《Arranged Mafia Marriage》


 1

    Karma


    ¡°Morn came and went-and came, and brought no day¡­¡±


    Tears prick the backs of my eyes. Goddamn Byron. His words creep up on me when I am at my weakest. Not that I am a poetry addict, by any measure, but words are my jam. The one constion I have is that, when everything else in the world is wrong, I can turn to them, and they¡¯ll be there, friendly, steady, waiting with open arms.


    And this particr poem hadced my blood, crawled into my gut when I¡¯d first read it. Darkness had folded within me like an insidious snake, that raises its head when I least expect it. Like now, when I look out on the still sleeping city of London, from the grassy slope of Waterlow Park.


    Somewhere out there, the Mafia is hunting me, apparently. It¡¯s why my sister Summer and her new husband Sinir Sterling had insisted that I have my own security detail. I had agreed¡­ only to appease them¡­ then given my bodyguard the slip this morning. I had decided toe running here because it¡¯s not a ce I¡¯d normally go¡­ Not so early in the morning, anyway. They won¡¯t think to look for me here. At least, not for a while longer.


    I purse my lips, close my eyes. Silence. The rustle of the wind between the leaves. The faint tinkle of the water from the nearby spring.


    I could be thest person on this, alone, unsung, bound for the grave.


    Ugh! Stop. Right there. I drag the back of my hand across my nose. Try it again, focus, get the words out, one after the other, like the steps of my sorry life.


    ¡°Morn came and went-and came, and¡­ and¡­¡± My voice breaks. ¡°Bloody asinine hell.¡± I dig my fingers into the grass and grab a handful and fling it out. Again. From the top.


    ¡°Morn came and went-and came, and-¡±


    ¡°¡­brought no day.¡±


    A gravelly voicepletes my sentence.


    I whip my head around. His silhouette fills my line of sight. He¡¯s sitting on the same knoll as me, yet I have to crane my neck back to see his profile. The sun is at his back, so I can¡¯t make out his features. Can¡¯t see his eyes¡­ Can only take in his dark hair,bed back by a ruthless hand that brooked no measure.


    My throat dries.


    Thick dark hair, shot through with grey at the temples. He wears his age like a badge. I don¡¯t know why, but I know his years have not been easy. That he¡¯s seen more, indulged in more, reveled in the consequences of his actions, however extreme they might have been. He¡¯s not a normal, everyday person, this man. Not a nine-to-fiver, not someone who lives an average life. Definitely not a man who returns home to his wife and home at the end of the day. He is¡­different, unique, evil¡­ Monstrous. Yes, he is a beast, one who sports the face of a man but who harbors the kind of darkness inside that speaks to me. I gulp.


    His face boasts a hooked nose, a thin upper lip, a fleshy lower lip. One that hints at hidden desires, Heat. Lust. The sensuous scrape of that whiskered jaw over my innermost ces. Across my inner thigh, reaching toward that core of me that throbs, clenches, melts to feel the stab of his tongue, the thrust of his hardness as he impales me, takes me, makes me his. Goosebumps pop on my skin.


    I drag my gaze away from his mouth down to the scar that shes across his throat. A cold sensation coils in my chest. What or who had hurt him in such a cruel fashion?


    ¡°Of this their destion; and all hearts


    Were chill¡¯d into a selfish prayer for light¡­¡±


    He continues in that rasping guttural tone. Is it the wound that caused that scar that makes his voice so¡­gravelly¡­ So deep¡­so¡­so, hot?


    Sweat beads my palms and the hairs on my nape rise. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    He stares ahead as his lips move,


    ¡°Forests were set on fire-but hour by hour


    They fell and faded-and the crackling trunks


    Extinguish¡¯d with a crash-and all was ck.¡±


    I swallow, moisture gathers in my core. How can I be wet by the mere cadence of this stranger¡¯s voice?


    I spring up to my feet.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± hemands.


    His voice is unhurried,zy even, his spine erect. The cut of his ck jacket stretches across the width of his massive shoulders. His hair¡­ I was mistaken-there are threads of dark gold woven between the darkness that pours down to brush the nape of his neck. A strand of hair falls over his brow. As I watch, he raises his hand and brushes it away. Somehow, the gesture lends an air of vulnerability to him. Something so at odds with the rest of his persona that, surely, I am mistaken?


    My scalp itches. I take in a breath and my lungs burn. This man¡­ He¡¯s sucked up all the oxygen in this open space as if he owns it, the master of all he surveys. The master of me. My death. My life. A shiverdders along my spine. Get away, get away now, while you still can.


    I angle my body, ready to spring away from him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask again.¡±


    Ask. Command. Force me to do as he wants. He¡¯ll have me on my back, bent over, on my side, on my knees, over him, under him. He¡¯ll surround me, overwhelm me, pin me down with the force of his personality. His charisma, hisrger-than-life essence will crush everything else out of me and I¡­ I¡¯ll love it.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A fact. A statement of intent, spoken aloud. So true. So real. Too real. Too much. Too fast. All of my nightmares¡­my dreamse to life. Everything I¡¯ve wanted is here in front of me. I¡¯ll die a thousand deaths before he¡¯ll be done with me¡­ And then? Will I be reborn? For him. For me. For myself.


    I live, first and foremost, to be the woman I was¡­am meant to be.


    ¡°You want to run?¡±


    No.


    No.


    I nod my head.


    He turns his, and all the breath leaves my lungs. Blue eyes-cerulean, dark like the morning skies, deep like the nighttime¡­ hidden corners, secrets that I don¡¯t dare uncover. He¡¯ll destroy me, have my heart, and break it so casually.


    My throat burns and a boiling sensation squeezes my chest.


    ¡°Go then, my beauty, fly. You have until I count to five. If I catch you, you are mine.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯lle after you, stalk your every living moment, possess your nightmares, and steal you away in the dead of night, and then¡­¡±


    I draw in a shuddering breath as liquid heat drips from between my legs. ¡°Then?¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ensure you¡¯ll never belong to anyone else, you¡¯ll never see the light of day again, for your every breath, your every waking second, your thoughts, your actions¡­and all your words, every singlest one, will belong to me.¡± He peels back his lips, and his teeth glint in the first rays of the morning light. ¡°Only me.¡± He straightens to his feet and rises, and rises.


    This man¡­ He is massive. A monster who always gets his way. My guts churn. My toes curl. Something primeval inside of me insists I hold my own. I cannot give in to him. Cannot let him win whatever this is. I need to stake my ground, in some form. Say something. Anything. Show him you¡¯re not afraid of this.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why?¡± I tilt my head back, all the way back. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    He tilts his head, his ears almost canine in the way they are silhouetted against his profile.


    ¡°Is it because you can? Is it a¡­a,¡± I blink, ¡°a debt of some kind?¡±


    He stills.


    ¡°My father, this is about how he betrayed the Mafia, right? You¡¯re one of them?¡±


    ¡°Lucky guess.¡± His lips twist, ¡°It is about your father, and how he promised you to me. He reneged on his promise, and now, I am here to collect.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I swallow¡­ No, no, no.


    ¡°Yes.¡± His jaw hardens.


    All expression is wiped clean of his face, and I know then, that he speaks the truth. It¡¯s always about the past. My sorry shambles of a past¡­ Why does it always catch up with me? You can run, but you can never hide.¡±Tick-tock, Beauty.¡± He angles his body and his shoulders shut out the sight of the sun, the dawn skies, the horizon, the city in the distance, the rustle of the grass, the trees, the rustle of the leaves. All of it fades and leaves just me and him. Us. Run.


    ¡°Five.¡± He jerks his chin, straightens the cuffs of his sleeves.


    My knees wobble.


    ¡°Four.¡±


    My pulse rate spikes. I should go. Leave. But my feet are nted in this earth. This piece ofnd where we first met. What am I, but a speck in therger scheme of things? To be hurt. To be forgotten. To be taken without an ounce of retribution. To be punished¡­ by him.


    ¡°Three.¡± He thrusts out his chest, widens his stance, every muscle in his body rxed. ¡°Two.¡±


    I swallow. The pulse beats at my temples. My blood thrums.


    ¡°One.¡±

 2

    Michael


    ¡°Go.¡±


    She pivots and races down the slope. Her dark hair streams behind her. Her scent, femininity and silver moonflowers, clings to my nose, then recedes. It¡¯s so familiar, that scent.


    I had smelled it before, had reveled in it. Had drawn in it into my lungs as she had peeked up at me from under her thick eyshes. Her green gaze had fixed on mine, her lips parted as she weed my kiss. I had seen her before¡­ in my dreams. I stiffen. She can¡¯t be the same girl though, can she?


    I reach forward, thrust out my chin and sniff the air, but there¡¯s only the damp scent of dawn, mixed with the foul tang of exhaust fumes, as she races away from me.


    She stumbles and I jump forward, pause when she straightens. Wait. Wait. Give her a lead. Let her think she has almost escaped, that she¡¯s gotten the better of me¡­ As if.


    I clench my fists at my sides, force myself to rx. Wait. Wait. She reaches the bottom of the incline, turns. I surge forward. One foot in front of the other. My heels dig into the grassy surface and mud flies up, clings to the hem of my 4000 Italian pants. Like I care? Plenty more where that came from. An entire walk-in closet, full of clothes made to measure, to suit every asion, with every possible essory needed by a man in my position to impress¡­


    Everything¡­ Except the one thing that I had coveted from the moment I hadid eyes on her. Sitting there on the grassy slope, unshed tears in her eyes, and reciting¡­ Byron? For hell¡¯s sake. Of all the poets in the world, she had to choose the Lord of Darkness.


    I huff. All a ploy. Clearly, she knew I was sitting next to her¡­ No, not possible. I had walked toward her and she hadn¡¯t stirred. Hadn¡¯t been aware. Yeah, I am that good. I¡¯ve been known to slit a man¡¯s throat from ear-to-ear while he was awake and in his full senses. Alive one second, dead the next. That¡¯s how it is in my world. You want it, you take it. And I¡­ I want her.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I increase my pace, eat up the distance between myself and the girl¡­ That¡¯s all she is. A slip of a thing, a slim blur of motion. Beauty in hiding. A diamond, waiting for me to get my hands on her, polish her, show her what it means to be¡­


    Dead. She is dead. That¡¯s why I am here.


    A sh of skin, a creamy length of thigh, and I lurch over a bump in the ground. The hell? I right myself, leap forward, inching closer, closer. She reaches a curve in the path, disappears out of sight.


    My heart hammers in my chest. I will not lose her, will not. Here, Beauty,e to Daddy. The wind whistles past my ears. I pump my legs, lengthen my strides, turn the corner. There¡¯s no one there. Huh?


    My heart hammers and the blood pounds at my wrists, my temples; adrenaline thrums in my veins. I slow down,e to a stop. Scan the clearing.


    The hairs on my forearms prickle. She¡¯s here. Not far, but where? Where is she? I prowl across to the edge of the clearing, under the tree with its spreading branches.


    The crack of a branch above shivers across my stretched nerve endings. I swoop forward, hold out my arms, and close my grasp around the trembling, squirming mass of precious humanity. I cradle her close to my chest, heart beating thud-thud-thud, overwhelming any other thought.


    Mine. All mine. The hell is wrong with me? She wriggles her little body, and her curves slide across my forearms. My shoulders bunch and my fingers tingle. She kicks out with her legs and arches her back, thrusting her chest up against the fabric of her sports bra. She dared toe out dressed like that? In that scrap of fabric that barely covers her luscious curves?


    ¡°Let me go.¡± She whips her head toward me and her hair flows around her shoulders, across her face. She blows it out of the way. ¡°You monster, get away from me.¡±


    Anger drums at the backs of my eyes and desire tugs at my nerve endings. The scent of her is sheer torture, something I had dreamed of in the wee hours of twilight when dusk turned into night.


    She¡¯s not real. She¡¯s not the woman I think she is. She is my downfall. My sweet poison. The bitter medicine I must partake of to cure the ills that gue mypany,


    ¡°Fine.¡± I lower my arms and she tumbles to the grass, hits the ground butt first.


    ¡°How dare you.¡± She huffs out a breath, her hair messily arranged across her face.


    I shove my hands into the pockets of my fitted pants, knees slightly bent, legs apart. Tip my chin down and watch her as she sprawls at my feet.


    ¡°You¡­dropped me?¡± She makes a sound deep in her throat.


    So damn adorable.


    ¡°Your wish is mymand.¡± I quirk my lips.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I lean my weight forward on the balls of my feet and she flinches.


    ¡°What¡­what do you want?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    She pales. ¡°You want to¡­to rob me? I have nothing of consequence,


    ¡°Oh, but you do, Beauty.¡±


    I lean in and every muscle in her body tenses. Good. She¡¯s wary. She should be. She should have been alert enough to have run as soon as she sensed my presence. But she hadn¡¯t.


    I should spare her because she¡¯s the woman from my dreams¡­ but I won¡¯t. She¡¯s a debt I intend to collect. She owes me, and I¡¯ve dyed what was meant to happen long enough.


    I pull the gun from my holster, point it at her.


    Her gaze widens and her breath hitches. I expect her to plead with me for her life, but she doesn¡¯t. She stares back at me with her huge dted pupils. She licks her lips and my breath catches. Che cazzo! Why does herck of fear turn me on so?


    ¡°Your phone,¡± I murmur, ¡°take out your phone.¡±


    She draws in a breath, then reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone.


    ¡°Call your sister.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Dial your sister, Beauty. Tell her you are going away on a long trip to Sicily with your new friend.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± I curl my lips, ¡°Do it, now!¡¯


    She blinks, looks like she is about to protest, then her fingers fly over the phone.


    Damn, and I had been looking forward to coaxing her into doing my bidding.


    She holds her phone to her ear. I can hear the phone ring on the other side, before it goes to voicemail. She nces at me and I jerk my chin. She looks away, takes a deep breath, then speaks in a cheerful voice, ¡°Hi Summer, it¡¯s me, Karma. I, ah, have to go away for a bit. This new¡­ ah, friend of mine¡­ He has an extra ticket and he has invited me to Sicily to spend some time with him. I¡­ ah, I don¡¯t know when, exactly, I¡¯ll be back, but I¡¯ll message you and let you know. Take care. Love ya sis, I-¡±


    I snatch the phone from her, disconnect the call, then hold the gun to her temple, ¡°Goodbye, Beauty.¡±

 3

    Karma


    The whoop-whoop-whump grows louder, infiltrates my mind. Darkness, so dark, I¡¯m floating. The back of my head hits something hard. Red and white sparks re behind my eyeballs. I crack my eyelids open and pain slices through my brain. I groan, and the sound echoes back at me. Sweat beads my neck, my palms. My sports bra is sticking to my back. Booty shorts? Check. My running shoes-I wriggle my feet-I still have them on. What happened? What-? The ringing in my ears whooshes up, engulfs me.


    He shot me. The bastard shot me?


    A trembling grips me; my arms and legs grow numb. The blood beats in my ears. My pulse rate ratchets up and my guts churn. Bile rushes up my throat and I cough. No, I will not be sick. Not now. I take in a breath, another. Focus, focus on the now, as Ma used to say. She was a hippie, who¡¯d hitched a ride with my businessman father. Then married him and given birth to me and my sister. Bequeathed us quirky nicknames, which had ultimately made it to our passports¡­talk about fate, huh?


    As to why she called me Karma? It was a joke, on me. Bad luck seems to dog my footsteps. How else do you exin this¡­this situation? Me being kidnapped by¡­tall, dark and dangerous?


    My stomach flutters, my scalp tingles. No, no, I am insane. That brooding gaze, that mean re? Damn it, what is it about me that I seem to attract the assholes, huh? I fumble around, shove my hand in the pocket of my shorts¡­ No! My phone is gone. Of course, bastard had kept it, and then he had pushed the barrel of his gun into my temple. I had squeezed my eyes shut, the blood roaring in my ears, and then I¡¯d heard the bang. Then nothing. But he hadn¡¯t shot me. No he hadn¡¯t. If he had, I wouldn¡¯t be alive. And I¡¯m pretty sure I am.


    I run a mental check across my body¡­ No, I don¡¯t seem to be hurt anywhere. Which means, he had pretended to shoot me¡­ Likely, shot into the air next to my head¡­ Asshole. Clearly, he¡¯d done it to frighten me¡­ to get me toply. What a bastard. My pulse begins to drum. Why? Why did he do that? What is he going to do with me?


    Whoomp-whoomp-thump. The hell? I stiffen. The container I am in rocks from side to side¡­very gently. Not a boat¡­ I am in a¡­ I nce around the enclosed space. There¡¯s room for, maybe, one more person, a very small person¡­ My foot grazes something. I feel around with my sneaker. There¡¯s something springy-made of rubber. A tire? A car honks, muffled, as ifing from a distance or through ayer of metal. A car. I am in a vehicle? In the trunk, probably.


    I snake my fist out and into the curved barrier around me. ¡°Ow!¡± Pain nces down my arm. ¡°Let me the hell out!¡±


    The vehicle seems to speed up. My heart begins to hammer so fast, I am sure it¡¯s going to break out of my ribcage. This is not good¡­ I really shouldn¡¯t put so much stress on my heart¡­ I was born with a hole in my heart, which hadn¡¯t been discovered until a few years ago. It isn¡¯t life-threatening, yet. But it could be, if left untreated. The doctors had warned that I would need a procedure soon, but for the time-being, they had put me on medication to see if it would help.


    Meanwhile, I¡¯d been told not to exert myself¡­ Instructions which I hadn¡¯t adhered to, of course. It¡¯s why my sister Summer is overly-protective of me. It¡¯s why I had gone running in the park, and why I have refused to take the medicines; because I hate feeling less than anyone else. I had wanted to prove to myself that I was fine.


    Damn it, if I hadn¡¯t gone running, he wouldn¡¯t havee across me and kidnapped me. OMG, he¡¯s kidnapping me. Adrenalineces my blood. My heart beat instantly spikes. That¡¯s not good, not good at all. Calm down, take another breath, and another. I manage to calm myself down somewhat.


    Where is he taking me? Why did he kidnap me? I have to get the hell out of here. Have to. I join my fists, draw in a breath, then yank them up. Connect with the overhead covering. The loud thunk fills the space. I cry out. Pain slices down my arms and my shoulders hurt. There¡¯s a screeching sound, audible even through theyer of metal. I am thrown forward, then back. All movement stops. Hell. I¡¯ve done it now. I¡¯ve gotten their attention. Jesus H. Christ, are you somewhere around? I¡¯d never prayed when the nuns had held mass, but damn it, if you are there¡­ Please, please¡­ I bring my knuckles to my mouth, suck on the throbbing flesh. Help me, God.


    The cover flies up and light pours over me. I squeeze my eyes shut, then crack them open, just a tad. Wide shoulders, a massive chest that blocks out the daylight. His features are in repose, the sun to his back. I can¡¯t see his face, but I know who it is. Him.


    ¡°Move over.¡± His hard baritone whips through the space.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He swoops out his hand, grabs my shoulder and pushes me back. Then swings a leg over and inside the boot.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The hell?


    He sinks down. No, no, no. He can¡¯t be doing this.


    ¡°I am.¡±


    He lowers his big body and I scoot back, all the way back in that enclosed space, until my back is t against the barrier of the car¡­ He sinks down into the space I vacated. If he gets in here with me, we¡¯ll be face to face, chest to breasts, thigh to thigh, crotch to- I turn my back on him, as he lowers thest of his bulk into the already cramped space.


    ¡°Good thinking.¡± His voice rumbles down my back.


    ¡°At least one of us is,¡± I growl, ¡°because, clearly, you¡¯re not in your right senses¡­ You-¡±


    The cover of the boot ms down and a tiny light bulb flicks on just above us.


    ¡°What the-?¡± I blink, stare up at the illumination. It¡¯s not much, but at least, I can see my nose in front of my face.


    ¡°Say thank you, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Go fly a kite.¡±


    ¡°You can do better than that.¡±


    The vehicle roars forward, mming me back and into the wall of his body. Every hard, corded, coiled inch of him surrounds me. I gulp. Dense waves of heat sear my back, sink into my blood, snake into the hollow between my thighs. Oh, hell!


    Goosebumps re on my skin; moistureces my palms, my brow. My throat is so dry that I swear my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. Not good. This is not good.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hardly in a position to ask questions.¡±


    The hard nes of his chest graze my shoulders. I gulp. Freeze. Every muscle in my body goes rigid. His powerful thighs fit in the V of where I have folded up my legs. He slides his arm under my neck, wraps the other around my waist, and pulls me close.


    Something thick and long stabs at the curve of my backside, OMG! Is that¡­is it¡­? I squeeze my thighs together, try to scoot away. His grip tightens.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± he growls.


    As if I am going to jump to his everymand. I huff, wriggle forward, but end up brushing my butt against his turgid length.


    ¡°See what happens when you don¡¯t obey?¡±


    I freeze.


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡­do this.¡±


    ¡°I already am.¡±


    ¡°My sister will be worried when she can¡¯t reach me.¡±


    ¡°You already called her.¡±


    ¡°I¡­what?¡± I turn my head, glower at him.


    ¡°You told her you were going on a long holiday with a friend.¡±


    Oh, right. ¡°She¡¯ll never believe that,¡± I huff.


    Besides, Summer¡¯s so overprotective. She wouldn¡¯t just let me take off like that without suspecting something, right?


    ¡°She has a new husband, a future¡­ She¡¯s not going to miss you for a while.¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡± I shut my mouth. ¡°You¡­you stalked me?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t that important.¡±


    Anger coats my tongue. How dare he insult me? ¡°I mean something, because you didn¡¯t kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°Yet.¡± I hear the amusement in his voice.


    Bet all this is just one long walk in the park for him. Which is where he found me. How long had he been following me? Did he know my routine? Is that how he marked out the best time to abduct me? My heart begins to thud. This is not good. This is really happening.


    ¡°Why me?¡± I say in a low tone. ¡°Why did you kidnap me?¡±


    ¡°The eternal question.¡± He yawns. The bastard yawns, as if he¡¯s bored with this conversation.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± I insist, ¡°what do you want in exchange?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I am interested in getting anything in exchange?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I nce sideways and up at what I can see of that gorgeous face. Those high cheekbones, the hooked nose, that pouty lower lip of his that was made for sinking my teeth into, swiping my tongue across the seam, as I nibble on that delectable mouth¡­ Gah! My face heats and a pulse res to life between my legs. ¡°What do you mean, you are not interested in an exchange? You must want something in return.¡±


    ¡°I have everything.¡±


    ¡°Then why take me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I am trying to figure out.¡±


    What the-? I frown, ¡°That makes no sense. You must have had a n when you decided to steal me away from my everyday life. I mean, people don¡¯t just see someone else and decide, on the spur of the moment, ¡®oh, I want that person, so I am going to kidnap him or her,¡¯ you know?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he shakes his head, ¡°I don¡¯t, actually.¡±


    I blink, open my mouth and shut it again. ¡°I see.¡± I bob my head. ¡°I understand what you are trying to do here.¡±


    He arches an eyebrow, ¡°Pray, do tell.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to confuse me with your cryptic words, and you¡¯re trying to keep me off bnce with your stupid domineering ways.¡±


    ¡°You meant controlling ways.¡±


    I snarl, ¡°What¡¯s the bloody difference anyway?¡±


    ¡°To control means tomand, to have mastery over, to-¡±


    ¡°Forget I asked,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°You, on the other hand, clearly love to be subjugated.¡±


    ¡°No I don¡¯t,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Sure, you do.¡±


    ¡°Not.¡±


    ¡°Want me to prove it to you?¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, and instantly my toes curl. A shiver ripples down my spine. Every cell in my body opens, all my nerve endings go on alert¡­and my synapses¡­ they seem to fire all at once. Oh, hell, what is this man doing to me?


    I strain away, try to put distance between us once. He hauls me even closer, throws his leg over both of mine, so I can¡¯t move.


    I try to draw in a breath and my lungs burn. I am having a nervous breakdown. In the boot of a car, with my kidnapper.


    No, no no, this can¡¯t be happening. I can¡¯t breathe. My heart beats so fast, I am sure it¡¯s going to jump out of my ribcage.


    ¡°Shh!¡± His warm breath grazes my cheek. ¡°Rx, I promise I won¡¯t harm you.¡±


    Says the man who almost shot me. A chuckle bubbles up and my entire body shakes.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± he rumbles.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I choke out, ¡°you, asshole. Have you heard yourself? You sound like a psycho bastard-¡±


    Cold metal pushes against the curve of my neck. My breath hitches. My pulse rate ratchets up, even as my limbs tremble.


    ¡°Shh.¡± His warm breath raises the hair at my temples. My skin prickles and my scalp feels too tight. I open my mouth, but no wordse out. Is that a knife? It¡¯s a knife. A bloody knife. OMG. How many freakin¡¯ weapons does this man carry on him, anyway?


    He drags the tip of the de down the side of my throat. The tip pricks my skin. Not enough to hurt, just enough for me to go still. My breath hitches and a trembling grips me. Even as my core clenches. What the hell is wrong with me? Do I find the idea of him holding a weapon against my skin such a turn on? Am I such a sucker for punishment? One who hankers for something darker, deeper, more violent that the usual overtures than a normal woman would enjoy.


    ¡°Now, Beauty, don¡¯t freak out on me, not after that very promising start.¡±


    He removes the knife. I sense him move away as he tucks the knife back from wherever he¡¯d pulled it out, then he grips my chin. He forces my head toward him and my gaze meets his.


    Those blue eyes are piercing, a beacon in the darkness. My light at the end of the tunnel. What? No. Anger squeezes my guts and fear bubbles up, a tangy, bitter taste on my tongue.


    I open my mouth to scream, but he¡¯s already there. He lowers his chin, nts his lips over mine.

 4

    Michael


    Heat, sweetness. The taste of her, like strawberries and sunshine, punches me in the gut. My head spins. I need her, want her. I pull her up until she crashes into my chest, her body twisted against mine. I slide my leg, between hers, apply pressure until her body curves further.


    Bend for me, Beauty. Break for me. Open. I swipe my tongue across the seam of her lips and her mouth parts further. I swoop in, because¡­that¡¯s my second nature. I take what I want. Use weakness to my advantage. Rush in to consolidate my position when I have the upper hand. I tten my palm over the tness of her belly, graze my fingers over the core of her. She moans low in her throat, the sound so soft I¡¯d have missed it, except I¡¯ve stered her to me. Her every breath, her every inhale, the trembling that sweeps up her spine¡­ It¡¯s mine. I tilt my head, deepen the kiss even further. Thrust my tongue inside the honeyed spring of her mouth and drink from her. Suck on her tongue and a whine bleeds from her. I swallow it. Bring my fingers up to cup her breast and she arches her spine. Pushes her flesh into the hollow of my palm. I pinch her nipple and her entire body bucks. Against me. Into me. Her hair ps against my chin, coils around my neck, binding me to her, tugging at me, connecting us¡­ No. I tear my lips from her mouth and she tips up her chin, reaches up, seeking my touch, my essence, what only I can give her.


    ¡°Beauty?¡± I clear my throat.


    She peers at me from between the fringe of her eyshes, pupils blown from the pleasure I¡¯d drawn from her. She blinks; her lips part, swollen from my ministrations.


    ¡°Wanna shag?¡± I allow my lips to curl in a smirk. Rake my gaze down her flushed cheeks, her heaving chest. ¡°You¡¯re a bit on the heavy side for me, but you¡¯ll do for a quickie.¡±


    Her cheeks redden; a spark lights in her eyes. There, you are.


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°If you insist.¡±


    She pulls away from me, and I loosen my grip. Not that she¡¯s going anywhere, considering we were trapped here in the confines of this car for a little while longer. Why the hell did I crawl in here with her? A temporary loss of sanity, that¡¯s what it was. I¡¯d heard her beat her fists against the car and¡­knew it would attract attention. Didn¡¯t want that. Couldn¡¯t bring her up front so¡­ I¡¯d done the logical thing. I¡¯d climbed in.


    ¡°Get away from me, you obnoxious jerk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware that¡¯s not possible, considering.¡± I jerk my chin towards the space around us.


    ¡°And who¡¯s fault is that?¡±


    ¡°Yours.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t quoted Byron, you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I would be dead.¡± She glowers.


    ¡°Right on your first guess.¡± I nod. ¡°Impressive you recognized that.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°n?¡± I frown.


    ¡°You know, the hell are you thinking, transporting me to God knows where? Why didn¡¯t you kill me like you should have?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one asking the questions, polina.¡±


    ¡°Your Italian insults suck, you know that?¡±


    I blow out a breath. ¡°You English think a word in any othernguage is an insult.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°What about what you called me earlier?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Beauty. You called me Beauty.¡±


    ¡°You are fucking annoying. I liked you better with my tongue in your mouth.¡± I lower my head and she arches away. She tugs at my grasp. I release her chin and she faces forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kiss me again.¡±


    ¡°You liked it, hmm?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.


    ¡°Wanna bet. I am more than happy to go another round.¡± I allow my lips to curve, ¡°It¡¯s as good a way as any to pass the time.¡±


    I coil a strand of her hair around my fingers, bring it to my nose. Cinnamon and sugar, with a dash of hot spice. My mouth waters, and I release the silken length.


    ¡°So, what do you say?¡±


    ¡°Go to hell.¡±


    ¡°Been there, and I¡¯m not in a hurry to repeat the experience.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a rejoinder for every insult?¡± She huffs.


    ¡°Do you always mouth off your captors?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been kidnapped before.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ve never¡­¡± my voice trails off. I don¡¯t lie, ever. And the fact is, she¡¯s not the first I have abducted. She¡¯s the first whose life I¡¯ve spared, and hell¡­ Why? Why would I do that? Just a few mumbled words and boom¡­ I¡¯m the bitch in this equation. Nope. No way. I need to take control of this situation. Of whatever it is that stretches between us. Need to snap this connection.


    ¡°Never been at a loss of words before, huh?¡± Triumph tinges her tone, and warmth curls in my chest.


    My heart begins to thud, my pulse rate ratchets up, and even before the words are out of my mouth, I know I am going to regret it¡­ But fuck that. I am Italian enough to not mess with forces beyond myprehension. When I had set out this morning to take her life, I hadn¡¯t realized that it would be mine I was forfeiting. Too little, toote. I am helpless, and I have to take the next step. Else we¡¯ll both be left hanging between the devil and a dark ce, and to hell with that. I¡¯ll make the decision and be damned. Pay the consequences; no choices. This is it. It has to be this way. There is no other option.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had to choke a woman intoplying before.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± She yells, whips her head around.


    I wrap an arm around her neck then grab the bicep of my other arm.


    She struggles, kicks out, manages to free a leg and sinks her knee into my thigh. Painces my nerve endings, lengthens my cock even further. Don¡¯t judge. My tastes have always been on the edge¡­and this¡­ This has pushed them past a point of no return.


    I manage to slide my other hand behind her head, apply pressure to the sides of her neck and she goes limp.


    ¡°Sleep, Beauty.¡±


    Her breathing deepens.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± I cradle her close, whisper my knuckles over her cheek. ¡°When you awake, it will be the start.¡±


    Karma


    Whispers, the scrape of something smooth against the back of my thighs. I rub my cheek against the silky-hard sensations. The masculine scent of testosterone, musky, like leather with a hint of woodsmoke. Fresh snow on fallen earth. The cold rush of a winter¡¯s wind. The snap and crackle of a firece. Warmth creeps up my fingers, my toes. I turn toward it, snuggle in against the hard unrelenting surface. Thud-thud-thud-thud; the beats sink into my blood. My sex clenches in perfect rhythm. Him. He is near. He had crawled into the back of the car with me, had wound his big body around mine and he¡¯d choked me until I¡¯d fainted. I crack open my eyelids and the world swims in my line of sight.


    ¡°How dare you?¡± I cough. ¡°You knocked me out, you obnoxious jackalope.¡±


    ¡°Sleep hasn¡¯t improved your disposition, huh?¡± A lean arm appears in front of me, holding a ss of water. ¡°Drink.¡±


    I purse my lips, gulp, re from the ss of water to his handsome, gorgeous, ugly-mean features.


    ¡°Do it or I¡¯ll pour it down your throat myself.¡± His tone is soft but he doesn¡¯t fool me. Bastard would do it, too. I reach for the ss. The water slides between my parched lips. I drain it. My swollen tongue thanks me, and the drumming behind my temples seems to recede. I lower the ss, take stock of my surroundings. I¡¯m in a leather chair, and a seatbelt is strapped across myp. I also have my running clothes on. I nce down and find my feet are still d in my sneakers. The low hum of engines, hushed voices soaked up by thick carpeting, and the kind of luxury only the filthy rich or the filthy-period-can buy, reaches me.


    ¡°We¡¯re on a ne?¡±

 5

    I nce up at the face of my kidnapper. He sits in the chair opposite me. Elbows on the armrests, fingers steepled together in front of him, his legs are spread apart, powerful thighs stretching the soft fabric of his tailor-made pants, and between them, the unmistakable bulge of- I jerk my chin up, meet his gaze. ¡°Private jet, huh? I guess crime really does pay well. How did you acquire it? Did you kill the owner?¡±


    ¡°Tortured him, actually. By the time I was done with him, there was no blood left in his sorry-ass body.¡±


    I nche.


    Heughs and I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s because it¡¯s true or he just likes the look on my face and wants to torment me.


    ¡°Do you want more water?¡±


    Maybe both. Jerk.


    ¡°What I want¡­¡± I tighten my grip on the ss, ¡°is to smash your face in.¡± I pull my arm back and hurl the ss at him. It catches him at the side of the temple, then falls to the carpet with a soft thud. Blood blooms from the gash, a trickle of scarlet that rolls down his temple, over the razor-sharp, high cheekbone.


    There¡¯s a sudden movement, then the barrel of gun is pushed against my temple. ¡°Want me to kill her, Michael?¡± A hard male voice sounds from somewhere to the side and above me. I swallow; my pulse begins to race.


    Michael rubs his chin as he considers me.


    The barrel of the gun digs deeper into my temple. I wince, but don¡¯t take my gaze off the asshole opposite.


    Finally, Michael tilts his head. ¡°Not yet,¡± he rumbles, and I stiffen.


    The cold metal disappears from my skin, and I am not ashamed to say that the tension drains from my body.


    ¡°Oh, and Antonio?¡±


    Antonio tilts his head.


    ¡°No one gets to pull a gun on her, except me. No one hurts her, but me.¡± His lips curl.


    I set my jaw and his grin widens. ¡°Now leave us,¡± he growls and Antonio retreats to the far end of the cabin. Shit, now we are alone. Maybe it would be better if Antonio were still here. So what, if he held a gun to my temple? I¡¯d rather face a weapon head-on, than the shark-faced, Mafia asshole who eyes me like I am the tastiest morsel ever. I tip up my chin, grip the handles of my seat, ¡°If that was meant to frighten me-¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    My breath hitches.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like-¡±


    He swoops forward so fast that the blood from his temple sshes onto my dress. ¡°I mean it, Beauty. Keep those pretty lips zipped or I¡¯ll stuff your mouth, and it won¡¯t be with your favorite cupcake.¡±


    My shoulder muscles lock, my core puckers. I squeeze my thighs together to stop the insidious moisture that drip-drip-drips from my treacherous core.


    ¡°Unless.¡± He taps his fingertips together, peruses my features. ¡°Unless that¡¯s what you want?¡±


    No.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been barking at me, scratching at me, demanding my attention, making it difficult for me to concentrate on anything but your face, your legs, the hard nipples of your breasts that tremble in anticipation of my touch, hmm?¡±


    Of course, not. What the hell is he talking about?


    ¡°Is this what gets you off?¡± I drop my gaze to his crotch, where his bulge has grown noticeably bigger in thest few seconds. ¡°Lording it over those helpless in front of you, those weaker than you? Does that make you feel more macho? Does it feed your manliness, you obnoxious bastard?¡±


    ¡°No, but this will.¡±


    He grabs the hardness between his legs and squeezes it. I flinch. My toes curl. I should look away from how he cups the thick girth between those powerful thighs. My throat closes, my ribcage tightens, and moisture pools at my core.


    ¡°Down.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I jerk my chin up.


    He nods towards the space between his legs.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°You have two choices.¡±


    Oh?


    ¡°You get down on your knees and blow me or¡­¡±


    Or?


    ¡°I get down on my knees, pull your legs apart and eat you out. And then I let you blow me.¡±


    I squeeze my thighs together. No way. If he touches me now, he¡¯ll know how¡­how wet I am. And I shouldn¡¯t be. I hate him; hate him for how he pulls a response from me, by just being¡­himself. I blink. What I see with him is what I get, and that¡¯s refreshing. In a way, he¡¯s more decent than any other man I¡¯ve encountered in my life. The hell am I thinking about?


    ¡°Which one¡¯s it going to be, my Beauty?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your anything,¡± I snarl.


    ¡°Wrong, you¡¯re my captive.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±


    ¡°Choose fast and choose wisely, for this sets the course of our future rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Rtionship?¡± I glower. ¡°You are more deluded than what I first thought.¡±


    ¡°No more than what your father was.¡±


    ¡°The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father¡­¡± I stutter. A quote from the Bible? That¡¯s the best I could do? Guess I was paying more attention than I realized to the daily, evening readings by the nuns. God bless their souls, they¡¯d done their best for us. If it weren¡¯t for them¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be alive.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I wouldn¡¯t be here, facing down this absolute brute who, clearly, will not listen to reason, so why am I even trying?


    ¡°And the daughter? What is the daughter going to do, hmm?¡± The blood drips down his cheek and onto his shirt, smearing it scarlet.


    ¡°This daughter sure doesn¡¯t owe her old man a single ounce of respect. What I do, I do out of choice.¡± I set my jaw.


    ¡°Which is¡­?


    I draw in a breath, then unhook the seatbelt from around me and drop down to my knees.

 6

    Michael


    She peers up at me from under hershes. Her dark hair about her shoulders, her cheeks flushed, she chews on her lower lip and the blood rushes to my groin. As if I weren¡¯t hard enough already. I drag my arm to the side, force my fingers to rx.


    ¡°Tick-Tock, Beauty.¡±


    She makes a sound deep in her throat, one I am alreadying to recognize. That almost subvocal note half-way between a snarl and frustration. My dick lengthens further. At this rate, I am going to jizz myself in my pants, and before she¡¯s even touched that part of my body. Focus, focus. I draw in a breath, pull back my shoulders.


    ¡°Perhaps I should take the lead-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She scuttles forward, undoes my belt, then seizes the zipper on my pants and lowers it, along with my briefs. My dick springs free.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Her mouth forms a circle; her pale lips shorn of lipstick beckon. My balls tighten. My fingers tingle. I¡¯d told her to blow me; doesn¡¯t mean I am going to let her control the proceedings.


    ¡°Drop your head, take me down your throat.¡±


    She swallows.


    ¡°Do it.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She folds her fingers around the base of my shaft and sparks explode behind my eyeballs. This was a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have told her to do this. I am revealing too much of myself, in just how my body responds to her.


    I grab the armrests, dig my fingers in.


    ¡°That all you got?¡±


    She tips her chin up and her green eyes spark fire. Something hot stabs at my chest. This woman, she¡¯s a fighter. A survivor, like me. Who will break first? Me or her? It has to be her. It will be her, if it¡¯s thest thing I do.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re scared, huh? Maybe you¡¯re just like your old man, all talk, no-¡± She lowers her chin, licks my dick from base to head. Lust ms into my groin.


    She swirls her pink tongue around the swollen appendage, licks off the precum oozing from the slit. I hold her gaze, lower my chin. One side of my mouth curls and a deep red stains the creamy skin of her neck. Fascinating. I could spend hours¡­days exploring every millimeter of that gorgeous expanse of womanhood, wring orgasm after orgasm from her, y her body like it¡¯s a finely-tuned musical instrument¡­


    But I want more. I need her open and thirsting for what only I can give her. I have to own her, body and soul, until her every emotion is mine to read. Her every thought is mine to foresee. Her every wish¡­mine¡­only mine to grant. If I so deem it.


    Hmm. A fierce sensation fans to life deep in my groin. I track it as it spreads up my spine, to my extremities, until it seems to envelope every inch of my body. What would it take for this woman to give up all her secrets to me¡­willingly? That would be a first. A different challenge. Something I¡¯ve been searching for¡­ for quite a while.


    I widen my legs even more, pump my hips forward. My swollen shaft ps her across her lips. She flinches. I re at her and she pales. I tilt my head. She stiffens her shoulders, squeezes the base of my cock. Then she opens her mouth, drops her chin and takes me down her throat¡­in one go.


    Che cazzo! It¡¯s clearly not her first blowjob¡­ And I had thought, what? That she was innocent? No way. I had been fooled by her youth, her feistiness. Well, no more. It works better this way, for both of us. I don¡¯t have to feel guilty for what I am going to put her through, hmm?


    She sucks in her cheeks, and I feel the pull all the way down to my balls.


    She pulls back, saliva drooling down her chin, dragging the rough edge of her tongue across the underside of my shaft. The pulse thrums to life at my wrists, my temples, even at the backs of my eyelids. Goddam her. She pauses, with her lips framing my cock, and my balls draw up. I can¡¯t hold out any more. Damn her.


    I swoop down, dig my fingers into her hair. I tug and her neck arches. I wrap my other hand around her neck. She swallows. Every hesitant vibration strums over my palm, sinks into my blood. My heart begins to thud. This is too carnal, too real. This isn¡¯t how I intended it to be. I thought I was in control? I was wrong. As long as she is near me, I¡¯ll never be able to manage my reactions. I pull her back until my dick slips from her mouth with a wet sound that has me instantly twitching again. Hell. I release her.


    She sits back on her knees. A tear trickles from the corner of her eyes. I reach forward to swipe it away, and she flinches. Anger squeezes my guts. I tuck myself back in, zip my pants.


    She blinks.


    ¡°Go,¡± I jerk my chin toward the seat.


    ¡°But.¡± She scowls at me.


    ¡°Do it, before I change my mind.¡±


    She scrambles back and sinks into her seat, snaps her seatbelt back on. What an obedient little girl. Was she as willing to please whoever she had administered blowjobs to earlier? I squeeze my fingers at my sides. The blood throbs in my veins. Why am I so angry at the thought of her with any other man? I had no im over her¡­yet. I need to keep it that way. I need to find a way to keep my distance until I have decided what to do with her.


    I spring up to my feet, stalk away from her.


    ¡°Michael?¡±


    I freeze, turn on her. ¡°You haven¡¯t earned the right to call me by my name.¡±


    She huffs. ¡°So, what should I call you? Asshole?¡±


    ¡°Lord or Master will do well enough.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Lord Asshole it is, unless you prefer Master Asshole?¡±


    I chuckle, then firm my lips. ¡°You have a sense of humor. Good. You are going to need it over the next few days.¡±


    She pales, then squares her shoulders, ¡°If you think you are going to scare me into doing what you want, you have another thinking, buster.¡± Her green eyes re with a hidden fire. Color smears her cheeks. She¡¯s truly magnificent. And I need to get my head examined for finding her so attractive.


    She¡¯s the woman from your dreams, you asshole. You¡¯ve been looking for her. And now I found her¡­ and all she is, is a debt I intend to reim.


    I curl my lips, then turn and stalk away, hellbent on finding a way to take care of the raging hardness that tents my pants.


    ¡°Wait,¡± she calls out.


    Now what? I re at her over my shoulder.


    She twists her fingers in front of her. ¡°Why did you¡­stop?¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°Didn¡¯t you want me to?¡±


    ¡°N¡­no, that¡¯s not what I meant. I thought that¡­¡±


    ¡°I wanted you?¡±


    She stiffens, then jerks her chin.


    ¡°You thought wrong. I wanted to see how willing you¡¯d be to fulfill my wishes. Seems you are ready and able to do my bidding¡­ Too willing. It¡¯s not enough of a challenge.¡± I yawn. ¡°I don¡¯t y with little girls, Beauty.¡±


    Her face pales. ¡°I¡¯m neen, you prick.¡±


    And I¡¯m a full twenty years older than her. I¡¯d known it, of course, when I had taken her¡­ But having her throw her age in my face¡­makes the age gap even more of a reality. Of course, twenty years is nothing in the Mafia world. There are other Capo¡¯s who¡¯ve married girls thirty years their junior. They swear by the fact that a younger wife keeps them young at heart, too. Only, I hadn¡¯t ever thought I¡¯d be one of them. Hell, knowing the age gap hadn¡¯t stopped me from being attracted to her from the moment I saw her. Besides, she¡¯s here as an asset. All I have to do is use her as I see fit to consolidate my ns. That¡¯s all this is-a means to an end. There is no reason to attach any other significance to it.


    I shake my head. ¡°What you are, is pathetic.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think so when you kidnapped me.¡± She snaps her teeth at me. Cute. I almost smile, then school my features into a semnce of seriousness.


    ¡°I kidnapped you because you owe me.¡±


    ¡°My father owes you.¡±


    ¡°Same thing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing.¡± She draws herself up to her full height.


    ¡°Frankly I found the entire experience boring.¡±


    Her chin wobbles. Porco Giuda! I hurt her. But that was the idea, right? It¡¯s why I took her in the first ce. So she can pay for the sins of her father. I squeeze my hands at my side, then look her in the eye, ¡°Figured I¡¯d find a woman, a real woman, to take care of my needs. Know what I mean?¡±


    She pales.


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. I nce away, then up as the stewardess approaches me. I snap my fingers and her eyes light up. ¡°On your knees; you know what to do.¡±

 7

    Karma


    Why that arrogant, emotionally unstable prick. He wouldn¡¯t. No way. Michael props his hands on his waist and widens his stance. His jacket pulls tightly across his butt and I gulp. This man? He is the epitome of a wet dream. Look away, look away now. I lean forward and my breathing heightens. The stewardess sinks to her knees. I can see her framed by the inverted V of Michael¡¯s legs and it should be voyeuristic, should make me feel dirty to watch her pleasure him. And it does. And that is part of the appeal.


    I swallow hard and slickness coats the space between my thighs. The nes of his broad back flex, then I hear her gasp. His shoulders flex, his arm moves in a forward motion. No doubt, he¡¯s grabbed her head, then pulled her forward so he can feed his cock to her. That¡¯s the alphahole for you. There¡¯s no way she is in control here. No doubt it¡¯s him who¡¯s taking the blowjob from her.


    She must have her mouth open as she swallows him, takes that dark, hot, throbbing length down her throat. As I just had. And he¡¯d hated it, when I¡¯d done that. But with her? His shoulders des pull back and his entire body tenses.


    I bend lower, watch as her body jerks, and again. She¡¯s moving her lips across his hard length, taking him in, sucking, licking¡­ The sound of slurping fills the air and my mouth waters. This is insane. The dark taste of him coats my pte, the edgy scent of testosterone lingers in my nostrils. I wriggle around in the seat, but can¡¯t find afortable position. Dig my sneaker d feet into the carpeted floor, grasp the armrests, watch as his thigh muscles clench.


    Her body jerks faster, no doubt as he uses her mouth. As he crams his dick between her lips. I hear the sounds of gagging and my belly flip-flops. I squeeze my thighs together as he thrusts his hips forward. His butt muscles tighten, then he throws back his head and a groan fills the air.


    I nce around the space but none of the other men-there are five men other than Michael on the ne; how had I not noticed that before? That¡¯s how wrapped up in him I¡¯ve been-and none of them are paying attention to the spectacle unfolding. Does he do this often? Get the stewardess to jerk him off? Every time he gets on the ne, maybe? He¡¯ll whistle and she¡¯lle running? Something hot stabs in my chest. Bitch. Not her, but me, for wanting¡­what? To be her¡­ No, it¡¯s not that. I want his attention.


    A gasp leaves my lips. I want to have his full andplete focus, to be the cynosure of all that smoldering, melting scrutiny. To have his fingers dig into my skin, my breasts, my aching core. The hell is wrong with me? I straighten, force myself to watch as his muscles coil with tension. His spine is straight, his feet nted on the floor as if he owns the goddam space¡­ Which he does¡­ And every molecule of air in this infernal enclosed area has been sucked in by the heat generated by the sexual hunger that flows from him. Unrequited.


    He¡¯d wanted me. Despite what he¡¯d said earlier, he¡¯d enjoyed what I¡¯d done to him. Perhaps, too much?


    Had I scared him away? A low chuckle catches in my throat. Am I being delusional? Me, the woman who had practiced blowjobs by watching them on porn hub¡­and the erotic novels I¡¯ve been reading since I turned fifteen. Don¡¯t judge. A direct consequence of being surrounded by nuns-God bless their souls. I loved each and every one of them, but their singr preupation with sacrifice and sin-the two words that had etched themselves in my mind-had perversely driven me to seek out the forbidden. Well, as much as a teenage girl had been able to ess, that is. God bless the inte.


    I tilt my head, squeeze my thighs together, scrutinize his movements as he swoops up his free hand to press it to the curved ceiling overhead, then renews his pleasure seeking, as he yanks her head back and forth, at least I assume so from the sucking, mewling noises that emerge from their direction. My heart begins to race and my fingers tingle. I shouldn¡¯t¡­shouldn¡¯t. What the hell! I press the hell of my hand into my core and grind down, just as Michael speeds up.


    His entire body goes solid, a vertical column of desire that swells and flows, and I can¡¯t take my gaze off those solid, tight hips of his.


    As he thrusts forward, backward¡­forward. My hips catch the rhythm, as I push up and into the heel of my hand, then back. I mirror that frantic rush up the slope toward that distant horizon, where the silver lining of the sun shines against the clouds, the wind blows hard, shoves the darkness away. And for a second, I am there, right there with him, soaring up, up. A low growl rips from his chest, his butt clenches, his thighs tighten, stretching the material of his pants, his elbow seizes, then he groans. And I stter right there in my panties.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I throw my head back, my eyes half-closed, panting. A bead of sweat slides down the valley between my breasts. Jesus, what¡¯s wrong with me? Why did I find the sight of him using another woman to pleasure himself so¡­hot?


    I lower my hand to my side, cross one leg over the other as he pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to her. She nces around him to meet my gaze. Her lips curve up, wet, gleaming from the evidence of his cum.


    How dare he do this to me?


    She licks her lips, then pats them with his handkerchief before shoving the piece of cloth down her breasts. He gave her a part of himself to keep. Jerk! He knew exactly how that would make me feel.


    She rises to her feet, turns and saunters away.


    He nces over his shoulder at me. ¡°Did you enjoy that, Beauty?¡±


    My nails dig into the cloth at the apex of my thighs. No. Of course, not. I re at him.


    One side of his lips turns up. ¡°Remember the feeling, for it¡¯s thest time youe without my permission.¡±

 8

    Michael


    ¡°The hell are you up to, Stronzo?¡±


    I don¡¯t look up from the screen. The camera is pointed at the bed in the center of the room. More specifically, at the woman sleeping on it. She hasn¡¯t moved since we arrived on my ind a few hours ago. I¡¯d left it to my men to escort her there. She¡¯d tried to speak with them and they¡¯d ignored her¡­as they had been instructed. They hadn¡¯t looked at her, or met her gaze-they knew the consequences of disobeying my orders. She¡¯d nced around the room, walked up to the window, which was open¡­ And I knew what she¡¯d see-sheer drop to the ocean below. Her shoulders had sagged, and she¡¯d flounced around, examined every corner of the room, before she¡¯d staggered to the bed and thrown herself on it. She¡¯d fallen asleep in seconds, like the child that she is.


    Except, when it hade to sucking my dick¡­she¡¯d known her way around that particr appendage. Or bringing herself to climax¡­ Should I be insulted that she jacked off to me? I tighten my fingers into fists. It should have been my fingers, my lips, my cock on which she came¡­ If I let her¡­ Which I won¡¯t. Not for a while. She¡¯ll have to pay for the mistakes she made memit. Once I figure out exactly what I am going to do with her.


    ¡°You lose your tongue along with your ability to think coherently?¡± Luca prowls into the room.


    My brother can be a pain in the ass at the best of times. And right now, when he is in a foul mood¡­ Which, admittedly, he is entitled to, considering I had broken the one pact we had strictly adhered to since purchasing this ind-no women. It¡¯s a hideout, which only our closest famiglia know about, and a few of our associates¡­. And strictly on a need-to-know basis.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s your balls that are bothering you?¡± Luca smirks. ¡°No, now wait, did you rece your brain with your dick? Is that why you brought her¡­here?¡±


    I draw in a breath, stare at the sleeping figure. She hadn¡¯t stirred in thest-I nce at my watch-in thest half an hour. She¡¯s okay, right? I lean in closer to the screen. Breathe Beauty, breathe for me. Her chest rises and falls. My shoulders slump. The tension drains, leaving¡­a strange tightness in my chest.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me, maybe she has a magic pussy or something?¡± Luca murmurs, ¡°That why you can¡¯t take your gaze off of her?


    My left eyelid twitches. How dare he talk about her in that tone? And what the hell is wrong with me that I am taking this entire conversation so personally? It¡¯s no different from how my siblings and I kid each other all the time.


    I push back from the table so fast that my chair screeches against the floor. ¡°Or something,¡± I keep my voice casual.


    ¡°You don¡¯t fool me, fratellone.¡± There¡¯s a sly edge to his voice. ¡°Clearly, she means something to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s an asset, one who will help me im what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±


    ¡°The title of the Don?¡±


    ¡°That too.¡± I smirk. It¡¯s no secret that I am ambitious, that I want to be the next Boss of Cosa Nostra. But that¡¯s assuming our current Don decides, at some point, to retire. Not that I am in a hurry, but every step I take is calcted to get me there. Except her.


    She¡¯s the wild card. The one that came into my possession by chance, and now I am figuring out the best way to y her.


    ¡°That¡¯s wise,¡± Luca nods. ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I-¡± he nods his chin toward the screen, ¡°tried my luck with her?¡±


    Red tints my vision. Only when my fingers hurt, do I realize that I¡¯ve crossed the floor and have hauled him up by his cor.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s like that, huh?¡± One side of his lips curls, the expression so simr to mine. His gaze narrows, calcting. He nces past me at the screen, then back to my face. ¡°You want me to guess, or you going toe clean about her?¡±


    Her? There is no her. She¡¯s a prisoner¡­ She belongs to me and her fate is mine to decide. Period. I release him. He doesn¡¯t move. I pivot, walk to the bar in the corner of the room, pour myself a whiskey.


    ¡°Want one?¡± I pour without waiting for his reply. Then walk back and offer it to him.


    ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡± I dere.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    His eyebrows shoot up. ¡°Oh?¡±


    I toss back the drink. It burns its way down my throat. My stomach clenches. My dick hurts. Porco Giuda! This entire sequence of events since I¡¯d heard her voice those fucking words is¡­a nightmare. Confusing. And that¡¯s not something I am used to dealing with. I have to convince myself she means nothing¡­ More importantly, I have to ensure that Luca¡¯s attention is focused away from her.


    ¡°Mine to leverage,¡± I rify.


    ¡°She¡¯s better off if you kill her.¡±


    My guts twist. The thought of her not breathing, not sighing, not mouthing off at me, as she¡¯s done so often since we met¡­ No, I have to convince him that it doesn¡¯t matter either way to me.


    ¡°She has her uses,¡± I drawl. ¡°I n to use her to get the Seven to back off from enquiring after the Mafia.¡±


    I prowl back to the bar, pour myself another drink.


    ¡°Only¡­¡± Luca murmurs and I stiffen, cap the bottle of Macan.


    I raise the ss, wet my lips with the dram. Rich cloves and the taste of ginger spices explodes on my tongue. As lush as figs, as moist as her cunt will surely be. I tighten my fingers around the ss. ¡°Only?¡± I turn.


    ¡°That¡¯s not your style. Are you nning something that you¡¯re not letting me in on?¡±


    ¡°Would I ever do that?¡± I tilt my head.


    ¡°Only all the time.¡± He chuckles, ¡°We may stop the Seven froming after us right now, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before they resume their efforts.¡±


    ¡°What if I find a way to buy us time, on a more permanent basis?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°What if I secure an alliance with the Seven?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯d never agree to it.¡±


    ¡°Not unless they don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He tilts his head.


    I hold his gaze, and his forehead clears, ¡°Ah, I see.¡± He rolls his shoulders, ¡°You mean to-¡± he jerks his chin toward the screen.


    ¡°I am thinking of it,¡± I murmur slowly.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯d be killing two birds with one stone. Alliances which help further our business are not new.¡± Luca strokes his chin, ¡°But in this case, you¡¯d be sleeping with the enemy, literally.¡±


    ¡°Stranger things have happened.¡±


    ¡°Not that she is hard on the eyes or anything.¡±


    I growl low in my throat and Luca throws up a hand, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll back off. But you know it¡¯s risky. What if the Seven don¡¯t agree to it? After all, money is a powerful motivation. More important than saving the life of a loved one, sometimes.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t give them a choice?¡±


    ¡°You mean wed her and bed her first, and then take her help in winning them over to your side?¡±

 9

    ¡°I mean giving neither of them a choice. She¡¯ll do as I say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re assuming that you¡¯ll be able to control her.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate women.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate my way with women.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He purses his lips in that annoying way he¡¯s had from when we were little. I am the older one here, and yet, Luca is the one who has a wise head on his shoulders. It¡¯s why I use him as a sounding board more than any of my other brothers.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, stronzo?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s risky.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than killing her, which is what I had in mind when I came upon her.¡±


    ¡°What changed your mind?¡±


    Her eyes, her lips, the scent of her skin, the way she looked at me with her bright green eyes, so curious, so full of life that it had sparked a yearning deep inside.


    ¡°I need to consolidate my position at the earliest possible time,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re attracted to her?¡±


    ¡°I need to send a message to the other four families that we have some strong powers aligned behind us.¡±


    ¡°There are easier ways to do that.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°You could deploy our men and shoot them.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°And start an outright war?¡± I shake my head, ¡°There¡¯s a time for violence and a time for¡­¡±


    ¡°Romance?¡±


    ¡°An arrangement.¡± I frown.


    ¡°With her or with yourself.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± I growl, ¡°Whatever is on your mind, juste out and say it already.¡±


    ¡°Just that this seems a very long and contrived way of consolidating our position.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already here with us,¡± I point out. ¡°Half the job is done.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hellbent on this?¡± He scowls, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can say to change your mind?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± I widen my stance, ¡°She¡¯s the key. Don¡¯t you see it? Her sister is married to the fourth richest man in the UK, one who is part of a close-knit circle of powerful men who hold the ability to open up not only the British Isles, but also Silicon Valley.¡±


    ¡°So, in one stroke, we not only send out a message to the other families, we also widen our sphere of influence geographically.¡±


    One of our father¡¯s stiptions: I have to marry and produce an heir before I turn forty in order to secure the role of Don. Else it will open the line of session as a free-for-all. Anyone from the four other ruling families could challenge me to a fight, and if they won, I¡¯d lose everything I have worked toward. Not that they can¡¯t attack me now. The only thing stopping them is the fact that my team and I are too strong. However, like most things, power ebbs and flows. I need to marry and quickly consolidate my position.


    A soundes from the direction of the screen. I turn to it. Beauty yawns, sits up, and the cover falls to her waist. Her breasts, encased in that stretchy sports bra, fills the screen.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been keeping close watch on your assets.¡± Luca smirks.


    I wave my hand and the screen shuts off.


    ¡°Hold on¡­ It was just getting interesting.¡± Luca walks toward the screen, but I nt myself in his path.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I see.¡± He bares his teeth.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You sweet on her, hmm?¡± He scratches his jaw.


    ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    ¡°Your American roots are showing, cazzo.¡± He clicks his tongue.


    ¡°The fuck I care about that?¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°You¡¯re half-American too, or have you forgotten?¡±


    ¡°Tried my best, but it¡¯s a stain that doesn¡¯t wash off easily, and neither will the mistake you¡¯ve made by bringing her here.¡±


    ¡°Bringing who here?¡± A new voice sounds. I nce up to find my second brother Massimo, followed by my youngest twin siblings Christian and Alessandro walking into the room.


    Antonio, my right-hand man, stands to attention by the open door. He¡¯s been told not to let anyone except family inside. Doesn¡¯t mean he ever lets his guard down. Since he fell in love with one of the women that we¡¯d saved from being trafficked, and married her-with my blessing-his loyalty has been unshakeable. Not that he had been anything but faithful before that. But finding his woman had made him even more faithful, something for which I am appreciative. He meets my gaze and I wave him off. He steps back, shuts the door behind him, and I turn to my brothers, ¡°The fuck you guys doing here?¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s pissed,¡± Christian murmurs.


    ¡°Think big brother, here, isn¡¯t getting enough?¡± Alessandro smirks.


    ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s getting too much and it¡¯s not satisfying enough? After all, quality over quantity, and all that,¡± Massimo drawls as he precedes the other two further into the room.


    I scowl as the three of them prowl around the space. Christian sinks into a couch, then promptly turns sideways and stretches out. Alessandro lowers his bulk into a chair, and props his feet on the coffee table, ¡°Thought you were supposed to be in London?¡± He jerks his chin at me.


    ¡°I was,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°Is it a woman who had you returning so quickly?¡±


    I hold his gaze, don¡¯t say anything else.


    ¡°Knew it,¡± Christian crows. ¡°It has to be a woman who¡¯s put him in such a filthy mood.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only my mood which is going to be filthy soon,¡± I growl. ¡°What the hell are you three stronzi doing here, anyway?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re repeating yourself, fratellone.¡± Massimo smirks.


    ¡°Vaffanculo!¡± I rub the back of my neck.


    ¡°Now he¡¯s taking refuge in insults.¡± Christian chuckles, ¡°And it was you who¡¯d asked us over for a meeting.¡±


    Of course, I had. How could I have forgotten that? I walk over to stand over the three of them. Luca follows me. ¡°Get your foot off the table, Xander,¡± I growl at my youngest brother.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± He grimaces, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with where my foot is?¡±


    ¡°Want me to show you?¡± I pull my knife from my belt, flip it over in my hand. I re at him, and he grimaces.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a bore, Mika.¡± Xander lowers his foot to the floor anyway.


    ¡°Why did you call us?¡± Massimo straightens in his seat. ¡°It has to be something serious that had you summoning all of us here.¡±


    Goddam it to hell. I can¡¯t believe I forgot about that. Shows just how much she¡¯s addled my mind that I can¡¯t recollect half the orders I¡¯ve issued in thest few days. I nce between them, ¡°Can¡¯t I ask my own brothers to join me? After all, we are a family, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°We met just before you went to London, so I take it there have been developments?¡± Massimo tips his chin up at me.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± I rake my fingers through my hair, then survey them, ¡°I¡¯m getting married.¡±


    ¡°Married?¡± Xander slowly bats his eyelids, then bursts outughing, ¡°Che cazzo?¡± He snickers, ¡°You sure have a strange sense of humor, Michngelo.¡±


    ¡°I hate that name,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°and what¡¯s wrong with my getting married?¡±


    ¡°Everything.¡± He tries to school his features into some semnce of seriousness, then bursts outughing. Again.

 10

    ¡°And here I thought Xander would be the first to get married, considering he¡¯s had a lifelong crush on Theresa.¡± Massimo leans forward on the balls of his feet.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Xander protests, ¡°I don¡¯t have a crush on her.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± Christian scoffs, ¡°whenever you see her you go all googly-eyed.¡±


    ¡°Googly-eyed?¡± Xander sputters, ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°Why is it that the two of you still squabble like you are ten?¡± I rub the back of my neck.


    ¡°Guess they never grew up, unlike you, Mika,¡± Massimo smirks, ¡°though I can¡¯t help but think that London¡¯s polluted air got to you. Maybe that¡¯s why you decided to get married?¡±


    ¡°You may have a point, ¡± Christian turns to Massimo. ¡°Think we need to call the doctor to have him checked out?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off, testa di cazzo,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Oooh,¡± Christian mock shivers, ¡°I am so afraid.¡±


    ¡°I am your Capo, dumbass,¡± I say mildly, ¡°better show me some respect, or I¡¯ll be asking for your pinky finger next.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Luca sighs, ¡°you sound like an actor from a bad Hollywood Mafia movie.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t watch movies.¡±


    ¡°More¡¯s the pity.¡± He looks me up and down, ¡°If you did, you¡¯d know that your story has the makings of a chick flick.¡±


    ¡°A chick flick?¡±


    ¡°A romanticedy,¡± he rifies, ¡°where the hero and the heroine meet and are attracted to each other, only to realize-¡±


    ¡°I know what a romanticedy is,¡± I say dryly.


    ¡°Do you now?¡± Christian pretends to do a double take. ¡°Next you¡¯ll be telling me that you are in love.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Good one.¡± I smirk. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been polishing up youredic skills.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to have to polish up your role as a husband.¡±


    ¡°Only until I get an heir.¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°Surely, there are fringe benefits,¡± Xander murmurs. ¡°Who¡¯s the lucky woman, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Someone none of you know.¡±


    ¡°Fantastico.¡± Christian rubs his hands, ¡°Is she so beautiful that you don¡¯t want us to meet her before the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is, and no, that¡¯s not the reason I don¡¯t want you to meet her before the big day. It¡¯s purely because she is currently unaware that¡¯s the n I have in store for her.¡±


    ¡°So, you what, kidnapped her?¡± He fixes me with his shrewd gaze, ¡°What else are you not telling us, Michael?¡±


    ¡°I am telling you everything you need to know at this stage.¡±


    ¡°You know that, as yourwyer, I do need to know everything, if I am supposed to help you on this in the future.¡±


    ¡°And what makes you think I will be needing your help on this?¡±


    Heughs, ¡°You and I both know that almost everything you do needs my expert touch to steer it along at some point.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Not that I am not grateful for it.¡±


    ¡°You better be.¡± I glower at all three of my younger siblings, ¡°It¡¯s why I gave you three roles in which you didn¡¯t have to get your hands dirty.¡± Massimo¡¯s mywyer, Christian takes care of our finances, and Alessandro? He¡¯s the artist among us. My youngest brother-he¡¯s younger than Christian by two minutes, has the softest heart, the face of a fallen angel, and the talent of a Renaissance artist.


    The joke among us growing up had been that he should have been called Michangelo, not me-the oldest, the most cynical brother, on whom the responsibility falls to keep the family business going. One way or the other, though, all of us have our lives intertwined with the firm. Once you¡¯re born into a Mafia family, really, there¡¯s no way out, particrly for the males. Even if you are as prodigiously talented as Xander, who paints masterpieces¡­ We use his growing fame in the art world to identify potential new targets we can kidnap and hold for ransom in return, not for money-that would be too crass-but for influence, power, and the ability to infiltrate governments and those in the higher echelons of power. It had long ago ceased to be about wealth. Our focus now is to build up ourwork, to ensure we have the means to influence governments and heads of organizations.


    ¡°And I, for one, am grateful that I don¡¯t need to be directly involved with the day-to-day business,¡± Massimo murmurs.


    ¡°Enough to back me up in what I am going to say next?¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°That you support my wedding and the consolidation with the other families that I am aiming for.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the only reason you are marrying her, is it?¡±


    Luca and I exchange nces. Massimo has always been quick on the uptake. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he¡¯s too smart awyer and very good at what he does, which is to ensure that my men don¡¯tnd in prison, I¡¯d have him more involved in the strategizing and nning of our operations.


    It helps that our parents had sent all seven of us-including Seb and Adrian-to the US to receive top-ss education. It¡¯s what came of having a mother who was American. Although, the way she¡¯d taken to the Mafia way of life, and subsumed herself in the old ways, you¡¯d often forget that she was Texan by birth.


    ¡°Well?¡± Massimo scowls, ¡°What¡¯s behind this sudden rush to marry? What kind of alliance are you actually seeking through it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something Luca and I talked over before you got here.¡±


    ¡°Good thing, then, that I got in here before you spilled all your secrets.¡± A new voice interrupts me. I turn to watch Adrian my half-brother, and only one of the two other people outside of my immediate family whom I trust, walk in. ¡°What did I miss?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I murmur. ¡°Now, all that¡¯s needed is for Sebastian-asshole-Sovrano to join us and-¡±


    ¡°Someone mention my name?¡± Seb walks into the room and I groan. I walk over to the bar, seize the whiskey bottle and top up my ss.


    ¡°Drinking alone, stronzo?¡± Seb prowls over to the bar. He bypasses the bottle on the counter, to walk around to the other side. Then, he bends down, and when he straightens, he holds a bottle of only my most expensive whiskey. He opens it, then snatches a ss and is about to pour when I caution him.


    ¡°That will cost you, testa di cazzo,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t celebrations in order?¡± He smirks, ¡°I am just getting started, is all.¡±


    Of course, he¡¯d overheard our previous conversation.


    ¡°Eavesdropping again, fratestro?¡± I address him by the Italian word for stepbrother, hoping it will irk him, but this time, he doesn¡¯t take the bait.


    ¡°The door was open, fratestro.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°Why are you here anyway?¡± I glower at him.


    ¡°Family meeting.¡± He nces around the space, ¡°Surely, you didn¡¯t think I would stay away.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t invited.¡±


    ¡°I am here now, aren¡¯t I?¡± He pours liquor into a tumbler, then grabs five more and ces them on the table. He proceeds to top them up. With my whiskey. Mine.


    A growl rumbles up my chest.


    He fills up the sses, then nces around the assembled faces. ¡°What, no one joining in the festivities?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Next to me, Luca shifts restlessly. ¡°Seb¡­¡± he warns, but I throw up a hand.


    ¡°No, let him be. He¡¯s right, after all.¡±


    ¡°He is?¡± Luca nces between us, his gaze wary. Seb and I don¡¯t agree on much. It¡¯s not only because he is the closest in age to me, older than even Luca, while being my stepbrother. My father had had a mistress, a woman much younger than him who had borne him two sons. When she had died in an ident, he had brought Seb and Adrian over to our house. Seb had been five, and Adrian only three when my father had asked my mother to take them in and take care of them. She hadn¡¯t refused. Whatever her thoughts were about the situation, she had kept them to herself. But she¡¯d had a big heart, and not once, had she allowed Seb or Adrian to feel like they weren¡¯t her own sons. But while Adrian had bonded with us instantly, Seb is¡­ one of us and yet, he isn¡¯t. Maybe because he was older than Adrian when he joined us, so it was more difficult for him to adjust to living with us. Or perhaps, he is conscious of the fact that he grew up dependent on us. And then there¡¯s the fact that he is my father¡¯s bastard son, which means my father will never ept him as the next Don. Something he resents, even as he acknowledges that he couldn¡¯t have survived without us.


    ¡°You are part of the family, Seb,¡± I murmur. ¡°You always have been.¡±


    ¡°Just not good enough to ever have a chance at bing the Don, though?¡±


    ¡°There is only one Capo,¡± I lower my voice to a hush, ¡°and that¡¯s me.¡±


    He raises his ss. ¡°To the wedding of the one and only Capo,¡± he says in a voice which sounds sincere. Testa di cazzo! Not that he means it.


    I move forward and tip some of the alcohol into my ss. The others crowd around the bar as each of them reaches for their own ss and raises it.


    ¡°To the Capo,¡± Luca fixes his gaze on mine, ¡°and to the alliance with the Seven.¡±


    ¡°The Seven?¡± Seb turns to me, ¡°That¡¯s who your new bride is rted to?¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    He scratches his chin, ¡°Amongst them all, they own most of the UK and parts of Silicon Valley too, I hear.¡± He fixes his gaze on me, ¡°Ambitious, are we?¡±


    ¡°Disbelieving, are we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my life, fratellone.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°And I assume this has to do with getting ess to enough connections to consolidate your position with the other families?¡±


    Seb really is smart. As intelligent as Massimo, as hungry as Luca, with the rakish charm of Christian and the beauty of Xander¡­


    All of it, rolled into one ambitious, cynical, man who¡¯d do anything to take over as Capo one day. It¡¯s what makes Seb so dangerous, and yet also, the one with the most promise. It¡¯s why he¡¯s the only one of all my family who can stand up to me. Precisely why I trust him the least and kept him as close as I can. The only way to keep track of someone who poses a threat to you is to keep them in your inner circle.


    Do I trust Seb? That¡¯s an interesting question. I don¡¯t think he¡¯d do anything to hurt my family, but given the right motivation and circumstances, could he turn on me?


    ¡°So,¡± Christian nces between us, ¡°when do we get to meet your new bride?¡±


    ¡°At the wedding,¡± I murmur


    ¡°What?¡± Xander blinks. ¡°We don¡¯t get to meet her before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust us with her?¡± Massimo drawls.


    ¡°Never.¡± I fold my arms across my chest.


    ¡°Aww shucks.¡± Seb smirks. ¡°The way you¡¯re acting, you¡¯d think you have her hidden away here and want us to get the hell away so you can spend time with her.¡±


    I re at him and a look of understanding dawns on his features, ¡°So you do have her here with you?¡±


    Of course, Seb would have to figure it out. Not that I am hiding anything from them or anything. ¡°And if I do?¡±


    ¡°¡®Sto cazzo!¡± Seb exims. ¡°Why, you old coot, you kidnapped her and brought her here, eh?¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± I growl.


    ¡°You did, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    I re at him. Asshat is seriously getting on my nerves.


    He ces his elbows on the bar, and leans forward, ¡°Was it love at first sight?¡± He smirks, ¡°You saw her and it was the proverbial colpo di fulmine?¡± He¡¯s referring to the thunderbolt that Italians use as a term for describing love at first sight. Like most things, my people are prone to exaggeration. Hence, love at first sight needs to be described literally as being unexpected and as powerful as a lightning strike.


    I snort. ¡°Next you¡¯ll be telling me that you¡¯ve experienced it yourself, the way you talk passionately about it.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Sebughs, the sound without mirth, ¡°Would I be standing here if I had?¡±


    I peer into his features, take in the tightness of the skin around his eyes, the slight slump to his shoulders, which is a surprise. I¡¯ve never seen Seb anything but on the offensive. Apparently, the testa di cazzo has his share of secrets. Something I intend to worm out of him someday. Just not right now.


    One thing he¡¯s right about¡­ I am anxious to meet with my bride-to-be, but not for any of the reasons he thinks. Fucking her is out of the question, at least, until the wedding. On that much, I am clear. There, however, remains the task of breaking the news to her¡­ Something I need to mull over. I need to figure out a way to get her to willingly agree. This entire n which I had hatched on the spur of the moment is, clearly, moreplicated than I expected.


    But how hard could it be, anyway, to get her to see things my way, hmm?


    I ce the ss back on the bar counter, then step back, ¡°I am sure you can see yourselves out.¡±


    I shut down the camera, then turn to leave.


    Seb chuckles. ¡°So anxious to see your woman?¡± he calls after me.


    ¡°Vaffanculo,¡± I hold up a middle finger above my shoulder, ¡°not that it¡¯s any of your business.¡±


    ¡°Everything you do is our business,¡± he retorts. ¡°Considering you¡¯re the Capo¡­ Capo.¡±


    I pause, turn to re at him over my shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s because I am Capo, I am asking you for the first andst time to never talk about her, capisci?¡±


    I hold his gaze, and he finally lowers it. Good. Seb may be as alpha as theye, but he knows I am the one in charge. And I intend to be for a long time. If he thinks he can disce me from my hard-won position, he has another thinking. No doubt, one day, he is going to challenge me, too. I know that as well as I know my name¡­ It¡¯s why the next move I make is going to be very important, one on which hinges the future of me and my famiglia.¡±I am leaving, and when I return, I want the lot of you to have cleared out.¡± I nce around the faces of my siblings, ¡°You feel me?¡±

 11

    Karma


    The domed ceiling far above the bed has an ornate pattern. How old is this building? From the outside, it had a baroque architecture¡­ The kind I¡¯ve seen in magazines. It was beautiful. Does he own it? He must. Just like he owns the private jet we¡¯d flown in that hadnded on the private airstrip on the other side of the ind.


    He¡¯d stalked off the flight and driven off in a car. His men had directed us to the second car. There had been two more following us as our little procession had made its way here.


    Is this the only building on the ind? Where is this ind, anyway? Somewhere in Italy, given thenguage his men had been speaking. Michael himself, though, spoke with an odd ent, something between American and Italian.


    Michael, huh? As if knowing his name means I know anything about him? He is, clearly, Mafia¡­ If he hadn¡¯t given himself away when I had mentioned my father¡­the proceedings after that had given away his identity. I stand up and stretch.


    The hair on the back of my neck prickles. I nce around the room, but there¡¯s no one. A shiver runs down my spine. I wrap my arms around my waist, take stock of my surroundings. There¡¯s a closet in the corner, an old-fashioned dressing table pushed up against one wall. Beyond that, a door. I walk to it, push it, and step inside a bathroom that¡¯s spacious enough to have a wed bathtub in the center. Beyond that, arge window allows light inside. On the other side is a sink. I walk over, catch my reflection and flinch.


    Dirt streaks my face and my hair has bits of¡­ I pull at it-dried leaves? There are towels on a chair nearby. I strip out of my clothes, ignore the bath and walk over to the shower stall at the far corner. The shampoo and the shower gel smell of moonflowers. Whoa! How did he know that this is my preferred scent? I step under the water, which is hot¡­ Thank god.


    I let it flow over me, sink into my tired muscles, allow my muscles to unwind. When the hot water runs out. I step out, dry myself, survey my clothes. My sports bra has flecks of blood¡­ his blood. Hmm. I wrap the towel around my torso, cinching it in under my arms. I step out of the bathroom and my breath leaves me.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Michael turns from the window. The light haloes him, and for a second, the shadows mask the lower part of his face. His blue gaze burns into mine. I flinch. He peruses me from head to toe and his eyes gleam. Then he lowers his eyshes, jerks his chin toward the bed. A new change of clothes is folded on the bed. ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He smirks.


    Fuck you, very much. I snarl low in my throat. ¡°How did you¡­?¡± I frown, then turn on him. ¡°You were watching me?¡±


    He tilts his head.


    ¡°You¡­you creep.¡±


    ¡°You really do need to get more inventive with your insults, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me that.¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to resist every step of the way, it¡¯s¡­annoying.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s annoying is you haunting me, turning up at every corner, insinuating yourself into my life, making it a living hell, taking me away from everything and everyone that-¡±


    ¡°Made you unhappy.¡±


    I still. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You hated your life.¡±


    Yes.


    ¡°You know nothing about me.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary.¡± He drums his fingers on his thigh. ¡°Karma West. Birth name: Karma Rhodes. Born twenty years ago to Charlotte and Adam Rhodes. Mother died when you were a young, leaving you in the care of your father. Who promptly threw himself into his work, then fell into debt. He then abandoned you and your sister to the foster care system, and left the UK to escape the wrath of the Mafia. Your sister made it out of the foster care system when she came of age, then took you on as your legal guardian. Just a few weeks ago, she married Sinir Sterling, one of the richest men in the UK. You attended their sham wedding¡­ Then drank the night away with your two friends at the pub two streets down from their residence in Primrose Hill. Wanted to go home with a man¡­but didn¡¯t. Along the way, you also dropped out of a graduate course in fine arts at Goldsmiths, where you had received a full schrship, instead preferring to spend the days at your pop-up shop in Camden Market where you hawk your wares.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hawk. I share my designs,¡± I snap.


    ¡°You mean the clothes you sew?¡±


    ¡°They are dress creations that I fashion,¡± I sniff, ¡°and sell under my independent clothing brand.¡±


    ¡°What-fucking-ever.¡± He smirks. ¡°That¡¯s¡­when you are not haunting your local pub or dancing to electronica with fellow goths who pretend to understand you. But really, no one does.¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And you do?¡±


    ¡°You have to admit, I know far more about you than anyone else.¡± He rubs his knuckles across his thigh, and I shiver.


    No, he doesn¡¯t. He has no idea that I have a heart problem or that I¡¯d been seeing a specialist about it before he took me captive¡­ Or that¡­ in a way, I am d that he took me away from my life because, while my sister Summer means well, she is stifling me with all of that attention. In a way, he set me free. Does he know that? Now, all I have to do is take back the ability to make my own choices. I tilt up my chin, ¡°You¡¯ve barely scratched the surface of who I am.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He draws his gaze down my features, over my chest, ¡°And what a thing of beauty that is, too.¡±


    My nipples grow erect. ¡°Get out.¡±


    His smile widens.


    ¡°I need to change.¡±


    ¡°Go right ahead.¡±


    Bastard. Of course, he¡¯d taunt me about that. I march up to the clothes folded on the bed. There¡¯s a pale yellow dress, and next to it, underwear-a matching bra and panties set. My cheeks flush. Did he choose my underwear? Nah, he probably had it ordered or something for me, not that I am going to ask him. That will simply reveal just how nervous I am. I take in thefortable ballet pumps next to the bed on the floor. Not my style, but at least they lookfortable.


    His gaze bores into mine and the skin around his eyes tightens. A strange nervousness seems to roll off of him as he flexes his shoulders. He can¡¯t be nervous. Can he? Nah, it¡¯s my imagination. Alphahole here isn¡¯t be afraid of anything¡­or anyone. All of this is just a ruse to get me naked. If he thinks I am going to shrink away from it¡­he¡¯s¡­mistaken. I tip up my chin, drop the towel.


    His entire body stiffens. A breeze blows in from the window and I shiver. Look at the clothes. Reach for them. Put them on. Do it. Cover yourself. I grip my fingers at my side, try to nce away from his perusal, but I can¡¯t. He walks over, until he¡¯s right in front of me. So big, so tall. I have to tilt my head back, and then further back, to meet his gaze. Blue eyes deepened to an azure steel reflect back every single one of my emotions. Uncertainty. Lust. Desire. His gaze rests on my features, down to my lips. A moan wells up my throat. Down to my nipples which instantly pebble, across my trembling belly, to the slippery core between my thighs.


    ¡°Open your legs.¡±


    No.


    No.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He jerks his chin. I shuffle my feet apart. Draw in a breath. Another. Dense clouds of heat spool off of his massive body, and m into my chest. I pant. His gaze rolls down my thighs to my feet. My toes curl. Then back to my pussy. Liquid heat thrums low in my belly. Blood engorges my nub. Hell. Is it my own audacity that¡¯s turning me on as much as the fact that he can¡¯t seem to take his gaze off my cunt?


    ¡°Che cazzo,¡± he exims, ¡°is that what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±


    ¡°When did you get your clit pierced?¡±


    ¡°None of your bloody business.¡± I¡¯d have had my nipples pierced too, but that would have been too obvious, and if my sister had picked up on it? Gah, Summer would have had a cow about it.


    Maybe, once I escape this asshole, and I¡¯ve told Summer that I am safe, I¡¯ll figure out a way to be independent and stand on my own two feet without having to be dependent on anyone else¡­ Then I can pierce any bloody part of my body and I won¡¯t have to exin it to anyone.


    His lips twist, ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Beauty. Everything about you is my business. You¡¯re my property now, you understand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a woman, a person, you bastard. I am not a possession.¡±


    ¡°Wrong.¡± He yawns. ¡°When you left your life behind, you gave up all rights. Now you¡¯ll do everything I tell you to, when I tell you to, how I¡­¡± he leans forward on his heels, ¡°tell you to.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t leave my life behind. You took me,¡± I object.


    ¡°Tomayto, tomahto; potayto, potahto.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s call the whole thing off,¡± I retort.


    He raises his eyebrow. ¡°As I was saying, you¡¯re mine now, and you¡¯ll do as I say¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He nods, ¡°Starting with that.¡± He jerks his chin toward my core.


    ¡°What the hell do you mean?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°You need to shave.¡±


    I blink. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to help you clean up the hair.¡± He pivots, then begins to walk toward the door. ¡°I prefer itpletely bare.¡±


    Anger explodes in my chest. My gaze narrows. All of my senses seem to pop. A low cry spills from my lips. I close the distance between us and throw myself at him.

 12

    Michael


    The hair on my forearms rises. All of my senses jangle. I swivel around and catch her around the waist, lift her off of the ground.


    ¡°I hate you. I bloody hate you,¡± she snarls, then swings her fists. I duck. I must be losing my touch, for her knuckles graze my jaw, and my dick, which had stood up and saluted her bare bottom the moment she¡¯d bared it, is sure it¡¯s found heaven. My groin tightens and my balls ache. I tighten my grip around her. ¡°Stop.¡±


    ¡°How dare you insult me¡­you¡­you¡­pig?¡±


    A chuckle trembles up my throat and I swallow it. ¡°Calm down.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    She goes still.


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Not until your blood pressure drops back to normal.¡±


    ¡°The only person I see having a bloody cardiac is you.¡± She brings up her knee. I twist my body to the side, she catches me in the thigh, and damn it, but my cock instantly lengthens. The fuck is wrong with my reactions, that I can¡¯t control myself around her?


    ¡°Back off, Beauty or you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    She makes that noise deep in her throat, that sound of anger and frustration that sends sparks down my spine, engages all of my nerve endings so that all my brain cells seem to shut down, then re all at once.


    ¡°Last. Chance.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sod off.¡± She strains in my embrace, and her breasts thrust into my chest, her nipples sharp enough to stab me through my jacket and my shirt.


    Fuck. I squeeze my arms, haul her even closer. I¡¯m not copping a feel¡­ Okay¡­so maybe I am, but can you me me? This tiny soaked-with-bath-water-and-desire female¡­is¡­simply the most delectable piece of femininity that I have evere across and..


    My breath leaves me.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t just do that,¡± I growl.


    ¡°What, you mean this?¡± She slips her palm between us and squeezes my balls¡­ Again¡­ Fuck. A growl tears from my lips. My thighs spasm and sweat breaks out on my brow. ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that, Beauty.¡±


    She bares her teeth. ¡°Oh yeah? What are you gonna do? Spank me.¡±


    Hmm.


    Her gaze widens, her breath hitches, her pupils dte and¡­ fuck this shit! I am only a man. There¡¯s only so much I can take.


    I bend my knees, peer into her eyes. ¡°How many?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How many ps?¡±


    ¡°Bugger off.¡±


    ¡°You choose or I will, and I promise you, the number will not be one you like.¡±


    ¡°Bet you won¡¯t like this either.¡± She clears her throat and spits. A gob of warm saliva shes across my lips.


    She freezes.


    So, do I.


    The warmth drips down my chin, and something snaps inside of me. I scoop her up, twist her and throw her over my shoulder. She screams, struggles, and I throw an arm over the back of her thighs, squeeze her close enough for her knees to dig into my side. She beats at my back, down my side. Nice. My muscles warm, lengthen. I reach the bed, seat myself, then drape her across myp.


    ¡°Let me go.¡± She huffs.


    ¡°No.¡± I bring my arm down and my palm connects with her butt.


    She yells, ¡°You bastard, how dare you!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t challenge me, baby girl.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Let me go, this moment!¡± she howls.


    ¡°Or?¡±


    ¡°Or I¡¯ll scream.¡±


    ¡°Is that a promise?¡± I spank her left butt cheek and she screams. p her right and she gasps, sputters. Bring my palm down again on her left and her entire body bucks.


    ¡°Fuck you, asshole.¡±


    ¡°Not just yet, and I do prefer alphahole.¡±


    ¡°You conceited, obnoxious, swollen-headed-¡±


    ¡°Love it when you talk dirty, darling.¡± I take aim, lower my palm across the curve of her ass, right over the reddened palm print I¡¯d left there, and she squeals. And again. And again. My palm tingles, my forearm muscles hurt, and still, I don¡¯t stop. Eight, nine, ten.


    A sob bubbles up from her, ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you for this.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get back at you.¡±


    ¡°Hope you¡¯re keeping count, hmm?¡±


    Twelve, thirteen, fifteen. She squeals, digs her fists into the bed and growls.


    ¡°Had enough?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never beg you to stop. Never apologize¡­ Never,¡± she retorts.


    I slide my fingers between her swollen lower lips and she hups.


    ¡°Fuck, Beauty, you are soaking wet,¡± I growl


    ¡°From the bath, you idiot.¡± She snarls, ¡°I took a shower not ten minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s put that to the test, hmm?¡± I drag my knuckles down her slit and she moans. Slip a finger inside her slippery channel and she wheezes. ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Please what?¡±


    ¡°Please stop.¡±


    I draw her slickness up her cunt, into the valley between her butt cheeks and she freezes.


    ¡°Anyone taken you here, Beauty?¡±


    She makes a low noise at the back of her throat.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± My groin hardens. The blood begins to thud at my temples.


    I press my wet middle finger into her back hole and her butt clenches; her spine arches.


    ¡°How does that feel?¡±


    ¡°How do you think, you jerk?¡± She yells, ¡°I¡¯ll push something up your ass and ask you the same question!¡±


    Iugh. I can¡¯t help it. Theughter just bursts out.


    She turns her face, peers at me from between the strands of hair that fall over her face. ¡°It¡¯s not bloody funny.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I wipe the smile from my face. ¡°It¡¯s boring. I¡¯ve wasted enough of my time.¡± I stand up and she falls to the ground on her ass.


    She mewls, and I hesitate. I should take care of her¡­make sure I soothe the reddened skin that bears my marks. No. What am I thinking? She is¡­my captive. An experiment, perhaps, to find out how long I can hold out before my control snaps. She is nothing. Nothing. And I am trying too hard to convince myself.


    ¡°Get dressed.¡± I pivot, stalk to the door.


    ¡°Michael.¡±


    I keep walking.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    I reach the door, shove it open.


    ¡°Goddamn you, you can¡¯t ignore me. You can¡¯t keep me here.¡±


    I step through.


    ¡°Master,¡± she calls out to me.


    I pause.


    There¡¯s silence for a beat.


    I turn, re at her over my shoulder.


    She pales, tips her chin up. Brings her arms to her sides so the full beautiful expanse of her body is bared to my gaze.


    I peruse her face, the flushed features, the trail of tears down her cheeks. This woman¡­ She is magnificent. Unclothed, naked as nature intended, with that dyed ck hair of hers in disarray around her shoulders. She is¡­dangerous.


    I should keep away from her¡­ I should¡­punish her for how she brought out the base part of me, for how her nearness has unhinged me. I should break her. Only, in this fight between us there will be no winners. There is only way forward¡­ And it leads into darkness. Fuck her, and fuck me for what I am going to have to do to her.


    I drum my fingers on my thigh, ¡°I don¡¯t have all day, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°How long,¡± she squeezes her fingers together in front of her, ¡°how long do you n on keeping me here?¡±


    ¡°For as long as it takes.¡±

 13

    Karma


    He spanked me. I shift my weight from foot to foot as I stare out of the window. After Michael left, I had taken a quick shower, then ignored the clothes he had left out for me, because¡­ Yeah, as if I am going to obey that prick after what he did to me.


    And if you defy him, will he spank you again?


    My thighs clench. Oh, my god, what the hell is wrong with me? I did not just think that, did not.


    I had marched over to the closet, then pulled on the first dress I hade across-this knee-length dress in pink, which I absolutely hate, but whatever. It¡¯s something to cover myself up with. There had been enough clothes in the walk-in closet¡­ Most of them seemed new, along with underclothes that were made of the finestces¡­and decadently cut.


    And all the clothes fit me¡­ no doubt about it, they were to my measurements, how the hell had he managed that? How had he gotten them delivered here so quickly?


    I¡¯d run my fingers over the fabric of the dresses in the closet. Everything is exquisite. Even if they have been bought off the shelf they are of the finest quality. The undergarments are as seductive as the outerwear is modest. It¡¯s as if he wants me to appear docile to the world, but under my clothes, appear every bit the whore he, no doubt, regards me as. Whore¡­ Yeah, he definitely thinks of me as his possession.


    It¡¯s why he¡¯d taken me across this knee, then taken his palm to me like I was an errant child and I¡­ I¡¯d loved it. Damn it.


    I grip the window frame with my fingers. Damn the obnoxious brute of a man. He hadn¡¯t hurt me, to be honest. The ps had stopped just this side of being hard¡­unlike him. He¡¯d been aroused from the beating he¡¯d given me, too.


    My belly trembles. I¡¯d felt his length thrust up and into my sensitive center. The faster he¡¯d beaten me, the more I¡¯d tried not to scream, and the less I¡¯d seeded¡­. And the harder he had be under me. It had been¡­ Strangely arousing. How could it be?


    I swipe the hair from my eyes. His wide palms had seared me with each contact. His fingers cupping my flesh, leaving drums beats of fire in their wake. I squeeze my thighs together. There¡¯s no denying the arousal that coats my core as the images cling to my subconscious mind.


    How would it be to have him spank me again, then turn me over and part my thighs and swipe me from backhole to my clit, the way he¡¯d used his fingers earlier? My bottom throbs and my pussy clenches. No, no, no. I am not going to let him crawl into my head and y with my fantasies.


    The man kidnapped you, held a gun to your forehead, then knocked you out and you¡­ All you can think is how hot he is, how sexy, howpletely ovary-exploding that smirk of his is. If he looks at me one more time and drawls some insult¡­ I¡¯m going to lose it.


    I¡¯m going to throw myself at him again and lose everyst shred of my dignity. I stalk to the center of the room, look around the space. The hair on the back of my neck stiffens. I nce around the space again. It looks like a normal bedroom, but appearances can be deceptive, right? Why can¡¯t I get rid of the feeling that I am being watched, even now? I bite the inside of my cheek.


    Has he hidden a camera in this room? Would he do that? Is he watching me, even now? I shiver. Wriggle my hips. It¡¯s creepy as hell. But¡­when had Ist been the single-minded focus of someone¡¯s attention to this extent? Not my mother or my father, not the nuns at the school that I had attended, not my older sister Summer, who-well, okay, so she fussed over me, worried about me. She is my substitute parent, after all.


    But Michael¡­ He is intrigued by me. Maybe that¡¯s tooplimentary a word¡­ More likely, I am something to pass his time. His newest shiny ything, to toy with. He looks at me like a boy would a captured butterfly when he has no idea what to do with it. He could imprison me in a bell jar, watch as I flutter my wings and try to escape, or he could pluck my wings out. I shiver.


    Ugh, that is notforting. I rub my fingers over my goosebump ridden arms.


    Whoever this man is, he¡¯s not kidding around. Every time he¡¯s seen me, he¡¯s had a n, an agenda¡­ To put me down. To strip me of all of my dignity, to make me crawl and¡­ I won¡¯t. No. No way, am I going to give in to him. The moment I do, I¡¯ll lose his interest, and then he¡¯ll kill me. I swallow. Or¡­or worse. No, don¡¯t go there. Focus on the now. I am here, alive and-the door opens-apparently, I have a visitor.


    A woman stands silhouetted in the doorway.


    I blink. ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Cassandra.¡± She smiles, ¡°I am the Capo¡¯s housekeeper.¡±


    ¡°Capo?¡± I scowl, ¡°You mean Michael?¡±


    She nods, her dark eyes wide, her face pleasant. She¡¯s in her thirties, hair scraped back in a bun that makes her seem older than her years. Her starched ck dresses to below her knees and is shapeless in the way women who don¡¯t want to draw attention to themselves tend to dress. She has sensible shoes, which don¡¯t detract at all from her shapely, fair legs. In her hands she holds a vanity kit.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I frown. Okay, so I am being belligerent, but can you me me? I don¡¯t trust anyone in this house.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to help you shave your vagina,¡± she murmurs.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I choke out, ¡°I can¡¯t believe that asshole actually went through with this.¡±


    She moves toward me and I throw up my hands, ¡°Whoa, hold on, I can shave myself, thank you very much.¡±


    She hesitates, ¡°Are you sure? I can help you-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap, ¡°Just¡­ hand over the stuff I need and you can leave.¡±


    She blinks, then holds out the vanity kit. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    I grab the bag from her. ¡°Is this what you do? Shave the women he brings here?¡± I snap.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t brought any other woman here before.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± I gape. O-k-a-y. What the hell does that even mean? Nothing¡­ Don¡¯t go attaching meaning to actions where there are none, bitch. Fine. Okay. I blow out a breath. ¡°Whatever,¡± I murmur, then stare at her. ¡°Was there anything else?¡±


    ¡°The Capo asks for your presence at dinner.¡± She half smiles, then beckons ¡°Whenever you are ready, pleasee down to the dining room on the ground floor.¡±


    I toss the kit onto the bed, ¡°I am ready now.¡±


    ¡°The Capo insists that you shave first.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    Her eyes widen. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want to do that.¡±


    My backside throbs. No, of course, I don¡¯t want to disobey Lord Alphaholington himself. A snicker catches in my throat. Whatever. It would be nice to be away from this room, even if it is a meal with his obnoxious alphaholeness.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I sniff, ¡°I¡¯ll be down once I¡¯ve¡­¡± I wave the bag in the air.


    She smiles, then turns and heads for the doorway.


    ¡°Wait, Cassandra.¡±


    She stops.


    ¡°Michael kidnapped me, you know. Is he holding you against your will too?¡±


    She turns, fixes me with an inscrutable gaze, ¡°The Capo gave me a job when I needed it most. He saved me and my family.¡±


    What the-? Not what I had expected to hear, but makes sense. The jerkass is smart enough to surround himself with people who owe him. What better way to gain theirplete loyalty than my making sure that you provide for them and their families?


    She half bows again, ¡°Best not to keep the Capo waiting, signorina.¡±


    Turning, she leaves.


    An hourter, I leave the room, freshly shaved-and no it¡¯s not because I want to please the asshole. It¡¯s only because¡­ I feel much cleaner after shaving myself all over. My panties stick to my freshly-shaved pussy as I walk. Shit, the skin there feels so much more sensitive than usual, now that it is exposed. It¡¯s hard not to be constantly aware of it. Bet he wanted me to feel this way. That¡¯s why he¡¯d insisted that I remove all hair from there. Jerk.


    I walk down two flights of stairs, then head past double doors that have been flung open. I peek out to see a grassywn sloping down. Trees fringe the sides of a path that curves and disappears. In the distance, the wide-open sea beckons.


    I keep walking until I stop at another set of double doors. This should be it. I shove open the door, walk in ande to a halt. Michael is standing at the window with two men I have not seen before.


    Michael turns to me. He looks me up and down. His nostrils re and his eyes gleam. Asshole looks almost pleased that I defied his orders. Holy shit. Did he know that I would ignore the clothes he¡¯did out and opt for something of my own choosing?


    His lips curl and I resist the urge to stamp my foot. Walked right into that one, didn¡¯t I? Sneaky bastard. I nce away, just as one of the other men turns to me.


    My breath catches. Oh, wow, this guy is beautiful. Face like an angel, piercing blue eyes simr to Michael¡¯s, but darker in color. High forehead, sharp cheekbones, that same hooked nose. He¡¯s as tall as Michael, is dressed simrly in a dark fitted suit that hugs his corded length. His jacket stretches across shoulders that are bulked up as if he lifts weights every day. Light pours over him, catches the golden lights in his dark blonde hair.


    The overall effect is that of lightness. Where Michael carries a dark, edgy, dangerous aura, this man¡­has an electricity that sparks off of him. It seems to light up the space as he walks toward me.


    I blink.


    He holds out his hand, ¡°Karma?¡±


    I put out my hand to take his when there¡¯s a snarl from the direction of the window, ¡°Get away from her.¡±

 14

    Michael


    ¡°Forgive my stepbrother, he can be an impolite motherfucker.¡±


    Seb grabs her palm and brings it up to his lips.


    The stronzo kisses the back of her fingers. I stiffen. How dare he? And after I warned him to stay away from her. I¡¯d told them all to leave, but Seb had stayed back. Next to him, Adrian shuffles his feet.


    Clearly, Seb had coerced him to wait, as well. Now, he nces between us, ufortable. ¡°Seb,¡± he says in a low voice, ¡°we should leave.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Seb drawls in a tone that ensures that I can hear it.


    Clearly, he is testing me. I roll my shoulders, take a step forward. Then stop. It won¡¯t do to give away what I feel¡­which is¡­a confusing set of emotions that sits heavy in my gut.


    I take in her face, her gaze alight as she nces up at him. No doubt, her attention is captured by the bastard¡¯s beautiful countenance. It¡¯s what makes people trust him, that is, until he pulls the rug out from under them.


    Seb¡¯s smile widens. His gaze dips to her lips, down the slope of her breasts-and I snarl low in my throat.


    Heughs. ¡°Why, principesa, I believe it¡¯s going to be delightful to get to know you.¡±


    Angerces my blood.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to leave?¡± I growl.


    ¡°How could I? Especially after you mentioned that you have a guest. It was but polite to stay on and introduce myself to her. Though I understand, now, why you prefer to keep her to yourself. She is stunning.¡± He peers down at her, and his face alights with a smile, ¡°Your beauty is breathtaking, principessa.¡±


    Karma giggles. I nce sideways, watch the blush rise to her cheeks. Anger crawls at my gut. She isn¡¯t allowed to respond to any other man, to react to their flirtation, to have them hook her arm in the crook of their elbow and allow them to lead her to the table.


    Seb pulls back the chair and she drops into it. He ces his hand on the back of her chair and his fingers graze her shoulders. My vision tunnels. I stalk up to them, grab him by the back of his cor and haul him back.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± He swings around, fists raised.


    ¡°Leave,¡± I snarl. ¡°Get the fuck off this ind and don¡¯te back until I send for you.¡±


    His eyebrows furrow; his breathing is ragged, ¡°You should know better than to step up behind a man.¡±


    ¡°You should know better than touch what is mine¡­¡±


    ¡°Interesting choice of words.¡± His smile twists, ¡°I do believe this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you lose yourposure, fratestro.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off.¡± I jerk my chin toward the exit.


    ¡°Or what? ¡±


    The blood begins to thud at my temples. I step up until we are toe to toe, ¡°You don¡¯t want to find out.¡±


    A chair scrapes, and she appears between us. ¡°Stop it.¡±


    ¡°Stay out of this,¡± I growl without taking my gaze off of the stronzo in front of me.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Seb shoots me a nce from under hooded eyebrows. ¡°You threatening me?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    She thrusts her face closer, ¡°I think you guys are hangry.¡±


    I glower at the man in front of me.


    ¡°It happens to men and babies. When they are hungry, they can¡¯t think straight, and often, end up fighting. So why don¡¯t we sit down and eat, huh?¡±


    Her stomach rumbles, the sound loud in the silence. She giggles, the sound a little nervous. ¡°If I don¡¯t eat soon enough, I am going to faint.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± I nce at her sideways.


    She turns her face up, ¡°I really am starving.¡±


    I frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a ploy or anything. I mean, I¡¯d love to see the two of you beat the shit out of each other, but it¡¯s easier on a full stomach, huh?¡±


    The door opens and one of my staff walks in with a tray of food. He stops, nces between us.


    ¡°Ah, food.¡± Seb rubs his hands together, ¡°Dinner does seem like a good idea.¡±


    ¡°We are going to eat.¡± I turn to Seb, ¡°You, on the other hand¡­¡± I jerk my chin toward the exit.


    He dips his chin, then turns to Beauty. ¡°Another time, mydy. I look forward to deepening our acquaintance.¡±


    Not if I have anything to do with it. I grab his shoulder, shove him toward the exit. Adrian turns to me, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Michael. Seb can sometimes be a dick.¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°You¡¯re a good brother, and an even better made man.¡± I widen my stance, ¡°It¡¯s one of the reasons I have tolerated Seb, so far. But his time is running out.¡±


    Adrian firms his lips.


    ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t be so lenient.¡±


    Adrian nods. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him,¡± he mutters, ¡°you have my word.¡± He follows Seb out, and the door clicks shut behind him.


    I re at Beauty then jerk my chin toward the table. Her jaw firms but she doesn¡¯t say a word. Thank fuck. She marches around and drops into the chair at the center of the table.


    I stalk back to my chair opposite her, hold up my arm.


    Emanuel ces the dishes of food before us.


    ¡°Buon appetito.¡±


    ¡°Grazie, Emanuel.¡± I wave him off.


    The scent of garlic and parmigiana fills the air. Opposite me, Beauty stares at the dish, picks up her fork and hesitates.


    ¡°It¡¯s not seafood.¡±


    She shoots me a nce from under her eyshes. ¡°How did you know that I am allergic to¡­¡± Her features tighten. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re learning quickly.¡±


    I twirl strands of spaghetti and bring the fork to my mouth. She watches me as I close my mouth around the fork, wipe it clean. Her pupils dte and her breathing deepens.


    ¡°Like what you see?¡± I smirk.


    She reddens, lowers her gaze to the te. She cuts the pasta with her knife-a fucking knife-and I stare. She scoops it up with a spoon, and-Che cazzo! -I drop my fork on my te with a tter.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She scowls at me, ¡°What did I do now?¡±


    I nce at the strands of pasta hanging off of her spoon, then back at her face.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Her frown deepens, ¡°You going to tell me, or are you simply going to re at me like Imitted an act of treason?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s worse than that.¡±


    ¡°It is?¡±


    I nod. ¡°You cut your spaghetti with a knife¡­ Then proceeded to eat it with a spoon,¡± I growl.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± I glower, ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a fucking crime.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ That¡¯s a crime?¡± Her lips tremble. ¡°You are the Mafia and you call that a crime?¡± She snorts, tries to control herself, thenughs, turns it into a cough, which turns into a real coughing fit. She ces her knife and spoon down-finally, fuck-reaches for the ss of water and drinks it.


    When she¡¯s calmed herself down, and wiped away the tears which had run down her face, she nces at me.


    I scowl at her, and she giggles, snorts again. I re at her. ¡°What the fuck is so funny?¡±


    ¡°N¡­ nothing.¡± She chuckles, then manages to get a hold of herself. ¡°So¡­ you were saying-¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°if you want to continue to eat your pasta like a philistine, be my guest.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t.¡± She giggles again, then firms her lips. ¡°No, really Michael, show me how I am supposed to eat pasta.¡±


    My re intensifies and she raises both of her hands, palms face up, ¡°No, I mean it. I want to learn. Promise.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I take in her features, her pink cheeks, her bright eyes, and fuck me, she looks beautiful. No, she always looks beautiful. Now, she looks full of life, happy, rxed, the way she¡¯s always meant to be. My scowl deepens.


    The hell am I thinking along those lines? One shared meal and I am harboring thoughts of what¡­? Wanting her in my life for a longer period of time? Fuck that. That¡¯s not why I brought her here. She¡¯s here to fulfill a purpose, that¡¯s all.


    I pick up my fork. ¡°You are supposed to pull aside a small amount of pasta, maybe two or three strands, twirl it on the te, then carefully lift the fork.¡± I demonstrate to her, ¡°The big mistake people always make is to try to pick up too much at once. It takes practice to get it right.¡± I twirl a few pasta strands with my fork then nod toward her te. ¡°Now, your turn.¡±


    She looks like she is about to protest, and I shoot her a warning nce, ¡°If you are going to eat Italian food, learn to do it properly.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± she huffs, ¡°don¡¯t get your knickers in a twist.¡±


    She twirls some of the pasta around her fork, then reaches for her spoon. Porca cane! I make a warning sound at the back of my throat and she nces at me, ¡°Now what?¡±


    I re at her spoon, then back at her face.


    She rolls her eyes, but lowers the spoon back to her te. She twirls the pasta, then raises the fork with the pasta strands wrapped around the tines. Before she can get it to her mouth, the strands unravel and she lets out a groan of frustration. She looks at me and I nod at her fork.


    ¡°Pazienza. Try again.¡±


    She lets out a sigh before turning her attention back to her fork. This time, she grabs fewer strands of pasta, carefully twirls the fork, and slowly lifts it to her mouth. ¡°Happy, now?¡± She pretends to be irritated with me, but I can tell she¡¯s feeling proud of herself.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be happier when you taste the food.¡±


    She tries the forkful and her expression lights up.


    ¡°Good, eh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible.¡± She scoops up another forkful, following my instructions to the letter, and wipes the tines of the fork clean, then closes her eyes, chews. A moan spills from her mouth. She swallows and my belly tightens; my dick lengthens, tenting my pants. Fuck. Is everything with this woman an orgasmic experience?


    She cracks open her eyes and her gaze locks with mine. She reddens, then scowls, ¡°Like what you see?¡±


    My lips quirk and I firm them. So much sass, so much fire. Why does this girl always seem to get to me?


    I rake my gaze across her mouth, down the flushed skin of her throat. ¡°Every bit of it,¡± I murmur.


    Her blush deepens. ¡°I love eating.¡± She frowns.


    And I¡¯d love to eat you. I twirl more pasta onto my fork, bring it to my mouth and close my lips around the fork. ¡°Don¡¯t let me keep you from your food.¡±


    She swallows, lowers her gaze to her own te, then digs in with a relish that is fascinating to watch. Her every movement so immersed in taking full enjoyment from the moment. Everything she does, she puts her heart, her passion into it. When was thest time I was that¡­involved with what I do? Be it my work, my people, the things in my life that I took forward to¡­ When had I begun to take it all for granted? When had I be so cynical that everything had begun to blur into a meaningless mess? A patchwork of ck and white and grey, sometimes inteced with crimson.


    Then she¡¯d sshed right into the center, a joyous rainbow. Something¡­ Someone to be savored and held and stroked. Caressed until blood swells her skin, thrums at her fingertips, pours into her veins and engorges her pussy. As I drag my fingers up her curves to her neck, across the creamy expanse of her chest, where I squeeze her nipples, tease them into hard peaks of delight to be nibbled on, sucked on.


    Her fork hits the te with a tter, and I look up.


    She leans back with a sigh. ¡°That was the best meal I¡¯ve had in¡­forever.¡±


    Good. I take another leisurely mouthful.


    ¡°Who is the chef? I¡¯d love to pass on mypliments to him.¡±


    ¡°Her,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Larissa cooks all of my meals.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she tilts her head, ¡°I¡¯d love to meet her.¡±


    ¡°You will.¡±


    As I ce my fork on my te, there¡¯s a knock on the door.

 15

    Karma


    The door opens and Emanuel strides in. He picks up Michael¡¯s now empty te and sets a crystal creamer next to him, then walks over, collects my te as well.


    ¡°Grazie, Emanuel,¡± I smile at him.


    ¡°Prego, signorina.¡± He walks out just another women enters the dining room.


    She¡¯s wearing a chef¡¯s apron and a scarf around her neck. Her ck dress reaches to just above her knees, and on her feet are six-inch heels. Hangonasecond. Who cooks wearing stilettos? I sit up, stalk her as she walks to the far end of the table. She nces from me to Michael.


    Her eyes re and her lips turn up.


    Michael jerks his chin toward the woman, who nods. She takes off her scarf, ces it on the table. Then unties the apron and lets it drop on the floor.


    Umm, what?


    She flips around a chair, steps onto it, then onto the table.


    I scowl, ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡±


    Michael doesn¡¯t reply. I nce toward him and find that he¡¯s watching her progress with a single-minded focus. The kind I thought he¡¯d reserve only for me. My heart begins to thud. It can¡¯t be; this can¡¯t be happening¡­.


    ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t mean to¡­¡± My voice sounds too loud. I cringe.


    She glides across the table to stand in the space between us.


    Michael makes a swirling motion with his finger.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± I fold my fingers together in myp, take a steadying breath. ¡°What¡¯s for dessert?¡±


    ¡°She is.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± My pulse thuds at my temples.


    She reaches behind her neck and unhooks the sp of the dress she¡¯s wearing. It slides down to the surface of the table and pools around her ankles before she kicks it aside. Underneath, she¡¯spletely naked. Look away, look away. I trace the line of her spine down to the curve of her smooth ass¡­her smooth, perfect butt cheeks. She sinks down onto the table on her back, then lowers her head until it touches the table not a few inches away from me. Her legs are toward Michael.


    He rises to his feet, raises the small crystal pitcher and leans over her. He tilts the ss container and a trail of white pours out across the tops of her thighs, across her pussypletely bare, just the way he likes it. He draws the liquid down one leg, up to the arch of her ankle. Then he ces it aside.


    ¡°Why¡­why are you doing this?¡± My voicees out too thin, too high.


    ¡°You defied me, Beauty; you need to be punished for it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I scowl, ¡°How did I defy you?¡±


    He nces at my dress and I draw in a breath. He means the outfit heid out, the one which I¡¯d ignored. The asshole. I went against his stupid order and now he wants to what? Put me in my ce?


    He hangs over the other woman, one hand pressed to the table near her hips for support. He dips his finger into the cream then trails it down her inner thigh. The darkness of his skin against the white of the cream is¡­obscene. My throat closes. I curl my fingers into fists, dig my nails into the palms of my hands and pain shoots up my arms.


    He peers up at me from under sootyshes and I gasp. His nostrils re; the skin around his lips is stretched tight. His gaze shes with mine and I can¡¯t look away. The band around my chest pulls in further. A burning sensation builds behind my eyes. How dare he touch her that way? How dare he try to pull off this exhibitionism in front of me?


    I straighten my shoulders; the skin around his eyes creases. He rakes his gaze down my features, over my lips. He stares at my mouth and holy hell, it¡¯s like he¡¯s touching me right there. A moan bubbles up and I swallow it back. I clench my thighs together.


    ¡°Look at her.¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Do it.¡± He lowers that deep voice of his to a hush and I shiver. I drop my gaze to where the cream drips down her inner thigh.


    He snaps his fingers and I jerk my face toward him. ¡°Vieni qui.¡± He crooks a finger.


    A snarl ripples up my throat. How dare he order me around like I am some kind of dog¡­or a bitch¡­on leash? Gah!


    ¡°Now, Beauty.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush and I shiver. Only when my feet hit the ground do I realize that I am walking toward him. What the hell-?! My body seem to have a mind of its own where this alphahole is concerned. It can¡¯t help but obey him when hemands. How dare he be able to wield so much power over me?


    I pause in front of him and he smirks. Jerk. He dips a finger into the bowl of cream then holds the cream-coated finger out to me. ¡°Open,¡± he growls.


    You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me.


    I purse my lips together and he arches an eyebrow.


    ¡°Open. Your. Mouth,¡± he orders. ¡°Do it, Beauty.¡±


    I part my lips and he slides his finger inside my mouth.


    ¡°Suck it off.¡±


    No.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    I curl my tongue around his finger and his breath catches. A hot feeling res to life in my chest, at the backs of my eyes. He wants me to suck his fingers, huh? Fine. I¡¯ll do just as he says, obedient woman that I am. I open my mouth, lean forward and take in his other fingers. His chest heaves. I pull back until his fingertips are poised at the edge of my lips, then move in again. I close my mouth, swallowing his fingers.


    His shoulders tense.


    I curl my tongue around the underside of his fingers, licking it to the top as I pull out, only to lean forward again. I im his fingers, let him finger fuck my mouth, my gaze never wavering from his. Wetness pools between my legs, my core clenches, and my toes curl. I wriggle my hips, needing something more to relieve the yawning emptiness between my thighs. I want more. I¡¯m ovee by a yearning for the emptiness between my legs to be filled. By him. No. I pull away so fast that I stumble, the popping sound of his fingers leaving my mouth echoing around the room.


    His eyebrows draw down, his jaw tics, and he opens his mouth, but I don¡¯t wait. No way, am I allowing him to seduce me with his voice, his words, that rich timber of his subvocals which curl around me, coax me, seduce me into doing as he wants.


    I pull away, then run around the table.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    I keep going.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave this room.¡±


    Are you kidding me? You think I¡¯m going to stay here and watch as you¡­you¡­finger-fuck that woman? As he had just done to my mouth. And I had let him. I had encouraged it. Enjoyed it. My chest heaves and my breathes in short pants. I twist the handle of the door.


    ¡°You are going to regret this.¡±


    I¡¯ll regret it more if I stay. No way, am I giving in to whatever twisted n he¡¯s set in motion for me. I pull open the door and rush out. Down the corridor, to arge room, cross it, pass arge firece, afortable leather settee on the other side, to the massive double doors at the far end. I shove open the doors, race across thewn.


    Footsteps sound behind me and I increase my pace. I have to get away from him.


    ¡°Karma, don¡¯t go any further.¡±


    ¡°Buzz off,¡± I nce over my shoulder. He¡¯s a few feet behind me. His features are contorted, his gaze narrowed. He¡¯s racing toward me so fast he blurs.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He shoves out his hand, ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± I turn, spring forward through the undergrowth, and my feet touch air. I throw my hands out and scream.

 16

    Michael


    She disappears over the edge and my heart ms against my rib cage.


    I see sparks behind my eyes. No, this can¡¯t be happening. I propel my body through the undergrowth, thrust out my arm. My fingers graze her skin and I grab at her wrist. Hold.


    She screams, and the sound is torn away by the wind.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡±


    Her body dangles, sways. One of her pumps slips off her foot. She screams again, and the blood thuds at my temples, at my wrists. The weight of her body drags me forward. No, no, no, I am not going to let her die. No way, am I ready to go over the edge either. I dig the toes of my shoes into the ground, hook them around a protuberance ande to a halt. Stay there for a beat, another. Sweat streams down my forehead, down my nose. She nces up at me as the moisture trails down to ssh onto her cheek.


    She blinks, her green eyes dted with terror, her pupils sorge, I can see myself reflected in them.


    ¡°I am not letting you go.


    ¡°P¡­promise?¡± Her chin quivers and her teeth chatter.


    ¡°You bet, not until I have exacted my revenge for this stupid stunt.¡±


    Her gaze narrows and some of the color returns to her cheeks. There¡¯s my Beauty, my Huntress.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault Inded here, in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    A gust of wind blows against us. Her body sways, I skid down further, and she yells, ¡°Don¡¯t you let go of me, you motherfucker!¡±


    ¡°Never thought I¡¯d hear you say the words, baby girl.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Time for thatter.¡± Pain shoots up my arm. It feels like it is being torn out of the socket. I grit my teeth so hard that pain shoots up my jaw. Not letting her go. Not letting her go. No. I shove my other arm out. ¡°Take it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Not the time to act prissy.¡±


    ¡°Not until you tell me what this is all about.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The woman is one hair¡¯s breadth away from falling to her death, and here she is, arguing with me? ¡°The hell you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You know.¡± She swallows. ¡°I want to know, why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The real reason you saved my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do one better.¡±


    She frowns.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you at dinner tomorrow.¡±


    Her mouth opens and closes. Her other shoe slides off. She whimpers. Color fades from her cheeks again.


    ¡°Work with me here, Beauty.¡± I re at her and she blinks. A tear drop makes it way down her cheek.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be the kind to resort to tears.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± She sets her jaw.


    ¡°Or that you wanted to die without living fully?¡±


    ¡°Is that what you are doing?¡± She scowls; her dark hair flows around her shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been half alive¡­ Until I met you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She blinks.


    The fuck am I talking about? ¡°Your arm, give me your arm first.¡±


    ¡°Only if you promise toplete that statement.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± I growl, and she winces.


    ¡°Do it.¡± I infuse all of my dominance into that phrase. She holds up her other arm. Thank fuck. I grab her hand, slide forward a bit further. She screams.


    ¡°Trust me,¡± I implore.


    ¡°I did and look where that got me.¡±


    I grit my teeth, lock my muscles and haul her up¡­ an inch, another. The wind seems to pick up. She bites down on her lower lip.


    ¡°I am not letting you die that easily.¡±


    I pull her up another inch.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not out of any sense ofpassion or a conscience. It¡¯s not like you have one anyway, right?¡±


    ¡°You done insulting me?¡± I blink away a drop of sweat.


    ¡°Just getting started.¡±


    ¡°Good, so am I.¡± My shoulder muscles knot and a burning sensation crawls up my forearms as I drag her up, until her arms are just over the ledge. ¡°When I get you on firm ground-and believe me, I will-I am going to teach you a lesson-one you won¡¯t forget.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I haul her body toward me. ¡°Then you won¡¯t mind when I show you exactly what I have in mind for you.¡± She huffs, digs her feet into the curve of the ledge and pushes herself up. I brace myself, bend my legs and pull her over the edge. She falls on her front next to me, her breathing loud. I sit up and haul her into my arms. ¡°I am going to kill you for what you did to me.¡±


    She trembles, her shoulders shake. ¡°I¡­ I thought¡­ You said you wanted to save my life to teach me a lesson.¡±


    Her features crumple.


    ¡°No,¡± I growl. ¡°Not now.¡±


    A tear slides down her cheek and my heart stutters. Fuck this. Fuck her. Fuck everything that brought me to this exact moment, when I have my end in in sight.


    ¡°Why do you have to be so annoying?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Why do you have to be so-¡±


    I lower my head, close my lips over hers. I thrust my tongue inside her mouth. A moan swells up from her and I swallow it. I suck from her, draw her breath, bite down on her lower lip, and she shudders. I tilt my head, haul her even closer, wrap my arms around her and yank her to me. Her entire body trembles. Her breasts are ttened against me, and her nipples harden. The blood rushes to my groin. I dig my fingers through her hair and tug her head back. Grip her chin, tilt it up and lower my lips to hers. She throws her arms around my neck and strains in my hold. Another hoarse whine bleeds from her and something inside of me shatters.


    I tear my mouth from hers, chest heaving, blood buzzing, my nostrils filled with her scent. Her taste is heavy in my mouth, her melting core drawing me in. She raises her eyelids and those green eyes stare back at me, dted¡­this time, with passion. She licks her lips, raises her chin.


    ¡°No.¡± I unknot her hands from around me, stagger to my feet and pull her up with me. I head for the house, pulling her along, and her legs seem to give way from under her.


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake.¡± I turn, swing her up in my arms.


    ¡°I can walk.¡± Her voice is hoarse; her frame is too light. Anger boils up my spine. Why does she always have toplicate everything? Why is it that everywhere I turn, she is there, turning my world upside down? If she had gone over the ledge, if I had reached her one secondter ¡­ My arms tighten around her.


    She winces, shoves at me, ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Why are you upset?¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You could have fooled me.¡± She purses her lips.


    ¡°You are too much trouble, you know that?¡± I growl.


    She huffs, ¡°Your mistake for having kidnapped me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± She scowls up at me.


    ¡°Abso-fucking-lutely,¡± I drawl, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get you back to your room so I can get on with the rest of my evening. Larissa is waiting for me.¡±

 17

    Karma


    ¡°You ass, I almost died and now you shove your¡­ your floozie in my face? You¡¯re a real piece of work, you know that?¡± I struggle in his arms and he tightens his grasp.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± he orders, ¡°or I might drop you.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Jerk! ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I shove at his shoulder, and my palm encounters the hard muscles of his body. Goosebumps rise on my skin. Shit, why does he draw such a primal response from me?


    He continues walking and I nce up at the jut of his chin. For a second there, when he¡¯d kissed me, I was sure I¡¯d been wrong about him. That he isn¡¯t the kind of monster I¡¯d thought him to be. He saved my life, didn¡¯t he? He¡¯de after me after that¡­that show that he¡¯d put on for me. Why did he do that?


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You are scared about how I make you feel?¡±


    His jaw tenses.


    ¡°You are worried that you are attracted to me?¡±


    ¡°You?¡± His lip curls. He stares straight ahead, lengthens his stride. ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°Why else would you have left behind that¡­that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Beautiful woman, who is actually the kind of female I go for. I promise you, girls with little to no experience are not my type.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I have no experience?¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that you have had experience?¡±


    I tip up my chin, ¡°Are you trying to ask me if I am a virgin?¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± He lowers his chin.


    I gape. ¡°Seriously, like, is that even a thing anymore?¡±


    He holds my gaze and the blood rushes to my cheeks.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you were the kind to worship at the altar of the hymen.¡±


    His gaze intensifies.


    ¡°But then you are Mafia, so I guess you forget that the rest of the world has progressed enough to recognize that the hymen is a myth. Many girls aren¡¯t born with one, and most lose it thanks to exercise or when we use tampons.¡±


    He arches an eyebrow and I feel the blood rush to my face.


    ¡°What?¡± I snap. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Answer the question.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°Are you, Karma?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I murmur, ¡°I am Karma.¡±


    He scowls. ¡°Are you a virgin, Karma?¡±


    ¡°None of your bloody business.¡±


    ¡°It is, actually.¡± His arms around me tighten and I gasp as he pulls me closer into his chest. The heat of him seems to increase in intensity. The nes of his chest seem to harden until they dig into the flesh of my arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurting me,¡± I protest.


    ¡°Tell me.¡± He growls, ¡°Are you a virgin?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap, and his scowl deepens.


    ¡°Are you lying to me, because if you are¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I am not.¡± I set my jaw. ¡°Why would I lie to you about that anyway?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he growls, ¡°because I am tired of your impertinence.¡±


    ¡°Impertinence?¡± I scowl. ¡°I am simply trying to show you just how backward you are in your thinking.¡±


    ¡°Take a good look around you. Where do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere in Italy, with someone who kidnapped me and brought me here and is holding me captive and not even telling me what he wants from me.¡±


    He pauses so suddenly that the breath catches in my chest.


    I sense his gaze on my face deepen and nce up, then wish I hadn¡¯t. Blue eyes, bottomless and cold. In their depths is something unfeeling, something inhumane, something that causes my muscles to stiffen, my pores to pop. The hair on the nape of my neck rises.


    ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± I clear my throat. ¡°What is it?¡± I force out the words through a throat gone dry, ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I told you,¡± he drawls, ¡°your father owed me, I took you in payment.¡±


    ¡°And what are you going to do with me?¡±


    His lips twist, and I flinch.


    I tilt up my chin, keep my gaze trained on that cruel, beautiful, gorgeous face of my captor. ¡°I mean, other than that¡­¡±


    ¡°Other than what?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you want that. It¡¯s why you brought me here.¡±


    ¡°Want what?¡± His lips curl.


    ¡°You know,¡± I scoff.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± He holds my gaze, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Sex,¡± I snap, ¡°you want sex with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too easy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I scowl. ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s why you took me and brought me here and are now trying to impress me with your wealth, and power and control, and your stupid dominance-¡±


    ¡°You think I am dominant?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, while I wish I could say otherwise, I have to concede that much to you.¡±


    ¡°At least, you are honest.¡±


    ¡°At least, you are¡­¡± I search for a suitable adjective. ¡°Not bad looking, for a kidnapper.¡±


    He blinks. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that was a quality one needed to have to suit the role.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± I bob my head up and down, ¡°Very important. I mean, if you were old and fat and had onion breath¡­¡± I shudder, ¡°it would be so much more worse.¡±


    ¡°You taking the piss, Drama?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Karma, you asshole.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll call you ma.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡±


    ¡°Language¡­¡± he says in a mild tone.


    ¡°Oh, fuck off.¡± I hunch my shoulders and turn my head away from him. Tears prick the backs of my eyes, and honestly, that¡¯s just stupid. Why do I care what he calls me? Hell, he can call me Destiny, for all I care. Not that it is insulting or anything. Actually, I¡¯d take Destiny over Karma anyway, considering the number of times I¡¯ve been teased for having been called that. It¡¯s a stupid name. Why did my mother have to call me by that name. Being a flower child is all well and good, but why couldn¡¯t she have called me by some other new age easily pronounceable name instead? And why did she have to die on us, anyway?


    I had been a baby when she¡¯d passed on. The only things I remember about here from the photographs of her that we have. I don¡¯t remember anything about her in real life. If it hadn¡¯t been for my sister Summer, who became the de facto maternal figure in my life, well, I¡¯d have never had any inkling of what it would be like to have a mother. Thanks to Summer, though, I¡¯ve always felt loved. She¡¯s done a lot for me, my sister.


    Surely, she¡¯ll be missing me. Despite the messages that this man says he¡¯s been sending her from my phone, surely, she¡¯ll know that something is wrong and she¡¯lle in search of me? Surely.


    I sniffle, and to my horror, a tear makes its way down my cheek. Shit, shit, shit. Thest thing I want is to be seen as being weak by this man. I don¡¯t want him to see just how defeated I feel right now. That the true horror of my predicament is finally sinking in.


    Shit. I have been kidnapped by this monster and he is not letting me leave. I can¡¯t even try to jump off a cliff without his somehow snatching me back from the jaws of whatever fate had in store for me. How the hell am I going to find a way out of here? Why the hell had hee after me in the first ce?


    ¡°Why?¡± I demand, my voice hoarse. ¡°Why the hell did you have to turn my bloody life upside down?¡±


    ¡°Why did you have to turn my life upside down?¡±


    I blink.


    ¡°Wh¡­what?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± He lowers his face until his lips are right above mine. Until that hooked nose of his bumps mine, until those long thick eyshes of his kiss mine. ¡°It¡¯s you who¡¯s turned my ns upside down.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have?¡±


    He nods, ¡°I was supposed to kill you, not bring you here and spare your life and-¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± My heart gallops so hard in my chest, I am sure it¡¯s going to break through my rib cage. ¡°What do you mean kill me?¡±


    His lips twist, ¡°Off you, shoot you in the head, or did you forget that I did hold the gun to your forehead? If you¡¯ve forgotten, I don¡¯t mind reminding you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap, ¡°I remember.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he nods, ¡°so you can understand how crazy it seems that I¡¯m standing here, carrying you in my arms, and after saving you from throwing yourself down the side of the cliff into the sea-¡±


    ¡°My foot slipped,¡± I snap. ¡°I would never kill myself.¡±


    ¡°Sure didn¡¯t seem like that to me.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I love my life. Or rather, I loved it before you came along.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡± He peers into my face.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You may have told yourself that you were happy, but the woman I saw that day on the hillside of the park was lonely and quoting Byron in the hopes of finding a reason to live.¡±


    I open my mouth to retort, but he tilts his head, ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    I nce away.


    ¡°Thought not.¡±


    He straightens, then heads off, once more, in the direction of the house. He retraces my earlier steps, back across thewn, through the front door, then up the stairs. He walks down the corridor, enters my room, andys me down on my bed. I turn away from him, wrap my arms about my waist. The softness of the pillow under my cheek, that masculine scent of his that surrounds me, all of it confirms that I am safe. Safe.


    A trembling grips me. Maybe it¡¯s the fact that I almost went over the side of the cliff. OMG, OMG¡­ I almost died. Gah. My arms and legs feel too weak. A ball of emotion clogs my throat. What the hell? I had been fine this far, so why am I breaking down now? A tear slides down my cheek. Stop that, you idiot. What¡¯s wrong with you? Why are you crying now?


    Say something. Protest again. Ask him to let you go. As if any of that is going to work. Face it, I am here as his captive and I¡¯ll stay here until he lets me go¡­ Which is never. Unless he kills me¡­ But he¡¯s never gonna release me and I am going to spend the rest of my life in this stupid room, on this stupid ind, ying stupid word games with this over-the-top, mean, growly, grumpy, way-too-handsome, egoistical, controlling, arrogant tyrant.


    Another tear slides down my cheek and I can¡¯t stop shaking. Gah.


    The bed dips, and the next second, the heat of his body sears my back.

 18

    Michael


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her voice is shrill. ¡°Why did you get into bed with me?¡±


    Good question. Something I am asking myself, since I¡¯d sworn I wouldn¡¯t bed her until we are married. Not something I am going to let her know. Especially since I haven¡¯t told her what my ns are for her yet, either. Why am I so hesitant? Since when have I needed a woman, or anyone else for that matter, to be willing before deciding to go through with a n. Nothing stops me from marrying her without her consent. Hell, nothing stops me from sleeping with her without her consent, either. And ultimately, I am going to marry her, whether she agrees to it or not. So why does it feel so important that she submit to her fate willingly?


    Why do I want her to want me? Want her to want to marry me? Why do I need her to feel something more than the resentment she so clearly bears for me? Why do I crave her¡­devotion?


    Her body in submission to me, her will in subjugation to mine, her heart in my grasp, her attention on me, her arms and her legs tied back as she spreads herself open to my ministrations; with her pussy in readiness and wet for my pration, as she gives herself over to me. Willingly, over and over again. As she allows me to fulfill every depraved, filthy craving that has painted my mind from the moment that I firstid eyes on her.


    Fuck. The blood drains to my cock. My pants suddenly feel too tight.


    I stay there, with the length of my front stered to the soft curvaceousness that is her body.


    Gradually, her trembling stops, and her muscles tense as she grows aware of me. I know the exact moment she feels the arousal that tents my crotch, for she stiffens.


    Every part of her goes rigid, her curves tightened in attention. Every single pore in her body seems to be tuned into me, and for a moment, I enjoy that. The fact that she is so tuned into my presence. That she¡¯s so hyper-aware of everything, anything that I am going to say and do next.


    I close my eyes, draw in a breath, and the lush moonflowers fragrance of her skin reaches me¡­ Laced with that unmistakable, sugary-sweet scent of her arousal. My cock throbs and my groin hardens further. Hell, if I stay here a second more, I am going to turn her on her back, cover her with my weight, hold her down, and close my mouth over hers, Right before I slide down to rest my head on her creamy thigh as I take my time familiarizing myself with that sulent flesh between her legs.


    She gulps, the sound heavy in the space. I should move. I should simply get out of here. I should return to Larissa. Better still, I should leave Beauty be as I attend to the rest of my business for the day: the war with the Russian Bratva that is heating up again, the rivalry with the Kane Company that¡¯s proving to be a pain in the ass; the uing talks with the Five Families and the Don that could, likely, mark the turning point in my career and everything that I¡¯ve worked for to-date; my errant stepbrother, Seb, whose loyalties I need to test¡­ Hell, the many things that I need to address as the Capo¡­ All of which are crucially important to ensure that things stay on n. None of which seems as vital as the woman lying in front of me.


    I draw a finger down the shape of her hip and she shivers.


    I reach the edge of the skirt of her dress, slip a finger under it, and she chafes her thighs together. The scent of her arousal deepens and my mouth goes dry. Jesus. How could she smell so luscious, so juicy, so ready for the picking, like the flesh between her legs needs me, wants me, yearns for me to do whatever I want with her.


    ¡°M¡­ Michael.¡± Her voice trembles, ¡°Michael¡­ I have something to tell you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I am dirty.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blink, pause in the action of slipping another finger under her skirt, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My clothes, I mean,¡± she murmurs, ¡°they are filthy from that headlong dive I took off the side of the cliff.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So I am making the bedclothes dirty,¡± she exins.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have it cleaned up.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I need to get out of these clothes. They are ufortable, and itchy and-¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Once she sets her mind on something, nothing can stop her, can it? I roll off the bed, then bend and scoop her up in my arms.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She huffs.


    ¡°What does it look like?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to answer every question with a question?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to ask so many questions?¡± I sneer.


    ¡°What kind of an answer is that?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re impossible,¡± she cries. If she¡¯d been standing, bet she¡¯d have stamped her little foot.


    ¡°You¡¯re too easy to tease.¡±


    ¡°Were you teasing me?¡± She snarls.


    So cute.


    ¡°Not really.¡± A chuckle rolls up my throat and I swallow it down. Bet if I showed her just how amused I am right now, she wouldn¡¯t be very happy about it. For that matter, nothing I¡¯ve done so far has made her happy. Not that I have tried to make her happy or shit like that. Hell, she is my captive, not my guest. Not that I have had any guests here on this ind. I haven¡¯t had anyone else over, period, except for my close family.


    She is the first-other than my very close circle of confidants, who I can count on my fingers-who I¡¯ve allowed such close ess. I pause half way to the bathroom. What does that mean? Do I trust her enough to allow her such proximity to me so quickly? For that matter, from the moment I first saw her, I haven¡¯t allowed her too far from me. It¡¯s why I¡¯d brought her to this ind. So I could observe her without any distractions. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I acting like a man possessed? Why do I feel so out of sorts? Probably because I haven¡¯t fucked her yet¡­


    Okay, assuming that exins the shortness in my breath, the tenseness of my shoulders, the knot that seems to have lodged itself permanently at the base of my spine-let¡¯s say that¡¯s why I feel so goddamn on edge¡­ It still doesn¡¯t exin why I am standing here in the middle of her room, with her in my arms, about to run a bath for her.


    ¡°Michael?¡±


    Since when did I get so solicitous? Since when did I¡­put another¡¯s needs before my own? Since when did I¡­want to fight the world and anyone who¡¯d dare stand between us? Since when did I want to pluck the stars from the skies andy them at her feet? Che cazzo, I am turning into aplete cliche, if there ever was one.


    ¡°Michael!¡±


    I draw in a sharp breath.


    ¡°Hey, Michael!¡± She punches my shoulder and I nce down at her upturned face.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    What the hell is she doing to me? Since she came into my life, everything really has been turned upside down. It¡¯s time to get things back on track. To show her who is in charge here. Which is me, by the way. Not the curvy, tiny sprite who scowls up at me as if everything that had happened today was my fault. Which it was¡­but that¡¯s beside the point.


    I will not feel sorry for taunting her with what I¡¯d done to the other woman. I will not feel guilty about the fact that I pushed her to the end of her tether, so she ran out and almost fell over the side of the cliff. If I had lost her¡­ If anything had happened to her-


    ¡°Michael, hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why the hell should anything be wrong?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trembling.¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°No, I am not,¡± I growl, ¡°and you¡¯d best shut up before I do something that both of us will regretter.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll do something, will you?¡± She sets her jaw. ¡°Of all the moronic, bloody, asinine things to say,¡± she snarls and I snap my teeth.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    She stiffens. ¡°Stop talking to me like I am some stupid, brainless twit who you can yank around with asso around my neck.¡±


    ¡°Then stop acting like one,¡± I retort. ¡°Though,e to think of it,¡± I eye her slender throat, ¡°a cor around your neck may not be a bad idea, actually.¡±


    She pales, ¡°Stop trying to frighten me.¡±


    ¡°Am I seeding?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She blinks rapidly.


    ¡°Liar.¡±


    ¡°Asshole.¡±


    ¡°Alphahole to you, doll.¡± I smirk.


    She gapes at me. ¡°You have such a big ego, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Not the only thing that¡¯s big, by the way.¡± I head toward the bathroom door as she opens and shuts her mouth.


    ¡°Honestly, that was cringeworthy,¡± sheins.


    ¡°You disagree?¡±


    ¡°I have no opinion on it, either way.¡±


    ¡°Lying again, Beauty?¡± I lower her to the counter near the sink, then point a finger at her, ¡°Stay.¡± I growl, and she rolls her eyes.


    ¡°Like, where would I go? I am on a stupid ind, you dummy.¡±


    ¡°At least, learn to insult effectively.¡±


    ¡°Just callin¡¯ it as I see it, buster.¡±


    I arch an eyebrow, ¡°If you are going to curse, do so in Italian.¡±


    ¡°You offering to teach me?¡± She tilts her head at me.


    I fold my arms across my chest, look her up and down, ¡°You sure you want to learn?¡±


    ¡°I asked, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Remember, once you start down this path, there¡¯s no going back.¡±


    ¡°From what?¡±


    ¡°Wanting to not just curse, but taste, bite into, suck on, lick up¡­¡± I lean in closer to her, ¡°chew on, slurp, kiss, rub,¡± I bend my knees, peer into her eyes, ¡°fondle, squeeze, pet, fuck-¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± She ps her palm over my mouth, ¡°Please, stop.¡±


    I allow my lips to curve up, ¡°Scared, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s put that to the test, shall we?¡±

 19

    Karma


    ¡°What¡­what¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± My voice quivers. Hell, I hate that. I so don¡¯t want to appear weak in front of this man. I bite down on my lower lip and his gaze drops there.


    ¡°Scared, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡±


    ¡°You should be.¡± He bends his elbow behind his back, and when he straightens his arm the light catches a sh of silver in his hand. ¡°Wh¡­what¡¯s that?¡±


    He swoops out his arm and the front of my dress loosens. I nce down to find he¡¯s cut through the straps holding up the dress. ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like?¡±


    ¡°Do you have to answer every question with a question?¡±


    He arches an eyebrow, then swoops out his hand again. His movements are so fast, they seem like a blur. I blink. He retreats, then surveys his handiwork. I nce down as the dress falls apart. Oh. He cut enough shes in the front of the dress for it to literally dete in on itself. Whoa. I nce up at his face, ¡°Was that supposed to impress?¡± I murmur, ¡°I mean, all you had to do was ask me to get undressed-¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the fun in that, hmm?¡±


    He hooks his left forefinger in the neckline of my dress and tugs. With a whisper, the entire front of the dress separates. He throws it aside, as the back of the dress falls away, leaving me d in my bra and panties. I raise my hands to cover myself, then stop. Damn it, I am not going to act like a shrinking violet. I have seen worse. I survived the foster care system, I survived dropping out of Goldsmiths and forging my own creative path. And look where that got me? Sitting in my underwear on the counter of the bathroom of a Mafia Capo in Sicily. Jeez, at least my life is not boring, I have to admit.


    I ce my arms in myp, stare up at me, ¡°What now?¡±


    His lips curl. He reaches out, slides the t edge of his knife under the strap of my bra, tugs. The thin material snaps. He does the same on the other side, then slides the tip of the de under the strap between my breasts. He twists the de and the tense material snaps. My bra falls away and cool air assails my heated flesh. My nipples instantly harden and my breasts swell. He doesn¡¯t look down at my chest; neither do I.


    His gaze intensifies; the darkness in those blue eyes swirls, coils in on itself. He seems both rxed and on edge. Bored and turned on. Intensely focused, as always, and yet also, strangely, disconnected from everything. This mass of contradictions about him is what attracts me and challenges me and makes me want to do everything possible to get a rise out of him; get under his skin, break his control, watch him as he finally shattered. Or maybe that would be me. What will he do when he finally gives into those emotions that writhe and twist under his skin? Will he hurt me? And why does that thought not scare me?


    ¡°That all you got?¡± I allow my lips to curl. ¡°The big, bad, alphahole Capo who loves to keep his men in check¡­ That all you going to do to me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any sense of self-preservation, do you?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°That makes two of us.¡±


    He steps back from the edge of the sink. ¡°On your feet.¡±


    I frown and he arches an eyebrow. ¡°Do it,¡± he growls, ¡°now.¡±


    I slide down so my feet touch the floor, and my dress and the remnants of my bra fall away. I tip up my chin, hold his gaze. He reaches down, his arm moves, and I don¡¯t need to look down to know that he¡¯s cut through the straps holding up my panties. The fabric falls away, exposing my pussy to the air. I hold my elbows at my sides, not daring to nce down at myself.


    He nces down at my core and his breathing grows ragged. ¡°You shaved.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Like I had a choice?¡± I scoff.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± he agrees. ¡°Part your legs for me, Belleza.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± His grin widens, ¡°And trust me, I¡¯ll enjoy it, too.¡±


    ¡°Bastard.¡± I slide my feet apart, and he thrusts his massive thigh between them, forcing my legs further apart.


    The thick muscles feel like a column of iron against my most tender ce. My core clenches and my lower belly ties itself in knots. I lock my thighs around the muscle, press my core into the rigid pir.


    His breath catches and his dark pupils seem to grow even cker. One side of his lips twists, as he raises his knife and ces the t edge against my cheek.


    I freeze, watch as he slides the de under a lock of hair. He flicks his wrist and the strand slices clean through before it drifts to the floor. Heat flushes my skin; my core clenches. My nipples grow impossibly hard, and damn it, I can¡¯t understand this crazy response to his screwed-up gesture. I mean, I¡¯ve always known my tastes are a bit out there. They would have to be to mesh with the goth side of me, the one that is attracted to everything dark and beautiful. Like him.


    He ttens the de against the side of my face, draws it down without breaking skin, down my neck, down to the valley between my breasts.


    My nipples continue to tighten, until they are painful points. My breasts seem to swell. Moisture gathers between my legs, and his nostrils re.


    ¡°That turns you on, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± My voice cracks and his grin widens.


    ¡°If I were to check between your legs, would I find you wet, Beauty?


    Yes. Yes. ¡°No.¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°You know what?¡± he says in a conversational tone. ¡°I am tired of you lying to me, sweetheart.¡±


    He retracts his hand, flips his knife so he¡¯s holding it with the handle face up, the de pinched between his fingers. He pulls back his thigh, only to rece it with the handle of the de.


    ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡± I squeak.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± He nudges the handle of the de against my entrance and goosebumps pop on my skin.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I whisper, ¡°don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Tell me you don¡¯t want this, Beauty. Tell me that depraved part of you inside that I¡¯ve sensed does not want to know how it feels to ride a knife handle.¡±


    No. No. I nod and his entire body tenses. His jaw tightens, his chest nes seem to harden, and his shoulders seem to grow wider, filling my line of sight.


    Heat flushes my skin and my toes curl. I curve my fingers into fists at my sides, hold his gaze as he fits the handle of the knife into my melting slit. He thrusts up and into me and I gasp. My heart begins to race and my pulse pounds at my temples. Why is this very obscene, very kinky action of his such a turn on? It shouldn¡¯t be. I should be repulsed. I should be crying out, asking him to stop. Telling him he can¡¯t insert a weapon into the most delicate part of me. I open my mouth, but the words don¡¯te out. Instead, I part my legs wider, bend my knees, and push down on the handle. Too much, too thick. My lips part, a groan trembles from my mouth, and I wheeze.


    His gaze intensifies and the skin around eyes tightens. ¡°Fuck.¡± He groans, ¡°F-u-ck, Beauty. ¡±


    He winds his fingers around the nape of my neck, brings me close enough for my breasts to press into the fabric of his shirt. He urges me to tip my chin up, as he res into my eyes. His pupils are dted, the ck filling his iris until only a dark blue circle remains around the circumference. A lock of his dark hair falls over his forehead. A strand of grass clings to the thick strands, reminding me of the fall I had taken so very recently. He looks like someone on the verge ofing undone, and somehow, the thought fills me with a gnawing need. The emptiness swells in my belly, crawls up my spine, and I raise my palm, press it into his cheek.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I whisper, ¡°fuck me with your knife handle.¡±


    Embers spark in his eyes. He bares his teeth, grips the back of my neck even harder, then he pulls the knife handle out, only to slide it back inside. A groan spills from my lips. He dips his head, ces his mouth so close to mine, his nose bumps mine, his eyshes brush mine.


    Jesus¡­ This¡­ When he does this. When he watches me with so much intensity that it feels like he¡¯s crawling his way inside me, when he peers into my eyes as if he¡¯s searching for my hidden depths, as if he means to solve me, decimate me, rip me apart and put me back together in a fashion that makes so much more sense to him, to me.


    He pulls out the knife, then slides it up inside me again, deeper, deeper, and my thighs tremble. My breasts swell further. My knees seem to almost give way and I grip his biceps, feeling the rock-hard muscle push back, unyielding to my touch. And it¡¯s so damn erotic. The heat of his body around me, the toughness of his body under my palms, the hard length that he¡¯s inserted up between my legs-that somehow symbolizes exactly how screwed up this¡­whatever connection is there between us, is.


    He continues to fuck me with the knife handle, and heat crawls up my spine. Sweat breaks out on my forehead, dampens my palms at the point of contact of where I am still holding onto his shirt sleeve covered biceps.


    He nces down his nose at my mouth as he weaves the knife handle in and out of me, in and out. The trembling begins at my toes, sweeps up my thighs, coils in my belly. ¡°Oh,¡± I gasp, ¡°oh, my god.¡±


    My eyelids flutter as I tense, my muscles lock in preparation as I hurl faster, closer, to that edge.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I gasp, ¡°please¡­.¡±


    ¡°Eyes on me,¡± he snaps and I crack open my eyelids to stare into that ckness that swirls in his eyes. The blue, like chipped ice around the edges, promises me that, even if I manage to conquer his ckness, I¡¯ll slip and fall through the icy surface, to an uncertain end, from which I won¡¯t return without being changed.


    ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± I whisper as his lips twist.


    He pulls out the knife, slides it up and into me onest time, hitting a spot deep inside that I didn¡¯t know existed. A moan bleeds from my lips, and he bares his teeth, ¡°Come for me, Beauty. Come all over my knife.¡±

 20

    Michael


    She snaps her head back, her spine curves, her lips part and she shatters. The orgasm sweeps up her body and she tenses, stretches, green eyes a tormented, coiling mass of storm clouds that boil over as she screams. I fit my mouth over hers, absorb the sound as she slumps into me. I pull out the knife, ce it on the counter behind her, then tear my mouth from hers and slide to my knees. I lick my tongue up the moisture dripping down her inner thigh, to her damp pussy. I tug on her clit ring and she groans. I slurp at her cunt and she shudders.


    ¡°Michael,¡± she chants, ¡°Michael. Michael.¡±


    ¡°Mika,¡± I growl against her sweet, scented pussy, ¡°call me Mika.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Mika.¡± She grips my hair as I ease my tongue inside her channel. ¡°Mic-ah!¡± She gasps, tugs on my hair. My scalp tightens and my shoulders go rock hard. I grip the backs of her thighs, yank her closer as I proceed to fuck her with my tongue. In-out-in. I squeeze her asscheeks, position her hips just right as I proceed to eat her out.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± she whines, ¡°please, Mika, please-¡±


    I pull my tongue out of her, only to close my mouth around her cunt.


    She groans, pushes her hips forward, chasing the release that only I can give her.


    ¡°Oh, my god. Oh, my god,¡± she warbles.


    I can¡¯t stop the rumble that rolls up my chest, as I nce up at her to find her breasts jutting out, nipples pebbled, head flung back and her dark hair flowing down the curve of her back. A goddess, a huntress, a Beauty about toe apart on the tongue of this Beast, the one who is going to show her why she shouldn¡¯t trust anyone so easily with her pleasure. I slide my finger in between her buttcheeks, down to her backhole. She tenses, a ripple shudders up her spine. She parts her legs further, allowing me to slide a finger inside her backchannel, as I continue to fuck her with my tongue, in and out, in and out of her.


    Her entire body, seems to vibrate with tension as she grabs handfuls of my hair, and presses herself closer to where my I am eating her out. Her back bends, her breasts jiggle as she pants and gasps and throws her head back, and that¡¯s when I pull back. I release her, rise to my feet, grab my knife by the de and freeze. ¡°What the hell?¡±


    She cracks open her eyelids and blinks, ¡°Wh¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I stare at the blood that stains the handle of the knife, then nce up at her.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re not a virgin, huh?¡±


    She lowers her gaze to the knife handle and color leaches from her cheek, ¡°Guess I am not now.¡±


    ¡°What the hell, Karma?¡± I growl, ¡°Why the hell did you lie to me?¡±


    ¡°How did I know that you¡¯d put it to the test so quickly?¡±


    Shit, shit, shit. I squeeze my fingers around the de and pain slides up my arm. The knife cuts through my fingers; blood drips down my fingers and drips to the floor.


    ¡°You¡­you¡¯re bleeding,¡± she whispers.


    ¡°Look at me, Karma.¡±


    She nces away, shakes her head.


    ¡°I swear, look at me or-¡±


    ¡°Or what? You¡¯ll make me? Is that it?¡± She firms her lips. ¡°Look, being a virgin is hardly the kind of thing you want to confess to, okay.¡±


    ¡°So you lied to me?¡±


    ¡°I am neen and never been with a man.¡± She squares her shoulders. ¡°How the hell do you think that makes me feel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you how that makes me feel.¡± I bend my knees, peer into her face, ¡°It makes me want to make sure no one else touches you but me. It makes me want to hide you away and protect you and take care of you and ensure that your innocence belongs to me. It makes me want to-¡±


    ¡°What, marry me?¡± she says lightly and I stiffen.


    She searches my features and the color leaves her face, ¡°Oh, my god! You really think because you took my virginity you should marry me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She blinks and her jaw drops. ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    ¡°Language.¡± I scowl, and she merely stares back at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    I straighten and she shakes her head. ¡°You are kidding.¡± Sheughs uncertainly. ¡°You really have a rotten sense of humor.¡±


    ¡°I am notughing.¡±


    She presses her lower lip between her teeth and my dick twitches. She folds her arms about her waist, calling attention to her beautiful tits, the hourss figure that has her tiny waist, ring out to meet those fleshy hips, sleek thighs, down to those upturned ankles that beg me to fall at her feet and worship at those gorgeous toes.


    Oddio! I really have it bad, if all I can think of is sucking on her toes, before moving my way up her body, pausing only to take a bite of that scrumptious pussy, before I fasten my mouth on those luscious nipples and suck andp and slurp on them until they are full and heavy and trembling in my grasp.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± She murmurs, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Have I ever been anything else but?¡±


    She looks at me, then nces away. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I told you already, sweetheart. You are going to marry me.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    I tilt my head.


    She opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°Look, you don¡¯t have to do that. I mean, virginity is overrated anyway and-¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± I bring the handle of the knife to my mouth, and without taking my eyes off of her, I lick the blood-her blood-off the grip.¡±


    She draws in a breath, her gaze widens, and her pupils dte. ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I step back, pass the knife to my other hand, then wipe the blood from the de-my blood this time-on the sleeve of my shirt. More blood drips from my fingertips from where I¡¯d wrapped it around the de earlier.


    She makes a sound of distress, turns, grabs a towel and reaches for my injured hand. She wraps the towel around it, folds my fingers over it. ¡°There, that should help,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Why did you lie to me?¡± I nce down at her bent head, ¡°I would have been gentle with you your first time.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I didn¡¯t want you to be?¡± She peers up at me from under her eyelids, and her green eyes are filled with uncertainty, ¡°Look, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to confess that, okay? It just felt like I would be handing you an advantage of some kind¡­¡± She raises a shoulder.


    ¡°So instead, you let me fuck you with a knife handle.¡±


    ¡°Kinky, huh?¡± Her lips twist. ¡°Not that I didn¡¯t enjoy it.¡±


    That¡¯s what I am afraid of. My tastes are far gone enough, and the longer I stay with her, the more I am going to reveal just how depraved I am when ites to taking my pleasure.


    I hadn¡¯t intended for things to get this out of hand with her¡­ But something about this woman makes me want to drop all the veneer of civility and bare the animal I am inside to her. I want to scare her, shock her¡­ Fuck the hell out of her. I want to take her pussy and imprint myself inside of her, so she¡¯ll never forget what it is to belong to me.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    It¡¯s precisely why I am going to keep my distance from her. I¡¯ll marry her, I¡¯ll use her to get to the Seven, and then I¡¯ll set her free. Until then, I am going to restrict my interactions with her to the bare minimum. It¡¯s the only way I am going to survive this unscathed.


    I pivot, head for the door and she calls out, ¡°Wait, Michael.¡±


    I pause.


    ¡°What you said about marrying me¡­ You¡­ You really mean that?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it, you know. I mean, just because there is something between us¡­¡±


    I turn, re at her over my shoulder, ¡°So you admit, there is something between us?¡±


    ¡°I admit no such thing.¡±


    ¡°You just said so.¡±


    ¡°I meant¡­¡± She draws in a breath, ¡°Okay, yes, so there¡¯s some kind of weird chemistry between us. Doesn¡¯t mean we have to get married.¡± Her lips draw up in a parody of a smile. She¡¯s smart, this woman, and quick-witted and able to think on her feet. Exactly the kind of woman I have been searching for. The kind I want by my side¡­


    Wait, what? I don¡¯t need anyone else. I have myself and my siblings. They are all I need to consolidate my position.


    Oh, well, I do need her¡­but only as a means of getting to the Seven. That, and the fact that her father did promise her to me. It would be crazy to not use that to my benefit. So, I will¡­ And then I¡¯ll release her.


    ¡°Your father promised you to me in return for his life. I am just making sure you honor the debt. Also¡± I look her up and down, ¡°I took your virginity.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, let¡¯s get past that, okay?¡± She takes a step forward, ¡°And my father may have pledged me to you, but we don¡¯t have to fulfill it.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    She nods, ¡°You and I both know you could do much better than me.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She folds her arms around her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to marry a nice, shy, demure bride who¡¯ll do as you tell her to?¡±


    No.


    No.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I jerk my chin.


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s how you are going to be by the time I marry you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, pfft.¡± She waves her hand in the air, ¡°Have you met me? I am wild, evil-tempered, I swear like a trooper-¡±


    Everything I find fascinating about you.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never stop standing up to you.¡±


    Something I look forward to.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to tame me.¡±


    My cock instantly lengthens. ¡°Is that a challenge?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She frowns, ¡°Of course, not. I am merely pointing out why I am so wrong for you.¡±


    And yet, why do you feel so right?


    ¡°Nice try,¡± I allow my lips to curl, ¡°but it¡¯s not working.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°Your father gave his word. Now you are going to keep it.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    His grin widens. ¡°I look forward to changing your mind.¡±

 21

    Karma


    Shit, shit, shit. This is not how it¡¯s supposed to be. I guess I was holding out some hope that he would let me go eventually. Then, I had made that stupid suggestion, as a joke, and he was supposed tough it off, or merely ignore it. Instead, he¡¯d informed me that¡¯s his n. Bloody hell, that¡¯s thest thing I want. What sane person would want to marry the person who kidnapped her?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He¡¯d told me my father owed him. And I¡¯d thought¡­that he¡¯d hold me captive, probably threaten me, maybe contact Summer for some kind of ransom¡­ And, to be honest, there has been a part of me afraid to admit my ultimate fear-that he ns to kill me. Although, he could have done that a long time ago, so maybe not¡­


    Okay, the simmering chemistry between us could have something to do with it. It is hard to ignore. And I¡¯d even thought, perhaps, at some point, I¡¯d give in to that temptation¡­ But marriage? What the hell? Why would my jerk of a father promise me to someone in the Mafia without telling me? And why did he wait until now to find me?


    Shit. I pace the length of my room, back-forth-back.


    After Michael had left yesterday, I¡¯d showered, then emerged to find Cassandra waiting for me. She¡¯d changed the bed clothes and had a first aid kit with her. She¡¯d treated the few scratches I¡¯d gotten from my ident, and helped me dress for bed.


    Frankly, I had been so affected by what had happened after my fall that that I had all but forgotten about that incident, let alone checked for any scrapes or bumps. It¡¯s a miracle I escaped without any serious injury. In fact, it¡¯s nothing but a freakin¡¯ marvel that he¡¯d managed to get to me in time and haul me back.


    As long as he is near me, it seems I¡¯ll always be safe. Shit, why am I thinking that way? I wrap my arms about myself. Maybe it has to do with the way he¡¯d held me close and carried me back and gotten into bed with me¡­ I could have sworn he¡¯d felt¡­ Something? Remorse at having pushed me that far? Relief that I was safe? Or maybe it¡¯s my imagination ying tricks on me.


    One thing is for sure, though. I am not going to marry him. Nope, nah, no way.


    I have to think of a way out. I walk to the window once more, survey the steep drop to the sea below. The dress I¡¯d pulled out of the closet billows around my knees. This is another creation that fits me, and the quality of the material is soft and, clearly, expensive. Only, it¡¯s a pale pink. So not my color.


    I curl my fingers around the window sill. How the hell am I going to get away from him? He is never going to let me go. No way, can I break out of this stupid building, and even if I could, we are on an ind. I need to find a way to get to the maind. Need to get to a ce with a phone, or with other people, normal people. Surely, someone could help me then. They¡¯d see that I was being held against my will and would be able to get a message to my sister or to the cops or something?


    Surely, there has to be a way out of being married to this¡­this¡­alphahole¡­ This¡­man who is gorgeous and hot as hell, and dominant, and such a bloodymanding presence that simply being near him makes my pussy clench on itself, makes me as horny as hell, makes my panties so wet, my core so empty, that I¡¯ll do anything for any part of him inside of me¡­ Even his knife handle¡­ Hell.


    What the hell is wrong with me? Not that I am not aware of kinks and knife y, but really, I never thought I¡¯d be into it. But then, I never thought I¡¯d be so drawn to a man who is sopletely wrong. Wrong side of thew, wrong attitude, wrong mindset, wrong bloody idea on what it means to be attracted to a woman. I mean, you do not first take your knife and use it to fuck her, just because you feel a connection to her.


    Or maybe that¡¯s it. Maybe he doesn¡¯t feel anything, he just sees me as a possession-something he can own and possess and shag when the need overtakes him. But seriously, why would he do that? Use his knife like that? Not that it hadn¡¯t been hot as hell, not that I hadn¡¯te all over his knife handle, and gah! What does it say about me, that I had found it such a turn on? Clearly, that darkness inside of me is more pervasive than I¡¯d realized.


    That¡¯s the only reason I am so freakin¡¯ attracted to the man who resembles the Lord of Darkness himself. And that voice of his? OMG, whatever happened to him must have been really painful, considering the scars on his throat, but hell, if it hadn¡¯t given him that hoarse burr thatpletely kills me every time he speaks.


    I am screwed¡­ I am way too attracted to him to marry him. Any more time spent in proximity to him is going topletely do my head in. As it is, when I close my eyes, I hear him, sense his touch on my skin, scent his dark, edgy, masculine scent, feel how it had been when he¡¯d shagged me with his knife¡­ My core clenches, my pussy flutters, and moistureces my center. I am in so much trouble. I simply have to find a way to beat him at his own game.


    But how?


    I can¡¯t defy him¡­ I can¡¯t obey him¡­ But maybe I can pretend? I can find a way to win a modicum of his trust¡­ Just until I find a way off of this ind, at least.


    The door opens and I turn to find Cassandra waiting for me.


    ¡°The Capo is waiting to have breakfast with you.¡±


    She beckons to me and I follow her down the stairs. She walks past the dining room where I had myst meal, past the door leading to the study, and past the main living room, to a small alcove that looks out onto thewns, and beyond that, the sea. The small table is set for two and Michael is seated in a chair, reading something on his phone. He¡¯s, once again, dressed in a ck suit, with a ck tie. Does the man not have anything else in his wardrobe? He nces up and spots me, rising to his feet. He nods at Cassandra, who pauses, thenes around and pulls up a chair for me. I sit down and he eases the chair in, before going around to take his seat again.


    He takes in my features, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I ce my hands in myp, ¡°I am good.¡±


    ¡°Nosting impact from the fall?¡±


    ¡°Told you, it was an ident,¡± I murmur, ¡°and you got to me in time¡­so¡­.¡± I shuffle my feet, nce up at him to find him perusing my features.


    A blush steals up my cheeks, ¡°What?¡± I mutter, ¡°You¡¯re beginning to creep me out with the way you¡¯re looking at me.¡±


    ¡°And what about the other thing?¡± He seems to hesitate, and I stare. First, he actually seemed regretful yesterday that he¡¯d shagged me with the knife handle. And this morning? He¡¯s being exceedingly polite anding across as unsure? Wow.


    ¡°Karma?¡± he urges me. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°If you mean are there any aftereffects of being fucked by the blunt end of a knife handle, then no.¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°I am fine.¡± My pussy clenches. Except for that. My stupid cunt wants more, and ideally, it would rather he rece the knife with the bigger de¡­the one that he wields between his legs, I mean. Argh, I didn¡¯t just think that. My cheeks heat, and he arches an eyebrow. He stares into my face a while longer, then nods.


    Just then, Cassandra arrives, this time with our breakfast. She ces arge cup with what seems like a crunchy, frozen slushy in front of each of us. There is also a bowl of what looks like croissants between us, along with fresh fruit, muesli and a massive te of fresh pastries. She ces a small bowl of fresh-cut fruit before me, then adds the tiniest cups of espresso next to each of us. She leaves and I nce down at the frozen slushy in front of me.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°A granita,¡± he replies as he breaks off a piece of the croissant, dips it in the dark brown slushy, then brings it up to his mouth and closes his lips around it.


    I can¡¯t stop myself from flicking my tongue as I watch him crunch down on the ice, swallow, then reach for another piece of croissant.


    He nces up and I flush, look away, then back to his mouth. Watch as he repeats the action, making a slight humming sound. My clit instantly throbs. Shit. How would it be to feel those vibrations against the most sensitive part of me? Why is it that everything he does seems to have a one-way connection to my pussy?


    He looks up at me, then at my te. ¡°Eat,¡± he gestures.


    ¡°Can you pass me a croissant,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°It¡¯s a brioche,¡± he corrects me.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I frown, ¡°it looks like a croissant.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simr, but different. This,¡± he offers me the te of brioches and I take one, ¡°is a soft sweet bread made using Mars wine and honey. It¡¯s uniquely Sicilian.¡±


    I break off a piece of the brioche, dip it in the slushy, then pop the entire thing into my mouth. Theplementary vors of coffee and chocte burst on my tongue. I chew, crunch down on a few pieces of ice and swallow. ¡°Wow,¡± I breathe, then lick my lips, ¡°what was that?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t take his gaze off of my mouth. ¡°That was a traditional Sicilian breakfast,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°I get that.¡± I scowl, ¡°But what did you say the slushy thingy is called?¡±


    ¡°A granita.¡± He raises those deep blue eyes to mine, ¡°The Arabs brought it with them. They called it Sarbut, the Brits call it Sherbet¡­. The Arabs left Sicily, but their influence in food and in architecture stayed on.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yummy.¡± The heat of his gaze sinks into my blood. The tension between us ratchets up. My heart begins to beat hard in my chest. I swallow, reach for a piece of fruit and pop it in my mouth. The juicy sweet vors burst in my mouth. ¡°This orange is delicious.¡±


    I pop another slice into my mouth, then jerk my chin in the direction of the fruit, ¡°You¡¯re not having any of it?¡±


    He chuckles, ¡°I hope not, considering I am allergic to them.¡±


    I blink. ¡°You¡¯re allergic to oranges?¡±


    He tilts his head. ¡°Surprised?¡±


    ¡°You mean the big, bad alphahole actually has a weakness?¡± I lower my chin, ¡°Yeah, I am surprised.¡±


    ¡°I am human, Beauty.¡± He smirks, ¡°Though you can be forgiven for thinking otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha.¡± Iugh without humor, then reach for my espresso. ¡°You really have a big opinion about yourself, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing that¡¯s not warranted.¡± His grin widens, ¡°Eat up, Beauty, we have a packed day.¡±

 22

    Karma


    The packed day, as it turned out to be, was Michael taking me shopping in Palermo. We¡¯d taken a motorboat across to the big ind which Michael had piloted, then he had guided me to a gleaming red Maserati that had been parked not far from the pier. He¡¯d told me to snap on my seatbelt before roaring out. A half hourter, we¡¯d walked into this gorgeous boutique¡­ Which had been closed off for the pleasure of the Capo, as the woman who ran the ce had informed us.


    She¡¯d taken me inside, to arge changing room,plete with a sprawling couch, arge mirror that took up one wall, and next to it, a changing cubicle, where I now stand. I run my fingers down the pale green dress that dips modestly in the front, plunges at the back, and flows in an ¡®A¡¯ line to just below my knees. It¡¯s all right, I guess. The cut is awesome, the fabric is beautiful, but the color is all wrong. I blow out a breath.


    How weird that he¡¯d offered to take me shopping anyway, and after I¡¯d been so grumpy about the earlier pink dress I¡¯d had to wear. There hadn¡¯t been many options in terms of color in the closet. It was either the cream-colored dress¡­or the beige skirt with the matching top, or the pink pant-suit-no seriously, it was a pink pantsuit-more suited to my sister Summer¡¯s tastes, really. I hunch my shoulders.


    How is Summer, anyway? Is she enjoying her married life with her new husband? Has she missed me yet? Even if she does, I have no way of knowing, considering Alphahole hadmandeered my phone. Most likely, he is putting up a good front with her, probably answering her text messages with enough crity that she doesn¡¯t suspect a thing.


    Anyway, why would she miss me? I have always been the annoying, younger sibling who was critical of her innocent, trusting ways. She¡¯s older than me, but I¡¯ve often felt more worldly-wise than her, more cynical¡­ In many ways, I am darker than her. My tastes have always run to the extremes, while Summer is all pink roses and glittery unicorns and shit. I bow my head. A hot sensation stabs at my chest.


    Shit, now I am feeling sorry for myself. I mean, things aren¡¯t that bad. I am standing here, trying on a dress that costs¡­ I search for a price tag and realize there isn¡¯t one on the dress. Hmm, so it¡¯s that kind of a ce. Not that I me them. The dresses are exquisite and I am the first to not begrudge an artiste the value of their creations¡­ It¡¯s just, this really is not my style. I take in the shimmering, silvery green of the dress. Guess the color¡¯s not too bad. I blow out a breath, then turn, just as Michael steps through the door that separates the changing cubicle from the rest of the room.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I frown.


    He drags his gaze down my face, my chest, the skirt of the dress, to my feet, still d in the pink ballet ts-ugh!- that I had found in the closet at my room-I mean, the room at the ce where he¡¯s holding me captive.


    He raises his gaze to my face and those deep blue eyes gleam. ¡°I came to check if you were okay.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you came to check that your little captive hadn¡¯t escaped?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t escape me, even if you tried.¡±


    ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± I set my jaw. ¡°I could leave anytime I want.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°The lies we tell ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Better small lies than big ones.¡±


    The smile drops from his face. ¡°I told you I am sorry for what I did yesterday.¡±


    ¡°What did you do earlier?¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± he says through gritted teeth, ¡°I am trying to be nice.¡±


    ¡°This is you being nice?¡± I scoff. ¡°Please, save it for rissa-¡±


    ¡°Larissa.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I snap. ¡°Like I care what her stupid name is.¡±


    ¡°Jealous, Beauty?¡± He smirks and my traitorous pussy instantly throbs. Gah! Enough, already.


    ¡°I am not jealous.¡± I draw myself up to my full height, which still means I have to tilt my head back, way back, to meet his indigo gaze. ¡°In fact, I think you can shag her day and night and I wouldn¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± His grin widens, ¡°I think you¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°Oh, go to hell.¡± I turn, face my reflection in the mirror, then gasp. He¡¯s right behind me.


    He holds my gaze in the mirror, then runs his finger down my spine. I shiver and his lips curl. ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± he rumbles.


    ¡°It¡¯ll do, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, firstly, I am not sure what I am doing here shopping for clothes. Secondly, even if I did decide to ept them from you, this is not my style.¡±


    ¡°We are shopping for clothes because it was a chance for you to get out. And secondly, what do you mean it¡¯s not your style?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do me any favors by nning an outing for me.¡± I frown up at him, ¡°And secondly, just that. This is not the style of clothing I wear.¡±


    ¡°Surely, you must be able to find something in this shop that¡¯s to your taste?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°I suppose I might find a thing or two, if I look hard enough,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He firms his lips, ¡°So you don¡¯t like the one you are wearing now, either?¡±


    I shake my head and his smile widens, ¡°Then you won¡¯t mind if I do this?¡± He hooks his finger in the ¡®V¡¯ of the dress and tugs. The delicate fabric tears. I gasp as he rips the cloth all the way to the hem. The dress stays poised over my breasts, then with a whisper, it falls away. Leaving me d only in my panties-I¡¯d taken off my bra earlier to try on the dress-and in the stupid pink ballet ts.


    His gaze eats me up as he slides it down to my breasts. My nipples pucker, and he lowers his gaze down to the shadowy cleft that can be seen through my panties.


    ¡°Oddio,¡± he growls, ¡°you¡¯re fucking beautiful.¡±


    My thighs clench and moisture pools between my legs. More of this and he¡¯ll be able to make out the damp spot that I am sure is currently gracing the inside of my knickers.


    Heat flushes my skin. I want to throw my arms around myself and hide from his gaze, but I don¡¯t. Instead, I tuck my elbows into my sides and watch as he drinks his fill of me.


    He slides his palm around and ttens it against my belly. The dark skin on the back of his palm is a startlingparison to the ivory of my skin. He brings this other hand around to cup my pussy. Through the thin cloth of my panties the heat of his touch sinks right into my core. Without meaning to, I widen my legs. A low rumble of approval vibrates up his massive chest. He slips his finger under the gusset of my underwear. He brushes against my weeping slit and I can¡¯t stop the moan that bubbles up my throat. I lean back into that hard chest of his, thrust up my breasts, tip up my chin, and watch from under hooded eyelids as he slips his finger inside my opening.


    Goosebumps pop on my skin. I bite down on my lower lip and his gaze instantly goes there. His lips part as if he¡¯s remembering how it¡¯d been to eat me out. The thought sends a shiver down my spine. More moisture slides down from between my thighs. His breath catches. He slips in a second finger, then a third. A groan bleeds from me. I slide my arm up and around, hold onto his shoulder as he begins to finger fuck me. He doesn¡¯t take his gaze from mine in the mirror, and I swallow, watch as those darkening eyes grow cker, more unfathomable. As if there is a fire deep inside that he¡¯s hiding from me. As he speeds ups and saws his fingers in and out of me, in and out, my breasts jiggle and my belly trembles. My entire body seems to be participating in this carnal exercise. I wind my fingers around his thick wrist, not so much to stop him as to hold on as he continues to weave his magic fingers in and out of me. The climax bursts upon me. I throw my head back and into his chest. My eyelids flutter down and he clicks his tongue. ¡°Eyes on me, Beauty.¡±


    I raise my gaze to his again, and somehow, the intimacy of watching him jerking me off-of the very erotic picture we make, with me almost naked and him fully dressed, his fingers inside me, as he brings his other hand up to cup my breast, before he pinches my nipple with callous disregard-makes me throw my head back and scream as I fall apart. I ck out for a few seconds, and when I open my eyes again, I am still in the same position, leaning into him, held up by his fingers in my cunt, that he pulls out.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I screamed,¡± I say in a dazed voice.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He smirks and my pussy clenches again. Argh. Stupid pussy.


    ¡°So, the rest of the people in the boutique would have heard too?¡± I frown.


    ¡°Since when did you start caring about what others think of you?¡± He tilts his head and something hot stabs at my chest. How the hell does this man know me so well? I really don¡¯t give a shit about what others think of me. But society dictates I should. And sometimes I give in to that pressure. And this man¡­ My captor had cut through to the heart of my quandry with a few careless words.


    He proceeds to lick his glistening fingers one by one, before he holds them to my mouth.


    ¡°Open,¡± hemands and I part my lips. He thrusts his fingers in my mouth, and the sweet taste of my cum, the darker, edgier taste of him, crowds my sense. My core dampens all over again. Hell, I want him. I need him inside of me.


    ¡°Mika,¡± I whisper, ¡°please.¡±


    He curls his lips, removes his fingers from my mouth, then wipes them on my stomach. ¡°Get dressed.¡± He steps back, holding my shoulder for a few seconds while I regain my bnce. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside,¡± he murmurs, not unkindly¡­just¡­without much emotion, as if he is simply attending to a chore. Is that all I am to him? A captive, a possession, an asset, someone he wants to wed out of some stupid sense of ownership.


    ¡°Michael, why-¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°I¡¯ll see you outside.¡±

 23

    Michael


    What the hell is wrong with me? Why the hell can¡¯t I keep away from her? And after what I did to her yesterday, you¡¯d think I¡¯d have the decency to give her a wide berth? Apparently, not. Apparently, taking her virginity with a knife handle is not enough. Now, I have to jump her in a changing room cubicle and make here all over my fingers.


    I had nned this excursion with the purpose of trying to make up, somewhat, for what I had done. I¡¯d thought a quick outing, doing what women seem to love most-shopping, buying new clothes-would take her mind off of what had happened, off of what a sick fuck I am. And maybe, in some way, I hoped to make amends for what I had done. Okay¡­ I had been shamelessly trying to buy my way into her good books. The n had been to leave her alone, to let her browse and choose the clothes she loved, but the situation had backfired on me.


    I hadn¡¯t been able to wait while she changed her clothes. All I had been conscious of was that she was behind closed doors slipping out of what she had been wearing¡­ She was probably naked and stepping into one of the new outfits. She¡¯d pull it up and over her breasts, cover her t belly with it, allow it to flow around her knees. I had tortured myself with visions of how the silent cloth would feel against her skin, as it caressed her nipples and slithered in between her legs, slipping across the newly-exposed and extra-sensitive skin there.


    Before I¡¯d realized it, I had made my way to the changing cubicle and stepped in. The thought of making here in a public ce had only added to the excitement. It had been hot and so damn sexy, seeing her respond to my ministrations. d in that green dress that had enhanced the emerald of her eyes¡­ I had taken great pleasure in tearing it off of her body.


    And she had shattered and wanted more. I had seen the need in her eyes, knew if I threw her down on the floor of the changing room, she¡¯d have parted her legs and weed me into her weeping cunt. And I had wanted to take her right then and there. Make her mine, tie her to me, ensure I¡¯d imprinted myself on every cell in her body. And it was precisely that overwhelmingpulsion which had made me pull away.


    This woman is like crack. Every time I see her, touch her, smell her fragrance, I want more. When I am with her, I lose sight of everything else¡­ Everything except this need to bury myself between her legs and taste her, sniff her, absorb her essence into my body. It¡¯s crazy, the intensity with which I want her, and that urge only grows with every encounter.


    When I am with her, I lose sight of everything that I have worked so hard to achieve. I am perilously close to throwing it all away for one more hour with her and that¡­is dangerous. For me, for my family, for my men who depend on me for survival. For the way of life that I chose a long time ago. How can I let one slip of a woman sweep in and disce all of that?


    No, I have to keep my distance from her. I have to rush through this wedding, then ensure I use her to get to the Seven. Secure my empire and my position within the Cosa Nostra, and then I¡¯ll be free of her.


    I thought I could, with a few more weeks, give her time to adjust to the idea of a wedding, but I guess I don¡¯t have that luxury. I need to get on with it. No more wasting time. She simply has to get on board with what is going to happen to her.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I watch from my position against my Maserati as she walks out wearing another dress. A dark blue, almost ck colored, outfit that clings to her like a second skin. It stops just above her knees, and the neckline is high, except for the heart-shaped cut-out just above her breasts that shows off the shadowy valley between the mounds.


    It is very different from the outfit she¡¯d been trying on earlier, the one I destroyed. It is also much more her. Moreplex, more in keeping with the feisty personality that she has.


    Have I bitten off more than I can chew with her? Did I make a mistake in taking her, in the first ce? If I¡¯d known just how much she¡¯d turn my life upside down, would I have kidnapped her? Did I even have a choice in the matter?


    As soon as I had seen her reciting Byron to herself in that moody voice as she gazed out over London¡­ I knew that I had to have her. And here she is, within my grasp. So why am I still hesitating to make her mine? What is stopping me from taking what rightfully already belongs to me?


    I track her progress as she walks over to the car, she holds a bag in each hand. I take them from her and she slides inside the car with a whisper of fabric and that luscious scent that is so very Beauty.


    I shut the door, dropping the bags in the trunk-Gesu Christo, the woman¡¯s turning me into a chauffeur-before rounding the car to the driver¡¯s seat.


    I fold my length inside. ¡°Thought you didn¡¯t like anything you saw in there.¡± I jerk my chin toward the shop.


    ¡°Guess I saw a few things which could suffice.¡± She sniffs, ¡°Besides, they are a step up from what¡¯s in the closet back at the house.¡± She shudders.


    ¡°I take it the outfits in the closet back home are not to your liking?¡± I say dryly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say, they leave a lot to be desired, especially in terms of color.¡±


    I scowl. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, in terms of their color?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all pink and beige and shit.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± She turns to me, ¡°Hello, take a look at me.¡± She waves a hand at herself, ¡°Do I look like someone who wears those girlie colors? And their fitting¡­¡± She scoffs. ¡°Not that they are not of good quality. That¡¯s their only redeeming factor, but seriously, they have thisdylike air about them-¡°

 24

    ¡°And you¡¯re not ady, are you, Beauty?¡± I lean in closer to her and her breath hitches. ¡°You¡¯re someone who wants to be treated like a queen in real life and like a whore in bed, isn¡¯t that right, Belleza?¡±


    Color reddens her cheeks and her pupils dte. Merda, that turns her on, all right. Beauty has no idea just how depraved her tastes really are, does she? My cock tightens and my belly hardens. She opens her mouth, no doubt, to protest and I raise a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t bother to deny it,¡± I drawl, ¡°we both know that¡¯s true.¡±


    She folds her hands over her chest. ¡°You don¡¯t have a clue, what I like.¡±


    ¡°And we both know that¡¯s a lie.¡±


    She scowls, then shifts in her seat. The pulse at her throat speeds up. Porca miseria. At this rate, I am going to pull her over, and have her riding my cock in no time. And I don¡¯t want to do that, not yet. Not until I have her married to me.


    ¡°So,¡± I widen my legs, trying to make myself morefortable, ¡°what kinds of clothing would you rather wear?¡±


    She firms her lips, ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    I frown. ¡°Tell me,¡± I insist. ¡°I want to know.¡±


    She blows out a breath, then shoots me a sideways nce, ¡°I¡¯d rather stitch my own clothing, if you really want to know.¡±


    ¡°You would?¡± Then I nod, ¡°Of course, you would, you are a tailor.¡±


    ¡°A fashion designer.¡±


    ¡°A seamstress.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a couturier, you ass.¡±


    ¡°What-fucking-ever,¡± I mutter. ¡°You want to create your own clothing; I am sure we can arrange that.¡±


    Half an hourter, I watch from thefort of yet another couch that I have draped myself on in a corner of a well-known fabric shop that also carries any tools she may need for stitching her wedding dress. I had my men talk to the owner, who was only too happy to shut down the shop to the rest of the public so my woman could shop in privacy.


    Holdonasecond. Did I just think of her as my woman? I drag my fingers through my hair. Shit, shit, shit. When you start slipping up like that, and your subconscious mind insists on ying tricks on you, then you know you¡¯re really in trouble.


    I follow her with my eyes as she literally vibrates with excitement as she examines the fabrics in front of her. Shades of ck and gray, and a blue so dark that it could be mistaken for ck in low light, a green so deep that it calls to mind the depths of the sea, a purple on the spectrum of-you guessed it, ck. Doesn¡¯t the woman like any other color?


    Her dark hair dances about her shoulders as she leans in closer to the man behind the counter. She says something to him and he nods. She lowers her head to examine the cloth, whispers something else and he bursts outughing. He whispers something back to her, eliciting a smile, before he pivots, heads inside the shop, only to appear momentster with an armful of ribbons and fabrics in shades of- See if you can guess. Yes, ck.


    Together, they examine the cloth. The man nces at her bent head, a positively adoring look on his features.


    Something hot stabs at my chest. Damn it, I knew it had been a bad idea to let her off the ind.


    It¡¯s only a matter of time before everyone else sees what I already know. She¡¯s special. She¡¯s different. Nothing, and no-one else, can hold a candle to her. She is unique, a magnificent creature who seems to breathe life into everything around her. There is something so luminescent about this girl, I wonder how has she survived this far without anyone else recognizing how unique she is?


    I had, of course, from the moment I had spotted her. I haven¡¯t been able to let her go since, and look where that has gotten me. Skulking about in the periphery, stalking her like a creepy-ass motherfucker, while nursing a bad case of blue balls, and all because I can¡¯t bring myself to own up to just how drawn to her I am.


    I had taken her with the intention of making her pay her father¡¯s debt. I had realized her links to the Seven make her a key asset. I should go through with my original n of killing her¡­ Instead, here I am, contemting marrying her. Except, I can never allow for that to be real. If, for one second, I allow myself to think of how it would be to really be married to her¡­ Hell¡­ My groin hardens and my heart begins to race. I¡¯d never be able to let go of her. I¡¯d, forever, have handed over my power to her¡­ And that, I cannot allow.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I am my own man. I built up the authority I wield with great effort and I cannot let anything or anyone get in the way of the empire I have envisioned for myself. It¡¯s all I have -the promise I made to myself that I will be the most powerful of all the Five Families-and I can¡¯t stop until I have achieved that.


    I rise to my feet and stalk over to her. I loom behind her, and she nces up at me, ¡°Hey, Michael,¡± her face lights up, ¡°this is incredible. The warp, the weft, the velvets and the chiffons¡­ They are gorgeous. Look at the sheer variety of these decorative ribbons. And thisce-¡± She holds up a length of an antique, cream-colored mesh-like fabric, ¡°It¡¯s incredible. It¡¯s so old, there are very few of this left anywhere in the world, and Roberto, here, is happy for me to have it.¡±


    I nce from her to the middle-aged man who watches her with stars in his eyes. Testa di cazzo! I can¡¯t stop the growl that rumbles from my chest.


    Roberto pales; his throat moves as he swallows. He looks up at me, blinks rapidly. ¡°Signor Capo,¡± he mumbles, ¡°I am more than happy for the Signorina to have whatever she so desires.¡±


    ¡°The Signorina desires that you wrap up everything-¡± I rake my gaze across the heaps of fabric, and the various other sewing tools and other odds and ends that she¡¯s chosen. ¡°-Everything that she has liked so far, and have them delivered to my ce on the ind.¡± I jerk my chin toward the door, ¡°Now, get out of the shop and leave us alone.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he nces down at the heaps of fabric, then back up at me, ¡°Signor, Capo¡­¡± He swallows, ¡°Uh, the payment.¡±

 25

    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake.¡± I shove my hand in my pocket, pull out my credit card and hand it over. ¡°Charge the whole damned thing, and anything else she¡¯ll need for creating her trousseau, to it.¡±


    ¡°Yessir.¡± The man grabs the card, turns to Beauty and smiles, as I fight the urge to bash his head in. He nods, ¡°Signorina,¡± then scampers off. The door shuts behind him as Beauty whirls on me.


    ¡°What the hell are you thinking? You gave him your credit card?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not going to check what he¡¯s charging to it.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t dare pull a fast one on me. Besides,¡± I smirk, ¡°it¡¯s just money.¡±


    She scowls, ¡°I can¡¯t ept all of this.¡±


    ¡°You will.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± She all but stamps her foot.


    Aww, how cute. ¡°You do want it,¡± I murmur. ¡°You just don¡¯t know it.¡±


    ¡°What will I do with so much fabric?¡± A line appears between her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s more than I have bought in my entire life.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I bare my teeth, ¡°you can use it to stitch your wedding gown.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She shakes her head, ¡°No, no, no.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I allow my grin to widen, ¡°You can and you will.¡±


    ¡°I will not.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    She folds her arms across her chest, ¡°I refuse to participate in this sham of a wedding that you keep threatening me with. I refuse to give in and act all helpless.¡±


    ¡°Pity, you¡¯d make a great damsel in distress.¡±


    ¡°But you are no knight in shining armor.¡±


    ¡°I am d you recognize that.¡± I bend my knees, peer into her face, ¡°You will do as I say.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    I re into those bright green eyes. Eyes I can lose myself in, eyes that are angry and frustrated, and yet, so filled with life that they take my breath away. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I will-¡±


    The phone in my pocket buzzes. She nces down at my pocket just as I whip her phone out, stare at the message. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t let you see the message that your sister sent you.¡±


    ¡°My sister?¡± She cries, ¡°Summer? That¡¯s a message from Summer?¡± She stretches out her hand for the phone and I hold it up and out of her reach.


    ¡°Give it to me,¡± she huffs.


    ¡°First, agree that you will stitch your wedding dress.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then you won¡¯t see this message from your sister.¡±


    She hesitates and I nce at the screen. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find out how she is doing? How her husband is treating her after the wedding? Where they are going for their honeymoon-¡±


    ¡°Bastard,¡± she snarls.


    I arch an eyebrow, ¡°Now, you are definitely not going to see her message.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    I swipe the screen and she frowns.


    ¡°Hold on. My phone is profile protected. How the hell did you unlock it?¡±


    I lower my chin, ¡°Really, that¡¯s all you are concerned about? How I hacked your phone?¡±


    ¡°Jerk.¡± She sets her jaw, ¡°Guess you got someone to get around the security.¡±


    I tilt my head, and her color deepens. ¡°Show me the message.¡±


    ¡°Apologize first, for being so impolite.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    I dance my finger across the screen, reach for the delete button, and she snaps, ¡°Okay, fine, I apologize.¡±


    ¡°That didn¡¯t seem like much of an apology.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± she snarls. ¡°Do you want me to get on my knees?¡±


    I arch an eyebrow and she pales.


    ¡°No,¡± she says through gritted teeth. ¡°Of all the annoying, stupid, humiliating things, you¡¯d ask me to do that?¡±


    I yawn and she snaps her teeth shut. Then she lowers herself to her knees, tips her chin up and purses her lips together, ¡°Happy?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I tilt my head, ¡°open your mouth.¡±


    She pales.


    I re at her and she swallows, then parts her lips.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± I slide my thumb inside her mouth, then lower my voice to a hush, ¡°Suck on it.¡± She doesn¡¯t take her gaze off of me as she curls her warm tongue around my digit.


    The blood rushes to my groin. Fuck. I press down her tongue, as she parts her lips further. The thought of those lips wrapped around my cock¡­ Goddamn it to hell. A surge of need races up my spine. To think, I¡¯d thought I¡¯d be able to stay away from her. I pull my fingers out, then jerk my chin, ¡°Get up.¡±


    She rises to her feet and I flip the phone so she can peruse the screen. She reads the message, once, twice, then swallows. I lower the phone, frown down at her, ¡°Well?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She glowers back, ¡°What do you want now?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your reply?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she blinks, ¡°you¡¯re going to let me answer her message?¡±


    ¡°I am going to allow you to tell me what you want to say and I am going to type it out for you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust me, Capo?¡±


    My vision tunnels and my balls harden. Shit, the sound of my title from her lips¡­ It¡¯s so damn erotic. I toss the phone at her and she catches it.


    ¡°Go on, answer the message.¡±


    She blinks. ¡°So, you do trust me?¡±


    ¡°I trust you¡­to say the right thing, Karma. If you don¡¯t, I know exactly where your sister and her new husband are right now, and trust me, they¡¯ll pay for your impertinence.¡±


    She scowls, ¡°Fine, fine, you don¡¯t have to go all Godfather on my arse. I know you¡¯re too clever to simply hand the phone over to me to reply without having your own checks and bnces in ce.¡±


    She nces down and her fingers race across the screen. The sound of the message being sent fills the space. She straightens, then hands the phone over to me.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t too bad, was it?¡±


    ¡°If you mean my having to beg to use the phone which, honestly, is as crucial as breathing¡­then yeah, it sucked balls.¡±


    ¡°I need to wash out your mouth,¡± I fix my gaze on her lips, ¡°and it¡¯s not going to be with water.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She flips her hair over her shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re all talk and no action, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to get under my skin or are you trying to get under my skin?¡± I slide the phone into my pocket.


    She tosses her head, ¡°If that was a joke, I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I widen my stance, ¡°because by the time I am done with you, you won¡¯t beughing.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± She twists her fingers together, ¡°I mean, seriously, you are worse than a B-grade Hollywood flick, Capo. Have you heard yourselftely?¡±


    ¡°How about we settle for hearing you as youe?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She nces around the space, ¡°Here?¡±


    I twirl my finger in the air. She huffs. I re at her and she pales.


    ¡°Do it, Beauty,¡± I murmur. She spins around and faces the counter.


    I press my palm into the small of her back and a shiver trembles down her spine. I push forward and she leans over beautifully. I glide my palm up her spine and fix my fingers around the nape of her neck. The length is so slender that my fingers meet around the front. She turns her head, and I urge her to press her cheek into the ss counter. Another trembling grips her. I increase the pressure around her neck and she subsides.


    ¡°Rx,¡± I murmur, ¡°I am not going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°No, you did that already.¡±


    I nce down at her face, at where she¡¯s staring up at me from the corner of her eyes, ¡°And you enjoyed it.¡±


    She shakes her head, and I increase the pressure around her throat, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± I lean in close enough for my breath to raise the tendrils of hair at her temple. ¡°You loved every minute of riding my knife handle; you enjoyeding on my fingers in the changing cubicle. Even now, bent over the counter with your arse up in the air and at my mercy, you can¡¯t stop your cunt from dripping for my touch, for my fingers to be crammed inside of you, for my mouth pushed up against your slit as you ride my tongue.¡±


    ¡°N¡­ no¡­¡± she stutters, ¡°that¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± I close the distance between us so my pelvis is pushed up against her curvy rear end, so my dick nestles in the valley between her ass cheeks. So there is no doubt about just how turned on I am. How at my disposal she is. All I have to do is yank up the fabric of her dress, lower my zipper and-¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to shag me, why don¡¯t you simply do it and get it over with?¡± she huffs.


    ¡°Because that would be too easy?¡± I bend and ce my mouth so close to hers that we share breath, ¡°Because I am not going to put you out of your misery that easily. Because you can fool yourself all you want, Beauty, but the fact is, under that innocent exterior beats a heart that is every bit as perverted as mine, a soul that yearns for every depraved thing I can do to you, a mind that is, even now, racing ahead with the possibilities of exactly in what positions I can tie you down, how I can restrain you, how I can render you helpless and willing to take my cock in any position that I choose to give it to you¡­or not.¡±


    A low moan bleeds from her lips, and my dick instantly lengthens. I cup her ass cheek and her entire body grows rigid. I drag my finger down the fabric that clings to the cleft between her butt cheeks and her thighs clench.


    ¡°Shh!¡± I slip my hand under the slit that runs up the back of her dress, my fingers brush the back of her thigh, and a whine spills from her lips. I thrust my thigh between her legs, pry them apart as I slip my fingers in between them and freeze.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t wear panties?¡±

 26

    Karma


    ¡°The dress was too tight,¡± I snap, even as a trembling begins in my core. I try to rise up but the grip on my neck holds my immobile. Also, his massive trunk-like thigh between mine has me pinned. Shit, how can this guy be so big? Not that I can forget his height, considering how he towers over me, but when he holds me down like this, exactly how much weaker than him I am is brought home to me. I am in his power. His to be yed with. His to be used. His to own. His to¡­be brought to the edge of pleasure with the kind of sweet pain only he can bestow on me. I open my mouth to tell him just that, then snap my jaws shut.


    No way, am I making that tactical error. If he knows how close I am to throwing caution to the wind, to forgetting who I am, and what my life used to look like, how the future I had envisaged for myself is slowly fading away¡­ Poof¡­ how it¡¯s all gone under the mesmerizing influence of his touch. Crushed under the overwhelming force of his dominance that demands that Iy here and watch him as he surveys my backside.


    ¡°Or maybe you wanted to tease me¡­?¡± He raises those unfathomable eyes to mine, ¡°Tell me, Beauty, is this your way of telling me that you¡¯d rather not wait for the holy union of our marriage, and that you¡¯d rather that I fuck you right here and now?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I murmur, ¡°now you get it. The faster you shag me, the faster we can put this¡­chemistry we have, behind us. Then, you can send me back home and-¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I frown. ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±


    ¡°No, I am not letting you go.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°But if you shag me, you don¡¯t have to marry me, right?¡±


    Heughs, ¡°Whatever gave you that idea? This entire exercise is so I can make our arrangement official, remember?¡±


    ¡°But what benefit do you get out of it? I mean, sure you get a wife and someone to breed for you. But as we¡¯ve already established, I am not the kind of woman you want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your conclusion, not mine.¡±


    ¡°But seriously, Michael,¡± I lift my head but he pushes me back down.


    ¡°Less talk, more action,¡± he growls.


    ¡°You mean, more pretending to make mee without actual pration?¡± I scoff.


    His entire body goes solid. That¡¯s the only warning I get before he grips the sides of the slit in my dress and tugs. The fabric tears up the middle. He rips it all the way to the neckline and the dress falls apart around me. Cool air assails my skin and I shiver. ¡°If you wanted to get me out of the dress, you only had to ask.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯d have agreed?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, but maybe, I could have saved this dress. Not that I like the outfit or anything, but it was new, and someone had put time and effort into creating it, so¡­ I just like to be respectful of other people¡¯s work. After all, I know what it takes to produce a design¡­ And by the way, are you going to make this a habit? Ripping apart the dresses I am wearing? Because when I wear my own creations, I promise you, I won¡¯t take lightly to that, I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± He puts a finger to his lips and I bite the inside of my cheek.


    One word from him and I am ready to do his bidding. One re from him and all I want to do is roll over and open my legs, my mouth, my arms, and ept him into my body, my soul¡­my mind.


    Am I a feminist? I¡¯d like to think so.


    Would I ever let a man tell me what to do? Never.


    But would I bow down to this man and let him disrespect and degrade me? Absolutely. A-n-d, that folks, is all you need to know. For I am hopelessly drawn to this alphahole, and hell, if I can understand why. Is it his dominance, hisplete confidence that is so attractive? Is it his self-assured approach to most things that is a turn on?


    All he¡¯s done since I¡¯ve met him is hold a gun to my temple, then make mee on his knife¡¯s handle, then all over his fingers in a semi-public ce, and now¡­ He reaches around, yanks up a length of the decorative ribbon that I had been examining earlier.


    He pulls my arm behind my back, then the other. He ties the swath around my wrists, once, twice, thrice, knots it, then tugs. The soft material rustles against my skin. A shiver slithers down my back


    He brings the ribbon up until just below the elbows, then wraps it around. He puts one arm around both of my arms to hold them together while he wraps the length up until just below the elbows.


    Then he wraps it under both of my hands, before pulling it back up to form a cinch. He uses the exact same process to create another band above the elbows.


    He pulls the swath up over a shoulder, pulls me forward, then loops the ribbon down on the inside of one breast.


    He takes the material beneath the other arm and up again on the inside of the other breast. Shit. He is, in effect, creating straps. Then he brings the ribbon back and around horizontally beneath the arm, wrapping between the two straps. I tug and realize he has, very effectively, tied me down in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°What does it look like?¡± He murmurs, ¡°I am tying you down.¡±


    ¡°You into Shibari, or something?¡±


    ¡°Or something,¡± he agrees. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, finding creative ways of restraining people happens to be one of my hobbies.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I wriggle around and find, while the fabric is loosely tied, it does a very good job of restraining my movement. He¡¯s pulled my shoulders back, so my breasts are thrust forward and into the ss counter and my arms are immobilized. All in all, while it¡¯s not ufortable, there¡¯s something very vulnerable in the position. It ensures that I feel exposed,id out for his delectation.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I frown, ¡°undo me.¡±

 27

    ¡°Not yet.¡± He steps back and I sense him surveying his handiwork.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he makes a sound of approval deep in his throat, and instantly, my nipples pucker. Hell, it¡¯s as if there¡¯s a direct line from his voice to all the erogenous zones in my body. He leans over me and heat surrounds me, pulls on me, swirls about me, and pins me down to the counter. I can¡¯t move and he isn¡¯t even holding me down any more.


    ¡°Look at you.¡± His voice is low and melting. ¡°All tied up andid out like a buffet.¡± His tone dips another octave and a pulse res to life between my legs. I chafe my thighs together, clench my core in the hope of plugging the emptiness that yawns in my center.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I groan, ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Admiring my handiwork, of course,¡± he retorts at once.


    Jerk.


    ¡°Please, Michael, please.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°Fuck me, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Not happening.¡±


    ¡°What the-?¡± I try to rise up but he, once more, wraps his fingers around my neck to hold me in ce. ¡°What the hell are you ying at?¡± I snap. ¡°Seriously, I am done with how you keep toying with me and then making mee-¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯d rather note?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said.¡±


    ¡°So, you do want me to touch you.¡±


    ¡°Argh, stop putting words in my mouth, asshole.¡± I stare up at him from the corner of my eyes, ¡°Honestly, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°I think I need to stuff some of the fabric in your mouth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare, you jerk.¡±


    ¡°Then stay quiet, Belleza.¡±


    He slides his fingers between my legs, drags the edge of his hand against my pussy. My core clenches and my toes curl. Moisture pools in my center, slides down my inner thigh.


    ¡°Dio cane,¡± he growls, ¡°you are soaking, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, bugger off,¡± I mutter. ¡°How about this? Next time, I¡¯ll be the one to tie you down, and y with your balls, and then we¡¯ll see how you respond.


    ¡°You can y with my balls even without tying me down, baby.¡±


    I snort then quickly turn it into a gagging noise, ¡°Seriously, that was a terrible attempt at banter.¡±


    ¡°So why are youughing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    Her reaches for the curved ruler that I¡¯d been examining earlier. He picks it up and I frown. ¡°That¡¯s a French curve,¡± I exin. ¡°It¡¯s used to create the perfect curved line for pants and skirts.¡±


    ¡°I can think of a perfect curved line I¡¯d like to use it on.¡±


    I blink rapidly, ¡°Wh¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    He releases his hold on me, steps back, no doubt, to admire his handiwork one more time. Jerk! Then he positions himself at right angles to my body, widens his stance, raises the ruler, much like the position of a golf yer raising his club. My throat closes. My scalp tingles and a hot sensation coils in my belly. ¡°Wh¡­ what are you doing, Michael?¡± I gulp


    ¡°One guess.¡± He smirks down at me, ¡°Go on, surely you have an inkling by now.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­¡± I clear my throat, ¡°going to use it on me?¡±


    ¡°Right on one.¡± He brings it down and taps it against my naked backside. My breathing hitches. My core clenches. I lick my lips and his gaze drops to my mouth. His blue eyes ze. His muscles uncoil.


    He raises the French ruler again, swipes it against my arsecheek, and I yelp, ¡°What the hell? Stop that!¡±


    He chuckles. The asshole chuckles. ¡°Come on, it didn¡¯t even hurt, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I snarl. ¡°Why don¡¯t we exchange ces and I¡¯ll spank your tight ass and then we¡¯ll-¡±


    He brings the curved part of the ruler down on my other arsecheek and goosebumps pop on my skin. I huff, try to pull away, but of course, the bastard doesn¡¯t allow me to move. He ces his free hand on the middle of my back, leans enough weight on me so I can¡¯t pull free, then he brings the ruler down on my other arsecheek. Fire sears my butt and I yell, ¡°Goddam you, you¡­ you jerk.¡±


    Whack! He brings down the ruler again and I howl. Again, and my entire body jerks. My nipples pebble, my toes curl, moistureces my core and I squeeze my legs together. A groan bubbles up, and I bury my teeth in my lower lip to stop it from escaping. He pauses, and I nce up to find his gaze arrested by my expression.


    His shoulders bunch; his chest rises and falls. I lower my gaze to the front of his pants, which is tented, showing just how much he is aroused. He drops the ruler on the counter, and the sound chafes across my already sensitized nerve-endings.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He massages my backside and pinpricks of pleasure crawl up my spine. He slides his fingers between my thighs, scoops up some of the cum from my core, then drags it up between my arsecheeks to my backhole.


    ¡°What the hell are you d¡­doing?¡± I stammer.


    ¡°What does it feel like?¡±


    I hear the smirk in his voice. Bastard. He ys with my puckered hole and I tense.


    ¡°Shh.¡± He brings his other hand up to massage the back of my neck. He digs his fingertips into the knotted muscles there and moves them in small circles. The tension instantly drains out of my flesh. My shoulders rx and a delicious warmth seeps into my blood. He slides his finger inside my backhole and I can¡¯t bring myself to protest. He pulls out his finger, slips it in again, works his way inside my channel. I wriggle around, dig my heels into the ground. He curves his finger inside and a trembling grips me. Shit, shit, shit. I shouldn¡¯t find what he¡¯s doing so much of a turn on.


    He removes his hand from my neck. There¡¯s a whisper of fabric, the rasp of metal, then a thump. I snap my eyes open to find his knifeid out on the counter next to my face. Goosebumps pop on my skin. ¡°Wh¡­what are you going to do with that?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you don¡¯t want me to.¡±


    I take in the handle of the knife and my heart begins to race. ¡°Michael,¡± I whisper, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I nce up from the side of my eyes, ¡°So you agree that you are not going to¡­use it?¡±


    ¡°Is that what you want, Beauty?¡± His blue eyes are hard, all emotion wiped from his face. He seems cold and unreachable. Like he¡¯s putting me to the test. Like he¡¯s already decided about the oue. Like he knows that I am going to refuse what he wants to do next.


    I swallow, draw in a breath. I can¡¯t let him know just how afraid I am. How much I want what he can do to me, and yet, how scared I am that I will like it. What does that say about me? That dark side of me that I have always suspected I have. Which is the reason I had been down for bing a goth¡­ Which still hadn¡¯t satisfied that deep nothingness inside of me. The ce where there is no judgment, where I can indulge my appetites, can allow myself to be used the way I want, for it seems to satisfy that need inside of me to be someone¡¯s fucktoy.


    There, I said it. Well, in my head, anyway. Something I¡¯ve known but which I¡¯ve never admitted, even to myself. I know, it¡¯s me being judgmental about myself¡­ Then, I¡¯d met him and he¡¯d ripped off my mask. He¡¯did that kinky fucked-up part of himself out there and I had recognized it¡­ Only, I have yet toe to terms with what that means¡­ Still, I want to own it.


    I want to be able to wear my smutty heart on my sleeve. I want to be free to be myself. No judgement. It¡¯s what he¡¯s offering me. A safe space in which to embrace my own fucked-up-ness. It took a beast to bring out the monster in me. I wonder what that means?


    ¡°No,¡± I whisper, ¡°that¡¯s not what I want.¡±


    His features seem to freeze. His gaze widens. Then, those blue eyes seem to catch fire. Cold fire that sweeps through my skin, heats my blood, and lodges somewhere deep in my gut. My heartbeat ratchets up and moistures slicks my core.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he rumbles, ¡°tell me what you need.¡±

 28

    Michael


    ¡°You,¡± she whispers, ¡°I want you, Michael. I want every depraved, dirty thing that you want to do to me.¡±


    My balls harden. Fuck me. How can she say that? How can shey her innermost desires at my feet? How dare she trust me to do what I want with her? Doesn¡¯t she realize how dangerous that would be? How it would ensnare me, trap me into wanting her, feeling for her, tying her to my side and never letting her go? It would make me want to own her, to make her mine. Mine. And that, I can¡¯t afford. No distractions. Nothing that could touch my heart. That could infiltrate the walls I¡¯ve built around myself.


    The fact that she wants everything I can do to her¡­ That she aches for my possession as much I want to own her. That she yearns to be at the receiving end of every filthy, fucked-up, obscene one of my actions¡­ It shows just how well-matched she is for me.


    It¡¯s why I must turn away from her. Why I must never be alone with her. Why I must kill her as soon as she¡¯s outlived her usefulness. It¡¯s why I must walk away from her. Just¡­ not yet. Not when she¡¯s tied up andid out in front of me, asking me to fulfill the perverted fantasies I¡¯ve had ever since I met her the first time.


    And if I do, I am a goner. I¡¯ll never be able to leave her. It¡¯s why I need to stay away from her as I had originally nned. A promise I have broken many times over. It¡¯s why I am going to walk away from her right now, before I take that final step that will bind me to her irrevocably.


    I grab the knife then slide it back in its sheath.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She frowns


    I step back, reach for the ribbon that I knotted around her wrist. I tug on it, and ites free. That¡¯s the beauty of knowing how to tie someone. The process of unbinding takes, maybe, one fourth of the time that it took to truss them up. If only it were that easy to loosen the ties she¡¯s already wrapped around me.


    I tug on the fabric and it falls away. I step back and she straightens, then turns on me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She nces between my eyes, ¡°What happened, Michael?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I school my features into a mask, ¡°We¡¯re going to bete for our lunch. That¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°Lunch?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°But I thought that you-¡±


    ¡°Wanted to fuck your ass?¡±


    She winces, ¡°You had to put that out there, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Just saying what¡¯s on your mind, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°If you think that¡¯s going to make me feel embarrassed, think again.¡± She firms her lips, ¡°You went to all that trouble of tying me up. You wouldn¡¯t have done that if you hadn¡¯t meant to¡­uh, fuck me.¡±


    ¡°Told you, I enjoy tying people up. It¡¯s a skill of mine. Doesn¡¯t mean I fuck everyone I tie up.¡±


    ¡°And those who you tie up and fuck, do you use your knife on them too?¡±


    I draw myself up to my full height. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    I turn and walk toward the exit.


    ¡°Michael,¡± she calls out, ¡°one of these days, you are going to have to tell me why you keep running away from me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken.¡± I nce over my shoulder and brush away a loose thread from the ribbon. ¡°You need to care about someone enough to have any reaction to them, none of which pertains to this situation.¡±


    She pushes her shoulders back and res at me. ¡°You¡¯re an unfeeling asshole.¡±


    ¡°Now that we have established that,¡± I nce at her over my shoulder, ¡°wait here while I get you an outfit from the car, so you can get dressed.¡±


    Half an hourter, I sit across from her as she nces around the space.


    ¡°Capo.¡± Paolo walks up with his usual glower on his face. You¡¯d expect a man of his girth, who runs the most popr restaurant in Palermo, to be the quintessential happy, jowly-faced proprietor who¡¯d go out of his way to keep his clients happy. The reality couldn¡¯t be further from that. Paulo is the most ill-tempered man I know. He was just born that way, apparently. But his Spaghetti alle vongole is to die for.


    He begins to talk to me in Italian and I gesture to Beauty. ¡°English, please,¡± I murmur.


    He nces at Karma, then at me, ¡°The usual, Capo?¡±


    ¡°For me, yes. For her¡­¡± I tilt my head, ¡°She¡¯s allergic to seafood.¡±


    ¡°Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Pepperoncino for thedy then,¡± he states. ¡°And a carafe of the house white?¡±


    ¡°Please.¡± I nod as Karma opens her mouth, likely to protest. But Paulo has already turned to leave.


    ¡°Before you ask,¡± I turn to her, ¡°there is no menu here. You get whatever Paulo has made for the day.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She blinks, ¡°So he decides what you are going to eat?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the expert, and whatever he cooks is the best you can find in the city on that day, so yeah, you get what he¡¯s cooked.¡±


    She takes in the tables and chairs in the small space, all packed to capacity. The dining hall opens onto the sea on one side. On the other is the kitchen, open to the guests, so you can see the chefs cooking while Paulo assembles the tes behind one of the counters.


    ¡°Youe here often?¡± she asks with her head still turned away.


    ¡°Often enough.¡±


    ¡°Is Paulo a friend?¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°That asshole is nobody¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°So why do youe here, then?¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°You still don¡¯t get it, do you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The food, Beauty, the food.¡±


    She scowls, ¡°Still, you could have, at least, let me ask him what the options were.¡±


    I simply shake my head. ¡°That¡¯s not how it works.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, you don¡¯t get a choice. You eat what he gets you. Secondly, even if there were a choice, I would have ordered for you.¡±

 29

    She gapes. ¡°Is that presumptuous, or what?¡±


    ¡°Be thankful I allowed you out of the house on this outing.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Big-bloody-deal,¡± she murmurs under her breath.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I meant,¡± she clears her throat, ¡°thank you.¡± She coughs.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    Just then, Giorgio arrives with our food. He ces a te of the Vongole in front of me and the Aglio Olio in front of Karma. He pours the wine into sses, then sets out sses of water, and fresh bread with a little receptacle containing olive oil. ¡°Buon Appetito.¡± He steps back, then leaves.


    The scent of the pepper, parmigiana, and the intense fresh aroma of the vongole permeates the air. My mouth waters. I reach for my fork, twirl the pasta and take a bite. The plump, briny taste of the ms fills my mouth. The fresh pasta crowns the experience. I break off a piece of the fresh bread, dip it in the white wine sauce, and pop it inside my mouth. So fucking good. A groan rumbles from my chest. I nce up to find her staring at me. She hasn¡¯t touched her food.


    ¡°Eat,¡± I gesture to her spaghetti.


    She twirls some of the strands around her fork, just like I had taught her, and brings it up to her mouth. She wraps her tongue around the tines and wipes it clean. My dick twitches and blood drains to my groin. I watch as she closes her eyes, chews, then a moan bleeds from her lips. She snaps her eyelids open, stares down at her te, ¡°Wow¡­ That was¡­¡±


    ¡°Almost as good as an orgasm?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± she nods, ¡°I have to say, on this asion, I agree.¡±


    She scoops up more of the pasta, and I do the same. We eat in rtive silence until our tes are wiped clean.


    ¡°That was incredible.¡± She licks her lips, as she reaches for her wine ss and drains it. Warmth suffuses my chest. The sight of her content and radiating satisfaction does strange things to me. I want to always take care of her, feed her good food, take her to my other favorite restaurants¡­ Be with her as she explores the culinary delights of my heritage¡­


    Hold on, what the hell am I thinking about here? What the hell is wrong with me that I am suddenly envisioning a future with her?


    Paolo ambles over to stand between us. He surveys our now empty tes, ces his palms over his wide girth, ¡°Dolce, Capo?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she says eagerly, ¡°I¡¯d love to eat whatever dessert you have made today.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap, ¡°we¡¯re done here.¡±


    He turns to me, a frown on his face, ¡°You are leaving without having my dessert?¡±


    Yeah, I know. Sacrilege. Not something I¡¯d do on any other day. But right now, I need to get this scrumptious piece of temptation away from me and back in the cage I have created for her. Before I do anything else I am going to regret.


    I rise to my feet. ¡°Grazie Paolo.¡± I add in a conciliatory tone, ¡°Maybe next time.¡±


    He nces between us, then turns to Beauty, ¡°Buongiorno, Principessa.¡± He half bows to her, ¡°Did you enjoy your meal?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­¡± she searches for the right word, ¡°incredible. The best pasta I have ever eaten. And such a simple dish¡­ I can¡¯t believe you put all those ingredients together and came up with something so amazing.¡±


    Paolo¡¯s features light up. ¡°I am so pleased that you liked it. Youe back anytime.¡± He turns to me, ¡°Make sure you bring her back with you, Capo.¡±


    I stare. Paolo actually smiling, and being civil, and to someone he¡¯s never met before? That has to be a first. Clearly, I am not the only one who is falling under her spell. I scowl up at him, but he doesn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°You take good care of her, Capo.¡± He holds my gaze.


    I nod and he seems satisfied.


    A young man scurries up to him with a paper packet which he hands to Karma. ¡°Dolce for the dolce.¡± He grins down at her and my jaw falls open. What the hell? Paolo actually allowed a take-away of his precious dolce? Unheard off. He treats his food with too much respect to do that. In fact, I can¡¯t recall a single instance before this when he¡¯s actually packed his food in a take-away container. But he did it for her?


    Che cazzo!


    I jerk my chin, dismissing Paolo, who nces between us again. A sly lookes into his eyes, but he doesn¡¯t say anything else. He nods once more to both of us, then turning, he saunters off.


    ¡°Well, that was rude.¡± Karma scowls, ¡°You all but told him to fuck off, and after he was being so nice to us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Paolo,¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°he can handle it.¡±


    ¡°What set you off now?¡± She glowers up at me. ¡°Seriously, your moods are worse than a woman on her period.¡±


    ¡°That was an incredibly sexist remark to make,¡± I chide her.


    Sheughs. ¡°You should talk. The most misogynistic, most toxic, meanest man I have ever encountered.¡±


    I tip an imaginary hat down at her.


    ¡°Only you would take it as apliment.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I smirk, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t find it attractive?¡±


    ¡°Certainly, not.¡± She scowls.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Beauty.¡± I widen my stance, ¡°There¡¯s something inside of you that relishes the fact that I don¡¯t hide behind meaningless niceties. That you see me and you know what you get. That I don¡¯t conceal exactly how perverted I am.¡± I lower my chin to my chest as I hold her gaze, ¡°That you know exactly how sordid my thoughts are, and that my actions are even more debauched¡­ And something within you is relieved that my warped tastes give you the permission to unlock all the lustful emotions you have kept to yourself. That-¡± I ce my hands on the chair on either side of her and bracket her in, ¡°the corrupt truth inside of you feeds off of my deviance, indeed wants to embrace my every obscene act¡­ If I let you. Only, I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± She blinks.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I reiterate. ¡°For you see, you are an asset, first and foremost. A gorgeous one, one with the kind of baseness that I hadn¡¯t expected¡­but an asset, nevertheless. One I am in no mood to break in, regardless of how tempting that may be. No, you, Beauty, are my property, and I intend to ensure that I leverage you for the purpose for which I kidnapped you in the first ce. You¡¯re my captive, nothing more, and it you would do well to remember that.¡±


    ¡°As if you¡¯ll ever let me forget,¡± she mutters.


    ¡°Good, we understand each other then.¡± I jerk my chin, ¡°You should know that it¡¯s time for you to fulfill your role, Beauty.¡±

 30

    Karma


    My role¡­ My stupid role, as it turns out, is to y the part of his bride. Why the hell does he have to marry me, though? If I ask him again, he¡¯ll pull that line of the fact that my father owes him, h, h, h. But surely, that¡¯s not the only reason he¡¯s marrying me? There has to be something more, something else, some other reason why he¡¯s going through with his wedding. It can¡¯t be because he finds me attractive, right? Though he does¡­ I mean, he must, considering how he can¡¯t seem to keep his hands off of me every time we are together. And yet, he also pulls back before he canplete what he started. Like, at the fabric shop. It¡¯s as if there¡¯s an internal war he¡¯s waging with himself every time he sees me. He wants me, but he hates himself for wanting me¡­


    And well, the feeling¡¯s mutual. I hate myself for how my body responds to him. For how I understand those dark desires inside of him. Everything that I have tried to lock up inside of myself, from the time I had first been aware of the edginess inside of me, seems to respond to his presence. It¡¯s as if I can¡¯t keep my innermost feelings hidden around him anymore. His corruption attracts the filth I¡¯d thought I had buried deep inside of myself; which I had never dared to acknowledge, to be fair, before him.


    That coarseness inside of me which had spurred me on to stitch the kind of wedding dress in which I had always hoped to be married. I run my fingers down the ck silk dress that I crafted in just forty-eight hours. It¡¯s amazing what you can aplish when you cannot ess the inte or talk to any of your friends and family.


    On our way back from the shopping trip, Michael had informed me that we were getting married in three days. He had told me that he would have a dress delivered to me if I didn¡¯t promise to stitch my own dress. He had seemed uncertain I¡¯d have the time to do it myself, but I had assured him I could work quickly. After all, I already knew the design I wanted. Then, I had reminded him of all the fabric he had purchased for me and that it would be wrong to let that go waste. I had asked him for a sewing machine, and to my surprise, he had told me it was already on its way.


    How strange that he hadn¡¯t refused me. If anything, he seemed more than happy to indulge me on this. Like he had in taking me to the fabric shop. He knows I am a designer, but has he guessed just how much I need to create? It¡¯s a passion so deeply embedded in my cells it¡¯s as vital as breathing. As intrinsic as that filth that resides in the core of me. Something I, in fact, channeled when I designed and stitched and gave shape to fabric.


    Creating a dress, somehow, eases that heaviness that resides within me. Almost as much as getting myself off does. Well, okay, not quite, but the sensation is simr. It¡¯s like I am channeling all of those forbidden desires inside of me and giving shape to something concrete, something I can wear and feel and touch, something that, on some level, feels as real as the shadows that crawl inside of me.


    I haven¡¯t made it out of the room in thest few days, pausing only long enough to eat. That¡¯s how it is for me. Once the muse takes over, I can¡¯t stop for anything. All I have to do is get out of the way and let the creativity pour through me.


    So, I¡¯d measured and pinned and cut and sewn, and adjusted, and hand-stitched the final embellishments. I¡¯d tried on the dress earlier and known it was almost there¡­ Almost¡­ Something was missing. Ast adornment, a final trimming¡­ Something to just push it over the edge.


    My brain feels too tired, my fingers begin to cramp from the amount of time I had held the needle between them. Not to mention, the headache that has been building up behind my eyes. Shit. I need a break. I stare at my reflection in the mirror and my knees threaten to buckle. I yawn so loudly that my jaw cracks. The cool night air blowing in through the open window makes me shiver. I peel the dress off, carefullyy it over a chair. Then, d only in my panties, I crawl into bed and under the covers to close my eyes.


    The next thing I know, something infiltrates my consciousness. Ie awake, but don¡¯t open my eyes. There¡¯s someone in the room; I am sure of it. Someone who¡¯s not moving, but standing over me, watching me. The hair on my forearms rises. My heart begins to thud.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Ever since Michael brought me here, I¡¯ve been unable to shake the sensation of being watched. I assume he has eyes on the room, that he¡¯s watching me¡­ Hell, of course, he is.


    I¡¯m not naive enough to think he¡¯d, for one second, take his attention off of his asset. But this is different. This is not the eye of a camera on me. This is someone watching me, in real time.


    My left leg cramps. I want to shake it out, but resist the effort. I draw in a breath, force myself to stay silent. A gust of wind blows in from the open window. I smell the brine of the sea, before it fades away, leaving behind that unmistakable masculine scent of testosterone, musky like leather with a hint of woodsmoke, that fills my senses. My belly trembles and my thighs clench. Moistureces my core and I know then, it is him. Fucking Michael. He¡¯s in my room. What the hell is he doing, creeping around here in the middle of the night¡­ Or is it early morning?


    Fucking stalker. I regte my breathing, force myself to stay still. Force my muscles to unwind, one by one, as he remains motionless. The minutes stretch. My pulse rate ratchets up, as it always does when he¡¯s anywhere close to me.


    He stands there watching me, not moving, not saying anything. Gah, what the hell is he up to? His breathing seems to deepen. I sense him shift closer, the heat of his body sears my arm, and I know he is leaning over me. I sense the warmth of his breath on my cheek, then the hair on my forehead rises. I sense him sniff at my throat¡­

 31

    What the-? Is he smelling me? The heat of his body recedes, I sense him straighten, then the unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh. Wait, what? Is he getting off? Is he actually masturbating here in my bedroom? Watching me?! Why the hell couldn¡¯t he do so when he was watching me via the cameras? Why did he have toe in and watch me in real time?


    I sense his breathing grow ragged, and my heart ms against my rib cage. His actions seem to intensify, the sound of him pleasuring himself growing more frantic. My belly flip-flops and moistureces my core. I resist the urge to squeeze my thighs together. To slide my fingers inside my panties and shove them inside my aching core. Damn it, I should not be turned on, should not find this-whatever it is he is indulging in-so much of a turn on. A low groan rumbles from him, then I hear his breathing catch, sense him shudder as he climaxes. Heat sluices my veins and my toes curl. My core clenches on itself. I want toe so badly, as well. Why the hell do I find this so much of a turn on?


    Then heat envelops me, the scent of him grows deeper as he leans over me. Something wet touches my lips, such a whisper of a touch that if I hadn¡¯t been awake and attuned to him, I wouldn¡¯t have caught it. I resist the urge to flick my tongue out and sample it. I sense him hesitate, then he touches his lips to mine, but before I can react, he¡¯s moving away. I hear his footsteps recede, then the door softly closes.


    I crack my eyes open, but of course, the room is empty. I flick my tongue out and the taste of him-musky, dark and salty-trickles over my tongue. Did he¡­ is that¡­did he dab his cum onto my lips and then kiss me to rub it into my mouth? Oh, my god!


    I run my tongue across my lips, and the salty, dark taste of him fills my pte. I swallow down everyst drop of his arousal, then slide my fingers under my panties, inside my wet channel and proceed to work them in and out of me. In and out, I increase the intensity of my movements, add a third finger, then a fourth. Shit, it¡¯s no substitute for the thickness I really want between my legs¡­ Or the closeness of his skin on mine, his breath on my cheek, his lips on mine, his tongue ying with mine¡­ As he grinds his heel into my swollen clit and makes mee. Heat suffuses my skin. My toes curl, my thighs clench, as I continue to pleasure myself with my fingers, chasing that elusive climax. No way, can I go back to sleep when I feel so empty inside and yearning, and¡­strangely, very aroused after that bizarre performance from Michael.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Had he sensed that I was wake? Did he know just how much of a need that would kindle inside of me? Had he realized just how horny it would make me to sense hime by just watching me? The thought of his long fingers around his fat dick as he grasped his thick length and got himself off sends me over the edge. The trembling overwhelms me and I climax around my fingers. I copse into the bed, rub my cheek into the pillow and blow out a breath. Then, I bring my fingers to my mouth and suck on them. If I pretend hard enough, I can taste the dark vor of his mixed with the sweeter tang of my cum. A heaviness grips my limbs and my eyes flutter shut.


    When I open them next, light is streaming in through the window.


    I sit up, nce around the room. Had I imagined it all? Did he reallye into my roomst night? Had he actually jerked off watching me sleep? Shit. I drag my fingers through my hair. Why the hell am I not more shocked, more grossed out by what happened?


    I swing my legs over the side of the bed, when there¡¯s a knock on the door. Cassandra walks in.


    ¡°Buongiorno,¡± she smiles at me, ¡°it¡¯s such a beautiful day for a wedding.¡±


    I stare at her. Seriously, did she just say that? I brush past her and walk to the dressing table, sitting down. ¡°I assume you are here to help me with my hair and make-up.¡±


    ¡°I am here to help you get dressed for your wedding.¡± She beams at me, her face all bright and happy, like this is actually some honest-to-god, real wedding, or some such shit.


    ¡°You and I both know, this wedding is a sham,¡± I murmur, ¡°so you can cut the act.¡±


    Some of the cheeriness fades from her face. Shit, now I feel bad for having burst her bubble, but c¡¯mon. Why is she so happy? I don¡¯t feel cheerful or anything.


    It feels weird, strange that I am going to get married to a man who is, not only my kidnapper, but is also, most likely, a criminal of the worst kind. Someone who may be achingly handsome, but is also so dangerous that you don¡¯t want to cross his path in the middle of the night. Or during the day, for that matter, considering that¡¯s when I met him.


    I chuckle to myself and she frowns. I rise to my feet, head inside the bathroom, and take a quick shower, taking care not to wet my hair. When I walk out dressed in a bathrobe, she¡¯s standing by the dressing table.


    I cross the room and seat myself at the stool in front of the mirror.


    Shees over to stand behind me. ¡°May I?¡± She gestures to my hair.


    ¡°Have at it,¡± I murmur. ¡°Only, I have to warn you that I have a certain look in mind.¡±


    ¡°I am happy to help you.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I meet her gaze in the mirror, ¡°I n to wear my hair down so it flows around my shoulders.¡±


    ¡°Keeping it simple.¡± She nods. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°After you dye it red.¡±


    ¡°Red?¡± She blinks, ¡°You want to dye your hair, red?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± I nod. ¡°I need the color bright enough that it shows up against the ck.¡±


    ¡°ck?¡± She looks confused, then swallows. ¡°May I suggest that-?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I sh my palm through the air. ¡°I told you, I want to dress a certain way. And in fact, your Capo is on board with it.¡±


    ¡°He is?¡±


    ¡°He bought me the fabric and did not refuse me when I told him that I wanted to wear my own creation.¡±


    ¡°But..¡± she gulps, ¡°it¡¯s your wedding.¡±


    ¡°Is it, now?¡±


    ¡°It is, and the Capo would not appreciate it if you made a fool of him in front of everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Well then, he should have picked someone else to be his bride.¡±


    ¡°But he wants you.¡± She frowns at my reflection in the mirror.


    ¡°Does he?¡± I snort, ¡°He¡¯s only using me to further his n, something he hasn¡¯t even revealed to me yet, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Would it have made a difference if he had?¡±


    I scowl, ¡°I suppose not. Still, it might have helped me understand a little bit more about why he¡¯s gone to all this effort of bringing me here, and why he insists on going through with this charade.¡±


    ¡°The Capo has his reasons.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± I wave my hand in the air. ¡°Whatever they may be.¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°Not that it matters to me.¡± I tie the bathrobe more securely around myself. ¡°Now, are you going to help me or not?¡±


    ¡°How are you going to get hold of the hair dye?¡±


    I can¡¯t stop my lips from curving. ¡°I had Roberto deliver it to me, along with the materials for the wedding gown.¡±


    ¡°Roberto?¡± She blinks, ¡°You mean the man who runs the cloth shop in Palermo?¡±


    ¡°Fabric store,¡± I correct her, ¡°and yes, the same guy.¡±


    ¡°The Capo won¡¯t be happy when he finds out about him.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better not tell him, huh?¡±


    She firms her lips.


    ¡°Right, then,¡± I rub my hands together, ¡°are you going to help me or what?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She nods. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± She reaches for theb, runs it through my hair, ¡°If you want to dye it, we¡¯d better get started right away.¡±

 32

    Michael


    I stand facing forward, at the top of the aisle in the chapel. Aside from my residence, it¡¯s the only other building on this ind.


    Next to me, Luca shuffles his feet.


    Sebastian stands next to him, his dark blonde hair a contrast to the darker looks of the rest of my siblings bringing up the rear. Massimo, Christian and Xander are all d in ck tuxes and ck ties¡­simr to mine. Hairbed back and gelled, and with their simr scowling visages, broad shoulders and towering height, the three resemble a American football team. Our parents certainly bequeathed their best features to them. Too bad, my father is a fucking stronzo.


    Adrian brings up the rear of the group.


    From the other side of the aisle, the Don folds his arms across his chest. I meet his gaze, hold it. I slide my fingers to my side, and my fingertips brush the knife in its sheath that I have tucked into my cross draw sheath; even as I y the power game of who blinks first with my boss.


    After a few seconds, he finally nods. ¡°Good to see you finally settling down, son,¡± he murmurs. His voice, low and deep, echoes in the empty church. Yeah¡­ There are no other invitees. Just family. Which, sadly, includes the Don.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t invite you to hear your opinion on the matter, Father,¡± I growl. ¡°You are here simply because-¡±


    ¡°Of her.¡± He nods. ¡°I understand; you¡¯ll never forgive me for what happened to her.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault she¡¯s dead.¡± I scowl. ¡°Because you couldn¡¯t control your temper,¡± I say in a hard voice. Not one of us had been spared being beaten by him growing up. As the oldest, I had taken it on myself to shield my brothers and my mother whenever I could. More often than not, though, he took it out on her behind closed doors¡­ And my mother never protested. It was her burden to bear, she¡¯d say. She¡¯d borne the almost daily beatings silently.


    The day I had turned eighteen, she¡¯d called me into the kitchen. Had fed me my favoritesagne al forno. Then, she¡¯d told me how I was now the man of the family and she made me promise to take care of my siblings, including my stepbrothers, when she was gone. A week after that, she had dropped dead of a heart attack. And with that, any gentleness in my life had gone out of the window¡­


    Until I¡¯d caught sight of her. Why is it that seeing Karma had awakened the kind of protectiveness I had felt for my mother? Not that there is anything simr between the two of them. My mother had been blonde, slim, so tiny that seeing her boys all grown up and standing here today, it¡¯s difficult to imagine them havinge out of her.


    The side door to the church opens, then an older woman steps inside the church. She wears her flowing mane of almostpletely gray hair about her shoulders. She¡¯s barely five-feet four-inches, but her erect posture makes her seemrger than life. She¡¯s d in a pale pink trouser suit and heels which, while fashionable, are alsofortable for walking. That¡¯s my grandmother, who, at almost eighty is still agile, independent and doesn¡¯t suffer nonsense from anyone. Not even my father.


    I nce from her to him and my father raises his shoulder. ¡°You know, I couldn¡¯t have stopped her froming, even if I had tried.¡±


    I walk forward to meet her. ¡°Nonna,¡± I bend and kiss her cheek, ¡°you needn¡¯t havee all the way here.¡±


    ¡°My oldest grandson is getting married, and you thought I¡¯d stay away?¡± She scowls up at me. ¡°How could you, Michngelo?¡± She scolds me, ¡°I have been hoping for you to get married and have grandkids since you turned eighteen. You finally oblige me, twenty-one yearster, and you think I wouldn¡¯te to witness it with my own eyes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have brought my new bride to visit you,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°And when would that have been?¡± She glowers at me, ¡°If, indeed, you did get around to doing it. You think I don¡¯t how hard you work at building the business, that I am not aware of how ambitious you are, about seeding,¡± she jerks her head to the side, ¡°him.¡±


    ¡°I am still alive, Mother.¡± The Don growls, ¡°I¡¯d thank you to remember that.¡±


    ¡°What you haven¡¯t learned, Byron,¡± she says without looking at him, ¡°is that respect is earned, not demanded.¡±


    ¡°Who cares, how you get it. Respect is respect, Mother.¡± The Don folds his arms across his chest. ¡°One way or the other, I¡¯ll get it, even from my own sons.¡± He stares at me meaningfully.


    I re back at him. What a prick. How is it possible that he is my father? More to the point, how could he havee from someone as gracious and as caring as my Nonna?


    She had been the one steady influence all through the turmoil of our growing years. And after our mother¡¯s passing, she had insisted on being a part of our lives. And yet, not even that had stopped him from beating us up. If anything, after mother¡¯s passing, his predilection to hit us had escted. By then, I¡¯d been strong enough to stop him. I¡¯d managed to hold him back from hitting my younger brothers, though not even I could stop him fully.


    When I had finally confessed to Nonna, she had been horrified. She had immediately moved us in with her¡­and confessed that she¡¯d suspected but had no idea it had been so bad. I hadn¡¯t been sure if I should forgive her, but she had intervened, and insisted that my father get help for his issues. Something my father had grudgingly agreed to do. I owed that much to her-that my siblings had been spared the torture of being around him. She had, at least, managed to salvage some of their growing up years.


    Me, on the other hand¡­ The damage had been done. Perhaps it¡¯s the reason I¡¯ve turned out so twisted, in my own way. Perhaps blood is thicker than water¡­ Perhaps his violent tendencies were imprinted on me more than I realized. It is the only reason I can think of to exin my twisted needs when ites to sex. Something I¡¯d hope to keep in check with Karma, except every time I see her, my base instincts seem to emerge. Something inside of me insists that I im her, that I show her what it means to be possessed by that darkness inside of me. My cock instantly thickens. Shit. That¡¯s thest thing I need-sporting a hard-on while I am surrounded by family, and in church.


    ¡°Michngelo,¡± Nonna¡¯s voice intrudes in my thoughts. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll forgive me,¡± she says in a tone low enough that only I can hear.


    I tip down my chin, gaze into her midnight-blue eyes, so like mine.


    ¡°If I had known, if I¡¯d had even an inkling of how far he¡¯d go with her, I would have stepped in,¡± she adds.


    I set my jaw.


    ¡°So you have told me before, Nonna,¡± I say stiffly. ¡°I understand you want to find a way of alleviating the guilt you are carrying inside, but you know, I can¡¯t forgive you.¡±


    She nches.


    ¡°You had a ringside view of the marriage; you knew about your son¡¯s temper; you must have known that she was being abused; you must have guessed, when we turned up with bruises, that he was hitting us. Yet you never asked any questions. Not once.¡±


    A stricken lookes into her eyes before she wipes all emotion from her face. ¡°I guess, much as I think I am moving with the times, perhaps in this, I am more old-fashioned than I realized.¡± She swallows, ¡°It was their marriage and I didn¡¯t want to interfere¡­¡± She nces away, then back at me, ¡°Something I will never forgive myself for, Mika.¡± Her voice softens, ¡°But perhaps your father was preparing you for your future. Look how you turned out after all that-¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°is that what you think? That his abuse of me and my brothers was a way of building character? That just because his father beat him, he should also be allowed to hit us? Do you really think that this is the natural progression of things?¡±


    She looks away


    Silence stretches for a beat, then another.


    ¡°I..¡± she swallows, ¡°I don¡¯t condone what he did.¡± She looks in my eyes and says, ¡°But you have to admit, it yed a part in making you so driven to seed.¡±


    I step back from her, and her hand falls away.


    ¡°Mika,¡± she murmurs, ¡°I was brought up never to question the man of the house. First, my husband, then,¡± she nces at the Don, ¡°my son.¡± She folds her fingers together in front of herself, and I notice that they are trembling.


    Nonna alwayses across as so strong, I forget sometimes, what she has been through. My grandfather had not only abused my father, but also her. He had beaten her and she had borne it all without aint and emerged stronger. She had been through it first-hand-all the more reason that she could have done something to stop the abuse of my mother and us at the hands of our father. But she hadn¡¯t¡­ And here we are. An emotionally broken, facsimile of a family, trying to project a strong, unified front, lest our rivals find out just how tenuous the bond between us really is.


    ¡°Perhaps, if I had been less traditional, things would have been different. I have been trying to change, but it¡¯s not easy.¡± She swallows, ¡°I know I have my faults, but you have to believe me when I say that I did what I thought was best in the situation.¡±


    ¡°The scars he left on my skin may have healed, but there are others¡­more emotional ones that changed me in ways you can¡¯t even recognize.¡±


    ¡°Mika-¡± Her chin wobbles, ¡°Please, don¡¯t block me out of your life.¡±


    ¡°I have never done so, Nonna, you know that.¡± I draw myself up to my full height. ¡°But you will also never have myplete trust, either.¡± I hold my grandmother¡¯s gaze. She tips up her chin, and I recognize the stubborn set to her features. That iron resolve is something I share with her.


    Once I want something, I go after it-like her. From the moment I saw her, I knew that she would turn my life upside down. All the more reason to get through this ceremony, then get on with the n I have in ce to consolidate my position with the Seven.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Nonna, nods once, then steps back. She turns and walks slowly across the stone floor to the first pew. She sits down, and my father takes his ce next to her.


    The main church doors open just then.


    I turn, watch her framed in the doorway.


    ¡°What the-¡± Luca exims next to me, ¡°what the hell is she wearing?¡±

 33

    Karma


    I stay there, poised at the threshold of the church. At the far end of the aisle, he turns to nce at me, then freezes. Even across the distance, there¡¯s no mistaking the tension that radiates off every inch of his powerful body.


    Next to him, a man who is, clearly, his brother, and Seb, as well as several other men, who also look like brothers-I wonder how many he has-turn toward me, and a collective ripple of shock seems to run through them. I take a step forward, then another.


    The cool interior of the church wraps around me like a shroud. I shiver, tighten my grasp around the bouquet of white zagara flowers from the orange trees, that Cassandra had managed to rustle up for me this morning.


    Myrge train drags behind me, the weight of it tugging at my shoulders so it feels like I am physically dragging along at least three times my body weight as I ce one foot in front of the other. My footsteps echo through thepletely silent church. It seems I have struck my audience dumb. A giggle bubbles up and I swallow it back. It won¡¯t do to get hysterical. Not now, not after I¡¯vee this far.


    With Cassandra¡¯s help, I¡¯d managed to don my wedding gown¡­ And when I had seen myself in the mirror¡­ The contrast of my red hair with the ck silk andce and my pale creamy skin, all set off with the white roses¡­ah! Let¡¯s just say, I knew I had outdone myself.


    I begin to move forward, when the church door snicks shut behind me. I resist the urge to turn, shove open the door and tear out of there.


    Firstly, I am not going to drown myself¡­ Thest time really had been an ident, but either way, I am not going to risk running over the edge of a cliff again. Besides if I did that, it would show him that I am afraid. That I had lost my nerve. And no way, can I allow that.


    My heart begins to race and my pulse pounds at my temples. A bead of sweat trickles down my back and another shiver grips me. Shit, I will not give in to my fear. Not now. I set my jaw, square my shoulders, then continue to walk down the aisle.


    With every step, the rustle of my gown, the swish of my skirt against my skin, the susurration of the train against the stone floor¡­ All of the sounds seem to grow louder, more amplified.


    There¡¯s no music. Why the hell isn¡¯t there any music? Don¡¯t weddings typically y the wedding march, or whatever shit tune that apanies a bride walking up the aisle to meet her end? I mean, her husband-to-be.


    Maybe Sicilians do it differently? Bloody hell, maybe I should have specified that he y music for the ceremony. A chuckle bubbles up and I swallow it down. As if he would listen to anything I have to say, huh?


    My blood begins to thud in my ears. My throat goes dry. All of their gazes are fixed on me, on my ck wedding gown, that I had fashioned as an amalgamation of the most grotesque designs that I hade across. The sleeves are made ofce and encase my arms, so the cream of my skin is visible through the gaps. The actual gown is cut deep at the bosom, so the curves of my breasts are on disy, almost until the nipples. The waist cinches in, before flowing into a full princess skirt, except it¡¯s ripped and hung with ck pearls and hooks which jingle as I walk. My feet are d in red velvet shoes, the only essory that I had chosen from the clothes I had tried in the boutique the other day.


    My nails are painted red, as are my lips, the color set off by the red of my hair. The overall effect, I know, is over-the-top, almost steam-punkish in presentation. I resemble a twisted goth princess¡­ Exactly what I am inside. In many ways, this dress is also the truest I have been to myself. A no-holds-barred representation of the rebel that I truly am. It¡¯s the culmination of my emotions, my feelings, all the designs I had studied over the past many years¡­ From the time I had realized that being a fashion designer was my calling. I have invested all of it into this dress. This is me. This is what I am. Outrageous, audacious, scandalous, and borderline offensive. This is what he gets for daring to seize me from my life and try to turn me into a pawn in his game.


    He thinks I am simply going to turn the other cheek and allow him to walk over me? Well, he¡¯s wrong. This is me-unvarnished, unhidden, uncensored. This is me being truthful to myself, to what I truly am. A feisty girl on the cusp of womanhood, on the verge of making the world her bitch, who will never give in to anyone. Certainly not, to my captor, who thought he could make me pay for the sins of a parent I¡¯d been sure was dead until not too long ago.


    I square my shoulders, tip my chin up, then stride up the aisle. Closer, closer to the devil waiting at the end of my journey. With every step I take, I sense the tension that vibrates off of him. The way his shoulders bunch, how he widens his stance, how he tilts his head, stalking me as I draw nearer. His jaw flexes, a vein drums at his temple, yet his gaze is clear. Brooding, deep enough to lose myself in again.


    I grab hold of that nothingness inside of him which seems to mirror the worry coiling in the pit of my stomach. Somehow, thatck of feeling in his eyes grounds me. What¡¯s the worst that he can do, eh? Kill me? I have already resigned myself to the fact that I may not get out of here alive. And somehow, that gives me the courage to close the distance between us. To pause in front of him. Even in my six-inch heels, I barelye up to his shoulder.


    I tilt my head back, all the way back, making sure not to sever the connection between us. He drags his gaze down my face, to my mouth, to my breasts, down to where my skirt grazes the floor. When he lifts his chin and ps his gaze back on mine, his eyes are alight with an emotion I can¡¯t ce. Anger? Hate? Abination of the two, maybe? Then his lips curl and I know it¡¯s neither. He¡¯s amused with me. Asshole, isughing at me? I grit my teeth and his grin widens. He holds out his hand.


    I stare at his proffered palm, then ignoring it, I step up to stand next to him.


    I hear a slight gasp¡­ Probably from the older woman I had spotted seated in the pew. Who is she? His grandmother? Like I care.


    I stare straight ahead at the priest who begins to speak. His mouth moves, I am sure he is saying something, but I can¡¯t hear him. The blood thuds in my ears; my heart beats so loudly in my chest that I am sure it¡¯s going to break through my rib cage. Spots of back flicker at the corners of my eyes, and I must sway, for a grip on my arm brings me back into my body. I blink, be aware that the priest is staring at me.


    I swallow and my throat is so dry that I can¡¯t form the words that tremble at the tip of my tongue.


    The priest looks at me with a resigned air. He seems to be waiting for me to say something. What? What the hell am I supposed to say?


    ¡°Ask her again.¡± Michael growls.


    The priest draws in a breath, ¡°Do you Karma West take Michael Byron Domenico Sovrano to be your husband, and promise to be faithful to him always, in joy and in pain, in health and in sickness, and to love him and honor him and obey him every day for the rest of your life?¡±


    His voice slices through the nothingness in my head. Anger thrums through my veins. Be faithful to him? Obey him? Love him? Are you freakin¡¯ kidding me?


    I firm my lips as I stare back at him.


    The priest nces from me to Michael who turns to me. He steps in front of me, then lowers his knees and thrusts his face into mine. ¡°Answer the question,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I say in a low voice, and his features brighten. His eyes gleam. Fuck, how sick is this man that when I insult him in front of everyone, he positively seems to relish it?


    He ces his big palms on my cheeks, and he squeezes down so my lips purse. He increases the pressure until a tear drop leaks from the corner of my eyes. ¡°Say it,¡± he snaps. ¡°Tell me what I want to hear, Beauty.¡±


    Anger sluices a path through my veins. My vision tunnels and all my senses seem to pop. You want it, asshole? I am going to give you the answer you are looking for. ¡°Yes,¡± I force out the word. ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He straightens, steps back to stand next to me.


    ¡°Uh, do we have rings?¡± The priest blink rapidly.


    Michael turns to me. ¡°Her bouquet.¡± He frowns. ¡°Someone take the sted thing from her.¡±


    Sebastian walks over, holds out his hand. When I don¡¯t move, he whispers in a soft voice, ¡°Please, principessa, hand it over.¡±


    I re up into his blue eyes. So simr to the alphahole standing next to me, yet so much warmer.


    ¡°Principessa,¡± he urges me and I extend the bouquet. He takes it, steps aside.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Michael grips my shoulder, applies enough pressure so I turn to face him. He slips a ring from his pocket and slides it over my left hand. A in gold band, with a ck diamond set in the center, surrounded by red sapphires. Huh. It fits¡­ Of course, it does¡­


    But the colors of the diamonds¡­ They match my dress. How the hell had he guessed what colors I was going to wear? Of course, he may have seen me stitch the ck dress on the closed-circuit cameras, but I¡¯d only dyed my hair red this morning. How strange.


    I nce up, in time to intercept an expression of¡­ Possessiveness? Lust? A strange look filled with heat that he wipes off of his face instantly. I blink, captured by what I¡¯d seen there for a second. Naked want¡­ A yearning that struck me to my core. My pussy clenches and my fingers tremble as the priest asks, ¡°What about the ring for the bridegroom?¡±


    ¡°Not for this bridegroom,¡± Michael retorts.


    I jerk my chin up, hold his once-more vacant gaze.


    The priest clears his throat, ¡°This¡­ this is¡­ ah¡­ highly irregr, Capo.¡±


    No kidding. Like, of all the things that have happened so far, this particr aspect is the most shocking. A chuckle bubbles up and I stifle it.


    Of course, the alphahole doesn¡¯t want to be constrained by a ring. While me¡­ The bride must wear his mark of ownership at all times. Typical.


    ¡°Ah,¡± the priest shuffles his feet, ¡°in that case¡­ you may now kiss the bride.¡±


    Michael steps forward. He notches a finger under my chin, angles it up as he lowers his face to mine. Closer, closer, the scent of him envelops me and a cloud of heat spools off of his body and crashes into me. I gasp, draw in a breath and the scent of him seems to infiltrate every cell in my body. His lips brush mine once. It¡¯s so soft, so unexpected, that I part my lips and he sweeps his tongue inside. He swipes his tongue across the seam of my lips, across my teeth, tangles with mine. His mouth closes over mine and he slurps from me like he¡¯s thirsty and I am his only sustenance. A moan bleeds from me and an answering groan rumbles up his chest. I step into him so my breasts are crushed into his chest. His entire body hardens, then a trembling grips him. He wraps his arm around my waist haul me to him as I slide my hand around his waist.


    My fingers brush the dagger he wears at his waistband. I y with the sheath, then close my fingers around the handle of the knife. I draw it out as he winds his arm around my shoulder, the other slipping down over the curve of my hip. ¡°Beauty,¡± he breathes against my lips, ¡°you¡¯re killing me-¡± He gasps. His eyelids snap open, his mouth parted slightly. He stares into my gaze. ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± he growls, ¡°you-¡±


    I nod, ¡°I stabbed you, and I am going to do it again.¡± I pull back and he releases me. I raise the dagger, and this time, bring it down squarely in the middle of his chest.

 34

    Michael


    I nce down at the dagger protruding from my chest, then up at her. The train of her ck dress streams behind her. Her hair flows about her shoulders. She raises the dagger and the blood-my blood drips from her fingers. Her green eyes ze at me, the look in them triumphant and stricken, at the same time. I hold her gaze, and in the depths of her eyes, I see myself reflected. I reach for her and she holds out her hand-the one without the dagger. Our fingers touch, cling together. Her lips part and my gaze drops to her mouth. The redness of her lipstick matches the scarlet that runs down the de of the dagger.


    ¡°Beauty,¡± I whisper, ¡°what have you done?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she swallows, ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± Her shoulders shudder. ¡°I-¡±


    Her beautiful features sway in front of my eyes. ck spots flicker at the sides of my vision. My knees seem to give way from under me.


    I hear her scream and her fingers tighten around mine. The dagger slips from her fingers and tters to the ground. The world tilts. Arms grab me from behind, and I shake them off. I steady myself, nce past her to find my brothers crowding in around us.


    Sebastian reaches for her and I growl, ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch her.¡±


    I nce over their shocked faces until my gaze connects with Luca¡¯s. I re at him, then lower my gaze to her face, then back to him. He nods. And a breath I hadn¡¯t been aware I was holding leaves me. I take in her pale features, her green eyes pooling with tears that run down her cheeks. I raise my palm, brush away the moisture on her delicate features.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I bare my teeth at her, ¡°you didn¡¯t think that I would die that easily did you?¡±


    I tear at the front of the shirt and my buttons bounce to the floor. I nce down at the bleeding cut, then back at her. ¡°You barely broke the skin,¡± I drawl. ¡°Seems I am going to not only discipline you but also instruct you on how to use weapons.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡± Her chin wobbles, ¡°I managed to hurt you. In my books, that¡¯s a win.¡±


    ¡°You barely wounded me. You showed your cards too soon, Beauty.¡±


    Her breath heaves.


    ¡°I am afraid I am going to enjoy teaching you your ce.¡±


    She stiffens. ¡°You can go to hell,¡± she snaps.


    ¡°Only if you¡¯lle with me. Now that we are husband and wife, and all that.¡±


    ¡°Fuck your sham of a marriage.¡±


    ¡°It was very real, mia cara,¡± I smile at her broadly, ¡°don¡¯t forget you still wear my ring.¡±


    She raises her left hand then begins to struggle with the ring on her finger. ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± she snarls, ¡°it won¡¯te off.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± I smirk, ¡°You didn¡¯t think I was going to leave anything to chance, did you?¡± I drum my fingers on my thigh, in part to distract from the pain in my chest. ¡°It¡¯s half a size smaller, easy to push onto the finger, much more difficult to get off.¡±


    She stills, then raises her gaze to mine. ¡°Bastard,¡± she spits out, ¡°how dare you?¡±


    Behind me, the priest winces.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve shocked the Father.¡±


    Her cheeks tinge red. ¡°The hell I care?¡±


    I click my tongue. ¡°You¡¯re spirited, I give you that.¡± I smirk, ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy teaching you your ce.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± She makes a sound deep in her throat that seems to tug on my nerve-endings. The blood drains to my groin.


    Then, Luca wraps his arm around her shoulders and urges her away from me. Her fingers drag against mine, as she pulls away. A shiver runs down my spine.


    Nonna steps in front of her. I see her hand move, then the thud of a p echoes around the church as her palm connects with Beauty¡¯s face.


    ¡°Stop,¡± I call out. ¡°She¡¯s my wife, mine to punish as I see fit.¡±


    Nonna¡¯s shoulders rise and fall. She turns, tips up her chin at me. Her features are flushed. She seems topose herself, then nods at me, ¡°See that you do.¡± My grandmother pivots and walks out the way she came, through the side entrance of the church where, no doubt, her bodyguards are waiting for her.


    ¡°Take her to the basement.¡± I jerk my chin at Luca.


    Around me, my brothers stiffen, but none of them say anything. They wouldn¡¯t. They know better than to question my authority in front of the Don.


    Beauty stares at me over her shoulder as Luca guides her away, Adrian in tow.


    I don¡¯t take my attention off of her, until she¡¯s out of sight, out of the main door. My chest twinges, but I dismiss it. I nce down to find the front of my shirt sodden with blood.


    I shrug off my jacket, then my tear off my shirt and press it into the wound.


    ¡°You need stitches.¡± Christian murmurs, ¡°I am calling for the doctor.¡±


    I am tempted to say I don¡¯t need to see a doctor, but I know better than taking foolish risks. I nod, as my father prowls over to me. ¡°I hope you are not going to let this go unpunished.¡± He looks me up and down, ¡°She spilled the blood of a Capo; you know what that means.¡±


    I stiffen, ¡°She¡¯s my wife. I decide how I am going to make her pay for what she did.¡±


    He chuckles, ¡°No doubt, you can turn the consummation of the marriage into something that she will never forget.¡±


    I whip my chin up, re at him. ¡°Mind how you speak about her,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°She¡¯s still mine.¡±


    ¡°Not questioning that, son,¡± he says in a soothing voice. ¡°Just making sure you realize that this cannot be overlooked. When word of what happened gets out¡­¡± He shakes his head, ¡°It will seriously undermine your position as being in the running as sessor of the Don.¡±


    ¡°And who will let news of this leak out?¡±


    My father nces at the priest. I pull out the gun from the back of my waistband and shoot him in the forehead. The man copses to the floor.


    I turn to the Don, ¡°That only leaves you as the weak point in this entire proceeding.¡±


    ¡°You threatening me, son?¡± he asks in a mild tone. ¡°Not even you would be foolish enough to do that.¡±


    ¡°It was merely an observation.¡± I tilt my head.


    ¡°As long as that¡¯s all it was.¡± He bares his lips in the semnce of a smile, which is almost as sharklike as mine. Apparently there is more of him in me than I¡¯d like.


    He nces around at the faces of my brothers, ¡°I¡¯ll see the lot of you at our next meeting then.¡±


    Turning, he begins to walk away, then stops, ¡°By the way, Michngelo.¡± He nces at me over his shoulder, ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    He leaves by the side entrance. The door ms shut, the sound echoing around the space.


    ¡°Fucking fuck,¡± I growl as I pull the shirt away from my chest. I nce down to where the blood flow seems to have lessened, then ball up my shirt and throw it on the floor. ¡°What a fucking mess.¡±


    ¡°Was that necessary?¡± Xander nces sideways at the priest¡¯s body, ¡°Did you have to kill a man of god.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°The man would have taken what happened here to the grave with him,¡± he protests.


    ¡°And I made sure he did.¡±


    Xander grimaces, ¡°And her¡­ Did you have to send her to the basement?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s where anyone whomits a crime against any of the famiglia is sent.¡± I tilt my head.


    ¡°She¡¯s part of the famiglia now,¡± Xander argues.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She needs to prove herself first.¡± Christian jerks his chin in my direction, ¡°I agree with fratellone, here.¡±


    ¡°You were very lucky,¡± Massimo rumbles. ¡°She missed your heart.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t aiming for it,¡± I retort.


    Silence descends as the guys nce at me.


    ¡°You sure of that?¡± Sebastian drawls, ¡°because from where I was standing, she sure seemed to be aiming to kill.¡±


    ¡°To injure, at the very least,¡± I agree, ¡°but did she want to kill me?¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°I am not so sure.¡±


    ¡°So why send her to the basement?¡± Christian frowns.


    ¡°Why not?¡±

 35

    Silence descends as the guys nce at me.


    ¡°You sure of that?¡± Sebastian drawls, ¡°because from where I was standing, she sure seemed to be aiming to kill.¡±


    ¡°To injure, at the very least,¡± I agree, ¡°but did she want to kill me?¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°I am not so sure.¡±


    ¡°So why send her to the basement?¡± Christian frowns.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s your wife?¡± Xander offers.


    ¡°And she stabbed me.¡±


    ¡°As you said, she wasn¡¯t aiming for your heart,¡± he retorts. ¡°In fact, the wound isn¡¯t that deep; you¡¯ve lost blood but you¡¯ll recover.¡±


    ¡°She attacked me in front of the Don,¡± I say steadily. ¡°I don¡¯t need him seeing me as weak, no matter that it was my own wife who took a dagger to me.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± Xander scowls, ¡°Since when do you let father steer your actions?¡± He prowls over to me, ¡°No Mika, you are up to something else here.¡±


    I look him and down, ¡°Are you going to tell me how I am supposed to treat my wife?¡±


    Xander hesitates, ¡°I don¡¯t presume to tell you anything, fratellone.¡± He murmurs, ¡°I am merely pointing out that she is entitled to basic human rights.¡±


    ¡°Is she though, after what she did?¡± I hold his gaze steadily and he nces away.


    ¡°I know you are angry, and I am not condoning what she did,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Still she is a woman, and she is the one you love¡­¡±


    ¡°Love?¡± I chuckle aloud, ¡°You really think I am in love with her?¡±


    ¡°Why else would you marry her?¡±


    I open my mouth to protest and Xander holds up his hand. ¡°The way you look at her, Mika,¡± his gaze softens, ¡°it¡¯s the nce of a man obsessed.¡±


    ¡°Obsessed with ensuring that I get the respect that is due to me from my own wife.¡± I bare my teeth, ¡°And that is thest I will entertain on this issue.¡±


    Xander hesitates, and Christian walks over to him. He ps a hand on Xander¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Let the Capo handle this the way he thinks best.¡±


    Xander scowls at him, ¡°You are a harsh man, but you are not heartless, Mika.¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°Not looking for a character reference.¡± I nce around the assembled faces. ¡°And that¡¯s thest I will entertain in this regard, do I make myself clear?¡±


    The rest of them keep silent.


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    They nod. ¡°Yes, fratel-Capo,¡± Sebastian replies.


    ¡°Yes, Capo.¡± Christian adds.


    ¡°You got it, Capo.¡± Massimo rumbles.


    Xander draws in a breath. I hold his gaze and he nods. ¡°As you wish,¡± he says stiffly.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Good.¡± I walk over to where she had dropped the knife, then scoop it up. I wipe it on my shirt then slide it back into the sheath at my waist. ¡°When does the doctor get here?¡± I nce at Christian.


    ¡°I sent the chopper for her; she won¡¯t be long.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I turn to Sebastian, ¡°Take care of the body.¡±


    An hour and a halfter, I¡¯ve been stitched up by the doctor who had departed after administering an antibiotic shot. I change into a fresh pair of cks and a shirt, then head down the stairs of my mansion. As I descend, it gets cooler. When I hit the lower ground level, it¡¯s at least ten degrees cooler than what I had left behind. That¡¯s the architecture of these old homes for you. The basements were always cool enough so you could use the space as a natural refrigerator to store food¡­ Or temporarily keep dead bodies¡­ As I have done in the past.


    I head down the corridor to the door at the far end. I grab the handle, twist it and shove the door open. Step inside the gloom that¡¯s illuminated by the light streaming in from the lone window near the ceiling.


    On the far side, there is a single bed and on it, Beauty is curled up. Her ck dress shes across the white of the mattress. The train flows behind her and trails on the floor. Her red hair flows about her shoulders and over the side of the bed. Her body is curved into the fetal position. Her slender fingers pillow her cheek.


    I let the door m shut behind me. The sound echoes through the cell and she visibly jolts. Her eyelids snap open. She spots me but doesn¡¯t move. I prowl over to stand over her. She tips her chin up, meets my gaze.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± she snarls, and a chuckle boils up. This woman¡­ She, seriously, has some gumption. After stabbing me in the chest, at our wedding, she acts as if she¡¯s the injured party. Fuck, if that isn¡¯t hot. I swallow down my mirth, school all emotion from my face.


    ¡°On your knees.¡±


    Karma


    ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± I scowl up at the man who towers over me. Michael¡¯s a tall guy, at least six-feet four-inches in height, but in this light, and with the angle at which he is poised over me, he looks positively massive. His shoulders block out my line of sight, his dark eyes seem to merge with the ckness around him. My heart beat ratchets up. Shit, this is not good. I am in a cell, on my own, with the man-okay, technically, with my husband-who is not in the least bit happy with me. I nce around the cell and he shakes his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± His lips curl, ¡°If by some miracle, you get out of the cell, the only way out is up and my brothers are standing guard as we speak.¡±


    ¡°So the entire family is on this?¡± I swallow. ¡°Why am I not surprised? After all, torturing helpless women must be your family¡¯s past time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He drums his fingers on his massive chest, then winces.


    My stomach tightens. So, I had managed to wound him, after all, though you can¡¯t see it, with how he¡¯s standing with his spine straight, and dressed in clean clothes. You wouldn¡¯t guess I had had my dagger-okay, his dagger-buried in his chest less than a few hours ago. Again, that may be a gross exaggeration, considering he is nowhere near death¡¯s door. Bastard looks like he¡¯s ready for an evening out in those tailored pants and shirt.


    He lowers his arm to his side, then jerks his chin. ¡°You heard me,¡± he drawls, ¡°Get on your knees, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you,¡± he props his massive hands on his lean waist, ¡°and trust me, you don¡¯t want that to happen.¡±

 36

    I glower back at him.


    ¡°Do it, Beauty.¡± He lowers his tone to a hush, ¡°Now.¡±


    His voice slices through the thoughts in my head. Only when the room rights do I realize that I am sitting up on the bed. Without taking my gaze off of his, I swing my legs up on the bed, then behind me as I push up to kneeling position.


    ¡°Happy?¡± I snap.


    He shakes my head, ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± He stares down at the floor then back at me.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°What, you expect me to read your mind?¡± I huff.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try my patience,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°Or what?¡±


    ¡°Or.¡± He moves so quickly, I blink. The next second, he¡¯s grabbed me by the back of my neck and hauled me up to my feet, on the bed. My heels, which I still hadn¡¯t removed, dig into the mattress and I totter. With his other hand, he grabs me at the apex of my thighs. His big palm closes around my pussy and he lifts me down to the floor


    I totter on my heels and he holds me there for a few seconds until I¡¯ve regained my bnce. Then he releases his hold on me, only to mp a heavy hand on my shoulder. He applies enough pressure that I have to sink down on my knees. Good thing the dress is so thick that it cushions them from the dirty floor. My poor dress, it¡¯s never going to recover from this assault¡­ First, by the droplets of his blood which had sshed onto the bodice, and now, from the filth on the floor. Ugh! And this is so not the time to be thinking about the state of my dress. Not that I intend to wear this one again. No, it¡¯s served its purpose and it is expendable. Like me.


    Stop it, stop it. Don¡¯t give up even before you¡¯ve started fighting. After all you¡¯ve only begun this¡­ Whatever it is, for which he brought you down here. If he had thought that he would intimidate me¡­ He is seeding.


    My heart ms into my ribcage as I kneel there, while he looms over me like some stupid medieval knight¡­ Only, he¡¯s not a knight. He is a devil, a monster, a man with no remorse, no emotions, no feelings. A brute who takes what he wants, when he wants, and there is no reasoning with him.


    I¡¯d known all this when I had reached for his dagger. Call it impulsive; call it a sense of inevitability which had gripped me. When I¡¯d realized that he was tracking my sister and her new husband; that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to hurt them; that nothing I said or did would, ultimately, help me in any way; that once I was married to him, he¡¯d take full advantage of me¡­ And then kill me¡­


    I¡¯d known then, that this is a fight to the finish. My life is already in danger. Likely, I am never walking away from this. No way, am I also going to endanger Summer¡¯s life. No, I had to do something about it. I had seen my opportunity and seized it. I hadn¡¯t even realized what I intended to do; not until my fingers had brushed the handle of the dagger. I had pulled it out, and I had not hesitated. Had I meant to kill him? Honestly, I don¡¯t know. Had I, for one second, thought that I would actually seed in hurting him? I¡¯d hoped so.


    At least, I had managed to cause him some pain¡­ Had put a halt to the sham of the proceedings. My fingers brush the palm on my left ring finger. Yeah, except for the stupid wedding ring that refuses toe off, which insists the wedding ceremony was, unfortunately, very real. I swallow, tip up my chin at him. Damn, if I am going to let him break my spirit¡­ At least, not that easily. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I demand.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I am trying to figure out.¡± He stares down at me, an expression of something-curiosity, a certain interest even in his nce as if he¡¯s trying to figure me out. Shit, that¡¯s thest thing I want, to be seen as a challenge by him.


    And yet.. I can¡¯t stand down, I can¡¯t. Something inside of me¡­ That same darkness that has crawled at the edges of my consciousness all this while, insists that I stand up to him. That I confront him, defy him, make him realize that he can¡¯t just bend me to his will that easily.


    I pretend to yawn, then pat my fingers to my lips. ¡°Well whatever it is, you¡¯d best get on with it.¡± I look him up and down, ¡°My knees are already beginning to ache.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only your knees which will be hurting by the time I¡¯m through with you.¡± His lips curl, ¡°Unless that¡¯s your n, hmm?¡± He circles around me and I sense him sizing me up¡­ For what? What could he possibly have in mind that could be worse than anything he¡¯s done to me so far?


    ¡°Maybe you think that if you goad me enough, I¡¯ll lose my control, that I¡¯ll do something to slip up, something that you can take advantage of and try to escape, hmm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already told me your family is guarding the entrance to the dungeon-¡±


    ¡°Basement,¡± he corrects me.


    ¡°Funny, from where I am, it resembles a torture chamber.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°You think this is a torture chamber?¡± His grin widens, ¡°Wonder what you¡¯ll think when I take you into the real torture room.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I swallow, ¡°you¡¯re joking right?¡±


    He arches an eyebrow. ¡°Have I ever joked with you?¡±


    Of course, he hasn¡¯t. The alphahole doesn¡¯t have a single funny bone in his entire body. Hell, even if I were to tickle him, he¡¯d probably just respond with that glowering expression, before telling me that I bore him.


    My pulse begins to race and sweatces my palms. Shit, shit, shit. Had I actually thought that this man was going to let go of me that easily? Wait, actually, I hadn¡¯t thought much at all. But the fact that he has an honest-to-god torture chamber down here, one that he ns to use on me¡­ Shit, I am not ready for that. Seriously, not.


    ¡°So what¡­¡± my voice cracks and I clear my throat, ¡°what are you going to do next?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more about what you are going to do next, Beauty.¡±


    How I hate that nickname. I am going to find a way to get back at him for this. For making me feel so helpless, like I ampletely at his mercy, which I am¡­ But hell, does he have to rub it in this way? Of course, he holds the power here, doesn¡¯t mean he has to go all viinous on me and threaten me without saying anything. Argh!


    I fold my fingers in front to stop them from trembling, then force myself to meet his gaze. Don¡¯t say it, don¡¯t say it. But there¡¯s no other way out. Best I pretend to y along¡­ At least, for the time being. At least, until I have figured out a n of action.


    I set my jaw, ¡°What¡­what do you want me to do?¡±


    His pauses, taps a finger against his chin, then nods, ¡°Strip.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. Take off your wedding dress, wife.¡±


    I grit my teeth, hating the fact that I can¡¯t tell him off for calling me that. Loathing the fact that he is, on this ount, at least urate. I am his wife¡­technically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait,¡± he says in a casual voice, ¡°and don¡¯t even think of disobeying me. You know I can strip you of this dress very easily, I am giving you a choice here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± I scoff, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You can strip your dress on your own steam and then I can fuck you, or I can strip off your dress and then¡­¡± He bares his teeth, ¡°I can fuck you.¡±

 37

    Michael


    A trembling grips her. A shudder runs down her spine. She squares her shoulders, then shoves her hair back from her face, with trembling fingers. Hmm, my Beauty is all sass, but deep down, she¡¯s scared. Good. She should be. Right now, I am not sure, exactly, what I am going to do to her, but anticipation is half the enjoyment, after all. Besides, I love it when I surprise myself¡­ I relish it even more when my opponent surprises me. And make no mistake, Beauty here, is the deadliest enemy I have ever faced. I¡¯d underestimated her once and she¡¯d drawn my dagger on me¡­ I am not gonna let her pull a fast one on me again.


    I snap my fingers, ¡°Don¡¯t keep me waiting.¡± I fold my arms across my chest, stare down my nose at her.


    She sets her jaw, then draws in a breath. Her chest rises and falls and the peaks of her breasts threaten to overflow the low neck of her gown. I widen my stance, watch as she tips her chin up.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to help me.¡± She scowls at me.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My zipper,¡± she snaps. ¡°I can¡¯t reach it; you¡¯ll have to help me with it.¡±


    Che cazzo! ¡°Are you serious? You want me to help you with the zipper?¡±


    ¡°You want me out of this dress?¡± She arches an eyebrow, ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to help me.¡±


    ¡°If this is a joke of some kind¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke, you asshole,¡± she snaps. ¡°I had help putting it on, and now I need help taking it off.¡± Her cheeks heat. She nces away, then up at me. ¡°Trust me, I don¡¯t feel like asking for your help on anything either, but it¡¯s not like I have a choice.¡±


    Perhaps it¡¯s the ring of truth I hear in her tone, or the fact that, clearly, she is ufortable asking me to help¡­ Or the very feminine blush on her cheeks that, somehow, touches a ce deep inside of me.


    Either way, I find myself moving around to sink down behind her, and onto the train of her dress that is piled around her. She pulls her hair over one shoulder as I reach for the zipper and being to lower it. The rasp seems to echo around the empty space. The fabric parts, revealing the ivory of her skin. Goosebumps rise as the cool air touches her back. I lower the zipper all the way down to the small of her back.


    The dress slides down one side, revealing the curve of her shoulder. I take in the graceful arch, the tendrils of hair that cling to the column of her neck, the ridges of her spine and ribcage under the ivory of her skin. Something hot stabs at my chest. My heart stutters. My groin hardens. I lean in, touch my lips to the exposed shoulder and she shivers. I press tiny kisses up the curve of her shoulder, push aside the ringlets on the nape of her neck and kiss the soft skin there. A moan bleeds from her and she lowers her chin, giving me further ess. I push aside the dress, down her other shoulder. It slides down, then stops when it catches over her breast. I shove the dress and it falls to the crook of her elbows. I slide one hand around to cup her breast, and she shudders. I bring my forefinger and thumb to her nipple and squeeze. A soft cry falls from her lips and I am instantly hard. I slip my other hand around to squeeze her other breast. I massage them, pinch the nipples and she leans back into me.


    ¡°Michael,¡± she pants, ¡°oh, my god, Michael.¡±


    I continue to knead her breasts, pausing only to pinch her nipples, again and again. Her entire body trembles. She arches her spine, throws her head back and into my chest as she stares up at me from under heavy eyelids.


    ¡°Michael, please, please¡­¡± she cries, ¡°please, Michael.¡±


    I release one breast, slide my hand down her belly to cup her pussy. ¡°Part your legs,¡± Imand, and she instantly widens her stance. I pinch her clit ring and she shudders.


    ¡°Oh, fuck.¡± She writhes in my arms, ¡°Oh, my fucking god.¡±


    ¡°Your mouth, Beauty,¡± I murmur. ¡°Your dirty mouth is a turn on, you know that?¡±


    I thrust two fingers inside her soaking channel and her pussy instantly mps down on the intrusion. I push my fingers in and out of her, even as I continue to massage her breast. I pinch down on the nipple again and twist, and her entire body bucks. ¡°Your breasts are so damn sensitive.¡± I lean into her as I slide a third finger inside of her. I continue to fuck her with my fingers as I twist her nipple. She screams and her shoulders shake.


    She thrusts up her chin, opens her mouth. ¡°Kiss me,¡± she demands. ¡°Fucking kiss me, already.¡±


    ¡°Gesu Cristo,¡± I swear, ¡°you¡¯re something else, you know that?¡± I lower my face, then close my mouth over hers. I tangle my tongue with hers, swipe it across her teeth, across the seam of her inner lips, as I bury my fingers deep inside her, then curve them.


    A groan bleeds from her and her entire body quakes. The scent of her arousal surrounds me, sinks into my skin, coils around me, and threatens to bind me to her. My belly knots and my groin hardens. My dick lengthens and my balls draw up, and I know if I don¡¯t bury myself inside her sweet, hot center, I am going toe in my pants.


    Fuck me. I did not mean for it to get this far, did note here to lose control. I meant to punish her, to show her that she could not simply disregard my rules and do as she wants. That, no way, will she disobey me again, let alone pull a knife on me. The same dagger that I had held over a me, and allowed to cool before sliding it into the sheath at my hip.


    I release her breast, reach for the knife and pull it out, then hold the de to her throat.


    I sense her stiffen, even as she continues to kiss me back. I draw the de down to her breast, circle her nipple with it. She shivers, tries to speak, but I absorb the sounds. I continue to finger fuck her, even as I thrust my tongue in and out of her mouth, drag the de down the curve of her breast to rest it in the space between the mounds.


    Her entire body trembles, her pussy clenches around my fingers, and I know she¡¯s close, so very close. She pushes down with her hips, chasing her release, and I pull my fingers out of her and release her mouth at the same time.


    She blinks, stares up at me as I press the edge of my knife into her chest. A trickle of blood runs down her belly, streaking across the ck of her dress. It¡¯s fucking arousing, watching thatbination. So simr to the red of her hair.


    ¡°Why the hell did you stop?¡± She pants, ¡°I was so close.¡±


    I smile and she flushes. ¡°You better finish what you started, stronzo.¡±


    I chuckle, ¡°I see you¡¯ve been brushing up on your Italian.¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been brushing up on your alphaholeness.¡± She bares her teeth, and fuck me, but her anger is such a turn on.


    I wrap my fingers about the nape of her neck, then rise to my feet and pull her up with me. The dress falls to the floor and she stands there, d only in hercy thong, surrounded by the yards of fabric that make up her dress.


    She trembles and her eyes gleam. ¡°How dare you?¡± she snarls. ¡°How dare you withhold my orgasm?¡±


    ¡°Because I can?¡± I keep my fingers around the nape of her neck as I circle to stand in front of her, ¡°Because I¡¯d prefer to mark you first; because you need to earn every single orgasm, from now on.¡±


    ¡°Bugger off.¡± She tosses her head, ¡°If you think I am going to do a single thing that you ask of me, then you are sadly mistaken.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± I press the tip of the knife into the skin between her breasts, and she shivers. ¡°You may deny it, but everything in you yearns for my touch, for me to etch my sign of ownership into your skin, for me to tattoo the symbol of my possession onto you, to own you, to dominate you, as only I can.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Her pupils dte and her breathing grows more ragged. She wants everything I can do to her. I have no doubt about it. She wants my body, wants the pleasure I can wring from her, yet she resists me, resists submitting to me, resists allowing herself to trust me. Not that I have given her any reason to do so, but if she wants me toplete what I started then she is going to put herself in my handspletely. I step back, wipe the de on my sleeve, then slip it into my sheath.


    Turning I head for the exit, when she calls out, ¡°Wait.¡±


    I keep walking.


    ¡°Damnit, Michael, stop.¡±


    I reach the door, and she draws in a breath. ¡°Please,¡± she whispers, ¡°please stop.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I pause, but don¡¯t turn, ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard you.¡±


    ¡°Bastard,¡± she bites out, and I push open the door.


    ¡°Please,¡± she begs, ¡°please stop, Michael.¡±


    I turn to nce at her over my shoulder.


    ¡°Are you going to leave me here?¡±


    ¡°It would seem that way.¡±


    ¡°But¡­but¡­it¡¯s freezing.¡±


    ¡°Those yards of fabric,¡± I nce down at the dress strewn about her feet, ¡°I am sure they can finally be put to good use.¡±


    She pales. ¡°I hate you,¡± she deres. ¡°I bloody hate you.¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°Which doesn¡¯t matter to me one bit, you understand?¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± She folds her fingers at her sides, ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡±


    ¡°You brought this on yourself, Beauty, when you tried to kill me.¡±


    ¡°You kidnapped me first.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± I look her up and down, ¡°I am the one who holds the power here.¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯ll ever let me forget that.¡±


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s time you realize how serious I am about you acknowledging it too.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    I bare my teeth, ¡°I am looking forward to convincing you otherwise.¡±


    Turning, I head out of the door, then stop. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± I stare at her over my shoulder, ¡°you will note until I give you permission.¡±

 38

    Karma


    I pull the train of my dress around my shoulders, and huddle into the mattress of the narrow single bed. Seriously, this entire thing sucks. Why the hell had he left me behind? I mean, who leaves their wife in the basement of his house on their wedding night? Michael bloody Byron does.


    Yeah, yeah, I know what you are thinking. When it suits me, I am his wife, and when it doesn¡¯t, I am not. And isn¡¯t that the truth of it? I bring up my hand, stare at the ring on my finger. The ck diamond in the center is smooth enough that I can see myself reflected in it. And the rubies surrounding it¡­ Wow!


    Honestly, if I had chosen a ring for myself, it would be this. Not that I had spent much time thinking about my wedding¡­ Considering I had been too busy trying to focus on my fledgling career as a designer. And then there was that little issue that I had been in the foster care system until my sister Summer had turned eighteen and found a way to be my legal guardian.


    So no, weddings and wedding dresses and wedding rings weren¡¯t exactly the kinds of dreams I went to sleep with every night. And yet, I had known exactly the kind of gown I¡¯d wanted. I hadn¡¯t hesitated when I had stitched it. And the ring¡­ OMG, the ring¡­ Fact is, I love it. And I hate myself for it. And I hate that he knows exactly what I like. And the fact that he knows how to y my body, and that he knows that holding back my orgasms is a surefire way to break me down.


    He had given me a taste of how good it could be between us, and yet, he hadn¡¯t yet shagged me. I squeeze my thighs together. The way it had felt to have his fingers in me as he had twisted my nipples¡­ Goosebumps pop on my skin and it¡¯s not only because it¡¯s cold. The thick fabric of the train of my dress is actually quite afortable nket¡­ It¡¯s annoying how he¡¯d been right about that as well.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Is there anything that over-the-top, control freak isn¡¯t right about? I turn on my back, pull up the skirts of my dress. I had worn it after he¡¯d left because it had felt like the quickest way to stay warm, and to a certain extent, that was true too. Except, it¡¯s ufortable to sleep in it¡­ Or wait, maybe I am ufortable because the bastard hadn¡¯t let mee. He hadn¡¯t let me orgasm, damn him. And he¡¯d told me I can¡¯t climax until he tells me to, but hell, if I am not going to try.


    I pull up the skirt of my dress, and making sure I am still covered by the train, I slide my fingers into my panties. I thrust a digit inside my sensitized channel and gasp when I find myself wet. Pinpricks of pleasure radiate out from my touch, and I add a second finger, then a third.


    It¡¯s not enough, damn it. Nothing will be enough to plug that nothingness that yawns in my core, but this will have to do for now. I begin to fuck myself, weave my fingers in and out, as the tension begins to build at the base of my spine. I increase the intensity of my movements, and my entire body shakes. I squeeze my legs together, close my eyes as I shove my fingers in and out of my melting channel. And again. And again. The waves build up from my core, radiate out and up my spine, I don¡¯t stop, I keep going. Come on. Come on. I am so close now. The waves spiral upward, and just as the climax threatens to spill over, hismand echoes in my ears, You will note until I give you permission.


    I yank the fingers from my core and the orgasm recedes. The emptiness inside of me seems to grow bigger, thicker, until it envelops all of me, consumes me. Sweat beads my upper lip, sticks to my palms. Heat flushes my skin and I throw off my cover¡­ I mean, the goddamn train. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, nce about the space.


    He must have cameras here¡­somewhere, right? I stare at the walls, nce up at the ceiling¡­ There! Above the doorway is the unmistakable eye of a camera. Aha¡­ So he does have eyes on me, after all¡­ Had he just seen my performance? Had he taken in how I¡¯d almost orgasmed?


    Does he realize just how close I am to losing my freakin¡¯ mind? My stomach rumbles and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. Bet my hair is a rat¡¯s nest, given how I had writhed on the goddamn bed earlier, too. Not that it is my most pressing concern, but a girl has a right to be concerned about her looks, right? So what, if I am his stupid prisoner? Surely, he won¡¯t deny me my basic rights¡­ Like using a goddam, proper bathroom.


    I stare at the bucket in the corner of the room. If he thinks I am going to be using that, he has another thinking. I have my dignity, goddamn it. I am not peeing in a stupid bucket, no bloody way.


    I shuffle my weight from foot to foot. What the hell can I use to get his attention? Something that will ensure hees back here¡­?


    I take in the space, the light from the single bulb in the ceiling that came on earlier. At least, he hadn¡¯t switched that off. It would have been goddamn creepy if he had, not that I am afraid of the dark¡­ But still, I prefer not to think about this space with the lights off. I shudder.


    I nce about the space again¡­ Nothing¡­ There is no piece of wood, or a nail¡­or anything I can use¡­ And the goddam bucket¡­ I refuse to touch it. Ugh. No, he has toe for me. He has to get me out of here¡­ And there is only way I can think of to force his hand.


    I stare up at the unmistakable eye of the camera above the door, then I begin to undress.

 39

    Michael


    ¡°What the hell is she doing?¡± I re at the screen which is linked to the camera that¡¯s trained on the cell. Karma stares into the lens-of course, she¡¯d figured out where the camera is. Not that I had tried to hide it from her or anything. It had been an interesting experiment, on my part, to see how long it would take her to spot the camera¡­ And clearly, she hadn¡¯t realized she was being watched when she had writhed under the train of her dress as she had tried to make herselfe.


    That had been hot, and so damn erotic¡­ I am not ashamed to say that I had grabbed my dick and jerked off in tandem. And when she had stopped just short of actually orgasming¡­ that¡¯s when I had stopped too¡­ And fuck, if that hadn¡¯t been a surprise. Why the hell hadn¡¯t I let myselfe? Not out of some twisted sense of wanting to keep herpany as she stayed unsatisfied, that¡¯s for damn sure.


    Of course, I could have taken her earlier¡­ I had had her in my arms, my dick nestled in the valley between her ass cheeks, and though I had been fully dressed, it hadn¡¯t stopped me from rubbing myself against her curves. Like the pervert that I am.


    And I had opted to walk away from her. I had thought I was denying her¡­ Turns out I was denying myself, as well. As she had worked her fingers in and out of her cunt-not that I had been able to see her sweet pussy, but my imagination had filled in the gaps-I had mirrored her rhythm. Speeding up when she had and pausing with her. I hadn¡¯t been able to take my eyes off of her; had watched as she had jumped out of bed, nced around the space, then turned to face the camera, as ifing to a decision.


    Then, she had begun to strip.


    And maledizione, I can¡¯t stop myself from taking in every inch of exposed skin-as she pushes the dress down her shoulders, then down her t stomach, as she wriggles her hips and eases the dress down her legs, letting it fall about her ankles, along with her panties. She straightens, kicks aside her clothes, and the breath whooshes out of me.


    Fuck me, but she is naked. Absolutely,pletely naked. Except for her gorgeous hair that flows about her shoulders and curtains her breasts so the pink nipples peek out from between the strands. Her hips are rounded, her belly t, before it leans into the dip of her sweet slit, encased in the fleshy folds of her luscious pussy. I tap on the screen, zoom in to her core and spot the glint of metal-fuck me, it¡¯s that damn clit ring of hers, the one that drives me crazy. That makes me want to thrust my head between her legs and bite down on that ring and tug so she feels the pull all the way to her nipples-yeah, that ring. Except for that adornment, her skin ispletely bare.


    I had touched her there, so I knew she had done as instructed and shaved between her legs¡­ Hell, I had instructed Cassandra to make sure that she did it. So, I knew that she had followed my instructions, but to see her like this-full frontal, fully nude, bared to my gaze as she props her palm on her hip, bends a knee and strikes a pose, as if daring me to take in her glorious nakedness.


    And I do¡­ I zoom out again, so I can see her in totality. Those high cheekbones, parted rosebud lips, her slender throat, those high pointed breasts, curvy hips, fleshy thighs that I want to mark with my de, before I run the tip around her pussy, then trail it down her clit, down her inner thighs, to those narrow ankles and tapered feet. I want to suck on her toes as I drawzy circles up her calves, until I reached her plump behind¡­ Which I, absolutely, want to bite down on as I slide my fingers inside her forbidden back channel, opening her up, readying her for my intrusion. First with the handle of my knife, then with my dick. I drag my fingers up the handle of my knife and my dick lengthens.


    Transferring the knife to my left hand, I reach down between my legs and grasp myself again. I pump myself once, twice. My cock elongates¡­but it¡¯s not enough. Stronzo knows it¡¯s my hand that¡¯s doing the work and it wants more¡­ So much more. It wants her cunt, her pussy, her tight, melting channel to sink into. Her pussy to mp down on my cock, her cunt to milk me as Ie inside her and fill her up and mark her as mine. Only mine.


    The door behind me opens and I clench the knife more tightly. ¡°Michael, what the hell is happening-?¡±


    ¡°Not now,¡± I snap, without turning around. ¡°Get the hell out, Luca.¡±


    I sense him hesitate, then the door closes and his footsteps recede.


    Yeah, so my brother had almost seen me jerking off¡­ Something that hasn¡¯t happened since we were teenagers. Not that he had seen me¡­ Not that it would have mattered if he had¡­ As long as he didn¡¯t see my queen, naked and exposed to me on the screen.


    I squeeze my dick, then drag my fingers up my cock, as she slides her fingers down between her pussy lips. She thrusts one finger, then another, inside her channel, then adds the third. She continues to push her fingers in and out of her cunt, in and out. Her breasts jiggle and her hair sways about her shoulders, as she tips up her chin and holds my gaze. Her mouth opens, and I can almost hear her moan of pleasure as she continues to fuck herself. She licks her lips and I swear Ie right then.


    The blood drains to my groin and my balls harden. She increases the pace of her movements and so do I, mirroring her rhythm as she thrusts out her chest, brings up a palm to cup one breast. She twists her nipple and lust roars in my veins. I reach forward, re at the screen as she moves her hand to the other breast, gives it the same treatment.


    Fucking fuck. My thigh muscles grow rock hard; the pressure at the base of my spine tightens. I am so damn close, so on the edge. Heat suffuses my skin and my dick screams for release. I cup my balls and squeeze as, on screen, the witch smiles. Huh?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Her eyes gleam; she tosses her hair as she lowers her hand to her side. She pulls her fingers out of her cunt, holds her hand up. The moisture on it glistens and, fuck me, but my mouth waters. Maintaining eye contact, she licks each of her fingers, one by one, making a meal out of it, and my balls draw up. That¡¯s when she bends and draws her dress up over her shoulders. What the hell?


    She turns her back on the camera, heads toward the bed. She pulls her train over her body, covering herself from neck to toepletely, then she turns her back on me, and the strega falls asleep. I swear, she switches off, just like that, for she doesn¡¯t move. Not a peep out of her. She sinks into slumber as I watch her prone figure.


    I nce down at my raging hard-on, wanting to get myself off. And I could. I could continue pumping my shaft until Ie. Only, it¡¯s not going to be anywhere near as satisfying asing inside of her.


    Damn woman had gone toe-to-toe with me, and had defeated me at my own game¡­ I stare at the screen as a chuckle bursts out of me. Well, well¡­ Beauty, this round is yours. But you had better be prepared for what¡¯sing next.


    I grab my handkerchief, wipe my cock, then tuck it away. I clean my fingers, shove the piece of cloth in my pocket, then rise to my feet.

 40

    Karma


    I rub my cheek into the soft pillow and snuggle in. Warmth surrounds me, cocoons me, sinks into my body. I slide my hand across the mattress and the bed is sofortable. My muscles are so rxed, my entire body seems to be floating on some kind of cloud. Hmm. I try to turn and find something heavy around my waist holds me down. I try to pull away, and the weight around my middle intensifies. I crack open my eyes, nce down to find a thick arm about my waist. Huh? Thick fingers that lead to a wide wrist, which is attached to a sculpted forearm.


    I manage to turn, enough to take in the tattoo of a knife on his tanned skin. It sports an intricate handle and the de features a single eye. The de points toward his fingers and the overall effect screams danger and caution. The corded muscles of his forearm wind up to massive biceps which are twice the size of my neck, at least, so it seems. I gulp, follow the arm to where it is attached to wide shoulders, a chest so broad that it blocks out everything else from my sight. A smattering of hair covers those sculpted pecs¡­which are demarcated by a white bandage that is taped vertically across his sternum. The contrast of the white against his darker skin is a shock. As is the fact that his chest is decorated with tattoos. Tattoos? Whoa, and there are so many of them.


    I take in the design of a knife, the de of which is painted with fire. Next to that is a design of a knife with the de featuring roses. Then, another tattoo of a knife, with the de featuring the sun; another one in which the de is filled with stars; one in which a snake winds around the de¡­ Wow¡­ And that¡¯s just on the skin I can see. How many more knives does this man have inked on his skin? Why is he so obsessed with them? And P. S. How the hell did I get here? In his bed, with him wrapped around me like a boa constrictor around its prey. Ugh, why the hell did I have toe up with thatparison in my mind?


    I tip my chin up, take in that thick hair that falls over his forehead. Those dark eyshes that fan over his cheekbones, the hooked nose, that thin upper lip, the pouty lower lip, that square jaw of his¡­ And have I told you about his lips? Full, dreamy lips that look so hard but are so soft to kiss.


    Again¡­ How the hell did I end up here, anyway? Once more, I try to move out from under his arm, and this time, he hauls me to his chest. ¡°Stop struggling,¡± he rumbles, ¡°I am trying to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°You are trying to get some rest?¡±


    I stare at his rxed features. He looks almost content¡­ Asshole. He¡¯d spirited me away from that stupid cell-not that I miss it, by the way¡­ And also, that reminds me, I need to pee¡­ I really have to pee; I wriggle my hips and something stabs into the valley between my butt cheeks.


    It can¡¯t be¡­ Uh, it¡¯s not¡­uh, his dick? Of course, it is¡­ Bastard¡¯s all aroused and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s only because of morning wood.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I hiss. ¡°Honestly, how dare you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°Would you rather I¡¯d left you in that cell?¡±


    I still.


    ¡°Thought not.¡± His lips curl, ¡°Best get your rest while you can, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°I will not.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, you are going to need it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, and for what might that be?¡±


    The next moment I squeak as the world tilts. I gasp, then nce up into those deep blue eyes of his. His arms bracket me on either side of my head, and he manages to keep most of his weight off of me, except for his hips, which are flush against mine. His thick length stabs into the soft valley between my thighs, and I almost moan aloud at how good it feels. Oh, yeah, he¡¯s naked under the covers. And so am I¡­for I can feel every thick, fat inch of his cock as it happily nestles against my core.


    My belly quivers, my thighs clench, and my cunt¡­argh! My cunt seems to curl in on itself in anticipation. Down, stupid pussy, you don¡¯t get to be this needy. He¡¯s the monster who kidnapped you for revenge, remember? He forced you to marry him. And now he¡¯s your husband. And I¡¯m his wife, and uh¡­! Doesn¡¯t that mean I have to indulge in certain wifely duties? My throat seems to dry up. I lick my lips and his gaze drops to my mouth.


    Oh, my god, when he watches me with that single-minded intensity, I can forget that there is a world outside of this cocoon, which isposed of his body, his chest, his scent¡­ His heat, that flows around me, pins me to the bed, the force of his dominance a low-pitched hum that sinks into my blood and coils straight down to my clit. I draw in a breath and he jerks his chin up. His gaze holds mine. Dark, deep, so many secrets and yet, underneath all that there is a vulnerability.


    What the hell? This man has no weaknesses. Besides, any possible empathy he had for me is probably gone, now that I took a knife to him. Gah, what had I been thinking, with that pathetic attempt at trying to wound him? I should have known he was much too strong to be disabled that way. But I had gone with my instinct¡­ And see where that got me? Under him¡­in his bed, surrounded by him. OMG.


    I swallow, then p my palms against his chest, ¡°Let me the hell go.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°How the hell did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°How do you think?¡±


    ¡°How the hell did you bring me here without my even realizing it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy when you sleep like the dead.¡±


    My cheeks heat. That much is true. I sleep like the proverbial log¡­ Once I fall asleep, a bomb could go off next to me and I wouldn¡¯t realize it. I purse my lips together, ¡°Some of us sleep with a clear conscience, while others¡­¡± I scowl at him, ¡°clearly, are haunted by the screams of those they have killed.¡±


    His gaze intensifies. For a second, the expression on his face is bleak, then he nods, ¡°That much is true.¡±


    I blink. ¡°It is?¡±


    He nods. ¡°I was twelve when I killed my first man. It was my father¡¯s idea.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°He put a gun in my hands, told me it was time I became a man. He had his men drag out a traitor from among them, and-¡±


    ¡°It was your job to kill him?¡± I whisper.


    He nods.


    ¡°And you did¡­kill him?¡±


    He nods again, ¡°One shot between the eyes.¡± He forms his fingers into the shape of a gun, ces his forefinger and middle finger in the center of my forehead. ¡°Boom.¡± He mimes pulling a trigger and I flinch.


    He drags his fingers down my nose, across my lips, to the hollow at the base of my neck. My pulse rate speeds up as he swipes his fingers down to the already healing scratch between my breasts¡­ The tiny wound that he had inflected on me with his knife.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    I shake my head and he digs his fingers into the scratch, reopening it. A sliver of pain fires across my nerve-endings. I wince. He nces down and I follow his gaze to find the blood seeping down my belly. He removes his fingers, only to bend his head and slurp at the open wound. A shiver of something-lust, fear, maybe a mix of the two?dders up my spine. He licks the scratch again, then nces up at me, ¡°Does that disgust you, Beauty?¡± He tilts his head, ¡°Me drinking your blood.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± My voice cracks, and I clear my throat. ¡°No.¡± I shake my head, ¡°Strangely, I find it reassuring.¡±


    ¡°Reassuring?¡±


    ¡°It confirms to me that you are human, for some reason. It tells me that you don¡¯t hide your proclivities. It¡­¡± I swallow, ¡°it affirms that you don¡¯t shy away from what your heart wants, and that¡­ That is something.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±

 41

    I nod. ¡°Most people go through life trying to ignore what they really are deep inside, but not you.¡± I peer into his face. ¡°What you see is what you get with you. You wear your likes and dislikes on your sleeve; you don¡¯t hesitate to dere what you want and go after it. You are brutally honest about your intentions, and for that, I am grateful.¡±


    ¡°You are, huh?¡± he says in a strange tone. ¡°I kidnapped you, Beauty. Held you to the marriage that your father had promised me.¡±


    ¡°And I stabbed you for it.¡±


    ¡°I locked you up in a cell as punishment. I withheld orgasms from you-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called edging,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± His eyebrows rise, ¡°Though I am not sure how a neen-year-old fashion designer whose im to fame is hawking her clothes-¡±


    ¡°Designs.¡± I scowl, ¡°Thought I corrected you on that already.¡±


    ¡°-at a flea market-¡±


    ¡°Camden Market is a world-renowned space for artists,¡± I counter.


    ¡°-knows the term for an S & M technique, is something I am keen to find out more about.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­stuff I picked up along the way.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    I nod, ¡°Just like you learned everything about knives¡­ Let¡¯s just say, I read up a lot of informative literature about BDSM.¡±


    ¡°You did, huh?¡±


    I bite the inside of my lip. ¡°For example, I know that you like to indulge in knife y.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°And blood y.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He tilts his head, ¡°Tell me more about my depraved, filthy tastes, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°What if I told you that I have always wanted to know how it would feel to be at the receiving ends of both of those?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think you meant it.¡±


    ¡°And what if I said I do?¡± I tip up my chin.


    ¡°Then I would call you a liar.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say that?¡± I frown.


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t know what you are talking about. You don¡¯t know what you really want.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t know, either. Until I try it.¡± I set my lips.


    ¡°And what if it¡¯s too painful for you?¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s exactly what I was waiting for? What if that¡¯s why you were attracted to me in the first ce? Because you saw me and knew that I was the kind of woman who you wanted to tie up, and deny orgasms, and use your special talents to get me to submit?¡±


    ¡°What if all of this is just you trying to pull a fast one on me?


    I blink. My heart begins to race. ¡°Wh¡­why would you say that?¡± I flutter my eyshes. ¡°Haven¡¯t I fought you every step of the way? Am I not the one who stabbed you?¡±


    ¡°And then you decided to bring yourself to the brink of orgasm not once, but twice, in front of the cameras, knowing full-well I would be watching.¡±


    ¡°Did you like it?¡± I breathe. Shit, what the hell am I doing? Pretending to be all worldly-wise and knowing what I am doing, and trying to beard the lion in his den¡­or in this case, in his bed. ¡°Did you?¡± I hold his gaze.


    ¡°And if I say I did?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d reply that it doesn¡¯t matter what my motives are. I am here, aren¡¯t I? Willing and ready to do as youmand.¡±


    ¡°You think you can throw the right words at me and get me to do what you want?¡±


    ¡°Am I seeding?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I pretend to pout, ¡°So then, why are we still talking?¡±


    ¡°My point exactly.¡±


    He pushes off from the bed, stands over to me, only to lean down, then swing me up and over his shoulder.


    ¡°Put me down.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer. He marches to the bathroom, shoulders his way past the door, then heads for the toilet and ces me on the seat.


    He stands above me and I blink. ¡°What the hell are you up to?¡±


    ¡°You needed to pee.¡±


    ¡°Says who?¡±


    He raises an eyebrow and I flush.


    ¡°So, what if I do? I could have walked here on my own.¡±


    ¡°I carried you instead; deal with it.¡±


    ¡°And how did you know that I had to, you know-¡±


    ¡°Urinate?¡± He smirks. ¡°You can say it. It¡¯s a bodily function, just like fucking. Or would you prefer if I said fornicating?¡±


    I scowl, ¡°If you think you can throw clinical words my way to fluster me, then you are sadly mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± His grin widens. He widens his stance and I don¡¯t dare look straight ahead¡­because, uh! I am at the exact same height as his big, fat dick, that I know is standing to attention against his belly right now. Yeah, okay, I peeked. I couldn¡¯t help it. It¡¯s right there in front of me. Also, since we had woken up, he had pressed that monster shaft against me, so I am well familiar with its length and its-gulp-girth, which is bloody impressive, I¡¯ll have you know.


    ¡°What are you doing still standing here?¡± I murmur. ¡°I need to urinate.¡±


    ¡°So go.¡±I gape at his smirking face. ¡°Not in front of you.¡±


    He folds his arms across his chest, and his stance indicates¡­he¡¯s not moving. Okay, whatever, like I care if he sees me pee.


    I close my eyes, try to rx¡­but hell, I can¡¯t go. Not when Mr. Monster Cock is standing over me like Satan himself.


    ¡°Turn your back,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°else I won¡¯t be able to.¡±


    I sense him hesitate, then feel the slight breeze as he pivots around. To my surprise, I hear him move away. I open my eyes, and sure enough, the space is empty. I sigh as I settle into ce, and almost instantly, my muscles rx enough so I can let go. I finish my business, flush, wash my hands and face, smooth my hair the best I can, then hesitate. I take in my naked body, so very pale, except for the thin streak of red in between my breasts.


    In a way, we match, I suppose. Only, the wound I bestowed on him is much deeper. I raise my hand to touch the scratch and the ring on my finger catches my attention. It picks up the color from my dyed red hair, and damn it¡­ It really does feel like it¡¯s already part of me.


    Why does he have to be so¡­so perceptive. Speaking of¡­ I spin around, head for the door. ¡°How did you know that I had to pee?¡± I demand. ¡°I never told you that I wanted to.¡±


    Alphahole finishes stepping into his gray sweatpants, then turns around. ¡°I guessed.¡±


    ¡°You guessed?¡± I scowl. ¡°How could you just guess?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s morning.¡± He shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s natural to want to use the facilities after a night¡¯s sleep.¡± He grabs a bathrobe, then walks over to me and holds it out.


    I stare at it, then up at him. ¡°Shit,¡± I blink, ¡°you removed my clothesst night¡­¡±


    ¡°You only just realized that?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, yes, I mean¡­¡± I shove my hair over my shoulder. I must have really been out of, it if I hadn¡¯t even stirred when he¡¯d undressed me.


    ¡°Your dress is safe. I¡¯ve asked for it to be cleaned.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I blink rapidly at him. That¡¯s thoughtful of him. Though why would he do that? Why is he being so nice to me?


    ¡°Rx,¡± heughs, ¡°I know how much your creations mean to you and that dress was so you¡­ That I figured you¡¯d want to keep it, and maybe, modify it and wear it again.¡±


    My mouth drops open. That¡¯s exactly what I had nned to do, but how the hell is he able to read me so easily?


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I grouse. ¡°It¡¯s what most women do-adapt their wedding dresses so they can wear them again.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± He frowns, then raises a shoulder, ¡°Good guess, huh?¡± He jerks his chin toward the dressing gown, and I slide my arms through the sleeves. I knot the tie around the middle as he runs his palms down the shoulders, in a gesture that is both soothing and possessive. Huh. What the hell is this man up to? I turn around and scowl at him, ¡°Out with it, Mister. What are you nning now?¡±


    ¡°Breakfast?¡± He smirks. ¡°Do you like pancakes?¡±

 42

    Karma


    I have been transported to some strange, alternate reality. That is the only reason I can imagine for why I am sitting here, at the breakfast counter of the kitchen of this manor on an ind somewhere off the coast of Italy¡­watching a Mafia Capo, d in only gray sweatpants and an apron, cooking at the stovetop.


    OMG! That¡¯s so damn hot. His broad back is to me and I can¡¯t take my gaze off the y of muscle, the shift of those sculpted nes under his skin as he bustles around the space. He pours out the pancake batter onto one skillet, while in another, he cracks eggs. On a third pan, he¡¯s frying bacon and on the fourth burner, he has hash browns sizzling. OMG. My head spins as I watch him manage all four dishes at the same time, and not lose a step. He wipes his hand on the apron¡­ Did I already mention? Yes, the man is wearing a freakin¡¯ apron¡­ And honestly, he looks too damn sexy¡­ Gah! My mouth waters, and it¡¯s not for the food.


    I must have made a noise because he smirks at me over his shoulder, ¡°You all right over there?¡±


    I open my mouth to speak, but all thates out is a gurgle. Damn! I reach for the ss of water on the table in front of me, and take a sip to clear my throat. Then scowl back at him, ¡°Of course, I am.¡±


    A strand of hair falls across his forehead and he brushes it away. the gesture is so familiar¡­ so very Mika. My heart stutters, and I can¡¯t take my gaze off of him.


    ¡°You sound like you have a lot on your mind.¡± His grin widens. No doubt, the fact that I am staring at him is inting his already inted ego. Jerkass!


    I carefully ce the ss of water back on the table, then meet his gaze, ¡°I was just wondering how you managed to get all of those clothes, and all in my size, in the closet before I first arrived? Did you order them on your way here, after you knocked me out?¡±


    ¡°I simply pressed down on the carotid artery on either side of your neck, and you lost consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the medical lesson.¡± I scowl. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me about how you acquired the clothes for me-¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I frown. ¡°What do you mean, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I ordered them on the phone to have them delivered before we arrived at the ind, while you were unconscious.¡±


    ¡°You had all of those clothes, shoes, and underwear delivered in a few hours?¡± I blink. ¡°How did you manage that?¡±


    He stares at me and I huff, ¡°Yeah, of course, money can solve anything.¡± I hold his gaze, ¡°And what about the shampoo and shower gel in the bathroom?¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°Did you order that too? How did you know what fragrance I prefer?¡±


    ¡°Your scent, Beauty,¡± his lips twist, ¡°it¡¯s abination of moonflowers and your essence. It¡¯s uniquely you¡­ I found the most highly-rated sources and bought them for you.¡±


    Heat flushes my cheeks. Why the hell does that feel so intimate? After everything he¡¯s done to me, the fact that he urately identified the fragrance of the shampoo I use should be the least of my worries. I shuffle my feet as another thought strikes me, ¡°So, does this mean that you had already decided that you were going to-¡±


    ¡°Keep you? y with you? Marry you?¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°Not consciously. All I knew was that I wasn¡¯t going to let go of you in a hurry.¡±


    I blink rapidly. What the hell does he mean by that? He isn¡¯t telling me anything I didn¡¯t already know and yet, these words seem very close to a confession of¡­ something. Emotions? Feelings?


    Nah, the Capo doesn¡¯t feel all that. All he means is that he isn¡¯t letting go of me until he gets what he wants from me. Yeah, I lean back in my seat. That¡¯s what it means.


    My heart flutters and I rub at my chest. Please, please, don¡¯t tell me that my stupid heart condition is deciding now is the time to surface again. Not after I¡¯ve been fine all these years, too. The sensation subsides and I blow out a breath.


    He grabs a few slices of bread, pops them in the toaster, then turns to me, ¡°I assume you like your eggs sunny side up.¡±


    I blink, then nod. I¡¯m about to ask him how he guessed, but frankly, at this point, it doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s definitely going to have some dumbass exnation about it, and it¡¯s not like I want to know, anyway. I mean, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and in this case, it¡¯s in the delicious breakfast that he serves up not ten minutester. He ces a te piled with pancakes and drizzled with syrup, while on another te, there are two eggs, sunny side up, with toast, hash browns, and bacon, which he sets down in front of me.


    ¡°Um, who is all this food for?¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    He grins and his face lights up. Oh, dear god, when he smiles like that, he¡¯s way too attractive. The bandage over his sternum is a stark contrast to the rest of his sculpted, tanned chest. And I can¡¯t take my gaze off it as he sits down in the chair opposite me.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± he murmurs. ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt me¡­ Much.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s good or bad.¡± I fight the urge to apologize, then scowl back at him. ¡°I did intend to cause you harm, you know?¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± He reaches for the Moka-the Italian version of a coffee pot-and pours out the coffee he¡¯s freshly brewed, some into my espresso cup, then some for himself.


    ¡°What do you mean, I didn¡¯t?¡± I frown. ¡°You a mind reader or something now?¡±


    He raises his espresso cup to his lips, takes a sip, then sighs, ¡°That¡¯s how coffee should be drunk-strong and intense and bitter.¡±


    ¡°Just like you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He smirks and I cough.


    ¡°Nothing, and don¡¯t change the subject.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you were.¡± I use him, ¡°Here I am, trying to figure out what the hell you are up to, and you are extolling the properties of Italian coffee while making abination of an all American/British breakfast¡­or abination of breakfasts, that is.¡±

 43

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± He eyes the food on the tes in front of me, ¡°I figured you¡¯d prefer this over a traditional Sicilian breakfast, but if you¡¯d prefer something else¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°I just wish you¡¯d tell me why you decided to move me from the cell. And now, you are cooking me breakfast and¡­¡± I draw in a breath, ¡°and this morning, even though you were, clearly, turned on, you didn¡¯t try to-¡±


    ¡°Fuck you?¡± The alphahole smirks as he reaches for his pancakes and begins to dig into them. As I watch, he inhales a quarter of the stack in seconds. Shit, and I haven¡¯t even started on mine.


    ¡°As you are well aware, your use of four-letter words doesn¡¯t bother me, in the least.¡± I scoff as I cut into my own stack. ¡°And yeah, that¡¯s what I mean.¡± I pop the piece of pancake into my mouth and chew. ¡°Whoa.¡± I stare at him. ¡°These are good.¡±


    ¡°Surprised?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, I wasn¡¯t expecting you to cook.¡± I frown, ¡°Speaking of, where¡¯s the staff? Did you give them the day off?¡±


    ¡°The week off, actually.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± I dig into more of the pancakes and chew on them, ¡°Is it some special asion or something, that you allowed them time off?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± He nods, then pushes the te with the eggs and bacon toward me, ¡°You need to eat that too.¡±


    ¡°After I finish the pancakes, if I have space, that is.¡± I dig into the remainder of the food on my te, then polish off the rest of the pancakes. I push my te aside and he slides the other one in its ce. ¡°Eat,¡± hemands, as he reaches for his second te filled simrly to mine.


    ¡°Also,¡± I say with my mouth full, ¡°this is the first time I am seeing you dressed in sweats. Didn¡¯t think you owned a pair, considering you are always dressed in suits that seem to be from Saville Row.¡±


    He makes a sound deep in his throat, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t touch those with a barge pole.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I frown. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°I get my suits tailor-made by an artisan who has been stitching them for generations for the men in my family.¡±


    I resist the urge to roll my eyes. ¡°Of course, you do.¡±


    He smirks. ¡°You sassing me, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± I say crunching my way through the bacon, which is absolutely delicious, by the way, ¡°Of course, not.¡± I widen my gaze, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare¡­ My Lord.¡± I flutter my eyshes at him and his grin widens.


    ¡°Very good. Keep that up, and I may just be willing to give you your next orgasm.¡±


    ¡°And there he is; the alphahole extraordinaire makes an appearance,¡± I raise my eyes skyward, ¡°just as we were getting along, too¡­ Or at least, it seemed that way,¡± I mutter under my breath.


    ¡°I heard that.¡± He chuckles, ¡°And to answer your earlier questions, one,¡± he holds up a finger, ¡°I learned to cook when I went to university in the US, and I enjoy American and British style breakfasts and didn¡¯t want to presume that the full English was the only kind of food you¡¯d like to eat in the morning so I made both, and two,¡± he holds up a second finger, ¡°the reason I am wearing sweats is because there¡¯s no one else in the house.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I set down my fork and nce around the space, ¡°That¡¯s why the ce seems empty. So, the staff is gone, and so are your brothers?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± He finishes off his bacon, then cuts up the eggs and scoops them up with a piece of toast. I watch as he chews his food, the tendons of his throat moving as he swallows. Fuck, but only Michael Byron Dominico Sovrano would make eating into an orgasm-inducing process. My throat goes dry. Somehow, I manage to chew and swallow my food, as he lowers his gaze to mine. He sets down his fork, then reaches for his napkin and dabs at his mouth. I lower my gaze to his lips and heat tugs at my belly. I squeeze my thighs together, mirror his actions and ce my fork down.


    ¡°So, howe your brothers and the rest of your family and the staff are away?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you figured it out yet?¡± His eyes gleam, ¡°Come on, Beauty, one guess, why there¡¯s no one else in the house¡­¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I wipe my suddenly damp palms on my bathrobe, ¡°because it¡¯s your birthday and you¡¯ve given them all time off?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t exin why my family left the house.¡±


    ¡°Because you fought with them and told them to leave?¡±


    ¡°It has happened on asion, but no, it¡¯s not that.¡±


    My heart begins to pound in my chest. My pulse rate ratchets up. Moisture pools between my thighs and I slide my chair back¡­ I try to be discreet but one of the legs catches on the stone floor and a screech fills the space.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I stiffen, but Michael doesn¡¯t move a muscle.


    ¡°You were saying?¡± He scratches the area of his chest around the bandage, and bloody hell, my gaze is instantly drawn to those gorgeous sculpted pecs again. What a pity that I had to hurt him. It feels like I have spoiled a work of art designed by God himself.


    ¡°Beauty?¡±


    I hear the smirk in his voice and raise my gaze to his, ¡°I was saying that¡­ you gave your staff time off and probably sent your brothers on some Mafia-rted job.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± He lowers his hand. ¡°I knew you were smart.¡±


    I paste on a bright smile, even as my stomach flip-flops. This is not good. Not good at all. ¡°So,¡± I grip the edge of the table, ¡°when will they be back?¡±


    ¡°Next week.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± His grin widens until he resembles one of those freakin¡¯ sharks in that stupid Jaws movie, the one that had made meugh because the special effects, clearly, hadn¡¯t withstood the test of time, but right now there¡¯s nothing amusing about this situation, because Michael¡¯s shark-smile is infinitely more unnerving.


    I gulp. ¡°Wh¡­ What do you mean?¡± I press the heels of my bare feet into the floor. Shit, why hadn¡¯t I thought to, at least, put on some shoes? Well, toote now. I¡¯m just gonna have to face this situation head-on. ¡°Well?¡± I scowl. ¡°Tell me, Michael, what does it mean that they¡¯ re noting back until next week?¡±


    ¡°It means,¡± he yawns, ¡°that this is our honeymoon, Beauty. You and me, husband and wife, darling.¡± He smirks, ¡°And this is when we consummate our wedding.¡±

 44

    Michael


    She blinks once, twice, I watch as the information sinks in, then color smears her cheeks. Her muscles tense and she draws in a breath, ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡±


    She pushes back the chair and jumps to her feet. But I, too, am ready. I spring up, race around the table as she darts for the kitchen door. I grab her arm, turn her around and into me. ¡°Let go of me, you oaf.¡±


    She struggles and I hold onto her, trying not to increase the pressure of my hands on her. I don¡¯t want to hurt her. And while I want to mark her, I want it to be intentional, not because I had done so by mistake. ¡°Stop it,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Oh, buzz off.¡± I sense her raise her knee and move aside. I grab her around the waist, throw her over my shoulder and she screams, ¡°Bloody hell, what do you think you are trying to do?¡±


    ¡°Only taking what¡¯s mine, by right.¡± I pivot, walk around the breakfast bar and to the dining table. I shove the breakfast dishes aside, then lower her onto it. She tries to rise and I fold my body over hers, m my hands on either side of her and bracket her in.


    ¡°I thought you wanted me to fuck you?¡±


    ¡°That was before.¡±


    ¡°Before what?¡±


    ¡°Before we were married.¡±


    I blink, ¡°So you were willing to shag me before we were married, and now that we legally can fuck, you don¡¯t want me?¡±


    She tips up her chin, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± I can¡¯t stop the smile that widens my lips. ¡°You want me to overwhelm you. Want me to hold you down, take choice away from you. You want me to take you by force, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    She blinks, then nces away.


    I freeze. ¡°Merda,¡± I re at her, ¡°that¡¯s what you want, isn¡¯t it? You want me to y with you before I bed you, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she sets her jaw, ¡°of course, not.¡±


    I take in her heightened breathing, her flushed features, the way she darts her gaze around the room then back at me. She may think that¡¯s not what she wants, but I know better. All the signs are there¡­


    Seems this woman is more of my soulmate than I had realized. Every filthy need of mine is reciprocated within her. She wants me to chase her, hunt her down, capture her all over again; she wants me to establish, once and for all, just who is in charge here. The little minx wants me to leave her in no doubt of my dominance. Clearly, the fuckedupedness inside of me has found its match in her. How can she be so¡­very perfect?


    I bare my teeth and she snarls back at me. Goosebumps pop on my skin. Fuck me, but she¡­is absolutely one-hundred percent in tune with me. She¡¯s mine to possess. Mine to own. Mine to im. Mine to establish just how very much she belongs to me. Only me.


    I push away from the table, only to reach for the tie of her bathrobe. I yank it open and she gasps. ¡°What the hell do you think you are doing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you are not going to enjoy, p mia.¡±


    ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Can¡¯t wait to get started, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Buzz off, you ass.¡±


    ¡°Gotta stuff that little mouth of yours, and this time it¡¯s not going to be with food.¡± I jerk my chin at her, ¡°Get up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°On your feet.¡±


    ¡°First, you throw me down here. Now, you tell me to get on my feet. Can¡¯t you fucking make up your mind or-¡±


    I hold out my hand and she squeaks. She stares at my proffered arm, then back up at me, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Helping you up.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hmm, okay.¡± She grabs my hand, uses the leverage to haul herself up to sitting position. She lets go, then slides off the table.


    ¡°Take off your bathrobe.¡±


    She scowls and I fold my arms across my chest, ¡°Don¡¯t defy me.¡±


    She huffs, then shoves the bathrobe off. ¡°Happy?¡± She props a hand on her hip, thrusts out her chest as I look her up and down.


    ¡°Not yet, Beauty.¡± I bend my knees, peer into her face. ¡°Run.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Run, Beauty. I¡¯ll even give you a head start.¡±


    ¡°What¡­what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± I smirk. ¡°Run now, Belleza. If I catch you¡­ When I catch you, I intend to have my way with you¡­.¡±


    ¡°And if I evade you.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So sure of yourself?¡±


    ¡°I am sure of¡­¡± I re into her eyes, ¡°the fact that you want to be caught.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I snap my teeth and she jumps. I point my thumb toward the door, ¡°Go, else I¡¯ll take this as your giving in without a fight.¡±


    She sets her jaw, ¡°No bloody way.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± A chuckle rolls up my throat and I swallow it down. ¡°Go.¡±


    She blinks.


    I reach for her and she squeals, then pivots and takes off for the door. I can¡¯t take my gaze off her pert, little butt as it twitches, as she bolts out the door. I amble over to the doorway, watch as she races down the corridor and up the steps. She flings the door open, bounds outside, and I follow.


    I reach the doorway, leap down the steps. I nce around, and spot her running toward the back of the house. I take off in hot pursuit. I am not wearing any shoes¡­and neither is she. Only difference, I am used to running barefoot. It¡¯s how I grew up on the streets of Palermo. Sure, my father was the Don, but my mother was happy to let us boys run wild. She believed it would toughen us up if we went barefoot outside. And so, we had, until my father had found out and put an end to the practice. But that early experience now stands me in good stead as I run around the perimeter of the property. Where is she? Where the hell could she have gone?


    Above me, the sun slides behind clouds. The temperature drops suddenly. It¡¯ste November, and while the weather is still pleasant, it¡¯s also more unpredictable. Sure enough a few drops of rain hit my arm as I pause, getting my bearings¡­ Which way could she have gone? I close my eyes, attune my hearing, trying to catch any sound that would give away her presence¡­ I tilt my head, wait¡­wait¡­ A slight thud¡­ The sound of bare feet on mud reaches me.


    I turn, head across the clearing at the back of the house and toward the treeline. Step onto the muddy edge of the forest that borders the house. The dirt and stones bite into the soles of my feet. I push aside the difort, head toward where the sound hade from. Past the first set of trees, deeper into the forest, down the path that leads into a small clearing. I pause at the edge, wait¡­wait¡­ A tiny sound¡­ Almost an inhtion of surprise¡­reaches me and I turn. Lunge in the direction of therge oak tree that stands at the edge of the clearing.


    Its branches spread out overhead, shielding me from the rain that is turning into a steady drizzle. I reach the massive tree trunk, throw myself around it, and she screams, then darts away from me. The pulse thuds at my temples and adrenalineces my blood. A growl rips out of me as I lunge toward her, bridge the distance between us as I tackle her around the waist.


    She screams as we both go down. I twist my body, make sure that shends on top of me. She wriggles, yells out, and I throw my arms around her. I roll over so she is on her back on the grass and under me. She tips her chin-up and stares up into my face. I take in her flushed features, her hair flowing about her face, so damn gorgeous. I lean in closer, wanting to sniff her, to lick her, to kiss those pouty pink lips of hers, then flinch when shends her fist in my shoulder.


    Pain shivers down my chest as the wound she¡¯d inflicted on me protests at the impact.


    She swipes out her fist again and this time I duck. ¡°Stop that,¡± I growl.


    ¡°No.¡± She brings up her knee and I lean some of the weight of my lower body onto her, effectively arresting her in ce. Which also means that my already swelling thickness lodges neatly in between her legs. She freezes; color smears her cheeks. Her chest rises and falls as she glowers back at me.


    She throws her fist and I block it. I grab her arm and wrench it over her head. Then do the same with the other. I shackle her wrists together. ¡°Gotcha.¡± I bare my teeth, ¡°I caught you fair and square, p mia.¡±¡±The hell I care?¡± She wriggles in my grasp, writhes under me as she tries to break free, and the friction of her soft core against the tent in my crotch sends shivers of anticipation up my spine. I nt my thigh, then the other between her legs, wrenching them apart. She strains in my grasp, scowls up at me.


    ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I bare my teeth and she makes a sound at the back of her throat. ¡°Tell me you want this,¡± I growl. ¡°Tell me you want my cock inside you; tell me you want me to fuck you; tell me you want your swollen hungry cunt mped around my shaft as I plow into you.¡±


    Her pupils dte until there¡¯s only a ring of green left around the ck.


    The scent of her arousal bleeds into the air, and hell, if my cock doesn¡¯t leap forward right then. I transfer the hold on her wrist to my left hand, then shove the waistband of my pants down with my other hand.


    ¡°No,¡± she snarls, ¡°no, no, no.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Beauty, yes.¡±


    I notch my swollen shaft against her entrance, then pause, ¡°Say you want this.¡± I tease her entrance with the head of my weeping cock and a moan bleeds out of her, even as she fixes me with a scowl.


    ¡°Say it,¡± I insist. ¡°Say you want me to own you, to punish you for trying to kill me, to fuck you so hard that my cum seeps out from your pores.¡±


    She sets her jaw, then scissors her legs around me. She thrusts her pelvis up so I slip inside her.

 45

    Karma


    What are you doing? What the hell are you doing? Why are you taking him into your body? Why are you allowing him to do exactly what he¡¯s been threatening to do? Why do you have your legs wrapped around him as you hold his gaze, as you take in his gorgeous features, that thick corded neck, those broad shoulders that shield you from the rain that patters down from above?


    He holds my gaze for a beat, then clucks his tongue. He pulls out of me and I scowl, ¡°What the hell? Thought you wanted to consummate our marriage?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t top from the bottom, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°What the hell do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean.¡± He lowers his head until his eyshes sweep over mine, ¡°Say you want this, tell me you want me to fuck you.¡±


    ¡°I want you to¡­¡± I swallow, ¡°to nail me,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He tilts his head, ¡°Don¡¯t think I heard you.¡±


    ¡°I want you to¡­to take me, you asshole.¡±


    ¡°Say it like you mean it.¡± He smirks. ¡°Say you want me to fuck you.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I yell, ¡°I want you to shag me, you bleeding idiot. I want you to fuck me, you-¡±


    He propels his hips forward and impales me in one smooth move. I gasp and my breath catches in my chest. He¡¯s so damn big, so huge; I am so full. Oh, my god. I swallow, open my mouth, but no soundes out.


    ¡°Lost your ability to speak, hmm?¡± His smirk widens as he pulls out of me. He slides his free hand under my knee, heaves it up, so it¡¯s next to my chest, opening me up, then he thrusts forward with such force that my entire body jerks.


    A moan bleeds from my lips. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. This is¡­insane. It feels so bloody good, so right¡­ I can¡¯t understand how every part of me feels ready and aching and wants more, so much. I make a sound deep in my throat and he nods.


    ¡°I know what you want, Beauty.¡±


    You do?


    He holds my gaze as he begins to fuck me in earnest. In and out, in and out. I dig my heels into his back just above his tight butt as he plunges into me over and over again. Every time he rams into me, my body jolts. My breath shudders. Pinpricks of pleasure scream up my spine. The climax crashes over me and I scream, as he continues to fuck me through the aftermath that ripples through me in waves. He stares into my eyes, then releases my hand only to cup my cheek, ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re beautiful when youe, you know that?¡±


    I stare up into those cold, remorseless eyes of his. I watch myself watch him as he rams into me again and again. His features grow intense, his muscles coil and uncoil as he seems to put all of himself behind the movement. He releases my wrists, only to slide his thumb in between my lips and I suck on it. His gaze narrows as he pulls out, then propels his hips forward and buries himself to the hilt again. He hits that spot deep inside me, and to my shock, I find that shivers start at my feet again.


    ¡°No,¡± I moan, ¡°it¡¯s too soon. I can¡¯te again.¡±


    ¡°You can.¡± He pounds me again, this time, with such force that his balls p against my inner thighs. He pulls out, then tilts his hips, and nails me again, and I swear, I feel him in my throat.


    ¡°No,¡± I whine, ¡°no, no, no.¡±


    ¡°We gotta work on your vocabry, p mia.¡± He impales me again and again as the rain increases in intensity. The raindrops sting my legs as I lock my ankles around him, as he res into my eyes, ¡°Come,¡± hemands. ¡°Come all over my cock, wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± I throw my arms around his neck and scream as the orgasm sweeps up my spine to burst behind my eyes. I¡¯m dimly aware of him picking up speed and ramming me over and over and over again. Then, his big body shudders and his dick swells inside me. I feel his butt tense as hees deep inside me. He slumps down, and I sense him holding his weight off of me and on his arms as the aftershocks ripple over me. I open my eyes and flinch when I am faced with his intense gaze.


    ¡°What?¡± I murmur. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    I nod, dimly aware that I still have my arms and legs locked around him. He slides his hand under my neck, the other under my waist. The next second, the world tilts as he flips our positions. He ces me on his chest, then wraps those big arms around me.


    ¡°I need to get you out of the rain,¡± he murmurs as he contemtes the rain that¡¯s pouring down on us. We are shielded somewhat by the branches of the tree overhead. Still, we are bothpletely drenched. And dirty and filthy.


    Somehow, it feels right that he chased me down and took me in the open, exposed to the elements like we were animals. He¡¯s the most untamed man I have ever met. A beast who wears a tailor-made suit that only enhances that savage part of him that had attracted me from the moment I¡¯d met him.


    I raise my hand to his neck, trace the scar there. ¡°How did you get this?¡± I murmur, ¡°It seems painful.¡±


    He wraps his fingers around mine, guides my hand back to his chest. His fingers graze the ring and he freezes. Then he traces the diamond in a slow circle.


    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± he finally says, then pushes himself, and me, up to sitting position.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I huff, ¡°if you don¡¯t want to tell me about the scar, I¡¯ll understand.¡± I toss my hair over my shoulder, ¡°You only have to say so. No need to brush off my question, you know.¡±


    He nces down at me, then sets me to the side before tucking himself inside his sweatpants. He rises to his feet, then holds out his hand, ¡°Come,¡± he murmurs, ¡°let¡¯s get out of the rain.¡±


    Fifteen minutester, I scoop up some of the hot water, then pour it over myself as I lean back into his broad chest. He¡¯d carried me up and back into the house, pausing only to rinse the mud off both of us in the outdoor shower attached to the house, before he¡¯d carried me into his bedroom. He¡¯d filled up the bathtub in the ensuite, throwing in salts that had fizzed and bubbled before the space had filled with the scent of roses andvender. When I hadmented that it was a terribly feminine scent, he¡¯d admitted that he¡¯d bought the salts for me. Huh, okay. I hadn¡¯t expected to hear that.


    I¡¯d decided to keep the rest of my questions to myself for a little longer. Not that I don¡¯t want to find out more. It¡¯s just, after being freshly fucked, I want to revel in the pleasant buzz that grips my limbs, and the silence that seems to have taken the ce of the thoughts that normally buzz around in my head. Apparently, the Capo shagged all thoughts out of my head. I snort, then swallow down the rest of theugh that bubbles up. Either I am getting lightheaded, or a little hysterical, or both¡­


    He reaches for the shampoo, pours some of it out, then begins to work it into my hair. Theplex scent of moonflowers fills the space. ¡°I love this scent.¡± I murmur, and I sense him smile above me.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It really is annoying how you always seem to have all of the answers.¡±

 46

    ¡°I don¡¯t, actually,¡± he retorts. ¡°For a long time, I had no idea what I was going to do with my life.¡±


    I turn my head and he increases the pressure on my hair so I have to nce forward again.


    ¡°Thought you were born into the Mafia, so you didn¡¯t have a choice but to join the family business?¡±


    ¡°You always have a choice, in everything you do, Beauty.¡± He urges me to tilt my head back as he digs his fingertips into my scalp in slow circles.


    A warmth envelops me and the muscles of my neck rx. ¡°Hmm,¡± I sigh, ¡°you sure are good with your fingers, Mr. Capo.¡±


    A chuckle rumbles up his chest and the vibrations sink into my blood. The warmth of his body,bined with the heat from the hot water, envelops me fully. I close my eyes and give in to his attention as he begins to wash the suds out of my hair with the hand shower. Then he positions my head against his shoulder, and I sink into him further. He holds the hand shower over my breasts, then moves it down my belly. He dips the hand shower under water and holds it right over the entrance to my pussy.


    ¡°Ooh,¡± I murmur, ¡°that¡¯s¡­ah¡­nice.¡±


    ¡°Nice, hmm?¡± His breath teases my temple a second before he runs his tongue around the shell of my ear. He bites down on my earlobe at the same time that he pushes the shower head right up against the entrance of my channel.


    The pressure of the water is muted, yet it stimtes my clit. I wriggle around and he brings his big hand down onto my hip and holds me in ce.


    ¡°Rx, Beauty,¡± he murmurs, ¡°I know what you need.¡±


    Do you? Do you know how much I love having your hands on me? How much I want you to debase me? How much I need you to degrade me? How I want you to humiliate me, to make me submit, to reach out to the darkness inside of me and bring it to the light so I can see myself through your eyes? Feel my desires as they ripple up your skin, sense how I break you apart, as you shatter me and put me back together in a design that mocks the girl I used to be.


    Do you, my Capo, understand what it means that I met you this way? Even though the timing of our encounter is all wrong, even though the nature of our tryst is suspect¡­ Even though you im that I am your wife¡­though we both know this marriage is a sham. One that is a means of helping you get what you desire, that allows you to fulfill all of your ambitions¡­ And me¡­ what about me? What about what I want, what I need, what I want to do to you as you pleasure me?


    I grip his wrist, applying enough pressure that he pauses. I turn my head, nce at him from the corner of my eye. I urge his hand back and he frowns. I turn around so I am kneeling between his legs, facing him, in the bathtub.


    Then I bring his hand back between my legs and position the shower head back at the entrance of my channel. He arches his eyebrow at me and I raise a shoulder, ¡°I can see you this way.¡±


    He moves the shower head closer to my clit and a shiver runs up my back. I reach down to grasp his erect cock, as he reaches behind him and increases the pressure of the water. The stream gushes up and against my already sensitive clit and I gasp. I tense my fingers around his cock, and damn it, my fingers don¡¯t meet around his girth. I mean, I¡¯d felt him inside of me¡­ as he¡¯d stretched me, and filled me, as he¡¯d pushed his way down my throat¡­ but I hadn¡¯t realized just how big he is, in rtion to my hand. I swipe my fingers down to the base of his shaft, and he grits his teeth.


    A nerve throbs at his temple, as he grips my hip with his other hand, bracketing me in. I part my legs, allowing him to bring the spray even closer. The spray massages my pussy and I can¡¯t stop the moan that bleeds from my lips. I hold his gaze as I swipe my fingers up the length of his cock. I drag my thumb across his swollen head and he bares his teeth. I squeeze down his length again and his chest rises and falls. ¡°You¡¯re killing me,¡± he growls as he reaches behind to turn off the water before letting the shower head sink to the bottom of the tub. He wraps his fingers about the nape of my neck, and the tips almost meet around the front of my throat. I swallow and I can feel him feel the action.


    The skin around his eyes tightens. ¡°Take me in your mouth,¡± he orders.


    I nce down, then back at his face. I take a breath, then lower my head to the water. The depth is just enough to cover my mouth, as I close my lips around his cock. A groan rumbles up his massive chest, as he increases the pressure on my throat. ¡°Take me down your throat, I want to feel you swallow.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, and OMG, that dominance in his voice chafes across my nerve-endings. All of my pores seem to pop. My core clenches and moisture pools between my legs as I open my mouth wider, then drop my chin as I take him down my throat. And promptly gag. He holds me in ce as my eyes water.


    ¡°Take it all in, Beauty,¡± he growls, his voice hard, his gaze burning into me, a challenge in them, maybe? And fuck it, but I want to show him that I am not some stupid, virginal woman who can¡¯t keep up with him. So, I draw in another breath through my nose, hold it, then rx my throat as he pushes me down and I take him in as deep as I can. The water flows over my nose and I don¡¯t dare breathe as I lick my tongue up his swollen length.


    He presses his thumb into the front of my throat and groans, ¡°Fuck me, but you have no idea how hot that is, Beauty. To feel my cock as it slides down your throat.¡± His breath catches, ¡°It¡¯s so damn erotic.¡± His tone deepens, ¡°You¡¯re a fucking queen¡­ My goddess.¡±


    Umm, okay, is that the blow job speaking, or does he really mean it?


    I draw back, so my nose is above water, draw in a breath, then plunge down again. This time his cock slides down my throat easily as I lick down his length, then up again as I pull back. I wrap my lips around the head of his cock, give it a slurp, then again.


    ¡°Dio cane!¡± he growls as his fingers tighten around my nape. He urges me to lower my head, as I open my mouth as wide as possible. He applies enough pressure that I take him down my throat, then he pulls me back, allowing me to take a breath, before he once more pushes me down. His dick slides down my throat, and again. The next time he pulls me back, I take in a breath, and he pauses. ¡°You good?¡± He tilts his head, ¡°If you want me stop, Beauty, you only have to tap my thigh, and I¡¯ll release you.¡±


    I stare up at him, and he curls his lips. Bastard. No doubt, he expects me to tap out. He probably wants me to admit that he¡¯s too much for me. That I can¡¯t take his rough handling of me. That I am not able to keep pace with him. That I am too weak to bear his proclivities¡­and¡­ I know, I know¡­ It¡¯s stupid that I have to turn this into some kind ofpetition. I mean, ultimately this is about him manipting my body to suit his needs. Not that I am not getting any pleasure out of it, but surely, he could be more¡­ gentle on me¡­


    Except, I don¡¯t want him to be gentle. I want him to take me as he would anymon whore. I want him to use me as his personal fucktoy¡­ Yeah¡­ I know, I need therapy, surely. Who would want a man to debase her, demean her, use her mouth for his pleasure, use her cunt to bring him satisfaction, use her every hole as it would best suit him? Me¡­ That¡¯s who. And no, I am not going to apologize for this anymore.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I have always known my tastes are warped, my preferences extreme, my needs different from what most women want. No pink roses, or candles or soft beds¡­ Okay, maybe the third one is okay¡­ But only so they bring out the contrast to the unyielding body that pushes me into said bed and masters me. So yeah¡­ This is me¡­unapologetic, uncaring, not in denial for what I want. Not when I¡¯ve met a man whose tastes, surely, run as much to the extreme as my own.


    I wrap my fingers around the base of his dick and squeeze hard.


    His breath catches. Color smears his cheeks. I bring my other palm down to cup his balls. I massage them and his chest rises and falls. His shoulders flex. He seems to grow bigger, darker, more dangerous, if that were possible. A cloud of heat spools off of him, and ms into my chest. I gasp and sweat beads my brow.


    He bares his teeth, then pushes me down, watching as his cock disappears in my mouth. He pulls me back, then presses me down, again and again. His movements speed up. His gaze intensifies. I don¡¯t take my gaze off of him. I keep the connection alive as he fucks my mouth, as tears run down my cheeks, joining the rest of the bath water. Heat flushes my skin and my pulse rate speeds up. I am turned on by how he is using me, and fuck, if I¡¯ll do anything to stop myself from relishing how he uses me. How his body reacts to what he¡¯s doing to me.


    His chest nes flex, his belly clenches. The skin around his mouth tightens as he squeezes my hip with enough pressure that I know I¡¯ll bear the imprint of his fingers for days. Hell, if he hasn¡¯t marked me already, in ways that may not be visible, but which I will carry inside of me. On my dark soul, which speaks to his. In my mind, which is racing to keep one step ahead of him. In my heart, which is already his¡­ Fuck¡­ No, no, no. No way¡­ I can¡¯t allow myself to fall for this beast.


    His nostrils re, he grits his teeth, and I know then, he¡¯sing. A groan rumbles from him as he pulls me back, then urges me down to take his cock all the way down my throat onest time. His entire body tenses, then he throws his head back and growls as he shoots his load down my throat.

 47

    Michael


    ck spots flicker at the edges of my vision. Ie with an intensity I have never experienced in all of my thirty-nine years. The orgasm seems to go on and on, then fades away as suddenly. My shoulders rx and I stare down at the witch who did this to me. The waterps over her mouth as she meets my gaze from under half-closed eyelids. I pull her up and off of my cock, watch as she licks her lips. There¡¯s no evidence of cum around her mouth, and it¡¯s not because the water wiped it clean. I had blown my load down her throat. She had taken me so deep inside that there was no chance of cum spilling from her lips.


    I haul her toward me, then close my mouth over hers. The salty taste of my cum, the sweetness of her pte, that sexy feminine scent of her, tinged with moonflowers¡­ All of it overpowers my senses. I pull her into my chest, wrap my arms around her as I ravish her mouth. As I suck on her tongue and drink from her. As I lose myself in her. Fucking only her. I tear my mouth from her, gaze into those green eyes. Pupils blown, color high on her cheeks, her lips are swollen from my attention. I nce down at her creamy breasts, cup one, then bend down and kiss the nipple. She shivers as I simrly anoint the other pebbled tip, then press small kisses back up her throat, to her mouth.


    ¡°Michael,¡± she whispers as I brush her lips with mine. I lick her mouth, then rub my nose against hers, before kissing her one eyelid shut, then the other.


    ¡°Michael.¡± She wriggles in my hold, and I pause.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I murmur as I press more kisses to her forehead, to her temples, lick the shell of her ears before sucking on the lobes of her ears.


    ¡°Michael,¡± she pouts, and this time I lean back.


    ¡°What?¡±


    She opens her eyes and scowls up at me, ¡°I need toe.¡±


    I blink, then burst outughing. ¡°You need toe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡± She ps my shoulder, ¡°You just had the most intense orgasm ever-¡®


    ¡°It was okay,¡± I lie.


    ¡°Bullshit.¡± She presses her forefinger into my chest, ¡°You came like you were thest man on earth and this was your veryst orgasm, ever, and you hadn¡¯t had sex in months before this.¡±


    ¡°Days,¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°but who¡¯s counting.¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re a real piece of work, you know that?¡± she snarls, tries to pull away and I tighten my grip about her.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t try to hide the kind of man I am. It¡¯s what you like about me, after all.¡±


    ¡°Not.¡± She leans back, trying to put space between us, as if I am going to let her.


    ¡°Liar,¡± I murmur. ¡°And you were right.¡±


    ¡°I was?¡±


    I nod. ¡°That¡­¡± I rub my nose with hers, ¡°was the best orgasm I have ever had.¡±


    Her eyes open wide before she schools her features, then sniffs, ¡°You don¡¯t have to sound so surprised. When I set my mind to something, I don¡¯t back down; and I told myself that I was going to suck your soul through your dick.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    She tips up her chin, ¡°Are you denying that it was an out-of-body experience for you?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­¡± I scan her features, ¡°more than that. It was like dying a little, and much as I am not a fan of the French, petite mort-the little death, is the best way to summarize how it felt.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± She blinks, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°It was more than good¡­ It was ezionale, Beauty.¡± I smirk, ¡°And now it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    I rise to my feet and lift her up with me. I step out of the bath tub, grab a towel and hold my hand out for her. She steps down from the tub, and I pat her shoulders, her breasts, her waist, her hips, the dip between her legs, her ankles, her pretty feet. By the time I straighten, she¡¯s staring at me with parted lips. I use the same towel to squeeze the excess water from her hair, then rub myself dry and toss it aside. I bend my knees and lift her up, and throw her over my shoulder.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she protests, ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Making sure my wife gets the orgasms due to her.¡±


    She huffs against my back, ¡°Wish you wouldn¡¯t call me that¡­ It feels¡­too intimate.¡±


    I chuckle, ¡°We are in my bedroom, after I came down your throat in my bath tub, and now I am about to put you down on my bed, and make youe all over my tongue, so this, tesoro, is intimate.¡±


    I p her bottom and she protests.


    I lower her onto the bed, and she sprawls on her back, her long, red hair still dripping and flowing around her shoulders.


    She shoves the strands away from her face, then tips her chin up. She pushes up to her elbows, thrusts her chin out, then bends her knees and slides them apart. I rake my gaze down her flushed face, over her heaving breasts to the juicy flesh between her legs.


    Fuck me, but she¡¯s a temptress, a gorgeous siren, an enchantresse to tempt me from my path.


    And apparently, I am more than willing to let her distract me¡­ For now. I walk around the bed, then stretch out next to her with my head on the pillow.


    She turns over, braces herself on her elbows. ¡°I thought you owed me an orgasm?¡± She pouts.


    ¡°And you¡¯ll get it.¡± I tap my chest, ¡°Come ¡®ere.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She frowns, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ride my face, Beauty.¡±


    She blinks, then crawls over to me. Throwing a leg over my chest, she positions herself over my face. I stare up and into her most intimate ce, the pink lips flushed and swollen, and glistening with evidence of her arousal. The opening of her channel that would be warm and wet and weing, and so damn tight that I could lose myself there for days. The sweet, sugary scent of her arousal, and beneath that, the light trace of moonflowers. Always fucking moonflowers. I am going to have to nt a garden full of them, then roll about in them, so I can always carry her next to my skin.


    Fuck, she¡¯s truly getting under my skin. I really do need to fuck her out of my system so I can get on with my life.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°This is bullshit,¡± she mutters from above me. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that; it¡¯s so embarrassing.¡± She tries to moves away and I grasp her hip. ¡°Shh,¡± I nce up at her, ¡°I am studying they of thend.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She scowls, ¡°I am not some stupid, rival gang that you need to plot against and figure out how to overpower.¡±


    ¡°But you are as deadly, Beauty,¡± I ce my other palm on her hip, and hell, she is so tiny that I could easily span her waist with one palm. She seems fragile, but packs a punch. She looks like a gust of wind would blow her over, but she has a spine of steel. This woman has so much gumption, such strength, such resilience¡­ And if I let her, she could wield so much power over me.


    Nope, not happening. Never going to allow someone else to hold sway over me. I am going to fuck her, then use her to get to the Seven¡­ And once I have the alliance locked down formally with them¡­ Well¡­then I¡¯ll decide what to do with her.


    I pull her close enough for my nose to nudge against her center. I draw in a lungful of Beauty and my cock instantly thickens.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± She moans, ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    I sweep my tongue up her slit and she shudders. I slurp at her pussy lips and she shivers. I curl my tongue around the swollen bud of her clit. Her entire body trembles. She tries to close her thighs; I lean in, so the width of my shoulders is in between them. I plunge my tongue inside her sopping wet channel and she squeaks. Her pussy clenches down as she digs her fingers into my hair and tugs on it. My scalp tingles. Pinpricks of heat race down my spine, and my groin hardens. I push my face closer to her core, then begin to fuck her with my tongue. In and out of her, in and out. I lick the cum that dribbles from her channel and a whine bleeds from her lips, ¡°Oh, my god, Mika.¡± She warbles, ¡°Oh, my fucking god.¡±


    A chuckle rumbles up my throat. I continue to thrust my tongue in and out of her as she yanks at the hair on my scalp, and holds on.


    ¡°Oh, Mika. Mika. Mika,¡± she chants as she thrusts her hips forward, trying to encourage me to bury my tongue deeper inside of her. I curve my tongue inside her channel and she huffs. I hold her upright with one hand as I slip my fingers around and in between her ass cheeks, to y with her back entrance. She stiffens and I lick up and into her, again and again. Her entire body trembles. Her thighs clench. I pull my tongue out of her channel, then slide my thumb inside her backhole, even as I bite down on her pussy, and she screams as shees. Moisture drips out of her, down her inner thighs, and Ip it up.


    I lick up her slit, between her pussy lips as she slumps over me. I lower her to the bed, push her onto her front, then arrange her on her hands and knees. I press my palm into her upper back and she pushes her cheek into the pillow. She thrusts out her hips, and fuck me, but her heart-shaped derriere sends the blood racing to my shaft. I grab my cock, position it between her pussy lips. Then grab her hips, and in one smooth thrust, I impale myself to the hilt. Her entire body jolts and a moan bleeds from her lips as her pussy mps down on my cock.


    All of my sense focus in on her and I begin to fuck her. I m into her with such force that the headboard ms into the wall. My balls p against her clit as I set a punishing pace. Sweat beads my shoulders, as I pump into her wet, soft, tight channel. She grabs hold of the headboard, holds on as I plunge into her, over and over again. The pulse beats at my temples, my heartbeat ratchets up, and my muscles tense as the pressure at the base of my spine builds up on itself, and bes bigger and bigger, until it seems to consume my entire body.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl, ¡°f-u-c-k, Beauty.¡± I grip her hips, as she pushes up. She widens her stance, reaches down and between our legs to grip my balls. She squeezes and heat sears my spine. All of my pores pop, and with a growl, I pull out of her, then ram into her once more, so she has no choice but to release me. This time she grips the headboard with both of her hands. ¡°Come with me, Beauty. Come the fuck with me, right now.¡±


    I thrust into her and she throws her head back and screams. Her entire body shudders as the orgasm grips her. Moisture floods her channel and I continue to thrust into her over and over again as she copses. Only then, do I allow myself toe.

 48

    Karma


    When I wake up next, I am alone. I nce around therge bed, at the crumpled sheets, at the darkness gathering outside. Shit, did I sleep the day away? Thest I remember, he¡¯d carried me to the bed, and proceeded to shag me¡­ I mean he hadn¡¯t been kidding when he¡¯d said that he¡¯d pump me with so much cum that it¡¯d overflow from my pores. I bring my hand to my nose and sniff. That dark, edgy scent of his,ced with the lighter notes of moonflowers, fills my senses. I smell like abination of me and him. Abination of me and him.


    I sit up so suddenly that the blood drains from my head. Shit. I lean back against the headboard, until the world stops spinning. Abination of me and him.


    Fuck, fuck, fuck. I allowed him to shag me without protection. What had I been thinking? Or rather, I had not been thinking at all. I had been swept away on a sex cloud; lust had addled my brain and turned my thoughts into mush. And he¡­ He hadn¡¯t said a word. Fuck, fuck, fuck.


    I throw the covers back and begin to pace. The is what he wants¡­for me to fall pregnant. To fuck me nonstop until I am carrying his child¡­ And then, I¡¯ll have no choice, but to obey him.


    As if he doesn¡¯t have me under his thumb enough, as if he doesn¡¯t control me enough, as if he doesn¡¯t already own me, body and soul¡­ And to think, I had thought that I was falling for him. Jeez, give a slut some big dick energy and she instantly thinks she¡¯s in love.


    Jesus Christ, I am pathetic. No doubt about it¡­ And it¡¯s not about the fact that I wanted him to fuck my brains out, which I now suspect he actually did, or that I wanted him to do every filthy possible thing that a man could do to a woman, and things I haven¡¯t even read about yet. No, it¡¯s the fear that I had been so careless. I had gotten so carried away by everything that had happened, so taken in by his personality, soplete consumed by his charisma, so absolutely owned by his dominance-


    And there it is-he had sessfully made me submit without my even realizing it. I had not only given him my virginity, but I had also sacrificed my free will at the altar of his arrogance. I had simply rolled over and allowed myself to be taken in by his¡­cock, his sexual proficiency, his¡­hisrger-than-life presence. I had thrown caution to the winds¡­ Hell, I hadn¡¯t even thought about the fact that I could fall pregnant.


    As someone who grew up in the foster system, I am well aware of the risks of having a child when you are unable to care for it. And while Summer and I had been lucky in that we had had decent foster parents, still, we had learned very early on to protect ourselves. And I had forgotten all about it. A few days in his presence and I am losing myself, losing my independence and my pride. He¡¯s bringing the woman I am deep inside to the surface¡­ And I don¡¯t want to deny who I am. I don¡¯t want shame to prevent me from being myself. ¡­ But, here I am, facing the very real possibility that I might have conceived a child by my captor already, and that is not a part of my life n right now.


    Oh! Hell. I grip my hair and tug on it. Think, Karma, think. You have to do something about this. But what? I nce around the bedroom¡­his bedroom¡­ Shit, I am standing here naked, and he could walk in at any moment. I¡¯ll take one look at his delicious body and all other thoughts will leave me. I¡¯ll probably throw myself at his feet and ask him to shag me again.


    And would that be so bad? To let him have me, to assuage this hunger deep inside of me. So what, if I fall pregnant? It would mean that he¡¯d have to keep me, he¡¯d have to protect me, he couldn¡¯t harm me then, right? And this¡­this is exactly what he wants. For me to give up my will, and my ability to make decisions, my prerogative to choose¡­ He wants me toy it all at his feet so he can dominate me absolutely. And that¡­that I cannot bear.


    I want children¡­eventually. And if I am pregnant, I will keep this kid too¡­ Only, no way, am I going to let his presence taint his or her life.


    Either way, I need to get the hell out of here. Surely, there has to be a way off the ind? A boat somewhere¡­? No way, would his staff and his brothers and the rest of his team leave him without, at least, some way to get off this ce. If there is a way off, then I am going to find it.


    I pivot, run out of his room, down the corridor into what had been my bedroom. I race across the floor to the closet. Pull out underwear, scrounge around until I find a pair of pink jeans and a white sweater. I pull on the clothes, along with a pair of beige-colored ballet pumps. Ugh! Hate the colors, but they¡¯ll have to do. At least, they arefortable and I can run in these ballet pumps. Too bad the asshole had taken the clothes I¡¯d been wearing when he¡¯d kidnapped me. Guess he¡¯d only wanted me to wear the clothes he bought for me.


    My stomach flip-flops. Oh, hell no, I do not like that gesture of ownership; I do not. Totally, not.


    I nce around the room. Anything else I can take from here? Anything to protect myself? Anything I can defend myself with? His knife. Of course.


    I retrace my steps down the corridor, back into his room. As soon as I enter, the scent of sex hits me. My belly quivers. I only have to scent his smell and my entire body seems to go into overdrive. To hell with that. Don¡¯t look at the bed. Pretend he didn¡¯t just shag you on those sheets.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I scan the room, spot his knife on the side table. No way. Did he actually leave it behind? He must have been more distracted than usual to do that. Or¡­he¡¯s not far off. Shit, maybe he went to get some food to eat or something? I run over to the side-table, grab the sheathed knife and tuck it into my waistband at the small of my back. Then I race out of the room, to the staircase, down the steps.


    I hit the ground floor and hear the sound of his voice from the kitchen. Guess he¡¯s speaking to someone. The sound of pots and pans being thunked around reaches me.


    Is he cooking again? For me? For us? I pause. I could just walk over to him, hug him and join him for ate lunch¡­ Or an early dinner¡­ Or-I shake my head. Fuck no, this is exactly why I need to leave. All of these thoughts of domesticity and cozy meals and hot, steamy fucking between the sheets¡­ OMG! Stop it, right now.


    I walk away from the kitchen, across the big main living room, to the front door. I yank it open, slip through, then close it softly behind me. I race down the steps, down the driveway, toward the main jetty, then stop. I can¡¯t see any boats there. There has to be another jetty, another boathouse. Another way to get off this ind.


    I retrace my steps, then run around the perimeter of the house. When I reach the kitchen windows, I duck low, straightening only when I reach the end of the house. I break into a sprint, taking the path that runs through the forest, past the clearing where he had tackled me not too long ago.


    The rain has eased off, and while the ground is slushy, it doesn¡¯t pose a problem. I run through the trees, emerge on the other side, and spot a boathouse. Yes! I take the steps that lead down to the structure. When I reach the shed, I push the door and it opens. Huh. Okay, I wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    I step inside the gloom, take in the boat tethered on the water between the two ramps on either side of it. The far side of the boathouse is open, and beyond it, I can see the inlet of water that leads out to the open sea. Shit, how the hell am I going to navigate that? I don¡¯t know how to navigate a boat, but I know how to drive. I mean, it can¡¯t be that different, right?


    I step in, close the door behind me, when a hand mps down on my mouth.


    No, no, no. I begin to struggle, and someone hisses in my ear, ¡°Stop it, I am trying to help you.¡±


    It¡¯s not his voice. Michael¡¯s voice is darker, more¡­ gravelly, deep enough to send a shiver down my back. This man, whoever it is, also has a strong voice. It¡¯s just not intense enough to be Michael¡¯s.


    ¡°I know you are trying to get away from him, and I can help you.¡±


    I freeze.


    ¡°I am going to take my hand away from your mouth now,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t scream?¡±


    I hesitate and he whispers with more urgency, ¡°Nod your head if you agree.¡±


    Iply, and he removes his hand.


    I draw in a breath, turn and blink up at him. His features are familiar-that height, the width of his shoulders. He¡¯s taller than Michael and more leanly built. Where Michael is all raw power and tant dominance, this man wears his sophistication like a veneer. His muscles coil and his gaze sweeps over my features¡­


    No, underneath the mask he wears to the world, he is all ruthlessness and authority. Shit, this man is as dangerous. Maybe more so, because he conceals his savagery with refined elegance.


    ¡°I¡­ I saw you at the wedding.¡± I murmur. ¡°You¡¯re Michael¡¯s brother?¡±


    ¡°Younger to him by only a year.¡± His jaw hardens. ¡°Funny how fate determines exactly where yound in life, isn¡¯t it? Take birth at the wrong time within a powerful family, and you¡¯ll find yourself always in sight of the seat of power but never close enough to grab it.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I nod. This man is bitter, maybe aggrieved about the fact that he isn¡¯t the eldest in the family. He wants revenge for that? Perhaps he¡¯s even upset for something that Michael did to him? No wonder he saw his opportunity and moved in now. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to be a pawn in whatever twisted games you and Michael are ying.¡±


    ¡°And what about the games he is ying with you?¡± He tilts his head, ¡°What about the fact that he kidnapped you, then married you to pay your father¡¯s debt, then threw you into a cell.¡±


    I stiffen. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°That we can help each other.¡±


    I frown, and he chuckles. ¡°Not like that.¡± He steps back, putting space between us. ¡°Not that you are not attractive, but you are married. The two of you exchanged vows in front of a priest, so you are morally his. Also, Michael has filed the marriage papers signed by both of you with the local municipality. So legally, as well, you belong to him.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I scowl, ¡°I didn¡¯t sign anything.¡±


    He stares at me and I throw up my hands, ¡°Jesus, he forged my signature, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Do you me him?¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°Even I can see that you¡¯d have never agreed to sign it of your own free will, and seems, he wanted you for his wife, at any cost.¡±


    ¡°Which is why you want to help me get away from him,¡± I firm my lips, ¡°because you know it will hurt his ego more than anything to lose his most prized possession.¡±


    His gaze widens and he takes in my features with something akin to¡­ respect? Maybe wariness, even. ¡°I can see why he is so taken by you.¡± His lips curl. ¡°Perhaps you are more intelligent than you look.¡±


    I scowl. ¡°Perhaps we need to get out of here, before hees?¡±


    I tip up my chin and he chuckles.


    ¡°He really has no idea what he¡¯s in for, does he?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I think he must be getting an idea about now.¡± I brush past him, step onto one of the ramps, when I hear the sound of Michael calling my name.


    ¡°Che cazzo,¡± Luca growls. ¡°He¡¯ll find us. Come.¡± He brushes past me, up the ramp, and begins to undo the tether to the boat. I walk toward him, then mber onto the boat. He finishes untying the craft, then jumps onto the vessel, which rocks from side to side. I grasp the edge of the boat, hold on as he brushes past me. He reaches the driver¡¯s seat, then presses his finger to the ignition button. The engine fires up, then stops.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls as he presses down on the ignition again. The engine coughs, roars to life, then dies away again.


    ¡°Oh, god,¡± I squeeze my fingers together, e on,e on, please, start.¡±


    He pauses and I shot him a nce, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you trying to start it again?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t flood the engine,¡± he exins. ¡°Just need to give it a few seconds.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time we don¡¯t have.¡± I hiss, nce around the boat as the door behind us is flung open. I don¡¯t need to nce around to know he¡¯s entered the space. Anger thrums off of him, crashes into my back as I gasp. The hair on the back of my neck rises.


    ¡°Beauty,¡± his familiar growl rumbles through the space, ¡°what the hell are you doing?¡±

 49

    Karma


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I turn toward him. ¡°I am leaving you.¡±


    ¡°Not having much sess, are you?¡± He prowls over to me, pauses on the ramp near the motorboat which has begun to drift away from the ramp. ¡°Come back to me,¡± he orders. ¡°Now.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head, ¡°No, I will not.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± He res at Luca. ¡°I trusted you,¡± his jaw hardens, ¡°my brother, my second inmand¡­ The man I believed in all these years.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me while I y the violin for your woes.¡± Lucaughs.


