busy was the antidote to a troubled mind. I only wanted to worry about whether I should take Chemistry or Physics to satisfy my physical science requirement. Someone rapped on the counter. I beamed at the customer, a lithe man in his thirties who carried himself in a way that said that he¡¯d made it. My gaze slipped over his Adam¡¯s apple to a wide jaw and full lips, which pulled into a thick smirk when I met his sparkling blue eyes. I studied his tattooed, muscled arms and leather cut. My heart thundered as I read the small white patch-president and Legion MC. A ball throbbed low in my throat. Not a coincidence. ¡°Mister President.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about mister. Seems overly formal.¡± He leaned over and offered me a hand. ¡°Killian.¡± ¡°Liana.¡± I shook it, my eyes dry from not blinking. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± His powerful grip swallowed mine. Everything about Killian was too much, starting from the sensual me in his smile, to his friendly touch. I gave him a pointed look, and he released me. I stopped myself from wiping my hands on the nearest towel. ¡°You¡¯re cute in the apron,¡± he murmured. ¡°But I would¡¯ve thought Michael treated his sister better.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. My chest tightened. ¡°I chose this job.¡± ¡°So you want to earn minimum wage?¡± Killian¡¯s lips twitched as his voice took on an oily quality. ¡°Boy, your brother should get a refund on that pricey Ivy League tuition. What are they teaching you?¡± Ice touched my spine. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m familiar with everybody, Liana. Especially you. I¡¯ve watched you for a while. You run the treadmill every morning at eight in your Allston-Brighton t. Your favorite pizza joint is around the block. You like hanging out with your friend Queenie. You¡¯re single, and, rumor has it, untouched.¡± My creep radar shot to the stratosphere. His hungry starended on intimate ces. I shivered as though stripped naked. ¡°I was going to kill you,¡± he confessed, stunning me. ¡°You were supposed to be retribution for the six guys your brother killed a year ago. I had you in my sights. Almost pulled the trigger.¡± I snapped to attention. All that registered in my brain was the jaunty French music breezing from the speakers, which dissolved into a saxophone cover of ¡°La Vie En Rose.¡± ¡°What stopped you?¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s an excellent question. I¡¯m still figuring that out.¡± He¡¯d scared me with the dossier of information, the stalking, and watching me through windows. I needed to buy curtains-fuck curtains-I¡¯d move to a high rise like Vinn¡¯s. This had to be a joke. ¡°Did you get it out of your system?¡± His eyebrows knitted and he pulled back his head. ¡°Scaring the shit out of me,¡± I added for rification. ¡°Order a coffee, or I¡¯m calling the police.¡± Not like they¡¯d do anything. He nced at the menu and lowered his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll have a steamy twelve-ounce of Italian roast. Don¡¯t need any sugar, but you can kiss the cup for me.¡± ¡°Buddy, ask for her number and leave,¡± a heavyset customer hollered. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Killian¡¯s eyes shed with a deadly arrogance as he nced at the growing line behind him. His lips yanked over a wolfish smile as he flipped off the man, who cringed, turned tail, and jogged toward the exit. When Killian swiveled back, his jacket drifted over his waist, revealing a gun. Shit. A lump swelled in my throat. My thoughts staggered in a thousand different directions. ¡°Look. I don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± ¡°Well, that makes two of us. Meet me there and bring me something sweet.¡± He slid away, winking. ¡°Besides yourself, I mean.¡± The fuck? He strolled to the tables where he sat, his leather and jeans looking out of ce among the students tapping onptops. Nobody paid him any attention as he lounged there, bumping his knee to the happy music. What should I do? Vinn¡¯s warning pitted my gut with dread, because this guy was nuts, and not leaving without me. Beyond the ss walls, chrome winked on the sidewalk. My bodyguard was gone-probably held at gunpoint-crap. I reached for the panic button, hesitating. Calling the police would create more problems than it¡¯d solve. Maybe I could smooth this over. We¡¯d done nothing but banter, and he had a calm presence. The president watched me with a small smile. His gaze never left me as I drifted to the espresso machine. I made a drink with whipped cream and stepped around the counter. His expression lit up as I approached. He pulled out the chair next to him and patted the seat. I sank in the chair, pushing the cup toward him to bring this situation to sane ground. ¡°It¡¯s an iced mocha.¡± ¡°Looks nice. Would you mind?¡± He nudged it. ¡°You don¡¯t look bloodthirsty, but I can¡¯t be too careful. Nico Costa might force a pretty girl to poison me.¡± Whatever. I rolled my eyes, grabbed it, and drank. Then I sucked the contents from the bottom of the straw. ¡°Satisfied?¡± ¡°Very. You¡¯re not what I expected.¡± He took it back, rubbing at the spot where my lips touched. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be high maintenance, but here you are, ving away at a cafe. Wiping tables. Picking up chairs. Is this what you really want?¡± He¡¯d spent way too much time thinking about me, and his unwee frankness gritted my teeth. I didn¡¯t need a stalker, especially a biker who was supposed to kill me before deciding to bulldoze my life and tell me what to do. ¡°Killian, you seem¡­decent,¡± I settled on, skipping crazy, creepy, and odd. ¡°But the truth is I¡¯m just a college student. My brother¡¯s world has nothing to do with me. I have no interest in ying mafia politics. I¡¯d like to take my sses and my internships in peace, so I¡¯d appreciate it if you left me alone.¡± His smile grew, and my insides squirmed. ¡°Like it or not, you¡¯re involved.¡± My nostrils red. ¡°But-¡± ¡°You¡¯re just what I need. Too good to be wasted as a sweetbutt.¡± Whoa. The heaviness in my gut sank further. What would make him leave? I stood. ¡°I have to get back to work.¡± He caught my arm, locking me in the chair. ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯re not working here anymore.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± ¡°Your future husband.¡± A violent throbbing began in my throat. ¡°And who the hell is that?¡± He lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Me.¡± This guy was off his rocker, and I wasn¡¯t dealing with it. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this. You¡¯re obviously drunk or high, and you thoughting in here and harassing Michael¡¯s sister would be hrious.¡± ¡°Your uncle gave you away,¡± he growled, fingers digging into my flesh. ¡°You¡¯re part of a trade.¡± I tried to keep my heart cold, but the idea that I¡¯d been used for a transaction dipped me inva. ¡°My uncle wouldn¡¯t do that!¡± Killian¡¯s voice smoothed to a velvet caress. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. I just want you to be my wife.¡± Fear knotted inside me. What disturbed me more-his words or the earnest hush in which he said them? I shrank from him, shaken by his intensity. ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± I shouldn¡¯t have said that. Killian waved me off. ¡°An arranged marriage isn¡¯t crazy. It¡¯s par for the course for people like us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not marrying you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get to know me, and you¡¯ll realize I¡¯m not horrible.¡± He took my hand, but I wrenched from his grip. ¡°No. I found out what you did to Carm.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± he responded coolly. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t judge us all on one bad actor. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°No.¡± His lips thinned, and he frowned as though I behaved in a way that disappointed him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to strap you to my bike.¡± ¡°My brother would never, ever approve of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not listening. It¡¯s not up to him.¡± He grabbed me, dragging me past the students gaping at us overptop screens. We burst outside, and he marched me to a row of chrome. A ck fright swept through me. ¡°No.¡± I yanked my elbow back. ¡°I-I don¡¯t want this.¡± ¡°Too bad.¡± He engulfed me in his steel embrace, restricting my movement. ¡°It¡¯s a done deal-¡± My chest strained against a bottled scream, killed by my mped lips. A fist wrapped my guts as he shoved me toward his motorcycle. ¡°Killian. Stop.¡± My joy soared at the graveyard voice. It boomed from a Mustang rolling to the curb. Vinn stepped out, positioning himself behind the vehicle. He draped his arm over the door, his hair mussed, and his clothes wrinkled. He seemed off-kilter, not himself. ¡°Take another step toward those bikes, and I¡¯ll blow up every Harley dealership in this city.¡± Killianughed, and so did the bikers lined on the street. ¡°What do you want, Costa?¡± ¡°To chop off your hands for touching Liana.¡± Vinn¡¯s nted gaze shifted, warning me not to interrupt. ¡°There¡¯s been a major mimunication. She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e.¡± A horrible thrill shot through me. ¡°Really?¡± Killian¡¯s amusement grew as he faced me. ¡°Where¡¯s your ring?¡± I wet my lips. ¡°I-I don¡¯t have one yet.¡± ¡°How does someone propose without a ring?¡± Killian quipped. ¡°Not all women need a diamond, but I guess you wouldn¡¯t know that.¡± Vinn leaned against the car, arms crossed. ¡°You people buy your wives.¡± Killian beamed at him. ¡°You have got to teach me how you nailed this girl down.¡± ¡°Persistence,¡± he said silkily. ¡°We¡¯re childhood sweethearts, and I haven¡¯t had the chance to go shopping with the doctor appointments. She¡¯s pregnant.¡± His words just about gave me a heart attack. ¡°Nico was just released. He had no idea. Nobody did.¡± What the hell is he doing? Lying through his teeth. He expected me to back him, and I would, but then what? I wasn¡¯t pregnant and wouldn¡¯t be for years. ¡°Y-yeah,¡± I stammered, recovering. ¡°I¡¯m a few weeks along.¡± Killian huffed. ¡°I¡¯m not buying it.¡± Vinn stepped forward, his eyes gleaming like volcanic rock. ¡°I have two police cruisers on standby to raid your cocaine smuggling operation. Let her go, and I¡¯ll call them off.¡± Killian¡¯s mouth twisted. None of them would get jail time, but losing all that product would hurt. His pocket chimed a secondter, and heughed at the screen. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s fucking good.¡± ¡°Answer it.¡± Vinn waved. ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± Killian stabbed the button and held the phone to his ear. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He sighed as a woman¡¯s voice sted from the speaker. ¡°Really?¡± After a few moments, he ended the conversation. A heavy silence dropped between them before Killian broke it. ¡°You won-this time. Shithead.¡± I wrenched free of Killian, walking stiffly. The walk became a run as I whirled around the car and flung into Vinn¡¯s embrace. I burst with a relieved gasp and threw my arms over his massive shoulders, squeezing. Vinn soothed me without words as he drew me close, bathing me in his scent. He cupped my face, and my heart lurched madly. Blood rushed where he touched me. He smelled like the sea, fresh and weightless, like suntan lotion and the countless summers when I yed with my brother and his best friend. The images washed over me like a wavepping my feet. Vinn¡¯s lips brushed my ear before trailing to my cheek, where he kissed me. Foolishly, I let the heat from it warm me. ¡°Do exactly as I say. You¡¯re mine now.¡± #3 —Chapter 13 VINN Nico had put a gun to my goddamned head. After everything I¡¯d done for the Family. The countless pep talks with his son, sending him to rehab, visiting Nico in jail¡­all of it had added up to a big, fat zero. I¡¯d killed men I barely knew. I¡¯d fiercely defended our interests because, without my uncle, I¡¯d still be a jobless felon. I had nothing but this. I would¡¯ve dly died on a Costa hill. For what? He¡¯d been ready to blow out my brains a few hours ago. Nothing mattered to him but that jackass, Anthony. He¡¯d only spared me because Liana¡¯s ¡°pregnancy¡± made her a worthless bargaining chip. I would¡¯ve jumped in front of a speeding train to save her life. He was in a hurry to dispose of her. The betrayal sat like a rock in my throat. Fuck up again, and your kid won¡¯t have a father. He¡¯d said it right before I drove to Liana. I didn¡¯t feel the impact until Liana was safe. Now, I burned with a corrosive hatred. I charged into the kitchen. Drawers mmed as I searched for something to drown the rage. I tore through cupboards, finding a half-filled fifth that some chick had brought over. The tinted liquid poured like oil. I pressed the cup to my mouth and drank. The floral syrup hit my tongue, pitting my stomach with nausea. Like death in a bottle. Specifically, like the purple flowers that had sprouted all over Iraq. Bitterness chased away my short-lived relief. Tentative footsteps tapped the floor. Shit. I wasn¡¯t alone. Suddenly, resentment over all those times she¡¯d shown up at the hospital and rehab washed into my gut with my next gulp. Liana was always there to witness my weakest moments. ¡°Vinn, you¡¯re stronger than this.¡± I closed my eyes. ¡°Leave.¡± ¡°No.¡± Of course she wouldn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not asking.¡± Judging by her approach, she didn¡¯t give a shit. ¡°What do you really want, Vinn?¡± To be numb. It was no use. I couldn¡¯t wall myself in ice. Liana had blown back into my life, and, ever since, I¡¯d been a fucking mess. Distracted. Angry. Impulsive. Jealous. Killian¡¯s face materialized in my head. I hurled my drink. A small gasp echoed behind me as ss shattered over tiles, the shards slipping into the gas range. My vision fogged over with the image of Killian all over Liana. It¡¯d been so much worse than James, because the biker had the means to steal her from me. Over my rotting corpse. Liana bumped into my back. Her hands slid across my midsection and anchored over my arms. My pulse skittered from the unexpected touch. I didn¡¯t do well with being restrained, even if it was by a pint-sized girl I could toss a hundred yards. I tugged her wrists. She cinched harder. ¡°Li, I don¡¯t like being held.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re not used to it.¡± Liana stroked my abdomen, and difort swooped into my gut. ¡°Get over it. If you¡¯re this ufortable about a hug, we¡¯re screwed. You¡¯ll never convince anyone we¡¯re a real couple.¡± She had a point. I clutched her forearm as my heartbeat galloped ahead. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for whatever this is.¡± ¡°You need a hug, Vinn.¡± I need to kill everyone. Annoyance stabbed at me as she inhaled deeply, tightening like a belt. Thest thing I wanted to be was violent, especially to her, but a dangerous impulse stirred in my body. I ached to throw her on the bed and fuck away some of this frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t be nice to you right now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be.¡± ¡°Liana.¡± I gritted my teeth, fighting to keep my rage under control. ¡°Leave me the hell alone.¡± I seized the vodka, breaking from her hold. ¡°No.¡± Shetched onto me like a barnacle. ¡°Vinny, don¡¯t do this to yourself.¡± That soft tone beckoned too many bad memories. A knot sank in my throat as she shoved herself between me and the counter. Something in her voice had stolen all desire for drinking, and I let her take the bottle. She tipped the booze, emptying it into the sink. As the purple liquid circled the drain, she leaned into me. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± she murmured. ¡°We don¡¯t have to jump into anything.¡± She was dead wrong. If you¡¯re not pregnant in a few weeks, he¡¯ll know I lied. I couldn¡¯t pile that on top of everything else. I tensed as she rubbed my back, the warmth a shock to my system. Pink stained her cheeks as she stepped away, transferring her grip as she led me from the kitchen. Watery sunlight filtered through the clouds, filling my living room with washed-out tones. We sat on my couch, facing the Boston skyline. She untied the green apron and slipped it from her neck, shaking out her hair that¡¯d glided through my hands like goose down. A ck tank was all she wore underneath, and the seashell ne dipped in her cleavage. The sight of it encased my chest in ice. I wished the man who gave it to her a slow, painful death. ¡°Let¡¯s figure this out,¡± she said mildly, as though we faced a tricky problem on an exam. ¡°What can we do to change Nico¡¯s mind?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ept that, Vinn.¡± I clenched my jaw so hard, pain shot into my teeth. ¡°Well, too bad. It is what it is.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t do this to us,¡± she burst. ¡°There are rules.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t apply to him.¡± ¡°Of course they do. Nico¡¯s the boss of the Family.¡± ¡°He cares more about his son. Our baby is the only thing in the way of getting Anthony back.¡± I rubbed my forehead. ¡°Nico wille after me.¡± ¡°Not if you kill him first.¡± Apparently, we were on the same page. Disturbing. My back stiffened. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Her brows flickered as she met my gaze, her beautiful face shining with a naive optimism that shed with her words. She was supposed to be all sweetness and light. ¡°I¡¯d hate it if you lost the part of you I like the most.¡± Liana rolled her eyes, but her blush spread to her chest. ¡°Says the guy who threatened to fuck my mouth.¡± Maybe she was right. I was a goddamned hypocrite, and Liana had changed from the mousy girl who¡¯d doted on me. She talked a lot more. Most of what she said, I resented, but she had a steel spine like her brother. She didn¡¯t seem to give a damn about my approval. I respected that. But it was inconvenient as hell. Giving up on cating her, I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll handle Nico, but it¡¯ll take a while. I can¡¯t just snap my fingers and-¡± Kill him. I couldn¡¯t say it. ¡°How, then?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I breathed deeply, sinking into the cushions. ¡°Real question is, how will we make it until then?¡± Liana crossed her legs. ¡°No idea.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to fake ultrasounds, doctor appointments, blood tests, baby showers, everything. Nico will be hanging over my fucking shoulder, waiting for me to make a mistake to shoot me, so he can hand you over to Killian. You¡¯ll be here all day.¡± I hated this. It wasn¡¯t in my nature to bluff. When threatened, I hit back. I hit hard. However, I couldn¡¯t murder Nico without the Family backing me, plus I¡¯d risk pissing off every greaseball from here to Montreal. Nico had powerful friends who¡¯d hunt me down. I could strike him down and die, or I could bide my time. And if I chose to wait, I needed to buy a ring. Book a venue for our party. Move her in the house. I had to tell Michael I really did knock up his sister. Liana¡¯s hopeful face filled me with dread. The words stuck in my throat. She would not be okay with this. ¡°Li, he needs to think I got you pregnant.¡± A strainedugh burst from her mped lips. ¡°This is so insane.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°A pregnancy can¡¯t be faked. You fudge all the tests you want. My t stomach gives it away.¡± Liana¡¯s incredulity shed through my calm. ¡°What about my mom, my friends, the coworkers who¡¯ve seen me drinking, and God, what about Michael?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have a miscarriage.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re right where we started, and I¡¯m not fabricating a goddamned miscarriage.¡± She groaned, rubbing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll leave town.¡± ¡°Then he¡¯ll figure out I lied and kill me. And he¡¯ll force you into Killian¡¯s arms, except you¡¯ll probably be passed around because you defied your husband-to-be.¡± ¡°What if we-¡± ¡°We¡¯re engaged, Li. We¡¯ll make it look good. We¡¯re not telling anyone this is fake. Not Michael. Not your mom. Nobody.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The more people we let in on the secret, the more potential leaks.¡± ¡°Vinn, this will never work. You may have bought me a month-maybe two-and then it¡¯ll be obvious I¡¯m not pregnant.¡± I couldn¡¯t dwell on it. ¡°One crisis at a time.¡± ¡°Tell him it was a false positive.¡± ¡°No,¡± I ground out. ¡°The only reason Nico backed off was because he thinks you¡¯re pregnant. No man wants a woman who¡¯s carrying another guy¡¯s kid.¡± Her mouth twisted. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a lousy attitude.¡± ¡°Sorry. I live in the real world.¡± ¡°Faking a pregnancy is too much.¡± She slid off the couch, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s despicable. I can¡¯t do it.¡± I marveled at her ability to ze past the actual problem. ¡°You think I want this? I have to tell my best friend I knocked up his sister.¡± Christ, just imagining it made me sick. ¡°You¡¯re the hapless victim. I¡¯m the bastard who ruined you.¡± She flinched. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do any of this!¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we do. He¡¯s not letting this go.¡± I mimed a pistol and tapped my temple. ¡°I had a fucking gun to my head. So did your brother. I saved us by the skin of my teeth.¡± ¡°Ohmigod. Are you okay?¡± The tenderness in her gaze was ill-fitting for the heat stirring in my chest. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s discuss what we¡¯re telling Michael.¡± She shook her head, pained. ¡°No, Vinn.¡± ¡°Trust me. I don¡¯t like it, either.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll never forgive us.¡± ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯ll be alive. As long as he¡¯s breathing, he can hate me all he wants. Mike sucks at hiding his feelings. One look at him, and Nico will know I lied¡­¡± I trailed off, my stomach hardening. ¡°You don¡¯t want me dead. Do you?¡± She was stricken. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Good. There¡¯s hope for us.¡± ¡°Vinn, there is no us.¡± ¡°You better adjust your attitude quick, because he¡¯sing over. He¡¯ll expect us to act like a couple.¡± I strolled to the couch, and she joined me, fidgeting with the pillow. ¡°Understand?¡± Liana swallowed hard. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± I steeled myself for the disaster. It¡¯d be unpleasant. He¡¯d despise me, but he wouldn¡¯t kill me outright. I patted myp. ¡°Climb on, Li.¡± She touched her throat. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make a big deal out of it. He should find us together.¡± I waited, but Liana stiffened as though I demanded a blowjob. ¡°You shoved your tongue in my mouth not too long ago.¡± ¡°This is different,¡± she whispered. ¡°It¡¯s more intimate.¡± ¡°That makes no sense.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Liana said nothing, her hands balled at her sides. ¡°Get on me.¡± Finally, she obeyed. Liana acted like my clothes were soiled. Halfway between her awkward shuffle over my legs, I grabbed her waist and yanked. Her ass hit my thighs with a satisfying thump. She rolled on me, stiffening when I pulled her into an embrace. Liana burrowed deeper, her curves rubbing my groin. She stered her face to my neck, her breath misting me. When she wound her arms around me, I understood what she meant. This was disturbingly intimate. My one-night stands were hollow byparison, because even with my dick inside them I¡¯d never felt so close to someone. Her bra strap slipped down. I pushed it over her shoulder, a mistake, because Liana¡¯s softer-than-silk skin made me wonder about the rest of her body. I had a fantastic view of her cleavage, the hem of her tank blocking everything I ached to explore. I yed with that loose strap as my cock begged me to rip it off. Liana seemed to sense the change in temperature. She fiddled with my buttons, sliding them in and out of their holes, teasing my chest. The temptation to kiss her overwhelmed me. Ignoring it wrenched at me. It felt wrong, like smothering a kitten. I wanted it to grow, but Michael was due any second. I couldn¡¯t summon the energy to ask her to stop. She grazed my abdomen, her fingers like little fire wands. She trailed them over my pecs, stroking my head, her touch massaging. My frown lines disappeared. I melted into her, lost in a tide of relief. Her lips brushed my ear. A fist hammered the door, yanking me from the moment. Liana dug her nails into me as Michael¡¯s greeting drifted inside. Fuck off, Michael. ¡°Let yourself in!¡± He murmured something. A key scraped the lock, and the door opened and mmed. His shoes clipped the floor, the echo growing louder. The anticipation shot my veins with adrenaline. I adopted a somber expression. Michael strolled in, talking a mile a minute. ¡°Sorry I¡¯mte. I had to rush home and console my very upset wife. Took ages to leave, and then I hit traffic in the Pike. You know how it-goes.¡± Michael gaped at us. His eyes bugged out at Liana, who still sat on myp. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Liana¡¯s arms slipped from my neck, but she kept them on me. Heat tingled my skin as her frosty blues swept over me and stabbed in Michael¡¯s direction. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± Michael pivoted at me, his voice rising. ¡°Vinn. What the fuck?¡± My mouth went dry. Out with it. ¡°So, we¡¯ve been dating for a while.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Jesus, rx. I know you were only doing it for Nico¡¯s benefit.¡± ¡°No, Michael. It¡¯s the truth.¡± He wet his mouth. ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re actually dating?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Michael¡¯s chest swelled, but he didn¡¯t explode. His hands clenched and released, as though practicing his death grip. ¡°It¡¯s been a few months,¡± I rified, as Michael turned the shade of a tomato. ¡°I never asked because I knew you wouldn¡¯t approve.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deal with youter.¡± Michael ripped his gaze from me, addressing Liana like an outraged father scolding a child. ¡°Get off him. Now.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t tell me what to do anymore.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± he snarled. ¡°You can kiss your rent goodbye-¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯m not going back there, anyway.¡± Liana faced me, beaming with a smile that raced my pulse. ¡°I¡¯m moving in with Vinn.¡± ¡°You¡¯re what?¡± ¡°We¡¯re together.¡± A joy I¡¯d never seen before shone in her eyes and bubbled in her rushed words. ¡°And there¡¯s nothing you can say to stop it.¡± My heart hammered. The pit of my stomach churned. Why did that sound real? I wiped the shock from my face and squeezed Liana¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your brother and I need a talk.¡± Judging by the nails piercing my skin, she objected to leaving me alone. I fixed her a re. ¡°Just do it, hon.¡± Liana let out the smallest scoff and slid from myp. Then she patted Michael¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him.¡± Michael seemed unable to speak. He was like a robot, his head jerking toward me. He didn¡¯t utter a sound until she disappeared into my room. ¡°You motherfucker.¡± Darkness rippled from Michael as his fist unclenched, the key fob dropping to the floor. ¡°Behind my fucking back.¡± The hurt bled through his voice, trembling in the air like electricity in a lightning storm. I stood. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t approve.¡± ¡°You never asked!¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°I tried. Whenever we touch the subject, you always make your opinion of me very clear.¡± ¡°Now I get it.¡± He mmed his palm into my chest, shoving me backward. ¡°Leo DiMaggio was in your way.¡± Yes, he was. ¡°She was mine, and you were throwing men at her.¡± ¡°Fuck you. You¡¯re juggling six women at any given time.¡± ¡°Judge me if you want, but-¡± ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be my best friend. Jesus Christ, you were the one guy I thought I could count on!¡± Spittle flew from Michael¡¯s mouth as he let loose. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± This was going well. He¡¯d never looked at me with that demented bloodlust. I retreated as he advanced, determined not to injure him. A lot of his rage was probably leftover fuel from Nico¡¯s betrayal, which I factored into my response. ¡°Mike, I¡¯m not done exining.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been fucking my sister,¡± he bellowed like a wounded animal. ¡°How dare you?¡± Heat stung my cheeks. I couldn¡¯t deny that, could I? ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to disrespect you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a coward and a liar, and I¡¯m kicking your ass.¡± Michael vaulted over the sofa and lunged at me. His right hook crashed into my cheek, the unexpected force smashing my head against the wall. I ripped away from him, the agony radiating into my teeth. Fuck. It hurt. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been dating her. In secret,¡± I snarled, rubbing my jaw. ¡°Because I knew your reaction would be over the top.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re a gentleman,¡± he shouted, making violent moves toward me. ¡°You were with another chickst week.