    ¡°Who got to you, Luca?¡± Michael tilts his head, ¡°This is not you. This bitter, cynical man, who is betraying me¡­ This is not the brother I know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know me very well then, do you?¡± Luca¡¯s lips turn down in a sad smile, ¡°You only ever saw what you wanted; you always believed that you knew what was best for all of us.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Michael frowns, ¡°My entire life, to date, has been devoted to protecting all of you.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°If only that were true,¡± Luca says in a low voice, ¡°and you use Nonna of turning a blind eye when he beat up mother.¡±


    Michael stiffens, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He leans forward on the balls of his feet, ¡°What did he do to you, Luca? Tell me what happened.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, fratellone,¡± Luca¡¯s lips twist. ¡°You just worry about how you¡¯re going to exin how you let your wife run away from you.¡±


    Michael¡¯s shoulders stiffen. The skin around his eyes tightens. He res at Luca a second longer, seems about to say something, then changes his mind.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± He widens his stance, ¡°Turn back, and I¡¯ll forget any of this happened.¡±


    ¡°I think not.¡± Luca¡¯s lips curve, ¡°Not when I am enjoying the sight of the powerful Capo, reduced to begging his woman to stay. If you¡¯re not able to keep her, how are you going to take charge as the Don? Clearly, you are not fit to seed him.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what this is about? Power?¡± Michael folds his fingers into fists at his side.


    ¡°When is it not about power?¡± Luca chuckles, then nces toward me. ¡°Oh, I forgot, you think yourself in love, don¡¯t you? You think she is the woman who came to redeem you? Too bad, she doesn¡¯t feel the same way.¡±


    I stiffen, wanting to tell him to shut the hell up, but I don¡¯t. He¡¯s wrong, though. Michael isn¡¯t in love with me. All he wants is to possess me, own me, use me, then discard me. But I¡¯m not going to correct him. Not when he¡¯s doing a damn good job of keeping Michael upied while we wait to re-start the goddamn engine again.


    ¡°I would have done anything for you, my brother.¡± Michael lowers his chin, ¡°I would have given up anything for you.¡±


    ¡°So, if I had asked you to hand over the title of Capo to me, would you have done so?¡±


    Michael stiffens. A nerve pops at his temple, but he stays silent.


    ¡°Thought not,¡± Luca murmurs. ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, fratellone. All these years, you¡¯ve kept me close just to keep track of my movements.¡± Luca, shakes his head, ¡°No brother, if I had told you how I truly felt, if I¡¯d even breathed a word of the fact that I wanted to be Capo, you¡¯d have killed me-¡±


    ¡°Or not,¡± Michael folds his arms across his chest, ¡°and now we¡¯ll never know. Either way,¡± he nods toward me, ¡°let her go. She isn¡¯t part of whatever power games you want to indulge in.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Luca smirks. He wraps his arm around me and I shoot him a confused nce. What the hell is he up to? And after he told me that he¡¯s not interested in me in that way.


    On the ramp, I sense Michael tense. ¡°Get the fuck away from her,¡± he says in a voice so hard, so cold, that a shudder runs down my spine. My thighs clench and my belly flutters. Shit, I should not find his anger such a turn on. I should not find the possessiveness thatces his voice so damn sexy. I should not allow myself to turn to him, fix my gaze on his as I lean into Luca and murmur, ¡°I don¡¯t want you, Michael. I want him.¡±


    Michael¡¯s nostrils re.


    Next to me, Luca¡¯s muscles bunch. But he must understand that I am ying along with him, for he hauls me closer. ¡°You heard her.¡± I can hear the smirk in his voice as he addresses Michael over my head, ¡°She¡¯s not with you anymore.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s. My. Wife.¡± Michael¡¯s voice whips through the space. The pores on my skin pop. My toes curl. Oh, my god. Michael Byron Domenico Sovrano in a rage¡­is, surely, one of the most erotic spectacles I have ever seen. It¡¯s definitely one of the scariest.


    Why the hell does everything about this man turn me on¡­even as I am trying my best to leave him? I squeeze my thighs together, lift up my chin, ¡°Your wife?¡± I snarl. ¡°Is that what you call kidnapping me and forcing me to marry you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I call what happened over thest 24 hours between you and me,¡± he snaps and my heart stutters. It bloody stutters. I draw in a breath and Luca¡¯s grasp about my shoulder tightens.


    I try to pull away from him and he whispers, ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to you. Remember, you¡¯re doing this because you want to escape him.¡±


    I stiffen, then firm my lips. ¡°What happened between us was a mistake.¡± I look Michael up and down, ¡°If you think, for one second, you fooled me by what you did, you¡¯re wrong. I hate you.¡± I swallow, ¡°I loathe what you did to me, and if I had the chance, I¡¯d turn back the clock and ensure I was never in the park where you first encountered me.¡±


    He pales, then sets his jaw. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter,¡± he says in a tone that is so soft that there is no mistaking the menace thatces it. Jesus H Christ, I¡¯ve done it. He¡¯s so bloody pissed at me, that the moment we are alone next he is going to¡­ Shag me? Spank me? Both of the above, and maybe not in that order.


    I gulp, even as wetnessces my core. Oh, my god, what¡¯s wrong with me that, even now, I can¡¯t get rid of the images that crowd my mind? Of him cramming his dick inside me, his touch on my skin, his scent in my nostrils, the heat of his gaze as he takes in my features, as he res at Luca¡¯s arm about my shoulders.


    ¡°Take your hands off of her or-¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡± Luca smirks, ¡°From where I am, there¡¯s not much you can do.¡±

 50

    Michael¡¯s jaw tics. He squeezes his massive hands into fists at his sides, then takes a step forward. Luca tries the ignition again. The engine fires up, the boat leaps forward, then the engine dies down.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he swears, takes his arm off of me, then begins to y with the buttons on the dashboard.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have thought of this before?¡± I hiss.


    ¡°It¡¯s ast-ditch resort.¡± He bends, pulls out a panel, then yanks at some wires.


    There¡¯s a sh of movement to the side. I turn, then scream when Michael dives into the water. He swims toward us and panic squeezes my chest. Shit, shit, shit. I need to do something about this, but what?


    If he reaches the boat, if he gets on, no way, can we escape. Worse, if he gets his hands on me again¡­ If he takes me captive again¡­ He¡¯ll never forgive me. He¡¯ll make me regret trying to escape him. And you¡¯ll love every minute of it. No. I shake my head¡­N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    It¡¯s this addiction to him that got me into this situation, in the first ce. It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t stay away from him, that I let my guard down enough to, perhaps, even trust him, that I may now be pregnant with his child and¡­ No¡­ If that¡¯s the case, I definitely need to get away from him. He reaches the boat, grabs the edge and the craft rocks. I scream again, grab the back of the seat to steady myself. I need to do something, anything, but what?


    ¡°The oars,¡± Luca jerks his chin to a corner of the boat. ¡°Grab an oar and fight him off.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I cry, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt him.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, he¡¯ll hurt you,¡± he retorts. ¡°You don¡¯t want that, do you?¡±


    Do I? How can I tell him that I like it when Michael puts his hands on me? How it turns me on when he treats me like his ything. How¡­ I lose sight of everything when he¡¯s near me.


    Oh, my god, I have no choice. I am going to have to do this. If I let him near me again¡­ I am never escaping him¡­ And my child¡­ If I am pregnant, he or she will never know a normal life.


    I scramble around the seat, totter toward the end of the boat, where one end of the oar pops out from under the cover of the tarpaulin.


    Michael grabs the edge of the boat, begins to haul himself over the side. That¡¯s when I spring forward. I grab the oar and raise it. My muscles scream in protest. The oar is heavy enough that my knees almost give way under me. I manage to find my bnce, and the oar slips from my hands. The edge ms into the side of his head. I tighten my hold on it, pull back as his gaze widens. Those blue irises re with¡­ Surprise¡­ No, something else¡­ Hate? No¡­ Love? Not possible. It¡¯s lust. It has to be lust. And maybe possession. And anger that I¡¯ve beat him at his own game.


    Blood blooms at his temple and I fight the urge to run to his side and help him. He bares his teeth, swings one leg over the side and I scream. I bring the oar down on him again, just as the boat¡¯s engine roars to life. Michael¡¯s gaze holds mine. A beat, another. Then his grip loosens, and he falls back into the water. The oar falls from my fingers and hits the bottom of the boat.


    I lean over the side, scan the surface of the water, then scream when he surfaces. He thrusts out an arm, and I reach for his hand, only the boat leaps forward as Luca shifts into gear. My fingers brush his, then he¡¯s gone, under the water. The wake of the boat fills the space where he¡¯d been.


    ¡°No,¡± I scream, ¡°No, no, no.¡±


    Continue reading for book 2 to find out what happens.

 51

    Karma


    ¡°Michael!¡± I scream as his head disappears under the water, ¡°Oh, my god, Michael!¡± I spring up, ready to dive into the water, but Luca catches me around my waist.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I yell. ¡°Michael! No! I have to go to him.¡±


    ¡°If you jump into the water now, you know what he¡¯s going to do to you, right? He¡¯ll not only imprison you, he¡¯s going to kill you, and then you¡¯ll never be able to see your sister again.¡±


    Summer. My breath hitches. Summer. I need to get out of here so I can return to her. It¡¯s what I want, right? It¡¯s why I had first stabbed Michael, then run away from him when he¡¯d been upied with fixing food in the kitchen. Michael¡­ I swallow. What if he doesn¡¯t survive though? I stop struggling and Luca releases me. He focuses on steering the motorboat.


    I stare back at the receding jetty as the boat pulls away. The wind whips my hair into my face and I shove it back.


    ¡°He needs help.¡± I turn to Luca, ¡°Please, call someone. We can¡¯t leave him alone.¡±


    He hesitates and I clutch at his sleeve, ¡°Please Luca, please, he¡¯s your brother.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too damn dangerous,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯ll ce me squarely at the scene of the crime.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t call someone and have them help, then if he does recover, he¡¯ll never forgive you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll never forgive me anyway.¡± Luca twists his lips, ¡°Asshole will kill me¡­ That is, if he does survive.¡±


    ¡°He will survive,¡± I say fiercely. ¡°He has to. Please, Luca, please call somebody and have them send help. You know I am right in asking this.¡±


    He stares at me a second longer, then swears aloud. ¡°Steer the boat, will you?¡± He jerks his chin toward the steering wheel. He steps back and I slide into the space in front of the steering wheel.


    I grab it, and when he¡¯s sure that I have a firm grip, he releases his hold on it.


    He pulls a phone out of his pocket, and presses a few buttons, before holding it to his ear. ¡°Seb?¡± He snaps, ¡°There¡¯s been an ident, at the ind. Michael needs help.¡±


    He listens for a second, as the other man speaks, before interrupting, ¡°I know because I was there, and now I am not. You¡¯d better send someone before it¡¯s toote.¡±


    He disconnects, then tosses the phone overboard, before turning to me, ¡°This call was a big mistake.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± I insist. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to die, and neither do you.¡±


    Heughs, the sound bitter, ¡°Asshole wouldn¡¯t die that easily. He¡¯s probably mbering onto the beach as we speak and walking toward the house.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡± I swallow as he crosses over to me and takes the wheel again. I shift to the side, sink down onto the seat next to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­hurt him,¡± I murmur. ¡°I only did it out of instinct. I didn¡¯t mean for him to¡­¡± I can¡¯t say the word aloud. He¡¯s not going to die. He cannot die and yet, I can¡¯t take my gaze off of the ind that¡¯s growing smaller by the second. What am I hoping to see? Michael emerging from the water and walking onto the shore? Michael standing there and watching me as I leave him? Michael with his dark gaze, his chiseled features, those massive shoulders, his wide chest¡­ Michael with his edgy, dark scent that I will forever carry with me. Michael. Michael. Michael. A sob bubbles up and I don¡¯t stop the tears that run down my cheeks.


    ¡°I wish I could go back,¡± I wrap my arms around myself. ¡°I wish I could make sure that he¡¯s okay.¡± I am mumbling to myself but Luca hears me.


    ¡°He has a harder head than you can imagine.¡± He speaks in a loud enough voice that I can hear him above the sound of the breeze, ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s unfortunate that you had to do what you did, but at least, you are free of him now.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± I swallow, ¡°He¡¯s going toe after me.¡±


    He has toe after me. He has to live. He has to survive what I did to him. Surely, he can¡¯t have drowned. I didn¡¯t hit him that hard, did I?


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Luca concedes, ¡°it¡¯s the first thing he¡¯s going to do once he¡¯s back on his feet. You likely bought us a little time though.¡±


    I keep my gaze focused on the ind until it recedes from sight. My heart stutters, a cold sensation stabbing at my chest. You¡¯ll see him again. You have to¡­ I shake my head. What is wrong with me? I had spent the entire time I was on the ind trying to get away from him. And now that I have managed to escape, I can¡¯t stop thinking about him.


    This is for the best. I am leaving him behind and going to find my way back to my own life, to my home¡­ That¡¯s what I want, right? Home¡­ I swallow. Why does it feel like I left my home behind? That house on the ind that belongs to Michael¡­isn¡¯t home. Not my home. It¡¯s his ce. I am¡­ His? No, no, no. I rub my fingers across the ring on my left hand. That¡­is his¡­ The mark of his possession with which he branded me. Just as he imprinted his touch into every cell of my body, engraved his name into my soul, stamped the sensation of his thickness in between my legs. I squeeze my thighs together.


    Shit, this is not the time to think about how brutally he had taken me thatst time. How he had eaten me out, before positioning me on my hands and knees, then gripped my hips, holding me immobile as he had thrust into me from behind. Oh, my god, he had¡­taken me, owned me with the sureness of his movements. He had consumed me, imprinted himself into the most intimate parts of me. He had changed how I perceive myself¡­ He had reached deep into the recesses of my soul and forced me to confront who I am. A woman whose tastes are extreme, someone who needs to be challenged, and subdued, someone whose spirit can only be matched by the lord of the underworld himself. A beauty who needs her beast, her master¡¯s hand upon her head as he calms her, his fingers around her neck as he chokes her, his tongue inside her soaking wet channel as he licks into her and-¡°Bloody hell,¡± I swear aloud and Luca nces sideways at me.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°What do you think? I may have murdered my husband, who I only married a few days ago, after he kidnapped me, by the way,¡± I squeeze my fingers together, ¡°so no, I am not okay.¡±


    I stare forward, into the wind that ps my face. My eyes sting and a pressure knocks at the backs of my eyes. Shit, I¡¯ve made aplete mess of this. Not only had I fallen for my kidnapper, aka my husband, but now I can¡¯t stop thinking that it was a mistake I managed to escape from him. What the hell am I going to do about this? I turn to Luca, ¡°I need to call my sister as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I am afraid that may not be a good idea.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It means if you call her, you¡¯ll only be putting her in danger.¡±


    ¡°What danger?¡±


    ¡°As you said, he¡¯s going toe after you. No doubt about it¡­ Unless¡­¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°Unless he didn¡¯t make it out of the water.¡±


    ¡°He made it out of the water,¡± I snap. ¡°He is alive, dammit.¡±


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s best wey low until we know for sure.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut, ¡°I¡¯m so screwed if he¡¯s alive.¡±


    ¡°And if he¡¯s dead-¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± I open my eyes and turn to him, ¡°don¡¯t you dare say that.¡±


    He blows out a breath, ¡°As you wish. My saying it or not is not going to change the reality though.¡±


    ¡°I am aware,¡± I mutter, as I scan the shoreline that¡¯sing up. ¡°Where are we going, by the way?¡±


    ¡°To a safe house in Bagheria.¡±


    ¡°Bagheria?¡± I turn to him, ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the town to the east of Palermo.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we, maybe, try to move further away from Palermo? I assume he is well known in town and must have contacts around the city. Besides, doesn¡¯t he know about all of your safe houses?¡±


    ¡°Not this one.¡± He shoots me a sideways nce, ¡°You¡¯re no pushover, are you?¡±


    Only when ites to him. Oh, Michael, what have I done? If you don¡¯t make it out alive I¡­ I¡¯ll never forgive myself. My chest hurts and I rub at the space above my left breast.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°Not really,¡± I mutter. A trembling seizes me and I wrap my arms around myself. If he were here, he¡¯d fold those massive arms around me, he¡¯d pull me into his chest, tuck my head under his chin, and rub my back¡­ Right before turning me over his knee and spanking me for what I did.


    Luca shrugs off his coat, and hands it over to me. I nce at it and shake my head. It feels wrong. I shouldn¡¯t be wearing another man¡¯s jacket. If Michael saw it, he¡¯d kill Luca¡­ Or maybe not. Luca is his brother, after all. Although, after this incident¡­ Yeah, not sure how Michael will treat Luca after this¡­ And shit, why are my thoughts back on him?


    ¡°Take it.¡± Luca, ces it around my shoulders, ¡°You don¡¯t want to catch a cold. Michael would never forgive me if anything happened to you.¡±


    He stiffens as if realizing what he¡¯s just said. ¡°Not that you¡¯d want to have anything to do with him, now that you¡¯ve escaped him.¡±


    Right. I stare at the shore as Luca continues to steer the boat. Half an hourter we reach a jetty that juts out from the approaching beach. As soon as we draw up next to the wooden tform, he cuts the engine again. Then walks around to the far end of the boat-the end from where I¡¯d raised the oar and brought it down on his forehead.

 52

    Shit. Unable to process my feelings, with tears welling up in my eyes, I press my face into my palms and feel my body convulse. What the hell have I done? How the hell am I going to live with myself if something happened to him? My heart feels like Michael used his dagger to cut it into pieces and now part of it is missing, and he has it. My belly twists itself up in knots. I gasp for breath as I allow the tears to flow down my cheeks¡­ Until the sobs finally subside. The boat jerks, and I nce up to find Luca¡¯s tethered the boat to the jetty. He¡¯s watching me with a look of sympathy on his face.


    He bends over, holds out his hand, ¡°We need to move fast, Karma, before one of his guys finds us.¡±


    Right. I take his hand and he helps me onto the jetty.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Two hourster, we draw up in front of his safe house on the outskirts of Bagheria. Someone had been waiting for Luca with a car at the jetty.


    He¡¯d nced at me, and had seemed surprised. Following a flurry of conversation in Italian with much gesturing from the other guy, he¡¯d finally seemed pacified and had left. Luca had driven us here.


    I nce at the small, single-story cottage. It has white-washed walls and a fence around it. It¡¯s no more than a cabin, really. In the distance, I can see the hills, but there is nothing else around the building on either side.


    I follow him inside and he scans the space, then points me to one of the bedrooms at the end of the corridor. ¡°That¡¯s yours. Why don¡¯t you shower and see if you can find some extra clothes in there, left by some of the other guests before us?¡± I nce at him and he shrugs. ¡°May as well getfortable; not sure how long we¡¯re going to have to stay here.¡±


    I strip off my clothes and the knife-Michael¡¯s knife that I had taken with me-falls to the ground. I stare at it and tears prick my eyes again. I pick up the knife, still in its sheath, press it to my cheek. The dark, edgy scent of him instantly fills my nostrils. My chest hurts and my heart, what¡¯s left of it, feels like it¡¯s going to burst. Oh, Mika, Mika, what have I done? Mika! Nothing I do will ever make up for what I did to you. How am I going to live with myself after what I did? How am I going to live without you, my darling? My one and only. My¡­other half. My soul.


    My fingers tremble, the knife slips from my hold and I manage to catch it before it hits the floor. I straighten, ce it on the small table near the window, then stagger to the bathroom. By the time I shower and change, my tears have dried up somewhat. There is a hollowness in my stomach and it¡¯s not only from hunger.


    That¡¯s how it is¡­eh? Doesn¡¯t matter that you havemitted a heinous crime. Your body still needs sustenance to live, apparently. Live for what though? And for whom? A pressure builds again at the backs of my eyes and I swallow down the ball of emotion that has lodged in my throat. I walk into the kitchen to find Luca is heating up something in a saucepan.


    He turns when I walk in, ¡°It¡¯s stew, the best I could do.¡±


    ¡°It smells of¡­¡± I walk closer, then pause next to him and peek into the contents, ¡°It has seafood?¡± I frown, ¡°I¡¯m allergic to it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well.¡± He blows out a breath, ¡°There should be some bread in the bread basket and cheese in the refrigerator.¡±


    ¡°That works for me.¡± I pull out the bread and cheese, and make myself a sandwich. By the time I sit down, he¡¯s served himself a bowl of stew and poured us both coffee from the moka coffee maker he¡¯d had going on the me.


    We tuck into our food, and when I am done, I lean back in the chair. ¡°Any word on¡­¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°I put out some feelers earlier, reached out to some old contacts who are in touch with the Cosa Nostra. They¡¯ve heard nothing.¡±


    I frown, ¡°But you dumped your phone-¡±


    ¡°I keep a few spare burners here.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I shuffle my feet, ¡°so you were saying that they¡¯ve heard nothing about Michael,¡± I swallow. ¡°Is that good or bad?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°I am not sure.¡±


    That familiar cold sensation stabs at my chest. My fingers tremble and I ce my palms in myp. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± I mutter, ¡°Shit, if something has happened to him, I¡­ I¡­¡± I jump up and begin to pace, ¡°maybe I should go back and make sure he¡¯s okay. I¡¯m his wife after all, aren¡¯t I-¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s going to see you in that role after everything that happened?¡±


    My shoulders slump. ¡°I guess not¡­but I wish I could do something. Why did I have to hit him that hard? Why did I have to panic? Why couldn¡¯t I have just¡­pushed at him or something instead? Shit, this is not good. This is so not good.¡± I wring my hands together in front of me, ¡°There must be something I can do?¡±


    ¡°The best thing you can do is stay here, until things cool off.¡±


    I pause, turn to him, ¡°Can I call my sister?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°It would be best not to.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I could text her and let her know I am okay, just so she doesn¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Can you put that off for a little while longer? It¡¯s best for you not tomunicate with anyone.¡±


    ¡°You think Michael and your other brothers could track us?¡±


    ¡°They have ess to some of the best hackers, so yeah, that would be correct.¡± He ces his spoon down in his bowl and leans back. ¡°Thanks to me, the Sovrano n is technologically the most advanced of all of the families.¡±


    ¡°Why did you fall out with Michael?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I fall out with him?¡± He chuckles without humor, ¡°From the time I was born, I¡¯ve known that he was the older brother, the heir, the man who would one day be the head of the n, the one ted to take over from the Don, when the timees. It¡¯s always been all about him¡­ As long as I am in his shadow, I¡¯ll never be able toe into my own.¡±


    ¡°So, you saw me trying to leave, and seized the opportunity-¡± I scowl. ¡°What were you doing at the boathouse anyway? I thought Michael asked everyone to leave.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t obey my brother in everything.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°So, you stayed on after everyone left?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I had a hunch that not everything would be fine in paradise.¡±


    ¡°You thought I¡¯d make a run for it?¡±

 53

    ¡°I thought¡­that you¡¯d try something.¡± He rubs the back of his neck, ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get as far as you did. Michael is way too sharp, too alert. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get past him.¡± He regards me with a shrewd gaze, ¡°But then, I don¡¯t think he realized how smart you really are.¡±


    ¡°Is that apliment?¡±


    ¡°One-hundred percent.¡± He grins and his face lights up. I blink. Shit, this man is truly handsome, in a very ssical kind of way. He has the same kind of presence as Michael. To be fair, all of the Sovrano brothers do, as do their half-brothers. But in terms of charisma, Luca is the closest to Michael. Both fill up the room in a simr way. Both have that determined set to their features, the stubborn tilt to the jaw, that sense of dominance that rolls off of them in waves and which screams that they can be very persuasive and authoritative, and that once they set their minds on something, nothing can deter them. Only he isn¡¯t Michael.


    I slip back into my seat at the table, and he tilts his head. ¡°I am guessing my brother was so taken in with you, he lowered his guard. It¡¯s why you managed to slip by him.¡±


    I y with the ring on my left hand. I¡¯d tried to remove it in the shower, but of course, the stupid thing is stuck. It refuses toe off. ¡°I think you are wrong,¡± I murmur. ¡°Michael never lets his guard down. Not with anyone, and certainly, not with me. It was a lucky break that I found myself alone and decided to risk running out of there.¡±


    And the main reason I¡¯d wanted to leave was because I¡¯d thought that I could be pregnant. How had I forgotten about that? Shit, it¡¯s too early to test if I am. Probably¡­ I could wait for a week or more at least, right?


    And what if I am pregnant and he¡¯s dead? Does that mean I would bring up my child without a father? I am keeping the kid, of course. That¡¯s assuming I am pregnant. And if I am not¡­ Well then¡­ I¡¯ll still be on my own, after Michael¡­ How could I ever be satisfied with anyone else?


    Shit, he¡¯s the one, isn¡¯t he? Why have I taken so long to recognize that? But this doesn¡¯t change anything¡­ Even if I had stayed¡­ Even though it felt like he was changing his attitude toward me¡­ Even then, he was a man on the wrong side of thew. He kills people for a living, for hell¡¯s sake. He¡¯s not the kind of man I¡¯d want as the father of my child, or the type of person, I¡¯d want to stay married to¡­ Right?


    And yet¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to forget him, or how my body had responded to him. Shit, shit, shit. I lower my chin to my chest. If only things had been different. If only he weren¡¯t in the Mafia and I had met him in more normal circumstances. If only I¡¯d had a chance to date him like a normal person, and¡­


    Who am I kidding? Michael would never be a ¡®normal¡¯ anything. That man has too much dominance, too much self-assuredness, too much confidence¡­ Too much everything. He¡¯ll always stand apart from others. He¡¯ll always be different¡­ And fact is, the sense of danger that clings to him only adds to his allure. The darkness in him¡­ It¡¯s what drew me to him. The sense of menace that hovers about him¡­ It¡¯s a turn on. The fact he wields instruments of violence like other people employ pens¡­is what appeals to me.


    So why is it that when I thought I was pregnant, my first instinct was to escape from him? Is it because I think I can¡¯t trust him when ites to my child? Because I don¡¯t know how he would react when he finds out? Because I know he¡¯ll want the child¡­ And then what? Would he forget about mepletely after that? Would he want me to conform to the role of wife and mother and lose my individualitypletely? Shit. What¡¯s wrong with me? A dull headache drums at the backs of my eyes and I draw in a breath. ¡°I think I need to lie down,¡± I murmur.


    Luca nces up at me, ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I swallow. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. I need to get some rest.¡±


    I am woken up by the sound of knocking on the door. ¡°Karma,¡± Luca calls out, ¡°you awake?¡±


    I clear my throat, ¡°I am now.¡± I nce around to find the sun¡¯s rays nting through the open window. I reach for themp near the bed and turn it on.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡± he calls through the door.


    I sit up in bed, d I had worn all of my clothes when I¡¯d gone to sleep. ¡°You cane in now,¡± I reply.


    Luca enters, and his features are set.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not good news,¡± he murmurs, as he leans a hip by the doorway.


    My heart begins to thud and my throat closes. ¡°Wh¡­what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I managed to connect with one of my team and¡­¡±


    ¡°And¡­?¡± My voice cracks. I fold my fingers together, narrow my gaze on him, ¡°Tell me, please, what did you find out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Michael, he¡­¡± Luca swallows, ¡°he didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    Karma


    I stare at him, trying to process his words, trying to make sense of what he said. ¡°What do you mean he didn¡¯t make it?¡± I throw the covers off, jump out of bed. ¡°Who did you speak to? Maybe they are lying. He made it out of the water. Of course, he did. He had to¡­ You, yourself, said that he¡¯s not easy to kill, that he had a hard head, remember? He has to be alive. He can¡¯t be dead.¡±


    Luca shakes his head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he murmurs, ¡°Seb announced it at a meeting of the family. He is taking over temporarily as Capo.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°no, no, no, it can¡¯t be true.¡± The world tilts and my vision narrows as ck spots creep into my periphery. I blindly reach behind me, find the edge of the bed, and sink back down. ¡°Please, no. Not M¡­ Michael.¡± My voice breaks and tears flow down my cheeks. I cover my face in shame.


    How could this have happened? How could I have killed my¡­own husband¡­the possible father of my child? The only man who¡¯s ever touched that part deep inside of me, who awoke that darkness in me¡­ Who made me feel so alive. Who¡­loved me. I know he did. I saw it in his eyes right before he went under. My throat closes, my ribcage tightens and something hot stabs at my chest. Oh, Michael, Michael, what have I done? I grab my pillow and squeeze it tightly as I begin rocking.


    How can I make up for this? What can I do to repent for my mistake? For having killed the man I love? My fingers tremble and a cold sensation grips me. I lift my head and nce up at Luca, ¡°I need to go.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°To Michael.¡±


    ¡°Karma,¡± he squats down in front of me, ¡°Michael¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°His funeral.¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I need to attend his funeral.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he scowls, ¡°that¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I set my jaw. ¡°He was the Mafia Capo. Surely, they¡¯ll have a big funeral for him so everyone can pay their respects.¡±


    ¡°If you go, if they see you, you¡¯re dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dead now,¡± I reply. ¡°I feel like I cannot breathe, cannot live after this. I¡­¡± I hunch my shoulders, ¡°How can I live with myself after what I¡¯ve done? I¡­need to go see him and apologize to him. I can¡¯t go on without seeing him onest time.¡±


    ¡°That is a seriously bad idea,¡± he groans. ¡°If, by some miracle, you get near the casket, they will shoot you on sight, or worse.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± I firm my lips, ¡°I must see him, so I can tell him¡­¡± How sorry I am for what I did. Not for having run away, but for having hit him with that oar. He¡¯d beening after me. He¡¯d wanted to pull me¡­his wife away from leaving with another man. He hadn¡¯t been thinking straight when he¡¯d jumped in the water and swum toward me. He¡¯d lost his control, shown his weakness and I¡­ I had taken advantage of it.


    Damn it, I have to see him onest time. See his gorgeous face, kiss¡­ his forehead, say my goodbyes¡­ I¡¯ll never get closure for what I did, but¡­ I can, at least, tell him how I feel. Tell him that I love him. I owe him that much, surely. ¡°I¡­¡± I swallow, ¡°Please, I need to go to him.¡±


    Luca rises to his feet and begins to pace, ¡°Not only are you going to die, but you are going to get me killed with you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have toe with me.¡±


    He snorts, ¡°What if my brothers stop you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my chances.¡±


    ¡°Shit.¡± He digs his fingers in his hair and pulls at it. ¡°Seems even here, my dear fratellone beat me at my own game. I left the n so I could find a way to challenge him, to show him I could wield more power than him. Just one time, I wanted to sit at the same table as him and show him I was his equal, but the bastard had to go one up on me here, too.¡± He stops, turns to me, ¡°And if I refuse to help you now, he¡¯ll probably never forgive me. The stronzo will probablye back to haunt me.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He blinks, and I swear, I can see his eyes shining with unshed tears. Guess he loved his brother in his own way. And me¡­ How had I loved him? As a wife, his submissive, his ve¡­his¡­captive? All of the above? I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°So, you¡¯ll help me?¡±


    He stares at me, then jerks his chin.


    Some of the tension drains out of my muscles. ¡°I¡¯ll probably need to get a different set of clothes.¡±


    He stares at my red-colored hair, ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea.¡± He tilts his head, ¡°We¡¯ll need to get there first thing in the morning.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± I stiffen. Not that it would mark a difference, but I¡¯d hoped I could get some kind of a grace period, at least a day to prepare?


    ¡°The Mafia prefer to bury their loved ones as quickly as possible. So, we need to get to the vigil before tomorrow evening.¡±


    Right. ¡°Will you help get me the clothes I need?¡±


    He blows out a breath, then nods.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmur


    ¡°You won¡¯t be thanking me when my brotherse after you.¡±


    I set my jaw. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±

 54

    Karma


    ¡°So, this is it?¡± I stare through the window of the car. In front of me are the steps to the church and next to it, and tucked a little to the side, is a small chapel, which is where the wake is being held, apparently.


    Michael¡¯s wake. Mika¡­ My husband¡¯s wake. Shit. Is this really happening? Could I have been married and widowed in such a short time? I toy with the ring on my finger, then cover it with my palm. It¡¯s thest piece of Michael I have with me and I am never going to let go of it. Unless¡­ I press my palm to my stomach. Unless¡­ I am carrying something else of him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, you know.¡± Luca¡¯s voice cuts through my thoughts. I turn to find him staring at me, a concerned look on his features.


    ¡°I do.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°Thanks for bringing me here.¡±


    ¡°I would havee in with you¡­but-¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡± I clutch at the edges of the thin ck veil that covers my face. ¡°This is something I need to do myself.¡±


    He looks as if he is about to say something, then stops himself. ¡°Good luck,¡± he murmurs as I push open the door of the car and step out.


    A gust of wind whips my hair about my shoulders. The veil ttens against my features and I run my suddenly damp palms down the skirt of my dress. The handbag in the crook of my arm bumps against my side. Luca had bought it for me, along with these clothes and sensible ck shoes. None of which is my style¡­ But at least, the colors are more to my liking. Not that it matters¡­ Where I am going¡­ There¡¯s going to be only me and my conscience¡­and him. The body of my dead husband.


    Shit. I stumble, then right myself. I take a step forward as the car drives off, leaving me alone. I nce around the empty street, then move toward the chapel. My heart begins to thud and my pulse rate ratchets up. What am I going to do when I see his body? Will I break downpletely? God, I hope not. I simply want his forgiveness, that¡¯s all. I mean, what happened wasn¡¯t entirely my fault, right? It¡¯s he who had wronged me first. If he hadn¡¯t kidnapped me¡­then forced me to marry him¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have been pushed into doing what I did. I was right in wanting to escape him¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ I hadn¡¯t expected my actions to result in such a horrible conclusion, okay?


    I square my shoulders, move toward the chapel, push open the door and step into the dimly lit interior. The door shuts behind me with a snick. I nce about the space¡­ Take in the mourners in the pews. It¡¯s not as full as I thought it would be.


    Two men stand on either side of the coffin. All in dark suits, all with their heads bowed. I recognize Seb, and next to him is the broadest of all the Sovrano brothers. The men on the other side of the coffin are the brothers who resemble each other so closely that I¡¯d ced them to be twins the first time I saw them at my wedding. A motion to the far left draws my attention. Antonio, Michael¡¯s bodyguard stands to attention by the side door. I nce to the other side and find another of his brothers by the other exit.


    My heart begins to thud. Will they stop me from seeing him? Please, God, please don¡¯t let them.


    There¡¯s a man standing in front of the coffin at the end of the aisle. He bows his head, stands silently for a few seconds. As I near him, he straightens, then makes his way back to his seat.


    A woman nces up as I pass, then looks away. The rest of the people face forward, their features solemn.


    As I approach the coffin, the biggest of the Sovrano brothers nces up. His jaw stiffens as he watches me approach, but he makes no move to stop me. As if alerted by my presence, Seb, then the twins, turn their gaze on me. The hairs on the back of my neck rise. The tension in the air seems to ratchet up. My stomach ties itself in knots, and I feel lightheaded. I force myself to put one foot in front of the other until I draw level with the first pew.


    When none of the men stop me, I step up to the coffin. A dull pressure presses down on my temples, and I squeeze my eyes shut. Oh, Michael, Michael, what have I done? I tuck my elbows into my side, then force myself to open my eyes.


    Strong features, square jaw, that hooked almost aristocratic nose, those thick eyshes that fan against his cheekbones¡­ The wide forehead with a bruise at his temple¡­ The bruise that I had caused when I had hit him with the oar. I curl my fingers into fists, take in his thick hair that isbed back except for that errant strand in the center that curls over his forehead. No longer will he reach up for it and push it away. No longer will he re at me with those beautiful blue eyes of his. A sob wells up¡­ Oh, Mika, Mika, I am so sorry for what I did.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    A trembling grips me. My legs threaten to give away and I dig my heels into the ground to steady myself. I raise the veil and push it back over my head, then touch my fingers to my lips, and press my fingers to his forehead. I lean over him. A teardrop slides down my cheek, plops on his forehead. That¡¯s when his eyelids snap open.

 55

    Michael


    ¡°Hello, Beauty.¡± I bare my teeth, and her fingers tremble. Her gaze widens and color drains from her face.


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°No, no, no.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I allow my smile to widen, ¡°Oh, yes, my darling wife.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± Her voice wavers and her chin trembles. She looks like she has seen a ghost, which of course, is what I am to her now. It should be almostical. I should enjoy just how terrified of me she seems to be, except¡­The throbbing pain at my temple where she had smashed the oar into me insists that she is real, and standing in front of me, arm outstretched. Tears glisten on her cheeks.


    She opens and closes her mouth, grows even more pale.


    She pulls back her arm and I swoop my hand out and grab her wrist. She sways; her eyes roll back in her head. Her legs seem to give way and she slumps toward the floor. ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I growl as I sit up, then leap over the side of the coffin. I catch her before she hits the floor, then pull her into my arms as I sink to the floor. She¡¯s so fucking tiny, and weighs next to nothing. Has she lost even more weight in thest day? The veil flutters back from her face, the paleness of her skin a stark contrast to the ck of the fabric. Dark shadows circle her eyes, her cheekbones seem too prominent in her face. She seems too still, too lifeless. I hold a finger under her nostrils. The warm rush of air flutters across my skin and the tension drains out of me.


    Seb approaches us. He squats down next to us, peers up and into my face, ¡°You okay, brother?¡±


    His voice is gentle, and fuck, if that doesn¡¯t annoy me. ¡°My wife tried to kill me. Do you think I am okay?¡±


    He hesitates and I blow out a breath. ¡°Get them out of here,¡± I jerk my chin toward the gathered crowd, ¡°and the lot of you can leave too.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he frowns, ¡°Mika, you¡¯re still in pain.¡±


    My heart hurts. And I don¡¯t understand why. She hit me on my head, which has no connection with my chest. So why is it that there is a heavy sensation crowding against my ribcage?


    ¡°Go,¡± I snap. ¡°Keep watch for Luca. He¡¯s bound to turn up again for her.¡±


    My grip on her tightens. My own brother had deceived me. He¡¯d helped my wife escape from me. He¡¯d prompted my wife to hit me with the oar, then he¡¯d sped away as I had sunk under the waves. He¡¯d left me for dead. They both had. So why the hell had she returned? To gloat over what she¡¯d done? It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­ And yet, I had counted on it.


    A part of me had been confident that she woulde. It¡¯s why I¡¯d had Seb formally announce my death to my n. Luca has a mole on my team¡­ Someone leaked the news out to him. I¡¯d had my suspicions¡­and I had been right. He¡¯d taken the bait and believed the news. He must have told her and she¡¯d asked him to bring her.


    I¡¯d vacited over whether she would show up, but ultimately, I¡¯d been sure she would, just to make sure I was dead. To ensure that she was rid of me¡­ I¡¯d been right. Which also means that she spent the night with my brother. Fucking, fuck. A growl rips out of me, and Seb frowns, ¡°We need to get both of you out of here, before the Don gets wind of how you staged your own death.¡±


    ¡°Not now,¡± I snap.


    His frown deepens, ¡°Mika, you¡¯re not thinking straight. Let¡¯s take her and get you both home. Get you looked at by a doctor and-¡±


    ¡°Not-fucking-now.¡± I re up at him, ¡°Leave.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± He raises a hand and I cut him off.


    ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡± I nce around to where my brothers watch me with varying expressions of concern on their faces, ¡°All of you, out. Now.¡±


    Seb nods, then rises to his feet. He nces at the other men, who exchange nces with him, before they begin gathering up the guests and ushering everyone out the door. Finally, the door closes, leaving me alone with my errant wife. My beautiful wife who¡¯d dared defy me. Who¡¯d spread her legs for me then walked away from me. Who¡¯d taken my brother¡¯s help to escape from me. Who¡¯d left me for dead thene back to gloat in my face.


    The silence deepens, intensifies¡­ A beat, another, then her eyelids flutter. I take in her features as she opens her eyes. She gazes up at me, and for a second, there¡¯s a genuine smile on her face. As if she¡¯d fallen asleep next to me then woken up from a dream. Then a line appears between her eyebrows as her forehead furrows. A look of pain¡­ of helplessness¡­ hopelessness?-taints her gaze.


    ¡°Mika¡­¡± she whispers, ¡°oh, Mika, is it really you?¡±


    Her green eyes hold mine. She reaches up to touch my cheek and I pull away. She swallows and her frown deepens. ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°Wishing I was dead, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°No, no, no. If you were dead, I don¡¯t know how I would have survived.¡±


    ¡°You seemed to have done quite a good job of it, considering you left with my brother.¡±


    ¡°Luca?¡± She frowns.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Anger crowds in on my mind. ¡°You dare say another man¡¯s name in front of me?¡±


    ¡°But, it¡¯s not like that.¡±


    She reaches for me again and I growl, ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch me.¡±


    She pauses, bites on her lower lip, and of course, my gaze is drawn to her mouth. Her gorgeous mouth with which she had sucked me off. Her tongue, her lips, the very teeth that she uses to chew on her food¡­ All of it which belong to me, and she had dared turn her back on me. She¡¯d left with another man¡­ And not just any man, with my own brother. She had betrayed me. She had used my own blood to get back at me. My guts twist and heat flushes my skin. My vision narrows. ¡°Did you sleep with him?¡±


    ¡°With who?¡± She scowls, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I roar and my voice echoes through the space. ¡°I have had enough of your act, the way you always use your sassy attitude to disorient me. The way you stand up to me and mislead me.¡±


    ¡°Me mislead you?¡± She sets her jaw, ¡°I¡¯ve always been straight-talking with you, buster. I have always told you what I wanted, have always been upfront with how I wanted to be able to choose for myself.¡±


    ¡°And you chose to leave me for dead.¡±


    She pales.


    ¡°Tell me, did you enjoy looking into my eyes while I went under the waves and imagine that you¡¯d never see me again? Did that dden your heart, Karma? Did that make you happy? Did you and your loverugh about it while he fucked youst night-?¡±


    Her palm connects with my cheek and my face snaps back. The sound of the p echoes back, enveloping us in a cocoon of rage before it fades away.


    She gulps, then covers her mouth with her palm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispers, ¡°so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Please, Mika, please believe me when I say that Luca didn¡¯t touch me. I left with him, only because he happened to be there and I wanted to escape. He was just a means to get out of there. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°And you hitting me and leaving me for dead, are you sorry about that too?¡±


    ¡°More than you can imagine.¡± She tries to sit up and I release her. She tips up her chin, gazes into my face, ¡°You have no idea how much I hated myself. How I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d done that. How I hoped that you would survive. How I prayed that you would be alive.¡±


    ¡°Seems your prayers were answered.¡±


    ¡°And I am so grateful,¡± she swallows and a tear runs down her cheek. And my heart stutters; it fucking stutters. What the fuck? The woman is barely back for a few minutes, and already, I am softening. Already, I can¡¯t wait to take her home, to my bed, to make love to her, and ensure she never leaves me again¡­ And¡­ I am setting myself up for a fall again. The next time my back is turned, what guarantee do I have that she won¡¯t do the same thing? How do I know that she won¡¯t murder me in my sleep? Why does the thought of shing with her send all of my senses into overdrive? Adrenalineces my veins. My groin hardens.


    ¡°Turn over,¡± I growl.


    She blinks, ¡°Wh¡­what?¡±


    ¡°On your hands and knees; turn over.¡±

 56

    Karma


    Anger rolls off him in waves, and the hair on the back of my neck rises. I stare up into his blue eyes and shiver. There is no trace of the man who had fucked me¡­ Or of the man who had married me¡­ Who had made pancakes for breakfast for me. This man is closed up and hurting. He is raging at me¡­ At the world. He is wounded, and not just from the physical hurt I had caused him. It¡¯s the fact that I had run away from him. That I had taken the little bit of empathy he had begun to show me, and turned it against him. I had left him¡­had insulted him, had ground his ego underfoot as I had run away from him¡­ With the help of his brother, who had also betrayed him. It probably convicts his brother doubly in his eyes.


    I chew the inside of my cheek, ¡°I¡­ I know you are angry with me Mika, but-¡±


    ¡°You know nothing.¡± His voice is low, so hard¡­ So harsh that a shiver runs down my spine. He is shutting down, taking any emotions that he may have once shown me and shoving them so deep down that I might never reach him again. My heart begins to thud in my chest and my pulse rate spikes.


    ¡°Mika, please listen to me.¡±


    ¡°You may call me Michael,¡± hemands as he takes in my features. Those blue eyes are cold fire, like ice-chips, that glow with the reflection of the northern lights.


    A cold sensation coils in my chest. I have to reach him. I can¡¯t let him build up these walls between us again. If he does, I¡¯ll never be able to get through to him.


    ¡°Mika¡­ I mean, Michael,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°I have something for you.¡± I reach for my bag and he grabs my wrist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch that.¡±


    ¡°I just want to return something that I took from you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I nod, ¡°If you¡¯ll only let me open my handbag.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He releases me, only to snatch my bag from me.


    Jerk.


    He opens the handbag, pulls out the knife, then throws the bag aside.


    ¡°Did you think you could stab me again?¡±


    ¡°No, Michael. It¡¯s not that; its-¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± he growls. ¡°I don¡¯t believe a word you say. Do you know how much this knife means to me? Is that why you took it?¡±


    ¡°Michael, please. Please, let me exin.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°If you think you can tell me what to do, you have another thinking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake!¡± I curl my fingers into fists, ¡°Will you, for one second, stop posturing and let me exin, you macho asshole?¡±


    He stills, then looks me up and down, ¡°You, clearly, have no attachment to your life. It¡¯s why you marched in here, and with my knife on you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I am trying to exin to you.¡± I swallow, ¡°I came because-¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± he snaps, ¡°just shut the fuck up. I have had enough of your tricks, you pathetic excuse for a woman.¡±


    I pale, ¡°Thought I was your Beauty.¡±


    ¡°I was, clearly, mistaken.¡±


    ¡°I am not, though.¡±


    He frowns, ¡°The fuck do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason I returned, and with your knife.¡± I swallow, ¡°I want you to use it on me.¡±


    He sneers. ¡°How many lies can you tell? It¡¯s a record, even for you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°Seriously, haven¡¯t you been listening to a word I am saying?


    ¡°No more tricks,¡± he growls, ¡°turn around. On your hands and knees, or I¡¯ll make you do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡­ Just¡­ I want you to use your knife and-¡±


    He grips my shoulder, applies enough pressure so I am forced to turn around. I push up on my hand and knees, then flinch when he taps the outside of my thigh.


    ¡°Spread your legs,¡± he says in a hard voice, and fuck me, but my knees go weak. Moisture beads my core and my pussy clenches. I slide my legs apart, or as much as the skirt of my dress will allow.


    I hear the sound of him moving, the scrape of metal on metal. I turn, nce at him over my shoulder, in time to see the glint of light off the de. He swoops down. I flinch, then cry out when I feel him slice through the skirt of my dress. Cool air assails the heated flesh of my thighs.


    ¡°Wider,¡± he growls. ¡°Part your thighs.¡±


    I obey, slide my legs apart, even as my core dampens further. What the hell is wrong with me? Why do I find his rough handling of me, the thought of him taking me right here in this church¡­ Which is, technically, a sphemy¡­ Why do I find that so much of a turn on?


    I sense him move a second before the de nicks my skin. I whimper, feel the draft on my pussy lips and know he¡¯s cut through my panties.


    Silence descends and I can feel the blood pumping in my ears. My heart beat ratchets up further, even as a sinking sensation crowds in on my chest. My belly twists and more moisture slides down my inner thigh.


    I hear the jingle of his belt, the rasp of his zipper being lowered, and all of my nerve endings seem to catch fire. I push up my butt, knowing he¡¯ll spot the small movement¡­but I don¡¯t care. I am horny for him. I want to feel his thick, fat cock inside me. I want him to take me, to fuck me, to prove to me that he is alive. To show me that I am still worthy of him. Bloody hell. I squeeze my eyes shut. Why am I so ready to degrade myself like this? I lower my chin¡­ Wait¡­ Wait as he grips my hip.


    I sense him move closer, the heat of him enveloping me, holding me in a space where there is only me and him.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± hemands as his hand moves.


    I nce over my shoulder in time to watch him slice through the dress at my hip. He rips the fabric apart, and cool air strikes my hip, a second before a lick of pain slices through me. I huff, crane my neck, to find his hand moving. What the hell? The breath rushes out of me. He¡¯s carving something on my hip. Another tingle of pain crawls up my spine.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I groan, ¡°what are you doing?¡±

 57

    He doesn¡¯t answer, continues to cut into the skin over my left hip. More pain sears through me and I bite down on my lower lip. Whatever he is doing¡­ I deserve it. More than deserve it. At least, it shows that he heard me. At least, this means he cares about me enough that he is marking me.


    He digs the knife deeper than the previous times and I stop the cry that bubbles up my throat. I taste blood and realize I have bitten down on my tongue. I swallow down the urge to sob, tilt my chin up. I can do this. I can get through this. If it means, in the end, Michael will forgive me¡­ Can he forgive me? Will he forgive me?


    He wipes the de on my sleeve, and I turn again in time to see him slide it into the sheath.


    I draw in a breath, only to cry out when fire slices through me. I dart my gaze to where he scoops up the blood from my freshly cut skin, then he teases my backhole with it.


    Fear grips me. ¡°Michael, please,¡± I swallow, ¡°please don¡¯t.¡±


    He nces up at me, ¡°Are you saying no?¡± His voice is cold, as remote as his gaze. His shoulders are bunched and his chest nes seem hard enough that if I touched him, I am sure I¡¯de away hurt¡­ And bleeding¡­ More than I am now.


    ¡°Well?¡± He raises an eyebrow, ¡°Say the word and I¡¯ll back off.¡±


    I swallow, then jerk my chin.


    ¡°What was that? I didn¡¯t hear you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I swallow down the ball of emotion that threatens to clog my throat. ¡°Yes,¡± I reply and am d my voice doesn¡¯t waver. ¡°Yes. I say yes.¡±


    He instantly slides his finger inside my puckered hole and a groan spills from my lips. I feel myself tense around the intrusion, and draw in a deep breath. In, out, in. I force my muscles to rx as he moves his finger in and out of me. He adds another finger and I stiffen. It¡¯s already too much, too soon. Shit, how am I going to take all of him inside. He pulls out of mepletely, then slides both fingers back in.


    ¡°Open for me,¡± hemands and the sound off his voice shivers over my skin. My pussy clenches and warmth sears my skin. He brings the fingers of his other hand to my pussy, then slips them inside my soaking channel. He scoops up the moisture, drags it up to my backhole, smears it around the entrance. He adds a third finger, and I throw my head back.


    ¡°Omigod, omigod,¡± I chant as he thrusts the three fingers in and out of me. In and out. He pulls them out, then a blunt something nudges at my back entrance. ¡°No, not yet, please, Michael,¡± I burst out, and he pauses.


    ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± His voice is remote, so standoffish, almost bored.


    I stiffen, turn to stare at him over my shoulder. He holds my gaze as his features take on an imprable look. I havee this far. I can do this. If this is the only way to get through this, then I am going to let him fuck me in the arse. I wince, then steel myself. Tip up my chin, and shake my head. ¡°No,¡± I say in a firm voice, ¡°I want you to take my arse. I want you to bury your thick, hard cock inside my-¡±


    He pumps his hips and breaches my backhole.


    Oh, bloody hell. I dig the heels of my palms into the ground, grit my teeth against the strangeness of the sensation. I won¡¯t lie, it¡¯s painful, and weird¡­and feels unnatural¡­ It feels like¡­ I have something up my arse¡­ Which I do. I swallow down the stupid giggle that bubbles up. Jeez, that¡¯s whates of having a stupid sense of humor. It takes me by surprise at the most inconvenient of times. He grips my hips, and I sense him stay still as he allows me to adjust to his size.


    Then he reaches around and cups my breast. He tweaks my nipple with such ferocity that a groan spills from me. The trembling starts at my toes, creeps up my legs and what the hell? I can¡¯t already being. Not so soon. He releases my nipple, only to slide his hand down to my clit. He ys with my piercing and my pussy instantly clenches. Jesus, God. I had no idea, that I could respond with such intensity when my piercing was tugged. A warmth builds in my core. I draw in a breath and that¡¯s when he slips inside me further. So full. So¡­ Packed¡­ How do I even describe the sensation? A tingling sweeps up my spine as he pulls out of me. He reaches down to y with my pussy lips at the same time that he thrusts forward.


    A burning sensation coils deep inside and I yell out as he hits a spot deep inside me. My eyes roll back in my head and oh, my god¡­ What the-what is that? How is it that this is even more intense than the time he fucked me before? My knees protest and pain shivers up my thighs, meets that gnawing, yearning, sensation that coils in my core. He pulls out, then begins to fuck me in earnest. He thrusts into me and I shudder. He pulls out once more, then lunges forward, impales me with such force that my entire body bucks.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I groan, ¡°Oh, my god, Michael.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he says in a hard voice, ¡°you scream my name, every time you think ofing, you get me?¡±


    I nod.


    He thrust into me again, hitting that spot deep inside me again and sparks go off behind my eyes.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I whine, ¡°Please, Michael, please.¡±


    He propels himself forward with such force that I almost fall over. It¡¯s only his grip on my backside that holds me up. A burning sensation radiates out from where he cut into me and heat sears out from where his cock, once more, hits that secret space in my core. The feel of his big hands on me as he impales me, yet again, makes me feel like I am a puppet being moved around in a fashion designed to give him the most pleasure, even as I surge toward my climax.


    With each thrust, my breasts jiggle, my muscles coil, and that tension at the base of my spine tightens, hardens into a knot. The trembling grows more intense, sweeping up my thighs, up my back. That¡¯s when he pulls out of me.


    What the-?


    I nce over to find he¡¯s already on his feet. He tucks himself inside, zips himself up, and tightens his belt.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Leaving.¡± He saunters past me and I stare at that tight behind of his. Those powerful thighs, d in a custom-made suit, those shoes made of the finest leather¡­ H-o-l-d on. ¡°What the hell?¡± I yell, ¡°Why did you stop?¡±


    ¡°Because I can?¡± He snaps his fingers in the air, ¡°With me.¡±


    I stare, ¡°What do you mean, with me?¡±


    He pauses, then turns to rake his gaze over me, ¡°On your feet; walk toward me. You do understand English, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Asshole. That prick¡­ Thatplete, wanker. Here I am, getting all emotional, ready to do anything for him¡­ Hell, I had done everything for him. I let him take me in the arse, in the middle of the goddam church, and this is what he does? He¡­fucking pulls out before I cane. I scramble up to my feet, aware of the dampness between my thighs, of the sorry state of my dress. I stomp after him as he walks out of the church. There are two cars parked in front of the church.


    As we approach them, Seb walks over to Michael, followed by his other brothers.


    ¡°Did you get him?¡± Michael asks.


    Seb shakes his head. ¡°He hasn¡¯t shown up, not that I me him. He¡¯d have known that you would shoot him, if he did.¡±


    They don¡¯t mention him by name, but they have to be talking about Luca.


    ¡°Or worse, you could ask him, why he did what he did,¡± I burst out.


    Both men turn to me. Seb nces at me, then averts his gaze. I look down at myself and heat flushes my cheeks. The skirt of my dress is in tatters. The bodice is not torn, but it¡¯s clear from the creases on it, not to mention how my veil is half off my head, what Michael and I had been up to. And I don¡¯t even have an orgasm to show for it, damn it.


    Michael¡­ He simply takes in my features, before he turns back to Seb, ¡°Take her home.¡±


    ¡°Xander, Christian,¡± he nods toward the twins, ¡°follow me. Massimo,¡± he jerks his chin toward the biggest of his brothers, ¡°I¡¯ll meet you at Venom. You too, Adrian.¡±


    The remaining brother nods.


    Michael walks off in the direction of the Maserati parked on the road.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I call out, ¡°What do you mean take me home? Where are you going?¡±


    He ignores me as he opens the door to the Maserati. Anger flushes my skin and I march over to him, ¡°You¡¯d allow someone else to take your wife home?¡±


    He slides into the driver¡¯s seat, then nces up at me, ¡°You left me, Beauty, and now you expect me to treat you as my wife?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I snap.


    He chuckles. ¡°Your innocence knows no bounds, amore mio.¡±


    ¡°I am not innocent.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t see you as my wife anymore.¡±


    ¡°What then?¡± I scowl. ¡°What do you see me as?¡±


    ¡°My whore.¡±

 58

    Michael


    I lean back in the chair in my office at Venom. By rights, I should be out there in the room that my crew and I use whenever I am here. But that hit to the head did a number on me. Because I refuse to take the painkillers, the pain is a constant heaviness behind my eyes. And thest thing I want to face is the constant throb of the music that pulses through the nightclub. I bring the ss of whiskey to my lips, then hesitate. I am taking antibiotics¡­ And the doctor had warned me not to mix alcohol with it¡­ But fuck that. You only live once¡­ And right now, I need something to take refuge in. Considering I just disowned my darling wife¡­


    I had called her my whore¡­ And that look of absolute shock, and confusion¡­ and sadness on her face¡­ Merda, it had almost gutted me. I tighten my grip around my ss, then bring it to my mouth and throw back the contents. The whiskey burns a path down my throat. It hits my stomach and heat explodes in my gut. Too bad it doesn¡¯t fill the emptiness that tears at my insides. I ce the ss on the table with a thump, just as the door to my office opens. The throbbing of the music instantly fills the space. Seb walks in, followed by Massimo, then Adrian, Christian and Xander. The door shuts, cutting of the music once more.


    Porca miseria! ¡°What the hell are you stronzi doing here?¡±


    Massimo bypasses Seb and walks over to the bar on the far side of the room. He grabs five sses, then stalks over to me. He ces the sses on my desk, and fills them up, including mine, before cing the now empty bottle on the surface. ¡°Salute, fratellone,¡± he clinks his ss with mine. Christian and Xander snatch up a ss each. Only Seb folds his arms across his chest as he glowers down at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I frown, ¡°The fuck you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°Feeling guilty, yet?¡± His gaze intensifies.


    ¡°Why should I feel guilty?¡± I take another sip of my whiskey, then survey the contents of my ss, ¡°If this is about her-¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s about her,¡± Seb growls. ¡°The state in which you left her¡­ You should be ashamed of yourself.¡±


    I chuckle, ¡°And you are¡­ what? An expert in rtionships?¡±


    ¡°More than you, for sure.¡± He rocks forward on the balls of his feet, ¡°I understand you are upset with her. I know you can¡¯t get over the fact that she injured you and ran-¡±


    ¡°Injured me and left me for dead.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t even close to dying.¡± He mutters, ¡°You have too thick a head for that.¡±


    The wound at my temple pulses as if in agreement. The headache behind my eyes increases in intensity. ¡°She spent the night alone with Luca,¡± I snap.


    ¡°She¡¯d never be unfaithful to you,¡± Xander insists.


    ¡°No, she¡¯d only leave with another man.¡± I fold my fingers at my side.


    ¡°You need to be more broadminded in your outlook, fratellone,¡± he chides. ¡°Luca would never betray you.¡±


    ¡°And yet he did.¡±


    Xander grimaces, ¡°Have you asked her if anything happened with Luca?¡±


    I re at him.


    ¡°So, you are just drawing conclusions based on circumstantial evidence?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I should forget what she did to me?¡± I retort.


    ¡°I am saying that you should treat her with a little more sensitivity.¡±


    ¡°Wait until you meet a woman who gets under your skin, and then have her try to kill you and walk away from you, then we¡¯ll see how you react.¡±


    ¡°You admit that she¡¯s gotten under your skin?¡± Massimo smirks. ¡°Also, are you sure she tried to kill you?¡±


    ¡°I admit to no such thing.¡± I scowl, ¡°I only meant that as a figure of speech, and,¡± I roll my shoulders, ¡°as to the answer to your second question, the intent in her eyes when she took the oar to my head was very much about keeping me away from her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she panicked? Maybe the oar slipped from her hands?¡± Seb strokes his chin, ¡°Have you considered that?¡±


    ¡°She hit me on the head. Twice.¡± I tip up my chin at him. ¡°Trust me when I say that the second time it was clearly with an intent to hurt.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she was simply trying to hold you off. After all, you did kidnap her and force her to marry you.¡±


    After which, I had made love to her. Damn it, those couple of days when it had been just the two of us on the ind, when we had consummated the wedding¡­ When I had fucked her and poured my heart, my soul¡­my cum into her. When I had made her mine, and¡­ she¡­ she had walked away from me.


    ¡°Vaffanculo!¡± Christian smirks. ¡°The Capo has tied himself up in the proverbial knots.¡±


    I glower at the most irritating of all my brothers. Christian has the face of a model and the IQ of a genius. It¡¯s one of the reasons he¡¯s in charge of my finances. The man keeps all of the figures in his head, never gets his numbers wrong. He¡¯s also blessed with eidetic memory, which means he has a nearly perfect photographic memory of most things he sees. Which he often uses to his advantage. Which means he¡¯s normally one step ahead of most people. Just not me¡­ Except this time, he, clearly, is.


    I reach for the bottle of liquor, then frown. ¡°You guys finished my booze.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re on antibiotics, aren¡¯t you?¡± Christian scowls at me, ¡°Should you even be drinking?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own damn business, fratellino,¡± I growl.


    He raises an eyebrow, ¡°Clearly, fighting with the wife has not improved your disposition.¡± He chuckles.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I nce around at their faces, ¡°thought you guys were on my side.¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Adrian murmurs. ¡°It¡¯s why we are looking out for you, fratestro.¡±


    ¡°Seems more like an intervention,¡± I growl.


    ¡°What if it is?¡± Seb drawls, ¡°It¡¯s not every day that our Capo goes a little pazzo.¡± He smirks, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss this chance for anything.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off.¡± I snap, and Seb chuckles.


    ¡°Seems you¡¯re angry enough to use English swear words instead of your favorite Italian ones.¡±


    I re at him and he merelyughs. ¡°Gesu Cristo,¡± he drawls. ¡°This entire incident is affecting you more than expected, huh?¡±


    I take in the expression on the faces of all the guys¡­ There¡¯s concern and worry, and yeah¡­love, too. Fuck, I must bepletely losing it if I am actually picking up on the emotions from them. Not that I¡¯ve doubted for one second that my brothers and stepbrothers love me¡­ Okay, so maybe with Seb, I¡¯ve always been sure that he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to betray me. Seems I was wrong. Seems I should have been more worried about my wife¡­and my own brother. Luca¡­ Damn it, how could Luca do this to me?


    ¡°You are thinking about him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xander¡¯s voice interrupts my thoughts. Of course, my youngest sibling picks up on my disquiet. He always has been the most empathetic, the most instinctive of all of us.


    I nce toward him, then nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to share your concerns with us, big brother.¡± His lips curve, ¡°We are family, after all. It¡¯s what we do. We talk, we air our worries, we support each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought about Luca, then see what he did.¡±


    Silence descends, then Seb straightens to his full height. ¡°Take that back,¡± he growls. ¡°Everyone in this room is here because they are concerned about you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking need it,¡± I snap. ¡°Speaking of, I am tired of this emo shit. Why the hell don¡¯t you guys get the hell out of here?¡±


    No one moves. They stare at me, with varying degrees of sympathy. Merda, that¡¯s all I need, my own family looking on as I fall apart in front of them. To think, I had sworn never to appear weak in front of them. I stare down into the depths of my empty ss, ¡°Che cazzo, I need a refill.¡±


    Xander steps over to the bar. He leans over, grabs a new bottle, then walks back to my desk. He opens the bottle, tops me up, then ces the bottle within reach.


    I toss back the liquor and it burns its way down my throat. My stomach protests; my head spins. Shit, maybe I¡¯m weaker than I thought. Guess that blow to the head really has affected me more than I realized.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Xander leans forward on the balls of his feet, ¡°You¡¯re hurting, fratellone. It¡¯s understandable. Losing both your wife and your most trusted confidant and friend in one go, it¡¯s not easy. Hell, it would have felled a lesser man.¡±


    ¡°But not me,¡± I dere.


    ¡°Not you,¡± he agrees, his expression filled with understanding. Shit, that¡¯s all I need: Xander¡¯s particr brand of empathy that would most definitely prompt me to open up about my fears, my anger, my utter disappointment at having been cast aside¡­ Like I don¡¯t mean anything to either of them.


    Just like my father has only ever needed me to the extent that he needs an heir, someone to carry on his legacy. He¡¯s never seen me as anything else. Not his son, not a child who needed someone to look up to. He had been my hero and he had destroyed me. Abused me until I had begun to look at the world with suspicion, with mistrust. Something that I have never gotten over. No wonder her turning her back on me had sent me into such a spiral. And now, I am psychoanalyzing myself. Shit, enough of this emo shit.


    I set down my ss, then rise to my feet, ¡°If you all think I am going to sit around andmiserate about the loss of my wife and brother, you are mistaken.¡±


    ¡°They are lost,¡± Xander frowns, ¡°but not in the way you are making it out to be. They just need to be guided back home. You need to only speak to them, Mika. Open your heart to your wife; talk to her. Reach out to Luca; forgive him; talk to him about how the two of you can work together and-¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± I snap. ¡°You¡¯re the youngest, Xander, and in many ways, the most thoughtful of all us. You mean well. It¡¯s why I have tolerated your reactions thus far. But don¡¯t think you can tell me what I should feel toward what happened. They both betrayed me, and shall be suitably punished.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    I raise my hand. ¡°I am leaving, now, and I expect the lot of you to track down Luca, and bring him to me.¡± I turn to Seb, ¡°You have ten days.¡±

 59

    Karma


    I raise my face to the shower. The hot water pours over me, down my back. My side twinges. It¡¯s where he etched something into my skin. To be honest it hadn¡¯t hurt too much-not then, not now¡­ Probably because I have a high pain threshold. Also, because he hadn¡¯t pressed down too hard. It¡¯s more like he had scratched the surface of the skin enough to draw blood. Bet that had made him happy. He probably wanted to see me bleed. After all, I, too, had drawn blood when I had smashed the oar into the side of his head. I wince. Jesus, we really are all wrong for each other. The way we are hell bent on causing each other pain¡­ It¡¯s just in unhealthy.


    I¡¯d tried peeking in the mirror earlier but hadn¡¯t been able to make out what he¡¯d etched into my skin. What could that alphahole have written there? The man who had pretended to be dead just so, what¡­? So he could surprise me with that crazy back-from-the-dead enactment in church? Jesus Christ, the man has a macabre sense of humor. That particr scene was like something out of a horror flick¡­ Or some gangster flick I saw with Summer, who¡¯s name I can¡¯t quite remember, in which the guy rises from the coffin and proceeds to gun down everything in sight.


    Not that Mika had had a gun on him. He didn¡¯t need it. Not as long as he had his knife. The knife I returned to him; the one which, clearly, has sentimental value for him, even though he hasn¡¯t mentioned anything about it to me. The man has more secrets than the Mafia. Oh, wait, he is the Mafia. I shake my head. Seriously, I am losing it.


    Seb had driven me here to Michael¡¯s house, making sure to keep his gaze averted most of the way. He¡¯d paused only long enough to guide me up the steps of the house and to what looked like a spare bedroom. He¡¯d told me someone would be along shortly with clean clothes for me. Before leaving, he¡¯d also warned me that I shouldn¡¯t try to escape because the ce is guarded.


    Question is, do I want to escape? Frankly, right now I am not sure about anything. I had had my chance to be rid of him, and I hade back. I pause in the act of massaging the shampoo into my hair. If I had stayed on with Luca, it was only a matter of time before I could have gone home. But I hadn¡¯t. I¡¯d insisted on returning for Michael¡¯s fake funeral. Had I wanted to make sure that he was really dead? Had I wanted to satisfy myself that he was truly gone? Or had my subconscious known that he was alive? That he¡¯d grab me, and make me his prisoner again? Is that what I wanted? To be reunited with my husband?


    I lower my hand, stare at the ring on my left ring finger¡­ The ring I have grown attached to, the one that I am not in any hurry to remove. The one I consider mine. Just as he is. All mine. My capo. My captor. My husband. Shit, I really am a goner. I am half-way into falling for him¡­ Or maybe, I am already in love¡­or at least, in lust with him. It had taken almost killing him to figure that out. What does that say about me, huh? Guess you have to lose something to find out how much it means to you, eh?


    I rinse off my hair, shut off the water, then dry and wrap a terrycloth robe around myself. I step out and nce about the bedroom. It¡¯s smaller than the room I¡¯d had at the vi on the ind, but the view is still breathtaking. I walk to the window, nce at the sea that stretches out in front of me. Clearly, the Capo ensures that all of his homese equipped with the most spectacr scenery.


    As soon as I had stepped into this house, I¡¯d known that this was the alphahole Capo¡¯s ce. It had to be because his scent had wrapped itself around me like that of a security nket. I wrap my arms about myself. It¡¯s crazy that, despite how horrible he had been to me at the chapel, I still¡­trust him? Or maybe trust is too strong a word¡­ Let¡¯s just say that I still sense the connection I have with him. The attraction I feel for him¡­ That mindless lust that I seem to sumb to every time I am near him. And he feels the same. I know it; I can feel it. Can sense it. Had seen the lust in his gaze when he had told me to turn around and drop to my hands and knees. Had heard the heaviness of his tone when he¡¯d instructed me to part my legs for him.


    My core clenches. My nipples bead. Shit, all I have to do is think of him and I am already dripping. Also, because that jerk had denied me my orgasm. Honestly, how dare he? If he thinks he can continue to do that to me¡­ Well¡­ No way, am I standing for it. He has toe to me at some point. Unless¡­ he¡¯s fucking someone else? I curl my fingers into fists.


    Still, that little encounter in the chapel had confirmed that he wants me. So why had he not escorted me back? Why had he left it to Seb to do so? The Michael I havee to know is so possessive, so primal in his ownership that, no way, would he have allowed anyone else toe near me, let alone hand me over to another man¡¯s care, even if it had been only for a little while. I hunch my shoulders, stare at the horizon¡­


    Unless¡­what I had done to him, had really broken down the trust-tremulous as it had been-between uspletely. Unless he really doesn¡¯t consider me as his wife anymore. No, not possible. He¡¯s not someone who would let go of his possessions. And really, that¡¯s what I am. That¡¯s what I want to be¡­ His property. His ything. His.


    There¡¯s a knock on the door, and I jerk my head around.


    A familiar face peeks through the gap between the door and the wall.


    ¡°Cassandra?¡± I exim, ¡°OMG!¡± I pivot, walk over to her as she steps inside the room. I throw my arms around her. ¡°Am I d to see you, or what?¡± Okay, maybe I am overdoing the wee a little bit, but seriously, I am just happy to see a familiar and friendly face. So what, if it¡¯s the alphahole¡¯s housekeeper?


    She steps back, and that¡¯s when I notice that she¡¯s carrying clothes, and what looks like a first-aid kit in her arms.


    ¡°Are those for me?¡±


    She nods, ¡°The Capo instructed me to tend to your wounds.¡±


    ¡°Did he?¡±


    She nods, ¡°If you take off your bathrobe, I can attend to them.¡±


    I hesitate and she holds out the clothes, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯d be morefortable wearing a fresh set of clothes first?¡±


    ¡°Whose clothes are they?¡± I murmur. She opens her mouth to answer and I hold up my hand. ¡°You know what? It doesn¡¯t matter. Either it¡¯s clothes from someone who¡¯s left them behind, or else, he¡¯ll have some dumbass exnation of how he ordered them for me or something. Either way, they aren¡¯t clothes that I stitched, so it¡¯s all the same.¡±


    She hands over the clothes, as well as underwear,plete with tags. So, he bought me fresh underwear, huh? Guess I should be grateful, but honestly, it¡¯s the least he can do for me. Besides, the thought of him buying lingerie for me feels¡­ Intimate and somehow, right. Okay, maybe a little bit creepy, but hell, he is my husband, he knows my size, and yeah, I definitely need clean underwear right now, so I¡¯ll take it.


    I ept the clothes from her, murmur my thanks, then walk back into the bathroom to change. Not that I am a prude or anything¡­ But it feels weird just drooping my bathrobe in front of her, you know? Apparently, I have no such qualms when ites to the Capo. Heat flushes my cheeks. Need to stop thinking about him, seriously. And considering he sent Cassandra to tend to me, he can¡¯t be all that angry with me, right?


    I pull on the jeans and the T-shirt. It¡¯s all in my size, and thankfully, neither is pink in color. Or beige. Or cream. Not even the underwear, which is all ck. Hallelujah. I pull on the socks, then walk out into the bedroom, where she¡¯s waiting.


    ¡°Okay, so while you are applying antiseptic to it, or whatever, can you tell me what it is?¡± I turn my back to her and pull up my T-shirt.


    A gasp fills the air. ¡°What the-!¡±


    I stare at her over my shoulder, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I frown at her features. She¡¯s definitely gone pale.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I ask again as she stares at whatever it is that he drew there.


    ¡°It¡¯s,¡± she swallows, ¡°it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something.¡± I scowl, ¡°Go on, you can tell me.¡±


    ¡°No really, it¡¯s just, uh, a scratch.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like a scratch when he drew it onto my skin with his knife.¡±


    She walks over to the bed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you lie down on your front so I can bandage it?¡±


    ¡°Not before you tell me what it says.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head. ¡°Really, Karma, you should let it go.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You do realize that refusing to tell me what he drew on me is only making me even more determined to find out what it is, right?¡±


    I march back inside the bathroom, turn my back to the mirror, then lift my T-shirt, twist around and try to make out what the hell he carved into my skin. I catch sight of the edge of what looks like a letter. Huh, did he write something on me? What could it be? His name, maybe? Perhaps a deration of his love?


    My heart begins to thud in my chest. Maybe he¡¯d done it and then he¡¯d been upset about it, and that¡¯s why he had pushed me away. My capo hates being vulnerable. It¡¯s probably why he had asked Seb to drive me here. He probably needed some time toe to terms with having bared his soul to me. That¡¯s why he had turned away from me and driven away. Yeah, that¡¯s what it is. But why would Cassandra gasp like that?


    I arch my neck, trying to sneak a peek. Oh, bloody hell, can¡¯t see a thing yet. My spine protests and my side hurts. I turn back, re toward where she is hovering at the doorway to the bathroom. ¡°Come, on, Cassandra,¡± I whine, ¡°you have to tell me what it is.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t let you clean the wound and bandage it, and then the Capo will be angry with you.¡±


    Her shoulders slump. ¡°Please, Karma,¡± she says in a low voice, ¡°you are not going to like it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I swipe my hair over my shoulder, ¡°I am a big girl; I can take it. Besides, I have an inkling what it could be.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    I nod, can¡¯t stop myself from smiling. ¡°Sure, he¡¯s my husband, remember? We already had a fond reunion,¡± I smirk, ¡°earlier at the chapel. Trust me when I say that it won¡¯t be a surprise for me.¡±


    She hesitates.


    ¡°Come on, please, Cassandra, please,¡± I beg.


    She blows out a breath, then walks over with the first-aid kit that she ces on the counter near the sink.


    She begins to roll up the back of my T-shirt and I turn my head, ¡°Well?¡± I scowl, ¡°Are you going to tell me, or what?¡±


    ¡°Whore,¡± she mumbles.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Whore.¡± She grimaces. ¡°He wrote, whore.¡±

 60

    Karma


    ¡°How dare he!¡± I pace back-forth-back across the floor of my bedroom. How could he do that? After Cassandra had told me what he had scrawled across my lower back I hadn¡¯t been able to believe it. She had finally procured another mirror from somewhere in the house and had held it behind me so I could see in the mirror over the sink exactly what he had scrawled on me.


    Asshole! What a fucking bastard! How the fuck could he do this? ¡°Aargh!¡± Anger spikes my veins. Adrenalineces my blood. I nce around the room, looking for something to break, but can¡¯t see anything handy. Damn him. Bet he purposely put me in this room because there¡¯s nothing to vent my anger on. I need to do something¡­ Anything¡­to give vent to this frustration inside of me.


    Why the hell did he do this? Is he that angry with me? Not that I don¡¯t me him. Guess I¡¯d be very cheesed off if someone had smashed an oar into my head, and then left me to drown¡­ But he¡¯d pushed me to it.


    He kidnapped me first. Surely, I was justified in doing anything and everything to get away from him? I hunch my shoulders¡­ Yeah¡­ No¡­ I don¡¯t believe that rationale myself. I mean, when I had thought that I had lost him, I had pretty much fallen apart. So yeah, facts speak for themselves.


    I do regret what I did. Nothing justifies what I did to him¡­ Only, he had survived¡­ Thankfully. So, while I understand that he is pissed off at me¡­.


    Seriously though, I still can¡¯t condone what he scrawled into my skin. Asshole had marked me¡­in more ways than one. And I¡¯d thought he tattooed his name onto my body¡­or professed his love for me? Ha! I pivot and begin to pace again. At least, he¡¯d sent Cassandra to take care of me, so that has to count for something, I suppose. More likely, he wanted to be sure that I don¡¯t fall prey to an infection and die. If I did, he won¡¯t have anyone to torture. No doubt, that¡¯s the only reason he had her clean the scarred skin and bandage it.


    That had been two days ago. Since then, the only person I have seen is Cassandra. When I¡¯d asked her where Michael was, she¡¯d said that she didn¡¯t know. She¡¯d brought my meals to my room. After the first two, I had insisted on eating at the breakfast counter in the kitchen, and she hadn¡¯t dissuaded me. I¡¯d eaten dinner on my own earlier-Cassandra had left, saying she had to run some errands-then I hade up to my room¡­stared out of the stupid window, gone for a walk around the terrace until it had grown a little too chilly.


    I had walked around the huge house¡­ Even peeked into the asshole¡¯s bedroom which, holy shit¡­has a bed which is even bigger than the one at the vi. The bedspread is as blue as his eyes, and the wooden headboard seems to be hand-carved. The entire bed stands on a tform and dominates the room. Other than that, there¡¯s a door leading off to a closet, another door that leads to the ensuite, thick carpet on the floor, also blue, a table and two chairs by the window, another table and chair at the far end of the room with a bank of screens that indicates he worked from there.


    The scent of him had been so strong and I had filled my lungs with him. Pure, one-hundred percent Capo. My body had instantly switched on-nipples pointed, skin flushed, blood rushing to my cunt, which I admit, is still wet. I hade back to my bedroom, but haven¡¯t been able to go to sleep.


    Where the hell is he? Why hasn¡¯t he returned? Who is he with? Some whore¡­ No wait, that¡¯s me, apparently. So, who is he with? Someone else? Someone he is fucking right now, no doubt, trying to get rid of the touch of my skin on his, trying to remove any trace of my scent on him, trying to bury his cock in someone else¡¯s pussy, eh? Asshole that he is.


    I spin around, stomp to the door, then march down to the library I saw earlier. Maybe I can read some books. That will take my mind off of where my bastard of a husband is.


    I grab a book, some stupid strategy book-SunTzu and the Art of War. Since when did the Capo read books about war? Though,e to think of it, you could apply the same strategies to Mafia business, I suppose.


    I manage to read a few chapters, when the sound of the front door opening reaches me. I hear footsteps approach, then move away. I jump up, run to the door of the study, but can¡¯t see anyone. I walk out of the room, down the corridor, peek into the massive living room, which can seat fifty, maybe? Does he use it for his mafia meetings or something? What do they do during that time? Hopefully, not just sit around and shoot at each other. Ugh, I really am going by stereotypes here, huh?


    I pivot, walk toward the kitchen, peeking around the doorway to find him standing at the open refrigerator. As I watch, he pulls out a bottle of beer, shuts the refrigerator door, then snaps off the cap and tosses it in the direction of the bin. It misses, hits the floor and rolls away. I step inside the kitchen and realize I am wearing sleep shorts and a T-shirt, along with a thick pair of socks. It¡¯s from the pile of clothes that Cassandra had gotten. Huh, not quite the outfit I had in mind for when I¡¯d see him again. Not that I have anything else to wear, anyway. I pad into the kitchen, walk around the ind and toward the fallen cap of the beer bottle. I pick it up and he swings around. I straighten, flinch when I stare straight down the barrel of a gun.


    ¡°Jeez,¡± I murmur, ¡°it¡¯s only me.¡±


    Okay, so I hade to chew him out, to rage at him, to maybe p him, and ask him what he meant by what he did. But now that I am in his presence, surrounded by his overwhelming masculinity, that brooding heat in his eyes as he looks me up and down with no change in expression on his face, and that gun. OMG¡­ There¡¯s something about Michael holding a weapon that¡¯s so damn sexy. Jeez, it¡¯s Summer¡¯s fault. I¡¯ve been watching too many movies with her. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t do anything but gape as he slides his gun back into his underarm holster.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    He tilts the bottle of beer back, chugs down half of it. The tendons of his throat move as he swallows, and I swear, my toes curl. This man, he¡¯s a walking, talking orgasm-a-minute, and no, I am not kidding, honest.


    He¡¯s wearing another suit¡­ Simr to the one he¡¯d been wearing at the chapel, but without a tie. So, he must have changed somewhere else. At his mistress¡¯ ce maybe? I grimace.


    His chin sports a five o¡¯clock shadow¡­ Which would feel scratchy to the touch if he dragged it across the skin of my inner thigh¡­ OMG, bet I¡¯de just from the friction. My scalp itches. My skin feels too tight for my body. The tanned skin of his neck looks so damn inviting. My fingers tingle and my toes curl. I bite down on my lower lip, watch as he lowers the bottle. The white bandage at his temple stands out against his skin.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I jerk my chin toward his forehead, ¡°It looks like it¡¯s healing nicely.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer, simply swallows down the rest of his beer before cing the bottle on the ind. Then he pivots and leaves the kitchen. What the hell? I follow him up the stairs, and into his bedroom. I stand at the threshold, watch as he takes his jacket off and throws it on the bench at the foot of the bed. He sits to remove his socks and shoes, then reaches for his cufflinks, tries to unhook one.


    I walk over to him, ¡°Here let me do that.¡±


    I undo the cufflink, pull it off, then turn to the sleeve on his other arm. ¡°Who even wears cufflinks nowadays?¡± Iugh lightly, ¡°It¡¯s quite old-fashioned, actually. But then, you are Mafia. Keep forgetting you guys are still stuck in the sixties.¡± He glowers at me. ¡°Okay, seventies.¡±


    He frowns.


    ¡°Fine, eighties¡­¡±


    The furrow in between his eyebrows deepens.


    ¡°All right, nies, okay? Happy now?¡±


    He snorts.


    I unhook the cufflink on his other sleeve, and he stands up and steps around me. I turn as my eyes follow him. He begins to undo his shirt, baring more of that glowing tanned gorgeous expanse of his chest. My throat closes and my nipples pebble. He shrugs off his shirt, tosses it on the bench, then rolls his shoulders. I take in the sculpted pecs, the trim waist, the trail of hair disappearing into the waistband of his pants. He reaches for his belt and I swallow. He unfastens the buckle, lowers his zipper. The metallic rasp shivers across my skin. My nerve-endings pop. He shoves down his pants and his boxers in one smooth move, then steps out of them. His full, thick, hard cock stands at attention. A vein runs up the backside, leading to the engorged, angry, purple head.


    I salivate, then gulp. Moisture beads my core. My palms begin to sweat and the cufflinks slide from my grasp. ¡°Whoa!¡± I tighten my grasp on them. When I look up, the full st of those icy blue eyes of his greets me.


    The hair on the nape of my neck rises. Shit, what am I doing? Why had I walked in here? Oh yeah, it was to confront him about what he¡¯d done to me. ¡°How dare you-¡± I swallow the rest of the words as he wraps his thick fingers around his much thicker, much broader cock. He pumps his shaft once, twice, thrice¡­and I swear, his dick swells further. A bead of precum oozes from the tip. I step forward, sink to my knees and open my mouth.

 61

    Michael


    What in the name of the Santa Madre Maria is she doing? I re down at where she¡¯s positioned on her knees, her fingers still sped around my cufflinks and linked together in front of her. Her mouth is open in that perfect ¡®O¡¯ that invites me to stuff my cock between her lips. To bury my fingers in her hair, hold her in ce as I fuck her mouth, and shoot my load down her throat. She holds my gaze, those green eyes beseeching, pupils dted enough, breathing ragged enough to indicate that she¡¯s turned on.


    If I bent down and sank my fingers in her pussy, no doubt, she¡¯d be dripping. Her cunt ready and open and willing to take my cock. She¡¯d tighten her inner walls around my length, milk me, and not let go until I hade inside her, until I had impaled her and fucked her so hard that she¡¯d feel me in her throat. Her chest rises and falls, nipples pebbled against the tiny T-shirt that stretches across her chest. Fuck me.


    I begin to jerk off in earnest. Squeezing my cock from base to crown, again and again. In seconds, the tightness at the base of my spine curls in on itself, tighter, higher, until it snaps. The orgasm ms into me with the force of a thirteen-millimeter bullet. My balls draw up and Ie, shooting my cum across her face, in her mouth, across her hair, her breasts.


    She licks off the white ropy strands without breaking the connection of our gaze. And fuck me, but this woman¡­ She is going to be the death of me¡­ Correction, she had been the death of me¡­ She has tried to kill me, not once, but twice, so far. Will she be lucky the third time? Why do I keeping back to her?


    I had managed to stay away for two full days. Two days in which I had thrown myself into work with a ferocity that had taken my brothers by surprise. Two days in which I had taken meetings separately with the Bratva and the Kane Company, had negotiated deals with both of them which would secure the future of my n within the Cosa Nostra and cement my bid to be the next Don. Two days in which I had learned that it wasn¡¯t the Kane Company which had sent the four unarmed men who had tried to kill me a few months ago. Two days in which I had not stopped thinking about her. In which I had tried to fuck a woman in my apartment above Venom-which is where I had stayed thest two nights. I hadn¡¯t been able to get it up then. Couldn¡¯t bear the thought of any other woman touching me either. But one nce at her, one sniff of her scent and I had gone rock hard.


    Fuck. What the hell is Beauty doing to me? My wife, my would-be-murderer, what kind of magic has she woven around me that I seem to find my way back to her, whether I want to or not?


    ¡°Michael,¡± she murmurs, ¡°you okay?¡±


    I lower my hand to my side, brush past her. I head for the ensuite and her footsteps follow me.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± she yells. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    Something hits me on the back and I freeze. I turn to find the cufflinks on the floor between us. I nce up at her, and the color fades from her cheeks.


    She squares her shoulders. ¡°I am not going to apologize for that.¡± She looks down at the cufflinks, then shifts her gaze to me and firms her lips. ¡°You deserved it, the way you¡¯ve been acting.¡±


    I look her up and down and she shuffles her feet. I turn, take a step forward, and she skitters back. Another step and she props her hands on her hips.


    ¡°You¡­ ¡± she clears her throat, ¡°you don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    I bare my teeth, snap at her and she squeaks.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± She jumps back a few more steps, putting distance between us.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who carved¡­that¡­that horrible word on my back. How could you do it, Michael, how could you?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She gulps, ¡°I am your wife, Michael. Your wife.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think about that when you left me for dead?¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve already apologized to you for it.¡±


    ¡°You think you can say sorry and it wipes away everything you did, Beauty?¡± I re at her, and she pales. My cum drips from her chin, trickles down the valley between her breasts and my dick begins to harden again. Fuck, but as long as I am in her presence, I can¡¯t stop myself from wanting to be inside of her again.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I really am sorry, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Not as sorry as I am for having married you.¡±


    She inhales sharply, ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± I growl, ¡°You left with Luca. You spent the night with him.¡±


    She frowns. ¡°I spent the night in a safehouse with him.¡±


    ¡°Under the same roof as him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but not in the same room,¡± she frowns. ¡°We slept in different rooms.¡±


    I set my jaw.


    ¡°Is that why you are so pissed at me? You think I slept with him?¡±


    I grit my teeth so hard, pain shoots up the side of my face.


    ¡°Nothing happened, Michael.¡± She takes a step forward.


    I hold up my hand, ¡± I am not interested in your pathetic excuses.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to you, Michael. You must know that.¡±


    I nce away, then back at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s because, to the outside world, it seems like I slept with him. That¡¯s what¡¯s got you so riled up, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I curl my fingers into fists at my sides.


    ¡°OMG,¡± she gasps, ¡°that¡¯s what it is. I mean, you guys are old-fashioned enough that you think you¡¯ve lost face because I spent the night in the same house as another man.¡±


    Heat flushes the back of my neck. Damn her, for guessing that. She¡¯s way more perceptive than I gave her credit for.


    ¡°I swear, nothing happened between us, Michael.¡± Her features soften. ¡°As for having embarrassed you? I really am sorry about that.¡± She tips up her chin, ¡°How can I make it up to you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    ¡°Try me.¡± She sets her jaw, ¡°I almost lost you, Michael. You have no idea how relieved I am to find that you are still alive. Let me make amends for what I did. I¡¯ll do anything to show you how sorry I am.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I fold my arms across my chest and her gaze flits over my biceps. Her lips part, and it¡¯s as if she can¡¯t stop herself from ncing down at my crotch.


    ¡°My face is up here,¡± I drawl.


    She flushes, jerks her chin up, ¡°Yeah, yeah I know.¡± She juts out her lower lip, ¡°So what do you say? I¡¯ll do anything you want, and in return, you¡¯ll forgive me?¡±


    Iugh. This woman¡­ She has too much gumption. Does she actually think that she can manipte me like this?


    ¡°Anything, huh?¡± I drum my fingers on my chest. ¡°You sure about that?¡±


    She shakes her head, ¡°No, I am not.¡± She swallows, ¡°But I am not going to back down from your challenge, Michael. I need you to believe in me and if this is the only way to do it, then so be it.¡±


    I lower my arms to my sides, walk over to her. She flinches, then releases a breath when I pass her. I circle her,ing back to stop in front of her. ¡°So,¡± I drawl, ¡°you think you have the guts to stand up to me, huh? You think I can¡¯t punish you the way I do my men.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know you can, and that you will. In fact,¡± she draws herself up to her full height, ¡°I am counting on it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t take what I have in mind, Bellezza.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She tilts her head, ¡°Try me, Capo.¡±


    Sant¡¯Iddio! I bunch my fingers into fists. She only has to call me by my title and my entire body strains to cover hers. To throw her down and bury myself inside of her and- I shake my head. ¡°Shut up,¡± I growl. ¡°From now on, you won¡¯t speak. Not until I give you permission.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    I raise an eyebrow and color suffuses her features. ¡°Do you wanna y or do you wanna y?¡±


    She opens her mouth and I shake my head.


    She raises her hand and gestures.


    ¡°Sorry?¡± I smirk, ¡°Not sure what you are telling me.¡±


    Her green eyes ze with abination of anger and frustration, and fuck, if I don¡¯t want to subsume that fire inside of me, to have her spirit consume me, even as I draw on the darkness inside of her. But first, I need to find out if she can actually deliver on her word.


    ¡°Take off your clothes.¡±


    She tosses her head, then grips the bottom of her T-shirt. She tugs it up and over her head, drops it to the floor.


    Her breasts, enclosed in hercy ck bra, spill out over the top. Her nipples are outlined against the sheer fabric of her lingerie¡­that I had bought for her. She¡¯s wearing clothes that I had picked out for her, personally. Call it a moment of weakness, but I hadn¡¯t been able to resist shutting down yet another shop in Palermo while I had searched through the lingerie on offer and chosen exactly what I wanted her to wear.


    Maybe it¡¯s the blow to the head that changed my view of the world¡­ Maybe it¡¯s that I had known that she woulde back to me¡­ Either way, my brothers had thought I was crazy to drag myself out of bed, when I had barely begun to heal, to pick out the clothes for her. But then I had been vindicated, hadn¡¯t I? She had turned up at my fake funeral and she had been shocked to see mee to life. The amazement and then the relief in her eyes when she had realized that I was alive¡­ She couldn¡¯t hide that.


    Her waist is so tiny I can span it with the width of my hands. She seems so strong, this woman, so full of spunk, so always ready to stand up to me, that I forget how fragile she really is.


    And she tried to kill you.


    But had she meant it? Had she been acting out of instinct¡­because she was as afraid of what was between us as I am? And now what? I am making excuses for her?


    Che cazzo! I am making excuses for her behavior! What the hell is wrong with me? Why is it that every time I am with her, I lose all sense of myself? That I can¡¯t stop myself from wanting to wrap my fingers around her throat and pulling her close, and kissing those gorgeous lips as I y with her breasts while I thrust my hips forward so my cock nestles in its real home¡­between her fleshy thighs? Thighs I can¡¯t stop myself from squeezing, and leaving my mark over her creamy skin.


    She licks her lips and all thought empties from my head.


    ¡°Take off the rest of your clothes.¡± My voice cracks, goddamn it, and I clear my throat. ¡°Do it, Beauty, now!¡±


    She swipes her hair over her shoulder, then reaches for the waistband of her shorts. She shoves them down, then kicks them aside along with her socks. Straightens to stand in her bra and panties. Color blooms on her cheeks. How sweet. After everything I¡¯ve done to her, after how she¡¯se apart under my fingers, she still blushes when she stands almost naked in front of me. I jerk my chin and she bites down her lower lip, and fuck me, but my dick instantly twitches. My balls harden.


    I close my fingers at my sides, re at her. ¡°Take it all off,¡± I snap.


    She stiffens. then pulls her shoulders back. Without taking her gaze off of mine, she reaches behind to unhook her bra, then tosses it at me.


    I snatch up the piece of fabric and she makes a noise deep in her throat. I stare down at her panties and her flush deepens.


    ¡°Do it, Beauty,¡± I growl.


    She tips up her chin, hooks her fingers in the waistband of her panties, and shoves them down her legs. She throws them at me. I catch them with my other hand, bring them up to my nose and inhale. The scent of Beauty fills my senses. A pulse res to life at my temples, behind my eyelids, even in my fucking balls. Fucking fuck, this woman is doing me in.


    ¡°You are an animal,¡± she scowls, ¡°you know that?¡±


    ¡°No talking,¡± I growl as I toss her underclothes aside, then stalk over to her. ¡°Also that wasn¡¯t me being an animal; but this is.¡±

 62

    Karma


    He prowls toward me and I stumble back. He closes the distance between us even as I try to evade him. Which is stupid. I mean, I am the one who initiated this bizarre scenario, and here I am, trying to escape him. Why is it that since I¡¯ve met him, all I¡¯ve seemed to do is run from him as he¡¯s tried to chase me? There is something wrong with this situation¡­ Something I intend to rectify. I¡¯ve had enough of always being on the defensive. Enough of always being the one who is trying to get away from him. Why should I be afraid of him? What can he do that he hasn¡¯t already done thus far, huh? I do not fear him; I do not. My back hits the wall of the bedroom and I squeak. Jesus, so much for my pep talk.


    He pauses in front of me, and my heart hammers in my chest.


    One side of his lips kicks up in that smirk I hate¡­and love¡­and can¡¯t resist. My pussy spasms. Argh, stupid cunt, that¡¯s my pussy, not me. Okay, also me, for having put myself at his mercy.


    A plume of heat seems to spool off of him and crash into my chest. I gasp. My throat dries. The strength of his dominance is a tangible presence that pushes down on my shoulders and pins me in ce. I want to shove at him, raise my knee and bury it in his groin, kick him in the shin and try to escape him, but my arms and legs seem to be frozen in ce. My fingers tremble and my toes curl as he leans in close enough for his eyshes to tangle with mine.


    He peers into my face. Those blue eyes of his are aze with a fire that seems toe from somewhere deep inside. I¡¯ve never seen him this¡­turned on. This¡­consumed with an emotion that I can¡¯t quite ce. Does he want revenge? Does he want to punish me, perhaps? Maybe he wants retribution for what I did to him. For heaven¡¯s sake, I practically killed the man. It¡¯s a wonder he hasn¡¯t tried to do the same to me yet-he grabs me by my throat and I gasp.


    Oh, hell, maybe I should watch my thoughts? Maybe, that¡¯s what he meant when he said I couldn¡¯t take what he has in mind. My breath catches, my heartbeat ratchets up, and my pulse rate spikes, even as moisture pools between my legs. Shit, shit, shit. Clearly, my body is all mixed up with the signals it¡¯s getting. I am supposed to want to take flight or fight¡­not¡­ Fuck. Not get turned on. Not wrap my fingers about his thick wrist as he hauls me to him and ms his lips to mine. Not open my mouth and allow him to thrust his tongue inside, tangle with mine, swirl it over my teeth, before he sucks on me as if he wants to consume everyst morsel of pleasure that I can offer him.


    He growls deep in his chest as he increases the pressure around my throat, even as he nts a massive thigh between my legs and cups my bottom with his free hand as he hitches me up and pulls me even closer to him. The thick length between his legs pushes into my melting core, as he begins to move me up and down the column of his thigh. The ridge of his cock grinds against my pussy as he continues to kiss me, even as he maintains his grasp around my throat.


    The trembling starts from somewhere deep inside as he intensifies the action of making me ride his thigh. A moan slips from my lips and he swallows it, snarls low in his throat as if in answer. A primal mating of man and woman, of Beast and Beauty, of a husband and¡­ his whore?


    I blink. My muscles stiffen. Every part of me protests that I can¡¯t just allow him to do whatever it is that he has in mind. Yeah, so I started it, but it¡¯s a woman¡¯s prerogative to change her mind, right?N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I p at his shoulder and he only tilts his head. His gaze intensifies as he deepens the kiss until it feels like he¡¯s literally sticking his tongue down my throat. I grip his shoulders, try to push him away, but it¡¯s like trying to shove at a brick wall. I dig my fingers into his biceps¡­and that strength of his shimmers, coils, thrums under my fingertips. Oh, hell. I stare into his face, try to pull away, and his grip around my throat tightens. Spots of ck flicker at the edges of my vision as he pulls me into him with such force that my breasts are crushed against his massive chest, and his cock stabs against my pussy lips as if seeking entry. Not yet¡­ No fucking way. Not until I decide I am ready to spread my legs for you, buster.


    I bite down on his tongue with enough pressure that the salty taste of blood fills my mouth. His gaze widens, he tears his mouth from mine and blood drips from the corner of his mouth. The blue of his eyes darkens to nearly ck as he bares his teeth. His chest nes flex and his shoulders seem to grow bigger in size, as he slides his hand up my throat so I am forced to tip my chin up.


    ¡°Want to y dirty, is that it, Beauty?¡±


    No, you asshole, I want you to tell me what¡¯s going on in that dark as Hades mind of yours.


    I would open my mouth to answer him, but the jerk still has his fingers wrapped around my throat. Not to mention, he told me that I can¡¯t speak until he gives me permission, and annoyingly, my body, at least, seems to respond to his suggestions. Shit. I struggle against him and that shark-like grin of his widens. I swallow and fear skitters up my backside.


    ¡°I¡¯d hoped to save this forter, but guess I don¡¯t have a choice, eh?¡±


    I scowl at him. What the hell is he talking about? He licks his lips, sucking down the blood that smears his mouth, the blood that I had spilt. Again.


    Honestly, I am not a person with violent tendencies. I mean, I fight for what I believe in, but that¡¯s only fair, right? You need to stand up for yourself, after all.


    I release my grip on his shoulder, only to wrap my fingers around his wrist. I stare at him and he holds my gaze. Without breaking the connection, without letting go of his hold around my throat, he pulls back so I slip off his thigh. He loosens his chokehold just enough to spin me around, so I am pushed up against the wall. He pushes his body into mine and my entire body trembles. Heat from his frame envelops me, as he ces his cheek next to mine, ¡°From the moment I saw you, I knew you were trouble. I just didn¡¯t realize just how much I¡¯d enjoy also being challenged by you.¡±


    I grit my teeth, push my cheek into the cool surface of the wall, as I stare at him from the corner of my eye. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say a word, Beauty. I know what you need.¡±


    Do you, asshole? Do you have any idea how it feels like you are infiltrating my body, my soul, every part of my mind, my heart? Shit¡­ Do you understand how threatening it is to feel so consumed by your presence, to be overwhelmed by your dominance, to want to surrender and yet not giving in? For something inside me insists that if I do¡­ I¡¯ll lose your respect. And that¡­ That is what I crave more than anything. To be your equal. Do you see that? Can you sense how I want to be able to meet you on your level?


    He lowers his head and bites down on where my neck meets my shoulder. My pussy instantly clenches even as I throw my head back. A scream boils up, but his hold on my throat stops any noise from escaping. He slides his fingers between me and the wall, and strums my pussy lips. He raises his head, sucks on the skin that he¡¯d just bitten, and a thrill chases down my spine. More moistureces my core and he scoops it up, steps back, only to bring his hand up and around to slide it between my butt cheeks. I sense his intent a second before he probes my back hole.


    I p my palm against the wall as he slides his finger inside my back channel. I struggle against him, and he brings his mouth near my ear, ¡°Shh, Beauty, trust me.¡±


    My heart beat ratchets up. I close my eyelids and a tear squeezes out from the corner of my eye. He licks it up and my heart stutters. Of everything he¡¯s done to me, that feels the most intimate. And why the hell am I crying? I never cry.


    Not when my father left us. Not when I found out I had a heart condition. Not when I found out that Summer was getting married, that I was going to be alone¡­ Not that Summer would ever forsake me or anything, it¡¯s just ¡­ You know what I mean, right? I hadn¡¯t even cried when this bastard had kidnapped me¡­


    So why am I feeling so overwhelmed when he licks the shell of my ear, then sucks on my ear lobe as he nts his leg between mine, forcing me to widen my stance? As he adds a second finger to the first and pushes his digits inside my backchannel. I stiffen, clench down on his fingers, and he groans. The sound is so hot, so male, so dominant that my nipples harden. My breasts seem to swell as he curves his fingers inside of me. A groan trembles up my throat. He leans in, kisses the corner of my mouth as he pulls his fingers out of me, only to rece it with something bigger, more blunt. Something that feels awfully like the crown of his monster cock.


    I swallow and my throat moves against his fingers. ¡°F-u-c-k,¡± he growls, ¡°do you have any idea how erotic it is to feel you swallow?¡±


    He nudges my back opening and I wriggle against him. He wraps his fingers around my hip, holds me in ce as he whispers in my ear, ¡°Do you want me to stop, Beauty? All you have to do is tap out.¡±


    A-n-d, there it is. Him telling me to give up. To admit that I can¡¯t take what he throws at me. If I ask him to release me now, he will¡­ and¡­then¡­ I¡¯ll know I am not as strong as I think I am. But him taking my arse¡­ Isn¡¯t that a test of my strength of character, too? I mean, it does test my arsehole. An alphahole testing my arsehole. I snicker, and he licks my cheek.


    ¡°I take it that means you are fine to continue?¡±


    I scowl at him, and he kisses the tip of my nose. ¡°Nod, baby,¡± he whispers, ¡°tell me you are going to keep pace with me all the way.¡±


    Shit, I am a glutton for punishment, and clearly, my inability to turn down a challenge is going tond me in a lot of pain. Fine, whatever, nothing I can¡¯t bear. I nod, and his entire body seems to harden. He kisses me on the mouth, then leans back, and propels his hips forward.


    His length breaches my backchannel and a sh of pain slices through me. I squeeze my eyes shut as my muscles tense, as I push my palms into the wall, tten my forehead against the t surface. He pauses, allowing me to adjust to his size-as if that¡¯s going to happen anytime soon. I sense the tension radiating off of him as he stays where he is, as his cock throbs inside of me. The pain ebbs away, and a shimmer of lust licks my veins. My pussy throbs and my toes curl as he rubs his thumb across the front of my throat. A shiver crawls up my spine and all of my pores seem to pop as he leans in and kisses my cheek.


    ¡°I am going to fuck you now.¡±

 63

    Karma


    What the hell! What does he mean by that? I open my mouth to ask, then gasp when he pulls out of me. He pushes forward again, and this time, sinks his cock deeper inside of me. Oh, hell. Oh, bloody hell. He¡¯s filling me up, cramming himself into me, throbbing inside of me¡­ It¡¯s so real, so vital, so full of the kind of energy that had attracted me to him in the first ce. A groan trembles up my throat as he pauses again, allowing me, once more, to amodate him. Once more, the pain fades away and a trembling starts up somewhere deep inside. Moisture beads my core, slides down my inner thigh. I nce up at him, find his attention is focused on my face as he begins to move. He pulls out, then thrusts forward and impales me with enough pressure that my entire body jerks. He retreats, then lunges forward, buries himself inside to the hilt, and hits that spot deep inside of me.


    OMG! OMG! My eyes roll back in my head as he begins to m into me in earnest. That¡¯s my Capo for you. He always fucks like he¡¯s throwing the weight of his entire body behind his action, like his very life depends on just how deeply he can ram into me, like his soul is urging him on to possess me, own me, break me. He thrusts forward, once more hitting that spot deep inside, and my belly spasms. My pussy clenches as I push my breasts into the wall, jut out my butt, trying to take him in even deeper.


    ¡°Dio santo,¡± he growls as he begins to m into me with even greater intensity. In and out of me, in and out, he crams his entire length inside me once more and I sense his body go rigid.


    My climax threatens,pping at the edge of my consciousness, and that¡¯s when he releases his hold around my neck. The orgasm roars forward just as he pulls out of me, only to retreat. What the hell?


    I open my mouth to protest, and that¡¯s when he turns me around to face him. He drops to his knees in front of me, then buries his head between my legs. What the-! I nce down just as he swipes his tongue from my arse crack all the way up to my clit. Oh, my god! I throw my head back and pant as he licks around my pussy lips, then curls his tongue around the nub of my clit. I dig my fingers into his hair and tug as he swipes his tongue in between my lower lips, then bites down on my clit. I cry out, feel him smile against my core, right before he nts his shoulders between my thighs, forcing them apart further, then thrusts his tongue inside my sopping wet channel. In and out, in and out, he sucks on me, slurps up the moisture that leaks from me. Heps his tongue inside my core and a moan spills from my lips. He squeezes my arse cheeks as he yanks me even closer until I am riding his face. Until my thighs clench around his ears, until I m my head back against the wall, as I writhe to get away from him, even as I pull on his hair, trying to urge him closer, closer to my weeping center. OMG. OMG. I am going to-He pulls out of me. He releases his hold on my thighs, and I stagger back against the wall. I open my eyes-uh, when had I shut them?-to find that he¡¯s walking away from me. The nes of his back ripple, the muscles of his tight arse flex as he strides away from me.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I yell, ¡°Youe right back here and finish what you started, you son of a-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult my mother,¡± he warns as he raises one finger above his head, ¡°Also, I don¡¯t recall giving you permission to speak, Bellezza.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡± I stomp over to him as he enters the bathroom. ¡°What the hell are you ying at, you imbecile, you dithering wanker, you¡­you¡­stronzo.¡±


    Heughs, the jackalope actuallyughs as he prowls over to the spacious shower enclosure and steps inside.


    I walk over, yank open the door to the shower as he flicks on the water. The spray pours over him, ripples down his back, down those powerful thighs and all thought spills from my head. Jesus Christ, to see him naked and with the water cascading over him¡­ It¡¯s like my favorite wet dream. Well, he is wet, and so am I¡­ I slip my fingers inside my empty channel. I weave my fingers in and out of myself as he turns. His gaze roams over me, then intensifies as he realizes what I am doing.


    He tilts his head as I return the gesture, rake my gaze over that gorgeous torso, those to-die-for abs, the V-shaped muscr grooves on the abdominal muscles alongside his hips, which, holy Mother of God, is absolutely perfect, to that fat cock of his, now turgid and standing to attention, with his swollen balls nestled between his legs. Oh wow, this is like my personal pin-up to jerk off to, and trust me, I am going to make the most of it. I grip the edge of the shower door as I thrust a second finger, then a third inside of myself. Damn it, it¡¯s still not enough to fill me up, and the asshole knows it.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He bares his teeth as he grabs the shampoo, pours out some of the liquid in his palm and begins to wash his hair. His biceps bulge, the tendons of his forearms tauten as he digs his fingers into his hair. He lowers his gaze to my crotch where I still continue to finger fuck myself. I grind the heel of my palm into my clit and goosebumps rise on my skin.


    He leans his head back, so the shower begins to wash away the soapy suds as my core clenches. My backchannel which is still sore from his earlier ministrations protests at theck of intrusion. What the hell? If his n is to train me to seek out his touch, then he¡¯s doing a damn good job of it. Something I intend to put an end to right now. I manage to fit a fourth finger inside myself, when the climax threatens again. This time I am going toe, I am not going to follow the dictate of any dumbass Capo. So what, if he hasn¡¯t given me the permission toe yet. The vibrations shiver up my thighs, to my core, continue upwards, and that¡¯s when he switches off the shower.


    ¡°Stop,¡± hemands.


    My fingers tremble.


    ¡°Now, Beauty.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, and my nerve endings pop. Only when I tuck my elbow into my side, do I realize that I have lowered my arm.


    He walks toward me,es to a stop in front of me. The heat of his body, and the steam from the shower envelops me.


    ¡°Why?¡± I demand, ¡°Exin why you wrote whore.¡±


    He merely smiles, then goes to brush past me. I grab his wrist, ¡°Answer me,¡± I snap. ¡°Goddammit, Michael, why did you do that?¡±


    He turns, grabs my throat with his free arm, pushes me up against the frame of the shower door. ¡°Because you are,¡± he growls as he thrusts his face into mine. ¡°You are my whore. Mine to do with as I want. Mine to own. Mine, Beauty. Only mine. Don¡¯t forget that.¡±

 64

    Michael


    I pace the length of the conference room in my office above Venom. How dare she question me about my actions? What right does she have to make me feel sorry about what I did? I will not regret it. She deserves it. She is mine to do with as I want, after all. I will do what I want to her, and she¡¯ll damn well take it.


    After that scenest night Beauty, had returned to my room, picked up her clothes, then stomped out. I had almost called out to her and told her to stay, but thankfully, for once, my brain had won the war over my dick¡­ Okay, not really. My cock had wept to see her go, and I hadn¡¯t stopped myself from watching the sway of her butt, or the flow of her hair down her back as she had marched out without a word.


    I had gotten dressed, then decided to get the hell out of there. I hadn¡¯t wanted to spend the night in my own house. If I had, nothing would have prevented me from going to her room, throwing her down on the bed, and rutting into her¡­ That¡¯s the only word for the intensity with which I want to fuck her. Only, I can¡¯t, because of some stupid notion that I won¡¯t allow her toe. Nor myself, for reasons I cannot begin to articte.


    F-u-c-k! I grab my hair and tug, and the wound at my temple protests. The wound that she inflicted on me. The almost healed one on my chest itches and I curl my fingers at my side to stop myself from worrying it. I had spent the night in the apartment adjacent to my office, which I have used in the past when work was so intense that I didn¡¯t have the time to make it back home.


    Not that it helped my disposition, to be honest¡­ Or my shaft, which still tents my pants. I re at my crotch. Get a fucking life, youplete cock. I frown. Great, now I am talking to my dick. Something I would never have done in the past. But then, I never had her to contend with in the past either. This is what she does to me. Ties me up in knots, then twists, just to ensure that I realize how much of a mess my life has be since I chanced upon her.


    The door to my office opens and Sebastian saunters in.


    ¡°Whatever happened to knocking?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Whatever happened to your demeanor?¡± He smirks. ¡°Not that you¡¯d ever be caught dead in a good mood, but this,¡± he looks me up and down, ¡°your frame of mind leaves much to be desired, brother.¡±


    ¡°What-fucking-ever,¡± I grunt.


    Heughs, ¡°Very eloquent of you, Mika. I take it things are not going well on the home front?¡±


    You can say that again. Clearly, I have backed myself up into a corner, where I won¡¯t let myselfe and I will not allow her toe either. The result is that not only am I sporting a raging erection since I walked out of my house but I also have no way of alleviating it. No way, am I going to back down from my position of not allowing her to orgasm. But why is it that I am unable to satisfy myself either? Is it out of some sense of solidarity with her? Which, considering I am the one who decided to leave her unsatisfied-is poetic justice. Or is it because I want to punish myself¡­?


    Not that I regret one bit that I took her in the first ce. Or that I forced her to marry me. Or that I marked her in a way that I knew would upset her. Make her feel a little bit of what I had gone through when I had realized that she had left me.


    Only she returned.


    After you pretended you were dead.


    And then you had to go screw it up again. Why the hell can¡¯t I forgive her for what she did? Why can¡¯t I be more normal with her? And that would bore her. My Beauty has a soul as dark as mine, her tastes as perverted as mine. Her need for the extremes that turn me on were clear to me from the first time I looked into her eyes. It had thrilled me as much as it had frightened me.


    And in a way, I have been running from facing those thoughts ever since. It had stopped me from sharing all of myself with her¡­ For if I do that, there will be no turning back. I¡¯ll be lost to her. I¡¯ll be vulnerable in a way that I have never been before. Hell, I am already vulnerable to her. If anything were to happen to her¡­ If I lost her again, I wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. It¡¯s something I need to figure out how to manage¡­ Just as I need toe up with a solution for the problems that have been guing the Cosa Nostra.


    ¡°Michael?¡± Seb frowns, ¡°I asked you a question.¡±


    I nce at him. ¡°I heard you,¡± I growl, ¡°doesn¡¯t mean I have to answer you.¡±


    ¡°But you have to answer to us.¡± The door opens wider to admit Massimo, followed by Christian and Xander. Adrian brings up the rear, as Antonio shuts the door behind him.


    ¡°Figlio di puttana.¡± The day hasn¡¯t even started and I wish it were over already. Since when had I be so disinterested in work? The one sce that has kept me going all these years, the only focus of my life so far, the one thing that I value more than anything else, the key to underwriting my future¡­ That¡¯s what my role as Capo has been to me so far¡­ And now¡­? I am not so sure.


    I stalk toward the bar, grab a fresh bottle of Macan. I twist open the top, pour out a generous amount in a ss, then toss it back. The liquid burns its way down my gullet, and I m the ss back on the counter.


    ¡°Recing coffee with whiskey, are we?¡± Massimo drawls. ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for a quitter, fratellone.¡±


    ¡°Quitter?¡± I pivot and level a re at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here weeping into your whiskey, while she is there weeping into her pillow, no doubt.¡±


    ¡°Weeping?¡± I scowl. ¡°Who¡¯s weeping? Not me, and certainly not her. I promise you, she¡¯s undoubtedly figuring out yet another way to bring me down.¡±


    ¡°Have you spoken to her yet?¡± Xander walks over to the coffee station in the corner of the office. He tops up the coffee beans in the machine before switching on the grinder. Once the coffee is ground he taps the handle, tamps down on the coffee powder, before scraping off the excess coffee. He inserts the handle in the brew head and proceeds to extract the espresso. He ces the cup on a saucer, then reaches into the jar next to it to and takes out a biscotti that he ces on the saucer. He tops off a ss with water, then ces it all on a tray. He turns and walks over to the couch, ¡°Sit, fratellone,¡± He gestures to the settee.


    I walk over, seat myself, and he ces the tray in front of me.


    ¡°Drink.¡± He stabs a finger at the espresso, and I arch an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°No one tells me what to do, not even my favorite brother,¡± I murmur.


    Heughs, ¡°At least, you admit that I am your favorite.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± Christian frowns. ¡°Just because stronzo here is the most creative of the lot of us-¡±


    ¡°Also, the most handsome,¡± Xander chuckles.


    ¡°If you like the cookie cutter definition of handsome.¡± Christian counters. ¡°I have the rugged good looks, don¡¯t forget that.¡±


    ¡°And I have-¡±


    ¡°A talent for brewing espresso that tastes better than what I make, and that,¡± I nod in Xander¡¯s direction, ¡°is not praise I give lightly.¡±


    I take a sip of the espresso and the darkplex notes of coffeeced with chocte and cinnamon fills my senses. I take another sip, and my sinuses seem to clear. Another and my brain cells finally seem to start firing. I ce the espresso cup back in the saucer, dip the biscotti in the coffee and crunch down on it. ¡°These are good.¡± I scowl at the baked item, ¡°Different from what I normally have, but really ezionale.¡±


    ¡°New supplier,¡± Massimo, who is also in charge of procurement, offers. ¡°They are homemade, and sold only through our coffee shops.¡±


    Yep, we also run a coffee shop chain. One of our many businesses through which Iunder the not-so-legit money. The coffee shop chain is one of the more sessful ones.


    I crunch down the rest of the biscotti, then drain thest of my espresso. My muscles rx, and whether it¡¯s the effect of the baked good or the coffee¡­ Or perhaps, abination of both, I don¡¯t know, but I feel almost human.


    ¡°So, what are you guys doing here?¡± I nce between them, ¡°Don¡¯t you have enough work to take care of? Do I need to rebnce the systems and make sure you all get more to do?¡±


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Massimo blinks. ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡±


    ¡°Remember what?¡±


    ¡°You, fratellone, who never forgets a work gig. You don¡¯t remember why we are here?¡±


    I blink around at them, ¡°I still remember all my work appointments-¡±


    ¡°Except why we are here?¡± Christian smirks.


    ¡°You guys going to spill it, or what?¡±


    ¡°May I?¡± Seb nces at the rest of the guys, who nod.


    ¡°Go right ahead,¡± Massimo acquiesces. ¡°Enlighten fratellone, here, about what has slipped his mindpletely.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the fucking drama.¡± I scowl. ¡°The hell are you guys trying to imply?¡±


    ¡°That you are right.¡± Seb tilts his head.


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡± Seb¡¯s grin widens, ¡°You don¡¯t remember there being a meeting this early in the morning because it wasn¡¯t nned.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°However you did miss a meeting.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡±


    ¡°Last night.¡± Adrian adds.


    ¡°The fuck you mean?¡±


    ¡°Last night, we had a meeting scheduled with the Russians, which you didn¡¯t turn up for,¡± Seb informs me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t?¡± Shit, I am repeating myself, but clearly, these guys are fucking around with me. ¡°Get out of here,¡± I murmur. ¡°You guys could do better if you wanted to y a trick, which by the way, is something so juvenile I¡¯d have expected it of the twins.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Both Christian and Xander protest, for once, sounding exactly like the twins they are.


    I continue, ¡°It¡¯s not something I¡¯d expect the possible future Capo to be after me to say.¡±


    Seb blinks, thenughs, ¡°Now, you¡¯re the one yanking my chain, brother.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± I allow my lips to tilt up. ¡°You stepped in when I was out ofmission.¡±


    He opens his mouth and I raise my hand, ¡°I know it was only for a couple of hours, but you stepped in, took up the reins like you were born for it. And given Luca is, clearly, not the person we thought him to be-¡± I raise my shoulder, ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone better seeding to be Capo after me.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± Seb frowns, ¡°I am the bastard child-¡±


    ¡°Who was more loyal to me than my own blood brother.¡± I rise to my feet, walk over and grip his shoulder, ¡°I confess, I doubted your loyalties to me, but you came through for me when it most mattered, Seb.¡±


    He opens and shuts his mouth, then shakes his head, ¡°But the rules of the Cosa Nostra-¡±


    ¡°I am the Cosa Nostra,¡± I draw myself to my full height, ¡°and as soon as I am Don, I will ensure that these archaic rules are overturned. We need to move with the times if we hope to survive in a fast-changing world.¡±


    ¡°And her?¡± Xander¡¯s voice has me ncing at him over my shoulder.


    ¡°What about her?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°You want to modernize the Cosa Nostra, but what about your views toward women?¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± I draw myself up to my full height, ¡°What are you trying to tell me, fratellino?


    ¡°That you need to treat her more as your peer and less as your possession.¡±


    Silence descends on the gathering. Adrian shifts his weight from foot to foot. Seb nces between us, turns to me, opens his mouth as if to speak, then seems to change his mind. Massimo tenses, and Christian¡­ He¡¯s the only one who doesn¡¯t seem bothered. He watches his twin with something akin to admiration on his face but he stays silent. Thank fuck.


    Bad enough, one brother is trying to tell me something which my subconscious, perhaps, even recognizes as the truth¡­but fuck that. No one tells me what to do. Not her¡­and definitely not, my youngest sibling¡­ So what, if he¡¯s always been the conscience among the group? Only I decide how I manage my wife, and no one else.


    ¡°You advising me on how to run my domestic life?¡± My voice is soft, yet it seems to echo back from the walls of the room.


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± Xander¡¯s lips quirk, ¡°All I am saying is that you might want to do the one thing that most couples don¡¯t seem to master even after years together, which is tell her the truth.¡±


    ¡°Thus says the man who hasn¡¯t been able toe out and share his truest feelings for the woman he¡¯s spent most of his life loving from afar.¡±


    Xander pales. His features take on a stricken look. He nces away, and when he looks back at me, his features are once moreposed into that angelic face that all of us associate with him. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He lowers his chin, ¡°I have never managed to tell her how I feel, probably because I suffer from the same issues as you when ites to women. Apparently, our father¡¯s treatment of our mother screwed all of us over enough that, when ites to the opposite sex, we have only one use for them.¡±


    I stare at him. ¡°Now, that is not what I was expecting from you, I confess. You surprise me often, little brother, with your insight into human nature.¡±


    ¡°Not as much as you surprise me with your empathy.¡±


    ¡°Me? Empathetic?¡± Iugh, ¡°Surely, you are talking about someone else?¡±


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t, you would have killed her as soon as she showed up in that chapel-which you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Thought you said you didn¡¯t like how I treated her.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare butt into a rtionship between a Capo and his wife, but when ites to my brother and his soulmate¡­¡±


    ¡°Whoa, hold on.¡± I raise my hand, ¡°Who said anything about a soulmate?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you say as much as your gestures that indicate that you love her.¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves.¡± I smirk, ¡°All this emo shit is not in my vocabry.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time you made it. Maybe it¡¯s time you actually shared what¡¯s going on in your mind, in your heart, how your soul feels about her. I-¡±


    Seb¡¯s phone pings just then. He nces at it, then back at us. ¡°Don¡¯t mean to cut in on this touching family scene,¡± he drawls, ¡°but the Russians are here for the meeting.¡±


    ¡°Why the fuck are they here for a meeting?¡±


    ¡°As I told you,¡± Seb chides, ¡°you didn¡¯t make it to the meeting with themst night.¡±


    ¡°A meeting in which the rest of us covered for you, by the way,¡± Massimo adds.


    ¡°But, of course, they need to meet the Capo to confirm the deal we struck is legit.¡± Christian raises a shoulder.


    ¡°Merda.¡± I rake my fingers through my hair. ¡°How the hell did I miss that meeting?¡± I walk toward where my jacket is hanging over the back of a chair. I slide my hand in the pocket, pull out my phone, which is dead. ¡°Porca miseria,¡± I growl. My phone had run out of battery at the office, and I hadn¡¯t bothered to plug it in when I got home¡­because I had been otherwise distracted. Nor had I once checked it throughout the night, thanks to my infatuation with one feisty woman who had, clearly, pushed herself to the forefront of my mind. I have never once not made it to a meeting on time in all the years since I joined the Cosa Nostra. Apparently, there is a first time for everything. Apparently, my brain is going to shit because I can¡¯t even remember to charge my phone anymore.


    ¡°Fucking fuck.¡± I slip the phone back in my pocket, then turn to Seb, ¡°Let¡¯s get the Russians in here and get this over with.¡±

 65

    Karma


    He left me. Yet again, he hadn¡¯t let mee. Well, neither had hee, to be fair, and then, he¡¯d left. I know because, after I¡¯d gone to my room and showered, I had marched out and back to his room, which had been empty.


    I had walked down the stairs, headed to the living room, found it also empty. So was the kitchen¡­. Apparently, he¡¯d left¡­ And he hasn¡¯t returned. Guess he has no intention ofing home anytime soon.


    I hade to the kitchen, after smelling the coffee and toast and hash browns searing on the griddle, and for a second, I had thought that it was Michael¡­ But sadly, it wasn¡¯t. I finished my breakfast on my own, and wandered around the house, before finding my way back to the library.


    I had lingered there, picking out more strategy books like The Prince by Nolo Machiavelli-of course, he¡¯d have Machiavelli in his collection- Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, A Book of Five Rings: The ssic Guide to Strategy written by someone called Miyamoto Musashi who had been a Samurai centuries ago. OMG, does this man only read books by dead men or what?


    Well, he also has more eclectic books in his collection, like Man¡¯s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, the entire collection of The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Gxy by Dous Adams, Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach¡­. Apparently, there is a thinking side to the alphahole, not that I had doubted it.


    Michael has a streak of cruelty a mile wide, but he also has a lot of depth. Bet if he put aside that simmering resentment for all living things, we could have an interesting conversation on anything under the sun. I move to another shelf, spot some well-thumbed volumes of poetry by Byron, Pablo Neruda, and a few other familiar names. Poems, huh? Does he actually read these books? From the well-used condition of them, I¡¯d say yes. Plus, he quoted Byron the first time we met.


    Also¡­ I see Harry Potter. WTF? He reads Harry Potter? Does that mean he¡¯s also a romantic and somewhat of a dreamer deep inside? Does that dark soul of his also harbor something as mundane as emotions? At least, that¡¯s what his book collection tells me. And books, as we all know, don¡¯t lie¡­ Unlike people. They don¡¯t go about trying to kill their husband to get away from him, or hold a grudge against their wife, so they end up withholding orgasms.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My pussy instantly spasms in sympathy. Stupid pussy! You¡¯ve be such a greedy little thing. Can¡¯t stop begging for his fat cock to be buried inside of you, huh? Great, now I am talking to my cunt. Heat flushes my skin and moistureces my core. The emptiness inside of me writhes and moans. I squeeze my thighs together, then slide my fingers under the waistband of my jeans. I part my legs, y with my clit and a shiver of pleasure runs up my spine. I press down on the already engorged bud, and goosebumps pop on my skin. I slide my fingers down between my pussy lips, thrust one finger, then another inside my aching channel. I weave my fingers in and out of my melting channel, again and again. The vibrations shiver along my nerve-endings and my toes curl. OMG, a few more seconds of this and I am going toe¡­


    My fingers tremble and I pull them back. I lower my hand, press my elbow into my side, and blow out a breath. My knees tremble and I lean against a book case. Raise my cum-soaked fingers. Shit, why the hell did I stop? I could have gotten myself off so easily. And I hadn¡¯t. Just because that stupid douchebag had told me to not toe. And of course, much as my body wants the relief, something inside me insists that I can¡¯te. Not yet. Not until he gives me permission. Argh! I dig my fingers in my hair and tug. But I wannae! And right now. Which means, there¡¯s only one way out. If the alphahole won¡¯te to me, I¡¯ll have to go to him, to paraphrase one of those popr sayings. I pivot, walk out of the library, and up to my bedroom. I mean, he hasn¡¯t said that I can¡¯t leave the house. He hasn¡¯t told me that I have to stay here. Which means that it is up for interpretation. Which means, fuck it, I am going in search of him. But first, I have to wear something that reflects the mood I am in. Which is¡­ I am not to be taken for granted. I am not to be pushed aside and made to feel like I am a spare wheel¡­ Or a docile wife who will float around her husband¡¯s house waiting for him toe to me.


    Nope, no way, no siree, I am going to him and that is that. I head up the stairs, fling open the closet door, and examine my limited options. Unlike the ind, alphahole hasn¡¯t filled the wardrobe with dresses. Which is good¡­considering I hadn¡¯t exactly liked his taste¡­ But the gesture had been sweet. As much as theck of his thinking about my needs here is¡­a little worrying.


    Well, what do you expect, after you tried to kill him, not once but twice? Hmm. Okay, guess it¡¯s reassuring that he did let me live and he hasn¡¯t tried to off me since I stumbled back into his life, so there is that. Also, he had remembered to bring one of the dresses that he¡¯d bought from the boutique in Palermo. I run my fingers down the fabric, then turn to the only other dress in the closet, the one I had been avoiding looking at. My wedding dress. It¡¯s freshlyundered, but not in good shape.


    The bodice is torn, one of the sleeves is in tatters, and the long train that I had stitched on lovingly takes up a lot of space in the closet. The skirt grazes the floor of the wardrobe, the ck of the fabric so dark that it absorbs all of the light in the area. A creation that truly represents what I am¡­ What he is¡­ What we are together. A perfectly ck object, apletely ndestine crush, an enigmatic love that is, surely, fated to be doomed before we can start anything together. A gaze, a touch, a fleeting nce, a connection that binds us together for better or for worse. I rub the ring on the finger of my left hand.


    Oh, Michael, are we fated to implode? Are we but ships that pass in the night¡­with a bridge thrown across our decks for a short span of time? Are we lovers? Are we enemies whose chemistry turns our every meeting to kryptonite? Are we¡­nothing but dust, sparks that fade into the dark, fireflies with a short life that burn out before they even start living? A teardrop rolls down my cheek and I brush it away.


    Hell, what¡¯s wrong with me? From where did these thoughts tumble into my mind anyway? There can¡¯t be anythingsting between us. So what if, I¡¯ve fallen for that rat¡¯s ass of a man. He is a bloody criminal¡­which only makes him all the more appealing. He is a sadist¡­who speaks to the masochist in me. He is¡­a Capo¡­ I am a seamstress¡­ And never the twain shall meet.


    So, I have nothing to lose by seeking him out, and insisting that he put me out of my misery. As long as he will give me an orgasm¡­ Or two¡­ Or a whole bunch¡­ Hell, I¡¯ll be happy. The answer to all your problems is sex, and don¡¯t let them tell you otherwise.


    I grab the green dress from the hanger, and turn to find Cassandra in the doorway.


    She nces at the dress, then at me, ¡°Want help getting changed?¡±


    Forty-five minutester, I nce up at the facade of the four-story building¡­all of which is, apparently, Venom-the nightclub and offices owned by Michael¡¯s n. I push open the door of the car in which Cassandra had driven me here. She had not only helped me get dressed, she¡¯d also handed over an entire bag of cosmetics which she¡¯d, apparently, bought for me when she¡¯d been out of the house yesterday. I¡¯d protested and she¡¯d insisted that I keep it. That it would help me look my best for the Capo, and honestly, I couldn¡¯t resist taking it then.


    Only, I want to look good not just for him, but for myself, know what I mean? Though, why has she been this generous with me? Maybe she feels sorry for me? Maybe it¡¯s because of that word which Michael scrawled on me?


    I¡¯d almost told her that it was nothing to feel sorry about. The very fact that Michael had felt angry enough by my actions to do that to me, that he¡¯d etched a part of himself into me, that even though it said ¡®whore,¡¯ it was as close to an endearment as any I¡¯d gotten from him.


    Shit, why had I not realized that earlier? Maybe my subconscious mind had known, which is why I hadn¡¯t gonepletely ballistic in response to what he¡¯d done. I had been enraged but not over the top, tear your hair out, going on a killing rampage like the bride from Kill Bill furious. Nor like Dominic Toretto in Fast and the Furious upset. Ugh, clearly, Summer¡¯s movie trivia references are rubbing off on me, if I am taking refuge in Hollywood movies to express my frustration at why I had not realized this earlier. Which means, it is doubly important that I get to him, and confront him and say¡­ Well, I¡¯ll think of something to say when Ie face-to-face with him.


    ¡°So,¡± I turn to the car and Cassandra rolls down the window of the passenger seat. ¡°His office is on the top floor, eh?¡± I ask.


    She nods, ¡°You sure you want to do this, Signora?¡±


    She just used the word as a form of address in the Italiannguage to indicate that I am a married woman. I bite the inside of my cheek. Shit, I am married to him¡­ He is my husband¡­ And I could be pregnant with his child¡­ Something which I have avoided thinking about since I went back to Michael. Not sure why it popped up in my mind now¡­except¡­ If I am pregnant, it would be a hell of an incredible way to ensure that I change the tone of our rtionship into something a bit more¡­permanent? Another reason to walk up there and confront my husband. I swallow the ball of emotion that crowds my throat.


    Shit, my husband. The one person I can actually call mine. I have to find a way to, somehow, get through that cloak of hurt he¡¯s donned since my ill-fated attempt to escape him. I need to get through the barriers he¡¯s building between us, somehow make him see, just how much I regret what I did to him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I jerk my chin, ¡°I am sure. Wish me luck?¡±

 66

    Michael


    ¡°What makes you think I want to do a deal with you?¡± I nce across the conference room table in my office. The man sprawled out at the foot of the table chuckles.


    ¡°Come now Capo, you and I both know that you need allies on your side in your quest to bid for the role of Don.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you for that, Niki.¡± I yawn. ¡°I am the son, the heir; the title of Don is as good as mine.¡±


    ¡°If that were true, you wouldn¡¯t be meeting with me.¡± Niki¡¯s lips twist, ¡°You not only need to show that you have built up your association with the strongest organized crime syndicates in your region, but you also need us in your corner should the Don, for some reason, decide to turn on you.¡±


    I stiffen, then force my muscles to rx. Fucker is good. As strategic as me. As ruthless as me. As power-hungry as me¡­ Which is why he hadn¡¯t hesitated to ept meeting me on my own turf in my office. Not that it was my idea, but I have to give Seb credit. By asking Niki toe here, he¡¯d shown that he was thinking ten steps ahead. Niki epting it? It shows that he needs me as much as I need him.


    ¡°The same can be said of you.¡± I tilt my head, ¡°You¡¯re here meeting me on my turf, unarmed-¡±


    ¡°But not alone,¡± He spreads his arms wide, drawing my attention to the two men who stand on either side of him. His younger brothers Roman and Victor stare back at me, their faces impassive.


    ¡°Brothers, eh?¡± I jerk my chin toward mine who stand behind me, ¡°Can¡¯t live with ¡¯em, can¡¯t live without ¡¯em.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s family for you.¡± Niki chuckles, ¡°In our business, it¡¯s all about blood ties. You may not get along with your family, but you can trust them to have your back.¡±


    That¡¯s what I had thought too. Then Luca decided to turn everything on its head.


    ¡°The times are changing,¡± I murmur, ¡°enemies be friends be enemies.¡±


    He frowns, ¡°I am not following.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve never been on the same side of the fence before-¡±


    ¡°Yet you reached out to us, and offered us a proposal we couldn¡¯t resist.¡±


    He¡¯s referring to our earlier agreement where Niki agreed to stop targeting our ships in return for a cut of the money we make on the shipping routes.


    ¡°The enemy of your enemy is a friend, too.¡± I allow my lips to kick up.


    Niko¡¯s forehead creases. ¡°The Kane Company.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± I lean back in my chair. ¡°They¡¯ve be more daring, ofte.¡±


    ¡°Are they responsible for-¡± He nods toward the bandage on my forehead.


    ¡°No, that was me.¡±


    I jerk my head around in the direction of my wife¡¯s voice. She stands by the now open door, Antonio, hovering behind her.


    ¡°Sorry, Boss,¡± he raises his hands, ¡°she wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, and-¡±


    ¡°You did the right thing,¡± I wave my hand and he steps back.


    Beauty walks over to me. She¡¯s wearing one of the dresses she¡¯d chosen from the boutique in Palermo, where I had taken her. Where I had pushed her up against the wall of the changing room and ripped the dress she¡¯d been wearing and thrust my fingers inside her sopping wet cunt, and she hade. She had moaned loud enough for everyone in that boutique to hear her. The blood drains to my groin and my balls tighten. I move around in my chair, trying to ease the strain on my pants. That¡¯s when I notice that the gaze of every single man in the room is on her. Che palle. I rise to my feet, ¡°This meeting is over.¡±


    Niki nces between my wife and me. ¡°Indeed.¡± His lips curve, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us to the beautiful signorina?¡±


    ¡°Signora,¡± I rify as Beauty pauses next to me. ¡°This,¡± I wrap my arm around her and pull her stiff body against mine, ¡°is my wife.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Niki finally gets up from his seat, ¡°Ocharovannyy, printsessa,¡± He half bows.


    Why is it that every man whoes across her seems to be enchanted by her? Can¡¯t the fuckers see that she belongs to me?


    I yank her even closer and she digs her elbow into my side. My cock instantly jerks. Fuck. Hasn¡¯t she realized by now that any hint of violence from her only turns me on? Maybe it¡¯s why she¡¯s tried to kill me twice, and both times, the connection between us has only grown stronger. What the hell? Why hadn¡¯t I realized this before? That the more she tries to hurt me, the more I want her. The more she wants to push me away, the more I need her. The more she tries to prove to me that she can do without me¡­the more I want to imprint myself on every pore of her body.


    ¡°And you are-?¡± Beauty holds up her hand.


    ¡°Leaving,¡± I snap at the same time that Niki walks around the table to take her hand in his.


    ¡°Very pleased to meet you¡­¡± He tilts his head.


    Beautyughs. ¡°Karma,¡± she murmurs, ¡°call me Karma.¡±


    ¡°A fitting name for the woman who has brought the Capo to heel.¡± He kisses her fingers and every muscle in my body goes on alert.


    ¡°Rx, Capo,¡± Niki drawls, ¡°I pose no threat to you or your family.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t take you to be a liar,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    He releases her hand and I shove her behind my back.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she protests, ¡°what are you doing?¡± She tries to step around me and I wrap an arm behind and around her, keeping her in ce. She digs her fingers into my arm, and a shudder shivers up my spine.


    I re at Niki, who meets my gaze. He doesn¡¯t back away, doesn¡¯t lower his gaze either. For a few seconds our staring match goes on, then he jerks his chin. ¡°You protect what¡¯s yours.¡± His lips twist, ¡°I respect that.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll also respect when I say that you need to leave now.¡±


    ¡°A straight shooter, too.¡± He chuckles, ¡°We are cut from the same cloth, Capo. I do believe we have more inmon than we realize.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    ¡°Until next time then,¡± he nods at me, then pivots and stalks out, followed by his brothers. The door shuts behind them.


    I release Karma who stomps out and around to stand in front of me. ¡°Jesus, all that posturing. It was highly entertaining-not.¡± She fumes, ¡°If you dare try to control me again in front of your acquaintances I will-¡±


    ¡°How are you Karma?¡± Xander cuts in. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you since your unexpected arrival at the chapel.¡±


    Karma scowls in his direction as he walks toward her. Her forehead smoothens out. Typical. No woman can resist the lure of the beauty of my youngest brother.


    Karma smiles at him, ¡°You must be¡­¡±


    ¡°Alessandro, but people call me Xander.¡±


    ¡°At his insistence.¡± Christian steps forward, ¡°Personally, I think he does it because it annoys the Capo.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡± She shoots me a side nce. ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°He ims it¡¯s a bastardized version of Sandro, which is, of course, the Italian version of my nickname.¡±


    ¡°For the record, I prefer Xander.¡± Her smile widens, ¡°Reminds me of Xander Cage in the xXx series.¡±


    ¡°Love action-packed Hollywood movies, eh?¡± Xanderughs.


    ¡°Also, video games.¡±


    ¡°SIMS 4?¡±


    ¡°Wha-a-t?¡± She tosses her head, ¡°Give me some credit, yeah? Call of Duty, all the way here.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit, you don¡¯t say, you-¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s it,¡± I step between them. ¡°Out, you guys.¡±


    ¡°But, fratellone,¡± Xander¡¯s smirk widens, ¡°we were just talking.¡±


    ¡°And now, you¡¯ve finished talking.¡± I nod my chin toward the door, ¡°Don¡¯t call me, I¡¯ll call you.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± Xander chuckles, ¡°and I was only trying to be friendly.¡±


    ¡°Well, take your friendliness somewhere else.¡± I fold my arms across my chest, fix him with my most stern gaze. ¡°Now,¡± I say in a low voice and that wipes the smile off of his face.


    ¡°You got it, Boss.¡±


    He walks past us without saying another word. The rest of the guys file out with him. Antonio closes the door, and I turn to find Beauty staring at me with an incredulous look other face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me, I¡¯ll call you?¡± She huffs, ¡°You really do need to work on your dialogues.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± She swipes her hair over her shoulder, ¡°I mean, how trite can you get?¡±


    ¡°Trite, eh?¡±


    ¡°Seriously, every part of you is a cliche.¡± She sniffs, ¡°From your dark suits, to your glowering face, to¡­¡± She nces around the space, ¡°To this office, on top of a nightclub.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with having an office at the top floor of a nightclub?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s predictable.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s convenient.¡±


    ¡°Why? So you can have women service you as you are working?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I stroke my chin, ¡°Now that you mention it, that is a fringe benefit.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± She pushes against my chest. ¡°How dare you say that to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who brought it up, Beauty; you did. Speaking of,¡± I peer into her face, ¡°what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that I was a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°My point, exactly.¡± I hold her gaze, ¡°You could have escaped, Beauty; you could have walked out of the house-¡±


    ¡°Which I did.¡±


    ¡°Or called your sister-¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me my cellphone, and if I had called from your home, no doubt, you would have found out about it right away.¡±


    ¡°You could have called her from somewhere else, once you left the house.


    She blinks, ¡°True.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t think of it?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°For the same reason that you didn¡¯t imprison me in your home, this time,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°What reason is that?¡± I fold my arms across my chest.


    ¡°I know why you carved out the word ¡®whore¡¯ on my back.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I tilt my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you feel something for me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Apathy.¡± I look her up and down. ¡°You¡¯re a nice hole to bury my cock in, but considering I¡¯ve already sampled what you have to offer,¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°I think it¡¯s time I set you free.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± She bursts out.


    ¡°Am I?¡± I round the desk, drop into my seat, then flick on myptop. I busy myself looking at the figures fromst month¡¯s sales¡­which has taken a hit, thanks to the Kane Company hijacking our gun shipments in and out of Eastern Europe. Fuck¡­ Something I need to deal with right away. I nce up at her, ¡°What are you still doing here?¡±


    She opens, then shuts her mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re free to leave.¡±


    ¡°What will it take for you to realize that this connection between us cannot be broken so easily?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no connection¡­and even if there was one, it shattered when you took the oar to my head.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god!¡± She throws up her hands, ¡°Your stupid ego is going to be the death of me.¡±


    ¡°That day can¡¯te soon enough.¡±


    ¡°And yet you faked your death so I¡¯de back to you,¡± she points out.


    ¡°I faked my death so I could draw out my brother who betrayed me; you were a fringe benefit.¡±


    Her features crumple, hurt writrge across her features. My heart twists and I nce away to stare at theputer screen. The figures fade in and out in front of my eyes.


    Cazzo! What¡¯s wrong with me? Why does she still affect me so? When she had walked in here, it had felt as if the world had finally tilted right on its axis. Then I had seen the men in the room look at her and had experienced the kind of jealousy that had twisted my guts, that had made me want to whisk her away somewhere, away from all of them, hide her in a ce where no one else could see her or talk to her or nce at her.


    Then, I¡¯d realized that I have to let her go. If I continue to hold onto her, she¡¯llpletely undo me. She¡¯ll make me weak, expose my frailties, derail me from the course I have set for myself. Something I can¡¯t afford.


    As for her rtionship with the Seven and how that would have strengthened my own bid to be the next Don¡­ Well, I¡¯ll just have to do without it.


    ¡°So, this is it?¡± she whispers. ¡°This is what it¡¯se to? You asking me to leave because you can¡¯t deal with your own insecurities?¡±


    ¡°Interesting theory,¡± I drum my fingers on the table, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid I am not in the mood to listen to it.¡±


    She stiffens. Anger pours off of her. Then she straightens her back, ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this.¡±


    ¡°I regret the day I saw you in that park. I should have turned around and left. Sadly, you seemed too easy an opportunity to pass up.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I am to you, then? After everything we¡¯ve been through, it¡¯s all you view me as?¡±


    ¡°You know the answer to that already.¡± I nce away, pretend to focus on my work.


    She stays motionless for a second, then out of the corner of my eyes I sense a sh of movement. I turn to find her pulling off the ring from her finger. ¡°Here.¡± She ms it on the table. Turning, she walks out.

 67

    Karma


    The ring, which had refused toe off my fingers all this time, had finally slipped off in there. Maybe it was a sign that he¡¯s right? Maybe I had been wrong toe back for his fake funeral?


    He had written ¡®whore¡¯ on my skin, and I guess he really meant it. He doesn¡¯t really want me. In fact, he¡¯d rather let me go than admit that he feels something more than hatred for me. Hell, the stronzo is half in love with me. Only, he doesn¡¯t want to admit it. And hell, if he hasn¡¯t converted me to using Italian words in my vocabry in a matter of weeks. I have only known him for a fraction of my life, and already, it feels like he is a part of me in a way that nobody else has ever been before. Why am I still so attracted to him? Someone who is a psychopath¡­and a criminal¡­probably, a murderer.


    I draw in a breath and my lungs burn. I stomp down the steps of the nightclub, past the bar on the ground floor that has two bartenders restocking the shelves behind the bar. I reach the door, push it open, and step into the early afternoon.


    A cool breeze blows over me and I shiver. The weather has been so pleasant even for early December. Shit. It¡¯s already early December. Soon it will be Christmas¡­ Will I be home for Christmas? Where is home? Here, with the alphahole Mafia Capo? Or in London with Summer and her new husband, who, I confess, I don¡¯t know well at all?


    Not like I have a choice. After all, he had thrown me out¡­ Well, he¡¯d kidnapped me, so it was his prerogative to let me go. Hold on¡­ What prerogative? He had taken me and married me¡­ The least he could have done was share his feelings with me. Not to mention, at least, gotten me off.


    Now, here I am, walking up the road in the center of Palermo, with nothing but the clothes on my back, and nowhere to go¡­ I need to get to a phone and call Summer. I pause. Maybe if I turn and go back to the nightclub, I can ask to borrow a phone or something? And risk running into my husband-well, my not-husband, to be precise¡­ Nah, no way. It would only give him a chance to smirk. Maybe a chance to tell me to get out, all over again.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Nope. N-a-h. I am going to have to do this without him. Gonna have to find someone with a phone, or somece which will allow me to make a call. Aren¡¯t Italiansrgely warm-hearted people? Or at least, that¡¯s what I had read somewhere. I walk up the road, which features other bars, eating joints¡­ No other nightclubs on this street. Guess when the Mafia runs a nightclub, no-one wants to go head-to-head against them. They¡¯d lose. As I had.


    I¡¯d thought I could go toe-to-toe with this man, and see what happened? Asshole really did do a number on me. Why the hell did he have to be so¡­hot? So sexy¡­ So irresistible. Why did he have to show a glimmer of humanity under all that alphaholeness, eh?


    If I were truly convinced that he¡¯s evil, I would be jumping for joy right now. The problem is, I now know he isn¡¯t as mean as he pretends to be. Nor as unfeeling as he¡¯d like me to believe. Unfortunately, nothing I¡¯ve said or done so far has convinced him to open up to me either. Jerk.


    To think, we actually had a chance to make a go of it. We could have had a future together; a possibility of a life together. Gah! I really have done it now, falling in love with him sopletely. I knew I was attracted to him, that I was falling for him, but to be in love with him? Shit, shit, shit. A pressure builds at the backs of my eyes. I am in love with him and he¡­ He, clearly, hates me.


    Nice one, Karma. The story of my life. Why do I always realize what I want a little toote?


    I had gotten into Goldsmith to study fashion design, then in a fit of rebellion, dropped out¡­ Only to figure outter that I could have done with that little bit of extra guidance¡­ I mean, I was rushing to break the rules without first learning what the rules were. So, in the end, the only person who was hurt by the entire process was me. Just like now, when I am the only person mourning the end of a rtionship that wasn¡¯t.


    I continue walking up the street. The bars and restaurants have given way to shops that look more run down. There is a coffee shop with a group of men standing about it. Some are seated at the tables outside, drinking coffee, talking together. Many are dressed in pants and vests. Their forearms tattooed. One of them raises the espresso cup to his lips. The guy opposite him says something, and the man throws the coffee in his face. The guy screams. The second man jumps to his feet, smashes the cup into the first guy¡¯s temple. The cup shatters. Blood pours down his face. Shit, I really am in Mafiand, huh?


    I pause, ncing up and down the street. I could turn back¡­but¡­nah, I am not conceding defeat. I need to keep going. I cross the street, to the other side, then stay close to the wall. I continue walking, keeping my gaze forward. My palms begin to sweat, and I wipe them on the silk skirt of my dress. Shit, why had I worn this outfit? It had seemed like a good idea then. But on the street and trying not to draw attention to myself¡­? Yeah, think again.


    A wolf whistle rings out from the other side of the street. I wince, but don¡¯t look in their direction. Hell, the one thing I know is self-preservation. If I don¡¯t pay attention to them, hopefully, they¡¯ll lose interest. Another wolf whistle sounds, this one louder and apanied by kissing noises. Ugh. I draw myself up to my full height, keep my pace even. If I run, they¡¯ll know I am scared¡­ And while I am-shitless, to be honest-I am not going to give these assholes the satisfaction of knowing that.


    A bead of sweat trickles down my spine. The hair on the nape of my neck rises. The sound of a vehicle elerating reaches me. I stiffen, turn to find a van overtaking the car in front as it hurtles up the road. The hair on the back of my neck rises. My senses jangle. Somehow, I know the van is headed for me. Run! Get out of here. These sted heels I borrowed from Cassandra are not meant for running. My ankles wobble, I cry out, then kick off my stilettos, and break into a sprint. The soles of my feet hit the hard concrete. Vibrations of pain race up my legs. I wince, but keep going even as the sound of the vehicle¡¯s engine draws closer. It draws up next to me and the door slides open. A man jumps out in my path. I careen to a stop, pivot to find another man behind me. No, no, no. I throw up a fist, then scream when arms wrap around my center. I am lifted straight off of my feet, and even as I try to kick out, I am flung inside the van. I jump up, but something hits me on the head from behind. Then everything goes dark.

 68

    Michael


    Shit, shit, shit. I shouldn¡¯t have let her go. I snatch up the ring that she had flung down on the table. I close my palm around it and the edge of the diamond seems to bite into the flesh of my palm. Shit, what was I thinking, letting her leave like that? I slide the ring inside my pocket, then pull out my knife and flip it, catch it by the handle. I stare at the polished de. The edge of which I had sunk into her skin when I had carved the mark of my possession of her.


    Was she right? Did I do that because I wanted to own her? To make her mine. To have her as my wife to cherish, to protect, to love¡­ No¡­ Not that. I am not capable of that emotion. No, my feelings for her are already way moreplex than that. If I had asked her to stay, if I had given in to the temptation she is¡­ In that gorgeous dress which had clung to her like a second skin, outlining the thrust of her breasts, the curves of her hips, and pulled tight across her thigh¡­ I would have never been able to let her go.


    And would that have been so bad?


    Pain slices my palm. I nce down to find the de has nicked the flesh at the base of my thumb. Che diavolo. I stick the knife into the wooden surface of the desk, then bring my palm to my mouth and suck on the wound.


    The door to my office bursts open and Seb stalks in. His features are set in hard lines, his forehead furrowed.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Karma.¡± He scowls, ¡°They took her.¡±


    My heart ms in my chest. My pulse rate ratchets up. ¡°What do you mean, they took her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what he says.¡± Massimo drags in a guy by his cor. The man is bleeding from his mouth; blood stains his vest. A sleeve of tattoos covers one arm and runs up the side of his throat.


    ¡°Who is this?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Found him bragging to one of the dancers downstairs, that he saw a woman being kidnapped. She reported it to me, and I got suspicious. I cored him, asked him to describe what he saw, and from his description, I am positive that he witnessed Karma being taken.¡±


    I rise to my feet, m my palm into the table with such force that a ss crashes to the floor. ¡°Will one of you tell me who the fuck would daree into my territory and take my wife from me?¡±


    ¡°You did let her go,¡± Seb reminds me. ¡°You sent her out there unprotected.¡±


    Anger squeezes my guts and pain ms into my chest with such force that my lungs burn. ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Seb tilts his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking talk to me like that.¡±


    ¡°Someone needs to, considering you are letting your ego blind you to what¡¯s there right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°That you love her.¡±


    Something hot stabs at my chest. I round the table, throw up my fist. He doesn¡¯t duck¡­ He had enough time to evade my blow, but he doesn¡¯t. My strike hits home. I connect with the side of his face and he grunts. I raise my fist again, but Massimo shoves the man he¡¯s holding at Antonio.


    He steps between us, holds up his hands, ¡°Enough, Capo, you need to get a grip on yourself.¡±


    ¡°I am going to kill him.¡±


    ¡°For telling the truth?¡±


    I freeze, ¡°What the hell is wrong with all of you?¡±


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± He snaps. ¡°Your woman has been taken¡­ This time, likely, by our enemy, and you¡¯re standing here fighting with your own n? With people who are on your side, in your corner. You need to rein in your temper, fratellone, and focus on what we must do next.¡±


    I lurch back, shake my head. Fuck, fuck, fuck. What¡¯s happening to me? I drag my fingers through my hair, then jerk my chin at him. ¡°You can step aside,¡± I murmur, ¡°I won¡¯t attack him.¡±


    Massimo lowers his arms and I brush past both of them. I stalk over to the figlio di puttana who¡¯s struggling to get away from Antonio. I swipe out my arm, bury my fist in his face. Blood blooms from his nose, drips down his chin.


    ¡°What did you see?¡± I growl.


    ¡°I had nothing to do with.¡± His throat moves as he swallows, ¡°I swear, on the holy Virgin Mary, I was minding my own business when shees along. I only noticed her because¡­ Well, it¡¯s difficult not to, the way she was dressed, and her figure, I-¡±


    I bring my fist up, sink it into his stomach this time. He gurgles, bends over, and would have fallen if Antonio hadn¡¯t jerked him back upright.


    I m my fist into his shoulder, then raise it again, only to be grabbed and yanked back.


    ¡°Fratellone, stop.¡± Massimo grips my shoulder, ¡°We need him to tell us what he saw.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill him.¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll tear him from limb to limb, then smash all his bones and throw him in a barrel of acid while he¡¯s still alive.¡±


    ¡°If you did that, we¡¯d never be able to find her.¡±


    Find her. Find her. The anger drains away and silence fills my head. I step back, look the bastardo in the eye.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Who took her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I swear,¡± he warbles. ¡°I was watching her¡­ Hell, we were all watching her-¡±


    I fold my fingers into fists. I will not kill him. Not yet. Not until he¡¯s told me everything he witnessed.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡± Massimo prompts, ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°A van drove up the road, pulled to a stop in front of her, and they took her.¡±


    My vision tunnels and a coldness grips me. ¡°What kind of a van?¡± I ask in a low voice. ¡°Did you notice the numbers on the license te?¡±


    ¡°The license te was c-covered in dirt,¡± he stutters. ¡°It was a white Fiat Ducato,¡± he adds.


    ¡°Like that is helpful,¡± Massimo growls. ¡°There must be a million of them on the road.¡±


    ¡°Any other distinguishing features?¡± Seb walks up to stand on my other side, ¡°You¡¯d bettere up with something that is going to help us, if you want to live.¡±


    The testa di cazzo blinks, then nces between us.


    ¡°Or maybe, he wants to die right now?¡± Massimo raises his fist and the man yells.


    ¡°Wait, wait, let me think.¡±


    ¡°Think fast,¡± Seb prompts him. ¡°Else your insides will be gracing the floor very soon.¡± He pops his knuckles and the man pales.


    ¡°A¡­a¡­flower.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I saw a design of what looked like a flower on the windscreen.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I scowl at him.


    ¡°Yes, no, I don¡¯t know,¡± he pants. Sweat drips down his temples. ¡°It¡­ lt¡­looked like it, but I can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    ¡°What kind of a flower?¡± I re at him and he blinks rapidly.


    ¡°I am not sure.¡±


    He nces between us, ¡°Please, just let me go. I promise never to look at her again.¡±


    Fuck, if I don¡¯t want to pull his eyes out for daring to look at her in ascivious way. And if I did, I¡¯d never have witnessese forward in the future with information. I roll my shoulders, narrow my gaze on him. ¡°Get out while you¡¯re still alive,¡± I snap.


    The man turns and scampers out.


    I fold my arms across my chest, ¡°I am going to find whoever did this, and when I do¡­ I am going to destroy their entire bloodline. Every. Last. One of them.¡±


    Neither Seb nor Massimo contradict me.


    ¡°There are only two gangs who would dare do this,¡± Massimo murmurs. ¡°It can¡¯t be the Bratva because we¡¯ve struck a deal with them. Which leaves-¡±


    ¡°The Kane Company.¡± I roll my neck from side to side ¡°Would they daree right into my territory and do this?¡±


    ¡°They attacked you on your turf.¡± He¡¯s referring to an incident a few months ago when four unarmed men had attacked me. I had managed to overpower them, and even brought two of them in for questioning. One of them had swallowed poison and died, the other, I had knifed. We hadn¡¯t gotten much from either of them, but it stood to reason that it was the Kane Company who were behind both incidents.


    ¡°They are the only ones with enough gumption to attempt something like this.¡± Seb scratches his chin. One of his eyes is half closed, a ring of ck already showing up around it, thanks to my hit. ¡°They probably wanted to get your attention,¡± he warns.


    ¡°Well, they have it.¡±


    ¡°They, clearly, wanted to make you angry enough tomit a mistake.¡± Massimo tilts his head.


    I re back at him. ¡°Fuck that,¡± I growl. ¡°They took what is mine and now they have to face my wrath.¡±


    I brush past both of them, head for my desk. Working the knife from the surface of my table, I slide it back in its sheath. Then I pull out my drawer, snatch up my gun, check to make sure it¡¯s loaded before I slide it at the back in my waistband holster. I grab another gun, repeat the actions to ensure that it¡¯s loaded, then slide it into my underarm holster. I snatch up a third gun, bend and raising my pant leg and slip it into the holster around my ankle.


    I straighten to find both of them watching me.


    ¡°What?¡± I snap.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think you are going in alone, do you?¡± Seb drawls.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our territory,¡± he counters.


    ¡°She¡¯s our family.¡± Massimo frowns, ¡°And if you think you¡­our Capo is going there on your own-¡±


    ¡°You are wrong,¡± Christian says from the open door.


    ¡°Thought I told the lot of you all to head off and get on with your work.¡±


    ¡°This is work,¡± Xander prowls into the room. ¡°Much as I hate bloodshed, I am afraid this is one time I can¡¯t help but back you up.¡±


    ¡°They dare to raise a hand on our flesh and blood,¡± Christian growls. ¡°They¡¯ll answer for this with their lives.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t allow everyone toe with me on this.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± Christian begins to protest, and I raise my hand.


    ¡°If this is some kind of trick, and I¡¯m not saying it is, but if it is, then with the lot of us heading out together to confront them, we are ying right into their hands.¡±


    Xander nods, ¡°So what would you have us do instead?¡±


    ¡°Stay back,¡± I nce between the twins. ¡°Monitor for any unusual activity within ourwork. Anyone who could have leaked news of what happened here. They were keeping a close eye on us. There¡¯s no doubt about that. It¡¯s how they knew the moment she walked out on her own.¡± I widen my stance. Whoever is leaking information needs to be brought to heel, before any more damage is done.¡± And her¡­ What about her? If my actions led to her being hurt¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to forgive myself. I won¡¯t stop until she has been avenged. And how will I live after that? How will I continue without her? I roll my shoulders. Only one way out. I need to get to her before anything happens.


    I stalk past the men and to the door, then pause to nce over my shoulder at Seb and Massimo, ¡°You twoing?¡±

 69

    Karma


    Darkness presses in on me. Pain thuds at my temples, between my eyes. I turn on my side and the throbbing in my head ratchets up. Red sparks re behind my closed eyelids. I groan and the sound seems to echo in the space. I crack my eyelids open, wince when the brightness overwhelms me. I turn on my back,y still. Take a deep breath, another. Shit, why won¡¯t the pain recede? I swallow and my throat hurts. I take a mental inventory of my body, but nothing else seems hurt.


    I open my eyes again, slowly, and this time they seem to adjust to the brightness which is sunlight pouring in from a window to my right. I nce around, take in the empty room I am in. Well, except for the bed that I am on. I attempt to sit up, then almost cry out when the headache worsens. I bring my hand to my head, then wince when I feel the bump at the back. No wonder I have a headache¡­ I hit my head. OMG, the van. I had been trying to get away from those men in the cafe, when the van¡­had drawn up next to me. One of the men had grabbed me and thrown me inside, and then¡­ Someone had hit me on the head, I think. Bloody hell, I¡¯ve been kidnapped¡­ Again? What the hell?


    Is it just my bad luck, or do I walk around with a target painted on my forehead to attract all of the creeps around me toe after me? Not that Michael is a creep¡­ No, he¡¯s worse¡­ He¡¯s an asshole. A jackalope. A douche canoe of the nth degree. Gah! And here I am, back to being a captive. My freedom hadsted roughly half an hour, if that? And am I going to, once more,y here waiting for someone to tell me what to do next? Whoever these guys are, they¡¯re surely as dangerous as, if not more than, Michael.


    Of course, it¡¯s also thanks to him that I am in this situation. If he hadn¡¯t turned me out, I would never have been kidnapped. A-n-d hold on¡­ If he hadn¡¯t kidnapped me in the first ce, then I wouldn¡¯t have been kidnapped again, either. Yeah, everything that¡¯s happened to me is because of him. He¡¯s the one to me. When I see him again, I am going to yell at him, p him, then¡­ fling myself on him, climb him like a tree and kiss him. The sound of the door being opened reaches me. My heart jackknifes in my chest. My pulse rate ratchets up. I jerk my head toward the doorway, stifle another cry when the headache seems to intensify.


    A man walks in. He¡¯s tall-as tall as Michael, maybe-and broad, but in a way that hints at him spending too much time in a gym¡­ That, and steroids. He is definitely on something, to have his biceps balloon in that fashion. His shirt strains at the seams and outlines his chest, as well as the making of a bby belly¡­which is a weirdbination. He stops at the foot of the bed, looks me up and down. My skin crawls. The hair on the nape of my neck rises. Shit, this man, he is up to no good. His gazees to rest on my chest-asshole-before moving in a leisurely path down to the apex of my legs.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°No, I am sleeping. And clearly, I like to talk in my sleep too.¡±


    He blinks, jerks his chin up. ¡°Har, har.¡± His lips kick up, ¡°You have a sense of humor.¡±


    ¡°That makes one of us.¡± I scowl at him. ¡°How dare you kidnap me?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    He opens and shuts his mouth. Evidently, I have rendered him speechless, which is a start. I lever my body up, swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up. My stomach lurches, bile boils up my throat and I swallow it down. My head spins. I draw in a breath, and the world rights itself again. I take a step forward, then another. I walk to the door, grab the handle and twist it. I try to open it and the door resists. Shit. I jiggle the handle, try to pull it back again, ¡°Come on,e on.¡±


    I hear his footsteps approach, feel him close enough for his body heat to envelop me. My stomach ties itself in knots. I slide away, just as his heavy handnds on the door, which shudders. Shit. If he¡¯d grabbed me, he¡¯d probably have broken a bone or two. I turn to face him. He takes a step forward and I stumble back against the door. Don¡¯t show him how scared you are. If you do, it will only make it worse. And there is no one looking for me.


    Alphahole has no idea that I¡¯ve been kidnapped again, and if he did, would hee for me? My heart stutters. He would. I have no doubt about it. He may be upset with me, enough to have cast me out, but there¡¯s no doubt that his ego would not permit him to allow anyone else to take what is his. But does he still consider me his? What if he really is done with me? Shit, what if I am doomed to spend the rest of my days here, in this stupid room, with this horrible, overgrown gori of a man, whoever he is? Trying toe on to me¡­ Who definitely wants to do worse than juste on to me. Gross!


    He rolls his shoulders, no doubt, to impress upon me just how much bigger than me he is. Bloody baboon.


    He cracks his knuckles and I pretend to yawn. That wipes the smile off of his face. Stupid shitstain. He lunges forward and I bring my knee up and smash it into his center. He roars in pain. I slide aside, as he bends over and grabs his nuts. I race for the door, hammer on it, ¡°Let me out of here. Let me out. Let me out right now.¡± My head throbs each time my fist connects with the door, but I don¡¯t let up. I sense him straighten and begin to lumber toward me. I pivot, bring my fist down on the door with such force that the entire frame shakes. Pain ripples up my arm, and I cry out. ¡°Open the goddam door. Please open the door, please-¡±


    He grabs my hair and pulls me back with such force that I scream. He shakes me, and I see sparks behind my eyes. Tears squeeze out from the corners of my eyes and my legs seem to give way from beneath me. He releases me and I sink to the floor. He steps toward me, when the door is wrenched upon.


    ¡°The boss wants to see you,¡± someone says from outside the room. The man hesitates when the voice speaks again, ¡°You know how he doesn¡¯t like to be kept waiting.¡±


    The man grumbles under his breath, then turns and walks out of the door. Iy where I have fallen on the floor. My headache seems to have grown exponentially, now filling the entirety of my head. I groan, then stagger to my feet. I manage to stumble to the bed and sink down onto it. The scent of stale cigarettes and other assorted smells I don¡¯t care to identify assails me. I cough, turn my head away, throw my arm over my eyes and curl into myself.


    When I open my eyes again, it¡¯s dark outside. My headache, at least, seems to have receded. Thank God. I sit up, then groan when every part of my body aches. My tongue seems to be stuck to the roof of my mouth. I swallow and my throat hurts. The soles of my feet throb, probably from that hasty run to get away from my kidnappers earlier. I nce around the empty room again. I hate this¡­ Sitting here, waiting to be rescued. Not that there is anyoneing to get me. I hunch my shoulders as a tear makes its way down my cheek. I sniffle, then wipe the back of my palm against my nose. Goddammit, how the hell am I going to get out of this situation?


    I rise up to my feet, then hobble over to the window. I nce outside, and blink. We must be on a hill or something, for the lights of the city stretch out in the distance.


    I nce down and realize I am on the second floor.


    I reach for the handle on the window frame, try to pull it down but it won¡¯t budge. Dammit! I grab it with both of my hands, tense my biceps, then yank it down. Still, no movement. Argh! I draw in a breath, then brace my feet on the floor. I throw the entire weight of my body behind it, and it moves, maybe, just a centimeter. I copse against the windowsill, panting. A headache knocks behind my eyes, but I ignore it. I grab the handle and twist it. My muscles protest; my arms hurt. My biceps feel like they are being put through a wringer. The handle slides down a little more. Oh, my god! I sink down onto the floor, lean my head into the wall.


    I close my eyes, draw in a few deep breaths. Close my eyes and focus inside myself. If my hippie mother were here, she¡¯d tell me to center myself. Zoom in on the intention. Ground myself, draw on the energy of the earth and-I hear the sound of footsteps approaching. I snap open my eyes, then spring up, turn to the window, then grab the handle and yank on it. It moves down a few more millimeters. ¡°Goddam it!¡± I cry out as I hear the door open behind me.


    I throw everything I have into grabbing the handle and hang off of it. Metal against metal screeches and it slips free. I turn around to find the guy from earlier entering the room. My heart ms into my ribcage. My pulse rate spikes. Adrenalineces my blood. I turn back to the window, fling it open. Then pull myself onto the window sill.


    He reaches for me and I mber out onto the ledge. He leans out of the window, and I evade him. My feet slip on the ledge and I cry out, then right myself. I slide forward, out of his reach, and ster myself against the wall. I turn to find the bastard trying to pull himself up. His shoulders fill the window, his frame, clearly, too big for the space. As I watch, he maneuvers himself onto the window sill, then shoves one leg over the frame. Fuck!


    Sweat trickles down my spine and my dress sticks to my back. I nce down at the ground which, despite the fact that I am on the second floor, seems way farther down than I¡¯d like, then back to where the gori climbs out onto to the ledge. He bares his teeth, and my stomach twists. No way, am I going to be a sitting duck, waiting for him to get his hands on me again. Wait-I am standing; does that make me a standing duck? Ugh, not the time for wordy, Karma! Just this once, can karma be on my side?


    He edges toward me and my heart gallops in my chest. Adrenalineces my blood. My vision tunnels, I stare down at the ground, then toward the horizon.


    He gets closer, close enough for him to swipe out his arm. The tips of his fingers brush my hair. I duck, hold up my middle finger at him, then jump.

 70

    Karma


    I squeeze my eyes shut and prepare for impact. I crash into something hard. Solid. The shock smashes through my system. I groan. This is not going to be pretty. Am I going to look like one of those people who jump from a height and ends up sttered over the sidewalk? Not that I have seen any in real life, thank God¡­ But I have seen enough movies to know it¡¯s a gruesome sight.


    The ground under me moves¡­ Huh? I snap my eyes open, stare down into zing blue eyes. Gone is the coldness, the remote look he had worn when I hadst seen him. This man is angry¡­livid with the kind of rage that vibrates off of him and ms into my chest.


    ¡°You jumped.¡± he growls, ¡°you fucking jumped.¡±


    ¡°It was only from the second story, besides I¡­I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    Debris rains down on us and Michael steps aside, his movement so graceful I can only blink as he stares up. I don¡¯t take my gaze off of his beautiful face as he growls, ¡°Who the fuck is up there?¡±


    ¡°One of the men who kidnapped me.¡±


    His features harden. All emotion drains from his face. His gaze narrows as he walks back a few paces.


    ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡±


    He merely heaves me over his shoulder like I am a sack of potatoes.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I yell as I stare at his perfectly hard backside. My hair streams down about my ears and down to cover his gorgeous rear. I sense him move, then hear a shot, and the ground seems to shudder. ¡°Fuck.¡± I close my eyes as a trembling grips me, ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡±


    Footsteps approach us, then Michael snaps, ¡°Make sure you kill everyst figlio di puttana inside the house.¡±


    ¡°Will do,¡± a voice replies.


    Seb? Is it one of his other brothers. Michael¡¯s body moves, then he lowers me down and back into his arms. I turn my face into his chest, breathe in his dark, edgy essence, fill my lungs with his scent, and burrow into him. His grip tightens around me.


    His voice rumbles above me and the vibrations resonate up his chest, sink into my blood. His voice fades in and out as I begin to drift.


    ¡°Set fire¡­send a message¡­taking her home.¡±


    He turns and walks away, as the sound of gunshots reaches me, then wanes as he moves further away. His grip tightens around me, then he brushes his lips over my hair. ¡°I need to lower you to the ground so I can open the car door,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°No,¡± I grip the front of his shirt, ¡°no, no, no.¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± He presses a kiss to my forehead, ¡°You¡¯re safe with me.¡±


    Tears fill my eyes and run down my cheeks. How the hell am I ever going to feel safe after what happened? After I was kidnapped, twice, in quick session, in such a short time? And to think, my once kidnapper is the only person in whose arms I now feel safe. I am such a bloody mess.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± his voice catches, ¡°please don¡¯t cry, Beauty.¡±


    Of course, that only makes me sob harder.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He walks around the car, then bends and manages to open the door on the driver¡¯s side. He slides inside, shuts the door behind him as I cling to him. Gah, shrinking violet, I am not. But right now, if I let go of him¡­ What if someone else tries to take me away? What if he decides, again, that he doesn¡¯t want me?


    Fuck, I am conforming to every damn stereotype of a damsel in distress that I hate. My throat closes and another wave of trembling grips me. My teeth chatter and my bones feel too brittle for my body. I draw up my legs, try to conserve what warmth I have left in my body.


    He wraps his arms around me, sters me to his chest, then lowers his head to kiss the skin between my eyebrows, my eyelids, the tip of my nose, my mouth. I moan, part my lips, and he sweeps in. He dances his tongue across mine, closes his mouth over mine in a deep, draining kiss that seems to suck everyst thought from my head. His chest heaves, his breath grows shallow, a hardness digs into my side, and when he finally breaks the kiss, I can¡¯t think anymore. Maybe that was the point. When he lowers me onto the seat next to his, I don¡¯t protest.


    He yanks on the safety belt, snaps it into ce. Snatches up a bottle of water from the holder between the seats and hands it over to me. I gulp down the water, then close the bottle and hand it over to him. He tosses it back in the holder then reaches over to grab my hand. He ces it on his thigh. The strength in that thick, hard column sinks into my blood. A warmth steals up my arm, fills my chest. My head throbs and I lean back into the seat, as he sets the vehicle in motion.


    How did I put myself in this position? Since when do I need a man to take care of me? I have navigated life on my own terms since a very young age, yet a few weeks with this guy, and I am dependent on him for my security. When he¡¯s the one who kidnapped me in the first ce. Since when has my kidnapper be my protector?


    ¡°How-¡± My voice cracks and I clear my throat. ¡°How did you know where to find me?¡±


    ¡°Someone saw you being taken. He was bragging about it at Venom. When Seb heard it, he realized that he was talking about you.¡±


    ¡°How did you track me down?¡±


    He turns down a road, and the muscles of his forearms flex as he steers the car. ¡°The man who saw you noticed a symbol on the windshield. One that, as we found out, is associated with the Kane Company. From there, it was a matter of raiding each of their strongholds. If we had gotten to you even a few secondster-¡± His jaw tics, ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for letting you leave unprotected. If it were up to me, I¡¯d tie you to me and never let you leave my side. If I could, I¡¯d take back everything I said.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t.¡±


    He grimaces, then turns onto another road. ¡°I am going to try my very best to make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± he growls


    ¡°We are not good for each other, Michael.¡± I firm my lips, ¡± For heaven¡¯s sake, I tried to kill you. Twice¡­ And you forced me to marry you, then turned me out when you felt like you didn¡¯t want me around anymore.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± he says through gritted teeth, ¡°I turned you out, because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because?¡±


    ¡°Because I knew if I kept you around, I¡¯d end up falling for you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Surprised?¡± He peers at me from the corner of his eye, ¡°Didn¡¯t think I could admit that to you, huh?¡±


    I swallow, ¡°It still doesn¡¯t change the fact that every time we are together, we bring out the worst in each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how the best rtionships are.¡± He stares through the windshield. ¡°We are not a normal, staid couple meant to have a normal, staid marriage, where the husband holds down a desk job and makes an appointment to have sex with his wife-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    I nod, ¡°We¡¯re the kind of couple who needs to steer clear of each other if we want to survive.¡±


    ¡°Survival is overrated.¡± His lips curl. ¡°We bring out the darkness in each other. We speak to each other on a primal level. Even now, as we maintain the distance that society asks of us, our bodies hunger for each other, our flesh wants to reach out to the other, and our souls? Our souls recognize the twisted, fuckedupness that each of us has tried to hide from the world, but which we haven¡¯t been able to hold back from each other.¡±


    ¡°My point, precisely.¡± I pull my hand back from his thigh, but he captures it and imprisons it between his big palm and the solidness of his thigh. My core flutters.


    Shit, even as I am trying to put distance between us, I can¡¯t stop being aware of him. Can¡¯t stop myself from being turned on by his strength. Can¡¯t stop myself from wanting to turn to him and crawl into hisp and feel his arms around me as he hides me from the world. Tears prick at the backs of my eyes. Goddammit, since when have I be so needy?


    Is it his dominance, his need for control that brings out the feminine side in me? Is that why I veer toward him for safety? Is that why, despite everything in me knowing how wrong it is to want to be with him, I want to trust him?


    ¡°We need to have nothing to do with each other.¡±


    His fingers tighten on the wheel.


    ¡°You did the right thing in turning me out earlier.¡± I set my jaw. ¡°It was my bad luck that I ended up being kidnapped again. But I¡¯m safe now, so there¡¯s no reason for you to hold onto me.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer, simply keeps his gaze forward.


    ¡°If you return my phone back to me, I can call Summer and have her send someone to help me leave here.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean no?¡±


    ¡°If you think I am letting you go that easily, you are mistaken.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said that you were falling for me.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to not let you go.¡±


    And there¡­he is. The big, bad, alphahole Capo. Guess it was too much to hope that he was actually revealing his more sensitive side. Not that I doubt he has it. Not that I want him to share it with me. Somehow, it¡¯s easier if he continues to stay in his arrogant, over-the-top, alpha persona. It¡¯s much easier to deal with him that way. It¡¯s so much easier to hate him when he doesn¡¯t reveal the man behind the ruthless Capo. Yeah, I¡¯d much rather he be unreasonable, and inconsiderate, and conceited.


    I whip my head toward him. ¡°I thought you said you were going to try to make it up to me.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I am going to let you go free.¡±


    ¡°Then your idea of making it up to me and my idea of your making it up to me are, clearly, different.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±

 71

    Karma


    As it turns out, his idea of making it up to me is to transport me back to his ind. He¡¯d first driven me to a house in Palermo where a doctor-one he trusts, apparently-had checked me out. He¡¯d checked out the wound at the back of my head, treated it, then given me a shot to help ease the pain. Guess Michael didn¡¯t want to risk taking me to a hospital, though the doctor had beenpetent and very professional.


    Then he had driven straight to the pier and whisked me up in his arms, despite my protesting that I¡¯m not some stupid, helpless female. To which he¡¯d retorted that he had rescued me, so perhaps I am more helpless than I thought. Which had promptly upset me more, but he¡¯d ignored my reaction. He¡¯d marched to his yacht¡­ Yeah, there was a freakin¡¯ yacht that he¡¯d had anchored at the pier. He¡¯d carried me aboard, parked me in a chair in the captain¡¯s cabin, then had shrugged off his jacket and wrapped it about me. I had shoved one arm, then the other, into the sleeves, pulled it close-even as I had hated myself for snuggling into thefort it offered, even as I had berated myself for being stupid enough to turn my nose into the cor and sniff, drawing his dark, edgy, masculine scent into my lungs. As he¡¯d started the boat and steered it across the water, I had watched his broad back, his powerful shoulders, the corded strength in his arms as he had steered the boat, and my heart had stuttered. Hell. I had just told him that I wanted nothing to do with him, yet watching him maneuver the boat with that innate confidence that defines my Capo had turned my insides to jelly. I had slipped off the chair, walked up to him, and he had pulled me close to his side.


    I had slid my arms about his lean waist and clung to him as he piloted the craft to the ind. By the time we had reached it, I could barely keep my eyes open, thanks to whatever it was that the doc had given me, I guess. He had swung me up into his arms again, and I had fallen asleep as he¡¯d carried me inside, only to wake up in the middle of the night screaming.


    In my dream, I was back in that room, with that same gori of a man on top of me, threatening to¡­not only kill me, but first, to do much worse. He pped me about, tore my clothes and¡­ That¡¯s when I woke up and found I was clinging to Michael.


    His arms around me, he held me close enough for my breasts to be crushed against his massive chest. ¡°Shh!¡± he soothed me, then rocked me and made these rumbling noises that seemed to emerge from deep within his chest. It soothed me enough to fall asleep, until I woke up this morning, alone¡­in his bed¡­ in his room. Huh?


    I stare about the space, wondering what it means? Thest time I was on the ind, I was his prisoner. Well, I still am, considering he said that he¡¯s not letting me leave, despite my stated desire to do so.


    I roll out of bed, trudge to the bathroom, and make the mistake of looking at myself in the mirror. I look terrible, downright frightening. The dark circles under my eyes are almost as dark as my favorite goth make up, which I don¡¯t have with me to cover the ravages of my recent ordeal.


    I shower, carefully wash my body, then shampoo all of the filth from my hair, wincing only a little when my fingers encounter the bump on my head. When I emerge, I find a set of newlyundered and folded clothes, along with fresh underwear.


    Was it him? More likely, Cassandra, assuming she returned to ind as well. I pull on the jeans and T-shirt (both ck), along with the socks and the sweatshirt (both grey), and walk down to the kitchen to find Cassandra at the stove cooking.


    She turns to me with a smile on her face, ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Not too bad,¡± I concede as I take a seat at the breakfast counter. ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Earlier this morning.¡± She pours out a ss of orange juice, then ces it in front of me.


    I nce at it, then fold my hands in myp.


    ¡°The Capo wants you to drink that.¡±


    ¡°No doubt.¡± I scowl at the ss of juice, ¡°Where is he, anyway?¡±


    ¡°He had some business to see to.¡±


    ¡°Is he still on the ind?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°So why isn¡¯t he here?¡± Jesus, why do I sound so whiny, so needy? Everything I had sworn to myself I never would be. Summer had taken good care of me, and had ensured that she had moved me out of the state¡¯s foster care system as soon as she was old enough to be able to do so¡­ Still, the time we had spent apart had taught me that, ultimately, the only person I can depend on is myself. ¡°Forget I said that,¡± I clear my throat.


    ¡°No need to exin.¡± She slides a te of pancakes in front of me, then ces a jar of honey next to it, along with butter. As well as a cup of espresso. ¡°I¡¯m just d you are safe.¡±


    ¡°So, you heard what happened?¡±


    ¡°The Capo was beside himself. He didn¡¯t rest for one second, not until he had found you. He contacted me early this morning and told me to get here so I could help make you morefortable.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I nce down at the pancakes, ¡°maybe that¡¯s what he wants you to believe.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°Or maybe, it¡¯s just that he can¡¯t bear the thought of anyone else getting ahold of what he considers his.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°And is that so bad?¡± She murmurs, ¡°I¡¯d give anything to have a man look at me the way he looks at you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I frown, ¡°I am not exactly his favorite person.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, you-¡±


    ¡°Cassandra.¡± His hard voice rings out from the doorway.


    Both of us turn to face him. I expect Cassandra to get nervous, or at least be startled at having been interrupted half-way through a conversation, which I am sure would have shed some more enlightening details on the Capo. Instead, there is no change in expression on her features. Huh?


    She merely nods at me, ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, Karma.¡± She walks over to the doorway and he steps aside to let her pass.


    He prowls over to pull up a chair opposite me. ¡°You aren¡¯t eating.¡±


    ¡°Neither are you,¡± I retort.


    ¡°I ate already.¡±


    I lean back in my chair, ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s your head?¡± He rakes his gaze across my features, ¡°No headache or anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± I say grudgingly, ¡°and you are avoiding the question.¡±


    He quirks his mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll make you a trade.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°One answer to one question that you can ask me for every mouthful of food.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible deal.¡± I purse my lips.


    ¡°How do you know without trying it?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you don¡¯t need to try to know you are being set up.¡± I scowl at him, then nce down at the pancakes. My stomach grumbles. My mouth waters. Damn it, they look so good. I pick up my knife and fork, cut a piece and raise it to my lips. I chew on it, then tip up my chin, ¡°So, will you answer my question now? Why did you bring me here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s two questions,¡± he retorts. ¡°Also, it¡¯s safest for you here.¡±


    ¡°You mean because you can keep me prisoner?¡±


    He stares at me, looks down at the te, then back at me.


    Yeah, yeah, whatever. I cut into the pancake again, pop it inside my mouth, then nce at him.¡±


    ¡°I brought you here to ensure that no one can get to you.¡±


    I shoot him an icy look, ¡°So you are keeping me prisoner?¡±


    ¡°Does it look like you are a prisoner here?¡± He raises his hands, ¡°You are free toe and go as you wish.¡±


    ¡°A gilded cage is still a cage.¡±


    He tilts his head, ¡°Not if you¡¯re safer within the walls than outside.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± I scoff, ¡°That I am safer inside here?¡± I shovel more of the pancake inside my mouth.


    ¡°Considering thest time you managed to find a way out, probably not.¡± His lips quirk, ¡°It¡¯s why I have taken certain precautions.¡±


    ¡°Precautions?¡± I narrow my gaze, ¡°What precautions?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still time to discuss that.¡± He nods at my te, ¡°Finish your food.¡±


    I scowl at the remnants of the food on my te, ¡°I am full.¡±


    ¡°Only one more bite,¡± he coaxes me. ¡°Come on, you can do it.¡±


    I blow out a breath, ¡°Oh, okay.¡± I scoop up thest mouthful, chew on it, swallow. ¡°Happy?¡± I ce my knife and spoon in the te.


    ¡°Finish your juice.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Karma,¡± his voice lowers to a hush, ¡°do as you are told.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± I squeeze my thighs together. ¡°No need to go all alpha on me.¡±


    ¡°You like it when I do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡± I toss my head as I grab the ss of juice and sip from it.


    He merely arches an eyebrow, indicating he knows that I am lying. Hell, I know I am lying. But so what? It¡¯s either that or confess that I want him to own me, to possess me, to wrap his arms around me, before he grabs my throat, pushes me up into the wall, then shoves his thigh between mine and sinks his- I cough and sputter as the juice goes down the wrong way. Damn it. I ce my ss back on the table.


    Once the coughing subsides, I frown at him, ¡°So, what are the stupid precautions you wanted to talk about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when the time is right.¡± He rises to his feet. ¡°Meanwhile, I have something I want to show you.¡±

 72

    Michael


    I had woken up in the early hours of the day to find her thrashing about and screaming, trapped in the throes of a nightmare. I had brought her to the ind because it¡¯s the only ce where I can control everyone¡¯sings and goings¡­After making sure that the boathouse no longer holds any boats that she could use to get away from me again¡­that is. Then I¡¯d taken her to my bedroom¡­


    There is no question in my mind that she belongs here. Not that I am going to touch her. She needs time and space to mend from what happened, not just physically but also emotionally. And clearly, I had been right in bringing her here, for she¡¯d jack-knifed up in bed panting, no doubt, from the images of the debacle she¡¯d been through¡­ Which had been my fault. Because I¡¯d let her leave¡­ I¡¯d told her to leave¡­ Something I am not going to do again¡­ And¡­


    I am going to makes sure that if, for some reason, she does¡­ Or if, somehow, someone else dares to take her away from me, I¡¯ll know where to find her.


    All of those thoughts had run through my head as I had reached over to her side of the bed and drawn her close to me. I had made sure to sleep on top of the covers, putting as much distance as possible between us. Because, truly, I don¡¯t want to be tempted to touch her. Butforting her? That¡¯spletely different. She needs me and I am not going to let her down. Not when she, clearly, aches forfort.


    I had wrapped my arms around her, pulled her close, and tucked her head under my chin as I had tried to soothe her. She¡¯d cried in my arms, until finally she¡¯d quietened and fallen asleep. I had held her through the night, and sworn that I¡¯ll never allow her to be in this situation again, where she¡¯s helpless and a victim.


    It¡¯s my fault she was kidnapped. By taking her, I had drawn the attention of all of my enemies to her. By keeping her and deciding to marry her, I had proimed to the world that I have a weakness-her. I had given those who hate me an opportunity to get to me¡­ Through her. It¡¯s why it¡¯s doubly important to keep her safe. And there is only one way to ensure this. I¡¯m not egoistical enough to think I can keep her 100% protected all the time.


    Sooner orter, if someone wants to get to her, they will. And while I will do my utmost to ensure that won¡¯t happen¡­ If¡­ In the event that, God forbid, someone else does get to her again, I have to ensure that I will be able to track her down.


    I was lucky this time that Seb had heard about the guy who had seen her being taken and put two and two together. Next time, I may not be this fortunate. She may not be this fortunate. Which means I have to tip the odds in our favor¡­


    There is only one way to ensure that I never lose sight of her, no matter what happens. And while it¡¯s not something I want to do¡­ It¡¯s something I have to do¡­ Something for which she is going to hate me¡­ Something she¡¯d never agree to¡­ Something I don¡¯t have a choice but to impose on her. Something which will make her loath me¡­ That is inevitable.


    So, before that happens, I have to sweeten her up to me¡­ Hey, I¡¯m only human, after all. And while I can live with her hate-as long as she is safe, that is-I can, at least, try to get into her good books beforehand, right?


    At least, that is my reasoning as I push open the door to what had been her room previously. She walks inside, then halts. Her gaze widens as she takes in the space. Where her bed had once been is a sleek sewing machine. I had bought her a sewing machine to sew her wedding dress, but I decided to rece it with a state-of-the-art, most expensive model on the market. Next to it, the yards of fabric that she had purchased from the fabric shop, along with the various sewing tools that she¡¯d bought that day, are neatly folded and organized. And, yeah, I had added to it by asking that stronzo Giorgio to bring in anything that she had left behind, just to be safe.


    ¡°Wh¡­what is this?¡± She blinks rapidly, as she turns to survey the space. ¡°You changed the roompletely?¡±


    ¡°It would seem that way, yes.¡± I watch closely as she takes in everything in the space.


    She walks over to the worktable next to the sewing machine, opens a sewing kit. She stabs her thumb into a thimble then holds it up, ¡°I see you¡¯ve been shopping.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    She drops the thimble back in the kit, then folds her arms around her waist. ¡°When,¡± she says without turning to face me, ¡°when did you manage to do all of this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± I take in her flushed features, her bright eyes, ¡°I take it that you do like it then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am not sure what to say.¡± She shuffles her feet.


    ¡°Everything you might possibly need to create is here.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± she murmurs, still not meeting my gaze. She walks over to the mannequin in the corner, and runs her finger along the curve of the figure. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is enough.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t?¡± I frown as I take in the mirror on the opposite side, the adjustable shelves with cubbyholes, the rectangr table in the center of the room with enough surface area for her to work on.


    ¡°Nah,¡± she turns to me, ¡°I think you left out something very important.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I run my fingers through my hair, ¡°What did I miss? I swear, I bought out that entire sted shop.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, you didn¡¯t research what goes into making a design studio.¡±


    Heat flushes my neck. Truth is, I had merely told Giorgio that I wanted everything that she¡¯d possibly need to create in her studio. I hadn¡¯t exactly researched it myself though. Merda! Typical, that she had to catch me out on that, huh?


    ¡°So, what¡¯s missing?¡± I scowl, ¡°Tell me and I¡¯ll make sure to get it for you.¡±


    ¡°You sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am.¡±


    Her lip curves, ¡°No backing out after I tell you what it is.¡±


    I nt my palms on my hips, ¡°Try me.¡±


    ¡°Last chance,¡± her smile widens.


    I draw in a breath, ¡°Do you want me to get it for you or not?¡±


    ¡± A cat.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink.


    ¡°A cat.¡± She saunters over to me. ¡°C-A-T, cat. You know, the furry thing that says ¡®meow¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I know what a cat is.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± She flicks some imaginary dust off my cor, ¡°Now you can get one for me too. Make sure it¡¯s cute.¡±


    I gape as she sashays over to the fabrics and begins to examine them.


    ¡°Let me get this right, you want a cat toplete your studio?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to repeat myself?¡±


    What the-! That little thing; she dares to talk that way to me? I take a step forward, then pause. Of everyone I have met, she is the only one who doesn¡¯t take shit from me. It takes some guts to stand up to me too¡­ Especially after everything that we¡¯ve done to each other. But then, Beauty, isn¡¯t just anybody. She¡¯s special. She¡¯s always known which of my buttons to press to get a reaction from me.


    I thought I¡¯d surprise her, but yet again, she¡¯s managed to throw me for a loop. A chuckle rumbles up my chest, turns into a full-blownugh. I throw my head back and guffaw until tears run from my eyes. I wipe them away, then straighten to find her watching me.


    ¡°You okay?¡± she asks, her tone hesitant. ¡°Noting down with something, are you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, aware I am still wearing a smile on my face, but fuck, there is no one else here. Only this pint-sized woman who always knows how to put me in my ce. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Never seen youugh like that before. Hell, I¡¯ve never seen you smile properly, let alone¡­give in to a full bellyugh like that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been asked to buy a cat before.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Never?¡± Her forehead creases.


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she raises a shoulder, ¡°guess there¡¯s a first time for everything.¡±


    She turns back to ying with the fabrics, before reaching for the sheets of paper next to them. She picks up a drawing pad, and a pencil, then turns to nce at me over her shoulder.


    ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± She scowls, ¡°Leave, so I can work.¡±

 73

    Michael


    And I had obeyed her. Fuck me, but she had asked me to leave-not very politely either-and I had turned on my heel, skulked out of there, and left her in her studio. Me, the Capo with enough kills under my belt to warrant most people in Sicily warning their children at night that if they don¡¯t go to sleep, I¡¯ll kidnap them¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s the kind of myth that apanies my reputation¡­ And I had simply acquiesced and left her to work. Maybe it¡¯s because she had seemed so happy to find herself surrounded by things that bring her pleasure. Maybe I had seen the sheer joy in her eyes in finding a space where she can work to her heart¡¯s content?


    She had been taken aback, but also, there had been relief in her eyes. Has she missed her art that much? I raise the ss of whiskey to my lips and take a sip as I stare out of the double doors of the living room, which are flung open to face the sea. The evening sun nts its rays, lighting up the waves. The colors of the impending sunset bleed across the skies. Reds, pinks, golden hues¡­ As pretty as her eyes. As gorgeous as her lips. No¡­ She¡¯s more beautiful than nature¡¯s treasures. Che cavolo¡­ Now I am waxing poetic about her while watching a sunset? Next, I¡¯ll be writing odes in her honor.


    I left her room a few hours ago, and haven¡¯t seen her since. Cassandra had informed me that she had taken lunch up to Beauty¡¯s room and that she had eaten it all, as evidenced by the empty tray that had been deposited outside the door. Which is progress. At least, she is eating and happily ensconced in her studio. Which is more than I can say for myself. I re at the fast-sinking sun on the horizon. Damn it, why is it that my thoughts are still on her?


    A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts, and I confess, it is with relief that I turn to find Christian walking in. I nod to my brother, then turn to the woman at his heels.


    ¡°Doc,¡± I jerk my chin, ¡°he¡¯s briefed you on what I need?¡±


    She draws herself up to her full height, ¡°I have been told what you¡¯d like me to do, but I must record myplete disagreement with what you have proposed.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking for your opinion.¡±


    ¡°I am giving it to you anyway,¡± she firms her lips. ¡°As a health care provider, as a professional, and as a woman, I must protest in the harshest of terms.¡±


    ¡°Noted.¡± I tilt my head, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else then-¡±


    ¡°I have something to say as well.¡± Christian folds his arms across his chest. ¡°You know I would never interfere with your personal rtionships. I respect you too much for that, fratellone¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he shuffles his feet, ¡°I have to say that this is taking things too far.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    He nods, ¡°I definitely do. Why not just speak to her first? Why not tell her what you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°And if she refuses-and you know she will-what then?¡±


    ¡°Then,¡± he rubs the back of his neck, ¡°then maybe you find another way to reach your goal without having to hurt her along the way.¡±


    ¡°If this is what is needed to keep her safe, then I am not sorry.¡±


    ¡°What if you are afterward? What if she hates you so much that your rtionship with her breaks downpletely?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like the rtionship between us is all that healthy right now.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°But at least, there is some semnce of one, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Is there?¡± I rake my gaze over his features, ¡°I¡¯ll take the risk, if it means I can keep her safe.¡±


    ¡°I take it that¡¯s the most important thing for you, her safety?¡± the doctor murmurs and I turn to her.


    ¡°What did you say your name was again?¡±


    ¡°Aurora.¡± She tightens her fingers around the sleek briefcase-like bag that she holds, ¡°Doctor Aurora Garibaldi. My father is unwell, so I am here in his stead.¡±


    ¡°I assume you are reliable?¡±


    ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t have sent me if I weren¡¯t.¡±


    I arch an eyebrow, ¡°You do realize who you are talking to?¡±


    ¡°To the Capo of the Cosa Nostra,¡± she says in a tone that is respectful, while her gaze is anything but.


    ¡°Everything you say and do here is confidential,¡± I murmur. ¡°If I hear of anyone getting wind of what you did, you are dead. You realize that.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯te to that,¡± Christian angles his body, half-blocking her from my view. Interesting. ¡°I vouch for her, fratellone,¡± he adds.


    The woman jerks her head in his direction. She firms her lips but doesn¡¯t say anything. Very interesting.


    ¡°Do you now?¡± I stroke my chin. ¡°Can I trust you to keep an eye on her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone to keep an eye on me,¡± she snaps at the same time that his features brighten.


    ¡°With pleasure.¡± The bastard all but rubs his hands together.


    ¡°Meet me in my office in ten minutes.¡± I walk past them and to the exit.


    As I leave the room, I hear her say, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to vouch for me.¡± Her tone is so chilly that it could freeze a gto in seconds.


    I can¡¯t stop the smirk that curls my lips. This, whatever it is between them, is going to be fun to watch. I head up the stairs and to Beauty¡¯s room.


    I walk into her room and find her bent over the table. Her back is to me and that gorgeous peach-shaped behind of hers wriggles as she focuses on whatever it is that she is working on. Around her, there are crumpled pieces of paper on the floor. More paper is strewn all across the table. As I watch, she straightens, then balls a piece of paper and tosses it over her shoulder. I reach forward, snatch it up and out of the air. I straighten it out, take in the half-sketched design which looks like the outline of a woman with the dress sketched on her.


    ¡°It¡¯s called a croquis.¡±


    ¡°Whatquis?¡±


    ¡°A croquis,¡± she replies without turning around. ¡°A quick sketch of a human body that serves as a temte for a fashion designer piece of clothing.¡±


    ¡°I knew that.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I agree and she turns to scowl at me over her shoulder.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°d to see you are enjoying yourself.¡± I toss the wadded-up piece of paper in the general direction of the piles of paper she¡¯s abandoned on the floor. ¡°We do have a wastepaper basket in the room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll clean up the room once and for all at the end.¡±


    ¡°What are you drawing?¡± I step behind her, try to peer over her shoulder. She moves to block my view.


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    ¡°Everything about you is my business.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever give your alphaholeness a rest?¡± She huffs.


    ¡°Do you want me to give it a rest?¡±


    She raises a shoulder, ¡°I am not sure I¡¯d recognize you if you ever started conversing like a normal person.¡±


    ¡°Normal is boring, Beauty. No-one understands that more than you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She turns to shoot me a nce over her shoulder, ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we established many times over that I know you better than anyone else?¡±


    Her forehead furrows. ¡°It¡¯s true, actually,¡± she concedes. ¡°Only, I don¡¯t understand how someone like you can be intuitive enough to understand what I like.¡±


    ¡°I know what you don¡¯t like, too.¡±


    She arches an eyebrow, ¡°And what would that be, Mr. Capo of all he surveys?¡±


    ¡°I know that you don¡¯t like to be manhandled, for one.¡± I wrap my fingers around her nape, and she shivers. ¡°I know that you don¡¯t want to be urged to bend over your drafting table.¡± I apply enough pressure that she lowers her upper body to the surface. ¡°That you don¡¯t want me to palm your butt.¡± I do just that as I ce my palm against the curve of her denim covered backside, ¡°And that you don¡¯t like being spanked.¡± I bring my palm down against her ass and she draws in a sharp breath. ¡°And that you don¡¯t like being spanked again,¡± I p her other asscheek, ¡°and again.¡± I smack both her asscheeks, alternating between them, and she groans. Her entire body shudders.


    She ps her palm onto the paper strewn the table, ¡°Bloody hell.¡± She groans, ¡°Oh, my bloody God.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t like your pussy being fingered either, do you now, tesoro mio?¡±


    I step behind her, fit my tented crotch against the valley between her butt-cheeks. She huffs, then parts her legs further- so I can push my throbbing shaft into her butt. I reach around, to lower her zipper, then slide my fingers inside the seam of her panties.


    I brush against her pussy lips and she whines. ¡°Oh, Mika, please¡­ please-¡±


    I slip one finger inside her sopping wet channel and she moans, then mps down on my digit with her inner walls. The blood rushes to my groin. I thrust a second finger, then a third inside her, as I lean over to press my chest into her back, then bite down on the skin between her neck and the curve of her shoulder.


    She yells, ¡°Ouch, you neanderthal, what the hell was that for?¡±


    I lick the abraded flesh and a whine spills from her lips. Moisture drips from between her legs and my cock instantly lengthens. Fuck, I hade here because I need toplete the one thing that will keep her safe, but one look at her, one nce at her delicious behind, one whiff of her sugary scent, and hell, if I can keep away from her. I hesitate with my fingers still inside of her when she frowns at me as she gives me side-eye.


    ¡°Either put it in or get away from me, you ass.¡±


    A chuckle rumbles up my chest. ¡°Challenge epted, polina.¡± I pull my fingers out of her and she scowls, ¡°What the hell, you horrible man, why do you have to tease me so, why-¡±


    I yank her jeans down to her mid-thigh. I reach for the thimbles in her sewing kit, slide one onto my middle finger-thank the Vergine Maria that they fit-then another onto my forefinger, and she blinks, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What the hell does it look like I am doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s why I am asking you¡­oh!¡± She gasps as I shove the gusset of her panties aside then y with her pussy lips. ¡°Oh, my,¡± she gasps, ¡°wha¡­what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± I finger the opening of her pussy, then slide my thimble-wrapped middle finger inside her channel.


    ¡°Gah!¡± She opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°You didn¡¯t just, you didn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°Oh, I most certainly did, my little wife.¡± I add my thimble-wrapped forefinger, then my ring finger, and stretch her channel. She trembles, then mps down on my fingers and I feel the pull all the way to the tip of my cock. ¡°Gesu Cristo, you can take everything I can give you, can¡¯t you? You¡¯ll take it and you¡¯ll ask for more. Your greedy pussy will never have enough. It wants to be fucked and torn into. It wants every filthy thing I can do to it. It wants my cock and my fingers in at the same time so I can stretch it and fill you up until you have no idea where I begin and where you end, isn¡¯t that right?¡± I pant¡­ ¡°Beauty?¡±


    She moans loudly and the sound snaps something inside of me. I release my hand on her neck, spit on my fingers, then slide one inside the opening of her backhole.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± she growls, even as she parts her legs even more, giving me better ess. I add a second finger to her back channel, then begin to move my fingers in and out of her. At the same time, I fuck her pussy with the thimble-covered fingers of my other hand.


    ¡°Oh, hell. Oh, my bloody hell!¡± she yells as her entire body shudders. Her shoulders snap back, she thrusts back with her hips, trying to take more of my fingers inside her, then propels her hips forward, chasing her climax. ¡°Mika, Mika,¡± she chants, ¡°I am going to-¡±


    ¡°Come for me, Beauty;e all over my fingers.¡±

 74

    Karma


    Hismand cuts through the thoughts in my head. Something primal inside of me rushes to obey him, and the vibrations which had been threatening at the base of my spine gallop out and up my back, to spark behind my eyes. I throw my head back, open my mouth and a soundless cry emerges. The climax crashes over me, and seems to go on and on. When I open my eyes, I am in his arms and being carried to the bathroom.


    He seats me on the sink, pulls off the thimbles from his fingers before he reaches over to wash his hands.


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s a good thing that you ordered leather thimbles big enough to fit your fat fingers, eh?¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯tining when I had said fat fingers inside you,¡± he chuckles.


    Heat sears my cheeks again. Can¡¯t believe I let him fuck me with thimbles. OMG, I let him fuck me with his thimble-wrapped fingers. Ugh, and I also enjoyed it. Double ugh. I nce away from him, reach down for my jeans, which are down around my ankles, but he grips my wrist. ¡°Let me,¡± he murmurs, and I straighten.


    I watch as he wets a towel, then presses it between my legs.


    Heat sears my cheeks, ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°I want to.¡±


    ¡°None of this will change how I feel about you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect it to.¡±


    ¡°If you think setting up a studio for me will get you into my good books¡­then you are¡­ ¡± I hesitate and he peers up at me from under those thick eyshes.


    ¡°I am¡­¡±


    ¡°You are absolutely right,¡± I mumble under my breath.


    He smirks, then urges me down from the sink. He turns me to face the mirror then drags the washcloth between my arsecheeks.


    ¡°Oh, geez,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut, ¡°you really don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°Let me take care of you,¡± he murmurs as he pats me down once more, then throws the towel aside. He reaches for the cab over the sink, opens it and grabs an ointment.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I ask, then gasp when he applies it to my smarting backside. Coolness soothes the skin instantly. I nce over my shoulder to find him administering more of the soothing ointment to my other butt cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s aloe vera,¡± he replies as he continues to massage it slowly into my arse. The rhythmic movement sends pulses of awareness up my spine.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    My core stutters, my belly flip-flops, and I squeeze my thighs together, chew on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from moaning aloud. Down, slut, down. How much more will you humiliate yourself today, hmm? I choke down all possible sounds of pleasure that threaten to spill from my lips. Watch as he finishes his task, then caps the ointment and ces it aside. He pulls up my panties, then bends and yanks my jeans. He turns me around and I nce away as he zips up my jeans. He fits a knuckle under my chin, and angles my face toward him. ¡°Of all the things I have done to you, you find this embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°Of all the things you¡¯ve done to me, this is the most intimate,¡± I shoot back. ¡°You really didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°I really did have to.¡± He leans in closely enough for our eyshes to tangle. His breath merges with mine; his lips almost brush mine. Those blue eyes of his seem toe alive with an emotion I don¡¯t dare put a name to.


    Shit, of all the things that have taken ce between us so far, this¡­ This is, by far, the most threatening. My heart rate spikes and my pulse thuds at my temples. Heat from his body ms into my chest, and I gasp. The force of his personality is a heaviness that pushes down on my shoulders and holds me in ce. It¡¯s a kind of safety nket, like one of those weighted-down duvets that hold you in ce, that keep you secure, that envelop you with a sense of safety which lulls you into a state of contentment. The hair on my forearms rises.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I whisper, ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡±


    His features freeze for just a millisecond, then he brings his big palm up to cup the nape of my neck. ¡°So fucking intelligent, my Beauty. You make a worthy opponent, you know that?¡± His fingers are long enough to meet around the front of my throat.


    I bring my hands up to grab his thick forearm. ¡°Please,¡± I murmur, ¡°don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± He lowers his forehead to mine, ¡°Do you, Beauty?¡± He peers into my eyes, holds my gaze with those hypnotic depths of his. ¡°Do you?¡± He asks again, ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I whisper, and in that moment, I know I do. Damn it, why do I have to give him this part of myself too?


    His fingers around my neck tighten, specks of ck flicker at the edges of my eyesight, I draw in a breath and my lungs burn, then everything goes dark.


    I hear voices as if from far away. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± A man¡¯s voice-not Michael, one of his brothers maybe-asks.


    ¡°It¡¯s for her own good. I told you already,¡± Michael rumbles back. ¡°Don¡¯t question me again, fratellino.¡±


    ¡°I must warn you again that what you are doing is hical, and goes against everything my profession stands for.¡± A woman¡¯s voice, this time. Her tone is filled with concern. For me? What¡¯s happening? What is he doing to me?


    I try to stir, and must seed, for the next moment, Michael¡¯s breath brushes my cheek. His scent fills my senses as he presses a kiss to my forehead. ¡°Shh, baby,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you¡¯re safe with me.¡±


    I shouldn¡¯t believe him. Why the hell do I want to believe him? Why do I still trust him? I swallow, try to ask him¡­but can¡¯t seem to string the words into a sentence. I turn my face toward him, and his warmth envelops me. His armse around me and he hauls me close to his chest. I try to open my eyes, but my eyelids are weighed down.


    ¡°Go on, Doc,¡± his voice rumbles, ¡°don¡¯t dy further.¡±


    ¡°I must formally record the fact that I am doing this under duress.¡±


    ¡°You are boring me, Doc.¡± Michael¡¯s voice is impatient, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that my brother, here, seems to have taken a shine to you, I¡¯d have killed you by now.¡±


    I sense the woman stiffen in shock. Huh? You¡¯d think she¡¯d be used to the ways of the Mafia if she works for them? Or maybe she doesn¡¯t? Is that why she sounds so¡­above-board¡­so normal? Enough to protest against whatever it is that Michael wants done to me? Holy shit, what does he want her to do to me? Whatever it is, it can¡¯t be good. But I do trust him, don¡¯t I? I had told him so¡­ So why is it that all my instincts insist that I don¡¯t want whatever it is that is going to happen? I try to push against him, but his arms tighten.


    ¡°Doc,¡± he growls, ¡°do it now.¡±


    Wh-a-t the- I open my mouth to protest, but his mouth covers mine, and the kiss¡­ OMG, his kiss is soft, tender, sweet¡­ WTF? Michael Byron Domenico Sovrano can kiss with so much emotion? So much tenderness¡­so much¡­devotion? He swipes his tongue across the seam of my lips and I open my mouth. He slides his tongue over mine, deepens the kiss, opens himself up so his presence seems to invade my mouth, my throat, my chest¡­ Every cell in my body is filled with Michael. Michael. Michael. I sink into the kiss, surrender to his strength, hisplete dominance, that absolute force that is my husband. I push into him, aching to be near him, wanting to be closer to him, needing to feel his skin on mine. He brushes the hair away from my ear, holds it to the side, then grips my jaw, holding me in ce.


    Something-no, someone-pulls back my ear¡­ The same ear from which he had brushed away my hair. Something pricks me behind my ear. I stiffen, try to turn, but his grip on my jaw tightens. He licks into my mouth and my belly trembles. My pussy clenches, my thighs spasm, and I moan deep in my throat, thrust up and into him. He drags his arm over my butt, grasps the curve of my hip and holds me immobile as he thrusts his tongue in and out of my mouth, in and out. Hisplete mastery over me something I cannot deny as my head lolls back and I surrender to him, as he deepens the kiss even further. Even as I sense another prick behind my ear¡­this one a pin-prick that I might have missed if it were not for the fact that a part of me is still resisting him, the part that has allowed me to survive thus far. The part that insists I give in to his ministrations now-or at least, pretend to. That part insists that I close my eyes and drift with the warmth, thefort that he provides. I allow his presence to engulf me, let the darkness pull me under.


    When I awake, I am in his bed and it¡¯s dark outside. I sit up, and when a shape looms over me, I scream.

 75

    Michael


    ¡°It¡¯s only me.¡± I hold up my hands.


    She draws in a breath, ¡°Michael?¡± Her hushed voice shudders across my skin, and a shiver runs down my spine. My nerve endings pop. The blood drains to my groin as I lean forward in my seat.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°A little dazed,¡± she yawns, then looks around the room, ¡°Where am I? What happened?¡± She runs her fingers through her hair. ¡°One moment you were kissing me, the next moment, I think I cked out¡­¡±


    ¡°You were out for a little while,¡± I concede.


    ¡°Why are you sitting in darkness?¡± I sense rather than see her scowl. She reaches over, flicks on the light next to the bed, then winces. She blinks her eyes as her eyesight adjusts, then nces over at me. ¡°You going to tell me what happened?¡± She folds her arms about her waist.


    I rise up to my feet and walk over to her. Sink down next to her on the bed. Reach for her, but she pulls away.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°no, no, no.¡± She throws up her hands. ¡°Keep your distance, buster¡­¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Or¡­ ¡± she nces about the room, then grabs the book next to the bed, ¡°or I¡¯ll throw this at you.¡±


    ¡°You sure you want to do that?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Have you seen what the book is about?¡±


    She frowns at me, then lowers the book, ¡°It¡¯s a fashion sketchbook.¡± She turns it over, then flips the pages. ¡°With readymade temtes I can use to sketch my fashion designs¡­¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    ¡°And n my outfits; and for my illustrations; also, a diary to take notes when inspiration strikes.¡± She lowers the book, ¡°If you think you can distract me that easily-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± I nod toward the side table.


    She nces down and her gaze widens. She ces down the sketchbook, then picks up the other slim volume, ¡°25 Cats Named Sam and One Blue Pussy.¡± Her voice hitches. ¡°Am I the Blue Pussy? Is that why you bought this for me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my pussy, regardless of the color, Bellezza.¡±


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re funny.¡± Sheughs nervously as she swipes her palm across the book.


    ¡°I mean it.¡±


    She peers into my face. ¡°You really do mean it, don¡¯t you?¡± she says in a low voice.


    ¡°You know, I do.¡± I jerk my chin toward the book, ¡°Open it.¡±


    ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡± she murmurs.


    I chuckle, ¡°Only one way to find out.¡±


    She flips open the cover and draws in a breath. ¡°It¡¯s the original illustrated manuscript by Andy Warhol.¡± She nces up at me. ¡°It is the original illustrated manuscript, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I arch an eyebrow, and she blows out a breath. ¡°Shit, it really is the original manuscript.¡± She nces down at the book again, ¡°I didn¡¯t think this was avable to buy.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then, how-?¡± She nces up at me, ¡°I have a feeling you may have had to spill a little blood to get a hold of this.¡±


    I stare at her and her gaze widens. ¡°In fact, I am sure that you had to spill more than a little blood to get ahold of this, but you know what¡­?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I tilt my head.


    ¡°In this instance, murder may have been justified.¡±


    I blink. ¡°Say that again?¡±


    ¡°I said, you may have had tomit-¡±


    ¡°I heard you.¡± I reach for her, and this time, she doesn¡¯t shy away. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. I push a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°I had a dream, which was not all a dream¡­¡± I whisper.


    She swallows, ¡°The bright sun was extinguished, and the stars¡­¡±


    ¡°Did wander darkling in the eternal space¡­¡± I lean in close enough for us to share breath.


    Her pupils dte, ¡°Rayless, and pathless, and the icy earth¡­¡±


    ¡°Swung blind and ckening in the moonless air,¡± we say in unison.


    ¡°Byron,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Lord-fucking-Darkness himself.¡±


    ¡°What is with you and Byron?¡± She peers into my face, ¡°Why do I get the feeling that there¡¯s more to why you recite him than what meets the eye?¡±


    I pull away, then stand up, ¡°Because there is.¡±


    I turn to walk away, and she grabs my wrist, ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all you are going to give me?¡±


    I re down at her fingers and her grip tightens. ¡°You can scare your men with that Michael Byron stare, but it doesn¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    She stares at me with a strange look on her features.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Michael Byron,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s my name.¡±


    ¡°Were you named after Byron, as well?¡±


    I drag my fingers through my hair, ¡°It¡¯s also my father¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°The two of you share more than your first name, huh?¡±


    ¡°Cursed to have not one, but all four of my names inmon,¡± I reply bitterly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like him, huh?¡±


    ¡°Did you like your father?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°There you go.¡±


    ¡°Still, you are following in his footsteps, so I assume it¡¯s not all bad when ites to the rtionship between the two of you?¡±


    ¡°Some things I do only because it¡¯s tactically the right thing.¡±


    ¡°You love plotting your moves, huh? You love to move people around like they are pawns on a chessboard, and only you have control over their futures.¡±


    ¡°I am the only one who has control over the destinies of my n.¡±


    ¡°And that includes me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my wife, so you¡¯re part of the n; ergo¡­¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you did whatever it is you did earlier?¡±


    ¡°What did I do earlier?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bullshit me, Michael.¡± She ces the book back on the side table with care, then throws off the cover and rises to her feet. ¡°What did you do, earlier? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you want to know.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you don¡¯t think I want to know,¡± She scoffs.


    ¡°Getting sassy, Mrs. Michael Byron Domenico Sovrano?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that I have epted being your wife yet.¡±


    ¡°Not giving you a choice, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always a choice.¡± She tosses her head, ¡°Also, if you really did think of me as your wife, you¡¯d tell me what happened earlier.¡± She scowls at me, and there¡¯s something in her eyes, some kind of knowledge¡­a suspicion, maybe, of what happened earlier.


    Merda, I ball my fingers into fists at my sides. Why the hell am I second guessing myself here? Why can¡¯t I just tell her what I did? Since when have I be so¡­worried about someone else¡¯s response? She¡¯s my wife. She¡¯ll damn well take whatever I do to her¡­ And if I had wanted someone meek and servile, I¡¯d have married someone from my n a long time ago. Maybe I had been holding out for someone like her, and I hadn¡¯t even been aware of it. I shake my head to clear it. And since when have I begun thinking in such emotional terms about her? Love is for fools and poets, neither of which I am.


    ¡°You going to tell me about it, yet?¡± She scowls.


    ¡°Do you want me to tell you about it?¡±


    She throws up her hands, ¡°What else have we been talking about all this time?¡±


    ¡°Okay, then.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means, okay. I¡¯ll tell you about it.¡±


    ¡°So, what are you waiting for?¡±


    There¡¯s a knock on the door and I smirk at her, ¡°This.¡± I pivot, walk over to the door, and open it just enough to ept the covered basket that Seb hands over to me.


    ¡°You owe me, fratestro.¡± He scowls.


    I nod, ¡°I won¡¯t forget this.¡± I shut the door on him, then turn back and prowl over to her. I nt the basket at her feet.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    She hesitates and I chuckle, ¡°Not like you to be uncertain.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let me see¡­ A surprise given to me by the Capo himself,¡± she jabs a finger in her cheek, ¡°why does that not reassure me?¡±


    Iugh, ¡°I promise, this one won¡¯t bite you¡­ Well, not unless you provoke it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She scowls, ¡°Now that has piqued my curiosity.¡±


    Bingo! I can¡¯t stop the smile from curving my lips as she bends, then grabs the cloth and whisks it off.


    Stunned, she stares into the basket. ¡°What¡­what is that?¡± she splutters.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± she reaches for the tiny creature that stretches and yawns. ¡°It¡¯s a¡­cat?¡±


    ¡°A kitten,¡± I correct her.


    ¡°Oh!¡± She rubs the forehead of the little thing that mewls pitifully. ¡°Oh, you beautiful, beautiful creature.¡± She scoops up the kitten and holds it against her chest. The animal nestles against her breasts. What the fuck? When I had bought her a pet, I hadn¡¯t anticipatedpetition for her attentions. I scowl at the beast, which nuzzles into her palm.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, you sweet little thing?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a name, yet¡± Shit should have bought a female kitten. Now, I have another male in the house who is closer to her than I am.


    ¡°Andy,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°His name is Andy.¡±


    ¡°Because I bought you a book by Andy Warhol?¡±


    ¡°D-u-h!¡± She smiles without look at me. ¡°Are you hungry, Andy? Do you want something to eat?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s cat food in the kitchen, if you want to feed him.¡±


    She stares at me, and I scowl back, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You bought cat food?¡±


    ¡°I got you a kitten. Of course, I also bought cat food.¡± I shrug. ¡°Well, kitten food, to be exact.¡±


    Her gaze widens.


    ¡°What?¡± A flush heats my neck. ¡°I am notpletely heartless, you know?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± She bites down on her lower lip, and hell, my groin instantly hardens.


    ¡°How did you know that I wanted a Savannah?¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Lucky guess?¡±


    ¡°And how did you find out that Andy Warhol is one of my fave artists ever?¡±


    I raise a shoulder, ¡°His style of expression seemed closest to how I see you.¡±


    ¡°How do you see me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask me the questions.¡± I scowl and her smile widens.


    ¡°Humor me on this, Capo.¡±


    Fuck, when she calls me that, I¡¯ll do anything for her. Good thing she doesn¡¯t realize that.


    ¡°So,¡± she urges, ¡°how do you see me?¡±


    ¡°I see you as being original, unique, someone who stands apart just by being herself.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± she breathes, ¡°that¡¯s a hugepliment.¡±


    ¡°Saying it as it is, Beauty.¡±


    The kitten mewls again and she frowns, ¡°I think he¡¯s getting hungry.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I call Cassandra and ask her to feed it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she cries. ¡°No way. ¡± She pulls the creature closer to her chest, ¡°No one feeds my baby except me.¡±


    Ten minutester, I am seated at the table in the kitchen, nursing a ss of whiskey as she watches the kitten eat from his bowl. Yeah, I bought not just cat food, but also all of the shit that the beast would need-bowls to eat from, more bowls to drink from, a basket in the corner of the kitchen with the softest nkets that can be used for his bed. She kneels down next to the kitten, pets him as he eats. She makes little cooing noises and I stare. Her entire attention is focused on the creature. I take another drink of my whiskey, ce the ss down on the table with a thwack that echoes around the room. She doesn¡¯t even look up.


    Gesu Cristo, maybe this hadn¡¯t been a good idea. On the other hand, she hasn¡¯t breathed a word about what had happened earlier, so there¡¯s that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think your buying me a kitten has bought you into my good graces,¡± she murmurs at me over her shoulder.


    ¡°Me?¡± I raise my hands, ¡°I¡¯d never think that.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± she scoffs, ¡°why don¡¯t I believe that? Speaking of,¡± her forehead furrows, ¡°I only told you that I wanted a catst evening, and you¡¯ve managed to get me one in what¡­twelve hours?¡±


    Nine, but who¡¯s counting?


    ¡°How did you do that?¡±


    I smirk and she rolls her eyes, ¡°Why do I even bother to ask these questions?¡±


    She continues to pet the creature and it¡¯s like I have been dismissed. Che cazzo? Have I been usurped by a few weeks old kitten, and in my own home? I drag my fingers through my hair. And why the hell am I even threatened by that beast? Is it her proximity that¡¯s making me weak? Is it the fact that by falling for her¡­


    Hold on. Back up. Who said anything about falling for her? I want her to stay my wife. Doesn¡¯t mean I have feelings for her¡­do I? And if I do? What then? What am I going to do about that, eh? I lower my chin, narrow my gaze on her, ¡°I chipped you.¡±

 76

    Karma


    ¡°What do you mean, you chipped me?¡± I rub Andy¡¯s head. He¡¯s stopped feeding and proceeds to curl himself in my arms. Aww, sooo cute. A melting sensation coils in my chest. Just a few hours after I told him that I wanted a cat, he got me one. Not to mention, that Andy Warhol book, which was, like, totally unexpected. Okay, so he has more money and power than anyone else I¡¯ve met in my life, but still¡­ It means something that he noticed my tastes enough to actually buy me things which reflect who I am. No one else has done that before. Maybe Summer¡­ I suppose, but she is my sister. She is supposed to know these things. This man, however, is practically aplete stranger, and in a few weeks, he has really gotten to know me well on so many levels, he- hangonabloodysecond. I whip my head around to face him. ¡°You chipped me, chipped me?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°You¡­¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, ¡°you put a GPS tracker in me?¡±


    He nods again.


    ¡°Holy shit.¡± I nce around the kitchen, find a basket that, no doubt, the faithful Cassandra must have organized for the kitten. I walk over and ce him in the bedding which is of the softest cotton, by the way. Nothing but the best for the pet of¡­ His pet, huh?N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I straighten, then turn to face him. ¡°That¡¯s what all that activity earlier was about, huh? I thought maybe I¡¯d dreamed it, but I didn¡¯t.¡±


    He simply holds my gaze.


    I slide a finger behind my ear, feel the slight bump. ¡°Holy hell,¡± I burst out. ¡°It¡¯s true; you actually put a tracker in me.¡±


    ¡°Told you I did.¡±


    Anger surges through my veins. My heart ms against my rib cage. ¡°Why would you do that?¡± I cry. ¡°And you didn¡¯t even ask my permission to do so, you asshole!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission. Have you forgotten?¡± He looks me up and down. ¡°You are my property-mine.¡±


    ¡°I am my own person. I don¡¯t belong to anyone else, least of all, you.¡±


    ¡°Then why did youe back?¡±


    ¡°That was only to make sure that you were actually dead¡­you¡­ you bastard.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°That¡¯s a lie and you can do better than that insult, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± I snarl. ¡± I should have known there¡¯s an ulterior motive behind everything you do. The studio, the books, the kitten¡­ It was all so¡­ what? So you could distract me? Or maybe, you thought that you could buy me off with expensive gifts?¡±


    ¡°Maybe, it¡¯s because I want you to be happy?¡±


    ¡°How can I be happy when you chipped me like¡­. I am an animal?¡±


    ¡°Did it ever ur to you that I did it because I don¡¯t want to lose you again?¡± The skin around his eyes tightens. For a second, I am sure he¡¯s afraid¡­ Of what? He¡¯s the bloody Capo of the Cosa Nostra. What could he possibly be afraid of, eh?


    ¡°You could have told me that¡¯s what you intended to do,¡± I snap.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have agreed.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°Would you have?¡±


    I look at him, then away.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± He pushes back his chair, then rises to his feet. He prowls over to me, pauses when he¡¯s right in front of me. ¡°Look at me, Beauty.¡±


    I scoff.


    He notches his knuckles under my chin and raises my head, so I have no choice but to meet his gaze. ¡°Maybe I put a tracker in you because you are what¡¯s most precious to me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t care why you did it,¡± I try to pull away from him, but he tightens his grip.


    ¡°Maybe you need to care more. Maybe you need toe clean about the fact that whatever is between us is not going away any time soon.¡±


    I stare into those blue eyes of his. He holds my gaze, and in them I see¡­the same helplessness that I feel.


    ¡°You know, I returned because I couldn¡¯t believe that I had killed you. I prayed that you were still alive, that there had been a mistake. I had hoped that if you were¡­ Perhaps, we could find a way to be together. But all you were interested in was revenge. Then, when I was taken from you, I guess you had a change of heart or something. And just when I think that perhaps I can find a way of being with you, after all¡­ You do this.¡± I wave a hand in the air, ¡°You chip me, without batting an eyelid, like I¡¯m your pet. This is not normal behavior, Michael.¡±


    He opens his mouth, but I shake my head. ¡°No, don¡¯t give me your bullshit about me not being normal. I know I am not. It¡¯s why, all my life, I¡¯ve hoped to find someone who could give me the kind of normalcy that I have missed all my life.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Oh, but I do.¡± I swallow. ¡°All this time we were together, not once, did you ask me what I wanted.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to,¡± he jerks his chin toward where Andy is sleeping in his basket, ¡°I know exactly what you need.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that is the case,¡± I murmur and he res at me. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± I pull away from him, and this time, he releases me. ¡°I don¡¯t deny that everything you did¡­from refurbishing the studio, to the books to the kitten, was spot on. It¡¯s what I¡¯d have chosen for myself¡­ Still, it¡¯s just politeness to ask me what I want.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to be polite.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± I turn on him, ¡°This¡­this is what I am talking about. You assuming you know my mind.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°Argh,¡± I dig my fingers in my hair and tug, ¡°this is going nowhere.¡±


    ¡°It can go exactly where you want it to.¡±


    ¡°Where I want it to go is¡­¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°far away from you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± He scowls.


    ¡°I am not.¡± My heart hammers in my chest. My pulse rate spikes. I square my shoulders, hold his gaze. ¡°If you think I can forgive what you did to me, then you have another thinking. I may have been able to look past the kidnapping, even, but this¡­this. What you did¡­ It¡¯s¡­ I can¡¯t even pretend to understand it. It¡¯s the worst kind of vition, ever.¡±


    His jaw tics. A dense cloud of anger spools off of him and smashes into my chest. I gasp, take a step back.


    ¡°If you think I am letting you leave, you have another thinking,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Fine.¡±

 77

    Karma


    That stupid conversation was yesterday. I haven¡¯t seen the alphahole since. I had wanted to leave the bedroom I¡¯ve been sharing with him and move into one of the guest rooms, but he wouldn¡¯t hear of it. He hadmanded me to stay and had walked out. He hadn¡¯te to bed, so I guess he¡¯s sleeping somewhere else. Whatever. I¡¯m not going to feel sorry for depriving him of his own bed. Not after what he did to me.


    I woke up early this morning and he was gone. Good riddance! I took a quick shower, then headed down to the kitchen to check in on Andy¡­who had already been fed by Cassandra. I tried not to be jealous about that.


    I grabbed his basket, as well as two bowls, one for his food and one for water, and a can of cat food, and brought them up to my studio with me. I settled him a corner, before continuing to work on mytest creation.


    I¡¯m not quite sure what it will be yet. I am still in the doodling stage. And yeah, I refuse to use the sketchbook he got me. I also haven¡¯t touched the Andy Warhol book because¡­ Well, I want to spite him. Maybe I¡¯m spiting myself. But whatever.


    I draw a design, then crumple up the paper and throw it aside. Draw the design again¡­ Ugh! It sucks. I scrunch up the paper, toss it aside. To be honest, I don¡¯t know exactly what it is that I am drawing here.


    It¡¯s often like that for me. I need to doodle first, wait for the design to emerge from my subconscious mind. Often, I have to draw for days on end before the motifs begin to reveal themselves. It¡¯s like, by drawing, I plumb the images in my subconscious mind. I stare at my scribblings¡­ The wide forehead, the hooked nose, the square jaw. Gah, it¡¯s an outline of his stupid face.


    Shit. Clearly, I have his features imprinted on my brain. OMG! This is soo not happening. I design clothes. I don¡¯t draw people or profiles¡­but somehow, I have ended up etching his likeness instead of focusing on my new creation. I crush the paper between my palms, toss it over my shoulder.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± a female voice protests, ¡°I¡¯ve never had a patient deck me with a paper ball, and that too, on our first meeting.¡±


    I turn to find a woman I have never seen before standing in the doorway.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I scowl, ¡°And haven¡¯t you heard of knocking before entering?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Doctor Aurora Garibaldi,¡± she murmurs, ¡°and I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯re normally not that formal in this part of the world.¡±


    ¡°Well too-bloody-bad.¡± I sniff, ¡°In my part of the world, it¡¯s polite to knock and ask permission before you enter a person¡¯s room, and-¡± I stiffen, ¡°did you say that you are a doctor?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± She tilts her head, ¡°May Ie in?¡±


    My heart begins to beat faster and I don¡¯t know why. No, I do know why, but I don¡¯t want to acknowledge it. Yet.


    ¡°If I say you can¡¯t,¡± I say in a low voice, ¡°what then?¡±


    She blows out a sigh, ¡°I think you¡¯ll want to hear what I have to say, Karma. May I call you, Karma?¡±


    ¡°You know my name.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she nods, ¡°that¡¯s what I want to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Oh, hell.¡±


    I stare at her, and an ufortable silence descends between us, broken by a soft mewling from Andy¡¯s basket.


    I turn toward him at the same time as the doctor. I watch as Andy peeks over the side of the basket. He mewls again, then crawls out and my heart stutters. I walk over, lift him up in my arms.


    ¡°Oh, wow, you have a kitten?¡±


    I don¡¯t reply. Instead, I walk over to the arm chair near the window and sit down with the kitten in my arms.


    ¡°So sweet,¡± she murmurs, still hovering by the doorway.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sweet,¡± I snap.


    ¡°The kitten, she¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°He,¡± I interrupt her. ¡°It¡¯s a he; his name is Andy, and I suppose you had bettere in.¡±


    She nods, steps inside the room and shuts the door behind her. She walks over to take the chair on the opposite side of the table, then ces the sleek satchel she¡¯s brought with her on the floor. One thing about Italy-everyone seems to be dressed and carrying designer wear, like it¡¯s the norm. Which, I guess it is here, considering that so many well-known designers are of Italian origin. Both of us watch as the kitten purrs in my arms, then snuggles in.


    ¡°How old is he?¡±


    ¡°Nine weeks,¡± I reply.


    ¡°He¡¯s beautiful,¡± she says, her tone sincere.


    I can¡¯t stop the smile that curves my lips, ¡°He¡¯s a Savannah.¡±


    ¡°Have you had him long?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I rub my finger over Andy¡¯s tiny forehead and he yawns, ¡°Michael gave him to me yesterday.¡±


    She blinks rapidly, ¡°The Capo gave you a kitten?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah.¡± I scowl at her, and she stares at me with a strange look on her face.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Out with it.¡± I point a finger in her direction, ¡°It¡¯s not nothing when you have that weird look on your face.¡±


    She tilts her head, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ The Capo, getting you a kitten¡­is-¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s out of character.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°Well, I am his wife, after all.¡± Not that you¡¯ll catch me saying that to him, but he¡¯s not here in the room, so it¡¯s fine to say it aloud in front of a stranger, isn¡¯t it? Speaking of¡­ ¡°Why are you here, Doc?¡±


    ¡°Call me Aurora.¡± She half smiles. ¡°I came to check on you, Karma.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to blink, then I square my shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re the one who did it.¡± I touch the slight bump behind my ear which, while I had managed to push it to the back of my mind, in all honesty, I haven¡¯t forgotten about. ¡°I heard your voicest night. I thought maybe I had dreamed it, but guess I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I was there,¡± She folds her hands in herp. ¡°It¡¯s why I had toe and check on you today.¡±


    ¡°You were there and you didn¡¯t stop him from tagging me?¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°What kind of a doctor are you that you were actually part of this process? Isn¡¯t this going against the Hippocratic oath or something?¡±


    She nces away, then back at me, ¡°You have to understand that this is the Capo you are talking about. I am but a lowly doctor. I have to do as he says, else-¡±


    ¡°Else?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll kill not just me, but every member of my family. He¡¯ll wipe out all trace of us if we defy him.¡±


    I take in her wide gaze, the white skin around her lips. ¡°Wow, you really do believe that, don¡¯t you? You are afraid of him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Capo,¡± she says simply. ¡°His word isw.¡±


    ¡°And I am his wife. Supposedly.¡± I scowl, ¡°And this is what he does to me.¡± I rise to my feet with the sleeping Andy in my arms, then walk over to the basket. I ce him in it, soothe him when he wakes up so he falls asleep again. If only it were that easy for me to forget everything he¡¯s done to me. I turn to face her. ¡°You know this is wrong¡­ So wrong,¡± I ball my fists at my side. ¡°He tagged me like I am some¡­some¡­animal with no rights.¡±


    ¡°He,¡± she clears her throat, ¡°he only wants to keep you safe.¡±


    I stare at her, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are taking his side.¡±


    ¡°I am not really.¡± She swallows. ¡°If I were, I wouldn¡¯t have risked his anger and insisted he allow me toe check on you this morning.¡±


    ¡°Fat lot of good that will do.¡± I begin to pace. ¡°You were there and you didn¡¯t stop him.¡±


    ¡°I tried, believe me. His brother and I begged him not to do it, but he was most insistent. I got the impression that he-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°That he¡¯s afraid for your safety. That he¡¯d do anything to protect you. That he doesn¡¯t want you out of his sight. That he wants to make sure that if, for whatever reason, you are separated from him, he¡¯ll know where to find you.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± I scoff. ¡°All this is just a power y. It probably turns him on to know that he can do anything with me. That he could even¡­even¡­put a bloody tracker on me so he¡¯ll know exactly where I am every minute of every day.¡±


    ¡°And you like that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That he¡¯s so¡­focused on you. That all of his attention is targeted on you.¡±


    I flush. Honestly, there¡¯s a part of me that revels in it¡­but damn, if I am going to admit that aloud. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t care for it. Especially not, if it means that he virtually has me on a leash here¡­ Besides, it¡¯s wrong. Can¡¯t you see that? You don¡¯t go around tagging another human being just because of your own insecurities.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± her shoulders slump. ¡°It¡¯s not the ¡®done¡¯ thing. But then, when have the Capo and his brothers ever conformed to the ¡®done¡¯ thing?¡±


    ¡°You sound like you know them well.¡±


    ¡°No one knows them well.¡± She half smiles. ¡°They are a force all their own. I went to the same school as them, though they are all much older than me. All the boys wanted to be them and all the girls¡­ couldn¡¯t take their eyes off of them.¡± She adds, ¡°Even our teachers were afraid of them in school. They could do pretty much whatever they wanted and no-one would dare stop them.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like nothing has changed.¡± I scowl, ¡°Once a bully¡­¡±


    ¡°They weren¡¯t all bad though.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°They helped my father when he needed money the most.¡±


    ¡°Oh? How did they help?¡±


    ¡°The Capo paid off his mortgage, paid for me and my sister¡¯s education.¡±


    ¡°Only so he could buy your father¡¯s loyalty.¡±


    ¡°That may be the case,¡± she raises a shoulder, ¡°but just the threat of his power would have been enough to have my father fall in line. He needn¡¯t have done everything else that he did. I know hees across as gruff and uncaring-¡±


    ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    ¡°-But that¡¯s just the persona he¡¯s had to create to survive in the Mafia world.¡±


    Maybe I did guess that. Maybe a part of me has hoped that¡¯s true. Maybe, in the moments that we had been intimate, I had glimpsed the tenderness that he is capable of¡­ But then he had gone and chipped me, and without even asking me. He may im that it¡¯s to keep me safe, but surely, I should have a say in it too?


    ¡°I am afraid I don¡¯t buy it.¡± I square my shoulders. ¡°Why are you here anyway? If you came to make sure that I am alive, then you can rest assured that I am.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only that.¡± She bites her lower lip, ¡°I guess, I just wanted to make sure that you are okay.¡±


    I scoff.


    ¡°Maybe I just want to help?¡± she offers.


    ¡°You can help me by getting rid of this microchip.¡±


    She shakes her head, ¡°I am sorry but I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    I push my hair back from my face, ¡°Then get me out of here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she says in horror. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t. If I go against the Capo, he will have me killed.¡±


    I can¡¯t stop the smile from curving my lips, ¡°You owe me, Doc.¡±


    She shakes her head, ¡°No, please don¡¯t ask me to do that.¡± She rises to her feet and picks up her bag, ¡°I guess it was a mistakeing here. I should have realized there was nothing to be gained from it.¡±


    ¡°Sit down,¡± I say in a hard voice. Shit, some of Michael¡¯s assertiveness is rubbing off on me. Hell, I even sounded like him there for a second.


    She blinks, but sinks back slowly into the seat. ¡°You are not letting me leave without some kind of a deal, are you?¡±


    I smile wider, ¡°You guessed right, Doc. You can make up a little bit for what you were part of.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± She swallows. ¡°He has you chipped. Even if you did manage to escape, he¡¯d be able to track you.¡±


    But if I manage to get to a phone and call Summer first, she¡¯ll be able to help. ¡°Let me worry about that,¡± I murmur. ¡°Your role is only to get me out of here.¡±


    She locks her fingers together, ¡°The moment you go missing, Michael will suspect me. Also, I was checked thoroughly on the way in, and they are bound to repeat the procedure on the way out again.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I tap my finger against my chin, ¡°you¡¯re a doctor, right?¡±


    She frowns, ¡°You know I am.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°So, if I were unwell enough that you couldn¡¯t treat me here, you¡¯d have to take me out of here to a hospital, right?¡±


    She peers into my face, ¡°You really are a devious woman, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Does he know that you can run circles around him?¡±


    ¡°He has no idea.¡± I chuckle and a reluctant smile curves her lips.


    ¡°So, I was thinking¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± she throws up her hand, ¡°whatever it is you¡¯re thinking, don¡¯t tell me. I trust you to n the events. Then, I¡¯ll be called in and when I am, I¡¯ll simply be the concerned doctor who insists on doing the right thing by you.¡±


    She rises to her feet, ¡°Now, may I check you out, to make sure the wound behind your ear is healing properly?¡±


    ¡°That was like barely a prick.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, Capo¡¯s orders.¡±


    I take my seat again and she checks me out. When she¡¯s satisfied, she packs her bag, and straightens, ¡°Right then, I¡¯ll leave you here.¡± She nces around the studio, ¡°The Capo had this set up for you, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Not anymore. When ites to his wife, I am realizing, the Capo will do just about anything for you.¡±


    She heads toward the door. Somehow, I get the feeling that my only friend in the entire world is leaving. Not that I know Aurora that well, but with some people you just know that you can trust them, right? Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s a doctor¡­ A doctor who is in his employ, who was the one who imnted the tracker. But still¡­ She¡¯s also a woman. Surely, she understands why it¡¯s important for me to leave here?


    ¡°Aurora!¡±


    I call out and she stops. She turns to me, with a quizzical look on her face.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She tilts her head. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, yet,¡± she murmurs, ¡°you don¡¯t know if this n of yours is going to seed.¡±

 78

    Michael


    ¡°Goddamnit, missed again,¡± I straighten, then m my cue against the edge of the billiards table. It promptly snaps in two. ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I glower at the half-broken cue in my hand, then raise my hand to hurl it.


    Seb steps aside. ¡°Watch it, Mika,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Your temper is getting the better of you.¡±


    ¡°There should be a rule that you cannot defeat the Capo at a game,¡± I lower my arm and re at Massimo-the pezzo di merda who smirks at me from across the table.


    ¡°Giving up so easily, Padrone?¡±


    ¡°Vaffanculo!¡± I growl as I fling the broken half of the cue on the floor. It¡¯s her fault that I am in this state. Every night I sleep next to her¡­ No, not sleep. Iy awake next to her, breathing in her sweet scent, aware of her luscious curves next to me on the bed. And the little noises she makes sometimes in her sleep, or the way she sometimes turns over and snuggles into me. The first time that happened, I tried to move away-yeah, me, the man who never denies himself pussy, tried to put distance between himself and his wife¡­ So, yeah, tell me again, how that happened?-and she simply followed me, insisting on cuddling into my side, as Iy there with a fast-thickening erection, that I had to jerk off to in the bathroom, trying not to make too much noise before leaving before dawn. And even after leaving and trying to get some work done in my study, the scent of her followed me. Images of her assailed me, as if determined to burn right into my brain.


    Che cazzo! I am really losing it. I re around at the faces of my brothers. ¡°What?¡± I growl at Christian who¡¯s staring at me over his knitting needles. What the- I do a double take. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°You mean this?¡± He holds up the knitting needles, and nope, na-a-h I wasn¡¯t imagining things. Stronzo actually does have a pair of-you heard that right-knitting needles, held between his fingers.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I snap.


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure.¡± I rub my eyes, ¡°Tell me you are not knitting.¡±


    He nces down at the needles. ¡°I am¡­not¡­knitting.¡± The ckity-ck of the needles fills the space.


    ¡°Shit, he¡¯s actually knitting,¡± Massimo turns to gawk at him.


    ¡°Why the hell are you knitting?¡± Seb mutters from his position against the wall-he¡¯s put a fair distance between us, I notice, bastardo.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to get in touch with his feminine side?¡± Xander offers.


    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of shit we expect you to pull,¡± Adrian retorts, ¡°But Christian? Naw.¡± He scratches his chin, ¡°It must have something to do with a chick.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°A chick?¡± Seb scoffs, ¡°If that were the case, surely, he¡¯d need to be using apletely different kind of needle?¡±


    Adrian shoots him a sideways nce, ¡°Was that a joke? Because I don¡¯t get the joke.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get the joke because you have no sense of humor.¡±


    Adrianughs, ¡°So speaks the most serious of all the men in Sicily.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not serious; you are serious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, in this regard, I have to side with Adrian,¡± I state. ¡°You are going to make a very effective Capo, but you could do with a little bit of loosening up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you take everything too seriously,¡± Christian drawls from his position in the armchair. Fucker is sprawled out, and with the reading sses he has on¡­ He resembles a more serious version of the brother I know.


    ¡°Not all of us can be happy-go-lucky and waste time trying to explore our feminine side or some such shit,¡± Seb growls. ¡°Some of us have had to fight for everything thates our way.¡±


    ¡°Here we go again,¡± Christian mutters, ¡°like we haven¡¯t already heard about how your being the half-brother means you always get the raw deal. When you know it¡¯s not true. Not only did our mother embrace you as her own son, but she also worked herself to an early grave taking care of the both of you, in addition to her own five sons.¡±


    ¡°And look where that got her,¡± Seb pushes away from the wall. ¡°Her own son, your own brother turns on his own flesh and blood and helps his Capo¡¯s wife escape¡­ Now, that¡¯s something to make her turn in her grave, for sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her that way.¡± Christian rises to his feet, still holding those goddamn knitting needles. He takes a step forward and the ball of yarn falls to the floor next to him.


    ¡°I ain¡¯t telling a lie here and you know that,¡± Seb scoffs. ¡°Ask fratellone, here, and he¡¯ll only confirm it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bring me into this, you guys,¡± I mutter. ¡°Luca has his punishmenting to him, when I finally catch up with him. So, whatever this unresolved business is between the two of you, it¡¯s up to you guys to sort it out.¡±


    Christian glowers at Seb, ¡°You¡¯ve always had a chip on your shoulder about being the illegitimate bastard. Time you moved on from that, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling a bastard?¡± Seb prowls toward Christian, who takes a step forward as the yarn winds around his ankle. He takes another step, stumbles, then rights himself. ¡°Che cazzo!¡± He res at the ball of yarn, ¡°Why is it that the shit that seems so easy is the most difficult to master?¡±


    ¡°Is that a rhetorical question?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re talking about the knitting, or is this about women?¡± Massimo arches an eyebrow.


    ¡°You mean ¡®are you talking about one particr woman,¡¯ right?¡± Xander inserts.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± Christian res at Xander.


    ¡°You¡¯re twisting yourself up in knots.¡± Seb smirks.


    ¡°No, I am not.¡± Christian scowls at Seb, ¡°And what the fuck are you smirking at?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Seb¡¯s grin widens, ¡°I am not smirking.¡±


    Christian throws up his fist, ¡°Youughing at me, stronzo?¡±


    ¡°You talkin¡¯ to me, stronzo?¡± Seb retorts.


    ¡°Vaffanculo, testa di cazzo.¡± Christian lunges forward. This time, he does actually trip on the yarn. He crashes down, just as Seb gets out of his way.


    ¡°Shit, you¡¯re a mess,¡± Seb shakes his head. ¡°s, poor Christian, he did mean well.¡±


    Christian pushes up to his feet. He grabs his now crooked reading sses and flings them on the table. ¡°First, you quote Taxi Driver, then Shakespeare. Make up your mind, asshole.¡± He swipes out his fist; Seb ducks. Christian hurls his fist again. This time, Seb steps aside. Christian stumbles past him. Seb¡¯s on him in a sh. He steps up behind Christian, wraps his arm around his neck, and yanks. Christian growls. He grips Seb¡¯s arm, bends forward, heaves, and Seb goes flying over his shoulder. Hends on his back with a crash that seems to reverberate through the room. Christian rushes forward, only his foot slips on the damn ball of yarn again. He falls over and hits the ground next to Seb. The twoy there, chests having, breathsing in pants.


    I swallow myughter, walk over to stand between them. ¡°You guys done, yet?¡± I hold out both of my arms.


    Christian grabs my left hand, and I pull him up. I stare down at Seb, who glowers at Christian. ¡°This is not over yet,¡± he growls as he grabs my hand. I haul him to his feet, as well.


    ¡°You two need to sort out your shit before we meet the Kane Company. I can¡¯t have bad blood between the two of you weakening our position.¡±


    ¡°I am not the one with issues; he¡¯s the one with issues,¡± Christian glowers back.


    ¡°No bad blood here.¡± Seb shrugs. ¡°Only a man pretending to be bad, when he¡¯d rather be ying doctor with a certain¡­ doctor.¡±


    ¡°Doctor, huh?¡± Just as I thought. I jerk my chin toward Christian, who res at Seb.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed how you keep finding excuses to see the doctor. She¡¯s something, eh? That figure, that fair skin, those tits¡­¡± Seb cups his palms below his chest, and Christian¡¯s features harden.


    His nostrils re, and a growl rumbles up his chest. ¡°Stop talking about her, you pezzo di merda.¡± He starts to dive toward Seb, only I p my palm in Christian¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Back off, youplete idiot. He¡¯s trying to get under your skin.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s seeding, all right.¡± Christian lunges forward, and this time, Massimo grabs him from behind.


    ¡°Shit, you¡¯re pussywhipped. You haven¡¯t even slept with her and you¡¯re already protecting her honor?¡±


    Christian struggles against Massimo¡¯s hold. He manages to break free, but Adrian grips his other shoulder. ¡°Chill the fuck down, stronzo,¡± he snaps. ¡°Asshole¡¯s simply trying to make a point.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a point all right, with him.¡± Christian rolls his shoulders. His biceps bulge, he rolls his neck, and his shoulders seem to grow even more massive. He¡¯s not the tallest nor the broadest of all of us. That honor belongs to Massimo. But Christian also never gets angry enough to lose his cool and fight, so guess this is a first, all around. He rushes forward, with both Massimo and Adrian still holding onto him, before Massimo throws his arm around Christian¡¯s chest, and manages to halt him.


    Sebughs, ¡°That all you got in you, you pathetic piece of-¡±


    I turn and sink my fist in his face.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± he roars as he stumbles back.


    ¡°Back the fuck off, Seb. Stop trying to bait him.¡± I turn on Christian, ¡°And that goes for you too, Christian. Get a grip on your dick, or your emotions, or both.¡±


    ¡°You mean like you have?¡± Christian mumbles.


    I freeze.


    So does every other person in the room.


    ¡°Minchia,¡± Christian swears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±


    I re at him, and he holds my gaze, ¡°No, seriously, fratellone. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you did,¡± I nce around at the rest of them. ¡°Is that what this is about? Is that why there¡¯s unrest among you lot? You think I¡¯ve lost control of my personal life; that¡¯s why you bastards are picking fights with each other, as well?¡±


    The guys look at each other, the expressions on their faces ranging from embarrassment to unease to difort.


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I growl, ¡°This is about me, eh? You guys don¡¯t trust me to figure out my own shit?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, Mika,¡± Xander murmurs.


    ¡°Then how do you exin that your twin, who is normally as even-tempered as you, lost his cool today?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to do with a woman,¡± Massimo offers.


    ¡°Bull-fucking-shit,¡± I snap. ¡°You going to feed me that line, as well?¡± I scowl at Massimo, ¡°You, who is the most straight-talking of all of us?¡±


    Massimo¡¯s face reddens. He nces away then back at me, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He adds, ¡°It is about you¡­ Partly.¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°Okay, it is definitely¡­ Probably¡­ only about you.¡± He releases Christian; so does Adrian. Christian straightens his cor, as Massimo steps back. ¡°Look, Mika, you¡¯ve just been a different man, is all. You¡¯ve, uh, changed, since you met her.¡±


    ¡°Changed?¡± I scowl, ¡°How have I changed?¡±


    ¡°For one, you¡¯re wearing jeans,¡± Massimo points out.


    I nce down at my clothes, then swear aloud. Fuck, if I am not wearing jeans. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with wearing jeans?¡± I re at him, ¡°You wear jeans. Hell, we all wear jeans.¡±


    ¡°But not you, Mika.¡± Adrian shuffles his feet, ¡°You hate being dressed in anything except formal pants, and that too, only made by our family tailor.¡±


    ¡°These are stitched by our family tailor.¡± I nce around at their faces again. ¡°Porca miseria. These aren¡¯t stitched by our family tailor?¡±


    Xander shakes his head, ¡°Sadly not, fratellone. They¡¯re off the shelf, Levi¡¯s.¡±


    I wince. How the hell had I gotten hold of them? How the hell do I even own a pair? ¡°I had no idea¡­¡± my voice tapers off. ¡°It¡¯s only jeans.¡± I scowl at Xander, ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the end of the world.¡±


    ¡°To quote you, fratellone,¡± he smirks, ¡°wearing jeans is the end of the world.¡±


    I glower at him and he raises his hands, ¡°At least, that¡¯s what you said not too long ago.¡±


    ¡°Merda,¡± I run my fingers through my hair, ¡°I¡¯ll fix it.¡± I scowl down at the offending garment I have on. ¡°Still, it¡¯s hardly a sign that I don¡¯t have things under control.¡±


    That¡¯s when there¡¯s a knock on the door. I frown. The staff knows not to disturb me when I am in here with my brothers. It¡¯s a billiards room, but the rest of my team knows that this is where I discuss business. So, they wouldn¡¯t disturb me, unless¡­ I stiffen. My heart begins to race. I pivot, head for the door and pull it open. ¡°Is she all right?¡±


    Cassandra peeks behind me and her lips firm. I nce over my shoulder to find Adrian hovering behind me. I turn back to her, ¡°Well,¡± I snap, ¡°is she okay?¡±


    Cassandra pulls her gaze back to my face. ¡°She fainted.¡±

 79

    Karma


    I hear the door open and I squeeze my eyelids shut. My heart begins to race and my pulse pounds at my temples. In all honesty, I don¡¯t have to pretend that I am unwell. The sheer nervousness of what I am trying to pull off here has me feeling faint. Oh, also the fact that I haven¡¯t eaten in nearly a day. It¡¯s been twenty-four hours since Aurora left. I¡¯d told Cassandra to leave my meals outside my door and she had obliged. I had then flushed the food down the toilet¡­ Ugh, I know, one shouldn¡¯t waste food. But it was either that or involve Cassandra in my scheme. And while I had been tempted, I hadn¡¯t wanted to put that heavy of an onus on her. It would have meant putting my trust in her, and while I sort of do trust her, especially since she helped me thest time around¡­ But this¡­this is different.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I am throwing everything I have behind this. This time, I am going for broke in trying to escape, and if Michael ever found out that Cassandra had helped me, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kill her, and honestly, I can¡¯t live with her death on my conscience. This is what I get for bing close to her. Damn it.


    Guess that¡¯s why Michael prefers to keep his emotions bottled up inside and not get too involved with anyone¡­Except for his brothers, of course. The way those men look out for each other, it totally reminds me of Summer and me and our rtionship.


    Shit, Summer. I really do miss my sister. Hopefully, though, I¡¯ll be out of here and with her very soon. If everything goes well, that is. Footsteps approach and the heavy tread, the even gait, proims it¡¯s his. I sense him sink down to his knees next to me¡­ Yeah, I had pretended to faint in front of Cassandra, and hit the floor¡­which had hurt, but it had been worth it.


    Fingers touch my cheek and my pulse rate spikes again. I flutter open my eyelids, gaze into his burning blue eyes. ¡°Mika,¡± I whisper, ¡°you came?¡± Ugh, drama much? But Michael doesn¡¯t seem to suspect a thing. His features pale. A groove appears between his eyebrows as he scoops me up in his arms. His heartbeat thunders against my cheek, in synchrony with mine, as he walks over to ce me on the bed.


    He sits down next to me, leans over, and ce his palm on my forehead. ¡°What happened?¡± he murmurs. His voice is so soft, so gentle, so unlike how he¡¯s ever spoken to me before that a tear squeezes out from the corner of my eye. Shit, shit, shit. Why the hell am I feeling so weak in front of him? And all because he showed me a little tenderness.


    ¡°Shh!¡± He leans over and kisses my forehead, ¡°Are you okay? When I saw you copsed on the floor I¡­¡± His shoulders seem to shudder. Umm¡­ What? Is he faking it? But why would he? On the other hand, why does he seems so upset that I am unwell?


    He pulls back and I clutch at his arm. ¡°Michael,¡± I cough, ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t feel so well.¡±


    He frowns, then ces a palm against my forehead, ¡°You do seem warm. Is that why you fainted?¡± He nces around the space, ¡°Is it too stuffy in here? Should I change the location of my bedroom?¡±


    Eh? He¡¯d change his bedroom to another room in the house, rather than just move me to another room? Hold on, he¡¯s offering to change rooms because he thinks I¡¯m ufortable in this room? In his room? ¡°You¡¯d do that for me?¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He cups my cheek, ¡°I¡¯d do anything for you, amore mio, don¡¯t you know that by now?¡±


    ¡°Only, you won¡¯t release me.¡±


    His jaw hardens, ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that,  tesoro mio.¡±I swallow. Bloody hell when he uses those gorgeous Italian words on me, words which I now know the meaning of, then hepletely ys me. I bring my hand to my chest and press it against my heart thumping against my rib cage.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He scowls, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I¡­ I am fine.¡± I only partly lie. Truth is, my stomach has tied itself up in knots, and a coldness has wrapped itself about my shoulders. I nce away from him, as I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I¡­ I am sure it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    His frown deepens.


    ¡°I am sure I will be okay,¡± I cough. ¡°I just need to¡­ Maybe close my eyes for a little bit.¡± I do just that, allow my shoulders to shudder.


    I hear him inhale a sharp breath. ¡°You are definitely not fine,¡± he growls. He ces his palm on my forehead, and honestly, it feels cool against my skin.


    Shit, I am not really running a fever, am I? A shiver grips my body. I turn over on my side, curl into myself. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll be okay,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Bull-fucking-shit,¡± he growls, then grips my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re not okay at all. What¡¯s happening? Talk to me, baby.¡±


    I freeze. Baby? He called me baby? Shit, why does he choose now to call me baby? Now, when I am trying to pull another fast one over him. Deceive him. Try to escape him. NOW is when he decides to show that humane part of him hidden behind that mafiahole facade?


    I cough, try to swallow it, and end up choking. That sends him into a veritable tizzy.


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± he swears, his voice almost hoarse with panic. I sense him pull out his phone, dial a number. The phone rings once, then a male voice says, ¡°Pronto?¡±


    ¡°Sebastian,¡± he snaps, ¡°ready the chopper! I need to take my wife to the hospital.¡±


    My muscles freeze. Chopper? He has a bloody helicopter on the ind? Of course, he has a bloody helicopter on the ind. But why hadn¡¯t he mentioned it to me so far? Not that I can fly a helicopter or anything. Not that he¡¯s had any reason to tell me. So, if he hadn¡¯t mentioned it to me, does that mean he was hiding it from me? What else has he conveniently failed to tell me? My stomach twists. Bile bubbles up my throat. I sit up so suddenly that my head bumps his chin. Pain whispers down my spine. The phone slips from his grasp and hits the bed. I slide down the bed, then around him and swing my legs to the floor.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    I point in the direction of the bathroom as I take off toward it. I dive across the floor to themode, then bend over it as the contents of my stomach gush out. Gross. I puke what little food I have left inside, considering I haven¡¯t eaten for thest twenty-four hours. A cool hand grips my forehead. He gathers the hair back from my face as I continue to dry heave. My head spins and darknessces the edges of my vision. I blink it away, reach for the toilet-paper, but he¡¯s already there. He rips off a few sheets, hands them over to me, and I clean my mouth. He reaches over, flushes away the evidence of my being sick. I wince as I slump down onto the tiled floor, but of course, he catches me.


    He swings me up and into his arms, and I turn my head away from him. How embarrassing. He saw me being sick. Can things get any worse from here? He carries me over to the sink, then lowers me to the floor. ¡°Rinse your mouth,¡± he orders, and I lean over and do as hemands. This once, I have no strength to disobey him, and not only because I need to get rid of the funny taste in my mouth.


    Also, what¡¯s wrong with me? In pretending to be sick, I seem to be honestlying down with something. That¡¯s all I need right now, some stupid virus to get a hold of me. I shut off the faucet, and he hands me a towel. As soon as I pat my mouth dry, he, once more, scoops me up in his arms. He carries me out into the bedroom, then out of the door.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± I mumble. My voice trembles, and shit, I wasn¡¯t even pretending that time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me,¡± I say truthfully. ¡°One minute I was fine, the next¡­¡± I swallow down the rest of the words. Can¡¯t really tell him that I started out pretending to be sick, only to find out that I am really sick, can I?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Beauty.¡± He tucks my head under his chin, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, I promise. Once you are at the hospital-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I turn to him, only half-faking the rm. I really do hate hospitals. So, it¡¯s not aplete lie when I say, ¡°Why don¡¯t you simply fly the doctor here, instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call ahead when we are on the way and have her meet us there.¡±


    ¡°But Michael, please, I don¡¯t wanna go to the hospital,¡± I whine.


    ¡°When ites to your health, I will not take any risks,¡± he says as he stalks down the stairs. When he reaches the bottom of the steps, Seb joins him.


    ¡°How is she?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°Not good,¡± Michael replies without ncing down at me once.


    ¡°Christian¡¯s readying the chopper for us.¡± Xander joins us as Michael continues without pausing. He reaches the main door and Cassandra pushes it open. We walk down and Massimo turns to us. ¡°Christan¡¯s already called for the doctor to meet us at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he did.¡± Seb smirks, and Michael res at him. ¡°Sorry, Boss,¡± he mimes zipping his lips, ¡°won¡¯t mention it again.¡±


    ¡°You better not,¡± Michael growls. ¡°Things areplicated enough without you and Christianing to blows over something that, clearly, hits a nerve with him.¡±


    I nce between them. What the hell are they talking about?


    ¡°It hits something,¡± Seb agrees, then quietens when Michael shoots him a nce.


    ¡°I won¡¯t warn you again, Sebastian,¡± he says in a soft voice. It¡¯s his ¡®killer¡¯ voice, the one that says that he means business, that he won¡¯t hesitate to take action if anyone dares go against him or his orders. The one he¡¯d probably use with me if he found out just how I am double-crossing him¡­again.


    I shudder and he pulls me closer to his chest. ¡°You okay, Bellezza?¡± His voice is soft again¡­but in a different way. It¡¯s more tender, more caring. More¡­everything. Everything I¡¯ve wanted from him, he¡¯s now willing to give to me. If I asked him now, I have no doubt, he¡¯d hand over his very business to me. Not that I¡¯d want that. In fact, the opposite. Given a choice, I¡¯d put enough distance between me and his Mafia state of affairs¡­ Only, I can¡¯t separate the made-man that he is from the man who is my husband.


    I curl my fingers into a fist. He hasn¡¯t returned my ring yet. I had returned it to him, but he hadn¡¯t trusted me enough to put his ring back on my finger. That¡¯s my fault though. I had felt the need to rub it in when I had left him thest time. If only I hadn¡¯t, I¡¯d have the ring still with me, when I walk out on him again. A part of him would, at least, stay with me. Not that I need that to remind me of him. His scent, his heat, his sheer dominance¡­and his unexpected tenderness¡­ All of it has spoiled me for anyone else.


    Once I leave him¡­ I¡¯ll probably spend the rest of the days trying to fill the void that hisck of presence in my life will create. My heart begins to race and the band around my chest tightens. I cough again, and this time, he hurries his pace until he¡¯s almost running. The guys follow us. As we reach the helicopter, Antonio reaches for him, but he declines, holds onto me as he navigates the steps. Once inside the chopper, he sinks into a seat with me in hisp. Seb reaches over to buckle both of us in. Xander and Massimo slip into the seats behind us as Christian readies for take-off.


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me there, Boss?¡± Antonio hesitates and his features wear a worried look. ¡°I¡¯d feel much morefortable knowing I¡¯m there with you.¡±


    Michael chuckles, ¡°I have my brothers with me; I will be more than fine.¡±


    Antonio frowns.


    ¡°Stay with Adrian, hold down the fort here.¡±


    Antonio looks like he¡¯s about to refuse when Michael jerks his chin, ¡°You¡¯re dying us from taking off.¡±


    Antonio nods, then steps off the helicopter. Seb shuts the door behind him and straps in, and the chopper instantly lifts into the air.

 80

    Michael


    I pace the corridor outside the hospital examination room. What the hell is taking them so long? We¡¯d made it to the hospital in Palermo in under fifteen minutes, thanks to Christian¡¯s expert flying skills. A team had been ready and waiting for us when we¡¯dnded on the makeshift helipad next to the hospital. One that Christian had organized at the same time as he¡¯d called ahead to alert the medical staff. They¡¯d rushed her over in a stretcher, and all through, she hadn¡¯t let go of my hand. She¡¯d also seemed to grow paler by the second. Even more than when we¡¯d been in the air. Throughout the trip she¡¯d clung to me, her shoulders shaking every time the helicopter had banked. I had yelled to Christian to take it easy with the chopper and he had managed to smooth out the helicopter and still get us here in record time.


    I owe him for that. Hell, I owe all of them for dropping whatever is important in their lives anding over with me. Not that I didn¡¯t expect it, considering I am the Capo. But still¡­ They are also human. They have their own lives, their own¡­women?


    Holdonasecond. Not one of my brothers¡­ Not even Seb or Adrian have ever introduced me to any of their women¡­ Or ever been serious with anyone, so far, as far as I know. Xander has his childhood crush¡­but he is far from admitting his feelings for her. Then there¡¯s Adrian. He seems to have noticed Cassandra; and Christian seems to be taken in by the doctor¡­ but that¡¯s just spection on my part. None of them have ever confessed to ever being in love¡­


    Cazzo! What am I doing thinking about my brother¡¯s love lives? Sure, I want to see them settled and have families¡­ And not just because it is important to ensure continuity of power, but also because I want them to be happy. So why is it that not once in all these years, have any of my brothers ever mentioned anything about finding someone special?


    A touch on my shoulder and I turn to find Sebastian at my elbow. He hands me a paper cup filled with a dark brew. I take a sip and the liquid warms me. I toss the rest of it back, feel it rejuvenate me somewhat. I crumple the cup in my fist, walk over to the waste paper basket and deposit it. I turn to find the four of them watching me. Xander is sprawled out in a seat that looks too small for him. Christian is seated opposite him, his elbows digging into his thighs. Massimo leans his hip against the wall, watching me. Seb stands where I had left him, his gaze ticking my progress as I walk over to them.


    ¡°Why the hell haven¡¯t any of you married before now, huh?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Massimo blinks, ¡°What kind of a question is that?¡±


    ¡°A straight one.¡± I scowl, ¡°It¡¯s not normal that none of you have even brought a woman home to meet the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°And risk scaring her away?¡± Xander snorts, ¡°Not likely.¡±


    ¡°But that isn¡¯t why you haven¡¯t brought anyone special over to introduce her to us, is it?¡± I scowl between them, ¡°It¡¯s because none of you have anyone important in your lives.¡±


    Massimo raises a shoulder. ¡°I haven¡¯t met anyone. Not that I was looking. Besides,¡± he narrows his gaze on me, ¡°since when did you decide it¡¯s important to find out about our personal lives?¡±


    ¡°Guess because he¡¯s married now, for better or for worse; he¡¯s hooked and he wants the rest of us to be balled and chained too,¡± Seb murmurs.


    I frown at him, ¡°That¡¯s not why I asked.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve bothered to ask about our personal lives,¡± Christian points out. ¡°Like I said earlier, you have changed.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± I rake my fingers through my hair, ¡°just because I thought to ask after my brothers doesn¡¯t mean I have changed.¡±


    The four exchange looks.


    ¡°You also haven¡¯t asked us once if we¡¯ve made any progress on finding Luca,¡± Seb points out.


    I re at him. ¡°Speaking of,¡± I look him up and down, ¡°your time is almost up on that, so have you any inkling on his whereabouts yet?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in-¡±


    The sound of the door opening has me jerking toward it. The doctor steps out. She walks over to us and Christian instantly rises to his feet. His gaze eats her up as shees to a stop in front of me. Yeah, there¡¯s definitely something there¡­ I nce from him to the doctor who shoves her hand into the pocket of her scrubs.


    ¡°How is she? Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, but we need to keep her overnight under observation.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But she¡¯s not in any danger, is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s exhausted, a little dehydrated; Also, her blood pressure and pulse rate are elevated. While she¡¯s not in any immediate danger-¡± She hesitates and my pulse rate instantly spikes.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I snap.


    She stares at the rest of the men, then back at me.


    ¡°These are my brothers; you can speak in front of them.¡±


    ¡°This may be something you want to hear in private?¡±


    ¡°Tell me, woman,¡± I burst out, ¡°or I swear-¡±


    There¡¯s a touch on my shoulder. I turn to find Christian right behind me. He jerks his chin toward the doctor, then shakes his head. Che cazzo! Of course, he has toe to her rescue. Did I say that I wish my brothers would find their own women and settle down? Guess I wasn¡¯t aware of exactly how that would change the dynamics between us when that happens. I re at him and he holds my gaze. Shit, he¡¯s serious about her? When the hell had that happened, eh? I shrug off his hand, turn to her.


    ¡°Look, Doc, I appreciate your being sensitive about the situation, but right now, I only want to find out what¡¯s wrong with my wife, so if you can just spit it out-¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant.¡±


    Next to me, Christian inhales. A pulse of shock runs through the assembled men. ¡°What did you say?¡± I growl.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant,¡± the doctor repeats herself.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­.¡± I swallow, ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Pregnant.¡± The doctor nods, ¡°Your wife is pregnant, Capo.¡±


    ¡°My wife is pregnant?¡± I open and shut my mouth, ¡°She¡¯s having my child?¡±


    A small smile curves her lips, ¡°It would seem that way, yes.¡±


    My knees seem to give way from under me.


    Christian grips my shoulder. ¡°Steady, Capo,¡± he murmurs.


    I blink to clear my vision, then focus my gaze once more on the doctor.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine, other than that?¡±


    The doctor nods, ¡°Like I mentioned, it would be best if we kept her under observation overnight.¡±


    I nod, ¡°Of course, whatever you think is best for her.¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± she nces to the side, ¡°there was-ah- Something else that I think you should know.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ah¡­¡± She shuffles her feet, ¡°It¡¯s just that-¡± She straightens her shoulders, ¡°She needs to take better care of herself. She needs to eat well, sleep well, make sure she¡¯s getting her vitamins.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡± I run my fingers through my hair. ¡°Anything else?¡±


    She seems like she¡¯s about to say something, then shakes her head.


    ¡°Can I see her now?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    She turns and I follow her inside. I walk into the room, almost bumping into the doctor who¡¯se to a halt inside the threshold. She¡¯s staring at the bed. The empty bed. I nce around the space. The entire room is empty. I stalk toward the door on the far side, peek inside. There¡¯s no one in the bathroom either.


    ¡°What the hell?


    A draft blows in through the open window. I lunge toward it, nce down at the ground which is maybe five or six feet away. Not too close, but not too far either. Could she have jumped? The hair on the back of my neck rises. She did jump. She managed to get away. My pregnant wife managed to escape. Is she strong enough to have made the jump? How far can she go in the condition she is in? I had found her copsed on the floor of the room, and now she manages to jump out of the window and leave? My guts twist and my stomach ties itself in knots. I bunch my fists at my side, ¡°What the hell is happening here? Where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡­ I¡­¡± the doc¡¯s voice trembles. I nce at her, find her features have lost all color. She has her fingers gripped together in front of her; the skin over her knuckles is white.


    Minchia! Why is she so nervous? I close the distance between us, and re at her, ¡°Something you want to tell me, Doc?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ ¡± she shakes her head, ¡°it¡¯s my fault; I agreed to help her. I had no idea she was pregnant. As soon as I found out, I-¡± I raise my hand and she flinches. Damnit! I lower my arm, brush past her, then out the door. My brothers crowd around me.


    Seb takes in my features and his own harden, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Boss? What happened in there?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± I point a thumb over my shoulder, ¡°she helped my wife escape.¡±


    ¡°Karma¡¯s gone?¡± Christian nces between me and the doctor who¡¯s standing behind me.


    I pull out my knife from the small of my back, ¡°I am going to kill her for it.¡± I am about to turn, when Christian closes the distance between us.


    ¡°Leave her to me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on her. I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    I peer into his eyes, then jerk my chin, ¡°I am going after my wife.¡±

 81

    Karma


    When I¡¯d been brought to the hospital, Aurora had examined me thoroughly, not just going through the motions, as I¡¯d thought she would.


    I had protested and she¡¯d said it had been to make things look authentic. Authentic? When no one was around to see her? Hmm. When she¡¯dpleted her examination, she¡¯d told me that she needed to run a few more tests. I¡¯d asked her if something was wrong and she¡¯d said, not really, it was just a precaution. But the look on her face.


    Seriously, it reminded me of the time when the doctor had told me that I have a hole in my heart-that it wasn¡¯t dangerous yet, but that it needed to be fixed. Clearly, this was something simr. Either her examination had revealed my condition¡­ Or it was something else. And either way, I was not staying to find out more.


    I¡¯d asked her if she had changed her mind about helping me and she had said, of course, not. That she¡¯d do everything in her power to help me. And somehow, it had been the way that she¡¯d said it, how she had avoided looking at my eyes when she said it, that had caused me to mistrust her. Something was up with her. Maybe she was getting cold feet, or an attack of conscience. Or perhaps, she had realized she could not go up against the Capo. Either way, I wasn¡¯t waiting around to find out. She had told me that she needed to ess a few more things to run some more tests on me, and that¡¯s when I had decided, no way, was I going to stick around to find out what those tests involved. Likely, she was going to tell the Capo that I was nning on escaping. I had been sure of that. So, when she¡¯d left the room, I had promptly pulled my clothes and shoes back on and rushed to the window.


    The ground hadn¡¯t seemed too far, until I had jumped, that is. I hadnded with a thump that had sent pain slicing through my body. I had picked myself up, then broken into a run. I hadn¡¯t dared to look back for fear that he¡¯d have already discovered my absence. I¡¯d raced out of the hospitalplex, up the road, until I had reached a junction. I had nced around, wondering which way to go, then decided to keep straight. I was on a road that was busy enough that I felt safe. If I was in a crowd, he wouldn¡¯t do anything, would he? He couldn¡¯t just drag me off kicking and screaming if he managed to track me down, could he?


    I had taken off up the pavement, trying to not hurry too much, trying not to attract too much attention to myself. All the while my heartrate had skyrocketed; my pulse had kicked up¡­


    Shit! Once more, I am pushing myself too much. My breathes in puffs. I can feel my heart mming against my rib cage. Sweat pools under my armpits, and overall, I don¡¯t fell so well. I slow down to a normal walk, but that doesn¡¯t help. My head spins and the edges of my vision flicker with dark spots. Shit, what the hell is wrong with me? Why am I feeling so woozy? I¡¯ve never fainted in my life¡­ Not counting the fake fainting spell earlier, which is how he had found me.


    I hope this isn¡¯t my heart acting up. It can¡¯t be my heart acting up. It had better not be my heart acting up. I press my knuckles into my thundering heartbeats that vibrate through my chest. Shit, shit, shit, this is not good! I nce about the space at the people engaged in their day-to-day lives. The woman scolding her child, who seems to be on the verge of tears. The men crowded around a table outside a coffeeshop. A couple of boys on their electronic scooters driving by on the pavement. The man and woman holding hands as they peer into the shopfront. The image fades back and forth as I take a step forward, and another. My knees wobble. I throw out a hand as the groundes up to meet me, stops, as arms grasp me. The scent of testosterone envelops me. Musky, like leather, with a hint of woodsmoke. The heat of his body envelops me as he swings me up in his arms.


    ¡°Foiled, again,¡± I murmur. ¡°I tried to run, I tried to leave you, but-¡±


    ¡°I found you.¡± His blue eyes bore into mine. ¡°I¡¯ll always find you, no matter how far you go. I¡¯ll always track you down, no matter how far you flee. You can try to escape me, but I¡¯ll never let you.¡±


    ¡°Michael.¡±


    ¡°Beauty?¡± He rakes his gaze across my face, ¡°You should have nned better. I gave you more credit than this half-brained escape attempt.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t half-brained. I had-¡± I chew the inside of my cheek. No way, am I going to give up Aurora, no matter that she had abandoned me at thest minute. Guess she¡¯s entitled. I would be worried for my skin, too, if my family was answerable to the Capo.


    ¡°You had help,¡± he states.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I know it was the doctor,¡± he says as he turns and begins retracing our steps. The smattering of people on the pavement nce at us, then away. No one tries to stop him. Not that I am struggling or anything. Still, apparently, it¡¯s normal for a man to carry a woman through the streets here¡­


    Not that he is just any man. He is the Capo. Their Capo. Guess none of them would have stopped to help me even if I had been struggling to get away from him¡­which I am not, anyway. I snuggle into his chest, push my cheek against where his heart thuds steadily. It¡¯s beat slower than the organ that pounds away against my ribcage.


    ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± I say at the same time as him.


    He nces down at me, ¡°You first.¡±


    ¡°You first,¡± I murmur as I reach up to touch his cheek. So bloody gorgeous. Why couldn¡¯t you have been, at least, ugly looking?


    He chuckles and I realize that I have spoken the words aloud. Heat sears my cheeks.


    ¡°What did you want to tell me?¡± I ask, more because I want to divert his attention from my earlier faux pas. That¡¯s all I need, voicing my thoughts aloud¡­ I mean, if he could read what my thoughts are when I am normally around him¡­then he¡¯d know that I¡¯m fighting a losing battle when ites to him.


    OMG, why are all of my thoughts so muddled? Why does my brain feel as if it¡¯s turned to mush? Why do my arms and legs feel so heavy? I squint up at him through the sunlight that pours over him, bathing him in a golden glow that brings out the hollows under his cheeks, the shadows under his eyes, the grooves on either side of his mouth. That stern mouth, those lips that had brought me so much pleasure, every time he¡¯s kissed me, every time he¡¯s sucked on my nipples, bit me on my pussy. I clench my thighs together, drag my fingers to his mouth, as his lips move.


    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, Beauty.¡±


    I still, ¡°Wh¡­ what?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with child,¡± his arms tighten around me, ¡°my child.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I mean. I can¡¯t be pregnant.¡±


    ¡°You are.¡±


    ¡°Who told you?¡± I firm my lips. ¡°The doctor?¡±


    He nods.


    So that¡¯s why she had stepped out of the room to talk to him? To alert him first? Why hadn¡¯t she told me? This is what I get for trusting someone who is one of them¡­ Clearly, they owe their loyalties only to each other, and I am not one of the Mafia. No wonder, she had pretended to be my confidant, only to betray me. It wasn¡¯t even the fact that she had mentioned it to him first. Why hadn¡¯t she shared it with me when she had found out? Because then she knew, I would never have allowed myself to be caught by him. No bloody way. I begin to struggle, but his grasp tightens about me.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I wince, ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡±


    He eases his hold just a fraction, but keeps me stered to his chest.


    ¡°Is that why you came after me? Because I am carrying your heir?¡±


    ¡°I came after you because you are mine.¡±


    And this child¡­would also be his. Shit, this is what I had been afraid of. That if I became pregnant, I¡¯d never be able to leave him. That he¡¯d be even more possessive, and stake his im on me even more firmly.


    Oh, hell. ¡°Let me go,¡± I say in a harsh whisper, and he shakes his head.


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t, especially not now that-¡±


    ¡°That I am carrying your precious child.¡±


    ¡°Your child too.¡±


    No kidding. My stomach ties itself up in knots. The band around my chest tightens. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want this child,¡± I lie.


    ¡°Too bad, you don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    I stare up at what I can see of his face. ¡°Fuck you,¡± I snap and he chuckles.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to, but we may have to exercise caution until you are stronger.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is wrong with me.¡±


    ¡°Other than your being pregnant with my child, that is.¡±


    His child. His wife. What about me? What about what I want? I dig my fingers into the front of his shirt, ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do.¡±


    ¡°Are you hearing anything I am saying?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid,¡± he murmurs. ¡°It¡¯s normal.¡±


    ¡°I am not afraid, you prick.¡±


    ¡°Is that any way to speak to the father of your child?¡±


    Oh, my god! I am pregnant with his child. Our child. Oh god, oh god. My stomach seems to coil in on itself. ¡°I think I am going to be sick again.¡±


    He nces down at me as we reach the entrance to the hospital. He shoulders his way inside, then makes a beeline past the reception down the corridor. He shoves open the door, races to a bathroom stall and deposits me on my feet. I sink to my knees, and for the second time in twelve hours, I puke my guts out in front of him.

 82

    Michael


    She sinks down onto the floor of the bathroom next to themode. I ce the wet cloth on her forehead, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    I had brought my wife home from the hospital two days ago, and since that vomiting bout at the hospital bathroom she hasn¡¯t stopped puking.


    ¡°How do you think?¡± She scowls back at me, beforeunching up again on her knees and hanging over the bowl. When she finishes retching, she copses against the wall. ¡°I am dying,¡± she groans, ¡°I am never going to make it through the next few months.¡±


    I flush away the evidence of her being sick, then gently pat her mouth, ¡°The doctor said the morning sickness should fade by the end of the first trimester.¡±


    ¡°Considering I am only a few weeks along, that doesn¡¯tfort me very much.¡± She scowls, ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t trust him or his diagnosis.¡±


    When Aurora¡¯s role in my wife¡¯s escape had emerged, I¡¯d wanted to make her pay for it. I¡¯de very close to pulling my gun on her, except Christian had stepped in. He¡¯d insisted I spare her life, which I had. He¡¯d wanted me to let her return to her previous life, which I had decided was uneptable. The result is that she¡¯s currently locked up in a room in one of my safe houses while I figure out what to do with her. I can¡¯t simply let her go; that would weaken my reputation and my ability to stake my im as Don when the timees. On the other hand, I can¡¯t kill her, since I promised Christian I won¡¯t. However, there is no way I am letting her treat my wife. I¡¯ve lost my faith in Aurora and I can¡¯t imagine any circumstance under which I would allow her anywhere near Beauty. The result is that I had a specialist flown in from Rome-had ordered him to relocate to be near us so he cane when needed.


    ¡°He¡¯s a perfectly capable doctor.¡±


    ¡°I prefer Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Considering she let you down when you needed her help to escape, I am surprised you want to be treated by her.¡±


    Beauty hesitates, ¡°I admit, I was pissed off at her, at first, but I guess I do understand why she did it. I just don¡¯t understand why she didn¡¯t tell me I was pregnant, as well.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she was trying to protect you and the child?¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about her intentions. She alerted me in the nick of time. Else not only would we not be here having this conversation, but I doubt she¡¯d have made it out of that hospital alive.¡±


    She pales further and I curse myself. I really need to curb my vocabry when I am around her in this state. Since finding out she¡¯s pregnant, Karma has done an about face. It¡¯s as if all of her hidden emotions and sensitivities havee to the fore. She¡¯s be needy, absent-minded, and also, possessive. None of which I mind. She¡¯s also been very sick. Enough to make me think she might need to be admitted to the hospital a couple of times. Except, no way, am I letting her out of my sight.


    Instead, I had arranged for the hospital toe to her. I had aplete suite in my home converted to a hospital room¡­which will also serve as the birthing room, when the timees. Yeah, also a team of doctors and nurses are on-call around the clock, in case of any emergency. No, I am not being over-the-top about this¡­ I am just being safe. No way, am I taking any chances when ites to my wife¡¯s health or of that of my unborn child. I reach forward and push the hair away from her forehead. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡±


    ¡°Hungry.¡± She scowls. ¡°I wish my body would make up its mind. One minute, I am puking my guts out; the next moment, I am starving like I haven¡¯t eaten in days.¡±


    ¡°Well, you are eating for two.¡±


    ¡°More like I am eating for a crowd,¡± She pouts as she pushes up to standing. Her color is better and she definitely seems stronger than even a few seconds ago. Her ability to recover from these bouts of puking never ceases to amaze me. All in all, since discovering she¡¯s pregnant, she¡¯s been too preupied with trying to keep up with the changes to her body to think of trying to escape¡­ Or at least, I hope so.


    I reach for her and scoop her up in my arms. She frowns, ¡°I can walk, you know.¡±


    ¡°Indulge me,¡± I murmur as I walk out of the bathroom, past the bed in our bedroom, and down the stairs to the kitchen. When I found out she was pregnant, I moved her to my house on the outskirts of Palermo. Not the one I normally use, but the one I bought many years ago, with the hope of, one day, using it as a base for my family. The location of this ce is known to only my brothers, and the closest members in my n.


    It¡¯s away from the city, which means she¡¯s also out of reach of our rivals. Not to mention that with the security I have ced about it, we¡¯d spot anyoneing from a mile off.


    Once in the kitchen, I ce her at a chair at the dining table, then busy myself making breakfast. I sense her gaze on me as I move around, popping the bread in the toaster and whipping up the eggs for an omelet. I te out the toast and the omelets for both of us, ce them on the table, then pour her a ss of orange juice.


    When I slip into the seat in front of her, she stares at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I arch an eyebrow, ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    She nods, ¡°Everything is fine. Maybe too fine.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I jerk my chin at her te and she begins to butter her toast before cutting a piece of her omelet and bringing it to her mouth. She finishes almost all of the food on her te before she leans back and surveys me with a gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are being this nice to me.¡±


    ¡°I am always nice to you, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t very nice to me when we first met.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you as well as I do now.¡±


    ¡°You think you know me well?¡± She arches an eyebrow, mirroring my earlier gesture.


    I smirk as I cut into my omelet and continue eating.


    ¡°Well?¡± She prods, ¡°Do you think you know me well?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­¡± I pause as I survey her features, ¡°I know you well enough, to allow you ess to your phone again.¡±


    She huffs, ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything. You allowed me ess to my phone earlier, as well.¡±


    ¡°Until you insisted on showing me that you couldn¡¯t be trusted,¡± I glower.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, you trust me now?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    She gapes, ¡°So you don¡¯t trust me now?¡±


    ¡°Not an inch, my darling Beauty.¡± I ce my knife and fork on the te, before I push my chair back, ¡°However, I do trust you enough to give you¡­¡± I slide my palm inside my pocket, pull out her ring.


    ¡°Oh,¡± her chest heaves.


    I go down on one knee in front of her-only because it¡¯s the only way to reach for her fingers as I slide the ring onto her left ring finger.


    She draws in a breath. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand you,¡± she murmurs as she raises the fingers of her left hand.


    ¡°What do you not understand?¡± I push back a strand of her hair behind her ear.


    ¡°You say you don¡¯t trust me, yet you give me back my ring¡­ I mean, your ring.¡± She nces up at me, ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°Because you are my wife?¡± I cup her cheek, ¡°And the mother-to-be of my child.¡±


    ¡°This child means a lot to you, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°As do you.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°Do you doubt my word?¡±


    ¡°You just said that you don¡¯t trust me¡­so¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to trust you to-¡± love you. Shit, did I almost say that aloud? I rise to my feet, and she grabs my hand.


    ¡°To-?¡± She tips up her chin, ¡°What were you going to say?¡±


    ¡°To acknowledge you as my wife,¡± I reply and her features fall.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    I pull my hand away from her grasp, then nod to her te, ¡°You didn¡¯t finish your breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not hungry anymore.¡±


    ¡°Have you told your sister yet that you are pregnant?¡±


    She whips her head around to stare at me, ¡°You¡¯d be okay with that?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°As well as if I told her that I am married?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t expect you to say one without the other.¡±


    She screws her features, ¡°See, this is what I mean?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You being nice to me¡­ It¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why that should surprise you so much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± She waves her hand in the air, ¡°All this conversation, your cooking meals for me, taking care of me when I am sick¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Normal?¡±


    She frowns, ¡°In a way, and that weirds me out even more.¡±


    ¡°So, you find it weird that we are actually getting along, and that you are not trying to escape me anymore?¡±


    Her shoulders slump and I curse myself. Why the hell did I have to bring that up? Just as I was thinking that she was settling in here and she also seemed content, I had to go and spoil it all, eh? Che diavolo!


    ¡°I am not trying to escape you because, for some reason, I seem to be forgetting exactly why I wanted to get away from you in the first ce.¡±


    My heart begins to race. ¡°You are, eh?¡± I say softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault,¡± She lowers her chin as she proceeds to polish off the remaining food on her te. Then she takes a couple of sips of the orange juice from her ss before turning to me. ¡°You¡¯re making me toofortable here.¡±


    Good.


    ¡°You¡¯re spoiling me by how you take care of me.¡±


    That¡¯s the idea, tesoro mio.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± her chin wobbles, ¡°you¡¯re confusing me, you know that? You¡¯re tying me up in knots, you¡¯re messing with my head, you¡­you¡­¡± her voice catches, tears slide down her cheeks, and my heart stutters.


    It fucking stutters. I squat down in front of her, frame her cheeks with my hands, ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Beauty.¡±


    She sniffles, even as she turns her head away from me, ¡°You think I want to cry, you ass? It¡¯s these stupid hormones. They are all over the ce, and half the time, I can¡¯t even understand why things set me off when they do, without any warning. I am making a fool of myself in front of you, and I still can¡¯t stop bawling, damn it.¡± She balls her fingers into fists as I pull her into my arms. She stays rigid as I rub her back. She refuses to unbend as I haul her into my chest.


    I hold her there until her muscles slowly unwind, one by one. When her breathing has evened out, I finally pull away from her. ¡°Better?¡± I ask as she blinks away her tears.


    ¡°Sort of,¡± she mumbles, as she reaches for the tissues on the table in front of her and blows her nose. I rise to my feet again, and keep a hand on her shoulder as she pushes back her chair and gets up as well.


    ¡°So, you going to call your sister?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I am not ready to talk to her about¡­,¡± she gestures to the space between us.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Hell, I am still digesting the fact that I am not only married but already pregnant, so please¡­¡± she tosses her hair. ¡°Just give me a little time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I stare into her features and she scowls back at me.


    ¡°I hate the sound of that hmm!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I scratch my chin. ¡°Is it just time you need, or is it something else?¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± She brushes past me, then heads out of the kitchen and down the corridor to the study, which is where she spends a lot of her time these days. When I had furnished the space with all of my favorite books, I¡¯d had no idea then that my wife, the mother-to-be of my child, would love the space so much. If I¡¯d known, I¡¯d have made sure to have books which were more to her liking on the shelves¡­ Not that she hasined about my taste in literature so far.


    I follow her down the hall and watch as she sinks down onto the settee in front of the fire, then pulls her legs up under her.


    ¡°What else would I need?¡±


    ¡°You tell me,¡± I murmur as I lean a hip against the back of the chair near her.


    ¡°No, why don¡¯t you tell me?¡± She scoffs, ¡°Since you seem to think that you can read my mind or something.¡± She sniffs.


    ¡°Maybe you are ashamed to be married to the Mafia? Maybe you don¡¯t want to tell your family that you are carrying the child of a criminal?¡± I lower my chin, ¡°May¡­be¡­you are hoping that if you wait long enough, things will go back to the way they used to be?¡±


    She flushes, then nces away from me, ¡°Honestly, I want to deny all of that, but-¡± She raises a shoulder. ¡°I won¡¯t deny that all of those thoughts have gone through my mind,¡± she murmurs, ¡°but I also know things aren¡¯t just going to go back to being what they were.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± I cross the floor to stand in front of her, ¡°Do you understand that you are my wife and I am not letting you go? Ever? That this child is the one thing that can ensure that my bid for Don is sealed?


    She starts, ¡°So that¡¯s the only reason you want this child? Because he or she guarantees your position as the head of the Cosa Nostra?¡±


    I stare into her now flushed features, ¡°What other reason could there be?¡±

 83

    Michael


    I can¡¯t believe I actually said that. What other reason can there be? What other reason can there not be? Why is it that when ites to the crunch, I¡¯m unable to tell her how I feel? Why is it that when she looks at me with her big green eyes, I feel myself sinking into them, feel the barriers around my heart melting away, realize that somewhere along the way I¡¯ve developed feelings for her, that I want her in my life, and not only because she is the mother of my child? I need her because she makes me feel¡­ And maybe that¡¯s the problem.


    Once you start developing an emotional connection to someone else, once you make yourself vulnerable in that way, you¡¯re opening yourself up to being hurt. Once my rivals discover that she and the child are the chinks in my armor, they¡¯ll never stop, until they¡¯ve hurt both of them. They¡¯ll use them to get to me¡­ Just as they had already tried once before.


    Only now, the stakes are higher. She is pregnant. Dio santo! She is going to give birth to my child. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. I stare out of the window of my home office, where I had returned after hurting her with thatstment. I had wanted to hurt her. I had wanted her to feel a little of the agony I am going through, to understand how powerless I had felt in that instant when I had realized that I would do anything for her¡­for the both of them. I would give up my im to being the Don if it meant that I could keep them safe¡­


    And that¡­is non-negotiable. I owe it to myself to see this through. Aftering this far, after taking on my own father, and facing my worst nightmares, I deserve to be the head of the Cosa Nostra. This is what I was born for. This is what my mother sacrificed herself for. To ensure that I, one day, disce my father and changed the face of the Cosa Nostra; modernize them so there will no longer be victims like my mother. And I thought I had been on track¡­ Until she hade along and exposed just how frail my beliefs are.


    I had thought I was not like my father, that all I needed was to seize power and I could wipe out all traces of how he had run our ns¡­ But she¡¯d shown me just how simr to him I am¡­ When ites to her¡­to my child. When ites to what really mattered to me, I am as possessive as my father, if not more so. I am as controlling, as dominating, as hellbent on taking control and getting things done my way, no matter that it hurts the people I love most¡­ Che cazzo! There is that word again.


    Love; fucking love! I am in love with her; if only I could tell her that. Maybe then she¡¯d understand why I act so over-the-top possessive with her? Why I want to stalk her, to ensure that she is safe. Why I want to follow her every move. Why I cannot bear to have her out of sight. Why I want to direct what she wears, who she meets, what she eats, where she lives¡­ Why I put that stupid tracker in her¡­ Because I want to take care of her. To protect her. To make sure that all of her needs are met. That she is provided for and happy and¡­


    That will never work. F-u-c-k. I grip the edge of the window sill. That will only suffocate her. She is a wild thing, a woman who needs freedom to flourish. An artiste who needs to explore the world and take risks in order to create. Her imagination needs new experiences so she can reinvent herself. And me? I need her to be by my side, where I can keep her out of harm¡¯s way.


    I curl my fist and punch it down into the window sill. Pain shoots up my arm. Good. This is tangible, this is real, this¡­pain I can deal with. But if anything happened to her or to my child¡­ I would-


    ¡°Mika, you, okay?¡±


    Xander¡¯s voice interrupts my thoughts. If it had been anyone else, I¡¯d have told them to fuck off, but Xander¡­ Well, when he speaks, you listen. Doesn¡¯t mean that I have toe across as weing though, right?


    His footsteps sound as he approaches me. There¡¯s a touch on my shoulder and I know he¡¯s paused beside me.


    ¡°Contemting the view, eh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m contemting, something, all right,¡± I mutter.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    For a few seconds, he stands there without speaking. That¡¯s the thing with Xander. Unlike my other brothers, who prefer to voice their concerns through speech, he prefers to use silence to convey his worry instead.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal, you know,¡± he finally says, ¡°to feel insecure.¡±


    ¡°Me, insecure?¡± I chuckle, ¡°Now I know I¡¯ve heard everything.¡±


    ¡°Even big bad Capo¡¯s have an Achilles heel.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think I had one until¡­¡± I pause, not sure how, exactly, to voice the words in my head without giving myself awaypletely. And some things¡­a man has to keep close to his chest. Not even for my favorite brother, am I willing toy my feelings out therepletely.


    ¡°Until her?¡± Xander says softly.


    I blow out a breath, ¡°This¡­sucks.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re finally realizing that you are not as invincible as you thought you were?¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­something you are lucky to face, fratellone.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce, ¡°I don¡¯t feel lucky.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only because you haven¡¯t acknowledged the true extent of your feelings for her.¡±


    ¡°That fucking ¡®f¡¯ word.¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± heughs, ¡°the one and only one that has brought the strongest of men to their knees, so you don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    I turn to face him, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± he nces at me, ¡°you are fighting too hard. Putting too much pressure on yourself and her. You¡¯re allowing the past to dictate your future, brother, and that¡¯s only going to lead to misery.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea how it feels to find out that your wife is pregnant, that you are going to bring a child into this world. How am I going to protect him or her from the evils out there? How am I going to protect all of them from what I am?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he nods, ¡°I see now.¡±


    ¡°See what?¡± I scowl, ¡°I hate it when you are so cryptic.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scared, fratellone.¡±


    ¡°Me, scared?¡± I scoff, ¡°What do I have to be scared of?¡±


    ¡°Yourself?¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Now you¡¯re taking the piss, as the Brits say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried that you won¡¯t measure up to the needs of being a husband and a parent. You are unsure if you will be able to meet the demands made of you. You think you are not good enough to be either. You are afraid that-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I growl, ¡°just shut the fuck up, Xander.¡±


    He tilts his head, ¡°Hurts to hear the truth, eh?¡±


    I push away from the window and begin to pace. ¡°Why is it that this feels so.. difficult¡­so monumental? Like something that cuts through all the bullshit I have been spewing all this time, something that slices me to the core, and cuts me off at the knees? Something that makes me feel so exposed that I am sure I am going to be sick?¡±


    ¡°Wee to the human race,¡± he murmurs. ¡°It¡¯s not all fun and games when you begin to experience the emotions, but with great vulnerability,es the gift of extreme joy.¡±


    I wince, ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like my cup of espresso.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good, what you are going through.¡±


    Iugh as I rub at my chest, ¡°If you say so.¡±


    ¡°I know so.¡± He walks over to me and grips my shoulder, ¡°This is all good, brother. This, what you are going through, will make you stronger, more powerful, more resilient to face what is toe. Your ability to be a little more sensitive will only make you a more insightful leader.¡±


    ¡°When did you be this wise?¡±


    He smirks, ¡°I was born wise, big brother.¡±


    I ruffle his hair, ¡°Don¡¯t let my praise go to your head.¡±


    ¡°Not likely,¡± he snorts, ¡°considering you are only telling me what I already know.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I murmur, ¡°so what now?¡±


    ¡°Now you go back and apologize to her.¡±


    ¡°Apologize?¡± I lower my hand, ¡°What do I need to apologize for?¡±


    ¡°For whatever it is you did?¡±


    ¡°Why is it something I did?¡± I frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s always the man in a rtionship who is wrong. Time you ept that.¡±


    ¡°So, you admit that you are the one who¡¯s in the wrong when ites to not acknowledging your feelings for Theresa?¡±


    His features tense, then he forces his expression into a semnce of a smile, ¡°You got that right.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I gape, ¡°You give me all this sage advice, and when ites to confessing your feeling for your childhood friend, you get cold feet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not cold feet.¡±


    ¡°What is it then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± he rubs his fingers across the back of his neck, ¡°it¡¯splicated.¡±


    ¡°And you sound like a cliche.¡±


    He stares at me and I raise my hands in the air, ¡°Okay, all right, I admit I sounded like one too, earlier.¡±


    ¡°See how much easier it is when you simply own up to your faults?¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, fratellino.¡± I ruffle his hair, ¡°Just because you happen to be right about some things doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re right about everything.¡±


    He chuckles, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare im that.¡± He punches me lightly in the shoulder, ¡°Now, go back there and talk to your wife.¡±

 84

    Karma


    I rub Andy¡¯s forehead and he purrs, then snuggles closer into my chest. When Cassandra had arrived with him, I had been so damn happy that I had almost shed a tear. Gosh, I¡¯d missed the little guy, and also her, if I am being honest. I¡¯ve never had any close friends, mainly because Summer has always fulfilled that role. But since she is not here with me right now, and since Cassandra is really the only other woman around now, I find myself turning to her more and more.


    I nce up as the door to my bedroom opens. After thatst conversation of ours, I¡¯d told Michael that I preferred to stay separately from him. He hadn¡¯t seemed happy about it, but he hadn¡¯t pushed it either. Maybe he thought it was best not to push me further in the condition I am in. Of course, he¡¯d insisted that Cassandra check in on me every hour to make sure I was okay and, while it¡¯s annoying, I¡¯ll take that any day over having to sleep next to him at night. Which, unfortunately, also means that I miss him at night. Gah, there really is no winning for me, right? Now, his shoulders fill the doorway and I stiffen. Think of the devil¡­and there he is.


    He hovers at the threshold of the room, nces about the space before his gaze finally alights on mine. ¡°May Ie in?¡± he asks and I blink. What the-? Did he just ask my permission?


    ¡°Umm¡­ Excuse me?¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard that right.¡±


    He flushes, then draws himself up to his full height, ¡°I asked if I cane in?¡±


    ¡°If I say no, would that stop you?¡±


    ¡°No?¡± He smirks, then sobers, ¡°If you¡¯d rather that I note in then just say the word. I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    I take in his gorgeous features, the hint of something like¡­indecision in his eyes, the way he holds himself stiffly, like he¡¯s about to face an exam or do something that he¡¯s notpletelyfortable with¡­ Shit, the very fact that he did not barge in like he owns the ce, but opted to wait for my consent before he walked in is¡­surprising enough that I want to find out what¡¯s on his mind. I blow out a breath, then jerk my chin, ¡°You cane in, on one condition.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I nod, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what it is, as long as you agree to it.¡±


    ¡°Come now,¡± he tilts his head ¡°that¡¯s no deal at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not negotiating at all.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he looks me up and down, ¡°fine, then tell me what it is.¡±


    ¡°A Christmas party.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± He seems taken aback, ¡°A Christmas party?¡±


    ¡°It is the second week of December already,¡± I point out. ¡°Isn¡¯t it traditional in Italy for Christmas decorations to go up by December 8?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been researching Italian customs?¡± He smirks.


    Cassandra had mentioned it to me, but I am not going to tell him that. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that it¡¯s time we start nning for Christmas.¡±


    We? Shit, I said ¡®we.¡¯


    He doesn¡¯t seem to notice though. ¡°You want to start nning a Christmas party?¡± He rubs his jaw.


    I nod. To be honest, I am not huge on Christmas gatherings, as such. But maybe I am lonelier than I thought¡­ Or m-a-y-b-e, finding myself pregnant makes me want to surround myself with more people, I guess? Andy wriggles in my arms and I ce him on the floor. He instantly pads over to Mika who picks up the kitten. He cuddles Andy who coils up against his chest. Traitor. And I thought he owed his allegiance to me. Apparently, not even kittens are exempt from the Capo¡¯s charm.


    ¡°I also want to invite Aurora to the Christmas party.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± his lips firm, ¡°I can¡¯t allow that.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°She conspired with you.¡±


    ¡°She told you I was pregnant so you came after me.¡±


    ¡°She-¡±


    ¡°Deserves another chance,¡± I cut in. ¡°Come on, she¡¯s a doctor, and she¡¯s helped you out when you needed her services, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    He hesitates.


    ¡°Also,¡± I bat my eyshes at him, ¡°I really am starved for femininepany.¡±


    He tilts his head, ¡°If femininepany is all you want, I could invite my Nonna¡­¡±


    I gape at him, ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡±


    He frowns, ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°Your Nonna hates me. Thest time she saw me, she pped me.¡±


    ¡°Only because you stuck a knife in me.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t promise not to do that again,¡± I mutter under my breath.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    I swear, it looks like he¡¯s repressing a smirk.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I clear my throat. ¡°So, about the party-you¡¯ll let me invite Aurora to it?¡±


    He grimaces. He bends and ces Andy on the floor. The kitten walks toward the basket that has been made up for him in the corner of the room. He climbs in, turns around and begins to wash himself.


    ¡°Awwe on, Mika.¡± I turn my gaze back on the glowering man, ¡°It¡¯s Christmas! Isn¡¯t this when you forget the sins of your enemies and all that stuff?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll invite her, on one condition.¡±


    I scowl, ¡°Thought this was my gig?¡±


    He raises a shoulder, and I draw in a breath, ¡°Fine, tell me your condition.¡±


    ¡°You promise not to sulk in your room, and to eat well, and to get plenty of fresh air.¡±


    ¡°If you think your fake concern for me is going to help you wheedle your way into my good books then¡­¡± I tilt my head, ¡°you¡¯re going to have to try harder.¡±


    ¡°So, you will eat well, get plenty of fresh air, take your vitamins and-¡±


    ¡°-yes, yes,¡± I mutter, ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    I throw up my hands, ¡°I told you I will.¡±


    He prowls across the room to stand in front of me. Gosh, he is so big, his shoulders so massive, that he blocks out the sight of everything else. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s absorbed all of the oxygen in the room. I try to breathe and drag in his dark, edgy scent. The heat of his body curls around me, envelops me. The force of his dominance holds me immobile as he bends his knees and peers into my eyes. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I want.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± I clear my throat, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Ask me to move back into your bedroom, ask me to throw myself down on my back on your bed, part my thighs and invite you to bury yourself inside me again. My core clenches. I tip up my chin, part my lips as he leans in close enough for his chest to brush mine. My nipples harden; my belly flip-flops. Those cold blue eyes of his re with an inner fire as he drops his gaze to my mouth.


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll create your own Christmas dress?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He raises his gaze to mine, ¡°I want you to start creating again, starting with the dress you¡¯ll wear to the Christmas party.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you wanted to ask me?¡±


    He straightens, then kisses me on the cheek. His scent deepens, then fades as he takes a step back from me. ¡°What else did you think?¡± he says, his voice so bloody innocent. Argh! I set my jaw and a low chuckle rumbles up his chest. ¡°Wait¡­ Surely, not¡­¡± he clicks his tongue and slowly shakes his head, ¡°you didn¡¯t think I was going to fuck you, did you?¡±


    Hearing him say that four letter word? OMG, it¡¯s so hot, so erotic. Not like he hasn¡¯t said that before. But considering I almost came just from hearing him do so¡­ Hell¡­ Is this a side-effect of pregnancy hormones? When I am not sick, I want to either eat or have sex. Is that how it¡¯s going to be from now on?


    ¡°Of course not,¡± I sniff. ¡°I thought no such thing.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He notches his knuckle under my chin, ¡°Because I am not taking any chances with this pregnancy.¡±


    He turns to leave, and I call out, ¡°Wait, what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°By what?¡±


    ¡°By not taking any chances with this pregnancy?¡±


    He pauses at the door, ¡°Just that.¡± He turns to face me, ¡°As long as you are pregnant, I don¡¯t n on fucking you.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I open and shut my mouth, ¡°Why the hell would you do that?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°You need to rest and take care of yourself. Besides, I don¡¯t want to do anything to endanger the baby.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be endangering the baby if you shagged me.¡±


    ¡°Still, there¡¯s a chance that it would be ufortable for you.¡±


    ¡°I am willing to take that risk,¡± I cry.


    He clicks his tongue, ¡°It¡¯s noble of you to offer to do that, but I will not allow the mother of my child to be inconvenienced in any way.¡±


    I take in his determined stance, the set of his jaw, and blow out a breath, ¡°Bloody hell, you¡¯re serious about this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Deadly.¡±


    I take in the set of his features, then scowl, ¡°Wait, are you thinking of fucking someone else, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that I am going to fuck someone else?¡±


    His blue gaze bores into me. I shuffle my feet, then nce away, ¡°You tell me.¡±


    ¡°Look at me, Beauty.¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Now,¡± he orders.


    I find myself turning to face him. Dammit, what power does he hold over me that I can¡¯t disobey him.


    He rakes his gaze across my face, then steps closer to me. He bends his knees, then peers into my eyes, ¡°I am not going to fuck anyone else Karma, caspice?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I twist my lips, ¡°what about Larissa or that¡­ that stewardess on the ne? You¡¯re not going to see them on the side, are you?¡±


    His features harden, ¡°I am not. Going to fuck. Anyone else. I take my vows to you very seriously. You understand?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Say it aloud,¡± hemands.


    ¡°I understand.¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°So, this means, you and I will continue to stay in separate rooms, until the baby is born?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡±


    No.


    No.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod.


    His features brighten, ¡°Good.¡± He curves his beautiful lips in a smile. ¡°See? We are already getting along so well.¡±


    He straightens, turns to leave, then pauses once more. ¡°One more thing, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°We may have arrived at a temporary truce, of sorts-doesn¡¯t mean I am not watching you.¡±

 85

    Karma


    If he¡¯s watching me, it¡¯s not because he has cameras in this room. I nce around the space again, taking in the light fixtures, the air vents, the shelves in the room-hell, even the corners of the ceilings, where a camera would have most likely be hidden-but can¡¯t see anything. Which is not to say that there can¡¯t be cameras in the mirror that is pushed up against one wall, or even embedded in a piece of furniture or something, but somehow, I doubt it. In the few days since Michael had made that statement, I had slept well, hadn¡¯t had the sensation of being watched in any way-not in my room, definitely not when I go walking in therge garden that surrounds the house, or even on the beach, for that matter.


    A few hours after Michael had left, Cassandra had hauled in yards of different fabrics. Then Antonio had shown up carrying a sewing machine-a new one, by the looks of it-followed by a drafting table, and all of the other instruments I need for sewing.


    The result is that half of my bedroom has been transformed into a studio, and honestly, I am notining about it. I had also asked Cassandra to fetch me additional supplies that I¡¯ll need for the creation I have in mind, and she had done it very happily. Andy is now a permanent fixture in my room and he keeps mepany as I sew.


    I¡¯ve taken to having my meals with Cassandra in the kitchen, and while I have not seen Michael on any of those asions, she has assured me that he is very much around, and working hard, both in his study as well as at meetings that he has had to attend out of the house. Something to do with a re up of tensions with a rival n. Which is none of my business, really.


    I have less than two weeks toe up with a creation which will blow his socks off, and I intend to make the most of that time. I have also drawn up a guest list for the event, which is beginning to look like an evening party, which is good. It means there¡¯s no need to sit around a table and endure ufortable silences. No, for my Christmas party, which is going to be goth themed-surprise!-there are going to be lights and music¡­and a DJ. Yep, definitely need a DJ to get the crowd going.


    I run into Michael briefly in the hallway and ask him who he wants to invite, and he says I can decide. When I tell him I want to get in a DJ, he t out refuses, though. No strangers are to be allowed. Only close family i. e. his brothers, and yeah, unfortunately, that also includes extending an invitation to his father and his Nonna, I guess. So much for getting to decide who to invite.


    I head back toward my room, grumbling under my breath. I don¡¯t want to. But clearly, the man is close to his grandmother¡­ As for his father¡­ Well, he is family¡­so it makes sense to have him. And his brothers¡­of course. Not that I have a problem with any of them. Speaking of, I wonder what¡¯s going on with Luca? Anyway, we¡¯ll invite Antonio, Cassandra, and Aurora, as well. Which still leaves the question of the DJ. Damn it! I reach my room and start mming things around on my work table. ¡°What¡¯s a party without a DJ?¡± I muse aloud.


    ¡°Someone mention a DJ?¡±


    I jerk my head in the direction of the voice and find Xander, standing in the open doorway.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t realize I had mumbled that aloud.¡± I redden.


    ¡°I heard you were organizing a Christmas bash and figured you could do with a hand.¡± He ambles in. ¡°Mind if I take a seat?¡± He nods toward the chair by the window, then before I can agree, he wanders over and sits down on it. Apparently, all of the Sovrano brothers are confident enough that no one will refuse them. Of course, whether that confidence is a result of respect or fear is another story. Oh, well.


    He kicks out his long legs, d in tailor-made cks, no doubt, cut by the same family tailor who creates Michael¡¯s clothes. He taps his long fingers on his thigh, ¡°So, you need a DJ for the party, huh?¡± Xander asks.


    I nod.


    ¡°And I guess my brother did not want anyone from outside our immediate circle of family and friends at the party?¡±


    ¡°You know your brother well,¡± I mutter as I ce my scissors down by the cloth that I had been cutting earlier. I lean a hip against my worktable, ¡°Do you have any ideas? I mean a party without a DJ is like a rose without thorns.¡±


    ¡°Or the sixties without the Beatles,¡± he smirks.


    ¡°Or Apocalypse Now without music by the Doors,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°Or like Harry Potter without Draco Malfoy,¡± he offers.


    ¡°OMG!¡± I gasp, ¡°Seriously though, sometimes I am sure I am more of a Dracohead than a Potterhead.¡±


    ¡°You always fall for the bad boy, huh?¡±


    I firm my lips, ¡°You have no idea.¡±


    He raises his hands, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by that statement.¡±


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t,¡± I murmur, then hunch my shoulders. ¡°How are you in here anyway? I thought the Big Bad Capo had forbidden even his brothers froming in here.¡±


    ¡°Not me, though.¡±


    ¡°Not you?¡±


    ¡°The rules don¡¯t apply to me.¡± He grins and whoa, his charm hits me full whack, like the fireworks over the Thames on New Year¡¯s Eve. Jesus, these Sovrano brothers sure pack a punch. Each of them is deadly in his own right. Though Michael is, by far, the most dominant, the most mesmerizing of all of them.


    ¡°Is it because Michael doesn¡¯t consider you a threat?¡±


    He blinks then chuckles, ¡°You think fast, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I raise a shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re here, so yeah, it¡¯s not rocket science.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say, Michael is aware that I¡¯d never do anything to hurt him.¡±


    ¡°You care for him deeply,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°I¡¯d give up my life for him.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± a ball of emotion sticks in my throat. ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯d do for my sister Summer.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s older than you?¡±


    I nod, ¡°We only had each other growing up, so we learned to take care of each other.¡±


    ¡°You miss her?¡±


    I nod again.


    ¡°Have you called to let her know that you are here?¡±


    I hesitate, then walk over to sit down in the chair opposite him. ¡°I¡¯ve been texting her regr updates, enough so she does not worry about me.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s not aware that you are married.¡±


    ¡°Or that I am pregnant.¡±


    I follow his gaze to my stomach and find I¡¯ve ced my palm against my belly, as I seem to do so often nowadays.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± His voice is gentle and when I look up, the look in his eyes is even gentler.


    A thickness clogs my throat and I swallow it away. ¡°I just wasn¡¯t sure where to start, really.¡± I wring my fingers together, ¡°I am not sure she¡¯ll really understand what happened. More likely, she¡¯s liable to fly down here and demand that I return with her-¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say so softly that I can barely hear myself, but he catches it.


    He leans forward and grips my shoulder. ¡°You are not alone. We¡¯re your family now, and we are all here for you.¡±


    I sniffle.


    ¡°And Michael, regardless of his growly, grumpy nature¡­ He does care for you, in his own way.¡±


    ¡°That almost makes it worse.¡± I sigh and lower my chin. ¡°I think the two of us have grown to care for each other, yet we seem to not have a single conversation without getting angry with each other.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s how the two of youmunicate, you know?¡±


    ¡°What, by sparring with words?¡±


    ¡°And with weapons.¡± He waggles his eyebrows and Iugh.


    ¡°Yeah, I know, I can¡¯t believe I pulled a knife on him. Not to mention, you know-¡± I mime whacking someone on the forehead.


    He winces, ¡°That was quite an escape you made there, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°I ended up driving a wedge between Michael and Luca because of that, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Luca did that all by himself, by betraying Mika.¡±


    I wince, ¡°I yed a role in it though. If I hadn¡¯t wanted to leave, Luca wouldn¡¯t have found the opportunity to do so.¡±


    ¡°You just happened to be there. If it hadn¡¯t been you, it would have been something else. Luca was waiting to undermine Michael. It so happened that you came along first.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°Not sure if that makes me feel better at all.¡±


    ¡°I know what will make you feel better.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Finding you a DJ.¡±


    ¡°You know someone?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    He spreads his arms, ¡°You¡¯re looking at one of the best DJs in Palermo.¡±


    ¡°Which is not saying much, given the size of the city,¡± I snicker.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he thumps his chest, ¡°you disparaging our fair city?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± I chuckle, ¡°Besides, not like I have a choice.¡±


    ¡°Jeez,¡± he shakes his head, ¡°you sure know how to trample all over a man¡¯s ego.¡±


    ¡°I have been practicing.¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°Can you tell?¡±


    ¡°I can see why my brother likes to verbally spar with you.¡±


    ¡°More like we can¡¯t stop fighting when we are in the same room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s another way of showing how much you two care about each other.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am not sure about that.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± He lowers his arms to his side, spears me with a look. ¡°I have never seen Mika look at anyone the way he looks at you.¡±


    My heart begins to thud. My belly flip-flops. I push my hair over my shoulder, then pretend to study the pattern on the pile of fabric on the opposite side of the room. ¡°You must be mistaken; it¡¯s really not like that.¡±


    Heughs, then throws back his head andughs harder. ¡°You can try to say otherwise, but you and I both know, you have Michael tied up in knots.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s tied up in knots?¡±


    I jerk my chin in the direction of the doorway.

 86

    Michael


    She nces in my direction, and the expression on her face isced with guilt. I prowl toward her and she tips up her chin. ¡°Were you talking about me, Beauty?¡± I murmur and she huffs.


    ¡°My every conversation is not about you.¡±


    ¡°What were you two talking about, then?¡±


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    ¡°Everything about you is my business,¡± I pause in front of her, ¡°and you¡¯d do best not to forget that.¡±


    Xander clears his throat, and I shoot him a sideways nce.


    ¡°We were discussing the Christmas bash,¡± he exins.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I turn to her, ¡°That what¡¯s got you tied up in knots, huh?¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± she snickers, ¡°I am the one tied up in knots.¡± She exchanges a nce with Xander who chuckles.


    ¡°She¡¯s been worried about finding a DJ for the party. It¡¯s why I offered my services.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to DJ?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Sure,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°it¡¯s no biggie. I did it at many of the parties during my university days.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you spent most of your time painting.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we artists need to blow off some steam too, you know? Besides, music is a form of art, and DJing is simply a matter of arranging tunes into a pattern.¡±


    ¡°Whoa, you a poet too?¡± shements, her tone filled with admiration.


    I scowl.


    ¡°I have been known to write a poem or two,¡± Xander smirks.


    I glower at him, ¡°If you two have had enough of this mutual admiration society you¡¯ve got going on here-¡±


    Something brushes my leg. I nce down to find her kitten walking past me.


    The beast heads over to Xander, who scoops him up. ¡°Who do we have here? What¡¯s your name, little fe?¡± he croons as he tickles the kitten under his chin.


    ¡°His name¡¯s Andy,¡± she replies with a big smile.


    ¡°Hello Andy, what a fine-looking kitty you are, too.¡±


    Andy purrs loudly, then rubs his head against the stronzo¡¯s shirt. Traitor. Not only is my wife taken in with Xander, but her cat¡­ The cat that I got for her seems to prefer hispany to mine.


    Good thing I trust Xander the most amongst all of my brothers; enough to not chew him out for spending time with her. Also, I can¡¯t exactly keep her hidden away forever, much as that would be my preference. If there is anyone other than me that I¡¯d choose for her to spend time with, then it would be him.


    So, I content myself with simply ring at Xander, who smirks back at me.


    ¡°Te ne devia fare in culo,¡± I growl and heughs. The bastardughs as he rises to his feet. He pats the kitten once more, then hands Andy over to me. As he leaves, I pull the beast closer to me. The animal strains in my grasp, and nces over at her. It mewls pitifully, and I frown.


    ¡°Aww,¡± she walks over to me and holds out her arms. The kitten promptly jumps onto her chest. She closes her arms about him, and he cuddles up against her breasts. I scowl at him, watch as he rubs his head up against the swell of her curves.


    Only when her chin jerks up do I realize that I have growled aloud. Porca miseria! Apparently, I am jealous of a kitten?


    I re at the animal and she hugs him tighter to her chest. ¡°Stop that,¡± she orders, ¡°you¡¯re scaring him.¡±


    ¡°Scaring him, my ass! He¡¯s y-acting, just so he can get your sympathies.¡±


    ¡°y-acting?¡± Sheughs, ¡°Animals don¡¯t y-act. They are not like humans, who¡¯ll stoop to any level to get their way.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think?¡± she snaps


    I fold my arms across my chest, ¡°I have never y-acted.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you?¡± She tosses her head, ¡°You keep acting all tough and surly, but inside, you are as soft as¡­as that slushy thing which I had for breakfast.


    ¡°It¡¯s called a granita,¡± I murmur, ¡°and you must be mistaken. I don¡¯t y-act, and I am definitely not soft inside.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do, and yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°Not.¡± I harden my jaw


    ¡°Are.¡± She juts out her chin.


    And why can¡¯t I stop myself from rising to her bait, eh? I drag my fingers through my hair, ¡°Look. Ever since I found out that you were pregnant¡­ It¡¯s¡­ah¡­ Confused me.¡±


    ¡°Confused you?¡±


    I nod, ¡°When I think about your bringing my child into this world, it makes me feel like I am the most vulnerable person on this earth. What if my enemies got to either of you? If something were to happen to either of you, I¡¯d¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to take it.¡±


    Her expression softens, ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen to either of us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that confident, eh?¡±


    ¡°No, I am that confident that you will take care of us.¡±


    I stare into her features, that red-tinted hair that flows about her shoulders, those green eyes that sparkle at me, that tiny upturned nose, those beautiful pink lips that beg for me to lick them, thrust my tongue in between them and tangle with hers. The blood rushes to my groin and I am instantly hard. ¡°You trust me to take care of you.¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡± She holds my gaze, ¡°I trust you to do what¡¯s right for the two of us. I trust that you¡¯ll never allow anything to harm us.¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. I close the distance between us, cup her cheek, ¡°When you say things like that, itpletely wrecks me, you know that?¡± I lower my face to hers, when there¡¯s an angry hiss from between us. Something sharp stabs at my chest¡­ This time, for real. I wince, nce down to find the kitten has dug his ws into my shirt. He¡¯s grazed the same wound-now healed-that his mistress had bestowed on me not too long ago.


    ¡°Oh, sorry, Andy,¡± sheughs. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to crush you there.¡±


    Wish I could say the same. I scowl down at the animal that res back at me. Jesus, the cat has almost as much attitude as her. She reaches down, gently disentangles his ws from my shirt, then bends down to ce him on the floor. He shakes his entire body, as if he¡¯s tossing off any residue of my touch, then struts off toward his basket in the corner of the room.


    She straightens, then peers up at me from under her eyshes. I hold her gaze and her cheeks pinken.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    She raises her shoulder, ¡°Like you¡¯ve never seen me before?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I haven¡¯t. Maybe I have underestimated you all along. Maybe, if I had known how you were going to turn my life upside down, I¡¯d have run from you the first time Iid eyes on you.¡±


    She blinks, ¡°Is that apliment? Because I am not sure.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I push the hair off of her forehead, ¡°apliment. It takes a lot to surprise me, and I can safely say that you have done so at every turn, my Beauty.¡±


    ¡°And you, my Capo,¡± she goes up on her tip-toes and presses a kiss to the side of my neck, which is all she can reach, ¡°constantly challenge me. You make me want to push myself to keep up with you. You make me want to reinvent myself so I can hold my own against you.¡±


    ¡°Is that good or bad?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure,¡± she says with a gleam in her eyes, then yelps when I pat her behind.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± She frowns.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t help it. Your posterior is so beautifully rounded, that when I am near you, I have to squeeze it.¡±


    She reaches behind and grabs a hold of my butt, ¡°Now we¡¯re even.¡± She pouts, ¡°Don¡¯t expect to cop a feel without-¡± She stutters as I grip her under her ass and hoist her up. She wraps her legs around my waist.


    ¡°Now we are even,¡± I smirk.


    She scowls, ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡±


    ¡°Life¡¯s not fair, baby.¡± I pivot, head for the door, and she peers up at me.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±


    ¡°To dinner.¡±


    ¡°Dinner, but-¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just¡­¡± She hesitates and I pause nce down at her.


    ¡°If we stay here, I am going to fuck you and that¡¯s not what I want.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, not when you are in this condition.¡±


    ¡°I am pregnant, not unwell.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I nod, ¡°this early in the pregnancy, it¡¯s best to be safe.¡±


    ¡°Is that what the doctor said?¡±


    I hesitate and she huffs, ¡°See? That¡¯s what I mean; I don¡¯t know where you got it into your head that just because I am pregnant, you can¡¯t make love to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather wait until it¡¯spletely safe to do so.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But the doctor never said any such thing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I am saying.¡±


    ¡°So, now you know better than the doctor?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that when ites to your well-being, I am taking no chances.¡±


    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± She pouts. ¡°I want you to fuck me and you are turning me down?¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me. There¡¯s nothing I¡¯d rather do more, but in this case, there¡¯s something more important than you and me at stake here.¡±


    She frowns, ¡°You mean the baby?¡±


    ¡°Our baby.¡± I nod, ¡°I¡¯d rather you feel better before I fuck you again.¡±


    She throws up her hands, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard anything crazier than that. I mean, are you hearing yourself? You¡¯re all worried for no reason.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be more careful than not.¡±


    She blows out a breath, ¡°I am not changing your mind on this, am I?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Fine, whatever,¡± She folds her arms across her chest, stares straight ahead, as I head out of the door. I walk down the stairs and to the terrace on the first floor. I cross the breadth of it to a sheltered alcove and she draws in a breath, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

 87

    Karma


    ¡°This is where we¡¯re having dinner,¡± he murmurs as he lowers me into a chair. I take in the crisp white table cloth that covers a table that has been set with silverware for two. The alcove is sheltered from the breeze by a screen on one side. The view itself is undisturbed though, and I nce out at the sea that stretches out into the distance. A cool breeze tugs at my hair. I tuck the strands behind my ear, turn back to the table arrangement. There¡¯s a vase in the center of the table with one single perfectly formed ck rose, the edges of the petals a blood red. It¡¯s a perfect bloom, unlike anything I have ever seen. He reaches for a nket that has been ced on a stool by the side. He ces it over myp, then tucks it at the sides.


    ¡°How does that feel?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Not too cold? Not too warm?¡± He nods toward the patio heater, ¡°Should I turn that off?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I pat the edge of the nket, ¡°I amfortable, as is.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He reaches for a napkin, shakes it out, then ces it on myp over the nket, before pushing my chair in, just so. Then he walks around to take his seat on the other side.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this about?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I have dinner with my wife?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I frown, ¡°not that I don¡¯t appreciate it, but if you want to take me to dinner, why can¡¯t we go out?¡±


    He tilts his head, and I scowl. ¡°You don¡¯t want to take me out, is that it?¡±


    He gazes at me steadily and I blow out a breath, ¡°Since you found out I was pregnant you haven¡¯t let me out of the house. In fact, you¡¯ve barely let me out of your sight, and it¡¯s really beginning to grate on my nerves.¡±


    He merely reaches for the jug of water and pours out a ss. ¡°Drink,¡± he orders, ¡°you need to make sure that you are hydrated.¡±


    I open my mouth to refuse and he gives me a stern look. ¡°Drink your water, baby,¡± he winks at me, and bloody hell, when he calls me by that endearment, my heart seems to melt. I can¡¯t refuse him anything when he looks at me with that mix of dominance and lust and tenderness all entwined in the depths of those hypnotic blue eyes. I raise the ss of water, sip from it, and his gaze falls to my mouth. His pupils dte and his nostrils re. I lick my lips, scooping up a drop of water from the corner of my mouth, and his throat moves as he swallows. His chest rises and falls, he leans forward, reaches for me, when the sound of footsteps approaches.


    Momentarily distracted, we look toward Cassandra, who makes her way over to us to ce a basket of bread between us. ¡°The chef will be along shortly with your main courses. Enjoy.¡± She nces between us, then backs away without another word.


    Steam rises from the bread. Whoa, have they been freshly baked? I mean, of course, they have to be freshly baked. Nothing but the best for Michael, after all. I reach for a roll, then gasp and pull back, ¡°Ouch, it¡¯s too hot.¡±


    ¡°Here, let me.¡± He reaches for a roll, breaks off a piece. Steam rises from it as he offers me a bite-sized piece.


    I nce at the piece of roll then back at him, ¡°It may be too hot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°What if it is?¡± I frown.


    ¡°And here I thought you trusted me, hmm?¡±


    Well, he does have a point there. I open my mouth and he pops the piece of bread inside. I chew on it, and the strong, tangy, yeasty vor of the freshly baked roll explodes on my pte. ¡°Oh, yum!¡± I finish chewing, swallow the piece, then open my mouth again. He pops another piece of bread inside and I chew on that as well. ¡°This is really good,¡± I admit as I swallow it down as well.


    He butters the remaining piece, offers it to me and I eat that too. The vors only seem to multiply, thanks to the butter. ¡°I have never tasted anything like it,¡± I confess.


    ¡°The chef is the best in Europe,¡± he confirms to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what¡¯s-her-name, Marissa, is it?¡±


    ¡°You mean Larissa?¡± He smirks.


    I frown. ¡°Don¡¯t unt your floozies in front of your wife,¡± I snap.


    He raises his hands. ¡°Scusa,¡± he murmurs, ¡°mi sono sbagliato. I promise, I won¡¯t speak of her again.¡±


    ¡°Or see her,¡± I add, causing him to nod in agreement. Wait a minute. What is he up to? I stare, ¡°You are being awfully conciliatory?¡±


    ¡°I admit my mistakes when I am wrong,¡± he peers into my eyes, ¡°but only for you, Beauty.¡±


    My stomach flip-flops; I clench my thighs. Gosh, can he be any hotter? Especially when he¡¯s being so nice to me? I push back my seat, rise to my feet, ce my nket and napkin on my chair, then walk around the table. His forehead quirks as I raise his arm then sink down in hisp.


    His gaze heats as I twine my fingers with his, then reach up and brush his lips with mine. ¡°This is nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± I murmur, and his breath catches. I press tiny kisses down the sharp edge of his jaw, to the hollow at the base of his throat. I lick the skin there and his hardness stabs into the side of my thigh. I bite down and a low growl ripples up his chest. He wraps his fingers around the back of my neck and tugs. I tip up my chin, stare into those blue eyes that ze back at me.


    He rakes his gaze down my features, to my lips, then back up to my eyes, ¡°The answer, Beauty,¡± he whispers, ¡°is still no.¡±


    I scowl, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for anything.¡±


    ¡°But you were going to.¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t,¡±


    One side of his lips curls, ¡°Still lying to me, darlin¡¯?¡±


    I try to pull away, but he tightens his grip. Goosebumps pop on my skin, my pussy trembles, and moistureces my core. Shit. Why is it that when he begins to get rough with me, my body responds with such ardor?


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I say in a low voice and his grin only widens.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the message you were conveying a few moments ago, Beauty.¡± He brings his hand up to cup my breast, and a moan bleeds from my lips. His gaze sharpens. ¡°Your breasts are more tender, more sensitive than they used to be,¡± he murmurs as he brushes his thumb across my nipple. Heat races down my spine and I shift in hisp. His thickness seems to lengthen against my thigh as he leans in closer, closer¡­


    He brushes his nose against my throat and inhales deeply, ¡°You smell of moonflowers, with a hint of something deeper, moreplex.¡± He sniffs me again, then nces up at me, ¡°You smell the same, and yet, different.¡± He peers into my features, ¡°Like you are changing, even while, at heart, you are the same girl you once were.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I swallow, ¡°you can sense all that?¡±


    A crease appears between his eyebrows. ¡°Only with you, apparently.¡±


    He leans in, nuzzles my cheek, ¡°You smell like you are mine.¡±


    My stomach flutters and my toes curl. Oh, my God, if anyone could bring me to orgasm just by his words, it would be this man. I turn my face toward him and our lips meet and¡­ It¡¯s unlike any of our previous kisses. It¡¯s soft and tender, with just a hint of that unleashed dominance that is so very Mika; and yet, he¡¯s holding back the full force of his personality, which thrums in the background. And that only turns me on further.


    I lean into the kiss, but he tightens his grip on my neck and holds me in ce. He proceeds to leisurely nibble on my mouth, lick my lips, brush his mouth over mine again and again, until our breaths mingle and our chests rise and fall in unison, until the evidence of his arousal seems to grow so solid between us that I am sure his shaft is going to stab through his pants. My core clenches and moisture trickles down the inside of my thigh. I grind my butt into his thickness and a groan vibrates up his chest.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you are killing me, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°You are doing it to yourself, Capo,¡± I bite down on his lower lip and he visibly jerks.


    He pulls away, stares into my features, ¡°You¡¯re tempting me to break my self-imposed abstinence.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡± I scowl at him, ¡°This entire no-sex thing is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re cute when you are angry,¡± he chuckles.


    I open my mouth to tell him off, only he¡¯s already there. He kisses me. I part my lips and he sweeps in, thank god! He sucks on my tongue, sips from me, consumes me, devours me like he is hungry and I am hisst meal. My head spins and my toes curl; he pulls away from me and I slump.


    I hear footsteps behind me but don¡¯t turn.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he murmurs as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear in a gesture that is bing familiar to me.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    I hear the sound of tes being ced on the table and the spicy scent of food tickles my nose. I turn to find two steaming dishes ced on the table.


    ¡°Come va, principessa?¡± a familiar voice asks.


    ¡°Paolo!¡± I cry in delight. ¡°What a pleasure to see you here.¡±


    ¡°And you.¡± His rosy cheeks widen in a big smile.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I was asked toe and cook my favorite dishes for you,¡± he nods his chin toward the tes.


    ¡°So, you left your restaurant and came over to cook dinner for us?¡±


    He jerks his chin toward Michael, ¡°What the Capo wants, the Capo gets.¡±


    Of course, he does.


    I shoot a sideways nce at Michael. ¡°There was no need to have Paolo shut down his restaurant ande here to cook for us. We could have gone to him.¡±


    ¡°And you know my thoughts on that already.¡± Michael tilts his head. His gaze shes with mine and those blue eyes of his-damn! It¡¯s like they can see my deepest thoughts, suss out my innermost fears. Like they are aware that underneath all the protests, I am secretly ttered that he did this for me. My cheeks heat and his smirk widens. Gah, can I not even nce at him without getting turned on?


    I flip my hair over my shoulder, turn to Paolo, ¡°Well, I, for one, don¡¯t take youring here for granted. I hope the Capo, at least,pensated you for the lost business.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°He did, and even if he hadn¡¯t, I promise you, it would have been my honor and my pleasure to cook for the both of you. Someone in your state needs to eat well, signora, and I have made sure that my dish is perfectly bnced, with all the nutrients you and your growing child need.


    ¡°Oh,¡± heat sears my cheeks. Guess I am still not used to the fact that I am pregnant, especially not when someone else mentions it to me.


    ¡°I told him; I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡± Mika whispers. ¡°He¡¯s like family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, ¡°I murmur, then turn to Paolo again. ¡°Thank you foring out to cook for us.¡± I hold out my hand and he takes it, then kisses it on the knuckles, before stepping back.


    He nces at the food, then at Michael, ¡°You need to eat the food before it grows cold.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we will.¡± Michael gestures to the tes, ¡°Could you ce her te in front of me before you leave? I n to feed her.¡±


    Paolo moves the te over so it¡¯s front of us, then he retreats.


    I turn to protest and Michael shakes his head. ¡°Indulge me, Beauty,¡± he implores in a soft voice and my heart stutters. It bloody stutters.


    This man¡­ All he has to do is nce at me with tenderness and I¡¯ll throw myself down at his feet and be ready to do his every bidding. Oh, who am I kidding? When he orders me, it turns me on even more. But there¡¯s something about Mika being so attentive to my wishes which is simplypletely¡­arousing, and which also makes me giddy with happiness.


    My heart begins to thud in my chest and my pulse rate ratchets up. OMG, the way he¡¯s looking at me¡­ It¡¯s as if he loves me, and like he¡¯s beginning to realize it himself.


    ¡°Beauty, I¡­¡± he searches my features, then hesitates, ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I whisper, ¡°Tell me, Mika, what do you want to say?¡±


    He seems to get a hold of himself, then reaches past me for the fork. He twirls some of the pasta, then offers it to me, ¡°I think you need to eat.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Later,¡± he murmurs, ¡°let¡¯s enjoy our food first, hmm?¡±


    I want to push it, but something in his gaze warns me that it¡¯s time to give in. I nod, allowing him to feed me. The pasta is a simple dish made with vegetables and a sauce that is absolutely vorful. Mika insists on feeding me, and I tell him he needs to eat as well. Wepromise when he agrees that I can feed him too.


    When both of our tes are empty, I lean into him with a sigh.


    ¡°Now what?¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± he calls out, ¡°make sure that we are not disturbed.¡±


    Cassandra pops her head through the doorway. She nods, then shuts the door on us.


    I turn to him, ¡°What¡¯s that all about?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± he smirks, ¡°means it¡¯s time for dessert.¡±

 88

    Karma


    ¡°Dessert?¡± I blink rapidly. ¡°Is Paolo going to serve us dessert?¡±


    ¡°He offered to make dolce for us, but I told him to wait. We¡¯ll have it after.¡±


    ¡°After?¡± My cheeks heat, ¡°After what?¡±


    ¡°After¡­¡± He lifts me up onto the table, then pushes my legs apart. The dress I¡¯m wearing is pushed up to above my knees. He slides his fingers up my thighs, and I try to squeeze them together.


    ¡°Rx,¡± he murmurs, ¡°I am going to make this so good for you.¡±


    That¡¯s what I am afraid of.


    I peer at him from between my eyshes. ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to shag me?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t pleasure you,¡± his eyes gleam, ¡°while I feast on you.¡±


    A pulse res to life between my legs. It mirrors the beat of my heart, the thud-thud-thud of the blood roaring in my ears as he rises to his feet. Without taking his gaze off of mine, he leans over and shoves the rest of the crockery aside. The dishes and remaining cutlery hit the ground with a crash that sweeps through me. I shudder, partly from lust, partly from the adrenaline that sweeps through me. Jesus, is that hot or what? And so damn erotic.


    He eases me onto my back, then peers into my eyes as he slides his hand up my thigh. When he reaches my panties, he brushes my core through the drenched fabric and flickers of heatdder up my spine. Oh, my god, he is going to torture me with his touch, his kisses, the way he cups my pussy as he brushes his lips over mine.


    ¡°Who does this belong to?¡± he whispers against my mouth. ¡°Tell me, Beauty, who do you spread your legs for?¡±


    ¡°You, Capo,¡± I murmur and he draws in a breath. He hooks his fingers in the delicatece of the panties and tugs. The material snaps. Goosebumps pop on my skin. I gasp as cool air assails my heated core. He pulls off my panties, pockets them, then ces his fingers on the pulse that gallops at the base of my throat.


    ¡°You¡¯re turned on, amore mio,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°You like it when I surprise you like this?¡±


    I nod, not trusting myself to speak. My ability to formte sentences flees as he pulls his knife from where he carries it tucked into the waistband at the small of his back. He holds it up. The de gleams and I gulp. He slides it under the the neckline of my dress. I gulp. He tugs, the fabric tears down the center and I yelp.


    The front falls open, exposing me to him. He sticks the de of the knife into the wood of the table, then cups my breast. ¡°Who does this belong to, amore mio?¡± he asks. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°You, Michael,¡± I whisper. ¡°It belongs to you.¡±


    He brushes his finger across my nipple, and my breast trembles. He brings his mouth down, sucks on my nipple, and a groan spills from my lips. I writhe under him as he curls his tongue around the pebbled bud, as he brings his other hand up to cup my other breast, as he bites down on the nipple gently, and oh, with so much care that my entire body seems to catch fire. I push my breast up and into his mouth. ¡°Please, suck harder,¡± I beg. ¡°Please, Michael, please.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Your breasts feel heavier and your nipples are swollen. I want to make sure you enjoy this as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I blink as he tugs on my nipple, then blows on it. I shiver, arch my spine, chasing the suction I so crave, even as he drags his finger across my other nipple. I moan as he turns his attention to my other breast. He bites gently on the nipple, thenthes it with his tongue, before blowing on it. And my breasts are so tender that even that slight breeze sends ripples of sensations crawling down my spine. My core clenches and my toes curl as I raise my arms and throw them about his shoulders as he kisses his way down to my stomach.


    He presses his lips to my belly as he grips my hips, then nces up at me, ¡°Who does the child you carry in your womb belong to, Tesoro Mio?¡± He curls his tongue inside my belly button and I groan. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°You, Mi-kah,¡± I gasp, ¡°the child belongs to you.¡±


    He rewards me with a kiss, as he cups my swollen pussy. ¡°Who does your cunt belong to, Contessa?¡± He whispers against my throbbing flesh, ¡°Tell me.¡±Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You, Mika.¡± I push my hips forward, aching to feel him inside of me. ¡°It belongs to you, only you.¡±


    He slips his finger inside my aching channel and I groan.


    ¡°More,¡± I pant, ¡°please, I want more.¡±


    I sense him smirk as he adds a second finger, then begins to work his fingers in and out of me, gently, oh so gently.


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± I moan. ¡°Mika, please, fuck me with your tongue, please.¡±


    He pulls out his fingers, only to rece them with his tongue.


    I writhe as he slurps his way up my pussy lips, and again, before he swirls his wicked tongue around my clit. And that¡¯s when I cry out. I dig my fingers into his hair and tug as he gently bites down on the engorged bud.


    ¡°Mika!¡± I yell as he grips my legs above the knees, wraps my legs about his neck. I lock my ankles, press my thighs into either side of his head and heughs. The vibrations coil in my core, setting off a surge of heat that zings up my spine as I arch my back up and off the table.


    ¡°Ohgod, ohgod,¡± I chant, ¡°ohgod, please, Mika, please-¡± I scream as he thrusts his tongue inside my channel. In and out, he fucks me with his tongue just as I asked. He squeezes my butt, then slides a finger inside my backhole, working it in and out of me before adding another as he continues to plunge his tongue in and out of my pussy.


    The vibrations scream out from my core, spreading to my extremities as my entire body bucks.


    ¡°Mika, I am going to-¡±


    He pulls his tongue out of me, only to rece it with the fingers of his other hand as he leans over me and presses his lips to mine. ¡°Come for me my Beauty,e right fucking now-¡± he growls and I shatter. He closes his mouth over mine as he fucks my pussy and my ass with his fingers.


    I scream but he swallows the sound. The climax pours over me, then fades away, leaving me shaking as I copse against the table. The thud-thud-thud of his heartbeat against mine is reassuring, the heat of his body that envelops me is a beautiful reminder that I belong to him. I open my eyes, gazing into those blue eyes, as he licks my mouth. The sweet taste of my cum mixed with the darker taste of him fills my mouth as he holds my gaze.


    ¡°Mika,¡± I bring my hand up and drag my fingers across his lips, ¡°will you fuck me in the arse?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± He blinks, ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You told me you are notfortable shagging me because you think it might hurt me or the baby.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°I figure this way you can shag me without worrying about any of that.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± He scowls, ¡°I can go without sex for a little while, you know.¡±


    ¡°I want to.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this, Karma.¡± His frown deepens, ¡°I want you to befortable, and rxed.¡±


    ¡°And I can¡¯t be either of those when I am horny as hell.¡±


    ¡°Woman, you just came.¡± He arches an eyebrow, ¡°Are you telling me that wasn¡¯t enough?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to take your ass because-¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± I swallow, ¡°I want you to own mepletely, I want you to imprint your mark in every part of me, I want you to¡­possess me so absolutely that I can¡¯t think of anyone else but you.¡±

 89

    Michael


    This woman¡­ The things she says¡­ She never ceases to surprise me. I grip her shoulders to pull her up and she wraps her arms around my neck. ¡°I mean it, Mika,¡± she murmurs, ¡°I want you inside me, one way or the other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± I wrap a strand of her gorgeous hair around my fingers, ¡°Right now, yourfort is more important than anything else to me.¡±


    ¡°And I already told you that I want you.¡±


    I peer into her face, take in her flushed features, her gaze wide with anticipation; those green eyes stare back at me and in them is a look of feverish need. I wrap my fingers about the back of her nape and bring her forehead to mine, ¡°Any other time, if you weren¡¯t pregnant, I¡¯d not deny this to you, but right now, given your condition, it¡¯s not something I can give you.¡±


    ¡°Michael,¡± she pleads, ¡°this is no time for an attack of conscience.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Trust me, if it were up to me, I¡¯d be inside you so often you wouldn¡¯t be able to walk straight, but this is not just about you and me now, is it?¡±


    She scowls.


    ¡°Think about the baby.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather think about¡­¡± she ces a hand on my crotch and squeezes her fingers around my already engorged cock, ¡°this.¡±


    My groin hardens. I huff out a breath as she drags her fingers down my thick column. ¡°Gesu Cristo,¡± I growl, ¡°what are you doing to me, woman?¡±


    ¡°You said that you won¡¯t fuck me, but there¡¯s no rule against my going down on you, is there?¡± She pushes at my shoulders and I resist.


    ¡°Come on, Mika,¡± she pleads. ¡°Don¡¯t deny me this. At least, let me get off on getting you off.¡±


    I stare into her eyes.


    ¡°Please,¡± she licks her lips, ¡°please, Mika.¡± She shoves at my shoulder and I sit back. She presses down and I sink back into my chair. She slides off the table and onto her feet and her already torn dress flutters down her arms. She shrugs it off, then slides down to her knees. She runs her hand up my thigh and my focus zeroes in on her. She holds my gaze as she outlines the length of my arousal. She rubs her fingers up and down the column and my balls harden. I part my thighs wider and she moves in closer. She brushes her fingers across my waistband and her fingertips graze my belly. My muscles jump, I roll my shoulders as I lower my chin.


    ¡°Take it out,¡± I growl and a smile curves her lips.


    ¡°Oh, no, if we do this, we do it my way.¡±


    Che cazzo! How dare she try to direct the proceedings? ¡°Is that right?¡± I reach down, curl my fingers around the nape of her neck. The column of her throat is so slender that my fingers meet around the front. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way, Beauty.¡±


    She peers up at me from under half-closed lids, ¡°Would you deny me this, Mika?¡±


    I draw in a breath. Damn it. When she gazes at me with that beseeching look in her eyes, how can I deny her anything? I release my hold, lower my hand to my side.


    Her smile widens as she unhooks my belt buckle. She lowers my zipper, then pulls down my boxers, and my cock springs free.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she blinks, as she lowers her gaze to my throbbing shaft. She licks her lips and I swear I coulde right then. She squeezes my shaft all the way up to the crown, then drags her fingers across the tip. Goosebumps pop on my skin.


    Goddamn! ¡°Your touch is killing me, Beauty,¡± I growl and her smile widens. She lowers her head, licks the head of my shaft. Her pink tongue curls around the rim of the crown and the sight of it has my muscles tensing. I lean forward and she brings her hand up to cup my balls. She squeezes and a groan rumbles up my chest. She drags her other hand down to the base of my shaft, then up again.


    ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± I swear as I curl my fingers into fists at my side. I re down as she licks the tip of my cock again. I jerk my hips forward, chasing the suction I crave, and her eyes gleam. She massages my balls and I dig my heels into the ground. She licks her tongue down the length of my shaft and up again, and fuck if I don¡¯t almoste right then. ¡°If you don¡¯t take me down your throat this instant, I¡¯m going to-¡±


    She closes her lips around the head of my cock. I grit my teeth as I watch my dick disappear inside her mouth. Fucking hell, if that isn¡¯t the ultimate description of erotic, I am not sure what is.


    She peers up at me, holding my gaze as she pulls back, leaving a trail of wetness on my shaft. Only to dip her head and move forward, and this time, she does take me down her throat.


    ¡°F-u-c-k.¡± I grab hold of the armrests as she proceeds to swallow. My groin tightens, my balls swell, and the tension at the base of my spine curls into a ball. She pulls back until my dick is poised at the edge of her lips, then she closes her mouth around me again. Heat flushes my skin as she drags her teeth across the underside of my shaft. My muscles tense and the ball of tension at the base of my spine explodes out. ¡°By the Santa Maria,¡± I snap, ¡°I am going toe all over your face, Beauty.¡±


    I pull out and grab my dick and position it as the climax grips me. The heat vibrates out, my cock jerks and Ie, shooting a stream. I paint her face, her hair, position my cock to eject across her creamy breasts. By the time I am done, streaks of white crisscross her hair, her features, curve across her nipples.


    I shove my fingers through her hair, grip the nape of her neck, haul her up, and fasten my lips on hers. I swipe my tongue across her teeth, tangle my tongue with hers as I grab her hip with my other hand. I squeeze and she moans into my mouth. And fuck, if that doesn¡¯t send the blood emptying to my groin again.


    I reach between her legs and the wetness wees me. I slide my fingers inside her melting pussy, as I kiss her and finger fuck her, and she trembles, and writhes under me, but I don¡¯t stop. I shove four fingers inside her and she gasps. I continue to kiss her as I move my fingers in and out of her, in and out. I press my thumb into her clit and her entire body bucks. She grips my shoulders, holding on as I continue to finger fuck her. I tilt my mouth, suck on her tongue, bend her back as I curl my fingers inside her. Her body jolts and a trembling grips her. A moan bleeds from her and I swallow it down. Her body shudders, her pussy mps down on my finger and I know she is going to- I tear my mouth from hers. ¡°Come,¡± I order, and she shatters.


    Karma


    We didn¡¯t get to the dessert, after all.


    After I came, he¡¯d taken off his shirt and made me wear it over my torn dress. Then he¡¯d scooped me up into his arms and carried me to his bedroom. We hadn¡¯t encountered anyone on the way. Not Cassandra, not Paolo. Apparently, his staff knows when to make themselves scarce. And, yep, he broke his own rule for us to have separate bedrooms. Score!


    I had fallen asleep promptly. When I woke up, he was gone. I had spent the rest of that day working on my dress, with Andy forpany. Oh, also I¡¯d moved my things into his room, and he hadn¡¯t said anything.


    It might be because I didn¡¯t see Michael all that day, or for that matter, on any of the days that followed our reconciliation. Cassandra mentioned to me that he has been deep in negotiations with rival ns to restore some semnce of peace in the country.


    This means that the security around the house has been tripled¡­ Or so she tells me. Not that I can tell the difference. For all practical purposes, I am still a prisoner of sorts in the house.


    At least, I have the preparations for the uing party to keep me distracted. At some point though, I know I have to pick up the phone and call Summer. At some point, she is not going to be happy with just the text messages that I send her.


    She has promptly replied to all of them, and by all indications, she seems deliriously happy in her marriage to Sinir Sterling¡­ So that lessens the guilt somewhat.


    Still, I suppose I¡¯ll have to tell her the truth of my condition at some point. Just not yet. Maybe after the party¡­? Maybe once I¡¯ve gotten to know my husband a little better? Okay, so they are excuses, but once the party is over, I¡¯ll have time to think and decide what I want to tell her, you know?


    I sit back, taking in the creation I have been working on, then stretch. Just one more week to go. It will be touch-and-go, but hopefully, I¡¯ll be able toplete it.


    The morning sickness has abated somewhat, and I am finally getting my taste back. So, I can actually taste what I am eating, which is a relief. There¡¯s a knock on the door, and I turn to find a familiar figure at the entrance.


    ¡°Oh, my gosh!¡± I jump up, ¡°Aurora, is that really you? How did you get here? Are you okay?¡±


    She nods, then smiles uncertainly, ¡°Can Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I admonish her, ¡°you don¡¯t need to ask me that.¡±


    She walks over to me, her doctor¡¯s satchel in her hand. I meet her half way, hug her, and she feels thinner, frailer than before. I step back, take in her pale features.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight,¡± I murmur. ¡°What did they do to you? They didn¡¯t mistreat you or anything, did they?¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°They didn¡¯t do anything to me. Actually, that¡¯s the problem.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I step back, ¡°What do you mean? I was so worried about you. When I realized that Michael knew about your part in helping me escape, I was so worried. I know it¡¯s not something that he would forgive easily, and he refused to tell me what had happened to you.¡± I peer into her features, ¡°You are okay, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She nods, a ghost of a smile on her lips, ¡°Physically I am okay.¡± She swallows, ¡°But emotionally, mentally¡­ I¡­ I am in a kind of limbo.¡±


    ¡°Tell me everything.¡± I lead her to a chair and she sits down, ces her bag on the floor.


    ¡°They have me put up in a safe house, not far from the city. I can¡¯t leave, can¡¯t see anyone else. This is the first time I have been out since I went to the Capo and told him that you were pregnant.¡±


    I lean back in my seat. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why you didn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how you would react. And,¡± she nces away, ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to do anything rash and hurt yourself or anything, you know?¡±


    ¡°As if.¡± I huff, ¡°I have more sense than that.¡±


    ¡°Well, you were in an emotionally vulnerable state, and I guess, I wanted to protect you.¡±


    ¡°So, Michael was telling the truth,¡± I murmur.


    She jolts and I exin, ¡°That¡¯s what he told me, as well.¡± I frown, ¡°Which still doesn¡¯t answer the question of what you are doing here.¡±


    ¡°I was told that I am going to be your doctor until the birth of the child.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡± I murmur. Apparently, Mika agreed to my demand, after all. I lean forward, taking her hand in mine, ¡°I am so pleased about that.¡±


    ¡°So am I.¡± She smiles, and this time, her eyes light up with genuine pleasure. ¡°And not only because it means I¡¯ll be allowed out of the house, but because I do actually like you.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°I like you too.¡± I rub her slightly chilled hand between mine, ¡°When was thest time you ate? Why don¡¯t I get you something? I-¡±


    There¡¯s a knock and Cassandra shoulders open the door. In her hands, she carries a tray piled with tes of food. ¡°I thought the two of you could do with some refreshments.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mind reader,¡± I exim, ¡°and the food is most wee.¡±


    She walks in, ces the tray on the table, then removes the covers. Delicious smells fill the room and my stomach growls. She steps back, ¡°Enjoy.¡± She smiles and turns to leave.


    ¡°Cassandra,¡± I call out, ¡°why don¡¯t you join us?¡±


    She turns and nces between us, ¡°Oh, no, I couldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I wave a hand in the air, ¡°there¡¯s no one else in the house-¡±


    ¡°Except Christian,¡± Aurora corrects me.


    ¡°Christian?¡±


    Aurora nods, ¡°He picked me up and dropped me off at the door. He¡¯ll wait for me to finish and apany me back.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so they really are making sure that you don¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of even trying,¡± she mutters. ¡°If I did, the Capo would not spare my family.¡±


    I bite the insides of my cheeks. She¡¯s talking about Michael, my Capo. The father of my child¡­ The man who has pleasured my body and brought me to orgasm countless times. The man who is so concerned about the wellbeing of my child that he refuses to have sex with me. The man who puts my needs before his. The same man who, I know, is also capable of killing if the need arises.


    Yeah, Michael wouldn¡¯t spare her family. He won¡¯t take betrayal of any kind lying down. That, I know, first-hand. I blow out a breath. ¡°Well, I am d he allowed you toe see me.¡±


    Aurora nces at the food and her stomach rumbles loudly.


    I chuckle.


    Sheughs, ¡°Oops, sorry. Not that they are not feeding me. Actually, I¡¯ve been quitefortable where I am, except for the fact that I can¡¯t leave the ce or see anyone.¡±


    ¡°I know how that feels,¡± I murmur as I reach for a te and offer it to her. ¡°Please, help yourself.¡± I turn to Cassandra, who¡¯s still standing, ¡°You are joining us, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± she shuffles her feet, ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Aurora nces up at her, ¡°it will be so nice to listen to the voices of others instead of those in my head.¡±


    Cassandraughs at that. ¡°Fine, but just until lunch is over.¡±


    ¡°And then, I still have to examine you.¡± Aurora looks me up and down, ¡°Not that you don¡¯t look good. In fact, you are positively glowing, but I need to make sure that you arepletely okay.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯ll be time after we eat.¡±


    Just then, Andy slips through the half open door and patters over to me, purring loudly. He brushes his body against my leg and Iugh, ¡°You just ate, and this food isn¡¯t good for cats, I promise.¡±


    He tosses his head, and walks away toward his bed.


    ¡°The life of a cat,¡± Aurora muses. ¡°If only we could all be as single-minded about our needs.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of,¡± I turn to the food, ¡°I know what I am going to be single-minded about for the next little while.¡± I reach for a te and pile mine high with helpings of Arancini (creamy risotto rice), Caponata (fried eggnt filled with celery, onion and tomatoes, and vored with capers, pine nuts and raisins), and Busiate al pesto Trapanese (a fusilli-like pasta with pesto). I reach for another pasta dish and pause, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Pasta a Norma,¡± Cassandra exins. ¡°It¡¯s one of Sicily¡¯s most famous pasta dishes. It¡¯s made with local tomatoes, eggnts, garlic, basil and ricotta sta, or salted ricotta cheese. It¡¯s called Norma after the neenth century opera of the same name. Both the dish and the music are regarded as true masterpieces.¡±


    ¡°You really like to cook, don¡¯t you?¡± I observe.