¡± Damn it. ¡°We weren¡¯t exclusive.¡± He took that even worse. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re only dipping in my sister while you bang your mistresses. You piece of shit,¡± he screamed, the veins standing out on his neck. ¡°I¡¯ll rip your nuts off.¡± He swung. I hurled a table between us, jamming the edge under his ribs. ¡°Michael, I asked her to marry me. At the g.¡± The lie stuck in my throat as Michael¡¯s face drained of color. ¡°Is this a sick joke?¡± ¡°It¡¯s past time for me to settle down.¡± I wished I had a handle of whiskey to drown in. ¡°Get married. Have kids.¡± ¡°Oh, God. Don¡¯t tell me you really knocked her up, too.¡± My stomach throbbed. I drew a deep breath and raked my hair. ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± Michael went rigid. He stared at me in openmouthed disgust. Devastation shattered his eyes. Then his expression grew hard. ¡°You¡¯ve ruined her life.¡± ¡°Michael, I¡¯ll do right by her.¡± ¡°You better, you fuck-up.¡± That gouged at me. ¡°I asked her to marry me. She said yes.¡± ¡°Like she had a choice, with you as the father.¡± Michael¡¯s cold tone somehow hit me harder than his red-faced fury. ¡°I swear to God, Vinn. This better not be fake. If you¡¯re not really marrying her-¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He fisted my shirt, growling. ¡°You saved our lives. That¡¯s the only reason you¡¯re not on the floor, bleeding. Put a ring on her. A real one, Vinn.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He unclenched his grip and wiped his suit, as though I¡¯d contaminated him. He stepped back, radiating contempt. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are or what¡¯s in my way. Marry her, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± #3 —Chapter 14 LIANA I had to escape. I could¡¯ve handled faking a rtionship, but pretending to be his expecting bride-to-be? My worst nightmare. Braving the war-torn streets was more appealing than spending weeks attached to Vinn¡¯s arm, belonging to him but not really. I ran into a room with charcoal walls and ebony furniture, shutting the door. Questions stuck in my throat as I took in the desaturatedndscape photos-his bedroom. It was overwhelmingly masculine. My gazended on the pile of sweats and T-shirts in a basket, the walk-in closet packed with muted colors, and the bed. The few times I¡¯d visited with Michael, he¡¯d caught me wandering Vinn¡¯s penthouse, but I¡¯d never had the guts to snoop in here. Now my hands itched to look through his things. My brother¡¯s distant shouts faded to a dull murmur as I glimpsed a familiar picture. It can¡¯t be. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again. It sat on his nightstand, wrapped in an ugly, red-and-white frame. I seized my Christmas gift to him from years ago as the disastrous party at The ck Cat washed over me. My mouth dried as I fingered the cheap wood. I¡¯d assumed he¡¯d thrown it away. He kept it. My thoughts went nk with that simple truth. Not only that, but he also disyed the thing. Put it where he¡¯d see it every morning. I had no measure of time as I sat, cradling the photo, and then the door creaked. Vinn¡¯s thick build edged through, his presence filling the bedroom like a heavy mist. The angry mark flushing his cheek and his wild hair suggested he and Michael had exchanged blows. ¡°Oh my God. I didn¡¯t hear you fighting. Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He smiled, and it softened his expression. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I grabbed the picture. ¡°I was just hanging out, and I saw this. I never thought you¡¯d keep it.¡± ¡°I keep everything you give me.¡± I met his gaze, and a javelin-like shock ran through me. Really? I didn¡¯t believe it-I couldn¡¯t. I gawked at him, expecting Vinn¡¯s deadpan to break intoughter. It jumbled my insides to watch him carefully rece it on the nightstand. ¡°Your brother¡¯s gone.¡± I stepped back, swallowing. ¡°I¡¯m staying?¡± ¡°I guess we¡¯re roommates, Li.¡± A warning whispered in my ear. This was temporary. ¡°Which is my room?¡± ¡°Here.¡± rm rippled down my spine. ¡°Where will you sleep?¡± ¡°With you. I don¡¯t have guest rooms.¡± I scooted away, my anxiety deepening to a white-hot panic. ¡°Why not?¡± Vinn shrugged. ¡°I hate having people over. Why give them an opportunity to stay the night?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t share a bed with you!¡± Vinn rolled his eyes like I was a drama queen. He didn¡¯t understand what this forced intimacy would do to me. Pretending to be his girlfriend felt just as dangerous as marrying a stranger. He had no idea how much I¡¯d suffered over the years. How could I tell him that without confessing everything? No. Never. He couldn¡¯t find out I¡¯d held a torch for him my whole life. He didn¡¯t feel the same. It didn¡¯t matter, anyway. He¡¯d changed from the gentle giant who chased me on the beach. But he came for you. He lied for you. A swell of hope kicked up inside me, but I shoved it aside. We needed strict boundaries. Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t survive a fake engagement with Vinn. If I walked into this with my heart open, I¡¯d be crushed. That twisted in my stomach. ¡°Why do we have to live under the same roof?¡± I demanded. ¡°You could set me up in an apartment across the hall.¡± ¡°I could, but why would I want you out of my sight?¡± His seductive tone blistered my cheeks, but I clung to denial like a raft in an ocean. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re quite the liability, Li. I haven¡¯t forgiven you. You might pull a stunt like you did with James, and I can¡¯t have my fianc¨¦e embarrassing me in front of my friends and business partners.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who needs to be watched.¡± He raised his chin, his eyes stony. ¡°I dial it way back for you.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t under the impression you did anything for me.¡± A ring of fire seized my ankle, and I flew across the sheets. He wed my leg, pulling me to the edge, where he sat. ¡°Stop!¡± ¡°I¡¯m done treating you like a princess.¡± He glided up my calf, anchoring under my knee. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re just another girl.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll break off our rtionship in two weeks?¡± His mocking smile taunted me. ¡°Still angry about the other women who aren¡¯t in my life?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± I ground out. ¡°I¡¯m identifying the facts. That behavior won¡¯t fly with my family.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage.¡± ¡°Can you pretend to be decent?¡± Vinn¡¯s gaze roamed down my neckline. ¡°With the right motivation, anything¡¯s possible.¡± Meaning what? A hot ache grew in my throat. My body screamed yes, even though it was like hitting a self-destruct button. Intimacy with Vinn would be the beginning of my end. He released my leg. He tugged at his shoes, flinging the Oxfords from him in a careless swing. Then he tore off his shirt, his fingers unsnapping the buttons so fast my cheeks warmed. I averted my eyes, but he lurched off and moved into my vision. Shirtless. Gorgeous. The sight of him half-naked rooted me to the spot. He was a living work of art, beautifully proportioned, his muscles carved in merciless lines. My gaze traveled across his broad shoulders and the round muscle rippling into his bicep. I sucked in my breath at the V of his muscled frame tapering to a trim waist. He still had a soldier¡¯s body. I imagined him thumbing his ck briefs and stepping out of them. The air thinned as he undid his belt. God, yes. Take it off. He paused. His head turned as though he¡¯d heard thement, his eyes sweeping over me in a passionless nce. Then his lips curled into a devastating grin. My heart thumped as he approached, his waist at eye-level. He curved a finger around my chin. I drifted on a cloud at the softness gliding my cheek. His other hand strayed to his crotch. ¡°Thought I¡¯d make it easier for you to watch.¡± Am I dreaming? Riveted, I stared at the fingers ying with his cks. He unbuttoned them with a rough snap as his other hand cupped my face, lighting me on fire. He traced my neck, jolts tingling my skin. My mouth burned as he seized the zipper. He moved it down. Lightheadedness swept through me. ¡°Li, want me to keep going?¡± My thighs clenched as his thumb skimmed my lips. A feverish wave began at my pussy, iming my body. My senses spun from the aquatic scent surrounding me. He zipped back up. ¡°Yes,¡± I blurted. His fingers threaded my hair as he lowered the zipper once again. A gasp escaped me as he rode the waistline of his pants. He pulled them. They clung to his thick legs, revealing an athletic waist, and a mouthwatering bulge stretching his ck briefs. His hardness electrified me. My heart hammered. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not? You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e.¡± Boundaries.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. We needed them, stat. Truth was, I coulde up with many reasons to avoid Vinn. None of them mattered to the heat flushing around my nipples or the hot ache growing between my legs. Vinn¡¯s grip tightened. ¡°Touch me.¡± His demanding tone sent a current through me. ¡°I-I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°You had no problem following ordersst time. Seems like you¡¯ll have a hard time with this arrangement,¡± he taunted. ¡°Can¡¯t get off. Can¡¯t mouth off to me.¡± ¡°What makes you think that¡¯ll stop?¡± His thumb pulled my lip, showering me with jolts. ¡°Keep at it, and I¡¯ll give you what you deserve.¡± ¡°Watch yourself, Vinn.¡± ¡°Or you¡¯ll what? Make good on your promise to ruin me?¡± ¡°I could do a lot of damage.¡± My nails stabbed into my palm as I turned away from his weing warmth. ¡°But I¡¯ll settle for quietly making your life a living hell.¡± ¡°A few hours alone with me will have you purring like a kitten.¡± ¡°You¡¯re blinded by arrogance.¡± I mastered my shaking voice. ¡°I know you. I could really mess with you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have it in you.¡± My nipples tingled against my tank top, betraying every thought that condemned Vinn. One nce at him and my heart lurched. Even the sound of my name on his lips made me smile. I¡¯d spent so long waiting for him to want me. Now that he did, my thoughts whirled in a thousand different directions. I needed to resist. ¡°You don¡¯t want to test me, Vinn.¡± I cleared my throat and shoved backward. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Michael the engagement is a farce.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll force you down the aisle for real, and put this whole thing to bed.¡± He slid over the mattress as he pursued me, and I fought the ripple of excitement. ¡°Speaking of, I never made good on my promise to fuck your mouth. I meant to do it, but never followed through. I got distracted by a kiss.¡± My pulse fluttered as he backed me against the headboard, his hand skimming my knee. Sparks jumped across my thigh, his presence so galvanizing it sent a tremor through me. ¡°I haven¡¯t stopped thinking about it, Li.¡± Me either. Despite my fear, an awful joy swept through me. My stomach churned, half anticipation, half dread. ¡°Why did you have to cross the line?¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve done it a long time ago.¡± He hooked a strand behind my ear. ¡°I had no idea you and me could happen. I never knew, Liana.¡± My troubled spirits quieted. His hands dove into my hair, and his mouth covered mine. A shock jolted my lips as he pressed into me. He angled his head, his gentle strokes burning me. The kiss sang through my veins, urging me to respond. His feather-light kisses scorched my jaw before he returned to my mouth, iming me with a savage intensity. I gasped. He left my mouth to mark my body with wet kisses. Shivers of ecstasy followed as he pulled the tank top. An ache balled in my throat as he nuzzled my neck and breathed a kiss there. My heart stalled when he pulled my tank top over my breasts. Softly, his hand outlined their curves, my skin zing with the intimacy. I arched into his palm, and his lips crashed on mine. He imed me with a demanding mastery, thrusting his tongue, sucking, biting. I moaned, locked in his embrace. I relished in the feel of him, his vitality, the burn consuming my body. The instinct to surrender. I was only a virgin in the strictest sense, but kissing Vinn made me breathless and confused, like an eighteen-year-old girl. I had no idea how to handle a man. I tasted him with a flick of my tongue. His tormented groan invited more, so I caressed the strong tendons in his neck and the broad panes of his back. My emotions whirled as his hard body slid over mine, my breasts tingling with his hair-roughened chest. He caged me with his arms as he descended, devouring my mouth. My calm shattered with the hunger of his kisses. He lit up with a carnal grin that pressed into my throat and traced my breasts¡¯ curves. My belly twitched as he descended, iming my nipple with a wet stroke. A lightning bolt of desire struck me. I¡¯d felt nothing like it before. My fingers dove into his thick hair as he licked, sucking me into his mouth. Arousal slicked me as if his mouth was between my legs, and then his legs moved over mine. His lips teased my nipples into hardened points. His hands roamed my breasts, squeezing. My thoughts spun. This was amazing, but way too fast. Stop. Shock wedged the word in my throat. His hand slid from my breast to my taut stomach, where he fingered the button on my jeans. If I let him continue, I wouldn¡¯t be able to put on the brakes. ¡°Vinn.¡± His gaze flicked at me. Then he pushed himself closer, cupping my face with his giant palm. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Too fast.¡± Vinn smoldered. Then he shifted the straps of the tank top over my shoulders, the rosy glow in his cheeks the only sign he was affected. I readjusted my ne, burning. Vinn frowned, as though it had stopped him from getting off. ¡°No more other men, Liana.¡± I flinched. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You know what I mean. You have somebody you¡¯re stuck on.¡± His re dipped, boring into the ne. ¡°The other Vincent-whoever he is-he¡¯s gone. He¡¯s dead.¡± Did he not remember? I let out a chokedugh. ¡°Vinn-¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Li.¡± His interruption cut off the truth-he¡¯d given me the damned seashell. I¡¯d made it into a ne. Vinn¡¯s jealousy might¡¯ve been hrious in a different light, but the wicked irony sliced open the healing wound. He really didn¡¯t remember. My resentment of him swelled into a tidal wave. Horrible thoughts consumed me as I spiraled into a bleak pit. I¡¯d clung to that day on the beach for years. He¡¯d given me the shell before he was deployed. How could he forget? A desperate ache surfaced like old rot. I gazed at Vinn in despair, my vision clouded with tears. I ached to tell him the truth, but selfishness made me retreat. Hearing him admit he didn¡¯t recall the moment that defined me would rip me in half. I wasn¡¯t ready. I couldn¡¯t let him go. His expression turned grim as his eyes flicked over my face and clenched hands. ¡°He better not be in your life, Liana.¡± As usual, he¡¯d drawn the wrong conclusion. A hot tear rolled down my cheek. ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± I ground out. ¡°And never will be.¡± ¡°Remember who you belong to,¡± he said, his tone chilling. ¡°I won¡¯t show mercy to anyone who touches what¡¯s mine.¡± I flinched at the callousness. Then he left, mming the door. #3 —Chapter 15 LIANA I moved into Vinn¡¯s ce. This was a bizarre dystopian nightmare, ripped straight from my most angst-ridden teenage years. I spent days in total istion, wandering the empty halls between nning our engagement party. After quitting my job and internship, there wasn¡¯t much to do but explore Vinn¡¯s monochrome house. Vinn¡¯s chef came once a day to cook dinner, but we ate in separate rooms. The only signs of his presence were the echoes of his gym equipment. When he wasn¡¯t bolting down protein shakes or fixing egg-white scrambles, he pumped iron. He worked out as often as possible, probably because it was the only room I had no interest in checking out. He¡¯d abandoned his other hobbies. He never cracked the photography books sprawled over his coffee table, or touched the antique cameras shoved in his closet. Video games stacked his shelf, but he didn¡¯t y them. He was avoiding me.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. All clues pointed to jealousy. Whenever his gazended on my ne, he darkened like it¡¯d done him a personal wrong. If he¡¯d have admitted his feelings, I would¡¯ve told him the truth, but he had to make the first step. He had to remember. I curled up under his thickforter and flicked through my cell, researching the LSAT. One more year at Bourton, and then I¡¯d finish my undergraduate degree in English. I still had to pick my sses and tooled with taking a leave of absence to think aboutw school. Vinn kept the thermostat set to snow, so I spent a lot of time hiding under nkets. It didn¡¯t help that his bed was ridiculouslyfortable. The door yawned. Warmth slipped into my belly as heavy footsteps thumped closer. He made a sound of pure frustration and ripped the sheets off. Bruise-like shadows smudged under his narrowed eyes. He apparently resented that I hogged his room, but it wasn¡¯t my fault he was too stubborn to buy a futon. He peered at my phone. ¡°Are you watching porn?¡± I shoved myself upright. ¡°No.¡± ¡°That was a defensive no.¡± He wrenched it from my grip and swiped through my screens. ¡°Hey!¡± I bounced off, lunging at him. ¡°Give it back!¡± Vinn lifted it out of reach, ring as he thumbed through my messages. ¡°Who the hell is Adrian?¡± ¡°None of your fucking business!¡± Vinn dodged my violent swings and scrolled through texts. ¡°Why do you have so many guys on your contacts list?¡± That was rich. He had an encyclopedia of women at his disposal, but if I texted five men, including my brother, that was a problem. I opened my mouth to hurl an insult and counted to ten. I couldn¡¯t lose my shit in front of Vinn. ¡°It¡¯s twenty-freaking-twenty. I¡¯m allowed to have male friends.¡± He smoldered at the screen, ignoring me. I raised on tiptoe to read the string of texts. James: Liana, want to hang out? Me: No thanks. Just got in bed. James: I coulde over¡­wreck your tight pussy. Do you like eye contact while I¡¯m eating you out? Me: Error #4352 Message could not be sent because this user thinks you¡¯re a disgusting asshole. Rage hardened Vinn¡¯s granite-like face. It struck me how disheveled he looked with the beard clinging to his jaw, the evidence of sleepless nights, and the dark curls begging for ab. They painted a strange picture. I¡¯d seen him angry, but never upset. Before I could ask what was wrong, he stabbed the button to block James¡¯s number. rm zipped down my spine. I choked out augh. ¡°Vinn, you can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°I just did.¡± I gritted my teeth. James could get run over by a train. I didn¡¯t care about him. It was the principle of Vinn blocking people with impunity that mattered. ¡°You¡¯re overstepping boundaries,¡± I said with a desperate firmness. ¡°And it won¡¯t work anyway because I can unblock him.¡± Vinn rounded on me, his nostrils ring. ¡°You are never talking to this jamook again.¡± My nails bit into my palms. ¡°I can handle inappropriate jerks. I¡¯m doing it right now.¡± ¡°This is revolting,¡± he hissed. ¡°Why do you tolerate his shit?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I ground out. ¡°I shut him down every time.¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t you blocked him?¡± I shrugged, annoyed with the inquisition. I believed in keeping my enemies close. The asional lewdment paledpared to his behavior, which I¡¯d suffered through because I wouldn¡¯t bring drama to our social circle. I was sick of men white-knighting me. ¡°Stay out of my private life.¡± ¡°That no longer belongs to just you.¡± ¡°Then give me your phone!¡± My shouting pierced my ears, but Vinn never flinched. ¡°I want to see your mistresses deleted from your contacts list.¡± His left eyebrow rose a fraction. ¡°Why should I do that?¡± The silken thread of warning hit my gut like a sledgehammer. Despair tore at my heart at the idea of him giving them any of his attention. I hated him, and I loathed my vulnerability to him. ¡°We¡¯re together. You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Our rtionship is fake,¡± he mocked, a dark smile carving into his face. ¡°The one I have with them isn¡¯t.¡± My cheeks blistered. I lifted my chin, meeting his hostility head-on. ¡°You don¡¯t have rtionships. You have flings. Stupid, meaningless, one-night stands you don¡¯t even enjoy.¡± ¡°How the hell would you know?¡± ¡°Looking into your eyes is like staring into a ck hole. Any guy who needs that many women to feel fulfilled has a problem.¡± He tossed my phone on the bed, yelling. ¡°I like fucking random women just as much as you love pissing me off!¡± Too far. My misery was a steel weight. I bit my lip until it throbbed like my heartbeat. Vinn¡¯s gaze searched me, and the aggression dropped from his face. ¡°Li?¡± His velvet tone was almost an apology. Fuck him. I smothered a sob, grabbing his phone from the nightstand. Then I disappeared into the bathroom and mmed the lock shut. ¡°Goddamn it, Liana.¡± He groped the handle and twisted. ¡°Open up.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± I shouted, disguising my shaking voice. ¡°I¡¯m going through your contacts.¡± ¡°You better fucking not!¡± ¡°Oops. Toote.¡± My pulse skyrocketed as he wrenched at the doorknob. ¡°Oh, look at that. Girl B sent you a naked photo. You didn¡¯t reciprocate. You are a gentleman and a schr.¡± ¡°I never imed to be decent.¡± ¡°Yeah. I should be happy you respond to my texts, unlike Girl C, who you ghosted months ago.¡± He pounded the door. ¡°Stop reading my shit!¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t like it? I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Vinn smacked the wall. ¡°Open up, smartass.¡± ¡°Not yet. After I block them. Wow, you have a lot of mistresses. I wonder, what happens when you reach Girl Z? Will you use a number system?¡± I snorted, pretending to mull it over. ¡°That¡¯ll be challenging for them. I wouldn¡¯t want to be Girl One Thousand Seventy-Three.¡± ¡°Can you have a meltdown over my sex life somewhere else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not having a meltdown,¡± I said, the lie burning my chest. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a taste of your own medicine, and I¡¯m setting these poor girls free.¡± Vinn huffed. ¡°I never heard anyints.¡± ¡°Yeah, well. You might after I block them.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± He thumped and banged, rattling the doorknob. ¡°Liana, do not fuck with my phone.¡± ¡°You should lock your cell.¡± ¡°Liana, open this door.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let you in soon. I¡¯m sending them all a little message. I¡¯ll read it out loud.¡± Vinn: I apologize for being an asshole. You deserve better. Vinn: P. S. I¡¯m engaged. Don¡¯t contact me again. I hit Send. Then I blocked them, one by one. Vinn¡¯sughter boomed from outside, curdling my stomach. ¡°They¡¯ll never believe that¡¯s from me.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t owe them an exnation. They¡¯re not girlfriends. They¡¯re women I use to get off. When I cut ties, I stop responding.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cold.¡± And yet, it made me smile. ¡°They¡¯re using me, too. I don¡¯t see the big deal.¡± His body slid along the wall, vibrating with anotherugh. ¡°You¡¯re just fucking jealous.¡± I kicked the door. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Keep repeating it, sweetheart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry at how callous you¡¯ve gotten. You don¡¯t care about anybody¡¯s feelings.¡± I stared at the door, boiling. ¡°As long as they¡¯re not threatening your ego or your bottom line, they can go to hell.¡± ¡°What about everything I¡¯ve done for you?¡± ¡°Forcing me to be yours is not doing me a favor.¡± Pain swelled in my throat. ¡°You don¡¯t understand how much it hurts to be around you. I trusted you! I would¡¯ve shifted the moon for you, and you stabbed me in the back.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Pure frustration leaked from his tone, and that sent me in a frenzy. ¡°How can you not know?¡± ¡°Jesus Christ, Liana. Just tell me.¡± He jammed something into the doorknob, and the lock popped. The door swung. He staggered inside and ran his fingers through his ebony locks. He was beautiful, but it echoed in me hollowly. It was like looking at a stranger. I no longer recognized him. I hated him for that, too. He¡¯d ruined what helped me see past the darkness. ¡°You killed Daniel.¡± Vinn¡¯s gaze scanned me, taking in my state like a soldier assessing the situation. ¡°Ignacio did it, not me, but yes. I signed off on his murder.¡± Tears blinded me, his presence tormenting me. He seized his phone and pocketed it. Then he grabbed a tissue box, held it to his waist, and released. It thudded near my feet. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have stopped him from dying any more than you could¡¯ve prevented gravity from making that fall.¡± ¡°Is that a joke?¡± ¡°Daniel was a rat. We kill rats.¡± Vinn backed against the counter, crossing his arms. ¡°And I loathed him. I have no problem admitting I never liked him and wished him dead, many times.¡± I balled my fists, reliving the pain of Daniel in the hospital, shutting off life support, and his coffin sinking into the ground. ¡°What did he ever do to you?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± he admitted, softening. ¡°It was what he did to you and Michael.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± I could barely hold back the venom. ¡°Keep us safe? Feed us?¡± ¡°You have a very selective memory.¡± His re pierced my chest. As I approached him, his olive-ck eyes dimmed to a soft smolder. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Come on, Liana. The man was sick.¡± My cheeks blistered. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°He hit you both, especially Michael. You were so young. You used to cry when he walked into the room.¡± Vinn¡¯s burning gaze stripped me bare. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± My head throbbed with a dull ache as echoes from the past resurfaced-my skull bashing into a wall, my body thrown into rooms, stewing in my bedroom with a raw cheek. ¡°I-I remember some things.¡± ¡°He was fucked up. He stabbed Michael once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± ¡°Ask him if you don¡¯t believe me. I was eight. I saw the whole thing.¡± The gravel in his voice disappeared into a hush I¡¯d never heard before. ¡°Michael bled all over the kitchen tiles. He almost died.¡± I turned away from Vinn, shaking. No. It must¡¯ve been an ident. Daniel wasn¡¯t a maniac. Sure, he¡¯d been rough. At times, too harsh. Most men in the life had issues. Right? ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were that upset.¡± Vinn¡¯s hand rolled over my shoulder, its weight reassuring. ¡°I never wanted to hurt you.¡± Are you kidding me? I gaped at him, wondering if this was a bad joke. ¡°That¡¯s the problem. You have so little self-awareness. You hurt people all the time, and you don¡¯t even realize it.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re safe, hate me all you want.¡± The same words he¡¯d given me about Michael. My mind worked overtime to parse that out. He squeezed my chin and dropped a small felt box on the counter. ¡°We leave for our engagement party in a few hours. Be ready.¡± For what? Why am I doing this? #3 —Chapter 16 LIANA I could get engaged with the devil I knew, or walk the aisle with the one I didn¡¯t. When approaching it logically, the choice was simple. Emotionally? I was a wreck. My throat tightened as I took in the beautiful setting-the deep mauve tablecloth stretched over a long table framed with a sheer-white canopy, draping in elegant arches. Chandeliers cast a magical glow over the silverware and the purple bouquet in the middle. It was perfect, and utterly confusing. The mind-blowing confrontation with Vinn threw everything into doubt. He¡¯d done extreme things in the name of protecting me, but he wasn¡¯t an unfeeling, cold monster. If that were true, he wouldn¡¯t let me stay at his house. My Christmas gift from two years ago wouldn¡¯t be perched on his nightstand. He wouldn¡¯t have a magpie-like tendency for all of my stupid presents. I¡¯d snooped through his closet and found a shoebox filled with my letters to Iraq-they were all great condition-except one with the signature ripped off. The discovery had squeezed my heart. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, sweetie.¡± Mom grabbed my hand, beaming. ¡°Vinny is such a good boy. He¡¯ll take care of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mama.¡± Mom had epted the news of my engagement with open arms and a big smile, which seemed to annoy Michael. He shot Vinn a look of profound disgust and shook his head whenever I met his gaze. I could hear the poor girl on loop in his thoughts. Michael believed his best friend had knocked me up, but he didn¡¯t buy the fairytale romance. He¡¯d already pulled me aside to demand I tell him the truth, twice. ¡°If he¡¯s good, I¡¯m the fucking Di Lama,¡± Michael muttered when Mom excused herself for the bathroom. ¡°If somebody did that to my daughter, they¡¯d get a one-way ticket to the Quabbin Reservoir.¡± Daniel used that euphemism for years before I realized it didn¡¯t mean a camping trip. My fork slipped, scraping the ceramic te with an ungodly shriek. I bit my lip to keep from screaming. Michael had been a moody asshole all night. Vinn would¡¯ve told him to shut up, but he¡¯d drifted aside to chat with rtives. ¡°I can¡¯t stand him,¡± Michael continued, his nostrils ring. ¡°Pretending not to hate the sight of him is taking every ounce of self-control-¡± ¡°Can you give it a rest?¡± I hissed. Michael sipped his wine and looked away. Then he swung to me, his expression no longer livid. ¡°You got what you wanted, but I don¡¯t think you realize what you¡¯ve signed up for.¡± My pulse skittered. I was uneasy under his scrutiny. ¡°I¡¯ve always loved him.¡± ¡°I know, hon. That¡¯s why I pity you.¡± ¡°Michael,¡± snapped Carm. ¡°Enough.¡± Michael shot her a quelling look before swinging his attention back to me. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re in for.¡± I was weary of him. ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°You¡¯re stuck with a man who doesn¡¯t connect with people and hates children. He¡¯s said it over and over.¡± I sighed, loudly. Michael¡¯s wife, a stunning brte in a ck, ruffled dress, smiled. ¡°They all say that, Liana. Men have no idea what¡¯s good for them. They need to be guided.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Michael murmured. ¡°I seem to remember asking you out dozens of times. You were the one digging in your heels. A yearter, we¡¯re married with kids. Who has the better foresight?¡± Carm¡¯s eyes ttened. Michael needled her with a few hushedments until he dropped his tone and whispered a husky, ¡°I love you.¡± Carm melted and kissed his cheek. He looked at her with a puppy-dog-like adoration that soured as a solid warmth sank into the seat next to mine. ¡°Hey, Mike.¡± Michael turned a shade of puce. ¡°Don¡¯t hey me.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to say?¡± ¡°How about-¡®I¡¯m a fucking jackass.''¡± Michael ignored his wife¡¯s attempts to shut him up, leaning across the table. ¡°¡®I¡¯m a disrespectful, lying, coward.''¡± ¡°How the fuck am I a coward?¡± Michael opened his mouth. I shook the table with a fist, rattling the silverware and sses. Conversation halted as I met my brother¡¯s vengeance head-on. ¡°Michael, this isn¡¯t about you. Just stop.¡± ¡°She¡¯s right, honey.¡± Carm seized his hand and tugged until he staggered upright. ¡°You need to stay out of their business.¡± Michael tore his gaze from me. ¡°But she¡¯s my sister¡­¡± Their voices faded as Carm coaxed him away. A sick yearning assaulted me as Vinn wrapped his arm around me. His expression didn¡¯t mirror the rxed faces surrounding us. ¡°Forget Michael. We have other things to worry about.¡± I nodded, sipping my sparkling cider. ¡°We have to visit Nico.¡± I pulled a face, and Vinn frowned. ¡°What? I¡¯m not thrilled about sucking up to the guy who¡¯s dying to pawn me off.¡± My senses leaped to life as his touch found my thigh. His fingers traced a circle on my leg, the warmth inside me building. ¡°While you¡¯re with me, you don¡¯t have to suck up to anyone.¡± ¡°Except you?¡± Vinn made a dissenting noise. ¡°You can please me in other ways.¡± A delicious shudder ran through me. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Take that beautiful mouth of yours¡­and shut it.¡± As his grip tightened, his attitude grew more serious. ¡°Or better yet, put it to work on my cock.¡± A ribbon of heat scorched my chest, and I inhaled sharply. ¡°You¡¯re in rare form tonight.¡± ¡°I need you to behave, Liana.¡± Hismand made the knot rise in my throat. It¡¯d been a long time since we¡¯d kissed, and although we¡¯d exchanged chaste pecks all night, the fleeting excitement was nothingpared to submitting to him. Too many times, I¡¯d imagined him bursting into the bedroom, ripping off the sheets, tearing my pajamas¡¯ stic band in his haste to fuck me. He smirked as though he watched the pornographic reel in my mind. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game. If you screw this up, I won¡¯t be around to bend you over the bed.¡± ¡°What makes you think I want that?¡± ¡°The way you¡¯re looking at me.¡± My cheeks burned, and then the photographer approached us. ¡°Mr. Costa? Are you ready?¡± ¡°Oh, Ipletely nked.¡± I rose, yanking Vinn¡¯s arm. ¡°Sorry.¡± Vinn turned at the waist, gawking at him. ¡°You hired a photographer?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± I whispered into his ear. ¡°It would be weird if we didn¡¯t. It¡¯ll be done in half an hour.¡± And I secretly wanted the photos. His stare drilled into me, and my determination to hide faltered. I couldn¡¯t pretend this event wasn¡¯t a monument to the greatest love I¡¯d ever known, even if he¡¯d changed. A secretive smile softened his lips. He enveloped me in his burly embrace. As the photographer gave us direction, I fussed with his shirt, too intimidated to stroke the broad nes of his chest until Vinn took my hands and did it for me. Then he scooped my face and kissed me. My stomach did somersaults at the sensual strokes. I slipped my arms in his jacket. I tipped my head and pressed my mouth into his. He melted into me, the touch of his lips like a whisper. My knees weakened as he descended on me, demanding. His palm roved my dress to skim my hips and thighs. Once the photographer finished, Vinn¡¯s eyes cut at me. ¡°Let¡¯s talk to Nico.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He pulled, and I followed. We wandered the outdoor patio strung with golden lights, casting a dreamy glow over thewn where there¡¯d been catered food. We approached Nico and his other rtives, elbow deep in cheese and drink. Nico seemed to be channeling his son, based on the empty bottles surrounding him and the two girls perched on hisp. I didn¡¯t know Anthony well. He was my brother¡¯s age, so we¡¯d never hung out, but he was always high or drunk whenever I¡¯d run into him. Nico had taken his son¡¯s kidnapping badly. Judging by the brand new sports car parked outside, he was trying to fill the Anthony-shaped hole in his heart. My sympathy for him was limited. The man had sold me to a biker. ¡°Geez. He¡¯s a midlife crisis on steroids.¡± ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Vinn stared at a guy sitting beside Nico, who was micromanaging my uncle¡¯s alcohol. ¡°Oh boy. He¡¯s got Alessio filling in for his son. Not good.¡± ¡°What?¡± I peered at the sour-faced man beside Nico. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Has that phrase has ever worked for anyone with anxiety?¡± He patted my hip, urging us forward. ¡°Remember, don¡¯t speak unless spoken to.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been around him before.¡± ¡°Not when he¡¯s like this.¡± Nico shot upright, his bulk upsetting the table. Alessio caught Nico¡¯s ss and dumped its contents while Nico barreled toward Vinn, arms outstretched. Vinn winced as his uncle trapped him in a giant hug, difort written all over his face. ¡°This asshole is getting married. Alessio. Where¡¯s Alessio?¡± Nico blinked as he disengaged from Vinn. ¡°Ah, there you are.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± said the harassed-looking man, who seemed to hate this party and everyone. ¡°Alessio, what do you think of Vinn bing a father?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t believe it.¡± A faint sneer curled his lip as he stared daggers at Vinn. ¡°Michael¡¯s sister, no less. Quite the scandal. I¡¯ve never seen Michael that pissed.¡± Vinn shrugged. ¡°Well, the baby¡¯sing regardless of his approval.¡± ¡°How are you handling that?¡± Nico pounded Vinn¡¯s back, the blows heavy enough for Vinn to grit his teeth. ¡°You ready to be a dad?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°I was,¡± Alessio quipped. ¡°Have you read any books?¡± Vinn shook his head. ¡°Nah. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I wished I had his confidence. ¡°I¡¯ll be reading everything, and so will you.¡± ¡°You all right, sweetie?¡± Nico asked, his attention swaying toward me. ¡°Can I get you anything? Something to settle your stomach?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, thank you. The first trimester has been smooth sailing. Luckily, I¡¯ve had very little nausea.¡± ¡°My wife had it bad.¡± Nico seemed to forget his mistresses, who hovered in the background, sulking. ¡°The pregnancy was so hard on her. She couldn¡¯t have another kid after Anthony.¡± I¡¯d wondered when his name would crop up. Alessio¡¯s eyes zed over, and he stared into his wine. Vinn betrayed zero emotion, his face a stone mask. Nico¡¯s usatory re bored into Vinn, and then me. ¡°We should toast to the baby,¡± Nico deadpanned, ncing around. ¡°Hey, you. Get champagne-no, dumbass-I want a bottle.¡± ¡°Nico, I don¡¯t drink.¡± Nico waved Vinn off as a waiter brought Dom Perignon along with a half dozen flutes. He shouted, banging his spoon on the giant bottle, making a big spectacle. Nico was a shark circling the waters, closing in on Vinn, and I didn¡¯t like it. He popped the cork and poured, sloshing alcohol over the tray. He handed dripping sses to guests, shoving one in Vinn¡¯s protesting hands. My insides revolted. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°Drink,¡± Nico shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t be a pussy.¡± Is he fucking crazy? Vinn¡¯s fingers whitened on the stem as Nico led the entire table into a chant. Before long, everyone had a ss. I clutched Vinn¡¯s elbow. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Yeah, I do. But it doesn¡¯t matter, Li. It¡¯ll take a lot more than one stupid drink to break me.¡± Vinn tossed the flute back, his eyes closed. A battle seemed to rage within him as he swallowed. Then he set down the ss, refusing a second pour. When Nico ignored him and started pouring, Vinn stalked away. Nico watched him go, smirking. ¡°Vinn, wait!¡± A fierce glow of pride warmed my chest. I wanted to say that I admired him. The strength to leave was greater than giving in like the idiots surrounding Nico. He disappeared into the men¡¯s room before I reached him, leaving me to stew about Nico. I stomped across the restaurant, brooded at the bar, and almost ordered Proso-oops-forgot I was ¡°pregnant.¡± I stayed there, fuming in my thigh-length dress. ¡°Congrattions,¡± said a dry voice lifting from the darkness. ¡°On your very sudden engagement.¡± I jumped. The wily Legion president cleaned up nicely. He¡¯d buzzed his scruff and tamed his hair, and wore a in white T-shirt under the leather cut and fitted jeans. I tensed. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± ¡°Rx. I was invited. I¡¯m only here to make nice with your¡­fianc¨¦.¡± Killian sat, sighing. ¡°Killian, I¡¯m not interested-¡± ¡°You know what I find curious about this romance between you and Costa?¡± He pulled out a cigarette, stuck it between his lips, and fired the tip. My heart thundered as he took a long drag. ¡°The fact you never mentioned him.¡± He blew the smoke to the side, flicking ashes to the ground. ¡°We must¡¯ve been there for ten minutes, fifteen maybe. Flirting.¡± ¡°You were. I was trying to figure out why you showed up in my caf¨¦.¡± ¡°Well, there was plenty of opportunity to tell me you were taken. It¡¯s not like I held a gun to your head.¡± Killian rolled to his side with catlike grace, smiling. ¡°Which tells me two things. One, you¡¯re miserable. You didn¡¯t bring him up because you want an out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s-that¡¯s not true.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You¡¯re hiding here instead of clinging to your future husband¡¯s arm, so I¡¯m not far off the mark.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just overwhelmed.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re scared. I don¡¯t me you. He scares me, too.¡± He gave me a friendly nudge and smile, but the levity disappeared like the rising smoke. ¡°So you¡¯re either looking for an out, or you¡¯re not a couple, and this is a sham.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot. You two make no fucking sense.¡± He dashed the cig into an ashtray. ¡°You¡¯re as sweet as pie. You belong with someone with a heart. He is¡­a block. A giant, frozen block.¡± That twisted a knife in my chest because it wasn¡¯t true. He wouldn¡¯t have been so adamant about protecting me if it were. ¡°Anybody with eyes can see you¡¯re unhappy, and I hate that I¡¯ve been cheated out of a great girl. I won¡¯t forget it.¡± Killian squeezed my shoulder, his touch lingering like warm feathers. ¡°And I won¡¯t forget you.¡± My stomach churned. ¡°I¡¯m engaged.¡± ¡°An engagement means nothing. Couples break up, and I have a feeling you and Mussolini won¡¯tst.¡± I hated that nickname. ¡°Don¡¯t call him that!¡± Killian winked and slid off the stool, just as my fake fianc¨¦ stormed in. ¡°Congrattions again. A baby. Wow.¡± Judging by the flush hitting Vinn¡¯s cheeks, he¡¯d heard the sarcasm, too. Nobody but Michael had believed us. #3 —Chapter 17 VINN A boss is never at the mercy of his emotions. He dominates them. I used to take that advice seriously. Now I wanted toy waste to every Nico supporter, blowtorch the fuckers who¡¯d antagonized me at my engagement party, and rebuild the Family with an emphasis on loyalty. He disrespected me. Twice. A man is defined by his actions, and Nico had proven to be an untrustworthy cunt. Inviting Killian was thest fucking straw, a passive-aggressive threat, a sign of things toe. Nico was pushing me out. I would get ahead of this. Countless men had been in my position, and I¡¯d watched them fall. I wouldn¡¯t be one of them. I needed to rally the troops and attack. Immediately. So I called Michael and Alessio to my house. Involving Alessio gave me pause because I¡¯d wronged him, but Nico was grinding his nose to the floor. He expected Alessio to pick up the reins, but the guy had obviously been miserable. We sprawled in my living room. I sat in the leather recliner while they lounged on the couch. Alessio helped himself to the prosciutto di parma that Liana had rolled around fat gobs of goat cheese while Michael ground ice in his mouth, the sound so obnoxious I could¡¯ve pped him. ¡°Where¡¯s my sister?¡± Michael shot out. ¡°Shopping for baby stuff.¡± Dark amusement flickered on Alessio¡¯s face. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day.¡± ¡°Miracles happen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude.¡± Alessio elbowed Michael, who went rigid. ¡°He¡¯s taking care of her, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t approve,¡± Michael snapped. Confusion rippled over Alessio¡¯s forehead as he nced from me to Michael. ¡°Now you clowns are fighting?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one with the problem-¡± ¡°No shit, you phndering dickhead.¡± My back straightened. ¡°I called you here to discuss strategy, not my personal life. We used to be a team. We worked well together. Hell, we were friends.¡± ¡°For someone so concerned about friendship, you do your damnedest to fuck us over.¡± Alessio banged his tumbler over my coffee table, crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve made mistakes. So have you.¡± I red at him, and then Michael. ¡°And you.¡± Michael bristled. ¡°I won¡¯t work under you.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re okay with Nico calling the shots? Bearing in mind, he hasn¡¯t been presenttely?¡± I sighed hard when Alessio¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You can¡¯t be happy with how he¡¯s using you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Alessio muttered. ¡°I had my run at boss, and it¡¯s not for me. Fuck the responsibility, the pressure, all of it. I¡¯m content with running the Labor Council.¡± ¡°Michael?¡± ¡°I was fine with being your advisor until you banged my sister.¡± Some of the fire dimmed from Michael¡¯s gaze. ¡°That said, I don¡¯t appreciate being demoted to captain. I don¡¯t like that he keeps shoving that piece of shit Killian in my sister¡¯s face.¡± ¡°We know what we have to do.¡± I drummed my knee, steeling myself. ¡°We need to get rid of Nico.¡± They digested that differently-Michael with a flicker of fear, and Alessio with a swig of whiskey, all arrogance. ¡°That¡¯s a little overboard. He¡¯s pissed, but he won¡¯t kill off his leadership.¡± ¡°Uncle Nico has lost his marbles. The moment Anthony went missing, he¡¯s been making stupid decisions. Bribing half the police force. Getting involved in the biker wars.¡± I stared at Michael, whose brow pinched. ¡°We¡¯ll die trying to save his son, and if we don¡¯t¡­we¡¯re all fucked.¡± Alessio massaged his temples, frowning. ¡°What you want to do is suicide. It¡¯ll blow up in our faces.¡± ¡°Set your feelings aside and use your head. He¡¯s already undermining me. If he doesn¡¯t give a damn about the fallout, neither should we.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°No,¡± Alessio snapped. ¡°Killing the boss will invite a free-for-all. Nico has a lot of friends, V. What¡¯s your n when they turn on you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take them out, one by one.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have enough support,¡± Alessio reminded me. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to live in Boston after this, so I hope you¡¯re happy with a lifetime of running. Good luck doing that with a baby on the way.¡± ¡°My sister will stay here.¡± I wheeled at Michael, blood pounding in my ears. ¡°She goes where I go.¡± Michael rose to his feet, plunging his fists into his cks. ¡°Are we done here?¡± ¡°One day, you¡¯ll leave Nico¡¯s mansion and get shot in the driveway,¡± I said as he swigged more of his drink. ¡°If I¡¯m at risk, so are you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather face one enemy than the dozens I¡¯ll gain by offing Nico.¡± Alessio dragged his arm across his shining forehead. ¡°Do whatever you want. But if you attack a boss, I¡¯m taking off. I can¡¯t have my family anywhere near this catastrophe.¡± With that parting shot, Alessio stood and left. Michael followed wordlessly, the door swinging behind their backs. Message received. I¡¯m on my own. Assassinating the boss would be a pain in the ass. It would involve hiring the Bratva. Street bosses would probablye after me. Killing Nico could be the catalyst for inevitable disaster. The front door opened and mmed. I lunged out of the recliner, my heart hammering, but it was only a pale-faced Liana weighed with shopping bags. I still wasn¡¯t used to someoneing and going in my house. The seashell ne bouncing on her chest dug at my veins. Rage gushed out, swallowing me. She loved someone else. A frat boy, no doubt, like that asshole who kept smirking with that patented I¡¯ve-tapped-that look. James. I pictured his stupid face and shook my head. She didn¡¯t give a shit about James. Who was the other man? I¡¯D COMBED through her emails and texts, finding no evidence of another man. It drove me nuts because she was growing on me. Literally. She took over my shit with impunity. I chewed her out every time I stepped on a wet towel in the bathroom, but Liana wasmitted to being a slob. Hertest baking disaster charred scones to a cookie sheet, which she¡¯d dumped in the sink. I picked at it for a good twenty minutes before tossing it. Her annoying 80¡¯s bads sted into every room. Once, I caught her slow dancing to ¡°Time after Time.¡± I endured it for a few seconds before hijacking the Wi-Fi to y The Police, which was a way better choice than Cyndi-fucking-Lauper. Despite her abysmal taste in music, my stomach turned at the idea of her leaving. I likeding home to her. She made the ce feel lived-in. She was so tiny, but her warmth was big, and it filled the apartment. My head pounded as I paced the living room, sweating. Liana hadined about the cold, so I¡¯d dialed up the thermostat to sixty-seven. It was hot as balls, and I couldn¡¯t concentrate on the things that mattered-like the ongoing crisis with the biker wars, the fuck-heads undermining me, and Nico. Stuffing pillows under her shirt wouldn¡¯t work forever. Goddamn it. Giving up, I shoved my phone into my pocket and zed into my bedroom. Boxes were stacked everywhere. Liana had refused to unpack for days, but I wouldn¡¯t let her move into a guest room. Her bras and panties covered my bed. She¡¯d emptied my drawers, and the disorder shot fire down my spine. Liana had changed into a pink camisole and pajama shorts. She dug into an opened box, cramming her clothes into the drawer. It was surreal to witness. I¡¯d never had anyone take over my life. She grabbed a frame from my closet-my boot camp graduation photo-and stared at it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Liana jumped and thrust the picture onto the shelf. ¡°God. Stop that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go through my stuff.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to snoop, but you have a lot crammed away, and I have to make room.¡± Liana was as harmful as a butterfly, but I didn¡¯t like her digging through my shit. My annoyance faded as she straightened, pushing out her tits. Her nipples peaked the sheer cotton, the dark circles stiffening my cock. Blood coursed through me like an awakened river. My mouth went dry as she flopped onto the bed. ¡°Sorry about the mess,¡± she murmured, thumbing her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll clean it up soon. I¡¯m just taking a break.¡± I didn¡¯t understand why she and her entire generation had their heads buried in their phones. I sat on the only clear space on the mattress. She ripped off her socks and threw them on the floor. ¡°So, what are you going to do about Nico?¡± My hands twitched. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I overheard you guys. I came in early while you weren¡¯t paying attention, and then I doubled back and walked through the door.¡± Fuck. I kept forgetting I had a goddamned roommate. I raked my hair, my skin tingling from her stare. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have heard that.¡± ¡°Vinn, what¡¯s your n?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, honey.¡± ¡°But I might be able to help.¡± The room echoed with my chuckle. ¡°Stick to what you¡¯re good at, Liana, school and charring kitchenware.¡± Her eyes narrowed. She swung her legs off the bed and charged toward me, hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m sick of you being an asshole.¡± ¡°Pointing out that you ruin my shit is being an asshole?¡± ¡°You underestimate me. You think I¡¯m useless!¡± It amused me how simr she was to Michael. Like him, she was prone to be offended over the dumbest things. ¡°You¡¯re a college student. You have a lot of life to live before telling me what to do, honey.¡± ¡°I can help with Killian!¡± ¡°You have nothing to offer him but your body.¡± I lurched upright as Liana crossed her arms, her cheeks blossoming with pink. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s the truth. This isn¡¯t one of your sses, Li. You can¡¯t debate him.¡± I brushed the skin over her knitting brows. She flinched, stepping aside. ¡°What about Anthony? If he came home, this would go away. Right?¡± I wished it were that simple. ¡°He¡¯s unreachable.¡± ¡°So what do we do? I can¡¯t just sit tight while you¡¯re dealing with all this.¡± A faint thread of hysteria wove in her voice. ¡°Tell me how I can help.¡± I¡¯d never hold a meeting at my house again. ¡°Take a breath, sweetheart.¡± I took her shoulders, massaging her delicate frame. ¡°Breathe. There you go. Everything will be fine-¡± Sheunched into my chest. I closed my eyes and drifted on a cloud. Something in her manner soothed me. Liana expected me to be her anchor, and it¡¯d unleashed a fever inside me. I craved this. Whatever it was, I needed it like oxygen. My heart jolted and my pulse pounded. I fought the wave of difort as I pulled her close, focusing on her tits squashing against me. I spread my hand over her back. The thin satin glowed with her warmth, and I slipped underneath. A wicked heat stroked my cock. It throbbed as Liana jammed her head under my chin, totally oblivious to my growing hard-on. She tipped her face, beaming with a sweet smile. ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. We have brunch with my friends today.¡± Not happening. ¡°I¡¯m not hanging with your college buddies.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I like you, but I draw the line at social functions with idiot kids.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my friends.¡± Her arms dropped from my sides. ¡°You¡¯re part of my life now, or pretending to be. So you¡¯reing.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather swim through shark-infested waters. The answer is no.¡± ¡°If you keep acting like a dictator, I¡¯ll run to Michael.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll run to Michael,¡± I mocked as her nostrils red. ¡°Yeah, Good luck with that.¡± She shoved my chest and stepped around me, speeding toward the door. She paused at the threshold, scowling. ¡°Asshole.¡± I blew her a kiss before she ran out. #3 —Chapter 18 LIANA I wasn¡¯t a damsel. My brother Michael used to tell me, don¡¯t wake up nning to be mediocre. That attitude had served me well in life. It got me into a great university, and it made me smash the girls¡¯ high school swim meet records. My aplishments might¡¯ve been smallpared to Vinn¡¯s, but I wasn¡¯t as helpless as the idiot believed. After our argument, I¡¯d fled to theundry room. My chest burning, I¡¯d yanked open the dryer. A bundle of clothes had tumbled into the basket. I¡¯d separated the green apron from a shirt, and a business card fluttered out. The name printed on top had sucked in my breath. Killian Call me. Anytime. My heart pounded with a reckless impulse. I wanted to dial the number right there, but I needed time to think it through. Once Vinn left the house, I researched for hours and came up with a n. Then I arranged a meeting. I sat in a booth far from the windows and tempting sunshine. The dive was in my old neighborhood, close to the caf¨¦ where Killian had almost abducted me, and packed with college students. Before long, a guttural roar shook the floor. Killian arrived in a sh of chrome. He descended from the bike and lifted the helmet from his head, easily the most exotic thing in this bar with the leather, his golden beard, and wild hair. Girls turned their heads as he strolled inside. He bantered with the bartender before taking his drink. Then he joined me, sliding over the vinyl. I forced a grin. ¡°Thanks foring.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Killian stirred his cocktail. ¡°Couldn¡¯t resist when I heard your voice.¡± Here we go. My smile flickered. ¡°This isn¡¯t a date.¡± He gave me a ck look. ¡°So you¡¯ve mentioned.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be very clear. I¡¯m not here to cheat on Vinn or do anything he¡¯d consider a betrayal.¡± ¡°Like ditch the bodyguards to meet me in secret?¡± Killian¡¯s blue gaze twinkled as he revolved his straw. ¡°You¡¯re in denial, babe.¡± I gritted my teeth. During the phone call, I was firm. I was not interested in Killian, but his demeanor made it obvious those words had gone in one ear and out the other. He touched my elbow. ¡°You¡¯re that desperate to leave him?¡± I pulled out of reach. ¡°This isn¡¯t about my rtionship with Vinn. This isn¡¯t even about me. I want to negotiate Anthony¡¯s safe return.¡± The only thing that¡¯d make all of this disappear was Anthony. If he returned, Nico would stop endangering Vinn¡¯s life, and we could go our separate ways. We wouldn¡¯t have to keep up a charade that was slowly killing me. ¡°I see.¡± He plucked the cherry from his drink, squeezing the bright red flesh. ¡°You think all your problems will go away once he¡¯s back. Right?¡± Yup. I clenched the table. ¡°Will you do it?¡± ¡°Sure. Break up with Vinn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing that.¡± ¡°Why? Because he¡¯s so warm and fuzzy?¡± Killian snapped his fingers at the ck-haired waitress in cutoff jeans and pointed at my empty ss. ¡°Why are you so stuck on me?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯ve watched you for a long time.¡± You mean stalked. I waved at thedies sitting at the bar. ¡°Take a look around. Plenty of college girls to choose from.¡± ¡°What do they have to offer me besides a mountain of student loan debt?¡± He snorted as the waitress slid another vodka tonic over the table. ¡°You¡¯re worth five million of them. You¡¯re leverage, the start of a new alliance, and pretty decent arm candy.¡± I supposed that was apliment. He seized my cup and sipped. I red at him, resenting how he took without asking. ¡°What if I did something for you?¡± His gaze dipped to my cleavage. ¡°Like?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a warrant out for your arrest on a felony arson charge. You missed your arraignment on the twenty-third. You also have a court date for next week for a pesky armed robbery.¡± He smiled. ¡°That case is built on probable cause. I¡¯ll get it thrown out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure you will. Judge Gilstrap is a friend of ours. You know what he hates? Violence against women.¡± He raised a brow. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to you.¡± Yet, his tone implied. ¡°You kidnapped me in front of witnesses. You dragged me to your bike, took off, and I barely escaped with my life.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t what happened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your side of the story.