    Sheughs as she ces minuscule portions of the food on her te, ¡°It¡¯s the one thing that I can rely on. Food. It can¡¯t hurt you or break a promise to you¡­¡± Her words trail off. She blinks rapidly, then smiles a little too brightly, ¡°I love cooking, and I love feeding people. It fills something inside of me to see them enjoy what I make. After all, we are what we eat, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I murmur, exchanging nces with Aurora, who shakes her head. Yeah, she¡¯s right. This is not the time to delve into those crypticments. ¡°So,¡± I train my gaze on her, ¡°did you always know that you wanted to be a doctor?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    Aurora tilts her head, ¡°Actually, yes.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± Cassandra¡¯s gaze widens, ¡°Like when? I mean, how did you know that was your calling?¡±


    Aurora nces down at her te, then at us, ¡°My mother was sick a lot when I was growing up. I apanied her on her hospital visits, saw how the doctors helped her. In the end, they couldn¡¯t save her, but I knew then, one day I was going to do my best to help other people too.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry for your loss,¡± I reach for her hand and squeeze it, ¡°I lost my mother when I was very young too.¡±


    ¡°I lost a husband,¡± Cassandra murmurs, then bites her lips. She turns back to the food and I nce at her shuttered face. Yeah, there is a lot of grief hidden under there, all right.


    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± I venture, and she shakes her head.


    ¡°What about you?¡± she asks, ¡°Fashion designing is obviously your passion.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I nod. ¡°I became a fashion designer because it feels like a link to my mother.¡±


    ¡°Was she a designer too?¡± Aurora asks.


    ¡°Not professionally, but from what my sister tells me, she loved experimenting with colors and patterns and styles. She stitched all of her own clothes, and my sister¡¯s clothes. I never really knew her, but when I¡¯m creating a design, when I am lost in the palettes and textures and immersed in images of what the finished product is going to look like, that¡¯s when I am truly happy. That¡¯s when I feel closest to her.¡±


    ¡°You miss her?¡± Cassandra¡¯s voice is soft.


    ¡°I never knew her,¡± I nce down at my food, ¡°but there was always a mom-shaped hole in my life; always will be.¡±


    ¡°The pain never goes away.¡± Aurora draws in a breath, ¡°It just bes a shadow that settles in your heart, one which you are not really conscious of, but which is always there when you look inside.¡±


    ¡°And how does it feel now that you are going to be a mother, yourself?¡± Cassandra tilts her head at me, ¡°Does it fill the hole in your heart somewhat?¡±


    I start, shoot her a nce, but see only genuine curiosity on her features. Her choice of words though¡­ It reminds me of the one secret that I am keeping from all of them¡­including myself. A secret which I hope I never have to acknowledge. Maybe if I ignore it long enough, it¡¯ll stop being real. At least, I can hope.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Aurora puts down her te of food, then reaches over to take my hand, ¡°Maybe we should carry out that examination now?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish our food first.¡± I nod at her te, ¡°Please, I ampletely okay, and I really want us to do justice to this tasty food that Cassandra has made for us.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of,¡± I frown, ¡°it is you who cooked this food, right?¡±


    She shoots me a curious nce, ¡°Who else would cook?¡±


    ¡°Not that Larissa woman, who I met on the ind, and who Michael introduced as his chef, I hope.¡±


    ¡°He let go of her, shortly after,¡± she replies.


    ¡°He did?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Yep, told her to pack her bags and leave the very next day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow!¡± Another thing he¡¯d done¡­ For me? Because he knew I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of her? I bite the inside of my cheek. Had I judged him that harshly? And this was even before I had be pregnant¡­ Had he actually already begun to develop feelings for me then? I shake my head. Either way, it¡¯s clear that he wants to make up for how things started between us. It¡¯s why he¡¯s allowed Aurora to resume her duties as my doctor. Something for which I am very grateful. Something which I hadn¡¯t thought he¡¯d do in a million years. He actuallypromised on some of his beliefs for this¡­ And that is huge. And I want to show him how much I appreciate it, in my own way. I turn to the both of them, ¡°You are bothing to my Christmas party, obviously.¡±


    ¡°We are?¡± Aurora frowns.


    ¡°We are?¡± Cassandra gapes.


    ¡°Of course, you are,¡± I tell Aurora. ¡°And you,¡± I scowl at Cassandra, ¡°you¡¯d better be there, no excuses.

 90

    Michael


    ¡°I hear your wife¡¯s throwing a Christmas party?¡± JJ Kane, the head of The Kane Company, tilts his head, ¡°That¡¯s the thing with women. They have to make their presence felt, don¡¯t they?¡±


    I curl my fingers into fists at my sides. How dare he talk about her? And how the hell does he know about the Christmas Party? Invitations had only been extended to my brothers, my father and my Nonna. And yeah, Beauty had insisted that Cassandra and Aurora be included.


    Initially, I had refused her and she had pleaded with me. She had batted those big, green eyes at me and I had been a goner. Of course, I had agreed. Cassandra is loyal, no question. And Aurora? She knows better than to open her mouth about anything she sees and hears. There¡¯s no way either of them would have spoken to anyone about the event. My brothers wouldn¡¯t have breathed a word to anyone¡­ Nor would Nonna. As for the Don¡­ Well, much as I don¡¯t trust him, given he knows that Karma is pregnant with his grandchild, not even he would endanger her life¡­


    I hadn¡¯t wanted to invite him but Nonna had insisted. He¡¯s family. And family sticks together. We look out for each other, no matter what. Within the four walls of our home, we may turn on each other¡­ Like my father had on my mother. Nonna¡¯s reasoning is wed, and yet, it makes sense. It helps us put up a unified front against our enemies. Like the Kane Company, the leader of whom graces my dinner table. I had invited him and Niki Solonik, the head of the Bratva for a three-way talk.


    If you had asked me a few weeks ago if I¡¯d ever think of negotiating a truce with my rival ns I¡¯d haveughed. Yet that¡¯s exactly what I am doing. That¡¯s what having a baby on the way does to you, apparently. You have to try to make the world he or she is arriving into a better ce. It¡¯s the least you can do, really. If I manage to take away any possible motives for my most dangerous enemies toe after my family, I reason, I am, at least, buying us some peace¡­some level of safety, during which time I can devote myself to being a husband and father, spend time with my wife and child, and bond with my new family as we find ourselves?


    Besides, if, indeed, it was JJ who was behind her kidnapping, that¡¯s all the more reason to keep him close, until I find a way to kill him¡­ Without drawing attention to myself. I¡¯d sworn to hunt down whoever was behind the kidnapping and kill him¡­ But the fact that I am going to be a father has put things in perspective. Don¡¯t get me wrong; I still want my revenge. Only, I want it in a way that it doesn¡¯t leave my child without a father.


    ¡°Michael?¡± JJ¡¯s voice interrupts my thoughts, ¡°are you inviting us to this Christmas party too?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s family only,¡± I train my gaze on him. Besides, I don¡¯t trust the guy. The only reason I have him here is because it¡¯s easier to keep an eye on him when I know what he¡¯s up to. It¡¯s why I am proposing an alliance with JJ and Niki¡­ On the face of it, at least, it¡¯s a business deal, but really, it¡¯s so I can understand JJ¡¯s¡­ and Niki¡¯s weaknesses. The only way a man survives in my cutthroat world is to keep one step ahead of his rivals.


    ¡°And here I thought you consider us to be as close as your blood rtions?¡± Niki drawls. ¡°Not that I¡¯d want to be there. It¡¯s bad enough that I have to spend Christmas with my entire extended family, of which there are way too many people.¡±


    I turn to him, epting the diversion in the conversation. I owe Niki for getting the bastard JJ¡¯s attention away from the topic of the Christmas party. My wife¡¯s Christmas party. If he thinks I am going to invite him to be anywhere within a mile of her, he has another thinking.


    ¡°Are you returning to Russia for Christmas?¡± I ask Niki.


    ¡°I¡¯m going home,¡± he nods.


    ¡°To Russia?¡±


    ¡°To Los Angeles,¡± He scowls at me.


    I raise my hands. ¡°Apologies, when you said home, I just assumed-¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he snorts, ¡°of course, the man with the foreign sounding surname has to be from an exotd, eh?¡±


    I redden. ¡°An honest mistake,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°You can make up for it by giving me control of the gun smuggling routes through Latin America.¡±


    ¡°No chance,¡± I smirk. ¡°I am sorry, but not that sorry.¡±


    ¡°What about the cybercrime syndicate you control?¡± JJ growls. ¡°That¡¯s something we are-¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    JJ frowns, ¡°So, what¡¯s in it for me? Why should I agree to any kind of peace treaty?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s the only way for you to grow your reach in the rest of Europe. I am the key to your expanding outside the UK, and you know it.¡±


    JJ¡¯s features harden, but he doesn¡¯t deny what I said outright. He can¡¯t, because I have pointed out his weakness. The reason that has brought him here to the negotiating table, in the back office of Paolo¡¯s restaurant. We, each of us, have left our men and teams behind. It¡¯s just the three of us at this table, and the talks so far have been interesting, to say the least.


    ¡°So,¡± JJ leans back in his chair, ¡°I repeat, what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    ¡°Money, power-¡±


    ¡°What are you specifically offering me, Michael?¡±


    I raise an eyebrow at his usage of my name. He¡¯s testing me by not using my title, calling me by my name and implying a familiarity which we don¡¯t share currently, nor at any point in the future, if I have my way.


    ¡°Real estate scams.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He blinks.


    ¡°Real estate,¡± I murmur, ¡°it¡¯s where there¡¯s lot of money to be made in Europe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡± He leans forward, his hard British ent growing more pronounced, ¡°If this is why you called me all the way to a back office behind a smelly restaurant then-¡±


    ¡°Cryptocurrency,¡± I throw out and he blinks again.


    ¡°Cryptocurrency?¡± he says slowly.


    I nod, ¡°The two of you¡­¡± I nce between the two n leaders. ¡°Partner with us in the deals we have going there. Niki, you bring the cyber experience. We bring the contacts of those at the highest echelons in the top 100 investment firms in Europe. JJ, you bring the contacts of those in the UK and together, we¡¯ll all be able to walk away much, much richer.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± JJ strokes his chin, ¡°how much richer?¡±


    ¡°Molto piu ro.¡±


    He frowns, ¡°I¡¯d prefer you be specific.¡±


    ¡°Take a number, triple it, and I guarantee, the three of us wille into enough money to increase our sphere of influence on a global scale.¡±


    JJ¡¯s eyes gleam. His right eyelid twitches. He taps his fingers on the table, before he stops¡­ And bingo, the guy is interested, all right. I turn to watch Niki surveying me with a shrewd look in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a challenge,¡± Niko murmurs. ¡°No one knows exactly how cryptocurrency reacts to worldwide influences. Hell, we know far less about it than we know about the weather or the stock market. It¡¯s a big risk.¡±


    ¡°The higher the risk¡­¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°You getting cold feet, Solonik?¡± JJ smirks, ¡°You can opt out of the deal. More for the two of us.¡±


    Niki¡¯s gaze narrows. He tilts his head, a question in his eyes, one he¡¯s not going to voice because he¡¯s not going to give away his hand. He¡¯s smart. I respect that. And he abides by the same kinds ofws that we do. Family first andst, and above all, keep your enemies close at hand. It¡¯s why he¡¯s sitting here at the negotiating table.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s you who¡¯s getting cold feet at the thought of keeping pace with the both of us?¡± Niko murmurs.


    JJ¡¯s features harden and a nerve throbs at his temple. ¡°That¡¯s enough of pleasantries,¡± he growls, then turns to me. ¡°The money we make is split three ways.¡±


    ¡°Sixty, twenty, twenty, is more what I had in mind-¡±


    He opens his mouth to protest.


    ¡°But I can work with fifty, twenty-five, twenty-five,¡± I add.


    ¡°Split three ways evenly,¡± JJ snaps ¡°and not a penny less.¡±


    ¡°You think the same way, Niki?¡± I turn to him, ¡°A three-way split, I presume.¡±


    Niki drums his fingers on his chest, ¡°You know what they say about three being a crowd.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you are not interested?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­¡± he nces from me to JJ, then back at me, ¡°interested.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± I knock my knuckles on the table, ¡°gentlemen, let¡¯s drink to our new business partnership, shall we?¡±


    The door opens and a woman walks in with a bottle of Macans whiskey and three sses. She retreats, but not before JJ has looked her up and down. ¡°Part of your crew?¡± he asks, ¡°Is she-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I pour out a shot of whiskey into each of the sses before sliding one over to Niki. ¡°She¡¯s part of my n and off limits to anyone except her fiance.¡±


    ¡°Take care of your own, eh?¡±


    I raise my ss, ¡°Always.¡±


    JJ nces down, spies the ss still on the tray. He leans over and picks it up. ¡°Now, that¡¯s not being very polite,¡± he arches an eyebrow, ¡°but to each their own.¡± He raises his ss.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Christian mutters.


    After the two other men leave, the rest of my crew walks in. They hadn¡¯t been in favor of this meeting. Definitely not that I go in unarmed and without any of them as back up. But it was something that had to be done, and by me.


    ¡°What guarantee do we have that they don¡¯t renege on their agreement?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°What guarantee do we have that we are all going to be alive tomorrow?¡± I widen my stance from the position at the head of the table. I had opted to stand, too keyed-up from the earlier meeting. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t tolerate this kind of post-meeting analysis of my actions, but if the alliance with the rival ns is going to work, then I need my crew behind me¡­ And currently, they, clearly, are not.


    ¡°That¡¯s a rhetorical question, and you know that.¡± Christian runs a finger around the cor of his shirt. ¡°Forming an alliance with the enemy is only going toe to bite you in the ass if we¡¯re not careful.¡±


    ¡°Much as it pains me to admit it, in this instance, I agree with Christian.¡± Seb glowers. ¡°Niki, maybe, I understand. Not that I¡¯d trust the Bratva, but at least, they¡¯de at you from the front. With the Kane Company? Those asshole Brits are going to stab you in the back, make no mistake.¡±


    I roll my shoulders, re at the faces around the table.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t give a toss about your alliances,¡± Massimo murmurs, ¡°but in this case, I have to admit, I don¡¯t quite understand the reasoning behind this move. It reeks of desperation, Michael.¡± He leans forward in his chair, ¡°And that¡¯s not like you. You always n each and every move. You strategize for months, sometimes years, before you decide to act. This time, you¡¯re just jumping in, without any due diligence.¡± He drums his fingers on the table, ¡°It¡¯s not like you, Michael.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Xander drawls from where he¡¯s sprawled out in a chair in a far corner of the room.


    ¡°I am?¡± Massimo turns to him. ¡°So, you agree that this is Michael acting out of character?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± He rises to his feet and prowls over to us. ¡°This is not the Michael we know anymore.¡±


    I re at Xander as hees to a halt at the table.


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± Christian stares at his twin, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    Seb curls his fingers into a fist, ¡°Do you know something you haven¡¯t shared with us yet?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°This is not the time for one of your artistic jokes,¡± Seb growls. ¡°Not that I could ever understand them, but if you have to say something, then now is the time.¡±


    ¡°Back off, Seb,¡± Adrian says mildly. ¡°Have you ever known Michael to do anything that could jeopardize our future?¡±


    ¡°I am afraid this time he has,¡± Xanderes to a halt at the table.


    I draw in a sharp breath, nce at him. ¡°What are you trying to say, Alessandro?¡± I say in a soft voice.


    ¡°Just that you are no longer Michael, the Capo of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not?¡± I frown.


    He nods, ¡°You are a husband and a father-to-be, too¡­ Roles which you, clearly, ce a lot more importance on than just being the leader of our n.¡±


    I blink, ¡°If you mean I am neglecting my duties as the head of the n-¡±


    ¡°I mean that you are taking a bigger picture into view. You are looking to the future, and for the first time, you are nning with peace in mind, rather than a short-sighed chance to gain the upper hand.¡±


    I rub the back of my neck, ¡°Is that a backhandedpliment? If so-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not apliment. It¡¯s a fact.¡± He folds his arms across his chest. ¡°You want to ensure that you neutralize any possible threats against your family. It¡¯s understandable. It¡¯s why you went ahead and met with two of our fiercest rivals. It¡¯s why you didn¡¯t breathe a word about it to anyone before-hand. You were going to do it anyway; nothing would have deterred you. And you know this is also for the good of all of us¡­ Even though there is a very good chance that this tactic could backfire on all of us.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I lower my hands to my sides.


    ¡°So yes, you did put us all in jeopardy, but not without reason. And I, for one, support you in this tactic.¡±


    There¡¯s silence around the table. The rest of the guys turn to me. Seb and Christian wear twin expressions of surprise. Xander¡¯s lips stretch in a smile. Massimo looks like he is taking it all in. Adrian rises to his feet and walks over to me. ¡°I am also with you. It¡¯s time to give peace a chance. If we can grow our business and do it without bloodshed, I am totally behind you.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡± He holds up his hand and I fist bump him. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been an easy decision to make, Capo. It took guts to go through with it. Courage that you have. And while it could just as easilye back to haunt us, I am willing to give this tactic a chance.¡±


    Adrian backs away a few steps and stands behind me. He¡¯s the quiet one, but his loyalty is unshakeable. I admit, I have taken him for granted sometimes, but it¡¯s clear that when I need someone in my corner, Adrian will always be there.


    Xander¡¯s face splits in a smile, ¡°I am d that Karma came along.¡± He nts his palms on his hips, ¡°You¡¯ve been a changed man since you met her. Hell, sometimes I can¡¯t even recognize you anymore, and in a good way.¡±


    I scowl, ¡°Now, that is definitely not apliment, though I appreciate your sticking up for me, fratellino.¡± I nce around at the rest of them, ¡°You all do realize I don¡¯t need approval from any of you to go ahead with this alliance. But given a choice, I¡¯d rather you be behind me, than not.¡±


    Christian rises to his feet. He rounds the table and grips my shoulder, ¡°I can¡¯t im to understand how it feels to know that you are about to have a child, but I get the rationale behind what you did. And in all honesty, I can say that I am for it.¡±


    Massimo raps his knuckles on the table, ¡°Count me in, fratellone, I trust you to keep all of our interests at heart, with whatever action you take.¡±


    ¡°And you, Seb?¡± I nce toward the man at the foot of the table. ¡°As my possible sessor what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I still wish there was another way out.¡± He folds his arms across his chest, ¡°I can¡¯t, in all fairness, say that I agree with this alliance, but,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°I understand why you did it. And I hope, for all our sakes, that it works out.¡±


    So, do I. I tilt my head, ¡°Fair enough, Seb.¡± I narrow my gaze on him, ¡°You still owe me information.¡±


    ¡°Luca,¡± he exhales a breath.


    I nod, ¡°Your time is running out to track him down.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being more elusive than I gave him credit for.¡± Seb rubs the back of his neck. ¡°Give me until Christmas to track him down, Capo.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°A week away,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°Seven more days,¡± I look down at him, ¡°and not a minute more.¡±

 91

    Karma


    It¡¯s six days to the Christmas party, and I am almost done with the projects I have undertaken. My dress is done. So is the other outfit I have been working on. My morning sickness is also almost gone. And if I have to stay another day cooped up in here, I am going to go stark, raving mad. Argh! Andy saunters over to me. He winds his way around my legs and purrs loudly. I scoop him up, pet him, but he nces the other way. He¡¯s one demanding cat. As demanding as the other man in my life¡­ That is, he used to be demanding¡­ and mean¡­and growly¡­ And now? He¡¯s just grouchy.


    Clearly, theck of sex is getting to him. Since our tryst on the terrace, I have not seen him at all. If he does sleep at night¡­ It, clearly, isn¡¯t in the bed next to me, as his side of the bed remains untouched when I awake in the mornings. He hasn¡¯t been in the room, as far as I can tell. Which means he is sleeping somewhere else. Likely, in his office at Venom. Is he also sleeping with someone else there? But he said that he wasn¡¯t fucking anyone else. That he wouldn¡¯t fuck anyone else. He wouldn¡¯t lie to me, would he? I tighten my fingers and Andy yowls in protest.


    He flicks out his baby ws and I yelp as he scratches me. I release him and he jumps down to the floor, then walks away with his tail high in the air. I nce down at the streak of blood across the back of my palm. Shit! I walk over to the bathroom, and hold my hand under the running water at the sink. Then raise my hand to check the scratch. Blood begins to drip out again. Oh, damn. I reach for a tissue when, ¡°What are you doing?¡± His voice interrupts me.


    I yelp, lose my grip on the tissue which flutters to the ground. ¡°You scared me,¡± I mumble.


    He prowls into the bathroom, wearing his well-fitted suit-all ck, of course. With a tie that¡¯s blue enough to bring out the blue in his eyes. His jaw is clean-shaven, and when he leans in close, his dark, spicy scent envelops me. My nipples pebble and my belly flutters as he extends his hand. I draw in a breath, freeze, and he switches off the tap.


    Jerk.


    His lips curl in a smirk, then he nces down at the still-bleeding scratch on the back of my hand. His eyebrows draw down. ¡°You¡¯re hurt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a scratch,¡± I reply, ¡°Andy¡­ I may have scared him.¡±


    ¡°If I had known that the cat was going to wound you-¡±


    ¡°Seriously, he barely broke the skin,¡± I re about, spot the tissue on the floor and go to pick it up.


    ¡°Leave it,¡± he orders as he snatches up a fresh one. Then circles my wrist with his fingers and presses the tissue to the scratch. He presses down and I hiss out a breath. ¡°Did that hurt?¡± He scowls at me.


    ¡°No,¡± I lie.


    He shoots me a nce and I redden, ¡°Just a little, but it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Let me be the judge of that.¡± He grabs another tissue, holds it over the previous one, then brings my other hand down on it, before lifting both to my chest. ¡°Hold it there, above your heart, and apply pressure,¡± hemands.


    Before I can protest, he turns away. He reaches up to pull open a door near the sink, then pulls out a first-aid kit. He pulls out cotton balls, antiseptic, and bandages,ys them out near the sink, then turns to me. He throws away the bloodied tissues, then proceeds to dab the antiseptic onto the scratch. I wince and he blows on it to cool down the injured skin. Then he ces a band-aid over it. ¡°There,¡± he steps back, ¡± all done.¡±


    I nce down at the neatly bandaged wound. ¡°Thanks,¡± I murmur as he puts away the first-aid kit.


    ¡°Where have you been all these days?¡± I burst out when he straightens. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you at all.¡±


    ¡°Did you miss me?¡± He smirks, and a ripple of heat runs down my spine. Man, that smirk of his¡­ It¡¯s sooo hot. Even when he¡¯s being a jerk, it turns me on. Clearly, I am fighting a losing battle against his charm.


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± I toss my head, ¡°It¡¯s just colder at night when you are not in bed with me.¡±


    His grin widens, ¡°So, I am just a substitute for an electric nket, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± I nod, ¡°that¡¯s all you are. A warm body to keep my toes from getting cold at night.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you had other uses for me.¡±


    ¡°If you mean as a sperm donor, well, that ship has already sailed.¡±


    I scowl, and he chuckles. ¡°You always have been able to match me word for word, wife.¡±


    Wife. Hell, I still can¡¯t get used to him calling me that. And he¡¯s been so tender to me, taking care of me. Tears prick the backs of my eyes. Oh, hell, and now these stupid pregnancy hormones have my insides all twisted up.


    I turn my head away, but he catches my chin. ¡°Hey,¡± he murmurs, his voice soft, ¡°what¡¯s this all about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I sniffle, ¡°Everything. It all just seems too much.¡±


    ¡°The party?¡± He frowns, ¡°We can call it off.¡±


    ¡°No, not the party,¡± I respond. ¡°I am looking forward to it. It¡¯s the one time I¡¯ll get to visit with other people, other than you or Cassandra or the asional visit from Xander.¡±


    ¡°Xander¡¯s beening by, eh?¡± He scowls, ¡°He hasn¡¯t been troubling you, has he?¡±


    ¡°Oh, please.¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°At least, he keeps mepany, unlike his oldest brother who¡¯s, clearly, been avoiding me.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been avoiding you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I shoot him a look from under my eyshes, ¡°So you haven¡¯t been keeping away from me over thest week.¡±


    He has the grace to flush. ¡°M-a-y-b-e.¡± He shuffles his feet.


    ¡°See?¡± I point my finger at him, ¡°I knew it.¡± I pivot away from him and walk toward the door.


    ¡°Beauty?¡± he calls out and I ignore him. I reach the doorway of the bathroom and step out, then cross the floor.


    ¡°Stop,¡± hemands.


    ¡°Oh, F¡¯ off,¡± I hold my middle finger up, above my shoulder, head for the door to the room.


    ¡°Karma!¡± Hemands, ¡°Stop.¡±


    I freeze. Damn, I want to disobey him, but of course, my body responds to his orders. It¡¯s as if he has a direct line ofmunication to the most primal part of me that will bend to his every will. Damn it. And soon, I¡¯ll have a child and he won¡¯t need me anymore. Then what? Will he keep me imprisoned here for the rest of my life? Hidden away for fear of his enemies getting to me? Despite the fact that he, clearly, has feelings for me, he hasn¡¯t even been able to tell me that he loves me. And damn it, I hate these histrionics. I am used to fending for myself, to finding my way out of tough spots. But the very fact that he is there for me, has weakened me. He¡¯s coddled me, and turned me into this blubbering mess who I don¡¯t recognize anymore, frankly.


    More tears squeeze out from the corners of my eyes as I hear his footsteps approach. ¡°Hey,¡± he steps around, and notches his knuckles under my chin. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Bellezza,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Please don¡¯t. When I see your tears, I swear, it hurts me so fucking much.¡±


    ¡°Does it?¡± I sniff.


    ¡°You bet.¡± He drags his thumb across my lower lip, ¡°I¡¯d kill anyone who caused you pain, my Beauty. I¡¯d change anything to see you smile again.¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡± I peer up at him.


    ¡°No doubt about it.¡±


    ¡°A car.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want a car and I want lessons to learn to drive it, so I can drive myself around the city.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± He lowers his hand and steps away. ¡°No fucking way, am I allowing you out on your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in a car, Mika,¡± I snap. ¡°Surely, that would be safe. Besides, I don¡¯t know how to drive yet-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to drive?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°How do you not know how to drive?¡±


    ¡°Because I grew up in a city with good transport links so I never needed to learn how to drive. Also,¡± I scowl, ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly have an overabundance of money so I could buy a car, you know?¡±


    ¡°So why do you want a car, if you don¡¯t know how to drive?¡±


    ¡°So I can learn how to drive?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°Your logic, as always, is irrefutable.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mutter. ¡°So can I get a car?¡±


    He seems like he is about to refuse.


    ¡°Please, Mika, please,¡± I wheedle. ¡°It would, at least, give me an illusion of being in control, and I¡¯d love to have some semnce of freedom.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He scowls.Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Also, surely, being stuck in here is not good for my mental health. And I do need to stay happy if I want the kid to be born healthy, right?¡±


    He blows out a breath, ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± I throw my arms about his neck, and rise up on tip-toe to kiss him.


    ¡°On one condition.¡±


    I pause before my lips touch his, ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to drive.¡±


    ¡°You are too busy,¡± I roll my eyes. ¡°I mean, I¡¯d love for you to teach me, but seriously, when have you been able to tear yourself away from your work to spend time with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more important than any job,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Have I ever given you reason to doubt that?¡±


    ¡°Umm, yeah?¡± I scoff. ¡°I mean, if I¡¯m more important, wouldn¡¯t you have spent more time with me over thest month?¡±


    ¡°That was only so I could keep distance between us so I wasn¡¯t tempted to-¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I say hastily, ¡°Still, you have to admit, from where I am, it seems that your work takes priority.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am going to prove to you that it doesn¡¯t.¡± He grips my cheek, ¡°Tomorrow, after lunch, be ready.¡±

 92

    Karma


    At least,st night, he hade to bed at midnight, and I had woken up enough to wrap myself around my husband and fall asleep. He¡¯d kissed me tenderly, had run his hands down my body, aroused me to fever pitch, only to slip my nightgown and my panties aside and slide his fingers into me. He¡¯d slid down my body, eaten me out, then he¡¯d risen over me and pinched my clit as he¡¯dmanded me toe. And I had. I had shattered right there, and then, promptly fallen asleep, sated.


    It was almost noon when I woke up to find a letter on his pillow, asking me to peek out of the window. I had, and had cried out when I had seen a car¡­ Not just any car, a Maserati. A twin of his¡­but in ck, with a red line running across its side, and wrapped up in a bow. It¡¯s my car. My car! OMG! I had showered, changed, eaten ate breakfast, then rushed down to examine my new toy.


    It is beautiful, with sleek lines that remind me of him, a color dark enough to hint at his growly personality, and a motor under the hood that is powerful enough to outpace any other car on the road. A bit like him, really¡­ And also, like me, if I am being honest. It¡¯s a twin of his car, and he sees me as his equal enough to gift it to me.


    Now, I stand staring at it when my phone rings. I nce at the screen then answer it, ¡°Hey,¡± I say softly.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, yourself.¡± His deep voice sends shivers down my back. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°What do I think of what?¡±


    ¡°You know what,¡± heughs, ¡°do you like it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I love it,¡± I blubber as a tear streaks down my cheek. ¡°When are youing to teach me how to drive it?¡±


    ¡°About that, ah,¡± he sighs, ¡°something came up.¡±


    ¡°Knew it,¡± I hunch my shoulders. ¡°So, you can¡¯te?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, but Xander will.¡±


    ¡°But I wanted to have the first lesson with you.¡±


    ¡°I know, baby,¡± he murmurs. ¡°I am so sorry, but I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±


    I hang up, and am about to turn away, when a Ferrari drives up. A red Ferrari that screeches to a halt right behind the Maserati. Xander pushes open the door and steps out. He swaggers over to me and I burst outughing. ¡°Oh, my god, you sure do know how to make an entrance.¡±


    ¡°Nice wheels, eh?¡± He flicks a satisfied nce over his shoulder, ¡°Not that yours isn¡¯t almost as good¡­¡±


    ¡°Almost, eh?¡± I chortle as he runs his finger down the lines of the Maserati. ¡°Nice one, what say we inaugurate this baby, eh?¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Well, why not?¡± Thest thing I want to do is go back inside and hide myself away, moping. Not when I really, really do want to drive this car. And I do want to learn how to drive. That is one more step toward leading some kind of a normal life¡­ Or as normal as it can be, being the wife of a Capo.


    I step forward, grab hold of the ribbon that¡¯s stretched across the car, and pull at it. It falls away and I walk around to the driver¡¯s seat. I step in and Xander slides in from the other side.


    ¡°Ready?¡± He turns to me, ¡°First, let¡¯s adjust the seat so you are able to reach for the elerator and the brake with ease.¡± He helps me do so, then sets about pointing out the pedals for the elerator and the brake, as well as the various buttons on the dash all of which seems like an exact twin to the one I had seen in Mika¡¯s car. But really, when you have to operate it, it bes an entirely new ball game. ¡°This is an automatic car, so it¡¯s really very easy.¡±


    He shows me how to adjust the mirrors, then points out the additional buttons on the console for the headlights, the wipers on the windshield, the taillights, the buttons to be used to signal that I am going to turn, etcetera.


    He makes me run through the entire routine twice. Then, when he is satisfied that I know my way around the console, he leans back. ¡°Well, that was the first lesson.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stare, ¡°It¡¯s over already?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°But I want to take the car out.¡±


    ¡°You never do that on the first lesson.¡±


    ¡°But I want to,¡± I scowl and heughs.


    ¡°Just kidding, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    ¡°Ass.¡± I swipe at his shoulder. Xander is every bit the brother I never had.


    I reach for the ignition button when a movement catches my attention from the corner of my gaze. I look up to find my husband¡¯s Maserati screeching to a halt in front of us. He shoves open the door and jumps out. Michael isn¡¯t wearing his suit jacket and his tie is askew. He races toward us.


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡± Xander scowls.


    Michael raises his arm. I see his mouth move. I am not sure what he¡¯s trying to say, but I want to show him how much I love this car, and how I am already able to drive it.


    Xander turns to me, his face pale. ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± he yells, but I¡¯ve already touched the ignition button. For a second nothing happens, then the entire car seems to erupt.


    I nce up, see Michael¡¯s face, as if from a distance, then everything goes dark.


    Continue reading for the next book. I hope you are enjoying this book so far.

 93

    Michael


    ¡°You are bleeding.¡±


    Massimo¡¯s voice cuts through the silence in my mind. I raise my hand to my brow and my fingerse away wet. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± I stare at the redness. The same blood that runs through her veins. The scarlet that had pooled around her body which had been thrown clear of the car in the st.


    Thank Santa Maria I had insisted on installing an ejector seat, as well as a protective shell around the driver¡¯s seat which would deploy in case of something just like this.


    I had ordered the specially-made Maserati for myself, but had gifted it to her when she had asked for a car. Thank god I had. For when I had seen her trapped under the ejector seat, something inside of me had awakened. I¡¯ve never been a believer in god, but at that instant, as I had jumped to my feet from where the st had knocked me down and raced over to her, a part of me had reached out to that higher power. I had beseeched him, had pleaded with him, had asked him with every breath that I had drawn to spare her. To let her live. To allow her to survive this incident, one that I could have averted by being more vignt. As long as I live, I¡¯ll never forgive myself for what happened.


    I had leaped across the distance, reached her, sunk to my knees, and released the seatbelt. I had caught her, then lowered her gently to the ground. I had touched her brow¡­ Cold; she had been so cold. Dirt smeared her face, her hair was in a cloud about her shoulders, and she seemed uninjured, as if she were simply sleeping, except for a cut on her arm that was bleeding. I had held her close, turned toward the car to find the mes leaping from the vehicle. That was when Christian had driven up in his car, followed by Massimo and Seb.


    Christian had jumped out of his car, taken one look at us, then at the burning car, then back at us.


    ¡°Xander,¡± I¡¯d croaked, ¡°Xander.¡±


    Some of the sparks had rained down on my Maserati, and Massimo had jumped into the Maserati and driven it a safe distance away. Meanwhile, Christian and Sebastian had run to the burning car. They had dragged Xander out and stamped out the fire on his coat, but it had been toote. The st had dislodged a piece of metal which had struck through his heart. My fratellino, my youngest brother with the face of an angel, the talent of a genius and the disposition of a man who was so good that no-one coulde in contact with him without being affected by his charm, his humor, his good nature¡­ And his smile¡­ The sheer goodness of it would melt the most hardened of hearts, would make all of the women around him swoon and want to throw themselves at him willingly and ask him to bed them¡­ That man will no longer tease me in that drawling voice of his, he¡¯ll no longer be around to banter with his twin, and be the voice of reason that the rest of us most often need.


    Xander, my brother, is gone and she¡­ I had nced down at her still form in my arms. She¡¯d seemed to have gone paler in thest few minutes, her eyshes a dark fan against her cheeks. The circles under her eyes had seemed so much more prominent. She¡¯d seemed too fragile, so breakable. My heart had thundered in my chest and my stomach had been in knots as I had surveyed her features. She¡¯d seemed still, too still¡­ but she couldn¡¯t die. No way, was I going to let her leave me.


    The wail of an ambnce had sounded in the distance. Seb had walked over to me. He¡¯d told me that he¡¯d called the ambnce. He¡¯d stayed with me as I had held her, never taking my gaze off of her features, as first one ambnce, then another had pulled up the driveway.


    I had watched as they¡¯d checked Xander, dered him dead. They had ced a white sheet over the body and¡­ My brain had frozen. My brother¡­ was dead? My little brother was gone?


    I had held onto her. I had refused to let go of her, until Seb had gripped my shoulder. He¡¯d reminded me that they needed to get her to the hospital. I¡¯d managed to loosen my grip on her enough for the paramedics to sweep into action. They¡¯d ced an oxygen mask on her face, checked her vitals, run an IV into her vein, even as they had strapped her into a stretcher. They¡¯d carried her into the ambnce and I had paused. Torn between wanting to follow her and to stay with Xander, I had paused. That¡¯s when Seb had told me that they needed to keep Xander here until the cops-who are on our payroll- had time to gather evidence. He¡¯d reassured me that Christian and Adrian would stay with Xander while he and Massimo would follow us as I rode with her to hospital. Only then, had I gotten into the ambnce. I¡¯d sped her hand in mine for the entire journey.


    Within seconds of reaching the hospital, she had been admitted and a team of doctors and nurses had swarmed over her. I had followed until a nurse had stopped me, told me they needed to operate on her.


    I had raged and asked her if she¡¯d recognized who I was. That I had half the hospital on my payroll. That I was not letting go of her. That¡¯s when Sebastian and Massimo had burst into the hospital with Antonio hot on their heels. They had stopped me, reasoned with me to let her go. I had watched in a haze as she had disappeared, with the doctors in tow, behind the double doors. Someone had pushed me into a chair in the waiting room across from them, and there I had sat and waited. Someone had pushed a cup of coffee into my hands. And I had drunk it. At some point, I had torn my gaze from the double doors long enough to ask them about Christian.


    Christian, who had lost his twin, the soul who had been with him from the moment he¡¯d been conceived. Sebastian reminded me that Adrian was with him. The two of them had apanied Xander to the mortuary, where his body had been taken for a post-mortem.


    ¡°They need to release the body.¡± I had risen to my feet, only for my legs to give way, and I had slumped back in my chair. ¡°I need to go to Christian,¡± I had murmured, and tried to stand up again, but Seb had stopped me.


    ¡°You need to stay here with her,¡± he¡¯d told me.


    ¡°She¡¯ll want to see you when she regains consciousness,¡± Massimo had added, and I¡¯d known that they were right. I wanted to be here with her, but at the same time, I wanted to be able tofort my brother, to mourn my youngest sibling Xander. I had balled my fingers into fists as I had stared at the double doors. I could not allow her to also leave me. I would not allow the same fate to befall her.


    I continue to stare at the doors, willing them to open. I lean my head back against the wall. Every time my eyes close, I jerk myself awake. Antonio gets all of us coffee, which I sip before cing the half-filled cup aside. At some point, Sebastian brings me something to eat, and my stomach lurches. I refuse the food, lean forward in my seat as I keep my eyes glued to the door.


    Suddenly, the sound of the doors opening has me snapping my eyes open. I spring to my feet and my head spins. I square my shoulders, dig my booted feet into the floor, and track the progress of the doctor who walks toward me. Around me, my brothers, too, stumble to their feet. Massimo and Seb nk me as the doctor halts in front of me. His scrubs are blood sttered, his hair awry and shadows encircle his eyes. His jaw is set and his features wear an expression of stoic patience? Of resignation?


    I falter and Seb grips my shoulder. ¡°Steady, fratellone,¡± he murmurs, ¡°stay strong.¡±


    ¡°How is she?¡± I croak, then clear my throat. ¡°Tell me,¡± I demand, ¡°how is my wife?¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°She¡¯s still unconscious.¡± He holds my gaze, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say anything until she is awake.¡±


    The next thing I know, my fingers are wrapped around his cor and I have hauled the doctor up to his tiptoes. ¡°She has to make it,¡± I growl. ¡°She cannot die.¡±


    ¡°We are doing everything we can,¡± he says in a calm voice.


    Anger thuds at my temples. ¡°Do better,¡± I snap. ¡°If anything happens to her, I will not let you live.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t blink. Either the man¡¯s a fool or he¡¯s got the balls to face up to my anger. ¡°Do you hear me?¡± I demand.


    He holds my gaze, then nods.


    I tighten my hold on his cor, and Massimo touches my shoulder. ¡°Not going to help if you kill him, brother. He¡¯s treating her; he¡¯s on your side.¡±


    I re at the doctor, then release him. He steps back, his features impassive.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he murmurs, ¡°but we couldn¡¯t save the child.¡±


    The child. My child. Our baby. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. The pressure behind my eyes builds. I swallow down the ball of emotion that clogs my throat. ¡°I don¡¯t need your sympathy,¡± I growl. ¡°If she dies, you die; remember that.¡±


    Seb shuffles his feet next to me.


    ¡°Do you understand, doctor?¡± My eyes bore into his before I turn away, stalk toward the door at the end of the corridor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see her?¡± the doctor calls after me. ¡°It would help her if you sat with her for a little while, maybe spoke to her.¡±


    I set my jaw. It¡¯s because of my negligence that she is in this situation. How can I stand in front of her, when I have failed her? I failed to protect my own wife. She deserves so much better than this. Since I first saw her, all I have done is screw up her life. She¡¯s better without me.


    I slow my steps, then re at him over my shoulder. ¡°No,¡± I snap, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see her.¡± I turn to Massimo, ¡°You stay here with Antonio. Make sure you protect her.¡±


    ¡°With my life, fratellone,¡± Massimo replies.


    I wince, then set my jaw, ¡°Seb, with me.¡±


    I stalk out of the hospital, Seb on my heels. He doesn¡¯t say anything as I head for my Maserati, which one of my n must have parked in the hospital parking lot. As I approach it, Seb hands over the key fob. I beep the car to unlock it, open the door and slide inside. I nce around the car, a twin to the one that she had been in.


    One in which her blood had been spilled. Xander is dead, my child is no more, she is injured and I¡­ I am responsible for all of it. I tighten my fingers around the steering wheel, press the ignition button, shift into gear, and the car jumps forward. I m on the brake and the car stops millimeters from crashing into the wall in front.


    ¡°You okay, brother?¡± Seb turns to me, ¡°Maybe I should drive.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I throw the car in reverse, peel out of the parking lot.


    We drive in silence for a few minutes, then he nces sideways at me, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want to see her, brother?¡±


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t me yourself for what happened to her.¡±


    I step on the elerator and the car leaps forward.


    ¡°It was because you had a protective te installed around the driver¡¯s seat and it worked like an ejection seat, that she survived.¡±


    ¡°I should have known that it was too risky to gift her the car. I shouldn¡¯t have tempted fate by giving it to her. I should have, at least, test driven it first before allowing her to climb into it.¡±


    ¡°Your actions saved her, Michael,¡± he insists.


    ¡°It¡¯s my actions that put her in danger, in the first ce¡­ If she had not survived¡­I¡­¡±


    ¡°But she did.¡±


    ¡°Whoever rigged that car got past me,¡± I growl. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for that.¡±


    ¡°The bomb was rigged wrong. Only the ignition blew; she survived, Michael.¡±


    ¡°We lost our brother, Seb,¡± I take the next corner without decreasing speed and the tires screech in protest. ¡°Xander¡¯s no longer with us and it¡¯s my fault.¡± I m my fist into the steering wheel and the car fishtails. The back of the vehicle rises off the road as the Maserati circles in a wide arc, once, twice, before I m on the brakes ande to rest on the side of the road.


    A truck blows it horn as it whizzes past, then silence descends.


    I grip the steering wheel, staring ahead as my chest heaves.


    Seb sits silently as more vehicles pass us at a more sedate speed.


    ¡°Not seeing her is only going to make it worse, Michael.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Oh?¡± He turns on me, ¡°Make me. Tell me what you¡¯re thinking, Mika. This once, confide in me so I know what¡¯s going on in that screwed up mind of yours.¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°You won¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Try me.¡±


    ¡°I love her,¡± I snap. ¡°Do you understand? I love her, and already, I have put her at risk. The only way to protect her is if I keep her away from me.¡±

 94

    Michael


    Twenty minutester, we are parked outside the building that houses the mortuary. I stare at the door that leads inside. If I get out of here and walk in, if I see his face, then nothing will ever be the same again. Nothing is ever going to be the same again.


    ¡°Michael,¡± Seb murmurs, ¡°you don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    I stare straight ahead, unable to take my gaze off the goddam door. Another door that leads to another loved one who is lying there¡­ stretched out¡­ cold. Another of my flesh and blood I have failed. Another sorrow that I will carry around for the rest of my life. Oh, Xander, why did it have to be you? Why couldn¡¯t I have protected you? How could I have allowed this to happen to you?


    ¡°Michael?¡± Seb touches my shoulder and I jerk. I shove the door open, climb out of the car. I step into the coolness of the building and a shiver runs down my spine. I walk down the corridor, turn right¡­knowing where I have to go.


    This is not my first visit to the morgue; it¡¯s the first time I am here to identify the body of someone I loved like he was my own child. Xander was born when I was nine years old, and I had felt more like his parent than his older brother. And Christian? Even though Christian was only a few minutes older, it was Xander who had been the cheekiest, who could get away with anything. Who is now dead¡­ Because I hadn¡¯t been able to protect him. It should have been me.


    My footsteps echo in the empty corridor. The two men at the end of the corridor turn to watch me approach. Christian¡¯s gaze tracks me as I walk toward him. I stop in front of him, reach out for him. He evades me, then swipes out and buries his fist in my face. I absorb the hit, and the next, as he sinks his fist, this time, into my shoulder, then on the other side. He raises his arm again and his big body sways. He crumples and I catch him. I wrap my arms around him, rock him as his shoulders shudder. His chest rises and falls, as he tightens his hold on me and weeps. I rock him, even as the band around my chest tightens. The burning sensation behind my eyes intensifies and my nose starts to run. Adrian and Seb nk us as I squeeze my arms around my brother. I stay that way until he calms down somewhat, then step back.


    Christian rises his red rimmed eyes, and I hold his gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll find who did this,¡± I vow, ¡°and when we do, I will wipe out his entire bloodline.¡±


    Christian swallows, then steps back and wipes his face.


    Footsteps approach us. I turn as a man pauses in front of us, ¡°Who¡¯s going to identify the body?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± I brush past him, heading for the doors that lead to the morgue, when a woman bursts into the corridor.


    ¡°Xander,¡± she gasps, ncing between us. ¡°Is it true, what I heard about him?¡±


    She nces between us, then her gaze settles on me. She marches over to me. ¡°Xander,¡± she swallows, ¡°I need to see him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s advisable.¡± The coroner scowls, ¡°He¡¯s not in good shape.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She shudders, then shakes her head as tears squeeze out of the corners of her eyes, ¡°I must see him with my own eyes. I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Theresa?¡± Sebastian murmurs. ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea.¡±


    Xander¡¯s childhood friend sets her jaw. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I am going to see him, whether you like it or not. Xander¡­ He¡­he can¡¯t leave me like this.¡± She turns to me, ¡°Michael, please.¡± Her voice cracks.


    I peer into her features, take in the determination reflected in her eyes, then jerk my chin.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispers as she wipes the tears from her face.


    I move forward and she follows me. The coroner marches forward and falls in step with me. He leads us down another corridor and pauses in front of double doors.


    He opens it, and next to me, Theresa stumbles. I grab her arm and steady her. ¡°Easy,¡± I murmur.


    She squares her shoulders, then nods, ¡°I am ready.¡±


    We step in together and the doors snicks shut behind us. The scent of antiseptic,bined with a sickly-sweet scent that I can¡¯t identify, overpowers me. My hackles rise and my pulse begins to race. Theresa¡¯s steps falter and she tightens her grip on my arm. There is a big ss window which separates us from a smaller room in which there is a covered body on a gurney.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Theresa must spot it at the same time as I do, for she draws in a breath. I sense the nervousness vibrating off of her as I steel my shoulders. The coroner asks us to wait while he goes to the other room. He walks around and stops behind the gurney. ¡°Are you two ready?¡±


    His voice sounds over the speakers.


    Theresa flinches, then nods. So do I.


    The coroner raises the sheet on the face of the body. My heart seems to stop for a second. I take in the pale features, the wide forehead, the high cheekbones, the dark hair that curls about his shoulders. It¡¯s my little brother. It¡¯s Xander, all right, and yet¡­ It isn¡¯t.


    Gone is the life that animated his every movement. Aside from sleep, which he never seemed to require much of, I¡¯ve never known him to be still for a second. Not when he was a child; not when he was older¡­ Nor even when he was painting, when he seemed to use his entire body as he dragged his brush across a canvas. He focused on the colors he chose to animate his art, focused on his te as he relished his food, on women¡­and men¡­as he danced with them, flirted with them¡­ As he fucked them¡­ Even as he held back his emotions and how he felt from the woman who clings to my arm like it is a lifeline. Her body grows heavy and she slumps. I catch her before she can hit the floor.


    I scoop her up in my arms, jerk my chin at the coroner, then walk out.


    Adrian straightens as I stalk over to him and hand Theresa over. ¡°Take care of her. Xander felt¡­something for her, so she is under our protection.¡±


    I turn to Seb, ¡°We need to find those behind the explosion that killed him and my child, and wounded my wife. Pull out all stops. Ask our men to hunt down every single one of their contacts to find out who is behind it.¡±


    ¡°Is that wise?¡± he asks.


    Christian turns on him. ¡°How could you even ask this question?¡± He snarls, ¡°Someone killed our brother, and instead of seeking out vengeance, instead of returning that favor a million-fold, you choose this time to question why we¡¯d do it?¡±


    ¡°Michael¡¯s spent his life building up his reputation among the five families. He¡¯s worked his entire life to attain the position of Don,¡± Seb retorts. ¡°If he screws it up, he¡¯ll only regret itter.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯d rather he not do anything about what those stronzos did to him¡­to our family? Our brother is dead, Seb. Dead.¡± Christian¡¯s chest heaves, ¡°Or is it because Xander wasn¡¯t your brother, that he was only your half-brother, that makes you so uncaring about his death?¡±


    Seb pales. ¡°Take that back,¡± he growls.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it?¡± Christian peers into his face, ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to be one of us. You couldn¡¯t stomach the fact that you were a bastard. That no matter how much you tried, you¡¯d never be a true heir to the Don. It¡¯s why you don¡¯t care that our brother¡¯s bodyys there lifeless. Instead, it¡¯s why you are more concerned with avoiding vengeance¡­ Which, by the way, would mean that we also lose face with the rest of our n, you-¡±


    Seb rears forward and smashes his head into Christian¡¯s face. Blood blooms from his nose, and with a roar, Christian charges him. He shoves Seb into the wall, gets an upper cut in. Seb¡¯s body jerks and his head snaps back. He growls, grabs at Christian¡¯s shoulders and I snap, ¡°Stop.¡±


    Seb res at Christian, who glowers back at him.


    ¡°Back the fuck up, the both of you,¡± I order.


    Seb pauses; Christian snarls. The two stare at each other, anger pouring off of both of them in waves.


    ¡°Control yourselves. I won¡¯t remind you again.¡±


    Seb shakes his head, seems to get a hold of himself. He releases Christian, who takes a step back.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Seb rubs the back of his neck, as he shoots me a sideways nce and mumbles, ¡°you know I mean well.¡±


    Christian turns to me. ¡°So, what¡¯s it going to be, Capo?¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°You going to let this go, or you going to hunt down the men who did this?¡±


    I jerk my chin in Seb¡¯s direction, ¡°I appreciate your counsel. I know you only have the best interests of the Cosa Nostra at heart, but you know what I have to do.¡±


    Seb jerks his chin, ¡°I am with you whatever you decide, Boss.¡±


    I turn my attention toward Christian. ¡°Shake hands with Seb,¡± I order and Christian glowers at me.


    ¡°Now,¡± I snap.


    He stiffens, then turns and holds out his hand and Seb shakes it.


    Christian instantly pulls back his arm, then brushes past me, ¡°I am going in search of the motherfuckers.¡±


    ¡°You are not going anywhere on your own.¡±


    He stalks forward and I call out, ¡°I¡¯ve lost a brother. I don¡¯t n to lose another.¡±


    Christian pauses; his shoulders heave. I stalk forward, wrap my arm around his neck and pull him to me. ¡°I know it hurts,¡± I swallow, ¡°I know how much he meant to you¡­ To all of us. We won¡¯t let this go unpunished.¡±


    Christian tries to shake off my arm, but I don¡¯t let go. ¡°Cry, go punch a bag, do what you need to do to let off steam. Then, when you¡¯re thinking straight,e find me and we¡¯ll finish this.¡±


    Christian avoids eye contact. He pulls away and I release him. He stalks off and I turn to Adrian, ¡°Stay with him. See that he doesn¡¯t hurt himself¡­ Or get himself killed.¡±


    Adrian follows him while Seb draws abreast with me. ¡°What now, Capo?¡±


    ¡°Now we track down the bastards,¡± I square my shoulders, ¡°but first, I need to see my wife.¡±


    ¡°You took off without seeing her, now you want to go back?¡± Seb shoots me a sideways nce, ¡°What¡¯s happening with you, brother?¡±


    ¡°None of your bloody business,¡± I growl at him.


    He frowns at me and I blow out a breath. ¡°I wanted to get here and make sure that Xander was¡­¡± I squeeze my eyes shut, ¡°that he was okay. That Christian was able to deal with the grief. That he¡­¡± I swallow down the ball of emotion in my throat, ¡°wasn¡¯t going to do something crazy.¡±


    ¡°You mean, like kill himself?¡± Seb says in a low voice.


    I turn on him. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking say that aloud; don¡¯t even go there,¡± I warn him as I try to deny my own fears. I bunch my fingers into fists, ¡°I will do everything in my power to keep my brothers, my family¡­ to keep all of you safe, you feel me?¡±


    Seb jerks his chin, ¡°You¡¯re a good Capo, and an even better brother and husband, but-¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t control everything, Mika. Not even you can cheat death. When it¡¯s time to go, it¡¯s time to-¡±


    I grab his cor and shove him against the wall, ¡°The fuck are you getting at, Seb?¡± I thrust my face into his, ¡°You trying to tell me I couldn¡¯t have saved him? Or my unborn child? Or prevented my wife from getting hurt? Is that it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you that it¡¯s not your fault, Capo.¡±


    He holds my gaze, his own calm and steady. Somehow, in thest few weeks he¡¯s grown more mature, more patient, able to keep a clear head while I am on the verge of losing my shit.

 95

    Ites from being too close to a situation. I understand it. Hell, I have seen men crack when tragedy came knocking on their doorstep. I¡¯d always thought I was above that. I thought I was invincible, that even if something happened to me or mine, I¡¯d be able to deal with it, to find a way through it. Yet here I am, unable to face my own wife, which is what had sent me running from her in the first ce. And now, I can¡¯t wait to see her again, to make sure that she is safe. Apparently, I can¡¯t make up my mind about something as simple as, do I want to stay with her or stay away from her? And there is only one way to find out. By going back to her. By being in the same room as her. By finding out how it feels to hold her again, to breathe in her scent, to take in her gorgeous features, to look into her eyes and apologize for not having been able to protect her from what happened.


    I release Seb, then step back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I roll my shoulders, ¡°I know you mean well.¡±


    ¡°And I know you love your family and her more than anything else in this world.¡±


    ¡°Like that made a difference when it came to their welfare.¡± I rub the back of my neck, ¡°I am aware that not even I can cheat death.¡± I bare my teeth, ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I am not going to try my damnedest.¡±


    Turning, I stalk toward the exit.


    Karma


    Thump, thump, thump. The muffled sound reaches me, then fades away. I nce around at the white space that envelops me. I am floating on a cloud of nothingness. It¡¯s peaceful here and so¡­so lonely. A chill grips me. I nce around, take in the white space that envelops me. Where am I? I try to move but my limbs feel too heavy. I try to put one foot in front of the other but my legs don¡¯t seem to obey me. The scent of something dark and edgy teases my nostrils. His scent. I nce up, spot a man walking away from me.


    ¡°Capo,¡± I try to reach for him, but am not able to move. Thump, thump, THUMP. The sound grows louder. More persistent. It mirrors his steps as he stalks away from me. His broad shoulders, that narrow waist, those powerful thighs that flex as he puts more distance between us.


    ¡°Capo,¡± I yell, but he doesn¡¯t look back.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I scream as I push myself forward, but am not able to move. Why can¡¯t I move? ¡°Mika, stop, don¡¯t go, Mika!¡±


    ¡°Beauty?¡±


    ¡°Mika,¡± tears flow down my cheeks, ¡°oh, Mika, where are you?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Warm fingers twine with mine and I force my eyes open. Blue eyes meet mine, a burning white in their depths that echoes the white I had been surrounded by.


    ¡°No,¡± I grip his palm, ¡°Mika, no.¡± A sinking sensation coils in my chest. The hair on the nape of my neck rises, ¡°Mika, please,¡± I whisper, my voice hoarse, my throat dry.


    He leans in closer. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He peers into my features, ¡°Are you in pain?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head as I nce around the space. The scent of antiseptic assails my senses. I take in the white walls, the fluorescent lighting, the equipment pushed up against the wall, ¡°Am I in the hospital?¡±


    He nods, holds up a cup of water and ces the straw between my lips. ¡°Do you remember what happened?¡±


    I pause to collect my thoughts as I swallow. ¡°I remember seeing you¡­¡± I scrunch up my eyebrows. ¡°Then I reached for the ignition, and the car,¡± I swallow, ¡°the car¡­it¡­¡±


    ¡°The ignition blew. The bomb ced in the vehicle was faulty. You were thrown free.¡±


    ¡°Thrown free?¡± I raise my free hand to my forehead and wince.


    ¡°I had a jump seat installed, so if anything ever happened to the vehicle, the roof would open and the ejector seat would activate.¡±


    ¡°So, I was¡­ejected out of the vehicle, along with the seat?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°And Xander?¡± I frown. ¡°I remember seeing you say something to us. I couldn¡¯t understand what it was, but I think Xander did, because he turned to me, and then¡­ I don¡¯t remember anything after that.¡±


    ¡°I was speaking in Italian.¡± He sets his jaw, ¡°He probably realized that I was warning him.¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡± I nce around the room. ¡°Is he okay?¡±


    Michael nces away, then back at me. My heart begins to race, a bead of sweat slides down my back.


    ¡°Mika,¡± I whisper as I tighten my hold on his fingers, ¡°Xander¡­ Is he¡­¡±


    Michael holds my gaze, ¡°He didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± My heart feels like it¡¯s going to break and a ball of emotion blocks my throat. I shake my head back and forth, intensifying the pounding. ¡°No, Mika, no,¡± I gasp.


    A vein throbs at his temple. I take in his mussed-up hair, the hollows under his eyes.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault, Mika,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± He holds my gaze and his features seem to settle into a mask. I sense him withdrawing from me and my stomach drops.


    He tries to pull his hand free and I hold onto him. ¡°Michael, don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do what?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Whatever it is you¡¯re thinking about, don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re distraught,¡± he murmurs, ¡°still dazed from the¡­the incident.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I swallow and try to sit up, but he ces his hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to move yet.¡±


    ¡°I am fine.¡± I nce between his eyes, ¡°Thanks to you, Michael. Don¡¯t you see? You had the foresight to ensure that the car would hold up to something like this.¡±


    ¡°I failed you,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect you and our child.¡±


    ¡°Child,¡± I stare at him. ¡°The baby.¡± I release his hand and ce both of my palms against my stomach. My t¡­empty stomach. How could I have forgotten? Or had I already subconsciously known and hadn¡¯t been able to face up to it? ¡°My baby,¡± I whisper as I nce down at myself, ¡°he¡¯s gone.¡±


    The tears that I had been holding back well up. My face crumples and he moves forward. He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulls me close. I bury my face in his chest and allow the shock, the sorrow, the disappointment to well up and overwhelm me. I dig my fingers into the front of his shirt and allow myself to cry. He holds me, rocks me, runs his fingers down my hair. I sense his chest nes flex under my cheek and nce up. His features are hard, but his eyes? Those blue eyes of his ze with an inner emotion¡­ Grief? Anger? A mix of the two, maybe? He holds my gaze, neither of us speaking as I reach up and tten my palm against his cheek. ¡°Mika,¡± I swallow, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°I am the one who should be sorry.¡± A nerve res at his temple, ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of you, I am alive, Mika.¡± I frame his face with my palms, ¡°It¡¯s because of your foresight that I am here.¡±


    ¡°But he isn¡¯t.¡± His voice is dull, ¡°Xander is gone, and so is our child. I should have seen this happening. I should have known that as soon as I allowed myself to feel for you, that as soon as I fell in love with you-¡±


    He firms his lips, attempts to pull away, but I grip hispels. ¡°You love me?¡± I whisper. ¡°Of course, you love me. I knew it, Mika. I knew it¡­ even before you told me.¡±


    ¡°Past tense,¡± he grabs my fingers and detaches them from his shirt, ¡°I loved you.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I blink. ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± His lips twist, ¡°Now that you¡¯re no longer the mother of my child, I don¡¯t see any reason for this arrangement to continue.¡±


    Something hot stabs at my chest. I gaze into his features, and of course, he stares back. He allows me to read the intention in his eyes. The decision he¡¯s made is clear in the cut nes of his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Mika. Don¡¯t push me away. Not now; not when I need you; not when we need each other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you.¡± His fingers squeeze mine as if he¡¯s imprinting the sensation of my skin against his, then he releases me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I reach for him and he steps back.


    ¡°Believe it, Karma.¡± He straightens. ¡°I never should have taken you from London, should have never married you. If I hadn¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t be in this situation today.¡±


    ¡°You need to let go of the guilt, Mika, and look forward. Xander is gone, but I am still here and I love you, Mika; I do.¡±


    He winces, then squares his shoulders. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± He balls his fists at his sides, ¡°All that matters is tracking down the men who did this and making sure that they pay for it.¡±


    ¡°You need revenge. I understand,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°but that¡¯s not going to bring back Xander or our child.¡±

 96

    ¡°You need to let go of the guilt, Mika, and look forward. Xander is gone, but I am still here and I love you, Mika; I do.¡±


    He winces, then squares his shoulders. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± He balls his fists at his sides, ¡°All that matters is tracking down the men who did this and making sure that they pay for it.¡±


    ¡°You need revenge. I understand,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°but that¡¯s not going to bring back Xander or our child.¡±


    ¡°A few weeks of being with me and you think you know me?¡±


    ¡°I know what¡¯s going to hurt you, Mika, and this¡­this quest for vengeance will destroy whatever you have left. It will destroy us.¡±


    He chuckles, ¡°There is no more us, Karma, can¡¯t you understand that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I tuck my elbows into my sides, ¡°but what I do understand is that you are hurting andshing out. And you think if you sever your connection with me-which, by the way, you can¡¯t-but you think if you cut all ties with me, I am going to be safe, and you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    I nod, ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way, Mika. It¡¯s not you, it¡¯s the lifestyle you are in that was bound to backfire on you some day. And it did.¡±


    He scoffs, ¡°You going to lecture me about my beliefs and my values now?¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°No, of course, not. If anyone can understand the pull of the dark side, it¡¯s me, Michael. It¡¯s why we are so well-suited.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why you are lying here on a hospital bed, having lost our child.¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°You are trying to hurt me, Michael, and it¡¯s because you are in so much pain right now. Why can¡¯t you share it with me? Why can¡¯t you lean on me? Why can¡¯t you allow me to lean on you, when I need it the most right now?¡±


    ¡°Because. I. Can¡¯t.¡± His voice is so anguished, so full of torment that I snap my eyes open.


    ¡°Michael, please don¡¯t do this,¡± I beg. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me; not now.¡±


    ¡°You are free to go back to your family.¡± He looks everywhere but at my face. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to tell Antonio to help you with any arrangements.¡±


    He turns to leave and I call out, ¡°I am not going anywhere.¡±


    He freezes.


    ¡°You heard me, Michael. This is my home, I am your wife, and I am not leaving. Not when you need me more than anything. Not when we need each other.¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°Your choice. If you prefer to stay in Palermo, that can be arranged too.¡±


    He stalks forward, and I stare at his retreating back. Shit, shit, shit, what do I do now? How can I make sure to have some form of contact with him? What can I do to make sure that he doesn¡¯t just disappear after this?


    ¡°The Christmas party,¡± I cry out, ¡°I want to go ahead with the event.¡±


    He turns abruptly and his gaze bores into me. ¡°Xander is gone and you want to go ahead with the festivities?¡±


    I flinch. ¡°He¡¯d have wanted it. He¡¯d have hated for us to be unhappy and mourning him.¡±


    He hesitates. ¡°In Sicily, we mourn for at least a month in the period following a death. Celebrations are normally cancelled, or at the very least, conducted in a somber setting.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I nce away, then back at him. ¡°We needn¡¯t have a party on the scale I¡¯d nned for, but maybe something in a smaller setting? Xander would have wanted us to celebrate his life.¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°You know I am right, Mika.¡±


    Michael jerks his chin. ¡°Fine,¡± he tilts his head, ¡°you can stay until the Christmas party, and then I am sending you back home.¡±


    And then he¡¯s gone.


    Michael


    What the hell is wrong with me? I had wanted to haul her into my arms,fort her about our loss, hold her close and tell her that it was okay, that she was still alive and that¡¯s what really mattered. But something inside of me had hardened, and I hadn¡¯t been able to lower the barriers enough to tell her.


    It¡¯s as if Xander¡¯s death crushed everyst emotion that had sprung to life since I met her. He is gone, my child will never be born, and the only thing that matters to me now is to make sure that she is safe. It¡¯s why I want to send her away, far from here, away from my influence, where my presence can¡¯t taint her, where thepany I keep can¡¯t endanger her. Where my way of life will no longer cause her harm. It is the only way to ensure that she will never have to go through this kind of loss again.


    She deserves better than me. She deserves someone who is on the right side of thew, who can give her security and safety, and keep her shielded from the darkness in which I spend so much of my time. She deserves more, so much more. Everything that I can¡¯t give her. It¡¯s why I have to let her go.


    And yet, when she¡¯d asked me about the Christmas festivities, I hadn¡¯t been able to refuse her. She¡¯d been right-Xander would not have wanted us to grieve his absence. He¡¯d have wanted us to remember him with happiness, wanted us to have a good time as we indulge ourselves in his memory. It¡¯s why I had given in to her request, and the Christmas party will take ce as nned¡­


    First though, I have to get through the funeral.


    It¡¯s been three days since I left her at the hospital and returned home. I¡¯d gotten on the phone and made arrangements for Xander¡¯s funeral. My brothers had offered to help but I had refused. This is something I have to do by myself.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

 97

    First though, I have to get through the funeral.


    It¡¯s been three days since I left her at the hospital and returned home. I¡¯d gotten on the phone and made arrangements for Xander¡¯s funeral. My brothers had offered to help but I had refused. This is something I have to do by myself.


    Despite all of my influence within the police department, I hadn¡¯t been able to prevent them from conducting an autopsy on the body, which had dyed the funeral by a few days. But it had also given me the time to arrange for a funeral of the kind that befits Xander.


    I straighten my cuffs, stare at my reflection in the mirror.


    The eyes that look back at me, the features that fill the mirror are so like Xander¡¯s. It should be me in the casket¡­ It should have been me in that passenger seat and not him.


    The only way to get through this tightness that ws at my chest is to find the bastards who did this and kill them¡­ That is one thing on which I will notpromise. That is the only thing that keeps me focused¡­ Avenge him, that¡¯s the only thing that can restore the bnce¡­ somewhat. I knot my tie around my neck, tug on it until it hangs straight down. Then I turn and head for the doorway to my bedroom.


    Her door opens at the far end of the corridor and she steps out. Clothedpletely in ck, from the veil that flows over her eyes and covers the bandage on her forehead, to the gown that draws across her narrow shoulders and down to her feet, which are d in ck stilettoes, she resembles a goddess who hase to stake her im on the souls of us mortals.


    She approaches, her movements slow enough to indicate that she is notpletely healed from the incident.


    The day on which I had lost, not one, but two of my children. If something had happened to her as well¡­ I never would have been able to live with myself.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    As she walks toward me now, all the pent-up emotions threaten to boil over. My fingers tingle and I want to wrap them around the nape of her neck, haul her close as I lick her lips, slide my fingers up her skirt and shove aside her panties to cram them inside her channel, which I have no doubt will be soaking wet.


    Shees to a stop in front of me, and her scent¡­ That luscious scent that is so Beauty fills my senses. My cock swells and the blood rushes to my groin. I widen my stance, re at her as she tips up her chin. Her lips tremble as she parts them, and damn, if I don¡¯t want to lean down and thrust my tongue inside her mouth and feast on her, and draw from thefort that she can offer me.


    But I won¡¯t. I owe it to Xander to hold back. Xander, who is dead and who will never know what it is like to be married, to father a child, to see his paintings disyed in the best museums in the world, to grow old with his woman by his side, to see us take over the Cosa Nostra, to feel the wind in his hair as he drives with the top of his car down, to cuddle up with his wife, to hold his newborn¡­ Fuck. I close my eyes, fold my fingers at my side. Oh, Xander, how am I going to get through the next few hours? How am I going to bury you¡­my heart?


    Soft fingers curl around mine, and I nce down to find Beauty has sped her fingers around mine. She ttens my hand between her much smaller ones. They almost seem like a child¡¯s inparison to the width of mine. Her pale skin is like ivory against my tan. I stare at the contrast. So fragile, yet so strong. So breakable, yet so¡­ Tenacious. She is a study in contrasts. The yin to my yang. The other part of me¡­and yet¡­


    I can¡¯t keep her with me. This one time, I need to be selfless. I need to let her go so she can survive. So I know that she is safe¡­ Wherever¡­ Whoever¡­ She is with.


    The breath hisses out of me and I hear her intake of breath. I nce down to find I¡¯ve wrapped my fingers around hers and have squeezed. I loosen my hold, but she doesn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt me,¡± she insists.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯te to the funeral,¡± I snap.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been through this, already.¡± She firms her lips, ¡°Now is not the time to pull back. Now is when I appear by your side. Now is when we show the world that they didn¡¯t strike us down. That I am still alive.¡±


    ¡°And mark a target on your head again?¡± I growl.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be safe as long as I am with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll only be safe when you are away from me.¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so stubborn?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Why are you so¡­ so¡­ pigheaded?¡± she snaps back.


    I scowl at her and she flushes, but doesn¡¯t look away. Her eyes ze with that inner fire that has attracted me to her from the beginning. That I need to resist if I have any hope of letting her go. I take a step back. ¡°Just this once, I am allowing you to have your way,¡± I set my jaw, ¡°but make no mistake, once Christmas has passed, you will return home to London.¡±


    I release her, begin to walk away.


    ¡°Twice,¡± she calls out behind me. ¡°That¡¯s twice you¡¯ve let me have my own way.¡±


    I stiffen. Minchia! She¡¯s right. First, I allowed her to continue with the Christmas festivities, and now, I¡¯ve acquiesced and allowed her toe to the funeral. Goddamn it, she¡¯s getting to me and I am not even aware of it. The faster I get her out of my sight, the faster I can go back to being how I was.


    Alone. Focused. This time, on revenge. It¡¯s the path I have chosen for myself; the path I should have never allowed her to sway me from.


    I turn away from her, then walk down the stairs and open the door for her. We step outside where Antonio, Sebastian, Christian, Adrian and Massimo wait for me. I slide into the driver¡¯s seat of my Maserati. Sebastian holds the passenger door open and she slides in next to me. He slips into the back seat, along with Antonio.


    Massimo follows behind in his car with Christian.


    Weplete the fifteen-minute drive to the chapel in silence. Thest time I was here, I had faked my own funeral. This time¡­ It¡¯s real¡­ More than real.


    I ease the car into a parking space in front of the chapel, push open the door and step out. I walk around to open Beauty¡¯s door. I hold out my hand and she ces her palm in mine. I tuck it into the crook of my elbow, then walk forward. Sebastian follows me, and within minutes Christian, Adrian, Massimo and Antonio fall into line behind me. We walk into the chapel and every person turns to watch us. The ce is packed, as is to be expected. I walk to the front row, guide her to our seats, when she stiffens. I nce over as Nonna rises to her feet. She closes the distance between us and holds out her hand.


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I take her hand and kiss her fingertips. Her fingers tremble. I nce down into her face, take in her anguished eyes. Her features areposed though. I wouldn¡¯t have expected anything else.


    She grips my fingers as she gazes up at me. ¡°Mika,¡± she swallows, ¡°I hope you are going to hunt them down and teach everyst one of them a lesson.¡±


    I bend my head, and she kisses my forehead. She releases me and turns to Beauty. Something unspoken seems to pass between the two women. My Nonna nods. She steps back, takes her ce next to my father, who turns his face away from me.


    Typical. In times of crisis, you can count on my father to retreat into that stony ce inside of him where none of us can reach him. Like me. Che cazzo. Where did that thoughte from? I am nothing like him.


    I will not let myself be like him. I am far more focused, have more empathy for my brothers, for my n. Hell, if it weren¡¯t for that, I¡¯d have gunned down every single head of our rival ns, and all of the other families. I¡¯d have shot first, then asked the questions.


    Instead, I have my men searching, identifying who was behind it¡­ Then, I¡¯ll begin the killing. Which is only fair. An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth. The death of their entire family for the death of my brother and my unborn child. Yeah, that¡¯s only right.


    There¡¯s amotion behind me. I turn to find Luca prowling up the aisle.

 98

    Karma


    I nce around to find Luca stalking over to Michael. What the hell? What is he doing here? Michael stiffens, his nostrils re, and color suffuses his features. His shoulders seem to grow even bigger in size, stretching the material of the suit-jacket. He pivots, closes the distance to Luca, then smashes his fist into Luca¡¯s face.


    There¡¯s an audible gasp from the congregants as blood spurts from Luca¡¯s nose and drips to the floor. He staggers back, then straightens. He makes no move to defend himself as Michael nts his fist in his left shoulder, then his right, then ms it into his stomach. The breath whooshes out of him and he drops to his knees. He bunches his fists at his sides, bows his head almost in supplication as he waits¡­and waits.


    Michael raises both of his fists as if to bring them down on him and I scream, ¡°Stop!¡± I lunge forward and every bone in my body seems to protest. My head spins at the abuse I am subjecting my already battered body to, and I grab hold of Michael¡¯s jacket. ¡°Stop,¡± I pant, ¡°please, don¡¯t do this.¡±


    There are more gasps from the mourners. Behind me, I sense Nonna and Michael¡¯s father rising to their feet, but I ignore them.


    ¡°Get away from me, Karma,¡± he growls. ¡°Get out of my way before I hurt you.¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯d never hurt me, Michael,¡± I hiss. ¡°You promised you¡¯d never allow anything to happen to me.¡±


    His shoulders bunch. Thick waves of tension vibrate off of him and his muscles jump under his skin. His entire body tenses and I am sure he is going to shake me off andplete what he¡¯d set out to do, but he pauses. One by one, he forces his muscles to unwind. He lowers his arms to his sides and I release the breath I¡¯d not been aware I was holding.


    ¡°Karma,¡± Nonna calls out to me in a low voice. I turn to her and she nces at Michael, then back at me. She shakes her head. Something in her gaze reaches out to me. I can¡¯t understand what she¡¯s trying to tell me¡­but something inside me insists that I obey.


    I release my hold on Michael and stumble. Michael pivots so quickly that he seems to blur. He grips my shoulder, holds on until I have regained my footing. He eases me back into my seat, then points a finger at me. ¡°Stay,¡± he growls, before he stalks over to where his brother has risen to his feet.


    The two men re at each other. Luca¡¯s features are pale but his gaze is clear. Defiance is evident in his stance, but his eyes reflect regret and hope and love¡­ I swallow, turn to Michael, take in the hard set of his features.


    He jerks his chin and Luca holds up his hands. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he says in a voice low enough that only Michael and his family can hear. ¡°I am truly sorry, brother.¡±


    Michael blinks and his features twist as if he¡¯s torn between forgiving him and hitting him again. Then he seems topose himself.


    ¡°I forgive you,¡± he snaps, ¡°but you will have to pay your dues, Luca. What you did can¡¯t go unpunished.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Luca draws himself up to his full height, ¡°I would expect nothing less.¡±


    Michael nods, ¡°Then wee back, fratello.¡±


    Luca holds out his hand. Michael ignores it and winds his arm around his brother¡¯s neck. Luca grips his shoulder and the two embrace.


    A palpable murmur runs through those assembled as Michael ps Luca on his back. Luca does the same, then both step back.


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± Luca murmurs. ¡°It was my mistake to go after something that belongs to you.¡±


    ¡°And mine that I never trusted you enough to let you in on our inner workings.¡± Michael steps back. ¡°But let¡¯s discuss thatter.¡± They both turn to look at the open casket.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Luca swears, ¡°fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± He balls his fists at his sides, ¡°I should have been here protecting our family. I failed you, brother, and for that, I will never forgive myself.¡±


    Michael stays silent. The two stare at Xander¡¯s body for a few seconds more. Then, Luca walks around and to the other side of the pew. He sits down next to Christian who res at him before he looks away.


    Michael walks toward the front of the church, then turns to face the audience. A frisson of fear runs through the gathered people who instantly fall quiet.


    It¡¯s unusual that he¡¯d be the first to speak. I¡¯d have thought the priest would read from the Bible, but he¡¯s the Capo, so I guess Michael makes his own rules, even at a funeral.


    He nces around the assembled people and silence envelops the space.


    ¡°Alessandro Donatello Domenico Sovrano was more than my brother. In many ways, he was my son. My flesh and blood. The child I brought up and protected and made sure he never went to bed unhappy. He was the most talented of us. He had the face and the heart and the temperament of an angel. He was the youngest, and yet, he was the thread that held our family together. Now that thread has snapped and it falls to me to avenge whoever took him from us.¡± Michael nces around the room.


    I don¡¯t need to look over my shoulder to know that he¡¯s making eye contact with the different heads of the families who¡¯ve gathered there. I imagine the leaders of rival ns are also there. At least, I think I saw Niki among them.


    The silence stretches as Michael continues his silent assault on the audience. Someone coughs, someone else shuffles their feet, a baby cries and is shushed. The sound of someone sniffing reaches me. I nce over to the other side of the aisle, and find a girl clutching a handkerchief in her hand as she nces in the direction of the coffin. Her shoulders shudder, her features seem to crumple. She jumps to her feet and runs out. I spring up to go after her, but Nonna grips my arm and hauls me back.


    ¡°Leave her be; she needs time toe to terms with what has happened,¡± Nonna murmurs.


    I sink back onto the seat, ¡°Who is she? Did she know Xander well?¡±


    ¡°Her name is Theresa,¡± Nonna replies, ¡°she is Alessandro¡¯s childhood friend.¡±


    Just then, a book drops to the floor with a thud that echoes around the room. I jump and Nonna ces her hand on my leg. Her touch is reassuring. I nce toward the front where Michael hasn¡¯t moved from his earlier stance. The silence stretches once again, a beat, then another.


    ¡°What is he doing?¡± I whisper. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he speaking?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s making sure he gets his message across to all those who are present, making sure they¡¯ll take the message out to whoever was responsible for what happened.¡±


    Nonna firms her lips. She pulls her hand away and I stare straight ahead.


    Michael sweeps his gaze over the audience, then nods. ¡°I will hunt down the murderer who was responsible for my brother¡¯s death, and when I catch him¡­ Not even God will be able to save him from what I have nned.¡±


    Goosebumps pop on my skin. He returns to his seat and the priest takes his ce to read from the Bible.


    Two hourster, I nce around the living room of my husband¡¯s home.

 99

    For all practical purposes, we are still married and I am still in the role of the Capo¡¯s wife¡­ A role I am hoping to keep for a long time, despite Michael¡¯s insistence to the contrary. Fact is, I can¡¯t see myself anywhere else; can¡¯t see myself with anyone except him.


    If I¡¯d had any doubts about this¡­ If I¡¯d held onto any notion of escaping from him before¡­ The car incidentpletely wiped all of it out of my mind. Somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, where I had floated after being ejected from the car¡­ When all my barriers had dropped and I had sunk into the depths of my subconscious mind¡­ At that point, I had shed all of my inhibitions, all of my fears, all of my insecurities, and I had embraced what I truly want. Him. I need him as much as I need the air I breathe. I yearn for him as much as I wish for a ce to belong. I hunger for him, thirst for him, covet him with a passion thates from somewhere deep within.


    I ache to know him fully,pletely. I hanker to have a family with him, to carry his children, to envelop myself in that sensation that I only get when I am with him. When I am secure in the knowledge that he belongs to me and I to him¡­ That our darkness cancels out that of each other, that our hearts and minds and intentions are in sync¡­ Maybe because I had lost the child I had briefly carried, because I had almost lost my own life, I know now what I am meant for. To not only embrace my art as a fashion designer, but to also embrace my heart¡¯s calling to be a mother, to embrace my soul¡¯s purpose to be his other half, to be the Beauty to his Beast, to be his.


    There¡¯s a touch on my shoulder, and I turn to meet Nonna¡¯s shrewd gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re in love with him,¡± she deres.


    I half smile, ¡°Am I that obvious?¡±


    ¡°You wear your heart on your sleeve.¡± She peers into my face. ¡°It¡¯s why you took a knife to him¡­ It¡¯s why you now follow him with your gaze, in the hope that he¡¯ll recognize what almost anyone else can read from your expression.¡±


    Shit. My shoulders slump, ¡°I am that obvious.¡±


    ¡°Except to him,¡± she nces toward where Michael is speaking with Seb.


    Christian and Luca are glowering at each other, while Massimo is speaking with a woman I don¡¯t recognize.


    In another corner, Niki Solonik, stands quietly sipping his vodka-yes, Michael had provided for everyone¡¯s tastes. Niki¡¯s two brothers stand on either side of him. None of the three are speaking. With their imposing height and wide shoulders, not to mention the tattoos that peek out from under their cors and from the edges of their shirt sleeves, they should seem threatening¡­ But somehow, the feeling that emanates from them is more of curiosity as they follow the proceedings.


    In a third corner, a tall, broad-shouldered man sips his whisky. His lean features are striking, and there¡¯s a tightly leashed sense of power about him.


    ¡°That¡¯s JJ Kane, head of the Kane Company,¡± Nonna offers.


    ¡°The Kane Company?¡± I wrinkle my nose, ¡°Why do they sound familiar?¡±


    ¡°They are the most powerful organized crime syndicate in Ennd.¡±


    Of course. I have read about him in the news. ¡°And he¡¯s here, why?¡±


    ¡°He wants an alliance with the Cosa Nostra to grow his presence beyond the UK.¡±


    ¡°I thought Mafia men don¡¯t share their business dealings with women?¡±


    Nonna chuckles, ¡°But then, I am not just any woman. I am the Nonna of the Capo and the mother of the Don.¡± She turns to me, ¡°Besides, I have my sources.¡±


    ¡°You mean you have spies within the n?¡±


    ¡°Also, people who owe me who keep me informed of all important developments.¡± Her eyes gleam, ¡°Of course, if I were to ask my son and grandson, they wouldn¡¯t refuse to share information with me, but this way is more interesting, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Interesting?¡± I open and shut my mouth, ¡°You really are quite a woman, you know that?¡±


    After the funeral, Michael had driven me here. We hadn¡¯t exchanged one word the entire way. Hell, he hadn¡¯t even directly looked at me for the duration of the trip. It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯s trying to avoid me.


    ¡°So why is he avoiding you?¡± Nonna¡¯s voice interrupts my thoughts.


    What the-! Is she reading my mind or what? I blink, turn my attention to her, ¡°Who¡¯s avoiding me?¡±


    She clicks her tongue, ¡°Don¡¯t try that with me. You know who I am talking about.¡±


    I blink rapidly, then bite the inside of my cheek. If I thought the Sovrano men were overwhelming¡­ Well, Nonna is, undeniably, far ahead of them. ¡°If you mean Michael, it¡¯s because he feels responsible for the explosion and for¡­¡± I clutch at my ss of wine, ¡°And for the baby, and for what happened to Xander.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± she takes my arm and guides me to a chair, ¡°sit.¡±


    ¡°I am fine.¡± I frown.


    ¡°You¡¯re not fine. You just left the hospital and you¡¯ve been through an emotional rollercoaster, not to mention the physical impact of the car blowing up.¡±


    I flinch.


    ¡°It hurts to hear it, huh?¡±


    ¡°You know it does.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to talk about it than to keep it all bottled up inside.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you did with them when they were growing up?¡±


    She draws in a breath, then urges me to sit down. I sink into the chair, then nce up at her, ¡°Did you?¡±


    ¡°I wish I had,¡± She straightens, and nces across the room at the faces of the Sovrano brothers. ¡°I wish I had been more open with them. Wish I had taken them from under their father¡¯s care earlier¡­but I was weak.¡±


    ¡°You, weak?¡± Iugh, ¡°Not quite how I see you, Nonna.¡±


    She nces down at me. ¡°Ie from a traditional Sicilian family. I was married at sixteen, pregnant at eighteen with my first child.¡±


    ¡°Don Sovrano?¡±


    ¡°Don Sovrano,¡± she nods. ¡°I had four other miscarriages after him. Gave birth to a girl who didn¡¯t live.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry,¡± I whisper.


    Her lips twist, ¡°It was a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Does the pain¡­ever go away?¡±


    ¡°It¡­fades a little with time,¡± she draws in a breath, ¡°but it never leaves you. It settles in your heart, bes a part of it, so you asionally take it out and nce at it. You try to get over it but it doesn¡¯t really leave you. It bes a part of you. And much as you want to take the story out of you¡­ Some resonance of it always remains.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink back my tears, ¡°that¡¯s¡­profound.¡±


    She nces away, then back at me, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been through a lot in the short time that you¡¯ve known Michael, but the two of you are lucky.¡±


    ¡°We are?¡± I stare, ¡°How can you call us lucky? He kidnapped me. I tried to kill him. He married me because my father promised me to him and he¡­ Ah¡­hasn¡¯t exactly been nice to me since.¡±


    ¡°He saw you, saw something in you that he wanted; he took you, wedded you, and despite the fact that you stabbed him at his wedding, did not kill you.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek.


    ¡°You escaped him, only to return to him.¡±


    ¡°Only because I thought he was dead.¡±


    ¡°He faked his own funeral, knowing it would entice you toe back to him.¡±


    I shuffle my feet. ¡°I still wanted to escape him,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Only you were foiled by the car-bomb.¡±


    ¡°Now he doesn¡¯t want to acknowledge me anymore. He is convinced that my being with him puts me in danger. He wants me to return to London.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I swallow. ¡°No,¡± I say with more vehemence, ¡°if he thinks he can snap a finger and I obey him, then he has another thinking.¡±


    ¡°If that isn¡¯t true love, what is? He is worried about your safety and you are worried about him. The two of you found each other.¡± She raises a shoulder, ¡°The circumstances were a little, what you English might call dodgy, but that only adds to the excitement, I am sure.¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I open and shut my mouth, ¡°you can¡¯t say things like that to your granddaughter-inw; and at a funeral too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°I am not nearly as drunk as I should be at the funeral of one of my favorite grandsons.¡± She nces around and a waiter materializes with a tray of drinks. She snatches up a snifter of whiskey, then holds it up to me, ¡°To Alessandro.¡±


    I opt for the wine, then raise my winess, ¡°To Xander.¡±


    She drinks from her own ss, then stares into the depths of her whiskey, ¡°He wasn¡¯t what he seemed you know?¡±


    ¡°Xander?¡± I frown, ¡°Are we talking about the sameid-back man who loved to paint and who was the most charming of all the brothers?¡±


    ¡°He was all that, and brilliant at his painting too. A genius ahead of his time, some would say.¡± She takes another healthy swig of her whiskey. ¡°I loved him more than anyone else, maybe even Michael sometimes.¡± She nces around the room, ¡°And the boys know it. But what they didn¡¯t realize was that he was also confused.¡±


    ¡°Confused?¡±


    She nces at me, ¡°Let¡¯s just say, he felt something for Theresa, but never told her so. Not because he couldn¡¯t, but because he wasn¡¯t sure if he loved her. Because she wasn¡¯t the only one he was interested in.¡±


    I straighten in my seat. ¡°You mean there was someone else he loved?¡±


    ¡°Not one¡­¡± She stares at me meaningfully.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°Oh, so you mean he slept around?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± she nces away, then back at me, ¡°and not only with women.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I take a sip of my wine, ¡°which is normal, right? People are attracted to both men and women sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Not in Sicily, they aren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I scoff. ¡°Sicilians are not exempt from who they are drawn to, and I don¡¯t understand why you are speaking like this about Xander, considering we¡¯ve juste from his funeral.¡±


    ¡°When you are old like I am, you are always only one step ahead of death, and you never know when it¡¯s going to catch up with you.¡±


    A shiver runs down my back. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°The truth,¡± she cuts in. ¡°I¡¯ve learned it¡¯s best not to fuck around when you have something to say.¡±


    Iugh, then turn it into a cough, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to use that word.¡± I take in her determined features, ¡°You¡¯re a force to be reckoned with, Nonna.¡±


    ¡°So are you.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    She tilts her head, ¡°You¡¯d have to be for the Capo to marry you. You do realize that he broke the norm when he did so.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s a problem¡­?¡±


    She raises a shoulder, ¡°I¡¯d have been happier if he¡¯d married a nice Sicilian girl, who¡¯d have stayed home and given him kids, but it wasn¡¯t to be.¡±


    I glower at her.


    She raises her hand, ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind I¡¯m being honest with you. I feel like we¡¯ve gone beyond the need to hide things from each other, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°By all means,¡± I tighten my hold around the stem of my wine ss, ¡°go ahead and tell me what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°Ultimately, though, I aming around to the fact that you are good for him.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    She nods, ¡°Clearly, the two of you are in love with each other, and as I said, it¡¯s rare to find that, so¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯d better y your part and make sure hees around to epting you now. And I do hope and pray that you get pregnant quickly again. Nothing like having a man¡¯s child topletely change things and ensure that your marriage is on rock solid ground.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you were ahead of your time.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± She smiles sadly, ¡°It¡¯s why, after going against my son and ensuring that I moved the boys to LA and took them out of his grasp, and after holding my own against the men of the Cosa Nostra, one thing I have realized is that it¡¯s best not to make things too difficult for yourself.¡±


    I frown, ¡°I am really not sure what you are trying to tell me.¡±


    ¡°That what you did earlier, when you tried stopping Michael from attacking Luca in front of everyone else¡­ Don¡¯t do it again.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I snap. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want, when I want with him. He¡¯s my husband.¡±


    ¡°And the Capo of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Do you, though?¡± She looks me up and down, ¡°You are the wife of the most powerful man in Europe. Which means your positiones with certain responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I scoff. ¡°It¡¯s not like I am married into the bloody British royal family.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± She arches an eyebrow.


    I blow out a breath, ¡°Can you please stop ying games and just tell me whatever it is that you are trying to say?¡±


    ¡°You tried to stop your husband from beating up his younger brother in front of his rivals and in front of the people who look to him as their leader. The same brother who helped you escape earlier. At the worst, it looks like you were trying to cuckold the Capo-¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I gulp.


    ¡°-at the best, it looks like you were trying to defy him.¡±


    ¡°O-k-a-y,¡± I flush.


    ¡°Either way, you made him lose face in front of his n and his business rivals. And the fact that he didn¡¯t turn on you, but actually listened to you, revealed that he ces a lot of faith in you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been listening to anything I have been saying?¡± She scowls, ¡°You showed yourself as being his weakness-¡±


    ¡°-which means I made myself a target all over again? And that it¡¯s probably only a matter of time before they try to get to him through me again.¡± I slump my shoulders.


    Nonna half smiles, ¡°Knew you were smarter than you look.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± I twist my fingers together. ¡°So, what? I need to be more careful how Ie across with him in public.¡±


    ¡°Among other things.¡± She purses her lips, ¡°Can I share something else with you?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I raise my hand, ¡°don¡¯t stop now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get along with my mother-inw, at all, god rest her soul,¡± Nonna crosses herself, ¡°but she did give me one piece of advice which stood me well.¡±


    I eye her warily, ¡°And that is?¡±


    She leans in closer, ¡°You need to be a feminist at heart and an independent woman to the outside world, but when ites to your husband, you want to be his mistress in daily life, and his whore in bed.¡±

 100

    Michael


    I look over to find my Nonna engaged in conversation with my wife. They seem to be getting along. Nonna says something and Karma chokes on her drink. I take a step forward when she ces her drink on the table andposes herself. She nces at Nonna, who smiles at her. The old bat actually smiles¡­ And it¡¯s one of her rare genuine smiles, too. What the hell?N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    What are they talking about? And why do I care about it, anyway? I turn my attention back to Sebastian, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± I jerk my chin at him, then pivot and walk out of the living room, down the corridor to my study. My father follows me and closes the door after him. I walk to the bar in the corner, pour whiskey into two sses. My father walks over and epts a ss from me.


    We each take a sip in silence, then my father turns to me, ¡°It¡¯s a mistake, epting Luca back. He¡¯s turned on you once; he can do so again.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t ask for your advice, father.¡±


    He bares his teeth, ¡°She¡¯s making you weak. This is what happens when you think with your dick. If you¡¯d only killed her as you¡¯d originally nned instead of marrying her, Xander might still be alive today; she-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± I snap.


    My father¡¯s eyebrows rise up. ¡°Don¡¯t raise your voice,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my wife. Not now, not ever. Next time you do so, I¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°What, kill me?¡± He bares his teeth, ¡°You¡¯d kill your own father over a whore?¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I snarl, ¡°shut the fuck up.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°You¡¯re losing your ability to think straight.¡±


    ¡°And you¡­¡± I tighten my grip around my whiskey ss, ¡°are overstepping the line.¡±


    ¡°I am your father.¡± He chuckles, ¡°I am meant to overstep the line.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing to me,¡± I growl. ¡°The day I consolidate my power with the rival ns, I will take over as Don, and then¡­ You will be nothing to anyone in the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to that day.¡±


    I snort, ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡±


    He looks me up and down. ¡°You may find it difficult to believe this, but I am your father, and nothing would give me more pleasure than my oldest son seeding me.¡±


    I ce my ss on the bar counter, ¡°If that is all-¡±


    ¡°Xander was a liability.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°He wasted all his time painting.¡±


    ¡°He had a gift.¡±


    ¡°He fucked men.¡±


    ¡°I am aware.¡±


    The Don stiffens, ¡°You knew it and you didn¡¯t do anything about it?¡±


    ¡°He was entitled to do as he pleased.¡±


    ¡°Not when he was my son.¡±


    ¡°I am not going to stand for you talking shit about him,¡± I growl.


    ¡°He¡¯s better off dead. At least, his funeral provides a stage for you to turn up the pressure on our rival ns. Now is the time for you to act, to take assertive action that will allow you to consolidate this hold over our rivals, to increase the influence of the Cosa Nostra, to-¡±


    I throw up my fist and catch him in the jaw. He stumbles back, and the ss slips from his grasp and crashes to the floor. ¡°The fuck?¡± he growls. ¡°How dare you raise your hand to me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do more than that.¡± I straighten as the door to my study flies open. Seb rushes in, followed by Massimo, Christian, Luca, and Adrian. They pause when they notice the Don bleeding from his mouth.


    He levels his gaze on me. ¡°You are making a big mistake, boy,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you don¡¯t want to make an enemy of me.¡±


    ¡°You became my enemy the day you raised your hand to me.¡±


    ¡°It was the only way to ensure you grew up to be a man.¡±


    ¡°I grew up, all right¡­ To hate you. I don¡¯t want you anywhere near my wife or my brothers.¡±


    ¡°They are my sons, too.¡±


    I turn to the men. ¡°Choose, then,¡± I snap, ¡°him or me.¡±


    They nce at each other, then Seb turns to me, ¡°We¡¯re with you fratellone. You¡¯ve been more than a father to us, more a parent than the Don has ever has been.¡±


    My father chuckles. He nces over the faces of the men, thenughs again. ¡°You leave me no choice then.¡±


    ¡°Leave, father,¡± I jerk my chin toward the door, ¡°you have your answer.¡±


    ¡°You are going to regret this, each one of you.¡±


    Seb walks over to the door and holds it open. The Don turns and stalks over to the exit. He pauses, then turns to re at us, ¡°When you need help, don¡¯t bothering to me. When you lose everything, including that pretty new wife of yours, you remember that it was I who was behind it.¡±


    Turning, he leaves.


    The door snicks shut.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Christian explodes. ¡°What the hell was that about?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t veryplimentary about Xander,¡± I rub my fingers across the back of my neck, ¡°It was inevitable.¡±


    ¡°I mean, what did he mean by that threat?¡±


    ¡°That?¡± I raise my shoulder, ¡°Who the fuck cares?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not one for idle threats, brother,¡± Massimo cautions.


    ¡°Neither am I.¡± I snatch up my ss, drain it, top it up again, then walk over to take my seat behind the desk.


    ¡°Out,¡± I jerk my chin at the door, ¡°it¡¯s time to cut this bullshit short.¡±


    Ten minutester, I lean back in my chair as I take in Niki and JJ. The silence stretches as none of us speak. Neither JJ nor Niki shuffle in their seats nor look ufortable. Their faces wear the same expression of patience that I assume my features reflect¡­ At least, I hope it does. I nce between them, then consider my drink.


    ¡°Revenge,¡± I finally say, ¡°is a powerful emotion. It can make or break a man. It can galvanize you to do the kinds of things you didn¡¯t think you were capable of.¡±


    ¡°And you need revenge,¡± JJ ventures. ¡°Hell, I would too if it were my brother who was killed in an explosion, and my wife who was hurt.¡±


    ¡°She was pregnant,¡± I growl. ¡°My wife was pregnant.¡±


    Silence descends, then Niki murmurs, ¡°I am sorry, brother. How can we help you?¡±


    ¡°By helping me track down the bastards behind this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll spread the word¡­ Hell, if your speech earlier hasn¡¯t gone viral within the undergroundwork¡­in a manner of speaking, that is,¡± JJ offers, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I alert all of my sources. It¡¯s only a matter of time before the perpetrators are found.


    I jerk my chin, ¡°And you, Niki?¡± I train my gaze on him, ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Whoever did it was, clearly, after your life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no secret. He¡¯s the Capo. Hell, they want him to step down from bing the Don.¡± JJ frowns. ¡°They were trying to finish him off before he took the position.¡±


    ¡°Is that all it was?¡± Niki drawls.


    ¡°What else could it be?¡± JJ replies.


    ¡°You tell me,¡± Niko holds my gaze, ¡°you sure you¡¯re looking in the right ce, Michael?¡±

 101

    My heart begins to race and my pulse pounds at my temples. I lean back into the chair, and the handle of my knife that¡¯s tucked in at the small of my waistband digs into my back. ¡°You¡¯re implying-¡±


    ¡°That it may have been one of your own.¡± Niko nods. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the thought hadn¡¯t urred to you?¡±


    It had, but I am not going to own up to it. ¡°You let me take care of what happens with my n.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°I simply need you to spread the word among your men and their contacts. I want the culprits to be brought to heel before Christmas.¡±


    JJ whistles, ¡°That¡¯s only a few days away.¡±


    ¡°More than enough time, if the two of you get behind the effort.¡±


    ¡°You threatening us, Michael?¡± Niko asks in a soft voice.


    ¡°I am¡­¡± I nce between them, ¡°reminding you that when we embarked on this partnership, it meant that you prioritize my¡­request before anyone else¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Your brother was killed; it¡¯s like my own was taken from me.¡± JJ raps his knuckles on the table, ¡°Consider it done.¡±


    I turn to Niko whose gaze narrows. He seems like he¡¯s about to say something, then changes his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll get my men on the job.¡±


    I rise to my feet and so do they. JJ turns to leave and Niko follows.


    ¡°Niki,¡± I call out and he pauses, ¡°I am counting on you.¡±


    He nces at me over his shoulder, ¡°Partnerships are almost as important to me as family.¡± He touches his forefinger to his forehead then stalks out.


    I walk toward the bar and pour the rest of the whiskey into my ss. The door opens and her scent reaches me. I stiffen, then ce the now empty whiskey bottle down on the counter. The door snicks shut and footsteps approach. I sense her pause behind me. She touches my arm and I pull away. I walk over to my chair and sink down into it.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I ask as she stands there, still dressed in that ck dress that outlines her every curve. She reaches up, removes her hat with theting and ces it on the bar counter. Instantly, my gaze is drawn to the wound on her forehead. Her features are pale, her frame too slim. There are dark shadows under her eyes, and fuck, if she doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s going to copse any moment. As if on cue, she sways and I curse. I m my ss down on the table, then lunge forward. I reach her just as she puts out a hand to steady herself.


    I swing her up in my arms and she protests, ¡°Put me down, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Not a bloody chance.¡±


    She chuckles, ¡°You¡¯re swearing like a true Brit.¡±


    ¡°God forbid,¡± I snap as I walk toward the door.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she asks in a soft voice.


    ¡°To bed, which is where you should have been all day.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t have missed the funeral, Michael,¡± she protests. ¡°Xander was my friend¡­ maybe one of the only friends I have made since I came to Sicily.¡±


    ¡°What about Cassandra and Aurora?¡±


    ¡°They are my friends too, but Xander¡­ He was special, you know?¡±


    A ball of emotion clogs my throat. I increase my pace, until I reach the steps. I take them two at a time and reach thending. I stalk down the corridor to her room, then shoulder my way inside. Her cat meows, then brushes past my legs. I stumble, right myself. ¡°Bloody cat,¡± I swear, and sheughs.


    ¡°Yep, my influence is rubbing off on you, Capo.¡±


    I reach the bed, lower her down onto it, then reach over and pull off her stilettos. ¡°What was the need to wear these god-awful things? You could have worn something that did not put so much pressure on your back.¡±


    ¡°Worried about me, Capo?¡±


    Her soft voice coils in my chest. My heart stutters and my groin hardens. Every sense in my body seems to focus in on her. I straighten, take in her pale features. ¡°Painkillers,¡± I growl. ¡°Where are your painkillers?¡±


    She nods toward the bath and I walk over, rummage around in the shelves behind the mirror until I find them. I walk over, hand them over to her, then pour a ss of water from the carafe on the bedside table. She swallows down the pills with the water, then sinks back. I take in her dress-covered body, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take that off? You must be ufortable in that.¡±


    She hesitates and I scowl, ¡°I¡¯ve seen everything there is to see, Karma.¡±


    She looks like she¡¯s going to protest, then nods. She sits up and I grip the hem of her dress. I drag it up and she raises her hips, then her arms so I can pull it up and off of her. I drape the dress over the chair, then take in her pale body. She¡¯s wearing a ck bra and panties, and I take in the marks on her shoulders, across her chest, the small bandage across her belly button where they¡¯d had to perform a keyhole surgery to stop the internal bleeding. My heart thuds in my chest. My gut twists. I sit down next to her on the bed and touch the bandage. She flinches and I pull back. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she whispers, ¡°it¡¯s¡­just difficult seeing it, that¡¯s all.¡±


    I tten my palm across her belly and goosebumps pop on her skin. ¡°Are you cold?¡±


    She shakes her head. The cat pads over to me, brushes against my leg again and mewls. ¡°He wants toe up on the bed.¡± Karma says softly. I bend, pick him up, ce him next to Karma. The cat instantly curls into her side and purrs. She drags her fingers down his fur and smiles. I take in the way her fingers slide across his skin, how he stretches, then coils in on himself and closes his eyes. Lucky cat, to be able to press into her body and fall asleep with not a care in the world. Fuck, how can I be jealous of a bloody cat? And since when have I started using ¡®bloody¡¯ to swear? Maybe she is right. Maybe more of her influence has rubbed off on me then I¡¯d care to admit. I rise to my feet and she reaches up and grabs my wrist.


    ¡°Stay, Michael,¡± she implores. ¡°Please, just for tonight. I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡±


    I nce away, then back at her. ¡°You need to leave, Karma,¡± I finally say. ¡°I can¡¯t do what¡¯s needed if I¡¯m constantly worried about you. It¡¯s best you return to London, to your family.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my family, Michael. You and your brothers. I am one of you now.¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°I can¡¯t justify putting you in so much danger.¡±


    ¡°If you think my leaving you will help lessen it, then you are wrong.¡± She sits up and the cat protests, then rises up on its feet and stalks away to the other side of the bed. ¡°You know I¡¯m safest when I am with you.¡±


    ¡°I know no such thing.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so cold, so withdrawn? Why can¡¯t you see what¡¯s in front of your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Karma,¡± I warn her, ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you about this.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t.¡± She stares at me and I hold her gaze. The silence stretches, then she sighs, ¡°There¡¯s no talking you out of this, is there?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Fine, then.¡± She nces away and her chin wobbles. A tear slides down her cheek and my chest tightens. I sink back onto the bed, gather her close. She coils into me much like the cat had done earlier and sniffs. ¡°I wish I hadn¡¯t lost the child, Michael. I hadn¡¯t thought I was looking forward to the birth of the baby, but I was, more than I¡¯d ever imagined. I mean, I¡¯d never thought I¡¯d be a mother, and now it¡¯s all I can think of.¡±


    I wrap my arms around her, pull her closer. A shudder grips her as I run my hand in circles over her back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Beauty. Truly, I am.¡±


    The tears drip from her face, wet my shirt as I hold and rock her.


    ¡°I¡­ I am also sorry that I interfered earlier today,¡± she hups.


    ¡°Interfered?¡± I scowl, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°When you went after Luca, I tried to stop you. I swear, I had no idea how that could be interpreted by the guests. I simply wanted to ensure that you wouldn¡¯t hurt yourself.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I can take care of myself, Beauty,¡± I press my lips to her forehead, ¡°but your concern is much appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she peers up at me, ¡°so you¡¯re not pissed off that I made you lose face in front of everyone?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a little,¡± I lie. ¡°As you¡¯re aware, I don¡¯t take kindly to being told what to do.¡±


    ¡°Not even by your wife?¡± She flutters her eyshes, still spiky from her tears, and my heart stutters.


    I peer into her face, then half smile, ¡°You¡¯re learning how to get your way with me, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± she sniffles, ¡°I¡¯m doing no such thing,¡± She snuggles into me, ¡°I simply want to make sure that I am not treading on anyone¡¯s toes without realizing it.¡±


    I draw in a breath, ¡°Nonna¡¯s been talking to you, I take it?¡±


    ¡°A little bit,¡± she mutters. ¡°She does have a point. I really don¡¯t want you to lose face because of me.¡±


    I notch my knuckles under her chin so she has no choice but to meet my gaze, ¡°I¡¯ll never lose face because of you, Beauty. And you don¡¯t have to change yourself in order to be by my side¡­¡± I hesitate.


    She frowns, ¡°But? There is a but isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°But, you still can¡¯t defy me-not in public, and not in private. I am not a man who can be ordered around.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± She widens her gaze, ¡°I really hadn¡¯t noticed that about you, Capo.¡±


    I can¡¯t stop the chuckle that rumbles up my chest. I grasp the nape of her neck, bring my forehead to hers, ¡°So damn sassy.¡± I brush my nose against hers, then press a kiss to her mouth, before tucking her head under my chin.


    She nestles against me, as I rub circles over her back.


    Her body twitches, and I nce down to find her eyes shut. I hold her a little longer, until her breathing deepens. Then I ce her onto the bed. I pull the sheets up and tuck them under her chin. I nce at the cat, who pads over and settles in beside her. ¡°Keep watch over her,¡± I murmur as I bend and kiss her forehead.


    I straighten and watch her a few more seconds. I take in her now flushed features, those slightly parted rosebud lips, the slender length of her throat. When I leave, I know what I must do next.

 102

    Karma


    A knock on the door wakes me up. I open my eyes and grimace. A dull headache knocks at my temples, and my eyes feel swollen. I turn over on my back, and nce around the shadowed room. The curtains have been drawn¡­ and I normally leave them open before I go to bed. That way, I know approximately what time it is when I wake up. Which means someone else must have drawn them¡­ Michael¡­ He must have done it before leaving. Had he stayedst night? Had he watched me sleep? I remember clinging to him, asking him to stay and then I had started to cry, damn it. I had clung to him and wept, and he had drawn me close to him and held me, and then, I don¡¯t remember anything. I must have fallen asleep in his arms. When had he left?


    Next to me is Andy. He walks to the edge of the bed, jumps off, then pads over to the door. He turns to me, then nces back at the door. I swear, that cat can talk without saying a word. He¡¯s way too smart for his own good.


    The knock sounds again. I sit up, call out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Cassandra shoulders open the door and Andy darts to the side. She walks in holding a breakfast tray. Andy follows her. She ces the tray on the table near the window, draws the curtains open. The sunlight streams in and I wince.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± she choruses as she looks me up and down. ¡°How do you feel today?¡±


    ¡°Sore,¡± I cough, then throw my legs over the side of the bed. I stand up, and every muscle in my body feels like it has been put through the wringer.


    Andy walks over purring loudly; he brushes against my calf. I nce down, remember I am still in my bra and panties. I nce around for a robe or something to cover myself with.


    ¡°Here,¡± Cassandra hands me the robe she grabbed from the chair near the bed. Andy prances away as I walk slowly into the bathroom, feeling every bit of the hard fall I took when I was ejected from the car. To think, I could have very easily died¡­ Like Xander¡­ Poor Xander¡­ Like my child.


    A shudder grips me. I walk over to the sink in the bathroom and grip the edge, take in a deep breath. Another. I need to stop circling back to what happened. Need to somehow focus on the now, the present¡­ On proving to my husband that I would be safest by his side. I open the faucet, hold my palms out under the flowing water. I ssh the water onto my face, brush my teeth,b my hair back. By the time I step out, I am feeling a little better¡­ At least, more collected, at any rate. I walk over to the tray of food on the table and take a seat. Cassandra pours a mug of coffee for me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me?¡± I ask.


    She seems like she¡¯s about to refuse and I shake my head, ¡°Please, I insist. I really could do with somepany right now.¡±


    She hesitates, then nods. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she sits down opposite me. I reach for one of the tes that had covered the dishes. I turn it over, pile it with scrambled eggs, toast and bacon, and push it toward her.


    ¡°Oh no, I can¡¯t,¡± she protests.


    I scowl. ¡°I bet you haven¡¯t eaten breakfast today.¡±


    She blinks.


    ¡°Well, have you?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Come on, then.¡± I nod toward her te.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one set of cutlery,¡± she points out.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°We can share,¡± I reach for a fork and push my spoon toward her. She grabs it and for a few seconds the sound of cutlery hitting the te fills the space. When I have polished off almost everything on my te, I ce my fork down, ¡°Is the Capo working from his home office today?¡± I ask.


    ¡°He left very early and told me he wouldn¡¯t be back for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink, ¡°guess he¡¯s working from his office at Venom, then.¡±


    She nces up at me, ¡°He told me to help you in any way needed with the Christmas party.¡±


    I hold her gaze, ¡°Guess you¡¯re thinking that it¡¯s in bad taste to hold a celebration so soon after a funeral?¡±


    ¡°I think it will help bridge the rift between the brothers.¡±


    ¡°You mean between Michael and Luca?¡±


    She nods, ¡°And Sebastian and Christian.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up between those two?¡±


    She raises a shoulder, ¡°I am not sure, but they seem to always be fighting.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I toy with my fork, ¡°I¡¯m hoping some kind of event tomemorate Xander¡¯s memory is what they need to lower the barriers between them and talk.¡±


    ¡°More like talk with their fists,¡± she snorts. ¡°Those brothers have been known to fight at the least provocation.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I frown. ¡°They alwayse across as so suave and sophisticated.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all a front.¡± She shrugs. ¡°When they were younger, they got into scraps all the time. It drove Nonna crazy.¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I chuckle, ¡°that woman is formidable. I guess she¡¯d have to be to survive so long in this family of men, but still¡­ I don¡¯t know whether to be in awe of her or to hate her.¡±


    ¡°The former.¡± Cassandra reaches for her coffee. ¡°You have her on your side and it will be easier to win over everyone else in the family.¡±


    ¡°Not that I want to have anything to do with Michael¡¯s father.¡± I shiver. ¡°That man gives me the creeps.¡±


    ¡°The Don is dangerous,¡± she admits, ¡°but I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about from him. Michael will make sure that the Don keeps his distance.¡±


    ¡°I sure hope so,¡± I murmur, ¡°especially since they are bothing to the Christmas party.¡±


    ¡°You also need to reach out to Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Xander¡¯s friend?¡±


    She nods, ¡°If it¡¯s an event to celebrate Xander¡¯s life, it would be iplete without her.¡±


    ¡°Can you help me reach out to her?¡±


    ¡°Better than that, I¡¯ve already asked her toe to meet youter today.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I go to meet her?¡±


    ¡°Because the Capo has left instructions that you are not to leave the house.¡±


    I blow out a breath. He doesn¡¯t want me to leave the house and yet¡­ he doesn¡¯t want me to stay with him. The man is seriously making my head spin.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassandra peers into my face, ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Peachy,¡± I murmur, ¡°what time is Theresaing?¡±

 103

    Michael


    ¡°Capo.¡±


    I nce up as Luca strides into the room. He nces around at the assembled faces. Sebastian and Christian are sprawled in chairs in front of my table; Adrian leans against a wall; Massimo is seated in the middle of a settee on the far side, with his bulk taking up most of the space. All of them stalk him as hees to a halt in the middle of the floor. He meets my gaze head on. ¡°Is this going to be an inquisition?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I lean back in my chair. ¡°Our father thinks it¡¯s a mistake that I took you in.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± He folds his arms across his chest, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    I rise to my feet, lean forward and ce my palms t on the table, ¡°I think it would be a mistake if I didn¡¯t.¡±


    His chest rises and falls, ¡°I am sorry, Michael.¡± Luca looks around at his brothers. ¡°I never meant to hurt any of you.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you did.¡± I curl my lips, ¡°I am not interested in your apologies, Luca.¡±


    ¡°What then?¡± He shuffles his feet, ¡°What else do you want from me, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Information.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± his forehead smoothens, ¡°of course, you do. I should have known that this, too, would be a transaction for you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would simply let you walk back into the famiglia without paying a price for your indiscretions.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± He chuckles, ¡°There¡¯s more of the old man in you than you¡¯d like to admit, Michael.¡±


    I set my jaw, ¡°Who was behind the attack, Luca?¡±


    He blinks. ¡°You think I know who was behind it? Don¡¯t you think I would have stopped him, then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Luca, would you have stopped him?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°Do you really have to ask me that question, Michael?¡±


    ¡°You tell me, Luca.¡± I look him up and down. ¡°Last I knew, you were helping my wife escape. You watched, you even encouraged her to take the oar to my forehead.¡±


    ¡°I saw my opportunity and took it, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Christian springs to his feet, ¡°Why would you go against one of us? You showed our enemies that we are not invincible. You exposed a chink in the armor. It¡¯s why they dared ce a bomb in the car. It¡¯s why they dared try to harm us. You are responsible for Xander¡¯s death as much as the person who actually nted that bomb.¡±


    Luca¡¯s jaw tics. He lowers his arms to his sides, ¡°I would have done anything to protect Xander. I never would have hurt him, or one of you.¡±


    ¡°And what do you call what you did to Michael?¡± Christian res at him. ¡°How can you stand there and im what you did wasn¡¯t to hurt us when all the evidence points to the contrary? In fact, how dare you think you can simply walk back in and pick up where you left off, after everything that happened?¡± He lunges toward Luca, but Massimo jumps up to his feet, and with a litheness that belies his bulk, Massimo grabs Christian around his chest and yanks him back. Christian growls, strains in his hold, but Massimo doesn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Take him out, until he¡¯s cooled down,¡± I order and Christian snarls.


    ¡°Let me get my hands on the bastard. It¡¯s he who¡¯s responsible for what happened to Xander. When I get hold of you, I am going to kill you, you motherfucker!¡±


    Massimo tries to steer Christian away, but Christian resists. The two grapple. Adrian leaps to his feet and grips Christian¡¯s shoulder. Between him and Massimo, they manage to maneuver Christian out of the room. The door snicks shut and I turn to Luca.


    ¡°Who were you working with?¡± I snap. ¡°This is your chance toe clean, Luca.¡±


    His shoulders flex. He uncurls his fists at his sides and lowers his chin. ¡°The Kane Company,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°My n was to join forces with them, and try to take you down.¡±


    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± Sebastian growls. ¡°Fucking Cani,¡± he grumbles, alluding to the Italian pronunciation of the word that trantes to dogs.


    ¡°So were they behind the rigging of the car.¡±


    He frowns, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡±


    I scowl, ¡°You¡¯d better know.¡±N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    ¡°I swear upon our mother,¡± Luca thumps his chest, ¡°I have no idea who¡¯s behind it. When I heard what had happened, all I knew was that I needed to be with my family. That I had to help you track down who did it and ensure they realize that they can¡¯t fuck with us again.¡±


    I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°Fuck,¡± I hiss. ¡°This is bloody unhelpful.¡± I walk around the table, then stalk over to him. ¡°What else can you tell us? What else is the Kane Company up to? You¡¯d better have something for me, Luca, if you want to rejoin.¡±


    Luca shuffles his feet. ¡°JJ exploited the fact that I wanted to be Capo. He offered me the chance to be his second-inmand with the understanding that I¡¯d take over from him.¡±


    ¡°And his son?¡± Sebastian frowns, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t his son be next in line for session?¡±


    ¡°His son¡¯s a tech wiz. Runs a multibillion-dor tech start-up in Silicon Valley. He¡¯s hardly interested in following in his father¡¯s footsteps.¡±


    ¡°JJ¡¯s not that old, though,¡± Seb scowls. ¡°He¡¯s what, forty-nine?¡±


    ¡°If that,¡± Luca retorts. ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t really want to take over as the head of the Kane Company. I just wanted to send a signal to you guys that you were not the only fish in the sea. That if I could not be the Don of the Cosa Nostra, there were other ces I could go.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, Luca,¡± I glower at him, ¡°all you had to do was talk to me, brother. We could have figured something out.¡±


    ¡°The way you did when you went off to LA, leaving the rest of us behind?¡±


    My heart thuds in my ribcage. ¡°I am sorry for that; I truly am. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn¡¯t have left until I had a chance to take the rest of you with me.¡±


    ¡°Save it, Mika.¡± He cracks his neck. ¡°It¡¯s water under the bridge.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, brother, I would have done anything to ensure all of you were safe. If I had had any inkling that he¡¯de after you, Luca, I would have¡­¡±


    ¡°Killed him?¡± Luca says softly, ¡°There¡¯s still time.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s our father.¡± I roll my shoulder. ¡°As much as I hate to say it, he is our sperm donor.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯d be happy to kill any of us if he could hold onto his position as Don.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think our ¡®dear father¡¯ will let go of his power that easily?¡±


    I squeeze my fingers into fists, ¡°Are you saying he was behind what happened to Xander and my wife?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him.¡±


    Fact is, after how he beat our mother and drove her to an early death, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised either. And yet, I can¡¯t quite ept it. Maybe a part of me still clings to the hope that there is some modicum of love in him toward his own children? Despite what he said about Luca and Xander on the day of the funeral¡­


    I curl my fingers into fists, ¡°He¡¯s a bastard, and granted, he fucked up our lives¡­but family is the one thing that is important to him.¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s always been clear that he wanted me to seed him. Hell, he¡¯s the one who nominated me for Capo. It¡¯s thanks to his vote of confidence that I took over this role.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have be the Capo with or without his help, Michael.¡± Luca¡¯s lips twist. ¡°You have the leadership qualities, the ability to influence people, the determination and motivation to be a Don, before anything else.¡±


    Until I met her. Now all that matters is keeping her safe. No matter that it means I am going to do something that¡¯s going to make her hate me. It¡¯s better that way though. It¡¯ll make it easier for her to walk away from me.


    ¡°Michael?¡± Seb¡¯s voice cuts through the thoughts in my head. I turn to him and Seb takes in my features. ¡°You okay?¡±


    I jerk my chin, ¡°Have we had any other information from any of our sources?¡±


    Seb scowls, ¡°Nothing, Michael. It¡¯s like whoever did it has buried himself in a hole and pulled the hole in after him.¡±


    Fuck, every day that goes by without us tracking down those responsible, the more the danger grows. And if it¡¯s our father who was behind it¡­ It means she isn¡¯t safe, even in my home. It means he might still go after her, and if anything were to happen to her¡­ This time¡­ I would not be able to get over it. There is only one way out. To expedite my n.

 104

    Karma


    The sound of footsteps reaches me and I nce up from the outfit I¡¯ve been working on.


    After breakfast, I had taken a nap, then woken up refreshed. I had met Theresa, Xander¡¯s friend, and it had been clear that she had been in love with him. He¡¯d never mentioned anything to her, and she hadn¡¯t exactly confessed her feelings to him either. She had broken down during the course of the meeting and had been so regretful about the fact that she¡¯d never gotten to tell him how she felt.


    It certainly put things in perspective. It was a poignant reminder that you have only one life and you¡¯d better go after what you want in the time you have¡­ Like him.


    I had been emotionally drained after the meeting and had ended up eating lunch and taking another nap, from which I had woken up disoriented a few hours ago. I¡¯d grabbed some tea, then decided to start working on this outfit-the idea had been bubbling in my mind since I had woken this morning.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    It¡¯s a good thing I slept a lot today, because I feel stronger and more alert. I am determined to stay awake until Michael gets home, and God knows, I¡¯ll need all of my faculties for what I have in mind. I mean, I am going to confront him again. No way, am I giving up and allowing him to send me away. He needs to understand that it really is safest for me with him and there is no way I am leaving him¡­ Not now, when he needs me most. So, I¡¯ve been focused on my creation while keeping my ears peeled for him. Until, I hear the sound of footsteps in the corridor.


    I rise to my feet, and walking over to the door, I peer outside into the corridor. Another sound reaches me from the direction of Michael¡¯s room. I step out into the corridor, reach his door, and push it. It swings open to reveal Michael sprawled out at the foot of his bed. His tie is off, his shirt sleeves rolled up. His legs, still d in his pants, are spread out¡­and between them is a woman.


    She¡¯s kneeling, her back to me, her hair flowing around her shoulders as she leans forward. Her shoulders move and her head bobs¡­ What the hell? I nce up to find Michael staring at me. His features are unperturbed, almost as if he expected me to walk in on him.


    Hell, he expected me to walk in on him, all right. It¡¯s why he brought her here. My heart begins to thud and my pulse rate ratchets up. I take a step forward and my knees seem to buckle. I grab the door frame and steady myself. Watch as he buries his fingers in her hair and begins to move her head forward and back, and forward. She moans and the sound snaps me out of the weird haze I¡¯d fallen into.


    ¡°What are you doing, Michael?¡± I snarl. ¡°How dare you¡­you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Shove my cock down another woman¡¯s throat?¡± He smirks, and his blue eyes seem to gleam with suppressed mirth.


    ¡°What the fuck, Mika?¡± I take another step forward and he chuckles.


    ¡°Do you want to join us, wife? I wouldn¡¯t say no to a threesome.¡±


    I pause, ¡°Why the hell are you trying to put distance between us Michael? After everything we¡¯ve been through, I thought you¡¯d realize that my ce is with you.¡±


    ¡°Your ce is¡­¡± he nces down at the woman between his legs, ¡°where I tell you to be.¡±


    ¡°Fuck this,¡± I growl. ¡°This is not you, Michael. You are not the macho, overbearing, chauvinistic man you try to portray yourself as.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± He tilts his head, ¡°Pray, enlighten me then about my qualities.¡±


    ¡°You care about people, your family, your brothers. Hell, you even care about your lousy father.¡±


    He stiffens.


    ¡°You care about me, Michael. You love me.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± He raises a shoulder. The woman begins to lean back and his muscles bunch as he grips her hair tighter. He pushes his hips forward and my stomach knots. A cold sensation pools in my chest.


    ¡°Stop it,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°Stop it, right now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t give me orders, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°How about I call you the love of my life, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Am I, though?¡± I swallow, ¡°I am beginning to think you don¡¯t really understand the meaning of the word love.¡±


    ¡°And you do?¡±


    I nod. ¡°It¡¯s what I felt for the child I carried,¡± I press my fingers against my stomach. ¡°It¡¯s what I feel for you, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Love,¡± he smirks, ¡°is overrated. It¡¯s sex that matters, and the ability to fuck who you want, when you want. Speaking of¡­do you want me to fuck you, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°I lost our child not four days ago. Do you think I want to be fucked, asshole?¡±


    ¡°I think,¡± he looks me up and down, ¡°I could take your ass. That wouldn¡¯t hurt any of the other parts now, would it?¡±


    I snap my head back, ¡°Fuck you, Michael. Don¡¯t do this to us, please. Just tell me all of this is an act, that you are simply doing this to piss me off so you can get me to leave.¡±


    ¡°This,¡± he yawns, ¡°is me, Beauty. The real me. The man you married.¡±


    ¡°The man I married was not only in touch with his emotions, but he also had the courage to express them. He wouldn¡¯t have put me through this¡­¡± I wave a hand at the space between us, ¡°whatever this is.¡±


    ¡°This is called scratching an itch. Speaking of,¡± he cracks his neck, ¡°you joining us or what?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then you may as well leave, babe.¡±


    ¡°You sure, Michael?¡± I wipe the tear that has somehow squeezed out of the corner of my eye. ¡°Once I am gone, I won¡¯t return.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this too badly,¡± he gestures to the woman between his legs. ¡°It¡¯s normal for us Mafia guys to have women on the side, you know. It had to happen sooner orter. Best you see it now, so there are no more illusions.¡±


    ¡°You told me that you wouldn¡¯t fuck anyone else. You swore that you took your vows to me seriously.¡±


    He shrugs. ¡°Guess I lied.¡±


    Anger thrums at my temples. I draw in a breath and my lungs burn. I take a step forward and that¡¯s when she grips his thighs, tips her head, and I can all but sense her taking him down her throat. My heart squeezes in on itself. My stomach seems to bottom out and specks of darkness blink at the corners of my vision. Damn, if I am going to faint here, in front of him and that¡­that¡­whoever that is. I spin on my feet, stagger to the door, then step out.


    ¡°Shut the door behind you, would you?¡±


    His voice follows me out as I m the door shut behind me. I lean against it, drawing in a breath, then another. Force myself to put one foot in front of the other. I reach my room, manage to shut the door behind me. Andy walks over and purrs as he weaves between my legs. I sink down, gather him close, and burst into tears. Fuck him, fuck the Mafia, fuck this bloody town. I am getting out of here, before he does something else that¡¯s going to humiliate me further.


    His fingers had tightened on the back of her head, his biceps bulging with the effort. He dared allow her to feel the thickness of his cock? He dared let her kneel in front of him, allowed her to take the position that belongs only to me? He dared¡­ let another woman close enough to smell him, to put her lips on him, to wind her fingers about his massive thighs? To touch what is mine?


    Fuck. This. Shit.


    I rise to my feet and begin to pack. Ten minutester, I am done. I¡¯ve only packed a couple of dresses, underwear, the essentials, and that¡¯s it. I am not going to take anything else that¡­that bastard bought for me. Andy rolls around on the carpet, then springs up to chase a ball of yarn that I had tossed his way earlier. How the hell am I going to carry him, though? Of course, he was given to me by Michael too, but no way, am I going to leave him behind.


    There¡¯s a knock on the door and before I can call out, it opens. Cassandra walks in carrying a pet carrier with her. She holds it out to me without saying anything.


    ¡°He told you, eh?¡± I swallow back the anger that clogs my throat. Asshole couldn¡¯t wait to get me out of his home, apparently. I walk over, grab the pet carrier and ce it near Andy who, of course, decides that¡¯s the moment he wants to run away. He darts into the bathroom and I blow out a breath.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get him, while you get dressed,¡± she murmurs.


    She walks toward the bathroom and I change into a pair of jeans and a shirt, both of which had appeared in the closet, along with a pair of sneakers. All of these things which Michael had gotten for me, in my size, and without my having to ask for anything. He¡¯d known how much I needed to feelfortable in those early days of my pregnancy. It was as if he¡¯d read my mind and gleaned exactly how I wanted to be taken care of¡­without smothering me. And now¡­


    He was getting a blow job from another woman? Fuck. Why the hell did he have to do that? Even if it was all an act¡­ But it wasn¡¯t. It had seemed all too fucking real from where I was.


    There¡¯s another knock on the door. I snarl at the back of my throat. What the hell is this? Paddington station, where everyonees and goes as they want? The knockes again and I call out, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Adrian opens the door. He nces past me to where Cassandra has stepped back into the room. She falters and the air seems to buzz with some unsaid emotion. I nce between them, am about to speak, then change my mind. Whatever. I have enough of my own shit to deal with.


    ¡°Believe you need a ride?¡± Adrian murmurs.


    ¡°Took him no time to alert his cronies to the fact that I am leaving, huh?¡±


    ¡°The chopper is waiting.¡±


    I blink. ¡°The chopper? That¡¯s how fast he wants me out of here?¡±


    Adrian merely stands there without speaking.


    ¡°Not that it matters. And yeah, I¡¯ll take the chopper ride. Why not?¡±


    Cassandra walks over to the pet carrier with Andy. She sinks to her knees, coaxes him inside. I get a glimpse of thepartments inside which carry copsible bowls and food, water, there¡¯s even apartment with kitty litter. Wow, that¡¯s one top-of-the-line carrier that Mika has sprung for. How can a man who takes such good care of my pet, also turn out to be so unfaithful? It doesn¡¯t make sense.


    Cassandra locks the door and rises to her feet, ¡°I¡¯lle with you, until the chopper.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks.¡± I reach out and she hands the pet carrier over to me. I grab my bag in my free hand, then pause. I nod to her. ¡°Thanks Cassandra,¡± I murmur, ¡°you¡¯ve been a good friend.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry, Karma,¡± she whispers, then steps forward and hugs me. Andy mewls and I step away from her.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see you at some point, huh?¡± I turn away, then pause, ¡°Tell Aurora I¡¯ll try to reach her once I¡¯ve figured out what I am going to do next.¡±


    She nods and I turn away. I follow Adrian down the corridor, past his closed bedroom door, down the steps, out of the house and to the chopper. The helicopter¡¯s rotors begin to whir as we approach it. Adrian opens the door, helps me up, then deposits my bag and Andy¡¯s pet carrier next to me.


    Massimo looks up from the controls, ¡°Where would you like to go?¡±

 105

    Michael


    After she walks away from the door, I wait for a few minutes, just to make sure she¡¯s not in hearing range, then I push Larissa away.


    She falls back on her ass. ¡°Hey,¡± she protests, ¡°I haven¡¯t even started.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I zip up my pants and stand up, move past her and head to the door. I grip the handle, only to stop myself. Let her go; let her leave. That¡¯s what you wanted, and that¡¯s what you are getting. She is leaving you, and it¡¯s the only way for her to be safe.


    I sense Larissa stand up and move toward me. She ces her hand on my shoulder and I shake it off.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± she murmurs. ¡°You and I can have a lot more fun together, like we used to. The bitch has no idea how lucky she was to have had you even for a little time. Now that she¡¯s gone-¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± I turn on her and she stumbles back. ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡±


    She pales. ¡°I¡­ I¡­only meant-¡±


    ¡°Get out,¡± I jerk my chin toward the door, ¡°and make sure she doesn¡¯t see you or hear you.¡± She nods, then rushes to the door. I push the door shut, then walk to the bathroom. I nce at myself in the mirror, stare into my reflection. You asshole. Youplete idiot. What have you done? I blew any chance of her ever being with me again. I shattered her heart¡­ And so soon after the loss of our child. What is wrong with me? In one swoop, I had broken her trust in me¡­ A trust I¡¯ll never be able to rebuild. I¡¯ve ensured that she¡¯ll hate me, and treat me as what I am: her kidnapper, her captor¡­ Her husband, who had cheated on her with another woman.


    ¡°Minchia!¡± Only when my fist connects with the mirror do I realize that I have swung at it. The pain slices up my arm as blood drips down and stters on the sink and down on the floor. I gaze at the fragments of my reflection in the shattered mirror.


    An hourter, Seb and Christian arrive with Aurora in tow. When I had finally pulled my head out of my ass, I had called Seb who¡¯d, in turn, contacted Christian, and the two had turned up with her. Christian hands the medical bag over to Aurora and she approaches me. She pulls up a chair, then unrolls the towel I¡¯d wrapped around my hand and grimaces.¡± I¡¯ll need to stitch this.¡±


    ¡°Do it.¡± I turn my attention to where Christian is positioned by the doorway watching her. She cleans and disinfects the cuts. ¡°This will hurt,¡± She nces up at me. ¡°Do you want an anesthetic to numb the area before I-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I growl, ¡°just get on with it.¡±


    Christian shuffles his feet. I stare at him and he res back. Stronzo seems to have taken a shine to the fair doctor. At least, it seems to have taken his mind off of Xander. Xander¡­


    The band around my chest tightens. The needle digs into my skin and I wince. The doctor peers up at me, and I jerk my chin at her to continue stitching. She firms her jaw, focuses on the stitching once more.


    I sense Christian scowling at me, and I arch an eyebrow. He seems like he¡¯s about to say something, then firms his lips. He watches as she stitches me up. When she¡¯s done with her task, she cuts thest thread. She bandages my right hand, then begins to pack up her things.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°Try and keep it dry, and I am giving you a prescription for antibiotics to prevent any infections.¡± She hands over a sheet of paper, then rises to her feet. ¡°May I speak with Karma before I leave?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say in a hard voice, and she blinks.


    ¡°No?¡± She scowls, ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s not here.¡±


    ¡°Not here?¡± She searches my features, ¡°She¡¯s recovering from a serious ident, and she¡¯s not here? Where did she go? She should be resting, she-¡±


    ¡°Basta,¡± I raise my hand, then turn to Christian, ¡°get her out of here.¡±


    ¡°Get me out of here?¡± She firms her lips, ¡°I am not some piece of luggage that he owns, that you canmand him to move me around, you know.¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Christian drawls.


    She turns on him, ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± She scowls, ¡°If you think you have any im on me, you are sadly mistaken.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of me that you and your family are still alive, make no mistake,¡± Christian retorts.


    Her face pales. She draws in a breath as he walks over and snatches up her bag, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Doc.¡±


    She scowls at him, then back at me, ¡°Not until I am sure that Karma is safe.¡±


    I re at her, ¡°She¡¯s my wife. Of course, she¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your wife. That¡¯s why I am worried about her.¡±


    I rise to my feet and she takes a step back. She bumps into Christian, who reaches out to steady her. She pulls away from him, tucks her elbows into her sides and tips up her chin, ¡°What did you do to her?¡±


    ¡°I told you, woman. I didn¡¯t do anything to her. She¡¯s safe-much safer than she was here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    I drag my fingers through my hair, ¡°Look, she left for her own good. If she were here, she¡¯d only be a target for our rival ns, or whoever it is that was behind the st that blew up her car.¡±


    She swallows, ¡°You¡­you think they are going to target her again?¡±


    ¡°I have no doubt they are going to strike again, and as long as she was here with me, she would have been their focus.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you let her go?¡±


    ¡°I told her to leave because we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Done?¡±


    ¡°Our marriage is done, over, finito, kaput,¡± I slice my hand through the air, ¡°and that is all I am going to say about that particr topic.¡±


    She opens her mouth, then shuts it. ¡°How can I reach her?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my friend. I want to get in touch with her and make sure that she is safe.¡±


    ¡°If you reach out to her, you¡¯ll only draw attention to where she is. Do you understand that?¡±


    She blows out a breath, then wraps her arms around her waist, ¡°You were wrong to let her go.¡±


    Don¡¯t I know it? I jerk my chin at Christian and he grips her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Doc,¡± he says, his voice gentle. ¡°As soon as I get any word about her, I¡¯ll let you know.¡±


    She turns to him, ¡°Promise?¡±


    He nods. Their eyes meet, hold. A flush tinges her cheeks. She pulls away from him, then walks to the door, leaving him staring after her.


    Seb snorts, ¡°Go on then. You¡¯ve been called to heel, coglione.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Christian scowls at him, ¡°Shut the fuck up, testa di cazzo.¡±


    Sebughs and Christian turns to me, ¡°You¡¯d better know what you are doing, brother.¡± With ast re in Seb¡¯s direction, he follows Aurora out.


    I drag my fingers through my hair, then wince when a sh of pain slides up my arm. And this is from just a cut. How much pain was she in after what she had been through? Had I been wrong to break up with her in that fashion and send her on her way? It was for her own good, after all.


    So why is there a sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach? Why does my chest feel heavy? I¡¯m rubbing the skin above my heart when Seb¡¯s phone rings.


    He pulls it out, answers it, then turns to me. ¡°We have a suspect.¡±


    Half an hourter, I enter the basement that¡¯s two stories down in the house. Luca stands facing a man who¡¯s been strung up from the ceiling. Antonio walks out to stand guard by the basement door. Purely a precaution, as the staff have been forbidden froming down here, and the only woman who would have been nosy enough to find her way here is gone.


    I clench my fingers at my sides. Fuck, I have to stop thinking about her and get on with the job at hand. The sooner I can track down whoever was behind the explosion, the sooner I can try to earn her forgiveness. Which, given how she¡¯d left me, would be aplete miracle. What a bloody mess.


    I roll my shoulders and re at the man who watches me without any change in expression. He¡¯s in histe thirties, well built, dark-haired, and he meets my gaze. Interesting. None of my own men would have the courage to do that, which means he isn¡¯t from around here. I walk over to him, pause when I¡¯m a couple of feet away. ¡°You have something to tell me?¡± I ask.


    The man¡¯s features harden. He clears his throat, then spits. The glob of saliva narrowly misses me and falls to the ground between us.


    ¡°Figlio di puttana!¡± Luca growls as he lunges forward and ms his fist into the man¡¯s side. The stranger groans and sways. Luca hits him again and the sound of ribs cracking fills the space. The man gasps, and blood drips from his mouth.


    ¡°Enough,¡± I say mildly. ¡°Good to know your anger issues haven¡¯t diminished in the time you were away.¡±


    Luca steps back and shakes out his hand. ¡°Motherfucker, that hurts like a bitch.¡±


    I turn back to the man. ¡°You have something to tell me?¡±


    He res at me. Sweat pours down his face, and blood blotches stain his shirt. He lowers his chin and firms his lips.


    ¡°No?¡± I pull out my knife and the overhead light bounces off of it. He blinks, lowers his gaze to the knife, then back at me. I close the distance between us, until the smell of his fear envelops me. He nces at Luca, then back at me, but doesn¡¯t say a word.


    ¡°Last chance before I cut off your ear, or maybe your nose¡­ What do you say? You¡¯ll live, but look a lot like Voldemort. That might work for Halloween, but not sure you¡¯d be a hit with the women when you resemble He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, tu mi capisci?¡±He swallows, ncing around the room again.


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to save you.¡± I peer into his features, ¡°Start talking or I¡¯ll start cutting.¡±


    He presses his lips together. I sh the knife down the front of his face and he screams. Blood pours out from the cut on his cheek. His gaze widens until I can see the whites of his eyes.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he blubbers, ¡°wait, I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    I pause. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°It was the Kane Company.¡±


    ¡°The Kane Company?¡±


    He nods, ¡°I¡­ I owed them. And the man who approached me said if I rigged the car, my debts would be forgiven.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I thrust my face into his, ¡°Who asked you to do this? What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What did he look like?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the man gasps out, ¡°he¡­he wore a mask. I couldn¡¯t see his features.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I hold the knife to his neck and he stiffens. ¡°You¡¯re not helping me, asshole.¡± I dig the knife into his neck and blood drips from the cut.


    He swallows. ¡°Wait,¡± he pleads, ¡°please wait.¡± He licks his lips as he darts his gaze left, then right. I press the knife deeper and he wheezes, ¡°Stop, please.¡± He squeezes his eyes shut, ¡°I have a daughter. I can¡¯t leave her orphaned.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of your daughter.¡±


    He snaps his eyes open, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her.¡±


    ¡°Start speaking,¡± I growl. ¡°You have three minutes.¡±


    ¡°He was tall, as tall as you, and spoke with a British ent.¡±


    ¡°As does half the poption of Britain,¡± Luca snarls. ¡°Was he old, young? How did he walk? Any tattoos? Jewelry? Anything that stands out?¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± he freezes and nces into the distance, ¡°he had a tattoo of a flower that peeked out from under his sleeve.¡±


    Seb swears aloud, ¡°Fucking cani! I knew it was them. I knew it was a mistake to be working with them.¡±


    I hold up my hand and he falls silent. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I peer into the man¡¯s face. ¡°If you are lying¡­.¡± I let the words hang there.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he beseeches, ¡°I swear on my daughter, I am not.¡±


    I nod, then step back, ¡°You do realize, I can¡¯t let you go after this though.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± he begins to sob. ¡°Don¡¯t do this. I am all my daughter has.¡±


    ¡°All I can promise is that she will be taken care of.¡± I hesitate. If I had had a daughter, and if it were me about to die, would I regret the kind of life I had led? Given that I have lived by violence, am I bound to have a violent end? Is this how I would go too? At the hands of an enemy? Worried about my family¡­my wife and children, and wondering who would take care of them? Is there a way out of this for me? Do I want to leave this life of crime behind?


    ¡°Capo?¡± Seb murmurs and I tip up my chin. I swipe out my hand and bury my knife in the man¡¯s chest.

 106

    Karma


    ¡°Whiskey, please,¡± the man a few chairs down from me at the bar orders, ¡°Macan¡¯s reserve.¡±


    It¡¯s the same whiskey that my Capo favors. I nce down at my own drink. A ss of wine. I had arrived yesterday at the Four Seasons, checked in, and slept away most of the day. I¡¯d woken up, only to get myself a quick dinner and feed Andy-who had been provided with his own food and water bowls and a designated litter area in the corner of the vast bath. Guess that¡¯s what money can get you. The red carpet treatment, not only for you, but also for your pet.


    The man nces around and spots me. His face lights up with interest. His eyes gleam-brown eyes, interested gaze. ¡°Hello, you staying at the hotel too?¡± He nods toward me, and honestly, he seems all right. Not creepy or anything. Only I¡¯m not in the mood to strike up a conversation with a stranger, and certainly not, in a hotel bar. Not that I am in the mood for speaking with any man right now. Strike that¡­ Perhaps one man would fit the bill, one alphahole whom I want to strangle; one bastard whom I hate¡­and love¡­ Damn it, I am still in love with him. Enough to still wear the wedding ring he gave me. The man¡¯s gaze lowers to my left hand and his features close.


    Good. At least, it¡¯s serving some purpose, considering I hade this close to taking it off so many times since I had arrived in London. Massimo had flown me to the Capo¡¯s personal private ne in Rome. Initially, I had refused to board it, but he had persuaded me. He¡¯d told me this was the easiest and fastest way to get out of Italy. The ¡®fastest¡¯ part of it had done the trick. Not to mention, the fact that Andy could travel in rtivefort had helped.


    Massimo had produced a passport for Andy, and when I had thanked him, he¡¯d said it had been Michael who had seen to it. What the-? Had he been nning this for a while then? Before I coulde to grips with that thought, Massimo had handed me a check. Which I had refused¡­ And he¡¯d said, it was only right that I bepensated for what I had been through. That had pissed me off. I mean, could my time and emotions actually have a price put on them?


    Then, he had told me not to be stubborn. That I was going to need it to get back on my feet-which was true. He said I could put it toward my fashion designing business, to think of it as seed capital, and a loan which I could return to the Capo when I was up and running.


    In all honesty, I had wanted to refuse it. I didn¡¯t want anything to do with my husband¡¯s money, but Massimo had been insistent. He¡¯d told me to ept it, that I owed it to myself. After all, I had lost time, which I would have used to grow my business, and this waspensation for that.


    Well, the 100, 000 check was much more than what I would have made in the past month if I had focused on growing my business. But I had decided not to argue that point. Instead, I had torn up the check He hadn¡¯t been very surprised, which had surprised me, until he¡¯d said that Michael had warned him that this would be the probable response.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He¡¯d pulled out an envelope stuffed with money. I had stared at it, and he had insisted I take it. When I¡¯d refused, he¡¯d simply said that I¡¯d need it to feed Andy, if nothing else. And of course, he¡¯d been right.


    I¡¯d wondered, then, if this was the reason that Michael had given Andy to me¡­ As a means of manipting me¡­ But it couldn¡¯t be that, could it? Still, he¡¯d made sense, so I¡¯d epted the cash¡­ Also, I had run out of energy by then, wanting nothing more than to grab a drink-at least, I can drink now, so that¡¯s a silver lining, eh? -and crawl into some dark corner where I wouldn¡¯t have to think or do much.


    Then Massimo had sprung the third surprise. He¡¯d said there would be a car waiting for me in London and that it would take me to a t where I could live until I found one of my own. That¡­ I had vehemently refused. No way, was I going to stay in a ce owned by my husband. Not after what he¡¯d done to me. Asshole.


    If he thinks he can still try to control my life¡­even when he¡¯s not in it, he has another thinking. Why would he do that anyway, though? He¡¯s the one who wanted me out of his life, so why is he now concerned about me, huh?


    I had been firm on that point and Massimo had finally given up. He¡¯d left and I had boarded the ne. I¡¯d turned down the proso the stewardess had brought me, and instead, turned to vodka¡­ It had seemed like a drink I could drown myself in. I had managed to down a couple, then taken a brief nap on the short flight to London, where I had disembarked and walked out of the airport¡­


    And that¡¯s when the enormity of what I had done¡­of whaty ahead of me had hit me. I¡¯d wondered, then, if I should have epted that offer of a car ride and an apartment to rent, but no¡­ I¡¯d made the right choice. If I had ended up in an apartment that he owned, then I would have never been able to meet my own gaze in the mirror again, if I¡¯m being honest.


    Which is how I¡¯de to stay at the Four Seasons. I¡¯d woken up this morning and spent the day finding a t for myself and Andy. I could have phoned my sister and gone over and met her¡­ Only, I¡¯m not ready.


    Damn it. At some point, I am going to have to call her¡­ But not today. I still need some time toe to grips with everything that happened. Also, in all honesty, I can¡¯t bear to tell her that I¡¯ve been married, lost a child, and separated from my husband, all in the matter of a month.


    I swallow down another sip of wine, ignore the man who¡¯s still ncing at me from the corner of his eye. Maybe it had been a bad choice toe down to the bar on my own, but I couldn¡¯t stay in the room for another night on my own. Good thing I am moving out the day after Christmas though. I had managed to not only find a t, but with the money I had epted from Massimo, I had also paid an advance to secure the ce for the next three months. At least, it gives me enough time to figure out what I want to do next, you know?


    I ce my half-filled drink on the bar counter, then leave. I take the elevator up to my room and use my keycard to open the door. Andy greets me with a loud purring. I sink down to my knees to pet him, and that¡¯s when my phone rings.

 107

    Karma


    ¡°Aurora?¡± I stare at the woman whose face appears on the screen.


    ¡°Karma!¡± She smiles. ¡°How are you? Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in London.¡±


    ¡°London?¡± She frowns. ¡°What are you doing there?¡±


    ¡°This is my home, you know?¡± I retort. ¡°More to the point, how did you get to a phone?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± she nces to the side, then back at me, ¡°the phone is Christian¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Christian¡¯s, huh?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°Are you and he-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she says, horrified, ¡°of course, not. He, ah, came by to check how I was doing-¡±


    ¡°Did he now?¡± I smirk.


    She scowls. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. He just wants to be sure I don¡¯t escape or anything. He¡¯s responsible for me.¡±


    ¡°Responsible for you?¡±


    ¡°I mean, he¡¯s taken charge of me. I mean¡­¡± She throws up her hands, ¡°You¡¯re twisting my words all around the wrong way, and I wasn¡¯t calling about me, I was calling to find out how you are.¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± I sink down onto a chair near the window and Andy jumps onto myp. He meows, I pat him, and he stretches up to try and peer into the phone. Funny cat. He purrs at the screen.


    Auroraughs. ¡°Hey, Andy,¡± she calls to him, and he blinks at the screen. ¡°Whatcha doin¡¯, boy?¡± she coos.


    I blink, ¡°I thought you¡¯d speak to him in Italian.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s your cat,¡± she pushes out her chin in a very Italian gesture, ¡°so I see him as English.¡±


    Andy yawns, then leaps down onto the floor and flounces away.


    ¡°Guess he isn¡¯t impressed by our discussion,¡± Aurora chuckles.


    ¡°At least, he travelled well. I thought he¡¯d have trouble on the flight, but nope. We strapped his pet carrier to a seat for takeoff andnding and he was fine. He¡¯s also not had any problem adjusting to his new surroundings.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± She peruses my features, ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know.¡± I rise to my feet and begin to pace. ¡°I am still trying to adjust to everything.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± she murmurs. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything more until I dial in Cassandra.¡±


    ¡°Cassandra?¡± I frown. ¡°How did you-¡± Before I canplete my statement, Cassandra pops up in a window on the screen.


    ¡°Karma,¡± Cassandra exims, ¡°how are you?


    ¡°Not too bad,¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°Are you at the house?¡± Is he there? That¡¯s what I want to ask, but I don¡¯t.


    ¡°He¡¯s not here,¡± she says softly.


    ¡°Who?¡± I arch an eyebrow.


    ¡°You know who I am talking about.¡±


    ¡°If you mean the man who cheated on me-¡±


    ¡°Cheated on you?¡± Aurora bursts out. ¡°No, really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I hunch my shoulders. ¡°I walked in on him with another woman, and they were¡­ Let¡¯s just say, they were quite intimate.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Karma,¡± Aurora cries, ¡°I am so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± I flick my hair over my shoulder, ¡°what can I say? Guess I overestimated him, eh?¡±


    ¡°You sure he cheated on you?¡± Cassandra frowns. ¡°The Capo is not the kind of man who takes his promises lightly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ In this case, he broke his vows, all right.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I was there, remember?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Maybe you were mistaken?¡± Cassandra posits. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not what it seems?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been trying to convince myself of that? But not only was he engaged in the action of getting his dick sucked, but when I confronted him, he told me to leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Karma,¡± Cassandra bites her lips, ¡°I am so sorry. I wish things had worked out differently.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°But enough about me. What are the two of you up to?¡± I turn to Aurora, ¡°When are you going to tell Christian that you have a thing for him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a thing for him.¡±


    ¡°Ha, if the sparks between the two of you were any hotter, you¡¯d set the room on fire,¡± Cassandraughs.


    ¡°And you, girl,¡± I narrow my gaze on her, ¡°you and Adrian.¡±


    ¡°Wha-¡± She opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°Me and Adrian, what?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something there.¡± I waggle my eyebrows.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother denying it, missy, I¡¯ve seen how he follows you with his gaze when he thinks no one is looking, and how you steal nces at him on the sly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t steal nces at him,¡± she protests.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you do.¡± Auroraughs, ¡°I noticed it too.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± I crow, before redirecting my attention toward Aurora. ¡°So, when are the two of you getting on and doing something about it?¡±


    ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea, considering I am still the captive of the Mafia.¡±


    ¡°Some captive,¡± Cassandra says with a wicked gleam in her eyes. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen, you are getting the royal treatment. You have Christian hovering around you. Any excuse he has toe see you, he takes it. If ever there is a need for a doctor, and given these Mafia guys are constantly involved in some scrap or the other, there is a need a lot of times¡­ Guess who volunteers to go get you?¡±


    ¡°Suppose there¡¯s something to be said for having a doctor in the house huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s very convenient for them,¡± Aurora huffs. ¡°Guess it suits them to have me locked up in here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be too put out by it, you know?¡± I observe.


    ¡°What am I going to do, protest?¡± She scoffs, ¡°Like that will do any good. At least, I know that my family is taken care of.¡±


    ¡°How can you be sure of that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an unspoken promise among the Cosa Nostra,¡± Cassandra exins. ¡°If one of us is injured or dies in the line of duty, so to speak, then the family is taken care of.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± I blink, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    ¡°The Cosa Nostra takes care of their own,¡± Aurora says in a soft tone.


    ¡°Their influence within the city and themunity is all pervasive. They are linked into the police, the judiciary, and with the heads of Fortune 500panies.¡± Cassandra begins to pace the room she is in. ¡°And of course, they rule the underworld. It¡¯s why, if you have a problem with anything, you go to them.¡±


    ¡°With anything?¡± I frown. ¡°What do you mean, anything?¡±


    ¡°Meaning, anything.¡± Cassandra raises a shoulder, ¡°If you have a problem with your husband cheating on you, you go to the Cosa Nostra. If you have a problem with your business being in debt, you go to them. If you have a problem with the plumbing in your house, you go to them. Hell, if you have a problem with dog shit littering your street, you go to-¡±


    ¡°-them,¡± I finish her statement. ¡°Though I don¡¯t understand why. I mean, it seems so archaic. Like you guys live in some kind of feudal country.¡±


    ¡°We do, for all intents and purposes.¡± Sheughs. ¡°Remember, this is the country whose prime minister, at one point, owned the biggest mediapany in the country, effectively controlling the media itself, and who was responsible for some of the worst scandals we have seen.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°And the only organization who could stand up to him was-¡±


    ¡°-the Cosa Nostra?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Thanks for the history lesson,¡± I lower my chin to my chest. ¡°Still¡­not sure where I fit in with all of this.¡±


    ¡°You are one of us, Karma,¡± Aurora states. ¡°You are married to the Capo of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°The most-wanted man, internationally.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what?¡± I gape. ¡°I mean, I know he is not on the right side of thew¡­He is a¡­¡±


    ¡°Criminal?¡± Cassandra suggests.


    ¡°Most people would call him that, but here in this country, he is¡­second, only to the Don, in terms of the sway he holds over most people¡¯s lives.¡± Aurora seems to carefully watch my reaction.


    ¡°You make him sound like God or something.¡± Iugh nervously.


    ¡°Close.¡± Aurora nods.


    ¡°Jeez, if I had known all this before-hand-¡±


    ¡°-you wouldn¡¯t have married him?¡±


    ¡°Not like I actually had a choice.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair, ¡°You girls have given me a lot to think about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t realize all of this already, Karma?¡± Cassandra peers at me through the screen.


    ¡°I guess, I was aware subconsciously, but honestly, to hear it from the two of you¡­ Well, it kind of makes a bigger impact on me.¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡± Cassandra half smiles. ¡°Hope we didn¡¯t scare you with the conversation. We only wanted to make sure that you were okay.¡±


    ¡°I will be,¡± I say with more confidence than I feel.


    ¡°Stay in touch, eh?¡± Aurora smiles at me, ¡°Let us know what you n to do next.¡±


    ¡°I will, as soon as I figure things out myself.¡±


    We hang up and I walk over to the window and gaze down at the garden. What the hell am I doing here? Am I really going to have to spend Christmas Eve on my own? I ponder my options, then mind made up, I head out of the room.

 108

    Michael


    I nce at the sea in the distance. Clouds are rolling in, which is not unusual forte December. It¡¯s the day before Christmas and I am on my own. Not for long, as my brothers are going to arrive soon, as will Nonna.


    My Beauty may have left me, but the party she organized to celebrate Xander will go on. It feels only right to do so, considering she made all of the arrangements. I have to believe she¡¯d have wanted it to go on even though she is not here with me. Hell, I want the event to take ce so I can feel close to her. So I can finally try to put what happened to Xander behind me¡­ Not that I will ever be able to make peace with it. But mulling over it is self-defeating. I need to function at peak efficiency, to focus all of my efforts at taking down the Kane Company.


    Bastards are clever. Have to be careful in how I trap them and rein them in so I can have my revenge. Right after the Christmas event today.


    Do criminals take time off for Christmas too? I never have before, but this time¡­just for her¡­because she¡¯d have wanted me to if she were here¡­ For Beauty, I¡¯ll be present. For Xander, I¡¯ll be there to celebrate his life.


    I raise the ss of whiskey and sip from it. This is bullshit. Me on my own here. My wife in London. My brother dead¡­ Not to mention, the child I never had, the one whose absence I feel more keenly than before. Is it possible to miss something that you never had? The notion of a family, of a child I¡¯d hoped to hold in my arms. Maybe I had counted on it more than I had realized. Maybe, I had already foreseen a future for us. Maybe I had just not acknowledged it, and it took theck of a child, theck of her in my life, to bring it all to the fore. Pain shoots up my arm and I nce down. The skin over my knuckles is white and I force myself to loosen my grip. I bring the ss up to my lips, drain it and turn; just as Massimo walks onto the terrace.


    ¡°Fratellone,¡± he jerks his chin.


    ¡°How is she?¡± I snap.


    ¡°She?¡±


    ¡°You know who I am talking about.¡±


    ¡°Thest I saw of her, she was pissed at you. I don¡¯t think that has changed.¡±


    I scowl, ¡°Not asking your opinion on her state of mind. I mean, how is she physically? Is she safe?¡±


    ¡°As safe as she can be in a five-star hotel.¡±


    ¡°And there are guards posted around her, day and night?¡±


    ¡°There are people who have her in their line of sight, twenty-four-seven. If they move any closer, she¡¯ll trip over them.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    He stares at me steadily and I re at him, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, not asking your opinion,¡± I snap.


    ¡°I am going to give it to you anyway.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are.¡±


    ¡°Not sure why you think it¡¯s a good idea to pretend to break up with her, but-¡±


    ¡°Nothing pretend about it,¡± I insist.


    Heughs. The testa di cazzoughs.


    ¡°Vaffanculo,¡± I glower at him.


    He raises his hands, ¡°So you broke up with her, sent her on her way, and now you have people watching her. I fail to understand the logic in this.¡±


    ¡°The logic in what?¡± Seb walks in and nces down at my whiskey. ¡°You need a refill.¡±


    I hand the ss over to him and he stalks over to the bar. He snatches up a few more sses, then proceeds to fill them up.


    He walks over, hands a ss to Massimo and one to me. ¡°Salute,¡± he clinks the ss with both of ours. ¡°What were you talking about?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Just how the Capo is tying himself up in knots.¡± Massimo smirks.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t been the same since he fell in love.¡±


    ¡°Love,¡± Massimo shakes his head, ¡°it¡¯s been known to gut the fiercest of people. You¡¯d have thought il nostro fratellone, here, stood a chance, eh? Considering he¡¯s, on the face of it, at least, the toughest of all of us.¡±


    ¡°You know what they say, the stronger they are¡­the harder they fall.¡± Seb chuckles.


    Massimo rises his ss, ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡±


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I re at the two of them, ¡°Since when did my love life-¡±


    ¡°Or theck thereof,¡± Massimo points out.


    ¡°What-fucking-ever. Same thing-¡±


    ¡°Not.¡± Seb shakes his head. He turns to Massimo, ¡°Ever known the Capo to be this short of words.¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± Massimoments.


    ¡°He¡¯d best get used to this state of affairs, eh?¡±


    ¡°Basta,¡± I growl. ¡°Shut the fuck up, you two.¡±


    ¡°You losing your temper again?¡± Adrian stalks in, heads straight for the bar. He bypasses the already poured ss of whiskey, leans over and grabs a Macan thirty-year-old. He hefts it onto the counter and proceeds to open it.


    ¡°Thanks for checking in with me.¡± I try to infuse sarcasm into my voice and fail. Merda. I am growing soft, all right. Or maybe not, considering I killed a man in cold blood yesterday. I¡¯d hesitated, though, which had been a first for me. And now, I am unable to muster enough anger at my brothers and stepbrothers as they swarm all over my expensive liquor. I drain my ss and hold it out. Massimo grabs it from me, walks over to the bar and ces it on the counter. Adrian opens the bottle and tops me up, then Massimo¡¯s ss, then his own. He pours liquor into three more sses, then pauses.


    I stare at the sses. So do Massimo and Seb.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Christian walks onto the terrace. He bumps into the back of a chair, ¡°Oops!¡± he apologizes to no one in particr, then weaves over to the bar. He snatches up a ss of whiskey and sniffs it. ¡°This is ezionale.¡± He tosses it back, then ms the ss onto the counter. ¡°Top me up,¡± hemands Adrian, who hesitates.


    ¡°Come on, brother.¡± Christian hups, ¡°It¡¯s Christmas after all, and you know this is Xander¡¯s favorite festival. Even though the man¡¯s grown up, you¡¯d think he was a kid the way he looks forward to the festive season. It feeds his creativity, he says, and-¡± Christian¡¯s voice tapers off. ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls, ¡°fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± He grabs the bottle from Adrian, tops up his own ss. That¡¯s when he spots the two other sses. He freezes, then spinning around, carries the bottle and ss with him to a table in the far corner. He ps them both on the table, before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He lights one, blows out smoke.


    ¡°When did you start smoking?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t nag, fratellone,¡± he takes another puff of his cigarette.


    That¡¯s when Luca enters the terrace. He nces between us, his gaze cautious. ¡°I assume I have been invited to this?¡±


    I nod my head at the same time that Christian growls, ¡°Get the fuck out of here. You don¡¯t deserve to be here, fia di merda.¡±


    Luca doesn¡¯t respond. He marches over to the bar, snatches up the ss of whiskey. That¡¯s when he notices thest ss that¡¯s topped to the rim with the amber fluid.


    He pales. ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls as he keeps his gaze focused on the ss.


    I stalk over to stand next to him. Seb prowls over to nk me on the other side, with Massimo next to him. Adrian falls in line next to him. Christian draws in a breath. He stabs out his cigarette on the bar counter, stumbles across the terrace, andes to a halt next to Seb. Christian sways; Seb steadies him, but Christian pulls free. He fixes his gaze on that full ss on the counter.


    For a few seconds, all of us stare at the ss, then I raise mine. ¡°To Xander.¡± I swallow down the ball of emotion in my throat. ¡°Rest in peace, brother.¡±


    ¡°To Xander.¡± Seb raises his ss, ¡°I¡¯ll miss your easygoing nature, little brother.¡±


    ¡°And your humor,¡± Massimo jerks his chin, ¡°not that I understood all of your jokes.¡±


    The rest of us chuckle.


    ¡°You were way too much of a nerd¡­ But I¡¯ll still miss the jokes that I did not understand.¡± Massimo¡¯s lips kick up in the semnce of a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss how you always made everyone feel like you were giving them yourplete attention. You actually cared for others¡­¡± Adrian draws in a breath, ¡°unlike the rest of us reprobates, who swear by violence; you were the good one among us.¡±


    Luca goes still. He seems like he¡¯s about to say something, then shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he squeezes his eyes shut, ¡°I am so sorry. You had the best of us all-the most goodness, the most talent, the most warmth¡­ It should have been me, not you, fratellino.¡±


    ¡°It should have,¡± Christian says through gritted teeth. ¡°Why don¡¯t you fuck off and off yourself, eh? Why don¡¯t you leave and never return, you testa di cazzo!¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t agree.¡± The skin across his knuckles whitens as he squeezes his fingers around the ss. ¡°This asshole, here, is responsible for your child being killed. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve thought of that.¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± I snap. ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡±


    ¡°I am only saying what everyone is thinking,¡± he growls. ¡°This asshole is responsible for everything that happened. If he hadn¡¯t helped Karma leave, she¡¯d still be here and so would your child, and Xander would not be lying in a coffin six feet under and-¡± he draws in a breath and his features seem to crumple. He manages to get a hold of himself, only for a tear to run down his cheek. ¡°F-u-c-k,¡± he cries, ¡°fuck, this shit.¡± He tosses his drink back, turns to leave, but Luca grabs his shoulder.


    ¡°I am sorry, brother. I really am sorry for what I did. I swear, I had no idea it would turn out like this.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± Christian tries to pull away but Luca doesn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t. I messed things up, I know that, but I am here now, aren¡¯t I? I am going to help you guys take revenge on the Kane Company. This, I promise.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡± Christian swings, Luca ducks, and Christian¡¯s ss crashes to the floor as Luca wraps his arms around him. ¡°Let the fuck go of me, man.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Luca says in a hard voice, ¡°This family has been fractured enough. The rest of us need to stick together now. It¡¯s the only way we are going to survive.¡±


    ¡°And what if I don¡¯t want to survive?¡± Christian res at him, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to go on living? What if I-¡±


    Luca ps his face.


    ¡°What the-!¡± Christian gapes. ¡°How dare you?¡± He tries to headbutt Luca, whose still-full ss hits the floor and rolls away.


    Luca wraps his arms around Christian and holds him immobile. ¡°How dare you talk about dying, you asshole? If anything, Xander¡¯s death should have taught you how lucky you are; how lucky we all are to be alive. We love you, Christian, don¡¯t you get that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Adrian, nods. He moves around, throws his arms around the both of them. ¡°We need you with us, bro.¡±


    ¡°Totally,¡± Seb walks over to them and hugs the lot of them.


    Massimo heaves a sigh, ¡°Can¡¯t believe I am going to do this,¡± He tosses back his drink, nces around for somewhere to ce it. Then, still clutching the ss in his gigantic hand, he closes the distance to them, and enfolds his big arms around the group.


    He res at me over the heads of our brothers. I nce away, stalk over to the bar and ce the ss on the counter. I draw in a breath, square my shoulders, then turn and prowl over to the group where I wrap my arms around all of them.


    For a few seconds we stay that way, then Christian grumbles, ¡°Enough of this emo shit.¡±


    Instantly, I step back. So does Massimo, then Adrian, Seb, and Luca.


    Christian rubs the back of his neck. ¡°I need another fucking drink.¡±


    ¡°And I,¡± I roll my shoulders ¡°have something I need to do.¡±

 109

    Karma


    I stand at a distance from the penthouse, not far from Tower Bridge in London. The ce belongs to Dr. Weston Kincaid, one of the Seven, as they like to call themselves. Seven billionaires who co-own 7A, one of the leading financialpanies in the country. Weston is a friend of Sinir Sterling, another of the Seven. Sinir is married to my sister Summer. The one whose wedding I had attended before I had run into my Capo.


    I had gone to Summer and Sinir¡¯s townhouse on Primrose Hill, just as they had been leaving the house. I had grabbed a taxi and followed them here. I had jumped out of the cab and walked toward them as they had left their car and approached the entrance of the building. They had paused halfway and Sinir had hauled my sister close to him and kissed her¡­ Okay, he had practically devoured her face, if you want to know the truth. The heat between them had been palpable enough that my face had reddened. My toes had curled, and gah! That¡¯s wrong. This is my sister and brother-inw, for chrissakes! Still, the way they had been going at it, in the open¡­ It had reminded me of how it was with my Capo¡­ My cheating Capo-the asshole who¡¯d decided to have his dick sucked by another woman, making sure that you¡¯d see it, remember? Ahead, Sinir had finally released Summer, who¡¯dughed. She¡¯d reached up and rubbed the lipstick off of his mouth. ¡°Your friends are going to know what we have been up to.¡±


    ¡°Like I bloody care?¡± Sinir had snorted. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d rather have stayed home with you, but I couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to surprise the twat, Weston in his love nest.¡±


    That¡¯s when I¡¯d realized where they were going.


    ¡°You¡¯d have hated it if they had done the same to us.¡± She¡¯d giggled.


    ¡°All the more reason to spring the surprise on him.¡± He¡¯d smirked.


    Another car had driven up, and that¡¯s when I had fallen back. I had darted away behind a parked van. Then peeked around it in time to see Saint, another of the Seven, get out of the driver¡¯s seat. He¡¯d walked around to open the door to the passenger¡¯s side and Victoria had gotten out. Huh? I guess Victoria is with Saint now? What else have I missed in the time that I have been away?


    Clearly, the entire group is converging at Weston¡¯s. Of course, they are. It¡¯s Christmas, right? They want to be together to celebrate.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    I¡¯d peeked around the side of the van again and seen Summer moving forward to greet Victoria with a kiss. Guess my sister has found her tribe. Her people. Her husband¡­


    And me? Shit, I¡¯d had it all¡­and lost it¡­ I tten my palm against my stomach and tears slide down my cheeks. I have to stop breaking down at the least provocation. I can¡¯t go through life always thinking of what I could have had. I need to focus on the now, on what I still have. Myself¡­ My health¡­ And I still have my new friends, Aurora and Cassandra¡­who know what I have been through. And I have Andy, of course.


    I wipe away my tears, nce around the van just as another car draws up. Jace and his wife Sienna, both friends of Sinir, step out. Then Jace reaches into the back seat, and a few minutester, emerges with a baby carrier.


    The group exchanges greetings, the women kiss, they coo over the baby, then all of them enter the building. I take a step forward, then stop. If I go in there now, I¡¯ll have to confront all of them, and honestly, that¡¯s thest thing I want to do right now. Guess I¡¯ll just have to find another time.


    I hunch my shoulders, turn away and begin walking down the road. The hair on the back of my neck rises. I nce around. What the hell caused that feeling? Am I being watched? I look up and down the road. The sensation fades and I start walking again. I reach the end of the road, nce around for a cab, but can¡¯t see any. I hear a noise behind me and stiffen. My heart begins to race; my pulse pounds at my temples. Shit, where¡¯s a taxi when you need it, eh? I increase my speed and head for the tube station that I remember passing on my way here. Footsteps sound behind me, and I break into a run. I race down the street, turn another corner and see the entrance to the tube station ahead. Thank god! My breathes in huffs as I run toward it. I am almost there when someone grabs my shoulder.


    ¡°No,¡± I yell as I try to pull free, ¡°let me go. Now!¡±


    ¡°Beauty?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± I struggle wildly, ¡°don¡¯t fuckinge near me.¡±


    ¡°Language, Beauty.¡±


    I blink, then pause. I am turned around and find myself staring at a broad chest, d in a in white T-shirt that outlines the sculpted nes. A ck jacket that has seen better days clings to his broad shoulders. The dark, masculine scent that could only belong to one man envelops my senses. I swallow, refuse to look up. He notches his knuckles under my chin and applies pressure. I tilt my chin up and meet his cold blue gaze.


    ¡°You?¡± I whisper. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came to see you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I try to pull away, but his grip tightens. ¡°You told me to leave, remember?¡±


    ¡°And I came after you.¡±


    ¡°You cheated on me.¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°I only pretended to.¡±


    ¡°A likely story,¡± I snap. ¡°I was there, buster. I saw you, remember?¡±


    ¡°You thought you saw her going down on me-¡± I wince and his jaw hardens. ¡°The mind can y tricks on you, so you think you see what you expect to see.¡±


    ¡°Your pants were unzipped.¡±


    ¡°I had my boxers on.¡±


    ¡°I saw her bob her head.¡±


    ¡°Larissa¡¯s a good actress.¡±


    ¡°Larissa!¡± I spit out. ¡°That woman again? You let her touch you? You let her put her hands on you again?¡±


    He frowns, ¡°She doesn¡¯t mean anything to me.¡±


    ¡°You wrapped her hair around your fingers and pretended you enjoyed what she was doing to you.¡±


    ¡°I did what I thought was right.¡±


    ¡°Well, this is me doing what I think is right, too.¡± I try to knee him in the groin but he swerves. My knee brushes against his hard thigh instead and I stumble. His grip tightens. He pulls me toward him so I fall against his chest.


    ¡°Listen to me, Beauty,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that you¡­you asshole.¡±


    ¡°Beauty,¡± his voice lowers to a hush, ¡°just give me a chance to exin.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I had a reason for what I did.¡±


    ¡°Nothing you say can justify what you did to me.¡±


    ¡°I did it to save your life.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± I scoff, ¡°That¡¯s how men justify getting away with dipping their dicks in other vaginas.¡±


    ¡°The only vagina I want to dip my dick in is yours.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°How can I make you believe it?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I can, and I will.¡± He hauls me to him and my breasts tten against his chest. ¡°I sent you away because I needed the word to spread that we had separated.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh, sure.¡± I turn my head so I don¡¯t have to gaze into his eyes. If I do, I¡¯ll be lost. Asshole will use his charm, his ability to influence me to get me to do what he wants.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see? After what happened, after almost losing you¡­ And our child. After losing my brother, I couldn¡¯t¡­risk anything else happening to you.¡±


    My pulse rate ratchets up and my ribcage tightens. I try to draw in a breath and my throat burns. My head spins and flickers of ck dot the edges of my vision. To think, I went through the car st and the surgery without iting to light, only for my heart to act up now. Of course, no-one in Italy had ess to my medical records, and unless I had revealed it, the doctors would not have had any way to know. Still¡­ This is so not the time for my ailment to make itself known. Sweat beads my forehead and a ck hole opens up where my heart should be.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He scowls down at me, ¡°What¡¯s happening, Beauty?¡±


    I shake my head, try to regte my breathing. In-out-in, I will my heartbeat to slow down, for my pulse to stop hammering in my wrists.


    ¡°Karma?¡± He cups my face and turns me to face him, ¡°Talk to me, baby. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Y¡­yes,¡± I cough.


    His features pale. ¡°Cazzo, you¡¯re definitely not okay.¡±


    I sway and he makes an angry noise at the back of his throat. He scoops me up in his arms and I p my hand against his shoulder.


    ¡°Put me down.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He turns, walks back the way we came.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I nce up the street. ¡°Why are you going this way?¡±


    ¡°I am taking you to my car.¡± He walks faster.


    At least, we are not on the same street as Weston¡¯s penthouse. So, there¡¯s less of a chance of running into my sister or any of the Seven. He reaches a ck Maserati-of course, it¡¯s a Maserati that he¡¯s driving, even in London-and unlocks it. He opens the passenger door, slides me onto the seat, then leans over me. He buckles my seatbelt and his big body dwarfs mine for a few seconds. The scent of him intensifies, my core clenches, and my mouth waters. Then he moves back and I sag against the seat. I wipe my damp palms on my thighs and try to fight the weakness that grips my limbs. I draw in another deep breath and my nostrils flood with the dark, edgy scent that is so very Mika. My toes curl, even as my heart refuses to let up its relentless hammering. Shit, shit, shit. Even stuck in the middle of these heart palpitations, I can¡¯t stop myself from being aroused.


    Apparently, being away from him has only made the yearning I feel for him so much worse. He walks around to take his ce behind the wheel. He starts the car, eases it onto the road. There¡¯s silence as he drives forward.


    I close my eyes, focus on my breathing, on willing my muscles to rx, on bringing the trembling in my arms and legs under control. My body slowly responds, and by the time I feel like myself again, a good ten minutes must have passed. I finally open my eyes, take in the familiar surroundings of Park Lane. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I turn to him.


    ¡°To your hotel.¡±


    ¡°To my hotel?¡± I frown. ¡°You know where I am staying?¡± I shake my head, ¡°Of course, you know where I am staying.¡±


    We don¡¯t speak for a few more seconds, then I burst out, ¡°Why did youe after me, Michael?¡±


    ¡°Because I had to.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± I wrap my arms around my waist, ¡°you asked me to leave, then not even forty-eight hours pass, and you turn up after me.¡± I rake my fingers though my hair, ¡°I mean, this is just¡­crazy.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°This entire, borate, set-up-you breaking up with me-¡±


    ¡°Pretending to break up with you.¡±


    ¡°Then putting me on your ne and getting me out of there, only to follow me.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t intended toe,¡± he says in a low voice, ¡°but I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°That was apliment,¡± a thread of humor runs through his words.


    I shoot him a sideways nce, ¡°I still don¡¯t believe that you fabricated that entire scene.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you do.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I turn to him, ¡°Care to exin yourself?¡±


    ¡°In your heart of hearts, you knew that I wasn¡¯t capable of cheating on you.¡±


    I scoff, ¡°I am not a mind reader.¡±


    ¡°You know me Beauty. You know how much I care for you.¡±


    ¡°If you did, you would have taken me into your confidence and exined your ns. But you didn¡¯t.¡±


    He stays quiet.


    ¡°If you did actually consider me your wife-¡±


    ¡°Which I do.¡±


    ¡°If you considered me your partner, you¡¯d treat me as your equal. You¡¯d share your ns with me¡­not¡­ Pull that stupid shit like you did¡­ where you upset me so much that I leave you.¡±


    ¡°I needed it to look authentic.¡±


    ¡°To whom? The only people there were you, me and¡­¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink rapidly. ¡°OH! You mean Larissa¡­ She¡­¡±


    ¡°Is enough of a gossip that, by now, all of Palermo knows that my wife has left me.¡±


    I think for a minute. ¡°But if you were pretending, she knows that too.¡±


    ¡°As far as she knows, I just wanted her to pretend so that you would leave. I implied there might be room for her after you were gone, but¡­¡± he shrugs.


    ¡°Hmmm. Do they know that you¡¯vee after me?¡±


    He shoots me a nce and I raise my hands. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m only asking. I mean, you took the ne-¡±


    ¡°A private ne.¡±


    ¡°Landed in London, and now you are driving around in this Maserati-¡±


    ¡°I cleared immigration through a private channel, whose agents are sworn to secrecy, and do you know how many Maseratis are in London?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that, while it¡¯s not my favorite city, god knows the Brits are too uptight for me, still, one advantage of being here is that it¡¯s difficult to track anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you with your bodyguard and your brothers¡­ You guys draw attention wherever you go¡­¡± my voice trails off. ¡°So, you ditched your bodyguard?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°Do your brothers know where you are?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°So, they don¡¯t know you are here, either?¡±


    He continues to focus on the road and I turn on him, ¡°Michael, is that wise? You here on your own, without any security?¡±


    ¡°You worried about me?¡±


    I snort, ¡°Not that you can¡¯t take care of yourself, but I am told that you are an international fugitive, so¡­¡±

 110

    He shoots me a nce, ¡°How did you find out about that?¡±


    When I stay quiet, he frowns, ¡°Who have you been talking to?¡±


    ¡°No one.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a good liar.¡± He scowls as he navigates the road, ¡°Was it one of the women? Cassandra? Did she tell you?¡±


    ¡°You leave her out of this, okay?¡±


    He nces at me again, ¡°I am not going to hurt her. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you at all, Michael.¡±


    He smirks, and my cheeks heat. ¡°I mean, I know you in that way¡­ But as for how your mind works or what motivates you¡­ Well, I am only slowlying to grips with that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rathere to grips with you.¡±


    ¡°If you think you can simply barge back into my life and into my bed, think again.¡±


    His features soften, ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on that, Karma. I merely wanted to see you. It¡¯s Christmas, and I missed my wife. I wanted to be with you.¡±


    ¡°So, you hopped a flight-¡±


    ¡°I flew the ne.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you did.¡± I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Is there anything this man can¡¯t do? ¡°You flew the ne, and tracked me down-Shit!¡± I p my forehead, ¡°The stupid tracker. Of course, you tracked me down. You knew exactly where I was all this time.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t reply.


    Damn it¡­ Somehow, the fact that he had tagged me, so all he had to do was literally look at a screen and find me¡­ Makes everything somewhat less than what it should be.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± he asks softly.


    When I don¡¯t reply, he shoots me a sideways nce, ¡°I know you hate the fact that I could find you so easily¡­¡±


    I don¡¯t reply and his jaw tics. A pulse res to life at his temple and he seems like he¡¯s about to m on the brakes and tell me off, but he doesn¡¯t. Instead, he turns the corner and the hotel looms in front of us. He eases into a slot at the entrance, then shuts off the engine. He reaches behind his seat, grabs a duffel bag, then gets out. He slings the bag across his chest, then walks around, to open my door. I slide out, then brush past him and head for the hotel entrance. Behind me, I hear him speaking to the valet who agrees to park the car and deposit the key with the concierge.


    We enter the elevator, and damn him, but his size dwarfs the space. ¡°If you think you are staying the night, you have another thinking.¡±


    ¡°Ask me to stay,¡± he growls.


    ¡°That¡¯s never happening.¡± I swipe my hair over my shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s with the get up anyway?¡±


    ¡°Get up?¡±


    ¡°The jeans and jacket and boots thingy you have happening?¡±


    He nces down at himself, then back at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong with it.¡± It¡¯s perfect, actually. That entire mussed-up, sexy look he has going on is bloody hot. It makes me want to throw myself at him and wrap my legs around his waist. ¡°If you think that¡¯s going to help you blend in with the crowds, you thought wrong.¡±


    ¡°I was trying to dress down, yes,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°was trying for a casual look, I suppose.¡±


    Only, he¡¯d never blend into a crowd. Hell, my Capo will always stand head and shoulders above anyone else. He¡¯ll alwaysmand attention, always suck up the oxygen in any room that he walks into. He¡¯ll always be a leader, and no matter how much he tries to disguise that part of himself, it won¡¯t work.


    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t try so hard,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°Next time, don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± I snort, ¡°I am not lying.


    ¡°You are.¡±


    I shrug, turn away, and he makes a sound deep in his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t look away when I am talking to you,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°A-n-d there he is.¡± I throw up my hands, ¡°If you think you going all macho on me is supposed to make me all hot and bothered, you are wrong.¡±


    He closes the distance between us so quickly that I yelp. He backs me up into the wall, then ps his hand on the stop button. The elevator jolts to a halt and I gasp.


    ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡± I squeak.


    ¡°You may deny that you still have feelings for me, but your body says otherwise.¡±


    ¡°It¡­it¡­ Doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± His lips twist and my pussy spasms. He thrusts his face into mine, holds my gaze as he raises his hand and pushes away a lock of hair that has fallen over my eyebrow. I shudder and his mouth curves. The tenderness in his touch is so at odds with how intense his gaze is that moistureces my panties. His nostrils re, and I swear, the man knows exactly how turned on I am. He drags his finger down the side of my throat and I shiver. He reaches my breast, circles one taut nipple. The hair on my forearms rises. He continues the journey until he reaches the waistband of my jeans. A moan bleeds from me. He slides his hand between my legs and cups my pussy. ¡°If I cram my fingers inside your pussy, will I find you wet and needy and aching for my cock, Beauty?¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head.


    Heughs. ¡°Liar.¡±


    He stays there, holding my gaze, the heat from hisrge palm sinking through the crotch of my jeans, through my panties. My belly clenches and the flesh between my thighs throbs, yearns¡­for more, so much more. I jerk my pelvis forward, wanting to feel him squeeze my throbbing core, and his smile bes a full-blown grin.


    ¡°I rest my case.¡± He raises his hand as he pushes his face into mine, his mouth positioned just over mine, his eyshes entangled with mine, and I pant. Please, please, please. I close my eyelids. The next moment, the heat of his body moves away, and the elevator jerks as it starts its journey upward. I snap my eyes open to find him leaning against the opposite wall.


    ¡°Asshole,¡± I say in a low voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s alphahole to you, darling wife.¡± He smirks, and goddam him, why does he have to look so goddam hot when he¡¯s being all antagonistic to me? I open my mouth to tell him off, and that¡¯s when the elevator dings. The door opens and he beckons me to exit first.


    Jerk.


    I exit the elevator and he follows me to my room. I open the door, and with a loud meow, Andy immediately brushes past me.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, cat!¡±


    I sense him bend down to pick up Andy. By the time I drop my keys on the table and turn, he has Andy nestled against his chest. The cat purrs and snuggles in. Lucky cat. I frown as he pets the animal, then carries him inside the suite. He nces around therge space, then walks over to Andy¡¯s basket. He ces the cat down and Andy settles in. Michael straightens, then stretches. The jacket pulls across his shoulders as he raises his arms above his head. His T-shirt lifts and I catch a glimpse of that t stomach. It would be rock hard, if I touched his belly. I wouldn¡¯t be able to make out an ounce of fat. And if I touched the space between his legs, that part would be even harder. And long and thick and fat and-


    ¡°Beauty?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I nce up in time to see him smirk. ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can I use your bath? I¡¯d like a shower.¡±


    ¡°A shower?¡± I ask with suspicion, ¡°You want to take a shower?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been on the road for more than half a day; I just wanted to freshen up.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± I purse my lips and he holds up his hand.


    ¡°Just a shower; that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°No hanky-panky from you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Hanky-panky?¡± He chuckles, ¡°You¡¯re adorable, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I huff, ¡°go take your shower, but be quick about it.¡±


    ¡°Will youe in and check in on me if I am gone too long?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± I scowl, ¡°See? This is what I mean. No innuendos, no sexy smirking, no-¡±


    ¡°You think my smirk is sexy?¡± He smirks at me again and my stomach flip-flops. My pussy flutters.


    Argh! What¡¯s wrong with me? So, he¡¯s my husband and I know exactly how his muscles feel under my fingers, and yeah, he¡¯s the hottest man I¡¯ve ever met¡­ But he also kidnapped me, married me against my will, tagged me, then pretended to have his dick sucked off by someone else¡­ All so he could try to protect me¡­ Or so he says. And he did cross countries to see you; now, you don¡¯t have to be lonely on Christmas. I jerk my chin toward the door of the bathroom, ¡°Ten minutes.¡±

 111

    Michael


    Ten minutes, and five secondster, I walk out with a towel around my waist. If she thinks she can order me around, she has another thinking. I walk over to where I¡¯d dumped my duffel on a chair and pull out a pair of sweatpants.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she protests, ¡°don¡¯t get toofortable. You¡¯re leaving, you-¡±


    I turn around, whip my towel off and she opens and shuts her mouth and I suppress a smirk.


    ¡°Wha¡­what¡­¡± She lowers her gaze to my crotch, and her breathing quickens. Her chest rises and falls, and the almost imperceptible motion of her thighs signals that she¡¯s squeezing them together.


    ¡°You were saying-¡±


    ¡°I was-¡± she clears her throat, ¡°I was¡­¡± She swallows, licks her lips. ¡°I¡­ah¡­ I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I was going to wear my sweatpants, but if you¡¯d rather I not-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you not-¡± She scowls, ¡°I mean, don¡¯t wear your sweatpants. I mean¡­¡± Color suffuses her cheeks. She raises her hand, seems like she is about to speak, then pivots and heads for the bathroom.


    I chuckle. ¡°You sure about that?¡± I call after her as she ms the bathroom door behind her. I turn back to survey the contents of my duffle bag. This is a temporary reprieve. And it had been an underhanded move, maybe, to drop my towel¡­ But hey, it had been a surefire way to grab her attention. Don¡¯t judge. I pull on my pair of sweats.


    By the time she returns, having scrubbed her face clean and wearing a nightshirt that I recognize as one that I bought for her, I am settled on one side of the bed. I take in the hem of the shirt, which hits somewhere above her knees, revealing a portion of her creamy thighs, her calves, her tiny feet with toenails painted-ck, of course-and the blood rushes to my groin. Santa-Maria, those toes of hers. I¡¯d love to suck on them, run my tongue between them and down across the sole of her foot, over the arch and down to her heel, before I retrace my steps and nip on her toes again. She digs her toes into the carpet, then clears her throat.


    I nce up as she stomps over to me, then dumps my jeans and T-shirt on my chest. ¡°You left your clothes all over the bathroom floor.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, honey.¡± I smirk as I pull out my secure phone-the only reason I carry it is because not even the FBI should be able to break into it, at least, in theory. Ideally, I shouldn¡¯t be carrying a phone at all. It does make me more vulnerable to being tracked, but I have to stay in touch with my brothers.


    I wasn¡¯t lying when I told her I had slipped into the country without informing anyone, but at least, my brothers know how to get in touch with me. Also, the security detail I have on Karma is sure to have seen me, so it¡¯s not like I ampletely unprotected.


    When I check my phone, there¡¯s a message from Seb asking me to let him know when I decide to head back and that they¡¯ll be holding down the business in my absence. Goddam!


    I drag my fingers through my hair. Had I been that transparent to them about where I was headed? I could have sworn I hadn¡¯t mentioned anything to them. Then again, I guess it wouldn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to figure out where I could have disappeared to. Guess my brothers know me too well.


    I put my phone aside as she scoffs, ¡°If you think acting all nice and domestic is going to make me take you back, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°Hey, only being myself, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Argh.¡± She throws up her hands and stomps around the bed to the other side. She slips under the covers, then turns over on her side facing away from me.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    I turn off themp, and bend my arm behind my head. For a few seconds, there¡¯s only the sound of us breathing. Then she wriggles around, making herselffortable.


    ¡°How are you feeling now?¡± I murmur. ¡°No pain or anything?¡±


    She draws in a breath and the silence stretches. I am almost sure she isn¡¯t going to answer me when she sighs. ¡°I am okay. I guess, I am surprised at myself as to how fast I¡¯ve recovered. I was lucky, I suppose, that I wasn¡¯t hurt more.¡±


    I curl my fingers into fists. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have been hurt at all,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°If I could do anything to go back and prevent what happened-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up over what happened, Michael¡­ It¡¯s just one of those things that we need to move on from.¡±


    ¡°Have you moved on from it yet?¡±


    I sense, rather than see her shake her head.


    ¡°Me neither,¡± I murmur. ¡°I wanted to take you out somewhere nice for dinner, but it¡¯s Christmas Eve, and everything is closed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She moves around, tugs the sheets in her direction, then quietens.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d have spent the evening with your sister and her new husband?¡±


    She blows out a breath, ¡°I thought about it¡­ Even went to their house, then I changed my mind.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she halfughs. ¡°Don¡¯t know why I am telling you this because I don¡¯t really see you as my friend right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am your husband, your dom, and your master¡­ Certainly not, your friend.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± She switches on themp and sits up. ¡°You¡¯re going to pull that line on me, now?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think you¡¯d try to grovel, at least a little, if you wanted to get into my good graces.¡±


    I smirk, ¡°Why should I grovel when I have something far more lethal that you¡¯d prefer?¡±


    She narrows her gaze on me, ¡°Do I even want to know what that is?¡±


    I hold up my fingers and wiggle them, ¡°How about these?¡±


    Her gaze falls to my fingers and her eyes widen.


    ¡°Or this?¡± I drag my tongue across my lips. Her breathing grows ragged.


    ¡°Or¡­¡± I slide my hand under the sheet and down my sweatpants, ¡°this?¡± I grip my cock, and despite the sheet over my crotch, it¡¯s clear what I am up to.


    She swallows, the sound audible in the silence.


    ¡°You have a preference, polina?¡±


    Her gaze is fixed on the movements visible through the sheet. Her chest rises and falls, she licks her lips, and the blood drains to my groin. My dick lengthens and I swipe my fingers around my thickness and drag them up the length. A growl rumbles up my chest and she shivers.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She clears her throat, ¡°Are you touching yourself?¡±


    ¡°Would you rather touch me instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she draws in a breath, ¡°I¡­I¡¯d rather that we go to sleep.¡± She tears her gaze away, turns on her side, facing away from me.


    I continue to drag my fingers up my shaft, and again. A groan rumbles up my chest, and she wriggles around on her side of the bed. I throw off my cover, shove my sweatpants down, then begin to jerk myself off in earnest. Not what I had nned, damn it. I hade here simply to spend time with her. I couldn¡¯t keep away, and I hadn¡¯t really thought if it meant that I was going to fuck her¡­ But considering everything she¡¯s been through, I wasn¡¯t going to do that¡­ Not unless she asked me to¡­ But just being near her is enough for my dick to swell, my balls to throb, and my groin to harden and knot until I have to relieve myself. So what, if it means I am lying next to her in bed, wanking off.


    Che cazzo! Get a grip on yourself, stronzo. I squeeze my shaft tighter-exactly what I am doing¡­not what I meant¡­but no matter. If this is the only way of getting off¡­then so be it.


    I increase my pace, squeeze my dick from base to crown, again and again. My shaft thickens and my balls harden as the sound of flesh hitting flesh fills the space. The tension at the base of my spine coils, the blood pounds at my temples, and a bead of sweat crawls down my spine. I throw my head back as I squeeze my cock and yank on it again and again. The pressure in my groin increases and I groan as my balls draw up. That¡¯s when she throws off the sheet and crawls over to me.

 112

    Karma


    I had tried to go to sleep. I swear, I had shut my eyes and tried to forget that he was lying in bed next to me, dressed in nothing but that pair of low-hung, grey sweatpants. Argh! Why did he have to wear grey sweatpants? I mean, it¡¯s good that he wore them, rather than not wearing anything¡­ Like when he had dropped that towel. OMG¡­ I had seen his perfect arse followed by that full-frontal view of him, his thick cock which had stood to attention the crown leaking precum, and that vein that ran up the underside of his length, and my heart had almost stopped.


    Not that I haven¡¯t seen him naked, but it has been a while since I¡¯ve seen all of him, every single inch of his gloriously-sculpted form showcased in the light from themp on the bedstead¡­and¡­ I¡¯d almost sunk to my knees and crawled over to him, and raised myself until I was at eye level with him, and opened my mouth and taken him down my throat, and sucked him off. I had barely managed to tear my gaze off of his gorgeous cock and stagger to the bathroom to wash up. So, when he¡¯d begun to get himself off and the wet sound of flesh hitting flesh had filled the space¡­ My pussy had mped down so hard, I¡¯d had to stuff my knuckles in my mouth to stop myself from moaning aloud.


    I had resisted. I swear, I had tried so hard to resist, had tried to shut out the sounds as he¡¯d dragged his fingers up his shaft, and increased the pace with which he¡¯d fucked his own palm. I¡¯d tried to squeeze my eyelids closed and my thighs together, and tried to pretend that it didn¡¯t matter that he had thrown off the covers and was now beating himself off and was so close toing¡­ But when he¡¯d gasped and I¡¯d known that he was almost there, I hadn¡¯t been able to stop myself. My mouth had watered, my fingers had tingled, and in something resembling a dream or a trance¡­ I find myself crawling over to him.


    I swing my leg over his thigh, then nestle between his legs, and he nces up as I wrap my fingers over and around his. He pauses mid-motion and I hold his gaze as I lower my head to his crotch. Without breaking the connection between our eyes, I lick the head of his cock.


    His jaw tics and a pulse leaps to life at his temple. The blue in his eyes deepens until it¡¯s almost ck in color. I have never seen him this turned on¡­ This¡­almost beside himself with desire. I close my mouth around the tip of his cock and a growl rumbles up his chest. He pulls his hand out from under mine, folds his palms behind his neck and leans back. The expanse of his chest stretches out in front of me. Acres of cut nes, of sculpted muscle and hewn flesh that ripple as he res down at me.


    ¡°Suck me off,¡± he growls and I swallow. The suction on his dick has the muscles under his skin jumping. His biceps twitch, his nostrils re, and he fixes his gaze on my mouth, watches as I swirl my tongue around the head of his shaft. His chest rises and falls, his scowl deepens, and I bob my head. I open my mouth, swallow down on his length, and he groans. I pull back, until my mouth is once more fitted around the crown of his length. He thrusts his pelvis forward, chasing the suction that only I can provide, and I can¡¯t stop my lips from curling. I lick around the circumference of the head, then drag my tongue down the length of his shaft and his shoulders flex. His gaze intensifies, he sets his jaw, and a bead of sweat slides down his temple. I lower my head and take his cock in my mouth and he hisses.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls and I hold his gaze as I swallow. Color flushes his cheeks. The next moment he leans forward, wraps my hair around his fingers. ¡°You little tease,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°Are you wet yet, Beauty? Is your pussy mping down, imagining my fat cock is inside of you? Stretching you, thrusting into you, cramming your hole as I squeeze your ass cheeks, and driving up and into you, hitting that ce deep inside of you that only I know, that only I can reach every time I fuck you¡­ Are you empty and needy and straining for my fingers in your asshole as I tear into your swollen channel?¡±


    The moan vibrates up my throat and his shoulders go solid. He wraps the fingers of his free hand around my neck as he begins to fuck my mouth in earnest. He pulls my head forward and I choke. Tears slide down from the corners of my eyes, saliva drools from my mouth, and his gaze intensifies. ¡°Do you know how it is to feel my cock down your throat?¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°Do you know what it does to me to see you all messed up as you swallow around my shaft, Beauty?¡±


    I press my tongue against the column of his thickness and his features contort. ¡°F-u-c-k, Beauty, you are killing me.¡± He pulls me up until the crown of his dick is poised between my lips, then thrusts me down so his cock impales my throat. I swallow and his jaw tics. He continues the movement, down-up-down, and again. His chest muscles bunch, his shoulders flex, his jaw hardens, and I know he¡¯s close again. I grip his thighs as he pulls me up, then thrusts me down so I take him down my throat again. His stomach muscles ripple and he throws his head back.


    ¡°Fuck, I aming,¡± he growls as his hips jerk and he shoots his load. His cum fills my mouth and I swallow, and yet, he keepsing. Drops dribble down my chin, onto his thigh, sshing on my chest. He pulls out, and at the same time, he hauls me up and locks his mouth over mine. He thrusts his tongue in between my lips and I can taste his cum, and his lips, and that essence that is so dark and so him, and my pussy clenches. I moan deep in my throat and it¡¯s like a signal, for he flips me under him.


    He settles between my thighs, then deepens the kiss as his still turgid cock stabs into my lower belly. I knot my arms around his neck as he continues to kiss me and suck on my tongue, before he licks my lower lip. He breaks the kiss, only to kiss my chin, nibble his way down my throat. He grips the bottom of my sleep shirt, pushes it up so its above my breasts. He squeezes my tits together then bites down on one nipple. I yelp, then moan when he licks the engorged flesh, then repeats the action with the other. He blows on the flesh and I shiver. He works his way down to kiss my belly button, then kisses the flesh between the waistband of my panties and my navel.


    ¡°How do you feel down there? Are you still sore?¡± He gazes up at me, ¡°Are you, Beauty?¡±


    I shake my head and he holds my gaze. He pushes aside the gusset of my panties, then lowers his chin to my center. Without taking his gaze off of mine, he licks my clit. A whine bleeds from my lips. His lips curve up and he drags his tongue between my pussy lips. I shiver, then bury my fingers in his hair as I try to coax him down to the opening of my channel. He swipes his tongue down the length of my core, then up to my clit again. A shiver runs up my spine, as he wraps his fingers around the tops of my thighs and pries them apart, his touch still gentle as he buries his nose in my core.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I moan as he presses his lips to my throbbing clit. ¡°Oh, my god, Mika.¡± I lean my head back as he licks his way down my pussy, then up again and again. He doesn¡¯t thrust his tongue inside my channel though. I jerk my pelvis forward, chasing the intrusion I need-that rough tongue of his as he licks inside me, the thickness of his fingers as he stretches me, the hardness of his dick as he crams it into me¡­ And it would hurt¡­ Not gonna lie, but I want that hurt. I need it, I need¡­ ¡°You, Mika, I need you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to hurt you, babe,¡± he murmurs, his breath hot against my tender flesh. ¡°Don¡¯t want you to feel sore again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I insist, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    He scowls up at me, ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    I hesitate and he tilts his head, ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t make youe.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I blink, ¡°I¡­¡± I gasp as he buries his face in my pussy again and closes his mouth around the flesh. With his tongue, he strums my pussy lips, with the roughness of his whiskered jaw, he scrapes the tender flesh, with his teeth, he bites down on my clit, and I explode. The climax vibrates out from my center, gathering speed as it roars toward my extremities. My arms and legs tremble, my entire body shudders as I try to close my thighs and end up capturing his head between them. I release his head, grab hold of the headboard behind me as he thrusts his tongue inside my channel. He curves his tongue and the orgasm continues to explode deep inside of me. The moisture gushes out from between my thighs and heps it up. He licks my pussy lips, and my clit again and again, as if he can¡¯t get enough. I sense him move up my body and open my eyes to find his face in front of mine. He presses his lips to mine, and ourbined essences fills my pte.


    The taste of him, the scent of him, the heat of him overwhelms me. I press myself closer to him as my eyelids flutter down.


    When I awaken, the room is dark. I try to move, but a weight around my waist pins me down. I try to turn and realize that Michael is holding me close, his chest pressed to my back, his leg flung over me. The man gives off so much heat that even though the cover is thrown off, sweat beads my brow. I wriggle my butt into him so I can turn, and a thick column stabs into the valley between my arse cheeks. ¡°Oh.¡± I freeze. I draw in a breath, another, then push my butt back again and the thickness hardens. I bite the inside of my cheek, manage to wriggle my hand free from under his arm. I try to turn my torso and his grip tightens. He pushes his pelvis forward so everyst ridge of his dick is imprinted into the curve of my hip. My pussy spasms, my nipples harden, and moistureces my core. I gulp, wriggle my backside again, and this time, his cock seems to stab through the thin material of my underwear. I begin to move my butt against the column. Back and forth, back and forth. That¡¯s when he shoves me onto my front.

 113

    Karma


    ¡°What the,¡± I protest, ¡°what are you doing, Michael?¡±


    ¡°You started this, Beauty.¡± He lowers his face so his cheek is pressed into mine. ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t notice you wriggling your little tush against my cock.¡± He presses said cock into the curve of my hips and I can¡¯t stop the moan that wheezes out.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I whisper. ¡°Oh, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how much it turns me on to hear my name from your lips?¡±


    I swallow, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to wake you up.¡±


    ¡°Liar,¡± he murmurs without heat as he licks the shell of my ear. He sucks the earlobe and I feel the tug all the way to my core. My pussy clenches and I dig my fingers into the bedspread. ¡°Mika, please,¡± I implore. ¡°Please, Mika.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what you want, Beauty,¡± He flicks his tongue inside my ear and goosebumps pop on my skin. Who¡¯d have thought that could be so sexy, him licking, nibbling, biting down on my earlobe and every part of my being responding to that action. I wriggle under him and he ps my butt. ¡°Stop that.¡±


    ¡°Wha-¡± I splutter, ¡°what was that for?¡±


    ¡°For causing me so much distress that I had to fly across three countries to see you.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I scowl, ¡°I am not the one who put on that stupid show then asked me to leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    He kisses the side of my temple and I blink. ¡°You apologized?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been known to do that,¡± I sense him smirk, ¡°on asion. Just don¡¯t get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Like I would dare?¡± I peer up at him from the corner of my eyes. ¡°Are you going to use your monster dick, or what?¡±


    He pauses, thenughs. The rich sound fills the space, and my heart stutters. It bloody stutters. Will I ever get used to this man¡¯s maism, his sheer charisma, his preening, the force of his personality, his allure that draws me to him constantly, until I am sure I¡¯ll never be able to live separately from him? Tears prick the backs of my eyes and I blink them away. Or I think I do, but his gaze narrows. He bends, licks up the lone tear that has escaped from the corner of my eye. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he murmurs, and I shake my head.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie,¡± he admonishes me. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I scowl back.


    ¡°It¡¯s something that when I am stered to you, you are crying.¡± He pulls away, ¡°Is it me or-?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I protest. ¡°No,e back.¡±


    He chuckles, ¡°You¡¯re fucking adorable, wife.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I mumble, ¡°what-bloody-ever.¡±


    ¡°Love it when you talk dirty, babe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for fuck¡¯s sake,¡± I push up and into him, only to be met by that thick hardness between his legs which, on its own, is enough to pin me down. ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Thought you wanted me to use my monster cock on you?¡±


    ¡°Well, are you?¡±


    He sobers, ¡°I¡¯m still not sure if you are fully healed, baby.¡±


    My heart melts a little. Fuck, all he has to do is call me baby, and I¡¯ll throw myself at his feet panting. Hell, I¡¯ll throw myself at him anyway, as I have been doing since practically the first time I met him. I squeeze my thighs together, and scowl up at him. ¡°I really am fine, promise.¡±


    ¡°I am not convinced.¡±


    ¡°The doctor said it was okay to start having sex when I felt ready.¡±


    ¡°And do you feel ready?¡±


    ¡°I told you I do.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He pats the curve of my arse and my belly flip-flops.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Given you¡¯re so horny, and since I don¡¯t feelfortable shoving my monster shaft inside your pussy-¡±


    ¡°Y-e-s,¡± I frown, ¡°what is it you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    ¡°We could, of course, satisfy ourselves with sex of the non-prative kind-¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°I want to feel you inside of me, Mika.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± His eyes gleam, ¡°There is, of course, another way for me to be inside of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°OH!¡± I swallow, ¡°You mean?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°You mean you want toe in by the backdoor, again?¡±


    He stares at me, then throws his head back andughs, a full bellyugh.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I grumble as I try to wriggle out from under him and he merely leans more weight on me, so I can barely move. ¡°Let me move, you oaf.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why are youughing like a hyena?¡±


    ¡°Because you are so fucking cute.¡±


    ¡°Argh,¡± I growl, ¡°I hate it when you use that bloody ¡®c¡¯ word.¡±


    ¡°What do you say, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°I have to admit that the thought of you putting the python between your legs in my arse again doesn¡¯t exactly fill me with joy.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t hear youining about it thest time.¡± He smirks.


    I redden, ¡°That¡­ that was different.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± He leans in close enough for our breaths to mingle, ¡°How was it different?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°I don¡¯t know, it was just different.¡±


    He stares at me and I raise my shoulders, ¡°It was in the heat of the moment, okay? That first time, at your fake funeral, I figured I might as well do it because it would please you.¡±


    ¡°So, it didn¡¯t please you?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°It¡­ it did.¡± I try to shift my body, but again, I¡¯m pinned in ce. ¡°It was a bit painful, at first, but then, you know, once I got into the uh, swing of things, it actually did entuate the pleasure,¡± I admit. ¡°And then, of course, there was that second time at your ce¡­¡± I nce at him, then away.


    ¡°And,¡± he prompts me, ¡°how was that for you, Beauty?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­¡± I shake my head. ¡°It was when you took me against the wall of your room,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°And?¡± He nuzzles at my temple, ¡°Do you remember what I did to you then?¡±


    I draw in a breath, ¡°You¡­¡± I clear my throat, ¡°you pounded into me so hard that I felt you all the way down to the tips of my toes. You breached me with such force that I was sure that you were going to split me in two. It¡­ it was¡­¡±


    ¡°It was?¡± He peers into my face. ¡°Complete the sentence,¡± he insists when I hesitate.


    ¡°It was intense and filthy and indecent and yet,¡± I swallow, ¡°there was something deeply satisfying about it. Like we weremunicating on a different level. Like we were arguing without words. Like our bodies were straining to push away, and yet also,e closer. It felt like we were fighting more than fucking. It was¡­¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°it was the most erotic experience of my life, okay?¡± Heat flushes my cheeks, and I am sure that I am blushing even more.


    ¡°Only,¡± he searches my gaze, ¡°you still have doubts about doing it again.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face.¡±


    ¡°And when did you be so good at reading my mind?¡±


    He tilts his head and I blow out a breath, ¡°Yes, okay, I admit, I am still not a big fan of anal sex.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry if you weren¡¯tpletelyfortable with it earlier, which is why¡­¡± He releases me, then rolls off of me and pads over to his duffel bag. He squats and rummages around, then straightens. He turns to walk over to me and I take in the three packages he holds. One is a small square and another is rectangr in shape. Both have ribbons tied around them. The third one is not wrapped and he sets it down on the side table.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I turn over, then sit up. ¡°You bought gifts?¡±


    ¡°For you, and for that beast,¡± he nods toward the sleeping cat. He hands the rectangr one over to me. ¡°That¡¯s for Andy,¡± he adds. I pull off the cover, then open the box and pull out a plush toy in the form of a mouse.


    ¡°You bought him a cat toy.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Apparently, I did.¡± He shakes his head.


    ¡°Aww,¡± I coo, ¡°sooo sweet.¡±


    He grimaces, ¡°You make me sound like I¡¯ve lost my mind.¡±


    ¡°Or found your heart.¡±


    His features tense. ¡°No emo shit, okay?¡±


    ¡°Can I kiss you to show my gratitude?¡±


    ¡°You can kiss my cock, instead, and I would be most grateful.¡±


    I huff, ¡°Do you always have to equate everything with sex?¡±


    ¡°Is there any other way?¡±


    I nod toward the other package, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°That-¡± he hands it over to me, ¡°is for you.¡±


    I tear off the wrapping, then stare at the square velvet box. ¡°Oh,¡± I swallow, ¡°what is it?¡±


    ¡°Open it.¡±


    I pull off the top, then stare at the short, ribbed column which tapers on one side, before broadening out, then narrows into a notch before it res out into a heart shape. A tiny ck stone is set into the center of the heart around which is set a circle of red stones. I stare at it, ¡°Is that a¡­?¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°That is a¡­¡±


    ¡°A butt plug,¡± he supplies helpfully, then picks it up and hands it to me, ¡°for you.¡±


    ¡°For me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to make the entire experience of our fucking even more pleasurable.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I swallow. I nce from the sparkling plug thingy to his face, then back at it. ¡°You sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Very,¡± he promises me. ¡°I promise you that it¡¯ll make your orgasms even more intense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Iugh, ¡°they¡¯ve been plenty intense with you already.¡±


    ¡°This will make it even better for you, baby.¡± He leans over and presses a kiss to my temple, then to my cheek, then to the corner of my lips, ¡°Go on. Let me put it in.¡±


    ¡°You really want this, eh?¡±


    ¡°I want to imprint myself on every part of you. Own every cell of your body. Rub my cum into every inch of your skin. Kiss every curve, every finger, every toe, every piece of your flesh, so you never forget who you belong to.¡±


    I gulp.


    ¡°I want to own every inch of you, Beauty,¡± he peers into my eyes. ¡°All of you.¡± He ces his lips over mine, ¡°Only you. Just as you own me,pletely.¡±


    My toes curl and my pussy clenches. I squeeze my thighs together, already wanting him inside me, in me, filling every hole in my body, goddamn! I draw in a breath, then ce the velvet box on the side table. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He kisses me hard and heat flushes my skin. He takes the jeweled plug from me, then presses on my shoulder and I turn over on my front.


    He sweeps my hair aside and presses a kiss to the nape of my neck and I shiver. He kisses his way down my spine and I swoon. OMG, I almost swoon as he presses his lips to the hollow of my back. He peels back my panties, kisses the curve of my arse, then yanks down my underwear until it¡¯s just above my knees. He reaches over and I turn my head to find him flipping open the third box. He extracts a bottle of lube, and pours out a little of the liquid in his palm. He warms it between his hands, then leans over me again. He kisses first one arse cheek, then the other, then slides his finger inside my backhole.

 114

    Karma


    Too much, too thick. His fat digit stretches my butthole. I huff, try to pull away and he ttens his palm on the small of my back. ¡°Rx,¡± he murmurs as I clench down on his finger. ¡°Draw in a breath,¡± he instructs me.


    I do.


    ¡°Now hold it.¡±


    I hold the breath in my lungs.


    ¡°Now release,¡± he exhales and so I do.


    He guides me through the next few breaths and at the end of it, to my surprise, I find that my muscles have, indeed, rxed. I exhale again and his finger slips inside. ¡°Oh,¡± I gasp as he allows me to adjust to the intrusion.


    He leans down and presses another kiss to the nape of my neck, ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Y¡­yeah,¡± I swallow.


    ¡°How does it feel?¡±


    ¡°It feels¡­strange¡­ And yet, it also feels, weirdly, good.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he nips the curve of where my shoulder meets my neck and heat tugs at my lower belly. He curves his finger inside of me and tendrils of sensation crawl up my spine. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out. He pulls out his finger, slides it back in, repeats the action until it feels much more normal.


    The next time he withdraws his finger, he reces it with something cold, metallic. Oh, I clench down and he bends to ce his cheek next to mine. ¡°Trust me, Bellezza,¡± he murmurs. ¡°You do trust me, right?¡±


    ¡°I..¡± I swallow, then nod. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡± And I mean it. Despite everything that has happened, despite the fact that he had staged that scene which had almost shattered my heart, despite the fact that our entire rtionship had started in the most unorthodox of terms¡­ I do trust him. More than anybody else.


    ¡°Beauty?¡± He nuzzles the space behind my ear. ¡°Eyes on me.¡± He pinches my chin, turns my head toward him. I raise my gaze to his and he nips on my lower lip. I open my mouth and he swoops in. He slides the butt plug in past the tight ring of my sphincter at the same time.


    ¡°Oh,¡± the breath whooshes out of me and he inhales it. He sucks on my tongue, kisses me with such passion, such intensity, that my head spins. I lean into him, try to tten myself against him, but already, he is moving back. ¡°Wha-?¡± I open my eyes to find him sliding off of the bed. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I turn my head in his direction as he holds out his hand, ¡°Come on, we have to leave.¡±


    ¡°We¡­do?¡±


    He nods. ¡°I may have risked being detected bying to this country, but I don¡¯t take unnecessary chances.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    He wiggles his fingers and I automatically reach for them. He grabs my hand, tugs me up and off the bed. I stand before him, tip my chin up, ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    Half an hourter, I stare out of the window of the ne. Below me is a void of darkness which I have been told is the sea. Michael had barely allowed me to get dressed as he¡¯d coaxed Andy into the pet carrier. I¡¯d packed fast, and then he¡¯d ferried me out of the room, down a private elevator, to a side entrance where his Maserati had been waiting. He¡¯d driven us through the almost empty streets, to a private airport in the heart of the city. The same airport at which I had arrived. To the same ne that had dropped me off, or at least it seemed like the same one. Do all luxury private aircrafts look the same? The interior had seemed the same but the crew was different.


    After takeoff, I had let Andy out of the carrier. He had retreated to a corner of the cabin and hadn¡¯t been particrly happy. That was, until the steward had fussed over him. Turned out, Michael had also sprung for afortable cat-cave like bed for him, and Andy had been somewhat mollified when he¡¯d discovered it.


    Meanwhile, Michael had guided me to a seat near the window and taken the one next to me.


    I¡¯ve just dozed off when something buzzes right between my legs. I yelp, then realize the source is the butt plug which is still firmly wedged in my back entrance. I turn to find Michael watching me with a smirk.


    ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡± I stutter. ¡°More to the point, how are you doing it?¡±


    He holds out his palm, uncurls his fingers, and I spot the little remote control. He presses down on the button on the remote and the thing in my backhole vibrates again. My thighs quiver and my pussy spasms. The vibrations seem to go on and on, and by the end of it, I am gasping. Heat flushes my cheeks and a bead of sweat slides down my spine.


    He smirks, then lean in to kiss me. ¡°Happy Christmas and Happy Birthday,¡± he whispers as he tucks an errant strand of hair behind my ear.


    ¡°How did you know it¡¯s my birthday?¡±


    ¡°I know everything about you, p,¡± He brushes his lips over mine. Then, the asshole leans back in his seat and closes his eyes. Letting me stew in my own juices¡­ Literally. I clench my thighs together, try to block out the gnawing ache that res between my legs, and turn to nce out of the window.


    The cabin is silent, and I take in the dawn breaking over the horizon. The pinks bleed out across the skies, darkening into blues and golds as the sun rises. I nce below to see the waves stretching out before me, and in the distance, I sightnd.


    Next to me, he stirs. Then heat envelops me as he leans in to peer over my shoulder. ¡°Almost there.¡± His dark voice rumbles up his chest. My nerve-endings instantly re to life. Goosebumps pop on my skin and I shiver. ¡°You cold?¡± he nuzzles the hair at my temple and I shake my head. ¡°Here,¡± I turn to find him shrugging out of his leather jacket.


    I slide it on, and have just finished zipping it up when the stewardes over with Andy back in his traveling case. She ces Andy in the seat opposite us and secures the seatbelt over the case.


    Within minutes, we have begun our descent. I nce down to find the flight circling what appears to be a small ind.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink as the pilot brings the flight over the water and onto anding strip that seems to be surrounded by water. The flightes to a halt, and Michael unsnaps his seatbelt and rises to his feet. He helps me up, then grabs Andy¡¯s traveling case. He swings his duffel bag over one shoulder, snatches up my suitcase in the other hand and heads out. I follow him down the steps and up the path that leads away from the airstrip. We have barely made it behind the trees that line the space, when the ne¡¯s engine revs up. I turn to find it taxiing up the runway, then turning around to take off.


    ¡°The ne¡¯s leaving,¡± I remark.


    When he doesn¡¯t respond, I increase my pace to catch up with him, ¡°Is there another way off of the ind?¡±


    ¡°I do have a motorboat in the boathouse and a jetty, in case of contingency; but yeah, outside of that, there¡¯s no other way off of the ind. If anyone approaches the ind, either by ne or by boat, I¡¯ll hear them.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I open and shut my mouth. ¡°Guess this is as safe as it gets?¡±


    He jerks his chin and I follow him up a path that leads another half a mile upward before we reach a teau that looks out over a beach that abuts the sea. There, in the middle of the space, is a two-story, Greek-style bungalow. The walls are white-washed, and the cube-shaped building¡¯s smooth-edged corners lend a sense of space and freedom to the structure. The sun shines down on us, bathing the entire area in a golden glow. A bead of sweat trickles down my temple and I unzip his jacket.


    ¡°Where are we, anyway?¡± I nce around the space, ¡°It¡¯s much warmer than London.¡±


    ¡°I should hope so,¡± heughs. ¡°We are on an ind off the coast of Malta that has its own microclimate.¡±


    ¡°Microclimate?¡±


    He nods, ¡°We are about two and a half hours away from London, but as you can see, the weather here is infinitely better.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a big fan of London, huh?¡±


    He raises his shoulder, ¡°It has its charms.¡±


    ¡°But you prefer Sicily?¡±


    ¡°For the food, absolutely. For the weather, normally, except when it gets too hot at the peak of summer. That¡¯s when I normally escape here.¡±


    ¡°On your own?¡±


    ¡°Mostly; I¡¯ve had my brothers over on a few asions.¡±


    ¡°And girlfriends?¡± I force the words out, ¡°Have you brought them over as well?¡±


    ¡°And if I have?¡± I can¡¯t see his face, but hell, if I don¡¯t hear the smirk in that voice of his.


    I pause and he walks forward for a few seconds before he pauses. He ces my suitcase and Andy¡¯s case on the ground, then turns to nce at me over his shoulder, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°So, you have brought women here before?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t not brought them here.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± I nt my hands on my hips, ¡°Michael Byron Domenico Sovrano, if you¡¯re taking me to your love nest, then I have absolutely no interest in going there.¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not,¡± I sniff, ¡°and you haven¡¯t answered the question.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought¡­¡± he walks over to me, ¡°no other woman here before.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek.


    He pauses in front of me, then notches his knuckle under my chin. He peers down into my features, ¡°You are the first woman to have set foot on this ind.¡±


    ¡°Not even Nonna hase here?¡±


    Heughs, ¡°Nonna hates traveling. She hasn¡¯t left Sicily in, maybe, twenty years.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I murmur, ¡°okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± his lips kick up, ¡°now, can we go inside?¡±

 115

    Karma


    The inside, as it turns out, is not exactly the rough-and-ready holiday getaway bungalow I had envisioned. From the exterior, the ce is whitewashed, and the lines are that of a structure that had been built to blend in with the ind¡¯s surroundings.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Inside¡­ Well¡­ I follow him through the wide doorway and take in therge space. One entire wall is made of ss, beyond which, is the beach, and then an uninterrupted view of the sea. Facing it is arge sectional in the center of which is a coffee table. A firece is set into one wall. Diagonally opposite is a kitchen separated from the main area by a breakfast bar. In the other corner is a dining table with four chairs. He walks past the kitchen and down the short corridor into a bedroom¡­. which is also massive. High ceilings, one wall made of ss through which the same uninterrupted view of the sea spreads out before us. A king-sized bed is set against a wall. I assume the double doors opposite the bed lead to the ensuite. Another set of double doors must lead into a closet.


    He ces Andy¡¯s pet carrier down next to arge cushion in the form of a cave.


    ¡°The litter box is in the bathroom,¡± he murmurs.


    I walk over, open the door to the carrier and coax Andy out. He mewls and I carry him in my arms. I cuddle him as Michael carries the bags inside. I walk into the bathroom, ce Andy down near the litter box and allow him to get acquainted with it. Then walk out and across the bedroom to therge ss wall to take in the view. I hear his footsteps approach.


    The next second, he wraps an arm about my shoulders, pulls me back to rest against his chest. He tugs my head under his chin, and for a few seconds, we stand there admiring the view.


    ¡°So, this is the kind of privacy money can buy, eh?¡±


    ¡°Or notoriety.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± I tip my chin up, ¡°that is the first time I¡¯ve heard you refer to your profession honestly.¡±


    ¡°I am on the wrong side of thew; I was born with that knowledge. It¡¯s who I am.¡±


    The band around my chest tightens. I am not sure why, but hearing him put that out there so baldly¡­sends a shiver of apprehension down my spine. Not that I didn¡¯t know about his vocation¡­ I mean, from the very first time we met, it was clear that he wasn¡¯t an ordinary,w-abiding citizen. It¡¯s just, maybe somewhere, I¡¯d held onto the hope that he might change. And yet¡­ It¡¯s the darkness within him, that edginess, that cloak of danger that clings to him that you find so attractive.¡±I can hear you thinking, Bellezza.¡± His grip around me tightens, ¡°Want to tell me what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    I turn to face him, ¡°I was thinking of the cat cave.¡±


    ¡°The cat cave?¡±


    I jerk my chin toward the cushion shaped like a cave, which I know Andy is going to love. ¡°You got that for Andy?¡±


    His features smoothen out, ¡°And if I did?¡±


    ¡°So, you were that sure I was going toe with you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I can be persuasive.¡±


    ¡°And you had enough time to have someonee in and ce the cat cave here?¡±


    ¡°And ce the litterbox in the bathroom, as well as make sure there¡¯s enough food tost us for, at least, a week.¡±


    ¡°A week?¡± I blink.


    ¡°If not more.¡±


    ¡°Guess even mob bosses take time off over Christmas and New Year, eh?¡±


    ¡°Not usually,¡± he smirks. ¡°But this year I¡¯ve asked my men to spend time with their families, so yes, things will be quiet.¡±


    ¡°How convenient for you.¡± I brush past him and walk over to the cat cushion, just as Andy pads out of the bathroom. He prances over to the cat cave then jumps onto the cushion. He tips his head up and mewls at me. I scowl at him as Michael walks over to me.


    ¡°Not sure why you are angry, but I think the beast needs to be fed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not sure why I am angry?¡± I straighten, ¡°And I am sure your minions ensured the ce is stocked with cat food.¡±


    ¡°I did tell them to make sure to do so, yes,¡± he admits.


    I turn on him, ¡°Well, don¡¯t let me keep you from whatever it is you normally do when youe to your uppity ind retreat.¡± I stalk off in the direction of the kitchen. I know I am being unreasonable, but really, the fact that he could fit me so neatly into his schedule rankles a little bit¡­ Okay, a lot. Also, I don¡¯t want to admit it, but the fact that he¡¯s been so thoughtful about making sure that Andy is taken care of¡­ It paints him in a favorable light¡­which I am not happy about. He could try a little harder to be unlikeable, right? It doesn¡¯t help that he¡¯s decided to sweep me off to an ind for some time off. An ind that I am dying to explore. Gah!


    I reach the kitchen, yank open the nearest shelf. Spices. This one is packed with spices. I p it shut, pull open the next one. Dried pasta, loaves of bread, risotto rice, other packs of products with Italian names that I am not familiar with. I m it shut, open the next one. This has pots and pans. The next one has tes and mugs. I yank open the drawer below it and find cutlery. ¡°Argh!¡± I step back, survey the room. ¡°Where the hell have you hidden it?¡±


    He pulls open the door of the shelf closest to him, then reaches in and extracts a pack. I flounce over and grab it from him. ncing around, I spy the bowls set out for food and water on the window ledge. ¡°Of course, you¡¯d even have his name engraved on the bowls, right?¡±


    I stomp over to it, pour out the food, top up the water bowl. Before I can turn to call for Andy, the bloody cat pads over to me. He leaps onto the ledge andps up the water. I watch him to make sure he¡¯s happy to eat the cat food, then turn, brush past Michael and back to the bedroom.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s presumptuous that you thought I¡¯d share the bedroom with you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my wife; of course, you¡¯ll share my bed.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°You will.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You do.¡±


    I throw up my arms and turn on him, ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I snap. ¡°What would you do? Tie me to the bed until I agree to cooperate?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± He tilts his head, ¡°But I have a far simpler method.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He slides his hand inside his pocket. The next moment, the plug between my arse cheeks vibrates.

 116

    Michael


    I press down on the button of the remote control and she stiffens.


    ¡°What the-¡± she gapes. ¡°You¡­ I¡­ Ahhhh!¡±


    She looks about ready to strangle me and I smirk. I hadn¡¯t meant to, but¡­it had been the easiest way to shut her up. Not that I don¡¯t find the fact that she¡¯s having a meltdown attractive. Hell, I love every mood of hers¡­ None more so than when she¡¯s angry enough that her green eyes dart sparks at me and color fills her cheeks. But when I slid my hand in my pocket, my fingers brushed over the button, and I couldn¡¯t resist. I simply wanted to see what her reaction would be.


    And I am not disappointed when she sputters, ¡°How¡­how dare you? That¡¯s so underhanded of you.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± I allow my smile to widen and she nts her hands on her hips.


    ¡°Argh, you are so damn annoying.¡±


    ¡°Admit it. You like it, though.¡±


    ¡°The only thing I admit is that I am going to take that goddam butt plug out right now.¡± She pivots, marches toward the door.


    I call out, ¡°Stop, Beauty.¡±


    She holds up her middle finger as she reaches the door, and I press down on the button again. And keep it pressed. She gasps, stiffens, then clutches the frame of the doorway.


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± she moans. ¡°Oh, god.¡± She squeezes her thighs together, presses her cheek against the wooden frame.


    I turn a dial to increase the intensity. Instantly, she rises up on her tiptoes, throws up her hand, and grips the door. ¡°Jesus,¡± she huffs, ¡°this¡­this thing is-¡±


    ¡°Turning you on?¡± I reach for her, grasp her shoulder and turn her around.


    Her breathes in short gasps, her chest rises and falls, sweat beads her upper lip, and she swallows. I turn the button further to the right and she groans, thrusts out her luscious breasts.


    If I move the jacket-my jacket, that she¡¯s wearing-out of the way, I am sure I¡¯ll see her pebbled nipples. The blood rushes to my groin, and fuck, if my balls don¡¯t throb.


    I turn the button even more, as far as it will go, and she throws back her head. ¡°Oh, bloody hell,¡± she groans as she bites down on her lower lip. She throws out her hand, as if looking for support, and I grab it. I release my hold on the button and she slumps. I catch her around the waist, then throw her over my shoulder. She half protests and I p her butt. Which must send vibrations through her aching backhole, for she moans again.


    She wriggles around and I squeeze her butt. She chafes her thighs tighter, and fuck, the scent of her arousal seeps into the air. My vision tunnels. My blood begins to thud in my veins. I increase my pace until I am half jogging toward my bedroom.


    I reach my bed and lower her to the mattress. She sprawls on her back, dark hair spread out about her shoulders, cheeks flushed, pupils dted until there¡¯s only a circle of green around her pupils. I rake my gaze down her chest, her narrow waist, her generous hips and thighs, those tiny feet d in the sneakers she¡¯d worn when she¡¯d left my home in Palermo. I sink down to my knees, untie her shoes and pull them off, then her socks.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she mumbles.


    ¡°Making you morefortable.¡± I smirk as I rise up to my feet. I tear off my own shoes and socks, then nk my body over hers. ¡°You¡¯re fucking gorgeous, Beauty.¡±


    She swallows as she stares up into my face. I lean down, brush my lips over hers once, twice, thrice. A moan bleeds from her lips and she flutters her eyelids shut. I press kisses over each eyelid, then to her nose, to her chin. To the hollow at the base of her throat. I inhale that moonflower scent of hers, and my balls harden. An urgency grips me.


    I lean back on my knees, grab her hands and haul her up. She blinks as I divest her of the jacket, then unbutton her shirt and pull it off. I nce down at herce bra and the dark nipples that are visible through it. I lower my head and kiss her in the valley between her tits. She shudders, and the drumbeat of her heartbeat against her ribcage ratchets up. I pull back, then reach behind her to unhook her bra. It falls down her shoulders and I pull it down her arms and fling it aside. She stares at me, holds my gaze as she thrusts out her breasts proudly.


    ¡°Minchia,¡± I growl, ¡°you¡¯re a fucking goddess.¡±


    Her cheeks heat as she nces away, then back at me. I reach for the waistband of her jeans, unhook the button and pull down the fly. I step back onto the floor, pull her up to her feet. Then roll her jeans down her thighs, along with her panties as I drop to my knees. She steps out of them and I throw them aside. Then nce up to find her gaze on me. Her lips are parted, her elbows tucked into her sides as she watches me from under hooded eyelids.


    I grip the tops of her thighs, pull her close as I reach in and bury my nose in her pussy. The scent of her, sweet and sexy and fucking erotic, fills my senses. I draw her essence into my lungs, until it feels like it¡¯s invading every pore in my body. I thought I¡¯d wanted to imprint myself on her, but the fact is, she¡¯s already stamped her impression onto every part of me. I¡¯ll never be the same, never be able to go back to being the emotionless, focused, tunnel-visioned man who¡¯d only wanted one thing. Power.


    With her, I feel vulnerable, yet alive¡­ I felt like I can experience the highs of life¡­and the lows¡­ She made me real, human¡­ She makes me feel. It won¡¯t help me to do my job better. To be emotional is the beginning of the end for any made man. It has caused the downfall of too many of them to count¡­ And yet¡­ It feels right. Being with her feels right. It feels like the only thing worth living for. What is this life if I can¡¯t open myself to her, allow her to see what she does to me, allow her to invade my secrets, to see my weaknesses. To strip myself bare as I¡¯ve stripped her.


    I rise to my feet, reach for the back of my T-shirt and pull it off. She stares at my chest, drags her gaze down the nes to my waist. I lower the zipper on my jeans and step out of them. Then straighten once more. I widen my stance, hold my arms at my sides, and allow her to take in every part of my body. Naked. Open. At her mercy.


    Her breathing grows ragged, her lips part, and when she raises her gaze to mine, the look in her eyes is hungry, horny, and so needy that my breath hitches. I turn around, walk over to my duffel, remove the box I¡¯ve been carrying, and return to ce it on the nightstand.


    She nces at it, then at me, and grows a shade paler.


    ¡°Shh,¡± I reach over and kiss her, wrap my arms around her, and hold her close so every inch of her body is stered to mine. I massage her shoulders, rub circles over her back, and bit by bit, the tension seeps out of her. I step back, turn her around then push her onto the bed.


    ¡°On your hands and knees, baby.¡± I ce my palm t on the small of her back. She shivers butplies as she bends over, beautifully. I take in her heart-shaped behind, arched up, showing the valley between her ass-cheeks, the glittering butt plug, and finally, the pink of her pussy, already glistening with her arousal. I move in closer and she shudders. I grip her hip, then grasp the heart-shaped head of the butt plug and work it out of her. She groans as ites free and the sound coils somewhere deep inside of me.


    The blood drains to my groin and I have to widen my stance to amodate my cock, that twitches and throbs and insists that I get inside of her. I lean over, grab the lube, then pour it into my palm. I warm it up, then rub it over my shaft before I move in and slide a finger inside of her. A moan tumbles from her lips as I add a second finger, and curve it. Her entire body jerks and I grab her to keep her from falling. I slip a third finger inside, and she throws her head back, ¡°Oh, my god, Mika, that feels-¡±


    ¡°Good?¡±


    ¡°It feels¡­¡± she seems to search for the right word, ¡°it feels like you¡¯re stretching me apart¡­but in a good way.¡±


    I pull out my fingers, then fit the swollen crown of my cock to her back opening. ¡°I am going to fuck you now.¡±

 117

    Karma


    I draw in a breath and before I can protest, he breaches me. A groan wells up and my knees tremble. Shit, shit, shit¡­ This¡­feels¡­different. He feels so big, so hard, so thick as he stretches me. He pauses to allow me to amodate his girth, and as he leans over me, he grips the back of my neck and a shiver runs down my spine. To be at his mercy like this, as he impales me and holds me captive, as he massages the curve of my arse, as his cock twitches inside of me, as he pushes forward, sinks deeper into me, as his thickness distends my backchannel so I can feel every millimeter of his throbbing cock¡­ OMG¡­ It¡¯s filthy and erotic and forbidden and¡­ So bloody good.


    I taste something metallic on my pte and realize that I have bitten down on my tongue. I swallow down the coppery taste, turn to nce over my shoulder and freeze.


    He¡¯s gazing down, watching the ce where he¡¯s entered me, watching as he thrusts forward, this time, with enough force that my body jerks. He slips inside and sheaths himselfpletely. He grits his teeth, and I can¡¯t stop the gasp that slips from my lips. He nces up and his blue gaze locks with mine. His jaw flexes, a look of controlled restraint on his features as his chest heaves. He holds my gaze as he pulls out, slowly, so slowly, leaving me strangely empty and craving more. He slides his hand around to y with my pussy lips gently, so gently, then lunges forward and impales me. His balls ps against my inner thighs. A whine bleeds from my lips, he bares his teeth. He touches my clit, just a brush of his fingertips, and a trembling grips me. He rubs his fingers through my pussy lips and I moan.


    ¡°Please,¡± I huff, ¡°more; I want more.¡±


    He slides one finger inside my soaking pussy. I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°Sooo good,¡± I moan as he pulls out his finger, then pushes it back in, and again. I mp down on his finger, clenching around his cock, and a growl rips from him.


    ¡°You¡¯re killing me, Bellezza. I can barely hold back as it is.¡±


    He withdraws his dick, only to push forward inside me again, at the same time he works his finger in and out of my soaking cunt.


    ¡°Please,¡± I mutter, ¡°please, Mika, add another finger.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± I sense the hesitation in his tone, and reach down between my legs. I slide my finger inside my pussy next to his and he hisses. ¡°Fuck me,¡± he says in a hard voice, ¡°that¡¯s hot, Beauty.¡±


    I pull back my finger then hold it out to him. He leans over and wraps his mouth around it. He sucks on it and my pussy clenches. His cock throbs inside of me and I groan. ¡°Mika, please¡­¡± but before I canplete the sentence, he¡¯s added a second finger inside my cunt. He moves it in and out of me as he thrusts his dick inside me again and again. Then he pulls out, and at the same time he withdraws his fingers from my pussy.


    ¡°Wha-¡± I protest as he flips me over on my back. He slides his arms under my knees, throws my legs over his shoulders, then holds my gaze as he notches his cock against my puckered hole. He slides in easily, filling me, stretching me again, and I sigh and he groans.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± He swears aloud. Seriously, why does ¡®fuck¡¯ in Italian sound so damn erotic? He reaches between us, strums my pussy lips as he thrusts in and out of me again and again. He hits a spot deep inside me and a whine bleeds from my lips. He pushes into me, hitting that spot again as he grinds the heel of his hand into my clit, and that¡¯s when it hits me.


    ¡°Mika I¡¯m-¡±


    ¡°Come,¡± he growls, e for me, Beauty.¡±


    The climax rips through me, smashes into me and I scream. I swear I see sparks behind my eyes as I copse. I am aware of him continuing to plunge in and out of me, before he growls as hees inside of me. Hot spurts of his cum bathe me. He drags his fingers across my clit, then holds them up to my lips. I lick them and the taste of myself, mingled with him, sinks into my blood. Lust twangs my underbelly and I stare up at him.


    He lowers his head and licks my lips. ¡°So gorgeous,¡± he rumbles, ¡°so damn sweet.¡±


    He pulls out and I wince.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± he murmurs and I nod.


    He scowls and I smirk, ¡°In a good way.¡±


    ¡°Brat.¡± He falls onto his back and gathers me onto his chest. I cuddle into him as he runs his palm across my back. ¡°Sleep,¡± he kisses my temple, ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡±


    I wake up sprawled on my front. The sheets tangled around my legs. Through the undrawn curtains, the evening light pours in to bathe the bed. A touch on my lower back makes me shiver. I nce over my shoulder to find him staring at my back. He touches the letters that he carved into me, and another shiver runs down my back. I squeeze my thighs together as he bends and traces the letters with his tongue. He bites down the curve of where my back meets my arse and I moan. ¡°Michael?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Did it hurt when I wrote this into your skin?¡±


    I lower my cheek to the pillow. ¡°A little¡­but it was also, strangely, erotic.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He pauses and I sense him staring at what he can see of my face. ¡°Erotic?¡±


    I swallow, ¡°Yeah¡­ I knew you were angry and that you needed to mark me in some form.¡±


    ¡°You knew that, huh?¡±


    I nod, ¡°Well, knowing how possessive you are, and I had left with your brother.¡±


    He stiffens and I try to turn on my back but he stops me, ¡°Go on¡­ Complete what you were going to say.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it wasn¡¯t a shock when I realized what you had done, but at the time, when you were marking me¡­ It made me feel close to you. It was one way for you to show me that I couldn¡¯t do that again.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡± His voice lowers to a hush, ¡°Now, how do you feel about it?¡±


    ¡°Knowing that I am your whore, you mean?¡±


    ¡°My whore,¡± his voice thickens, ¡°my slut, my wife¡­mine to do with as I want.¡±


    I turn over and this time he lets me. He bends and kisses my belly, swirls his tongue in my belly button and my goosebumps pop. ¡°I am sorry you lost the baby,¡± he continues to kiss his way down to my pussy. ¡°I am sorry you got hurt,¡± he presses a kiss to my still swollen clit. ¡°I am sorry you were in that car.¡± He crawls up my body until his lips are over mine, until his nose bumps mine and his eyshes tangle with mine. ¡°But I am not sorry for kidnapping you.¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°Or forcing you to marry me.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek.


    ¡°Or tagging you, or marking you with my knife.¡±


    He brushes his lips over mine.


    I reach down between us, wrap my fingers around his cock. He hisses out a breath, but doesn¡¯t break my gaze. I notch his dick against my pussy and his gaze intensifies. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you, will I?¡±


    ¡°I want you to hurt me, Mika. I want you to show me how it is to be yours wholly,pletely, and-¡±


    He thrusts his hips forward and impales me. I gasp, grip his biceps as he stays there, holding most of his weight off of me. I wrap my legs around his waist, tilt my hips up, and he slips in further. I moan, and he grits his teeth.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± He growls, ¡°So wet, so tight, Beauty.¡± He grinds his hips against mine, breaching me further, deeper, hitting that spot deep inside of me again. A whine spills from my lips as I grind my heels into his arse. I dig my fingernails into his back, wanting to mark him as he did me. He wraps his fingers around my throat, pressing down slightly. I draw in a breath, and my lungs burn. I open my mouth and he kisses me. He plunges his tongue in between my lips, mirroring the way his cock saws in and out of me. He increases the pressure on my throat, cutting off my airflow, then raises his head to peer into my eyes. I gasp, tears squeezing out from the corners of my eyes as he pulls back, then ms into me. My entire body jerks as he begins to fuck me in earnest. I can feel every ridge, every striation of his dick as he shoves into me. At the same time, he releases his hold on my throat. ¡°Come,¡± he growls, e all over my shaft.¡±


    The climax ms into me as I draw in a breath, then darkness overwhelms me.


    When I wake, I am alone.

 118

    Michael


    I sip from the cup of espresso as I stare out at the sea from the patio outside the living room. I¡¯d left her asleep¡­ Okay, I had watched her sleep before I¡¯d slipped out and made us both dinner. I¡¯d even fed and replenished the water for the cat, who had followed me into the kitchen. The beast hadpped up the water and finished off his food as if he hadn¡¯t just been fed a few hours ago. Hell, we had forgotten to eat but we had fed him.


    To be fair, we had been otherwise upied. I hadn¡¯t been able to keep my hands off of her, or my dick out of her. I had intended to take out the butt plug and give her time to adjust to the trip, the fact that I had whisked her away without giving her time to mentally adjust to it. But the moment I had touched her, I had lost all sense of control. I had needed to im her all over again, possess herpletely. Ensure she understood who she belongs to. That she is mine, only mine.


    I hear footsteps behind me, then she wraps her arm around me, and presses those full tits up and into me.


    ¡°You smell good.¡± She presses her nose into my bare back.


    ¡°Do I now?¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°You smell of the salt air, and yourself and¡­ Something else¡­¡± She sniffs me again. ¡°Food,¡± she says in a surprised voice, ¡°you¡¯ve been cooking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been making dinner, yes.¡±


    ¡°You cooked breakfast for me.¡± She slides around to face me. ¡°Now dinner too?¡±


    ¡°I am a good Italian boy. I learned cooking from my Mama when I was very young.¡±


    ¡°I thought Italian men were fussed over by their mamas, who made sure they didn¡¯t have to lift a finger around the house?¡±


    ¡°Not my mama,¡± Iugh. ¡°She made sure we could hold our own in the kitchen. She may have been weak when it came to standing up to our father, but she made up for it by showering us with love.¡± Some of the heaviness fades from my chest, ¡°She said she wanted to make sure that we would be good husbands. Unlike her own.¡±


    She ces her palm against my cheek, ¡°You loved her?¡±


    ¡°Very much.¡± I turn away.


    She grips my chin, ¡°Tell me about her.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s to tell?¡±


    ¡°Everything. Do you look like her? What else did you do together?¡±


    I peer into her eyes, ¡°You really want to know?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I want to know. It¡¯s why you brought us here, right?¡±


    I tilt my head.


    ¡°So we could get to know each other. This is a kind of dyed honeymoon, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Am I that transparent?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she chuckles, ¡°normally, you are very hard to read.¡±


    ¡°But not right now?¡±


    She half smiles, ¡°Something about being here¡­ You are so much more rxed, and you¡¯ve lowered your barriers. You¡¯re not wearing that tough Capo look anymore.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s my tough Capo look?¡±


    She rises up on her tip-toes, raises her arm then frowns ¡°Bend your head,¡± she instructs. And because it¡¯s Beauty asking me to do it¡­ And only because yes, I want to indulge her, I lower my head. She traces the lines between my eyebrows. ¡°Normally, you have a groove between your eyebrows and,¡± she touches the skin around my eyes, ¡°lines at the edges of your eyes, and,¡± she drags her fingers around my mouth, ¡°the skin around your lips is stretched.¡±


    I turn my head, pretend to bite her fingers, and she yelps.


    ¡°Do I now?¡±


    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± She wraps her arms about my waist. I¡¯d pulled on my sweats before heading to the kitchen and now she slides her fingers under the waistband, ¡°These sweatpants are something else.¡±


    I chuckle, ¡°I take it you like them?¡±


    She grips my ass and I raise an eyebrow, ¡°Correction. I take it you really like them.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re bloody hot on you.¡±


    ¡°You mean it¡¯s the way I wear them, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She rolls her eyes, ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s the way they hang low on your waist, then cling to your butt and mold your powerful thighs, and of course,¡± she slides a hand between us and traces the outline of my cock, which is already standing at attention, ¡°highlights just how much you are packing.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t hear youin about that when I was inside you.¡±


    She bats her eyelids, ¡°Were you, now? I hadn¡¯t noticed.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± I step back from the circle of her arms, ce the cup on the table, then straighten. ¡°You were saying-¡±


    ¡°Was I?¡± She bites down on her lower lip.


    ¡°Something about not having noticed I was in you?¡± I take a step forward and she skitters back. I lunge for her and she screams. I move toward her again. She pivots, runs forward, jumps off of the patio, and races ahead. She turns, panting, then screams when she realizes I am right behind her. I grab for her and she ducks, then takes off running, throwing up sand in her wake. The T-shirt that she¡¯s pulled on, my T-shirt, ps about her thighs. The fabric clings to her shapely butt that twitches as she runs. She nces over her shoulder, ¡°What? Can¡¯t keep up, old man?¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling old man?¡± I sprint toward her and she squeals. She puts on a burst of speed and she dashes toward the water¡¯s edge. I dart toward her, closing the distance between us. I tackle her around the waist and she yells as she hits the ground. I mber over her, flip her over, then pin her down to the sand with my hips. She ils around with her arms and I grab them and hold them above her. I wrap my fingers about her wrists and shackle them. ¡°Do you submit?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She spits out sand, ¡°No way.¡±


    I begin to tickle her under her arms and she screams, then begins to shake withugher. ¡°Stop,¡± she gasps, ¡°stop, please.¡±


    ¡°Submit to me, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I release her arms, only to tickle her down both sides of her body. Sheughs and chokes, ¡°Fine,¡± she gasps between bouts ofughter that make her entire body shake, ¡°fine, I submit.¡±


    I lean back, ¡°Good.¡±


    I pin her arms on either side of her as I straddle her. There¡¯s sand on her cheek, on her throat, in the valley between her breasts. I lean down and bury my face there and she moans. ¡°Oh, Mika!¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I slide down until I am positioned over her core. I shove my sweatpants down, notch my dick against her pussy, and in one thrust, impale her.


    She gasps, ¡°Oh, god, Mika!¡± She wraps her legs around my waist, and in that move which always drives me crazy, pushes her hips upward so I slide further inside her.


    I stay there, allowing her to adjust to my size as I gaze into her green eyes. Pupils blown, color flushes her cheeks as I begin to move inside her. Once, twice, thrice, I release her arms then yank down the neckline of her T-shirt. I squeeze her nipple and she sucks in a breath. I twist it and a whine bleeds from her lips.


    ¡°The noises you make, Bellezza¡­ They drive me fucking crazy.¡± I lower my head to her breast, bite down on her nipple, and she screams. Her body bucks. I straighten, hold her gaze as I begin to fuck her in earnest. Once, twice, thrice, I m into her with such force that my balls p against the insides of her thighs. Her entire body goes rigid, her eyes roll back in her head, then she wheezes, ¡°Oh, my god, I am going to -¡±


    ¡°Come, Beauty,¡± I growl, and her features twist as she cries out. Moisture bathes my cock as her body spasms. I plunge in and out of her, in and out. My balls draw up and I empty myself inside of her.


    Twenty minutester, I nce up from the tub I¡¯ve run for her. ¡°What?¡± I murmur as she watches me with a strange look in her eyes.


    I¡¯d carried her inside and run a bath for her while she¡¯d discarded the now sodden shirt that she¡¯d been wearing. I¡¯d divested myself of my sweats as well and poured in the bath salts I¡¯d specially ordered for her.


    The scent of moonflowers fills the air and she starts. ¡°That¡­that¡¯s my favorite fragrance.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I murmur as I rise to my feet. She runs her gaze down my chest to my crotch, where she takes in my already semi-aroused state.


    ¡°Again?¡± she murmurs ¡°You¡¯re already hard?¡±


    ¡°Seems to be my constant state around you.¡± I walk over to her and push a strand of hair out of her eyes. ¡°What was that earlier look for, hmm?¡±


    ¡°I am still getting used to seeing you so rxed, is all.¡±


    ¡°It helps that we are on an ind, and no one can get on it without my noticing.¡±


    A purring sound reaches me and I nce down to find the cat brushing up against my leg.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s beginning to grow on you.¡±


    ¡°Feed the beast a couple of times and he thinks he owns you.¡±


    ¡°And this beast?¡± She grips my cock and squeezes, ¡°Do I own him, now that I¡¯ve fed him a few times?¡±


    ¡°Why, Beauty, where have you been hiding this filthy mind of yours?¡±


    She chuckles, ¡°It¡¯s one of the things you like about me; admit it.¡±


    ¡°I like everything about you. Haven¡¯t you realized that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god!¡± She pretends to be shocked, ¡°Who are you and what have you done to my alphahole Capo?¡±


    I grin as I smack her butt, ¡°Into the water, before it gets cold.¡±

 119

    Karma


    Five days. We¡¯ve been here five glorious days, where we¡¯ve fucked. A. Lot. And everywhere. Against the kitchen counter, on the kitchen floor, in the tub, in the shower, on the beach-many times. And of course, in the bed. Tonight, being New Year¡¯s Eve, Michael wants us to dine out on the patio.


    I¡¯ve decided to dress up a little. Well, a little more than thest few days when I¡¯ve walked around almost naked. It had seemed ridiculous to be putting on clothes when all Michael would do was to pull them off. He, himself, had taken to wearing a pair of shorts that he¡¯d pulled out from the clothes that had been there in the closet.


    While he is off setting the table, I take in the dress I¡¯ve chosen. He¡¯s refused to let me cook in all the time that we¡¯ve been here. Which is good, considering my cooking skills are nowhere close to the level of expertise he¡¯s showed. The man is not only good in the bedroom, but also in the kitchen¡­ How the hell have I gotten so lucky, eh?


    This dress is one of the few I had packed when I left his home-an alternative version of my wedding dress that I had stitched before I¡¯d left. It¡¯s in the form of a sheath with the skirt cut high over one thigh and low at the breast line. The dress is sleeveless with halter neck that I¡¯ve tied around my neck, leaving most of my back bare.


    It¡¯s the kind of dress that could be worn for a formal asion but would look as good on a beach. There had been so much material I hadn¡¯t used for my wedding dress that I had managed to cut a second dress from it. I consider my light make-up-just eyeliner and lipstick; it hadn¡¯t felt like I needed anything more for this evening-then turn and head out to the patio.


    In the kitchen, I find Andy already eating his food. The cat seems to have taken to Michael a lot more than when we had been in his house. Guess he really does know who is responsible for the food he is getting here.


    I walk toward the patio, then pause when I see the tableid for two. There are tes, silverware, even starched white napkins, and a bottle of proso chilling in a bucket. Beyond that, the sea forms the perfect background.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I breathe as heat envelops me. I lean back and into his hard chest, and Michael wraps his arm around my waist.


    ¡°Like it?¡±


    ¡°I love it,¡± I say simply, then turn to face him. ¡°I love you.¡±


    He nces down at me and his lips kick up in a real smile. ¡°I¡­¡± he hesitates, ¡°I know.¡± He leans down to brush his lips over mine. The kiss is soft, tender¡­ So different from the Capo I knew when we were in Italy.


    Was he going to say ¡®I love you¡¯? Why had he stopped himself? I open my mouth to ask, and he thrusts his tongue inside. He deepens the kiss, and all thoughts drain from my mind. I press into him, revel in the hardness of his sculpted chest, the thickness between his thighs that reveals how much he wants me.


    He must love me. All of his actions say so. So what, if he hasn¡¯t said those three words to me yet?


    He seems to tear his mouth away with reluctance, his breathing heavy, color flushing his cheeks. ¡°Cazzo,¡± he growls, ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of you.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± I lean up on my tiptoes, wanting to kiss him.


    He evades me. ¡°First food,¡± he counters.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°First sex,¡± I insist.


    ¡°I¡¯ve created a sex maniac!¡± He chuckles, ¡°I can¡¯t have you wasting away. Besides, you need your energy for when I am going to have my wicked way with you.¡± He ps my butt, then steps back, ¡°Come on, sit down.¡±


    Once I am seated, he makes sure that my chair is pushed in properly. Then he opens the proso and pours out a ss for me and one for himself. He sits down and I raise my ss, ¡°To us.¡±


    ¡°To you,¡± he clinks his ss with mine, ¡°my sexy, smart wife whose darkness matches mine.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Only you¡¯dpliment me on that.¡±


    He takes a sip of his proso, then nces at me, ¡°It¡¯s what attracted me to you. I saw you¡­and I knew there was something inside of you calling out to me. That you would be as depraved as me. That I could bare my soul to you and you wouldn¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°But I was,¡± I take a sip from my ss, then peer up at him from under my eyshes. ¡°I was afraid that once I fell for you, I¡¯d never be able to leave you.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s bad?¡±


    I tilt my head, ¡°I am still making up my mind about that.¡±


    ¡°Now that, I hadn¡¯t anticipated¡­ That you¡¯d turn out to be this bratty. Clearly, I haven¡¯t been punishing you enough.¡±


    ¡°Please, Daddy,¡± I flutter my eyshes, ¡°will you spank me?¡±


    His nostrils re and his shoulders flex. He ces his ss on the table, then rises to his feet. He walks around to tower over me. He holds my gaze as he lowers his head to mine, ¡°Only if you ask me nicely.¡±


    Heat flushes my skin and my belly trembles. A gust of wind blows my hair across my cheek and he pushes it aside. His touch sends a pang of need shooting through my veins. I part my lips. He drops his gaze to my mouth, ¡°And only after we¡¯ve eaten.¡±


    He straightens and stalks away.


    ¡°Asshole,¡± I yell after him and heughs.


    ¡°Jerk,¡± I murmur to myself, then snatch up my flute of proso and toss it back. I grab the bottle and am about to top up my ss, then change my mind. He wants me? He cane get me.


    Walking out to the patio, I shut the door¡­to make sure Andy can¡¯t get out, then walk out onto the beach, then away from the house toward the jetty I¡¯d seen earlier.


    The setting rays of the sun bathe me in their warmth. The heat from the cooling water seems to rise in the air. I stand at the edge of the jetty, raise the bottle to my mouth, and drink the sparkling proso. It slides down my throat and cools me enough that goosebumps pop on my skin. The wavesp at the edge of the jetty as I tilt the bottle to my mouth and take another sip.


    The hair on the back of my neck rises. I turn to find Michael is silhouetted against the window of the kitchen. I raise my hand and wave at him and he waves back. This man¡­ He¡¯s the best thing that has ever happened to me. To think, I¡¯d thought the opposite when I had met him. Guess love cane in so many different ways, eh? And he does love me. So what, if he hasn¡¯t told me so?


    It¡¯s there in his every gesture, in how he takes care of me and of Andy. He¡¯s so gentle with my pet¡­ Always taking care of his needs first. If he can be so tender with that kitten¡­ Surely, he¡¯d be a wonderful father, too. And I am not on birth control, so maybe I¡¯ll leave this ind pregnant. I slide down to sit at the edge of the jetty, with my legs hanging over. I take another sip of the proso and set it aside. Then stretch my arms above my head.


    I circle my head once, then nce down to find waves rippling out from a spot in the water. Huh? I lower my arms, nce at it, not sure what I am looking at. A ck shadow appears under the water, and before I can pull up my legs, it swoops up, grabs my leg and tugs. I yell, but I am already falling.

 120

    Michael


    She is going to love this dish. I slide the roast back into the oven, then straighten and turn my attention to the sd that I am assembling. Andy prowls into the kitchen and brushes against my leg. I smirk as he nces up at me, then at the dish I am cooking.


    ¡°No food for you yet, boy.¡± I chuckle. ¡°Your mother¡¯s gonna be pissed if I feed you between meals. But if you are a good, little kitten, I might sneak you a little snack to keep you going.¡±


    The beast blinks at me, then with a huff, turns and walks away. I swear, that cat can understand me. And here I am, talking to it. I shake my head.


    That¡¯s the kind of magic she has woven over me, my Beauty. My p. Mine.


    I nce through the window and find she¡¯s not at the jetty. Huh? I peer through the pane, take in the surroundings. There is no sign of her. What the hell?


    Maybe she just went for a walk. Yea, that¡¯s all it is. She just walked out of sight of the house. I nce down at the sd, then back at the now empty jetty. The hair on the back of my neck rises. I ce the knife on the counter, turn and head for the doors that lead to the patio. I throw open the door, rush out¡­then pause.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± That cat needs to stay inside. If he wandered out and something happened to him, she be beyond pissed-off about it. I retrace my steps, close the door behind me, then take off again. Around the house, across the sand that surrounds the house, toward the jetty. I reach it, and there¡¯s still no sign of her. I nce around at the water and freeze. A figure dressed all in ck, tows another figure that is prone and on her back. Ahead of them is a motorboat, manned by a second man.


    Che diavolo! Who¡¯d daree to my ind and try to take my wife from right in front of me? My heart pounds in my chest and adrenalineces my blood. I dive into the water and swim toward them. Every time I surface for air, the distance between us seems to have shrunk, but it¡¯s not fast enough. Once they reach the boat, I¡¯ll lose them and not be able to find out their identity.


    Oh, I¡¯ll be able to track her down, thanks to the tagging device, but damn, if I am going to let them get their hands on her. I increase my pace, propel my body, and cut through the waves. I kick and move forward bit by bit.


    When I surface again, it¡¯s in time to see the diver handing the prone figure to the man on the boat. How dare he touch her! How dare they take her from me? I am not going to lose you, Bellezza; not this time. I thrust forward through the waves, just as the sound of the motor starting reaches me.


    Fuck, fuck, fuck! I push forward and reach the boat just as it takes off. I lunge up, grab at the boat. My fingers graze the side of the boat but it leaps forward. Bloody fuck! I fall into the water, then begin to swim in the wake of the boat. I kick and propel forward, almost reach the boat again, only it pulls forward.


    I watch helplessly as the distance between me and the boat grows. Motherfucker! This can¡¯t be happening. My heart pounds so hard in my chest that I am sure it¡¯s going to leap out of my rib cage.


    I had gotten swayed by my Beauty. So immersed in her that I had gotten sloppy again. I hadn¡¯t been able to protect her. It¡¯s my fault that they got to her. I should have stayed in Sicily and focused on tracking down the men responsible for rigging the car that caused my brother¡¯s death. Instead, I had given in to my need to see her and I had put her in danger. Again. But this time, I am going to find them and put an end to this. Never again, will they be able to harm me or what¡¯s mine. I am going to reveal the true wrath of what it means to cross the Capo of the Cosa Nastro. And when I am done¡­ No one will ever defy me. Ever again.


    Turning, I begin to swim toward the ind.


    Fifteen minutester, I pull up the app on my phone that allows me to track her. There. I see the blue dot moving across what appears to be the expanse of the sea. They are heading toward Ennd¡­ What the hell? It has to be the Kane Company who took her. Fuck.


    I had known who it was, and yet, I hadn¡¯t moved in on them. If I had, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to take her. Stop that. I shake my head. Focus, I need to focus. I need to get to her. I strip out of my wet clothes, pull on jeans securing them with a belt, then a T-shirt, and the jacket that I had loaned her earlier. I reach for my knife and slip it into the sheath at my waist. If only I had brought my guns. I drag my fingers through my hair. The, one time in my life I had lowered my guard and she had been taken from me. It¡¯s dangerous to go in without my weapons but fuck that, my knife will have to do.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I turn off the oven, top up the food and water in the cat¡¯s bowls, then race for the door. Andy darts out from under the settee and I sidestep him. He races for the door, nts himself squarely in front of it and stares up at me.


    ¡°Out of the way, cat. I need to get to her.¡±


    He blinks, and I swear, he is aware that something has happened to her. I bend down, grasp him gently by the nape of his neck and move him to the side. He tries to dart past me, and I manage to hold him in, then shut the door before he can leave the house. I hear the angry hisses as he scratches at the door. I dial Seb¡¯s number as I race toward the boathouse where I have the motorboat stored.


    ¡°Fratellone?¡± Seb answers on the second ring. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Enroute to her.¡± I slow down a little so he can hear me speak ¡°They took her again; motherfuckers snuck up on me on the ind and took off with her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± his voice is puzzled, ¡°how did they reach you without your noticing their arrival?¡±


    ¡°They swam underwater, got to her when she was on the jetty.¡± I growl, ¡°Maledizioni!¡± I raise the phone, ready to bring it down and smash it, then draw in a breath. Another. Force my muscles to rx as I lower the phone to my ear.


    ¡°Get the ne, then get to the ind and arrange to have her cat taken to safety,¡± I order.


    ¡°A ne? Just for the cat?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s her cat,¡± I growl. ¡°Just do it, Seb.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Capo, and what about you?¡±


    ¡°I am going after her.¡±


    ¡°Alone?¡± His voice grows concerned, ¡°Wait for us, Mika. We¡¯ll be there soon with back up.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that. If you think I am going to wait around here not doing anything while my wife is in the hands of my rivals, then you are mistaken.¡±


    ¡°So, you are going to barge in, knowing that this is what they want? That they want you to lose yourposure enough to walk into a trap?¡±


    ¡°Fuck that!¡± I bark. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a trap. Likely, I¡¯ll be overpowered the moment I get there, but at least, I¡¯ll be there with her. At least, she¡¯ll know that she is not alone.¡±


    ¡°Mika, you¡¯re making a mistake. You¡¯re the Capo; you-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to see her location on the app; get there as soon as you can.¡±


    I cut the call, then squeeze my eyes shut. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I pull up the app, focus on the dot again. Wait for me, Beauty. I aming after you as soon as I can.

 121

    Karma


    I cough, sputter, then sit up with a gasp. I nce around the room I am in¡­which is empty, save for the bed I am on¡­ Well, calling it a bed is giving it too much credit. It¡¯s some kind of bunk built into a wall. Starlight nts in through the only window, which is high up in the wall. Shit, where the hell am I? One second, I had been sitting on the jetty, sipping my proso and nning my future with my Capo. The next, something¡­ No, someone had swooped up from out of the water, grabbed my leg and pulled. I had screamed¡­ Or tried to scream, but I had hit the water and swallowed a few mouthfuls before remembering to hold my breath.


    The guy had started towing me away. I had resisted and he had cuffed me on the side of the head. He¡¯d stunned me enough that I didn¡¯t resist as he towed me along the surface, then hauled me onto the boat. Then, I had pretended to lose consciousness while they fired up the engine and set off.


    I¡¯d stayed still, in the hopes that I¡¯d hear the men speak and give me some clues of who they were and where they were headed. But they had, annoyingly, spoken very little to each other.


    When they cut the engine, I peeked through half-closed eyelids to find that they were docking the boat. One of the men reached for me and I lost it then. I struggled, tried to evade him, and he hit me on the back of the head. And then I found myself here.


    A headache builds behind my eyes. I touch the back of my head and wince at the bump there. Damn it, I am tired of being kidnapped and used as a pawn in this stupid game that the Mafia seems to want to y with their rival gang. It has to be a rival gang holding me, right? The same one who had kidnapped me thest time. The same one who had nted the bomb in my car. The one that killed Xander and my unborn child. I squeeze my fingers at my sides. This time, I am going to have my revenge. No way am I going to let them get away with this a third time.


    The door to the room opens and light streams in. I throw my hand over my eyes to protect them from the re, when footsteps sound. The light bulb overhead is switched on and I wince.


    ¡°Come on,¡± a woman¡¯s voice says in precise English, ¡°he is waiting for you.¡±


    I lower my hand, stare at the middle-aged woman wearing a ck dress thates to her knees. Her hair is ck and pulled back in a bun. She wears minimal makeup and has the kind of looks that would help her blend into the background anywhere. It¡¯s almost as if she¡¯s trying not to draw any attention to herself, and seeding quite nicely, by the looks of it-no pun intended.


    I snort to myself as I rise to my feet. My knees threaten to give way and I have to dig my feet into the ground for purchase. I tip my chin up, walk to the door. She steps out of the room and I follow her. She leads me to an elevator¡­and I blink. Of course, there is an elevator. Not sure why, but I imagined this was a room in a ce where such modern trappings would be nonexistent. I watch her profile, but she gives nothing away.


    The car ascends two floors, then jolts to a halt. She heads out and I follow her up the corridor and into a room. She beckons me to enter. I walk in, turn to find her standing at the entrance to the room. ¡°You are to get dressed ande down to the dining room for dinner in an hour.¡±


    ¡°An hour?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°And how do I tell the time?¡±


    She points to a small antique rm clock on the dresser.


    She turns to leave and I yell out, ¡°Hey, you do realize that I have been kidnapped right?¡±


    She closes the door in my face.


    I walk toward it, and open it, to find she¡¯s striding away. ¡°One hour; you don¡¯t want to keep him waiting,¡± she calls over her shoulder.


    I take a step forward, then hesitate. Guess it¡¯s not going to help if I follow her now. She¡¯ll probably just call one of those two idiots who grabbed me earlier toe get me. Also, I want to take something for this headache that has been growing in intensity.


    By the way, I am taking all this rather calmly, aren¡¯t I? I mean, I am tagged, so he is going toe after me. Bet he¡¯s already on his way. All I have to do is sit tight, and make sure I don¡¯t get myself killed in the meantime.


    Half an hourter, I step out of the shower. The hot water has taken the edge off of my headache and made me feel almost human. I walk into the bedroom and find a simple ck dress, underwear made of white cotton, still in its packaging, and a pair of sneakersid out for me. Did the same woman ce it here? Probably.


    I pull them on and they fit. So, whoever took me had anticipated that I¡¯d need clothes, but he or she isn¡¯t going to keep me here for too much longer? And given the utilitarian feel of the clothes, he or she doesn¡¯t have a romantic interest in me¡­ At least, I don¡¯t think so.


    I dress quickly, then dry my hair with the hairdryer provided. I head for the door when it opens. I pause as the same woman from earlier beckons me. I follow her. This time, down two flights of stairs. So, we are back on the same floor as the room where I had been kept earlier.


    I follow her down a long corridor with closed doors leading to other rooms. Each of the doors are ornate. There are paintings on the walls depicting scenes from the English country side. ¡°Are we in Ennd?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she confirms.


    ¡°In the countryside?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t say anything, but I am sure we are.


    ¡°Whose clothes are these?¡±


    ¡°They were purchased for you.¡±


    O-k-a-y. Not what I was expecting.


    She reaches the door at the end of the corridor, and pushes it open. I walk in to find a long table with ces set for two at the head of the table, facing each other. I walk toward it, when the door on the opposite side of the room opens.


    A man prowls in. He is tall, broad shouldered, dressed in a ck suit that clings to his shoulders. His features are hard, his gaze intelligent as he takes me in. Gray threads the hair on his temples, hinting that he is in his early forties, maybe? It¡¯s difficult to say, because with his trim build and the obvious muscles that stretch his jacket, he could be anywhere fromte thirties to early fifties.


    ¡°Finally, we meet, Signora.¡± His voice is very cultured, very British.


    ¡°You?¡± I frown, ¡°I know you.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been formally introduced though, have we?¡± He prowls over to me. ¡°JJ Kane, at your service.¡±


    I nce down at his hand and hesitate. The man looks like Daniel Craig toward the end of his career as James Bond-cynical, hardened, and I hate to admit it, but he radiates raw sex appeal that fills the space between us. He¡¯s not as sexy as my Capo, but this man¡­ He¡¯s as dangerous.


    ¡°Why did you kidnap me?¡± I demand.


    Amusement lurks in his gaze. He doesn¡¯t seem to be offended by my obvious snub. ¡°Not my style, but something I couldn¡¯t avoid.¡±


    ¡°Were you also behind the rigging of my car that killed Xander?¡±


    ¡°I heard about that.¡± He tilts his head, ¡°Sad affair. But no, also not my style. Too messy.¡±


    I glower at him, ¡°What¡¯s your game anyway?¡±


    ¡°No game,¡± he holds up his hand, his gaze steady, and his tone reeks of sincerity. All the more reason I don¡¯t believe him.


    ¡°I am simply inviting you to lunch.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why you took me from my husband¡¯s ind, because you wanted to have lunch with me.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he gestures to the table, ¡°and because I wanted him to realize that he shouldn¡¯t underestimate me.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have told this to him directly? Honestly, this entire ¡®being a pawn in the games that you made men y¡¯ is proving to be a little tiresome.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°You don¡¯t mince words do you?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I hold up my hand, ¡°enough with the false praise; I can do without it.¡±


    I walk over to the chair at the head of the table and drop into it.


    His features go solid. A pulse res to life at his temple, then he throws back his head andughs. It¡¯s a full-bodiedugh thates from the pit of his belly and makes him seem younger than his years. He stalks over to the chair on my left and slides into it. ¡°You have balls, signora.¡±


    I sniff, ¡°Lady balls, don¡¯t you mean?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± he nces at me closely as if noticing me for the first time, ¡°so this is why Michael is so taken with you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you his arch rival or something?¡±


    ¡°Rival?¡± He frowns, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t use such amon word. More like we are two yers who arepeting for the same thing.¡±


    ¡°And what is that?¡±


    ¡°Power.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is.¡± I roll my eyes and notice a man walking through the door. He¡¯s followed by a second man holding a tray on which there are two steaming bowls of soup. Both men are dressed in uniforms, clearly indicating that they are staff.


    They retreat and JJ gestures to the food, ¡°Please, eat.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± I reach for the soup spoon then hesitate. ¡°This doesn¡¯t have any seafood in it does it?¡±


    He shakes his head and I scoop up some of the broth.


    The scent of coriander and ginger fills my senses. And the taste? Whoa, creamy and light at once, spicy and nourishing, and yet, there are traces of some ingredient that I can¡¯t identify but which adds such depth that the taste lingers in my mouth long after I¡¯ve swallowed it. ¡°Wow,¡± I stare at the food, then back at him, ¡°that is good.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, it is.¡± He chuckles, ¡°Gordon is the best chef right now on the entire continent.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s cooking this meal for you?¡±


    ¡°A favor.¡± He inclines his head, ¡°It¡¯s not every day that I have such a distinguished guest.¡±


    I stare at him. Should I believe him? Why would I? The way he had me brought here shows that he has something up his sleeve. But what?


    I turn my attention back to the soup and don¡¯t stop until I¡¯ve swallowed down most of it. I lean back with a sigh and find JJ watching me with a pleased expression.


    ¡°And she also doesn¡¯t stint when ites to eating well. You are, indeed, a catch, signora.¡±


    ¡°Grazie,¡± I murmur as I pat my mouth with my napkin.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 122

    The next course is a fragrant rice dish with vegetables and pieces of chicken that have been marinated so well, they melt in my mouth. And the dessert¡­ Chocte mousse, with a vani ice-cream that is so fresh I can taste the vani pods.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuffed,¡± I admit when thest dish has been cleared.


    JJ pushes back his chair and stands up. Hees around and holds out his arm, ¡°May I escort you into the library for an aperitif?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± I rise to my feet and allow him to guide me out of the room, down the corridor, and to a room whose door is now open. I walk in and take in the floor-to-ceiling books that fill the wall opposite the firece. In between is a bank of windows that looks out over the grounds, and above the firece, is a portrait of a family.


    He catches me staring at it. ¡°My family,¡± he says simply as I take in the likeness of a younger JJ, a woman who is seated, and next to her, a teenaged boy who resembles both JJ and his wife.


    ¡°That¡¯s your son.¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°I saw him at Xander¡¯s funeral.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Is he here?¡±


    A shadow crosses JJ¡¯s features. ¡°He¡¯s back in LA. He seems to prefer the US to our country.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I sense something else he¡¯s not telling me, but I am not going to ask him to exin that.


    He guides me to a chair in front of the fire. ¡°What will you drink? Coffee? A brandy maybe?¡±


    ¡°A brandy sounds good.¡±


    He moves to the bar, pours out two snifters of brandy and walks over to hand one to me. He seats himself then holds up his ss, ¡°To you, Signora.¡±


    I raise my ss and take a sip. The taste is exquisite. ¡°To what do I owe this wining and dining?¡± I fix my gaze on him.


    Heughs, then contemtes his drink, ¡°My father, rest his soul, was not a very empathetic man. Well, that¡¯s putting it mildly. He was aplete viin.¡±


    ¡°Coming from you, I¡¯d better believe it.¡±


    He chuckles. ¡°There was only one piece of advice he gave me which I adore, to this day.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°He told me to always keep one step ahead of the enemy. To never show him your cards, and to surprise him when he least expects it.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you decided to take me from the ind; so you could show my husband that you¡¯re better than him?¡±


    ¡°Not just better, but faster, more lethal, more dangerous, more unpredictable, more everything¡­¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He frowns. ¡°Would you mind repeating yourself?¡±


    So polite. Fuck, this guy¡¯s a joke. ¡°I said that you couldn¡¯t hold a candle to him.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± He stares at me, then breaks into augh that sends shivers down my spine. This guy¡­ he¡¯s certifiable. He straightens, and just like, that all mirth is wiped from his face. He leans forward, his movements careful, precise, as he ces his ss on the table in front of us.


    ¡°But then, you are biased.¡± He strokes his chin, ¡°You would be; you are his wife.¡±


    ¡°Why have you brought me here?¡±


    ¡°You are a clever girl; haven¡¯t you figured it out by now?¡±


    ¡°To hold me as ransom?¡±


    He clicks his tongue, ¡°How pleb would that be? No, nothing like that¡­ I am simply going to use you as a negotiating tool to get what I need from him.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, a ransom.¡±


    ¡°A simple give and take. He has what I want, and I have something that is very precious to him. All he has to do is give me what I want, and in return, he can take what¡¯s his.¡±


    ¡°Michael will never forgive you for this.¡±


    ¡°Not doing this to win friends.¡±


    ¡°He is going to kill you.¡±


    ¡°Love a challenge.¡±


    ¡°So, if you didn¡¯t rig the car, then who did?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something he¡¯ll need to figure out himself, won¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°So, while we wait for him, we are simply going to sit here and shoot the breeze?¡±


    ¡°Probably, but to be fair, I don¡¯t think we need to wait that long either.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that sure that he¡¯lle for me?¡±


    ¡°Surely, he must be able to keep track of you wherever you are?¡±


    I frown, ¡°How would you know that?¡±


    ¡°You are important to him-probably more than anything else he owns at the moment. Of course, he¡¯d find a way to track you even when you are not in his line of sight.¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°You Mafia guys.¡±


    ¡°Not Mafia. I¡¯m simply the leader of an organized crime group.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, is that a posh way of saying you are a crook, or what?¡±


    ¡°Never imed to be on the straight and narrow.¡±


    ¡°No one would ever mistake you for that.¡± I take another sip from my ss. ¡°So, how long do you think I have to make conversation with you?¡±


    ¡°Surely, it¡¯s not that much of a chore.¡±


    I nce at him, then away, ¡°If you want me to be honest-¡±


    ¡°Always.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d much rather be back on the ind. But considering you took me from there, I doubt I¡¯ll ever be going there again,¡± I say glumly.


    He chuckles, ¡°Now, youngdy, never say never again. If there¡¯s one word of advice, I can give you it¡¯s that¡­¡±


    ¡°That?¡±


    He leans forward and touches my arm, ¡°That you never know what¡¯s going to happen next.¡±


    That¡¯s when the door to the library is pushed open with such force that it ms against the wall. ¡°You testa di cazzo!¡± a familiar dark voice growls, ¡°I am going to kill you.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Michael


    I lunge inside the room, spot the man seated opposite my wife. My wife¡­ who seems to be in good shape overall, and he has his hand on her. He has his hand on her. JJ. Has. His. HAND. On. Her. Fuck. Anger thrums at my temples. My vision tunnels. I pull out my knife and throw it at him. The asshole ducks. She screams. The sound slices through the noise in my head. I jerk my head in her direction, in time to see her features pale. She jumps to her feet, takes a step in my direction, but JJ grabs her. The next moment he has a gun in his hand that he¡¯s pressed into her temple.

 123

    I freeze. re at the traitor, who smiles. He gestures toward the chair he¡¯s just vacated. I growl, deep in my throat, take a step in his direction. That¡¯s when three men burst into the room.


    Two of them grab me by my shoulders, the third pushes the butt of a gun into the back of my head. Anger suffuses me, pours thorough my blood. My stomach ties itself in knots as I take in the fear in her gaze.


    FUCK! I had sworn to myself that I¡¯d never allow her to be afraid. Never need for anything else. And I had broken my promise in a matter of days. Why am I unable to hold myself back when ites to her? Will nothing I do ever be enough to protect her?


    I had made it here as fast as I could, following the tracking device. Then had searched the house until I had found them.


    The men push me toward the chair. She follows me with her gaze as they apply pressure on my shoulder so I sink down into it.


    The man behind me removes his gun. He proceeds to pat me down, then when he finds me clean-not that I didn¡¯t want to carry weapons, but if I had any chance of getting close to her, I knew that I had to be clean-he pulls out a length of rope. He proceeds to run it around my arms and chest and tie me to the chair. He also knots it around my ankles. I flex my muscles, hoping to get some ck as he does so. I don¡¯t take my gaze off of her. She swallows, and I shake my head. Don¡¯t be afraid, my love. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.


    Almost as if she can read my mind, she jerks her chin in a downward direction. If I hadn¡¯t been paying such close attention to her, I¡¯d have missed it.


    Their jobplete, the men holding me back away. They leave the room and the door snicks shut.


    ¡°Sit down, Signora,¡± JJ murmurs. He slides the gun back into the waistband at the small of his back. Karma doesn¡¯t move and he touches her shoulder.


    I growl, lunge forward again and the chair shifts. The scrape of wood against wood sends a screech through the space.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    JJ nces at me. ¡°Impressive,¡± he tilts his head, ¡°but unnecessary. I have no wish to hurt her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you took her.¡± The blood pounds at my temple, my pulse rate ratchets her. ¡°How dare you touch her?¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡± JJ arches an eyebrow, then turns to Karma, ¡°You¡¯d better get your husband in hand, Signora, else I won¡¯t be responsible for my actions.¡±


    Karma swallows.


    ¡°Do it,¡± he snaps, and her lips tighten.


    A growl rips from me as she moves forward. She closes the distance between us, then sinks to her knees in front of me.


    ¡°Capo,¡± she whispers, ¡°my Capo.¡± She ces her palm against my cheek and every pore in my body seems to pop. I stare into her green eyes, take in the golden sparks that sh there. I hold her gaze as she leans up and presses her lips to mine. ¡°I love you,¡± she murmurs, ¡°only you, Capo.¡± The sound of my title from her lips¡­ Fuck, but right now, I¡¯d tear the world apart, just to hear her say it again.


    She peers into my face and an expression of hope, of anticipationces her features. I hold her gaze¡­knowing what she wants to hear. Wanting to say it. Wanting her to feel it. I try to form the words, but my tongue doesn¡¯t seem to work. I don¡¯t nce away, allowing her to read my expression, the raw need I feel right then, the helplessness. Do I have any right to love her, if I can¡¯t even protect her?


    She moves back and I spring forward. I smash my lips to hers and kiss her and kiss her. I lick her lips, thrust my tongue inside her mouth and absorb her. I kiss her until someone taps me on my shoulder, ¡°That¡¯s enough, ol¡¯ chap.¡±


    JJ¡¯s voice cuts through the haze in my head. I tear my mouth from hers and survey her flushed features. She licks her lips as if absorbing my taste within her before she rises to her feet.


    JJ walks around and pats the chair opposite me. ¡°Please, Signora,¡± he says in a casual tone, ¡°do take a seat.¡±


    With ast nce at me, she heads over and sits down.


    JJ picks up the snifter of brandy on the table between us. He takes a sip as he nces first at her, then at me, ¡°Now where were we?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck do you want?¡± I snap.


    He smiles. ¡°You know what I want.¡±


    ¡°The cybercrime syndicate,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°That¡¯s what this is about?¡±


    ¡°Right on one.¡± His smile broadens. ¡°Now that I have your attention on it, what say you?¡±


    ¡°What do you want with it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to hand it over to me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°That would mean getting in the trenches and monitoring the day to day, which wouldn¡¯t work for me.¡±


    ¡°You simply want to share in the profits,¡± I surmise.


    ¡°Right again,¡± he says in a pleased tone. ¡°Look at that, Signora. Your husband is being exceptionally cooperative. Makes me think that I should have tried this tactic earlier.¡±


    ¡°You rigged her car with an ignition bomb, you pezzo di merda!¡±


    ¡°Now, now, that wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°You think I am going to believe you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my style. If I wanted to kill your brother, I¡¯d have done it to his face. And yours.¡±


    Anger sears my blood. I attempt to jump to my feet, only to be restrained by the ropes. I growl as the bonds cut into my arms and my ankles.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my brother, you bastard.¡±


    ¡°I had nothing to do with his death,¡± he insists. ¡°Whether you believe it or not, that¡¯s not my problem.¡±


    ¡°By bringing her here, you¡¯ve brought an entire shitload of problems to your doorstep, you carogna!¡±


    ¡°Nothing I can¡¯t face,¡± he drawls.


    ¡°You sure about that?¡±


    The door flies open, and he jerks his head toward it.


    Sebastian prowls forward, his gun trained on JJ. Luca follows, then Massimo and Antonio. All three of them have their guns drawn. Christian brings up the rear; he drags the man by his cor-the one who¡¯d restrained me-and throws him on the floor. Then levels his gun at the temple of the guy and fires.


    Karma shudders, nces away as the man¡¯s body jerks. He slumps to the floor and Christian ms the door shut behind him. He takes his position in front of it.


    JJ takes a sip from his brandy. The man¡¯s one cool customer; I¡¯ll give him that. Seb keeps his gun trained on JJ as he jerks his chin in Luca¡¯s direction. Luca stalks over to where the knife is embedded in the wall next to the firece. He grunts as he works it out, then pivots and walks back to me. In two strokes, he¡¯s cut through the ropes. I rise to my feet and he hands the knife back to me, handle first. I snatch it from him, stalk over to where JJ is seated. He raises his tumbler to his lips and I press the knife to his throat. ¡°I am going to kill you,¡± I growl.


    That¡¯s when the windows explode.

 124

    Karma


    The panes of ss explode and the pattering of what sounds like hail stones fills the space. My throat hurts, and that¡¯s when I realize, I am screaming. The sound of my own voice echoes in my ears. The next second, I am pushed to the ground; a big body covers me. The scent of leather with a hint of woodsmoke. Fresh snow fallen on the earth¡­ His scent envelops me. The heat from his body pours over me, cocoons me. I push up and into him, trying to get as close to him possible; to touch as much of my body to his as I can. Even though we are in the middle of what sounds like a gunfight, I can¡¯t help but exult in the fact that he¡¯s near me, on me, around me. I turn my head and push my cheek into his T-shirt covered chest. I draw in deep lungfuls of Michael, and my head spins. His chest heaves, the hard nes digging into my breasts as he gathers me even closer.


    His arm moves and I realize that he¡¯s holding the knife out and over me. Guarding me, protecting me. My own personal bodyguard. My champion. My knight¡­ Stop¡­ Clearly, I am in shock. That is the only reasonable exnation for why my thoughts are in such free fall.


    I draw in a breath and my lungs burn. My stomach twists, my arms and legs tremble, and I squeeze my eyes shut. Shit, shit, shit. Not the time to be going into shock.


    The silence lengthens, I sense him move, then he grips my chin. I feel his gaze peruse my features, and crack my eyelids open. His blue gaze burns into me. In their depths, there¡¯s so much fire, so much concern¡­ So much everything. I open my mouth, but my brain seems unable to put the words together. I draw in another breath, feel a tear run down my cheek.


    Stop that. Why am I acting like such a weakling? I can get through this. I¡¯ve survived this far; hell, I¡¯ve faced the biggest transformation possible ande through the other side. I lost my child, almost died, lost a man who I had grown to love like a brother in such a short time, and I am still here, aren¡¯t I?


    So why is my heart racing, my pulse pounding, my arms and legs trembling like I am in shock¡­? Um, it¡¯s because you are in shock? Because I may be married to a Mafia Capo but I am still not used to being shot at. Hell, I may never be used to being shot at, truth be told. Because as much as there is darkness at my core¡­ I am also a creature who craves the life I once had?


    A home, a career, a focus on creating art through my designs. Producing clothes that will bring my visions to life, and getting them out in the world. Where does all of that fit in with this life that I have been thrust into? Where do I fit in with this world that is Michael¡¯s life? This is where he came from and this is where he will always be. And if I want to live with him, I¡¯ll have to fit in. Do I want to fit in with this life that he has chosen for me? Do I want to walk away from everything I have spent my life working toward¡­ to be with him?


    So far, he has led and I have followed. Since I met him, it¡¯s been a roller coaster ride, and I¡¯ve been happy to go along for the ride. But now¡­ It¡¯s as if I am waking up from a long sleep and realizing that I have a choice.


    I hear the sound of someone moving and nce around to find JJ belly-crawling forward toward the doorway. He reaches it, straightens, keeping as close as he can to the wall, and hits the light switch.


    Gloom descends on the room. The rays from the sun nt into the room, but I guess switching off the lights makes us less of a target? Maybe? JJ¡¯s eyes glitter as he nces toward Michael, who nods. Something silent passes between the men. That¡¯s when another burst of shots rings out, and JJ drops to the floor again.


    ¡°Merda!¡± Michael swears as he throws his body over mine again. This time, the shots seem to go on and on. Things hit the floor around me. People? Or pieces of the furniture that the bullets have ripped out? Or bits of the wall that the bullets have loosened and which are now hitting the floor? A moan wells up and I swallow it down. My entire body trembles.


    Michael seems to sense my anxiety, for he presses me into the floor. Thump-thump-thump; his heartbeat pounds against my back. Strong, steady¡­grounding me. I focus on it, on him. Strange, even though I know that our time together is, surely, drawing to a close, I still can¡¯t stop myself from leaning on him. Another tear runs down my cheek and I try to swallow the ball of emotion that clogs my throat.


    Silence descends and I realize the shooting has finally stopped. No one moves, then something else crashes to the floor.


    I turn to find Seb and Massimo have upturned the table so it¡¯s another barrier between us and the windows. While Luca keeps his gun trained on JJ, Seb and Massimo use the edge of the table to bnce their guns and return fire. The sound of gunshots fills the room again. It¡¯s so loud, so close¡­ Too close.


    A tremor runs up my spine. I am not a weak person, but my daily life and my fashion designing business seem so far away right now. One wrongly or rightly-directed bullet, and I¡¯ll be dead. Gone. A soft moan leaves my lips before I can stop it.


    ¡°Shh,¡± Michael presses his lips to my temple, ¡°you¡¯re safe, Bellezza. I promise, I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    And you? Who will ensure that nothing happens to you? Will we spend our lives always worried about the next bullet that¡¯s going to kill one of us, or our loved ones?


    I bite the inside of my cheek, knowing there are no answers to these questions. He¡¯d never leave the Mafia¡­ He wouldn¡¯t want to, and even if he did, they¡¯d never leave him. Besides, what would he do? Work in an office behind a desk? Ha! As if he¡¯d ever be able to fit into an ordinary lifestyle.


    Michael is too big. Too vital. Too real¡­ Too much everything. Maybe he¡¯s always been too much for me, but I haven¡¯t wanted to see it. I¡¯ve been too consumed by hisrger-than-life image, his sexiness, his over-the-top attractiveness, his dominance which consumes me, overpowers mepletely.


    I had lost myself in him¡­ And now, I am finding myself again¡­ And I am not sure whether I want to be this woman I¡¯ve be being with him.


    The firing ceases.


    The room plunges into silence again.


    ¡°Fratellone, we need to get out of here,¡± I hear Luca murmur. I peer from the corner of my eye to find he still has his gaze on JJ. Guess they weren¡¯t taking any chances with the boss of the Kane Company.


    ¡°I am not sure that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Seb¡¯s voice protests. ¡°We leave here, and whoever is shooting at us will kill us.¡±


    ¡°We stay here and we are sitting ducks,¡± Luca hisses back.


    ¡°I vote we fight back,¡± Christian interjects.


    ¡°With what?¡± Massimo growls, ¡°We¡¯ll be out of ammo very soon.¡±


    ¡°I have guns in the basement,¡± JJ speaks up.


    Silence, and I imagine all of them are ring at JJ. I push at Michael¡¯s chest and he rises to his feet.


    ¡°Stay down.¡± He bends low and I follow suit.


    He guides me toward the back of the room. I step over pieces of wood, pieces of paper that have been torn out of the books that the bullets hit. I try to avoid stepping on them but there¡¯s too much of it. That,bined with the bits of ster from the ceiling that have fallen to the floor, have turned the once beautiful room into a war zone.


    Michael urges me behind the settee. He pushes down on my shoulder so I have no choice but to sink to my knees behind the sofa. It¡¯s some kind of protection, in case the shooting starts again, I suppose. I stare up at him and for a second, it¡¯s so erotic, so hot to have him looming over me, the breadth of his shoulders shutting out the sight of everything else, his gaze on me as he reaches down and cups my cheek. ¡°You okay?¡± he asks in a soft voice.


    I swallow, not trusting myself to speak, then nod.


    He holds my gaze a second longer before ncing toward JJ. ¡°Weapons,¡± he snaps, ¡°how many guns do you have?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to take his help?¡± Christian glowers, ¡°You¡¯re going to take the help of the man who murdered our brother.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him,¡± JJ retorts and Christian lunges for him. He brings the butt of his gun down on JJ, who ducks, but not fast enough. The butt smashes into the side of his temple and blood spurts from the wound. JJ grabs Christian¡¯s arm and twists it. His gun falls to the floor. Both leap for it, only someone fires a shot in the air. It hits the ceiling and chunks of rubble pour down in the center of the room. Neither JJ nor Christian move.


    Massimo stalks forward. He grabs JJ by his cor, hauls him to his feet, then presses a gun to his temple. Christian picks up his gun and straightens. He brushes off the dust that has settled on his jacket. ¡°Thanks, bro,¡± he jerks his chin at Massimo.


    ¡°You have something to say, Christian?¡± Michael demands.


    Christian stares at him, then at JJ. ¡°I understand why you think we need to take his help,¡± Christian growls, ¡°but as far as I am concerned, he is guilty of our brother¡¯s murder until proven otherwise.¡±


    ¡°And this¡­is why the Mafia is struggling to hold onto their position as the most notorious of all the organized crime bodies in the world.¡± JJ smirks, ¡°You guys are too emotional.¡±


    ¡°No one asked you for your opinion, stronzo.¡± Christian¡¯s shoulders tense and anger vibrates off of him. His jaw is clenched so tightly, I wonder if he¡¯s going to pop a blood vessel any second.


    ¡°He¡¯s right, though,¡± Michael says slowly, and Christian turns on him.


    Michael raises a hand, ¡°I understand how much you miss Xander. We all do. And if he is, indeed, the person responsible for his death, then trust me, I¡¯ll ensure that he dies in the most painful way possible. But right now, we need to find a way out of here.¡±


    ¡°And quickly,¡± Luca adds. ¡°They¡¯ve stopped shooting, but this is only a temporary reprieve. They must be reloading their weapons and nning their next move.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Seb nods his assent.


    Michael nces between them, then at Christian, who glowers back. ¡°How about we kill the bastardo first, then head down to get his weapons?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t work, ol¡¯ chap,¡± JJ drawls. ¡°You need my retinal scan to get through.¡±


    ¡°We could always cut off his head and take that to unlock the door,¡± Massimo offers.


    Luca chuckles, ¡°Now that¡¯s something I have been looking forward to.¡±


    ¡°Cutting off his head?¡± Seb asks.


    ¡°Specifically, the heads of our rivals and parading them around the streets of the city to teach our enemies that they can¡¯t fuck with us,¡± Luca retorts.


    Seb scowls at him, ¡°This is not an episode of Game of Thrones, you ass!¡±


    ¡°More¡¯s the pity; I always did prefer a sword to a gun.¡± Luca raises a shoulder.


    ¡°You always did like to ovepensate,¡± Seb chuckles.


    Luca¡¯s frown deepens. He points his gun toward Seb, then blows out a breath, ¡°Pity, I can¡¯t shoot you for that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Seb waves his own gun in the air.


    ¡°Gotta say, your brothers make for a fascinatingedy act.¡± JJ trains his gaze on Michael, ¡°And these are the jokers you count on to have your back in a sticky situation?¡±


    ¡°Asshole,¡± Luca trains his gun in JJ¡¯s direction, ¡°one more word and I won¡¯t hesitate to shoot.¡±


    JJ firms his lips. The bastard still doesn¡¯t seem to be put out by the fact that he¡¯s surrounded by men who would not hesitate to kill him if he breathed too hard. Jesus, the man has nerve, all right.


    He trains his gaze on Michael, who jerks his chin, ¡°Let¡¯s go get those guns.¡±

 125

    Michael


    Am I a fool to trust JJ-the man who stole her from my ind, under my watch, and brought her here? Am I totally stupido to follow him as he walks us down another flight of stairs to the basement?


    He reaches a closed door, presses a code into the keypad, in the space next to the doorframe. He ces his eye in front of the retinal scanner which glows green, and the door buzzes open. I shoulder open the door, Karma at my side.


    Luca, who¡¯s taken great pleasure in holding a gun to JJ¡¯s head during the entire trip, brings up the rear. He pushes JJ through the now open door, then follows him in, along with Seb and Christian.


    Massimo stands guard outside the door.


    I take in the row of guns on the opposite wall.


    Sebastian whistles, ¡°He wasn¡¯t kidding when he called it an armory.¡± He grabs a gun, then the ammunition next to it. He checks the gun, loads it, slides it into his waistband at the small of his back. Christian res at JJ before arming himself. I reach for a gun, slide it into the empty holster at my ankle, then under my bicep, a third in my waistband at the small of my back.


    Karma slips away to stand at the side. She folds her arms about her waist, a haunted look on her features. I nce at her, then snatching up one more gun which I slide into the front of my waistband, I walk toward her and she nces away.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I murmur and she bites down on her lower lip. I nce at the glistening flesh and my cock twitches. Fuck, this is not the time to be turned on¡­but with Beauty, just being close to her makes me want to throw her down and bury myself inside her again.


    ¡°Tell me, Karma,¡± I insist.


    She tips up her chin, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s something.¡± I bend my knees, peer into her face. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was wondering¡­¡±


    I tilt my head.


    ¡°Is that a gun or are you happy to see me, Capo?¡± She shoves her hand down my pants and pulls out the gun.


    ¡°Know how to use that?¡±


    ¡°Aim and shoot?¡± she ventures.


    I smirk, ¡°First thing I am gonna do when we get out of here is teach you how to use a gun.¡±


    Her forehead crumples.


    ¡°What?¡± I search her features, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie,¡± I growl, ¡°tell me what¡¯s bothering you, Beauty. If not-¡±


    ¡°You two love birds ready to leave before whoever is shooting at us starts up again?¡± Seb¡¯s voice cuts through the space, and she nces past me.


    ¡°We have to leave,¡± she murmurs and I know she is hiding something. ¡°This is not over, Beauty,¡± I warn her as I cock the gun and hand it to her. ¡°Take care with that,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Always,¡± She stares into my features, then reaches up and presses a quick kiss to my lips. My heart begins to thud against my ribcage. What is she hiding from me? What is she not telling me? What are you up to, Beauty? I deepen the kiss, thrust my tongue in between her lips, and kiss her with everything I feel for her.


    ¡°Michael,¡± Seb¡¯s urgent voice reaches me, ¡°we need to go, fratellone.¡±


    I straighten, then step back from her, ¡°Stay close.¡±


    I pivot and head for the door, Karma right behind me.


    ¡°What about him?¡± Luca jerks his chin toward JJ, ¡°What do we do with him?¡±


    ¡°Give me a gun and let me fight with you.¡±


    I hold his gaze.


    ¡°Not the time to think with your heart, Capo.¡± JJ tilts his head, ¡°You need men on your side. You need me on your side to fight your way out of this one.¡±


    Fuck this, but he¡¯s right. If I let my ego get in the way and don¡¯t give him a gun, and if whoever is attacking us manages to hurt us¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to forgive myself about it.


    I close the distance between us and bury my fist in his face. JJ rears back. Blood streams from his nose and spills onto his shirt.


    He shakes his head, then curls his fingers into fists. ¡°The fuck was that for?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°That,¡± I growl, ¡°was for taking my wife to get my attention.¡±


    He rolls his shoulders, then uncurls his fists, finger by finger. ¡°Fair enough,¡± he rumbles.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch what¡¯s mine again, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°And you keep your hands off of what¡¯s mine,¡± he growls.


    We re at each other, then I jerk my chin toward the array of weapons, ¡°Now, you may grab a gun.¡±


    ¡°No fucking way!¡± Christian explodes. ¡°You¡¯re going to give him a gun?¡±


    I turn to him, ¡°Not the time to debate this, fratellino.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t give him a gun, Capo,¡± he insists.


    ¡°That¡¯s my final decision,¡± I say in a hard voice. Christian holds my gaze, then turns away. He marches toward the door and I watch him go with mixed feelings. ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl, ¡°fuck, fuck, fuck.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing the right thing, if it¡¯s any constion,¡± JJ pulls out a pristine white handkerchief and dabs at his face. ¡°And to prove it to you, I¡¯m going to take you to a ce from which we can return fire in rtive safety.¡±


    ¡°And you are telling us this now?¡± I arch an eyebrow.


    ¡°Had to make sure that I could trust you, first.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust him, Capo,¡± Luca growls. He grabs a few more firearms for Massimo, then turns and marches off after Christian.


    JJ grabs the guns and arms himself, then turns to me, ¡°Follow me.¡±


    I hold his gaze, trying to read the expression on his face. Next to me, Beauty shifts her feet, while Seb res at JJ, before turning to me. ¡°You going to trust this motherfucker, boss?¡±


    I scowl at JJ, then nod, ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Five minutester, we are in the room next to the library, and surprise-we used a hidden door from the armory that had a staircase that led directly up to this room.


    ¡°The walls are made of reinforced cement, and the windows,¡± he jerks his chin toward the panes ¡°are made of reinforced ss.¡±


    ¡°You have a regr Fort Knox here,¡± I say mildly.


    ¡°Never can be too prepared in our line of business.¡± He shoves his gun in the opening between the panes.


    Seb follows suit, and so do I.


    Karma hunkers down behind me, that same distant look on her face. The one that makes my gut churn every time I nce at her. I want to talk to her, to reassure her that everything will be okay. That I will not let anything happen to her. I reach for her, and that¡¯s when the first shots ring out.


    Seb returns fire, as does JJ.


    The shots die away. In the silence that follows, my phone buzzes. I put it on speaker, ¡°Massimo?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an entire group of them.¡± He speaks rapidly from his perch up on the top floor of the house. Along with Christian and Antonio, he¡¯d headed there to take stock of how many people we¡¯re up against. Additionally, they were going to try to take down as many as they could from their vantage point. ¡°I count at least fifteen men surrounding the house and closing in on the grounds,¡± he adds.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Luca swears from the other side of Karma. I had asked her to stay in the corridor, out of the line of fire, but is the woman having any of that? Of course, not. In this, she was as adamant as ever. She¡¯d insisted that she¡¯d be here with me. When I had protested, she¡¯d said that she felt safer with me. And how could I argue with her after that?


    JJ stiffens on the other side of me. ¡°This would be a good time to have more of my men,¡± he mutters.


    I growl.


    He raises a shoulder, ¡°Not putting the me on you for offing them. It¡¯s merely a fact that we need more men on our side.¡±


    In their zeal to get through to us, Seb had gunned down JJ¡¯s men. The only people who remain are the household staff, and JJ had instructed them to stay in the kitchen and note out. They had been more than happy to oblige us. Not that I me them. It¡¯s going to get a lot uglier here before it gets better.


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to join the rest of the household staff?¡± I ask Karma.


    She shoots me a scathing nce, ¡°And leave you here on your own?¡±


    ¡°I am quite good at surviving tricky situations.¡±


    ¡°This time, I am going to be with you every step of the way.¡±


    I nce into her green eyes that are dted¡­with fear? With the adrenaline of the fight. Her lips part and my cock thickens.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sully your hands with blood,¡± I murmur. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Beauty.¡±


    ¡°But I do.¡± She stares back, ¡°I want to see what it is about fighting with a gun that gives you such a hard-on, Capo.¡±


    ¡°Nothing and no one gives me a hard-on as much as you, Beauty.¡±


    Seb groans next to me, ¡°Can you guys keep it down? Some of us here are trying to focus on not getting killed.¡±


    Karma flushes, then rises to her feet to peek through the windows.


    A shot rings out again and Seb instantly returns fire as well.


    I pull her down. ¡°What the hell do you think you are doing?¡± I hiss.


    ¡°N¡­nothing,¡± she blinks rapidly, ¡°uh, just wanted to see what was happening out there.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening is that, unless we do something fast, they are going to start shooting and there are more of them.¡±


    ¡°We have more ammunition,¡± Seb reminds us.


    ¡°Five of us-¡± JJ begins and Karma interrupts him.


    ¡°Six of us.¡±


    He inclines his head, ¡°Six of us, and fifteen of them.¡±


    ¡°The odds are not good,¡± Seb blows out a breath.


    ¡°But not impossible, either.¡± I am not going to let whoever they are get the better of us. I am going to bring them down and find out who¡¯s at the bottom of this attack¡­and likely, the attack on Karma¡¯s car, as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s time we go on the offensive,¡± I crack my neck.


    Seb scowls, ¡°That would not be advisable-¡±


    ¡°I agree with the Capo,¡± JJ interrupts him. ¡°Let¡¯s take this situation by the horns and surprise them.¡±


    I exchange nces with JJ, who jerks his chin. Apparently, the two of us think more alike than I¡¯d have expected. And somehow, I am not sure if that¡¯s a good thing. It means he¡¯s more astute than I¡¯d given him credit for. It also means that I have underestimated him all this time.


    Holding the gun with one hand, JJ slides the other inside his pocket.


    Seb swoops down to grab his arm. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± he growls.


    ¡°Rx,¡± JJ drawls, ¡°I¡¯m only going to call for additional men.¡±


    Seb nces at me. I nod; he releases JJ¡¯s arm.


    JJ pulls out his phone, his fingers fly over the keys as he shoots off a message. Then he pockets his phone again, ¡°They should be here in the next half an hour. Think we can hold them off until then?¡±


    Seb scowls, seems about to say something, then thinks the better of it. ¡°What do you think, Capo?¡±


    ¡°I think,¡± I bare my teeth, ¡°that we don¡¯t have a choice.¡±

 126

    Karma


    Is this me or is it a dream? Am I really standing here next to my gangster husband holding a gun? A weapon I have never held before, and which I have no idea how to use¡­but which already feels familiar in my hands. The metal seems to draw warmth from my skin as I clutch it.


    I should be more scared of the power I hold in my hands. The ability to y God, to fire this gun and snatch someone else¡¯s life¡­ It¡¯s both worrisome, but also, strangely, empowering. That dark core of me is thrilled at the force I hold in my hands. With this, I could make others obey me. I could control people. I could get my way. I could-


    ¡°Beauty?¡± His soft whisper cuts through the noise in my head, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink at him, ¡°Did you say something?¡±


    ¡°I asked if you were okay.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± My palms sweat and I tighten my grip on the gun.


    He stares at me a little longer and I tip up my chin, ¡°I am fine, honestly.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He rakes his gaze across my features, ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to go inside, and get out of the line of fire?¡±


    ¡°And miss all the fun?¡± I allow my lips to curl in a poor attempt at mirroring his smirk.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He chuckles, then kisses my forehead, ¡°I knew I was obsessed with you for a reason.¡±


    He¡¯s obsessed with me. He¡¯s. OBSESSED with me. OMG, did he just say that? I peer up at him from under my eyshes, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be aware of the ramifications of what he just said.


    He reaches for his phone and dials a number. When Massimo answers it, he nces first at JJ, then Seb, before fixing his gaze on me. ¡°Open fire,¡± hemands.


    Instantly, shots are fired from above, and returned. Each time a bullet hits the ss, it¡¯s deflected, but the sound of the bullet bouncing off makes me wince.


    The sttering sound of the bullets rebounding off of the ss increases in intensity. It feels like we are in the middle a hailstorm, only deadlier.


    All through it, Michael, JJ and Seb continue to return fire, adding anotheryer of noise to the sound of bullets being deflected.


    I thought I was prepared. I thought I could face this barrage of gunfire, but I had mistaken just how intense it was to be in the line of fire. The shooting seems to rise to a crescendo. The shotse so thick and fast that it¡¯s like the popping of corn, at the height of when you are zapping it in the microwave, only much bigger, muchrger than life, much more in your face¡­ Much more lethal.


    I know I am not in direct danger, yet I can¡¯t stop myself from flinching. I hunch my shoulders and wish I could cover my ears to lessen the intensity of the sound. I sense Michael ncing at me. He puts his arm around me, pulls me closer. I huddle into him, still holding the gun in my hands. My fingers tremble to pull the trigger, to answer back, to do something¡­ Anything, except sit here with only a wall of ss separating us from the bullets that never seem to stoping.


    The shots go on and on. My heart beat ratchets up, my pulse rate elerates, sweat pools under my arms, and ck spots flicker at the corners of my vision. My heart seems to palpitate with such intensity that I can hear the blood thud in my ears. ¡°Bloody hell,¡± I gasp as my knees seem to buckle.


    I lean heavily into Michael, who grips my shoulders. ¡°You okay?¡± he yells, close to my ear so I can hear him above that never-ending barrage of bullets. A bullet rain. I am stuck in a monsoon of ballistic proportions with my very own avenging devil. A shiver runs down my spine. My heartbeat seems to grow louder, bigger, expanding until it fills my entire chest.


    Over us, the hail of bullets reaches a crescendo, then stops. The sound ricochets through the corners of my mind, then fades away. I draw in a breath, another, then gasp when he hauls me to him, ¡°You okay, baby?¡± he asks in a harsh voice.


    ¡°I am fine.¡± My voice quivers and I clear my throat. Goddammit, I am not going to act like a wimp. Not now.


    He searches my face and swears, ¡°You¡¯re pale.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the light.¡± I attempt a weak smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine; honest.¡±


    He nods, then turns back to the window and shoots. JJ, Luca and Seb follow suit.


    I¡¯m fairly certain Christian, Massimo, and Antonio open fire from above, for once more, the air is thick with the sound of bullets being shot. The vibrations from the recoil m into my chest, echo through my mind, press down on my stomach, my womb. My knees give way and I sink down to the floor.


    I sense Michael nce down at me but he doesn¡¯t stop shooting. I coil into myself, still holding onto the gun, as pain slices through my chest. Sweat pours down my temples, drips down my chin. Shit, shit, shit. This is it. It¡¯s my heart¡­ It¡¯s finally giving out. How poetic that it had to be when I am holding a gun, and next to my gangster husband, in the middle of a gun fight. Am I going to die, not struck by a bullet, but because my heart finally chose this moment to show that I don¡¯t belong with a Mafia guy, after all? Something I had already realized but which the events of the past few seconds have brought home even more firmly?


    I shudder and curl into myself as the firing continues on and on. The spent cases from the used bullets hit the floor in front of me, a constant stream of metal clinking¡­


    Like the coins in my pocket when I had walked home from school and stopped to buy my favorite candy at the corner shop. It had been during the time we had been with one particr foster family who had been so good to us. We-Summer and I-had fit in so well with them, we¡¯d thought we had found our forever family. They¡¯d give us pocket money we could use to buy candy, a huge treat. Something we had never been able to do before. One day, we¡¯d reached the shop, and I¡¯d chosen my candy and brought it to the till to pay. Then I had reached for the coins, which had slipped from my hands and hit the floor and rolled away. I¡¯d managed to gather them back. At least, I¡¯d thought I had, but when I had handed them over, some had been missing. I hadn¡¯t had enough to pay for the candy. Summer had stepped in and bought me the candy. She had skipped her treat that day and shared mine, and I had been so happy. The jingling of coins would always be associated with that particr memory and now with this¡­


    The constant barrage of bullets that my husband and his brothers fire at those who are trying to kill us. A chill grips me and my teeth chatter. I grasp the gun, drawing on some of the residual warmth from the metal. I am not weak. I will not give in to the frailty that envelops me. I am not going to just sit here and allow the men to fight while I y the role of a woman who needs to be protected all the time. I push myself up to my feet, ce my gun on the barrier and fire.

 127

    Michael


    One minute, she¡¯s trembling on the ground; the next, she is on her feet and firing off the gun as if she¡¯s done it her entire life. She holds her finger down on the trigger and fires. Her body shudders with the recoil. She pauses, changes her stance, then grips the gun tighter and fires again, and again.


    Each time she fires, her body shakes with the recoil. Each time the gun spits out a bullet, she winces, but she doesn¡¯t stop. She keeps her finger glued to the trigger, long after the rest of us have stopped.


    Her features are contorted, her cheeks flushed; her chest rises and falls as she widens her stance to better support herself and the weight of the gun she holds. At some point, I realize the rest of the men have stopped shooting and are watching her. But she still doesn¡¯t stop.


    The skin across her knuckles stretches white, but she keeps the trigger depressed, keeps shooting, until the empty cking of the chambers fills the space. Tears run down her cheeks, drip from her chin. She sways, her legs seem to give way from under her, and I catch her as she crumples.


    The gun slips from her fingers, and Seb snatches it up. I lower her to the floor, take in the sheen of sweat on her forehead, the trickle of sweat that runs down her temples, and my heart stutters.


    ¡°Bellezza!¡± I haul her close as I peer into her features, ¡°You are not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± she insists, and her voice cracks.


    ¡°You are not fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she swallows, and more color leaches from her features, ¡°I am fine, really, I am.¡±


    Seb drops down to one knee next to us, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? How is she?¡±


    ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± I nce up at him, ¡°I need to take her to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She rears up, ¡°No doctor.¡±


    ¡°You need to see someone to find out what¡¯s wrong with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±


    I blink, ¡°You do?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she nces away, ¡°it¡¯s nothing, really.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something if it has you jumping to your feet to fire off your gun, only to copse in the next instant.¡±


    ¡°Michael¡­¡± she opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°it¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s nothing that you need to concern yourself with.¡±


    ¡°Everything that concerns you concerns me.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± She makes that sound deep in her throat that she does when she is frustrated, and fuck, if my cock doesn¡¯t instantly twitch. Everything about this woman is designed to drive me mad, surely?


    She glowers at me, ¡°You¡¯re impossible!¡±


    ¡°And you are beautiful.¡±


    Her lips tremble, ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± She nces away from me.


    ¡°Why not?¡± A cold sensation coils in the pit of my stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll say it as many times as I want to you. You¡¯re my wife, after all.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± she muses in a low voice, but I catch it.


    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t reply and that knot in my stomach pulls tighter. ¡°Karma, what¡¯s going on in that head of yours?¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t do something about those men shooting at us, nothing is going to go on, because we¡¯ll all be dead,¡± JJ interjects.


    I jerk my chin up in his direction. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare interrupt when-¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Seb says in a hard voice. ¡°We¡¯re stuck in the middle of a gunfight.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do, Capo?¡±


    I nce down at Karma, then at Seb, ¡°We need to-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to stay and fight it out,¡± Karma retorts.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    I re at her, ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to make my decisions for me?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± JJ cuts in. ¡°Try to leave here and you will be gunned down.¡±


    Seb nods, ¡°Our only hope is to stay and fight and take down those shooting at us.¡±


    ¡°We have the weapons needed to oust them,¡± JJ reminds me.


    Karma grimaces. If possible, she turns even more pale. Sweat dots the front of her dress, which clings to her chest. Her chest rises and falls and her lips twist. She¡¯s in pain. She¡¯s not admitting to it, but she¡¯s in pain.


    ¡°No,¡± I say in a cold voice.


    ¡°What?¡± Seb stares. ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±


    ¡°I mean, no.¡± I nce down at Karma, ¡°I am going to find a way to get her out of here and to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Luca swears from above us, ¡°that¡¯s suicide.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll survive. I¡¯ll make sure we survive.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± Seb growls, ¡°Fratellone, that is not a good idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do it anyway.¡±


    ¡°Think of her, if not yourself; you don¡¯t want to put her life in danger.¡±


    ¡°I am thinking of her,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°If I don¡¯t get her out of here, her life will be in danger.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Let him go,¡± JJ murmurs. ¡°You can take her to my doctor; I¡¯ll text you the address. I¡¯ll call him and let him know to expect you.¡±


    ¡°Grazie,¡± I jerk my chin at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± JJ pulls out his phone and walks away to make a call.


    Just then, footsteps sound outside. The door flies open and Christian, Massimo, and Antonio burst through the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Christian sinks down to his knees next to Seb, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Karma is not feeling well, and the Capo has decided he is going to make a run for it to get her to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°You are both going to die,¡± Christian says tly. ¡°There are still, at least, ten people out there, and probably more on the way.¡±


    ¡°I am not going to let my wife suffer. I am going to get her to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°And how are you going to do that?¡± Christian growls, ¡°I assume you parked your car a distance from the house so you could approach without being discovered?¡±


    ¡°Cazzo! ¡± I swear aloud, ¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy to get to it without being spotted.¡±


    ¡°You can use my car,¡± JJ pockets his phone as he prowls over to us. ¡°It¡¯s in the garage and it¡¯s bullet-proof.¡±


    ¡°No vehicle ispletely bullet-proof.¡± Christian snaps. He turns on me, ¡°I speak the truth and you know it. Try to take her out of here and you endanger both of your lives.¡±


    I hesitate. Do I want to be more beholden to one of my enemies¡­ more than I already am.


    Making my decision for me, Beauty gasps. She grips my hand and I nce down to find her eyes closed. Her chest rises and falls; her breathing is shallow. Fuck this. ¡°Fine,¡± I snap, ¡°I¡¯ll take the car.¡±


    ¡°What the-!¡± Christian explodes, ¡°How can you willingly put yourself in danger, and after what happened to Xander-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of what happened to Xander that I can¡¯t allow anything to happen to her.¡± I scowl up at him.


    He holds my gaze and whatever he sees on my face must convince him, for he blows out a breath. ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± He rises to his feet, then stares down at us, ¡°I aming with you.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± I snap.


    ¡°If you are putting yourself in danger-¡±


    ¡°Nothing is going to happen to us.¡±


    ¡°Then let mee with you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say in a low voice.


    He opens his mouth to protest and I slice the air with my palm, ¡°This is not open to debate.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± He sets his jaw. ¡°We¡¯ll cover you. We¡¯ll fire at the motherfuckers and make sure they are so upied that they won¡¯t be able to stop you.¡±


    ¡°Good n,¡± JJ remarks.


    Christian res at him. ¡°We¡¯re out of ammo.¡±


    ¡°You know where to find it,¡± JJ replies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t we need your iris scan to unlock the door?¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± JJ smirks.


    Christian¡¯s face suffuses with color.


    He jumps up to his feet, swoops out and jams his gun into the side of JJ¡¯s temple. Everyone freezes as the two re at each other. JJ doesn¡¯t flinch, doesn¡¯t lower his gaze. The staring match goes on and on, then Christian nods. He slowly lowers the gun, pivots and walks out.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± Antonio follows him.


    A bead of sweat slides down JJ¡¯s temple. ¡°The boy has balls,¡± he concedes, ¡°and he¡¯s hurting.¡±


    ¡°We all are.¡± It¡¯s not lost on me that in the space of a few hours I¡¯ve gone from wanting to kill the motherfucker to trusting him¡­albeit grudgingly. Perhaps it¡¯s because of the life and death situation in which we currently find ourselves. It¡¯s what happens when you are under pressure. You need to make snap decisions, and trust your instincts. And right now, my gut says JJ is on our side. Temporarily. Until we find out who the hell is after us.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need this,¡± JJ holds out his phone, ¡°I¡¯ve deactivated the lock and the doctor¡¯s address is already keyed into the GPS.¡±


    I slide the phone into my pocket.


    ¡°Garage is at the back of the house, through the kitchen,¡± he adds, as he hands over the key fob. I take it, then rise to my feet and scoop Karma into my arms. She protests and I scowl at her. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°I am not going to let you walk.¡±


    ¡°I was going to ask for my gun back.¡±


    I scowl at her, she tips up her chin. ¡°My gun, Michael.¡±


    I nod at Seb, who reloads her gun, then holds it out. She epts it, and cradles it close to her chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t shoot me with that thing.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult me.¡± She purses her lips. ¡°I may not be used to holding a gun, but I can hold my own with it.¡±


    ¡°That you can,¡± Seb concedes.


    I nce around, take in the faces of my brothers, then turn to JJ. ¡°Thanks,¡± I say grudgingly. ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean that I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡± He jerks his chin.


    Seb picks up my gun from where I had ced it on the floor. He loads it, then slides it into my waistband at the small of my back.


    I head for the door and he follows me.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I frown at him over my shoulder.


    ¡°Going to get you guns so you can defend yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here,¡± Massimo rumbles. He res at JJ and it¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t trust the other man to leave him on his own. Good call.


    I head down to the ground floor, then out of the back door, and into the garage. The lights flicker on, revealing six parked cars. I press the keyfob and the Mercedes in the corner lights up. As I head toward it, Seb pulls out his phone, calls Christian and asks him toe to the garage with the ammo. We reach the car and Seb opens the passenger door; I ce Karma inside. Then walk around to the driver¡¯s side.


    Christian and Antonio join Seb, and together, they pile guns and boxes of ammo on the floor in the back of the car.


    ¡°You realize, if any one sees this, they are going to report you to the police immediately, right?¡± Karma grumbles.


    ¡°Will they?¡± I take in the pile of weapons.


    ¡°Maybe not in Sicily, but not too many people know you here,¡± Karma insists.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure not to draw attention to the car.¡±


    ¡°And the doctor?¡± She frowns. ¡°Won¡¯t he get suspicious about it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s JJ¡¯s doctor; I assume he¡¯s used to seeing guns,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Guns are not asmon in Ennd as in Sicily.¡±


    ¡°More¡¯s the pity.¡± I shake my head, ¡°Never understood the appeal of a stiff upper lip, when you could simply leave a stiff behind that wouldn¡¯t talk.¡±


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡± She scowls, ¡°That is a joke. OMG, Capo, you made a joke?¡±


    ¡°Your English sense of humor must be rubbing off on me.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Here,¡± says Christian as heys a dark nket over the guns. ¡°Done.¡±


    The guys m the back doors shut.


    ¡°Wait for the diversion, then drive,¡± Christian orders.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. Don¡¯t stop for anything; you just keep going,¡± Seb adds.


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d let me, at least,e with you.¡± Antonio scowls, ¡°I am your bodyguard. It¡¯s my responsibility to make sure that nothing happens to you.¡±


    ¡°And I want you to stay with my brothers and fight back.¡±


    With ast nce at the men, I slide into the car.


    ¡°Arrivederci,¡± Christian calls out. Until we meet again.


    They turn to leave, and I snap my seatbelt into ce at the same time as she does.


    ¡°Now what?¡± Beautyys the gun across herp, then looks at me expectantly.


    I reach over, wrap my fingers around her neck and bring her close. I kiss her, then thrust my forehead into hers. ¡°Now we wait.¡±


    ¡°And what do you suggest we do while we wait?¡±


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not well.¡± I scowl and she raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Let me be the judge of that.¡±


    She reaches over and grips my crotch and my cock instantly hardens.


    ¡°Karma,¡± I scold, ¡°now is not the time.¡±


    ¡°Now is exactly the time.¡± Her eyes twinkle. Color seeps back into her face and she doesn¡¯t seem to be sweating anymore.


    ¡°You¡¯re feeling better, I take it?¡±


    She massages my crotch, ¡°I am now.¡± She winces again and I re at her.


    ¡°You lying to me again?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She scowls, then pulls her hand back. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± she nces to the side, ¡°have it your way.¡±


    I blow out a breath, ¡°Baby, I know you want me, but your health is more important.¡±


    She scoffs, ¡°What would make me feel better is if you eat me out.¡±


    ¡°And get you overexcited again?¡± I shake my head, ¡°not that I don¡¯t want to, but I am worried about you Karma, and I¡¯d rather y it safe until we have you examined by a doctor.¡±


    That¡¯s when shots ring out.

 128

    Karma


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he swears under his breath, ¡°it¡¯s beginning.¡± He rakes his gaze across my features, ¡°You ready for this?¡±


    No.


    No.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I jerk my chin.


    He holds my gaze a second longer, then turns and puts the car in gear. He eases the car toward the garage door which rolls up, revealing the driveway. He revs the engine, peers through the ss as he waits¡­waits¡­N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    I search the driveway and what I can see of the grounds up ahead. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t all the shooting have attracted cops by now?¡±


    ¡°It would have if we¡¯d been in London.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°We are on the outskirts, and the grounds are so big that there are no neighbors around for miles.¡±


    ¡°So, he lives close to one of the most expensive cities in the world and his estate is so big that he could literallymit murder and go undetected?¡±


    He shoots me a nce and I raise my hands. ¡°Just saying. I guess crime does pay, eh?¡±


    ¡°Does that bother you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your world.¡±


    ¡°And yours,¡± he points out.


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the second time you¡¯vee up with a cryptic remark in the past twenty minutes.¡± He scowls.


    Ahead, there¡¯s a muffled boom, then a section of the trees catches fire. Instantly, he puts the car in gear and roars forward. A creaking sound reaches me. I peer through the windshield, then gasp. ¡°Mika!¡± I point to where the tree on the side of the driveway in front of us begins to topple over. He elerates with such speed that I am pushed back into the seat. The Mercedes leaps forward, and the tree misses the tail of the car and hits the ground. The crash seems to resound through the space. The dust from the impact flows over the car.


    Mika ps on the wipers and their rhythmic whoosh-whoosh fills the car. He keeps his foot pressed on the elerator as he races up the driveway, past the trees that surround the house on either side.


    More shots ring out, bullets pepper the sides of the car, m into the windshield. I scream and throw up my arms, only to realize that the bullets are bouncing off the car. Each bullet embeds into the windshield, and on the ss of my door, leaving a star shaped crack on impact. More shots ring out and I flinch with each impact. I nce sideways to find Mika focused on the road ahead.


    The shooting seems to go on and on, there¡¯s a yell, then all noises fade. Except for the whoosh of the wipers, which he switches off as the car hurtles forward. Silence fills the car, for a beat, another. We continue up the driveway, and the gates to the estate loom in the distance.


    ¡°The gates are open? Was it JJ who¡­?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce in time to see him nod.


    His jaw is hard and a nerve pops at his temple. His muscles seem to have turned to stone as he keeps his gaze focused forward.


    Less than a mile now to the gates, three-fourths of a mile, half a mile¡­ He leans forward as if urging the car forward with his entire being.


    I draw in a breath, hold it. Twist my fingers together in front as I part my legs, push my heels into the floor of the car and brace myself. Adrenaline pours through my veins, and the blood pumps at my temples, thrums at my wrists. My heart beat ratchets up again, and this time, I don¡¯t care. I feel the flush that stains my cheeks, that sensation of the pulse ring to life in my stomach, between my legs, as I stare through the windshield and the scenery zips by. I am excited and turned on. I shouldn¡¯t be, but I am.


    Speed¡­ Goddamn, I love speed, even though I¡¯ve never had the chance to indulge in it. Not unless you count the video games I¡¯d managed to y with one of my foster siblings. It had been only for a few months, but it had been long enough to give me a taste of what it would be like to take on an opponent, to race forward, eyes on the prize, as you mowed down anyone who dared toe in your way. As I hope Mika will do too. I shoot him another sideways nce and find his gazepletely focused on the road forward.


    He presses down on the elerator and the car seems to fly forward. Less than fifty feet to the gates¡­ forty¡­now, thirty¡­ That¡¯s when a car shoots out from the undergrowth and onto the center of the driveway in front of the gates. Then a second car from the other side. They park nose to nose in the center.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± Mika growls, and for a second, I am sure that he is going to crash into the cars, but he ms on the brakes with such speed that I am mmed against the restraint then back against the seat. A scream boils up, even as a part of me relishes the adrenaline rush that builds within me.


    Even as I turn to him Michael is already out of the car. He pulls out his gun as he fires at the man getting out of first car. Blood gushes from his chest and he drops to the ground. Michael continues to fire at the second man who¡¯se around from the car, then at the driver from the second car, who¡¯s stepped out, and the other men who pour out from the second car.


    He runs out of bullets, flings the gun aside, grabs another from the holster under his arm, and continues firing in such a smooth move that I blink. The men fire at him, he drops to the ground, rolls,es up firing. It¡¯s like a dance, a much-practiced, smooth motion which he¡¯s rehearsed so many times, it¡¯s a part of him. Of course, it¡¯s a part of him. He was born into this world. The sound of bullets echoes in his cells, the scent of ammunition is steeped in his veins, this¡­weaving, ducking the shots thate his way, as he returns fire, taking out man after man who dares to threaten him¡­ This is Michael at his rawest, truest, stripped-to-the-bone naked. This is Michael unadorned. Just how I like him. How I like the darkness that clings to his core. This¡­feeling of danger that surrounds him is what I crave, and what I worry may consume me until I can¡¯t differentiate right from wrong.


    It¡¯s why I know I can¡¯t be with him.


    It¡¯s also why I will not be a woman who cowers in the background while her man is fighting a war.


    I snap my seat belt open, grab the gun from the floor, push open the door and step out, still holding the gun. I raise my gun, depress the trigger, and it doesn¡¯t fire. What the hell? I apply pressure on the trigger, again and again. Still, nothing happens. What the-! The breath whooshes out of me. Michael switched on the safety. That¡¯s why I am not able to fire. I reach for the safety, when the barrel of a gun is pushed into the back of my head.

 129

    Michael


    ¡°Stop or I¡¯ll shoot her.¡±


    A familiar voice rings out. I keep my finger pressed down on the trigger, take thest man out, then pivot, gun pointed toward the man who has his weapon trained on her.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I growl as my gaze collides with a pair of blue eyes so simr to mine.


    ¡°Don,¡± I growl, ¡°What the hell are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Sorry it had toe to this, Capo,¡± he says without any change in expression, ¡°but I have to protect what¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°You wanted me to be the Don.¡±


    ¡°Correction,¡± he looks me up and down, ¡°I wanted you to think that I wanted you to be the Don.¡±


    ¡°Why,¡± I shake my head trying to understand what his intentions are, ¡°Why would you do this?¡±


    ¡°Why would I hold a gun to your wife¡¯s head?¡± His lips curve, ¡°You know why. You let it be personal, Capo. You allowed her to get to you. You went against everything I taught you.¡±


    ¡°Everything you taught me?¡± I explode, ¡°You didn¡¯t teach me shit, you bastard.¡±


    ¡°Technically, I am not a bastard. Neither are you, for that matter.¡± He shakes his head, ¡°American insults; they¡¯re so predictable, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s enough American in me to use the insult when it fits the asion.¡±


    ¡°That was my first mistake. Agreeing to let you go to the US to study. You came back, not just with an American ent, but with their sensibilities as well, which don¡¯t fit in with our way of life.¡±


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t fit in with our way of life is you.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± His lips kick up, ¡°You are going to modernize the ways of the Mafia, eh? Bring us into the digital age with your virtual businesses? The very nature of which has resulted in this mess.¡±


    ¡°It did,¡± I agree. ¡°The virtual businesses which you mock are so profitable that it led to my partners trying to betray me to get a hold of it, but thanks to you,¡± I allow my own lips to curve in a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve not only sorted that out, but at the same time, I¡¯ve made allies of our closest rivals.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d engage in a partnership with our enemies?¡± My father¡¯s features harden. ¡°That is a recipe for disaster.¡±


    ¡°What is a recipe for disaster is that you still have your gun trained on my wife.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡±


    I curl my fingers around the trigger and the Don shakes his head, ¡°Don¡¯t do it; not unless you want to see your wife¡¯s brains all over the ground.¡±


    Karma pales and her fingers holding the gun tremble. He leans around, grabs the gun from her. I stiffen, take a step forward, but he wiggles his gun in my direction. I pause, take in Karma¡¯s features. Her chin wobbles, but her gaze never wavers. Magnificent woman. She squares her shoulders and firms her lips. She¡¯s scared, but she¡¯s trying her best not to show it. I hold her gaze for a second longer, then turn my attention to my father. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°You. Dead,¡± he points her gun at me, then releases the safety. The sound is loud in the silence, broken only by the sound of the hot metal of the cars contracting as they release some of their heat into the air.


    She winces, but doesn¡¯t give any other sign of the fear I am sure grips her right now.


    ¡°I thought you wanted your legacy to continue.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why I have five sons.¡±


    ¡°Four,¡± I say in a low voice, ¡°you have four sons left.¡±


    ¡°Too bad about Alessandro,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°but the way he was going¡­ He wasn¡¯t worth the Mafia name.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Anger clouds my brain and my pulse rate ratchets. Something hot stabs at my chest. ¡°You?¡± I manage to form the word with my tongue. ¡°You were behind the rigging of the car? You killed him?¡±


    ¡°An ident.¡± For a second, he seems almost contrite, then his features smooth out again. ¡°I hadn¡¯t meant for the bomb to kill him.¡±


    My gut clenches and my vision tunnels. He killed him? My father killed my brother? He killed Xander? I clench my fingers around the trigger of my gun. I am going to kill the bastard myself. But I don¡¯t yet have a clear shot. Merda! I re down the barrel of my gun at him, force my muscles to rx, ¡°But you did intend to kill her?¡±


    ¡°Something to distract you from your path to taking over as Don.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I shake my head. ¡°You encouraged me to be Don; you are my father.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I ever have to step down. I intend to stay at the helm of the Mafiosa for a long, long time¡­but you, were bing too great a threat.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d kill me, rather than see me seed?¡±


    ¡°And then I¡¯d still have three sons.¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°Enough to continue my lineage, when the timees.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost it,¡± I growl.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s lost the fight.¡± He narrow his gaze on me, ¡°Lower the gun, son.¡±


    Son? He dares call me son after everything he¡¯s done to our family? Bile bubbles up my throat and I swallow it down. I nce from him to her, then back at his face.


    ¡°Do it,¡± he warns. ¡°If you want her to survive this, you¡¯ll lower the gun.¡±


    ¡°If you let her walk away, I¡¯ll hand myself over.¡±


    ¡°No, Michael,¡± Karma bursts out, and he must push the gun into her head, for she winces again.


    Anger coils in my belly, my vision narrows, adrenalineces my blood, and I force myself to uncurl my fingers from where they have pressed down on the trigger. ¡°Let her walk away, now,¡± I insist, ¡°and I won¡¯t fight this.¡±


    ¡°Lower your gun first,¡± he says in a cold voice. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I am the one who taught you the game that you now insist on ying.¡±


    I re at him and he doesn¡¯t blink. My father¡¯s features are set in lines that I find familiar. He means it. He won¡¯t hesitate to shoot her. The only way out is to show him that I am willing toply, for the moment. I lower my gun, and he jerks his chin. ¡°ce it on the ground.¡±


    I follow his instructions, then straighten.


    ¡°Now kick it toward me.¡±


    I do so, and he nods.


    ¡°Now let her go.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he drawls, ¡°I am going to shoot her, then you.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I burst out, ¡°the man I interrogated and who said that it was the Kanepany who¡¯d put him up to rigging the car, was that your doing?¡±


    His lips twist, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± I draw in a breath. Dy him, dy him. Just until I¡¯ve gathered myself together. Just until I find a way to get him to release Karma. ¡°If it was, then that was sheer genius. It derailed us from going after the real culprit.¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± he bites out the word with satisfaction writ into his features.


    He holds my gaze and I can read the intent. I know he¡¯s going to do it. He¡¯s going to pull the trigger on her, on my Beauty, my soul, my wife. My everything. All of my muscles tense and I lean forward on the balls of my feet, ready to throw myself at him, when the screech of brakes sounds from behind me.


    He nces past me and I yell, ¡°Hit the ground, Karma.¡±


    I lunge toward my gun, but before I can reach it, a shot rings out.


    There¡¯s a hoarse cry. I grab the gun, raise it to find Karma is on the ground, her arms over her head and smoke rising from a hole in the center of my father¡¯s chest. It¡¯s smoking, but there¡¯s no blood. Motherfucker. He¡¯s wearing a protective vest. Of course, he is. There¡¯s only one way to kill this guy.


    He raises his gun, fires, and something ms into my left shoulder. Pain slices through me, burns a path down my arm. I raise the gun with my other arm, pull the trigger, and again.


    Blood blooms from a hole in the center of his forehead, and a second from the hole in his throat. He seems almost surprised. Then his body begins to tumble forward. I race toward Karma, grab her under my arm, swing her up and to the side. My father¡¯s body crashes to the ground where she was.


    A trembling grips her and I pull her close as I stare at the man who was my father.


    He betrayed me¡­ Hell, he had been betraying me my entire life. At each turn, I had forgiven him, because he was my blood. Was he right? Was it because I am too emotional that I couldn¡¯t see what he really was? Is that why I couldn¡¯t stop him before he killed my brother?


    A coldness grips my chest. I stare at the fallen body of my father and a buzzing sound fills my senses.


    ¡°Mika, are you okay?¡±


    Specks of ck infiltrate the corners of my vision as I gaze down at her.


    ¡°Karma?¡±


    She nces at my features, then down to my left shoulder.


    ¡°Oh my god, Mika,¡± she gasps, ¡°you are hurt.¡±


    ¡°Just a scratch,¡± I smirk¡­ Then cough, and blood drips from the corner of my mouth.


    Her gaze widens, ¡°It¡¯s not just a scratch. The bullet¡­ It hit you; you are bleeding out.¡± She presses her hand to where the blood pulses from the wound, trying to stem the flow, and pain shoots up my neck. It explodes behind my eyes, and I grunt as my legs seem to fold in on themselves. I try to straighten myself, waver on my feet, and Karma tries to support me. ¡°Help,¡± she screams as footsteps sound behind me, ¡°help me.¡±


    Strong arms grip me, then lower me to the dirt. I nce up into Niki¡¯s face.


    ¡°Sorry, I got here a littlete.¡± He grimaces. His face fades in and out of view.


    ¡°You were¡­notte,¡± I force out the words. A coldness grips me and I shudder.


    More footsteps sound, then suddenly, Christian is there. He takes one look at me and his features go solid. He pulls off his jacket, sinks to his knees, and hands it to Karma. ¡°Use this to apply pressure,¡± he growls.


    Sirens sound in the distance, and I frown.


    ¡°Ambnce,¡± JJ¡¯s voice seems toe from far away, ¡°I called an ambnce.¡±


    I grasp Karma¡¯s hand in mine. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me,¡± I whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me, Karma.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± she swallows, ¡°save your energy.¡±


    Darkness pulls me under, but I fight it off.


    ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll be there when I wake up.¡±


    She moves her mouth but I can¡¯t hear her.


    ¡°Andy,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°You¡¯re dying,¡± she bursts out, ¡°and you¡¯re worried about my cat?¡±


    ¡°I am not dying,¡± I insist, ¡°and you love your cat, so of course, I am worried about him.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t exert yourself,¡± she pleads. ¡°Please, Mika, just focus on staying alive.¡±


    ¡°I am not going anywhere,¡± I smile. ¡°Not as long as I have you by my side.¡±


    She nces away and a sick sensation twists my stomach.


    ¡°Karma, don¡¯t do it,¡± I plead with her, or at least, I think I try to do that. Then everything goes dark.

 130

    Karma


    ¡°You¡¯ve put yourself under a lot of pressure, Mrs. Sovrano,¡± the doctor murmurs. ¡°You are lucky you didn¡¯te out of this in worse shape.¡±


    ¡°I think you meant to say that to my husband, not me.¡± I firm my lips, ¡°He¡¯s the one who was shot.¡±


    The doctor shoots me a knowing nce, ¡°I am talking about you, ma¡¯am, not your husband.¡±


    After Michael lost consciousness, holding onto my hand, the ambnce had arrived. True to his word, it had been an ambnce to a private hospital that JJ owns in London.


    He had briefly regained consciousness as they were strapping him onto the stretcher and insisted that they check me out.


    I had told the paramedics I was fine, but Michael had refused to cooperate with them until they had finally given in and one of them had begun to examine me.


    I had kept insisting that I was fine, but the paramedic had said that my blood pressure and my heart rate were both elevated-which I already knew, of course, but had feigned surprise when he¡¯d said that.


    They¡¯d asked me to ride in the same ambnce as Michael to the hospital so they could check me out thoroughly. I¡¯d wanted to leave right then. I should have left right then. But how could I until I knew that Michael was really okay? So, I had agreed.


    Michael had flitted in and out of consciousness, and each time he was lucid, he¡¯d ask for me. He¡¯d gripped my hand and not let go even when he¡¯d lost consciousness. It was only when we arrived at the hospital and they had had to wheel him to the operating theatre that I had managed to disentangle my fingers from his.


    Seb and Christian had arrived then, along with Massimo and Antonio. Christian had insisted that I have myself checked out. I had refused, wanting to stay and wait for news of Michael, but my protest fell on deaf ears.


    Within minutes, I was being ushered into an examination room. Just as I had changed out of my bloodied clothes and into a hospital gown, a doctor had arrived. He¡¯d already essed my records via the National Health Service system that the hospital had ess to, so of course, there had been no escape. He¡¯d known about my heart condition, and that¡¯s what had prompted this conversation.


    I set my jaw as I scowl at him. ¡°My condition is stable,¡± I insist.


    ¡°Only if youpleted your course of medication, and only if you manage your condition properly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I did.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he purses his lips, ¡°your records indicate that you started the course of medication prescribed by your specialist, but you missed yourst appointment, and you also did notplete the course.¡±


    Shit. My cheeks flush.


    ¡°Also, judging by your current condition,¡± he nces at my blood sttered clothes, ¡°I assume thetter is not something that you are adhering to either.¡±


    Gah! Why do I feel like a student who is pulled up in front of the ss for something I¡¯ve done wrong? I fold my arms around my waist.


    ¡°Well, Mrs. Sovrano,¡± the doctor murmurs, ¡°I take it from your silence that I am right on both counts.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± I sniff, ¡°so what do you propose I do now?¡±


    ¡°I propose that Iplete your check up, then restart you on your medication.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Also, I am going to have to insist that youe in for your next check-up, in two weeks.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°And,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you need to try not to excite yourself too much. At least, until your blood pressure and heart rate are back to normal.¡±


    I open my mouth to speak, and he arches an eyebrow, ¡°And even after that, you need to ensure that you don¡¯t overexert yourself physically.¡±


    I snort.


    ¡°This is not a joke, Mrs. Sovrano.¡± He frowns, ¡°We are talking about your heart here.¡±


    ¡°My heart is lying in the other room getting operated on,¡± I burst out.


    His features soften, ¡°The doctors are doing everything possible for your husband.¡±


    I startle. ¡°What do you mean by that.¡±


    He holds up his hands, ¡°Just that he is in safe hands. The best surgeons in the country are taking care of him right now.¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°He¡¯d probably rest better if he knew that you are taking care of yourself too,¡± the doctor offers.


    I lower my chin to my chest and blow out a breath. ¡°Look, I have no wish to die young, okay?¡± I swallow, then nce away, ¡°It¡¯s just, sometimes I want to live a normal life. I don¡¯t want my condition to be a constant worry. I want to experience all of the highs and lows of being alive. Hell, I am barely in my twenties and I want to have first-hand knowledge of everything life can offer, you know?¡±


    ¡°And you will,¡± he gives me a small smile, ¡°provided you take your medication and your vitals return to normal. And even after that, you need to take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Which I am very good at, I assure you.¡±


    He peers into my face, then nods. ¡°You¡¯re a clever woman, Mrs. Sovrano. I am sure you understand the risks of not following professional medical advice.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I nod, ¡°and I¡¯llplete the course of medication this time.¡±


    ¡°Good, the nurse wille by with your medication.¡± He rises to his feet, ¡°I¡¯d also rmend that you stay in the hospital for overnight observation, and ideally, take it easy for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not something you can force me to do, can you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a grown woman, Mrs. Sovrano. You can make your own decisions.¡±


    He turns to leave and I call out, ¡°Doctor, I have one more question.¡±


    He turns to me.


    ¡°Am I correct that I can still get pregnant without causing my condition to be exacerbated as a result?¡±


    He fixes me with a shrewd nce, ¡°There are those with your condition who get pregnant and carry their children to term, and there are those whose condition deteriorates as a result. As your physician, I should warn you that it¡¯s safer if you don¡¯t get pregnant. But the choice is yours, of course.¡±


    Right.


    I bite the inside of my cheek. I knew it already. It¡¯s what my doctors had previously indicated to me. Only, I hadn¡¯t paid any attention to it. Hell, bing pregnant had been thest thing on my mind then. But after losing my baby¡­ Well, it¡¯s something that¡¯s so in my face right now that I couldn¡¯t help but ask the question.


    The doctor turns to leave and I call out after him, ¡°This¡­conversation is covered under doctor-patient confidentiality, right?¡±


    He pauses then turns to me. ¡°It is,¡± he nods.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°So, I¡¯d prefer it if you didn¡¯t say anything to my husband, or to any of his brothers out there.¡±


    He frowns then nods, ¡°As you wish.¡± And he leaves.


    I nce around the space, then because my clothes are all bloodied, I change out of my hospital gown and into the scrubs he¡¯d left behind for me.


    After meeting with the nurse and getting my medication, I pad out of the examination room to find Antonio waiting for me.


    ¡°Are you guarding me now?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°It¡¯s what he¡¯d have wanted.¡± The big Sicilian doesn¡¯t seem put off by my irritation. He merely steps aside.


    He trails me as I head toward the waiting room-which is a spacious area, with big windows through which light floods in. It¡¯s a far cry from the rooms I have seen in the government-run hospitals I¡¯ve been to previously. I step on the carpeted floor and take in the scene. Christian is sprawled out in a chair in one corner. He glowers at Luca, who glowers back at him from the opposite corner. Massimo is by the window, and he turns as I approach.


    ¡°Karma,¡± hees forward and when he opens his arms, I walk into them. Of all the remaining Sovrano brothers, Massimo is, by far, the least threatening. Despite his height and the fact that he is the biggest of all of them¡­ He is also the quietest and the gentlest.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    I nod into his chest and he leans back. ¡°He¡¯s going to be fine,¡± Massimo murmurs.


    ¡°Have they said anything?¡±


    He shakes his head, ¡°He¡¯s still in surgery.¡±


    ¡°How much,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°how much longer do they think he¡¯ll be?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t know yet,¡± Christian says. I turn to find him standing next to me. I nce at the blood on his shirt and my stomach churns. That¡¯s Michael¡¯s blood. Oh, my god, it¡¯s his blood. A sob wells up and I push my knuckles into my mouth. Christian nces down at his blood-sttered shirt and pales. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Karma,¡± he draws in a breath, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I swallow down the ball of emotion that clogs my throat.


    Luca rises from his seat and walks over to join us, and I survey their faces.


    ¡°I¡­ I have something to tell you¡­ I¡­¡± I am going to leave him. I am going to walk away while your brother is still in surgery. I¡­


    ¡°What is it, Karma?¡± Massimo says in a soft voice. ¡°You can tell us,¡± he nces around the assembled faces and they nod, ¡°we¡¯re your family.¡±


    The rest of them murmur their assent, and tears prick the backs of my eyes.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I shake my head, ¡°I am tired.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Massimo frowns, ¡°The doctor examined you. Did he say-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He brushes past me, ¡°I should ask him myself, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Massimo,¡± I call out and he stops. ¡°Leave it.¡±


    He hesitates and I draw myself up to my full height. ¡°I am okay, and anyway, I am not the one who you should be worried about. It¡¯s your brother who needs ourplete attention, at the moment.¡±


    He seems like he¡¯s about to hesitate and I square my shoulders. ¡°I am the wife of your future Don, and I order you to stay here so we can be together while we wait for news about him.¡±


    A frisson runs through the space. The guys nce at each other, as if just realizing the ramifications of the events that have taken ce. Michael is going to be the new Don. And I am still his wife¡­which means my word carries weight yet, right?


    ¡°Where¡¯s Seb?¡± I ask, suddenly realizing that he¡¯s missing.


    ¡°He stayed back with JJ and Niko to ensure disposal of the evidence before the cops get wind of it.¡±


    Evidence. Oh, he means the body of their father. The man who killed Xander, who put Michael and his brothers through so much, who almost killed me. I shiver and that seems to galvanize Massimo into action. He shrugs off his jacket and walks over, ces it around my shoulders. ¡°Thanks,¡± I murmur, ¡°and Adrian?¡±


    ¡°Here I am,¡± a voice calls out from the doorway.


    I turn to find Adrian walking into the waiting room. He stalks over to me, then holds out the pet carrier.


    ¡°Is that?¡± I blink. It can¡¯t be. Is it- An angry meow sounds from the carrier as I drop to my knees. I peer into the carrier and Andy¡¯s indignant face looks back at me.


    ¡°Andy,¡± I whisper. ¡°OMG,¡± I tip my chin up to stare at Adrian, ¡°how did he get here?¡±


    ¡°The Capo was clear we had to take care of him. So, I waited on the ind until the private jet had deposited these guys in London, then flew back to pick me up and bring me here.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°so a private ne trip, just so you could get Andy to me?¡±


    ¡°Two trips, actually,¡± he smiles, ¡°but the Capo ordered it.¡±


    And what the Capo wants, the Capo gets. Andy peers at me through gaps in the wall of the carrier.


    ¡°How did you bring him into a hospital?¡± I frown. ¡°Aren¡¯t pets not allowed in here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a private hospital.¡± He shrugs. ¡°It¡¯s funded by the Mafia, so-¡±


    So, no rules apply, I guess. I rise to my feet, grab the carrier from him. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say.


    I bend down, take Andy out of the pet carrier, then sit down with him in my arms.


    The rest of the guys disperse to different corners of the room. Antonio continues to stand by the door on the outside of the room.


    Christian pulls out his phone and begins to message someone. I walk over to sit next to him and he pockets his phone again.


    ¡°Was that Aurora?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asks in an a voice that sounds all too innocent.


    ¡°You were texting with Aurora, weren¡¯t you?¡± I use.


    ¡°And if I was?¡±


    ¡°Have you told her that you like her?¡±


    ¡°Like?¡± He smirks, ¡°That¡¯s not the world I¡¯d use.¡±


    ¡°You going to marry her, or what?¡±


    ¡°Marry?¡± He looks at me in rm, ¡°Whatever gave you that idea?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what good Italian men do when they¡¯ve been struck by the ¡®thunderbolt¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You mean colpo di fulmine?¡± He leans over and scratches Andy behind his ear. The cat purrs, then stretches his neck, inviting him to continue his actions.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± I peer into Christian¡¯s face, ¡°so?¡± I arch an eyebrow, ¡°You going to do something about it?¡±


    ¡°She betrayed the Capo.¡±


    ¡°To help me.¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± he hesitates, ¡°it¡¯s not something that can be forgiven without some kind of punishment.¡±


    ¡°But if you marry her, she bes part of the famiglia right?¡±


    He stiffens, ¡°Marriage? Who¡¯s talking about marriage?¡±


    ¡°And once she is your wife, she is safe from any punishment, correct?¡±


    He holds my gaze, ¡°You and she have be good friends, eh?¡±


    ¡°She is a wonderful person, Christian,¡± I soften my voice, ¡°and it¡¯s clear there¡¯s something between the two of you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something, all right,¡± he snorts, ¡°but it¡¯s not what you are thinking.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, the sparks between the two of you could light up a room.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So, what are you going to do about it?¡±


    He stares at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I frown. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are going to ignore it?¡±


    ¡°Trust me,¡± he says in a soft voice, ¡°thest thing I am going to do is ignore it.¡±


    ¡°So, you are going to talk to her?¡±


    ¡°Maybe more than talk.¡± He smirks.


    O-k-a-y, that doesn¡¯t sound very promising at all.


    ¡°Christian, I-¡±


    He holds up his hand, ¡°What¡¯s between Aurora and me is our concern and no one else¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Leave it, Karma.¡±


    He nces away and I blow out a sigh.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I murmur, ¡°I won¡¯t push it, but you¡¯d better not hurt her, okay?¡±


    He simply pulls out his phone and begins to y with it again. I rise to my feet, holding Andy close to my chest with one arm. I grab the pet carrier with my free hand and walk over to a chair in an unupied corner.


    Sitting down, I coax Andy back into the carrier. For once Andy doesn¡¯t protest, he prowls in, curls around and closes his eyes. I straighten, then take my seat. I lean my head back against the wall, and close my eyes. A touch on my shoulder jolts me awake. I open my eyes to see Massimo standing in front of me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    He jerks his chin toward the door. I follow his nce to find a doctor standing there in scrubs. His mask is around his neck and he nces around the room before his gaze alights on me.


    ¡°Mrs. Sovrano?¡± he says in a neutral voice. ¡°Pleasee with me.¡±

 131

    Karma


    ¡°What¡­what¡¯s wrong?¡± I try to stand up, but my legs don¡¯t seem capable of supporting me. I push my feet into the floor then straighten in my seat. ¡°How¡­¡± I croak, ¡°how is he?¡±


    ¡°The surgery went well; we removed the bullet.¡±


    A frisson of relief rushes through me, ¡°Is he, is he going to be okay?¡± I rasp.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The bullet missed his vital organs. He is a very lucky man.¡±


    Tension drains from my limbs, and I sink against the back of the chair, exhaling loudly.


    ¡°Is he¡­is he awake?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not conscious, yet,¡± the doctor replies, ¡°but you can see him for a few minutes, if you¡¯d like.¡±


    I nod, then rise to my feet. Christian rises with me, but I wave him off. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I tell him as I walk over to the doctor. I follow the doctor as he strides down the corridor.


    He leads me to a room. ¡°He¡¯s inside.¡± The doctor steps aside and I push the door open and step in. The beeps of the machines monitoring his vitals fill the space. He¡¯s covered in a sheet that¡¯s tucked around his waist. The bandage that is wrapped around his chest is stark against the tan of his skin. His eyes are shut, those gorgeous eyshes fanning in an arch against his high cheekbones. His cheeks are pale, the hollows under his eyes more pronounced than normal. I walk over to him, reach over and take his hand in mine. My fingers look tiny against his. I hold his big palm between both of mine, then bring it to my face and press it against my cheek. His skin is warm, and that dark, edgy scent of his is tempered by the scent of antiseptic. It¡¯s still him, though. My Capo. Mine.


    Only, he¡¯ll never leave this life. I couldn¡¯t ask him to leave it. Which means he¡¯ll always be in danger. Maybe a part of me has always known that. It¡¯s why I had been attracted to him, after all¡­ But now, with the evidence of how it could hurt him in front of me, I am not sure I can live with it. I lower his arm, ce his hand on the bed next to him. Then I lean in and kiss his cheek. I push away the strand of hair that has fallen across his forehead, take in the whiskers that have grown across his jaw, the rise and fall of his chest, the sculpted nes still visible, despite the bandage that swathes him.


    This man¡­ Even unconscious, he¡¯s lethal. Even with his charisma dimmed, he¡¯s potent. I lean down and brush my lips over his. Soft lips, that could kiss so hard I could feel it all the way to my toes. I share his breath, revel in that unique maleness of his that is abination of everything he is.


    I am sorry, my Capo, but I am leaving. Sorry that I can¡¯t stay with you and tell you so in person. If I did, you¡¯d stop me and I¡¯d never be able to refuse you. I¡¯d give in to your dominance and stay¡­ And then I¡¯d never know if it was because I really wanted to stay, or if it was because I couldn¡¯t turn you down. That¡¯s why I am leaving now. Do you understand?


    I turn to go and something tugs at my hand. I look down to find his fingers are wrapped around my wrist. I nce up at his face but his eyes are shut. Peer down at where he still holds onto me. I reach for his fingers and peel them off, one by one.


    Tears pricks the backs of my eyes. Don¡¯t cry, damn it. This is the right thing to do. If I have any hope of living life in a way that is true to myself, then I need to do this. It¡¯s the right thing for both of us.


    Just as I¡¯d never ask him to leave the Mafia, he too should never force me to do something that I don¡¯t want. And that was how our rtionship started. With him taking me against my wishes.


    Lots has changed since then, though. We know each other so much better. He knows what I am all about, what I like, and don¡¯t like. Surely, he¡¯ll understand?


    I turn to leave, and this time, nothing stops me. I pause at the door, turn to look at him onest time. Then I head back to the waiting room. ¡°Does anyone have a pen and paper?¡±


    The guys look at each other, then Massimo reaches inside his jacket. He pulls out a small diary and a pen, before walking over to hand it to me.


    I nce at it, then up at him, ¡°Molesekine?¡±


    He flushes, ¡°I, uh, doodle a bit when I have time.¡±


    I open the book filled with pages of his surprisingly neat handwriting, until I find a clean page. I start to write and he turns his back to me. ¡°Use me as a table,¡± he tells me.


    I bnce the diary against his back, and start writing. When I am done, I tear out the page. As he straightens and turns to me, I slip off my ring, wrap it in the page and hand it over to him. ¡°Give it to him when he wakes up,¡± I tell him.


    ¡°Karma¡± he whispers, ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What is right for both of us.¡±


    ¡°He took a bullet for you,¡± Christian walks toward me, ¡°and you are leaving him?¡±


    ¡°Just give him the letter, Massimo,¡± I plead, ¡°please.¡±


    Massimo hesitates.


    Christian res at me.


    Seb and Luca walk over to surround me.


    I firm my lips, ¡°Your new Don will not be happy that you refused to help his wife.¡±


    ¡°Our new Don will be even less happy if we let his wife leave,¡± Christian points out.


    I turn on him, ¡°What¡¯s between my husband and me is our concern and no one else¡¯s.¡±


    He winces, ¡°Karma, don¡¯t do this.¡±


    I turn back to Massimo. ¡°Take it.¡± I jut out my chin, ¡°It would be a lot worse if I left without his having this letter. He needs to read this, Massimo.¡±


    He draws in a breath, then reaches over and takes the letter and the ring from me.


    I move back a few steps, take in their faces. These men whom I havee to regard as family. I nce at Luca, who jerks his chin in my direction. Even Luca, who helped me escape¡­then helped me return to my husband¡­Yeah, they are each impressive in their own right. And together like this¡­it brings home just how strong they are as a unit. The strongest, most impressive of them all is my husband-the one who I am going to leave.


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest¡­and it¡¯s nothing to do with my heart condition. Damn it, I am going to miss them. Guess I didn¡¯t realize how much I¡¯vee to regard myself as one of them, and now, I am going to have to leave them. Tears prick the backs of my eyes and I turn away.


    ¡°What about Andy?¡± Adrian calls out after me.


    I pause, ¡°Tell Michael to take care of him.¡±


    Turning, I walk out of the room. Out of the hospital. Out of his life.

 132

    Michael


    ¡°You let her what?¡± I try to sit up but painnces through my wounded side. I gasp,y back. Sweat beads my temples, and my muscles protest. Cazzo! I am as weak as a newborn. I draw in a breath, then another, wait until the pain subsides somewhat.


    ¡°You could take painkillers,¡± Christian points out.


    ¡°And allow myself to be knocked out again?¡± I snap, ¡°No, thanks.¡± Besides, it¡¯s better this way. The pain keeps me from slipping back into the tiredness that threatens my limbs. I re at the faces of my brothers. ¡°Not one of you thought of stopping her?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we did,¡± Seb retorts. ¡°Not that she was going to listen to us.¡±


    ¡°Besides, as she took great pains in pointing out, she is the wife of a Mafia Don, who wouldn¡¯t take kindly to us using coercion to have held her back,¡± Massimo adds.


    ¡°So, you let her walk?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have a choice, fratellone,¡± Luca murmurs.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I re at the lot of them. ¡°Five grown men, and she found a way to outwit the lot of you?¡±


    ¡°She also left this,¡± Massimo pulls out something wrapped in a piece of paper and hands it over.


    I take the paper, unwrap it and find her ring. ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I stare at the ring, then notice the writing on the paper. I straighten it out, and begin to read.


    Capo (or should I call you Don?),


    I know you are going to be angry when you read this, but please, can you give me a chance to exin? I am leaving you, not because I don¡¯t love you. Not even because you haven¡¯t yet told me that you love me, which you do (and which I know, by the way, even though you¡¯ve been adamant not to admit it to me so far). I am not leaving you because our rtionship started out in the most unorthodox way, or because you¡¯ll never leave the Mafia. Okay, thatst thing¡­ Maybe that has somewhat to do with it.


    But, Capo, when that bullet hit you¡­ It also hit me. It hurt me when it sliced through your flesh. I bled when you did.


    I feel everything you do, Capo, just as I know you do too. I¡¯d never ask you to give up your way of life¡­ It¡¯s what makes you who you are. It is a part of you. It¡¯s even one of the things that attracts me to you, to be honest. But¡­ I also can¡¯t stand the thought of you being hurt again.