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯ve caught on,¡± I sneered, yanking my drink. ¡°Isn¡¯t Massachusetts a three-strikes state? It¡¯d suck if I filed a police report. Who knows what Judge Gilstrap will make of that information? He¡¯ll probably deny you bail, which means you¡¯ll be stuck in jail until your trial. There¡¯s a pretty big backlog these days, so it¡¯ll get pushed back. Considering your extensive rap sheet, the judge might feelpelled to give you the maximum sentence.¡± Killian¡¯s mouth curled into a devious smirk as he tapped the table. ¡°You¡¯re a crazy cunt.¡± ¡°Not as crazy as I¡¯ll be if you don¡¯t do what I want. I could make your life difficult, or I could put in a word for you with the judge.¡± His stare drilled into me. ¡°I¡¯ll kill Gilstrap, and then I¡¯lle after you.¡± ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t. Doing this puts you in the crosshairs of every biker in Boston.¡± He chewed a chunk of ice, his voice hardening. ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± He inclined his sleek head and kissed the air between us. I grabbed his wrist. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He nced at my hand. Then he wrenched my arm and yanked. I collided with him, close enough to smell his leather cut. ¡°Negotiating is one thing, but threatening me? You¡¯re ying a dangerous game.¡± Beads of sweat formed on my lip. ¡°I can help you.¡± ¡°You can get on your knees.¡± I tore from his grasp, stumbling from the booth.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. He caught me to stop me from falling but didn¡¯t pull me toward him. The words stuck in my throat as he released me. He winked before striding out. I didn¡¯t breathe until he¡¯d climbed on his bike, and then my shoulders curled forward. Fuck. Now what? I rubbed the marks he¡¯d left on me. Going to Killian had been a risk. I¡¯d hoped he¡¯d take me seriously, but he didn¡¯t think I¡¯d follow through. I wouldn¡¯t immediately run to the police. Retaliation was a big concern, but it wasn¡¯t like Vinn had many moves remaining. Lugging my bag from the booth, I nudged through the college crowd and burst into the sunshine. Then I twisted my hair into a knot, shoved a baseball cap over my head, and slid on my backpack. I bowed my head, strolling to the subway as rush-hour traffic breezed along. A man in a suit slipped from a car. He stepped onto the sidewalk and froze, his frame blocking the way. I walked around him until a strong, jacketed arm circled my waist. My body recognized Vinn¡¯s touch before a deep growl erupted from his chest. He dragged me, fingers biting into my flesh. mes sted from Vinn, overwhelming the summer day¡¯s heat. Veins popped from his forehead, his demeanor so threatening that passersby scattered. ¡°Fuck¡¯s sake, Liana. You better have broken it off with him.¡± His terrible voice shot fire down my spine. I gaped at him. ¡°Who?¡± Vinn clenched his teeth so hard that a muscle jumped in his jaw. ¡°The man you met behind my fucking back.¡± Wow. ¡°I wasn¡¯t-¡± ¡°Get in the damned car.¡± Stunned, I allowed him to pull me inside the parked Lexus. I sank into the backseat as Vinn mmed the partition. ¡°How did you find me?¡± ¡°You are not good at covering your tracks.¡± His tone rolled with cold contempt. ¡°Plus, the bartender called me. I have eyes everywhere, especially when it concerns my fianc¨¦e.¡± Great. He seized my backpack and ripped out my phone. He thumbed through my texts, and when he found nothing, he swiped to Recent Calls. Oh shit. ¡°A five-minute conversation right before you left the house,¡± Vinn taunted. ¡°This is the guy.¡± Fire shot up my throat. ¡°Who is he, some frat boy? He still in there?¡± He tapped the window, mouth curling. ¡°I¡¯ll drag you in there and make you point him out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to do that.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m really curious.¡± His thumb hovered over the screen. ¡°Vinn, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Afraid of what I¡¯ll do? You should be.¡± I¡¯m scared for you. ¡°Do not press that button.¡± He stabbed the number. I lunged for the cell, but Vinn lifted it out of reach. The call connected, and Killian¡¯s purr filled the car. ¡°Ready to dump Costa? Or are you offering me a blowie?¡± A bleak silence settled between us. ¡°Liana, you there?¡± I cringed, hands on my ears, staring at the floor as though looking for a hole to swallow me. ¡°Need me toe back-?¡± Vinn ended the call, cutting off Killian¡¯s drawl. Then I finally summoned the courage to lift my head. Vinn stared at the phone like it was a diseased organ. His lips whitened. He slipped my cell into his pants, mming his fist into the partition. The car lurched forward. Oh my God. My pulse raced. ¡°Vinn, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Shut up, Liana.¡± I white-knuckled the armrest. Vinn clenched his jaw the whole way home, no doubt imagining ridiculous scenarios with Killian. Once we reached his building, Vinn yanked me out of the car, guiding me by the wrist like an errant child. We left the elevator, and he shoved me inside the apartment. ¡°You think Anthony¡¯s been on a fifteen-month vacation?¡± he screamed as he mmed the door. ¡°They¡¯ll do the same with you. They¡¯ll auction you, sell you into very, and force you to fuck disgusting men. Is that what you want? Tell me. I¡¯ll tie you up and show you what you¡¯re in for.¡± A dark thrill rippled through me. ¡°Vinn, calm down. You don¡¯t even know why I was there.¡± ¡°Because I refused brunch with you,¡± he snarled. ¡°My God, Vinn. As if I¡¯d be that petty.¡± Words failed me as he flung my cell on the marble. The screen smashed. He stomped on the case until it resembled a hunk of shattered ss. Then he fished out the SIM card and crushed that, too. ¡°Hey!¡± He stabbed the air with a finger. ¡°From now on, I vet everyone in your life. I can¡¯t trust you. You¡¯re a liability.¡± ¡°I was just trying to help you!¡± ¡°Give me a break. You went behind my back and met with Killian.¡± He kicked aside the trashed phone and headed for his walk-in closet. He palmed a false wall, yanking a gun from the hiding space. A sliver of panic darted through my heart. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± He packed a box of shells in his jacket, suiting up like he was invading Pnd. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡± I clutched his shirt, my eyes hot. ¡°Don¡¯t risk your life over a stupid misunderstanding.¡± ¡°That piece of shit knows exactly what he¡¯s doing.¡± He shoved a knife into his ankle strap and stormed at the door. I stared at Vinn¡¯s retreating back, my body consumed with fire. It was all I could do not to fall apart. I caught up to him and seized his arm. ¡°Vinn, stay.¡± ¡°He¡¯s taking you from me.¡± The force of his words crumbled a wall inside me. ¡°I belong to you, not him.¡± A flicker of heat shed through his ice. I flew into his chest and grabbed his neck, the pressure on my lungs excruciating. I threaded my fingers through his hair. I buried my burning face in his shoulder and kissed him. I yanked at his dress shirt, desperate to prove my feelings. I¡¯d have to give him a reason not to go-a piece of my pride to soothe his. I tugged until he yielded an inch. I pressed my mouth against his, sucking his lower lip. His breathing quickened, but he didn¡¯t reciprocate. Usually, Vinn didn¡¯t hesitate to take control of me. He¡¯d crush me in his embrace and rip off my clothes if I let him, but suddenly he refused to yield. ¡°Vinn, I only went there to help you. I¡¯ve had a crush on you since I was four.¡± ¡°That¡¯s touching.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth!¡± A dark smile carved into his cheek as he straightened, his imperial frame towering over mine. ¡°You are such a liar.¡± My spark of hope vanished. ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°I caught you trying to leave.¡± His palm lifted to my face and stroked me. He was like marble pressing into me, the coolness sinking into my chin. Normally, his touch warmed me like the sun, but cold shivered down my spine instead of excitement. I was wet for him because his attention was on me, but my desire was toxic. Ill-fated. I clenched my jaw to kill the shaking. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you.¡± ¡°Shut the hell up.¡± ¡°Why would I lie?¡± He lowered, hissing into my ear. ¡°Because you¡¯re in love with another man.¡± Shit. It was my fault he believed that in the first ce. I¡¯d only provoked him out of a selfish need for vengeance. My stupid lie had gone way too far. He cupped my face and leaned in, brushing his lips across mine. His whisper breezed my mouth. ¡°Stay. Here.¡± ¡°Vinny-¡± His fingers tightened, catching my breath before it escaped. ¡°Don¡¯t call me that ever again.¡± The pulsing knot inside me demanded me to argue. How many times had I visited him in the hospital and rehab? I cared about him. How did he not know that in his marrow? I had to prove it. Witnessing him in this state twisted my guts. I¡¯d jabbed a knife between his ribs, and he¡¯d bleed to death if he went outside. If I let him go, there was a good chance he¡¯d do something reckless. He would die like Daniel, who was ruled by his emotions. Daniel did whatever he felt like, and that attitude had gotten him killed. A horrific image of Vinn in a coffin burned me like acid. Desperation wed my throat as I dug into his back. I sank my nails into him, determined to stop him. ¡°Vinn, let¡¯s talk.¡± I shoved myself in between him and the door. ¡°Vinn, wait.¡± ¡°Out of the way.¡± ¡°Let me prove it!¡± ¡°What?¡± I detached from the wall, sliding my arms around his waist. I tried to squeeze ten years¡¯ worth of affection into his stiffening body. It was a one-sided hug, but Vinn¡¯s smoldering gaze didn¡¯t make me feel unwanted. Something of the boy he was shed through his ebony pools. I anchored my hands on his shoulders. My lips pressed into his cold cheek. ¡°You want to convince me?¡± he said gruffly. ¡°Yes.¡± Vinn considered me, eyes nting. ¡°Kneel.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Get on the fucking floor and kneel.¡± His tone froze me like the ocean in winter. ¡°Vinny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your Vinny.¡± #3 —Chapter 19 LIANA I kneeled. Heat stole into my face as my legs struck the marble. I lowered my gaze, unable to stomach the cruel twist of his mouth. I didn¡¯t want to degrade myself, but the alternative was letting him go. I¡¯d cried all the tears when my brother called a year ago with the horrible news that Vinn had been shot. I couldn¡¯t swallow my sobbing fast enough to breathe. His shooting had detonated me. If he walked out the door, the same thing might happen. He couldn¡¯t leave. His jacket and keys hit the tile. I was the third inanimate object he¡¯d discarded. A dull ache pulsed in my skull as he curled a finger around my chin, the gesture unbearable in its tenderness. ¡°Good girl,¡± he praised. ¡°Now beg me to fuck you.¡± I looked up from the floor pinching my flesh, his cks, over the bulge that jolted me with hope. ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Beg me to fuck you.¡± I fingered my throat, the burn from my cheeks spreading like a head-to-toe bath. Fantasizing about sex with Vinn wasn¡¯t the same asmitting to the act. ¡°You want me? Right now?¡± He nodded, his expression marked with loathing. I¡¯d pictured my first time like a sweet montage in a romanticedy, sparkling conversation over a dinner table and then stumbling to bed, not this intoxicating submission. Spirals of heat stroked my nipples as he clenched his fists. His jaw ticked with a savage tempo as his possessive gaze zeroed on me. He could¡¯ve strangled me just as soon as fucked me. ¡°Beg me, or I¡¯m gone.¡± Panic gnawed at my confidence. Then he stepped away, heading for the door. ¡°Take me. Fuck me.¡± I sucked in breath as he stopped, wreathed in darkness. ¡°Do what you want with my body.¡± His stare impaled me. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Desperation swelled beneath my ribs, but the same sick longing seemed to grasp Vinn. He approached, sweeping his knuckles over my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not using a condom.¡± A thrill of anticipation touched my nipples. ¡°Vinn, I¡¯m not on birth control.¡± ¡°Is that a no?¡± ¡°I-I won¡¯t stop you.¡± A war raged in his eyes. ¡°You should.¡± ¡°You were going to keep me, but never fuck me?¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve been nice. I¡¯ve always held back around you.¡± His fingers knotted my hair. ¡°You drive me crazy, Liana.¡± He affected me, too. My ragged breaths cut the air as he restrained me, so intoxicated by him that I wavered. ¡°Do anything you want.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that. You¡¯re handing over power, giving me the tools to manipte you.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Vinn tightened his hold, his chest pulsing. ¡°Killian would eat you alive.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have my trust. You do.¡± I turned, grazing my lips on his leg. I kissed him through the fabric. My hands smoothed over hard muscle before sweeping up his thigh. My fingers brushed his zing-hot bulge. I closed my fist over him. His cock jumped. As I stroked him, he released a low hiss. He anchored behind my head, shoving my face into his groin. He rubbed his stiff cock over my cheek, his body melting me through the cotton. It should¡¯ve been degrading, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Liana, this is yourst fucking chance.¡± He backed away, still gripping my hair. ¡°Otherwise you will be wrecked, possessed, owned, and fucked.¡± I had no other choice. Even if my panties weren¡¯t soaked, I would¡¯ve let him take me. I¡¯d rather be fucked within an inch of my life than put Vinn in harm¡¯s way, so I signed on the dotted line. I leaned forward. My lips teased his length, tracing his mushroom-shaped head. His eyelids flickered, and he smirked. ¡°Get up. Kiss me like you kissed Vincent.¡± I shot upright and stumbled toward him. I took his waist, leaning into him. My clumsy kissnded on his chin before Vinn stooped, allowing me to crush his rigid lips. They parted with a breeze of heat. ¡°That¡¯s it? No wonder you¡¯re not together.¡± I seized his dress shirt and mmed my mouth into his. My tongue shed into him, his mint taste shing an image of the beach. I pretended we rolled on the sand while wavespped our feet. I saw him in the military haircut, wearing the uniform. In my dreams, it wasn¡¯t a scandal to kiss him. He ravished me. He sucked on my lower lip, stifling my moans with his consuming kisses. I raked his hair, hissing when we bumped into a wall. He marked my neck with tiny stings. He nipped down, stopping just before my breast. His touch sailed up my thigh and grabbed my ass, kneading me. We tore at each other until he kicked open a door. Vinn dragged me into his bedroom. He pushed me into a chair, his face still glued to mine. He cradled my cheek, which shouldn¡¯t have lit my being on fire. He used to pinch my jaw and smile. It made me feel special, but he kept doing it, and when I got older, the burn spread to naughty ces. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± he whispered, kissing me softly. ¡°Much better.¡± I licked my mouth. ¡°What will you do to me?¡± His breath cut my skin as I stared into a remorseless gaze. ¡°You won¡¯t move. No matter what I do, your legs stay open.¡± I nodded, my breathing shallow. Suddenly, he left the cradle of my arms. His shirt cor revealed the deep red flushing his chest. I ached to drag him close and explore his body. It took everything I had not to fall into his embrace. His rough fingers rolled up my sleeves. He leaned on the chair, and then his lips touched mine, soft and gentle. His tongue slid under my pout and sucked. The heatshed me with bliss. A glow throbbed in my pussy as he yed with me, the pull at my navel so strong I cupped his face. ¡°No touching.¡± My hands flew to the chair, and my legs clenched. The darkness in his tone affected me. ¡°Why am I sitting?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking the questions. They¡¯ll be very personal.¡± His silky voice carried a challenge. ¡°Refuse to answer or lie, and I¡¯ll whip your ass.¡± I nodded. His smile flickered. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°L-Liana.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± I gaped at Vinn. ¡°You know that.¡± ¡°I will start fucking your mouth unless it¡¯s a response to my question.¡± That tititing image sted my thighs with steam. He tapped me. ¡°How old?¡± ¡°Twenty-one.¡± ¡°Where did you grow up?¡± ¡°Boston,¡± I said, bewildered. Vinn disappeared as he stepped around, sweeping the hair from my shoulders. He tickled my neck. ¡°Where do you go to school?¡± I arched into his touch before remembering the order-Don¡¯t move. I stilled, gripping the arms. ¡°B-Bourton University.¡± Vinn sank into the chair beside mine, sleeves rolled up his tattooed biceps. ¡°Do you meet a lot of guys at college?¡± ¡°Uh-sure.¡± ¡°Tell me about your boyfriends.¡± I wetted my lips. ¡°Boyfriends?¡± ¡°How many have you had?¡± My palms slipped. ¡°I-what?¡± He nipped the shell of my ear. ¡°How many boyfriends?¡± ¡°None.¡± His tone darkened. ¡°The truth, Liana. Now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a rtionship.¡± My half-hearted attempts to move on always ended in disaster. I¡¯d never stopped loving him-even my hate was coated in so much love. His brows flickered as he digested that. He blinked, losing his thread a little. ¡°How many men have you been with?¡± He slowly ripped open my blouse. Buttons snapped as they popped off, tickling my stomach. His raking gaze stroked my body as he pulled the shirt off my curves. His finger slid along my bra, making my breath hitch. ¡°I want their names, Liana.¡± ¡°Let-let me think.¡± I¡¯d fumbled with a few in high school and college, but none had progressed very far. ¡°There-there was Ben. James and Dennis. Then y-you.¡± ¡°Three boys and me. That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I licked my lips. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± ¡°Do you think or know?¡± Vinn trailed his grip up my arm. My heart seized. ¡°I definitely know.¡± ¡°Good. Tell me about the first boy.¡± ¡°He went to a different school. We met through friends, and he took me to the movies.¡± ¡°You fucked him?¡± If Michael ever caught him talking like this, he¡¯d slit his best friend¡¯s throat without hesitation. I flinched. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. It-it was innocent. We made out in the movie theater.¡± ¡°Did he touch your tits?¡± I nodded, burning at the memory. A smile staggered across Vinn¡¯s face. ¡°Did he go under your bra?¡± ¡°Sometimes, but I usually-¡± I stopped as he cupped me through the fabric, his thumbs stroking where my nipples ached. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°You usually what?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Vinn¡¯s voice softened, but it didn¡¯t disguise his intentions. He drew circles, torturing me through the thick cups. Heat tingled my nipples as they stiffened into points. I bit my lip against the inferno iming my pussy. ¡°Liana, if I have to ask again-¡± ¡°I¡¯d push him off me. Back then, I didn¡¯t like doing it in a public ce.¡± Vinn snorted. Then he eased the bra over my breasts. I shuddered, releasing a low hiss. Arousal pooled between my thighs as Vinn followed the band, loosening the straps. His stare dipped to my cleavage, and when it swung to my eyes, he twisted the sp. The bra tumbled to my belly. His warm hand swallowed my breast. He rolled my nipple. My blood surged at the teasing intimacy. My teeth ground together as he tweezed me, the gentle friction shooting sparks. My breathingbored as he gave the same attention to my other breast. God, he was amazing. But why was he doing this? Vinn offered me no answers as he kneaded me, his gaze snapping to my face as though to gauge my response. He gathered both nipples. Then he pinched. I gasped. ¡°What else did you do with him?¡± he demanded. ¡°Did his mouth touch your tits?¡± I couldn¡¯t say a word. His skillful hands had robbed me of breath. He squeezed harder. The unexpected bolt of pleasure made me gasp. ¡°N-no.¡± ¡°Never fucked you with his fingers?¡± My cheeks heated. ¡°Vinny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your Vinny.¡± He leaned forward, his words tickling my skin. ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°No-oh, God.¡± His mouth smothered my nipple. He suckled me, tantalizing the buds that¡¯d already swollen to their fullest. Wet heatshed the hardened point, and a spurt of desire spiraled within me, centering on Vinn¡¯s flicking tongue. My whole being flooded with lust. A moan slipped from my lips, and I buried my hands in his hair. ¡°Oh, I want more. Vinn.¡± He bit me. I yelped and returned to the chair. He tore away, leaving me with a red mark and a throbbing ache. ¡°Tell me about the other guys.¡± I sucked in harshly and tried not to rub my thighs together. ¡°I met Dennis in Anthro 101. I-um-I blew him a few times.¡± ¡°Did he finish in your mouth?¡± I nodded, too mortified to speak. ¡°Did he get you off?¡± ¡°No,¡± I whispered ¡°He didn¡¯t even get you off?¡± My face boiled at his warmugh. ¡°I didn¡¯t want a boyfriend. I just wanted-¡± ¡°To suck dick without anything in return?¡± ¡°It was consensual, and I liked it. He¡¯d text me. I¡¯d meet him on campus. We¡¯d find a spot where I could do it. It onlysted a few weeks, but it was hot as hell. I don¡¯t regret it.¡± I¡¯d enjoyed how impersonal it was while still fulfilling a depraved fantasy. Vinn¡¯s re heated. ¡°Tell me about the others.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one, James. I bumped into him at a party. I made out with him, and I got drunk. I woke up on the couch. My jeans were down, and his finger was on my clit.¡± Vinn¡¯s calm expression shattered. A severity rippled over his brows. ¡°The same James at the bar.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And he fucked you?¡± ¡°No, no. I pushed him off and left.¡± He smoldered for a few moments. ¡°What about the man who gave you the ne?¡± ¡°What ne?¡± ¡°You wear it almost every day.¡± ¡°Uh-we never even kissed.¡± A fierce ze imed my cheeks. ¡°I loved him, but it was unrequited. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°He never touched you?¡± Not until now. I pressed my lips together and shook my head. He forced air through gritted teeth. ¡°What was your first time like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a virgin.¡± He snorted. ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± Vinn looked at me for a while. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me.¡± ¡°Would you have treated me differently?¡± ¡°I guess not.¡± He flipped my skirt over my waist, his palm stroking the inside of my thigh. ¡°How many sex toys do you have?¡± ¡°A few.¡± ¡°Like? Don¡¯t get shy on me.¡± I mumbled a response. ¡°Liana.¡± ¡°A few dildos and¡­butt plugs.¡± A grin split his face. ¡°You want to be taken in the ass?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯d like to try.¡± ¡°Good to know.¡± He slipped under my skirt, teasing my thighs before he tugged. Vinn taking off my clothes was magic, like the sweet kisses he nted under my jaw. They zed as the fabric rolled off, exposing the pink triangle of my panties. I shuddered as the skirt glided down, and then he ripped it from my ankles. He nudged my knees apart. His hands explored me, canvassing my legs, tracing my bikini. I groaned. ¡°Let me touch you.¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± He smiled into my neck, nipping me. He sucked hard until a patch of skin burned, and then he lowered to my nipple to raise another mark. He cupped my ass, his fingers riding my seam. He pushed into me, still on the outside of my underwear. I moaned, and then he slid my bikini to the side, sliding into my wetness. He massaged my clit. He descended to my wet mound, slipping in the river of my arousal. I shut my thighs. Vinn pped my knee. ¡°Open.¡± I obeyed, and he resumed the slow stroking. A t pressure curled over my pussy. His hand curved into my folds, testing my entrance. One finger sank into me. Desperate sounds ripped from me. ¡°You could be telling the truth. Maybe you clench your thighs every time I touch you. Do you put your hand between your legs and wish it was my cock?¡± My mouth parted. ¡°Yes.¡± He tore me from the chair. My knees hit the desk before he forced me to bow. My belly pressed into the wood. My toes skimmed the floor. Then he gathered my wrists. Shit. He snapped his palm over my butt. The bite of it seeped into my flesh. He spanked me again. A yell burst from my closed lips. He stroked the burn. He touched where I clenched madly on emptiness. Then he fucked me with a finger. I drowned in a pool of silky pleasure as I sealed around the hardness, aching for longer. Thicker. I pushed against him. ¡°Oh, Vinn. That¡¯s so good.¡± ¡°Want more?¡± ¡°Yes, I do. I really do.¡± He pped the fullest part of my ass. It seared with a blooming pain. The sting of his blows radiated to my pussy, throwing gasoline on an already raging fire. His fingers plunged inside me, the wet sounds filling the room. He pulled out of me and whacked my ass. He rubbed my clit hard. Holy fuck. A searing wave twitched my hips. My orgasm smashed into me and left me reeling. Rich groans erupted from my mouth. I was a discarded marite, but the relief I sought never came. My pussy still contracted. I groaned with a sharp frustration as Vinn yanked me from the desk. His eyes sparkled as he cradled my heaving body. He watched me with a wicked smile as he ran a finger down my side, as though he loved how I shuddered. There wasughter in his gaze clouded with suspicion. He tossed me onto the bed. I shed at his shirt, wing it off in my haste. He threw it aside, and I grabbed the bulge straining his cks. He sucked in when I squeezed him and broke from my grip to remove his pants, and suddenly his weight settled over me. I gasped at the sensation of being held against a naked man. I expected him to throw me onto the mattress and rut me, but Vinn explored my curves, easing my thighs apart with a tap. He closed the distance. His heartbeat hammered my chest. ¡°You really want this. With me.¡± I bit my lip, fighting the grin. ¡°Yes.¡± Vinn said nothing for a while. He stroked my hair, front to back, his fingers tingling my shoulders as they skated down. ¡°I trust you.¡± He nodded, and he drew me into a soft kiss. A hardness nudged my pussy, dropping into my wetness. He inched forward. He was so hot and thick, like a fist wedging me open. I grimaced. Vinn paused. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just-are you all the way inside?¡± ¡°Not even close, baby.¡± Baby. My heart sang as he imed my mouth, his hips rocking slowly. I¡¯d yed around with so many toys that it wasn¡¯t torture, but he was big enough to make me wince. He rained kisses on me as he pulsed, his strokes deepening into thrusts that stole my breath. His ragged breathing hitched with an anchoring thrust. The full length of him pushed into me. A sharp agony split me in two. I fought to inhale, my palms slipping off his neck. ¡°That¡¯s all of me. Li, breathe.¡± ¡°Trying.¡± He pulled back, relieving the pressure. He caught my leg, sliding his touch to my knee, which he marked with a love bite. Eyes shut, he rolled his hips. The fullness from this position ripped a groan from me. I hissed as the pain melted into sweetness. The more he fucked me, the less it hurt. My thighs rxed, and we settled into afortable rhythm. God, I needed our mouths touching-not having anything but the sheets to grasp made this unbearable. Vinn had plenty of me. He gripped my hip, then he shifted to my waist and belly, cupping my breast. He punched forward with deeper thrusts. Ecstasy glowed through me like warm honey. I tangled my fingers with his. I dragged him to my cheek and kissed his knuckles, my breath hitching. My nails dug into his hand. It was much better now, so easy. Lying under him while he worked up a sweat while fucking me was the best thing ever. Amazing. Every sensation heightened my arousal-his strained grunts, the obscene, wet pping, the sharp scent of male, the chest hair tingling my breasts. His arm buckled, and he fell as though weakened. He seized my hips, and he pounded me with an unhinged rhythm. It was like he shoved his cock into my stomach. I gasped as my breasts crushed against his pecs. I explored the nes of his back as he caged me in his arms. I melted, my world filled with him. His hard body sailed in my hands. He clutched my hair and mashed his kiss into me. His tongue forced my lips to part, and I sumbed to his domination. I burned for more. He showered kisses over my mouth and jaw. My emotions and thoughts whirled and skidded. All I could do was take the rolls of his hips. He kissed my nipples, rousing a melting warmth. He picked up a lock of my hair and inhaled. The raw passion lifted me to blissful clouds. I soared. My blood sang with the tempo of our bodies. I raked his shoulders. Then I shattered into a million glowing stars. Ecstasy flooded my whole being as his cock anchored deep. A tremor heated my thighs as a gust of pleasure swept me away. Vinn arched. His face squeezed, and he let out a delicious groan. Liquid heat jetted from his cock, filling me with wetness. I quivered with the sensation. I couldn¡¯t speak. I did nothing but savor him. His pulse hammered my breast. He panted, forehead touching mine. A bead of his sweat trickled to my cheek. His eyes crashed into mine, no longer pools of pitch-ck but burning with a feral possessiveness. My giddiness popped like bubbles from soda, exploding with Vinn¡¯s growing smile. He looked at me under hisshes with an arrogance that demolished his sweetness. I moved to free myself. Bitterness cut my chest when he resisted, eye-fucking me. He kissed my cheek. That one kiss sparked a fierce ache. He pulled out, hands sliding over my body like furniture. He tapped my leg and slid off the bed. Then he disappeared into the bathroom to clean himself. My stomach gaped hollowly. I¡¯d saved myself for him only for it to be met with his indifference. This moment was supposed to mean something, and now it was ruined. I trembled. My throat burned with a silent scream. I shoved off the bed and picked up my clothes, eager to put every moment of this night behind me, until I kicked something round and hard. The ne he¡¯d ripped off me dug into my foot. I grabbed it. I was a volcano on the verge of erupting, all my bottled feelings mming into my chest. Years¡¯ worth of anguish wed at my throat as I met his puzzled gaze. Vinn stood in his carpeted walk-in closet, pulling on cks. He pulled on his jacket, but Iced my hands with his, stopping him from buttoning. He resisted. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°Stay with me.¡± My eyes pinched shut against the rejection that woulde. A sick yearning assaulted me. My throat tightened. I was tired of this. I couldn¡¯t bear the sight of his coldness without breaking down. I can¡¯t do this. He pulled me off him and pinched my chin. His lips curled with a small grin, as though he found me begging him to stay amusing. ¡°I had fun, but I¡¯m still very pissed. I¡¯ll be back. Tomorrow.¡± The stone wall within me crumbled. My palm opened around the seashell clutched in my fist. My thoughts careened as I slowly untangled the chain and draped it over my neck. Vinn ripped away from me and roughly tugged on his jacket. His stiff outrage was my only victory. The only power I held over Vinn was the pendant dangling on my neck. He would never love me. I had to shove him away. He gave my throat a bitter re, and left the room. #3 —Chapter 20 VINN Fuck, she¡¯d been a greaty. The best I¡¯d ever had. I couldn¡¯t get it out of my head, how her soft curves had molded into my body. She might¡¯ve been a virgin, but she got my blood pumping like nothing else when she arched her back, ripped at my clothes, and shed my mouth with her tongue. She should be held responsible for turning me into a maniac. Thirty years, and I¡¯d never made the stupid decision to fuck a woman bareback. I¡¯d taken note of men like Michael, who¡¯d ruined his life by knocking up a stripper, and kept my dick wrapped up. If a girl hinted at having stronger feelings, my ass was out the door. And yet, I¡¯d broken every rule tonight, and I wanted to do it again. I might¡¯ve gotten her pregnant. A sick part of me hoped I had. I could keep her forever. The reckless thought consumed me with a me before I shoved it away. Jesus, I¡¯d lost my mind. I¡¯d officially gone off the deep end, if I was that desperate. The shot of whiskey trembled in my grip. I¡¯d headed straight for Sunset Tavern, and I¡¯d stared at the ss for thest fifteen minutes. Hanging out in bars was terrible for my sobriety, but if I didn¡¯t drown myself in alcohol, I would do something insane. A body bumped into my chair. Only one motherfucker would be so cavalier with my personal space, and I had no interest in listening to his snidements all night. Michael leaned against the counter, his teeth shing with a fake smile. ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯re in the doghouse for being a prick.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not fighting.¡± ¡°Then why are you at the ce where you find all your hookups?¡± A deadly edge crept into his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else.¡± I swallowed the drink as the truth burned in my chest. Liana was mine, wedged so far inside my chest I couldn¡¯t breathe without a sharp ache. Was it the same for her? No. She couldn¡¯t go a day without pining after the other man, regardless of her ¡°crush¡± on me. I hurled the ss at the wall. It shattered, raining on the peanut-shell-covered floor. Michael gave me a vicious side-eye. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°She¡¯s still my sister,¡± he warned in a deep growl. ¡°And I¡¯m waiting on your wedding invitation. Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed, asshole.¡± ¡°There will be a wedding.¡± And hopefully, a baby. God, I was fucking nuts. ¡°When?¡± Michael pressed, shoving a tumbler of seltzer in my hands. ¡°She¡¯ll be showing soon. There¡¯s nothing tackier than a bride with a baby bump.¡± ¡°Within a month.¡± ¡°Then you need to get with the program.¡± He was absolutely right. ¡°Thanks for the pep talk.¡± I patted his shoulder, and he flinched. ¡°Later.¡± I grabbed my coat and slid off the stool, leaving the bar. My mood was ck. My hatred for the man who gave her the ne clogged my lungs like toxic smoke. I couldn¡¯t breathe without the sting of a thousand tiny knives. This was unlike me. I didn¡¯t be a fuming wreck when they wore another man¡¯s jewelry. I didn¡¯t stalk their exes. Exes. The frat bro¡¯s round face swam in my mind, poisoning my stomach. James had signed his own death warrant. He¡¯d touched parts of Liana I considered mine. He¡¯d almost raped her. Unforgivable. I PARKED my car in a ckout area.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Then I strolled into the sports dive doubling as a miniature golf course that advertised half-off pints. The male, early twenties crowd packed every avable spot. Pitchers of beer stood precariously on steel tabletops. It would¡¯ve been easy to swipe one, but I honestly had no interest in the cheap bilge they were drinking. I¡¯de here for something else. Or rather, someone. I had so much shit on my te, but this was personal. I entered a room filled with pool tables. I bellied up to the counter, finding the pasty-faced bastard ignoring the queue of customers to chat with a girl. James teased a finger around her hair and tugged. Sheughed and swiped his hand away. He winked at her as she headed for the bathrooms, and then he grabbed her half-empty mug. He adjusted his fingers, slipping powder over the rim. The small, white grains vanished as he refilled her drink. Well, that sealed it. James was a dead man. It hadn¡¯t taken long to find him. Poking around Liana¡¯s social media gave me all the information I¡¯d needed. After she¡¯d casually mentioned her near-rape with the frat bro, I¡¯d made it my mission to erase him from Liana¡¯s life. Judging by what I¡¯d witnessed, I was doing the female poption at Bourton University a solid. I knocked over her ss. The roofied beer sshed him in a wide arc. He jumped back and groaned. ¡°What the fuck, man? Damn, it¡¯s all over me.¡± He mopped himself, the wet stain on his crotch growing. His sour gazended on me. ¡°You¡¯re that guy. Liana¡¯s bodyguard.¡± ¡°Fianc¨¦.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, Queenie told me.¡± He seized a dripping rag and cleaned under the taps. ¡°Congrats. That¡¯s cool. Super happy for you guys.¡± The jamook must¡¯ve finally Googled me. I liked him better when he had a pair of balls, although his creep-factor suggested he never possessed any. ¡°Crazy to run into you here.¡± He wrung the towel, tossing it in the sink. ¡°Didn¡¯t think this ce would be your scene.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all about cheap beer and low expectations.¡± He flushed. ¡°Look, I haven¡¯t touched her. I did what you said. I don¡¯t exist to her anymore.¡± Not yet. I smiled. ¡°I know.¡± He nodded, tensing. ¡°You here with Li?¡± God, I hated her name on his lips. I shook my head. ¡°I was in the neighborhood and spotted you inside. Thought I¡¯d say hello.¡± A fracture snapped through James¡¯s thin veneer of calm. His cheeks zed red. What I wouldn¡¯t have exchanged for two hours with him and my Ka-Bar knife. ¡°W-what would you like? IPA?¡± ¡°Give me what you gave that girl.¡± His wide eyes locked on mine. I could practically hear his thoughts. No doubt, he imagined his coveted internship, his enrollment at a prestigious Ivy League, and his shiny, bright future vanishing in a puff of smoke. And it would. He filled a ss and banged it on the counter. ¡°On the house.¡± I peered into the crowd. ¡°That chick is headed this way. I¡¯ll leave you alone. Thanks for the beer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re-you¡¯re wee.¡± I winked at him and left the bar, waiting for him outside. Minutester, he used the service exit, hoodie drawn tight, hands deep in his pockets. I peeled from the wall and grabbed him. He iled as I cupped his mouth. My bicep slid over his throat. As Ipressed his neck, he wed at my forearm, pping me with pathetic, meaty thuds before he passed out with barely a whimper. Jesus, Liana fought me with more violence than this little bitch. It ended so quickly that my heartbeat never picked up the pace. I bound him with zip ties and threw him in the trunk. Then I wound tape around his skinny ankles and mouth. I could¡¯ve made his death quick and painless by bagging his head, but that was too bloodless. Too easy. And I wanted him to think he had a chance. He deserved to suffer. I pulled over once to stab him in the thigh. When I reached the Quabbin Reservoir, my car reeked of piss and blood. Thankfully, the liner caught everything. I dragged him out. He smashed into the hard-packed ground, his cheeks streaming with tears. I ripped the tape from his lips. He screamed as though I¡¯d stabbed him again. Then I seized his arm and strolled through the thicket of trees. When I dumped him into the freshly dug grave, he lost his shit. ¡°O-oh God! Please don¡¯t kill me, man!¡± He gritted his teeth, blubbering. ¡°I won¡¯t-I won¡¯t tell anybody what you did. I¡¯ll-I¡¯ll never, ever talk to your fianc¨¦e. I swear.¡± I drew my gun. ¡°No, no, no!¡± He shoved himself against the grave, his high-pitched pleas digging into my ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± He sounded like he really believed that. ¡°You took advantage of her.¡± His eyes widened, and the color drained from his skin. Men like him were always shocked at the order of the universe turning against them. They were oblivious to the destruction they caused, the shattered lives and the broken women. Crimson nketed my vision. I shot him. Blood burst from his stomach, his abdomen, his chest, everywhere. His head rolled back, the tension in his muscles gone. I emptied the whole clip. I wiped the gun, dumping it beside his body. Then I shoveled dirt over James¡¯s ck-jawed face. Next, Killian. #3 —Chapter 21 LIANA Something was off. The hairs on my neck rose when Vinn walked through the door, hair mussed, smiling. He immediately dumped his shirt and pants in the washer, which set my rms on red-alert. My mind dove into the worst-case scenario as Vinn jumped in the shower. I almost stormed into the bathroom to ask where the hell he¡¯d gone. Instead I clenched my teeth and glowered at the TV show I was supposed to be absorbing. He¡¯d been out all night and for the better part of the morning. The clothes in the wash and his aura of giddiness pitted me with dread. Was I not enough? I dismissed the insecurity and crushed it under my heel. It was time to wake up. I¡¯d loved a cardboard cutout of Prince Charming that had never existed. I¡¯d never known Vinn at all. I switched off the TV and flung the remote onto the table, the void in my stomach growing. I shuffled to the blinding kitchen for a coffee. Vinn, freshly washed, stood at the stove, pouring egg whites on a te. He wore gym shorts and nothing else. The sight of his naked back brought home the ache in my pussy, my sore breasts, and my tingling mouth. The knot in my gut pulsed. ¡°I got you a phone,¡± he announced, gesturing at the counter. ¡°I already synced it with yourptop.¡± I folded my arms across my chest, ignoring the cell beside its packaging. My head pounded with the effort of not calling him a dozen expletives. ¡°What, no catty remark? Your contacts are all on there, except the asshole.¡± ¡°Along with a million security apps to track my every movement and keystroke.¡± He winked as he sat, tucking into his food. ¡°Smart girl.¡± The tauntshed my cheeks. It wasn¡¯t enough that he¡¯d humiliated me. He had to be a jerk about my privacy, too. ¡°Shove it up your ass, Vinn.¡± I slid the cell over the marble. Vinn caught it, frowning. I shot from the kitchen. A potent rage seared my spine. The skin on my face strained. My hands clenched and unclenched. I bulldozed into Vinn¡¯s bedroom and threw open the closet. I seized a bag and shoved articles of clothing inside, packing so quickly I barely paid attention. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Vinn¡¯s baritone was like a p of lightning. ¡°I¡¯ll be at Michael¡¯s.¡± He gave me a ck lookyered with confusion, and then he set his chin into an unyielding line. Every muscle in his body spoke defiance, right down to the one twitching in his jaw. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± I shouldered the backpack, standing. ¡°I¡¯ll return in a few days. I¡¯ll tell Michael we¡¯re in a fight over wedding venue locations, so he doesn¡¯t murder you.¡± His expression hardened like someone who¡¯d been pped. He grabbed me as I headed out. He palmed my back, and then he scooped me into his arms. ¡°Li, what¡¯s the matter?¡± The gentle touch shattered me. ¡°It was supposed to be special.¡± I screwed up my face, battling the rising lump in my throat. ¡°I never wanted to have sex with anyone but the man I married. It¡¯s stupid and outdated, but I¡¯d saved myself for this. It meant a lot to me, but it wasn¡¯t anything to you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°You took off right after!¡± Vinn dropped his gaze as a red flush imed his cheeks. ¡°I needed time alone.¡± I swung, almost hitting him with the bag. ¡°Time alone? Or time with someone else?¡± Vinn seemed to resent the usation. He ground his teeth before letting out a long, harsh sigh. ¡°I went to Sunset Tavern. Michael was there. We talked, and then I left to buy your phone. I ran another errand at a construction site, and my footing wasn¡¯t bnced, and I fell into the dirt. Then I came home. The end. Call Michael if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± I bit the inside of my cheek. ¡°There¡¯s no other woman. You deleted them all from my phone, remember?¡± He slipped the pack from my shoulder and grasped my arm, his grip white-hot. ¡°Besides, I have my hands full with you.¡± He tugged me onto the bed, sandwiching us together. I didn¡¯t know what to believe. Maybe expecting an emotionally distant man like Vinn to be sensitive to my needs had been foolishly optimistic. Vinn¡¯s touch skimmed my waist and anchored me to his side. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± A suggestion lingered in the question. It was less concern, and more-Are you ready for more? The heat spiraling my body made me want to answer with a resounding yes. ¡°I¡¯m a bit sore.¡± He brushed a kiss across my forehead. ¡°There¡¯s Advil in the kitchen.¡± A chime from Vinn¡¯s pocket shattered the silence. Vinn handed over my phone. I nced at the screen. Queenie. I answered. ¡°Hey, babe. How are you?¡± The tiniest sob crackled the speaker. ¡°Have you seen James?¡± JAMES HAD GONE MISSING. He¡¯d skipped two work shifts, and nobody could reach him. An inconsble Queenie sat on my couch. Tissues scattered the coffee table. She¡¯d poured out her heart about her longtime crush on James. I would¡¯ve set her straight, but speaking ill of him now seemed like bad form. ¡°They¡¯ve filed a missing persons report,¡± she sniffed, clutching the gray afghan. ¡°It¡¯s a nightmare.¡± My pulse raced at the grim reminder that we no longer lived in a safe city. ¡°Maybe he took a weekend trip without telling anyone.¡± Queenie blotted her tear-stained face, shaking. ¡°He needs his job to pay his rent. He wouldn¡¯t just leave.¡± I squeezed her shoulder, wishing for the words tofort her. ¡°Walk me through what happened.¡± ¡°He went to tstick Pub on Saturday.¡± Queenie¡¯s voice steadied as sheunched into the story, as though reexamining it for the fifth time might offer new insight. ¡°He mentioned he had a volunteer shift at the-oh, wow!¡± Vinn had strolled into the room. He slid a cutting board topped with crusty Italian bread, thinly sliced soppressata, and hard cheese over the table. He handed the bbergasted Queenie a te and loaded another with snacks before pressing it into my hands. A jolt hit my stomach as our fingers touched. ¡°Thanks, Vinn. That¡¯s sweet.¡± Queenie beamed at him as she made a sandwich. ¡°I love a guy who brings me food without asking.¡± I grumbled an affirmative. Queenie bit into the bread, moaning. ¡°So good.¡± Vinn¡¯s thigh brushed mine as he sank into the couch. ¡°d you like it.¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯m impressed. I assumed she¡¯d need at least a few weeks before she said yes.¡± Queenie winked at him. ¡°Smooth moves.¡± ¡°Took a couple tries, but I got there. Right?¡± He elbowed me, and I glowered. Queenie gasped. ¡°You said no?¡± Vinn¡¯s knuckle caressed my cheek. ¡°Honey, you didn¡¯t tell your friend?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. His chastising tone raked my skin. ¡°Vinn. We¡¯re supposed to w-¡± ¡°She¡¯s pregnant,¡± he told Queenie. I groaned. ¡°What?¡± Queenie gaped at him, her shriek piercing the air. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± Thanks a lot, Vinn. My face went up in mes. ¡°I was going to mention it-¡± ¡°Oh my God, you guys are nuts.¡± She threw a pillow at me, knocking the cheese from my hand. ¡°You let me b about my problems this whole time!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not make a big deal of it.¡± ¡°I called it!¡± Queenie shrieked, covering her mouth. ¡°I knew this would happen. What did I say? You¡¯ll be married and pregnant by the end of the year.¡± Vinn¡¯s grin twitched as though on the edge ofughter. Queenie leaned over and shook my knee, grinning. ¡°You must be so excited. I¡¯m thrilled! I¡¯ll be godmother. Your brother has three kids of his own. He¡¯ll never prioritize your baby. I will.¡± Vinn straightened, shing her a polite smile that said no-fucking-way. I poked at his bicep. ¡°Thanks for the food, but you¡¯re interrupting our girl time.¡± ¡°Yeah, leave us alone so we can talk about you!¡± Vinn¡¯s granite-like features softened. He pinched my chin and stood. As soon as he rounded the corner, Queenie clutched her chest and fell into the couch. ¡°You two are so cute it breaks me. The way he looks at you makes me melt.¡± She ttened her dark curls and burst with a nervous giggle. ¡°You¡¯re having a kid. Are you freaking out?¡± ¡°A little.¡± I would be if it were real. ¡°It¡¯s so far ahead I¡¯m putting it on the back burner. Maybe there¡¯s something I can do about James. My brother¡¯s professionalwork is robust. Hell, I¡¯ll ask Vinn.¡± Queenie lifted her head, bleary-eyed. Her mouth twitched. ¡°Well, I should get going.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± She nodded. ¡°We¡¯re searching the parks today. Just in case, you know.¡± I pulled her into a hug. ¡°Keep a positive attitude. No sense driving yourself crazy until he¡¯s found.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± she whimpered. ¡°Thanks for listening.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± We exchanged goodbyes, and she headed out the door. I¡¯d decided before I¡¯d slid the deadbolt. I didn¡¯t like asking Vinn for favors, but I¡¯d put my pride aside for Queenie. Vinn was working out in the gym. He¡¯d changed into shorts and a tank top. He stood in front of a wall-to-wall mirror, lifting an Olympic barbell. His features were so perfect and symmetrical that any more would¡¯ve made him too beautiful for a man. Dark hair stuck to his handsome, square face. He jerked it to his shoulders and swung down, releasing the bar. He picked it off the ground and repeated the exercise. The tes banged into the rubber mat. Vinn cupped his shoulder and let out a raw hiss, massaging the muscle surrounding the gunshot wound from a year ago. My feet smacked the floor as I rushed toward him. ¡°You okay?¡± Vinn gave me a narrowed nce. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His frosty tone should¡¯ve sent me running. Something disturbing had reced his smolder, and it cautioned me to stay away, but I hated leaving him alone. I approached, lungs filling with the scent of iron and his heady musk. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it still hurt you.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± Like hell. Sweat glistened on his forehead. His nostrils red as a timer beeped from his phone. He closed it and wiped his rippling brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend. You can be vulnerable with me.¡± I joined him on the bench, fidgeting with my shirt. ¡°I¡¯m always here to listen.¡± ¡°Not the talkative type.¡± He patted my knee and lurched upright, then snapped the safety clips off the barbell. He eased the Olympic tes while lifting the bar. His bicep trembled, and a bang erupted through the room as itnded. ¡°Fuck.¡± I stood. ¡°I¡¯ll get ice.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Vinn sighed, dropping onto the mat. ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Would a massage help?¡± He stared into the mirror, silent. His arm fell in hisp as he rested against exercise equipment, his eyes shut. I rolled my hand over his shoulder. He tensed but didn¡¯t throw me off. I slowly dug in. Vinn released a ragged hiss. I paused, my heart pounding. ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± he whispered. ¡°Harder.¡± I did my best to work out the rock-hard knot, but it was like massaging stone. I sank into him. His mouth twisted, beads of sweat rolling down his neck. ¡°Am I hurting you?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s good.¡± Vinn leaned into me, sighing. ¡°I used to have a physical therapist do this, but I got sick of a dude touching me every week.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous.¡± I took a deep breath and held it in. ¡°So when you dered yourself healed six months after the shooting, that was total bullshit?¡± ¡°I keep everyone in the dark and oblivious.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I see no point in letting people in.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve texted me,¡± I growled. ¡°I could¡¯ve helped you.¡± Vinn¡¯s broad face split with a smile that tickled my cheeks. ¡°Hey, Li. Want toe to my ce? I could use a back rub. Your brother would¡¯ve loved that.¡± ¡°Like I¡¯d tell him.¡± He made a deep sound. ¡°Tempting, but I¡¯m nobody¡¯s dirty secret, and neither are you.¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve done anything for you.¡± My insides clenched at the blunder. I was doing it again. Pouring out my feelings would get me hurt. I throttled the current zipping through me. Vinn¡¯s gaze riveted on my face. My skin tingled as he searched my eyes. He turned, hand cupping my cheek. Warmth bloomed inside me, betraying my resolve. My attraction to Vinn had nothing to do with logic. It screamed for me to take the leap. Our lips touched. He melted into me with gentle strokes. I ckened as he lulled me into a trance. Ecstasy swirled in my body. He traced my lip with a swipe of his tongue, and a hot ache grew in my throat. His nails grazed my head. I was a furnace. He¡¯d captured me at a young age with his maic presence, but this dreamy intimacy had signed my heart over forever. His light touch blossomed with sharp aches in my skin. I pressed my open lips to his, but he didn¡¯t crush me. He held me hostage with his slow, drugging kisses. I drifted on clouds. His uneven breathing caressed my neck as he broke away, dragging me to the rubber floor. Vinn¡¯s heavy palm weighted my head. My knees buckled. I faced his groin. Not in any hurry, Vinn thumbed his shorts and pushed, grabbing his cock from a bed of trimmed hair. It swelled, the head shining with a bead of precum. He held it to my mouth. I licked my lips, stroking Vinn in the process. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about the other night.¡± Vinn¡¯s heartbeat pulsed through the taut skin as he stared down. ¡°I hate every man who touched you. Hate. Them. Especially the guy whose cock you sucked on demand.¡± A sensual quality quivered through Vinn¡¯s voice that made me slowly spread my legs. ¡°And?¡± ¡°It should¡¯ve been me.¡± He fisted my hair. His head nudged my lips, and my mouth parted. He worked in his thumb, hooking it on my cheek. His cock slid inside, filling me with a rock hardness I barely breathed around. I choked. He groaned as he buried himself, and my body clenched as though he¡¯d satisfied the ache between my legs. His hold on my hair ckened. His fingers trailed my jaw. Everything was more sensitive. His light touch hurt. The pain lingered like a smoldering kiss. He fucked me, his eyes zed as he chased his pleasure. He rolled his hips with quick, abrupt jerks, his grip hardening. His need stirred me like a finger teasing my clit. The hot, iron-like pressure thrust mercilessly as he gripped my head, making a mess of my hair. He sped up. He released a long, tortured groan, pushing himself deeper, holding me still. I leaned into him, meeting his thrusts. Saliva dribbled onto my chin as he pounded faster, hissing. He mmed home and made a desperate sound, and thick, salty warmth filled my mouth. Vinn¡¯s cock jumped in my throat. ¡°Swallow,¡± he ordered. I flicked my tongue along his shaft, relishing in his possession. ¡°Swallow, or I¡¯m not taking it out.¡± I swallowed, a thrill touching my nipples when his cum slid down. ¡°Open and show me.¡± I obeyed, heart pounding. ¡°Good girl,¡± he said, his tone soothing. ¡°Now I want you on your back. Legs spread wide.¡± I ttened on the rubber mat as Vinn ripped off my pants. He removed my panties and settled between my thighs. He fisted the ne as he smashed his mouth into mine. It was a brutal, possessive kiss. His tongue swiped in and imed me as his blunt head fitted to my pussy. I writhed. He shoved inside, stretching my walls. He gave no time to adjust. He slipped out and rammed in, trailing kisses over my body. Muscles within me contracted. I raked his back and sank my nails into his steel ass. Vinn reeled up, hovering above like a sculpted god. He was a blur of muscle. His whole body tensed with the force of fucking me. He was an unhinged animal crashing against gates. My defenses weakened as he cupped my breasts. I weed this fierce possession, even the painful thrusting because it proved that he wasn¡¯t a master of himself. He couldn¡¯t control himself around me, either. He staggered his thrust, back arched in a harsh climax. He dropped and crushed me with his weight, kissing me. He sucked my lip, biting, the cruel ravishment the final push over the edge. I gasped with the sweet agony. I vibrated with liquid heat. Long, surrendering moans burst from my chest. Wey there for a while. Then he carried me to bed, and I curled into the rigid contours of his body. I was a glowing fire of affection and love, and he let me hold him. And he stayed. It was like a beautiful dream. #3 —Chapter 22 VINN I fucked her again. Again. And again. My ns became a distant memory dissolved in a night of wild sex. I took her standing up, in the bathroom, against the mirror, and in the shower because shoving her against the ss turned me on. I checked off a list of every depraved fantasy. Myst recollection was nuzzling her perfect tits before falling into an exhausted sleep. Until she woke me with a blowjob. Liquid heat surrounded my semi. My cheeks burned with a rousing steam. Liana¡¯s head bobbed as she made the sloppiest sounds. My fingers dove into a tangle of hair. Liana gagged before I dragged her to my chest. I cupped her face and growled into her mouth. Liana mmed her lips into mine, refusing to let me breathe. My head buzzed from theck of oxygen. She was burning me up. Her lips pressed into my jaw. Her thighs glided over my hips. She fisted my cock and rolled over my body, gorgeous with her tits marked with my lust. Her pussy wrapped me in silk. Before her, I¡¯d never ridden bareback. Incredible. So fucking warm and wet. I slid into her like butter. She teased me, inch by inch. No condom. I couldn¡¯t believe we were doing this. Michael¡¯s sister. Insane. I patted her ass. ¡°Did you have funst night?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°Good. So did I.¡± I palmed her breasts as she rode me. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. So goddamned perfect.¡± I squeezed her nipples. Her stomach tensed, and she hissed. Her velvet skin tempted, and I couldn¡¯t stop touching her. ¡°I want to do so many degrading things to you.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± My imagination ran wild. I groaned, rolling over her curves. Her natural, plump tits filled my hands. I yed with them. I turned my head and licked her nipple. Liana let out tormented groans, squirming beneath me. I explored the perky breasts budding with pink and stroked the wide hips that opened for me. She arched. Wet and wanting. I rubbed her clit. I curled her leg over my thigh and kissed the base of her neck. I sucked my way down her breast. Then I fingered her. She made a delicious sound, thrusting her body into my chest. Fuck, that was hot. She clenched her thighs on me. I pped her thick ass. Then I pulled out and stuck my hand in her mouth. Her rosebud lips fastened on me. Crimson stained her cheeks as I moved between her legs. Blood throbbed in my cock, the skin tight and aching. I pushed into her pussy and moaned. Silky heat gloved my dick, squeezing. Fucking her raw intoxicated me better than any whiskey. Her touch zed me with lust. I caressed the gorgeous hollow of her back and gripped her ass. I lifted her and rammed home. A brightness sprang into her gaze as I filled her. She wed at me, whining. I pounded her, muffling her whimpers with a finger in her mouth. I dragged it out before lowering and kissing her. Liana broke from me, panting. ¡°I want to be on top.¡± I rolled onto my back and enjoyed the ride. She straddled me. So eager-I loved it-so many girls expected me to do everything. Liana plunged up and down as I teased her taut nipples. I caressed her silken belly before grabbing her hips, guiding her movements with quick, upward jerks. A red-hot tide raged though me as she abandoned herself. She let out a loud cry, fisting my hair. My thighs trembled. The release came in a flood of melting opium as I fucked her with cum. Her body quivered with my two hard thrusts. I sank into a peaceful pool, eyes half-closed. She copsed over my legs, breathing heavily. Her sighs blew across my groin. She grabbed my wet cock. Then she put her mouth to my shaft. The pleasant shock of her tongue jolted me upright. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Liana paused, her hand wrapping me. ¡°The guy I fooled around with said men liked being cleaned after sex.¡± Iughed, torn between rage at that son of a bitch and admiration. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. I think it¡¯s sexy.¡± I traced the line of her jaw. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I want to.¡± My cock twitched with the lurch of excitement. Was she doing this out of a twisted sense of obligation? ¡°Li, you were great. You know that, right? I¡¯m more than satisfied. You¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s-it¡¯s not that.¡± Liana¡¯s cheeks flooded with pink. Clearly, she had a filthy side. In that case, we¡¯d get along just fine. I gestured to myself. ¡°Have at it, honey.¡± A tentative smile carved into her cheek as she popped me into her mouth. A groan ripped from me as she stimted where I throbbed with a post-orgasmic glow. I seized her hair as her tongue swirled the sensitive skin. God, it was so wrong of me to encourage this, but she was liquid silk. My body tingled as she sucked me clean, gliding down my painfully hard dick tove my balls. She was getting all up in there-Jesus. She licked the base of my cock and glided to the head. I lurched upright. We moved to the edge of the mattress. She kneeled, lips wrapping me. Watching her take me on the floor zapped me with a lightning bolt of desire. I stood. She wrapped her arms around me when I drew out to give her a break. She wanted it rough-all right. I fisted her hair and went to town. She made delicious moaning sounds. I pulled out and threw her on the bed. Then I stroked my shaft, aiming over her glistening pussy. Milky ropes shot from my cock. I drenched her in cum. I gathered it all and shoved it inside her. Then I mmed it home. Liana¡¯s tortured moans told me she was close. She came with a tremor of her thighs and a crushing, long kiss. A shudder passed through me. I savored the satisfaction I¡¯d left inside her, but a longing tugged at my ribs. I wanted more. Of what, I had no idea. Minutester, we finally stumbled out of bed. Liana melted as I enveloped her in a button-up shirt. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Giving me the best night I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Warmth spread over my chest. ¡°I had fun, too.¡± She grinned coyly. ¡°We should¡¯ve done this when I turned eighteen.¡± A cold shock gripped me as I pictured her at that age. A teenage Liana lusting after me seemed so outrageous, but she hadn¡¯t faked any of this. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea how I would¡¯ve reacted if you hit on me.¡± ¡°I did. Plenty of times.¡± I shook my head, smiling. ¡°You needed to be more blunt.¡± Liana snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much more obvious I could¡¯ve been without jumping on yourp.¡± I made a sound of disbelief. Was I fucking clueless, or what? I thought back to every interaction with Liana. She¡¯d always hung around me, clinging to my arm, seeking me out at family events, texting, calling. She visited me while I recovered in the hospital, and I¡¯d never seen her beyond Michael¡¯s little sister with an abnormal attachment to me. It¡¯d always confused me because I¡¯d done nothing to deserve her affection. A burn raked my throat, wing me from the inside out. ¡°You want pancakes?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Liana¡¯s smile was as intimate as a kiss. The glow of it warmed me. I dressed in boxers and strolled into the kitchen, where I grabbed ingredients from the pantry as she rifled through my cupboards. I mixed everything and set a timer for fifteen minutes. I opened the fridge. ¡°Damn. I don¡¯t have any blueberries.¡± Liana settled into the counter stool, sipping orange juice. ¡°I haven¡¯t had blueberry pancakes since I was a kid.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. I closed the door, raking my hair. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re cute when you don¡¯t know what to do with yourself.¡± I couldn¡¯t stop admiring the red marks dotting her skin. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve never gone through the morning-after.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I pulled a skillet over the stove. ¡°They¡¯re out after an hour or two. I don¡¯t let them stay.¡± My mind spun. This was like an out-of-body experience. The phone beeped, and I spooned a dollop onto the hot pan. It sizzled, and I flipped the ckening pancake. I finished cooking and dropped the stack of steaming cakes in front of her. I ate eggs as Liana feasted on carbs, her te a pool of syrup. ¡°Wow. This is good. Letting them rise makes a difference.¡± Liana stared at me, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Who taught you to cook? Your mom?¡± ¡°She wasn¡¯t around much. I learned on my own. Trial and error. Lots of failed dinners.¡± My insides pulsed with a seething rage. ¡°She gave me nothing but a roof over my head.¡± I¡¯d never told anyone how bad my situation had been. I could never risk losing Mike and my zia, the only people who¡¯d made me feel safe and wanted. Even though my zia took care of me when I came over, I couldn¡¯t tell her there wasn¡¯t enough to eat at home. What if CPS ced me out of Boston? What if I never saw them again? Liana gripped my bicep, her voice tentative. ¡°Michael said before how he used to pack two school lunches. One for him and the other for you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± I nodded, the bitterness boiling in my gut. ¡°My earliest memory is ripping open a bag of flour and eating until I vomited. I was three. She¡¯d shove me into a closet, lock it, and leave for hours. Sometimes while she was with a man, the heroin dealer. My father.¡± Liana squeezed me, but I looked anywhere but at her. I couldn¡¯t bear her pity. I should¡¯ve just shut up, but something inside needed to purge. ¡°When I was fourteen, he tried to take me away. I didn¡¯t want to go. He lived in New York, and I hated him. He woke me up with his hand on my thigh. I grabbed the stun gun from under my pillow and shoved it in his neck. Then I stabbed him seven times. He died right there. My mom was nodding off in another room, so I called my uncle. Nico cleaned it up for me.¡± Her fork ttered to the te and banged the floor, but she paid it no mind. She gazed at me. ¡°And after that?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I went home.¡± Was she disgusted? I couldn¡¯t gauge her reaction, and it set me on fire. The uncertainty wed at my insides like a rabid animal. Liana¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Why tell me this?¡± ¡°Because you deserve to know why I¡¯m this way. I¡¯m done pretending, Li. I want to be with you, really be with you.¡± Her knuckle brushed my cheek. One finger became two, and then she cupped my face. ¡°Why?¡± My stomach tightened, and I dragged her into my arms. ¡°You stopped calling me. Texting. Showing up at my door. Everything. You did so many things. I didn¡¯t realize how much they mattered. I never knew how bad it¡¯d feel when they vanished. I missed you. I needed you, so¡­I took you.¡± I kissed the top of her head and held on tight. Owning her wasn¡¯t enough. I would make her fucking love me. #3 —Chapter 23 LIANA What was that? An ambrosial aroma beckoned me from sleep. My cheek unstuck from the pillow as I inhaled mouth-watering, savory deliciousness. I dropped out of bed and padded toward the scent of crackling bacon. A banquet of cheese, cold cuts, pastries, fruit, eggs, and meat spread over the kitchen counter. Folded napkins perched on gilded trays. A bouquet of ca lilies burst from a ss vase. Standing beside this image of perfection was Vinn. He was decked in a ck tux I¡¯d never seen before. He stood tall and straight, as though he prided himself on his good looks. The sharp outline of his muscles strained against the suit. His ebony hair swept back over his head. A wide smile broke on his handsome face. ¡°Morning.¡± ¡°Wow, look at you.¡± I slipped my hands inside his jacket, my heart flipping. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± His steady gaze bore into me. ¡°Am I in your dreams?¡± ¡°Only the best ones.¡± I glided up his chest to anchor on his shoulders. I grazed his smooth neck and shaven chin, kissing the dimple under his lip. A need to touch him everywhere consumed me as his aquatic scent wrapped me like a warm cloud. ¡°Take me before you leave.¡± His eyes met mine, sending a jolt through my body. ¡°But I¡¯m not going anywhere. Not without you, at least.¡± I beamed at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t today my lucky day.¡± ¡°Baby, you have no idea.¡± He pulled away from me. ¡°Sit. Eat.¡± When I hesitated, he grabbed a handful of my ass and guided me into a chair. The harsh line that defined his eyebrows softened as he loaded a te of food and slid it in front of me. I picked up my fork. ¡°Did you make all this?¡± ¡°Hell no. I had a chefe in early.¡± I¡¯d barely dug into my eggs before he poured me coffee, serving it just how I liked, and then he slid a flute of orange juice beside me. My stomach burst with warmth. I¡¯d dreamed of being doted on like this, but it was bizarreing from Vinn. ¡°You¡¯re very nice today.¡± Vinn shrugged. ¡°I have my reasons.¡± ¡°Which are?¡± He swiped a thumb under his freshly-shaved jaw. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Well, that¡¯s ominous. ¡°Did you eat anything?¡± ¡°A little.¡± I moaned as I bit into airy waffles drenched in bourbon maple syrup. The strawberries soaked up the excess sugar. I grabbed one. Vinn moved my wrist aside before I touched the berry to his mouth. Iughed. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s with the suit?¡± ¡°Eat your breakfast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry for food. I want to sit on yourp and let you do things to me.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Vinn¡¯s smoldering expression made my body ache. His hand rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°I¡¯ll do you dirty in a few hours.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Oh yeah.¡± My pulse thundered as he dragged the T-shirt over my head, locking my arms together. My world darkened as the cotton shielded my gaze. There was nothing but the distant hum of the air conditioning. Then wetness stroked my nipple. My thighs clenched as the wicked heat scorched a line straight to my pussy. A sharp pang nipped the sensitive skin, and then his hands cupped my ass, pushing me down the hall. ¡°What are you doing-oh.¡± He ripped off the shirt, and suddenly I stood in a wedding boutique. Racks of familiar Vera Wang dresses filled the room. I fingered thece of one, heart pounding. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°We¡¯re getting married.¡± Myughter rippled through the air as I whirled, facing him. ¡°I never knew you to be a practical joker. That¡¯s Michael¡¯s thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± Vinn leaned against the doorway, his posture non-threatening, but the no-nonsense tone indicated I wasn¡¯t leaving until I wore something white. I gaped at him, my belly fluttering. I¡¯d imagined my wedding to Vinn a hundred-thousand times. Not once did this scenario cross my mind. ¡°I made an appointment at City Hall.¡± His voice was kind but firm. ¡°Pick a dress. We leave in two hours.¡± A high-pitched sound broke from my lips. ¡°What?¡± Is he crazy? Shock wedged the protest in my throat. I fought the bizarre impulse tough. This was absurd. He didn¡¯t want to marry me. ¡°Why? Is this because of Nico?¡± ¡°This is for me,¡± he said. I blustered through a half-assed protest as Vinn crossed the room and kissed my cheek. Blood rushed to the spot where he touched me. ¡°I need this, and I need it now. Not in two weeks or five months.¡± Vinn didn¡¯t soften, but he lightened the gravel in his voice. ¡°Honestly, Li. What did you expect would happen after I took your virginity?¡± ¡°I-I thought we¡¯d take it slow!¡± ¡°Slow isn¡¯t in my vocabry.¡± My throat tightened. ¡°Vinn, this is insane.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do casual with my best friend¡¯s sister. It¡¯s all or nothing, and we¡¯re past the point of no return.¡± It was lightyears from the proposal I¡¯d wanted, but he gave me a sudden, arresting smile. My stomach churned with doubt. ¡°But I want a real ceremony.¡± It wasn¡¯t frivolous toin about being marched into a courthouse. There was no romance in rushing a wedding. He hadn¡¯t even asked me to marry him. ¡°I always pictured my friends and family there. It¡¯s important to me.¡± ¡°If you want another wedding, then we¡¯ll have one. But we¡¯re getting married today.¡± ¡°Vinny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not caving.¡± My mouth dropped open. ¡°Are you sure you want this?¡± ¡°Yeah, I really do.¡± He swept the hair from my shoulders. ¡°Get ready.¡± I squeezed my eyes shut and reopened them. Vinn still stood in front of me, which ruled out the possibility of a dream. I had no idea who he was anymore. Two hourster, Vinn dragged me up the brick steps of City Hall. I followed in my A-Line dress, hesitating as Vitale opened the doors. Vinn palmed my back, nodding at him. I¡¯d worn the seashell ne in ast act of defiance that was more silly than anything, considering I was marrying the man who¡¯d given it to me. Vinn hadn¡¯t pitched a fit. It was as though the knowledge I¡¯d soon be forever his had quieted his soul. I bounced my knee while we waited and swallowed a lump of nerves as we approached the judge. ¡°We¡¯re seriously doing this?¡± ¡°I already applied for marriage licenses and paid off the judge.¡± Vinn pressed his lips to my ear, triggering a wild swirl in my stomach. ¡°I made up my mind weeks ago. Nobody else will be your husband.¡± My future husband was a damned enigma. Little of the ceremony branded into my memory except for those words, and his brimstone gaze, zing with hellfire as he promised to love and cherish me. He slid the wedding band onto my finger. His eyes seemed to glitter with savageughter as he held my face and crushed his mouth into mine. My heart flip-flopped like a fish on drynd. It was possession, not love. #3 —Chapter 24 LIANA I¡¯d married Vinn. The shock and disbelief wore off quickly, and a boundless joy exploded within me like garish Christmas lights. The man of my dreams was my husband. I wished I could send a letter to my teenage self, and tell her one thing: One day, he will marry you. Theck of splendor didn¡¯t bother me as much as I thought it might after he swept me in his arms and threw me onto the bed. Vinn dragged me to the edge of the mattress. He wedged my thighs apart, and steam tingled my clit. I inhaled sharply at the contact. His tongue stroked my seam before his mouth covered me hungrily. The engulfing warmth shot electricity to my aching nipples. His hands locked around my hips, rocking me back and forth. Shivers ran down my spine. The pit of my stomach churned. I writhed with the tight, heated circles of his tongue. A burning desire screamed for more to fill the void, but his lips feathered me, teasing, bncing me over the precipice. Faster and faster, he swirled and sucked, and then I shattered into a million bolts of light. Then a broad head fitted to my pussy. Vinn mmed into me. He¡¯d shoved me headlong into a second wave of pleasure. I seized his hair, mashing our lips together. He tasted sweet and clean, his lips wet with me, and I could¡¯ve climbed on him again. He came with a tense arch of his body, eyes shut. Vinn¡¯s breathless kisses faded to a peck on my cheek. I snuggled against him, our legs intertwined. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to Paris for our honeymoon.¡± My heart squealed. ¡°When?¡± ¡°As soon as we roll out of bed.¡± Easier said than done. The high of marrying my dream-man wrapped me in a stupefying bliss that had no interest in doing anything but him. Eventually, we had to eat, so we wandered into the kitchen and finished the breakfast leftovers. Then Vinn dragged me into the walk-in closet. He crammed his suitcase with shorts and T-shirts until I made him check in a suit, so he retaliated by grabbing a scantily-d number from my wardrobe. Laughing, we rolled our bags outside and whisked to the airport. During the eight-hour ne ride, I read Vinn¡¯s dog-eared travel book. It tickled me that he¡¯d already marked it up with notes. I killed the rest of the time by sleeping-I really needed to catch up on z¡¯s-and woke up at the flight attendant¡¯s voice crackling on the speaker. I stered my face to the window as the grey sprawl of Paris broke through clouds. His heavy weight leaned into me. Heat burst through my chest. I hugged him, kissing him hard. Vinn granite lips curved. ¡°You act like you¡¯ve never been abroad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different with you.¡± I love you. The words fought for freedom as he patted my arm, pink in the cheeks. After wended, the cab took us to a small apartment over a cobblestoned street in the Marais. Vinn stopped at a grocery store for cold cuts, cheese, and a baguette. Then he took our suitcases up the narrow staircase into a dingy t. ¡°I know it¡¯s not a five-star hotel, but this is the better way to travel. Trust me.¡± He slid the bread over the kitchen table and washed his hands. ¡°You want lunch?¡± I grasped him from behind. I held him for a solid minute, refusing to release when he gently pulled at my arms. Vinn tensed. ¡°You letting me go anytime this century?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°All right then.¡± He guided us into the bedroom with me trailing him. Iughed as we faced the tiniest double bed. ¡°That can fit one of my ass-cheeks, maybe.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make it work.¡± He yanked me on the mattress. ¡°Have you been to Paris before?¡± He nodded. ¡°A few times.¡± ¡°Did you go with someone?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°With a girl, you mean?¡± Vinn¡¯s mouth curled as heat stole over my face. ¡°No. Never wanted to.¡± My pulse pounded. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Nico gave me advice once. About marriage. I took it to heart, I guess.¡± Vinn¡¯s fingers trailed my temple. ¡°If you find a woman you think is the one, travel the world with her. Visit ces that are hard to get to. And when youe back to Boston, if you¡¯re still speaking to her, marry her at the airport.¡± ¡°But you did everything backwards.¡± ¡°I figured the fake engagement thing was close enough. Stress either pushes couples apart, or it binds them closer. You and I have that covered. Don¡¯t we?¡± We did. My stomach knotted. ¡°Have you ever been in love?¡± He hesitated. ¡°No. You?¡± I pictured Vinn as a younger man, that beaming smile, his hand closing mine over the shell. Then I thought about his murder confession and all the things I¡¯d done in the name of love. I met Vinn¡¯s soft eyes, hesitating. I couldn¡¯t lie to him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Love seems to make people miserable as hell.¡± He darkened as his gaze dipped to my throat, at the seashell hanging there. ¡°Sometimes it really hurts.¡± I gripped his hand, flipping it over to admire the gold band. ¡°It¡¯s like drowning and breathing the sweetest air at the same time. It¡¯s the best thing that ever happened to me.¡± I smiled at him, but Vinn glowered. He grabbed my neck. He hovered an inch from me, bristling. ¡°I¡¯m the best thing that ever happened to you. Don¡¯t you forget it.¡± Of course you are, you idiot. I love you. TELL HIM. You¡¯re married. It made no sense to keep the truth from my husband, except for the violent fear jangling my nerves whenever I opened my mouth. I¡¯d already said I-love-you in so many ways. I¡¯d skipped sses during midterms so he wouldn¡¯t be alone while he recovered in the hospital. I should¡¯ve confessed, but the past decade had thoroughly jaded me. He would never love me. Maybe it was beyond him. I needed to live with that and stop forcing him into a box, but my heart broke at the idea of never being loved. What if I told him, and he patted my shoulder like I¡¯d paid him a nicepliment? The battle waged within me as we spent the day sightseeing. We visited art museums, kissed under the Eiffel tower, and ate brunch. I had a bounce in my step, but what I looked forward to most was wrapping up the evening in bed. We retired to the t after dinner to ¡°rest,¡± which was code for ¡°fuck¡± because he pressed me against the wall the second we closed the door. My pack hit the floor. His elbow bumped the switch, bathing us in semi-darkness. Outdoor lights slid across Vinn¡¯s face as he gripped my arms. His punishing hold sent a warning shiver through me. I angled my head. He stiffened when I went for the kiss. Great. He was in a mood. ¡°What¡¯s got you all bothered?¡± He glowered at me, his voice filled with reproach. ¡°Every Frenchman in this city thinks it¡¯s all right to ogle my wife.¡± A fierce breeze swept the wings of my butterflies. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Nobody¡¯s ogling me.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed, but they are.¡± ¡°Better not take me to Italy. You know how the men behave over there.¡± ¡°Do I ever.¡± ¡°Or the South of France. Topless beaches.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± Vinn¡¯s hands glided to my waist as he guided us toward the living room. ¡°I¡¯ll have us there in an afternoon just so I could admire the light from the water bouncing off your tits.¡± Iughed. ¡°Then everyone else could see me.¡± ¡°They would have my permission.¡± I gaped at him. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a big difference when I invite others to watch what they will never be allowed to¡­¡± he broke off, his fingers brushing my breasts, ¡°touch.¡± My blood pounded like an awakened river. He fondled one globe, his thumb teasing my nipple to hardness. I went limp. All day, we¡¯d exchanged chaste kisses because Vinn wasn¡¯t a fan of PDA. My body sang as he slipped under my bra. His warmth enveloped my tits, and he squeezed, dragging a moan from me. Then he ripped the shirt over my head. My seashell dangled on my neck. He gripped the chain. ¡°I will fuck him out of you.¡± Good luck with that. Holding the ne like a leash, he yanked down. My knees hit the floor. His fist balled my hair and the golden string. His expression was tight with strain, as though he¡¯d held off on dominating me, and it had cost him. He smiled, but it was without humor, and the tension grew between us, stretched beyond endurance. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± My pulse beat erratically. ¡°You. Always.¡± ¡°Show me.¡± A hot tide surged into my thighs. I stared at him, amazed by the enthusiasm hismand gave me. I unzipped his jeans and tugged them down my husband¡¯s gorgeous legs. I stopped to stroke the b of thigh muscle before sying over the bulge straining against the fabric. He was so hard. His briefs didn¡¯t want toe down. I pulled the stic, and the heavy weight of him dropped into my hand. I leaned forward, hands braced on him. My tongue traced the head throbbing with his heartbeat, and then he tightened his hold. I cringed at the hair-pulling as much as I relished his possession. He slid inside my mouth, velvet wrapped around steel. He didn¡¯t give me time to adjust. Vinn took his pleasure first. A sensual me ignited in my pussy. Slick arousal pooled into my panties as he sawed my tongue. It was a relief for him to seize control so he could fuck me however he pleased, to submit to this burning ecstasy. We might¡¯ve not known what to do with our words, but our bodiesmunicated just fine. Vinn tapped my cheek. ¡°Do you want them to see?¡± I looked at the half-open window, tempting a breeze. We weren¡¯t that high above street level. Anybody could nce up and see Vinn taking my mouth. I reeled back, gasping. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you to take my cock out,¡± he chastised, forcing me to swallow him. ¡°Answer my question.¡± I murmured a yes, but all that came out was an unintelligible gurgle. Vinn rolled his hips, stabbing deep. ¡°Sorry?¡± My cheeks burned as I nodded. ¡°Good girl.¡± Thepliment stroked me with feathers. Then he dragged me toward the window. He gripped my head and pushed inside me. His hips pulsed, fucking me until my throat was raw. He let out tortured groans that radiated to my pussy. As if I were drugged, my senses slowed. Shivers of wanting rippled through my body, the look in his eyes so stimting that the window disappeared. He imed me, testing my boundaries until he¡¯d anchored himself. He gritted his teeth, holding me there. My lungs screamed for air. I dug into his legs, and he drew out and jerked me upright. I breathed deeply as he ced my palms over the windowsill. ¡°Bend over.¡± I obeyed, distracted by the ache clenching on air. He unzipped my skirt, sliding off my panties. Then he hooked his head over my shoulder. ¡°Stay.¡± My nipples tingled as he left the room to rummage through a suitcase. He returned, his body warming my back. ¡°Guess what I brought from home?¡± He revealed a small butt plug in his fist. ¡°I just bought it. Yours were a bit too adventurous for the first time.¡± Oh my God. He stuck it in my mouth. ¡°Get it nice and wet.¡± My heartbeat skyrocketed as Ipped around it, shivering from the magic of his touch. His big hand held my face as he pulsed the toy between my lips. I murmured something. He took it out. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I said, aren¡¯t you going to use your cock?¡± ¡°Hold your horses. You need to be eased into it.¡± He reced the plug and nipped my ear. ¡°Hands on the wall. Keep sucking.¡± He moved behind me. A moan shivered through my clenched teeth as his thighs pressed into mine. A blunt edge glided in the river of my arousal before he shoved inside. No condom. Jesus, we were ying fast and loose with the condoms, but I stopped caring after the third thrust like always. He fit so perfectly that it was sacrilege to erect a barrier between us. We were two iplete wholes, shoving into each other. It was divine ecstasy. I gasped. ¡°Keep sucking.¡± I obeyed as he plowed into me, but Vinn¡¯s steady, brutal thrusts made it hard to concentrate on anything else. My senses reeled as though short-circuited as he stroked my belly and hips. He tapped my clit, showering my body with sparks. He plunged deep, knocking the breath from my lungs. I almost dropped the toy. He yanked my hair, forcing me arch. Then he took the plug from my mouth. A coolness slipped down my skin. The rubber skimmed my ass, circling to a forbidden spot. He teased the opening as he fucked me, and I bit my lip against the groan. ¡°Somebody¡¯s looking.¡± I choked, my eyes flying open. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, some guy.¡± Sure enough, a man in a parka stood in the middle of the street, head angled toward us. He was too far to read his expression. My breath quickened, and my cheeks warmed. My burning shame rushed down, iming my neck, shoulders, and breasts. The thrill of being watched flooded me with unexpected heat. So wrong. Why did it make me want to widen my legs? Vinn traced my breasts and impaled me with jerks of his hips. He worked the toy inside, and, as he did, my walls protested. It was a giant invasion, but the overwhelming fullness tingled my pussy. This was incredible. Dirty. So goddamned hot. ¡°I¡¯m going to finish inside you, and then I¡¯m fucking your ass. What do you think? You want that?¡± ¡°Yes, I-oh.¡± The room split with my moan. Vinn chuckled softly, and then he fucked me in earnest. For a solid minute, I was nothing but a body to make Vinne. His tempo increased. I came apart from the merciless pounding, and then he made a desperate sound that clenched inside me. I came as sweet warmth pulsed from his cock. My thighs shuddered, and a peace entered my being. He eased the toy out, the delicious fullness ripped away. I ached with the void. Then he squirted lube all over me, shoving it inside with his fingers. Slowly, he pushed. I gasped at the blunt edge warring with my body, which wanted to tighten. ¡°Rx,¡± he said hoarsely, stroking my back. ¡°This part hurts the most. Once my head is inside, it¡¯ll feel better.