    The thought that one day there¡¯ll be a knock on the door and someone will tell me that you are gone¡­ Like Xander¡­ Like how I almost died¡­ It would be much, much worse if it were to happen to you, Capo. I don¡¯t think I could survive it, actually.


    And¡­I know, being a Don¡¯s wife means I need to be prepared for the worst. A bit like being a soldier¡¯s wife, you know? You just have to always be ready to have the rug pulled out of from underneath you. And maybe I will be¡­ Maybe I won¡¯t¡­ But I need to arrive at that conclusion for myself.


    As long as I am with you, I can¡¯t think. When you touch me, I lose sight of everything else except wanting to throw myself at your feet and allow you to have your way with me¡­ There you have it-the ¡®naked¡¯ truth. Pun intended.


    So, I ask you to give me this time away, so I can think for myself. So I can figure out if this is how I want to spend the rest of my days¡­as the wife of a Don¡­or¡­or¡­ I can¡¯t even contemte the other scenario¡­but it¡¯s something I need to be open to, at least, considering.


    If you love me at all, and I know that you do, I ask that you not track me. Do note in search of me. Please, give me this space to figure out what I truly want for myself.


    Yours,


    Beauty aka Bellezza aka Karma


    P. S. How is it that you have so many nicknames for me and I haven¡¯t even thought of one for you?


    P. P. S. I am leaving Andy to keep youpany.


    I nce up as Adrian walks in holding the pet carrier. He holds it up and Andy¡¯s baleful gaze greets me. He res at me, then retreats to the side of the cage. Fuck, the cat is moping, all right. Probably misses her.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    If she thinks that she can flounce out of my life like that, she has another thinking. I sit up, ignore the pain that grips my side. I grab the IV and yank it out of my arm, wincing as the tape used to hold it in ce tears off some of my skin, Blood drips down my arm and onto the floor. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and rise to my feet, only to fall back against the bed frame.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I growl, try to straighten again and my head spins.


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± Christian growls.


    I straighten again, manage to take a couple of steps before my knees threaten to give way. Massimo grabs my unhurt shoulder and I shake him off, ¡°I am going after her.¡±


    ¡°And I assume she specifically asked you not to?¡± he retorts.


    I turn on him, ¡°Did you read my note, asshole? If you did-¡±


    ¡°You really think I¡¯d read the note that your wife entrusted to me before she left?¡±


    I re at him, then shake my head. ¡°Forgive me,¡± I mumble. ¡°I¡¯m, clearly, losing perspective.¡±


    ¡°And she needs to gain perspective.¡± Massimo lowers his chin, ¡°Clearly, that¡¯s why she left. I assume she also asked you to give her space?¡±


    When I re at him, he raises a shoulder, ¡°You need to respect that.¡±


    ¡°And you are an expert on rtionships now?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Seb interrupts, ¡°none of us are, but we¡¯ve seen the two of you engaged in this push-pull of a rtionship, and even to jerk-faces like us- and I say that in the most loving way possible-it¡¯s clear that both of you need to sort your own shit out first.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what she¡¯s doing,¡± Luca adds.


    ¡°How? First, by taking your help to run away from me, and now, by leaving me?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°You know that old adage about letting someone you love go and if they love you, they¡¯lle back?¡± Christian drawls and I turn on him.


    ¡°If you dare tell me that¡¯s what I have to do¡­ Then I¡¯m going to deck you, right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too weak to deck me.¡± His lips tilt up slightly, ¡°And no, that¡¯s not what I was going to tell you¡­but,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°I have to admit, that statement seems to carry a modicum of truth right now.¡±


    I re at him, then at the note in my hand. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I sit down heavily on the bed, stare at her ring. Where are you, Beauty? Did you think that I¡¯d actually allow you to leave and not track you? Did you think that the better part of me would prevail and that I¡¯d actually let you go? I crumple the piece of paper in my palm, close the fingers of my other hand around the ring.

 133

    One monthter


    Karma


    ¡°How much is this dress?¡±


    I nce up from arranging the outfits in my stall in Camden Market. When I¡¯d walked out of the hospital, I¡¯d headed to the t that I¡¯d arranged to rent before I¡¯d left for the ind with Michael. Then, I¡¯d focused on getting my little fashion designing business up and running. I¡¯d managed to wrangle back my ce in the market and had gone to work creating outfits in the style I love. I¡¯d poured all of my efforts into it, in an attempt to drown out thoughts of Michael and the life I had decided to leave. I¡¯d been diligent in taking the medicines that had been prescribed to me by the specialist at the hospital and have already been back for a follow-up.


    I had insisted on paying for my treatment with the money in my bank ount. Technically, it was still Michael¡¯s money¡­ Except, well, in a way, I had earned it for the time I had been his wife. I shouldn¡¯t have used the money at all, actually¡­but I didn¡¯t have any other means to live on. And I didn¡¯t want to take a loan from Summer¡­ To do so, would have meant I¡¯d have to tell her everything I¡¯d been through, and honestly, I am still not ready for that. To be honest, I am not ready for any kind ofpany. Which is why I¡¯d simply stuck to the t, set up my studio in the spare bedroom and worked my ass off to get enough outfits ready for market day-which is today.


    It also means I¡¯ve gone an entire month withoutmunicating with anyone. Except for the visits to the shops to choose my fabrics and to order what I needed to set up my studio, that is. I haven¡¯t spoken to any of my friends since moving to the t.


    I¡¯d also messaged Summer to let her know that I was doing fine, but that I needed more time to figure out the status of my rtionship with my ¡®guy.¡¯


    I know it¡¯s selfish of me, not speaking with Summer for so long, or meeting her now that I am in London. But I really do need to figure out where my head¡¯s at regarding the status of my marriage.


    Besides, she is busy with her husband and the circle of friends she¡¯s built, thanks to being married to one of the Seven. So, although it hurts that we¡¯ve gone this long withoutmunicating¡­ It¡¯s also a relief that I am not answerable to anyone else. Not my sister, not my husband¡­ Not even, to my cat. I miss Andy almost as much as I miss him¡­


    Okay, I miss him a lot more¡­when I allow myself to think of him. Which is¡­most nights. In those moments before I fall asleep, and those early morning moments before I wake up, when my guard is down and I am at my most vulnerable, that¡¯s when thoughts of him crowd in on me. Is he still tracking me on a screen somewhere? A blue dot that he can¡¯t reach out to but which indicates to him exactly where I am? Does he miss me as much as I miss him? The feel of me. The touch of me. The scent of me. Does he miss being inside of me as much as I miss the girth of him thrusting into me, stretching me, filling me. My toes curl. Heat flushes my skin.


    I nce up to find the woman who¡¯d been interested in buying the dress I¡¯d created staring at me strangely.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She frowns, ¡°You look flushed.¡±


    Which is saying something, considering it¡¯s freezing right now, at this outdoor stall where I am.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I jerk my chin toward the dress she¡¯s holding, ¡°There¡¯s only one of those in existence, you know?¡±


    She nces at the dress, then back at me, ¡°Really?¡±


    I nod, ¡°It¡¯s a Karma original. A unique dress handcrafted just for you.¡±


    She runs her fingers over the purple cor, ¡°It has a certain je ne sais quoi feel about it, for sure.¡± She rubs her palm across the embroidered vest that constitutes the top half of the dress. ¡°And these colors¡­ They are gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°They are,¡± I agree, ¡°inspired by the colors of Sicily.¡±


    ¡°Sicily?¡± Her eyes gleam. ¡°Now the red and ck mixed with the ochre yellow makes sense.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°It does, right?¡± I take in the dress with pride. ¡°I tried to bring to life all of the smells and tastes and textures I found when I was there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, did you live there?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I murmur, ¡°I¡¯ve only been back a month.¡±


    ¡°Were you there on work?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I frown. ¡°No, not really, I was¡­¡± married is what I am going to say, then change my mind. ¡°Uh, I was there on unfinished business.¡±


    ¡°And did youplete it?¡±


    I frown. ¡°Complete what?¡±


    ¡°The business that took you there?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I lower my chin to my chest, ¡°not yet.¡±


    ¡°So, are you going back then?¡±


    A hot sensation coils in my chest. I nce away, then back at her, ¡°Not sure yet.¡±


    ¡°Pity, for the ce, clearly, inspires you.¡± She digs into her purse, then hands me her credit card.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even told you how much it costs.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± She smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll pay whatever price you ask.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I blink, ¡°really?¡±


    ¡°You bet,¡± she massages the fabric of the dress like it¡¯s already hers, ¡°this is perfect for a wedding I am going to attend.¡±


    ¡°A wedding?¡±


    ¡°Not mine,¡± sheughs, ¡°but a friend¡¯s. This will suit the asion very well. It¡¯s unique, but it won¡¯t take attention away from the bride. It¡¯s perfect, really.¡±


    I charge her credit card, then hand over the machine for her to key in her pin. She taps in her pin without protest. One-thousand pounds. Hell, I charged her one-thousand pounds and she was happy to pay that for a Karma original. Wow!


    I wrap the dress up for her, ce it carefully in a cloth bag that has my brand proudly disyed on it. She thanks me with a big smile, then slings it over her shoulder and leaves. That is the single, biggest sale that I have ever made. It¡¯s a new record. It means I am good. That people will pay what I ask for my creations. That I can finally charge what I am really worth. I make ten more sales, all in the three-figure range, and by the time I close for the day, it¡¯s a record day of sales for me.


    I pack up the remaining dresses, then haul the merchandise into the van that I have rented for the day. I drive home, lug the clothes back into my t, then walk back down and return the van. I take the tube back home, and by eight pm, I am parked in front of the TV with a ss of wine.


    I finish my dinner, have an early night, and I¡¯m up by five am. By six, I have drunk my coffee and paced the floor of the living room end to end, at least twenty times. I really need to get started on creating more outfits, but don¡¯t feel like it.


    I change into my yoga pants, a tank top, and throw a sweatshirt on top. Ice up my running shoes. Then, picking up my phone, my keys and my earphones, I set out to run. I keep my pace leisurely, just a little above a fast walk. I run through my neighborhood, across the road that leads to the next block. The one where I used to share a t with Summer when I lived with her.


    I am almost not surprised when I run up the road that takes me to Waterlow Park. Maybe I¡¯ve known I was heading here. Maybe I¡¯ve been biding my time since I walked out of the hospital. Maybe I am still finding myself¡­ Maybe I am done searching for what makes sense. Ten minutes of half-walking, half-jogging up the incline, and I reach the park. I slow to a walk, continue up the familiar path. I pick up speed again, as I jog around the perimeter of the space, then up the hillside. I reach the top, and turn to face the vista that stretches out in front of me. The rays from the rising sun bathe the trees and the city in dappled gold. The breeze lifts the hair from my forehead and a bird calls out nearby. Another returns its call. Its mate probably. Does nature really want us to be in pairs? Is this why we are so hung up on finding our soul mates? Had I found my mate and decided to leave him behind?


    To Michael¡¯s credit, he hasn¡¯t called me, or touched base with me, or tried to reach me in any way since I left. It¡¯s nerve-wracking, really, because I don¡¯t entirely trust the man. No way, could he have stayed away all this time. And yet, since I left, I¡¯ve never had the sensation of being watched. Or of being in any danger.


    Likely, his alliance with JJ and Niki means neither of those ns are out to harm me in any way. I sink down on the grass, draw up my knees to my chest.


    Has he taken over as Don? How is he finding it? He¡¯s gotten what he wanted, so he must be happy, I suppose. Does he miss me, though? My scent, my touch¡­ Stop. I lean my chin on my knees and stare forward.


    Something brushes against my leg and I find myself staring down at a cat¡­ A Savannah with gleaming spots, pointed ears, a delicate face, and golden eyes that re at me.


    ¡°Andy?¡± I cry. ¡°Oh, my god, Andy. Where did youe from?¡±


    I gather the cat close and he meows, rubs up against me again. I lower my knees and ce him in myp. I rub his head and he blinks, soaking up every second of the attention.


    ¡°I missed you boy, you know that?¡± I tickle him under his jaw and he yawns. He wriggles in my grasp and I allow him to jump down. He prowls away, to the side, to where a man is standing.


    A tall man, with wide shoulders that shut out the scenery behind him. A man with cold, blue eyes fringed by the most beautiful eyshes I have ever seen. His features are harsh, his nose hooked; his square jaw might as well be hewn from the rocks that are set into the side of thewn I am seated on.


    His chest is so wide that his suit jacket stretches across the front; a lean waist, trim hips that lead down to powerful thighs, d in pants that are, surely, tailor-made for him. On his feet, he wears Italian loafers that have been polished to within an inch of their life.


    The cat brushes up against him and he bends and picks up the animal. He cuddles it against his gorgeously cut jacket as he approaches me. Closer, closer. When he reaches me, he sinks down to sit next to me. He¡¯s careful enough to not touch me, keeping enough space for the breeze to fan the gap between us.


    He ces the cat down, and Andy pads over toy down on the grass in front of us.


    We sit there, quietly watching the sune up over the city. Andy yawns and stretches. I reach out to pat him at the same time as the man next to me. Our fingers brush and goosebumps pop on my skin. The hair on the nape of my neck rises. I keep my hand where it is, and so does he. Neither of us moves. Then he curls his little finger around my thumb. The width of his digit is wider than mine. A shiver runs up my spine.


    He waits, as if expecting me to move away. As if giving me time to retreat, but I don¡¯t. I stare at the contrast between the tan color of his skin and my much paler one.


    He whispers his finger over to the center of the back of my hand, and my toes curl. He wraps his fingers around mine and my entire body seems to shudder. My stomach flip-flops, and every cell in my body seems to stretch ande alive as if they¡¯ve been exposed to a jolt of electricity. He brings our joined hands up to his face. I follow the length of my arm to where he kisses the tips of my fingers, then raise my gaze to meet those searing, blue eyes.


    ¡°Karma,¡± he whispers, ¡°I love you.¡±

 134

    Michael


    Her features crumple and tears run down her cheeks. My heart stutters and the pulse pounds at my temples. I reach for her at the same time that she throws herself at me. I pull her into myp, wrap my arms around her, yank her into my chest, as I surround her with every part of me I can.


    ¡°Bellezza,¡± I murmur, ¡°my Beauty, I missed you, my love.¡±


    She only cries harder and my heart feels like it¡¯s about to crack open.


    ¡°Please, Karma, don¡¯t cry,¡± I plead. ¡°I can¡¯t stand to see you like this, p.¡±


    She turns her face into my shirt, grabs handfuls, and holds on as if she can¡¯t bear to be parted again. I rock her and run my fingers across her hair, say words to soothe her that make no sense, but it doesn¡¯t seem to help.


    I tuck her head under my chin, nce out at the now awakening city. ¡°She walks in beauty, like the night,¡±


    I begin to recite.


    ¡°Of cloudless climes and starry skies;


    And all that¡¯s best of dark and bright.¡±


    Her sobs quieten.


    ¡°Meet in her aspect and her eyes;


    Thus mellowed to that tender light


    Which heaven to gaudy day denies.¡±


    She hups, then seems topose herself.


    ¡°One shade the more, one ray the less,


    Had half impaired the nameless grace


    Which waves in every raven tress,


    Or softly lightens o¡¯er her face;¡±


    I nce down to see her eyes closed as she listens.


    ¡°Where thoughts serenely sweet express,


    How pure, how dear their dwelling-ce.¡±


    I continue.


    ¡°And on that cheek, and o¡¯er that brow,


    So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,


    The smiles that win, the tints that glow,


    But tell of days in goodness spent,


    A mind at peace with all below,


    A heart whose love is innocent!¡±


    She draws in a breath, then rubs her cheek against my shirt. We sit there in silence as the sun rises overhead. Finally, she stirs and looks up at me. Her eyes are swollen, her nose reddened by her crying jag. Her beautiful lips are pink and moist. I catch myself leaning in toward her and pull back. I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and she shivers.


    ¡°Are you cold? I can give you my coat-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°the heat of your body is all I need to keep warm. The scent of your skin is all I need to turn me on. The fire in your eyes¡­¡± she swallows, ¡± is all I need to consume me. To take me. To mark me as your own. The darkness inside of you,¡± she pushes her palm into my chest, ¡°is my own. I know that now.¡±


    I tip her chin up, ¡°When did you get so poetic?¡±


    ¡°Says the man who quotes Byron,¡± her lips tremble in a ghost of a smile. ¡°Why are you named after him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a family tradition.¡± I peer into her features, ¡°Every first-born takes it as one of the given names.¡±


    ¡°That whole four name thing¡­ It¡¯s daunting.¡± She blows out a breath, ¡°Imagine giving birth to a baby and saddling him with a name that long.¡±


    ¡°Would you have minded if I had done that with our child?¡±


    She blinks rapidly and a lone tear slides down her cheek.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I didn¡¯t mean to bring that up.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s good,¡± she swallows, ¡°we should talk about it. It¡¯s healthy to talk about it, rather than hiding it away and pretending it didn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°I miss him¡± I murmur. ¡°I miss our baby, and I never even knew him or her.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± she nces away, ¡°sometimes I wake up from my sleep and am sure that I can hear the patter of a child¡¯s footsteps outside my bedroom door.¡±


    I draw in a breath. ¡°Beauty,¡± I cup her cheek, ¡°I am so sorry for what happened.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± she tips up her chin, ¡°it is one of the reasons I felt like I had to leave, though.¡±


    My heart begins to race. Subconsciously, I had been aware that she may well me me for the loss of our child, but hearing her say it aloud, makes my stomach knot.


    ¡°What were the other reasons?¡±


    ¡°Seeing you almost killed in front of me.¡±


    I open my mouth and she shakes her head, ¡°I know, that¡¯s riching from someone who almost killed you.¡± She raises a shoulder, ¡°But things change. I stopped trying to get at you, but I forgot that there¡¯s an entire world out there who is out to get you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°My father, who was the culprit behind everything that happened, is dead.¡±


    ¡°The rival gangs-¡±


    ¡°I have made my peace with JJ and Niki. The Kane Company and the Bratva have proved themselves as my allies.¡±


    ¡°There will be other gangs,¡± she murmurs. ¡°There will always be someone who¡¯ll want to get to you, who¡¯ll try to use me to get to you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the price I pay for my past.¡± I square my shoulders, ¡°It¡¯s where Ie from, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But it needn¡¯t be the future that we bring our children into.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± she whispers. ¡°Do you mean that-¡±


    ¡°With my father no longer involved in the Cosa Nostra, I have the chance to change the course of what is toe. I n to legalize our businesses, something I have been working on for a while now.¡±


    ¡°You have?¡±


    I nod, ¡°I have created a framework that I can use to capitalize both the real-world operations and the virtual businesses.¡±


    ¡°But won¡¯t that counter the ground you have gained with the rival gangs? Surely, they are not going to be on board with that n?¡±


    I narrow my gaze on her. Beautiful and clever. This woman is more than capable of holding her own against my brothers, of going toe-to-toe with me, of partnering with me in the truest sense.


    ¡°Not if I show them that the legal businesses can be as lucrative as our illicit ones.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she swallows, ¡°you¡¯d do that for me?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. And it will take some time to unravel the intricacies of our businesses, and a hell of a ton of paperwork to figure out the best way to legitimize them. But yeah,¡± I nod, ¡°I¡¯d do it for us, for our children, for my brothers, so they have a chance to live life to the fullest. Without having to constantly protect themselves and their loved ones from the threat of danger.¡±


    ¡°Mika,¡± she whispers, ¡°please don¡¯t think that I am forcing you to do this. I know I left you, but I never meant for it to act as some kind of coercion to make you give up your way of life.¡±


    ¡°I am merely changingnes.¡± I rub my thumb across her cheek. ¡°I am smart enough to know when I need to adapt and change with the times. It¡¯s something my father wasn¡¯t good at, and look where that got him.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry you had to¡­¡± she swallows, ¡°that you had to¡­¡±


    ¡°Kill him?¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°Me too. I am probably going to hell for it, but¡­ I am going to hell anyway, so¡­¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s something you are going to have toe to terms with. He may have been responsible for so much evil, but he was still your flesh and blood.¡±


    ¡°So was Xander.¡± I firm my lips. ¡°It¡¯s because of my father that my mother died so early. He is the one who kidnapped the Seven when they were boys.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ I suspected.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    She nods. ¡°When Summer told me that I needed a bodyguard because the Mafia may be after me¡­? Well, initially, I thought it was because my father had betrayed you guys, but then I realized, there was more to it than that.¡± She tips up her chin, ¡°Then, I met your father and realized just how evil he was. That he was capable of doing things that were so morally wrong¡­ The kinds of things you and your brothers wouldn¡¯t be involved in. I guessed, then, that there had to be more of a connection between the Mafia and the Seven. That, possibly, the Mafia was behind their kidnapping when they were children. I couldn¡¯t reconcile you doing that. But your father? Now, he could be capable of anything.¡±


    ¡°Including emotionally and physically abusing me and my brothers.¡± I roll my shoulders, ¡°It¡¯s because of him that we are so fucked up inside.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­fucked up.¡± She bites the inside of her cheek, ¡°Well, notpletely, anyway.¡±


    I chuckle, ¡°Is that apliment?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Would it be terrible if I admitted that your twisted-upness is what attracted me to you in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I can¡¯t stop the smirk that curls my lips.


    She nces away, ¡°This doesn¡¯t mean I have forgiven you for everything you did, or that I am returning to you.¡±


    ¡°You are, though.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± She frowns.


    ¡°You bet.¡± I slide my hand inside my pocket and withdraw her wedding ring. I slide it onto her left ring finger and we both stare at it. ¡°Admit that you missed the weight of it on your finger, that you-¡± I lower her onto the grass, on her back, and push my body between her legs, ¡°miss the weight of me between your thighs?¡±


    Her pupils dte as I push the evidence of my arousal-which has been stretching my crotch since I sat down next to her-into her center.


    I grind into her and she moans. I begin to dry hump her and she shudders. I press my thumb in between her lips and thrust it inside her mouth in an action that mirrors what I want to do to her when I am finally inside her. Her entire body shudders. She sucks on my thumb and the blood rushes to my groin.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl. ¡°F-u-c-k, Bellezza, what you do to me with your little cries, your moans, the way you wriggle your body against mine, in a sign that you are aroused.¡±


    ¡°I am not aroused,¡± she protests.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I slide my finger down her waistband, inside her panties and thrust my finger inside her.


    She gasps. ¡°Oh, hell,¡± she warbles, ¡°oh, bloody hell.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± I pull out my finger, glistening with the evidence of her arousal, and bring it to my mouth. I suck on it and a whine bleeds from her.


    ¡°What do you want, Beauty?¡± I lower my voice to a hush, ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°You,¡± she swallows, ¡°I want you.¡±


    That¡¯s when Andy prowls over to us.

 135

    Karma


    Andy crawls onto my chest. He coils between my breasts and tips his head up. He must re at Michael, who glowers back at him. ¡°You and I need to have a talk, buddy. You don¡¯t interrupt when your parents are in the middle of an important discussion.¡±


    ¡°Is that what this was?¡±


    He scowls at me over Andy¡¯s head, ¡°It was a very important discussion;¡± His gaze intensifies, ¡°Come home with me, baby.¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been lonely without you. Andy has been lonely without you.¡±


    ¡°Andy seems fine to me.¡± I arch my eyebrow at him. ¡°You, however,¡± I tilt my hips forward so I push into the bulge between his legs.


    Color smears his cheeks. ¡°You still punishing me? Even after everything I said I¡¯d do for you?¡±


    ¡°Not what I expected to hear from you, Don.¡± I rake my gaze across his features, ¡°You are the Don now, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Only if I can have you by my side. I need your sass, your shrewdness, your ability to think fast on your feet so you pick up anything that I may have missed. I need you, Beauty, only you.¡±


    He holds my gaze and in his blue eyes I see¡­love, lust¡­and sincerity. An honesty that had been missing before, a vulnerability which I¡¯d never thought that I¡¯d glimpse in my Don¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°okay.¡±


    Two dayster, I rub Andy¡¯s forehead as I nce out at the sea that stretches out in front of me. Michael had taken me from the park, straight to his private jet. He¡¯d flown me to Palermo, and to a new home that he¡¯d purchased on the ind on the opposite side from where his home used to be.


    A fresh start, he¡¯d said. A new chapter in our lives. He¡¯d also arranged for a doctor toe and remove the tracker from behind my ear. I had protested and told him that, in retrospect, it actually made me feel safe to know that no matter what happened he¡¯d always be able to find me.


    He¡¯d told me that he¡¯d feel better if he had it removed, especially since he wanted us to try for a child right away, and he didn¡¯t want anything to interfere with that.


    So I had agreed.


    Truth is, I want to try to get pregnant straight away, too. Guess this is when I should havee clean to him about the doctor¡¯s warning that it could be dangerous for me to get pregnant. On the other hand, the doc had also said that many women carried their babies to term without any problems, despite having a hole in the heart. And I know if I mention it to him, he won¡¯t want to take the risk. And honestly, I feel it in my guts that everything will be fine. That things will work out. So, I haven¡¯t said anything to him.


    Yes, I know, I should be honest with him¡­ But if I were¡­ he¡¯d never agree to my having a baby. He¡¯d never allow me to get pregnant. He¡¯d be willing to go without an heir, and that¡¯s something I will not allow.


    Besides, I can do this. I can get pregnant and carry the baby to term and nothing will happen to me. I am confident of that.


    Meanwhile, he¡¯s already set up a full-fledged studio for me in the house, where I can start working on my masterpieces. All, in less than forty-eight hours. The man is relentless when ites to making sure that all of my needs are taken care of.


    And when I had suggested we have the long overdue Christmas party,bined with a New Year¡¯s Eve one-he had agreed to it.


    I¡¯d also messaged Summer to let her know that I was fine, but that I needed a little more time to figure things out. Summer was initially upset about it. She¡¯d insisted that I return to London or she¡¯d be on the next flight to Sicily and drag me home.


    I¡¯d told her not to do that. Begged her to give me a little more time. I¡¯d told her that I am in love with this guy. I¡¯d wanted to tell her that I¡¯d already married the man. Honestly, it had been on the tip of my tongue to tell her, but then I had chickened out. Because I know that she¡¯ll be upset to find out that I got married without telling her. And then she¡¯ll want to know everything and ¡­


    I¡¯m still not ready to share with her all that has happened. No, I want to tell her everything in person. And yes¡­ I am also a little worried about her reaction. She¡¯s never going to forgive me for embarking on this adventure on my own, and without keeping herpletely in the loop¡­ And I know, the more I put it off, the worse it¡¯s going to get¡­so¡­ Yeah, for the moment, at least, I am okay with her. But at some point, I am going to have to tell her everything. Soon. Just not today.


    Footsteps sound behind me. The scent of fresh snow, of darkness, of edgy testosterone, washes over me a second before his armse around my waist. Andy wriggles in my arms, then digs his ws into my shirt as he attempts to climb up my chest. He peers over my shoulder, growls at my husband. Michael growls right back. Andy stiffens, then hisses at him. He turns his head away, wriggles in my arms, then proceeds to jump out and onto the wall of the terrace.


    ¡°That cat is the most fickle creature I have ever met.¡± His dark voice coils in my ear.


    I shiver, then turn in the circle of his arms, ¡°He¡¯s my cat; of course, his loyalties lie with me. Speaking of,¡± I frown, ¡°did you just growl back at him?¡±


    ¡°He needs to learn that he can¡¯t monopolize my wife¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous of a cat, Michael Byron Domenico Sovrano?¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Uh, oh,¡± he smirks, ¡°do you know how much of a turn on it is when you say myplete name?¡±


    I slide my hand between us and cup the bulge at his crotch, ¡°I am beginning to guess.¡±


    He pushes into me and my hips touch the wall behind me. He tilts his hips so I can feel every single ridge of his length against my palm. Heat coils in my belly and moistureces my panties.


    ¡°You¡¯re so damn sexy, you know that?¡±


    ¡°I am, aren¡¯t I?¡± He smirks.


    Iugh, ¡°And not modest at all.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t afford to be, in my line of work, baby.¡±


    My smile promptly vanishes. ¡°How are the talks going with JJ and Niki? Are they agreeable to legitimizing the businesses?¡±


    ¡°Notpletely,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°but I am sure I¡¯ll win them over.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, not modest at all.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯lle around. They¡¯ll have to, when they see that the figures make sense. This is an opportunity for them to carve out a future that is safer for their families too, after all.¡±


    ¡°You think they¡¯ll agree to that?¡±


    ¡°They will, once we¡¯ve figured out the practicalities of how to manage the transition.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile,¡± he lowers his head so his eyshes entangle against mine, ¡°where were we?¡±


    He drags his palms up my hips and his fingertips brush against the bandage across my lower back.


    I freeze; so does he.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± He scowls, ¡°Did you hurt yourself?¡±


    ¡°N¡­ no,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°I, ah, wanted to add something to what you marked on my back earlier.


    ¡°Can I see?¡±


    I nod, then turn my back on him. He raises my shirt, stares down at the strip of clear stic which covers my lower back.


    His breath catches. ¡°Beauty, you¡­¡± his voice cracks. ¡°you wrote my name on your body?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to¡­¡± I nce at him over my shoulder again, ¡°I wanted to find a way to ink your name into my skin and this seemed fitting.


    ¡°Mika¡¯s whore,¡± he reads out aloud. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have hurt yourself further, this way.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a hurt that I dly bear,¡± I say softly. ¡°I needed to show you that I meant it, that this time, I am not leaving you. That you are stuck with me, Don.¡±


    He swivels me around in the circle of his arms. ¡°My whore,¡± he kisses my forehead, ¡°my slut,¡± he kisses me on one eyelid, ¡°my pussy,¡± then the other. ¡°My Beauty,¡± he kisses me on the tip of my nose. ¡°Mine.¡± He presses his lips to mine. ¡°Only mine.¡±


    I share his breath, drag his scent into my lungs, and my entire core clenches. I lean in to deepen the kiss when.


    ¡°Get a room, you guys!¡±


    Seb¡¯s voice sounds behind us.


    Michael groans. ¡°Ignore him,¡± he murmurs as he presses his lips to mine. I open my mouth and his tongue sweeps in. He deepens the kiss and my belly trembles. He hauls me up against him, and I pull my hand out from between us and wind it about his shoulders. He pushes his hips forward and the thickness between his legs stabs into my core.


    A whine bleeds from my lips and he swallows it down. He grabs my arse, squeezes, and heat jolts up my spine. I press myself into him and my breasts tten against his chest. He nibbles on my lips and I can¡¯t stop the moan the spills from my lips.


    ¡°Michael,¡± I gasp, ¡°we need to stop. Your brothers¡­ Your family will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°The fuck I care?¡±


    ¡°Michngelo!¡± Nonna calls out, and both of us freeze.


    Michael steps back, peers into my face. ¡°To be continued,¡± he smirks.


    Then, as if he can¡¯t stop himself, he leans down and presses a hard kiss to my lips. He slides around to stand behind me, then ces his hands on my shoulders. I nce toward the entrance where Nonna stands, a knowing look on her face. Seb and Massimo nk her. Seb smirks. Massimo looks like he¡¯s about to say something, then seems to change his mind.

 136

    Nonna walks toward us and I stiffen. Not that I am afraid of her, but I am definitely wary of her. Despite the fact that thest time we met, she seemed almost friendly. And of course, I am the Don¡¯s wife now¡­ But she¡¯s the Don¡¯s grandmother, so in that sense, she still has influence over my husband. Still, I know Michael¡¯s too smart to let his grandmother manipte him into anything, but Nonna¡¯s w-a-a-y too astute. It¡¯s why I am not sure what to make of her yet.


    Michael wraps an arm around my waist, still keeping the lower part of his body hidden behind mine.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I hiss. ¡°Why don¡¯t you walk forward and meet her?¡±


    ¡°Because if I did that, everyone would know just how aroused I still am from kissing my wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Heat flushes my cheeks.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he chuckles and the sound pulls at my nerve endings. My toes curl and I have to nce away. Damn it, I am turned on and his Nonna is watching us with a curious gaze as she approaches us.


    She pauses in front of us, then takes my hand in hers, ¡°Thank you for organizing this dyed Christmas get together.¡± Her lips tilt in a smile that is-dare I say, quite genuine?


    ¡°Thank you foring, Nonna.¡± I step forward. Michael removes his hand from around me and I kiss Nonna¡¯s cheek. Her skin is papery thin, and she seems more fragile than when Ist saw her.


    Guess burying a son can do that to you? Michael had decided to bury his father with full honors. I hadn¡¯t been in Sicily to attend it, but I¡¯d heard that the funeral itself had been attended by all the n leaders. Cassandra had mentioned to me that Nonna had been pale-faced and ashen throughout the funeral, but she had managed to stay dry-eyed until the end. Maybe she had shed her tears in private. She seems genuinely pleased to be here though, so that¡¯s something.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think that this was too soon after what happened with Xander do you?¡±


    She pauses, a considering look on her face, ¡°Perhaps for a more traditional person it might seem that way,¡± she murmurs. ¡°And it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t mourn him,¡± she swallows, ¡°but I also know that Xander would not have wanted us to dwell on the past. He was an artist, a dreamer, a visionary, even. He would have wanted us to celebrate his life and look to the future.¡±


    I peer into her features, take in the intent expression on her face, ¡°You mean it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I never say anything I don¡¯t mean, Karma.¡± She smiles. ¡°In fact, I am going to follow your example.¡± Her eyes gleam with that devilish glint that is so familiar. Something I have seen in Michael¡¯s eyes, too.


    ¡°You are?¡± I frown.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± She nces between us, ¡°This family has been through so much, we need a fresh start. A chance to know each other all over again.¡±


    Oh, hell, do I even want to know where this is going?


    ¡°What are you thinking of, Nonna?¡± Michael asks.


    ¡°A Christmas getaway.¡±


    ¡°Christmas is over,¡± Michael points out, ¡°and we¡¯re already having this dyed Christmas get together to make up for not being able to celebrate Christmas.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡± Her lips firm. ¡°It will take more than a few hours to mend the fractures left behind by your father. It¡¯s time we came together and found a way to heal, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Michael blows out a breath, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Are you questioning me, Michael?¡± she asks in a deceptively soft tone that mirrors the one Michael often uses to get his way.


    Michael stiffens, then a reluctant chuckle rumbles up his chest. ¡°You are one hell of a woman, Nonna.¡± He reaches around me to take her hand, ¡°If it will make you happy¡­¡±


    ¡°It will.¡± The older woman nods her head as a smile forms on her face. ¡°Now that you are married,¡± she nces between us, ¡°it¡¯s time for me to focus on getting the rest of your brothers hitched, too.¡±


    Michael groans, ¡°I¡¯m d I am no longer in the line of fire.¡±


    ¡°You were smart enough to snap up your soulmate when you met her. Now, I need to make sure your brothers follow your lead. Also,¡± that same wicked gleam reappears in her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m hoping that spending a few days in each other¡¯spany will help us strengthen our familial ties¡­ If we don¡¯t kill each other first, that is.¡±


    I chuckle, Michaelughs, and Nonna¡¯s face lights up with a proper smile. ¡°Now, where¡¯s my drink?¡±


    As if summoned, Cassandra walks toward us with a tray of proso flutes. I take a ss and hand it to Nonna. She epts it, sniffs it, then raises her eyebrows at me. ¡°Is this-?¡±


    I nod, ¡°It¡¯s your favorite.¡±


    I take a ss for myself, then smile my thanks at Cassandra. She turns, then stops when Adrian walks onto the terrace. She seems to steel herself, then walks past him. He turns and his gaze tracks her until she disappears from sight. He turns, catches me staring and a small smile tugs at his lips. He walks over to the bar just as Luca steps onto the terrace. He nces around and his gaze collides with Michael¡¯s. The tension in the air ratchets up. I nce over my shoulder to find Michael scowling.


    ¡°Be nice, Don,¡± I murmur.


    He blows out a breath. ¡°It¡¯s going to take some getting used to, but family is family after all, eh?¡± He walks past me and meets Luca half-way on the terrace. The two men murmur in low voices, then Michael jerks his chin. ¡°Get us some Macan,¡± he calls out to Massimo, who¡¯s behind the bar. Massimo raises his thumb in a ¡®will do¡¯ gesture, then goes back to pouring.


    ¡°Good to see Michael making an effort,¡± I remark.


    Nonna turns to me, ¡°You¡¯re good for him.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I meet her gaze, ¡°Are you being sarcastic?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I am being sarcastic?¡± She tilts her head. Her faded blue eyes twinkle, and again, I see so much of Michael in her that I can¡¯t stop the smile that curves my lips.


    ¡°No,¡± I chuckle, ¡°that sounds like a realpliment.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Nonna raises her ss, and so do I. We clink, and I take a sip. Notes of cherry and vani pop on my pte as the crisp taste of the Proso slides down my throat.


    ¡°Mmm,¡± I lick my lips, ¡°that¡¯s so good.¡±


    ¡°My husband used to get me a bottle for every celebration.¡± She stares at her flute with a soft look in her eyes. ¡°Roberto was a typical Mafioso, as macho as theye, but he always remembered what I liked.¡±


    ¡°He loved you?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± she raises her ss to her lips, ¡°in his own way.¡± She nces past me and frowns. ¡°Who is that with Christian?¡±


    I turn to find Christian walking into the family gathering, Aurora¡¯s arm tucked into his, his hand on hers. Either in a soothing gesture¡­ or in one meant to control her, maybe?


    He pauses a little way inside of the entrance. When Cassandra walks over with a full tray of Proso, he picks up a flute and hands it to Aurora, who epts it. She¡¯s also wearing a beautiful silk dress that clings to her curves and flows to below her knees. On her feet are six-inch heels which are very different from the sensible wedges I normally see her in. She seems¡­ different¡­ Like a mafioso¡¯s woman. She nces at me, then away.


    Huh? What¡¯s happening here?


    Aurora downs the proso in one go. She ces the ss back on Cassandra¡¯s tray, reaches for another, but Christian wraps his fingers around her wrist and stops her. He leans in, whispers something in her ear as Cassandra walks away.


    Aurora shoots him a nce full of hatred; Christian chuckles.


    What the hell? What¡¯s happening between these two?


    Christian straightens, then he turns and walks toward us.


    ¡°Christian Roberto Domenico Sovrano,¡± Nonna narrows her gaze on him, ¡°just the person I am looking for.¡±


    Christian frowns, ¡°I am?¡± Hees to a stop in front of us, Aurora in tow.


    Nonna¡¯s eyes gleam, ¡°I am an old woman, Christian, I don¡¯t know how long I have left on this earth.¡±


    ¡°Nonna, please,¡± Christian holds up his hand, ¡°you are going to outlive us all and you know it. So why don¡¯t youe to the point, hmm? What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s on my mind is that I am worried about you Christian.¡±


    ¡°You are?¡±


    She nods, ¡°It¡¯s high time you got married and settled down.¡±


    ¡°Michael just got married,¡± Christian points out.


    ¡°And now I can¡¯t wait for you to settle down.¡±


    ¡°What about Massimo?¡± Christian scowls, ¡°he¡¯s older than me. Shouldn¡¯t he get married before I do.¡±


    ¡°Massimo didn¡¯t lose his twin, you did.¡±


    Christian pales, ¡°Nonna, what are you trying to say?¡±


    Nonna narrows her gaze on him, ¡°Since before you were born you had Xander by your side. Now he¡¯s gone and you are on your own.¡±


    Christian¡¯s jaw tics, ¡°your point being?¡± He finally says through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be alone. In fact I have someone who would make you the perfect wife, I-¡±


    Christian holds up his hand, ¡°Let me stop you right there, Nonna.¡±


    Nonna scowls, ¡°Let meplete what I am going to say.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°I know what you are going to say, and I am a step ahead of you.¡± His lips curl.


    Uh-oh! I am not sure I like the expression on his face. He seems too confident, too sure of himself. He releases his hold on Aurora only to wrap his arm around her and pull her close.


    ¡°Nonna,¡± He tilts his head, before he locks his gaze with Michael¡¯s. ¡°Don Sovrano,¡± his smile widens, ¡°meet the woman who is going to be my wife.¡±

 137

    Next book


    Christian


    I raise my arm and throw the snifter of whiskey against the wall. The ss shatters, and the amber liquid taints the wall; just like Xander¡¯s blood had stained the ground when I dragged him from the car, which had caught fire after the car bomb had gone rogue.


    My twin¡¯s gone. He¡¯s really gone, and he¡¯s nevering back.


    I turn to the bar counter, grab a bottle of Macan, and fill up another ss. I take a sip and the alcohol zes a trail of warmth to my belly. He¡¯s gone. My twin brother is no longer here to share a drink with me. Fact is, I can¡¯t recall thest time we had a drink together. He¡¯d been busy, focused on his painting, and I¡­ I had been consumed by my role as the Consigliere for the Cosa Nostra.


    Thest month had been a bitch with my asshole of a father trying his best to destabilize Michael, my oldest brother. Michael had finally managed to kill him and take over as the Don¡­ The person who had been hurt most in the process? Xander. My twin, my other half¡­ My soulmate from before we were born¡­ We had shared a womb, but we hadn¡¯t shared our thoughts with each other since moving to Los Angeles.


    What I remember most about that time are the overwhelmingly bright days, the blue skies, not being able to walk anywhere, ying in the backyard with our brothers Massimo, Luca, Seb, and Adrian; while Michael was already at university. I also learned to paint, something I quickly found I had no aptitude for, while Xander? He took to it like it was his life.


    We used to ride the school bus back home to eat the leftovers Nonna had left us. Often, she would be off at some meeting or another, while our older brothers already had girlfriends and football games.


    We¡¯d eat, and I¡¯d watch Spiderman on TV, while Xander much preferred to sit in the back garden and gaze at the leaves.


    Even then, he was already a dreamer, my little brother.


    As we grew older, we finally decided to move to different rooms. Or rather, I decided to move to another room, because it felt like¡­ Well, we needed privacy to jerk off, if you must know.


    Still, whenever I stayed over in his room, he¡¯d lend me his guitar-I don¡¯t have a single musical bone in my body-and to cate him, I¡¯d pick at the strings. His room was always spotless. And mine? I hated picking up after myself. Nonna grew tired of asking me to straighten out my room. Instead, when she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer, she¡¯d ask Xander to put my things away, and he¡¯d oblige.


    I¡¯d return from baseball practice-yep, that¡¯s how American I had be-to find everything back in its ce. Then, I¡¯d be unable to find anything and would have to holler at Xan to help me out. Which he would.


    That¡¯s how good-natured my little brother was.


    The diagram of our life was aplete circle. After yet another bout, when he picked up my damn room again, I would reciprocate by making him peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    We gamed together, shared our love for weird songs; he had started to paint while I had moved on to consuming the kind of online content which is strictly off-limits to a teenager but the kind of stuff a teenage boy thrives on.


    It¡¯s not that we never fought, but it wasn¡¯t often. We were two wild kittens grown into cats who, at first, were consciously caring and kind to each other. Enough that he told me when I wasn¡¯t me.


    But somewhere along the line, as in the case of many siblings, we had grown apart, and I never realized it. Not until I found outter that he had secrets in his life which he didn¡¯t feel like he could share with me. My twin, my soulmate, my brother. We were each other¡¯s life partners and also lifesavers¡­ Until we weren¡¯t. Until I failed him.


    Now he¡¯s gone. My twin is gone, and I miss him. On the other hand, it¡¯s good the stronzo is no longer here. If he were around, no doubt, he would talk me out of the n I intend to implement.

 138

    A dayter


    Aurora


    ¡°Open the door!¡± The banging on the front door reaches me. I stare at the coffee table wedged against it. That and the bolt I had dropped in ce is all that¡¯s preventing the asshole on the other side from getting through to me.


    It¡¯ll hold the door, surely, won¡¯t it? I nce around the living room space but don¡¯t see any means of escaping. Not that I haven¡¯t checked every inch of this house in thest few weeks that I have been held here as a prisoner. Every window is barred, and the door to the terrace on the first floor is sealed tight. The only way in or out of this house is through the front door. The door upon which the man who is trying to enter is currently leaning his weight.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Shit!¡±


    The door creaks as he puts his shoulder to it.


    ¡°Open the fucking door, Aurora, or I¡¯m gonna break it down.¡±


    ¡°Who¡±-my voice cracks, and I clear my throat-¡°who¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°You know who it is. Who elsees to this house, except me?¡± Christian¡¯s lowers his voice to a growl. ¡°When I get through, I¡¯m going to teach you such a lesson you aren¡¯t going to be able to sit down for days!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± My stomach trembles. ¡°OH!¡± I blink as the full meaning of his words sinks in. My heart rate ratchets up, and moistureces my core. I should not find that so hot. Why do I find that such a turn-on?


    ¡°How can I be sure who it is if you don¡¯t tell me who you are? Not like I can recognize your voice or anything, you know.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± His tone is almostzy now.


    Like he¡¯s realized I¡¯m ying a game and has decided to go along with it. My belly twists. I rub my damp hands on my thighs. Why the hell did I decide to stop him froming in? I should have known it would be futile, that nothing I say or do will deter him.


    The door creaks again and pushes against the coffee table, which moves forward by an inch.


    ¡°Oh, hell!¡± I race toward the coffee table and push against the door to hold it in ce. Something ms into the door from the other side again. The doorframe shudders, the bolt across the door shivers, and the coffee table moves forward by another inch. I yelp and take a step back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking make me wait, Aurora,¡± Christian growls.


    I shiver. Even through the heavy wood of the double doors, the menace rolls off of his voice. Goosebumps pop on my skin. My toes curl. Shit, this should not turn me on so much.


    That¡­ that mean edge to his tone, the promise of punishment when he finally gets through¡­ I shouldn¡¯t want it so much.


    ¡°Last chance, Aurora. Open the door or-¡±


    ¡°Or,¡± I call out, ¡°what are you going to do, eh?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to find out?¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, but I can still hear him. ¡°Do you, Aurora?¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°No,¡± I yell back. ¡°I¡¯m tired of being kept a prisoner here. Tired of being held without anyone telling me how long I¡¯m going to be here.¡±


    There¡¯s silence for a beat, then another.


    ¡°It¡¯s why I¡¯vee here,¡± he retorts, ¡°to tell you what¡¯s going to happen next.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m going to believe you?¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re standing clear, Aurora,¡± he says in a low-pitched voice. ¡°I¡¯ming through.¡±


    I straighten and stare at the door. He¡¯s joking. He¡¯s not really going to batter down that door, is he?


    ¡°Get back, Aurora,¡± he growls. ¡°Now!¡±


    I jump and stumble back just as he smashes into the door. The wood creaks and groans. The coffee table I¡¯ve wedged against the door screeches forward. I yelp and slide back a few more steps. Just in time. For there¡¯s another crash.


    The entire door whines, and the bolt jumps then falls off right before the middle of the door cracks.


    I scream, turn and race toward the bedroom, then close the door and bolt it. I sink down against it, and my shoulders shudder.


    Shit, shit, shit. What is wrong with me? Why did I try to shut him out? I should have known I couldn¡¯t win, that he¡¯d find a way toe inside. But the truth is, I¡¯m tired of sitting here in this house, trying to figure out what will happen to me next. Tired of not knowing my fate. Tired of being punished for helping out my friend Karma. She wanted to escape her husband, the then Capo-now Don Michael Sovrano-and of course, I couldn¡¯t say no to helping her.


    I knew how dangerous it was to do so. To go against the leader of the Cosa Nostra is to bring death to yourself and to your family¡­ I knew it, and yet, something in me wasn¡¯t able to turn her down. I recognized another woman in need, and something in me snapped.


    Maybe it¡¯s all the time spent as a woman in the heart of the Mafia. Knowing that we are often seen as disposable. Interchangeable. Good only to procreate, as wives, as mistresses, as objects to be lusted after, but never respected as individuals with our own minds, who can control our own destinies.


    And you know what? I, sure as hell, am going to control my future¡­ At least, that¡¯s what I thought¡­ That¡¯s what I had aimed for during all of my years growing up. And while the Capo had paid off my father¡¯s debts and paid for me to go to medical school in London, and I had epted it then because it seemed like the only way to find my way out of the situation that I was born into-I don¡¯t owe him anything. Right?


    Clearly, he¡¯d done it so he could indenture my family, ensure that he¡¯d bought our loyalty and that of any future generations. Only, I¡¯m not going to submit to my fate.


    It¡¯s this streak of defiance in me that had urged me to help Karma. I had treated her when she¡¯d been brought into the hospital in Palermo. She¡¯d been faking the illness, of course, as she¡¯d warned me she would. I had examined her, nevertheless, so the situation would appear as genuine as possible, and discovered that she was pregnant.


    I hadn¡¯t been able to stop myself from revealing that to her husband. We had returned to her room and found her gone¡­ And the Capo would have killed me on the spot except¡­ His brother, Christian, had intervened. He¡¯d saved my life that day, and I suppose I should be grateful for it.


    Only, I¡¯m not sure about his intentions toward me. Since that day, he¡¯s shadowed me wherever I go. Oh, he hasn¡¯t made a move on me or anything like that¡­ I wish he would. That way, I¡¯d know what he wants from me.


    No, he simply watches me with that gray-blue gaze of his that seems to peer into my soul. Wonder what he sees, though? Probably myrger-than-normal bust, no doubt. It¡¯s the bane of my life. Every time I want to be taken seriously for my work as a doctor, my breasts get in the way. Hell, during my final examinations, where I had to present my paper to a team of supervisors-all men, of course-the assholes couldn¡¯t take their gazes off of my tits. I¡¯ve learned it¡¯s best to y them down by wearing high-cored shirts. Not that it helps.


    I also have thick hips and thighs that could rival Roger Federer¡¯s. No, they aren¡¯t hairy. They are simply quite heavy, and it¡¯s not due to muscles. And yeah, I think they look better on Federer. On me, they just lookrge. Overall, I¡¯m told that my figure is a ssical hourss one. Which I hate. Honestly, I¡¯d do anything to have Karma¡¯s slender, svelte figure, all gentle curves and nes, not to mention a tter chest. But I digress.


    He¡¯s the person who apanied me when I went to see Karma while she was pregnant.


    Subsequently, she¡¯d lost her child in an unfortunate incident when her car had been rigged with a bomb which, luckily for her, had turned out to be defective. Although¡­ It had killed Xander, Christian¡¯s twin. Turned out, it was their father who was behind it. The chain of events had entrenched Christian even more firmly in the inner circle of the Cosa Nostra. So, the question is, why is this man, who can have any woman in the city-hell, on the continent, even-beating down the door to my bedroom?


    ¡°Go away,¡± I yell as I p my hands over my ears. ¡°Get the hell away from me¡­you¡­you asshole!¡±


    ¡°Now, y nice, Flower,¡± Christian drawls. I can hear him from the other side of the bedroom door.


    Hell, I can all but feel the heat of his body as it permeates through the wood, which is likely my imagination. But every time I¡¯ve been near him, it¡¯s as if I¡¯ve stepped past a furnace. The man has so much vitality, he can probably light up an entire Christmas tree by his proximity. I snort.


    That¡¯s fanciful thinking. Probably because I spent Christmas Day shut up in here, feeling sorry for myself. Hell, even criminals in jails get to celebrate Christmas. I spent it locked up here, and except for the brief time on Christmas Eve when Christian came in to check on me and lent me his phone so I could call Karma, I was alone. At least, I didn¡¯t starve. The fridge is always full of food, as is the pantry, so there¡¯s more than enough to eat.


    Still, it didn¡¯t fill the void of being alone, on the one day of the year when every family is together. Well, every family except my own. We have never been big on Christmas. Mostly, my father would be on call due to one emergency or another. I can count on my fingers how many Christmas Eve¡¯s he¡¯d actually been home. So, it had been my mother, sister, and me. And then, my mother had died, and while I had tried to make an attempt at arranging festivities, I have to admit, I hadn¡¯t been very sessful.


    Karma had wanted to organize a Christmas gathering, but Xander¡¯s death, and then her losing her baby, had put a damper on that. Christian had updated me that she was spending time in London and had even given me his phone to speak with her. A favor I hadn¡¯t wanted to ept, but which I didn¡¯t turn down, starved ofpany as I had been.


    But everyone has a limit and I have reached mine. No way, am I going to allow myself to be shut up inside here. I want to leave this prison, go see my family, lead a normal life ¡­ Or else ¡­ I¡¯m willing to die. Yeah, not being dramatic here¡­


    When you live in the heart of the Mafiamunity, death is as much a part of life as going out to dinner is. And I-like it or not-am one of them.


    I grew up surrounded by macho guys who think they own the world. And you know what? I have spent enough time among them to be able to y them at their own game. I¡¯m not going to let one of them scare me, no matter that he happens to be big, brooding, growly, and sexy and ¡­ hot ¡­ and that he turns me on by just a nce. I¡¯m not going to let my attraction to him get in the way. No. I¡¯m going to tell him exactly where he can shove this awareness he seems to have for me, the one which has him pushing his shoulder into the bedroom door and applying his weight so the entire barrier shakes.


    ¡°Open the door, Flower,¡± he rumbles, ¡°or I¡¯m going to break this down ande inside, and then you¡¯re going to regret shutting me out.¡±


    Is that right? I jump up to my feet and tuck my elbows into my side.


    ¡°Last chance,¡± he warns. ¡°Open. The. Door.¡±


    I spin around, unlock the bedroom door, and yank it open. Just as he lunges forward.

 139

    Christian


    I dive forward just as she pulls the door open. I careen through the doorway and toward her, managing to swerve at thest minute. Still, I don¡¯t avoid herpletely, and my shoulder brushes hers. She yells out in surprise, and her body hurtles toward the floor. I grab her and manage to get my body under hers as we hit the floor.


    The back of my head hits the floor, and the breath rushes out of me. On the other hand, it may be because of the soft curves that tremble against my chest, her breath that shivers against my throat, or her sweet scent like honeysuckle and crushed rose petals that teases my nostrils and goes straight to my head. The blood rushes to my groin and my cock thickens. She pushes off of me, or at least tries to, for I¡¯ve thrown my arm around her waist and hold her in ce.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she snarls.


    ¡°No.¡± I sit up, then wince when the bump on the back of my head protests. I ignore the pain, push myself up to standing, still holding her close.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± she hisses as I head toward the bed with her in my arms.


    ¡°Let me the hell go,¡± she ps her palm against my chest, ¡°right now.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I lower my arms, and she hits the floor on her ass.


    ¡°Ow!¡± She grunts, then stares up at me, a shocked expression on her face. ¡°You ¡­ you dropped me?¡± she stutters. ¡°Like, honest to God, you allowed me to crash to the floor?¡±


    ¡°You asked me to let you go,¡± I remind her. ¡°I was only obliging you.¡±


    ¡°Asshole,¡± she snaps, then pushes up to stand to her full height, which still means she hits somewhere below my breastbone.


    Gesu Cristo, but she¡¯s tiny and also very angry right now. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair awry about her features.


    She pushes a strand away from her face. ¡°You¡¯re a dick, you know that?¡± She scowls.


    ¡°d you recognize that.¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± She makes a noise at the back of her throat. ¡°And insufferable, not to mention, you¡¯re so full of yourself that if anyone were to prick your skin, you¡¯d take off.¡±


    ¡°Take off?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, all that hot air which you carry around would catapult you into the stratosphere, no doubt.¡±


    I re at her, then can¡¯t stop the surprised chuckle that rumbles up my chest. ¡°You¡¯re funny,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying.¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re on my turf.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in my house,¡± she shoots back.


    ¡°A house you¡¯re living in, thanks to my intervention on your behalf. If not, you¡¯d be dead by now.¡±


    Her features flush further. ¡°Should I be grateful to you for that? I bet you have your reasons for stepping in.¡±


    ¡°If nothing else, you¡¯re smart.¡± I curl my lips. ¡°So, you¡¯ll realize that I¡¯m being very serious when I say that I¡¯m going to punish you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± She huffs. ¡°Why are you here anyway?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s my ce, remember? I cane and go as I want.¡±


    She firms her lips, then spins around and walks out of the room. I follow her into the kitchen. She reaches the espresso maker, tops it up with coffee grounds, and ces it on the stove. She grabs two cups and saucers, ces them on the counter, then turns to me. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Marry me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Her gaze widens. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Marry me.¡± I allow my smile to widen. ¡°Not for real, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± She nods. ¡°So, you want me to pretend to marry you?¡±


    ¡°For ten days.¡±


    ¡°What happens in ten days?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to convince my older brother and my nonna that we¡¯re really serious about each other. After which time, you are free to go your own way.¡±


    ¡°Wait? Ten Days? That¡¯s too short a time to convince them that we are serious about each other.¡±


    I scratch my chin. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± She scowls.


    ¡°Thirty days.¡± I cross my arms over my chest.


    ¡°What the-!¡± She gapes. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    I raise a shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a respectable amount of time and long enough.¡±


    ¡°Long enough for what?¡±


    ¡°To convince them that we mistakenly thought that we were in love.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re not in love,¡± she points out.


    ¡°Precisely.¡± I nod. ¡°Which is why, when we decide to get the marriage annulled, no one will raise an eyebrow. In fact, given that, by then, we¡¯d have proven to be ipatible, and it will be all too believable that,¡± I peer into her face, ¡°our marriage was aplete mistake.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s the benefit of that?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t bother me about getting married to anyone else for a long time after that.¡±


    She purses her lips. ¡°Somehow, I can¡¯t see you being bothered by anyone about being married.¡±


    ¡°Have you met my nonna?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°She¡¯s been nning our weddings from the moment each of us were born. And now that Michael¡¯s married, and with Xander¡¯s passing¡­¡± I firm my lips.


    ¡°You were saying?¡± she prompts.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I straighten my spine. ¡°Fake marriage. You and me. That¡¯s all you need to know.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She takes in my features. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    I re at her. ¡°Really?¡± I snap. ¡°You dare ask me that?¡±


    She pales but doesn¡¯t nce away. ¡°Yes,¡± she says in a firm voice, ¡°I need to know what¡¯s in it for me.¡±


    I take a step toward her and she leans back, only there¡¯s nowhere for her to go so she presses back and into the counter. I close the distance between us, nt my hands on the counter, and cage her in.


    ¡°You were saying?¡±


    ¡°I was asking a question, actually.¡± She tips up her chin. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me, Christian?¡±


    I peer into her features, and her pupils dte. Her brown eyes lighten until they seem almost golden in this light. I lean in closer until my breath raises the hair on her forehead. I run my finger down the side of her cheek, and she shivers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she murmurs, ¡°don¡¯t try to distract me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so I do distract you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the topic.¡±


    I step back, and the breath rushes out of her.


    ¡°Your life, Aurora. You get a new lease on life.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± she furrows her forehead, ¡°if I pretend to be your wife for thirty days, I¡¯ll be free to leave and live as I want?¡±


    I nod slowly. ¡°If you fulfill all of the conditions, and provided you put up enough of a performance that my nonna and brothers are convinced of the veracity of our rtionship.¡±


    She bites down on her lower lip, and hell, if my gaze isn¡¯t drawn to her glistening flesh. Why the hell does this woman affect me so? She¡¯s only a convenience, after all. Someone to use and discard. So I can go back to the life I prefer to lead. To be surrounded by enough pussy so I can forget I lost my twin brother. The other half of my soul. The one who¡¯s been with me since before we were born.


    Xander and I were so different, yet so alike. He was the artist, and I¡¯m the numbers guy. It¡¯s why steering the finances of the Cosa Nostra fell to me. If there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m good at, it¡¯s getting the numbers to speak to me. Numbers don¡¯t lie. They can¡¯t hide. They can¡¯t hurt you like our father did.


    After Michael left to study in the States, my father had turned his anger on us. Luca, our second oldest brother, had gotten the brunt of it. Massimo, our middle brother, had already grown big and tall enough that our father didn¡¯t dare hurt him. But Xander and me? We were still small and young enough that he knew he could hurt us without fear of retaliation.


    Perhaps it¡¯s because I was older by a few minutes that I felt responsible for both of us. I had tried to protect Xander from being physically beaten up by our father, and I mostly seeded. I still have the scars to show for it too¡­ I saved him then, but when he was killed by the car bomb that our father had meant for Michael¡¯s wife Karma, I wasn¡¯t able to go to his rescue. The bomb was faulty, but a piece of metal had embedded in his chest and killed him immediately. Karma had been in the car, and she managed to escape, but she was pregnant and had lost her child. We¡¯ve all suffered.


    But losing Xander¡­ It¡¯s a trauma that haunts me, that sticks to me, that apanies me day and night, like a shadow which refuses to peel away from me. I¡¯ll never be the same again, never be able to see myself in the mirror without seeing my twin brother. Never be able to experience life without thinking that he¡¯ll never be able to see, smell, and taste life. It should have been me who died in that incident, not him.


    Me who was buried under the earth, not him.


    I don¡¯t deserve any happiness, not when Xander won¡¯t get to experience it.


    I should turn away from life itself¡­ Except, that¡¯s not what Xander would have wanted. It¡¯s for him that I will continue living¡­ Doesn¡¯t mean I have to let myself feel, though. It¡¯s for him that I will support my family and help Michael consolidate his position as the new Don of the Cosa Nostra.


    Michael killed our father¡­ Too bad I never had the opportunity to do so. I should feel some level of satisfaction, considering it was our father who was behind rigging the car, the reason that Xander had died, but all I feel is a numbness. Like I¡¯m not in my body. Like nothing else matters except trying to get through life. Trying to swallow down the grief that threatens to overwhelm my every waking moment. And her¡­ How dare she try to infiltrate the nothingness that I have surrounded myself with since Xander died? Why is it that thoughts of her upy my mind when I should have only enough space to mourn Xander?


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± She tips up her chin. ¡°What if I disagree?¡±


    I move so fast that she flinches. I wrap my fingers around her throat and haul her up to her toes. ¡°If you value the life of your family then you¡¯ll do as I say.¡± I tighten my grasp, ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t recall giving you a choice, Flower.¡±


    She swallows, and I feel the movement against my fingers. Such a slender throat. How would it feel to have my cock sliding down it, hmm?


    I tighten my grip, and the color fades from her cheeks. A soft sound emerges from her mouth. She parts her lips, and I take in her flushed features, the contours of her pouty lower lip, and my balls throb. Fuck this, why the hell should I deny myself when I¡¯m going to marry her anyway? Only temporarily, of course. Still¡­ Soon, she will be my wife, and I¡¯m going to take full advantage of it. I pull her even closer until her breasts are flush against my chest, then I lower my mouth to hers.

 140

    Aurora


    He fits his mouth over mine, and he takes and takes. His kiss is exactly what I¡¯d expect from a macho, chauvinist pig like him. He thrusts his tongue between my lips and swirls it against mine. His fingers around my throat tighten. He grips my hip, fits me in the cradle of his thighs, and his thick, hard cock stabs into my core. My belly trembles, my nipples harden into pebbles, my belly flip-flops, and What the hell?


    I shouldn¡¯t get turned on. Why am I turned on by his rough handling? I don¡¯t feel anything for him. I don¡¯t want his hands on me, and yet, I can¡¯t stop myself from responding to how he expertly swipes his tongue across the seam of my lower lip, over my teeth, how he drinks from me as if he¡¯s trying to suck down the very essence of me, consume me, possess me, ravish me-im me¡­


    ¡°No.¡± I try to pull away, but his grasp on my hip tightens. Surely, I¡¯m going to bruise there? I p against his shoulder, and he widens his stance. He yanks me even closer to him until it seems like every part of me is pinned to him, connected to him, reliant on him, already. My pussy clenches, and moistureces my core. Heat flushes my skin, and I know I have to pull away from him. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll lose myself in his dominance, his mastery, his ability to y my body like a musical instrument. A piano whose keys he¡¯ll caress, and strike, and hammer at until it ys the tune he wants. And I¡¯m not going to do that. No way.


    I bring down my foot on his boot. I¡¯m only wearing wedges, but it must hurt a little, for he grunts. His grip loosens, but before I can pull away, his lips soften. He stares into my eyes, and in the depths of his, I see something re. Something hot, something needy¡­ Something almost helpless and vulnerable¡­ Vulnerable? Hah! There¡¯s nothing weak about this man; not in how he holds me, or in how the powerful columns of his thighs bracket mine, or how he rubs his thumb across my throat in slow circles. Goose bumps pop on my skin. I draw in a shuddering breath, and my breasts push further into the hard nes of his chest. It¡¯s as if every sculpted ridge of those unyielding pecs is imprinted into my skin.


    He pulls back, still holding my gaze, his mouth so close to mine that we share breath. Untouching. He simply stares into my eyes, his own even darker, somehow cker, a shiny polished mirror in which I can see myself. The skin across his cheekbones stretches tight, and there¡¯s a furrow between his eyebrows, as if he¡¯s somehow confused by what just happened. His eyes, somehow, reflect some of the confusion I¡¯m feeling. I reach up to touch his cheek, and he flinches. His lips firm and his jaw tics. He releases me so quickly that I stumble. But he doesn¡¯t right me. He puts distance between us, and I manage to steady myself.


    My lips throb, and I can¡¯t stop myself from taking in his mouth, a mouth that I know now could bring me to dizzying heights of pleasure. Too bad they are attached to a man who is part of an institution I abhor. An organization I n to break away from as soon as possible. I¡¯ll do anything to get my freedom, including pretending to be his wife.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I say in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°If all it took was a kiss to get you to agree, then I wonder what else you¡¯ll submit to when I have youpletely.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Something glints in the depths of his eyes. ¡°You sure about that?¡±


    Oh, hell, thest thing I need is for him to see me as a challenge. Still, I can¡¯t stop myself from tipping my chin in defiance. ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°Not that it matters to me either way. There are enough women out there who¡¯ll willingly spread their legs for me.¡±


    ¡°So why choose me for this¡­this farce?¡±


    ¡°Because you owe me.¡± He dusts his sleeves as if he¡¯s wiping the feel of me off of himself. ¡°Thirty days, Flower. For thirty days, you¡¯ll do as I say.¡±


    I pivot, switch off the me under the Bialetti, then scowl at him over my shoulder. ¡°I agreed to be your fake wife, not your ve.¡±


    His lips kick up. ¡°Those are my terms, sweetheart. Take it or leave it.¡±


    ¡°Jerk.¡± I turn on him. ¡°What else do you expect from me during this time?¡± I curl my fingers at my sides. ¡°You may as welly it all out now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be married in a proper wedding in church-¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stare at him in horror. ¡°No, no, no, no, no. I agreed to pose as your fake wife-¡±


    ¡°The imperative word there is ¡®wife.''¡±


    ¡°I did not agree to marry you in a church ceremony,¡± I protest.


    ¡°The only way for this to work is if the rest of my family buys into the story.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯ll act as husband and wife; surely, that should be enough.¡±


    ¡°Do you think my nonna is going to let us off without a church wedding?¡±


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to agree to that, you have another thinking,¡± I snap back.


    ¡°Are you saying no?¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    I shake my head. ¡°Anything else you¡¯re not telling me about this arrangement?¡±


    To my right, the Bialetti begins to bubble as the steam rises through the funnel. The espresso must be bubbling over and into the carafe. I don¡¯t turn away from him to check it, though. Instead, I hold his gaze as he raises a shoulder.


    ¡°Maybe, maybe not.¡± He smirks. ¡°My prerogative.¡±


    Anger res through my veins. My heart thuds in my chest. How dare he treat me like this? Damn it, I¡¯m a qualified doctor. I went to London to study and survived the winters there. Hell, I survived years of residency, not to mention a stint in the ER. I have saved the lives of people, and now this ¡­ this ¡­ ass treats me like I¡¯m worth nothing. All of my senses hone in on him. Only when my palm connects with his face do I realize that I¡¯ve pped him. Oh hell. I stare at the fingerprints that bloom on his cheek. Shit, this is not good, not good at all.


    Anger thrums off of him. I take a step back, and his gaze intensifies.


    ¡°That was a mistake, Flower,¡± he drawls.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± I hiss back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you what I want, when I want, and you¡¯ll answer to it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°Come here.¡± He crooks a finger.


    I shake my head.


    He res at me, and my stomach twists. Jesus, why did I have to antagonize this man? Why couldn¡¯t I simply agree to whatever he wants? After all, the path of least resistance is the best in these situations, isn¡¯t it? And then¡­ What would set me apart from my mother and the rest of the women married to Mafia men, those who allow them to walk all over them and bear their suffering in silence? I¡¯m not like them. I am not. It¡¯s why I trained to be a doctor, so I could break out of this cycle. So I could ensure that my younger sister could have a better life than as part of a Mafia n.


    And now this ¡­ this asshole thinks he can simply order me around? He says he¡¯ll set me free if I do what he wants, but what guarantee do I have of that?


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me wait.¡± He holds my gaze, and I can¡¯t stop myself from being drawn into those dark eyes. Bottomless, fathomless, imprable. Any signs of vulnerability I thought I¡¯d seen in them are now gone. His eyes are t, the look in them almost cruel. It¡¯s a relief, actually. I don¡¯t want to think of this guy as having a heart or emotions of any kind. I need to see him for what he really is. A Mafia guy, someone who likely kills for a living, someone on the wrong side of thew, someone who clearly doesn¡¯t have a conscience. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t manipte me in this way. Wouldn¡¯t take me for granted and treat me like I¡¯m an object to be possessed.


    His gaze narrows on me, and he lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°I won¡¯t ask again.¡± A shiver runs down my back.


    ¡°Now,¡± he snaps.


    My feet hit the floor, and I close the short distance between us. Goddamn it, why do I feelpelled to obey hismand? I stand in front of him and tip my chin up. I will not be cowed by him. I will not.


    ¡°You will do as I say, understand?¡±


    I scowl.


    ¡°You feel me, Flower?¡±


    Whatever. I curl my fingers into fists at my sides so I don¡¯t p him again. I need to y it smart, just until I figure out a way out of here.


    He peers into my eyes, and maybe whatever he sees there satisfies him, for he jerks his chin. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to mend the front door, and I¡¯ll have my men stand guard outside until then.¡± He turns and stalks out of the kitchen.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I call out. ¡°I made enough espresso for both of us.¡±


    ¡°You have it,¡± he says without turning around. ¡°You¡¯re going to need that and more to see you through the next few weeks.¡±


    Jerk. I stick out my tongue at his retreating back, then gasp in surprise when he nces at me over his shoulder. ¡°Also, don¡¯t bete tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°The Christmas gathering that Karma is organizing,¡± he nces at me over his shoulder, ¡°it¡¯ll be our first official outing as a couple.¡±


    I¡¯d rather slit my wrists. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow it down.


    ¡°Seven pm, tomorrow.¡± He looks me up and down, ¡°I¡¯ll send you some dresses to try on.¡±


    ¡°No thank you; I have my own dresses.¡±


    ¡°You mean those rags that you wear.¡±


    ¡°They are not rags,¡± I protest.


    ¡°They are not fit for the future wife of a Mafia consigliere.¡±


    Right.


    ¡°And make sure your bags are packed; you¡¯ll be moving in with me after.¡±


    Turning, he walks away.

 141

    AuroraContent is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The tomorrow that Christian was talking about turns out to be the dyed Christmas get-together that Karma and Michael are throwing for the n. With Xander¡¯s death, Christmas itself wasn¡¯t celebrated. And while in most Italian families, the period of mourning wouldst almost up to a year, it seems the Sovranos have decided to go ahead with the celebrations, perhaps because they want tomemorate his life instead of mourning his passing? It¡¯s a sentiment I whole-heartedly approve of.


    I had contemted making Christian wait when he walked into the house promptly at seven pm. Only, he didn¡¯t give me a chance. He walked up the stairs and into my bedroom. When I protested, he told me to get used to it. What a dick!


    Now he takes in my reflection, and his mouth falls open. Like, literally, he opens and shuts his mouth, and no words emerge. I turn to face him, ce my hand on my hip, and allow him to sweep his gaze from the top of my auburn curls to my Gi dress to my feet d in the Ferragamo¡¯s he sent me.


    Yeah, so they¡¯re borrowed feathers, but what the hell? Given what I¡¯m going to put myself through over the next thirty days, it¡¯s the least I can do-embrace the designer wear he¡¯s so eager to shower on me. Only, he probably paid for the dress in blood, but that¡¯s something I can¡¯t afford to think of. Not when I need to make sure that I y my role so well that he doesn¡¯t suspect I¡¯m looking for a way out.


    So, I permit him to look his fill, noting his heavy-lidded gaze, the way his body stills as he sweeps his gaze up my body and back to my face. He stares at my mouth, and stares, and stares. Goose bumps shiver across my skin, and the blood thuds at my temples. A pulse res to life between my legs, and I want to squeeze my thighs together, but I stop myself. No way am I allowing him to see the effect he has on me. It¡¯s bad enough that my nipples have beaded into pinpoints of pain, that my cheeks are flushed, and that I can hear the blood pumping in my ears.


    I bite down on my lower lip, and his chest rises and falls. I tip up my chin, and he raises his gaze to mine. The silence stretches for a beat, another. I will not look away. Will not. My nerves stretch until I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to snap.


    ¡°Well?¡± I finally burst out. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    And why does his opinion matter anyway, hmm?


    His lips curl, and he looks me up and down once more, his nce more cursory this time. ¡°You¡¯ll do,¡± he drawls.


    ¡°What the-!¡± I flush. ¡°How dare you-?¡±


    ¡°Speak the truth?¡± He smirks, and anger sears my veins. My fingers tingle and hell, if I don¡¯t want to p him and wipe that self-satisfied expression off of his face, but I don¡¯t. Instead, I tip up my chin and brush past him, in my six-inches high stilettos.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I hiss as I flounce past, then gasp when he grips my wrist and tugs. I lose my bnce and fall against him. The hard nes of his chest dig into my upper arm.


    He yanks my arm behind my back and pulls me into him. ¡°What did you say?¡± he says in that low mean voice that arrows straight to my belly and coils in my core.


    ¡°N-nothing.¡± I swallow.


    ¡°Lying, Flower?¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± I manage to choke out, ¡°and especially to you.¡±


    He lowers his face to mine, until his mouth is exactly on top of mine. His breath sears my lips, and his scent, like dark coffeeced with brandy, overwhelms me. He¡¯s above me, all around me. The force of his dominance crashes into my chest and pins me in ce. I can¡¯t stop the moan that bleeds from my lips.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I whisper.


    It seems to break the spell because he releases me. I stare up at him, my breathing in pants.


    He steps back, and cool air rushes over my heated skin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He brushes past me and heads for the door.


    I walk onto the terrace and take in the assembled guests. In one corner, Christian¡¯s brother Michael, who recently took over as Don of the Cosa Nostra, and his wife Karma are engaged in conversation with Michael and Christian¡¯s grandmother. The older woman says something that makes the coupleugh. The breeze blows over us, lifting Karma¡¯s lustrous locks and Michael¡¯s thick dark hair. They seem so carefree, so happy.


    Considering everything they¡¯ve been through, including the recent loss of their unborn child, they look well. Like the trials that they¡¯ve been through have brought them together. I, more than anyone, know how deceptive appearances can be.


    My mother had always put on a brave front, though she hated being part of the Cosa Nostra. Her father and his father before him were part of the Mafia, as was her husband. My mother and father had fought many nights when she begged him to leave, and he¡¯d always refuse. My father was a doctor, who could have found a career outside of the Cosa Nostra if he wanted. But he simply didn¡¯t want to leave. He was steeped in the Mafia culture himself, felt beholden to the then Don-Michael and Christian¡¯s father-who had helped him out when in need. He felt it was his duty to stay and serve them. ¡°Chiscia strada vhia per nuova, sa quel chescia, ma non sa quel che trova,¡± so he loved to say.


    Those who leave the old road for the new know what they leave behind, but not what they¡¯ll find.


    It was another reason I couldn¡¯t wait to leave for medical college in the UK. In fact, I tried my best to lose my Italian ent while I was there and seeded enough that I speak English like a true Brit. It¡¯s one of the things I¡¯m proud of, that when someone speaks to me, they can¡¯t ce me as being from Italy. Given the choice, I wouldn¡¯t have returned to Sicily, but my father needed help, and when he had asked, I couldn¡¯t refuse him.


    Also, I felt guilty about leaving my sister behind when I went to Ennd to study, even though I knew it was the right thing to do. If I could break out of the Mafia and find my own way, then Elena would have a chance to do the same. I¡¯d made sure toe as often as possible to see her. And then my father had asked me to return, and I¡¯d agreed.


    Also, it fell in with therger n. So, I had toe back. It also helps that I feltpelled to help my family. And now, I¡¯m walking into another family. One much more powerful andplicated when ites to rtionships.


    Cassandra, Michael¡¯s housekeeper and someone who I have grown to know better over the past month, walks toward us with a tray of proso flutes. Christian takes one and offers it to me. Cass nces at me, sweeps her gaze over my outfit-a far cry from the simple pants and shirts that I normally favor-and her gaze widens.


    She peers into my features. I see the question in them, but don¡¯t allow the expression on my face to change. Instead, I toss back the proso, emptying the ss in one go. The cool liquid slides down my throat and hits my stomach. The alcohol sets off a low burn in my belly. Tendrils of heat vibrate through my veins. Guess they weren¡¯t lying about alcohol helping you face anything, hmm? I ce the now empty flute back on the tray that Cass is holding, then reach for a second ss. Christian grabs my wrist; I turn to him with a frown. ¡°Let go of me,¡± I hiss.


    He jerks his chin at Cass, who nces between us. She seems like she is about to say something.


    Then, his lips kick up in a smirk. ¡°Watch what you say, Flower,¡± he drawls, ¡°my family is watching.¡±


    ¡°Like I care?¡±


    ¡°Well, you should. Your life and your family¡¯s life depend on it.¡±


    I feel the blood drain from my face. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t hurt them, would you?¡± I swallow.


    ¡°That¡¯s entirely up to you now, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Anger coils in my chest and pours through my veins. ¡°I hate you,¡± I whisper, ¡°I really do.¡±


    Karma nces past Michael¡¯s nonna. She spots me and her features break into a smile, then she sweeps her gaze down to where Christian holds my wrist. I try to pull away, but of course, the jerk face only tightens his grip on me. Her eyebrows furrow. She narrows her gaze on me, and I nce away. That¡¯s when Christian moves toward them. He pulls me with him, so I have no choice but to follow him.


    He pauses in front of Michael and Karma. ¡°Don Sovrano,¡± he deres, ¡°meet the woman who has agreed to be my wife.¡±

 142

    Aurora


    ¡°What?¡± Karma nces between us. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    I hesitate. Should I tell her the truth? More to the point, do I have the courage to say the truth in front of his family? I open my mouth, then close it. I shoot Christian a sideways nce to find him watching me with a curious expression. As if he¡¯s almost daring me to say something that would give him the chance to hurt me or my family. Me? I don¡¯t care so much. But my family? Damn him, but I¡¯d never let him do anything to harm them.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± Karma prompts. ¡°Are you going to marry him?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say without looking away from Christian. ¡°Yes,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I¡¯m going to be his wife.¡±


    Something zes in the depths of his eyes, then he seems to bank it almost at once.


    ¡°Christian proposed to me earlier today, and I agreed. In fact¡­¡± I move closer to him until the tips of my Ferragamos brush his shoes. ¡°He made me an offer that I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± I say thest few words in a deep voice.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Christian scowls.


    ¡°That,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°was my best Godfather impression. Do you like it?¡±


    His gaze intensifies. ¡°I like everything about you, Flower.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, and my insides tremble.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Karma breathes, ¡°I knew it! I knew there was something between the two of you.¡±


    He releases my wrist, only to wrap his arm around my waist and draw me close. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something between us all right,¡± he drawls, ¡°something I can no longer deny.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy that we no longer have to hide our feelings for each other.¡± I force my lips to curve. ¡°He¡¯s positively head over heels in love with me. Isn¡¯t that right, honey-pie?¡±


    He blinks.


    Hope you like the nickname, asshole! ¡°In fact, when he proposed, I couldn¡¯t believe it, but you know what he told me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Karma cries. ¡°Tell me, please.¡±


    ¡°That he couldn¡¯t live a minute more without me agreeing to be his wife. That he loves me so much he had to make sure to im me before anyone else finds me.¡±


    His features wear a look of surprise, then his lips kick up in a smile. ¡°You forgot the part where you insisted that we get married right away. ¡°In fact, the ceremony is set for three days from now.¡±


    What? My gaze widens.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    His lips curl in a smirk. ¡°You couldn¡¯t wait to be mine, could you now, honey-pie?¡±


    I try to pull away, but his arm holds me in ce. ¡°And you wanted me to announce it today to make sure everyone could make it to the wedding, right?¡±


    I bring down the heel of my six-inch stiletto on his boot; he doesn¡¯t even wince.


    His grip turns almost punishing. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, darling?¡±


    I bare my teeth. ¡°One-hundred percent, darling.¡±


    ¡°Wait, did I hear that correctly?¡± Nonna¡¯s voice interrupts my thoughts. ¡°Christiano, you¡¯re getting married, and this is the first I am hearing of it?¡±


    Christian pales a little, and I stare. What the hell? Apparently, his grandmother really is a terror.


    He loosens his hold on me. I step back, and he applies pressure on my back so I turn to face his nonna.


    The older woman peers into Christian¡¯s face. ¡°Well?¡± She scowls. ¡°What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    ¡°You are hearing about this now because we only decided to get married this morning.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°And you are getting married in three days?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°In church?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°It takes a lot longer than that to arrange a church wedding in Italy,¡± I hiss at him under my breath.


    He stares at me. I stiffen. Of course, he¡¯s a Mafioso, so he probably has special dispensation on some trumped-up basis or another.


    Christian presses his palm into the small of my back. The heat from his touch sinks through the fabric of my dress and into my skin. My heart begins to race. My pulse thuds at my temples. My God, if just his touch arouses me to this extent, how am I going to spend the next thirty days in close quarters with him and not allow myself to give into this attraction between us?


    ¡°I know how important a church wedding is to you, Nonna,¡± Christian murmurs, ¡°and my bride was very particr that we say our vows with God as our witness.¡±


    What the-! This man, he¡¯s milking the situation for all it¡¯s worth. I¡¯m so going to make him pay for this.


    Nonna turns her shrewd gaze on me. ¡°Aurora, is it?¡± She takes in my features. ¡°You¡¯re Doctor Garibaldi¡¯s daughter?¡±


    I nod.


    Her brow furrows. ¡°Strange that we haven¡¯t met before.¡±


    Not so strange because I had made sure to stay clear of the Don¡¯s family.


    ¡°I was away studying medicine in London,¡± I offer.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Her lips purse. ¡°How long have you known my grandson?¡±


    I blink. Umm¡­ What should I say? That he held me captive, then threatened my family so I¡¯d have no choice but to agree? I open my mouth, but Christian beats me to it.


    ¡°Not long, Nonna. It was a colpo di fulmine,¡± he murmurs. A bolt of lightning, as Italians refer to love at first sight.


    I shoot him a sideways nce to find him wearing an intent expression on his face. ¡°You know how it is, Nonna. I saw her, and I knew it was her. I wasted no time in asking her to marry me.¡±


    She surveys his features for a beat, another. Then, whatever she sees there must convince her, for she nods. ¡°And you, Aurora?¡± She turns to me. ¡°Was it a colpo di fulmine for you too?¡±


    More like hate at first sight. I swallow down the words that threaten to tumble out of my mouth. ¡°Yes.¡± I nod. ¡°I saw Christian, and I knew nothing would ever be the same again.¡± Which is true; my life has turned upside down since I met him.


    Nonna¡¯s gaze intensifies. ¡°And you want to get married in church?¡±


    ¡°I already told you she does,¡± Christian interjects.


    ¡°I want to hear it from Aurora,¡± Nonna says in a sharp voice.


    Shit, this woman sure is astute. I¡¯m going to have to be on my toes if I want to make sure that she believes that our marriage is for real. ¡°Yes.¡± I tilt up my chin. ¡°I want to marry Christian in church, in front of our families and God.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡± Christian pulls me close and brushes his lips over my temple. ¡°The second wedding in the family will take ce in three days.¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± Michael speaks for the first time since Christian made his announcement. ¡°It¡¯s time you and I had a word, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Christian kisses my forehead. ¡°Behave,¡± he murmurs. I shoot him a nce, and he chuckles. ¡°Or don¡¯t.¡± His grin widens before he leans in to whisper in my ear, ¡°In fact, I rather you don¡¯t. I¡¯ll take great pleasure in punishing you then.¡±


    He pivots on his heel and walks off.

 143

    Christian


    ¡°You are not fooling me,¡± Michael drawls from his position near the bar.


    All through the earlier conversation, when Nonna was quizzing me and Aurora, he didn¡¯t utter a word. Until the end. Then, as the reception got underway, he pulled me aside. He wanted to speak to me separately and ushered me into his study.


    Now, he pours a healthy measure of the Macan 18 into a ss and offers it to me. I walk over and take it as he cradles his tumbler.


    ¡°I have no idea what you mean.¡± I take a sip of my whiskey and savor the warmth.


    ¡°That. What you said outside,¡± he murmurs, ¡°doesn¡¯t cut it for me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°What I do with my personal life is my issue.


    ¡°Until you trespass on mine.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Aurora allowed Karma to escape. If I hadn¡¯t found her, there¡¯s no telling what could have happened to her.¡±


    ¡°And yet JJ did get to her, and under your watch.¡±


    Michael¡¯s fingers tighten around his ss; the skin around his mouth tightens. ¡°Watch what you say, fratellino,¡± he warns in a low voice.


    ¡°You know it¡¯s true,¡± I insist.


    ¡°The fuck you trying to tell me, brother?¡± he growls.


    ¡°Just that it¡¯s time you forgave Aurora. Especially now that she¡¯s going to be family.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± He looks me up and down, ¡°You expect me to believe that you¡¯ve fallen in love with her and want to marry her in a matter of weeks?¡±


    ¡°Hell, you did the same thing with Karma, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He blows out a breath, ¡°That was different,¡± he rubs the back of his neck. ¡°I kidnapped her-¡±


    ¡°Then held her captive and had her marry you to repay her father¡¯s debt.¡±


    ¡°Your point being?¡± He glowers at me.


    ¡°You fell in love with Karma the moment you saw her. Why can¡¯t you believe that the same holds true for me?¡±


    ¡°Because you are only marrying her to save her life, and perhaps to get Nonna off your back. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if this entire charade is one borate farce just so you can ultimately buy your freedom so none of us bother you about settling down.


    ¡°Your point being?¡± I arch an eyebrow.


    ¡°It¡¯s too soon after Xander¡¯s death. At least, give it a little more time to make sure that you are confident about your feelings.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°I appreciate your concern, fratellone, but you are worrying unnecessarily. Aurora and I love each other. We want to marry, and we¡¯d love your blessings ¡­ or not.¡±


    He rakes his gaze across my features, then as if satisfied with whatever he sees he nods. ¡°Fine, but I¡¯m going to be watching the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Is that brotherly love or you two simply happy to see each other?¡± Luca¡¯s voice sounds from the doorway.


    I nce up as he prowls over to the bar to join us. He¡¯s closely followed by Massimo, Seb, and Adrian.


    ¡°That,¡± I scowl, ¡°was a terrible joke, even for you.¡±


    ¡°Just trying to break the tension.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t me me, I don¡¯t have much practice. Normally, I¡¯d count on Xander to lighten the atmosphere but¡±-he stiffens- ¡°shit, didn¡¯t mean to bring up his name.¡± He peers into my features. ¡°I swear, Christian, I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to break if you talk about him, you know,¡± I say mildly. I curl my fingers around my ss with such force that my knuckles strain.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to miss him,¡± Massimoes up to stand next to him. ¡°Hell, we all do, but it must be particrly hard on you, considering he was your twin.¡±


    ¡°Hard?¡± Iugh. ¡°Why should it be hard? Xander had his own life, and I had mine. He was the one who felt everything deeply. The curse of an artist, I suppose. Likely, if I had been the one who was killed, he would have fallen apart. But me?¡± I curl my lips. ¡°I¡¯m made of stronger stuff. Hell, we all know that being in the Mafia it¡¯s possible that our lives coulde to an end at any time. It just so happens that Xander was the first to bear the brunt of it.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Seb murmurs. ¡°That he was just unlucky enough to be at the wrong ce at the wrong time?¡±


    ¡°Or the right ce.¡± I survey the contents of my ss. ¡°He was in the prime of his youth, not even thirty yet, and he¡¯s gone. Think about it.¡± I nce between their faces. ¡°We¡¯ll forever remember him as young and beautiful. The gorgeous golden boy who we all knew was too good to be true. If there had been one person whose heart was genuine, whose spirit was always ready to help others, who felt every emotion so deeply that he had to take it out on his canvas¡­ Hell, he was the man who helped olddies across the street and rescued kittens. His sense of empathy was so big, his spirit so pure, both men and women were attracted to him. He was simply¡­ Too good to be true. If he had lived longer, he would have probably simply been taken advantage of-¡±


    ¡°Or his goodness would have rubbed off on the rest of us,¡± Adrian interrupts me. ¡°He was the one man who, despite having grown up among us, in the heart of the Mafia, still managed to not be touched by the violence and death that we deal with every day.¡±


    ¡°Until the same violence and death came for him.¡± I toss back my drink, then set the ss on the table with a thump. ¡°We couldn¡¯t protect him from his fate. I couldn¡¯t protect my own twin from the very evil that lurked within our family. Each of us were tainted by our father. The only person he didn¡¯t ever touch physically or emotionally was Xander. Every time Xander caught his eye, I managed to distract him. I took the punishment meant for him. I knew if our father ever got to Xander, he¡¯d be hurt in a way that he would never be able to recover from. I thought that once we were grown up our father wouldn¡¯t be able to touch us. I was wrong. I should¡¯ve known that it was too good to be true. I should¡¯ve never stopped protecting him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Luca grips my shoulder. ¡°We-all of us-should have realized what our father was capable of. We all underestimated him.¡±


    ¡°No one is to me more than me,¡± Michael says in a hard voice. ¡°The buck stops with me. I am the Capo, the Don, the leader of the Cosa Nostra. I should have done a better job of protecting my brother, my wife, my unborn child.¡± His jaw tics. ¡°But¡­¡± he nces around at the faces of our brothers, ¡°I also know that we can¡¯t dwell in the past. We must focus on the now, on what we have. On us.¡± He stares at me. ¡°On your future nuptials.¡±


    I arch an eyebrow. ¡°I take it that means you are in favor of my wedding?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m convinced about the veracity of it, but yeah,¡± Michael tilts his head, ¡°it helps align us with what is toe, and for that alone I support it.¡±


    ¡°A-n-d that¡¯s all it takes to move on. Death. Here one moment, gone the next, and life fucking moves on,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not how it is.¡± Luca frowns. ¡°No one here is forgetting about Xander.¡±


    ¡°Except we are all moving on.¡±


    Seb opens his mouth, and I shake my head. ¡°You know it¡¯s true, all of you. Much as we want to remember him, it¡¯s with relief that we want to also move forward.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called life,¡± Luca offers. ¡°It thrives, prospers, finds a way to move forward.¡±


    ¡°And those who are not here with us are left behind.¡±


    ¡°You are distraught.¡± Michael scowls. ¡°You¡¯re grieving. You¡¯re still not over what happened to Xander, and you¡¯re not able to give vent to it either.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know how to give vent to it all right.¡± I ce the ss on the counter, then straighten my shoulders. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m on my way to give vent to it right now.¡±


    I brush past Seb, who grabs my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± he warns me.


    ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯m going to do.¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me, brother, I have a good idea.¡± He twists his lips. ¡°Xander might have been your twin, but when ites to your twisted perversions, no-one knows about them better than I do.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about me.¡± I re down at where his fingers grip me, then back at his face. He releases me and I brush past him.


    ¡°Christian,¡± Michael calls out, ¡°Seb is right. Whatever it is you want to do, think carefully before you act on it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me,¡± I nce at him over my shoulder, ¡°I have thought carefully enough about what I¡¯m going to do, all right.¡±


    Turning, I leave.

 144

    Christian


    I shove open the door to the safe house with my shoulder and haul her in.


    ¡°Let go of me.¡± She huffs.


    I tighten my grasp on her wrist as I half-carry, half-drag her toward the bedroom.


    ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± she yells. I ignore her voice. Ignore the hot sensation that stabs at my chest. Ignore the pinpricks of reason that slice through my mind. What are you doing? What are you doing? Yes, you¡¯re angry and pissed off, but does that justify what you¡¯re about to do right now? Does it warrant leaving the gathering half-way through, then shoving her into the car, not talking on the way here, despite the fact that she¡¯d asked many times what was wrong? Despite the fact that she had narrowed her gaze on you, her own growing more worried by the second.


    I stayed focused on the driving and didn¡¯t answer her, and she finallypsed into silence. She firmed her shoulders, as if preparing for what was toe. Only she had no idea¡­ No fucking clue just what I was going to unleash on her. So far, I had behaved myself. So far, I had kept myself in check-partly so she¡¯d agree to the farce I had suggested. Not that she had a choice, but apliant person is easier to manipte. Which, again, doesn¡¯t exin why I¡¯m yanking her toward her new bedroom and refusing to listen to her protests. I throw open the door to her room and push her inside. She stumbles forward, rights herself, only to turn on me.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± She rages, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Strip,¡± I order.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± I look her up and down. ¡°Take off your clothes, or I¡¯ll do it for you.¡±


    Color flushes her cheeks. ¡°Not sure what game you¡¯re ying at, but-¡±


    I take a step forward, close the distance between us, then hook my finger in the neckline of her dress and tug. The delicate fabric rips from neck to hem. She yelps, ¡°What the-!¡±


    I grip both sides of the gaping halves and yank the fabric over her shoulders and down her arms.


    Goose bumps crawl over her skin.


    I take in her firm, high breasts cupped in her bra, the nipples already pebbled and outlined against thecey fabric, the curve of her stomach that leads to her panty-d core, her gorgeously fleshy thighs that lead to strong calves and shapely ankles with the straps that tie her fuck-me stilettos to her feet.


    I throw the now torn dress over my shoulder and raise my gaze to hers.


    ¡°Asshole,¡± she snaps, ¡°why the hell did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I gave you a chance to strip on your own, but you didn¡¯tply.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is you have in mind, you can forget about it, mister.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I curl my fingers around the nape of her neck.


    She winces, but doesn¡¯t back away. Doesn¡¯t let me see the nervousness that she must, surely, be feeling. She tips up her chin and firms her lips. ¡°You don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I raise my other hand and drag my thumb across her lower lip. ¡°Open,¡± I say in a hard tone, and she sets her jaw.


    ¡°No.¡± She scowls at me. ¡°I¡¯m not going to make this easy for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re certainly making it more exciting, though.¡± I drag my palm down her throat to cup her breast. A shudder runs down her body, even as she firms her lips. I pinch her nipple between my finger and thumb and squeeze. She swallows. Her nipple seems to grow even more erect, and her breast seems to swell. A tremor grips her shoulders, but she doesn¡¯t nce away. She holds my gaze as I draw my fingers down the curve of her hip, over to her belly button. I circle the indentation, and she draws in a breath.


    I can¡¯t stop the smirk that curls my lips as I graze my fingers against the waistband of her panties.


    She swallows, and her chin trembles, even as her gaze grows stormy. ¡°Fuck you,¡± she says in a low voice. ¡°I hate what you do to me.¡±


    ¡°That makes two of us.¡± I cup her pussy with my palm and yank her toward me with the grip I have on her neck. I crash my mouth to hers. She presses her lips together as I kiss her.


    I ster my mouth to hers, lick her mouth, and a shiver runs down her body, even as she freezes. Every muscle in her body grows tense as she tries to resist me.


    ¡°Open,¡± I growl against her lips, ¡°open and let me in.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    She shakes her head. I stare into those amber eyes as I sink my teeth into her lower lip. She draws in a breath and another shudder grips her shoulders as she locks her lips together. I close my fingers around her throat and increase the pressure. Her gaze widens, color smears her cheeks, her pupils dte, and she shakes her head.


    ¡°You want this. Admit it,¡± I murmur. ¡°You want me to thrust my fingers inside your pussy and bring you to orgasm before I bury myself inside your sweet cunt and bring you to climax.¡±


    She purses her lips and shoots daggers with her eyes. Iugh, then sink down to my knees in between her legs.


    ¡°What the-!¡± She gasps, ¡°What are you-?¡±


    I close my mouth around the swollen flesh covered by the crotch of her panties, and she yelps. I bite down on the engorged nub of her clit. Her knees seem to buckle from under her. She buries her fingers in my hair and tugs. Goose bumps trickle down my spine. Blood drains to my groin, and my dick lengthens. I slide my finger under the seam of her panties and thrust a finger inside her. Her dripping flesh wees me, and it¡¯s all I can do to stop myself from throwing her down and mounting her right there. I add a second finger, then a third as I continue to suck on her clit. I nce up to find her squeezing her eyes shut, even as she thrusts her pelvis into my face. I slide the fingers of my other hand under the seat of her panties, up the valley between her ass cheeks. I finger her puckered hole, and her eyelids snap open. Lust, shock, horror-all three are intertwined in her gaze as I curl my fingers in the moist channel of her pussy.


    A trembling grips her. She bites down on her lip as she shakes her head; no doubt trying to fight the orgasm that threatens to overwhelm her.


    I pull my fingers from her, then stand and haul her up in my arms. She yells out and grabs a hold of my neck as I march toward the bed. I throw her down on the bed, and she bounces once beforeing to a stop.


    Her hair flows over her face, and she shoves the strands aside. ¡°You jerk! What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    I throw myself over her, and she shrinks back into the bed. I nt my knees on either side of her thighs and re at her. ¡°You will do as I say.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I intend to, all right.¡± I peer into her face and order, ¡°Turn over.¡±


    ¡°Make me!¡± She firms her lips together, then yelps in surprise when I flip her onto her front.


    She wriggles under me, and I p her butt. She stills, more out of surprise than anything, then turns to stare at me over her shoulder. ¡°How dare you?¡± she hisses.


    Iugh. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to do more than that. Each time you disobey me, I¡¯m going to spank your ass.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°Try me, Flower.¡±


    ¡°I hate that stupid nickname,¡± she spits out.


    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know.¡± I yawn.


    Color suffuses her cheeks. ¡°Get off of me.¡±


    ¡°Make me.¡± I grin at her, and she pins me with a scowl.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you fuck me.¡±


    ¡°By the time I¡¯m done with you, you¡¯ll be begging me to.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± I grab her ample butt and haul her up so she¡¯s bnced on her knees, ass up in the air, her cheek pushed down into the bed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± she snarls. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare do it.¡±


    I grab the waist of her panties and tear them off of her.


    She huffs. I bring my palm down on her behind. The crack echoes around the room, and she yells, ¡°What the hell?!¡± She tries to pull away, but I grab her waist to hold her in ce.


    I spank her left ass cheek, then the right, then the left again, and the right. I keep alternating the position of the ps again and again. Each time my palm connects with her backside, her entire body jolts. Each time I feel the silky, smooth skin of her backside, blood thrums in my veins. A pulse res to life at my temples, at my wrists, even in my fucking balls. My dick begins to leak precum. I bring my palm down to massage the reddened skin of her backside. She groans as I drag my fingers down the valley between her ass cheeks to the flesh between her legs. She jerks, then whines when I draw my fingers down her sodden pussy lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re soaked,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Not by choice,¡± she tosses over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not responsible for the fact that my body responds to you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see, shall we?¡± I part her ass cheeks, then lower my mouth to her weeping slit.

 145

    Aurora


    He¡¯s eating me out. Holy shit, he¡¯s eating my pussy like it¡¯s the choicest Christmas cake and he¡¯s starving and hasn¡¯t eaten for the entire year. He sweeps his tongue across my pussy lips and heat sluices through my veins. My belly flip-flops, and my nipples harden until I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to pierce through the mattress cover.


    He thrusts his tongue inside my soaking channel, and goose bumps pop on my skin. My heart begins to race. My toes curl. I dig my fingers into the mattress and hold on as he plunges his tongue in and out of me. He increases the pressure of his grip on my ass cheeks, and pain slices up my sides. That,bined with the wetness of his tongue as he continues to suck on my pussy, as he opens his mouth around my clit and bites down on it, sends me over the edge. The orgasm snaps out from the base of my spine and extends to my extremities. I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for that intense rush to end. To see this through, to finally snap through the tension which has gripped me, as he pushes my body toward the impending orgasm. I brace myself, and that¡¯s when he releases his hold on my butt and withdraws his tongue from my soaking channel.


    The orgasm instantly retreats. I blink as hends a final smart p to my behind. Then, he pushes off of the bed and walks toward the doorway. What in the name of the Santa Madonna is he up to?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I watch him reach the door and push it open.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I yell as I push myself up to sit on my heels. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me you weren¡¯t going to cooperate with me when I fuck you?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°Youe back here and finish what you started,¡± I shriek.


    Heughs. He steps through the door, then turns to look at me over his shoulder. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m saving myself for marriage.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± I snarl. ¡°You¡¯ve slept with enough women to ¡­ to ¡­ warrant Father Christmas keeping a separate book about your misdeeds.¡±


    ¡°You mean, I¡¯m on his naughty list?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly not on his nice list.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    I blink. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saving myself for marriage, but you are.¡±


    ¡°The hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let youe, not until we¡¯re married, and maybe not even then. Not until you ask me nicely.¡±


    ¡°Vattene via.¡± Buzz off. I huff.


    He points his finger at me. ¡°You won¡¯te until I give you permission, Flower.¡±


    Argh! This man. I grab a pillow and throw it at him, but it hits the door that he¡¯s closed after him.


    How dare he leave me like this? Alone and wanting, and so damn horny. Well, if he won¡¯t bring me to orgasm, doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t fulfill myself, does it? I turn on my back and slide my fingers inside my still sensitive pussy. Vibrations of heat tingle from my touch. The flesh is so sensitive that I can¡¯t stop the moan that bleeds from my lips. I add a second finger, and a third¡­ And it¡¯s still not enough. Damn it. Not that he¡¯d put his cock inside me, but even his fingers filled me up better than my own. I begin to move my fingers in and out of myself, in and out. I curve my fingers inside ¡­ and still¡­ Nothing.


    Goddamn, he¡¯s clearly spoiled me if I¡¯m not even able to masturbate to my satisfaction. And I had done so plenty of times before with the vibrators I¡¯d bought when I was in London. It was easier then, to satisfy myself, when I stayed in a shared apartment. Since returning to Sicily, my sex life has been non-existent. Given I¡¯ve been living under the same roof as my father and sister, somehow pleasuring myself doesn¡¯t seem to be appropriate. So, I stopped¡­


    Until I met Christian. One nce at him was enough to fire up my imagination. I allowed myself to fantasize about him at night, and since he rescued me and brought me here to this safe house, I also started dreaming about him during the day. Unfortunately, nothingpares to actually being in his presence, drawing in his masculine scent, feeling the heat rolling off his big body, the touch of hisrge palm on my body, his grasp on my hip, his palm ttened to the small of my back, his fingers inside me¡­


    Aargh. I plunge my fingers inside myself again and again. Where¡¯s that orgasm? Why the hell can¡¯t I bring myself to climax the way he did? The way I¡¯ve done countless times before? Goddamn it. I thrust my fingers in and out of myself¡­ Still nothing. Fuck! I pull my fingers out and sit up. Can¡¯t believe my body is betraying me now, when I need it to obey me the most.


    I swing my legs over the side of the bed and march toward the door. I nce down at my torn clothes, the bra I still wear, but without the panties which the beast had torn off of me earlier. No, if I storm out there, I¡¯ll still lose to the asshole. I need a n, some way of beating him at his own game.


    I pause, then pivot on my heel and head to the bathroom. A hot showerter, I pull on a fresh pair of undergarments and a dress of my own. At least, he allowed me to pack and bring my own clothes. Not that I owe him anything. Except my life. And the next twenty-nine days.


    At this rate, before the week is over, I¡¯ll have thrown myself at him and begged him to make mee¡­ No. No way am I going to humiliate myself in this fashion. I definitely need another way out. Another route to get the better of him. But how?


    I¡¯m here on my own, at hismand. None of his brothers will help me. Karma could, but am I really going to involve her, when she¡¯s newly married and recovering from the loss of her child?


    No, I need someone else on my side. Someone who is strong enough to take on the might of the Sovrano brothers. Someone they¡¯d have to pay attention to. Someone who¡¯d be willing to help me out ¡­ someone like Nonna perhaps? Which means I need to find a way to meet her ¡­ for which I need to speak to Christian anyway.


    I square my shoulders, wipe my damp palms on my dress, then head for the door.


    I walk out into the hallway, peek into the living room, but don¡¯t find him. I head to the kitchen and find him standing in front of the kettle. His broad back is to me, his shoulders bunching as he reaches into the shelves overhead and pulls out two mugs. His shirt stretches across his back. The nes meld and flow like they¡¯re dancing to some tune which I can¡¯t hear, but damn, if I don¡¯t appreciate the sheer symmetry, the poetry inherent in every move of that gorgeous, massive body of his.


    My still sensitive pussy seems to melt further. Shit. If this is how I react to him whenever I¡¯m in the same space as him, then how the hell am I going to find a way to beat him at his own game? I straighten my spine and walk into the room.


    ¡°Take a seat,¡± he says without turning around. I pause halfway to the dining table. Damn it, does the man have eyes at the back of his head or what?


    This time, he reaches into the cab on his right and pulls out a jar of cocoa mix. He scoops a portion of the powder into each cup. The kettle whistles, and he switches off the me, then pours water into both cups. He mixes the liquid in both cups before cing the spoon in the sink, then turns with a mug in each hand. He arches an eyebrow, and I can¡¯t stop the blush that steals over my cheeks. Damn it, I wasn¡¯t ogling him; I wasn¡¯t. Okay, I totally was. But what the hell, the man is sex on toast¡­ A walking orgasm¡­ A climax on steroids¡­ Ugh, you know what I mean, right?


    I flounce over to the dining table and slip into a chair. He takes the one opposite me and pushes one of the mugs in my direction.


    I raise the mug and breathe in the spicy scent of chocte. For a few seconds, we don¡¯t speak as we both drink from our mugs.


    When I¡¯m done with mine, I ce my mug on the table and lick my lips. ¡°That was delicious,¡± I mutter. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He smirks.


    The curl of his lips, that look in his eyes as hezily draws his gaze across my features¡­ Shit, my toes curl, my pussy whines, and I have to squeeze my thighs together to mp down on the yawning emptiness in between them.


    His smile broadens. I frown at him. ¡°Your phone,¡± I burst out. ¡°Can I use your phone?¡±


    He pulls out his phone, unlocks it, and slides it across the table. I nce at it then back at him. ¡°You¡¯re not worried about who I¡¯m going to call?¡±


    He raises a shoulder. ¡°Should I be worried about who you¡¯re going to call?¡±


    ¡°Answering a question with a question.¡± I huff. ¡°You know how annoying that is?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to use my phone or-¡± He leans forward, and I snatch up the device.


    He chuckles as I pull up his list of contacts. I find the one I want and click on it. The phone rings once, twice, then, ¡°Pronto!¡± Hello! a woman¡¯s voice answers.


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I murmur.


    Opposite me, Christian stiffens. I keep my gaze averted and focus on the voice at the other end of the line. ¡°It¡¯s me, Aurora,¡± I add.


    ¡°Well, of course, it¡¯s you,¡± Nonna says in a sharp voice. ¡°Considering it¡¯s not Christian, and you are calling from his phone, it would have to be you, I¡¯d assume.¡±


    The silence stretches a beat, then another. ¡°Can Ie over and visit with you tomorrow?¡±


    Nonna stays quiet. Shit, is she going to refuse me? Does she suspect there¡¯s an ulterior motive to my wanting to meet her? Well, of course, she does. She¡¯s sharp, that woman, but is she going to turn me down or-¡±


    ¡°Three pm, tomorrow, my ce. Don¡¯t bete.¡±


    She clicks off, and I lower the phone to the table. Only then do I raise my gaze to Christian¡¯s and flinch. His blue eyes ze as he res at me. ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing, Flower.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush. ¡°While the Sovrano brothers may be rattlesnakes, our nonna is the eagle who can take any one of us out if she chooses.¡±


    I tip my chin, ¡°I only want to get to know her. After all, she is a very important person in your life.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡±


    I raise a shoulder. ¡°You can believe whatever the hell you want.¡± I reach for my cup, then remember I¡¯ve already drained it. ¡°You¡¯ll need to drop me off at her ce tomorrow by three pm.¡± I grab his phone. ¡°Thanks again, for the chocte.¡±


    Rising to my feet, I walk toward the door. My heart pounds and I¡¯m almost out of the room when he calls out, ¡°Flower, don¡¯t expect me to bail you out of this one.¡±


    I scowl at him over my shoulder. ¡°Trust me, I can take care of myself.¡±

 146

    Aurora


    Famousst words. I stare at the two-story vi that Christian had dropped me off at. He had refused toe in. He had walked me to the door, knocked on it, then, with a look that told me I was crazy to be walking into the lioness¡¯ den voluntarily, he had told me that he¡¯d be back in an hour to collect me-then he had pivoted and left.


    I run my sweaty palms down the fabric of my dress. I chose my most conservative outfit-a high-cored, long-sleeved dress which ends somewhere below my knees. It¡¯s the dress I wear to church with my family, and as such, it seems appropriate to wear to meet someone who¡¯s the equivalent of the Almighty when ites to the Sovrano family. The seconds stretch by, and I shift my weight from foot to foot. Despite the weather being rtively mild, a bead of sweat slithers down my spine. I close the distance to the door and raise my hand to knock on it again, when it¡¯s flung open.


    A wizened man, d in a dark suit, scowls at me. He looks me up and down and sniffs. What the hell? ¡°I¡¯m here to see Nonna.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°My name is Aurora Garibaldi.¡±


    He scowls at me, then steps back and jerks his chin. I brush past him, and he shuts the door behind me before indicating that I should follow him. He walks down the hallway and into a beautiful living room that has furniture that must, surely, be antique. I nce up to find paintings on the ceiling-honest-to-goodness frescoes. I take in the beautiful mirror that takes up most of one wall, thefortable yet beautiful sofa set that is pushed against the opposite wall, and even more gorgeous paintings on the walls. All, clearly, originals, though I can¡¯t really identify who the artists are.


    ¡°This way,¡± the butler, or whoever he is, urges me from the doorway that leads into the next room. I follow him into what seems to be the library. Books line the walls, there¡¯s a fire burning in the hearth, and opposite it is a coffee table, on either side of which are two armchairs facing each other. Nonna is seated in one. She nces up as the old man approaches her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were expecting guests,¡± he fumes.


    Nonna arches an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t have to tell you everything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who has to cook and serve your meals, so yes, I do need to know when you¡¯re expecting someone to visit.¡±


    ¡°Uh, if it¡¯s that much of a bother, I don¡¯t need anything to eat or drink-¡±


    Both Nonna and the old man raise their hands at the same time. ¡°Basta.¡± Enough, they say in unison.


    I blink and purse my lips, as the two of them are engaged in some kind of a face off.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Nonna points in the direction of the other doorway, ¡°fetch us the coffee, please.¡±


    He sniffs, seems like he¡¯s going to refuse, then turns and marches away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget my brioche,¡± she calls after him, ¡°and my cannoli.¡±


    He raises his fist with the index and little finger extended and makes a jabbing motion with it over his shoulder as he marches away. What the- Did he just do what I think he did? I turn to Nonna, who beckons me over.


    I walk over to stand in front of her. ¡°Is that your¡­¡±


    ¡°Butler,panion, friend, servant.¡± Nonna raises a shoulder. ¡°Gino has been with me for more than fifty years. His father served my father, and Gino joined my household when I was ten-years-old. He came with me to my husband¡¯s house after I got married and helped raise my son. He even came with me to LA when I moved there with my grandsons.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve known each other for a long time then.¡±


    ¡°Maybe too long.¡± Nonna blows out a breath. ¡°He¡¯s getting cranky in his old age, and clearly, he doesn¡¯t have the patience he once had. But,¡± she shrugs, ¡°he¡¯s part of my past, and it seems cruel to let go of him when we¡¯re both nearing the ends of our journeys.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hardly nearing the end, Nonna,¡± I murmur. ¡°From what I can see, you are very much in charge of your destiny.¡±


    ¡°But appearances can be deceptive, can they not?¡± She tilts her head.


    I frown, open my mouth to ask a question, but she nods toward the armchair in front of her. ¡°Sit down, you¡¯re giving me a crick in the neck,¡± shemands.


    I walk over and sink into the armchair, and ce my bag by my side.


    ¡°So, you wanted to see me about the Christmas getaway?¡±


    I nce up at her. ¡°Uh, how did you guess?¡±


    ¡°Why else would my future granddaughter-inw want to see me?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I just wanted to spend time with you?¡± I blink rapidly.


    She snorts. ¡°Not even Gino, here, would want to spend time with me of his own volition. And I count him among my closest friends¡­ Or enemies, as the case may be. There is only a small line dividing friendship from enmity after all, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± How the hell do I react to that statement, anyway? Before I can speak, Gino enters with a tray bearing an espresso maker and two tiny espresso cups in their saucers. Whew! Saved by the coffee, as it were. Gino ces the tray on the coffee table. On it, there are also two tiny shot sses filled with a cloudy liquid, a bowl of sugar, a te of brioches, another of cannoli, and a third filled with what looks like biscotti. ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to pour it for you,¡± he snaps.


    I gape. Did he just say that? Surely, Nonna will put him in his ce now? But she simply points at the doorway. ¡°You may leave now, old man.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no spring chicken yourself.¡± He snorts as he heads out of the room.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I breathe, ¡°the two of you sure do keep each other entertained.¡±


    She arches an eyebrow at me. ¡°We¡¯re both of an age where our shared past outweighs the fact that we actually cannot stand the sight of each other. Overfamiliarity,¡± she thrusts out her chin in a very Italian gesture, ¡°it¡¯s the bane of most families, and not even I have been spared from it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more than just a servant?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s family, I suppose ¡­ but not really. There¡¯s still a line that separates us, for he doese from a background that has been devoted to serving the Sovranos for generations. After his wife and my husband died, we became reluctantpanions to each other. Now. I tolerate him because, well, it¡¯s hard to find good hired help these days.¡±


    ¡°So, he¡¯s a servant?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, and sometimes he¡¯s mypanion, but you¡¯re not here to talk about that, are you?¡±


    Nonna pours the espresso.


    I reach for my cup and sip from it. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about the uing Christmas getaway,¡± I remind her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She reaches for her own cup of espresso and takes a sip.


    The silence stretches for a minute, then another.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Well?¡± she says impatiently. ¡°Out with it, girl; I don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    ¡°I want to stay with you,¡± I burst out.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to stay here with you, so I can ¡­ keep my chastity.¡±


    ¡°Keep your chastity?¡± She stares at me. ¡°You mean to say, you are-¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say hastily, ¡± I am, and we haven¡¯t yet ¡­ you know¡­¡± Color sears my cheeks, and I nce away, then back at her.


    ¡°You mean Christian wants to marry you without even having-¡±


    I nod. ¡°Yes, exactly.¡± I wring my fingers together. ¡°And I want to keep it that way. I mean, we aren¡¯t yet married, and I¡¯m a firm believer in consummating my marriage only on the wedding night.¡±


    ¡°Does he know that you are going to ask me for this?¡± She raises her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t answer that. Of course, he doesn¡¯t. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have brought you here, would he?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°So, you¡¯ll help me?¡±


    ¡°Even if I did agree to your staying here with me, and that¡¯s a big if, it¡¯s no guarantee that he will stay away from you.¡±


    ¡°It will be an effective deterrent.¡±


    ¡°Hmph¡­.¡± She purses her lips together. ¡°You do realize this will make my grandson hate me even more than he does now.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t hate you.¡±


    ¡°Maybe hate is too strong a word,¡± she agrees, ¡°but none of them have forgiven me for not intervening earlier to take them away from their father. If I had, they may have turned out to be different, not as hurt or broken, not so in touch with the darkness inside of them. They may have turned out to be more normal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too harsh on yourself. He was their biological father. You thought it made more sense to keep them with their father.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was wrong. I knew I should have put my foot down for how he treated his wife and children, but I was too caught up in convention. I preferred to turn a blind eye to what was happening, and by the time I decided to get involved, it was toote.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s never toote-¡±


    ¡°The only person who loved me unconditionally was Xander, and I never did try to understand him fully either. I was too blinded by the fact that he was unconventional in who he tried to love. I didn¡¯t try toprehend why he was so unorthodox in his rtionships. And still, Xander forgave me and loved me¡­ Only, I didn¡¯t reciprocate his affection. Not really. I took him for granted and now ¡­ now he¡¯s gone.¡±


    A tear runs down her cheek. She pulls out a handkerchief, pats her cheek, and nces into the distance. The silence stretches as sheposes herself. Then she nces back at me. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± she deres, ¡°for Xander, I¡¯ll do this. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡±


    She nods, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that Christian will follow the rules I set, but hopefully, you¡¯ll figure out a solution to whatever is going on between the two of you by then?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully.¡± I purse my lips. Somehow, I don¡¯t think whatever is between me and Christian will have been resolved by then, but yeah, I¡¯ll take the time it¡¯s going to buy me.

 147

    Christian


    ¡°No.¡± I re between Nonna and my fake fiancee. ¡°No fucking way, am I going to agree to this.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I arrived an hour after dropping Aurora off at Nonna¡¯s ce and was ushered into her living room, where I caught my fake fianceeughing at something the old woman had said. Nonna had a smile on her normally stern countenance as if she was enjoying Aurora¡¯spany. Huh? My grandmother doesn¡¯t bestow her smiles freely. But it¡¯s clear that she finds Aurora entertaining enough to actually meet her separately for a coffee.


    Nonna reaches for a biscotti before admonishing me. ¡°Language,¡± she says in a casual voice before nibbling on the biscotti.


    ¡°The swearing is the least you have to worry about,¡± I growl. ¡°She¡¯s my fiancee-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a ring on her finger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m marrying her in two days.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± Nonna firms her lips. ¡°I allowed Michael to get away with his quick wedding; this time we do it my way.¡±


    ¡°And that is?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll marry her a month from now. That gives us just enough time to n the wedding.¡± She smiles, anticipating victory.


    ¡°A month?¡± Both Aurora and I burst out at the same time.


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± She nces between us.


    ¡°N ¡­ no,¡± Aurora stutters.


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± I fold my arms across my chest. ¡°I¡¯m not waiting a month to marry her.¡±


    ¡°If I say you will, then you will.¡± Nonna turns to me. ¡°Besides, a woman only has one big wedding in her lifetime. It needs to be properly nned so it¡¯s an event to remember.¡±


    ¡°But Michael got away with a wedding which was organized in less than three days.¡±


    ¡°No wonder his bride stabbed him on his wedding day.¡± Nonna sniffs.


    She¡¯s referring to how Karma was so pissed off with Michael for kidnapping her then forcing her to marry him that she used Michael¡¯s knife on him. It resulted in a flesh wound, and Michael wasn¡¯t hurt by it, but it did make for a few rocky weeks early in their wedding.


    ¡°They are very happy now,¡± I point out.


    ¡°On the other hand, I think you make a valid point, Nonna.¡± Aurora keeps her head bowed as if deferring to Nonna¡¯s seniority. Ha! The woman doesn¡¯t have a docile bone in her body.


    ¡°See?¡± Nonna nods in her direction. ¡°Your fiancee-to-be agrees.¡±


    ¡°Wife-to-be,¡± I correct her, ¡°and that doesn¡¯t mean I need to.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a ring on her finger.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, we are getting married in two days.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, Christian.¡± Nonna res at me. ¡°You are getting married in a month and-¡±


    ¡°In one week,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°For you, and only you, Nonna, I¡¯ll agree to extend my timeline. We¡¯ll get married in a week¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks, and not a day sooner.¡± Nonna¡¯s eyes gleam.


    What the hell? Did the old woman just y me?


    ¡°Meanwhile,¡± I widen my stance, ¡°there¡¯s no way am I staying away from her for that duration.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s tradition,¡± Nonna says firmly. ¡°You don¡¯t sleep with the bride before the wedding. In fact, you don¡¯t stay under the same roof as her¡­ Which is why Aurora is moving in with me.¡±


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I snap. ¡°That¡¯s the most ridiculous thing I¡¯ve ever heard. Why would my fiancee-¡± I raise a hand. ¡°Yes, I n to rectify the ring situation shortly, but why the hell would I be away from her-¡± I point a finger at Nonna, effectively shutting off her tirade. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to sleep with her, but why should we spend the time apart?¡±


    ¡°To remove the both of you from the path of temptation.¡± Nonna folds her hands in herp. ¡°I was young not too long ago too, you know. I know how it can be with raging hormones. It makes sense that the two of you stay apart.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± I widen my stance. ¡°No one tells me what to do.¡±


    ¡°I am your nonna.¡± She scowls. ¡°You won¡¯t go against my request.¡±


    I dig my fingers into my hair and pull. Jesu Cristo, the old woman is pulling out all the stops here.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see youe up with the conditions when Michael kidnapped Karma and kept her under his roof before he married her.¡±


    ¡°That was different.¡± She waves a hand in the air. ¡°He took her to repay a debt her father owed; she was his captive.¡±


    ¡°Aurora is my-¡± I pause. If I say that Aurora is also my captive, Nonna will never agree to this wedding. As it is, based on the interrogation she subjected both of us to thest time we saw her, it¡¯s clear that she doesn¡¯tpletely believe the story of our falling in love and rushing to get married. Now, if I tell her that Aurora is effectively my prisoner, that will effectively destroy this entire charade before it¡¯s even started.


    ¡°Aurora is your¡­¡± Nonna fixes me with a shrew gaze. ¡°What were you going to say.¡±


    ¡°My bride-to-be,¡± I force the words out, ¡°the love of my life.¡±


    Aurora stiffens. She stares at me as if she can¡¯t quite believe what I¡¯m saying. Hell, I can¡¯t believe the crap I¡¯m about to spew, but what-fucking-ever. Apparently, dialogues from Hallmark movies are all the rage at Christmas time, and since my family has decided that Christmas this year willst well into the New Year, I may as well get into the fucking ho-ho-ho spirit here. Not to be confused with the only kind of ¡®ho¡¯ I¡¯m familiar with-a word I dare not utter in Nonna¡¯spany. Yes, yes, I know I used the ¡®F¡¯ word earlier, but insulting a woman by calling her ¡®ho¡¯ in front of my grandmother feels wrong, even for me.


    Not that Nonna hasn¡¯t heard it all. After all, bringing up seven boys means that she is well-ustomed to our rowdynguage. Nonna has her faults, but what has never been in doubt is that she loves us. She may have stepped in a littlete in yanking us out of the reach of our father and taking us to LA, but it has never been in doubt that she¡¯ll do anything for us. She has always prioritized the lot of us. So, why has she decided to take the side of my fake fiancee right now? Unless, she suspects that our engagement is a fake and wants to catch us¡­ But why would she do that? How would it benefit her to expose our n? No. More likely she is doing it because she truly believes in the concept of staying apart until the wedding night.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be allowed to visit her, of course.¡± Nonna nods.


    No shit.


    ¡°In the presence of a chaperone, of course.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡± I re at her, but the old woman doesn¡¯t blink.


    ¡°You heard me, Christiano.¡± She pins me with her don¡¯t-fuck-with-me look. ¡°We will follow the guidance of our forefathers in this.¡±


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± I mutter, ¡°this is going to be the death of me, Nonna. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, phst,¡± she waves a hand in the air, ¡°you kids dramatize everything. Now kiss your wife-to-be goodbye.¡±


    ¡°What the hell does that mean? Aurora is leaving with me.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard anything I¡¯ve said?¡± Nonna pronounces the words slowly as if I¡¯m an idiot. Well, I must be, considering I am standing here and allowing an eighty-year-old woman to order me around.


    ¡°Aurora ising with me.¡± I scowl between the two of them. ¡°Come on, Flower. You know that you want to be with me.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Aurora tips up her chin, ¡°I don¡¯t want toe like that.¡±


    ¡°Not what you were saying just a few hours ago¡­¡± I cover my mouth with my hand and cough. ¡°I mean, surely, you don¡¯t mean that. Wasn¡¯t it you who said that you couldn¡¯t stand to be away from me for even one second?¡±


    ¡°You must have been dreaming, my dear fiancee-to-be.¡± Her lips curve up in a smile. ¡°Besides, I ¡®m seeing you at the family getaway very soon.¡±


    ¡°Husband-to-be,¡± I growl, ¡°and it¡¯s tomorrow.¡± I fold my arms across my chest. ¡°We¡¯re leaving on this goddamn outing tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°We are?¡± Nonna scowls. ¡°But we need to make preparations-¡±


    ¡°Basta,¡± I hold up my hand. ¡°Enough, Nonna. I¡¯m allowing her to stay one night with you. That¡¯s about all I¡¯m going to be able to offer you right now. Take it or leave it.¡±


    Nonna seems like she is going to hesitate, then she nods. ¡°We leave tomorrow. I¡¯ll call Michael and tell him now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange to have Aurora¡¯s clothes packed and sent over tonight, so there are no dys,¡± I add.


    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± Aurora scoffs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet.¡± I close the distance between us, then lower my head and brush my lips to her forehead. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be careful about what you do next, Flower,¡± I whisper. ¡°After that stunt you pulled, there¡¯s a lot I have to punish you for already.¡±

 148

    Christian


    I nce out of the window of the private jet that I boarded with the rest of the family a half-hour ago.


    Cortina is a day¡¯s drive from Palermo, but why drive when all of us can travel together infort?


    Below me, the Swiss Alpse into view, their snow-covered peaks seeming so close, it feels like I could reach out and touch them. An illusion, really, as much as my engagement to Aurora is. Considering how fake it is, the fact that she isn¡¯t sitting next to me now shouldn¡¯t even bother me. I squeeze my fingers together.


    Goddamit, how did she pull that on me? She actually colluded with my grandmother and found a way to keep her distance from me. Well, that ends as soon as we reach our destination. I¡¯m going to ensure that she shares a room with me, and if anyone dares stop me, I¡¯m going to¡­ What? It¡¯s not like I can pull out a gun and threaten my grandmother. Not that she¡¯d be afraid if I did so. Likely, she¡¯d pull out her own gun on me- Not that I know if she¡¯s carrying one, but I wouldn¡¯t put it past my nonna.


    And Aurora? How the hell did she realize that if she formed a partnership with my nonna, she¡¯d find a way to best me? I can¡¯t allow that to happen. No way. She is mine, and she needs to be taught a lesson on what happens when she dares go against me.


    ¡°What are you grumbling about, little brother?¡± Massimo leans forward in the seat opposite me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not grumbling,¡± I scowl back at him, ¡°and mind your own business, will ya?¡±


    ¡°Definitely grumbling.¡± Seb walks over and sinks down in the seat next to me. ¡°Ever notice how Christian always pouts when he doesn¡¯t get his way?¡±


    ¡°I certainly don¡¯t pout,¡± I stick out my lower lip, ¡°and don¡¯t you jokers have anything better to do than hover around me?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Luca lowers his bulk into the seat next to Massimo, and all three men stare at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I glower. ¡°What do you assholes want?¡±


    ¡°Knew it,¡± Massimo rumbles, ¡°the man is down for the count.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Adrian walks over to take thest empty seat in between our two rows. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him this harried.¡±


    ¡°Not even the first time he shot a man.¡± Seb crosses his foot over his knee. ¡°Hell, he never even wavered. It was like he was born to do the deed.¡±


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time,¡± I warn Seb. ¡°We are in politepany.¡±


    Seb nces around at the faces of my brothers. ¡°What politepany? I don¡¯t see any.¡±


    Lucaughs. ¡°He means the women.¡± He stabs his thumb over his shoulder. I nce in that direction, knowing I¡¯ll see Aurora seated next to my nonna, with Cassandra opposite them. Theresa, Xander¡¯s friend, is seated by herself behind them. Nonna insisted that shee along as well. The woman gazes out of her window, an expression of bleakness on her features. I should go over andfort her. If there¡¯s anyone who understands how much it truly hurts to have lost Xander, it¡¯s her. But what would I say when I have yet toe to terms with what happened?


    Aurora turns, and her gaze collides with mine. I glower at her, and she tilts her head. I scowl, and she curves her lips. Che cazzo! Clearly, she thinks that she can get away with this distance that she¡¯s put between us. Little does she know, I don¡¯t take kindly to being challenged in this fashion.


    Cassandra nces up at Adrian. She rakes her gaze over his features, pausing for a few extra seconds. As if sensing her perusal, he turns to nce at her, but she looks away. Well, well, well, isn¡¯t that interesting.


    ¡°Howe she¡¯s here with us?¡± I ask Massimo.


    ¡°Who?¡± He nces toward the women. ¡°If you mean Cassandra, it¡¯s because Karma was insistent that shee along with us.¡±


    Adrian stiffens at the mention of her name, but doesn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Something up between the two of you?¡± I turn on him. ¡°Don¡¯t think the tension between the two of you has gone unnoticed.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in love with her dead husband.¡± Adrian rolls his shoulders. ¡°I can fight a live man, but not sure if I canpete with a ghost from her past.¡±


    ¡°So, you acknowledge there¡¯s something between the two of you?¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah,¡± heughs, ¡°not that I¡¯m going to act on it.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for a pussy,¡± I murmur.


    Adrian¡¯s features harden, then he chuckles. ¡°Nice segue there, Christian. I¡¯m not the one getting married, you are, so let¡¯s talk about that for a second, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not.¡± I crack my neck. ¡°Don¡¯t the rest of you have something more pressing to do than ride my butt?¡±


    ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s so much more fun to do that,¡± Seb says with a wide smile. ¡°First Michael, now you, Christian. It seems the Sovranos have finally met their match.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± Luca sets his jaw. ¡°I have no ns of settling down anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°A-n-d there it is. Famousst words,¡± Seb chortles. ¡°He who protests the most is normally the first to fall.¡±


    ¡°Not me.¡± Luca bares his teeth. ¡°I have too many kinks to be satisfied by just one woman.¡±


    ¡°You guys done discussing your proclivities?¡± Michael looms over us. My oldest brother has always been big and brawny. While Massimo is the only one who is taller and broader, Michael holds his own when ites to presence. He shoves a hand into the pocket of his ck jeans as he trains his gaze on me. ¡°Need to talk to you, fratellino.¡±


    ¡°Thought we¡¯d done enough of that already?¡± I drawl. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to dissuade me from marrying her-¡±


    Michael raises a hand. ¡°Far be it from me to stand in the way of true love.¡± He nces over his shoulder to where Karma walks over to sit next to Cassandra. ¡°I, more than anyone, know that even the most unorthodox of beginnings can have HEAs.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Did he just use the abbreviation?¡± Seb blinks.


    ¡°He did use the abbreviation,¡± Luca says in a disgusted voice.


    ¡°Go on, Chris, you need to join the band of married brothers,¡± Massimo drawls. ¡°Our Don needs to discuss matters of domestic concern with you.¡±


    Michael snorts. ¡°If you pussies were any more jealous, I¡¯d see green glowing from the tips of your hairs.¡±


    ¡°Jealous? Do I look jealous?¡± Massimo settles back in his chair. ¡°I n on taking a nap, since I have no woman to answer to, unlike the two of you.¡±


    I re at him. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking joke, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± Massimo yawns. He folds his massive arms over his chest and shuts his eyes.


    Luca and Seb rise to their feet and wander away to the back of the cabin while speaking in low voices.


    Adrian ambles over to join Antonio toward the front of the aircraft.


    Michael sits down next to me. ¡°Heard your bride-to-be decided to stay the night with Nonna?¡±


    ¡°And I had to arrange to have her clothes packed and brought over to the aircraft, no less.¡±


    Michaelughs. ¡°The two of you fight or something?¡±


    ¡°Or something.¡±


    He peers into my features. ¡°One thing you need to realize when ites to matters of the heart.¡±


    ¡°First, it¡¯s not a matter of the heart, but go on.¡±


    Michael stares at me as if he doesn¡¯t quite believe what I just said, then he shakes his head. ¡°Grovel,¡± he mutters.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl. ¡°What the hell do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯ve done something to get on her bad side, then the only way to fix it is to grovel.¡±


    ¡°First of all, I haven¡¯t done anything to her. Period. And fuck, if I¡¯m going to grovel.¡±


    Michael¡¯s gaze widens, then he throws his head back andughs. ¡°Good luck with that. You¡¯re going to need it with that attitude. If I were you, I¡¯d try to make amends for whatever it is you did.¡±


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re married doesn¡¯t make you an expert on rtionships.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not the one in the doghouse.¡±


    ¡°Doghouse?¡± I shake my head. ¡°You¡¯re the one left holding the cat, as far as I can tell.¡±


    A purring sound reaches us as Karma¡¯s cat Andy brushes against Michael¡¯s leg. Michael bends, scoops up the animal, who¡¯s purring only grows louder. He rubs the beast between his eyes, then scratches him under his chin, sending the cat into ecstasy.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be holding my wife¡¯s pussy than sitting in the doghouse,¡± he quips before he rises to his feet and walks toward Karma, who holds out her arms. The cat jumps into them, and Karma snuggles the beast, which tucks itself into her chest and closes its eyes. Karma rises to her feet and follows Michael toward the rear of the ne, where they upy seats next to each other. Bastardo.


    I raise my gaze to find Aurora watching me. I hold her gaze a second longer before I crook my finger.


    She sets her jaw, then shakes her head.


    I re at her, and she pales.


    I jerk my chin. She nces away. Oh, you¡¯re going to pay for your impudence, Flower, and you know it.


    She turns to nce out of the window as the pilot announces that we are preparing tond.

 149

    Christian


    Forty-five minutester, we are in the living room of the main chalet in theplex of chalets that we own along with a lodge nearby.


    We Sovranos don¡¯t do anything in half-measures and this ce is a testament to that. A Christmas tree tall enough to almost hit the roof upies one corner of the room. It¡¯s already decorated and the lights twinkle from its branches. Cassandra walks around the room, topping off our Proso sses. As she passes Adrian, they exchange a look that seems to raise the temperature of the room. Clearly, he was mistaken when he said he doesn¡¯t stand a chance with her.


    The hair on the back of my neck prickles. I turn my head, and my gaze once more shes with Flower¡¯s golden one. She refuses to look away, and I raise my ss in her direction before taking a sip. I lick my lips, and her gaze drops to my mouth. Her chest rises and falls. Even across the distance, I sense the heat that flushes her cheeks and see her nipples outlined against the sweater dress that she¡¯s wearing.


    Then Michael clinks his knife against his ss. I hold her gaze for a second longer before I turn in his direction.


    ¡°Wee to our first Sovrano Christmas getaway. It¡¯s the first time we have alle together for a vacation in¡­¡± his forehead crinkles, ¡°well, the first time ever, really.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°I have to admit that when Nonna first came up with this idea, I had my reservations.¡± He smirks. ¡°Then my wife seconded the decision, and I knew better than to argue.¡±


    A ripple ofughter runs around the gathered crowd.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Michael nces at Karma, and his entire face lights up. ¡°I¡¯d like to propose a toast to my beautiful new bride and to new beginnings.¡±


    The rest of us raise our sses.


    Karma ces Andy on the floor. The cat saunters over to the cat tree in the corner of the room as Karma walks over to Michael. He wraps his arm around her and pulls her into his side before taking a sip from his ss. ¡°If Xander were here, he¡¯d, no doubt, have something extremely nerdy and witty to say about the proceedings.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I remember the first time I offered him a ss of proso; he downed it in one go, then asked me why the apple juice tasted so strange.¡±


    I try to smile, but somehow, my facial muscles seem to be frozen. How easy it is for the rest of them to recollect memories of my twin. How difficult it is for me to even think about him. To acknowledge that he¡¯ll no longer be able to experience what life has to offer.


    Michael chuckles. ¡°I miss you, brother,¡± he murmurs in a low voice, ¡°but wherever you are, I¡¯m sure you are watching us right now and asking why the hell we haven¡¯t started the festivities yet. I-¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± I snap. ¡°You think you can raise a toast to Xander then go on with your lives? That you can talk to him as if he is really here and that will make it all right? It¡¯s your fault, and yours-¡± I turn on Luca, ¡°that Xander is not here, and nothing you say or do will ever change that.¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s not fair,¡± Massimo rumbles. ¡°We¡¯ve been over this. I thought you understood that what happened was no one¡¯s fault except our father¡¯s, and he¡¯s been dealt with for it.¡±


    ¡°And if you had spoken out against him,¡± I turn on Nonna, ¡°if you had stopped him when he decided to physically and emotionally abuse us, the day would not havee when he¡¯d take the life of his own son. I hope you regret your actions, for you have as much a part to y in Xander¡¯s death as our father.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to Nonna like that.¡± Seb steps toward me, but Nonna raises a hand.


    ¡°No, let him speak. This is why we¡¯re together-so these unspoken sentiments can finally be aired.¡±


    Nonna holds my gaze. ¡°I will always regret not being strong enough to have taken action against my son. And you are right; I am as much to me for what happened to Xander as your father.¡± She swallows. ¡°It¡¯s why I will not repeat the same mistake again.¡±


    I frown. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Nonna nces at Aurora, then back at me. ¡°Aurora will be staying in the same chalet as me.¡±


    ¡°Not happening. I already told you, Nonna, she got the one night that we spent apart, but that stops now. She¡¯s my fiancee-¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t see a ring.¡±


    I slide my hand inside my pocket and pull out a small velvet box.


    Cassandra gasps; Karma draws in a breath. But Aurora? She stays silent; not a flicker of an expression crosses her face. I prowl toward her, and she doesn¡¯t move. Doesn¡¯t take a step back when I pause in front of her. I remove the ring from the box, slide the box back in my pocket, then hold out my left palm.


    I hold her gaze as she swallows. The moment stretches a beat, then another. Finally, she ces her left hand in mine. I slide the ring onto her finger, and apuse sounds from the watching family members. She begins to pull her hand back, but I wrap my fingers around her wrist. I tug, and she stumbles toward me. I hold my arm about her waist and bring her flush against me.


    I lower my head, and she tips up her chin. Anger smolders in the depths of her eyes. She firms her lips as I bring my mouth to hers. I stay poised, sharing her breath but not kissing her. Color fires her cheeks, but she doesn¡¯t pull away. Her breasts thrust against my chest, and the curve of her waist trembles as I close the distance between our lips. I brush my mouth over hers, then release her so quickly that she blinks. I step back, an arm loosely about her shoulder. ¡°You were saying?¡± I turn on Nonna. ¡°Now that we¡¯re engaged-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s even more important that she stay with me for the duration of our stay.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stiffen. ¡°That makes no sense. We live in the twenty-first century, where men and women stay together before they are married.¡±


    ¡°We are the Mafia,¡± Nonna retorts, ¡°and youe from one of the oldest families in the country. So, you will heed our traditions and stay apart until you are married.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Michael drawls.


    ¡°Totally, yes,¡± Massimo rumbles.


    ¡°I agree,¡± Luca smirks.


    ¡°Nonna¡¯s right,¡± Seb chuckles. ¡°Time we do things by the book.¡±


    Adrian opens his mouth, and I point a finger at him. ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯re on board with this sham too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s how things are done in our part of the world,¡± Adrian says gently.


    ¡°And you?¡± I scowl at Karma. ¡°I don¡¯t hear you agreeing to this.¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t,¡± she replies.


    ¡°Finally, fuck.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°It takes someone who has not grown up in the cradle of the Mafia to see the fault of our ways.¡±


    ¡°But I do think you and Aurora should stay apart until you get married,¡± Karma adds.


    ¡°What the-!¡± I growl. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are taking the side of these ¡­ these ¡­ imbeciles.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling imbeciles?¡± Michael glowers. ¡°We only have your best interests at heart.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± I growl. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you worrying about traditions when you decided to take Karma captive.


    ¡°It was an unusual situation, I agree,¡± he murmurs. ¡°And it worked out in the end.¡± He pulls Karma even closer. ¡°But I admit, we had a few hairy situations along the way, something I don¡¯t wish on you, or anyone else, hence¡±-he pins me with his gaze-¡°I see the wisdom of the old ways now, and I think you and your fiancee will benefit from the distance.¡±


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I re at him. ¡°What is this, some kind of intervention?¡± I take in the faces of my brothers. ¡°Are the lot of you ganging up on me?¡±


    ¡°We only want what¡¯s best for you, fratellino,¡± Seb murmurs. ¡°We¡¯re looking out for you.¡±


    ¡°More like intruding where you¡¯re not needed.¡± I turn on Nonna. ¡°This is all your fault. If you hadn¡¯t brought up the idea, the rest of these assholes wouldn¡¯t be parroting what is, clearly, a foolish idea.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± She tilts her head. ¡°It¡¯s you who said I should have interfered earlier when your father did what was so clearly wrong.¡±


    The blood drains from my face. ¡°I am nothing like my father.¡±


    ¡°And I am simply making sure that you and your wife start your new life in the best manner possible.¡±


    Anger thrums at my temples. My heartbeat ratchets up. My vision tunnels. I take a step forward, but a soft touch on my chest stops me. I nce down to find Aurora has ced her palm on the skin over my heart.


    ¡°Please,¡± she murmurs, ¡°please, Christian, don¡¯t fight with your family; they only have your best interests at heart.¡±


    I peer into her features, the plea in her eyes, and the anger recedes. My guts churn, a swirling emptiness yawns in my belly, a hot sensation stabs at my chest, and I pull away from her. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this,¡± I say in a low voice.


    Then turning, I stalk out of the house.

 150

    Aurora


    ¡°This is all wrong, all wrong.¡± I pace back and forth, back and forth in my room.


    After Christian stalked off, the proceedings somewhat lost their color. The brothers peeled off to their different chalets-yeah, there¡¯s no concept of just a room for each one of them. There are enough chalets in theplex that each of the brothers have a house to himself.


    Michael and Karma were, clearly, relieved that they have their own space. Karma confided to me that this was the main reason Michael agreed toe on this getaway.


    The other Sovrano brothers, too, were more than happy to have their own private retreats. Guess that¡¯s what happens when you have so many alphas together¡­ They are just too big to share the same space for too long. They need their own territories where they can hold their own.


    The more I observe the Sovrano brothers, the more I realize what a feat it must have been for Nonna to actually get them toe away and stay for a few days together like this. A bonding experience may be what she intends, but will these men actually survive this time together without breaking into some kind of a fight, I wonder? And leading the pack may well be my fake fiance.


    I hold up my fingers, and light bounces off the golden yellow stone. It¡¯s surrounded by tiny diamonds that entuate the depth of the piece. It¡¯s unlike any stone I have ever seen. More brilliant than a yellow sapphire, more depth than a ruby. And it fits. Gosh, how did he guess my size so urately? And he managed toe up with it overnight? What does that mean? Not that he was very happy with Nonna insisting that he toe the line she¡¯d drawn, but at least, I¡¯ve managed to buy myself some breathing space. Though how long that¡¯s going tost is anyone¡¯s guess.


    My phone vibrates. Yes, Nonna had given me my own phone. Shocker! Apparently, the olddy is definitely more in touch with the times than my one-time captor had been.


    I nce at the screen.


    Blocked number.


    The blood drains from my face. My pulse begins to race. The phone vibrates again, and I pick it up.


    ¡°He-hello.¡± I gulp.


    ¡°I am still waiting for the information,¡± a man¡¯s voice drawls.


    It¡¯s him. OMG, it¡¯s him. ¡°How did you get this number?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your concern,¡± he informs me. ¡°What about the information?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I still need more time.¡± I swallow.


    ¡°Remember, it¡¯s your family¡¯s life at stake.¡±


    Like I could ever forget.


    ¡°I, uh, found another way to get closer to them. In fact, I am positive that I¡¯ll be able to get you what you need,¡± I murmur. ¡°Only-¡± I hesitate. Say it, do it; it¡¯s now or never. I draw in a breath, ¡°I want something in return.¡±


    ¡°This is not a negotiation,¡± he says in a t tone.


    ¡°I am aware of that,¡± I swallow. ¡°I also know that you desperately want information rted to the Sovranos, which only I can get for you.¡±


    The silence stretches a beat, another. My heart begins to race, the pulse pounds at my temples, my stomach ties itself in knots, and I am sure that I am going to be sick. Hell, I yed my card and I lost. Now, this man is definitely going to kill me and the rest of my family. What¡¯s wrong with me? Why did I have to bring this up, why-


    ¡°What is it you want?¡± He asks.


    ¡°Christian Sovrano¡­¡± A shudder grips me.


    Am I really going to do this? But what other choice do I have? He¡¯s threatening my family, unless I do as he says. And I can¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t want to do that. I left the Mafia behind so I wouldn¡¯t have to do anything with them and here he is, dragging me back into their inner circle, and as a mob wife, no less. It may be a pretense, but he¡¯s going to make the most of the situation, I have no doubt about it. The chemistry between us speaks to the fact that he¡¯ll be fucking me the first chance he gets. He¡¯ll seduce me, he¡¯ll strip back all of theyers I have carefully built against the world and force me to acknowledge just how much I want him too¡­ and I can¡¯t have that. The fact that I am so attracted to him means I¡¯ll probably enjoy what he does to me and that¡­ I will not allow. I don¡¯t want to feel this powerless, this¡­pletely at his mercy. No, the only way out is to take this guy¡¯s help to escape from Christian. That way, I¡¯ll have one less problem to contend with.


    ¡°You want him dead?¡± the man asks.


    I try to force the words out, but my tongue refuses to cooperate. My fingers tremble and sweat slides down the valley between my breasts.


    ¡°Well?¡± He snaps, ¡°Do you?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°I take it that¡¯s a yes?¡± he drawls.


    ¡°No,¡± I burst out, ¡°I don¡¯t want him dead. Don¡¯t hurt him please, just¡­ do something to distract him, long enough for me to get away from him.¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut. I do want to escape from Christian. I do. This is the only way.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± the man says in a gruff voice, ¡°you make sure that you deliver the information I need.¡±


    I clutch the phone with such force that my fingers hurt.


    ¡°If you don¡¯te through on your end of the bargain, your family will suffer.¡±


    He disconnects the call. I stare at the nk screen for a few seconds more.


    ¡°The view is wonderful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    I scream. The phone slips from my grasp and hits the carpeted floor.


    ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Cass walks over to me. She bends to pick up the phone at the same time as me, but I reach it first.


    I snatch up the phone, then straighten. ¡°Sorry,¡± Iugh, ¡°you scared me.¡±


    She looks at me closely. ¡°Are you okay? You seem pale.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine.¡± I wave a hand in the air. ¡°Just, all this excitement around the uing wedding, it has me a little on edge.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable.¡±


    I wrap my arms around myself as I turn back to the window. If she hade in a few seconds earlier she¡¯d have heard me. And then, how would I have exined the conversation I was having? Goddamn it. What have I gotten myself into. I swallow as I stare straight ahead.


    ¡°It really is a gorgeous view, isn¡¯t it?¡± She draws abreast of me.


    ¡°It seems cold to me.¡±


    ¡°It should be¡±-sheughs-¡°it¡¯s only one of the poshest skiing destinations in the world.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡± I have heard of Cortina as being a yground for the rich and famous, but I admit, I have never felt curious about it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem very convinced.¡± She chuckles.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a snow person.¡± I narrow my gaze against the re of the sun glinting off of the snow.


    ¡°At least, you¡¯re dressed for it.¡± She gestures to therge sweater that I had pulled on.


    I blow out a breath. ¡°He bought it for me.¡±


    ¡°Who, Christian?¡± Cassandra¡¯s gaze widens.


    Christian had not only arranged to have my packed clothes delivered, but he also ensured that I had a brand-new winter wardrobe to go with it.


    ¡°I wish I didn¡¯t have to ept his favors.¡± I had half a mind to return the winter clothes to him, but then I saw the snow and realized that would have been a mistake. I mean, I am stubborn, but not so stupid that I want to be exposed to the elements when I go out there. And while I¡¯m going to put off any adventures in the cold, I have no doubt, at some point, I¡¯ll have to venture out.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the n for the next few days, you think?¡± I turn to Cassandra. ¡°Has Nonna mentioned anything to you yet?¡±


    She purses her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to say anything.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you know what she has in mind?¡±


    ¡°Other than the meals, which she is very clear that we have to eat together, well¡­¡± Cass hesitates. ¡°I really am not allowed to share the program for the next few days.¡±


    I scowl. ¡°Aww,e on, Cass,¡± I wheedle, ¡°you can tell me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get into any trouble with her, you know?¡±


    ¡°You seem almost as wary of her as you are of Michael.¡±


    Cass tosses her hair over her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her.¡±


    ¡°I know better than that.¡± I grimace. ¡°Still, considering she asked you to help out with the preparations, it means that she trusts you, right?¡±


    ¡°More like she knew I couldn¡¯t refuse her and that I¡¯d know how to keep a secret.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I arch an eyebrow. ¡°Now you definitely have my curiosity piqued; you sure you can¡¯t tell me more about what she has nned.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, she takes this almost as seriously as the Don takes his Mafia affairs.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°She¡¯d probably have me punished if I so much as breathed a word about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± I wave my hand in the air, ¡°surely, you exaggerate.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so maybe I won¡¯t be killed or tortured, but she¡¯ll definitely not be happy with me, and you definitely don¡¯t want to be at the receiving end of Nonna¡¯s anger.¡±


    There¡¯s another knock on the door; both of us turn to find Theresa peeking inside. She nces between us, then stares down at the floor. ¡°Okay if I join you?¡± she asks in a soft voice.


    Cassandra and I exchange nces before Cassandra rushes toward her. ¡°Of course, Theresa,¡± she murmurs. ¡°Come in; we were just chatting about the next few days.¡±


    Theresa shuffles inside the room. She¡¯s wearing an elegant ck dress, her hair is coiled in a bun at the base of the neck, and on her feet are wedge-heeled boots, which are stylish but also ck. Her face is pale, and there are dark circles under her eyes. She looks like a young woman who is still in mourning. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, then shoots us a nce from under her eyshes. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Cass shakes her head. ¡°The chaletse with their own staff, and this one, the main one where Nonna is staying, has a team to cook and clean and help with the activities being organized, so all you have to do is enjoy the skiing.¡±


    ¡°Xander loved to ski. It¡¯s one of the activities we loved to do together. Every winter, we came here to ski. He said it was the closest thing to flying¡­¡± She swallows, and a tear squeezes out from the corner of her eyes. Her features seem to crumble before sheposes herself.


    Cassandra pulls out a handkerchief and offers it to her. ¡°I know how tough it must be for you, now that he is gone.¡±


    Sheughs as she epts the handkerchief and dabs at her cheeks. ¡°It was tougher when he was alive.¡±


    ¡°It was?¡± I walk over to the settee and motion for her to join me.


    Theresa crosses the floor to take a seat. She wraps her arms around herself and lowers her chin to her chest. ¡°He was always conflicted about our rtionship. I knew he felt something for me, but he was never honest about it. Every time I thought he¡¯d break down and confess his feelings, he always pulled back. It was like he couldn¡¯t quite decide if he wanted me or not.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t you,¡± I say gently. ¡°Maybe he was just trying to decide about what he wanted in life.¡±


    ¡°You mean the fact that he was bisexual?¡±


    I blink. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, ¡°I didn¡¯t think-¡±


    ¡°That I knew?¡± She firms her lips. ¡°Just because I look fragile doesn¡¯t mean that I am fragile. I am tired of people underestimating me, you know? I wish they¡¯d stop hiding things from me. Everyone-Xander when he was alive, his brothers, even my own family-feels they need to protect me. But I am tougher than I seem.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that, sister.¡± I lean forward in my seat. ¡°And now that you are here, you¡¯ll have a little time away from everything, and you can use the space to regroup.¡±


    ¡°Except I don¡¯t know what to do with myself.¡± She wrings her fingers together. ¡°For so long, my identity was tied with Xander¡¯s. I guess I had built up a future for us together. Now I know I was the only one thinking that way.¡± She chuckles in a self-deprecating manner. ¡°Still, for so long, he was my future, and now that he¡¯s gone, I don¡¯t know what to do with myself.¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 151

    ¡°I am so sorry.¡± I move closer to her. ¡°Truly, I wish I could do something to make it better.¡±


    ¡°Youe from a Mafia family; you know how it is.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°From a very young age, you are taught that your self-worth is tied to that of the man you marry. And even though there was never a formal arrangement in ce, I always knew that I would marry him. Our families, too, expected it, and then ¡­ this happens.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it happened for a reason?¡± Cassandraes forward to sit on Theresa¡¯s other side. ¡°Maybe he wasn¡¯t right for you?¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Theresa fumes.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I thought that I was in love, butter realized that I was fooling myself.¡± Cassandra says in a low voice. ¡°Sometimes we want something to be true so much that our feelings deceive us into creating a reality that doesn¡¯t really exist.¡±


    Theresa¡¯s cheeks flush. ¡°Just because your experience turned out to be far from perfect, doesn¡¯t mean the same holds true for me,¡± she snaps.


    That¡¯s when my phone rings again. I scowl at the name that appears on the screen.


    Alphahole calling.


    There is only one alphahole I know. And how the hell did he get ess to this phone and have his contact details keyed in already?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to answer it?¡± Cassandra asks.


    ¡°No.¡± I decline the call, switch off the phone for good measure and then drop it on the sofa next to me.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cass scowls at me. ¡°Not sure Christian would be happy to hear you say that.¡±


    ¡°To hell with Christian.¡± I sniff.


    ¡°Was that him?¡± Theresa scowls. ¡°Is that who you hung up on?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°Not that it matters.¡±


    She wipes away the moisture on her cheek. ¡°So, are you and he really going to stay separate until your wedding?¡±


    At least, my love life seems to have intercepted what could have been an altercation between the two of them.


    ¡°It would seem that way,¡± I reply. ¡°I mean, we are only following tradition, aren¡¯t we, by staying apart?¡±


    ¡°You would be the only one who would be doing so.¡± She leans forward in her seat, ¡°Aren¡¯t you tempted to, at least, test drive him before the wedding?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I frown. ¡°No, of course not. If anything, I am happy Nonna is helping to reinforce this particr convention.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know of a single couple who hasn¡¯t broken this custom,¡± Theresa drawls.


    ¡°So you and Xander¡­?¡±


    Her features crumple, but then she straightens her spine.


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t. And not forck of trying. I mean, I should have known then that he was having second thoughts, but you know, I thought he was only being a gentleman.¡±


    ¡°The Sovranos being gentlemanly?¡± I scoff. ¡°Now I have heard everything.¡±


    ¡°Not all of the brothers are so ¡­ rough,¡± Cass protests.


    ¡°If you are thinking of Adrian,¡± I peer into her features. ¡°Well, of course, you are thinking of Adrian; I have to warn you not to be taken in by a polite facade.¡±


    ¡°But he is the most silent of all of them.¡± Cass frowns. ¡°I mean, surely, he can¡¯t be worse than your Christian.¡±


    ¡°Not my Christian.¡± I huff. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly what I mean. The quieter they are, the more lethal their sting is. Still waters and all that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She strokes her chin. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Not that I intend to get to know him better or anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± I cough into my hand.


    Theresa¡¯s gaze bounces between us. ¡°So, the two of you are involved with the Sovrano brothers?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Cass protests, ¡°don¡¯t drag me into this.¡± She jerks her chin in my direction. ¡°I¡¯m not the one getting married in a few days.¡±


    And I won¡¯t be either, if I have my way. ¡°True that,¡± I mumble. I raise my hand to push the hair away from my face, and Theresa¡¯s gaze widens. ¡°Wow!¡± She stares at my fingers. ¡°That¡¯s some ring.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I lower my hand to myp.


    ¡°And that was a very romantic moment the two of you shared earlier when he put the ring on your finger,¡± Cassandra points out.


    ¡°He was just making a point,¡± I protest.


    ¡°If you mean he was staking his im, then you are absolutely right.¡± Theresa peers into my face. ¡°How does it feel to be at the receiving end of all that intense obsession?¡±


    I scowl. ¡°He isn¡¯t obsessed with me.¡±


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t take his gaze off of you the entire time we were on the ne,¡± Cassandra offers.


    ¡°Right?¡± Theresa turns to her. ¡°And the way he kept his arm around her while he was trying to get Nonna and his brothers to back down. OMG, that was even more romantic than the kiss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please.¡± I jump up to my feet and begin to pace. ¡°The alphahole has everybody fooled.¡±


    ¡°But not you?¡± Cass retorts.


    ¡°No, not me!¡± I turn on her. ¡°All of this is some borate ruse to keep me under his control.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Sovranos for you,¡± Theresa interjects. ¡°The brothers are alpha, over-the-top, possessive Mafia men, which is why all of us used to swoon over them in school.¡±


    ¡°You went to school with them?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Until they left for LA, and they were older than me, but I do recollect them swaggering in and out of ss and generallymanding the teachers around.¡±


    ¡°That would be them, all right.¡± I huff. ¡°Good thing I wasn¡¯t subjected to them.¡±


    ¡°You went to a different school, I take it?¡± Cass interjects.


    ¡°And then went to the UK to study medicine.¡±


    ¡°Paid for by Michael,¡± Theresa points out.


    I dete a little. ¡°Something I will never live down, especially since it seems like everyone knows it. So, my family owes them. Doesn¡¯t mean I need to agree to their every whim and fancy.¡±


    ¡°Christian saved your life,¡± Cass points out.


    ¡°He did?¡± Theresa¡¯s eyes bug out. ¡°How did he do that?¡±


    ¡°I helped Karma try to escape from Michael, not that it worked out,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°but when Michael found out, he was livid.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he was,¡± Theresa nods, ¡°you tried to turn his wife against him.¡±


    ¡°The way he was treating her¡­¡± I purse my lips. ¡°It¡¯s not for me to judge, but she wasn¡¯t happy in the early part of their courtship, and she asked me for help. I did what any woman would do when she finds another of her gender in peril. I helped her.¡±


    ¡°And then Christian stepped in to save you from Michael.¡±


    ¡°Now I wish he hadn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it,¡± Theresa says in a hushed voice. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be at the receiving end of a Sovrano¡¯s rage.¡±


    ¡°They are human, like us.¡± I snort. ¡°And Christian has his failings, like all of us. Let him get angry; see if I care.¡±


    The hair on the nape of my neck rises. Goose bumps pop on my skin. I jerk my head in the direction of the doorway.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I wrap my arms around my waist, ¡°what are you doing here?¡±

 152

    Christian


    ¡°You weren¡¯t answering your phone,¡± I growl.


    Theresa and Cassandra rise to their feet. They nce from Flower to me, then head toward the door.


    ¡°Wait, Cass,¡± Aurora calls out, ¡°we can¡¯t meet without a chaperone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a fucking chaperone.¡±


    ¡°Nonna¡¯s rules¡±-she sets her jaw-¡°and we are under her roof.¡±


    Something I intend to rectify as soon as possible. I scowl at Cassandra, who stares back at me. Theresa wisely walks out of the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll, uh, be standing right outside,¡± Cassandra finally ventures, ¡°and I¡¯ll keep the door slightly ajar.¡±


    ¡°But, Cass-¡± Before Aurora canplete the statement, Cassandra walks out of the room, making sure to pull the door closed behind her, but she doesn¡¯t shut itpletely.


    I turn to face Aurora, who draws herself up to her full height; which still means she barelyes up to the level of my chest. I stalk toward her, and she stills. Watches me with a wary expression as Ie to a halt in front of her.


    ¡°On your knees,¡± I growl.


    ¡°What?¡± Her jaw drops. ¡°The hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Get. On. Your. Knees. Flower.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying no?¡± I smirk. Color flushes her cheek.


    ¡°Cass is right outside the room,¡± she hisses.


    ¡°I can be quiet¡±-I bare my teeth-¡°and your throat will be so stuffed that you won¡¯t be able to breathe properly, let alone speak, so I suggest you do as I say.


    ¡°Nonna will be here to check on me,¡± she protests.


    ¡°I suggest you make it quick, Flower.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She opens her mouth, and I shake my head. I press my hand on her shoulder and apply pressure, and she folds gracefully to drop to her knees. I sink my fingers into the mass of her gorgeous hair, then slide my zipper down the front of my pants. I push down my pants, and my cock springs free-yeah, no underwear, I came prepared to put her in her ce. I fist the base of my dick and swipe from root to crown. A drop of precum beads the slit. Instantly, she rises up on her knees. She extends her neck and licks off the moisture from the head of my cock.


    A groan rumbles up my chest and I swallow it down. I must have made a noise, for her gaze darts up to my face. She must realize exactly the effect she has on me, for her eyes gleam. She pushes aside my hand and grips the base of my cock. She squeezes down, and I hiss. Her lip curves right before she leans forward and closes her mouth around the already swollen head.


    Jesu Cristo! She hoovers down my dick like she was made to swallow my shaft. She licks her tongue around the head, tips her head forward, so my length slides down the column of her throat.


    ¡°F-u-c-k,¡± I growl in a low tone as I tighten my hold on her hair. I tug, and she jerks her chin up, never taking her gaze off of mine. Without breaking the connection, she pulls back until my shaft is bnced on the rim of her mouth, then slides forward, so my cock glides down her throat again. She hums, and the vibrations sear through the sensitive skin of my dick and sink into my blood. She begins to suck on me, pulling back and moving forward. And again. My balls swell, and blood drains to my groin. The next time she takes me down her throat, I tighten my grip and hold her there.


    ¡°I don¡¯t allow anyone to give me blow jobs. I take them, Flower.¡± I yank her head back, so she releases the hold on my cock, then glide her forward again and again. Tears squeeze out from the corners of her eyes; her mascara begins to run. Her gaze turns fierce, and she releases her hold on my dick only to cup my balls.


    ¡°Fucking fuck,¡± I swear in a low voice as I pick up speed. I fuck her mouth and feel my length enclosed in the column of her throat as she swallows. She brings her other hand up and cups both of her palms around my balls, and squeezes. Goose bumps pop on my skin. My vision tunnels.


    I am not a religious person, I don¡¯t believe in God, but right now, with her mouth wrapped around my cock, her small palms clutching my balls, as she runs her finger up the crease between my ass cheeks to toy with my back hole-I swear I have my first out-of-body experience. The blood thuds at my temples, and my heartbeat ratchets up. I feel my pulse re to life at my wrists, on my eyelids, in my fucking balls, which thicken and draw up.


    I tighten my hold on her head as the pressure at the base of my spine explodes out, and Ie, shooting my load down her throat. ¡°Take it all,¡± I say in a fierce tone, ¡°every single drop, Flower. You get me?¡±


    She swallows as I continue to pump into her mouth. She sucks down my cum like it¡¯s the finest wine. A drop dribbles from the corner of her lips, and I scoop it up. I pull out, then rub my cum-drenched finger across her lips. Pupils blown, she gazes up at me from under heavy-lidded eyes. I haul her up to her feet and crash my mouth to hers.


    The taste of my cum, the sweetness of her lips-all of it swirls together creating a potent mixture that explodes on my pte. I tilt my head and deepen the kiss. A moan bleeds from her mouth, and I gulp it down. Her breasts push into my chest, the softness of her curves press against my thighs, and she writhes as she tries to get closer as my dick lengthens, once again, wanting to be inside of her. All of it crashes over me. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. My heart stutters as blood thrums at my temples. I soften the kiss, pulling back until my lips are poised on hers. I brush my mouth on hers once, twice, as I gaze into her bright amber eyes. Her eyelids flutter down, and her entire body seems to melt into mine. I tighten my arm around her, holding her, cradling her, treasuring her¡­ Che cazzo! What is she doing to me?


    I step back so suddenly that she stumbles, then pushes her hand into my shoulder to right herself. I reach down, tuck myself in, then unable to stop myself, tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.


    Her gaze widens, and in the depths of her golden eyes, I see hope re, and something else. An emotion I dare not name.


    ¡°Christian, I-¡±


    ¡°Christian, Aurora,¡± Nonna¡¯s voice sounds from the doorway.


    ¡°Oh, hell,¡± she whispers, ¡°it¡¯s your grandmother.¡± She begins to pull away, but I grab her wrist and stop her. Then I wrap an arm around her waist and turn to face the woman who¡¯s decided toe between me and my ything.

 153

    Aurora


    ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± Nonna strides in, followed by Cassandra, who wrings her hands.


    ¡°I ¡­ I couldn¡¯t stop her,¡± she grimaces.


    ¡°Damn right.¡± Nonna fixes her with a stern look. ¡°Don¡¯t forget whose employ you are in right now, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± I begin to protest, and Nonna turns on me.


    ¡°I know you young people like to pretend that we¡¯re all born equal, but the fact is we are not, and the faster you reconcile yourself to that, the quicker you¡¯ll be able to find some measure of happiness.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you did?¡± I frown. ¡°Reconcile?¡±


    ¡°Not a word you like, I take it?¡± She draws herself up to her full height. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it sounds. There¡¯s a measure offort to be found when you acknowledge that things are not always in your hands. The sooner you learn to give in to the inevitable, the better it¡¯s going to be for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never do that.¡± I fold my arms around my waist. ¡°I am never going to settle for something that is below my expectations.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Nonna¡¯s lips curve in a smile.


    Next to me, Christian stiffens. I sense him shoot me a look, but I don¡¯t acknowledge it.


    ¡°And you?¡± Nonna arches an eyebrow at my fake fiance. ¡°Any words of new-age wisdom that you¡¯d like to add to the conversation?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Me?¡± the rat¡¯s ass says with an innocent expression on his features. ¡°You know me, Nonna, I¡¯m a man of simple pleasures. The basic needs of life are what I aim to fulfill, which is why I couldn¡¯t stay away from my lovely fiancee.¡±


    What the-? I cannot believe he just said that. I try to pull away, but his hold around my waist tightens.


    ¡°You don¡¯t fool me, either.¡± Nonna scowls at the asshole who just seconds ago had his dick down my throat. Right before he pulled me to my feet and kissed me as if his life depended on it, as if he couldn¡¯t go another second without twining his breath with mine and drinking from me. Because that¡¯s what it was-him trying to inhale me, trying to im me, trying to ¡­ share some of that grief that lurks inside of him with me? And then, just when I thought that he was going to release me, he softened the kiss. He held his lips to mine, shared my breath, gazed into my eyes as if he was searching for the answer to those secret questions that you ask yourself when you think no one else is listening. When you are on your own, adrift, alone and sure that you¡¯ll never find another soul who¡¯ll understand you, who¡¯ll want to know you, to be with you, the one you¡¯ll want to share your life with.


    Do I want to share my life with this ¡­ this ¡­ overbearing, hard, ovee-with-sorrow alphahole? I nce at him sideways and find him training his gaze on his grandmother.


    ¡°You wound me, Nonna.¡± He finally releases me and closes the distance to the old woman. ¡°I was simply ensuring that my future wife isfortable and has everything she needs.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Nonna looks him up and down. ¡°I¡¯m not that old that I don¡¯t know when a man and a woman have been going at it.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± I burst out, ¡°will the two of you stop already?¡±


    Both of them turn their gazes on me, and I freeze. ¡°I mean,¡± I raise my hands, ¡°this was just Christian being Christian, and I know I should not have agreed to meet him without a chaperone, but you know how persuasive my fiance can be, Nonna.¡±


    She nces between us, and a sly smile curves her lips. ¡°Are you defending him?¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I shuffle my feet, ¡°not really.¡± I hesitate. ¡°Okay, maybe I am. I mean, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for me, Nonna, truly, but he¡¯s leaving now. My virtue is still intact¡±-technically-¡°so can we just forget about what happened?¡±


    ¡°On one condition.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°You promise to turn him away the next time he turns up.¡±


    ¡°And we both know how impossible it is to say ¡®no¡¯ to him.¡±


    ¡°Have you tried to say ¡®no¡¯ to him?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Nonna smirks. ¡°The fault lies with both of you. After all, you need two hands to p, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really serious about doing this wedding by the book, aren¡¯t you?¡± Christian res at his Nonna.


    ¡°Deadly.¡± Her smile widens. ¡°It¡¯s my hope that before I die, at least one of my grandsons will indulge me with a traditional Sicilian wedding where all of the traditions have been met.¡±


    ¡°Emotional ckmail doesn¡¯t suit you, Nonna,¡± Christian protests.


    ¡°Whatever it takes,¡± Nonna raises a shoulder. ¡°And I¡¯m warning you right now-no stabbing your bridegroom in church,¡± she tells me.


    ¡°If I do, I¡¯ll be sure to cause a lot more damage,¡± I say under my breath.


    Christian hears it, though, because he shoots me an amused nce over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be more than happy to stab you back in return; just not with a knife,¡± he says in a voice low enough that only I can hear it.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± I grimace. ¡°That¡¯s a terrible joke.¡±


    ¡°Not a joke; a promise.¡±


    ¡°Enough time to make promises when you stand in front of the altar,¡± Nonna admonishes us. Jeez, did she overhear the rest of our X-rated conversation too? Not that it would shock her. Very little seems to pull her out of herfort zone, at any rate.


    ¡°You,¡± she stabs a finger at Christian, ¡°out.¡±


    He turns to me, closes the distance between us, then grabs the back of my neck and pulls me close. He kisses me soundly, and by the time he releases me, I am panting. Turning on his feet, he walks over to Nonna. ¡°I¡¯d kiss you on the cheek, but I just French-kissed my bride-to-be, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand if I pass.¡±


    ¡°Leave now.¡± Nonna sniffs. ¡°And be sure to clean up before dinner.¡±


    Christian ambles over to the doorway. He jerks his chin in Cassandra¡¯s direction before he leaves.


    ¡°Shut the door ande sit over here,¡± Nonna tells Cassandra before she walks over to sit down in a chair.


    Cassandra follows her bidding before she joins me.


    Nonna nces between the two of us. ¡°This can¡¯t happen again.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I trusted you, Cassandra, to keep him out. And you¡­¡± She scowls at me. ¡°I thought you wanted to follow the conventions leading up to your wedding.¡±


    ¡°I do, but-¡±


    ¡°No buts.¡± She taps her fingers together. ¡°I agreed to help you only because I thought you were serious about being away from him before the wedding. If you¡¯re not-¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I hold up a palm. ¡°I promise, the next time hees in to visit me, I¡¯ll ¡­ I¡¯ll scream.¡±


    ¡°Not too loudly. If I¡¯m asleep, I don¡¯t want to be woken up.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡± I blow out a breath. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s difficult to say ¡®no¡¯ to your grandson when he has his mind set on something.¡±


    ¡°Well, he needs to realize that he can¡¯t always get what he wants.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t he?¡± I can¡¯t stop the bitterugh that escapes me.


    ¡°You do know you¡¯re strong enough to stop him, don¡¯t you?¡± Nonna trains her gaze on me. ¡°Unless, of course, you didn¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Nothing like that.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°Honestly, I was just swept away in the moment, and he seemed so fierce, so overbearing, and so confident that-¡±


    ¡°You found yourself agreeing to do whatever he wanted?¡±


    ¡°Something like that¡­¡± Also, I didn¡¯t want to feel like I had a choice. It¡¯s much easier to simply follow his lead because I always enjoy the results. Even when he pushed me down on my knees and thrust his cock down my throat, I enjoyed it. The flesh between my legs quivers. I squeeze my thighs together to tamp down on the emptiness that gapes there. Shit, just thinking of how he fucked my mouth is turning me on. And that¡¯s crazy. I should be upset about how he had his way with me, but my body seems to have other thoughts. As a doctor, I have seen first-hand how much the heart and mind influence the body. But this time, it seems, despite my wanting to not be attracted to him, my body has already made the decision to be turned on by his proximity.


    ¡°If you want my help, then I need to be assured that you are doing your best to resist him,¡± Nonna says in a smooth voice. ¡°Do I have your assurance, Aurora?¡±


    I blink, then nod. ¡°Of course, you do.


    ¡°And you?¡± She turns to Cass. ¡°Can I count on you to stop my grandson the next time hees around, failing which you need to alert me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Nonna,¡± Cass folds her fingers together, ¡°you can count on me.¡±


    Just then, a loud nging reaches us.

 154

    Christian


    A nging sound fills the space. I walk over to the speaker in the wall from which the sound emerges, just as it fades away. ¡°Dinner is served,¡± a voice hollers from it. It¡¯s Gino, no doubt. I wince as I depress the button on the panel, cutting off the sound. Silence descends. Grazie al cazzo! Thank fuck. If that¡¯s how we are going to be summoned for meals, I will have to speak to Nonna about it.


    There¡¯s a brief knock on the main door of the chalet before it¡¯s pushed open. Massimo¡¯s frame fills the space before he steps in.


    ¡°Dinner is-¡±


    ¡°Served.¡± I grimace. ¡°I know; I heard.¡±


    ¡°Doubt anyone missed that.¡± He chuckles.


    ¡°d you find it funny.¡± I rub the back of my neck.


    ¡°You have to admit, it¡¯s an effective way of grabbing our attention.¡±


    ¡°What-fucking-ever,¡± I growl.


    I returned to my chalet after my grandmother almost walked in on me stuffing my cock down my fiancee¡¯s throat. Of course, I knew that it would have to be quick when I pushed her down on her knees¡­ What surprised me, though, was the ardor with which she thew herself into the job. She sucked me off, wrung me dry, closed that hot mouth of hers around my swollen cock, and all thought flew from my head. At that moment, I wouldn¡¯t have cared if all of my brothers had walked in on us, though that might have been less embarrassing than having my grandmother find us. On the bright side, we were done by the time Nonna walked in, though she still found us kissing. Hopefully, she assumes it was a romantic gesture on my part, or some such shit. No doubt, she thinks that I can¡¯t keep my hands off of my fiancee. Which is true. And she¡¯s your fake fiancee, remember?


    ¡°You seem to be upset about something, fratellino.¡±


    ¡°Me, upset?¡± I growl. ¡°What gives you that idea?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; maybe because when I walked in, you were scowling at that speaker like you were going to rip it out of the wall and jump on it.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡±


    ¡°I was only kidding.¡± Massimo smirks. ¡°But if that helps you get rid of some of the frustration that you are, no doubt, harboring inside, then be my guest.¡±


    ¡°Frustration?¡± I draw myself up to my full height. ¡°You trying to tell me something, amico mio?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no secret that Nonna has thrown a wrench in your n.¡±


    ¡°And what n is that?¡± I ask in a low voice.


    ¡°The one where you try to seduce your fiancee before your marriage.¡±


    ¡°Like you haven¡¯t slept around?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to marry any of them.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say when you choose your bride, you¡¯re going to consummate your marriage on the wedding night?¡±


    ¡°You bet; it¡¯s how things are done in the Mafia, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Next, you¡¯ll tell me that you¡¯re going to marry a virgin.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t expect your fiancee to be a virgin.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her.¡± I frown.


    Massimo blows out a breath. ¡°Look, it was different for Michael-¡±


    ¡°So everyone keeps saying.¡±


    ¡°He was out to get revenge for Karma¡¯s father selling us out, but you, you¡¯re marrying a nice Sicilian girl-¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s spent enough time away to speak like she was born British,¡± I interject.


    ¡°Besides the point.¡± Massimo rocks back on his heels. ¡°If you had any sense, you would have eloped with her, but since you didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on-what did you say?¡±


    ¡°That you don¡¯t have enough sense?¡±


    ¡°After that.¡±


    ¡°That you don¡¯t have enough sense?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°You said that I should have eloped with her-¡± I stroke my chin.


    ¡°Now, now¡­¡± Massimo holds up his hands. ¡°You know Nonna is looking forward to a traditional church wedding.¡±


    ¡°Well, Nonna can satisfy that desire with you.¡±


    He nches.


    ¡°Come on, Massimo, you just said that you were ready to marry a virgin in an arranged Mafia marriage.¡±


    ¡°Because I know the importance of having a good willing woman at home who can bear my babies and keep the house-¡±


    ¡°While you spend your time being a tough Mafioso with a few sidepieces, no doubt?¡±


    ¡°There have to be some benefits of being in this life.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you would be this chauvinistic.¡±


    He throws his head back andughs that full-bellyugh that emerges from the pit of his stomach. ¡°You should speak, brother. You, who all but held your bride-to-be captive and, no doubt, forced her to agree to marry you.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Only to get Nonna and the rest of you off my back when we finally break up,¡± I murmur under my breath.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Fuck.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°Why are we talking here, anyway? Shouldn¡¯t we be heading out for dinner?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to change the subject,¡± Massimo narrows his gaze on my face. ¡°I¡¯ll let you get away with it, this time.¡±


    There¡¯s another knock, and Seb pops his head through the doorway. ¡°You guysing for dinner?¡±


    I nce across the table to where my fiancee is seated opposite me. Flower wears a soft pink dress that lends a rosy hue to her cheeks. Her thick hair curls about her shoulders, and she pushes away at a strand that falls over her cheek. The yellow sapphire on her finger catches the glow of the light from the candle me on the table between us.


    She throws her head back andughs at something that Sebastian murmurs to her. The seating at the table was arranged by Nonna. She exined that it would change for every meal so that we¡¯d have a chance to be seated with a different family member and get to know each of them over the next few days. Which also means that she has no intention of ever seating me and Flower together, which is going to be a problem.


    ¡°So, you really do have feelings for her, hmm?¡± Luca¡¯s voice cuts through my thoughts.


    I raise my ss of wine to my mouth and drink from it. ¡°How much have you had to drink, asshole?¡± I mutter.


    ¡°Not as much as you, clearly.¡± He indicates the almost empty bottle of wine next to me. I had grabbed it from the center of the table and decided to hold onto it. It may be the season of sharing, but I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to miss the opportunity to try to drown out the confusion in my head with alcohol.


    I knock back the rest of the wine in the ss, then ce it back on the table.


    ¡°Probably not a good idea to get drunk either,¡± he cautions.


    ¡°Least I can do, considering I have been relegated to trying to sneak in meetings with my own fiancee.¡±


    Luca chuckles. ¡°Never thought I¡¯d see the day when you¡¯d be beaten at your own game. And what makes it even worse is she¡¯s a woman of eighty.¡±


    ¡°Not sure what she is punishing me for or why she is so insistent that everything be done ording to tradition. I swear, she¡¯s probably just trying to make it as difficult for me as possible to get a good night¡¯s sleep.¡±


    ¡°You could, of course,e out with us tonight to the nightclub.¡±


    I scowl. ¡°Why is this the first I¡¯m hearing about it?¡±


    ¡°Figured you¡¯d want to spend time with your woman like Michael here, but since you do not,¡± he smirks, ¡°might as well cut your losses ande with us, huh?¡±


    Two of the staff clear our dinner tes, then a clinking sound reaches us. Seb and I look up to find Nonna tapping her ss with a knife. ¡°May I have your attention, please?¡±


    The noise dies down and everyone nces at her, ¡°I am so happy to see my family all together for the holidays. I know, it¡¯s been a challenge for you boys to get your heads around why I wanted this event to take ce, but I¡¯m so pleased that all of you could make it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Nonna,¡± Michael murmurs. ¡°You are the oldest in our family, so your word isw.¡±


    Nonna chuckles. ¡°It¡¯s generous of you to say so, Don Sovrano,¡± she tilts her head, ¡°but I¡¯ll ept thepliment.¡±


    ¡°Not just an emptypliment.¡± I raise my ss. ¡°We¡¯ll always prioritize your wishes before anything else.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you, Christiano.¡± She smiles at me. ¡°I know, at heart, you boys aremitted to this family, that you¡¯ll prioritize the good of your brothers before anything else. It¡¯s what makes our family strong and able tobat any challenge from any outsider.¡± She nces around the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be here to see another Christmas, so-¡±


    A ripple runs around the table. I open my mouth to protest, and she raises a hand. ¡°I know, I know. God willing, I¡¯ll be here for much longer than that, but at my age, you take each day as yourst day, so¡­¡± She ces her ss and knife on the table. ¡°I wanted to make this post-Christmas celebration special.¡±


    As if on cue, Cassandra walks in, pushing a trolleyden with gifts. She pauses next to Nonna.


    ¡°Thought you said you didn¡¯t want us to have any gift-giving this year, Nonna?¡± Michael interjects.


    ¡°I changed my mind.¡± Nonna raises her shoulder, ¡°I think I¡¯m allowed at my age, eh?¡±


    ¡°Bull-fucking-shit,¡± I whisper to Luca. ¡°She nned this all along.¡±


    ¡°Of course, she did,¡± Luca says from the corner of his mouth. ¡°But he¡¯ll let Nonna get away with it.¡±


    Cass walks around the table and ces a gift in front of each one of us. Then she pushes the trolley to the side and takes her seat at the table.


    Nonna raises her hand. ¡°Open your gifts, please.¡±


    I nce down at my gift, then at Aurora, who looks up at me. Our gazes sh. Her champagne eyes sparkle in this light. Her features are flushed; her hair gleams with a healthy shine. She looks rxed and so damn beautiful. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. She holds my gaze a second longer before turning away. She reaches for her gift, unwraps it, and holds up a bracelet. The light bounces off the simple but elegant design.


    ¡°Nonna,¡± she gasps, ¡°it¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°And so is this.¡± Karma holds up a chain with a teardrop ck diamond as the pendant.


    ¡°Both are family heirlooms,¡± Nonna smiles, ¡°and they¡¯ll look much better when they are worn than being kept in the family safe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± Theresa breathes. She stares at a box with something like reverence. ¡°These are very expensive tulip bulbs.¡± She looks at Nonna with tears in her eyes. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be able to afford them.¡± She jumps to her feet and runs around to hug Nonna, who looks taken aback. She pats Theresa on her shoulder.


    ¡°There, there, use them to grow your florist business.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Pressing a kiss to Nonna¡¯s cheek, Theresa all but skips back to her seat.


    ¡°What did you get, Cass?¡± Aurora turns to where Cass has torn open an envelope and is holding up a sheet of paper.


    ¡°It¡¯s a one-week all-expenses-paid vacation to a hot springs spa,¡± Cass murmurs.


    ¡°Not just any spa; the best spa in all of Europe.¡± Nonna sniffs. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d let you go anywhere else, did you?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Nonna.¡± Cass beams. ¡°I am going to enjoy myself.¡±


    ¡°You bet you will.¡± Nonna turns to us. ¡°Boys, you haven¡¯t opened your gifts yet.¡±


    I open the wrapping paper and find a pair of cufflinks. The design is the Sovrano crest, the metal slightly worn with age. I nce around to find each of my brothers have received a simr pair.


    ¡°Some of them belonged to your grandfather and others to his father.¡± Nonna¡¯s voice softens. ¡°Your grandfather loved wearing them and had them created at different times in his life. I know that, other than Michael and Massimo, the rest of you don¡¯t often wear cufflinks, but I hope this will inspire you to remember your family¡¯s legacy.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give these to our father?¡± I ask.


    Nonna¡¯s features shutter. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem right.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°Oh, I tried to bring myself to give them to him, but somehow¡­¡± She shakes her head. ¡°Somehow I couldn¡¯t.¡± She nces around the table. ¡°Now I know why that was so; I was saving them for my grandsons. I know you will all make me proud.¡±


    ¡°And now, it¡¯s our turn.¡± Michael rises from his seat and walks over to Nonna. He pulls out a package from the inside of his coat pocket and holds it out to her.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Nonna nces up at him.


    ¡°This is from all of us.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Nonna frowns. ¡°I did say, no gifts.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think we were going to let you gift us all and not get something in return.¡±


    ¡°At my age, I do all the giving.¡± Sheughs. ¡°But if you insist-¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Michael¡¯s lips curve.


    ¡°So do I.¡± I thump the table with my palm.


    ¡°And I!¡± Seb pipes up.


    ¡°And I,¡± the others echo our words.


    A blush steals over Nonna¡¯s face. ¡°You children¡­¡± Her throat moves as she swallows. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have.¡± She epts the package from Michael.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I urge her, ¡°open it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, open it,¡± Aurora adds. We nce at each other, and once more, our gazes catch and hold. How is it that she fits so easily into my life and with my family? How is it that she seems so right where she is¡­ Well, it would help if she were seated closer, but there¡¯s something to be said about being able to look across the table and see her. It puts her just out of reach, and that makes it so much more exciting. As if she¡¯s caught the train of my thoughts, Aurora flushes; she looks over to where Nonna unwraps the package.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she folds her palms together, ¡°it¡¯s beautiful.¡± Sheughs. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you got this for me.¡±


    ¡°Wear it, wear it.¡± Theresa literally jumps up and down on the chair in excitement.


    ¡°Should I?¡± Nonna nces around the table? ¡°Should I really wear it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Karma ps her hands together. ¡°You should.¡±


    ¡°You absolutely should,¡± Aurora agrees.


    Nonna picks the tiara from out of its box and holds it up. The light shines through the gaps between the delicate filigree work. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous,¡± she whispers.


    ¡°May I?¡± Michael takes it from Nonna and ces it on her head. ¡°Every queen should have one.¡± He bends and kisses her cheek. ¡°You look magnificent.¡±


    Nonna¡¯s chin wobbles. ¡°You children are going to make me cry.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t cry.¡± I raise my ss. ¡°To Nonna.¡±


    Michael walks back to his seat and raises his ss of proso. ¡°To Nonna.¡±


    ¡°To Nonna.¡± The others raise their sses.


    We down our drinks just as Gino bursts into the room with Andy. He all but drops the cat on the floor, and the animal hisses at him before walking toward Karma, who picks him up.


    ¡°Someone, please keep that beast away from me,¡± Gino snaps. He turns to leave, then glimpses the tiara on Nonna¡¯s head. ¡°Like she didn¡¯t already have a big ego.¡± He sniffs, then turns to leave.


    There¡¯s silence, then we all burst outughing.


    ¡°A-n-d, never let it be said that family can¡¯t put you in your ce.¡± She chuckles. ¡°Thank you.¡± Her eyes shine. ¡°Thank you, everyone. I will always treasure this tiara and this memory.¡± She takes in everyone¡¯s faces as the staff bustle in with the dessert.


    ¡°Eat up,¡± Luca turns to me, ¡°so we can get to the nightclub.¡±

 155

    Aurora


    I turn on my side and try to close my eyes, but all I can see are images of the alphahole dancing with someone else. Putting his hands on her waist, pulling her close until her hips are flush with his groin, until she can feel the evidence of his arousal as he leans in close; pushing the hair off the base of her neck, and pressing his nose into the curve of her shoulder. He drags his nose up the side of her neck and bites down on her ear. She groans, throwing her head back against his shoulder. He slides his palm down the tness of her belly toward the apex of her thighs. He grips her pussy and squeezes. She moans and turns her face toward him. Her features dissolve into mine.


    I snap my eyes open. My belly trembles, my core clenches, and heat flushes my skin. I throw my cover off and sit up. ¡°Santa Rosalia,¡± I snarl, ¡°what the hell is wrong with me?¡± Why can¡¯t I get the man out of my head?


    The first half of the dinner, he stared at me. Then he turned away and engaged in conversation with Luca. He barely gave me a second nce. When the meal was done, he bid me a polite goodbye and followed his brothers out. I learnedter that the brothers had headed out for the nearest nightclub; there was only one in town. Michael had opted to stay back with Karma. I had asked Cass why they hadn¡¯t invited us, and she had looked at me like I was crazy.


    Apparently, the Sovrano brothers wouldn¡¯t stoop to inviting women with them when they go cavorting. Damn it. I should have followed them, stowed away in one of the cars or something. And if I had done that, no doubt, they would have discovered me right away.


    I slide out of bed and use the bathroom. I get a drink of water and am about to slip into bed when something taps on the windowpane behind me. I yelp and turn toward the darkened rectangle of the window Did I imagine it? Or did something actually hit the pane? I take a step toward it when the tapping sound reaches me again. I jump, and the hair on the back of my neck rises. Who the hell could it be? I head for the windowpane, then yell when familiar features greet me.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± I whisper scream.


    Christian grips the windowsill outside and signals to me to open the window. My heart begins to race and my pulse ms against my temples. I grip thetch, lower it, and pull the window open. He instantly throws a leg over the sill, then the other. He straightens, tumbles into me, and we fall toward the floor. He manages to grab me and twist, and somehow, I end up falling on top of him. The breath whooshes out of him as he groans. I begin to pull away, but he grabs the back of my neck and holds me in ce.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I hiss.


    ¡°No fucking way,¡± he growls, and I wrinkle my nose.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been drinking.¡±


    ¡°No shit.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I had to find a way to forget about the fact that you¡¯re in the chalet next to me, and yet I wouldn¡¯t be able to see you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Something hot curls in my chest. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±


    ¡°Like I missed a hole in the head.¡±


    ¡°A-n-d, there he is,¡± I snap. ¡°Why did youe here anyway? Thought you¡¯d have gone home with whomever you met at the bar.¡±


    ¡°The nightclub.¡±


    ¡°What-bloody-ever.¡±


    ¡°Jealous, Flower?¡±


    ¡°No, and don¡¯t call me by that stupid nickname.¡±


    ¡°It suits you.¡± He hauls me close and runs his nose up the curve of my neck. Just as I¡¯d imagined earlier in my half-asleep half-awake state, with that other woman.


    I turn my head away, then dig my knee into his groin. He hisses in pain. His grasp loosens enough for me to scramble away. I jump to my feet, or try to, because he¡¯s already thrown himself at me. He grabs my ankle and tugs.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Let go.¡± I don¡¯t bother to lower my voice. I try to kick out, and he grabs my other leg. He pries them apart, and I pant as I try to pull away. He releases my feet, but before I can scramble forward, he¡¯s heaved his bulk up and partially onto me. I copse to the floor, unable to move.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I hiss.


    ¡°Feeling up what¡¯s mine,¡± he rumbles as he pushes his groin into the curve of my behind. The thick column of his arousal stabs me in the valley between my butt cheeks. My belly flutters, my core clenches, my nipples tighten, and damn him, but if I don¡¯t get away, I¡¯m going to push back against him and beg him to take me, and I¡¯ll never be able to live with myself after that.


    I stop struggling and force my muscles to uncoil. He nts his palms on either side of me, holding most of his weight off of me, except for his hips, which pin me down, ensuring that every inch of his throbbing length is imprinted against my panty-d bottom. By now, the T-shirt I wore to bed is bunched up under my armpits. Supporting himself on one hand, he slides his hand under the fabric. His fingertips brush my breast, and I shiver. He closes his fingers around my flesh and squeezes. A moan spills from my lips.


    ¡°Fuck, the noises you make, Flower, they go straight to my head; you know that?¡±


    He drags his hand down, then slides it under the waistband of my panties. He traces the valley between my butt cheeks and probes at my slippery entrance. The breath rushes out of me.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I groan, ¡°don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°You mean this?¡± He scoops up some of the moisture from my cunt and drags it up and around my back hole.


    I freeze, ¡°Wh-why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think?¡±


    ¡°Are you ¡­ you don¡¯t mean to ¡­ do you?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± He probes at my puckered hole, and I huff. ¡°Please, Christian¡­ Please.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±


    He pauses, begins to pull away, and I turn on my back. He rises up to his feet, begins to head for the door, and something inside me seems to crack.


    ¡°Christian¡­¡±


    He keeps going.


    ¡°Christian, please stop.¡±


    He pauses, ¡°If I stay, I won¡¯t be responsible for what I do next.¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°You understand what I¡¯m saying, Flower?¡±


    I jerk my chin.


    ¡°You sure about this?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t¡­¡± He turns to leave, and this time, I jump up to my feet. I race over to him, throw my arms around his waist, and hold on.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, please don¡¯t go.¡±


    His muscles turn to stone. He lowers his chin, no doubt taking in how I¡¯m clinging to him.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s stupid. I know I¡¯m the one who asked Nonna to take me under her protection, so I wouldn¡¯t be your captive any longer. And I¡¯m still not sure about what you want to do to me, but I don¡¯t want you to leave right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making this really difficult, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I halfugh half-sob, ¡°tell me about it. When ites to you, I¡¯m always confused about what I¡¯m supposed to feel for you.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t want me to leave now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± He turns, then bends his knees and haul me up and over his shoulder.


    ¡°What the-¡± I stutter. ¡°What are you doing? Christian, you-¡± He ps his palm across my butt, and the pain shudders up my spine.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I protest, ¡°what was that for?¡±


    He stalks over to the bed, then throws me down. I bounce once, then nce up to find him staring down at me. He throws himself down on the bed next to me before sliding up toy back against the pillow. He taps his chest. ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come. Here,¡± he says in that low, hard voice which sends goose bumps rippling up my skin.


    I mber onto my front and crawl over to him. I rise up and am about to throw my leg over his waist, when he holds up a hand. ¡°Stop,¡± he growls. ¡°First, take off your panties.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have all night, Flower; you in or out?¡±


    You mean, do I want to have an orgasm or two or three and then copse into slumber? Or do I refuse to do as he says, then toss and turn all night as I try to get myself off? When you put it that way¡­ I slide my panties down my legs. He holds his hand out, and I hand them over.


    He stuffs them inside the front pocket of his jeans, then jerks his chin.


    I swing my leg up and over his chest. He grips me on either side just below my butt and hauls me up so I¡¯m poised with my pussy bared right over his face.


    He stays there, peering up at the most intimate part of me.


    Heat flushes my skin, and my belly clenches. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Admiring my pussy; do you mind?¡± Jesus, did he call it ¡®my¡¯ pussy? He did call it ¡®my¡¯ pussy. And by ¡®my¡¯ pussy, I don¡¯t mean mine. I mean his. My belly trembles, and heat flushes my skin.


    ¡°As a doctor, I can tell you that my pussy is much like any other. It¡¯s functional and fulfills the role of expelling waste matter from the body, not to mention the pivotal role it ys in child-bearing and-¡± I huff because he¡¯s swiped his thick, rough tongue from my back hole to my clit. He licks me again, and heat sears my belly. He wraps that wicked tongue around my clit, and my entire body jolts.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I huff. ¡°Please, please, please-¡±


    He thrusts his tongue inside my wet, soaking channel, and I throw my head back. My thighs tremble, and my knees threaten to give way from under me. I throw out my palms and grip the headboard behind him.


    He mps his teeth over my clit and sucks on it, and I swear I see stars. A groan wheezes from me. I try to bring my thighs together, but he thrusts his face up and stabs my channel again and again with his tongue, and a trembling grips me. It sweeps up from my feet, up my legs, my thighs, and ms into my core before it sweeps up my spine.


    ¡°I¡¯m going toe, Christian. I¡¯m going toe,¡± I warble, and he pulls back. Jerk face drops his head back on the pillow, then hauls me off of him and to the side. I blink as he wipes the back of his palm across his glistening face.


    ¡°You taste sweet, Flower. Too bad I¡¯m not going to settle for cookies when I¡¯d rather be eating Christmas pudding.¡± He swings his legs over and heads for the door.


    That¡¯s when I jump up on the bed. ¡°Where the hell are you going?¡± I yell. ¡°You asshole,e back and-¡±


    He holds a finger to his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t want to wake up Nonna, do you?¡± Pushing open the door, he leaves.

 156

    Aurora


    ¡°How ¡­ how dare he?¡± I fold my arms across my waist as I scowl into my coffee.


    ¡°Now, what did he do?¡± Cassandra murmurs from in front of the stove where she¡¯s making pancakes.


    After Christian leftst night, I tried to go back to sleep and failed. After tossing and turning for the rest of the night, I finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning and woke up with a start to find it was seven am. I stumbled down the stairs to find Cassandra bustling in the kitchen. Even though there was staff to take care of everything she had insisted on making breakfast for us. The woman was a workaholic, honestly! She poured me a cup of coffee and announced that she was making pancakes for breakfast. I asked if I could help, and she shooed me off. She built a tray for Nonna, consisting of coffee, orange juice, and the first batch of the pancakes, and had taken it to her.


    By the time she returned, Theresa had also joined us. I refilled my cup of coffee and poured her one as well. We sat sipping our coffees in silence as Cass began to create the next batch of pancakes.


    My mind hasn¡¯t been able to stop going over the events fromst night. How he felt up my back hole, promising, without saying anything overtly, that he intends to own me there. How he put his mouth on my pussy and brought me to the edge, only to pull back as I was on the verge of climax. Damn it! Why the hell did I tell him that I was going toe earlier? After he left, I tried to make myselfe after, but of course, each time I thought I was going to climax, I wasn¡¯t able to take that final step toward the orgasm. I finally stopped, pulled my fingers out of my pussy, and licked them off, imagining that they were his fingers which had been inside me all this time. That it was his tongue which was licking the cum off my digits, his mouth which had closed around them, his breath that fanned my skin as he sucked off everyst drop of evidence of my arousal.


    My breath quickens, my palms dampen, and I squeeze my thighs together to try to mp down on the growing hunger in my core.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± Theresa¡¯s soft voice pulls me out of my reverie.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl at her.


    ¡°You were telling us what Christian got up to?¡±


    ¡°Was I?¡± I pinch my eyebrows together.


    ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± She brings her cup of coffee to her mouth, but not before I¡¯ve noticed the curve of her lips.


    ¡°This is not funny, Theresa,¡± I snap. ¡°This is my ¡­ my life we are talking about here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, honey.¡± She lowers her cup to the table and reaches over to grasp my hand. ¡°I¡¯m notughing at you, at all; it¡¯s just-¡±


    ¡°Just?¡±


    ¡°Interesting that he has you all tied up in knots.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not veryfortable, I can assure you of that.¡±


    ¡°Ever since I¡¯ve known you-and I admit, until now, I¡¯d only ever seen you from a distance-but what little I¡¯ve known of you, you¡¯ve alwayse across as someone calm andposed, someone who knew what she wanted in life-¡±


    ¡°Which was to be a doctor,¡± I agree. ¡°It¡¯s why I took the chance of going to study medicine in Ennd when Michael offered it to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you did, actually.¡± She nces at me with a shrewd look on her face. ¡°I thought you also wanted to get out of the Mafia way of life.¡±


    ¡°Was I that transparent?¡± I wince. ¡°And considering we never really spoke to each other all through our growing years, I¡¯m surprised you gathered so much.¡±


    ¡°I guess I am perceptive.¡± She raises a shoulder. ¡°I could tell from a mile off that you hated having to be obligated in any way to the Mafia.¡±


    ¡°Given my father was the personal doctor of the Sovranos, there was no escaping them. Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± I shuffle around in my seat, trying to find a morefortable position, ¡°they helped out my father and my family. You could say that without the Sovranos¡¯ help, we couldn¡¯t have survived ande this far. But I had always hoped that I¡¯d find a way to leave the Mafia when I was older. Find my own way in the world and be independent, without having their presence looming over me. I had hoped to discover who I am, away from their influence. It¡¯s why, when Michael offered me a chance to go study medicine in London, I jumped at the opportunity. Oh, I knew it probably meant that I¡¯d have toe back and pay my dues, but I always thought it would be in the form of offering up my services as a doctor for a while. If I had known it would also mean that his brother would decide to-¡±


    ¡°To-?¡± Theresa cocks her head. ¡°To marry you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°marry me. Maybe I would have refused.¡±


    ¡°Is that all there is to this situation?¡± Cass murmurs as she nces at me over her shoulder. ¡°You sure there¡¯s nothing else you want to tell us?¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. Oh, there¡¯s so much more; you have no idea. I shake my head. ¡°No, nothing more to tell. Why?¡±


    She peers at my features, then nods, ¡°Just an instinct, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for your concern, but no, I am happily engaged,¡± I raise my left hand so the light from above shines off the ring, ¡°and can¡¯t wait to be married; it¡¯s only-¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That you can¡¯t wait to physically be with him, hmm?¡± Theresa leans forward, eyes shining. ¡°There was a time when I was sure that Xander was going to propose to me, you know? He had taken me for a drive to our favorite restaurant with an amazing view. It was outside of Palermo and slightly off the beaten track, where we wouldn¡¯t risk running into anyone we knew. I was sure that he was going to tell me that he loved me and propose to me, but instead¡­¡± She swallows. ¡°Instead, he told me how he had met someone, a man who he couldn¡¯t get out of his mind. Someone who was artistic enough to fascinate him, but also so macho that he made Xander go weak at the knees. Someone who he had fallen head over heels in love with, but who, apparently, didn¡¯t reciprocate his feelings.¡±


    ¡°So Xander was in love with him?¡±


    ¡°He definitely seemed to have feelings for him.¡± Theresa stares down at the batch of pancakes that Cass has slid in front of her.


    ¡°Eat,¡± Cass orders as she ces another stack of them in front of me and a third in front of herself. She slides into her chair, then nces around the table. ¡°What do you girls want? Syrup? Butter?¡±


    I reach for the melted butter and pour some of it over my pancakes.


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Theresa murmurs.


    ¡°You have to eat,¡± Cass says in a soft voice. ¡°I know it feels like the end of the world in some ways, but you have to live through it.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I have to thrive.¡± Theresa pokes at the topmost pancake with her fork. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not even sure why I¡¯m mourning anymore. He was nothing to me; he didn¡¯t see me as someone he wanted to share his life with-¡±


    ¡°But you said yourself, you two were best friends. Just because he didn¡¯t tell you how he felt, doesn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t have feelings for you,¡± I venture.


    ¡°Oh, he had feelings all right.¡± She lowers her chin to her chest. ¡°He was just too scared to acknowledge them. I suppose, I can¡¯t me him; he was confused and trying to figure out his sexuality and his preferences. I just wish I hadn¡¯t built it all up in my head, you know? I wish¡­¡± She swallows. ¡°I wish that I had never met him. I wish that-¡±


    A sound at the door to the kitchen has the three of us turning to nce toward it.


    Nonna stands just inside the doorway. She¡¯s d in a silk dressing gown that flows to her feet, and holds her tray with the remnants of her breakfast.


    ¡°Oh, Nonna,¡± Cassandra rises to her feet, ¡°you should have called me; I would have cleared your breakfast tray.¡±


    ¡°Oh, pffft! I don¡¯t expect you to wait on me hand and foot.¡± She walks over to the sink and ces her dishes in it. ¡°Besides, I wanted to talk to all three of you.¡± She reaches into the shelves above her, grabs a cup and saucer, and approaches the table. She takes a seat, then pours some of the espresso from the Bialetti into her cup, then nces around the table. ¡°Please, don¡¯t let me interrupt your breakfast.¡±


    Cass takes her seat again and resumes eating. I follow her example. Theresa pokes at her pancake then cuts a piece for herself.


    The silence stretches, broken only by the sound of our eating. When I¡¯m not able to consume more of the pancakes, I ce my knife and fork on my te.


    ¡°You wanted to talk to us, Nonna?¡± I enquire.


    She waits until Cass and Theresa too have finished eating, then leans back, railing her cup of espresso.


    ¡°A scavenger hunt,¡± she finally proims.


    ¡°Uh, what?¡± I frown. ¡°You want to organize a scavenger hunt?¡±


    ¡°The details have been taken care of. I have all the information needed and will be sharing the clues with all of you today.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to have this scavenger hunt today?¡± Cass blinks at her.


    ¡°Did I not just say that?¡± Nonna says in a sharp voice.


    Cass reddens, ¡°Y¡­ yes. I was just surprised; it¡¯s not what I was expecting.¡±


    ¡°What better way to break down the barriers between all of us and get us to know each other better, hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am not sure I want to take part,¡± Theresa ventures. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of such games.¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡± Nonna trains her gaze on her. ¡°It will do you good to be out in the open and get some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s so cold,¡± she whines. ¡°I¡¯d rather be in my room-¡±


    ¡°Where you can mourn my grandson?¡± Nonna scowls. ¡°Absolutely not; I forbid it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Theresa detes. ¡°Guess I don¡¯t have a choice then?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± Nonna turns to me and Cass. ¡°I take it you two have no objection with taking part in the game.¡±


    Cass and I nce at each other, then at Nonna.


    ¡°I enjoy puzzles, so I think I¡¯ll like it,¡± Cass replies.


    ¡°Not my favorite pastime, but sure, I¡¯ll y,¡± I drain thest of my coffee and ce the cup back in its saucer.


    ¡°Good.¡± Nonna nces at us over the top of her cup. ¡°Wonder who¡¯ll turn out to be the winner?¡±

 157

    Christian


    ¡°No, absolutely, not!¡± I re at Nonna, who is seated in the throne-like armchair in the living room. Hell, she could be the queen, and the rest of us her lowly subjects as she arches an eyebrow at the rest of us assembled in the room.


    ¡°Saying no is not a choice, Christian,¡± she informs me. ¡°When you came on this family retreat, you agreed to take part in all the activities.¡±


    ¡°I did not agree to take part in a scavenger hunt.¡±


    ¡°Not just any scavenger hunt; it¡¯s a Christmas-specific murder-mystery scavenger hunt,¡± Theresa pipes up.


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± Massimo murmurs under his breath.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Nonna swivels her head in his direction. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I heard you correctly.¡±


    ¡°I said,¡± Massimo coughs, ¡°that, of course, I¡¯ll take part in the, uh, Christmas-specific murder-mystery scavenger hunt, Nonna.¡±


    Seb smirks, and Nonna turns her gimlet eye on him next. ¡°Something funny, Sebastian?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Seb straightens, ¡°of course, not; I can¡¯t wait to get started on the hunt.¡± He rubs his hands together, as if in anticipation.


    Luca chuckles. ¡°Turn it down,pare,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you¡¯reying it on a little too thick.¡±


    Of course, Nonna hears him, for she narrows her gaze on him. ¡°Something you want to share with the rest of us, Luca?¡±


    ¡°Just excited, is all, about this chance to, uh ¡­ participate in a scavenger hunt with the rest of the family.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so excited that you don¡¯t listen to the rules properly,¡± Nonna says dryly.


    ¡°Me, not listen when you speak?¡± Luca thumps his hand over his heart. ¡°That will be the day, Nonna.¡±


    ¡°You only have tomand us, and we obey,¡± Adrian interjects from where he leans a hip against the wall.


    ¡°No need to tter me.¡± Nonna sniffs. ¡°Just as long as all of you take part in the game and y to the best of your ability.¡±


    ¡°We are on board, Nonna.¡± Michael pulls Karma closer into him. If those two were any closer, they¡¯d be joined at the hip. Correction, they are already joined at the hip. My Flower, on the other hand¡­ I nce toward where Aurora stands stiffly in a corner of the room. She¡¯s half in shadows as if she¡¯s trying to hide from the rest of us. Not that she can ever hide from me. I see you, my Flower. The more you shy away from me, the more I¡¯m going to make sure that you¡¯ll never evade me. This ¡­ using Nonna to put distance between us is a temporary reprieve, so make the most of it.


    She must sense my perusal, for she turns her head in my direction. Our gazes catch, hold, then she scowls at me before ncing away.


    Nonna nces in Cassandra¡¯s direction. At her signal, Cassandra picks up an open box filled with what seems to be folded pieces of paper. She walks over to the table in the center of the room and ces it there.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to choose partners for this game.¡±


    ¡°Partners?¡± I scowl. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be saddled with any of my loser brothers.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better pick the right one,¡± Nonna snaps. ¡°Go on, boy,¡± she waves a hand in the air, ¡°pick a slip.¡±


    What-fucking-ever. Might as well as get this over with. I prowl over to the box, grab a slip, and open it. I can¡¯t stop the grin that threatens to split my face in half.


    ¡°Well?¡± Nonna frowns. ¡°Who is it? Share it with us, will you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I show you.¡± I smirk as I cross the room.


    Aurora nces at me; her gaze widens as I approach her. By the time I pause in front of her, her features are contorted in an expression that¡¯s part horror, part bemusement.


    ¡°No,¡± she whispers, ¡°no, no, no.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, Flower.¡± I lower my head, so my mouth is next to her ear. ¡°I get to partner with you fair and square; now you¡¯re mine.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡±


    She begins to march past me, and I reach for her, but before I can grab her wrist, Nonna calls out, ¡°I have no time for tantrums.¡± She scowls at Aurora. ¡°Can you just partner with him for the duration of this game please?¡±


    Outside, a gust of wind ms into the side of the chalet; Aurora jumps. I wind my arm around her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared; I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    She grimaces. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.¡± She tries to pull away, but I tighten my hold on her.


    ¡°Rx, you¡¯re safe,¡± I murmur. ¡°After all, we are in the presence of so many chaperones; surely, nothing can happen to you here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, not one bit,¡± she hisses back.


    ¡°Good,¡± I chuckle, ¡°it¡¯s good to be wary; you¡¯llst longer in this world if you are.¡±


    ¡°I am paired with Karma, of course.¡± Michael tips his chin up at Nonna, who waves a hand in the air.


    ¡°Yes, yes, all right.¡±


    ¡°What the-!¡± I scowl. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have to pick a note like all the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Don,¡± she says by way of exnation. ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have anything toin about. After all, you are matched with your fiancee.¡±


    ¡°No thanks to you.¡± I scowl.


    Nonna smiles. ¡°Best make use of the hand you¡¯re dealt, boy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I n to.¡± I nce around the room, taking in how the rest of them have been paired. Massimo with Luca. Seb and Adrian. Theresa and Cass stand next to each other.


    ¡°Right.¡± Nonna rubs her hands together. ¡°Gather around, people; I need to hand each of the teams the list of your clues.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Seb scratches his chin, ¡°How does this work, exactly? You give us clues which we are supposed to solve, and if we find the object we are looking for, we bring it back to you?¡±


    ¡°No, dummy.¡± Theresa rolls her eyes. ¡°You need to work your way down the list of clues. As you solve each one, you collect the thing it leads you to. Then, when you havepleted the list, you meet back here.¡±


    Outside, another gust of wind ms a shutter against the pane. The resounding crack slices through the space. Next to me, Aurora shudders, and I tuck her into my side. ¡°Shh,¡± I whisper, ¡°it¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to take care of me.¡± She digs her elbow into my side, and I wince. My grasp on her loosens, and she pulls away. Just then, the lights overhead flicker and go off, thene on again.


    ¡°Guess the weather¡¯s getting on board with the game.¡± Nonna cackles. ¡°Speaking of, some safety rules that I hope all of you will take seriously.¡±


    She nods toward Cassandra, who nces about the assembled faces. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, but if you do, make sure you keep track of thendmarks. It can be tricky finding your way back to the chalets.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not children.¡± Seb smirks. ¡°Surely, we can find our way home.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by the seemingly genteel nature of this ce.¡± Nonna gestures to the living room. ¡°The forest in this area is particrly thick and has been known to misguide people. Why, one of my granduncles was lost in a snowstorm, and when they found him-dead, of course-it was less than a mile away, but he had, apparently, been unable to find his way back.¡±


    ¡°That was then; this is today.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°As long as we have our phones about us, we should be okay, right?¡±


    ¡°Phone reception out here is patchy, at best, so please don¡¯t go too far. If you do get lost, you could also try to find your way to the lodge, which is five miles from here, and wait there until someonees for you,¡± Cassandra reminds us. ¡°Please do keep clear of the pond, which is about three miles from here. It¡¯s shallow, and it may seem like the surface is frozen, but it¡¯s not safe enough to walk on. Even animals are known to be fooled and caught up in breaks in the ice, so keep a lookout, please. Also,¡± she hesitates, ¡°I know I¡¯m being overly careful, but please do watch out for the wolves.¡±


    ¡°W-wolves?¡± Theresa blinks rapidly. ¡°There are wolves out there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a forest, there are animals; deal with it,¡± Nonna huffs. ¡°Now that we have that out of the way,¡± she nces around the assembled faces, ¡°are you all ready for your list of clues?¡±


    ¡°Bring it on.¡± Seb widens his stance. ¡°I¡¯m going to have this game in the bag before the rest of you have even cracked the first clue.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bet on it,¡± Massimo rumbles. ¡°I¡¯m not one for games, but once I participate, I warn you I can getpetitive.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to let you win. You know that, right?¡± Karma calls out.


    ¡°Women are better at scavenger hunts than men,¡± Theresa warns the men.


    Lucaughs. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Everyone, settle down so Nonna can hand out the lists of clues to the various teams,¡± Michael calls out.


    The crowd quietens. Nonna pulls out a pair of spectacles, then nces around the room. ¡°Is everyone really ready for this?¡± The old woman has a very pleased look on her face. One I¡¯m not sure how to interpret.


    ¡°Go on, Nonna,¡± Luca calls out. ¡°Hit us with your worst.¡±


    ¡°Are all Sovrano men born with big egos?¡± Aurora grumbles.


    ¡°The only thing bigger than our egos is the muscle between our legs,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Oh, please!¡± She snorts. ¡°Enough with the cliches, and how do you know your brothers are as well-endowed as you, anyway?¡±


    ¡°So, you think I¡¯m well-endowed?¡±


    ¡°Forget I said that.¡± She nces away, ¡°Seriously, give you an inch, and you¡¯ll take a mile.¡±


    ¡°I know my cock is wide, but to say that it will take up an entire mile is giving me too much credit.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± She makes a gagging sound.


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s what I¡¯d like to hear from you when I¡¯m choking you with my length down your throat.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡± She scowls. ¡°Does every conversation have to begin and end with your dick?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I smirk.


    She glowers at me, her cheeks growing red. So fucking cute.


    ¡°Aurora and Christian, you guys ready?¡± Nonna calls out.


    Aurora straightens. She pulls away, trying to put some distance between us, and I let her. Just because I¡¯m feeling charitable. Only so I can lull her into a sense ofcency so when I move in for the kill, she¡¯ll have no idea what hit her.


    ¡°Ready when you are,¡± I call out to Nonna, who reaches for the sheaves of papers by her side.


    Aurora


    After Nonna handed out the lists of clues to each of the teams, Christian and I peeled off-or rather, he stalked off with the list, and I had no choice but to follow him. We found a quiet space in the study at the end of the corridor. Massimo, andter Seb, peeked in, only to be told off by Christian. The guys retreated, leaving us to examine the list of clues.


    Now, Christian pulls his chair close to mine so our knees bump. I pull away, and of course, he shoots me a nce. ¡°How long will you keep running, Flower?¡±


    ¡°As long as I am breathing.¡±


    ¡°Not what you were saying earlier.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°Can we focus on the task at hand-namely, this treasure hunt?¡±


    ¡°Technically, it¡¯s a Christmas-specific murder-mystery scavenger hunt,¡± he reminds me.


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I blow out a breath.


    Can you share the list with me, please?¡±


    He holds it up, and I lean in closer to read it.


    Bring your gloves to this clue!


    At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯m told.


    I hear it¡¯s very cool-


    Maybe even too cold to hold.


    I am your winter.


    I halt; I put time on ice.


    Untended, I burn.


    Under the skies,


    Among the trees


    In a ce not too far away,


    though you¡¯ll have to look for it


    You¡¯ll find it¡­


    And when the sun goes behind the clouds,


    And the wind blows


    And the blood runs cold


    You¡¯ll need it¡­


    I read it a second time. ¡°Okay, what does that mean?¡± I frown.


    ¡°Something cold,¡± Christian says slowly. ¡°Maybe too cold to hold?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it says.¡± I scowl. ¡°And it¡¯s somewhere outside, not too far away?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should step out and go in search of it?¡± Christian offers.


    ¡°Maybe, that¡¯s the first really good suggestion you havee up with in a long time?¡±


    ¡°Getting sassy, are we?¡± Christian wraps his fingers about my neck and pulls me so close that I can make out the individual lines fanning out from the corners of his eyes. The heat of his body surrounds me; the force of his dominance presses down on my shoulders. I try to draw in a breath, and my lungs burn.


    ¡°Getting violent, are we?¡± I manage to force out the words.


    He peers into my features.


    I lick my lips, and his gaze drops to my mouth. The air between us thrums with electricity. The hair on the back of my neck rises and my toes curl.


    ¡°If you think this is violent, then you have no idea what I am capable of, Flower.¡± His hot breath sears my cheeks. A bead of sweat trickles down my throat and into the valley between my breasts. He follows it with his gaze, and the tension between us skyrockets further.


    ¡°I think,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I think we need to leave if we have any hope of winning this scavenger hunt.¡±


    ¡°And is that important for you?¡± he murmurs. ¡°Winning?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what most people aspire to.¡±


    ¡°But you and I are not like the others, are we?¡± He releases his hold on me, and I draw in a breath. Another. What the hell was that all about? Why did he look at me like he wanted to ¡­ kiss me, hold me, ravish me? Why does every part of me want him to do that and more?


    ¡°Better dress warmly. It¡¯s going to be cold outside.¡±


    Ten minutester, we walk across the garden at the back of the chalet. Or rather, Christian walks ahead, and I half-run to keep up with him. Of course, the asshole doesn¡¯t realize that my legs are much shorter than his, so I have to literally jog to keep up with him. Not that it would make a difference, even if he didprehend it. He¡¯d probably purposely walk fast so that I¡¯d have to struggle to keep up. The wind blows again, and I shiver. I stab my hands into the pockets of my jacket and draw abreast with him. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Searching for something that fits the description of the damn clue.¡±


    ¡°But where would we look?¡±


    ¡°Where would we not look?¡± He gestures to the area around us, ¡°Under the bushes? Behind tree trunks? No wait, maybe it¡¯s hidden somewhere up in the branches of one of these ancient fir trees?¡±


    I follow his gaze to the tall trees that crowd the slope ahead of us.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have a clue, do you?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Do you?¡± he retorts.


    ¡°Nope,¡± I heave out a sigh. ¡°Surely, it can¡¯t be that difficult?¡±


    Heughs. ¡°Nonna came up with the clues; don¡¯t expect it to be a cakewalk.¡±


    ¡°Not that I am underestimating her or anything, but this is a Christmas scavenger hunt. Surely, she would want us to solve the clues and find the objects that we are seeking and bring them back?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s going to be easy.¡± He begins to walk through the dense trees, and I follow.


    A soft, powder-like substance drifts down in front of my eyes. ¡°Oh¡­¡± I hold out my palm, then nce up to find snowkes floating down. ¡°Oh, wow, it¡¯s snowing.¡± I pause, take in the sight, then because I can¡¯t stop myself, I open my mouth, pop out my tongue, and try to catch a ke.


    A couple of them hit my lips, and I lick them off. I nce up to find him staring at me. The look in his eyes¡­ It¡¯s hot and yearning, and yet also, strangely, shut off. Like he wants me, knows that I know that he wants me, and is not happy about it.


    ¡°Why do you dislike me?¡± I burst out.


    He frowns. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being ridiculous.¡± I march up to him and thrust a finger in his chest. ¡°Since the first time you saw me, you¡­ You¡¯ve had this thing for me. It¡¯s like you can¡¯t stop noticing me, and you hate yourself for doing it. Like you want to throw me down and fuck me, but you¡¯re afraid that you¡¯ll enjoy it so much that you¡¯ll never walk away from me.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I know.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°It¡¯s why you saved me from your brother¡¯s anger. Knowing that I¡¯d be fully dependent on you. That you¡¯d own me and be able tomand me to do whatever you want, but you know what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the kind who gives in that easily.¡± Turning, I race through the trees and up the slope.

 158

    Christian


    ¡°What the hell? Where are you going?¡± I call out after her, ¡°Stop, Aurora.¡±


    She hightails it up the slope and through the trees. I take off after her just as the snow begins toe down in earnest. I swipe at the kes that cling to my cheeks, blink away those that cling to my eyshes. For someone who struggled to keep up with me, she¡¯s definitely hot-footing it. I increase my speed and begin to gain on her; that¡¯s when she disappears behind a particrly thick wall of shrubs. ¡°Cazzo!¡± I push through the bushes and burst into a clearing. I race forward, my steps sinking into the snow. My foot slips on ice, and I manage to right myself. I slow down, and ahead of me, Aurora, too, loses speed. She continues to walk forward, putting distance between us.


    ¡°Where the hell do you think you¡¯re going?¡± I yell. ¡°I won¡¯t stop until I get my hands on you, and when I do, I promise, I¡¯m going to spank your ass so hard that you won¡¯t be able to sit down for days.¡±


    She holds up her middle finger, and I can¡¯t stop the chuckle that bursts from my mouth.


    ¡°If you think you can scare me, think again, asshole,¡± she throws at me over her shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t answer to anyone, and certainly not you.¡±


    ¡°The ring on your hand says otherwise.¡±


    ¡°This one?¡± She half angles her body, so I have a clear view of her pulling my ring off of her finger.


    Anger threads through my veins.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking take that off, Flower, you hear me.¡±


    ¡°Loud and clear.¡± She tosses the ring up in the air once, then catches it and flings it over her head. A ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds, illuminating the yellow sapphire, which sparkles before the ring hits the snow and vanishes out of sight. The sun disappears behind the cloud, and the snow seems to thicken. There¡¯s an ominous crackling sound, and I nce down to find I¡¯m standing on the surface of the pond. Tiny fissures seem to be expanding around me.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I growl. I should have paid more attention to where we were going, and this, after Cassandra had explicitly warned us not to go onto the pond. ¡°Aurora, don¡¯t move,¡± I call out. The snowkes seem to thicken, and the visibility shrinks further. I see her figure through the blizzard, the white already settling over her, lending her features a luminous glow.


    ¡°Christian,¡± she calls out, her voice shrill, ¡°what am I going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle to you.¡± I take a step forward, and the ice holds. Another step and I can see that the ice is thinning. A third and I hear a crack.


    She screams as she topples over; the sound cuts off when she hits the surface of the water. My heart ms into my rib-cage. At least, the water is shallow so there is no fear of her drowning. ¡°Hold on,¡± I yell as I inch forward slowly.


    She pushes up to standing, and the water reaches up to her waist, ¡°J-Jesus¡­ This is freakin¡¯ c-cold.¡± Her teeth chatter so loudly I can hear them even from this distance.


    She takes a step in my direction, then stumbles and falls into the water again.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I swear, take a step forward, then another. The ice seems to hold, thank fuck. I push forward as quickly as I can, all the while trying my best not to crack the surface of the ice further.


    By the time I reach her, she¡¯s standing again.


    The wind whipping across the surface of the pond crashes into me, fuck! It has to be so much colder for her, since she¡¯s wet.


    She drags herself onto the surface of the ice which creaks under her weight. ¡°Chr-Christian, p-please help me!¡± Her voice trembles.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± I call back. Adrenalineces my blood. My breathes in pants. I need to get to her.


    I lower myself onto my stomach to distribute my weight evenly then belly crawl forward. When I am as close as I dare get to her, I swipe out my arm in her direction. She grips my hand, and I haul her toward me. The piece of ice where she was gives way, and she screams, ¡°Christian!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got you.¡± I hold her gaze, as I tug her forward. Simultaneously, I slide back toward the thicker ice near the edge of the pond.


    Her gaze is wide, her skin pale; her lips are already turning blue. Fuck, I need to get her out into warmth before hypothermia sets in.


    ¡°Omigod, omigod, Christian¡±-she babbles-¡°d-don¡¯t let g-go of me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I grip her hand as I draw her forward. I rise to my feet slowly and the ice holds. Thank fuck. I draw her up, take a step back pulling her along with me. Another few steps, and she pauses. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ so ¡­ so ¡­ cold.¡± She shivers.


    ¡°Just a few more steps. We are almost on firm ground,¡± I coax. ¡°Come on, Flower.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I c-can¡¯t,¡± she whines. ¡°I¡¯m too c-cold.¡±


    ¡°Give me your other hand,¡± I growl.


    ¡°I ¡­ I c-can¡¯t,¡± she hups.


    ¡°Yes, you can.¡±


    ¡°I am ¡­ free ¡­ z ¡­ ing.¡± Her lips tremble.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you to warmth, I promise. Give me your other hand. Now!¡± Even before the words are out of my mouth, she raises her free hand. I grab it and haul her toward me as I move back.


    My foot touches firm ground, thank fuck. I step off of the pond and onto the shore and yank her forward. She stumbles toward me, and I haul her into my arms.


    A tremor grips her, and her teeth chatter. Her skin has definitely turned a shade of blue.


    ¡°Porca miseria.¡± I pull off her scarf, toss it aside, then reach for her wet jacket and peel it off. She stands quietly as I push it down her shoulders and onto the ground.


    When I reach for the sodden sweater she¡¯s wearing inside, she protests. ¡°Wh-what are you d-doing?¡±


    ¡°Taking off your wet clothes so you don¡¯t catch hypothermia. You¡¯re a doctor; you should know that.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Her shoulders slump. She doesn¡¯t say another word as I peel off her sweater. She¡¯s wearing a shirt inside. I shrug off my jacket which is dry-thank fuck-and drape it over her shoulders. Then snatch my hat off of my head and ce it on hers.


    A trembling grips her and she sneezes.


    Cazzo, I need to get her to warmth right now. I grab her clothes off of the ground before I haul her up in my arms, then push forward until I reach a wall of bushes. I step through them, then pause. The snow seems to increase in intensity. A particrly big piece of ice ps into my face, and I flinch. I hunch my body over hers, trying to protect her the best I can.


    She stirs, then murmurs, ¡°W-where are we?¡± She coughs and her entire body shudders. It seems to set off a bout of shivering, and she huddles closer to me.


    I nce around. Which way did wee? Damn it, why wasn¡¯t I more cognizant of our surroundings? I juggle her around until I manage to pull my phone out of my jacket pocket. I try to turn it on, but of course, the battery is dead. I had been wearing a waterproof jacket, and while I had belly crawled on the frozen surface of theke, I hadn¡¯t gotten drenched the way Theresa had. So that should¡¯t have affected the phone. Did I remember to charge the device, though? I can¡¯t remember now.


    ¡°Your phone,¡± I ask her, ¡°do you have it?¡±


    ¡°In my p-po¡­cket,¡± she says through her chattering teeth.


    Cazzo, I need to get us to warmth before shees down with pneumonia. I reach for her jeans pocket, but can¡¯t find the phone. Feel my way around to the other side and pull out her phone, but it¡¯s also dead.


    Fuck,¡± I growl, ¡°fuckin¡¯ fuck.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are we g-going to do?¡± She presses her lips, which have already turned blue.


    I nce around, spot a break in the trees, and head for it.


    Another burst of shivering grips her. A moan spills from her lips. ¡°C-cold¡­ I¡¯m so ¡­ c-cold, Ch-christ¡­ ian.¡± She shudders.


    I break into a run. My lungs burn, and my breath catches in my throat. Her wet clothes p against my thigh, the cold prating through my skin, into my bones, and I swear, I can feel my blood freeze. I reach the break in the trees and find a path. Finally, fuck. I race up the path which winds and turns.


    ¡°Wh-where are we g-going?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Back to the chalets, I hope.¡±


    ¡°Th-this isn¡¯t the w-way ¡­ we c-came.¡± By now, her shivering is constant.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah, I figured that out a few minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°So w-why are you s-still-¡±


    ¡°Running? Because it¡¯s better than freezing to death standing in ce. And if there¡¯s a path, surely, it must lead somewhere?¡±


    I continue to jog, trying to hold her as close as possible. Her wet clothes weigh me down while my boots make every step an ordeal. My thigh muscles protest and my feet are so numb I can barely manage to grip the surface of the path with my soles. My shoulders hurt; my lungs scream for a break. I slow down, all sensations in my arms having faded long ago, but I dare not put her down. I nce down to find her eyes closed, her features so pale that her eyshes stand out in stark contrast to her leached-of-color cheeks.


    Her body convulses, and I can only stare helplessly. Fuck, I won¡¯t be able to save her. She is going to die in my arms, and there is nothing I can do about it. Just like I was unable to save Xander.


    By the time I had driven up, mes were leaping from Michael¡¯s car. I¡¯d jumped out, gone over to the car, and with Seb¡¯s help, managed to pull Xander out. But he hadn¡¯t stirred. Not when we¡¯d lowered him to the ground. Not when I¡¯d reached for the piece of metal protruding from his chest, and Seb stopped me. He¡¯d cautioned me to wait for the medics to arrive.


    So, I¡¯d slid down to my knees next to him, held his hand, locked my gaze on his face, and willed him to live. I had not let go when the ambnce arrived and the medics ran to him. They¡¯d checked his vitals and dered him dead, and I still hadn¡¯t let go. I¡¯d gripped his hand, beseeched him to open his eyes, to tell me he was okay. But he never had.


    I¡¯d refused to let go of him, and it had taken Massimo folding his arms around me and begging me to release him, for him to unwrap my fingers one by one from that of my soul brother, my twin, my life partner, my life saver¡­ And when I¡¯d finally released him, and they had taken him away in the ambnce, I knew that I¡¯d never be the same again.


    And now, she is going to die, and nothing can bring me back from this tragedy. I cannot live to see another day like this. If she is gone, then so am I. If she leaves me then ¡­ I¡¯ll kill myself. I stare down at her closed eyelids; I will never let myself feel again, think again¡­ Never let myself live. No. I will retreat from this life, from this hell on earth that I find myself in again. I will-


    Her eyelids flutter. Those golden orbs stare at me. The light in them is dulled, but as I watch, something sparks deep inside. She moves her lips, but I can¡¯t hear anything. Can¡¯t understand what I¡¯m seeing. Then she raises her hand. Her palm connects with my face, and my neck snaps back; pain shudders down my spine, and heat flushes my skin. My gut twists, and blood rushes to my groin.


    I lower my head and smash my mouth to hers with such force that our teeth sh. I draw off her breath, drink of her essence, and thrust my tongue over hers. I dig my teeth into her bottom lip, and the coppery taste of her blood fills my pte. I tear my mouth from hers. My breathes out in puffs. My chest rises and falls as I stare at her.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­ ha-happened?¡± she whispers. ¡°You l-look like you saw a g-ghost.¡± Her teeth chatter, and I haul her even closer.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I shake my head. ¡°Nothing. I was just¡­¡± I nce away. A ball of emotion fills my throat, and I swallow it down. I take in my surroundings, blinking back the moisture that threatens to overflow my eyes.


    Something catches my eye in the distance. I peer through the snow. What the hell is it? Is that a-? I begin to walk toward it. My steps speed up. Before I realize it, I¡¯m running again. I turn a bend in the path ande to a halt.


    ¡°Finally, fuck!¡± I scowl.


    She turns to nce in the direction where I¡¯m looking. ¡°Is th-that a h-house?¡± she whispers.


    ¡°It¡¯s the lodge.¡±


    I break into a run toward the structure. Step up on the patio and reach the door. I push my shoulder into it, but it doesn¡¯t budge. I try again, and the wood creaks but it doesn¡¯t open.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± I growl. ¡°Now what?¡±


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s a k-key under a p-pot or so-something?¡± she mumbles.


    ¡°Surely, that only happens in movies?¡±


    ¡°Why d-don¡¯t y-you¡­ At least, t-try?¡± Her teeth click together, a stato rhythm that matches my racing heartbeat, and she attempts to pull her legs up, trying to hold onto what little warmth there is trapped between us.


    I swivel around and notice a pot near the edge of the patio. I walk toward it, then sink down to one knee. ¡°Can you reach for it?¡±


    She reaches for the pot, and I lower her further until she can feel under it.


    ¡°F-found it,¡± she cries out.


    Well, whaddya know? The movies did get something right, after all.


    I straighten and walk over to the door. Hands shaking, she struggles to fit the key in the lock. Finally, the key clicks into ce and turns. I put my shoulder to the door, and this time, the door gives way.


    I step into the darkened interior. Bluish light streams in from a window on one side. I head for the firece and lower her down to the carpet in front of it.


    I peel off my jacket from around her, then her shirt and bra. I reach for her waistband. ¡°I¡¯ll ¡­ d-do it,¡± she insists.


    I watch as she tries to grip the zipper, unable to stop the quaking of her hands. Her fingers slip on the zipper once, twice. I reach over and brush her fingers aside. She protests.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± I mutter. ¡°I¡¯ve already seen what¡¯s inside your clothes, remember?¡±


    I lower her zipper, peel her jeans and panties down her legs and notice she¡¯s still wearing her boots. I guide her to the couch then help her out of her boots and socks. I straighten, grab the cover off the back of the settee and wrap it around her shoulders. She shivers, then sneezes.


    ¡°Porca miseria.¡± I scowl. ¡°Better get the fire started.¡± I turn to the firece, get to work with the kindling and matches I find next to it. Once the tinder sparks, I add the logs. Within minutes, mes lick around the edges of the wood, and the warmth builds in the space.


    I spring up, walk over to where she¡¯s seated, then haul her up into my arms and deposit her on the plush rug in front of the fire. She doesn¡¯t protest, and I know I¡¯ve done the right thing when she sinks down with a sigh and snuggles deeper into the cover.


    I shrug off my shirt, step out of my boots, and pull of my socks, pants, and boxers.


    I walk over to the bar in the corner of the living room-yes, the lodge is small, but no way, would we Sovranos havepromised on having a bar in the house-and grab a half-full bottle of whiskey and two sses.


    I walk over to her, ce the bottle down on the ground, then sink down next to her.


    She turns, and I don¡¯t miss how she rakes her gaze down my body. She takes in the tattoos on my chest and upper arm, then lowers her gaze to my crotch. Her lips part, and she takes in another shaky breath.


    ¡°Here¡­¡± I pour some of the liquor into a ss and offer it to her.


    Her hand trembles as she reaches for it. She downs the whiskey in one gulp and bursts out coughing.


    I sip mine at a slower pace, and by the time I¡¯m done, she¡¯s ced her ss down on the ground next to her.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I peer into her flushed features.


    ¡°St-still¡­ c-cold.¡± A trembling grips her. Her teeth chatter, and the sound of them cking against each other is loud in the space. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s p-probably the sh-shock s-setting in,¡± she stutters.


    I ce my ss next to hers, then pull her onto myp. She doesn¡¯t protest. I cradle her and tuck her head under my chin.


    ¡°I should p-probably take this c-cover off.¡± Her entire body quakes. ¡°Skin ¡­ to ¡­ s-s-skin is b-be¡­ t-t¡­ er for g-getting w-warmed up.¡±


    She wriggles out of the spread, managing to pull it off of herself. She wraps it around my shoulders, turning so that her breasts collide with my chest.


    She draws in a sharp breath, and her already erect nipples seem to cut into my chest. She nces up at me from under her eyelids. ¡°You are n-not g-going t-to-¡±


    ¡°Take advantage of you?¡± I smirk. ¡°Not that I¡¯m not tempted, but trust me, my focus here is to make sure neither of us gets frostbite after that dip in the pond-which, by the way, was your fault.¡±


    ¡°M-my f-f-fault?¡± She frowns. ¡°H-how is it m-my f-fault?¡±


    ¡°You wandered off in a hissy fit, not looking where you were going.¡±


    ¡°I-it wasn¡¯t a hiss-sy ¡­ f-fit.¡± Another bout of trembling grips her. She pushes away, then turns to leave, and I yank her back. The curve of her shoulder, the dip of her waist, the swell of her butt, all fit snugly against me. I widen my legs to notch her between my thighs so that my cock nudges into the groove between her ass cheeks. My dick instantly thickens, and she stills. She shoots me a nce from under hooded eyshes. ¡°Is th-that¡­ Are y-you-?¡±


    ¡°Only human, Flower,¡± I growl. ¡°I have a naked woman in my arms. I would have to be dead to not react.¡±


    She presses her palms against my chest, and I wince, ¡°Fuck, you are cold.¡±


    ¡°Not as c-cold as your h-heart.¡± She sniffs. ¡°Wh-why do you m-make m-me so m-mad?¡±


    ¡°Why do you insist on turning me on with everything you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not d-doing anything.¡±


    ¡°You exist, don¡¯t you?¡± I counter.


    ¡°So, n-now what? You b-me me for drawing b-breath?¡±


    I nce down at her. ¡°Not that,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°never that. When I saw you disappear under the water, I thought-¡±


    ¡°That it was Chr-Christmas?¡±


    I thrust my face into hers. ¡°That I had lost you forever. That before I had a chance to tell you how I felt about you, you were gone. That I¡¯d never be the same again. That, just as I had lost Xander, I had lost you too, and this time I wouldn¡¯t survive the pain.¡±

 159

    Aurora


    ¡°Oh, Ch-Christian,¡± I whisper, ¡°do you m-mean that? D-do you really f-feel s-something for m-me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the big question, isn¡¯t it?¡± He scowls down at me. ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to, trust me. If I had a choice, I¡¯d have turned my back on you and walked away the first time I saw you, but something about you,¡± he searches my gaze, ¡°holds me captive. And it¡¯s not only because you¡¯re good-looking.¡±


    ¡°At least, y-you admit that y-you find m-me g-good-looking.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do. You¡¯re beautiful,¡± he scowls, ¡°but it¡¯s not about that.¡±


    ¡°Th-then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s this goodness that I sense inside you. This need to save the world which is so intrinsic to you.¡±


    My cheeks heat. ¡°P-please,¡± I huff, ¡°d-don¡¯t m-make m-me out to be a s-saint.¡±


    ¡°But you would try the patience of a saint,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°N-not that you¡¯d know the f-first thing about th-that, considering y-you are more of a s-sinner.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why I intrigue you.¡±


    ¡°You d-don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please.¡± He smirks. ¡°Admit it. You wanted to know how it would be to bed the beast.¡±


    I raise a shoulder. ¡°The thought m-might have crossed my m-mind. B-but you spoiled it by nego¡­ tiating w-with m-me about the s-safety of my f-family.¡±


    ¡°It was the quickest way to get you to agree to my condition.¡±


    ¡°You c-could have asked,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Would you have consented to being my fake wife?¡±


    I look away.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± he says with some satisfaction.


    I stare into the me. ¡°N-now what?¡± The heat from the fire envelops me. But the man at my back is like a wall of warmth. My fingers and toes begin to hurt, and I moan, ¡°Shit, I¡¯m b-beginning to th-thaw out.¡±


    He reaches down and massages my hands, then moves over to rub my feet. The twinges shoot up my arms and legs. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to tamp down on the pins and needles sensations in my limbs. A trembling grips me, and I cuddle even closer to him.


    Not lying; that dip in the icy pond scared me. My eyes begin to close, and as a doctor, I know it¡¯s because of the shock wearing off, but as a woman I can¡¯t refute the fact that being held in his arms brings a sense of security that nkets me. Heat from his body is like a furnace that surrounds me, driving away everyst bit of cold from my bones. I yawn so widely my eyes tear.


    ¡°Guess that incident took it out of you, eh?¡±


    He pushes the hair back from my forehead, and the gesture is so soft, so tender, that I nce at him confused.


    ¡°Christian¡­¡± I fight the waves of sleep that envelop me. ¡°Just because you s-saved my life doesn¡¯t mean that I have forgiven y-you for what you coerced me into d-doing.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± His lips curve in a smile. My eyes flutter shut. Something brushes my hair. Did he kiss my forehead?


    Ie awake slowly. Warmth, delicious warmth pours into my bloodstream. Every part of me feels toasty. I wriggle my toes and hit something hard. I dig down with my heel and encounter living, breathing flesh. I draw in a breath, and the scent of dark coffeeced with brandy, his scent, fills my lungs. My belly trembles, and my core clenches.


    I try to turn, but something heavy around my waist stops me. I close my hand around it and encounter hair roughened skin. I drag my fingers up the length of his arm and brush against corded muscle. My limbs quiver. To say I am turned on right now would be an understatement. Somehow, being next to him, surrounded by him, with my arse pushed into his groin and his thickness stabbing into my hip, all I want to do is turn into him, lick up the demarcation of his pecs, slurp on his skin, taste the salt of his sweat as I wind my fingers around that hard, heavy part of him that I want to feel inside of me.


    I try to turn again, and his grip tightens around me. Shit. He¡¯s awake. Of course, he¡¯s awake. As is his length, that seems to thicken and lengthen against where it is tucked between us.


    I nce around us and realize I¡¯m on a bed, which means that he moved us to the bedroom at some point. I¡¯m facing away from him and toward another fire, in which the embers glow, keeping the room warm. A dull, bluish light streams in from the windows behind us. It must be early still. Did I sleep the night away? Did he carry me here? Of course, he must have. Clearly, I¡¯d been out of it to not awake even then.


    He pulls me closer, if that were possible, and every part of my back seems stered to every inch of that hot, warm, hard, sculpted front. I gulp. Sweat breaks out on my brow. I dig my fingertips into his corded forearm, and a sound of agreement rumbles up his chest. My nerves seem to ignite, and all of my brain cells melt.


    Oh hell, just being in the same room as him affects me, and now¡­ When I am flush against him, with my neck supported on his bicep, I feel tiny, helpless, fragile. Prey caught in the jaws of this beast, to toy with, to break apart. To lick me up from head to toe with particr attention to the parts of me that crave his attention. An empty sensation gnaws at my core. I squeeze my thighs together to find some relief.


    ¡°Flower,¡± he whispers, ¡°if you wriggle any more, I¡¯m going toe right here, and that would be very embarrassing, especially since I¡¯d rather spill my cum inside of you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. That was filthy-exceedingly so. My pussy throbs, like every word he spoke was addressed to that part of me.


    ¡°If I slide my fingers inside of you, will I find you wet?¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°No,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°of course, not.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± Heughs. The sound rumbles up his massive chest, sinks into my blood, arrows straight down to¡­ You guessed it, my center.


    He slides his fingers down my chest, over my belly, until his fingertips brush the strip of skin between my core and my stomach. He leaves it there, and I squirm. I try to bring my hips up, wanting, needing to feel his fingers brush against my aching pussy.


    ¡°You want me to touch you, Flower?¡±


    Yes.


    No!


    I bite the inside of my cheek. My nipples pebble, my belly trembles, and my thighs feel like they have turned to jelly. ¡°Christian,¡± I finally plead, ¡°please.¡±


    ¡°Please, what?¡±


    He grazes his fingertips against the top of my pussy lips, and moisture beads my core.


    ¡°Bloody hell,¡± I whisper, ¡°what are you doing to me?¡±


    ¡°Do you know you sound even more British when you¡¯re turned on?¡±


    I huff. ¡°Is that supposed to be apliment?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly different. Most people rpse into the ent of their childhood in situations of high emotion. You, however, have gone the other way.¡±


    ¡°My time in Ennd was one of the happiest times of my life.¡± I swallow. ¡°I guess I wanted to cling to the British ent because it has such good memories for me.¡±


    ¡°And you never were happy to be from a Mafia background.¡± He brushes his lips against my temple. ¡°Yet here you are, in the arms of a Mafioso, begging him to fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut, ¡°fuck, fuck, fuck.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it to make you regretful, Flower.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, though. I spent all my life running away from the Mafia; I should have realized that your background alwayses back to haunt you. That you have to face your past before you can move on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your past, Flower,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°I¡¯m your present and your future.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± He pulls his arm from under me and rolls away. The cold instantly overpowers me. I shiver, goose bumps pop on my skin, and I drag the cover up and under my chin. It¡¯s no substitute for the warmth from his hard, naked body, which had cocooned me.


    I hear him pad over to the other side of the room. A door snicks shut, and I realize he¡¯s stepped into the bathroom. I swing my legs over the side, pull the cover up and over my shoulders, then walk into the living room.


    I take in thefortable sofa nked by two chairs in front of the fire. Next to it is a side table with a basket of yarn,plete with knitting needles. Also, there is a sewing kit which is open, with satin ribbons trailing from it. Next to it is a chess set and various board games. Whoever furnished this ce knew to provide various ways to amuse yourself inside.


    I turn to find him walking into the living room. Still,pletely naked. I rake my gaze down his sculpted chest, his concave stomach, the divots that run down each side of his belly to his groin, forming a perfect Adonis belt, and between that, his cock, which is already standing to attention. Hell, doesn¡¯t this guy believe in downtime?


    He smirks, and my cheeks heat.


    He walks in the direction of the back of the lodge then returns with our clothes in his arms. ¡°Here.¡± He hands mine over to me.


    ¡°You ran them in the wash?¡± I blink rapidly.


    ¡°Figured we¡¯d need our clothes this morning, so¡­¡± His tone is casual.


    ¡°So, you woke up in the middle of the night and ran the washing machine so we could have clean clothes in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Your point being?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I tap my cheek, ¡°so you don¡¯t think of doingundry as a woman¡¯s job or something suitably chauvinistic?¡±


    His eyes gleam. ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± he drawls.


    My scowl deepens, and his lips kick up.


    ¡°Take it easy, Flower, I was just kidding you. I admit, I have a housekeeper whoes in daily to do myundry and take care of my ce, but yeah, in a pinch, I can run a washing machine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do us any favors.¡± I raise my gaze skywards.


    He chuckles, and hot damn, the sound is so masculine, so growly that it tugs at my nerve endings.


    He pulls on his clothes, and yes, I want to watch those muscles flex and bend. Instead, I get dressed. Under the sheet it¡¯s challenging, but I manage. I toss aside the sheet and turn to find him smirking.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He holds up his hands. ¡°Can¡¯t I look at you without getting called out for it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d never do anything as innocent as just ¡®looking.''¡± I toss my hair over my shoulder. ¡°More like, you¡¯re already nning on how to get me out of these clothes.¡±


    He looks me up and down. ¡°I could always ask you to undress,¡± he drawls.


    ¡°And I could always refuse.¡±


    His grin widens. Damn him, he knows that if he orders me to take off my clothes, I¡¯ll have a hard time refusing. His gaze intensifies, and my pulse rate kicks up. The space between us seems to thicken with unspoken emotions. My belly flip-flops. Heat flushes my skin, and suddenly I feel like I have too many clothes on. Damn it, another minute or so and I¡¯d probably strip without his asking. I tear my gaze away from him, then walk over to the window and nce out at thepletely white world. The snow is stilling down in thick tufts, and visibility is less than a meter.


    It¡¯s so silent, so calm.


    The heat of his body curls over my back, and I stiffen.


    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± His voice sounds from somewhere above me. ¡°We could be the only two people left in this world.¡±


    ¡°Except, we¡¯re not. We¡¯d best try to contact your family; they must be worried about us.¡±


    ¡°I spoke to them earlier today.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± I nce at him over my shoulder.


    ¡°I woke up earlier, but you were out of it. So, I let you sleep. Checked on the status of our phones.¡± He nods to where the devices areid out in front of the fire. ¡°Luckily, mine is waterresistant, and it had enough charge left that I could speak to Michael.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡±


    ¡°We are in the middle of a snowstorm, apparently. They haven¡¯t had so much snow in so little time in thest hundred years.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the weather guys do best: exaggerate.¡± I sniff. ¡°So, the next thing you¡¯re going to tell me is that we are cut off, no one cane to get us, and we can¡¯t leave because the way to get to them is treacherous?¡±


    He blinks and looks surprised. ¡°How did you guess?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve watched enough Christmas holiday movies to know that¡¯s the most likely scenario here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what Michael told me. He also said that we should stay put here until they can send help,¡± he adds.


    ¡°Which would be when? Tomorrow? The day after?¡±


    ¡°As soon as the weather clears.¡±


    ¡°Which would be?¡±


    ¡°Your guess is as good as mine.¡± He scowls. ¡°I don¡¯t have a crystal ball and no ess to news or the weather.¡±


    ¡°A likely story.¡± I huff. ¡°This must be a ploy for you to keep us here. In fact,¡± I prop my hand on my hip, ¡°I¡¯ll bet it was you who put Nonna up to this stupid treasure hunt.¡±


    ¡°Scavenger hunt.¡±


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I snap, ¡°and it must have been you who decided to team us up together.¡±


    ¡°That was fate,¡± his jaw hardens, ¡°and believe me, it¡¯s not like I was happy about it either.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°After the way you crept into my room two nights ago, you expect me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Trust me, thest thing I want is to be trapped with you in an enclosed space with no means of escaping.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what marriage is like, so get used to it.¡±


    He frowns. ¡°Thought that was supposed to be my dialogue, and what do you have against marriage, anyway?¡±


    ¡°You mean, what do I have against being a ve to a man who¡¯ll spend his day doing Mafia business ande home with blood-sttered clothes and expect me to clean them?¡±


    ¡°The only thing I¡¯d expect you to clean is the cum off my dick.¡±


    My belly clenches, and my core quivers. That was filthy, like really filthy, so why am I so turned on?


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to stand here and be insulted by you, then you thought wrong.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s insulting and what¡¯s wrong with being upfront with my expectations for our rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Fake rtionship,¡± I correct him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t seem that fake when you were begging me to let youe.¡±


    ¡°Aargh!¡± I bunch my fists at my side. ¡°Typical male chauvinistic behavior. But then, I¡¯d expect no less from you.¡±


    ¡°What, because what I said is the truth of ourst interaction?¡±


    ¡°You drive me crazy, you know that?¡± I scowl at him. ¡°First, you propose this crazy fake rtionship thing because of some cock-and-bull story of how you want to fool your family into believing that you¡¯re marrying me, only so you can separate from meter and get on with your phndering ways and now, you actually seem to believe that we¡¯re in a real rtionship.¡± My breathes out in little puffs. Blood thuds at my temples, my cheeks heat, and honestly, I feel so mad that I¡¯m sure if I stay here a second longer, I¡¯m going to p him or throw myself at him and beg him to impale me with his monster cock and put me out of my misery. Or both. Preferably.


    ¡°Sod this.¡± I race for the door.

 160

    Christian


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I growl, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± A-n-d I have begun to sound like a stuck record where this woman is concerned. Why the hell does she always make me so mad that I want to throw her over myp and spank her ass, right before I pull her up and kiss the sass out of her?


    ¡°Don¡¯t open the-¡±


    She flings open the door, and a gust of wind blows in along with snow. The cold instantly crashes over me. The breath leaves me in a huff, and before I can take a step forward, she¡¯s gone. The door ms shut, cutting off the wind. In the silence that follows, I race for the door and fling it open. Once more, the cold ps me in the face. The wind buffets me as I step out. My hold on the door slips and it bangs shut as I race forward. I see her figure stumbling through the snow, which alreadyes up to my knees, and I am six-feet-three-inches which means for Flower, it¡¯s at least thigh-high. She was wearing her boots, wasn¡¯t she? Which is more than I can say for myself.


    ¡°Minchia!¡± I growl as the dampness and the cold prate through my skin to my bone. I swear my blood freezes. My temper rises. Anger thrums at my temples. ¡°Fuck this shit,¡± I roar. ¡°When I get my hands on you, Flower, I¡¯m going to-¡± A gust of wind hits me in the face with such force that I stumble back. Porca miseria! I¡¯m going to kill this woman, after I finally fuck her.


    I lunge forward through the snow, my feet already so numb that I can¡¯t feel them. Good, it makes it that much easier to ignore them. I push through the piles of snowkes, closing the distance between us. Not for the first time, my height works in my favor as she struggles to move through the snow, only to fall over. I double my speed, and reaching her, haul her up, then throw her up over my shoulder.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she yells. ¡°Let me the fuck-¡± The wind buffets me again, the snowing down so hard and fast that it seems like we¡¯re in a snow globe. I can¡¯t see my hand in front of my face. At least, I turned in the direction of the house, so I assume if I keep walking forward, I should reach it.


    I take a step forward when she ms her fists into my back. The pain only slices down my back and settles in my groin. My dick twitches. If nothing else, the cirction to that part of my body is working fine. She pulls back her knee, and I have no doubt that she¡¯s going to sink her foot into my groin. I wrap my other arm around her thighs, holding her so close that she is unable to move.


    ¡°Let me the fuck go, you asshole, you-¡±


    I throw her down in the snow.


    Sheys there, the snow falling over her and covering her almostpletely in seconds. I fling myself on her, nking at thest second to avoid crushing her under my weight.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you know that? You stupid, idiotic-¡±


    I close my mouth over hers, drawing in her essence, sucking on her tongue as the snow covers both of us. I tear my mouth from hers, and she stares up at me. White kes stick to her hair, to the tips of her eyshes, to her cheeks.


    Her pupils are blown, her lips parted. I stare down at her mouth as her shoulders shudder.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°you always make me so mad that I lose my mind and forget where I am.¡±


    I spring up to my feet and hold out my hand. She must be really cold, for she grabs my hand. I haul her up, then sweep her up in my arms, bridal style, and push through the snow. By the time I make it to the doorway, every part of me is drenched. I can¡¯t feel my feet or my hands, or for that matter, my nose. I shoulder my way through the door and step through, letting it m shut behind me. I head through the living room, into the bedroom, and straight to the en-suite.


    I ce her down next to the tub and turn on the water. Hot water instantly gushes out.


    ¡°Th-this ¡­ p-ce has hot w-water?¡± she says through chattering teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s owned by the Sovranos. Of course, it has hot water.¡±


    I pull my shirt over my head and toss it aside. I¡¯m reaching for my pants when she squeaks, ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Getting naked so I can get in the tub. Suggest you do the same, Flower.¡± I shuck off my pants and my boxers and slide a foot inside the hot tub. My toes protest as the sensationse rushing back. ¡°Minchia,¡± I swear as I shift my weight to that foot, pull my other leg over, and slide down into the fast-filling tub. The warmth instantly infuses my limbs. The pins and needles feeling in my arms and legs is a testament to just how much the cold has already affected me.


    I turn to find her watching me warily, shivering, her clothes dripping water onto the floor.


    ¡°Get in,¡± I order.


    She hesitates.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll keep my hands off of you.¡±


    She tosses her head. ¡°Th-that¡¯ll be the day.¡± She reaches for her sweatshirt, pulls it off, then toes off her shoes, and pushes down her pants and socks. She straightens, d in her bra and panties. I rake my gaze over the tops of her creamy tits, her curvy stomach, those thick, gorgeous thighs that I want wrapped around my face as she rides my mouth.


    The blood drains to my groin, and I bet if I look down, I¡¯ll find my cock indulging in a little periscope action. I widen my legs, then jerk my chin in her direction. ¡°Take that off,¡± Imand.


    She scowls, seems like she is about to protest, and I click my tongue. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be wearing snow-soaked undergarments. You¡¯ll never getpletely warm that way.¡±


    She blows out a breath, then reaches behind her to unhook her bra. She pulls it off, then shoves her panties down her legs. Goose bumps cover her skin. She props her hand on her hip, thrusts her breasts out as I take in the pebbled nipples, the curve of her waist, the strip of hair that draws attention to her pussy lips. The pulse res to life at my temples, at my wrists, even in my fucking balls. My groin hardens. I can¡¯t take my gaze off of that beautiful cunt of hers.


    She walks toward me, hips swaying, tits jiggling. When she reaches the tub, she swings one leg over, then the other. For a second, I nce up at her lush figure as she stands over me. Then, the woman slowly squats, so her pussy is positioned directly over my aching, throbbing cock.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± I growl as I grab her hips, ¡°what the hell are you ying at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m c-cold, so are you. I th-thought this would be the b-best way to warm ourselves up.¡± Another shudder runs down her spine, punctuating her sentence.


    ¡°Once you start this, there¡¯s no going back, Flower.¡±


    She peers into my face. ¡°M-maybe I don¡¯t w-want to go back. M-maybe I¡¯m t-tired of fighting.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Fuck me, can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to say this, but¡­ ¡°Maybe that dip in the pond, followed by your running out into the snow, has given you brain freeze?¡± I mutter. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re not thinking straight.¡±


    ¡°And here I thought y-you¡¯d take any chance to f-fuck me.¡± She lowers herself further until her wet core chafes my very willing cock.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I bite out, fighting the urge to thrust my pelvis up, wanting, needing to bury myself in that hot, tight hole of hers.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± her breath hitches, ¡°th-that¡¯s what I want you to do to m-me.¡±


    ¡°You sure, Aurora?¡± Why the hell am I giving her a chance to back out when just a few days ago, I¡¯d have thrown her down and rutted into her the first chance I got?


    She holds my gaze for an eternity, for a second. Then she bares her teeth and pushes down onto my throbbing length.

 161

    Aurora


    I push down on his dick, and the thick head of his cock breaches me. His grip on my hips tightens, holding me in ce, so I¡¯m unable to move. I stay poised with my slick opening enveloping the crown of his length.


    A nerve throbs at his temple, and his gaze bores into me. The silence stretches, broken only by the sound of the water flowing into the tub. Then, just as I¡¯m sure that he is going to push me away, he thrusts up, and in one smooth move, breaches me.


    I throw my head back, bite down on my lower lip as the hard column of his arousal impales me. Pain pinches me deep inside, and my thighs quake. A moan bleeds from my lips, and I grip his arms and hold on. A beat, another.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± he swears. ¡°Are you? It¡¯s not possible¡­ Tell me it¡¯s not true, Flower.¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°D-don¡¯t stop,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t you d-dare stop now.¡±


    He raises me up until, once more, I¡¯m poised with my pussy mped around the head of his cock. Then he lowers me slowly, centimeter by centimeter, so slowly that I can feel every ridge of his thick, hard cock.


    The pain recedes and is reced by a trembling that sparks off in my lower belly. I dig my fingertips into the muscles of his forearm, then lower my chin to my chest. I keep my eyes closed for two reasons. One, because I don¡¯t want to see the inevitable question on his face and two, because all of my senses are focused on that part of him which is inside of me. His shaft swells and fills me and stretches me in a way that I have never been before.


    ¡°Flower,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you okay?¡±


    Without opening my eyes, I squeeze down on his length, and a groan rips from me.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± he growls. ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡±


    I crack open my eyelids and take in the color that sears his cheeks. His eyes are half-closed, his lips parted. His nostrils re as his gaze meets mine. ¡°Just because you surprised me, don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to go easy on you.¡±


    ¡°I would be disappointed if you did,¡± I retort. And I mean it. The part of me that has stopped fighting wees his possession, the force of his dominance that crashes into my chest and leaves me panting.


    I bare my teeth, and he surges up. He flips me over so that I¡¯m on my back in the tub.


    He grips my legs, raises them, and hooks my knees over his shoulders.


    ¡°If you think you can control the first time I fuck you, you are sadly mistaken.¡±


    Of course, I don¡¯t. It¡¯s why I¡¯m surprised that he has allowed me to take the lead for as long as he has. He¡¯s too macho, too dominant, too everything to not direct the proceedings.


    He reaches between us, slots his cock into my slit, then with one thrust, he plunges home. Too much. Too full. If I thought that having him inside me earlier prepared me for his intrusion, then I¡¯m sadly mistaken. He¡¯s so goddam big I swear I can feel him all the way in my throat.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I groan, ¡°omigod, Chris.¡±


    He pulls out of me, then breaches me again, once more hitting that part deep inside of me that I didn¡¯t know existed. I surge up, wind my arms around his neck, and push my swollen nipples into that hard chest as I strain against him.


    He pulls out again, then angles his hips so when he impales me next, the ridge of his cock hits my swollen clit. Pleasure vibrates out from the contact. Goose bumps pop on my skin. He slides one hand between us and pinches my clit, and I explode.


    The shivers run up my legs, up my thighs, swirl around my belly as he continues to fuck me. He rams his cock into me again and again. Each hit sends a fresh burst of sensations up my spine. My eyes roll back in my head. I dig my heels into his back and bury my teeth in my lower lip as I begin to ride the waves of pleasure that surge up my body. A sh of light crashes behind my eyes, and spots of ck flicker at the edges of my eyesight.


    He continues to plunge into me over and over again. His muscles bunch, his shoulders go solid. He pulls out and thenes, shooting thick ropes of cum across my chest.


    My limbs tremble, and I float for a few seconds. When I open my eyes, he¡¯s looking at me. His eyebrows are furrowed, his blue gaze burning like he¡¯s trying to figure out the answer to something.


    ¡°What?¡± I frown. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You know what.¡± He res at me. ¡°When were you nning on telling me?¡±


    ¡°Never?¡± I hunch my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, okay?¡±


    ¡°I took your virginity, and it¡¯s not a big deal?¡±


    ¡°Surely, you¡¯re not going to go all caveman about some stupid piece of skin, are you?¡±


    His jaw tics. ¡°What game are you ying with me, Aurora? First, you resist me. Then you change your mind and decide to jump me, only for me to find out that you are a virgin?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, it really isn¡¯t a big deal, and secondly, you took off your clothes and told me to take off my clothes and join you in the tub, so of course, I assumed the worst. I thought that if I-¡±


    ¡°Took the lead; you could steer the proceedings?¡± he says in a hard voice.


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult for you to give up control, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± I throw up my hands, ¡°finally, he gets it.¡±


    He folds his arms across his chest, and his massive biceps bulge. ¡°Get up,¡± he says in a hard voice.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°Why should I? I¡¯m just getting warmed up.¡±


    ¡°From now on, for as long as we are in this house, you will do as I say.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I fold my arms around my waist. ¡°Why should I do that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m going to show you just how good it is when you give up your need to be in charge all the time.¡±


    ¡°Says the man who can¡¯t let go of his dominance for even one second.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡±


    ¡°Why? How is it different?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a man; it¡¯s my job to be dominant. You¡¯re a woman, ergo,¡± the asshole raises his shoulder, ¡°of course, you derive more pleasure by being submissive. In fact, the more you are able to let go of control and allow me to take care of your needs, the more pleasure you¡¯ll derive from it.¡±


    I gape at him. ¡°What the-¡± I shake my head. ¡°I can¡¯t even¡­¡± I try to form the words, but my brain seems to have trouble piecing my thoughts together. ¡°Do you hear yourself?¡± I finally sputter. ¡°I mean, how can you say what you did with a straight face?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°What, did I say something wrong?¡± He seems puzzled.


    No, seriously, the bastard actually does believe every single word of what he just said.


    I ssh some water onto myself to clear his cum off my chest. Then I jump up, not caring that I¡¯m naked, and step out of the bathtub. I head for where the towels are folded on a shelf. I pull out one, then begin to dry myself. My core twinges, but I ignore it.


    What was I thinking, giving this man my virginity? I mean, sure, it probably had to happen sooner orter. For all that he says this is a fake rtionship, I knew that sooner orter, I was going to sleep with him. I just wish I weren¡¯t such a cliche. Twenty-six and still a virgin, ha! At least I won¡¯t have to suffer through the embarrassment of that again. And to be fair, I enjoyed it. But that ¡­ is thest time I¡¯m sleeping with him willingly. At least, I climaxed, and it was a mighty fine orgasm, so¡­ There, I did get something out of it. Better to quit while I¡¯m ahead then. I wrap the towel around myself, tucking it under my arms.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± His voicees from just behind and above me.


    I start. ¡°What do you think?¡± I scowl. ¡°Going in search of some clothes.¡±


    ¡°This conversation is not over, Flower,¡± he calls out behind me as I stalk out of the bathroom.


    I walk into the bedroom and take in the simple but luxurious furnishings of the space. The bed is king-size, the sheets and pillows snowy white. So is the cover. The headboard is made out of wood and carved with intricate designs, between which are set two iron rings, one on either side. Speaking of, there¡¯s also a ring on a chain that dangles from the ceiling. The kind a gymnast would use to work out with, except there¡¯s only one of them. Is that for¡­ It can¡¯t be, can it?


    I hear his footsteps and scowl at him over my shoulder. ¡°Is this really a lodge, or is it some kind of getaway you use for your kinky sex stuff?¡±


    ¡°It is a lodge.¡± He smirks. ¡°It¡¯s also used for kinky sex stuff.¡±


    ¡°I assume Nonna doesn¡¯te here then?¡±


    ¡°My brothers use it on the asion that they need a getaway ce.¡±


    ¡°Are all of you Sovrano brothers into fetishes?¡±


    ¡°Some more than others.¡± He looks me up and down. That¡¯s when I realize I¡¯m still practically naked. Jeez, am I already sofortable in his presence that I don¡¯t care I¡¯m parading around him in the nude?


    ¡°Turn around.¡± I snap.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen everything there is to see. He folds his arms as if ready to watch me change.


    I scowl, and he raises an eyebrow. No doubt, he expects me to turn tail and return to the bathroom to change. And I¡¯m not going to give him the satisfaction of thinking that he¡¯s unnerved me again. I turn away, then drop my towel to the floor.


    I hear him exhale behind me. Good. I can¡¯t stop my lips from curving as I head for the closet and pull it open. There are no clothes¡­ Nothing, except two bathrobes hanging from the rod. I choose the smaller of them and shrug into it. Tying it around me securely, I yank out the other one from the closet and toss it at him.


    He snatches it from the air. ¡°Not able to see me naked without wanting to throw yourself at me, I take it?¡± He smirks.


    I resist the urge to roll my eyes. ¡°I only gave it to you in case you felt cold. If you¡¯d rather parade around naked-¡± I drag my gaze down his sculpted pecs, to where his monster cock hangs between his legs. He¡¯s not fully erect, but hell, if that length of his doesn¡¯t seem w-a-a-y too big for it to fit into where he put it earlier. My pussy spasms in recollection. Moistureces my core. As if he¡¯s aware of what I¡¯m thinking, his shaft begins to thicken.


    ¡°As I said,¡± he drawls, ¡°if you¡¯d rather I stay without clothes, you only have to say the word, Flower.¡± His grin widens. ¡°So, what¡¯s it going to be?¡±

 162

    Aurora


    I flip my hair over my shoulder, ¡°You can do whatever you want; I don¡¯t care.¡± I flounce past him, and he grabs my wrist and tugs. I fall against him and the contact of skin on skin makes my breath hitch.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t given you permission to leave.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave until I let you.¡±


    ¡°Says who?¡±


    ¡°Says your future husband.¡±


    ¡°No ring, remember?¡± I raise my left hand.


    Truth be told, I can¡¯t believe that I actually threw away that ring. And I actually liked it¡­ No, I loved it. It was beautiful. And surely, he had chosen the color of the stone because it reminded him of my eyes. Not that he had mentioned it to me, but it had to be that, right? And I had flung it away. It had to be expensive, as well¡­


    But more than that, it had meant something to me. The fact that he had remembered to get me a ring. So what, if it was because his grandmother had pointed out that without a ring, he couldn¡¯t call me his fiancee? Still, it had been my ring. And I had discarded it.


    I try to pull away, and this time, he releases me. I march past him and toward the door. I am about to step out when he calls out, ¡°Just remember, we are only getting started.¡±


    I resist the urge to show him my finger. And I don¡¯t mean the one missing a ring. Instead, I walk out the door and to the kitchen. I open the door to the pantry and stare at the range of packaged food stocked inside. Dried pasta, cans of tinned fruit and vegetables, pancake mixes-not verymon in Italy, so it must be imported from the UK?-pasta sauces, hell, there is even bread flour and a cookie dough mix. Huh. Apparently, the Sovranos believe in slumming in style.


    I pull open the door of the refrigerator, and this time I¡¯m not surprised to find the bottles of beers and wines. Also, eggs, juices, and a Christmas Pudding wrapped up in festive paper and stored on the bottom shelf. All theforts of home and more.


    When I open the freezer, I find packets of frozen vegetables, meats, and fish.


    I pull out what I need, then turn and crash into a hard chest. The scent of darkness-dark coffee mixed with brandy-teases my nostrils. I try to step around him, but he moves to block my way.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°You going to cook for us?¡±


    ¡°Unless you¡¯d prefer to do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m good at numbers, but cooking¡­ It¡¯s best I leave that one to you.¡± He smirks. ¡°Also, I loaded the washing machine with our clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good.¡± I try to brush past him, but he doesn¡¯t move. ¡°Now what?¡± I frown. ¡°I¡¯m hungry, and if we are going to be stuck here, I¡¯d prefer to get the cooking underway so we can eat before I starve.¡±


    He steps aside, and I walk over to the kitchen counter. I ce all of the items I¡¯d pulled out and busy myself. ¡°I hope you like omelets,¡± I call out.


    ¡°I love omelets,¡± he says from behind and above me. Again.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I squeal, ¡°Jesus, can you stop creeping up on me like that?¡±


    ¡°Somehow, when I¡¯m with you, I can¡¯t stop myself from following you around,¡± he mutters with a strange expression on his face.


    O-k-a-y. Did he just say that? What did he mean by that. Before I can ask, he steps back. ¡°Why don¡¯t I set the table?¡± He walks around to the cab, pulls out the tes, and ces two of them next to me. He retrieves cutlery and napkins, then returns to the ind.


    I find bread in the bread-box and cartons of milk on the shelves next to the stove. ¡°Wow,¡± I marvel, ¡°this ce is fully stocked.¡± I turn on him. ¡°Did you n all this?¡±


    ¡°n what?¡± he asks.


    ¡°This,¡± I wave my hand in the air, ¡°me falling into the pond, then us stumbling across this lodge by-¡± I make air quotes, ¡°¡®ident¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Would I do that?¡± He widens his gaze.


    ¡°Ha!¡± I scoff. ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that question.¡±


    ¡°You wound me, Flower.¡± He thumps his chest. ¡°But to put your mind at ease, no I didn¡¯t n any of this. I assume Nonna told the housekeeping team to keep the ce ready for guests, as a precaution.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± I tten my lips, ¡°not sure I believe you.¡± I turn back to the omelets, and by the time I have ted them out, along with the toast that I remembered to pop in earlier, he¡¯s already seated. I ce his te in front of him and take my seat at the right of him.


    Both of us dig in and start eating. By the time I¡¯m halfway through my food, I¡¯m already full. Which is normal for me. I think I¡¯m hungry, but when I start eating, I find I¡¯m not able to finish everything on my te. I nce up to find he¡¯s polished off everything. I keep my fork and knife aside while I push my te toward him. ¡°Here, have it.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± He frowns. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat much.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat too much at one sitting,¡± I exin, ¡°but I¡¯ll nibble at something in a few hours.¡±


    ¡°So, you literally eat like a rabbit?¡± Heughs.


    ¡°Hopefully, my diet¡¯s more varied than a rabbit¡¯s.¡± I sniff. ¡°Go on,¡± I nod toward my te, ¡°it¡¯s all yours.¡±


    He digs in and seems to inhale everything on my te, then sits back with a sigh. ¡°That was delicious.¡±


    ¡°You sound surprised.¡±


    ¡°Thought you doctors were too busy studying and interning to learn how to cook.¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°I did study a lot to qualify. Also, because I was away from home, I began to miss home-cooked food. Apparently, as much as I wanted to be away, the food was one thing I couldn¡¯t turn my back on.¡±


    ¡°So, you learned to cook?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also a great stress buster.¡± I y with my napkin, then crumple it. ¡°When things got too hectic and I felt overwhelmed with the magnitude of what I had set out to do, I turned to cooking.¡± I nce at him. ¡°And you? What do you do for relieving stress?¡±


    ¡°You mean when I¡¯m not killing people?¡±


    I stare at him.


    ¡°Just kidding.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I haven¡¯t been involved with the enforcing side of the Mafia world for a long time. My specialty is interpreting thew; I am the Consigliere for the ns.¡±


    ¡°But you have been involved with ¡­ killing people, in the past?¡±


    He straightens his spine. ¡°If you are asking me if I have killed men, then the answer is yes.¡±


    I nce away. What did I expect him to say? That he hadn¡¯t been involved with taking lives? How naive can I be?


    ¡°I am part of the Mafia, Flower,¡± he says in a soft voice as if he¡¯s read my mind. ¡°It¡¯s part of what I am, to take lives if needed.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s part of who I am to save lives.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°Guess the two of us really are on opposite sides of the spectrum.¡± I rise to my feet, then reach over to collect his te, but he stops me.


    ¡°There¡¯s one ce where we do meet.¡±


    ¡°You mean the sex?¡±


    ¡°I mean in bed. Where we can forget that wee from two very different positions in life. Where you don¡¯t have to bring the weight of your expectations, of the path you have set yourself. Where you don¡¯t need to do anything but give yourself up to me.¡±


    ¡°You mean to submit to you, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What you don¡¯t realize is that the person who submits holds the power.¡±


    I snort. ¡°A likely story.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Heces his fingers with mine, and the gesture is so gentle, so intimate that my breath catches. I peer into his face, and one side of his lips quirks. ¡°Think about it,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you give up control, you put your trust in me, and that is a big responsibility. I¡¯m in charge of making you feel good, for pushing you so that you redefine your boundaries. The ability to cause you pain or pleasure wouldy in my hands, and that¡¯s a task that I wouldn¡¯t take lightly.¡± He rubs his thumb in small, slow circles over my wrist, and a shiver runs up my spine. ¡°Imagine that, for the time that you have handed over control to me, you don¡¯t have to make decisions or choices; everything would be decided for you. You¡¯d only have to do as you¡¯re told.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like very.¡±


    ¡°Or like freedom.¡±


    ¡°Freedom?¡± I scoff, ¡°You¡¯re delirious.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have to think about the pros and cons or worry about the consequences of your actions or stress about whether you made the right choice or not. All that worry would be mine.¡±


    ¡°So, what does that leave me with?¡± I swallow.


    ¡°The right to enjoy yourself, to focus on yourself, your pleasure, your needs.¡± He leans in close enough for his eyshes to brush mine. ¡°Your wants. Everything you¡¯ve always dreamed of. Your deepest desires. Your filthiest, dirtiest dreams. Everything you¡¯ve wanted to try but were too afraid to ask for, and maybe things that you didn¡¯t even know you would enjoy¡­ I would be able to fulfill those experiences for you.¡±

 163

    Christian


    Her breathing grows ragged, and color smears her cheeks. Her pupils dte, and I know then that she¡¯s thinking of the kind of pleasure that I could bring to her. How I could y her body, wring out everyst drop of desire from her; how I would arouse her, make her aware of her own needs, then satisfy her.


    She licks her lips, and my gaze drops to her mouth. A moan wheezes from her lips, and my cock thickens. ¡°When youe to me, and you wille to me, I promise, I will be waiting for you. Everything you desire is right there in front of your eyes. All you have to do is reach out and take it.¡±


    I release her, and she stays in the same position for a second longer. Then, suddenly realizing that she is free, she grabs my te and straightens. She pivots on her heel and heads to the sink, and I follow her.


    ¡°Leave it,¡± Imand, and she squeaks.


    ¡°God, you have to stop scaring me like this.¡±


    ¡°Your mind is involved somewhere else. I understand that.¡±


    ¡°You understand nothing.¡± She moves to the side. I approach the sink, run the water, and begin to rinse off the tes.


    ¡°What don¡¯t I understand, Flower?¡± I murmur, ¡°Enlighten me.¡±


    ¡°Everything.¡± She grabs a dishcloth and wrings it between her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy for me to give up control.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever tried it before?¡± I ask as I pour out the dishwashing liquid. Thankfully, this ce really is fully equipped with everything needed for a short stay. It¡¯s something I¡¯ll need to thank Nonna for.


    She ensures everything is in working condition, not just during this getaway, but even during family gatherings which she had been at the forefront of organizing before Karma came along. She¡¯s always tried to keep the family together, even if it meant that, at times, she was heavy-handed about it. I suppose with a man as ruthless as the previous Don for her son, a daughter-inw unable to stand up for herself, and with seven troublesome grandsons, it was the only way to get everyone to fall in line.


    ¡°Tried what?¡± Aurora epts the te from me and begins to wipe it.


    ¡°Giving up your sense of order and need to always have to steer everything your way.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she admits with some reluctance, ¡°I couldn¡¯t have gotten to where I am if I had done that.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯d have had more fun if you had.¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is all about, fun?¡± She ces the dried te down and reaches to take the next one from me.


    ¡°Life is about living in the moment. And that means enjoying yourself when the opportunity presents itself.¡±


    ¡°Is that your personal motto?¡± she scoffs.


    ¡°It¡¯s my experience.¡± I wash the fork, hand it to her, but when she takes it from me, I don¡¯t release it. ¡°Life¡¯s short, Flower. It¡¯s all well and good to n for the long-term, but what if you don¡¯t get to see it? What if something unexpected happens, and you aren¡¯t able to see the dawn tomorrow? Wouldn¡¯t you have regrets about everything that you didn¡¯t experience?¡±


    She holds my gaze, her own troubled. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, Christian. No one sees death more closely than me. But that¡¯s not an excuse to relinquish rules and live a life of excesses.¡±


    ¡°But you could do so for a short period of time, knowing the time was going to end, couldn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± She tugs at the cutlery, and I hand it to her. She wipes it with the dishcloth, surveys it, then carefully rubs the tines again. Her every movement is restrained. She doesn¡¯t stop until she is satisfied with it. She ces the fork down, then turns to find me staring at her. ¡°What?¡± She frowns.


    ¡°We are stuck here until the storm lets up. No one cane here; we can¡¯t leave. We may as well as use the time wisely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good excuse for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± She throws up her hands. ¡°Just because we have nothing else to do, let¡¯s have sex.¡±


    I hand the knife I¡¯ve just washed, handle first, to her. ¡°It¡¯s as good a reason as any-¡± She epts the knife, opens her mouth to protest, and I raise my hand. ¡°And it¡¯s not just any sex. I¡¯m talking about sweaty, down and dirty, filthy, kinky sex. The kind that will leave an imprint in between your legs sex. The kind that will ensure that you can¡¯t walk straight for days sex.¡±


    She draws in a breath. Her hand trembles, and the knife slips from her fingers. I swoop down and catch it by the handle again, then straighten and ce it on the counter. ¡°So, what do you say, Flower? Do we have a deal?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She flings down the towel, then marches past me.


    Iugh. ¡°I¡¯ll wear you down yet, Flower. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Keep trying.¡± She raises her middle finger above her shoulder as she heads out of the kitchen.


    I chuckle as I wash and dry the rest of the dishes, then put them away. After wiping down the counter, I head out of the kitchen to find her curled up with a book in front of the fire.


    ¡°What are you reading?¡± I murmur as I sink down on the settee next to her.


    ¡°None of your business,¡± she retorts, then blows out a breath. ¡°I found it on the bookshelf.¡± She nods toward the array of books on the opposite corner of the living room.


    She holds out the book, and I read the title on the cover.


    ¡°Murder for Christmas by Agatha Christie.¡± I whistle. ¡°That¡¯s a rather bloody book for Christmas, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Somehow, murder and Christmas seem to go together.¡± She tosses her hair over her shoulder. ¡°Must be the fact that you are shut in an overly warm house with family you don¡¯t normally see during the rest of the year. The setting is ripe for old resentments to boil to the surface. Sounds to me like the perfect recipe formitting murder.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see you as such a bloodthirsty person, Flower.¡± I survey her features.


    ¡°Reading is one of the ways I rx, and I find there¡¯s nothing like a good murder-mystery to act as a stress buster.¡±


    ¡°I can think of other ways of relieving stress.¡± I waggle my eyebrows.


    She frowns. ¡°Can¡¯t you go for five minutes without thinking with your dick.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you go for five minutes without talking about my dick?¡±


    She makes a sound at the back of her throat that goes straight to my groin. My cock twitches, and damn, if I don¡¯t want to throw her down, part her legs, and show her just how quickly I can relieve her stress.


    She must have an inkling of what I¡¯m thinking, for her cheeks redden. She throws the book in my direction, and I snatch it out of the air. She jumps to her feet and begins to pace. ¡°This is useless. How long are we going to be stuck here? Isn¡¯t there any way of reaching the rest of them and asking them to speed up the rescue?¡±


    I nce to the windows outside and notice the snow climbs halfway up the panes. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like anyone is going anywhere anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Bet you are happy about that.¡± She drags her fingers through her hair. ¡°I still think you nned all of this.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m a powerful Mafia guy, but controlling the weather is beyond even my capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Thank god!¡± She throws up her hands. ¡°At least, you admit that there is something that you can¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Now, if we were talking about what I can do with my fingers,¡± I hold them up, ¡°or my tongue,¡± I stick my tongue out and wiggle it suggestively, ¡°that would be a different story.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She squeezes her thighs together. It¡¯s a subtle gesture, but I¡¯m watching her so carefully that I catch it.


    I draw in a breath, and I swear, I can detect her arousal. I toss the book onto the seat next to me and rise to my feet.


    She pauses and watches me warily as I prowl over to her.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to rx a little?¡± I drawl, ¡°Look on this as a paid holiday.¡±


    ¡°Not sure I can do that with the specter of our uing nuptials,¡± she retorts.


    ¡°Forget about that. Forget about the fact that you¡¯re a doctor, that I¡¯m a Mafia guy you love to hate. Forget about everything except that we are here, unable to go anywhere, and that we¡¯re attracted to each other.¡±


    She swallows, then holds up her hand. ¡°No more corny dialogue from you now, please.¡±


    ¡°How about I show you, instead?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She scowls. ¡°Please don¡¯t ask me to stop thinking and start feeling or something stupid like that.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Trust me, I¡¯m as good with my words as I am with other parts of my anatomy.¡±


    She folds her arms around her waist. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work.¡±


    ¡°At least, give it a chance.¡± I bend my knees and peer into her eyes. ¡°Can you do that for me?¡±

 164

    Aurora


    Don¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t do it. I peer into his eyes. Take in the sparks in the depths of that blue gaze. Something hot stabs at my chest. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m tired of fighting him, or the fact that he had rescued me from the pond finally sinks in, or maybe¡­ All this talk about his cock and sex and about giving up control finally gets to me. Either way, I can¡¯t stop myself from whispering, ¡°Okay.¡±


    His gaze widens, then he nods. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯re going to say, good?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the start, baby.¡±


    The use of that endearment makes my pussy throb. Shit, what the hell is wrong with me? How could I have given in to him so easily? Now he¡¯s going to think that he can take me for granted, that he can ask me to do anything, and I¡¯ll obey.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he says in a sharp voice. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking, don¡¯t go there.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what¡¯s on my mind.¡±


    He chuckles. ¡°Oh, I have a good idea. It¡¯s written all over your face that you are going to freak out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to freak out.¡± I swallow. ¡°I might hyperventte a little¡­¡± I try to smile but my chin wobbles, ¡°¡­but that¡¯s par for the course.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about anything from now on.¡±


    That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.


    ¡°All you have to do is trust me, Flower.¡± He peers into my eyes. ¡°Can you do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I swallow. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I reply honestly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything that you don¡¯t want me to do.¡± He frowns. ¡°Unless, of course, I think it¡¯s good for you.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°How can you say that?¡± I throw up my hands, then p his chest when he chuckles.


    ¡°You think this is a joke? All of this-you proposing this stupid arrangement which, by the way, I could have told you for free that it wouldn¡¯t work, and now suggesting we y this stupid BDSM game.¡±


    ¡°Not a game,¡± he presses his palm over mine and holds it to his chest, ¡°and BDSM is not stupid. It¡¯s one way of learning to test your limits and find out what you enjoy, find out just what reserves you hold inside of yourself. Find out¡± he leans in close enough for our breaths to tangle, ¡°just how many ways I can make youe.¡±


    My belly trembles. My core clenches. Moisture trickles down my thigh. I dig my heels into the ground, so I don¡¯t do something stupid ¡­ like close the remaining distance between us and throw myself at him and beg him to do with me as he wants. Gosh, why is this so difficult? Why can¡¯t I simply let go as he¡¯s asking me to? Why am I fighting myself so much?


    ¡°Shh,¡± he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, ¡°don¡¯t be so hard on yourself, Flower.¡±


    ¡°And you?¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too hard on yourself because of Xander¡¯s death?¡±


    Shut up! Why did you say that? Why is it that, the moment he tries to show that there¡¯s more to him than the asshole Mafia guy persona that he likes to portray, you have to try to shut him down?


    His jaw tightens. His gaze intensifies for a few seconds, then he wipes all expression from his features.


    ¡°You want to y dirty, is that it?¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°You want me to be mean to you? You prefer it when I¡¯m uncaring, when I don¡¯t consider your feelings, and instead use you for my own pleasure? Is that what turns you on, Flower?¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°No,¡± I say through a throat gone dry, ¡°of course, not.¡±


    He peers into my eyes, then shakes his head. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you need, do you, Flower?¡±


    ¡°And you do?¡±


    He blows out a breath. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what this entire conversation is about?¡±


    I try to pull away from him, but he holds my hand captive against his sculpted chest. The feel of the nes under my palm, the thud-thud-thud of his heart that mirrors the pulse between my legs, the warmth of his skin that creeps into my skin, all of it confirms to me that I am here with him, in this moment. That we are alone in this house, snowed in from the world. That there is no one to judge me for what I want him to do to me. There is no one to taunt me for my wanting to give in to him. There is no one but myself, the woman who wants to experience the highs of pleasure and the lows of depravity that he has promised that he¡¯ll show me.


    ¡°Show me,¡± I murmur. ¡°Show me what you can do to me.¡±


    His gaze narrows. His nostrils re, then he straightens. I pull my arm away and lock my fingers together in front of myself. He res at me, and I shuffle my weight from foot to foot. The seconds stretch by; he doesn¡¯t look away from me. I hold his gaze until it gets too much for me. Until my skin heats, my thighs clench, my toes curl, and my skin feels too tight for the rest of me. Another second, and I am going to selfbust. ¡°Christian¡­¡± I finally chuckle. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Strip,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blink. ¡°What the hell do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said, Flower. You put yourself in my care. Now do as I say. Take off your bathrobe.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s cold,¡± I whine.


    He lowers his voice to a hush. ¡°Do it, Flower.¡± All of my nerve endings seem to pop. I open my mouth to protest, but he shakes his head. ¡°Now,¡± he snaps. The cold air hits my shoulders, and I realize that I have untied my bathrobe. It slithers down my arms to rest around my elbows.


    He sweeps his gaze down my front, where my skin is bared.


    ¡°Lower your arms,¡± hemands.


    When I do so, the bathrobe falls off to pool around my ankles.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He taps his cheek as he looks me up and down. He walks a slow circle around me, and I have to stop myself from ncing over my shoulder to follow his progress. Goose. bumps track across my skin as hees to a stop in front of me.


    ¡°Stay.¡± He stabs a finger at me. Before I can protest, he spins around and walks over to the fire. He prods at it, then adds more wood to it until it¡¯s roaring. Heat fills the space and suffuses my skin. By the time he walks over to me, there¡¯s a thin film of sweat over my upper lip.


    ¡°Better?¡± he asks.


    I nod, then point at his bathrobe. ¡°Why are you still dressed?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m the dominant in this rtionship.¡±


    I pout. ¡°So, you get to say anything and do anything-¡±


    ¡°Including you.¡±


    ¡°And I have to take it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°What kind of a stupid rtionship is that?¡±


    ¡°The kind that will take you to heights that you¡¯ve never dreamed of.¡±


    ¡°So you keep saying. Why can¡¯t you-¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± He puts a finger to his lips. ¡°No speaking.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°No speaking until I let you.¡±


    I open my mouth, then close it again. Damn it, it seems my body is keen to obey him in this too. I purse my lips, watch as he, once more, rakes his gaze down my chest until he stops at my core. He stares at my pussy for so long that my core throbs. I swear my pussy lips seem to engorge. A fat bead of moisture slides down my inner thigh. My nipples harden; my limbs grow so heavy that I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not going to be able to keep myself upright. My nerve-endings stretch. What the hell is he doing? Why can¡¯t hee closer and touch me instead of staring at me like I¡¯m hisst meal? Still, the silence stretches. I open my mouth to scream, and that¡¯s when he closes the distance between us. He lowers himself to his knees until his face is directly in front of my core. Finally!


    He leans in until his hot breath curls over my throbbing flesh, then he swipes his tongue up my pussy lips. My knees buckle. I grip his hair to keep myself from falling.


    ¡°Part your legs,¡± he murmurs.


    I hurry to oblige.


    He nces up at me as he slides one finger inside my sopping channel. I moan as he curls it inside me. Bloody hell, if this was a gynecological examination, I would have been embarrassed that I was so turned on from his finger inside me. Luckily, it¡¯s not, so I guess it¡¯s okay that I¡¯m so slick between my folds, right? He pulls out his finger, then brings it to his mouth and sucks on it. My head spins. Hell, that is ¡­ hot. So hot. It feels more filthy, more intimate than anything he has done to me before, and honestly, I can¡¯t tell you why it feels that way when he has done filthier things to me than this.


    ¡°You taste sweet, you know that?¡± He smacks his lips. ¡°Like honey and my favorite liquor, you go right to my head.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± My eyelids suddenly feel too heavy to lift up. My core clenches on itself. I already miss his touch, how he felt inside of me. Please, I plead with my eyes. Please, Christian.


    A gorgeous smile splits his face. It transforms his features, making him seem even more handsome, more confident. He seems so sure of himself, so dominant, so pleased with me that my heart begins to race. The pulse pounds at my temples, at my wrists, and I hold his gaze, wanting, needing so much more.


    He rises to his feet, then locks his fingers around my wrist, and leads me to a chair. He sits down, pulls me onto hisp, then grabs my book and hands it to me.


    I nce up from the book to his face, then back to the book.


    ¡°Go on, read it,¡± he murmurs.


    Like that¡¯s possible when I¡¯m seated in hisp. Not to mention that thick column between his legs makes its presence felt against my bottom.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he ces his cheek next to mine, ¡°why don¡¯t you continue reading?¡±


    I try to focus on the page in front of me. I even manage to get absorbed in the story. Then he pushes my hair over one shoulder and kisses my neck. A tremor runs down my spine. I try to turn, but he pinches my chin. ¡°You focus on the reading.¡±


    Umm! Easier said than done, considering you have your hands all over me.


    He licks the shell of my ear, and I can¡¯t stop the moan that bleeds from my lips.


    ¡°You like that?¡± he whispers. His breath coils over my cheek as he presses tiny kisses down my jaw. I lean my neck to the side to give him more ess, then sigh when he buries his head in the curve of my neck. He bites down on the skin there, and my pussy instantly clenches. He slides a hand around to cup my breast. He squeezes the nipple, and moisture coats my channel. He brings his other hand around to frame my other breast, and I throw my head back against his shoulder. He covers my breasts with his big palms and massages them. OMG, I didn¡¯t realize my breasts could be so sensitive. So arousing. He pushes them together, then twists my nipples, and my entire body jerks.


    ¡°Your tits,¡± he growls, ¡°they¡¯re the most incredible pair I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re too big,¡± I mutter, ¡°the bane of my life.¡±


    ¡°And I fucking love them. Gonna fuck your tits, Flower,¡± he rasps. ¡°Gonnae all over them, then lick my cum off your sweet breasts and make youe again. Gonnavish your nipples with so much attention that you¡¯ll never forget how it feels to have me suckling on them.¡±


    Oh, god. I squeeze my eyes shut, thrust out my chest, pushing my breasts deeper into his palms. My flesh hurts. My breasts feel weighed down. If he doesn¡¯t massage them soon and tighten his grasp on them and suck on them like he¡¯s promised, I¡¯m going to cry.


    As if he hears me, he tightens his grip, kneading them with such force that a groan spills from my lips.


    ¡°These noises you make,¡± he rumbles, ¡°they make me want to throw you down and rut into you to show you just how much you affect me.¡±


    Yes. Please. Please. Please.


    He turns my head to him and captures my mouth with his. At the same time, he releases his grip on my breast, only to drive his hand between my legs and thrust three fingers into my melting core. A scream boils up, but he swallows it down. He begins to finger fuck me in earnest-in-out-in-while he thrusts his tongue into my mouth and mirrors the action. He deepens the kiss, sucking on me, tasting me, possessing my mouth with such confidence that my limbs weaken.


    I part my legs, allowing him further ess, and he slips a fourth finger in. He plunges his fingers in and out of me. The squelching sound prates the sexual haze that has wrapped around me. Heat sears my skin as I realize just how turned on I am. I¡¯ve probably dripped all over his bathrobe. I try to wriggle away, and that¡¯s when he curves his fingers, hitting that spot deep inside of me. My belly seems to fold in on itself. Sensations spiral out from his touch as he doesn¡¯t stop cramming his fat digits in and out of me. The tremors race up my legs, up my spine. I mp my thighs together, trying to stop that headlong rush to that ce where I know my pleasure lies. Even as I strain against him, curving my body as I try to reach for that hallowed space where I can finally give in to this pleasure that threatens to overpower me. He grinds his heel into my clit, and that¡¯s when I explode. Moisture rushes out from my core, and the pressure at the base of my spine shatters.


    I must scream, but he absorbs the noise. He continues to plunge his fingers in and out of me as Izily circle back to earth. He releases my mouth, and I sense him watching me as the aftershocks grip me. He finally pulls his fingers out of me. The next second, he drags his fingers across my lips. ¡°Open,¡± he says in a husky voice.


    I open my mouth, and he feeds me his fingers. I lick them off, still not opening my eyes. He leans in, kissing me on each eyelid. I turn my face into his chest, curling into him. Allowing myself, for the first time, to drink in his scent, to revel in how he surrounds me, how his heat cocoons me. How the taste of his skin and my cum coats my tongue. Darkness tugs at me, and I give in to the sleep that pulls me under.


    When I wake up, I¡¯m alone.

 165

    Christian


    I hadn¡¯t meant to allow her toe this quickly. I had wanted to withhold that orgasm a little longer, until she had earned it. Until I had a chance to push her boundaries a little more. Until I had made her yearn for her release so her orgasm would be even more intense. But when I had felt her sweet curved bottom against my already hard shaft, all restraint had slipped from my mind. I couldn¡¯t stop myself from touching her and squeezing those gorgeous tits. And when she had moaned and cried out, I hadn¡¯t been able to hold back any longer. I had smelled her arousal, had known that she was already halfway toing, and that¡¯s when I had kissed her and fucked her with my fingers. She had been hot and tight, and so wet.


    I hadn¡¯t stopped kissing her, thrusting my fingers in and out of her. Not until her back had bowed, her shoulders had gone rigid, and she hade.


    I bring my fingers up to my mouth and suck on them. The taste of her clings to them,bined with her scent. That distinctive honeysuckle taste of hers clings to my pte and goes straight to my head. My cock thickens-of course, it does. Fuck this. Can¡¯t I go a few minutes without wanting to be inside of her?


    I spring up to my feet from where I had been seated by the fire and head for the back door. As soon as I open it, the cold rushes in. I m the door shut behind me, stomp through the piled-up snow and toward the small shed in the back. The cold sinks into my blood, and I shiver. Shit, I should have, at least, worn my coat, but I had been in such a hurry to get out of there that I had forgotten to put it on. I stalk over to the shed, pull open the door, then head for the pile of wood in the corner. I grab hold of as many as I can, then shoulder the door open-walk back to the main house. Once again, the wind ms the door behind me with a crash that reverberates around the ce.


    I prowl over to the firece, ce the stack of wood next to it. Bending down on one knee, I add some of the logs to the fire.


    The hair on the back of my neck rises, and I know she has entered the room. She walks over to stand next to the fire, and she¡¯s still naked. Good, at least she¡¯s still obeying my orders.


    ¡°Did you just go out into the snow?¡± She nces sideways at me.


    I don¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I assume you had to go get the firewood. That¡¯s why you went out?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I stare into the heart of the fire.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t wear your coat?¡±


    I turn to scowl at her, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    She sets her jaw, ¡°So, you¡¯re a big, bad Mafia guy, but going out into the cold without a coat is not good for you.¡±


    ¡°Aww, are you worried about me, Flower?¡± I smirk.


    Her face tightens. ¡°You know what, forget it. I don¡¯t know why I keep trying to have a normal conversation with you.¡±


    ¡°My point, exactly.¡± I rise to my feet and nce down at her. She really is so tiny; I keep forgetting that. Of course, when I am inside her, nothing matters. Nothing except that hot, tight hole of hers which had sped around my dick and milked me with such intensity, I had been overwhelmed with pleasure. The kind that I had never experienced before¡­and that¡¯s saying something.


    Since being celibate is not one of my strengths, I have been with enough women to know when I find something that is different. And she is different. She¡¯s unlike the others. All the more reason to find a way to keep my distance from her. I initiated this fake rtionship with her. Doesn¡¯t mean I have to conceal my tastes from her, now do I?


    ¡°There is nothing normal about my proclivities, Flower,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°Like I care.¡±


    She turns to flounce away, but I call out to her, ¡°Stop, right there.¡±


    She pauses at once, and fuck, if I don¡¯te right then. The fact that she obeys me without hesitation¡­ Is she aware just how much of a turn-on that is?


    ¡°Turn around.¡±


    She hesitates, then slowly pivots to face me. The light from the fire reflects off of her features. I look her up and down, then slowly shrug out of my bathrobe. Her lips part as I ce it over the chair next to me. ¡°Stay right there,¡± I murmur as I walk over to the sewing kit. I run my fingers across the different colors of ribbons. Blue? No. Green? Nope¡­ A warm, golden yellow that reflects the fire in her eyes? Yes. I pick it up then walk over to her.


    I walk slowly around her, taking in her curves-the thrust of her breasts, the curve of her belly, the lushness of her hips, the slope of her inner thighs leading to the slice of paradise that I¡¯ve found between her legs. She wriggles her feet and brings one arm to cover her chest; she ces the other hand across the space between her thighs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I frown. ¡°Don¡¯t hide.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say, you¡¯re not the one being ogled at.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to ogle me right back.¡± I raise my arms wide, and her gaze skitters down my chest. Her pupils dte, then she nces away.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s not the same thing.¡± She shifts her weight from foot to foot.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± I drum my fingers on my thigh. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who needs to be taught patience.¡±


    ¡°Patience?¡± She chuckles. ¡°And you? Now I¡¯ve heard everything.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°If you had been patient, you wouldn¡¯t have rushed into dering our uing fake wedding to your entire family.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been patient, I would have taken your ass, and the other holes in your body, at the same time, by now.¡±


    She flushes. ¡°No need to be so filthy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just getting started.¡± I frown. ¡°Speaking of, I don¡¯t recall giving you permission to speak.¡±


    She scowls. ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t expect me to stay silent after everything that has happened.¡±


    ¡°All that happened was me being nice to you.¡±


    ¡°That was you being nice to me?¡± She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°Gesu Cristo, you really have a way with jokes, don¡¯t you?¡±


    I pause behind he. ¡°I never joke, Flower.¡± I shake out the ribbon, and it makes a faint swishing sound.


    She shudders. ¡°Wh-what are you going to use that for?¡±


    ¡°You trust me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Now that you mention it,¡± she swallows, ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to stop? Just say the word.¡±


    She tips up her chin. and stares straight ahead. The silence stretches a beat, another, broken only by the crackling of the wood in the firece.


    Then she nods. Thank fuck!


    Something hot stabs at my chest. Something that seems curiously like gratitude. Shit, am I actually being thankful for the fact that she chose to agree to go through with what I have in store for her? Does she even know how much power she holds over me right now? If she had said no, if she had said that she wasn¡¯t interested in the experience I have in mind for her¡­


    I¡¯d have stepped back, but reluctantly. And I¡¯d only have plotted to find another way to get her to agree. Yep, once I set my sights on something, I want it. No way would I have taken refusal as the final answer. Not that it¡¯s ethical to do so, but fuck that. When ites to her, there are no holds barred. I¡¯ll do anything to possess her¡­ Marry her¡­ Make her mine¡­


    And then, I¡¯ll let go of her. For why should I have these experiences when he can¡¯t? When my soul twin, the brother who meant to me more than anyone else, the one for whom I¡¯d have given up my life itself but whom I couldn¡¯t save¡­ The one whom I¡¯d let down when he most needed me. When he can¡¯t find his true love, or get married, or have children, why should I?


    A ripple runs down my body. I raise my hands and ce the ribbon over her eyes. She stiffens, but doesn¡¯t protest when I tie the ends behind her head. My fingers tremble-from suppressed grief? From excitement? Possibly both. But I ignore it. I knot the ribbon, then move around to stand in front of her. ¡°Nod if you feelfortable with this, Flower.¡±


    She slowly jerks her chin.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± I murmur as I snatch up another piece of ribbon. Walking behind her, I pull her arms behind her back and tie the ribbon about her wrists.


    Goose bumps pop on her skin. Her shoulders shudder. I nce down to find her nipples hard and beaded. She squeezes her thighs together, and I know she¡¯s already aroused. I lower my face and blow gently over her ear; she shivers. I push the hair over one shoulder, and a shudder grips her. I press a kiss to the curve where her neck meets her shoulder, and a moan bleeds from her.


    ¡°Shh¡­¡± I drag my nose up her jaw to nuzzle her cheek. ¡°Give into it, Flower. Just let me do this for you, okay?¡±


    She draws in a breath, then the muscles of her shoulders rx.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± I praise her again, and she bites down on her lower lip. Oh, Flower likes it when I praise her, all right. If I were to slide my fingers between her thighs, bet I¡¯d find her even more wet. But first, I need to do the one thing that I have had in mind ever since the first time I saw her gorgeous breasts.

 166

    Aurora


    He walks around me. I know because the heat of his body flows over me as he heads in the direction of¡­ It has to be the side table. What¡¯s on the side table? The sewing kit and the pile of yarn. I sense him pause, then reach down. Is he picking up something? What could he possibly want from there? He already used the ribbons from the sewing kit. Surely, he¡¯s not going to pick up more of the ribbons¡­ I¡­ Is he? What else is there? The pile of yarn? Is he going to use the yarn? But for what?


    He seems to linger there for a few seconds as if making up his mind. Then his footsteps approach. The hair on my forearms rises. He stops in front of me¡­ Again, I know, because a cloud of heat leaps off of his body and ms into my chest. And to think he¡¯s juste in from the cold and is not even wearing a shirt. The man¡¯s a bloody furnace. The scent of him-testosterone and musk and dark coffee edged with brandy-envelops me. My toes curl.


    OMG, how can he smell so hot and sexy and yummy like a Christmas puddingced with dark chocte? My mouth waters. That¡¯s when he leans forward. His breath sears my lips. I tremble as he grips my wrists which are still shackled behind my back and pushes them up.


    ¡°Hold them there,¡± he murmurs, before he slides something around my back and front. He seems to wrap it around me again, then knots it in the front. He repeats the movements once more, and a third time. He¡¯s tying something under my breasts¡­ Something that is going to push them up? Bring them even more attention? I quirk my eyebrows, and he must notice it, for he pauses.


    He lowers his head and brushes his lips across my forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, baby, I¡¯ll take care of you; I promise.¡±


    And what if I like it too much when you do so? What if¡­ I enjoy all the twisted, depraved things that you are going to do to me and never want you to let me go; what then?


    He steps back, his heat recedes a little, then he picks up where he left off. He continues to loop the wool¡­ It has to be wool, based on the slight roughness that chafes my skin every time he coils another circle under my breast. He winds his way down my waist and across my belly until he reaches my hipbones. He pauses. I sense him lower himself to his knees in front of me, for his breath shimmers across my pussy.


    Jesus Christ! My belly trembles, my chest rises and falls, my knees buckle from under me, and I¡¯d fall, except he grips my hips to hold me in ce.


    ¡°Easy, Flower,¡± he soothes me, ¡°easy.¡± He rubs circles with those big fingers across my skin. My heartbeat races as I draw in a breath, another. When he seems sure that I have calmed down somewhat, he presses a kiss to my belly button. He darts his tongue inside the dip in my belly, and a moan bleeds out of me. I strain against the ties that he¡¯s bound around my wrists, wanting, needing to grip his hair and tug on the thick strands to punish him for what he¡¯s doing to me. I open my mouth, wanting to say his name, but all thates out is a whine.


    ¡°I know, baby.¡± He licks my skin. ¡°I want it too, but we need to hold on a little while longer.¡±


    For what? I pout, then gasp when he drags his wide tongue up my slit. Ohmigod! I throw my head back as he curls his tongue around my clit. He sucks on it, and I dig my nails into my palm. Jesus H Christ, this man is going to kill me if he keeps that up.


    He raises his head, and I open my mouth to tell him off, when he taps the inside of my thigh. ¡°Part your legs for me, Flower.¡±


    I do as he says. Honestly, I don¡¯t think I could deny him if I tried, which I admit, I am not. All of my attention drops to the throbbing pulse between my legs.


    I sense him rise up on his knees. His knuckles scrape my stomach-guess he must be looping the wool into another knot there?-before he drags it down over my pussy. I gasp as he loops the string-or is it strings?-over mybia, between my pussy lips, pulling me apart, stretching me, pulling it between my legs and up the cleavage between my arse cheeks. He winds it up my spine and knots it under the yarn he¡¯s wrapped about the underside of my breasts. He tugs on it, and the movement chafes the wool across my pussy and the valley between my arse cheeks.


    Sensations shoot out from the contact and coil in my lower belly. Moisture coats my channel, and I¡¯m sure if I touched my inner thigh, I¡¯d find my cum clinging to my skin. He swipes his fingers down the wool that runs down my spine, back between my arse cheeks, and up to my clit. He presses down, and thebination of the tension of the yarn pulling my pussy lips apartbined with the pressure on my clit makes my entire body jolt. Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god.


    I bite down on my lower lip to stop myself from screaming with the tension that fills me, that pulls at my lower belly and stretches my nerves until I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to explode.


    He rises to his feet, then presses a gentle, almost chaste kiss to my lips. I sense him move away and follow him with my senses as he heads back to the side table. He returns to stand behind me. I hear a snipping sound, then he steps back.


    Goose bumps dot my skin, and it¡¯s not because I¡¯m cold. I can sense him looking me up and down before he walks back to the side table. I hear a soft thunk¡­ Did he rece the scissors, perhaps? He returns to stand in front of me, but not close, because his heat isn¡¯t as searing as before. The silence stretches a beat, another.


    A bead of sweat trails down my neck and between my breasts. I sense him move. The next instant, the wet p of his tongue against my skin as heps it up makes me jolt. He straightens and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. ¡°Would you like to see yourself, Flower?¡±


    He brushes his lips across mine once, twice, but when I open my mouth to deepen the kiss, he steps back.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± He chuckles as he turns me in the direction of the bedroom. He wraps his arm about my shoulder, then guides me forward. One, two¡­ I count twenty steps as I walk forward, for I have lost all sense of direction, and this is the only way I can orient myself. He pauses, then steps behind me and ces his hands on my shoulder.


    ¡°You look incredible. Your tits¡­ They are the most gorgeous I have ever seen, and if you saw how your cunt is wet, swollen, and begging to be eaten by me¡­¡± He draws in a breath. ¡°Speaking of, are you hungry?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I think we should eat before I show you my masterpiece, don¡¯t you?¡±


    No, you jerk. I want to see what you have done to me. I want to glimpse how I look after having been tied up by you. I want to-


    He reaches around and pinches my nipple, and goose bumps pop on my skin. He cups my other breast in his palm and squeezes, and vibrations of heat sear my skin. He tweaks both nipples, yanks them with enough force that it¡¯s painful, and my pussy clenches. Oh, hell. I throw my head back so it¡¯s cradled against his shoulder. My hands are trapped between us as he continues to tweak my nipples. He ys with them, plucks on them, squeezes them, and when he finally mps down on them, my breath catches in my throat.


    A trembling grips me. The vibrations scream up from the soles of my feet to coil around my belly. My pussy clenches down, wanting, needing him between my legs. Moisture trickles down from my core, and that¡¯s when he releases my breasts. I copse against him, breathing hard as he steps around to grip my shoulders.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I finally burst out, ¡°Why did you stop?¡±


    ¡°Because we need to feed you first.¡±


    Ten minutester, I¡¯m seated at the kitchen table, still wearing this goddamn blindfold that prevents me from seeing anything. I can hear him moving around the kitchen, though. The sounds of the refrigerator being opened, water running, the me being lit on the stove, then the scent of food cooking; the tangy scent of garlic and pepper makes my mouth water. ¡°What are you making?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Thought you don¡¯t like to cook?¡±


    ¡°I can make a basic cacio e pepe.¡±


    ¡°If you untie me, I can cook for both of us.¡± I try to flutter my eyshes. ¡°I promise it will be more interesting than a basic pasta.¡±


    ¡°Nice try.¡± He chuckles. ¡°And a basic pasta is all I need right now. Besides, I prefer to cook and feed you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± I bite the inside of my lips. ¡°Is this all part of you taking care of me?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he replies as he approaches me. I hear the thud of the te he ces on the table in front of me. Then the sound of his chair being pulled out as he takes his seat. The scent of food teases my nostrils, and he growls, ¡°Open.¡±


    I open my mouth, and he slides the fork in between my lips. The tangy taste of pecorino,bined with the pungent vors of herbs, teases my pte. I chew, swallow, then open my mouth for more. He feeds me another mouthful, then a third. I lick my lips then tip my chin in his direction. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    ¡°I will, soon.¡±


    He continues to feed me until I finally turn my head away. ¡°I have had my fill.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you eat now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me, I¡¯m going to have my fill.¡±


    The sound of the fork ttering onto the te reaches me. Then I hear the scrape of the chair on the floor as he rises to his feet, presumably to carry the te to the sink. Then he returns to stand in front of me. He ces his hands on my hips, and I gasp as he hauls me up and seats me on the table. ¡°What are you-¡±


    I hear the scrape of the chair again, then my legs being pulled apart as he thrusts his shoulders between them. Ah hell. ¡°So when you said that you were going to eat, you meant-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m skipping lunch and going straight to dessert.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t do tha-¡± I wheeze as he thrusts his face into my pussy.


    He sucks on my already sensitive clit. I arch my spine. He grips my thighs and pries me apart even further as he thrusts his tongue inside my melting channel.


    ¡°Omigod!¡± I can¡¯t stop the yell that slips from my lips as he begins to tongue fuck me. He releases my thighs, only to grab my arse cheeks and squeeze them with enough force that pain slices through me. At the same time, the thrust of his tongue in and out of my channel, along with the roughness of the wool that continues to keep my pussy lips open and bared to him, is too much for me. My eyes roll back in my head as my climax overwhelms me. It crashes over me with such force that I scream. Moisture squirts out from between my legs, and I sense himp it up. Darkness overwhelms me. When Ie to, I¡¯m being carried in his arms.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±

 167

    Aurora


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see yourself, Flower?¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°Liar.¡± Heughs lightly. ¡°Admit it; you were dying of curiosity to find out how I have tied you up.¡±


    ¡°You into Shibari or something?¡± I huff. ¡°Is that why you needed to tie me up before you made mee?¡±


    ¡°I allowed you toe earlier too,¡± he reminds me, ¡°but that was before.¡±


    ¡°Before?¡±


    ¡°Before I realized that I need to show you exactly what kind of a man I am.¡±


    I scowl. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, Christian.¡±


    Without saying anything else, hees to a halt, I assume, in front of the mirror in the bedroom. He lowers me to my feet. My knees tremble, and he grips my shoulders to hold me in ce. Then he pushes my hair to the side and leans in close enough for his breath to raise the hair on my temples. ¡°Do you want to see yourself? Do you want to see how I see you, Flower?¡±


    I swallow. Somehow, I know this is more significant than he is letting on. The previous times when he made mee, when he fucked me, he didn¡¯t tie me up. So, what changed that he decided to indulge himself this time around?


    My mouth dries. I slowly nod, and I feel his chest rise and fall behind me. Then he loosens the knot on my blindfold, and the ribbon falls away. I blink as I adjust to the light, then take in my reflection in the mirror. Flushed cheeks, parted lips, a glow to my skin that I definitely didn¡¯t notice before, and his handiwork.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± I whisper. ¡°You¡­you¡­¡±


    ¡°Wrapped the wool around you to entuate your most beautiful physical asset-your breasts.¡±


    I take in how he¡¯s looped the yarn just under my bust before crisscrossing it so it frames my breasts. He¡¯s wound the yarn in a series of intricate twists, coiled it in a pattern that isplicated enough that I can¡¯t believe he did it himself, then knotted it under my cleavage. The result is that he¡¯s pushed my breasts up as if they are an offering, my brown nipples beaded, with the aree framing them like they are a rare flower. He¡¯s drawn the yarn down to hold my pussy lips apart, baring my clit like a glistening jewel.


    I can¡¯t take my gaze off it, and he must notice, for he ces his cheek next to mine. ¡°What do you think?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± I try to form the words, but my brain cells seem to have short-circuited. ¡°It should seem lewd,¡± I finally say, ¡°but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But the entire effect is so much more¡­worshipful,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°And it is,¡± he says in a serious tone. ¡°It¡¯s abination of pain and affection, of my wanting to push your pain limits by mixing torture like impact y, biting, wax, needles with the sweetfort of being touched and held and kissed.¡±


    ¡°Hold on¡­¡± I gulp. ¡°Did you say torture?¡±


    He loops his finger around the strip of yarn that parts my pussy lips and tugs. Pain slithers over my nerve endings, and heat suffuses my skin. Moisture pools between my thighs, and I can¡¯t stop the moan that bleeds from my lips.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± He nods as if we have beenmunicating without words. ¡°This is my way of offering up my time to you, so the focus is entirely on you.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve done this with others?¡±


    ¡°And if I have?¡±


    ¡°You have focused entirely on other women too?¡±


    ¡°Right now, my focus is entirely on you.¡±


    ¡°You fucked me earlier,¡± I remind him, ¡°but you decided to tie me up only now?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I felt it was time you understood what kind of a man you are dealing with.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°I have proclivities, Flower.¡±


    ¡°No kidding.¡± I tip my chin toward my tied-up reflection.


    ¡°This is just the start, you know.¡± He holds my gaze in the mirror. ¡°It¡¯s only going to get rougher from here on.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re trying to scare me, why?¡±


    ¡°So you know what you¡¯re getting into.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re giving me a way out?¡±


    He raises a shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m offering you a chance to let go of your inhibitions.¡±


    ¡°And that helps me, how?¡±


    ¡°Have you looked at yourself in a mirror when you have stripped back the mask you wear to the world and liked what you saw?¡±


    ¡°Is that what this is?¡± I scowl back at his reflection. ¡°Me ¡­ unmasked?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you, as I see you.¡±


    ¡°Which is how, exactly? As your, how do you say, your submissive?¡±


    ¡°As mine.¡±


    A thrill runs through my body.


    ¡°Wh-what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Mine to do with as I want. Mine to hold. Mine to y with. Mine to push your limits.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Now I get it.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    I nod. ¡°I am how you strip back the mask you wear to the world.¡± I turn to face him. ¡°You use my body as the canvas through which you can express your deepest desires. The ones you can¡¯t even admit to yourself. You use my emotions to articte what you are feeling, my tears to give voice to your expression, my-¡±


    ¡°Your pain to revel in what I cannot ever tell anyone.¡± His lips twist.


    ¡°And what is that, Christian? What is it you cannot tell anyone else but which drives you to reach for extremes to feel something?¡±


    His gaze widens for an instant, then all expression fades from his face. That mask I referred to before? It¡¯s back in full force. If he seemed inscrutable before, now he seems unreachable.


    He steps back from me, and the cold air instantly rushes in to upy his space. ¡°Stay,¡± hemands as he spins around and stalks out of the room, only to return with a pair of scissors.


    ¡°What are you-?¡±


    He cuts through the ribbon that ties my wrists together, then snips off the yarn that runs from the wool around my breast to my pussy. The pressure on mybia ceases, and already, I miss it. He cuts through the knots he¡¯s woven under my cleavage, then up the side of the corset he¡¯s created out of the wool. The entireposition falls apart, and he snatches up the pieces as I stand in front of him absolutely naked.


    But does he look at me again? Nope. He walks toward the doorway. ¡°You can use the bed. I¡¯ll be sleeping on the couch.¡±

 168

    Christian


    Maledizione! It¡¯s goddamn difficult to walk when you are sporting a hard-on, and don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.


    With every step I take, my cock stabs into the crotch of my pants. With every step I take, the remnants of her scent cling to my skin and tease my senses. With every step I take, the sensations of how her gorgeous curves felt against my chest when I held her seem to be imprinted into my skin. The way she looked, all bound up with the wool, all knotted up into the beauty of my creation-the image is seared into my brain.


    I¡¯ve bound others¡­ But no one¡­ No other woman responded this openly, this incredibly generously. She shared all of herself with me in the little time we spent together; she didn¡¯t hide any part of herself. She was giving and trusting¡­ Despite her hesitation to be part of what I had in mind for her, she gave herself over to me, and that¡¯s not something I expected.


    Hell, I also didn¡¯t realize that it would affect me so much. Nor did I expect her to see past my words or my need to tie her up. I have to have her naked and knotted and begging toe, I have this constant need to withhold from her and see her wanting and open and needy. I need toe all over her and mark her. Fuck! I curl my fingers into fists at my sides as I stare into the fire in the living room.


    I left her without any aftercare, stalked out here, and now, I can¡¯t stand to think of going back in there and attending to her, which is so wrong. But this woman¡­ She¡¯s gotten under my skin to such an extent that if I stood there for one more second, I would have said or done something, revealing just how much I¡¯m affected by her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold if you don¡¯t put on your shirt.¡± She appears next to me. ¡°Are you sulking or something?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t sulk,¡± I snap.


    ¡°So, are you angry about something?¡± she retorts.


    ¡°Should I be angry about something?¡± I set my jaw.


    ¡°You tell me.¡± She walks around to stand in front of me. ¡°One minute, I was sure you were going to fuck me. The next, you ran out of there like you were being pursued by your monsters or something.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t run from anything.¡± Which was the truth, until I met her. ¡°You forget, I am the monster in this rtionship.¡± Thatst? Not a lie.


    I¡¯m the person who introduced her to the world of kink, and she took to it like a kid opening up presents on Christmas Day. She may have been hesitant at first, but the more she unraveled theyers of herself that had been locked away for so long, the more she basked in the sensations they evoked in her. Only, she isn¡¯t aware of just how much she has revealed to me¡­ Or to herself, yet.


    She peers up into my features, still naked, by the way. The logs crackle behind her, the heat from the me turning her skin rosy. Her cheeks flush as she searches my face.


    ¡°You¡¯re not wearing clothes either,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Thought you wanted me to be naked?¡±


    I rub the back of my neck. ¡°Not so sure about that anymore.¡±


    A line appears between her eyebrows. ¡°Why, because you feel threatened by how you react to me?¡±


    I scowl. ¡°I¡¯m not threatened by anything or anyone¡±-I look her up and down-¡°and definitely, not by an overweight doctor who has so many issues that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to sleep with anyone else.¡±


    She pales. The next moment my head snaps back. Pain blooms on my cheek. Before I can stop myself, I swoop down and grab her wrist. ¡°Did you just p me?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she spits out, ¡°and unlike you, I don¡¯t hide behind lies.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done it now.¡± I bare my teeth. ¡°How dare you raise your hand to me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll do more than that.¡± She tries to pull free, but I tighten my grasp on her. ¡°Let go of me, you jerk ass, you ¡­ you imbecile, youplete wanker. I thought there was something inside you, some part of you which hadn¡¯t been corrupted by your background or the experiences you have been through. Hell, I was sure that you turned away from me because I had touched on something that was sensitive, that I had hurt you; but maybe, I was wrong.¡± Her breath heaves. ¡°You are beyond redemption, and immature, and have the brain of a goldfish.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I open and shut my mouth. ¡°A goldfish?¡±


    ¡°No, a cockroach. A toad, actually. The kind who is poisonous, so when you lick them, you get high first but then find yourself on death¡¯s door.¡±


    ¡°You are not making sense.¡±


    ¡°Good, because after how you insulted me, I can¡¯t understand how I allowed myself to feel anything for you.¡±


    ¡°You felt something for me?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± Her chin trembles. ¡°After what you said earlier¡­ I ¡­ I don¡¯t want anything to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Good, because I don¡¯t want anything to do with you either.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± she spits out. ¡°You¡¯re an arrogant baboon who thinks just because his father emotionally and physically abused him, it gives you the right to get off on other people¡¯s pain. You twisted, perverted, weirdo!¡±


    Anger thrums in my veins. My guts twist. Only when she makes a sound of protest do I realize that I have tightened my hold on her. I release her, and she stumbles back. We stare at each other for a few seconds, then I turn and stalk out of the room.


    Six hourster, it¡¯s dark outside, and I¡¯ve spent thest few hours working out. After 500 pushups, 500 sit-ups, and as many biceps and triceps curls using the heaviest book that I found in the bookshelf in ce of weights, I lie in a heap on the sofa and pick up said book-In Search of Lost Time, a trantion of a French novel about, you guessed it, the loss of time andck of meaning in the world.


    All of which I could have told you for free without having to read the book, considering time once lost neveres back, so really there¡¯s no point looking back, for the past doesn¡¯t exist. Neither does the future. And there¡¯s no meaning to events; it¡¯s all one long string of happenstance. Shit happens; deal with it.


    Like I dealt with our father¡¯s physical and emotional abuse. I managed to protect Xander from the worst of it. Oh, our brothers thought that he had left us alone because we were too young. On the contrary, he¡¯d wait for Xander and me to be left on our own before he¡¯d corner us, then proceed to tie us up before hitting us. All in the name of disciplining us. I often begged him to let Xander go, and he¡¯d oblige on condition-that I¡¯d take Xander¡¯s share of the punishment. Which meant he¡¯d hit me twice as hard, often until I cked out.


    So yeah, she¡¯s right. It doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to figure out where I got my need for tying up women before fucking them.


    Each time I have, they¡¯ve developed feelings for me, which is why I have stuck to the rule of fucking them once, then moving on.


    Just like I should do with her¡­ Correction-just like I have done with her already. I turn over on my side, toss the book aside, and sit up.


    She walks out of the bedroom, dressed in her now clean pants and shirt. Which is fine. This is best, us behaving like strangers. After everything I said to her-none of which I meant-I deserve the insults she hurled my way. It was uncharitable and immature, to say the least, and I hit her where it would hurt the most.


    I hunch my shoulders. Not my fucking proudest moment either. But the woman drives me crazy. Hell, snowed up in this lodge instead of celebrating our dyed Christmas with the rest of the family is crazy. Not that I had looked forward to spending time with my brothers. Every time I am with them, it only highlights the fact that Xander is gone.


    I draw in a breath. He¡¯s fucking gone; he¡¯s nevering back. I dig my fingers into my hair and tug. The pain ripples down my back. Good. I deserve to feel that and more.


    If I could, I would take your ce. You know that, brother, don¡¯t you? I wish I had reached there just a few minutes earlier; if I had, I¡¯d have been able to help you. But I hadn¡¯t, and I¡¯ll always me myself for it.


    The sound of dishes being nked in the kitchen reaches me. The scent of cooking tickles my nostrils. My stomach grumbles.


    Yeah, Xander is gone, and I¡¯m still alive and hungry. My twin will never feel these basic urges again. These sensations that confirm to me that I¡¯m alive. And fuck, if that¡¯s not messed up. Why the hell can¡¯t I will my body to shut down? To go through what he did. To feel, for one second, how it would be to not feel, to not exist. To not have to worry about feeding or clothing myself. Or wanting to be inside her again.


    Why is it that I want to resist her, but I can¡¯t? Every time I see her, feel her, smell her, all I want is to fuck her one more time? Why is she everything opposite to what I want to be right now? To shut myself off and mourn. That¡¯s what I should be doing.


    Instead, I¡¯ve put myself in a position where I have no choice but to go through this fake marriage with her. To feel alive every time I see her. To long to possess her every time I smell her. To need to mark her as my own every time I touch her. And I, apparently, can¡¯t stop myself from hurting her.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I spring to my feet and head for the kitchen. I burst inside to find her standing at the ind, mixing something in a bowl.


    She nces up as I barrel toward her. ¡°What are you-¡± she begins to say, but I push aside the bowl, then grab her by the shoulders and apply enough pressure so she bends over the counter. ¡°What the hell, Christian?¡± she splutters. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    I release her shoulders, only to grab her one wrist, then the other. ¡°This is all your fault,¡± I rage. And I know I sound unreasonable, but fuck that. Ever since she¡¯se into my life, everything has turned upside down. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t helped Karma escape, then none of this would have happened.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t aided Karma, she and Michael would still be at loggerheads.¡± She glowers up at me. ¡°Which doesn¡¯t exin why the hell you¡¯re holding me down?¡±


    ¡°You make me crazy; you know that? Every time I think I know you, something happens thatpletely overturns what I think of you.¡±


    ¡°Join the crowd.¡± She snorts. ¡°You¡¯re the most annoying, frustrating man I¡¯ve ever met. Speaking of, you really are a bully; you know that?¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Took you so long to figure that out?¡± I nce around the kitchen and spot the apron hanging over a chair. I grab it and begin to tie her wrists with it.


    ¡°Christian, what the hell?¡± she explodes. ¡°I was making dinner, and you just interrupted the proceedings.¡±


    ¡°Fuck dinner,¡± I growl as Iplete tying up her wrists. She tries to straighten, and I push my palm into the center of her back. I hold her there, then reach around to unhook the waistband of her pants.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± she yells.


    I pause with my fingers on her zipper. My chest rises and falls. I hold her gaze, and she stares back. Color smears her cheeks. Her pupils are blown, her lips parted, and her hair flows about her shoulders.


    ¡°Do you really want me to?¡± I drawl. ¡°Or are you so turned on by the fact that I couldn¡¯t keep away from you, that I had toe in here as you were midway through making dinner and throw you over the ind and am ready to take you now, you can barely stop your arousal from leaking down your inner thighs?¡±


    She swallows.


    ¡°Say the word, Flower, and I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± I release her, step back, and hold up my hands. ¡°Do you want me to untie you and stop touching you? Do you, Aurora? Just say the word, and I¡¯ll do so.¡±


    ¡°I..¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I¡­¡± She squeezes her eyes shut. ¡°I want you to fuck me, Christian.¡±


    The blood drains to my dick. ¡°Open your eyes and tell me when you are looking at me.¡±


    She blows out a breath, then snaps her eyes open. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like how I look.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°I was pissed off, okay. I didn¡¯t mean what I said.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She trains her gaze on me. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem like that when you shared your real opinion about me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I hurt you.¡± I lower my arms to my side. ¡°I promise you I didn¡¯t mean a word of what I said earlier.¡±


    ¡°Why should I believe you?¡±


    I blow out a breath. ¡°Because the opposite is true.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Because I love your curves. I love the heaviness of your breasts, the slight bulge of your stomach-¡±


    She winces.


    ¡°No ¡­ no, don¡¯t be ashamed of it. It makes you so human, so womanly. It makes me want to tie you up every time I see you, so I can see your flesh crisscrossed by the marks when I take them off.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be romantic?¡± She halfughs. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you really mean it or if you are simply saying it because you want to get in my pants again.¡±


    I close the distance between us and push into the curve of her ass. She stiffens, then a shudder runs up her spine.


    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± I demand. ¡°Can you see how much you turn me on? How much I want you? How crazy you make me, Flower? Every time I see you, I want to be inside you. Hell, even when I¡¯m not with you, I want to fuck you. Every time the events of the past crowd in on me, I want to stuff myself into your hot, slick hole while I finger your ass and cram my fingers into your mouth.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡±-she clears her throat-¡°an oddly specific image.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention that I want to take your ass.¡±


    She purses her lips. ¡°Not that again. What is it about guys and anal, huh?¡±


    ¡°What isn¡¯t it about anal?¡± Iugh. ¡°Don¡¯t mock it ¡¯til you try it, Doc.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± She blows out a breath. ¡°As a doctor, I can tell you that, that particr part of your anatomy is not meant for that particr type of use.¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s someone you are obsessed with, when every curve of their body is imprinted in your mind¡¯s eye, when you can¡¯t stop thinking of their gorgeous behind, and how it¡¯d look to have your handprints etched into the beautiful swell of their butt, then-I can assure you- that particr type of use takes on a whole new meaning.¡± I lean in until I can ce my mouth next to her ear. ¡°And when you are tied up and aroused to fever pitch, it¡¯s even more fulfilling.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that it won¡¯t hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not selling this to me.¡± She huffs.


    ¡°Not trying to.¡± I tuck a stand of hair behind her ear.¡± Just as I hope you¡¯ll ept it when I say that I love everything about your body. But especially, your thick thighs and your gorgeous behind. I¡¯m so turned on by you; it¡¯s why I¡¯ve been pushing you away. It¡¯s why I-¡±


    ¡°Insulted me earlier?¡± She murmurs, ¡°And by the way, I¡¯m not sure you calling my thighs thick is supposed to be romantic.¡±


    I slide my hand down to her thigh and squeeze. ¡°Believe me, there¡¯s nothing like having these gorgeous curves to hold onto while I take you from behind.¡±


    She bites the inside of her cheek. ¡°I have a confession to make, as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°When you bent me over and shoved your hand down my pants, and I was resisting you, but you didn¡¯t stop?¡±


    I nod slowly.


    ¡°It really turned me on.¡±


    I pause, then step back. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    She straightens, then turns to face me, her hands still bound behind her back. ¡°You said earlier that you wanted to push my limits; did you mean it?¡±


    The hair on the back of my neck rises. ¡°Yes.¡± I school all emotion from my face. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°What if I said that I liked what you did?¡±


    ¡°You have to be more specific than that.¡±


    ¡°When you came tearing in here and pushed me onto my front and reached for my zipper, I thought-¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯d take you by force, even if you said no?¡±


    ¡°This is not the only time,¡± she confesses. ¡°The time you barged into my home, and you were so angry with me that you ripped my dress.¡± She shivers. ¡°I was sure, then, that you would take me against my will.¡±


    Ah! I hold her gaze. ¡°And it excited you, didn¡¯t it?¡± In a t voice, I add, ¡°You expected the worst of me because I¡¯m from the Mafia. So much so, you were sure I wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. In fact, you hoped that I wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, because then you could have med the entire experience on me.¡±


    Her cheeks redden. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± she admits. ¡°In a way, it would have been easier if I had not been one of the consenting parties. Then, I wouldn¡¯t have to hate myself so much for enjoying what you do to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    ¡°Are you really sorry for what you said earlier?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Do you want me to forgive you for what you said earlier?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. ¡± I lower my chin to my chest. ¡°What are you getting at, Aurora?¡±


    ¡°Consensual non-consent.¡±

 169

    Aurora


    ¡°Gesu Cristo!¡± He growls, ¡°Do you even know the meaning of what that is?¡±


    ¡°I know more than you realize.¡± I firm my lips. ¡°I may have been a virgin, but that was by choice. It wasn¡¯t because I was too insecure to fuck anyone else; it was because I didn¡¯t want to fuck anyone else.¡±


    ¡°But you wanted me to fuck you.¡± He scowls. ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod, ¡°and it was a first. I mean, the attraction between us is, clearly, off-the-charts and not hidden from either of us. It¡¯s also why I agreed to y along with this fake marriage thing you had in mind.¡±


    ¡°O-k-ay.¡± His brows twist. ¡°So, you are saying that if I want your forgiveness, I¡¯ll have to fuck you, but in a scenario that involves-¡±


    ¡°My being non-consensual.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to do that?¡± He frowns. ¡°Is it because you think I¡¯m already depraved, so why not use the scenario to live out all of your fantasies?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± I admit.


    ¡°Is there something else you¡¯re not telling me, Flower?¡± He peers into my features, and his own soften. ¡°Did something happen that makes you want to enact this non-consensual scene?¡±


    My heart begins to race in my chest. My mouth dries. Don¡¯t look away. Don¡¯t.


    I firm my lips and hold his gaze. ¡°As you said, we are snowed in and away from everyone else. Nobody can reach us; we can¡¯t leave either. This is the only time in my life when I don¡¯t have the responsibilities of my job. Not to mention that I¡¯m not currently at the beck-and-call of the rest of the Mafia.¡±


    ¡°When you be my wife-¡±


    ¡°Fake wife.¡±


    He scowls. ¡°Fake wife,¡± he corrects himself. ¡°When you be my fake wife, you won¡¯t be a doctor to the rest of the n anymore.¡±


    ¡°Does Michael know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he does.¡± He tilts his head. ¡°But you were saying¡­¡±


    I draw in a breath, then square my shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s a fantasy of mine, okay? It¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to try out because, as you can see, it arouses me a lot. So,¡± I flip my hair over my shoulder, ¡°so if we are going to do this, then I want to go all the way. I want to make sure that the situation benefits me, as well. This way, I¡¯ll get something out of it too.¡±


    ¡°Something more than the safety of your family, don¡¯t you mean?¡± he reminds me.


    My pulse rate ratchets up, my muscles tense up, and I force myself to breathe. ¡°Exactly,¡± I finally say. ¡°The safety of my family and this ¡­ chance to live out my fantasy.¡±


    He peers into my features, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to refuse me, when he finally jerks his chin. ¡°Okay,¡± he nods, ¡°you¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The tension oozes out from my shoulders.


    He reaches behind me and tugs on the apron with which he had secured my wrists. I bring my hands in front and rub my wrists together.


    He nces down, and I follow his gaze to where the apron ties have indented my skin. His breathing visibly changes, and his muscles seem to tighten. I hold up my arms, and his gaze stays riveted on the marks on my wrists.


    He reaches out to trace them, then cups my wrist and brings it toward him. He lowers his head and presses small kisses along the dents. I shiver. He holds both of my wrists, then turns them over to kiss the delicate skin where the pulse beats against it.


    My toes curl. My pussy clenches. His tenderness is as much of a turn-on as his dominance, but in a very different way. It¡¯s like I¡¯m seeing apletely different side of him. One that is more lost, but also more patient, more transparent¡­ More lovable?


    My head spins. I must make a noise, for he nces at me. He tugs on my wrists, and I stumble toward him.


    ¡°I really am sorry, Flower.¡± He presses a kiss to my forehead. ¡°I love your figure so much that it was the first thing that came to mind when I was trying to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°With anyone else, I could have defended myself; you know.¡± I peer up at him. ¡°But from you, it really hurt me, Christian. You were supposed to protect me, not find out my weak points and¡­¡± The pressure behind my eyes builds. Jeez, I¡¯m not going to cry. Not going to cry. Not after the two of us seem to have toe to some kind of understanding. But maybe it¡¯s the tension that seeps from me, leaving me shaken. A tear slides down my cheek, then another.


    ¡°Aurora,¡± Christian says in a shocked voice, ¡°please don¡¯t cry, please don¡¯t.¡±


    He scoops me up in his arms, and that only makes me give inpletely to the emotions that are choking my throat. Shit, why the hell did I have to choose this moment to have aplete bloody breakdown? I bury my face in his chest and allow the sobs to overwhelm me.


    He walks over to a kitchen chair and sinks down into it with me in hisp. He rocks me, holds me, presses kisses to my forehead, and hell, that only makes it worse. Somehow, it was so much easier to stay angry at him, to see him as my enemy, when he was all snarly and growly over-the-top alpha. This ¡­ this more tender side of him, on top of the apology-which, honestly, I wasn¡¯t expecting, because he¡¯d only told me what I already know, hadn¡¯t he?


    I do have body image issues. It¡¯s one of the reasons I never believed that he finds me attractive. No matter that everything he¡¯s said and done since we met points to the opposite.


    And the chemistry between us, well, that speaks for itself. Neither one of us is faking that. And when I was with him¡­ I¡¯d forgotten that I was curvy and overweight, so when he flung that in my face¡­ It was a shock.


    And maybe it¡¯s that which prompted me to ask him to y at enacting a consensual non-con scene. Somehow, the fact that he could be so cruel to mepletely tore off any masks I used to shield myself from the world. Not only has he seen me naked, but he has stripped me of any sense of guilt I may have about what I want. Guess, in a strange way, he empowered me¡­ Even though he insulted me before that.


    I try to pull away from him, but he doesn¡¯t let go of me. ¡°Please, baby.¡± He tucks my head under his chin. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry for what I said. And honestly, the fact that I am your first, you have no idea how that makes me feel.¡±


    ¡°How does that make you feel?¡± I hup.


    ¡°It makes me want to take care of you, to protect you, to make sure no one ever hurts you again.¡±


    ¡°Not even you?¡± I peer up at him from under spikyshes. ¡°What if you hurt me again?¡±


    ¡°Then,¡± he draws in a breath, ¡°then you have my permission to tie me up.¡±


    Wh-a-a-t? I blink. ¡°That ¡­ that¡¯s huge, right?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± His lips kick up. ¡°I¡¯m too dominant, way too controlling-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Too up my own ass to allow anyone to order me around-well, except for Michael, and that¡¯s only because he¡¯s my Capo and the man who brought me up more than my father did. But other than him, I¡¯d never bend my knee for anyone else, except¡­¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Except?¡±


    ¡°For you, Flower. Only you have that kind of power over me.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°And fuck, if that doesn¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why youshed out at me¡­ Because you were ¡­ afraid?¡±


    ¡°Terrified.¡± He chuckles. ¡°It¡¯s why I proposed the fake marriage, in the first ce. Thinking if I got ahead of the curve and reduced whatever was between us to something we both knew to be yacting, then-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be safe?¡±


    ¡°I hoped.¡± He wipes the tears from under my eyes. ¡°To be fair, I already knew, going in, that I was going to be changed. But I hoped to control the extent of the damage.¡± His lips twist. ¡°I should have known there was no way I wasing out of this unharmed.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± I wrinkle my nose. ¡°You make me sound like an ident waiting to happen.¡±


    ¡°Or something momentous.¡± His gaze intensifies. ¡°A collision I¡¯ll never recover from.¡± His lips curve. ¡°And I mean that in a good way.¡±


    I hold his gaze, and something knotted inside of me unclenches. Warmth suffuses my cheeks, and I¡¯m the first to nce away. ¡°Now what?¡± I rub my cheek against his chest-his still naked chest. The man seems to be happy to walk around half-dressed, not that I¡¯mining, even though I do worry that he might catch a cold if he isn¡¯t properly dressed.


    ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we see about that dinner?¡±

 170

    Christian


    She insisted that I put on my shirt, and initially, I refused. But then I sneezed, and she looked at me with a telling look, and Iplied. I pulled on my shirt, then grabbed a bottle of wine from the collection at the bar before returning back to the breakfast bar in the kitchen. I poured a ss for each of us before I seating myself as she turned back to her cooking. I watched her for a few minutes, not feeling the need to say anything. She nced at me over her shoulder and smiled.


    And my heart stuttered. It confused me enough that I drained my ss of wine, then poured myself a new ss. Technically speaking, I should be the one cooking for her, but I admit, it¡¯s one of the things I¡¯m not good at. I know, shocker, me admitting that I¡¯m not proficient at something? But hey, even I have my limitations. Not many, but cooking is one of them. Also, it seems to calm her to have something to do. So, when she¡¯d insisted on cooking dinner, I had not protested.


    Now, I watch as she bustles around the kitchen, putting together the makings of what already smells delicious. I rise to my feet and walk over to her, ¡°What are you cooking?¡± I peer over her shoulder at the pans she has on the stove.


    ¡°Pasta a Norma,¡± she replies. ¡°It¡¯s made from dried pasta and frozen vegetables, but it¡¯ll have to do.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to eat it.¡± I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her flush against me.


    She shivers. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she protests, ¡°I¡¯ll screw up the cooking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather screw you instead.¡±


    She chuckles. ¡°Your word y is impressive.¡±


    ¡°You are impressive.¡±


    She pauses, then turns to nce at me over her shoulder. ¡°I am scared,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Of what?¡±


    ¡°This truce between us is too good tost.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± I kiss the top of her head. ¡°You have to admit, when we fight, it gets the blood flowing too.¡±


    ¡°It is exciting,¡± she admits, ¡°but that worries me even more.¡±


    ¡°Because you like how it feels when I get you all flustered?¡±


    ¡°I like just being with you,¡± she bursts out, then wrinkles up her nose. ¡°Okay, for the record, I didn¡¯t mean to put that out there.¡±


    ¡°For the record, I like being with you,¡± I purse my lips, ¡°mostly.¡±


    She scowls. ¡°Gee, thanks.¡±


    ¡°Just kidding.¡± I smirk. ¡°The only thing I like more than being with you is being inside you.¡±


    ¡°And there he is,¡± she raises her gaze skywards, ¡°the arrogant, over-the-top, macho, chauvinistic-¡±


    The pasta boils over, and she lets out a yelp. She shuts off the me under the pan, then grabs ader and moves to the sink. I move with her, not letting go of her as she strains the pasta.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do something useful,¡± she scowls at me over her shoulder, ¡°like set the table? Dinner will be ready very soon.¡±


    Ten minutester, we are seated at the table. I dig my fork into the pasta and scoop up a few strands. The tangy taste of tomato, the lushness of basil, theplex taste of peppers,bined with the perfectly al dente pasta explodes on my tongue. ¡°Hmm,¡± I chew appreciatively, ¡°this is good. Like really good.¡±


    ¡°You sound surprised.¡±


    ¡°You did say you could cook, but this is ezionale, especially given the circumstances we are in. I can¡¯t believe these vegetables came out of the freezer.¡±


    ¡°My nonna always said that you should be able to cook with the most basic of ingredients, else you weren¡¯t really a cook.¡±


    ¡°Your nonna was wise.¡±


    ¡°And your nonna is¡­¡± She blinks rapidly.¡±A force to be reckoned with.¡±


    ¡°That she is,¡± I readily agree. ¡°Our father was a terror, and our mother didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up to him when she was alive. After she died, Nonna stepped in. It¡¯s thanks to her that we were pulled away from the influence of our father and sent to study in LA, all seven of us.¡±


    ¡°Seven?¡±


    I nod, ¡°Five of us brothers, as well as Sebastian and Adrian, our half-brothers.¡±


    ¡°Half-brothers, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised there are only two of them. I wouldn¡¯t put it past our father to have more fruit of his loins running around the country that we are not aware of.¡±


    ¡°You sound bitter.¡± She ces her fork on her te. ¡°I thought the Mafia took it as par for the course to impregnate as many women as they could.¡±


    ¡°Maybe others do,¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°but I¡¯m old-fashioned that way. I believe in fidelity and remaining faithful to the vows of marriage.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She bites down on her lower lip. ¡°That ¡­ that¡¯s refreshing to hear.¡±


    ¡°You sound surprised.¡± I curl my lips.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to hear words like fidelity from someone like you.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Just because I¡¯m kinky in my sexual preferences doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be loyal.¡±


    ¡°So, if we were to marry-¡±


    ¡°When we marry,¡± I correct her.


    ¡°You¡¯d stay faithful to me?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± she pauses her lips.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°I want to.¡± She resumes eating. ¡°But it¡¯s only a fake marriage, so it shouldn¡¯t matter, either way.¡±


    Anger spurts through my veins. Why should I be upset with her? I mean, I have given her no cause to believe that the uing nuptials are anything but the arrangement I proposed them to be, never mind the fact that I intend to stay faithful to her. And somehow, it doesn¡¯t seem wrong to want to do so. Marry her for real, I mean. Also, the thought of being with anyone else doesn¡¯t hold the kind of appeal it once did. Fuck, I really am falling for her, and I¡¯m not sure exactly when that happened.


    ¡°Christian?¡± She waves a hand in front of my face. ¡°Your pasta is getting cold.¡±


    I resume eating and don¡¯t stop until I¡¯ve wiped my te clean. When she¡¯s done as well, I carry both of our tes to the sink and begin to wash them. She walks over with the wine sses and ces them in the sink, then begins to dry the dishes I¡¯ve washed.


    In silence, weplete our tasks, and at my urging, we move to the living room. Going over to the bookshelf, she pulls down another book to read, then joins me on the settee. I pick up my previously abandoned copy of In Search of Lost Time and begin to read, or rather, pretend to read.


    To be fair, the narrative is not too bad, and the author does talk about the role of memory in triggering recollections. Not that I need that. Some scenes are imprinted in my brain, like that of my father hitting my mother, my father trying toe after Xander, my father tying me up and hitting me and then ¡­ Xander in the burning car. Massimo and I dragging him out, stamping out the mes from his jacket, only to find the piece of metal sticking out from his chest¡­ Fuck!


    I ce the book aside, then rise to my feet. ¡°Dance with me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She blinks up from the book she¡¯s been reading. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Dance with me.¡± I hold out my hand.


    Her gaze widens. ¡°You mean now?¡±


    I stare at her steadily.


    ¡°Here?¡± She nces around us. ¡°There¡¯s no music.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll create our own music.¡±


    She opens her mouth, as if to protest, and I shake my head. ¡°Humor me.¡±


    She holds my gaze for a second longer, then slowly nods. She ces her book down on the side table, then rises to her feet and puts her hand in mine. I pull her close, and she giggles as she stumbles into me. I ce one hand on her hip, the other holding her palm, as I lead her in a slow dance.


    Outside, the wind has died down, and the only sound is the crackling of the wood in the firece. She rubs her cheek against my shoulder, and the scent of her fills my senses. My dick twitches, and I tighten my grip on her waist. She nces up at me, and her pupils dte.


    ¡°This is a bad idea,¡± she whispers.


    ¡°On the contrary.¡± I move my feet in a basic two times four-step, and she follows.


    I release my hold on her hip, twirl her around in a circle, and sheughs. ¡°You know how to dance?¡±


    ¡°And more.¡± I haul her close, continuing to move again in the basic steps.


    Our gazes sh and hold. I turn her again, then dip her, and she gasps in surprise. I pull her up, her hair flowing around her shoulders. Her cheeks are flushed, golden eyes sparkling. She bites down on her lower lip, and fuck, if I don¡¯t feel the tug all the way down to the crown of my dick.


    ¡°You know what I want to do right now?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I want to rece the grasp of your teeth with mine.¡±


    ¡°So do it,¡± she whispers as Ie to aplete stop.


    I lower my head at the same time she tips hers up. Our lips sh, and then I¡¯m kissing her, biting down on her luscious lower lip, devouring her mouth as I thrust my tongue in between her lips and suck on hers. I bend my knees, grip the backs of her thighs, and lift her up. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I walk us over to the sofa. I ce her on it and follow her down. She winds her arms around my neck, and I grab her wrists, forcing them up and above her head. I shackle them there as I grind the throbbing length of my column into her soft core. She moans, and the sound chafes my nerve-endings. My cock thickens further.


    I sit back on my heels and take in her flushed features, her shirt gaping in the front to reveal the tops of her gorgeous breasts. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re beautiful,¡± I growl, then push away to stand on my feet.


    ¡°What are you-¡±


    ¡°Run.¡± I jerk my chin in the direction of the door.


    ¡°What?¡± She gapes.


    ¡°Run, I¡¯ll even give you a head start.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re trying to do here. I-¡±


    ¡°Five,¡± I begin the countdown.


    ¡°Excuse me, you¡¯re crazy if you think I¡¯m going out in the dark.¡±


    ¡°Four.¡± I crack my knuckles, and the sound seems to prate through the thoughts in her head.


    She blinks, then springs up and onto her feet. ¡°You know what I said about us getting along earlier; you can strike that out.¡±


    ¡°Three.¡± I roll my shoulders as I look her up and down.


    ¡°In fact, you can forget anything I said about liking to be in your presence,¡± she snarls.


    ¡°Two.¡± I bare my teeth. ¡°You¡¯re running out of time, Flower; I suggest you capitalize on the advantage I¡¯m giving you.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± she yells. ¡°I hate how you lure me into feelingfortable with you, only to pull the rug out from under my feet. I¡¯ll never again believe a word of what you say, you, you asshole.¡±


    ¡°One.¡± I lunge for her.

 171

    Aurora


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I yell over my shoulder as I slide aside to evade him. I run into the hallway, turning to look behind me, then scream again when I find him right there.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± I race into the hallway and toward the front door. Am I actually going to do this? Run out into the cold and dark again to evade him. And if I don¡¯t? He¡¯ll catch me. Hell, he¡¯s going to get his hands on me anyway, and damn, if I¡¯m going to make it easy for him. I leap toward the front door, grab hold of the door handle with my bound hands, and twist it. That¡¯s when a heavy hand descends on my waist.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I yell as he snatches me up and throws me over his shoulder. ¡°Let me the hell go.¡± I lock my fingers together and bury my fists into his back, but he doesn¡¯t even flinch. He simply turns around and marches into the living room.


    Anger thuds at my temples. I wriggle in his grasp, try to kick out, but he tightens his hold around my thighs. I raise my hands, and crash them down into his side.


    His muscles tense. His shoulders go solid. Then his heavy palm connects with my butt. C-r-a-c-k.


    I freeze. Not only did he catch me before I could make it out the door, but he¡¯s spanking me? Anger crowds my mind. I squirm around in his grasp and-c-r-a-c-k, c-r-a-c-k-this time he spanks me on each butt cheek, then again. The pain coils in my belly and arrows straight to my core. My pussy clenches, my toes curl, and the flicker of lust that shoots through my veins is so intense that I freeze.


    He takes advantage of my temporary acquiescence and marches into the living room. He throws me down on the settee. I spring up to my feet and brush past him. I¡¯ve only taken a few steps before he grabs my arm and pulls me toward him. Once more, he pushes me down onto the settee. My hair pours over my face, and I shake it back. ¡°What the hell?¡± I yell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? If this is your idea of ying a game?¡±


    ¡°No game,¡± he growls as he grabs thepels of my shirt and tugs. The buttons go flying, then ping across the floor.


    ¡°What the hell! That¡¯s the only shirt I have here, asshole-¡± I gaze up at him in shock, anger, and damn it, also arousal. My thighs quiver, and my chest hurts with the sensations that coil against my ribcage.


    He thrusts his face into mine as he pushes against my shoulders. I fall back against the settee, and he nts his hands on either side of my face. ¡°Do you still want to run?¡±


    ¡°Always,¡± I snarl back.


    ¡°Try it then, Flower.¡± he bares his teeth, and a shiver grips me.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I raise my hands, tten them against his chest and push, and heave, and strain, but he doesn¡¯t budge, not one inch.


    ¡°Cute.¡± He smirks. ¡°That all you¡¯ve got for me?¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. My vision tunnels. I bend my knee, then nt it in his groin.


    His features crumple, and the breath whooshes out of him. But does he move? Nope, of course, not.


    He shakes his head as if to clear it, then res at me. He lowers his voice to a hush. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± All of my senses pop, and my nerve endings all seem to fire at once.


    ¡°L ¡­ let me go,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°No,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Please,¡± I beg, ¡°please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°You knew the stakes when you entered into this rtionship.¡± His lips widen in the semnce of a smile that is not one. It¡¯s a promation of intent, of what he¡¯s going to do to me.


    Moisture beads my core, and my throat dries. ¡°No,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he says in a hard voice. A shiver runs up my spine. The pores on my skin pop. He reaches behind, grabs his shirt, and pulls it off.


    I take in the tattoo of a coiled snake that covers his chest and the bicep of his left arm; it flows down to disappear under the waistband of his pants, and I know that more tattoos cover both of his thighs. I have seen them before, but not had the chance to pay such close attention to them. In between the coils are a chrysanthemum, a peacock feather, an anchor, a weeping Virgin Mary, a scorpion¡­ I also spot ¡®Xander¡¯ scrawled on the right side of his chest, over his pec with the dates of what must be his birth and his death. There are more objects that I can¡¯t make out. I know the tattoos cover his back as well; all of the designs are in ck ink. His entire body is a tapestry; almost every inch of his torso is covered. All except for a space over his heart. But I can¡¯t ask him about that. He straightens, grabs one wrist of mine, then the other.


    My body trembles in anticipation, and hell, if that doesn¡¯t make me angry. I¡¯ve only spent a few days with him, and damn, if he hasn¡¯t already trained me to enjoy his kinks. Anger jolts through me. I pull back both of my knees and nt my heels on his chest. The hard ne of his chest digs into my soles as I push.


    He huffs out a breath, and his feature break into a delighted smile. ¡°That¡¯s it, Flower,¡± he croons. ¡°Fight me; fight for what you want from me.¡±


    ¡°I want you to get off of me.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± He smirks, then reaches over for the length of a satin ribbon from the sewing basket. I draw in a breath, then push against his chest with all my might. Heughs as he begins to wind the ribbon around my wrists.


    The slither of the satin against my skin sends goose bumps trailing across my body. My belly shudders, my sex quivers, and moisture drips down my inner thigh. His nostrils re, and I know the asshole has smelled my arousal.


    Bloody hell. If I stay here for a second longer, I¡¯m going to be parting my legs and inviting him to take me. And I want it. I want him to bury his thick, hard, wide cock inside me and stretch me, and yet¡­ I don¡¯t want to give in, not yet. I will not make it easy for you, alphahole.


    I grit my teeth, tighten all of my muscles, and throw everything I have behind it as I push.


    He pauses, blinks, then barks out an exuberantugh. ¡°More.¡± He bares his teeth. ¡°Do that again, Flower. It makes for a hell of a massage.¡±


    ¡°Argh,¡± I make a sound deep in my throat as I pull up my knees, then nt my feet on his chest again and again and again.


    He smirks.


    I snarl and lower my feet to the ground.


    ¡°Giving up so soon?¡± His lips curl.


    I allow my lips to curve. ¡°Come closer,¡± I murmur. ¡°I have something to confess.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    I nod. ¡°Come on, baby, don¡¯t you want to hear what I have to say?¡±


    His smile widens. He leans in closer, and that¡¯s when I rear up and snap my neck forward. My head connects with his nose. I hear the crunch of cartge. The next moment blood drips down between us.


    I lean back, my breathing in pants, and nce up to find his lips twisted, nostrils red, blood flowing down his mouth to stter on his chest. His gaze widens as if he can¡¯t believe what I just did. Then a growl rumbles up his chest. Those blue eyes glint with intention, and something deep in their depths seems to catch fire. He seems both shocked and angry, and something more. Something very much like arousal.


    ¡°Don¡¯t-¡± I open my mouth. That¡¯s when he closes the distance between us and smashes his mouth to mine.

 172

    Aurora


    The coppery tang of his blood fills my mouth. He thrusts his tongue between my lips, owning my mouth, possessing me in a way that I know I¡¯ll never get used to. He bites down on my lower lip, and pain shivers down my spine. My core clenches, and I¡¯m aware of the flutters in my belly, how my breasts swell, how my nipples harden into pinpoints of pleasure, even as my heart races in my chest.


    Thebination of fear, of arousal, of being trapped, of wanting to escape, yet needing to be overpowered, grips me. My breathes in pants, and my palms begin to sweat. That¡¯s when he nts his hips between my thighs, forcing them wide apart.


    He winds his fingers around my throat, leans his weight forward, and I can¡¯t move. I¡¯m pinned in ce by his massive chest on mine, his thick column stabbing into my sensitive core, his wide fingers around my throat. I raise my bound hands, and he grabs my wrists with his free hand and forces them back.


    I snarl into his face, then wriggle and writhe in his grasp, and the thickness between his legs seems to grow bigger, more insistent. A melting sensation grips my core even as anger fills my chest. I know what he¡¯s doing. I asked him to indulge my consensual non-con scene, and that¡¯s what he is doing. So why am I so angry that he¡¯s able to arouse me by doing so? He¡¯s only giving me what I asked for, so why am I so upset with him? Is it because he¡¯s able to slip into the role of someone who enjoys taking me without my consent? Is that what¡¯s bothering me. Or is it because I¡¯m enjoying this role y too much? Is it because I¡¯m disgusted with my own needs?


    More blood drips down from where I smashed into his nose, and he licks it up.


    My gaze widens. ¡°You¡¯re an animal,¡± I burst out.


    ¡°And it turns you on.¡± He smirks. ¡°Admit it; you love to see me lose control and not give you a choice. My kinks bring out that part of you you¡¯ve been dying to reveal to the world, but haven¡¯t had the courage so far.¡±


    ¡°I admit no such thing,¡± I snarl, ¡°you, you ¡­ jerkaloupe.¡±


    He blinks, then a chuckle bursts from his throat. ¡°Cute,¡± he murmurs, ¡°but it¡¯s not going to distract me from what I want.¡±


    ¡°And wh ¡­ what is that?¡±


    ¡°You.¡± He lowers his head until his mouth is directly in front of mine. ¡°Your lips, your breasts, your pussy, your ass¡­ It¡¯s all mine.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I spit out.


    ¡°With pleasure.¡± He holds my gaze. ¡°But first, I need to tie you up.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, goddamn you.¡± I surge up against him, but this time he is better prepared. He applies enough pressure on my throat that darkness flickers around the edges of my sight. I ck out for what feels like a few seconds, and when I awaken, I¡¯m suspended from a hook in the ceiling in the bedroom. What the-? I nce up to find the ribbon with which my wrists have been restrained is threaded through the hook and looped around my wrists.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± he murmurs, his gaze taking in my features, the way I¡¯m disyed.


    I cough, and he reaches over, grabs a ss of wine that he has ced on the side table nearby, and takes a sip. He ces the ss down, then uses his mouth to dribble the liquid against my lips. I swallow down a few mouthfuls before I turn my head away.


    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t be like that, Flower,¡± he drawls. ¡°I¡¯m only trying to soothe your dry throat.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡± I scowl. ¡°Untie me, right now.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m just getting started.¡± He reaches over to the side, grabs a ball of yarn, and begins to unravel it. My belly ties itself up in knots, and my thighs tremble. Jesus, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m getting turned on by the thought of him tying me up again. I don¡¯t want it. Don¡¯t want it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again,¡± I snap.


    ¡°What?¡± He doesn¡¯t nce up from his task.


    ¡°Make me ck out.¡±


    ¡°It was only a bit of breath-y,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°It may be nothing to you, but it scared me, okay?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do it again¡±-he nces up at me-¡°unless it¡¯s to increase the intensity of your orgasm.¡±


    ¡°You really are messed up in the head; you know that?¡±


    He pauses and seems to consider my statement carefully. ¡°I am,¡± he acknowledges, ¡°but so are you. Admit that you are turned on by the prospect of what I¡¯m going to do to you, that you find being at my mercy delicious, that you can¡¯t wait to find out what surprises I have in store for you.¡±


    My belly flip-flops, and my pulse rate ratchets up. ¡°No,¡± I growl, ¡°of course, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± He tosses the ball of yarn over his shoulder, then walks around to stand behind me.


    ¡°What the hell are you-¡± I have an inkling of his next action a second before¡­ W-h-a-c-k. His big palm connects with my butt.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I screech, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare-¡±


    ¡°You know better than to challenge me.¡± W-h-a-c-k.


    I yell as my entire body jolts forward. Pain screeches up my spine. I almost lose my footing, and he winds his arm around my waist. I sense the heat from his body m into my back a second before-W-h-a-c-k. W-h-a-c-k. W-h-a-c-k. W-h-a-c-k-he ps my alternating arsecheeks, each p more intense than thest. Each one sends a spurt of sensations that spirals down to my belly. My pussy seems to throb and swell with each one. Jesus! Even as the pain ¡­ the pain¡­ ¡°Ow,¡± I howl. ¡°Stop it, you monster.¡±


    He pauses a beat, another. ¡°Then count down from ten, sweetheart,¡± he growls.


    ¡°What? No, I won¡¯tst if you-¡±


    His palm connects with my butt, and I cry out, ¡°Stop, stop, please¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting to count, baby.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t baby me you, you. wanker.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another five ps.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I hup.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he says with conviction.


    ¡°You have lost your mind.¡±


    ¡°Twenty ps.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± I sputter. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Twenty-five, Flower.¡± He massages my already aching arsecheeks, and pain shivers up my spine. My pussy clenches painfully at the same time, and damn him, but this is not good. This is so not good.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll count.¡±


    ¡°Start now.¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Now, Flower.¡± His voice lowers to a hush, and I shiver. Shit, that mean-Dom voice of his. It¡¯s w-a-y too hot, too coercive, too everything I aming to hate-and love-about him. Not love. Wrong word. I hate him. I hate him.


    ¡°Start counting, or should I add another five-¡±


    ¡°Twenty-five,¡± I burst out, and his palm connects with my backside.


    ¡°Twenty-four, Twenty-three¡­¡±


    By the time I finish the countdown, tears flow down my cheeks, my arse is on fire, my pussy hurts even though he has not touched it, and my nipples feel swollen and sore and achy even though he hase nowhere near them. Maybe that is the issue. If he would only stop massaging the pain into my arse long enough to fuck me, I coulde, and we could get this over with.


    I push back my hips so my butt pushes into to his big palm, and he pauses. ¡°I know, baby,¡± he croons. ¡°I know how much you are empty for my dick, but sadly, I can¡¯t cram it inside you yet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your dick,¡± I snap, and he spanks my ass again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    ¡°Ow!¡± I cry out. ¡°That hurts, you asshole!¡±


    ¡°Yep, time I took you there too.¡± He slides his hand around to y with my pussy lips. ¡°Good thing you are so wet I won¡¯t need lube; not that there is any avable here.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± I stare at him over my shoulder. ¡°You ¡­ you ¡­ wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±


    He clicks his tongue. ¡°There you go, trying to dare me again.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I am not.¡±


    ¡°So, you won¡¯t mind if I tie you up, first, hmm?¡± He thrusts his fingers inside my channel, and the squelching sound is a reminder of just how wet I am. It¡¯s not possible. Honestly, he hurt me, and yet my body seems to like it. What the hell is wrong with me?


    He grinds his heel into my clit, and my entire body bucks. A shudder grips me, and I throw my head back and pant, then pause when he pulls his finger out of me. He walks around to stand in front of me, then holds his fingers up to my mouth. ¡°Open,¡± he orders.


    I part my lips, and he slides his fingers inside. The taste of my cum, mixed with that darker taste of his skin fills my mouth. I dig my teeth into his finger and bite down. Heughs. I bite him hard enough to draw blood, and his gaze intensifies. The coppery tang of his blood, once again, fills my pte, and his breathing grows heavy.


    My eyes widen in disbelief as I look at him. ¡°Fuck, you like that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    He smirks.


    I scowl at him, and he chuckles. He pulls his finger out from between my lips, then points it at me. ¡°Stay.¡±


    Like I¡¯m going anywhere, jerk face!


    He retrieves the ball of yarn, then turns back to me. He pushes my shirt out of the way, then begins to wind the wool above my breasts. He knots it, then loops it under my breast again and again. He does this until he has a framework of crisscrossing wool that encases my breasts, with only the nipples bared. He knots it a few times under my cleavage, then pulls it down to hold back each of my pussy lips. He draws it under me and up the cleavage between my ass cheeks. The chafe of the wool against my already abraded skin sends shudders of heat vibrating out from the contact. My thighs clench, my pussy spasms, and I squeeze my eyes shut.


    ¡°Oh god,¡± I groan, ¡°it¡¯s too much. I can¡¯t take it.¡±


    ¡°You can.¡± He loops the wool under thettice he¡¯s woven under my breasts, then tugs. Pinpricks of sensation burst up my spine and sh behind my eyes. A whine bleeds from my lips. ¡°Please, Christian, please,¡± I moan, ¡°please, please, please.¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± he admonishes me. I hear the scrape of metal against metal as he lowers his zipper. I open my eyelids to find him ring down at me. He grips the backs of my thighs and hauls me up. I wind my legs around him, and he¡¯s inside me. I huff as he ms into me, tugging, pulling, stretching at my channel.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I snarl, ¡°did you have to be this big?¡±


    ¡°Did you have to be this tiny and hot and tight, and so goddamn perfect?¡±


    I frown. Perfect. He called me perfect? ¡°I am not-¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡± He pulls out, then lunges forward, and once more, crams himself into me. ¡°You¡¯re perfect; you hear me?¡± He retreats, then pushes into me again with enough force that my entire body shudders. ¡°Perfectly made. Perfect for my cock. Perfect to be fucked. Perfect to be broken. By me.¡±


    He drills into me, and I throw my head back and yell, ¡°Oh my fucking god.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t spheme the name of the Lord, Flower.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I scowl. ¡°So, you can say a four-letter word in the same breath as the Lord¡¯s name, and I-¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± He smirks. ¡°Just how it is.¡±


    I open and shut my mouth, and heughs again. ¡°Just kidding, Flower. What do you take me for, a misogynist?¡± He smirks.


    Among other things.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurting me,¡± I snap.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°And you love it.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep professing to read my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Want me to stop?¡± He raises one eyebrow. ¡°Just say the word, and I¡¯ll pull out.¡±


    I hesitate, he begins to retreat, and that¡¯s when I dig my heels into his back. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯re already in; you may as well finish what you started.¡±


    He peers into my eyes. ¡°I have news for you,¡± he says in a conversational tone, ¡°I¡¯m not even half-way in.¡±


    ¡°What the-¡±


    He pulls out, then ms into me with enough impact that his balls smash into my lower arse. Ouch! He rams himself inside me, and ow, it hurts, it hurts. He¡¯s so big, so thick, so bloody massive that I swear, I can feel him in my throat. He begins to fuck me in earnest-in, out, in¡­ Each time, his pelvic bone grinds into my clit. Pinpricks of heat vibrate out from the impact. The tension at the base of my spine spirals out. Oh, god. Oh my god, I¡¯m going toe.


    It¡¯s as if he reads my mind for that¡¯s when he pulls out.

 173

    Aurora


    What the hell? What is he up to? He sinks to his knees in between my legs and swipes his tongue up my pussy lips. A groan bleeds from my lips. That¡¯s so hot and so damn filthy. The fact that he¡¯d stop mid-fuck and begin to eat me out is way too much for me to process. My brain cells seem to melt, all at the same time, as I give in to his ministrations. He hauls one knee over his shoulder, spreading me further, then he thrusts his tongue inside my channel, in, out, in. He squeezes my ass cheeks, and pain bursts across my already abraded skin. My pussy instantly spasms, and a groan rumbles up his chest. He slides his fingers between my ass cheeks and brushes against my puckered hole. I draw in a breath as he bites down on my clit, and shudders grip me. My fingers tingle, and I strain against the satin ribbon, which is surprisingly resilient. Goddamit, I want to touch him, want to dig my fingers in his hair and tug on it and hold on as he continues to eat me. Tremors slide down my back, and I squeeze down on his tongue; I throw my head back, knowing I am going to slide over the edge, and that¡¯s when he withdraws. Again. What the-! I snap my eyes open to find that he¡¯s rising to his feet. He grabs my leg, wraps it around his waist, then slides his fingers to my melting core. He scoops up the moisture and smears it across my back entrance.


    ¡°N-no,¡± I stammer, ¡°please no.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get a say in how I take you, Flower.¡±


    My heart begins to race, my pulse ms against my wrists, and my nipples tighten, even as my stomach ties itself in knots. ¡°You¡¯re too big,¡± I whimper.


    ¡°You can take it.¡±


    He slides his finger inside my back hole, then adds another. I grimace, even as my hips seem to rotate of their own ord, allowing him further ess.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He bites on my lower lip with such force that I scowl.


    ¡°What the-¡± I begin to protest, and that¡¯s when he reces his fingers with his cock. His big, thick, fat cock. He notches the head of his dick against my puckered hole and pushes in.


    ¡°Ow,¡± I burst out. ¡°It hurts, it hurts.¡±


    ¡°Stopining,¡± he says in a mild voice. ¡°You know you want this, Flower.¡±


    My pussy clenches down, and a knowing smile curves his lips. He slides his hand between us and pinches my clit.


    ¡°Jesus¡­¡± I inhale as he lowers his head and bites my nipple.


    ¡°Oh god,¡± I cry out as the trembling once again overwhelms me.


    That¡¯s when he slips in another inch.


    Sweat beads my forehead as I bite down on my lower lip. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I murmur, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± he says in a hard voice as he ys with my pussy lips. ¡°Let me in, Flower. Now.¡±


    He ces his forehead against mine as he slides into me further. Too much. Too full. He¡¯s impaled me, and it feels like I will never be the same again. My arms and legs tremble, and I almost lose my bnce.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls. ¡°You¡¯re so hot, so tight ¡­ so everything. You are going to kill me.¡±


    He reaches above and loosens the knot around my wrists, the ribbon gives way, and he hauls me to him. He winds both of my legs around his waist, and without pulling out of me, he walks over to the bed. He lowers me onto the mattress, follows me down, and begins to drill into me.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I moan as he thrusts into me again and again. He grinds the heel of his hand into my clit, and with the other, he pinches my nipple. A line of fire erupts from the point of contact, and all of my nerve endings seem to sizzle at once. I try to pull away, but he has me pinned down with his cock inside me.


    He pulls out, then plunges forward, and the entire bed seems to move with the action. He releases my nipple long enough to grab my wrists and position them above me. He wraps my fingers around the headboard. ¡°Hold on,¡± he growls. Then he tilts his hips and pumps into me, hitting a spot deep inside of me that I never knew existed.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I yell as my entire body bucks. I arch my back, pushing my breasts into his chest. ¡°Christian, I¡¯m going to-¡±


    ¡°Come,¡± he snaps, and I explode. The climax crashes over me as I squeeze down on his fingers and dick. I cry out, but he swallows the sound. I feel consumed by him, owned, possessed, imed by this Mafioso, my fake husband-to-be, the man who knows my body, my fears, and my mind more intimately than anyone else.


    He continues to thrust into me as the aftershocks grip me. His entire body goes solid, his muscles flex, his features take on an anguished look, and hees with a hoarse cry. He shoots his cum inside me before he finally tears his mouth from mine. He pushes his forehead against mine and stays there as the tremors course down my body and his. He stays there holding my gaze for a beat, then another. When he pulls out, a whine slips from my lips.


    I didn¡¯t like that. I didn¡¯t¡­ Oh, who am I trying to convince? That climax was, by far, the most intense I have ever had with him. And now I feel empty and spent, and not sure what hit me. I nce down to find him shoving the cum that slips out back inside me.


    Jesus, I shouldn¡¯t find that hot, but I do. How depraved am I really? On a scale of one to ten, right now, I am a hundred.


    He reaches up to unwrap the ribbon from around my wrists. Then he hauls me up to a sitting position and yanks on the wool that¡¯s wrapped around me. He unwraps me slowly, like I¡¯m a Christmas present that he¡¯s anticipated for so long that he can¡¯t wait to see what¡¯s inside; except, he¡¯s already been inside of me. He pulls off the yarn, tosses it aside, and takes a few minutes to peruse my body. Then, he throws himself down next to me. He pulls me down and tucks me close to him. ¡°Sleep,¡± he murmurs.


    I close my eyes and drift off.


    When I wake up, I¡¯m alone in the bed. I throw off the cover he must have pulled over me before he left, roll off the bed, and pad toward the bathroom. My back hole twinges with every step. My nipples ache. My core clenches, and I¡¯m reminded of just how empty I still feel.


    I step under the shower and stand there until the water begins to run cool. Feeling more alert than I have in a long while, I dry myself with a towel, wrap it around me, and walk out to find my bathrobeid out on the bed. Did hee here andy it out earlier? I shrug into the bathrobe, then walk into the living room to find him on the settee. He has my shirt in his hands, and he seems to be stitching buttons onto it.


    ¡°Hold on a minute,¡± I burst out. ¡°Are you really-¡±


    ¡°Mending your shirt?¡± He nces up at me. ¡°I tore off the buttons, so I¡¯m fixing it for you.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I blink rapidly. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you could sew.¡±


    ¡°I can knit too,¡± he murmurs as he brings the thread to his mouth and uses his teeth to cut it off. He rises to his feet, then walks over to me. ¡°Here,¡± he holds out the shirt, ¡°you should be able to wear it now.¡±


    ¡°Did you say that you can knit?¡±


    ¡°Remember, you asked me what I do to destress?¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ knit?¡± I widen my gaze at him.


    ¡°I use yarn for my kink; it stands to reason that I respect it enough to learn how to use it in other ways too, right?¡±


    ¡°A sadist with a moral code.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be a sadist if I didn¡¯t have one. After all, being a Dominant is no joke. It means being totallymitted to your sub and ensuring that shecks for nothing. And I couldn¡¯t do that if I didn¡¯t have a very strong sense of right and wrong.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I blink rapidly, not sure how to reply to that.


    ¡°Also, the knitting really does help me destress, not to mention, it helps me find my feminine side.¡±


    ¡°Feminine side?¡± I look him up and down. ¡°There¡¯s nothing feminine about you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± He thrusts the shirt at me, so I have no choice but to ept it. ¡°Now, go change, so I can feed you.¡±


    Ten minutester, we are back in the kitchen. This time I¡¯m at the table, watching as he pulls out frozen vegetables andsagna sheets.


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want me to cook?¡±


    ¡°I took your ass; the least I can do is cook for you.¡±


    I scowl. ¡°Just don¡¯t go making it a habit,¡± I mutter to myself, but of course, jerk face catches it.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your ass when I want, how I want. And you¡¯ll deal with it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to agree to that, do you?¡±


    ¡°Sure, based on the way you were screaming through your orgasm earlier.¡±


    My cheeks redden. ¡°Yeah, I climaxed; doesn¡¯t mean I have to like how I got there.¡±


    ¡°Stop whining,¡± he drawls. ¡°You like the pain as much as the pleasure that apanies it.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. I know he¡¯s right, dammit. As much as the thought of anal still worries me, the way I climaxed around his dick¡­ It was spectacr. And when he spanked me, it hurt¡­ But hell, if it hadn¡¯t also aroused me. Does he know my body better than I do? Is that what this is about?


    I lean my hip against the table. and watch as he pulls out a baking tray, then begins toyer thesagna.


    He catches me watching and winks at me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± I redden. ¡°No, thank you. I prefer to ah, stand.¡±


    ¡°Is it because your ah, ass is sore?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because I need the exercise.¡±


    ¡°If you feel like you need more exercise, I could simply keep you in bed longer.¡± My nipples tighten, and tendrils of pain vibrate out from where the shirt I pulled on slithers across the already sensitive skin. Bet that¡¯s why he mended the shirt and asked me to wear it-just so it would remind me of how he touched me and made mee earlier.


    When I don¡¯t reply, his grin widens. Asshole! I take a seat, my arse protests, but actually the pain is not as bad as I expected. ¡°There,¡± I murmur, ¡°happy?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His brow furrows. ¡°Clearly, I haven¡¯t fucked you enough if you can actually sit down.¡±


    ¡°What the-¡± I throw up my hands. ¡°There¡¯s no winning with you, is there?¡±


    ¡°Rx.¡± He chuckles. ¡°I was only teasing you.¡±


    A likely story.


    He turns back to his cooking. When the sauce begins to boil in the saucepan, he tastes it and makes a humming sound.


    ¡°Thought you said you prefer not to cook?¡±

 174

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t cook.¡± He smirks over his shoulder. ¡°Just don¡¯t expect me to do it often. And while you¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t you pour us some wine?¡±


    All said and done, dinner is a rxed affair¡­ Well, except for the constant hum of sexual tension between us, which never goes away. If anything, the fact that he knows my body so intimately only turns the act of his eating and drinking the wine into one long anticipation of what¡¯s going toe next. We do the dishes together, him cleaning the dishes, me drying them. Then we retire to the living room. He pokes at the fire, and when it¡¯s roaring to his satisfaction, he picks up the book he had been reading while I choose a different one from the shelf.


    ¡°Do all you Sovranos like to read; is that why there¡¯s such an extensive collection?¡± I nod toward the shelves of books that upy an entire wall.


    ¡°Another thing we all have inmon,¡± he admits. ¡°A love for the written word. We get that from our mother. She insisted on reading us a bedtime story each night, and sometimes a different one for each of us.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about her.¡± I fold my legs up under me.


    ¡°She was delicate and tiny.¡± He nces into the fire. ¡°And she was rtively young when she had us. Looking at her, you¡¯d find it difficult to imagine that me and my brothers hade from her.¡±


    ¡°You loved her?¡±


    ¡°We all did. And our father? Well, he never did take good care of her. When he wasn¡¯t physically abusing us, he took out his frustrations on her. If only I had been old enough to do something about it. If only I could have protected her from him.¡±


    ¡°But you guys were so young. You must have been only a child when she died.¡±


    ¡°Old enough to know that I should have done more to help her. I was too busy trying to protect Xander from our father¡¯s emotional and physical abuse. A part of me knew, even then, that our mother was bearing the brunt of it, but I didn¡¯t do anything to help her.


    ¡°Your brothers are older than you. Surely, it fell to them to help her?¡±


    ¡°We all had equal responsibility toward it, and I would never pass off my burden onto them.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t.¡± I lean forward. ¡°You are strong, brave, and have an ego that would never allow anyone else to bear your burdens.¡±


    ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a crime.¡± He chuckles.


    ¡°Not a crime, but sometimes, it¡¯s healthy to share what¡¯s on your mind so others can try to help you.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you want me to do the emo shit and spill my guts to you?¡±


    ¡°That would be a start, yes.¡±


    ¡°You do realize that I¡¯ve told you more about myself than anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Is that good or bad?¡± I hold his gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ different,¡± he concedes, ¡°and dangerous.¡±


    ¡°For whom?¡±


    ¡°For you.¡± His lips twist. ¡°You don¡¯t want me falling for you, Flower.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I swallow. ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because once I set my sights on you, I won¡¯t stop until I own you, possess you, ravish you¡­ Until I make you mine.¡±


    Mine. Mine. Mine.


    His voice echoes in my ears. After that very hot, very possessive statement, Christian rose to his feet, donned his coat and boots, and said he was going to get more wood for the fire. He ambled outside, leaving mepletely shaken.


    God knows why. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know about his caveman tendencies. Hell, since the day I met him, it was clear to me that Christian is an alpha male, and not just an ordinary alpha male. He is an ultra-controlling, ultra-protective sadist with a touch of pervert thrown into the mix. The way he enjoyed my pain and was turned on by it, then made sure he turned me on with the pleasure that followed the pain, the way he held me close after he fucked me and made me orgasm, then tucked me into his side and lulled me to sleep¡­


    All of it is confusing, and I admit, very appealing. Wonder what that says about me, hmm? I rise to my feet and walk to the window. Outside, the world ispletely white. The moonlight shimmers off of the snow, and everything appears eerily bright. It¡¯s also stopped snowing.


    Which means it won¡¯t be long before we are out of here. And how will things change? Will he go back to being obnoxious? Will the parts of him that I have uncovered mean that I¡¯ll understand him better? Will the intimacy that has sprung up between us survive? Will I feel the same when he decides to go all filthy on me again and tie me up and fuck me as he did today?


    My cheeks heat. Why do I enjoy it so much? I never thought of myself as a submissive, or indeed, as someone who¡¯d enjoy kink, but thest few days have convinced me otherwise. My core trembles. I squeeze my thighs together, then press my forehead to the windowpane.


    That¡¯s when a face appears in front of me.


    I scream.


    Christian


    I¡¯ve just stepped into the house and shut the backdoor when her scream rips through the house. My heart ms against my ribcage so hard that I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to burst out of my chest. I drop the logs I¡¯ve gathered and lunge forward through the hallway into the living room. I race across the floor and reach her, just as she turns to me. Her features are pale, her green eyes dted with fear.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I grip her shoulders. ¡°Why did you scream?¡±


    ¡°The-there was¡­¡± Her chin trembles. ¡°There was ¡­ someone outside.¡±


    I nce past her and see nothing except the snow-covered ground and the trees in the distance; their branches bent under the weight of the snow they are carrying.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡± She shudders. ¡°He was ¡­ right there¡­ And when I screamed, he turned and ran.¡±


    I nce at the scene outside again, then turn to leave.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± She grabs hold of my arm. ¡°Don¡¯t go out there, please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I need to go and check who is there, Flower.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She clings to me. ¡°Please don¡¯t leave me and go out there. Please, Christian, not now.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t let whoever it is get away; if he is a threat of some kind, then I need to neutralize him.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± She throws herself at my chest. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone. Besides, whoever was there is long gone. And the snow has stopped. So, we should be able to return to the other¡¯s tomorrow, or they may even find us, and you can use their help to find out who was here. Please don¡¯t go out there on your own; I beg you. If something were to happen to you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with it, please.¡±


    I take in her features, her heightened breathing, the way she stares up anxiously at me even as she wraps her arms about my waist and presses herself so tightly against me that I can feel every single curve of her breasts, the dip of her waist, the hollow between her legs¡­ Every luscious part of her is as if stamped into my skin.


    I hesitate, and she rises up to her tiptoes and presses her lips against my throat, ¡°Please, don¡¯t go. Please tie me up instead, and fuck me again.¡±


    A-n-d, my dick instantly thickens. Fuck. Not that I haven¡¯t been inside her so many times already, but to take her again, to tie her up for my delectation and bury myself in her sweet heat versus traipsing outside for an intruder who is likely already gone? Yeah, no contest. ¡°Okay,¡± I murmur.


    Ten minutester, we return to the living room. I ensured that the house was secure, and she followed me as I made the rounds. I locked the back door, then tested each of the windows in the house to make sure that they were shuttered and bolted, before locking the front door. Walking to the bar, I pour myself a ss of whiskey. ¡°What would you like to drink?¡± I turn to her.


    She nces around the bar, and her gaze alights on a bottle of chocte liqueur. I reach for it, but she shakes her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m good. Maybe some water?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, we¡¯re still in the Christmas celebratory mood; why don¡¯t you have the liqueur?¡± I snatch up the bottle and pour out the drink for her.


    ¡°No¡±-she holds up her hand-¡°really, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already poured it out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have it, when you so clearly do want it?¡±


    ¡°Just because I want it doesn¡¯t mean I should have it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you want it that you should definitely have it.¡± I hold out the ss to her.


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± She takes a step back.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I frown. ¡°It¡¯s only a ss of liqueur.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say that,¡± she scoffs.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never had to watch your weight, have you? Measure every ounce of calorie that goes inside your mouth. Then weigh yourself to see how it has affected you? You don¡¯t know how it feels to have those same calories stick to your thighs.¡±


    ¡°Gorgeous thighs,¡± I murmur.


    Her cheeks flush. ¡°And if you are like me, also to your boobs.¡±


    ¡°Spectacr tits.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me.¡±


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that I absolutely worship your breasts, and as for your thighs?¡± I ce my ss on the counter, then sink down to my knees in front of her.


    ¡°What are you-¡± she begins to protest as I run my hands up the backs of both of her jeans-enclosed thighs, then kiss her one thigh, then the other. ¡°I adore your thighs.¡± I straighten, then press my face into her stomach. ¡°I love your curves.¡± I press small kisses up her waist as I rise to my feet. Then kiss each breast in turn before I press my lips to her throat, then her chin, until finally, I ce my lips close to hers. ¡°Ipletely and utterly adore the way you look, Flower, you must know that.¡±


    ¡°And yet you said-¡±


    ¡°I was an ass, aplete stronzo, no, a testa di cazzo, to have said what I did. I said it in anger, and I am sorry. I am really very sorry for having upset you. I didn¡¯t mean it; I promise.¡± I take her hands in mine, then kiss the tops of her palms. ¡°I have never been attracted to anyone the way I am to you.¡± I kiss the tips of her fingers. ¡°I have never wanted to tie anyone else up the way I want to tie you; never wanted to fuck anyone as much as I want to fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I guess?¡± she mutters.


    ¡°I have never wanted to¡­¡± I swallow, ¡°never wanted to be with anyone the way I want to be with you. When I¡¯m not with you even for a second, I miss you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± She blinks rapidly. ¡°What are you trying to say, Christian?¡±


    ¡°That part of your charm is that you are so confident in who you are, what you are, that it¡¯s not just how you look physically, but what you are inside. Your big heart that was so moved by Karma¡¯s distress when Michael took her, that you put your life and that of your family on the line to help her escape; your selflessness which led you to train as a doctor so you could help other people. Your generosity of spirit which allows you to give yourself up to me every time I tie you up and take you, that allows you to submit-¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t submit,¡± she protests.


    ¡°Oh, you did.¡± Iugh.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I-¡±


    I ce my fingers over her lips. ¡°Let me finishplimenting you, woman.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± She purses her lips but finally subsides. Thank fuck.


    ¡°As I was saying, whether you think you submitted to me or not, your body bent to me beautifully. You had me in your power; you know that, don¡¯t you, Flower?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Sheughs. ¡°I had you in my power?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, utterly,pletely. You allowed yourself to bend to me. You showed me just how it felt to have control over you. To inflict pain on you, to watch you squirm under my ministrations. To bring you to the height of passion. To push you over the edge and see you fall apart. You addicted me to the sensation of watching you yield to me. You made me realize I¡¯ve never felt this free with anyone else. You set me free, Flower, and now I¡¯m hooked.¡±


    ¡°You ¡­ you are?¡± She swallows.


    I peer into her eyes. ¡°In every sense of the word.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m not sure what to say.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say anything.¡±


    She draws in a breath. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I curve my lips.


    ¡°That was not what I was expecting to hear.¡±


    ¡°You and me both.¡± Iugh, and the soundes out uncertain. Me, the consigliere to the Cosa Nostra, uncertain? Me, the kinky, perverted asshole who vowed never to sleep with a woman more than once, wooing this curvy, exquisite force of nature with words? Whoa, what the hell is happening to me?Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Now what?¡± She licks her lips, and I lower my gaze to her mouth.


    ¡°Now,¡± I lower my face to hers until our breaths mingle, ¡°we make love.¡±

 175

    Aurora


    Make love? Did the alphahole just say make love? Doesn¡¯t mean he is in love with me, though, does it?


    He holds my gaze. ¡°What do you say?¡± he murmurs. ¡°Can I make love to you?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Iugh. ¡°Did you just ask my permission to make love to me?¡±


    His brow furrows as if he¡¯s hearing himself for the first time. ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I? Minchia!¡± He drags his fingers through his hair. ¡°Well, what do you say?¡± He peers into my features, and for a moment, he seems almost unsure of himself. But that¡¯s not possible. Christian is way too confident, too dominant to defer to my decision.


    ¡°Do you want to fuck me?¡± I tip my chin up.


    ¡°I want to make love with you.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s different from what we did earlier; how?¡±


    ¡°Want to find out?¡± He curls his fingers around the nape of my neck. I shiver. Damn, he may have asked me for my permission, but the strength of his personality remains unchallenged. He draws me up to my tiptoes, then just as I think that he¡¯s going to kiss me, he lowers his knees, ces his other arm under my butt, and lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he brushes his lips over mine once, twice. He nibbles on my lips, and I part them. He sweeps his tongue inside to tangle with mine, and goose bumps pop on my skin. When he is this tender, yet this overpowering, hepletely ys me. I wrap my arms about his neck and press my breasts into his chest. ¡°Cazzo,¡± he swears, ¡°those tits of yours are going to be the death of me.¡±


    He presses little kisses across my cheek and down to my throat as he walks toward the bedroom. He ces me down on the bed, then throws himself down next to me. He moves up until he¡¯s resting against the headboard, then wraps his hands behind his neck. ¡°Take off your clothes.¡±


    ¡°And I only just put them on.¡± I huff. ¡°Why can¡¯t you make up your mind once and for all about what you want from me?¡±


    ¡°You done being bratty, babe?¡±


    I blow out a breath, then nod.


    ¡°Good, then take off your pants.¡±


    I swing my legs over the side of the bed, then rise up to my feet and shove the zipper of my pants down. I reach for my waistband when he admonishes me. ¡°Slowly,¡± he growls.


    I resist the urge to roll my eyes, then wriggle the pants down my hips. I step out of them, kick them aside, then reach for my panties.


    ¡°Did I ask you to touch that?¡±


    I scowl.


    He smirks, looks me up and down, then jerks his chin. ¡°Take off your top.¡±


    I grab the hem of my top and whip it off, then throw it at him. He catches it, then buries his head in the fabric, and draws a long breath. ¡°Jesus, you smell so good, baby.¡±


    He drops my top to the side, then surveys my chest. ¡°Remove your bra.¡±


    I slide my hands up my back, unhook my bra, then slip them down my shoulders. I hold the bra-cups against my breasts for a second, hiding them from view.


    He growls.


    I lower my arms to my side, and my bra slides down to the floor.


    He draws in a sharp breath and his shoulders rise and fall as he stares at my breasts. ¡°Your tits, fuck; they are fucking perfect.¡± He flexes his fingers as if he can¡¯t wait to cup them. My breasts seem to swell, and my nipples harden.


    I bring my palms up to my breasts, and he clicks his tongue. ¡°Did I give you permission to touch them?¡±


    Fucker.


    I glower at him. He chuckles, then jerks his chin. ¡°You may remove your panties now.¡±


    I slide my fingers inside the waistband of my panties, then make a great production of sliding them down my legs. I step out of them, then hold them up on one finger before I throw them at him.


    He snatches them up, and of course, he sniffs them.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± I cringe. ¡°You are an animal.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m your animal, baby.¡± He tosses my knickers aside, then taps his chest. ¡°Come ¡®ere.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Ride my face, Flower.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± I blink. ¡°You mean, I should-¡±


    ¡°Not going to repeat myself.¡± He res at me. ¡°Will youe here, or do you want me to make you?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Come here,¡± he snaps. ¡°Now.¡±


    My knees seem to hit the bed of their own ord. Shit, I hate it when he makes my body obey him, even when my mind insists that I do otherwise. I scramble up the bed, swing my leg over his shoulders, then scoot up until I¡¯m poised over his face.


    He stares up at my pussy like it¡¯s the most delectable food, like it¡¯s chocte-covered marzipan. No, more like mince-pies that he gets to see only once a year. Jesus, all this talk of Christmas is going straight to my head. Better than my hips-ha! My core clenches. Or rather my pussy.


    He peers up at me from under thick eyshes. ¡°What did I tell you?¡±


    ¡°To ¡­ ah, ride your face.¡±


    ¡°So why don¡¯t you?¡±


    I squat over him, unsure. ¡°Ah¡­ I am ¡­ you know¡­ Maybe I¡¯m too heavy? What if I suffocate you?¡±


    ¡°Stop hovering there and nt your pussy on my mouth, woman.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t.¡±


    He makes a growling sound deep in his throat, then he grabs my hips and pulls me down with such force that I lose my bnce. I face-nt-um, is that right word? Hell, it¡¯s the only way to describe how I shove my pussy onto his mouth. He holds me there, then takes a long deep breath, inhaling my scent. Heat sluices through my veins.


    OMG, this man¡­ He¡¯s so carnal, so ¡­ so real¡­ He doesn¡¯t hesitate to show his desire to the world. He wants it; he goes after it.


    And I thought I was like that too. After all, I managed to run away from the Mafia long enough to qualify as a doctor. I would have even started a life separate from the Cosa Nostra, if not for my father falling sick. But throughout everything, I have hidden from my desires. Hidden from doing what I might like because I¡¯ve been too conscious about my size.


    And here is this guy, making me ride his face, and actually seeming to like it. No, he is eating me up with such intent that there is no doubt he relishes my taste. He drags his tongue up my slit to curl it around my clit. He slurps on my core, thrusts his tongue in and out of my channel. He drags his cheeks across my inner thighs, so the days¡¯ old whiskers on his chin abrade the delicate skin.


    My toes curl. I dig my fingers into his hair, trying to pull him away, even as my thighs close around his face in a bid to drag him closer. He squeezes my arse cheeks, and my entire body jolts. He slips his fingers down to y with my back hole, and my core clenches around his tongue.


    A growl rumbles up his chest. He thrusts his finger inside my puckered hole at the same time as he bites down on my clit, and I explode. The climax shudders through me, sparks seem to explode behind my eyes, and I sway. Moisture gushes out of me, and he licks up my cum. Drags his rough tongue up my pussy lips and wipes me clean.


    ¡°Delicious,¡± he rumbles. ¡°Better than Christmas pudding.¡±


    Heat sears my cheeks, but before I can say anything, he hauls me off of him, to the side and on my back, before he settles himself between my legs. He kisses me, and I can taste myself and him, and it¡¯s so potent, yet right, that my head spins. He swipes his big hands up the backs of my thighs then hooks my knees over his shoulders.


    ¡°What are you-¡± Before I canplete the sentence, he¡¯s inside me.


    The breath rushes out of me at the same time as he groans. He holds my gaze as his thickness throbs inside of me, stretches me, fills me up with such assurance that I know I can never have anyone else inside me again. No one canpare to him. I open my mouth at the same time that he brushes his lips over mine. ¡°I fucking love you,¡± he murmurs as he pushes his forehead against mine. He tilts his hips, grinds his pelvis against my clit, and electricity shoots up my spine.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± I pant, ¡°I can¡¯te again.¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± he stares into my eyes, ¡°and you will.¡±


    He thrusts into me with enough force that the entire bed moves. He pulls out until the crown of his fat cock is poised against my entrance, then he drills into me. My body jolts. The headboard ms against the wall. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s putting his entire body and soul into his fucking¡­ Not that he hadn¡¯t previously; just ¡­ this time, there¡¯s an added dimension to the way he crams his cock into me, over and over again. The skin stretches across his cheeks, a bead of sweat slides down his temple, and his blue eyes gleam with intent. He seems like a man possessed, a man intent on ensuring that he wrings everyst drop of orgasm from my body.


    ¡°Come with me.¡± He plunges into me again and hits that spot deep inside me that sends tremors shivering up my spine.


    ¡°Oh, Jesus! Oh my god!¡± My eyes roll back in my head.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± hemands.


    I peel my eyelids open and meet his gaze as he ms into me, burying himself so deep inside me that I swear we¡¯ve melded into one.


    ¡°Come all over my cock,¡± he orders, and the orgasm crashes over me. I scream, and when I try to swallow, my throat hurts. He thrusts into me once, twice, then his shoulders go solid. His chest muscles heave, and I know he¡¯s going toe. He begins to pull out, and I lock my ankles around him.


    ¡°I¡¯m on the pill,¡± I burst out. ¡°For medical reasons,¡± I add. ¡°It helps regte my cycle.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± He hesitates.


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± I reach down between us, circle him at the part where he¡¯s joined to me, ¡°Come inside me, please. I want to feel you, Christian.¡±


    His gaze intensifies, then he pushes back inside of me. He closes his mouth over mine as he shoots warm gusts of cum inside of me. He slumps over me, keeping most of his weight off of me, as I run my fingers through the sweat-drenched hair on the nape of his neck. I squeeze my arms around him, urging him to lower more of his weight onto me. ¡°I¡¯m too heavy,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± I insist. ¡°I can take it. I want to feel the weight of your body on mine, please.¡±


    He rxes a little more, and his weight pins me down, and I draw in a breath. My eyelids flutter down. We stay that way for a few minutes, maybe more, then I¡¯m dimly aware of him pulling out of me. I protest, and he gathers me close. He drags his fingers through the mess between my legs, then he rubs his fingers over my lips. I suck off the evidence of his arousal and mine as he continues to scoop up the remnants of his cum and rub it into my skin. I shiver, a part of me appalled that I¡¯m enjoying this tant show of his possession. Even as everything in me revels in it.


    Sleep ovees me, and when I wake, the covers are pulled over us. I¡¯m tucked into his side, his arm under my neck, the other one around my waist. He¡¯s pinned me down with one thigh flung over my legs. I¡¯m surrounded by him-his heat, his scent, hisplete masculinity-which feeds that hunger inside of me I wasn¡¯t aware I possessed. When I awaken next, both of us are in the same position. The bluish light of dawn streams in through the window.


    The pressure in my lower belly makes itself known, and I manage to extricate myself from his embrace inch by inch. He doesn¡¯t stir as I swing my legs over the side of the bed and go to the bathroom. I catch sight of my face in the mirror as I¡¯m washing my hands. Flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes, hair mussed up in a way that hints at just what I¡¯ve been up to. I feel content, and more than that, I feel excited. And alive. I can¡¯t wait for a life together with him, a life I can have if I want it. I only need to reach out and grab it.


    When did everything change? When, over thest few days, did I go from hating him to ¡­ falling for him? And he loves me too. He does. I can¡¯t wait to tell him so, but first, I need to ensure that I secure the safety of him and his brothers.


    I need to find a way to protect both of our families. I can¡¯t allow anything to happen to any of them. Is that even possible? I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m not going to give up without trying.


    I step into the bedroom and pull on my clothes. With onest look at the sleeping Christian, I step out into the hallway. I pull on my socks and boots, shrug into my jacket, and tug Christian¡¯s hat over my hair. I let myself out through the back door, and the cold instantly assaults me. I shove my hands into the pockets, despite wearing gloves, and walk past the woodshed, then hesitate. Which way should I go?


    I cross the snow-covered ground toward the tree line, then take the only path there is, the one that heads through the woods.


    The silence wraps itself around me. There¡¯s not a breath of air, no sound from insects or birds. The pale dawn light is cut off in ces by the thick overhead cover. I step in the snow, and while my boots guard me from the worst of the wetness, instantly, a chill runs up my spine. I increase my pace in a bid to keep warm, then cry out when a shadow peels off from a nearby tree.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    My heart pounds in my ribcage, and my pulse rate ratchets up. I bring a shaky hand up to push the hair off of my forehead as the manes to a stop in front of me.

 176

    Aurora


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Garibaldi ¡± The man folds his massive arms across his chest. The lower portion of his face is covered in a mask. It seems to enhance the impact of those grey-blue eyes that re at me.


    ¡°H-how did you get here?¡± I stutter. I had seen him peek in through the windowst night, and that was when I screamed. A part of me knew then that this meeting was inevitable. I left the house knowing that he¡¯d find me.


    ¡°You mean, the snowstorm?¡± He arches an eyebrow, ¡°Turns out, this lodge isn¡¯t the only ce to take shelter in. I found another cottage not very far off where I could hunker down until the snow stopped falling. Evidently, folks in these parts are trusting enough to leave the key to the front door in the most obvious of ces. I didn¡¯t even have to look too hard to find it.¡± He sounds disgusted like he¡¯d have preferred more of a challenge.


    ¡°How did you know where I was?¡±


    ¡°I followed the two of you from the chalet, before the storm swept in.¡±


    My cheeks heat. ¡°So, you saw us on the pond?¡±


    ¡°You mean, did I see you fall into the ice hole and watch lover boy rush to save you?¡± He smirks, or at least I think he does behind the mask. ¡°I did.¡± He raises his shoulder. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared that up,¡± he tilts his head, ¡°what information do you have for me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±


    His expression remains unchanged. ¡°Have you, now?¡± he drawls.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± I shift my weight from foot to foot. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you what you want to know. I can¡¯t betray Christian.¡±


    ¡°Afraid it doesn¡¯t work like that.¡± The wrinkles at the edges of his eyes tighten, but his eyes themselves stay dead. In the few times I¡¯ve met him, I¡¯ve never seen any hint of life in them. They are dark holes in a face that is otherwise so ssically handsome, you¡¯d think he were a fairy tale prince. Only this man is everyone¡¯s worst nightmaree to life. But because of the way he looks, the way he speaks with that cultured British ent, the way he is dressed in that fitted coat which emphasizes the width of his shoulders, and boots that cost more than the economy of a third world country, you¡¯d never call him that, and that¡¯s what makes it worse.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I tip my chin up. ¡°I agreed to share information with you then, but I¡¯m not going to do so now.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯d risk the lives of your father and sister, for that of your fiance?¡±


    ¡°Fake fiance,¡± I correct him out of habit, then bite my lip. Shit, he isn¡¯t my fake anything, but how the hell do I exin that when I¡¯m not sure myself when things changed?


    ¡°I see.¡± He nods. ¡°So it¡¯s like that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I scowl. ¡°There¡¯s nothing ¡®like that¡¯ about it; I¡¯ve simply decided I¡¯m not going to let you dictate what I do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in love with him; it happens.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s why human rtionships are so messy.¡± He slides his hand into the pocket of his coat. ¡°It¡¯s why I prefer to keep things on a strictly business basis. It¡¯s why, if you don¡¯t tell me what you know, I¡¯m going to put a hit out on his head.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I cry out. ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s entirely up to you, if you tell me what you know about the dealings of the Sovranos.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡± My shoulder¡¯s slump. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Then, I don¡¯t have a choice.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s going to die, and you¡¯ll still owe me information.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this. Please¡­¡± I take a step forward. ¡°It¡¯s not like I know much anyway. The Sovranos don¡¯t discuss anything of consequence in front of me.¡±


    His lips draw up in the semnce of a smile. ¡°You are about to marry one of their brothers. Clearly, you are in their inner circle. And you expect me to believe that you haven¡¯t heard anything?¡±


    ¡°You know the Mafia.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°The men don¡¯t discuss anything in front of the women.¡±


    ¡°That may be so, but you are also their doctor. Chances are good, you have heard or seen things in passing which are bound to add up to something.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I really just focus on doing my job when they call me in as a doctor. I tend not to hear or see anything else when I¡¯m concentrating on a patient.¡±


    He looks me up and down. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± He pulls his hand out of his pocket and aims a gun at me.


    ¡°Wha ¡­ what are you doing?¡± My heart ms against my ribcage.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to help me, then I have no choice but to kill you.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I take a step back. ¡°How is killing me going to help?¡±


    He shakes his head, ignoring my question. ¡°Don¡¯t move, or you¡¯ll make this worse on yourself.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shit, why did I decide to take a walk? Why didn¡¯t I stay back in the house, in thatfy bed with Christian? Better still, why haven¡¯t I told Christian about the deal I made with this stranger? Because if you had, he would hate you. And he¡¯s just professed his love for you.


    No, no way could I have told him; which leaves me at the mercy of this man who¡¯s walking toward me, the gun held in his gloved hand. He reaches me and stares into my face. Something in those soulless eyes, that look of intent,ced with an indifference¡­ Shit! This man would shoot me in a heartbeat, and he¡¯d still go after Christian. Jesus Christ, how could I have gotten myself into this situation?


    His gaze narrows. I sense him getting ready to shoot. Adrenalineces my blood. I lunge toward him, grab his hand, shove it up just as he depresses the trigger. The sound of the gun shot echoes around the space. The bullet whizzes past me so close that the breeze raises the hair on my head.


    A scream boils up. I swallow it down as I stumble back, then lunge away from him and into the forest. My ears are ringing from the gunshot fired so close to me, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s following me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.


    He¡¯s going to kill me. He¡¯s going to kill me. He¡¯s going to-something thwacks into the tree trunk next to my head. Shards of wood hit my cheek, and I can¡¯t stop the scream that slips from my mouth. I increase my pace. My boot-d feet sink into the snow, and my breathes in pants. Sweat beads my forehead and seems to instantly freeze. Shit, this is not good. Not good, at all.


    I run further into the woods. Snow slides off of a branch and falls in front of me. I swerve around it and run for a few more minutes. My heart is thumping so hard in my chest that I can barely breathe. My limbs tremble, and my thigh muscles seem to cramp. I push myself forward, but my steps seem to slow. No, no, no. I can¡¯t be tired that quickly. Just one more step; one more. I see a light through the trees and force myself to walk toward it. Apparently, I¡¯ve circled around and raced toward the lodge without even realizing it. I take another step forward, then another as I head for the clearing. I try to draw in a breath, and my lungs burn. My blood is pounding so hard that I can hear it pumping in my ears.


    Behind me, I sense his approach. Just one more step, please, just one more¡­ A ball of emotion clogs my throat. Pressure builds behind my eyes, and moisture trickles down my cheek. So, this is how I¡¯m going to die? At the hands of a mad man who is going to shoot me first, then him. No, I can¡¯t let him get to Christian. I can¡¯t.

 177

    I turn to face the man who stands not six feet from me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill him, please. Kill me; take my life, but not his.¡±


    He raises his gun, and I squeeze my eyes shut. Please let it be quick. Please let it not hurt¡­ Please let him spare Christian. Oh, Christian, why didn¡¯t I tell you I love you? Why?


    At least, I can warn him. If I scream again, perhaps he¡¯ll hear me and be warned. I open my mouth to do just that when a shot rings out. I scream, mp my hands over my ears, and squeeze my eyes shut. The ringing seems to intensify, then someone grips my shoulder. I scream again and try to pull away. ¡°Let me go, don¡¯t touch me,¡± I yell.


    ¡°Aurora, it¡¯s me,¡± Christian soothes. His voice sounds like he¡¯s a long distance away, although I know he¡¯s standing right beside me.


    I snap my eyes open. ¡°Christian?¡± My voice echoes inside of my head. I nce from side to side to find no one is there.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± Christian murmurs. ¡°Who was he? Did he hurt you?¡± He straightens, takes a step in the direction of where the other guy has gone, but I jump up and grab his arm.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t go after him. Please don¡¯t.¡±


    He nces down to where I¡¯m clutching at his sleeve, then back at my face, where he can, surely, see my fear. ¡°Who was he, Aurora? Why were you talking to him?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± I swallow. ¡°I¡­¡± I nce away. I don¡¯t want to lie to Christian, but can I afford to tell him the truth?


    ¡°What is it, Aurora?¡± He frowns. ¡°You can tell me anything. You know that, right?¡±


    Do I?


    I bite the inside of my cheek and shake my head. ¡°Christian, please don¡¯t make me.¡± More tears run down my cheek, and I wipe them away.


    ¡°What is it?¡± His voice softens. ¡°You can trust me.¡±


    Can I? What if I tell you and you end up hating me? How could I live with myself then?


    ¡°Why did youe out here, Aurora? Did you know him? Did he know that you would be meeting him? Was he waiting for you? If so, how did youmunicate with him?¡± He wrinkles his brow, and I swear, I can see the gears clicking in his head. ¡°The face at the window yesterday¡­¡± he muses. ¡°That was him, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    I nce away, unable to meet his eyes. Shit, shit, shit, what¡¯s wrong with me? Why can¡¯t I tell him everything? Why do I feel like he¡¯s going to judge me for what I did? Why do I feel like I made a huge mistake? Because I did. Because I was so against the Mafia, I jumped at the chance of taking revenge against them. And when Christian proposed the fake marriage, my feelings only intensified. I¡¯d made up my mind to do anything to get my freedom, including sacrificing his life, if necessary¡­ Only, I¡¯ve changed my mind. At least, I¡¯ve managed to save him¡­ This time¡­ Which doesn¡¯t mean that monster won¡¯te back and try to kill us again. Not to mention, he told me he¡¯d take a hit out on Christian. OMG, what am I going to do?


    I nce around the space, then back at the lodge. ¡°We should get back inside.¡±


    Christian¡¯s gaze narrows. ¡°What is it? What are you not telling me, Aurora? Are you worried that he wille back for us? Do you know something that I don¡¯t?¡± He closes the distance between us and peers into my eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t keep you safe unless you tell me what¡¯s happening here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you I¡¯m worried about, Christian.¡± I swallow, ¡°If something were to happen to you-I ¡­ I couldn¡¯t live with myself.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to me? Is that man after me? If so, why was he trying to shoot you? I¡¯m asking you again, Aurora, tell me what you know.¡± The skin stretches across his cheekbones, and the color seems to fade from his features.


    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Please, Christian, you have to believe me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to believe.¡± He releases my hand and takes a step back. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re not what you seem.¡± Sweat beads his brow. ¡°Perhaps it was wrong of me to trust you. Perhaps there¡¯s more to you than meets the eye.¡± He sways, then nces down. I follow his gaze to the red that stains the left side of his shirt.


    ¡°Oh my god, Christian,¡± I cry out. ¡°He shot you?¡±


    I jump toward him, but he throws up a hand. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor.¡± I push away his arm, and the very fact that he doesn¡¯t protest worries me even more. He sways again, and I grab his uninjured shoulder to steady him. ¡°We need to get you back inside.¡± I throw his arm over my shoulder and steady him. We begin to head back, and he seems to grow heavier with each step. By the time we reach the entrance to the lodge, I¡¯m almost bent double by his weight.


    We make it to the living room, and I lower him onto a chair. The fire must have gone out sometime in the night because the inside of the house seems almost as cold as the outside. I undo the buttons of his shirt, push it aside, and take in the wound on his shoulder. Blood bubbles out from it. ¡°Shit, shit, shit.¡± I race to the bathroom, grab a towel, then run back to him. I push the towel against his wound. ¡°Hold this there.¡± I grab his hand and ce it on the towel. Once I¡¯m convinced that he has enough of a hold on it, I grab his uninjured shoulder. ¡°Sit up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He scowls up at me from his slouched position.


    ¡°Sit up, so I can check the damage,¡± I exin as I nudge my shoulder under his uninjured arm and heave. He sits up, then sways again. ¡°Shit!¡± I manage to take some of his weight. I push down the sleeves of his shirt and manage to peel it off, so I can take a closer look at the wound on the shoulder¡­ It¡¯s deep, but hopefully, it¡¯s not so deep that I can¡¯t stitch it. The bullet only grazed the flesh. The breath I wasn¡¯t aware I¡¯m holding whooshes out. ¡°Where¡¯s the first aid kit?¡± I demand.


    ¡°In the cab in the bathroom,¡± he says in a low voice. His features have definitely gone even more pale in thest few minutes. Shit!


    I change direction, race to the bathroom, and rummage around in the cab. ¡°There!¡± I grab the kit, and race back to him, open the kit, and scowl. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here that I can sew you with.¡±


    He nces at the sewing kit, then back at me.


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m not using that to stitch you up.¡±


    ¡°Poetic justice, don¡¯t you think?¡± His lips curl. ¡°Thought you¡¯d like the opportunity to stick a needle into me.¡±


    I draw in a breath, then release him before I walk back to the bathroom and grab all the clean towels I can find. Next, I go to the kitchen, boil the kettle, and carry it and a bowl to the living room. I help him out of the remnants of his shirt, then grab the bottle of whiskey from the bar.


    ¡°You ready?¡±


    He holds out his hand, I ce the bottle of whiskey in it, and he swigs from it before handing it back to me. I pour the whiskey over the wound, and he winces. Once I¡¯m sure that the wound is reasonably clear, I clean it with the quickly-cooling water from the kettle. I drop the blood-sodden towels into the bowl, then walk over to the side table to survey the sewing kit. Thankfully, the kit is fancy enough that I can find a curved needle and silk thread to run through the eye of the needle.


    ¡°This is going to hurt.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling that you¡¯ve already hurt me much more than the damage you can inflict on me with a needle.¡±


    I stiffen. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ it¡¯s not what it seems, Christian.¡±


    ¡°Then what is it? Exin it to me, Aurora, because from where I am, it doesn¡¯t look very good for you.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Of course, I know that. And of course, I know what it looks like. But if I tell him the truth behind why I was speaking to the man, that I knew him, had arranged to meet him, had agreed to give up the secrets of the Sovranos to him¡­ Then, not only will he no longer be interested in marrying me, he¡¯ll kill me and my family right away. The needle almost slips from my sweaty fingers. ¡°Cazzo,¡± I swear aloud as I tighten my grip on it at thest minute. ¡°I need to sterilize this, at least.¡±


    I thread the needle before I head to the bar and grab a bottle of vodka-it¡¯s a clearer spirit than whiskey, so hopefully, it should sterilize it. I pour some of the vodka into a ss, then drop the needle and thread in it. I pull on a pair of gloves from the first-aid kit, then fish out the needle and thread before returning to him.


    ¡°This is all wrong. I shouldn¡¯t be doing this. I¡¯m a doctor, not a ¡­ a ¡­ savage. What if the wound gets infected?¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t let that happen,¡± his voice is slurred.


    I nce at his face and find the shadows under his eyes are more pronounced. His features are gaunt, and when I nce down at his shoulder, I find the blood is running down his arm to pool at his feet.


    ¡°Maledizione!¡± I snatch up another towel, press it to this shoulder, and hold it there for a few minutes until the blood oozing out seems to slow somewhat. I throw the sodden cloth aside, then once more, clean the wound with the warm water.


    I hand him two of the painkillers I find in the first aid kit. Before I can get him a ss of water, he swallows them dry.


    ¡°Go on.¡± He jerks his chin toward his chest.


    I hesitate only for a second, then begin to stitch him up.


    For a few seconds, there¡¯s silence, then, ¡°You swear in Italian when you¡¯re upset, you know that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I frown, trying to focus on pushing the needle through the gaping lips of the wound.


    ¡°You swear in Italian when you¡¯re under emotional stress.¡±


    ¡°It happens,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°And you get these cute wrinkles between your eyebrows when you are focused on something.¡±


    ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°And your scent¡­ You always smell of honeysuckle and crushed rose petals.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I nce up at him. His pupils are dted with¡­ Pain? Awareness? Pain, probably. It has to be painful when I stab the needle through his skin, but he hasn¡¯t jerked once. ¡°Not long now,¡± I mutter, then turn back to my task.


    ¡°Take your time. At least this way, you have a real reason to stay close to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re delirious,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Am I?¡± He clears his throat. ¡°I know the only reason you¡¯ve stayed with me is because I threatened your family.¡±


    I don¡¯t reply.


    ¡°If I had asked you to pose as my fake wife, you never would have agreed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± I agree.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t need to be that way, you know.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Just a few more stitches to go now. I can do this.


    ¡°Just tell me what you¡¯re hiding from me, and I¡¯ll forgive you, and I promise not to hurt you or your family either.¡±


    My finger slips, the needle stabs his skin extra hard, and he winces. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me, but try not to kill me with that needle, okay?¡±


    I shoot him a nce from under my eyshes. ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby; you can take the pain.¡±


    ¡°But can I take the agony when I find out that you have been betraying me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stare, ¡°I ¡­ I haven¡¯t been betraying you.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you?¡± He chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re such a bad liar, Flower.¡± He reaches up and pushes the hair off of my forehead. ¡°But that¡¯s okay. I know how to spank the truth out of you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to be doing much of anything except lying on your back and recovering.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you be lying on your back,¡± he smirks, ¡°with me on top, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I say dryly as I continue with my task.


    ¡°Better still, I cany back, as long as you practice some of your kinky doctor shit on me.¡±


    ¡°Kinky doctor shit?¡± I chuckle. Drunk-with-pain Christian is a lot more fun than sober Christian. ¡°What does kinky doctor shit involve?¡±


    ¡°You know¡±-his lips curl-¡°you giving me a thorough full-body examination.¡±


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯re getting from me is a prostrate examination, buster.¡±


    Heughs.


    I scowl at him. ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me. With your perverted tastes, you¡¯d probably enjoy that too much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d enjoy it more if I could return the favor with a breast examination, followed by a pelvic scan. You know, the kind where I get to use my dick instead of a probe.¡±


    I raise my eyebrows. ¡°Really, you¡¯re going there?¡± I knot the thread onest time, then grab the scissors and cut it off.


    His muscles go solid.


    I raise my gaze to his face to find his eyelids shut. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± He opens his eyes and fixes me with that blue gaze. ¡°My fiancee-¡±


    ¡°Fake fiancee.¡±


    ¡°-is hiding a secret from me, and I¡¯ve just been shot.¡±


    He rises to his feet and sways. I grip the arm attached to his uninjured shoulder. ¡°We need to get you to a hospital.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡±


    ¡°The wound can still get infected, and all I have done is patch you up temporarily, at best. Maybe I should find my way to the chalet and get help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± he snaps. ¡°Just help me to bed, will you?¡±

 178

    Aurora


    He¡¯s not fine; he¡¯s not doing well at all. Outside, it begins to snow as I dip the cloth in cool water and ce it on his fevered brow. Sweat clings to his upper lip and coats his chest. He stirs restlessly, his eyeballs moving behind closed eyelids.


    I helped him to bed, where he copsed and fell asleep almost instantly. That was two hours ago. The blood loss must have weakened him more than he¡¯d been letting on. I managed to throw my clothes into the dryer, pull on my bathrobe, then build up the fire in the living room. It is warm inside the house, but you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell from the way he shivers under the covers that I pulled up to his neck.


    There are no antibiotics in the house that I can give him, and stitching up the wound, clearly, isn¡¯t enough. The infection is mounting, damn it. I pace the floor next to the bed and watch his ragged breathing. I need to do something, but what? I chew on my fingernail. Do I dare leave him and try to find my way back to the main chalet?


    He groans, and my breath catches in my chest. I¡¯ve never seen him stripped of his confidence and in so much pain. Even now, lying there wounded, his big body is a massive presence that seems to suck up most of the oxygen in the room. His skin is almost as pale as the sheets heys on, and that is not good. Oh god, he¡¯s sinking¡­ He¡¯s going to die. No! I squeeze my fists at my sides. Not if I have a say in this. It¡¯s my fault that he got shot, and I¡¯m going to make sure that I save him. I turn to head off to the dryer to get my clothes when his voice stops me. ¡°Phone,¡± he slurs, ¡°the phone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I pivot and close the distance to the bed. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°The phone¡±-his eyelids flutter open, and he fixes his blue gaze on mine-¡°in the woodshed.¡±


    ¡°The woodshed?¡±


    ¡°Phone¡­ Call¡­ Michael¡­¡± His eyes close.


    ¡°Christian?¡± I touch his shoulder, and his skin is so hot that I freeze. Shit, shit, shit. I don¡¯t even have a thermometer here to monitor his temperature, but clearly, his condition is worsening by the second. And what did he mean by ¡®phone¡¯? ¡°Is there a phone in the woodshed, Christian? Is that what you¡¯re trying to say?¡±


    His eyes stay closed.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± I press my fingers together. I need to find out if what he said is true. But if there is a phone, why didn¡¯t he call for help sooner? I shake my head. First things first, I need to check if what he says is true.


    I head for the dryer, pull out my clothes, and slip them on. Then pull on my boots and jacket and head out of the backdoor. It¡¯s snowing again, but at least, the wind seems to have died down. I stomp through the snow and reach the woodshed. I push the door open and still.


    It¡¯s warmer than I expected in here, so there definitely is some kind of temperature regtion at work. On one side, the firewood is piled up neatly, as expected. On the other side, there is a chair and a table, with aptopputer and a phone connected to theptop. What the hell?


    So, there had been a way to keep in touch with the chalet. And Christian must have used it¡­ For what? To let them know that we were here and safe, which is why no one hade in search of us. I had wondered about it, but then, I had been so caught up in the sexual haze he¡¯d been spinning around me that I hadn¡¯t bothered to pursue that line of thought.


    So, he has been hiding this from me all along? Why? So he could keep me here and fuck me, wear down my defenses? But to what end? I was already his captive; he could have done what he wanted with me¡­ But did he want time alone with me? Is that why he nned this borate ruse?


    And he had used me of keeping a secret from him. Seems I¡¯m not the only one. I head for the phone, pick it up, not surprised to find that it¡¯s fully charged. I try to swipe the screen, but it¡¯s locked. Of course, it is.


    I march back to the lodge, tiptoe up to the bed, and ce Christian¡¯s finger on the touch ID. The phone screen unlocks. I lower his arm to his chest, then look up the names in the phonebook and press Michael¡¯s number.


    ¡°Pronto?¡± Michael picks up on the fifth ring. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be hearing from you in a few more days, stronzo,¡± he jokes.


    ¡°Michael?¡± I square my shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s been an ident.¡±


    Half an hourter, I mber onto the helicopter, which arrived within twenty minutes of that phone call. Apparently, the Sovranos don¡¯t mess around when ites to their own. Michael had listened to me without interruption, then ordered me to stay with Christian until help arrived. Before I could ask any more questions, he had disconnected.


    He¡¯s no less bossy than Christian. It seems like each Sovrano brother has an ego the size of Texas¡­ How the hell do they manage to sit at a table and do business? Not to mention, actually get together under one roof¡­ A feat which I now realize no one other than Nonna could have pulled off. She is the only one who seems to know how to handle these alphaholes, and when Christian finally wakes up, I¡¯ll have one very irate alphahole to deal with.


    I nce down to where the paramedics have strapped him to a stretcher. They had checked his vitals as soon as they had arrived at the lodge, started an IV drip, ced an oxygen mask around his nose, and moved him to a stretcher within minutes. The trembling had set in then, once I realized that he was in good hands. And I haven¡¯t stopped shaking since.


    ¡°Here.¡± Michael ces Christian¡¯s jacket around my shoulders, then sits down next to me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to arrive with the air-ambnce,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± Michael scowls. ¡°Of course, I was going to be there for him.¡±


    He holds out his hand.


    ¡°What?¡± I blink.


    ¡°The phone¡­¡± He gestures to the device that I have clutched between my fingers. ¡°I assume that¡¯s Christian¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± I hand the phone over, and Michael pockets it.


    ¡°How did he get shot?¡± he asks.


    I look away, then reach over and run my fingers through Christian¡¯s sweat-dampened hair. ¡°If I had known that he had a phone, I would have called you earlier,¡± I say softly.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Michael folds his arms over his chest. ¡°What¡¯s going on between you two; why didn¡¯t he tell you about the phone earlier?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± I lie.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He purses his lips. ¡°And I assume you don¡¯t know anything about who shot him either?¡±


    I nce away and bite my lower lip. No way am I letting any of them in on what my connection with the stranger is. And definitely not when Christian is unconscious. He¡¯s the only one who has been on my side since the beginning¡­ Although, when he¡¯s awake, that might change too.


    ¡°Ever since you helped Karma to escape, I haven¡¯t trusted you. I wasn¡¯t in favor of Christian marrying you either, but he convinced me otherwise. Now, I wonder if I should have questioned the situation further. Whether I should have shot you like had been my first instinct.¡±


    I pull the jacket closer, then nce out of the window for a few seconds. ¡°The gun¡­ Christian had a gun he used to shoot at the other guy.¡± I turn back to Michael. ¡°Someone needs to find the gun; he dropped it in the snow.¡±


    He peers into my eyes, then nods. ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± He holds my gaze. ¡°If anything happens to my brother, I won¡¯t let you live, Aurora,¡± he says in a voice filled with menace.


    A shiver runs down my spine, and I hunch my shoulder. ¡°If anything happens to him, I don¡¯t want to live,¡± I say in a low voice.


    He scowls at me. ¡°My brother seems to think that you can be trusted; you¡¯d best pray that he is right.¡±


    ChristianExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Ie awake with a start. The scent of antiseptic is so strong in my nostrils, I know I can only be in one ce. I take in the re of the fluorescent lights that bounce off of the white sheets, the white ceiling, the white tiled floor, the white walls. I try to move, and my entire body protests. My side feels numb, and my limbs feel weighted down. I raise my arm and find it¡¯s attached to something warm.


    Slowly, I turn my head to find her on a chair pulled up next to the bed. Her fingers are sped around mine, and she¡¯s curled into the back of the chair, fast asleep. Her eyshes are dark fans against her cheekbones; dark circles shadow her eyes like she hasn¡¯t had much sleep. Her legs are pulled up under her, and I¡¯m sure she must be ufortable all coiled up like that. I lower my gaze to where her slim, delicate fingers are twined with mine.


    She¡¯s ringless, of course, considering she tossed the engagement ring into the snow. I don¡¯t care about the cost; I can get her another one¡­ But the fact that she did it makes me see her in a new light. This isn¡¯t some spineless woman who would ept my dominance without questioning it¡­ And the fact is, I like that. After the women I¡¯ve met who were taken in either with my money or my notoriety-neither of which seem to have any impact on her-she¡¯s a breath of fresh air.


    Clearly, she also saved my life. I nce down at the bandage covering my chest. Thest I remember is her stitching me up, then helping me to bed. I must have fallen asleep right away, for I don¡¯t remember much after that. I raise my left arm and wince. But the pain isn¡¯t too bad. Maybe it¡¯s the meds or the painkillers, but while I feel like I¡¯ve been put through a wringer, all said and done, I feel okay.

 179

    I nce up to find her staring at me. Her golden-brown eyes seem to burn with unsaid emotions. ¡°Whiskey,¡± I murmur, then clear my throat, ¡°it¡¯s like drowning in whiskey.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She frowns.


    ¡°Your eyes¡±-I quirk my lips-¡°they are whiskey-colored, and your mouth¡±-I lower my gaze to her lips-¡°like a red rosebud in half-bloom.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Do you have a fever?¡± She reaches over to ce her palm on my forehead. ¡°Are you still in pain?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I mean it, you know. You are beautiful, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Her blush deepens. ¡°How are you feeling now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± I try to sit up, then wince when my chest hurts. ¡°How did I get here?¡±


    ¡°I used your phone to call Michael.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I hold her gaze, ¡°so you found the phone?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that you had one? Why did you tell me that there was no way of calling the others?¡±


    ¡°Because I wanted to spend time with you. Alone.¡±


    ¡°So, you lied to me?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s you who lied to me. Who is he, Aurora? Who is the man who shot me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t tell you.¡± She nces away.


    ¡°A former lover, maybe? Someone you care for?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°far from it. I don¡¯t really know him at all.¡±


    ¡°Another lie?¡± I growl.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± She tugs on her hand, and this time, I loosen my grip. She ces her hands in herp. ¡°I really don¡¯t know him, Christian. Every time I¡¯ve met him, he¡¯s worn a mask that covers the lower half of his face.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve met him more than once?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not getting into this with you.¡± She jumps up and begins to pace. ¡°You¡¯re feeling better; you¡¯re going to be okay. My work here is done.¡± She wheels around and heads for the exit.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±


    ¡°Out of here, away from you; you¡¯re fine now. And clearly, after what happened, you don¡¯t want anything to do with me, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Says who?¡± She scowls at me over her shoulder.


    I re back at her, and she throws up her hands.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s my fault you got shot, okay? I am truly sorry, but after what happened, I think it¡¯s best we stop pretending about whatever there is between us.¡±


    ¡°Are you pretending, Flower, because I am not.¡±


    She pauses, then shakes her head. ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this, Christian, we can¡¯t. I don¡¯t know what you want from me.¡±


    ¡°What I want from you is to stick to the terms of our agreement.¡±


    She blinks. ¡°You mean, after everything that happened, you still want to go ahead with the fake marriage.¡±


    ¡°Especially because of what happened. And considering I got shot in the process, the least you can do is see through your part of the bargain, then set me free, so I can live life the way I want.¡±


    ¡°Which is footloose and fancy-free and bedding as many women as you want?¡± She sets her jaw.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what I want. Although, as long as we are fake married, I¡¯ll be more discreet about who else I¡¯m sleeping with.¡±


    ¡°So, during the time we are fake married, you still get to sleep with others, as long as you are not caught, but I don¡¯t get to see anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Her face reddens, and this time, it¡¯s not with embarrassment. Oh, she¡¯s pissed all right, and fuck, if that doesn¡¯t turn me on.


    ¡°You know what, you can stuff your goddamn arrangement up your arse.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, it¡¯s not just you but your family¡¯s lives which are at risk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see youe near them,¡± she snarls.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you stop me.¡±


    She balls her fists at her sides, draws in a breath, then another. ¡°I am not going to let you get away with bullying me this time.¡± She unclenches her fingers one by one, then draws herself up to her full height. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, Christian, and I don¡¯t care what you do next.¡±


    She spins around, marches over to the door of the hospital room, and opens it. She attempts to step out, but Antonio blocks her path.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she demands. He nces at me, and I shake my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aurora, I can¡¯t,¡± Antonio says gently. Good. If he¡¯d been impolite to her, I¡¯d not have hesitated to shoot him.


    She turns around and stares at me. ¡°If you think you can force me to stay, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°I am not forcing you to stay; I am just not letting you leave.¡±


    She squeezes her eyes shut, draws in a breath, then stomps back to the chair and sinks into it. ¡°Fine, you are not going to let me leave. I get it.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± I rake my gaze over her features. ¡°Do you really understand what a precarious position you¡¯re in?¡±


    She folds her arms across her chest, but doesn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°If you were to leave right now, Michael would hunt you down and kill you. The only reason you are still alive is because you are here and under my protection.¡±


    ¡°Do you expect me to be grateful for being held prisoner?¡±


    ¡°I expect you toe clean on why you felt it necessary to crawl out of the bed where I had made love to you not hours ago and walk through the biting cold for a tryst with a man who would have killed you if I hadn¡¯te upon you.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I ¡­ don¡¯t expect you to understand.¡±


    ¡°Try me, Flower.¡±


    She bites down on her lower lip, and despite the fact that I¡¯m sedated and woozy, my cock stirs. Apparently, not even being shot at and almost dying-okay, I exaggerate; I didn¡¯t almost die, though I did feel close to it-will stop my body from reacting to her presence.


    ¡°Go on,¡± I prompt, ¡°tell me what¡¯s on your mind.


    ¡°I ¡­ ah-¡±


    The door opens abruptly, and Michael walks in. He¡¯s followed by Sebastian, Luca, and Adrian. Massimo brings up the rear. Fantastico, just what I need to top off a really shitty day.


    Michael strolls over to the only other chair in the room and drops into it. Seb and Luca stalk over to stand on either side of the foot of the bed. Massimo props himself up against the wall by the door; he nts his hands in his pockets and surveys the room. Adrian strolls over to stand by the window.


    I take in their rxed stances, but am not fooled. Assholes are here for an intervention, that¡¯s for sure. The silence stretches a beat, then another. Aurora squirms around in the chair. Suddenly, as if she¡¯s not able to take it any longer, she jumps up to her feet. ¡°I ¡­ I think I need a breath of fresh air.


    She walks toward the door when Michael¡¯s voice rings out. ¡°Sit down, Doctor.¡±


    She reaches the door and stretches her arm out toward the handle. ¡°Flower,¡± I order, e and sit down, please.¡± Yeah, I add the please because I know exactly what buttons to push to get her toply. I¡¯m an asshole that way. And whether I mean it or not¡­ Well, that doesn¡¯t really matter, does it?


    Aurora pauses, her shoulders shudder as she draws in a breath, then she spins around. Her gaze shes with mine. I jerk my chin toward her chair. She scowls, and I re at her. She pales, then tips her chin up. She flounces over to her chair and plops into it. She glowers back at me, and my lips twitch.


    Damn, the woman is sexy when she¡¯s angry. Hell, she¡¯s sexy any way. But when she¡¯s angry, her color rises, her eyes turn a darker gold, and I can¡¯t wait to throw her down and have hate sex with her.


    Michael shifts in his chair. ¡°If you two have had enough of eye-fucking each other, then perhaps we can get to the bottom of what really happened earlier?¡±

 180

    Christian


    ¡°What happened is none of your business.¡± I arch an eyebrow at Michael.


    ¡°Considering I had toe in and save your ass, it¡¯s very much my business,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°I do owe you a thanks for that,¡± I agree, ¡°so¡­¡± I flip him off.


    Michael¡¯s expression doesn¡¯t change. ¡°If you expect me to fuck off and leave you alone, you¡¯re mistaken.¡± Michael leans back in his chair.


    Seb folds his arms across his chest. ¡°You¡¯d better start talking because we are not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Ditto,¡± Luca adds.


    I stare at the faces of my brothers. Che fe da culo! Why can¡¯t these stronzos leave me alone?


    ¡°We care about you,¡± Massimo rumbles, ¡°about both of you.¡± He epasses Aurora in his gaze.


    ¡°Do you?¡± She nces between them. ¡°If that were the case, Michael here would not have threatened me earlier.¡±


    I sit up; my shoulder protests, but I ignore it. ¡°You threatened her?¡± I growl in a low voice, ¡°You threatened my fiancee?¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Michael orders. ¡°All I did was have a heart-to-heart with the doctor, so we both know where we stand.¡±


    Anger thuds at my temples. ¡°That¡¯s not cool, fratellone. I was unconscious and couldn¡¯te to her defense. You knew it, and yet you chose to intimidate her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you were unconscious that I needed to have words with her,¡± Michael growls. ¡°You¡¯d have done the same thing if you were in my ce.¡±


    I open and shut my mouth. Cazzo, he¡¯s right, though. If our positions had been reversed, and I had found him wounded with Karma under suspicious circumstances, I¡¯d have interrogated Karma too.


    ¡°Porca miseria.¡± I grab my hair and tug on it. ¡°What the hell do you want to know, Michael?¡±


    ¡°I want to know who shot you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my concern.¡±


    ¡°Not when it endangers all of us. He came after you. Next, he might turn his sights on any one of us, and you know I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    Fuck, but he¡¯s right. I square my shoulders and ignore the drowsiness that still tugs at my conscious mind.


    ¡°I need time with my fiancee to figure out this shit,¡± I growl.


    ¡°We¡¯re running out of time,¡± Sebastian says in a low voice. ¡°Whoever shot you is out there roaming free. What guarantee do we have that none of us are at risk?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± I nce between them, ¡°but I was the one shot, and she did save my life. For that alone, you need to go easy on her, Michael.¡±


    ¡°Not if it was her fault that you were shot in the first ce.¡±


    Aurora stiffens. The threat implicit in Michael¡¯s voice is clear for everyone to hear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking intimidate her,¡± I snap.


    Michael raises his hands, ¡°It¡¯s not my ce to tell you how to run your life, but when it begins to endanger the lives of my family, I can¡¯t stay silent.¡±


    I open my mouth to protest, but Seb intervenes. ¡°He¡¯s right, Christian, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I rake my fingers through my hair. ¡°Can you give me¡­us a few days to figure this out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you twenty-four hours.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that, I need a week, ¡± I shoot back.


    ¡°Forty-eight hours, and not a day more.¡± Michael nods.


    ¡°And you won¡¯t interfere in our wedding?¡±


    Michael scowls, then says, ¡°Fine.¡± He jerks his chin. ¡°And now, you¡¯d better brace yourself for No-¡±


    The door swings open, and Nonna sails in. She¡¯s dressed in an impable silk skirt and jacket, with what looks like a mink coat thrown over her shoulders. Karma walks in behind her, followed by Theresa and Cassandra. Karma sidles over to where Michael is sitting. Michael pulls her onto hisp, and Karma cuddles into him. Adrian watches Cassandra as she walks over to Aurora. Theresa follows her. The two women nk Aurora, who shoots them a grateful nce.


    It shouldn¡¯t have to be like this. Aurora is not the traitor that Michael is making her out to be¡­ Is she? No, she can¡¯t be. I have to believe that. She¡¯s hiding something. There¡¯s no doubt about that, but whatever it is, she must have her reasons. There¡¯s no way that she could betray me¡­ She can¡¯t.


    Nonna walks over to stand beside me. ¡°Christian¡­.¡± her chin trembles, ¡°nipotino mio.¡± She refers to me by the affectionate term for grandson before she reaches over to cup my cheek.


    ¡°Nonna,¡± my heart softens, ¡°I am okay, Nonna. It was just a scratch.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t fault me for being worried, Christiano,¡± she chides me. ¡°However much you boys may grow up, you will always remain my cino bello. And after what happened to Sandro, you can¡¯t me me for being worried about you.¡±


    ¡°I am truly fine, Nonna.¡± I take her hand in my mine. ¡°See, still alive and almost ready to be discharged from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, you are not going anywhere,¡± Aurora jumps in, ¡°not unless I confirm that you are ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I arch an eyebrow in her direction.


    ¡°You are on my turf, Mister.¡± She firms her jaw. ¡°And my word isw here.¡±


    Massimo chortles, Seb coughs, and Luca looks amused, while Michael and Adrian content themselves with smirks.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl at the men. ¡°Are you all taking her side on this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t involve us in your domestic matters,¡± Seb murmurs.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to know that there¡¯s someone taking care of you.¡± Nonna shoots Aurora an approving nce.


    ¡°Nonna, I ampletely okay.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t lookpletely okay,¡± she retorts.


    ¡°But I want to spend Christmas with all of you,¡± I protest.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you got lost in the snowstorm and decided to hole up in the lodge, hmm?¡± She smirks. Gesu Cristo, my grandmother really is a force of nature.


    My neck heats. Shit, why does Nonna have this uncanny ability to reduce me to feeling like I¡¯m still only six?


    ¡°That was a quirk of fate,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Was it now?¡± She arches an eyebrow.


    ¡°We Sovranos are powerful, but we don¡¯t control nature, Nonnina.¡±


    Sheughs, then nces between me and Aurora. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that you wanted to spend time with your beautiful fiancee, but since you two were missing for a few nights, I guess I can assume that the deed is done-¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± both Aurora and I burst out at the same time.


    ¡°Not that I expected the two of you to keep your hands off of each other before the wedding. Or maybe I did.¡± She raises a shoulder. ¡°Old woman that I am, after all, guess my expectations were unreasonable.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Nonna, that¡¯s not fair,¡± I murmur.


    She blows out a breath. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She tilts her head. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m willing to forgive the two of you for your misdemeanor.¡±


    ¡°Misdemeanor?¡± I exchange nces with Aurora. ¡°Is that what it¡¯s called?¡±


    She nods. ¡°And I know how you can make it up to me.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Do I want to hear this?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She nces from me to Aurora, then back at me. Her eyes gleam. Uh-oh, I¡¯m not sure I want to hear this right now.


    The silence stretches, then Aurora finally speaks up. ¡°What is it Nonna?¡± she asks in a soft voice. ¡°How can we make it up to you?¡±


    ¡°By moving up the date of the wedding.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aurora bursts out. ¡°Now you want to move up the date of the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Exactly that. I thought it would be good to wait for a few weeks, but given everything that has happened, I¡¯m convinced that it¡¯s best not to dy things anymore.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Aurora protests, ¡°Nonna¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, a dress, but you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t?¡± Aurora blinks.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy working on a dress for you and for your maids-of-honor,¡± Karma pipes up.


    ¡°Ah ¡­ but I am not sure-¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Nonna turns to me, ¡°and I am sure Christian, here, will only be too willing to oblige me?¡±


    ¡°I hate to tell you, I told you so but¡­ ¡± I smirk, ¡°I told you so.¡±


    Nonna frowns at me, and I cough. ¡°I mean, of course, Nonna, I¡¯ll be only too pleased to oblige you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so pleased.¡± She sniffs. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t meandered off and indulged in actions of the horizontal nature, we wouldn¡¯t have had to do this.¡±


    ¡°Gesu Cristo, Nonna.¡± I strive for an appropriately shocked expression. ¡°You are embarrassing all of us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not embarrassed,¡± Nonna arches an eyebrow, ¡°and neither is Michael.¡± She turns to Michael, ¡°Are you embarrassed, Michael?¡±


    Michael coughs. ¡°Me, embarrassed by you? Of course, not. Nonna, you could never say or do anything to make me ufortable.¡±


    ¡°Are you embarrassed, Sebastian? Luca? Massimo? Adrian?¡±


    The men shake their heads. None of them even try to hide their smiles.


    Traitors. The lot of them. I scowl around at the men, then turn to re at Michael. His smile widens.


    ¡°In fact,¡± Michael drawls, ¡°I propose we should have the wedding as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Seb pipes up.


    ¡°Totally,¡± Adrian adds his voice.


    ¡°Assolutamente.¡± Luca smirks.


    ¡°Now, that is what I call a capital idea.¡± Massimo nods his head sagely.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then?¡± Nonna rises to her feet. ¡°Christian and Aurora are getting married in two days.¡±

 181

    Aurora


    I am getting married? I am getting married. Jesus, I¡¯m getting married?


    After that pronouncement, Nonna flounced out of the room, followed by the rest of the men. Karma, Cassandra, and Theresa hung around long enough to let me know that they were on my side and that they would do their best to help me with the uing nuptials. They also told me they would be waiting for me until I was ready to go home.


    Now, it¡¯s me and Christian alone in the room.


    I nce at him, knowing my apprehension is written on my face. ¡°We can¡¯t get married,¡± I burst out, ¡°you know we can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You heard Nonna,¡± Christian drawls. ¡°She¡¯s made up her mind, and once Nonna makes up her mind, nothing can change it back.¡±


    ¡°B-but after everything that happened, surely, you agree that us getting married, even under the guise of a pretense, is a bad idea.¡±


    Christian folds his good arm behind his neck and leans back. The hospital gown stretches across his shoulders, and instead of looking ridiculous, it only emphasizes how fit, how sculpted his physique is. It should be a crime for anyone to look this good, especially when they are injured. The bandages only set off the tan of his skin, which is now a healthy color, thank god.


    When he had lost blood and seemed gaunt, the bottom had dropped out of my stomach. My chest had hurt, and a pounding pressure had made itself felt behind my eyes.


    I have treated patients, seen them in pain, but it¡¯s so much worse when someone you love is suffering. I¡¯d rather it be me who is hurting; that way, I know how to deal with it. But if it¡¯s someone who you-hold on, back up. Love¡­ Did I say love? So, yes, I have fallen in love with him along the way. I¡¯d known it on a subconscious level, but almost losing Christian had brought home the fact. No way am I going to put his life at risk again, especially when that man is out there, still hunting him. And I¡¯m sure getting married would draw the attention back to Christian and bring that man back for him.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do this.¡± I sp my fingers together. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous?¡± He murmurs, ¡°If you mean you are in danger of being fucked twenty-four-seven once we are officially married, and on our honeymoon, then yes, that¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    My cheeks heat. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± He lowers his chin. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe closer and exin it to me, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± I shake my head, ¡°no, no, no, I am noting near you, especially not when you are injured and need to rest that arm.¡±


    ¡°Is it concern for me or for yourself that¡¯s keeping you away?¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± I say without hesitation. ¡°I admit, the sex between us was good-¡±


    ¡°Good?¡± He chuckles. ¡°Christmas decorations are good, buying presents for your family is good, but the sex, darling Flower¡­ Our fucking is over-the-top, mind-blowing, pussy-clenching, blowing-my-load-in-seconds explosive.¡±


    ¡°No need to be vulgar.¡± I duck my head to avoid meeting his gaze.


    ¡°Oh, now she¡¯s shy¡­¡± Heughs. ¡°Didn¡¯t hear youin when I bound you up tighter than a Christmas stocking before the presents are opened-¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡± I dart a nce toward the door. ¡°Keep your voice low.¡±


    ¡°You ashamed of your kinky side, Flower?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not,¡± I murmur, ¡°it¡¯s just¡­ you know¡­ I am still getting used to-¡±


    ¡°How much you crave the fetish?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡± I flip my hair over my shoulder. ¡°Anyway,ing back to the question at hand-¡±


    ¡°There is no question. We are getting married. In two days. End of discussion.¡±


    I glower at him.


    He yawns, then settles back into the pillows. ¡°I do believe my meds are finally catching up with me.¡± He shuts his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare fall asleep.¡± I jump to my feet, walk over to him, and hit his shoulder, the one near where the bullet hit him.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± he grimaces, ¡°that¡¯s my hurt shoulder.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I firm my lips, ¡°it was the only way to get your attention.¡±


    ¡°Bloodthirsty too?¡± He smirks. ¡°Didn¡¯t peg you for being heartless, Flower.¡±


    ¡°But I always knew you were brutal.¡± I swallow. ¡°Please, Christian, I don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°It will simply draw attention to us.¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of, Aurora?¡± He scans my features. ¡°Tell me; I can¡¯t help you unless you do.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t.¡± I wish I could. I do¡­but if I do, you¡¯ll hate me. You¡¯ll never be able to love me , and where would that leave me? But you love him, and if you truly cared for him, you¡¯d tell him everything so he can protect himself. And if I do, I¡¯ll never be able to see him again. And that I won¡¯t be able to bear. I can¡¯t bring myself to. I can¡¯t. I spin around and head toward the exit.


    ¡°Aurora,¡± he calls out, ¡°this isn¡¯t over yet. I won¡¯t stop until you reveal how you knew that man.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Karma asks.


    We returned to Palermo yesterday, and then it was a headlong rush to get everything ready for the wedding. If Karma hadn¡¯te through on the dress, I¡¯m not sure what I would have done.


    I take in my reflection in the mirror in the bedroom of Nonna¡¯s home. It¡¯s where I had returned, and this time, Christian hadn¡¯t protested. In fact, when I told him that I was returning to Nonna¡¯s ce, he agreed it was a good idea. That way, he wouldn¡¯t see me the day before the wedding, as tradition dictates. Good thing too, because I can¡¯t wait to see his face when he sees me in this dress. The cream-colored gown with golden coils of thread woven through it clings to my shoulders, embraces my breasts, and cinches in at the waist before it flows down to my toes. The long sleeves are made ofce. When I move my arm, a hint of skin peeks through the gaps in the embroidery; the recurring motif is a thick braid that loops around and in on itself before it streams down to the cuffs.


    The train flows behind me and is made of sheerce with silver and gold shot through the pattern of-you guessed it-vines.


    The design is so appropriate, it seems like it was created in my mind¡¯s eye and brought to life in a manner so detailed that I can¡¯t wrap my mind around it.


    ¡°Well?¡± she asks again. ¡°Hopefully, you don¡¯t hate it. I only had a few days to get it right, so¡­¡± Her voice peters out.


    I turn one way, then the other, and rake my gaze over my figure in profile. The silken material clings to my curves, it ttens my belly, and emphasizes the lushness of my hips. The cut shows off my shoulders, frames my face, and the golden threads in the sleeves bring out the highlights in my hair. I take a step forward, and the skirt rustles when I walk. It slides over my thighs, reminding me of his touch. Goose bumps pop on my skin. I prop my hand on my hip, stick out a leg, and the material seems to flow and resettle over my shape, with a sh of a shapely ankle-my ankle-which is encircled by the strap of a wicked six-inch Salvatore Ferragamo shoe.


    On my head, I wear a simple tiara from which the champagne and gold veil flows down my back to trail behind me. The overall effect is subtle and powerful and undeniably sexy, and yet¡­ It¡¯s also restrained. It hints at hidden depths ofplexity and poetry, all melded together in one unique silhouette; the one that enfolds me.


    ¡°Aurora,¡± Karma probes, ¡°you¡¯re making me nervous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± I shake my head. The pressure builds behind my eyes, my chin trembles, and damn it, I don¡¯t want to cry I don¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± I sniffle, trying to get the words out, but they stick in my throat.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± Karma says in horror. ¡°you hate it. I knew I needed more time to get it right. Damnit; we should have taken you to a boutique and allowed you to buy one of your choice. I should have-¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± I turn on her. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Okay,¡± Karma chews on her lower lip, ¡°but I have to say that you are confusing me, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no confusion.¡± I nce from her to Theresa, who¡¯s hovering in the background, then back to Karma. ¡°It¡¯s clear that when you created this dress, you had a very clear idea of who I am. What I like and what my deepest, most secret desires are.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Karma blinks rapidly, ¡°that¡¯s good, right? That¡¯s apliment, correct?¡± She shuffles her weight between her feet. ¡°So, you like it. You do like it, right?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t like it-¡±


    Her face falls.


    ¡°I LOVE it, you stupid, brilliant woman!¡± I close the distance between us and throw my arms around her. ¡°It¡¯s gorgeous; it¡¯s beautiful. It¡¯s the kind of dress I had hoped for, but had always thought I¡¯d never be able to have, and now-¡±


    ¡°You do.¡± Theresa walks forward and embraces both of us. ¡°You look absolutely breathtaking, Aurora.¡± She sniffs. ¡°You are a vision.¡±


    A tear runs down her cheek, and I realize that she is remembering Xander and the wedding she had hoped to have with him. ¡°I am so sorry, Theresa.¡± I turn to her. ¡°This must be painful for you.¡±


    ¡°No¡± she shakes her head, ¡°I am just being sentimental. Fact is, everything I had hoped to have with Xander was a figment of my imagination.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he didn¡¯t feel something for you?¡± Karma murmurs.


    ¡°Even if he did,¡± she swallows, ¡°it wasn¡¯t something he was sure of. He was torn inside, and I never had the courage to approach him and talk to him about it. I was too shy, too worried about upsetting people, too conscious of how it would look if I pursued him.¡± She hunches her shoulders. ¡°Now, I wish I had simply cornered him and told him how I felt. It might have, at least, revealed if he had feelings for me or not. But I didn¡¯t, and now he¡¯s gone, and I¡¯ll never know.¡± Her features crumple. ¡°Oh, hell¡­¡± she turns away, ¡°this is a happy asion. I am not supposed to be bawling like this. It¡¯s your wedding, and I am spoiling it.¡± She cries harder.


    Karma and I look at each other, then as one, we move to her and hug her. ¡°Oh, honey,¡± I rub her back. ¡°It¡¯s okay; let it out. I know how hard this is for you. I really do.¡±


    She weeps for a few seconds more, then finally seems to get it under control. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she warbles, ¡°really, really sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to put a damper all over your wedding day.¡±


    I blink. Jesus, it really is my wedding day. It¡¯s like thest two days went by in the blink of an eye.


    I had returned to Nonna¡¯s residence with Theresa and Karma. The men were told to stay away, in no uncertain terms. I¡¯ve been receiving periodic updates on Christian¡¯s progress by Nonna. She assures me that he is fine and staying with Massimo. Christian and I will see each other for the first time at the ceremony, which will be held at the family church where Michael and Karma were married. A ceremony which will take ce a few hours from now.


    Theresa wipes her face and turns to me, ¡°I have something for you.¡± She moves away to pick up a bouquet from the side table, then turns and hands it to me.


    I nce down at the spray of sunflowers and blue orchids. They are tied together with a champagne-colored cloth knotted into a bow at the base. ¡°Wow,¡± I breathe, ¡°it¡¯s gorgeous.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s tradition for the bridegroom to give you the bouquet, but Nonna assured me that it was okay for me to make it for you.¡± Her features soften, ¡°The colors of the flowers reflect the colors of both of your eyes.¡± She adds softly. ¡°I had the design in mind from the moment I found out that the two of you were getting married. The sunflowers symbolize loyalty and adoration, and the blue orchids represent power and virility, though lord knows you two don¡¯t need help in that department.¡±


    I chuckle, still trying to wrap my head around everything. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize you knew so much about flowers.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I should,¡± she says with a smallugh, ¡°I own a flower shop.¡±


    ¡°Not just any flower shop, you are looking at an award-winning florist here,¡± Karma says.


    ¡°Oh wow,¡± I turn to Theresa, ¡°I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice that¡¯s why Nonna gifted her with the tulip bulbs during dinner at the chalet?¡± Karma interjects.


    ¡°Of course, guess I must have been too distracted to notice,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Theresa flushes. ¡°I love flowers, always have, and when you work with what you love, it doesn¡¯t feel like a job at all, you know?¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I nce at the flowers again, ¡°they are beautiful, and so is the dress.¡±


    There¡¯s a knock on the door, and a familiar face peeks around the door. ¡°Aurora,¡± her face breaks into a smile, and she bounces into the room, ¡°you look beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Elena.¡± I hold out my arms, and she races toward me, then pauses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to spoil your dress.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t, silly.¡± I smile. ¡°Now, hug me.¡±


    When she still hesitates, I wrap my arm around her shoulders and kiss her cheek. ¡°You look lovely,¡± I murmur, ¡°and so grown up.¡± I step back, then notice the others watching us.


    ¡°This is my sister, Elena.¡± I smile at them.


    ¡°Hello, Elena.¡± Karma grins. ¡°You look so much like your sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my sister is far prettier.¡± Elena turns to me, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are getting married.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? There¡¯s so much we need to catch up on.¡±


    ¡°I have something for you.¡± She dips her hand into the silk purse dangling from her wrist and holds out a brooch.


    ¡°That,¡± I swallow, ¡°that belonged to-¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± She nods. ¡± I thought you¡¯d like to have it with you when you got married.¡±


    ¡°Ah, now I have something old.¡± I take it and pin it to my dress.


    ¡°We are not done yet,¡± Nonna adds as she walks into the room. She¡¯s wearing a simple blue dress with blue and gold stilettos and looks every bit the regal matriarch that she is. She hugs me, then holds out a small box. I open it to find an ornate charm bracelet. I hold it up and find charms in the shape of a chrysanthemum, a peacock feather, a rope, a weeping Virgin Mary, an anchor, and a scorpion. The same symbols I had spotted among Christian¡¯s tattoos.


    ¡°Christian wanted this made for you.¡± Nonna fastens it around my wrist. ¡°He was very specific that he wanted you to be wearing this to the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± I run my finger along the pendants. What do they mean? Would Christian tell me if I asked him? Why is he wearing these designs on his body?


    Nonna steps back and takes in the four of us. ¡°Bellissime.¡± She wipes a tear from her eye. ¡°All of you look gorgeous.¡± She turns to me, ¡°Are you ready, Aurora?¡±

 182

    Christian


    I am not ready to be married, not ready at all. I slide my finger under the cor of my shirt and tug on it. ¡°Did someone turn up the heat in here?¡± I mutter.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sebughs, ¡°It¡¯s freezing, brother.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± I wipe a bead of sweat that trickles down my temple. ¡°I swear, it¡¯s like a furnace in here.¡± At least, my shoulder doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. The wound seems to be healing quickly, though I still have a bandage around my shoulder. Nothing that the suit can¡¯t hide. Looking at me, you¡¯d never guess that I had been shot at and bleeding a few days ago. I¡¯m lucky Flower is a doctor; her quick action saved my life, agonizing though it had been when she stitched me up. Not that I had let on. I¡¯d wanted her focused on the task at hand¡­ Also, I hadn¡¯t wanted to appear like a pussy in front of her.


    ¡°You nervous, Christian?¡± Luca smirks.


    ¡°Vaffancolo!¡± Fuck off, I growl.


    ¡°There¡¯s still time to change your mind.¡± Michael taps me on the shoulder, ¡°Say the word, and I¡¯ll call this circus off.¡±


    The circus being the fact that the pews are packed with people-because Nonna had, apparently, decided to invite every single person who is anyone in the city to attend. No, let me amend that. She had also invited our associates. JJ Kane, the head of the Kane Company, and Niki Solonik, the new Pakhan of the Bratva are here, as are the heads of the five families that constitute the Cosa Nostra.


    She¡¯s making up for the fact that Michael¡¯s wedding had been so hurried that he had married in an empty church. There had been no time to invite guests. Lucky devil.


    ¡°Well?¡± He frowns at me. ¡°What do you say? Time to end this charade?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d best not insult my bride by referring to our uing nuptials as that.¡±


    ¡°It must be love,¡± Adrian pipes up.


    All of my brothers are dressed in tuxes, except Adrian, who hates formal wear. He¡¯s wearing blue jeans, but at least, he has taken the time to pull on a jacket over his white button-down, his one concession to the formality of the asion.


    ¡°The fuck you talking about, testa di cazzo?¡± I growl.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you give enough of a fuck toe to someone¡¯s defense,¡± he retorts. ¡°As you should, fratello. After all, she is your soul mate, the love of your life, your wife-to-be.¡± He nods, ¡°Get ready for when the kidse along, and the potty training begins. Are you going to be a hands-on husband? I¡¯d hope so; it¡¯s best for the children to bond if you are-¡±


    I pale. ¡°Shut the fuck up, you pezzo di merda.¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s rather edgy,¡± Massimo drawls. ¡°Having second thoughts, fratellino?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap. And that much is true. Finally, my n is bearing fruit. I simply need to go through with this wedding, then wait for a few weeks and announce to the famiglia that we have fallen out of love and are going to separate. See? Easy.


    What¡¯s not as easy to stomach is that my bride is probably a traitor. All the more reason to go through with this sham of a wedding so I can keep her close¡­ Only until I find out what she¡¯s up to, of course. That¡¯s the only reason I am contemting exactly how I n to tie her up tonight, and bring her to the edge and keep her unfulfilled until she finally reveals exactly who it was that shot me.


    The wound on my shoulder healed quickly. It really had looked worse than it was. The ball of emotion that I am carrying around in my chest, though, the one that insists she can¡¯t be a traitor, even though all signs point to it¡­ That continues to fester. I didn¡¯t sleep thest two nights, and it¡¯s not because I spent them in the hospital¡­


    Fact is, I missed the scent of her, the taste of her, her quick wit, her rejoinders, her moans when I took her, her hitching breath when I tied her up, the marks my knots made on her skin, the feel of her soft pussy giving as I buried myself inside her. Somehow, she had grown on me in the days and nights that we had spent together, and that¡­is not something I had expected.


    Is that why I am nervous about this ceremony? Because it feels real? It¡¯s more real than anything I have faced in my life. As real as ¡­ Xander¡¯s death. As visceral as theck of him is. Am I trying to fill the hole in my heart with her presence? I ball my fists at my sides. No, I don¡¯t think so. There¡¯s more to it than that¡­ I saw her, I was drawn to her, and somewhere along the way, I fell in love with her. But it doesn¡¯t matter because I can¡¯t have her. I don¡¯t deserve to be happy, not when Xander is dead. Not when he¡¯ll never experience the thrill of having a soul mate. I may love her, but so what? I¡¯ll live if I don¡¯t act on my feelings for her. All I have to do is stick to the n, marry her, then leave her and-


    ¡°Dio mio, she¡¯s beautiful.¡± Seb¡¯s low whistle pulls me out of my thoughts. The music in the church begins to y the traditional song that marks the arrival of the bride. I turn, and it¡¯s as if a massive hand has punched me in the gut. My heart stutters, my stomach twists itself in knots, and something hot stabs at my chest. I stare at a vision in creamce and a champagne-colored dress standing poised at the entrance to the church.


    Everyone turns at once in their pews to see the back of the church then a hush falls over the crowd. All eyes focus on the woman silhouetted just inside the doors. She stands motionless as her bridesmaids move forward. First Theresa, then Karma, followed by her younger sister Elena. They move to stand on the dais across from my groomsmen, and that¡¯s when I really see her.


    She¡¯s opted to walk up the aisle on her own. With each step, she inches closer, her shapely ankles peeking out from under the skirt of her dress which tters her figure while enhancing her voluptuousness. The silver-gold threads in her dress glimmer under the light that pours in through the stained-ss windows. The veil flows down to cover her face, and she holds her bouquet of yellow and blue flowers at her chest, framing that spectacr bosom of hers as shees to a stop in front of me. I catch a glimpse of the bracelet I had made for her around her wrist. A fierce satisfaction courses through my veins.


    She stares up at me through the veil, and my heart rate ratchets up. My pulse hammers at my temples, at my wrist, even in my fucking balls. Is this what people mean by being pussy-whipped? Perhaps it¡¯s the fact that I want to reach down, push her skirts aside, and trace her luscious pussy lips through thece of her soaked panties, even as another part of me wants to haul her into my arms and kiss her and cherish her, and give her anything she wants.


    She swallows, and her hands tremble. The bouquet slips from her fingers. I step forward but before I can reach for it, she regains her grip on it. Then she hands it over to Theresa. As she lowers her arms to her sides, a trembling grips her body. I move toward her, pinch the edge of her veil, and raise it up and over her face. Those whiskey eyes stare back at me. Her features are pale, and that makes her eyes seem evenrger than usual. Her chin trembles, her lips part, and it takes everything in me not to bend down and fit my tongue between them. I hold out my palm, and she ces hers in it. I tug gently, and she moves closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine,¡± I whisper.¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°I promise; it will all be okay.¡±


    She peers into my features, then draws in a breath. ¡°Okay,¡± she breathes.


    ¡°Okay.¡± I turn to face the priest.

 183

    Aurora


    ¡°In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go in peace with Christ.¡±


    ¡°Thanks be to God.¡±


    The voices of those congregated slice through the noise in my head. After Christian had lifted my veil and peered into my face, everything else had faded. All I could see was him. All I could smell was his masculine scent. All I could feel was the touch of his fingers as he held mine. I reveled in the warmth of his body as he pulled me forward to face the priest. Throughout the ceremony, I¡¯d been unable to focus on the priest¡¯s words. That is, until Christian had slipped the wedding band onto my left ring finger-a simple gold band embedded with a tiny amber stone and a blue stone next to it.


    Massimo hands me the ring and I slip it onto Christian¡¯s ring finger. That¡¯s when I realize this entire ceremony feels too real¡­ More than real¡­ It feels huge¡­ Like, life-changing huge.


    I gulp, and a trembling grips me. My muscles seem to seize up, and I turn my body, ready to run. Christian closes the distance between us and steps in front of me, effectively cutting off my escape. He notches his knuckle under my chin and raises my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote,¡± he whispers. ¡°I can¡¯t let you run now.¡±


    ¡°I have to go,¡± I hiss, ¡°I can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you can.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a kiss, Flower.¡±


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    He lowers his face until his breath twines with mine. ¡°Open your mouth,¡± he orders.


    I press my lips together, and he smirks.


    ¡°No kissing allowed in church,¡± the priest protests from behind me.


    We are in Italy, and unlike Hollywood movies where the bride and groom are allowed to kiss in church, here the priests frown on it unless it¡¯s a chaste peck on the cheek. Knowing Christian, he¡¯s not going to be satisfied with that.


    I am proved right when he chuckles, ¡°Sorry, Father, but we do things my way from now on.¡± He brushes his lips over mine once, twice. He bites down on my lower lip, I gasp, and he instantly sweeps his tongue inside my mouth. He locks his lips over mine and sucks on me, ravishes me, dances his tongue across mine, and kisses me with such intensity that my head spins. My knees buckle, and he wraps his arm around my waist and hauls me to him.


    I am aware of apuse breaking out, of rice being showered on us, and yet he doesn¡¯t stop kissing me. He pulls me to him, close enough that every inch of my chest seems to be stered to his. My nipples tighten, and my breasts swell. My thighs graze his, and I am aware of his arousal stabbing into my belly. I try to pull away, but Christian holds me firmly. He deepens the kiss, and it¡¯s like he is fucking my mouth with his tongue. My head swims, a groan bleeds from me, and his lips curve. He slows the kiss until his lips are barely touching mine. Then he raises his head and peers into my flushed features.


    The priest clears his throat. Christian res at him, and he pales. He nces between us, then turns and walks off.


    ¡°At least he survived the wedding,¡± Luca jokes. He¡¯s referring to the fact that Michael shot and killed the priest subsequent to Michael and Karma¡¯s wedding. Something I heardter from Karma. She mentioned to me that was the moment she realized the kind of man she had married. Someone for whom death was as close as life.


    Me? I knew exactly what I was getting into when I agreed to spy on the Sovranos for the stranger who had approached me when I was in London. It¡¯s one of the reasons I had returned to Sicily, after all. My father¡¯s failing health had provided the timely cover for me to get a foothold in their inner circle. If it were not for the fact that I had acted on impulse to help Karma, I would have continued the arrangement without being noticed by Christian. But he had noticed me, and now, here I am.


    Christian twines his fingers with mine, then turns to face the assembled crowd. He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses the fingertips, and there¡¯s a chorus of sighs from the women in the audience. This is when we should be forming a receiving line at the back of the church, but it¡¯s another tradition my bridegroom seems to have dispensed with.


    Nonna walks over. She pauses in front of us, and Christian bends his head so Nonna can kiss his forehead. Her eyes glisten. ¡°You made me very happy today,¡± she murmurs, then turns to me and kisses me on my cheek, ¡°and you are a beautiful bride.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I reply.


    She turns to Christian, ¡°Thank you for dying your honeymoon so you can spend some time with us.¡±


    ¡°H-honeymoon?¡± I choke out the word.


    ¡°Yes, darling,¡± Christian turns to me, ¡°I know how much you are looking forward to the two of us being alone.¡±


    I open my mouth to protest, but he shakes his head, ¡°No, I know. It¡¯s a lot to ask you to wait for our away time, but you have been so understanding about it. You are a true Mafia bride.¡±


    Jerk. He knows that¡¯s the one thing I hate being called. It¡¯s the one thing I swore to myself I¡¯d never be, yet here I am, standing next to my Mafioso husband, wearing his ring on my finger. I try to tug my hand out of his grasp, but he tightens his hold on me.


    Nonna nces between us. ¡°You know, I was so sure that the two of you were putting on some kind of show meant to fool me into believing that you were together, but now-¡±


    ¡°Now?¡± Christian tilts his head.


    ¡°Now,¡± she turns to me, ¡°seeing the happy glow on your face and the glint of possession in yours, Christian,¡± she nces at him, ¡°I know that it wasn¡¯t an act.¡±


    ¡°But, Nonna-¡±


    I begin to protest when Christian interrupts, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to bete for the wedding reception?¡±


    I scowl at him and he smirks. ¡°Bet you can¡¯t wait to have our first dance together as husband and wife, eh?¡±


    I swallow. It¡¯s done; for better or worse, he is my husband, and I am his wife. At least, for the next thirty days. A tremor grips me, my feet and hands feel numb, all of the blood drains from my head, and I sway. Christian immediately releases my hand and puts his arm around me. He pulls me close enough that his masculine scent fills my nostrils, which only makes everything worse. Pressure builds behind my eyes, and to my horror, a tear squeezes out from the corner of my eye.


    ¡°Oh, my dear,¡± Nonna exims, ¡°the events have been too much for you. Perhaps, the two of you should skip the wedding reception and proceed directly to the honeymoon?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I burst out, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll be okay. I just need to eat something, is all.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten breakfast?¡± Christian scowls at me.


    I nce away.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t starve yourself, Flower.¡± He turns to Nonna, ¡°Why don¡¯t you head on to the reception, and I¡¯ll feed my wife before we join you?¡±


    Half an hourter, I nce out of the window of our bedroom. Our bedroom, in our new home that Christian purchased for us. Which happens to be adjacent to Michael and Karma¡¯s home, which Michael purchased after they married. I¡¯ve shed the veil, and the dress now resembles more of a gown, something that is perfect to wear to a wedding reception, thanks to Karma¡¯s design.


    There¡¯s a knock on the door, and Cassandra wheels in a trolley with dishes. She nces from me to Christian, who¡¯s kicked back on the settee. ¡°Do you need anything else?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Thanks for helping out, Cassandra,¡± Christian murmurs as he rises to his feet.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be working today.¡± I cross over to her. ¡°You dide to the wedding, didn¡¯t you? I don¡¯t think I saw you.¡±


    ¡°I was there, all right.¡± She gestures to the dress she is wearing under her apron. ¡°It was a beautiful ceremony, Aurora.¡± She smiles at me. ¡°You were such a radiant bride; you made me cry.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± I blink. ¡°To be honest, I was so nervous I don¡¯t think I remember much of the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°As long as you remember the kiss at the end, I¡¯m notining,¡± Christian jokes.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°You areing to the reception, aren¡¯t you?¡± I reach for Cassandra¡¯s hand and grip it. Her fingers seem too warm¡­ Or rather, mine are too cold.


    She frowns at me. ¡°Everything okay?¡± she asks in a low voice.


    I open my mouth then close it. Heat singes my back, and I know Christian hase up to stand behind me. He ces his hand on my shoulder, and I gulp. I force my lips to curve in a smile. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°everything¡¯s good. I¡¯m just hungry, is all. I couldn¡¯t eat this morning; too many nerves.¡± I force myself tough.


    She peers into my features for a few seconds more. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± She squeezes my hand onest time before she turns and walks out.


    Christian guides me to a chair, and I sink into it. He pulls off the covers of the tes, then ces one of them in front of me. I nce down at the pasta, and my stomach rumbles.


    He pours a little wine into a ss for me, then points at my te, ¡°Eat.¡±


    He ces the other te in front of the other setting, then takes his seat. He begins to eat with gusto, scooping up the pasta with his fork, guiding it to his mouth, before he chews and swallows. The strong tendons of his neck flex as he drinks from the wine ss. My husband is not just handsome¡­ He¡¯s virile and so gorgeous to look at that it hurts.


    ¡°You¡¯re not eating,¡± he reminds me, and I turn to my food. I manage to finish half of what¡¯s on my te before I push the remaining in his direction.


    ¡°You¡¯ve barely eaten anything.¡± He scowls.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    ¡°One more bite,¡± he coaxes me.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± He picks up some of the pasta with his fork and offers it to me. Holding his gaze, I open my mouth, and he feeds me. To anyone watching this scene, we¡¯de across as a conventional couple, with the husband so concerned about his wife¡¯s well-being that he¡¯s making sure to feed her.


    Only, I know how fake all of this is. He brings another forkful to my mouth, and I turn my head. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°please don¡¯t fake your solicitude.¡±


    ¡°I am truly worried about your well-being, and you know that, Flower.¡±


    ¡°And please, can you stop calling me by that nickname?¡± I jump up to my feet. ¡°Jesus, why do we have to continue with this wedding, when you know that it¡¯s my fault that you got shot.¡± I begin to pace-back, forth, back-as I wring my hands. ¡°I can¡¯t go on like this, Christian. Especially when you are pretending to be all nice and caring toward me.¡±


    ¡°I am not pretending, Aurora,¡± he says in a gentle tone. ¡°Or, let¡¯s back up. I am not strictly pretending.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I turn on him, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°A part of me wants to push you against those windows, so your tits are pressed against the pane, and fuck you from behind so every time I plunge inside you, you scream so loudly that our guests will hear you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I shiver; my nipples bead. ¡°And the other part of you-¡±


    ¡°Knows that it¡¯s best that I wait here with my arms across my chest and hear you out, so I finally understand what it is that is bothering you so much.¡±


    ¡°If I tell you, you¡¯ll hate me, Christian. And I couldn¡¯t bear that. Don¡¯t you understand?¡±


    ¡°Try me.¡± He pours himself more wine, then tops up my ss and offers it to me.


    I draw in a breath, then march over to him. I grab my ss and drain it. The alcohol hits my stomach, and I cough. ¡°That¡¯s good wine,¡± I sputter.


    ¡°The best,¡± he agrees. ¡°So, what is it that you want to tell me?¡±

 184

    Aurora


    Am I doing this? Am I really gonna do this? I blow out a breath, then grip the edges of the table. ¡°When I was in London, after I hadpleted my residency and started working in a hospital, I was on my way home from work one day, when¡­he approached me.¡±


    Christian¡¯s face doesn¡¯t change expression. His shoulders stay rxed. He¡¯s unbuttoned his tux, and the bowtie he wore earlier is untied. His hair is slightly disheveled, and that only adds to his appeal. He looks sexy and yummy, and handsome in a way that makes me want to reach over and push away the strand of hair that has fallen over his forehead. He raises his ss and has a sip. For all purposes, he seems calm andposed, except¡­ A nerve throbs at his temple. Shit, that¡¯s not a good sign, is it?


    The silence stretches. I reach for the bottle of wine, top up my ss, and take another sip. ¡°He asked me to spy on the Sovranos.¡±


    Christian¡¯s fingers tighten around the stem of his ss. ¡°Go on,¡± he says in a soft voice.


    A shiver runs up my spine. ¡°You have to understand, I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°You always have a choice.¡±


    ¡°Not in this.¡± I gaze into the depths of the ss. ¡°He told me if I didn¡¯t do as he said, he¡¯d kill me.¡±


    A wave of anger seems to roll off of his shoulders and crash into me. I gasp, then raise my ss to my mouth again. My hand trembles so hard that some of the wine spills over the side.


    He reaches over, pries the ss from my grasp, and ces it on the table. ¡°Any more alcohol, and you¡¯ll be drunk.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a n.¡±


    ¡°Not for what I have in mind.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    His lips twist and he raises his ss in my direction. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    ¡°I refused to help him.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    I nod. ¡°I was so pissed off, I told him to do his worst. So he¡­ he warned me that if I didn¡¯t help him he¡¯d kill my sister and father.¡±


    He glowers at me.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°it¡¯s the same threat that you made.¡± I nod.


    ¡°Only, you know, I never meant it.¡±


    I narrow my gaze on him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Your family is part of our n. Your father has been our family doctor for many years. I wouldn¡¯t have allowed them to be hurt.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°And we both know, when ites to Mafia business, everything is expendable.¡±


    ¡°But not you.¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Suffice to say that no pussy has milked my dick the way you have, so purely, on that ground, I wouldn¡¯t have hurt you or anyone close enough to cause you grief if they were hurt.¡±


    ¡°You sure know how to romance a girl, don¡¯t you?¡± I say wryly.


    ¡°So, you agreed to help him?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± I concur.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; he always wore a mask. The first time we met he made sure his face was in darkness. After that we¡¯d always meet in a cafe and sit at different tables. I heard his voice, but never managed to get a good look at him. That day in the forest was the first time I saw him face-to-face, and even then, he had a mask on, so I couldn¡¯t really make out his features. His eyes, though,¡± I shake my head, ¡°they seemed familiar.¡±


    ¡°Did they?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°You saw him too, didn¡¯t you, when you fired at him?¡±


    ¡°It was already snowing, and I was too focused on saving you to pay enough attention. Although¡­ Come to think of it, his height and the way he moved did seem familiar ¡­ maybe.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°So, you agreed to spy on us?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I nod.


    ¡°And when your father fell ill, youring to take his ce, was that also part of the n?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I protest, ¡°that was a coincidence. My father really did fall sick and ask me toe and take his ce.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he strokes his chin, ¡°how did you get the information to this man?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d call me from a phone every other day and question me about what I saw, who I met, where each of you went¡­¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°It just always seemed like pointless questions.¡±


    ¡°But I took your phone from you when I-¡±


    ¡°Held me under house arrest?¡± I swallow. ¡°He didn¡¯t call during that time. But when I moved to Nonna¡¯s and she gave me a phone, he called me again. How he obtained the number, I can only imagine. This time, I told him I had nothing more to share, and he wasn¡¯t happy. Then, when he met me near the lodge, I told him I didn¡¯t want to help him anymore. That¡¯s when he threatened to hurt you, and I panicked. I couldn¡¯t bear it if he did anything to hurt you; you have to believe me, Christian.¡±


    ¡°Motherfucker.¡± Christian tightens his grip on his ss, and the stem snaps. The cup of the now empty wine ss topples onto the table, rolls over, and crashes to the floor.


    I jump up to my feet, but he leans over and grabs my hand. ¡°Sit down.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me. Please don¡¯t hurt me or my family. Please, Christian, please.¡±


    He stares at me, ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯d harm you or anyone who you care for?¡±


    ¡°Yes. No. I don¡¯t know,¡± I say honestly. ¡°You have to admit that everything you¡¯ve done so far hasn¡¯t exactly been confidence-building in that respect.¡±


    He releases the stem of the ss from his grasp, and it drops to the table with a soft thud. ¡°Have you finished eating?¡± he says in a low voice.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± I swallow. ¡°Why¡­why are you asking?¡±


    He jerks his chin, ¡°Get up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°On your feet; turn around and head to the window behind you.¡±


    ¡°Ch-Christian,¡± I gulp, ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get to ask the questions, Flower,¡± he snaps. ¡°Up.¡±


    My body, once again, betrays me, for I find myself rising to my feet. I glower at him, and he circles his finger in the air, ¡°Turn around, Flower, or I¡¯lle over there and make you do it.¡±


    I hesitate, and he pushes back his chair. Oh, hell! I spin around, pick up the skirts of my wedding dress, and scurry over to the floor-to-ceiling window that looks down over the back garden. Beyond it, the sea stretches out into the horizon, and by all ounts, it¡¯s a magnificent view. I hear his footsteps approach and stiffen.


    ¡°Put your hands on the window.¡±


    ¡°Christian, please,¡± I implore him.


    ¡°Do it or else¡­¡±


    I huff out a breath, then nt my hands on the window on either side of my head.


    ¡°Now, keep them there.¡±


    He kicks my legs apart, and I yelp, ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± I turn to find him looking me up and down.


    He palms my butt, and a shiver runs down my spine. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten what it¡¯s like to be spanked by me, hmm?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ No¡­¡± I shudder, half in fear of the pain that he¡¯s surely going to cause me, half in anticipation from the pain that he¡¯s surely going to cause me. Argh! How can one physical action of his elicit such contradictory reactions in me?


    He bends his knee, grasps the edge of my dress, then flips it up and over my head. He slides it under each of my palms, so I¡¯m holding it up in such a way that it hides whatever it is he¡¯s going to do to me.


    A ripple of anticipation runs down my spine, and my core clenches, even as my stomach ties itself in knots. He grips mycy panties-which I admit, I had chosen specifically, with him in mind. Hell, just because this entire wedding is supposedly fake doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be nicely dressed, right? He yanks at them with such force that the fabric gives way. He tears them off of me, and I gasp. Cool air envelops my naked arse and my exposed sex.


    He runs his finger down the valley between my arsecheeks, and I squeeze my eyes shut.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t, please don¡¯t-¡±


    Thwack. A line of fire snakes across my butt, and I scream. ¡°Bloody hell, what the hell do you think you are-¡±


    Thwack-thwack-thwack. Hends the ps in quick session on each arsecheek, and with each hit, my entire body jolts. My dress-d breasts crash into the wall of ss, stimting my nipples further. Thwack. His palm connects with my lower thigh with even more force.


    I yell, ¡°Jesus Christ, it hurts, you asshole.¡±


    THWACK.


    It¡¯s like he¡¯s put the entire weight of his body behind it. My entire butt seems to be on fire¡­ Wait, also my back and the backs of my thighs where the pain has spread to and-


    THWACK. THWACK. THWACK.


    I cry out, and tears squeeze out from the corners of my eyes. ¡°It hurts; it bloody hurts,¡± I yell, ¡°you monster, you pervert, you sadistic jerk-ass.¡±


    ¡°Now you know who you married, Flower.¡± He massages my hurting rump, and my entire body jerks in reaction.


    ¡°Oh, god.¡± I push my sweaty palms into the ss and groan, ¡°Please, stop, Christian. Please, please don¡¯t¡­¡± stop.


    He slides his fingers between my legs and sticks them inside my sopping wet channel. ¡°That¡¯s not what your body is telling me, sweetheart.¡± He brings his fingers up to my lips. ¡°Suck,¡± he orders, and I do. I clean off everyst drop of my cum from his fingers, then bite down on his digit.


    Heughs, ¡°There you are, my little wildflower.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± I snarl. I¡¯d stick my tongue out at him, but with my dress between us, he won¡¯t be able to see it anyway. He pulls his hand off of my butt, and I hear the telltale jangle of his belt, then the rasp of his zipper.


    Oh, hell. Oh, hell.


    He squeezes my butt, and I jump. ¡°Stop thinking so hard,¡± he admonishes me.


    ¡°Why the hell have you put this¡­this dress between us?¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t get more worried about what is toe.¡±


    ¡°What is toe?¡± I stiffen. ¡°What do you mean ¡®what is toe¡¯? What are you going to do, you-¡°¡®


    He thrusts forward, and in one smooth move, impales me. I gasp. Jesus, he¡¯s big. So big. So damn thick and so hard. His cock stretches my channel, fills me to the brim, and, ¡°Oh, god.¡± I groan, ¡°Oh, my god.¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± he growls, ¡°I have a name, Flower.¡±


    He pulls out of me, then lunges forward with enough force that my entire body jolts. The hair on his thighs scrapes against my inner thighs, and a frisson of heat coils at the base of my spine.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he grumbles, ¡°let me in, Flower.¡±


    ¡°You are in, you wanker,¡± I snap back.


    ¡°Not even half-way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink. ¡°No, no, no.¡±


    ¡°The right response is ¡®Yes, Christian.''¡±


    He pulls out again, then brings his palm around to my y with my pussy. He pinches my clit, and I scream. He pushes into me and slips in another inch. A groan rumbles up his chest. A whine bleeds from my lips.


    I push my forehead against the cool ss as he reaches down to circle the ce where his dick is buried in my pussy. ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s hot,¡± he grunts as he begins to drill into me. Each time he pushes into me, my entire body shudders. Each time his pelvis connects with the chafed skin of my arse, tendrils of pleasure coil in my belly. He yanks on my dress. I release it, and the dress slides down to settle around my shoulders.


    He grinds his heel into my clit, even as he brings his other hand up to pinch my chin and turn it to face him. He lowers his face and presses his lips to mine, and somehow, the tenderness in his kiss is at odds with how he continues to bury himself inside of me. He slides his hand inside the bustier of my dress and pinches my nipple, and my entire body jolts.


    My pussy mps down on his dick, and a groan rumbles up his chest. He squeezes my nipple harder, and at the same time, he strums my clit, even as he tilts his hips and plunges inside of me. He hits that spot deep inside that sends tendrils of pleasure radiating out from the point of contact. The pressure at the base of my spine expands, and I cry out. He swallows the sound before he tears his lips from mine.


    ¡°Come,¡± he growls, and I shatter. Moisture pools between my legs, and my climax washes over me. He continues to thrust inside me through the aftershocks that grip me, then with a low groan, he shoots warm gusts of cum inside me. We stay that way, his dick still inside me, his hands on me, his cheek pressed to mine.


    I nce down to find people gathering in the garden below. Heaters ced at intervals warm the space. In one corner, two men I don¡¯t recognize are gathered, talking to each other. In the opposite corner, Massimo and Sebastian hold sses in their hands. Near them, Michael and Karma are wrapped in a kiss. Clearly, the Don and his wife are still not over their honeymoon stage.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I murmur, ¡°the guests are assembling below.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He turns his head and nips the side of my neck. I shiver.


    ¡°We need to go down and meet them.¡±


    ¡°Do we?¡±


    ¡°They are here for us.¡±


    ¡°They can go fuck themselves,¡± he growls.


    ¡°We have to make an appearance at our wedding reception,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather whisk you away directly to our honeymoon.¡±


    ¡°Honeymoon?¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°You really n to take me on a honeymoon?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think I was going to pass up the opportunity to spend an entire week buried inside of you, did you?¡±


    My cheeks heat, and a shiver runs down my spine.


    ¡°Cute. All of the things I have done to you, and you¡¯re still able to blush, hmm?¡± He pulls out of me, and I wince, already missing the feel of his thickness between my legs. His cum slithers down between my thighs as he pulls my skirts down, then turns me around to face him. I try to move past him, and he stops me, ¡°Where are you going?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°Need to tidy up before we head down.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± I frown.


    ¡°I want you to wear my cum between your legs. I want you to feel it stick to your inner thighs with every step you take, Flower. Every second of the time that you are walking around and talking to people, I want you to remember who you belong to.¡±


    I shudder, and my toes curl. Why do I find his words such a turn-on? Why is it that the filthier he gets, the more I am aroused? Why is it that I want to agree to do his every bidding, including wearing his cum on my pussy as a badge of possession?


    ¡°Christian,¡± I whisper, ¡°what are you doing to me?¡±


    ¡°The same thing that you are doing to me?¡±


    He frowns down at me, a confused expression on his face.


    ¡°I wanted to be angry with you for trying to betray my family. Wanted to be furious with you for trying to think that you could get away with spying on us. But every time I try to hold onto my rage, it slips away.¡±


    ¡°It does?¡± I swallow.


    He nods, ¡°All I can think of is that man training his gun on you. If anything had happened to you¡­¡± He squeezes his eyes shut. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been able to live with myself. It seems you have turned me into an emo version of myself, after all.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ different,¡± he blows out a breath, ¡°and painful. It¡¯s like ripping off a bandage and being exposed to the elements, like removing my blindfold and seeing the colors for the first time.¡±


    ¡°Wee to the real world,¡± I chuckle, ¡°it¡¯s messy and distressing and gut-wrenching and-¡±


    ¡°Satisfying,¡± he says softly. ¡°It makes me realize how much I missed out on all these years. And I have you to thank for it.¡±


    ¡°Or be upset with,¡± I murmur. ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes too high; the world is an unforgiving ce, Christian, full of surprises. You never know what you might find around the next corner.¡±

 185

    Christian


    Her words stay with me. What did she mean by that? Was that a warning? Or was she simply looking out for me?


    I follow my wife as she walks over to speak with Theresa. We¡¯d finally left our room and made it down to the garden to meet our guests. Yes, I bought this home for her. Yes, I am officially pussy-whipped, for I can¡¯t keep my gaze off of her. Sheughs at something that Theresa says, and her face lights up. Her skin is flushed from our love-making-hold on, did I just say love-making? Yep, definitely pussy-whipped-her whiskey eyes glow, and her thick hair flows about her shoulders. Her dress clings to her curves, and only I know that she is not wearing any panties. She pushes her hair back from her face to reveal the creamy curve of her throat. I can make out the faint imprint on her skin where her shoulder meets her throat-where I had marked her. Where I had sunk my teeth into her skin as I had thrust into her from behind. As I had made her mine. Mine to possess. Mine to own, mine to pleasure and cherish and shower with every happiness.


    Is it really possible that I could look forward to a future with her? To a life that would be filled with ups and downs, considering how she always stands up to me, but one where I could possibly be happy? Happy¡­ A strange word. Not one I thought could ever feature in my vocabry, but which seems so within reach now.


    I take a step forward when she and Theresa walk toward the edge of the gathering. They are talking in earnest now. Wonder what they are discussing? Doesn¡¯t matter. I want to be with her, want her attention on me and no one else. I move toward her when something brushes against my leg. I nce down to find Karma¡¯s cat, Andy, rubbing against my pants. I stare at the beast; what the hell? Wives and kittens. Now, all that¡¯s needed is children to run around screaming, and the tableau of how much the Sovrano brothers have changed would beplete.


    Michael reaches down to pluck Andy up by the scruff of his neck. He cuddles the cat-he actually ces the cat on his shoulder and scratches behind the animal¡¯s ears¡­ Because, apparently, all of us Mafiosos are quickly losing our hearts and our minds and bing shadows of ourselves.


    Michael jerks his chin in my direction. ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised, fratellino,¡± he drawls. ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s in store for you too, you know.¡±


    ¡°Hugging cats that shed on my custom-made jacket, you mean?¡±


    ¡°It could be worse,¡± he offers, ¡°you could be brushing off baby puke instead.¡±


    I pale. ¡°I just got married. Do you mind? Can I enjoy my honeymoon, at least?¡±


    ¡°Enjoy the grace period.¡± Sebastian appears next to me. ¡°Soon you¡¯ll be caught up in the day-to-day humdrum of what a marriage is really about, and that¡¯s when the reality is going to sink in.¡±


    ¡°You should talk; the man who¡¯s avoided rtionships at all costs.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t avoid them. I simply choose the ones I intend to be in.¡±


    ¡°No pun intended.¡± I snort. ¡°If you call your disappearing at a certain time every week to keep your appointment with a certain someone a rtionship-¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± he smirks, ¡°ne in which we both know the score and don¡¯t expect anything beyond that from each other; it¡¯s a perfect rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Are we talking about Seb¡¯s mystery woman?¡± Massimo ambles up.


    ¡°Not so much of a mystery, apparently,¡± Seb says wryly.


    ¡°Seb has a woman?¡± Luca walks up to stand next to Massimo. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard of this before?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, because you¡¯ve been too busy with your exhibitionism?¡± Massimo chuckles.


    ¡°You sound jealous, fratello?¡± Luca drawls.


    Massimo snorts, ¡°Thest thing I want to do is fuck women in front of the entire world.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the entire world, just those watching in the club. You should try it sometime; it does wonders for your staying strength.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be gawked at to perform,¡± Massimo smirks, ¡°and I¡¯d rather keep my sexual proclivities to myself.¡±


    ¡°So, you admit that you have certain proclivities?¡±


    ¡°I admit¡­nothing.¡± Massimo grins.


    ¡°Aww,e on,¡± Luca bumps his fist into Massimo¡¯s shoulder, ¡°where¡¯s the fun in that? Don¡¯t act coy, brother. If you have something to share, you won¡¯t find a better audience.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, no.¡± Massimo raises his hands. ¡°Thest thing I want is to share my kink with my family.¡±


    ¡°Aha,¡± Seb rubs his hands together, ¡°the quiet and strong Massimo admits to having kinks.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Massimo backtracks. ¡°And why are we talking about our sexual preferences? This is supposed to be a reception to celebrate our brother¡¯s nuptials. Not exactly a ce to spill our secrets.¡±


    ¡°Damn, so you do have secrets.¡± Michael smirks.


    ¡°As much as the next man.¡± Massimo grimaces. ¡°Speaking of, what are Niki and JJ doing at this event? Thought this was supposed to be a family gathering?¡±


    ¡°Considering JJ loaned us his guns, and Niki¡¯s timely intervention saved my life¡­ Not to mention, they are our closest allies so,¡± Michael shrugs, ¡°it stands to reason they are part of our ¡®made¡¯ family now.¡±


    ¡°So, you trust them?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Enough to invite them to your wedding reception, yes.¡± Michael holds my gaze. ¡°Why? Is something worrying you?¡±


    ¡°What if the man who shot me was one of theirs?¡±


    Michael drums his fingers on his chest. ¡°Not that it¡¯s not a possibility, but given that I have promised them a big piece of business in return for theiring on as our partners, I¡¯d say it¡¯s more improbable than not.¡±


    He ces Andy down on the ground, and the cat ambles off into the bushes.


    ¡°So, who the hell else could have shot me?¡±


    ¡°Have you had any leads yet?¡±


    ¡°Just that,¡± I hesitate, ¡°she knew the man who shot me.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± He growls, ¡°So, she was behind the shooting-¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°He threatened to kill her and her family if she didn¡¯t help him.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Help him how?¡±


    ¡°By sharing information on us.¡±


    Michael¡¯s jaw hardens. ¡°She shared information on us? If she did so¡­ I am going to-¡±


    ¡°Rx,¡± I grip his shoulder, ¡°she didn¡¯t share anything with him. It¡¯s why he tracked her down and confronted her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Seb murmurs. ¡°Why didn¡¯t she simplye to you with all this earlier?¡±


    ¡°Because-¡± I had threatened her in much the same way that the guy who shot me had. Not that I can reveal that¡­ ¡°Because,¡± I draw myself up to my full height, ¡°she didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And you are going to forgive her?¡± Seb scowls at me. ¡°Not to mention, you married her.¡±


    ¡°He loves her,¡± Michael cuts him off. ¡°He wants to protect her, regardless of whether she ispletely loyal to him.¡±


    I re at my older brother. I can¡¯t dispute what he said. Yet everything in me insists that she cannot betray me. Not after how she had felt in my arms. How she had responded to my ministrations, how she had stared into my eyes as I had taken her. How she had taken care of me, the fear and worry on her face when she¡¯d seen me shot. How she¡¯d stitched me up and saved my life¡­


    And yet, not once, had she responded to my deration of having fallen in love with her. It¡¯s almost as if she was too scared of saying it. Like she was sure that the stranger would attack us again.


    I turn to nce in her direction and find her missing. Where the hell is she? I turn the other way, spot Karma talking to Nonna, Cassandra petting Andy; a little farther off, JJ and Niki are deep in conversation.


    ¡°He¡¯s married to her, that makes her one of us, but if she does something to betray us¡­¡± Michael arches his eyebrows.


    ¡°She won¡¯t.¡± I square my shoulders. ¡°Before that happens, I¡¯ll have gotten to the bottom of what happened at the lodge; this I promise, I-¡±


    That¡¯s when a scream rips through the air.

 186

    Christian


    ¡°Aurora!¡± My heart ms into my rib cage. My pulse ratchets up. I race in the direction of the scream. Seb is hot on my heels, and my other brothers are behind him. I run through the bushes and burst into a clearing on the grounds of the property.


    I see Aurora with her back turned to me. A man stands with his gun pointed at her; the lower half of his face is covered with a mask. It¡¯s the same man who shot me at the lodge. Theresa stands frozen in between them.


    I slow down, and he turns to nce at me. That¡¯s when I notice his arm is in a sling. A fierce surge of satisfaction grips me. At least, I managed to shoot the bastard.


    ¡°Porca puttana!¡± Motherfucker! I curl my fingers into fists. The man nces in my direction. His blue eyes are so light, so pale, so familiar. For the first time, I take in his figure, his height, the breadth of his shoulders, the way he holds himself. He reminds me of someone, but who? I take a step forward, and he shakes his head, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡±


    I pause; next to me, Seb shuffles his weight from foot to foot. Massimo nks me on my other side. Anger radiates off of him. I sense Michael, Luca, and Adrian behind me. None of them move. The tension in the air ratchets up.


    Theresa draws in a shuddering breath, and the stranger jerks his gaze in her direction. He res at her, and she pales. ¡°D-don¡¯t hurt us,¡± she pleads.


    ¡°Put your arms up,¡± he growls at her.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± She blinks.


    ¡°Put your arms up, or I¡¯ll shoot her.¡± He waves his gun in Aurora¡¯s direction, and anger thuds at my temples. How dare he point a gun at her. How dare he threaten her? How dare he intimidate what¡¯s mine? My muscles tense, my stomach muscles knot, and I must make a noise, for he turns on me. ¡°That goes for the rest of you, too; raise your hands.¡±


    I draw in a breath, then slowly do as he asks.


    Next to me, Seb, then Massimo, follow suit.


    ¡°You too, Don Sovrano,¡± he scowls at Michael, ¡°do as I say.¡±


    I sense Michael hesitate, then he says, ¡°I¡¯ll do as you ask; just don¡¯t hurt her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s up to her husband, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck do you want?¡± I growl. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Not to attend your wedding,¡± he says in a hard voice, ¡°and it¡¯s too bad that I am going to have to make your wife a widow so soon, but-¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Aurora closes the distance between them until his gun is poised against her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him,¡± she says in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m the one who did not stick to my side of the bargain. I¡¯m the one you should be punishing; not him.¡±


    ¡°Bargain?¡± I stiffen.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you about our bargain, eh?¡± The manughs. ¡°She didn¡¯te clean to her new husband about how she wanted him killed.¡±


    Aurora inhales sharply. ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± she says in a low voice. ¡°Why are you lying to him?¡±


    Around me, my brothers seem to turn to stone. Massimo¡¯s big shoulders flex. Seb curls his fingers into fists.


    If I turn, I know I¡¯ll see simr reactions from the rest of my brothers too.


    ¡°What the hell is he talking about?¡± Michael asks in a low voice.


    ¡°Christian,¡± she half-turns, so her face is in profile, ¡°he¡¯s lying.¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I nce between the two of them. It can¡¯t be true, can it? Aurora wouldn¡¯t want me killed. She isn¡¯t capable of such a thing. On the other hand, she doese from a Mafia background, so perhaps, there¡¯s a part of her that did want me gone? If I were in her ce, wouldn¡¯t I have done something simr to protect myself?


    I re at the stranger. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I say tly.


    His lips curve. ¡°You poor devil, you¡­ Being taken for a ride by a woman and not even being aware of it.¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± she pleads, ¡°it¡¯s not what it sounds like; you have to believe me.¡±


    ¡°So they all say.¡± The stranger rolls his shoulders. ¡°Nothing changes the fact that she came to an arrangement with me.¡±


    ¡°What did she want?¡± I clear my throat. Don¡¯t engage with him. He¡¯s only trying to provoke you into making a mistake. Fuck, if I don¡¯t know that, so why the hell am I encouraging him to speak? Why don¡¯t I shut him down? ¡°What was it?¡± I snarl.


    ¡°Your life.¡±


    I stiffen; the anger pours off of my brothers. Their gazes hone in on her¡­ On my wife¡­who has eyes only for me.


    ¡°Christian,¡± she says in a low voice, ¡°please, please give me a chance to exin what happened.¡±


    I want to do so. I want to tell her that it¡¯s okay. That I understand that she made a mistake. That it doesn¡¯t matter what negotiations she had made. That all of that is in the past. Now, the future, that¡¯s what I need to focus on.


    ¡°So you deny that you asked him to kill me?¡±


    I don¡¯t dare look at her. If I do, I won¡¯t be able to go through with this. Do I want to go through with this? Why am I putting her through this? She¡¯s your wife, for fuck¡¯s sake. Can¡¯t you at least have this conversation in private? Why are you insulting her in front of everyone else?


    ¡°Do you?¡± I clear my throat, ¡°Answer the question.¡±


    ¡°I asked him to distract you. I told him I needed him to do something to get your attention off of me so I could escape from you.¡±


    I stiffen. ¡°So you dide to an understanding with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not what it seems, Christian.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I narrow my gaze on her. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I believe you, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you doing?¡± Massimo asks in a low voice.


    ¡°This is not the ce for this conversation,¡± Seb adds.


    ¡°Christian,¡± Michael growls, ¡°are you trying to get us all killed?¡±


    No, just me. Why the hell does my heart feel like it is breaking in half. Why does my chest feel so heavy? I try to draw in a breath, and my lungs burn. ¡°Aurora,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°answer the fucking question, you-¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she bursts out. ¡°Yes, I did. What else was I supposed to do? You all but kidnapped me and held me captive and threatened to kill my family.¡±


    ¡°I saved your life by doing that.¡±


    ¡°Did you?¡± She swallows. ¡°You¡¯re no better than¡­than him in what you did, and you know it.¡±


    Anger grips me; the band around my chest tightens. The blood pounds at my temples, and my vision tunnels. ¡°You darepare me to him?¡± I take a step forward, and that¡¯s when he swerves his gun in my direction.


    Something¡­ Someone moves in the shadows of the tree line beyond him. The glint of metal catches my attention. My gaze widens.


    Something in my stance must alert the man in the mask because he swerves around, gun in hand, and fires.


    The sound echoes through the trees, and a flock of birds takes off into the air, squawking. There¡¯s a returning c-r-a-c-k as the person in the shadow of the tree line returns fire. The stranger in the mask moves so fast that he blurs. He steps in front of Theresa, and his entire body seems to shudder. He stumbles back, raises his gun, and fires again. Then he copses to the ground.


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± Theresa screams. She drops to her knees in front of the fallen stranger, even as Seb, Adrian, and Massimo race past her and in the direction of the man who had fired at us.


    Aurora turns toward me; her features are pale, her eyes huge in her face. ¡°Christian,¡± she wrings her hands together, ¡°Christian, I am so sorry.¡±


    I close the distance between us, then walk past her and toward the sobbing Theresa. I kneel down next to the stranger, take in the blood flowing from a wound at his temple.


    I pull off his mask. My breath catches in my throat, and my head spins. My heart beats so fast in my chest that I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to break out of my ribcage.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± I whisper. ¡°No way. This is not possible.¡±

 187

    Christian


    Footsteps sound behind me. Michael draws abreast; he takes in the features of the man copsed on the ground and draws in a breath.


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± He breathes, ¡°How is this possible?¡±


    Theresa nces up between us. ¡°He¡¯s bleeding out,¡± she cries, ¡°why are you not helping him? Why are you standing there and-¡±


    She follows the direction of our gazes, takes in his features, and gasps. ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°no, no, no.¡± She reaches out, her fingers sttered with his blood. ¡°Xander?¡± she whispers. ¡°Is that Xander?¡±


    The man¡¯s eyeballs move behind his closed eyelids. He opens and shuts his mouth. Theresa leans in close and ces her ear close to his lips.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she cries. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­ You are¡­¡± Hepses into silence again, and she pulls back.


    ¡°Help him!¡± She pulls off the scarf she has draped around her neck and pushes it into the wound on his head. ¡°Oh, Xander, oh, my god, it¡¯s you, Xander; it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not Xander,¡± Michael pulls out his phone and dials. ¡°I saw Xander¡¯s body, and he was dead; I assure you. This¡­ Whoever it is, is not Xander.¡±


    Xander. It¡¯s Xander. I stare into the features of a face that looks so simr to mine. The same thick dark hair as mine, that square jaw, those eyes which are now shut but which had looked so familiar; now I know why. Those shoulders, that height¡­ No wonder, every time I had looked at him, a shiver had run down my spine. I had been looking at myself¡­ No, someone like myself¡­ Like Xander¡­ It can¡¯t be Xander, can it? Is it really my twin,e back to life?


    The scent of honeysuckle envelops me, then she brushes past me and races around to sink down on the other side of the fallen man. ¡°Your jacket,¡± she scowls up at me, ¡°give me your jacket.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink. ¡°This is not the time-¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± she snarls. ¡°I have no interest in whatever twisted fantasy you are creating in your mind. I need your jacket to staunch the flow of blood.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± My neck heats. Shit, why didn¡¯t I think of that? I was staring down at the body of my twin-no, not my twin, a man who resembles my twin-and didn¡¯t even think to help him.¡± Fuck, fuck, fuck.


    I pull off my jacket, and pushing Theresa¡¯s hands out of the way, I press it against his head wound. Within seconds, the cloth is soaked in blood.


    ¡°Porca miseria,¡± I groan, ¡°he¡¯s losing too much blood.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the ambnce?¡± Theresa sobs. She leans over to cup his cheek. ¡°Come back to me, Xander. I can¡¯t let you leave me again. I¡¯ve got you back, and no way am I letting you out of my sight again. You can¡¯t leave me, you ¡­ you asshole. Don¡¯t you fucking leave me, Xan, you hear me?¡±


    More footsteps sound, then Nonna and Karma reach us.


    ¡°What-? Who?¡± Nonna¡¯s voice seems to shake. And that is something. I¡¯ve never seen this woman unsure, let alone this shaken. Guess that¡¯s what happens when your grandson, who you think you lost forever, seems to reappear from the grave.


    ¡°Nonna!¡± Karma screams. I turn to find Nonna swaying. Karma throws her arm around the woman to steady her. At the same time, Michael closes the distance between them and wraps his arm around the older woman.


    ¡°Mica,¡± Nonna breathes, ¡°is that ¡­ is that¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not Xander,¡± Michael replies with hard finality.


    Nonna can¡¯t take her gaze off of the fallen man; she opens and shuts her mouth, then leans heavily into Michael.


    ¡°Christian,¡± Aurora snaps, ¡°I need your attention here.¡±


    I turn my gaze back to her. My wife¡¯s features areposed. Any trace of the earlier conflict on her face has been reced by a quiet confidence. She is Dr. Aurora, the woman who cannot bear to see anyone else in pain, the one who is focused on saving lives¡­ Everyone¡¯s, except mine, apparently.


    ¡°Why?¡± I growl at her, ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Really, you¡¯re doing this now?¡± she says without taking her gaze off of Xander¡¯s-not Xander¡¯s-the stranger¡¯s face.


    ¡°Now is as good a time as any.¡±


    ¡°A man¡¯s life is in danger¡­ Potentially, your twin¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°My twin is dead,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°This man is not my brother.¡±


    She draws in a breath, ¡°I was at my wit¡¯s end, Christian. I felt trapped, like I had no one to turn to.¡±


    ¡°You could havee to me. Why didn¡¯t you tell me all of this earlier, Aurora. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I do,¡± she swallows, ¡°but I was worried that if I told you about the deal I¡¯d struck with him, you¡¯d hate me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s stopping me from hating you now?¡± I straighten myself to my full height. ¡°Goddammit, Aurora, you are a doctor. You took the hippocratic oath, and you judged me for what I¡¯ve done, yet you didn¡¯t think twice about asking this guy to kill me?¡±


    She winces. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Christian. I told you, I didn¡¯t ask him to kill you. If anything, I asked him not to hurt you. I-I just asked him to distract you so I could escape from you.¡±


    ¡°So, you did want to escape me?¡±


    ¡°I did, but not anymore.¡± She nces away, then back at me. ¡°At that time, though, I wasn¡¯t thinking straight when I spoke to him. I was under so much pressure, from you, from him.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°I just wanted a way out.¡± She nces to the side. ¡°Also, when I spoke to him, I hadn¡¯t fallen for you yet.¡±


    ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± I sneer.


    ¡°No. Yes.¡± She nces away then back at me. ¡°I mean, initially, of course, I agreed to marry you to protect my family, not just from him but also from you, but somewhere along the way, I developed feelings for you.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you continued to give him information?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± she pleads. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him anything of consequence. I just strung him along.¡±


    ¡°The way you strung me along by pretending to care for me?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°I was-am-emotionally involved with you, Christian. I have feelings for you. I¡­ ¡± she closes her eyes, ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± I snap. ¡°You lied to me all this time. You knowingly put the lives of my entire family at risk.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry.¡± She bites down on her lower lip, and damn it, despite the fact that my twin-no, not my twin, but a man who looks like my twin-is possibly dying right now¡­ Despite the fact that she has put my life in danger, that thanks to her, the safety of my entire n has beenpromised¡­ Despite all of that, I can¡¯t stop my body from reacting to the inherent sexuality in that gesture.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl, ¡°fucking fuck,¡± just as the siren of the ambnce sounds in the distance. ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She nces up at me. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You, me, this marriage-it¡¯s over.¡±

 188

    Aurora


    It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over. His words echo in my ears. I rub my hands down my wedding gown, then nce down to find the dress stained with blood and dirt. It¡¯s a mess, just like my life. I watch as the paramedics strap the stranger to the stretcher and load him into the ambnce.


    One of the men turns to me. ¡°Are you going to ride with us?¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Theresa rushes forward. ¡°Please, can I go with him? Please, Aurora?¡±


    I nod, and she scrambles up and into the ambnce. The door shuts behind them, and the ambnce pulls away.


    ¡°Michael, take me to the hospital,¡± Nonna orders. ¡°I want to be there when he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Michael responds.


    ¡°I aming with the both of you,¡± Karma adds.


    The three of them head off for his car just as Massimo, Seb, and Adrian return. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find the shooter,¡± Massimo growls.


    ¡°Asshole took off in his car.¡± Seb drags his fingers through his hair.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t even get a look at his face,¡± Adrian blows out a breath. ¡°Cazzo, who the hell would break in, knowing the entire Sovrano family was here, and try to shoot at us? Unless¡­¡±


    ¡°Unless he was trying to shoot at Christian¡¯s triplet?¡± Michael murmurs.


    ¡°Not one of my men,¡± JJ walks over to us, ¡°if that¡¯s what you are thinking.¡±


    ¡°And you know I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Niki adds as he draws abreast. ¡°Though, whoever did it got through your security.¡±


    Antonio approaches from the other end of the clearing; he¡¯s dragging a man by the cor. ¡°I found him trying to escape, boss.¡± He scowls at his pale-faced prisoner. ¡°He confessed to opening the gates to the grounds and admitting the man who shot at us.¡±


    I close the distance to the man and re down at him. ¡°Is that right; did you betray us?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± he sputters. ¡°I ¡­ I was stupid; he said he was a friend and wanted to y a friendly wedding prank.¡±


    ¡°And you believed him?¡±


    ¡°He paid me.¡± He nces away. ¡°I am sorry. I know it was wrong; I know I shouldn¡¯t have done it, but-¡±


    ¡°But you did it anyway. What¡¯s your name?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Marcello,¡± he replies. ¡°Please, Consigliere, don¡¯t hurt me; I have a grandmother who depends on me.¡±


    ¡°Why is it that none of you think through the consequences before you act?¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I ¡­ I am sorry,¡± he whispers.


    ¡°That won¡¯t make up for the grief you caused us.¡±


    I nce at Massimo, who pulls out his gun. He hands it over to me, and I press the barrel against his temple.


    The man whimpers, ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me, please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You should have thought of that before you betrayed us,¡± I growl.


    I tighten my finger on the trigger when, ¡°Don¡¯t, Christian.¡± Aurora pleads with me. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s okay for you to want to kill me, but if I want to kill someone to protect my family, that¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! How many times must I tell you? I didn¡¯t want you killed,¡± she cries. ¡°But that¡¯s beside the point. You don¡¯t want to kill him, Christian,¡± she adds softly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    She swallows. ¡°I am begging you,¡± she beseeches me, ¡°don¡¯t.¡±


    I hesitate, then lower the gun. Why the hell am I listening to her? Why is it that I can¡¯t ignore her pleas? ¡°Take him away,¡± I order Antonio. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with himter.¡±


    Antonio turns and drags the man along with him. I hold out the gun to Massimo, and he slides it back into his waistband.


    I turn to her, ¡°It¡¯s time for you to leave as well.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She opens her eyes. ¡°No, don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°Be grateful I am letting you leave with your life.¡±


    ¡°Christian, please, let¡¯s talk this through. You know you don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    ¡°A-n-d, there you go again, professing to know what I want to do.¡± I drum my fingers on my chest.


    ¡°I do know what you want,¡± she swallows, ¡°I am your wife.¡±


    ¡°A fake wife. A sham wedding.¡± I raise my shoulder. ¡°None of it counts for anything.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, brother,¡± Seb cautions me, ¡°think this one through, will you?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business, will you?¡±


    ¡°You just married her. Surely, it¡¯s worth the two of you taking this somewhere private where you can discuss things,¡± Massimo adds.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to discuss,¡± I drawl, ¡°my mind is made up.¡±


    ¡°You are already married,¡± Adrian reminds me. ¡°You can¡¯t just decide now that you don¡¯t want to be married.¡±


    ¡°Watch me.¡± I yawn.


    I turn and begin to walk away from them.


    For a second, there¡¯s silence, then footsteps sound behind me. ¡°Christian, stop!¡± Aurora runs to catch up with me. ¡°Please, Christian, just give me a few minutes of your time.¡±


    ¡°Not possible.¡± I increase my pace, so she has to jog to keep up with me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t throw away what we have built so far.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve built nothing of consequence. Oh, wait,¡± I raise my forefinger, ¡°guess we made some memories, and even that doesn¡¯t count for anything.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it,¡± she gasps as tears stream down her face, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you are as callous as you make yourself out to be.¡±


    ¡°Better believe it.¡± I head down the driveway to where my vehicle is parked. The same one in which I had driven her here. The one in which I had held her hand and barely been able to keep my gaze off her radiant face. In which we hadughed as I had opened the door, hauled her up in my arms bridal style, and swept her over the threshold and up the stairs to our bedroom. Our bedroom. Our home. The house I had bought for her, for us¡­for the future¡­ That I can no longer see with her. Not after what she did.


    I reach the car, wrench the door open on the driver¡¯s side, and slide in.


    ¡°Christian, please-¡±


    I m the door in her face and cut her off.


    She bends forward to look in the window, her chest heaving, her hair undone from the swept-up style she had worn it in earlier. Blood taints her bodice and is sshed across her neck. My twin¡¯s-no, the stranger who looks like my twin¡¯s-blood. The one to whom I must go now and figure out who the hell he is. That is more important than¡­ Listening to the excuses that she¡¯s, no doubt, preparing to fling in my face.


    She bangs on the window, but I stare ahead. I am aware of tears flowing down her cheeks, of her saying something, but I don¡¯t want to hear it. Not now. Not when I need to figure out the truth behind the appearance of the man who looks like my twin brother. I start the ignition, then press down on the elerator so the car leaps forward. I drive toward the gates, hitting the remote on the dash so it opens. As I pull out of the driveway, I raise my gaze to the rearview mirror. Myst sight is of her¡­ in her wedding gown¡­ staring after me. Then, I turn the corner, and she disappears from sight.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± I apply the brakes and screech to a halt, then m my fists into the steering wheel, ¡°The fuck is wrong with me?¡±


    Half an hourter, I park the car near the hospital where the injured stranger has been taken. I walk into the reception and am directed to the first floor. I walk down the corridor to the private room where the rest of the family is waiting.


    ¡°Christian,¡± Nonna rises to her feet as soon as I enter the room. ¡°Oh, god, Christian.¡± She walks over to me, her features pale, dark circles under her eyes highlighting the crow¡¯s feet. Her chin trembles as she reaches me. ¡°I am so d you are here, nipotino mio,¡± she murmurs.


    She holds out her hand, and I grip it. Then, I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her close. She trembles, and for a second, I am struck by how fragile she feels. I pull back and gently peer into her face, ¡°Is there any news?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head.


    ¡°They took him into surgery,¡± Michael replies from the window.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t told us anything yet.¡± Theresa sniffs. ¡°I asked them if he was going to be okay, but they didn¡¯t reply.¡±


    ¡°They were too busy rushing him into the operating theater,¡± Karma says gently.


    ¡°I know,¡± Theresa wrings her fingers together, ¡°and they were right to do so. I just wish someone would tell me if he¡¯s going to be okay.¡± She squeezes her eyes shut, ¡°He¡¯s going to be okay, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Karma nces at Michael, who shakes his head. She pulls the other woman close, and Theresa buries her head in Karma¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your wife?¡± Nonna asks, ncing behind me. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she with you?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not with me anymore,¡± I state ndly.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®not with you¡¯?¡± Nonna searches my features. ¡°What have you done, Christian?¡± she exims. ¡°Did you¡­ ¡± she shakes her head, ¡°Surely, you can¡¯t be that stupid, can you?¡±


    ¡°She had nned to have me killed, Nonna,¡± I pull away from her, ¡°I am going to annul the marriage.¡±


    ¡°Annulment.¡± She throws up her hands, ¡°What is wrong with you young people? You get married at the drop of a hat, then think you can undo the wedding as quickly?¡±


    ¡°It was because of her that I got shot.¡±


    ¡°And you deserved it,¡± Nonna snaps.


    ¡°What?¡± I stare, ¡°How can you say that?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Holding her captive, coercing her to marry you, leaving her no choice but to say yes-¡±


    ¡°She wanted to get married to me,¡± I insist.


    ¡°Ha,¡± she snorts, ¡°and you know that, how?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I set my jaw.


    ¡°You mean,¡± she nts her hand on her hips, ¡°all of you think you are god¡¯s gift to women. You think just because you are mafioso and carry guns, your dick is the answer to everything.¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I gape, ¡°what are you talking about?¡±


    Michael nces between us. He looks like he¡¯s about to intervene, then seems to change his mind. I re at him. Traitor. He¡¯s the one who kidnapped Karma and started this entire sequence of events rolling, and now he has the nerve to sit there and watch this shitstorm unfold?


    ¡°Porca puttana! You are being unreasonable, Nonna,¡± Iin.


    ¡°You dare use me of being unreasonable when you¡¯re the one acting like a¡­ a coglione?¡± She jabs her forefinger in my chest.


    ¡°Ow,¡± I scowl, ¡°that hurt.¡±


    ¡°Good, it should.¡± She res at me, ¡°You broke that poor girl¡¯s heart, no doubt, by giving her this cock-and-bull story about getting the marriage annulled, I assume.¡±


    ¡°I-uh, haven¡¯t mentioned any such thing to her yet.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she sniffs, ¡°then you can go back and apologize to her.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I set my jaw.


    ¡°Christiano Roberto Dominico Sovrano,¡± Nonna pulls herself up to her full height, ¡°are you going tell your wife that you are sorry and make-up with her, or not?¡±


    ¡°Not,¡± I fold my arms across my chest, ¡°I am sorry, Nonna, but on this, I am not changing my mind.¡±


    She glowers at me, then all of the color seems to leach from her face. She puts her hand to her forehead and groans, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think I am feeling very well.¡±


    ¡°Nonna!¡± I exim as I step toward her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you touch me,¡± she scowls, ¡°not until you have put right the mess you have created.¡±


    She turns to Michael and holds out her hand. ¡°Mica,¡± she trembles, ¡°please, help me to a seat; I think my poor heart is just about going to give out after all the stress that this stronzo has put me through.¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I protest, ¡°why is it that Mica is always in your good graces, and I have to work doubly hard to get a single word of praise from you?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s smart; he knew, when he found Karma, that he couldn¡¯t let her get away. Unlike you¡­¡± She sways again, and this time, Michael crosses over to her and wraps his arm about her shoulder. ¡°You,¡± she raises her nose in the air, ¡°are clearly,pletely, utterly even more stupido than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Me? I¡¯m stupid?¡± I scowl as Michael guides her to an armchair.


    Karma walks to the water cooler in the corner and fetches her a ss of water.


    ¡°Thank you, dear,¡± Nonna murmurs. ¡°At least, I can count on the two of you to keep your head in these situations.¡±


    Karma and Michael exchange looks over her head.


    ¡°You take it easy, Nonna,¡± Michael pats her shoulder.


    ¡°I will, once I know that Xander is going to be okay,¡± Nonna says in a tired voice. Is she actually feeling unwell, or is the old bat acting up? My Nonna is not only smart, but she is also a consummate actress. She¡¯s been known to go to any length to get her way. But she can¡¯t be yacting now, can she? She really does lookpletely worn-out and about to faint.


    On cue, Theresa begins to weep again, ¡°How can he look so much like my Xan. He is Xander, isn¡¯t he?¡± She wails. ¡°Please, please, tell me it is Xander and that he is going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Can someone tell the girl to shut up?¡± Nonna nces at Karma, ¡°Please?¡±


    Karma straightens, then walks over to Theresa; she sits down next to her, and the two women speak in hushed whispers.


    Just then, the door is pushed open and Massimo, Seb, and Luca walk in. Antonio takes his position outside the door as it swings shut.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Nonna asks.


    The men look at each other, then Seb jerks his chin, ¡°After he left, she stood there in the driveway until I helped her back into the house. She packed up her things and asked me to book her on the next flight to London.¡±


    ¡°London?¡± I scowl, ¡°Why is she going back to London?¡±


    ¡°I doubt you have the right to ask that question after how you treated her,¡± Massimo drawls.


    I shoot him a sideways nce, then turn my attention back to Seb, ¡°Has she already left?¡±


    ¡°Adrian¡¯s driving her to the airport.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I hunch my shoulders. This is good; this is exactly what I wanted. So, why does everything in my body insist that this is wrong? Why does my chest hurt; why is my stomach tied up in knots? I shuffle my feet, nce about the room to find every single person is studying me. ¡°What?¡± I scowl, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Go after her, you testa di cazzo,¡± Seb snaps.


    ¡°Get her back, pezza di merda,¡± Massimo growls.


    I open my mouth to protest, and that¡¯s when the doctor walks into the waiting room.

 189

    Christian


    ¡°How is he?¡± Theresa jumps to her feet and races over to him, ¡°Is he going to be okay? Please, tell me he¡¯s going to be okay?¡±


    The doctor nces down at her, then surveys the rest of us. His features brighten, ¡°The operation was sessful.¡±


    ¡°Thank Santa Maria,¡± Nonna raises her gaze skyward.


    ¡°But,¡± the doctor nces around the room, ¡°he is not yet out of danger. The bullet did not hit anything vital, but it¡¯s a serious head wound and he experienced significant blood loss. We had to inducea to control the intracranial pressure.¡±


    ¡°Intracranial? What does that mean?¡± Theresa asks.


    ¡°I mean we had to inducea to control the pressure inside his brain.¡±


    ¡°How long will he be this way?¡± Nonna enquires.


    ¡°Until the swelling in his brain goes down,¡± the doctor replies.


    ¡°But he is going to be okay?¡± Theresa wrings her hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to tell, signorina,¡± the doctor says gently.


    ¡°But you just said that the operation was sessful,¡± she says in a hard voice, ¡°so that means he is going to recover, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely what we hope for,¡± he agrees.


    ¡°Can I see him?¡±


    The doctor shakes his head, ¡°Not yet. Not until his condition has stabilized.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡­what can I do meanwhile?¡±


    ¡°Pray,¡± the doctor smiles a little, ¡°even we surgeons believe in the power of the One above to deliver miracles. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Turning, he leaves.


    He is going to be okay; he has to be okay. Has to. The breath I had not been aware I was holding wheezes out. My arms and legs tremble. I walk over to the nearest chair and copse into it.


    ¡°You okay, fratello?¡± Seb grips my shoulder.


    Massimo nks me on the other side as I bury my head in my hands.


    No, I am not okay. How can I be okay when the soul-brother I thought I had lost forever seems to have resurrected from the dead? He¡¯s not my twin; he can¡¯t be my twin. I saw Xander dead and in his coffin with my own eyes. I buried him. I felt the emptiness in the space where I had always felt him. Yeah, I know woo-woo stuff¡­but it¡¯s the only way to exin it. It¡¯s not like we had the kind of connection where if one twin fell sick, the other also fell ill, or if one was hurt, the other felt it. It had always been more discrete. Something reserved for bigger life events.


    Like when I had known that my father was going to hurt him, and I had felt Xander¡¯s fear and his utter helplessness, and I had stepped in to save him. I had taken the physical abuse, andter, the emotional abuse that my father had heaped on me. Something I have never regretted.


    Or the time when Xander had been confused and in so much conflict over whether he had loved Theresa or not. He had pondered about it for days until I could literally hear him thinking, mulling it over and over in his head. And I hadn¡¯t been able to stand it and had ultimately gone to him and asked him what had been bothering him. He hadn¡¯t beenpletely honest with me, even then, and I had known it, but I hadn¡¯t pushed it. Maybe I should have. Maybe I should have helped him think it through and resolve his feelings. Maybe then he would still be alive. Maybe he still is alive?


    No, he isn¡¯t. Xander would sooner cut off a hand than pick up a gun. The man looks a lot like Xander, but he is not Xander; he can¡¯t be. So, the question is, who is he?


    ¡°Who is he?¡± I ask softly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s who?¡± Seb enquires.


    Massimo shoots me a worried look. ¡°You okay, brother?¡± he rumbles as I push myself up to my feet.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± I ask loudly enough that the noise in the room dies down. One by one, the rest of my brothers, as well as Karma and Theresa, turn to nce at me. Everyone, except Nonna, who focuses her attention on the window.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Michael frowns.


    ¡°Oh, she knows what I am talking about, don¡¯t you?¡± I focus on putting one foot in front of the other as I approach Nonna. ¡°Tell us who he is.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about,¡± sheughs.


    ¡°Oh, you know what I am talking about, all right.¡± I pause in front of her, ¡°You know who he is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± Michael warns me, ¡°don¡¯t talk to Nonna like that.¡±


    ¡°And why not, considering she¡¯s been keeping a secret from all of us?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± She widens her gaze, ¡°You think I am keeping a secret?¡± She nces around the crowd of assembled faces, ¡°Do any of you think I¡¯d really keep anything from you?¡±


    The silence stretches, then Seb mutters, ¡°If it served your purposes, then yes, I think you would.¡±


    The others nod.


    Nonna seems taken aback, then she tightens her lips, ¡°Good to know that¡¯s what you all actually think about me. After everything I have sacrificed for this family¡­¡± she huffs.


    ¡°I know, you have,¡± I force my muscles to rx, ¡°and that is exactly why I think that if it would help the family, you would have kept the presence of my triplet a secret.¡±


    ¡°Triplet?¡± Luca exims. ¡°Did you say, triplet?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The others stay quiet. One look at Nonna¡¯s face, and I know I am right. ¡°Well,¡± I ask her, ¡°are you going to deny it?¡±


    She opens her mouth and shuts it, then she nces around the room once again. She looks away, then back at me. ¡°There are reasons for what happened then,¡± she murmurs.


    I draw in a breath, ¡°So I was right?¡± I ball my fists at my sides. ¡°He is my triplet?¡±


    ¡°You have to understand, it was the only way to arrive at some kind of settlement within the family.¡±


    ¡°Settlement?¡± I scowl, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Sit down, will you?¡± She turns to Michael, ¡°Please, sit down and hear me out, all of you,¡± she looks at each of my brothers in turn. ¡°please?¡± She turns to me, ¡°Give me a chance to exin.¡±


    It¡¯s exactly what my Flower had asked of me, and I had refused her. Will I do the same to Nonna now?


    I turn to leave, but Seb grasps my shoulder. ¡°Just hear her out, will you?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°And why should I do that? She¡¯s hidden something so big¡­something life-changing, from all of us, but especially me. Do you understand what it means to realize that you had a soul-brother, a life-mirror to yours alive but having never had the chance to meet him until now?¡±


    ¡°I know how it is to have a brother I never knew about.¡± He tilts his head, ¡°I can¡¯t im to understand how it is to have lost a twin only to find a triplet, but I know how it is to lose a brother I loved, and to find I may have a chance of gaining back another,¡± he peers into my face, ¡°so trust me when I say that you want to listen to this or you¡¯ll regret it forever.¡±


    I hesitate, then nod. ¡°Okay,¡± I pivot and face Nonna, ¡°You have five minutes to tell me what happened, and if you hide anything from me this time-¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she raises a hand, ¡°I promise. Will you have a seat now?¡±

 190

    Christian


    I gaze through the ss partition that separates me from my triplet. After listening to Nonna, I had walked out of the waiting room and run into the doctor who¡¯d operated on my brother. He¡¯d ushered me into the room adjoining the recovery room, where the man who looks very much like Xanderys on a bed.


    His eyes are shut, his skin is pale, and the white sheets of the bed heys on are a stark contrast to the darkness of his hair. I take in his features again; that familiar high forehead, the patrician nose, the square jaw¡­ All so simr to Xander, and yet, not. For one, while Xander was more on the slender side, this man is far more bulked up. Also, something about the shape of his face is a little different. Like he¡¯s Xander, but with subtle changes woven into his features. He¡¯s Xander, but not, for my twin is dead. He¡¯s nevering back, and this¡­


    This man will never take his ce. Whoever he is¡­ He is a stranger. One who tried to kill me¡­ So, why the hell did he step in front of Theresa to protect her? I am not sure. I hear a sniff and turn to find her standing next to me.


    ¡°He¡¯s going to wake up,¡± she says with quiet determination as she presses her palm into the ss partition, ¡°he has to wake up.¡± Her gaze burns with an inner light that borders on the verge of obsession. Uh-oh.


    ¡°Theresa.¡± I touch her shoulder, and she blinks as ifing out of a daze. She inclines her head in my direction without taking her gaze off of the unconscious figure.


    ¡°Theresa?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You know he¡¯s not Xander, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She whips her head around in my direction. ¡°Of course, he is Xander; why would you say that he isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°But he isn¡¯t, Theresa,¡± I say gently. ¡°Xander¡¯s dead, Theresa, he-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± she whispers fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about him as if he¡¯s gone because he¡¯s not.¡± She jerks her chin in the direction of the sleeping figure. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping right there; can¡¯t you see?¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I blow out a breath. This is going to be so much moreplicated than I had anticipated. When he wakes up-and he is going to wake up-he is going to be faced with people who want him to take Xander¡¯s ce¡­ And that is not afortable situation. Just having a twin and often being mistaken for him bes tiresome very quickly. And this man, whoever he is, is no doubt going to be expected to pick up from where Xander left off. Hell, much as I see him very much as a stranger and don¡¯t want to think of him as Xander, every time I look at him, I can¡¯t help but see Xander.


    I roll my shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s not Xander, Theresa; can¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can. Of course, I can.¡± She whips her head around in my direction. ¡°You think I¡¯m delusional to see Xander in this¡­this stranger who took a bullet for me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I hold my hands up, ¡°I am only saying the truth.¡±


    ¡°The truth is that despite loving your wife and marrying her, at the first sign of conflict, you lost your balls and decided to turn your back on her.¡±


    ¡°Now hold on,¡± I growl, ¡°you don¡¯t know what went on between me and Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± She tosses her hair over her shoulder. ¡°I know that she loves you and that you adore her. When you guys are in the same room together, you can¡¯t take your gaze off of her and yet¡­ You ran from her. You¡¯re still running from her; from the chance of finding true love, the kind that I thought I could have with Xander. And you?¡± She looks me up and down. ¡°Your wife is still here, and yet you waste time over stupid semantics, and waste the opportunity you¡¯ve been given. If only you were in my shoes, you¡¯d know just how much of an ass you¡¯re being right now.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I narrow my gaze on her. ¡°You¡¯re distraught. I understand that you¡¯re not thinking clearly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am thinking much more clearly than you.¡± She turns back to stare at the unconscious man on the bed. ¡°I know that my only chance of happiness lies with this¡­this stranger. Someone who I don¡¯t know, and yet, who I feel a connection with. Someone who didn¡¯t know me, and who put his life on the line for me. Someone who has the face of the love of my life and with whom I¡¯ve been given a second chance. One I don¡¯t intend to waste¡­ Unlike you.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°What she means is, what are you still doing here, Christian?¡± Seb stalks over to join us.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for him to recover consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Which may not be for a while.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± I shove my hands in my pockets. Gesu Cristo, does everyone in this family have it in for me, or what?


    ¡°So,¡± he snorts, ¡°do you want me to spell it out for you?¡±


    ¡°No idea what you mean.¡± I hunch my shoulders.


    ¡°Cazzo, you still here, stronzo?¡± Massimo prowls over to stand behind me.


    ¡°Why does everyone keep saying that?¡±


    ¡°Because everyone can see the truth, except you.¡± Luca wanders over to nk Massimo.


    ¡°The fuck is going on?¡± I turn to nce between my brothers. ¡°Can¡¯t a man just get some space to do¡­ Whatever it is I¡¯m doing?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Michael leans his shoulder against the frame of the doorway.


    ¡°Not you too.¡± I scowl at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a Mafia empire to run or something?¡±


    ¡°Not when one of my brothers is lying wounded, and the other is hurting so much, he¡¯s acting like aplete carogna.¡±


    He uses the word that implies I¡¯m lower than rotted meat, and anger sluices through my veins.


    ¡°Fuck off, Michael,¡± I growl. ¡°You may be Don, but that doesn¡¯t give you permission to interfere in my personal life.¡±


    Theresa nces between us. ¡°I¡¯m going to hunt down the doctor and badger him until he allows me into Xander¡¯s room to see him. If I hold his hand, I¡¯m sure he will awaken faster; I know he will.¡± She spins around, pushes past the men, and rushes out of the room.


    ¡°Damn,¡± I shake my head, ¡°that woman is sure doing an incredible job of fooling herself.¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s not afraid to grab at her chance for happiness with both hands?¡±


    ¡°You mean fool herself into believing that man lying in there is her future, when it¡¯s more likely he¡¯s going to wake up and hate her¡­ And all of us, probably.¡±


    ¡°I know what Nonna said earlier must havee as a shock,¡± Luca offers.


    ¡°Shock?¡± Iugh. ¡°Which part are you talking about? The fact that the woman I thought was my mother isn¡¯t really my mother, or that Nonna and our father decided to split the three of us when we were born, so my blood mother could leave with my triplet?¡±


    ¡°Christian,¡± Massimo grips my shoulder, ¡°it doesn¡¯t make you less of our brother.¡±


    I squeeze my fingers into fists. Of course, I know that. Just because my brothers are my half-brothers does not change anything¡­ Except that my entire life to-date has been very much a lie. ¡°Fuck,¡± I shake my head, ¡°this entire conversation is doing my head in.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Seb¡¯s lips twist. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been easy living with the fact that I¡¯m not a legitimate part of the family.¡±


    ¡°Being a legitimate son isn¡¯t all that it¡¯s cut out to be either,¡± Luca snorts.


    Silence descends on the space. The tension in the air ratchets up. I nce over to find Michael scowling at Luca.


    ¡°You chose your way to make your disapproval known to the world,¡± Michael snaps, referring to how Luca had helped Karma escape when she had run from Michael. This was before the two had gotten back together and realized they were in love and wanted to spend their lives together. And isn¡¯t that what I want too? So why did I let go of her? Why didn¡¯t I allow myself to listen to her? To forgive her for her mistakes?


    ¡°And I am sorry for what I did. I apologized to you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Luca offers.


    ¡°And you were lucky I chose to look past your digressions.¡± Michael scowls. The two re at each other, then Michael blows out a breath, ¡°Not here to dwell over the past, brother.¡±


    Luca jerks his chin, ¡°Me neither.¡± He walks over to Michael and holds out his hand, ¡°We good?¡±


    Michael grips his hand. ¡°For now.¡± The two shake, then Luca turns toward me and both of them re at me with twin expressions of frustration.


    ¡°What?¡± I lean forward on the balls of my feet. ¡°If you guys have something to say, then you better spit it out.¡±


    Michael pushes off of the door and stalks over to me. ¡°It¡¯s been a lot to take in, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you would be an idiot if you let her walk away, and if there¡¯s one thing I can say about you, Christian, you are the most level-headed man I know. Perhaps, the most rational. It¡¯s why I made you the consigliere. It¡¯s why I know you are going to the airport, and you are going to stop her.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± I nce around at the faces of my brothers. ¡°I am.¡±

 191

    Aurora


    Can this day get any worse? I missed the flight to London. Of course, I did. I should be en-route to my honeymoon. Instead, I¡¯m wearing worn jeans, my old leather jacket, and clutching my suitcase, which I packed hurriedly with the clothes I had bought with my own money before I met Christian. I don¡¯t miss the material benefits of being with him. I¡¯m definitely happy to be free and able to do what I want. Hell, it¡¯s a miracle that the Sovranos let me leave at all. After everything I had confessed to, why Christian hadn¡¯t decided to mete out my punishment in time-honored Mafia tradition, I¡¯m not sure. Perhaps, it¡¯s because he was too upied with finding out about the stranger who looks like Xander and shot at him?


    Xander and Christian hadn¡¯t been identical twins, but there were a lot of simrities between their features. And the man who¡¯d taken the bullet meant for Theresa¡­ He definitely resembled Xander more than Christian. All this time, I had been talking to him, and I had never asked him to take off his mask. Not that he would have done so if I had. Hell, the few times we had met, I had been too scared to even meet his eyes. We had spoken over the phone most of the time, and his voice didn¡¯t sound anything like Christian¡¯s, that much I know.


    It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision to ask his help to escape from Christian. Seems while I had tried to leave the Mafia behind, when push came to shove, I had returned to my roots. I hadn¡¯t hesitated to ask the stranger for help.


    When I had realized I was falling for Christian, I had regretted it at once, but I didn¡¯t take back my words. Andter, I had hoped that he¡¯d forgotten about it. Which is silly because, why would he? Wishful thinking aside, it doesn¡¯t forgive the fact that I never went back to him and told him that the deal was off. I had been too terrified about trying to contact the stranger. Too worried that it would draw his attention back to me and my family.


    And I should have warned Christian, but then, a part of me had been so pissed off with him. With how he¡¯d treated me, how he¡¯d made me his captive and forced himself into my bed¡­ No¡­thatst¡­ I am equally to me for that. I wanted him. I was attracted to him, almost from the moment Iid eyes on him. I¡¯d known he was the kind of man who could make my darker fantasiese true. I had used him the same way that he had used me. So no, I can¡¯t hold him responsible for not wanting to listen to my exnations. Fact is, when I repeated to myself what my rationale was for what I¡¯d done, it felt weak, even to me. I hunch my shoulders as I walk over to the airline inquiries counter.


    When it¡¯s my turn, I ask to be put on the next flight to London.


    ¡°That will be tomorrow,¡± the woman behind the desk tells me.


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a flight that leavester today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; they are fully booked.¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut and force my shoulders to rx. It¡¯s going to be okay; it¡¯s going to be okay. I will live through this. I can get through this. If I could face all of thosete nights studying, then interning at the ER to be a doctor, then surely, I can get through what feels like the worst day of my life so far. I blow out a breath. Something of my helplessness must show on my face because the airline employee gestures to the side. ¡°Perhaps, you want to take a seat and wait. Sometimes, we havest-minute cancetions, so I can waitlist you on thest flight out. It¡¯s not guaranteed, but,¡± she raises a shoulder, ¡°if you really want to leave-¡±


    ¡°Oh, I do,¡± I nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to wait.¡± It¡¯s not like I have anywhere else to be, after all.


    I shuffle over with my luggage and take a seat.


    Half an hourter, I¡¯m back on my feet. I walk over to the counter and tell her, ¡°I¡¯m going to walk around the airport and stretch my legs. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    She waves me off, and I haul my bag over my shoulder as I wheel my suitcase behind me. I wander over to a shop, grab a book, and look at its cover. A romance novel, of course, where the hero and heroine get their Happily Ever After. And what about me? Can I hope to get my own HEA? Or am I going to spend the rest of my life moping over the man who broke my heart? The man who was my husband for less than a day.


    I y with the ring on my hand; I should take it off, but damn, its weight feels good. It feels right. The entire ceremony had been like a dream. And the way he had looked at me when I had walked down the aisle toward him. Like I was his everything. Like I was his. Like he couldn¡¯t live without me¡­and I couldn¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t be without him.


    The pressure behind my eyes builds. Don¡¯t you dare cry. Not here; not in front of everyone. Not even when you are alone. You deserve what happened; you should have worn your big girl panties and called the stranger back and told him that the deal was off. You should have confessed everything to Christian and asked for his help.


    Instead, I had lost my nerve. I had acted foolishly, had closed my eyes, and tried to pretend that the entire deal with the stranger didn¡¯t exist, and that he couldn¡¯t hurt Christian¡­ And now, I must pay the price. The tears squeeze out of the corners of my eyes. I try to wipe them away, but they keeping. Damn it, this is not good. Don¡¯t break down, not here. Please, not like this.


    My shoulders shudder. I turn my head to the side and brush my cheek over my shoulder. I ce the book back on the shelf, then head out of the shop and back toward my seat near the airline desk.


    That¡¯s when I hear themotion and nce up to find a tall, broad man at the desk. His shoulders stretch his shirt in a way that sets off a shiver down my spine. I know that build, the way his biceps strain his shirt sleeves, how the edges of his dark hair brush against his cor, how he nts his hands on his hips, thrusts his chin forward, and takes an aggressive stance.


    I edge closer in time to hear him ask, ¡°Are you sure that you haven¡¯t seen her? She¡¯s tiny,es only to the level of my chest, has thick dark hair that falls in clouds about her shoulders. She has a gorgeous face, high cheekbones, the most delectable lips you have ever seen on a woman, and whiskey-colored eyes.¡±


    Is that me he¡¯s describing? Is that how he sees me? Does he really think my lips are delectable? I stare at the back of his beautiful head. What the hell is Christian doing here anyway?


    ¡°When she¡¯s angry, you can see the golden sparks in their depths, and they resemble pools of champagne then.¡± Christian¡¯s voice softens. ¡°I¡¯m trying to find out if she was on the flight to London.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking about,¡± the woman replies, ¡°and even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t be able to give out that kind of information.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t seen her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but I really have no idea who you are referring to.¡±


    ¡°Please, are you sure that you can¡¯t help me? This is a life and death situation. She¡¯s my wife, you see, and she left before I could hear what she has to say, and now I may never be able to forgive myself.¡±


    The woman at the airline counter gives a long-suffering sigh. ¡°Have you tried calling her phone?¡±


    ¡°Her phone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Surely, she has a phone, and you could call her to find out if she did make the flight?¡±


    He seems to consider that, then pulls out his phone. ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmurs, then turns in my direction.


    My heart begins to race. My pulse ratchets up. I should move toward him, tell him I¡¯m here. Instead, I spin around and head back the way I came, just as my phone begins to vibrate in my handbag. Shit, I took my phone with me¡­ Well, of course I did. It¡¯s the only means ofmunication I have at the moment. I pull out the phone, stare at the name on the screen, which reads Alphahole.


    It continues to vibrate, and I stare at it while continuing to walk away from him. I stumble into someone else¡¯s luggage, and the phone drops to the ground. Shit, shit, shit.


    I bend to pick up the phone, just as it stops vibrating. I pick it up, then jump when it begins to vibrate again. I stare at the screen, then drop the phone back in my handbag. I head toward the opposite side of the airport to the counter. I¡¯m not sure where I¡¯m going, but it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as I can get away from him, that¡¯s all that matters. Please, please don¡¯t let him notice me.


    My phone starts vibrating again, and I ignore it. Yes, it¡¯s my fault that I¡¯m in this situation. But he¡¯s also to me. He couldn¡¯t give me a few minutes and hear what I had to say. He didn¡¯t even give me a chance to apologize before he took off in his car, telling me our marriage was over. Jerk. He didn¡¯t even turn to nce at me before he got into his big ass Ferrari and pulled away, literally leaving me eating his dust.


    The phone continues to vibrate, damn it. I pull it out of my handbag, only it slips from my hand and falls to the floor. ¡°Goddamn!¡± I bend to pick it up as a pair of custom-made Italian loaferses into my line of sight. Oh, shit. I raise my gaze up the pair of legs in fitted cks that mold to powerful thighs, and between them a tented crotch. No, no, no, don¡¯t look there; not now, not when you¡¯re trying to escape him. I grab my phone, straighten, then turn and begin to walk away.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Aurora,¡± he calls after me, ¡°stop.¡±

 192

    Aurora


    Is he crazy? Of course, I¡¯m not going to stop. Thest thing I want is to see him, after that very public humiliation when he left me.


    I increase my speed, and his footsteps keep pace. Oh, hell. He is going to catch up with me, and that¡¯s not what I want. I drag my suitcase behind me as I begin to run. His footsteps pound behind me and seem to get closer. My bag slides down my arm, and I yank it up and over my shoulder.


    ¡°Aurora, please wait; please give me a chance to exin myself.¡±


    Isn¡¯t that what I asked him, almost word-for-word? I should feel vindicated that I¡¯m giving him some of the same treatment he gave me, so why does it all feel wrong? I dart down the corridor, swerving around a man with a suitcase, then past a family with the children engrossed on their tablets.


    ¡°Aurora! Flower, please stop!¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    His voice sounds too close. Damn it, he¡¯s going to catch up with me, and I ¡­ I¡¯m not ready to face him yet. Where can I hide? Where can I conceal myself so he won¡¯t find me? I nce around, and there¡­ I spot the sign for thedies¡¯ room, shoulder open the door, burst inside. I pause in front of the row of sinks, my breathing in pants. I p my handbag on the counter as a woman finishes washing her hands. She shoots me a curious look before she brushes past me and out the door. The door snicks shut, only to open again. Heavy footsteps sound, and I whip my head around to find Christian poised inside the doorway.


    ¡°Get out,¡± I snarl. ¡°This is thedies¡¯ room.¡±


    He nces around the space to make sure it¡¯s empty, then turns and locks the door.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I gape at him, ¡°what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    He merely walks over to stand behind me. I take in his reflection behind me in the mirror.


    His hair is mussed up. Flecks of blood dot the front of his shirt. Other than that, he looks the same. Tall, broad, sex oozing from every pore. Damn it, it¡¯s not fair that at the end of this gone-to-shit day, I feel tired and faded while he still looks hot. And so damn edible. His chest rises and falls; his gaze narrows as he holds mine in the mirror. Those blue eyes grow cold as he res at me. A shiver runs down my spine. Damn it, I¡¯m not supposed to find him so hot when he¡¯s clearly pissed at me.


    He folds his arms across his chest, and his biceps flex and stretch the fabric. The buttons of his shirt barely seem to be able to contain his muscled chest.


    The silence stretches, and the tension in the air seems to rise with every second. I hold his gaze for a beat, another, then flick my eyes in the direction of the doorway.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he says in a hard voice.


    A ripple of anticipation shimmers over my skin. My nerve endings pop. Everyst cell in my body seems to be alive and waiting, waiting for him to do something. For him to punish me for what I did. For him to show me who I belong to. For him to tell me he has forgiven me. That he hase for me because he loves me. Because he can¡¯t live without me.


    ¡°You defied me,¡± he says in a casual tone. Oh god, that is not good. When he gets so quiet and tries toe across as unthreatening, that¡¯s when I know he¡¯s really angry with me.


    I tip my chin up and force myself to meet his gaze again in the mirror. ¡°I fail to see how you drew that conclusion, considering you¡¯re the one who told me to leave.¡±


    ¡°And you conveniently didn¡¯t get on the previous flight out, I see.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You wanted me toe in search of you, to chase you through the airport, and corner you and-¡±


    ¡°And-?¡±


    ¡°And,¡± his lips kick up, ¡°fuck you, of course.¡±


    ¡°How dare you,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°You have some ego if you think that I missed my flight on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you?¡± His smile widens. ¡°Perhaps, it was your subconscious mind that wanted you to stay in the airport, so there was more of a chance for me to find you?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I spit out at him, and the assholeughs.


    ¡°Good to see you haven¡¯t lost your spark, Flower.¡±


    ¡°No thanks to you.¡± I set my jaw. ¡°After that stunt you pulled back at the house, I¡¯m not sure what you want from me.¡±


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said I was sorry?¡±


    ¡°You have a funny way of showing it.¡±


    ¡°I admit that my ego gets in the way sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes?¡± I snort. ¡°And I¡¯m still not hearing the apology, by the way.¡±


    ¡°What if I show it to you instead?¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°Show it to me?¡± I narrow my gaze. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My actions always speak louder than my words, Flower; surely, you know that by now?¡± He closes the distance between us, and the heat of his body envelops me.


    ¡°Stay ba-back.¡±


    My voice trembles; damn it. I shouldn¡¯t let him intimidate me like this.


    ¡°Stay away from me,¡± I say in a firmer voice, ¡°don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t tell me what to do. Have you forgotten that?¡±


    ¡°I may have let you dominate me in the bedroom, but that¡¯s where it stops.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± He chuckles, and the sound chafes across my skin. My belly flutters, my scalp tingles, and every part of me seems to be tuned into him. I watch as he steps closer, until his chest is flush with my back, his thighs cradle my hips, and that thick hardness between his legs pushes against my arse.


    A shudder grips me, and I grip the edge of the sink even tighter.


    He slides his hand around to cup my pussy through the fabric of my jeans.


    ¡°Oh, god,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut, ¡°oh, my fucking god!¡¯


    ¡°Open your eyes,¡± hemands, and I snap my eyelids open. I meet his gaze once again, and his eyes¡­ They are burning into me with such intensity that goose bumps pop on my skin.


    He pushes the hair at the nape of my neck to the side. I shiver. He bends, and without taking his gaze off of mine, he presses his lips to the curve where my shoulder meets my neck. It¡¯s so sweet, so not like the Christian I know that a moan bleeds from my lips. He digs his teeth into my skin, and I yelp. My pussy clenches. My toes curl. He drags his tongue across the bruised skin, and moisture beads my core.


    ¡°Christian, please,¡± I whisper. ¡°Please¡­¡± I want to tell him to stop, but I can¡¯t seem to form the words. He lowers the zipper on my jeans, then slips his fingers under my panties. He brushes across my swollen clit, and a whine bubbles up my throat.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls, ¡°you are so wet, Flower.¡± He peruses my features in the mirror as he shoves his fingers inside of me. My pussy mps down instantly on his fingers, and his gaze seems to intensify. He moves his fingers in and out of me, and my entire body bucks. I throw my head back against his shoulder, even as a part of me wishes that I could resist him. But I can¡¯t. God help me, but I tried; all I have to do is see him, scent him, feel his skin against mine, and all thought seems to drain from my head. Damn it, I cannot give in to him like this, not after the way he treated me.


    ¡°Christian,¡± I burst out, ¡°don¡¯t. Please, don¡¯t.¡±


    He pauses. ¡°You want me to stop?¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut, then nod.


    ¡°Look me in the eyes and tell me that you want me to leave, and I will.¡±


    I draw in a breath, force my eyelids open, then meet his gaze in the mirror. My entire body seems to flush with the intensity of his regard.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he insists, ¡°tell me you don¡¯t want me.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Then why are you resisting what¡¯s between us?¡±


    ¡°You told me you loved me. Yet the first time someone tells you about a mistake Imitted, you turn your back on me publicly. You believed him over me.¡± I hunch my shoulders. ¡°And to some extent I deserve it, Christian. After all, I never dide clean to you about the details of what my deal with him was.¡± I shake my head. ¡°We are not good together, you and I.¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± he says with vehemence, ¡°we bloody well are.¡±


    ¡°You chose to believe the worst of me, Christian,¡± I remind him. ¡°As soon as he told you what I had done, you found me guilty without giving me a chance to exin my actions.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry about that,¡± he admits. ¡°I went against my instincts. I knew there was a reason for what you did. I knew that I was to me as much as you, and still¡­¡±


    ¡°How do you think that makes me feel?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯d show you how much I regret my actions.¡±


    ¡°By fucking me?¡±


    ¡°By making love to you.¡± He curls his fingers inside of me, and my hips push back and into the thick column between his legs.


    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ the problem,¡± I gasp, ¡°it¡¯s too easy for you to distract me. You only have to touch me, and I seem to forget everything wrong that you did to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the problem with that.¡± His lips kick up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m trying to say,¡± I snarl. ¡°I want to be away from you long enough to clear my head, so I know exactly what I want.¡±


    ¡°You want me, Flower, you know that.¡±


    ¡°I know I want what you do to my body, but what about the rest of me?¡±


    ¡°The rest of you?¡±


    ¡°What about what my heart wants?¡±


    ¡°What does it want?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, okay?¡± I cry. ¡°I thought I might have fallen in love with you, but after the stunt you pulled earlier, I ¡­ I am not sure.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he hesitates, ¡°so, you¡¯re telling me that you don¡¯t love me?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡± I huff. ¡°I am just saying that I need time to think things through, okay?¡±


    He stares at me a second longer, then he pulls out his fingers. He brings them up to his mouth and sucks my cum off of them. The heat flushes my cheeks. No matter how many times I¡¯ve seen him do that, I¡¯ll never get used to the raw eroticism in his gestures.


    He steps back, and cool air rushes between us. Damn it, how can I already miss him? And why did I stop him from taking me onest time? Something to stay with me in the days to follow as I figure out what I really want.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he jerks his chin, ¡°you got it, Flower. I¡¯ll stay away from you if that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want.¡± I watch as he backs away from me.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He hesitates, then pivots on his heel, heads to the door, and unlocks it.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I call after him, and he turns; the look on his face is so hopeful, so unlike anything I have ever seen on his features before that I swallow, my guts twist, and I push away the ball of emotion that clogs my chest. ¡°My family,¡± I force out the words, ¡°you promise not to harm them?¡±


    He draws in a breath, seems like he¡¯s about to say something else, then nods, ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°And when your brother wakes up?¡±


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    ¡°He looks so much like you that I assume there is a family connection?¡±


    ¡°Family¡­¡± He shakes his head. ¡°He¡¯s my triplet.¡±


    ¡°Triplet?¡± I blink. ¡°So you, Xander, and this stranger¡­?¡±


    He nods. ¡°Triplets.¡± He drags his fingers through his hair. ¡°Something my parents and Nonna knew, but none of them saw fit to tell us about his existence.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, ¡°that¡­ that must havee as a shock, I imagine?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make this shit up.¡± His features grow hard. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can forgive Nonna for this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she had her reasons.¡±


    ¡°No doubt,¡± he snorts, ¡°but it resulted in our brother turning against us. For so many years, we were unaware of his existence, and now I wonder if it¡¯s toote to make amends for their actions.¡±


    ¡°I bet Nonna feels it worse than you. Can¡¯t you forgive her for what she did?¡± Like how you forgave me and came after me?


    ¡°Do you want me to forgive her?¡±


    I hold his gaze, then nod. ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper, ¡°yes, I want you to forgive her.¡±


    ¡°Done.¡± He peers into my features for a second longer. ¡°Take care, Flower.¡±


    He unlocks the door and walks out.


    I stare after him.


    So, he left me? He actually left me, just like that? I had asked him to, and he had agreed, which, in itself, is unusual. But he did it. He pushed his own needs aside and gave in to what I want. Whoa! I shake my head, then open the tap and hold my hands under the water. I spot the ring on my left hand. My wedding ring. I should have given it back to him. After all, this entire marriage is a sham, isn¡¯t it? I rush to the door, yank it open, and call out, ¡°Wait, Christian.¡±


    He pauses not five feet from the door, but doesn¡¯t turn. I walk over to stand in front of him, then pull off the ring and hand it over.


    He nces at the ring in my hand, then up at my face. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± I murmur, ¡°you should take it back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± he growls, ¡°You should keep it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°I gave it to you; it belongs to you.¡± He brushes past me. ¡°Keep it or toss it; do whatever you think is right, Flower.¡±

 193

    Christian


    How dare she try to return her wedding ring to me? How dare she think everything that happened between us is a sham? Women. .. fuck! I should have known things were going to get messy the moment I set eyes on her. I should have walked away from her, but did I? Of course, not. Instead, I had appointed myself as her protector. I only have myself to me for the predicament I¡¯m in now.


    I m down the half-empty ss of whiskey on the bar in the living room. The thud resounds through my head, and I wince. Clearly, trying to get drunk is not doing any favors for the headache that has gathered behind my eyes. Well, fuck that. It¡¯s the least I can do to drown out the thoughts that insist on crowding in on me.


    She owes me her life, and how does she repay me? By asking me to leave¡­ And what had I done? I had obliged her. Is that a sign of weakness? Have I be so pussy-whipped that I allowed her to dictate my actions?


    I stare at the remnants of the amber liquid in the bottle. Golden and brown with sparks where the light from above hits the surface of the whiskey. Gleaming andplex andyered¡­ Just like her.


    She is the love of my life, and I let her get away. She is the only thing that makes sense in this bizarre twisted mess my life has be, and I allowed her to leave. I had turned and walked away from her again.


    Why hadn¡¯t I listened to her when she had tried to exin things to me at the house? Why had I been so quick to believe the worst of her?Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I bring the ss of whiskey to my lips and chug down the rest of the contents. The alcohol burns its way down my gullet and explodes in my stomach. I can¡¯t feel my hands and feet, which means I¡¯m doing something right. Something that will, hopefully, shut down the regrets that pinch my chest, the heaviness that coils around my heart and squeezes until I¡¯m sure that I¡¯ll never feel the same way again.


    Someone raps on the door to the living room before barging in. ¡°Knock, knock, motherfucker.¡±


    Seb¡¯s annoying voice cuts through the thoughts in my head.


    ¡°Lost your way?¡± I pour more whiskey into my ss, then some more, topping it up almost to the brim.


    He whistles. ¡°You sure you¡¯ve had enough? There¡¯s a little more room in the ss if you want to pour more into it.¡±


    ¡°Ha, ha,¡± I scoff, then survey the ss. ¡°You may have a point there.¡± I add to the ss until some of the amber liquid sloshes over the side. ¡°Therrre,¡± I slur, ¡°is that betterrr?¡±


    ¡°I think you need to stop drinking, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Aww,e on, are you going to be all responsible and boring like our fratellone?¡± I lean down to the bar and slurp from the overfull ss. To be fair, I¡¯m over the whiskey already, especially since my head is spinning, and I am currently seeing two of Seb. But I don¡¯t tell him that. Asshole would only bore me with another sermon, no doubt, about my shorings-of which I have many, as the events of thest day have shown.


    ¡°On the other hand, perhaps I should join you, eh?¡±


    ¡°Now that is a capital idea, brother.¡± I reach for the bottle, but he stops me.


    ¡°I have a better idea.¡± He slides another ss toward me, then reaches for mine.


    I scowl. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can share your pain, but perhaps, I can share your drink?¡± He tugs on the ss, and when I release my hold on it, he pours almost half of my drink into his. A good portion ends up on the bar.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing.¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to stop me from getting drunk, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I think that ship has sailed,¡± heughs, ¡°but yes, I¡¯m trying to save you from alcohol poisoning.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your¡­ your¡­¡± I squint at him, ¡°your¡­¡±


    ¡°Sympathy?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I take another sip of the whiskey. ¡°I don¡¯t need your symp¡­ sympa¡­¡±


    ¡°Sympathy,¡± he prompts.


    ¡°What-fucking-ever,¡± I ce my ss on the counter then stand up. The room tilts. Oops, wrong move. I grab the edge of the counter and steady myself. ¡°What the fuck are you doing here anyway?¡±


    ¡°Michael was worried about you, so I decided toe by and take a look at what you were up to.¡±


    ¡°And the rest of the family is-¡±


    ¡°Taking turns keeping Theresapany at your triplet¡¯s bedside. He¡¯s still unconscious, by the way,¡± Seb murmurs, ¡°thank you, for asking.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I scowl, ¡°you don¡¯t get to do that; you don¡¯t get to guilt trip me for mourning the end of my marriage before it even started.¡±


    ¡°And who¡¯s fault is that?¡± He drawls, ¡°I¡¯m not the one who took off-¡±


    ¡°-leaving her behind. Yes, yes, I know. I¡¯m guilty, so sue me.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s roasting your ass enough, and deservedly.¡± Seb chuckles. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you crawl, brother.¡±


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± I jerk my chin toward the doorway. ¡°No, seriously, get the fuck out of my house, Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°Ah, apparently you were right toe here,¡± Massimo prowls through the door, ¡°and you were right that he¡¯s probably crying into his drink like a pussy.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I spin around and almost topple over. Oops, wrong move again. Apparently, that¡¯s all I¡¯m good for right now, not being able to take a step without tripping over my own two feet. ¡°Get the fuck out.¡± I straighten, lean an elbow against the bar, miss it and crash into one of the barstools. I hit the floor on my ass and sprawl out. Well, on the flip side, at least my head has some kind of support now, which is fucking helpful.


    Massimo¡¯s face hovers in my line of sight. ¡°You okay down there, fratellino, or do you need some help getting up?¡±


    ¡°Nope, not needed.¡± I fold my hands over my chest. ¡°I¡¯m good; ss dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Did he just say what I think he said-?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Seb replies. ¡°Asshole thinks drinking himself into a stupor is the way forward.¡±


    ¡°And I thought he was brighter than that.¡±


    ¡°Apparently not,¡± Seb snorts.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I protest, ¡°I¡¯m still here you, stronzos.¡± Or at least, that¡¯s what I think I say, but all thates out is a choking sound.


    ¡°You say something, oh, enlightened one?¡± Massimo smirks, then holds out his hand, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you to your bed, shall we?¡±


    I open my eyes and groan. My tongue feels too big for my mouth, I try to swallow, and my throat hurts. I sit up, and the headache behind my eyes increases in intensity. Shit, I¡¯m never drinking again. Never.


    I notice the ss of water and the two pills next to it. Who ced it there? Massimo? Seb? Doesn¡¯t matter. I down them, drain the ss of water, and stumble to the bathroom. By the time I¡¯m done with the hot shower and am dressed, I feel a little better. I follow the scent of toast and bacon to the kitchen. I head inside and find Massimo and Seb at the breakfast nook with Cassandra serving them breakfast. She sets a te of food down for me, then moves away.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I frown at her.


    ¡°Michael insisted I take over the cooking until you are back on your feet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not incapacitated, or has everyone forgotten that?¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Massimo growls, ¡°we¡¯re worried about you, okay? Deal with it.¡±


    I blow out a breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cass.¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m not at my best right now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable.¡± She ces an espresso in front of me. ¡°Did you speak to her yesterday?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± My stomach churns at the sight of the food. I push away the te and reach for the espresso. ¡°I met her at the airport, and she asked me to leave; end of story.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± Seb ces his phone on the table. ¡°Did you ask her to forgive you?¡±


    I drain my espresso, then ce the cup back in its saucer. ¡°Of course, I did. Why else would I have gone there?¡±


    The two men exchange a nce.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl. ¡°I assume you two teste di cazzo have something to say?¡±


    ¡°Does he always have such a sunny disposition first thing in the morning?¡± Massimo muses.


    ¡°He always was a rude motherfucker,¡± Seb confirms.


    ¡°Think we should tussle him to the ground and sit on him until he sees sense?¡± Massimo looks me up and down.


    ¡°He¡¯s taller than either of us, but if we take him together, I¡¯m sure we can overpower him.¡±


    ¡°Not that it would make any difference; he¡¯d probably still be pigheaded about this entire issue.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an ass,¡± Seb agrees.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I fold my arms across my chest, ¡°stop talking about me like I¡¯m not here.¡±


    ¡°Stop acting like you don¡¯t have a brain in your head,¡± Massimo shoots back.


    ¡°What?¡± I growl, ¡°What the hell are you two talking about?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, your idea of asking for forgiveness is very different from what was needed to actually get her to forgive you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost me.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°I went to her, tracked her down, told her I was sorry, repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°But did you actually mean it?¡± Seb narrows his gaze on me. ¡°Did you convey just how much of an asshole you¡¯ve been with every fiber of your being for every moment that you¡¯ve known her?¡±


    Heat sears my neck. I nce at him, then away.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°What makes you two such experts on rtionships anyway?¡± I snap.


    ¡°And n-o-w he¡¯s angry with us.¡± Seb shakes his head. ¡°He thinks he can distract us from our mission.¡±


    ¡°Mission?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to make you see reason,¡± Massimo drawls.


    ¡°Reason?¡± I pull the te of food toward me and begin to eat. ¡°What reason?¡±


    ¡°Look, you were born a grump-face, are shitpany, and really, the only times we have been able to tolerate you is when you have been with her.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stop with my fork halfway to my mouth.


    ¡°She made you a better person, asshole.¡± Seb snorts. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, by the way.¡± He looks a little shocked with himself. ¡°I sound like I picked the dialogue from a romance film.¡±


    ¡°You mean a rom,¡± Massimo corrects him.


    ¡°How the hell do you know what a rom is?¡± I stare at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s an informed guess,¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°and don¡¯t try to steer us off course.¡±


    ¡°You guys are the ones taking this entire conversation off course by talking about emo shit.¡± I finish the mouthful on my fork and go in for another. ¡°This food is really good, by the way,¡± Ipliment Cassandra.


    ¡°You really are trying to change the topic, aren¡¯t you?¡± She folds her arms across her chest.


    ¡°Hey, I was justplimenting you on the food,¡± I protest.


    ¡°Definitely trying to change the topic.¡± Seb nods. ¡°What do you say, Massimo? Do you think he¡¯s strong enough to hear the truth from us, or is he too much of a pussy?¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling a pussy?¡± I snap.


    ¡°You, little brother.¡± Massimo smirks.


    I drop my fork on the te with a tter. ¡°Fuck this.¡± I rise to my feet, and the two men stand up with me.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± Seb scowls.


    ¡°Fuck off.¡± I turn to leave, and Massimo steps in my way.


    ¡°Sit down, fratellino, you need to hear this before you leave.¡±


    ¡°The fuck, you guys?¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°If it¡¯s a fight you¡¯re spoiling for¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d happily kick your ass.¡± Massimoughs.


    ¡°You wish,¡± I interrupt him. ¡°Why are you two being so persistent, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Because we care, you pezzo di merda,¡± Seb says in a soft tone. ¡°Just sit down and listen to us, okay, and we promise, we won¡¯t bother you again.¡±


    Behind us, Cassandra stops what she¡¯s doing andes to stand next to me. ¡°Please, Christian,¡± she pleads, ¡°Aurora is someone I care about, and I¡¯d hate to see the two of you lose this chance at a future together.¡±


    I open my mouth to protest, then shut it. ¡°Fine,¡± I sit down, ¡°say what you¡¯re dying to get off your chests.¡± I glower at my brothers.


    Massimo and Seb nce at each other, then both sit down.


    ¡°Go to her,¡± Massimo says without preamble. ¡°Apologize again. Properly, this time.¡±


    I rub the back of my neck. ¡°She asked me to stay away from her.¡±


    ¡°And you listened to her?¡± Seb¡¯s gaze widens.


    ¡°What choice did I have?¡± I shift around in my seat. ¡°She was pissed at me, and it felt like the least I could do was honor her wishes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so now you decide to pay attention to what she wants, eh?¡± Seb snorts. ¡°All this time, you ensured you got your way, to the point that you humiliated her in front of everyone else, and now, when you should be doing your best to smooth over the damage you¡¯ve done, you take the easy way out and walk away from her, again?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy,¡± I mumble. ¡°What the hell else should I have done?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to hear it from us?¡± Massimo smirks.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve given me much of a choice,¡± I roll my shoulders, ¡°so why don¡¯t you say your piece?¡±


    ¡°Throw yourself at her mercy and ask her for forgiveness.¡±

 194

    A weekter


    Aurora


    ¡°That¡¯s mending nicely, now.¡± I rece the dressing on the man who identally cut himself with a knife and was brought in by his wife. ¡°You should be discharged within the day.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good news.¡± He smiles at his wife, who throws her arm around him and hugs him.


    ¡°Thank you, Doctor,¡± she says. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to take him home and fuss over him.¡±


    I step back and let the couple have their moment. ¡°I¡¯ll, ah, go talk to the nurse in charge to make sure they have discharge orders.¡±


    I dawdle a second longer as the couple kisses. At least someone is in love and happy about it. I y with the ring on my finger as I walk toward themon room used by the doctors. It¡¯s been a long shift, and I¡¯m exhausted, but it feels good to finally be doing my job.


    Fact is, I had missed it when I returned to Sicily. I¡¯m very lucky I was able to return to my role as a doctor at the same hospital where I had previously worked in London. They had been so strapped for doctors that they had weed me back with open arms, and I had started working right away. Truth be told, it¡¯s the only reason I have been able to stay sane. I had put on my scrubs walked into the ER and had felt instantly at home.


    In fact, I¡¯ve been so busy that I haven¡¯t had a moment to think, and that¡¯s been a blessing.


    I also managed to find an apartment to rent within twenty-four hours, which honestly, in London, is nothing short of a miracle.


    There was just enough money in my bank ount to pay the deposit for the rent. All in all, I settled back into my former life like I hadn¡¯t left at all. And I admit, it feels good¡­ To be independent again. To earn my living and not be depending on someone else¡­ Not that Christian ever made meck for anything. The man made sure all of my needs were looked after¡­ And I do mean, all of my needs. He satisfied me in every way, indulged even my darkest desires-the ones I dared not share with anyone else. Somehow, with him, I didn¡¯t hesitate. He¡¯d already been so filthy in his proclivities that it seemed natural to open up that part of myself to him.


    And maybe that helped heal something inside of me. Maybe, I needed his particr brand of assertiveness, his dominance that allowed me to give myself up to him, trust him, and trust my body to him.


    Oh, I had also been angry with him, and it was wrong that he¡¯d held me captive¡­ And that he¡¯d seduced me¡­ Only, it wasn¡¯t something I hadn¡¯t wanted.


    I craved his particr brand of filthiness. I wanted him to fuck me, to not give me a choice and take me, so I wouldn¡¯t feel so bad about being attracted to him.


    And this ¡­ this thing between us, this connection, it¡¯s more than physical. Don¡¯t get me wrong. The physical was definitely the start of it, but the more I got to know him, the more I realized that beneath that hard exterior is a man who cares for his family, who had stood up to his father to save his younger brother, and who was devastated by the loss of his twin; not to mention, the shock of finding out he has a triplet.


    And he hade after me. And I had left. And he had let me.


    I haven¡¯t heard from him since he walked away from me at the airport. Half an hourter, as I waited for the next flight out, Adrian had turned up. He said that Christian wanted their private jet to take me to London. I had just started to refuse when the woman at the airline counter told me there were no cancetions on theter flight either. So I was stuck.


    I¡¯d refused when Adrian asked me if I preferred to spend the night at the airport. And the thought of trying to find a hotel room for the night and trying to get on a flight the next day felt like too much.


    Ultimately, I agreed to fly on the private jet, and before I knew it, I was at Heathrow airport and making my way to the taxi stand, joining the ranks of normal folks who work for a living; as opposed to being involved in illegal businesses and ying with people¡¯s lives like the Sovranos and the rest of the Mafia n does.


    This is what I wanted, right? To be away from the Mafia, to chart my own future, to lead an ordinary life where I am a doctor by day and alone by night? No, no, no¡­ I¡¯m not going to think about that. I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m happy¡­ Okay, maybe not happy, but I¡¯m content with what I have-my freedom, my autonomy, my independence¡­ Yes, yes, yes, if I repeat that often enough, I might even begin to believe it.


    I shrug out of my white coat, stuff it inside my locker, then grab my handbag and head out of the hospital. I take the tube home, step inside, and that¡¯s when my phone rings.


    Cassandra¡¯s name pops up on the screen.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I answer the video call and Cass¡¯s face appears.


    ¡°Hey, you.¡± Cass smiles. ¡°Have you been avoiding me?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± My neck heats. Truth is, I have been avoiding her calls, but only because talking to her reminds me too much of Christian.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she frowns at me, ¡°it¡¯s understandable if you don¡¯t want to talk to me. It must bring back too many memories.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I blow out a breath as I walk into the kitchen. ¡°I just wanted a little space, so I could put everything that happened into perspective, you know?¡±


    ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    I bnce the phone against the microwave, then grab a bottle of wine from the refrigerator. I pour myself a ss and hold it out to Cass. ¡°Cheers.¡±


    Sheughs and holds up her own ss of wine. ¡°Saluti, babe.¡±


    I sip from the ss and savor the woodsy taste of the wine. It¡¯s no match to the dark taste of his skin, of course, but it¡¯ll have to do.


    ¡°How¡¯s everything there?¡± I finally ask.


    ¡°He¡¯s not doing that great.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± I scowl. ¡°And that¡¯s not what I asked.¡±


    ¡°You know who I¡¯m talking about,¡± she murmurs, ¡°and you know that¡¯s what you meant, so why don¡¯t we drop the pretense?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to talk about him.¡±


    ¡°But I do.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s why you called-¡±


    I go to depress the stop button on the phone, but she calls out, ¡°Wait, Aurora, I won¡¯t talk about him, okay?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°Not that it makes me feel any better to hear you say that.¡± I pick up the phone and head back into the living room. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I want anymore.¡±


    ¡°Do you want him?¡±


    ¡°What kind of a question is that?¡±


    ¡°Well, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do.¡± I huff.


    ¡°So why aren¡¯t you with him?¡±


    ¡°After what he did? After how he publicly humiliated me?¡±


    ¡°You wanted him to forgive you for the mistake you made when you made a deal with his brother.¡±


    ¡°I did that because I felt trapped, okay. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t mean it either? Maybe he loved you so much that the thought of you having betrayed him was too much for him,¡± she scans my features, ¡°and then he dide after you at the airport, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Whose side are you on?¡±


    ¡°Yours, babe, always.¡±


    ¡°So why are you defending him? Is it because he¡¯s part of the Mafia and because you owe them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I owe the Sovranos my life, but that¡¯s not why I am saying it. Hell, I¡¯m the first to say that you should never tolerate their machismo behavior.¡±


    ¡°Yet you work for them,¡± I point out.


    ¡°And I make sure that they never take me for granted. I hold my own against each of them, and don¡¯t tell me that you haven¡¯t noticed.¡±


    ¡°They do respect you,¡± I say slowly. ¡°I see that. Even Nonna treats you with deference.¡±


    ¡°I had my fair share of run-ins with each of them, including Nonna, when I first started as Michael¡¯s housekeeper.¡±


    ¡°And how did that work out?¡±


    ¡°Hell, I threatened to quit, and Michael allowed me to leave. But then he and the rest of them found out just how good I was at my job.¡± She snorts. ¡°Turns out, finding someone who enjoys housekeeping, does it well, and knows how to be discreet with what they see is a tall order.¡±


    ¡°One which you fill with great excellence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why Michael told me to also manage Christian¡¯s home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± I snort. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he hasn¡¯t found someone else to fill his bed and cook his food and clean his house by now?¡±


    ¡°The man is a mess, Aurora.¡±


    I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care. I nce away, and Cass sighs.


    ¡°All I¡¯ll say is that he misses you, and he regrets what he did to you. You wanted him to listen to you and forgive you; can¡¯t you do the same for him?¡±


    I bite down on my lower lip. ¡°I want to¡­ Honestly. A part of me knows that I¡¯m being unreasonable, but somehow, I can¡¯t bring myself to forgive himpletely.¡±


    ¡°Make him grovel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Make him beg for your forgiveness, make him be properly ingratiating, make him¡­ I don¡¯t know, make him apologize profusely, enough to soothe your ego, so it bes easy to forgive him.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you have a point.¡±


    ¡°I know that I have a point.¡±


    ¡°You can be persistent, can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You can thank meter.¡± She nces off-screen. ¡°I think the deliveries are here. I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± I scowl. ¡°How do I make him grovel?¡±


    She rolls her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the brilliant doctor. I¡¯m sure you can think up a n. I really have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you-¡± She disconnects the call.


    That¡¯s when the doorbell rings.

 195

    Christian


    She opens the door, phone in hand, then stills. ¡°Y-you?¡± She stutters. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Would you believe that I was in the neighborhood and decided to stop by?¡± I cringe. Really? Is that the best you can do?


    ¡°Well, then you can leave the same way you came.¡± She begins to shut the door, and I nt my foot in the doorway.


    ¡°Wait!¡± I protest. ¡°Please, I came all this way just to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you.¡± She pushes the door into my foot.


    I grimace. ¡°Just give me a few minutes of your time, okay?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I asked you, but did you listen? No, you did not; you simply got into your stupid Ferrari and drove away.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I protest, ¡°hate me if you want, but don¡¯t insult my Ferrari.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± She stares. ¡°That¡¯s what you want to say to me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I shake my head, partially to clear it because her scent is driving me crazy, and partially because I really need to get my act together. ¡°No, of course, not. I came to ¡­ to¡­¡± Shit, why is this so hard? ¡°Can Ie inside, please?¡± I ask.


    Her gaze widens; she stares at me with surprise writtenrge on her features.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m being polite and shit.¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°I¡¯m trying, okay?¡± I peer into her face. ¡°Please, can Ie in and talk to you? I promise, I won¡¯t take too much of your time. Unless you¡¯d rather I do this out here, where all of your neighbors will hear¡­¡±


    She hesitates, then nods.


    Thank fuck. If she refused me, would I have pushed my way inside? Well, we¡¯ll never know now, will we?


    She spins around and walks inside. I follow her into the living room. She ces her phone on the coffee table, then crosses over to stand on the opposite side of the room.


    I take in the bookcase, half-filled with books, the sofa, the colorful curtains, the rugs on the floor. It¡¯s a ce that feels like home. ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± I tell her. ¡°You seemfortable here.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she tips up her chin, ¡°but you didn¡¯te here toment about my taste in interior decorating, did you?¡±


    A-n-d there you are, my little spitfire, my Flower. This is why I can¡¯t stay away from you, because you¡¯re the only one who feels like home to me.


    Shit, why did it take me so long to realize the truth? She not only feels like home, she is my home. It¡¯s why I haven¡¯t been able to stay away from her from the moment Iid eyes on her. It¡¯s why I keep returning to her.


    After Massimo and Seb had that talk with me, I was pissed off at myself. Enough to leave on my secret mission, while the rest of my brothers took turns watching over my triplet, who is still in an induceda.


    They give me regr updates on his condition, which remains unchanged. They also tell me Theresa refuses to leave his side. As for Nonna, shees to the hospital and sits with Theresa as often as she can.


    I still haven¡¯tpletely forgiven my grandmother for the secrets she kept, but if she finds it difficult to face the man whose very existence she kept hidden from us, she¡¯s not showing it.


    I haven¡¯t been there to see him. I can¡¯t bring myself to go. Hell, tackling one emotional entanglement in my life at a time is, apparently, all the mind space I have. I¡¯ve handled more than my share of stress within the Mafia business, but tackling something so personal? Yeah, it¡¯s apletely different sensation. I walk over to where she¡¯s standing, and she stiffens. I pause in front of her, then lower myself to my knees.


    ¡°What ¡­ what are you doing?¡± she gasps.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I lower my chin to my chest. ¡°I am truly sorry for what I said and did. All of it. From the beginning. I shouldn¡¯t have threatened you to get what I wanted. I shouldn¡¯t have put you in that position. But mostly, I shouldn¡¯t have doubted you. I should have waited and allowed you to exin. I¡¯m sorry I shut you down in front of everyone else. I¡¯m so sorry that I walked away from you. I¡¯ll never forgive myself for that.¡±


    Her chin trembles. ¡°You hurt me so much, Christian,¡± she says in a low voice. ¡°You broke my heart.¡±


    ¡°And I feel terrible for doing it. As long as I live, I¡¯ll never forgive myself for what I did to you. I deserve your hate. I deserve for you to loathe me, to be angry with me. If you never want to see me again after this, I¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not at fault. I should havee to you; I realize that now. It¡¯s just, I found it difficult to trust you then.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡± She nces away from me.


    ¡°You said you loved me.¡±


    ¡°So did you.¡±


    ¡°I still do.¡±


    ¡°And I¡­ I¡¯m not sure what I feel for you anymore.¡± She wrings her fingers together, and I see the sh of tinum on her left hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re still wearing your wedding ring.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She holds up the fingers of her left hand, then nces down at mine. ¡°So are you.¡±


    I slide my fingers into my pocket then pull out a ring.


    She nces at it, and her gaze widens. ¡°Is that¡­¡± She blinks rapidly. ¡°It can¡¯t be; is it-?¡±


    ¡°Your engagement ring.¡±


    ¡°How did you find it?¡±


    ¡°I looked for it.¡±


    ¡°When? How?¡± She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°I threw it into the snow.¡±


    ¡°I went back there. After I returned from seeing you at the airport, my brothers gave me grief. They told me how wrong I was to have treated you like that in front of everyone.¡±


    ¡°They did?¡±


    ¡°They also said that if I didn¡¯t go after you, they¡¯d never forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She swallows. ¡°Is that why you came, because they asked you to?¡±


    ¡°I came because,¡± my voice cracks, and I draw in a breath. Why is this so hard? I shake my head to clear it. ¡°I came because I love you and can¡¯t live without you. And I wanted to show you just how much it means to me that you forgive me. So, I went back to the lodge, and I scoured the snow and the grounds-¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s acres and acres of space.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I blow out a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t rmend doing it.¡±


    ¡°Jesus, Christian.¡± She folds her arms around her waist. ¡°How many days did you-¡±


    ¡°Days and nights.¡± I twist my lips. ¡°It took me a week to find it.¡±


    ¡°A week?¡± She lowers her arms to her side. ¡°You were looking for it all this time?¡±


    ¡°I almost gave up.¡± I chuckle. ¡°At one point, I was cold and wet, and my fingers had almost frozen off, but then I knew that if I came here without it¡­ Without the symbol of what it means to me to be forgiven, without putting in the penance for what I did¡­ I knew, without it, you wouldn¡¯t forgive me.¡±


    She scowls. ¡°You sound very sure of yourself that I¡¯ll take you back now.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you?¡± I arch an eyebrow. Damn it, and I was doing so well up until now. But the moment she challenged me, that dominant part of me surged to the fore. This groveling thing¡­ Clearly, I need more lessons to get it right. I hold out my palm. ¡°You¡¯re going to forgive me, Aurora; you know you want to.¡±


    She opens her mouth, then nods. ¡°I want to, Christian, but I¡¯m not going to.¡±


    What the fuck? I re at her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to forgive me?¡±


    ¡°Unless¡­¡±


    ¡°Unless?¡±


    ¡°Unless you allow me to tie you up.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

 196

    Aurora


    ¡°Tie me up?¡± He rises to his feet. ¡°You want to tie me up?¡±


    ¡°You tied me up,¡± I point out.


    ¡°That was different.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡± I tip my chin up. ¡°How is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the dominant in this rtionship; you¡¯re forgetting that, Flower.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. It¡¯s because you are the aggressor that I am asking for this.¡±


    He glowers at me. ¡°You know what it means if I allow myself to be tied up by you?¡±


    ¡°That you trust me?¡± I say softly. ¡°That you¡¯re ready to strip yourself of all ego and put yourself in my hands to allow me to do with you as I want?¡±


    ¡°Which, I admit, is not a bad scenario at all,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll let me-¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± his massive chest rises and falls, ¡°I¡¯ll let you tie me up if it means you¡¯ll forgive me.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡± Jesus, he¡¯ll actually do that? He¡¯ll actually swallow his ego and his machismo and that dominance that drips from every pore in his body and allow me to have him at my mercy? A pulse throbs to life between my legs, my pussy clenches, moistureces my core, and honestly, I don¡¯t know why, but the thought of having this big brute of a man tied up and in my power is so freakin¡¯ hot.


    ¡°On one condition.¡±


    A-n-d, there it is, alphahole¡¯s ego always means he has to have thest word.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think this was a negotiation.¡± I pout.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m always negotiating, Flower.¡± He smirks. ¡°You know that.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯d enjoy it more if you did¡­¡± His smile widens. ¡°Go on; you know you want to find out what I want in return.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I hunch my shoulders. Am I actually going to give in to this ploy of his? Am I going to fall for this, the oldest trick in the book? Don¡¯t agree to it; don¡¯t agree to it. I jerk my chin. ¡°What do you want in return?¡±


    ¡°For you to wear my ring.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already wearing your ring.¡± I hold up my left hand with the wedding band on it.


    ¡°You know which one I mean.¡± He pinches my engagement ring between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°Wear it for me,¡± he murmurs, ¡°please, Flower.¡±


    And fuck, I can¡¯t refuse him when he asks me in that soft voice of his. Goddamn him. I hold out my hand, and he closes the distance between us and slides it onto my left ring finger. I take in how the two ringsplement each other. I angle my fingers, and the light from the window bounces off of the golden stone in the center. The tiny diamonds sparkle, and my vision blurs for a second. I blink away the moisture in my eyes, then pull my hand back from his.


    ¡°You got what you wanted,¡± I whisper. ¡°Are you happy now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be happy when you take me back.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll let me tie you up now?¡±


    He holds out his wrists. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want¡­¡±


    ¡°I want,¡± I lick my suddenly dry lips, ¡°to have you at my mercy.¡±


    His gaze intensifies, and a flush stains his cheeks. ¡°Do it,¡± he orders.


    I almostugh. He can¡¯t stop himself from ordering me around, can he?


    ¡°Wait here.¡± I spin around and head for the bedroom, only to hear his footsteps behind me. I scowl at him over my shoulder. ¡°Thought I told you to wait?¡±


    ¡°Not good at following orders, Flower.¡±


    I toss my hair as I reach into the bottom drawer of my dresser and pull out a length of satin-covered rope.


    ¡°Well, now,¡± he murmurs, ¡°you¡¯ve been nning for this, I see.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I have.¡± I jerk my chin in the direction of the bed. ¡°Lie down.¡±


    He seems like he is about to refuse, but finally, he nods. He prowls over and sprawls out on my bed. It¡¯s a queen-sized mattress, and the man seems to take up every inch of space on it. He spreads his legs, and his pants stretch across his thighs. The fabric at his crotch tents; the throbbing in my core intensifies further. Damn it, I haven¡¯t even touched him, and already, I¡¯m so turned on.


    ¡°You still n on tying me up?¡± he drawls.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°What?¡± I raise my gaze to his face.


    His lips curve in a smile that lights up his features. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you are admiring certain parts of my anatomy.¡±


    ¡°Go to hell.¡±


    ¡°Only if you¡¯lle with me.¡±


    I snort. ¡°Only you would say that and think it¡¯s romantic.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m with you, baby, it¡¯s always romantic.¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. Why does he have to be so charming? It makes it so difficult for me to maintain my distance from him. I flounce over, then mber onto the bed and into the ¡®V¡¯ between his legs. He holds his wrists out, and I loop the rope around them. I knot it once, twice, then loop it again.


    The heat of his body embraces me, and his scent intensifies. I¡¯m very conscious of how he doesn¡¯t take his gaze off of my face as Iplete my task.


    ¡°Stop staring,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°Does it make you ufortable?¡±


    No, it actually is insanely hot, but I¡¯m not going to tell him that. When I¡¯m certain that his wrists are secure, I push his wrists up and over his head. Which means I have to lean over him. My breasts brush his chest. The neckline of my shirt gapes. I nce down to find his gaze transfixed on my cleavage.


    ¡°Nothing you haven¡¯t seen before.¡± The words are out before I can stop myself.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± he mutters. ¡°I¡¯ve missed the feel of your breasts in my palm. I¡¯ve missed squeezing them, massaging them, then pinching your nipples until you cry out. I¡¯ve missed sucking on them, and ying with them, and tweaking them until I bring you to orgasm.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never brought me to orgasm by ying with my nipples,¡± I scoff.


    ¡°Untie me, and I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± I snort, ¡°if you think I¡¯m going to fall for that, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well,¡± he smirks, ¡°it was worth a try, and for the record, I¡¯d wager I can bring you to climax by touching your nipples and no other part of you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± I secure his wrists to the headboard, then sit back on my heels. His gaze is locked on my face as I take in the sculpted muscles of his triceps, the cut of his shoulders, the chiseled nes of his chest which strain his shirt. A bead of sweat slides down his throat.


    ¡°Take it off,¡± he orders.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Take off my shirt.¡±


    I reach for his buttons, begin to undo them, then stop. ¡°Nice try,¡± I pull back my hands, ¡°but you don¡¯t get to dictate what I do next.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He smirks. The sneaky bastard smirks, knowing he¡¯s already made me do exactly that. On the other hand, I really do want to see those glorious pecs of his in all their naked glory. So, I reach down and begin to undo the buttons of his shirt.


    He chuckles, and the sound rumbles up his throat.


    ¡°Stop gloating.¡± I scowl.


    He firms his lips at once. ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°Are you making fun of me?¡± I push his shirt aside to reveal the expanse of cut nes. Santa Rosalia, he¡¯s even more ripped than I remember him to be. Each individual muscle of his chest stands out in relief. Each ne and dip as if carved out of granite. I shove the shirt down his arms-or rather, up his arms, since his hands are over his head-and take in the scar on his bicep. I trace the marks made by the stitches I put in him. It was the best I could do with the tools I had then, but I still regret spoiling the perfection of his skin.


    ¡°I marked you,¡± I murmur. I trail my fingers down his chest then pause. ¡°Wha ¡­ what¡¯s that?¡± I whisper as I trace the letters he¡¯s tattooed onto the space over his heart. It¡¯s the only part of his chest that was left untouched by his tattoos, and now he¡¯s filled that in too with my name. ¡°When did you get this done?¡±


    ¡°Before I found your ring.¡±


    ¡°It ¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡± I take in the bright yellow and blue colors he used to fill in the letters of my name. It stands out among his other tattoos which are all in ck, ¡°¡­ beautiful.¡± I sigh.


    ¡°And now, I will forever carry it on my body. You¡¯re a part of me, Flower, whether you like it or not.¡±


    I drag my fingers down the grooves between the nes of his chest, and he hisses.


    ¡°When you left me, it was like a part of me had walked out with you. I felt like I had hit the rock bottom that exists below the rock bottom.¡±


    I nce up at him. ¡°That was almost poetic.¡±


    ¡°Seems you inspire even someone like me to express myself in verse. You.. make me feel things I never have before. You make me feel like I¡¯m alive for the first time. You fill gaps in my life that I didn¡¯t even know needed filling. Like experiencing the first warm, sunny day after a really long and shitty winter, except it goes on for longer.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°You really are pulling out the stops, aren¡¯t you?¡± I tten my palm against his abs, and the muscles ripple in response. It¡¯s like touching a powerful beast and finding out every part of his anatomy is responsive and sensitive and so reactive to every contact.


    My throat closes, and my mouth seems to dry up. I slide my palm down his concave stomach, and my fingertips brush his waistband.


    A growl rumbles up his chest.


    I nce up to find his gaze hooded, and his skin is more flushed than usual.


    ¡°You make me feel like I¡¯m lost in the right direction. You just feel right to me, so right that I want to haul you to me and never let you go. In fact, if you untie me I¡¯ll bury my cock inside you and pleasure you until youe over and over again.¡±


    My toes curl, my thighs clench, and a bead of sweat trickles down the valley between my breasts.


    ¡°Untie me, and I¡¯ll show just how much I want you,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°You never give up, do you?¡± I cup the length of him through the crotch of his pants, and another growl rumbles up his chest.


    My belly trembles, even as a sensation of power fills me. So this is what it feels like to be in control. To have another person at your mercy. This is how it feels to know that you can do whatever you want to him, and he has no choice but to bear it and enjoy it¡­ Even if it feels painful in the moment.


    I lower the zipper on his pants, then tug down on his waistband. He raises his hips, and I shove his pants down, along with his briefs. His cock springs free, thick and fat and so gorgeous¡­ The head swollen purple, with a bead of precumcing the slit. I fist his shaft, and he jerks his pelvis up and toward me.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± he growls. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    I lick my lips, unable to take my gaze off of his length, then I bend and take him in my mouth.

 197

    Christian


    She wraps her mouth around my cock, and my entire body goes solid. I can¡¯t shift my gaze away from how my shaft disappears between her lips as she curls her tongue around the head of my dick. A groan rips from me. She continues to suck on my cock, taking it down her throat, and my muscles bunch. My groin hardens. All the blood in my body seems to rush to where she¡¯s licking up the side of my shaft. She pulls out until the head is poised between her lips, then pushes forward to take me down her throat again. She hollows out her cheeks, and I feel the suction all the way to my throat.


    ¡°Fuck me¡­¡± I strain at my restraint, wanting to grip her hair and tug, then wrap my fingers around her throat to feel my length down her throat.


    ¡°Aurora,¡± I groan, ¡°you¡¯re killing me.¡±


    She hums, and the vibrations travel up the length of my dick. My balls harden, and almost as if she senses it, she cups her hand around them and squeezes.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I growl, ¡°When I get my hands on you, I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson for ying with me.¡±


    She massages my balls even as she pulls back, then pushes down on my length over and over. She sucks and licks and kneads, and my thighs go solid. My chest rises and falls, my breath catching in my throat. Fuck, if this woman isn¡¯t sucking my soul through my cock. She bobs her head and continues to suck me off, and the pressure at the base of my spine coils tighter. I tug at the ropes that tie me down as she raises her gaze to mine. She stares up at me from under her thick eyshes as she continues to slurp on my shaft. She squeezes on my balls, takes me down her throat, then gags. Saliva dribbles down her chin, but she doesn¡¯t stop. The pressure in my groin tightens until I can barely breathe. I grit my teeth, then watch as she increases the pace of sucking on my dick.


    The orgasm threatens and I groan, ¡°Fuck, I¡¯m going toe.¡±


    She pulls her mouth off of my cock and rises to her feet on the bed. She shoves down her jeans and panties, kicks them aside, then straddles me. Lining me up with her entrance, she sinks down onto me.


    Both of us groan in unison.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± she pants, ¡°you¡¯re so damn big.¡±


    ¡°All the better to fill you up with, Flower.¡± I jerk my chin, ¡°Come ¡®ere.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Bring your face close to mine, so I can kiss you.¡±


    She bites down on her lower lip, and my cock jerks inside of her. She gasps, then giggles. ¡°Gosh, I had no idea how responsive you actually are.¡±


    ¡°Come closer, and I¡¯ll show just how responsive I can be to your needs.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± she pretends to think, ¡°no thanks.¡±


    She rises up, then impales herself on my shaft again, and a tremor grips me. A moan bleeds from her lips. She holds onto my waist and begins to ride me in earnest. Each time she sinks down onto me, the heat, the softness, the way her pussy mps down on me¡­ The sensations consume me. The next time she pushes down, I thrust up and into her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she gasps, her gaze wide, ¡°you¡¯re not supposed to do that.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± I growl, ¡°take off your shirt.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Take. Off. Your. Shirt. Aurora. Right now.¡±


    She swallows, then begins to unbutton her shirt. She takes it off and flings it aside.


    ¡°And now, your bra.¡±


    She looks like she is about to refuse me, and I snap, ¡°Do it, Flower.¡±


    She draws in a breath, then reaches behind her to unhook her bra. It falls off, revealing those glorious tits.


    ¡°Come here,¡± I growl.


    ¡°No.¡± She shakes her head.


    ¡°Your breasts are swollen and tender, and you want me to squeeze them and suck on them, Aurora.¡±


    ¡°I ¡­ I do?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I insist, e on; give in to the need, and let me bite down on them and relieve the pressure you feel in them.


    She pushes her breasts together, making a valley between them, and I almost lose it.


    ¡°Come here,¡± I lower my voice to a hush, ¡°and let me lick them and suckle on them, baby girl.¡±


    She swallows, then leans over, so those gorgeous tits are suspended in front of me. I reach up and fasten my mouth around one nipple and suck.


    She moans, throws her head back, and pushes her breast into my mouth. I nibble and suck and bite down, and her pussy spasms around my cock.


    My balls draw up, and I know I¡¯m not far off. I release her nipple only to fasten onto the other one and slurp on it. I drag my tongue around the swollen flesh, and she throws her head back.


    ¡°Oh god, Christian, that feels so good, so ¡­ so hot.¡± Color suffuses her cheeks as I thrust up and into her, again and again and again. She squeezes down on my cock, and I know that she¡¯s not far.


    The next time I propel into her, her entire body jolts. She gasps, pinches her features together, and I growl, ¡°Come with me, Flower.¡±


    Her spine arches, and she screams as her climax grips her. She copses on me as I push into her once-twice-thrice until I empty myself inside of her. I continue to thrust up a few more times, then tug on my ropes again, wanting to hold her. Goddamn it. I scissor my legs around her and flip her over.


    She raises her heavy eyelids and stares up at me. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be able to do that.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s enough ck on the rope,¡± I point out. ¡°Also, you can¡¯t tell me what to do, remember?¡±


    She blows out a breath. ¡°How can I forget?¡±


    I press my forehead to hers. ¡°You unravel me. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Her breath hitches, and that golden gaze of hers widens. She parts her lips, and I ce my mouth on hers. I share her breath as I touch my lips to hers. I hold her gaze, both our eyes still open.


    ¡°Are you real?¡± I murmur.


    Her lips curve up. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡±


    ¡°I sometimes wonder if you¡¯re a figment of my imagination. Is that why you¡¯re so perfect for me in every way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not perfect.¡± She grows serious. ¡°If I were, I would have told you about asking for his help to escape you-something I¡¯ll always regret.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll never forgive myself for turning my back on you, so we¡¯re even.¡±


    She thrusts her breasts up and into my chest, and I feel myself grow hard inside her.


    ¡°Again?¡± She blinks. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you had enough stamina to go another round so soon.¡±


    ¡°You casting aspersions on my staying power?¡±


    ¡°Well, you are older than me.¡± She blinks. ¡°How old are you, again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thirty-three.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m twenty-four.¡±


    ¡°And clearly, a genius, which is why you qualified so quickly as a doctor.¡±


    She chuckles. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, I was determined to get through my exams with excellent grades, and as quickly as possible. It¡¯s another reason why, when I met you, I was still inexperienced.¡±


    ¡°Thank fuck.¡± I lunge forward, and she gasps.


    ¡°God, I¡¯ll never get used to your size.¡±


    ¡°Keep talking, Flower,¡± I smirk, ¡°it does wonders for my ego.¡±


    ¡°Like you need that?¡±


    ¡°All I need is you-your voice, your scent, your wide-eyed innocence when you look at me with those big golden eyes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that innocent.¡± She tips up her chin. ¡°After all, I did want you to tie me up and ravish me, more than anything, I wanted you to do all of those filthy things that you hinted you were capable of.¡± She swallows. ¡°I found it so erotic, and I couldn¡¯t understand where those thoughts wereing from.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not shameful to want to explore your sexuality and boundaries.¡± I bump my nose with hers. ¡°It¡¯s because you were honest with yourself, because you let me push your limits, that we made it this far.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She peers into my eyes,=. ¡°You won¡¯t leave me again, will you?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡± I kiss her lips. ¡°How can I, when everything I want is right here in front of me?¡±

 198

    A dayter


    Karma


    I bend over the ceramic bowl of themode and throw up the breakfast that I¡¯ve just eaten. I puke until there¡¯s nothing left, then manage to flush away the disgusting mess before I sink back onto the floor. I push my head back into the wall.


    Holy shit, this is the third morning in a row this has happened. Combined with my tender breasts, and the period that I¡¯ve missed, that tells me that I¡¯m probably pregnant. I stay there for a few more seconds as I will my head to stop spinning. I close my eyes, take in a breath, then another. A few more breaths, and I feel slightly better. I push up to my feet, and my knees don¡¯t buckle under me. Score!


    I walk over to the sink, rinse out my mouth, and ssh some water on my face and wrists. By the time I leave the room, I feel much better. I walk over to my studio, which is just down the hallway from me, and push open the door. Andy nces up from his cat cave bed in the corner of the room. He stares at me as I cross over to where I have been sketching mytest creation. It¡¯s for a bride in London.


    Since the day I sold my first creations in Camden Market, the orders have been flooding in. They are growing at such a fast rate, I have had to both hike up my prices and turn down a few because I couldn¡¯t meet the demand.


    Michael suggests it¡¯s time I expand. He¡¯s offered to build me a separate studio on the grounds surrounding the house. Then, I can hire a couple of seamstresses to help me.


    I¡¯ve thought about it and decided that¡¯s not right for me at this time.


    The Karmabel is my first baby, and I want to keep the creativity, the quality, and the attention to detail that it hase to embody as consistent as possible. Which means, I need to be hands-on, for now. Maybeter on down the line, I might think of expanding and getting help. For now, I¡¯d rather work on it myself.


    It¡¯s a good thing Michael has been away on business thest few days, or my morning sickness would have sent him into a tizzy. For now, though, it feels right that I can hold onto this part of me-this feeling, this sensation of being a mother again-to myself. I tten my palm against my stomach as I stare at the finished design on the drafting board.


    I pull off the paper and carefully ce it aside. Just need a little break before I begin tranting that into fabric. Meanwhile, I pick up a pencil and begin to draw. This one is different. This one is unlike the designs I have created so far. Something softer, more fragile, smaller in size¡­This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    A Peter Pan cor, simple long sleeves, a slight gathering at the waist, opening at the back, so it¡¯s easy to put on and pull off. I step back and nce at what I have drawn. It¡¯s a bodysuit for a baby ¡­ a newborn. Tears prick the backs of my eyes, and I wipe them away. Shit, I¡¯m not even, like, fully pregnant-is that even a concept? I mean, I just found out I¡¯m pregnant, and already, the pregnancy hormones seem to be taking effect.


    If Michael were here, he¡¯d probably just wrap me in fluff, scoop me up, ce me on the bed, and order me not to move until the baby is born. I scowl at the drawing. Not likely.


    I intend to work until myst week. I intend to continue to design and sew and ensure that all the orders I have taken are fulfilled with Karma originals. No bride who orders a dress from me is going to be empty-handed. No, siree. I only need to convince my husband of that.


    Speaking of¡­. I ce my pencil on the table. There¡¯s a much bigger discussion I need to broach with my husband. I wince. I¡¯ve been putting it off for so long, and now, I really need to tell him. And if I don¡¯t¡­


    No. I shake my head. I can¡¯t do this to him. It¡¯s bad enough I haven¡¯t brought it up with him so far. He deserves to know. It¡¯s his right to know.


    The sound of footsteps reaches me a second before the edgy scent of testosterone-musky, like leather with a hint of woodsmoke-envelops me. I draw in the fragrance of his aftershave, like fresh snow on earth. The cold rush of a winter¡¯s wind, followed by the snap and crackle of a firece. The images flow over me just before his arms wrap around me. Goose bumps pop on my skin, and my core trembles. I turn around, tip-up my chin, and meet those brilliant blue eyes. Warmth res in their depths, and silver shes riddled with sparks of gold. The look he only wears when he is around me, as I have learned.


    ¡°Don,¡± I murmur, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you back until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I missed you, Beauty.¡± His dark voice flows over me, coils in my chest, and sinks into my blood. A cascade of warmth res out from my core to my extremities. My toes curl. I bite down on my lower lip, and he lowers his gaze to my mouth. ¡°I missed my wife.¡± He tilts his head and reces my teeth with his own. He tugs on my lip, and my pussy clenches. Moisture beads my center, and my stomach flip-flops. My pulse ratchets up. Sweat beads my forehead, and I tear my mouth from his. I tip up my chin and watch him watch me with a curious gaze.


    ¡°Everything all right, baby?¡± He frowns as he pushes the hair back from my face. He pauses with his palm on my forehead. ¡°Your skin is mmy.¡± The lines in his forehead deepen. He peers into my face, no doubt, taking in my sudden pallor. My stomach ties itself in knots, the wave of sickness pushing up against my breastbone, my throat. Turning, I race to the bathroom.


    I throw up into the toilet bowl. Michaeles up behind me and holds back my hair as I proceed to empty what little is left in my stomach-namely, bile-then dry heave. Finally, when my stomach stops roiling, I slump back against the wall.


    He flushes the disgusting remains, then wets a towel and wipes my mouth with it.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say gratefully. He throws the towel aside, wets another one, and holds it to my forehead.


    The coolness from the cloth sinks into my skin, and I sigh.

 199

    ¡°Better?¡±


    ¡°I am now that you¡¯re here with me.¡± I reach for his hand and twine my fingers with his.


    He peers into my eyes. ¡°Are you-?


    ¡°Pregnant?¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t checked?¡±


    ¡°I was waiting for you to return.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I had to take off on such short notice. I¡¯d have preferred to be here, especially with Christian¡¯s triplet still in aa.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s understandable,¡± I murmur. ¡°It¡¯s been nearly two weeks since he was shot.¡±


    ¡°And we still don¡¯t have a lead on who did this.¡± He pulls me up to my feet, then scoops me up in his arms. I cuddle into his chest. There¡¯s nowhere else I feel as I do, here with him, in our home. Not that I have been spending much time at home recently either. With Christian leaving for London to track down Aurora, and Michael and Seb leaving to take care of business, it left me and Cassandra, along with Nonna, Massimo, Luca, and Adrian, to take turns being with Theresa.


    The woman is stubborn. She refuses to leave his side. It had taken a lot of persuasion, but she finally agreed to head back once a day to shower and change her clothes before returning to keep her vigil.


    The doctors moved him into a suite in the hospital which resembles a hotel suite, except for the medical equipment, that is.


    It¡¯s a brighter, more cheerful room, and at least, there is an extra bed that Theresa can use. Of course, her preferred spot is in the chair near the bed, holding his hand. She also speaks to him and reads to him, and the doctors say that¡¯s good. It helps to keep his subconscious engaged and gives him a reason to return.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Michael ces me down on the bed, then sits down next to me. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to the hospital yet. I came here directly from the airport.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the same,¡± I murmur. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to see him and not think of Xander. Of course, if Theresa has her way, he¡¯ll wake up and think of himself as Xander.¡± Iugh.


    He blows out a breath. ¡°It¡¯s not healthy, the fact that she has her hopes pegged on his waking up and for the two of them to then have a chance at a real rtionship, unlike what she had with Xander.¡±


    ¡°It seems cruel to destroy her expectations.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°Also, he did step in front of her and take a bullet for her, so that must mean something.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± Michael doesn¡¯t sound convinced.


    ¡°Perhaps, he did it out of instinct?¡± I offer. ¡°Perhaps, it¡¯s that same instinct which will have him look for a rtionship with her?¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Michael¡¯s lips firm. ¡°And Christian? Is he back?¡±


    ¡°They are returning tomorrow. I¡¯m d you convinced him and Aurora to stay in London and take a few days for themselves.¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to call him if there was any change in his triplet¡¯s condition. But ¡­ I get the sense that he is also dreading meeting his triplet when he wakes up.¡±


    ¡°We still have no idea about who he is, do we?¡±


    ¡°I had my contact at the police station run his prints through the database, but we found nothing.¡±


    ¡°Nothing?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Whoever he is, he¡¯s managed to cover his tracks well.¡±


    ¡°Or it could mean that he is innocent?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± He cups my cheek. ¡°When do you want to take the test?¡±


    I draw in a breath. ¡°Now.¡±


    ¡°You sure? We can wait until you feel stronger.¡±


    ¡°I feel much better now that you¡¯re here.¡± And it¡¯s true.


    As long as Michael is with me, I can face anything. Only question is, what will his reaction be when I tell him about the potential consequences of my pregnancy?


    Christian


    Earlier today, I spoke with Michael on the phone, and he told me that my triplet is stable but still unconscious.


    I felt guilty about staying away when my family needs me, but Michael convinced me that it was just as important for me to woo my wife and bring her back home. I had hesitated and he was insistent that I take as much time as needed to consolidate my rtionship with Aurora. He promised that he¡¯d call me if anything changed in my triplet¡¯s condition, and that¡¯s when I finally relented.


    We spent an idyllic weekend in Aurora¡¯s apartment, after which she went back to work, returning exhausted every day. Seeing her in her natural habitat, taking in just how much effort she put into her role as a doctor, has put things in a new light. Oh, I knew she was clever and that she was a good doctor, but I had never appreciated just how much of herself she puts into building up her career¡­ To be fair, it¡¯s more than a career; it¡¯s a calling. And it feels wrong to ask her to give it up and move back to Palermo with me.


    So, I haven¡¯t. Instead, I¡¯ve focused on the now, and the time I have with her. I¡¯ve made sure that there was food to eat-yes, I did order it in- when she got back and ensured that she got a good night¡¯s sleep. After I fucked her, of course.


    That¡¯s how we passed most of the week, and now it¡¯s Friday, and I¡¯m scheduled to fly home tomorrow.


    The doorbell rings, and I let in the caterers. They get to workying the table,plete with cutlery, candles, and wine sses. They ce the proso in the bucket and leave. Just in time, for a few minutester, Aurora walks in.


    She takes one look at the table and pauses. ¡°Wow,¡± she breathes, ¡°what are you celebrating?¡± She kicks off her boots, takes off her coat and drops it, along with her bag, on the sofa in the living room. She walks over to the table and raises the lid of one of the dishes. The tangy scent of spaghetti fills the space. ¡°Oh, yum.¡± She reaches for a fork, and I click my tongue.


    ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t be naughty, my Flower.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m hungry,¡± she whines. ¡°I¡¯ll take only a bite; I promise.¡± She dips her fork into the food, scoops up some of the strands, and brings it to her mouth.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± she groans, ¡°this is so good. Did you have it catered from a Michelin-starred restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Even better.¡± I smirk. ¡°I had Zia Anita¡¯s Cucina make it special for us.¡±


    ¡°Zia Anita?¡± She blinks. ¡°You have an aunt who lives here?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s actually my cousin¡¯s husband¡¯s sister¡¯s uncle¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She scowls. ¡°Isn¡¯t your cousin¡¯s husband¡¯s sister¡¯s uncle the same as your cousin¡¯s husband¡¯s uncle?¡±


    My grin widens, and she frowns. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡±


    ¡°Almost.¡± Iugh. ¡°She really is a distant rtion who moved to London thirty years ago and now runs one of the most authentic Sicilian restaurants in all of London.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± She licks her lips. ¡°Well, whoever she is, her spaghetti rocks.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell her that.¡± I walk over, then scoop up some of the sauce from the corner of her lips and bring it to my mouth. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I survey her features. ¡°You¡¯re right; it really is delicious.¡±


    Her pupils dte, and by god, I¡¯m sure I can smell the ripe scent of her arousal. I wrap my fingers around her wrist, then bring the fork to my mouth. I swirl my tongue around the tines, and a whine spills from her lips.


    ¡°Not fair,¡± she whispers, ¡°you¡¯re seducing me.¡±


    ¡°Was under the impression that it was the other way around. You¡¯re seducing me, baby.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± She nces down at her scrubs, then back at me. ¡°I¡¯m hardly dressed for seduction.¡±


    ¡°You could wear a sack, and the moment I take in your curves-which, by the way, no cloth can ever hide from me-I¡¯m a goner.¡±


    Sheughs. ¡°Sometimes, I don¡¯t know if I should believe you or not.¡±


    ¡°Oh, believe me, baby.¡± I ease the fork from her fingers, drop it on the table, then bring her palm to my crotch. ¡°See what you do to me?¡±


    Her breath hitches. She massages the evidence of my arousal, and fuck, if my dick doesn¡¯t thicken further.¡±


    ¡°And here I was, trying to make sure everything is perfect today.¡±


    ¡°Everything is perfect.¡± She squeezes the column between my legs, and my groin hardens. My balls ache, and hell, if it isn¡¯t tempting to throw her onto the table and fuck her senseless, but that won¡¯t do.


    ¡°It¡¯s ourst night together,¡± I whisper. ¡°I want it to be a night to remember.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± her features seem to crumple, ¡°that¡¯s right.¡± She pulls away from me, but I don¡¯t release her. She nces away, and her chin trembles.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Hey,¡± I wrap my arm around her and bring her closer, trapping her hand on my crotch between us. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, Flower. You know I¡¯lle back to you as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be soon enough.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯ve not even left, and I already miss you.¡± She presses her lips together as if she regrets her outburst.


    ¡°I miss you already, as well,¡± I admit. I press a kiss to her forehead, then to the tip of her nose. ¡°I have no idea how I¡¯m going to live without you, but I need to get back; my family needs me.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± she bites down on her lower lip.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I groan, ¡°don¡¯t do that. You¡¯re not allowed to do that. Only I can bite down on your lip, Flower.¡± I lick her mouth, and as soon as she releases the hold on her lip, I close my teeth around it. I tug, and she trembles. I lick the abraded flesh, and a moan squeezes past her lips.


    ¡°Christian,¡± she moans, ¡°please fuck me.¡±

 200

    I release her mouth and press my forehead to hers. ¡°I intend to, but not yet.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± She massages my throbbing length through my pants. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I do,¡± I confess, ¡°but I promised myself I¡¯d make sure we have at least one civilized meal together before I make love to you.¡±


    ¡°Make love to me, now.¡± She tips up her chin. ¡°Please?¡±Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°As soon as we finish dinner.¡± I frame her face. ¡°I need to make sure you are well fed and taken care of. Otherwise, between the demands of your job and my demands on your body, I¡¯m going to wear you down.¡±


    She holds my gaze for a second, then nods. ¡°Okay,¡± she jerks her head, ¡°I¡¯ll take a quick shower.¡±


    I have the candles lit, the music ying softly over the speakers-which I had specially-ordered a few days ago. I admit, I have consumed a couple of sses of whiskey to curb my nervousness-why the hell am I nervous anyway?-by the time she returns.


    I take in the simple pale pink dress that covers her from shoulder to knee and which shows off her curves, and the blood drains to my groin. She walks over to me in her six-inch heels, which show off her legs to advantage, and all I can think of is that I want them wrapped around my waist while I take her right here.


    ¡°You know what?¡± I nce down at her. ¡°Fuck what I said earlier; let¡¯s forget about dinner.¡±


    Just then, her stomach rumbles, and I can¡¯t stop my chuckle.


    ¡°Guess you should feed me first, after all?¡± Sheughs as she takes her seat.


    I pop the proso, pour the sparkling liquid into her ss, then into my own. I fold into my seat next to her and hold up my flute. ¡°To us?¡±


    ¡°To us.¡± She smiles and sips from the bubbles. ¡°Mmm,¡± she licks her lips, ¡°is this also Sicilian?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡± I take another sip, relishing the fizz of the bubbles on my tongue.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think Sicily was famous for its proso.¡±


    ¡°Thises from one of our vineyards.¡±


    ¡°Your vineyards?¡±


    ¡°We own them in Sicily. Also, in Argentina, Australia, and in the Napa Valley. In fact, we have had some interest from a UK-based investor, and we may be coborating with them to grow the business.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± she takes another sip, ¡°you mean, grow the legal aspect of your business?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I take in her features. ¡°You¡¯re really good at piecing things together to get a glimpse of the big picture, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Sheughs. ¡°You forget, I grew up in thep of the Mafia; I know how you guys think.¡±


    ¡°How we guys think.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She blinks rapidly.


    I ce my ss down, then reach for her left palm and turn it up. ¡°How we guys think.¡± I drag my thumb across her engagement and wedding rings. ¡°You are one of us, Aurora; you always have been. You have the Mafia in your blood.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she whispers. ¡°I ran from it for so long, and apparently, I was running to you all this time.¡±


    I link my fingers with her. ¡°I know it¡¯s wrong of me to ask you this, and thesest few days, I¡¯vee to appreciate just how good you are at what you do¡­ Clearly, your patients need you, and it¡¯s so very wrong of me to ask this of you, but-¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said yes.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± I stare at her. ¡°You mean¡­¡± I don¡¯t stutter. I never do. But seriously, this woman, she¡¯s pulled the rug from under my feet. ¡°You mean-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± She smirks. ¡°That¡¯s what you were going to ask me, right?¡±


    I nod, unable to process what I¡¯m hearing.


    ¡°So you¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Leave my job ande to Palermo and be the medic for all of you undeserving Sovranos and your n? Yes.¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. ¡°But being here, living your life, finding your identity, all of it is-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± she nods, ¡°but so are you.¡±


    ¡°I couldmute.¡± I hold her gaze. ¡°I¡¯d spend alternate weeks here in London.¡±


    ¡°But you are the consigliere,¡± she points out. ¡°I know that means you are not just theirwyer but often help to act as a liaison on the Don¡¯s behalf too.¡±


    ¡°One of my brothers would have to step up a little more. I¡¯d find a way to manage.¡±


    ¡°But being away from the famiglia would put you at risk, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d make sure to up my security presence, and that¡¯d go for you too.¡±


    ¡°You mean, instead of the two guards you have following me, you¡¯d have four?¡±


    ¡°You noticed?¡± Iugh. ¡°Of course, you did; in fact, I had made a bet with myself that you would.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she nces down at our joined fingers, ¡°as you said, I grew up with the Mafia; it¡¯s in my blood. Like it or not, I picked up on the signs to look for when ites to having someone tailing me. I also know that you have, at least, ten of them surrounding my apartment building, and that both of my neighbors have been reced by your people who¡¯ve moved in.¡±


    ¡°Jesus, woman,¡± I chuckle, ¡°is there anything that slips past you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the man who threatened me was rted to you.¡± She lowers her chin to her chest. ¡°If only I hade to you first with it, I-¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± I reach forward and rub my thumb across her mouth, ¡°don¡¯t waste your breath on it.¡±


    ¡°But I asked him to distract you, Christian. How could I have done that, knowing he could use my words against me? Knowing he could have easily decided to hurt you anyway? How could you forgive me for that?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± I hold her gaze, ¡°it¡¯s what I would have done if I were in your position, and if I had been under so much pressure. Because I¡¯m equally to me. After all, I didn¡¯t think twice before believing him, despite my every instinct screaming that he was lying. Because¡±-I lean in close enough for our eyshes to tangle-¡°we both have Mafia blood in us. It¡¯s in our DNA, and try as we might, we can¡¯t get away from it. Because you hadn¡¯t yet fallen in love with me, and what you did tells me that you can look after yourself when you are in a tight spot; it reassures me that you can take care of yourself. What you did shows that you were born to be a mob wife.¡±


    She winces.


    ¡°I meant that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s scary is that I understand what you mean, even though I wish I didn¡¯t.¡± She draws in a breath.


    ¡°And most of all, because that part of our life is done, we¡¯re starting afresh, remember?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she nods, ¡°it¡¯s why I want toe back to Palermo with you, Christian.¡±


    ¡°But your job-¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll miss me, but they understand. Also, they have agreed that I can consult with them, so-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news.¡± I grip her hand between mine. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel like you are being pushed into this decision. Or that you arepromising more than I am in this rtionship.¡±


    She stares.


    ¡°What?¡± I quirk an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Are you the same macho, misogynistic Christian who implied that cooking was a woman¡¯s job and that a man¡¯s role is to take care of her?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I still think so.¡±


    She tries to pull her hand from my grasp, and Iugh. ¡°Just kidding. But no, seriously, I admit I have been an ass sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes?¡±


    ¡°Okay, many times. I have been a jerk, aplete ¡­ what do the Brits say-a wanker,¡± I quirk my lips, ¡°but somewhere along the way, this fiery doctor wore me down and made me see the error of my ways.¡±


    She sniffs. ¡°Now you¡¯re making me cry.¡± She half-smiles. ¡°Also, don¡¯t stop talking; it¡¯s good for my ego.¡±


    I throw back my head and guffaw. ¡°Woman, you¡¯re one of the few people who can go toe-to-toe with me, you know that?¡±


    ¡°I enjoy it, though.¡± She ces her hand on mine. ¡°I find it exhrating when you challenge me and push my limits, in bed and outside. It¡¯s an adrenaline rush to stand up to you, take you on, knowing I can¡¯t possibly win, and then when I do¡±-she shakes her head-¡°I can never figure out if you let me win or if it was-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± I bring both of her hands to my mouth and kiss the backs of her palms. ¡°You worm your way under my skin and figure out just what my failings are, and you take advantage of them, and you get your way. And you know what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I love you even more for it.¡±

 202

    Epilogue


    Aurora


    The next day, we fly back to Palermo on the Sovranos¡¯ private jet. Even though I have grown up with the Mafia, I¡¯m still not used to the Sovranos¡¯ lifestyle. Christian held my hand all the way through on the flight, and even now, as we walk into the elevator of the hospital where his triplet is, he doesn¡¯t let go. I nce up at him and recognize the slight tic at the edge of his jaw. A telltale sign that he is one edge. I squeeze his hand, and he nces down at me. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± I peer up into his face. ¡°You¡¯re still not used to the idea that you have a triplet, are you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± He rubs the back of his neck. ¡°A part of me insists that Xander can¡¯t be reced, while another part of me is ecstatic that there is a chance to recapture some of the rtionship I had with him. And that only makes me feel guilty.¡± He blows out a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get over the fact that he¡¯s not here. That he won¡¯t be able to live life and experience what it is to have found a soul mate, a woman who is mine, who is so tuned into me that she sometimes reads my thoughts before I have said them aloud.¡±


    A warm sensation fills my chest. This past week, when we were on our own, even though I had to go to work, and had even been called into the ER twice in the evenings, we still had time to get to know each other. Away from the pressures of his job, when he¡¯s had a chance to let down his guard, Christian can be incredibly charming, attentive, not to mention panty-meltingly sexy, whether he¡¯s dressed in sweats or in jeans, or like now, wearing his tailor-made suit.


    He filled my little apartment with his presence, uiningly shared my queen-sized bed, which was too small for his frame, and made sure I was always fed and taken care of when I returned home tired from the day¡¯s work. It¡¯s like he was trying to show me that he really wants this rtionship to work, and that he respects me, loves me and wants to spend his life with me.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I burst out.


    His lip quirks. ¡°I love you too.¡± He dips his head and captures my lips in a kiss that is so deep, so hard, that I can feel it all the way to my toes.


    The elevator dings, but we don¡¯t stop kissing each other. He pulls me up to my tiptoes, molds my body to his, and thoroughly kisses me.


    Someone clears his throat, but I don¡¯t pull away. I tip up my chin, tilt my head, and open my mouth even more, so he thrusts his tongue in between my lips. A groan rumbles up his chest, and my nipples tighten. Moisture slides down between my thighs and-


    ¡°You guysing out or what?¡± an amused voice calls out.


    I pull away, and Christian reluctantly releases me. He turns, and I nce around him to find Adrian holding the doors of the elevator open. There¡¯s a grin on his face as he nces between us. ¡°Good to see the two of you are back on speaking terms.¡±


    ¡°Not that good to see your ugly mug,¡± Christian retorts before shooting me an amused nce. Still holding my hand, he steps out of the elevator, and I follow him.


    Adrian nks me as we walk past the guards posted at intervals along the corridor. I peek into the rooms as we pass and find they are all empty.


    ¡°We had to empty the floor for security reasons,¡± Adrian informs me.


    Of course, the man who shot at Christian¡¯s triplet is still out there, so it makes sense to be careful. But still, the scale of power that the Sovranos wield hits me all over again. We reach the doorway to the room where Christian¡¯s triplet is, and he pauses.


    Adrian steps back, and I turn to Christian. ¡°You ready?¡±


    He draws in a breath, then pushes the door open. We walk inside the room-no, it¡¯s a suite, actually.


    Karma looks up from her book, then jumps up and rushes over to me. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± She throws her arms around me, and I hug her back. ¡°I missed you,¡± she cries out.


    ¡°Me too.¡± I squeeze her shoulders, then step back. Massimo pushes away from the window and prowls over to us. He and Christian do that half-hug men often do, then Massimo ps his back. ¡°Wee back, fratello, we missed you.¡±


    ¡°You mean you missed having someone who can take you on in a fight?¡± Christian snorts.


    ¡°A week away, and you have forgotten how I thrashed your sorry ass thest time.¡± Massimoughs, then sobers. ¡°But seriously, it¡¯s good that you are here; we need the family together right now.¡± He turns to me. ¡°I should say ¡®thank you¡¯ foring back with our brother and making him happy.¡±


    My cheeks heat. ¡°I¡­¡± I shake my head, not sure how to react. ¡°I¡¯m d we could return together.¡±


    ¡°So am I.¡± Christian pulls me close and kisses the top of my head. ¡°How¡¯s-¡± he jerks his chin toward the door to the inner room.


    As a doctor, I¡¯ve been to some nice hospital rooms, but this particr suite is more like an apartment within the hospital, with its own living room where the family can wait while Christian¡¯s triplet is in the adjoining room.


    There¡¯s also a second door that now opens. Seb enters the living room. ¡°There¡¯s no change in his condition.¡± He walks over to sit down in a chair. ¡°Except for the fact that we seem to have temporarily moved our working space to the hospital.¡± He gestures to the room he¡¯s just entered from. Before the door shuts, I get a glimpse of tables withptops. Behind one is Luca; he nods in our direction. In the far corner of the room, Michael stands near the window, speaking on the phone.


    ¡°The deals with both the Kane Company and the Bratva areing into y, and our overall level of business transactions has gone up,¡± Massimo exins.


    ¡°There¡¯s also the question of what we want to do with Xander¡¯s paintings-¡± Seb starts, but Christian cuts him off.


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to talk about that,¡± he growls. ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake, my brother has been just over a month, and you are already talking about disposing of his paintings.¡±


    ¡°Or not,¡± Massimo butts in, ¡°which is why we wanted to talk to you. We discussed maybe setting up a foundation, but-¡±


    Christian shoots him a nce. ¡°Not now, Massimo, okay? Not until our triplet wakes up.¡±


    Massimo and Seb exchange a nce, then Seb nods. ¡°Whatever you feel is right, brother.¡±


    Just then, the door to the inner room opens, and Nonna walks out. She spots Christian and pauses, then seems to steel herself before walking over to us.


    ¡°Christian,¡± she pauses in front of him, ¡°I¡¯m so d you are back, nipotino mio.¡±


    The two of them stare at each other. Something unspoken seems to pass between them. Then Christian steps forward and hugs her.


    Nonna¡¯s features crumple, and she buries her face in his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t tell you about the existence of your triplet,¡± she murmurs. ¡°You deserved to know, but I kept it from you. It was the deal we made with your mother.¡±


    ¡°My mother,¡± Christian pauses, ¡°is she-?¡±


    ¡°She died a few years ago,¡± Nonna replies.


    Christian steps back. ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°When news of her death reached me, I paid people to try to track down your brother, but he seemed to have disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Until the day he appeared,¡± Christian says softly.


    ¡°When your mother fell pregnant, your father was not only married, but he¡¯d also just brought Seb and Adrian into the family after their mother had died. Your mother gave birth to triplets, and by then, she¡¯d realized what kind of a man your father was. She wanted to leave with all three of you, but your father refused. But your mother came from a powerful mafia family as well; not the Cosa Nostra but the Gomorrah. They weren¡¯t happy about what she¡¯d done, but she was one of theirs, so they negotiated a deal with your father. Your mother could leave with one of the three, and we¡¯d keep the other two children. Also,¡± she nces away, ¡°there was an exchange of assets, as you can imagine, assets which helped your father¡¯s reach grow further.¡±


    Christian squeezes his eyes shut.


    ¡°I wanted to stop him, but you have to understand, I didn¡¯t hold that kind of power. If I had gone against your father, he would have disowned me, and that would have meant that I couldn¡¯t have been around to protect the rest of you from him.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, you stayed?¡± Christian says in a low voice.


    ¡°I stayed, and your brother was taken by your mother. I kept tabs on them, right until the time he turned eighteen and left home.¡±


    ¡°Who knows what he¡¯s gone through.¡± Christian drags his fingers through his hair. ¡°What made him turn on us? Why did he threaten Aurora? Why did he agree to kill me, knowing I was his brother?¡±


    Suddenly, a scream sounds from the inside room where his triplet is. Christian stiffens, then races for the door.

 203

    Theresa


    ¡°Who are you?¡± His blue-almost-indigo-colored eyes bore into me. Considering he¡¯s been unconscious for two weeks, he shouldn¡¯t seem this alert. But nothing about this man has been predictable from the moment Iid eyes on him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? You stepped in front of me; you took a bullet for me.¡± Shit, hadn¡¯t meant to blurt it out like that, honestly, but it¡¯s the only thing I have been able to think of in the time I have sat here staring at him.


    ¡°Bullet?¡± He tilts his head, then winces.


    ¡°Your temple,¡± I gesture to the bandage around his head, ¡°the bullet hit your temple. You lost a lot of blood and they had to put you in an induceda so that you could heal faster.¡±


    The expression on his face doesn¡¯t change. If he¡¯s surprised, he doesn¡¯t show it. He raises his gaze back to mine, then nces around the room, before staring at the ss of water on the side table.


    ¡°Oh, are you thirsty?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t reply. Simply looks at me again.


    Of course, he¡¯s thirsty. What an insane thing to ask. His gaze tracks me as I reach his bedside. I raise the ss of water and hold it out. He stares from my face, to the ss of water, then back at me.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± I lower the ss until the edge of the straw stuck inside it brushes his mouth. He parts his lips and sips from the straw. The tendons of his throat move as he swallows.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Awareness prickles up my spine. I¡¯ve stared at him so closely over the past couple of weeks that I know every ridge of his face, every crease at the edges of his eyes, the jut of his nose, the strong squareness of his jaw, the way his lower lip is pouty and fat and almost too feminine for the rest of his face; the way his dark hair curls over his forehead, how his longshes brush across his cheekbones, the width of his shoulders which strain against the hospital gown they¡¯d draped on him, the tan of his skin, still dark, even after all this time in the hospital, hinting at his bloodline. A bloodline that I know well, considering I had been in love with his triplet before he¡¯d died. A man I¡¯d crushed on since I had been a child. A man who is now gone, never to return, and instead¡­ This man, with the face of my past love, had appeared out of the blue to take his ce. It has to be a sign, surely, that his path and mine have crossed. Xander is dead but this guy is alive. And he saved me from the bullet. Surely, there is no logical reason he¡¯d do that¡­ Not unless he felt pulled toward me, even though neither of us knew each other. Of course, I know who he is now, but the intensity with which he¡¯s watching me indicates he has no clue about how we are connected.


    When he slumps against the pillow, I ce the ss back on the bedside.


    ¡°Uh, I think I need to call the doctor.¡± I shift forward in my chair before rising.


    ¡°The doctor?¡±


    I nod, ¡°You¡¯ve been in aa for two weeks.¡±


    He frowns.


    ¡°Basically, since you got shot, you¡¯ve been out. We, uh, had to rush you to the hospital-¡±


    ¡°We?¡± His scowl deepens.


    ¡°We, as in me-even though I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, seeing as I was covered in your blood-and your brothers were-¡±


    ¡°Brothers?¡± His gaze intensifies. ¡°Did you say my brothers?¡± he asks with slow deliberation.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod. Surely, it¡¯s okay to tell him about his brothers, right? I mean, he does know about them, doesn¡¯t he? Why else would he have sought them out and intruded on the gathering at Christian and Aurora¡¯s ce?


    Unless he doesn¡¯t really know about their existence, or that of his triplets, or the fact that one of them is dead. Oh, crap. I swallow. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have spoken to him, and called the doctor instead. Surely, it isn¡¯t good for him to get all worked up, and that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m causing right now.


    His eyebrows knit, a wary gaze in his eyes. He clenches and unclenches his fingers and my gaze is drawn to his arm. Scars run up the length of his forearm. They should be ugly, except there are tattoos inked into either side of the blemishes. I have had two weeks to study them while he was unconscious, and I still find them fascinating. The designs are mes that have been drawn into his skin. The patterns enhance the scars, showcase them, and turn them into a work of art. It must have been painful though. It looks like he had been badly burned, and a while ago, by the state of the blemishes.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I burst out.


    His features tighten. ¡°None of your business,¡± he snaps.


    I firm my lips. ¡°Jeez keep your shirt on, I was only trying to be sociable.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t be,¡± he rasps. His voice is rough, probably because he hasn¡¯t used it over thest two weeks, but hell if it doesn¡¯t sound sexy. Damn it, the man is recovering from aa. He has no business being this attractive. And you have no business wanting to jump into bed with him when he¡¯s this weak.


    ¡°Okay then.¡± I pull out my hair tie, and my hair flows around my shoulders. ¡°I think it¡¯s best I get the doctor.¡±


    I turn to leave, then gasp when he grabs my wrist. Electricity travels out from the point of contact. I nce down at where the darkness of his fingers contrasts with the paleness of my skin. It¡¯s as if I am the one who¡¯s been unwell, considering my pallor.


    ¡°For someone who¡¯s been unconscious for two weeks, you seem to have retained most of your strength,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°No doctor,¡± he rasps. I nce up to find his face is definitely a few shades paler than earlier.


    ¡°You are in a hospital and you¡¯ve just emerged from aa. I really do need to call the doctor.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± sweat beads his forehead, ¡°no doctor.¡± He nces between my eyes. ¡°Please,¡± he seems to force the word out, ¡°no doctor.¡±


    ¡°Look, I am not sure why you are having such a panicked reaction to the idea of a doctor checking you out, but they saved your life. If it weren¡¯t for them, you might be dead.¡±


    There¡¯s still no response from him. His hold on my arm seems to tighten. Jesus, this man must have been in peak physical condition if he¡¯s this strong emerging from aa. To be fair, he had moved so quickly when he¡¯d stepped in front of me that I hadn¡¯t even realized what was happening. Not until I¡¯d heard that sickening thwack of the bullet piercing through his flesh and then¡­ I swallow. Then, a part of me had known how close to death I had been. As he had stumbled back, I had known he¡¯d stepped in front of me to protect me. I had jumped forward to try to catch his fall and had half copsed under the weight of his body before sinking to my knees with him sprawled across myp. And even then, I had not known who he really was, until Christian had taken off the stranger¡¯s mask and I had seen Xander¡¯s face, as if resurrected from the dead. My heart begins to race in my chest as I take in the features of the man on the bed. Even now, I can¡¯t believe just how simr the two of them look.


    Christian and Xander were twins, but they hadn¡¯t been identical. But this man, he resembles Xander so much, it makes my chest hurt just looking at him.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nod, ¡°no doctor¡­for now, but someone is going toe and check in on you, eventually.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t reply, doesn¡¯t let go of my arm either. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asks again. ¡°Do I know you? Have we met?¡±


    ¡°Not until you stepped in front of me and took the bullet.¡±


    He winces.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± I nce at the bandage around his head, ¡°Damn, I knew I shouldn¡¯t have agreed not to call the doctor. Look, I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you, okay? They need toe and check you out and make sure that you are okay and-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he rasps.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look okay.¡± I take in his features, which have definitely gone paler in thest few seconds. ¡°You look like you are about to lose consciousness again, and that¡¯s not good, that¡¯s really not good, I-¡±


    ¡°Will you calm the fuck down, woman?¡± he growls.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I stare. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    He blows out a breath, ¡°I am fine. I don¡¯t need you making a fuss over me.¡±


    My chest rises and falls. I¡¯ve been waiting for him to wake up all this time. I had practically chained myself to the bed and kept vigil and prayed that he¡¯d open his eyes, and now that he has¡­ He tells me to fuck off?


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Not until you tell me how the hell I came to be in this hospital room.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I have been trying to exin, if you¡¯d put your paranoia aside for one moment and listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Paranoia?¡± He scowls, ¡°What the fuck gave you that idea, anyway?¡±


    I nce down at where his fingers are still curled around my wrist, and his grasp tightens.


    ¡°You¡¯re my insurance,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°I am not letting you go until I understand what kind of a situation I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in a hospital and I should have called a doctor, who¡¯s going to be pissed that I didn¡¯t at the first sign of your waking up; that¡¯s the kind of situation you are in,¡± I scold. ¡°Now, will you let go of me, please?¡±


    ¡°Why are they keeping me here? Who are these brothers you spoke about?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± I study his face. ¡°And for the record, as I have already exined, no-one is keeping you here. You were shot, so they brought you to the hospital-¡®


    ¡°Who¡¯s they?¡±


    ¡°The paramedics who your brother Michael called?¡±


    ¡°Michael?¡± He frowns, ¡°And he is¡­¡±


    ¡°Your oldest brother.¡±


    ¡°How many brothers do I have, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ five? No, there¡¯s four, actually.¡±


    ¡°Which is it, four or five?¡±


    ¡°Four,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°Xander, your triplet-¡±


    ¡°Hold on, did you say triplet?¡±


    Oops, I hadn¡¯t meant to reveal that yet, but he¡¯d have eventually learned about it, one way or the other, right? So, it¡¯s okay for me to tell him that he has a triplet. I mean, he must have known, considering he turned up at Christian and Aurora¡¯s wedding, right?


    ¡°Umm, yea¡­ and then, you have two half-brothers, so including you, that makes it seven brothers again.¡±


    ¡°Again,¡± he scowls, ¡°what do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Xander is¡­you know-¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡± Sweat beads his forehead and his grasp on my arm loosens. ¡°What happened to Xander?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ uh¡­ ¡± Damn, it¡¯s not easy to break the news to him, and especially when he¡¯s only just woken up from aa. Speaking of, how the hell can he be so lucid so soon? ¡°It¡¯s best you hear about it once you recoverpletely.¡±


    ¡°Tell me¡­now,¡± he begins to slur. ¡°Tell me¡­¡± his eyelids flutter, ¡°I¡­in-insist.¡± He releases me, then slumps back against the pillows. His features go ck. I hesitate, watch as his breathing deepens. Best to call the doctor now, before he wakes up again and insists that he doesn¡¯t want anyone to examine him.


    I turn to leave, and that¡¯s when the window of the hospital room shatters. The ss pieces scatter across the floor as a man jumps into the room.

 204

    Axel


    A scream pierces through the nkness in my head. What the hell? Who¡¯s that? I try to open my eyelids, but they seem to be weighed down. Darkness crowds in on my subconscious and I push it away. I crack open my eyes as she screams again. I turn my face in the direction of the scream, watch as the tiny dark-haired woman grapples with a man wearing a pair of ck pants and shirt. The lower half of his face is covered with a mask. He has a gun.


    He has a gun.


    My pulse rate ratchets up. The beeping of the machine linked to me increases in intensity. The man raises his free hand and strikes the woman. The force of the blow carries her across the floor. She hits the wall and crumples there.


    The beeping speeds up even further, until it¡¯s one long discordant note. Anger slices through me and it¡¯s not because I know her¡­ Or do I? I am not sure, but it¡¯s wrong to hit a woman¡­ Especially that woman. My woman. Jesus, she¡¯s not my woman. Where the hell did that thoughte from?


    I push up from the bed, only my arms give way and I copse back. The man pulls out his gun, raises it in my direction. My heart ms into my ribcage. The beeping of the monitor linked to my chest increases in intensity, and I didn¡¯t think that was possible.


    Asshole points his gun at me and takes a step in my direction. My heartbeat intensifies and reverberates in my skull. Adrenaline floods my veins. I push over onto my side, roll away just as the pillow next to me explodes.


    Fucking hell. Bastard¡¯s going to kill me, and I¡¯m lying here unprotected. Every part of my body screams in protest as I force my muscles to obey mymands. I roll over further, drop to the floor. The needle stuck into my arm is wrenched out and the tape rips out my hair on my arm. Fuck! Blood spurts from the wound, but that¡¯s the least of my concerns. Pain squeezes up my spine. Another bullet ms into the floor next to me.


    Motherfucker! He¡¯s gonna take me out, and as if that¡¯s not bad enough, when I am in a hospital gown. Nothing against hospital gowns; it¡¯s just that I¡¯d prefer to go without my ass on disy to the world atrge.


    I nce up to find him standing over me. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I will not die. Will not. The skin around his eyes tighten and I know the asshole isughing. Anger squeezes my chest. The blood pumps in my ears. Sweat pours down my face as I grab the edge of the bed. Every muscle in my body protests and my arms and legs tremble as I push up to my feet. Or try to, anyway. My biceps spasm and my body refuses to obey me.


    I copse back onto the floor and the impact knocks the breath out of me. F-u-c-k. Sparks sh behind my eyes. My stomach twists and bile sears my throat. Darkness flickers at the corners of my vision. I shove it aside, nce up and into the barrel of his gun. He depresses the trigger; I squeeze my eyes shut. Then, I hear the thump of the bullet as it embeds in the floor next to me.


    I snap open my eyelids to find the man is no longer standing over me. Turn my head, lock my gaze with my would-be-assassin¡¯s sightless eyes. Blood trickles out of a wound between his eyebrows.


    The breath rushes out of me, the tension drains out, and my arms and legs tremble.


    ¡°Here, take my hand.¡±


    I turn my face in the direction of the voice, and this time,e face to face with features which are so damn familiar.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl. That¡¯s when darkness overwhelms me.


    When I open my eyes next, I am on the bed again and he¡¯s standing in front of me. The intruder¡¯s body is gone, along with the blood, and all of the pieces of ss have been swept away. I nce at the window to find the pane has been reced. Huh?


    ¡°My men cleaned the room.¡± The man scowls at me, ¡°Also, reced your bedclothes. You¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°How is she?¡± I rasp.


    ¡°If you mean Theresa, she¡¯s shaken, but she¡¯ll survive.¡±


    Theresa, so that¡¯s her name. ¡°Asshole threw her against the wall,¡± I try to ball my fists and find I am clutching something between my fingers. I nce down to find I am holding something purple in color¡­something that resembles a hair tie. Her hair tie? Green eyes, thick auburn hair, curves that could drive a man to madness. Anger sweeps through me as I close my fingers around the colorful restraint. ¡°He pointed a gun at her,¡± I cough.


    ¡°Now, you know,¡± the man retorts in a hard voice.


    ¡°What the fuck do you mean by-¡± I burst out coughing. When the bout subsides, I sink back against the pillows.


    The man, who is not me, but looks a helluva lot like me, snatches up the ss of water with the goddamn straw and holds it to my mouth. Fuck, if I don¡¯t hate being an invalid, but the burning in my throat demands that I lock my lips around the straw and suck. The water trickles down my throat, soothing it somewhat. He ces the ss back on the bedstead. ¡°I would introduce myself, but you know me already.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± I rasp. My throat hurts, my head throbs, and underneath it all is a lingering heaviness, probably from whatever drugs they are pumping into me.


    ¡°You shot at me?¡± The man curls his fingers into fists.


    ¡°Join the queue,¡± I drawl. ¡°You¡¯re not the first man that I pointed a gun at, and you won¡¯t be thest. But as to who you are?¡± I reach into my memories but a white haze engulfs my brain. ¡°Nope, sorry; don¡¯t remember. Clearly, you weren¡¯t anyone of consequence, else it might have stuck in my mind?¡±


    His jaw tightens, ¡°To answer your earlier question, you held a gun to my wife¡¯s forehead, you testa di cazzo.¡±


    ¡°Did I, now?¡± I pretend to think, not that it matters. I can¡¯t remember shit of what happened tond me here in this bed.


    ¡°Yes, you did, you stronzo. You pulled a gun on her. You ckmailed her into helping you spy on me and my family, or don¡¯t you remember that either?¡±


    That seems about right, though I can¡¯t say I remember all of the details. Apparently, the one time I am telling the truth, no one wants to believe me. What a fucking joke. I roll my shoulders. Hold on, do I know my name at least? ¡°I¡¯m Axel;¡± the words are out before I can stop myself.


    The man scowls at me. ¡°Evidently, you can remember your name.¡±


    ¡°It must be instinctive,¡± I say slowly. The breath whooshes out of me and my muscles rx a little. Thank fuck, I was able to remember my name, at least, but why the hell had I shot at this man, who is, clearly, rted to me? Or pointed a gun at his wife.


    ¡°What else do you remember?¡± The man¡¯s jaw hardens.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± I yawn, and his features grow angry.


    ¡°I should have let that motherfucker ¡®s bullet take you,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    His features contort. He closes the distance between us, then grabs the front of my hospital gown. ¡°Now listen here, you pezzo di merda, if you think I am going to let you get away with this pretense of losing your memory, then you don¡¯t know me, you-¡±


    ¡°Christian, let go of him,¡± a man admonishes as he enters the room.


    I take in his build, his features, the dark hair. He resembles the other guy, so I guess, his features resemble mine. Authority rolls off of his shoulders as he pauses on the other side of my bed.


    ¡°Let go of your triplet, Christian.¡±


    ¡°Triplet?¡± I stare between them as Christian releases me and steps back. ¡°Did you say triplet?¡± I ask again.


    She, too, had mentioned triplets, hadn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice the resemnce?¡± the neer asks.


    ¡°He¡¯s nowhere as good-looking as me,¡± I retort.


    Christian¡¯s feature grow stonier.


    The new guy chuckles, then turns it into a cough. He jerks his chin in my direction, ¡°Good to have you back, fratello.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I share the sentiments, fratello.¡± Christian res at me.


    ¡°Another swear word, I take it?¡±


    The other guy¡¯s eyebrows shoot up. ¡°You don¡¯t speak Italian?¡±


    ¡°Not a word,¡± I assure him.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to rectify that.¡± His lips quirk.


    ¡°And you are-?¡±


    ¡°Michael,¡± he holds out his hand.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I murmur. ¡°You¡¯ll forgive me if I don¡¯t shake your hand; trying to conserve energy here.¡±


    ¡°As you should.¡± He peers into my features. ¡°That¡¯s quite a brave thing you did back there, taking a bullet for Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I remember any of it.¡± And good thing too, because taking a bullet for someone else? Nope, not something I¡¯d do.


    ¡°The doc says it¡¯s because of the bullet you took,¡± Michael informs me. ¡°While it didn¡¯t hit anything vital, it was a shock to your system, which has resulted in some parts of your brain shutting down to protect you. It¡¯s normal to be groggy and unsettled for some time as you recover from youra.¡±


    ¡°Are you siding with him on this?¡± Christian res at Michael. ¡°After everything he did to me and Aurora, you are giving him the benefit of the doubt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the doctor¡¯s diagnosis,¡± Michael says mildly. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for him to lie, is there?¡¯


    ¡°No reason to believe this stronzo when he says he doesn¡¯t remember the events of what transpired, is there?¡± Christian shoots back.


    ¡°Chix,¡± I tip my chin in his direction, and even that motion sends vibrations of pain thudding through my head. ¡°I wish I were lying, but this time, sadly, I speak the truth-a first for me, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°At least, you are truthful about your lying.¡± Michael¡¯s lips curls.


    ¡°Got nothing to lose. In fact, it¡¯s in my interest to tell the truth, considering I am not going anywhere for a while.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Michael strokes his chin, ¡°what is thest thing you remember anyway?¡±


    I narrow my gaze on him. ¡°A phone call. I had a phone call for a new assignment and then,¡± I shake my head, ¡°nothing after that.¡±


    ¡°How convenient,¡± Christian scoffs, at the same time that Michael narrows his gaze on me.


    ¡°An assignment?¡± he asks. ¡°What kind of assignment was it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember all the details.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡¯m sure it wille back to me, but from what I recall, it was rted to¡­¡± I squeeze the bridge of my nose, ¡°rted to tracking down you guys.¡±


    ¡°You mean killing one of us? Namely, me?¡± Christian snorts.


    ¡°I was just obeying orders; it was nothing personal.¡±


    ¡°Nothing personal?¡± Christian¡¯s features harden, ¡°I almost died, you carogna!¡±


    ¡°From what I can see, you¡¯re still alive.¡± I smirk.


    His jaw tics, his nostril¡¯s re, color smears his cheeks, and he reaches over and grabs the cor of my gown.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Michael grips his shoulder, ¡°let him go, Christian.¡±


    His grip tightens on me. I cough.


    ¡°Now,¡± Michael snaps.


    Christian grits his teeth, but he releases me. I copse onto the pillows, draw in a lungful of air and my chest hurts. Fucking hell, I really am weak at the moment. No sense antagonizing these chaps when I am unable to hold my own against them. ¡°Trust me, I have no reason to be lying about my predicament.¡±


    Michael lowers his arm to his side, ¡°I do believe he¡¯s telling the truth.¡±


    Christian turns on Michael, ¡°So, you¡¯re willing to forget the fact that he threatened you, as well?¡±


    Michael surveys my features, ¡°Only because the doctor backs him up.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the doctor is wrong,¡± Christian growls. ¡°Maybe this asshole got to him and has been able to get him to lie on his behalf.¡±


    Michael tilts his head and looks at me. ¡°Have you gotten the doctor to lie on your behalf?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± I widen my gaze, ¡°Of course, not.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Michael raises his shoulder.


    ¡°Fucker¡¯s lying,¡± Christian tightens his fists at his sides.


    ¡°Stay back, fratello,¡± Michael says in a soft voice. ¡°You¡¯re still grieving for your triplet and seeing him is bound to trigger memories.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± Christian shakes his head as if to clear it. ¡°This asshole can¡¯t be my brother.¡±


    ¡°The resemnce is uncanny, you have to admit.¡± I shrug. ¡°Not that it isn¡¯t creepy to be talking to someone who looks very much like me.¡±


    ¡°The resemnce is all we have inmon.¡± Christian widens his stance. ¡°After what you did to my wife, I¡¯ll never ept you as my brother.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of,¡± I nce between them, ¡°does our triplet have a name?¡±


    Christian¡¯s shoulder go solid.


    Simultaneously, Michael says, ¡°Xander. His name is Xander.¡±


    ¡°So, when do I get to meet this Xander?¡±


    Christian draws himself up to his full height. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± Spinning on his heels, he heads out the door.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± I frown after him.


    ¡°Xander¡¯s dead.¡±


    I turn to Michael, ¡°He¡¯s¡­dead?¡± Wait, I think Theresa mentioned that¡­


    ¡°He was the unfortunate victim of a car bomb that our father nted in my wife¡¯s car.¡±


    Damn, can¡¯t trust family these days, can you?


    ¡°So, let me get this right. You tell me that I am one of a trio of triplets, then inform me in the next breath that one of them is dead?¡±


    ¡°You can see why it feels to us like you are Xander returned to us?¡± Michael murmurs.


    ¡°I am not Xander, though.¡±


    ¡°And no one knows it better than I. I was the one who had to identify his body at the morgue.¡±


    ¡°It was us who buried him though¡­all of us.¡± Another man strides into the room, then pauses when he sees us. His features pale, before he wipes all expression from his face. He walks over to stand next to Michael. ¡°I¡¯m Luca,¡± He jerks his chin.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I mutter. ¡°Let me guess; you are another brother?¡±


    ¡°The second.¡± His features close.


    O-k-a-y, what happened there? Seems like it¡¯s a touchy topic for Luca to be born the second. ¡°Guess you¡¯re the spare, huh?¡±


    Luca scowls, ¡°What the hell do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know, the heir and the spare.¡± I raise my shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re the spare.¡±


    His features grow thunderous. ¡°Fuck you,¡± he says in a low voice.


    I chuckle, then wince when the pain in my head intensifies.


    ¡°Anyone else in this infernal shit-show I still need to meet?¡± I drawl.


    ¡°You¡¯re not in control of your emotions; being shot at and then attacked can do that to a man,¡± Michael drums his chest, ¡°so I¡¯ll forgive you this indiscretion.¡±


    ¡°Indiscretion?¡± Iugh. All the muscles in my body seem to seize up, pain clouds my vision and I gasp in a breath. ¡°What indiscretion?¡±


    ¡°Since you don¡¯t seem to remember, let me enlighten you. I am the Don of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    I furrow my eyebrows, ¡°And that¡¯s supposed to mean something?¡± Something brushes up against my mind, only to fade away,


    ¡°He¡¯s only the most powerful man alive, this side of the Antic,¡± Luca cautions me. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be careful in what I say to him, you-¡±


    Michael raises his hand, ¡°You do get a wide berth in what you can get away with. After all, you are one of my brothers.¡±


    ¡°How many of your brothers are there?¡±


    ¡°Seven,¡± Michael¡¯s voice softens, ¡°we are seven again, now that you are one of us, fratello.¡±


    Not sure what to make of that. I wait for something in my memory to confirm that I knew I had brothers, but there¡¯s no spark of recognition, nothing that tells me I was aware of their existence.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I am aware of your importance, but the health of my patient is my number one priority.¡± A doctor walks into the room. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I need to ask you to leave,¡± he nods toward the doorway, ¡°now.¡±


    Michael seems like he¡¯s going to refuse, then nods. ¡°I expect a full report on my brother, Doc.¡± He turns and stalks out.


    Luca folds his arms across his chest, as if settling in to wait.


    ¡°That goes for you too.¡± The doctor scowls at him.


    ¡°I am staying for his safety,¡± he nods in my direction, ¡°so why don¡¯t you get busy and start checking him out, because I am not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°But I need to examine the patient,¡± the doctor protests.


    ¡°I am not stopping you.¡±


    The doctor hesitates, then looks in my direction. I shrug, and he blows out a breath, ¡°Fine, can you stay out of the way until I am done, please?¡±


    I¡¯m not sure how much time has passed, but when I open my eyes again, I spot Theresa curled up in the only chair in the room. It¡¯s a typical, straight-backed hospital chair. The kind that¡¯s meant to cause as much difort to the upant as possible, because that¡¯s what hospitals specialize in, apparently. Her head is pillowed on the back of her palm. Her lips are slightly parted, and the skin of her face is flushed. She¡¯s wearing another dress, I think, also ck, with ck tights and ck shoes. Her hair is loose and flows over the back of her chair. She seems like a princess in mourning. Is she mourning Xander? Did she love him? I raise a shoulder, then wince; doesn¡¯t really matter.


    Either way, she is not my type. For one, she¡¯s not as busty as the kind of women I prefer. Likely, she¡¯s also intelligent. She looks like a woman who has an above-average IQ and who doesn¡¯t hesitate to verbalize her thoughts. I blow out a breath. Everything that makes me run the other way. I prefer my women on their knees, or on their front, or back¡­ Doesn¡¯t matter, as long as they have their thighs open and mouths shut-or stuffed with my cock. As long as they take what I give them, and do as they¡¯re told, and leave when I¡¯m done with them.


    Yep, so that¡¯s rather predictable, and perhaps, misogynistic in a man, but hey, I don¡¯t im to be a saint. Also, I don¡¯t hide behind the polite veneer that society demands of you. Scratch the surface and most men will admit that they are base creatures at heart. That what they want is a woman who satisfies their desires, who does as she is told, and who, ideally, also cooks for them. See, thest¡­ I don¡¯t ask them for that; it¡¯s one of the things I¡¯m good at. I like to eat good food, and it turns out, most women aren¡¯t thatpetent in the kitchen either. Why do you think there are so many male chefs, eh? And considering I have been on my own since I turned eighteen, I had to learn to cook in order to feed myself, and I¡¯m proud to say, I¡¯ve eaten well.


    Now, Theresa, on the other hand? She seems like the kind of woman who¡¯d probably be able to cook as well¡­ A theory I am not going to test because I don¡¯t want anything to do with her. Of course, if she offers herself up to me¡­ Well, I wouldn¡¯t say no. I mean, I could fuck her. I drag my gaze down the slope of her breasts, the tiny waist that res into hips which are curved enough that I can hold onto them when I fuck her from behind. My balls harden. Huh? Didn¡¯t expect to get turned on that quickly. Especially not when the rest of my body feels like I¡¯ve crashed into a brick wall. It¡¯s a relief to know that part of my anatomy is working, and that I, at least, recall the kind of woman I prefer. So why the hell am I attracted to her? And why can¡¯t I recollect what went down the day I was shot?


    I sit up, wince when my muscles protest, but ignore it. If I¡¯m going to get out of here, I need to get my body moving.


    Theresa stirs. She shifts around in her seat, then her eyelids flutter open. Her green eyes fix on me. She blinks, then sits up, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    I take in the bandage on her temple and anger rips through my veins. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡±

 205

    Theresa


    ¡°Uh, I wanted to make sure that you were okay.¡±


    I blink rapidly. Why is he angry? Is it because I fell asleep while waiting for him to wake up? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. After the intruder had shoved me aside, I had hit my head and cked out. I had woken up in another room in the hospital to find a nurse dressing my wounds. They had offered me painkillers, which I hadn¡¯t wanted to take, but I had finally relented in the hope that it would reduce my headache. The pills helped, but they made me drowsy, which is why I had fallen asleep in the chair, and had woken up to find him ring at me.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± he says in a hard voice.


    Goosebumps pop on my skin. Hell, why is it that my body responds this way to him? I swallow, push myself to my feet. ¡°Considering you are t on your back and not even able to walk without help, I don¡¯t think you have much say in the matter, do you?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    His lips firm, ¡°Where¡¯s Luca?¡±


    ¡°He took a break.¡± I gather my hair over one shoulder-damn it, why do I keep losing my hair ties?-then walk over to stand next to him. ¡°You¡¯re feeling better, I take it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll feel better when I am out of this goddam hospital.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I me you.¡± I sniff, ¡°The color of this hospital gown is ying havoc with yourplexion.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± He stares at me as if I have grown a second head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Just that you, ah, look pale. I mean, you are still tanned, of course. In fact, your skin color definitely shows that you spend a lot of time outside, but the hospital gown is a dirty cream color. Of course, flowers in that color look so much better.¡±


    ¡°Flowers?¡± He blinks.


    ¡°I own a flower shop. I¡¯m a florist, you know? I specialize in tulips. Did you know there are more than 3000 registered varieties of tulips in the world? Of course, I don¡¯t showcase all of them, but it¡¯s my dream to do so one day. I¡¯ll have to wait until my flower shop makes a lot more money, considering some of these tulips are so rare, they go at $2500 a bulb.¡±


    He¡¯s staring at me as if I have grown another head or sprouted a flower¡­ a tulip flower, to be exact. Argh. What the hell am I doing, thering like an idiot? Why does he make me so nervous that I seem to blurt out whateveres into my head?¡±


    ¡°Umm, okay, now that I have thoroughly embarrassed myself¡­¡± my voice trails off. ¡°Forget it.¡± I turn to leave.


    ¡°What¡¯s the name of your flower boutique?¡±


    I pause. Did he refer to it as a flower boutique? That¡¯s really creative. No one has ever referred to it like that before. I nce at him over my shoulder. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    He merely tilts his head. The silence stretches. My skin begins to feel too tight for the rest of my body. A bead of sweat slides down the valley between my breasts and I know I have to speak before I lose the ability to form words. ¡°The Tilting Tulip,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°A fan of Don Quixote, I take it?¡±


    My gaze widens. Oh, my god! Nobody, and I mean nobody, has guessed the origin of that name, to date. Not even Xander. Not even Elsa, my friend and sole employee who has helped me with the flower shop almost since the day it opened. So how did this guy figure it out? It scares me more than the fact that he has such an uncanny resemnce to Xander.


    ¡°Umm, okay. Bye, I have to leave now.¡± I spin around, dart toward the doorway.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± he growls, ¡°get back here.¡± His voice chafes over my nerve endings and does funny things to my insides. My belly trembles. My core clenches. Moisture beads my pussy. Hell, the man is on his back, trying to recover from aa, but he¡¯s far from helpless. He only has to call me by my name and I want to throw myself down at his feet and beg him to lick me all over¡­ Especially in that throbbing ce between my thighs. Definitely across my breasts. Maybe I could beg him to pluck at my nipples and tweak them hard until I came. Maybe I could-


    ¡°Theresa.¡±


    I squeak. ¡°Y¡­yes,¡± I stutter as I bite down on my lower lip.


    ¡°Turn around and face me.¡±


    My steps slow until Ie to a halt. I draw in a breath, then turn and meet his gaze. Those blue eyes, so like Xander¡¯s¡­yet not. The look in them is so much more intense, like I have his entire attention. Did Xander ever look at me that way? Like I was the only one in the world and he couldn¡¯t take his attention off of me?


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± He scowls, ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    I want you to be Xander. I want you to be the man I loved and lost, the one who I had hoped would one day love me back. The one who my heart still belongs to because I¡¯ve had a crush on him for so long that I no longer know how to go on without him.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I twist my fingers together, ¡°I want you to get better soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    No.


    No.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod. ¡°You saved my life and I don¡¯t like seeing you in pain because of it.¡±


    ¡°You have a soft heart,¡± his lips twist, ¡°but I am not sure it warranted my taking a bullet for you.¡±


    I gape.


    ¡°You see, I am not the kind of man who¡¯d do something so selfless. And I definitely would not put my life at stake for someone else, especially not someone who-¡±


    I narrow my gaze on him, ¡°Someone who?¡±


    ¡°Someone like you, who¡¯s clearly, not the kind of woman I am normally attracted to.¡±


    I open and shut my mouth, ¡°Jesus, are you hearing yourself? For someone who can¡¯t even pee by himself at the moment, you sure have a big ego.¡±


    ¡°Not the only thing that¡¯s big.¡± He smirks.


    I throw up my hands, ¡°You are a horrible man, and your jokes are sexist.¡±


    ¡°So I have been told.¡± His grin widens.


    Goddamn it, he¡¯s even more attractive when he smiles. His features light up in a way Xander¡¯s never did. Xander had been more introspective, more troubled about the state of the world, more brooding about his own internal conflict, while Axel¡­ There¡¯s a recklessness to him thates through in the gleam in his eyes. In how he sprawls back in the bed, making the entire space feel too small for him. How he sucks up all the oxygen in the air, how he draws my attention to his face, to his chest, the length of his body partially hidden under the sheet. Even though his muscles will need rehab to regain his strength, thanks to thea he¡¯s been in¡­ Still, there¡¯s an aura of power that to clings to him, a cloak of dominance that seems to cover him from head to toe, azy authority that oozes from his very pores. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s got the best of all the Sovrano brothers, and more. All that charisma locked away and ready to be unleashed on some poor unsuspecting mortal like me. Hell, without even trying, he¡¯s positively overpowering me¡­ How the hell will he be when he¡¯s on his feet and dressed to kill? I¡¯ll probablybust if I am in his presence then. Not that I am not all hot and bothered now. A bead of sweat runs down between my breasts and I shiver.


    ¡°Hey.¡± He snaps his fingers and I blink. ¡°You okay?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I look okay?¡± I demand.


    ¡°No need to get defensive; I was just being polite.¡±


    ¡°I see you are awake?¡± Both Axel and I turn toward the door.


    Luca swaggers in, then throws himself down on the chair I recently vacated. ¡°This one,¡± he jerks his chin in my direction, ¡°deserves a medal. Not only has she been by your bedside since you were brought out of surgery, but the first thing she did after regaining consciousness earlier was ask about you.¡±


    My cheeks flush. ¡°I was simply doing what was right,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°But you might be wasting your attentions on the wrong guy,¡± Luca warns.


    I nce from Luca to Axel, whose face is wiped of all expression. If that offended him, he isn¡¯t showing it. Damn, but it¡¯s so difficult to get a read on this man. He seems to keep everything bottled up inside¡­ Except for his ego, of course, which pushes him to make stupid remarks like he had earlier.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a nice thing to say,¡± I scowl at Luca.


    ¡°It¡¯s a fact.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°Best to say what¡¯s on my mind, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let us stop you,¡± Axel says dryly.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t, even if you wanted to.¡± Luca looks him up and down pointedly, ¡°How long is it going to be before you get on your feet again?¡±


    ¡°The doctor thinks it¡¯s going to be at least a month of intensive rehab. I bet him I¡¯ll be walking again in two weeks.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks?¡± I turn on him, ¡°You were unconscious for two weeks. No way, can you regain your muscle strength and get back on your feet that quickly.¡±


    ¡°You challenging me, Sunshine?¡± He drawls.


    And whoa, what¡¯s with that nickname? I shoot Luca a nce and find him absorbed in something on his phone.


    ¡°I am not challenging you.¡± I turn to Axel. ¡°It¡¯s just,¡± I lower my voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to push yourself so hard that you end up hurting yourself.¡±


    ¡°You took care of that already, didn¡¯t you? Doubt I can hurt myself further.¡±


    My heart ms into my chest. I stare at him and feel the tell-tale pressure of tears behind my eyes.


    ¡°You really are a selfish prick, you know that? I was just worried about you-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± He reclines further back into the pillows, looking for all the world like he¡¯s the master of all he surveys. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°I have no doubt. It¡¯s just, you are hurt and-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll mend. I have strong healing powers.¡±


    ¡°I am sure, but-¡±


    ¡°I understand Xander is dead,¡± he drawls. ¡°Did you know him well?¡±


    I nod. ¡°He was, he was¡­¡± Truth is, I am not sure what he was to me. Not my boyfriend, not my lover¡­ I am not even sure he reciprocated my affections, but since I had first set eyes on him, I had been sure that our destinies were interlinked. I had dreamt of the day that I would marry him.


    ¡°Did you love him?¡± Axel drums his fingers on the bed. ¡°Is that why you want to take care of me, because I look so simr to him?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I did love him,¡± I admit, ¡°but that¡¯s not why I am here.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He tilts his head, ¡°Why else would you spend so much time by the bedside of a perfect stranger taking care of him?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you saved my life and this is my way of thanking you?¡± I tip up my chin.


    He arches an eyebrow, ¡°By spending every moment of thest two weeks at my side? I think not.¡±


    I open my mouth to speak, but he shakes his head.


    ¡°I am not him, Theresa. I never will be him, so if you think by hanging around me you can transfer the fixation you had on him to me, then you are mistaken.¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. My heart feels like it¡¯s going to break into a million pieces. My stomach hurts and I fold my arms around myself. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re not Xander. Xander would never have been this unkind to me.¡± I swallow down the tears that threaten to overflow. ¡°I must have been crazy to think that you could have ever held a candle to him. You¡­you¡¯re a terrible man. You may look like him, but you¡¯ll never be h¡­him.¡± My voice hitches. Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t you dare cry before this horrible man. I turn and rush out of the door.

 206

    Axel


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t have toned it down, eh?¡±


    I hear Luca speak, but can¡¯t turn my gaze off her retreating figure. Goddam it, why did I have to say that? So what, if I had been feeling aggravated and angry and wanting tosh out at someone? It just so happened that she was there and she, apparently, cares for me, even if she doesn¡¯t know me at all. She thinks she knows me, and that¡¯s even worse. I am nothing like this Xander chap. So what, he was my triplet. We have nothing inmon.


    He didn¡¯t know poverty, or what it felt like to see your mother whore herself out. She hadn¡¯t been epted into her own family because of me, and she hadn¡¯t been very good at fending for herself. When you were a Mafia princess brought up in thep of luxury, you had no idea how to take care of yourself, let alone your child. Despite her shorings, she had managed to put a roof over my head and food in my belly. By the time I was sixteen, she was dead. That¡¯s when I began to carve out my own empire. Guess the apple didn¡¯t fall far from the tree, in that sense.


    My mother had never told me about my father¡¯s side of the family or the insignificant fact that I had been one of triplets. Something she obviously knew, but for whatever reason, she kept hidden from me. All she¡¯d told me was that she¡¯d had a falling out with my father, had left him, and her own family hadn¡¯t epted her back. Not after having bedded their enemy and falling pregnant with his child. She had refused to go back to them for help, no matter how difficult it had been for her. Another reason I had been so clear that I was going to make it on my own. Without help from anybody. Definitely not my mother¡¯s family. So, if they think I¡¯m going to go all sentimental on them, they are going to be sadly mistaken. All I intend to do is y along until I am back on my feet and then¡­ Well, I am going to get out of here.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Axel, hey, you okay?¡± Luca calls out.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± I growl. ¡°I amid up in this bed with you forpany. What more could I want?¡±


    ¡°You sent away the only person here who is sympathetic toward you.¡±


    And fuck, if I don¡¯t hate myself for it. Why is it so difficult for me to ept her concern? Why do I feel threatened by the utter selflessness with which she wants to care for me? Why the hell can¡¯t I remember stepping in front of her and taking the bullet as she ims I did? Why would I do that anyway? I¡¯ve always put my survival ahead of anyone else¡¯s¡­ So really, it makes no sense that I would do that.


    I rub the back of my head and my arm trembles.


    I hate being so damn weak. The doctor who¡¯d examined me had told me that it¡¯s a miracle I had managed to get on my feet and avoid the intruder who had broken in. By all ounts, I shouldn¡¯t have been able to move my limbs without assistance, not after being unconscious for more than two weeks. But the adrenaline pouring through my veins had propelled me to fight back, and thank fuck I had, else I¡¯d be in a coffin by now. At least, I¡¯d have family at my funeral¡­ My breath catches. The fuck am I thinking? These guys¡­ While they may be blood rtions, are definitely not my family. They are¡­ I am not sure, exactly, what to call them¡­ Acquaintances, at best. Enemies, at worst. More probably, thetter.


    I push myself up to sitting position, then swing my legs over the side of the bed.


    ¡°The fuck you up to, brother?¡± Luca rises to his feet. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    I ce my feet on the ground, push up to standing position. My thighs burn, my calves hurt, and sweat breaks out on my forehead. ¡°Fuck.¡± My knees tremble. Luca closes the distance between us and grabs my shoulder but I shake it off. ¡°Keep the fuck away from me, asshole.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± he holds up his hands, ¡°just trying to help.¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t,¡± I grab the edge of the bed to steady myself, then holding onto it for support, I take a step forward, then another. My muscles protest, my arm hurts, and my head throbs with such intensity that the edges of my vision begin to darken. I take another step and my entire body sways.


    ¡°You¡¯re a stubborn motherfucker,¡± Luca says mildly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t get to where I am by beingzy,¡± I say through gritted teeth. I take another step and my knees give way. I topple forward and hit the floor. ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl. Pain shoots through my chest, my arms. My legs feel like they have turned to jelly. I manage to turn over on my back andy there panting. ¡°The fuck, asshole?¡± I re at him, ¡°You could have, at least, stopped me from falling.¡±


    ¡°Thought you didn¡¯t want my help.¡± He smirks, then holds out his hand.


    ¡°Fuck off,¡± I grab the side of the bed, pull, but my muscles refuse to cooperate. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± I grit my teeth, hold onto the side of the bed and push up¡­only to fall back panting.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be an idiot.¡± Luca lowers his arm until his palm is in my line of sight. ¡°Take my hand, asshole,¡± he drawls, ¡°it¡¯s not a sign of weakness to take help when you need it most.¡±


    I glower at his palm, then raise my hand and manage to grasp his. He pulls me to my feet and I lean my hip against the bed. He releases me, and I fall back onto the bed andy there panting. ¡°Fuck, I need to get back on my feet.¡±


    ¡°Keep pushing yourself like that and you¡¯ll do more harm than good.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you are going to be back on your feet in two weeks?¡± He arches an eyebrow.


    ¡°That¡¯s the n.¡± I haul myself up the mattress, then copse with my head on the pillow. Sweat drenches my shoulders and the hospital gown sticks to my chest.


    ¡°Want some more water?¡± Luca holds out the ss of water with the fucking straw-I hate that straw. When I am better, I am going to ensure I am never near another straw for my entire bloody life. For now, though, I lean forward and take a sip of water, then another, until I have chugged down all of it. He ces the empty ss back on the bedside table.


    ¡°You know, you are as pig-headed as the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Spare me theparisons,¡± I growl. ¡°I am not one of you. I¡¯ll never be one of you-¡±


    ¡°Is that why you wanted to kill one of us? Because you hold a grudge against our family?¡±

 207

    Axel


    Michael prowls into the room, followed by Christian and three men who I don¡¯t recognize, but with their dark hair and features that resemble Michael¡¯s, they must be some of the seven brothers Theresa alluded to.


    Michael walks over to stand at the foot of the bed. Christianes to a halt next to Luca. The biggest of the new arrivals stalks over to stand on the side of the bed opposite Luca.


    ¡°I¡¯m Massimo.¡± He tilts his head.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Seb.¡± One of the other guys jerks his chin as hees to a stop next to Massimo.


    ¡°Adrian,¡± the third guy offers. He walks over to stand between Michael and Seb. The brothers surround me. If they n to show me how outnumbered I am, then they are not seeding. What they don¡¯t realize is that I do best when I am challenged. When the odds are stacked against me, I rise to the asion-no pun intended.


    A fourth guy closes the door behind them, no doubt, standing guard outside.


    ¡°Why did you threaten Aurora?¡± Christian folds his arms over his chest.


    ¡°Aurora?¡± I frown. ¡°Who¡¯s Aurora?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know her,¡± Christian snaps. ¡°You tracked her down in London and threatened her family. It¡¯s because of you that she returned to Sicily. It¡¯s you who followed us to the Lodge in Cortina and shot at me.¡±


    ¡°Did I get you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Damn,¡± I smirk, ¡°so sorry; I¡¯ll try better next time.¡±


    Christian takes a step forward and Michael ps his arm in front of his chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re hurt and disoriented.¡± Michael frowns at me, ¡°It¡¯s normal, since you¡¯ve juste out of aa, but you are not doing yourself any favors by antagonizing us.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°I am not afraid of you guys.¡±


    ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t be,¡± Michael agrees. ¡°Like it or not, you are one of us. You are a Sovrano by blood. Not to mention you resemble a brother we lost who we dearly loved, so my preference is to not hurt you.¡±


    ¡°You can try,¡± I scoff. ¡°I may resemble your brother, but I don¡¯t consider myself one of you.¡±


    ¡°Why else were you trying to hurt one of us?¡± Seb growls. ¡°You must have known who we were. You sure knew about our movements. You knew we were at a family getaway when you came after Christian. Who put you up to that?¡± He narrows his gaze on me, ¡°It¡¯s time you came up with some answers.¡±


    ¡°Even if I knew the answers,¡± I hold up my hand, which doesn¡¯t tremble this time, thank fuck, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°Wrong answer.¡± Luca scowls at me. ¡°You¡¯re either a fool or you know something we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t strike me as a fool,¡± Massimo drawls. ¡°So why don¡¯t you tell us what you were after?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t remember it?¡± I re at their faces. And fuck, if I can ignore the resemnce to my features again. It¡¯s disconcerting-this sense that they are my family overwhelms me. My head begins to hurt and I close my eyes, ¡°Look, the more I push it, the less I am going to remember. It¡¯s best I rest and get my strength back. That way, hopefully, my memories will resurface. Not that I am nning to share any of that with you-¡± Christian makes noise at the back of his throat. I grin without opening my eyes. ¡°Unless you ask nicely, and maybe not even then.¡±


    The frustration that pours off of the guys makes me smile wider. I hold the cards here, assholes, and don¡¯t forget it.


    ¡°Besides, once I am on my feet again, I could try to track back on my movements, and perhaps, that might jiggle something in my head?¡±


    ¡°Already on it,¡± Luca states.


    I open one eye. ¡°What do you mean?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Got a couple of guys making enquiries about your whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°N-i-c-e.¡± I smirk. ¡°Good to know, at least, one of you is thinking on your feet.¡±


    Luca¡¯s features harden. His brow pinches. I can¡¯t stop the chuckle that rips out of me. Ouch! Now my throat hurts, but fuck that. It¡¯s worth it just to see another of my brother¡¯s grow hot under the cor. And f-u-c-k, stop thinking of them as your family, asshole. You don¡¯t do family, remember?


    ¡°Too bad you¡¯re not on your feet,¡± Massimo holds up his fist, ¡°or I might have to knock some sense into you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop taking this older brother thing so seriously.¡± I yawn.


    Massimo¡¯s brow furrows, ¡°Is this guy for real, or what? Maybe I should forget about the fact that he¡¯s recovering from a bullet, which he did take for one of our own, and-¡±


    ¡°Hold on; back up.¡± I scowl. ¡°What do you mean ¡®one of our own¡¯? Are you talking about-¡±


    ¡°Theresa?¡± Adrian nods. ¡°She is one of us.¡±


    ¡°Is she rted to you guys?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not rted to us.¡± Seb gives me a pointed look. ¡°She was Xander¡¯s¡­¡± he hesitates, ¡°friend. So, by default, shees under our protection.¡±


    The breath I had not been aware I was holding rushes out. What the fuck? Why did the thought of her being with one of these jokers cause me such dread?


    ¡°Although, considering how you rebuffed her, I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind if one of us decides to pursue her, eh?¡± Luca adds.


    A growl rips up my throat and I blink. What the fuck? What do I care if she decides to hook up with one of them? Not my problem. They are wee to her. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. I ignore it. ¡°Go for it.¡± I close my eyes again. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to get my beauty sleep.¡±


    ¡°Not so quickly.¡± I open my eyes and Michael narrows his gaze on me, ¡°As soon as the doctor agrees, we¡¯re moving you out of here.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? I am not going anywhere with you. I n to get on my feet then¡­¡± get out of here. I don¡¯t say the words aloud.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Michael smirks. ¡°Afraid we¡¯re putting you under an old-fashioned house arrest.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± I tilt my head.


    ¡°Can¡¯t have you getting your memory back, and then you go rushing off to whoever it is you owe your allegiance to,¡± Seb confirms.


    ¡°We¡¯re not letting you leave.¡± Christian bares his teeth. ¡°Not until we figure out who the hell is behind your actions.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I was following anyone¡¯s orders?¡± I manage to fold my arms behind my neck. My muscles grumble, my biceps hurt, but fuck that. I grit my teeth, force a bored expression on my face. ¡°And I¡¯m not going anywhere with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are,¡± Massimo drawls.


    ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± I say mildly.


    ¡°He has no idea.¡± Adrian shakes his head.


    ¡°None whatsoever.¡± Luca smirks.


    ¡°The fuck you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The fact that, in about two minutes, you are going to agree to everything we ask of you,¡± Seb retorts.


    ¡°And I thought I was the one on painkillers.¡± I chuckle ¡°What have you guys been imbibing, eh?¡±


    ¡°Wait for it,¡± Christian cups his palm behind his ears, ¡°wait for it.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I stare at them.


    ¡°Any moment now,¡± Adrian adds.


    The door to the room opens, and the ck of heels hitting the floor reaches me.


    ¡°Axel, my boy,¡± a woman¡¯s voice reaches me.


    The guys move aside so I have an unrestricted view of the woman who has entered the room. Her hair is grey and cut in a bob which sweeps her chin. Her features are almost regal as she sweeps her gaze over me. She wears a pantsuit, and on her feet, she wears stilettos I¡¯d expect to see on a woman half her age. She wears a string of pearls around her neck, which only adds to her aristocratic bearing.


    ¡°There you are.¡± She brushes past Michael and bends to take my hand. ¡°I am so happy that you are awake. I was so worried about you, nipotino mio.¡±


    ¡°Uh,¡± I turn to Luca, ¡°what does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means my grandson,¡± the woman interjects. ¡°I am your grandmother, Axel.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother?¡± I blink. ¡°So, you are my father¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Mother, yes,¡± she nods. ¡°Unfortunately, your father is no longer with us.¡±


    ¡°I guessed.¡± I frown back at her. ¡°How did he die?¡± I raise a hand, ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me. I¡¯m guessing he was killed by one of you?¡± I nce around at the gathered men.


    ¡°Not so sadly, I take the credit for that,¡± Michael retorts. ¡°He wanted me out of the way, so I had to kill him first.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a fun family,¡± I respond.


    ¡°I understand how it mighte across to an outsider,¡± my grandmother murmurs, ¡°but make no mistake, we have each other¡¯s backs.¡± She holds my gaze, ¡°And you are one of us now, cino bello.¡±


    ¡°That means my wonderful grandson,¡± Luca exins.


    ¡°I gathered,¡± I say wryly. ¡°So,¡± I turn to the older woman, ¡°you are my grandmother?¡±


    ¡°You can call me Nonna.¡± She pats my hand.


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I murmur, ¡°you are clearly a woman to be reckoned with.¡±


    ¡°Oh, phst,¡± she waves her free hand in the air, ¡°the way you turn on that charm effortlessly, you remind me of my husband¡­god rest his soul,¡± she releases my arm to cross herself, ¡°before he decided to stray from our marriage.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I close my mouth which I, only now, realize has fallen open, ¡°is that good or bad? Not your husband straying from his marriage, but the fact that I remind you of him,¡± I hasten to rify.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± sheughs. ¡°He was a rake, but damn, if he wasn¡¯t charismatic. I fell for him the moment I met him, and stayed married to him until he died.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him, did you?¡± I ask only half-jokingly.


    She fixes me with that gimlet eye of hers, ¡°I knew you were smart.¡± Sheughs.


    ¡°Eh?¡± I scowl, ¡°So, you did¡­off him?¡±


    ¡°Not me, personally, but his enemies did finally get to him.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me you had a hand in it?¡±


    ¡°Now, now, I am not the kind to kiss and tell, if you get my drift.¡± She cackles.


    That headache pounding behind my eyes turns up a notch. And I thought I had a bloodthirsty background? Hanging out with the Sovranos gives a whole new perspective on the meaning of ¡®nearer the blood the bloodier,¡¯ as someone-whose name is inconsequential- once remarked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone pale.¡± Nonna¡¯s sharp gaze instantly spots my difort. ¡°Do you need your painkillers?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, then wince when the hammers behind my head turn up the intensity of their drumming. ¡°No more painkillers.¡±


    ¡°The man¡¯s as obstinate as the rest of you,¡± Nonna says in an affectionate voice.


    I feel my eyelids flutter down and force them open. ¡°I want to make it very clear that I am not one of you.¡±


    ¡°I think the man protests too much,¡± Seb murmurs. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some shut-eye, eh?¡±


    As they turn to leave, I call out, ¡°Seb?¡±


    He turns.


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    He walks over to me, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Can you get me a pack of cigarettes and a lighter?¡±


    ¡°Smoker, eh?¡±


    I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re aware this is a hospital and smoking is not allowed, right?¡±


    I gape at him and he bursts outughing, ¡°Rx. The rules don¡¯t apply to the Cosa Nostra. I¡¯ll get it for you.¡±


    He pivots on his heels, then hesitates, and leaves.


    Iy back and don¡¯t fight the sleep that overwhelms me.


    When I wake up next, it¡¯s dark outside the windows. Illumination from the safety lights highlights the face of the person sleeping in the chair. The pale skin and the sweep of auburn hair flowing over the chair indicates it¡¯s her.


    Her chest rises and falls, and she has her cheek cushioned in her palm. The dark curve of her eyshes rests against her cheekbones. She stirs in her sleep, then settles again. When her breathing evens out, I nce away and spot the pack of cigarettes and lighter on the side table. Guess Seb came through for me.


    I reach for the lighter, flick on the me, then hold my palm around it. The warmth seeps into my blood and I sigh. I click off the lighter, ce it on the bedside, then swing my legs over the side of the bed. My feet hit the ground, then I take a deep breath and push myself to a standing position. My thighs burn, my calves hurt, and my knees threaten to give out from under me. I dig my heels into the floor, and thankfully, my legs seem to hold me up. I lower myself to the ground. Every muscle in my body protests, but I ignore the pain. I manage to lower my body weight onto my palms and feet, and fuck! My entire body trembles. My biceps spasm and my calf muscles scream in protest as I bend my elbows and push down, then thrust upward. My shoulders convulse and the still unhealed wound at my temple throbs. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I grit my teeth, push through the pain, force my muscles toply as I flow into another push-up. My vision flickers. Sweat trickles down my temple, trails down my chin to plop on the floor. My entire body turns into one pulsating vector of pain as I push down, then up. Again and again.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I lose my bnce and face-nt on the floor. ¡°Fuck.¡± I pant, try to roll over, but find my arms no longer obey mymand. ¡°Bloody fuck!¡± I growl, then stiffen when she grips my shoulder.


    ¡°Let me help you.¡±


    She sits down cross-legged next to me, and grips the underside of my shoulder. She leans in closer and the scent of apple blossoms fills my nostrils. I draw in her scent, fill my lungs with it, use it to center myself. Her pushing,bined with my own efforts, means I finally manage to turn over on my back. I copse on the ground, my breathing in pants. My heart thunders in my chest like I have run for miles. At this rate, it¡¯s going to be weeks¡­maybe months before I return to my former strength. I cannot let that happen. I need to get back to full health as soon as possible.


    I close my eyes, focus on regting my breath, on getting my pulse rate under control. When I open my eyes, I find her scrutinizing my features.


    ¡°What?¡± I growl. ¡°Happy to see a man falling apart in front of you.¡±


    A stricken look crosses her features. Fuck, why did I have to say that? Why do I have to hurt her every time I see her. I close my eyes again. ¡°I told you stay away from me, didn¡¯t I? I am not good for you, Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Let me be the judge of that.¡±


    I crack open my eyes and meet her gaze. She holds it, then color stains her cheeks. Jesus, how innocent is she that she can¡¯t even hold my gaze without blushing. How sheltered has she been? What little I know tells me the Mafia are protective about their women. And the Sovrano¡¯s consider her one of theirs. So, chances are good, she hasn¡¯t seen much of the world outside of Palermo, or been with any man except for Xander. Or has she?


    ¡°Are you a virgin?¡±

 208

    Theresa


    OMG, that inevitable question. Why is it such a big deal for these men anyway? And why is he asking me that question now? Is he interested in me? Is that what this is about? But all of his actions so far indicate the exact opposite.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I shoot back.


    He blows out a breath, ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to.¡± He tries to sit up, only to copse back onto the ground. He growls in frustration, then pushes up off his elbows. This time, he makes it halfway up before gravity pulls him back onto the floor. ¡°Fuck,¡± he yells. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± The tendons of his beautiful neck strain, the skin glistening with sweat. The hospital gown he¡¯s wearing gapes in the front. I take in the groove between his pecs, the design of a tattoo that creeps up over his shoulder. It¡¯s something I had noticed before, but now I can make out the intricate whorls, the pattern, the colors. Does it flow down his back as well? Does it cover his biceps?


    A bead of sweat trails down his temple and I lean down and lick it up.


    His entire body goes solid. His shoulder nes tense. He res at me as if he can¡¯t quite believe what I did. Truthfully, I can¡¯t believe I did it either. Maybe it¡¯s because he guessed that I was a virgin. Maybe because I am pissed at myself for having stayed a virgin for a man who may or may not have loved me; something I¡¯ll never know now because I didn¡¯t have thedy balls to confront him about it. For some reason, I have been given a second chance here with Axel. Who is not Xander. I may have wanted him to be Xander when he was unconscious, but now that he is awake, now that his blue gaze bores into mine, now that the awareness behind those eyes is focused on me, it¡¯s clear to me that this man is nothing like Xander.


    Xander had aid-back charm about him, a goodness that seemed to permeate everything around him. He had a charisma which made me feel that the world could be a better ce than what people believed. It¡¯s why I wanted to be with him. He gave me hope. He was everything Axel is not.


    Where Xander was all light and brightness, Axel is darkness-he is deeper, moreplex, more intense, more secretive¡­in a way that makes me want to dig in and unearth what it is that he holds so close to his heart, what it is that he is concealing under the mask he shows to the rest of the world. And it¡¯s not only because his memories haven¡¯t returnedpletely¡­ It¡¯s something else. Something I can¡¯t put my finger on, something that pulls me closer, makes me want to throw myself at him and sink my teeth into his skin until I unearth whatever it is that lurks just under the surface.


    I bite down on my lower lip and his gaze drops to my mouth. His nostrils re. He stares at my mouth like he wants to taste me, consume me, absorb me into himself and never let go, and somehow, I have a feeling I wouldn¡¯t protest if he did so. I gulp, the sound audible in the silence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start something you won¡¯t be able to see through,¡± he drawls.


    I scowl, ¡°Good to know you already have a preset impression of me that has nothing to do with what I actually am.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He raises his gaze to mine, ¡°And what are you?¡±


    ¡°I am not as innocent as people make me out to be.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    I tip up my chin, ¡°Don¡¯t make the mistake of underestimating me.¡± I lean in close enough for our breaths to mingle. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake me for a wilting flower, because I am not.¡±


    He rakes his gaze across my features before meeting my eyes again. There¡¯s a sh of interest in the depths of his eyes, something I hadn¡¯t noticed before. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s seeing me properly for the first time. Asshole.


    ¡°When I make up my mind that I want something, I go after it. I can be very persistent.¡± I stare at his mouth and something hot unfurls in my chest. My core clenches and my pulse rate ratchets up. I draw in his breath and that musky, sweaty scent of his pours through my veins. I touch my lips to his, and the next moment, I am pulled into his chest. I lose my bnce, fall on him, and he groans.


    ¡°Oh hell, sorry, sorry, sorry,¡± I try to push away, but even in his weakened state, his arm around me holds me in ce.


    The color drains from his face, but he doesn¡¯t release me.


    ¡°I thought you still weren¡¯t able to use your arms and legs properly?¡±


    ¡°Turns out, I only need the right motivation.¡± He smirks. ¡°You were saying?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I frown, unable to turn my gaze away from that gorgeous mouth of his. The hard nes of his body dig into my chest. Damn, he may need rehab to get back on his feet, but lying horizontal like this, with every inch of my body stered to his, I feel smaller, softer, and overwhelmed by his masculinity. Every dip and ridge of his muscles, every indentation of his tendons, every hard ne of his body hints at the power coiled under his skin. Something only temporarily leashed by the position he is in now. It won¡¯t be long before he¡¯s back on his feet and then¡­


    He¡¯ll leave. I know he will. He¡¯ll walk away and I¡­ I won¡¯t have anything left to show. Again. And that¡­that I can¡¯t bear. Not again. I am not going to lose this man¡­ No, he is not Xander¡­ I know, but something about him pulls me in a way that Xander never did. My head spins. I don¡¯t know this man at all¡­but no way, am I letting him leave me. This time, I am going to stake my im. This time, I am going to make sure that I don¡¯tmit the mistakes of my past.


    ¡°You said something about being persistent?¡± His smile widens, ¡°Let¡¯s see how-¡±


    I lower my head and smash my mouth to his. I must take him by surprise because he parts his lips, and I thrust my tongue inside his mouth. A groan rips up his chest. The next moment, he grips my hair and tugs, so I have no choice but to jerk my chin up.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how this works, Sunshine,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Just because I am not one-hundred percent functional doesn¡¯t mean that you can take control.¡±


    ¡°And here I was, thinking you didn¡¯t want anything to do with me,¡± I say lightly.


    ¡°Oh, I still don¡¯t,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°Um¡­excuse me, but are you living in a parallel reality? From where I am,¡± I push my pelvis into the hard column between his legs that tents the hospital gown, ¡°it seems you want me a lot.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°I am never one to turn down free pussy.¡±


    I gape at him, ¡°You¡¯re an asshole.¡±


    ¡°So you keep saying, and yet you keep throwing yourself at me.¡±


    ¡°I am not-¡± I close my mouth.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡± He smirks. The bastard smirks as he takes in my flushed features.


    ¡°Okay, I admit, I¡¯m the one who made the first move. From the moment you stepped in front of me and that bullet hit you, I haven¡¯t been the same.¡± I swallow. ¡°You remind me of Xander and I know you are not the same, but tell that to my heart, which can¡¯t seem to tell the difference. I lost Xander and I don¡¯t want to lose you as well.¡±


    ¡°You never had me to lose me,¡± he points out.


    ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? All the time you were in aa, I kept watch over you, and I kept telling myself that you were not Xander, but a part of me refused to believe¡­ I still can¡¯t get my head around how simr the two of you are.¡±


    ¡°Put it down to being a coincidence,¡± he offers. ¡°I understand that it must be difficult for you to see him every time you look at me, but I promise you, I am not him.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± I close my eyes. ¡°Please, can you release me now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    I nce down at him, ¡°What do you mean, no?¡±


    ¡°You set out to kiss me; you may as well as do it properly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kiss you anymore.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Too-fucking-bad, Sunshine. You started the job; you have to finish it now.¡± He pushes down on my head until my nose bumps his, until my lips are poised over his and I can¡¯t escape that searing gaze of his which holds mine. He presses his lips to mine. He brushes his mouth over mine with such gentleness that my breath catches. He nibbles on my lower lip. I open my mouth and he sweeps his tongue across the inner seam of my lip. His tongue tangles with mine and a sh of fire ignites low in my belly. I wriggle against him, and the thickness between his legs seems to lengthen further. Vibrations of awareness shoot up my spine. Still holding my gaze, he deepens the kiss. He sucks on my tongue, draws from me, seems to consume my breath, my taste, my very soul, which he¡¯s about toy im to.


    No, no, no, he doesn¡¯t want me. He¡¯s made that clear. He only sees me as a willing body. Someone to y with while he regains his strength. Probably even, fuck while he figures out what to do next. I know I am the one who made the first move, but I hadn¡¯t expected the attraction to be this potent. I wanted toy im to him¡­but I am not ready to already feel so much for him. What if he leaves me, after all? What if he has his fun with me and decides to go his merry way? I would be shattered.


    I try to turn my head, but his grip on my hair holds me in ce.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I murmur against his lips. ¡°Please, let me go.¡±


    He loosens his grip and I pull away. I rise to my feet, straighten my clothes. ¡°I¡­ I am sorry; that shouldn¡¯t have happened. I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll get someone to help you to your feet.¡±


    I turn and rush to the door when, ¡°Theresa,¡± he calls out, ¡°it¡¯s okay that you lost your head around me. It¡¯s normal.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I scowl at him over my shoulder, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just my charm. I am irresistible; I understand.¡±


    ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± I sputter. ¡°Jesus, and I thought you had so much inmon in Xander.¡± I shake my head. ¡°You know what? You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°You are not him. You can¡¯t be him. Xander would never treat me like¡­like¡­¡±


    ¡°Like a submissive?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink.


    ¡°You¡¯re a natural submissive, Sunshine,¡± he drawls. ¡°No wonder, the Sovranos decided to adopt you as one of their own. They must have realized that you wouldn¡¯t survive for one second out in the big bad world. You, with your trusting nature and natural instinct to obey an order.¡±


    ¡°Jesus Christ, are you hearing yourself?¡± I ask. ¡°I am my own woman. I run a sessful business. I have my independence and-¡±


    ¡°How much sexual experience have you had?¡±


    I open and shut my mouth.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± His lips kick up. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter how much you deny it, it¡¯s in your nature to obey. It¡¯s in your DNA to feel most secure when you are following directions. You are the happiest when you are serving your master.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± I shake my head, ¡°That¡¯s a load of bull.¡±


    ¡°Your denying it doesn¡¯t change who you are.¡± He sprawls on the floor, a predator in repose, a lion stalking his prey and biding his time. Shit, and I had thought he was helpless? Ha, the joke¡¯s on me. And now he gives me that load of nonsense of being submissive.


    ¡°Whatever.¡± I toss my head. ¡°You deserve an early death thanks to your horrible habit.¡±


    ¡°My horrible habit?¡± He frowns.


    I nod toward the lighter and cigarettes on the side table. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Seb would actually get that for you. I was going to remove it from your room, but you know what? I don¡¯t think I will now.¡±


    ¡°Like I said,¡± his smile widens, ¡°you¡¯re a nurturer. A submissive with a soft heart who cares for others.¡±


    ¡°Stop reducing all of my actions to sexual signposts.¡± I throw up my hands. ¡°Just for that, you deserve to be alone.¡± I spin around and turn to leave, when he calls out.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    As if I am going to obey him? I reach for the door handle when, ¡°Theresa.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°Turn around and get your arse back here.¡±


    A shudder runs down my spine. My tummy flip-flops. Something shifts in my chest and I can¡¯t stop myself from turning to face him. Goddamn it. I don¡¯t want to obey him. I don¡¯t. I take a step forward, then another. I reach him, then scowl down at him.


    ¡°See that wasn¡¯t so difficult, was it?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Ride my face.¡±

 209

    Theresa


    ¡°Wh-a-a-t?¡± Of everything he could have said, honestly, this is thest thing that I could have anticipated.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± he jerks his chin toward his chest, ¡°sit on my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I gasp, ¡°what the hell is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong is that you are still standing.¡± He scowls. ¡°Take your panties off now and sit on my face, woman.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me force you.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± I flip my hair over my shoulder, ¡°you can¡¯t even get back into bed after you fell to the floor.¡±


    ¡°I can still use my tongue,¡± he smirks, ¡°and I can make you do anything I want.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bet on it.¡±


    ¡°Want another demonstration?¡± He arches an eyebrow.


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°Of course, not,¡± I say primly.


    ¡°Then take off your panties and sit on my goddamn mouth, right now.¡±


    Only when my fingers brush against the underside of my panties do I realize that I have obeyed him. I can¡¯t stop myself from pulling my panties down my legs. I kick them off and he nods. ¡°Good, now fit your pussy on my mouth.¡±


    A shiver runs down my spine. I squeeze my thighs together and one side of his lips kicks up. ¡°Come on Sunshine,¡± he coaxes, ¡°get that sweet cunt of yours in between my lips.¡±


    I step over his chest then lower myself down to a squat over his face. My cheeks heat as my dress bunches up around my thighs. He stares up and at the most intimate part of me. His nostrils re and his blue eyes seem to grow deeper in color. He licks his lips and my knees almost give way from under me.


    ¡°Come ¡®ere,¡± he growls, ¡°slide that glistening flesh across my mouth. Now.¡±


    I lower myself and when his hot breath sears my pussy I almost cry out. When he swipes his tongue up my core I do cry out, ¡°Xan-¡±


    He freezes, and only then, do I realize my mistake. ¡°Oh, hell, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. I-¡±


    He tips up his chin and fastens his mouth over my throbbing center.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I yell, ¡°omigod, omigod, Axel, no, what are you doin-¡± He thrusts his tongue inside my channel and my head rolls back in my neck. My thighs do give way and my knees hit the floor on either side of his head. I part my legs wide enough to avoiding into contact with the wound on his temple.


    My thigh muscles protest, and I huff when he thrusts his tongue in and out of me; in and out. He tongue fucks me and my entire body shudders. I grab hold of his hair on the unhurt side of his head; a growl rumbles up his chest. The vibrations envelop my pussy, travel up my spine. He pulls out of my channel only to curl his tongue around my clit. He bites down on the swollen bud and a trembling swoops up from my feet. It grips my thighs, my belly, shoots up my spine. ¡°Oh, god, oh, god.¡±


    He thrusts his tongue inside my channel again and I explode. The climax grips me and I p my hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming aloud.


    He continues to eat me out, licks on my core, sucks on my already sopping flesh and that¡¯s when I fall over. Literally, I smother his face with my pussy as I slump over him. He makes a humming noise in his throat and my pussy instantly clenches again. Oh hell, I need to put some distance between us, only until I can work out what just happened. I pull away from him and copse on my back next to him.


    ¡°Kiss me,¡± he demands.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Taste yourself on my mouth.¡±


    I turn my head and see his glistening lips. Moisture clings to his chin and I know that¡¯s my cum. Heat flushes my cheeks and he smirks.


    ¡°Lick yourself off my face, Sunshine.¡±


    My nipples tighten. When he puts it like that¡­ I lean over and kiss him, taste myself on his lips, and it¡¯s weirdly erotic. I lick his mouth, then his chin, then press kisses to his jaw, to the side of his throat. That dark, edgy scent of him,bined with the taste of my arousal is so hot. I kiss my way back to his mouth, then press my lips to his. Instantly, he closes his mouth around mine. He sucks on my lips, thrusts his tongue inside my mouth and deepens the kiss. My head spins as he once more fucks my mouth with his tongue. Jeez, that¡¯s one talented tongue he has there. Moisture beads my core, and I know if I stay, I¡¯ll simply fit my aching center over his dick and thrust down and take his entire length in one go and-


    ¡°What the hell is happening here?¡±


    A voice cuts through the haze in my head and I pull away, or try to, for he¡¯s once more gripped my hair and held me in ce.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I hiss.


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± he says in a normal voice.


    ¡°Clearly, you are recovering faster than expected.¡± The doctor walks in followed by Luca, then Michael.


    I struggle, try to pull away, but he doesn¡¯t let go. ¡°My panties, you asshole, I need to grab them.¡± He loosens his grip enough that I mber over him, grab my panties and shove them behind my back.


    The three men don¡¯t seem to notice, or if they do, they don¡¯t let on.


    Luca walks over to where Axel is still sprawled out on the floor. He continues to act like he owns the space.


    Luca bends, grips Axel¡¯s shoulders, and helps him to his feet. Axel sways, then leans his considerable weight on Luca, who grunts. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have been a little lighter?¡± He helps Axel to the bed.


    Axel copses on the bed with a sigh, then jerks his chin toward the assembled men, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little early for visiting hours?¡±


    The doctor presses his fingers to Axel¡¯s wrist and checks his pulse. Then, he straightens, pulls out his stethoscope, and proceeds to examine Axel.


    ¡°Well,¡± Axel scowls at Michael and Luca, ¡°what are the two of you doing here?¡±


    Michael ignores him. ¡°What do you think, Doc?¡±


    The doctor lowers his stethoscope, then takes his time coiling it up and shoving it into his pocket before turning to Michael. ¡°He¡¯s still going to need rehab.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s out of danger?¡±


    ¡°That much can be concluded, yes,¡± the doctor replies in a wry tone. ¡°If he keeps up this rate of recovery, there¡¯s no reason why he can¡¯t leave a little earlier than expected.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be out of here in two weeks,¡± Axel insists, ¡°mark my words.¡±


    ¡°Do you agree?¡± Michael turns to the doctor.


    ¡°Too early to tell, but if he responds well to the rehab, it¡¯s a possibility,¡± the doctor murmurs.


    ¡°Told you,¡± Axel smirks.


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡± Michael shakes his hand. ¡°I appreciate your assistance.¡±


    Luca gestures to the door. After a final look at Axel, the doctor leaves. Luca shuts the door, then turns and stands with his shoulders against it.


    Michael turns to nce between us, ¡°I have had my men working around the clock to fit out Xander¡¯s home with everything needed for your physical therapy.¡±


    ¡°And you are telling me this, why?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s where you are moving,¡± he states.

 210

    Axel


    ¡°Into Xander¡¯s home?¡± Luca bursts out. ¡°You are letting him move into our brother¡¯s home?¡±


    ¡°He is our brother too,¡± Michael replies without taking his gaze off of me.


    Luca seems like he is going to protest some more, then firms his lips.


    ¡°You want me to move into Xander¡¯s ce?¡± I rub the back of my neck, ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°If Xander were alive, he would have wanted you to move in under his roof, so he could get to know you better. Besides, his ce is lying vacant, and he would have hated for it to be treated like some kind of a shrine.¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ve moved his things out of his bedroom, and refurbished it to suit your needs. There are enough rooms to amodate a physical therapist, as well, and household staff on call around the clock to help provide for your needs. As for his studio,¡± Michael nces away, then back at me, ¡°I have left it as it is. You and Christian can decide what you want to do with his paintings.¡±


    What he¡¯s saying makes sense, but I am not sure how I feel about moving into Xander¡¯s home. Especially when I can¡¯t get over the suspicion that they are treating me as some kind of a recement for him. I purse my lips. ¡°And if I refuse?¡± I ask Michael.


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± he states.


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because you have nowhere else to go, and this is the only way you are going to stay alive.¡±


    ¡°Brotherly love, huh? Gotta say, it hits me right here,¡± I manage to raise my hand and thump my chest, then wince when even that small action causes my muscles to protest.


    ¡°The house will be guarded, of course,¡± Michael adds.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I tilt my head.Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°For your own protection.¡±


    And so you can track my movements, no doubt.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t yet been able to trace the identity of the man who broke into your hospital room. Whoever he was, he¡¯s not on the police database, nor is he affiliated to any of our rival gangs,¡± he watches me closely as he speaks, ¡°I take it that doesn¡¯t surprise you?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± I admit, ¡°the people we are dealing with are not amateurs.¡±


    ¡°And you know that, how?¡±


    ¡°Just a feeling,¡± I rub the back of my neck, ¡°doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t have a clear recollection of my past. Instinct tells me the people I worked with are the ones who sent the man to kill me. And considering they were my associates, I can promise you they are professionals. They don¡¯t muck about.¡±


    ¡°You were lucky Christian shot him when he did,¡± Michael points out.


    ¡°Are you telling me this because you want me to apologize to him for what I did to him and his wife?¡±


    ¡°It would help.¡± Michael¡¯s gaze narrows, ¡°In this business, family is what has your back. Family is what makes you strong enough that you can take on your rivals.¡±


    ¡°You mean, safety in numbers?¡±


    ¡°We have a lot of enemies. If we fight with each other, it only makes us weak.¡±


    I stay silent.


    He watches me for a few seconds, then tilts his head, ¡°I have arranged for the doctors to check you out regrly; and the physical therapists will help you get back on your feet.¡±


    ¡°You seem as much in a hurry for me to get better as I am.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my brother,¡± Michael raises a shoulder, ¡°of course, I want you to get better.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bullshit me, Michael,¡± I drawl. ¡°What¡¯s the real deal here?¡±


    ¡°We need you to regain your memory so we can find out who put you up to killing Christian.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I am aware that your arranging for me to stay here buys me time to get me back on my feet, but don¡¯t mistake it for weakness. I don¡¯t take kindly to orders.¡±


    We re at each other, then Michael bares his teeth, ¡°If it was your idea to kill Christian, then nothing in the world can save you, Axel.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Theresa walks over to stand between me and Michael, ¡°you can¡¯t be implying what you think I am.¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t have a choice, Theresa. If he¡¯s turned against us, then I can¡¯t let him live.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Theresa shakes her head, ¡°there must be some other way.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope the reason for his actions doesn¡¯t turn out to be the kind that necessitates such action then.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s your brother, Michael,¡± Theresa pleads with him. And for some reason, I hate it. She shouldn¡¯t be asking him to spare my life. Hell, she shouldn¡¯t be asking anyone for anything¡­ Except. me. She should be pleading with me for her orgasm. Pleading with me to spank her. Pleading with me to make here. Pleading with me for my forgiveness. She should be allowed to only use that tone of voice with me, not anyone else.


    ¡°Please, Michael, don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Theresa, stop. You don¡¯t need to beseech him for anything.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she scowls at me over her shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s the Don, in case you hadn¡¯t noticed. He can take anyone¡¯s life at any time, and no one can say no to him.¡±


    ¡°So can I.¡± The words burst out of me and I am not sure where theye from. Perhaps instinct, or perhaps, I am regaining some of my memory.


    I nce up to find Michael and Luca watching me intently.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Theresa asks in a low voice. ¡°Why did you say that. Is it because you¡¯re like Michael? Are you also a Don? But that doesn¡¯t make sense. If you were the head of a n, you wouldn¡¯t be going around dirtying your hands. You would be putting others up to the job.¡±


    ¡°Unless this was so personal-¡± Michael interjects.


    ¡°-that I couldn¡¯t trust anyone else,¡± I exchange nces with him. So we are on opposite teams, for all purposes, but damn, if the two of us don¡¯t think alike. If my brief interaction with my other brothers is any indication, Michael and I are the closest when ites to how we approach a problem.


    ¡°So you understand why I need to keep you under guard for the moment?¡± Michael murmurs. ¡°You may be my brother, but until you give me a reason to trust you, I¡¯ll have to treat you as I would a potential enemy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have done the same thing in your position,¡± I admit. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I am not going to be angry with you for doing this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have the same reaction,¡± Michael agrees.


    ¡°Jesus, for guys who don¡¯t like each other, you sure do think alike,¡± Luca grumbles.


    ¡°For the moment, at least, we are on the same side.¡± I shoot Michael a nce. ¡°At least, until I am back on my feet, you can be assured that I won¡¯t have the strength toe for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding my breath,¡± Michael informs him. ¡°And you Theresa,¡± he turns to me, ¡°what are you going to do, now that Axel is moving out of the hospital?¡±


    ¡°She goes with me,¡± I snap.


    ¡°No way, am I going anywhere with you,¡± Theresa retorts at the same time, then shoots me an angry nce. So fucking cute. Like she has any say in this matter.


    I re at Michael, who¡¯s watching our exchange with interest.


    ¡°Surely, Theresa has a say in this matter,¡± Luca suggests.


    ¡°No,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Theresa wraps her arms about her waist. ¡°I can go where I want, when I want, and no one can stop me.¡±


    She spins around and stomps to the door, but Luca blocks her way.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she says in a low voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do that,¡± Luca replies, his tone gentle. ¡°It¡¯s not safe for you to be without someone guarding you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She tips up her chin, ¡°Why? I have never had guards on me before.¡±


    ¡°You were almost killed-¡±


    ¡°By mistake. I happened to be in the wrong ce at the wrong time; the bullet wasn¡¯t meant for me.¡±


    ¡°Probably not, but until we figure out who the person who shot Axel was aiming at, no-one in the family is allowed to go anywhere unprotected.¡±


    ¡°So what? I am supposed to walk around with guards in tow?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll need someone in your home, as well,¡± Michael interjects.


    ¡°What?¡± I turn around, ¡°That¡¯s terrible. I don¡¯t want anyoneing into my house.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Axel adds. ¡°I am notfortable with any man in her personal space.¡±


    ¡°Unless it¡¯s you, I presume?¡± Luca chuckles.


    I re at him and he turns the sound into a cough. ¡°Sorry, it was merely an observation.¡±


    ¡°Not funny,¡± I scowl at him.


    ¡°You may have a point,¡± Axel says slowly. ¡°She definitely needs a guard on her. From everyone, except me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Michael¡¯s eyebrows shoot up, ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because I took a bullet for her,¡± Axel drawls. ¡°Ergo, technically, I am the only one proven not to want to harm her.¡±


    Maybe not bodily harm¡­ No, not that. Maybe he won¡¯t kill me, but there are other things he can do to my body and my emotions which may cause a different kind of harm. The kind that I won¡¯t be able to get over quickly.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Luca frowns.


    ¡°That she moves in with me.¡±

 211

    Theresa


    I nce out of the window of my room in Xander¡¯s home. I had often imagined myself living here with him. I had never thought I¡¯d end up here as a houseguest of his triplet.


    When Axel had demanded that I move in here, I had wanted to refuse. But then he¡¯d turned to me and used that tone of voice, the one I can¡¯t refuse, the one where he¡¯d lowered his pitch and ordered me to move in with him, and I had found myself agreeing. Damn it, why is it that I am unable to stand up to him? Why is it that he only has to re at me and something inside of me seems to melt instantly? My chest feels funny, my stomach wobbles, and I find myself saying yes.


    What the hell is wrong with me?


    I grab my phone, and review the messages from Elsa, my employee and friend. Dammit, I really do need to text and let her know that I¡¯ll be at the flower shop very soon. She¡¯s covered for me thest two weeks when I had been by Axel¡¯s side. I know that it was a stretch for her, but she had done it withoutints. She¡¯s already gone that extra mile for me and I don¡¯t want to inconvenience her any further. I start typing a message, then erase it. If I message her now, she¡¯ll only message me back and ask me where I was, and honestly, that¡¯s a conversation I¡¯d prefer to have face-to-face.


    Instead, I dial Cass¡¯ number.


    ¡°Hey,¡± her face fills the screen , ¡°how are you?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She frowns. ¡°Everything okay with Axel? I heard from Karma that he¡¯s awake?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°he is, and now I wish he weren¡¯t.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean that-aargh.¡± I force myself to rx. ¡°Goddamn it, he ties me up in knots, that man.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Cass says in a careful voice. ¡°The man just woke up from aa; surely, he can¡¯t be that much of a threat.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯d think,¡± I shake my head, ¡°considering he managed to get on his feet a few seconds after opening his eyes-¡±


    ¡°You mean, because of the break-in?¡± She must notice the confusion on my face because she adds, ¡°I heard about it from Adrian. Must have been the adrenaline of finding himself under threat that made him do that, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I hunch my shoulders, ¡°when the intruder flung me away, I lost consciousness.¡±


    ¡°I heard,¡± she says gently. ¡°I assume that¡¯s why you have a bandage on your forehead?¡±


    ¡°The doctor¡¯s think that burst of activity has set back his recovery time though, as he put a lot of strain on his already weak muscles.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± she murmurs. ¡°How is he now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in a room in the other wing.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She blinks rapidly. ¡°So you are in the same house as him?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I say glumly, ¡°or rather, I am in Xander¡¯s house that Michael decided to loan to Axel.¡±


    ¡°So what does that have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°The men seem to think I need to be protected until they track down the guy who shot Axel at Christian and Aurora¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°Which makes sense, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± I scowl, ¡°but why do I have to move in with him?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, so you moved into Xander¡¯s ce, which is now Axel¡¯s ce?¡± Her gaze widens.


    ¡°Not my idea, trust me.¡±


    ¡°But you are in a different room?¡±


    ¡°Yep, and the house is guarded, and apparently, I need to be chauffeured around by one of the Sovrano brothers, at all times.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem so bad, does it?¡±


    ¡°On the face of it, no,¡± I say with reluctance, ¡°it¡¯s just that-?¡±


    ¡°Your family is upset about it?¡±


    ¡°Not after Michael spoke to them and told them he¡¯d be taking care of me.¡± I huff, ¡°He¡¯s the Don; obviously, they won¡¯t go against his word.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re upset about it?¡±


    ¡°I understand, they think I need to be protected, but moving into the house that Xander lived in¡­¡± I pause to collect my thoughts. ¡°When I am in this house, I am surrounded by memories of Xander. Can you imagine? I am stuck here, thinking of him, and then Axel is also here with me.¡± I wring my fingers together. ¡°It¡¯s driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she bites the inside of her cheek, ¡°something you¡¯re not telling me, Theresa?¡±


    ¡°What? No.¡± My cheeks heat.


    ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar,¡± she teases. ¡°Are you attracted to Axel?¡±


    I open my mouth to answer and she raises her hand, ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me. Clearly, you feel something for him. The question is whether you are able to resist him.¡±


    I hang my head.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what it seems,¡± I protest


    ¡°Oh?¡± She tilts her head, ¡°Then how is it?¡±


    ¡°I, ah, didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, you didn¡¯t have a choice? Did he force you?¡± She scowls, ¡°Come to think of it, he¡¯s still recuperating; he couldn¡¯t have physically forced you.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I am not understanding this.¡± Her brow furrows.


    ¡°He asked me to move in with him and I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t refuse?¡± She repeats the words slowly as if I am speaking anguage that she doesn¡¯t quite understand.


    ¡°Yeah, when he orders me to do something, I seem unable to say no.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± her brow smoothens, ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, I see?¡± I huff. ¡°I don¡¯t like it when you use that tone of voice.¡±


    ¡°What tone of voice?¡±


    ¡°That one,¡± I point my finger at her-or rather, at the screen. ¡°That smug tone of voice which seems to indicate that you know something I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I do know something that you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I scowl, ¡°Well, out with it then. What is it that you know and I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Her eyes gleam.


    ¡°Nooo,¡± I groan, ¡°don¡¯t do this. Please, don¡¯t do this, Cass. Don¡¯t be so mean. I really need to understand what¡¯s happening here, and if you know something and you are not telling me, then it¡¯s going to eat at me. I won¡¯t be able to sleep now, please, Cass-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in his power.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Okay, that came out wrong.¡± She nces away, then back at the screen. ¡°I mean, clearly, his will is stronger than yours, and you are attracted to him, so-¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s not above using his dominance to make you do his bidding.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± I glower at her, ¡°I kind of guessed that, but this has never happened to me before. I¡¯ve never found myself rushing to do someone¡¯s bidding like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you are a particrly strong-willed person, Theresa, and I mean that in the mostplimentary fashion.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I don¡¯t think that was apliment, ¡°you make me sound like a¡­a weak indecisive person.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± Cass shakes her head, ¡°all I¡¯m saying is that you have a soft heart. You tend to feel things deeply and see everything from an emotional view point.¡±


    ¡°And you think that¡¯s a bad thing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something others can take advantage of.¡±


    ¡°Like Axel?¡±


    ¡°Among others, yes.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± I begin to pace. ¡°I¡¯ve always been the kind of person who can see the other¡¯s point of view, you know? I understand where they areing from. And if I can get by without hurting the other person, then well, I¡¯d prefer that.¡±


    She stares knowingly at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I glower at her. ¡°Just because I prefer for everyone to be happy doesn¡¯t make me weak.¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± she agrees, ¡°it makes you very human, very soft, very¡­¡±


    ¡°Say it.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Submissive,¡± she says reluctantly.