¡± My mouth gaped as the slick pressure widened me. God, it was so naughty, so against what I¡¯d been led to believe that I was supposed to enjoy. My pussy contracted against the ache not-quite rubbing in the right spot. He went slow, and then a buzz hit the air and suddenly-electricity shot into my clit. He massaged it before shoving another toy in my pussy. It anchored over my clit. I¡¯d never been filled like this. My body shattered and melted as he picked up speed. He rubbed inzy circles. Everything was hazy except for the blinding pleasure in my pussy. I might¡¯ve screamed as I came, shuddering and crying. I was thrown into a tsunami that yanked me deep into the undertow, the sensation violent, like water flooding my lungs. His cock pulsed, filling me with seed. He pulled out and dragged me into his arms, taking me to bed. He balled me into his chest, soothing me from the shock of shattering thatst barrier. He wiped the tears tracking my face and ghosted kisses to my neck until he reached my ear. ¡°You¡¯re the best I¡¯ve ever had.¡± That swelled behind my ribs, pleasing and disappointing me. I fulfilled his desire, but sex with him tore apart my soul. He cradled me until I almost drifted off, when a loud shriek jerked me into alertness. Vinn disengaged from me, the floorboards creaking as he sat upright. He answered the phone. ¡°What is it?¡± He sucked in air, the irritation smoothed from his face as a voice sted from the speaker. ¡°Nico was shot. He¡¯s dead.¡± #3 —Chapter 25 VINN COSTA FAMILY DON KILLED BY LEGION MC. Headlines everywhere zed with the lie. The killer had strolled through Nico¡¯s gatedmunity and shot him while he picked up the newspaper. Authorities found him in his bathrobe, sprawled on the pavement. A tip from the police department informed me that there hadn¡¯t been signs of forced entry, so the killer had ess to Mob Row, Nico¡¯s coveted cul-de-sac of connected gangsters. Within hours, leaked photos of his corpse shed over the dark web, posted by a biker iming responsibility for the murder. A robust PR campaign rolled over social media, sting Legion MC. Somebody with lots of cash tied up the crime in a fucking bow. We sat outside in folded chairs under a troubled sky. The cemetery echoed with the quiet sobbing of his mistress, a girl about Liana¡¯s age. She was probably upset that she¡¯d get jack shit from his dead ass. No way he¡¯d leave her any money. Michael stared daggers at me as his five-year-old son yanked on his tie. He¡¯d finally noticed the rings on our fingers, and he wasn¡¯t happy we¡¯d eloped. Deal with it, buddy. Liana palmed my chest. ¡°Vinny, you okay?¡± Her hair glistened like polished wood, and it tumbled down her back. Soft color slicked her mouth. The ck velvet of her dress seemed to highlight her firm tits. Damn, she was beautiful. It stirred something inside me. ¡°I¡¯m still recovering from my botched honeymoon, but I¡¯ll be fine.¡± She red at me. ¡°What? Am I not allowed to mope at a funeral?¡± ¡°Not about yourself.¡± I buried the smile fighting for release as pink patches burned high on her cheeks. I couldn¡¯t help but feel light. If our brief trip was any indication, I¡¯d have my hands full satisfying my kinky wife. I counted down the minutes to Nico¡¯s service, which ended with an anticlimactic thud. As his coffin lowered into the ground, his mistress let out a hysterical cry, and I fought not to roll my eyes. Alessio lingered the longest. His mouth twisted as he stormed off, kicking over empty seats. Michael barely nced at the grave. He paid his respects and zoomed to his car with his family-thank god he hadn¡¯t asked about my wedding ring. As the cemetery emptied of people, I stayed put. I was recing a man I¡¯d admired my whole life. Heaviness weighed my chest as I mused on a memory of Uncle Nico loading up my backpack with Anthony¡¯s old toys. Li rubbed warmth into my hands as the sun dipped behind clouds, throwing us into a chill. The sky had darkened to a dim blue when a man in a suit trudged up the hill. My gaze skipped over him, but not the two bikers nking him. ¡°Rage Machine,¡± I growled, reaching for my gun. ¡°What the hell are they doing here?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± I dragged Li upright, heart pounding. My soldiers headed off the group. Vitale halted mid-stride, gaping at the man. ¡°Tony?¡± Liana staggered. ¡°Is that Anthony?¡± No fucking way. He couldn¡¯t be here. Anthony Costa was thousands of miles away, shackled to a wall, trapped in servitude, not strolling to his father¡¯s grave. The man in cks and a ck sweater passed me without a flicker of recognition and stopped at the hole in the ground. It was him. Anthony had packed on what seemed like thirty pounds of muscle since his disappearance. He had tanned to a rich bronze. He might¡¯ve just immigrated from Sicily. His demeanor had changed, too. Anthony had a maic personality when he wasn¡¯t loaded on drugs, but the healthyplexion hinted otherwise. This grim-faced, Anthony imposter could¡¯ve blended in a subway of people. I approached him, my skin tingling. ¡°Hey.¡± He stared at the grave as though he wanted to fall inside. He blinked, stepped back, and raked his hair. ¡°Hey, Vinn.¡± My mind reeled. ¡°Sorry for your loss.¡± Anthony didn¡¯t respond, but gloom stoked in his gaze. Something spoke to me from his eyes. They seemed tortured, enraged, and calm, shifting from one extreme to the next. A deep fracture had split him open. He was like a poorly healed wound. His nodded at Liana. ¡°You and Michael¡¯s sister,¡± hemented mildly. ¡°Never saw thating. Congrats.¡± ¡°Anthony, what¡¯s going on? How did you get here?¡± Anthony fished a cigarette from his pocket, the me eating the darkness. Then he slowly walked down the hill. Was he ignoring me? Liana¡¯s moon-like face reflected my bewilderment. I followed him. ¡°Anthony, wait. We need to talk.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do this another time.¡± What the hell? The abrupt dismissal almost pulled my lips into a smile. ¡°Anthony, you were missing for fifteen months. You can¡¯t expect me to let it go.¡± ¡°Thirteen. I¡¯ve been home for a while.¡± My guts clenched. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Anthony stopped his descent. ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± I waited, but he never borated. ¡°Where have you been?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°In a loft downtown.¡± ¡°In a loft,¡± I echoed. ¡°Downtown.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to your dad?¡± I wiped my face as he fell into silence, my temptation to strangle him rising. ¡°You know how many people are looking for you? Do you have any idea what we¡¯ve been through because of you?¡± He folded his arms. ¡°Keep telling me how bad it has been for you.¡± ¡°Fuck you, Anthony. Your dad was riding my ass, threatening me, aching to kill me because he thought it was my fault you were kidnapped. You¡¯ve been here for months?¡± He stood there mutely, like a soldier at attention. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a pic for me, kid.¡± Who the fuck was he calling kid? ¡°What happened?¡± His hollowed gaze cut at me. ¡°Nothing I want to talk about.¡± ¡°Did they make you a ve?¡± Liana elbowed me hard, and a twinge of remorse nagged at me. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t a fucking ve.¡± His lips pulled into a hard, cold-eyed smile. ¡°I¡¯m back. I¡¯m alive. It was a learning experience. And it¡¯s also none of your goddamned business.¡± Liana gasped. My insides squirmed as I wrestled with a feeling I¡¯d never experienced with Anthony-sympathy. I red at the bikers standing behind him. ¡°And you¡¯re with them because?¡± Anthony motioned at his goons hanging around him. ¡°Give us some space.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Tony.¡± They trudged down the hill like obedientpdogs. Rage Machine doing the bidding of Anthony, a man who couldn¡¯t get to his sobriety meetings on time, stunned me more than anything. Suddenly, a missing puzzled piece clicked in my head. He was working with them. ¡°I¡¯m using them to kill Legion,¡± he said, shooting me a dead-eyed look. ¡°I¡¯ve been funding the war against them. I¡¯m killing the MCs, starting with the biggest one in Boston.¡± My mind exploded. ¡°You¡¯re why Boston¡¯s a fucking war zone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just me,¡± he rasped in that toneless voice. ¡°There are others.¡± Was I witnessing a man¡¯s mental breakdown? ¡°Anthony, go to rehab-¡± ¡°I¡¯m stone-cold sober.¡± I had plenty of reason to doubt him based on the thousands of times he¡¯d repeated those words. ¡°Your father died,¡± I reasoned. ¡°Maybe you should take it easy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done being your charity case, V. All you need to worry about is the new direction I¡¯m taking the Family.¡± My insides flipped. ¡°Since when do I follow your fucking orders?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. Daddy left me everything. It¡¯s all in his will. I¡¯ll send you a copy. He gave me the empire, so I will do whatever the fuck I want. And I¡¯m killing everyst scumbag on a bike.¡± ¡°You think you can walk in and take my fucking job?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in being boss.¡± He flicked his cigarette at my shoes, the spark dying in the wet grass. ¡°I have something much better.¡± #3 —Chapter 26 VINN Anthony had no interest in being a Costa. He blew off a homing party, refused to talk to anyone that wasn¡¯t me, and acted like we were strangers on phone calls, but he made good on his promise for the first time in his life. He didn¡¯t want my job. He had an axe to grind against Legion. So did I. I didn¡¯t mind Anthony¡¯s directive to fuck over the MCs because frankly, I¡¯d always loathed bikers. Killian¡¯s attitude toward my wife had cemented that view. The creep stalking Liana needed to die, and Anthony had given me the perfect opportunity. My most pressing issue wasn¡¯t Anthony or the Family. It was the pressure tightening my throat when I went home. Liana spent thest few weeks immersed in research. Anthony¡¯s reappearance had inspired her to ¡°do more,¡± or so she kept saying. I opened herptop days ago, and a dozen different tabs rted to human trafficking filled her browser. I snorted, ncing at a cover letter she¡¯d written for an internship at a charity. My wife, the humanitarian. Our differences amused me to no end. I admired that she spent so much energy helping people and pushing me to do the same. I¡¯d grudgingly agreed to volunteer for Habitat Humanity with her, like an idiot. She¡¯d convinced me to run a toy charity drive for needy children in Dorchester, and I¡¯d conceded. I had to pull back. If this woman looked at me with her stormy blue eyes and whispered please, I¡¯d do anything for her, and it pitted my stomach with dread. I should¡¯ve been content with owning her, fucking her, but as long as she wore the ne¡­I was miserable. It taunted me every day, a constant reminder of who I was. Who I wasn¡¯t. More than once, I¡¯d fantasized about taking a hammer to it. Grinding that salmon-colored monstrosity to dust. I couldn¡¯t stand the thing. She started shoving it in her nightstand, but I couldn¡¯t forget the other man. I couldn¡¯t let it go. I raked her social media profile to find out who the fuck was it for the twentieth time. My office doors burst open, admitting a flustered Liana. She was terrible with boundaries, and it irked me. I mmed myptop shut. ¡°Can you knock?¡± Red patched burned high on Liana¡¯s cheeks. She wore a smoldering look that sometimes meant she was down to fuck. ¡°We need to talk.¡± My mood nosedived. ¡°If you¡¯re here to rope me into another charity event, I have one word for you-No.¡± That came out nastier than I¡¯d intended. It¡¯d been a bad day. Liana had a string of guys vying for her goddamn attention in her text messages, and one of them had invited her out for coffee. She turned him down, but that didn¡¯t stop me from scouring his personal information and sending Vitale to his apartment with explicit instructions. She was probably pissed about that. I didn¡¯t care. ¡°Did you send Vitale to threaten my ssmate?¡± I smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Because I had no self-control with my wife. Because the idea of her sitting down with someone else boiled my blood. I cocked my head, refusing to respond.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. A thin smile staggered across her face. ¡°You know, I thought you cared about me. I was stupid enough to believe you had a good side, but you¡¯ve gone too far this time.¡± I didn¡¯t like where this was going. She stormed to my desk, her hair flying as she pped a piece of paper down. I nced over the business card, and my insides ripped apart. tstick Pub Her stare impaled me. ¡°Tell me you had nothing to do with his disappearance.¡± Fuck. Liana swept around the chair, hand on my arm. ¡°Please, Vinn.¡± Her suffocated whisper tightened my chest. I couldn¡¯t lie to her, but what would happen when I confessed? A rapid chill encased my limbs in ice. My brain froze with an image of her storming out the door. A wave of dizziness passed over me. No. She couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°Vinny.¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead, Li.¡± Hurty naked in her soft eyes. She cupped her mouth, gasping. My heart squeezed. Fuck. ¡°Does human life mean that little to you?¡± An inner torment gnawed at me. ¡°Do you want honesty or are you just looking to feel better?¡± ¡°Honesty!¡± I flinched. ¡°I don¡¯t see why I should care about everyone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s soulless,¡± she hissed. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t have a fucking soul, then. Is that what you want to hear?¡± I shouted, agony piercing my stomach when she backed away. ¡°Wait. Honey, I¡¯m still the same man.¡± She palmed her face with trembling hands, crying. ¡°That¡¯s what scares me.¡± I sighed heavily. ¡°You know what the Marines¡¯ unofficial motto is? Get some. We chanted it all the time. Whenever someone brags about gettingid. Whenever we fired our weapons. Whenever we killed. Especially when we killed. There was no hesitation when I took a life, and that feeling hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°James was not a soldier!¡± ¡°No, he was a predator.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re judge, jury, and executioner?¡± she screamed, and I flinched. ¡°You can¡¯t kill people for making a-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you call it a fucking mistake.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to die. I might¡¯ve hated him, but I¡¯d never ask you to do that.¡± She wrapped her arms around herself and broke down. A deep pain in my chest twisted and turned. ¡°Liana, it wasn¡¯t you,¡± I said hoarsely. ¡°It was all me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made me feel like I¡¯ve killed someone!¡± I palmed her shoulder. She cringed as though I¡¯d struck her. ¡°If I had said nothing, he¡¯d still be alive.¡± ¡°Yes, he would,¡± I deadpanned, shrugging. ¡°I caught him sprinkling powder in a girl¡¯s drink, just like he probably did yours. I won¡¯t apologize for what I did. That asshole deserved to die. Look me in the eye, and tell me your friend isn¡¯t better off.¡± Liana wiped her eyes, trembling. ¡°It wasn¡¯t for me. You didn¡¯t kill him for the safety of other women. You were such in a hurry to defend my honor that you didn¡¯t consider my feelings.¡± ¡°Li, I never would¡¯ve put that burden on you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it,¡± she moaned. ¡°It¡¯s a betrayal. You killed someone after I confided in you.¡± My first instinct to argue smoldered as that sunk in, adding fuel to the fiery gnawing. She was right. I¡¯d shot him because I¡¯d despised the bastard. My innocent wife gave me the perfect excuse. I¡¯d traded her trust for my pride. She¡¯d never look at me the same if she looked at me at all. And I couldn¡¯t promise I wouldn¡¯t do it again. My cheeks burned as I grasped her hands, a violent battle wrestling in my heart. An apology hung on my lips. Then a pink-and-white piece of jewelry reminded me why I couldn¡¯t let her go. I took her face and kissed her. She shoved my chest. Her groans faded to whimpers as I crushed her mouth in a bruising kiss. I dragged her to the floor and made her forget how much she loathed me. Then I carried her to bed and did it again, and I would¡¯ve kept going if not for her gentle breaths warming my neck. Halfway through the night, she slipped out of my arms and tiptoed into the walk-in closet. Her frantic packing pitted my stomach with bitterness. I didn¡¯t stop her, even though it killed me. Don¡¯t go. Please. Liana paused, lugging a duffel bag. She seemed to look in my direction, where I pretended to sleep. Then she ran out the door. #3 —Chapter 27 LIANA ¡°Hey. Can I crash here for a few days?¡± Carm¡¯s pretty face registered shock. The strap dug into my muscle, and the bag hit the ground after I staggered into the house. Michael was out on a business trip, which was why I¡¯d headed straight for their ce. I didn¡¯t want to field a million questions about my rtionship with Vinn to my overprotective brother. Carm gave me a searching look. ¡°Does Michael know you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not tell him. You know how he gets.¡± Carm bit her pink lip. ¡°I won¡¯t mention it until he¡¯s back.¡± I shuffled defeatedly in Michael¡¯s mansion dominated by steel-blues and earthy browns. It was the opposite of Vinn¡¯s stark white and ck apartment. As I stepped into Michael¡¯s bright kitchen, longing wrenched at my gut. They were a perfect family. Carm fed Baby Luke in a high chair, mopping the applesauce that rolled down his chin. Mariette and Matteo ate their waffles. The children screamed a greeting before I lugged the bag to a guestroom. When I returned, Carm busied herself in the kitchen, grabbing tes as I limped to the table. ¡°Eggs?¡± My stomach turned. ¡°No thanks.¡± I had no appetite. My guts clenched when I imagined Vinn at home, alone. I wished I hated him. I soul-searched as I sat there, digesting his terrible crime. I¡¯d always known he was capable of murder. Michael had hinted at it plenty of times, but I hadn¡¯t expected him to kill a man who¡¯d wronged me. Though a small part of me agreed with Vinn. Queenie was better off. A secondter, I loathed myself. Vinn tried to do good, in his own twisted way. Wasn¡¯t that better than the monstrous version I¡¯d led myself to believe? Vinn¡¯s motivations were the same as mine. Family first. He just took that to extreme lengths. You¡¯re making excuses. Doubt gued my conscience. I loved Vinn, but he scared me. He¡¯d alreadypromised my soul, and now he¡¯d added murder to the list. Regret hit me hard after another day of being stuck in Michael¡¯s home, awaiting my brother¡¯s return, gently refusing Carm¡¯s attempts to talk. I helped her foldundry in the living room while the kids watched a movie. My fingers smoothed the Boston Bruins onesie I¡¯d bought for Luke. A lump lodged in my throat. It became a surge of nausea. Carm grasped my wrist. ¡°Are you okay, sweetie?¡± I shook my head and ran. I dove into the bathroom, pped the seat against the bowl, and vomited. I huddled the toilet all afternoon, purging. It was relentless, and the awful feeling festered in my stomach. Carm wetted a rag and pressed it to my forehead. ¡°Maybe we should call your OB/GYN.¡± rm zipped down my spine. I forgot about the stupid fake pregnancy. ¡°No doctors.¡± I wiped and rinsed my mouth, never so tired in my life. ¡°It¡¯s probably nerves.¡± A distant door opened and mmed. Michael¡¯s hearty voice echoed through the house. A pitter-patter of feet stampeded toward the foyer. My heart swam in a murky swamp of regret and longing as Michael greeted his wife with a purr. I didn¡¯t want to be here. I¡¯d hoped Vinn would swing by and demand I return to him, that he¡¯d sense my distress over the distance, drag me into his arms, tell me everything would be fine. That he loved me. God, I needed him to love me, but it was hopeless. He wouldn¡¯t or couldn¡¯t remember what he¡¯d meant to me, and waiting for him to figure it out wasted my time. A small body hit my back. Two little hands clutched my middle. I turned around, at Matteo¡¯s sweet face beaming at me, and burst into tears. I hugged my nephew and sobbed, the hug triggering a deep agony. I might find someone else to love me, but I¡¯d never love another man as much as him. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Zia.¡± Matteo patted my hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Honey, go y with your sister.¡± My insides twisted as Michael appeared, peeling his son away. He shooed him away. Michael returned in a sh of Derby shoes and a suit. He¡¯d nted himself in front of me, his brows knitted. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Carm says you¡¯ve been here for three days.¡± I shook my head, sobbing. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°I have the right to know what that asshole did to you.¡± If I told him about James, he¡¯d probably call me insane for being upset. ¡°Before him, you were moving on. Dating other guys. Finding yourself.¡± He sighed heavily, pping his thighs. ¡°Now you¡¯re miserable. Pregnant. He¡¯s not even taking care of you.¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°He doesn¡¯t love me,¡± I choked as I finally admitted it. ¡°I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter. I hoped he¡¯d change.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I warn you so many times?¡± A note of desperation tore his voice. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me set you up with another guy?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want someone else! I love him!¡± Michael stooped to one knee. He dragged me into a fierce hug that melted everyst ice wall as I sagged into my brother¡¯s arms. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be with him, Li.¡± Vinn didn¡¯t love me. Vinn kept secrets from me. Vinn gave me everything but his heart. Wild grief consumed me, and I couldn¡¯t stop crying. I clung to Michael¡¯s shoulder as he pulled me past his shocked children. ¡°He has a responsibility to you,¡± he began, his tone dropping a thousand degrees. ¡°You¡¯re sick, and he¡¯s leaving you here. I¡¯ll kill him. I¡¯ve had it!¡± Michael shot upright and ripped off his jacket. My heart mmed into my chest as he grabbed his keys and headed for the door. Carm watched him, brows knitted. ¡°You just got here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going over there and giving him a piece of my mind.¡± ¡°Michael.¡± Carm followed him, her angry tones sting through the mansion. ¡°Stop getting involved.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, she¡¯s my sister. He knocked her up and threw her away.¡± Michael shouted down his wife. ¡°I love you, but stay out of this!¡± Carm staggered down the steps, yelling after him. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± I ran outside as he climbed into his car. ¡°Fucking men.¡± Carm sighed hard. ¡°I love your brother, but Jesus. He has a temper.¡± She didn¡¯t understand the danger. I¡¯ll kill him. Michael wasn¡¯t kidding. #3 —Chapter 28 VINN I craved alcohol like oxygen. When I reached for the bottle, Liana¡¯s soft don¡¯t do this to yourself whispered in my ear. She was my strength, but it was funny. I had no interest in eating when she wasn¡¯t around. Life dragged. It¡¯d only been a couple of days, but every second ticking by mocked me. I faced a bleak future without Liana. I¡¯d never hated my existence more, not even while I was being court-martialed, or the months after, in which I abused every drug imaginable, and Michael had found me nodding off with a tube wrapping my arm. Losing her had ruined me. It was like slow suicide. More than once, I jumped into my car to go drag her from Michael¡¯s. I still considered her mine. Nothing could change that but divorce and a restraining order. Because I fucking loved her. I loved her. It was the only reason I hadn¡¯t stormed Michael¡¯s home. She had to choose, and I hoped to hell she¡¯d choose me. I desperately needed her. I looked for ways to keep her, and thought of her grief over Daniel. That I had no self-awareness. I hurt people. She was right, so I spent the week performing good deeds. I sent flowers to Queenie with a nice message. If James were alive, I would¡¯ve put him in jail, but since he wasn¡¯t, I called the Bourton dean and told him someone I knew was sexually assaulted at James¡¯ fraternity. The next day it was shut down. The news outlets rolled with a storm of articles condemning campus rape and the Greek system¡¯s toxicitybined with grisly stories from Bourton alumni. Why did I want to help? I felt closer to Liana when I was less of an asshole. It made me drive through Boston aimlessly until I stopped at Alessio¡¯s house. I hadn¡¯t been here in ages. Heavy rain drenched my shoulders before I¡¯d stepped through the iron-wrought gate. The red door swung open as I reached the gables. Alessio walked out, his dark eyes narrowing as I approached. He crossed his arms. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± Honestly, I don¡¯t know. ¡°I wanted to talk to you and Mia.¡± Alessio¡¯s mouth twisted. He had good reason for hating that idea. I¡¯d kidnapped his wife a couple of years ago. I¡¯d rationalized it by telling myself I was saving her. I¡¯d only done it to lure him out, so I could kill him and seed him as boss. ¡°I don¡¯t want you anywhere near Mia.¡± His baritone cooled to a condescending whisper. ¡°Jesus, you look like a fucking wreck.¡± The red door yawned again, and the pint-sized Mia popped under Alessio¡¯s arm, cradling their toddler daughter. A deep frown creased her forehead. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± she said, her greeting steeped in reproach. ¡°What do you want?¡± Coming here had been a desperate move. I waved aside my hesitation and inhaled deeply. ¡°I let you both down, and I¡¯m sorry. I fucked up, and I¡¯m here to make amends.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Alessio looked like Christmas hade early. He shed me a wintry smile, sneering. ¡°What is this, some twelve-step bullshit? You don¡¯t give a damn about us.¡± ¡°Then why am I standing in the rain?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Go home, Vinn.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I have to do something.¡± If it would ease the weight crushing my heart, I¡¯d do anything. Alessio¡¯s smirk carved a dimple into his cheek. His ck eyes drilled into me. ¡°She dumped you, didn¡¯t she?¡± The fire consuming me dampened. What if she had? Alessio folded his arms, grinning like the cat that ate a cage of canaries. ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time. That girl is way too good for you.¡± I turned away, my stomach boiling. Mia descended the steps, ignoring her husband¡¯s warning. She bit her lip. ¡°She left you?¡± A pang hit the back of my throat. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to answer, because saying it out loud would make it permanent. ¡°Boy, you¡¯re really hurting.¡± Alessio¡¯s dark gaze searched me,pping up my misery like it was gold. ¡°I have to say, seeing you in agony is nice.¡± Mia¡¯s toddler squealed, and Mia passed the baby to Alessio. His face lit up as he shifted, hoisting her. He kissed her. She beamed at him, and a sledgehammer hit my chest. An ache pulsed inside me, new and terrifying, but real. I gritted my teeth. I raked my hair, tearing away from the infuriating sight of their wholesome happiness. I bolted down the path. ¡°Wait. Vinn, hold on.¡± Mia jogged to my side, stopping me. ¡°Come back.¡± ¡°Mia, let him go.¡± She frowned at her husband. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt to hear him out.¡± Alessio released an exaggerated sigh and waved me forward. ¡°I¡¯m tired of butting heads with you, so name your fucking price.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Alessio rolled his eyes. ¡°Make me partner in all your construction firms.¡± I glowered at him. ¡°That¡¯s a big ask.¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one seeking amends.¡± He¡¯d thrown that out to test me, but my anguish was so acute it punctured my lungs with every breath. I sighed. ¡°Fuck. Fine.¡± Hisughter grated my ears. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you a managing partner. You¡¯ll have executive powers.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about that,¡± he snapped. ¡°I just want your money.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a twenty-percent stake.¡± ¡°Thirty-five,¡± he shot. ¡°Twenty-five.¡± Alessio shrugged and offered me a hand. ¡°Deal.¡± I shook it, as an inner voice screamed. By far, the worst deal I¡¯d ever made, but it¡¯d be worth it if it convinced Liana I wasn¡¯t a hopeless asshole. He held onto me, smirking. ¡°Having a conscience gets expensive, doesn¡¯t it?¡± You have no idea. My gaze slid to his wife. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Ask him for another twenty-five, honey.¡± Mia ignored her husband and smiled at me. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, Vinn. I forgive you.¡± Alessio tutted. ¡°Terrible negotiator.¡± I stepped back, well aware I¡¯d signed over hundreds of thousands of dors. ¡°So we¡¯re good?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alessio muttered after a long pause. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll have you both over some time.¡± Alessio quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.¡± Mia thumped his chest. ¡°We¡¯d love that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you guyster. Have a nice night.