    ¡°I am not submissive,¡± I snap.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± she says in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s also what makes the Sovrano¡¯s want to adopt you into their family and take care of you, I think. It¡¯s also why-¡±


    ¡°Axel, can order me around and I can¡¯t turn him down.¡±


    ¡°I am sure that it makes him happy when you obey him.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± I say dully. And here I was, thinking that I had my own business, that I have proven myself to be someone who can take care of herself, stand on her own two feet without having to depend on anyone else, someone who has actually turned her passion into a sessful career.


    ¡°Being submissive doesn¡¯t take away from your other achievements,¡± she murmurs as if she¡¯s reading my mind. ¡°You actually hold the power, you know?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I scoff, ¡°when he res at me and tells me what to do and I obey, despite not wanting to, trust me, it doesn¡¯t seem to me, then, that I hold the power.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you do. If you don¡¯t obey him, it¡¯ll upset him.¡±


    ¡°But I do,¡± I snap back. ¡°That¡¯s the entire problem. I can¡¯t tell him no, know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°And by doing so, you are putting yourself in his hands and that¡¯s a big responsibility. You¡¯re allowing him to take care of you, to do what he thinks is right for you. If you¡¯re not happy with what he does, then he has to change tactics and figure out what does make you happy. You get me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I glower, ¡°you are confusing me. And for all that you said, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that, even though I don¡¯t want to do as he says, when hemands me, I find my body seems to want to obey. My logical mind resists, but it¡¯s like a switch inside of me seems to flip, and then I scurry to do what he wants.¡±


    ¡°So why don¡¯t you use that to your advantage?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do as he says, give him your assent, then use it to make him do what you want.¡±


    ¡°And how do I do that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for you to figure out.¡± She smiles.


    ¡°You¡¯re really not helping me, you know that?¡±


    Her smile widens, ¡°I know it can seem confusing, but just trust your instinct.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say; you haven¡¯t been in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I?¡± Her smile is secretive.


    I stare at her. ¡°Shut up.¡± I peer into her features, ¡°Are you telling me this entire submission-dominance thingie is something you have experienced before?¡±


    She makes a motion of zipping her lips, ¡°Not saying anything.¡±


    ¡°Aw,e on,¡± I protest, ¡°you¡¯re no fun, you know that?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about me anyway,¡± she murmurs. ¡°You¡¯re a smart person, Theresa. I am sure that you¡¯ll figure out a way to have Axel wrapped around your little finger.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t want him wrapped about anything.¡± I scowl. ¡°I just wish there were a way I could resist him.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She nces off screen, ¡°Sorry, Theresa, but I¡¯ve gotta go. I need to get dinner ready.¡±


    The screen goes dark. I ce my phone down, turn back to survey my room. It¡¯s spacious, a suite actually, with a living room, a kitchen, a bedroom with an adjoining balcony from which I have an unrestricted view of the sea. The bedroom itself-which is where I am now-isfortably furnished with a wooden floor, arge bed with plenty of cushions, a dresser and two doors, one of which leads into a closet and the other into a bathroom.


    I walk into the closet and survey my clothes, which Michael had arranged to be brought to me. Overall, the Sovranos are supporting Axel in this move. Even though, from the earlier conversation, it had been clear to me that there are tensions simmering between Axel and the other brothers. Well, maybe not Seb; he and Axel seem to get along just fine. It had been Luca and Michael who hadn¡¯t seemed particrly happy with Axel. And of course, Christian. Axel¡¯s triplet had been nowhere to be seen, though I assume, he met Axel at some point. So clearly, he is stilling to terms with Axel¡¯s appearance.


    All in all, I feelpletely unsettled, like someone pulled the rug out from under me. It had, somehow, been easier when Axel had been unconscious. I could stare at him and almost convince myself that he was Xander. But once he had woken, the awareness in his eyes, the way he hadmanded me to ride his face and made me orgasm, all of it was very un-Xander like. It leaves me with no doubt that I am dealing with an apex predator. Someone who will chew me up and spit me out; someone who could reduce me to a puddle of raw need by just looking at me; someone who makes me hate him and lust after him in the same moment. Gah!


    There¡¯s a knock on the door to the bedroom.


    I turn, ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡±

 212

    Theresa


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Sheena.¡± The woman hovers just inside the doorway.


    She wears pale pink scrubs, which should really be unmorous, but with her petite figure and straight ck hair that flows to her chin and her shining eyes, she looks smart. ¡°The door to the suite was open,¡± she exins, ¡°so I walked in. I hope I am not intruding?¡±


    ¡°Who are you, again?¡±


    ¡°The physical therapist; I am in charge of Mr. Sutton¡¯s rehabilitation.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Sutton?¡±


    ¡°Axel?¡± she rifies. ¡°That¡¯s his surname.¡±


    Of course, it is. He didn¡¯t grow up with the Sovranos, so why had I assumed that he¡¯d share their surname? I hadn¡¯t even thought to ask him what his surname is. And this perky little thing had found out about it before me. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. She¡¯s also going to help Axel with his exercises and get him back on his feet. And dammit, I am even more jealous when she calls him by his given name. Wonder what kind of rehabilitation she has in mind for him? No doubt, she¡¯ll use the excuse to have her hands on him. And likely, he¡¯ll return the favor. Wonder if hemanded her to ride his face within minutes of their first meeting, as well. Okay, so it was the second meeting when he proceeded to eat out my pussy, but perhaps, he won¡¯t show the same restraint with this woman.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she murmurs, still standing by the doorway. ¡°You went a little pale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I just haven¡¯t had anything to eat all day. I was too busy moving in here, so,¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°I understand. Would you like to get something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± I hesitate, ¡°I am not really sure.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. There¡¯s a lot of food that has been catered in for the team that¡¯s helping Axel get back on his feet. There¡¯s more than enough for everyone.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a team helping him?¡±


    ¡°Don Sovrano has roped in the best in the profession for his brother,¡± Sheena informs me.


    Why didn¡¯t I know that? To be fair, since the entire topic of my moving into Axel¡¯s ce hade up, I¡¯d gotten so pissed off that I¡¯d stomped out of his hospital room and I haven¡¯t checked in on him since. In reality, I am upset with myself for having given in to him so easily. Why does he have this influence on me? Why is it that I already find it so difficult to deny him?


    I¡¯ve decided it¡¯s best to stay out of his way, for the time being, at least. Best to stay in my room and get on with my life. It¡¯s time I return to my floral business anyway. It¡¯s a good thing I have a reliable employee, but it¡¯s time I resume my responsibilities. I¡¯ve already been away from my shop for too long.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± I murmur. ¡°He¡¯ll be back on his feet in no time, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a fighter, no doubt about it,¡± she agrees. ¡°He¡¯s been pushing himself during the physiotherapy sessions. I had to caution him to go slowly, not that he listened to me.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not,¡± I snort. ¡°That man has a mind of his own. Does he have to go to the hospital for the physio sessions?¡±


    ¡°No, Don Sovrano had a room converted into a studio with all the necessary equipment,¡± she replies. ¡°In addition to that, there is a team of nurses who will be taking care of him around the clock. Michael really has pulled out all the stops.¡±


    ¡°Has he?¡±


    She nods, ¡°Axel is getting the best care possible, and his condition is improving by the minute.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, for the update,¡± I scowl at her, ¡°although I am not sure why you are telling me?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you his girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I snap. ¡°Who told you that?¡±


    ¡°No one.¡± She furrows her eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s just that you are the only other person living in this house so, I assumed.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t,¡± I snap, then blow out a breath. ¡°I am sorry; I didn¡¯t mean to be a bitch.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she says in a soft voice, ¡°you must be under a lot of stress because of his injury.¡±


    ¡°Yes. No.¡± I shake my head. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m d he¡¯s on his way to getting better.¡± I grab my handbag from the bedstead, then head for the doorway and brush past her. I walk into the living room and she follows me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I upset you. I just thought you¡¯d want to know about his condition.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I mutter. Good thing I¡¯ve already showered and dressed. I have already messaged Adrian, my designated driver for this morning, and he told me he¡¯d pick me up at 9 am.


    I walk down the steps and toward the front door.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see him before you leave?¡± she calls out after me.


    I hesitate, then shake my head. ¡°No, I am already runningte.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take but a moment. I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be happy to see you.¡±


    But how will I feel when I see him? I can¡¯t risk allowing him to use his maism on me again. Can¡¯t risk agreeing to something else that he asks me to do. No, I am going to hold off on seeing him until I feel like I am able to resist him¡­somewhat.


    ¡°I really have to go.¡± I secure my bag over my shoulder, reach the front door of the house, and wrench it open. The man at the doorway nods at me as I race past him, down the steps, and toward the car waiting for me. Adrian pushes away from the back door and holds it open. I slip into the back seat. He slides into the driver¡¯s seat, then eases the car down the driveway.


    We drive in rtive silence. He halts at a signal, then eyes me in the rearview mirror. ¡°You okay?¡± he asks.


    I turn to face him, ¡°Yeah,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°still getting used to the idea of being chauffeured around,¡± I admit, ¡°not to mention, it¡¯s unsettling to realize I am under the protection of the Sovranos.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safe for you,¡± he reminds me in a gentle voice, ¡°and it¡¯s only until they figure out who shot at you.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the target though, was I?¡± I murmur, ¡°I just happened to be in the path of the bullet.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± he agrees. ¡°Still, you could have been shot.¡±


    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t,¡± I point out.


    ¡°But he did take the bullet for you,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°What a mess.¡± I turn to face out the window. ¡°I wish I could get my life back, before all this happened.¡±


    ¡°Were you happy then?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say without hesitation. ¡°Maybe I would have been happier if Xander had reciprocated my affections, but I was confident that I could get to him, eventually. I had¡­still have, my business. I love what I do. I had a social life, friends-¡±


    ¡°Who you can still keep in touch with.¡±


    ¡°Try to exin to them what you are doing under house arrest and living under the same roof as a man you barely know.¡±


    ¡°A man who saved your life.¡±


    ¡°That too.¡± I scowl at the shops we pass by. ¡°Imagine telling a normal person that you were almost shot, then see how they try toprehend your life and fail.¡±


    ¡°Your life was never normal,¡± he remarks.


    ¡°Maybe not right now,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, ¡°but it used to be.¡±


    ¡°You sure of that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He nces at my reflection in the mirror, then once more, at the road ahead. ¡°You were interested in Xander, who was the Don¡¯s son. Some part of you must have realized the road you were going down?¡±


    ¡°You mean, realizing that, at some point, I was going to be shot at?¡± I say in a wry tone. ¡°Not to mention, probably held under house arrest while having most of my freedom taken from me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s as good or as bad as you make it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am notining about it. I understand why I need to be guarded at the moment. Doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t, on asion, think of a life outside it as well?¡±


    We continue driving in silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I am not grateful for being protected,¡± I finally exin. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s nice of you to have taken the time to drive me to work today.¡±


    ¡°Not like I had a choice.¡± He smirks.


    I must look stricken because heughs.


    ¡°Not that I mind it. I¡¯d rather be ying chauffeur than working on anything else.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But surely, you must have a normal life-a family, things you¡¯d rather be doing than be here.¡±


    Something flickers across his features. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he finally admits. ¡°But since I am not going to be making headway there at the moment-¡± he raises a shoulder, ¡°I might as well be your chauffeur today.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I lean forward in my seat. ¡°Is it an affair of the heart we are talking about? Are you interested in Cassandra?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Aww,e on. You¡¯ve fallen for someone, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That might be too strong a word.¡± His grin widens. ¡°You know we Sovranos don¡¯t believe in love.¡±


    ¡°And yet, Michael married Karma. Are you telling me he¡¯s not in love with her?¡±


    ¡°He did kidnap her first,¡± he reminds me. ¡°As did Christian with Aurora. He held her captive until she fell in love and agreed to be his wife.¡±


    A shiver runs down my spine. ¡°Is that the Sovrano MO?¡± I ask lightly. ¡°Take them, then hold them prisoner until they agree to do your bidding?¡±


    ¡°With the kind of background we have, I¡¯d be surprised if the rest of us don¡¯t follow a simr path.¡± Heughs.


    ¡°Axel wasn¡¯t brought up with you lot,¡± I retort. ¡°Not that I know much of his background. What are the chances that, inparison, he had a more normal childhood?¡±


    He raises his gaze to mine in the mirror.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°guess he¡¯s as screwed up as the rest of you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Maybe more?¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I slump in my seat, ¡°not that it matters or anything. I mean, it¡¯s not like I am interested in in him.¡±


    He chuckles. The smirk is back in full effect on his face. Ugh! Why do all of the brothers have this raw, feral appeal about them. It simply invites a woman to try to tame them.


    I narrow my eyes. ¡°Are youughing at me?¡±

 213

    Theresa


    He wipes the grin off of his face. ¡°Of course, not.¡±


    ¡°Good. And for the record, I do know that you and Cass have a thing going on.¡±


    His features firm. He narrows his gaze on me in the mirror, then returns his attention to the road.


    I chuckle. ¡°You do like her, don¡¯t you?¡±


    No response. Not that I was expecting one. Still, I wouldn¡¯t have expected Adrian to turn out to be this chatty. I figure I might be able to get some information from him while he¡¯s still in a mood to talk to me¡­ A mood which seems to have evaporated since I mentioned Cass.


    ¡°I spoke to her before I got in the car,¡± I continue. ¡°She seemed fine, in case you were wondering. Not that you asked me or anything. I mean, I am sure you speak to her whenever you go to see Michael. I mean-¡± I hit the back of my head against the headrest, ¡°now I am putting my foot in my mouth, right? Are you taking the long way to the shop or what?¡± Iugh nervously.


    Almost immediately, the car slows to a stop. I nce up and find we are at our destination. Finally. ¡°Oh, here we are. Thanks for the ride,¡± I push open the door and jump out before Adrian cane around to get it for me. I tap on the window on the passenger side and he lowers it.


    ¡°I can find my way back.¡±


    He stares at me.


    I blow out a breath, ¡°No seriously, I have lived in this town my entire life. I should be able to find my way back without any problem.¡±


    He merely holds my gaze.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I throw up my hands, ¡°I¡¯ll be done by five.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here.¡±


    I turn around and enter the The Tilted Tulip. When I nce back, the car is only just pulling away. So, he waited until he was sure I was safely inside. Was it Axel who told him to do so? Doesn¡¯t matter.


    I draw in a breath and the scent of roses, lilies, and hibiscus envelops me. I drag the scent of the flowers into my lungs and my muscles immediately rx. It¡¯s always been this way. I walk into my shop and I feel instantly calmer. This is my space, my little heaven that I have carved out in the middle of the craziness that is life. I maye from the Mafia, and when I am with the Sovranos I often end up falling into the stereotype of a meek woman, but I had managed to give shape to my dream. I had found a way to open this flower shop, hadn¡¯t I? This is my baby, this business, and it means so much to me. Yet one look at a wounded Axel, and I had dropped everything to be by his side. That man has the ability to make me forget my priorities. Not to mention, when he asks me to do something, I seem unable to refuse him. It¡¯s like his dominancepletely overpowers me, and pushes everything else out of my mind.


    I approach the counter and Elsa nces up.


    ¡°Theresa!¡± she exims. ¡°Finally-I have been so worried about you.¡±


    Shees around the counter and throws her arms about me. ¡°Thest time you messaged me was from the hospital when you said an emergency hade up and that you might not be able toe into the shop for a few weeks. Then you seemed to vanish off the face of the earth. I texted you so many times. Did you get my messages?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I am so sorry I didn¡¯t reply to them.¡± I hug her back. ¡°It¡¯s just, I knew the business was in safe hands, so I could focus on what needed to be done and not worry about the shop. I owe you a big thank you Elsa. If you hadn¡¯t been here to take over of all the day-to-day operations of the shop, I would have never managed to take so much time off.¡±


    Elsa blushes, ¡°I was only doing my job.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°on the contrary, you went above and beyond what anyone else would have done. You treat this business as if it is your own, and I want you to know how much I appreciate you. In fact, I want you to take over the day-to-day running of the shop from now on.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Her gaze widens, what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Effective immediately, I am promoting you to General Manager of the shop.¡±


    ¡°OMG!¡± Her gaze widens.


    ¡°I¡¯m also putting you on sry and raising your sry by twenty-five percent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, vow!¡± She blinks rapidly, ¡°Really? Are you sure? Not that I can¡¯t do with the extra money but I have to ask.¡±


    ¡°I am sure!¡± I smile, ¡°You deserve it, Elsa. It¡¯s because you are so capable and so dedicated that I could stay away and not worry about the business going into decline.¡± I step back, and take her hands in mine, ¡°How can I ever repay you for what you did?¡±


    ¡°By telling me what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I release her hands, ¡°I was uh, busy. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a man, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to blush.


    She chuckles, ¡°Knew it!¡± Then she pauses and peers into my face, ¡°Were you with a Sovrano?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Well?¡± She tilts her head, ¡°So, you were with a Sovrano?¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡± I brush past her and into the back of the shop. I toss my bag onto the table pushed up against the window, then head over to the small kitchen alcove. I top up the espresso maker and set it on the stove.


    ¡°Now you have me really curious.¡± Elsaes up to stand next to me. ¡°Is everything okay, Theresa?¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± I turn to face her, ¡°everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°I called your family and they told me that you have moved in with the Sovranos.¡±


    ¡°Not with the Sovranos; with a Sovrano.¡±


    Her gaze widens. ¡°So, you are living with one of the mob?¡±


    ¡°You know my family is connected to the Sovranos, right? My father is their gardener, and my mother used to clean their home, before my brother was born.¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°So, when I needed the money to buy this ce, Xander loaned it to me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she taps her toe on the ground. ¡°You were in love with Xander, so I¡¯m not surprised that you epted the loan from him. But Xander was one of the Sovranos, so technically, that made his money mob money.¡±


    ¡°He made the money from selling his paintings, so technically, it¡¯s not mob money, but yeah, I know what you mean. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for me, to be honest. I figured I¡¯d end up married to him eventually, and anyway, the Cosa Nostra is part of life here.¡±


    ¡°R-i-g-h-t,¡± she purses her lips.


    ¡°You cool with that? It¡¯s not something I thought to mention earlier. But it isn¡¯t exactly something I could bring up in everyday conversation.¡±


    ¡°I am new to Sicily, so yeah, the Cosa Nostra is more of a concept for me. It¡¯s just, you know¡­ Common sense dictates that one should steer clear of any mob involvement, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°So, you are okay with it?¡±


    ¡°I need this job, I enjoy working with you, so yeah, I am fine. Besides, you are the only friend I have in Palermo, so you ain¡¯t getting rid of me that easily,¡± she grins.


    ¡°Oh, thank god,¡± I throw my arms around her and hug her, ¡°I really value our friendship too.¡±


    She pats my shoulder.


    I pull back, ¡°I know you¡¯re not all that enamored with the Sovranos, but I did go to the same school as them, and I¡¯ve known them all my life. They are very much like family to me.¡±


    ¡°And now you¡¯ve hooked up with one of them.¡± She lowers her arms to her sides.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± I step back. ¡°I am simply staying under the same roof as Axel, until the uh, danger passes.¡±


    ¡°Danger?¡± She pales. ¡°Are you in danger? Is that why you¡¯re hurt?¡± She gestures to the bandage at my temple.


    Shit, I¡¯d forgotten about that.


    The espresso pot begins to boil and I raise it off the stove and pour out the fragrant brew into two cups.


    ¡°Here,¡± I hand one to her, then grab a biscotti from the jar and walk over to take my seat behind the table. Elsa drops down into the seat in front of me.


    ¡°So,¡± she takes a sip of espresso from her cup, ¡°how did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°I uh, there was an intruder-¡±


    ¡°An intruder?¡± Her eyes bug out. ¡°Are you okay? Were you robbed?¡±


    ¡°He broke into Axel¡¯s hospital room.¡±


    ¡°Axel?¡± She frowns. ¡°So, he was the emergency, the reason you were imunicado for thest few weeks?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°He¡¯s also one of the Sovranos, I take it?¡±


    ¡°He is.¡± I shift in my seat. Why can¡¯t I getfortable?.


    ¡°Why were you in his hospital room?¡±


    ¡°I was uh, watching over him while he was in aa.¡±


    ¡°He was in aa,¡± she says the words slowly, ¡°and you were watching over him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°The thing is, Axel looks like Xander.¡±


    ¡°Hold on; back up.¡± She ces her cup back in its saucer. ¡°So, this Axel guy looks like your ex-crush?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also Xander¡¯s triplet.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± she opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°is it too early to drink something stronger?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s barely 9. 30 am,¡± I say dryly. ¡°Oh, and by the way, he took a bullet for me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± She gapes at me, ¡°Someone shot at you?¡±


    ¡°Not me, per se. It was intended for one of the Sovranos, but I got in the way.¡±


    ¡°And he stepped in front of you? Is he in love with you?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t know who I was. I think it was instinct that had him cing himself between me and the bullet.¡±


    ¡°Instinct, eh?¡± Her forehead creases.


    ¡°The bullet grazed his temple. He suffered significant blood loss, so the doctors had to induce aa to help him heal.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± She leans a hip against the counter. ¡°So, he was in aa for thest two weeks and you were with him?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°But he¡¯s better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I drain my espresso and ce the cup back in its saucer, ¡°and now you know everything.¡±


    ¡°Not everything.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I crunch down the biscotti, ¡°Sure, you do.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you and this Axel didn¡¯t,¡± she ces the fingertips of both hands against each other.


    My cheeks heat. ¡°No, we, didn¡¯t,¡± I mutter. ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, the man was unconscious until two days ago.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s recovering quickly?¡±


    ¡°Very quickly,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Enough for the two of you to have done some hanky-panky, while he was prone on the bed.¡±


    I spring up from my seat. ¡°I think I heard the bell of the shop door. Did someone just walk in? You know, we need to have someone at the front counter at all times, right? We can¡¯t afford to be seen as unprofessional.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± she rises to her feet, ¡°I can take a hint. If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, you just have to tell me; no need to invent excuses.


    She turns to leave and I call out, ¡°Really, Elsa, there¡¯s nothing more to it.¡±


    She raises a finger over her shoulder, ¡°You know you can¡¯t lie to save your life, right? I am going to get it out of you, one way or the other, Mother Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t call me that, please.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t me me. You are too good-natured, too much of a do-gooder, and you can¡¯t lie for shit¡­ If the shoe fits¡­¡± She chuckles as she walks out of the office. I slump back in my chair. She¡¯s right. You¡¯d think running my own business would have made me savvy enough to pull off a lie? But that¡¯s not the case. I¡¯ve managed to stay honest about most things so I¡¯ve never needed to lie. Plus, I know I¡¯d never be able to pull a fast one on anyone. So I try my best to stay honest. But I can¡¯t talk about what happened with Axel to anyone. It¡¯s too soon.


    Later in the evening, I walk inside the house. I locked up at 5 pm and rode home with Adrian. Walking up the staircase, I pass the floor on which his room is located and hesitate. Do I dare go in and check on him? What happens if he uses some of his stupid mind-magic on me again? But I want to see how he¡¯s doing. I can just peek in and not actually enter. That would be okay, right? Yeah, I can totally just pop my head around the door, check him out, make sure he¡¯s okay, and then run off, and he won¡¯t know it.


    Mind made up, I head down the corridor, peeking into the first doorway to find the room is set up with the physiotherapy equipment that Sheena had mentioned to me. The next door is shut. I push it open and find it¡¯s a bedroom. The shower is running in the bathroom so whoever is staying here¡­ Sheena probably, is in the shower.


    The door to the third is half open. I peek inside, then step through and walk across the floor of what seems to be a living room, and to the half-open door on its other side. I nce around the door and see him. He leans against the pillows on his bed, wearing a shirt and a pair of sweats.


    The dressing around his head has been reced by a smaller ster.


    His eyes are shut, but his face seems to have regained some of its color, for he¡¯s not as pale as he was in the hospital. His eyes are shut, the darkshes an inky curve against his cheekbones. His chest rises and falls, his hands folded over his stomach. He¡¯s definitely asleep. I step inside the room, and reaching the bed, I stand over him.


    At this proximity, I can smell that dark scent of his. Heat from his big body reaches out to me. A shiver runs down my spine. His t-shirt clings to his shoulders and outlines every ridge of his pecs, before it stretches across his concave stomach. The sweatpants ride low enough on his hips that I can make out the trail of hair that disappears inside the waistband. The fabric at the crotch is tented though¡­ Hmm¡­ Is he aroused in his sleep? Or is that just his general state?


    I nce at his face again. His eyelids are closed, his breathing steady.


    He¡¯s still on painkillers, right? Surely, he must be. He¡¯s definitely out of it. I reach down and palm the tented fabric. The warmth singes the skin of my palm. I press down and I swear, his dick seems to thicken. Goosebumps pop on my skin. My nipples tighten. I trace the outline of his length through the cloth and my core clenches. Jesus Christ, the man is packing all right. My mouth waters. I want to taste him. I really, really want to drag my tongue across his shaft and find out if he tastes as dangerous as he smells. I lean over and rub my cheek against the thickness.


    A shudder grips him. I nce up and find his blue gaze is fixed on mine.

 214

    Axel


    I¡¯d sensed her as soon as she¡¯d peeked through the door. Had felt a ripple of awareness curl in my belly as she¡¯d walked over to me. It¡¯s good to know that, despite not being fully functional, physically, my senses haven¡¯t been impaired. As she¡¯d stood next to my bed, I¡¯d sensed her drag her gaze down my body, had known when she¡¯d moved, and then she¡¯d ced her palm on my crotch. Motherfucker! It had taken everything in me not to swoop down and grab her hair and push her face into my aching length. Instead, I¡¯d watched as she had surveyed the column of my cock outlined through my sweats. Her breathing had sped up and her lips had parted. She¡¯d fondled my dick, and just as I was sure that I couldn¡¯t pretend anymore, she¡¯d leaned down and pressed her cheek to it. Like it was an object of worship and she was adoring it. Then, she¡¯d turned her face up and had spotted me.


    Her mouth opens in an ¡®o¡¯ of surprise. Her cheeks flush. Her chest rises and falls, and I am sure that she¡¯s going to turn and bolt. Instead, she wraps her hand around my length and squeezes.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± A growl rumbles from my throat.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    It seems to rouse her from of her reverie, for her blush deepens. She begins to straighten and I shake my head. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I say in a low voice. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±


    She bites down on her lower lip and more blood rushes to my groin.


    ¡°Take me in your mouth,¡± I order.


    She swallows, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± I fold my palms behind my neck.


    Her gaze widens. ¡°How are you-¡±


    ¡°-able to move my arms without trembling?


    She nods.


    ¡°Turns out, I am improving at a rapid pace, thanks to working my butt off.¡± I smirk. ¡°Now, pull me out and take me in your mouth, will you?¡±


    She hesitates, and I lower my voice to a hush, ¡°Do it, Sunshine. I¡¯ve been lying here thinking of your intoxicating scent, your sweet mouth, the way you moan when youe, your soft skin that I want to mark-¡±


    Her breathing heightens.


    ¡°Your gorgeous pussy that I want to bury myself in-¡±


    Her face flushes further.


    ¡°Your hot, tight, wet cunt that weeps for me even as we speak.¡±


    A moan bleeds from her lips.


    ¡°Your mouth that yearns to taste me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t-¡± she says on an exhale, ¡°-don¡¯t want to,¡± she closes her eyes, ¡°taste you.¡±


    ¡°Taste me, Sunshine.¡±


    She squeezes her eyes closed and seems to get a hold of herself, then snaps her eyelids open, and fixes her gaze on mine. She grips my waistband and lowers it down my thighs. My cock springs free.


    She gasps. ¡°You didn¡¯t wear briefs?¡± she says in an using voice.


    ¡°What can I say? I like to be prepared.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She scowls up at me, ¡°You knew I woulde to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­had hoped?¡± I lower my arm and cup her cheek, ¡°To be honest, I missed you.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    I nod. ¡°I missed the taste of your pussy. And I was lying here, imagining your mouth around my cock as you pulled on it, as you took me down your throat and hummed around the crown and sucked me off.¡±


    She scowls, ¡°Good to know that I¡¯m good for only one thing.¡±


    ¡°Oh, more than one thing,¡± I assure her. ¡°You have more than one hole, remember?¡±


    ¡°You are a jerk, you know that?¡± she breathes as she straightens. ¡°I am not going to stand here and listen to you insult me.¡±


    She turns to leave.


    ¡°Get back here, Theresa,¡± I say in a hard voice, ¡°and take my cock down your throat.¡±


    She hesitates and I growl, ¡°Do it, Sunshine.¡±


    She turns around slowly, her face pale. ¡°I hate it when you make me do things I don¡¯t want to do.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe you do want to, but you want me to take the choice out of your hands. How about if I absolve you of all responsibility? How about if you can me me for your momentarypse of reason?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am going to me you, all right.¡± She shuffles her feet. ¡°Please let me go, Axel. Please.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± I lean back, ¡°leave, then.¡± I cross my arms over my chest and close my eyes. I wait for a beat, then another, hear her shuffle her feet. I sense her standing there, unable to make up her mind, then the mattress dips. There you are. I crack open my eyelids as she straddles my legs.


    She shoots me a hateful look from under her eyshes, ¡°I really do hate you.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± I murmur, ¡°but if it helps you justify this action in your mind, then by all means, feel free to tell yourself that story.¡±


    She shoots me another nce, then wraps her fingers around the base of my cock and squeezes.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I curl my fingers into fists, ¡°just like that, Sunshine.¡±


    She makes an angry sound at the back of her throat, then drags her fingers from base to crown.


    ¡°Harder,¡± I order, ¡°grip my cock like you think it¡¯s my throat you want to crush.¡±


    She tightens her grasp at once, and my balls harden. My groin tightens, my cock lengthens, and a bead of sweat slides down between my pecs. ¡°Just like that,¡± I growl. ¡°Now take me in your mouth.¡±


    Her chest rises and falls. Her skirt is bunched up around her upper legs, and the warmth of her pussy seeps through her panties to sear my legs. Bloody fuck. She narrows her gaze on me, and without breaking the connection, she lowers her mouth to my shaft. She licks the crown and heat sizzles up my spine. She draws her tongue from the head down the length of my dick to the base, then up again. She licks the head delicately and a groan rips from me. Her being this tentative is going to kill me.


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ice-cream cone, Sunshine,¡± I groan. ¡°Eat it like it¡¯s your favorite fast-food instead.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± she firms her lips, ¡°I hate fast-food.¡±


    ¡°You Italians,¡± I smirk, ¡°what¡¯s your favorite food?¡±


    ¡°Pasta, of course.¡± She rolls her eyes.


    ¡°Fine, suck it like it¡¯s a strand of past-¡±


    She mps her lips around my dick and hoovers it up, and Jesus-fucking-Christ, my cock elongates. My balls tighten, all the blood drains to my groin, and fuck, if I don¡¯t see stars. This woman is going to suck my soul through my dick if she keeps going like this, and frankly, I¡¯d be just fine with that.


    ¡°Just like that,¡± I coax her. ¡°You¡¯re doing so well, Sunshine. Keep going; don¡¯t stop.¡±


    She takes me down her throat and promptly gags. The sucking sensation sends shivers up my spine. I draw in a breath and my shoulders tighten. The wound at my temple throbs, and the pain only amplifies the pleasure from how she swirls her tongue around my length. I dig my fingers into her hair and tug. Her breath catches as I pull her back so my dick slips out. The swollen head stays poised between her lips. I hold her gaze, then apply enough pressure for her head to move forward. My cock disappears inside her mouth and the sight is so erotic that I almoste right then. I pull her back, then forward, then again, as I fuck her mouth. The next time I draw her forward, my dick slides down her throat. She hums and the vibrations crawl up my cock, coil in my groin.


    ¡°Fuck, Sunshine, fuck.¡± My balls draw up. ¡°Touch yourself,¡± I order. Even before the words are out of my mouth she shoves her hand between her legs and strums her pussy lips. The scent of her arousal bleeds into the air; the wet sound of her flesh as she thrusts her fingers in and out of herself envelops me. I tighten my fingers in her hair and she moans. I pull her back then haul her forward again and again. All the time, the sound of her fingers burying themselves inside her soaking wet channel is an erotic soundtrack.


    ¡°Grind the heel of your palm into your clit,¡± Imand and nce down to find she does just that. Her chest rises and falls and her entire body jolts. A trembling grips her, and with her free hand, she holds onto my arm.


    I pull her forward, then coil my fingers around her throat. The sensation of my cock gliding down her throat pushes me over the edge. My thighs harden, my balls draw up. ¡°Come with me,¡± I growl and her back arches. Her gaze widens as the orgasm crashes over her.

 215

    Theresa


    The climax grips me, my orgasm pounds through me, and Ie all over my fingers. That¡¯s when hees down my throat. I slump against him; my eyelids can¡¯t seem to stay open. The next moment I am being hauled forward and onto his chest. I snuggle into the muscled expanse of his chest and drag my fingers through his hair. My hand brushes his temple and he winces.


    ¡°Oh, shoot. I brushed against your bandage,¡± I try to sit up, but he doesn¡¯t let me.


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± he pulls me in and I curl up against him.


    The heat from his body pours over me, surrounds me, cocoons me. I can¡¯t stop the sigh of contentment that spills from my lips. He wraps those massive arms around me and tugs me even closer as I pillow my cheek against the hard ridge of his pec. ¡°Tortiglioni,¡± I murmur, ¡°it¡¯s more like tortiglioni.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Fat and thick with ridges across it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he drawls, ¡°are you talking about what I think you are?¡±


    ¡°Am I talking about your magnificent dick, you mean?¡± Barely are the words out, when I p my hand over my mouth, ¡°Forget I said that.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut.


    ¡°You think my dick is magnificent?¡± He chuckles and the vibrations crawl over my skin.


    ¡°Like you need any more praise to bloat your already swollen head.¡±


    ¡°You talking about the one on my shoulders?¡±


    I sneak a nce up at him. ¡°What else would I be talking about?¡±


    His eyes gleam and I huff. ¡°That was a terrible joke.¡±


    ¡°No more than youparing my dick to a tortiglioni.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who started it with your food porn talk.¡±


    ¡°Had toe up with aparison to get you on the right track,¡± he exins.


    ¡°And how did I do?¡±


    ¡°You passed with flying colors.¡± He smirks. ¡°In fact, I think you should move into this room with me so whenever the mood strikes, we can trade more food porn talk.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, no,¡± I nce around the room, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the third wheel when you are ¡®working out,''¡± I make air quotes with my fingers, ¡°with Sheena.¡±


    ¡°So you met her, eh?¡±


    ¡°Not like I had a choice. She came to my room and introduced herself, and speaking of, I¡¯d better get out of here before shees back.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s noting back tonight.¡± He tightens his arms around me. ¡°I¡¯m done with the physiotherapy sessions for the day, though I do need to have a bath.¡±


    ¡°So go have a bath,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°I am going to need help; I am not strong enough to bathe myself.¡±


    ¡°A likely story,¡± I huff.


    ¡°Would I lie to you?¡± His voice rumbles under my cheek.


    ¡°You know you¡¯d lie to get your way with me every single time.¡± I sit up, and this time, he doesn¡¯t stop me. I take in his features, the slight flush in his cheeks which hadn¡¯t been there earlier, the way his hair is mussed up as if he¡¯s been running his hands through it. Overall, he looks healthier and more rxed. If I hadn¡¯t seen him shot with my own eyes and then tried to stop him from crumpling to the ground, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it myself. He looks so much healthier, so much more like Xander. I bite the inside of my cheek.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He scowls, ¡°What did you think just then?¡±


    I shoot him an annoyed nce, ¡°Jeez, can¡¯t I have some privacy with my own thoughts, or what?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he snaps, ¡°tell me what went through your mind just then.¡±


    ¡°Xander,¡± I hunch my shoulders, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help thinking how much you look like him when you¡¯re rxed.¡±


    ¡°But I am not him.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know that, and I have epted it. In some ways, that makes it worse, though.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I nce away. ¡°I need to go.¡±


    ¡°Not until you tell me what you¡¯re thinking about.¡±


    I push off his chest, but he grabs my arm and hauls me close, ¡°Look at me, Sunshine.¡±


    I turn to nce at him. He peers into my features then nods, ¡°Now, tell me what¡¯s troubling you.¡±


    ¡°You,¡± I burst out. ¡°You¡¯re troubling me. I should be mourning Xander. Instead, I can¡¯t stop myself from tumbling into bed with his triplet. One who looks so very like him. It feels like I am being unfaithful to his memory.¡±


    He holds my gaze. ¡°That¡¯s understandable,¡± he finally says. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since he died, so his memory is still fresh in your mind. But why did he not im you as his when he was alive?¡±


    I open and shut my mouth, ¡°You know what? I am not having this conversation with you.¡± I try to pull away but his grip tightens.


    ¡°You¡¯ll leave when I allow it.¡± The low hush of his voice causes that same strange feeling to coil in my chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re not my keeper.¡± I scowl at him.


    ¡°But I am responsible for your safety.¡±


    ¡°You can barely take care of yourself, let alone-¡± I squeak as he flips me over and braces himself over me.


    ¡°Oh, wow,¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°you¡¯ve certainly made a lot of progress in the past few days.¡±


    He leans his weight on his arms. His biceps tremble and he scowls. ¡°Maybe not as much as I thought I had, apparently.¡±


    Sweat breaks out on his forehead, and he finally lowers himself onto the bed next to me. ¡°Damnit,¡± he growls, ¡°I really need to speed up my recovery.¡±


    Iugh, ¡°Seriously, you have made tons of progress. You¡¯re not a superhero, you know.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I?¡± he grumbles.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± I turn and take in his features which have lost some of that healthy flush I¡¯d noticed earlier. ¡°Do you seriously think that you can be back on your feet so quickly after getting hit by a bullet.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± He juts out his chin.


    I burst outughing. ¡°You sound so confident, I almost believe you.¡±


    ¡°Everything is in your mind.¡± He taps his temple, the unhurt side, ¡°If you believe in it, then it will happen.¡±


    ¡°Is that your motto?¡± I ask. ¡°Is that what makes you tick? This belief that you can do anything you want?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    I raise my shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ve had to fight hard for everything I want, so I am not sure what to believe.¡±


    ¡°What if I tell you that I can walk to the sofa?¡± He gestures to where a settee is pushed up against one wall of the bedroom, ¡°and back.¡±


    ¡°Then I am sure you can.¡±


    ¡°Want me to prove it to you?¡± He repositions his sweats around his waist, rolls over to the side, then pushes up to sitting position.


    ¡°No, really, I don¡¯t. Besides, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe for you to exert-¡±


    He swings his legs over the side of the bed, then draws in a deep breath. ¡°Here goes.¡± He pushes up to his feet, sways. I reach for him, but he rights himself. He takes a step forward and his legs tremble, but he stays standing. He takes another step, and another. His confidence seems to grow with each step he takes. He keeps his pace steady until he reaches the sofa, then sinks down onto it. He rolls his shoulders, his breathing heavy. He straightens his spine, raises his chin, and looks at me, ¡°Well, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think,¡± I shake my head, ¡°I think you are pushing yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°Fuck that.¡± He rises to his feet. ¡°I am going to walk back to you.¡±


    ¡°No, Axel, seriously, don¡¯t-¡± But he¡¯s already taking a step forward, then another. A third step and his body sways.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he swears. His body trembles and he stumbles a little.


    ¡°Oh, hell.¡± I jump off the bed and walk over to him.


    I reach for him, but he holds up his hand, ¡°I can do this.¡±


    ¡°Let me help-¡±


    ¡°On my own,¡± he says through gritted teeth as he res at the bed. ¡°I am fine. I can walk without any one¡¯s help.¡±


    He chants it like it¡¯s a mantra. It¡¯s as if he believes if he says the words enough, they¡¯ll be true. He takes another step, sways again from side to side. Sweat beads on his forehead, trickles down his temple. He takes another step and almost stumbles. I move toward him when he growls, ¡°Fuck this.¡±


    He pushes forward, cing one foot in front of the other quickly, until he reaches the bed, then copses onto it face down. ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls, the sound muffled against the mattress, ¡°fuck, fuck, fuck.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± I walk over and sit down on the bed next to him, ¡°you okay?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer.


    I touch his shoulder and my fingerse away wet with his sweat. His musky, earthy, male scent surrounds me and my nipples tighten. My core clenches. Goddamn, but this man is sex on a stick. I run my fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. So soft, unlike the rest of him. I draw my fingers across his neck and over the ridge of his shoulder. His muscles bunch. I trail my finger down to the swell of his biceps. I poke at the muscle, which doesn¡¯t give a millimeter. ¡°Holy shit,¡± I whisper, ¡°you really are a man of steel.¡±


    He turns his head to re at me, ¡°I am no fucking Superman. In fact, I always hated the bastard.¡±


    ¡°I guess with your growliness and general grouchiness, you¡¯re more of a shoo-in for Batman.¡±


    ¡°No thanks, not a fan of the bat ears.¡±


    I walk my fingers down to his forearm and tug at the fine hair there.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asks in a soft voice.


    ¡°Just, exploring.¡± Jeez, I really should take my hand off of him. I should turn around and leave while he¡¯s still somewhat incapacitated, but if he¡¯s truly exhausted from over-exerting himself, he¡¯s not really a threat, is he?


    I drag my fingers down to the back of his palm and trace the veins there. ¡°Guess you work out a lot, huh? Your veins are so prominent.¡±


    When he doesn¡¯t reply, I nce up to find him watching me with a predatory look in his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, shit.¡± I pull back my hand, but he flips on his back and grabs my wrist. He tugs and I fall over onto the bed. ¡°I¡­ I¡­didn¡¯t mean anything by that,¡± I swallow, ¡°I was just curious.¡±


    ¡°Want to see what your touch can do to me, huh?¡± He moves up toward the headboard, then pulls me closer. He presses my palm to his chest and I feel the thud-thud-thud of his heart against my skin.


    ¡°Is your heart beating faster because of your earlier exertion?¡±


    ¡°You mean, when you sucked me off?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I scoff as my face reddens, ¡°I mean, because of your crazed walk to the sofa and back, trying to prove some god-knows-what point.¡±


    ¡°The point I was trying to prove is that I may be weaker than usual, but I am not defenseless.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I¡¯d never mistake you for that. Ever.¡±


    ¡°And my heart is beating faster than usual, due to your proximity.¡± His forehead furrows, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I said that.¡± He shakes his head, ¡°I am not supposed to feel anything for you.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I strive to keep my voice light even as my heart rate ratchets up. He feels something for me? OMG, he feels something for me! Is that good or bad? Considering, he¡¯d shot at Christian, had threatened to hurt Aurora¡¯s family until she agreed to help him out, oh, and he¡¯d also lied to the Sovranos about Aurora wanting to kill Christian. All in all, he¡¯s proven himself to be a psychopath and a sociopath, and a misogynist, and someone who would not hesitate to lie simply because it causes more trouble for everyone else involved. Exactly the kind of man I should avoid. The kind I find attractive. I bite the inside of my cheek. What does that say about me?


    I should be going out of my way to avoid this guy. I should stay as far away from him as possible. I should turn around and leave right now, while I can, before I do something that I am going to regret for the rest of my life. I try to tug my wrist from his grasp, but he tightens his grip.


    ¡°Where do you think you are going, Sunshine?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Just t-to-to my room.¡± Goddamit, and now I am stuttering. Why the hell am I stuttering? It¡¯s not because of his nearness. Definitely not because of the way he¡¯s watching me with that intense gaze of his. Certainly not because the heat of his body surrounds me, overwhelms me, sinks into my blood and seems to coil in my lower belly. Absolutely not because he draws me closer to him¡­closer still. The tips of my feet bump against his. A shiver runs down my spine.


    ¡°Nervous?¡± he asks in a silken tone.


    ¡°N-no. Of-c-course, not.¡±


    ¡°So why are you stuttering?¡±


    ¡°I-It happens. I t-tend to s-stumble over my w-words sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he looks me up and down, ¡°we can¡¯t have that now, can we?¡± He tugs on my wrist and I squeak as I fall into him. He wraps his arm around my waist and holds me immobile.


    ¡°L-let-me g-go.¡±


    ¡°Give me one reason why?¡±


    ¡°B-because I don¡¯t like you?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°N-neither. I am stating a fact.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± He leans in and drags his nose up the side of my cheek. A shiver runs down my spine. He closes his lips around my earlobe, then bites down.


    My entire body jolts. ¡°Oh¡­hell,¡± I whisper, ¡°what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Trying to stop your stuttering.¡±


    He drags his nose down my cheek then licks my lips.


    My nipples tighten and my belly clenches. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± I whisper. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡±

 216

    Axel


    ¡°It worked though, didn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡°What?¡± She blinks.


    ¡°You stopped stuttering,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Oh,¡± her gaze widens, ¡°that¡¯s true. But I still don¡¯t want you to kiss me,¡± she says in a small voice.


    I lean back and peer into her face. There¡¯s genuine distress and conflict in her eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± I murmur. ¡°You want me, and I have made it very clear just how much you turn me on, so why can¡¯t we make each other happy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± she replies.


    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re a virgin?¡±


    She reddens. ¡°I never said I was.¡±


    ¡°You never denied it either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because, unlike you, I don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°I was there when you lied to Christian about Aurora¡¯s ¡®bargain,''¡± she makes air quotes around the word, ¡°with you.¡±


    ¡°Did I?¡± I ask in a casual voice.


    ¡°Really, you¡¯re going to make me rehash what happened?¡±


    I release her, then fold my hands behind my neck. ¡°Go ahead, please enlighten me about my misdeeds.¡±


    She pushes away from me, then climbs off the bed as if wanting to put distance between us. I scowl. I don¡¯t want her to be wary of me. No¡­hold on, that doesn¡¯t sound right. I don¡¯t care what she thinks of me, just as long as she submits to me.


    ¡°Well,¡± I drawl, ¡°what do you have to say?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you lie to Christian and tell him that Aurora had asked you to kill him?¡±


    ¡°She told me to distract Christian.¡±


    She stares at me, ¡°So you remember things now? Your memory ising back?¡±


    I drag my fingers through my hair; wince when I brush the bandage at my temple, but at least, the pain is bearable now. ¡°When I don¡¯t make an effort, things seem to filter back into my consciousness.¡±


    ¡°So, what else do you remember? Can you recollect why you made the deal with Aurora in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way.¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°With every day that passes, my mind gets clearer. Then someone says something which triggers a thought, ayer shifts, and I recall another chain of events.¡±


    ¡°So, she told you to distract Christian?¡± she prompts.


    ¡°Which is why I shot at him.¡±


    She stiffens, ¡°You do realize that¡¯s not the same thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡±


    She gapes at me. ¡°How can you say that. She told me that she specifically asked you not to hurt Christian, but at the most pivotal moment, you told him the exact opposite.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    She blinks rapidly. ¡°So, that makes you a liar. Not to mention, what you did was so wrong. You clearly came between them. It¡¯s because of you that she returned to London.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that only made him realize how much he missed her. Bet he went after her.¡±


    She scowls at me.


    ¡°He did, didn¡¯t he? Poor bastard must have groveled in front of her and now they are together.¡±


    She flushes, ¡°But they almost split up.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Only, they didn¡¯t,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Are you taking credit for the fact that they are together today?¡± She stares at me.


    ¡°You have to admit that it¡¯s only after my little push that he went after her?¡±


    ¡°Christian loves Aurora. He simply needed a little time toe to terms with it, and once he epted it, he pursued her and brought her back.¡±


    ¡°And all I did was hurry things along. If it weren¡¯t for me, they might still not be together.¡±


    ¡°You are delusional,¡± she mutters. ¡°Fact is, you lied to their faces.¡±


    ¡°I was simply testing them. They should be grateful to me that I gave them a chance to assess their rtionship beforehand. They emerged stronger for it.¡±


    ¡°Still doesn¡¯t change the fact that you lied. Also, you did threaten to harm her family unless she cooperated with you in spying on the Sovranos,¡± she says in an using tone.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Jesus,¡± she throws up her hands, ¡°can¡¯t you see how wrong your actions were?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I make a popping sound with my lips. ¡°I did what was needed to survive.¡±


    ¡°Why, though?¡± She peers up into my face, ¡°Why did you do all this? Why did you need to get information on the Sovranos? Although, considering you¡¯re right here with them now, you don¡¯t need anyone else spying on them. You can do it yourself.¡±


    ¡°You have a point, ¡± I concede, ¡°but since I¡¯m unable to go anywhere, it¡¯s not the way I¡¯d have chosen to get close to them.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do it? Did someonepel you to get information on them? Is that why you threatened Aurora? Is that why you shot at Christian?¡±


    I take in her earnest features, the flush on her cheeks, the way she folds her fingers together as if she¡¯s urging me to say that whatever I did was not by choice. ¡°I am not a good man, Sunshine. You do realize that, right?¡±


    ¡°So, neither are any of the Sovranos. I grew up as part of the Mafia n, you do realize that, right?¡¯


    ¡°I am worse than the Mafia.¡±


    She scoffs, ¡°What can be worse than the Mafia?¡±


    ¡°Someone who had a choice to leave the life behind, and didn¡¯t take it. Someone who¡¯s pursued revenge over anything else. Someone who won¡¯t hesitate to lie and kill, if needed, to get what he wants.¡± I stiffen as I hear my words. Goddamit, it rings true. All of it. It¡¯s why I arrived at the deal with Aurora. It¡¯s why I shot at Christian. It¡¯s why I have been tracking the Sovranos obsessively most of my adult life.


    ¡°So, you do remember more than you let on?¡± An expression of hurt crosses her features.


    My chest tightens. Why do I care that she¡¯s upset? She¡¯s just a means to an end, remember? So what, if I am attracted to her? It doesn¡¯t mean anything. I roll my shoulders. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t even realize what I have remembered sometimes until I have spoken it aloud.¡±


    ¡°But you remember enough to realize that you want revenge?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think you have spent most of your life searching for something. It¡¯s what brought you here, but you are finally home, Axel.¡±


    I stiffen. ¡°The fuck you mean?¡±


    She tips up her chin, ¡°You are with your brothers. This is where you belong. You should have grown up with them in the first ce. That didn¡¯t happen, but you are here now.¡±


    ¡°For a reason. As soon as I am better, I¡¯ll proceed with my n.¡±


    ¡°You may havee here to hurt them, but you are not going to do so now.¡±


    I stare at her for a second, thenugh, ¡°You have a rather innocent view of the world, don¡¯t you, Sunshine?¡±


    ¡°You mean, I believe in the basic goodness of people?¡±


    ¡°I mean you are rather naive.¡±


    ¡°I am not naive; your problem is that you¡¯re too cynical. You think you are capable of hurting your brothers, but I don¡¯t believe you will.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I am capable of.¡±


    ¡°I know that you stepped in front of me and took a bullet for me.¡±


    ¡°That was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Better believe it.¡± I look her up and down. ¡°As soon as I am better, I am going to make sure that the Sovrano¡¯s regret what they did to me.¡±


    ¡°You are a Sovrano,¡± she points out.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t brought up as one. I sure as hell don¡¯t feel like one of them. And I¡¯m definitely not going to join forces with them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she purses her lips, ¡°I am guessing you haven¡¯t been at the receiving end of one of Nonna¡¯s speeches. She¡¯s a very difficult woman to say no to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve faced killers and survived. I am sure I can handle an old woman.¡±


    She bursts outughing and seems tough even harder when I scowl at her.


    ¡°Nonna¡¯s not your stereotypical old woman,¡± she cautions me after a few moments. ¡°Michael may be the Don, but make no mistake, Nonna wields a lot of power over all of the Sovrano brothers.¡±


    ¡°You forget, I am not one of the Sovrano brothers.¡±


    She blows out a breath, ¡°You are; you just haven¡¯t epted it yet.¡±


    ¡°And I never will.¡± I yawn. ¡°Now, are you going to help me shower or-¡±


    ¡°No, I am not. I told you already.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± I nod toward the door, ¡°get gone.¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°You¡¯re so damn rude.¡±


    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know.¡±


    She shuffles her weight from foot to foot.


    ¡°Changed your mind?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°So, what are you still doing here?¡±


    She turns to leave. That¡¯s when Sheena pops her head inside the room.


    ¡°Can I get you anything, Axel?¡± She nces between us, ¡°Oh, sorry, didn¡¯t realize I was intruding.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± I beckon her inside, ¡°Theresa was just leaving.¡±


    ¡°I cane back,¡± she murmurs and I shake my head.


    ¡°I do need your help with something.¡±


    ¡°Sure. What can I do for you?¡± She takes a step forward.


    ¡°If you can help me to the bath and help me with my shower?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Sheena walks over to stand on the opposite side of the bed from Theresa, who freezes. She scowls at Sheena, then at me. She opens her mouth, and when I raise an eyebrow at her, she glowers at me.


    ¡°You staying or leaving, Sunshine?¡±

 217

    Theresa


    I had flipped him off then left without another word. I am not someone who is normally rude, but this man¡­ I had stomped out of there and he¡¯d had the gall to tell me to shut the door behind me. I had told him to get up and close it himself, since he¡¯s now so strong. Only, I had spoiled the effect by mming it so hard behind me that it had crashed against the doorframe. Small victories. I had marched all the way to my room, then mmed that door shut as well.


    I grab my phone and throw myself on the bed.


    I start to dial Cass¡¯ number, then change my mind and FaceTime Aurora instead.


    She picks up on the second ring.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she says, her voice slightly breathless, ¡°long time since we spoke.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s newly married and who no longer has time for friends.¡±


    ¡°Aww,¡± she makes a face, ¡°you know that¡¯s not true, Theresa.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I slump down against the pillows. ¡°Why Christian hasn¡¯t kidnapped you again and whisked you off to a honeymoon, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°He wants to wait until all of this business with his triplet is resolved.¡±


    ¡°Well, he won¡¯t have to wait too long, considering Axel is improving by leaps and bounds.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t get used to calling him by name,¡± she confesses. ¡°I still think of him as the stranger.¡± She shudders. ¡°He¡¯s scary, and not only because he¡¯s threatened me in the past. When I ran into him near the lodge while we were on the Christmas getaway, I swear, I thought that he was going to kill Christian. The look in his eyes-¡± she shakes her head, ¡°-it was like there was no emotion in the man. It felt like I was looking at someone who¡¯d had all his feelings stripped away, leaving someone indifferent behind. He seemed like someone who was more dead than alive.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s very alive alright,¡± I retort. ¡°Trust me, I would know.¡±


    She stares at me, ¡°Please tell me you are not considering a rtionship with him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s capable of a rtionship. Sex, yes. Anything else, nope.¡±


    ¡°Why would you want to sleep with him?¡± She grimaces. ¡°The man is a sociopath.¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I¡¯ve been asking myself the same question.¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°I am aware of what he did to you and Christian. I know what he¡¯s capable of. But it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he took a bullet for me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he did it by mistake.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what he ims as well,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been spending time with him?¡± Aurora frowns. ¡°Christian did mention to me that he¡¯d asked for you to move into the same house as him, but you don¡¯t have to stay there, Theresa.¡± She peers into my eyes, ¡°Really, say the word, and I¡¯ll insist that Christiane over and get you out of there.¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t think twice. You shouldn¡¯t be near that man. He¡¯ll hurt you, Theresa.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I chew on my lower lip. ¡°I know he¡¯s done things that I can¡¯t bear to think about. I know, at some point, I am going to be done resisting him and give into him, but I can¡¯t stop myself. I can¡¯t, Aurora.¡± I survey her features. ¡°You¡¯d think, knowing everything I do, I¡¯d run far away from him. But I can¡¯t. I see glimpses of the man he really is beneath all that swagger. He¡¯s hurting, Aurora. He¡¯s been through a lot-¡± she opens her mouth and I raise my hand. ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t told me anything specific, but I can guess. Whatever happened to him has made him into what he is, but when he¡¯s not being mean, I actually enjoy talking to him. He¡¯s so intelligent, and so determined. You should see how he pushes himself every day to go through his physiotherapy exercises. It has to hurt, but he neverins. He simply throws himself into it because he¡¯s determined to be back on his feet as soon as possible. I¡¯ve never seen anyone so focused, so strong willed. It¡¯s like he¡¯s literally bending destiny to suit his needs, you know?¡±


    She purses her lips. ¡°It seems to me, you are quite taken in by this guy.¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± I protest, ¡°I am simply saying that he hasn¡¯t let being wounded or the fact that parts of his memory are still patchy stop him. He¡¯s just reallymitted to recovering from his injury.¡±


    She merely stares at me.


    ¡°Aurora, honestly. I don¡¯t intend to have anything to do with this man.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you leave?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± I nce away then back at her, ¡°-I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave him alone, not when he¡¯s still helpless.¡±


    ¡°He has bodyguards posted around the house, plus an entire team of doctors and nurses and physiotherapists-¡±


    ¡°-one physiotherapist, and don¡¯t get me started about her.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She frowns.


    ¡°Nothing, don¡¯t mind me.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°You were saying?¡±


    ¡°That you need to get out of there before you arepletely under his influence and can¡¯t tell right from wrong.¡±


    ¡°I know what he did to you was wrong.¡± I hasten to add, ¡°But he took a bullet for me. I¡¯d be dead if it weren¡¯t for him.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you are staying, because you feel beholden to him?¡±


    ¡°Also, because he¡¯s Xander¡¯s triplet.¡± I swallow. ¡°Xan would have wanted me to help his triplet. He needs me.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need you.¡± Aurora draws in a breath. ¡°The man is a maniptor. He knows how to use people to suit his needs. And right now, it suits him to have you at his beck and call. Once he¡¯s back on his feet, he¡¯ll move forward with his life and he won¡¯t take another look at you. Not that the Sovranos will let him go anywhere. Especially, considering the fact that he did wound Christian, after all. But ultimately, he is one of them. They¡¯ll work things out, no doubt. Bet he¡¯lle to some kind of an agreement with them that willpel them to set him free. And then he¡¯ll leave. He¡¯ll use you and discard you, Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I murmur. ¡°That¡¯s so reassuring.¡±


    ¡°I am not trying to reassure you.¡± Her gaze intensifies. ¡°I am trying to keep you from being hurt. Well, more hurt than whatever it is that he¡¯s already done to you.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that he hasn¡¯t made a move on you?¡±


    ¡°Umm.¡± My cheeks heat.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± her frown deepens, ¡°and I¡¯ll bet you weren¡¯t able to resist him either.¡±


    I rub my forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s just¡­. I¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re falling for someone who is even more of a viin than the Sovranos are.¡±


    ¡°Funny, that¡¯s what Axel said too.¡±


    ¡°See,¡± she stabs a finger at me, ¡°you can¡¯t go even a few minutes without bringing up his name.¡±


    ¡°I was only trying to make the point that, at least, he is honest about his shorings.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s only saying that to try to lure you into a false sense ofcency. He¡¯s manipting you. He wants you to try to prove it¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°Geez,¡± I scowl, ¡°you really don¡¯t like him.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t. You¡¯re not the one who was threatened by him. You weren¡¯t there when he shot at Christian when we were on the Christmas getaway. You-¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± I cut her off, ¡°I know he¡¯s done some things he shouldn¡¯t have done, but he¡¯s really not that bad. He saved my life, remember?¡±


    ¡°Something he¡¯s all but confessed was an ident,¡± she scoffs.


    My cheeks heat. Maybe it had been a mistake calling Aurora. Clearly, she is so biased against Axel-and with good reason-that she¡¯ll never be able to give me an objective opinion about him.


    ¡°Look,¡± I begin, but she cuts me off.


    ¡°You know what, Theresa? Nothing I say will dissuade you. I see that now. Just remember that I care about you. And I¡¯ll be here for you anytime you want.¡±


    ¡°You mean, when I have my heart broken, you¡¯ll be more than happy to say ¡®I told you so¡¯ and help pick up the pieces?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, I-¡±


    ¡°Oh, I have another calling, gotta go,¡± I disconnect. I immediately feel terrible. Ugh, why did I have to do that? She means well, and I really do like Aurora. And I understand what she¡¯s trying to say. It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯tpletely agree with everything she says. And she hasn¡¯t seen Axel pushing himself to recover, or seen him get frustrated and angry when his body doesn¡¯t obey him. She doesn¡¯t know what it¡¯s like to be kissed by him. I shake my head. No, no thinking about that. Separate the sex from the man. Ha, as if that¡¯s possible. Maybe I should call her back and apologize. I reach for the phone when it rings again.


    Elsa¡¯s name pops up on the screen, and I answer the phone immediately.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I smile as her face appears on screen, ¡°I am so happy to hear from you.¡±


    Elsaughs, ¡°Hey, you, what are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± I roll over onto my front, ¡°just getting ready to head down for dinner and then, I guess, I¡¯ll just read and go to sleep.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s boring, even for you.¡±


    ¡°You know I much prefer to be curled up with a book boyfriend than a real one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only because you don¡¯t have a real boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Well, do you?¡±


    I hesitate.


    Her gaze widens, ¡°You hooked up with Axel, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°OMG, tell me everything.¡±


    Let¡¯s see, he took a bullet for me, then I watched over him as he fell into aa. When he came out of it, he had no idea who I was and his memory was patchy because of his head wound. Oh, most likely, he¡¯s out to get the Sovranos, who will probably never let him get away with how he threatened someone close to them. Oh, wait, he¡¯s also a long-lost brother of the Sovranos, so it, in fact, makes him one of the Mafia, or worse.


    ¡°Well?¡± She scows into the screen, ¡°Have you slept with him? I mean, you are staying with him, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I am not staying with him with him,¡± I rush to exin. ¡°Just in the same house, but different rooms.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right,¡± she snorts, ¡°bet you¡¯ve already paid a few visits to his room.¡±


    My face heats.

 218

    ¡°Knew it,¡± she crows. ¡°So, how was it? Did he make youe? Have you guys slept together yet? And how many orgasms has he given you, anyway, you-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I hold up my hand, ¡°it¡¯s not like that. It really isn¡¯t. Given the circumstances, it was best that I move in with him. You know that.¡±


    ¡°Circumstances?¡± She frowns. ¡°It can¡¯t be. You¡¯re not pregnant, are you? I mean, you only met him two weeks ago, so I suppose that¡¯s not impossible, but still.¡±


    I groan, ¡°I am not pregnant. Didn¡¯t you hear what I am trying to say? I haven¡¯t slept with him.¡±


    ¡°Aww, why not? You are attracted to him, and considering he asked you to move in with him, he must like you too. Why don¡¯t you make the most of the situation by, at least, getting a few orgasms out of it? Sleep with him; get him out of your system; just don¡¯t marry him.¡± She stabs her finger in my direction.


    ¡°I am not going to marry him,¡± Iugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, that¡¯s all.¡± She tosses her hair over her shoulder. ¡°These hot Italian men can be tricky. They use their cocks to manipte you, then before you know it, you end up married to him, and you don¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, ¡°I do hope to get married one day soon. I know it hasn¡¯t been an easy experience for you, but I hope I¡¯ll meet the right man soon.¡±


    ¡°So, this Axel chap isn¡¯t the right man?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to fuck him, and then you can share all of the juicy details with me,¡± she says in a bright tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do no such thing.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°So, you do have details, but you won¡¯t share them with me?¡±


    ¡°No, no, there are no details. There¡¯s nothing to share.¡± My cheeks flush.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying. I can tell,¡± she blows out a breath, ¡°but fine, have it your way. I won¡¯t push.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°And there goes my chance to live vicariously.¡± Her lips turn down. ¡°I was banking on you to take my mind off of my own problems.¡±


    Is your ex still causing you trouble?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an asshole,¡± she says in a matter-of-fact tone. ¡°If he has his way, I¡¯ll never get to see my baby girl again.¡±


    ¡°I am so sorry you have to deal with this, Elsa.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s not talk about my problems. Why don¡¯t we go out tonight? You can bring Axel. That way, I can, at least, get to meet him.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. He¡¯s not yet up to leaving the house. Besides, I know for a fact that he¡¯s otherwise upied.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. Asshole wanted that¡­that¡­ Sheena woman to help him with his bath. Right now, she¡¯s probably rubbing soap all over him, paying special attention to his dick, no doubt. She¡¯s probably on her knees sucking him off, even as we speak.


    ¡°Well, if he¡¯s busy, then why don¡¯t youe out to dinner with me?


    And he¡¯s probably digging his fingers into her hair and yanking her forward so he can thrust his dick down her throat. Then he¡¯ll groan as he empties himself, and she¡¯ll suck down everyst drop of his cum, before she sits back on her heels and nces up at him adoringly. Then he¡¯ll lean in and kiss her on the lips. I squeeze my thighs together, even as my chest feels too tight. No doubt, he won¡¯t give me a second thought as he spends the rest of the evening with her. And me? Am I going to spend the evening locked away in my room, bemoaning the fact that I didn¡¯t take him up on his offer? I mean, I could have been the one in his bed, under him as he took my virginity. My nipples tighten.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± Elsa calls, ¡°you there?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I push away the images in my head, ¡°and I have a better idea.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to a nightclub, you and me.¡±


    She stares at me, then bursts outughing, ¡°You want to go to a nightclub? You, who really does prefer staying home on a Friday night reading a romance novel, wants to go out and party?¡±


    ¡°And if I do?¡±


    She peers into my features, ¡°Now, I really do want to meet this Axel. He¡¯s managed to push you out of yourfort zone, hasn¡¯t he?¡±


    I scowl, ¡°Are youing with me to the nightclub, or not?¡±


    Forty-five minutester, I walk into Venom, the most happening nightclub in Palermo. It¡¯s also owned by the Sovranos, which, I assume, is the only reason Seb-who¡¯s filling in for Adrian-had agreed to drive me here. He¡¯d turned up within fifteen minutes of my calling, which had been just enough time for me to get dressed. He¡¯d driven me in almostplete silence, and except for raised eyebrows when I¡¯d mentioned my destination, he hadn¡¯t reacted. He¡¯d parked at the entrance to the nightclub, and a valet had materialized out of nowhere. Of course, he¡¯s a Sovrano-they run this town. Its stands to reason that a valet would notice his car ande over to park it right away.


    He walks around, opens my door, and I step out. I pull down the hem of the dress I am wearing, whiches to mid-thigh. It¡¯s still not as short as the dresses some of the other girls here are wearing, but it¡¯s the shortest dress I own. Thankfully, I¡¯d had the foresight to pack this little ck dress, which makes up for its inness by the way it clings to my curves.


    I walk toward the entrance, Seb right behind me.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± Elsa materializes next to me, ¡°so d you could make it.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± I grin up into her flushed features. A heavy, wing-shape eyeliner outlines her eyes and her thick blonde hair is pulled up in a messy bun. She¡¯s wearing a purple sequined dress which should look like too much, but really, it suits Elsa¡¯s partly mboyant, partly messy style. With her thigh-high boots and bracelets that decorate her forearms up to her elbows, she looks like she¡¯s thrown on an eclectic mish-mash of items from her wardrobe, but somehow, it works.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she yanks me forward, only toe to an abrupt stop when Seb walks around to stand in front of us. He folds his arms across his chest and stares down at her.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± She tips her chin all the way back to meet his gaze.


    ¡°Ah, this is Seb, my uh, my bodyguard for the evening.¡±


    ¡°Bodyguard.¡± She shoots me a sideways nce. ¡°You have a bodyguard?¡± she asks in a whisper-scream, which is loud enough for Seb to hear above the noise that filters out from the nightclub.


    ¡°Yeh, uh, told you the Sovranos insist that I am ferried about for my own safety.¡±


    ¡°OMG, I had no idea it meant you have your own personal bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°Only because I wanted to go out,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± she looks him up and down, ¡°well, we don¡¯t need you this evening. Why don¡¯t you go off and do whatever it is bodyguards do on their time off?¡±


    Seb res at her; she scowls back at him.


    ¡°Jeez, you are grumpy, aren¡¯t you? Maybe you shoulde along with us and have a few drinks to loosen up.¡±


    He turns to me, ¡°I assume you know her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, sorry. I forgot to introduce you guys. Seb meet my friend Elsa.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡± Elsa holds out her hand.


    He ignores it, then spins around and prowls toward the entrance of the nightclub. The crowd parts in front of him and we follow in his wake.


    ¡°He¡¯s rude.¡± Elsa glowers at his broad back.


    ¡°He¡¯s a Sovrano.¡±


    ¡°There seem to be more of them than the Baldwins,¡± she retorts.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What?¡± I nce at her. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, just a joke. It¡¯s a film reference joke. One of my ssmates from when I went to school-Summer West, was her name-she was so into movies that all her conversations were peppered with references to films. Some of it rubbed off on me.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss Ennd?¡±


    ¡°Not the weather. I miss London though.¡± Her gaze grows pensive. ¡°It¡¯s a big city. It afforded me more anonymity than Palermo.¡±


    ¡°You moved here to be close to your daughter, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It was the only way I could get to see her.¡± Her lips firm.


    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± She shoots me a smile that¡¯s so bright that I wince. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun, shall we?¡±


    She hooks her arm through mine and we follow Seb into the nightclub.


    A wave of noise hits me as we walk down the short flight of steps and into therge room. The scent of sweat, perfumes and alcohol all mesh into a strange bitter-sweet scent that overpowers me. The room has high ceilings and is cavernous enough for the music to echo back and be magnified. On both sides of the room, a bar stretches from end to end, and in between, is the dance floor. Or, at least, I assume it¡¯s a dance floor because I can¡¯t see an inch of it. The entire space is crammed with men and women dancing in what seems to be one big amorphous mass of humanity.


    ¡°Umm, I am not sure I want to be here,¡± I begin, but Elsa grabs my arm and pulls me along with her. ¡°Elsa, please,¡± I begin to protest but she turns on me.


    ¡°Do you want to stay home moping for your Sovrano?¡±


    I dete a little. ¡°N-no,¡± I admit.


    ¡°This was your idea. Clearly, you want to prove a point to yourself. You¡¯vee this far; don¡¯t back out now. Let¡¯s loosen up a little and have some fun, okay?¡±


    I let her drag me into the sweltering hot cavern.


    Seb seems to have disappeared somewhere, thank god. At least, I don¡¯t have to deal with him and Elsa getting pissy with each other.


    The strobe lights dance over us as she elbows her way through the crowd. She keeps a firm grip on me, until we reach the very center of the dance floor. Bodies push in on us from all sides. Sweat beads my brow and trickles down my temple. My dress clings to my back. Elsa grips my arms and sways in tandem to the music, which is so loud that it pounds through my veins. The beat ricochets about my head. Elsa swings her hips, dirty-dancing me as she squats down, then pushes out her hips and straightens. I notice the men behind her eyeing her up and down as she continues to dance, apparently, unaware of their attention.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± I scream to make myself be heard above the music. ¡°Elsa!¡±


    She nces at me, ¡°Come on, babe, you need to loosen up a little.¡±


    She throws her arms about me and grinds her hips into mine.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Iugh, as she pulls back, then twirls me around and back in. Then she turns her back on me, and once more, does a bump and a grind.


    ¡°Elsa, I need to get off the dance floor.¡± I grip her shoulder.


    She turns to me, ¡°Aww, and I was just beginning to have fun.¡±


    ¡°Well, I am not.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Hmm, I know just what you need.¡±


    She grabs my hand, and once more, pushes through the crowd, hauling me with her. We burst out of the throng and cool air instantly envelops me. I yank my hand from her grasp and push the hair off my neck.


    ¡°Phew, it¡¯s hot in there.¡±


    ¡°I know the best way to cool off.¡± Elsa heads for the bar and I follow her. She gets the attention of the bartender, ¡°Two tequs, please.¡± Within minutes, he ces two shots in front of us.


    She picks up her shot ss, while I eye mine with doubt. ¡°Um, I am not sure I should-¡±


    ¡°You absolutely should,¡± she insists. ¡°Come on.¡± She picks up my shot ss and thrusts it at me. ¡°Bottoms up!¡±


    She holds up her own ss. I take my ss from her, then clink sses with her.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. On the count of one-two-three-¡±


    I throw back the liquor in the shot ss. The alcohol slides down my throat. It hits my stomach and tendrils of heat radiate out to my extremities.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± I shake my head, ¡°that was-¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± she deres. ¡°It was excellent.¡± She gestures to the bartender, ¡°Two more, please.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± I back away, ¡°I am not drinking more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, you are.¡± She picks up a ss, and pushes it into my hand, ¡°Come on, you have to keep mepany.¡±


    I draw in a breath and am about to protest when she whines, ¡°Come on, Theresa, it¡¯s our first time out together. We need to celebrate.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I resist the urge to roll my eyes, ¡°you don¡¯t need to get drunk to celebrate.¡±


    She stares at me, ¡°Of course, you do.¡± She raises her ss, ¡°Come on!¡±


    I hesitate and she lifts up my hand, then clink her ss to mine, ¡°Drink up!¡±


    I blow out a sigh. Damn, I really don¡¯t want to get tipsy, but no way, is she letting me out of this unless I oblige her. I clink my ss with hers, then throw back the contents of the shot ss. This one goes straight to my head. A delicious warmth infuses my chest. I can¡¯t stop my lips from curving up.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± I fan myself, ¡°that¡¯s something.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± She turns to the bartender but I grasp her shoulder.


    ¡°NO more for me. I am going to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯lle with you,¡± she interjects.


    I wave her off. ¡°You get another drink, I¡¯ll just head to the bathroom and back.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    I cut her off, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just need a minute to cool off.¡± I brush past her and head for the restroom before she can protest. Once there, I join the queue snaking past the restroom doors. It¡¯s a full twenty minutes before I return to the bar, only to find Elsa glowering up at Seb.


    I walk up to stand between them as Seb reaches down to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. What the-? I stare between them for a full minute, and yet, neither of them notices me. The tension between them is off-the-charts.


    ¡°Hello, everything okay?¡± I finally ask.


    Elsa scowls and takes a step back. Seb lowers his hand to his side at the same time.


    ¡°Elsa? Seb? What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on is that your bodyguard seems to think he owns the ce, is what.¡±


    ¡°I do, actually.¡± Seb looks her up and down. He seems to notice her dress for the first time and his features harden. ¡°What the fuck are you wearing?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Elsa opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°You may as well as be parading naked for all that you have on.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Elsa turns to me as if to say, is this guy for real? She rolls her eyes before turning back to him. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are, you asshole?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± he says through gritted teeth.


    ¡°You can take her. I am not going anywhere.¡± Elsa turns away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn your back on me,¡± Seb growls.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want, when I want,¡± Elsa huffs.


    Seb¡¯s features seem to grow thunderous. He steps forward, but I grip his hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I say in a soft voice, ¡°let me handle this.¡±


    He glowers at her for a second longer, then nods.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± I touch her shoulder, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for us to leave.¡±


    ¡°I am just starting to have fun.¡± She scowls at me from the corner of her eyes. ¡°Besides, who does he think he is to order me around?¡±


    ¡°The Sovranos can be a bit overwhelming. Why don¡¯t we get out of here and I¡¯ll exin on the way home?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± She tosses her hair, most of which has escaped from the messy bun on top of her head. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I have to do before we leave.¡± Her eyes gleam.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She darts toward the bar, grabs a tall ss of beer, then turns and dumps it on Seb.

 219

    Axel


    I sprawl across her bed.


    It had been a bitch getting here, but I had been determined to make it here on my own steam. After Theresa had left, I¡¯d had pulled away from Sheena. My legs had been shaky, but I had managed to walk to the bathroom by myself. Sheena had asked if I was sure that she couldn¡¯t help and I had assured her that I could take it from there and that she could return to whatever it is she¡¯d been doing. She had given me a funny look but had done as I¡¯d asked. I had walked slowly into the bathroom, had a shower, then managed to dry myself and pull on a fresh set of clothes-courtesy of the Sovranos, who¡¯ve ensured that I have a wardrobe full of clothes. Something I am not particrly happy about, but until I regain my memorypletely and am strong enough to get out of here, I have no choice but to be dependent on them. It hurts my pride to do so, but I am nothing, if not practical. It¡¯s the only way I¡¯ve managed to survive this far.


    I need to get stronger, which means I need to focus on my recovery-ergo, I need to pretend to be amenable to whatever the Sovranos have in mind, and that means epting the clothes and the roof over my head. It¡¯s only for a few more weeks, assuming I can will my body to cooperate. And the one thing I am good at is using my determination to shape events to go my way.


    Once dressed, tiredness had crept over me. So, I had slid onto the bed and napped for a few hours. I had woken up refreshed and energized and horny. Thoughts of Theresa had filled my mind. Her soft skin, her pink lips, the way her hips sway as she walks, that scent of apple blossoms that fills my lungs every time she¡¯s near. She is everything soft and curvy and pliable. Someone I can bend to my will and use to keep myself entertained while I recover. It¡¯s why I had rolled out of bed, then walked up the corridor and toward her room.


    I had walked in and found it empty. First surprise, then irritation had filled me. I had checked the bathroom and her closet and concluded she wasn¡¯t there. By then, tiredness had already started setting in. So, I had walked over to her bed, sat down, and using the internal phone line, had called down to the kitchen, the hub of activity. The staff had informed me that she had been seen leaving with Seb.


    What the fuck? What was she doing with him? Where was he taking her? And, most importantly, how dare she leave the premises of the house without my permission? Of course, I hadn¡¯t told her that she had to stay inside. I hadn¡¯t warned her that she couldn¡¯t head out of the house without informing me. I thought it was understood¡­ Clearly, I was wrong. Clearly, I have to make myself clearer to her.


    Tiredness had ovee me again and I had stretched out on her bed and closed my eyes. The next thing I hear is the sound of the door to the suite being pushed open. I have just enough presence of mind to reach over and switch off the bedroom light.


    I hear her footsteps approach. She¡¯s humming under her breath. Wherever she¡¯s been, it¡¯s put her in a good mood. Did she fuck him? Did she allow him to have his hands all over her? I ball my fists at my side. I track her progress as she walks inside the room. It¡¯s dark outside, and while the light from the living room lights her up from behind, I am in darkness so she doesn¡¯t seem to notice me.


    She walks toward the bathroom, bumps into a chair, and almost falls.


    ¡°Whoops,¡± she hups, as she rightens herself. ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± she apologizes. To the chair? I arch an eyebrow as she straightens, then weaves her way in the general direction of the bathroom again. She stops halfway, kicks off her heels. She reaches for the hem of her dress, then yanks it up and over her head. She throws it in the general direction of the bed where itnds on my face, covering my mouth and nose. The scent of apple-blossom, mingled with her sweat, fills my nostrils. Every pore in my body seems to pop. My groin hardens. She unhooks her bra and lets it fall to the floor. Then she shoves her panties down her shapely legs and kicks them aside, giving me a sh of her curvy behind before she disappears in the bathroom. The sound of the water from the shower reaches me.


    Fuck! I adjust myself, then push off the bed. Thankfully, my legs feel strong enough to hold up my weight, at least, for the time being¡­ Barefoot, I pad over to the bathroom and nce within to find her inside the shower. She hums to herself as she raises her arms. The shower water pours down her shoulders, down her back, in the valley between those perfectly-shaped arse cheeks. Fucking fuck. A bead of sweat runs down my spine. I approach her, then pull open the door of the shower stall and lean against it.


    She hums under her breath, then turns. Eyes still closed, she soaps her breasts, running her hands along the sides, underneath them, before trailing her fingers down her waist to y with her pussy lips. She slides her finger inside herself, then adds another. She moves the fingers in and out of herself, in and out. Her breasts rise and fall. I raise my gaze to her face to find her eyes still closed. She bites down on her lower lip as she continues to pleasure herself.


    I drag my gaze back to her pussy to find her finger fucking herself with three fingers now. Fuck! I slide my palm inside the waistband of my pants and squeeze my cock. As she thrusts her fingers in and out of herself, I drag my hold up my shaft, then again, and again.


    My breathes in pants, the steam from the shower envelops me, and sweat beads my shoulders. I increase the intensity of my actions, keeping pace with her. Her hips twitch and her torso curves. Fuck, she is close. She leans back into the wall at the back of the shower as my dick lengthens further. I stroke myself harder, faster, and that¡¯s when her entire body seems to freeze. I jerk my chin up, take in the way her features contort, how her eyes are still closed, her eyelids crinkled as she opens her mouth in a soundless cry.


    ¡°Fuck, you are beautiful,¡± I groan as Ie.


    That¡¯s when her eyelids fly open. Her gaze widens. And she opens her mouth again, no doubt, to scream. I pull my hand out of my pants, close the distance between us, and thrust my hips into hers. I push my chest into those gorgeous breasts, then fit my mouth over hers.


    All of her muscles seem to lock, her entire body freezing in surprise. I thrust my tongue in between her lips, and that¡¯s when shees alive. She pulls her hand from between us and digs her fingers into my shoulder. I am sure she¡¯s going to push me away, but instead, she locks her leg around my waist and pulls me closer. I p my palms into the wall on either side of her head. I tilt my head, deepen the kiss, and she moans. I absorb the sound as I push my already erect cock into the softness of her core. I twine my tongue with hers, then bite down on her lower lip. A groan bleeds from her mouth. The sound goes straight to my head and suddenly, I need to have her. I shove my wet sweat pants down my thighs, then notch my cock against her entrance. I slow down to nce into her flushed features.


    ¡°Open your eyes,¡± I order.


    Her eyelids flutter open and stares at me with those green eyes. I search her features. ¡°Do you want me?¡± I growl. ¡°Do you, Theresa?¡±


    She swallows.


    ¡°Say the word and I¡¯ll leave you.¡±


    She hesitates.


    ¡°If I take you now, there¡¯s no going back,¡± I warn her. ¡°I won¡¯t stop until I own you, possess you, break you.¡± Then I whisper, ¡°Until I make you mine.¡±


    Her pupils dte until only a circle of green remains at the circumference of the iris.


    ¡°Axel,¡± she licks her lips, ¡°Axel,¡±


    I nudge the crown of my cock against her wet opening, ¡°What¡¯s it gonna be, Theresa? Do you want my cock?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she tips up her chin, ¡°I want y-¡±


    I thrust forward and she stiffens.


    ¡°That hurt.¡± she gasps as she squeezes her eyes shut.


    I dig my fingers into the wall, firm my thighs, and hold myself there. The warm wet flesh of her pussy envelops my dick, and fuck, if I don¡¯te all over again. I stay there until her breathing evens out and she opens her eyes again.


    She cups my cheek and a wave of tenderness runs through me. I pull out, then slide back in. Her pussy instantly mps down on my cock and heat radiates out from the point of contact between us.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I push my forehead against her. Pain pricks around the wound at my temple but I ignore it, ¡°You¡¯re killing me, Sunshine.¡±


    She pushes her breasts into my chest, and the sensation of her hardened nipples digging into my chest sends me over the edge. I pull out, then drill into her, this time thrusting all the way inside. Her entire body jolts.


    I begin to fuck her in earnest, watching her features closely. Every time I bury myself in her, the flush on her face seems to deepen. Every time I hit that spot deep inside her, she moans. Her eyelids flutter closed and I snap, ¡°Eyes on me.¡±


    It seems as if she opens her eyelids with great difficulty and peers up at me from under her eyshes. Her eyes are stormy with lust, with arousal, and fuck, if that doesn¡¯t turn me on even more. I grip her thighs just under her butt and haul her up. She wraps her legs around my waist as I impale her again. My biceps twitch, my thigh muscles protest, but I push aside the pain.


    ¡°Oh, god,¡± she groans, ¡°oh, my god, Axel.¡±


    I grit my teeth as I tilt my hips and m myself into her. Her body stiffens, her eyes roll back in her head, and that¡¯s when I press my entire body into her. ¡°Come,¡± I order and she opens her mouth in a wordless scream as she detonates. Her pussy squeezes down on my cock and I groan as I shoot my cum inside her. We stay that way until my thighs tremble. Some of the adrenaline fades away and my leg muscles quiver.


    Fuck. I fucking hate that I am still so weak. I pull out of her, then squeeze her thighs so she lowers her legs. Then I drop to my knees in between her thighs.


    ¡°What are you-¡± She groans as I lick my tongue up between her pussy lips. I lick away the blood, and the taste of my cum mixed with hers coats my pte. I thrust my tongue inside her wet channel and weave it in and out of her. The sweet scent of her arousal surrounds me. I squeeze the backs of her legs as I swipe my tongue around her clit. She gasps, then digs her fingers into my hair, even as she tries to move away from my questing tongue.


    A moan bleeds from her lips and I increase my pace. I tilt my head, plunge my tongue inside her soaking wet channel. Her knees quake and her entire body jolts. ¡°Oh, my god,¡± she gasps, ¡°oh, god, Axel.¡±


    She clings to me as I bury my nose in her pussy, draw my fill of her scent, then drag my tongue up to her clit.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Who does this pussy belong to?¡± I growl.


    ¡°You,¡± she moans, ¡°you, Axel.¡±


    I urge her to throw her leg over my shoulder, opening her even more for me. I curl my tongue around the engorged clit and she huffs. I squeeze her arsecheeks, then drag my finger down the valley between her butt cheeks. I bite down on her pussy as I slide a finger inside her backhole and her muscles stiffen. I nce up to find she has squeezed her eyelids shut.


    ¡°Open your eyes,¡± I growl, and her eyelids flutter open. She holds my gaze from under heavy eyshes as I thrust my tongue inside her pussy. I curve my finger inside her back channel, and she shudders.


    ¡°Who does this arse belong to?¡± I snap.


    ¡°Y¡­you,¡± she stutters.


    ¡°Damn right.¡± I swipe my tongue up between her pussy lips again and again, then plunge my tongue inside her channel.


    Her thighs tremble and she sways. ¡°Axel¡± she whispers ¡°I am going to-¡±


    ¡°Come,¡± Imand, and her entire body shudders. Her back curves and she throws her head back as she shatters.

 220

    Theresa


    I float down from the orgasm to find I am leaning into him. The water beats down on my back. Some of the spray coats his shoulders and trickles down his back. He¡¯s massaging my ass cheeks as he stares up at me. His mouth and his chin glisten. That¡¯s my cum, I realize. My cheeks heat. He rises up to his feet, pulls his sweats up around his waist then stares down at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s thest time you leave here without my permission,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blink. Some of the sexual haze retreats, ¡°I am not your prisoner.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Heughs. The jerkughs at me.


    ¡°Why are youughing? I didn¡¯t make a joke.¡±


    ¡°You might as well have.¡± He smirks. ¡°You don¡¯t leave here without my consent, and that¡¯s final.¡±


    I try to pull away from him, but his grip on my hips tightens. Water from the shower pours over him. His hair sticks to his forehead and his features stand out in contrast. I nce at the bandage at his temple. ¡°Your dressing is wet,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± he scowls, ¡°what were you doing with him?¡±


    ¡°With who?¡±


    ¡°Seb,¡± he spits out his brother¡¯s name as if it¡¯s a bad word.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been spying on me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer a question with a question.¡±


    ¡°How about I not answer your question at all?¡± I sniff.


    He grabs my hips and fits me to the cradle of his pelvis. The thickness at his crotch stabs into my core. ¡°You will answer the question.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    He peers into my face, ¡°Trust me, you don¡¯t want to find out what happens if you don¡¯t.¡±


    I hold his gaze and those blue eyes of his bore into me. I flinch. ¡°Nothing happened with Seb. You know that, right?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Besides, Seb has his own issues. My friend Elsa and he seem to have taken an instant dislike to each other. In fact, she dumped a pint of beer on him earlier. It was quite entertaining,¡± Iugh.


    He stares at me with a strange look in his eyes.


    ¡°What?¡± I redden. ¡°What is it? Do I have something on my face or something?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking gorgeous, and I am not just talking about your looks, Sunshine. There¡¯s an innocence to you, and it¡¯s not just the fact that you were a virgin. ¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°It¡¯s something else.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°You have a thirst for life, an optimism, a happiness that radiates from you that is so very infectious. You make me want to hope.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± I swallow, ¡°that feels very much like apliment.¡±


    ¡°You confuse me.¡± His scowl deepens. ¡°I can¡¯t figure out what makes you tick.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s bad?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not good for my peace of mine,¡± he growls. ¡°You¡¯re not good for my peace of mind. When I found you¡¯d gone out, I lost my mind. I hated that I wasn¡¯t strong enough yet to walk out of the house and go after you. I hate being this helpless. I hate that I need to rely on others to protect you. That I have to be in this house that belongs to someone else. That I have to be dependent on others, knowing they are probably plotting against me as we speak.¡±


    ¡°They are your family; if they wanted to hurt you, they¡¯d have done it by now.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe they are waiting for me to be strong enough so I can put up a fight as they take me down.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t trust anyone, do you?¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡± His gaze widens. He seems taken aback by his words. To be honest, so am I.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be jealous of anyone else where I am concerned. You are the first man I have been with, Axel. You¡¯ve seen the evidence of that with your own eyes.¡± I peer up into his features.


    His jaw hardens. His gaze seems to grow even more stormy.


    ¡°Why are you so angry?¡± I cup his cheek. ¡°All this bitterness inside of you, all this pain, where is iting from?¡±


    His brow furrows. For a second, I am sure he is going to answer my question, then a mask seems to drop over his face. He releases me and steps back, only to sway. I grip his shoulder to righten him and his features grow even more angry. He spins around and heads out of the shower. He makes it to the door before his knees seem to grow too shaky. He grips the door frame and draws in a breath.


    I reach behind me and turn off the shower before I walk over to him. By the time I reach him, his features are pale.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I reach out to touch him, but he shrugs it off.


    ¡°I can walk on my own steam.¡±


    ¡°I have no doubt,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Don¡¯t humor me.¡± He firms his lips.


    ¡°I believe you. I¡¯m only trying to help.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t.¡± He takes another step forward, then another. I nce down at myself and realize I am dripping water all over the carpet. Shit. I turn and hurry back into the bathroom. I dry myself quickly, then shrug into a bathrobe, before I return to him. I catch up with him as he nears the door to the hallway. His clothes are dripping and his breathing isbored. He grips the frame of the door and draws in a breath.


    ¡°Let me help you, please,¡± I plead.


    He doesn¡¯t answer me. Simply takes another step forward, then another. His pace is slow, and he seems to be growing more tired with every passing minute. Halfway up the corridor, he sways. I grab his arm, and this time, he doesn¡¯t shake it off. I throw his arm across my shoulder, wrap my arm around his waist, and help him back to his room.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down in that chair and I¡¯ll help you out of your clothes?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t protest and I shoot him a sideways nce. His face is paler, his cheekbones more pronounced. He has his gaze fixed on the chair. He seems to be slowing down with each step, but we finally make it to the chair. He lowers himself into it with a sigh, then leans his head back and closes his eyes. I undo the buttons of his shirt.


    ¡°Lean forward,¡± I murmur.


    He obliges me withoutint, and once more, I rake my gaze across his face. His eyes are closed, his breathingbored. Clearly, he is in pain. I push his shirt off of his shoulders, then reach for his sweat pants. ¡°Uh, you¡¯ll need to lift your hips so I can help you out of these.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    I pull his sweat pants down and his thick cock swings free. He sinks back down into the chair and I pull his sweatspletely off. He ces his head against the back of the chair, and his chest rises and falls. Moisture gleams across his shoulders and slides down the demarcation of his pecs. It slips down his sculpted chest, around his belly button, and catches on the trimmed hair at the base of his cock. My mouth waters, and before I can give myself the chance to change my mind-after all, I¡¯m already down here-I wrap my fingers around his shaft and it jumps in my grasp.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    I tip up my chin to find him staring down at me. His blue gaze is direct as he surveys my features. Without breaking the connection, I lick my tongue around the crown his dick.


    He draws in a harsh breath, but otherwise, there¡¯s no change of expression on his face. I lick the slit on the head and his nostrils re. I close my mouth around his shaft and his gaze intensifies. I tilt my head, take in as much of the length as I can. He buries his fingers in my hair and tugs. Pinpricks of pain radiate across my scalp. My nipples tighten. My core clenches. He tugs on my hair so I am forced to pull back until the head of his cock is poised between my lips. Then he pushes forward and his dick slides down my throat. I gag and tears squeeze out of the corners of my eyes.


    ¡°Why is it that seeing your tears turn me on so?¡± he murmurs, almost to himself. As if to punctuate his words, his shaft thickens, filling my mouth. I force myself to rx my jaw as he begins to fuck my mouth in earnest. Of course, with Axel, even a blowjob is not something he¡¯ll allow me to give him. He has to be in control, even here.


    I bnce myself with one hand on his thigh as he pulls me forward. His dick slides down my throat. I draw in the dark, musky scent of his and moistureces my core. My pussy throbs and my lower belly clenches. I dig my fingernails into his thighs and nce up at him. His gaze is intense as he speeds up. His chest nes flex, his shoulder muscles knot, and the tendons of his throat move as a growl rips from him. His hold in my hair tightens, his cock pulses and hees, shooting his warmth down my throat. He seems toe ande until his cum fills my mouth. I try to swallow, but it overflows from the corners of my lips.


    He pulls out, then hauls me up and fixes his mouth on mine. His lips sh with mine and he licks his arousal off of my mouth. He thrusts his tongue in between my lips and sucks from me. He kisses me so deeply, so intensely, my head spins. I ster myself to his chest, throw my arms around his neck as I push myself into him.


    The room seems to tilt and I open my eyes to find he¡¯s on his feet again. I try to protest, but he doesn¡¯t release my mouth. He carries me to his bed, ces me on the mattress and follows me down. He pulls me to him as he continues to kiss me. My head spins. Darkness flickers at the edges of my vision. When he finally releases me, I gasp. Oxygen rushes into my lungs, and I sink back into the pillow.


    We stare at each other and something seems to shift. He cups my cheek, brings me in for another kiss. His lips touch mine. He shares my breath but doesn¡¯t deepen the kiss further. He brushes his mouth against mine as if learning it¡¯s outline all over again. He leans in closer until his thighs touch mine, his hips cradle mine, his chest brushes against my breasts. My nipples tighten and one side of his lips curves. He pushes a strand of hair away from my temple. ¡°I am not sorry I took your virginity,¡± he whispers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be sorry that you took my virginity,¡± I reply.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave this house without telling me.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°When the household staff told me that you left with Seb, I was sure that I was going to kill him.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to kill him.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°I just needed to get away from here,¡± I exin. ¡°When I saw you with that¡­that woman-¡±


    ¡°You mean Sheena?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I huff, ¡°when I realized that she was going to help you bathe-¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I blink.


    ¡°I asked her to leave right after you did.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I nce away, ¡°but you meant to convey the impression-¡±


    ¡°That she was going to help me shower and more, yes.¡±


    ¡°So did she?¡± I turn my gaze on him. ¡°Did she help you shower and more.¡±


    ¡°Already told you. I asked her to leave right after you. She¡¯s only my physiotherapist; nothing more, so you don¡¯t need to be jealous about her.¡±


    ¡°Who says I am jealous about her?¡±


    His smirk widens, ¡°It¡¯s cute when you deny the emotions that are written all over your face.¡±


    ¡°They are not.¡±


    ¡°They are.¡± He wraps his fingers around my neck and a shiver runs down my spine.


    ¡°When you get this¡­ assertive, it turns me on,¡± I whisper.


    ¡°I know,¡± he replies with such confidence that I resist the urge to roll my eyes.


    ¡°Jeez is there anything that you are not sure about?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Myself. I am never sure how I am going to react around you.¡± He increases the pressure around my throat and a thrill grips me. My breasts seem to swell and my thighs tremble.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I protest, ¡°you need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll rest when I am dead.¡±


    I frown. ¡°That¡¯s not funny. When that bullet hit you and you crumpled to the ground, I thought my heart would stop beating.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± He presses his thumb into the base of my throat where my pulse beats rapidly. ¡°You didn¡¯t even know me then.¡±


    ¡°I knew that you had stepped in front of me and taken the bullet meant for me. Nobody has ever done anything like that for me. Speaking of,¡± I touch the bandage on his temple, ¡°don¡¯t you need to change this bandage?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s waterproof.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I lower my hand and ce my palm against where his heart beats in his chest. He leans in and presses his lips to my forehead. A warmth squeezes my chest.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± I murmur, then yawn.


    ¡°That was to show you,¡± he kisses the tip of my nose, ¡°I am not aplete asshole,¡± he presses a soft kiss to my lips, ¡°and I do have it in me to be tender,¡± he presses a kiss to my chin, ¡°on asion.¡±


    He leans back and nces into my face.


    ¡°I know you are not as much of an alphahole as you pretend to be,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Alphahole?¡± He chuckles. ¡°I like it. You may refer to me as alphahole, from now on.¡±


    I yawn again, ¡°I should have known that you would take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°If the shoe fits,¡± he raises a shoulder as he draws me onto his chest.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be recuperating? Won¡¯t I hurt you if I put my weight on you? Isn¡¯t it better if-¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± he tucks my head under his chin, ¡°sleep now.¡±


    I open my mouth to protest, and instead, end up yawning again. Sleep tugs at the edges of my conscious mind. I close my eyes and am instantly asleep. When I wake up, I am alone in his bed and naked.


    What the-? Did he carry me to bed? Is he strong enough to do that already? Clearly, he¡¯s almost fully recovered.


    I nce around the room and find it empty. It¡¯s only the indentation in the pillow next to me that indicates that someone else had upied the same bed as me.


    I swing my legs over the side, grab the bathrobe from where it had been thrown down next to the bed and shrug it on before heading to my room to freshen up. Finally, I discard the bathrobe, step into my jeans and shrug into a sweater. I pull on thick socks, then my trainers, before I head out of my room. When I peek inside Sheena¡¯s room, then Axel¡¯s, I find them both empty.


    I head down the flight of steps, and toward the study, which is the only room I haven¡¯t been to before. The sound of voices reaches me as I near the doorway.


    ¡°What are your intentions with Theresa?¡±

 221

    Axel


    ¡°Intentions?¡± I lean back into the couch.


    I had woken up at the crack of dawn, knowing I needed to start exercising again. Theresa had been curled into my side. I had carried her to bedst night and she had hardly weighed anything. Still, by the time I had reached the bed, I was exhausted.


    She slept with her head on my chest and her leg flung over me, her cheeks flushed and her eyshes a dark fan over her cheeks. Her breathing had been steady and she had seemed at peace. I had reached out to touch her face then stopped myself. I do not do tenderness. I do not want to feel this drawn to her. She¡¯s simply a woman who happens to be a wee distraction while I work to get my strength back.


    Yeah, sure. That¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t been able to stop myself from taking her virginity. Or from holding herter in bed. That¡¯s why I had held her all night as she¡¯d slept. There is something between, us no doubt about that. Already, my feelings toward her are softening. Already, I find myself wanting to kiss her again before I crawl between her thighs and feast on her luscious pussy, right before I thrust into her sopping wet channel and fuck her so hard, she¡¯ll never want to be with any other man again. What the fuck? Since when had I begun to feel this possessive about her?


    It¡¯s best that I get away from her and try to find perspective. And that¡¯s why I had managed to withdraw my arm from under her neck, then pulled away from her. She¡¯d stirred and I had frozen. She had settled down and I had swung my legs over the side of the bed. After pulling on some clothes, I had felt steadier and much stronger as I had made my way to the door. Guess that¡¯s what a night of uninterrupted sleep with no nightmares can do to you. And the sex had helped too. My arms and legs had felt limber and my mind had been clear as I had headed down the corridor. I had reached the exercise room and started in on my daily routine.


    By the time I had finished working out Massimo had made an appearance. He¡¯d informed me that Michael and the rest of the Sovranos were waiting to meet me in the study. I had wanted to tell him to fuck off, but hell, I do need their help. So, I had agreed to meet them.


    I¡¯d taken my time showering and getting changed, being careful not to disturb her. Just because I was going to be agreeable didn¡¯t mean I had to rush to follow their orders. With ast look at the sleeping Theresa I had walked down to meet them, by which time nearly half an hour had passed.


    To Michael¡¯s credit, when I had walked into the room, he hadn¡¯t seemed angry or upset. If anything, he had seemed to be in a particrly good mood as I had prowled over to the settee. He had leaned back in his chair, and as soon as I was seated, he had asked me what my intentions were with Theresa.


    Now I hold his gaze as I fold one leg over my other knee. ¡°That¡¯s why the lot of you havee here? To ask me about my personal life?¡±


    It¡¯s Massimo who answers from his perch by the firece, ¡°Firstly, you are our brother, so it means, yes, all of us are concerned about your personal life.¡±


    ¡°And even more so when it seems to concern a person under our protection,¡± Adrian adds as he leans back against the wall by the window.


    The brothers are stationed at various points around the study. It might seem casual to an untrained observer, but there¡¯s no doubt in my mind that they have taken up positions such that they cover all of the exit points in the room. Add to that, the meathead standing guard outside the door, and if I were to try to leave now, they¡¯d definitely stop me. Not that I am going to attempt that particr move. And not only because I am not yet back to full strength. I am curious about their interest in Theresa. They seem to treat her like she is their younger sister or their ward.


    ¡°Vowed to protect?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°Is that why Seb, here,¡± I jerk my chin in his direction, ¡°decided to take her out without informing me?¡±


    ¡°Informing you, huh?¡± Seb smirks. ¡°Who is she to you that you need to be informed about her every move?¡±


    ¡°I am her-¡± I open my mouth, then shut it.


    ¡°You are her?¡± Michael¡¯s smile widens. ¡°Go on, I am listening.¡±


    ¡°She is someone I protected once already with my life,¡± I point out.


    ¡°An action which you im you don¡¯t even remember taking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a im,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°I still don¡¯t remember the events of that day.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Michael raises his hands, ¡°I¡¯ll grant you that. All the more reason I have to wonder why it is you have taken such an interest in Theresa.¡±


    My muscles stiffen. ¡°Question is, why is it that all of you are so interested in Theresa?¡±


    ¡°Xander cared for her,¡± Seb growls, ¡°so she is under our protection.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯d never let anything happen to her,¡± I counter.


    ¡°We agreed to have her move in under the same roof as you, only because it¡¯s easier to guard both of you this way,¡± Seb walks toward me. ¡°It¡¯s why, when she called, I agreed to apany her to Venom.¡±


    ¡°Venom? You took her to a nightclub?¡±


    ¡°Rx, it¡¯s owned by us,¡± Seb drawls.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck who owns it. Who gave you permission to take her to a nightclub?¡±


    ¡°We definitely don¡¯t need your permission for that,¡± Michael smirks, ¡°unless, of course, you are telling us otherwise?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise?¡± I scowl. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. The way you are going all possessive over her, makes me wonder if you haven¡¯t got more of a vested interest in her?¡± Massimo retorts.


    I lean back in my couch. ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t know what you mean. I have no interest in her.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Luca¡¯s brows draw down, ¡°the way you were eyeing her up seemed to indicate there was more than just a passing interest at your end.¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°I admit, when I regained consciousness and realized what I had done, it intrigued me. I am not the kind of man who¡¯d take a bullet for anyone else, let alone a woman I don¡¯t know at all. It made me wonder why I had reacted so. It¡¯s the only reason I asked for her to be moved here to the same ce as me. Also, I hoped that seeing her would help me regain the missing bits of my memory, but other than that?¡± I nce between the brothers, ¡°Nope, I have no interest in her.¡±


    ¡°So, you won¡¯t mind if we decide to find a suitable match for her from within the Cosa Nostra?¡± Seb drawls.


    Motherfucker. Every muscle in my body tenses. My shoulders knot. I re at Seb, and his grin widens.


    ¡°Well?¡± he asks. ¡°Since you are not interested in her, you won¡¯t mind if we secure her future, right?¡±


    I glower at him. My stomach knots. My guts feel like they have been put through a wringer. I force my muscles to unwind, one at time, unclench my fingers, then jerk my chin, ¡°Nope, I don¡¯t mind at all.¡±


    ¡°But I do,¡± her voice rings out. I turn to doorway as Theresa walks into the room. Her features are pale, her back erect. ¡°What I very much mind is my future being discussed when I am not in the room.¡±


    She pauses next to Michael.


    ¡°Do I not have a say in my own life?¡± She tips up her chin at him. ¡°As Xander¡¯s brother, I expected that you¡¯d, at least, give me the choice in who I want to spend the rest of my life with.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s your choice,¡± Michael rises to his feet, ¡°but you can¡¯t me us for being worried about you. We loved Xander and we know that he¡¯d want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°And I know what will make me happy.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± Michael¡¯s brow furrows.


    She nods. ¡°I know who I want to marry, and it¡¯s someone Xander would have approved of.¡±


    Michael holds her gaze. The silence stretches. The hair on the nape of my neck rises. It can¡¯t be. Surely not. She wouldn¡¯t go there, would she?


    I re at her, but she keeps her gaze averted from mine.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Seb finally inquires. ¡°Who is this person who you want to marry?¡±


    My heart begins to race. The pulse pounds at my temples. No fucking way, is she going to do this. Oh, no. I rise to my feet just as she turns and points a finger at me.


    ¡°Him,¡± she says in a clear voice, ¡°I want to marry him.¡±


    Theresa


    ¡°The fuck?¡± He res at me, ¡°What did you say?¡± He clenches and unclenches his fingers, in what I realize is a nervous tic. He takes a step toward me and Luca grabs his shoulder.


    ¡°Let me the fuck go.¡± Axel tries to shake him off, but Luca holds onto him.


    ¡°What the fuck did you say?¡± Axel glowers at me.


    ¡°Watch it,¡± Luca says in a hard voice.


    ¡°No, you watch it,¡± Axel seizes Luca¡¯s cor.


    Luca¡¯s features contort, he pulls back his fist, and my heart ms into my chest.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I close the distance to them, ¡°stop, Luca, please,¡± I twist my fingers together, ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt him.¡±


    The two re at each other, then Luca lowers his fist.


    The breath rushes out of me. The adrenaline drains out of me somewhat as I turn to Axel, ¡°I¡­ I owe you an exnation.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Axel says through gritted teeth, ¡°Tell them you didn¡¯t mean what you said.¡±


    I hesitate.


    Axel¡¯s brows draw down.


    ¡°Do you know what you are doing?¡± he says in a low voice.


    No, I don¡¯t. It¡¯s why I am standing here, trying to break up a fight between two grown men who, individually, are twice my weight, at least. A chuckle bubbles up and I mp my lips together. I am not going to get hysterical. I am not.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± his tone hardens, ¡°you don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    ¡°Stop threatening her,¡± Luca scowls at him, ¡°and give her a chance toplete what she¡¯s saying.¡±


    Axel stares at me a second longer, then he shakes off Luca¡¯s hold. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Axel holds my gaze and the courage seems to drain out of me. A trembling grips me. My heart thuds so hard in my chest, I am sure it¡¯s going to break out of my rib cage. ¡°I¡­¡± My knees seem to give way from under me. I sway. Both Axel and Luca step forward, but Axel reaches me first.


    He grips my forearm. ¡°What the hell?¡± His scowl deepens. ¡°Have you eaten anything today?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I shake my head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I woke up and uh, came in search of you.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°And to think, I¡¯m the one who was shot. You need a keeper, you know that?¡± He guides me to a chair and pushes me onto it.


    ¡°I am fine,¡± I protest. Sweat breaks out on my brow and I lean back into the chair.


    ¡°You are not bloody fine.¡± He lowers himself onto his haunches in front of me. ¡°Deep breaths,¡± he says in a brisk voice, ¡°are you feeling faint?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I murmur, ¡°just a little weak.¡±


    ¡°Someone, get her a ss of orange juice,¡± he orders as he peers into my face.


    I close my eyes because I can¡¯t bear to see the concern in his eyes, which is so at odds with the rest of his attitude, and also, because I am actually feeling a little lightheaded. It¡¯s probably from the adrenaline that had rushed through me when I¡¯d made that bold statement-the one I hadn¡¯t even been aware I was going to say until I heard the words emerge from my mouth. But once I heard it, it felt right. I¡¯d known from the moment I set my eyes on this guy, I¡¯m not going to let him get away. And while marriage might not mean the same thing to him as it does to me, it¡¯s one way of trying to form some kind of connection with him, right?


    Footsteps sound, then I sense Axel lean in closer. ¡°Here,¡± he orders, ¡°drink this.¡±


    I open my eyes to see him holding out a ss of orange juice in my line of sight.


    I nce from the ss to him.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he holds it to my lips, ¡°take a sip.¡±


    I drink from it. Only when I have drained the ss, does he lower it and ce it on the table next to me.


    ¡°Better?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Good. Now you can take back what you said earlier.¡±


    ¡°Axel,¡± Michael warns, ¡°let her speak.¡±


    Axel firms his lips.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t speak when you are ring at me.¡±


    ¡°I am not ring at you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡± I squirm around in the seat.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say your piece looking into my eyes, eh?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Don¡¯t intimidate her,¡± Seb admonishes him.


    ¡°Yeah, give her some breathing space, will you?¡± Massimo adds.


    Axel rises up to his feet and keeps rising. Jesus, I¡¯d forgotten how tall he is. And despite the weight he¡¯s lost over thest few days, his muscles are still defined enough that the T-shirt he¡¯s wearing clings to his shoulders.


    He folds his arms across his chest and bares his teeth.


    I flinch, ¡°Wh¡­what is that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he says, still with his lips drawn back.


    ¡°That¡­ that look on your face.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m smiling.¡± he pulls his lips wider.


    ¡°It¡¯s scaring me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare her.¡± Luca takes a step forward.


    ¡°Yeah, step back, will ya?¡± Seb snaps.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He takes a step back. Like literally, one step back. ¡°Good?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Luca walks toward him. He reaches for Axel, who blocks his arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking touch me, you wanker.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you back away then?¡± Luca bares his teeth.


    Axel moves back, putting about five feet of distance between me and him.


    ¡°Is that better?¡± Luca asks me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to her.¡± Axel scowls at him.


    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± Luca turns on him, ¡°First, you try to frighten her-¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Axel¡¯s grin turns predatory, ¡°she should be scared of me.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Seb prowls over to nk Axel on the other side, ¡°don¡¯t threaten her.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± Axel retorts without taking his gaze off of me.


    Seb ces his hand on Axel¡¯s shoulder, and Axel responds by kicking his legs out from under him. Seb hits the floor on his back with a thud that echoes around the space. The next second, Luca is on Axel, and Massimo has closed the distance to the two. He throws his massive arm around Axel¡¯s chest, holding him in ce as Luca pulls back his fist, only to stop an inch from Axel¡¯s face.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Axel growls, ¡°throw the first punch, motherfucker. Give me a reason to smash up your face.¡±


    Luca¡¯s features darken. He tightens his fist with such intensity that the skin stretches across his knuckles.


    ¡°Luca,¡± Michael warns. Luca draws in a breath. He res at Axel onest time, then lowers his fist and steps back.


    Axel¡¯s grin widens. He turns to face me. ¡°Well, then,¡± he lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°what was it that you asked earlier?¡±


    I tip up my chin and look into his eyes with a boldness I don¡¯t feel. ¡°Will you marry me, Axel?¡±


    Every muscle in his body seems to tense. The skin around his eyes tightens. His nostrils re, and a pulse, wildly throbbing, appears at his temple.


    ¡°And if I say no?¡±


    My heart begins to race. My chest hurts. A bead of sweat slides down the valley between my breasts. What else had I expected? That he¡¯d confess he feels a connection with me and agree to my stupid proposal?


    ¡°Are you¡­saying no?¡± I whisper.


    We stare at each other. He opens his mouth, and this time, it¡¯s Michael who raises his hand. ¡°Think carefully brother,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°You may be one of us, but we still haven¡¯t forgiven your indiscretions toward us.¡±


    ¡°Nor have we forgotten,¡± Massimo rumbles.


    If Axel hears them, he doesn¡¯t let on. He simply holds my gaze. His blue eyes seem to burn with an inner fire. It¡¯s as if he¡¯s reached into the depths of my soul and knows what I am up to. Knows why I suggested this insane idea.


    The silence seems to go on and on. My nerve-endings stretch so tightly, I¡¯m sure I am going to scream any moment. My mouth dries. My throat feels itchy. And still, he doesn¡¯t speak. Damn it, why doesn¡¯t he say something¡­anything?


    ¡°Axel,¡± I burst out, ¡°forget what I said. It was a moment of madness. It was a stupid suggest. It was-¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said, I¡¯ll marry you.¡±


    My pulse rate ratchets up. The blood pounds at my temples. ¡°Wh¡­what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll marry you, Sunshine,¡± his eyes gleam, ¡°on one condition.¡±


    I try to speak, but no words emerge. I open and shut my mouth, then settle for staring at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what the condition is?¡± he murmurs.


    I shake my head. Whatever it is, it can¡¯t be good. Of course, a man like Axel wouldn¡¯t just agree to something, not unless he gets something out of it. It wouldn¡¯t be enough for him to simply marry me. He¡¯d have to milk the situation for his benefit.


    ¡°Lost your courage?¡± His grin widens. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. I have enough for the both of us. I¡¯ll marry you, so long as,¡± he turns to Michael, ¡°I get an equal stake in the Cosa Nostra business.¡±


    Luca makes a noise at the back of his throat. The rest of the men stare at him like he has lost his mind.


    Only Michael doesn¡¯t react, then he tilts his head. ¡°Each of the brothers, me included, gets a portion of the profits from the Cosa Nostra. You, too, will receive yours.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d share the profits with him?¡± Luca snaps. ¡°This stronzo hasn¡¯t done anything to warrant it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s one of us,¡± Michael says calmly, ¡°he¡¯s entitled to a share of the proceeds.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t taken the risks we have.¡± Luca leans forward on the balls of his feet. ¡°He didn¡¯t help build the business. He hasn¡¯t earned his share.¡±


    ¡°He will,¡± Michael fixes Luca with a hard stare.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Axel drawls. ¡°I want a seat on the board of the cryptocurrency venture.¡±


    ¡°The board of Trinity only has three representatives, one each from the Cosa Nostra, the Bratva, and the Kane Company,¡± Seb points out.


    ¡°Not my problem,¡± Axel raises a shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s my price for marrying her.¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. Am I so repugnant that he needs to be paid to marry me? What was I thinking, asking him to be my husband, in the first ce? I knew he wasn¡¯t like Xander, but maybe somewhere, deep inside, I had hoped that he shared, at least, some of the tenderness that had attracted me to Xander. Perhaps my sub-conscience has been clinging to the hope that Axel really is Xander returned to me. Maybe I had hoped that he¡¯d not only agree to marry me, but that he¡¯d also confess he felt something more than lust for me. Had I mistaken how he¡¯d touched mest night? Had I mistaken our chemistry for something more?


    I lock my fingers together, ¡°What makes you think you have the power to negotiate when, really, it doesn¡¯t matter to them if you marry me or not?¡±


    ¡°You sure about that?¡± He shoots a nce at Michael, ¡°The Don wants to see you happy, Theresa. You are under his protection, after all. And he, more than anyone, knows that both partners need to willingly enter matrimony for the other person in the marriage to be happy. So,¡± he raises his shoulder, ¡°you see, I very much hold the power in this negotiation.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not amodity to be bargained over, you fucktard,¡± Luca growls.


    Axel grins. ¡°Developing a conscience, are we?¡± He moves to stand by me, so he¡¯s facing the rest of his brothers. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget how Michael kidnapped his bride and forced her to marry him, or how Christian held his bride-to-be captive until she agreed to be his. Seems I am only following in the footsteps of my older brothers by putting down a price for this transaction.¡±


    Michael opens his mouth to speak, but Axel raises his hand, ¡°Before you ask, yes, more events from the past have filtered into my memory, though in this particr case, it was one of the household staff gossiping that cued me in to just how screwed up my blood family really is.¡±


    The tension in the room ratchets up.


    ¡°You¡¯re treading a dangerous line, little brother.¡± Michael widens his stance. ¡°My magnanimity with you will go only so far; don¡¯t push it. You won¡¯t like the consequences, just like the household staff are about to find out.¡±


    Axel and Michael engage in a staring match. I squeeze my eyes shut.


    Transaction? He called me a transaction.


    I am not naive. I have grown up in the Cosa Nostra. So, I am aware that marriages are normally used to further business interests. Or personal interests. They are rarely ever built on love or any such human emotions¡­ Still, to bebelled as an asset to be exchanged as part of an arrangement-one that I had opened the gates to with genuine intention¡­ It hurts. Hell, it¡¯s bullshit, to be honest.


    I jump up to my feet. ¡°I will not be used as a pawn,¡± I snarl.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± He stares down the length of his nose at me. ¡°And am I not a pawn for you, too? Is that not why you proposed to me?¡±


    ¡°I proposed to you because¡­¡±


    ¡°Because?¡±


    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t not.¡± I lower my chin to my chest, as if that can smother the words I¡¯m about to utter. ¡°You remind me too much of him.¡±


    ¡°So, the only reason you want me to marry you is so that you can hold onto the memory of your dead boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t my boyfriend,¡± I protest.


    ¡°Your dead¡­love, then,¡± he drawls. ¡°If it looks like a duck, if it talks like a duck, then it¡¯s a duck, Sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Stop with that nickname already,¡± I hiss.


    ¡°Oh, I am just getting started.¡± He smirks, then nces up toward Michael. ¡°What say you? Do we have a deal, Don?¡±

 222

    Axel


    What the hell are you doing? Why are you turning this entire exchange into a transaction? You know why she asked you to marry her. Because she felt the same connection you did.


    Because when I had looked into her eyes, I had seen myself reflected in them. Because when I had kissed her, it had felt like my entire body had responded. When I had taken her in my arms, it was as if I hade home. And when I had buried myself in her, it was the single most erotic experience of my life. It was as if something had been missing in me, something I had not even known about. Something that had propelled me to take her virginity-a first for me.


    Not lying when I say that I have kept away from inexperienced women. I¡¯ve preferred those who know the score. Know that all I can give them is a one-night stand. That¡¯s all they were looking for from me anyway. A good hard fuck and they¡¯d be on their way.


    With her, I¡¯d known things were going to getplicated. Not only because I would be her first, but also because one taste of her, one whiff of her scent, one nce at those mesmerizing eyes of hers, and I was a goner. I knew there was no walking away from her. For now, at any rate. How could I, when everything in me wanted to im her, to make her mine? And she had offered me the way to do so. When she had said she wanted to marry me, I had panicked. Hell, I am in the prime of my life. No way, do I want to be tied down by just one pussy. But the thought of anyone else having her when I haven¡¯t yet had my fill of her? That is uneptable.


    All I need to do is to fuck her out of my system and then I can be on my way. Not that I can allow her or the Sovranos to figure that out. Between them, they must have slept through most of the female poption in this city; but for some reason, they felt protective toward Theresa. Which means, I have to y their game so they don¡¯t see me as a threat. Which, face it, is going to be more and more difficult the longer I stay on. There¡¯s only so long I¡¯ll be able to hide my real nature from them. Ergo, the only way to have her is to pretend to marry her. Once I have her in my bed, I can scratch this itch that seems to grip me every time I see her.


    And to be clear, I don¡¯t intend to stay married to her. Once I¡¯ve had enough of her, I¡¯ll walk away.


    Of course, there¡¯s also the fact that I shot at Christian¡­and missed. How the hell could that have happened? I remember enough about myself to know that I never miss. And yet, I hadn¡¯t hit him. So, I have to wonder, was my intention only to throw a scare into him? Is that why I had ckmailed his wife into spying on the Sovranos?


    Clearly, I need information on them. And what better way to get that than by staying close to them and marrying the woman they are sworn to protect? This way, I¡¯ll have the advantage. I¡¯ll be able to use Theresa to manipte the Sovranos, and they won¡¯t dare hurt me.


    Not that I think I¡¯m in any danger from them. They regard me as their brother, so chances are, they won¡¯t kill me. Doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t going to pump me for information. They¡¯re just holding on until I am back to full strength, which will be very soon. Try as I might, I can¡¯t hide the fact that I am recovering quickly. So, I need another way of ensuring my safety, and Theresa is my insurance.


    All in all, it is to my advantage to marry her.


    ¡°Well?¡± I narrow my gaze on Michael. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    Michael widens his stance. He surveys my features before he turns to Theresa. ¡°Is this what you want?¡± he asks in a gentle voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Theresa nods.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± His jaw firms. ¡°Axel is not Xander.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I know.¡± She swallows, ¡°I still want to marry him.¡±


    He drums his fingers on his chest, ¡°All right, then,¡± he turns his gaze on me, ¡°you¡¯ll be invited to the next meeting of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    Luca inhales sharply. ¡°Motherfucker,¡± he res at Michael, ¡°are you really going to do this, fratellone?¡±


    Michael ignores him. ¡°I¡¯ll also set up a meeting with the leaders of the Bratva and the Kane Company and let them know that you will be the spokesman for the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    Seb looks like he is about to protest further, then firms his lips.


    ¡°Are you sure about this? Massimo asks slowly.


    ¡°I have my reasons,¡± Michael murmurs.


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± Luca snaps. ¡°This asshole flounces in, and after trying to kill Christian, he not only gets a seat at the table with the families, but also a cut in the most lucrative venture we have ever set up?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what Xander would have wanted.¡± Michael shoots him a sideways nce. ¡°Feel free to leave if you¡¯re not on board.¡±


    ¡°You know what? I think I will.¡± Luca pivots on his heel and takes a few steps forward, then pauses. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do first.¡±


    He careens around and ps his palms into my chest. Pain ricochets up my neck.


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± I stagger back. Why the hell am I still so weak? This fucking gunshot wound. I fucking hate being this defenseless. I straighten as Luca raises his fist. I throw up my arm and manage to block his blow. Luca raises his other fist when Theresa jumps up.


    ¡°Stop it,¡± she cries out.


    Massimo wraps his arm around Luca¡¯s chest and hauls him back, ¡°The fuck you doing, stronzo?¡±


    ¡°Teaching this pezzo di merda that he doesn¡¯t fool me. He may have pulled the wool over all your eyes, but mark my words, this testa di cazzo is going to turn on us. And I, for one, am not going to stand by and watch him take a piece of our hard-earned future when he has sacrificed nothing for it,¡± Luca glowers at me.


    ¡°He is our brother,¡± Michael says in a hard voice. ¡°He is entitled to his part of our legacy, no matter that he¡¯s as much of a fucktard as you.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten that he almost killed Christian and ckmailed Aurora?¡± Luca tries to shake off Massimo¡¯s hold, but he doesn¡¯t let go. ¡°Fuck,¡± Luca growls, ¡°release me, stronzo.¡±


    ¡°Only when you get your temper in hand,¡± Massimo retorts.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re siding with this motherfucker,¡± Luca spits out. ¡°Thought you, at least, would see through this fetente.¡±


    Massimo hesitates and loosens his grip.


    ¡°You know I am right.¡± Luca makes eye contact with every brother, ¡°He¡¯s taking us all on a ride, and Michael is not able to see it. But surely, you do, Massimo, don¡¯t you? You can see why it¡¯s wrong to let him in on our family business. And in such a short period of time, too.¡±


    Massimo scowls. He nces at Michael, then at me. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Me neither,¡± Seb says slowly.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Same here,¡± Adrian adds.


    Luca stiffens, ¡°You are going to regret this, all of you.¡± He scans the faces of his brothers again. ¡°He is going to turn on all of you, and when he does, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±


    If they only knew how right he is.


    Michael blows out a breath, ¡°I know you¡¯ve always wanted to be Don. And I know it was a disappointment to you when I made Seb the Capo, but this is precisely why I haven¡¯t given you more responsibility. You are too hot-headed, Luca. You say what¡¯s on your mind without thinking it through.¡±


    ¡°Being passionate is the only thing that differentiates us frommon criminals. We are the Cosa Nostra. We have a reputation of being the most cut-throat, the most dedicated to our cause.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s precisely that which has stopped us from bing more powerful,¡± Michael murmurs.


    ¡°Thinking with your gut is a strength-¡±


    ¡°If you are able to match it with cold logic, something which you have been unable to master.¡±


    ¡°And you have?¡± Luca shoots back.


    Michael tilts his head, ¡°Not yet. But I know when I need to give something up to achieve a higher goal.¡±


    ¡°Yet when ites to Axel, you are letting your emotions get the better of you? You¡¯re going by what you think Xander would have wanted, instead of what makes sense.¡±


    ¡°And you are letting your ego get in the way of giving up short-term gain for long-term sess.¡±


    The two re at each other, then Michael draws in a breath. ¡°You are simply going to have to trust me in this situation,¡± he says in a hard voice.


    ¡°And you are going to regret trusting him,¡± Luca flexes his shoulders, and this time, Massimo releases him. Luca res at me one more time, then turns on his heels and stalks out the door.


    Silence descends on the gathering. Michael rolls his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯d better be who you say you are.¡± he turns on me. ¡°If it turns out that you are lying to me-¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± I straighten mypels. ¡°Besides, now that I am marrying Theresa,¡± I allow my lips to twist, ¡°I am marrying into the family. Surely, that¡¯s enough proof that I intend to stay and see things through?¡±


    Michael¡¯s gaze intensifies. His forehead furrows.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem convinced, brother,¡± I drawl. ¡°Having second thoughts?¡±


    ¡°I never have second thoughts,¡± Michael jerks his chin, ¡°No doubt, you are keen to exercise your authority as part of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I draw myself up to my full height. A headache begins to thrum at my temple, but I ignore it.


    ¡°And I am sure you¡¯ll want to marry Theresa at the earliest opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Y-e-s,¡± I say slowly. What the hell is Michael up to now?


    ¡°And what about you Theresa?¡± He turns to her, ¡°I assume you don¡¯t want to wait too long to be married to him, either?¡±


    Theresa nces between us, then nods.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes gleam. ¡°Theresa and Axel will be married in a month¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°A month?¡± I burst out. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit soon?¡±


    ¡°Why wait, when both the bride and bridegroom are willing?¡± Michael smirks.


    ¡°Now, hold on.¡± I rub at my temple, ¡°Aren¡¯t there preparations to be made for the wedding and such?¡±


    ¡°Oh, after two speed weddings in the family, trust me, we have the drill down to a science,¡± Massimo murmurs.


    My knees seem to buckle from under me, and I am not sure if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve pushed my body to its limit, or because the thought of being tied down to one woman, albeit in a wedding that I don¡¯t consider to be real, is catching up with me. I move back, until my back hits the wall.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not be hasty now.¡± I hold up my hands. ¡°Let¡¯s think this through, shall we?¡±


    Theresa turns on me, ¡°Apparently, it takes the thought of getting married for you to lose your confidence?¡±


    ¡°Lose my confidence?¡± I scowl down at her, ¡°What gives you that idea?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, maybe it¡¯s because your face is pale, and there is a sheen of sweat on your forehead.¡±


    I touch my forehead, and motherfucker, she¡¯s right. I wipe off the moisture, then raise a shoulder, ¡°I haven¡¯t lost my confidence.¡±


    ¡°Oh, good, so you¡¯ll be fine if we get married in a week.¡±


    I stiffen, ¡°I thought Michael said a month.¡± I scowl in his direction, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say a month?¡±


    ¡°I said a month.¡±


    ¡°And I say, we get married before you lose your nerve,¡± she holds my gaze.


    ¡°Lose my nerve?¡± I glower at her, ¡°I never lose my nerve.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she flips her hair over her shoulder, ¡°so we get married in seven days.¡±


    Half an hourter, Theresa has left. My brothers sprawl about the living room. I lean back in the sofa, nce toward the bar where Michael is pouring himself a drink. ¡°Can I get a whiskey before you all start this interrogation?¡±


    ¡°Interrogation?¡± Seb drums his fingers on his chest, ¡°Whatever gave you the idea that we are going to interrogate you?¡±


    ¡°Considering I revealed to you that I have begun to recall what happened before I was shot, it¡¯s not that far-fetched a conclusion,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°Has he always spoken like he¡¯s reading from a dictionary or is this the first time I noticed it?¡± Luca glowers at me.


    ¡°First time you noticed it,¡± Adrian retorts.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Michael ask you to fuck off?¡± I ask mildly and am rewarded when Luca¡¯s jaw hardens.


    ¡°Fuck you too, asshole!¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Beginning to sound like a broken record, Lucasshole,¡± I retort.


    Adrian chuckles then turns it into a snort. Luca res at him and Adrian raises his hands, ¡°You have to admit, that was inspired.¡±


    ¡°Will the two of you cut it out?¡± Massimo scowls between us, ¡°You¡¯re beginning to give me a headache with your bitching.¡±


    ¡°He started it.¡± Luca and I point at each other.


    The fuck? Christian may be my surviving triplet, but Luca sounds a lot more like me. Probably why he can see through me. Unfortunately, we both have a lot inmon when ites to losing our cool. Only difference is that I have learned to rein in my anger, while Luca has very little filter. In a way, it means he says what he thinks so he wears his heart on his sleeve. Which makes him less of a threat, aspared to Seb, who watches me with a cool gaze. He¡¯s a cool customer, that one. Holds his cards close to his chest. It¡¯s clear, now, why Michael chose him to seed him. He¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t let his expression give away much.


    ¡°So, what happened on the day you gate-crashed Christian¡¯s wedding? Why did you point a gun at Aurora, and why is it that you stepped in front of Theresa when she was shot at?¡±


    I rub my jaw, ¡°Good questions-ones I have been asking myself, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t remember what happened on that day?¡± Seb frowns.


    ¡°Not yet; the memories filter back when I least expect them.¡±


    ¡°What is it that you remember, so far?¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I know I was sent on an assignment. I know the man who called me was my partner. Or my boss, I¡¯m not sure. But he and I worked out the details of the assignment. Initially, part of it was using Aurora to get more information on you guys, which is why I approached her in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°And Christian. Why did you shoot at him during the Christmas getaway?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, I don¡¯t see the lot of you as friends.¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°The details are fuzzy in my head, but suffice to say, when I think of the Sovranos, I am not filled with love and sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Surely, after that confession, you are going to shove this guy where the sun don¡¯t shine?¡± Luca growls.


    Michael, who¡¯s been pouring his drink at the bar, turns to face the room, ¡°How do you feel about us now?¡±


    I stiffen. The scars on my forearm itch.


    ¡°Still want to take us out? Still want to put a bullet in each of us when you get a chance?¡± He ces his ss on the counter, then prowls toward me. He stops in front of me, then pulls out his gun and holds it out to me with the handle facing me.


    The room goes silent. Tension ripples off the other men.


    Michael holds my gaze as I stay silent. A beat, then another. Then I reach out and take the gun. There¡¯s a slither of movement as every one of my brothers pulls out his gun and aims it at me. Only Michael doesn¡¯t move a muscle. I hold his gaze for a second longer, then snap open the cylinder. I pour out the bullets into the palm of my hand and hold the gun out to him.


    Michael takes the gun, slides it into the back of his waistband. He holds out his palm and I drop the bullets into it. He pockets the bullets, then holds up his hand ¡°Down boys,¡± he says mildly.


    The men put away their guns. Adrian rxes back against the wall, Massimo sprawls back in the arm chair, Seb raises his ss and drinks from it. Only Luca stays where he is, every muscle in his body tightly wound.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t trust him,¡± he rotates his neck and his joints pop.


    ¡°The feeling is mutual,¡± I drawl. A wave of tiredness washes over me. Fuck, guess that adrenaline rush didn¡¯t do me any favors. Every time I think I am almost recovered from being shot, my body signals otherwise. Thank fuck, I am sitting. If I were standing, I¡¯d have to find the nearest seat and copse into it. As it is, I lean back in the sofa. I spread my legs, drum my fingers on my chest. ¡°So, did I pass your little test, Don?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure yet,¡± he replies.


    I blink, then chuckle, ¡°At least, you are a straight shooter. I like that.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve bought yourself some time by marrying Theresa.¡± He raises his ss in my direction. ¡°Sorry, fratello, I¡¯d offer you a drink but it¡¯s not wise to mix alcohol with whatever you are on.¡±


    I raise my gaze toward the ceiling, ¡°Fuck my life.¡±


    Seb smirks. ¡°No, that happens when you get married in seven days.¡±

 223

    Theresa


    ¡°Seven days?¡± I throw up my hands. ¡°What was I thinking? Why did I have to suggest such a short time frame? And why did he agree to it?¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t going to say no; not when you challenged him in front of his brothers,¡± Cass says in a soothing voice.


    ¡°I only said seven days because I fully intended him to panic and say no.¡±


    ¡°But he didn¡¯t?¡± Elsa stares at me with wide eyes.


    Yeah, after I had pulled that stunt where I had suggested that Axel marry me in a week, and after he had agreed, I had walked out of there in a daze. I hadn¡¯t even waited to see if Axel was okay. I had seen how pale he¡¯d been, had noticed the lines etched around his mouth. I¡¯d known he was in pain, and had wanted to help him, but honestly, after the stunt he¡¯d pulled, where he¡¯d basically used me as a bargaining chip with the Sovranos, I¡¯d figured he deserved it. So, I had walked out of there and headed to my room, where I had promptly lost my shit. I had called Cass and insisted that shee down. Then I had dialed Karma¡¯s number, but she hadn¡¯t picked up, so I had called Elsa and insisted that shee over to see me after she closed the shop for the day.


    Now, I nce at her. ¡°Nope,¡± I shake my head, ¡°he agreed.¡± I raise my shoulders. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought that?¡±


    ¡°So, you thought he¡¯d balk at the fact that it was such a short timeline? That¡¯s why you suggested it?¡± Cass leans back against the settee.


    ¡°I was positive that he¡¯d turn me down.¡±


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t really think he would agree, huh?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure,¡± I confess. ¡°I mean, he had decided to use me as a negotiating tool in order to get a piece of the Sovranos¡¯ profits, but I thought that if I crunched the timeline, it would scare him off.¡±


    ¡°And did it?¡± Elsa asks.


    ¡°Clearly, not.¡± I rake my fingers through my hair, then begin to pace. ¡°But why would he agree? He could have said no.¡±


    ¡°Why would he say no, when he, clearly, wants a part of the power that the Sovranos wield?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to agree to marry me.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°He is one of the Sovrano brothers. Eventually, he¡¯d have gotten what he asked from them.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not quickly enough, though,¡± Cass murmurs. ¡°You probably crunched his timeline by half with your proposal.¡±


    ¡°Argh,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut, ¡°what possessed me toe up with that? I mean, I could have simply bedded the guy. Why did I have to propose to him?¡±


    ¡°Because you want to make sure that he never leaves you?¡±


    ¡°Clearly, I am still suffering from PTSD from Xander leaving me.¡± I lower my chin to my chest. ¡°I think that¡¯s why, when I found my control over the situation slipping, I blurted out the one thing I should have never voiced aloud.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s good that you spoke your mind.¡± Cass rises to her feet. ¡°This way, everyone knows where you stand.¡±


    ¡°But I have no idea where he stands.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to marry you, isn¡¯t he?¡± Cass walks over to me. ¡°He won¡¯t go against the Sovranos. He¡¯s given them his word on the wedding. And besides, as you said, he wants to have a say in the business. He won¡¯t risk pissing them off.¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t love me,¡± I p my hand over my mouth. Did I say that out loud? Why the hell had I said that aloud?


    Cass and Elsa stare at me.


    ¡°Forget I said that,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°Damn it, it¡¯s so mortifying.¡±


    ¡°Are you in love with him?¡± Cass finally asks.


    ¡°Of course, not,¡± I open one eye, ¡°I barely know him, how can I be in love with him?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in love with him,¡± Elsa deres.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t confusing him with Xander, are you?¡± Cass asks softly.


    ¡°No. Yes.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°I don¡¯t know, okay? I mean, rationally, I know he is not Xander. But then he¡¯ll say or do something that¡¯ll remind me of Xander. I mean, his ent is different, of course, and so is his build, but there is so much more about him that is so familiar. Then I have to remind myself that Xander is dead and that simply breaks my heart.¡± My features crumple.


    ¡°Oh, sweetie,¡± Cass closes the distance between us and hugs me. Footsteps sound, then Elsa hugs me from the other side. I sniffle as the tears run down my cheeks.


    ¡°Damn it, I am tired of being sad. I don¡¯t want to spend all of my time mourning Xander. I need to let him go. Besides, he¡¯d hate to see me cry over him. He¡¯d want me to move on with my life. He¡¯d want me to be happy.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what you are doing.¡± Cass leans back so she can see my face. ¡°You¡¯re fighting your way forward. Although, I admit, your methods are unconventional, but at the same time, I don¡¯t me you. If I were in your shoes, I¡¯d probably do the same thing.¡±


    ¡°And you, Elsa?¡± I turn to her, ¡°Now that you know exactly what kind of situation I¡¯m in, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Elsa shakes her head, ¡°honestly, I am still getting my head around it.¡± She walks over and sinks down into the seat. ¡°I¡¯m not really surprised that you¡¯re a part of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡±


    She shakes her head, ¡°I mean, you managed to buy the space for the flower shop.¡±


    ¡°There are others who could have afforded it too.¡±


    ¡°Outright,¡± she reminds me. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have been able to do that, unless you had help.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, I sort of lied to you about that.¡±


    ¡°You know how bad of a liar you are; I wasn¡¯t fooled for an instant.¡± She tosses her head. ¡°And then, more recently, you had all of those people dropping you off and picking you up, and they had Mafia stamped all over their tailormade suits.¡±


    ¡°Who are we talking about?¡± A new voice says from the doorway.


    I turn. ¡°Karma,¡± I cry out, ¡°you came!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I came.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t leave you a message when I called.¡±


    ¡°I saw your missed call, then heard what had happened from Michael.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± I hunch my shoulders, ¡°so you heard about my-¡±


    ¡°Uing nuptials, yes.¡± She grins and as she walks toward me and I can tell that she¡¯s mentally taking measurements. ¡°Figured you¡¯d need my help with the dress.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god!¡± I peer into her face, ¡°Can you believe this? I am going to get married. I am. Going to. Get married.¡± I shake my head, ¡°What the hell was I thinking when I proposed to him?¡±


    ¡°Holdonasecond,¡± Karma stares at me, ¡°you proposed to him? YOU proposed to a Sovrano?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± I say tentatively.


    Her gaze widens, ¡°And he agreed?¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Technically, he didn¡¯t have a choice, but¡­ Yes?¡± I venture.


    She bursts into augh, ¡°You have achieved the impossible, you know that?¡±


    ¡°No, not exactly.¡± I frown.


    ¡°The Sovranos have egos bigger than¡­ than-¡±


    ¡°Their dicks?¡± Cass offers.


    ¡°Which are sizable,¡± Karma nods. ¡°Also, how do you know about their dicks?¡± She furrows her forehead.


    ¡°Lucky guess?¡± Cass says in a droll voice. ¡°I haven¡¯t worked with them all these years without having some idea of their voracious appetites.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I scowl at her, ¡°you mean to say, you haven¡¯t seen Adrian¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± she makes a popping sound at the end of the word.


    ¡°I am sure that¡¯s going to be remedied soon enough.¡± I waggle my eyebrows at her.


    ¡°Not happening,¡± she says in a firm tone, ¡°and don¡¯t try to change the topic.¡± She turns to Karma, ¡°You were saying?¡±


    ¡°That you¡¯ve set a record of sorts, by proposing. The Sovrano men are way too dominant to not want to take the lead in their wedding proposals, but you did it. You can be proud of that. Only,¡± she chews on her lower lip, ¡°you need to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Careful?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°As you said, he didn¡¯t have much of a choice but to agree to marry you. I am assuming the rest of the Sovrano brothers wouldn¡¯t have let him walk away if he had said no?¡±


    I shrug my shoulders, then nod. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what you are getting at?¡±


    ¡°You hurt his ego, babe.¡± Karma touches my shoulder. ¡°I one-hundred percent support what you did. Hell, it¡¯s about time someone came along and took the brothers down a notch, but it¡¯s not without consequences.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Elsa jumps up to her feet, ¡°are you saying that he might hurt her?¡±


    Karma turns to her, ¡°You must be Elsa. I have heard so much about you from Theresa.¡±


    ¡°Oh, shoot, you guys haven¡¯t met before, have you? Elsa meet Karma, Michael¡¯s wife, and Karma, this is Elsa my life-saver who is also my friend.¡±


    ¡°I am her employee, actually,¡± Elsaughs, ¡°and it was Theresa who literally did save my life when she gave me this job. And hold on, isn¡¯t Michael the Don of the Cosa Nostra?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve been reading up on the Sovranos?¡± I chuckle.


    She shoots me a sideways nce, ¡°I may be new to this city, but you can¡¯t go a day without hearing all about the Sovranos and how the Don killed his father to take over his current position¡­ Oops,¡± she firms her lips, ¡°no offense meant.¡± She turns to Karma.


    Karma raises a shoulder, ¡°None taken.¡±


    ¡°So, it doesn¡¯t bother you, uh, being married to a man who has killed?¡±


    ¡°Elsa.¡± I gape at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Karma¡¯s lips kick up. ¡°I am married to the Don of the Cosa Nostra, after all, and it does bother me. Except, I know that Michael is often in situations where, if he doesn¡¯t make the first move, he won¡¯t live to see the next day, and I love my husband too much for that to happen.¡±


    ¡°So, you turn a blind eye to what he does for a living?¡± Elsa asks.


    ¡°I embrace what he does.¡± Karma holds up her hands, ¡°Being part of the Cosa Nostra is a part of Michael, as much as being a designer is in my DNA. I couldn¡¯t ask him to leave it any more than I could give up working with fabrics. And it¡¯s because I know Michael so well that I am confident Axel won¡¯t hurt you physically.¡± Karma nces at me with a considering look on her face. ¡°If he did, he¡¯d have the rest of the Sovranos to answer to. No, he won¡¯t do something that obvious.¡±


    Elsa scowls at her. ¡°Then? Do you think he¡¯ll hurt her mentally or emotionally?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Karma says slowly. ¡°I reckon, he¡¯ll get back at you in some form though. How and what? That, I don¡¯t know, but you¡¯d best watch out for it.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s going to be marrying him.¡± Elsa folds her arms across her chest. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that put her in a vulnerable situation?¡±


    ¡°Possibly.¡± Karma holds my gaze, ¡°Either way, you need to be on alert with him.¡±


    ¡°You are beginning to worry me, Karma,¡± I run my fingers through my hair. ¡°I understand what you mean when you say I hurt his ego. It¡¯s only after I blurted out the proposal that I realized what I had done, and it was toote by then. But surely, once we are married, he¡¯lle around?¡± I take in her features-the way her brow is pinched, the worried look on her face.


    ¡°You really think he¡¯s going to get back at me for this, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she lowers her hand to her side, ¡°but if you watch out for it, there¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t turn the tables on him.¡±


    ¡°Okay, stop,¡± I rub my temple, ¡°you are beginning to give me a headache.¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s a lot to take in, but if you are forewarned, you can use it to your advantage.¡±


    ¡°How do I do that?¡±


    ¡°Defeat him at his own game,¡± she replies.


    ¡°What game is that?¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is that he initiates with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not very helpful,¡± I try tough but the soundes out strained.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him very well,¡± Karma says in a soft voice, ¡°not as well as you do.¡±


    ¡°Which isn¡¯t saying much.¡± I twist my fingers. ¡°How do I even begin to figure out what he¡¯s up to?¡±


    ¡°Oh, if you pay close attention, I am sure you will see the signs, and once you know where his mind is at, I am sure you¡¯ll find a way to keep ahead of him.¡±


    ¡°You have more confidence in me than I do.¡± Iugh uncertainly.


    ¡°You can do this,¡± Elsa says with vehemence. ¡°If anyone can figure out a way to survive, it¡¯s you.¡±


    I turn to Cass, ¡°What do you think, Cass? You¡¯ve been silent all along.¡±


    ¡°I am worried.¡± Cass narrows her gaze on me, ¡°I won¡¯t bullshit you by saying otherwise, but I also know you are smart enough to beat him at his own game.¡±


    I scowl, ¡°So you do think that he¡¯s going to try to get back at me, as well?¡±


    ¡°I would be surprised if he didn¡¯t,¡± she admits. ¡°But we have your back,¡± she turns to the other women, ¡°don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°You bet,¡± Elsa replies.


    ¡°We¡¯re here in your corner,¡± Karma adds. ¡°If he does anything, and I mean anything, to cause you grief, you pick up the phone and call me, and I¡¯ll make sure Michael reins him in, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I blow out a breath.


    ¡°Good.¡± Karma tilts her head, ¡°Now about that dress¡­ What color were you thinking?¡±

 224

    Axel


    I am getting married. What the bloody fuck? I am getting married. How the hell had that happened? Oh, I know, it has something to do with a curvy, green-eyed sprite who¡¯d dared to ask me to marry her in front of those¡­those men. Men who are my brothers, but who had abandoned me and my mother as surely as their father had. So what, if none of them knew of my existence? It¡¯s their father who sent my mother away in exchange for assets that would further his business.


    My mother had been the only daughter of the head of the Camorra, arch rivals to the Cosa Nostra. She had fallen in love with my father, despite the fact that he was married. She had moved to be with him, despite the fact that her family would never ept her back. By the time she was pregnant with me and my brothers, she had realized just how abusive he could get with her.


    After my brothers and I were born, she wanted to leave my father. In response, he had negotiated with my mother¡¯s father for her return. He had insisted that she leave the children behind, but she had refused. Finally, he had agreed to let her take one of the triplets-me-along with her.


    She had left, and when her family had disowned her, she had decided to strike out on her own. No small decision for a Mafia princess who had been brought up in thep of luxury. She had moved to London, and with no skill to support herself, she had turned to the world¡¯s oldest profession. A cliche maybe, but my mother had been determined to survive without the help of her family. She had also been insistent that I go to a good school. She had worked herself to the bone to ensure that I had the best education avable. Pun intended.


    She¡¯d made no secret about how much she despised the Cosa Nostra and the Camorra, and anything to do with the Mafia, really. It¡¯s the one thing she¡¯d made me promise-never to have anything to do with them. What she had neglected to mention was that she was one of them, as am I. She hadn¡¯t told me anything about my background, or my father, or about my triplet brothers. Not until she was on her deathbed. Even then, she¡¯d waited until the veryst minute, when she had sensed her imminent death, before she¡¯d finally told me about the circumstances surrounding my birth. Then, she had breathed herst.


    I¡¯d known it was inevitable that she would die early, the way she had been working so hard, and let¡¯s face it, women in her profession aren¡¯t known for their longevity. She had poured all of her hopes, her dreams, her ambitions into me, and a part of me had known that she wouldn¡¯t survive for long. Still, no matter how much you try to anticipate it, no one is prepared for death.


    My mother had been struck down by a fast-spreading cancer. She had refused treatment, something I had found out onlyter, for she had ensured not to tell me about it. Of course, as a teenager I was wrapped up in my own life. Still you¡¯d think I would have spotted that my mother was suffering from cancer. But she managed to hide it well. It wasn¡¯t until she was near the end that I realized just how sick she was. At that point, it was hard to ignore how skeletal she¡¯d be, and I hated myself for missing it. I had held her hand, had looked into her eyes as she had passed.


    When she was finally still, anger had gripped me. I had nced into her lifeless features and a rage of the kind I had never experienced before had swept through me. She had given me everything materially possible; everything except love. She had ensured I had a good education, yet not once, had she simply spent time with me, just been with me the way a mother would be with her child. She had burdened me with her expectations, her aspirations and wishes.


    What about me, what about what I wanted? Yes, it¡¯s selfish, I know that. She had sacrificed everything for me, and yet, as I sat there, still holding her hand that was growing increasingly cold, a destion had swept through me. She had left me without once telling me that she loved me.


    I had been a reminder of her past, perhaps. I was someone through whom she thought she could vindicate herself, and I had hated her for that. And I had hated myself for thinking that way. I had been so angry with her for screwing me up in the head. I had been upset with her for not taking better care of herself. I had been frustrated that I had not been old enough to stop her, that I¡¯d been unable to keep her from working herself to death, and¡­


    I had hated myself for not noticing sooner. She had insisted that she was fine and I had opted to believe her. I had lived the life of a carefree youth, someone who had everything going for him, who was going to achieve all of his dreams¡­ The kinds of dreams that she had wanted for me.


    I had sworn then, I would avenge her. I would track down those who had been responsible for destroying her. I would find the man who had lied to her and caused her to get pregnant, which had led to the events that had ruined her. I would find my father and ensure that he suffered as much as she had. As much as I had.


    It¡¯s what had led me here. All of the images from my past pour through my mind, and for a second, I haveplete rity.


    I remember now, how I had tracked down my father. And when he had been killed before I¡¯d had the opportunity to avenge my mother, I had been forced to refocus my attention on my brothers.


    I had already approached Christian¡¯s now-wife Aurora in London and coerced her into helping me. When her father had taken ill and she¡¯d returned home to be the Sovranos¡¯ doctor, that only made it easier.


    Then, Christian put himself in my crosshairs when he fixated on Aurora. I could learn more about him than anyone else because he spent the most time with her. When the two of them became separated from the rest of the family, and thus, were unprotected, I had my opportunity to strike.


    And I¡¯d had help. I straighten. On my side, I¡¯d had an ally who was more powerful, stronger than the Cosa Nostra, and with as fierce a motive as mine to take them down.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    It¡¯s why I must go through with this sham of a marriage-something I hadn¡¯t anticipated, but which I can use to my advantage. It¡¯s why I will use my soon-to-be wife to get back at the Cosa Nostra.


    I throw back my head andugh. It¡¯s perfect, actually. I couldn¡¯t have nned this set-up better.


    I am going to leverage this marriage to my benefit¡­and take full advantage of the perks thate with it, too. I roll off the bed where I had flung myself down after returning from the meeting with my brothers. It¡¯s only a short flight of steps from the study downstairs to my bedroom, but the catch-up with them and the events of the day had taken it out of me. I¡¯m healing fast, but I¡¯m nowhere near my former health, and while I am pushing myself to get in shape, I also know the dangers of overdoing it. So, I had forced myself to return to my room and I¡¯d taken a nap. A bloody nap in the middle of the day¡­ Like I¡¯m a helpless infant, but at least, I feel refreshed. And I am going to need my strength for what I have in mind.

 225

    Theresa


    I stand under the shower, let the hot water flow over my shoulders, my back, and down my legs. I raise my head to the spray and revel in the steam and warmth that envelops me. The talk with the women had both reassured and unsettled me.


    At least, Karma is taking care of my dress. And Cass has assured me that I need not worry about the wedding arrangements. She said she and Nonna will handle that. Of course, I had a clear vision about the flower arrangements and Elsa helped to bring that to life. She also promised to make arrangements with a friend of hers who runs a macaroonerie-yes, that¡¯s, apparently, a thing, a shop specializing in macaroons. Which means, all I have to do is turn up in a few days.


    Cass says the venue will be the family church in Palermo, which I had already anticipated. The Sovranos are sticklers for tradition, except apparently, when ites to nning weddings, when they are happy to get married with extremely short timelines. Where other brides need months, and sometimes years, to n their weddings, the Sovrano brides have to make do with days to n everything. I remind myself that this is my fault.


    At least, I have a week. And I could have had a month if I hadn¡¯t opened my big mouth. Either way, that¡¯s generouspared to Karma and Aurora, who were both married within 48 hours. The Sovranos have enough clout that getting a marriage license on such short notice is no big deal. So, the marriage preparations are all in hand.


    It¡¯s really what Karma had hinted atter that makes me ufortable. Will Axel really be upset that I asked him to marry me in front of his brothers? Is that an affront to his ego, as Karma had warned? Will he try to get back at me for it? If so, what will he do? And since I am living under the same roof as him, is that even advisable?


    He won¡¯t kill me-nah, as Karma pointed out, bodily harm is not in the mix, but it¡¯s the other stuff he can do to me that worries me- how he can make me melt with a nce, how he can touch me and I¡¯ll feel it all the way to my toes, how he¡¯ll re at me and a shiver runs down my spine, how he¡¯ll lower his voice to a hush and something inside me insists I obey him. Damn it. Basically, I¡¯m putty in his hands. I don¡¯t stand a chance against him. So how the hell am I going to survive being married to him? Again, what the hell had I been thinking when I had flung the proposal at him, and in front of everyone else?


    I groan and lean my forehead against the wall of the shower. Clearly, I have a death wish. It¡¯s why I had challenged his ego. Of course, he¡¯s going to be miffed. But is Karma right? Is he going to take revenge for what I did? I know I left him with little choice but to agree to my proposal. It¡¯s why I had raised it in front of everyone.


    No, I hadn¡¯t nned it-not consciously-but my subconscious is way ahead of me at the moment. He¡¯s recovering so much more quickly than anyone expected. And no way, could I let him go after he recovers. I needed to find a way to tie him to me, to buy some time while I figure out how to win him over. No, I had done the right thing. Too bad, if his ego is hurt. He¡¯ll just have to deal with it. And if he decides to take it out on me¡­ Well, I¡¯ll just have to deal with it. I¡¯ll need to plow through the next few days, until I get to the wedding. Once we are married, I¡¯ll have to find a way to get into his good books, if that¡¯s even possible. I straighten, then wash the shampoo from my hair. I switch off the shower and turn, then scream.


    ¡°What the h¡­hell, what are you doing here?¡±


    He simply watches me from under his thick eyshes. Those blue eyes of his seem to glow with an inner fire. He¡¯s wearing a short-sleeved, white T-shirt which clings to his shoulders. I can¡¯t help but take in the patchwork of scars and tattoos on his right forearm. I lower my gaze to where the material of the jeans molds to those powerful thighs. Jesus, whatever his profession was, it definitely involved a lot of physical activity. What did he do anyway? Is he a part of some other rival gang? Is he a mercenary? An assassin, maybe? Not sure why, but something in the way he¡¯s always on alert, the way he hade awake from thea, only to jump out of bed and take on the man who had attacked me in his room¡­ I am still not over it. That kind of strength means he¡¯s had special training, but where? With whom?


    ¡°What¡¯s going on in that mind of yours?¡± he rumbles.


    ¡°N¡­nothing.¡± I straighten my spine. I am not going to hide. This is my bathroom, damn it. He is the one who¡¯s intruding, not me. Besides, I had made the first move, surprising him with the proposal, and now I need to face whatever the repercussions from it are.


    I step out of the shower stallpletely naked. He rakes his gaze down my chest pausing on my breasts for a few seconds before he continues his visual journey over my stomach and down to my pussy.


    My thighs clench and I resist the urge to cross my legs. Instead, I prop my hand on my waist and tip up my chin. ¡°See something you like?¡± I attempt for a casual tone, but my voicees out in the form of a squeak.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He doesn¡¯t reply. Rather, he takes his time with a leisurely perusal as he drags his gaze back to my chest. My nipples bead and my breasts hurt. Damn it, if only he¡¯d close the distance between us and crush me to the hard nes of his chest.


    By the time he raises his gaze to my face, I am flushed.


    ¡°Well?¡± I demand, ¡°I asked you a question.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my type, but I¡¯ll shag you on our wedding night.¡±


    My jaw drops. ¡°What the hell?¡± I snap. ¡°Do you have to be so uncouth?¡±


    ¡°Would you expect anything else from me?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure what to expect from you, to be honest.¡± I raise a hand, then let it drop.


    ¡°I gotta admit, I didn¡¯t expect you to propose to me either,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°And yet, you agreed?¡± I fold my arms around my waist and his gaze, once more, lowers to my chest. I resist the urge to look down, knowing my stance must lift my boobs and make them pop out a bit further.


    ¡°You knew I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± He takes a step forward. I flinch. Don¡¯t sidle back; don¡¯t allow him to find out how nervous you are around him right now. I dig my bare feet into the floor and hold my position.


    He arches an eyebrow, then closes the distance until he¡¯s right in front of me. The heat from his body pours over me; the scent of him surrounds me. His blue eyes bore into me and my breath catches.


    ¡°I am not scared of you,¡± I dere.


    His lips twitch, ¡°You should be.¡± He drags his finger down the curve of my breast and a moan wells up my throat. I bite down on my lower lip as he draws a circle around my nipple. I feel the touch all the way to my core. My toes curl and a shiver runs down my spine.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Checking out my merchandise.¡±


    Anger suffuses my veins. I lift my hand, but he¡¯s too fast. He grabs my wrist; the next second, he¡¯s turned me around with my arm behind my back, so I am facing the mirror. He hauls me to him, throws his other arm around my waist, and holds me immobile.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I gasp.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± He slides his palm between my legs and cups my pussy, ¡°After all, you are going to be my wife.¡±


    ¡°I am not yet your wife,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°Semantics,¡± he drawls. ¡°You opened the floodgates; now you have to deal with the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°You could have refused, you know,¡± I say in a tight voice. ¡°It was a stupid suggestion on my part, said in a moment of craziness. You needn¡¯t have yed along.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now she admits that it was a mistake.¡±


    ¡°I never said that it was a mistake,¡± I retort.


    ¡°And I never back down from a challenge.¡± He slides his finger inside my channel and I draw in a breath.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking soaked,¡± he growls. ¡°Does it turn you on when I am rough with you, Sunshine.¡±


    Yes.


    Yes.


    ¡°No,¡± I snap, ¡°of course, not.¡±


    ¡°Your body says otherwise,¡± He slides another finger inside my pussy. He adds a third, then begins to weave them in and out of my sopping wet channel. The slurping noises that my flesh makes as he thrusts his fingers in and out of me fills the space.


    My cheeks heat. ¡°Let go of me.¡± I wriggle my hips, but his hold on my arm tightens. He pulls me even closer and the ridge of his arousal stabs into the valley between my butt cheeks. I freeze and augh rumbles up his chest.


    ¡°A littlete to be ying the scared damsel, don¡¯t you think?¡± He grinds the heel of his palm on my clit and a shudder grips me. He continues to thrust his fingers in and out of me, in and out. He curves his fingers inside and a moan bleeds from my lips. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he murmurs, ¡°let go of all your inhibitions, Sunshine. There won¡¯t be any ce for being shy in our marriage.¡±


    Marriage? Hell. I am sure I am going to regret what I said for every moment of my life.


    I open my mouth to protest, but that¡¯s when he releases my arm. He brings his hand up and around to pinch my nipple. My entire body jolts. ¡°Ohmygod,¡± I moan, as he continues to strum my nipple. He moves his hand to the other breast, tugs on the other nipple. My head falls back against his chest. I bring my arm up and around his neck, then thrust out my breasts, as he adds a fourth finger inside me, filling me, stretching me. He continues to weave his fingers in and out of me, as I wrap my other arm around his waist. His muscles undte under his skin as he lowers his mouth to where my neck meets my shoulder. He sinks his teeth into my skin, and I yell. I rise up to my tiptoes, as he lowers his other hand to my pussy.


    ¡°Come for me, Sunshine,e all over my fingers.¡± He pinches my clit and I explode. The orgasm crashes over me and I scream. Moisture coats the space between my legs; sweat beads my forehead. He pulls his fingers out of my pussy and thrusts them into my mouth. The taste of my arousal fills my pte, mixed with the salty taste of his skin. I lick my tongue across his fingers, and his chest muscles contract.


    I open my eyes to find his features flushed. His nostrils re. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to fuck you or punish you for what you did,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Why not do both?¡±


    He blinks, then a chuckle rumbles up his chest, ¡°You have spirit. That¡¯s good; you¡¯re going to need it for what¡¯s in store for you once we¡¯re married.¡±


    He releases me so suddenly that I stumble.


    Turning, he stalks toward the door of the bathroom.


    ¡°Wait, what did you mean by that?¡± I take a step in his direction when hees to a stop.


    He nces at me over his shoulder, ¡°Why are you so impatient? Why don¡¯t you wait until we are married? You¡¯re bound to find out.¡±


    I scowl back, ¡°I told you, you don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Good, that means I don¡¯t intend to hold back on my perversions.¡±

 226

    Axel


    ¡°Fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-three¡­¡± I count as I bnce the weight of my body in nk position. ¡°Fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six.¡± My biceps tremble and my thighs scream in protest. Fuck, if I haven¡¯t be aplete weakling. I used to be able to hold this position until the count of one-thousand. Now, apparently, I can¡¯t even get to one-hundred.


    ¡°Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine,¡± I grunt as my core protests. The blood thuds at my temples. Sweat breaks out on my forehead as I try to maintain my bnce. ¡°Sixty, sixty-one, sixty-two.¡± My head hurts, my quadriceps groan, and every muscle in my body seems to seize up. Sweat drips down my temples and down my chin to plop on the floor below me.


    ¡°F-u-c-k,¡± I growl as my arms give way from under me. I face-nt on the floor andy there unmoving. My breathes in pants; my muscles are on fire. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± It¡¯s going to take me time to build up my endurance again. And I am getting married in a few days.


    It¡¯s been a full day since I walked out of Theresa¡¯s bathroom, after making that statement about my perversions. My intent had been to scare her, and I must have seeded, for I haven¡¯t seen her since. To be fair, I have been throwing myself into my rehabilitation. I work with Sheena on the prescribed exercises, then throw myself into working out in my own time. I know I am pushing it, but I don¡¯t care. I need to keep myself upied, or else, I am in danger of walking into her room, throwing her down on her bed, and burying myself inside her sweet pussy¡­ Something I want to resist until we are married. Not that it matters. I already took her virginity, after all. I pause. Holdonasecond-is that why she wants to marry me? Because I was her first?


    Theresa doesn¡¯t strike me as a traditional girl. I had wanted to find out more about my future wife so I had used the phone loaned to me by the Sovranos to search her online.


    I hadn¡¯t found much of a presence on the social mediaworks. I had, however, stumbled across the Instagram feed for her shop The Tilting Tulip. All of the pictures were of flowers. Apparently, the woman doesn¡¯t believe in showing her face to the camera. There was one picture which showed her back and that of another girl with #bestsister ever. And another, where her profile was visible on screen. The picture shows her working on an arrangement of tulips, a beam of sunlight entuating her hair and the flowers. There was something arresting about the image. The photographer had captured the serenity on her face as she¡¯d focused on the flowers. Has she ever looked at me with that much singr attention? A hot sensation had stabbed at my chest. I couldn¡¯t believe that I was jealous of flowers.


    I had clicked out of the Instagram feed at once. All I had learned was that she loves what she does. Judging by her nearly thirty-thousand followers and thements on the pictures, her flower shop is also doing really well. She had looked gorgeous in the picture. So vital, so full of life¡­ Thank god, I had stepped in front of her and taken the bullet for her. If it had hurt her in any way, I would have never been able to forgive myself. After all, it had been my fault that the shooter had had her in his crosshairs.


    Now that I am able to recall the events leading up to my shooting at Christian, I confess, it¡¯s only confusing me more. Who is the person who shot at her? Were they aiming at me? Or maybe, Christian? No, it was meant for me. It had to be; so why had they shot at her instead? Unless they had wanted to send a message. To me or to the Sovranos?


    My head spins, and it¡¯s not entirely due to my overexertionbined with my recent head wound, which is not fully healed. This entire situation is a mess. It reeks of being a trap. But that¡¯s not possible. Whoever had shot at us, wouldn¡¯t have expected me to step in front of her. Or had they shot at her, knowing I¡¯d get in front of her? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. And why would they shoot at her, anyway? Is it because she¡¯s under the protection of the Sovranos? Was the intention to show them that their security doesn¡¯t hold up to scrutiny? I push myself onto my back and stare up at the ceiling.


    And why had the Sovranos epted me without punishing me for what I had done? Is the fact that I am marrying Theresa enough reason to stop them froming for me in the future? Can I trust Michael to deliver on his promise of giving me a seat at their table?


    I push up to my feet and my legs hold up my weight. Thank fuck. I walk into the bathroom, take a quick shower, then pull on a pair of pants and a shirt. All made of the finest material, perfectly altered to my size and measurements. You have to hand it to the Sovranos-they know how to embrace a lifestyle many desire, yet very few can ess.


    The kind of life my mother had left behind¡­ And one which I am entering in grant contradiction of her wishes. But I have to; it¡¯s the only way to get revenge for what these bastards did to her.


    They are responsible for her early death, and I am going to get my revenge for it through marriage. Once Theresa is in my grasp, the Sovranos will experience the kind of emotional torment that my mother went through. But she is innocent; she isn¡¯t responsible for what happened to your mother. Well, too-fucking-bad. She¡¯ll be coteral damage in the n I am enacting- a n for which I¡¯d rather she bepliant than not. Which means, it¡¯s best I try to put her at ease. At least, until the wedding.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I pull on my socks and shoes, pocket my phone and wallet-also provided to me by the Sovranos, since I hadn¡¯t been carrying any forms of ID on me when I¡¯d been shot. Much as I loathe to use money provided by Michael, I don¡¯t have a choice. It¡¯s only a matter of time before I am involved in the day-to-day affairs of the Cosa Nostra. I¡¯ll be pulling more than my fair share of weight in their business then. Besides, part of their wealth does belong to me by birthright. After all, I was born into it as much as they were. Besides, they owe me for everything that happened to my mother. So no, I have zero guilt in using their resources to get what I want.


    I head out of my room, up the corridor, past the door to Sheena¡¯s room, which is shut, and into Theresa¡¯s suite at the end of the corridor.


    I raise my hand to knock on the door, then change my mind. Best to use the element of surprise. I twist the doorknob, walk into the living room of the suite, and find it¡¯s empty. I check the bathroom and the bedroom, but she¡¯s not there. The scent of her envelops me and the blood drains to my groin. Fuck. Where the hell is she? I had explicitly told her not to leave the house without my permission. Bet that¡¯s precisely why she decided to go out. Couldn¡¯t stop herself from trying to defy me, eh? I twist my lips. Another challenge she¡¯s thrown down at me, and this time, I am going to show her the consequences of going against me.


    I rise to my feet and begin to pace, slowly. Does she think I am not strong enough to leave the house? Well, she hasn¡¯t reckoned with how much I have been pushing myself. I may not have one-hundred percent of my normal strength, but fuck, I am no longer a weakling either.


    I pull up Seb¡¯s number on my phone and dial.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±

 227

    Theresa


    ¡°Perversions?¡± Elsa¡¯s eyes round. ¡°Did he say¡­per-ver-sions?¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± I nce around the crowded nightclub, but thankfully, nobody¡¯s paying any attention to us. Yep, I had decided to tempt fate by asking Elsa to apany me to Venom again.


    ¡°Well,¡± she draws from the straw of her frozen margarita, ¡°did he borate further?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°But he did say perversions?¡±


    I scowl at her, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know you better, I¡¯d think that you were having too much fun with that word.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± She drinks some more of the margarita. ¡°Have you imagined what he meant by that? What all he could do to you? How rough he could get? How he could spank you, or tie you up or-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± my cheeks heat, ¡°and no, I haven¡¯t imagined any of that.¡±


    ¡°Liar.¡± Sheughs, then drains the rest of her margarita, before leaning over the bar counter, ¡°Get me another margarita, please?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s had enough,¡± a voice says from behind us.


    Both of us turn at the same time to find Seb glowering at her. Yep, I had wanted to leave the house, knowing fully that it would piss off Axel, but that was the general idea. I was so mad at him for making mee on his fingers, for scaring me with his threats. If he thinks I¡¯m going to back down because of the thought of some rough sex after marriage, he can think again. My thighs clench, my toes curl, and moisture beads the space between my legs. OMG, just the thought of what he could do to my body has my heartbeat ratcheting up. My pulse beats at my temples. I rub my damp palms on the skirt of my dress just as Elsa raises an eyebrow at Seb.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± she drawls.


    ¡°Oh?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°You are not my keeper,¡± she insists.


    ¡°But I am the person responsible for the safety of both of you.¡± He folds his arms across his chest.


    ¡°You mean you are responsible for Theresa¡¯s safety,¡± she corrects him.


    ¡°You are here with Theresa; ergo, I am responsible for your safety too.¡±


    The two of them re at each other for a few seconds. The silence stretches and neither seems to want to back down.


    I slide off the stool. ¡°Thanks for bringing me here, Seb, especially as I know it means going against Axel¡¯s orders.¡±


    Seb smirks. ¡°It¡¯s because it goes against his orders that I couldn¡¯t resist. Also, he can¡¯t order me around. I don¡¯t answer to anyone.¡±


    ¡°Not even to the Don?¡± Elsa asks.


    He hesitates. ¡°He¡¯s the only exception.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Elsa¡¯s gaze widens, ¡°but would you go against the Don on certain asions?¡±


    ¡°The Don is not unreasonable; there isn¡¯t much we disagree on.¡±


    ¡°So, you would go against the Don if the situation warranted it?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so curious about it?¡± Seb scowls.


    ¡°It was just a question.¡± She glowers back at him.


    ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t be this curious about things that don¡¯t concern you.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± she draws herself up to her full height, which still means shees up to the height of his chest, ¡°you are my friend¡¯s designated bodyguard-sh-chauffeur tonight, which means it¡¯s totally within my purview to find out everything about you.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you want to find out more about me? He smirks.


    ¡°It means, I want to make sure that you are uh¡­ qualified in your role of chauffeur-sh-security guard. Speaking of, why don¡¯t you stand at a distance?¡±


    ¡°Why should I stand at a distance?¡±


    ¡°Because you are frightening the rest of the men away.¡±


    ¡°Men?¡± Seb¡¯s face grows thunderous. ¡°What men?¡±


    ¡°My question, exactly,¡± a familiar voice cuts through the noise of the bar.


    ¡°Oh, hell,¡± I squeeze my eyes shut and mutter under my breath, ¡°it can¡¯t be.¡± Please, please let it not be him.


    ¡°You thought you could slink away without asking my permission and I wouldn¡¯t follow you?¡±


    I nce over my shoulder at the tall, dark, massive, glowering man whose blue eyes are alight with an emotion I dare not try to name.


    ¡°How did you manage to leave the house?¡± I frown.


    ¡°I am well enough to walk, or hadn¡¯t you noticed?¡± he retorts.


    ¡°I know you are getting better, and believe me, I am happy about that.¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± He tilts his head. ¡°Somehow, I can¡¯t help but think that you wanted me out ofmission long enough to not be able to walk on my own two feet up the aisle for my own wedding.¡±


    I gape at him, ¡°I would never -¡± I take in his angry features, the skin that wrinkles around his mouth, the firm set to his jaw. ¡°Wow,¡± I throw up my hands, ¡°you really think I nned it so you¡¯d embarrass yourself on your wedding day?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t that why you pushed to have the wedding so quickly?¡±


    My cheeks heat, ¡°I only suggested a shorter period of time because we both wanted to get married and I didn¡¯t see any reason to wait.¡±


    ¡°Were you afraid that I¡¯d change my mind?¡±


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t, now that you have a chance to get a piece of the Cosa Nostra business.¡± Bitterness fills my chest and I push it aside. ¡°How did you find me here, anyway?¡± I¡¯d chosen this bar precisely because it¡¯s not one of the regr haunts of the Sovranos or the rest of the Mafia. And it¡¯s not the same ce that we went tost time.


    ¡°Lucky guess?¡± He raises a shoulder.


    ¡°Stop treating me like I am stupid.¡± I sense Seb shuffle his feet and turn on him, ¡°You told him, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    He raises his hands, ¡°He called me, so I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have given him the wrong address?¡±


    ¡°I figured, you still had a head start on him, giving you enough time to enjoy yourself before he tracked you down.¡±


    I glower at him, but Seb has already turned back to Elsa, ¡°What say we head out to the car and wait for these guys to join us?¡±


    Elsa pops her head around him, ¡°I assume this is Axel?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shoot, I forgot you guys haven¡¯t yet met.¡± I nce between them, ¡°Axel this is my friend and colleague Elsa. Elsa this is Axel the man-¡±


    ¡°Who you are going to marry, I know,¡± she thrusts out her arm, ¡°pleased to meet you.¡±


    Axel reaches out to take her hand but Seb steps between them, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    Her gaze widens, ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back off, asshole. I was merely being civil,¡±


    ¡°You can say hello without touching him,¡± Seb replies in a tight voice.


    ¡°I was only going to shake his hand, jerkaloupe.¡±


    Seb¡¯s forehead creases, ¡°Is that an insult?¡±


    ¡°What do you think, you big oaf?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to leave and give these two a few minutes alone.¡±


    She scowls at him, and he stares back with a cid expression on his face.


    Finally, she blows out a breath, ¡°Is that okay with you, Theresa? I can stay if you want.¡±


    Axel¡¯s muscles bunch. I sense the anger vibrating off of him, and for some reason, I want to calm him down.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± I murmur. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± She peers at me closely, ¡°I can stay; honestly.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head. ¡°Really, I¡¯ve got this.¡±


    She stares at me a second longer, then nods. ¡°We¡¯ll be out in the car.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just be a few minutes,¡± I reassure her. She brushes past Seb, whose features darken. He stomps off after her.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into him?¡± Axel stares at his retreating back.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± I turn to face him, ¡°Now, do you want to tell me why you came here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he crowds me so my hip hits the bar, ¡°I think the time for talking is over. In fact, I am positive I don¡¯t want to talk about anything right now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I thought it was time to give you an idea of the kind of man you are marrying.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know the kind of man I am marrying,¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°A lying, conniving, double-crosser who won¡¯t hesitate to betray his own brothers.¡±


    His face darkens, ¡°Take that back.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I am warning you, Theresa, if you don¡¯t apologize for that, I am going to have to punish you.¡±


    A thrill runs down my back. Shit, why is it that the thought of unleashing the beast inside him turns me on so? Why is it that the thought of him losing his control and jumping on me and having his way with me has my insides turn to jelly? My toes curl. I raise my hand to push back a strand of hair from my face and my fingers tremble. ¡°I¡¯m only saying what we both know is true. Besides, you don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°So you keep saying.¡± He bares his teeth. ¡°Last chance, Sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Ooh, I am so afraid.¡± I pretend to shiver, then yelp when he grabs my wrist.


    He turns around and drags me through the crowd. The people in front seem to step aside as he shoulders his way to the end of the bar, then turns up the corridor, and passes the queue of women waiting to get into the restroom.


    ¡°Jesus, what the hell do you think you are doing?¡± I yell.


    He doesn¡¯t reply, simply increases his pace as he hauls me past the row of curious faces. He reaches the guys¡¯ restroom and barges inside, pulling me in his wake. ¡°Out,¡± he snaps.


    The man who¡¯s been washing his hands at the basin opens his mouth to protest. Axel growls and the man pales. He turns around, brushes past us and scampers out.


    ¡°That goes for you, too,¡± Axel jerks his chin toward the man who¡¯s been pissing in one of the urinals. This guy doesn¡¯t even protest. Without bothering to zip himself up, he turns and runs out, followed by the man who had been drying his hands under the electric dryer.


    Why the hell is it that the men¡¯s restrooms are always empty while the women¡¯s always has a queue? One of the evesting mysteries which I know I will not solve today. I try to pull my hand from his grasp, but Axel doesn¡¯t let go. Once thest man has left the restroom, he turns and locks the door. The sound of thetch falling into ce echoes around the space.


    I gulp. ¡°Let go of me,¡± I gasp.


    ¡°Nope.¡± He yanks me toward the sinks, then pushes me against the counter before crowding me from behind.


    I stare at my flushed appearance in the mirror. My hair is messed up and my eyes glitter with fear? Excitement? Both.


    He pulls up my skirt from behind and I freeze, ¡°What are you-?¡±


    He grabs my panties and tears them off.


    ¡°What the-?¡± I turn my head to find him stuffing my panties in his pocket.


    He ps my ass.


    I gasp, too shocked to say anything.


    He spanks my other asscheek, and I yell, ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±


    ¡°Teaching you a lesson.¡±


    He raises his big palm again and brings it down on my asscheek, this time, with enough force that I rise up to my tiptoes. A line of fire seems to unfold from the point of contact, before zipping straight to my core. My pussy clenches and my nipples tighten. No way. No fucking way, am I turned on by what he just did.


    I open my mouth to protest, but before I can make a sound, he spanks my other asscheek with enough force that my entire body jolts. He raises his hand, holds my gaze in the mirror, ¡°Tell me you¡¯re sorry for disobeying me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    C-r-a-c-k. He spanks me such force that another line of fire, this one even more intense, zips up my spine.


    C-r-a-c-k, c-r-a-c-k, c-r-a-c-k. He spanks both my asscheeks in quick session, and I can¡¯t stop the groan that spills from my lips.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls. I take in his flushed features, the color that burns high on his cheeks. The dark pupils of his eyes seem to have expanded out until only a zing circle of blue can be seen around the circumference.


    ¡°You fucking get to me, you know that?¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°Since the first time I saw you, I have been acting out of character. Since I smelled you, I can¡¯t get your scent out of my head. Since I tasted you, I want fucking more.¡±


    He massages my throbbing asscheek, and a moan wells up my throat.


    He thrusts his finger between my legs and I gasp.


    ¡°Fucking hell,¡± his gaze intensifies, ¡°you¡¯re so damn wet, so hot, so slick.¡±


    He shoves two more fingers inside me, then curls them.


    ¡°Ohmygod,¡± I throw my head back against his chest, then push my ass into the swollen length at his crotch. I writhe and grind against the throbbing thickness as he continues to work me. He brings his other hand around to cup my pussy, ¡°Who does this belong to?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Who does your cunt belong to, Sunshine?¡± he says in a hard voice, simultaneously pinching my clit with such force that I see stars.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he demands, ¡°who does your pussy belong to Theresa?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± I moan, ¡°you, Axel, you.¡±


    ¡°Damn-fucking-right.¡±


    He pulls his fingers out of me, only to turn me around. He kicks my legs apart, drops to his knees and thrusts his face between my thighs. He eats me out, devours me, slurps on my pussy, circles my clit with his tongue, then shoves four of his thick fingers inside my already squelching channel. Too much. Too full. And he doesn¡¯t even have his cock inside me yet.


    He squeezes my hip, then slides one leg over his shoulder, before attacking my pussy with renewed vigor. This time, he pumps his fingers in and out of me, as he bites down on my clit. That¡¯s when the climax sweeps over me. The orgasm ms into me and I cry out as Ie. I slump over him and he rises to his feet. He notches his knuckles under my chin. ¡°Open your eyes,¡± hemands.


    I flutter my eyshes open, meet his piercing gaze.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine, Theresa. Mine to fuck. Mine to possess. Mine to do with as I please. You feel me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I swallow. ¡°Yes, Axel.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± he circles my wrist with his fingers then unlocks the bathroom door and heads out, with me in tow. As we pass the still long line of women, they can¡¯t take their eyes off of him-not that he notices. He pulls me along at such speed that I have to half-run to keep up. By the time we reach Seb¡¯s car, I am panting.


    The two men exchange nces, then Seb jerks his chin toward the car, ¡°Get in and I¡¯ll drop you back at the house.¡±


    Axel opens the back door for me and I slide in; he follows. He throws his arm around me and pulls me close and I have to admit, I don¡¯t try to move away this time. I bury my nose in his neck, draw in his dark, edgy scent. Somehow, that entire demonstration of possession hasn¡¯t put me off. It was quite hot, actually.


    I sense Elsa nce at me from her seat in the front of the car, but I don¡¯t raise my head. Somehow, I don¡¯t want to exin why I am clinging to him like I can¡¯t get enough of him. Damn it, I am going to marry him. Surely, it¡¯s allowed.


    Seb eases the car out onto the road and elerates.


    Then a thought strikes me and I pull back. ¡°How did you get here?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Adrian dropped me off.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± I subside. The rest of the trip passes in silence. I shoot nces at Axel¡¯s face, but he¡¯s staring out the window. His jaw is hard. A nerve throbs at his temple. Clearly, he¡¯s still angry at me. Or maybe he¡¯s mad at himself. To be fair though, while he made me orgasm, he hasn¡¯t found the same kind of relief. I ce my palm over his crotch and the thickness in his pants makes me gasp. He stiffens, but he doesn¡¯t stop me when I begin to knead him through his pants. His shaft lengthens, and the heat sears me through the cloth. He widens his legs, allowing me more ess and I slide my fingers up and down his length. His muscles bunch and his shoulders flex. I squeeze his cock and it seems to jump under my ministrations. A plume of heat seems to pour off of him. It ms down on my shoulders, pinning me in ce. I draw in a breath and the scent of him-sweat and musk and testosterone-fills my lungs. A trembling grips me. I squeeze my legs together to contain the yawning gap that ws at my insides. The next moment he grips my pussy. A cry rolls up my throat but he¡¯s already there. He fits his mouth over mine and absorbs the sounds. Heat flushes my skin. Goddammit, I am in a car with my employee/friend in the front and one of the Sovrano brothers, and I can¡¯t keep my hands off this guy. And can¡¯t stop him from eating my face or ying with my clit.


    Another groan rolls up my throat and he deepens the kiss. He thrusts his tongue inside my mouth and my eyes roll back in my head. A shudderdders up my spine, and the climax sweeps over me. A bead of sweat slides down my back as I give into the pleasurepletely. The orgasm seems to go on and on, then just as quickly fades away. I slump in his grasp,pletely boneless. He continues to kiss me for a few seconds more, then softens his lips, until he¡¯s nibbling on my lower lip, kissing the edges of my mouth, my chin, my nose. When he finally sits back, I gaze at him, unable topute what just happened.


    Did I juste from his just kissing me? Okay, he may have had some help because he was ying with my pussy, but for heaven¡¯s sake, I wasn¡¯t even undressed. Under my palm he¡¯s rock hard and so big. He smirks, an amused look in his eyes.


    Jerk! Bet he¡¯s gloating that he made mee so quickly. I pull back my hand, scoot over to the door, and for the remainder of the journey, nce out of the window.


    Thankfully, he doesn¡¯t speak either. Neither do Seb and Elsa from the front of the car.


    All too soon, we are parking in front of Axel¡¯s temporary home. I am about to follow him out of the car when Elsa leans over the back of her seat. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay T?¡± she murmurs. ¡°If you need any help-¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t,¡± Axel snaps.


    Elsa frowns. I shoot him a scowl, ¡°Don¡¯t answer for me.¡±


    ¡°I can if I want to.¡±


    I blow out a breath. Elsa¡¯s brow wrinkles. ¡°Theresa?¡± she prompts, ¡°do you want me toe in with you?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°No,¡± Axel and Seb say at the same time.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Elsa throws up her hands, ¡°I am asking Theresa, you guys,¡± she side-eyes Seb, ¡°and you, mister, have no right to speak,¡± she snaps.


    Seb merely raises an eyebrow. Before he can say something and make things worse, I rush in with, ¡°I am fine, Elsa, I promise.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t seem convinced. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Theresa. You don¡¯t have to marry him.¡±


    I do, though. How can I exin it to her? This man is myst chance to feel connected to Xander.


    And that is really, really the wrong reason to marry someone. I push the thought away. ¡°I¡¯m good, promise,¡± I lean over and kiss her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±


    I slide out of the car behind Axel and he ms the door shut. Seb drives away, leaving me alone with Axel. I follow him to the door, which he unlocks with a set of keys.


    I am inside and he¡¯s locked the door behind him before I finally realize what he just did. ¡°Hey,¡± I call out as he begins to climb the stairs, ¡°where¡¯s the rest of the household staff?¡±


    ¡°I gave them a few days off.¡±


    ¡°And Sheena?¡±


    ¡°I am taking a break from the physiotherapy sessions.¡±


    A ripple of fear runs up my spine. So, I am alone with him? I can¡¯t be alone with him. Not that it would stop him from doing whatever he wants in the privacy of his or my room. But still, knowing that Sheena was here and that there were other people around had provided me with some modicum of safety¡­which has just been pulled out from under me.


    I burst into a run and take the stairs two at a time. ¡°Is that wise?¡± I pant as I draw up close with him. ¡°Taking a break, I mean? Surely, you need to keep exercising-¡±


    ¡°Which I am doing on my own.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s too soon after your being shot; you need an expert to monitor your progress and help you and-¡±


    ¡°I am improving by leaps and bounds, the doctor says.¡± He pauses at the top of the stairs so quickly that I bump into him.


    He turns and grips my shoulders, staring down at me from his elevated height. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯ll be back to my former strength in a few days.¡±


    ¡°That¡­that¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Not for you.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°Not that it matters,¡± he looks me up and down, ¡°I have ns for you, Sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± I tug at his grasp. He releases me and that increases the churning sensation at the pit of my stomach. A hot sensation coils in my chest. My pulse begins to race. Why am I feeling so nervous? I am going to marry this guy. Most likely, I am going to spend the rest of my life with him, so why am I so afraid of him?


    His gaze intensifies. He stares at my mouth and my throat goes dry. I step up onto the top of the staircase, forcing him to take a step back.


    This also decreases the height difference between us. Not that it helps, because I still have to tilt my head all the way back to meet his eyes.


    He smirks, and hell, why do I find that so hot?


    ¡°I am not afraid of you.¡± I toss my hair over my shoulder.


    He barks out augh, ¡°I¡¯ll remind you of this when I finally have my way with you.¡±


    My nerve-endings stretch and something inside of me seems to snap. With a low snarl, I throw myself at him.

 228

    Axel


    She crashes into my chest, and it¡¯s a good thing I have moved away from the top of the staircase; chances are good I might have tumbled down.


    I grab her around the waist, and haul her to me as she raises her hand. Her palm connects with my face and my neck snaps to the side. Anger courses through my veins and adrenalineces my blood.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I grate out as I carry her up the corridor. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± she yells, ¡°I am tired of your stupid threats. If you want to do something that is going to shock me, then I dare you to go through with it.¡±


    She raises her hand again, but this time, I grab her wrist. I twist her hand behind her back as she pants.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± she spits out, ¡°I hate you.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Color splotches her face. She snaps her head forward and I manage to evade it, barely. Must be abination of my still-not-close-to-optimum state and her acting on pure adrenaline.


    I lower her to her feet, ¡°Calm down,¡± I grate out as I grab her other hand and pull it behind her back.


    I pull her close so her breasts are ttened against my chest. Her chest heaves, her hair flows around her shoulders, and she res at me, her green eyes spitting sparks.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking gorgeous, Sunshine,¡± I murmur.


    Her nipples pebble against my chest, and goddamnit, if they got any harder, they¡¯d surely poke right through the fabric of her dress.


    ¡°I want to fuck you so hard that you¡¯ll forget all those insults that you like to spew at me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you then?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, I am not going to let you get away that easily.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­ what do you mean?¡±


    I lean in close enough for our noses to bump, then I lick my tongue up her cheek.


    She shivers.


    ¡°Why the fuck are you so responsive to my touch?¡± I stare at her through half-closed eyes.


    ¡°This is my response to how repulsive I find you,¡± she says through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    She bares her teeth.


    Iugh. ¡°Your body says otherwise. If I shove my hand between your legs, will I find you wet, Sunshine?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I smirk.


    She struggles in my grasp, every move of hers bringing her core in close contact with the already massive erection that tents my crotch. She must feel it too, for her color heightens further.


    ¡°Let go of me, you¡­you stronzo,¡± she hisses.


    ¡°Now, now, be nice.¡± I shackle both of her wrists with one hand. With the other, I press down on her shoulder.


    She sinks down to her knees, then glowers up at me. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±


    ¡°Less talking, more sucking,¡± I drawl.


    Her mouth opens, and fuck, I don¡¯t want to hear one more thing from her. If I do, I¡¯ll lose my control and simply throw her down and bury myself inside her, and I don¡¯t want to do that. Not yet. If I do, I might never want to leave the hot, squelching, moist ce that is her cunt, and I can¡¯t have that. Not if I want to ensure that I have her so hungry for me, she¡¯ll do anything I ask without question. And I need that level of subservience if I want my ns to fall into ce.


    I lower my zipper, and my cock springs out. Her gaze widens, but before she can say anything I¡¯ve thrust my cock into her mouth.


    Heat, tightness. A shiver runs up my spine. Fucking hell, she is a siren. Every part of her body stills for a few seconds, her gaze lifted to mine. Her green eyes glow with an inner light that, if I¡¯m not mistaken, is abination of anger and arousal. Fucking hell, I set out to¡­frighten her, maybe? To try to harness that spirit of hers, but damn, if she doesn¡¯t seem to revel in the level of darkness that stirs inside of me.


    I ease my cock further inside and it hits the back of her throat. Then, before she can gag, I pull out, stay poised again with my cock at the seam of her lips.


    Her shoulders rise and fall, and her pupils dte. Without breaking the connection of her gaze, she closes her mouth around my dick. She hollows out her cheeks and- ¡°F-u-c-k.¡± -a shudder runs up my spine. I bury my fingers in the back of her head and tug on her hair. She gasps around my cock and my balls harden.


    Sweat breaks out on my forehead.


    ¡°Jesus-fucking-Christ,¡± I growl, ¡°your mouth is going to be the end of me.¡±


    I press forward on the back of her head and my cock slides in. I pull her back, then wrap my fingers around her throat. The next time I push her forward my cock slips down her throat.


    ¡°Fucking hell, I can feel my cock glide down your throat, you know that?¡±


    Saliva drools from the corners of her mouth. Her pupils dte as she grips my thigh to steady herself. I pull her back, then forward, and again. She moans and the vibrations travel up my dick, coil low in my belly. My groin tightens, my balls draw up. ¡°Fuck, I am going toe,¡± and that is a record. I¡¯ve nevere this fast. Never. But Sunshine, here, has a hold on me that I can¡¯t exin. Something about her seems to break through my barriers and causes me to lose control. Something I need to be careful about if I want to get through the rest of my mission.


    I tighten my hold on her hair, haul her toward me. I empty myself down her throat, and she swallows it down. When I pull out, I stare at her swollen lips. The evidence of my cum and her saliva streaks her chin. I haul her to her feet, then fit my lips to hers.

 229

    Theresa


    I expect the kiss to be hard, possessive, almost punishing. Instead, he presses his lips to mine and holds them there. Softness. Tenderness. He nibbles on my lower lip and my entire body shudders. He cups my cheek as he licks my lips.


    ¡°The taste of you and mebined drives me mad,¡± his voice rumbles up his chest. Pinpricks of pleasure set off from the point of contact between my nipples and his hard chest nes. A whine bleeds from my lips and he presses his lips to mine in a hard kiss this time, before he pulls back.


    I sway toward him, and he rights me with a grip on my shoulder.


    ¡°Okay?¡± he asks.


    I open my mouth, but no soundes out. Am I okay? No, I am not. I just let him fuck my mouth, and I didn¡¯t try to stop him. Oh, I may have made a few token protests, but face it, I wanted him. Wanted his hands on me, his lips on mine, his breathbining with mine, his tongue inside my mouth, his cock stuffed inside my pussy. My core clenches.


    A slow smile curves his lips. ¡°If I touch you, will I find you wet?¡±


    ¡°You know you will,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°Good.¡± He pushes the hair off of my face, then straightens the cor of my dress. ¡°Good night, Theresa.¡± Turning, he ambles up the corridor and turns into his room.


    Huh?


    I stand there, blinking rapidly, not quiteputing what just happened. My pussy spasms and that emptiness in my lower belly beckons. Hell, no. He didn¡¯t just walk away without making mee, did he? He shuts the door behind him. What the hell? I walk toward the door, push it open and step inside. He¡¯s already thrown off his jacket and is about to yank his Henley over his head. As I watch, he pulls it off and tosses it aside, then turns to me, ¡°Do you want something?¡±


    ¡°You¡­you¡­left me out there.¡±


    He tilts his head.


    ¡°I¡­you¡­I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get you off?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I did so twice earlier,¡± he raises a shoulder.


    ¡°Argh,¡± I throw up my hands, ¡°that doesn¡¯t count, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°Too bad, it¡¯s best we keep our distance until the wedding now.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I gape as he reaches for his belt. He unhooks it, then the button on the waistband of his pants, then lowers his zipper. Before I can say anything more, he shoves down his pants and kicks them aside. His dick jumps free. Thick and long, it points upward andys against his lower belly.


    What the hell? He¡¯s hard again? And of course, he doesn¡¯t wear boxers. I mean, I¡¯ve never seen him wear boxers. Maybe he didn¡¯t buy any boxers? I mean, maybe whoever bought him the other clothes forgot to buy him boxers? Makes it easy for him to whip out his dick with minimal fuss. A chuckle wells up and I swallow it down.


    He arches an eyebrow, ¡°Something funny, Sunshine?¡±


    I shake my head.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    He reaches for his cock and pumps it once. I feel the tug all the way to my core. My toes curl. My mouth waters. Even from this distance, I can see the moisture glisten on the crown of that monster shaft.


    He squeezes the base of his shaft and watches me, as if waiting to see what I¡¯ll do next. When I don¡¯t move, he drags his fingers up the length.


    A moan bubbles up my throat. Shit, shit, shit, if I stay here, I am likely to fling myself at him again, this time, with the hope of riding his cock.


    And yet I can¡¯t drag my gaze off his crotch. Or how his biceps flex each time he swipes his fingers up his shaft. His balls seem to grow thicker, heavier,rger. His thigh muscles ripple.


    ¡°Sunshine,¡± he says in a low voice, ¡°either get in here and get me off, or leave.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I tip my chin up, ¡°What do you mean, get you off? Don¡¯t you want to-¡±


    ¡°Fuck you?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Nah,¡± his lips twist, ¡°gonna wait until we¡¯re married now, remember?¡±


    ¡°B¡­but¡­but¡­¡± I squeeze my thighs together. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna wait,¡± I whine.


    ¡°I know,¡± he chuckles, ¡°that¡¯s the general idea.¡±


    ¡°So, you did all that earlier,¡± I stab my thumb over my shoulder, ¡°to-¡±


    ¡°To turn you on.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t let mee.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± he makes a popping sound with his lips. Of course, my gaze darts to his mouth. His gorgeous mouth. His plush, puffy mouth, which he used to bring me to orgasm earlier.


    ¡°You got me off earlier. What¡¯s changed now?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s changed is that I realized it¡¯s only a few days until we are to get married and I think it¡¯s important we spend that time apart.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± I pout.


    He begins to pump himself harder, and I watch in fascination as his dick gets bigger. I swear, it gets thicker and longer and so hard that the head is almost purple. Moisture pools between my legs and I reach for the waistband of my skirt. I slide my fingers inside and toward my clit when.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he orders, ¡°you will not touch yourself.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me,¡± his lips turn up in a wide smile, ¡°you will note until I give you permission!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Iugh, ¡°Who are you tomand when Ie?¡±


    ¡°Your soon-to-be husband,¡± he says in a harsh voice. He pumps himself with such ferocity that his muscles bugle, his chest nes flex, and his entire body is wound so tightly, I am sure he¡¯s going toe any moment. I need to leave; I do. I need to get out of here before I do something I¡¯ll regret. I try to move, but my feet seem to be stuck to the floor. His gaze holds mine. The skin around his eyes crinkles, sweat beads his forehead, and his features contort as, with a grunt, hees. My heart ms into my chest and my pussy clenches in on itself. Fuck, that was hot, so hot. When my foot hits the ground, I realize I have taken a step forward. That¡¯s when one side of his lips kicks up.


    Asshole. That entire performance was for my benefit. He wanted me to be turned on. He wanted me to see what I was missing. Jerk. Stronzo.


    Xander would have never done this. He wouldn¡¯t have treated me like I was a piece of merchandise, like his possession to do with whatever he wanted. He would have never been mean to me.


    And he didn¡¯t care enough about you to even try to kiss you.


    It¡¯s that thought that finally snaps me out of my sexual haze. I spin around and dart out of the room, up the corridor to my own suite. I don¡¯t stop until I am in the bathroom and have thrown off my clothes and stepped under the shower. Oh hell, what am I going to do now? How am I going to survive until the wedding?


    I shove my fingers between my thighs. He told me I couldn¡¯te without his permission, but he¡¯s not here, is he? He¡¯ll never know if I make myselfe. Fuck him. I thrust my fingers-one, two, three-inside my cunt. I thrust them in and out of me, in and out. I curve my fingers inside my channel, but it¡¯s not enough. I add a fourth finger, and damn it, it doesn¡¯t feel the same. Shit, shit, shit. Doesn¡¯t matter; keep going. I weave my fingers in and out, but each time it feels like I am about to climax, I can¡¯t rx enough to let go. Damn this, and damn him! Has he conditioned my body so much already that I have to obey him even when he is not here? I turn off the shower, dry myself, then pull on my sleep shorts and camisole and crawl into bed.


    Sometimeter, my eyes snap open. It¡¯s stillpletely dark outside. I reach for my phone and the clock on the screen indicates it¡¯s four am. I put the phone back, try to go back to sleep, but I hear the sound of something in the distance. I sit up, try to listen. There¡¯s silence. Maybe it¡¯s my imagination. Iy back in my bed, but now I feel wide awake. Damn it. I swing my legs over the side of the bed, then pull on a pair of thick socks. I grab a hoodie and shrug into it, then make for the door. As I pass Axel¡¯s room, I hear the sound of a low scream. I stop at the door, press my ear to it, and that¡¯s when I hear him cry out again. I open the door and slip inside.

 230

    Axel


    The line of fire lights up the space in the gap between the door of the wardrobe and the floor. It flickers and dances as the heat in the closet builds up. I am scared, so scared. I press back into the wall of the closet and close my eyes. I don¡¯t want to die. Please, I don¡¯t want to die. Smoke creeps in from under the door and I cough. My eyes water. I need to get out of here, but how do I do that? If I reach for the door, on the other side, there will be fire. I press my sweaty palms into the wall behind me. There¡¯s no escape. The only way is to move through the door. Either that, or I¡¯d be roasted alive here. Sweat pops on my forehead and slides down my temple.


    I have to try to get out of here. But mum said that she woulde for me. She told me to wait here, while she finishes working. I told her I don¡¯t like to hide in the closet but she said we don¡¯t have a choice. She has to work and all she could afford right now is this room. And she can¡¯t have me outside. That would upset her client. I told her I would go outside to y, but she said I¡¯m too small to be out on my own. She doesn¡¯t think it would be safe for me to cross the road on my own to go to the yground. So, I had no choice but to hide myself in the closet. She said she won¡¯t be long. And I believe her.


    My ma has alwayse through for me. She¡¯s always there to pick me up from school and to drop me off. And she makes sure I always have enough to eat and she buys me toys I love. I didn¡¯t want to hide but she promised that this would be thest time. That after this, we would be moving to a bigger ce where I¡¯d have my own room. Just this onest client she had to take care of, and we¡¯d start packing right after and be off. I didn¡¯t want to agree, but she finally coaxed me into the closet.


    Soon after, I heard the sound of voices, and knew her client had arrived. Then the usual grunts and groans started and I plugged my fingers in my ears just the way that she had taught me. I even saw a mouse in the corner of the closet andughed at it. I reached for it but it scampered off.


    I guess I fell asleep after that, but now I wake up to the heat, the sweat trickling down my back¡­ and the fire¡­the sparks that dance through the ts on the door. I open my mouth to cry out, but my throat is so dry. I don¡¯t want to die; I don¡¯t want to die. I draw in a breath and burst out coughing. The smoke is building in here; it¡¯s too much. Too hot. Can¡¯t breathe. My lungs are burning. My skin feels like it¡¯s going to catch fire at any moment. I have to get out of here. Have to. I reach for the door, my fingers brush the hot metal, and I scream.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I hear her voice. ¡°Axel, you are safe¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡± I croak.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Axel.¡±


    I snap my eyes open and meet her worried gaze.


    ¡°Axel?¡± Her forehead furrows, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    I try to speak, but my throat is too dry. I draw in a breath and my lungs burn. My heart is racing so fast, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to break out of my ribcage. Sweat beads my brow, trickles down my temple.


    ¡°Axel?¡± she asks with hesitation. ¡°I think you had a bad dream.¡±


    My entire fucking life, so far, is a bad dream. Until the day I met her. That¡¯s when everything changed. That¡¯s when I realized what was missing-that I need to own her. And I will. Only, I need to use her to further my end goal. I can¡¯t let go of that. Not when I have spent my entire life working toward it.


    She reaches for me. I grab her wrist and haul her to me, flip her onto the bed and lean over her, all in one smooth move.


    She stares up at me, her breathing in pants. ¡°A¡­Axel,¡± her chin wobbles, ¡°are you okay?¡±


    No, I¡¯ll never be okay. Not when I have to use the one good thing I have found in my life for my own selfish means, even knowing I will lose her because of it.


    ¡°A¡­Axel, please,¡± she whispers. ¡°I only came in because I heard a noise and wanted to make sure you were okay. I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you, honestly.¡±


    I take in her pale features. The moonlight that nts in through the crack in the curtains highlights the red strands in her hair. Her green eyes are dted. I lower my head and sniff at her neck. The sweet orange blossom scent of her fills my senses. My cock instantly lengthens; my groin hardens. Fuck, but she is potent.


    ¡°Axel, don¡¯t-¡±


    She tries to scramble away and I lower the weight of my lower body onto her, pinning her in ce.


    She must feel the thickness of my arousal, for she freezes. Every muscle in her body tenses. Her lips tremble.


    ¡°Everywhere I look, you are always there. Every time I try to turn away from you, I am drawn back. Every time I want to stop thinking of you, you pop up in front of my eyes. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± She swallows. ¡°I swear, I didn¡¯t mean any harming in here.¡±


    ¡°So you say, when the fact is, you know exactly how to hurt me.¡±


    ¡°I hurt you?¡± She frowns, ¡°I am not the one who insisted I should move into this stupid house and away from my family.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss your family?¡±


    ¡°And if I do? As if you¡¯ll let me return to them.¡±


    ¡°Did you want to return to them?¡±


    She hesitates.


    ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she bursts out, ¡°I am getting married in a few days and I¡¯d rather spend thesest few days with my family in my childhood home, okay?¡±


    A tear drop squeezes out from the corner of her eye and I bend down and lick it up.


    She shudders, ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Fuck if I know.¡± I peer into her features. ¡°Fuck if I know why I do half the things I do around you. Fuck if I know why I am sporting a constant hard-on when I think of you.¡± I tilt my hips, and my already lengthening cock stabs into the soft flesh between her legs.


    Her breath catches in her chest. She stares up at me with those fucking huge eyes of hers. She licks her gorgeous lips, and damn it, I am lost. I lean in closer, unable to resist the temptation of tasting her just one more time. Just a sip and I¡¯ll let her go. Besides, I am still not going to let here. This is simply a way of tasting her onest time. Then, I¡¯ll stay away until the wedding.


    I lower my lips to hers when she bursts out, ¡°What was your dream about?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink.


    ¡°I heard you cry out. And when I walked in, you were thrashing around in your bedclothes. And you called out for your mom.¡±


    I stare at her for another second, then pull away. I sit on the side of the bed and lower my arms between my legs. ¡°Get out,¡± I say tightly.


    ¡°What?¡± She frowns.


    ¡°I said, get the fuck out of my suite.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡±


    I re at her, ¡°Do I look like I don¡¯t mean it?¡±


    ¡°You¡­you look shaken.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I arch an eyebrow.


    ¡°Was it the shooting? Is that what you were dreaming about?¡±


    Iugh. ¡°If you think taking a bullet would cause me nightmares-¡± I shake my head. ¡°On the other hand, perhaps it¡¯s the fact that I took a bullet for you that¡¯s causing me those dreams.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the topic.¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult to talk about it, whatever it is, but maybe it will help.¡±


    ¡°What will help is if you get your arse out of here.¡±


    ¡°Thought you liked my ass?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push it, Theresa,¡± I say in a tight voice. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d get the fuck out of here while I still can.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you talk about it, Axel? You called for your Mom, so you must be remembering things about your childhood.¡±


    ¡°The one thing I¡¯ll never forget is what happened in my childhood,¡± I snap.


    ¡°I am sorry for whatever happened to you,¡± she murmurs, ¡°but at least, you are remembering everything. So that¡¯s a good sign, right?¡±


    ¡°What would be a good sign is if you got the fuck away from me at the moment.¡±


    The silence stretches for a second, then another. I shoot her a sideways nce and find her ncing at me with a hurt look on her face. Something hot stabs at my chest.


    Goddamn it, this is what I was afraid of. Developing feelings for her. Wanting to take care of her. Needing to own her and keep her. No, no, no, that¡¯s not possible. There is one thing, and one thing only, that I want from her. And that is her subservience. Her ability to be the key to destroying the Sovranos. It¡¯s what I have worked toward and I will not allow her to upend my ns, not when I havee this far. I rise to my feet. ¡°I am going to the bathroom, and when Ie out, I want you gone.¡±


    I walk away from her.


    Behind me, I hear her feet hit the floor, then footsteps approaching me.


    ¡°Axel, please,¡± she pleads, ¡°can¡¯t you, at least, share a little of what happened in your childhood? Does it have to do with the scars on your right forearm. Is that why you keep ying with your lighter when you are stressed, even though you don¡¯t smoke?¡±


    What the fuck? How could she have noticed that? People seldom notice these details. They see something and their mindsplete the details. But Theresa-she spotted it right away. Anger lights a fire up my spine. How dare she try to find out everything about me? How dare she pay such close attention to me? How dare she walk into my room when I am at my most vulnerable and then try to win my trust? I will never let anyone close. Those kinds of rtionships are not for me. Not when I have one reason, and one reason only, to be alive. Revenge for what the Sovranos did to me and my mother.


    ¡°Axel, please say some-¡±


    I turn around close the distance between us, then grab her by her neck and haul her toward me. I crush my lips to hers with such force that our teeth sh. A shudder grips her, then she¡¯s kissing me back with as much intensity. She opens her mouth and I thrust my tongue inside. I suck on her tongue, drag my tongue over her teeth, and drink of her deeply. Then, I release her and step back so suddenly, she staggers. I grip her shoulder and right her. ¡°You can leave and go home, if you wish, until the wedding.¡± I turn and stalk into the bathroom.


    By the time I return to the room, she¡¯s gone.

 231

    Theresa


    What was that about? He had been dreaming, no doubt about it. And he had been crying out for his mother. I heard it. In that brief moment, his voice had sounded frightened and childlike. It had struck a chord in me and I had not been able to stop myself from trying to soothe him. I had tried to reassure him and his eyelids had flown open, and for a few seconds, he had looked at me withoutprehension. In those unguarded moments, I had seen something in his eyes-helplessness, anger, and fear. So much fear. He had been afraid for his life. Something happened to him when he was a child, something that scarred him for life and made him the man he is today. Cynical and unable to trust anyone. Someone who isn¡¯t even able to open up to his brothers. Oh, he¡¯s ready to do business with them, all right, but anything more than that is off the table.


    As soon as he realized I had seen past the usual barriers he puts up against the world, and when I had pushed him about the dream, he had told me to get out. In all honesty, part of the reason I reminded him about the dream is because I knew that he was going to kiss me, and if he had, I might never have left the room. Which, maybe, wouldn¡¯t have been that bad, considering I had been so turned on by him that I hadn¡¯t been able to sleep earlier. But I didn¡¯t want him to kiss me just then. Not when I had finally glimpsed the man behind the monster, the human behind the unfeeling brute that he likes to pretend to be.


    Heshed out at me then, tried to hurt me, and when I still tried to push it, he shut me up with that kiss. Oh, my god, that kiss. He never can lie to me when he kisses me. He meant this kiss to be hard and punishing, but all I felt was his passion, his frustration, his need to connect with me, his need for me¡­


    He yearns for me, that much is clear. He wants to do things to me¡­ He¡­ I squeeze my eyes shut. Oh, my god. He wants to possess me, to crawl under my skin, inside my heart, into my head, upy my every thought, be my breath, my sight, be the one thing I can¡¯t do without.


    And I¡¯ll let him. I won¡¯t stop him. This is what he meant by his ¡®perversions.¡¯ I have no doubt now. I¡¯ll let him do to me whatever he wants. I want what he can do to me. Question is, will I survive it?


    ¡°Theresa?¡± My sister bursts through the door of my room.


    I moved back in with my parents first thing in the morning because he told me to leave and because I couldn¡¯t face another run-in with him so quickly afterst night. I packed my bags and called Seb, who drove me home without ament. He promised to be back within the hour to take me to the shop. Not that I don¡¯t want to spend time with my parents, but I can¡¯t keep away from the shop either.


    The shop is my one aplishment and I intend to make sure I take good care of it. I don¡¯t intend for anything to sidetrack me from my business, not even once I am married. So I¡¯ve decided to show up to help Elsa, given I have the entire day stretching out in front of me without him to distract me.


    ¡°Sara,¡± I turn to her, ¡°what are you doing back from university?¡±


    ¡°What am I doing back from university?¡± She rolls her eyes, ¡°You¡¯re getting married, T, and you thought I wouldn¡¯te?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± I murmur as I take in my sister¡¯s hair, which is dyed in a shade of-is that delphinium blue? Jesus, did she actually dye her hair blue? Her face is wreathed in a big smile as sheunches herself into my arms. ¡°Oh, my god, T! Oh, my god, you are getting married! I can¡¯t believe you are getting married.¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± I pat her shoulder, ¡°it was, ah, very sudden.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet.¡± She pulls back in the circle of my arms, then stares down at me from her much taller five-foot, nine-inch height. ¡°Who is he?¡± She waggles her eyebrows. ¡°Is it true that he is one of the Sovranos? That¡¯s what Mom told me. When are you going to introduce me to him?¡±


    ¡°Um,¡± I shuffle my feet, ¡°you are going to meet him at the wedding.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s still a few days off.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°It¡¯s only three days away.¡± I scowl at her, ¡°Besides, I won¡¯t be seeing him until at the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± She blinks rapidly, ¡°You are not going to see him before that?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t miss him?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Aww,¡± she pats my cheek, ¡°look at you, so much in love. And all along, I thought after Xander you wouldn¡¯t be able to-¡± She ps a hand over her mouth. ¡°Shit, didn¡¯t mean to blurt that out.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I grimace.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± She ps her forehead with her palm. ¡°You know me. Always saying things without thinking them all the way through. Shit, why can¡¯t I learn to be more like you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to be like me.¡± I wince.


    ¡°Why not?¡± She frowns, ¡°You are petite, gorgeous, curvy, you run your own sessful business, and now, you are marrying one of the most powerful men in the city.¡±


    ¡°The jury is out on that,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not one of the existing Sovrano brothers.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She tilts her head, ¡°You are not making sense.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s, ah, Xander¡¯s long-lost triplet.¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°Are you serious?¡± she finally chokes out. ¡°Didn¡¯t Xander¡¯s twin Christian get married very recently?¡±


    ¡°Yep, and I am going to marry Axel, his triplet. His long-lost triplet.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Y-e-a-p.¡± I step back from her. ¡°A triplet who, likely, hates all of his brothers and who is only marrying me as a way of consolidating his position within the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    She blinks rapidly, ¡°So you mean you are marrying him because-?¡±


    ¡°I want to,¡± I murmur. ¡°In fact, I am the one who proposed to him-¡±


    ¡°Get out of here,¡± sheughs, ¡°you proposed to one of the made men of the Cosa Nostra?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± I scowl at her, ¡°Can¡¯t women propose to men?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they can. It¡¯s just, you-¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± I fold my arms across my chest.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just you, Theresa. You have always been shy and self-effacing and-¡±


    ¡°Just because I am the quiet one doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know what I want.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that-¡±


    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡±


    Sara blows out a breath, ¡°I am not trying to fight with you, big sis. I know you and I, in the past, have not always seen eye to eye-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly,¡± I scoff.


    She chuckles, ¡°You really have changed since Ist saw you.¡±


    ¡°Which was, like, almost a year ago.¡±


    ¡°Not my fault,¡± Sara tosses her head. ¡°Every time I wanted toe home, you encouraged me to stay on at university, to take on a few more credits, to study as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°I must havee across as so callous to you, right? Pushing you so hard.¡±


    ¡°You meant well.¡± Her tone softens, ¡°I understand why you¡¯re so keen for me to ace my university results.¡±


    ¡°If you do, you¡¯ll be able to find a job in apany¡­ Maybe in a city like London. And you could bepletely independent, away from the influence of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°You want me away from the Cosa Nostra, yet you are marrying into the n?¡± she murmurs.


    I draw in a breath. How do I exin it? ¡°From the moment I saw Xander, I felt sure I was going to marry him. Then when he died I¡­ I thought my world wasing to an end; until Axel stepped in front of me and took a bullet for me-¡±


    ¡°Hold on, someone shot at you?¡± She exims.


    I shuffle my feet, ¡°I don¡¯t think the bullet was intended for me, anyway.¡± I shake my head, ¡°The point is, as soon as I saw him, I had this inexplicable reaction to him. I felt an immediate connection, as if he were the piece I¡¯d been missing all along.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± she begins to say and I hold up my hand.


    ¡°I know. Axel is not Xander. The more I get to know Axel, the more it¡¯s clear how different they are as people. And yet,¡± I lock my fingers, ¡°yet I can¡¯t get it out of my head that this is my chance at happiness. I never took the initiative with Xander and I don¡¯t want to make the same mistake with Axel. I feel like I have been given a second chance and I don¡¯t want to waste it.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought, it¡¯s because Axel looks like Xander that you should, maybe, walk away from him? That you may be marrying him for all the wrong reasons?¡±


    I stare at her, ¡°Are you only twenty-one?¡±


    She chuckles, ¡°I sound like an old woman, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°you are right, though. Those are all valid questions I have asked myself, but each time, I arrive at the same answer. That I want to marry Axel. I want to be with him. Maybe it¡¯s him I am attracted too. Maybe it has nothing to do with the fact that he looks like Xander. I saw Axel and it was like colpo de fulmine.¡± A bolt of lightning. I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that with Xander. Oh, I thought it was, but what I felt for Xander pales inparison to what I feel for Axel.¡± I pull my hair up off of my shoulders. ¡°Either way, fact is, I don¡¯t have a choice. This, the Cosa Nostra and Axel, are my future. You, on the other hand, don¡¯t have anything or anyone holding you back.¡±


    I take her hand in mine.


    ¡°You are starting with a clean te and I want you to see the world first. To discover what¡¯s out there and decide for yourself what kind of a future you want. If, after that, you decide that you want to return to Palermo and settle down here, that¡¯s fine. But I want to make sure that you have the options I never did, know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°Oh, T,¡± Sara squeeze my hand, ¡°you are incredible. I am so lucky to have a sister like you.¡±


    I blink rapidly, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you are all grown up and about to graduate from university.¡±


    ¡°Just because I color my hair blue doesn¡¯t mean that I am still a kid.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Iugh and tug on a strand of her hair, ¡°It suits you. It¡¯s quite striking, actually.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± She shakes the hair back from her face, ¡°I figured I¡¯d throw caution to the wind for once.¡±


    ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with your campus cements,¡± I warn her.


    ¡°Oh, please, they look at my grades and my IQ and acumen, not to mention, the way I get algorithms to bend to my will.¡±


    ¡°I know you are a math whiz,¡± I murmur. ¡°Half the time, I don¡¯t know what kinds of problems you are solving in your head or how you manage to see those numbers and discern patterns among them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy, really. All you have to do is take a step back and absorb the entirety of the problem that they pose to you. Then, you have to listen to what they are trying to tell you and-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± I raise my hand, ¡°it¡¯s all Greek to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s algebra, actually,¡± she offers.


    ¡°That, too,¡± Iugh. ¡°I don¡¯t know how the two of us could be so different. Me, the straightced one who loves flowers and the way they allow me to express my creativity, and you, the talkative nerd with the old soul who can bounce into a room and own it, not to mention, ride roughshod over numbers.¡±


    ¡°Jeez, that was almost erotic.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± I p her shoulder.


    ¡°Speaking of, have you slept with Axel yet?¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek.


    She stares.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± She ps her hands. ¡°Theresa and Axel, banging in a tree. F-U-C-K-I-N-G,¡± she sings at the top of her voice.


    I scowl, ¡°Shut up! See? This is why I don¡¯t like telling you anything. In some ways, you still haven¡¯t grown up at all.¡±


    ¡°Theresa and Axel banging in a-¡±


    I p my hand over her mouth, or at least try to, for she ducks, then jumps up and races toward the door. ¡± F-U-C-K-I-N-G.¡±


    Heat sears my cheeks. I jump up, lunge forward and grab at her dress. I manage to grip the back of her shirt and tug. The shirt tears with a ripping sound.


    Sara screams, ¡°Mom, look what T did. She tore my shirt.¡±


    Footsteps sound, then my mom pops her head through the door, ¡°Hush, your father¡¯s trying to take a siesta after lunch. And aren¡¯t you girls grownups? Surely, you can sort things out without squabbling like you were ten.¡±


    ¡°Mom, Theresa and Axel are-¡±


    I manage to p my hand over her mouth this time. She tries to speak but the noises are indecipherable.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± My mom frowns at me. ¡°What is Sara trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I say at the same time that Sara nods frantically. She gestures with her hand, says something, but again, the noises that emerge don¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°What is she trying to tell me?¡± My momes inside the room. ¡°Is this about Axel and the wedding?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Well?¡± My mom looks between us, ¡°Are you going to remove your hand, so she can tell me?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± my mom¡¯s scowl deepens, ¡°and you can¡¯t indefinitely gag your sister like this, you know?¡±


    I nod, ¡°She was saying that Axel and I are getting married.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± She eyes me with a funny look.


    ¡°And¡­he¡¯s taking me on a honeymoon.¡± I cringe. What the hell? That¡¯s a big fat lie. Okay, maybe not, but I certainly don¡¯t know if he has a honeymoon nned. Or if he¡¯s even going to be strong enough to travel. Although, seeing how he¡¯d stormed across town and to the nightclub, his recovery is progressing by leaps and bounds.


    ¡°Is he now?¡± My mother¡¯s face breaks into a big smile. ¡°After your father and I married, we honeymooned on the Amalfi coast. It was so hot, and we had this small beach house by the sea. We swam every day, ate dinner and-¡±


    My sister digs her nails into my forearm. She widens her gaze at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll release you, only if you promise to stay quiet,¡± I hiss as my mother continues to rte the same story she has narrated to us over and over again throughout our lives.


    She nods vigorously.


    ¡°Not a word out of you, you hear?¡±


    She holds up her pinkie in the gesture of making a promise.


    I lower my hand, and instantly, she bursts out, ¡°Theresa and Axel banging in a-¡±


    I leap toward her. She screams, dodges my outstretched arm, and runs around my mother, who watches us with a bemused expression. She hides behind my mother and I try to reach around to grab at her. She screams again and takes off running, and I chase after her. ¡°Wait until I catch you, you stupid girl. I am going to pull on your hair and make sure you regret this for a very long time.¡±


    I chase her all the way to the front door, which she throws open and darts out, only to collide with Cass who¡¯d been about to knock. Both of them stagger.


    ¡°Catch her,¡± I yell.


    Sara screams again, darts around Cass and runs off, past Karma, who turns to watch her take off out down the garden path, before she turns up the road.


    I make to go after her, but Cass grabs my arm, ¡°Hey,¡± she chuckles, ¡°was that your younger sister?¡±


    ¡°You mean, was that my pain in the ass sibling, then yes, she is,¡± I glower at the now empty garden path.


    ¡°You two fight a lot growing up?¡± Karma asks as she draws abreast with us.


    ¡°All the time, and apparently, nothing has changed.¡± I shake my head. ¡°What are you two doing here, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Your wedding dress,¡± Karma beams, ¡°we¡¯re here to take you for a fitting.¡±

 232

    Axel


    ¡°Niki Solonik,¡± the man holds out his hand.


    I ignore him and drop into my seat next to Michael. We are in a dingy space behind an Italian restaurant in Palermo.


    Niki¡¯s jaw tightens, but he doesn¡¯t say anything as he takes his own seat. He¡¯s dressed in a custom-fitted suit, his hair cropped close at his temples. Asshole resembles an investment banker, except for the tattoos which peek out from under his cor. For that matter, so do the two men standing behind him, who he doesn¡¯t bother to introduce. He doesn¡¯t need to, though. The facial resemnce deres that they are brothers.


    ¡°Sorry I amte.¡± An older man walks into the room. He must be in his mid-forties, with grey threading the wings at his temples. Like the other men in the room he, too, is dressed in a dark suit. Me? I¡¯d opted to dress in jeans and a hoodie.


    ¡°JJ Kane,¡± the man jerks his chin at me as he folds his height into the seat next to Niki.


    ¡°And here I thought, meeting in the room behind an Italian restaurant was something they did only in the Mafia movies,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°It¡¯s the best Italian restaurant in Palermo.¡± Michael shrugs, ¡°Makes it convenient for us to adjourn for lunch.¡±


    ¡°Food is important for you Italians, eh?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce.


    ¡°Hold on, you don¡¯t consider yourself Italian?¡± Niki leans back in his seat.


    ¡°I grew up in London; I consider myself English.¡±


    ¡°You sound English,¡± JJ offers.


    ¡°But you are of Italian origin?¡± Niki pushes.


    I re back at him. ¡°My mother was a Mafia princess, if that¡¯s what you are asking,¡± I say in a hard voice, ¡°but I am not Italian.¡± I hold his gaze and he nods.


    ¡°Yet, here you sit, by the side of the Don of the Cosa Nostra?¡±


    A nerve throbs at my temple, ¡°Your point being?¡±


    He raises his hand. ¡°Just making conversation,¡± he says in a mild voice.


    ¡°I have a suggestion for you. Don¡¯t,¡± I shoot back.


    The silence stretches in the room. The men behind us shuffle their feet. Behind Niki, his brothers don¡¯t move a muscle. I swear, I haven¡¯t even seen them blink since I walked in here. Do the Bratva have a special school to which they send their men to be trained?


    ¡°Xander¡¯s loss has been hard on all of us,¡± Michael finally murmurs, ¡°but we have been fortunate to be reunited with his triplet, Axel.¡± Michael surveys the two men seated opposite us. ¡°I called this meeting, in good faith, to introduce both of you to the newest member of our family. Axel is also going to be a board member in our three-way partnership that epasses the online businesses that we are running.¡±


    ¡°You are going to make him a board member in Trinity enterprises?¡± Niki straightens.


    ¡°You have a problem with that?¡± I smirk.


    He scowls at Michael. ¡°Take a number, triple it, and I guarantee, the three of us wille into enough money to increase our sphere of influence on a global scale,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°I believe those were my words and I stick by them,¡± Michael replies.


    JJ strokes his chin. ¡°So you are bringing in your brother, but you continue to split the profits three ways?¡±


    Michael nods.


    ¡°Still, your family would effectively double its representation, which doesn¡¯t seem fair.¡±


    ¡°I am not part of the family,¡± I say in a hard voice.


    Both Niki and JJ turn to me.


    ¡°Are you not a Sovrano?¡± Niki scowls at me.


    I open my mouth to protest, and he raises his hand, ¡°Like it or not, you are Xander¡¯s triplet. The Sovrano blood runs in your veins. You may have disputes with the rest of the family, but for the purposes of this discussion, you are one of them.¡±


    I squeeze my fingers into fists. He¡¯s right. It¡¯s something I have known since my mother revealed my background to me, and yet, it¡¯s also something I have refused to ept. Not when I have made it my life¡¯s ambition to destroy this family.


    I re at Niki, who glowers back at me.


    Behind me, I sense Luca shift his stance. Seb takes a step forward, when one of Niki¡¯s brother¡¯s jerks his chin in his direction. Seb pauses. The tension in the room ratchets up. One of Niki¡¯s brothers locks his gaze on me; the other continues to watch my brothers carefully.


    JJ stiffens.


    Niki¡¯s jaw tics.


    Next to me, Michael stays rxed. ¡°Down boys,¡± he says in a casual voice, ¡°we can¡¯t afford to fight amongst ourselves.¡±


    JJ watches us warily.


    Niki continues to re at me.


    Then JJ shakes his head, ¡°You¡¯re right, we need to find an amenable solution.¡±


    ¡°Niki?¡± Michael asks, and there¡¯s a tone of warning in his voice.


    Niki holds my gaze for a few seconds more, then he turns to Michael, ¡°I agree, we need to find a peaceful solution. When you agreed to splitting the profits three ways, the tacit agreement was that all three partners would have equal representation on the board, one from each of us.¡±


    Michael stays quiet for a few seconds, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Niki asks.


    ¡°I am saying that I¡¯ll take a step back from the enterprise.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luca exims. ¡°You¡¯d give your ce on the board over to him?¡±


    Michael blows out a breath, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I am saying.¡±


    Niki nces between us before he leans back in his chair.


    JJ whistles under his breath, ¡°You are giving up your seat on the board to him, ol¡¯ chap?¡±


    Behind me, Seb moves restlessly, but unlike Luca, he doesn¡¯t express his opinion. Likely, it will be at a meeting with the brothers only, where he lets rip. If I had a brother, I¡¯d want him to be like Seb. Or perhaps, like Adrian, who seems the calmest of all of them. Michael¡¯s the Don, Massimo takes too long to make decisions, Luca is the opposite, being too hot-headed, and Christian¡­ Well, Christian hates me, and rightly so, after what I did to him and his family and¡­


    What the fuck am I doing, thinking about my brothers instead of celebrating my victory? I should feel happy, right? The first step in my n to destabilize the Sovranos is underway. I should move in quickly, take over the meeting, and set ns in motion to reap the benefits of the work done by thepany so far.


    Instead, I sit here quietly as Michael turns to me. ¡°Fact is, I only took on a leadership role at Trinity enterprises, because I¡¯d promised my wife I¡¯d focus more on legitimate businesses and phase out the illegal ones. A goal we all share,¡± he nces about the faces at the table. ¡°Now that this business is up and running, I want to focus on the other parts of the organization and elerate their transition to being above-board. Taking this on, along with everything else that I have to do to steer the Cosa Nostra forward, has been a lot for me.¡±


    ¡°It has?¡± I frown. Why is it that Michael doesn¡¯t view dering this in front of his one-time enemies a show of weakness? Why does it note across as a sign of vulnerability? If anything, his being honest about his inability to manage it all makes him seem more in control.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather spend more time with my wife,¡± he offers.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Yeah, what exactly are you getting at, Michael?¡± Luca says in a hard voice.


    Michael rises to his feet and walks over to the head of the table. He folds his arms across his chest and nces at his brothers (and no, I don¡¯t include myself in that category) ¡°I know you guys trust me to make the right decision,¡± he says in a matter-of-fact voice.


    None of my brothers say anything to the contrary.


    He turns to JJ and Niki, ncing at each of them in turn, ¡°And I am a man of my word.¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to doubt that,¡± JJ confirms.


    Niki merely raises an eyebrow.


    Michael nces at me, ¡°It¡¯s why I am resigning from Trinity¡¯s board, effective immediately-¡±


    ¡°What the-?¡± JJ looks taken aback.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± Luca exims, ¡°you¡¯re really going to do this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I sense Seb wanting to say something, but he stays quiet.


    ¡°What the hell are you trying to do here?¡± I force out the words, ¡°If this is some kind of dying tactic-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Michael¡¯s lips kick up, ¡°I am giving you my position in Trinity.¡±


    ¡°Don, what are you-¡± Luca begins to protest, but Michael holds up his hand.


    ¡°Can you give me a few minutes with my brothers?¡±


    He addresses the question to JJ and Niki, who nce at each other, then rise and leave the room, along with Niki¡¯s brothers.


    Then he turns to us, ¡°Axel will represent the Cosa Nostra on the board of Trinity. I will step down. It will remain a three-way partnership, the profits being split among three parties. That should satisfy the Kane Company and the Bratva. As for us,¡± he nces sideways at Luca, ¡°with Xander gone, the proceeds will continue to be split among the seven of us within the Cosa Nostra, so the status quo is maintained. Does that answer your questions?¡±

 233

    Theresa


    Ie awake with a start. I am not sure what woke me up, but it¡¯s still dark outside. I reach for my phone and check the time: two am.


    Earlier, after trying on my wedding dress-which had been beautiful. Karma outdid herself-Cass, Karma and I had headed out for drinks. We¡¯d had time only for one round of drinks, then Cass and Karma had to leave. They¡¯d mentioned that the Sovrano brothers were meeting at Michael and Karma¡¯s ce and Karma wanted to get home before Michael returned, and Cass said that she had to get there to help with the food and drinks for the evening.


    I¡¯d asked if Axel was going to be there, but neither of them knew. They had invited me to apany them, but I had declined.


    Also, I hadn¡¯t wanted to return to my parents¡¯ ce. There are only two nights to go until the wedding. And tomorrow night, I¡¯ll definitely have to spend at home, as I won¡¯t want Axel to see my dress before the wedding. Which means, I can spend tonight back at Axel¡¯s ce.


    I had left him, wanting to spend time with my family, but I can¡¯t stop thinking of him. To be honest I haven¡¯t even slept properly since leaving him behind. I also wanted to check in on him and see how much he¡¯s improved since Ist saw him. Besides, it¡¯s not wrong to want to spend time in your soon-to-be husband¡¯s home, right?


    Strange, how I already think of the ce as Axel¡¯s, even though it had been Xander¡¯s first. Have I really reced Xander with Axel in my head so quickly? No, don¡¯t answer that.


    Either way, Karma hadn¡¯t protested when I¡¯d asked her to drop me off at Axel¡¯s ce.


    She¡¯d asked if I was sure about wanting to spend the night there and I had said yes. After making me promise that I¡¯d call Seb first thing in the morning and have him drop me off at home, she had left, promising to have the dress with the final alterations delivered to my parents¡¯ home by tomorrow afternoon.


    The household staff had let me into the house before retiring for the night. Axel, himself, hadn¡¯t been there, and while the staff had left dinner warming for us, I hadn¡¯t been hungry enough to eat. I had walked over to Sheena¡¯s room- Yeah, that¡¯s how desperate I had been forpany, that I wouldn¡¯t have minded hanging out with Sheena, but she wasn¡¯t in her room either. In fact, all of her things had been cleared out from her room. Huh? Had she left? Was her physiotherapy work with Axel already done? Of course, he hadn¡¯t mentioned it.


    So, I had returned to the kitchen, pulled a tub of ice cream from the freezer, popped some microwaveable popcorn, and then carried the whole thing back to what had been my room, where I had watched repeats of Friends all evening while I finished off the feast.


    When I had still not been able to sleep, I had walked over to Axel¡¯s room, crawled into his bed, and instantly fallen asleep.


    Now I swing my legs over the side of the bed and straighten. My stomach grumbles in protest, I wince. Damn it, why did I have to finish off that tub of ice-cream. Seriously? The entire tub? I press a hand to my stomach, but that doesn¡¯t help. Maybe some herbal tea? Yeah, that might do the trick.


    I had taken off my jeans before falling asleep, so dressed in my underwear and T-shirt, I walk down the staircase. Reaching the kitchen, I make myself a mug of herbal tea, then walk out and up the stairs. I pass the floor on which our bedrooms are located, then reach the top floor.


    I have avoideding up here so far, but somehow, it feels like it¡¯s time. The air here feels slightly musty, the stillness even more resounding. The hair on the back of my neck prickles and a shiver runs down my spine. I cross the short hallway and push open the double-doors to Xander¡¯s studio.


    Starlight pours in from the floor to ceiling windows and the massive skylight that makes up a big chunk of the ceiling. The silver glow illuminates the paintings that are stacked up against one wall. Against the other wall, I can make out the shape of canvasses, and to the side, there is a massive firece.


    I feel around on the wall and hit a switch. Light pours down from two floodlights, one at either end of the studio, to illuminate a half-finished canvas.


    Goosebumps pop on my skin. The hair on the back of my neck rises. That¡­that must be the painting he had been working on before his life was cut short. My hand trembles and some of the hot tea sshes over the side and singes my skin. I yelp, then raise my hand to suck on my hurt skin. My gaze is, once more, captured by the figures on the canvas.


    I walk toward it, trying to make out what I am seeing.


    There are three figures on the canvas. Three men of simr height with wide shoulders. The one on the right is dressed in a suit, the one in the middle is wearing jeans and a button-down shirt, and the one on the left is wearing jeans and a hoodie. All three have dark hair. The one on the right has piercing blue eyes, the one in the middle has blue-gray eyes, and the one on the left has eyes which are almost indigo in color. All three have simr features. All three look like Xander¡­ No, the one on the right looks like Christian, but the other two could be Xander times two. They look so simr, like what Xander and Axel might have looked like if they stood next to each other, except for the slight variation in eye color.


    Hangonasecond. Xander never knew about Axel¡¯s existence. He died before Nonna confessed that entire story about Axel¡¯s existence, so how the hell did hee up with the idea of drawing a picture with all three of them? I take a step forward, then another. I reach the canvas, which is massive-at least, six-feet by six-feet in size. I nce between the image of the man in the center, which is Xander-there is no mistaking his blue-grey eyes-and the one of the man I am sure is Axel. How did Xander know to draw his eyes that color? Did he know of Axel¡¯s existence? Had the two of them met? Is that how he knew how to paint Axel¡¯s eyes that exact shade of indigo? I reach up my free hand to touch the image when,


    ¡°Hello, Sunshine,¡± his voice reaches me from behind.


    I yelp and lose my grip on the mug, which falls on the draping that has slipped off the canvas, andes to a stop.


    I jump back, staring at the tea which has sshed onto the canvas. ¡°No, no, no,¡± I bend, try to use the drape, which is made of some liquid-resistant kind of polyester, then the hem of my T-shirt to mop up some of the liquid. But the T-shirt is too short. ¡°Cazzo!¡± The canvas is too heavy for me to move out of the way so I yank off my T-shirt, then sink to my knees and try to soak up the liquid.


    A shadow falls over me and I know he¡¯s standing behind me. But I don¡¯t turn. I continue to try to wipe up the tea from the canvas. Sweat beads my forehead, and it¡¯s not only from my ministrations to the painting. When it¡¯s clear I am doing more harm than good, I finally straighten. The heat of his body instantly coils around me and I shiver. Damn it, why did I think it was a good idea to take off my T-shirt?


    There¡¯s a click, then the hiss of a lighter. I nce over my shoulder to find Axel standing behind me. The me from his lighter burns white under the re of the spotlight. He walks to the doors of the studio and yanks them closed. The thud of the doors closing reverberates through the space. I jump.


    Without taking his gaze off of me, he reaches out and hits the light switch. The spotlight shuts off, leaving only starlight and the me from the lighter glowing in the dark. It throws his face into relief, all hollows and nes and a jaw so hard it could have been hewn from granite.


    A shiver runs down my spine.


    He takes a step forward, then another. Reaching me, he bends forward, and I push back until my hip bumps against the canvas. He straightens my fallen mug, then draws himself up to his full height.


    ¡°Wh¡­ what are you doing here?¡± My voice trembles. Damn it, why am I so nervous in his presence?


    ¡°I might ask you the same thing,¡± he counters.


    ¡°When did you get back? I¡­ I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± I reply.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Answering a question with a question, Sunshine?¡± He leans toward me and his dark, masculine essence,bined with the scent of alcohol and cigars, envelops me. My belly flip-flops and my nipples tighten. I only have to smell him for my entire body to turn into a mass of need.


    ¡°If you answer my question, I¡¯ll answer yours.¡± I tip up my chin. His blue eyes darken until they seem like the sky at night.


    ¡°When you get sassy, it¡¯s a fucking turn on. It makes me want to shut you up with my cock down your throat,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo.¡± My thighs clench, my toes curl, and a pulse res to life between my legs. I shouldn¡¯t be aroused by his filthy words, but dammit, I can¡¯t get rid of the images his words have painted in my mind.


    His nostrils re. ¡°I returned from my meeting to find my wife-to-be asleep in my bed. So innocent. So pure. Your lips were parted, your cheeks flushed as you slept. You had thrown off your covers and I couldn¡¯t take my gaze off of your creamy thighs, the shadowy region between them, only partially covered by your nket. I wanted to lean over and run my nose up your inner thigh.¡±


    Heat flushes my chest.


    ¡°To bury my face in your pussy and draw your scent inside. To push your panties aside as I thrust, first my fingers, then my tongue inside your channel, until you were wet and wriggling under me. Then, I wanted to bite down on your cunt until you came.¡±


    The pulse between my legs speeds up until I can feel it in every part of my body.


    ¡°And while you were still in the throes of orgasm, I would have thrown your legs over my shoulders and mmed my cock inside you in one smooth move. I would have buried myself up to the hilt. I would have stuffed myself inside you until you had felt me in your throat.¡±


    A moan bleeds from my lips.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t want to disturb your sleep. So instead, I walked out and came up here to my dead triplet¡¯s studio. That answer your question?¡±


    My throat hurts. My scalp tingles. A bead of sweat slides down the valley between my breasts.


    He straightens and I draw in a breath. The air rushes into my lungs and I gasp.


    ¡°Your turn,¡± he tilts his head, ¡°what are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I swallow, ¡°I wanted to talk to you.¡±


    He rolls his shoulders. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    I frown, ¡°I promise, I came here to talk to you. I had Karma drop me off, and tomorrow morning, Seb ising to pick me up at eight, so-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± His voice cuts through the space between us, ¡°Don¡¯t fucking lie, Theresa.¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°Tell me why you came here today.¡±


    I shake my head.


    He holds up the lighter so the me is directly in front of my face.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I gulp, ¡°why are you so angry?¡±


    ¡°Angry?¡± He chuckles, ¡°You think I am angry because my wife-to-be came to visit me two days before our marriage so I could fuck her silly? Why should I be angry because of that?¡±


    I draw in a sharp breath, ¡°That¡¯s not true. I did note here to sleep with you.¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about sleeping?¡± He reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch is gentle, and yet threatening, at the same time.


    ¡°You¡­you don¡¯t scare me, Axel,¡± I finally say, but my tone is timid, the words hesitant.


    Axel¡¯s lips twist and it¡¯s not a nice smile. ¡°I think I am going to change your mind tonight, baby.¡±


    He steps back, then prowls over to the back of the room. He raises the lighter to what looks like a sconce in the wall. The candle in the nook lights up, and he moves on to the next, and the next, until a row of candles on the back wall have all been lit up. He continues to light more candles in candleholders which have been ced in a circle around a chair. When he¡¯s done, he flicks off the lighter and pockets it. Then he walks across to the chair and drops into it.


    ¡°Why did he have so many candles in a paint studio?¡± I nce around the ce and take in the turpentines, canvasses, oil-based paints, not to mention the wooden frames or the drapings that cover the paintings. ¡°There¡¯s way too much mmable material here.¡±


    ¡°I ced the candles,¡± Axel rifies.


    I whip my head around, ¡°You did?¡±


    He nods.


    ¡°Wh¡­ why would you do that? Isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡±


    His lips twitch, ¡°We¡¯re about to find out.¡±


    At some point, he lost his hoodie, for all he has on now is a grey T-shirt that clings to his wide shoulders. His jeans ride low on his waist and he widens his legs so the bulge at his crotch is clearly visible. My nipples harden. I don¡¯t need to look down at myself to know that they¡¯ll be standing to attention. And of course, I had taken off my bra earlier, so I am naked to his perusal. His gaze, though, stays on mine. It holds me, seems to draw me in. I take a step forward, then another. He widens his stance further then slides his hand inside the waistband of his jeans and begins to rub himself. It¡¯s dirty, filthy¡­and so damn hot. The flesh at the apex of my thighs throbs. My fingers tingle. I want to touch myself. I want to mirror him. I want to slip my fingers inside my aching pussy and get myself off. I raise my hand to do just that, but he shakes his head.


    ¡°You will not touch yourself, Sunshine, not until I give you permission.¡±

 234

    Theresa


    ¡°Wh¡­what do you mean?¡± I stutter


    ¡°Exactly what I said.¡± He lowers the zipper of his jeans, pulls his cock out and begins to stroke himself. Don¡¯t look down, don¡¯t! My gaze lowers to where he grips his dick at the base then proceeds to swipe his fingers up to the crown, repeatedly. The wet sound of flesh meeting flesh fills the space.


    Heat flushes my cheeks and my shoulders tremble. What the hell am I doing here? Why did Ie to his house in the first ce? And damn it, I am already thinking of this as his house and not Xander¡¯s. That¡¯s okay, right? Isn¡¯t this what Xander would have wanted? For me to marry his brother? Would Xander have been jealous? Why am I thinking of Xander when I am standing almost naked in front of his brother who is pleasuring himself, for my benefit? Get out of here. Go away, leave¡­until the wedding. You are going to see him at your wedding. You are going to marry him, and then¡­you are going to watch him get off every day, you are going to allow him to get you off, to fuck you as much as he wants. My scalp tingles. All of my pores seem to pop.


    I turn to leave, and that¡¯s when he growls, ¡°On your knees.¡±


    I hesitate. He narrows his gaze.


    ¡°Now,¡± he snaps. I blink.


    I sink down and ignore the pain that shoots up my thighs when my knees connect with the wooden floor boards.


    ¡°Good girl, now crawl to me.¡±


    It doesn¡¯t even ur to me to refuse him. I lower my hands to the floor and begin to crawl to him. My heart begins to race, my pulse pounds at my temples, and my lower belly cramps with heat as I watch his gorgeous cock lengthen and throb, the head almost purple with desire as he continues to massage himself.


    I pause in front of him and his actions speed up. The nes of his chest grow solid, the veins of his forearm stand out in relief, and a groan rips from his throat.


    ¡°Rise to your knees,¡± he orders.


    As soon as I do, hees, shooting his cum across my breasts.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls, ¡°that¡¯s bloody hot.¡± He reaches over and rubs the white, ropy strands into my skin.


    I can¡¯t move. Can¡¯t take my gaze off the contrast between his dark skin and my pale flesh. He drags his fingers up my chest and locks his fingers around the nape of my neck. ¡°Who do you belong to?¡± He hauls me up and ces his forehead against mine, ¡°Tell me, Sunshine, who do you belong to?¡±


    I swallow. I want to say the words, want to tell him what he wants to hear, but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°Tell me.¡± His voice lowers in frustration, ¡°Tell me, Sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Xander,¡± I say in a whisper, ¡°I will always belong to Xander. You are just a substitute, someone to stand in for him. I couldn¡¯t have him, so instead, I decided I would marry you and hold onto the man who looks so much like him, I-¡± I cough, for he¡¯s tightened his hold around my throat. I try to draw in a breath and my lungs burn. Shit, what the hell am I doing? Why am I provoking him? Why is it that every time I see him I want to do something to aggravate him? What I¡¯m saying isn¡¯t even true. It¡¯s as if I be a different person when I am with him-a more interesting person, someone who finds her backbone, someone who wants to stand up against him, someone who is falling in love with him. Hell! I rear back, but he doesn¡¯t let me go. His grasp is so tight now that specks of ck flicker at the edges of my vision.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± he asks in a soft voice.


    I try to speak, but end up coughing.


    ¡°Damn you.¡± He stares into my eyes, his own burning with pain and hurt and something else¡­something that seems like torment?


    He releases me so suddenly that I copse on the floor. I draw in a breath and the rush of oxygen to my starved lungs makes me almost ck out again.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he shakes his head, ¡°did I hurt you?¡±


    He reaches for me. I try to skitter away, but this time, he hauls me up and into hisp. He holds me to his chest. ¡°Sorry, Sunshine,¡± he murmurs, ¡°didn¡¯t mean to scare you like that. But the things you say¡­ It¡¯s like you know exactly how to get under my skin.¡±


    I curl up against him, absorbing thefort that he offers me. We stay like that for a few seconds, then I nod toward the painting, ¡°Did the two of you meet? Is that how he painted you?¡±


    ¡°We never met,¡± his voice rumbles in his chest. ¡°The first I realized that we were triplets was when Michael mentioned him to me.¡±


    ¡°But you knew you had brothers, right? Your mother must have told you?¡±


    ¡°My mother didn¡¯t tell me anything, except to stay away from the Sovranos. So naturally, the first thing I did when I left home was to find out everything I could about them.¡±


    ¡°Then how?¡± I fix my gaze on the painting, on the images of Xander and the man who had to be Axel next to him on the canvas. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I, to be honest,¡± Axel admits.


    ¡°Maybe he intuitively knew about your existence?¡± I peer through the gloom at the canvas, ¡°Aren¡¯t twins and triplets supposed to sense each other and stuff? Maybe he had a feeling about you. After all, he was an artist, and aren¡¯t artists supposed to be more in tune with themselves and the world? So maybe, he kind of guessed about your existence?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he was just doodling or something,¡± Axel blows out a breath, ¡°though that¡¯s not exactly what I would call a doodle.¡± Heughs in a self-deprecating tone, ¡°That likeness is scary; it¡¯s like looking into a mirror. And the way he¡¯s drawn himself and Christian, I can almost see the three of us standing together in real life. He was a talented artist.¡±


    ¡°You sound surprised.¡± I try to sit up, but he doesn¡¯t release me.


    ¡°I am,¡± he admits. ¡°I knew he was an artist, but that he was this good?¡± He shakes his head.


    ¡°He never bragged about his art. It was a way of life for him and he wasn¡¯t temperamental or anything; he was always so happy, so full of life. Sometimes though, I thought I caught a glimpse of the conflict inside him.¡±


    ¡°Conflict?¡± Axel pauses, ¡°You think he was unhappy deep inside?¡±


    ¡°He was confused about his sexuality. Or rather, he knew he was bisexual, but it wasn¡¯t something he was open about. I mean, it¡¯s not easy when you are born into an orthodox Catholic family, and a Mafia one at that, toe out and proim what you are without some kind of bacsh.¡±


    ¡°You think the Sovranos wouldn¡¯t have epted him?¡±


    ¡°The brothers would have supported him, but Nonna? Not likely that she would have encouraged him to explore his sexuality.¡± Iugh humorlessly.


    ¡°Not like he needed their permission,¡± he drags his fingers through my hair. ¡°He could have left home. He could have opted to find out more about himself and forged his own path.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy when you have the pull of family behind you. And it¡¯s not like the brothers would have let him simply disappear. Wherever he went, they would have kept tabs on him.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He stills, ¡°You think they¡¯d have kept eyes on him, regardless of where he was.¡±


    ¡°One-hundred percent.¡± I turn to him, ¡°Once you are a part of the Sovranos, they are not going to just let you leave, you know. They¡¯ll make sure they know where you are at all times.¡±


    ¡°So they can control you?¡±


    ¡°So they can protect you. The famiglia has a lot of enemies and you can¡¯t fight them alone.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need their help.¡± His jaw hardens, ¡°I have been taking care of myself so far, and I n to do so for the foreseeable future.¡±


    ¡°I know, but don¡¯t underestimate their enemies. You are now a Sovrano, and that itself, will have drawn the attention of those who want to get even with them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about me?¡±


    ¡°I know you can take care of yourself,¡± I murmur, ¡°but after what happened to Xander-¡±


    ¡°Goddammit, I am not Xander.¡± He pushes me off hisp so suddenly, I hit the ground.


    He rises to his feet and walks past me to the painting. He stares at it for a few seconds, then grips his hair and tugs on it. ¡°Fuck,¡± he says in a low voice, ¡°fuck, fuck, fuck, why does this have to be soplicated?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯splicated?¡± I rise to my feet. ¡°You are not making any sense, Axel. One second, I am sure you feel something for me. The next second, I am sure that you hate me.¡±


    ¡°I hate myself.¡± He turns on me, ¡°I hate myself for being attracted to you.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    He nces about the space, as if searching for something.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I swallow. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°I fucking hate that I¡¯ve allowed myself to be trapped in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Trapped? Situation?¡± I frown, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    He sweeps his eyes across the room again, then his gaze lights up. He stomps over to a corner of the room where there is a pile of easels stored against the wall. Next to it is a bunch of brushes ced in a brush holder. He pushes it aside and the brushes spill onto the floor. He kicks a nk canvas aside, then throws another over his shoulder. It falls to the ground with a thud. I jump. What the hell is he doing? What the hell is he looking for?


    He grabs a stic bottle containing a transparent liquid and rises to his feet. He walks toward the giant firece, then pauses in the stone area in front of the firece before he turns to face me.


    The light from the candles flows over him, highlighting the hollows under his cheekbones, the grooves on either side of his lips, the lines radiating out from his eyes. His tanned skin glows almost golden in this light. He seems like a pagan god, a deity at whose feet I must worship. An ouw who will never follow the rules of society. A fugitive on the run from himself. A feral creature who cannot be tamed by thews of thend. A man who¡¯ll never bend, who¡¯ll never concede defeat to another.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I whisper, ¡°who are you really?¡±


    He bares his teeth, then flips the lid of the bottle. He upturns it on himself so the liquid stters across his T-shirt, over his arms, his neck, his face. Then he throws the empty bottle aside. The smell of alcohol envelops me and the hair rises on the back of my neck.


    ¡°No,¡± I whisper, ¡°don¡¯t do this.¡±


    I rush toward him, but it¡¯s toote. He flicks the lighter, holds the me to his shirt and sets himself on fire.

 235

    Theresa


    ¡°Nooo!¡± I jump forward. ¡°Why would you do that? Axel, what the hell?¡± I throw myself at him. I beat at the mes, but it seems to make no difference. ¡°No, no, no.¡± I throw my arms around his neck and cling to him. Maybe if I ster myself to him I can snuff out the mes. Maybe if I cling to him closely enough, so there¡¯s no space for air between our skin, I can put out the fire? ¡°Axel, Axel,¡± I bury my nose in his chest, push my breasts into his chest, and that¡¯s when I realize that the mes have gone out.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I release him and stagger back to find himughing down at me.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± I hough, ¡°what¡¯s wrong with you? What did you do? What happened to the mes?¡±


    ¡°They are gone.¡±


    ¡°Why did you set yourself on fire?¡±


    ¡°A party trick.¡± He raises a shoulder, ¡°I poured the rubbing alcohol on myself and the mes caught. But they don¡¯t burn.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stare at him, ¡°You¡­you¡­¡±


    ¡°Pretended to set myself on fire.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°To test you, of course.¡± He smirks, ¡°A test which you passed with flying colors, Sunshine, I-¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    The next second, my palm connects with his cheek, and his neck snaps back.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± he growls.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I yell back. ¡°You set yourself on fire, you set yourself on fire¡­you¡­you¡­¡± I throw myself at him, and I must surprise him, for when I connect with his chest, he lurches back. ¡°You¡­you¡­stronzo.¡± I bury my fist in his side.


    He grunts.


    ¡°You fia di merda.¡± I snap my head forward; he manages to step aside. I stumble forward, but that only pisses me off further. I turn, kick out, catch him in the shin.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he winces, then grabs my shoulder, ¡°get a hold of yourself.¡±


    ¡°You get a hold of yourself, you¡­you testa di cazza. I hate you, I hate you. I. Hate. You.¡± I raise my hand again, and this time, he grabs my wrist, then pivots me around and twists my arm behind my back. He hauls me back against his chest and that dark, edgy scent of his, now drenched with the smell of burnt alcohol,ces my nostrils. The heat of him surrounds me, tugs at me and I shiver. And that only makes me even more mad.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± I snarl.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    I try to kick out at his legs, but this time, he anticipates my move and evades me. He yanks me back along with him, until we reach the chair where he¡¯d been seated earlier. He drops into it, pulls me into hisp again.


    ¡°Oh, no, no, no,¡± I wriggle in his grasp, ¡°let go of me.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with an idiot who sets himself on fire just to¡­to¡­¡± I burst into tears. Holy hell, I don¡¯t want to cry, don¡¯t want to cry, not over this asshole who pulled a stunt like that for¡­ What? ¡°Why? Why? Why did you¡­do that?¡± I finally manage to force the words out.


    ¡°Just for the effect?¡± he ventures.


    That only makes me cry harder. ¡°You are an asshole.¡±


    I manage to turn around and p his face again.


    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± he growls. My fingerprints are clearly visible on his cheek. Good.


    ¡°You arepletely crazy,¡± I spit out. ¡°What the hell were you thinking, doing that?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡±


    ¡°Clearly, not,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°When I saw the mes¡­ I¡­ I ¡­.¡± I shake my head, ¡°I thought, you¡­you¡­.¡± I burst into tears again, and this time, he pulls me close.


    He drags me against him, he wraps his arms around me, and he presses me close to him. He tucks my head under his chin and rocks me, ¡°I am sorry, Sunshine, really I am. I am not sure what came over me. But I was tired of being in Xander¡¯s studio, sitting in his chair, holding his one-time girlfriend, surrounded by his talent, and I wanted to make a point.¡±


    ¡°So you set yourself on fire?¡± I burst out.


    He winces. ¡°I¡­ I have a strange rtionship with fire,¡± he murmurs. ¡°It started when I was very young. As you know, my mother became a sex-worker to support us. Initially, she rented a room in London¡¯s East End, which is all she could afford. Her clients came to visit her, and normally, she saw them when I was at school or outside ying. Once though, one of her clients came when I was home from school. I was ill that day, so my mother was taking care of me. This client, though, wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer. He barged in, insisted on being with her. So, she made me asfortable as possible in the closet, and I must have fallen asleep. When I woke up, the closet was filled with smoke. I saw the flicker of mes through the ts in the door,¡± he swallows ¡°and I began screaming for my mother, but there was no answer.¡±


    ¡°What happened then?¡±


    ¡°I lost my mind, threw myself against the door, which gave away. I stumbled outside to find the client gone, my mother unconscious from the smoke, and the room on fire.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± I grip his hand, ¡°how did you escape?¡±


    ¡°I threw open the door, tried to drag my mother out, but she was too heavy. I ran outside screaming just as the firemen burst onto thending. One of them spotted me right away. He came over and rescued me. I was still yelling at them to save my mother. A second fireman ran by us and he carried my mom out of the room. Only then, did I allow myself to lose consciousness. When I woke up, I was in a hospital and the same fireman who had saved me, was sitting next to me. He told me that my mother was okay and that everything was going to be fine.¡±


    ¡°And was it?¡± I whispered. ¡°Did everything turn out fine?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡±


    ¡°What was the question?¡± His lips twist.


    ¡°Did things improve after that?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Thomas Sutton-that was the name of the fireman who saved me-he married my mother,¡± he replies.


    ¡°He did?¡± I brighten, ¡°So you found a home and a father?¡±


    ¡°Briefly.¡± He draws in a breath, ¡°Their marriage didn¡¯tst long. Turns out, my mother was addicted to the sex, so she couldn¡¯t stay faithful. She began turning tricks. Thomas tried to put up with it as long as possible. But their marriage broke up and my mother went back to whoring, only this time, as a higher-end call girl. She began making enough money to put me through private school. She passed away when I was sixteen and Thomas became my guardian. He adopted me and I took his surname. I stayed with him until I turned eighteen.¡±


    ¡°So, things still turned out okay.¡±


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fire, Thomas wouldn¡¯t havee into my life,¡± he agrees.


    I trace the scars that run up his forearms. ¡°These are from that fire.¡±


    He nods, ¡°I admit, I still have nightmares about that sometimes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I heard you scream in your sleep the other night.¡±


    ¡°Not proud of it,¡± he murmurs, ¡°but I survived.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a sign of weakness to admit that you are still traumatized by something that happened when you were a child.¡± I cup his cheek, ¡°I am d you told me. I think, maybe I understand you a little better now.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± he asks, a strange look in his eyes. ¡°Do you really get me?¡±


    ¡°Notpletely,¡± I search his features, ¡°but maybe, I am a step closer to getting to know you better.¡±


    He holds my gaze and the tension between us ratchets up. He wraps his fingers around the nape of my neck and I shiver. He leans in close enough for our eyshes to mingle. This close, I can see the specks of silver in his eyes. Then his nose bumps mine and his mouth is on mine. He kisses me deeply, thrusts his tongue inside my mouth and robs me of my breathpletely. He hauls me closer, grips my hip, slides his palm across my butt and squeezes my ass as he continues to ravish my mouth. He glides his fingers in between my legs and pushes my panties aside. I gasp, then huff when he thrusts his fingers inside my slippery channel. He weaves his fingers in and out of me and I wriggle under his ministrations.


    Heat explodes in my lower belly and I try to pull away, but he doesn¡¯t let me. He continues to cram his fingers in and out of me. Each time he hits that spot right in the center of me, goosebumps pop on my skin. I strain toward him, even as I try to get away from him, but he doesn¡¯t give up. He speeds up his actions as he continues to kiss me, with his eyes open, holding my gaze, as he grinds the heel of his hand into my clit, and with his other hand, pinches my nipple.


    He adds another finger inside me, stretching me, filling me, then releases my nipple only to pinch down on my clit. A trembling grips me. That¡¯s when he tears his mouth from mine and pulls his fingers out of me. He holds my fingers to my mouth as I gasp.


    ¡°Lick me clean,¡± he orders. And I can¡¯t help it. I have to do as hemands. So, I open my mouth and when he shoves his fingers inside my mouth, I drag my tongue around his digits. He pulls them out, then wipes them on my naked chest. Then, he pulls me off hisp and ces me on my feet. He stands up and guides me over to where I had dropped my T-shirt. He tugs it over my head, ensuring I thread my arms through the sleeves before he straightens the hem.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let mee?¡± I hiss. ¡°Why the hell didn¡¯t you let me climax?¡±


    ¡°Just because I told you my life story, doesn¡¯t mean I am going to go easy on you.¡±


    I shake my hair back from my face. ¡°You¡¯re a sadist.¡±


    Heughs, ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re beginning to understand me now.¡±


    I pull away from him and he lets me. I march up to my room, pull on my jeans, grab my phone and bag and march downstairs. By the time I reach the bottom of the steps, I¡¯ve dialed Seb¡¯s number. Except, Axel grabs my phone and switches off the call. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±

 236

    Axel


    I tuck my button-down shirt into the waistband of my dark jeans. Hey, at least they are dark in color-my one concession to getting married in church. Church? I am getting married in church, in front of a minister and everything. Jesus H. Christ. Nope, the irony is not lost on me. I am swearing, using the name of the Lord, while I am bemoaning the fact that I am going to take my marriage vows in front of Him. What a bloody farce. I reach for my jacket and shrug it on. My fingers itch and I grab up my lighter and flick the me on and off. On and off. I stare at the me, the hottest part of which is right above the tip of the me. The yellow heart of it is where it¡¯s the least hot. Strange, right?


    You¡¯d expect the innermost part of the me to be the most lethal, yet it¡¯s the coldest. It¡¯s what I have inmon with fire. My heart will not burn for her. Whatever happens to me, affects me on the surface but never prates the inner core of me. And that¡¯s good. It¡¯s the only way I can stick to the n. The only way I can see this through to the end without my emotions messing everything up.


    I straighten my cuffs when the door opens. Nonna steps inside the room. She¡¯s wearing a blue dress that flows to her ankles. The pearl-ented stilettos she¡¯s wearing add height to her already upright posture. I stiffen and watch as she walks over to stand next to me. ¡°Axel,¡± she murmurs, ¡°I hope I am not interrupting?¡±


    ¡°And if I told you you were?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t make a difference.¡± Her lips kick up.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± I chuckle. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a seat?¡±


    She turns to face me, ¡°This won¡¯t take long.¡±


    I lower my chin and survey her from my greater height. Her silver hair is coiffed perfectly, her make-up is wless, and the lines on her face only add gravitas to her presence. She regards me with her faded blue eyes, no doubt, taking stock of me as I do the same to her.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re so handsome,¡± she reaches up and pats my cheek, ¡°nipotino mio.¡±


    ¡°Which means-?¡±


    ¡°An affectionate term for grandson.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± I shuffle my feet.


    ¡°I take it, terms of endearment make you ufortable.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my shoulder, ¡°it¡¯s just not what I am used to.¡±


    ¡°You are part of the famiglia now, and we can be quite expressive.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± I wince.


    ¡°You sound so English,¡± she chuckles. ¡°And yet, when I look at you, all I can see-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say Xander,¡± I snap.


    ¡°I was going to say, my husband.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°He was very like you. Not at ease with overt emotions. He also hated formal wear. In fact, for our wedding, he wore a button-down and a pair of jeans like yours. Unlike you, he also refused to wear a jacket. Of course, it was in the summer so he could get away with it.¡±


    I stare at her steadily, ¡°Why are you here, Nonna?¡±


    She reaches up and brushes imaginary dust off my shoulder. ¡°I thought I saw a little of him in all my grandsons, but when I saw you, I knew it was you who is closest in nature to him.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I murmur.


    She nods, ¡°Your force of will, your focus, how you recovered from being hit and focused on getting back on your feet, how you never let being hurt get in the way of everything you want to achieve.¡±


    ¡°And what is it that I want to achieve?¡±


    ¡°Trust, of course.¡± She straightens thepel of my jacket. ¡°In only a few weeks, you had Michael give you a seat at the negotiating table, something he hasn¡¯t shared with any of his other brothers. And yet, none of the others openly protested against him.¡±


    ¡°Luca did.¡±


    She smirks. ¡°That doesn¡¯t count. It was expected that Luca would; he¡¯s the hot-headed one.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also the one person who I haven¡¯t been able to get close to,¡± I admit.


    ¡°But the others seem to be impressed by what they have seen of you. Enough to rally behind you for this wedding. They loved Xander and regarded Theresa as the sister they never had. They didn¡¯t protest when Theresa decided to marry you. It¡¯s interesting that the proposal came from her, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°I am not sure what you are trying to imply?¡±


    ¡°You swept her off her feet with such speed that she didn¡¯t have a choice but to find a way to bind you to her.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that I forced her to propose to me?¡± Iugh.


    ¡°I am saying that she fell head over heels in love with you. You gave her what Xander never could. You were the face of the man she could never have with the heart of a man she shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°I am not sure what you are saying,¡± I cross my forearms over my chest, letting my biceps bulge.


    ¡°What I am trying to say is that I know you don¡¯t love her, and if you hurt her in any way, I will make sure that you regret ever returning to the family. Not that I think you will, of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I tilt my head, ¡°I appreciate your watching out for Theresa, but I think you underestimate her.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°She may be tiny, but underneath that fragility is a backbone, a strength that will ensure that she always stands up for herself, that she¡¯ll never let anyone walk all over her. Least of all, me. She is a survivor, Theresa is, and I n to make sure that nothing ever takes that indomitable spirit away from her.¡±


    Nonna stares at me as if taken aback by my words, then a wide smile splits her face. I blink because now she looks beautiful, like the picture of what a mother should be. The mother I never had. Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong. My own tried her best to protect me, but even as a child, I was aware that she always fell short of making the right decisions. I was too young to ever steer her back on track, so could only watch as she imploded her own life. If I¡¯d had a Nonna in my life, it might have turned out so very differently.


    ¡°Lean down, boy,¡± shemands.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Lean down.¡± She scowls at me, ¡°How else and I supposed to kiss your cheek?¡±

 237

    Axel


    I stare straight ahead past the priest, at the beautiful stained-ss window that soars above us. The light from the sun pours through the pane, illuminating the yellows and blues and splintering into the colors of the rainbow which fill the space.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Seb¡¯s low voice sounds next to me.


    I¡¯m not, but I will be. ¡°Yeah,¡± I nod without turning to nce at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be nervous,¡± this from Massimo who nks my other side.


    Yep, the Sovranos had turned out in full force to support me on the day of reckoning, aka, my wedding. My bloody wedding, in a bloody church


    My ma had insisted on going to Mass every Sunday. She may have tried to leave her Mafia roots behind, but her faith in the One Above had never been shaken. It¡¯s why, after she died, I never went back. What was the use of believing in God when he had basically decided that your life was going to be a shit show and no matter how much you prayed, it was going to stay a shit show? What exnation could there be for how my mother¡¯s life had turned out? When I had dared to point that out to her, she had cuffed me on the head and told me never to repeat those sphemous words again. So instead, I have decided to enter this marriage under false pretenses and have the lie blessed by Him. Well, why not? I¡¯vemitted enough crimes, so what¡¯s adding one more to the mix, eh?


    ¡°Axel,¡± Massimo¡¯s voice prompts me, ¡°you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Why does everyone keep asking me that?¡± I run a finger around the cor of my button-down shirt. At least I hadn¡¯t been guilted into wearing a tie. I blow out a breath, then roll my neck, trying to work out some of the tension in my shoulders.


    ¡°It will be over all too soon,¡± Seb reassures me.


    ¡°Then all you have to do is contend with the ol¡¯ ball and chain for the rest of your life,¡± Luca drawls.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Luca,¡± Seb snaps.


    ¡°Not saying anything that the rest of us aren¡¯t thinking,¡± Luca chortles.


    ¡°The fuck are you doing?¡± Adrian admonishes him, ¡°Man¡¯s already nervous-¡±


    ¡°I am not nervous.¡±


    ¡°Okay, man¡¯s not nervous but he can¡¯t help sweating, even though it¡¯s freezing right now in church and-¡±


    I turn on Adrian, who raises both hands, ¡°Sorry, fratellino, just trying to lighten the atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t,¡± I growl, then turn back to my perusal of the goddam window. Tell me again, why the hell did I agree to this? Oh, yeah, because it¡¯s the only way to put my n in motion-to get revenge on the Sovranos, once and for all. And if, during that process, she gets hurt¡­ Well, too bad. There¡¯s always coteral damage, after all. Wasn¡¯t I the coteral damage in the tussle between my mother and the Sovrano family, after all. And if they hadn¡¯t let her go, if my father had been a better man, if my Nonna had intervened, my mother might still be alive today. But she¡¯s gone, and I am here, and I am finally going to get my revenge for her death.


    ¡°One tip for you,¡± Seb leans close.


    ¡°Not interested,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Oh, I think you should listen to this one,¡± Massimo cautions.


    ¡°It¡¯s about the kiss,¡± Seb adds.


    ¡°Kiss?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce. Like the others, he¡¯s dressed in a ck suit, with a bowtie and hair slicked back. Together, they look like the quintessential Mafia n, the kind you¡¯d see in movies. Only, this is my life and I need every bit of focus I can muster. ¡°You were saying?¡± I murmur as I take in the slight bulge at his hip under his jacket. Yep, they are all packing, except me. Not that I¡¯ve had ess to one. Not that I had asked. Michael had offered and I had turned it down. I wanted nothing to distract from the wedding and I wanted all of them to be lulled into a state ofcency.


    ¡°The priests here don¡¯t like more than a chaste peck on the cheek after the wedding.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°But don¡¯t let that stop you from kissing the bride.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the fucking tip,¡± I glower at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± He smirks.


    I roll my shoulders, and this time, Massimo ps me on the back. ¡°Rx, Champ, you¡¯ve got this.¡±


    Right.


    On the pews, people shuffle their feet, someone coughs, a baby cries out and is shushed.


    ¡°Think Nonna forgot to invite anyone?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Seb chuckles, ¡°it¡¯s tradition. Whenever a Sovrano gets married, everyone turns out. Somehow, Michael managed to get away with a low-key wedding. Since then, she¡¯s sworn that each time one of us gets married she is going to make sure it¡¯s a bigger wedding than thest.¡±


    No kidding. Once more, I nce around at the huge arrangements of flowers that fill the space. It¡¯s quite beautiful, actually, and the entire ce smells like a garden. Roses, lilies, hibiscus¡­orange blossoms. I stiffen. The hair on the back of my neck rises. On cue, the church organ strikes up the wedding march.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Seb whispers, ¡°and just so you know, I have the rings.¡±


    The rings that Nonna had chosen and which I had gone along with. To be honest, I had barely paid any attention to them when Seb had shown them to me earlier. It doesn¡¯t matter, really-not when this entire wedding is a sham. So why does everything feel so much more real right now?


    A ripple runs through the crowd and I know she¡¯s walking down the aisle. Massimo draws in a breath, ¡°Mamma Mia, she¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    I refuse to turn.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo, she¡¯s a vision.¡± Adrian ps my shoulder, ¡°You are a lucky son of a bitch.¡±


    I wince, stare straight ahead.


    ¡°Whoa,¡± Seb gasps, ¡°what the hell is she wearing?¡±


    What the fuck? If she¡¯s wearing something that exposes too much of her I¡¯ll-I turn to watch her approach and promptly forget to breathe.


    She walks toward me dressed in a simple white gown that covers her shoulders with a high cor at the back and a simple neckline that hints at her cleavage without exposing anything. Thece and pearl covered bodice stretches across her gorgeous breasts. The sleeves are acettice that stretch all the way to her wrists. The dress itself cinches at her waist, then flows down in a simple A-line skirt to her ankles. It¡¯s tight enough to show off her curves without being obscene in any way. On her head, she wears a delicate tiara from which her veil floats over her face. In her hands, she holds a burst of pink and white orange blossoms. Her other hand is threaded through Michael¡¯s.


    She had mentioned to me that her father uses a walker, but I didn¡¯t realize she¡¯d asked Michael to walk her down the aisle instead. I should have known about this, right? But then, I hadn¡¯t been interested in finding out any details about the wedding. Not when it didn¡¯t mean anything to me. It doesn¡¯t. So why can¡¯t I take my gaze off of her as shees to a pause in front of me? Why is my heart beating so fast? Why is my pulse pounding at my temples? Sweat pools under my armpits as Michael smiles down at her, then leans around her in my direction. ¡°Hurt her and I¡¯ll kill you.¡± His smile widens as he grips my shoulder, then steps back.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I take in the paleness of her cheeks, visible through thece of her veil.


    I turn to face the priest, who begins to drone. I draw in a breath, then another, forcing myself to focus. Focus. All of my senses click into ce. The voices fade away. My muscles rx. My vision tunnels. At the right time, I turn to face her and say my vows, as does she. Then Seb hands us the rings. I slide the ornate gold band over her finger, ept the simple gold band on mine.


    Then, before the priest haspleted his sentence, I close the distance to her. Her green gaze shes with mine. I raise her veil and my breath catches. A hot sensation stabs in my chest. She¡¯s beautiful, innocent, and doesn¡¯t deserve what is going toe. And I don¡¯t deserve what happened to me either. I gather her in my arms and kiss her.


    Her breath hitches, the muscles of her body tense, then she melts into me. I haul her close enough that her breasts tten against my chest. Her lips cling to mine then part, and I sweep my tongue inside her mouth. I tilt my mouth, deepen the kiss, and a moan trembles up her throat. I swallow it, suck on her tongue, ravish her mouth for a second longer, then I tear my mouth from hers. The pping and the cheers from the assembled crowd wash over me. I stare down at her trembling lips, her wide gaze as my chest rises and falls.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she whispers. ¡°Axel, what are you going to do?¡±


    I bare my teeth as I release her, ¡°I am going to take my revenge.¡±


    She shakes her head, opens her mouth, but I am already moving. I pivot on my heel, grab Seb¡¯s gun from his holster, then turn. I spin her around and haul her to me, then point the gun at Michael.


    ¡°Down,¡± I snarl, ¡°get the fuck down.¡±

 238

    Theresa


    One moment, he was kissing me like his life depended on it, like he had never kissed me before, like he meant it, like he loved me. He loves me; he does. I knew it because of the way he¡¯d nted his mouth over mine and wrapped his arms about me and held me so close that nothing and no-one coulde between us-or so I¡¯d thought-and the next he¡¯d pulled back, a strange look on his face. A mixture of determination and anger¡­ and a plea for understanding? For forgiveness. My heart had mmed into my ribcage, my stomach had bottomed out, and I¡¯d known then, that he was going to do something bad. Something that would change the course of all of our lives.


    Something I¡¯d never be able to forget in the years ahead. I¡¯d opened my mouth to scream, but he¡¯d already spun around, grabbed Seb¡¯s gun, then yanked me to him. My breath had caught in my chest and my fingers had trembled, even as I¡¯d clutched at my wedding bouquet. This can¡¯t be happening, this can¡¯t be happening. My knees had almost given way from under me and his grip around me had tightened.


    ¡°Get down,¡± he¡¯d waved the gun at Michael, ¡°get the fuck down.¡±


    The whisper of guns being unholstered fills the space. The next moment every single Sovrano brother except Seb points their gun at Axel.


    ¡°Put your gun down,¡± Axel growls at Michael.


    Michael nces from him to me, then back at him. ¡°What are you going to do with her,¡± he asks in a low voice.


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife now,¡± heughs, a harsh mean sound that sends a shiver of fear down my back, ¡°and I¡¯ll do what I want with her.¡±


    Michael takes a step forward and Axel clicks his tongue, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡±


    I must make a noise, for Michael¡¯s gaze darts back to me. He draws in a breath.


    Put your gun down, now,¡± Axel snaps.


    Michael bends and ces his gun on the floor.


    ¡°Kick it over to me,¡± Axel orders.


    Michael slides it over and Axel stops it with his foot. ¡°Now ask the others to do the same.¡±


    Michael nods at his men. First Massimo, then Adrian, and Michael¡¯s bodyguard Antonio ce their guns down and kick it in Axel¡¯s direction. Luca makes a growling noise at the back of his throat.


    ¡°Do it,¡± Michael admonishes him.


    With a re in Axel¡¯s direction Luca ces his gun on the floor and kicks it toward Axel.


    ¡°Get on your knees now, all of you.¡±


    Michael hesitates. I am sure he is going to refuse, then he lowers himself to his knees.


    ¡°Hands behind your neck,¡± Axel snaps.


    Michaelplies, and Axel nces sideways at Seb, ¡°That goes for the rest of you guys, too. On your knees, hands behind your neck.¡±


    Seb hesitates and Axel cocks his gun, ¡°Do as I say and no one gets hurt.¡±


    ¡°Get down,¡± Massimo snaps as he himself drops down to his knees. First Seb, then Adrianplies.


    ¡°I told you he was up to no good!¡± Lucaughs. ¡°I wish I didn¡¯t have to say I told you so,¡± he points a finger at Michael, ¡°but I told you so.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± Axel glowers at him, ¡°and get the fuck down.¡±


    Luca shakes his head, wraps his hands behind his neck, and sinks down to his knees.


    Antonio, Michael¡¯s bodyguard takes a step forward and Axel shoots at him.


    There¡¯s a scream from behind me, then the sound of people scrambling up from their seats and racing for the door fills the space.


    ¡°On your knees, or the next time, my shot will find it¡¯s mark,¡± Axel says in a hard voice.


    Antonio nces at Michael, who nods. He sinks down to his knees, as well.


    The minutes stretch. Axel kicks each of the guns behind him and into the pews where they scatter in different directions. By the time I risk a nce over my shoulder, the space is empty. Except for Karma, Cass and Nonna, as well as Theresa¡¯s parents and sister who are rooted to their seats, everyone else has left.


    Axel turns to the priest. ¡°Leave,¡± he growls. The man doesn¡¯t need a second prompt: he turns and scampers off and out of the rear door.


    Axel begins to back up toward the front door of the church, forcing me to walk backward with him. As we pass the pew where Nonna is sitting, she rises to her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t do this Axel,¡± she pleads with him. ¡°Let her go,e back to us and all will be forgiven.¡±


    ¡°What about what you did to my mother? Do you think she ever forgave you for that?¡±


    Nonna pales, ¡°I tried to tell your father to not let her go, to definitely not ept the deal that your mother¡¯s family was proposing.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you let him exchange me for increased power and assets.¡± Axel chuckles, ¡°Now, let¡¯s see how you deal with the aftermath of one of your own double-crossing you, and in front of the entire world.¡±


    Nonna presses a hand to her chest, ¡°You don¡¯t mean it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I do.¡± Heughs and the sound echoes through the space. ¡°This is going to show you lot as weak. It¡¯s only a matter of time before your enemiese after you and try to undermine Michael¡¯s power. And if they fail, well, I am always avable to finish off what I started.¡±


    ¡°Let her go,¡± Seb growls, ¡°Xander loved her. For your triplet¡¯s sake, let her be.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for my triplet¡¯s sake that I am taking her with me. My brother would have wanted her to be well looked after, and that¡¯s exactly what I intend to do with her.¡± His arm about me tightens. He increases his pace and I struggle to keep up with him, seeing as we are still walking backward.


    ¡°Please, Axel, whatever it is, we can work it out. You¡¯re not a bad man, I know that. You have so much hurt, so much anger inside of you-¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Emotions that I intend to work off with the help of your sweet willing body, Sunshine.¡±


    I shiver. ¡°If you think I am going to let you fuck me-¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about you letting me do anything?¡± He chuckles and the sound is so dark, so filled with menace that my head spins.


    ¡°This is not the real you speaking. This is¡­someone who is filled with the need for revenge. When it wears off, you¡¯ll see what you are doing today is wrong.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± his footsteps thud as he continues to walk backward toward the door, ¡°but I intend to have a hell of a shagfest meanwhile, with you, my darling wife.¡±


    ¡°If you wanted to fuck me, you could have done so without kidnapping me.¡±


    ¡°But imagine how filled with anger and remorse the Sovranos are going to be now that I have their precious ¡°Xander¡¯s girl¡± with me¡­ Not that you were ever his girl. We both know he was too confused to ever give you that status, but you know what I mean. They are going to be shitting themselves, knowing that I am going to be taking full advantage of my marital status, darling. Again, not that they can do much, considering we are man and wife, in the eyes of God, at least.¡±


    Anger fills my veins and heat flushes my skin. Before I can stop myself, I have turned around and pped him. The sound reverberates through the space. There¡¯s silence, broken only by the sound of a pigeon¡¯s wings pping in a corner of the church.


    Then, he throws back his head andughs, ¡°Damn woman, you always surprise me. All that sass and fire. Just when I think you are meek, you sh your spirit.¡± He ps his fingers behind my neck, yanks me up to my tip-toes, and leans in close to me before saying in a low, menacing voice, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to rip into your pussy and teach you a lesson on how you need to behave with your husband.¡±


    ¡°You are not my husband.¡±


    ¡°The ring on your finger says otherwise, sweetheart.¡±


    I reach for my ring and he shakes his head, ¡°Even if you take it off, we can¡¯t undo the vows we exchanged in front of the Man Above.¡±


    I draw in a breath, then curl my fingers into fists. ¡°I hate you,¡± I snarl, ¡°I hate that I fell for you. I hate that I spent all those days praying by your bedside. If I could do it all over again, I¡¯d wish for you to die.¡±


    He yawns, ¡°Save your strength; you are going to need it.¡±


    I raise my hand, and this time, he bends and throws me over his shoulder. ¡°Let me go,¡± I yell, ¡°you stronzo, you carogna, you fetente,¡± I try to bury my knee in his groin, but he tightens his grip across my thighs. He turns and jogs toward the door. I lock my fingers, bring my fists down onto his back, but he doesn¡¯t even wince. My veil flows down, blocking out the sight of the church, then the tiaraes undone and drops to the ground, taking the veil with it. I push the hair out of my eyes, nce up to find Nonna swaying. Massimo jumps to his feet and goes over to catch her before she hits the ground. Behind him, Luca and Seb scramble under the pews to find their guns while Michael and Antonio are already on their feet and racing toward us. Then the door ms shut, cutting them off from view.


    Axel races down the steps as I wriggle in his hold. ¡°Let me go,¡± I cry, ¡°let me the fuck go.¡±


    He reaches the first car, a Ferrari, and opens the door on the driver¡¯s side. Still holding me, he grabs the man behind the wheel, hauls him out, and flings him aside. He throws me inside, turns and kicks out the legs from the man who¡¯s jumped up to his feet. He follows me inside, forcing me to move over to the passenger¡¯s side, before he ms the door on his side.


    My gown is stuck in between my legs as I reach for the door on my side. He reaches over, and gripping my shoulder, hauls me over the partition between the seats and across hisp.


    I hear the locks on the door engage and cry out in frustration. I try to pull free, but he ces the gun on the dashboard and spanks my ass, a hard tight p that sends a line of fire up my spine.


    ¡°The hell?¡± I freeze.


    By the time I think of beginning to struggle again, he¡¯s already eased the car onto the road and elerated away.


    ¡°What are you doing? Let me go, let me go.¡± I hit my head against the steering wheel and cry out.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he curses from above me, ¡°stop struggling or you¡¯ll hurt yourself further.¡±


    ¡°The hell you care about that? You kidnapped me at gun point.¡±


    ¡°I never pointed the gun at you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°I still can¡¯t understand why you did it? We were going to get married-¡±


    ¡°We are married.¡±


    ¡°I thought you loved me.¡±


    ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°I thought you cared for me.¡±


    ¡°No, you assumed that I cared for you.¡±


    ¡°Why did you marry me if you had no feelings for me?¡± I cry.


    ¡°Thought that was obvious.¡± He snorts. ¡°Revenge, baby, at the Sovranos, for what they did to my mother.¡±


    ¡°But they didn¡¯t do anything. It was their father who was responsible for what happened to you.¡±


    ¡°Our father used my mother and me as a bargaining chip to grow his power and they benefited from what he did. Everything they have now is due to what he did, so even if they weren¡¯t directly responsible, they don¡¯t deserve what they have. ¡±


    ¡°How are you different from your father, when you are using me as a bargaining chip now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, there is no bargaining here. You are my wife now and you¡¯ll do as I say.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± I wriggle again, and this time, he lets me sit up. I reach for the door, try to open it, but the lock won¡¯t budge. ¡°Goddam it,¡± I bang at the door, then wince when pain shoots up my arm. ¡°Argh!¡± I shake out my hand.


    ¡°Told you not to hurt yourself, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Like I give a shit what you want?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you will.¡± He elerates and the car seems to leap forward. I am pushed back against the seat as he zips down the road, and takes a turn without slowing. The brakes screech, and even through the closed windows I can smell burning rubber. Ahead, a car barrels toward us and I scream and close my eyes. He swerves and the car whizzes by us. I open my eyes, only to yell again as I find that we are on a one-way street, heading in the opposite direction of the traffic. A truck res its horn as it speeds toward us. I yell but I can¡¯t hear myself as the sound of the truck¡¯s horn rises to a crescendo. I p my hands over my face as he swerves. I fall toward him, only to stop when a band of steel seems to stop my movement. I snap open my eyes and peer through the gaps in my fingers as he turns the car to the left and onto another road, this time hurtling forward in the same direction as the traffic.


    I nce down to find he¡¯s thrown an arm across me to stop me from falling over.


    ¡°Wear your fucking seatbelt,¡± he growls.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tan your hide, Sunshine.¡± He turns to me without taking his hands off the wheel, ¡°Wear the belt or I am going to do it for you.¡±


    The car swerves to the right and into the nextne; another driver honks angrily as he steps on the brakes and we pull ahead. I turn around to find another vehicle crashing into it from behind.


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± I gape, ¡°look what you did.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s what you did,¡± he snaps. ¡°Wear the damn seatbelt or there are going to be many more idents, and you will be to me.¡±


    Hell, hell, hell. I squeeze my eyes shut, then reach for the belt and manage to lock it into ce.


    ¡°Good girl.¡± He finally concentrates on the road ahead and the breath I¡¯d not been aware I was holding rushes out of me.


    We ride in silence for a few more minutes. He finally turns onto the freeway that leads out of the city. He guns the engine, pressing down on the elerator, but I notice he keeps it just under the speed limit. ¡°Guess you don¡¯t want to be caught by the cops, eh?¡±


    He stays silent.


    ¡°You know, the Sovranos¡¯ own pretty much the entire police force and most of this city.¡±


    His lips twist in a smirk. He continues to drive down the freeway, then takes the next exit off. I frown when, a few minutester, he turns onto a narrow road.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I ask, even though I know he¡¯s not going to reply. He doesn¡¯t disappoint me. He drives for another good ten minutes, then turns into a field¡­with a white building, and beyond it, a runway. He pulls to a halt next to the building, then switches off the engine. He snatches up the gun, slides it into the waistband at the small of his back. Then he gets out of the car and walks around to open my door.


    I scowl up at him and he arches an eyebrow. Goddamn him for looking so gorgeous, in his white button-down and clean-shaven jaw. A lock of hair falls over his forehead and he brushes it back impatiently.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he jerks his head over his shoulder.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°Because I say so?¡± He bends down until his face is almost at eye level with mine, ¡°Because I am your husband and where I go, you go.¡±


    ¡°And if I say no?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll simply throw you over my shoulder and carry you there.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± I say through gritted teeth, even though I, obviously, know he will.


    He reaches for me and I throw up my hands, ¡°Fine, step back, will you? So I can get out.¡± He moves back just enough for me to swing my legs out. I rise to my feet, straighten my dress, then brush past him. He ms the door of the car and follows me. He draws abreast with me, then proceeds to take my hand in his. I try to resist but he res at me.


    ¡°Behave,¡± he warns in that hard voice that sends a thrill up my back. Gesu Cristo, why am I still so attracted to him, and after that stunt he pulled back there?


    He prowls inside the hangar-and it is a hangar, for I see a ne parked in there. It¡¯s a gleaming piece of work and he walks straight over to it and up the steps, pulling me in his wake. Is he flying out of the country? Of course, he¡¯s flying out of the country. If we stayed in Italy, we¡¯d be found very quickly. In fact, I had been counting on that. But leaving the country? Now, that¡¯s a whole new ball game. How had he found someone who would work with him anyway?


    A man greets us at the top of the steps. He¡¯s wearing a captain¡¯s hat and uniform. He hands over a phone to Axel, who pockets it before they shake hands.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready for take-off,¡± the captain says in a British ent.


    ¡°Good,¡± Axel nods, ¡°we are ready to go.¡± He doesn¡¯t introduce me; the man doesn¡¯t ask. Instead, he hauls up the steps behind us and proceeds to lock the door for take-off. I nce around at the plush carpet, the leather seats. Axel walks past me and takes a seat. He pats the one next to him, ¡°Sit down, and belt up, we are about to take off.¡±


    Under my feet, the low thrum of the engines vibrates. I walk over and pointedly drop into a seat on the opposite side of the aisle from him.


    His lips twist, ¡°Wear your seatbelt.¡±


    ¡°So you keep saying,¡± I snort as I fasten my seatbelt, ¡°you don¡¯t fool me though. I know that my safety is thest thing on your mind.¡±


    ¡°If it helps you to keep believing that¡­¡± he raises a shoulder.


    ¡°It does.¡± I lean back and close my eyes as we taxi down the runway. ¡°They won¡¯t leave you alone. It doesn¡¯t matter where you go; they are going to hunt you down and-¡±


    ¡°And what? They¡¯ll punish me? Shoot me?¡±


    He pulls his phone out of his pocket and his fingers fly across the keypad. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Despite the fact-or maybe it¡¯s because of the tumultuous events of the morning, but as soon as I close my eyes, I fall asleep. When I wake up, we arending. There is a trickle of water across the windshield. I straighten and a jacket falls off my shoulder. His jacket.


    I nce over to find Axel is still tapping on his phone. We touch down with barely a bump, and I nce out at the gray light. The clouds seem to hang low in the sky. I fold my arms around myself.


    ¡°Wear the jacket.¡± He pockets his phone as the ne taxis to a stop. He rises up to his feet and holds out his hand. I ignore it, then shrug into his jacket. Not because I want to obey him, but because it looks cold out there.


    ¡°Are we in London?¡± I rise to my feet.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± he asks, sounding impressed.


    ¡°The rain.¡± I shrug, ¡°And the captain¡¯s ent. I¡¯m not stupid, you know. Makes sense that you¡¯de back to your home turf. Of course, it¡¯s probably the first ce they¡¯ll look for you.¡±


    He leans over, and I try to move back, but the seat has me blocked. He proceeds to fasten my buttons, stopping only when all of them have been done up. Then he turns, and once again, threads his fingers through mine as we head to the doorway. The pilotes over and opens the door. Instantly, the chill air sweeps over me and I shiver.


    ¡°Cold?¡± He pulls me closer and we walk down the steps in tandem. He heads for a car, talks to someone who hands the keys over to him then leaves. I am so tired that I can barely stay on my feet. I slide into the passenger seat, and this time, put on my seatbelt without his prompting. Instantly, I fall asleep. The next time I open my eyes it¡¯s dark outside, and we are still driving.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I yawn as I snuggle down further into the jacket. Hot air blows in from the vent of the car and I am grateful for it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he nts me a sideways nce and I notice the shadow on his jaw. Good grief, the man is virile, but I knew that already. He switches gears with his left hand and I notice the band around his finger. My husband-we are married. Hell, we are married and he kidnapped me. The panic wells up and I swallow it down. I nce away, close my eyes, and allow sleep to pull me under.


    The next time I wake up, I am in a strange bed in a strange room, alone.

 239

    Axel


    I raise the ss to my lips, then toss back the whiskey. Reaching for the bottle, I top myself up.


    ¡°You did well,¡± the man standing on the other side of the bar counter murmurs.


    Maybe too well. Now, my entire family thinks of me as having betrayed them. She thinks I kidnapped her¡­which I did. Though considering I married her, perhaps it doesn¡¯t count as a kidnapping? But the very fact that I pulled a gun on the Sovranos before I took her and left seems to point to the contrary.


    I pull out the gun from the small of my back where it has been tucked into my waistband and ce it on the counter, pointed at him.


    He doesn¡¯t even nce it. Asshole simply pushes his ss forward, as if he expects me to fill it. When I ignore him, he reaches for the bottle and tops himself up without acknowledging the snub.


    He raises his ss, ¡°Cheers,¡± he clinks his ss with mine, ¡°to the sessfulpletion of phase one.¡± He tosses back his own liquor, then tops up his ss with my whiskey. Forty-year-old Macan¡¯s, which he definitely does not deserve to partake of.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± I say in a low voice.


    Heughs, ¡°Now, why would you say that? Considering you were the one who wanted to have your revenge on the Sovranos. Unless,¡± he tilts his head, ¡°unless you developed familial feelings. And if you did, I don¡¯t me you. After all, blood is blood, and you may have spent your life hating them, but having spent time with them, you may be feeling otherwise inclined.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do anything to destroy them,¡± I say in a hard voice.


    ¡°Ah,¡± he scratches his chin, ¡°is it the woman, then? Honest to God, I didn¡¯t foresee that and I do think of everything, you know. But it seems even I cannot predict human nature or the power of love.¡±


    ¡°Love,¡± I scowl, ¡°the fuck you talking about, man?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset now.¡± He clicks his tongue, ¡°It happens to the best of us. No one can avoid the power and the suddenness of love. When it hits¡­it hits; it has no rhyme or reason.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point, motherfucker.¡±


    ¡°Marrying her must have seemed like a good move, a way to get closer to the Sovranos without eliciting suspicion¡­ A brilliant move, if I may say.¡±


    ¡°You may not,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Kidnapping her in front of the entire town was a master-stroke.¡± He nods his fucking head. ¡°One way to make the Sovranos¡¯ lose face, something to expose their weaknesses and have their enemies circling around them like vultures. Gotta hand it to you, boy, that¡¯s something I wouldn¡¯t have been able to think of. But bringing her here?¡± He purses his lips, ¡°You are sending out a beacon that¡¯s going to attract every single motherfucking friend of the Mafia to you. You¡¯ve painted a target on your head, and by association, mine.¡±


    ¡°I have this ce guarded.¡±


    ¡°Which is no guarantee that it will protect you against the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    I scowl at him, ¡°You¡¯re beginning to piss me off, Freddie.¡±


    His lips kick up. ¡°That was not my intention. You are the strongest member of my team; you know I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    ¡°Well, fuck that.¡± I swig back the rest of the whiskey. ¡°I have kicked off the beginning of the end of the Sovranos. As for phase two, it will have to wait.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± he strokes his chin, ¡°so definitely love, then.¡±


    I re at him.


    ¡°Enjoy the early days of your marriage, but remember, you owe me, and I always collect Axel.¡±


    I rise to my feet and jerk my chin toward the door, ¡°Fuck off.¡±


    ¡°Now, now. Hold on, you are not thinking straight.¡± He raises his snifter of whiskey and anger squeezes my gut. I reach out, knock the ss out of his hand. It crashes to the floor and shatters. He stiffens, then rises to his feet and dusts off the droplets that have fallen on his jacket.


    ¡°I understand you are not thinking straight,¡± he says in a soft voice, ¡°but remember that you need me, Axel. You-¡±


    I reach over, grab his cor and haul him over the counter, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone, you motherfucker.¡±


    He chuckles, ¡°Words spoken in the heat of the moment, but you know better.¡±


    I tighten my grasp on his cor. He gasps. His face turns red and the veins on his neck pop as he tries to take in a breath.


    ¡°Read my lips, you motherfucker. I don¡¯t need you or anyone else, and if you dare to threaten me again, I will kill you.¡± I release him and he staggers back. He straightens his cor, then draws himself up to his full height. ¡°You are going to regret threatening the Sovranos and kidnapping her, Axe, mark my words.¡± Turning, he walks out.


    I re after him, then snatch up my ss and throw it at the wall. It shatters.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I dig my fingers into my hair and tug.


    Asshole is right, though. I shouldn¡¯t have brought her here; it¡¯s too dangerous-for both of us.


    But fuck, if I didn¡¯t want her in my space, in my bed. I wanted her to myself just for a few days before I have to face the world. Is that too much to ask?


    With a little luck, the Sovranos will be too busy facing the aftermath of the problems I left them with toe after us right away. As for Freddie-fuck. It had been wrong to provoke the man. He¡¯s dangerous. I should have known better, but everything he¡¯d said had been intended to goad me, and for once, I had let him get to me. It had not been wise to throw him out, but goddam it, I am tired of being on the defensive. I want to take my destiny in my own hands. To face it like the man I am.


    Enough hiding; enough nning. It¡¯s time to put the final part of my n into action. To bring down the Sovranos, once and for all, and to have my revenge.


    I straighten, reach for the bottle, and pour myself a fresh ss, when the scent of orange blossoms wafts over to me.


    I raise my gaze to find her standing in the doorway. She takes a step forward, but I hold up a hand, ¡°Stop right there.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te in here.¡±


    Her jaw firms, ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I said so, woman.¡± I smirk at the sh of anger in her eyes before nodding toward the shards on the floor. ¡°There¡¯s ss everywhere,¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± She purses her lips, ¡°I uh, heard themotion and came to check.¡±


    ¡°You should have stayed in the room, away from me, where it¡¯s safest for you.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it safe for me here?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I raise the ss of whiskey to my lips.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough to drink.¡±


    I chuckle, ¡°I am just getting started.¡± I grab the ss and the bottle, then walk out from behind the counter and toward her. ¡°Go to bed.¡± I brush past her, then head out of the living room and toward the study. I step inside, all too aware of her following me. I walk over to the chair in front of the fire and lower myself into it.


    I raise the ss of whiskey to my lips, take a sip. She walks over to stand in front of me.


    ¡°What?¡± I growl, not raising my gaze.


    ¡°Who was that man who left? Was he a friend?¡±


    ¡°An associate.¡±


    ¡°Why was he threatening you?¡±


    I jerk my chin up, ¡°Nothing you need to worry about.¡±


    ¡°You kidnap me-¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I married you.¡±


    ¡°-and bring me here.¡± She scowls.


    ¡°To my home, which is now your home,¡± I add.


    ¡°Exactly, so if someone threatens you, then it means my life is also in danger.¡±


    I set my jaw. ¡°I¡¯ll say this only once, Theresa,¡± I lock my gaze with hers, ¡°you have nothing to fear. I will never let anyone harm you, you understand?¡±

 240

    Theresa


    I do, and that is the problem. This man has been nothing but rude to me since we met. Oh, he¡¯s made me orgasm, but he¡¯s never been open with me. Not about his past, not about why he agreed to marry me-I mean, why he really agreed to marry me. And then he kidnaps me and brings me here, all without giving me an exnation for why. And yet, there¡¯s nowhere else I¡¯d rather be. There¡¯s no one else I¡¯d trust more to keep me safe. How fucked up is that?


    I close the distance between us and he stiffens.


    ¡°I understand,¡± I murmur, ¡°I know you¡¯ll keep me safe. I trust you, Axel.¡±


    His gaze narrows. Some of the tension seems to leave his shoulders. He drags his gaze across my features, and my breath catches. Something in how he¡¯s watching me makes me feel like I am at his mercy. And I am, make no mistake. I am in his house, without any of my friends or family, without any money or my purse or my phone with me. I run my suddenly damp finger down my wedding dress which I am still wearing.


    The firelight catches on my ring and I pause. He seems to see it the same time as me for his jaw flexes. ¡°Come here,¡± he holds out his hand.


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Thought you said you trusted me?¡± he murmurs. His blue gaze bores into me and a rush of heat sizzles over my skin. It arrows straight to my core, where a pulse blooms to life.


    ¡°Theresa?¡± He arches an eyebrow.


    I swallow, take a step forward, another, then ce my hand in his.


    He leans forward and presses a kiss to my fingers. Goosebumps pop on my skin. I wasn¡¯t expecting that from him. He nips on my finger tip, then closes his mouth around it. My belly clenches. A moan leaks from my lips and his mouth curls.


    ¡°You are in my home, under my protection. I can promise you that I will guard you with my life, Theresa.¡±


    Something hot stabs at my chest. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want that?¡± I swallow, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were angry at me for bringing you here.¡±


    ¡°I still am,¡± I try to tug my hand from his. but he doesn¡¯t release it, ¡°doesn¡¯t mean I want to see you hurt.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    His lips kick up, ¡°Concerned about me, wife?¡±


    That heat in my chest detonates and spreads to other parts of my body. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be,¡± I say truthfully, ¡°but I¡¯d never wish harm on anyone else, including you.¡±


    ¡°I think you are lying.¡±


    Heat flushes my skin. I pull my hand from his, and this time, he releases it.


    ¡°I have never lied to you, Axel. Unlike you.¡±


    A pulse res to life at his temple. The skin around his eyes tightens. Shit, why did I have to go and spoil the moment we were having there? Anger rolls off of him and my belly flip flips. Damn it, even his annoyance turns me on. The way he pouts, how his gaze intensifies, how his nostrils re as his fingers tighten around the ss. I squeeze my thighs together and the alertness in his gaze signals that he¡¯s noticed it. Nothing escapes him, does it? I turn away-because if I stand there longer, I¡¯ll sink to my knees and reach for his zipper and- Argh, don¡¯t think about it. Don¡¯t. I walk over to the shelves of books that line the wall, run my finger down the spines: War and Peace, Pinhio, The Ugly Duckling, Harry Potter, The Prince by Nolo Machiavelli, a book of poems by Lord Byron. My finger touches the book and the entire panel swings open.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I gasp as a roomes into view. It¡¯s lit only by the light that streams in from behind me.


    ¡°You¡¯ve found my secret, I see.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I gasp, then turn around, trip on my own feet, and almost fall, except he grips my shoulder and steadies me. ¡°You scared me,¡± I say with a nervousugh. Shit, now I sound afraid. And I am not afraid. Not of him, but about what I am going to find in the room behind me. Well, the jury¡¯s out on that. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to find out?¡±


    ¡°Are you inviting me in?¡±


    He moves forward and I skitter back and past the doorway.


    ¡°Now you are already in.¡± One side of his lips kicks up. My pulse rate ratchets up. Heat from his body pours over me and ms into my chest. I gasp and the scent of him intensifies. My toes curl and my scalp tingles. I¡¯ve always had this unreasonable attraction to him, but in his home, under his roof, surrounded by his things, his maism is potent. If I stand here a second longer, I am going to throw myself at him and ask him to fuck me. Which is fine, he¡¯s my husband, right?


    But our rtionship is far from conventional, and damn, if I am going to ask him for anything! I spin around, walk inside the room. Behind me, I hear his footsteps, then the clink as he ces his ss on a table. The click of his lighter and the flicker of the me precede the diminishment of the darkness. I turn to find he¡¯s lit one of the candles on a stand.


    That¡¯s when I realize that he has ced candles on stands and in a circle around a t table in the center of the room. There is enough space between the candles for someone to walk through. He lights another candle, then another. He doesn¡¯t stop until all the candles are lit. The light falls over the table which has a padded surface like it¡¯s intended for someone toy down on it. I nce up at the walls, take in the painting on one side-a woman surrounded by mes. There¡¯s something haunting about her face. I walk closer to study her features. Her eyes are half closed, her mouth open, her head thrown back in the throes of-


    ¡°-ecstasy,¡± he murmurs, his voice right behind me again.


    I jump, press my hand to my chest, ¡°You need to stop scaring me like this.¡±


    ¡°You need to actually start trusting me like you say you do.¡±


    I toss my hair over my shoulder, then turn away to stare at the opposite wall on which hangs a paddle, a rope, a whip, and some other device which looks like a spreader. A spreader? I scowl. It would lock around the ankles and force the person on whom it is being used to spread their legs.


    ¡°Oh,¡± heat flushes my cheek, ¡°this is your-¡±


    ¡°Now, not-so-secret room.¡±


    I turn to face him, ¡°Is this where you bring your women?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. Why did I expect him to say anything else? Of course, he has had lots of women, but to bring them here to his house? Why had I thought that I was the first person he¡¯d brought here?


    I turn to leave and he grabs my wrist, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Back to my room.¡±


    ¡°Our room.¡±


    ¡°I am going to sleep in one of the guest rooms. Surely, you must have guest rooms in this space.¡±


    ¡°You are my wife; you sleep in my bed.¡±


    ¡°So you can fuck me?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to fuck you?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°You¡¯re a terrible liar, so don¡¯t even try,¡± he warns.


    I swallow, not sure what to say. I nce down at where his fingers are curled around my wrist, then back at his face.


    ¡°I-¡± I open and shut my mouth. I can¡¯t bring myself to say it. ¡°I-¡± I try again, then shake my head.


    He releases my wrist, only to nod toward the padded table, ¡°Get on it.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me.¡± He folds his arms across his chest, ¡°On the table, Sunshine.¡±


    I turn to leave when he snaps, ¡°Now.¡±


    I pause. Damn it, I hate it when he uses that tone of voice. When I can¡¯t disobey him. When everything in me insists that I do as he says. I do hate that, right?


    ¡°Theresa,¡± he warns me.


    I blow out a breath, then stomp over to the table and heave myself onto it. I fold my arms across my chest, mirroring his stance. ¡°Happy?¡± I huff.


    ¡°Part your legs,¡± hemands as he walks over to stand in front of me.


    ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Do it.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°Or you can always leave.¡± He nods toward the door.


    I nce at the door, then back at him. Goddam it. I slide my legs apart, as much as the gown allows, that is. He stares down at the space between my thighs and my clit begins to throb. I grip the table on either side of my legs.


    He reaches out and presses his palm t against the center of my chest. He applies pressure and I lean back on my elbows.


    I swallow and he cups my cheek. ¡°Shh, Sunshine,¡± he croons, ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Then, he grips the neckline of my dress and tugs. With a ripping sound, the gown tears in half.


    ¡°My wedding dress,¡± I cry out. When I try to sit up, he wraps his fingers around the side of my neck and holds me in check.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you another.¡±


    ¡°But I like this one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you an exact copy.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s my wedding dress,¡± I protest.


    ¡°And I am your husband.¡± He pulls apart the two sides of the dress and cool air floats over my skin. My nipples tighten behind the demi bra that I had slipped on earlier this morning. God, was it only this morning that I had gotten married? It seems like another time, another world. He pulls down my bra cups and my breasts spill out.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he growls, then bends and closes his mouth around one nipple. He bites down and I cry out. The pain shoots straight down to my core. My clit engorges. He massages my breast even as he turns his head to my other breast. He takes the nipple between his lips and tugs on it. My entire body jerks.


    ¡°Oh, hell,¡± I groan.


    He raises his head and holds my gaze as he slides his hand down my waist. He grabs my panties and tears them off.


    The breath squeezes out of me. I can¡¯t speak, I am just so surprised by the suddenness of his action.


    He pushes up to stand over me and rakes his gaze down my exposed body. Then he reaches over, and almost experimentally, pinches my clit.


    My entire body hitches off of the table. ¡°Oh, my god,¡± I gasp. ¡°Oh, god.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no god here, baby,¡± he says in a hard voice, ¡°only me.¡±


    He thrusts his fingers inside my channel, works them in and out of me, then brings his fingers to my mouth. I wrap my lips around his digits, suck on them.


    ¡°I want you.¡± His tone lowers to a hush, ¡°I want you the way I¡¯ve never wanted anyone else before.¡±


    Warmth pools in my lower belly. Heat flushes my chest. His words shouldn¡¯t move me, but they do.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I whine, and his gaze jerks back to my face.


    ¡°I want to take you the way I have never taken anyone else before.¡±


    His words prate the sexual haze that swirls around me. ¡°Wh¡­what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    I draw in a breath.


    ¡°Do you?¡±


    I nod.


    Something like satisfaction shows on his features. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a blindfold.

 241

    Theresa


    ¡°What¡­what is that for?¡± I squeak.


    He tilts his head; I swallow. My stomach folds in on itself.


    ¡°Are you g¡­going to use it on me?¡±


    ¡°You did say that you trust me¡­¡± he says in that low, husky voice that sends another tremor up my spine.


    ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t think that meant that you¡¯d blindfold me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only to heighten your senses. Of course, if you are too afraid to wear it-¡± he lets the words hang in the air between us. I know he¡¯s testing me. He wants to see how far I¡¯ll let him go before I ask him to stop. But I don¡¯t want him to stop. A shiver runs down my spine. Why do I find it so damn hot? Is it wrong to want everything that he wants to do to me?


    ¡°Well?¡± he murmurs. ¡°What do you say, Sunshine? Can I blindfold you?¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek, then nod.


    His muscles rx. Whoa, did he think that I was going to refuse him?


    Before I can ask the question, he leans over and ces the strip of silk over my eyes. He ties it at the back of my head, and just like that, darkness descends. I can sense my breath, the bead of sweat that trickles down between my breasts, the sound of his footsteps on the floor as he moves away.


    ¡°Stay right there,¡± hemands as his footsteps fade away.


    The minutes stretch and I sit up. Where the hell did he go? Why did he have to blindfold me before he left? If it was to enhance the anticipation, then it sure as hell is working. I shuffle around on the table, to find a morefortable position. Just as I am about to slide my legs closed, his footsteps sound. Something clinks, ice? Did he go to get ice? He ces something on the padded table, then returns to stand between my legs.


    ¡°Ready, Sunshine?¡± his gravelly voice rumbles across my nerve-endings.


    ¡°Wh¡­what are you going to do?¡±


    The heat of his body intensifies and I know that he¡¯s moved closer. The pungent scent of the candle strengthens. The hair on the back of my neck rises. He¡¯s not going to, is he?


    A line of fire detonates in the center of my chest.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    I scream. He ps his hand across my mouth. I bite down on the edge of his hand as the heat zings down to my core, then fades away just as quickly.


    He removes his hand from over my mouth and I gasp, ¡°Did you¡­did you just drip the hot wax on me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called heat y,¡± he affirms. The ice clinks, then a trail of cold so chilly that it¡¯s almost hot steaks down my chest. It shoots down to my core and seems to circle my clit, which throbs.


    ¡°Ohmygod,¡± I gasp. ¡°What was that? Was that the ice, was it-¡±


    Another stream of heat zings down over my belly. My core clenches, my thigh muscles tremble, and moisture coils in my core. I close my fingers into fists as the heat fades away, instantly leaving me throbbing, sweating, wanting¡­ More¡­ Much more.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I whine, ¡°what are you doin-¡± I yelp as a stream of cold follows in the wake of the heat. I can almost hear the moisture sizzle as it touches my overheated skin. Then, that too, fades away and something soft brushes my lips.


    He takes my hand and ces it over his shoulder, ¡°Hold on.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± My heart rams into my chest, ¡°What are you going to do, what-¡± I yell as a zing of fire trails down my chest. Did he just strip the wax off of my chest? My nipples tighten, my belly quivers, and all of the pores on my skin seem to pop. I pant and hold on as he licks his way down my skin. Then he rips off the next trail of wax and I moan. A trembling starts from my toes and rolls up my legs, my thighs. It seems to coalesce in my pussy, before radiating up my spine.


    A sizzle of cold zings down my lower belly, then I yell, for he¡¯s drawing the ice around my swollen clit. He drags the ice down my lower lips, then slides it inside my pussy and I throw my head back. I dig my fingernails into his shoulder as he works the ice in and out of me. In and out. The climax roars through me and I cry out.


    My eyes maybe blindfolded, but my vision turns technicolor as the most intense orgasm of my life grips me. As it fades away, I slump back onto the padded table. I float down from the climax and be aware that he¡¯s pulled the ice out of me. He pauses-to ce the candle back?-then he drags the ice across my lips. The moisture seeps into my mouth and I suck on it. The taste of my cum, mixed with the scent of his skin, fills me. And it¡¯s dirty and erotic, and damn, if I don¡¯t want more.


    He slides the ice inside my mouth and I bite down on his fingers. He draws in a sharp breath, and a growl rips up his chest. The next moment, he¡¯s reced his fingers with his mouth. He swipes his tongue across mine as he yanks the blindfold from my eyes. I blink, take in that blue gaze of his that bores into me as he hooks his arm under my knee. He yanks my leg up and to the side, then positions his cock at my entrance.


    ¡°I am going to fuck you now.¡± He bares his teeth.


    Before I can reply, he¡¯s thrust forward and buried himself to the hilt. Too much. Too full. He stretches me. He¡¯s so deep in me that, surely, I can feel him in my stomach. I open my mouth and he deepens the kiss. He crams his tongue inside my mouth, and at the same time, he begins to fuck me in earnest. He lunges forward with such force that the entire table screeches back. My body jolts and the p of flesh meeting flesh fills the room. He doesn¡¯t close his eyes. He holds my gaze as he slides his hand between us and pinches my clit. A scream wells up, but he swallows it up. Sweat slides down his temple, plops on my cheek as he pulls out, only to lunge forward again. He hits that spot deep inside of me that I didn¡¯t even know existed. He plunges into me, again and again. And again. Each time, he hits that spot and sensations vibrate out from the point of contact. He drags his hand up my body to cup my breast. He squeezes down on my nipple and a moan spills from my lips. He drags his hand down my arm, twines his fingers with mine. then tears his mouth from mine.


    ¡°Come for me, Sunshine,e all over my cock.¡±

 242

    Axel


    Her pupils dte and she throws her head back as her entire body shudders. Her pussy clenches around my cock as shees andes. Her orgasm seems to go on and on and I continue to fuck her through it. Color flushes her neck and cheeks, and she holds onto me as her features contort. Her eyelids flutter shut and she finally slumps back.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± I growl. ¡°Look at me, Sunshine.¡±


    She raises her heavy eyelids and I hold her gaze as I thrust myself inside her wet, hot pussy onest time.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I growl as Ie inside her. A trembling grips her and I brush my lips across hers. A teardrop squeezes out from the corner of her eyes and I lick it up. I raise my head and peer into her features, ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Was it too much for you?¡±


    She hesitates.


    ¡°Talk to me,¡± I order, ¡°tell me how you feel.¡±


    ¡°Like I have been well and truly fucked?¡± she blurts out.


    I can¡¯t stop the chuckle that rumbles up my throat, ¡°I like the sound of that, baby.¡±


    I kiss her hard, then pull out of her.


    She hisses as I straighten.


    ¡°Are you sore?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± she admits, ¡°but I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°So you liked the heat and cold y?¡±


    ¡°I was surprised,¡± she bites down on her lower lip, ¡°but once I got over the initial shock, it was the most intense experience I have ever had.¡± She lowers her gaze.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I notch my knuckles under her chin, ¡°you don¡¯t have to be ashamed that you like kink.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯d have thought?¡± Sheughs. ¡°But it definitely opened my eyes to just how over-the-top sex can be.¡±


    ¡°And I am only getting started.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Jeez, I really shouldn¡¯t have said that. Now, your already inted ego is going to get even bigger.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Not the only part.¡± I chuckle.


    She rolls her eyes. ¡°Forget I said that.¡± She ps me on my shoulder and I grip her wrist and tug her to a sitting position.


    She nces down and I follow her gaze to where my cum slides down her inner thigh.


    ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s hot,¡± I reach down and push the thick liquid back inside her pussy.


    ¡°What the-?¡± She freezes, ¡°Did you just push your cum back inside me?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it,¡± I drawl.


    She raises her chin and her pupils are blown, her color even higher than earlier; her lower lip trembles.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I bury my fingers in her hair, ¡°that turned you on, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have,¡± she whispers, ¡°but somehow, every filthy thing you do only makes you more attractive, and I have no idea why.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± I wrap her hair around my hand, then tug, so she has to raise up her chin. I gaze into her gorgeous green eyes and the blood rushes to my cock. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± I murmur and the pink on her cheek deepens, ¡°I want to fuck you again.¡± I brush my lips across hers because I can¡¯t resist her lush mouth. She shivers, her lips cling to mine, and that¡¯s the only encouragement I need. I release her hair, only to scoop her up in my arms.


    Turning, I walk out of the room, past the dying fire in the study and up the stairs to my bedroom. I lower her onto the bed, then point a finger at her, ¡°Stay there.¡±


    I pull my phone from my pocket and open the security app, making sure all doors and windows are armed and locked down for the night. I ce my phone on the table. ¡°Now, where were we?¡±


    ¡°I am naked and you haven¡¯t even removed your clothes.¡± She scowls.


    ¡°Are youining?¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°I want to see my husband¡¯s body. Is that too much to ask?¡±


    A thrill runs down my spine. My wife. She¡¯s my woman. All mine.


    I slide the gun out from my waistband, then ce it on the dresser. I spin around, grip the back of my shirt and pull it off. I toe off my shoes and socks, push down my already unzipped pants, along with my boxers, and kick them off.


    When I straighten, she draws a quick breath. She drags her gaze down my chest, my abs, down to where my cock is already thickening.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t use a condom,¡± she says slowly.


    ¡°We never have. Are you only just now realizing that?¡± I walk over to stand in front of her.


    Her cheeks redden, ¡°I¡­ I was otherwise distracted.¡±


    I smirk.


    She scowls. ¡°I am not on birth-control,¡± she points out.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to point out the obvious-that I could get pregnant?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to get pregnant?¡± Her forehead furrows. ¡°Is that how you n to get the Sovranos to forgive you for what you did?¡±


    I tilt my head.


    ¡°Oh, my god. That is your n, to get me pregnant. That¡¯s your guarantee for the Sovranos never hurting you in the future.¡±


    She bites down on her lower lip again, and fuck, if that doesn¡¯t turn me on further. I ce a knee on the bed, then bend down and tug her lip from between her teeth. ¡°No one is allowed to hurt you, Sunshine, not even yourself.¡±


    Her breath hitches.


    ¡°No one except me, you feel me?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°As to your question, no, I hadn¡¯t nned out that far. In all honesty, I got carried away, which is why I didn¡¯t use a condom.¡± He peers into my eyes, ¡°Do you want me to use protection?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°I want a child. I want your child. I¡¯ve always wanted to have my own family, and I don¡¯t want to wait.¡±


    The thought of her having my baby, our baby¡­ My head spins. Somehow, the idea of nting a child in her fills me with primal satisfaction.


    I position myself between her legs, then slide down so my mouth is poised over her glistening pussy. I blow on the chafed flesh and a moan bleeds from her lips.


    I drag my fingers up the abraded skin of her inner thigh and she shivers.


    I lick her from backhole to clit and her entire body jolts.


    ¡°Ohmigod,¡± she moans, ¡°oh, Axel.¡± She digs her fingers in my hair and her thighs squeeze about my face. I grip her hips, drag my finger down to y with her backhole.


    She freezes. I thrust my tongue inside her channel and she jerks. I continue to eat her out as I slide a finger inside her backhole. At the same time, I squeeze her gorgeous breast.


    She pushes her hips up and into my mouth, even as she tries to pull away the upper part of her body. Iugh against her pussy and she moans.


    The noises she makes. Fuck, they drive me out of my head with desire. I tear my mouth from her core, then crawl up her body. I urge her to wrap her legs about my waist as I position myself against her opening. I bracket her body with my elbows on each side of her, holding up my weight as I stay poised.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± I order and she raises her heavy eyelids. She holds my gaze as I thrust forward and bury myself to the hilt. My pelvis hits the soft flesh of her pussy and she pants. She digs her heels into my back and winds her arms about my neck. She buries her fingernails into my shoulders as I begin to fuck her. In and out of her; in and out. I tilt my hips, plow deeper inside her, and her breath hitches. I hold her gaze as I try to drill into her, going as deeply as I possibly can. Her pussy mps down on my cock and I stay buried in her.


    ¡°I want to crawl inside you and never leave,¡± I growl. Jesus! I sound like a man possessed. Like a man obsessed. A husband who¡¯ll never get enough of his wife. I pull out of her, then ram into her with such force that she moves up the mattress. The entire bed jolts; something crashes onto the floor behind me as I hold her gaze. ¡°Come with me.¡± I ram into her and her mouth falls open.


    Her spine curves and she screams as shees. I cup her cheek, lower my forehead to hers as I empty myself inside her. My breathes in pants and my heart thuds in my chest. I stay there for a few seconds before I fall over onto my back, taking her with me. I fold my arms about her, hold her close. ¡°Sleep,¡± I murmur, as I close my eyes.


    When I wake up, I am alone. I nce about the bed, the room, jump to my feet and barge into the bathroom. It¡¯s empty.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I swear as I grab a pair of sweats and step into them. I snatch up my gun, slide it into the waistband of my pants.


    Then I snatch up my phone and nce at the security app. Everything seems normal. None of the doors or windows have been opened. My steps slow as I walk down the steps. When I hit the ground floor, I hear her singing. Huh?


    I walk toward it and the scent of coffee and bacon reaches me. My stomach rumbles and I head for the kitchen. I walk inside to find her dressed in my shirt, that hits her mid-thigh. She¡¯s piled her hair on top of her head in a messy bun with tendrils curling about her shoulders. I lean a hip against the doorway watching as she bumps and grinds as she sings the words of a song I don¡¯t recognize, ¡°F-i-r-e¡­ oh. F-iii-r-e, oh.¡±


    I chuckle under my breath, then walk over to her.


    ¡°F-i-rr-e, oh. Fiiii-r-e, oh,¡± she sings again.


    I lower my head until my mouth is next to her ear, ¡°Very appropriate.¡± I smirk.


    She yells, then drops the spat she had been using to scoop the bacon onto a te.

 243

    Theresa


    The spat tters on the counter and drops of fat singe my skin. ¡°Ouch.¡± I grimace and bring my hand up to my mouth to suck on it.


    He catches my wrist. ¡°Let me.¡± He lowers his mouth to the back of my hand and drags his tongue across the reddened skin.


    Goosebumps pop on my skin. My toes curl. He closes his lips around the hurt skin and sucks on it. I feel it all the way to my core. He continues tove my skin and my nipples tighten. Hell, I had just been in his arms, in his bed, and he¡¯d been inside me several timesst night, but apparently, I¡¯ve not had enough of him.


    I try to pull away, but he doesn¡¯t let me. Hevishes attention on my hurt skin like it¡¯s the most important thing in the world. The way he gently holds my wrist with his other palm cradling my elbow-the contrast between the darkness of his skin and my more pale one is almost obscene.


    ¡°I am fine,¡± I insist, but all he does is walk me toward the sink. He turns on the tap and holds my arm out under the running water. The pain instantly fades away. A sigh spills from me.


    ¡°I am sorry I surprised you,¡± he murmurs. ¡°I saw you in my shirt and stopped thinking.¡±


    My cheeks burn. I shoot him a sideways nce to find him focused on keeping my arm under the running water. A-n-d, he¡¯s bare-chested. He¡¯s wearing his pants that ride low on his hips. His biceps bulge as he keeps my hand trained under the tap. Gosh, he¡¯s ripped. I¡¯d felt those cut nes of chestst night, but seeing him in the light of day, standing in front of him in all his gorgeous glory, sends vibrations of lust shooting down my spine.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I insist, ¡°it barely even hurts anymore.¡±


    He switches off the tap, then raises my arm to examine it, ¡°It¡¯s best to put an anti-burn ointment on it so it doesn¡¯t scar.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± I try to pull away again. Not that he lets me.


    He levels that hypnotic, blue gaze on me, then guides me to a chair at the kitchen counter. ¡°Sit,¡± hemands and I sink down into the chair.


    ¡°I am really okay,¡± I plead.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let me be the judge of that.¡± He points a finger at me, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± He walks over to one of the shelves at the far end of the kitchen.


    I drag my gaze up those powerful thighs of his that are outlined in the pants, and my belly trembles. His butt ispact, his waist trim, and at the small of his back, he wears a gun tucked into the waistband of his pants. I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°You¡¯re never unarmed, are you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution,¡± he says without turning around.


    ¡°You must have felt naked without your gun all the time you were a guest of the Sovranos.¡±


    ¡°I managed.¡± He opens the door, removes a first aid kit, then walks over to me. Uncapping a tube of salve, he proceeds to spread it over the splotches of red on my skin. Any remaining burning sensation instantly subsides. The tension oozes out of my shoulders.


    He blows on the skin, then nces at me from under those thick eyshes. ¡°Better?¡± he asks.


    I nod, not trusting myself to speak. Somehow, this, being the center of his attention, is both unnerving as well as something I enjoy far too much. I could get used to it.


    He ces my arm on the table, then reaches over and cups my cheek, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt me.¡± I chuckle, ¡°I was just surprised; didn¡¯t expect you to creep up on me like that.¡±


    ¡°What were you singing?¡± He jerks his chin, ¡°Earlier, when I came in, you were humming a tune.¡±


    ¡°BTS,¡± I rify.


    ¡°BT who?¡± His eyebrows knit.


    ¡°BTS.¡± I stare, ¡°You don¡¯t know who they are?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± He smirks, ¡°I take it, they¡¯re popr?¡±


    ¡°They are only the biggest band in the world right now. They¡¯ve also won almost every music award there is to win.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he stares at my mouth and I wriggle around in my seat.


    ¡°They are, uh, like, really influential on social media,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Are they now?¡± He drags his thumb across my lower lip and I can¡¯t stop the moan that spills from my lips.


    ¡°Um, I think we should finish breakfast before it gets cold.¡±


    He finally raises his gaze to mine, ¡°I think I¡¯d prefer something else for breakfast, actually.¡±


    Moistureces my core. I nce away, then back at him. ¡°But I already started cooking,¡± I point out, ¡°and it¡¯s not good to waste food.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t, hmm?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Okay, then.¡± He leans in and presses a hard kiss to my mouth. By the time he straightens, my head is spinning.


    I stare as he caps the ointment and sets it aside. Then he saunters over to the counter, proceeds to te the bacon, along with the toast that has already popped in the toaster.


    ¡°How do you like your eggs?¡± He turns to me, ¡°Let me guess, scrambled?¡±


    I nod.


    He heads to the refrigerator, pulls out eggs, then returns to the gas range. He proceeds to make the eggs, tes them and returns with two heaped tes, one of which he sets in front of me. He moves back to the drawer near the stove and grabs cutlery that he slides over to me before he takes his own seat.


    ¡°Eat.¡± He points at my food.


    I dig in and the creaminess of the eggsbined with the salty vor of the bacon fills my pte. ¡°Whoa,¡± I nce up at him, ¡°these eggs are good.¡±


    ¡°I had to learn to cook when I was very young. Otherwise, I would have starved.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I nce up at him, not sure what to say.


    ¡°She was too busy earning a living. After the incident with the fire, we moved out. She made sure she never brought clients home after that. She also began making a lot more money, but it meant she had to be out of the house a lot. And when she was home, she was always too tired to cook. So I took over.¡±


    ¡°How old were you?¡±


    ¡°Six,¡± he replies.


    ¡°You were so young¡­¡± I pause with my fork half way to my mouth.


    ¡°I grew up fast.¡± His lips twist. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. It wasn¡¯t all bad. I do have happy memories of being with my mother, too. She tried to spend as much time with me as she could, when she wasn¡¯t exhausted. I was young, but even then, I could tell how bone-weary she was. I tried my best to make life easier for her.¡±


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have had to. You were just a child. Those were the years when you should have been carefree and naughty and able to do as you wanted.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t always get what we want, do we?¡±


    I bring the fork to my mouth and slide the food into my mouth.


    ¡°You have to go after what you want. What else is there in life, if not our dreams?¡± I finally say.


    ¡°The Tilting Tulip,¡± he narrows his gaze on me, ¡°that was your dream?¡±


    I nod. ¡°I love flowers, always have. Until he retired, my father was the gardener for the Sovrano family home, what is now Nonna¡¯s house. I used to go over to their house with him when I was young and would try to help my father while he was pruning their bushes and nting flowers. Those were the best times of my life.¡±


    ¡°And your sister? Did shee along too?¡±


    I pause. ¡°How did you know-¡±


    ¡°That you have a sister? I saw her at your wedding. Also,¡± he rubs the back of his neck, ¡°I saw it on your Instagram feed.¡±


    ¡°You stalked my social media feeds?¡± I stare.


    ¡°Also, as the memories started filtering back, I remembered having researched you,¡± he admits.


    I ce my fork back in my te.


    ¡°You began recollecting your past much earlier than you let on.¡± I swallow.


    ¡°Indeed, within a few days of regaining consciousness, my recollections had started trickling in. I remembered that I had turned up at Christian¡¯s wedding with the intention of throwing a scare into the Sovranos. It¡¯s also why I had waited until he and Aurora were separated from the rest of the family during their Christmas getaway. My intention was to make them feel insecure. To make them realize that they were not as invincible as they professed to be.¡±


    ¡°Because you wanted revenge on the Sovranos for what they did to your mother?¡± I ask.


    ¡°And because I was an undercover officer embedded in Freddie¡¯s gang. I needed him to put his trust in me and confide about his own activities. My aim was to put him away, along with the Sovranos.¡±


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now, the Sovranos are my family. I¡¯m still undercover, but I¡¯m also one of them,¡± he shakes his head as if he doesn¡¯t quite believe he just said those words, ¡°and I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but I don¡¯t think I can continue as a cop.¡±


    ¡°What if hees back for you?¡±


    ¡°The house is secure.¡± He leans back in his chair. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t take any chances with your safety, Sunshine.¡±


    I nce away. I am still not used to him calling me that.


    ¡°Hey.¡± His fork tters as he drops it on his te. Then he leans over and grips my chin, ¡°What¡¯s upsetting you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I swallow.


    ¡°It¡¯s something.¡± He rises to his feet, thenes around and squats down in front of me.


    ¡°Look at me,¡± he murmurs.


    I shake my head and tears prick the backs of my eyes. What the hell? Why am I feeling teary now? I didn¡¯t cry when he pulled a gun on the Sovranos, or when he hauled me out of there, or when I realized that we were boarding a ne out of Italy, so why is it that I feel like bawling now?


    I sniffle, and he cups my cheek. ¡°Hey,¡± his voice softens, ¡°tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡±


    ¡°Why does something have to be wrong?¡±


    ¡°Because you are crying?¡±


    ¡°I am not crying,¡± I insist, even as a teardrop rolls down my cheek. He scoops it up then brings his fingertip to his mouth and sucks on it.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Because I wanted to know how you taste? I want to know everything about you, Sunshine. Yourughter, your tears, how you look when you sleep, how you moan when I make love to you, how you look first thing in the morning when you wake up in my bed.¡±


    ¡°What about my favorite flower?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± He peers at me expectantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tulip-a ck tulip,¡± I add.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fill the entire garden with ck tulips if it makes you smile. In fact, I¡¯ll buy you a tulip farm in Amsterdam if that would make you stop crying.¡±


    A chuckle spills from my mouth, ¡°What would I do with a tulip farm in Amsterdam?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll buy you a tulip farm in the English countryside,¡± his brow furrows, ¡°assuming there are tulip farms in the English countryside?¡±


    ¡°There are a few,¡± I narrow my gaze on him, ¡°not that I want you to do that.¡± I add, ¡°I¡¯d be happy expanding my business and opening a branch of my flower shop in London.¡±


    ¡°You can do anything you want, baby.¡±


    ¡°I can?¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re a savvy business woman. I bet you¡¯ll have it up and running in no time.¡±


    My cheeks heat. I am not used to praise from him, or from anyone else, for that matter. I¡¯ve always done my thing, but done it quietly, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Partly because Xander had loaned me the money to open my shop in Palermo, I¡¯d preferred to just focus on the business, not wanting to draw anyone¡¯s attention to me. Even though I¡¯d known the Sovranos well, thanks to my parents. and to Xander. Still¡­ I had never beenpletelyfortable with the fact that I indirectly owed my sess to the Cosa Nostra.


    ¡°I want to do this on my own.¡±


    ¡°You are going to do this on your own,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want a loan from you. I¡¯d prefer to raise the funding for the shop on my own.¡±


    ¡°And your shop in Palermo?¡± He searches my features, ¡°What would you do with that?¡±


    ¡°My friend Elsa could continue to manage the day-to-day operations. I¡¯ve already made her the general manager. I¡¯d oversee it, but she could run it.¡±


    ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t miss it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d still be involved,¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°but this is a chance to expand my brand in a new country, and this time, I¡¯d own the cepletely.¡±


    He holds my gaze, then nods, ¡°Good.¡± He straightens, then holds out his hand. When I take it, he draws me up to my feet. He peers into my eyes, his own gleaming with intent.


    My belly trembles and my thighs clench, ¡°Umm, what are you doing?¡±


    His lips kick up, ¡°Raise your arms.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­why?¡±


    ¡°So I can undress you, of course.¡±


    Heat flushes my skin.


    He grabs the hem of my¡­well, his shirt, then pulls it partway up. ¡°Do it, baby,¡± he coaxes, and his term of endearment slides down my chest and settles between my legs. I raise my arms and he pulls the T-shirt up and off me.


    He takes in my naked body and his nostrils re. ¡°Jesus, all this time you weren¡¯t even wearing panties?¡±


    ¡°As you may recall, someone tore off my pantiesst night. And I wasn¡¯t exactly afforded the opportunity to pack. Besides, I was in a hurry toe down and start breakfast.¡±


    He smirks, then turns earnest. ¡°You don¡¯t have to cook, you know?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°And I do have a housekeeper whoes in daily to make sure the ce is clean and stocked up. She also cooks when I ask her to.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather cook for you.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek.


    ¡°Why do I find that so hot?¡± He leans in close enough so our breaths mingle. ¡°Why do I find you so hot?¡± He grasps my hips and drags me up to my tiptoes. ¡°Why do I find every part of you so delectable?¡± He licks my lips and a moan bleeds from my lips. He hauls me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. He kisses me deeply, his tongue in between my lips, his big hands squeezing my butt cheeks as he pulls me into him. He turns, ces me on the edge of the table, then shoves aside the tes and the cutlery, all of which crash to the floor.


    I start, then groan when he ttens his palm onto the center of my chest and urges me toy back. He drags his gaze down my breasts, my waist, to the flesh between my thighs.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he says in a hoarse voice, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to taste you again, but first,¡± he reaches over and grabs the jar of honey and holds it poised over my chest.


    ¡°What are you doin-¡± I gasp as he drizzles the honey across my breasts, then trails a stream down to my navel and across the soft flesh between my belly and my pussy. OMG, he¡¯s going to¡­ ahh. He ces the jar of honey somewhere above my head, then leans over and slurps up the honey around one nipple.


    ¡°Oh god,¡± I p my palm against the table as he curls his tongue about the nipple, then bites down on it. A groan spills from my lips as he continues his journey to my other breast. He slurps on the nipple and I feel the tug all the way to my core. He massages my tits while I dig my fingers into his hair.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I huff, ¡°this is insane.¡±


    I sense his lips curve before he proceeds to lick his way down the trail of honey to my belly button. When heps at the indentation, my entire body shudders. I tug on his hair and a growl rumbles up his chest. He slides down my body, then proceeds to lick up the honey from below my belly. My core clenches and my pussy quivers. I want him to lick me there, but if he does, I am going toe apart right here on the kitchen table. He blows on my swollen flesh, and I almost scream in frustration.


    He presses tiny kisses on either side of my core. My scalp tingles. He stays poised over the most intimate part of me. His hot breath sears my pussy. Moisture pools in my channel. I yank at his hair, trying to get him to lift his head. At the same time, I can¡¯t stop myself from raising my hips, trying to chase that feeling of having his lips on that part of me which is currently crying for attention.


    A low chuckle rolls from his lips and the vibrations shudder over my skin. My nerve endings seem to detonate, my toes curl, and my nipples grow so hard that pain shivers out from them.


    ¡°Goddam you,¡± I snarl, ¡°what are you waiting for?¡±


    He nces up at me from between my thighs. ¡°This.¡± He bares his teeth, ¡°Ask for it, Sunshine.¡±


    I firm my lips.


    ¡°Do it.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°Ask for what you want.¡±


    No.


    No.


    I swallow, ¡°Make love to me, husband.¡±

 244

    Axel


    Heat coils low in my belly. All of the blood drains to my groin. Husband. This is my wife. In my house. Laid out for my delectation. Something hot stabs at my chest. My vision tunnels. ¡°Say that again,¡± I growl.


    She licks her lips. Then, she draws in a breath, ¡°Fuck me, husband.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡± I twist my lips.


    Heat blooms on her cheeks.


    Without taking my gaze off of her, I squeeze the backs of her thighs, then throw one leg over my shoulder. I lower my mouth and lick her from backhole to pussy.


    A moan spills from her lips.


    I lick her again and her entire body jolts.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking sweet, baby.¡±


    I thrust my tongue inside her channel and she yells. ¡°Axel, ohmygod!¡±


    I continue to fuck her with my tongue as her entire body jerks. She squeezes her thighs around my neck, even as she pushes her pelvis up and into my face. I drag my tongue up her pussy lips, then bite down on her swollen clit. That¡¯s when she explodes. She arches off the table and grabs hold of my ears as the climax rips through her. She shudders as liquid heat slides down from between her thighs. I lower my head top it up, then climb over her body. I press my lips to hers and kiss her, then tear my mouth from hers. I slide the gun out from my waistband, ce it to the side, then shove my sweats down my thighs.


    ¡°Open your eyes, baby,¡± I order.


    She flutters open her eyelids as I notch my cock to her opening.


    ¡°I love you,¡± I lunge forward and into her with such force that her entire body moves forward. The table lurches and I pull out of her, then m into her again.


    She groans, ¡°Axel.¡± She opens her mouth and I fit my lips to hers again. I kiss her, thrust my tongue inside her mouth, as I begin to fuck her in earnest. In-out-in, I tilt my hips, thrust into her again, and my balls p against her flesh. Her breasts are squeezed against my chest, her ankles knotted over my back. I stare into her green gaze as I reach down and slide my thumb inside her backhole. I plunge inside her and can feel my cock fill her, stretch her and slide inside her, and fuck, if that isn¡¯t the hottest thing I have ever felt. My dick lengthens, my balls draw up, and I groan as Ie inside of her. I tear my lips from hers, stare into her eyes as I support my weight on my elbows.


    ¡°What are you doing to me?¡± I whisper, ¡°Why do I feel sopletely shaken when I am with you?¡±


    She presses her palm to my cheek, ¡°You¡¯re different here¡­ so much more open, so much more-¡±


    ¡°Myself?¡± I turn my head into her palm and kiss the soft flesh.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Did you mean it?¡± She asks in a soft voice.


    ¡°You mean about beingpletely shaken?¡± I turn to smirk at her.


    She frowns, ¡°No what you said before that.¡±


    ¡°About what you are doing to me?¡±


    She ps my shoulder, ¡°Before that.¡± Her cheeks grow pink, ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°When you said that-¡±


    ¡°That?¡±


    ¡°That you love me.¡±


    I peer into her face, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°That you do love me.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I agree, ¡°I have never felt like this before, Sunshine. Never felt as if my insides were being torn out of me, never felt like I was on the edge of a precipice and about to go into free fall. Never felt like my heart didn¡¯t belong to me anymore. Never wanted to protect anyone like I want to take care of you.¡±


    She swallows and a tear drop squeezes its way out of the corner of her eye.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I stare, ¡°did I make you cry?¡±


    ¡°No, yes,¡± she nces away then back at me, ¡°that has to be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re crying?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re tears of joy,¡± she exins.


    I shake my head, then pull out of her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she gasps.


    I nce down to where my cum slides down her inside thigh.


    ¡°Fuck, that¡¯s hot.¡± I reach down and push the liquid back inside her.


    She draws in a sharp breath. I nce up at her. Her pupils dte as she worries her lower lip.


    ¡°Told you, only I am allowed to hurt you, babe,¡± I reach up and tug her lip out from between her teeth.


    ¡°Why do you do that?¡± she asks in a low voice.


    ¡°Push my cum back inside of you?¡±


    She flushes. ¡°When you put it like that,¡± she squeezes her eyes shut, ¡°it sounds so filthy.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I straighten, drag my sweats up; then slide the gun into my waistband before I haul her up in my arms. ¡°And to answer your question, it¡¯s because I want to get you pregnant.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She stares up at me, ¡°You did not just say that.¡±


    I chuckle as I walk out of the kitchen and up the stairs.


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°I never say anything I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Jesus,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°first you say you love me, then you say you want to get me pregnant.¡±


    ¡°We are married,¡± I point out.


    ¡°You realize, you have more Mafia in you then you care to admit.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°This entire kidnapping me, bringing me to your home, then fucking the living daylights out of me and trying to get me pregnant. It¡¯s like, really possessive alphaholish behavior.¡±


    ¡°Alphaholish?¡± I frown.


    ¡°Yeah, when you go all asshole and you are alpha, ergo-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment,¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Of course, you would,¡± she snorts, ¡°and if that isn¡¯t acting like one of the Sovranos, I don¡¯t know what is.¡±


    I frown as I walk into my bedroom.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you by saying that.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t upset me,¡± I head into the bathroom, ¡°but it¡¯s disconcerting to realize that you are right.¡±


    I reach the tub and set her down, then turn on the tap. The water flows into the tub and steam rises up.


    I straighten and nce down to find her staring up at me, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Who are you and what have you done to Axel?¡±


    ¡°Not sure I follow,¡± I reply.


    ¡°You¡¯re just so much more approachable, so real, so human¡­ so much more, the kind of man I¡¯d hoped to fall in love with.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think I am in love with you-¡±


    ¡°Yet,¡± I pick her up by her waist and ce her in the tub.


    She giggles nervously, ¡°I am still not used to your moving me around with such ease.¡±


    ¡°You are a tiny thing,¡± I point out.


    ¡°And you,¡± she reaches over and grips my cock, ¡°are so big.¡±


    An hourter, I gaze at her, fast asleep in my bed. After thatment about my being so big, which fuck, if it didn¡¯t go straight to my head¡­ not that it should have surprised me because I am bigger than most men¡­ And no, I didn¡¯t have to measure myself. It¡¯s something I have been told by other women. I frown. The thought of being with any of them doesn¡¯t sit right with me anymore. Guess I am pussy-whipped by a tiny, curvy spitfire who¡¯s got mepletely under her spell. Sunshine turns over and sighs. Her fingers are wrapped around mine. I nce at my ring on her finger and something fierce grips me. I bend down, press a kiss to her parted lips, then pull away from her.


    The security app on my phone pings. I snatch up the phone and can¡¯t stop the smile that curls my lips. About damned time, too.


    I press a button on the app, then begin to get dressed.


    As I pull on my clothes, I can¡¯t take my gaze off of her. She¡¯s mine to protect. Mine to cherish. And I am going to make sure no one ever hurts her. Even if it means that I hurt myself in the process. I get dressed, then grab my gun from where I had ced it on the bureau. I head down the steps toward the study, step inside, thene to a stop.


    ¡°Hello, motherfuckers.¡±

 245

    Axel


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem too surprised to see us,¡± Sebments.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make it hard for you to find me. I guess you could say, I counted on it,¡± I drawl.


    Luca leans back in the chair behind my desk. He ces one leg, then the other onto the surface. ¡°Are you implying that you knew we¡¯de for you?¡±


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why you did it in the first ce.¡± Massimo slides a book back into its ce in the bookshelf, before he turns to face me. ¡°If you wanted our attention, you had it already. And if you wanted to speak, we could have done it in Palermo.¡±


    ¡°You knew this was the first ce we¡¯d look for you; that¡¯s why you are still here,¡± Seb states.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving this stronzo too much credit,¡± Luca protests.


    ¡°Your security arrangements are impressive. Your men recognized us, but once we exined to them that we were technically family, they didn¡¯t stop us,¡± Massimo murmurs.


    I tilt my head.


    ¡°You briefed them to let us in?¡± Massimo rubs his jaw, ¡°Motherfucker, you did, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I saw you on my security camera and told them to wave you on.¡± I pull up the security app on my phone and show it to them.


    ¡°Stocazzo!¡± Luca swears.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Seb says slowly.


    I nce between them, ¡°Would you like a drink?¡± I stalk over to the bar at the far side, then grab a bottle of whiskey and proceed to pour the liquid into four sses.


    Massimo walks over to stand next to me. Seb approaches me and nks me on the other side. They each reach for a ss. I grab mine and the remaining one, then walk over to my desk and ce it in front of Luca.


    He folds his arms across his chest and ignores it. I turn, raise my ss in Massimo and Seb¡¯s directions, before I down the alcohol.


    Massimo and Seb follow suit.


    ¡°Good liquor.¡± Massimo turns and snatches up the bottle, then whistles. ¡°Macan¡¯s forty-year-old, eh?¡±


    ¡°I like my whiskey.¡± I raise a shoulder.


    Massimo pours more of the alcohol into his own ss, then tops up Seb¡¯s, before walking over to pour more liquor into my ss.


    ¡°So,¡± he ces the bottle on the desk behind me, ¡°you going to tell us what this is about?¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Michael?¡±


    ¡°He couldn¡¯te.¡± Seb scowls as he sips from his ss, ¡°Karma wasn¡¯t feeling well so he opted to stay behind.¡±


    ¡°Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°Is Theresa okay?¡± Luca shoots back.


    ¡°None of your business,¡± I say without turning around.


    ¡°Ah, but it is, stronzo.¡± He swings his legs off the desk and rises to his feet. ¡°You made it our business when you pulled a gun on the Don and left with a woman who is under his protection.¡±


    ¡°I confess, I don¡¯t see the logic in what you did.¡± Massimo scratches his chin. ¡°Hell, you married her. If you had asked Michael, he would have let you both leave with his blessings.¡±


    ¡°And this way, I didn¡¯t have to ask anyone.¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°I left with what¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°After you threatened the Don in front of the entire town and in church.¡± Luca clicks his tongue, ¡°Either you are very foolish or-¡±


    ¡°You have a n,¡± Seb cuts in. ¡°By drawing attention to us, and making us seem weak, you ensured that every single rival n looked on this as the opportunity to go on the offensive against us.¡±


    ¡°In fact, you counted on it.¡± Massimo takes a sip from his ss. ¡°You hoped we¡¯d be so preupied by attacks it would take us time to regroup.¡±


    ¡°I had hoped it wouldnd you in enough heat that it would dy youring after me, yes.¡±


    ¡°Something which, clearly, didn¡¯t work. As you can see,¡± Luca rounds the desk, grabs his ss and stands next to Massimo, ¡°we are here to take the two of you back to Palermo.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t us asking,¡± Seb says in a mild tone. ¡°We havee to apany you back to the bosom offamiglia, whether it¡¯s with your consent or not.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I take a drink of my whiskey. ¡°It really is good, isn¡¯t it?¡± I tilt my head, ¡°Although, it¡¯s nothing like the one-hundred-year-old whiskey, which isn¡¯t for consumption by the likes of you.¡±


    ¡°Likes of us?¡± Luca¡¯s features darken. ¡°What the fuck is that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to get a rise out of you,¡± Massimo warns.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s seeding,¡± Luca growls.


    I turn to him, ¡°You realize you are the vulnerable point in this entire family? The one who talks without thinking. Who shoots before he is ready to face the consequences of his actions.¡±


    His features distort. The next second, he moves, but my gun is already in my hand. We aim our guns at each other.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± Massimo scowls, ¡°put ¡¯em down, you stronzos.¡±


    Neither Luca nor I move. We re at each other. Luca¡¯s jaw is hard. The skin around his eyes tightens. A nerve pops at his temple as he holds my gaze.


    ¡°Put down your guns,¡± Seb snaps. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this through without killing each other, shall we?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, from where I am, a bullet in his thick, fat head seems like a better use of my time than trying to pay.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing your luck, you testa di cazzo,¡± Luca growls.


    I allow my lips to curl in the semnce of a smile, ¡°Like I said, you are the weak link in this chain. If there¡¯s anyone who will bring down the Sovranos, it¡¯s you, asshole.¡±


    Luca¡¯s lips firm; his fingers tighten on his trigger.


    Iugh, ¡°You going to shoot me, motherfucker?¡±


    ¡°I am fucking tempted,¡± Luca says in a hard voice.


    Massimo nces between us, ¡°Put down the guns, you coglioni.¡±


    Luca winces.


    ¡°At some point, I am going to need a trantion of the expressions you guys seem to bandy about with such crity,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°Stand down, both of you.¡± Seb scowls. ¡°This is getting fucking tiring. Let¡¯s talk like adults, so I can head back home.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce, ¡°Have someone waiting for you, eh?¡±


    ¡°None of your business,¡± he replies. ¡°Are you guys going to stop acting like irresponsible facia di merda or what?¡±


    ¡°I know what merda means,¡± I mutter.


    ¡°Congrattions,¡± Luca snorts, ¡°the only word you understood is the one that trantes to shit. Figures.¡±


    I eye him with scorn. ¡°What are you, seven? If you are trying to insult me, you could, at least,e up with a better one than that.¡±


    ¡°How about fetente?¡± Luca scowls at me. ¡°That¡¯s an improvement, actually. You are more of a fetente than a pezzo di merda.¡±


    ¡°What the hell does fetente mean?¡±


    ¡°At least, your ent is good.¡± Massimo nods in my direction.


    ¡°Stinking pile of shit,¡± Luca offers helpfully.


    ¡°Like I said, your insults are immature.¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°Says the man who pulled the most juvenile stunt of the century.¡± Luca chortles.


    ¡°Fuck you, man,¡± I growl. I shouldn¡¯t let his ribbing get to me, but damn, if I can¡¯t feel the skin under my cor grow hot.


    ¡°Fuck me?¡± Lucaughs, ¡°Fuck you, motherfucker.¡±


    ¡°So, you do know how to insult in English, eh?¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Seb scowls between us, ¡°lower your guns. Both of you. Right now.¡±


    ¡°First you,¡± I snap.


    ¡°First you,¡± Luca says at the same time.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo, clearly, Luca is not the only hot-headed one in the family anymore,¡± Seb growls.


    Luca and I re at each other for a few seconds, then both of us lower our guns at the same time.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I slide my gun back into my waistband, while Luca ces his on the table.


    He reaches for his drink, which he¡¯d managed to ce on the table at the same time that he¡¯d drawn his gun, and I hadn¡¯t even noticed. Bastard¡¯s fast, I¡¯ll give him that.


    ¡°Finally, fuck,¡± Seb rubs the back of his neck, ¡°let¡¯s talk like grown-ups, shall we?¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, let¡¯s not,¡± a new voice sounds from the direction of the door.


    I swing toward the door, then draw in a breath.


    ¡°Told you you¡¯d regret throwing me out of your house.¡± He presses his gun into Theresa¡¯s temple.


    ¡°Motherfucker,¡± I reach for my gun, but he shakes his head.


    ¡°Touch your gun and she dies.¡±


    My heart rate ratchets up. My pulse pounds at my temple. A bead of sweat trails down my temple as I take in her features. Her color is pale, her hair flowing about her shoulders. She¡¯s wearing the same shirt that I pulled off her earlier. Thankfully, she¡¯s also wearing my boxer briefs under it. She swallows but gives no other sign of being nervous. I hold her gaze and try tomunicate my strength to her. I must seed, for she jerks her chin in a slight gesture.


    Behind me, I sense Luca reach for his gun, but Freddie shoots at the table. Chips of wood fly out and Luca swears.


    ¡°Keep your hands where I can see them.¡± Freddie jerks his chin in Luca¡¯s direction. ¡°And that goes for you too,¡± he narrows his gaze on me.


    I hesitate, and he must push his gun into Theresa¡¯s temple, for she makes a small sound at the back of her throat. My chest tightens. Adrenalineces my blood. How dare he put his hands on her? How dare he hold a gun to her? How dare he walk into my house and touch my wife? Anger floods my blood. My vision tunnels. The blood pumps so hard that I can hear each beat of my heart in my ears.


    ¡°Axe,¡± Seb¡¯s voice cuts through the noise in my head, ¡°don¡¯t,¡± he growls.


    I swallow down the fear that bubbles up my throat, then raise my hands.


    ¡°Good,¡± Freddie smiles, ¡°now we talk.¡±

 246

    Theresa


    I woke up and found myself alone. So, I dressed quickly in his T-shirt and boxers and wandered down, where I heard voices from the library. Hate to say, it but I decided to spy on the Sovranos and my husband. I know, I shouldn¡¯t have, but I couldn¡¯t help it. I was curious about the dynamics between them. And I wanted to see how Axel would react to them. Would they actually end up fighting it out? Or would they arrive at some kind of agreement? And would Axel actually agree to return to Palermo?


    To be honest, I don¡¯t want to return, but I wanted to see how things would y out between them. So, I stayed silent and peeked in on the conversation. I was so engrossed in the dynamics between the four of them that by the time I heard the footstep behind me, it was toote. I turned and recognized him as the man I saw leaving after threatening Axel the other day; by which time, he already had a gun pressed to my temple.


    I¡¯m so damn angry for allowing myself to fall into this situation. I¡¯m conforming to the stereotype of the helpless woman in distress, something that the Cosa Nostra has always warned us about. It¡¯s why they don¡¯t want us involved in the business end of things-there¡¯s also their belief that their women make them weak-which is why they prefer us to be hidden out of sight of their enemies. And dolled up and waiting for them when theye home. Even when I had thought that I¡¯d be married to Xander I had sworn that I wouldn¡¯t be a typical Mafia wife. Xander was an artist; no way, would he have forced me to be so submissive.


    When I had met Axel, though, everything had changed. I had been so attracted to him, so under his spell that I could never deny him anything, anyway. Which is all the more reason why I want to find my backbone, some semnce of being my own person. At least, in other parts of my life.


    That¡¯s why I had decided to stay back and not let them know I was there, so I could get more information on the situation, because, hell, everyone in the Cosa Nostra knows that information is power. And while I¡¯d never have consciously kept anything from Axel¡­ Hell, I also wasn¡¯t going to turn down the opportunity that had presented itself¡­ And now I¡¯vended in exactly the kind of situation that the Mafia has warned us about. Cazzo! I hold Axel¡¯s gaze, take in how his jaw is clenched, how his features are pale and his gaze angry as he nces from me to the man who¡¯s holding a gun to my head, then back at me. Is he upset with me? I wouldn¡¯t me him if he were. Maledizioni, I am upset with myself fornding in this quandary.


    The man urges me forward and I take a step toward Axel, then another. The whole time, Axel holds my gaze. The anger bleeds out of his features, leaving an expressionless mask. He holds up his arms, palms face up, as he tracks us. I pause and the man behind me digs his gun into my temple again. My heart ms into my chest, sweat pools in my underarms, and I can¡¯t stop the breath that catches in my chest. Axel notices it and his jaw tics. His blue gaze deepens. For a second, I spot something like fear-for me?-then it¡¯s gone and the inscrutable look is back on his face.


    ¡°Keep moving,¡± the man behind me barks. I walk in the direction he urges me. He grips my shoulder and I almost stumble, but he rights me with an arm around my waist. I flinch, try to pull away, but his grip tightens.


    ¡°Let go of her,¡± Axel says in a hard voice.


    ¡°I will,¡± the man drawls, ¡°but you understand, the only way to ensure your cooperation is if I keep her hostage?¡±


    ¡°If you dare hurt one hair on her head, I¡¯ll kill you,¡± Axel¡¯s tone is impassive, like his face.


    The manughs, ¡°Wonderful. All that passion just waiting to be unleashed. It will make for an impressive finale.¡±


    ¡°The fuck you talking about?¡± Axel growls.


    ¡°You know what I am talking about,¡± the man replies, ¡°you owe me, Axel.¡±


    ¡°I owe you nothing.¡±


    ¡°I gave you a ce in my gang, a purpose. I taught you everything I knew. Hell, I treated you like a son.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Axel replies.


    The man chuckles, ¡°You never could get away from your Italian blood, could you? I tried to teach you to be calm and measured in your approach. To think strategically before you made your move. To make a n and focus on the end goal. And you were nearly there, too,¡± he shakes his head, ¡°but I should have known, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. In the end, you reverted to your true nature. Like your old man, you let your emotions get the better of you, and now look where that¡¯snded you.¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± Seb scowls.


    ¡°You mean your brother hasn¡¯t told you?¡± the man asks, his tone gleeful. ¡°Shit, I do love big reveals. And set pieces. You¡¯ve gotta admit, it doesn¡¯t get more impressive than this, with most of the key yers all in one ce.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Luca growls.


    The man holds up his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we?¡± He turns to Axel, ¡°You want to tell them, or should I?¡±


    Axel¡¯s jaw tics. His shoulders flex, but he doesn¡¯t move. Doesn¡¯t say another word.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to do the honors, eh?¡± The man all but cackles, ¡°But first, allow me to introduce myself. Freddie Nielsen, at your service. If the surname is familiar, it¡¯s because I am rted to the legendary Nielsen brothers.¡±


    ¡°The fuck you talking about?¡± Massimo lowers his chin to his chest.


    ¡°You know Ronnie and Reggie Nielsen? The well-known English mobsters who also happened to be twins? There was a Hollywood film made about them, with a very famous Hollywood actor ying both lead roles. I do fancy I am more handsome than him though. They should have given the role to me, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    A bead of sweat runs down my temple. Axel doesn¡¯t take his gaze off of me. I hold onto his gaze, drawing strength from it. He won¡¯t let anything happen to me. He can¡¯t let anything happen to me. He¡¯ll save me. I know he will.


    ¡°And you are the Sovranos, of course. At least, you are better looking than your father.¡±


    Seb stiffens, ¡°You knew our father?¡±


    ¡°Did I know your father?¡± Freddieughs.


    I sense the vibrations roll up his chest and try to put distance between us, but he yanks me even closer to him. My skin crawls and a trickle of revulsion slithers down my spine. Terror grips my chest and I stare at Axel, willing him to do something, anything, to help me. His jaw flexes and the nerve grows even more prominent at his temple. The fingers of his right hand curl slightly. My gaze flicks to his hand, then back to his face. He shakes his head, the motion almost imperceptible, except I have been watching him so closely that I spot it.


    ¡°We were partners,¡± Freddie rifies.


    ¡°Partners?¡± Luca frowns, ¡°Dear old dad didn¡¯t do partners. He wouldn¡¯t even entertain the thought of any of us seeding him. He had to die for Michael to finally be Don.¡±


    ¡°And why do you think that was?¡± Freddie waves his hand holding the gun.


    All of my muscles tense. Axel¡¯s chest rises and falls. His gaze tracks the gun as Freddie leans forward and further into me in his excitement, ¡°He already had a partner, so he couldn¡¯t entertain the thought of anyone else cutting in on his empire.¡±


    Axel¡¯s gaze narrows, the skin around his mouth whitens, his shoulders flex, and he seems like he is about to rush forward and drag Freddie off of me. This time, it¡¯s me who shakes my head slightly. Please, I plead with my gaze, please, don¡¯t do anything foolish.


    He must understand me, for he nods.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Seb finally says, ¡°and even if I did, what difference would that make?¡±


    ¡°What do you want from us?¡± Luca growls.


    ¡°Not you, him,¡± Freddie jerks his chin at Axel. ¡°Shoot him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Axel scowls.


    ¡°Your brother.¡± Freddie nods in Seb¡¯s direction, ¡°You can start with him.¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Axel growls.


    ¡°Shoot him or I shoot her.¡± He ces the barrel of the gun against my temple again, and I can¡¯t stop the sound of panic that spills from my lips. My heart ms against my ribcage. Adrenalineces my blood.


    ¡°Do it,¡± Freddie snaps.


    Axel¡¯s features tighten. He lowers his hand, reaches for the gun at the small of his back, then he draws it out and raises it.


    ¡°No funny business now, or I¡¯ll shoot your wife.¡± Freddie tightens his grip on me and I groan.


    Axel¡¯s entire body goes rigid. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her, you motherfucker,¡± he says in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    He turns slightly and levels his gun at Seb.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± Massimo swears.


    ¡°Knew you¡¯d turn on us,¡± Luca res at him. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking shoot him, you carogna.¡±


    Axel cocks the pistol and the sound echoes through the space. Goosebumps pop on my skin. The hair on the back of my neck rises.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I manage to push out the word through a throat gone dry.


    Seb seems to freeze, every muscle in his body wound so tightly that the tension pours off of him. He meets Axel¡¯s gaze, and the two seem to engage in a face-off.


    The silence stretches a second, then another.


    ¡°The fuck you waiting for?¡± Freddie bursts out. ¡°Shoot him, you basta-¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    A shot rings out. I squeeze my eyes shut and cry out. Something tters to the ground, then his grip on my waist loosens. I turn to find Freddie staggering back. He has his palm pressed to his side. The blood flows down his arm, drips to the floor. I hear someone screaming from a distance. My throat hurts and that¡¯s when I realize it¡¯s me.


    Axel moves in Freddie¡¯s direction, his gun in his outstretched hand. Freddie pushes me forward. My foot hits the gun that Freddie dropped and it tters away. I stumble forward and Axel swerves to the side and catches me. Seb bends to pick up the gun, then charges past us, following Luca and Massimo.


    I stare up into Axel¡¯s expressionless face. He¡¯s ring down at me, anger in his eyes.


    ¡°Axel?¡± I venture.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay?¡± he says in that expressionless tone.


    I nod.


    ¡°If anything had happened to you, I¡¯d never have been able to forgive myself.¡± He wipes my cheek and his handes away bloodied.


    I press my palm to my face, rub at whatever is there.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I swallow. My stomach churns. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my blood.¡±


    He drags the back of his hand across my cheek again and again. ¡°He touched you,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°The bastard dared to put his hands on you. He held a gun to you.¡± He lowers his hand. ¡°I am going to kill him.¡± He tries to brush past me, but I grab his arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go. Please, Axel, don¡¯t go.¡± My voice wavers, and damn it, I don¡¯t want to appear weak, but the thought of that monster¡¯s blood tainting my skin¡­? Somehow, it feels worse than having him hold a gun to my temple. A trembling grips me.


    ¡°Sunshine?¡± Axel¡¯s features seem to fade in and out.


    My hands and feet feel so cold. It¡¯s the adrenaline draining away, I realize, but I can¡¯t stop my body from swaying. Dark specks flicker at the edges of my vision.


    ¡°Theresa,¡± he calls as he grips my shoulders. The heat of his body flows over me and I lean into him.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I whisper, ¡°I¡­ I lo-¡± Darkness overwhelms me.

 247

    Axel


    ¡°Theresa, baby,¡± I catch her as she slumps against me. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck.¡± I hold her close, peer into her features. ¡°Open your eyes, Sunshine.¡± My heart is racing so hard, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to jump out of my ribcage. My stomach ties itself in knots. Why did she copse? Is she hurt? I rake my gaze across her face but can¡¯t find any injury. ¡°Goddamit.¡± I scoop her up in my arms, then walk over to the settee and lower her to it.


    Water, I need water. I nce around, spot a bottle of water on the table and leap toward it. I snatch up the bottle, race back to her, and ssh some of the water on her face. She moans, then her eyelids flicker.


    ¡°Bloody hell.¡± I haul her to my chest and hold her and rock her. My heart beat refuses to slow down and my stomach is still tied up in knots. ¡°You scared me baby, you fucking made me die a thousand deaths in those few minutes.¡±


    ¡°S¡­sorry,¡± she coughs. ¡°I think everything just finally got to me.¡± She shudders, ¡°Is he gone?¡±


    ¡°I think the others are still in pursuit, but,¡± I squeeze my arms about her, ¡°I need to go after him and-¡±


    ¡°And what, kill him?¡± She peers up at me, ¡°Is that what you are going to do?¡±


    ¡°You know the kind of life I live, Sunshine. Death and I are not strangers by any stretch of imagination.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you go after him.¡± She grips the front of my shirt. ¡°If something were to happen to you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to survive it.¡±


    I hold her gaze, then bend and brush my lips over hers. ¡°Nothing is going to happen to me. You, on the other hand,¡± I cup her cheek, ¡°you¡¯re fragile, and so vulnerable. It¡¯s because of me that he came after you. I put you in danger.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°you know better than that. When you live in the world of the Mafia, you have to be prepared for something like this happening.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you were safe until I came along.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that,¡± she argues.


    ¡°I do,¡± I nod. The band around my chest is so tight that I can¡¯t breathe. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± I search her features. ¡°You sure you haven¡¯t been hurt?¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± she whispers.


    I ce my palm over hers, wanting to hold her close. Wanting to reassure her and tell her that I¡¯ll never leave her side again. That we¡¯ll always be together. That I¡¯ll always be there to take care of her.


    Lies. All lies. It¡¯s because of me, that bastard Freddie got to her. It¡¯s because I married her, she came to his attention. It¡¯s because I brought her here, I put her squarely on the radar of every criminal who holds a grudge against me.


    I drop my hand from hers and try to rise, but she doesn¡¯t let go of me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she begs, ¡°please, don¡¯t leave me.¡±


    I nce down at where she clutches the front of my shirt, then back at her face. I gently try to unhook her fingers from my shirt, but she holds on.


    ¡°Axel, don¡¯t do it,¡± a tear slides down her cheek, ¡°please Axel, please don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± She swallows, ¡°You¡¯re ming yourself right now for what happened. You think I¡¯ll be safer if I¡¯m away from you. You think if you¡¯re not with me, I¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± I nce away, ¡°I can¡¯t protect you, my own wife.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°I promised that you were not in any danger, that I¡¯d make sure nothing happened to you. I failed.¡±


    ¡°You shot him.¡± She grips my cheek and tries to turn me to face her. ¡°It¡¯s because of you that he¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of me that he decided to use you as a way to get to me.¡±


    ¡°But you saved me.¡±


    ¡°I almost got you killed.¡±


    ¡°I am here. So are you. We are both fine. That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Is it, though?¡± I turn to meet her gaze, ¡°What about the next time it happens? And the time after that? What if I am not there to save you the next time?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be there for me.¡± She swallows.


    ¡°Not anymore.¡± I tug her fingers from the front of my shirt, then hold her palms between my own for just a second. Her soft skin, the scent of orange blossoms, the feel of her curves against mine¡­ Imit it all to memory before I release her fingers and rise to my feet.


    ¡°Axel,¡± she sits up, ¡°where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Away from you.¡±


    ¡°I am your wife,¡± she jumps up to her feet, ¡°my ce is with you.¡±


    ¡°Not if I divorce you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Her voice trembles, ¡°what do you mean?¡±


    I nce at her over my shoulder, ¡°I should have never married you in the first ce. It was all a sham you know that, right? A way to get close to the Sovranos.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean it,¡± she cries. ¡°I know you love me. You told me so.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how good pussy can make a man lose his head and say things in the heat of the moment. I-¡±


    She raises her hand and her palm connects with my face. Painnces across my nerve-endings, but that¡¯s nothingpared to the agony that squeezes my chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± Seb¡¯s voice sounds from the direction to the doorway. I turn to find him prowling in.


    ¡°Are you okay, Theresa?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°I am now,¡± she says in a toneless voice.


    ¡°He knocked out the security guards on his way in,¡± Massimo says in a disgusted voice as he reenters the room.


    I nce at my phone and notice the notification on my security app. ¡°I missed the warning that he breached my security measures,¡± I growl.


    ¡°And he gave us the slip, cazzo!¡± Massimo rakes his fingers through his hair. ¡°Who is he? If he was our father¡¯s partner, then why haven¡¯t we ever heard about him?¡±


    ¡°Who the fuck knows?¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°And are you actually surprised your father kept secrets from you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your connection to this Freddie character?¡± Luca steps inside and shuts the door behind him. ¡°You¡¯d bettere clean, stronzo. It¡¯s time for you to stop with the lies.¡±


    I nce from him to Massimo, who stares at me with a quizzical look on his face, to Seb, who surveys me with a shrewd gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I owe you an exnation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are hardly in a position to refuse,¡± Lucaughs.


    ¡°Oh, but I think I am,¡± I drawl.


    Luca scowls and Massimo¡¯s gaze narrows.


    Behind me, I sense her drawing in a breath, but she doesn¡¯t say anything. I dare not nce over my shoulder at her. If I do, I¡¯ll weaken and I can¡¯t afford that. All I have to do is make sure that she is safe¡­ Focus, focus on that.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Seb says in a soft voice.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± I step away, creating distance from all of them, ¡°you see, I think I hold all of the cards here.¡± I nce at each of them in turn, then fold my arms over my chest, ¡°I¡¯m a cop.¡±

 248

    Axel


    ¡°What?¡± Massimo gapes.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Lucaughs. ¡°I knew you would betray us.¡± He turns on Seb, ¡°Told you, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Seb rubs his chin as he watches me with a moody gaze. ¡°Exin,¡± he finally says. ¡°You¡¯re a cop, and you were working with him?¡± He nods toward the doorway through which Freddie had earlier disappeared.


    ¡°Undercover,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°I was working undercover.¡±


    ¡°Undercover?¡± Sunshine exhales. ¡°So, all this time¡­ when you were in aa, when you asked me to move into the same home as you, when you married me-?¡±


    ¡°I was undercover,¡± I reply. ¡°I have been undercover for thest five years.¡±


    ¡°Five years?¡± Massimo rubs the back of his neck, ¡°What have you been doing during that time?¡±


    ¡°Building my reputation in the underworld, working closely with Freddie and building his trust.¡±


    ¡°A trust that you broke today when you fired at him,¡± Seb points out.


    ¡°Too bad, I missed,¡± I growl.


    ¡°So, you were trying to get enough evidence to put him behind bars?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°And the lot of you,¡± I admit. ¡°It¡¯s why I married Theresa, so I could have an ¡®in¡¯ to your inner circle. It¡¯s why-¡±


    ¡°You wanted a seat at the table with Michael.¡± Luca whistles. ¡°The Don is not going to be happy.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is that the only reason you decided to take on this assignment?¡± Seb folds his arms over his chest, ¡°Seems it was much more than professional interest at stake here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant deduction.¡± I snort, ¡°Of course, it wasn¡¯t only professional. I had a personal stake in bringing you guys down. It was because of my personal connection that I got this case.¡±


    ¡°Seems you would have been too close to the targets to be allowed to take on this case.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how persuasion and corruption can go hand-in-hand within the ranks of the police department.¡±


    ¡°They are the same as us,¡± Luca tosses his head, ¡°fucking pigs, with their holier-than-thou attitude. Ultimately, it alwayses down to money and power. Throw in a personal stake, and anything can bend your way.¡±


    ¡°So, you wanted to take us down.¡± Seb tilts his head. ¡°That¡¯s why you took on this case?¡±


    ¡°What other reason could there be?¡± I widen my stance. ¡°You guys are the Cosa Nostra, the most wanted criminals in Europe, and you¡¯ve been allowed free reign for too long.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you wanted to know more about your birth family? Wanted to find out about your brothers?¡±


    ¡°I told you, my mother never mentioned the fact that I was one among triplets or that I had brothers, for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you wanted to find out where you came from,¡± Seb drums his fingers on his chest, ¡°get to know your family better.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± I concede, ¡°but the main reason I took on the assignment was so I could bring you all down, make no mistake about that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that to your own family?¡± Luca growls.


    ¡°You are not my family,¡± I shoot back. ¡°Your father-¡±


    ¡°Our father,¡± Massimo corrects me.


    ¡°Your father turned out my mother when she needed help.¡±


    ¡°She wanted to leave,¡± Luca points out. ¡°It¡¯s why he let her go.¡±


    ¡°After ensuring that he had exchanged us for assets. That¡¯s all he was concerned about. Power. And your grandmother? She didn¡¯t try to stop him.¡±


    ¡°So, for what you think were their misdeeds you want to bring down the only blood rtions you have?¡± Massimo drawls.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I say without hesitation. ¡°The lot of you belong behind bars.¡±


    ¡°And you, where do you belong?¡± Theresa cuts in.


    ¡°Not with you,¡± I say without looking at her, yet I sense her flinch. My stomach knots and bile sloshes up my throat. Goddam it. Apparently, even my body knows when I am lying. As long as I can keep the expression off my face and make sure that she believes me¡­


    ¡°Why are you telling us all of this now?¡± Seb finally asks.


    ¡°I want to cut a deal with you,¡± I respond.


    ¡°Of course, you do,¡± Luca raises his gaze skywards, ¡°this keeps getting better and better.¡±


    Seb narrows his gaze on me, ¡°What sort of a deal?¡±


    Luca glowers at him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Massimo snaps.


    ¡°I want you to take her back to Palermo and make sure she is safe.¡±


    Theresa stiffens, but she doesn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Done,¡± Seb nods.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Luca rounds on him, ¡°You¡¯re actually going to agree without asking him what he is going to do for us in return?¡±


    ¡°What do we get in return?¡± Seb raises his chin.


    ¡°I give a version of events to my bosses that will ensure you guys are clearedrgely.¡± I nce between them, ¡°Of course, one of you may have to take the fall for some of the events, and perhaps do a reduced jail time.¡± I nce at Luca, who glowers at me.


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°Look, it¡¯s the best I can do, and you know it could have been a lot worse than this. I hold the fate of your future in my hands.¡± I tilt my head in Seb¡¯s direction. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we could kill you and make it look like it was Freddie. Without backup, you don¡¯t hold much leverage.¡± Seb reminds me.


    ¡°Then again, I am your brother and I am married to Theresa, who is under your protection, so¡­¡± I raise a shoulder.


    He holds my gaze for a few seconds, then he nods, ¡°I¡¯ll need to discuss this with Michael.¡±


    Tension leaches out of my shoulders. ¡°Of course,¡± I jerk my chin, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡±


    I head toward the door when she calls out, ¡°So this is it? You are going to leave me without even a goodbye.¡±


    I pause, then grit my teeth before schooling my features back into some semnce of normalcy. I nce at her over my shoulder and choke out the words, ¡°Goodbye, Theresa.¡± Turning, I stalk out.

 249

    Theresa


    ¡°So, he walked out on you?¡± Elsa nces at me with wide eyes. ¡°He just left?¡±


    ¡°Y-e-a-p!¡± I nod.


    Damn it, I had been dreading this conversation, which is why I had stayed away from my shop since arriving home. Hell, I hadn¡¯t even gone home. Instead, I had stayed with Michael and Karma for the week since returning from London. They had respected my privacy and let me be. Which meant, I had done nothing but sleepte most days, and cry myself to sleep most nights. In between, Cass had taken over the job of getting my food to my room.


    Initially, I had protested but she¡¯d brooked no arguments. She¡¯d told me I should focus on simply getting my strength back. I had been too heart-broken to protest, so I had taken advantage of the generosity of my friends. It took five days for me to venture out of my room, a week for me to face up to my life, and tell them that I was ready to face the world. I had asked to move back into Xander¡¯s home and Michael had been more than happy for me to do that. So, I have taken up residence in the home of the man I once thought I loved, whichter became the home of the man I know I still love, and neither of them are here with me.


    It was clear that he was¡­ He still is my future. There is no one else for me, except him. If only he would realize that. I finally made it to work today, and as expected, Elsa is full of questions. It doesn¡¯t seem half as agonizing as I¡¯d anticipated to talk to her about what happened. In fact, it¡¯s almost a relief to be able to finally share the events with a friend.


    ¡°And this was right after he told you all that he was an undercover cop?¡± her voice rises in disbelief.


    I nod again.


    She blinks rapidly. ¡°And they let him leave?¡±


    ¡°Seb called Michael, but I didn¡¯t hear what he said.¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Elsa¡¯s flushes.


    ¡°You okay?¡± I peer into her features.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She nces about the tiny office we share behind the flower shop. ¡°Is it warm in here? Did you turn up the heating again?¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± I watch as she goes to the window and flings it open, then leans out and takes in a few deep breaths, before she turns to face me again.


    ¡°I have to admit, everyone seems to have behaved in a very civilized manner.¡±


    ¡°You mean, considering it was more or less a stand-off between the cops and the Mafia?¡± I ask wryly.


    ¡°We live in Mafiand, so I wasn¡¯t surprised you were linked to the Sovranos, but,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°what are the odds that you¡¯d marry a man who was trying to take them down?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know, right?¡± I shake my head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he would leave like that,¡± Elsa says in a soft voice.


    ¡°Me neither.¡± I shuffle my feet. A tightens grips my chest and I fold my fingers together in front of me. I will not cry; will not cry. I will not regress to my state of mind during the first few days when we returned from London. I cried bucketloads trying to make sense of everything that had happened, and I didn¡¯t think there was anything left, but it feels like there¡¯s still more in there, waiting for an opportunity to reveal my misery. Dammit.


    Karma and Cass had rallied around me, even though Karma herself had been unwell, suffering from morning sickness in the first trimester of her pregnancy. She lost her first child in the same car st that killed Xander. So, she¡¯s trying to be extra-careful with this one. Not to mention, Michael won¡¯t let her out of his sight.


    Christian and Aurora returned from their honeymoon, though the two of them still spend a lot of time together. It feels good to see both of these happy couples. It gives me some hope that true love is still alive in the world. That true love will find a way. I know a bit about what happened with both couples and I find myself fantasizing about Axeling back to me, but sometimes, I think I must be delusional.


    He sent me away, said he didn¡¯t love me. And for what? Because he was angry with himself for not having protected me better? Because he was a coward and couldn¡¯t stand the fact that he loved me so much that it hurt him? Either way, he had simply walked out on me, with no exnation. Goddamn. I rub my forehead.


    ¡°Have you heard from him since?¡± Elsa asks softly.


    I shake my head. ¡°He said that he wanted a divorce-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Elsa bursts out, ¡°that cad! How could he do this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Iugh bitterly. ¡°To be honest, I am still getting my head around everything.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t havee in. Perhaps, you should have just taken more time off-¡±


    ¡°And do what?¡± I sniffle. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay at Axel¡¯s ce, surrounded by memories and thoughts of what-if. And my mother and my sister have been so supportive, you know? They haven¡¯t pushed me for any exnations, but I don¡¯t want to go there either. Of course, my sister Sara thinks I should just forget everything and move on.¡±


    ¡°And would you be able to do that? Move on, I mean?¡± Elsa murmurs.


    I stare at theputer screen on which I had been trying to work through some of the ounts. Yeah, I had been so desperate to keep my mind upied that I had actually decided to tackle the annual taxes. Go figure.


    The tears I¡¯ve held back so far trickle down my cheeks. ¡°Oh hell,¡± I wipe them away but they continue to fall faster. ¡°Damn it.¡± I reach for a tissue and blow into it. ¡°I don¡¯t want to cry. I don¡¯t want to cry over that asshole, but damn it, I do miss him. I didn¡¯t know him for very long, but every time I close my eyes, my mind takes me right back to the time we spent together. And how I felt when I was with him.¡±


    ¡°How did you feel?¡± she asks softly.


    ¡°I feltplete, you know?¡± I wipe my cheek on my shoulder, ¡°I felt grounded, like I had found my mooring. Like I had found something I didn¡¯t even know I was missing.¡± I turn to stare at her over the table, ¡°Is it possible to feel so much for someone you knew for such a short time?¡±


    My face crumples. ¡°Damn, damn, damn.¡± I bury my face in my hands and bite down on the inside of my cheek. I so don¡¯t want to cry. It doesn¡¯t make me feel any better. I only end up with a headache and a stuffy nose after each crying jag, and I really don¡¯t want that right now.


    ¡°Oh, honey.¡± Elsa walks over and bends to hug me, ¡°I am so sorry, Theresa, I truly am. I wish I could do something to help you.¡±


    ¡°You are,¡± I sniffle, then swallow down my tears. She leans back and I lower my hands, ¡°I am fine as long as I keep my mind upied.¡±


    She straightens, ¡°Hey, you can tackle the taxes. I am notining.¡±


    Iugh.


    ¡°But we need to do something else, something to really take your mind off of everything and help you get over that stronzo.¡± She taps her cheek.


    ¡°What are you thinking of?¡±


    ¡°Something you are going to absolutely love.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡± I ask cautiously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she snaps her fingers, ¡°I know just the thing.¡±


    ¡°You sure? Thest time you tried to cheer me up, I had three men in strange purple suits try to serenade me as I walked the street.¡±


    ¡°They were a Mariachi band,¡± she protests.


    ¡°Who carried loads of flowers on their back.¡±


    ¡°I was trying tobine it with a marketing stunt for the shop,¡± she reminds me.


    ¡°I was really embarrassed when they followed me around on the street. Everyone was watching me.¡±


    ¡°Everyone was apuding their singing,¡± she points out.


    ¡°The most embarrassing moment of my life,¡± I scowl at her.


    ¡°Well, they cheered you up and took your mind off of the fact that our business was really slow, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Temporarily,¡± I admit. ¡°You also spent money we didn¡¯t have,¡± I add.


    ¡°But thanks to the stunt, people noticed you and our little flower shop, and business picked up shortly afterward.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, but that was just a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°My ideas always pay off,¡± she tosses her head over her shoulder, ¡°it¡¯s just that, it might take a little time to see the benefits.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I rise to my feet, ¡°just as long as there are no mariachis, or anyone following me around with flowers, trying to serenade me.¡±

 250

    A weekter


    Axel


    I walk up the path that leads to my new home. After the Sovranos had left with Theresa-I hadn¡¯t seen her after that insulting goodbye that she didn¡¯t deserve. Call me a coward, but I knew if I saw her face again, I¡¯d haul her to me and ask her to forgive me, and I couldn¡¯t let that happen. For her own safety, it¡¯s best that I maintain my distance from her. At least, until I untangle this mess that is my life-I had marched into the police headquarters the next day and met my boss. I had given him the abbreviated versions of events-it¡¯s always best to stick as close to the truth as possible-and shared just enough information on the Sovranos so he wouldn¡¯t suspect that I was trying to hide anything from him. It was helpful that I had information about Trinity and their efforts to move everything toward the right side of thew. Everything had been going swimmingly. Well, until I told him I wanted to resign. James had been suspicious, of course. He is a cop, and his instincts must have prompted him to ask me if I had fallen in love with the woman I had married.


    I hadn¡¯t denied it, nor had I answered the question. I had slipped my hand into my pocket and toyed with the ring that I had taken off before walking in there. Yeah, I hadn¡¯t been able to take it off earlier, nor could I bring myself to start divorce proceedings. I mean, it¡¯s only been a week, but yes, I still have feelings for her. Turns out, I can¡¯t just stop myself from thinking about her, dreaming about her, wanting her, needing her, tasting her essence on my tongue, sensing her curves under my fingertips. Goddam it, I am a goner. I know I hurt her with what I did, but damn, if I didn¡¯t hurt myself more.


    James had refused my resignation. He¡¯d told me I was too important an asset. He¡¯d told me to debrief the assignment to the rest of my team, then to make sure I had written up my notes, including any incriminating evidence to help them crack down on those within the organized crime groups with which I had interacted. Then, he¡¯d ordered me to take some paid time off, as much as I need, until I¡¯ve cleared my head, and think about whether I want to continue with the assignment or not. I had been too exhausted to argue with him, so I hadplied. At least, I no longer have to keep in touch with my team and send them updates on my assignment. One less lie to live, for which I am grateful.


    I had decided to move out of the house which I had upied throughout the time I was undercover. I had gotten used to the ce, I admit, but the fact that Freddie had been able to get through my guards and my security had left a bad taste in my mouth.


    I had opted to move into a penthouse in a new apartment block overlooking the Thames. Sure, I am-was? -an undercover officer, but thanks to the money that my mother and Thomas left me, I am wealthy enough to afford a ce in the center of the city. Now, I push the door open and walk in. The floor-to-ceiling windows at the end of the living room frame the view of an illuminated London Bridge, and beyond that, the lights of the city spread out. Without bothering to turn on the lights, I walk toward the view. My footsteps echo through the empty room.


    I moved in, but I haven¡¯t had the motivation to furnish it yet. I left everything in the house when I moved out, since it was all a part of the undercover facade and didn¡¯t belong to me. The only furniture I have now is the mattress in the bedroom. I mean, I need a ce to sleep, right?


    I slide my hand in my pocket and my fingers brush the hair tie that I¡¯ve never stopped carrying around with me. I pull it out, stare at the sparkly purple color. So like her-vivacious and full of life. And I had sent her away. I am responsible for hurting her again¡­ And after I had sworn that I¡¯d never do anything to harm her. I did the right thing, so why am I still carrying around her hair-tie like a love sick fool? You know why. I slide the hair band back into my pocket.


    A slight noise behind me makes me stiffen. The hair on the back on my neck prickles. Every muscle in my body tenses as I force myself to breathe¡­breathe¡­ I raise my gaze and take in the shadow visible in the ss pane in front. He draws closer¡­closer¡­ When he reaches for me, I swerve, then turn and grab his outstretched arm, flip him around and lock him in a chokehold.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he swears, ¡°let go of me, you stronzo.¡±


    He¡¯s my height, built like me, and wears a tailor-made suit. He also swears in Italian¡­ Fuck. I release him and he spins around to face me.


    ¡°The fuck, you pezzo di merda,¡± Christian scowls at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you sneak up on me, you wanker,¡± I snap.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sneaking up-¡±


    ¡°You broke into my apartment-¡±


    ¡°The door was open,¡± he points out.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. Clearly, I was seriously distracted if I had forgotten to shut and lock the door to my own apartment. ¡°Fucking, fuck.¡± I brush past him and head for the breakfast counter and the bottle of whiskey that I had ced there. I open it, then chug down a mouthful straight from the bottle.


    ¡°ssy,¡± Christian murmurs, as I turn to face him.


    ¡°The fuck you doing here?¡± I growl.


    ¡°More like, the fuck you doing here?¡± He slides his hands into his pockets, and goddamn, but his stance is so simr to what mine was just a few seconds ago. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. I raise the bottle to my lips, take another swig of the alcohol.


    ¡°You going to share that?¡± He jerks his chin in my direction.


    ¡°No,¡± I say through gritted teeth as the alcohol hits my stomach. Warmth radiates out to my extremities; too bad, my heart is still encased in ice.


    Heughs, ¡°Goddamn, but you are stubborn.¡±


    ¡°Why did youe here?¡± I wipe the back of my palm over my mouth.


    He widens his stance, ¡°I could say that it¡¯s a social visit, but both you and I would know that I was lying.¡±


    I tilt my head.


    He moves forward and pauses on the other side of the counter. ¡°What are you doing, Axel?¡± His blue eyes, almost the same color as mine, meet my gaze.


    ¡°What does it look like?¡± I crack my neck, ¡°I¡¯m living my life.¡±


    ¡°Not much of an existence, is it?¡± He nces around the space, ¡°Is this how you n to live the rest of your life, alone?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s how I have lived thus far,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean it has to be this way moving forward.¡±


    ¡°So, what, you want me to return to the bosom of the family and embrace my Mafioso roots?¡±


    ¡°I never said that.¡±


    ¡°You are beginning to bore me.¡± I pretend to yawn. ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, get the fuck out.¡± I raise the bottle of whiskey and he swoops out and grabs it. The whiskey spills over my sweatshirt and some of it sshes onto the counter. ¡°Fuck,¡± I swear, ¡°that¡¯s good whiskey, man.¡±


    He yanks at the bottle again. I release it and it crashes to the counter. Pieces of ss scatter from the point of impact and crash to the floor.


    Anger squeezes my gut and my heart ms into my chest. Adrenalineces my blood, and with a growl, I throw myself across the counter and at him. He moves aside and the momentum carries me over the counter and toward the floor. I manage to twist my body and hit the floor on my back. The back of my head crashes against the wooden nks and bursts of starlight sh behind my eyes. The just-healed wound at my temple protests, and my stomach churns.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Iy there winded as my asshole triplet stands over me.


    ¡°Still not recovered fully from being shot, eh?¡± He holds out his arm, ¡°Come on, let me help you up.¡±


    I grab his hand and tug. He loses his bnce and falls toward me, but I roll aside. It¡¯s his turn to hit the floor, only he falls on his front, managing to turn his body enough at thest minute so that his cheek smashes into the floor.


    ¡°Stocazzo!¡± he growls, then jumps back to his feet at the same that I do. We circle each other and I notice that he¡¯s bleeding from a cut on his temple.


    ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough to take me on, you testa di cazzo!¡±


    ¡°Try me, you piece of shit.¡± I bare my teeth as I rush toward him at the same time that he moves toward me. We crash into each other, end up with our arms around each other as we grapple. I manage to grab the back of his neck and squeeze. He grips my shoulders and applies enough pressure that pain shoots down both of my arms. Chest to chest, we grunt and try to push the other off his feet. Sweat pours down my temple, my T-shirt under my sweatshirt clings to my back. His gaze narrows; his color is high as he bares his teeth.


    ¡°You pulled a gun on my wife, you bastard.¡± He snaps his head forward and his forehead connects with my nose.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I yell as pain slices through my head. Blood spurts from my nose. ¡°Why the hell did you do that!¡±


    ¡°You shot me, motherfucker,¡± he growls.


    I hook my leg behind his knee and yank it forward. He loses his bnce and falls back. The impetus carries me along and we both hit the floor and roll over before wee to a stop, both on our backs. My chest heaves as I draw in a breath. Every bone in my body seems to hurt. A headache builds behind my eyes.


    ¡°F-u-c-k,¡± I curl my fingers into fists and m them into the floor, ¡°Fuck this shit!¡±


    Next to me, heys on his back, his breathing in pants. For a few seconds, we stay where we have fallen, our breathing gradually returning to normal. Finally, I force my eyelids open, ignore the pain that thumps at the back of my head and stagger to my feet. I shake my head to clear it, but that only makes it hurt more. I hold out my arm.


    He raises his gaze to my face, and must see something of my inner turmoil there, for he nods, then grabs my hand. I heave him to his feet, and for a few seconds, we stare at each other.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°You okay?¡± I say at the same time.


    We bothugh, then break apart.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sorry I punched you,¡± he jerks his chin.


    ¡°I am sorry I had to ckmail Aurora and pull a gun on her,¡± I offer.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you for it; I may never forgive you for it,¡± he warns.


    ¡°Understandable.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°You have to understand that I was only doing my job.¡±


    ¡°So, a cop, eh?¡± He scratches his chin, ¡°Somehow, I am not surprised.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I never questioned that it was my duty to follow the path of the Mafia, but Xander was torn about it. It¡¯s what happens when you are an artist, you know. He thought too much. Philosophized a bunch of shit in his head. He questioned himself a lot. It stands to reason that you would be the one to go straight.¡±


    ¡°I am not sure I am going back.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± He scowls, ¡°Why not?¡±


    I turn away, head toward one of the kitchen shelves and pull down a bottle of ibuprofen. I shake out two and swallow them with some tap water. Then reach for the spare bottle of whiskey-one of the few things I managed to stock up on. It seemed more of a priority than furnishing the ce. I grab two sses, pour out the whiskey and walk back to offer one to him.


    ¡°Not good to mix alcohol with painkillers,¡± he points out.


    ¡°Fuck that,¡± I toss back the alcohol, then pour more into my ss.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Christian takes a sip, then nurses his ss. ¡°That¡¯s how I used to think, before I got married. It changed everything,¡± heughs.


    ¡°You love her?¡±


    ¡°Love her?¡± He chuckles, ¡°I can¡¯t live without her. Even now, as I am talking to you, my mind is on her. I can¡¯t wait to get back to her.¡±


    ¡°I know how you feel,¡± the words are out before I can stop myself. Fuck. I raise my ss to my mouth and drain it. The liquor burns its way down and the harshness of the world seems to recede a little. I sway as I m my ss back onto the counter. ¡°Uh, I think it¡¯s time you left,¡± I blurt out.


    ¡°Hold on, back up,¡± he shakes his head, ¡°did you just say what I think you did?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I told you to fuck off,¡± I reach for the bottle, and this time, he snatches it away before I get to it.


    ¡°You want to fight again?¡± I growl, then reach for the bottle, but he evades me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t change the topic of conversation, fratello,¡± he mutters. ¡°I know you miss her.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything,¡± I growl.


    ¡°That may be the case,¡± his lips kick up, ¡°but I do know what it is to stay away from the woman you love because your ego doesn¡¯t allow you to return to her.¡±


    ¡°I am doing the right thing.¡± I grip the edges of the counter. ¡°She deserves better than me.¡±


    ¡°No argument there from me,¡± he smirks, ¡°but for some inexplicable reason, Theresa is in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Not after how I treated her,¡± I rub the back of my head, ¡°I broke her heart and sent her away.¡±


    ¡°Nothing that a bout of groveling won¡¯t fix.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± I squeeze the bridge of my nose. ¡°She can do better than me. It¡¯s best if I start divorce proceedings and set her free to pursue a future different from mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He tilts this head, ¡°So you¡¯ll be fine if she decides to fuck someone else? If she meets someone else and decides to share her life with him. If she-¡±


    I lurch forward, grab his cor.


    He chuckles, ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    I re at him, and the motherfuckerughs in my face. ¡°You¡¯re a goner, man. You¡¯re so fucking pussy-whipped that you are standing here in the darkness thinking about her instead of manning up to your mistake and returning to her and asking her to take you back.¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I tighten my grip on his cor, ¡°fucking fuck.¡±


    ¡°You know I am right.¡± He brings his ss up to his mouth and takes a sip.


    ¡°Bloody fucking hell.¡± I release him and lower my chin to my chest, ¡°I am so fucked.¡±


    ¡°Wee to the real world, brother,¡± he agrees.


    ¡°What the hell am I going to do?¡±


    ¡°You are going to clean yourself up and put on a fresh set of clothes, then you are going to return with me to Palermo and throw yourself at her mercy.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± I push away from the counter and begin to pace, ¡°I am a cop. I don¡¯t think you realize what that means. I¡¯m a cop and you guys are-¡±


    ¡°The Mafia? Thanks for pointing that out.¡± He smirks,


    ¡°Though I may not be one a few weeks from now,¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°maybe that will make things easier.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I am going to resign from my job.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°Because we are on the opposite sides of thew?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± I turn on him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you listening to me? I can¡¯t remain a cop and be part of only the most notorious criminal family in all of Europe?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Jesus, fuck,¡± I re at him, ¡°are you listening to yourself? I¡¯d never be trusted if it came out that my brother was the head of the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°Why not? A lot of the fagmilia are inw enforcement, as well as in the judicial and political system.¡±


    I stare at him, ¡°So you want me to be a spy for the Cosa Nostra and tell on my friends inside the workforce?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an opportunity, though I¡¯d never force that on you, of course,¡± he says seriously.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Of course, even if you stay on in the workforce you can¡¯t continue to be undercover. There¡¯d be a conflict of interest.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to turn on my colleagues,¡± I snap.


    ¡°You were ready to turn on your family,¡± he points out.


    ¡°I was undercover then. Also, I was hellbent on revenge.¡± I rub at my temple.


    ¡°And now?¡±


    ¡°Now, I have epted that my ties to the Sovranos can¡¯t be broken that easily. Especially not, since my wife considers you assholes as being like her brothers.¡±


    ¡°We are your brothers by blood; nothing changes that,¡± he says in a soft voice.


    ¡°Which still doesn¡¯t change the fact that I am going to have to resign.¡± I rock back on the heels of my feet.


    ¡°Perhaps this is a chance to do something totally different,¡± he offers.


    ¡°You mean, like start my own securitypany, or maybe go private?¡± It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been thinking abouttely. I drum my fingers on my chest. ¡°That way, there is no conflict of interest or any such bullshit. I could spend time between London and Palermo, spend time with you guys, while also growing my own business.¡±


    ¡°It would pay much better, of course. Not to mention the fact that you are one of the Sovranos, which is going to attract clients who know that you mean business,¡± he adds.


    I drag my fingers through my hair, ¡°It could work.¡±


    ¡°It will work.¡± He ps his palms on his hips.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to give up being a cop,¡± I say, almost to myself. Of course, I had already considered it when I had offered to resign. But talking about it and realizing that it¡¯s imminent, that it¡¯s the only way out, to give up the way of life that has defined me so far¡­ Well, it¡¯s sobering.


    ¡°How do you feel about that?¡±


    I crack my neck, grateful that the ibuprofen has kicked in and my headache is almost bearable now.


    ¡°Axel,¡± he prompts, ¡°how does the thought of quitting the police force make you feel?¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±


    ¡°Fucking finally.¡± He drains his ss, ces it on the counter, then jerks his chin toward my bedroom, ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Go pack; we have a ne to catch.¡±

 251

    Theresa


    The thud-thud-thud of the beat pours over me, sinks into my blood. For someone who rarely went out on weekends, I have certainly be at home in nightclubs. I¡¯d me it on Elsa, except really, it was my idea toe here again tonight. In fact, if she knew why, she would have argued to go somewhere else. Somehow, being here reminds me of the day Axel barged in and dragged me to thedies¡¯ room and had his way with me. My cheeks warm. Heat flushes my skin. Will I see him again? Will he return to me?


    I close my eyes and let the music of the night club wash over me. The noise in my head fades away to be reced by the voices of BTS-my guilty pleasure. A remixed versions of BTS¡¯ Life Goes On fills the space. It¡¯s true what they say. You find BTS when you most need it. I raise my arms above my head and grind my hips in tune with the rhythm. I move sensuously to the music, bump and grind, widen my stance and dirty dance all the way down until I am squatting with my thighs spread wide, then I straighten my legs, jut out butt with my torso almost parallel to the floor before I snap myself up.


    Someone slides over to stand behind me; he begins moving his body in tandem with mine. I turn, nce over my shoulder at dark brown eyes-not blue, not eyes fringed with eyshes so dark they make his blue irises pop inparison, not cheekbones so high that they could cut into my skin, not a hooked nose or a jaw that¡¯s normally set in disapproving lines. And he¡¯s blond.


    Still, he¡¯s cute, I suppose, in a boy-next-door kind of way. And he¡¯s tall¡­not as tall as Axel, but tall enough to be attractive. Younger though, closer to my own age. The music ratchets up in tempo and he begins to shake his body in earnest.


    He shoots me a wicked grin and I can¡¯t stop theugh that spills from my lips. I increase my own tempo and we move in synchronicity, our actions mirroring each other¡¯s steps. When I move left, he slides right and vice-versa. Iugh again as I let the sheer joy of the dancing overwhelm me. He grips my wrist, turns me around, then pushes me back before pulling me to him. A surprisedugh spills from my lips. The man can dance, all right. He twirls me around then draws me to him, close enough for our bodies to touch.


    That¡¯s when someone steps in behind him. I tilt my head back, and further back, to meet zing blue eyes. Angry eyes that bore into me. His features wear a grim expression, his lips set in lines of disapproval. Something blooms to life inside me. Axel. He¡¯s here.


    I open my mouth, but before I can say anything, he¡¯s grabbed my partner by his shoulder and yanked him back so he stumbles away from me. Then, Axel turns him around and buries his fist in his face. That¡¯s when all hell breaks loose. Blondie falls over and onto another couple, who back away. He turns with his fists raised. Axelnds an uppercut and the man reels back. He shakes his head, then lunges toward Axel, who steps aside. The man smashes into another couple, who spring apart. Another man throws a punch at Axel, who ducks, kicks the legs out from under him, when the first man throws himself at Axel again. Seemingly out of nowhere, Massimo steps in and knocks the guy out cold. A third, and a fourth guy join the fray as Adrian and Seb wade in to help him.


    That¡¯s when Axel tosses a guy aside and marches over to me.


    ¡°What are you-¡± I gasp as he grabs my hand. The crowd parts before him as he drags me in his wake. When we reach the end of the dance floor I refuse to move. I slow him down enough that he turns to me.


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± I yell at him.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What the fuck is wrong with you?¡± He roars back. ¡°You let that man touch you. You let him put his hands on you. You were grinding your hips while he held your waist.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called dancing,¡± I point out.


    His features contort. He drops my hand then brushes past me and onto the dance floor. I blink, then jump forward to stand in front of him. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I pant.


    ¡°To kill him.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just go around killing people.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± He growls, ¡°Asshole touched you. I am going to rip him apart from limb to limb for that.¡±


    He begins to plow past me and I throw myself at him, ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, seriously, enough with that caveman approach.¡±


    His jaw tics. ¡°I am going to grind his body into the ground, then throw you down and fuck you in his blood.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I gasp. A ripple of heat runs down my spine. My nipples harden. That was bloodthirsty and macabre, and hell, if that didn¡¯t turn me on even more.


    ¡°Let him go,¡± I clutch at his hand, ¡°he doesn¡¯t mean anything, I promise. I was dancing, that¡¯s all.¡±


    He lowers his head and peers into my face, ¡°From now on, you dance with no one else but me.¡±


    He¡¯s so close now, I can see the lines that radiate out from the corners of his gorgeous eyes. The heat of his body flows around me, envelops me. That clean-man scent of his, spiked with his edgy essence, teases my nostrils. I swallow, ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult to do that when you are not around, you know?¡± At least, he is standing so close that I don¡¯t need to yell to be heard.


    ¡°Well, I am back now.¡± He grips my arm, and this time, I don¡¯t protest as he hauls me off the dance floor.


    We walk past the bar and I spot Elsa, ¡°I need to tell Elsa that I am leaving.¡± I have to yell again to be heard over the music.


    ¡°We¡¯ll text her from the car,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°I need to grab my coat and purse from the cloakroom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it delivered home.¡±


    ¡°Home? What do you mean home?¡±


    ¡°I mean,¡± he yanks me out of the door and looks up and down the road, ¡°our home.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your home in London? That¡¯s where we were when you told me you wanted a divorce, remember?¡±


    A car drives up andes to a stop in front of me. Christian gets out of the driver¡¯s seat and tosses the keys at Axel.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Axel jerks his chin.


    ¡°Remember what I told you?¡± He nces between us, then narrows his gaze on Axel, ¡°Don¡¯t fuck this up.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, so now you guys are on speaking terms?¡±


    ¡°A lot has changed,¡± he pulls open the door on the passenger¡¯s side.


    I hesitate. A wind blows over me and I shiver.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get back home and then we can talk?¡±


    I fold my arms around my waist and scowl up at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re freezing.¡± His tone softens, ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn, baby, just let me get us home and then we¡¯ll speak, okay?¡±


    Damn it, why did he have to use that endearment?


    I re up at him and he blows out a breath, ¡°Please, get in the car, Sunshine?¡±


    Maybe it¡¯s the fact that he calls me Sunshine, or the fact that he says please, or that his tone is soft and the look in his eyes sends a frisson of awareness over my skin. Whatever the case, I find myself obeying him. I slide inside the car. He shuts the door, walks around to the driver¡¯s side and gets in. He shuts his door, turns on the car and the warm air from the heater instantly circtes around my ankles. I shiver, this time, because my body is warming up.


    ¡°Still cold?¡± He shrugs out of his jacket and hands it over to me.


    I slide my arms into the sleeves and it¡¯s like I am enveloped by him. Goddam it, I¡¯ve missed him. And now that I am seeing him again, I can¡¯t stop my body from leaning toward him. I turn away, nce out the window, as he eases the car onto the road.


    ¡°Here¡¯s my phone.¡±


    I turn to find him holding it out to me.


    ¡°You wanted to call Elsa?¡± he reminds me.


    ¡°Ah, of course.¡± I snatch up his phone and dial Elsa¡¯s number. It rings, then goes to voice mail, of course. ¡°Ah, Elsa, it¡¯s me, Theresa. I am calling you on Axel¡¯s phone because I left my phone back in the cloak room. Yeah, long story.¡± I turn my face away and ce my hand over the mouthpiece, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s back and uh, he¡¯s driving me home. I am fine. don¡¯t worry¡­ Uh, we¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    I hang up, then ce the phone in the cupholder.


    We drive in silence until we reach Xander¡¯s home. He turns into the driveway,es to a stop. Why am I not surprised that this is what he meant by home? It¡¯s the only home I have ever known. More of a home than my parents ce ever was, and that was because he¡¯d been here with me. Somehow, it seems appropriate that it was Xander¡¯s home before ours¡­ Wait, am I already giving in to him? Am I epting that this is the home I am going to share with him? Am I already forgiving him for hurting me like that?


    I shove the car door open and walk up the steps of the house. He follows me, draws abreast then pulls out a key from his pocket and opens the door. Of course, he¡¯d have the key. Ultimately, he¡¯s a Sovrano and the brothers will always have each other¡¯s backs. They had taken me under their protection, but who¡¯s going to protect my heart from being crushed again by him?


    I walk ahead of him, and head into the living room. I turn to find him heading for the bar and pouring himself a drink. He turns to me and we gaze at each other across the length of the room.


    I kick off my heels, because damn it, my feet ache, then sit down on the sofa.


    He walks over and sinks into a chair on the other side of the coffee table.


    The silence stretches, broken only by the ticking of the clock in the corner of the room. I nce away, then back at him, to find he¡¯s still watching me closely. Goosebumps pop on my skin. He brings the ss of whisky to his mouth and takes a sip. The tendons of his throat move as he swallows. A flutter of heat ignites in my lower belly. Jesus, this man is sex on a stick. I can¡¯t look at him without wanting to jump him. I knot my fingers tighter, then fix my gaze on a spot over his shoulder.


    ¡°Why are you here, Axel?¡± I burst out. ¡°Why did youe back?¡±


    He ces his drink on the coffee table, then leans forward. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°Every single moment that we¡¯ve been apart has been agonizing. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you, Sunshine. Couldn¡¯t get you out of my mind. You were myst thought at night and the first in the morning. And in between, I dreamt about your mouth, your skin, the scent of your hair, the little noises you make as youe, the texture of your pussy when I fuck you with my tongue, the way your cunt trembles around my dick when I bury myself inside you. The way you feel like home. The way nothing and nobody else will ever measure up to you. The way I fell for you so quickly, so hard, that I lost all perception of myself. The way I cannot live without you, not for a second more.¡±


    His words pour over me, sink into my blood, crawl into every nook and crevice of my body, into my heart, entwining with my soul. Tears prick the backs of my eyes and I squeeze my fingers even more firmly together.


    ¡°You hurt me, Axel. You shattered my heart. You left me without looking back once, like I never mattered to you at all.¡±


    ¡°Not true.¡± He leans forward, his hands sped between his thighs, ¡°It ripped my heart out to do that. It fucking killed me to leave you, Sunshine.¡±


    ¡°Yet you did. You didn¡¯t even give us a chance to work things out. You simply told the Sovranos to bring me back here and walked away from me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing by you. I thought it would give you a chance to try to move on and find a life without me.¡±


    ¡°You told me you¡¯d divorce me.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to,¡± he admits, ¡°but every time I thought of it, I felt sick to my stomach. It was like my body, physically, wouldn¡¯t allow me to do it.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you are here?¡± I finally nce up at him, ¡°Because you couldn¡¯t bring yourself to take that step.¡±


    ¡°I am here because I love you.¡±

 252

    Axel


    ¡°I made a mistake, Sunshine,¡± a ball of emotion clogs my throat and I swallow it down, ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be asking you to forgive me, but-¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t,¡± she puts a hand out in front of herself, like a stop sign, ¡°don¡¯t ask me to do it.¡±


    I draw in a breath. ¡°What will it take?¡± I force out the words through a throat gone dry, ¡°What will it take for you to look past what I did?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I am not sure,¡± she says, still without looking at me.


    ¡°Please,¡± I force my tongue to form the words, ¡°please, Theresa, tell me what I need to do to gain your forgiveness.¡±


    She draws in a breath, then another. ¡°I am not sure if you deserve to be forgiven,¡± she says in a soft voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± I roll my shoulders, ¡°I know I acted like a stronzo.¡±


    One side of her lips trembles before she purses her lips again.


    My heart begins to race. Maybe there is a chance she¡¯ll forgive me ¡­ Just maybe, we¡¯ll find a way to move forward together. I rise to my feet and she nces at me. I skirt around the coffee table and take a step forward. She skitters to the side of the sofa. I move forward and she jumps up and edges sideways. I take in the glittery dress that she wears. I¡¯d been too full of rage to actually register it at the nightclub, but now I notice how it dips at the cleavage andes to mid-thigh. As she takes another step back it slides up to expose the pale skin of her upper thigh. Lust squeezes my belly. Anger knots my chest, ¡°What are you wearing?¡± The words are out before I have a chance to stop myself.


    She frowns, ¡°If that was supposed to be an apology-¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± I raise my hand, ¡°I know I am supposed to be groveling right now. And damn it, I came with the intention of throwing myself at your mercy. But the thought of anyone else having seen you dressed like this, the thought that all those men in the club would have seen your legs and the gorgeous hint of your cleavage, is driving me crazy.¡± I dig my fingers in my hair and tug. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck, I am really screwing up things, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    Her gaze widens. She swallows audibly as she takes in my features.


    ¡°When ites to you, I am helpless,¡± I murmur, ¡°I look at you and all I can think is that you are mine. My wife. My property. Mine to do with as I want. Mine to protect and mine to fuck. Mine to love.¡±


    Her breath hitches, her pupils dte, and her chest rises and falls as she holds my gaze. She takes a step forward, then another. She reaches me, then lifts her hand and cups my cheek. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t appeal to me, you know, your brand of caveman possessiveness. It shouldn¡¯t turn me on to get a glimpse of just how much you want to own me. I¡¯ve grown up with the Mafia and I¡¯ve always known that I¡¯d marry into the mob, and yet,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°yet, hearing the filthy words that emerge from your mouth appeals to something deep inside me. It¡¯s frightening how much I respond to your overprotective nature. How the thought of you dominating me resonates so deeply within me. It¡¯s why I have never been able to refuse anything to you.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I peer into her face, take in her parted lips, the heightened color of her cheeks. I slide my hand inside my pocket and pull out her hair tie. I reach for the flowing mass of hair that streams around her shoulders and gather it on top of her head. Then I tie it into a ponytail that flows down to brush the small of her back.


    ¡°Is that my hair tie?¡± she cries


    ¡°I took it from you the very first time we met.¡±


    ¡°At the hospital, when that man broke in?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been carrying it around all this time?¡±


    The back of my neck heats.


    ¡°You have been carrying it around all this time,¡± she opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°wow,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°I mean, that¡¯s-¡±


    ¡°Stupid,¡± I interject.


    ¡°Sweet,¡± she says in a soft voice.


    ¡°You turn me into a lovestruck fool, Sunshine,¡± I lower myself onto one knee and take her hand in mine. ¡°You are my inspiration. You fill a void in me I didn¡¯t even know I had. Since we¡¯ve been apart, I¡¯ve felt so hollow, like my life was already over. It¡¯s as if when I walked away, I left my heart behind with you. Every time I breathe, it¡¯s like razor des are cutting through me. I can¡¯t sleep, can¡¯t eat, can barely focus on my job. All I want is to be near you, to spend all of my time with you, loving you, and proving to you how much I love you.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± she swallows, ¡°that¡¯s¡­that¡¯s poetic.¡±


    ¡°I missed you.¡± I peer up into her features, ¡°When I wasn¡¯t with you, I went crazy with wanting you. All I wanted to do was reach out to you and hold you and kiss you and feel you, and have you melt into me, and hold you so tightly our skin fused together. And I know it won¡¯t be easy to be together. I know I¡¯ll drive you crazy with my over-the-top possessiveness. And I¡¯ll want to control you, and possess you, and direct every aspect of your life, and when I overstep the line, you have my permission to tell me off.¡±


    ¡°I do?¡±


    ¡°You bet. Just tell me to sod off anytime I get too overwhelming for you. In fact, I want you to promise me you¡¯ll let me know whenever I overstep.¡±


    ¡°O-k-a-y,¡± she tips her head, ¡°though I am still not sure what you are saying.¡±


    I slide my hand into my pocket, pull out a ring and slide it onto her finger.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she opens and shuts her mouth, ¡°is that-¡±


    ¡°Marry me,¡± I murmur.


    She nces down at the tinum band with the single emerald in an antique setting


    ¡°It was my mother¡¯s,¡± I lower my head and kiss the ring on her finger, ¡°and now it¡¯s yours.¡±


    Her chin wobbles and she stares at the ring for so long that I begin to worry.


    ¡°Theresa?¡± My heart begins to thump in my chest, ¡°Will you be mine?¡±


    A teardrop trails down her cheek, and my stomach ties itself in knots.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Sunshine, please. You know I can¡¯t bear to see you in distress.¡±


    ¡°So why did you leave me?¡± she cries. ¡°Why did you walk away from me?¡±


    ¡°I was foolish. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. All I could think was that he could have shot you. That I was responsible for pulling you into my world and painting a target on you. That if anything were to happen to you, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to live with myself. It¡¯s the moment I realized just how much I loved you, that you were my entire universe. I am nothing without you. Nothing. You are the reason I want to go on living. You are what makes everything worthwhile. You make me feel, you plug me into this world, you are the reason for my existence, Sunshine.¡±


    She swallows; her chest rises and falls. More tears flow down her face. One of them hits my cheek and trails down. I lick it up.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± I catch her eye before I continue, ¡°If I ever try to pull something like this again, deciding you¡¯re better off without me and not giving you any say in the matter, I want you to knock some sense into me. Remind me, I¡¯m promising to never do that again.¡±


    ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± Then sheughs and shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you know.¡±


    ¡°Crazy about you.¡± I smile, then grow serious again. ¡°And you¡¯re mine.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± she agrees.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll marry me?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she replies.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I was never not married to you, Axel. I was yours from the moment we met. I belong to you, only you.¡±

 253

    Two weekster


    Theresa


    I nce at the rings on my left hand-my engagement ring and my wedding ring. One has an emerald in an antique setting; the other is an ornate gold band whichpliments the first.


    The two go together, despite the fact that they aren¡¯t supposed to.


    Like Axel and me. He swept into my life with the force of a hurricane and turned my world upside down. And now that I have found myself again, I find that I have changed. He¡¯s helped me find a more assertive side of myself-a woman who feels more grounded, more confident. Somehow, meeting him helped me realize that I know what I want out of life.


    I want him. I want my business to flourish. I want to grow my brand so it¡¯s the best in all of Europe. I want my shop to be the destination for flowers and flower arrangements in my part of the world, if not globally. Big dreams for a girl who grew up in the Mafia and never thought she¡¯d have a chance to spread her wings and explore her talent. But that¡¯s how being with Axel makes me feel. Free. Free to explore what I want to do with my life. It¡¯s like meeting him gave me a solid base from which to build, a framework to my existence that I had beencking before and not even realized until he¡¯de into my life.


    This past week has been the happiest I have ever been. We¡¯ve agreed that, for the time being, we¡¯ll stay in Palermo, where it¡¯s safer, since the team guarding the Sovranos can also protect us. This frees up Axel to make the arrangements necessary to create his own securitypany. There¡¯s also the fact that Freddie is still out there somewhere, and until he is located, it feels prudent to stay close to family. Of course, Axel will travel to London, as needed, to foster the growth of his business, as most of his contacts are in the UK.


    I look up and at the painting of the three of them that hangs in the study. The Sovranos had agreed that Axel and Christian could decide what would be done with Xander¡¯s paintings. They had been in agreement that the portrait of the three of them would stay in Xander¡¯s home-now our home, and Axel and I had wanted it in a ce where we could look at it every day.


    As for the other paintings, the two of them decided they¡¯ll auction them, with the money going to a trust that the Sovranos set up in Xander¡¯s name. The interest earned from the proceedings will be used to fund artists around the world who are talented but need the extra help in getting their art out in the world. Axel and Christian will head up the trust themselves.


    A shiver runs down my back. Heat envelops me a second before my husband¡¯s voice reaches me, ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how he could have known that he was one of a triplet.¡± He wraps his arms about my waist and pulls me up and t against his front. Every ridge, every hard ne of his chest, is imprinted into my back as he tucks my head under his chin. ¡°Do you think he knew?¡± Axel asks.


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know.¡± I wrap my fingers about his forearm. I love the fact that, even though he¡¯s a Sovrano, Axel refuses to dress in formal wear. His preferred style of clothing is a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. I am especially partial to the grey Henley that he is wearing today. I turn my face and rub my cheek against the soft material that clings to his pecs. I breathe in that dark, edgy scent that is so very Axel. Strange, I never noticed what Xander smelled like. Maybe that rtionship wasn¡¯t all that I thought it was. Maybe it takes the real thing to let you know how many times you thought something was real but it wasn¡¯t.


    Axel¡¯s grip around me tightens, ¡°Damn, but I can¡¯t get enough of you, Mrs. Sutton.¡±


    Despite officially bing part of the Sovranos, Axel had also chosen to keep the surname he¡¯d taken after being adopted, and I had taken his surname.


    I turn in his embrace and wrap my arms around his waist. ¡°And I, you.¡± I tip up my chin, ¡°I can¡¯t believe how happy I am. Like my life is only just beginning.¡±


    ¡°You are my life,¡± he lowers his head and brushes his lips against mine, ¡°my heart, and my everything.¡±


    ¡°And that is something I am still getting used to. Who¡¯d have thought that under that mean, alphaholish exterior lies a heart that is secretly romantic?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you,¡± he peers into my eyes, ¡°you bring out the best in me, Sunshine.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    I lean up on tiptoes and press my lips to his. He tilts his head and deepens the kiss. A moan builds in my throat. My nipples tighten, heat coils low in my belly, and I press up against him, trying to ster as much of my body to his as I can.


    A groan rumbles up his chest. He slides his hands down my back to cup my butt and fit my hips to his. He may talk sweet, but when ites to the carnal side of our rtionship, his dominance seems to have intensified.


    He hauls me up against him and the thick, rigid column of his arousal throbs against my core.


    ¡°Axel,¡± I moan, as I wriggle to get even closer.


    ¡°How about we ditch going to the dinner and stay here and I can fuck you in our bed?¡±


    He kisses me again before I can reply, and by the time he¡¯s pulled away, my head is spinning.


    ¡°I know what you are trying to do,¡± I murmur against his lips, ¡°you¡¯re trying to distract me.¡±


    ¡°Am I seeding?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I mean, no. I mean,¡± I pull back and scowl up at him, ¡°we can¡¯t not go. We haven¡¯t seen any of the family in nearly five days.¡±


    ¡°Notining,¡± he lowers his head and I evade him.


    ¡°We have to go, I promised Nonna.¡±


    His features harden at that.


    ¡°You have to make your peace with her, Axel.¡±


    He scowls.


    ¡°You know I am right.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I need to do so.¡±


    ¡°You know you want to. She is an integral part of your past. By mending your bridges with her, you¡¯ll be able to move forward.¡±


    He blows out a breath, ¡°You¡¯re not selling this to me.¡±


    ¡°You love your family, Axel.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°I know you do,¡± Iugh.


    ¡°I admit, my brothers are not a bad lot. Hell, I even have more inmon with Luca than I realized.¡±


    They¡¯ve discovered a love for the shooting range and have even put their differences aside and trained there together, which is good, because Luca is the most unpredictable of all the Sovrano brothers. Axel and Christian, too, have spent time together, and while Aurora is still notfortable around Axel, she concedes she understands he was only doing what his undercover assignment required when he threatened her.


    ¡°Aurora and I spoke on the phone and she¡¯ll be there, as well, today. I want to see her and Karma and Cass,¡± I whine.


    He narrows his gaze, ¡°So, guess I am not getting out of this one then?¡±

 254

    Axel


    ¡°Will you pour me a drink?¡± Nonna murmurs.


    My fingers tighten around the whiskey bottle, then I pour the liquor into my ss. Theresa and I had arrived at Nonna¡¯s house for dinner, where she had instantly been swept away by Cass and Karma, who¡¯d wanted to show her thetest designs that Karma was working on.


    Nonna¡¯s butler/chefpanion Gino had informed us that Nonna was getting dressed, and Michael had been on the phone in the library, so I had wandered over to the bar in the living room to pour myself a drink.


    Also, it¡¯s a dy tactic to avoid facing the rest of my brothers or my grandmother right away. Yep, I am a coward that way.


    I know it¡¯s important, from the point of view of safety, that we stay here in Palermo so the Sovranos can lend their considerable protective detail to keeping Theresa safe, and I appreciate it, but damn, if I am not going to get my security firm up and running quickly so I can do it myself. I¡¯ve already reached out to a few friends for help, including Karina Solonik, now Karina Beauchamp, who runs one of the most efficient security agencies that I have worked with in the past. In fact, if things go ording to n, the two of us will be coborating very soon on the next few assignments. I¡¯d been mulling over the possibilities when Nonna had asked me to pour her a drink.


    Now, she walks over to stand next to me. I ignore her, knowing it¡¯s rude and probably childish of me to do so, but fuck that. If she wants a drink, she can pour it herself.


    ¡°I am so sorry I hurt you Axel, truly,¡± she says in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯d give anything to go back in time and stop your father from what he did.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t, and now it¡¯s toote.¡± I take a sip of my whiskey and the liquor trails a stream of fire down my throat.


    ¡°Let me make amends,¡± she pleads. ¡°Please, Axel, let me try to do right by you.¡±


    ¡°I am not sure you can do anything to make me forgive you.¡± I firm my lips.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever made any mistakes? Haven¡¯t you done wrong to someone else and had to ask them to forgive you?¡±


    I draw in a breath. I had asked Theresa to forgive me. I had begged her to give me a second chance. And while she had been initially hesitant, I had won her over. If she hadn¡¯t forgiven me- I squeeze my fingers around my ss so tightly that the skin stretches across my knuckles. If she hadn¡¯t forgiven me, I am not sure what I would have done. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go on with life. I hadn¡¯t been joking when I had told her that I wouldn¡¯t be able to live without her. She had found it in herself to forgive me after everything that I had done to her. Can I find it in myself to extend the same courtesy to Nonna? After all, she is your Nonna. Surely, you can do right by her? Some of the tension fades from my shoulders. A weariness grips my chest, and I turn to her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I have made a lot of mistakes, not least of all, toward my wife. She was big-hearted enough to forgive me, and now I believe I should do the same for you.¡±


    Some of the stress on her features fades and one side of her lips curves up. She extends her hand and grips my arm, ¡°Thank you, Axel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me; thank Theresa,¡± I mutter. As if knowing that I need her presence by my side, she appears in the doorway to the study. She nces between me and Nonna and her features break into a smile. She walks over to stand next to me. I wrap my arm around her and pull her into my side.


    Nonna¡¯s smile widens, ¡°I am so happy that the two of you found each other.¡±


    ¡°Ah, about that,¡± Theresa shuffles her feet, ¡°should we tell her?¡± She nces up at me from under her eyshes.


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± Nonna frowns.


    ¡°I suppose we may as well as get it over with,¡± I blow out a breath.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nonna¡¯s gaze narrows, ¡°Are you going to tell me, or should I guess?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no need to guess,¡± Theresa inches even closer to me, ¡°we are pregnant.¡±


    ¡°Pregnant?¡± Karma squeals from the entrance to the room. She marches in, followed by Michael who is close on her heels. Reaching us, she throws her arms around Theresa, ¡°OMG, OMG, that was quick you guys, but I am notining. Now, I¡¯ll have someone else to talk to and share notes with.¡±


    She squeezes Theresa¡¯s shoulders, then kisses her on both cheeks, before stepping back.


    ¡°Grazie Maria Santa,¡± Nonna raises her gaze skyward, before she, too, steps toward Theresa and kisses her on her forehead. ¡°I am so happy for you,¡± she turns to me, ¡°for both of you. This is the most wonderful news. Not one, but two of my grandsons are going to have children. It¡¯s¡­¡± she sniffs, ¡°it¡¯s incredible. My heart is bursting with happiness.¡± She moves toward me, ¡°Bend down, will you, boy, so I can kiss your cheek.¡±


    An hour and a halfter, after we have had dinner, my brothers and I move back to the library. The women, including Theresa, have retreated to Nonna¡¯s bedroom, where she¡¯d invited all of them to look at family photos. She¡¯d invited us too, but we had opted for cigars and whiskey instead. If that seems a little chauvinistic, well, it was unintentional. Except, I am now part of a Mafia family, so guess it¡¯s par for the course. A part of me, though-that part which is Italian and steeped in Mafia tradition-thoroughly approves. Sometimes, it¡¯s easier to talk shop without having the women around, and I say that from a ce of wanting to protect them, and especially my woman, from the dangers that are a part of the world that I belong to.


    I pull out my lighter and hold the me to Michael¡¯s cigar, then Seb¡¯s, Massimo¡¯s, Christian¡¯s and Adrian¡¯s. By the time I reach Luca, he¡¯s already lit his own with a match. I light my own cigar, then slide the lighter into my pocket and take a puff.


    ¡°So, how does it feel?¡± Michael asks as he blows out a cloud of smoke.


    ¡°The cigar is exceptional,¡± I reply.


    ¡°It should bloody be, they are Cubans. Three hundred dors a pop,¡± Seb chuckles.


    ¡°Nothing but the best for the Sovranos,¡± Massimo drawls.


    ¡°And you know that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Michael murmurs.


    I blow out a cloud, then regard my cigar, ¡°What can I say? I already knew.¡±


    ¡°So, you suspected it when you remained in London and sent her home?¡± Seb asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I take another puff, ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking straight then. The thought did cross my mind, but I pushed it aside. On some level, I always knew it was a possibility. Also, I think I knew I was going to return to her; I just needed time to sort my shit.¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°What can I say? I panicked.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say it happens to the best of us, except you acted like a coglione,¡± Luca growls. ¡°No strike that, you are a coglione, a fia di merda, a testa di cazzo.¡±


    ¡°I assume all of it means the same thing?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you are a motherfucker,¡± Massimo trantes.


    ¡°I¡¯d say fuck off, but I deserve it,¡± I raise a shoulder, take another puff of my bloody good cigar.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± Luca stares at me, ¡°Not even a smart-asseback in that pompous British ent of yours.¡±


    ¡°People love this ent, I¡¯ll have you know. It¡¯s part of my charm.¡±


    ¡°You need that charm with the kind of face you have. Of course, it doesn¡¯t matter, now that you are off the market,¡± Luca chortles. ¡°Better you than me, brother.¡± He raises a ss.


    ¡°So, you two are getting along, I take it?¡± Seb eyes us with curiosity.


    ¡°A temporary truce,¡± I raise my ss and clink it with Luca¡¯s. ¡°We ain¡¯t best buddies, but anyone who¡¯s such a good mark with a gun can¡¯t be all that bad.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you one-hundred percent yet,¡± Luca smirks, ¡°but given you¡¯ve left the pigs, I admit, your knowledge will more help us than not. So, sure. Why not? I¡¯ll table our difference of opinion for the moment.¡±


    ¡°Will wonders never cease?¡± Seb scratches his chin, ¡°Hot-headed Luca, actually agreeing to act in a mature fashion. Cazzo, it¡¯s fucking scary, man.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, too,¡± Luca raises his middle finger at Seb, before taking a sip of his whiskey.


    ¡°One thing doesn¡¯tpute,¡± I narrow my gaze on Michael. ¡°Somehow, I¡¯d have thought you¡¯d be more upset when you found out that I was working undercover, and that I¡¯d married Theresa to get into your inner circle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Luca turns to Michael, ¡°why is it, fratellone, that you didn¡¯t lose it and take a gun to this bastard here? It¡¯s not only because he¡¯s our brother that you stayed so calm when we told you of his true identity, is it?¡±

 255

    Michael puffs on his cigar and blows out a cloud of smoke, ¡°What do you think?¡± His lips twitch.


    ¡°I think that you already knew that our brother was an undercover cop,¡± Seb offers.


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± Luca nces from Michael to me, then back to Michael. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned,¡± he shakes his head, ¡°you knew, fratellone?¡±


    ¡°Fuck me,¡± Massimo says softly, ¡°why am I not surprised?¡±


    Michael nces around the room, ¡°I made enquiries. I had to find out why it was that a brother we never knew we had, had chosen this moment in time to turn up in our lives.¡±


    ¡°So, you knew all along?¡± I move around in my chair trying to find a morefortable position.


    ¡°I had enough information to deduce that you were undercover. However, you had covered your tracks well enough that I couldn¡¯t fit all of the pieces together,¡± Michael retorts.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing, then, that the only reason you offered me your seat on the board of Trinity is because you knew I would eventually turn it down?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luca straightens, ¡°You don¡¯t want to be involved with Trinity?¡±


    ¡°I may have left the force, but I am a cop at heart. I doubt the heads of the Kane Company and Bratva would befortable doing business with me. Besides, I am setting up my own security agency. I won¡¯t be able to do justice to Trinity.¡±


    Luca gapes at me, then he turns on Michael. ¡°You knew this would happen,¡± he says in an using tone. ¡°You knew Axel would choose to distance himself from Trinity. That¡¯s why you chose to offer it to him?¡±


    ¡°I had an inkling.¡± Michael leans back in his seat, a pleased look on his face, ¡°The profit sharing among us would never have been affected, regardless of who sat on the board, but it was about trust. By giving Axel a seat at the table, I was extending a gesture of trust.¡±


    ¡°You knew it would go a long way in binding him to the family?¡± Seb spectes.


    ¡°I had hoped,¡± Michael confesses.


    ¡°And here I am,¡± I chuckle.


    ¡°Stacazzo,¡± Luca rubs the back of his neck, ¡°so what now? Who¡¯s going to take on the stake in Trinity?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for the five of you to decide,¡± Michael addresses that remark to Luca, Seb, Christian, Massimo and Adrian.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving the decision to us?¡± Luca¡¯s gaze widens. ¡°Is this another of your tricks, Don?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°No tricks,¡± Michaelughs, ¡°I figure it¡¯s time to delegate more so I have more time to spend with my wife.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± Luca reaches for his ss of whiskey and drains it. ¡°I¡¯ll be damned. Although I suspect this is another of your short-term moves for long-term gains.¡±


    ¡°Only time will tell.¡± Michael¡¯s grin widens. ¡°One thing I didn¡¯t seeing? Freddie.¡± He turns to me, ¡°What¡¯s his gig? Why did you go undercover to work with him?¡±


    ¡°We had information that he partnered with your father, and on the crime that defined his career, so to speak. I wanted an in with his gang as a way of getting more information on you guys,¡± I reply.


    Michael stills, his gaze narrows on me. ¡°Are you saying he partnered with our father on the kidnapping of the Seven?¡±


    He is referring to the kidnapping of seven boys in Ennd which had made waves many years ago.


    Silence fills the space. The men watch me, their cigars forgotten. I puff on mine and wait for the ash to build before I finally tip up my chin. ¡°Freddie Nielsen was the mastermind behind that incident. He approached your father with the idea, as he needed the manpower and the organization to pull it off-¡±


    ¡°All of which, our father had in excess,¡± Michael concedes.


    ¡°The two of them were involved in the crime that made headlines around the world,¡± I add.


    ¡°A crime which ensured that no one would dare challenge our father for a very long time,¡± Michael¡¯s jaw tics.


    ¡°Not until you came along, that is,¡± Seb jerks his chin in Michael¡¯s direction.


    ¡°And thank fuck for that,¡± Luca adds. ¡°Not that I didn¡¯t respect our father, but he would never have given up his position. I wager, he¡¯d have killed all of us, if it would have guaranteed he could maintain control.¡±


    ¡°What Freddie and our father did¡­ changed the lives of those seven boys forever,¡± Adrian cuts in.


    ¡°They were rescued, of course,¡± I point out. ¡°Someone from within the organization squealed to the police, and the kids were rescued.¡±


    ¡°No telling how the incident could have scarred them for life,¡± Adrian muses.


    ¡°It was many years ago. The Seven are all grown up and now head up one of the most influential financial services firms in the UK. Of course, it helps that they came from highly-privileged backgrounds. Well, six of them did. The seventh? Well, he just worked harder and made his first million by the time he was eighteen.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot about the Seven?¡± Michael narrows his gaze on me.


    ¡°You could say that. I have worked closely with someone, an associate, who is now married to one of the Seven.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Michael blows out another cloud of smoke.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± I ce my cigar on the ashtray without spilling the pileup of ash at the end. ¡°She also happens to be Niki Solonik¡¯s sister.¡±


    ¡°No fucking way,¡± Massimo sits up straight.


    ¡°Niko¡¯s sister is married to one of the Seven?¡± Michael tills his head. There¡¯s no change of expression on his face, but it¡¯s clear he finds that information very interesting. No doubt, he will find a way to use it to his advantage. Which is what I intended. Nothing like showing the value addition you can bring to a rtionship, even with your own family, for them to take you more seriously.


    Michael raises his ss in my direction, ¡°Good move, fratellino.¡± He smirks. ¡°You¡¯re smarter than I gave you credit for.¡±


    ¡°One thing I wonder about,¡± I ce my fingertips together. ¡°Our father gives up one of his eight sons, only to kidnap seven boys and hold them to ransom. Makes you wonder if it¡¯s a coincidence?¡±


    ¡°You mean the fact that we are seven and so are the Seven?¡± Adrian muses.


    Michael crosses his ankle over the knee of his other leg, ¡°Who knows what he was thinking? There is no trying to find logic in the actions of a power-hungry ego-maniac, is there?¡±


    I smirk, and am about to speak when he holds up his hand, ¡°I know what you are going to say, and I don¡¯t deny that much of my life has been dedicated to growing my own power base. Were it not for meeting Karma and realizing there¡¯s more to life, I could have gone the same way.¡±


    Just then, the doorbell rings, followed by a hammering on the front door.


    ¡°The fuck?¡± Seb scowls. ¡°Who the hell could that be?¡± He ces his ss on the table, then walks to the doorway. I spring up and follow him, with the rest of my brothers right behind me.


    The doorbell peals again, then someone bangs on the door even more urgently. ¡°Help,¡± a faint voice reaches us, ¡°help me.¡±


    Seb hastens his speed, until he reaches the door and pulls it open.


    Elsa stumbles forward, and would have fallen, but Seb grips her shoulder and steadies her. The cold rushes in through the open doorway and she shivers.


    ¡°Help me, please,¡± she raises her tear-stained gaze to his, ¡°they¡¯re after me.¡±

 256

    Elsa


    ¡°Did you know the enemies-to-lovers trope is superior to the rivals-to-lovers trope?¡± The woman in front of me turns to her friend.


    ¡°It is?¡± The friend leans forward.


    ¡°In enemies-to-lovers, two people on opposite sides of a feud fall in love and work together to put an end to the conflict, while in rivals-to-lovers, there¡¯s no battle or feud. And even if there is, they¡¯re on the same side; they just hate each other. Know what I mean?¡± The first girl angles her body so their shoulders touch.


    ¡°Nope, but thank you for the information I can do without.¡± Her friend scrunches up her face.


    The door of the nightclub opens and the music pours over us, drowning out the rest of their conversation.


    When was thest time I went to a nightclub? I stopped going out at night in order to avoid temptation. But when my best friend Theresa called me up and asked me to apany her, I couldn¡¯t refuse.


    When I lived in London, I supported myself by working in a supermarket while I studied to be a pianist; I had been so hopeful for the future. And then, everything changed. I only have myself to me. The pressure builds behind my eyes. Do not cry. Do. Not. Cry. How many tears are you going to shed about the past, eh? You can¡¯t alter what happened. All you can do is stay in the moment.  Stay in control. You can do this. You can get through the evening without giving in to the need which wants to split you in half and rip its way out.


    A ck Maserati with tinted windows rolls up. The door on the driver¡¯s side opens and a man steps out. Polished ck shoes, ck pants which epass powerful thighs, and a ck jacket which is tailor-made and clings to his broad shoulders. He¡¯s wearing a tie in-you guessed it-ck, against a ck shirt. He tugs on his cuffs, and nces up and down the street. Tattoos peek out from under his cor, a vibrant ssh of color against his skin. In contrast to the perfection of his suit, his hair is unruly. A thick curl flops onto his forehead and he pushes it away. Alertness clings to every muscle in his body, and he has that whole ¡®don¡¯t mess with me vibe¡¯ going for him. Either he¡¯s a cop or-nah-can¡¯t be. No cop would be dressed in such an impable fashion. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t seem out of ce in a boardroom. Except, this man does not work in an office. Confidence oozes from his pores. The light from the overhead streetmp highlights his body, but casts his face in shadow. I crane my neck to see his features, but he turns and walks around to the passenger door. He pulls it open and a girl steps out. Dark hair, slim figure, about the same height as me. I know her. What¡¯s he doing with her?¡±Theresa.¡± I walk toward her, only toe to a stop when the ck-jacket guy from earlier nts himself in front of me.


    I tilt my head back, and further back, to meet his gaze-golden-brown eyes, res of fire, the sunlight shining straight at me. I blink, and when I open my eyes again, I find him staring down that patrician nose at me. I catalog his features-full lower lip, thin upper lip, thick eyshes, and a scar that runs up from the edge of his eyebrow in an invertedma toward his temple. Aren¡¯t scars supposed to be a badge of honor in some cultures? And don¡¯t they indicate high levels of testosterone and good gic qualities that can be passed onto offspring or something? Hold on, why am I thinking along these lines?Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    The behemoth crosses his arms across that massive chest, and his biceps stretch the sleeves. His gaze narrows, and he res down at me like I am a piece of chewing gum stuck to the bottom of his over-priced, ck leather shoe. Jeez, what climbed up his butt?


    Except for the fact he resembles Keanu Reeves-a much more muscr and angrier Keanu, with eyes the color of sunlight-I wouldn¡¯t have given him a second look. Ha, who am I kidding? The man has the kind of presence which absorbs all of the oxygen in his vicinity, leaving us mere mortals gasping for air.


    The muscles of his shoulders bunch, stretching the suit jacket he wears. He must work out every day. Either that, or he has the kind of job that demands he is at peak fitness. Come to think of it, if Keanu Reeves and Henry Cavill had a lovechild, he would look like this guy. Only, while I love their intensity and smoldering good looks, not to mention the don¡¯t-give-a-damn attitude of the characters they portray, I prefer my alphaholes on screen or between the pages of a book. This man, though, has all of the tell-tale makings of one in real life. Which means I need to give him a wide berth. Besides, he¡¯s too good-looking. Too mouthwateringly gorgeous. Definitely not a guy to be trusted.


    ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± I scowl up at Mr. Grumpy Grumphole.


    ¡°This is my uh, my bodyguard for the evening,¡± Theresa exins as she draws abreast with him.


    ¡°Bodyguard?¡± I shoot her a sideways nce. ¡°You have a bodyguard?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, um¡­¡± She moves closer to me and lowers her voice, ¡°The Sovranos insisted I get ferried about for my own safety.¡± She¡¯s referring to the family at the head of the Cosa Nostra, the n which rule this part of the country. The n she¡¯s marrying into in less than a week.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I look Mr. Bodyguard up and down. ¡°We don¡¯t need you this evening.¡± I wave my hand in the air, dismissing him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go off and do whatever it is bodyguards do on their time off?¡±


    Seb res back. Next to me, Theresa chokes.


    ¡°Jeez, you are crotchety, aren¡¯t you?¡± I flutter my eyshes. ¡°Maybe you shoulde along with us and have a few drinks to loosen up?¡±


    Mr. Bodyguard¡¯s features harden. He turns to Theresa. ¡°I assume you know her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Sorry. I forgot to introduce her. Seb, meet my friend Elsa.¡± Theresa nces between us. ¡°Elsa, this is Seb.¡±


    ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± I hold out my hand.


    He ignores it, then spins around and prowls toward the entrance of the nightclub. The crowd parts in front of him and we follow in his wake.


    ¡°He¡¯s rude.¡± I glower at his broad back.


    ¡°He¡¯s a Sovrano.¡± She shrugs.


    ¡°There seem to be more of them than the Baldwins,¡± I grouse.


    ¡°What?¡± Theresa blinks. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing; just a film reference joke. It¡¯s from one of my ssmates in Ennd-Summer West, was her name. She was so into movies, all of her conversations were peppered with movie trivia. Some of it rubbed off on me.¡±


    ¡°You moved to Italy to be close to your daughter, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asks.


    ¡°It was the only way I could see her.¡± My lips firm.


    ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± I shoot her a smile so patently fake, Theresa winces. She opens her mouth, no doubt, to ask me what¡¯s wrong, but I shake my head. ¡°Let¡¯s have some fun, shall we?¡±


    I hook my arm through hers, and we follow Seb into the nightclub.


    A wave of noise hits us as we walk down the short flight of steps and into therge room. The beats echo throughout the space, sink into my blood, and sync with my heartbeat. The scent of perfume, sweat, and sex hang in the air like a heavy cloud that¡¯s going to burst at any moment. The space is crammed with men and women, from the bar to the dance floor and across it. It resembles a mass of humanity all welded together by theirmon desire to dance and fuck.


    ¡°Umm, I¡¯m not sure I want to be here.¡± Theresa begins to turn away.


    I grab her arm and pull her along with me.


    ¡°Elsa, please,¡± she begins to protest.


    I turn on her. ¡°Do you want to stay home moping for your Sovrano?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± She hunches her shoulders.


    ¡°This was your idea. Clearly, you want to prove a point to yourself. Let¡¯s loosen up a little and have some fun, okay?¡±


    She sighs and I drag her into the sweltering hot cavern.


    That¡¯s when I realize I haven¡¯t seen Mr. Alphahole Bodyguard for a while. For a big man, he sure seems to disappear with ease. Well, that¡¯s good. At least, I don¡¯t have to worry about his glowering looks. Or hiding the attraction I feel toward him, which is surely a mistake. Why should I feel so drawn to a man who clearly hated me on sight?


    The strobe lights dance over us as I elbow my way through the crowd. I keep a firm grip on her, until I reach the very center of the dance floor. Bodies push in on us from all sides. Sweat beads my brow and trickles down my temple. My dress clings to my back. I grip Theresa¡¯s arms and we sway in tandem to the music. The beat ricochets around my head and I close my eyes, letting the rhythm overpower me. Releasing her, I turn around, then lean forward and jut out my hips as I squat down. With a snap of my lower body, I push out my butt and straighten. For a few seconds, I am one with the cadence of the beats. I shimmy my upper body, long-forgotten dance steps that I picked up through my university years flowing back to me.


    When was thest time I allowed myself to flow with the music with such abandon? I cut it all out of my life. Abstained from anything that could be fire up my urges. Yet here I am, back in the eye of the storm, and¡­ The feeling is so heady. A ripple of awareness flutters under my skin, I pop open my eyelids. The crowd in front of me shifts and I spot Seb at the bar.


    His gaze shes with mine, intensifies, and for a second, it¡¯s just me and him. All other sounds fade away. I try to breathe, but all of the oxygen seems to have been sucked out of the room. My lungs burn, my scalp tingles, a throb of heat swells my core. My lips part and those golden eyes of his seem to re¡­ With rage? I¡¯m a sucker for punishment, for a shiver zings down my spine. My thighs clench and my core dampens.


    Then the crowd moves again, and I lose sight of him.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± I hear Theresa call my name above the music, ¡°Elsa.¡±


    I turn to find her watching me with a disagreeable expression on her face.


    ¡°Come on, babe.¡± I throw my arms about her. ¡°You need to loosen up a little.¡± I grind my hips into hers with an exaggerated flourish.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sheughs as I pull back, then twirl her around and back in. Then I turn my back on her and do another bump and a grind.


    ¡°Elsa, I need to get off the dance floor.¡± She grips my shoulder.


    ¡°Aww, and I was just beginning to have fun,¡± I gripe. And really, I am. For the first time in a very long time, I finally feel so close to the edge.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not.¡± She scowls.


    I take in her flushed features, the sweat on her brow. ¡°Hmm, I know what you need.¡± I grab her hand, and we push through the crowd, until we burst out of the throng.


    ¡°Phew, it¡¯s hot in here.¡± She pushes the hair off of her neck.


    ¡°I know how to cool off.¡± I head for the bar, and she follows me. I get the attention of the bartender. ¡°Two tequs, please.¡± Within minutes, he ces two shots in front of us then slides over a te with salt and lime.


    I pick up the ss, and she eyes hers with distrust. ¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure I should-¡±


    ¡°You absolutely should,¡± I lick the skin between my thumb and forefinger, sprinkle it with salt, and pick up a slice of lime. ¡°You know the drill, lick, shoot, suck.¡±


    ¡°Is that a euphemism?¡± she snickers.


    ¡°You bet.¡± I pick up the other shot ss and thrust it at her. ¡°Bottoms up!¡±


    She copies my action with the salt and lime, then holds up her own ss.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. On the count of one-two-three.¡± I clink sses with her, then lick the salt, throw back the liquor in the shot ss, and bite the lime. The alcohol slides down my throat, hits my stomach and tendrils of heat radiate out to my extremities.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± She shakes her head. ¡°That was-¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± I gesture to the bartender. ¡°Two more, please.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± She backs away. ¡°I am not drinking more.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, you are.¡± I shove one of the freshly-filled shot sses into her hand. ¡°Come on, keep mepany.¡±


    She begins to protest, and I scowl. ¡°Come on, Theresa, we need to celebrate.¡± I refer to her uing nuptials to Axel, one of the-you guessed it-Sovrano brothers.


    ¡°Right¡­¡± She tosses her hair over her shoulder. ¡°But you don¡¯t need to get drunk to celebrate.¡±


    ¡°Maybe not, but it helps,¡± especially when you want to forget what a mess you have made of your life. I raise my ss, ¡°Come on!¡±


    After downing the ss, she nts it upside down on the bar and backs away. ¡°No more for me. I¡¯m going to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± I begin to follow her, but she waves me off.


    ¡°You go ahead and get another drink; I¡¯ll just head to the bathroom and back.¡±


    ¡°Let mee with-¡±


    She cuts me off, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I just need a minute to cool off.¡± She brushes past me and heads for the hallway that lead to the restroom.


    O-k-a-y¡­ I didn¡¯t piss her off, did I? Theresa is, literally, my only friend in Palermo. She hired me to work at her flower shop, The Tilting Tulip, which helped me find my feet quickly in this ce. I often wish I could confide more in her, but if I revealed the fractured side of me it¡¯d likely only put her off. No, I need to figure out how to hide the side of me that got me into trouble in the first ce. I shouldn¡¯t havee here today, really. It¡¯s taking me too close to the edge, where it would be so easy to fall over and lose myself.


    For that matter, I shouldn¡¯t have had the alcohol or indulged myself with the dancing. Especially the dancing. But gosh, did it feel good to be there in the crush of the bodies, with the music pounding down on me and drawing out all of the worries in my head. Just one more drink couldn¡¯t hurt, right? I turn to the bartender and gesture for another shot of tequ.


    A shiver spirals through me, up the hair on the nape of my neck, and pours down the valley between my breasts. My nipples swell. The heat of his body envelops me, and a secondter the bartender nces over my shoulder.


    ¡°Grappa Quater.¡± His low growl thrums in my ear, ¡°She¡¯ll have the same.¡±

 2560

    Elsa


    The vibrations from his voice seem to ricochet down my body and settle in my core. He¡¯s so close, I can feel the tension radiating off of him. Even without looking at him, the force of his dominance seems to pin me in ce. Thud-thud-thud. I can feel the blood pounding in my ears. I cannot let him overpower me like this. I cannot allow him to see how attracted I am to him.


    My stomach lurches, and my throat tightens. My pulse rate booms in my ears with such force that the world seems muted, like someone turned down the volume. I turn around to tell him off, and promptly lose my voice because he¡¯s standing so very close to me. I tip up my chin and he scowls down the length of that patrician nose at me.


    I clear my throat. ¡°You are in my space.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°No, you are in mine.¡± He takes a step closer, and I tten myself against the bar. Not that it helps, for the tips of his shoes brush my stilettos.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He rakes his gaze across my face. ¡°That will make our interactions so much more interesting.¡±


    ¡°Interactions?¡± Iugh. ¡°I don¡¯t n on seeing you ever again.¡±


    ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual.¡± He reaches past me and scoops up both sses of grappa. The spicy masculine scent of him is in my nostrils; I drag it into my lungs and my entire body seems to light up. My thighs clench and my toes curl. No, no, no. This kind of a visceral reaction to a man is exactly what I¡¯ve been trying to avoid.


    He holds out one of the tulip shaped sses, and I snatch it from him. Before he¡¯s raised his own ss, I¡¯ve tossed mine back. The alcohol leaves a trail of heat in its wake. It hits my stomach, and a ball of heat radiates out from the point of contact. I cough as my eyes water. ¡°Jesus, what is that? Paint remover?¡± I nce up through my spiky eyshes to find him watching me with something like disdain.


    ¡°What?¡± I sputter. ¡°Never seen a grown woman act like a wuss?¡±


    He merely tosses his own drink back-the action is so elegant I want to lean in and follow his every move, with my tongue-then ces it on the table with a controlled snap. The kind that manages to be authoritative and demanding. Bloody hell, how can one man convey all of that with such a small gesture?


    Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the bartender hurrying to refill his drink.


    Seb takes the ss from me, and his fingertips brush mine. A current of electricity shoots out from the point of contact. Oh, shit. Not good, not good. Don¡¯t want to have this kind of a reaction to this man.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sleep with you. Even if you were thest man on earth,¡± I blurt out.


    A touch of humor sparks in his eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± He tilts his head. ¡°You¡¯re a little thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± He frowns, as if only now noticing myck of height. Well, I¡¯m five-feet-four-inches, which is pretty decent, or so I¡¯d thought until I stood before this monster of a man.


    ¡°You¡¯re a big, mean alphahole, aren¡¯t you?¡± I scoff.


    His jaw drops, but he recovers quickly; I¡¯ll give him that much credit. ¡°That¡¯s not a word in the Englishnguage,¡± he says in a tone that could have chilled my grappa if I were still holding it in my hand, which I¡¯m not. More¡¯s the pity. I would have dumped it on him, just for the satisfaction of taking him by surprise again.


    ¡°It is now,¡± I inform him, ¡°and by the way, I may be small, but I pack a punch.¡±


    ¡°Somehow I don¡¯t doubt that.¡± He lowers his head until we share breath, then murmurs, ¡°But whatever it is you¡¯re offering, I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to gape. ¡°What the-?¡± I sputter. ¡°I¡¯m not offering you anything. I¡¯m not sure what makes you think-¡±


    He chuckles, the sound so deep, it seems to reach all the way to my toes.


    ¡°Jerk,¡± I snarl. ¡°Stopughing at me. I don¡¯t know who you think you are, but-¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I have to admit, your response was most satisfying.¡± He smirks. And damn it, that shouldn¡¯t be so hot. And I shouldn¡¯t still be staring at that beautiful face of his. But honestly, while I¡¯ve only heard of men being referred to as fallen angels before, now I get where the phrasees from. If that description fits anyone, it¡¯s thisrger-than-life guy who¡¯s looking at me like he¡¯s the most superior thing ever to have walked this.


    ¡°Only because you caught me by surprise.¡± I poke my finger in his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, normally, I am far cooler and more collected.¡±


    ¡°No doubt, it¡¯s my presence that unnerves you,¡± he drawls.


    ¡°It¡¯s your presence that makes me want to leave this bar,¡± I retort.


    ¡°No one¡¯s stopping you.¡± He raises his hand in a dismissive gesture, much like the one I used on him earlier. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ll give you a drink to go.¡± He jerks his chin at the bartender.


    For the second time in a few minutes, I gape at him.


    ¡°And I thought Italian men were such charmers.¡±


    ¡°Only with the right kind of women,¡± he shoots back.


    ¡°Which I am not-when ites to you- thank god.¡± I pretend to wipe my forehead. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be interested in you if you were thest man on this.¡±


    He yawns. ¡°I believe you already mentioned that. Are you done with your childish tantrum?¡±


    I resist the urge to stamp my foot; that would only confirm his misogynistic remark, and I am not going to validate his misced perception.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a beer,¡± I say in a casual voice.


    ¡°Eh?¡± A line appears between his eyebrows, marring the expanse of that gorgeous forehead.


    ¡°A beer.¡± I stab my thumb over my shoulder. ¡°Tell him I want a beer to go.¡±


    ¡°Instead of grappa?¡± He wrinkles his nose like I¡¯ve suddenly developed a bad smell.


    Not that I didn¡¯t like the taste of it, but there¡¯s a reason I¡¯m asking for beer. ¡°In fact, make it a pint. You know us Brits; we never settle for anything less.¡±


    He shoots me a look filled with disgust.


    ¡°There, there, it can¡¯t be all that bad.¡± I pat his chest. The heat of his body instantly soaks through his shirt to bleed into my skin. I shiver. To say the man is ripped is an understatement. I mean, I have touched walls which were less firm. Okay, maybe a tad exaggerated on my part, or not. I swear, the man must spend all of his spare time working out.


    He nces down at where my hand seems to have developed a rtionship with the front of his shirt.


    ¡°Oops, sorry.¡± Not. I lower my hand to my side.


    ¡°Your hair¡­¡± He points to where I have piled my hair on my head. Half of it hase undone, and strands now hang about my face. The curse of having thick hair. Not to mention, the humidity in this establishment pretty much means my hair is frizzy and escaping from its messy bun.


    ¡°What of my hair?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen bird¡¯s nests that are tidier.¡±


    ¡°Such sweetpliments. Keep that up, and I¡¯ll be sure you have a crush on me.¡±


    He smirks.


    I glower up at him.


    The skin around his eyes creases. Then he reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. Tendrils of loathing-it has to be loathing-shiver out from where his fingertips brushed my earlobe.


    Someone clears their throat. That¡¯s when I realize Theresa is standing beside us.


    ¡°Erm¡­ hello, everything okay?¡± she finally asks.


    Her voice breaks the fugue state I seem to have descended into. I blink. Seb lowers his hand to his side at the same time.


    ¡°Elsa? Seb? What¡¯s going on?¡± she questions.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on is that your grumpster bodyguard seems to think he owns the ce,¡± I snap.


    ¡°I do, actually.¡± Seb looks me up and down. He seems to notice my dress for the first time and his features harden. ¡°What the fuck are you wearing?¡± he growls.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I open and shut my mouth. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°You may as well be parading naked, for all that you have on.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± I nt my hands on my hips. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are, you asshole?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alphahole to you,¡± he says through gritted teeth. ¡°Also, we¡¯re leaving!¡±


    ¡°You can take her; I am not going anywhere.¡± I turn away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t turn your back on me,¡± Seb orders.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what I want, when I want,¡± I shoot back.


    I can¡¯t see his features, but I¡¯d wager he¡¯s grinding his teeth so hard, he probably split a mr.


    I sense him lean forward, but out of the corner of my eye, I notice Theresa tug at his sleeve. Something hot stabs at my chest. Damn it, why am I jealous? She¡¯s in love with another man. She¡¯s only trying to calm Seb down. Besides, what do I care who touches him? I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she says in a soothing voice. ¡°Let me handle this.¡±


    There¡¯s silence for a second, then he must nod, for she touches my shoulder. ¡°Elsa, I think it¡¯s time for us to leave,¡± she says softly.


    ¡°Aww, I¡¯m just starting to have fun.¡± I nce at her sideways. ¡°Besides, who does he think he is to order me around?¡±


    ¡°The Sovranos can be a bit overwhelming. Why don¡¯t we get out of here, and I¡¯ll exin on the way home?¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I toss my hair, most of which has now escaped from the messy bun on top of my head. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I have to do before we leave.¡± I bare my teeth.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Her gaze grows worried.


    I reach past her to seize the tall stic cup the bartender filled with beer, and dump it on Seb.

 257

    A weekter


    Elsa


    ¡°Open up.¡± I bang on the front door to the mansion. ¡°Open the hell up.¡±


    I hear footsteps approaching, but it¡¯s not quickly enough. My heart hammers in my chest and adrenalineces my blood.


    ¡°Help,¡± I scream, ¡°help me, please.¡±


    I raise my fist to bang on the door again, when it¡¯s flung open. I stumble forward and smash my face into what feels like a brick wall. A wall that emanates heat, which ms into my chest, pours over my shoulders, and pins me in ce. My breasts swell, my thighs clench, and all of the pores on my skin pop. I know who it is, even before I raise my head and those golden-brown eyes meet mine. What the hell is he doing here?


    ¡°Help,¡± I pant. ¡°Help me, Seb.¡±


    His hands grip my upper arms. Then he nces past me, and his gaze widens. ¡°Cazzo,¡± he swears. The next second, he hauls me inside the house, then throws me down on the floor. The open door is too far away to reach.


    ¡°Get down,¡± he yells into the room, then lowers his head so his cheek is stered to mine.


    He covers my body with his, and the breath whooshes out of my lungs. Shots ring out above us.


    ¡°What the-¡± my heart leapfrogs into my chest, and adrenaline spikes my blood.


    My throat closes, my pulse rate ratchets up, and a trembling grips me. Iy there as the shots seem to go on and on. When they finally stop, silence descends. Something crashes to the floor inside the house and I flinch. He wraps his fingers around the nape of my neck and holds me in ce. It should feel threatening, but instead, some of the panic abates. The heat from his body pours over me and sinks into my blood. Sweat beads my brow, and it¡¯s as if I have stepped into a sauna. His chest rises and falls, and I can feel every ridge, every cut of his sculpted muscles that dig into my back. His big body surrounds me; he¡¯s all around me. I should feel ustrophobic, but instead, I feel protected, and safe, and secure. Then his weight is gone.


    Cool air flows over me. The sound of people moving, of footsteps approaching us, of voices raised in concern, pours over me. I try to move, but my body doesn¡¯t obey. Try to open my mouth to speak, but nothinges out.


    ¡°You okay, Frozen?¡±


    Huh? Did he just call me what I think he did? He grips my shoulder, turns me over, and once more, I am staring up into those golden eyes. It¡¯s the first thing I noticed about him, because they are startling. Bottomless orbs of power that can see right through to my insecurities. He¡¯s so goddam gorgeous with those thick eyshes, sculpted cheekbones, and a nose hooked enough to lend him an air of arrogance. That pouty lower lip that hints at the sensualness that clothes him, that thin upper lip that warns me he could be mean. Cruel. He could cut me off at the knees with the charm that radiates from him, and surely, fills any room he enters. He¡¯d chew me up, spit me out, and damn, if I wouldn¡¯t enjoy every bit of sensation he¡¯d wring from me.


    ¡°John,¡± I croak.


    His gaze intensifies. ¡°Who¡¯s John?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s Frozen?¡± I counter.


    ¡°Touche.¡± His lips twitch. ¡°Princess suits you better.¡±


    ¡°Keanu Reeves yed John Wick in the movie by the same name, and PS, you must have been sleeping under a rock if you haven¡¯t heard of it. Also, I hate Princess even more,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you whatever name I want,¡± he announces.


    ¡°Definitely John Wick,¡± I mutter under my breath. ¡°No, actually, you¡¯re grumpier, and that¡¯s some feat, I can tell you.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± He searches my features. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± He runs his hands down my torso, my waist, over my hips, and something inside of me sparks to life.


    ¡°Stop touching me, you oaf.¡± I p his hands away. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look fine.¡± His forehead furrows. ¡°And what the hell were you doing outside the door?¡±


    ¡°Getting shot at, what do you think?¡± I glower back at him.


    ¡°You could have been fucking killed,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Not if I can help it. I like my life just fine, thank you very much.¡±


    I try to sit up, but he ttens his palm on my chest and pushes me back down.


    ¡°Hey, stop manhandling me,¡± I protest.


    ¡°Not letting you move until you¡¯ve been checked out by a medic.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± I huff.


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe it when a doctor tells me so.¡±


    ¡°Elsa!¡± I nce up as my friend Theresa¡¯s facees into view.


    ¡°Thank god.¡± I raise my gaze skywards. ¡°Please, can you tell this jerk that I¡¯m fine and he can let me up?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± She takes one look at his features and her eyebrows shoot up. ¡°I think he¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl at her, but she¡¯s too busy waving at another woman, who walks over to us. She¡¯s wearing a simple, dark-colored dress that hugs her curves, before dropping to below her knees. Her eyes are intelligent, and her auburn hair is pulled back from her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Aurora Sovrano. Is it okay if I check you out?¡±


    I nce from her to Theresa, who nods vigorously. ¡°You¡¯re safe with her,¡± she assures me. ¡°She¡¯s Christian¡¯s wife.¡±


    Christian is one of the Sovranos; I know that from what Theresa¡¯s told me about the brothers. In fact, she¡¯s spoken about the Sovranos in enough detail, I¡¯m confident I could pick out each of them in a crowd.


    I turn back to the doctor and nod at her.


    She smiles, then nces over to the man who¡¯s behind her. ¡°Can you get my medical bag, honey?¡±


    ¡°Sure, baby.¡± The tall, broad-shouldered man, who looks very simr to Seb, and even more like Axel, spins around and disappears through a doorway. I know they¡¯re married, but somehow, the very cozy endearments of ¡®baby¡¯ and ¡®honey¡¯ still feel out of ce in rtion to one of the Sovranos.


    Another man-the tallest and broadest in the room-walks over to us. ¡°Everything okay here?¡± he asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I say at the same time that asshat here growls, ¡°I have it under control.¡±


    The man-who has to be Massimo, going off Theresa¡¯s description-smirks.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go check on the guards outside.¡± He walks past us and out of the house.


    Aurora sinks down next to me and reaches over to take my pulse.


    By the time she lowers my arm, Christian has returned; he hands over her medical bag before stepping back. The doctor pulls out a small shlight and shines it in my eyes. She checks my heart beat with a stethoscope, performs a few other tests, and pronounces that I am fine.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to take care of that cut,¡± she says as she points to my forehead.


    For the first time, I be aware of the throbbing sensation above my eyebrow. I touch it and wince. When I nce at my fingers, they¡¯re bloodied.


    Seb rises to his feet and holds out his hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get that cleaned up.¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± I fold my arms across my chest, ¡°no, thank you.¡±


    He merely stares down at his proffered palm, then back at my face.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl. ¡°I am not going anywhere with you.¡±


    ¡°You do have to get that cleaned up,¡± Aurora says in a reasonable tone.


    I turn to her. ¡°I¡¯d rather you do it.¡±


    Aurora hesitates.


    ¡°I can do as good a job as you, Doc,¡± Seb interjects.


    Aurora begins to speak, but he holds up a hand. ¡°I have training in first aid.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡± I whip my head around to look at him. The scrape on my forehead protests, but I ignore it.


    He tilts his head.


    ¡°Are you lying?¡± I scowl up at him.


    ¡°Would I lie to you?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± I retort.


    He surveys my features. ¡°One of us was always getting hurt growing up. It made sense to get some basic training so I could take care of wounds. Thanks to the good doctor here, that asion has not arisen until now, but you¡¯ll be pleased to know, I¡¯m going to make an exception in your case.¡±


    I scoff. ¡°And if I decline?¡±


    ¡°Not giving you a choice. I¡¯m not letting you go anywhere until I ensure your wound is bandaged by me personally,¡± he exins reasonably. Damn him.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    I glower. He holds my gaze. Those gorgeous, golden orbs of his bore into me. Damn it, he¡¯s not going to back off, is he? Well, too bad. I¡¯m not going to simply fall in line with whatever he asks me to do.


    I gasp as he bends down, wraps an arm around my back, the other under my knees, and straightens with me in his arms.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I hiss.


    ¡°You could have done this the easy way, but you left me no choice.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me.¡± I shove at his chest.


    ¡°Once I¡¯ve seen to that cut on your forehead.¡±


    I notice Aurora ncing between us. ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret this,¡± she warns. She narrows her gaze on him. ¡°You take good care of her, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I intend to.¡± He smirks.


    Is there a hidden meaning to his words? I peer into his features, but the expression on his face seems sincere.


    ¡°Here,¡± Aurora holds out her medical bag.

 258

    ¡°We¡¯re better equipped than whatever you¡¯re carrying in there, I assure you,¡± Seb throws the words over his shoulder as he marches toward the inner part of the house. He passes the rest of his brothers, who are deep in conversation-presumably plotting the end of whoever was crazy enough to shoot at the house of the grandmother of the Don of the Cosa Nostra. OMG, someone was shooting at me. Someone was trying to kill me, and if Seb hadn¡¯t pushed me out of the way, they might have seeded.


    A trembling grips me and my teeth begin to chatter. I try to squeeze my lips together, try to curl into myself, to bury myself in his shirt, but nothing makes it better.


    ¡°Shh¡­¡± He holds me closer to his chest. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe now.¡±


    For some reason, I believe him. And it¡¯s nothing to do with the fact that his chest is broad, and the heat from his body is furnace-level hot, or that he smells soooo good. I draw in a huge lungful of Seb and my head spins. Nothing can hurt me as long as he has his arms around me. Why do I feel so safe in the embrace of one of the Mafioso who rule this city? Or is it precisely because I know what he does for a living that I¡¯m confident he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to hurt anyone who¡¯d daree after me? OMG, he really is John Wicke to life, isn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Who¡­who was that, who shot at me?¡± I ask, mainly because I want to stop the line of thought buzzing through my mind.


    ¡°Whoever it was, he doesn¡¯t have much longer left to live,¡± he answers in a grim voice.


    I swallow. A shiver runs down my spine. The menace in his voice is a reminder of how his way of life is so different from mine. The confidence with which he speaks is also a turn on. I shouldn¡¯t find the violence inherent in him so appealing, but my elevated breathing, the way my pulse flutters as he tucks my head under his chin, the moisture thatces the flesh between my legs-all of it, insists otherwise.


    He shoulders his way inside a bathroom andes to a stop in front of the sink. I try to pull away from him but he only tightens his grasp around me.


    ¡°Hush,¡± he says in a voice that brooks no argument, ¡°calm down first.¡±


    We stay that way for a few seconds, during which time I allow myself to rx in his embrace. Allow myself to rub my cheek against his shirt, to draw his musky, edgy scent into my lungs, and close my eyes and pretend it¡¯s okay that a well-known Mafioso isforting me after someone shot at me. Jesus, I was shot at.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± his voice rumbles against my cheek.


    I nod, and he lowers me onto the counter.


    He peers into my face, then swears. ¡°You¡¯re still bleeding.¡±


    He grabs a fresh cloth, wets it under the tap, and presses it to my wound.


    I wince and his jaw hardens further. He takes my hand and presses it against the washcloth. ¡°Hold it there,¡± he orders as he moves away. Every time he speaks, authority drips from him. It must be nice to know that whatever he says, us mere mortals will obey.


    He reaches up and grabs a first-aid kit from the shelf above the sink, then shakes out cotton balls and a bottle of antiseptic. He moves to stand between my legs, and when I lower the washcloth, he presses the antiseptic-soaked cotton ball to the wound.


    I hiss out a breath.


    A pulse tics to life in his jaw and his features seem to grow stormier. His actions, however, grow gentler. He dabs at the blood, tosses away the bloodied cotton ball, repeats his action with the next, and with the next. When he¡¯s finally satisfied, he ces a bandage on the cut.


    ¡°There.¡± He surveys his handiwork. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say truthfully, ¡°it¡¯s just a surface cut.¡±


    ¡°On your face.¡± He scowls. ¡°They hurt your face.¡±


    ¡°Technically, I think I hurt it when you pushed me down and threw yourself on top of me and-¡±


    He res at me, and I forget my train of thought. My stomach twists. Bam-Bam-Bam, my heart collides with my ribcage. Wariness trickles down my spine. I lean back from him, trying to put distance between us. To my surprise, he steps back and I slide down to ce my feet on the floor and straighten. Unfortunately, that also means my breasts brush his chest. Heat sluices through my veins and my breath catches.


    Every muscle in his body seems to tense. The tendons of his throat move as he swallows. Is he as affected by my proximity as I am by his?


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± he growls.


    ¡°I am fine, really.¡± I peer into his features. ¡°You, however, seem agitated.¡±


    His lips firm and he wraps his fingers around my wrist. Goosebumps pop on my skin. Little frissons of sensations arrow out from the point of contact. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± I croak.


    ¡°Apanying you back to the others.¡±


    Before I can protest, he¡¯s turned and pushed open the doorway of the bathroom. He drags me along, and I could protest, but weariness grips me and I allow him to tug me along. We reach the living room, where the group of men I¡¯d seen earlier are talking in low voices.


    The doctor sees us and rushes forward. She surveys my forehead and nods, ¡°Good job.¡±


    Seb grunts.


    ¡°Do you need a painkiller?¡± she asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I say at the very same time that Seb snaps, ¡°Yes.¡±


    She nces between us, then pulls out a pad from her handbag, writes out a prescription and hands it over to me. Before I can reach for it, jerkface here has snatched it from her and pocketed it.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I scowl, ¡°that¡¯s my prescription.¡±


    He ignores me and nods in the doctor¡¯s direction, ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± The doctor turns to me. ¡°You take care, and if you need anything, make sure you call me. Seb has my number.¡± She smiles again, then pats me on the shoulder. She turns to leave, and Theresa runs over and hugs me.


    ¡°Oh, my god, you gave me a scare. Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± I squeeze her shoulders. ¡°Sorry I barged in on your dinner like this. I didn¡¯t know where else to go when I realized that I was being followed.¡±


    ¡°You were followed?¡± Seb snaps from behind me.


    I draw in a breath. I will not lose my temper. I will stay calm.


    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± I shoot him a sideways nce. ¡°And in case you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯m speaking to my friend.¡±


    ¡°Axel¡¯s calling you.¡± He nods over Theresa¡¯s shoulder. I follow his gaze to find that, sure enough, her new husband is trying to get her attention. They were married a few days ago.


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± She peers into my face. ¡°If you want me to stay with you-¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°No, go. I don¡¯t want to keep you.¡±


    ¡°I can stay, really,¡± she insists.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I kiss her cheek. ¡°Go, be with your new husband.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± she whispers.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± I step back.


    Her features break into a smile, and she turns and almost skips across the floor to where Axel waits for her. The two of them lock lips in a kiss that seems to go on and on.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Pussy-whipped motherfucker,¡± Seb snorts.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I turn on him. ¡°They¡¯re in love.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, pussy-whipped,¡± he says with a smirk.


    ¡°Why do men have to be so macho when ites to admitting that two people can be in love?¡±


    ¡°Because love is an illusion?¡± His lips thin. ¡°It¡¯s one way that women and men con each other into believing that they have feelings, when really, all they want to do is jump each other.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that, do you? If that were true, how do you exin Theresa and Axel, who are not only in love, but married?¡±


    ¡°They got lucky, I guess?¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean most people do.¡±


    ¡°What do you have against falling in love?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for me,¡± he says in a tone that brooks no argument.


    ¡°With that grumpy attitude of yours, I¡¯d be surprised if anyone were rushing to fall in love with you, anyway¡± I mutter under my breath.


    ¡°I heard you.¡± His grin widens. ¡°You¡¯re feisty, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hate that word.¡± I toss my hair over my shoulder. ¡°Also, I think I should be getting along.¡±


    Massimo returns, followed by Luca. ¡°Seems whoever shot at us also knocked out the guards.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Seb nces from him to me. ¡°They didn¡¯t try to stop you when you ran toward the house, did they?¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, I was too busy trying to save my life to have noticed anyone, but no, no one stopped me.¡±


    ¡°Strange,¡± Luca murmurs, ¡°so they were already knocked out when she came to the house.¡±


    Seb stiffens. ¡°What are you implying Luca?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Just stating a fact, is all.¡± Luca tilts his head. ¡°Better not let your emotions get the better of you.¡±


    ¡°You done?¡± Seb says in a hard voice. The tension between the two stretches. Anger leaps off of Seb¡¯s big body, but his face doesn¡¯t change expression.


    The two men re at each other, then Luca jerks his chin. ¡°I¡¯d watch your back if I were you.¡± He walks past us, and Seb¡¯s shoulders rx a little.


    ¡°What was that? What was he talking about?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Nothing you need to concern your pretty little head about.¡±


    I firm my lips. ¡°You¡¯re a sadistic asshat, you know that?¡±


    He raises a shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll drop you at home.¡±


    ¡°I can see myself home, thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere without me.¡± He closes the distance between us.


    Suddenly, someone screams behind us.

 259

    Seb


    I nce over her shoulder just in time to see Nonna swaying on her feet. Cassandra, our housekeeper, has her arm around Nonna. She staggers under the weight of the other woman. In two quick steps, Adrian reaches her and steadies the both of them. Nonna presses a hand to the side of her chest and her fingerse away bloody.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I race toward Nonna, Elsa right behind me.


    Adrian and Cass lower her gently to the settee and she leans her head back against it.


    Aurora reaches her at the same time as me. She ces her medical bag on the floor and sits down next to Nonna. She takes Nonna¡¯s pulse and her features shutter. ¡°Call an ambnce,¡± she tells Christian, who grabs his phone and walks a few feet away as he dials.


    ¡°Here,¡± Elsa shrugs off the scarf she¡¯s wearing and gives it to Aurora, who uses it to staunch the flow of blood.


    Nonna¡¯s eyelids flutter. She nces over the faces of all those assembled.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that everyone is here.¡± She coughs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk, Nonna.¡± I sink down to my knees next to her and take her hand in mine. ¡°Save your strength.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop me, Seb.¡± Her lips kick up at the edges. ¡°You¡¯ve always been the most stubborn of all my boys. Once you get an idea into your head, you won¡¯t stop until you¡¯ve found a way to make it happen. I wish I could have been around long enough to see you get married.¡±


    ¡°The air-ambnce is on its way; it should be here within four minutes. I¡¯m going to alert the guards so they cane right in when they arrive.¡± Christian walks off.


    Nonna coughs again. My heart hammers in my chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be okay,¡± I say the words aloud, not only to convince her but also myself. ¡°You will be around long enough to see me get married.¡±


    ¡°You promise?¡± She squeezes my hand. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll get married. Promise you won¡¯t let what your father did to you get in the way of finding true happiness.¡±


    ¡°Why are you talking like this?¡± I bring up my other hand and envelop her thinner, more fragile one between both of mine. ¡°You¡¯ll be around to see the rest of us boys get married.¡±


    She smiles sadly. ¡°I had hoped so, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be alive that long.¡±


    ¡°Nonna,¡± I protest as the sound of an approaching chopper reaches us.


    She tilts up her chin in my direction. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll get married within the next month.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± I whisper.


    A smile curves her lips.


    The sound of the helicopter grows even louder, and I suspect it must havended on the backwn. Within seconds, we hear footsteps, followed by voices, as two paramedics race toward us. One of them squats down next to us.


    ¡°I¡¯m a doctor,¡± Aurora says crisply. ¡°Patient has been shot in the chest. She¡¯s lost a lot of blood, she-¡± Her voice fades away as I survey Nonna¡¯s pale features.


    She¡¯s going to be fine. She has to be fine. She¡¯s been more than a mother and a fatherbined to us, and I never let her know that. Never let her know how much I appreciate everything she¡¯s done for us. If something happens to her¡­ No, nothing can happen to her. She¡¯s going to be okay. She has to be ok-


    ¡°Could you please step back, sir?¡± The paramedic¡¯s voice cuts through my thoughts.


    I release Nonna¡¯s hand and take a few steps back.


    The paramedic slides a needle into her forearm, tapes it in ce, and begins to run an IV drip.


    I rise to my feet and watch as they move her to a stretcher, then wheel her toward the doorway, followed by Aurora.


    Karma, my oldest brother Michael¡¯s wife, presses her hand to her stomach and sways. Michael catches her around her waist. ¡°You okay, babe?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she nods. ¡°It¡¯s just the shock of everything that happened. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°You need to be in bed.¡± He nces from her to the doorway through which the medics are wheeling Nonna outside with Aurora in tow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with Nonna, too,¡± I state.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± Elsa steps up next to me.


    I turn to her and she raises a shoulder. ¡°Least I can do after you bandaged my wound.¡± I nce up at the bandage on her temple. Was it only a few minutes ago that I took care of her wound? It seems so long ago already.


    ¡°You may as well.¡± Michael looks from me to her. ¡°We need to find out what you noticed about the man who shot at you earlier.¡±


    She pales, but nods. ¡°Of course, Don Sovrano.¡± She sounds uncharacteristically meek. ¡°I¡¯m happy to help in any way I can.¡±


    ¡°Massimo, you, Luca, and Adrian head over to the hospital.¡± He turns to Christian. ¡°You, Axel and I need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Axel scowls. ¡°You need me for this conversation?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one of us now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Michael says in a hard tone. ¡°You pull your weight, then. Your family is in crisis; we need your help.¡±


    He seems like he¡¯s about to protest, but Theresa grips his arm. ¡°Please,¡± she murmurs, ¡°you promised, Axe.¡±


    Something passes between her and Axel, then Axel nods, ¡°Fine, then.¡± He turns to Michael. ¡°How can I help?¡±


    An hourter, I pace the floor of the waiting room outside the operation theater. I apanied Nonna and held her hand throughout the ride in the air-ambnce. The paramedics worked to stabilize her the entire time, then rushed her into the hospital. Aurora apanied them, and Elsa and I were told to go to the waiting room.


    Massimo, Adrian, and Luca arrived about thirty minutester by car, at which point Elsa retreated to one side of the room, and took a seat. I asked if she wanted anything to drink, but she refused. She did, however, pull out her phone to check¡­ What? The time? Messages? Does she have somewhere to be? A boyfriend, perhaps?


    As I walk away, Massimo corners me.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Did they say anything?¡± he demands.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Luca adds.


    ¡°Give the man a chance to breathe,¡± Adrian murmurs. ¡°He¡¯s as stressed as the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°They said she¡¯s in surgery.¡± I shake my head. ¡°We won¡¯t know anything more until they finish.¡± I nce past them to where Elsa¡¯s eyeing her phone with a frown on her face.


    ¡°What¡¯s between the two of you?¡± Massimo growls. ¡°The way you¡¯re watching her, it¡¯s like you can¡¯t stay away.¡±


    ¡°She was hurt-¡±


    ¡°A scratch on her forehead,¡± Adrian says in a mild voice.


    ¡°They shot at her,¡± I insist.


    ¡°Which begs the question, why did shee to Nonna¡¯s house in the first ce,¡± Luca drawls.


    I turn on him. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± He raises his hands. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Say what¡¯s on your fucking mind, Luc-ass,¡± I call him by the name he hates and am rewarded when his features harden.


    ¡°You want me to say it aloud, fine. If your girlfriend hadn¡¯te knocking on Nonna¡¯s door, the gunman wouldn¡¯t have fired at us, and Nonna wouldn¡¯t be in there fighting for her life.¡±


    In my peripheral vision, I notice her nce our way. Her color fades, and she slides the phone into the pocket of her jeans and walks over to us.


    Luca nces at her, then falls silent.


    The four of us nce at each other, but no one says anything.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she says in a low voice, ¡°it¡¯s my fault the bullet hit Nonna.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself,¡± I murmur, ¡°it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s no one¡¯s fault this happened.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to Theresa¡¯s house? Or Seb¡¯s? Or Michael¡¯s? How did you know that we were all at Nonna¡¯s ce?¡± Luca growls.


    ¡°Luca,¡± I growl, ¡°shut the fuck up.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± He folds his arms across his chest. ¡°It¡¯s a simple enough question. Why can¡¯t she answer it?¡±


    I nce between Massimo and Adrian¡¯s faces, and their expressions indicate they agree with him.


    ¡°The fuck you guys?¡± I widen my stance. ¡°This is not an inquisition.¡±


    ¡°Luca¡¯s only voicing what all of us are thinking,¡± Massimo points out. ¡°Although, I¡¯ll admit, our brothercks the finesse with which to word his questions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Adrian tilts his head, ¡°and you know it. The faster she tells us why she came to us, the sooner we can clear all of this up.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± I ball my fingers into fists. ¡°They shot at her. She was in as much danger as the rest of us. You saw that, so why are you-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Her touch on my arm stops me. A current sizzles from the point of contact and up my arm, aiming straight for my dick, apparently, for the blood drains to my groin. Gesu Cristo, why is it that just her touch is enough to make me want to haul her to me and kiss her lips, then throw her down and bury myself inside her, when my grandmother is fighting for her life across the hallway? I pull my arm from her grip.


    Her face pales further, hurt shes in her eyes, and she nces toward my brothers.


    ¡°Theresa had mentioned to me where she was going to be, and that all of you were gathering at your Nonna¡¯s home today. I was on my way to the shop-¡°

 260

    ¡°The shop?¡± Massimo frowns.


    ¡°The florist¡¯s shop that I run with Theresa-when I noticed a car following me. He sped up when I increased my pace, slowed down when I did. I, uh, knew that Theresa had married into the Cosa Nostra-¡±


    ¡°So, you concluded that one of our enemies was after you?¡± I frown.


    ¡°Theresa and I do not just work together; we are also good friends. We hang out a lot, go out together. I figured people have seen us together, and something like this has never happened before. I didn¡¯t think it was a coincidence I was followed so soon after her being involved with Axel. I¡­ I panicked.¡± She squeezes her hands together. ¡°I didn¡¯t know where to go. And then when they tried to run me off the road-¡±


    ¡°He tried to run you off the road?¡± I explode. ¡°Stocazzo!¡± I drag my fingers through my hair.


    ¡°N¡­ nothing happened.¡± She turns her gaze on me, and this time, there is no hint of emotion in her blue eyes. Interesting. She¡¯s more in control of her feelings than she lets on.


    She swallows. ¡°I was on a strip of road where there¡¯s not much traffic when it happened. Then, another car crowded me, so I had no choice but to take the next turn.


    ¡°I realized I was near your nonna¡¯s house, so when I reached it, I mmed on the brakes, jumped out, and raced toward the front door, hoping to get help. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t thinking. I just knew I was in danger, and that someone here would be able to help me, but then the gunshots rang out and-¡± She bites down on her lower lip and a shudder grips her shoulders.


    So, there was more than one car following her? Cristo Santo! My stomach knots. A ball of emotion hooks its ws into my throat. Why am I unable to see her in distress? My fingers tingle. I want to reach for her, hold her close and calm her down, and promise her nothing like this will ever happen to her again. Except, we are the Cosa Nostra, and I¡¯m an integral part of it. Our lives are always at risk from our enemies, and so are our family¡¯s and friends¡¯. It¡¯s the price we pay for the path we follow. It¡¯s a lesson I learned early.


    It¡¯s why I swore to never get married¡­ Until Nonna made me promise otherwise earlier. Cazzo! I tuck my elbows into my sides and try to wipe all expression off my face.


    ¡°Looks like she was coerced intoing to the house.¡± Massimo leans forward on the balls of his feet. ¡°Whoever was in those cars knew where we were and wanted her toe to us.¡±


    ¡°What about the guards?¡± Luca asks in a hard voice. ¡°How do you exin them being knocked out so you could get past them and to the door?¡±


    She bites down on her lower lip, and hell, if I don¡¯t want to go over and pull out her lip from under her teeth and bite down on it myself. I take a step toward her, then stop myself. Luca has a point. Why were the guards knocked out before she came on the scene? Something doesn¡¯t fit.


    She nces at me, and I want to nod in encouragement, but I stop myself. If she had anything to do with Nonna being shot¡­ But no, that makes no sense at all. It¡¯s a coincidence, is all. But I want to hear it from her.


    ¡°I¡­¡± she tips up her chin, ¡°I don¡¯t know why they were knocked out, to be honest. I didn¡¯t see anyone as I ran through the gates.¡±


    ¡°-which had been left open.¡± Luca widens his stance.


    ¡°Whoever steered her in our direction made sure to remove all obstacles from her course,¡± Adrian muses.


    I whip my head in his direction. ¡°You think she was set up?¡±


    ¡°By someone who knew where we all were, and who counted on Seb recognizing her and letting her in,¡± Massimopletes my train of thought.


    Luca, Massimo, Adrian, and I exchange nces.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I drag my fingers through my hair. ¡°This means there¡¯s someone inside our n who is sharing information. Someone who knew we¡¯d all be here under one roof. Or someone overheard Theresa¡¯s conversation with her.¡±


    Elsa hunches her shoulders. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m really sorry I burst in on you guys, sorry that I brought the gunmen to your doorstep, sorry that Nonna was hurt. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn¡¯t stop at Nonna¡¯s house, but continue on to the shop-¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯d have shot at you as you entered the shop, if he hadn¡¯t pushed you off the road, forced you out of your car, and put a gun to your head.¡± I dig my fingernails into the palm of my hand. My stomach churns. Porca miseria, she could have been killed. She almost was killed.


    ¡°You should have never left home today,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°You should have stayed in bed. That way, all of this could have been avoided.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± she snaps. Color rises on her cheeks, she juts out her chin, and scowls at me. ¡°You don¡¯t tell me how to live my life, mister. No one does. I am my own person, and I¡¯ve worked hard to build my life exactly the way I like it, and-¡±


    Someone clears their throat and we all turn.


    Elsa


    My phone vibrates in my pocket; I slide it out and nce at it. At the same time, the surgeon in his blood sttered scrubs looks between us. Seb moves toward him, followed by his brothers. The doctor speaks with them in a low tone as I move to the side to check the message.


    I need to leave soon Elsa. When will you be back?


    I¡¯ll be there within the hour. Can you hold on until then? I text back, then pocket the phone and nce up to find Seb¡¯s gaze on me. His features are pale; his eyes are dead. It looks like he¡¯s lost his best friend in the world¡­ Or his nonna.


    Oh no, no, no. I press my knuckles to my mouth and move toward him. I brush past the other men who are standing around with shellshocked expressions on their faces. I reach him, close the distance between us, and wrap my arms around him. His entire body feels as if it¡¯s frozen, his muscles locked in ce. A palpable sense of disbelief emanates from him. I nce up to find his gaze fixed on a point in the distance.


    ¡°Seb?¡± I whisper. ¡°Sebastian?


    When he doesn¡¯t reply, I stand up on tiptoes and press my lips onto the strip of skin exposed between thepels of his shirt.


    A shudder runs through him and his shoulders bunch. He nces down at me, and my breath catches. That light in his amber eyes is gone, reced by a darkness that both frightens me, and beckons me. His skin is pale and the hollows under his cheekbones seem to have be even more pronounced. I guess this is what a forsaken angel looks like. He¡¯s looking at me like he doesn¡¯t actually see me, yet he¡¯d reacted to my touch, so I know that he feels me.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I swallow, ¡°are you okay?¡± My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I wince.


    A frown creases his forehead. ¡°Are you going to answer that?¡± he asks.


    ¡°No,¡± I shake my head, ¡°but I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Go?¡± He repeats the word as if he hasn¡¯t quiteprehended what I¡¯m saying.


    ¡°I have to leave Seb, I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s just I¡­¡± I bite my lower lip, and his nostrils re. His gaze drops to my mouth, and a nerve flicks to life at his temple.


    My phone vibrates again. Damn, I can¡¯t ignore it. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Seb. I really have to go.¡± I step back from him, but he swoops his arm out and around my waist, pulling me close and holding me in ce.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving me?¡± he asks in a voice devoid of emotion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to. I know how much pain you are in, and believe me, if I could, I would stay-¡±


    ¡°So stay,¡± he says in that same remote voice.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I nce past him at the door. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, but I can¡¯t.¡± I try to pull away, and to my relief, he releases me. I brush past him, rush out the door, and run straight into Michael and Karma, whom I¡¯ve already met through Theresa.


    ¡°Elsa.¡± Karma grips my arm. ¡°How is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± I swallow, then turn to Michael. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss,¡± I say in a soft voice.


    Michael¡¯s gaze widens before he wipes all emotion from his face.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Karma¡¯s features crumple. She releases me, only to turn to Michael and throw her arms around him. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, baby.¡±


    He leans into her, and for just a few seconds, I see the vulnerability of the Don of the Cosa Nostra. Feeling like an intruder, I walk past them and down the corridor to exit. I scramble out of the way of iing paramedics with a woman on a stretcher, and I¡¯m reminded-that could have been me. Simultaneously, I remember I left my car at Nonna¡¯s ce. I hesitate. What do I do? I reach for my phone to call a car when a town car with tinted windows pulls to a stop in front of me. The driver rolls down his window and addresses me, ¡°Sebastian told me to bring you home.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I blink rapidly. ¡°But he didn¡¯t tell me anything. He-¡± My phone buzzes. I pull it out of my jeans pocket to find there¡¯s a message from an unknown number:


    Michael¡¯s bodyguard Antonio will take you to your car and follow you home.


    I blow out a breath. Only one person would message me in that imperious tone, and somehow, I¡¯m not surprised he¡¯s gotten hold of my number. He is a part of the Mafia, after all. I assume he has minions in his pocket almost everywhere-people who are only too d to drop everything and do his bidding.


    Antonio-I assume he¡¯s the one driving-gets out of the car, then opens the back door for me. ¡°Please, Miss Elsa, let me make sure you get home safely.¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°He has a lot on his te at the moment; it¡¯ll help if he knows you¡¯re safe,¡± Antonio adds.


    That¡¯s true. And damn, if I don¡¯t feel manipted. On the other hand, this means I¡¯ll save time and reach home faster.


    I slide into the backseat and he shuts the door behind me. He gets into the driver¡¯s seat, shuts his own door and eases onto the road.


    In half an hour, we are back at Nonna¡¯s ce. I find my car parked in the driveway, behind the now-closed gates, with the windows rolled up. I left the car on the street, with the engine running and the keys in the ignition. The gates to the house had been open and I¡¯d darted through and up the pathway to the front door.


    ¡°I got the car off the main road. Seb told me to,¡± Antonio exins as the gate opens and he parks behind my car.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I nod at him, before getting out of the car and heading toward my own.


    Inside, I find the keys still in the ignition and my hardback where I left it on the passenger seat. I adjust the rearview mirror and spot the cut on my forehead. It¡¯s crazy how just a few hours can change everything. Now, his nonna is gone. And I know that the simmering connection between us is more than I had imagined. The entire situation is so messy. On the other hand, I caught his attention. Mission aplished. But at what cost?


    I draw in a breath, start the car, and follow the circr driveway out and onto the main road.


    Twenty minutester, I am home. Antonio had followed me at a safe distance, and waited until I had walked up the steps and into the door of my apartment block. Only after I shut the door behind me, do I hear him drive off. No doubt, he¡¯s following Seb¡¯s instructions to a T.


    The t is quiet as I ce my handbag and keys on the table near the door. I walk into the living room to find my babysitter, Sara, fast asleep on the couch. I head toward the smaller of the two bedrooms and peek inside. The night light is on, illuminating the stars stuck to the ceiling. I walk over to the crib and find Avery fast asleep. She¡¯s on her back, chubby arms flung out to the sides. Her chest rises and falls as she breathes. Her eyshesy against her cheekbones and her mouth is slightly parted. Warmth coils in my chest. I lean forward and slide my finger inside the tiny half-curled fingers of her hand. She stirs, then sps her fingers firmly around mine. I wait a few seconds, to ensure she ispletely still, before I kiss my fingertips and touch them to Avery¡¯s forehead. Her baby smell fills my lungs and it¡¯s all I can do not to scoop her up and cuddle her close. I¡¯d do anything for this little girl. Anything to ensure that she has every happiness in her life. She deserves everything I couldn¡¯t have. I never knew my father, and I¡¯m going to ensure she has one, bastard though he might be. I¡¯d sacrifice myself so she¡¯d go to sleep every night with a smile on her face.


    I slowly slide my finger out from between hers, then straighten and leave the room. I walk over to the sofa where Sara is sprawled out, her hair about her shoulders.


    ¡°Sara¡­¡± I touch her shoulder, and her eyelids snap open.


    ¡°Oh, hey.¡± She yawns. ¡°When did you get back?¡±


    ¡°A few minutes ago.¡±


    She stretches, then bolts upright. ¡°Shoot, what time is it? I promised Mom I¡¯d be home by ten.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nine-forty-five.¡±


    She rubs her eyes. ¡°I guess I should get going. Good thing I live just upstairs.¡± She rises to her feet, then peers into my face. ¡°What happened?¡± She gestures to my forehead.


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just a scratch.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± She takes in my features. ¡°I can stay, if you want.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s all right. You¡¯ve helped me a lot by babysitting her already.¡±


    ¡°Any time. She¡¯s a sweetheart. She ate most of her dinner. Then we yed, I read her a bedtime story, and she was out like a light.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± A wave of exhaustion overwhelms me and I clutch the back of the sofa.


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± I smile. ¡°Hell, I forgot to pay you.¡± I walk around her and head to where I dropped my purse on the table. I pull out a few notes and hold them out to her.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was a pleasure. You don¡¯t have to pay me; I love babysitting Avery.¡±


    ¡°I insist. You earned it.¡± I push the notes into her hand, then walk to the door and hold it open. ¡°Thanks again for being avable on short notice.¡±


    After she leaves, I head toward my own bedroom. Too tired to even shower, I simply step out of my clothes, pull on a soft camisole, and slide into bed. I close my eyes, and what seems like only a few minutester, I¡¯m awakened by a cry from the other room.


    Avery! I jump out of bed and race to her room to find her sitting up in her crib. ¡°Hey, baby, did you have sweet dreams?¡±


    She holds up her chubby arms, and I scoop her up and cuddle her.


    She settles down instantly, then begins to fuss again. ¡°Time for a diaper change, Bubu?¡±


    I set her down and quickly change her diaper. As I toss the soiled diaper in the receptacle, the doorbell rings.


    I nce down at myself, then carry her back to my bedroom. cing her on the bed, I pull on my robe, then cuddling her in my arms, I head for the front door. The doorbell rings again.


    ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± I yell. I look through the peephole and my breath catches. I take a step back then fling the door open. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

 261

    Seb


    She has a baby. She has a baby who looks exactly like her. Blonde hair, big blue eyes, pink lips, and glowing skin. I nce from the little girl in her arms to her, then back to the child, who begins to fuss. My reports had indicated she had a child. Still, knowing about it¡¯s one thing; seeing her with the child is another. And feeling this weird sensation in my chest that tightens my rib cage is something else altogether.


    ¡°How did you know it was safe to open the door?¡± I thrust my chin forward.


    ¡°I did look through the peephole,¡± she retorts.


    ¡°What if it had been someone else? Someone like the guy who chased you yesterday?¡±


    She pales, then tips up her chin. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t, and I recognized you. Although, I¡¯m beginning to think maybe I shouldn¡¯t have opened the door.¡±


    The child in her arms wriggles, then holds her arms out to me.


    I blink, almost take a step back, then stop myself.


    ¡°Oh, she wants to go to you¡­¡± Elsa seems as dumbfounded as me.


    I stare at the little girl, who all but throws herself at me. I grab her and tuck an arm under her to support her weight. She stares at me, unblinking, then begins to babble. The words make no sense; they are in some kind ofpletely made-upnguage.


    ¡°Uh, what did she say?¡± I study the baby who holds my gaze. Huh? No one, and I mean no one, dares stare back at me. Except, apparently, this child here.


    ¡°I think she wants you to feed her breakfast,¡± Elsa ventures.


    ¡°Breakfast?¡± I blink at the girl again.


    ¡°Children get hangry if they¡¯re not fed on time.¡± Elsa leans past me to shut the door, and the scent of cherries fills my senses. I don¡¯t realize I¡¯ve leaned in toward her until she turns and ms into me.


    ¡°Oops, sorry.¡± Her breasts push into my chest, her nipples so pointed that I can feel them through the robe she¡¯s wearing. She tries to brush past me, but I wind an arm around her waist and keep her in ce. She nces up at me as her daughter babbles again, then reaches over and socks her head.


    ¡°Ow.¡± Elsaughs. ¡°What was that for?¡± She cups her daughter¡¯s face, then rises up on tiptoe to kiss her chubby cheek. She makes a loud mwah sound.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    With my arm around each of them, a weird sensation fills my chest. Clearly, Nonna¡¯s death and the promise I made her is affecting me more than I expected. It¡¯s the only reason I can¡¯t shift my gaze from her as she ruffles her daughter¡¯s hair then tries to pull away from me.


    ¡°I need to get her breakfast,¡± she exins, and I release her.


    She brushes past me and heads to the kitchen, where she bustles around getting a small bowl out of the drawer. She proceeds to cut up some fruit, which she ces in the bowl. When she returns, she ces it on the tray of a high chair.


    She holds out her hands for her daughter, who turns away and clings to my shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± I ask softly.


    ¡°Avery,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Avery.¡± I hold the baby¡¯s blue gaze as she stares up at me. She suddenlyughs, then smacks my cheek.


    I burst outughing, and something releases inside of my chest.


    ¡°Avery,¡± Elsa exims in a horrified tone. ¡°Sorry,¡± she turns to me, ¡°this is something new that she¡¯s picked up. It seems to be her chosen way ofmunicating right now.¡±


    I¡¯ve been put in my ce, all right, and by a kid.


    ¡°How old is she?¡± I ask as I lower her into the high chair.


    ¡°Almost two.¡± Elsa snaps the tray in ce and pushes the bowl in Avery¡¯s direction.


    The child bashes her hand into the bowl of fruit. Half of a grape goes flying, then a bit of apple. She manages to grab a piece of banana and brings it to her mouth. She chomps on it, then exims, ¡°Umm.¡± She makes smacking noises with her lips.


    ¡°I know, baby.¡± Elsa turns to me. ¡°That should keep her upied for a little while.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± I nce between them, ¡°you have a child?¡±


    She raises one eyebrow and looks at me like I¡¯m stupid. ¡°It would appear so,¡± she replies.


    ¡°You¡¯re fighting for custody of her,¡± I state.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re currently only allowed to have her on weekends, and if your ex-husband, who just happens to be one of the most powerful cops in the police force, has his way, he¡¯ll take that away from you. In fact, you are one step away from losing all rights to your daughter, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The color fades from her cheeks. Her muscles seem to coil until she is a mass of vibrating tension.


    ¡°Get out,¡± she says through gritted teeth. ¡°Get out of my apartment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I haven¡¯t even told you the real reason for my visit.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you should.¡± I fold my arms across my chest. ¡°In fact, I think it¡¯s in your best interest to listen to what I have to say. It might go a long way toward alleviating many of your problems.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with you,¡± she snarls.


    I allow my lips to curl in a smirk. ¡°Afraid you may not have much of a choice in this, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°You prefer Frozen?¡±


    She squeezes the bridge of her nose. ¡°Why are you even here? Shouldn¡¯t you be-¡± She waves a hand in the air. ¡°Taking care of whatever needs to be done after what happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°If you mean, shouldn¡¯t I be mourning my grandmother, I am. In fact, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    She looks at me suspiciously. ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡±


    ¡°Before Nonna died, she asked me to get married.¡±


    She frowns.


    ¡°Within the next month.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡±


    ¡°It has everything to do with you.¡± I grin.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little too early for riddles.¡± She rubs her temple.


    ¡°How¡¯s the head?¡± I jerk my chin in the direction of her still-bandaged wound.


    ¡°It¡¯s sore,¡± she admits, turning toward her baby to make sure she¡¯s okay, I guess, before she nces back at me. ¡°You were saying?¡±


    ¡°That I have a proposition for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She folds her arms around her waist. ¡°I¡¯m really not interested in anything, especially if it has to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty.¡± I nce around the room. ¡°Have you eaten breakfast? Babies are not the only ones who get hangry, you know?¡±


    I circle the table, then begin pulling open the doors to cabs.


    Something hits me in the back. I turn to find Avery waving her hand in the air. Sheughs at me, then goes back to ying with her food.


    ¡°See? Even my daughter knows you¡¯re not wee here.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, I would argue she¡¯s quite enjoying mypany.¡±


    Avery grabs a grape and flings it on the floor, then smiles at me again.


    ¡°See? She definitely wants me here.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t,¡± Elsa huffs.


    ¡°Definitely hangry,¡± I conclude, then turn and pull out a skillet. I ce it on the stovetop, then walk over to the refrigerator and pull the door open. There¡¯re jars of baby food, two eggs, some butter, one head of lettuce, and one tomato. Does she not like to stock her refrigerator? Or does she simply prefer not to eat, or-


    ¡°Hey!¡± She charges toward me and pushes against the door of the refrigerator, trying to shut it. I hold onto the door so it won¡¯t budge. ¡°It¡¯s impolite to peer into other people¡¯s refrigerators,¡± she points out.


    I pull out the eggs and butter, then step back. She ms the door shut and the entire refrigerator wobbles.


    I brush past her, grab a fork and a mixing bowl from one of the shelves. I tap the egg on the side of the bowl.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Making you breakfast.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you here.¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡± I whisk the eggs together, and light the me under the skillet. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make yourself useful and slice some of that bread?¡±


    She hesitates, then does as she¡¯s told.


    ¡°Lay the table.¡± I point with my spoon in the direction of the table.


    She opens her mouth to protest, and I click my tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me.¡±


    She huffs, then grabs cutlery and thumps it down on the table before she drops into the seat next to her daughter.


    I whip up the scrambled eggs, divide them into two tes, butter the bread and add some to each te, then walk over and slide a te over to her. Taking off my coat, I ce it over the chair opposite her, then take my seat.


    Avery beams at me, then picks up a piece of apple and throws it at me.


    I snatch it out of the air. ¡°Thanks, sweetheart.¡± I pop it into my mouth.


    The kid smiles at me, then points at Elsa¡¯s food. ¡°Egg, mama.¡±


    ¡°You want some eggs, baby?¡± She scoops up some of the food and offers it to Avery who chows it down like she is starving.


    ¡°She has an appetite, eh?¡± I watch the little girl closely.


    ¡°She likes to eat everything¡­ At least, I think she does, based on the little time that I have her.¡±


    Her lower lip trembles and she looks away. She reaches for her te, shovels some of the eggs into her mouth, and chews.


    I scoop some of the eggs onto the bread, take a bite, then ce it back on the te. I watch as she makes her way through her food, as if it¡¯s a chore.


    ¡°How is it?¡± I point to the food.


    ¡°Good,¡± she admits. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just not used to eating breakfast.¡±


    ¡°From the way you look, you¡¯re not used to eating at all,¡± I observe.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the way I look?¡± She scowls.


    I look her up and down. ¡°Nothing.¡± I raise my gaze to her face. ¡°Absolutely nothing, and that¡¯s the problem.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She carefully ces her fork on the te. ¡°What is this all about? Why are you here, trying to be all cozy and domestic with me, when you should be with your family.¡±


    ¡°I am with my family.¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not sure what game you¡¯re ying, but I really don¡¯t like it.¡± She pushes her chair back and starts to rise, when I reach over and grab her hand.


    ¡°Sit down, Princess.¡±


    She nces down at where my fingers are curled around her wrist. She¡¯s so thin that my fingers look obscenelyrge against the delicacy of her frame.


    I release her, then hold up my hands. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find it worth your time to listen to my proposition.¡±


    She folds her arms across her chest and leans back in her seat. ¡°Not that I¡¯m even remotely interested¡­ But in the interest of getting you out of my home, what is it?¡±


    I lean forward, lock my fingers together, then fix her with my gaze. ¡°Marry me.¡±

 262

    Elsa


    ¡°What?¡± I gape at him. ¡°I think I heard you incorrectly.¡±


    ¡°You heard me right.¡± He looks back at me cidly. ¡°Marry me.¡±


    I burst outughing, and Avery turns to stare at me. I reach over, pick up half a grape, and hold it to her mouth. She flicks her tongue around it, then closes her lips around my fingers, and begins to chew on it. I pull my hand back, and she proceeds to smash her fist into the tray next to her food bowl.


    ¡°And I thought I was the one to take a blow to the head,¡± I mutter under my breath.


    Anger radiates off of him, and I can¡¯t stop myself from ncing at him. His features are set in upromising lines, his lips firm. He res at me and my insides flip-flop. ¡°Whoever chased you yesterday is not going to stop until he gets to you.¡± He jerks his chin in Avery¡¯s direction. ¡± What happens to her then? Have you thought of that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a mother. What do you think?¡± I snap at him.


    ¡°So, then you know what I¡¯m offering you will help you take care of all of your problems in one stroke.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± I halfugh.


    His face grows even more stormy and a nerve throbs at his temple. He seems to be barely controlling himself, if that set jaw of his is any indication.


    ¡°Anger leads to high blood pressure, which leads to all sorts of other problems,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He frowns.


    ¡°You¡¯re perpetually frowning. It¡¯s also bad for your skin. Not that the lines don¡¯t look good on you¡­ They do add a certain distinguished air¡­ But still, when you smile, the whole world smiles, you know?¡±


    His scowl deepens. ¡°Don¡¯t change the topic of discussion.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware we were having a discussion.¡±


    He pulls something out of his pocket, and ces it on the table between us.


    ¡°What the hell-?¡± I gape at the blue diamond surrounded by golden-yellow sapphires in an intricate setting. The ring is not store-bought. Everything about the piece points to it being a family heirloom. This was not a spur of the moment decision.


    ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± I finally mange to force the words out through a throat gone dry.


    ¡°It belonged to Nonna.¡± He nces at the ring, then at me. ¡°I want you to have it. I want you to be my wife.¡±


    ¡°W-wife?¡± I shake my head. ¡°I barely know you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know me to marry me.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?¡± I reach for a ss of water, take a sip, then choke on it and ce it back on the table. I cough so much that tears run down my cheek.


    He jumps up, grabs a napkin, and hands it to me.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I nod to him as I dry my eyes.


    At which point, Avery begins to cry.


    ¡°Sorry, honey, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± I scoop her up from the highchair and cuddle her. She instantly subsides and begins to y with my hair.


    ¡°So, what do you say?¡± he persists.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°You, me, getting married.¡± He jerks his chin in Avery¡¯s direction. ¡°You do realize it¡¯s the best way to get full custody of her, right?¡±


    ¡°What, by getting married to you?¡± I frown at him. ¡°I¡¯m really confused by this conversation.¡±


    ¡°The Cosa Nostra is more powerful than the police, more pervasive than the government.¡± He drums his fingers on the table.


    ¡°You mean, you would kill him?¡±


    ¡°Only if you want me to.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I burst out, ¡°he¡¯s her father, I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± He tilts his head.


    ¡°My ex has enough money to afford the best legal help.¡±


    ¡°I have more money than him,¡± he drawls.


    My head begins to spin. ¡°Are you saying that if I marry you, you¡¯ll help me get full custody of my daughter?¡±


    ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll make sure your ex never looks at either of you again. Also,¡± he ttens his hand on the table, ¡°you don¡¯t have to worry about anyoneing after you. As the wife of the Capo of the Cosa Nostra, you and your daughter would receive round-the-clock protection.¡±


    I rock Avery, who wriggles against me. I ce her down, and she waddles over to Seb and throws her arms around his leg.


    ¡°Up.¡± She looks up at him expectantly.


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Before I canplete the sentence, he lifts her up in his arms.


    ¡°Hi, beautiful,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°y.¡± She grabs at his hair and tugs. ¡°y,¡± she says more insistently.


    Even though Fabio speaks to her in Italian, I speak to Avery in English, and when she¡¯s with me she tends to use more English words.


    ¡°You want to y?¡± he asks her in a serious voice.


    She nods. ¡°y, Scooty, y,¡± Avery chants.


    ¡°Scooty; that¡¯s the name of her toy bunny. Guess she wants you to y with him,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Where¡¯s this Scooty then?¡± He turns that brilliantly golden gaze in my direction.


    I hesitate.


    ¡°She wants me to y with Scooty. I think you should take me to him.¡± He arches an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± I blow out a breath, then turn in the direction of her room. He¡¯s on my heels as I reach the cordoned-off y area in her room.


    ¡°There,¡± I point to the raggedy toy.


    He carefully lowers her to the floor, and Avery pounces on the bunny and begins to chew on its ears. She drags it out of her mouth and offers it to Seb, who epts the toy.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he says.


    She purses her lips together and makes a kissing noise.


    ¡°You want me to kiss Scooty?¡± Seb asks.


    When she nods, he does just that, then offers the toy back to her. Avery takes it from him, then grabs another, a toy airne, and begins to make a humming sound as she weaves it through the air.


    ¡°That should keep her busy for a while. I hope.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He turns to me. ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for an answer.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not ready to give you one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you alone until you do.¡± Those golden-brown eyes of his hold mine. Heat from his body surrounds me and sinks into my blood. My heart rate ratchets up and my pulse skitters. I lick my lips and his gaze falls to my mouth. His nostrils re and I wonder if he¡¯s thinking of kissing me.


    He weaves his fingers through mine and guides me out of the room.


    ¡°Wait.¡± I grab the baby monitor on the way out.


    He leaves the door to her bedroom open, then leads me into the living room. Once there, he takes the baby monitor from me and ces it on the coffee table. I tug on my hand, and he releases it. Thank god.


    It had felt so right to have my hand in his, to follow him, to not have to think, or make decisions, or do anything but allow him to direct my actions. I shake my head. What the hell is wrong with me? I¡¯vee so far. I have a steady job, friends who have my back, and I¡¯m doing everything possible to get more time with my daughter. And how is that going for you? Fabio will never allow me more time with Avery. He¡¯s convinced that I¡¯m a bad mother. He has the money and the influence in this city, and ess to the best legal help. Also, he¡¯s Italian and I¡¯m English, which means the courts in this country will always favor him. I¡¯m fighting a losing battle and I know it.


    ¡°What do you get out of it?¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°You could marry anyone you want. Why me?¡±


    ¡°Nonna was very clear that I should get married within theing month. As you know, it was her¡­ dying wish.¡± He pushes out thest couple of words, and I swear, I hear his voice crack. He nces away, then drags his thumb under his eye.


    Was that a tear he wiped away? Or is he doing it just to get my sympathy? But there was that change in his voice, and he was genuinely shattered when he heard the news from the doctor at the hospital, wasn¡¯t he?


    He turns back to me. ¡°As to why you?¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re as good as anyone else. Only, you need this marriage more than I do.¡±


    ¡°And you want to marry someone who is beholden to you? Someone who would be dependent on you so you could control her?¡±


    ¡°Someone who would benefit greatly from this arrangement, too,¡± he points out.


    But it¡¯s only an arrangement; this is not a real marriage, is it? ¡°And what about¡­¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    He frowns. ¡°Afraid I have no idea what you¡¯re referring to.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have different rooms, won¡¯t we?¡±


    He still seems puzzled.


    ¡°You know, bedrooms, sleeping at night-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be sharing the same bed.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± My cheeks heat. ¡°The same bed?¡±


    ¡°Once we¡¯re married, yes.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    He arches an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you at all,¡± I burst out.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know you to fuck you.¡±


    I firm my lips. ¡°If you think this is going to convince me to marry you-¡±


    The doorbell rings. I scowl at him, then at the door. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone.¡±


    The doorbell rings again and again.


    ¡°Coming,¡± I call out as I head toward the door with him right behind me.


    I wrench it open, to find a guy standing there, holding out a packet. I sign for it, and he leaves. I close the door, lock it, turn, and once more, crash head-first into that wide chest. The dark male scent of him fills my lungs, and I¡¯m ashamed to say that I take in big gulps of it.


    ¡°Did you just smell me?¡± He sounds amused.


    ¡°What?¡± I pull back. ¡°Of course not.¡± I march around him, head for the living room, where I grab the letter opener from the side table. I slide it under the p of the envelope and open it, then take in the official looking sheets of paper. My heart begins to race and my throat closes. I sit down on the settee and pull out the documents. I scan through them and anger squeezes my lungs.


    ¡°Goddamn it!¡± I throw them down on the table and jump to my feet. ¡°You knew that this was going to happen. You knew my ex was going to file for full rights to her. You knew it, and you manipted things so I would have no option but to marry you, you-¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he snaps, ¡°don¡¯t go shooting your mouth off without any evidence, woman.¡±


    ¡°The evidence is that I was served with papers immediately after you told me you¡¯d make sure I get custody.¡± I grab the papers off of the table, then walk around it until I reach him, and p them against his chest. The papers slide down to the floor around him, and he makes no move to pick them up. He also doesn¡¯t seem too upset by my outburst. That entire attempt at not allowing my temper to get away from me? I failed in spectacr fashion.


    He folds his arms across his chest and taps his foot against the floor. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    I pivot and walk around the sofa, so I can put some distance between us.


    ¡°My inquiries showed it was just a matter of time before your ex filed to strip you of your parental rights. It¡¯s why I came here today. We both stand to gain if we go through with this marriage as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you get what you want, without any dys.¡±


    ¡°And you.¡± He steps over the papers, then closes the distance to stand on the other side of the sofa. ¡°The sooner we marry, the sooner I can put pressure on my contacts to have him retract his actions.¡±


    I grip the back of the sofa. I don¡¯t want to marry him, especially not when I¡¯m so attracted to him. Thest time I thought I liked a man, see what happened? He not only slept around, but also turned out to be the kind of bastard who won¡¯t rest until he¡¯s taken everything from me. And now, I¡¯m considering walking straight into another marriage¡­ In order to redress the consequences from the previous one. If that isn¡¯t a recipe for disaster, I don¡¯t know what is.


    ¡°I cannot¡­ Will not let anyone take my daughter from me. She is my top priority. She is my heart. I cannot separate me from her.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°I¡¯d fight anyone and anything for her. If I lose her, I won¡¯t survive.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure that never happens. We¡¯ll make sure no one dares take her away from you. That no one dares harm either of you.¡±


    We. He said ¡®we.¡¯ When did Ist feel like I was part of a unit? Maybe with Theresa and her friends, who had taken me under their wing when I¡¯d moved here from Ennd. But this is different. This would mean being part of a team¡­ A family¡­ My family. My unit. I¡¯d never thought I could have that again. Never thought I¡¯d marry again. Definitely not to a Mafioso.


    ¡°Well?¡± He tilts his head. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll marry you,¡± I tilt my head up, ¡°on one condition.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°No sex.¡±

 263

    Seb


    I throw back my head andugh. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, if you think I¡¯m going to agree to that.¡±


    ¡°You need me as much as I need your help.¡± She firms her lips.


    I need you¡­ and that¡¯s what bothers me so much about you.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I ept the condition, but I have one of my own,¡± I retort.


    Her forehead wrinkles. I guess she wasn¡¯t expecting that. But if she thinks I¡¯m not going to take advantage of this situation, she¡¯s sorely mistaken.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she finally asks.


    ¡°An open marriage.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She blinks rapidly. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what it says. I¡¯m free to see other women during the time we¡¯re married.¡±


    She gapes at me. ¡°So, you¡¯d ah, you¡¯d-¡±


    ¡°Fuck other women,¡± I helpfully supply. ¡°Clearly, if I¡¯m not getting it at home, I¡¯m going to have to go elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she snaps.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I insist. ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to deprive myself when you¡¯ve determined our marriage will not meet my needs.¡±


    She juts out her lower lip, then shuffles her feet. ¡°Fine, but I get to be with other men, as well.¡±


    ¡°No fucking way.¡± I scowl. If anyone else dares toy a hand on her I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll kill the bastard.


    ¡°If you can see other women, surely, I should be allowed to see other men.¡±


    Anger thuds at my temples. I curl my fingers at my sides. ¡°During the time that we are married, you will not see anyone else,¡± I growl.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She gapes. ¡°So you can see other women, but I¡¯m not allowed to see other men?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why we wouldn¡¯t have the same rules for each of us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who doesn¡¯t want sex to be a part of our marriage. Hence, sex is not important to you.¡±


    She hesitates, then says, ¡°That¡¯s not what I- But that¡¯s not fair.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not; deal with it,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°Then you can¡¯t see other women, either.¡± She folds her arms across her chest.


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m trying to level the odds here.¡±


    ¡°How about apromise?¡±


    She nces at me with suspicion.


    My lips quirk, and I manage to wipe the smile off of my face. ¡°During the time we are married, I won¡¯t bring any of my women back home.¡±


    ¡°What the-?¡± She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°You were thinking of bringing them home?¡±


    ¡°On asion.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t fuck them in our bed, of course. I¡¯d keep a room in our house just for that, and you wouldn¡¯t even know I was there. Well, unless one of them was particrly loud.¡± I bite back augh. I can tell she¡¯s about to explode, but I continue, ¡°In fact-¡±


    ¡°You will not bring anyone home with you. I have a child, or have you forgotten?¡± she says in a dangerously low voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s the main reason I proposed to you; lends an air of authenticity to the proceedings, you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a¡­ You¡¯re a horrible, horrible man. I don¡¯t think I want to marry you, after all.¡±


    I widen my stance. ¡°I¡¯ve pretended you have a choice, but we both know that you don¡¯t.¡±


    Color fills her cheeks; her chest rises and falls. Those blue eyes of hers grow stormy, and honestly, it¡¯s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Her skin is so creamy that her every emotion is reflected on her face.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± she whispers. ¡°Why are you making everything so difficult?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing you a favor, and you know it.¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Without my help, you¡¯re going to lose all rights to your child. You need this arrangement, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Aargh!¡± She closes her eyes. ¡°You are a piece of work, you know that?¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told. What¡¯s it gonna be then, Frozen?¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me that.¡±


    ¡°You prefer Princess, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Call me by my name, will you?¡± She snaps her eyelids open and frowns at me.


    ¡°And you can call our arrangement by any name you want, but it¡¯s the only way forward for you.¡±


    ¡°And for you.¡± She props her hands on her hips. ¡°At least, admit that you need me to marry you, and that you have no one else who fits the bill on such short notice.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a persistent little thing, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She scowls at me.


    ¡°You do realize that I could have any woman in this city agree to this arrangement.¡±


    ¡°So, go ask them, then,¡± she scoffs.


    ¡°However, the chemistry between us makes this a much more believable proposition to the rest of my family. Besides,¡± I close the distance between us, ¡°you¡¯re not too hard on the eyes, either.¡±


    Her features contort. She raises her hand to p me, but I grab her wrist. I twist her hand behind her back and haul her close to me. She brings her other arm up, but I grab it and bend it behind her back, shackling both wrists together. She struggles, but she¡¯s trapped. I bring my other hand up to grip the nape of her neck.


    ¡°Let go of me,¡± she hisses.


    I pushed her earlier, wanting to see what it took to push her over the edge, wanting to feel her anger, see the crackle of those silver sparks in her eyes. She wriggles against me and I fit my hips to hers. She must feel my hardness against her thigh, for she stills. Color suffuses her cheeks; her gaze grows wary. She swallows, and her chest rises and falls.


    ¡°You sense it, too, don¡¯t you, this connection between us?¡±


    ¡°All I sense is a man who thinks he can use his dominance to get his way in anything.¡±


    ¡°If I were using my dominance, you¡¯d be bent over the back of your sofa, ass out, and me, balls deep in your pussy as I fuck your impudence out of you.¡±


    Her breathing hitches; her gaze drops to my mouth then back up to my eyes.


    ¡°No church wedding.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I frown.


    ¡°I am not marrying you in church. It will be a quick wedding at City Hall, without any of your family in attendance.¡±


    ¡°It will take a few days to make the arrangements,¡± I say slowly.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I need time to organize things at the shop so I can take a half-day for the wedding.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll take the entire day off.¡±


    ¡°No, my job is important to me.¡±


    ¡°The day off, and you¡¯ll attend a wedding lunch with the rest of my family.¡±


    She seems like she is about to hesitate, and I slide my fingers around her neck. My fingers almost meet in the front. ¡°What do you say?¡± I squeeze gently, and her pupils dte. Well, damn, she likes that, hmm? I press my thumb into the skin right where her pulse skitters. ¡°Do we have a deal?¡±


    She swallows. ¡°You promise to make sure I get full custody of my daughter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my top priority,¡± I murmur.


    She peers up into my eyes, and whatever she sees there must satisfy her.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she says in a low voice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± I drawl.


    Her gaze narrows. ¡°Fine. I said fine. Okay? You jerkass, you asshole, you-¡±


    I lower my lips to hers.


    Mistake, mistake. All of my senses go on alert, but goddamn it, her nearness is driving me insane, and while technically, I¡¯ve agreed to no sex in the marriage, we¡¯re not yet married, so I¡¯m allowed to kiss her, right?


    Her muscles lock and tension pours off of her. She freezes in my arms as I brush my lips against hers once, twice. I want to taste her, to consume her. Instead, I nibble on her lower lip, then lick her mouth until, with a sigh, she parts her lips. I thrust my tongue inside her mouth, suck on her tongue, drag my tongue across her mouth, and drink from her. A moan bleeds from her mouth. I release her hands, then wrap her thick blonde hair around my hand and tug. Her head falls back, and I trail kisses down her chin, down the length of her creamy neck. I suck on the skin at the base of her throat and feel her body shudder. She brings her hands up to grip my shoulders and digs her fingers in. I trail tiny kisses as I retrace my path back to her mouth. I bite down on her lower lip and her entire body jolts. I close my lips over hers, thrust my tongue inside her mouth, and deepen the kiss as I grind my thickening arousal into the soft flesh between her legs. A groan trembles up her throat, and I swallow it down, tilt my head, slide my hand between the gaping folds of her robe to cup her breast and squeeze as I shove my thigh between both of hers. She grinds herself against me, and begins to ride my leg.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I growl into her mouth, ¡°get yourself off, Princess.¡± I release her breast, only to untie her bathrobe and shove it off of her. Then, I grip her ass and haul her even closer, until every part of her torso is stered to mine. She throws her arms around me, pushes her body into mine as she rubs her soft center against the thickness of my cock that tents the crotch of my pants.


    A trembling seizes her and her back arches. I know she¡¯s close, that she is going toe, when a cry emerges from the baby monitor.

 264

    Elsa


    He tears his mouth from mine at the same time that I push away from him. I stumble back, and the cool air rushes between us. My pulse pounds at my temples; my chest rises and falls. He rakes his gaze down my camisole-covered chest, and my breasts hurt. He raises his gaze to mine, and I notice those golden eyes have gone even lighter. Flecks of green spark within them. His nostrils re and he takes a step toward me, when another wail from Avery fills the tense silence.


    He freezes. His features wear an expression of panic. I almost giggle at that. Guess the reality of living with a baby is setting in, eh?


    I bend, grab my bathrobe and slip it on, then spin around and head for the bedroom. I slip inside and walk over to where Avery is standing up in the y area. I scoop her up and rock her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey. What¡¯s the matter? Do you need your diaper changed again, baby?¡±


    I carry her over to the changing table andy her down before opening the sides of her diaper. I carefully change her. When I¡¯m done, I nce around to find him lurking in the doorway.


    ¡°Do you mind dropping this into the waste basket?¡± I hold out the poopy package containing her soiled diaper.


    He seems taken aback, then prowls over to me. He pinches the parcel between his forefinger and thumb, his features slightly frozen, like he¡¯s horrified but also fascinated by what I¡¯ve asked him to do.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the bathroom,¡± I gesture.


    He stalks away, walks inside the bathroom, and emerges a few secondster. By which time, I am bent over a warbling Avery.


    She grabs my fingers, and I pull her to standing. She nces past me and her gaze fixes on him. Her features instantly crack into a wide smile. She releases my finger and raises one hand toward him. Damn it, of course, she likes him. A bit difficult to resist thatrger-than-life asshole, isn¡¯t it? And she¡¯s only female, after all.


    She wiggles her fingers at him. I sense him move, and hees over to stand next to me.


    ¡°Up.¡± Sheughs up at him. I turn to find his features have softened. He reaches for her, and shetches onto his hand. In fact, she releases my other hand and holds that arm up to him. He scoops her up and holds her close to his chest.


    ¡°Scooty, y Scooty.¡± She warbles a few other unintelligible words, then smashes her fist into his face.


    His gaze widens, and I hold my breath as heughs. ¡°You¡¯re a strong girl, aren¡¯t you? Just like your mama, huh? As beautiful and as stubborn, eh?¡±


    He thinks I¡¯m beautiful? Heat flushes my cheeks.


    He bends his head and pretends to bite her finger. Avery bursts outughing. He tickles her and she wriggles in his grasp. She grabs his hair and tugs. He raises his head and the two stare at each other.


    Something hot tugs at my chest. Jesus, my daughter is going to fall for him. I¡¯m going to fall for him. And then when we leave him-which we¡¯ll have to do when he finds out the real reason I agreed to marry him, we¡¯re both going to be heartbroken. I haven¡¯t even married him, and his charisma is overpowering us. I jump up to my feet, walk over, and take her from him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he holds his hands up as if still holding her, ¡°what was that for?¡±


    ¡°I think you should leave,¡± I mutter.


    Avery¡¯s lower lip trembles just before she begins to cry.


    ¡°Hush, baby.¡± I turn away and begin to pace, rocking her in my arms. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetie pie. See? Mama¡¯s still here, isn¡¯t she? Do you want to y with Scooty?¡± I walk over to the y area, grab the ragged toy and hold it to her. She shoves it aside and continues to cry. I snatch up her rattle, hold it to her; she takes it, puts it in her mouth, and her cry stops just as suddenly as it started. My breath rushes out of me. I rock her a while longer, then turn to find him still staring at us.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I really think you need to go.¡±


    ¡°Nonna¡¯s funeral is tomorrow,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°I need you to apany me.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I blink rapidly, ¡°I have to work tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°The flower shop is closed tomorrow for the funeral,¡± he points out.


    Of course, it is. Theresa sent me a textst night, but it slipped my mind.


    ¡°Do I have to?¡± Not that I don¡¯t want to. I mean, the few times I met Nonna, she was amazing to me. And considering I¡¯m probably indirectly responsible for her death, it¡¯s the least I can do. But to go with him?


    ¡°It¡¯s best the family start seeing us together, so I can tell them about our uing nuptials.¡±


    ¡°Is it wise we marry so soon after Nonna¡¯s funeral?¡±


    ¡°She wanted me married within the month.¡± He folds his arms across his chest. ¡°Also, you need to move in with me.¡±


    ¡°What? No.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not safe here. The man who chased you the other day¡­ We still haven¡¯t tracked him down. If he¡¯s still out there, chances are, he¡¯s going toe after you again.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll be safe here, surely?¡±


    He leans forward on the balls of his feet. ¡°If you stay here, I¡¯ll have to post guards outside your door.¡±


    ¡°That would draw too much attention,¡± I protest.


    ¡°It¡¯s your choice. Either I post guards outside your door, or you move in with me.¡±


    I begin to pace again. ¡°This is crazy. You can¡¯t just walk in and turn my life upside down.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who banged on our door, barged in, and turned our lives upside down,¡± he points out.


    I turn to him. ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± I swallow. ¡°You know it¡¯s not my fault that the bullet hit Nonna.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what my family thinks.¡±


    ¡°So do they¡­ Do they me me for what happened?¡±


    He tilts his head.


    ¡°So, they do me me.¡± I chew on my lower lip. ¡°And you? What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think you should move in with me so we can start getting used to each other¡¯spany.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it. I just move?¡± I nce around the nursery. ¡°I¡¯ll have to pack Avery¡¯s things. And my things. And I need to swing by my ex¡¯s ce and drop her off in an hour.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get people to help you, and I¡¯ll have a nursery set up for her by next weekend.¡±


    I hold Avery closer. ¡°What if this entire situation only upsets my ex further? What if he uses the situation to prove that I¡¯m an unfit mother-living with a man before we¡¯re married? Not to mention, marrying into the mob. What if he wins the case against me? What if I lose her?¡± I squeeze her so tightly to me that she protests.


    Seb closes the distance to us, then bends his knees and peers into my eyes. ¡°Do I look like someone who¡¯s going to lose?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not in Ennd; you¡¯re in Italy. Here, the judges tend to favor the mother over the father. Also, the Cosa Nostra¡¯s power is second only to God. Believe me when I say that in Italy, thew isn¡¯t upheld, it¡¯s interpreted.¡±


    I blow out a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s good or bad.¡±


    ¡°All you need to know is that no one dares go up against us. If we want something, we get it and I¡­ I want¡­ you.¡±


    My heart begins to race.


    ¡°Once you¡¯re my wife, whatever makes you happy bes my priority.¡±


    Holy shit, hearing him speak with such conviction makes me almost believe him. ¡°But it¡¯s only a pretend wedding, isn¡¯t it? I mean, you don¡¯t n on staying married to me for long, do you?¡±


    ¡°There are no divorces in the Cosa Nostra.¡± He pulls himself up to his full height. ¡°Take what you need for the day. I¡¯ll have my mene in and pack everything else for you.¡±


    He turns to leave, and I stare after him. ¡°Wait,¡± I call out.


    He pauses at the door and levels that golden gaze of his at me.


    ¡°You want me to move out so quickly?¡±


    He simply stares at me.


    ¡°B-but¡­ Can¡¯t we wait until we¡¯re married? How will it look to the judge if¡­ when I have to go up before him?¡±


    ¡°Leave that to me. There is no judge here who cannot be bought by the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    ¡°But Avery¡­ This is her home, too. I-I need more time to allow her to adjust to a new ce.¡±


    ¡°Avery¡¯s only here on the weekends, so it¡¯s probably always like a new ce for her anyway,¡± he points out.


    I shuffle my feet. ¡°Still, she¡¯s more used to this ce than your home.¡±


    He hesitates then nods. ¡°I suspect it¡¯s more a ¡°you¡± issue than an ¡°Avery¡± issue, but how about this? We can alternate between the two ces, as needed. After all, you¡¯ll still be keeping this ce.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I will?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the rent is paid up for the next six months, so you¡¯ll have it in case you need to use it for Avery.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I say in a small voice. Gosh, he has an answer to every question. Apparently, once he¡¯s made up his mind, nothing can stop him.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Good.¡± He jerks his chin. ¡°Now, what can I help you carry to the car?¡±

 265

    Elsa


    ¡°You have a baby seat in your car?¡± I stare through the open door of the stunningly beautiful SUV, and at the most stylish baby seat I have ever seen.


    ¡°You have a baby, don¡¯t you?¡± he retorts.


    ¡°I thought all you Mafioso only drove sports cars?¡±


    ¡°This is a sports car.¡± He pats the hood of the silver-colored beauty. ¡°It¡¯s a Fornasari RR99.¡±


    ¡°Is it a cousin to R2D2?¡±


    He nces at me strangely. ¡°It¡¯s made in Italy, but the horsepower ispletely American.¡±


    I ce Avery in the baby seat and strap her in. I hold up her bunny, and she grabs hold of it and immediately begins to chew on it. I ce the bag with all of her essentials on the floor in front of her, then walk around to the passenger seat. Before I can reach for the door, he opens it for me. ¡°Thank you,¡± I murmur, then slide into the seat.


    He shuts the door, rounds the hood to the driver¡¯s seat, and straps himself in.


    ¡°Seatbelt,¡± he reminds me as he turns the ignition key. The muted purr of the car¡¯s engine fills the space. I buckle in and he eases the car onto the road. There¡¯s something about an expensive vehicle: you can feel the power under the soles of your feet, sense it as it glides down the road. But when you nce out of the windows, the world is still the same. The scene is exactly how it would be if you were looking out through the windows of any another vehicle. But somehow, everything is different.


    He joins the stream of traffic, keeping well below the speed limit. The throb of the vehicle¡¯s engine, though, hints at thetent power possessed by this machine. A bit like the man next to me. His broad shoulders are encased in a tailor-made jacket, his tie is dark against the stark white of his shirt. His wide palms and thick fingers caress the steering wheel as he guides the SUV along. His thigh muscles flex as he depresses the elerator. His entire being is a mass of tightly restrained control. Authority pours off of him. The little I¡¯ve seen of the Sovrano brothers has made it clear to me that Seb lucked out with the best features of all his brothers. Almost as tall as Massimo, as gorgeous as Axel and Christian, as mean looking as Luca, as authoritative as Michael, and as deceptively easygoing as Adrian.


    Yeah, he¡¯s gorgeous,rger-than-life, someone who¡¯s a real catch. Not that I¡¯m bad looking. I mean, I¡¯ve never put myself down inparison to a man, but still¡­ When I take in his beautiful profile, hisrger-than-life presence, the way he carries himself as if he owns the world and expects all of us mere mortals to fall in line with hismands, which is exactly what I did¡­ Well then, I can¡¯t help but wonder why he wants to marry me. He¡¯s given me all of the reasons, but somehow, it still doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± His deep voice cuts through my thoughts.


    ¡°That you need to make a right up ahead.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± He nods at the GPS. ¡°I have the address keyed in.¡±


    ¡°So, you know where my ex lives?¡± I shake my head. ¡°Of course, you know where my ex lives.¡± I turn to face him fully. ¡°Is there anything about me you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the color of your panties,¡± he shoots back.


    ¡°Shh.¡± I turn to nce over my shoulder and find Avery nodding in her car seat.


    ¡°That was a very effective change of topic.¡± I ce my hands in myp. ¡°I¡¯m really notfortable with this whole thing. My ex¡­ He¡¯s not a nice man. It¡¯s one of the reasons I left him. He took Avery and moved to Italy, and I had no choice but to follow. He¡¯s the Police Commissioner, so he has the system behind him. It was ridiculously easy for him to prove I was an ipetent mother without the means to take care of my child. Avery was barely a year old when he got custody of her. I was sure I wasn¡¯t going to get to see her at all, but at thest minute, the judge took pity on me and ruled that I would get to see her on weekends. It¡¯s not much, but it¡¯s better than nothing.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    I lean over and nce at Avery¡¯s sleeping face again. I¡¯d managed to give her a quick bath and dress her in her favorite pink dress while Seb had made his phone calls from the living room. I¡¯d also managed to pack some essentials for myself in the little time I had.


    The car eases to a stop, and I notice the long line of cars in front of us. We remain stationary for a few seconds before the vehicle behind us honks. It¡¯s taken up by the car next to us, then the one in front of us, until all of them seem to be honking in a rhythm that shouldn¡¯t be synchronous, but somehow, is.


    The honks fade away, then the driver in the car next to us pushes open his door, steps on the running board, and yells at the cars ahead.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°Traffic jam.¡± Seb thrusts his chin forward in a very Italian gesture that means ¡®it¡¯s out of my hands.¡¯


    I pull out my phone and nce at the time on it. ¡°We¡¯re going to bete.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to bete.¡±


    I turn to nce at Avery, who¡¯s still snoozing. I pull out a tissue and lean over and wipe the drool off her chin.


    ¡°If I amte, he¡¯ll report it to the judge, and they¡¯ll use it against me again.¡±


    I move around in the seat. ¡°Please, Seb, we can¡¯t bete.¡± I unsnap my seat belt, and he reaches over and grabs my hand.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re only ten minutes away; it¡¯ll be faster if I walk.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you out on your own.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not staying in the car.¡± My heart begins to race and a bead of sweat slides down the valley between my breasts. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Fabio is not a patient man. If I¡¯m even a minutete, he takes it out of the next visit. If I¡¯m more than five minuteste, he takes away half a day from the next visit. And he¡­ he has a temper.¡±


    His hold on my hand tightens. ¡°Did he hurt you, Elsa?¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°Did he beat you when you were together? Is that why you left?¡±


    ¡°I left because we were ipatible, because I married him in haste. I didn¡¯t find out I was pregnant while I was with him, or he might not have let me go at all¡­¡±


    His gaze grows thunderous. ¡°What does that mean? Did he use force with you? Did he, Princess?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°Please, let me go. I need to make sure I get Avery to him before it¡¯s toote.¡±


    The traffic in front begins to move slowly. Horns sound all around us. He curses, then releases me to focus on his driving. A few minutester, wee to a stop again. I grab the handle, twist it, and shove the door open on my side.


    Seb curses, ¡°Cazzo, I should have locked the doors.¡±


    I open the door to the backseat, and reach over to Avery to unbuckle the straps so I can scoop her out of the baby seat. Then, I reach down to grab the bag with her essentials.


    I straighten to find Seb has crossed over to stand next to me. He grabs the bag from me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡±


    ¡°But the car-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve messaged Adrian toe get it.¡±


    He ms the door shut behind me, then locks the car. The man in the car behind us rolls down his window and gestures rudely. ¡°Stacazzo! Dove pensi di andare?¡± He yells.


    I know enough Italian to understand that he¡¯s asking Seb where the hell he thinks he¡¯s going?


    Seb shoots him a re and the man pales. He must recognize Seb as Mafioso, for he instantly retreats back into his car. I cross over to the sidewalk, with Seb leading the way. His long legs eat up the distance, and I struggle to keep up with him. Sweat pours down my temples as I move Avery to my other arm. A few more steps, and my arms begin to ache. Damnit, am I not strong enough to carry my own child? I try to increase my pace and trip on a crack in the sidewalk.


    Seb grasps my arm. ¡°Easy,¡± he murmurs, ¡°easy.¡±


    Avery begins to cry as I continue to walk with Seb guiding me forward with an arm around my shoulder. ¡°Shh, baby, it¡¯s okay,¡± I assure her, but I¡¯m not even sure I believe that myself. She cries louder, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.


    ¡°Here, let me.¡± Seb takes her from me. He holds her against his chest with one arm, the same arm over which he flung the bag over his shoulder. He grabs my wrist with his other hand, and begins to walk faster. I almost have to run to keep up with him, but at least I¡¯m not carrying the bag or encumbered by Avery¡¯s weight. We reach the corner, turn right, then keep going until we hit the turnoff to the road for Fabio¡¯s house. We turn in and the noise of High Street fades away. He picks up his pace, and so do I.


    ¡°It¡¯s this house,¡± I pant as we reach a pair of white gates.


    I reach for Avery, but he steps to the side. ¡°I¡¯ming inside,¡± he murmurs as he depresses the button below the security camera.


    ¡°This is a bad idea.¡± I shift my weight from foot to foot. ¡°He won¡¯t be happy.¡±


    ¡°Too fu- Too bad,¡± Seb growls.


    The gates swing inward and we walk through.

 266

    Seb


    How did I find myself in this situation? Carrying another man¡¯s child, leading another man¡¯s ex-wife, walking to his door with the purpose of telling him to back the fuck off from them? Not that I mind. Everything I¡¯ve seen on Fabio reveals that he¡¯s an asshole of the first order-a corrupt cop who works both sides of the system. I¡¯m looking forward to taking him down, but why the hell is she so afraid of him? What did he do to her to put that terrified look on her face? She brushes past me and stops in front of me. ¡°Please, Seb. Please give her to me.¡±


    I nce from her to the door up ahead.


    ¡°Please, it¡¯s bad enough you¡¯re with me. I don¡¯t want him to see her with you; it will drive him crazy.¡±


    It¡¯s driving me crazy, hearing you talk about another man in my presence. It¡¯s making me insane thinking of you with anyone else.


    ¡°Please.¡± A tear rolls down her cheek. ¡°Please, Seb, please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    A hot sensation stabs at my chest. My insides knot. Porca miseria, I am going to regret this. I hand Avery over to her. The kid begins to cry again and reaches for me, but Elsa grabs her bag from me, then walks toward the front door of the house. She walks up the steps and the door opens as she reaches the top. A man stands framed in the doorway. He¡¯s wearing the uniform that identifies him as the Polizia. He¡¯s also wearing his hat. What a prick. Clearly, he¡¯s trying to fluster her with his authority.


    And didn¡¯t you try to do the same?


    I push the thought aside, and watch as he smiles at Elsa. Charm drips from his features, fucking pezzo di merda. What a phony bastardo.


    He holds the door open and beckons her toe inside. Elsa refuses. He nces past her and spots me; his shoulders stiffen. His smile disappears and his features harden. He folds his arms across his chest and lowers his chin. Another woman appears next to him. She takes the bag from Elsa, then reaches for Avery. Elsa kisses Avery, whose cries seem to turn up a notch. My guts twist. I can only imagine how upset Elsa must feel right now. If I, a Mafioso, with a string of murders under my belt, am disturbed by the kid¡¯s tears, then she must be close to her breaking point.


    Fabio and Elsa speak. Elsa waves her hand in the air. Fabio nces at me again, then the two exchange more words. Elsa grows more agitated by the second. I narrow my gaze as their voices rise. They are still too far away for me to hear the words, but it¡¯s clear things are getting heated.


    Elsa finally throws up her hands and steps back. That¡¯s when Fabio swoops down and grabs her wrist.


    Motherfucker. My vision tunnels. Adrenalineces my blood. My feet connect with the ground, and that¡¯s when I realize I¡¯m moving. I reach them, grab Fabio by his cor, and haul him up to his toes. ¡°Let her go, motherfucker.¡±


    ¡°Seb,¡± Elsa yells, ¡°please stop.¡±


    ¡°Heid a hand on you.¡± The blood thuds at my temples.


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± He leans forward on the balls of his feet, a nasty smirk on his face. ¡°I can do anything I want with her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not married to her anymore, you testa di cazzo.¡± I pull my fist back, but Elsa grabs my arm.


    ¡°Please, Seb, please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Let. Go. Of. Her,¡± I say in a low voice.


    ¡°Or what?¡±


    ¡°Or I swear-¡± My voice trails off. Goddamn it, he¡¯s the head of the police force, and while the Cosa Nostra¡¯s reach is deep within the force, there¡¯s a tacit agreement we won¡¯t mess with the guy who¡¯s the face of the force. Not only because it¡¯d draw a lot of attention to us, the kind we can do without, but also because it wouldpletely disturb the bnce of power between both sides of thew in this part of the world.


    The asshole knows I can¡¯t kill him and his smirk expands into a grin. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± He lowers his gaze to where my fingers are locked onto the front of his shirt, then back to my face. ¡°Get your hands off of me, you Mafia figlio di puttana.¡±


    ¡°First release her,¡± I growl.


    ¡°No.¡± Heughs in my face. ¡°Now turn around and leave, motherfucker.¡±


    Anger slices through me. My vision tunnels. Adrenalineces my blood and I throw up my fist.


    ¡°Seb, no.¡± Elsa grabs my sleeve. ¡°My daughter¡¯s inside; she¡¯s on the other side of this door. Please. Don¡¯t, Seb.¡±


    Her voice cuts through the noise in my head. I draw in a breath, and force my shoulder muscles to rx. My vision clears, and I lower my arm to my side.


    ¡°Let her go,¡± I say in a calm voice, ¡°or you¡¯re going to regret it.¡± The threat is clear.


    Fabio scoffs. Color flushes his cheeks. He seems like he is going to refuse me, then releases her so suddenly that she stumbles back.


    I let go of his cor and grab her shoulder before she can fall. Once she finds her bnce, I wrap my arm around her and draw her to me.


    Fabio¡¯s gaze narrows. His face pales as he nces between us with a strange look in his eyes.


    ¡°Sleeping with the mob now, Elsa?


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to my fiancee in that tone of voice,¡± I snap.


    His gaze widens, then he bursts outughing. ¡°Good one. You don¡¯t want to marry that piece of ass, trust me.¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± My fingers tingle. Fuck, if I don¡¯t want to bury my fist in his face, but she¡¯d never forgive me if I did. And her daughter¡¯s inside, goddamnit. Even though I want to teach this guy a lesson, I¡¯d never do anything that might emotionally scar a child. I dig my fingernails into the palm of my free hand and re at him.


    ¡°Get the hell out of here,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Or what? Are you going to arrest me?¡±


    His features harden and his gaze narrows, but he doesn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    Remember, I said I can¡¯t kill him or the bnce of power will go to shit? Well, it goes the other way, as well. The pigs can¡¯t touch us, unless they want to invite the wrath of the Cosa Nostra on themselves.


    ¡°Elsa, let¡¯s go.¡± I turn to find her face ashen. She¡¯s standing motionless, her gaze on the door beyond him.


    ¡°Elsa?¡± I lower my voice, ¡°Let¡¯s leave, right now.¡±


    She draws in a breath, then turns and walks toward the gate.


    I close the distance to Fabio so we¡¯re standing chest to chest. ¡°If you dare touch her again, I will kill you, regardless of the consequences, this I promise. She is under my protection from now on, you fia di merda.¡±


    His features contort. ¡°I am going toe after you, you fetente, and I¡¯m going to make your life miserable.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± Turning, I follow her to the street.


    Thanks to Adrian, my car is parked in front of the house. When I help her inside, she nces to the backseat, spies the car seat, and almost dissolves in tears.


    ¡°Shh-shh-shh, baby. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    I hold her while sobs wrack her body. Within a few moments, she takes a deep breath, pushes away from me, and sits down in the car.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go,¡± she says.


    We drive for ten minutes without saying another word to each other. I nce at her, and find her staring straight ahead. Her shoulders are stiff and her hands are folded in herp.


    ¡°Elsa, are you okay?¡±


    She doesn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    She turns away and nces out the window. ¡°Can we go by my apartment first, please¡­ I¡­ I forgot something.¡±


    I am almost positive she¡¯s lying, but that¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not going to push things, given our recent interaction with her ex-husband. I¡¯m also not going to tell her I¡¯ve already arranged for everything she could possibly need to be at my ce. For now, I¡¯m going to take her to her apartment, so she feels a little more at ease.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    For the rest of the drive, she stays quiet. I reach her home, turn into the small parking lot, and pull into a space adjacent to the steps that lead to her building.


    She makes no move to leave the car.


    ¡°Elsa¡­¡± I turn to her. ¡°Talk to me; tell me what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why he said that?¡±


    ¡°Said what?¡±


    ¡°That you shouldn¡¯t want a piece of ass like me.¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious about why he doesn¡¯t want me to see my own daughter?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Firstly, I don¡¯t believe a word of what he said, and secondly-¡±


    ¡°Let me stop you right there. What if there is truth to what he said? What if I am such a horrible mother that I agree I shouldn¡¯t be allowed to have custody of my daughter? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t be trusted with her.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t agree with that.¡±


    ¡°You hardly know me.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°We¡¯ve met just a handful of times, and hardly spent any time with each other. You have no idea what I¡¯m capable of.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you with your daughter. It¡¯s clear how much you love her. That you¡¯d do anything for her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just the thing. There are some things I don¡¯t have any control over.¡±


    She shoves the door of the vehicle open and springs out. She runs up the steps to her building, opens the door, and is inside before I round the car. I sprint up the steps to the entrance and grab the door before it closes. Entering the lobby, I allow my eyes to adjust to the light. Then, I catch sight of her down the hallway, rounding the corner. When I make the turn, her door is closing, and I hear the click of the lock engaging.


    I bang on the door. ¡°Open the door.¡± I jiggle the handle. ¡°Open it, Elsa, or I swear, I¡¯ll kick it in.¡± I put my shoulder to the door and push. It shudders. I step back, and am about to plow into it, when it¡¯s wrenched open.

 267

    Elsa


    I spin around and walk toward the small room with pink walls, aware he is on my heels. My foot brushes against something soft. I pick up a teddy bear and toss it into the y area, then bend again to retrieve the doll she was ying with earlier. Tears squeeze out from the corners of my eyes, and I wipe them away. What¡¯s the use of crying now, when the fact that Avery is not with me is no one else¡¯s fault but my own?


    I rub the back of my hand against my nose, then tuck the soft toy under my chin. I hear his footsteps behind me. The heat of his body envelops me and a shiver spirals down my spine. This¡­ right here¡­ It¡¯s aplication I can do without. What the hell was I thinking, allowing him to get anywhere close to me? Why the hell am I not able to control myself when ites to him?


    I was doing so well. Stayed away from anything that couldplicate my life. But one look at him that one time at the nightclub, and something came over me. I haven¡¯t been able to get him out of my mind. Iy awake nights, thinking of him. Allowed myself to get myself off as I imagined him peering into my face-those big, blunt fingers of his sliding across my skin as he buried his face between my legs and bit down on my clit while he gripped my hips and held me in ce when I tried to wriggle away.


    He touches my shoulder, and I shudder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t, please.¡± I pull away, drop the toy in the y area, then walk to the window.


    Footsteps approach, then the heat of his body sears my back, and I know he¡¯s standing behind me.


    ¡°Princess,¡± his low voice rumbles. The vibrations sink into my skin and arrow all the way down to my feet. I flinch.


    ¡°What do you want? Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. Why don¡¯t you leave, and do whatever it is you Sovranos spend your time doing?¡±


    ¡°You mean shooting down my enemies, and spending nights with different women.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I wipe the tears from my cheek.


    ¡°Thought you¡¯d have better sense than believing the cliche that Hollywood has painted of us Mafiosos.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to tell me you¡¯re different?¡±


    He hesitates.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± I try to brush past him, but he grabs my wrist. Goosebumps pepper my skin and my entire body shudders. No, no, no; this is so wrong. I can¡¯t allow my body to react with such intensity every time he touches me. I raise my gaze to his, and in his golden-brown ones, I see concern and something else I don¡¯t dare define. I can¡¯t allow him to care for me. That would simply make this entire arrangement untenable. It¡¯d soften me toward him even more, it¡¯d dissolve all the defenses I¡¯ve built up against the world. It would put me in a situation I¡¯d never be able to get out of. And I can¡¯t afford that. I have to save the best parts of me for my daughter and I won¡¯t be able to do that if I begin to lose myself again.


    ¡°I¡¯m a masochist¡±


    He blinks. ¡°What?¡±


    The words spill out of me like grains of sand from an hourss. ¡°I like to be spanked; I like to be beaten. I like to be blindfolded, then tied up with my legs spread wide apart, and brought to the edge over and over again. I like to be owned. I like to be told what to do. I like to have my choices taken away from me, and be directed every second of my waking life. I want to be in a twenty-four-seven Dominant-submissive rtionship. I crave it so much that I went into therapy to find a way to control my urges. I met Fabio when he was stationed in London on a project for the Italian police. I knew the only way he would marry me was if I didn¡¯t reveal my submissive tendencies. By then, I had managed to control my urges enough that I could stay loyal to him, and have an ordinary rtionship. I stayed that way until Avery was born.¡±


    ¡°What happened after her birth?¡±


    ¡°I had post-partum depression. I found myself, once more, craving the lifestyle.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°I managed to curb it until she was a year old. Then, when Fabio was away on a trip, I had my babysitter stay the night, and I visited an S&M club. There, for the first time since even before her birth, I felt like myself. I finally felt grounded and alive. After that, I began to visit the clubs frequently. All of my hard-won control was gone.¡±


    His jaw tics and a nerve throbs at his temple. ¡°Did you sleep with other men?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I lock my fingers together in front of me. ¡°You have to understand that I was always faithful to him, even if he wasn¡¯t to me, but I couldn¡¯t stop myself from being there, and watching what was happening. Even if it wasn¡¯t me being bound, seeing someone else getting off that way helped.¡± I draw in a breath. ¡°One day, I returned from a club to find that Fabio had arrived home early from his trip. It was clear, from the way I was dressed and how I smelled, what I had been up to. That was the first time he hit me.¡±


    He fists his fingers at his sides. ¡°He hit you? The bastard hit you?¡±


    ¡°I deserved it.¡± I nce away. ¡°I knew it was wrong. I was a mother. I should have known better than to hang around the clubs and spy on other masochists with their Doms, but I couldn¡¯t stop myself. I¡¯d wait, and as soon as I managed to find an opportunity, I¡¯d slip away to one of the clubs.¡±


    ¡°What happened then?¡±


    I open my mouth, but can¡¯t bring myself to say it.


    ¡°Tell me, Princess. What did that bastard do to you?¡±


    ¡°The beatings became more frequent. You¡¯d have thought that as a masochist I would enjoy them. At least, that was Fabio¡¯s justification for hitting me. Turns out, even a masochist can tell the difference between being beaten for pleasure and being beaten to be abused.¡± I wrap my arms around my waist.


    The skin around Seb¡¯s lips tightens; he curls his fingers into fists. ¡°What else did that pezzo di merda do?¡± he growls.


    ¡°He began keeping my daughter from me as a way of trying to control me. It was horrible.¡± A teardrop slides down my cheek. ¡°I tried to stay away from the lifestyle. Honestly. But I found¡­ I found I missed it so much. I wouldn¡¯t let him sleep with me. I lost interest in having sex with him.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he says in a hard voice.


    ¡°That made him really angry. He¡­ he¡­¡± I swallow.


    ¡°What did he do, Elsa?¡± he growls. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°The abuse grew worse, and it didn¡¯t matter what I wanted. He threatened me, told me that if I didn¡¯t stop, didn¡¯t start acting like a good mother and a good wife, he¡¯d take Avery away from me. For a while, the threat worked. I stayed away from the clubs. Things seemed to go back to normal-well, as normal as they could be, considering¡­¡± I draw a breath. ¡°Then one day, when he was away on a trip, I couldn¡¯t fight the urge anymore. I tried to stop myself. I really did, but one night when Avery was asleep, I called the babysitter over and went back to the club. That day¡­ For the first time, I allowed myself to be tied up and whipped.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself for it. I returned home and Avery was gone.¡±


    His shoulders stiffened. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®gone¡¯?¡±


    ¡°He had taken her and left for Italy.¡±


    ¡°And he didn¡¯t tell you?¡±


    I shake my head.


    His eyes sh, a nerve twitches at his temple. He seems angry, not at me, but on my behalf. Huh?


    ¡°So, you moved to Italy to be closer to her?¡± he finally asks.


    I nod. ¡°I was lucky to find a job with Theresa. It¡¯s what¡¯s saved me, giving me a ce to go to every day, and money to survive. I begged Fabio for a divorce, and he refused me initially. When he finally signed the papers, I couldn¡¯t believe it, especially since he seemed to resent me even more afterward. My instincts told me he was up to something, but I couldn¡¯t figure out what it was.¡±


    ¡°He had an ulterior motive?¡±


    I nod. ¡°Now I know the reason he signed the papers was so he could file for sole custody on the grounds that I¡¯m an unfit mother. And he¡¯s right. No mother who has the best interests of her daughter at heart would have done what I¡¯ve done. I don¡¯t deserve her, but I can¡¯t live without seeing her. I need to be in her life, Seb. I do.¡±


    ¡°Just because you¡¯re submissive, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re an unfit mother, Elsa.¡± His voice sounds deeper.


    I chuckle, ¡°That¡¯s a very nice thing to say, but-¡±


    ¡°I am not saying this to humor you.¡± He grips my shoulders. ¡°Look at me, Princess.¡±


    I raise my chin.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you with Avery; you love her.¡±


    ¡°More than my life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an amazing mother who cares for her child deeply and will do anything for her happiness.¡±


    Something hot stabs at my chest. Why does it have to be an almost-stranger like this guy, a man who can also be a big-time jerkass, to tell me something I¡¯ve longed to hear? Why does it take this alphahole to build my self-esteem? I shake my head. ¡°So why can¡¯t I stop myself from being a masochist?¡±


    ¡°Just because you are a mother, doesn¡¯t mean you have to stop being a woman, or being sexually active. And if it means you need to indulge your masochistic side, then you¡¯re entitled to that.¡±


    I peer into his eyes. ¡°But how am I supposed to reconcile the two? How can I be a mother, yet also explore my sexual identity? Especially when I need to be treated a certain way in order to feel anything. It¡¯s wrong Seb. I don¡¯t want to go to those nightclubs. I don¡¯t want to look at others getting it on.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not listening to me. It¡¯s a part of me I cannot cut outpletely.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    He holds my gaze and there¡¯s decisiveness in his features.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying, there¡¯s a way for you to be a mother, and my wife, and not have to give up the part that makes you feel fulfilled as a woman.¡±


    My heart begins to race and my pulse pounds at my temples.


    ¡°What¡­ what are you saying?¡± I whisper.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your Dom.¡±

 268

    Seb


    After that pronouncement, I told Elsa to take her time thinking about my proposition. Clearly, she wasn¡¯t expecting that-she paled and froze on the spot. After allowing her to grab a few things, I led her out of the apartment, and she didn¡¯t protest. I walked her into my house and showed her the guest bedroom I¡¯d readied for her. I even showed her the closet full of clothes I¡¯d purchased for her, and pointed out the bedroom opposite hers, for Avery. Her eyes brightened as she realized what I was showing her. I exined my room was up the corridor, and I needed her to be dressed in the morning to apany me to Nonna¡¯s funeral. She nodded, and I left her with instructions to head down for dinner when she was ready.


    Then, because the thought of her so close by was ying havoc with my mind, I headed down to the gym in the basement and worked out for an hour.


    When I returned from my work-out, I found the house silent. My housekeeper informed me that Elsa never came down for dinner.


    I headed to her room with the intention of making her eat, but found her under the covers. I¡¯ll admit, I stood over her and watched her sleep. Her pale skin, the shadows under her eyes, and her hair strewn over the pillow called to me. I sank down to my knees and pushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. She didn¡¯t stir. I inhaled a lungful of her scent-cherriesced with a feminine scent that is uniquely her. If I stayed any longer, I would push her legs apart, kneel between her thighs, and bury myself inside of her. Which would be okay; she agreed to be my wife, after all. But I also want to be her Dom, which means putting her pleasures before mine. Which is why I walked away from her, then proceeded to jerk off to images of her in my mind, before skipping dinner and falling asleep.


    When I headed down this morning, she was already in the kitchen, whipping up breakfast. We ate in silence, then headed over to the cemetery.


    Now, I watch as the coffin with Nonna is prepared to slide into the family crypt. The sun shines down, reflecting off the polished surface of the wood. Elsa stands beside me. On the other side, Massimo stands at attention, Luca on his other side. Then Adrian, Christian and Aurora, Michael and Karma, and finally, Axel and Theresa. We form a semi-circle around the casket.


    Axel and Christian seemed to be getting along better, especially after Christian made that trip to London to convince Axel to return to Palermo and woo back Theresa.


    The priest begins to speak and his words wash over me. I nce around at the people from themunity who have gathered. An old woman about the same age as Nonna sheds tears. She¡¯s supported by another woman, younger than her, probably her daughter. There are other old-timers, friends of Nonna who grew up with her in this city where she lived all her life.


    I spot a tall, broad-shouldered man standing to the side: Niki Solonik. And next to him is an older man with greying temples: JJ Kane. Our one-time rivals, now partners, all of whom have turned up to pay their respects to the matriarch of the Cosa Nostra.


    She should have survived that bullet; the old bat had seemed invincible. Spry enough to be independent and on her feet until the end. She had been such a staunch defender of the Mafia. In the end, it seems fitting that a bullet took her life. In a strange way, I think she would have liked that.


    She led a full life. Argely happy life. Her presence was a towering force in all of our lives. And now she¡¯s gone. A pressure pushes behind my eyes as I watch the priest shut the Bible. There¡¯s silence for a few seconds. The wind rustles the branches overhead.


    Then Michael moves forward. He picks up a rose and stands with his head bent for a few seconds, then he ces it on the casket.


    He steps away, and I know it¡¯s my turn next. As the Capo, I follow after the Don on these asions. I try to put one foot in front of the other, but my arms and legs feel too numb. Until this moment, I didn¡¯t realize just how much her death has affected me. She was a mother to us after our own mother died when we were young. She was our protector, our defender¡­ Some might point out that she didn¡¯t protect uspletely from our father¡¯s wrath, but she tried her best.


    And even as she was dying, all she worried about was us. She wanted to see all of her grandsons married. It was herst wish. It¡¯s something I¡¯ll ensure I fulfill as soon as I can. My eyes smart. I try to draw in a breath, but my lungs burn. I can¡¯t take my gaze off of the dark doorway where my grandmother will be entombed. My arms and legs tremble, when a soft hand grips mine. Elsa twines her slim fingers with mine. She grips my palm, and warmth floods my veins. I draw in a breath, and oxygen fills my starved lungs.


    ¡°You okay?¡± she whispers.


    I tear my gaze away from the casket and to her face. Those baby blues of hers hold mine. Her blond hair has been pulled away from her face and into a chignon. Her cheekbones stand out in her pale face. Her pink lips glisten, and I can¡¯t stop staring at them. She¡¯s real. She¡¯s alive. She¡¯s here. And she¡¯s mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.


    Even though she hasn¡¯t said ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ to my proposition of being her Dom. No matter. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to give her a choice in the matter. I only backed off because it didn¡¯t seem prudent to push it. That, and the fact that she already agreed to move in with me. Baby steps. After driving her home and showing her to the guest room, I decided to give her some space and time to adjust to the changes. I was patient and stayed away from herst night. But now, I feel that resolve crumbling.


    I move toward her, and her gaze widens. She shakes her head, tilts her head toward my grandmother¡¯s open grave, then back at me.


    Cazzo! What¡¯s wrong with me? I shake my head to clear it, then pull away from her. I pick up a rose and walk toward the casket. Rest in peace, Nonna. I¡¯ll see you on the other side.


    Two hourster, we¡¯re gathered in the drawing room of Nonna¡¯s home. Even though the rest of us called it the living room, she preferred drawing room, so¡­ I guess I feel like it¡¯s one small thing I can do for her. The rest of the mourners, including Niki Solonik and JJ Kane, left after sharing their condolences with us.


    Cass, Michael and Karma¡¯s housekeeper, who¡¯s really more like family, walks into the room, her usually neat hair loose and disheveled. She rubs her palms down the dress of her skirt, then heads straight for the bar.


    Adrian follows her. He walks around the bar, reaches for the bottle of wine, but she shakes her head.


    ¡°Whiskey.¡± She points to the half-full bottle on the counter.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    He raises his eyebrows, but doesn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he pours her a healthy measure. She snatches up the ss, tosses it back, coughs a little, then points to the bottle. ¡°More, please.¡±


    He frowns. ¡°I won¡¯t have you getting drunk.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please,¡± she scoffs, ¡°stop trying to control me.¡±


    When he doesn¡¯t move, she reaches for the bottle but he holds it out of her reach. ¡°You¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    Her entire body stiffens. She opens her mouth, no doubt to chew him out, when Michael walks over to stand next to her.


    ¡°How¡¯s Gino?¡± he asks, referring to Nonna¡¯s butler who¡¯d been with her since she married into the Sovranos.


    She draws in a breath, seems to gather herself, then turns to him. ¡°He¡¯s fine. Maybe too fine. He¡¯s been silent since she passed. No tears. No outbursts. He refused toe to the funeral, and said he¡¯d prefer staying in to cook the snacks for the wake.¡± She runs her fingers through her hair. ¡°He also says that he wants to return to his home in the vige in the countryside. He feels his work here is done.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. He can stay here as long as he wants. If and when he chooses to return, I¡¯ll make sure all of the arrangements are taken care of. Either way, he will be taken care of.¡±


    She nods. ¡°Thank you, Don. I¡¯ll let him know.¡± She turns to leave, and Adrian walks around the bar and toward her.


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    She scowls at him. ¡°I don¡¯t need you with me.¡±


    In answer, he brushes past her and heads for the door. Her scowl deepens. She looks like she is about to protest, then thinks better of it and follows him out.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with those two?¡± Massimo murmurs next to me.


    ¡°Clearly, there¡¯s some serious chemistry there, though neither of them seems to have acted on it,¡± I muse.


    ¡°You¡¯d think he¡¯d just fuck her and be done with it,¡± Luca scoffs.


    ¡°Cass is part of the family. He can¡¯t just fuck her and be done with it.¡± Massimo scowls at him.


    ¡°Well, then he needs to stay away.¡± Luca raises a shoulder. ¡°Although, the way things are going¡­ What, with first Michael, then Christian and Axel, and now Seb is next in line to get married¡­ If I were him, I¡¯d stay the hell away from her.¡±


    ¡°You do realize it was Nonna¡¯s wish that we get married as soon as possible, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I loved Nonna, and would love to fulfill her wishes, but marriage?¡± He shakes his head, ¡°No thanks. Not for me. Not for a long time, if ever.¡±


    Massimo gives him the side-eye. ¡°You do realize, it¡¯s those who im they¡¯ll never get married who end up tying the knot first.¡±


    ¡°Not me.¡± Luca takes a step back, as if the very thought is repulsive to him. ¡°I¡¯m getting another whiskey. What about you, Seb?¡±


    I shake my head, and he heads for the bar.


    I turn to watch Elsa speaking with Karma. She grips Karma¡¯s shoulder, and the two of them embrace. Theresa, Axel¡¯s wife joins them, and the three speak in hushed voices. On the other side of the room, Christian and Aurora are talking intently, their heads bent, their arms around each other.


    I turn to nce back at Elsa, and this time, she nces in my direction. Our gazes hold, and she seems to falter in the middle of her conversation with Karma. Karma nces between us, then bends and says something to Elsa whose cheeks heat. Karma walks past her and toward us. She slips into Michael¡¯s side, and he wraps his arm around her and pulls her even closer.


    Christian nces in our direction, then walks toward us, leading Aurora.


    Elsa swallows. Then, as if hearing my unspokenmand, she walks in my direction. She reaches my side, and I take her hand in mine.


    I look around the group and realize all of my brothers, and their spouses, are here.


    ¡°As you all know, Nonna didn¡¯t want to have a wake; she wanted to be directly buried. Much as she sought the limelight in life, in death, she wanted to be allowed to leave with little fanfare. Still, it feels wrong not to say a few words to celebrate her life.¡± Michael nces down at his drink, then back at us. ¡°Some people leave a void so big, it will never be filled. Nonna was one of those people.¡± He takes a deep breath, then leans forward on the balls of his feet. ¡°When I was a child, she was the biggest influence on me, more than our father-thank god-or our mother, who was too gentle. When I hesitated to take my ce as Don after killing our father, she¡¯s the one who told me not to question my birthright. She was reluctant to step in when our father physically beat us and our mother, and she always regretted that she didn¡¯t act earlier. She told me not to think twice, but to follow my instincts. That future generations would thank me.¡±


    He draws in a breath and Karma touches his shoulder in empathy. He smiles down at her, his expression brightening.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one who told me I¡¯d be a fool not to recognize what a rare find my wife was. That, although I may have started our rtionship on the wrong footing-which is putting it mildly-¡± a titter runs through the assembled crowd, ¡°it was never toote to fix things. She warned me I¡¯d be a fool if I didn¡¯t find a way to keep her happy.¡±


    His lips kick up.


    ¡°Believe me, I followed her advice and I¡¯ve never regretted it. I credit my return to the human race to my wife, and in no small measure, to my grandmother, as well.¡±


    He nces down into his ss, then raises his head. ¡°In losing her, I¡¯ve lost a piece of myself.¡± His voice wavers, ever so slightly. ¡°As Don of the Cosa Nostra, there aren¡¯t many people I can go to for advice. She was one of them.¡±


    ¡°You do know you can discuss things with us, don¡¯t you? As your second inmand, I¡¯m here to be your sounding board.¡± I lean forward on the balls of my feet.


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± A ghost of a smile curves his lips.


    ¡°She will be missed.¡± I shift my weight from foot to foot. ¡°She was not only our grandmother, but also our protector. There was a certain strength to her that I¡¯ve never seen in anyone else, and probably never will see again. We owe our lives to her.¡±


    ¡°She never put up with my mule-headedness. She never took shit from me.¡± Luca rubs the back of his neck. ¡°That woman knew how to put me in my ce.¡±


    We allugh.


    ¡°Amen to that.¡± Massimo widens his stance. ¡°Not that she didn¡¯t have her faults. She never could understand Xander¡¯s need to explore his sexuality-something he mentioned to me in passing-even as she encouraged his need to pursue his muse. I think she was the only one who understood how important it was for our brother to follow his creative calling. Something he was eternally grateful to her for. As for me?¡± He rolls his shoulders. ¡°She always told me to use my strength wisely. There are two types of men: those who abuse, and those who protect. Our father was among the first; she insisted I strive to be the second.¡±


    ¡°I only knew her briefly.¡± Axel brings his whiskey ss to his lips and takes a sip. ¡°I admit, I was very angry with her for not pushing our father to do the right thing by me and my mother. But I¡¯m d I forgave her and made my peace with her.¡±


    ¡°She appreciated it.¡± Michael tilts his head. ¡°She also wanted us to make amends with the Camorra. They are, after all, your family.¡±


    ¡°They are no family of mine. They may have taken my mother in when she needed help, but they didn¡¯t treat her right. It¡¯s why she decided to leave and make her own way.¡± Axel frowns.


    ¡°No doubt, it¡¯s something we need to discuss moving forward,¡± Michael acknowledges. He raises his ss, and says loudly, ¡°To Nonna, see you on the other side.¡±


    ¡°To Nonna.¡±


    All of us raise our sses.


    Michael takes a sip of his whiskey. ¡°Since we¡¯re all gathered here in Nonna¡¯s home today, and we all heard a certain promise someone made to her¡­¡± He turns to me. ¡°Something you want to tell us Seb?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean,¡± I say slowly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pull that on me,¡± he replies in a mild voice.


    O-k-a-y.


    He nces at Elsa, then at me. Of course, nothing gets past my oldest brother. He didn¡¯t be the Don without reason.


    ¡°I had hoped to get a little more time before sharing with the famiglia, but now that you mention it,¡± I widen my stance, ¡°perhaps it¡¯s time to share my announcement.¡±


    Next to me, Elsa stiffens. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she whisper-screams.


    ¡°Nonna¡¯sst words to me were that she wanted to see me married within the next month. Even in death, it seems, she can¡¯t stop herself from manipting my life.¡± I chuckle.


    Smiles break out on everyone¡¯s faces.


    Elsa begins to pull away from me, but I wrap my arm around her waist, and pull her into my side. Karma¡¯s gaze widens as she nces between us.


    ¡°I have asked Elsa to be my wife,¡± I dere.


    Karma gasps.


    Theresa breaks into a smile.


    Luca stares at me aghast, while Michael¡¯s lips twist into a smile.


    Aurora¡¯s forehead creases and she narrows her gaze on Elsa. ¡°And what was your answer, Elsa?¡±


    She shuffles her feet. The silence in the room grows.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯d like to know that, too.¡± Karma turns to her.


    Theresa¡¯s brow furrows; she watches Elsa with an anxious look on her face.


    Everyone¡¯s attention is directed toward Elsa, who doesn¡¯t reply. The tension radiates off of her.


    I release her and turn to face her. I raise an eyebrow. ¡°So, are you nning to tell them what your answer was?¡±

 269

    Elsa


    Why is he doing this? I thought we had an understanding. That we¡¯d go off and get married quietly, and only then, announce it to the family. Maybe I should have been clearer in mymunication with him. But I had been so overwhelmed by the events of the past few days-first, Nonna¡¯s passing; then, him asking me to marry him; then, the altercation with Fabio, which still has me shaken.


    If not for the fact that I believed him when he said he¡¯d ensure I don¡¯t lose ess to my daughter, I wouldn¡¯t be here today. And of course, I had promised to attend the funeral with him this morning. And seeing him silently grieving for his grandmother had melted my heart. I¡¯m d I¡¯m here by his side to support him andfort him. I really don¡¯t understand why I feel so moved by his emotions, or why I feelpelled, even now, to stay with him. I mean, I could simply walk out, and given his entire family is here, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d try to stop me. I could go back to my job at Theresa¡¯s florist shop, and figure out how to tackle Fabio.


    And the bastard would continue to ride roughshod over me. He ns to make sure I lose all rights to my daughter. There¡¯s no way I can take on Fabio on my own, especially not in Italy, where he has the police force behind him, and no doubt, far-reaching influence within the legal system. No, I need Seb¡¯s help in this. I need ess to the power and influence he has. If there¡¯s anyone who can take on Fabio, and ensure that my daughter is restored to me, it¡¯s Seb. And if Seb fails-and let¡¯s face it, there¡¯s a chance he might-I need to ensure that I don¡¯t burn my bridges with Fabiopletely, so I¡¯ll have a chance at changing his mind.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± Theresa interjects, ¡°are you okay? You don¡¯t have to agree to marry him, if you don¡¯t want to. You know I¡¯m here to help you. Axel and I will make sure that you and your daughter are taken care of. You don¡¯t have to feelpelled to marry him.¡±


    I nce at her, then at Seb, who¡¯s watching me closely. He slides his hand inside his pocket, his entire demeanor casual. Only the ticking of his jaw indicates that he¡¯s tense. That, and his shoulder muscles that are bunched under his shirt. His biceps strain the sleeves of his jacket as he trains his gaze on me.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± Karma says softly, ¡°you don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t have to¡­¡± I pause long enough for Seb¡¯s entire body to stiffen. Tension vibrates off of him. ¡°But I want to.¡± I turn to him. ¡°I want to marry you.¡±


    The tension in his body seems to dissipate, though his facial expression remains unchanged. Then, he closes the distance between us, dips his head, and presses his lips to mine. It¡¯s a hard kiss, a punishing kiss, a kiss that hints at the power inherent in his body. A kiss that reminds me that I need him. A kiss that he softens before coaxing me to part my lips. A moan shivers up my throat. He swallows it, then wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. He slides his tongue in between my lips, and a shudder grips me. He deepens the kiss, and heat flushes my skin. Then, just like that, he pulls back, brushes his lips over mine, and steps back. The sound of pping cuts through my lust-addled brain.


    ¡°You move fast, don¡¯t you?¡± Massimo ps his back with an audible thump.


    Theresa walks over to me and holds her arms wide.


    I nce at Seb, who presses another kiss to my lips before murmuring, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡±


    He steps back, and Theresa envelops me in a hug. ¡°Are you sure?¡± she whispers. ¡°He isn¡¯t putting pressure on you or anything, is he?¡±


    I shake my head, ¡°No.¡± I press my cheek to hers. ¡°I¡¯m sure. I want to be with him.¡±


    ¡°Do you love him?¡± she whispers back. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you two knew each other that well.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know someone well to be sure they¡¯re the right person for you, and Seb is the right person for me. He¡¯s the only person for me.¡±


    She leans back and peers into my features. She must see something there, for she nods. A relieved smile spreads across her face. ¡°Oh, my god, I¡¯m so happy for you, I can¡¯t even tell you. The Sovrano men are tough, but they¡¯re all gooey inside, once you get to know them better. Getting them to open up can be a challenge, but if anyone can do it, it¡¯s you. And we¡¯re going to be sisters! Can you believe that?¡± She throws her arms around me and hugs me again. Karma moves in to join us and hugs the both of us. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Michael walking over to congratte Seb, followed by Christian and Axel. Auroraes over to join us.


    Something rough touches my foot. I step back from Theresa to find a cat licking my feet.


    ¡°What the-¡±


    Karmaughs. ¡°Oh, sorry, that¡¯s Andy. He¡¯s convinced he¡¯s a dog.¡± She bends and picks up the cat. She snuggles him against her chest, and the animal stares at me with unblinking eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s gorgeous.¡± I scratch him behind his ear and he purrs at me. ¡°Where have you been hiding him?¡±


    ¡°Lately, he seems to prefer hanging out in our bedroom, even though he has his own cat-cave in my studio.¡±


    ¡°He has a cat-cave? Does he have a cat-mobile, too?¡± I smirk.


    The girls allugh at that before Karma answers, ¡°No, but what a great idea.¡± She starts to stroke her chin like aic book viin might do. ¡°I wonder if I could design a kitty mask for him so he can be the masked-cat?¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± She giggles. ¡°If you think that¡¯s funny, you should meet my sister, Summer. She has this amazingedic timing, and she weaves film trivia into her conversations, which is-¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± I interrupt, ¡°you¡¯re Summer¡¯s sister? Summer West¡¯s sister?¡±


    ¡°Now Summer Sterling, but yes. Why, do you know her?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god, it¡¯s such a small world. I went to school with her.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± Karma tilts her head. ¡°I mean, of course you did. Of course, I could tell by your ent that you¡¯re English, but what¡¯re the chances that two Brits meeting up outside of the UK, will end up knowing someone inmon?¡±


    ¡°That is weird,¡± Iugh, ¡°but maybe not that unusual, considering we are both here in Italy, and in Palermo. How many other Brits do you know living here?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Exactly. We met, thanks to the Sovranos. It stands to reason we have more than them inmon. Not that I knew Summer that well, but we were in the same ss and had a shared passion for reading books, which is why we ended up hanging out together a lot. How is she, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I haven¡¯t seen her in a few months.¡± Karma¡¯sugh is forced this time. ¡°It¡¯s just, meeting Michael and getting married¡­ All of it took ce so quickly. And then I was in an ident, and lost the child I was carrying.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god, I¡¯m so sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Her eyes glimmer with unshed tears. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, but I survived, and it helps that I¡¯m pregnant again.¡±


    Aurora jumps in, ¡°And the pregnancy is going well so far, although you definitely need to take the weight off of your feet more often.¡±


    ¡°Not now, Aurora.¡± Karma cuddles Andy closer. ¡°This is Elsa¡¯s day-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually Nonna¡¯s day,¡± I remind her gently.


    ¡°True, and it was Nonna¡¯s wish that Seb get married soon, so she must be very happy, wherever she is. And if she were here, she¡¯d encourage me in what I¡¯m about to do now.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°Give you all of the support you need, because marrying into this family can be a bit of a rough ride in the beginning.¡± Karma rubs her cheek against Andy¡¯s head.


    ¡°The Sovranos don¡¯t make it easy on their women,¡± Aurora warns.


    Theresa nods. ¡°They tend to put you through the wringer, and when you think they must be the biggest assholes-¡±


    ¡°Alphaholes,¡± I cut in.


    The three women look at me, then burst outughing.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°You calling them alphaholes,¡± Karma sputters.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about the others, but Seb can sometimes be apletely full-of-himself asshole. Somehow, I¡¯ve made it this far without pping his face.¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± Theresa pipes up.


    ¡°It helps to knock some sense into their big, dumb heads,¡± Aurora agrees.


    ¡°Just be sure you are ready for the repercussions.¡± Karma¡¯s lips twitch. ¡°Not that I¡¯mining.¡±


    Aurora clears her throat. ¡°It can be very rewarding¡­ As long as you¡¯re sure you can stand on your own and not give inpletely, if you know what I mean.¡±


    My cheeks heat. ¡°How do you do it?¡± I turn to Theresa. ¡°You¡¯re the sweetest, nicest person I know. I¡¯d have thought Axel would have chewed you up by now, but you seem to be able to hold your own-no offense.¡± I raise a hand.


    ¡°None taken.¡± She shakes her hair back from her face. ¡°To be honest, in the early days, I found I simply couldn¡¯t say ¡®no¡¯ to Axel. It was like he¡¯d narrow his gaze on me and use this voice, which wouldpletely entrance me, and I¡¯d find myself doing anything he asked. But as I¡¯ve gotten to know him better, I¡¯ve realized I want him not only to love me, but also respect me. I know the only way to do that is to hold my own against him.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve done it.¡± I touch her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll bet it wasn¡¯t easy for you to go against your natural personality.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not so much that I changed myself. I¡¯ve always had it in me to stand up for myself. I just had to find the incentive to activate that part of me.¡± She nces between us. ¡°Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± I say slowly, ¡°and I wonder if there isn¡¯t a lesson somewhere in there for me.¡± I reach over and scratch under Andy¡¯s chin. He meows then wriggles out of Karma¡¯s grasp, andnds on my shoulder.


    ¡°Oh,¡± I gasp, thenugh. The cat turns around, draping himself about my shoulders like an expensive scarf, then he licks my cheek.


    I giggle. ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s rough.¡±


    ¡°Told you, he thinks he¡¯s a dog. He¡¯s been so spoiled by Michael, it¡¯s not even funny.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s practicing for when he¡¯s a daddy.¡± Theresa reaches over and rubs Andy¡¯s forehead. ¡°Is Michael as protective of you as Axel is with me since you became pregnant?¡±


    Karma starts to speak and Theresa holds up her hand. ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me. That was a stupid question. Of course, he¡¯s protective and possessive and everything in between.¡± She turns to me. ¡°Well, this is what you have in store,¡± she flings out a hand, ¡°so take notes.¡±


    ¡°I already know.¡±


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re getting married in the same church as we did?¡± Karma asks.


    ¡°Umm,¡± I shuffle my feet, ¡°no church.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Theresa blinks.


    ¡°Yeah, I already told Seb I¡¯m not getting married in church.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Theresa frowns, then her forehead clears. ¡°Oh, is it because of your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you have a daughter?¡± Aurora turns to me.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°and my ex lives in Palermo, which is why I moved here, to be closer to her.¡±


    ¡°Is she with her father?¡± Karma¡¯s voice is soft.


    ¡°I have her on weekends, but-¡± I nce to the side then back at her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s petitioning the court for sole custody.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Theresa gasps. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been an eventful month for you,¡± I remind her softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you with my problems.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Elsa.¡± Theresa grips my hand. ¡°You should have told me. Nothing is more important than this. We¡¯re talking about your future with your daughter.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I withdraw my hand from her grasp. ¡°But seriously, don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s all in hand, now that¡­¡± I jerk my chin in Seb¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Aurora makes a noise at the back of her throat, ¡°is that what he held over you to make you agree to marry him?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I shift my weight from foot to foot. ¡°I¡¯m marrying him because I want to.¡±


    ¡°So, did he bargain with you, he¡¯d help you get custody of your daughter if you agreed to marry him?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? The important thing is, he¡¯s going to ensure I don¡¯t lose my daughter.¡±


    Aurora grimaces. ¡°Damn these Sovranos. Couldn¡¯t, at least, one of them go about trying to woo their woman in a more conventional fashion?¡±


    ¡°And where would the fun be in that? You have to admit, half the appeal is they¡¯re unconventional in the way they go about showing their love,¡± Theresa murmurs.


    ¡°Love?¡± I shake my head, ¡°No, no, no, this has nothing to do with love; it¡¯s merely a marriage of convenience.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Do you actually believe that?¡± Karmaughs.


    I stare at her.


    ¡°You really do believe that.¡± Her face grows serious.


    ¡°No one knows the true nature of any rtionship.¡± Theresa tilts her head. ¡°But if Karma¡¯s experience, then Aurora¡¯s, and now mine are any indication, the Sovranos marry for keeps and when they do, it¡¯s because there is an affair of the heart involved. Except, they¡¯re too damn pig-headed to admit otherwise.¡±


    I snort. ¡°Next, you¡¯ll be telling me it was a Colpo di Fulmine for him.¡± I refer to the Italian trantion of love-at-first-sight which means, literally, being struck by a bolt of lightning.


    That¡¯s when Seb¡¯s voice rings out from behind me, ¡°It was.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I turn to find him walking toward me.


    Theresa releases my arm as he draws abreast.


    ¡°You dumped a pint of beer on me the first time we met, and while it may not have literally been a bolt of lightning, it was definitely a shock that roused me out of my stupor and made me notice you.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? You dumped beer on him when you first met?¡± Karma chortles.


    ¡°Well, he made me so mad.¡± My cheeks heat as he pulls me close to him. I direct my attention toward him. ¡°Anyway, you deserved it.¡± I try to pull away, but he doesn¡¯t release me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I deserve you, but if you marry me, I promise to put your interests before my own. I promise to cherish you, and protect you, and ensure you¡¯re always happy.¡±


    I stare up into those golden eyes of his which haunt my dreams. Damn, but he is a fine actor. I almost believe him, and this is despite knowing the reality of our situation.


    ¡°What are you doing? You don¡¯t have to lie, you know,¡± I whisper under my breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I wouldn¡¯t have proposed to you if I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    I open my mouth to protest, but he pulls a velvet box from his pocket.


    What the-? My jaw drops as he goes down on one knee.


    ¡°Marry me, Elsa.¡±


    Why the hell is he making such a big deal about it? I already agreed to this arrangement, didn¡¯t I? So why is he rubbing it in, in front of his family? And to think, I wanted to keep the entire affair discreet, maybe even pretend it wasn¡¯t happening. But he¡¯s dashed all of those hopes into the ground with this gesture.


    ¡°Marry me, else I¡¯ll call you Frozen, and you know how much you hate that.¡±


    A chuckle spills from my lips. ¡°Very funny,¡± I say in a voice that indicates the exact opposite sentiment.


    He stays there on bended knee, with his chin tipped up and a very intent expression on his features. Goddamn, he deserves an Oscar for his performance. The silence in the room stretches. Every person there is watching me, waiting for my reaction. My skin prickles and my scalp feels too tight. Heat flushes my skin, and bloody hell, what choice do I have? Besides, I already ¡®agreed¡¯ to this earlier, so what¡¯s stopping me from replying in the affirmative right now? Maybe because this feels too real? Because after Fabio, I swore I¡¯d never get married again, only to agree to Seb¡¯s n because it ensures the future of my daughter.


    But this¡­ romantic proposal, in front of his family and on the day of his Nonna¡¯s funeral? Goddamnit, it doesn¡¯t get more serious than this. A pressure grows behind my eyes. Wh-a-t? Why do I want to cry? It¡¯s all an act, probably to convince his family we¡¯re for real. Don¡¯t want them thinking we¡¯re sullying Nonna¡¯s memory, do we? Especially considering he¡¯s only marrying me because of the promise he made to his nonna, after all.


    I draw in a breath, then hold out my hand. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll marry you.¡±


    He slips the ring, the one I left sitting on my dining table, onto my finger and kisses my hand. A shiver runs up my arm. My entire body seems like it¡¯s on alert. He rises to his feet, pinches my chin and tips my face up. Then he lowers his lips to mine.

 270

    Elsa


    Twenty minutester, we are in his car-sh-SUV, the one with the baby-seat, and on our way back home. And my lips are tingling from that hard yet tender kiss that seemed to go on and on. My heart still feels raw from the emotion he seemed to pour into it. My gut is in knots.


    What is the meaning of all this? Why is heplicating an already messed up situation? Like it isn¡¯t enough I need to focus on my daughter, or the fact that soon I¡¯ll be married to this almost-stranger, or that if he finds out what I¡¯m doing to him and his family, he¡¯ll definitely hate me-there¡¯s also the other thing. The one that¡¯s the cause of this mess I¡¯vended in. And I¡¯ve been trying so hard to be good. I¡¯ve been trying not to slip up, and I¡¯ve seeded over thest year, by staying away from all temptation and ignoring the yearning inside of me. Then, he has toe along, and open up the vault to all of my secrets. Argh!


    I must make a noise because he side-eyes me. ¡°Stop thinking so much,¡± he says in a mild voice.


    ¡°Ha, easy for you to say. You weren¡¯t put on the spot by an alphahole who thinks he can manipte you and get away with it.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I manipted you?¡±


    ¡°Why else would you propose to me in front of your entire family?¡±


    ¡°You already agreed to marry me,¡± he reminds me.


    ¡°I know.¡± I wring my fingers in myp, and spot the ring on my left hand. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ It seems so much more real.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Something detes inside of me. Of course, it was all a charade. He wanted his family to believe we¡¯re in love. He didn¡¯t mean any of that-not what he said, not the beautiful ring he gave me. I hold up my fingers, and thete afternoon light catches on the yellow sapphires in the ring. It¡¯s beautiful, exactly the kind of ring I¡¯d have chosen for myself. How did he know the sapphire¡¯s my birthstone?


    ¡°I guess I should return the ring, now there¡¯s no one here to watch us?¡±


    I move to take off the ring, and he makes a sound deep in his throat. ¡°It¡¯s your ring,¡± he says in a hard voice, ¡°and as long as you are my wife, you¡¯ll wear it. And as I¡¯ve already told you, there are no divorces in the Cosa Nostra.¡±


    I firm my lips. ¡°Is that an order?¡±


    ¡°Do you want my help in ensuring Fabio doesn¡¯t get sole custody of your daughter?¡±


    I turn on him. ¡°Is everything a transaction with you?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s needed to get my way.¡±


    I turn and face forward, watching the houses go by. How could I have thought he meant anything he said earlier? And I almost believed him when he said those words. We ride the rest of the way in silence.


    When we reach the house-his house-I push the door open and get out without waiting for him. He follows me, pausing only to speak with the security detail outside. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to living in a ce with so much security, but it does make me feel safe. Surely, there¡¯s an oxymoron somewhere in that statement, considering I¡¯m in the heart of the Mafia n. Then again, maybe it¡¯s just ironic. Dontcha think?


    One of the guards pushes the door open for me. I thank him and walk through. The door shuts after us, and the noise echoes around the space. I walk past the hallway, and toward the stairs that lead up to my room. His house is big, one of thosemon Italian homes built in the early 1900s. It¡¯s built from sandstone in a style that is Arab-Norman, so typical of the homes here.


    It¡¯s a beach-front house, offering a panoramic view of the ocean from my room, while the sliding doors on the far side of the living room lead to a deck with stairs leading down to the sand.


    I reach the hallway on the second floor and stop at the first door. I peek inside of the room with a crib on the far end. The rest of the furniture is expected by Friday. He told me he engaged an interior designer to make sure the space ispletely set up by the time I bring Avery home for the weekend. Her room is across the hall from mine, while Seb¡¯s room is next to mine, the two connected with an adjoining door I made sure to lockst night.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Footsteps sound, thene to a stop behind me. ¡°She¡¯ll be home this weekend.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I brush past him and head toward my room.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good mother, Elsa,¡± his voice follows me.


    I walk inside my room and head to the window.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about her?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°I only get to see my daughter on weekends. What do you expect?¡±


    ¡°You also put your own happiness on hold by entering into this arrangement; and you did it so you could ensure the future of your child.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me out to be something I¡¯m not.¡± I stare at the sea that stretches into the horizon. ¡°If I were a good mother, I wouldn¡¯t havended in this situation at all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t allow someone else to define what a good mother is. You can¡¯t change the past, but I can help you ensure the future is more to your liking.¡±


    I turn to find him leaning against the doorframe.


    ¡°You¡¯re in my future, so I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s going to happen,¡± I mutter.


    His jaw tics. He straightens, then takes a step forward, only to pause. He shakes his head. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day. I¡¯ll let you get some rest.¡± Turning, he leaves.


    I shouldn¡¯t have said that, after all he gave me a ring. Not just any ring his nonna¡¯s ring. Worse, I like the ring. Why is he trying to be nice to me? He manipted me into marrying him, after all. And then, he was understanding when I told him about my proclivities. I had expected him to throw a fit, maybe tell me the wedding was off¡­ A part of me had hoped he¡¯d say he couldn¡¯t go through with the marriage any longer, considering I¡¯d confessed to liking kink. And don¡¯t these Mafia guys like their brides to be virgins? Which I, clearly, am not. I¡¯m a mother, and I¡¯m divorced, and I confess to skulking around in S&M clubs. Maybe I hadn¡¯t slept with anyone there, but still, I¡¯d been a voyeur, and then a participant. Not very Mafia-bride-like behavior, if you ask me. But he wasn¡¯t fazed by it. Instead, he offered to be my Dom. And I don¡¯t think he said that just to make me feel better. I have a feeling he knows exactly what that means.


    A shiver runs down my back. We haven¡¯t had a chance to discuss that further.


    Why can¡¯t he continue to be an asshole-which would make it easy for me to continue hating him? Instead, he¡¯s trying to be understanding, and the problem is I like that part of him too much.


    I grip the window frame, then blow out a breath. He¡¯s just up the corridor; I should go and apologize. Much as I want to stay angry with him, I¡¯m already regretting my outburst. I blow out a breath, then walk up the corridor and to his bedroom. I peer inside, but he¡¯s not there. Eh?


    Did he leave the house? Where could he have gone? I walk down to the living room, then peek into his study but there¡¯s no one there.


    I return to my room and begin to pace.


    It was Nonna¡¯s funeral today, and instead of being empathetic, I was nasty toward him. Sure, he gave me a ring, but he only did it to make sure our engagement seemed genuine to his family. I can hardly fault him for that. All I did was piss him off¡­ And he left. Damn it, he could have argued with me. He could have confronted me about my remark. Instead, he turned on his heel and left, not only my room, but apparently, this house.


    In all likelihood, he went to Venom, the ce where we met the first time. And I imagine, as I wear a hole in the carpet, he¡¯s with another woman. Someone who would be all sweetness to him and lend him a shoulder to cry on. No doubt, while I dither and try to figure out what to do, he¡¯s stripping her¡­ and kissing her¡­ and pushing her down to her knees, and- I shake my head. Why am I torturing myself with these images? There¡¯s only one way to find out.


    I pull out my phone and call a cab.

 271

    Seb


    I aim the gun at the target and fire again and again. I don¡¯t stop until I have emptied all of the bullets. Then I lower it, pull out my earplugs, and pull the paper target toward me. All of my bullets, except one, found their mark. Huh? That¡¯s never happened before. Not that I¡¯m a bad shot. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve never managed to hit all of them on the bullseye before.


    The sound of pping reaches me. I nce up to find Luca walking in my direction. ¡°And I thought I was the crack shot here.¡±


    ¡°I missed one,¡± I point out.


    ¡°That¡¯s as good as me on a bad day,¡± he humblebrags.


    ¡°Fuck you very much, too,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Everything okay, ol¡¯ chap?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°We just buried Nonna, who was shot by a rival gang¡¯s bullet. Do you think I¡¯m okay?¡± I lean forward on the balls of my feet. ¡°Also, what¡¯s this ¡®ol¡¯ chap¡¯ bullshit? You¡¯ve been spending so much time with our resident Brit, you¡¯re beginning to sound like him.¡±


    Massimo walks over to join us. ¡°Were you envisioning the head of someone in particr?¡± He gestures to the figure on the paper target, now riddled with bullet holes.


    I tear off the paper, then crumple it and toss it aside.


    I head for the exit¡­ A-a-and, herees Adrian.


    ¡°Just the person I was missing-the man who never seems to lose his temper, no matter how messy things get.¡± I glower at him.


    ¡°Hey.¡± He holds up his hands. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, and that might be the problem.¡± I make sure my shoulder bumps his as I walk past him and into the adjoining bar. Rarely do I contemte the fact I belong to the most famous family in Italy and have enough money to rival the economy of a third world country. Today, I can assure you, is not one of those days. Today, I am fucking grateful we¡¯re rich enough to have our own bar and adjoining shooting range. Both are situated on the top floor of the building that houses Venom, the nightclub owned by our family. We spent so much time in Michael¡¯s office above Venom, he eventually refurbished the entire floor. In addition to the shooting range and the private bar, there¡¯s also a gym, a pool room and a sauna. All of theforts under one roof, without having to go anywhere outside the building.


    This way, we don¡¯t have topromise on our lifestyle. And we don¡¯t have toe in contact with the rest of the popce. Especially important on a day when I¡¯m liable to point my gun at whoever gets in my way. Not that I have anything against killing people¡­ But I do prefer to take a life when there¡¯s a real reason. Like someone who is out to get me or one of my own. Someone who has hurt her. Someone like that coglione, Fabio Costa.


    I walk around the bar counter, grab a bottle of Macan forty-year-old, and pour a healthy dose into a ss.


    Adrian walks over to join me, followed by Massimo and Luca.


    Adrian takes the bottle and pours whiskey into their sses. He slides one over to Massimo as Luca picks up his own ss.


    ¡°To Nonna,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°To Nonna.¡± My brothers raise their sses and we clink.


    ¡°Remember how all seven of us would spend most of our time here at Venom?¡± Lucaments.


    ¡°Michael and Christian are married. It¡¯s natural for them to spend more time at home,¡± Adrian remarks. ¡°And Xander¡­¡± He stares into his ss. ¡°I miss Xander. And now Nonna. Damn, everything¡¯s changing.¡±


    ¡°Change is good.¡± I drain my ss. ¡°Change is what keeps us from losing our edge.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you proposed to her, because you want change in your life?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°I proposed to her because I promised Nonna I¡¯d get married within the month.¡±


    ¡°And it has nothing to do with how you¡¯ve developed feelings for her?¡± Luca smirks.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You pushed Elsa out of the way of a bullet and threw yourself over her to protect her, then insisted on dressing her wound and driving her home, by way of the hospital, only to appear preupied for the next few days¡­ Well¡­ Clearly, you¡¯re developing feelings for her.¡±


    ¡°Anything else, Montalbano?¡± I ask, referring to the well-known fictional Italian detective who has achieved cult status in this country.


    ¡°You mean Sherlock, don¡¯t you?¡± Luca grins.


    ¡°Cazzo, and I thought you and Axel didn¡¯t get along,¡± I reply.


    ¡°We don¡¯t.¡± His gaze narrows.


    ¡°And yet, that¡¯s the second British reference you¡¯ve made in passing today.¡± I ce my elbow on the counter. ¡°Is the Brit your new best friend?¡±


    ¡°As you well know, Axel and I are not friends.¡± He points his finger at me. ¡°Don¡¯t change the topic, fratello. We¡¯re brothers. We have our differences, but when one of us is threatened, we stand up for each other.¡±


    I rub the back of my neck. I hadn¡¯t expected to hear that from Luca, but I have to admit, it¡¯s reassuring. And much as I hate to ept it, Fabio¡¯s a formidable enemy. If there¡¯s anyone who could stand up to the Mafia in Italy, it¡¯s him. The man¡¯s corrupt, of course, but he¡¯s been taking bribes from our rivals, the Camorra, who hold sway from the Campania region in Italy. He owes his allegiance to them, which means he¡¯s out to get us. And this gives him a perfect excuse. What¡¯s worse, now he knows my weakness. If he does anything to her, I¡¯ll kill him, and that would only spark a full-fledged war, which could bring the kind of destruction that wouldn¡¯t be good for anyone. And he¡¯s the father of her child.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I drain my ss and p it down on the counter and reach for the bottle.


    Massimo snatches it away from me. ¡°Talk first,¡± he growls. ¡°It¡¯s not going to help if you get so drunk you¡¯re not thinking straight.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a start.¡± I pivot and begin to pace.


    ¡°If nothing else, it will help to get it off your chest,¡± Adrian says in a reasonable tone.


    ¡°Do you have to be so fucking reasonable and calm about everything?¡± I round on him. ¡°You¡¯ve never been in my position, so don¡¯t attempt to give me advice.¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    His jaw tightens. ¡°Haven¡¯t I?¡± He holds out his hand and Massimo passes the bottle to him. Adrian drinks straight from the bottle and I blink. The gentlemanly Adrian, who believes in following the rules in every aspect of his life, acting out of character? Have I touched on a nerve?


    ¡°It¡¯s Cass, isn¡¯t it?¡± I prop my hands on my hips. ¡°If you feel so much for her, why don¡¯t you do something about it?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get your own house in order first? Why are you so twisted up about marrying Elsa anyway? What¡¯s the deal there?¡± Adrian points at me with the bottle. ¡°Is she in love with someone else?¡±


    I stiffen.


    ¡°Gesu Christo.¡± Adrian straightens. ¡°She is in love with someone else.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± Luca exims, ¡°and you proposed to her? There¡¯s so much other pussy out there, why do you have to go after someone who belongs to another man, you-¡±


    I whirl around, close the distance between us, and grab his cor. ¡°She doesn¡¯t belong to him, you coglione.¡± I haul him up to his feet. ¡°She¡¯s divorced.¡±


    ¡°Watch it, I was only trying to be helpful.¡± Luca scowls.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t.¡± I release him and begin to pace.


    ¡°And the Cosa Nostra doesn¡¯t believe in divorce,¡± Massimo points out.


    ¡°Fuck that.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, then? She¡¯s not with her husband, so you can move in, can¡¯t you?¡± Luca asks.


    I shuffle my feet and nce to the side, then back at my brothers. ¡°She has a daughter.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Massimo nods, ¡°that doesplicate things.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo, that¡¯s messy.¡± Luca takes a step back as if trying to distance himself from the situation.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me?¡±


    ¡°And you still want to marry her? Being divorced is one thing, but having a kid?¡± He shakes his head. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re probably better off without her.¡±


    ¡°Luca!¡± Massimo and Adrian say at the same time.


    ¡°What?¡± He raises his hands. ¡°I¡¯m trying to save him from making a mistake.¡±


    ¡°You really have no idea, do you?¡± I rub the back of my neck. To think, I was just like him only a few days ago, when all I¡¯d been focused on was my role within the Cosa Nostra as Capo, and of course, getting as much pussy as I could. Until I had run into her at Venom.


    ¡°The first time we met, she dumped a pint of beer on me,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°What?¡± Massimoughs.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s something.¡± Adrian chuckles.


    ¡°Wish I¡¯d been there, if only to see the look on your face,¡± Luca adds.


    ¡°So, what did you do?¡± Massimo leans his bulk against the bar counter.


    ¡°I drove her home.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. Let me get this straight. She dumped beer on you, and instead of retaliating, you dropped her back home?¡± Luca stares at me like I¡¯ve grown a second head.


    My neck heats. ¡°We were at Venom; she was with Theresa. Besides, I probably deserved it.¡± I raise a shoulder.


    ¡°Che cazzo,¡± Luca chortles, ¡°look at you being all honest and shit.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m an honest person¡­ Mostly.¡±


    ¡°So, she has a child.¡± Adrian drums his fingers on his chest. ¡°But that¡¯s not what¡¯s stopping you, is it?


    Goddamn, I forgot; Adrian¡¯s also the most insightful of all of us.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the real issue?¡± Massimo strokes his chin. ¡°It¡¯d have to be something serious for you to be shooting at a paper target, instead of going after a live one.¡±


    I blow out a breath.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Luca shuffles his feet. ¡°You¡¯re making me nervous, fratello; why don¡¯t you just spit out what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Is it the husband?¡± Massimo drawls.


    ¡°Ex-husband, and can you guys back off or what?¡±


    ¡°It is the husband. The ex, I mean,¡± Massimo adds when I bare my teeth at him. ¡°Want me to off him?¡±


    ¡°If it were that easy, wouldn¡¯t he have done it already?¡± Adrian retorts.


    ¡°Don¡¯t all of you try to put words in my mouth all at once,¡± I say dryly.


    ¡°Well,e on then fratello.¡± Luca rolls his shoulders. ¡°Just tell us, will you?¡±


    Fuck this. ¡°He¡¯s Fabio Costa,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    Silence.


    Luca¡¯s gaze widens. ¡°The Police Commissioner?¡±


    ¡°Bingo.¡±


    Massimo rocks back on his heels. ¡°You don¡¯t pick your adversaries lightly, do you?¡±


    I fold my arms across my chest. ¡°What do you guys think?¡±


    ¡°I think we should use this opportunity to clean house, once and for all,¡± Luca retorts.


    ¡°Porca miseria, are you even thinking straight?¡± I narrow my gaze on him. ¡°Do you have any idea what the repercussions could be for killing him?¡±


    ¡°So, the cops get pissed off. Too bad.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°We can handle them.¡±


    ¡°And the Camorra,¡± Massimo says slowly. ¡°You¡¯re aware he¡¯s affiliated with our biggest rivals-¡±


    Luca doubles down, as usual. ¡°It¡¯s time we taught them a lesson. Those stronzi have been infringing on our territory for a while now. It¡¯s time we show them who¡¯s stronger.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯re talking about? Perhaps we could take on the Camorra on their own, or the cops on their own. But together?¡± I shake my head. ¡°And while we do control a part of the police force, it would put us in a difficult situation even to contemte going against both of them at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Not if we had help,¡± Adrian points out.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The Bratva and the Kane Company; they¡¯re our allies.¡±


    ¡°Joint ownership of a singlepany does not make them allies,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Whoever represents us on the board of thepany could sway them to work with us on something as strategic as this. Perhaps just the fact that we have them in our corner might be deterrent enough to stop the Camorra or the pigs from trying anything.¡±


    Michael recently stepped down from the board of Trinity Enterprises, thepany in which we have joint ownership with the Bratva and the Kane Company. He left it up to the four of us to decide who will represent the Cosa Nostra in his ce.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Luca props his hands on his hips. ¡°Is this conversation headed the way I think it is? If so, the answer is no.¡±


    Massimo scowls. ¡°Luca,e on. Surely you can see it would benefit all of us for Seb to join the board. He could use the position to strike a deal with the Bratva and the Kane Company, which would help him with his predicament, and with ours.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it? We¡¯ve decided he gets the seat on the board?¡± Luca¡¯s jaw hardens.


    ¡°I have no interest in being on the board. You know my ultimate aim is to set up my own mediapany. It¡¯s what I¡¯ve been working toward for a while now.¡±


    ¡°So, leave the seat on the board to me,¡± Luca retorts.


    ¡°You¡¯re an enforcer. Are you really interested in boardroom maneuvers rted to apany which deals with cryptocurrency trading?¡±


    ¡°Whether fighting on the streets or in the boardroom, how different can it be, eh?¡± He widens his stance. ¡°Besides, this is my chance to increase the scope of what I do and learn something new. I can¡¯t be stuck as an enforcer forever.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± I move toward him, ¡°and I think you¡¯re right thinking of growing your skillset. I think you¡¯d be a natural in the boardroom, actually. It¡¯s just right now, I really need this position. If it means I can get in with the Bratva and the Kane Company, and work out a n with them, perhaps I stand a chance at putting this stronzo Costa in his ce, without disturbing the bnce of power too much.¡±


    Luca¡¯s jaw tics. ¡°Fuck.¡± He drags his fingers through his hair. ¡°Porca puttana!¡± He drains his ss then throws it at the opposite wall, where it shatters. The shards crash to the floor. He shakes his head as if to clear it, then jerks his chin. ¡°Fine, but you owe me.¡±


    ¡°Grazie, fratello, you have no idea what this means to me.¡± I grip his shoulder but he shakes it off.


    ¡°Just because I agreed to this, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m happy,¡± he warns.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, and I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he says in a grudging tone.


    Before I can respond, there¡¯s a knock on the door.

 272

    Elsa


    I peek inside the doorway, and the tension in the room hits me like a kick to the face in 47 Ronin. Jesus, it feels like a war-room in here. There are four men, but my gaze hones in on him.


    He tilts his head, no change in expression on his face. He¡¯s wearing another of those ck suits he seems to favor. Expensively cut, they cling to the breadth of his shoulders. His silk tie-also ck- is a contrast to his snowy white shirt. His hair is swept back from his face, and the length is a tad too long to be considered stylish. A lock of hair falls over his forehead. He slides his hand inside his pocket and surveys my features. Damn, he¡¯s going to force me to make the first move, apparently. Not that I me him, after what I said to him thest time we spoke.


    I mean, what was I going to say? Sorry I was nasty to you thest time we spoke. Sorry I didn¡¯t respond to your offer. Sorry I¡¯m not sure if I could have you for my Dom. Sorry¡­ if you were my Dom, I wouldn¡¯t be able to stop myself from getting too deeply involved with you. The thought of himmanding me, ordering me, dominating me, telling me what to do, what to wear, what to eat, and taking care of my needs in bed, sends a shiver of anticipation down my back.


    No, no, no. I can¡¯t do this. One taste of his power and I¡¯d be addicted. I¡¯d grow dependent on him. I wouldn¡¯t be able to live without him, and then what would I do when he decided he¡¯d had enough of me? How would I be able to function? How would I be able to take care of my child if I couldn¡¯t even take care of myself?


    On the other hand, if anyone can stand up to my ex, it¡¯s him. Seeing them together had shown me how much more overpowering Seb is. Oh, Fabio isn¡¯t a weakling, by any means. But face-to-face, Seb easily wins in the personality department. Fabio¡¯s more ssically good-looking. He seems like the respectable kind of man you¡¯d take home to meet your mother. But looks can be deceiving. Seb, on the other hand, looks darker, meaner, and even wearing one of his suits, there¡¯s something so untamed about him.


    Next to him, Luca widens his stance.


    Adrian pushes away from the bar and walks toward me. ¡°Elsa, how are you?¡± He takes my hand and kisses it.


    There¡¯s a low growl from behind him. I nce around him to find Seb glowering at the two of us. Is he jealous? Surely not.


    Adrian chuckles. ¡°We were just leaving.¡± He turns to nce at his brothers over his shoulders. ¡°Weren¡¯t we, stronzos?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we were,¡± Massimo agrees. He prowls over to us. He¡¯s the tallest and the broadest of the brothers. ¡°I¡¯d kiss your hand like Adrian here, but I fear my brother would have a cardiac episode if I did.¡± His lips twitch. He follows Adrian through the door.


    Luca is thest to follow. He and Seb exchange a look before Luca stalks over to me. He jerks his chin in my direction before he walks around me and leaves.


    I shuffle my weight from foot to foot. Should I go in? Should I leave, maybe? Why did Ie here, anyway? ¡°Umm, maybe this was a mistake.¡±


    I spin around, and am about to step out of the room when Seb calls out, ¡°Stop.¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°Shut the door, then turn around and face me.¡±


    Themand in his voice is unmistakable; a shiver runs down my spine. My nipples tighten. Jesus, what is this crazy reaction to him? I¡¯ve known for a long time I¡¯m submissive. I¡¯ve hung around clubs, wanting to find the right kind of Dom, but I¡¯ve never found anyone I feltfortable approaching. It¡¯s always been experience-by-proxy, where I¡¯d see Dom¡¯s get subs off and imagine myself in that role. Even then, the sensations had been intense. But I have to admit, nothing I¡¯ve visualized hase close to being here, knowing he¡¯s a few feet away, ordering me to return to him.


    ¡°Princess.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush and a shudder grips me. ¡°Do it, now.¡±


    His voice fills the corners in my mind. I reach out, pull the door closed, then turn to face him.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± he murmurs, and heat sears my cheeks.


    ¡°Now take off your coat and ce it along with your handbag on the table near the settee.¡±


    I do as he says, noticing a velvet box on the table, then straighten.


    ¡°Come ¡®ere.¡± He quirks his finger, and I put one foot in front of the other until I¡¯m standing in front of him.


    ¡°On your knees,¡± he orders.


    ¡°What?¡± I swallow. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this why you came here?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± he says in a hard voice. ¡°Since I told you I¡¯d be your Dom, you haven¡¯t been able to stop thinking about it. You haven¡¯t been able to reign in your imagination. You¡¯ve thought of how it would feel to be dominated by me, to be controlled by me, to obey me, to be¡­¡± he leans in close enough for his body heat to envelop me, ¡°owned by me.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± My voice trembles and I clear my throat. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    Heughs. Asshole actuallyughs. He grips my shoulder and presses down. ¡°Do as I tell you, Princess.¡±


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    He holds my gaze. Silver sparks re to life in the depths of his gaze. A plume of heat spools off of his body and ms into my chest. I gasp and a bead of sweat slides down the valley between my breasts. His gaze darts there and stops. His nostrils re. He raises his gaze back to my face. ¡°Either do as I say or-¡±


    ¡°Or?¡±


    ¡°Turn around and leave.¡± He pulls his hand back, and I instantly miss the weight on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s your choice.¡±


    Bloody hell. I shift my weight from foot to foot. Should I leave? Should I stay? I don¡¯t want to have to make a decision.


    ¡°If you leave, I¡¯ll still fight Fabio to ensure you get custody of your daughter.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ you would do that?¡±


    ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t have to marry me, either.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I wouldn¡¯t?¡± I gape at him. ¡°Are you sure? This doesn¡¯t sound like you.¡±


    ¡°You mean, because I¡¯m giving you a choice?¡± One side of his lips kicks up. ¡°You forget that if youe into this rtionship willingly, I¡¯ll have much more control over you.¡±


    ¡°So, all of this is just maniption?¡±


    He merely tilts his head. ¡°You can give it any name you want. You and I, we want the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°Your happiness.¡±


    I scoff. ¡°So everything you¡¯ve been doing so far is to make me happy?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes we don¡¯t know what we want.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you know better than I do about what I want?¡± I resist the urge to wrap my arms about myself. I¡¯d only be revealing just how confused I am by this entire conversation. ¡°First, you almost ckmail me until I agree to marry you, and now¡­ You¡¯re telling me I can leave and you¡¯ll still help me?¡±


    He holds my gaze, unblinking. He slides a hand inside his pocket, and the rustle of the fabric is loud in the empty space.


    ¡°Maybe I should have a drink.¡± I gaze past him at the bar.


    ¡°You may, once you make a decision.¡±


    I draw in a breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want. I thought¡­ I wanted to be free of you, to get on with my life, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But now, when you give me the choice to leave, I find I can¡¯t.¡±


    Something hot flickers in his eyes, then recedes.


    ¡°You must think I¡¯m pathetic.¡± I shake my hair back from my face. ¡°I can¡¯t even make up my mind what I want from you.¡±


    He stares at me steadily.


    I¡¯ve never been able to stand silence, so my mouth starts moving, and before I know it, I¡¯m spilling secrets. ¡°I was ten when I stripped my Barbie doll, tied her up, put a patch on her mouth, and had hery down waiting for Ken to do god-knows-what to her. I didn¡¯t even realize it had anything to do with sex, you know? It was just this yearning, from somewhere deep inside of me. And before you ask, no, I wasn¡¯t abused as a child. It¡¯s just¡­ I always sensed this need inside of me, but it took a long time for me to give it a name.¡± I fold my fingers in front of me. ¡°Of course, once I learned to google about my cravings, I realized they had a name. Even then, I couldn¡¯t allow myself topletely ept what I truly craved. I began to haunt BDSM clubs. I lurked around and spied on Dom-sub pairs. I used to be so envious of the subs, of how the Dom was so focused on them, of how they were high from the ministrations of their master.¡±


    ¡°Princess,¡± he interjects, ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°No, let me finish.¡± I nce to the side, then back at him. ¡°I did have boyfriends, and while the sex wasn¡¯t bad, it didn¡¯t blow my mind, either. I knew what I was looking for, but I never could acknowledge to myself just how much I needed it. Then I met Fabio and-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about other men in front of me,¡± he says through gritted teeth.


    A flush of satisfaction coils in my chest. ¡°Jealous?¡±


    ¡°Jealous?¡± Heughs and the sound is dark. ¡°I am going to hunt down each and every one of the men who ever touched you, and kill them. And as for your ex¡­¡± He squeezes his fingers into fists. ¡°If I had my way, I¡¯d slice him from ear-to-ear and grind him into the dirt. Then, I¡¯d throw you down in his blood and fuck you.¡±


    Heat blooms low in my belly; my pussy clenches and my toes curl. ¡°How very bloodthirsty of you.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea.¡± He bares his teeth. ¡°Are you done talking?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°If you have anything else to say, now would be the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I swallow, ¡°I agree.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    His gaze intensifies. ¡°What, exactly, are you agreeing to?¡±


    ¡°For you to be my Dom.¡±

 273

    Elsa


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Why is he asking me that? Why is he giving me a way out? Why can¡¯t he simply take what I¡¯m offering? Why can¡¯t he just dominate me, overpower me, ride over my wishes, and give me what I need? Why can¡¯t he satisfy the ache that crawls in my belly? This emptiness that has been inside me for so long, that has grown over the months and the years, until I can barely feel myself anymore.


    ¡°Princess?¡± He notches his knuckles under my chin and lifts up my head. ¡°What do you say?¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut and draw in a breath. Then, ¡°Yes,¡± I nod, ¡°yes.¡±


    The breath rushes out of him. His muscles seem to rx. Eh? Had he actually thought I would decline his offer? How could I? How could I walk away from him? The fact he gave me a way out only confirms to me I¡¯ve made the right choice¡­ Did he do it knowing he had a better chance of getting me to agree if he put the power back in my hands? Had he told me I could leave, knowing I wouldn¡¯t? Had he left the decision to me, knowing I would stay, and this time, it would be of my own volition, thus effectively, handing the power back to him, and putting myself at his disposalpletely? My head spins. Damn it, I am tying myself in knots.


    ¡°You made the right decision, Princess.¡± He reaches for a bottle of grappa and pours a thimble-sized portion into a ss. He ces it on the counter. I reach for it and he clicks his tongue. ¡°Did I give you permission to touch it yet.¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me permission to touch it yet.¡±


    He res at me, and my breathing grows ragged. The pulse at the base of my throat flutters.


    ¡°No.¡± I swallow. ¡°No, Master.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    I flush, and his gaze intensifies. His nostrils re, and something like satisfaction settles over his features. He seems so confident, so pleased with himself. Damnit, did I make the right choice? Should I have left when he gave me the chance? I nce from my drink to his empty ss. ¡°Where¡¯s yours?¡±


    His lips curl.


    ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out,¡± he murmurs. ¡°Open your mouth.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Open. Your. Mouth. I won¡¯t repeat myself again.¡±


    I part my lips.


    He mps his fingers around the nape of my neck, then he reaches for the ss of grappa, takes a sip, then leans in, and puts his lips to mine. He dribbles the grappa into my mouth. Heat flushes my skin and my belly flip-flops. My thighs clench and I swallow, so aware I am drinking from him. Oh, my god, this is so filthy. And so hot. So very hot. Why do I find it hot? Why do I not find it more disgusting? That familiar guilt creeps into the back of my mind. I shouldn¡¯t find this so sensual, shouldn¡¯t need this degradation so much. What¡¯s wrong with me that I can¡¯t enjoy vani sex like most of the poption of this?


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He peers into my face. ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t berate yourself.¡±


    ¡°How do you know-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so damn transparent, woman.¡± He reaches over and scoops up a drop from the corner of my mouth, then he brings it to his lips and sucks on his finger.


    My toes curl and heat sluices through my veins. How can such a simple gesture turn out to be so¡­ so much more?


    ¡°Open your mouth, baby.¡±


    I oblige.


    He takes another sip of the grappa then spits it at my mouth. Some of it hits my tongue and some of it slips down my chin; he follows the trail and licks it up.


    He takes a third sip, and this time, he closes the distance between us and fits his mouth to mine. The warm liquid slips across my tongue and he chases it with his own. The alcohol drips into my veins, the scent of him envelops me, the taste of him fills my pte. He tilts his head, deepens the kiss, and a moan bubbles up my throat. My skin feels too tight for my body. My scalp tingles. My entire body seems to be on fire. Too much, too soon. He¡¯s not just dominating me; he¡¯s consuming me. He¡¯s going to chew me up and spit me out, and I¡¯ll never be able to deny him anything. My heart begins to race and my pulse pounds at my temples. I try to pull away, but he tightens his fingers around the nape of my neck and holds me in ce. ¡°Breathe,¡± he murmurs against my lips. ¡°I¡¯ve got you; I promise.¡±


    Does he, though?


    What if he decides I¡¯m the cause of Nonna¡¯s death? What if he finds out how I am going to betray him? Will he still treat me with such consideration then? My pulse rate speeds up, and my knees tremble. I grip his upper arm and dig my fingernails into his biceps. His muscles are so solid, it¡¯s like trying to hold onto a brick wall.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be gentle,¡± I whisper. ¡°I want you to treat me like I¡¯m your ve. Someone you¡¯ll use for your needs and discard after. Someone you don¡¯t care about, except to make sure your desires are being taken care of. Can you do that for me?¡±


    A crease wrinkles the space between his eyebrows.


    ¡°Please.¡± I lean in, close enough for my breasts to push into the unforgiving expanse of his chest. ¡°Please, Master, use me. Abuse me. Treat me roughly. Tear into my pussy, maul my skin, take my ass, use all my holes for your pleasure, Master.¡±


    Color smears his cheeks. His nostrils re, even as his gaze sharpens on me. His grasp on my neck tightens to the point of pain. Goosebumps pop on my skin.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what would happen if I take you at your word.¡±


    ¡°I want you to.¡±


    ¡°Once I start, there¡¯s no backing down. Once you¡¯re mine, I¡¯ll never release you.¡±


    ¡°Are you only going to keep saying that, or will you do something about it, too?¡±


    ¡°Choose a safe word,¡± he growls.


    ¡°Eh?¡± I blink rapidly.


    ¡°A safe word,¡± he repeats, ¡°choose a safe word. One you will use when you want me to stop what I¡¯m doing to you. But remember, once you do, it¡¯s because you definitely don¡¯t want me to continue what I am doing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a safe word,¡± I scoff, ¡°I can take everything you do to me.¡±


    ¡°I am not like any of the Doms you may have seen perform at your nightclubs. What I ask of you will not be easy. What I demand you to do for me will be beyond yourfort level. So, I¡¯m telling you again, choose a safe word, Princess.¡±


    I hold his gaze, and the intent in his is so potent. So real. The lines radiating out from his eyes seem to have deepened in thest few minutes. The expression on his face is so serious, he seems to be in pain.


    ¡°Elsa?¡± He growls, ¡°Choose. The. Fucking. Safe word.¡±


    ¡°Oracle,¡± I burst out.


    ¡°Oracle?¡±


    ¡°Oracle,¡± I repeat. ¡°It¡¯s oracle.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He looks me up and down. ¡°Now let¡¯s discuss boundaries.¡±


    ¡°Boundaries?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Apparently, you haven¡¯t been observing carefully on your forays to the BDSM clubs, or you wouldn¡¯t be asking me that.¡± He widens his stance. ¡°Boundaries, Princess. Is anything a hard ¡®no¡¯ for you? Anything off-limits for you?¡±


    ¡°Off-limits?¡± I know I¡¯m repeating his words, but somehow, I seem to have lost the ability to think.


    ¡°Not that I encourage it, but I wouldn¡¯t be a good Dom if I didn¡¯t ask you. Is there anything you don¡¯t want me to do to you?¡± He leans in closer, so the heat from his body seems to increase in intensity, so I can see the fine lines around his eyes, so that masculine scent of his seeps into my skin, and it all goes straight to my head.


    ¡°You mean like-¡±


    ¡°Like, can I take your ass, your pussy, your mouth¡­ all at the same time, after having tied you up and flogged you and aroused you until you are so slippery, I can use your cum to ease my way inside your backchannel?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    I swallow. All the moisture seems to have dried from my mouth. The space between my legs, on the other hand, is another matter altogether. Why do I find what he¡¯s saying so hot? Why do I want him to do exactly that to me?


    ¡°Princess?¡± he growls. ¡°Still waiting for your answer.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whisper, breathless.


    His gaze widens. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Jesus, can¡¯t he just ept what I am saying and let it be? Does he have to ask me to think through all of my answers?


    ¡°Well?¡± He tilts his head. ¡°You sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I burst out. ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    I can¡¯t stop the flush that sears my cheeks. All he has to do is praise me, and I¡¯m ready to do anything for him.


    ¡°There¡¯s one more thing¡­¡± He narrows his gaze on me. ¡°What I ask of you won¡¯t be limited to the physical.¡±


    I frown. ¡°You mean-¡±


    ¡°Your emotions, your feelings. I¡¯ll ask you to share your thoughts, your desires, your past.¡± He surveys my features. ¡°Does that scare you?¡±


    My heart stutters and my stomach knots. What does he mean by that? Does he suspect there¡¯s something in my past he needs to know about? Does he think I¡¯m hiding something from him? Surely not. I haven¡¯t given him any reason to think so, have I? No, this is him taking his duties as a Dom seriously, that¡¯s all. Can he see how much I¡¯m shaking?


    I tip up my chin, meet his gaze. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t scare me, Master.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± he snaps.


    I flinch.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You realize what I am asking, don¡¯t you? When I break you down, it will be not just your physical surrender I desire, but your emotional transparency, as well. I¡¯ll expect you to share every part of yourself with me. There will be nowhere and nothing you can hide from me. Do you understand?¡±


    A ripple of apprehension squeezes my ribcage. My stomach churns. Now is the time to back away, to say this entire arrangement is a mistake. Now is the time to leave.


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote to leave if you¡¯re scared.¡± It¡¯s as if he¡¯s read my mind. ¡°If you want to walk away from this agreement, now is your chance.¡± His lips curl.


    Goddamn him, he¡¯s testing me. He¡¯s so sure I won¡¯t be able to hold up to whatever he has in store for me. He¡¯s trying to scare me off. Or maybe, he knows me too well. Perhaps he suspects if he taunts me, I¡¯ll rise to the challenge. Either way, I havee too far. I need to see this through. I need to show him I can go toe-to-toe with him.


    ¡°Princess?¡± His voice softens, ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°I need to hear you say it,¡± he prompts.


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± I breathe, ¡°yes, I understand. You can do as you please with me. You want me to give myself to you physically, emotionally, and mentally. You want me to belong to youpletely.¡±


    ¡°And you agree?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    A flush steals over his features. A nerve throbs at his temple. ¡°And you have your safe word which is¡­¡±


    ¡°Oracle,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°And you¡¯ll use it when you want me to stop. And only when you definitely want me to stop. When I have pushed you so far beyond your boundaries you know you can¡¯t bend anymore.¡±


    I nod.


    He draws in a sharp breath. His shoulders seem to expand. Then, without taking his gaze off of me, he reaches down, grips thepels of my blouse, and yanks them apart.

 274

    Seb


    The buttons of her blouse pop off, hit the floor, and roll away. Thepels of her blouse gape, exposing the tops of her creamy breasts. I grip the edges and pull them further apart, baring her breasts encased in a ckcy bra. There is a bow nestled in the valley between her breasts. I bend, mp my teeth around the bow, and rip it off.


    She screams, ¡°What¡­ what did you do?¡±


    I spit out the bow, then straighten. ¡°Damned if I know.¡± I shake my head. ¡°You fucking mess with my head, you know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± She swallows. ¡°Seb, I-¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She gapes at me. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything from you except for moans, groans, or the sound of you screaming my name as youe, although it will be a while before thatst bit happens. So, all I need from you right now is your obedience. Can you give me that?¡±


    She nods.


    I peer into her features. ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I study her eyes, as if I¡¯ll find the answers hidden there.


    Why did she push me to lose control? Why did she taunt me and test my patience? Why did she throw those filthy words back at me, knowing they would arouse me? Knowing they¡¯d send me over the edge.


    I drag my thumb across her mouth, and her gaze widens. She stares at me, beseeching me with her gaze. She licks my digit, wraps her lips around my thumb and sucks, and goddamn her, but I feel it all the way to the tip of my cock. I swipe my wet thumb down her chin, down her throat, to the valley between her breasts, push the blouse off one shoulder, then the other.


    She shivers and goosebumps rise on her skin.


    I reach for the waistband of her skirt, unhook and unzip it, then push it down her legs. She steps out of it, kicks it aside, then stands d in only her bra and panties.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking beautiful, you know that?¡±


    She ces her palm on her stomach. I frown. ¡°Don¡¯t hide from me, Princess.¡±


    She shakes her head, her gaze wide. I pull her hand to her side and survey the silver stretch marks on her lower belly, the scar from what must have been the caesarean operation of her pregnancy. I sink down to my knees and press my lips to the puckered skin. She flinches, tries to pull away, but I grip her hips and hold her in ce. I press tiny kisses across the marks, then sink my nose into the flesh between her legs.


    A whine spills from her lips as I inhale deeply, filling my lungs with her essence. I am instantly hard. Goddamnit, where is this tendernessing from? Why is it, since Iid eyes on her, I¡¯ve wanted to take care of her and protect her, even as I¡¯ve wanted to throw her down on her back and thrust deeply inside of her. I grab her buttcheeks and squeeze.


    She trembles. I press my lips to the fabric covering her pussy, then close my mouth over her swollen clit. She moans, digs her fingers into my hair and tugs. Pain prickles down my spine and my cock lengthens further. I rub my chin down her pussy lips and she cries out. She thrusts her pelvis forward, chasing the friction as I increase the intensity of my ministrations. I slide a finger under her panties, then inside her soaking wet channel, and she freezes. I close my lips over her pussy and bite down, and that¡¯s when her entire body shudders. Her spine bends and the scent of her intensifies. I nce up just as she throws her head back, revealing the curve of her creamy throat. I rise to my feet and she sways. I scoop her up in my arms, walk over to the settee, and drop into it.


    She cuddles into me, then turns her head into my chest. ¡°Permission to speak, Sir?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let mee?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Told you, I¡¯m not going to let you climax easily.¡±


    She wriggles around in myp, and the thick ridge of my arousal digs into her thigh. She freezes, then tips her chin up. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Clearly, you¡¯re turned on, so why don¡¯t you-¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, and give you what you need?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    She holds my gaze, her blue eyes growing stormy. ¡°You don¡¯t want me.¡± She tries to pull away, but I hold her in ce.


    I maneuver her so she straddles me, then fit her firmly over my thickness. ¡°Does it feel like I don¡¯t want you?¡±


    She firms her lips. ¡°You said you¡¯d be my Dom. You promised me you¡¯d use my body for your pleasure.¡±


    ¡°And I will.¡± I grip her hips, then mp my palm around her nape so she has no choice but to stay still. Then, I reach over and grab a box from the side table.


    I hold it out to her.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Open it,¡± I urge her.


    She takes the box from me, her gaze wary, then nces at me from under her eyshes.


    ¡°Go on.¡± I allow my lips to kick up. ¡°I promise, it¡¯s not anything you won¡¯t like.¡±


    She opens the box and stares at the pink circr-shaped object inside.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Something you¡¯re going to enjoy wearing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to wear it?¡±


    ¡°Take it out,¡± I order.


    She scowls up at me, but reaches for the vibrator and pulls it out. She surveys thema-shaped gadget. One side broadens out into a balloon-shaped bulb. The other side ends in a slimmer tail.


    ¡°Take off your panties.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± I take the vibrator from her and urge her to her feet.


    She scowls at me, then tips up her chin. She slides her fingers into the waistband of her panties and shoves them down. She kicks them aside and stands there, dressed only in her bra. ¡°Take that off, too.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need me to take it off to use the vibrator.¡±


    ¡°I want to see how your entire body reacts to it. How your nipples harden in response to the stimtion.¡±


    She huffs, then reaches behind to unhook her bra and shrug it off.


    I rake my gaze over her creamy shoulders, her swollen breasts. Her nipples so rigid, they seem hard enough to cut through my skin. Her waist is so tiny, I could span it with both palms. Her pussy lips glisten, and the nub of her clit peeks out from its hood. A fat drop of cum slides down her upper thigh, and heat sluices through my veins.


    ¡°Come ¡®ere,¡± I order.


    She hesitates.


    I raise my gaze to her face. ¡°Don¡¯t defy me,¡± I say in a hard voice.


    She shivers, takes a step forward, then another, until shees to a halt in front of me. The scent of cherries, mixed with the sugary, sweet whiff of her arousal envelops me. My groin hardens and my thighs flex. I grip the vibrator in my hand and lean forward to tap the outside of one thigh.


    ¡°Open,¡± I growl.


    She slides her legs apart, and the scent of her arousal seems to deepen.


    Goddamn it. I reach between her legs, and ce the head of the vibrator at her entrance. She shudders and another drop of moisture slides down her upper thigh. I scoop it up and bring it to my lips.


    ¡°Oh, god,¡± she moans as I suck on my finger and take in her essence.


    ¡°You taste like cherries, do you know that?¡±


    ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s my favorite fruit,¡± she admits.


    My chest tightens, my balls harden, and the difort in my groin grows until I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to burst out of my pants. I thrust the vibrator forward and it slides smoothly into her moist channel.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she gasps.


    I raise my gaze to her face. ¡°Did it hurt?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    I make sure the tail end of it is positioned above her clit. Then, unable to stop myself, I bend and press a kiss to her belly.


    ¡°What was that for?¡±


    I nce up at her. ¡°Can¡¯t I be affectionate?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to be affectionate?¡±


    ¡°Something about you, Princess, makes me want to treat you like a queen in public, and a whore in my bed, and like my asset every other time in between.¡±


    Her gaze widens. ¡°Is that supposed to be romantic?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to be romantic,¡± I admit.


    ¡°But it¡¯s the most surprising thing anyone has ever told me.¡±


    I slip my hand into my pocket and press down on the remote control.


    She stiffens. Her gaze widens. Her shoulders tremble. ¡°Was that-¡±


    ¡°It was.¡± I depress the button on the remote control again, and keep it pressed. Her entire body jolts. She squeezes her thighs together, and her nipples harden into tight buttons of need. The blood rushes to my groin. Desire tightens my balls. My fingers tingle to cup her swelling breasts. To pinch her nipples, and tweak them and intensify her pleasure while I plunder her mouth and suck on her sweet tongue. Instead, I take my finger off the remote and reach for her panties. I hold them out and she steps into them. I drag them back up her legs and over her hips.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± She blinks.


    ¡°You won¡¯t go anywhere without my permission.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Her forehead scrunches. ¡°So, I have to check with you before I venture out?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± I re at her.


    She juts out her lower lip.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Something you want to tell me, Princess?¡±


    ¡°What about work?¡±


    ¡°Adrian or Massimo will drive you there and back. Anything else?¡±


    She opens her mouth and shuts it. Then shakes her head.


    ¡°Good, you may now wear your clothes.¡±


    I lean back and watch as she pulls on her bra, then searches around for her clothes. She fastens her skirt, then dangles her blouse from one finger. ¡°You destroyed my blouse,¡± she whines.


    I shrug off my coat and offer it to her. She slips it on. It engulfs herpletely and reaches her knees. I do up her buttons, and she frowns down at herself. ¡°I look ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°You look adorable.¡±


    Andpletely off-limits to anyone else, since she¡¯s dressed in my clothes.


    ¡°Now what?¡± She pouts.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you to work.¡±


    She gapes. ¡°So, I wear this¡­ this thing the whole time I¡¯m at work?¡± She points down between her legs.


    I nod.


    ¡°And what if you¡­ if you¡­¡±


    ¡°Activate it while you¡¯re at work?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to find out, won¡¯t you?¡±

 275

    Elsa


    Forty-five minutester, I¡¯m at work at the flower shop.


    Seb walked me through the silent nightclub toward his car parked at the curb. Before leaving, he called down and asked the staff to clear the nightclub so he could walk me out the front door without anyone noticing my state of undress. I protested and told him I could walk out the back door. To which he responded I¡¯m more important than profits, and the club could suck up the loss of business for the time needed for us to reach his car.


    Uhm, what? Honestly, I was so blown away I couldn¡¯t even protest. It was never like this with Fabio. To be fair, there¡¯s really noparison between the two of them.


    On the face of it, Fabio was suave and personable. He went to an Ivy League school in the US, then returned to Italy to join the police force, before being posted to London on a special assignment. He¡¯s educated, sophisticated, andes from old money. He¡¯s also, as it turned out, a wife beater. Just my luck.


    Seb, in contrast, looks rough, with his untamed hair, and the ck ink which peeks out from under the cor of his shirt and makes we want to explore just how far down his body they extend. Maybe he has a full sleeve, although I can¡¯t tell. So far, every time I¡¯ve seen him, he¡¯s been dressed in one of those suits which, sadly, cover his armspletely.


    And so far, Seb has treated me like I¡¯m his. Not that he¡¯s a gentleman; far from it. And that¡¯s the appeal. He¡¯s a man who¡¯ll treat me like a queen in real life and a slut in bed. A shiver runs down my back.


    He drove me home and insisted on watching as I changed my clothes. I wanted to protest, but decided against it. If he thought I was going to be embarrassed¡­ Well, I certainly wouldn¡¯t let him know if I were. And I was. It had taken everything in me not to flinch as his hot gaze had taken in my curves, alighted on my tits, then slid down my waist to the space between my legs, over my thighs and my legs. By the time he had raised his gaze back to my face, I had been panting. And he was smirking. Bastard knew exactly what he was doing to me.


    My finger slips on the rose stem I am trying to trim. The thorn pierces my skin and a drop of blood oozes out. ¡°Damn it.¡± I bring my finger to my mouth and suck on it. Since I met Seb, I¡¯ve been way too distracted. For the first time I can remember, I¡¯m thinking not of my daughter twenty-four-seven, but of him. I pause. He¡¯s managed to wiggle his way under my skin in such a short period of time. If I continue with this charade¡­ Well, not a charade, ording to him. If there is no divorce in the Cosa Nostra, once I marry him, it¡¯s for life. A shiver runs down my spine.


    I went into the marriage with Fabio with silly romantic notions in my head. I¡¯d hoped he¡¯d be my Dom¡­ Instead, he turned out to be my abuser. It¡¯s only after I started frequenting the BDSM clubs that I saw how a true Dom cares for his sub. Fabio? He simply saw me as an object to ke his lust.


    I¡¯d hoped for him to be my husband, my partner, and understand my needs. Instead, he was a monster who knew exactly how to prey on me and my tendency to see the best in people. And my insecurities. He took advantage of my trusting nature and my desire to please him and be all he wanted me to be. But the rules were always changing, so I was never quite sure what he wanted.


    He started off so sweet, doting on me, buying me flowers and taking me to romantic ces, and telling me how important I was to him. He told me he loved me before it even crossed my mind. He convinced me he would take care of my every need, but when it came down to it, he wanted me to take care of his needs. Except I never really knew what they were. He made me feel so stupid, like I couldn¡¯t do anything right, and then I got pregnant. That¡¯s when I knew I was trapped.


    During the pregnancy, he either treated me like the most precious thing in his life, or forgot about me as he gallivanted around doing god-knows-what with god-knows-who. And he had the nerve to use me of cheating on him!


    By the time Avery arrived, he¡¯d pretty much lost interest in me and barely showed interest in her. Until he¡¯d discovered he could use her to manipte me. And he¡¯s been doing that ever since.


    Of course, with Seb, I know where I stand. Both of us have a practical reason for getting married, only¡­ This damn attraction toward him is potent. Heat flushes my skin. The scent of him, the taste of his skin, the feel of his fingers on my lips, between my thighs, cupping my breasts, thrusting his fingers inside of me¡­ It¡¯s like he¡¯s marked me as his. With very little effort.


    My fingers tremble and the rose stem slips from my grasp. I¡¯m falling for him. Jesus, I¡¯m falling in love with him. No, no, no, that¡¯s not possible. I barely know him. You don¡¯t need to know a person to be enamored by him. Damn, why can¡¯t I view this as a business transaction without getting my heart involved? Especially when it¡¯s the future of my daughter at stake.


    And once I¡¯m married to him, I won¡¯t be able to hold out against his charm. His presence. His dominance. Maybe that¡¯s what drew me to him in the first ce. His absolute assurance in knowing what he wants and going after it. He reminds me of the girl I used to be. The one who hadn¡¯t hesitated to walk into a BDSM club and watch the others perform.


    Somewhere along the way, I lost myself. Lost my conviction and my confidence in myself, as a mother and as a woman. And now, I¡¯ve begun associating my sexuality with Seb, and I¡¯m not sure I like it. This connection I feel toward him is not healthy. I may be marrying him; doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to allow myself to fall for him. If I did, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to retain my individuality. And I need to do that-for myself, for the sake of my daughter. What if¡­ he turns out to be like Fabio? What if, like Fabio, I begin to trust him, and then, like my ex, what if Seb turns on me? And once he finds out what my true ns are, he definitely will.


    I agreed to share all my thoughts and feelings with him, but it¡¯s too dangerous. I can¡¯t allow myself to be carried away by him. I need to find a way to hold onto the parts of me that are still left. I worry I will not be able to keep my feelings out of this rtionship. That the more I get to know him, the more I¡¯ll fall for him, and I cannot bear for that to happen. I need to¡­N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Reassure myself I¡¯m attracted to men other than Seb. That he¡¯s not the only man in the world who¡¯ll be able tomand me. That there are others who I could turn to, to be my Dom, if the need arises. I draw in a breath.


    Of course, if Seb finds out what I¡¯m going to do, he won¡¯t be happy. But I¡¯ll be discreet. I¡¯ll make sure I¡¯m not noticed. Besides, he did say this was going to be an open marriage. He¡¯s the one who was clear he¡¯d be sleeping with other women. If he thinks that rule applies only to him, he¡¯s crazy. And anyway, I¡¯m not going to sleep with anyone else. I¡¯m simply going to reassure myself I haven¡¯t been so overpowered with Mr. Grumphole¡¯s charisma, I can¡¯t be attracted to anyone else.


    There are tons of other men out there¡­ And not one of them can help you get custody of Avery. No, no. I¡¯m not jeopardizing this chance to build a future with Avery. I¡¯m simply ensuring, at the end of this charade-and it wille to an end when Seb finds out the real reason I agreed to marry him-there¡¯s something of me left. A part that has not beenpletely subsumed by the alphahole.


    Yeah, that¡¯s all this is about. I¡¯m notmitting a crime by wanting to spend one evening away from him, am I?


    The bell over the door ngs and I nce up as a woman walks in looking for flowers to purchase for a dinner party. She¡¯s followed by a man who wants to buy flowers for a date. I gently guide him away from the carnations and toward the spray of mixed flowers. The traffic picks up, and since I¡¯m the only person in the shop today, I¡¯m run off my feet. By the time it¡¯s five p. m., my feet are aching and I¡¯m ready to call it a night.


    That¡¯s when something vibrates in between my legs. What the-? I gasp, then squeeze my thighs together. The vibrations stop, then there¡¯s a second, and another. The woman I¡¯m serving looks at me oddly. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    That thing between my thighs vibrates again-slowly, once, twice, then faster. It speeds up, and a pulse of heat slides up my spine. I grip the edge of the counter, and the customer¡¯s gaze widens.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡±


    I grit my teeth, force my lips to kick up. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure. Just stomach cramps.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I get that. Do you have anything you can take for it? I might have something in my purse¡­¡± She begins to rummage in her bag.


    ¡°Thanks, but don¡¯t worry about it. They¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure¡­¡±


    The vibrations fade away, and I slump a little. ¡°I am. Thank you. That will be twenty-nine, ny-nine, please.¡±


    She taps the credit card on the machine, and that¡¯s when the sted thing begins vibrating again, this time in a clock-wise motion. Jesus, can this thing also open a bottle of wine, or what? It pauses, then begins to vibrate, this time in a counter-clockwise motion. What the-!


    Tendrils of pleasure pulse out from my core. My thighs tremble. I must moan a little, for she startles.


    I give her a strained smile. ¡°D-do you want your receipt?¡± I ask.


    She shakes her head, then wishes me luck and walks out.


    I clutch at the counter and squeeze my legs together. Just need to ride this out. Except, the damned thing keeps vibrating. My entire body seems to shudder. Oh, hell. At least there¡¯s no one in the shop. I bite down on my lower lip and clench my inner muscles as the thing picks up speed-pulsating, throbbing, sending pinpricks of heat squeezing out to my extremities. My nipples harden and my toes curl. I throw my head back, curve my back, and groan. Close, I am so close. I can¡¯t believe it. Surely, I can¡¯t be close to an orgasm already? I have nevere this quickly.


    The boyfriend I had before Fabio barely got me to climax once. And Fabio? Well, he was too focused on taking his own pleasure. And this is from an inanimate object. Not that vibrators should be called that, considering how intimately I have gotten to know them ofte, but this¡­ Knowing he is at the other end of the remote control, pressing down on the button, knowing exactly what he¡¯s doing to me, makes me feel like I¡¯m leashed to him by a virtual chain. That I¡¯m under his control. That he can simply press a button and have me writhing and throbbing and aching for release.


    Oh, my god! A whine bleeds from my lips. Please let mee, please let mee. I¡¯m so close, so close. I brace myself for the oing onught of pleasure, even as I cross my legs, trying to hold back the impending climax, when- It stops. What the bloody hell? My climax slinks away. I snap my eyes open, and nce around the now empty shop. Thank god there¡¯s no one around to hear my groan of sexual deprivation. No doubt, the jerkalope knows how close I was to the edge. He knew I was on the verge of an orgasm and pulled back.


    Argh! I curl my fingers into fists. I turn around with the intention of heading for the restroom, but my steps falter. He told me not to remove the damn thing. I have to keep it in. I have to let him turn it on whenever he feels like it. I have to allow him to bring me to orgasm, without even touching me. Or worse, bring me to the edge and not let me orgasm.


    It¡¯s bad enough, whenever I see him, I seem to lose my ability to think. A-n-d I did ask him to dominate me, after all. So, in a way, his actions are justified. I can¡¯t me him for trying to turn me on at will. No, it¡¯s the effect he has on me when I¡¯m in his presence I resent. He only has tomand me in that ¡®Dom¡¯ voice of his, and my body is unable to refuse him. It¡¯s a turn-on, but it¡¯s also a little scary. I refuse to be a doormat. Refuse to simply do as I¡¯m told, no questions asked. I may want to submit to him¡­ But I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to give in without challenging him. If he wants me to be his submissive, he¡¯s bloody well going to have toe after me and tame me!


    The sted thing between my legs finally falls silent. I straighten, then walk to the door and flip the sign to closed. I hurry inside and sweep up the fallen leaves and stems on the floor. Thank god starting next week, we have a cleaner who¡¯lle by every evening to help me. The shop is doing well enough we can afford it.


    I take a final look around the ce-the gleaming counters, the flowers disyed in the window, and in strategic locations around the shop. Onest breath of the rose and honey-suckle scented air, then I grab my bag and step out the door. I have just locked it when something vibrates¡­ in my purse. It¡¯s my phone. Not the other thing between my legs. Thank god!


    I pull it out of my handbag, nce at the screen, and spot my ex-husband¡¯s name. My stomach churns and I grip the phone so tightly, the skin across my knuckles stretches white. The phone continues to vibrate. I grit my teeth and finally answer it. ¡°What do you want?¡± I snap.


    There¡¯s silence for a second, then, ¡°Is that how you greet your husband?¡± Fabio¡¯s oily voice sounds in my ear.


    ¡°We¡¯re divorced,¡± I say tersely.


    ¡°How can I forget?¡± He chuckles. ¡°It¡¯s your infidelities whichnded you in this mess.¡±


    ¡°I never slept with another man, in all the time we were married.¡±


    ¡°And what do you call frequenting S&M clubs? Too bad I couldn¡¯t beat that proclivity out of you.¡±


    My breathes in pants, my chest hurts, and I lean my shoulder against the door to take in a breath, then another. He can¡¯t harm you. He can¡¯t harm you. You got away from him, remember? Now, you just have to do your part, and everything will be fine. You¡¯ll get custody of Avery. That¡¯s what you want, right? It will all be worth it in the end.


    I square my shoulders, lift my chin. ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± I demand.


    ¡°Are we on track? We¡¯d better be. I¡¯m losing patience.¡±


    ¡°A month,¡± I reply, ¡°you said I had a month.¡±


    ¡°Forty-eight hours.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I stiffen. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You have two days to get me the information I need to put the Sovranos behind bars.¡±


    ¡°Two days? That¡¯s impossible. You told me I had a month!¡±


    ¡°I lied.¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch. There¡¯s always something else I have to do, or else. What is it going to take to get you to let go of me and give me Avery?¡±


    ¡°Do you have the information I asked for?¡± His tone grows more casual. ¡°If you don¡¯t get me what I want, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to ensure you never see her again.¡±


    My guts twist, bile rises in my throat, and I almost throw up. I push the back of my head against the door, close my eyes, and count backward from ten¡­ nine¡­ eight. The world slowly stops spinning. My breathing normalizes.


    ¡°Elsa?¡± His voice cuts through the noise in my head, ¡°You there?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me do this. I can¡¯t go through with this¡­ farce.¡±


    ¡°Then forget about ever seeing Avery again, you-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I grip the phone so tightly that pain screeches up my arm.


    I push aside the emotions that threaten to overwhelm me, then draw in another breath. ¡°Forty-eight hours,¡± I say in a hard voice, ¡°and you¡¯ll get what you need.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± his voice brightens, ¡°I knew I could count on you. Knew I made the right choice when I married you. I-¡±


    ¡°Two days. I get you the information, and then you walk away from us. You never look back.¡±


    ¡°First get me what I need, then we¡¯ll see.¡±


    I grit my teeth. This is so pointless. He always uses Avery to get me to do his bidding, and I always agree to his demands in the hope that he might allow me to see my daughter more often. But he¡¯s already filed for full custody. He won¡¯t stop until he¡¯s stripped me of all of my rights to be with my own daughter. He¡¯ll just keep using her against me. He¡¯ll always use Avery to make my life a living hell. Worse than what it is now. Not if I can help it.


    I¡¯m giving Fabio onest chance toe through. I¡¯m going to deliver on what he asked of me. Who am I kidding? Demanded of me. I¡¯m going to get closer to Seb, then use my proximity to spy on the Sovranos. I¡¯ll get my ex the information he needs. And if he still doesn¡¯t walk away from me and Avery? Then I¡¯m going to fight him with every bone in my body, with myst living breath. I¡¯m going to find a way to protect my daughter from him.


    ¡°You take good care of her, you hear me? I¡¯m only leaving her with you because I don¡¯t have a choice, you-¡±


    The phone cuts out. My heart twists in my throat and the blood pounds so hard at my temples that specks of ck flutter at the edges of my vision. Focus, focus, you can¡¯t faint. Not now. Not when Avery is counting on you. Not when you need to get through this evening. Apparently, I¡¯m one step ahead of my bastard ex. I already found the perfect way to elerate events. All I have to do is see this through, and everything will be okay.


    There¡¯s a touch on my shoulder and I scream. I snap my eyes open, find Adrian holding up his hands, palms facing me.


    ¡°Whoa, you okay?¡± He peers into my features. ¡°You look pale. Did something happen?¡± He nces up and down the road.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°just taking a breather.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He nces at the phone then back at me. ¡°Seb sent me to pick you up.¡±


    Which is perfect. I couldn¡¯t have nned this better. I pocket the phone, and paste a smile on my face. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± His voice softens, ¡°Anything I can help you with?¡±


    Of the seven, Adrian definitelyes across as the most understanding. He¡¯s as good-looking as the other Sovrano brothers, as macho in appearance, but something in his eyes hints at more patience. There¡¯s a hurt there which seems to stem from something that may have happened to him¡­ Something in his past may have tempered him, so while he¡¯s as dangerous as his brothers, there¡¯s an empathy in his attitude which invites you to confide in him.


    Not that I trust him to keep my secrets. Quite the opposite. I¡¯m confident whatever I tell him will be reported back to Seb. The Sovranos have each other¡¯s backs. No matter how much they fight amongst themselves, it¡¯s clear that, when ites to taking care of each other¡¯s interests, they¡¯ll be there for the other.


    It¡¯s what gives me the confidence to lower my gaze and say in a low voice, ¡°As a matter of fact, there is something you can help me with.¡±

 276

    Seb


    ¡°She did what?¡± I tighten my fingers around the phone with such force, pain shoots up my arm. ¡°You mean, she¡¯s there, on her own?¡±


    I listen as Adrian tells me my wife-to-be-my fiancee-is at a nightclub. And it¡¯s not just any night club, but an S&M Club. One owned by the Camorra, our fiercest rivals.


    ¡°She wanted to go,¡± he states in a mild voice.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t stop her? You could have-¡±


    ¡°Bound her and kept her confined to the house?¡± he asks.


    Cazzo! I drag my fingers through my hair. He has a point there. No one gets to bind her, except me. No one gets to touch her, except me. No one gets to look at her, except me. It¡¯s why, when I¡¯d been unable to make it to the flower shop to pick her up, I¡¯d sent Adrian. He¡¯s the only one of my brothers I trust with her. Well, he¡¯s also one of the only ones avable, because Michael, Christian and Axel are married and too busy with their own family dramas. As for Luca and Massimo¡­ Nope. No way am I going to let them get near her. Not that I don¡¯t trust them with her¡­


    Okay, I don¡¯t trust them not to notice just how gorgeous she is, and fuck if I don¡¯t want either of them spending any amount of time with her when I¡¯m not around. Which leaves Adrian. And no, it would be a mistake to think Adrian is less menacing than the others. Bastard is the most unassuming of us seven, but he¡¯s also the one most likely to surprise you when you least expect it. In a way, it makes him more dangerous, because people tend to underestimate him, so they never see himing. Not until he¡¯s pulled the rug out from under their feet. All of it done in his easy-going style. Which makes him quite lethal. Exactly the kind of man I¡¯d entrust with protecting what¡¯s most dear to me.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re with her?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± replies.


    ¡°In the club?¡±


    ¡°Si.¡±


    ¡°Does she know you¡¯re there?¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a novice?¡± A hard note enters his voice.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t stop her.¡±


    ¡°I drove her home from work, left her there, then retreated to keep watch over the house. Sure enough, half an hourter, a car arrives to pick her up.¡±


    ¡°Porca miseria, I told her not to go anywhere without telling me.¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°I told her it was dangerous to be out on her own, that she shouldn¡¯t be using any transportation, except for the one approved by me.¡±


    ¡°And you expected her to obey you?¡± He chuckles.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t say she wouldn¡¯t.¡± I shuffle my feet.


    ¡°You took her silence for assent?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± I scowl.


    He chuckles. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let myself be in a situation where I¡¯d allow a woman to shatter my peace of mind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you prefer to watch Cass from afar?¡±


    There¡¯s silence on the other end. I sense his anger zinging through the phone and whoa, isn¡¯t that interesting? The calm and collected Adrian, getting emotional enough to lose that air of affability he tightens around himself like a coat of armor.


    ¡°Keep stalking her without making a move, and one day, someone wille along and sweep her off her feet, from right under your nose Then, we¡¯ll talk about peace of mind or any such naive notions you have,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be very careful what I say next. Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m the only one here watching out for what¡¯s yours,¡± he growls.


    I dig my fingers in my hair and tug. ¡°Dio Santo, I didn¡¯t mean to test you. I¡¯m just stressed, is all.¡±


    ¡°I take it meeting with the Camorra is not exactly pleasant?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what Nonna wanted.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. Still can¡¯t believe she¡¯s gone. I¡¯d grown up convinced she was immortal, that she¡¯d outlive all of us. Funny how you take people for granted. Then they¡¯re gone, and you realize just how much you relied on them. Losing my mother had been a blow, but I¡¯d had Nonna to look up to. Losing my father had been a relief; it had felt like I could finally breathe. And we¡¯d had Nonna, who¡¯d told us it wasn¡¯t wrong we didn¡¯t feel any remorse about his death. But now that Nonna¡¯s gone, who¡¯s going to console us? Why does it feel like I¡¯ve lost a big part of myself? A part of my past. A slice of what anchored me to this life. I never realized how emotionally dependent I was on Nonna, until she passed.


    ¡°I miss her, too. The old bat was a force of nature, and a pain in the ass, but she meant well. She looked out for us, used the old ways to guide us, while adapting quickly to the changing times. Guess we never gave her enough credit for how much guidance she gave us,¡± he murmurs.


    I squeeze the bridge of my nose. ¡°She wanted us to make amends with the Camorra.¡±


    ¡°Is that what she told Michael?¡± he asks.


    Before Nonna passed away, she met with Michael and told him she wanted to see all her grandsons married within a month of her passing. She also insisted he bury our long-standing feud with the Camorra.


    ¡°With the Bratva and the Kane Company no longer at loggerheads with us, it leaves only the Camorra who pose a threat to us. She made him promise he¡¯d patch up our differences, especially in view of the fact half of us are married, not to mention the babies on the way.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯d had her way, she¡¯d have had the rest of us married within the month,¡± Adrian replies, his tone glum.


    ¡°Is that what she made you promise?¡± I ask.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± He snorts.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to ask Cass too marr-¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± he growls. ¡°Nonna may have asked. Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m gonna do what she wants.¡±


    ¡°You made her a promise on her death bed,¡± I remind him.


    ¡°I did it to keep her happy. I have no intention of allowing myself to be manipted into a marriage I don¡¯t want, and especially not by someone from beyond the grave.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I me you,¡± I confess. ¡°But I also feel like I need to follow through with my promise to her. It¡¯s the only time she asked something of me, and I can¡¯t not give it to her.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± he swears softly, ¡°don¡¯t guilt trip me, fratello. I¡¯m having a hard enough time keeping a handle on my emotions.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself. I am well and truly in over my head, and if you repeat this to any of the others, I¡¯ll deny it.¡±


    ¡°Not that I have any interest in your messed up love-life¡­ And speaking of your girlfriend-¡±


    ¡°-fiancee.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°-was just approached by a man.¡±


    ¡°Che cazzo!¡± I growl. ¡°What the hell is he doing?¡±


    ¡°Asking her something, by the looks of it.¡±


    ¡°And what about her? Is she scared? Is she upset? Why don¡¯t you go and intercept him?¡±


    ¡°And make myself known? Not to mention, I¡¯d lose her trust, and then she¡¯ll end up hiding her movements from me in the future. Where would that leave us?¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± I swear, ¡°what is she doing now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, she¡¯s talking back to him, gaze cast down, chin lowered. Damn, she¡¯s a perfect submissive, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking about her.¡±


    ¡°Just telling you what I see, man,¡± he drawls.


    ¡°And now? What is she up to now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s turned and left the room, and cazzo, she¡¯s following him out.¡±


    ¡°What the-? You keep an eye on her, you get me? I¡¯m on my way.¡±


    Forty-five minutester, I screech to a halt in front of The Mongoose. Yep, that¡¯s the name of the nightclub run by the Camorra. Because the nightclub owned by us is called Venom, so¡­ Snake. Mongoose. Get it? Very original of the Camorra. I snort to myself as I point at the valet then at my car. I grab a few notes from my wallet and thrust them at the man, who gasps at me.


    ¡°Keep the engine running. I¡¯ll be out in ten minutes. And if I¡¯m dyed, you still keep the engine running, you capisce?¡± I growl as I brush past him and walk into the nightclub.


    The music hits me at the same time the scent of bodies-of lust and sex-pours over me. I nce around the high-ceilinged room, taking in the bar that stretches from end-to-end on one side. At strategic intervals around the dance floor, there are elevated tforms on which barely dressed men and women-singles, couples, same sex and opposite sex, as well as threesomes-cavort from swings and hang off of each other in various poses that could teach the Kama Sutra a thing or two. Huh.


    I¡¯ve never set foot inside of this ce, which is understandable, as it belongs to our arch rivals, after all. But I have to admit, the ambience is over-the-top just enough-with its heaving bodies on the dance floor, the throbbing music that fills my blood, the strobe lights that turn the entire space into a hedonistic experience-that it has me pausing on the threshold.


    I scan my gaze across the room. Where the hell is Adrian? I would havee sooner, except it had taken me ten minutes to find a gap in the negotiations which had been taking ce between Michael and Salvatore, the leader of the Camorra. As it is, Michael hadn¡¯t been happy I¡¯d stepped out to call Adrian earlier. Then when I interrupted him to tell him I had to leave, his features hardened, his gaze growing even stonier. That is, until I whispered it was rted to Elsa, at which point, he jerked his chin in the direction of the exit. I left them to their discussion of how to bury the bad blood between the two ns, and turned and raced out of there, just catching Massimo and Luca¡¯s sniggers as I brushed past them. Stronzi! I pushed my beloved Fornasari to its maximum speed, weaving through traffic, and leaving irate drivers in my wake. This car was created for moments like this. Besides, Italians love nothing more than breaking road rules, while swearing at fellow drivers who unt dare-devil driving skills.


    But where the devil is Adrian? And more to the point, where is my princess? I rake my gaze across the room, then spot Adrian waving at me from the far corner near the stairs. I shoulder my way through the crowd. The heat presses down on me, the press of bodies pushes me in on all sides, and by the time I reach him, a sheen of sweat covers my brow.


    ¡°Where is she?¡± I snarl.


    He jerks his chin up the stairs. ¡°Last door on the left.¡±


    He¡¯s barelypleted the sentence before I¡¯ve turned and taken the steps, two at a time. I burst onto thending of the floor, then race down the corridor until I reach thest door on the left. I thrust my shoulder into the door, which swings open. Two spotlights cast their glow on the couple at the back of the semi-dark room.


    She is tied to a St. Andrews cross which is attached to the wall. She¡¯s spreadeagled, her arms and legs pulled apart, with her wrists and ankles tied to the cross. She¡¯s wearing a thin blouse, through which her nipples are clearly visible. It dips at her cleavage. Her skirt is bunched around her thighs, high enough the white of her panties is visible. A man walks around her,ing to a stop at her side. He reaches out to finger a strand of her hair, and anger squeezes my gut. The blood thumps at my temples, my vision tunnels, and a red haze drops over everything. I hear a growl, then realize it¡¯sing from me. Both of them must hear it, too, for they nce toward the door. Even in the dim light, I can see the shock on her face, quickly followed by guilt.


    I bare my teeth. She opens and shuts her mouth. I close the distance to the stronzo who nces between us. He¡¯s shorter than me, somewhat muscr, but with a middle that¡¯s bby.


    ¡°Now hold on here.¡± He thrusts out his chest. ¡°This is a private session; this is-¡±


    I bury my fist in his face.

 277

    Elsa


    Seb punches the guy- Is his name Desmond? Dillon? Dixon, maybe? -and I hear a crunch. Ouch. I wince. That must hurt.


    Desmond/ Dillon/ Dixon staggers back and ms into the wall. ¡°Ow. ow. Ow.¡± He wails, ¡°What was that for?¡± He clutches at his face as blood drips from his nose, down his chin, and stters onto his shirt.


    Seb merely closes the distance to him, grabs him by his cor, and hauls him to his feet. ¡°Get out and stay out. If I see you near my fiancee I¡¯ll kill you, motherfucker, you get me?¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± the man protests, ¡°this was consensual; she asked me to dominate her; she-¡±


    Seb moves so quickly, his movements seem to blur. The next moment, he¡¯s pushed a gun into the center of the man¡¯s forehead, who freezes.


    ¡°You will note near her again, you feel me? You will not breathe the same air as her. You will not look at her. You will note within a hundred feet of her. Capisce?¡±


    His gaze widens.


    ¡°Get the fuck out before I empty this gun in your face.¡± Seb steps back and the man rushes past him and heads to the door, which ms behind him. The music from the nightclub, which had crept into the room, cuts out again.


    Silence follows. A beat. Another. Seb stands where he is, still facing the wall. He stalks over to the door and locks it.


    My nerves stretch as I wait for him to make a move. I wait for him to say something, anything¡­ When I can¡¯t bear it anymore, I clear my throat.


    ¡°Seb?¡± I say softly.


    He flinches, but doesn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Seb, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    He swings around to face me, the gun pointed at me now. I nce from the barrel to his face. His features are set in stone. The light from above reflects off of his eyes. They seem to glow a golden-orange, lion-like. He takes a step forward, and another, until he¡¯s standing in front of me.


    He still hasn¡¯t said a word. He rakes his gaze down my features, my breasts, pausing at my belly, then between my thighs.


    ¡°Did you take it out?¡± he asks in a soft voice. There¡¯s no hint of emotion, nothing in his tone gives away how he¡¯s feeling. His shoulder muscles are bunched under his jacket, and his biceps seem to have gotten even bigger, if that¡¯s possible.


    When I don¡¯t answer, he repeats himself. ¡°Did. You. Take. It. Out?¡± he growls.


    ¡°N-no.¡± I swallow, but that doesn¡¯t help the dryness in my throat. ¡°You told me not to.¡±


    ¡°I also told you not to go anywhere without my permission.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± My muscles tremble like a jolt of electricity has zapped through my nerve endings.


    ¡°Did I, or did not, explicitly warn you not to go anywhere unless you checked in with me first?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that was a stupid request. Surely, you didn¡¯t expect me to obey it?¡± I shake my hair back from my face.


    ¡°Considering you¡¯re the one tied up, wearing a skimpy blouse and a skirt, and I¡¯m the one holding a gun, I wouldn¡¯t rmend you try to sass me right now,¡± he says in the same tone one might use to ask about the weather.


    A shiver courses up my neck. My pulse drumbeats at my temples. Jesus Christ, I¡¯ve done it now. I¡¯ve made him not just angry, but furious. If I thought I saw his temper earlier, I¡¯m beginning to suspect I haven¡¯t seen anything yet.


    ¡°Come to think of it, except for the part when I barged in and you seemed taken aback-a surprise you¡¯ve recovered from rather quickly, I might add-you¡¯ve held onto yourposure rather well. It¡¯s almost as if¡­¡± He cocks his head, and I feel like I can see the gears clicking inside before he speaks again. ¡°You were expecting me, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°You knew Adrian would be watching the house. You called for a car and came here, knowing full-well he¡¯d report back to me. In fact,¡± his gaze narrows, ¡°this entire scene is for my benefit. You wanted to bring me here. You wanted me to lose myposure. You wanted to push me until I lost control.¡± He leans in until his chest almost brushes my thrust-out breasts. Until his scent deepens and intensifies and swirls around me and goes to my head. Goddam it, why does he always smell so good¡­ so hot¡­ so sexy I want to lick him up from head to toe before I bury my nose in his neck and draw in a lungful of his heady scent?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± I lick my lips and his gaze drops to my mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± he says, still using that tone which is so casual, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s plotting something in that sadistic mind of his.


    He ces the gun against my cheek. ¡°So damn beautiful, you took my breath away the first I saw you at Venom, you know?¡±


    ¡°D-did I?¡± My breath hitches.


    He drags the barrel of the gun down my neck, down the valley between my breasts until it encounters the first button in the front. He pushes down until the button pops. It hits the ground and rolls away. He continues down, pops the second button, then the next and the next, until my shirt gapes in the front. He pushes aside both ps, until my breasts are bared to his gaze.


    ¡°No bra,¡± he says in a conversational tone. ¡°Were you making sure to give an eyeful to the men in the club?¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Lying again, Elsa?¡±


    What happened to Princess? Why isn¡¯t he calling me Princess? He¡¯s really pissed off at me, isn¡¯t he? Fear churns my stomach. ¡°I wore a coat and only took it off when I entered this room.¡± I nce at the small closet in the corner of the room. ¡°You can look inside the cupboard.¡±


    ¡°I have a better idea.¡± He circles my nipple with the barrel of the gun. My belly flip-flops and my breasts seem to swell. Why am I getting turned on? He¡¯s using a gun to y with my nipple, he- He drags the gun to the opposite breast, rubs the barrel of the gun across my nipple, which is as hard as a diamond.


    ¡°Turns you on, does it?¡± He circles my nipple once again with the gun, and my entire body shudders.


    ¡°Definitely turns you on.¡± He tilts his head, his gaze curious. ¡°Is it the danger, or the sense of the forbidden that arouses you more, you think? Or is it the fact I¡¯m a Mafioso who¡¯s used this gun to kill men, and now I¡¯m holding it to your breast? The same breast with which you fed your daughter, I assume?¡±


    He lowers his gun, only to rece it with his mouth. He closes his lips around my erect nipple and sucks, hard. I feel it all the way to my core.


    ¡°Oh, god,¡± I groan, ¡°oh, my god.¡±


    He continues to suck on my nipple, pulling at it, tugging on it. He bites down with his teeth and my entire body jerks.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whine, ¡°please, Seb, please.¡±


    He releases my nipple with a pop and straightens.


    ¡°Please what?¡± he asks, his tone so polite, it¡¯s as if he¡¯s going to follow up with mdy. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°I want you to make mee.¡±


    ¡°Negative.¡± One side of his lips twists. ¡°Next?¡±


    I stare at him. ¡°Why won¡¯t you let mee? Earlier, you stopped just as I was about to climax.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± He bares his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re beginning to understand how our rtionship is going to y out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand anything,¡± I huff. ¡°If you think you¡¯re going to scare me with your gun, think again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to use my gun to scare you.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± I frown.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to use it to fuck you.¡±


    My jaw drops. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly that.¡± He hooks the barrel of the gun under my skirt and flips it up. ¡°That¡¯s thest time you show your panties to any man other than me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a thong, and you can¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°And yet, it¡¯s you who came to me and asked me to dominate you.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to submit easily.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected you to.¡± He reaches with his free hand, pinches the delicate strap of my underwear, and tugs. Of course, it snaps. He yanks it off and sniffs it.


    My core clenches. ¡°You¡¯re an animal.¡±


    ¡°You make me an animal. You make me want to throw you down and rut into you. You make me want to forget about the veneer of civilization I¡¯m supposed to present to the world. You make me want to beat my chest and announce to anyone who¡¯ll hear me that you¡¯re mine. Mine, mine, mine.¡± He snaps his teeth and I jolt. Those golden eyes of his lighten until they seem almost pale yellow. Mesmerizing, animalistic. He seems more beast than man. A thrill grips me.


    Is this what I was hoping for when I pranced out of the house and ordered a car to bring me here? He¡¯s right, of course. I had no doubt Adrian would be watching the house, and he¡¯d report my whereabouts to Seb. What I hadn¡¯t anticipated is how angry it would make him to see me with another man.


    For what it¡¯s worth, the guy I chose was a wanker. Someone who couldn¡¯t hold a candle to him. Someone I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to touch me. If he¡¯d tried anything with me¡­ Well, I knew things wouldn¡¯t get that far because I had no doubt Seb woulde charging in here and pull that entire macho bullshit and throw the guy out.


    Stupid n? Maybe. I hadn¡¯t been thinking too clearly after Fabio¡¯s call. All I knew was I had to push Seb over the edge, and judging by his red nostrils, the pulse that tics at his jaw, not to mention the way he¡¯s staring at the bared flesh between my legs, I may have seeded too well.


    He tucks the top of my skirt into my waistband, then draws the tip of the gun between my pussy lips. A shudder grips me. My stomach ties itself in knots even as a fat drop of cum slides out from my channel. He scoops up the moisture with his gun and holds it to my mouth.


    ¡°Lick it off,¡± hemands.


    I part my lips, flick my tongue across the barrel, and his entire body seems to harden. The muscles of his shoulders bulge and the veins stand out at his throat. He seems to grow even bigger. For the first time fear, real fear, visceral and white-hot, grips me.


    ¡°Seb, you¡¯re scaring me.¡±


    Elsa


    ¡°Good,¡± he growls. He slides his hand into his pocket and pulls out a tiny device. He holds it up so I can see clearly when he presses the button. The thing between my thighs instantly vibrates. A tremor runs up my spine.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± A groan wells up.


    He continues to hold his finger down on the remote and the vibrations intensify. Tendrils of sensation spiral out from where the vibrator throbs inside of me. The warmth intensifies low in my belly, a jolt of heat slingshots up my skin, around my breasts and back toward my clit. I throw my head back and whine, ¡°Please, please, Seb. Please let mee this time.¡±


    The oscitions grow in strength, bing faster, more frequent. Every cell in my body seems toe alive with awareness; every pore on my skin seems to pop. My scalp tingles. My thighs tremble. A shuddering sweeps up from my feet, up my thighs, coils in my belly, and that¡¯s when the vibrations cease.


    ¡°Noooo!¡± I flutter my eyes open in time to see him drop the remote control in his pocket. Not again. The jerk-hole, once more, stopped just as I was going toe. Anger flushes my chest. I open my mouth to protest, and that¡¯s when he


    drops to his knees and pushes his face in between my legs. His tongue swirls over my opening. What the hell-? I gasp, try to wriggle away, but he grips my hip and holds me in ce. He fits his mouth to my slit and grasps hold of the vibrator, then turns his head and spits. Something tters to the ground! Holy hell, he pulled it out. He. Pulled. Out. The vibrator. From my cunt. With his mouth. Why is that so hot? Why is that so filthy and forbidden and so very erotic? I¡¯m conscious I¡¯m gaping, even as pleasure pulses out from where he touched his lips to my melting flesh.


    He nces up at me from under those dark eyshes and his eyes gleam.


    ¡°You¡¯re a monster,¡± I gasp.


    ¡°I aim to please.¡± Without taking his gaze off of my face, he rises to his feet, then presses the barrel of his gun to my sopping wet entrance.


    I freeze. Goosebumps pop on my skin. My entire body goes rigid, and heat bursts to life in my lower belly. A pulse res in my cunt as he eases the barrel of the gun inside of me.


    Oh, my god. A moan bleeds from my lips as my channel stretches to amodate the object. It should be scary. I should be petrified, and I would be lying if I said I¡¯m not. But if there¡¯s one thing I know, it¡¯s that Seb won¡¯t hurt me. He¡¯s making his point in an extreme fashion, or so the still-thinking part of my brain insists. He¡¯s trying to show me who is the Dominant in this rtionship-it¡¯s him. Something I could have told him for free. All I want is for him to work hard to make me submit. Turns out, making him angry means I pay the price, too.


    He holds my gaze as he begins to fuck me with his gun. Each time he sinks it into me, I feel his fingers, grasped around the handle, rubbing against my clit. In-out-in. My breasts seem to swell and my thigh muscles tremble, but I refuse to look away. I refuse to let him see how much he¡¯s surprised me; how he¡¯s almost seeded in making me submit. This show of dominance¡­ It¡¯s feral and menacing¡­ and wild. And sexy. I shouldn¡¯t be turned on by his actions, but I am. What he¡¯s doing is so wrong, and yet¡­ There¡¯s something indefinably forbidden, something debauched and undeniably tititing. A heaviness settles low in my belly and goosebumps crackle across my skin as he leans into me. Heat spools off of his body and ms into my chest. The force of his dominance pins me down and I gasp.


    ¡°Who do your moans belong to, Princess?¡± he growls.


    ¡°You.¡±


    He lowers his chin to his chest and his golden eyes seem to slice through more of my defenses.


    ¡°You, what?¡± he growls.


    ¡°You¡­ Master,¡± I whisper.


    A flush stains his cheeks. A sheen of sweat coats his hairline. He¡¯s as turned on as me. As anticipatory of what is toe. As greedy to enjoy my inevitable plummet into submission, as I am to worship his authority over me.


    He wraps his arm under my thigh and squeezes, and a jolt of sensation digs its ws into my belly.


    ¡°Who does your every breath belong to?¡± he snaps.


    ¡°You¡­ Master.


    He bends and locks his lips around a swollen nipple. He sucks on it, then releases it with a pop, before peering up at me. ¡°Who do your breasts belong to?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± I whimper.


    ¡°And your cunt? Who does your pussy belong to?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Damn right.¡± A look of fierce satisfaction crosses his features. ¡°You belong to me, Princess. You are mine, and if any man dares look at you again, I¡¯ll kill him, do you understand?¡±


    I nod, and color flushes his face. He slides the gun inside of me again, and the friction is too much. A trembling grips me, my back bows, sensations scream up my legs and my thighs, and coalesce in my belly. The climax threatens to overpower me and that¡¯s when he pulls his gun back. My orgasm pauses, flutters up my spine, then evaporates.


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± I snarl, ¡°you can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you let mee?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called edging, baby.¡±


    ¡°I know what it¡¯s called.¡±


    ¡°Do you, now?¡± He brings the barrel of the gun to my mouth. ¡°Lick it, Princess.¡±


    I curl my tongue around the tip of the gun. The sweet taste of my cum,yered with the metallic taste of the gun, sinks into my taste buds. For some reason, that turns me on even more. He drags the gun down my throat, leaving a trail of my cum and saliva in its wake. This blending of bodily fluids feels filthy, dirty, and hot. Clearly, being with him is bringing out my inner slut. He wipes the gun on my blouse, then slides it into the back of his pants.


    He steps back, looks me up and down. ¡°Cazzo, you look so fucking hot. If we didn¡¯t have to be at City Hall, I¡¯d fuck you right now.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you, asshole?¡±


    ¡°Cause we have a date, you and I, darling.¡±


    ¡°Date? I didn¡¯t agree to any date¡­¡± I blink. ¡°Hold on a second, what do you mean by City Hall?¡±


    ¡°Exactly that, sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t trust it when you pepper your sentences with endearments,¡± I grumble.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll trust me, now that I almost made youe?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Maybe you will, once you get full custody of your daughter?¡±


    I hold his gaze for a second, then another. ¡°Maybe,¡± I finally whisper.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡± He reaches around and lowers the St. Andrews Cross until my feet touch the floor. Then he sinks down to his knees, unties one ankle, making sure I have my bnce before he unties my other ankle. I begin to shuffle my feet together, but he stops me.


    ¡°Easy, let your blood cirction restore itself.¡± He rubs at my ankles, and the warmth of his hands on my skin sends pinpricks of pleasure racing up my legs. When he¡¯s sure that I¡¯ve relimated, he rises to his feet. Then he reaches up and unties my hands. He brings my wrists together in front of me and rubs them between hisrge, warm fingers. The calluses on his thumbs scrape over my skin and goosebumps pop out. My belly trembles, then flip-flops, and as if he¡¯s aware of the effect, he releases me. Then shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders.


    ¡°I have a jacket,¡± I protest.


    ¡°You¡¯ll wear mine,¡± hemands in a tone that¡¯s so fierce that my insides clench. I thrust my arms into the sleeves, and he proceeds to fasten the buttons.


    That masculine, spicy scent of his envelops me. The residual heat of his body trapped in the jacket lining loops about my shoulders, tying me to him further.


    Finally, he folds up the sleeves before he steps back and surveys me. ¡°You¡¯ll do.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±


    He sps my wrist and turns just as there is a banging on the door. ¡°Open up! You, in there,¡± a man hollers.


    ¡°Why the hell is the door locked?¡± asks another male voice.


    The banging intensifies. We reach the door, and Seb flings it open. A man with his hand raised to knock on the door pauses mid-motion.


    ¡°Move,¡± Seb growls.


    The man pales. He stumbles back and crashes into his friend, who loses his footing. The two m into the wall as Seb brushes past them.


    ¡°Hey, where are you taking me?¡± I huff as he hauls me in his wake.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you already.¡±


    ¡°City Hall?¡± I stumble and try to keep up with his muchrger strides. ¡°Why are we going to City Hall?¡±


    ¡°One guess.¡±


    My heart begins to thud in my chest and my eyes widen. It can¡¯t be, can it? ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± I gulp.


    ¡°Try me,¡± he replies.


    He yanks me down the stairs, into a corridor that bypasses the main dance floor, then up a short flight of steps, where he shoulders open the door. The night air hits me as we step out. I shiver. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into him. His bulk cuts off the breeze and the heat of his body surrounds me. I¡¯m tempted to think he¡¯s trying to keep me warm, but I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s only making sure I don¡¯t escape him.


    ncing back at the main door to the nightclub, I notice a queue stretching around the building.


    ¡°Won¡¯t City Hall be shut at this time of the night?¡±


    ¡°I asked them to keep it open.¡±


    ¡°Of course you did.¡± I toss my hair over my shoulder. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want toe with you?¡±


    ¡°Too bad.¡± He raises a shoulder.


    ¡°I believe I will record my objections on the matter.¡± I set my jaw.


    ¡°Noted, and overruled.¡±


    ¡°You are not a judge, or awyer, for that matter.¡± I scowl.


    He nces up and down the street. And goddamn, in profile, he resembles Keanu even more. ¡°Are you waiting for the bus from Speed?¡± I venture.


    ¡°What?¡± He shoots me a sideways nce.


    ¡°The bus from Speed? When Sandra Bullock drives the bus with Keanu Reeves next to her and the bus has no brakes and-¡±


    The screech of brakes being applied reaches us as a car careens to a stop in front of us. Not just any car; his SUV. The door to the driver¡¯s seat opens, and a man in a valet uniform jumps out. Seb ps a note into his outstretched palm then pushes me into the seat.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I protest.


    He slides into the car after me, and I scooch over to the passenger¡¯s seat. ¡°Could have, at least, allowed me toe around to my side of the car,¡± I grumble.


    He ms the door shut and eases the car onto the road.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re really doing this? We¡¯re going to City Hall at-¡± I peer at the clock on the dashboard. ¡°Eleven p. m. at night.¡±


    He glowers at the road ahead, and I take it as his assent.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me why? Or should I continue making wild guesses, which I promise you is going to drive you mad. If you thought I was insufferable earlier, you haven¡¯t seen me when I¡¯m stressed. Also, as if this were not already obvious, I¡¯m not going to stop talking until you tell me why you¡¯re dragging me to City Hall sote at night. I-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting married.¡±

 278

    Seb


    I expect her to freak out, but instead, she purses her lips and glowers at me. Probably because she¡¯d already guessed why we¡¯re headed there. No other reason to go to City Hall, after all. She opens and shuts her mouth a few times. Then, ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± she says in a low voice.


    Only where you¡¯re concerned.


    ¡°We were supposed to get married in a week, and you didn¡¯t want to get married at church, so-¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°This way, we can cut to the chase.¡±


    She continues to stare at me for a few seconds more, then she nces down at herself. ¡°I¡¯m not dressed for any kind of a wedding.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t matter if you were wearing a sack, you¡¯d still look beautiful.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing my clothes.¡± A flush of satisfaction fills my chest. Goddam. Since when did I be so possessive about her? It¡¯s bad enough Ipletely lost control when I saw that man toy with her hair. The fact she was tied up-that she¡¯d allowed him to tie her up, that she would allow anyone other than me to tie her up¡­ Cazzo! A growl rumbles up my chest. I lost my mind, I admit. I hadn¡¯t intended to fuck her with my gun. Gesu Cristo, what the hell is wrong with me? How could I have done that? I pulled out the gun to scare off that motherfucker, and I ended up using it to pleasure her. At least, I hope it pleasured her. From her reaction, it certainly seemed that way. I wanted to punish her for how she provoked me, and finding her bound and at my mercy made me lose my headpletely.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I finally ask.


    When she doesn¡¯t answer, I nce sideways at her. ¡°Princess, I asked you a question.¡±


    She draws in a breath. ¡°Why, are you worried you emotionally scarred me? You don¡¯t have to worry; my ex managed to do that just fine.¡±


    Anger thuds at my temples. I squeeze the steering wheel, and brake for a red light. The road is empty of traffic. A lone piece of paper blows by in front of us.


    ¡°You follow traffic rules, even when there is no real need to,¡± shements in an offhand voice.


    ¡°I am Mafia; I¡¯m always watched byw enforcement. One slip up on my part, and there¡¯s no telling where it¡¯dnd me. Not that we don¡¯t have the cops on the payroll, but I find it best to save my influence for when I need to use it. That way, it¡¯s more effective.¡±


    The light changes, and I ease the car forward.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my earlier question.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She shrugs.


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I¡¯m sorry for what I did. I was fully conscious, and inplete control of all of my faculties when I fucked you with my gun.¡±


    ¡°You wanted to teach me a lesson,¡± she says in a low voice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t. What if I told you what you did took me by surprise¡­ but it was weirdly erotic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say you were lying.¡±


    She turns to me. ¡°It pushed me out of myfort zone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly.¡±


    ¡°It was like Keanu Reeves had suddenly decided to get married.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I nce at her, then back at the road. ¡°You have a way of bringing Keanu Reeves into conversations when I least expect it.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s always appropriate. Keanu has a gif for every mood.¡± She nods.


    ¡°If you say so.¡± I can¡¯t stop my lips from twitching. ¡°Still doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    She blows out a breath. ¡°It was unexpected, what you did. And a little scary; I won¡¯t lie. My heart was in my mouth, but the danger inherent in these situations seems to turn me on even more.¡±


    I shoot her a quick nce, then focus on the road.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sorry I did it. I won¡¯t make excuses for my actions, Elsa. That¡¯s the kind of man I am. I live by the gun, will probably die by the gun and-¡±


    ¡°It seems you fuck by the gun, too,¡± she says in a wry tone.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to marry me, now¡¯s the time to back out.¡± Ie to a halt in front of the steps to City Hall, turn off the ignition, and turn to her. ¡°I can¡¯t promise it won¡¯t happen again, but I can promise I¡¯ll never hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Not physically, at least,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ensure you get full custody of your daughter, so I¡¯ll be taking care of you emotionally, as well,¡± I point out.


    She chuckles. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°You can still leave.¡±


    ¡°And watch as that asshole wins the case in court and takes my daughter from me?¡± She squeezes her fingers together in front of her.


    Something hot stabs at my chest. Why is it that seeing her get upset makes me want to protect her from whatever is causing her pain? In this case, me. Do I have to protect her from myself? I¡¯ve never felt so protective about another person before this. But watching her with her daughter was an eye-opener. Once I saw that, I knew I could never let anything or anyone hurt either of them. And the only way to ensure that is to find a way to tether her to me. It¡¯s the only way I can safeguard her from her ex, and from this world we live in.


    ¡°I will never let that happen,¡± I say in a low voice.


    She stills, then searches my features. ¡°Somehow, I believe you. It¡¯s why I¡¯m here. Because you are the only one who¡¯s been able to promise me the one thing that¡¯s more important to me than life itself.¡±


    You are more important to me than life itself.


    I push open the door, then walk around to open hers. She steps out and wobbles a little on the stilettos she¡¯s wearing, before she rights herself. I shut the car door and hold out my arm.


    ¡°Shall we?¡±


    Ten minutester, we¡¯re standing in front of the mayor in his office at City Hall.


    Adrian and Massimo nk us. I had informed these stronzi about my n to get married today for two reasons. First of all, we need two witnesses. Secondly, and more importantly, I needed Massimo¡¯s help in tracking down the mayor and calling in this favor, and I needed Adrian¡¯s help to ensure that City Hall opened for us. Sometimes, family can be useful, apparently.


    The mayor himself is a short man with jowls and a stomach that strains his shirt, which he seems to have hurriedly donned, given that his buttons are all done up wrong. He rubs his fingers over his head, discing the long strands of hair that he¡¯sbed over to hide the balding spot on the top.


    ¡°Uh, are we expecting anyone else?¡± He nces between us.


    Before I can reply, I hear the sound of running footsteps before Theresa bursts in, followed by Axel.


    ¡°Oh, my god! We¡¯re on time, aren¡¯t we?¡± She runs up to Elsa and hugs her.


    Axel rubs his chin. ¡°I had a devil of a time asking her to slow down; woman rushes around like she¡¯s not pregnant.¡±


    She ignores him and peers into Elsa¡¯s face. ¡°You are okay, though? He¡¯s not forcing you to do this against your will, right? If you don¡¯t want to go through with it, I can ask Axel to intervene.¡±


    Her voice is loud enough that I can hear everything. Clearly, she intended me to. I open my mouth to protest, when Elsa shakes her head. Her lips curve into a small smile which is, nevertheless, genuine. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. I want to go through with this. And I¡¯m actually thankful that it¡¯s happening so suddenly; gives me less time to stress about it.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Theresa firms her lips. ¡°Whatever the case, just so you know, you have the next few days off from the flower shop.¡±


    Elsa stares up at her. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure, ¡± she scoffs. ¡°You¡¯re getting married. You¡¯ll need a little time to get your head around everything. And hopefully, have a bit of a honeymoon. You sure you don¡¯t want to get hold of a dress, at least?¡± She steps back and takes in what Elsa is wearing. ¡°You sure you want to get married in that?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Elsa pats her shoulder, then steps back. ¡°Thanks for inviting Theresa. It means a lot to have her here,¡± she whispers to me.


    I want to deny it, but sadly, she¡¯s right. Clearly, I¡¯ve be soft in my old age, or pussy-whipped before I¡¯ve even gotten married. Despite the fact that it wasst minute, I knew Elsa would appreciate having her friend with her as she gets married.


    Elsa shuffles her feet, tugs on her-my jacket, which looks much better on her than it does on me. It alsoes to mid-thigh, and the dress she¡¯s wearing below itplements the jacket, so it seems like they¡¯re part of the same ensemble. With her flushed cheeks and blonde hair that falls softly about her face, she looks every inch an angel.


    I blink. Dio santo, I¡¯ll be serenading her next. Why is it that every minute I spend in her presence seems to tie me more firmly to her? And nothing will be as permanent as the step I¡¯m about to take. Marriage. I¡¯ll be married to her, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, through ups and downs, for the rest of my life. Che cazzo, that seems permanent. Maybe too permanent.


    I guess I make a noise because Massimo nudges me. ¡°You okay, fratello?¡±


    I swallow. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±


    ¡°Seems like you suddenly realized what you¡¯re getting into.¡±


    I roll my shoulders, trying to ease the tension in my muscles. ¡°Can you ask him to hurry up? Stronzo doesn¡¯t seem to know his head from his ass. And he¡¯s supposed to be the mayor?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Anything for you on your wedding day. And by the way, I made sure he¡¯s been briefed with your full names, et cetera, et cetera. All the information he needs to marry the two of you. You¡¯re wee.¡± Massimo smirks, then leans forward and ps a hand on the mayor¡¯s shoulder.


    The man jumps. He has to tilt his head all the way back to meet Massimo¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Chop, chop, we don¡¯t have all night,¡± Massimo drawls.


    Heavy footsteps announce the arrival of Luca. ¡°Someone told me there¡¯s a wedding taking ce here?¡±


    I groan. That¡¯s all I need-my wedding turning into a circus, simr to how it was when first Michael, then Christian, and Axel, got married. How the hell did Luca find out about it, anyway? I shoot Adrian a scowl. He raises his hands as if to say he didn¡¯t have a choice. Bastardo!


    Naturally, within moments, Michael prowls in, with Karma in tow. They¡¯re followed by Christian and Aurora.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you could sneak off and get married without my knowing, did you?¡± Michael smirks.


    ¡°Sorry, fratello. You get the entire family turning up to your wedding, just like those of us before you.¡± Christian chuckles.


    ¡°Anyone else missing? Did you invite the strangers on the road, as well?¡± I scowl at Adrian.


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± Adrian¡¯s brow wrinkles.


    I re at him and he chuckles. ¡°I had to inform famiglia, else they never would¡¯ve forgiven me.¡±


    Both Karma and Aurora walk toward Elsa. Karma¡¯s face is dominated by a huge smile. She hugs Elsa, then takes a step back. Aurora touches Elsa¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you need anything¡­¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Elsa reassures her. Her features are pale though.


    My fingers tingle to wrap my arm around her and reassure her. Instead, I face the mayor, who¡¯s watching the proceedings with a dazed look on his face.


    Massimo jerks his chin toward the man. ¡°Get on with it, then.¡±


    The mayor mops his brow. He pockets his handkerchief and draws himself up to his full height. As is normal in Italy for a civil ceremony, he reads the three main civilws and asks us both if we agree to uphold them. Once we agree, he turns to her.


    ¡°Do you, Elsa Tara Ducati, take Sebastiano Charles Domenico Sovrano as your husband?¡±


    She stills and the color slides off of her face. She sways and I shoot out my arm to grip her shoulder. ¡°You okay?¡±


    She blinks rapidly. ¡°Your¡­ your second name is Charles?¡±Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I scan her features. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    Elsa swallows. ¡°It¡¯s also Keanu¡¯s middle name.¡±


    ¡°Is it, now?¡±


    She nods.


    The mayor clears his throat.


    She pulls away from me and I release her. She swallows, then tips up her chin at the mayor. ¡°I do,¡± she says softly.


    ¡°Do you Sebastiano-¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± I cut him off.


    He looks askance. ¡°But I haven¡¯t asked the-¡±


    Massimo makes a warning noise at the back of his throat. The mayor pales even more. He mops his forehead, then begins to rattle off words to the effect that he¡¯s marrying us as per thews in this country.


    When he¡¯s done ncing between us, he says, ¡°Uh, I assume you don¡¯t have rings to exchange, in which case-¡±


    ¡°I do, actually.¡± I don¡¯t take my gaze off of Elsa. ¡°Hold out your hand.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She gapes.


    I release her, only to reach over and take her left hand to slide the ring onto her ring finger. She nces down at the yellow sapphire embedded in the tinum band, which matches the engagement ring I ced there earlier.


    When she looks up at me, her eyes are shining.


    The band around my chest tightens. Don¡¯t cry, please don¡¯t cry. If you do, I won¡¯t be able to bear it.


    ¡°I, uh, now pronounce you man and wife.¡± The mayor¡¯s voice seems toe from far away. I close the distance to her, tip her chin up, then bend and touch my lips to hers.

 279

    Elsa


    His lips touch mine. I expect him to kiss me the way he has in the past-with passion, and dominance and the self-assurance I¡¯vee to associate with Seb. And it is all that¡­ Yet, it¡¯s also different. I share his air as he holds his mouth to mine. His lips are firm, yet soft. He doesn¡¯t deepen the kiss. He doesn¡¯t touch me anywhere else, either. It¡¯s just his mouth, which covers mine. He stays there for a beat, then another. Some of his calmness bleeds into me, and the tension drains from my muscles. I sway toward him, and he breaks the kiss.


    He turns to the mayor. ¡°Where do we sign?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± The mayor stares, wide-eyed.


    ¡°The marriage certificate,¡± Seb says through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Oh, of course.¡± He walks around his desk, then slides a sheet of paper over to us.


    Seb reaches over and pulls out a pen from the inside pocket of the jacket he¡¯d draped on me. Then he leans over and signs his name. He hands the pen to me-a fountain pen-who uses fountain pens? Seb, that¡¯s who. There¡¯s so much I don¡¯t know about this man¡­ My husband. Oh, my god, I¡¯m married to him.


    If I sign this paper, there will be no way out. The Sovranos don¡¯t believe in divorce, which means I¡¯ll be married to him for the rest of my life. My heart stutters. What kind of a rtionship am I getting into? A transactional one, where each time I do something he doesn¡¯t like, he¡¯ll warn me I have to obey him or he won¡¯t help me get custody of my daughter? He¡¯ll help me get Avery back. I know that, but at what cost? Will I lose my sense of self? Will he be my Dominant and overpower me with his personality? Will he break me so thoroughly that I¡¯ll no longer be able to think for myself. Oh, I¡¯m strong. I know that. But can I submit to him and also retain my sense of who I am? Will I retain enough independence that I¡¯ll be able to function well enough to take care of myself and my daughter? What if he turns out be like Fabio?


    No, surely not. He¡¯s not like Fabio, at all¡­ He¡¯s much stronger-physically, mentally, emotionally. He¡¯s got a strength about him that invites me to lean on him; to trust him and unburden my fears to him, and have him soothe me and take care of me, and oh, I¡¯m so tempted to do that. And if I did gravitate toward that¡­ If I did allow myself to be dependent on him¡­ I¡¯d never be able to get over him. He may not divorce me, but no doubt, he¡¯s going to be with other women, as he clearly told me. And once more, I¡¯ll be in a marriage, in name only. No, no, no. I can¡¯t let his charisma seduce me. I can¡¯t allow myself to feel anything for him. I need to simply use him¡­ to get ess to my daughter and to fulfill my base needs, without allowing my heart and soul to be involved in this rtionship. I cannot risk getting hurt again. I owe it to myself and to my daughter. I need to find a way to get through this rtionship with my sense of self intact, if it¡¯s thest thing I do.


    ¡°Princess?¡± His voice cuts through the thoughts in my head. I nce down to find I am holding his pen poised over the paper. I try to close the gap between the nib and the paper, but my limbs refuse to obey me. My hand trembles. A drop of ink slides out of the nib and blots on the paper. Goddamn it, why can¡¯t I do something this simple?


    ¡°Breathe,¡± his voicemands. Instantly, oxygen rushes into my lungs. My throat burns. ¡°That¡¯s it. Another breath now, slowly,¡± he coaxes.


    I follow his order, and my mind clears a little. He ces his hand over mine and guides me until the pen touches paper. I scrawl out my signature with his palm still resting over me. When I am done, he slides his hand down, takes the pen from my fingers, then caps it and slides it into his shirt pocket. I straighten and turn to him.


    ¡°You did well.¡± He leans in and touches his lips to mine.


    A shiver runs down my spine and my nipples tighten. I sway toward him, and this time, he wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his chest. I breathe in his scent, savor the heat that spools off of his body and envelops me. He doesn¡¯t deepen the kiss, seeming content to share the air. Then he softens his kiss, until he finally leans back.


    He peers into my face. ¡°Okay?¡±


    When I nod, a smile curves his lips. ¡°Good girl.¡± He brushes his lips over mine once more, then grips my hand in his before he turns to face those gathered. ¡°My wife, everyone. Isn¡¯t she the most beautiful woman you¡¯ve ever seen?¡±


    Half an hourter, we are in an Italian restaurant not far from City Hall. I rode here with Seb, and neither of us spoke on the short ride over. Karma informed me the restaurant is owned by the Sovranos. Of course it is. They use it for business meetings and family functions.


    Paolo, the chef, walked out to greet us with open arms. He kissed Michael on both cheeks, then took Karma¡¯s hands in his, before he turned to us. He congratted Seb and kissed the knuckles of my fingers, then led us to a table in the center of the restaurant. The food had started arriving almost immediately-baskets of warm bread and olive oil, with bottles of proso that had been ced in ice-buckets at strategic intervals around the table.


    At the head of the table, Michael grabs the closest proso bottle, as do Luca and Massimo. The three pop the bottles, then top up our sses. After Luca and Massimo take their seats, Michael holds up his proso ss and says, ¡°To Sebastian and Elsa, may your marriage be as happy and contented as mine is.¡±


    Christian, too, raises his ss, ¡°Never let it be said that the Sovrano brothers take the conventional route to the altar. Going by our track record, it¡¯s clear that the more unorthodox the start to the rtionship, the happier the final union.¡±


    He turns to Axel, who has his arm around Theresa. Axel nces around the table to find the eyes of the crowd are trained on him. ¡°I assume it¡¯s my turn to say something, then?¡± He reaches for his ss and raises it in Seb¡¯s direction. ¡°Sebastian, in the little time I¡¯ve known you, I¡¯vee to realize that behind your rather ugly mug, you hide a heart that¡¯s mushier than overcooked pasta.¡±


    There¡¯sughter around the table.


    ¡°You are loyal to a fault, would do anything for your family, and will go out of your way to protect those you care about. I hope you find the kind of contentment that very few of us are lucky enough to say we¡¯ve found in this lifetime. As for you, Elsa¡­¡± He turns to me. ¡°You can rely on Sebastian to be in your corner in your time of need. If there¡¯s anyone you need by your side, fighting your battles, it¡¯s him. I hope the two of you are very happy.¡± He raises his ss.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn now.¡± Theresa leans forward in her seat. ¡°I just want to say that I love Elsa like a sister, and if you hurt her in any way, I¡¯ll sic Axel on you.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Axel tilts his head. ¡°You heard thedy. And as you guys already know, the wife is always right. So, I won¡¯t have much choice but toe after you and twist your balls if you act out of line.¡±


    Next to me, Seb winces. ¡°Spare the family jewels, will ya?¡± He nces between Axel and Theresa. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything possible to make her happy. You have my word. I won¡¯t do anything to hurt her.¡±


    Everyone ps and he leans in closer to me. ¡°Not unless you ask me to, that is,¡± he says in a voice low enough that only I can hear it.


    ¡°Did you just say what I think you did?¡± I flick him a sideways nce.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°I think you are all bark and no bite,¡± I grumble under my breath.


    ¡°So, my demonstration back at the nightclub wasn¡¯t enough?¡±


    A shudder runs down my spine. I wriggle around in my seat and my core throbs. The space where the vibrator once resided, yawns emptily. I squeeze my thighs together and his lips twist. He knows exactly what I¡¯m feeling right now. That I can¡¯t stop thinking of how he sucked the vibrator from my pussy and spit it out; how he reced it with his gun, how he brought me to the edge, only to pull back.


    He whispers, ¡°Tell me, Princess, are you looking forward to being my whore on our wedding night?¡±

 280

    Seb


    Her breath hitches. Her pupils dte as she tips up her chin and holds my gaze. Her cheeks flush, and I have no doubt that my words are turning her on. I hadn¡¯t meant to say that aloud, but goddamn, seeing her wearing my clothes, with my ring on her finger, with the scent of sex still clinging to her hair, all I want to do is take my wife home and fuck her¡­ But not before I teach her how to be my perfect submissive.


    ¡°Two days,¡± I drawl, ¡°that¡¯s all I need.¡±


    ¡°Two days?¡± Her forehead furrows. ¡°What happens in two days?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have had so many orgasms, you won¡¯t be able to think straight. By which time, I¡¯ll have broken you, of course.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Her gaze widens. ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    I allow my lips to twist. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to find out?¡±


    Her lips part. Color flushes her cheeks. ¡°You mean¡­ you¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Make you submit, just like you asked me to.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to make it easy on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be disappointed if you did,¡± I murmur.


    Her breathing grows more rapid. Her chest rises and falls. A pulse beats at the base of her throat, and my fingers twitch. I want to press my thumb over that pulse and feel her body respond to my ministrations. I want to press my mouth to the curve of where her neck meets her shoulders and bite down on her skin as I bend her over and spank her, right before I thrust my fingers inside her and feel her flutter around my digits.


    ¡°What do you think, Seb?¡± I hear one of my brothers ask.


    ¡°Five minutes,¡± I tell her in a hard voice, ¡°you have five minutes to say your goodbyes.¡±


    ¡°Why does that sound like a threat?¡± She glowers.


    ¡°Because after that, the only sounds you¡¯ll be making are groans and yelps and moans as I teach you how to behave properly with your Dom.¡±


    Her eyes gleam, then she flicks her hair over her shoulder. ¡°Promises, promises.¡±


    I know she¡¯s doing it to sass me, to test my control, to push my restraint, to see how far I can go without snapping. But she¡¯s misjudged me if she thinks I¡¯ll let her get to me that easily. I am in control of this rtionship.


    I¡¯m the one who dictates when and how she¡¯ll give in to me. I¡¯m the one who intends to take my pleasure from her, after making sure that she¡¯s been properly trained. I¡¯m the one who suggested she marry me. I promised Nonna I¡¯d take a wife, and I have. There are no feelings involved here. I¡¯m simply going to enjoy the fringe benefits of being tied down. A submissive of my own-a wife who¡¯ll be ready to open her legs to me at mymand. And sure, I¡¯ll ensure she gets pleasure out of it, too. Pleasure, and full custody of her child. I¡¯ll make good on my promise to her. I¡¯m nothing, if not a man of my word.


    ¡°Four minutes and thirty seconds,¡± I growl.


    ¡°Seb, did you hear what I asked? You-¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± I turn to Michael. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear the question?¡± he asks, a knowing look in his eyes.


    ¡°You want me to take the lead in Trinity enterprises? I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯d like Massimo, Luca, and Adrian to continue to attend, to back me up in the meetings.¡±


    Michael ces the tips of his fingers together. ¡°Considering the Russians tend toe in a pack, it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡±


    Next to me, Elsa shifts in her seat. Her cherry scent seems to surround me. The softness of her body beckons to me. I drum my fingers on the table, resist the urge to look at my watch.


    ¡°What¡¯s JJ¡¯s deal?¡± I force myself to ask. ¡°Hees to these meetings alone; doesn¡¯t seem like a man who runs an organized crime gang.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because, technically, he doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I force myself to give my full attention to what Michael is saying. ¡°He¡¯s the head of the Kane Company, isn¡¯t he?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You are aware he also runs the biggest mediapany in Europe¡­¡±


    ¡°He does?¡± I sit up straighter. Motherfucker, JJ runs a mediapany. How was I not aware of it?


    ¡°It¡¯s called-¡±


    ¡°Kane Media Enterprises,¡± I finish his statement. ¡°How the hell did I not know that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that much of a secret, but it¡¯s also not something he talks about too much.¡±


    ¡°So, he controls the media in this part of the world. No wonder he¡¯s interested in Trinity.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Massimo frowns.


    ¡°Technology and media ovep so much, they¡¯re practically the same side of a coin now,¡± I exin.


    ¡°This must be of particr interest to you.¡± Axel leans forward in his seat.


    ¡°Is it now?¡± Michael nces between us. ¡°Care to enlighten us?¡±


    My shoulders tense and I force my muscles to rx.


    Axel seems taken aback. I know he¡¯s alluding to a conversation the two of us had a while ago; somehow, I hadn¡¯t thought he¡¯d remember that particr piece of information. But then, he¡¯s an ex-cop, something I hadn¡¯t known then. Even if I had, I doubt it would¡¯ve stopped me from sharing with him. The fact that he hasn¡¯t grown up with us, but is yet linked to me by blood, makes it particrly easy for me to trust him. And it¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t forget details, either.


    ¡°It was a passing remark.¡± I tilt my head. ¡°I mentioned to Axel that my ultimate goal is power, and what better way to grow your influence than by owning a mediapany?¡±


    ¡°Is that what you want, to control media?¡± Michael narrows his gaze on me.


    ¡°It was a thought,¡± I say slowly.


    ¡°Sounded more like an ambition when we spoke, ol¡¯ chap,¡± Axel drawls.


    I scowl. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think you raised that particr point on purpose.¡± I stab my finger at him.


    ¡°Anything to help you fulfill your dreams and all that.¡± He smirks.


    I glower at him. His grin widens.


    ¡°As this stronzo here has taken such pains to point out, media is something that attracts me. Especially the confluence of media and technology, which I believe is a game changer. Something that will permeate our everyday lives in a big way, given how much social media already ys a big role in influencing opinion.¡±


    Michael strokes his chin. ¡°You really are excited about doing something with this, eh?¡±


    ¡°Considering JJ Kane is in the media space, and given Trinity Enterprises is to do with cryptocurrency, there¡¯s a sweet spot here I can take advantage of, yes,¡± I reply.


    Silence descends upon the table. I nce about the space to find all of them looking at me.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°The only other time I¡¯ve seen you this excited is when you spoke about marrying Elsa,¡± Massimo drawls.


    I sense Elsa stiffen next to me. She¡¯s so close, and yet, not close enough. Giving in to the temptation, I reach for her hand and weave my fingers through hers.


    ¡°I do believe you have the perfect opportunity here to do something about your dream,¡± Michael says slowly.


    ¡°Are you giving me your blessing?¡± I train my gaze on Michael.


    Elsa tries to pull away, but I tighten my grip on her. The softness of her skin against mine, the brush of my jacket against the skin of her arm, the shuffle of her feet, the brush of her hair over her shoulder¡­ All of it crowds in on me. My every sense is focused on her, even as I once more try to pay attention to the conversation at hand.


    ¡°Do you want my blessing?¡± Michael steeples his fingertips together on the table. Our gazes sh. The silence stretches for a beat, another. Neither of us backs down.


    Michael may be my half-brother, but I¡¯ve never considered him anything less than a brother. We were raised as brothers, and that¡¯s the way we all feel about one another. I never wanted the designation of Capo when he took over the position of Don. While I don¡¯t hate the Mafia lifestyle, I¡¯m not as enamored by it as Luca is. And unlike Massimo, I¡¯ve always been sure that, at some point, I¡¯ll strike out on my own. Oh, I¡¯ve been part of the Cosa Nostra long enough to know that I¡¯ll never be able to leave it behind, but I¡¯m sure I can carve out a life separate from it, while still remaining connected to my brothers in some form. I just never thought my opportunity woulde this quickly.


    ¡°I want this,¡± I finally say. ¡°The situation holds many possibilities.¡±


    ¡°It does.¡± Michael ttens his palms on the table. ¡°You are also my Capo, my second inmand.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m grateful you chose me for that position, but you and I both know there¡¯s one person at this table who is better suited to that opportunity.¡±


    I turn toward Luca, when I catch a glimpse, a glimmer of something through the window. My heart drops into my stomach; my pulse rate explodes. I open my mouth to yell a warning, and the windows explode.

 281

    Elsa


    One moment, I¡¯m sitting next to Seb; the next, he¡¯s thrown himself on top of me. I¡¯m thrown from the chair, and somehow, he manages to get under me and cushion my fall. Then, in a move worthy of Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, he flips me over so I hit the ground on my back with his body sprawled over mine.


    The breath is knocked out of me, the heat of his body ms into me, and all around me, I hear the sounds of ss breaking, of pops that sound like firecrackers¡­ No, not firecrackers. It¡¯s someone shooting at us. As the popping sounds escte, I realize it¡¯s more than one person. Perhaps it¡¯s a group of people shooting at us? The sound intensifies until they areing so close together, it feels like a particrly loud hailstorm, with the hailstonesing at us with such speed that the sound merges together into one continuous screech.


    My heart ms into my chest and my pulse pounds at my temples. Above me, Seb grunts and his body shudders. Oh, my god. ¡°Seb,¡± I try to scream, but the sound is stuck in my throat.


    The weight of his body seems to grow heavier. Then, just as suddenly as it started, the sounds fade away. Silence descends, broken only by the sound of something falling to the floor and shattering. I flinch; someone screams¡­ One of the women? Is she hurt? More silence follows, then the sound of a car¡¯s engine breaks the silence. It seems to galvanize everyone, for I hear the sound of people jumping to their feet, followed by footsteps running out of the room.


    ¡°Everyone okay?¡± a man-Michael?-asks.


    Seb jumps to his feet and holds out his hand. I grab it and touch something wet. I retract my hand and see blood on my fingers.


    ¡°Seb, you¡¯re hurt?¡± I rake my gaze up his arm, to where blood blots his sleeve. I spring up and my knees seem to give way. He grabs my shoulder with his un-injured arm and hauls me to him. For a second, I rest against his broad chest. Thud-thud-thud. I absorb the beat of his heart against his ribcage. Draw the scent of Seb into my lungs. Some of the tension fades. I¡¯ll always be safe with him.


    He¡¯s promised to break me, and while I hate him for saying it with such confidence, I can¡¯t help but look forward to him trying. I can¡¯t wait for him to subdue me. Can¡¯t wait to stand up to him. But first, he¡¯s hurt. OMG, he¡¯s hurt. I pull back in his grasp. His grip loosens, and I take in the blood that stains his shirt. I yank at his sleeve and pull it up to reveal the blood oozing from a gash on his bicep. He winces.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he protests.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding, Seb.¡± I must be yelling, because almost immediately, Aurora appears next to me.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± she orders.


    He seems like he¡¯s about to protest, but Christian appears on the other side of Aurora.


    ¡°You heard the doc; sit your ass down, stronzo.¡± He pulls a chair upright-the chair I was sitting on before Seb pushed me to the floor. He probably saved my life. Oh, my god, he saved my life. If he hadn¡¯t pushed me out of the way¡­ My breath catches in my throat and I whimper.


    Seb whips around to face me. ¡°You okay, Princess?¡±


    I don¡¯t reply as Christian pushes down on Seb¡¯s shoulder. He doesn¡¯t have a choice but to sink down into the chair.


    I can¡¯t take my gaze off of the blood that saturates his shirt sleeve, OMG, he pushed me to the side, and the bullet hit him. It could have killed him. It could have maimed him, or scarred him. My mouth dries, I can feel my heartbeat in my throat. My pulse thuds at my temples, but this time, it¡¯s not because I fear for my own safety, but for his. If anything happened to him¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it. My head spins and I feel faint. In response, Seb pulls me into hisp.


    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Making sure you don¡¯t faint and hurt yourself.¡±


    He sounds so angry. I nce up into his face and those golden eyes of his bore into me. I flinch, try to pull away, but he winds his good arm around my waist and refuses to let go.


    ¡°Give me your jacket,¡± Aurora holds out her hand and Christian pulls off his jacket and hands it to her. She presses it to Seb¡¯s wound, then grabs Christian¡¯s hand and ces it over the jacket. ¡°Hold this in ce, please.¡±


    Christianplies.


    Seb winces. ¡°Cazzo, that hurts.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby,¡± Christian huffs.


    Aurora elevates Seb¡¯s arm then asks, ¡°Is there a first-aid box in the restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Michael materializes next to us. He¡¯s holding Karma¡¯s arm as if he can¡¯t bear to let go. In his other hand, he has a first-aid box. He ces it on the table.


    Axel stalks over to join us; his arm is around Theresa. The fabric of his pants over one thigh is ripped and blood stains the fabric surrounding it. He nces at Seb, then at Christian, before turning to Michael.


    ¡°This cannot happen again, Don,¡± Axel growls.


    Something passes between the four of them. Seb, angry, is an awesome sight. But the four of them together, with the rage pouring off of them, is over-the-top-and that¡¯s an understatement. I¡¯m not from this world, but even I know that shooting at the Sovranos when they are together and on their home ground, is nothing less than a call to a full-blown war.


    ¡°Somehow, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that this medical kit has all of the supplies I need for stitching this wound,¡± Aurora grumbles under her breath. ¡°By the way, you¡¯re next, once I¡¯ve seen to Seb.¡± She jerks her chin in Axel¡¯s direction.


    I nce around and take in the broken sses, tes smashed on the floor, the ripped curtains¡­ The lights seem to have escaped though, which might be the only reason more of us weren¡¯t hurt by flying ss. A trembling grips me. His arm around me tightens and he pulls me even closer.


    Footsteps crunch on ss as Paolo walks over to us. He ces a tray on the table on which are squat sses filled with a clear liquid; I surmise it¡¯s grappa.


    ¡°Everyone okay in the kitchen?¡± Michael asks.


    His jaw firms. ¡°One of the chefs was wounded; some of us have scrapes from broken crockery. It¡¯s a damn miracle no one is dead.¡±


    ¡°This is the second time this has happened.¡± Michael balls his fingers into fists. ¡°I¡¯m going after the Camorra. This has their fingerprints all over it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s wise,¡± Seb retorts.


    Michael fixes his gaze on my husband. There¡¯s such coldness in his eyes that I shiver and cuddle closer to Seb.


    ¡°You have something to say, Capo?¡± His voice is so cid that I wince.


    Seb doesn¡¯t back down. ¡°Nonna wanted us to build bridges with the Camorra.¡±


    ¡°If Nonna were here, she¡¯d understand that the only way to win this war is by crushing our opponents.¡±


    ¡°Or forming an alliance with them.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Christian scowls.


    ¡°We were lucky this time. I saw the light reflect off the gun and acted quickly. Next time¡­¡± Seb shakes his head. ¡°If anything happens to her¡­¡± His grasp on my hip tightens. Pain shudders up my side, but I don¡¯t protest. It¡¯s a reminder that I¡¯m alive, and so is he. I cuddle closer, not caring that there are people around us. He tucks my head under his chin, and runs his fingers over my hair.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let this happen again,¡± Seb says in a hard voice.


    ¡°Precisely why we need to finish off the Camorra,¡± Christian snarls.


    ¡°Even if you kill every single person in that n, someone, somewhere, is going to survive and be back to take vengeance. If not on us, then on our children.¡± Seb nces pointedly at Karma, who ces a hand over her belly.


    ¡°Be very careful what you say next. You¡¯re very close to crossing the line.¡± Michael pushes Karma behind him, blocking her with his body.


    ¡°I almost lost my wife. Do you think I don¡¯t want to gun them down? Don¡¯t you think I want revenge for Nonna?¡± Seb growls.