¡± They gaped at me like I¡¯d said something in a foreignnguage. As I walked to the car, my loafers drenched, I waited for a weight to lift off my shoulders. Intense nausea and destion swept over me. Nothing had changed. THE NEXT FEW hours were pure torture. It somehow topped being shot, stabbed, and dragged to a mock-execution, because at least she¡¯d still been in my life. I couldn¡¯t inhale without a stitch in my ribs. All I¡¯d done since I got home was stare at photos of my wife. I missed her. A fist hammered my door. I tossed my phone aside and yanked it open. Michael stood in the doorway, his shirt half-untucked, his hair askew like he¡¯d spent the ride to my ce clenching it, and darkness billowed over him like a rolling storm. He stepped in, radiating a corrosive contempt that fouled the air. ¡°Is Liana with you?¡± I was so damned pathetic. ¡°Why, so you can break up with her again?¡± He shoved me. My back hit the console table, pain slicing my spine. He punched my face. Agony exploded across my jaw. My teeth ached. My world spun. Two savage blows knocked out my breath. He¡¯d never hit me like this, even at our worst. I copsed, gasping. ¡°You sent her away, you fucking loser!¡± Michael¡¯s foot whirled, mming into my stomach. ¡°She¡¯s carrying your kid, and you give up on her?¡± I rolled over, stunned. I¡¯d never told Michael about the phony pregnancy. The chaos surrounding Nico¡¯s death had driven it clean from my mind, and it¡¯d stopped being a fake rtionship weeks ago. ¡°I warned you,¡± he glowered, his shoe pressing my neck. ¡°Hurt her, and you¡¯re dead.¡± I gripped his ankle and shoved him off. A blow struck my head, and my vision cked out. His knuckles bashed my skull, hitting me so hard the echo of grinding bones filled my ears. He refused to let up. His merciless punching mmed me into the ground. If I didn¡¯t stop him, he¡¯d kill me. I tackled his middle, hurling him into a console table. Michael grunted at the impact. Hissing, heunched at me. I scrambled out of the way, warding him off with a chair. ¡°Michael, calm down. I didn¡¯t send her away.¡± He batted the chair. ¡°Put it down and fight me.¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s talk about this.¡± I had fifty pounds on Michael, and I would murder him. If anything happened to her brother, Liana would be devastated. I couldn¡¯t have that on my conscience. ¡°I¡¯m done with you, buddy.¡± Michael grabbed his sidearm. He pointed it at me, chest heaving. I held up my hands. ¡°Do you have to dial everything to eleven?¡± ¡°I warned you,¡± he snarled. ¡°I told you what¡¯d happen.¡± ¡°Christ, Michael. I did nothing wrong. I just-¡± ¡°I gave you a chance. You blew it!¡± His voice tore, the gun trembled. ¡°You used my sister. She is the only sibling I have, and you destroyed her.¡± His words ripped me apart. ¡°What-what do you mean? Is she okay?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s not, you fucking maniac.¡± A horrible dread went through me. ¡°She¡¯s hurt?¡± ¡°Of course she¡¯s in pain. Her husband abandoned her with a baby! You kicked her out of your home!¡± A red flush wrapped his throat as he screamed at the top of his lungs. ¡°You knocked her up, and you can¡¯t deal with it.¡± ¡°Michael, listen to me. She is not pregnant-¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t handle being a father, huh?¡± he shouted, railroading me. ¡°What a coward.¡± ¡°Michael, I love her. I¡¯d do anything for her.¡± I backed into the couch as Michael advanced, his eyes shing. ¡°Look at me, and tell me you don¡¯t believe me.¡± His hazel pools bored into mine. ¡°Then why is she at my house?¡± ¡°It¡¯splicated.¡± ¡°Exin.¡± I strolled into the kitchen and poured myself water. My grip shook, sloshing the contents before the ss reached my mouth. ¡°She would¡¯ve left me, anyway. She wants someone else.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± A sick yearning yanked at my insides. ¡°There¡¯s another guy.¡± Michael wiped his face, growling. ¡°She said that to make you jealous, you idiot. She loves you. She has since she was a kid. While you were fucking around, she dreamed up names for your future children. She begged me to set you up on a date. She¡¯s loved you forever.¡± I dropped my gaze, startled at blood streaming from my clenched fist. I¡¯d broken the ss. I picked a shard from my skin, but it didn¡¯t even sting. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Michael snorted. ¡°Of course.¡± I stiffened as a wave of heat passed through me. Parsing through what he¡¯d told me was like sifting sand. Then itnded on me. Ice spread through my stomach. ¡°Why the fuck didn¡¯t you say so?¡± ¡°The better question is, how did you not notice? You¡¯re so dense, Vinn.¡± Michaelunched into a tirade that seemed years in the making. ¡°She visited you. She brought your favorite dishes to the hospital. She wrote you letters and cried every time she saw you with other girls. What did you think that meant?¡± I didn¡¯t think about it. I¡¯d never let my thoughts go there because she was too young, was Michael¡¯s sister, and was forbidden on every level. Now that Michael hadid it out, it was so obvious. She¡¯d downyed her feelings as a crush, and my dumb ass had believed her. I was so stupid. A needle-like feeling prickled my face. ¡°So you¡¯ve talked to her about me.¡± ¡°Many times.¡± My heart pounded. ¡°And what did you say?¡± ¡°That she should move on,¡± he deadpanned. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. You¡¯re nine years older. You¡¯re a dog with women. You never cared about her the way she did about you.¡± My insides curled up and ckened. I picked him up by the shirt and mmed him into windows. My vision clouded with sick fantasies. I pictured him begging for his life as I hung him from the balcony. My fist smashed into his jaw. He smacked the ground and tackled my knees. I ripped him away from me. I shoved him into a photo. ss shattered over his head. A second shadow crept along the wall. ¡°Mike.¡± I jerked my head toward it. He spun around. A man¡¯s silhouette peeled onto the floor. A man in a leather cut tutted as he stepped out, pointing a gun at Michael, whose Glocky several feet away. ¡°You idiots made this too easy. Door¡¯s wide open.¡± Killian slicked his teeth, the sound wrenching at my gut. ¡°Considerate of you. Thanks.¡± Fuck. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I kept my tone even, trying to buy us time. ¡°Killing you. Taking your wife.¡± He threaded a hand through his hair. ¡°Where is the little woman?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I wanted your babydoll to see you die.¡± Killian ck-jawed expression zed over. ¡°Right before I fuck her over your corpse.¡± He¡¯d shoot. He wouldn¡¯t miss. This was how I¡¯d meet my end at the hands of a two-bit psycho who¡¯d somehow bypassed my security just because Anthony had to get revenge. A female voice echoed in the house. Vinny. The faint whisper was a desperate wish from my dying brain. ¡°Vinny?¡± Less distant and louder. No, no, no. Killian¡¯s stare drifted past my shoulder, his mouth parting. A tremor shook my arm as I slowly turned. My gaze crashed into a pair of soft, blue eyes. Liana stood in the hallway. She wore the clothes from three days ago. The ne gleamed on her neck, like a beacon dragging me forward. Her lips parted as though she hadn¡¯t noticed Killian. ¡°Vinny, I-¡± ¡°Run.¡± Her brows furrowed. She hesitated. She stepped toward me. A gunshot sted the air. Something sttered my wrists. I lunged at Killian, who¡¯d lowered his gun. I tackled him. I grabbed his wrist and wrenched, knocking the piece away, and then I dove for it. He yelled. I shoved the barrel under his jaw. Pulled the trigger. The deafening boom cracked like a thunderbolt. Killian choked on the hole in his neck. He sputtered and stilled. I threw the Sig on the bloodstained floor, the ringing in my ears dimming to a dull roar punctuated by Michael¡¯s screaming. Why was he yelling? A small, choking sound fisted my guts. I whirled as Liana stumbled into the wall. She slid down. A streak of red painted the white, marking her descent. She copsed, clutching her stomach. I sprinted to her side. My fingers shook as I dragged her arms from the darkening skirt. A hole buried in her hip filled with crimson. My hands slipped until Michael thrust a towel underneath my palms. Blood soaked through it in seconds. She was bleeding too much, too fast. Michael dialed 9-1-1. She grasped at my forearms, the tan rapidly drained from her body. Her gaze faded to blue slits. Tears streaked her cheeks, and she mumbled my name. ¡°Deep breaths, Liana. Don¡¯t close your eyes, baby. Please.¡± My free hand cupped her pale cheek. ¡°Stay with me.¡± I pushed on the wound. She grimaced. A sheer, ck panic wrapped my chest. I couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding. I blinked. People stood everywhere. Police and EMS swarmed the apartment. The paramedic listened to her lungs as I screamed. She couldn¡¯t breathe. Why was nobody listening? Why- Someone yanked me away as they loaded her onto a stretcher. She was whisked out of my sight. I rushed after her, but officers pulled me back. They asked me things I didn¡¯t understand. Over and over. The same stupid questions that made no sense. Their garbled voices sifted through my brain, like sound passing through water. She¡¯ll be all right. She¡¯ll make it. A sharp edge stabbed my palm-the seashell. A dull confusion swirled in my head. I must¡¯ve ripped it from Liana¡¯s neck. As my thumb stroked the familiar surface, my stomach dropped. A gallery of images shed through my mind. I gave it to her. It was me. #3 —Chapter 29 VINN We love each other. We¡¯ll be together.This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. I muttered the words into my closed palms, as though repeating them triggered a spell that¡¯d make everything right. The bloody ne wrapped my hands like a rosary. I didn¡¯t believe in God, but I fucking prayed. Anguish shattered myst sense of control. During the hospital ride, I clutched at my hair. I screamed. I rode a wave of intense shbacks in the waiting room. I covered my face, trembling, a deep pain gnawing at me. We love each other. We¡¯ll be together. I wiped my eyes. White surrounded me, so vivid it burned. Michael sat a short distance away. He probably drowned in his guilt. His wife massaged his back, whispering hopeful words I clung to. ¡°She¡¯s been in surgery for a long time. That¡¯s a good sign, honey.¡± He nodded and swallowed. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll pull through,¡± she said, her voice thick. ¡°She grew up with you. That means she¡¯s stubborn as hell and won¡¯t give up.¡± I tuned her out, unable to hear give up without a wrenching agony in my chest. I focused on breathing. In and out. Slow. I counted my breaths as though they might help Liana in the OR. ¡°Can I get you something? A clean shirt?¡± Carm¡¯s hand rolled over my shoulder and squeezed. ¡°Cup of coffee?¡± I met Carm¡¯s winged gaze. Save her. Please. She flinched and let go. Michael¡¯s hot eyes cut at me, and I could¡¯ve grappled with him on the floor if fighting with him hadn¡¯t gotten her hurt in the first ce. A man in blue scrubs emerged from the double doors. He ignored everyone in the waiting room, making a bee-line for me. ¡°Are you Liana Costa¡¯s husband?¡± I stood. ¡°Yes.¡± He rubbed his flushed neck. ¡°She¡¯s in recovery. The gunshot ricocheted through her pelvis, causing multiple fractures, and it tore through a major artery, but we were able to stop the bleeding. Her vitals are stable, but she¡¯s in critical condition.¡± His words worked through my frozen brain. ¡°When can I see her?¡± ¡°Right now. One person at a time.¡± He brought me into a maze of dark rooms and showed me to a bed where Lianay, unrecognizable under the tubes. A suffocating sensation tightened my chest. It¡¯ll be okay. I gripped her ankle. The relief I¡¯d waited for wouldn¡¯te. I didn¡¯t want to leave her, but they made me return to the waiting room, and I sank in the same seat. Michael came and went. My awareness faded to a dull murmur as hours ticked by. After a gentle suggestion from Carm and a bundle of clean clothes shoved under my arm, I showered. Liana¡¯s blood spiraled the drain. I cleaned her jewelry before dressing in jeans and a T-shirt. Numbly I headed toward her room. Michael and Carm already sat vigil at her side. I joined them, winding the ne around her limp hand, tucking the shell behind her fingers. Liana¡¯s brown waves spilled over the pillowcase, her eyes shut, her body lifeless. Maybe it was the fatigue. It was easy to daydream. The hospital bed melted into a deep orange sunset over water. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I forgot,¡± I croaked, waiting for a flicker of life. ¡°It was a long time ago, and so much has happened between then and now, but I remember everything-the seagulls, the stack of fried cod, and you begging me to stay. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t. I had so many dreams, and I was going to chase them. After a few years of service, the GI bill would¡¯ve paid for college.¡± ¡°You were so upset I joined. You stormed up and down the beach, screaming, crying. I couldn¡¯t calm you down, so I grabbed a shell off the sand. I pressed it into your hands and promised I¡¯de back. I told you to hold it when you thought of me.¡± Her strangled cry echoed in my head-¡°I love you, Vinny!¡± ¡°You too, kid.¡± My eyes pinched. ¡°They shipped me out, and it was a disaster. I read your letters so many times. I had a major problem with my CO. He did terrible things. It¡¯s a long story, but my issues with him escted until they kicked me out. Then they dumped me in Boston. I couldn¡¯t get a loan. I couldn¡¯t find a job.¡± The weight of my story seemed to stifle the air and rise, sucked through the vents. ¡°I never wanted to be vulnerable again, so I pushed you away¡­I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t catch up until I realized I¡¯d lost you.¡± There was nothing more to say. I¡¯d purged it all. I squeezed her hand. Michael¡¯s chair scraped the floor before he exited. Carm¡¯s fingers threaded my hair before she followed him, leaving me in the machines¡¯ horrible noise. #3 —Chapter 30 LIANA A kiss woke me from sleep. The patch of heat burned high on my cheek, and I smiled stupidly. nkets weighed me down as I sought my husband¡¯s warmth, my fingers brushing a cold surface. Air hissed into my nostrils through stic tubes that tickled. My eyes cracked open. Too bright. I shut them. ¡°Vinny?¡± ¡°Right here.¡± He clutched my heavy hand. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± The catch in his voice staggered my heart. I took in the intense white nketing my sheets, ceiling, and walls. What the hell? A violent memory wed my head, and a knife seemed to saw into my hip. I craned my neck, but the movement pulled at sore muscles. I winced, patting the fabric constricting me. Bandages wrapped my torso. ¡°You were shot, honey.¡± A numb shock ricocheted down my spine. ¡°I was?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Where-why?¡± I blinked, sifting through blurred images. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Killian got you. He¡¯s dead.¡± Vinn¡¯s jaw clenched. He sat beside me in a hospital chair, wearing a wrinkled gray T-shirt and gym shorts. He seemed wound like a steel spring, his eyes ssy and distant. His hands sped mine, which curled over something jagged. He stroked me over and over. ¡°Are you okay?¡± I coughed. A miserable smile broke through his mncholy. ¡°You scared me, Liana.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He let out a deep, shuddering breath. ¡°Now I know what it¡¯s like on the other side of the curtain.¡± ¡°Vinn, it¡¯s all right. I¡¯m alive, aren¡¯t I? It doesn¡¯t-hurt that bad.¡± He softened. ¡°Li, the doctor said you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Shocked wedged the words in my throat. I opened and closed my mouth as a warm glow moved through me. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± I fidgeted with the sheets, struggling to contain my grin. ¡°And the baby¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°So far.¡± A cry of relief broke from my lips. My hands tingled as though with new life. ¡°Michael told me a few things,¡± he said, smiling broadly. ¡°Like the fact you¡¯ve had our kids¡¯ names picked since you were thirteen.¡± Nice one, Mike. My cheeks flushed. ¡°Of course he did.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Josh, Chris, and Vincent.¡± A secretive grin staggered across his face. ¡°Three boys, huh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d have any girls-why in God¡¯s name am I telling you this? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± My mind careened as I struggled to grasp a single thought. ¡°Your inhibitions are lowered at the moment.¡± ¡°Taking advantage of a gunshot victim should be beneath you.¡± He said nothing, but his smirk was enough of a response. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to my questions.¡± ¡°I plead the fifth. Call my attorney.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°There was never anyone else.¡± I nodded, sighing. ¡°You lied to me. Why?¡± His hushed voice filled me with a wild hope. I met his widened gaze, eyes welling. ¡°Because I wanted you so much. Because putting myself out there for you was terrifying. You would never, ever feel the same about me. You would never love me.¡± An understanding seemed to dawn over Vinn, blowing away the storm clouds that¡¯d darkened his mood. ¡°You love me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± I murmured, marveling at how easy it was to tell the truth. ¡°Since I was little. I named all my imaginary boyfriends after you. I pictured you every time I thought about dating or marriage, and it drove me crazy that you were always going to be with someone else. You were there when my parents died. You turned the worst day of my life into something special, and I loved you for that. I loved you before I understood what it was. I could never stay away from you or get you out of my mind.¡± Vinn rubbed his forehead, his frown deepening. He was the opposite ofposed, red-faced, strung-out, on the verge of exploding. He nudged open my palm. I rxed my hand, revealing the seashell ne. My stomach dropped with the weight of Vinn¡¯s torment, and my lips parted with a broken whisper. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I wanted you to remember.¡± His tortured gaze pinned me to the bed. ¡°I do now.¡± ¡°I took the shell to a jeweler, and he drilled a hole and put in a cheap string. And I never removed it. Not once. Not even in the shower. When the silver tarnished, I reced it with gold. I was that obsessed with you.¡± ¡°I get it. I didn¡¯t at first, but I think I understand.¡± He fixed me with a potent stare. ¡°I¡¯m not that man anymore, honey.¡± ¡°I-I know. It was stupid.¡± ¡°I still love you. That never changed. Not for one second. No matter what happens, that will never change. I love you. I always have.¡± He cupped my face, gliding his thumb across my cheek. ¡°I thought that was obvious.¡± My throat thickened, and I lost him behind a sheen of tears. ¡°You¡¯re not mad?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m the happiest asshole who¡¯s ever lived.¡± He paused, grinning. ¡°You¡¯re carrying my kid, so that¡¯s that. You¡¯re stuck with me.¡± He kissed me. I burst into happy tears. TWO WEEKS LATER, I limped into Vinn¡¯s car. He squeezed my hand as I hissed through every pothole home. I shut my eyes through the abnormally long drive, gripping Vinn¡¯s palm as we snaked over roads. A salty scent breezed inside, and then I paid attention to my surroundings. We¡¯d arrived at a colonial house overlooking a misty beach. My jaw dropped as Vinn rolled into the driveway nowhere near Boston. I gripped the door handle. ¡°Where are we?¡± Vinn parked the car. ¡°Your favorite ce.¡± ¡°Salisbury Beach?¡± Iughed, ignoring the ache in my side. ¡°You¡¯reying it on thick.¡± ¡°We¡¯re staying here for a while.¡± Excruciating pain had marked my hospital visit. I¡¯d refused everything but over the counter meds, determined not to let an opiate touch the baby. Michael had visited often. It appeared they¡¯d set their feud aside in the face of my difficulties. Vinn still shouted him down when he suggested that I recuperate at his mansion. Carm had yanked a red-faced Michael out of the room before they started World War Three across my bed.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. The timeline of my pregnancy made it obvious that Vinn hadn¡¯t betrayed his best friend. Michael wasn¡¯t thrilled about being lied to, but at least he didn¡¯t hate Vinn for something he¡¯d never done. Vinn left the car, lugging in two enormous suitcases before he helped me across the greenwn and up the wraparound porch, into the house furnished with quaint furniture. ¡°I asked Carm to decorate. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Vinn wheeled me into a cozy living room. I dropped into the couch. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a rental?¡± ¡°I bought it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yeah. The doctor was very clear. You need rest, and this is the perfect ce.¡± Vinn disappeared to the kitchen and returned with a tall ss of water. ¡°There are photos of us!¡± Ignoring Vinn¡¯s protest, I limped toward the firece and grabbed the gilded frame I¡¯d kept on my desk. My gaze swam as I fingered our cheerful faces, ovee with a swell of grief and happiness. Vinn set the cup down, hooking his head over my shoulder. ¡°I thought this would be a nice vacation home. For us and the kid.¡± My lungs tightened. I crashed into his chest. I sank my fingers into his shirt and cried, purging every dark feeling that¡¯d gued me since we¡¯d been separated. Vinn¡¯s big hand caressed my back. He stroked my hair, but I couldn¡¯t stop crying. It wasn¡¯t about the house. Or the gunshot. It had nothing to do with him, or his fight with Michael, the baby, or the fact my life had been flipped upside-down. It was hope. It had died and been re-kindled so many times. We¡¯d be together one day. He would love me. Life was so fucking cruel. I¡¯d looked in all the wrong ces. I¡¯d suffered so needlessly when all I had to say were three words. He would¡¯ve said it back. He loved me, too. #3 —Chapter 31 LIANA Four yearster OUR FIRST BOY TURNED THREE, days after I graduated fromw school. Josh was his father in miniature form-camera-shy, sweet, and introverted. He blew out the candles as my husband cradled our newborn, Vincent. Josh grinned toothily as the house erupted in cheers, and I scanned the table, grinning at the people who filled my heart. Michael hugged Josh, and helped him cut slices of cake as his four-year-old, Luke, clung to his legs. Carm passed out paper tes, beaming. Carm¡¯s pixie-like sister pped her hands, radiant beside her tanned husband, Alessio. Queenie and Vitale ignored the noise as they cozied up in a corner, kissing. Myw school buddies clinked their champagne flutes with the few Vinn counted as his friends. Since we married, Vinn and I had left Boston to the beach home for a month-long vacation every summer. Then we started inviting Michael¡¯s family and his inws. It was too crowded, so we built extensions to fit everyone. Eventually, it became a base for barbecues, holidays, and birthdays. A bottomless peace settled into my soul whenever I stepped inside this ce. I exhaled a deep sigh as Vinn slid his arm around my waist. Warmth tingled my cheeks as he kissed the shell of my ear. His thumb stroked the round, circr scar from the gunshot wound. The recovery had been difficult, especially with a baby on the way. A media firestorm had lit up the local news until Alessio Salvatore threw enough dors at the CEOs who pushed the articles out of the circuit. It¡¯d been handled quietly. Vinn had kept the details from me, but the police investigation dropped shortly after Killian went ¡®missing.¡¯ A faint line creased Vinn¡¯s forehead, his gaze riveted to my face before it moved over my body. My heart jolted as his fingers grazed my thigh. ¡°Your mom¡¯s watching the kids tonight. Let¡¯s sneak offter and fuck.¡± His velvety voice dipped heat in my chest. I drank in thefort of his closeness, the very air electrified as he nipped my skin. ¡°You sure my brother won¡¯t walk in on us?¡± I referenced the incident involving an unlocked door and Michael drunkenly wandering in the wrong bedroom while Vinn and I were preupied. Vinnughed loudly, something he¡¯d slowly learned to do during our marriage. The best part of my life with him was Vinn blossoming into a devoted father who hosted ydates and always managed a small, tentative smile. The kids had softened his harsh edges. He was still a don, but, at least in private, he was my gentle giant. ¡°Joshie, hold on,¡± Vinn barked, detaching to grab our son. ¡°You need sunscreen.¡± Vinn thered the stuff on Josh¡¯s body. Michael corralled the children and ushered them outside, where a cloudless sky mirrored the water. Vinn fitted our son with a lifejacket before he brought Josh to the water. They yed in the waves before Josh decided to build sandcastles with his cousin, Luke. Michael¡¯s older kids raced the beach. Vinn¡¯s hawk-like gaze zeroed on his son as he settled in a chair. ¡°Where¡¯s Vincent?¡± ¡°Mom has him.¡± He pulled me onto hisp, and a delicious shudder heated my body. Wrapped in his arms was my favorite ce. My heart hammered as I scanned the coast. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing a lot of ces we could get away with being naked.¡± ¡°Use your imagination, sweetheart.¡± He pressed his mouth into my ear, jolting my skin. ¡°I¡¯ve already scouted an area and left supplies.¡± ¡°Supplies?¡± ¡°A couple towels¡­and toys. We¡¯ll have fun, provided nobody finds my stash.¡± ¡°Oh my God, Vinny.¡± A wickedugh tore from my throat as I pictured two teenagers stumbling upon a bag of lube and vibrators. ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the worst we¡¯ve done.¡± My cheeks red as he scooped up my hand and kissed the knuckle with the wedding ring. I¡¯d hired a jeweler to craft a rose gold band with scalloped seashells among the diamonds. He caressed the jagged line before finding the ne. Guilt nagged at me when he locked eyes on it and sighed. I removed it and bundled it into his fist. I¡¯d released the old Vinny ages ago. It took a while to admit I¡¯d never really known him. I¡¯d worshipped a fantasy, not a real, wed human being. ¡°I give you permission to throw it in the sea.¡± He chuckled. ¡°You have no idea how often I¡¯ve fantasized about that.¡± ¡°Do it.¡± He yed with it, fingers rotating the shell. ¡°Nah,¡± he murmured after a long silence. ¡°I only hated it because I thought you loved someone else. It reminds me of the man I was, the hope, the lightness in my chest before everything went dark. I don¡¯t ever want to be that asshole again.¡± Slowly, he slipped the chain around my head. He tenderly traced my jaw, the fire spreading into my heart. ¡°Keep it, Li. I like that you never gave up on me. But I think I have you beaten on the obsession front.¡± A ridiculous grin staggered across my face. He winked at me, grabbing a wallet from his pocket. He opened it, retrieving a torn, yellowed piece of paper. A wrinkle ran along its edge. He stared at it for a moment and handed it to me. I took it, recognizing my handwriting. Love, Liana ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I flipped it, but there was nothing. ¡°My signature? Where¡¯d you get it?¡± His gaze dropped as he smiled. ¡°I tore it off one of your letters.¡± The ripped up letter I¡¯d found stuffed in his shoebox swam to my mind. I gasped, that long-ago mystery sliding into ce. ¡°I¡¯ve had it in there forever,¡± he admitted, pink in the cheeks. ¡°I wanted your love with me everywhere I went. Cheesy, I know.¡± My feelings warred. I could¡¯ve socked him in the shoulder for hiding such a sweet gesture from me, and sobbed for the teenage Liana who¡¯d spent years writhing in angst over this man. Emotion thickened my throat. I couldn¡¯t speak, but Vinn seemed to understand. ¡°I love you more than you know.¡± ¡°I love you, Vinny.¡± He wiped the tear tracking my cheek. ¡°Take a nap. I¡¯ll look after the boys.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. I yawned, nodding agreement as he shifted our positions. I watched him through heavily lidded eyes as orange sunbeams sparkled on waves. Vinn kneeled beside Josh, who¡¯d smashed his fist through Luke¡¯s sandcastle. He redirected Josh¡¯s attention to a sleeping Michael, whoy on a towel. ¡°Let¡¯s bury him alive,¡± Vinn whispered to Josh. ¡°You start at the feet. I¡¯ll do the hands.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Father and son heaped sand over my unsuspecting brother, who hadn¡¯t yet noticed the attempt on his life. Vinn upped the ante by squirting lotion into his hand. He wrote FUCK on Michael¡¯s back in big white letters,ughing when Carm swiped through the profanity. ¡°What you doing, baby?¡± Michael stirred, jerking away from Vinn. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Vinn said breezily. ¡°Carm ruined an amazing practical joke.¡± ¡°Vinn made a joke?¡± Michael turned on his side, upsetting the sand burying his ankles. ¡°Am I in a parallel universe?¡± Vinn dumped a cup of ice water on Michael¡¯s neck. ¡°Vaffanculo!¡± The children shrieked withughter as Michael sprang upright. Vinn sprinted into the ocean. Michael gave chase, tackling him. Both fell with a wide ssh. Vinn was far from the dream-like perfection I¡¯d worshipped. And I didn¡¯t care. I loved him, ws and all. The end. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!