    ¡°It sure doesn¡¯t seem that way from where I am,¡± Christian snaps.


    ¡°Firstly, we don¡¯t know if it is the Camorra behind these attacks. It could be that figlio di puttana, Freddie,¡± Seb murmurs.


    He¡¯s referring to the man who was once their father¡¯s silent partner, so Theresa mentioned to me. The guy threatened Axel and Theresa in London; he shot at Axel, but Axel managed to scare him off.


    ¡°There¡¯s a very good chance it is Freddie,¡± Axel admits.


    Both Michael and Christian open their mouths to speak, but Seb holds up his hand. ¡°Hear me out, will you? And trust me. I¡¯m only proposing this because it offers a better long-term, permanent solution.¡±


    The silence stretches for a few moments. ¡°Speak,¡± Michael growls.


    ¡°What I¡¯m going to suggest is a valid consideration, whether the Camorra are behind the attacks or not. I propose¡­¡± He nces between them. ¡°I propose that one of us marries a Camorra princess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve ever heard in a long time, you minchione.¡± Christian chortles.


    Michael, however, doesn¡¯t react. He stares at Seb.


    Christian nces in Michael¡¯s direction, then does a double-take. ¡°You can¡¯t be taking this seriously.¡± He rubs his chin. ¡°Even if the Camorra were behind the attacks-¡±


    ¡°Especially if the Camorra are behind the attacks. There is no better way to transform the bad blood than by arranging a match with one of their women.¡± Seb holds Michael¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s true then. The Mafia still believe in arranged marriages?¡± Axel pulls Theresa closer to him.


    ¡°We uphold royal traditions, more than the royal families of today; and you shouldn¡¯t talk, you farabutto.¡± Christian stabs a finger at Axel. ¡°You agreed to marry Theresa to further your own goals.¡±


    ¡°I was already in love with her when I did. I simply didn¡¯t know it then.¡±


    The men re at him. Theresa digs her elbow into his side and he winces. ¡°It¡¯s true, Sunshine, you know that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how the mighty have fallen.¡± Christianughs. ¡°Seems Seb¡¯s suggestion isn¡¯t that far out.¡±


    ¡°It certainly has merits,¡± Michael concedes.


    ¡°And you were saying you don¡¯t want to be Capo?¡± Axel chuckles.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t.¡± Seb blows out a breath.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°You still want to focus on the media-tech based idea, and broach it with JJ and Niki?¡± He¡¯s referring to Niki Solonik, the head of the Bratva and the third of the trifecta who own interests in Trinity.


    Seb doesn¡¯t reply. Michael glowers at him for a few seconds more, then jerks his chin. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Christian turns on Michael. ¡°You¡¯re letting him step down?¡±


    ¡°Who do you propose take over as Capo?¡± Michael asks.


    Luca bursts into the room. His shirt is torn and his nose is bleeding, but his features wear a victorious look.


    ¡°Got those carogne.¡±

 282

    Seb


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I insist as I push the car door open and step out with Elsa in my arms. My arm hurts, but I ignore it. She fell asleep in the car on the way home, and no way was I going to wake her up for the short walk to our home.


    After Aurora had stitched my wound and then dressed Axel¡¯s scratch-both of us had escaped with rtively minorcerations-my idea of having Luca take over as Capo had been epted by Michael. To my surprise, he hadn¡¯t protested. Maybe he had anticipated this wasing? Perhaps my discussion with Axel had reached him before Axel brought up the idea at the restaurant? Although, I doubt it.


    Since his marriage to Theresa, and since giving up his role as an undercover cop with the London Metropolitan Police, Axel had moved to Palermo, started his own security business, and was focused on building it up. He wouldn¡¯t have had time to bring it up with Michael. Also, he¡¯s not a snitch. He wouldn¡¯t have done it behind my back.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Which means, Michael must have known about my aspirations. He must have sensed it. Stronzo has instincts which are sharper than a shark sensing its prey in open water. So, not only did he ept my suggestion, he also told Luca, on the spot, that I was stepping down and he was taking over.


    Then, before Luca fully recovered, he turned to Massimo, who¡¯d entered the room after Luca, and announced that he¡¯s marrying a Camorra princess.


    Massimo responded byughing and saying ¡®no fucking way¡¯ is he agreeing to that.


    Michael and I exchanged nces, but we didn¡¯t push it. There will be enough time to get him to agree to this soon enough.


    Adrian, who enteredst, surveyed the silent crowd and asked what he had missed.


    Elsa replied in a droll voice, ¡°We are all stardust, baby.¡±


    Another one of her Keanu Reeves quotes, apparently. Not sure if any of the others got the context, but it seemed apt and broke the silence, and everyoneughed. She startedughing, only to burst into tears. I rocked her as she turned her head into my shoulder. I held her tightly, and to her credit, she managed to get control of herself very quickly. She apologized to everyone, and they all waved her off. We were all shaken up.


    We all took it as a sign to break up the post-wedding party. It already seems like ages ago when we made the trip to City Hall and exchanged vows. Michael and the guys agreed that Adrian would drive me home, while the rest of them return to their respective ces.


    Adrian walks around the car toward me. He takes the keys from me, walks up the steps of my home, and nods at the guards by the door, who straighten to attention as we pass. He unlocks the door, and I precede him into the house. He ps the keys down on the table by the doorway and turns to me. ¡°You sure you guys are going to be okay? I can stay over in one of the guest rooms, if you want.¡±


    ¡°I can take care of my own.¡± I snort.


    ¡°I have no doubt, but since you are also hurt, fratello¡­¡± He gestures toward my blood stained shirt.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t take any painkillers; I¡¯ll be alert enough.¡±


    ¡°Of course you will be.¡± He blows out a breath. ¡°Fine, then. I¡¯ll leave you guys. If you need anything, you call, yeah?¡± He scowls at me. ¡°It¡¯s okay to ask for help, Seb. You don¡¯t always have to be the wise man amongst us who has his shit together, know what I mean?¡±


    If only he knew. I jerk my chin, and with a final p to my shoulder-my injured side (which I don¡¯t wince at, just so you know)-he turns and leaves. The door snicks shut. I m the deadbolt in ce, then I head for the stairs. The adrenaline drains and the pain in my arm ratchets up a notch. Cazzo! I walk up to my bedroom and ce the sleeping Elsa on my bed. I take off her jacket and ripped shirt. Forcing myself to look away from her creamy breasts, I pull off her shoes and skirt, then cover her up. My muscles feel too heavy and my arms and legs begin to grow numb. I yawn hugely as I shuck off my shoes. My eyes begin to close and I fall onto the bed, on the covers, next to her.


    Sleep embraces me almost at once. The glimmer of the light off the gun, the sound of ss breaking¡­ The adrenaline fills my blood as I throw myself on top of her. I know I¡¯m dreaming, but it feels so real. I twist my body to break her fall, then flip her over and throw my body over hers. My heart ms into my ribcage and the blood thuds at my pulse points. Che cazzo! If anything happens to her, I¡¯ll never forgive myself.


    I told myself we¡¯d leave in five minutes. But I allowed myself to be pulled into a discussion with my brothers. Why did I allow my work to take precedence? The lure of my dream was within reach. I knew it was a turning point. I never truly thought I¡¯d be able to move away from the Cosa Nostra business and into something I¡¯ve always wanted to pursue. And I allowed my thirst for power to take control. I thought it wouldn¡¯t matter if I stayed a few more minutes before leaving; before taking my wife home to consummate our marriage.


    What kind of a man am I, who isn¡¯t able to protect his woman? I¡¯ve faced bullets, and been in the middle of gun fights before¡­ but never when my heart was at the center of it. Never when I had so much to lose. Never when the one thing more important to me than my own life had been under threat.


    Wait. Hold on. Where is thising from? I married her to fulfill my promise to Nonna¡­ Right. Keep fooling yourself, you testa di cazzo! You¡¯ve always known it¡¯s more than that. You just didn¡¯t want to admit it. And now, here you are, on the verge of falling in love with her. Love. Ha, you¡¯re in love with her.


    Something ms into my arm. I grunt. White-hot pain slices through my body. Sweat pours down my temples. I nce down to find her features stained with blood. Her eyes are shut. Her body is still. No, no, no, it can¡¯t be.


    ¡°Seb!¡±


    Someone touches me, and I grab him and throw him down.


    ¡°Seb, stop!¡±


    ¡°Elsa.¡± My eyelids snap open. I stare down into blue eyes. Big blue eyes filled with pain, and something else, an emotion I can¡¯t ce. A tear hovers at the tip of her eysh. Her chest rises and falls. I look down to find I have my fingers wrapped around her throat. I release her and she gasps for air. The sunlight nts through the window and illuminates her features. The dark circles under her eyes lend her a fragile appearance.


    ¡°Cazzo, I¡¯m sorry Princess, so sorry. Did I hurt you?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    I touch her throat, trace the mark of my fingers on the skin. She draws in a breath.


    ¡°Do that again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I jerk my gaze to her face. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Do it again, Seb,¡± she says in a low voice. ¡°Does it surprise you to hear me say that?¡±


    I search her features. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I say honestly.


    ¡°I told you, I have a craving to be dominated. The harder you give it to me, the more I want it.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing to me right now.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t I?¡± She ces her hand on my crotch.


    A growl rumbles up my throat.


    She traces the thick column in my pants, and wraps her fingers around the tented fabric. She squeezes and acute pleasure zings up my spine. The wound in my bicep throbs in tandem with the pulse that beats at my temples.


    ¡°Is this what you want, Princess?¡± My voicees out harsh, ¡°Is it? Tell me, Elsa, that you want me to dominate you.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she nods.


    ¡°Tell me that you want me to break you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She swallows. ¡°I want you to break me.¡±


    ¡°Tell me that you want me to make you submit, to break you apart and piece you back together in a form that reflects ourbined passions.¡±


    ¡°I want you to break me apart and piece me back together in a form that reflects your deepest, dirtiest, filthiest fantasies.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I push back from her, get off the bed and point to the floor in front of me. ¡°Get on the floor, on your hands and knees.¡±

 283

    Elsa


    I hesitate. I pushed him to do this. I asked for this. I knew that once he took on the role of my Dom, he would take his responsibilities seriously. He wouldn¡¯t stop until he¡¯d made me his in every way. And I¡­ I¡¯m not going to make it easy for him.


    ¡°The simple act of paying attention can take you a long way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He blinks.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Keanu Reeves quote-¡±


    His lips twitch, before he firms them. ¡°Don¡¯t ever mention another man when you are with me, you understand?¡±


    I scowl.


    ¡°Do you, Princess?¡± His voice lowers to a hush. A shiver runs down my spine. Oh, my god, when he uses that tone, I can¡¯t deny him¡­ but I am going to try. I back away from him on the bed, toward the other side.


    His forehead furrows. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± I reach the end of the bed, then throw my legs over the side and stand. My knees support me, at least, so there¡¯s that. He watches me as I take a step back, and another.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± His voice is soft, but underlying it is something dangerous. A shudder grips me. Ohmigod, ohmigod, am I actually going to do this?


    ¡°Did you hear what I told you earlier?¡±


    I shake my head. His gaze widens. ¡°You dare sass me?¡± A growl rumbles up his chest. The sound is so hot, so sexy, so dominant.


    OMG, my pussy clenches. Moisture beads between my thighs. I begin to lean toward him, then stop myself. I want to be bad, so he¡¯ll discipline me and give me time-outs and talk to me in a stern voice and spank me. Yet, I also want to hold my own against him, just for a little while, so he realizes that he¡¯s not going to be able to just walk all over me. I know I¡¯m going to submit to him eventually, but surely, I can make him work for it?


    ¡°Princess,e back here.¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°Do as you¡¯re told.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes life imitates art. It¡¯s uh, another Keanu Reeves quote, just in case you were wondering.¡±


    His nostrils re. ¡°Now you¡¯ve done it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I pretend to blow on my nails and rub them on my upper arm. Because I don¡¯t have my shirt on. Guess he took it offst night before he put me to bed. Oh wow, he put me to bed. And not that he hasn¡¯t seen me without clothes on before, but how did I not wake up when he did that? How did I sleep through the act of him stripping me?


    ¡°Go.¡± He jerks his chin toward the door.


    I blink. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Run, Princess. I¡¯ll give you a head start.¡±


    ¡°Eh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wasting precious time. You broke the very first order I gave you. When I catch you, I¡¯m going to spank you so hard, you won¡¯t be able to sit down without feeling my palm print on your ass.¡±


    Heat mes in my lower belly and spreads to my extremities.


    He takes a step forward. I gasp. My nipples tighten and my breasts hurt. Adrenalineces my blood. I have this sensation of being hunted by a predator, and it¡¯s both scary and thrilling, and it shouldn¡¯t turn me on. But oh, god, it does. He¡¯s going to catch me, I have no doubt, but I can, at least, try to evade him for as long as possible, right?


    He bares his teeth. I shiver. He stalks around the bed. I turn and take off out the door, down the corridor, then down the stairs. I take the steps two at a time, then reach thending. I hear his footsteps behind me, and my pulse rate ratchets up. I pivot, careen past the living room, and into the kitchen. I round the ind and head toward the pantry at the far end. I twist the handle open and step inside. I shut the door behind me and slide back until I¡¯m flush with the wall. The scent of cinnamon and spices fills my senses. It reminds me of his scent¡­ and strangely, thatforts me. My heartbeat slows down. I wrap my arms around myself, and stare at the crack of light in the space between the doors.


    I hear the heavy tread of his footsteps approach. The rhythm of his gait tells me he¡¯s in no hurry. The footsteps stop, then start again. Theye closer, closer. I stiffen, and hold my breath. The crack of light cuts out as he passes in front of the pantry door. I hear him round the ind again and head toward the exit. Then I don¡¯t hear him anymore.


    Wait, what? Is he leaving without opening the pantry door? Did he miss me? It¡¯s not possible, is it? Could I have beaten him at his own game? The tension leaks out of my muscles, and I sag against the wall. In the silence, time stands still. When it feels like I¡¯ve waited long enough, I slowly push the pantry door open. I peek outside, and as far as I can tell, there¡¯s no one in the kitchen. I wait for a few seconds more, then slip out.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    I hear his voice a second before his heavy hand descends upon my shoulder. I scream, twist my body, and slip from his grasp. I jump forward, but he¡¯s too fast. He grabs me around the waist and hauls me to him.


    A giggle breaks free, even as heat flushes my chest. Fear twists my belly, and a sliver of anticipation zings under my skin. ¡°Let me go,¡± I pant.


    ¡°No.¡± He swings me around so I face his chest. He took the time to change into a fresh T-shirt and sweatpants beforeing to look for me? Guess he wasn¡¯t kidding when he said he¡¯d give me a head start.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson,¡± he growls.


    ¡°You keep saying that.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to wonder if you mean-¡± I yelp as he lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder. My hair falls down over my face, and my nose bumps into his back. I draw in a lungful of Seb and my head spins. I grab at that trim butt of his-to steady myself, of course- and whoa, now I know what they mean by buns of steel. Seriously, this man has not an inch of fat anywhere on him. I dig my fingers into said buns of steel, and that¡¯s when his palm connects with my backside. A zing of fire sears up my spine. I scream, ¡°What the hell, you asshole!¡±


    ¡°Language.¡± His voice rumbles up his chest, and via our connection, up my lower belly. My thighs clench, then I gasp as he ps me on the left cheek, then on the right, and the left, and the right.


    ¡°Let me go, let me go!¡± I squirm in his hold, then cry out when he brings his palm down on the space where my arse meets my upper thighs. Who¡¯d have thought that was such an erogenous zone in my body? But it clearly is, for when he ps me there again, my pussy clenches. My toes curl. ¡°Oh, god,¡± I groan, ¡°oh, my god!¡±


    He stops spanking me long enough to close the distance to the ind.


    He grabs my waist and lowers me to the countertop. I barely have time to wince at the contact of my inmed flesh with the smooth, cold surface when he shoves his bulk between my thighs.


    ¡°Will you ever mention another man¡¯s name when you are in my bed?¡±


    I purse my lips.


    ¡°Will you, Princess?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    I jut out my chin and raise my gaze to his in time to see his lips twitch.


    ¡°This is not a joke, you jerk-face.¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. And I shouldn¡¯t be jealous of an actor-a man you¡¯ve never met, and probably never will-but I can¡¯t bear to hear you speak of another man.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? You¡¯re jealous of Keanu?¡±


    Color flushes his cheeks, then he nts his big palms on either side of me. ¡°You seem to have a crush on him.¡±


    ¡°Only because he says the most profound things.¡±


    ¡°Right. He¡¯s an actor, a creation of the media, an image honed to life from his movies; you know that, right?¡±


    ¡°You are jealous of him.¡± My lips curve into a smile. ¡°Aww, so cute. You know, I only quote him because I find what he says quirky.¡±


    ¡°Like I care,¡± Seb grumbles. He pushes his face into mine so our eyshes entangle. ¡°Why can¡¯t I stay angry with you for long, even though you refuse to obey mymands?¡±


    ¡°Because you have a thing for me?¡±


    ¡°I have a thang for you, all right.¡± He closes the distance between us so the bulge in his sweatpants stabs into my weeping core¡­ Yes, exactly there. Oh, god. A whine bleeds from my lips. His nostrils re. ¡°Your fictional crush can¡¯t do that to you, can he?¡±


    ¡°Seb,¡± I plead, ¡°please, Seb.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Princess? Tell me.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I want your cock inside me, your fingers in my mouth, in my arse, wherever you want to take me.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡± He smirks.


    ¡°Anything you want, Seb. Anything.¡±


    He holds my gaze for a second longer, then releases me. He leans back. ¡°No,¡± he says in a cold tone.


    ¡°Wha¡­ what do you mean, no?¡±


    He pushes away from me, then grasps my waist and lowers me to the floor. ¡°On your knees, Princess.¡±


    I sway closer to him and he puts more distance between us. ¡°Get on your knees.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, and the hair on the nape of my neck rises.


    Only when my knees hit the floor do I realize I¡¯ve obeyed him. I push aside the pain from the impact and peer up at him.


    ¡°On all fours,¡± he orders.


    I lower my palms to the floor. The ring on my left hand thunks when my fingers connect with the wood. OMG, I¡¯m married to him. I. Am. Married. To this guy who is bent on breaking me down. I asked him to make me submit to him, so why do I feel so confused about it? Is it because I¡¯m not used to showing this wanton part of myself to anyone except strangers? Only, he¡¯s not a stranger anymore. He¡¯s my husband.


    ¡°Now, stay there.¡± He walks over to the refrigerator, pulls out eggs, milk, cheese, then ces them on the kitchen counter before reaching for a skillet.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I snap.


    ¡°Making breakfast.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to stay here?¡±


    ¡°Right. As you are, baby.¡± He busies himself at the counter. I hear the sound of the whisk clinking against the bowl. Guess he must be beating up the eggs. Then the light whoomp as he lights the me under the skillet. Within minutes, he has a bialetti on the me for espresso, bread in the toaster, and I hear the sound of the egg mixture hitting the skillet. A few more minutes and he pours himself a cup of espresso, tes the omelet, and the toast, brings everything to the ind, and draws up the stool nearest to me. He sips the espresso, then bnces the cup and saucer on my back.


    He¡¯s using me as a table. He expects me to stay still and allow him to use me as needed. An inanimate object, in this case. It¡¯s demeaning and a ssic lesson in subjugation and I, surely, can¡¯t find it arousing. Can I? He reaches for the cup of espresso, takes another sip, then ces it back on the saucer on my back. The sound of cutlery hitting the te reaches me, and the scent of the food almost drives me out of my mind. My stomach rumbles and the backs of my thighs and butt feel like they¡¯re on fire. The weight of the cup and saucer on my back is a reminder that he expects me to obey him. Anger twists my guts, even as heat flushes my skin. He reaches down and holds out a piece of omelet on a fork to my mouth.


    The scent is delicious, but I turn my head away. ¡°How long are you going to make me stay like this?¡± I snarl.


    ¡°Until you¡¯ve learned your lesson. Eat now,¡± he orders.


    I stare at the food, then open my mouth. He pops the piece of omelet between my lips. I chew on it, swallow, then eat the next mouthful of food he feeds me. He continues to feed me until my hunger is assuaged. He takes the cup of espresso and holds it to my lips. Since I can¡¯t tilt my head back, I slurp from the surface. The strong taste of the brew revives me. He lets me have another sip, then brings it to his mouth.


    I start to straighten, but he ces his big palm on the small of my back. He applies enough pressure that I have no choice but to stay down. He removes the saucer from my back, and I hear it clink on the counter. Then, he slides off of the stool and stands in front of me. Wide feet, tidy nails, the edges of his sweatpants that brush his ankles. My belly quivers, my core contracts, a-n-d it¡¯s official¡­ I have a foot fetish, and a butt fetish, and a cock fetish-when ites to this man.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he drawls.


    ¡°Like I want to sink my teeth in your skin and bite you,¡± I snap back.


    ¡°So damn spirited.¡± There¡¯s a note of wonder in his voice. He crouches down then grips the hair at the back of my head and tugs. I have no choice but to tip up my chin.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking beautiful, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Let me up and I¡¯ll show you just how beautiful I can be,¡± I spit out.


    Heughs, then releases me and straightens, only to walk around to stand behind me.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I nce over my shoulder to find he¡¯s studying my backside. He bends his knees and crouches behind me, then massages the curve of my arse. Pinpricks of awareness dot my skin. ¡°Seb please,¡± I groan as he runs his fingers over my skin and between my legs. He ys with my pussy lips, and a whine bleeds from my lips.


    ¡°So fucking wet.¡± He brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks on them. ¡°So sweet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, god.¡± I lower my head and squeeze my eyes shut. Pleasure convulses up my spine. My toes curl. So annoying that I find everything he does to me such a turn on.


    He runs his fingers down the seam of my pussy, and my entire body jolts. He slides a finger inside my sopping wet channel, then adds another. A moan wells up my throat, and I bite the inside of my cheek. I will not plead with him. Will not. If I do, he¡¯s bound to say something stupid like I haven¡¯t learned my lesson yet, or something simr. I flex my fingers into the floorboards and push out my butt, trying to chase that sensation of having his fingers inside me.


    He chuckles, then begins to weave his fingers in and out of me. Each time he thrusts his digits inside, a shudder grips me. My clit feels swollen, and I try to squeeze my thighs together.


    He clicks his tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t move, Princess.¡±


    He increases the intensity of his movements, adds a third finger, and a fourth. I am so full, so stretched, yet I know having his cock inside me would be so much more satisfying. He curves his fingers inside me and a trembling grips me. My skin feels too tight for my body. My scalp tingles, and heat zings out from my core. I arch my back, knowing I¡¯m close. So close. I angle my butt, trying to hold his fingers inside of me, trying to plug that emptiness that yawns at my center. The climax threatens, and I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting¡­ waiting¡­ He pulls his fingers out.


    ¡°What the-! Why did you-?¡± I snap my eyelids open.


    ¡°Consider it a reward for doing as I told you.¡± He pats my bottom, knowing full-well how sensitive my skin is, then walks around to stand in front of me.


    He holds out his hand. ¡°Up, Princess.¡±


    I grab his hand and lift to my knees, then nce up at him, take in the T-shirt that molds those cut abs, the t stomach that tapers down to the waistband of his sweatpants. The tent at his crotch, now at eye-level. My mouth waters as I mentally prepare for what I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to demand next.


    Instead, he hauls me to my feet, then scoops me up in his arms, bride style. Which is appropriate, considering we were married yesterday. So, he¡¯s as affected as me, but it doesn¡¯t seem to bother him that he¡¯s denying himself. I touch the bandage on his arm. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°A little, but it¡¯s fading already.¡±


    ¡°So now what?¡± I lean my head back against his shoulder.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to take care of you.¡±

 284

    Seb


    I carry her up the stairs, back to my room, then inside the bathroom. I ce her on her feet and study her closely. A rosy hue tints her chest and her face. I can¡¯t take my gaze off of her creamy breasts, the perky nipples that jut out¡­ My fingers tingle, and I can¡¯t stop myself from cupping her breast. Her breath catches. I lower my mouth to suck on a nipple. I bite down on it, and she gasps. I lick her nipple, and a moan spills from her lips.


    ¡°Seb, oh, Seb,¡± she whines, and all the blood empties to my groin.


    I turn my head to suckle on her other nipple. I pull on it, tug it inside my mouth, and swirl my tongue around the swollen peak. She buries her fingers in my hair, yanks at the strands, and a shudder runs down my spine. My cock strains against my briefs, begging to be let out. Che cazzo, what the hell is wrong with me? I need to take care of her first. I release her nipple with a pop and straighten.


    ¡°Why did you stop?¡± she whines.


    ¡°Because I promised to take care of you, didn¡¯t I?¡± I walk over to the sink, and pull out the drawer beside the sink. Pulling out a tube of salve, I turn to her. ¡°Bend over.¡± I jerk my chin toward the counter.


    She shoots me a nce.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to make sure I soothe the hurt I inflicted on you.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± She presses her lips together. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s going to refuse me, but she turns and props her elbows on the counter. Thank fuck. She¡¯s naked as the day she was born, the thrust of her gorgeous butt a creamy highway leading down to the promisednd. I trace my finger down the valley between her butt-cheeks and she shivers. Goosebumps spring up on her skin. This woman is so damn responsive.


    My wife. My submissive. She¡¯s mine to do with as I want. A hot sensation stabs at my chest. Possessiveness? Selfishness. If only I could hide her away from the world and keep her all to myself. If only I could protect her from the evils lurking out there. The enemies I have made over the years who¡¯ll waste no time ining after her once they find out what she means to me. I need to keep her safe.


    What happenedst night-actually, this morning? I can never allow it to touch her again. Even if it means I need to guard her day and night. I bend and kiss the curve of her hips. She shudders. Straightening, I squeeze some of the salve onto my fingers and apply it over the reddened skin of her behind.


    She sighs, then lowers her head so her hair flows about her shoulders.


    ¡°How does it feel?¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Good,¡± she says in a breathy voice.


    ¡°You sound surprised,¡± I reply.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have a gentle touch.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know much about me, do you?¡±


    She turns to survey me over her shoulder. ¡°Less than you know about me, for sure.¡±


    I cap the salve, and set it aside. ¡°Why don¡¯t you freshen up and get dressed?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She straightens. ¡°Are we going out somewhere?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe to leave the house. At least, not until we catch whoever shot at us.¡±


    ¡°Aww¡­¡± Her lips turn down. ¡°It would be nice to get out of the house. You have so many bodyguards. Surely they¡¯d be able to protect us?¡±


    ¡°All of the guards in the world couldn¡¯t stop them from getting to us yesterday,¡± I remind her.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to change your way of life? You¡¯re going to show them they managed to throw a scare into you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true, and you know it.¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Then show it.¡± She draws herself up to her full five-foot, four-inch height, which means she¡¯s at eye level with my heart.


    She already has my heart. Cazzo, when did I fall for her? The feelings crept up on me and I didn¡¯t notice. I take a step back.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing. You¡¯re my sub. You¡¯re trying to be bratty, poking at me, trying to undermine me, trying to test me and my masculinity.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She flutters her eyshes. ¡°You¡¯re the big, bad Mafia guy. I am but your obedient little wife.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I snort. ¡°I understand why you do it, though.¡±


    ¡°Do you, now?¡±


    I nod. ¡°It turns you on to challenge my authority. You ache to get a reaction out of me, and it¡¯smunicating your desire to y. You get off on testing my limits. You adore it when I rise to the asion and punish you. You can¡¯t wait for me to im mastery over you. The dynamic makes you aware of your sexuality. It reaffirms that you¡¯re attractive, the center of my attention. You love the interest and the cerebral connection thates with the mind y. The feelings it conjures up keep you aroused all day. The words, the orders, the reprimands, the harshmands, the audacity with which I tell you to turn your body over to me so I can treat you like an object, a thing that is made to pleasure me, a ve whose only goal in life is to service me¡­ No one else can speak to you like this. You¡¯d never allow anyone else to have such ess to your mind, your body, your heart-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± she whispers, ¡°stop Seb.¡±


    ¡°If I touch you now, I¡¯ll find you even wetter than before, won¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Her chin trembles.


    ¡°Yes, Master,¡± I correct her.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Master.¡± She bows her head, and in that moment, I fall for her even more. This gorgeous, strong woman who has been through so much, who¡¯d do anything for the well-being of her daughter, who put her trust in me when she asked me to be her Dom, who agreed to marry me because she was confident that I could help her¡­ She lowers her gaze to the floor in front of me.


    Does she have any idea just how much she has ensnared me? And it¡¯s not only about her looks or her sexy little body¡­ It¡¯s her spirit, her ability to roll with the punches ande out on top. It¡¯s her little quirks, especially her proclivity to quote from that infernal actor whose name I shall not mention. All of it makes her even more attractive.


    And how can I refuse what she wants?


    ¡°Okay.¡± I jerk my chin.


    ¡°Eh?¡± She peers up at me from under her eyshes. ¡°What do you mean, okay?¡±


    ¡°You want to go out, we¡¯ll go out.¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s too dangerous?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± I raise a shoulder, ¡°but you¡¯re right. Now is the time to show we¡¯re not afraid. Whoever shot at us wanted to scare us. If we stay inside, we¡¯re allowing them to control us. It¡¯s time we take a stand instead.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so you¡¯re actually agreeing I was right?¡±


    ¡°When you are, I have no problem epting it.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think your ego would allow that.¡± Sheughs.


    ¡°I¡¯m a Sovrano. Of course I have an ego, but that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t back down when I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    ¡°Macho, dominant, and reasonable?¡± She shakes her head. ¡°You¡¯re almost too good to be true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all of those, and also, if we stay here talking, I¡¯m going to bend you over again. And this time, I¡¯m going to bury myself inside you. And then, I won¡¯t be able to stop myself until I¡¯ve had you over and over again.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a great idea.¡± Her eyes light up.


    ¡°No, you wanted to go out, and we¡¯re going out.¡±


    Her breathing grows erratic, and a shiver runs down her body. ¡°Why is it, everything you say turns me on?¡±


    I raise my gaze to the ceiling. ¡°Now, she admits it.¡± Turning her around, I point her in the direction of her bedroom. ¡°Go on, get dressed. I¡¯ll meet you downstairs when you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Half an hourter, I open the door of my Maserati, and usher her inside. I walk around and slide into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°It¡¯s still too cold to drive with the top down, bute summer, I promise you¡¯re in for a treat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is already a treat.¡± She nces around the interior of the car with wide eyes. She runs her hand down the leather of the seat, across the console, and cazzo, I swear I can feel her touch on my skin. My cock thickens, and heat flushes my chest. I turn on the ignition, then back the car out of the garage and onto the driveway.


    I drive out onto the road, and wave to Antonio, Michael¡¯s bodyguard who¡¯s been assigned to protect us. Michael, of course, has an entire team in ce to protect him and Karma. He slides into his car, and is apanied by another of our men. Behind him, another car starts up, with two more of our men.


    ¡°So, they¡¯re going to follow us wherever we go?¡± She turns to me. ¡°Where are we going, anyway?¡±


    ¡°To a ce where they have the best pasta, the best gto, and the best espresso on the Amalfi coast.¡±


    ¡°You Italians measure everything in terms of food, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What else is there to life, besides the three F¡¯s-food, fucking, and family?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she says dryly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t agree?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to disagree with it,¡± she admits as I guide the car down the road, and through the streets of Palermo. Another ten minutes and I swing onto the road taking us back toward the coast. I step on the elerator, then turn to find her watching me. ¡°What?¡± I smirk. ¡°Admiring the view?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say yes, and add to your already inted opinion of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Just admit it; you find me irresistible. You can¡¯t resist my charms. It¡¯s why you married me, after all.¡±


    She snorts. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡± She fiddles with the dials on the console, and strains of Pini fill the space.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± She straightens. ¡°Opera? I¡¯d never have guessed, but then, even on a day off, you are dressed in a suit, so I suppose it fits the entire Mafioso persona.¡±


    I nce down at myself, then raise a shoulder. ¡°This is how I always dress.¡±


    ¡°But today¡¯s a day off. You could¡¯ve worn jeans and a T-shirt.¡±


    ¡°I do own jeans and a T-shirt.¡± I scowl at her.


    ¡°When was thest time you wore them?¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± I navigate a turn, then stare at the road, considering her observation. ¡°I did dress casually,¡± I point out.


    ¡°You¡¯re wearing a suit, Seb. That¡¯s not casual.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t wear a tie.¡±


    She snorts. ¡°Are you serious?¡± She peers at my features. ¡°You are serious. OMG.¡± She waves a hand toward her knee length skirt and blouse, which she has paired with a sweater. ¡°Now, what I¡¯m wearing is casual.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention sexy.¡±


    She reddens a little. ¡°Thanks, I guess,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°You could wear a sack and I¡¯d still find it sexy,¡± I admit.


    ¡°And I find your suit beyond sexy.¡± She twists her fingers together in front of herself. ¡°Look at us-a mutual admiration society.¡±


    ¡°Nothing wrong with being attracted to your spouse,¡± I say in a mild voice. And since when have I be the voice of reason? Somehow, she seems to bring out the worst, and the best, parts of me. When I¡¯m with her, I can¡¯t predict anymore how I¡¯m going to behave¡­ And it¡¯s both exhrating, and a little bit annoying. But in a good way.


    I suspect, many years down the road, I could be driving with her and she still won¡¯t bore me. Is this what they mean by falling in love? Love. Love? Stop that! I shake my head. She¡¯s not really your wife. She¡¯s someone you married to fulfill your promise to Nonna. But somehow, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the truth anymore. The more time I spend with her, the more I¡¯m digging myself into this hole from which there is no escape. I¡¯mpletely falling for her, and I haven¡¯t even fulfilled my promise to her of making her submit to me first.


    ¡°Riding a motorcycle is like being a puppy,¡± she exims.


    I turn to her. ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blink. ¡°No, wait. Let me guess-another of your quotes from The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.¡±


    ¡°Good guess. Thought I needed to say something to break the silence.¡± Her lips kick up. ¡°You have to admit, it¡¯s rather effective.¡±


    ¡°I hate to admit it, but it even fit the asion.¡± I shake my head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I said that.¡±


    ¡°Yay,¡± she cheers, then fist-pumps. ¡°You¡¯re getting into the mood. I promise you that The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has a quote to fit every asion.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± I press my lips together. ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re going to pepper all of your conversations liberally with his quotes.¡±


    ¡°Where would the fun be in that?¡± She swipes her hair over her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s effective because I choose the asion of usage. If I dropped quotes too often, they would lose their potency.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s losing its potency is the idea of this trip. We should have stayed back at the house where I could have fucked you like a proper Italian husband on the first morning of our married life together.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I made you a promise, and I intend to keep it.¡±


    ¡°A promise?¡± Her forehead scrunches. ¡°You mean-¡±


    ¡°I promised that I¡¯d make you submit to mepletely, and I intend to do that first.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯d deprive yourself and me because I asked you to be my Dom?¡±


    ¡°I take my role very seriously, I¡¯ll have you know.¡± I turn off the main road and onto an unpaved drive.


    ¡°Yes, but you can be both. You can be my Dom and my husband.¡±


    ¡°First your Dom, then your husband.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand what the difference is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± I bring the car to a halt at the point where the road gives way to a grassy slope. At the very edge is a small structure perched on a ledge, and beyond that, a view of the ocean.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± she whispers. ¡°What is this ce?¡±

 285

    Elsa


    ¡°This is my favorite ce in the entire world,¡± he replies as he leads me toward the gorgeous white-washed structure.


    Turns out, it¡¯s a Michelin-star restaurant. It has only three tables, and all three were reserved by Seb.


    ¡°When did you arrange all this?¡± I nce away from the breathtaking view and turn my gaze to another breathtaking view-that of his square jaw, his hooked nose, those strong eyebrows, and below that, those golden-brown eyes, which sparkle at me. The sun pours in through the window, picking out flecks of gold in his hair, as well. He seems to absorb the heat and radiate it out, his skin almost sparkling in this light. He seems so muchrger-than-life, so perfect. I can¡¯t bear to take my gaze off of him.


    ¡°While you were in the shower,¡± he says without ncing up from the menu. ¡°And you¡¯re doing it again.¡±


    ¡°Doing what?¡±


    ¡°Staring at me.¡±


    ¡°How do you know? You¡¯re not even looking at me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t need to look at you to know what you¡¯re doing, or what you¡¯re thinking, for that matter.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I lean back in my chair. ¡°What am I thinking of now?¡±


    ¡°That you want to pour chocte over my face and lick me up.¡±


    ¡°What the-¡± I gape. ¡°How did you?¡±


    He nces up from his perusal of the menu and smirks at me. Whoa, that¡¯s so hot. Why does this bad boy persona of his turn me on so much? I cross my legs, and no, it has nothing to do with the slow throbbing that¡¯s red to life in my core.


    His nostrils re, and he looks so pleased with himself. Damn him, but he knows exactly what he¡¯s doing to me.


    ¡°The other two tables are empty. You could have invited the bodyguards to eat with us,¡± I point out.


    ¡°Then who will protect us?¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll make them starve while we eat?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    He looks askance. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s a problem.¡±


    ¡°If something were to happen to you¡­ Now that would be a problem.¡±


    I fold my hands in myp. ¡°I know you want them to do their job and protect us, but it feels weird to be eating when they are starving out there in the cold.¡±


    He stares at me. ¡°You¡¯re too soft.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah.¡± I scoff. ¡°I¡¯m a mother, after all. Besides,¡± I bite the inside of my cheek, ¡°sometimes we get so caught up in our daily lives, we forget to take the time out to enjoy the beauty in life.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, that¡¯s another quote by The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Iugh. ¡°You¡¯re getting into the spirit of things.¡±


    ¡°The only way I agreed to bring you out today is if our security stood on guard the entire time.¡±


    ¡°If they are inside the restaurant, surely, they could do a better job of protecting us?¡±


    He looks like he is about to protest, then shakes his head. ¡°No winning this battle with you, is there?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you are not going to eat unless I invite them in?¡±


    My lips twitch. ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°In which case, I¡¯d better take care of my appetizer before I ask them in.¡±


    Something in the way he says it, I know he doesn¡¯t mean food.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± I clear my throat. ¡°What do you want for your appetizer?¡±


    ¡°You know what, Princess.¡± He leans back in his seat. ¡°Get your ass up on the table.¡± He pushes away the ce-setting and pats the space in front of him.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I nce around the space.


    ¡°No one¡¯s watching us.¡±


    ¡°Someone might walk in on us.¡±


    ¡°No one wille in, not unless I ask them to,¡± he says with confidence. ¡°Do it, Princess.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush and my nerve-endings crackle. Damn, but when he uses his Dom voice, there¡¯s not much I can refuse him, is there? I slip off the chair, round the table and walk toward him. Ie to a halt in front of him, and he holds out his palm.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Give me your panties.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± My mouth drops open. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up my panties.¡±


    He res at me, my belly flip-flops, and my knees tremble. I reach under my skirt and push my panties down. Stepping out of them, I hand them over to him. He pockets them, nces at the table, then back at me.


    I firm my lips. I want to deny him, want to tell him no, but I can¡¯t stop myself from leaning in his direction. He ces his hands on my waist, and before I can protest, he¡¯s heaved me up and onto the table in front of him. I part my legs, and he pulls me forward so my butt is perched at the edge of the table. He leans forward, flips up the hem of my skirt, then pushes his face into my pussy and inhales deeply.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± A shiver runs down my spine. My head spins. His action is so primal, so filthy, and yet, so apt.


    ¡°H-how do I smell?¡± I gulp.


    ¡°Like you are mine.¡± He bites down on my clit and I cry out.


    He ces his palm t on my sternum and applies pressure. I lean back until my spine hits the table.


    The heat of his breath sinks into my core and my channel spasms.


    ¡°Oh, god, Seb. Oh, my god.¡± I grab at his hair, but he knocks my arm to the side.


    ¡°Hold onto the table,¡± hemands.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± he rumbles against my heated center, and the vibrations pool in my lower belly. My brain cells seem to melt, even as my blood seems to catch fire. I lower my hands to the side, and grip the edge of the table. That¡¯s when he slides his big palms under my arse cheeks and squeezes. Fire seems to zing out from where he¡¯s touching my already abraded skin.


    I can¡¯t stop the moan that bubbles up my throat.


    He blows lightly on my core and the contrast between that and the colder air of the room almost sends me out of my head.


    I tilt my pelvis up, chasing the inevitable intrusion of his tongue¡­ I want it, I need it. Now. Right now.


    He chuckles lightly, and I want to be mad at him for enjoying my difort, but then he grips my arse cheeks, pulls me even closer, bends his head, and licks his way up my seam.


    ¡°Jesus,¡± I cry out as he curls his tongue around my swollen nub, then once more,ves me from my back hole to clit.


    My back curves, my body jolts, and a whine spills from me. He repeats the action again and again. He circles my clit once more, then stabs his tongue inside my pussy. I squeeze my eyes shut, then groan as he shoves his tongue in and out of me, in and out. I bring my legs up or try to, for he releases my butt cheeks, only to squeeze my inner thighs and hold them apart, as he continues to eat me out. He throws my legs over his shoulders, then slides his palms up under my blouse. He cups my tits and squeezes them as he curls his tongue inside my channel. Thebination almost sends me over the edge. Tremors screech up from my feet, up my thighs, then curl in my belly. And once again, he pulls back.


    My climax hovers on a knife¡¯s edge, then retreats.


    I snap open my eyelids.


    He releases me and sits back, as Iy there panting. I manage to train my gaze on him, to find he¡¯s watching me closely. He wipes the back of his palm across his glistening mouth, then leans over and pulls my skirt down.


    ¡°You stopped again,¡± I say through gritted teeth. ¡°I was so close. So close.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± He curls his fingers around my wrists and tugs, so I sit up.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good,¡± I snarl. ¡°It¡¯s bloody frustrating, is what it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn to deal with it.¡±


    ¡°The only thing I want to learn is how to get inside that head of yours. If this is your so-called training, then it¡¯s bullshit. You hear me? This is all an excuse not to fuck me. I¡¯m beginning to wonder if you even like girls, you-¡±


    I squeak as he rises to his feet. He nts his hands on either side of me on the table, then thrusts his face into mine. ¡°One more word out of you, and I¡¯ll turn you over, and take your ass right now.¡±


    I tip up my chin so my mouth is poised right below his. ¡°I dare you to.¡±


    What am I doing? Why am I challenging him, knowing it might goad him into doing something I may not like? Or like too much, maybe. He brings out the brat in me. He makes me want to chip away at his control, until he snaps and shows me that dominating side of him. Oh, Seb is always restrained, but it¡¯s that sadistic part of him, the one that¡¯s so close to the surface that I can all but taste every time I lick him, it¡¯s that part I want to reveal. So, I scoff in his face. ¡°Thought so.¡± I ce my hand over the bulge in his crotch and squeeze.


    His nostrils re, and the skin around his eyes tightens. The tips of his ears turn white. No, I swear they do. I know, because I¡¯m watching him very closely. I note every change in his expression with great interest, and no small amount of trepidation, to be honest. What would happen if I did push him over the precipice? What would happen if he finally let go of that control which has him bringing me to an almost-climax every time, only to pull back, despite the fact that he is also turned on, and painfully so?


    He ces his hand over mine, and kneads hard. I gasp as the column in his pants seems to lengthen further. He massages himself with his hand on mine, sliding our joined-up grips up and down the bulge. I don¡¯t take my gaze off of his, and marvel as the golden sparks in his eyes seem to catch fire. It¡¯s so hot, so erotic. Heat flushes my skin and a bead of sweat trickles down my spine. He seems to grow impossibly bigger, the hard length of him stabbing into my palm.


    The emptiness in my core grows and writhes, wanting more, so much more. I wriggle around, trying to squeeze my inner muscles together.


    He ps his other palm on the nape of my neck, and squeezes down, holding me in ce, even as he continues to get himself off with our joined palms. Hepresses his hold with such force that my hand begins to ache. The pressure builds in my lower belly. The hardness at his crotch continues to swell and push up against my fingers. It¡¯s incredibly erotic, knowing I have the most sensitive part of him in the palm of my hand. He leans in even closer, until our noses bump, until we share breath, until his lips brush mine. He stares into my eyes as his movements get more frantic. Until his thickness feels so stiff that I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to tear through the fabric of his pants. That¡¯s when he pulls my hand away from his crotch. He removes his palm from my neck. He grabs my waist, lowers me to the floor between him and the table, then he flips me over, and pushes me down so my cheek is stered to the hard surface.

 286

    Seb


    I flip up her skirt, and the creamy globes of her ass are bared to my gaze. So damn tempting. Before I can stop myself, I bend and bite the curve of her ass cheek.


    She gasps, then writhes around. Her butt twitches. I straighten, and massage the bite marks on her ass.


    ¡°You¡¯re so fucking tempting,¡± I growl. I hadn¡¯t meant to lose my control, but when she insulted my masculinity, she knew exactly what she was doing. When she touched my raging arousal through my pants, I was a goner.


    ¡°You manipted me.¡± I lean over and ce my mouth next to her ear. ¡°You pushed and prodded at my control, knowing if you pressed the right buttons, you¡¯d get a reaction from me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she taunts.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± I close my teeth around her ear lobe and tug. She moans. I suck on it, then release it, only to drag my tongue around the shell of her ear. Her entire body jerks.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she gasps, her voice breathless.


    ¡°Making you pay for what you did.¡±


    I reach over, grab the bottle of olive oil on the table, then straighten.


    ¡°Why do you need that?¡± She gulps.


    ¡°Why do you think?¡±


    She tries to rise up, but I press down on her back. ¡°Stay there,¡± I order.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t wanna,¡± she pouts.


    ¡°Not giving you a choice, Princess.¡± I remove the cork of the bottle with my teeth, and spit it aside. Then I dribble the oil over the valley between her ass cheeks.


    ¡°Seb, please,¡± she gasps. ¡°Seb¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡± I re at her face.


    She nces at me from the corner of her eye.


    ¡°Do you?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Then keep your mouth closed, or I¡¯ll do it for you.¡±


    She huffs, but doesn¡¯t reply. She juts out her lower lip, and Dio Santo, I want to fit my mouth on hers and bite down on it.


    Holding her gaze, I slide my fingers down the valley between her ass cheeks. She shivers. I y with her puckered hole, and she squeezes her eyes shut.


    ¡°Oh, my god,¡± she moans.


    I slide one finger inside her back hole, then another. I hook my fingers and she wheezes. Her breathes in little pants, her forehead scrunches up. She ps her palm on the table, then slides it over to grab at the edge.


    ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s different,¡± she pants.


    ¡°No shit.¡±


    I reach down with my other hand, unhook my belt, then lower my zipper. The rasping sound fills the space and her eyelids flutter.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Is it going to hurt?¡± she huffs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will,¡± I promise.


    She snaps her eyelids open.


    I chuckle. ¡°Just kidding.¡±


    She scowls at me. ¡°Very funny.¡±


    ¡°It may hurt initially,¡± I exin, ¡°but if you rx, it should fade away, and I promise, the orgasm that follows will be intense.¡±


    ¡°So you keep saying. Yet you¡¯ve never let mee.¡±


    ¡°Ideally, I wouldn¡¯t let youe now, either.¡±


    ¡°Why you-¡± She rears up, but I press down on her back once more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± I warn as I pull out my fingers, then fit myself to the entrance of her back channel. ¡°Ready, Princess?¡±


    ¡°What do you think, you smirking jerkalope, you-¡±


    I angle my hips and thrust into her.


    She gasps, then bites down on her lower lip.


    I give her time to adjust to my size. I bring my hand around to y with her clit and she parts her legs wider. She thrusts out her hips, and I slip in another centimeter.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± I croon. ¡°Let me in, Princess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ you¡¯re too big,¡± she groans.


    ¡°You can take it.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say. You¡¯re not the one with a monster cock up your arsehole.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°Doesn¡¯t The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named have a phrase to fit the asion?¡±


    ¡°He bloody well does.¡± She scowls up at me from under her eyshes.


    ¡°What is it? Are you going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to distract me?¡±


    ¡°Am I seeding?¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Almost¡­¡±


    I ease in a little more and push through her ring of muscles. Both of us groan. ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re so damn tight, Princess. You¡¯re fucking killing me here.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t open your heart to people, you end up being excluded from the rest of the world,¡± she mumbles under her breath.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo, it turns me on when you say those quotes, you know that?¡± My cock throbs, and my balls tighten. The blood rushes to my groin and I have to draw in a breath, then another. I grip her hips as I impale her.


    ¡°Oh, god, Seb,¡± she whimpers as I grind my pelvis against the softness of her butt. I pull back, then thrust forward. My balls p against her flesh. She contracts around me and a groan rumbles up my chest.


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± I squeeze her hips as I begin to move-pull back, then lunge forward. The entire table shakes. Her body moves forward with the impact.


    ¡°Seb,¡± she cries out. Her entire body jolts. ¡°Oh, god, I¡¯m going to-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± I growl. ¡°Don¡¯t you daree, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± she whines. ¡°Please, please, please.¡±


    Her thigh muscles spasm as I pull back, then brace my booted feet on the ground, before I plunge forward again. A bead of sweat slides down my temple as I m into her. I hit a spot deep inside her, and she opens her mouth in a wordless cry. A trembling grips her. Her spine curves. She pulls back her shoulders, and that¡¯s when I lean forward and ce my cheek against hers.


    ¡°Come for me, baby. Come right now.¡±


    Her entire body tenses, then she shudders as her inner walls constrict around my shaft, and she shatters. I continue to move in and out of her as the aftershocks grip her. My balls draw up, and I groan as I empty myself inside her. I lower my body to hers, ce my cheek against hers, as my orgasm seems to go on and on. When it finally fades away, I open my eyes and straighten, only to find her still, her breathing almost steady.


    ¡°Princess¡­¡± I drag my mouth against her lips. ¡°You awake?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She flutters her eyes open. Her pupils are dted, so there¡¯s only a ring of blue left around the ck.


    I pull out of her, and she winces.


    ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±


    She shakes her head, her features still wearing a dazed expression. I reach for a napkin from the table and clean myself before tucking myself back in. Then I fold the napkin and run it between her legs.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She tries to straighten, but I hold her down. ¡°Hush, let me clean you up, baby.¡±


    Iplete the job, toss the napkin aside, then flip down her skirt. I reach over, take her hand, and pull her up to standing, then turn her to face me. She sways and I righten her. ¡°You okay?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡± Her eyes are clearer.


    I pull out her panties, then squat down and hold them out. She steps into them and I pull them up her legs, pushing her skirt out of the way. I settle them over her hips, then smooth her skirt down over her legs.


    ¡°I¡¯m clean,¡± she murmurs. ¡°I can show you the paperwork.¡±


    ¡°Me, too.¡± I tuck a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. ¡°I also know you¡¯re on the pill. Not that it matters this time, but for the future.¡±


    ¡°How do you-¡°?¡± She frowns, then her forehead clears. ¡°You had me checked out?¡±


    ¡°It would have been careless of me if I hadn¡¯t before I proposed to you.¡±


    She pales, then squares her shoulders. ¡°And?¡± She firms her lips. ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°Nothing you haven¡¯t already told me.¡± If I hadn¡¯t been watching her closely, I might not have noticed her shoulders rx. Is she hiding something from me?


    She tips up her chin and glowers at me. ¡°Naturally, there¡¯s nothing else you could have found; because I told you everything.¡±


    Was that too emphatic a statement? Something prickles the edges of my subconscious mind, but I push it away. This is Elsa. There¡¯s no way she could be lying to me. Most likely, she¡¯s unnerved that I had her checked out, which is understandable.


    ¡°I know you have,¡± I interject. ¡°And the only reason I brought up the pill is because, while I¡¯ve always used condoms in the past, I¡¯d rather not with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± She blinks rapidly. ¡°Okay, then.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? No arguing with me on this?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°If all it takes to quiet you is to feed you my dick, I would¡¯ve done it a long time ago.¡±


    She flushes, then brushes past me.


    I catch her wrist. ¡°Hey,¡± I murmur, ¡°that¡¯s a joke.¡±


    She hesitates, then nods. ¡°I know.¡±


    I pull her to me, then wrap my arm around her. ¡°Are you really okay? I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡±


    ¡°It was ufortable in the beginning, but you were right. Once I got past that, it was like nothing I¡¯ve ever experienced before. It probably didn¡¯t hurt that you didn¡¯t let mee thest few times.¡± She shuffles her feet.


    ¡°If it¡¯s any constion, that was the most intense orgasm I¡¯ve ever had, as well.¡± I cup her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s going to getplicated between us, you know that, right?¡±


    She blows out a breath. ¡°I know,¡± she whispers. She holds my gaze for a few seconds more, then drops it. ¡°Uh, I need to go to the bathroom and clean up a little, before eating.¡±


    ¡°So do I.¡± I grab the soiled napkins, lead her toward thedies¡¯ room, then walk into the gents¡¯ to wash up. I walk out a few secondster, turn toward the table, then hesitate. I lean a shoulder against the wall and pull out my phone as I wait for her.


    There¡¯s a message from Michael. ¡°This trip had better be worth it.¡±


    I wince. The title of Don has never fit anyone better. Even if he hadn¡¯t been born the oldest, he was made for this life. As was Luca. Then there¡¯s Massimo, who¡¯s never wanted anything else. Xander was the artist¡­ If he had lived, I¡¯ve no doubt, he¡¯d have broken quite a few of the Mafia rules. Both with his profession and his sexuality. Axel came close to separating himself from the Mafia, considering he¡¯s Xander and Christian¡¯s triplet, who was not only united with uster, but also turned out to be an undercover cop-now retired. Christian¡­ Well, he seems content with the life, and now he¡¯s married, so he¡¯s not going to take any risks. Also, he¡¯s loyal to Michael. Which leaves Adrian who, while easygoing, should not be underestimated. Although, so far, he hasn¡¯t ever said he wants something other than the Mafia life. And me? This opportunity with JJ Kane and Trinity enterprises is the closest I¡¯vee to realizing my ambition of making a life beyond the Mafia tradition.


    Which still leaves me now married, with a wife and a kid to care for. Cazzo, how did things change so quickly?


    The door to thedies¡¯ room opens and Elsa steps out. I straighten, and she seems surprised to see me. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to wait for me. I could have found my own way back to the table, you know.¡±


    ¡°Not when you¡¯re with me.¡±


    She flushes, her expression somewhere between being delighted and surprised. I escort her back to the table just as the men file in.


    Antonio nods in my direction, then they take their seats at diagonal ends of the restaurant, near the windows. That way, they can keep track of what¡¯s happening outside, as well.


    As if it¡¯s a signal, the owner bustles in with baskets of bread. He nces between us. ¡°Ready to order?¡±

 287

    Elsa


    ¡°That was delicious.¡± I pat my mouth with my napkin. ¡°The pasta was incredible, and the gto was to-die-for.¡±


    ¡°And you ate your pasta in the right way, too.¡± Seb smirks.


    ¡°You seem surprised.¡± I raise an eyebrow.


    ¡°You¡¯d be amazed at the number of people who get it wrong,¡± he scoffs.


    ¡°My mother taught me never to use a knife to cut pasta. She made it clear it must be eaten with a fork. The strands need to be rolled around the tines before being scooped up.¡±


    ¡°Your mom was right.¡± His lips kick up. ¡°Are your parents in London?¡±


    ¡°My mother is; my father died when I was very young.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°It was a long time ago.¡± I ce the napkin on the table. ¡°My mother loved cooking all kinds of food, but especially Italian food. Probably because it was the easiest to make, considering she had to work and bring me up all on her own.¡±


    ¡°What does she do now?¡±


    ¡°She still teaches, a lot of it volunteer based work with kids. I don¡¯t think she will stop working until the day she dies.¡±


    ¡°You miss her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± I lower my gaze. ¡°She¡¯s a great mom. We didn¡¯t have much money, but she made sure we had enough to eat. Supported me when I wanted to learn music. She encouraged me to pursue my interest in ying the piano.¡±


    ¡°Were you good?¡± He raises the wine goblet filled with water to his lips.


    ¡°Better than average. If I¡¯d kept at it, perhaps I could¡¯ve be a performer, but then¡­ I met Fabio when I was eighteen, got married at neen, and was pregnant at twenty-one. My mother warned me about him, you know.¡± I twist my fingers in myp. ¡°I didn¡¯t listen to her. I thought she was jealous that I¡¯d met a man who would take care of me. When I got pregnant, she was there for me. I never told her how abusive Fabio could be toward me, but she guessed. She told me to leave him. No, she begged me to leave him, actually. But I didn¡¯t. I thought I could make it work.¡±


    I raise my hand to the small scar on my wrist, then realize what I¡¯m doing. I drop it, but not before he notices it.


    ¡°He did that to you?¡± Seb¡¯s voice is soft, but there is an underlying steel to it that makes me flinch. ¡°Answer me, Princess. Did he do that?¡±


    ¡°It was nothing; just a small scratch. It healed quickly.¡±


    ¡°What did he do?¡± His gaze narrows on me.


    I wave my hand. ¡°Seriously, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°It does to me.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°What did that carogna do?¡±


    I hesitate.


    ¡°You will tell me.¡± He leaves no room for disagreement, and my belly quivers. A melting sensation assaults my chest, and I feel like I am sinking. When he uses that Dom tone, I cannot refuse him.


    ¡°He-¡± I gulp. ¡°He pushed me away, and I hit the side of the table.¡±


    Seb winces. The color drains from his features. His jaw tics and storm clouds gather in his eyes. ¡°He scarred you. Heid his hand on you.¡± His shoulders bunch.


    ¡°You have scars, too.¡± I touch the puckered skin at his temple.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing. My scar is a fallout of my chosen way of life, something I expect in my profession. You, on the other hand, were innocent. He should have protected you. Instead, he hurt you. I¡¯m going to kill the bastardo.¡±


    Is he angry on my behalf? When was thest time anyone was angry on my behalf? The band around my chest tightens, and the pressure behind my eyes increases. But Avery¡­ I have to think of Avery.


    ¡°He¡¯s still the father of my child. I¡¯m not saying that to justify anything, but he¡¯s her blood. I can¡¯t let anything happen to him, knowing how much it could affect her,¡± I say in a low voice.


    The skin at the edges of his eyes tightens, and his grip on his goblet of water tightens.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°promise me you¡¯ll spare his life.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± His forearms flex. The stem of the wine-goblet breaks, and the remaining water sshes on the table.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I lean back in my chair as the goblet part of the ss rolls over and crashes to the floor.


    I reach for a towel and try to mop up the water on the table, but Seb ces his hand on mine, stopping me. ¡°I can¡¯t promise not to teach him a lesson, but¡­¡± he blows out a breath, ¡°I¡¯ll spare his life.¡±


    I jerk my chin in his direction.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry he hurt you, Princess,¡± he says in a gentler voice. ¡°You know I¡¯d never hurt you like that, right?¡±


    I nce away, and his grasp on my hand tightens. ¡°Look at me, Elsa.¡±


    I turn my gaze in his direction.


    ¡°Tell me you believe me when I say that I¡¯ll nevery a hand on you.¡±


    I peer between those gorgeous golden eyes of his. ¡°I don¡¯t believe-¡±


    His forehead crinkles in a frown.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°That I¡¯ll ever have thatint with you, Seb.¡±


    His shoulder muscles unwind a little, but he seems far from satisfied.


    ¡°The scenes I set for us, when I¡¯m your Dom and I ask you to do things that a sub should do¡­ I make you perform those actions because I know you need it. I understand that you want to give up your choice to me, of your own volition. I¡¯m aware that, by doing that, you let go of your tensions and stresses, and rxpletely into the safe space that I¡¯m creating for you. You understand that I won¡¯t judge you. That I¡¯ll always be there for you after a scene, to take care of you. That if anytime, anything makes it ufortable for you, you simply have to use your safe word and I¡¯ll stop. You get me?¡±


    I nod. Something hot stabs at my chest, and my throat feels scratchy. A pressure builds behind my eyes, and I blink away the tears that are on the verge of spilling. Damn it, why does he have to be so understanding, so self-assured, and yet, so caring? How can one man have all of the traits I¡¯ve been looking for, for so long? The one man I am going to destroy before too long. Why do I have to feel so much for him? Why is it that he couldn¡¯t be horrible, someone I would have loved to hate? Why did he turn out to be the kind of person I¡¯m falling in love with instead?


    ¡°Elsa?¡± he prompts. ¡°You understand what I¡¯m saying, right?¡±


    I nod. ¡°I do. I know you¡¯ll never hurt me or my daughter. I know you¡¯ll do everything to make sure I get custody of her. You¡¯re going to be a wonderful husband, Seb.¡±


    Just not mine. When you find out what I¡¯ve been doing to you, when you find out how I¡¯ve been double-crossing you, you¡¯re going to hate me. And then¡­ You¡¯ll never want to see me again. But I had no choice. I hope you¡¯ll understand, I¡¯m doing what I¡¯m doing because it¡¯s the only way to keep my daughter safe.


    He peers into my features and the furrow between his eyebrows deepens. ¡°Why do I get the feeling there¡¯s something here you¡¯re not telling me?¡±


    ¡°There is, actually.¡± I lower my eyshes, before I raise them back to his face.


    ¡°There is?¡± He leans forward. ¡°Tell me, Princess. You can tell me anything; you know that, right?¡±


    I open my mouth, and god, I¡¯m so tempted to tell him everything. Everything. ¡°I¡¯m worried about Fabio.¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°How do you know he¡¯s not the one who arranged to shoot at us at the restaurant? Either way, he¡¯s not going to be happy that we¡¯re married. There¡¯s no telling what he might do next.¡±


    Seb firms his lips. ¡°He¡¯ll have to get past me to hurt you, and I promise you, that¡¯s not going to happen.¡±


    ¡°What if he hurts you? If something were to happen to you-¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen to me.¡± He cups my cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me to keep us both safe?¡±


    I search his features, take in the intent that shines in his eyes. I want to believe him; I do. If anyone can ward off the threat posed by Fabio, it¡¯s Seb. Besides, there¡¯s no way Fabio would actually try to hurt him, would he? Not when he¡¯s sent me to Seb to get more information on his family. A shiver snakes up my spine.


    ¡°Seb, I¡­¡±


    He tilts his head, a quizzical look on his features.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m thirsty,¡± I nce away then back at him. ¡°You promised me the best espresso on the Amalfi coast.¡±


    As if on cue, Francesco, the owner and chef bustles in with cups of espresso.


    Seb draws in a breath and studies me. ¡°This conversation is not over, Princess,¡± he says in a soft voice, but when I pull my hand out from under his, he releases it. Thank god.


    Francesco ces a tray in front of me, which has the espresso and a small shot ss filled with a clear liquid, as well as a ss of water. He¡¯s ced a simr tray in front of Seb, minus the shot ss.


    When he¡¯s taken his leave, I eye the contents of my tray. ¡°I take it that¡¯s grappa?¡± I point at the shot ss.


    ¡°You¡¯re meant to pour it into the espresso and then drink it,¡± Seb exins.


    ¡°Alcohol and caffeine. Trust you Italians to think of something this explosive.¡± Iugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that unusual. The carajillo in Spain is a simr type of coffee-liquor drink, as well as the kaffekask and kaffepunch in Scandinavia. Thisbination is called a caffe corretto.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not having any?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m driving.¡± Seb reaches over and pours the contents of the shot ss into my espresso. ¡°Go on; try it.¡±


    I pick up my espresso cup and take a sip. The bitterness of the espresso is tempered by the grappa, which lends it a sharp, clean taste. All in all, it doesn¡¯t taste too alcoholic, but more like an intense, if concentrated, coffee.


    ¡°Well?¡± he arches an eyebrow. Bet he expects me to say I don¡¯t like it.


    I firm my lips. The liquid is not too hot. The temperature is just right to down it in a shot. I hesitate then raise my cup. ¡°Salute!¡± I drain the rest of the grappa-espressobination, then sputter and cough as tears run down my cheeks.


    Seb chuckles. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to savor it over a few sips, not toss it back.¡±


    He hands me the ss of water, and I drink from it. A trail of heat runs down my gullet and expands in my stomach, filling me with a nice warmth.


    ¡°Mmm.¡± I smack my lips. ¡°I can definitely see the merits of that. Do you think he¡¯d bring me more, if I ask him?¡±


    ¡°More than that will get you drunk, and I need you in full control of your faculties for what I have nnedter.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°If I tell you, it won¡¯t be a surprise.¡±


    Elsa


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s gorgeous.¡± I gaze up at the mosaic that takes up an entire wall of the ancient Vi Romana in Piazza Armerina, a small town a few hours¡¯ drive from the restaurant.


    When he said he wanted to surprise me, this was not what I expected. We finished lunch, and two of the men exited the restaurant first and scanned the surroundings to make sure that it was safe before we walked to his car. We drove along the gorgeous coastline. Once more, he switched on the music in the car- more Pini, then Aida by Verdi. The haunting music faded away, to be reced by the strains of a very familiar tune.


    ¡°No, wait.¡± I straightened. ¡°Is that¡­ It can¡¯t be, is it?¡±


    Music from Joy Division¡¯s Love Will Tear Us Apart filled the space.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± I listened to it for a few minutes, then turned to him. ¡°You know what you¡¯re ying, right?¡±


    He shot me a nce, as if to say, ¡®are you really asking me that question?¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s Joy Division,¡± I supplied.


    He nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± He frowned.


    ¡°You like this song?¡±


    ¡°I am ying it,¡± he reminded me. ¡°I assume the song is of some significance to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kea- I mean, it¡¯s the favorite song of The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named.¡±


    ¡°Of course it is.¡± He threw me a sideways nce, as if he wasn¡¯t quite sure what to make of my reaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re ying it, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s part of a collection I put together,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°It¡¯s an eclectic collection,¡± I remarked.


    ¡°I¡¯m an eclectic man.¡±


    ¡°More like a hardheaded, over-the-top, dominant, full-of-himself alphahole.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡± He snorted.


    ¡°Love Will Tear Us Apart.¡± I shook my head again. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    ¡°Why do I get the feeling I¡¯ve passed some kind of test?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± I flushed. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect you to y it, is all.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and I could have something inmon?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± I lied. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± he slowed down, then took the turn leading us to Piazza Armerina, which is how we got here.


    Now, I turn to face him. ¡°This ce is unexpected.¡± I gesture to the vibrant colors on the walls. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been transported into a different dimension.¡±


    ¡°I know the feeling. There¡¯s so much history around here, it¡¯s like we¡¯ve entered a different world, for sure. For those of us who grew up here, sometimes we take it for granted. It¡¯s like you drive through Rome ande across the Colosseum, then turn a corner and find another ruin built in 312 AD. And this ce,¡± he gestures to the ancient walls, ¡°was built sometime in fourth century AD. Can you imagine all the history this ce has seen? All the events it has witnessed? The people who have walked through this hall before us?¡±


    He turns to find me staring at him.


    ¡°What?¡± He tilts his head.


    ¡°You love history, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± He rubs the back of his neck. ¡°I grew up with it. It¡¯s a part of me. It¡¯s in me, I suppose.¡± He nces about the space. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about it, but you¡¯re right. The sense of timelessness in ces like this grounds me, I guess. Makes me feel like anything is possible.¡± Heughs a little self-consciously.

 288

    I walk over to him andce my fingers with his. ¡°That was almost poetic.¡±


    ¡°More like intellectual masturbation, but then, you like men who are introspective, I take it. Those who are in touch with their emotions and all that shit.¡±


    I try to pull away from him, but he doesn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you like The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like him, you know,¡± I say, more to throw him off bnce than anything else.


    He looks askance. ¡°Me? Nah.¡±


    ¡°No, really. That¡¯s what I thought the first time I saw you-that you¡¯re hot, and sexy, and bear more than a passing resemnce to him.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m hot and sexy?¡± His lips curl in a smirk.


    Of course, he pretends he didn¡¯t hear thest part of what I said.


    ¡°Forget I said that; it¡¯s only going to swell your already Texas-sized head.¡±


    Heughs. ¡°You say the most random things.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve been told.¡± I nce around the space. ¡°Are you going to take me to see the frescoes?¡±


    After admiring the ancient paintings in the next room, we leave the spectacr, dome-shaped building, and drive down the hill on which it¡¯s located. We pass through the old town, and back onto the road that curves through the mountainside, with the blue waters of the sea crashing on the shores not far below. The ride takes my breath away. He follows the winding route up another hill and toward a structure that was built overlooking the waves below.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He escorts me from the car, pausing only to pull a pic basket out of the boot before guiding me to the gorgeous, white-washed bungalow with pink and white bougainvillea trees flowering around it.


    The two cars with the security detail drive up and park at opposite ends of the circr driveway.


    When I ask Seb about the basket, he exins that Francesco put it together. He guides me to the door of the bungalow, which is opened by a man who introduces himself as the caretaker. He wees us inside, then leaves the house. Seb leads me through the luxurious, yetfortably-furnished rooms, then up the stairs and to a sheltered patio on the upper floor. I take one look at the view and gasp. The old town is stretched out below us. Beyond that, the translucent waters of the harbor are encircled by the curving hill with homes built into it. The sky is dotted with clouds that already blush with the setting sun.


    I turn to find he¡¯sid out a thick nket. On it, is a bottle of proso chilling in a bucket, with two proso flutes next to it. There¡¯s a te of cheese, another with pickled artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and olives, and a third with tbreads.


    ¡°This is quite the spread,¡± I murmur as I walk over to him.


    He nces up from cing a bowl of figs, grapes and walnuts, and another with what seems like some kind of jam, next to the tbreads.


    ¡°It¡¯s a snack.¡± He pats the rug next to him. ¡°Sit with me, Princess.¡±


    I step out of my shoes, then sink down beside him and ce my handbag next to me. He puts his arm around me and draws me close. I rest my head on his shoulder, and let the silence wash over me. It¡¯s hard to believe we are less than half an hour away from the town center we left behind, and only a few hours out of Palermo.


    He pulls me closer and I sink into that wall-like chest. I draw in a breath, and the brine of the sea,ced with the darker, edgier scent of him, teases my nostrils.


    ¡°You like being in the Mafia?¡± I bite my tongue almost as soon as the words are out. What kind of a question is that, anyway?


    To his credit, he doesn¡¯t seem offended. ¡°It¡¯s the only life I know,¡± he admits. ¡°Michael and I were close growing up. He had a lot of responsibilities thrust on him from a very young age. I¡¯m the closest in age to him, so I understood how it felt to try to protect our brothers from the wrath of our father.¡±


    I nce up at him. ¡°Your father¡­ Was he-¡±


    ¡°He was a bastard.¡± Seb stares into the distance. ¡°My mother was his mistress. When she passed, he took us in. Any gratefulness I felt toward him dissipated when I realized he was an abusive motherfucker. His wife-Michael and Luca¡¯s mother-was too weak to stand up to him. Michael, being the oldest of us, took the brunt of his beatings, until he grew physically strong enough to defend himself. He tried to protect us from our father¡¯s wrath, but he wasn¡¯t always around. When he turned eighteen, he went to LA to study. In the period of time before we went to join him, our father had free reign. He took out his anger at having Michael escape him by beating up me and Luca, who were the next in age.¡±


    ¡°You and Adrian are half-brothers to the rest of the Sovranos?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re half-brothers to Michael and Luca; Christian, Axel, and Xander are half-brothers to all of us. They had a different mother from Michael and Luca¡¯s mother, and from my and Adrian¡¯s mother.¡±


    I widen my gaze. ¡°Your father sure did get around, eh?¡±


    ¡°Bastardo couldn¡¯t keep it in his pants,¡± Seb agrees.


    ¡°So, you and Michael seem to share a special rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m the older sibling, and so is he. We didn¡¯t realize that Christian, Axel and Xander shared a different mother until very recently. Luca always had a chip on his shoulder for not being born as the older son. He¡¯s always wanted to be Don, for as long as I can remember.¡±


    ¡°And now you¡¯re handing over your title as Capo to him.¡±


    ¡°Michael should have made him Capo when he took over as Don from our father. I never really wanted the title.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as someone who¡¯s selfless.¡± My forehead furrows.


    ¡°Oh, trust me, there¡¯s nothing particrly selfless about this. My aim has always been to look beyond the Mafia, to bring us into the next century, so to speak.¡±


    ¡°Hence, the venture into media and tech?¡± I interject.


    ¡°You were listening in on our conversation?¡± He doesn¡¯t seem upset about it.


    ¡°Hard not to listen, considering you guys were talking right in front of me.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think of it?¡±


    ¡°Of what?¡± I blink.


    ¡°Of my heading up Trinity Enterprises with the Kane Company and the Bratva, and starting a media venture of my own.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± I sit up. ¡°You want my opinion?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my wife. Of course, I want your opinion.¡±


    I nce down to where my hand rests on his chest. The ring he gave me catches the sun¡¯s rays.


    Did Fabio ask my opinion on anything? No, he¡¯d been a typical Italian male, or so I¡¯d thought. Right from the start, he told me he expected me to be a stay-at-home wife to take care of our child and make sure there was a hot dinner waiting for him when he came home. It had been a one-way conversation, that one. No wonder it came as a shock when he discovered my other proclivities.


    And now, here¡¯s Seb. Also an Italian male. And a Mafia guy, at that. I guess I expected him to be simr. Even though our marriage is only an arrangement, on some level, I thought he¡¯d have the same expectations. At every turn, though, he surprises me. He¡¯s shown himself to be far from the chauvinist I pegged him for. Oh sure, he¡¯s dominant and has a big ego, but he¡¯s also fair and sensitive to my needs. And now, he¡¯s asking for my opinion on a possible career shift?


    I shake my head. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re for real?¡±


    Heughs. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Forget it.¡± I nce away.


    ¡°No, tell me.¡± He notches his knuckles under my chin and tilts my head in his direction. ¡°I want to know.¡± In a firm voice, he adds, ¡°No secrets, Princess. What was that about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so dominant, and yet, you¡¯re surprisingly¡­ considerate,¡± I finally say.


    ¡°Because I asked your opinion on something?¡±


    ¡°Not something. This is a big deal for you, Seb. I get it. You¡¯ve probably spent a lot of time trying to work out how to make this parallel move, so to speak. And you have the opportunity now, but you ask me for my opinion on it.¡± I shake my head. ¡°It¡¯s mind boggling.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my life-partner. It shouldn¡¯t surprise you that I ask you to weigh in on changes I¡¯m thinking of making that could affect not only the two of us, but also our daughter.¡±


    I know I¡¯m gaping at him, but I can¡¯t stop myself. ¡°Are you always this thoughtful? This is a chance for you to pursue your dream career, but you¡¯re still thinking of how it would impact me and my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Our daughter,¡± he corrects me. ¡°Why are you so surprised? You should know by now, I¡¯ll always do what¡¯s best for the two of you, I-¡±


    I throw my arms around him. Honestly, I surprise even myself with the intensity with which I cling to him. ¡°You are incredible, you know that?¡± I bury my nose in the space between his neck and his shoulder. I draw in a huge lungful of his scent, and hold my breath. I¡¯ll never get tired of how good it feels to be stered to him, to push my breasts into his rock-hard chest, and cling to him.


    He rubs my back and it¡¯s both soothing and arousing. That¡¯s the thing. That¡¯s what¡¯s different with this guy. Right from the beginning, I¡¯ve inherently trusted him. I feel safe with him. For the first time since Avery was born, it doesn¡¯t feel like the ground below my feet is unsteady. I feel reassured, like I can finally look forward to the future with some level of confidence. Like I can breathe. Like I¡¯m not slowly getting strangled under the weight of my worries. And yet¡­ I¡¯m going to betray him. I shouldn¡¯t feel this secure with him when, ultimately, it¡¯s not his actions but my own which are going to secure a future for my daughter and myself, right? Tell him, tell him now. Tell him everything and ask him to help you. And what guarantee do you have that he won¡¯t turn on you then? What if he gets upset that you¡¯ve kept the truth from him this far? What if he decides to walk away from you? Then you¡¯ll have lost your one chance to ensure Avery is safe. I nce up into his face to find him staring down at me. I reach up and press my lips to his. He doesn¡¯t move, doesn¡¯t blink, doesn¡¯t return the kiss. He simply stays still as I dart my tongue inside his mouth. I swipe my tongue over his teeth, and a groan rumbles up his chest.


    His chest nes flex, and bam-bam-bam, I feel his heart rate ratchet up. That only emboldens me more. I wind my arms around his neck, tilt my head and deepen the kiss. I suck on his tongue, and begin to grind myself on the thick column between his legs.


    Another growl vibrates up his throat. Then he cups my butt and squeezes. A shudder runs up my spine. A pulse res to life between my legs and I squeeze my thighs around his waist. I try to kiss him even more thoroughly. That¡¯s when he flips me over so my back is on the rug, and his weight presses down on me. Without breaking the kiss, he stares into my eyes, then unhooks my arms from around his neck, twists my arms up and above my head, and shackles my wrists together with one hand. He slides the other hand between us and I hear the sound of his belt being unbuckled, his zipper being lowered. He shoves my panties aside, and the next moment, he¡¯s inside of me.


    One second, I¡¯m empty. The next, he¡¯s filling me, stretching me, as his thickness scrapes against my inner walls. He¡¯s so big, so deep inside that I swear, I can feel every single ridge of his cock. He stays there for a second, even as his shaft throbs inside of me. He tears his lips from mine, and without taking his gaze off of me, he pulls out. He stays there, poised at my opening, with his dick nudging my slit. Then he lunges forward with enough force that my entire body jolts. He stays there, with his balls pressed against my inner thighs, before he begins to move. Out and in and out again. Every time he fucks me, I move up the rug a little. There¡¯s a muffled thud as something hits the ground next to us, the proso bottle, probably, but neither of us nce away. He doesn¡¯t take his gaze off of mine for a second. Those golden-brown eyes of his are aze with so much emotion. So much everything. My throat closes, and a tear squeezes out from the corner of my eye. He bends, licks it up, and for some reason, that¡¯s so erotic and so intimate, I can¡¯t stop more tears from streaming.


    He pulls out, then lunges forward with such force that he hits that special spot deep inside of me. I lock my ankles around his waist and he brings his hand down to cup my face. He peers into my eyes as he slides his thumb inside my mouth. At the same time, he drills into me again, and he goes so deep, I swear, I can feel him in my throat. Another sob wells up, even as the climax swells from our point of contact. It shudders up my spine as he ms into me again and again. The orgasm rips through me and I gasp. A cry wells up. He closes his mouth over mine, and swallows it, even as he continues to fuck me through the climax. My entire body shudders, my core clenches down around his dick. He brings his hand down to squeeze my nipple as he thrusts forward and inside me. I tilt my hips up trying to take him in even deeper. That¡¯s when his muscles go solid. His shoulders shudder, as he growls andes inside me.

 289

    Seb


    My orgasm seems to go on and on. The cherry scent of her, mixed with the sweetness of her arousal, surrounds me. Her thick blonde hair flows about her, a heavenly cloud. The honeyed heat of her pussy is so sweet, so tight, as she flutters around my cock, as she mps down on my shaft and milks me until I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to ck out. Dark spots sh at the corners of my vision as I slump against her. The softness of her breasts cushion my chest, and her thighs wrap around me. At some point, I released her arms, and she winds them around my neck. She runs her fingers down my back and I can sense her touch through the shirt and jacket that I am wearing.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Take off your clothes,¡± she whispers, her voice muffled against my throat.


    ¡°All in good time.¡± I push up, holding my weight off of her with my arms nted on either side of her.


    I nce into her flushed face, the trail of tears down her cheeks, the swollen lips, her hair tangled about her face, and I can¡¯t stop myself from bending and brushing my lips over hers again and again.


    ¡°You¡¯re so gorgeous, it hurts me.¡± I hear the words and can¡¯t believe I said them. Who is this lovestruck, pussy-whipped stronzo who can¡¯t keep his gaze, his lips, his hands off of this woman?


    ¡°Elsa,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°I¡­¡± I shake my head. Am I actually going to do this? Make myself sopletely vulnerable to another. I had loved my mother, at least, for the time I had known her. Other than Nonna, she¡¯s the only other person I¡¯ve felt protective about. Michael and Luca¡¯s mother? She had taken care of us, but she¡¯d had her hands full, trying to manage our father, and trying toe to grips with the fact that her husband had not only been unfaithful, but also expected her to take care of his children with his other women. Adrian and I had each other, of course. And the rest of the Sovranos are my family.


    But none of them belong to me aspletely as this woman. She needs me, and she touches that primal part of me I can¡¯t control around her. As her Dom, as her husband, and hopefully, as the father to her child, she demands of me the kinds of roles I hadn¡¯t thought I had in me to fulfill. Oh, I¡¯ve set scenes with other subs at the club, but none of them were mine. I¡¯ve never experienced the kind of intimacy I felt with her when I made love to her now. And that¡¯s what it was. It wasn¡¯t just fucking. It went beyond the carnal act of sex. There was so much emotion in the act when it was with her¡­ It makes my head spin.


    I push a strand of hair behind her ear, then kiss her on her lips again. ¡°Ti amo, Principessa.¡± When I try to pull away, she doesn¡¯t let me. She clings to me with her arms and her legs as she rains kisses on my mouth, my cheeks, my nose. She arches up, presses kisses over my eyelids.


    ¡°I love you, Seb. Please don¡¯t forget that. Whatever happens, promise me, you¡¯ll always remember me.¡±


    I frown. ¡°What do you mean? What could happen, Elsa? You-¡±


    She flexes her inner muscles around my cock, and instantly, ites to life inside her.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± I growl as I struggle toplete my train of thought. That¡¯s when she reaches up and kisses me. She thrusts her tongue in between my lips, presses herself even closer against me, if that were possible, and angles her hips as she slides up and down my dick.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± I say through gritted teeth, ¡°you¡¯re fucking killing me.¡±


    She makes a sound deep in her throat, and digs her heels into my back. Using it for leverage, she hauls herself up my dick which is, by now, fully erect inside of her.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo, woman, you¡¯re insatiable, you know that?¡± I pry her arms from around my neck and shove them up and over her head.


    A glint of satisfaction in her eyes makes me pause, but then she arches up and buries her teeth in the side of my neck and cazzo, I feel that all the way to the tip of my cock. I shackle her wrists together as I pull out, then piston my hips and thrust into her with such force that she yells. Her entire body jolts, her pupils dte, and she releases her hold on my neck, only totch onto my mouth again. I re into her baby blues, and see desperation¡­ and something else. Fear?


    I try to pull back, but she follows me, deepening the kiss as she tilts her hips so I slide even deeper inside her melting cunt. Liquid heat res in my veins. Something inside of me seems to detonate. My scalp tingles, my balls tighten, and every pore in my body seems to awaken as I thrust forward and into her again and again. I fuck her in earnest, until whatever I had seen in her eyes fades away, reced by lust. Then, even that disappears, and all that¡¯s left is my face reflected in her eyes, as she begins to flutter around me, as her flesh seems to melt even more, as her core epts all of me. Her spine bends, a shudder grips her, and she shatters as I empty myself inside her.


    When I rouse myself next, I push off of her, then pull out my handkerchief and clean between her legs. She protests half-heartedly, then watches as I clean myself up and pocket the handkerchief. I fix her panties, then her skirt, before I put myself in order. Then I pull her up against me, and reaching for the proso, pour out two sses. We toast each other silently, and sip from the bubbling frothy liquid. I feed her an olive; she feeds me some of the antipasto. We manage to make our way through most of the food while drinking the proso, as we watch the sun go down.


    As the shadows lengthen across the harbor, I wonder if the darkness in her eyes also grows more intense. But each time I want to ask her about it, I don¡¯t. Why spoil the evening? There¡¯ll be timeter. She¡¯s mine. Mine to protect. Mine to cherish. Mine to dominate and please. Mine to keep safe, along with her daughter.


    When the sun has dippedpletely under the horizon, we stay for a few more seconds watching the pink and purple colors that flood the clouds.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Fucking gorgeous,¡± I agree as I take in the y of light across her face.


    She nces up at me and her cheeks grow pink. ¡°I meant the sunset.¡± Her lips twitch.


    ¡°So did I.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°Liar,¡± she says lightly.


    ¡°Never.¡± I bend and kiss her again. That¡¯s when my phone begins to vibrate. I see Antonio¡¯s name on the screen before I answer it.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± I snap.


    ¡°Sorry, Seb. We need to be getting back home. Once it gets dark, it¡¯ll be more difficult to keep both of you safe. You know the drill,¡± he adds.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± I disconnect and pocket the phone.


    ¡°We need to get going?¡± she guesses.


    ¡°In a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safer if we get back before it gets too dark, right?¡± She begins to rise, but I hold her back.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? I promise, nothing will happen to you as long as you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me I¡¯m worried about; it¡¯s-¡± That¡¯s when I hear a whirring sound behind me. Before I can turn, something ms into my shoulder.

 290

    Elsa


    ¡°No,¡± I scream as Seb¡¯s gaze widens. His entire body shudders. I nce past him to find what looks like a drone hovering just beyond the parapet of the decking we¡¯re on. ¡°No, no, no.¡± I try to hold him up, but he¡¯s too heavy. He begins to slide down, and I manage to lower him to the rug on his side. I can just about hold his shoulder to stop him from being slumpedpletely.


    There¡¯s a surprised expression on his face as he takes in my features. ¡°I think I¡¯m hit,¡± he finally says in a calm voice.


    ¡°Seb.¡± Terror wells up. My stomach twists. I touch the back of his shoulder, and my fingerse away wet. At least it¡¯s the shoulder of his unhurt arm. I manage to sit up and lean over to find blood oozing from a wound in his shoulder. It¡¯s blotting the rug and spreading out. As I watch, more of the scarlet spills out. My head spins. My chest hurts. My pulse is beating so hard, I can hear the blood pumping in my ears.


    ¡°Seb, oh, my god, Seb,¡± I blubber as his eyelids flutter shut. His body twitches, then he slumps onto the rug. I hear voices yelling and footsteps running, and turn to find Antonio and the man who¡¯d gotten into the car with him bursting onto the deck.


    He nces at us, then at the drone that hovers beyond us. He pulls out his gun, and in response, lights flicker on the device. The drone makes that whirring noise again.


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± I throw myself over Seb as it fires. A man yells something-someone hits the floor. The sound of bullets fills the space. When it pauses, I hear the whirring sound again, a second before bullets pepper across the deck. I scream as I hold onto Seb, trying to cover him as best I can. There¡¯s the sound of more footsteps, more yelling, and more shots being fired. Then, silence. Bam-bam-bam. My heart ms against my rib cage. I hold onto Seb as tears slide down my cheeks. I stay that way for a few more seconds.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    When I nce up, the drone still hovers in the same ce. I scan the patio, then cry out when I find all four of the men whoprised our security detail, including Antonio, sprawled out on the floor. Blood pools under one of the men. The rest of them are so silent, surely, they must be dead. Are they dead? Seb. Oh, my god, Seb. I touch his face, which already feels cool to the touch. And he¡¯s pale, so pale. I hear the whirring sound, and once more, throw myself over him.


    ¡°No,¡± I yell at the drone. ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you kill him! You hear me? Not unless you kill me first, motherfucker!¡±


    The drone hovers there silently, then swings away and out of sight.


    ¡°Seb! Jesus! Help me, God. Please, please, please don¡¯t let him¡­ Don¡¯t let him die.¡± I sit back, tear off my jacket, bundle it, and press it against the wound. Help. I need help.


    I nce around, spot my handbag, and leap toward it. I pull out my phone, but it¡¯s dead. ¡°Fuuuck!¡± I yell. Why, oh, why did I forget to charge it? I throw it aside, then turn back to Seb. I pat around in his jacket pockets. Don¡¯t find anything. No, no, no. My stomach caves in on itself and bile bubbles up. I swallow it down, then reach for his pants pocket. There. My fingers brush the phone.


    I pull it out, but it¡¯s locked. Of course it¡¯s locked. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck,¡± I yell as I rise to my feet. My knees almost give way before I steady myself. I stumble over to Antonio, who¡¯s copsed on his front, check his jacket pockets, and find his phone. Locked. No, no, no, this can¡¯t be happening. Please, please, God, don¡¯t let anything happen to my Seb. Please let him survive this, and I¡¯ll confess everything to him. Everything. I promise. I check the pockets of the next guy; no phone. And the next; his phone is locked, too. I approach the fourth guy, who¡¯s body is twisted in such a way that I can¡¯t help but think he must be dead. The blood pooling under him has spread out even more. I don¡¯t have a choice. I step into his blood, then reach for his jacket pocket. Bingo. I pull out his phone. Please, please, please let this be unlocked. Please. I snap open the old-fashioned device¡­ Is it a burner phone? It¡¯s unlocked. Thank you, God! I reach for the keypad, and dial the only number I know from memory.


    Two hourster, I pace the floor of the waiting room in the hospital in Palermo. I called the number of the flower shop, hoping and praying someone would pick up. The first time, the call went to voice mail. Damn it, I wished I¡¯d memorized Theresa¡¯s mobile number, or knew the number of one of the Sovrano brothers, but I didn¡¯t. I tried the number of the shop again, and this time, Theresa picked up. I almost burst into tears as I exined what¡¯d happened. To Theresa¡¯s credit, she snapped to attention right away. She reassured me that I¡¯d done the right thing by calling her instead of directly calling the ambnce or the police-which, to be honest, hadn¡¯t even urred to me. I may have only just married into a Mafia family, but being married to Fabio had instilled a healthy distrust for the cops, andmon sense had told me that calling an ambnce service directly might not be wise, given the nature of the incident which had taken ce. Apparently, even though I¡¯d been dazed, some part of me had been thinking clearly.


    She took the details of my location and made me stay on the line while she called Axel and told him what had transpired.


    She came back on the call with me and told me someone would be with me very soon.


    Within seconds, Aurora called her on her cell phone, and she put Aurora on speaker.


    Aurora assured me she was already en route with Christian and some of the other Sovrano brothers in an air-ambnce. How they got hold of an air-ambnce so quickly, I have no idea. Maybe they have one on standby, given the nature of the business the brothers are in? Either way, Aurora walked me through some basic first-aid steps on how to keep the pressure on the wound to stem the flow of blood, while checking for his pulse-which had been sluggish. She then cut the call, with the promise they¡¯d be there very soon.


    Theresa stayed on the line with me, and fifteen minutester, I heard the whoomp-whoomp-whoomp of an approaching chopper.


    Within five minutes of that, Aurora and Christian burst onto the patio, along with two paramedics.


    Aurora and the paramedics took over. I watched numbly as they ced the oxygen mask over Seb, cut through his jacket, and kept the pressure steady as they loaded him onto a stretcher.


    Then I heard the sound of another chopper and realized one of them had the foresight to call for reinforcements.


    Massimo and Luca arrived with four more paramedics. Together, they worked in what seemed to be a well-rehearsed operation of patching up and loading the other guys onto the second chopper.


    Within fifteen minutes, we were all loaded up, and both choppers were on their way to the hospital.


    Less than an hour after I called Theresa, Seb and the other men were in surgery. By some miracle, all four of the guys, while injured, were breathing. As for Seb, the doctor had yet to tell us the extent of his injury.


    Theresa stayed with me. Thankfully, she¡¯d hired a temporary employee to take my ce while I was away.


    Now, I watch as she talks to Axel in one corner of the room.


    Massimo and Luca huddle together with Adrian and Christian in another corner.


    Aurora went into the operating theatre to assist the doctors.


    As for me? I can¡¯t get rid of the sight of Seb¡¯s face-the surprise in his eyes, followed by the realization that he¡¯d been hit-before he lost consciousness.


    I sink down into a seat from where I have a direct view of the door, and fold my fingers together. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve prayed this much in a long time¡­ Not since I went intobor with Avery, and then I¡¯d been in too much pain to remember to pray after a while. No, this time I am in possession of all of my faculties. I can¡¯t take my gaze off of the doorway.


    Someone presses a cup of something hot into my hands. The scent of coffee reaches me, and my stomach churns. I shake my head, and Theresa sits down next to me. ¡°Have a sip,¡± she urges me.


    I take a sip, and my stomach protests. ¡°No more.¡± I ce the cup on the table next to me.


    ¡°Drink some water, at least.¡± She uncaps a bottle and hands it to me. I sip from it and my stomach, thankfully, doesn¡¯t react to that. I take a few more sips, then hand it back to her.


    ¡°I got you some clothes.¡± She hands me a cloth bag.


    ¡°Clothes?¡±


    ¡°You need to change, Elsa.¡± She jerks her chin toward me. I nce down to find my blouse and skirt are stained with blood. His blood? My belly knots. Tears squeeze out from the corners of my eyes, and I wipe the back of my hand across my face.


    ¡°Come on, Elsa.¡± She rises and draws me up to my feet. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± She leads me through the waiting room to a door at the far end I hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Go on.¡± She pushes the door open, ces the cloth bag next to the sink, and guides me inside. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside. Call if you need anything.¡± The door shuts behind her.


    I nce at my face in the mirror, notice the droplets of blood across my cheek, and burst out crying.


    ¡°Elsa, are you okay?¡± Theresa knocks on the door. ¡°Do you need me toe in.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I say through my sobs, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± I turn on the tap, scoop some water in my hands, and ssh it on my face several times. I manage to choke down my sobs, turn off the tap, shrug out of my clothes, and slip into the dress she brought me. I stuff my clothes into the bag, and run my fingers through my hair trying to restore some semnce of order to the strands. With ast look at myself in the mirror, I head out.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Theresa peers into my features.


    ¡°Not great.¡± I nce around, wondering what to do with the bag, when she holds out her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that for you.¡±


    I hand her the bag, and allow her to lead me back to a seat in the waiting room.


    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine,¡± she reassures me as we sit down.


    ¡°What if the bullet does permanent damage to him?¡± I swallow, ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive myself if it did. And those men who were hurt. What if they die?¡± My entire body trembles. My hands and feet are so numb, I can barely feel them. ¡°This is all my fault, Theresa. It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. You couldn¡¯t have known that someone was going to shoot at you guys.¡±


    ¡°I knew he was in danger, and yet, I asked him to take me on the trip. I was the one who said I wanted to leave the house. He told me it was dangerous, but I still insisted.¡± A sob blocks my throat, and I swallow it down. ¡°I knew this was going to happen. I knew it, and I didn¡¯t stop it. This is all my fault.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

 291

    I nce up to find Axel hase over to stand next to us.


    ¡°How could you know that this would happen?¡± he asks.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. How can I exin something I am, only now, trying to get my head around?


    ¡°Axel,¡± Theresa scowls at him, ¡°stop trying to scare her.¡±


    Axel nces between us. When his gaze alights on Theresa, it thaws a little. ¡°I¡¯m only trying to understand how she knew that something was going to happen to Seb.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a figure of speech, Axel. She¡¯s feeling guilty that she coaxed Seb to take her out today. She had no idea something like this would happen.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m understanding from what she¡¯s saying.¡± Axel narrows his gaze on me.


    ¡°It¡¯s only because she¡¯s worried and confused.¡± Theresa turns to me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right Elsa? You had no idea that something like this could happen, right?¡±


    I nce at her and then away. Oh, god, what am I going to tell them? This is not how everything was supposed to turn out. If I¡¯d known that Seb would end up getting hurt like this¡­ Would I have agreed to what Fabio asked? Was there any other way to protect my daughter? My head spins. I lean back against the wall, close my eyes, and lock my fingers together.


    ¡°Elsa, honey, are you okay?¡± Theresa asks.


    Footsteps head in my direction. I snap my eyes open, searching for the figure of the doctor, but it¡¯s Karma who sweeps in. ¡°Elsa!¡± She walks over to me, ces a bag on the side table, then reaches for my hands. ¡°You poor, poor thing,¡± She rubs my cold palms between her warmer ones. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry this happened, Elsa. Are you okay?¡±


    I nod. Tears bite the backs of my eyes, and another sob wells up my throat.


    ¡°How¡¯s Seb?¡±


    I shake my head, unable to form the words.


    ¡°The doctors, and Aurora, too¡­ They¡¯re all in there with him. They haven¡¯t told us the status yet,¡± Theresa replies.


    ¡°And Antonio, and the rest of the team?¡± Karma asks.


    ¡°They¡¯re alive, but that¡¯s all we know right now,¡± Axel interjects.


    The tension in the room ratchets up, and I turn to find Michael¡¯s broad shoulders filling the doorway. He stalks inside, his tread measured, then nces over to where Massimo and Luca are huddled together. Something passes between the men, then Massimo and Luca walk over to the doorway and leave the room.


    Michael prowls over to stand behind Karma.


    I nce up at his features, and my heart stutters. He knows. Oh, my god. He knows.


    Seb


    The scent of antiseptic hurts my nostrils. I draw in a breath and my lungs rattle. I try to raise my eyelids, but they seem like they¡¯re weighed down. My mouth is so dry, my tongue feels like it¡¯s stuck to the roof. I try to raise my arm, but find I¡¯m unable to move it. Cazzo! I flutter my eyelids open, and the brightness seems to pierce my brain.


    ¡°Porca miseria,¡± I growl, ¡°what the fuck happened?¡± My heart ms into my ribcage. Shot. I have no doubt I was shot. And her? What happened to her? ¡°Elsa?¡± I cough. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Seb.¡± A woman¡¯s voice reaches me.


    ¡°Elsa.¡± I strain in the direction of the voice.


    Cool fingers touch my hand. ¡°It¡¯s Aurora.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Elsa?¡± I swallow down the ball of emotion that¡¯s lodged in my throat. ¡°Is she okay? Is she hurt?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not hurt; she¡¯s fine,¡± Aurora reassures me.


    The tension drains out of my muscles. ¡°Where is she?¡± My throat hurts and my shoulder feels numb. I try to knit my thoughts together, but my brain cells feel like they¡¯re coated in white fog. Everything in my body hurts, but as if from behind a curtain, a clear indication that there are enough drugs running through my body to keep the worst of the pain at bay.


    ¡°Elsa. I want to see her.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s advisable,¡± Aurora murmurs.


    My pulse rate shoots up. ¡°What do you mean? Is she okay? You said she was okay. So why isn¡¯t she here with me?¡±


    ¡°Doc,¡± the voice of one of my brothers interrupts, ¡°why don¡¯t you take a break?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right outside.¡± Aurora pats my hand, then I hear her step away.


    ¡°How are you doing, fratello?¡± Massimo¡¯s face fills my line of sight.


    ¡°The fuck you doing here?¡± I try to sit up, but my body refuses toply. ¡°The fuck is wrong with me?¡± I pant.


    ¡°You got shot, bro. The bullet went right through. But you lost a lot of blood. It¡¯s a good thing we got to you when we did. A few minutes more and-¡± He shakes his head. ¡°You gave us a scare, Sebastian.¡±


    O-k-a-y, Massimo never calls me by my full name. Never. So, this must be really serious. I sink back against the pillows. ¡°Where¡¯s Elsa? If she¡¯s not hurt, why isn¡¯t she here with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­plicated.¡± Massimo pulls up a chair and sinks into it.


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife; she needs to be by my side. What¡¯splicated about that?¡±


    ¡°How much do you know about Elsa?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°You met her at a bar. Do you know how she came to be there?¡±


    ¡°She was there with Theresa.¡± I raise my shoulder, or try to, but my body protests. ¡°What the fuck is this all about? I married her, she¡¯s my wife, and I need her here. End of discussion.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    Something in Massimo¡¯s voice alerts me. A heaviness grips my chest and the hair on my forearms rises.


    ¡°The fuck is happening? You going to tell me, or are you ying games with me?¡±


    ¡°No games,¡± Luca says from the doorway. He walks inside, followed by Adrian, who shuts the door behind him and walks over to stand on the side of the bed opposite Massimo. Luca positions himself at the foot of my bed.


    I nce from Luca to Adrian, then finally rest my gaze on Massimo.


    ¡°The fuck is going on?¡± I ask in a hard voice. ¡°Why the hell are the three of you in my room? And where is Elsa?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, let us reassure you, again, that Elsa is safe,¡± Adrian replies.


    ¡°So why isn¡¯t she here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re here to talk to you about,¡± Adrian says in a calm voice.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo.¡± I try to sit up again, then gasp when my entire body seems to seize up. ¡°Cazzo, if any of you have harmed her-¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s safe, Seb,¡± Massimo rumbles, ¡°I promise you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see her soon, fratello, but first there¡¯s something you need to know.¡± Adrian leans forward on the balls of his feet.


    I train my gaze on Luca, who hasn¡¯t spoken a word since he entered the room. ¡°I assume you¡¯re behind this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Capo, but the decision was not mine alone. Michael agreed to it.¡±


    ¡°Where is she, you testa di cazzo?¡±


    Luca¡¯s features harden, but he doesn¡¯t rise to the bait. Imagine that. Apparently, even he has to grow up some day. Too bad he¡¯s chosen me to fuck with on his first piece of business as Capo.


    ¡°She knew who shot you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blink. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. Besides, it was a drone that shot at me.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°She mentioned that.¡± Luca folds his arms across his chest. ¡°She also told us who was operating the drone.¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°There¡¯s some misunderstanding here. Perhaps you put pressure on her. Did you?¡± I nce from Luca to Massimo, then Adrian. ¡°Was she coerced into this confession?¡±


    Adrian shakes his head. ¡°She volunteered the information to Michael.¡±


    If there¡¯s anyone I believe, it¡¯s Adrian. Not only is he the most level headed of all of us, he¡¯s also the one with the least to lose. He¡¯s never been interested in the Cosa Nostra. He¡¯s always been clear that he¡¯s there to support Michael, but doesn¡¯t want a stake in the business. He¡¯s built himself a life separate from ours. At one time, I¡¯d thought he was being disloyal to us. And yet, I¡¯d envied him for it. I¡¯ve never been able to tear myself away from the Cosa Nostra long enough to follow his example. And now, when I¡¯m about to carve out my own path, with the love of my life at my side¡­ Turns out, she¡¯s been an illusion all along.


    No. What am I actually thinking? I trusted her. My instincts couldn¡¯t be that wrong, could they? ¡°I don¡¯t believe any of this.¡±


    ¡°Better believe it. She confirmed that her ex is the person behind the shooting. Turns out, she was colluding with him all along. She only agreed to marry you so she could spy on you and on the rest of the family. She was using you to get close to the famiglia. She was going to pass information to him that would have put us behind bars,¡± Luca states ndly.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Sweat beads my hairline. My head spins. I take a breath, then another to try to clear my mind. ¡°So she was working with Fabio to put us away?¡±


    ¡°So it would seem,¡± Massimo murmurs.


    ¡°And she thinks he¡¯s the one who set the drone on me?¡±


    All three of them nod.


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t he kill me? Why am I still alive?¡±


    ¡°That is the question.¡± Luca rubs his jaw. ¡°For whatever reason, the drone did not fire to kill you.¡±


    ¡°And Antonio, and my bodyguards?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all alive. Antonio escaped with a wounded knee. Of the other three, one¡¯s in aa, and the other two have already regained consciousness.¡± Massimo widens his stance.


    ¡°So, no deaths?¡±


    ¡°No deaths,¡± Luca says slowly. ¡°It may have been an oversight. Clearly, the drone intended to kill.¡±


    ¡°But no one died,¡± I snap.


    Massimo and Luca exchange looks.


    ¡°He has a point. Fabio is the policemissioner; he¡¯s not a fool. If he was behind the attacks, what stopped him frompleting what he started? Doesn¡¯t that simply put him in a dangerous position?¡± Massimo finally offers.


    ¡°I agree with Massimo.¡± Adrian turns to Luca. ¡°The attack may have started with the intention of killing, but for some reason, that didn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°Also, she wasn¡¯t hurt,¡± Luca interjects. ¡°All of you were injured and she- Not a scratch on her, despite the fact that she was right there with you when the shooting started.¡±


    Silence descends on the room. The pain in my shoulder turns up a notch. My stomach cramps, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to be sick. I swallow down the bile, and re at Luca. ¡°I want to speak to my wife.¡±


    Luca hesitates.


    ¡°She married me; she is under my protection,¡± I remind him.


    Luca firms his lips. ¡°She will not be harmed; you have my word,¡± he finally offers.


    ¡°Not that I don¡¯t believe you, but¡­¡± I set my jaw. ¡°I. Want. To. See. Her.¡±

 292

    Elsa


    I run my palm down the fabric of my dress. Why am I sweating? I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Whatever I did was to protect my child. It¡¯s what any mother would have done.


    And you almost got him killed. I raise my hand to knock on the door of the hospital room, then pause. I tten my palm against the door instead. My husband¡¯s in there. Is he still my husband, after everything that happened, or is this like the shortest marriage in history? No, that aplishment belongs to Britney Spears and Jason Alexander, who were married for fifty-five hours. And didn¡¯t a couple in Kuwait stay married for just three minutes? And why are these random facts popping into my head? No doubt, it¡¯s Summer¡¯s influence. Not only was she a movie buff but she also loved to quote random trivia facts, something which rubbed off on me. It¡¯s also where my Keanu Reeves obsessiones from.


    We lost touch when I married Fabio, and while I feel lucky to have met Theresa, the fact is, she married into the Cosa Nostra, as well. If only I could speak to someone like Summer, who has nothing to do with this life. Maybe that would provide some perspective on my situation. She must be very busy though, for thest I heard, she¡¯s happily married to Sinir Sterling, once the most notorious yboy in London; now, by all ounts, her loyal husband. I saw a photo of them in the tabloids, where one of the paparazzi had clicked them attending a Christmas party at one of their friend¡¯s ces. They both seemed very happy, hand-in-hand, big smiles on their faces.


    No, it wouldn¡¯t do to disturb her.


    ¡°Elsa,¡± Massimo says gently from behind me, ¡°you ready to see him?¡±


    No.


    No.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I nod.


    He reaches over and knocks on the door. ¡°Go on,¡± he says in an encouraging tone, ¡°I know he¡¯s looking forward to seeing you.¡±


    I take a deep breath. Here goes. I push the door open and enter. My gaze is instantly drawn to the man on the bed. His shoulder is swathed in bandages, and his left arm is in a sling that goes around his neck. The bandages are stark white against the tan of his skin. His big body dwarfs the bed. Surrounded by the white sheets, he seems so out of ce there. You put him there. It¡¯s your fault he was hit. Your fault he¡¯s hurting now.


    He watches me with a brooding gaze as I move toward him. My knees tremble, but I force myself to put one foot in front of the other. Ie to a halt in front of him. This close, I can see the dark circles under his eyes; the hollows under his cheekbones are more pronounced than I remember. There are new creases radiating out from the edges of his eyes that I don¡¯t recall. Somehow, that only adds to his sexiness. Even wrapped in bandages, he¡¯s the most virile man I¡¯ve ever met. I¡¯ll never love anyone else like I do him. And I lost him. The band around my chest tightens, a ball of emotion twists my stomach with such force that I am sure I am going to be sick.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°Seb, I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    His features harden, then he firms his lips. He peers into my features as if searching for something. He holds my watery gaze, and I want to look away. I try to lower my eyelids and not allow him to search through my emotions, but I can¡¯t. I owe him this. I stare into those golden-brown orbs of his, now dulled with pain. A pain that I caused. My stomach hurts. My knees tremble. I grab the back of a chair and steady myself.


    ¡°Seb¡­ Avery¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°I forgive you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I gape.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mother first, Elsa. You¡¯d do anything to protect your child. It¡¯s the first thing I noticed about you. How you¡¯d hold her close and never take your gaze off of her when you were with her. And more than anything, I wanted that. I wanted your attention just as focused on me, to the exclusion of anything else. The fact that you could put her before anything else, even yourself¡­ It¡¯s thatplete selflessness that drew me to you. How can I now me you for following that instinct? How can I hate you for putting your child first, when it was that very quality that drew me to you?¡±


    ¡°Seb?¡± My heart seems to expand in my chest. At the same time, the hair on the back of my neck rises. What have I done? Did I actually think I could hurt this man and live with myself afterward? Couldn¡¯t I have found a way to safeguard my child and also spare him from being hurt? How was I so weak I allowed Fabio to manipte me into doing something I didn¡¯t want to do? Couldn¡¯t I have trusted my husband with the truth? And now, it¡¯s toote.


    ¡°Oh, Seb.¡± My voice cracks, and I lower my chin to my chest. A tear drop squeezes out of the corner of my eyes, and goddamn it, I¡¯ve had enough. This crying, sniveling mess I have be, who bends too easily to other people¡¯s will, is not me. I may have allowed Fabio to use my weakness-Avery-against me, but that ends here.


    Seb had done that, too, though. He¡¯d used the fact that I¡¯d do anything for Avery¡¯s happiness to cajole me into marrying him. The only difference is, I¡¯d known what I was getting into. Known that this would help me set him up so Fabio could get ess to him. I feel so dirty.


    ¡°I had no idea that he was going to shoot at you. If I did-¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯d have still done it.¡±


    This time, I nce away. He¡¯s right. I didn¡¯t have a choice, though, did I?


    ¡°I would have helped you.¡± Seb curls the fingers of his unbandaged hand into a fist. ¡°All you had to do was tell me what he was forcing you to do, and I¡¯d have found a way to protect you and Avery.¡±


    ¡°He has Avery with him during the week. Every time I drop her off, I¡¯m convinced it¡¯s thest time I¡¯ll see her. There¡¯s nothing stopping him from never allowing her to see me again.¡±


    ¡°I would have found a solution. I would have done anything it took to ensure that you never had to see him again.¡±


    ¡°He had. Avery. With him.¡± I grip the back of the chair so hard that the edges of the wood dig into my palms. ¡°How could I risk going against him, when he had my daughter in his grasp?¡± Anger licks through my veins. ¡°It¡¯s so easy for you to ask me to trust you, isn¡¯t it? So easy for you to wave a hand and get your people to take care of the situation.¡±


    ¡°I never would have asked anyone else for help. I would have taken care of this personally.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t risk it, don¡¯t you understand? He had Avery in his home, under his roof. What if he did something to her?¡±


    ¡°And yet, you don¡¯t want me to kill him?¡±


    ¡°God knows, I do¡­ But he¡¯s still her father.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. ¡°When she grows up and asks me about her father, what would I tell her?¡±


    ¡°That I¡¯m her father.¡±


    I snap my eyelids open. I see his face, take in the rity in those gorgeous eyes of his. Oh, my god, I¡¯ve been such a fool. This man¡­ He would have done anything¡­ Anything for me and my daughter. He would¡¯ve died before allowing anything to happen to her. He never would¡¯ve allowed Fabio to hurt her. He would¡¯ve used everything in his power to ensure that Fabio would never see her again. He would¡¯ve ensured I had full custody of her, just like he had promised. He actually loves me. He loves me. And while I¡¯d told him I loved him¡­ I hadn¡¯t fully internalized it. I didn¡¯t love him enough to trust him. The pressure behind my eyes builds, and I blink away the moisture. I will not cry, not again. Shit. I¡¯m doing it again. I tip up my chin and meet his gaze as tears stream down my cheeks. ¡°I am truly so, so sorry, Seb.¡±

 293

    A weekter


    Elsa


    I clutch the window sill of my apartment and peer out. Any moment now, she¡¯ll be here. Any moment, I¡¯ll get to see my heart, my angel, here again.


    A car draws up. Massimo gets out of the driver¡¯s side, while Axel emerges from the passenger side. Both nce up and down the road, and when they¡¯re satisfied, Axel raps his knuckles against the window of the back door, which is pushed open. Theresa slides out. She reaches in, hiding whoever is in the backseat with her, then straightens with Avery in her arms.


    I rush out of my apartment, down the hallway, and toward the front door. I fling it open, step out, and the two guards instantly block my way.


    I stop and hold out my arms as Theresa walks up the pathway. She reaches us, and Avery spots me.


    Her face scrunches up. ¡°Mama,¡± she begins to cry. ¡°Mama.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, sweetie pie.¡± Tears well up, and I swallow them down. No crying again, remember? You did this. Now, be strong. Do what needs to be done, and don¡¯t let your emotions muddy the waters. Focus on the end goal-your daughter¡¯s happiness. That¡¯s what¡¯s important. It doesn¡¯t matter if you have to give up everything, even if you end up hating yourself in the process. As long as Avery is safe, everything will have been worth it. As soon as Theresa reaches me, Avery leaps out of her arms and into mine. I sp her to my chest and rock her. ¡°My baby, my sweet little baby.¡±


    She cries harder, and my heart feels like it¡¯s going to break. I turn and walk back inside and down the hallway, Theresa following closely behind me. I head for Avery¡¯s nursery, aware of the men walking into the house behind us, as well. The door snicks shut as I enter the nursery. I head for the rocking-chair I used when I was nursing her and sit down, holding her in my arms. I rock back and forth, holding her close.


    A few minutester, the door opens and Theresa walks in with a bowl of the food I prepared for Avery.


    ¡°Thank you, T.¡± She stands next to me, holding the bowl as I feed Avery. After a few mouthfuls, my baby shakes her head, and instead, burrows into me.


    ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to eat, pumpkin?¡± I feed her another mouthful, then she turns her face away again.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± I jerk my head toward the table. ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave it there for now? This is her nap time anyway.¡±


    Avery yawns again, and I hold her close and pat her back as I rock in the chair. Within a few minutes, she¡¯s fast asleep. I bury my nose in her hair and draw in her baby smell, which is already fading. Soon, she¡¯ll be her own person, and I¡¯ll have missed so much of her childhood. If only I had trusted Sebastian. If only I had told him everything.


    Avery¡¯s breathing deepens. I rock back and forth a few more times, then rising to my feet, I ce her in the crib and cover her up. Drawing the curtains, I pick up the baby monitor and follow Theresa out. We walk to the living room to find Massimo and Axel deep in conversation.


    Massimo points to the bag with Avery¡¯s essentials that he has ced by the sofa.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I nce between them. ¡°How is¡­ Seb doing?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°He¡¯s much better.¡± Massimo leans forward a little. ¡°They¡¯re discharging him tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I swallow. After that conversation with Seb, I had walked out of the hospital room, and Adrian had driven me home to my old apartment. He¡¯d exined that the Sovranos had decided I should move back here and stay here for now. I wasn¡¯t allowed out; not even to pick up Avery. Theresa and Axel would be the ones who¡¯d pick her up and drop her back with Fabio.


    After I had confessed everything to Michael that day in the hospital, he hadn¡¯t seemed too surprised. Maybe he¡¯d suspected it all along. Maybe he¡¯s just seen so much in his life, thistest twist didn¡¯te as a shock to him.


    After the doctor reassured us Seb was going to be fine, I was allowed to peek in on him in the recovery room. He was sleeping. I wanted to stay with him, but after everything I¡¯d just told Michael, it didn¡¯t seem like I had the right to ask to do so.


    Instead, I agreed to being driven to my ce, where I crashed. When I woke up, Theresa arrived with food; along with Axel and Massimo. Which is when they conveyed to me that, for now, I¡¯ll be staying here. All of my needs will be taken care of. I¡¯m not allowed to leave the house.


    I was allowed to call Fabio and tell him that I was unwell and Axel and Theresa would arrive to pick up Avery. Fabio had met Theresa at the flower shop, so she wasn¡¯t a stranger to him. I had expected Fabio to be uncooperative, but he hadn¡¯t asked too many questions. After that, my phone had been taken, and I didn¡¯t have ess to inte in the house.


    Other than that, I¡¯m allowed to do whatever I want. Which basically means, I¡¯m under a kind of house arrest. Clearly, the Sovranos don¡¯t trust me. Not that I me them. After what happened to Seb, I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯t do something worse¡­ although I¡¯m still under Seb¡¯s protection, so they¡¯re not going to kill me. They told me that nothing will be decided about me or my future until Seb is back on his feet. That includes not moving against Fabio, for now. Seb was adamant about that.


    That was two days ago, and now, Seb is being discharged.


    ¡°When¡­ when do I get to see him?¡±


    Axel and Massimo nce at each other.


    ¡°When he asks for you,¡± Massimo replies.


    Of all the Sovranos, he¡¯s the one who speaks the least, he¡¯s also the most tatted.


    Seb too has tattoos. I¡¯ve seen them peek out from under his cor though I don¡¯t know what they are about. But then I¡¯ve never seen my husband without his shirt on, either. He is still my husband, right? I y with the ring on my finger. I¡¯m still married to him, technically, at least.


    ¡°I want to see him.¡± I set my jaw. ¡°I want to be there when he arrives home.¡±


    Massimo and Axel exchange nces. At least Luca isn¡¯t here. If he were, there¡¯s no doubt, he¡¯d shut down that suggestion right away.


    ¡°I¡¯m still his wife; he¡¯ll want to see me when he¡¯s back from the hospital.¡± I hope. I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°Besides, he¡¯ll need help, since he¡¯s hurt. I can be there for him.¡±


    The doorbell rings.


    Theresa turns to me. ¡°Will that wake up Avery?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°Once she¡¯s asleep, she¡¯s not disturbed by noises.¡± I take a step toward the door, but Massimo beats me to it. Of course, I¡¯m not allowed to open the door to my own apartment. I¡¯m under house arrest, after all. I lock my fingers together as Massimo reaches the door and throws it open. Karma walks in, followed by Aurora. Michael and Christian follow in their wake.


    Both of the women make a beeline toward me.


    ¡°Elsa¡­¡± Karma throws her arms around me. ¡°How are you?¡±


    Aurora pats my shoulder, then hovers next to us, while Theresa nks me on the other side.


    I¡¯m not worried that the Sovrano brothers would hurt me. They¡¯re too loyal to Seb for that, but it still feels good to have the women in my corner.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I sniffle as I hug Karma back.


    ¡°Are you?¡± She leans back and peers into my face. ¡°You don¡¯t look fine, babe.¡± She turns to Michael. ¡°Don, this is not right.¡± Her voice takes on a pleading tone, ¡°Elsa¡¯s one of us. She also told you the truth of her own ord. Surely, she shouldn¡¯t be punished for it?¡±


    I draw in a breath. She¡¯s questioning the Don in front of us? Sure, she¡¯s his wife, and it¡¯s only close family who¡¯re around, but still¡­ You¡¯d think the Don would be unhappy about this, right? I expect Michael to tell her off. Instead, he drums his fingers on his chest. ¡°She may have told the truth, but it doesn¡¯t excuse what she did. Seb was hurt because of her, as were the other men.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡¯s what would happen.¡± Tears press down at the backs of my eyes, and I blink them away. ¡°If I¡¯d any idea that Seb would be hurt¡­ If I¡¯d known that¡¯s what he intended, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed. I would have¡­ stayed away from Seb. I never would¡¯ve agreed to marry him. Please, believe me.¡±


    Michael¡¯s gaze intensifies, but there¡¯s no change of expression on his face.


    Karma draws in a breath, while Aurora grips my shoulder before looking toward Christian. ¡°She needs her family even more right now. She¡¯s away from home, trying to do what¡¯s best for her child. If we don¡¯t help her, who will?¡±


    ¡°We trusted herst time, and see what happened? Sebnded in the hospital. He almost died.¡±


    I gasp and bite back a sob.


    Christian rubs the back of his neck. ¡°Next time, it could be you who¡¯s hurt, and you know I could never let that happen.¡±


    ¡°This is not right.¡± Theresa grips Axel¡¯s arm. ¡°You know she¡¯s not the guilty party here.


    ¡°She¡¯s also not innocent,¡± Axel retorts.


    ¡°She¡¯s already exined she hadn¡¯t expected Seb to be hurt. Surely, she should, be allowed to be at Seb¡¯s home waiting for him, when he returns from the hospital?¡± Aurora insists. ¡°You know that¡¯s what Seb would want too.¡±


    The guys nce at each other, then Michael jerks his chin. He turns to us. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Luca.¡±

 294

    Seb


    I push the car door open and step out onto the driveway in front of my house. My knees tremble, but they don¡¯t give way, thank fuck. I refused to leave the hospital in a wheelchair. Even though I¡¯m still weak, I insisted on walking out on my own two feet, albeit with Massimo and Luca¡¯s help.


    A stony-faced Luca told me that he and Michael had spoken, and he¡¯d agreed to back down on holding Elsa under house arrest in her apartment. Apparently, the women had staged an intervention on behalf of Elsa, and asked that she be allowed to move back in with me.


    Now she¡¯s in there, in my home, waiting for me.


    I can¡¯t wait to see her which is why I¡¯d insisted on being discharged from the hospital. While the wound is painful, it¡¯s not life-threatening, and the doctors agreed to let me go.


    Massimo drove me back to my home, while Luca said that he and the others would being by to catch up with me soon. Something I wasn¡¯t looking forward to. For the first time, I didn¡¯t want my brothers with me.


    I appreciate that they¡¯re looking out for me, and while I¡¯ll always defend Elsa to them, the truth is, I need to understand the motivation behind her actions. Did she not believe I¡¯d keep my word to her? Did she not trust me enough when I promised I would help her get full custody of her daughter? Is she¡­ I pause halfway up the path to my home. Is she still in love with that stronzo, Fabio? Is that why she colluded with him?


    Next to me, Massimo pauses. I refused to let him help me, but he insists on walking me to my door. Like I¡¯m a fucking weakling. ¡°You okay, fratello?¡± he murmurs.


    ¡°Why the hell wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide your disappointment from me.¡± He grips my shoulder. ¡°I know you¡¯re a stubborn bastardo-hell, we all are. But to find out your wife has been colluding with someone else behind your back¡­ It¡¯s got to hurt.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing,¡± I reply through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I know that you would have done anything for her. I know that you¡¯re in love with her.¡±


    I whip my head around in his direction. My shoulder protests, but I ignore it.


    ¡°You married her, didn¡¯t you? You may have fooled the others with your talk of doing it to honor your promise to Nonna. You may have even fooled yourself. But I¡¯ve seen the way you look at her. I¡¯ve noticed how you can¡¯t take your gaze off of her. You want to protect her and her child. It¡¯s natural. It¡¯s why you want her to move back in with you; so you can get to the bottom of what actually happened.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no secret.¡± I shake off his hand. ¡°As for the rest¡­ Yeah, it hurts, but she¡¯s my wife. I believe in her. My instincts couldn¡¯t have beenpletely wrong. There¡¯s a reason for what she did, and I¡¯m going to find out what it is. She would not have knowingly harmed me.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    I narrow my gaze on him. ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°We all do. We may have our differences of opinion, but one thing we all agree on is that familyes first. We¡¯d do anything to protect what is ours, so on some level, we understand why she did what she did.¡± He chuckles. ¡°And that includes that stronzo, Luca.¡±


    ¡°I may have made a mistake, giving up my title of Capo. Not because it¡¯s what I want, but now that Luca¡¯s Capo, he feels like he gets to make decisions for the rest of us. It¡¯s why he¡¯s doing his best to control what happens with Elsa. It¡¯s why he¡¯s so opposed to having Elsa stay with me.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s watching out for you.¡± Massimo¡¯s lips quirk. ¡°Sure, he has a pigheaded way of showing it, but underneath all that bluster, you know he¡¯s loyal to us.¡±


    ¡°That may be the only thing he has going for him.¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe he insisted on Elsa moving back to her ce, and then he put her under virtual house arrest.¡±


    ¡°He did allow her to be with her daughter,¡± Massimo points out. ¡°And once he realized his mistake moved her back in to your home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only reason I haven¡¯t taken a gun to the coglione¡¯s head.¡± I turn and begin to walk toward my front door.


    ¡°He was only watching out for you. You can¡¯t me him for being careful.¡±


    ¡°You, too?¡± I stiffen. ¡°I thought you were in my corner.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all in your corner,¡± he says in a low voice, ¡°but you have to admit, the fact that she wasn¡¯t shot, while everyone else on that patio was injured, is suspicious.¡±


    ¡°I know how it looks, but I swear she isn¡¯t guilty of what happened,¡± I retort.


    ¡°I believe you¡­¡± He shuffles his feet. ¡°But I would be remiss if I didn¡¯t tell you to watch your back.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± I re at him. ¡°Do you understand that?¡±


    ¡°And wives have killed their husband¡¯s for less.¡± He tilts his head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying she¡¯s responsible for what happened, but she admitted to colluding with her ex. Regardless of what you wish were the case, it doesn¡¯t exactly exonerate her from what happened.¡±


    ¡°The fact that she admitted to it should show that she¡¯s ready to repent for what happened.¡±


    ¡°And if you had died-?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± I point out.


    ¡°What if she admitted to being guilty to lull us intocency?¡±


    I scowl. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop until you hold her responsible for what happened, are you?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Not at all.¡± He rolls his shoulders. ¡°I want to believe her. If it turns out she really had no idea that minchione, Fabio, woulde after you, then no one will be happier than me.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°But,¡± he blows out a breath, ¡°it still doesn¡¯t negate the fact that she was in cahoots with her ex. I¡¯m just not sure if she¡¯s as innocent as she ims to be, fratello.¡±


    ¡°And I have no doubt that there¡¯s an honest exnation for everything.¡± I set my lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re her husband. Of course you believe her.¡± His lips kick up. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected anything less from you. All I am saying is, stay on guard.¡±


    The door to the house opens, and I turn toward it.

 295

    Elsa


    I open the door and nce between the two men. Clearly, they¡¯d been in the middle of an argument. No doubt, the argument had something to do with me, going by how both of them shut up and turn to me.


    I take in Seb¡¯s drawn features. There are hollows under his cheekbones. His usual bright, golden eyes are mired in pain. He¡¯s wearing a shirt, which has been buttoned over his arm in a sling, and over that, a jacket with one sleeve hanging loose. He¡¯s wearing faded jeans that cling to his muscr thighs, and on his feet are worn boots. I¡¯ve never seen Seb this casually dressed. Almost every other time I¡¯ve seen him, he¡¯s worn a suit and a tie. Today, he¡¯s also unshaven. The scruff on his chin is, at least, a few days old. His hair is ubed. I¡¯ve never seen it this messy. The scar on his temple lends him an air of mystery.


    Anger, and something else¡­ Tension¡­ Frustration, maybe? All of it vibrates off of him, so the air is thick with unspoken emotions. All in all, he looks like a dangerous criminal. Which is how he¡¯d be viewed by some people, given what he does for a living. Somehow, I¡¯ve never seen him that way, though. Right from the beginning, he¡¯s always been Seb. It doesn¡¯t matter that he¡¯s part of the Cosa Nostra, or that he¡¯s one of the Sovranos, that his reputation precedes him in this city¡­ He¡¯s just someone I noticed and connected with. He and I may not have exactly hit it off in the beginning but I never could have ignored him. Not then; not now. Not when he looked like a model about to walk a Mn runway, and not now, when he looks like he¡¯s going to star in the next instalment of John Wick. He rakes his gaze across my features, down my chest, my waist, my legs, before he raises his head and meets my gaze again. A frown mars his forehead.


    ¡°You look terrible,¡± he says tly.


    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± I scowl back at him. ¡°You don¡¯t look so hot, either,¡± I lie.


    Massimo nces between us. ¡°Um, where should I put this?¡± He holds out a paper bag. ¡°This has his medicines and prescriptions for more.¡±


    Both Seb and I reach for it, but I get to it first. ¡°Thanks,¡± I murmur as Seb¡¯s frown deepens.


    ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± he grumbles.


    ¡°And I want to make sure that you do.¡± I set my jaw.


    We stare at each other, and his scowl intensifies even more. The skin around his eyes stretches. The silence extends for a beat, then another.


    Massimo clears his throat. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be going then.¡± He pats Seb on his unhurt shoulder and mutters, ¡°In ba al lupo.¡±


    I¡¯ve picked up enough Italian to know that it means good luck.


    Neither of us reply as he spins around and walks back the way they came.


    Our staring match continues, then, ¡°Elsa.¡± Seb lowers his voice to a hush.


    A shiver runs down my back. My thighs clench. Bloody hell, he¡¯s using that Dom voice of his.


    I step back and Seb walks in. As he brushes past me, that spicy, masculine scent of his fills my nostrils. My heart stutters and my pussy clenches. Goddamn. Even wounded and tired, he¡¯s a force to be reckoned with. He stalks forward and into the living room, thenes to a halt. His gaze is entranced by the child in the area I have cordoned off in a corner of the room. Avery sits there, surrounded by her toys.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Ie to a halt next to him. ¡°I needed to keep an eye on her while I work on some billing for the flower shop, so I thought I could move her to the living room and-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± he says in a tight voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I should have asked you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d mind though, so-¡±


    ¡°Elsa,¡± he warns me.


    Out of the corner of my eyes, I see him clench his fist¡­ The fist which belongs to the arm that isn¡¯t in a sling.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll take her back into the nursery.¡± I take a step forward and he grips my wrist.


    ¡°Stop, Elsa,¡± he states. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d be angry that you set up a y area for Avery in the living room?¡±


    ¡°I should have checked with you; I know it¡¯s your house and-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my wife, Elsa.¡± He turns toward me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this coglione Fabio did to you, but have I ever given you reason to think that this house is not your own?¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Have I?¡± He res at me. ¡°Tell me, Elsa.¡±


    I shake my head.


    ¡°So why are you acting like I¡¯ll disapprove of what you did?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± I take a deep breath before I continue, ¡°it¡¯s my fault you were shot, Seb. It¡¯s my fault those men, whose job it was to protect us, are still in the hospital. It¡¯s my fault I didn¡¯t trust you enough to tell you I was still trying to negotiate with Fabio, that he wanted me to spy on you and your brothers and pass him information of what you all were up to. I should have told you Seb.¡± I swallow. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Elsa, I-¡± He shakes his head. ¡°You should¡¯ve trusted me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do,¡± I insist.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t earlier.¡±


    ¡°I thought I did, Seb. I was going to tell you about what he¡¯d asked me to do.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t.¡± He peers into my face. ¡°You said you loved me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I did¡­ I mean, I do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure. If you did, you¡¯d havee clean to me.¡±


    ¡°I should have. It¡¯s just¡­¡± I nce toward Avery. ¡°I leave her with Fabio during the week. What do you think he¡¯d have done if I¡¯d told you, and somehow, he found out? What do you think he would have done to her and to me? He¡¯d have never allowed me to see her again.¡±


    ¡°I would have ensured that never happened.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know him.¡± I tighten my hold on the paper bag.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t know me,¡± he growls. ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯m capable of. You asked me not to kill him, and I won¡¯t. But after what he did, my brothers and I will make sure he loses everything. This much, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dangerous, Seb, you saw what he did already.¡±


    ¡°No, what you¡¯re not realizing is that I am far more of a threat than he is. He dared to open fire when you were with me. He could have hit you.¡±


    ¡°He hurt you.¡± I turn to him. ¡°He injured you.¡±


    ¡°He could have killed you,¡± we both say at the same time.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I swallow, ¡°if something had happened to you-¡± I shake my head. ¡°I never would have been able to live with myself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die that easily.¡± His voice hardens, ¡°Fabio has fucked with the wrong people.¡± His tone is that of a person who hase to a decision. I look into his eyes and I see the anger, the coldness in them. Cold fire. He¡¯s Keanu on a mission to get revenge. No wonder I thought of him as John Wick when I first saw him.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Show him that he can¡¯t touch what¡¯s mine anymore.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You are not going to drop off Avery with him anymore.¡±


    I stiffen. ¡°It¡¯s a court order. If I go against it, he¡¯ll make sure I lose all rights to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see him try.¡± Seb firms his lips. ¡°You and Avery are not going anywhere near him.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    Seb holds up his hand. ¡°You said that you trust me. Do you mean it this time?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I gaze into his eyes. Do I trust him? Do I really trust him? ¡°Seb, please don¡¯t ask me to do this.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t trust me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±


    ¡°You trusted me enough to put your body in my hands when you asked me to be your Dom,¡± he points out.


    ¡°It¡¯s just, this is about my child, Seb¡­ Please¡­¡± How can I make him understand?


    ¡°Either you do or you don¡¯t trust me, Elsa.¡± He draws himself up to his full height. ¡°Which one is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I shake my head as tears spring to my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

 296

    Seb


    She still doesn¡¯t trust me. Oh, she trusts me with her body; just not with her child. What does that say about me? Am I wrong in asking her to trust me so quickly? And if she didn¡¯t trust me, why did she marry me? Our entire union is based on the fact that she trusted me to find a way for her to get full custody of her daughter. Did she ever mean it? Did she get married to me simply because she wanted to stay close to me, because she wanted to feed information to her ex? Is that all our rtionship means to her?


    Avery stands up and begins to walk toward us. She holds out a toy and warbles.


    Elsa is instantly beside her. She lifts up the toddler and holds her close. ¡°Hey, baby, what¡¯ve you got there, sweetheart?¡±


    She says something in her baby speak and Elsaughs. ¡°I know, that¡¯s your favorite bunny, huh?¡±


    She kisses the child, and my chest heats. She rubs noses with the toddler, who giggles, then squeals when Elsa blows a raspberry on her tummy. The bunny slips out of the toddler¡¯s hands and falls to the floor. I close the distance between us, pick up the bunny, which is frayed at the ears and hand it back to her.


    Avery epts it, and her blue gaze falls on my face. She stares, unblinking, then reaches for me. I nce at Elsa, who asks, ¡°You sure you¡¯ll be able to carry her? Your arm is in a sling.¡±


    When I don¡¯t reply, she waits for a beat longer, then hands the child over to me. I carry her with my free arm as she continues to stare at me with her big blue eyes. So innocent, so clear. My heart stutters in my chest. Our staring match continues, then she smiles. A big smile that lights up her features and makes her seem even more like her mother. The band around my chest tightens. She grins, showing her tiny baby teeth, then offers me her doll.


    ¡°You keep it, sweetheart,¡± I chuckle, ¡°it¡¯s all yours.¡±


    Avery frowns, then thrusts the ragged doll in my face again.


    I huff, then peek around the doll and waggle my eyebrows at the little girl, whoughs. She warbles again.


    ¡°She wants you to have her doll,¡± Elsa says in a surprised voice. ¡°It¡¯s her favorite toy.¡± She shakes her head.


    I nce at her, and she holds my gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said earlier, Seb. It¡¯s just, when ites to Avery, I¡¯m constantly second-guessing myself when ites to what¡¯s best for her.¡±


    ¡°You can share your thoughts with me; it¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I can help lighten the load¡­ if you¡¯ll let me.¡±


    Her forehead furrows. She bites down on her lower lip, and my gaze drops there. I want to reach over and release the plump flesh from between her teeth, but my hand is in a sling, goddamnit. I nce around, then walk over to the settee and drop into it, then bnce Avery in myp. The toddler wriggles around and settles herself, then reaches up and pokes her finger into my cheek. She warbles again, and I bounce her a little.


    Elsa walks over to sit down next to me. She reaches out and circles Avery¡¯s wrist with her fingers. ¡°Hey, Bubu, whatcha doin¡¯? You like Seb, huh?¡±


    Avery turns her big blue eyes back on me. She stares at me with solemn intent, then blows a spit bubble. Iugh, then can¡¯t stop myself from kissing her cheek. The fresh scent of her baby¡¯s skin,bined with the faint cherry scent I¡¯vee to associate with Elsa, fills my lungs. A fierce protectiveness grips me and I lean back.


    Avery nces up at me, then pats my cheek, before digging her fingernails in.


    ¡°Avery, don¡¯t hurt Sebastian.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not.¡± I smile down at the child, who presses her tiny palm into my cheek. I turn my face and kiss her little fingers, and sheughs at me.


    A tiredness washes over me, and I lean back into the settee, and with my arm around Avery, bncing her on my chest. She bounces a little, then smacks my forehead.


    ¡°Avery,¡± Elsa scolds her.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Iugh a little as the toddler warbles again, then thrusts her bunny in my face.


    ¡°I think she wants you to kiss her toy.¡± Elsa smiles at her daughter.


    ¡°Is that right, hmm?¡± I lean forward and kiss the bunny, and Averyughs again. She bounces on my chest, then blinks a little, before she turns to Elsa.


    ¡°You hungry, Bubu, or thirsty maybe? Want some water?¡± Elsa coos.


    Avery blinks at Elsa, who rises and walks into the other room, returning almost immediately with a sippy cup. She sits down next to me and holds it up to Avery, who sips from it. Some of the water drops onto my shirt.


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Elsa tries to brush off the water that¡¯s dripped onto my skin in the opening between thepels of my shirt. The touch of her fingers on my chest sends a trail of goosebumps down my spine. The blood drains to my cock, and goddamn it, this is wrong, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m holding her child, and I¡¯m also turned on.


    As if she senses the impact of her touch, she flickers her gaze up to my face. Whatever she sees there makes her breath catch. Her throat moves as she swallows. The tension in the air ratchets up. She flicks out her tongue to touch her lower lip, and a groan rumbles up my chest. This is wrong, so wrong.


    ¡°I think you need to take her.¡± I lean over to bring Avery close to her. She ces the sippy cup on the side table, then takes Avery from me. Her fingers brush my chest, and my cock perks up. Cazzo, how the hell can I go from caring for her daughter to being turned on by her in such a short period of time? How can I ask her to trust me, when even as I¡¯m holding her daughter, all I can think about is also holding her mother in my arms.


    I rise to my feet and put distance between us, as she holds the sippy cup up to Avery¡¯s lips. Avery takes a few more sips, then turns her head in my direction again.


    I watch as Elsa ces the cup on the table, and rises to her feet with the toddler in her arms. The sippy cup overbnces and hits the floor; some of the water spills out.


    ¡°Oh, god, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Elsa gasps as she stops halfway to the y area.


    ¡°Stop apologizing, for fu- please.¡± I stalk over to the settee, snatch up the sippy cup and ce it on the side table, then pull out a few tissues from the tissue box ced there, and mop up the water. I walk into the kitchen and deposit the used tissues in the wastepaper basket. By the time I re-enter the living room, she¡¯s ced Avery in the y area, and the little girl is ying with building blocks¡­ Or rather, crashing the blocks into each other.


    Elsa rises to her feet and nces at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re messing up your space,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop saying sorry?¡± I say through gritted teeth.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I thought it would be a good idea to be back here when you returned from the hospital, but now, I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    ¡°Because some water spilled on the floor?¡± I scowl at her. ¡°You have a child Elsa, these things happen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± She wrings her fingers together and sighs. ¡°I got so used to apologizing for every noise, every mess. Really, anytime Avery¡¯s presence became noticeable in any way. I never knew when he was going to blow up. And now¡­¡±


    I growl and she looks up at me. ¡°I¡¯m just really confused about what to do, Seb.¡±


    ¡°What do your instincts say?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± She shakes her head. ¡°When Axel and Theresa went to pick up Avery from Fabio, I was so sure he wasn¡¯t going to hand her over. Each time I return her to him, after the weekend is over, it¡¯s like I lose a piece of myself. Every time, I¡¯m scared senseless that this is the time he¡¯ll decide he¡¯s not going to let me pick her up again. Every single time, I worry that this is thest time I¡¯m going to see her. It¡¯s killing me, Seb.¡±


    I close the distance between us. ¡°This is how he continues to abuse you, Elsa. And I¡¯m giving you a way out. I told you, I¡¯ll make sure that tes- man will never get close to your daughter again.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± She shuffles her feet. ¡°But how will you do it? Will you bribe the courts? Is that what you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave that to me?¡± I take in her pinched features. ¡°I¡¯m part of the Cosa Nostra; my family has owned this town for decades. I admit, the fact that Fabio is the policemissioner means things could get messy, but I¡¯m not going to shy away from it.¡±


    ¡°He already tried to kill you, Seb, and that¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s not something I¡¯ll ever forgive myself for. If something happens to you again¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I can take it.¡±


    ¡°I survived, didn¡¯t I?¡± I nod toward my sling. ¡°I¡¯m a little battered, but I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m not going to be that easy to get rid of. Also, when ites to choosing between my life and the future of your daughter, I know what¡¯s more important.¡±


    ¡°Seb,¡± she tilts up her chin, ¡°you¡¯re both important to me.¡±


    ¡°And you are more than important to me. You¡¯re my heart, Princess, and nobodyes between my heart and me.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll do anything I ask?¡± A strange lookes into her eyes.


    The hair on the nape of my neck rises. What is she up to? Whatever it is, I¡¯m not going to be happy about it. I hesitate.


    ¡°You said I could trust you, Seb,¡± she reminds me.


    Am I going to regret the words? Am I going to regret asking her to do so?


    ¡°Elsa,¡± I warn, but she shakes her head.


    ¡°You said I could trust you. Surely, you can return the favor?¡±


    I blow out a breath. ¡°Fine,¡± I say, knowing I¡¯m going to regret it. And it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust her. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ll do anything to take care of her, and knowing how much she loves Avery, and how she¡¯ll do anything to protect her daughter¡­ Somehow, I know she¡¯s nning to do something that¡¯s going to make it very difficult for me to keep her safe.


    ¡°Okay.¡± She blows out a breath.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I nod, ¡°what do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I want to meet Fabio.¡±

 297

    Elsa


    ¡°No! Absolutely not. You want to meet the man who tried to kill me? Who might very well have shot you, too? And what would have happened if he seeded, Elsa? What would have happened to our daughter? Have you even thought of that?¡±


    I wince. The blood rushes from my face, and I know I¡¯ve gone pale. Truthfully, I hadn¡¯t thought of that possibility. Not that Fabio didn¡¯t beat me when we were together, but the thought of him killing me¡­ Somehow, it didn¡¯t ur to me. It¡¯s why I¡¯d thrown myself on top of Seb when that drone had started firing, sensing that it wouldn¡¯t hurt me. I could have been wrong, but instinct had told me that he¡¯d spare me. Oh, I don¡¯t doubt he wouldn¡¯t care if he¡¯d shot and wounded me. Sure, I¡¯d known that was a possibility, but would he have tried to kill me?


    Well, who knows. Fabio is unpredictable. All he cares about is having control over me. It¡¯s why he came up with this arrangement, where I only get to see Avery on weekends. He¡¯s trying to throw me just enough crumbs to keep me hankering for more, while also being grateful that I actually get to spend some time with her, when really, I¡¯m her mother, and she should be staying with me all the time. She¡¯s a toddler, almost two years old, and she needs me. And I¡¯m going to make sure I no longer have to drop her back with Fabio when the weekend is over. But I¡¯m going to do this my way.


    I¡¯m her mother, goddamn it, and I can do what¡¯s needed to take care of my child, can¡¯t I?


    And he¡¯s your husband. He wants to help you. But if I involve him, he may get hurt again, and that, I can¡¯t bear. He told me he loved me and I believe him. And I¡­ I love him. It¡¯s why I need to confront Fabio, once and for all. I can¡¯t let him or anyone else be a casualty in this fight between Fabio and me.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I swallow. ¡°I don¡¯t think Fabio¡¯s going to kill me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡¯s going to kill you?¡± He peers into my features. ¡°You think he¡¯s still in love with you, so he won¡¯t hurt you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s hurt me plenty already.¡± I touch the scar on my wrist, and his gaze intensifies. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think he actually knows what love means, anyway. But if he kills me, he¡¯ll lose his hold on me, and that¡¯s not his pattern.¡±


    ¡°He sent you to get information from me, so why would he shoot at me?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± I nce away, ¡°because he found out that you married me?¡±


    ¡°And how would that have happened? The only people at the wedding were my brothers, their wives, and the mayor, who knows better than to talk about it to anyone else.¡± He rubs his jaw, then adds, ¡°And then, someone shot at us at the restaurant afterward.¡±


    ¡°When that failed, he came after you again.¡±


    ¡°And failed again.¡± He looks around the room, as if the answer is somehow hidden there. Then he sighs. ¡°It makes no sense. He could have killed me there, and he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why I threw myself over you. I was banking on Fabio not wanting to kill me. Besides, I think he wanted to send me a warning.¡± I twist my fingers together. ¡°Already, too many people have been hurt, Seb. Can¡¯t you see? I need to confront him; it¡¯s the only way to stop this.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± He crosses his arms in front of his chest. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you go to him.¡±


    ¡°I will not have the blood of more people on my hands,¡± I argue. ¡°If any of the bodyguards had died, I would have never been able to forgive myself. It¡¯s a miracle they survived. I¡¯m afraid next time we won¡¯t be so lucky.¡±


    ¡°There will not be a next time, because I¡¯m going to make sure that asshole neveres near you or any of our family again.¡±


    ¡°The only way to put an end to this peacefully is if I speak to him,¡± I insist.


    ¡°And what will you say to him? Do you think if you ask him nicely, he¡¯s going to back off and leave you alone?¡±


    I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I can try. All this time, I¡¯ve been afraid of him, and maybe that¡¯s the mistake I made. I gave him power over me. You know, many times when a bully¡¯s confronted, he backs down. If I stand up to him, it¡¯s possible he¡¯ll leave us alone. ¡±


    ¡°Surely, you know better than that. It¡¯s more likely he¡¯ll respond violently, thinking if he can¡¯t have you, no one can. That¡¯s what abusers do, Elsa.¡± He drags his fingers through his hair. ¡°Goddamn it, I¡¯m not letting you meet him, and that¡¯s that.¡±


    ¡°But, Seb-¡±


    ¡°No, you will not see him, and my decision is final.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    He shes his palm through the air. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear another thing about it.¡±


    He pivots and walks toward the staircase.


    A few hourster, after I¡¯ve put Avery down for her afternoon nap, I walk into the kitchen and find Cass.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± I pause halfway across the floor. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear youe in.¡±


    ¡°I wanted toe by and make sure you guys don¡¯t starve.¡± She turns to me.


    ¡°We do have a housekeeper to cook for us, you know,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Oh, pfft.¡± She waves her hand in the air. ¡°I wanted to see you. Besides, my Pasta a Norma is just what you need.¡±


    My stomach rumbles as she mentions it, and I walk over to her and hug her. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whisper, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t have, but I¡¯m d you did.¡±


    She hugs me, then pulls back to look at my face. ¡°Everything okay?¡±


    Tears prick at the backs of my eyes at her concern, and once again, I blink them away. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I reply honestly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I make you a te, and you can tell me as you eat?¡±


    ¡°What about Seb?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I already took a tray up to him.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I nce away.


    ¡°You guys have a fight or something?¡± she guesses.


    ¡°Kind of¡­¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°It was more like, I suggested something, and Seb dismissed my idea and told me he doesn¡¯t want to hear about it again.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to tell me about it?¡± She retrieves the te of food from the warmer and sets it down on the breakfast nook counter. I mber onto a stool, and ce the baby monitor next to me on the counter. She slides the cutlery over to me, and I pick up a fork and dig into the pasta dish.


    ¡°This is good.¡± I work my way through half of the contents of my te before I finally nce up. ¡°Really good.¡± I lick my lips.


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m d you¡¯re enjoying it.¡± She pours me a ss of water, then slides onto the stool beside me, props her elbow on the counter, and leans her chin on her hand. ¡°So, tell me everything.¡±


    I proceed to tell her about my earlier conversation with Seb. By the time I wipe my te clean and sit back, she¡¯s looking at me with concern in her gaze.


    ¡°I can understand why he was upset. It seems to me you¡¯d be taking an unnecessary risk by meeting with Fabio.¡±


    ¡°I need to confront him. It¡¯s the only way he¡¯ll stop trying to ruin my life. All of these years, I¡¯ve been afraid of him. It¡¯s why he¡¯s always managed to ride rough-shod over me.¡±


    ¡°So, what changed now? Why do you feel as if you can confront him now?¡±


    ¡°He shot at Seb; he hurt Seb.¡± I grip the side of the counter. ¡°Fabio hates Seb. He won¡¯t stop until he¡¯s taken Seb out, and I can¡¯t let that happen. I will not see him get hurt again, Cass.¡± I reach for the ss of water and sip from it.


    ¡°Firstly, Seb can take care of himself-¡±


    ¡°Like he did when the drone shot at him?¡±


    Cass purses her lips. ¡°That was an aberration. Likely, he was taken by surprise. Doesn¡¯t mean it will happen again.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t take that risk.¡± I fold my arms about my waist. ¡°You don¡¯t know how scary it was when that bullet hit him and he started bleeding. He passed out, and I was sure I was going to lose him. I can¡¯t let that happen, Cass.¡± My guts churn, bile rushes up my throat, and I swallow it down. ¡°He¡¯s my chance at happiness. He¡¯s the man who should have been Avery¡¯s father. It¡¯s my fault he got hurt, and I can¡¯t risk that happening again. This is the only way, Cass. It¡¯s time I shook free of Fabio¡¯s hold on my life and Avery¡¯s future, once and for all. ¡± I shake my head, unable to continue.


    I slide off of the stool, take my te, and head for the sink. I rinse it off and ce it in the dishwasher.


    ¡°Either way, Seb is right about one thing. I can¡¯t take Avery back to Fabio.¡±


    ¡°That, I understand,¡± Cass finishes wiping the counter then turns to me. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with your going to confront Fabio but,¡± she draws in a breath, ¡°but I was a mother once. I know what it feels like to want to protect your child against the world. Whatever you are thinking of doing, I know it¡¯s because you think that¡¯s the best way to protect your daughter.¡±


    I scan her features. ¡°You said you were a mother, once¡­?¡± I don¡¯t want to probe, but Cass raised the topic, so I assume it¡¯s okay to ask.


    She turns to straighten the cutlery drying on the board near the sink. ¡°I lost him when he was a year old. It took me a long time to get over it.¡± She nces away, then back at me. ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone else,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°And I won¡¯t breathe a word of it, either,¡± I close the distance between us and take her hands in mine, ¡°I am so sorry for your loss.¡±


    One side of her lips twists. ¡°I hated the universe for taking Ray from me. Then¡­ I realized I should be happy that I had, at least, that much time with him. He was a gorgeous little baby; never cried, never troubled me at night. And when he smiled, it was as if the sun had poured its radiance over me. He was too good for this world, I guess.¡± A tear runs down her cheek. ¡°The stories we tell ourselves, eh?¡± She wipes her cheek on her shoulder. ¡°So you see, I understand why what you¡¯re nning to do may seem crazy, but why it also makes sense to me.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Cass.¡± I squeeze her hands. ¡°So, you¡¯ll help me?¡±

 298

    Seb


    Ie awake with a start. It¡¯s dark in the room, and I blink, disoriented. I know I¡¯m back in my room, and I remember eating the lunch Cass brought me. Later, she came by to clear my tray, and I fell asleep after that. I must have slept clear through the afternoon, for the light has faded outside. I reach for mymp and flip it on, then check the time my phone.


    It¡¯s seven p. m. Damn. I must have been more tired than I realized. I sit up, and while there¡¯s a dull throb in my shoulder, it¡¯s not as painful as it was this morning. I ease my arm out of my sling and stretch it out. Pain shivers up my arm and I wince.


    ¡°Are you supposed to do that?¡±


    I nce up to find Elsa hovering by the door. In one arm, she has Avery. In the other, she holds a familiar paper bag filled with my medicines. She walks over and ces the paper bag on the table near the bed.


    Avery fusses and reaches for me.


    ¡°No, baby. Seb¡¯s still recovering from being hurt.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I hold out the arm attached to my unhurt shoulder. ¡°The sling is just a precaution, to keep me from moving my arm around. It helps it heal faster.¡±


    ¡°Eb,¡± Avery warbles. ¡°Eb.¡±


    ¡°Did she say my name?¡± I stare at the little girl, who smiles back at me, showing the gaps between her teeth.


    Elsa looks at me, an expression of surprise on her features. ¡°I guess she likes you.¡±


    ¡°Me and Avery¡­ We understand each other, don¡¯t we, sweetheart?¡±


    Avery all but jumps out of Elsa¡¯s grasp. I rise to my feet and take her in my arm. She stares at me, then bumps her fist into my cheek.


    ¡°Or maybe, she thinks I¡¯m a punching bag, of sorts.¡± I chuckle.


    She ttens her other palm against my mouth then warbles something.


    ¡°What¡¯s she saying?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea.¡± Elsa shakes her head. ¡°This girl talks to anyone and anything. If she thought she¡¯d get a response, I swear she¡¯d talk to the furniture.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fu- I mean, very clever, aren¡¯t you, doll?¡± I pretend to bite her finger and she bursts outughing again. ¡°You¡¯re such a smarty-pants, aren¡¯t you? So clever; such a performer. Love attention, don¡¯t you, Bubu?¡± I realize I¡¯ve called her by the same pet name Elsa used earlier.


    Avery bumps her head against my chin. ¡°Seb.¡± This time, it¡¯s unmistakable she¡¯s saying my name. A flurry of emotions coil in my chest.


    I lift her shirt and nt a raspberry on her tummy. She screams with pleasure, thenughs again. I nce up to find Elsa watching the two of us with a strange look on her face.


    ¡°What?¡± I growl.


    ¡°It¡¯s just,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°you¡¯re really good with her.¡±


    ¡°Why do you sound so surprised?¡±


    She pulls out a bottle of pills, then shakes off two and offers them to me, along with a ss of water.


    I nce down at Avery and at my other hand, which, I hate to admit, is already growing tired since I slid it out from the sling.


    ¡°Here,¡± she urges me.


    I open my mouth, and she drops the pills onto my tongue. Her fingertips brush my lips, and a shiver runs down my spine. My belly hardens and my cock twitches. Her chest rises and falls, and she avoids my gaze as she raises the ss of water to my lips. I sip from it, without taking my gaze off of her.


    Avery chooses that moment to p her hand down on the ss. Water sshes on my shirt and on her.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. Oh, Avery, look what you did?¡± Elsa frowns at the toddler, who nces between us. Her face crumples, and she takes in a deep breath.


    ¡°Hey, hey, it¡¯s okay, Bubu; it¡¯s fine. No harm done. It¡¯s water; it will dry, right?¡± I walk away as I jiggle her and try to distract her. She nces at me, her features frozen as she eyes me, then her face crumples again.


    ¡°Aww,e on, baby, don¡¯t cry.¡± I begin to pace as I move her up and down in my grasp. Goddamn arm, if it were functional, I could use it to distract her.


    She blinks, a teardrop bnced at the edge of her delicate eyshes. She opens her mouth, but before she can make a sound, I whistle. She blinks again, and watches me, entranced. I whistle under my breath, then vary the tone, and she slowly shuts her mouth. I whistle once more. This time, shends her fist in my mouth.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°A-n-d, normal service is resumed.¡± I snicker. ¡°Crisis averted. For now, at least.¡±


    An hourter, Elsa has given Avery a bath-which Avery insisted I watch. She refused to let go of my sleeve, so I had to apany them to the small room connecting to the guest bedroom Elsa had upied-and read a bedtime story to her, during which time, she insisted on holding onto my finger as she finally fell asleep. After that, we stand next to her crib and gaze down at the sleeping child.


    ¡°Wow,¡± I breathe as a wave of tiredness washes over me, ¡°she¡¯s really something.¡±


    ¡°She never stops,¡± Elsa agrees. ¡°You caught her as she was winding down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s her winding down?¡± I wince.


    ¡°You should see her in the mornings. She springs up, ready to face the day, and doesn¡¯t stop until I put her down for her afternoon nap, at which time, she often refuses to sleep.¡± Elsa shakes her head. ¡°At this age, they¡¯re still learning how to sleep, you know?¡± she says softly. Then she bends and kisses Avery on her forehead before she straightens and catches me watching her.


    ¡°Do you want to kiss her goodnight?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± I catch myself gaping, and promptly shut my mouth.


    ¡°Yes, you.¡± Elsa smiles a little. ¡°You earned it.¡±


    I lower myself and bring my face close to the sleeping child¡¯s. Her features are flushed, her lips slightly parted. Her chest rises and falls quickly. I push aside the strand of hair over her forehead, then bend and kiss her cheek.


    ¡°Goodnight, Bubu,¡± I whisper.


    I straighten and my gaze connects with Elsa¡¯s. Once more, awareness hums between us. We¡¯ve always had that connection, the chemistry that thrummed between us from the moment we met¡­ but this¡­ This is different. A shared experience, of taking care of Avery this evening, unites us. It changes the vor of our interaction, deepens it, adds an edge to it. Laces it with tenderness, weaves it with an awareness that¡¯s both soft and potent, both erotic and intense, innocent and yet, so deep. It strengthens what already existed between us, helps me understand her morepletely-as a woman, a mother, a nurturer, and someone who deserves every pleasure I can give her. And more.


    Avery murmurs something, and we both shift our gazes to her face. She turns over on her side, but continues sleeping. When she doesn¡¯t move for a few more minutes, the breath I hadn¡¯t been aware I was holding slides out. Tension drains from my shoulders. Goddamn, and all this because I was worried we might have woken her up?


    Elsa puts a finger to her lips, then jerks her head toward the doorway. She picks up the baby monitor and sidles toward the door. I follow her, when she pauses and turns to me. ¡°Watch out for the-¡±


    I step on a floorboard that creaks.


    ¡°-floorboard,¡± shepletes her statement.


    I freeze, nce over my shoulder¡­ to find Avery is still asleep. Whew! I turn to Elsa, who seems as relieved as me. She beckons to me, switching off the overhead light as I follow her out of the room, this time, without incident.


    The nightlight illuminates the space as she closes the door, leaving it a little ajar. I follow her into her bedroom, and the breath I am not aware of holding rushes out.


    ¡°Is it always like that?¡± I whisper.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Like a major incident has been averted every time you put her to bed?¡±


    She chuckles. ¡°Once she¡¯s asleep, she wouldn¡¯t wake up if a freight train passed through her room. It¡¯s just those few minutes before she tips over into deep sleep that you have to be careful of.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I peer down into her face. ¡°You are an amazing mother, Elsa.¡±


    She flushes. ¡°So you keep saying.¡±


    ¡°Only because every time I watch you with her, I can see how much she means to you, how much you¡¯d give up to be with her.¡±


    ¡°When I first gave birth to her, I was depressed. No one tells you how hard it is to take care of a child. Nothing prepares you for how the child takes over your lifepletely. And my ex, let¡¯s just say, he wasn¡¯t very understanding.¡± She swallows. ¡°He told me it was my problem, and I had to handle it on my own.¡±


    ¡°That figlio di puttana.¡± Anger flushes my skin. No wonder she¡¯s so nervous every time Avery does something wrong. She¡¯s afraid I¡¯ll yell at her, or worse. I clench my fists by my sides, and by god, if I had any doubts about what I was going to do to that pezzo di merda, after what she¡¯s just told me, it has convinced me not to hold back.


    She nces past me, through the crack in the door, to make sure Avery¡¯s asleep. Then, she turns and walks over to the window and nces out.


    ¡°Those months were rough. My mother helped me with Avery, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I felt so trapped, like it was the end of my life, my identity. The fact that I could no longer move around freely, or pursue my career as a pianist¡­ I couldn¡¯t see any help in sight. I knew what I needed to do was see a Dom. Someone in whom I could put my trust and hand over control, at least for a little time. When it felt like everything in my life was going to shit, I felt like I needed that little window of space when I could just forget about my responsibilities. It¡¯s why, at the first chance I got, I slipped off to that underground club. It¡¯s because I couldn¡¯t stop thinking of myself. Because I was so selfish, I didn¡¯t realize how my one move could hurt Avery and put us in this situation.¡±


    Her grip around the baby monitor tightens.


    ¡°Princess,¡± I wrap my fingers around the nape of her neck, ¡°you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You were trying to be both a mother and a woman, and that¡¯s understandable.¡±


    ¡°No, I made a mistake, I-¡±


    ¡°Listen to me.¡± I squeeze my fingers, and her breath hitches. I apply enough pressure so she has to turn her head to face me. ¡°You made only one mistake.¡±


    Her color fades. ¡°I did?¡±


    I nod. ¡°You allowed someone else to touch you before I met you. You married someone else before I could put a ring on your finger. You searched for some other man to be your Dom, when you should have waited for me.¡±

 299

    Elsa


    ¡°Did you¡­ did you just say what I think you did?¡± I stare at him.


    ¡°I never say something unless I mean it.¡± His thumb presses down on the pulse that beats at the hollow of my throat.


    ¡°I¡­ ¡± I try to form the words, but it¡¯s like my brain cells have all fused together. How can he be so presumptuous? How can he assume that I should¡¯ve saved myself for him? How can he say I should¡¯ve waited for him to be my Dom? How can he¡­ expect that I wouldn¡¯t have married anyone else and waited for him toe along? And yet, the fact that he thinks this, and with such authority, only reinforces his power over me. His possessiveness, the way he sped-is still sping-his fingers around the nape of my neck like he owns me, only adds more intensity to his words.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I swallow, ¡°sometimes I don¡¯t know what to make of you. You barge into my life, turn it upside down and then you¡­ you¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell you the truth.¡±


    I nce away. That¡¯s the issue here. The fact that I can¡¯t disagree with him. That every part of me wishes I had waited for him. That I had heeded my mother¡¯s words and not rushed to marry Fabio¡­ But he¡¯d swept me off my feet, and when he¡¯d asked me to marry him, I got carried away. Then I got pregnant with Avery. And if I hadn¡¯t met him, I wouldn¡¯t have Avery. And I wouldn¡¯t have moved to Palermo and met Seb, either.¡±Admit it, Princess.¡± He applies just enough pressure on the nape of my neck that I raise my gaze to his. ¡°Tell me I¡¯m right.¡± His golden-brown eyes re with that intensity I¡¯ming to associate with him. It¡¯s like he¡¯s gathered all of the emotions he holds inside of himself, twisted them into a knot, and lodged it behind his eyes. And now, I can see it, sense it¡­ smell the frustration that coats his features. ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve wanted to kill that motherfucker for putting his hands on you? Every time I think about him holding you, touching you¡­ Kissing you.¡± His gaze drops to my mouth and stays there. ¡°I want to fuck you and keep fucking you, until the only thing you can see, hear, taste, touch, smell is me¡­ Only me.¡±


    My breath hitches.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to stop until you¡¯re mine.¡±


    ¡°But I am yours,¡± I whisper. ¡°Since the first time I set eyes on you, there has been no one else but you.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you didn¡¯t trust me to take care of your daughter?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what I would give for that little girl in there to be mine?¡±


    ¡°She is¡­ She is yours,¡± I say in a low voice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard you,¡± he says in a hard voice.


    ¡°She is yours, Seb. So am I.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°I made some bad decisions. I made choices I¡¯m not proud of, but if I hadn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have Avery, and because of that, I can¡¯t regret everything. I¡¯d give anything for her to be yours by blood, but spiritually, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re connected.¡±


    His jaw tics.


    ¡°She¡¯s never taken to anyone as quickly as she¡¯s taken to you, Seb. She¡¯s never asked for anyone else-not even her blood father-to stay with her as I bathe her and read to her and put her to bed. She asked for you, Seb. She asked. For you.¡±


    He peers into my eyes and a multitude of emotions seem to pass over his features. Then he drags me forward. I fall against him and he grunts.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I exim, ¡°I totally forgot that you¡¯re wounded.¡±


    ¡°The real wounds are the ones you inflicted on my heart when you didn¡¯t trust me enough to tell me that you were colluding with him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Seb,¡± I whisper, ¡°so sorry for having hurt you.¡± And if I have to do it again to make sure you¡¯re safe, then I will.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± He nces between my eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on in that mind of yours, Elsa?¡±


    Damn, but he knows me so well, and in such a short period of time. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t go ahead with my n; maybe I should tell him what I¡¯m nning to do. I open my mouth, but whates out is, ¡°¡­ that Avery¡¯s asleep, and if she does wake up, I have this-¡± I raise my hand and show him the baby monitor receiver. ¡°So-¡±


    ¡°So¡­?


    ¡°So, I think we should move to your room, and make sure you get settled, so you can rest up, considering you¡¯re still recovering from your injury.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is that all you were thinking about?¡±


    I swallow.


    ¡°Tell me, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes,¡± I stutter.


    He bends his knees so he¡¯s at eye level with me. ¡°Liar.¡± His lips pull up in a smirk. ¡°But I¡¯ll let you get away with it¡­ this time.¡±


    He releases me, then straightens and walks toward the door of my bedroom. I follow him down the corridor and to the next bedroom at the far end. He pushes the door open, walks in, then heads for his bed. He turns to nce at me over his shoulder and asks, ¡°Coming?¡±


    I follow him as he walks over to sit down on the bed. He toes off his shoes, then stretches out on the mattress.


    Some of the tension seems to leave his big body, and he watches me from under his eyshes as I walk around to the other side of the bed. I ce the baby monitor on the nightstand, then stretch out next to him, over the covers.


    For a few seconds, wey there. Then he reaches into the pocket of his jeans and hands me something. ¡°Here.¡±


    I nce over to find my phone in his hand.


    ¡°You¡¯re returning my phone to me?¡±


    ¡°I trust you,¡± he says simply, and my heart nearly shatters. Jesus, is it possible for this man to break me further? He said he¡¯d wear me down by being my Dom, but it¡¯s his words, his gestures, the way he looks at me like he wants to scold me one second, and the next second fuck me¡­ It¡¯s his heart that¡¯s winning me over, and he¡¯s not even aware of it. I thought an alpha male was someone who holds power over you, who can make you shiver with a look, a touch, a single tilt of his lips¡­ And Seb has all that and more. And yet, it¡¯s his empathy that ys me every time. He seems to understand what I need to hear from him. He knows what I need without my having to spell it out for him. He understands Avery like he¡¯s her blood father, better than her blood father, and all I¡¯ve given him in return is a bullet to his shoulder.


    I reach for the phone and ce it on the side table, then lower my legs to the ground. I walk around to stand on his side of the bed so he has an unfettered view of me. Then I grip the hem of my sweater and pull it off. His breath catches, and I raise my gaze to find him watching as I reach down, lower the zipper of my jeans, and push them off, along with my sneakers and my socks. d only in my panties and bra, I straighten.


    He rakes his gaze down my face, my breasts, my hips, my thighs, down to my toes. By the time he¡¯s raised his gaze back to mine, my breathing has grown shallow. My skin feels too tight for my body and my scalp tingles. I reach behind me, unhook my bra, and let it drop to the floor. My nipples instantly peak. Every pore in my body seems to have opened, and is ready and open and willing to be filled by him. He¡¯s controlling me and he doesn¡¯t even have to say a word. I slide my fingers into the waistband of my panties and push them down my legs without breaking the connection of our eyes.


    I straighten, and he takes another leisurely visual tour of my body. He circles his finger. A flush blooms on my face and creeps down my body as I turn slowly, then stop to face him, with my hand on my hip.


    ¡°What do you want, Princess?¡±


    ¡°I want to see you naked.¡±

 300

    Seb


    She¡¯s killing me. The way she undressed with such confidence, while the flush on her features, and the way her hands trembled as she pushed those pale pink panties down her legs, hinted at her nervousness. She didn¡¯t pause though; she went through with it, and now, she stands in front of me-naked, gorgeous, beautiful. And did I mention? Not a stitch of clothing on her. Nothing except the ring I gave her.


    The blood drains to my groin. My shoulder throbs, reminding me I¡¯m not in peak condition to do everything I want to her. Not to mention, I still have my arm in this goddamn sling.


    ¡°You want to see me naked? Why don¡¯t you undress me yourself?¡± I drawl.


    Her throat moves as she swallows. She takes one step forward, then another. She reaches the bed and ces one knee on the mattress. She swings her other leg over my waist and pauses, kneeling over me. Then she bends and begins to undo the first button on my shirt. Her fingers brush my chest as she unbuttons the next one, and the third. She doesn¡¯t stop until she¡¯s reached the end, then swallows.


    She takes in the skin bared to her gaze, and the blood drains from her face. She traces the lines of the letters that run down the bifurcation of my pecs, and reads the letters that spell out:


    Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat


    Her chin wobbles. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Latin for Fortune Favors the Bold,¡± I reply.


    ¡°I know what it stands for. The question is, why do you have this tattoo?¡± she bursts out.


    ¡°I had it done when I was fourteen.¡±


    ¡°Fourteen?¡± She blinks rapidly. ¡°You were barely a teenager.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s when Michael left us and moved to the US to study. That¡¯s when our father unleashed the full impact of his wrath on us. I was the oldest amongst the brothers left behind. Of course, I wasn¡¯t his legitimate son.¡± My lips twist. ¡°I was one of his bastard sons, and he¡¯d taken me in with Adrian. Not that it mattered when it came to his beatings. He beat me and Luca, the second oldest of his legitimate sons, equally. You¡¯d think that¡¯d forge a certain level of kinship among us, but it turns out, it only shamed us so much we¡¯d never speak of it afterward. If anything, we went out of our way to avoid each other after each of the beatings. It was what made me realize that I didn¡¯t want to ever be my father. It¡¯s when I knew I needed to find a life beyond the Cosa Nostra. It was during this time that I got the tattoo. Not long after, Michael returned to visit from the US-probably because our grandmother finally told him what was happening-and he moved all of us to LA. Our father didn¡¯t protest. God only knows why. In fact, he agreed to pay for the education of all of us.¡±


    ¡°Did getting the tattoo help?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a reminder to be courageous. To never give up.¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Now your turn.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Goosebumps dot her skin. She turns her head away.


    I click my tongue. ¡°Look at me, Elsa.¡±


    She hesitates.


    ¡°Now,¡± I lower my voice to a hush and her shoulders shake, but she turns to meet my gaze.


    ¡°Why did the sight of my tattoo elicit that reaction from you?¡± I ask.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± She halfughs, then drags her fingers through her hair. Of course, the action results in her breasts being pushed out, and of course, my eyes drop to her chest. In response, she ys with her breasts, drags her fingers across those dusky aree of hers, then down toward her pussy. My cock jerks in response. A part of me knows what she¡¯s doing. She¡¯s distracting me. The same thing she did before I was shot by the drone. She¡¯s trying to divert my attention; and seeding, for I can¡¯t stop my gaze from following her movements. She ys with her pussy lips, and Cazzo, my dick almost pokes a hole in the crotch of my boxers. She slides a finger inside her sopping wet channel and my breath catches. It fucking catches. Heat suffuses my skin, and my fingertips tingle to reach out and push away her fingers, and rece it with my own. Followed by my tongue. And then my shaft, with which I¡¯m going to impale her and¡­


    Fucking hell, stop this right now. I tear my gaze away from her juicy core and up to her face. ¡°Nice try, but it won¡¯t work,¡± I growl.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She holds out her glistening fingers, and Gesu Cristo¡­ Clearly, He hates me, which is why He¡¯s forcing me to watch this vixen tempt me, knowing I must not give in. Must not give in.


    ¡°Princess,¡± I warn.


    Her hand wavers, then she flips her hair over her shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t want to taste me? Fine.¡± She brings her fingers to her mouth and sucks on them.


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± I grit my teeth. ¡°You will tell me, right now, why my tattoo disturbed you.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t disturb me,¡± she protests.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You looked like you¡¯d seen a ghost.¡±


    ¡°Or a scene from a movie.¡±


    ¡°Exin,¡± I order.


    ¡°Kea-¡±


    I re at her.


    ¡°The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named in John Wick¡­¡± She tips up her chin. ¡°He had the same tattoo across his back.¡±


    ¡°And he was part of a Mafia gang in the movie?¡±


    She nods. ¡°A Russian n.¡±


    ¡°That exins it. It¡¯s not umon for some of us to choose this as a tattoo.¡±


    ¡°First, I find out that your second name is the same as the middle name of The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Then, you y his favorite song. Now, it turns out you sport a tattoo his character wore in John Wick¡­ It¡¯s,¡± she shakes her head, ¡°it¡¯s mind-boggling.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe, The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named is giving you his blessing? Maybe it¡¯s a sign from him that he approves of us.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She scrunches her eyebrows.


    ¡°Think about it. You have a thing for him, and now, I¡¯m your movie boyfriend,e to life.¡±


    ¡°Hmph¡­¡± She twists her lips. ¡°You may have a point.¡±


    ¡°I always have a point, baby, and in this case, a very big, blunt point¡­ in my pants.¡±


    Her gaze drops to my crotch and she flushes.


    ¡°See how much I want you? You haven¡¯t even touched me, and I¡¯m so hard for you, Princess.¡±


    She reaches down and lowers my zipper, then pushes down my pants, along with my boxer briefs. My cock springs free, and a gasp slips from her lips. A flush blooms over her cheeks, down her neck, to swoop down her breasts-her gorgeous, plump tits, with nipples so peaked that they resemble Johnny Utah¡¯s upright surfboard in Point Break.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    A-n-d I have officially lost it. I¡¯mparing her nipples to surfboards? And not just any surfboard, but to the character¡¯s surfboard in the movie of The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named that I saw. And have seen¡­ many times. What? It¡¯s Point Break. It has nothing to do with the fact that he¡¯s in it. Besides, I was young. I didn¡¯t know any better then.


    She trails her fingers up my cock and my balls tighten. She raises her gaze to mine, and whatever she sees there causes her to part her lips. She gulps and I hold her gaze.


    ¡°Just because I allowed you to undress me, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to let you direct the proceedings.¡±


    A shiver runs down her body. Her breathing grows ragged and her pupils dte. She¡¯s perfect. She loves it when Imand her. When I dominate her. When I order her to follow my directions.


    ¡°Suck me off, Princess.¡±


    She firms her lips, even as her eyes gleam. She wants to do what I ask of her, but something in her resists. And it¡¯s that stubborn core of hers which attracts me to her. It¡¯s that obstinacy in her that pushes her to stand firm in the face of my overpowering personality. It¡¯s the fact that, even after everything we¡¯ve been through, she still hasn¡¯t taken that final step of putting her faith in me. Which frustrates me, and intrigues me, and pushes me to find a way to wear her down. To break her. To make her mine over and over again.


    ¡°Wrap those pretty pink lips around my cock.¡±

 301

    Elsa


    ¡°What?¡± I hear the word that slips from my lips, and a part of me wonders why I even bother with the token protest. I know what he wants. Hell, I want it. I want to oblige him with what he wants, and yet, something in me insists that I hold out. That I don¡¯t let him see how easy it would be for him to control me. Howpelled I am to do as he says. How close I am to giving in and allowing him to direct me and manipte my body, and my mind, and my heart into doing what he wants me to do.


    ¡°You heard me.¡± He lowers his voice to a hush, and a buzz of electricity races under my skin. He¡¯s using that Dom voice of his. OMG, soon I¡¯ll be helpless to resist him.


    I firm my lips, and he nces down at his crotch, then back to my face. ¡°You will do as I say,¡± he growls.


    My breath catches. My mouth waters. It would be so easy to bend down, to lock my lips around that thick, gorgeous dick of his, to lick and suck and draw him into my mouth. To take him down my throat and show him just how much I want him. And I do¡­ I want to pleasure him, to make him realize there¡¯s no one else but me who can give him what he wants. That, even if he can¡¯t forgive me for what I¡¯m going to do next¡­ He¡¯ll always remember my spectacr blowjob.


    I nce up, hold his gaze, then dip my head toward his crotch. I close my fingers around the root of his shaft, then drag my tongue from base to head. His stomach muscles clench, his chest nes flex, and his dick lengthens even further.


    Color suffuses his cheeks, his lips part, and a groan rumbles up his throat. ¡°Cazzo,¡± his jaw tics, ¡°don¡¯t fucking stop.¡±


    I close my mouth around the head, and the tangy, salty taste of his pre-cum explodes on my pte. My sex stutters and my belly ties itself in knots. Moisture seeps out from between my thighs. I bob my head to take him deeper inside my mouth, and his entire body seems to go solid.


    His gaze intensifies as I pull back until he¡¯s poised between my lips, then I tilt my head and take him down my throat.


    ¡°Cristo Santo, cosi fottutamente buono,¡± he says in a rough voice. A melting sensation grips my chest. I could listen to him speak Italian all day, even if I have no idea what he¡¯s saying.


    I swallow, and his hips seem to rise of their own ord. His cock slips down further, and I gag. Tears run down my cheeks, but I refuse to look away from him.


    His nostrils re. The next second, he wraps his fingers around my throat. He holds me in ce, and I have no choice but to gasp and try to breathe through my nose as he tilts his head.


    ¡°Do you know how much it turns me on to feel my cock down your throat as you swallow?¡±


    My pussy mps down andes up empty. More moisture coats my slit. That is the hottest, filthiest thing I have ever heard. He applies enough pressure so I pull back until his cock is poised between my lips. Then he draws me forward and his shaft, once more, slips down my throat. This time, I cken my jaw so my gag reflex doesn¡¯t engage. He res at me as if he wants to squeeze down further, until I¡¯m out of breath, before he kisses my mouth. He hauls me back, then forward again, as he begins to fuck my throat with slow, measured movements. Each time he glides down my throat, sensations swell the column and roll over his palm. Each time he pulls me back, his chest heaves in tandem. A bead of sweat slides down the demarcation of his pecs.


    It¡¯s ufortable, and yet, strangely erotic as he tugs me back, then eases me forward again. His cock thickens, filling my throat. My lungs feel like they are going to burst into mes any moment. More tears slide down my cheeks and drip from my chin. And his shoulders roll forward.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°I am going toe down your throat, and you are going to swallow every drop, Princess, you hear me?¡±


    His movements intensify, and I grip his legs and dig my fingers into the fabric of his pants, which are twisted around his lower thighs, as he continues to use my mouth, my throat, and my tongue for his pleasure. As his breathing grows even more ragged, as his chest nes shift under his tanned skin, as his thigh muscles roll and his hips jerk forward, he shoots his load down my throat.


    He holds me there with his fingers still around my throat for a beat, another, then pulls out. Only to draw me up and fix his lips on mine. He kisses my mouth like he fucked my face, with thoroughness, precision, and a cold intent that is so single-minded, it leaves no doubt he wants to extract everyst drop of pleasure from this connection. He keeps his eyes open, and I can¡¯t close mine, either. I watch the golden-yellow sparks catch fire in the depths of his irises as he ims my mouth with his as thoroughly as he possessed it with his shaft.


    The taste of him,ced with something sweeter, more evocative-my cum- coats my pte. A trembling grips my chest and spreads out, bending, twisting, swirling, until it reaches my extremities, until it flows over me, threatening to consume me.


    When he finally releases my mouth, I draw in a breath-his breath. The taste of him clings to my tongue and my lips, the scent of him in my nostrils, his touch around my neck a brand that I¡¯ll never erase.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I open my mouth, but no other wordse out. What else is there to say? What else can I say?


    That¡¯s when he flips me over. ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you now.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± If I¡¯d been speechless before, all of my brain cells seem to melt now, leaving behind a soft, mushy puddle which bears just one name-his.


    One side of his lips twists, then he leans back, pushes himself off the bed, and shoves his pants and his boxers down his legs. He kicks them aside, then shrugs off the sling and tosses it to the ground.


    ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± I begin to sit up, but he clicks his tongue.


    ¡°Lay back, Princess.¡±


    As Iy slumped back against the covers, I realize I¡¯ve obeyed him again. ¡°Your shoulder¡­ You were shot, Seb. Shouldn¡¯t you keep the sling on?¡±


    ¡°Nothinges between us,¡± he replies in a hard voice.


    A flush courses through my veins, and my entire body feels like it¡¯s ame. ¡°That,¡± I clear my throat, ¡°that has got to be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just getting started, baby.¡± He lowers his chin to his chest, and I take in his wide shoulders, his thick biceps, that gorgeously sculpted chest with that tattoo scrawled from one end to the other, the wound on his shoulder covered in a white bandage which is startling against his darker skin, the slim waist, that beautiful cock of his that stands to attention, against his stomach-already!-the corded thighs, those muscled calves, and his feet. Oh, my god, his feet. They are big and wide, with such shapely toes.


    Hold on, can a guy¡¯s toes be shapely? I know Kea-I mean The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has beautiful toes. I saw them in Point Break. But Seb? In all honesty, he puts up stiffpetition, and not just in the toes department. Right now, he¡¯s winning on so many fronts¡­ And not only because he¡¯s real and here and sporting a boner the size of a courgette. No, it¡¯s because he might actually be more handsome than my idol, and that¡¯s something I¡¯ve never admitted to myself before. Damn. Apparently, my fixation with a screen actor is being reced by my obsession with a real-life man¡­ Who also happens to be my husband. Clearly, I¡¯m doomed.


    He closes the distance to the bed, then positions himself between my legs. He nts his uninjured hand next to my shoulder; the other one, he keeps tucked into his side. Then he res into my eyes. ¡°Wrap your fingers around my dick,¡± hemands.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± he lowers his voice again, and my nerve-endings seem to catch fire. ¡°Elsa,¡± he growls. Before my name is out of his mouth, I¡¯ve curled my fingers around his dick.


    ¡°Good girl. Now, position me at your entrance.¡±


    I do so, and the blunt end of his cock nudges my opening. A pulse res to life in my lower belly, mirroring the bam-bam-bam of my heart in my ribcage. A groan bleeds from my lips, and his mouth seems to firm further. A pulse res to life at his temple and his jaw tics. He grits his teeth as he stays there, poised at my slit.


    ¡°Do you want me, Elsa?¡± he asks in a harsh voice. ¡°Do you?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Want me to fuck you?¡±


    I open my mouth, then close it, then shake my head. ¡°No Seb.¡± I search his features. ¡°I want you to make love to me.¡±

 302

    Seb


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± Heat constricts my chest, wraps around my ribs, and squeezes until spots of darkness flicker at the edges of my vision. And I¡¯m not even inside her. ¡°The things you say to me¡­ You¡¯re going to make mee right now.¡± Only I won¡¯t, because I¡¯m waiting to be inside her sweet cunt, inside her fleshy, hot, melting pussy, wrapped in that hot, tight channel of hers as she milks me. I ce my other arm-the one attached to my injured shoulder-on the other side of her. I lean my weight on it, and it throbs, but not too badly-thank fuck-then I lunge forward.


    She gasps as I m into her, fill her, stretch her¡­ As I hit that elusive ce deep inside of her. My balls p against her skin, as my cock thickens inside of her.


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± She bites her lower lip. ¡°Seb, you¡¯re too big.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You can take it.¡± Inch-by-inch, I pull out of her, then thrust forward with enough force that her body slides up. Her head hits the headboard and the bed jolts. At the same time, pain squeezes my shoulder, and I shove it aside. ¡°Grab the headboard.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Not going to repeat myself, babe.¡±


    She sets her jaw, then does as she is told, thank fuck.


    ¡°Now wrap your legs around my waist.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to direct me at every turn?¡± She huffs.


    How cute. If she thinks she¡¯s going to direct the proceedings because I¡¯m hurt¡­ Well, she has no idea what¡¯s in store for her.


    I re at her, and some of her color fades. I tilt my head, and she blinks rapidly. Her chest rises and falls, then she tips up her chin, and winds first one leg, then the other, around my waist.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± I say in a low voice. Her cheeks redden. Her pupils dte further. She parts her lips, and goddamn, I can¡¯t stop myself from pushing into her even deeper, until once more, I am embedded balls-deep in her. Right where I belong. I begin to fuck her in long, slow, smooth strokes, in and out of her, then nt my hips, so when I next thrust into her, I hit her clit.


    ¡°Oh, god.¡± Her eyes roll back in her head. Her eyelids flutter, and I repeat the action again. Her entire body jolts. The bed ms into the wall again, and she arches back and raises her hips so I slide even deeper inside of her.


    ¡°Seb, oh, my god, Seb,¡± she whimpers as the tension at the base of my spine tightens, knots, folds in on itself, and I know I¡¯m not far behind.


    ¡°Eyes on me, Princess.¡±


    She raises those heavy eyelids and gazes up and into me, pupils blown, the dark so wide, there¡¯s only a thin circle of blue around it. I did this to her. She¡¯s so turned on for me. Only me. I plunge into her again as I hold her gaze. ¡°Come with me,¡± I order, e all over my cock. Right now, Princess.¡±


    Her spine curves, she thrusts up her breasts, and I can¡¯t stop myself from lowering my mouth and biting down on a nipple. That¡¯s when she opens her mouth in a silent scream. I release her breast, only to fit my mouth over hers and absorb the sounds she makes as wetness gushes out to envelop my cock. I continue to fuck her through the aftershocks as her body convulses, as her pussy mps down on my dick, and finally Ie inside of her.


    Dark spots flicker at the edges of my vision, and sweat runs down my temples. I tear my mouth from hers, and peer into her features. Her eyelids half-closed, she holds my gaze. My shoulder begins to throb in earnest, matching the throbbing in my balls.


    ¡°Gesu Cristo,¡± I whisper, ¡°I love you.¡±


    She chuckles weakly. ¡°You do know, derations of love right after sex are notoriously unreliable.¡±


    ¡°Or the most honest?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± She doesn¡¯t sound convinced. A pulse of agony whips through my mind, and a groan wells up my throat. I swallow it, push away from her to copse on my back. And a low cry emerges from the baby monitor.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I snap my eyes open. ¡°Is that-¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she confirms as she sits up, then swings her legs over. She nces around for something to wear, when I hold up my hand.


    ¡°Wait, let me go.¡±


    She turns to face me. ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    She nces away, then back at me. ¡°You¡¯re still hurt. You need your rest, especially after those exertions.¡± She pushes off of the bed, reaches for my shirt, and pulls it on. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s okay to borrow your shirt?¡±


    I take in her curvy body swathed in my shirt thates to just above her knees. ¡°It looks much better on you.¡± I settle back against the pillow as she heads out the door and toward Avery¡¯s room.


    Either she doesn¡¯t trust me yet with her daughter or¡­ Something¡¯s still stopping her from seeing me in the role of father. On the other hand, she wore my shirt. Tiredness tugs at my senses. I fight against the sleep that wraps around my mind.


    ¡°Hey, Bubu,¡± her voicees through the baby monitor. There¡¯s the rustle of fabric as she picks Avery up in her arms, no doubt. Another sleepy cry from the child, then Elsa says, ¡°P. U. You seriously need a diaper change, Bubu.¡±


    I hear her move about the room as she gathers what she needs. Then, the sound of Velcro being pulled apart filters through the speaker, followed by, ¡°Oh, god, Avery. That¡¯s a poonami.¡±


    I chuckle a little and close my eyes as she clucks her tongue. Avery gurgles, then there are more sounds, before Elsa begins to hum softly. It¡¯s a song I don¡¯t recognize, but her voice is soothing. She continues to sing in a low voice, as darkness overwhelms me.


    My eyelids snap open. I¡¯m not sure what wakes me. I nce around the darkened room. Starlight streams in through the open curtains. ¡°Elsa?¡± I reach for her, but the bed is empty. I sit up and the cover falls about my waist. ¡°Elsa? Princess?¡± Did she cover me up? Where did she go? I spot the baby monitor. Of course, she went to put Avery back to sleep. Perhaps she¡¯s still in her room? I swing my legs over the side of the bed, stand up, and head for the door, then stop.


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± I need to put on my clothes before I go in there. I snatch my pants from the floor, then grunt when my shoulder protests. Still, the pain seems to have settled into a dull throb, which is an improvement. I sit down on the bed and pull them on, then zip up my pants, before I head for the door. I step out into the corridor and head toward Avery¡¯s room. I walk in and find the baby fast asleep in her crib. The nightlight is on, and the stars on the ceiling glitter in their reflected glory. There¡¯s no sign of Elsa, though. I turn and head out the door, making sure to avoid the creaky floorboard this time. Then I duck into Elsa¡¯s room. There¡¯s no one there. Eh? I cross the floor to the ensuite bathroom, push open the door to find it all empty. What the-? My heartbeat speeds up. The hair on my forearms prickle. Where could she be?


    I head back to my room, snatch up my phone, and that¡¯s when I see her message, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Seb.¡±

 303

    Elsa


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I push open the door of the car I called earlier using the phone that Seb gave me. The phone that Seb gave me because he trusts me. And I betrayed his trust. Again. But it¡¯s for a good reason this time. This is the only way to put an end to the nightmare that¡¯s been dogging my heels for the past couple of years. This is the only way to get my life back, and to get my daughter back, without hurting anyone else in the process.


    I step onto the driveway that leads up to Fabio¡¯s house. Bastard¡¯s an insomniac. Bet he¡¯s still awake, plotting more ways to make my life miserable. The car that drove me here pulls away. Its engine fades into the distance, and then there¡¯s only me and the still, dark night around me.


    I hummed to Avery until she fell asleep again, then sat with her while her breathing deepened. The little mitey on her back, arms and legs stretched out in that starfish shape she often assumes when she¡¯s exhausted. Her little chest rose and fell, her features flushed, tracks of tears drying on her cheeks. I reached over and wiped away the moisture, then kissed her forehead.


    As I padded out of her room and toward Seb¡¯s room, I felt too wired to sleep. I walked into Seb¡¯s room and found him fast asleep, one arm flung out on the mattress, as if he were reaching for me in his sleep. The covers were twisted around his waist, the bandage over his shoulder a stark contrast with the rest of his body. His chest barely moved; he was sleeping that deeply. No doubt, he was worn out from his injury. Not to mention, the way he¡¯d exerted himself when he¡¯d fucked me. Like I¡¯d done with Avery, I watched him for a few more seconds, then bent down and brushed my lips over his. He didn¡¯t move.


    I straightened, then walked out of his room and back to mine, where I changed. I waited until the security guard at the back door dozed off. Then I slipped past him and down to the beach that runs parallel to the property. Seb has security cameras on the doorway, but by the time he or his guards notice, hopefully I¡¯ll be gone. I walked down the beach, keeping to the shadows until three houses down. Then, I located the path that ran from the beach up to the main road, something I¡¯d noticed on one of my infrequent walks when I first moved in here. I walked onto the road, and finally, called for a pick-up. My mind was made up, so I hadn¡¯t had time to be nervous, not until the car dropped me off here.


    Now, I walk up the driveway toward the silent house, then take the steps one at a time, until I¡¯m at the main door. I stare at it. There¡¯s time; you can turn around and leave. You don¡¯t have to do this. If you let Seb, he¡¯ll take care of it for you. But that¡¯s the thing. I don¡¯t want to be dependent on a man who¡¯s my husband again. This time, I¡¯m going to take care of things in my own way. All I have to do is look Fabio in the eye and tell him to back off. I can¡¯t be afraid of him. He¡¯s a bully; he thrives on fear. If I show him I¡¯m no longer afraid of him, he¡¯ll leave me alone.


    The phone in my jeans¡¯ pocket buzzes. I pull it out.


    Alphahole calling.


    Of course it is. He must have woken up and missed me. I hesitate, then decline the call. It starts to vibrate again almost instantly with a call from him again. I decline the call again, then switch the ringer and the buzzer off and slide it into my jacket pocket.


    I raise my hand to rap on the door, and am not surprised when it¡¯s wrenched open.


    Fabio stands there, wearing a pair of pants and no shirt. The house is still dark, but the silvery moonlight is bright enough that I can make out his features. His chest is smooth¡­ unmarked. A wave of disgust slithers under my skin. How had I ever thought of him as attractive?


    ¡°Elsa.¡± His face breaks into a smile. I¡¯d almost believe he¡¯s happy to see me, except for the fact that his smile never reaches those dark eyes of his. He watches me with that unblinking gaze I¡¯vee to expect. I used to think it was because he likes to give me his undivided focus. Now, I know it¡¯s because he¡¯s watching me for any sign of weakness. He¡¯s waiting to trip me up, so he can reinforce the sense that something is wrong with me. It took me a while to figure out that, behind that charming facade lies a snake. One who loves to use my insecurities against me. And I¡¯m not going to give him that opportunity again.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯de.¡± His voice drips with satisfaction.


    ¡°Did you?¡± I tip my chin up.


    ¡°You missed me, didn¡¯t you? Missed what only I can give you. Face it, my darling wife, you want the kind of satisfaction thates from being beaten to within an inch of your life.¡±


    ¡°What? No.¡± I take a step back. ¡°And I am not your wife anymore. You lost the right to call me that a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still the father of your child.¡± He chuckles.


    ¡°Not for much longer,¡± I say through gritted teeth.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He seems taken aback enough that he blinks. A first.


    I draw myself up through the length of my spine. ¡°You are not going to bother me again, Fabio.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave me and Avery alone. You¡¯re not going toe near us. You¡¯re done scaring me with your browbeating. You¡¯re not going to petition the court for sole custody of our daughter. You don¡¯t want her anyway. You know it¡¯s best if she stays with me. You don¡¯t love her; not like I do. You will walk away from us, and note near us again, do you her me?¡±


    He gapes a little. ¡°Let me get this right. You want me to turn my back on you and my daughter, and let you get on with your life with your new husband. Is that what you want?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you came to my house? To tell me to leave you alone?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want Avery. You never wanted me or my daughter. I was merely a pawn for you. Someone you intimidate and control because it feeds your ego. It¡¯s the only reason you keep me around.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it-¡± He rubs his chin. ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    ¡°I know I am. You married me, not because you loved me, but because you wanted someone you could push around. It made you feel good to have me dependent on you, and then when I had Avery, you had someone you could threaten me with. You used her to make me feel even more helpless.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°When youy it all out that way, I can see how badly I¡¯ve treated you. I did you an injustice by keeping you away from Avery. You¡¯re her mother, after all. She needs you more than anyone. You¡¯ve made your case with such passion, I have no choice but to ept that you¡¯re right. You don¡¯t need to bring Avery back to me after this weekend. You can have sole custody of her.¡±


    Hope buoys me, and a flush rises under my skin. I did it. I stood up to Fabio and told him off. I knew if I faced him, he would back off. I knew it.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I dip my chin at him. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave now.¡±


    I pivot on my heels when I hear, ¡°Where are you going?¡± His voice follows me.


    I turn around to face him. ¡°I need to get back home before Avery wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe in, have something to drink before you leave?¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡± I take a step back. ¡°I think it¡¯s best I leave now.¡±


    I sense him move, know what he¡¯s going to do, even before he reaches for my wrist. I evade him, then reach into my purse and pull out the handgun Cass sourced for me. I point it at him.


    He freezes, and his gaze widens. He nces from the gun to my face, then back to the gun. ¡°Now, let¡¯s not be hasty,¡± he cajoles, ¡°you know I was only trying to be hospitable.¡±


    ¡°Were you?¡± I cock the gun and the sound seems to st through the quiet night. ¡°Put your hands up,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Come on, Elsa, honey-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ¡®honey¡¯ me, you bastard.¡±


    ¡°Elsa, sweetheart, do you even know how to use that?¡± He takes a step forward, and adrenaline spikes my blood. My heart collides with my ribcage. I depress the trigger.


    Despite the silencer, the sound of the shot ps me in the face, and ricochets around my ears, but I hold firm.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Fabio curses. Droplets of blood dot his side. It¡¯s only a graze, but still! I shot him. I fucking shot him. Something like exhration fills my chest. I toss my handbag to the ground, then grip the fingers of both of my hands around the weapon. So, this is why men prefer to shoot first and ask questionster. The power, the absolute certainty that you have the upper hand, it¡¯s as if the most addictive drug has been injected into my brain.


    ¡°Put your goddamn hands up, you motherfucker,¡± I snap.


    Asshole seems shaken, but this time, heplies.


    ¡°Good.¡± I wave the gun in the direction of the front room. ¡°Get the fuck inside. Now.¡±


    He sidles back.


    I keep the gun trained on him. ¡°Further back, you piece of shit.¡±


    He stumbles back a step, then another, and another. When he pauses, I wave the gun at him, and he moves all the way into the room until the back of his legs touch a chair.


    ¡°Sit the fuck down.¡±


    ¡°Now, Elsa, be reasonable, I-¡±


    ¡°Say another word and I swear I¡¯ll shoot you again.¡± He firms his lips, and I allow mine to curve. ¡°Good. Now, where were we?¡± I tilt my head. ¡°You will note near me or my daughter, or my husband, or anyone in my extended family again, you get me?¡±


    He jerks his chin. ¡°Anything you say; whatever you want. Now, will you lower the gun?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± I narrow my gaze on him. ¡°I like the feeling of having control over you for a change. How do you like it?¡± I don¡¯t wait for him to answer. ¡°I like having control over my own destiny, something which you denied me for so long. I realize now, I never should have given you my power. I should have imed it for myself.¡±


    ¡°Like you are doing now?¡± he interjects.


    ¡°Stop trying to talk down to me. I thought your life should be spared because you¡¯re Avery¡¯s father. Now, I know that I was wrong. You add nothing of value to her life. You¡¯re more like a cancer that should be cut out of our lives. I should have killed you much sooner. I should have-¡±


    The skin around his eyes tightens, and his shoulders flex. I squeeze down on the trigger, but he¡¯s already grabbed my arm and pushed it up. The bullet hits the ceiling and bits of ster rain down on us.


    ¡°Let me go.¡± I try to pull free of his grasp, but he tightens his grip around my arm. Pain whips through my brain, and spots of ck race across my line of sight. My fingers go numb, and then he¡¯s snatched the gun.


    He points it at me. ¡°You thought you could point a gun at me with no repercussions? You thought you could shoot me? You don¡¯t think I¡¯m letting you leave without paying a price, do you?¡± he growls.


    My heartbeat booms with such force, it brushes my throat. My stomach churns, bile coats my tongue, and I¡¯m sure I am going to throw up.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to shoot me,¡± I say in a hard voice.


    He looks me up and down and a crafty look enters his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right. I have other ns for you.¡±


    My skin crawls, and the hair on the back of my neck springs up. I am not going to let him touch him. I will not let him touch me.


    I rush forward, but he grabs my arm and twists me around so I am pulled up against him. The heat of his body pours over me, and every part of my body shrinks. I can feel my heartbeat in my stomach, feel the blood pound at my temples. My chest feels so tight, it¡¯s like a snake has tied itself around me and is squeezing the breath out of me.


    ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t stay away from me.¡± He presses his cheek to mine and the sickening-sweet smell of rum, which is the alcohol this bastard favors, clogs my senses.


    No, no, no. He¡¯s been drinking, something he did far too often when we were married. It means he¡¯ll be even more unpredictable than usual. I shouldn¡¯t havee. I should have stayed back and¡­ What? Allowed him to find a way to take Avery from me? Given him another chance to hurt Seb? No, I have to do this. I have to see this through.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I snarl.


    ¡°You came here of your own volition, remember?¡±


    ¡°I came here to tell you to leave me and my daughter alone.¡±


    ¡°And I heard you out, didn¡¯t I? Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± His grip around my waist tightens, and flickers of ck fleck my vision. I raise my leg and bring my booted heel down on his bare foot.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he yells. His hold on me loosens, and I dig my teeth into his arm.


    ¡°Cazzo di puttana!¡± he howls, but I don¡¯t let go. The metallic taste of blood fills my mouth, I still don¡¯t let go. My stomach heaves; sweat beads my hairline. I. Still. Don¡¯t. Let. Go.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he screams.


    The gun slips from his grasp. It hits the floor and skids to the side. He grabs my hair and yanks with such force that I see stars. He flings me aside, and my body arcs through the air. I manage to throw my arm up to shield my face at thest moment before I hit the floor. The breath whooshes out of me, and my entire body trembles. My shoulder screams in agony. I can¡¯t feel my fingers or my toes. Avery. Think of Avery. Of Seb. I am not going to die-not like this. The thud-thud-thud of footsteps approaches me, and my heart leaps into my throat. Adrenaline pumps through my veins. I force my eyes open and spot the gun. The gun! I grab it, then push myself up to standing.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson you won¡¯t forget, stupida cagna,¡± he snarls.


    I fire at him, miss, fire again. This time, the bullet grazes his other side. ¡°That¡¯s for Seb, you monster.¡±


    He yells and lurches toward me.


    I scream, fire once more, but the shot is wide. I careen back out of his reach and depress the trigger, but an empty click sounds.


    ¡°No, no, no, no.¡± I cry out. This can¡¯t be happening. Not now. Not when I am so close to being free.


    Fabio¡¯s mouth seems frozen in a grimace. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± He stumbles in my direction. I fling the gun at him, then pivot and race toward the doorway, but he rushes forward and grabs my arm. I scream, try to pull away, but he hauls me close to him. Once again, the heat of his body overwhelms me, and my skin crawls. Bile rises up my throat.

 304

    ¡°But first¡­ I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson. You will never be rid of me, Elsa; not as long as both of us are alive. I¡¯ll never be far from you. I¡¯ll always be watching. I¡¯ll never let go of you and Avery. Never.¡±


    Anger rips through my veins. All the hair on my body stands on end. A current of energy grips me, and adrenaline spikes my blood. ¡°Damn you.¡± I snap my head back and connect with his chin. He yells out, releases me again, and I stumble back. He grabs at my jacket, and I pull away, leaving it behind in his grasp. Anger twists my guts, and fear courses through my veins. I am not going to let him get to me. I¡¯m going to make sure he never has a chance toe near me or Avery, ever again. I leap forward, out of the living room, down a short corridor that leads past a sun room, toward the back of the house. I spot the entrance to a room and dart inside, then m the door behind me and lock it. Almost instantly, a heavy weight ms into the barrier from the other side, and the entire frame shakes.


    My breath catches in my chest. A shiver of fear runs down my spine. I spin around, searching for a weapon, just as his weight hits the door again, and the frame shudders. No, no, no, it¡¯s not going to hold.


    ¡°Open the goddam door, Elsa, or you¡¯re going to regret locking me out even more,¡± he bellows.


    Clearly, his housekeeper isn¡¯t here; or she¡¯d have made an appearance by now.


    I slide my hand inside the pocket of my pants, but there¡¯s no phone. Shit, I put it in my jacket pocket. Fear stabs at my chest. My ribcage feels like it¡¯s constricting my lungs. Oh, my god! What have I done? How could I have been so stupid? How could I have put myself in danger like this? I walked out of the house without thinking. Without worrying about Avery. I knew Seb would be there with her. I trusted him to take care of her¡­ Or at least, my subconscious did. It didn¡¯t even ur to me to think otherwise. I thought I was so clever. Why didn¡¯t I stop to think? Why didn¡¯t I wake him up and speak to him instead?


    I continue searching for some kind of weapon I can use. I spot the poker near the fire and race toward it, and that¡¯s when the door flies open.


    With a scream, I leap back, then round the coffee table in the center of the room and put it between me and him. Not that it¡¯s going to help. It¡¯s one more thing blocking my escape. And I don¡¯t have a weapon.


    I nce at the poker, then back at him.


    Heughs. ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t.¡± Blood stains his shirt and he staggers toward me.


    I hold up my hands. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± I snarl.


    His gaze falls to the ring on my finger, and his features contort. ¡°You married him. You thought his influence with the Mafia would scare me off. It¡¯ll take more than some two-bit criminal to stop me from getting to you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a two-bit criminal. His family owns this country, and you know it. Touch me, and the entire Sovrano family will be after you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to do more than touch you. I¡¯m going to mess you up so much, he¡¯s not going to be able to recognize your pretty face again. And then he won¡¯t want you anymore. He¡¯ll throw you away like the trash you are.¡±


    He throws himself over the table. I scream and scramble away again. The chair behind me hits the wall and crashes to the floor. I nce around again for something, anything to defend myself with.


    I spot a drawer, pull it open, and find a gun. I snatch it up and point it at him as he straightens. He freezes instantly. It¡¯s amazing what a gun in the right hands can do. Just like before, his gaze ping-pongs between the gun and my face.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re going to try that again?¡± he asks, his tone so condescending, I instinctively curve my finger around the trigger.


    By god, how I want to squeeze down and be done with him. ¡°What I do know is that I have the gun, and you are on the wrong end of the barrel.¡± I wave the gun at him. ¡°Step back, or I promise, I¡¯ll shoot you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen your shooting,¡± he scoffs.


    I look pointedly at the blood staining his side, and he balks. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± My chin trembles, and I mp my lips together. I will not let him see how afraid I am right now.


    ¡°No you won¡¯t. After all, I¡¯m the father of your child.¡±


    ¡°Seb has been more of a father to Avery in the few days he¡¯s been with her than you ever have.¡±


    His jaw hardens. ¡°You darepare me to that Mafioso vermin?¡±


    ¡°That man has done more for Avery in a few weeks than you have in all the time you¡¯ve been her father. You never held her after she was born. You never even looked at her. You never cared about her, or me. She was just another tool you could use to control me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°I thought you wanted someone to control you.¡± He smirks. ¡°Everything was working out so well. I encouraged you to be with him so you could get me information that would help me put him and his brothers behind bars. I¡¯m the one who orchestrated the series of events that led to you knocking on his nonna¡¯s door and asking for help in the first ce.¡±


    I pale. ¡°That was you? You were behind the cars that crowded me so I had no choice but to take the road that led to his nonna¡¯s house?¡±


    He half bows. ¡°Clever, eh? Knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist a damsel in distress. All the Sovranos think they¡¯re these big bad guys, but they can¡¯t pass up the opportunity to y a knight in shining armor.¡±


    My pulse thuds at my temples. Sweat beads my brow. ¡°You¡¯re the one who shot and killed his nonna?¡±


    ¡°Not me, but one of my men. It wasn¡¯t intended, but I have to admit, the payoff from it was much sweeter. Nothing like upping the stakes so emotions run high and make people more vulnerable. It elerated the chain of events and led to him proposing to you. Even I couldn¡¯t have nned it so well.¡±


    Anger squeezes my chest with such force that I can¡¯t breathe.


    He puffs out his chest. ¡°And then, it was my magnanimity that allowed you to marry him so he¡¯d trust you enough to let his guard down with you. But you made the mistake of falling for him.¡±


    ¡°Did that make you jealous? Is that why you tried to kill him with the drone attack?¡±


    ¡°Drone?¡± He chuckles. ¡°I think you¡¯ve been watching too many movies. If I were going to shoot him, I¡¯d do it the old-fashioned way, a bullet to the back of the head, and preferably, without getting my hands dirty.¡±


    Something clicks in my brain. ¡°The shooting at the restaurant. That was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    His expression flickers for just a second, but it¡¯s enough.


    ¡°It was you. Did you put the Camorra up to it?¡±


    ¡°Guilty as charged. Too bad the fia di merda escaped.¡±


    My heart jackhammers in my chest. The pressure builds behind my eyes.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You tried to kill him. Hell, you could have killed me while you were at it. But I guess you wanted to make enough of a statement so I¡¯de to you. Well, here I am.¡±


    ¡°And now, I¡¯m going to kill you. If I can¡¯t have you, no one else will. I¡¯m never letting go of you Elsa. Never.¡±


    He reaches for the gun.


    I shoot, or at least, try to, but the gun doesn¡¯t fire.


    His features light up and his eyes gleam. He jumps forward. I yell and dash around the table and toward the door, but he grabs hold of my shirt and pulls. I scream, then turn around and bring the gun down on his head.


    I hear the sound of something cracking. He sways, then crumples to the floor. My fingers tremble. The gun slips from my grasp, hits the floor, and bounces once.


    ¡°Elsa?¡±


    I turn to find Seb at the door.

 305

    Seb


    ¡°You came!¡± Her features crumple, Then she throws herself across the room and into my arms. I pull her close to me and lift her off the floor as I examine her features. ¡°You¡¯re okay? Did he hurt you? If he dared touch a hair on your head, I¡¯m going to kill him, notwithstanding my promise to you. Elsa?¡±


    She hups, opens her mouth to say something, then closes it. Tears pour down her cheeks, as she shakes her head.


    ¡°Elsa, baby?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she rasps. Then, she pushes her face into the crook of my neck and bursts out crying. ¡°I was so scared, Seb. I thought he was going to kill me, or do something worse. You should have seen his eyes, Seb. He was crazy. I should have listened to you. I never should havee here. I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± I rub circles over her back. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve got you. And I¡¯m never letting you go now.¡±


    She nods, hups again, then pulls back. ¡°Avery, is she-¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. Massimo is with her.¡±


    ¡°How did you know where to find me?¡±


    ¡°I tracked your phone.¡±


    ¡°My phone.¡± She swallows. ¡°You tracked my phone? Is that why you returned it to me, so you¡¯d know where I was?¡±


    I survey her features as she nces away, then back at me. ¡°I¡¯m d you did.¡±


    ¡°When I woke up, and you were gone¡­ You have no idea how worried I was. If he had done anything to you-¡± I shake my head. ¡°What were you thinking,ing here on your own?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± she admits.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I walked up the beach, past the next two houses, then followed the path to the road before I called a car.¡±


    ¡°You called a car at this time of night?¡± Anger suffuses my skin. My stomach feels like I¡¯ve swallowed a rock. ¡°Cazzo, Princess, do you realize the risks you took tonight? It¡¯s a good thing Massimo saw you.¡±


    ¡°Massimo saw me?¡±


    ¡°The path you took led by his house.¡±


    ¡°His house?¡± She scowls. ¡°You mean, the path I took to get to the road from the beach led by his house?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? The rest of my brothers have their houses along the same strip of beach that borders mine.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± she bites the inside of her cheek, ¡°you didn¡¯t tell me that. Or did you decide to keep it quiet, just in case I did something as stupid as what I did today?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t keep it from you consciously,¡± I bring my hand up to cup her cheek, ¡°but I also decided I wasn¡¯t going to bring it up, unless there was a specific reason.¡±


    She draws in a breath. ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t tell me. And I¡¯m d Massimo saw me.¡±


    ¡°He called me, and I waited until he came over to be with Avery before leaving the house.¡±


    ¡°So how did you get here? Who drove you?¡±


    ¡°I drove myself. I knew you were in danger, and trust me, nothing could stop me from getting to you. Certainly not a bullet wound.¡± I cup her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I didn¡¯t make it earlier, and I was selfish enough that I didn¡¯t want anyone but me toe get you. I should have told you about the rest of my brothers upying the other houses; it might have stopped you from acting so rashly. It might have deterred you froming here.¡± I press my forehead into hers. ¡°I may never forgive myself for not doing so.¡±


    ¡°Stop, Seb.¡± She nces into my eyes. ¡°This is my fault, not yours. And you¡¯re here now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    I lower my lips to hers and kiss her hard¡­ Then I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. I straighten, use my unhurt arm to shove her behind me, then reach for the gun tucked into the small of my back. But the pain that slices through my shoulder slows me down. ¡°Cazzo!¡± I growl as that pezzo di merda, Fabio, points his gun at me.


    ¡°No,¡± she cries from behind me. She tries to move past me, but I hold her back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± I say in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t move, Elsa. Let me shoot him, so I can make you a widow this time around.¡± Fabioughs.


    ¡°Stop it! Don¡¯t do this, Fabio.¡± Fear pours off of her. ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt him.¡±


    ¡°Put down the gun and let us go, and you¡¯ll live,¡± I snap.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to live all right, but you¡­ You¡¯re not going to walk away from here. In fact, I¡¯m going to kill both of you today, you hear me, Elsa? You married him; now die with him. I¡¯m going to raise Avery on my own. I¡¯m going to tell her how depraved her mother was. I¡¯m going to tell her how she chose to die with her new husband, rather than stick around for her own daughter, I¡¯m going to-¡±


    The retort of a bullet being fired fills the space before he nces down at the blood that blooms at his chest. He looks up at me and his hand shakes. I look to my side and realize she grabbed my gun, stepped around me, and fired. As he begins to crumple, he fires his gun again. The bullet goes wide, hits the ceiling, and his body jerks again. She holds her finger down on the trigger, and another bullet ms into him, and another. He hits the floor andys still as she brushes past me. She reaches him, points the gun at him, and fires again.


    ¡°Goddamn you,¡± she snarls, then fires again. A clicking sound fills the space as I close the distance to her.


    ¡°Princess¡­¡± I ce my hand on hers, take the gun from her, and she doesn¡¯t protest. ¡°Elsa¡­¡± I pull her into my arms and she stands there stiffly. ¡°Baby?¡± I pat her back with the arm attached to my uninjured shoulder as I rub soothing circles over her back. ¡°Are you okay, darling?¡±


    She remains silent.


    Massimo bursts into the room, followed by Luca.


    ¡°Che cazzo?¡± Massimo growls as he draws abreast.


    ¡°Did you?¡± He nces at the gun in my hand; I shake my head.


    His gaze moves to her, then back at me. The creases around his eyes intensify.


    ¡°Good riddance.¡± Luca prowls over to us. ¡°This one was so goddamn corrupt, he was given a wide berth, even by his own men.¡±


    ¡°He has friends in high ces; there¡¯ll be a fallout from this,¡± Massimo warns.


    ¡°Avery. Who¡¯s with Avery?¡± she croaks.


    ¡°Axel and Theresa are with her,¡± Massimo replies in a gentle voice.


    A trembling grips her, and I pull her even closer.


    ¡°You mind?¡± I hold the gun out to Massimo, who grips it with his gloved fingers.


    ¡°I assume this needs to be disposed of?¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°And what about this piece of trash?¡± Luca stabs the foot of his pointed boot into the fallen Fabio¡¯s chest.


    Elsa stiffens in my arms. She tips up her chin and meets my gaze. ¡°Burn him.¡±


    An hourter, I wrap a nket around her as I put her to bed.


    Massimo drove both of us back, while Luca stayed behind to take care of the details. Before we reached home, Luca called us to say it was done. After making sure there was no one else in the house, he set the ce on fire. I spoke to Michael, and he promised me he would reach out to his sources within the police to ensure his death would not be investigated. Paradoxically, with Fabio out of the way, it was much easier for his contacts to do what was needed.


    After we got home, she went straight to Avery¡¯s room, where she and Theresa had quietly embraced beside the sleeping little girl. She didn¡¯t say anything to Theresa, but her best friend seemed to understand that something major had gone down. In just a few words, I conveyed to Axel what had happened. His features turned grim, and he told me he¡¯d double the number of people guarding our ce. Then, he and Theresa left. I led her into the bathroom, stripped her, and bathed her, and she still hadn¡¯t spoken a word. Then I dried her, and myself, dropped an old T-shirt of mine over her shoulders, and helped her into bed.


    Now, as I slide out of bed, she grabs my arm. ¡°Stay,¡± she says in a hollow voice, ¡°don¡¯t leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Just going to check on Avery onest time. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

 306

    Elsa


    A few secondster, he returns, then undresses, his movements slow because of his injured shoulder. Finally, he slides under the covers, wearing only his boxers.


    ¡°How¡¯s the shoulder,¡± I ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s healing fast.¡± He pulls me into his arms and I ce my cheek against the thud-thud-thud of his heartbeat. If only I could, I¡¯d bottle this sound, and carry it around with me, and take it out and listen every time I needed a pick me up.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He tucks my head under his chin. He wanted me to see a doctor, but I refused. I wasn¡¯t really hurt, and once I had a shower, all I wanted was to crawl into bed with him and have him hold me.


    ¡°Shaken.¡± Tears prick the backs of my eyes, and I turn my face into his chest. ¡°You know what¡¯s the worst thing?¡± I swallow. ¡°I went there, hoping to have an excuse to kill him, and put an end to this torture he¡¯s put me through.¡±


    He runs his fingers through my hair, the gesture soothing.


    ¡°You had a gun with you?¡±


    I nod. ¡°Cass procured it for me.¡±


    He stills, and I pull back. I nce up into his face. ¡°Please don¡¯t me her. I¡¯m the one who asked her to procure it for me.¡±


    ¡°And she did.¡± His lips thin. ¡°She endangered your life.¡±


    ¡°She helped me out. She was there for me when I needed a friend.¡±


    ¡°And if you¡¯d been killed? What then? Did you think about what would happen to me and Avery if that stronzo had hurt you?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. I knew I was going to get out of there alive.¡±


    ¡°You almost didn¡¯t,¡± he says in a low voice.


    ¡°But I did.¡± I cup his face. ¡°Don¡¯t you see? There was too much at stake for me. No way was I going to lose. No way would I have let anything happen to me. I knew you were waiting for me. I knew I was going to see Avery grow up. I knew I was going to walk out of there alive.¡±


    He peers into my face, then draws in a breath. ¡°I believe you.¡± He wraps his arms around me. ¡°But I still can¡¯t forgive Cass for getting you a gun.¡±


    ¡°Would you have given me a gun if I¡¯d asked you?¡±


    He hesitates.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°If she hadn¡¯t given you a gun, you wouldn¡¯t have gone.¡±


    ¡°If she hadn¡¯t given me a gun, I would have gone unprepared, and then¡­¡± I swallow. ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t have been able to protect myself.¡± I lean in close enough for us to share breath. ¡°And when he pointed his gun at you, I knew he¡¯d kill you, and then I didn¡¯t think at all.¡±


    A shiver grips my shoulders.


    ¡°You know what else?¡± I nce away. ¡°I don¡¯t feel sorry, at all. I¡¯m relieved I don¡¯t have to face him again. I don¡¯t have to take Avery over and leave her for the rest of the week with that¡­ that¡­ Monster. I don¡¯t need to look at him and remember how he used to beat me up, how he made me feel helpless, how he used her to get me to do whatever he wanted, how he would taunt me about my skills as a mother, as a woman. How he made me feel weak, and stupid, and undesirable, and unwanted, and-¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡± He notches his knuckles under my chin so I have no choice but to look up at him. ¡°You are the strongest, most gorgeous, most beautiful woman I¡¯ve ever met, and I don¡¯t mean only in the physical fashion, although-¡± his lips quirk, ¡°-I mean that, too, of course.¡±


    I look between those golden eyes of his-and my heart flutters. I¡¯ll never get used to how he looks at me, like I¡¯m his entire world.


    ¡°It¡¯s your heart, your soul, your spirit that attracts me to you. Your quick mind, the depth of your love for Avery, how you¡¯d do anything for her, how you killed the man who would have taken her away from you and scarred her for life. You did what had to be done to protect your daughter, and I not only respect you for that, but I fell in love with you all over again for what you did.¡±


    I draw in a breath, not sure what to say. His words¡­ They wash over me, through me, and wash away the stain of what I did, that I thought I would carry forever. He absolves me of the guilt I thought I was destined to endure. He lightens the load that had already begun to settle on me, the dread that had begun to seep into my soul. The anger at myself for what I did, knowing I¡¯d do it all over again. The helplessness that had begun to bind me in its shackles fades away, leaving in its ce¡­ Freedom. A lightness. A sense of rightness, of being here in his bed. With him. And yet, the tears flow down my cheeks¡­ Not tears of sorrow, but an acknowledgement that my life as I know it is just starting. With him. The man of my dreams. My husband. The one. The only.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I whisper, ¡°please fuck me. Please dominate me. Now, more than ever, I need you to take my choice away from me.¡±


    He searches my features. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asks.


    ¡°More than sure. I need you to show me that I¡¯m alive, that you¡¯re alive, that everything I hold dear to me is here in this house with me. That I¡¯m not alone anymore, Seb. Can you do that for me?¡±


    His gaze narrows, and something flickers deep within those leonine eyes. Then, those beautiful lips of his twist. He lowers his lips and brushes mine once, twice. I open my mouth, and he sweeps his tongue inside and deepens the kiss. He pours himself, his taste, his strength, his heart¡­ his love¡­ I feel all of it in that kiss as he slides his tongue over mine.


    Then he pulls away and moves off the bed. He walks over to the door at the end of the room which I assume leads to his closet. The lightes on inside, then switches off as he steps back into the room. Between his fingers, he holds swatches of fabric. A tie? He brought out a tie? No, more than one tie¡­ He has a couple of ties¡­ Three, maybe? Why does he need three ties? He walks over to me and rakes his gaze over my body. My nipples instantly bead, my belly flutters, liquid heat erupts low in my stomach, and I can¡¯t stop myself from squeezing my thighs together.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He jerks his chin at me. ¡°Arms over your head. Grip the headboard, Princess.¡±


    A shiver of heat blooms in my chest. I do as he orders. I hook my fingers through the ts in the headboard. The mattress dips as he climbs on. With slow movements that hint his shoulder is slowing him down, he knots the first tie around my wrists and secures them to the headboard. He climbs off of the bed again and walks to the end of it. He circles his fingers around one ankle, and goosebumps dot my skin. He pulls my leg to the side, uses the second tie to secure my leg to the bed, then does the same with the other.


    The T-shirt I¡¯m wearing-his T-shirt-rides up my waist. Cool air flows over my bare pussy and goosebumps dot my skin.


    When he finishes, he stands back and surveys my spread-out position. A flush steals over his cheeks and that golden gaze of his seems to catch fire.


    He shoves his boxers down his legs and kicks them aside. His cock juts up, thick and fat and proud. Pre-cum glistens at the slit of the head. He wraps his fingers around his shaft and pumps once, twice. A pulse res to life between my legs. I try to tug my legs together, but they¡¯re held apart.


    ¡°Seb, please,¡± I gasp.


    ¡°What do you want, Princess?¡±


    ¡°You. I want you inside of me. I need to feel your cock thickening in me, please,¡± I whine.


    His breath catches. His chest, with that beautiful tattoo scrawled across it, rises and falls. His shoulders seem to grow even bigger as he, once more, mounts the bed and settles in between them. I try to wind my arm around his neck, but end up tugging at my restraints.


    ¡°So impatient, baby?¡±


    He cups my tit in his hand, then bends and bites down on my nipple. My pussy instantly clenches. More moisture squeezes out between my legs.


    ¡°Oh, god, please, please, please-please-please.¡±


    Heughs. That trademark, mean, hardugh of his, that settles somewhere deep inside of me. That angers me and turns me on even more. He brings his mouth to my other breast, then wraps his tongue around my nipple.


    A melting feeling coats my insides, and my brain cells feel like they have turned to mush. He pulls back. I push my chest up, trying to chase that sensation of having him suckle at my teat. He obliges by sucking hard, and my head spins. My eyes roll back in my head, and I almoste right then.


    He releases my breast at once, his breath hot on my skin. He slides his hand down between us and thrusts his fingers inside my channel. He works them in and out of me. My body trembles and pinpricks of lustdder up my spine. I try to shift away, even as I push my upper body into him. He pulls his fingers out, then slides down and pushes his face into my cunt.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I whisper-scream as he thrusts his tongue inside me. He weaves it in and out of me, stabbing at me, dragging it over my inner walls, before he drags his tongue up my slit and closes his mouth around my pussy. He bites down on my clit, and that¡¯s when I explode. The orgasm bursts out from my center to my extremities. Spots of ck dot my eyesight, and by the time I recover, he¡¯s moved up my body again and presses his lips to mine.


    ¡°Two more orgasms, baby.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I rasp, ¡± I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± he stares into my eyes, ¡°and you will.¡±


    He slides his fingers inside my already swollen cunt, and adds a third finger for good measure, filling me, stretching me. He curves them inside of me and I moan. Heat scours my veins and my toes curl. He kisses me deeply, thrusting his tongue inside my mouth, dragging it over my teeth. He pulls his fingers from my pussy, then drags them around to the valley between my arse cheeks. He strokes the forbidden little knot of flesh there, and I freeze. My gaze widens and is caught by his golden gaze. Something res deep inside them as he tears his lips from mine. Once more, he moves down my body. He drags his tongue from back hole to clit, and then does it again. He curves his tongue around my swollen bud, as he slips his finger inside my back channel. The sensations are weird and strange, and then he drags his whiskered jaw across my pussy, and I gasp, writhe, try to evade that source of absolute pleasure as he rubs the rough skin of his jaw across my tender skin.


    ¡°S-e-b,¡± I yell, as my entire body bucks and jolts, and I squirm and twist. I try to get away, while I also want more. He leans more of his weight on me, holding me captive as he increases the intensity of his movements. He strokes his jaw across my clit, and sparks explode behind my eyes.


    This time, the orgasm ms into me, overpowers me, and sweeps me away. I ck out for a few seconds, and when Ie to, his face is positioned over mine, watching me, wearing a very satisfied look on his features.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asks.


    I nod, not trusting my voice. My throat feels raw, and I vaguely recall screaming.


    ¡°Ready for your third one?¡± He smirks.


    I don¡¯t have the strength to either nod or deny him as he kisses me softly, and works his finger in my arse, in and out of me. The pleasure unfurls slowly in my lower belly. And honestly, if it weren¡¯t happening, I wouldn¡¯t have thought it were possible for my body to continue to respond the way it does. At this stage, I¡¯m not trying to control anything. He¡¯s ying me like Neo controls the matrix. Like John Wick knows exactly where his nemesis is hiding andser targets their position¡­ That¡¯s how he hones in on my pleasure points. Clearly, I¡¯m losing my mindpletely, or I¡¯m so punch-drunk on the pleasure he¡¯s wringing from my poor body, I¡¯m beginning to confuse a lot of things in my mind.


    ¡°Last one, babe.¡± Jerkhole kicks up his lips. One hard kiss, and then he dives down between my legs again.


    ¡°Oh, Jesus!¡± I gasp as he sticks his tongue inside my channel again.


    He tears his mouth from my pussy and I almost cry out in frustration.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else¡¯s name passing through your lips but mine, you hear me?¡±


    I gulp.


    ¡°Do you hear me, Princess?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I moan.


    ¡°Yes, Seb,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Yes, Seb.¡±


    Even before I¡¯vepleted the statement, he¡¯s fitted his mouth back to my core. He slurps up the cum from my entrance, then he grips my hips and hitches me up as he begins to eat me out with gusto.


    Lust curls in my lower belly, my toes arch, and my scalp tingles. My skin feels too tight for the rest of my body, as he slides his palm behind my butt cheek and squeezes, even as he slides a second finger inside my back hole.


    ¡°Seb,¡± I yell, as he curls his tongue inside my channel. Then, suddenly, he¡¯s removed his tongue and reced it with his cock. He rises up on his knees between my legs. He bnces himself on his elbow, the one attached to his hurt shoulder. He winces, then just as quickly, the pain is gone from his face, reced by lust and intent, and that singr focus that I find so appealing about him.


    ¡°Okay?¡± he whispers against my lips.


    ¡°I will be, when you¡¯re inside me.¡±


    A groan rumbles up his chest. His eyes gleam, then he lunges forward and buries himself inside me.

 307

    Seb


    Hot. Warm. So tight. Her channel contracts around my dick, and goddamn, but I¡¯m in heaven. And in hell, from how much I want her. And home. I¡¯m home. I pull out, then stay poised at the entrance to her slippery channel. Her eyelids flutter. She jerks her hips forward, chasing my cock, and I can¡¯t stop the smile that curls my lips.


    Her forehead knits and she pouts. ¡°You¡¯re an asshole, you know that?¡±


    ¡°Always and forever, baby.¡± I lunge forward, and thrust into her with enough force that her entire body jerks. The headboard ms into the wall. Behind me, I hear something crash to the floor. ¡°Oops.¡± I chuckle.


    She blinks, then her gaze widens. ¡°Did you make something fall down?¡±


    ¡°Seems that way.¡± I peer into her eyes as I tilt my hips. Her lips part, and a soft breath whooshes out. ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you now.¡±


    Her gaze widens as I thrust deep into her, again and again. I piston my hips and bury myself balls-deep in her again and again. A trembling winds up her body. Her features flush, and her pupils dte. She arches her back, and I know she¡¯s close. I lower my head to hers until our eyshes tangle, until our breaths mingle, until my lips brush hers. ¡°Come for me, Princess. Come all over my cock,¡± Imand.


    It¡¯s as if she was waiting for my words, for her chest heaves, a low keening cry slips from her lips, then moisture bathes my cock as her cunt flutters around my shaft. Her breasts tremble, her hips jerk, and she shatters under me. I continue to fuck her through her climax, then my balls draw up, and Ie inside her.


    Her eyelids begin to close, and I click my tongue. ¡°Look at me, Princess.¡±


    She raises her eyshes, holds my gaze, and together, wee down from the high.


    ¡°Seb,¡± she whispers.


    I lower my head and bump my nose with hers. ¡°Hmm?¡± I kiss her lips. ¡°Are you okay?¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She chuckles. ¡°I may be a little out of my head with the orgasms, but otherwise¡­ Wow.¡±


    Iugh. ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± I kiss her hard, then reach up and undo her restraints. I pull out of her, then swing my legs over the side of the bed. Straightening, I walk over to the foot of it, and undo the knots around her ankles. She brings up her knees, parts her legs wide, and holds out her arms.


    ¡°Cazzo,¡± I blow out a breath, ¡°youpletely undo me, baby.¡± I slide in between her thighs, then flip over, so she¡¯s nestled on my chest. ¡°Sleep now.¡±


    She pushes her cheek into my chest, and I feel my heartbeat against her skin. She stays there for a few seconds, then traces the outline of the bandage over my shoulder. ¡°This doesn¡¯t bother you too much, does it?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± A dull pain throbs down my side. ¡°But when I¡¯m with you, I tend to forget about everything else, baby.¡±


    She turns her face into my chest and kisses me. ¡°Will I ever be able to forgive myself for what I did?¡±


    I tug my fingers down her tresses. ¡°The first one is always the worst,¡± I reply honestly. ¡°You probably won¡¯t ever forget what you did. But like grief, the memory dulls with time. It¡¯s always there, under the surface, lurking around and ready to spring forward during your weakest times¡­ But you know why you did it, and you need to hold onto that reason. You know, if you hadn¡¯t done it, he would have hurt you and our daughter.¡±


    She swallows. ¡°You¡¯ve been so good to her, from the moment you met her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always known she¡¯s mine, like you are, from the moment I set eyes on you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret what I did.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I notch my knuckles under her chin. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t. I just wish you had let me do it for you. I would do anything to spare you the weight of what you¡¯ll carry for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°It had to be me, to make sure he¡¯d never bother us again. You understand that, right? I had to make sure he could no longer hurt us.¡±


    I blow out a breath. ¡°I understand; doesn¡¯t mean I agree.¡± I lower my chin and press my lips to hers. ¡°And never again, are you allowed to put yourself at such risk, you understand?¡±


    She nods. ¡°When I met you, I didn¡¯t understand how you could do what you do. How you straddle this line between light and dark, between life and death, so casually. How you ept death is so much a part of your life.¡± She draws in a breath. ¡°Now I do.¡±


    ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t have to.¡± I cup her cheek. ¡°But I can¡¯t deny that it makes the bond between us stronger, and for that, I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll never use the safe word, right?¡± She searches my features. ¡°I know that you¡¯ll never give me an asion to use it. You¡¯re so attentive, so caring, so everything I¡¯ve ever wanted in a Dom. I never dreamed that I could have someone as protective as you for my husband.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be there for you and Avery,¡± I vow.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun to be hopelessly in love. It¡¯s dangerous, but it¡¯s fun,¡± she murmurs.


    ¡°Let me guess.¡± I tilt my head. ¡°That¡¯s another quote from The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named?¡±


    Her lips kick up. ¡°It¡¯s also a not very thinly veiled code for I love you.¡±


    A warmth fills my chest. ¡°Ti amo. Sono pazzo di te. Sei cosa piu be che mi sia mai capitata.¡±


    I flip her over. My shoulder twinges, but I ignore it. ¡°From now on, you let me deal with the darkness.¡± I bend over her. ¡°You and Avery deserve the light. You deserve every happiness I can provide for you. I want to fulfill your every wish; I want to make sure you and Avery never have to fear anything, for as long as you live.¡±


    A shadow crosses her features.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I frown.


    She bites the inside of her cheek. ¡°It may be nothing¡­ but there¡¯s something he said that I just remembered.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± I scrutinize her features.


    ¡°That he wasn¡¯t the one behind the attempt on your life.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what he said.¡± She holds my gaze. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t believe it, either. But when I asked him again, he insisted he wasn¡¯t the one who tried to take your life. Which means-¡±


    ¡°The real killer is still out there somewhere.¡±


    Abruptly, the security app on my phone goes off.


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± I roll off of her and onto my feet. My shoulder protests. I ignore it as I march to my phone and grab it up from the nightstand. The app that controls the security on my phone has a notification. I click on it, and the video shows the guards outside with their guns trained on a man on the ground.

 308

    Seb


    Half an hourter, I pace the floor of the garage of the warehouse. Earlier-after making sure my wife and our daughter were safely at home, and tripling the number of guards outside our house-I marched to the car with the man who had been captured trying to break in. No way was I going to take him into the house, especially with Avery there. And while Michael has been known to interrogate men in the basement of his house, things have changed since he got married. So, we now have a safe house on the outskirts of Palermo, precisely to be used as a ce where we can hold those disloyal to us and interrogate them, if needed. Which is where I brought the intruder, after alerting my brothers.


    I drove to the warehouse, and as I parked, Massimo, then Luca, and Adrian arrived.


    Now, I look toward where Luca res at the intruder. The man sits on a chair, his arms and legs restrained.


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Luca asks in a hard voice. ¡°You can make this go much easier on yourself if you give up your employer.¡±


    ¡°And risk you killing me?¡± The man bares his teeth. ¡°I think not.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Luca buries his fist in the man¡¯s face, and blood blooms from his nose. He slumps back in the chair, and blood stters on his clothes and on the floor.


    ¡°Easy, fratello,¡± Massimo cautions him, ¡°if you knock out all of his teeth, he won¡¯t be able to speak.¡±


    ¡°Cazzo!¡± Luca shakes his head, then steps back. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he murmurs, much to my shock. The hot-headed Luca, actually reining in his anger? Whoa, it¡¯s as hard to believe as Elsa not mentioning The-Actor-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named in conversation for an entire day.


    A-n-d, now I¡¯m the one thinking of him, and without Elsa¡¯s prompting. I close the distance to Luca, then grip his shoulder ¡°May I?¡± I jerk my chin in the man¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Have at him.¡± Luca shakes out his arm as he walks out of the circle of yellow the spotlight above casts over the man.


    Outside, it¡¯s daylight already. The sun was rising as I drove here. But here in the basement of the safe house, perpetual darkness shrouds the space.


    I pause in front of the man, who nces at me from under swollen eyelids.


    ¡°Look man, we have nothing against you. We simply want to know if it was Freddie Nielsen who sent you.¡±


    The man stiffens, before his features, once more, assume the look of boring aloofness that he¡¯s worn since being captured.


    ¡°So, it was Freddie, eh?¡±


    He stays still.


    ¡°Your bodynguage gave you away. Your muscles tightened there for a second, and I caught it. So, you may as well give up the pretense.¡±


    His gaze widens for a fraction of a second, but he still doesn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°What does the bastard have over you? If he¡¯s threatening a family member, we can help you.¡±


    The corners of his eyes tighten. Again, it¡¯s only a minute tell, and I might have missed it, if not for the fact that I¡¯ve been watching him so closely.


    ¡°Who is it that he is threatening? Your wife? Children?¡± His jaw tics and this time he glowers at me.


    ¡°I have a daughter, and I¡¯d do anything for her, too.¡± I sense my brothers ncing toward me, but I keep my gaze trained on the man¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s why I understand why you must have feltpelled to do as he asked. It¡¯s why we¡¯re here talking, and I haven¡¯t shot you yet.¡±


    The man¡¯s throat moves as he swallows.


    ¡°Girl or boy?¡± I ask.


    He blows out a breath then closes his eyes. ¡°One of each.¡± The muscles of his shoulders bunch.


    ¡°Does Freddie have them?¡±


    ¡°And my wife.¡± He swallows.


    ¡°What did he ask you to do?¡± I lean forward on the balls of my feet.


    He opens his eyes. ¡°He wanted me to simply draw your attention. He wanted me to attempt to break in-¡±


    ¡°-knowing that you would be caught?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± His forehead wrinkles. ¡°If I got through, I had to mess up your house enough that it threw a scare into you. If I¡¯d known you have a daughter, I would¡¯ve¡­ been more careful. As it is, I¡¯m d your security caught me before I broke in.¡±


    I rub the back of my neck. ¡°We need to rescue your family.¡±


    His features cken. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯ll help me get to them?¡±


    ¡°Provided you help me.¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡± He straightens. ¡°Anything you want.¡±


    ¡°You sure you want to join forces with a man who was sent to break into your house?¡± Luca asks.


    ¡°Look at him. Does he look like he¡¯s going to hurt us further?¡± I ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Luca crosses his arms across his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d trust him quite so easily.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I look the man up and down. ¡°Can I trust you on this?¡±


    ¡°You can.¡± He nces from me to Luca. ¡°I have everything to lose here, if I¡¯m lying. And this is my family we¡¯re talking about. I¡¯d do anything to save them.¡±


    ¡°Do we even know where the stronzo¡¯s taken them? Or are we going to have to track them down first?¡±


    ¡°I have an idea where they could be.¡± He turns to me. ¡°Look, there¡¯s no reason for you to believe me, but I think I know where he¡¯s taken them.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Massimo asks.


    ¡°To myboratory. It¡¯s a very secure ce, since I work on stuff that can be potentially life-threatening. Which means, you¡¯ll need me to get in there.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s that secure, could Freddie get in?¡± Adrian shoots back.


    ¡°He has ess to the best hackers in the world. I know because I introduced him to them. Unfortunately. ¡± He winces. ¡°You could also use a hacker, I suppose.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°But it¡¯d be a lot easier if you took me along.¡±


    ¡°Hold on. If he took them to theboratory, wouldn¡¯t there be other people there, as well?¡± Luca growls.


    ¡°I work alone.¡± He nces away, then back at us. ¡°What I work on is top-secret and privately-financed. Not even the government knows about the kind of research I conduct.


    ¡°Privately-financed, eh? By whom?¡± Massimo snaps.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡± Luca takes a step in his direction, but Adrian grabs his shoulder.


    ¡°Hold on, bro, let¡¯s hear him out first.¡±


    Adrian stabs a finger at the man. ¡°Start talking before Luca here, loses his patience and decides to shoot you, or worse, rough you up further. It¡¯s a miracle he hasn¡¯t lost his cool so far.¡±


    The man pales. ¡°It¡¯s the truth. I get all of my directions by email from a secure server which is impossible to trace. I know because my hacker friends tried. Whoever they are, they pay me very well. Each month, the money is credited to my bank ount. And no, we haven¡¯t been able to trace that, either.¡±


    Luca takes a step in his direction, and he leans as far back in the chair as he can. ¡°It¡¯s the truth. I promise you on the lives of my children.¡±


    Luca hesitates. ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll shove your head so far up your ass, you¡¯ll never be able to speak again.¡±


    Sweat beads the man¡¯s hairline. ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡±


    Massimo blows out a breath. ¡°So, you want toe along for the mission because, I assume, we¡¯ll need your fingerprint or your retinal scan to gain entry into this ce?¡±


    He nods. ¡°I specialize in weapons technology. Freddie asked me to sell him some of my patented technology.¡±


    ¡°But you refused?¡±


    He nods again. ¡°Not that it mattered. He took my drone technology, then took my family as hostage, for good measure.¡±


    ¡°So, the drone he used to shoot at me was designed by you.¡±


    He seems surprised. ¡°Shit, I didn¡¯t know. I¡¯m sorry about that, man.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time you found a different way of making a living, eh?¡± Luca scowls at him.


    Massimo, Adrian, and I exchange looks.


    ¡°Ah, Luca, considering we¡¯re not exactly the good guys here, it might be a bit much asking him to change his upation,¡± Adrian murmurs.


    ¡°Speak for yourself. As far as I¡¯m concerned, we go out of our way to make sure we help those whoe to us. If it weren¡¯t for us, this country wouldn¡¯t be able to function. Have you seen how corrupt the politicians are? Compared to them, we always deliver on our promises. And we get justice for those who are wronged.¡±


    Massimo rolls his shoulders. ¡°He has a point.¡±


    ¡°He fucking does,¡± Adrian grumbles.


    ¡°Can we get back to the issue at hand?¡± I squeeze the bridge of my nose. ¡°This Freddie guy is one massive pain in the ass. Why the hell is he targeting me anyway?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯sing after you because he¡¯s pissed at the lot of you,¡± the man interjects.


    All of us turn in his direction.


    ¡°How the hell do you know that?¡± I re at him.


    ¡°You working with him? Is that why you¡¯re pretending to help us, so you can betray us to Freddie?¡± Luca closes the distance to him and grabs his cor. ¡°If there¡¯s something you haven¡¯t told us, then I suggest you do so while you can still speak, stronzo!¡±


    The man opens his mouth, and ends up choking.


    ¡°I suggest you loosen your grip on him so he can speak,¡± Adrian offers.


    Luca must do so, for the man draws in a breath, then coughs. ¡°I¡­ I overheard him talking on his phone to someone.¡± His chin trembles. ¡°He mentioned how the Sovranos had betrayed him by taking all of the credit for the kidnapping of the Seven, when he was the mastermind. Then, one of you infiltrated his gang, and that was a blow to his ego. He seemed very upset, and swore he wouldn¡¯t rest until he¡¯s killed everyst one of you.¡±


    For a moment, none of us have anything to say, until Luca breaks the silence.


    ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯m going to pound your face into the earth, you understand?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying. In fact, I¡¯m telling you this so you know I¡¯m on your side. This is my family¡¯s future at stake, and I know you guys are my only chance to save them,¡± the man says in a firm voice.


    Luca res at him for a few seconds more, then releases his grip on the man¡¯s shirt.


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± I rub the back of my neck. ¡°Remind me why we haven¡¯t managed to track him down yet?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because the lot of you have been too busy falling in love, getting married, and getting pregnant?¡± Luca says in a tone indicating just how good an idea he thinks that is.


    ¡°You should try it; you might find you like it,¡± I retort mildly.


    ¡°No thanks,¡± he scoffs. ¡°Marriage is for pussies. No offense.¡±


    ¡°None taken.¡± I exchange a look with the guy in the chair, who looks vaguely amused by Luca¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°You,¡± I jerk my chin in the intruder¡¯s direction, ¡°what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Ricardo,¡± the man replies.


    ¡°Ricardo, I¡¯m going to untie you,¡± I dere.


    ¡°You are?¡± he says at the same time as Luca.


    I move toward Ricardo, pull a knife from my pocket, and slice through his restraints. He shakes off the ropes, and I turn to Massimo and Luca. Both of them are watching me with varying degrees of incredulity.


    ¡°You sure about this?¡± Massimo asks slowly.


    I raise a shoulder. ¡°I have an instinct about this; one I don¡¯t want to ignore.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pussy-whipped.¡± Luca rolls his shoulders.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± I half smile. ¡°But I¡¯ll wager this gets us to Freddie faster than anything else, and the only thing I want right now, is to shut down the bastard before he does something else to hurt one of us.¡±


    Massimo cracks his neck. ¡°Okay, so I guess we¡¯re going to the fucking source to smoke this rat out.¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Luca stabs his finger at me. ¡°You get back to your wife. Leave this one to Massimo, Adrian and me.¡±

 309

    EPILOGUE


    Elsa


    ¡°She¡¯s so cute.¡± Karma blows a raspberry on Avery¡¯s stomach. My daughter giggles, then bursts intoughter. Karma nces at her, an adoring expression on her face. ¡°You gorgeous little thing.¡± She rubs noses with Avery, who grabs at Karma¡¯s hair and tugs.


    ¡°She¡¯s a handful. Once she gets hold of your hair, she¡¯s not going to let go of it easily,¡± I warn.


    ¡°And I¡¯m not going to let go of you, either, am I?¡± She blows another raspberry, and Avery giggles. She babbles words in her own specialnguage.


    ¡°What did she say?¡± Karma turns to me.


    ¡°I believe she¡¯s saying, fair¡¯s fair.¡± I walk over to rescue Karma¡¯s hair from Avery, which results in Avery throwing her other arm around my neck. She holds onto both of us with a fierceness that belies her little frame.


    ¡°So, are things good with you and Seb?¡± Karma searches my features. ¡°I assume they are, but you know, I have to ask. As the Don¡¯s wife, by default, it makes me the senior-most female in the family, and all that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m great,¡± I smile at her. ¡°Seb hasn¡¯t let us out of his sight since the night the intruder tried to break in. Not that I¡¯mining. I¡¯d rather have him for eye-candy, if you know what I mean.¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me, I do. And what about her? How¡¯s she doing with Seb, and all the changes?¡± She nods toward Avery, who is following our conversation with avid attention. You¡¯d think the girl understood every single word we speak, which I¡¯m fairly sure she doesn¡¯t. But once she starts speaking and picking up words, I¡¯ll have to watch myself around her.


    ¡°Oh, she and Seb have a mutual love affair going on. She has him wrapped around her little finger. From the time she wakes up in the morning, until she goes to bed, she has him doting on her. And he does it willingly. He¡¯s arranged his entire life around her. He works from home so he can be sure to eat his meals with her. And he bathes her, then reads to her, and puts her to bed at night, and she¡­ Laps it up.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like the three of you are getting along really well.¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re happy,¡± she says in a soft voice.


    Tears prick my eyes, which is silly. ¡°I am,¡± I agree. ¡°I¡¯m happier than I¡¯ve ever been in my life.¡±


    ¡°You deserve it.¡± She gives me her full attention. ¡°You really do.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Avery releases Karma¡¯s hair and wraps both of her arms around my neck. I swing her into my arms, then nt her on my hip. ¡°And what about you? How¡¯s the pregnancy going?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ so far.¡± Her face clouds.


    ¡°So far?¡± I take in her features. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Just that¡­¡± She nces away, then back at me. ¡°I need to tell this to somebody, I guess.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why it feels like it¡¯s okay to tell you¡­ Maybe because you have a child, so I think you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Avery wriggles in my arms and I shush her. ¡°You can tell me anything Karma. I can keep a secret.¡±


    ¡°I have this heart condition. It¡¯s one of those things which is not life-threatening, unless it is.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ when you¡¯re pregnant, you mean?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a chance it could re up and turn life-threatening,¡± she admits.


    ¡°Does Michael know about it?¡±


    She locks her fingers together, then shakes her head.


    ¡°Are you going to tell him?¡±


    She shakes her head again.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°What about Aurora?¡±


    ¡°No, absolutely not. If I told her, she¡¯d have me admitted to the hospital, strap me to the bed, and have me monitored day and night.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s life-threatening-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. It¡¯s not. There¡¯s a chance I pull off the entire pregnancy without anything happening.¡±


    ¡°What are the chances of it happening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good chance.¡± She chews on her lower lip. ¡°Believe me, I¡¯m not taking a stupid chance¡­ Or maybe I am. I don¡¯t know. All I know is I want this child so badly. I want Michael to have an heir, you know.¡±


    ¡°But do you think he¡¯d be happy if something were to happen to you, Karma?¡±


    Her shoulders sag a little. ¡°No. When I lost my child from myst pregnancy, it was terrible. It was like something had been taken from me which I didn¡¯t even know I wanted, and then I realized I really did want it. A lot. And then I found out I was pregnant again, and it was like the universe had answered. I mean, if I weren¡¯t supposed to have this child, why would I get pregnant again, right?¡±


    ¡°Karma.¡± I reach over and wrap my arm around her. ¡°Ipletely understand how much you want this child. When I became pregnant with Avery, my life changed. Suddenly, it wasn¡¯t about me or my problems anymore. It was about her, about what was best for her. About her future. It¡¯s all I could think of. It¡¯s why¡­ When Seb came into my life, I thought-¡±


    ¡°That you were being disloyal to her?¡±


    I wince. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible for me to be a mother and my own person¡­ someone with my own preferences, and my own identity, but Seb showed me otherwise. It¡¯s because of him, I¡¯m standing here today, holding my daughter and nning my future. I couldn¡¯t have done it without him. It¡¯s why,¡± I search her features before continuing, ¡°you need to tell Michael about this.¡±


    ¡°If I do, it¡¯ll worry him.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell him, and he finds out anyway, he¡¯s going to be a lot more than worried. He¡¯ll be hurt.¡±


    She looks down at her feet. ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t bring myself to tell him. A part of me hopes this entire pregnancy will pass without my having to tell him, you know?¡±


    ¡°I hope it does,¡± I murmur. Avery chooses that moment to press her palm into Karma¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Aww, baby,¡± she coos, ¡°you¡¯re such a sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°There are my girls.¡± Seb walks over to us. And of course, as soon as Avery spots him, she holds her arms out to him. Seb reaches us, and Avery all but jumps into his arms. Avery begins to babble to him, and Seb listens patiently. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll go home soon Avery.¡±


    ¡°Home.¡± Avery bounces excitedly. ¡°Story, Dog. Eb.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll read you the story about the Big Blue Dog, too.¡± He confirms.


    Avery snuggles into him and nces at me with a big smile on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re spoiling her.¡± Iugh.


    ¡°She deserves to be spoiled, as do you.¡± Seb wraps his other arm around me, and pulls me close. I melt into him.


    Karma nces between us, a big smile on her face. Michael walks over to wrap his arm around her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± She rubs her cheek against his sleeve. ¡°You smell sooo good, baby.¡±


    Michael chuckles. ¡°So you keep saying.¡±


    I marvel at how adoring Michael is with her. It gives me hope that when Seb tells Michael about Cass¡¯ role in Fabio¡¯s death, he¡¯ll find it in himself to go easy on her. I pleaded with Seb not to tell Michael, but Seb said he owed it to Michael to tell him the truth. He insisted Cass had put me in danger, and Michael needed to be informed of it. I¡¯ll have to find a way to help Cass. I already have some ideas on that, and can¡¯t wait to put them into action.


    Michael¡¯s phone rings and he pulls it out. ¡°Pronto.¡± He uses the Italian word for ¡®Hello,¡¯ then listens. He nces toward Seb, whose muscles stiffen.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Something passes between the two of them. He jerks his chin, then cuts the call.


    The silent dialogue between the two men continues. Even Avery must sense the tension in the air, for she falls silent and watches Michael with big eyes.


    ¡°Wha-what is it?¡± I clear my throat.


    Neither man responds.


    ¡°Michael?¡± Karma reaches up to pat his cheek. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing you should worry about,¡± he replies.


    ¡°Now don¡¯t give me that.¡± She purses her lips. ¡°You promised you¡¯d always share what¡¯s happening with your business, remember?¡±


    Michael blows out a breath, then turns his gaze on her. ¡°If you recall, Luca, Massimo, and Adrian went off with the intruder to help save his family.¡±


    Seb¡¯s grip around me tightens.


    ¡°Things didn¡¯t go ording to n.¡± Michael sets his jaw. ¡°Luca¡¯s missing.¡±


    Continue reading for more.

 310

    Jeanne


    ¡°Let me the F out of here.¡± Can¡¯t even let yourself say the f-word aloud when you¡¯ve been kidnapped, eh? Goddam politeness that¡¯s been drilled into me since childhood. To be honest, it¡¯s selective politeness. Ma was unequivocal that no asion, no matter how frustrating, warrants saying that specific four-letter word aloud. But then, I doubt she was ever held against her will.


    On the bright side, I haven¡¯t seen any more of my captor; not since he held something sweet-smelling to my face. Ether, I¡¯m guessing. I was walking home from the bus stop in Palermo, and even though it was past ten p. m., there was still a smattering of people on the road-enough for me to feel safe. That was until someone darted out from behind a telephone booth-yep, they still have them in Italy- I¡¯m fairly certain he was wearing a mask. I seem to recall a ck mask, a thick neck,rge shoulders, and the man was overweight, and definitely not very tall. I tried to yell, but whatever was in that handkerchief got into my blood stream with just one inhtion. I cked out and woke up here with a headache.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    That was two days ago. At least, I think it¡¯s been two days because the light pouring in from the skylight has shown me the passage of two nights. Goddamn, I am not spending another day cooped up in here.


    Food is delivered twice a day. There¡¯s a small, attached bathroom with running water-no hot water, though-so I¡¯ve managed to wash myself the best I can; it also means I¡¯m not dehydrated. But what I wouldn¡¯t give for a proper shower. Also, I need to get out of here. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to miss my first performance as the lead actress in Beauty and the Beast opening in two days in Palermo.


    I bang my fists against the door again. ¡°Let me out, you¡­ you¡­ Twerp.¡± Is that the best insult I cane up with? Who even uses twerp anymore? I do, that¡¯s who. I¡¯m sure I heard Sister Mary use it once when she didn¡¯t know I was eavesdropping on her conversation with a fellow nun at the convent school where I was educated. An education, by the way, which has not prepared me for the situation I currently find myself in. I hammer on the door again. My wrists ache, and the edges of my palms protest. One of my nails is chipped. Argh, I stare at it. Hate when that happens.


    ¡°Nails are the windows to your soul.¡± That was the mantra my mother lived by. We never had much money, but it didn¡¯t stop my ma from making sure I always had well-manicured nails. No nail polish because¡­ nuns. But that hadn¡¯t stopped her from carting me off to the nail salon on the least pretext. And when we didn¡¯t have money for the salon, we took turns pampering each other. All of which seems so far away now, locked up as I am in this room.


    At least my captors didn¡¯t tie my arms or legs. I should be thankful for that. And of course, there¡¯s a bed in the room, with a mattress that doesn¡¯t smell too funky. On the other hand, there isn¡¯t much room in this space for walking. And there¡¯s nothing else to do.


    ¡°Let me out of here¡­ Please!¡± I wince. Really? You had to add please at the end?


    I bring my fist down on the door, when it¡¯s wrenched open and a man is shoved in my direction. A big man. A big, tall man. So tall, I have to crane my neck all the way back to try to make out his features. His bulk collides with me. The scent of dark chocte and coffee,ced with some masculine scent that screams ¡®man,¡¯ fills my senses.


    ¡°Hey-¡± My voice is cut off when the man begins to slump into me. The full weight of his body pushes me down. My knees begin to give way. Whoever pushed him in here gives him another shove. Of course, I take the brunt of his weight, and both of us go tumbling down. I manage to wriggle out of his way in time to avoid beingpletely crushed. The door to the room is mmed shut.


    ¡°Come back!¡± I pull my arm out from under the behemoth, leap toward the door and hammer my fists on it. ¡°Let me out of here. You can¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t keep me locked in here without any exnation. There are people looking for me, you nipoops. What do you gain by keeping me in here? Let me out, and I promise, I won¡¯t go to the police when I get out of here.¡± My voice cracks a little, and I pause. There¡¯s no one out there listening to me. Whoever shoved the man in here is gone-


    Oh, wait. They shoved someone else in here¡­ In my already tiny room. I turn to find the monster of a guy still hasn¡¯t moved. Not good; this is not good. I step over his feet and walk over to stand near his face. His cheek is pushed into the floor. I prod his massive shoulder with the tip of my boot. He doesn¡¯t move. Doesn¡¯t even stir.


    ¡°Hey, mister,¡± my voice echoes in the space. ¡°Hey!¡± I prod him with a little more force. Same response. Is he breathing? Yes, I can hear it now. I sink down on one knee and touch his shoulder. When there¡¯s no movement, I touch his hair. It¡¯s soft, springy. I run my fingers through the thick strands, and a weird heat trickles up my spine. Umm, no, it¡¯s just hair. So what if it seems to belong to a head attached to a particrly impressive torso. The man¡¯s ck jacket clings to his shoulders, stretches across a broad back that tapers down to a narrow waist. His shirt-his ck, silk, button-down shirt- has been pulled up, due to the fall, and a narrow strip of skin is visible above the waistband of his dark pants. I reach for the strip of skin, then pull back. Eh, stop it. What are you doing, touching this guy without his permission, anyway?


    I turn my attention back to his head. Thick, dark hair that¡¯s long enough to brush the cor of his jacket. Unruly enough to have fallen over his forehead. The hair at the back of his head is matted with blood. I wince. Did they hit him? They must have, which is probably why he¡¯s unconscious. I drag my gaze back to his face, take in his thick eyshes, strong nose, the square jaw with a stubble that I want to rub my fingers against¡­ High cheekbones, the hollows under them lending definition to his features. My breath catches in my chest. Whoever he is, he¡¯s gorgeous. I would have called him a fallen angel, except his dark beauty is more reminiscent of the devil. He has the kind of good looks that wouldn¡¯t be out of ce on the big screen. He could be the star of the next Godfather, if anyone ever decides to reboot the movie franchise; though admittedly, it would take someone with a lot of courage to touch cinematic history. I reach for the strand of hair that¡¯s fallen over his forehead and push it back. That¡¯s when his eyelids snap open.


    Bright blue eyes. Like the sky at the peak of summer. Like water from freshly melted snow. Like freshlyundered white which is so intense, you¡¯d be forgiven for mistaking it for blue. He reaches out a hand. I scream, scramble back, but he locks his fingers around my ankle and pulls me closer.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± I yell.


    His grasp tightens. I reach over and try to pry his fingers off, but he doesn¡¯t let go. He continues to stare at my face like he¡¯s unable to tear his gaze away.


    My heart ms into my rib cage. My blood thumps so loudly in my ears, I think I¡¯m going to faint. ¡°Please,¡± I gulp, ¡°please let me go.¡± A tear squeezes out from the corner of my eye. It slides down my cheek and plops on his face.


    His forehead furrows and he releases his grip on my leg. I scoot back as he raises his arm in my direction.


    ¡°Angel,¡± he whispers, ¡°don¡¯t cry.¡± Oh, my god, that voice. Gravelly and sinful and everything wicked ever created. Definitely the devil in disguise. A fire ignites deep inside of me. It zips up my spine, down the length of my arms. I reach out to touch him, when his eyelids flutter down again, and his arm falls by his side.


    The tension drains out of my shoulders. I stay there panting for a few seconds, then lower my hand and ease away from him until my back connects with the wall.


    I take in his face, eyes now closed again, the way his dark eyshes sweep down until the tips seem to sweep his cheekbones. That patrician nose I noticed earlier, the thick upper lip, the pouty lower one, the square jaw of his that hints at the power coiled under his skin. Even unconscious, the man exudes a raw power that thrums around him, that draws my attention, a presence that seems to suck all of the oxygen in the room, leaving me lightheaded.


    I hope he didn¡¯t hurt himself when he fell. I hope the blood on the back of his head is superficial. Was he drugged, like me? Is that why he¡¯s out cold? It would have taken more than one man to overpower him, more like a crowd of them to take him down, given his size. Did he resist them as they hauled him here? Did he fight before they finally managed to overwhelm him?


    And why is he dressed so formally? Was he at a wedding or a party or¡­ Does he always dress like this? It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he does. The look suits him. Not that formal clothes can disguise the brute he is. In those few moments when he stared at me with those disconcerting blue eyes, it was clear that nothing can cage this man for long.


    I watch him for a few more seconds, but he doesn¡¯t stir. Guess I¡¯ll have to leave him on the floor. No way am I going to be able to move him. And after thest time I touched him, when he snapped his eyes open so suddenly¡­ Well, let¡¯s just say, I¡¯m not going to risk that again. I guess I could cover him up with a sheet, at least.


    I rise to my feet, then shuffle alongside the wall, clinging to it as I make my way around him. When I reach the bed, I pull the cover from it, then walk over and drape it over him. I step back until the backs of my knees hit the bed, then sit down on it. I watch him for a few more seconds, until a yawn surprises me. Tiredness drags at the edge of my conscious mind. Iy down facing him, back to the wall, and bring my knees up to my chest. I fold my arms over them, and watch the back of his head until I fall asleep.


    The next time I open my eyes, it¡¯s to meet that piercing blue gaze of his. No¡­ Notpletely blue. There are specks of grey, almost ck, around his pupils. I part my lips to scream, and he mps his palm across my mouth. I raise my hand, and he grabs my wrist and wrenches it over my head. My heart pounds in my ribcage, and my pulse-rate goes through the roof. Fear twists my guts, and my breath locks in my chest. What is he doing? Why is he trying to restrain me? If he thinks I¡¯m going to give up without a fight, he doesn¡¯t know who he¡¯s dealing with. I bring my knee up, intent on kicking him, when he drops onto the bed, on top of me.

 311

    Luca


    The hell are you doing? She¡¯s scared out of her mind, and instead of calming her down, I climb onto the bed, between her legs, and lean my weight on top of her. Not because I want to scare her, but because I can¡¯t afford to be kneed by her or hit by her iling arms. It¡¯s the only reason I have my hand over her mouth and am trying to hold her down without hurting her.


    ¡°Stai calmo,¡± I growl.


    Her gaze widens, and I realize she may not understand me.


    ¡°Stay quiet,¡± I snap.


    She begins to writhe under me, trying to get away, but it only brings her in closer contact with the hardness between my thighs. She instantly freezes, her eyes growing even bigger. Color smears her cheeks. She begins to wriggle with even more ferocity. She bites down on my fingers, which I¡¯ve mped over her mouth, and goddamn, but I feel the pinch all the way to the tip of my cock. The blood rushes to my groin, and the column in my pants grows even thicker. Which, in turn, seems to inject a fresh dose of terror through her veins because now, she begins to fight me in earnest. Sheshes out with her free hand and catches me in the face. I grunt.


    The wound at the back of my head throbs. Pain slices through my head, and for a second, I see stars. She arches back and her thick curly hair spirals back from her face. Medusa. She¡¯s Medusa, sent to tempt me, then turn me into stone. Mission aplished, on both counts. My head spins. A weird sensation coils in my chest. A current of electricity charges through me and I rear back.


    She takes advantage of mypse, manages to work one of her legs free and kicks me in the thigh. It doesn¡¯t really hurt me, but I¡¯ve had enough.


    ¡°Stop fighting me, you little hellcat; they have cameras on us.¡±


    She continues to thrash around, then grows still, as if my words have suddenly sunken in.


    I nod, then jerk my chin toward the ceiling. She follows my gaze toward the light unit in the ceiling.


    ¡°It looks like a light fixture doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    She nods.


    ¡°Look closely,¡± I prompt.


    She squints at it for a second, another¡­ then understanding flits across her features. She whips her gaze back to my face, a question in her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a hidden camera.¡± I nod.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Her entire body stiffens then goes ck. I remove my hand from her mouth.


    She swallows, ¡°You mean, for all these days, they were¡­¡± Her voice trails off as realization sinks in. She pales. ¡°They were-¡±


    ¡°Watching you. And now they¡¯re watching us. I wager they have microphones on us, as well.¡±


    Her throat moves as she swallows. The tension that pours off of her body seems to intensify. Her shoulders hunch, and every muscle in her body seems to coil with nervousness. Her chest rises and falls. Her shirt is snug and stretched across her tits. Nice juicy round tits that would fit nicely into the palms of my hands.


    Heat sluices through my veins. Goddamn, her nipples are so hard their outline is visible through the fabric. The band around my chest tightens. I only realize I¡¯ve leaned in closer to her when a jolt runs through her body. I raise my gaze to her face to find her pupils are almost fully dted. The ck has expanded until only a circle of gold, her irises, is visible around them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remove my hand from your mouth, if you promise you won¡¯t scream,¡± I caution.


    She stills for a second, then nods.


    Goddam, I don¡¯t trust her. Bet she¡¯s going to scream as soon as I take my hand off her mouth. And how long am I going to stay in this position, trying to keep her quiet, while the proximity to her body, the sweet scent of her, the softness of her skin, the warmth of her core-all of it ensures that my pants are getting tighter by the moment?


    Cazzo! I remove my hand from her face, and instantly, she screams. So I do the only thing I can in these circumstances; I close my mouth over hers. Her entire body freezes. I absorb the sound, draw it into me as I thrust my tongue in between her lips, and kiss her soundly.


    She stays still for a beat, then another. Then, she bites down on my lower lip, and cazzo, my cock jerks in my pants. I tilt my head, deepen the kiss, and she pushes her breasts up into my chest. She juts out her chin, rxes her jaw, and I slide my tongue in deeper. The taste of her is sweet andplex, with a bite, the scent of her like crushed rose petals, the feel of her curves so soft, so lush, so goddamn sumptuous. My head spins. She writhes under me, and the hard column in my pants nestles into her core. My balls tighten. A hot sensation fills my chest, and my ribcage hurts. I squeeze her chin to hold her face where I want it as I swipe my tongue across her teeth, as I drink from her, and suck on her tongue, and my entire body goes on alert.


    The hair on the back of my neck rises, and the muscles of my shoulders coil. I tear my mouth from hers and stare into her flushed face. Into those tawny eyes with pupils so blown, I swear I can see myself reflected in the ckness.


    She stares back, the surprise I feel reflected in her features. Then, she raises her hand-and to be honest, I see what¡¯sing, but I do nothing to avoid it-and her palm connects with my cheek. My head jolts back, and yet, I can¡¯t take my gaze off of her. Something electric crackles in the air between us, coils itself around my chest, and squeezes until I can¡¯t breathe. Can¡¯t think. Can¡¯t do anything but gape at her.


    ¡°Get off of me,¡± she snarls.


    ¡°Only if you promise to listen,¡± I shoot back.


    ¡°First, you get off me.¡±


    ¡°First, you promise to listen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do no such thing.¡±


    ¡°In which case¡­¡± I ce more of my weight on her and her gaze widens.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± She scowls.


    ¡°Try me.¡± I allow my lips to curve in a smirk. Using my weight to hold her captive while I try to make her¡­ Listen to me? It¡¯s a dick move, but fuck that. We¡¯re in trouble, and the only way out is if I get her to follow my directions.


    Her face pales a little, then her lips firm. ¡°Fine,¡± she says in a low voice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you,¡± I drawl.


    ¡°A-hole,¡± she murmurs under her breath.


    ¡°Heard that, and it¡¯s alphahole to you.¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°You have an inted opinion about yourself, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Not the only thing that¡¯s inted, Angel.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you anything I want.¡± I allow my grin to widen.


    Her scowl deepens. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ Dickwaffle!¡±


    I blink, then can¡¯t stop the chuckle that rolls up my throat. Iugh so hard, my whole body shakes, and as a result, she shakes under me. ¡°That¡¯s a creative insult, I¡¯ll give you that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just getting started,¡± she shoots back.


    ¡°You and I are going to have fun; I can feel it,¡± I tease her.


    ¡°Get off of me.¡± She ps my shoulder, and the vibrations shudder through my brain. The back of my head begins to throb in earnest. I touch the space and my fingerse away wet.


    ¡°Is that blood?¡± She stares at it, then at my face. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Are you concerned?¡± I narrow my gaze on her.


    ¡°Of course not. But since we are, clearly, having a conversation, can you please get off me now?¡±


    ¡°We are, aren¡¯t we?¡± I roll off of her, and once on my feet, extend my arm to her. ¡°Luca Sovrano.¡±


    She sits up, then pushes off the bed and stands facing me.


    ¡°What the hell did you think you were doing earlier?¡± She scowls.


    ¡°Trying to distract you so you wouldn¡¯t scream and make those guyse in here again.¡±


    She pales a little, and her gaze flicks to the door. ¡°Did they take you, as well? I mean, obviously, they did take you¡­ But how did they overpower you? You seem-¡±


    ¡°Strong? Virile? Sexy?¡±


    She darts me an annoyed look. ¡°Does everything always have to be about you?¡±


    ¡°Not always¡­ but mostly.¡± I wiggle my fingers. ¡°At least shake my hand, will you?¡±


    ¡°If you think I want to be your friend after what you did earlier, you are sadly mistaken.¡±


    ¡°Considering we¡¯ve already exchanged saliva, a handshake doesn¡¯t seem that far-fetched.¡±


    She throws up her hands. ¡°You¡¯re gross.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re cute when you are angry.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°Who are you again?¡±


    ¡°Luca Sovrano, part of the Sovrano Seven.¡±


    ¡°What are you, some kind of underground Mafia gang?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you guess?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± She begins tough, but she must notice the look on my face, for her lips firm. ¡°You¡¯re not joking.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I confirm.


    ¡°Oh for F¡¯s sake.¡± She takes a step back, as if she¡¯s just realized the predicament she¡¯s in. Toote, baby. I¡¯ve already set my sights on you, and I¡¯m not letting go that easily.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re part of a Mafia outfit?¡±


    ¡°I am the Mafia.¡± I widen my stance. ¡°And you¡¯re trapped with me in this cell.¡±

 312

    Jeanne


    ¡°No shit.¡± A shiver of unease runs down my spine but I push it away. Yeah, so, he¡¯s part of the Mafia. Big deal. We are in Italy, after all; it stands to reason that they¡¯re everywhere. Except¡­ ¡°Hold on a second. If you are the Mafia, as you im, what are you doing on this side of the door?¡±


    He folds his arms across his chest. ¡°Clearly, my enemies have gotten to me. Which brings me to the question, who are you?¡±


    I tilt my head. Do I want to tell him my name? Somehow, by not telling him who I am, I¡¯ve managed to maintain some semnce of control over the proceedings. Once I tell him my name, I¡¯ll be much more vulnerable to him. Not like my situation isn¡¯t precarious already, trapped in here with him, but if I withhold my name, won¡¯t it give me somewhat of an advantage over him, at least?


    He surveys my features and seems to guess my line of thought, for he holds up his hands. ¡°Look, I admit, we may have gotten off to a rocky start-¡±


    ¡°Is that what you call climbing all over me and molesting me?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t see you fight me off too hard, Angel.¡±


    Anger flushes my skin. My cheeks heat. ¡°You took me by surprise, is all,¡± I grumble. ¡°Also, don¡¯t call me Angel.¡±


    ¡°You enjoyed that kiss, admit it. And you still haven¡¯t told me your name.¡±


    ¡°I did no such thing, and p. s., no way am I going to tell you my name.¡± I tip up my chin, then mber onto the bed. I tten my back against the wall and as far away from him as possible.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t need to force myself on you, okay? There are enough women lining up to sleep with me.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, you really do have an inted opinion about yourself, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all true.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°The problem is, I couldn¡¯t stop myself, because we have an audience.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blink as I try to follow what he¡¯s trying to say. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡±


    He blows out a breath. Then, to my relief, takes a step back. Not that it helps much, considering his bulk seems to take up most of the space in the room.


    He drags his fingers through his hair then winces. ¡°Cazzo!¡± He swears in what I assume is the ¡®F¡¯ word in Italian. Somehow, it sounds better than the English version. Cazzo, I roll the word around my tongue. Cazzo.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± I scowl at him.


    He purses his lips, then seems toe to a decision. ¡°Remember the camera?¡±


    I nce up at the small device hidden in the ceiling, and the hair on my forearms rises. ¡°That¡¯s not creepy at all,¡± I murmur.


    ¡°Well, I have this fetish.¡±


    I whip my head in his direction.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Now, don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± His chest rises and falls. ¡°It¡¯s just, I like being on disy.¡±


    I blink. ¡°You mean, like being watched?¡±


    ¡°Exhibitionism. It¡¯s my kink.¡±


    A pulse thuds to life low in my belly. No, no, no. I will not be turned on by this talk of kink and fetishes and such. ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to say that-¡±


    ¡°Being on camera makes me horny.¡±


    I gape. Seriously, my mouth falls open, and I know I¡¯m staring at him like he just told me he¡¯s from another-which he might be, because I¡¯ve never in my life heard something so¡­ kinky.


    ¡°So, if someone is watching you¡­ it makes me want to put on a performance.¡±


    He rolls his neck. ¡°Although, that¡¯s not the only reason I kissed you. As I mentioned earlier, you were surprised, and I didn¡¯t want you to scream and get their attention.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I honestly don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°How about we call a truce? If we need to stay in here together, we can¡¯t exactly keep fighting.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± I bring my knees up to my chest. ¡°And if you thinking clean about your perversions is supposed to be reassuring-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not. I was merely being open, so you¡¯d begin to understand me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to understand you.¡±


    ¡°Afraid, given the proximity of our situation, we may not have much choice but to get to know each other very well.¡±


    I lower my chin and try to read the subtext of what he¡¯s saying. A-hole that he is, he takes in the expression on my face-which I¡¯m sure must be a mix of horror and fear-and he bursts outughing, ¡°Rx, Angel, I¡¯m noting on to you again; not unless you ask me to.¡±


    ¡°Which I do not.¡± I raise my hands. ¡°Let¡¯s be very clear. I don¡¯t want anything to do with you. You stay on that side-¡± I stab my finger toward the opposite corner of the cell ¡°-and I¡¯ll stay here.¡±


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s not fair, is it? You get the bed and I get the floor.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was here first.¡± And this is an insane conversation. We¡¯re both trapped in here, and rather than discussing how to get out of here, we¡¯re squabbling like a couple of children. But this man¡­ He¡¯s too big, too broad, too handsome, too confident of himself. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way. He¡¯s just too over-the-top. Too much. There¡¯s too much of him for this small space. And he smells too good. Goddamn it. For that alone, I should hate him. No one has the right to look so good. I mean, just being in his presence gives me an eyegasm.


    ¡°I have a better idea; why don¡¯t we share the bed?¡±


    ¡°What? No!¡± I straighten my spine. ¡°I already gave you the cover earlier, didn¡¯t I? So why don¡¯t you take that and retreat to your corner of the room.¡±


    He nces around, then walks over and snatches up the cover. When he straightens, he sways a little. ¡°Cazzo!¡± He squeezes his eyes shut. ¡°Those stronzi sure did get to me.¡±


    ¡°How did you get to be here anyway? Do you know who knocked you out?¡±


    He stabs his finger over his shoulder in the direction of the camera.


    Of course. I firm my lips. He walks over, ces the cover on the bed, then stalks in the direction of the bathroom. He steps in, and I hear him moving around. Then he pops his head through the doorway. ¡°Come ¡®ere.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± I scowl in his direction. ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡±


    ¡°There are no cameras here,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°It¡¯s safer if we speak in here.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He nces about the room again, then lowers his voice to a hush, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find a way out of here?¡±


    ¡°Not if it means being with you.¡± Well, of course I want to get out of here, but no way am I going to admit that to him.


    He leans a shoulder against the door, then narrows his gaze on me. ¡°Come here, Angel.¡± The low hum of his voice lights up my nerve-endings.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    I hold his gaze for a beat, another, then shove my legs over the side of the bed. I straighten and walk toward him, not missing the sh of victory in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m onlying to you because there isn¡¯t a camera in there.¡±


    He shuts the door behind me, and instantly, it feels like we¡¯re locked in a bubble. This space is so tiny, it¡¯s like the bathroom on an aircraft. There¡¯s barely enough space for themode and the sink. Add his bulk, and there¡¯s no way to stand in there without touching some part of him. I tten myself against the wall and try to hold in my breath.


    A chuckle rumbles up his chest. ¡°Now this is cozy, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Save it,¡± I snarl. ¡°What is it you wanted to say to me?¡±


    He turns on the tap over the sink, and the sound of running water fills the space. ¡°Just to make doubly sure they can¡¯t hear us,¡± he exins, then leans in closer until his chest almost touches mine. ¡°I have an idea on how we can get out of here.¡±


    ¡°Do I even want to hear this?¡± Umm, yes, I do, but nope, not going to admit it to this egomaniac.


    ¡°Do you have a choice?¡± he retorts.


    I snap my jaw together and stare at him.


    His grin widens. ¡°So clearly, we¡¯ve been put in the same cell together because they wanted us to meet.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe they didn¡¯t have enough space?¡± I specte.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, but I¡¯d say it¡¯s more likely they wanted to see how we would interact.¡±


    ¡°You mean, like an experiment or something?¡± I hunch my shoulders. ¡°This just keeps getting creepier and creepier.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they thought we wouldn¡¯t get along?¡± He purses his lips. ¡°More likely, they knew about my tendencies and wanted to see what would happen if they locked us in together. Although, there¡¯s one more possibility¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°They had you locked in here with the woman and her kids we came to save.¡±


    ¡°We? Who¡¯s ¡®we¡¯?


    ¡°Me and my brothers.¡±


    ¡°More of the Mafia Seven?¡±


    ¡°The Sovrano Seven,¡± he corrects me.


    ¡°So, you came to save these people?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the family of the man who attacked one of my brothers and his wife,¡± he replies.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m really confused. Why would you save the family of someone who attacked your family?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°Because he was forced to do it, and he agreed to help us track down Freddie-that¡¯s the guy who¡¯s holding us, incidentally.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so you and your brothers offered to help him and his family in return for-¡±


    ¡°Him giving us information on Freddie¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°So, you came to look for this man¡¯s family and ended up being taken yourself?¡±


    ¡°We underestimated Freddie. Two of my brothers and I went into the house where Freddie was holding this guy¡¯s family. We managed to get them out, but Freddie¡¯s men came after us. My brothers left with the family. I stayed behind to hold them back. I thought we had seeded, too. Then, I was ambushed. The next thing I know, I¡¯m being thrown into this cell with you.¡±


    ¡°But why did he take me?¡± I bite the inside of my cheek. ¡°I have nothing to do with the Mafia. I¡¯m an actress and a jazz dancer, and I¡¯m only in Palermo to perform an interpretation of Beauty and The Beast. I was on my way back from dance rehearsal when someone kidnapped me. I woke up in this room, two days ago¡­ At least, I think it was two days.¡±


    ¡°And you haven¡¯t seen anyone?¡±


    ¡°No one but you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± He rubs his jaw. ¡°It makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°Can we go back into the room now?¡±


    He tilts his head, then nods. ¡°Go on, I¡¯m going to wash up quickly, and then I¡¯ll be there.¡± I head out of the bathroom, but instead of mbering onto the bed, I begin to pace the room. This entire situation is so bizarre. Why am I here? Why did they bring him here? Why have they locked us together? What do they want to do with us? And damn it, why am I so attracted to my fellow prisoner?


    That¡¯s when the door opens and a man walks in.

 313

    Jeanne


    A scream spills from my lips. I scramble back until I hit the wall. ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± I gasp out at the stranger who stands inside the door.


    ¡°Freddie Nielsen, at your service.¡± He tips an imaginary hat, then grins at me. His ent is British. He¡¯s of medium height, slightly overweight, but muscr, with a bald head and a round face. His thick neck and the shape of his biceps that stretch his jacket indicate he¡¯s stronger than he seems. He¡¯s wearing ck pants and a button-down shirt. What is it with these men? It¡¯s like they don¡¯t go anywhere unless they¡¯re dressed formally.


    The door behind me is wrenched open before Luca bursts into the room. ¡°What the fuck, what happen-?¡± He spots Freddie and his features harden. He draws himself up to his full height-which means he towers over Freddie.


    ¡°Freddie-fucking-Nielsen.¡± He rushes toward the stranger, who pulls out his gun and fires.


    I scream. Luca halts mid-stride. My heart crashes into my chest and adrenalineces my blood. I whip my head in Luca¡¯s direction to find he has his hands raised. He¡¯s still standing; he¡¯s not hurt. Clearly, the bullet missed him. The breath whooshes out of me. His features harden as he res at the other guy.


    ¡°Next time, the bullet will be in your chest.¡± Freddie smirks.


    ¡°Next time, I¡¯ll get to you first,¡± Luca snaps.


    Hands still raised, he sidles over to stand between us, so he cuts off Freddie from my line of sight. Huh? Is he protecting me? That full-of-himself jerkface is trying to shield me?


    ¡°The fuck do you want with us?¡± Luca lowers his chin to his chest.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s already an ¡®us¡¯ here, is there?¡± Freddie¡¯s grin widens. ¡°I knew the two of you would hit it off.¡±


    ¡°The fuck you talking about, stronzo?¡± Luca¡¯s shoulders flex, tension pours off of his body. I peek around and spot Freddie¡¯s face. His attention is focused on Luca.


    ¡°How predictable you Sovranos are, eh? A pretty face crosses your path, and you¡¯re instantly captivated. Not only that, but you be all protective toward them. Nothing like your father. Guess your Nonna did a good job bringing you guys up, eh?¡±


    Every muscle in Luca¡¯s body seems to coil. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my Nonna, you fetente.¡±


    ¡°What a tragic way to go.¡± Freddie shakes his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, by the way.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ You were behind the shooting at her ce that took her out?¡± Luca¡¯s shoulders seem to grow even bigger. The biceps that stretch his T-shirt sleeves bulge further.


    Freddieughs. ¡°You have to admit, it was a smart move to shift the me to Fabio.¡± Who¡¯s Fabio? Who¡¯s Freddie referring to? And is he responsible for the death of Luca¡¯s grandmother?


    ¡°You pezzo di merda! I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± Luca growls.


    Freddie chuckles. ¡°You can try. But it would be a pity to hurt you, considering my ns for the two of you.¡±


    ¡°The fuck you talking about?¡± Luca snaps.


    Freddie nces past him and rakes his gaze down my body. I try to shrink back against the wall, then stop. If I show him I¡¯m afraid, that¡¯s only going to encourage him. I straighten my shoulders and meet his gaze.


    He blinks, then waves his gun in my direction. ¡°The two of you are going to provide me with many hours of entertainment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking boring, you know that?¡± Luca drawls.


    Freddie firms his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t forget I have a gun.¡±


    ¡°If you wanted to use it, you would¡¯ve already.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°Since you haven¡¯t, I have to assume you don¡¯t mean to hurt me, you-¡±


    Freddie shoots. The sound ricochets around the room. I scream and p my hands over my ears. Bits of ster float down from the wall where I assume the bullet has embedded itself.


    ¡°That should show you how serious I am,¡± Freddie murmurs.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Luca snarls.


    ¡°To make you suffer. Your father made my life miserable,¡± Freddie retorts.


    ¡°You do realize I had nothing to do with the actions of my testa di cazzo padre?¡± Luca asks in a low voice.


    ¡°The sins of the father will be revisited upon the son¡­ In this case, you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now I¡¯m confused. What did my father do to you, anyway?¡± Luca widens his stance. ¡°Weren¡¯t the two of you partners?¡±


    ¡°The crime of the century was my idea, and he took credit for it.¡±


    There¡¯s silence for a beat, then another. Finally, Luca asks, ¡°You¡¯re referring to the kidnapping of the Seven in the UK?¡±


    ¡°An idea I came up with. An idea that your father appropriated and took credit for. Thanks to that, the Cosa Nostra was, once again, taken seriously by organized crime syndicates around the world. It was my idea. Mine!¡± Freddie ps his chest with his palm. ¡°And your bastard father walked away with all the glory.¡±


    Luca¡¯s shoulders rise and fall. ¡°So, you¡¯re pissed about it. It¡¯s understandable. But that¡¯s the kind of snake my father was. You should have known that, getting into an agreement with him. He wasn¡¯t exactly known for his honesty and straightforwardness.¡±


    ¡°And then, you deprived me of the satisfaction of killing him,¡± Freddie scoffs.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°My brother, Michael, beat you to it.¡±


    ¡°And now, you¡¯re going to pay the price for it.¡± His eyes gleam.


    ¡°O-kaaay. So, that¡¯s me. What¡¯s the deal with her? Why is she here?¡± Luca stabs his thumb over his shoulder.


    ¡°I needed to get you apanion for what I have in mind.¡± Freddie¡¯s lips curve.


    ¡°Your problem is with my father. I have nothing to do with it, but she¡­¡± He nods in my direction. ¡°She has even less to do with it than I do.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, the scene I have set needs a female to apany you. It so happens, this one fits the bill for the woman I need, so¡­¡± He nces past Luca, and his gaze intensifies. ¡°She¡¯ll do very nicely for what¡¯sing.¡±


    My skin crawls with revulsion and my stomach churns. I feel like I¡¯m going to throw up, but manage to swallow down the bile that boils up.


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Luca¡¯s voice is tinged with anger. He takes a step forward and Freddie raises his gun again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take another step forward.¡±


    Luca stops.


    ¡°Enough with the posturing. Why don¡¯t youe out and say what the hell you have in mind?¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t guessed, considering¡­¡± Freddie jerks his chin in the direction of the camera in the ceiling.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fucking voyeur, you figlio di puttana,¡± Luca growls.


    ¡°So are you.¡± Freddieughs.


    Luca freezes. Anger seems to roll off his body in waves. The tension in the room ratchets up. My nerve endings are so stretched, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m going to faint any second.


    ¡°The fuck you talking about?¡± Luca asks in a voice so normal, I know it¡¯s not good. No, no, no. He¡¯s going to do something that he and I are both going to regret. He¡¯s going to lose his temper¡­ and get himself shot, after which, that asshole, Freddie, is going to shoot me, or something worse.


    I sidle toward Luca, hiding behind his bulk as much as possible.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the fact that you like to fuck your women while being watched by an audience.¡±


    Luca raises a shoulder. ¡°So? I¡¯ve never denied that. My life is an open secret. But her? She doesn¡¯t have anything to do with it. You should let her go.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you might have a point there.¡± Freddie tilts his head.


    I hold my breath. Is he going to let me go? Is he?


    ¡°But you know what? Nah. Where would the fun in that be? Not after the lengths I¡¯ve gone to get the both of you here to a ce so secluded, no one will hear you, no matter how much noise you make.¡±


    Fear knots my stomach. What is this mad man up to? What is he going to make us do?


    ¡°As for your phone¡­ I know you had a tracker in it. It¡¯s been used to divert your brothers in another direction entirely, while we brought you here.¡±


    ¡°You moved me from the house where you found me?¡± Luca says in a hard voice. There¡¯s a dangerous edge to his tone that makes me wince. He has his fingers curled so tightly, his knuckles are white. So, does this mean they took him from another ce and brought him here? My head spins, trying to make all of the connections.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Freddie nods his head. ¡°Thest thing you probably remember is us finding you in the house where you tracked my men.¡±


    ¡°I fought you off,¡± Luca says hotly. ¡°You motherfuckers drugged me.¡±


    ¡°Just a whiff of chloroform. Admittedly, you put up a good fight. You did take down one of my men; managed to wound another. But four to one is too many, even for a man your size. You were out like a light; and then we brought you here.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you fight me face-to-face, you stronzo, and then we¡¯ll see who wins.¡± Luca takes a step forward. He throws up his fists, and Freddie raises his gun. That¡¯s when I close the distance to Luca and grab his arm.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I whisper-scream. ¡°If you antagonize him, he¡¯s going to shoot you.¡±


    Luca growls deep in his chest. The sound is so rough, so abrasive, that a hot sensation swirls in my underbelly. My pussy clenches, my thighs quiver, and moisture beads the space between my legs. Damn, we¡¯re fighting for our lives, and all I can think of is how I want to throw myself at this guy, wrap myself around him, press my nose into his skin, and draw his scent into my lungs. I press my face into his back, and the hardness of his muscles is a shock to my system. What am I doing? I step back, putting space between us, but my touch must have distracted him enough that he lowers his arms to his sides.


    He draws in a breath and seems to get control of his emotions. ¡°What do you want from us?¡± he asks in a voiceced with steel. ¡°And cut the crap, Freddie. Just tell me what that warped mind of yours has dreamed up.¡±


    Freddie chuckles. To my relief, he lowers his gun.


    Some of the tension drains from my body. I step up next to Luca. ¡°Yes, tell me why you brought me here. Also, whatever it is had better not take too long. I need to be back at Palermo for the premier showing of my musical in two days. I really can¡¯t afford to miss it.¡±


    ¡°Afraid it¡¯s not that simple, because firstly, we¡¯re no longer in Italy.¡±


    ¡°What? We¡¯re no longer in Italy! Then where are we?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°Can¡¯t go revealing that to you now, can I? Suffice to say, we¡¯re far enough from the maind that you¡¯ll have a tough time getting back. Secondly, it¡¯s clear I chose well because the chemistry between the two of you should help the proceedings.¡±


    ¡°Proceedings? What proceedings? You, motherfucker, bettere clean or else¡­¡± Luca¡¯s voice trails away as Freddie once again nces at the camera, then at us.


    A shiver rolls up my back and stiffens the hair on my nape. Luca must realize what the bastard is suggesting at the same time that I do, for his entire body tenses.


    ¡°No fucking way,¡± he snaps.


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡± Freddieughs delightedly. ¡°You¡¯re both performers.¡± He directs his gaze at Luca. ¡°Being in front of a camera fuels your kink. All I¡¯ve done is provide the perfect setting for you to enact your favorite acts.¡±


    Luca leans forward on the balls of his feet. ¡°Fuck you,¡± he snarls.


    ¡°Not me. Her. And you¡¯d better do it well, because the intensity of your performance decides how soon I¡¯m going to let the two of you go free.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 314

    Luca


    ¡°He¡¯s joking, right?¡± Her voice reaches me from where she¡¯s been curled up on the bed for the past half an hour.


    I stare through the skylight through which the sunlight pours into the room. It had beente evening when we¡¯d walked into that house and tracked down the family we¡¯d been searching for. Was that yesterday? It had to be. Surely, I couldn¡¯t have lost more than a day? It¡¯s hard to tell, though. But for the fact that I¡¯m extremely hungry and feel like I¡¯ve missed a few meals, I¡¯d have no idea how much time has passed. My stomach grumbles and the sound seems too loud in the room.


    ¡°They¡¯ll bring us food before the sun goes down. At least, that¡¯s what they¡¯ve done for thest two days. It doesn¡¯t taste too bad and it¡¯s freshly cooked, so they must have someone in the house.¡±


    I don¡¯t acknowledge her words.


    After that announcement, Freddie backed out of the room and shut the door behind him. Of course, I wasn¡¯t able to stop myself from stalking to the door and testing it. It was locked; no surprise there. I turned to find her staring at me. Her amber eyes were huge in her face, her hair mussed up and falling about her shoulders. She seemed angry and confused, and I half expected her to throw a fit or have a breakdown. Instead, she marched toward the bed, threw herself down on it, then turned to face the wall. I walked over to the wall opposite the bed, then slid down to the floor. Which is where I stayed, until she asked me if Freddie had been joking.


    ¡°Afraid not,¡± I finally admit.


    ¡°Eh?¡± She blinks rapidly.


    ¡°The answer to your earlier question.¡± I jerk my chin in her direction. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have gone to the trouble of getting you and me here if all this were a farce. He¡¯s nned it out too well.¡± I knock my knuckles against the wall. ¡°This ce is soundproof; so is the floor.¡± I dig the heel of my shoe into the wood floor. ¡°The ce is temperature controlled. And then, of course, there¡¯s the camera.¡±


    She sits up and folds her legs underneath her. ¡°Who is he? Why is he doing this?¡±


    ¡°As you must have gathered, he was my father¡¯s partner. And clearly, he¡¯s upset with what he perceives as my father¡¯s betrayal. My asshole of a father, who caused nothing but grief for me and my brothers.¡± I bnce my elbow on my knee and lean forward. ¡°For whatever sick reason, he¡¯s determined to make me pay for what my father did to him.¡±


    ¡°Why me, though? Why is he putting me through this?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, he needed a woman to fit the bill.¡± I raise a shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t expect a sociopath to make sense. I suspect you were in the wrong ce at the wrong time.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s it? I was unlucky? Is that it?¡± She firms her lips.


    ¡°Seems that way.¡±


    ¡°And when you said you perform better when you¡¯re watched, what did you mean by that?¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°Exactly what he said. I like to fuck in front of a crowd.¡±


    Color smears her cheeks. ¡°So that¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s your kink?¡±


    ¡°Why, I do believe that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve pronounced that word out loud.¡±


    She tips up her chin. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly; I say it all the time.¡± She nces away, then back at me.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± I smirk. ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I do. You like to have sex when you¡¯re being observed.¡±


    ¡°And also, when I¡¯m not,¡± I drawl. ¡°In fact, in your case, I¡¯d happily fuck you either way.¡±


    ¡°Oh, F off.¡± She folds her arms across her chest. ¡°I am not going to sleep with you, just so you¡¯re aware.¡±


    Isn¡¯t she cute? She can¡¯t even say the word ¡®fuck.¡¯ I struggle not to smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t think you have much of a choice, considering¡­¡± I jerk my chin in the direction of the cameras. ¡°He¡¯s watching.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I can¡¯t.¡± She scowls. ¡°I am not sleeping with you, period.¡±


    ¡°Is that a challenge?¡±


    ¡°A statement.¡±


    ¡°Are you always this stubborn?¡±


    ¡°Only when I¡¯m locked up in a room with an a-hole-¡±


    ¡°-Alphahole.¡±


    ¡°-who thinks the world begins and ends with him.¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Hello, open your eyes. We¡¯re trapped in this room and a pervert- ¡°she nces with distaste at the camera and shudders ¡°-is watching us, and he¡¯s made it very clear that he¡¯s not letting us leave until you and I¡­ Uh, you and I-¡±


    ¡°Fuck?¡± I supply helpfully.


    ¡°Yeah, that.¡± Her face seems to grow even rosier, if that¡¯s possible.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met a woman who blushes so much,¡± I state.


    ¡°I¡¯m not blushing.¡± She scoffs. ¡°Who says I am blushing?¡±


    ¡°So, if you touch your cheeks, you won¡¯t find them warm?¡±


    She shakes her head.


    ¡°Hmm, I think you¡¯re lying.¡± I rise to my feet.


    She squeaks. ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What does it look like?¡± I prowl toward her and she stares at me in horror.


    ¡°Keep to your side of the room, please,¡± she says crisply.


    I chuckle. ¡°Nice professorial voice you have going there. Is that one of the roles you¡¯ve yed? Speaking of¡­ Do you like role-y?¡± I close the distance to her. ¡°That¡¯s one of my particr fantasies, actually.¡±


    ¡°I-it is?¡± She gulps.


    I nod. ¡°To y teacher-student¡­ Where I¡¯m the professor, of course, and I fuck my student after I¡¯ve turned her over my knee and spanked her for being impertinent to me.¡± I reach the bed; she scrambles back into a corner.


    ¡°Anyone ever tell you you¡¯re romantic?¡± She huffs.


    ¡°Only all the time.¡± I chuckle. ¡°So, what do you say? You up for some horizontal action?¡±


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± she snaps. ¡°And don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to get any from me.¡±


    ¡°Any what?¡± I can¡¯t stop my lips from quirking. She¡¯s so cute when she¡¯s all hot and bothered. And why do I find that attractive, anyway?


    ¡°Any¡­¡± She bites the inside of her cheek. ¡°Oh, you know what.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± I tilt my head. ¡°Why, my feisty little Angel, I do think you¡¯re embarrassed by the ¡®s¡¯ word.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± she protests.


    ¡°So, say it then.¡±


    ¡°Sex.¡± She throws up her hands. ¡°Happy now? Don¡¯t expect to get any sex from me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I am not going to get it. I am going to take it from you. But it¡¯s not sex.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck you, Angel.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I can¡¯t stop my grin from widening. ¡°And when I do, you¡¯re not only going to wee it¡­ you¡¯re also going to ask for more.¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± she scoffs.


    ¡°You do realize, until we do the deed, this bastard¡­¡± I nod my head toward the camera.¡± He¡¯s not going to let us leave.¡±


    ¡°You and he can take a flying leap. I¡¯m not sleeping with you, and certainly not when that pervert is watching us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I drag my finger across my lower lip. Truth be told, I¡¯m not a big fan of that bastard Freddie watching us, either. It¡¯s not like I care if he watches me¡­ But him watching her? A throb of anger pulses through my veins. Nope. No way am I going to let him get a glimpse of her in such a vulnerable position. But how am I going to stop it from happening?


    ¡°What was that ¡®hmm¡¯ for?¡± She grimaces. ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of it at all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry your pretty little head about it.¡± I use the phrase, knowing it¡¯s going to piss her off, a-n-d bingo! She stiffens and her golden eyes ze at me.


    ¡°Nice to know that you still think of women in such archaic terms.¡±


    ¡°You mean to say you¡¯re not pretty? Or little? Or that you have a head of beautiful hair?¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°I think I¡¯m going back to sleep. Wake me up when the food arrives.¡± Sheys back, then turns toward the wall.


    I rake my gaze down the length of her spine, the way her torso narrows down to that waist I could span with my palms. The swell of her hips, those strong thighs with which she would hold me when I position myself between her legs, those slender ankles, those narrow feet, the heels of which she would dig into my back¡­


    She wriggles around, trying to find a morefortable position, then sighs. She adjusts her body again, before she turns on her back.


    She stares up at the ceiling, eyes wide open.


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± I ask.


    She shakes her head, then blows out a breath again.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we y a game?¡±

 315

    Jeanne


    ¡°A game.¡± I shoot him a sideways nce. As if I am going to agree to anything he suggests.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such suspicion.¡± He raises his hands. ¡°An innocent game to pass the time is all I¡¯m suggesting.¡±


    ¡°Hmph,¡± I scoff. ¡°Nothing you say or do is innocent.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯ll help us get to know each other; especially since we¡¯re going to be sleeping together.¡±


    ¡°See!¡± I stab my thumb in his direction. ¡°Knew it. There¡¯s not an innocent bone in your entire body.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t refute that. I¡¯m a Mafioso, remember? I lost my innocence-what there was of it, at any rate-a long time ago.¡±


    I wrap my arms about my waist. I don¡¯t want to y with him, do I? And the option is, what? Staring up at the ceiling?


    ¡°Come on, Angel, I¡¯m hardly asking you to y strip poker.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t put it past you to weave the same conditions into whatever game you¡¯re suggesting.¡±


    ¡°The thought had crossed my mind,¡± he admits.


    ¡°Ha.¡± I snort, then nce in his direction. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°Truth or Dare? Surely, that¡¯s an innocent enough game for you?¡±


    ¡°Not when you¡¯re the one I¡¯m ying with.¡± I turn over on my side. ¡°I¡¯ll go first. Truth,¡± I call out before he has the chance of saying anything. ¡°When did you lose your virginity?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see.¡± He scratches his chin. ¡°I lost my virginity at fourteen.¡±


    ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡±


    ¡°To the wife of one of my n members. She was fifteen years older than me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s predictable. Cougar and boy toy,¡± I scoff.


    ¡°My turn now. Truth.¡± He leans forward. ¡°Tell me something about yourself that you¡¯ve never told anyone else.¡±


    I purse my lips. What can I tell him about myself without giving too much away?


    ¡°I, uh¡­ I have a tattoo.¡±


    ¡°A tattoo?¡± He tilts his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s in a ce which you¡¯re never going to see.¡± I tap my right hip.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s a challenge I¡¯m not going to be able to resist.¡±


    ¡°Get used to it because you¡¯re never going to be able to see it.¡±


    ¡°What kind of a tattoo is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a line from my favorite book of poems.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡± He scowls.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to find out?¡±


    ¡°You know I will, so why don¡¯t you save yourself the bother and tell me what it is?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the fun in that?¡± I retort.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t take you for a tease.¡± He brings his knees up, then lowers his arms between them. With his hair drooping over his forehead, and that slightly disgruntled expression, not to mention the jacket and pants which still manage to be fairly uncreased, he¡¯s sex on a stick. Heat curls low in my belly, and a shiver runs down my back, but I ignore it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not teasing you; simply stating a fact.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± His grin widens. ¡°The very fact that you don¡¯t want to show me your tattoo, after mentioning it, shows that you want to pique my curiosity. You want me to imagine you without your clothes, though you pretend you don¡¯t want to sleep with me.¡±


    ¡°I want nothing of that nature.¡± Liar! My cheeks flush, my nipples harden, a pulse res to life between my legs, and I have to stop myself from squeezing my thighs together.


    ¡°Dare,¡± I burst out. ¡°I dare you to not say one suggestive thing for the next ten minutes.¡±


    He chuckles. ¡°You¡¯ve got it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to protest?¡±


    ¡°Why should I when I can do this?¡± He begins to peel off his jacket.


    I stiffen. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer. He shrugs off his jacket, then starts on the buttons of his shirt.


    ¡°Hey!¡± I can¡¯t take my gaze off the strip of skin that he reveals as thepels of his shirt part. He pushes down the sleeve of one arm, then the other, before he drops his shirt on top of the jacket. At least the floor¡¯s not dusty; it would be a pity to dirty those beautifully-cut clothes of his. And I¡¯m only saying that to distract myself, for fact is, I can¡¯t take my gaze off of his chest. That incredible eight-, or is it ten-, pack chest, each pec demarcated. The valley between them leading down to his sculpted abs.


    He rises to his feet, and my gaze follows. He raises his arms above his head, joins his fingers, then stretches long, deep, with such sensuous grace that my throat dries. He arches his body in a curve to one side, then the other. I rake my gaze down the column of his torso, the narrow waist, the hard bs of muscle which are his belly, the waistband of his pants which dips low enough to hint at the trail of hair that disappears under it. My belly trembles, my thighs spasm, and moistureces my core. I know I am gaping a little, but hot damn; this is like a real-life striptease by a particrly hot male model. And while I¡¯m not unfamiliar with the male form, given I work in theatre and male actors take good care of their bodies, no one I have met so far is anywhere half as hot as this man-my cell mate, my fellow prisoner, the man I¡¯m supposed to sleep with to get released from here. I gulp.


    A sinking sensation blooms in the pit of my belly. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not lust. And I know it¡¯s not anticipation. It¡¯s certainly not me being so attracted to him that, despite the fact there may be someone watching us, I don¡¯t care anymore. With that kind of body¡­ I¡¯d do anything to feel his muscles on me. His weight holding me down. His lips on mine. His tongue in my mouth. His fingers inside my pussy¡­ My core clenches. My toes curl. I turn over on my front and press my pelvis into the mattress.


    He chuckles as he lowers his arms to his sides. Jerk! I¡¯m sure he knows exactly what it¡¯s doing to me to watch his sexy body being unveiled in this fashion.


    He winks, then turns and drops to the floor, so he¡¯s bnced on his palms and toes. Wait a minute? When did he take off his boots? I get a clear view of his back and gasp. What the-?


    His entire back is one big tattoo.


    The face in the center has soulful and piercing eyes, and the serpents that spring from the head are entwined with three sheafs of wheat painted the most brilliant yellow. Three legs bent at the knees radiate from the head.


    The design is familiar, but I can¡¯t quite ce it. It¡¯s a pattern that¡¯s haunting, macabre, primal, and somehow, seems perfect for this man I hardly know. It also doesn¡¯t quite hide the strokes of mottled skin which crisscross his back. One, two, three¡­ I count ten of them that flow diagonally from shoulder to waist. The skin is puckered and scarred over, so it must have happened a while ago. When he was younger¡­ When he was a boy, maybe? It must have been painful. How did he survive it?


    There are more tattoos on his left arm. I spot a knife, a gun, a four-petaled flower, the scales of justice among the designs which run from wrist to shoulder.


    On his other arm are scrawled the words:


    Non Dimenticare Mai


    ¡°What does the writing on your arm mean?¡± I finally ask.


    He pauses midway in a push up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±


    He dips down, his chest parallel to the ground. His biceps bulge, and his shoulder muscles undte as they take the weight of his massive body. He stays there for a few seconds, maybe longer, then pushes up so he¡¯s bnced on palms that are t on the ground and on his toes.


    ¡°On the other hand¡­¡± He shoots me a sideways nce. ¡°Hope you¡¯re keeping count.¡± Then he flows into the next push-up. One, two, three. I start a count of a different kind¡­ Truthfully, I do try to keep count, I promise. But the way the nes of his back contract, how his thigh muscles strain his pants as he stares forward with an intent expression, and sinks into each push-up is like a dance¡­ And with those scars on his back¡­ It¡¯s dangerous, and animalistic, and erotic, all at once¡­


    Jesus, this is body porn. This is better than watching Elle Woods take down Warner Huntington III in Legally Blonde. OMG, did I justpare watching Luca work out to an event from Legally Blonde? That¡¯s a first because, thanks to my mom, Elle Woods is my all-time girl crush, and the fact that I could even think of both in the same vein means¡­ Luca has made more of an impression on me than I would have given him credit for.


    He continues to flow into the next push-up and the next and the next. A bead of sweat slides down his temple, and the tendons of his throat strain. The veins stand out on his arms, and his entire body seems to grow heavier, but he doesn¡¯t stop.


    I sit up, swing my legs over the side of the bed, then pad toward him. He doesn¡¯t look my way, doesn¡¯t seem to notice when I pause in front of him. This way, I have a bird¡¯s eye view of how his shoulder dese together when he presses down on his hands and lowers himself until his nose almost brushes the ground. Then he straightens and the nes rx, and his pants pull tight across his butt. A breath whooshes out of me. My breaths feel heavier, my stomach muscles feel lighter, and the space between my legs, definitely moist. My toes curl as I drag my gaze back up his torso to his face to find he¡¯s watching me with those piercing blue eyes.

 316

    I slide back a step as he pushes back and up to his feet.


    ¡°Enjoy the show?¡± His lips curl. Jeez, that smirk. It¡¯s mean, and cruel, and so hot. Why is it that the bad boy is always so much more appealing than the man you¡¯d want to take home to meet your mother? Not to say my mother wouldn¡¯t appreciate the spectacle of a hot sex object of a man working out, either.


    ¡°It was okay.¡± I toss my hair over my shoulder. ¡°By the way, you barely made it to fifty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you distracted me.¡± He takes a step forward; I move back further. Hey, stop that; hold your ground. Don¡¯t give in to this big bully.


    ¡°You¡¯re not very good at keeping your focus if my mere presence causes you to get sidetracked,¡± I sniff.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re causing me to get more than distracted¡­ And that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    Instantly, I lower my gaze to his crotch, then wish I hadn¡¯t because the unmistakable bulge in his pants tells me exactly what impact I have on him.


    He closes the distance between us. I watch him warily as he advances. He stops in front of me, then crosses his arms over his chest. He¡¯s so tall that I have to tilt all the way back to meet his gaze. The sole window high up in the ceiling is to his back. The rays of sun nting in are blocked by his body.


    ¡°You¡­ you don¡¯t scare me.¡± I tip up my chin. ¡°Truth.¡±


    ¡°Lies, all lies.¡± He scratches his bare chest, and I lower my gaze to those cut abs. My mouth salivates. This close, that dark chocte and coffee scent of his intensifies. The heat from his body reaches out to me, and I lean forward before I catch myself. How am I going to resist him when I¡¯m locked up in this room with him?


    ¡°I dare you to return to your side of the room and wear your shirt,¡± I blurt out.


    He smirks. ¡°Where would the fun be in that now, eh?¡±


    ¡°I am not sleeping with you, okay?¡± I wrap my arms about my waist. ¡°Why don¡¯t you y with yourself instead?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He gives me a considering nce. ¡°Now that you mention it.¡±


    He reaches for his waistband and I jump up on the bed. ¡°Stop! I didn¡¯t mean that literally. It was simply a figure of speech or something.¡±


    ¡°You sure?¡± He pops the button of his waistband. ¡°I¡¯m happy to oblige.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± I turn around and face the wall. ¡°Please, I was simply trying to get you to move back, that¡¯s all. I didn¡¯t mean it, I promise, okay?¡±


    Heughs and the sound rolls across my skin. OMG, this is not good. Why can¡¯t I simply ignore the guy?


    ¡°Chicken,¡± he murmurs in a low voice. I sense him moving away, so I risk a peek over my shoulder, and heave a sigh to find him walking over to the opposite side of the room. Once more, he sinks down to the ground and kicks his legs out in front. Only, he¡¯s still not wearing his shirt, so that wide expanse of his chest is bared to my perusal. I turn to face him and sit down on the bed cross-legged.


    ¡°So, truth. How many siblings do you have?¡± I ask.


    ¡°Seven. Six. No, seven.¡± His forehead furrows.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how many siblings you have?¡± Iugh.


    ¡°Xander died,¡± he says simply.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I squeeze my eyes shut. Typical me-saying something stupid when I should have stayed quiet.


    ¡°He was killed by a bomb ced in his car. Luckily, Karma, my oldest brother Michael¡¯s wife, who was also in the car at the time, escaped. She lost the child she was carrying, though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± I lock my fingers together in front of me.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant again.¡± A small smile curves his lips. ¡°Which means Michael will not leave her side. It¡¯s as if those two are on a perpetual honeymoon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet.¡±


    ¡°Too sweet, maybe.¡± He bends one knee. ¡°Between the two of them, then Christian and Aurora, Axel and Theresa, and Seb and Elsa, my brothers are falling like flies. They¡¯re all too busy bowing their heads in servitude to their wives.¡±


    ¡°Servitude?¡± I scoff. ¡°It¡¯s not servitude if you love your wife and want to take care of her and your child.¡±


    ¡°Knew it. You¡¯re one of those suckers who believes in hearts and rainbows and Happily-Ever-Afters.¡± He smirks.


    ¡°So?¡± I firm my lips. ¡°It¡¯s normal to want to meet a man who thinks of you as the center of the universe. Something you wouldn¡¯t understand because the only person at the center of your universe is you.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t you forget it.¡± He stabs a finger in my direction. ¡°Also, you¡¯re beginning to bore me.¡± He yawns. ¡°I think I might get some shut eye. It¡¯s a better use of my time than hearing you prattle on.¡±


    Jerk. I curl my fingers into fists. I really want to go over and p his face, but if he were to retaliate, I¡¯d be no match for his strength. Also, not sure if I touch him, I¡¯d be able to stop at a p. My fingers tingle. I¡¯d want to run my fingers down his neck, down the valley that demarcates his pecs, to that t stomach of his and down to- I nce away. Jeez, can¡¯t I even look at him without wondering how big he¡¯s going to be when I finally take him in my hands? I mean, that column in his pants can¡¯t lie, right?


    I nce back at him to find him pulling on his shirt and his boots.


    He must feel the question in my eyes for he nces up at me. ¡°I prefer to be prepared for any eventuality. I suggest you do the same.¡± He leans his head against the wall and closes his eyes, showing off the strong column of his throat. He has one arm bnced on his bent knee, but his body is rxed. He¡¯spletely still. He can¡¯t be asleep already, can he?


    I watch the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. Rise and fall. We¡¯re hidden away from the world. It¡¯s likely no one knows we¡¯re here, and yet, I¡¯m not as scared as I should be, because he¡¯s in here with me.


    Is that crazy? Maybe. I should be more worried about the fact that there¡¯s someone spying on us. Someone who wants to watch us getting it on before he¡¯s going to let us go. Not that there¡¯s any guarantee he will, of course. For all we know, he may have been saying it only to test us. Not to mention, what if he records it? What if he¡¯s nning to ckmail us¡­ Or sell it? Oh, my god. What if he keeps us here forever, forcing us to have sex so he can film it and sell it? No, no, no. I¡¯m not going to think about that. People watching us have sex and getting turned on by it? I can¡¯t think about that. It¡¯s too embarrassing. None of it changes the fact that I¡¯m not letting this man near me, and not because I don¡¯t find him attractive. Quite the opposite.


    If he touches me once¡­ If he runs his fingers over my breasts, down my stomach and between my legs, and if he rubs my clit¡­ I¡¯m going to explode. A shudder runs up my spine. I nce down to find my fingers between my legs. No, no, no, I can¡¯t be touching myself, and certainly not when I¡¯m in the same room as him. Apparently, even being trapped here with a deviant watching us is not enough to deter me from fantasizing about my cellmate.


    I swing my legs over the side of the bed and rise to my feet. I hesitate, then pull on my own shoes. Best to be prepared. I¡¯m not doing it because he told me to but because it makes sense.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Making sure that he¡¯s still asleep, I walk over to the wall closest to the window, then I raise my arms over my head.

 317

    Luca


    A thump vibrates through the floor and up the leg I have stretched out. I crack open my eyelids and find her poised on her toes on the other side of the room. She brings up her leg, circles it with her arm and holds it there for a minute¡­ maybe two? Then, she ttens the foot she¡¯s bnced on, releases the other leg, and slides into a split. I kid you not, the woman slips into a split, and stays there for a few seconds. Fuck, is she flexible? The things I could do with that kind of agility. My cock lengthens. I watch as she ces her palms on the ground, and pushes herself up to a standing position. She holds one arm out to the side, the other one in front of her, then pushes her right leg to the side, toes bent, before she twirls, all graceful and shit, on her toes, arms held up, again and again, until she reaches the wall and stops.


    Next, she holds her arms out in a T-position, ces her foot slightly tilted in front, leans her weight on it, kicks the other leg high up, ces it down. Then she repeats the action alternating between legs. At least she¡¯s still wearing her shoes. That means she¡¯s taken my suggestion of being prepared for any eventuality seriously.


    Her eyes are closed, she hums under her breath, and the muscles of her face rx as shees to a standstill. She turns to face me. Hands on her hips, she takes a leap forward, arms shooting up into a V and another leap that brings her in front of me. That¡¯s when she opens her eyelids and meets my gaze. Her own widens. She loses her bnce and stumbles forward. Before she can hit the ground, I lean toward her, hold out my arms, and snatch her up out of the air and into myp.


    ¡°Let me go.¡± She begins to struggle, but I hold her close. ¡°Please,¡± she whimpers.


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± I rise to my feet, walk over to the bed, drop her down onto it, then cover her with my body.


    She wriggles under me, then bucks her body-or tries to, at any rate. I lean more of my weight on her, and she huffs. She brings her hand up and her palm connects with my face once before I grab her wrist and twist it above her head. She raises her other arm; I do the same with that one.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done it now.¡± I peer into her features. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to punish you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she snarls. ¡°You surprised me and I lost my bnce.¡±


    ¡°Or maybe you did it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°I did not.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you were dancing to get my attention?¡±


    ¡°I was dancing because I was tired of lying on the bed, you big oaf.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you were doing?¡± I snicker.


    Her face heats.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you get to me.¡± She firms her lips. ¡°I¡¯m a good dancer, I¡¯ll have you know.¡±


    ¡°Newssh, baby, I¡¯ve already gotten to you. And by the way, I noticed.¡± I thrust my face into hers.


    She stops struggling. ¡°What are you going to do? If you think you can force yourself on me-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had to force myself on anyone.¡± I ce my lips right over hers so we share breath. ¡°I¡¯m going to kiss you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight me. I¡¯m trying to get his attention so we can find a way out of this goddamn space.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Some of the tension seems to bleed out of her shoulders. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    I brush my lips over hers. ¡°I would have, if you¡¯d let me speak.¡± A slow pulse begins to thud at my temples. I press a kiss to the corner of her lips, and a warmth suffuses my chest. I lower my nose to her throat and draw in a deep breath. Her scent fills my lungs and my head spins. A pulse res to life at my wrists, behind my eyes, even in my fucking balls. Gesu Cristo, I have never felt this¡­ off-kilter before.


    It has nothing to do with her, nothing to do with the softness of her body, the lush curves, the symmetry of her body as she danced, the rapturous expression on her features as she lost herself in her moves, the intelligence in her eyes as she tried to outwit me in our game of Truth or Dare. No, it¡¯s only because I can¡¯t stand to be cooped up in this cell for a minute longer. Damn the fact that I want her and the thought of being inside her- Hell, the blood drains to my groin at once.


    ¡°Umm.¡± She wiggles her hips a little, then freezes when she brushes the column in my pants. ¡°Thought you were going to try to find a way out?¡± she hisses at me.


    I raise my gaze and stare into her features. ¡°I am.¡± Or maybe I¡¯m trying to find a way in.


    ¡°This seems to indicate otherwise.¡± She brushes against the hardness at my crotch again and a shiver runs down my back.


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a good actor.¡± I allow my lips to curl.


    ¡°A likely story.¡± Her flush deepens.


    ¡°I¡¯m a man, and I¡¯m between a woman¡¯s legs; it was bound to happen.¡±


    ¡°What now? Do we stay like this until someone behind that camera notices us? And even if they do, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re going to set us free, you know?¡±


    ¡°We could fuck and take our chances-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She begins to struggle under me. ¡°No bloody way.¡±


    ¡°Hold on to your panties. That was only a suggestion. On the other hand-¡± I pause and tilt my head toward the door.


    ¡°Get off me, you jerk.¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± I hold a finger to my lips as I bring my attention to the door. The unmistakable sound of someone unlocking it reaches me.


    I roll off of her, then prowl over to the door and stand to the side. It swings open and someone enters with a tray of food in his hands. I grab his arm and yank him forward. The tray crashes to the floor. The man turns toward me, but I am already moving. I p my palms on either side of his head and pull it down as I raise my knee. It connects with his nose. The sound of bones crunching fills the room. Blood blooms on his face, and I hurl him to the side before it can taint my pants.


    He hits the floor, rolls over once, then staggers to his feet. I rush him, grab him around the waist, and push him through the door of the bathroom. He hits the wall on the far end and straightens, weaving a little. Porca miseria. I leap toward him and smash my head into his already broken nose. His body jerks, then he slumps. I step back as he hits the floor and stays there. Finally, fuck!


    I pivot, race out of the bathroom, pausing only to shut the door. I nce up to find she¡¯s pulled on her jacket and holding out mine. I shrug into it, then follow her out of the room. I close the door to the cell and lock it. Of course, that stronzo Freddie is going to check the cameras and see the room¡¯s empty, but for whatever it¡¯s worth, maybe locking the door will buy us a little time?


    I race past her and down the corridor, as a man steps onto thending. I bend, kick his legs out from under him, and he falls headfirst down the steps and slides all the way to the ground floor, leaving a trail of blood. I jump down the stairs, two at a time, then turn to find her making her way around the blood stter, a look of revulsion on her features.


    Before she reaches thest step, I grab her by the waist, and ce her down on the floor. Then pivot and run toward the main door, and straight into a room filled with men.


    ¡°Cazzo.¡± I skid to a stop and she ms into me from behind.


    ¡°What the hell,¡± she protests, ¡°can¡¯t you see where you are going, you-¡± Her voice fades as she takes in the bunch of guys who nce from me to her, then back at me. As one, they pull out their guns.


    ¡°Back to your room,¡± one of them growls.


    I hold up my arms. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put away your guns and fight me? Or better still, give me a gun and we¡¯ll see who wins.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± One of the men walks toward me. I leap forward, grab his gun and aim it upward as he shoots. The bullet ms through the ceiling, and bits of ster fall on us. I bring my booted foot down on his. He yells and his grasp on the gun slips. I tear it from his hands, turn the gun on him and shoot. Behind me, I sense her freeze as the man slumps.


    ¡°Stay behind me,¡± I yell as I aim the gun and shoot and shoot and shoot. When I lower my gun, the room is silent. Five meny fallen on the floor.


    She steps around me when one of the men reaches for his gun. I throw myself on her, we hit the ground, and I manage to twist my body to avoid falling on her as I shoot him. The gun slips from his hand and he¡¯s dead before he hits the floor.


    I jump up, lean down to help her up, but she¡¯s already on her feet. ¡°I can take care of myself,¡± she hisses as she reaches for the gun of one of the fallen men, then walks over to pick up a second gun.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Gathering the weapons to take with me, what does it look like?¡± she snarls.


    I chuckle, then slide the gun I¡¯m carrying into the small of my back, before I snatch up two more and head for the doorway, with her right behind me. I bypass the front door, heading for the kitchen, hoping the door beyond will lead to the garage.


    I push open the door and the lights in the ceiling flicker on. A-n-d bingo. There are three cars, which I bypass as I head for the motorbike parked to the side. It¡¯s a Ducati, which will have to do. Personally, I prefer a Harley. Nothing like the ssics.


    ¡°How did you know you¡¯d find the garage here?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Lucky guess? Also, couldn¡¯t risk leaving by the front door in case there were more men waiting.¡± Shouts, then footsteps sound behind us as I grab one of the helmets from the bike and smash it over my head, then snatch another and ce it over hers.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her scream is muffled.


    I mount the bike, then jerk my chin at her. ¡°Get on, Angel.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t we take one of the cars?¡±


    ¡°Because I prefer a bike.¡±


    ¡°Jesus, can¡¯t you rein in your macho-ness and be sensible just once, you-¡±


    I kickstart the bike, the sound of the engine echoes around the space.


    ¡°Get on,¡± I shout so she can hear me over the engine.


    She firms her lips as I p the switch on the handle. The garage door begins to rise, revealing a row of men standing there, their guns aimed at us.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.

 318

    Jeanne


    He¡¯s lost it. Clearly, he¡¯s lost it. Does he really think he can drive through the wall of men who have their guns pointed at us? Footsteps pound and I nce over my shoulder to find men pouring through the doorway we just came through.


    Crap! My feet seem to move of their own ord, and I throw my leg over the bike behind him.


    ¡°Shoot at them.¡± He jerks his head over his shoulder.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Just aim and shoot. You do know how to shoot, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I can try.¡± I stab my tongue into my cheek, then pop the safety of the gun I¡¯m holding in my right hand, as he raises his guns and fires. Bang, bang, bang. Bullets screech past my head. I scream, then huddle closer behind him. He careens to the right, then to the left, and I hold on with one hand, as I depress the trigger on the gun and keep it there. Oh, and I also squeeze my eyes shut. I know, I¡¯m a wuss, but hey, while this is not my first time holding a gun, it¡¯s my first time aiming it at living men, and I honestly don¡¯t know if I want to see my bullets hit them. On the other hand, if I spend one more minute in that damn room, I¡¯m going to lose itpletely. So, between the two, yeah, I¡¯ll shoot. Besides, they¡¯re the ones who kidnapped me. That makes them the bad guys, right? I keep shooting until the empty clicks of the chambers reaches me.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± he yells as the bike leaps forward. I tuck myself into his back, still holding the empty guns as he races out of the garage. We must pass the bodies he¡¯s shot down, but I still have my eyes closed, so I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not cowardly if you are protecting yourself against nightmares, right? He takes the next curve so fast, I almost slide off.


    ¡°Cazzo, hold on, will you?¡±


    I crack my eyes open long enough to throw my arms around his waist. I¡¯m still holding the empty guns, but I hold onto him the best I can as he guns the motor up the driveway and toward the steadily closing gates.


    ¡°Jesus, what are you-¡± He gathers speed and I squeeze my eyes shut again. He powers the bike up and we seem to fly forward and through the quickly-shrinking space between the gates and onto the road. I draw oxygen into my lungs, which burn. My throat hurts-did I scream? I think I remember screaming. My fingers cramp and the muscles in my arms protest. I loosen my hold on him, then scream again when the bike jumps forward. Twerp! I hold onto him as we hit the main road and he guns the motor again.


    We travel that way for another ten minutes, then he swears, ¡°Cazzo, we¡¯re being followed.¡±


    I can hear him clearly. That¡¯s when I realize the helmets are equipped with a two-waymunication channel.


    ¡°I¡¯d hoped we¡¯d have a little more time, but we don¡¯t have a choice now.¡± He turns so suddenly, the bike seems to scream in protest. I confess, I scream, too, and hold onto him.


    ¡°What are you doing? Have you lost itpletely, you-¡±


    He straightens, then zooms toward the oing car, which I recognize as one of the ones from the garage. Keeping one hand on the handlebar, he shoots at them. And he doesn¡¯t veer off of the road. He sets us on a collision course with the car. My heart ms into my rib cage. The pulse thunders at my wrists. I squeeze my eyes shut again and huddle behind him as he continues to shoot. Then I hear the sound of brakes squealing, and I¡¯m osted by the smell of burnt rubber.


    I open my eyes in time to find the car sailing off the road and into the adjacent field. Only, there¡¯s another caring at us. While I don¡¯t recall seeing it in the garage, he must, for he gives it the same treatment. I manage to keep my eyes open as he continues to fire. The windshield of the car cracks. The driver slumps forward and the car swerves off the side of the road and into the field on the other side. He slows down a little then-thank God-before he turns the bike around andes to a standstill.


    He clicks on the safeties of the guns, then reaches forward to open the carrier on the bike. He slides the guns in, then takes the empty gun from my hand and tosses it in, as well. He snaps it shut, kicks off the stand of the bike, then eases forward.


    We travel at a normal speed, which is wise. At least this way, we¡¯ll attract less attention. Not that this man is able to walk into a room without everyone turning to look at him. It¡¯s the way he is-his presence, the way he can¡¯t help but absorb all of the oxygen in the space. He¡¯s also arrogant, has a big opinion of himself, and thinks he can ovee any challenge thrown at him. Which, to be fair, he just did.


    ¡°Do you think we got out of there too easily?¡± I burst out.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, wouldn¡¯t Freddie have been more careful with how he got us food; wouldn¡¯t he have anticipated something like this happening? Shouldn¡¯t he have tied you up or something?¡±


    ¡°Then he wouldn¡¯t have been able to watch us fuck.¡±


    ¡°Not that I would have let you¡­ but yeah-¡± I purse my lips. ¡°Still, I find it weird that we got out of there that easily.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call shooting up two cars and a dozen men too easy.¡±


    ¡°A dozen men?¡± I wince. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re dead?¡±


    ¡°I know they¡¯re dead.¡±


    I push my forehead into his back. ¡°I know they were bad men, but still, they may have had families, and children, and-¡±


    ¡°They knew the risk they were taking when they came into this business.¡±


    ¡°So, do you and your brothers leave home every day, knowing you might not return?¡±


    ¡°We are¡­ prepared. Several of my brothers are married now, and thatplicates things. It¡¯s why Michael wants to try and turn the business legit, in as much as it¡¯s possible to minimize the risks.¡±


    ¡°But once you¡¯re in this life, you can¡¯t really walk away, can you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± he agrees, ¡°but it is possible to bring down the level of uncertainty you deal with every day.¡±


    ¡°So, what happened earlier-the number of men you shot, the cars you wrecked-is that not a normal urrence?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not abnormal.¡± He blows out a breath. ¡°Look, I was brought up in the Mafia. This is the life I know. Some of us trained to have a profession beyond it. Like my brother, Massimo is both a qualified finance professional and awyer, Xander was an artist, Christian is also awyer, Seb is going to start up a media business, and Adrian¡¯s investing his money in a chain of coffeeshops. Michael, my older brother, knew he would be Don one day, while me?


    ¡°This is the life I know. The intricacies of this way of living¡­ It runs in my blood. There were no guarantees for me. I wasn¡¯t the oldest, yet something about this lifestyle suits me, you know. I never thought I¡¯d be the Capo. Then Seb gave up his title, and Michael made me Capo in his ce.¡±


    ¡°So, do you feel all your efforts so far have been worth it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think,¡± he says in a low voice. ¡°You¡¯d think, after everything I¡¯ve seen and done, I¡¯d be ecstatic to finally be recognized for my efforts. But¡­¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Bing a Capo didn¡¯t make a damn difference. It didn¡¯t fill this empty space inside of me. It didn¡¯t feel like a big achievement. There was something anticlimactic about it, and cazzo! Why am I telling you all this?¡±


    He bends over the handlebar and the bike leaps forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to share; it¡¯s not going to make you less of a man,¡± I murmur.


    He doesn¡¯t reply. We ride in silence for the next hour. I take in the passing fields, the grey clouds in the sky that seem to hang so low. We reach a roundabout with the signs pointing toward St. Ives-signs in English-and that¡¯s when it strikes me. ¡°We¡¯re in the UK?¡±


    ¡°In Cornwall, actually,¡± he rifies. ¡°But you surmise correctly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god, they brought us to the UK?¡±


    ¡°It would seem that way,¡± he agrees.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised?¡±


    ¡°Probably because Freddie is from the UK. Though, why he¡¯d bring us here, to the back of beyond, I don¡¯t know. Could¡¯ve saved us some time if they¡¯d decided to keep us in London, but no, they had to choose a ce far away from civilization.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in Cornwall; that¡¯s not exactly uncivilized,¡± I point out.


    ¡°It¡¯s not London,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°Where did you grow up, anyway?¡± Not that I am curious or anything, but if I am going to be stuck with him for a while longer, then it¡¯s best to know more about him, right?


    ¡°I spent some of my early years in Palermo, and before you ask, yes, Italy is excluded from the list of uncivilized ces. It¡¯s the cradle of civilization, after all.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refute that, but to negate any other city is a bit narrow-minded, don¡¯t you think,¡± I scoff.


    ¡°My formative years were spent in LA, so that city¡¯s off the list, too,¡± he deres.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 319

    Hmm, I went to drama school in LA, so we do have something inmon, not that I am going to tell him that.


    Instead, I snort, ¡°Wow, so generous.¡±


    ¡°I know, right?¡±


    I raise my eyes skyward. ¡°Were you born with such an inted opinion about yourself, or did you be that way, or¡­? You know what, don¡¯t answer that.¡±


    ¡°See, you are getting to know me so well.¡±


    ¡°Now that I know we¡¯re in the UK, I think I can make my way to London on my own,¡± I dere.


    ¡°With no cash? Not to mention, they¡¯re probably not far behind us.¡±


    I purse my lips. He has a point. I do need money, and some ID, and a cellphone, ideally.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any money, either, so how do you reckon we¡¯re going to make it back?¡±


    ¡°Wait and see.¡±


    I hear the smirk in his voice. Jerk. He drives past the turn off for St. Ives and keeps going.


    ¡°Don¡¯t want to risk staying in town,¡± he exins as he continues up the highway.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I should have asked the question earlier, but it¡¯s not every day that I¡¯m shot at or shoot back, so guess I¡¯m excused for the dyed reaction.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± he replies.


    ¡°How do you know where to go? You seem to have a destination in mind.¡±


    ¡°I do; it¡¯s a safe space.¡±


    ¡°ording to whom?¡±


    He blows out a breath. ¡°So many questions. Chill, enjoy the ride, will ya?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk down to me. I¡¯m not one of your women who¡¯s going to shut up just because you tell her to.¡±


    ¡°God forbid I¡¯d ever think that.¡± I can¡¯t see his face, but I can hear the smirk in his voice. ¡°And it¡¯s one of the scenarios we drew up, if ever one of us were in such a situation in the UK.¡±


    ¡°We, as in-¡±


    ¡°Me and my brothers.¡±


    ¡°So, you expected that you¡¯d find yourself in Cornwall and know where to go?¡± I shoot back.


    ¡°We have a few designated safe spots in each of the key countries where our rivals are located. UK is one of them. And yes, there is one such space not far from us. Now, can I focus on the driving without your honeyed tones filling my ears?¡±


    What an ass. Don¡¯t know what he¡¯sining about. I do have a right to know where he¡¯s taking me, after all. Anyway, I shut up and watch the scenery zip by and it¡¯s quite spectacr, actually. On one side of the road are hills, and on the other, waves crash on a beach far below. Didn¡¯t I read somewhere that this area is called the English riviera? Now I know why.


    We drive for another hour, then he pulls off the highway and into a service area. He parks the motorcycle and I jump off. I take off my helmet and draw in lungfuls of air. He takes the helmet from me, locks it to the bike, along with his, and I follow him into the smallplex of shops. I head toward the restrooms when he taps my shoulder. ¡°Make it quick. We need to be on our way.¡±


    I nod in his direction and keep going. He¡¯s right, of course. It¡¯s best not to linger in one area for too long, or we may be found out. But still, he could have asked me politely instead of ordering me, right? I take care of business, and when I walk out, I find he¡¯s paying for food at the Waitrose counter.


    ¡°Wait, you had money with you?¡± I draw abreast with him.


    ¡°I had some hidden away in an inner pocket of my jacket.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°Standard practice; we always carry extra money in a ce where it¡¯s difficult to find.¡±


    ¡°Standard Mafia protocol, you mean?¡±


    He shoots me a sideways nce. ¡°Is my background such a problem for you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shuffle my feet. ¡°I mean, yes. You have to realize, I¡¯ve led a normal life so far. Then I¡¯m taken, and I find myself in a room alone, and then they throw you in with me and expect us to¡­ you know¡­¡± I grip my fingers together in front of myself. ¡°You have to admit, it¡¯s not a usual urrence.¡±


    He surveys my features. ¡°You¡¯ve done exceedingly well, considering what you¡¯ve been through. In fact, it¡¯s because you¡¯ve been holding up so well that I forgot how bewildering everything must be for you.¡±


    I stare at him. ¡°Are you actually empathizing with me?¡±


    He frowns. ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± He snatches up the paper bag with the items he¡¯s purchased, then turns and walks toward the exit.


    I follow him as we head back out and toward the bike.


    ¡°How much longer are we going to ride?¡± I raise my arms and drop them toward my feet, stretching out. I hold the pose for a few seconds feeling every single muscle in my body separate. A groan escapes from my lips. I straighten to find him watching me with a strange expression on his features.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°What?¡± I scowl.


    ¡°You really are flexible, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Brings to mind possibilities, if you change your mind about letting me fuck you-¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, and even if I did, it would be me f¡¯ing you.¡±


    ¡°So, you did think about it?¡± His lips kick up and his eyes gleam. A gust of wind raises the hair on his forehead and my heart stutters. Whoa, what was that? I don¡¯t know this guy at all. He may be good looking-okay, he¡¯s bloody gorgeous to look at, has a body I¡¯d do anything to get my hands on-but he¡¯s part of the Mafia, for heaven¡¯s sake. He and I have nothing inmon. Also, he seems to think he can snap his fingers and I¡¯ll fall into his arms. And when that creep Freddie told us what he expected of us before he¡¯d set us free, the man didn¡¯t blink an eyelid.


    If I had encouraged him, he would have fucked me, too, not caring who was watching. He definitely did seem to get turned on by the idea. He¡¯s kinky and filthy¡­ and that¡¯s so hot. No, it¡¯s not. I don¡¯t want to sleep with someone who gets off on the idea of being watched. I don¡¯t want to be ogled in my most intimate moments. And let¡¯s not forget, that weirdo Freddie might have even been nning to film us, and then what would have happened, eh?


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t sleep with you if you were thest man on this.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± He looks me up and down. ¡°I do believe that¡¯s an official challenge.¡±

 320

    Luca


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect us to share that, do you?¡± She narrows her gaze on the single bed in the room above the pub that I found. The ce is far away from the nearest town, and so secluded that I¡¯ll be able to spot anyoneing from a mile off. Thank god the Brits liked their countryside pubs, many of which kept the tradition of hiring out rooms by the night to travelers.


    I was able to pay for it with the money stashed in the lining of my jacket, which those stronzii had never found. An old Mafioso tradition which Michael had insisted on keeping alive. Thank fuck.


    I shoot her a sideways nce. ¡°Thought you¡¯d have gotten used to the idea by now.¡±


    She scowls at me. ¡°You¡¯re taking this joke too far. And just to remind you, we haven¡¯t spent a night together¡­ so far.¡±


    ¡°Easily rectifiable.¡± I walk over to ce the paper bag with the food supplies on the bed. Then I shove my jacket down my shoulders.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she squeaks as I shrug off my shirt and drape it with my jacket over the lone chair in the room, then reach for my pants.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I need a shower.¡± I toe off my boots and my socks, then shove my pants down, along with my boxers. I fold my pants, drape them over the arm of the chair, drop my boxers on the chair, then turn toward the bathroom.


    She pivots around to nce the other way, but not before I notice the flush on her cheeks. Oh, she¡¯s attracted to me, all right; she¡¯s just going to keep fighting it. Fine by me. She¡¯s not the kind of girl I¡¯d want to bed anyway. Too many hang-ups; too many romantic notions. She¡¯s probably the type who expects a man to put a ring on her finger if he sleeps with her twice.


    Too bad, she has the most luscious body I¡¯ve evere across. Those curves bely the litheness with which she can stretch. And when she dances? Gesu Cristo, I can¡¯t look away. She is something special, no doubt about it. Too bad she rubs me the wrong way. Nope, she¡¯s too much work.


    Oh, I¡¯d fuck her, all right. Problem is, if I did, chances are, I wouldn¡¯t be content with doing it just once. And that¡¯d onlyplicate matters. Also, she¡¯s exactly the kind of woman my Nonna would have encouraged me to be with. Which is exactly why I need to steer clear of any entanglements with her.


    Ideally, I¡¯ll get her to London, then back to her troupe in Palermo- Shit, that¡¯ll only put her in danger again. There¡¯s nothing stopping Freddie froming after her again, so unfortunately, I can¡¯t part ways with her yet. I need to make sure she¡¯s safe first, so for the moment, she¡¯s stuck with me, like it or not. I¡¯m not going to change my ways. She¡¯ll have to put up with me; no choice.


    I stalk into the bathroom and step under the shower. It¡¯s a tiny space, but at least the water is hot.


    I reach for the soap and begin to wash myself, when a draft of air hits me. The door bangs shut and I turn to find her walking into the bathroom. Naked. Not a stitch of clothing on her body. And what a body she has.


    I knew she was curvaceous, obviously, but Angel without clothes is¡­ My favorite wet dream,e true¡­ Firm breasts, tipped with plum-colored nipples that are erect, a narrow waist that res into hips which are wide enough to tempt me to grip them when I position her just so as I breach her opening with my cock. As I squeeze those creamy thighs and mark them, before I bend her knee to the side and next to her chest and bury myself balls deep inside her heat.


    I take in the flesh between her legs¡­ Plump pussy lips that fold in toward her clit. She slides into the space in front of me and cuts off the flow of water. She raises her head as the water flows over her shoulders, down her back, and over the swell of her butt cheeks. The blood drains to my groin and my thigh muscles tighten. A pulse res to life in my balls as I take in the spectacle. I open my mouth to speak, but no wordse out. I clear my throat.


    ¡°The fuck are you doing?¡± I growl.


    ¡°Trying to have a shower.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have waited until I was done?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have asked if I wanted to shower first?¡± She huffs.


    ¡°Did you want to shower first?¡± I snap.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡± She flips her hair over her shoulder. The strands p against my chest. That crushed rose-petal scent of her seems to amplify, thanks to the hot water.


    ¡°Can I have the soap please?¡± She holds out her hand.


    I am about to ce it in her palm, then change my mind. Instead, Ither up the bar and swipe the suds down her back. She stiffens.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± She nces at me over her shoulder.


    ¡°Trying to help you have a shower.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t why I came in here.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve fooled me.¡± I drag my soapy palm down the indentation of her waist, over the width of her hips, down her thigh. Her entire body trembles. Her shoulders rise and fall. I sink down to my knees and soap up her calves, the backs of her feet. Then tap the outside of her thigh.


    ¡°Turn around.¡±


    Her breath hitches.


    ¡°Now, Angel.¡±


    She pivots toward me and I tap her foot. She raises it, and I ce it on my palm. The length of her foot is smaller than that of my hand. I soap between her toes, around her ankles, up the front of her legs, her knees, along the outsides of her thighs. A trembling grips her, but she stays steady.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I drag my fingers over the cursive writing inked onto her left hip.


    Out of the ash


    ¡°I rise with my red hair,


    And I eat men like air.¡± Iplete the rest of the stanza at the same time as her.


    Silence descends for a beat, another. I nce up to find her watching me with a strange look on her face.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t think I could quote Sylvia th?¡± I twist my lips.


    ¡°No offense. I don¡¯t expect most people to recognize the words.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not most people.¡±


    She swallows. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to realize that.¡±


    ¡°Why this specific poem?¡± I ask.


    ¡°People think the poem is about death because she wrote it in the months preceding her suicide. And it does touch on her previous attempts at trying to die by her own hand. But it¡¯s also about her resurrection and taking revenge on her enemies. It¡¯s that spirit I identify with. ording to th, dying is an art. You have to keep at it until you perfect it. As an actress, I do the same. Each time I go on stage, I die a little and am reborn. And I¡¯ll keep doing it until I perfect it. Only, there is nothing like a perfect performance, for you¡¯re only as good as yourst one.¡±


    Her words sink into my blood and head straight for my groin. My cock extends further. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been so turned on as when she¡¯s speaking with such passion.


    ¡°You¡¯re not like most people, either, Angel.¡±


    A blush smears her cheeks.


    I carefully ce her foot down on the floor, before I grab her hand and ce it on my head. ¡°Hold on.¡±


    She grips my hair and tugs; a shiver zips down my spine. My dick lengthens further as she raises her other foot. I treat it simrly, and as I run my fingers up her inner thigh, a moan bleeds from her lips. I stop short of brushing against her clit, and her grasp on my hair tightens. I ce her other foot down, thenther my palms before the soap slips from me. I grip the tops of her thighs, rise up slightly until my face is opposite her pussy. I slide my soapy fingers around to grip her ass cheeks and squeeze.


    ¡°Oh, god, Luca,¡± she gasps.


    A thrill coils in my chest. My name from her lips¡­ It sounds different. It sounds right. It sounds¡­ like something I need to avoid¡­ In the future. Right now, though- I close the distance to her melting flesh and swipe my lips up her slit.


    ¡°Luca,¡± she half-screams. ¡°Please, you-¡±


    I strum my lips across her pussy lips, then curl my tongue around her swollen clit. She moans as I stab my finger inside her soaking channel, even as I massage her ass cheeks and pull them apart. I continue to slurp on her cunt as I slide a finger inside her back hole, and that¡¯s when she goes rigid. She rises up to her tiptoes and I follow. And thrust my tongue inside her again and again. I curve my finger inside her as I pull out my tongue from her channel, only totch onto her clit. I bite down and she cries out. Her back curves. She digs her fingers into my scalp, and that¡¯s when moisture bathes my tongue as shees. Ip up her cum as I grab the soap andther it again, then reach up to cup her breasts. I wash them with quick strokes and she bites her lips.


    ¡°Luca, stop. I can¡¯t think when you touch me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the idea.¡± I nce up into her tawny eyes, pupils blown as she holds my gaze. She releases her grip on my hair, and I rise to my feet without breaking the connection. I peer into her face as I cup her breasts, then pinch her nipples.


    She shudders. ¡°This is not why I came in here.¡±


    ¡°But you stayed.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± she whispers.


    ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡±


    She swallows.


    ¡°Do you?¡±


    She nods.


    I raise my hands and step back from her, then pop my head under the stream of water. I run my fingers through my hair to rinse the dried blood from the back of my head. The wound itself, though, seems to have started healing. I walk out of the shower and head for the door, grabbing a towel on the way. The door shuts behind me.


    I dry myself, then fling the towel on the nightstand before I mber into bed. Cazzo. What was that? It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen a naked woman before, but seeing her without her clothespletely floored me. It¡¯s like I lost my mind, overwhelmed by the sensations of lust, and something more¡­ A need to take, to possess, to im her. To make her orgasm so she knows just how much she affects me.


    I¡¯m not a selfish lover, but I¡¯ve never put a woman¡¯s pleasure before my own desires. What is it about her that made me want to floor her with desire, to overwhelm her with endorphins so she couldn¡¯t think clearly anymore? So she¡¯d be pliant in my arms as I took her and ravished her and showed her just how good it could be between us. So I could love her¡­


    Che cazzo? I barely know her. I can¡¯t be falling for her so quickly, can I? Nah, it¡¯s just lust talking. The kind that overwhelms me every time I step into the room in Venom-the nightclub owned by me and my brothers-where I perform in front of a crowd. Where I bring women to pleasure as I get myself off. It¡¯s been a while since I did that. That¡¯s the only reason I wasn¡¯t able to hold back. That¡¯s why I felt overwhelmed. I just need to see her to safety; then I can be rid of her and return to my life. Yep, that¡¯s it. I pull the sheet up to my waist, then fling my arm behind my neck.


    By the time she steps out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her tight little body, I have my eyes half-closed. I track her as she walks around to the other side of the bed and slides under the covers.


    She keeps to her side, which, considering how narrow the mattress is, means she¡¯s almost falling off. Too bad it¡¯s best we keep distance between us.


    That¡¯s when her stomach growls.

 321

    Jeanne


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± He sits up and reaches for the bag filled with food on the nightstand and puts it on the bed between us.


    Yeah, I am. If only it were for just the food. The way he made mee in there¡­ It¡¯s mind-boggling. I swear, I saw stars at the edges of my vision. I still felt dizzy as I walked to the bed. I don¡¯t think I¡¯vee that hard ever before.


    Oh, I¡¯ve had a couple of boyfriends, but not one of them has gone down on me¡­ Sad truth. And this man¡­ This almost-stranger¡­ He ate me out, and touched me all over, and did the kinds of things to me that I¡¯ve only read about in books, and never experienced in real life. Look, it¡¯s not that my love life is vani¡­ Okay, maybe it is a tad. But that¡¯s okay, right? I hadn¡¯t thought I was missing the kind of rough and raunchy sex I read about. I¡¯ve always thought that, given how focused on my career I am, I¡¯d never have the opportunity to meet someone who¡¯d make my body sing the way this jerkhole did.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Why does he have to be part of the Mafia? And why does he have to be this cocky? This full-of-himself? Why couldn¡¯t he be someone more ordinary? But if he were, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t be this appealing¡­ If he were a fellow dancer, or even someone with a nine-to-five job¡­ Well, even then, if it were Luca, he¡¯d own his life. He¡¯d be in control. He¡¯d be confident and persistent and wear that smirk that makes my panties melt.


    Christ, this is embarrassing. I¡¯m sitting next to him and I can¡¯t stop thinking of how he had his tongue inside my pussy, his finger inside my ass, how he¡¯d washed me and massaged my butt cheeks and my breasts, and if I¡¯d let him, he would¡¯ve fucked me. I squeeze my eyes shut. Don¡¯t go there; don¡¯t go there. I clench my thighs together.


    ¡°You okay?¡±


    I pop my eyelids open and meet those startlingly clear blue eyes of his. ¡°No, actually, I¡¯m mortified.¡±


    ¡°Because of what happened in there?¡± He jerks his chin in the direction of the bathroom.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that reason enough?¡±


    ¡°You walked in without your clothes on. What else did you think was going to happen?¡± He scoffs.


    ¡°Not that, for sure. And I only did it because you pissed me off. You could have let me have the bathroom first, you know.¡±


    ¡°Remind me to piss you off more often.¡± He chuckles.


    Jerk, and if he thinks I¡¯m going to risk taking off my clothes in front of him again, he¡¯s mistaken. Also, what was I thinking walking in there naked?


    ¡°You were trying to make me lose control, weren¡¯t you?¡± He peers into my features. ¡°Were you trying to test my patience? Is that it? You wanted to know how it would feel to have my hands, my mouth, my tongue on you. Admit it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit no such thing.¡± A blush steals up my skin. ¡°All I know is that I was so pissed with you for ordering me around, I decided to take matters into my own hands.¡± I knot my towel more securely around my breasts. ¡°Speaking of, are you naked under the covers?¡± I nce at his towel on the table. ¡°You are naked under the covers.¡±


    ¡°Not going to wear those filthy clothes to bed.¡± He pulls out a couple of packed sandwiches from the paper bag and offers them to me.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t, at least, wear your towel?¡± I scowl as I ept one of the sandwiches from him.


    ¡°I am covered, aren¡¯t I?¡± He tears open the packaging of his sandwich and digs into it.


    I peel open the covering of my own and begin to eat at a more sedate pace. The juiciness of the tomatoes,bined with the fresh slightly sour taste of the mozzare cheese, and the tanginess of the pickles explodes on my pte. I nce down at the sandwich again. ¡°These are pretty good.¡±


    ¡°One thing about the British, they know how to make sandwiches, and how to package them.¡± He takes another bite of his sandwich, finishing one half of it.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯re not a fan of the Brits?¡±


    ¡°Like their sense of humor, hate the weather, can¡¯t stand their food, but this-¡± he nods toward the second half of his sandwich that he holds in his hand¡±-is passable.¡±


    ¡°At least we¡¯re not still stuck in that room.¡± I shudder.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± He tips his chin in my direction and looks directly into my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re safe now.¡±


    ¡°But for how long?¡± I lower my hand. ¡°You said you thought they¡¯de after us. How long do you think we have? Are we even safe here? Maybe we should have kept going.¡±


    ¡°We were both tired, and I¡¯m still recovering from whatever it is they dosed me with. Can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t even realize they were transporting me across countries.¡± He shakes his head. ¡°Still, there are worse ces to be than the UK. We should have someone meeting us very soon.¡±


    ¡°You called someone?¡± I lean forward. ¡°While I was away, you managed to reach your brothers?¡±


    His lips kick up. ¡°Let¡¯s just say, reinforcements are on the way.¡± He chomps his way through the second half of his sandwich, then dips his hand inside the paper bag and brings out another. He proceeds to tear off the wrapping and starts eating it. ¡°They should be hereter tonight, then we can figure out a way out of here.¡±


    I polish off my sandwich, then reach into the paper bag and bring out a pack of chips, or crisps, as they¡¯re called here in the UK. I tear open the pack and crunch my way through a few.


    He finishes off his second sandwich and pulls out a bottle of beer. He twists open the cap and raises it to his mouth. The cords of his throat move as he swallows. How can someone¡¯s throat be this beautiful? He lowers the bottle and a drop runs down his chin. Before I can stop myself, I reach over and scoop it up. I bring my fingers to my mouth, and his blue eyes deepen to almost azure in color.


    ¡°You¡¯re living dangerously, Angel,¡± he lowers his voice to a hush and my core trembles.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean that. I mean, I was only trying to help.¡± Gah, can¡¯t you do better? I plop the open packet of chips into the bag. ¡°Look, can we just forget I did that, and for that matter, what happened in the bathroom?¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡± He tilts his head.


    I hold his gaze for a few beats, then nce away.


    ¡°Can you, Angel? Can you forget how it felt to have my tongue inside you, and my finger in your ass as you rode my mouth?¡±


    ¡°Oh, god.¡± I squeeze my thighs together. ¡°Stop already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± He ces the paper bag on the side of the bed, along with his half-full bottle of beer. ¡°It seems that stronzo, Freddie, was onto something when he decided to lock you and me up in a room.¡± He turns to me. ¡°It¡¯s why I have a proposition for you.¡±

 322

    Luca


    ¡°Proposition? What do you mean?¡± She wriggles around, trying to make herself morefortable on the bed. Her towel slips a little, revealing more of the curve of her tits. I watch, fascinated, as it stops just shy of revealing those ripe nipples of hers. Goddamn, if only I could get a taste. Why didn¡¯t I bend my head and sample them earlier when I had the opportunity? Oh, right, I had been too taken aback by how beautifully she had orgasmed under my ministrations, that¡¯s why.


    ¡°Luca?¡± She snaps her fingers. ¡°My face is up here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know darlin¡¯, just trying to decide whether I¡¯ll suck on your nipples or your clit the next time.¡±


    She inhales a sharp breath, and color smears her cheeks like blood dispersing in water. ¡°There¡¯s not going to be a next time.¡± She pulls the cover up over her shoulders, cutting off the sight of her gorgeous chest. Damn.


    ¡°You and I both know there will be, Angel.¡±


    ¡°Stop calling me that, and whatever your proposition is, I refuse.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty.¡± I lean back against the headboard. ¡°You may find what I¡¯m going to propose is the solution to all of your problems.¡±


    ¡°My only problem is that I¡¯m stuck in a room with you, again. The only thing that¡¯s changed is that there are no cameras in this space.¡±


    ¡°Easily rectified.¡± I reach under my pillow and pull out a phone, then open up the camera app and position it in her direction.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± She pounces toward it. I hold the phone up and out of her reach. ¡°You bought a phone?¡± Her gaze widens. The cover slips a little, but her chest is still covered. Damn.


    ¡°At the service area, while you were freshening up,¡± I exin, while keeping an eye peeled for a glimpse of her boob on the screen. Sneaky? Yea, a little-okay, a lot. Filthy? Maybe. But you can¡¯t me me. She has the kind of gorgeous body that¡¯s made for being worshipped.


    ¡°That¡¯s how you called your brothers?¡± A furrow appears between her eyebrows. ¡°You had a phone all this time?¡± She ps her palms on her hips. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare film me, Luca.¡±


    I lower the phone. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not going to film the filthy things I can do to you; yet.¡±


    ¡°Not ever,¡± she huffs.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early in our rtionship. Give it time, and you¡¯ll be asking for more than being filmed.¡± I scratch my chest. ¡°Also, this is how they¡¯re going to reach me. And now that they have my number, they¡¯ll be tracking us.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to make me feel safe?¡±


    ¡°Being tracked by the Sovranos? You bet. Not even the FBI or the MI6 can do a better job of keeping us on their radar now.¡±


    ¡°Fine, so you spoke to your brothers. They¡¯ll meet uster. Then we can bid each other goodbye.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I yawn.


    ¡°What do you mean, no?¡± She stiffens.


    ¡°You¡¯reing back to Palermo with me.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°I am returning to Palermo, but not with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°You have no other way of getting out of the country, do you? No passport, no tickets, no money.¡± I slide the phone back under my pillow. ¡°Ergo, you need me, Angel.¡±


    She scowls. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to take advantage of the fact that I¡¯m at your mercy?¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡± I fold my arms under my neck and close my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to loan you the money and make sure you get back to the theatre in time for the premiere of your musical, which is tomorrow.¡±


    There¡¯s silence for a few seconds, then she asks, ¡°And what do you want in return?¡±


    I crack one eyelid open. ¡°How do you know I want something in return?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± I allow my lips to curve. ¡°I want you to marry me.¡±


    She blinks. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. Marry me, Angel. Just long enough to convince my brothers that you are my real wife and get them off my back.¡±


    She opens and shuts her mouth. ¡°Let me get this straight. You want me to marry you, but not for real?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°Why in the world would I do that?¡±


    ¡°Because my Nonna passed away recently, but before she did, she made it clear that she expected Seb, Massimo, Adrian, and me to marry within a month of her leaving us.¡±


    ¡°So, you want to make the spirit of your dead grandma happy by pretending to marry me?¡± She shakes her head in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Your Nonna wanted all of you to marry within a month of her passing, so how will a fake marriage to me solve anything?¡±


    ¡°It will get my brothers off my back.¡±


    ¡°What about your brothers? Did they keep their promises to your grandmother?¡±


    ¡°Seb did. He got married for real. Massimo is likely to settle for an arranged marriage with the Mafia princess of a rival n, even though he¡¯s not happy about it. But I believe that¡¯s where he¡¯s headed. Adrian¡­ Well¡­ He¡¯s the quietest, but also the one who¡¯s most likely to pull a surprise. I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to find his balls and finally propose to Cass, our housekeeper, who he has a thing for. Which leaves me.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± She narrows her gaze on my face.


    ¡°The one and only.¡± I grin. ¡°You have to admit, I¡¯m a hell of a catch. And I¡¯ve decided to settle for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve decided to settle for me?¡± She lowers her chin to her chest.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I drum my fingers on my chest. ¡°My brothers won¡¯t quit nagging me until I settle down, and I have no ns to do so. Also, you need to make it back in time to star in your y. I¡¯ll make sure that happens. All you have to do is pretend to be my wife.¡±


    ¡°You do realize, even if you manage to fool your brothers, you can¡¯t hide the truth from your grandma, considering she¡¯s now a spirit?¡±


    ¡°My point exactly. She¡¯s a spirit; it doesn¡¯t make a difference to her either way.¡±


    ¡°What the-¡± she splutters. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you said that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true, right? And I don¡¯t mean for it to be disrespectful or anything, but she¡¯s popped it, so it doesn¡¯t make a difference to her. I mean, she¡¯s hardly going to know if I¡¯m married for real or not.¡±


    ¡°Of course she will.¡± Angel throws up her arms. ¡°She¡¯s probably up there right now, looking at us and shaking her head.¡±


    ¡°She is?¡± I nce up. ¡°All I see is the shoddily painted over ceiling with arge water stain.¡±


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m saying is true. You really shouldn¡¯t be trying to fool someone who¡¯s dead. And that it was herst desire to see you married¡­ There¡¯s something sacred about it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s why I¡¯m making this effort, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯m doing it to keep everyone happy, including myself.¡±


    ¡°Especially yourself,¡± she mutters.


    ¡°You bet. Only I can figure out what¡¯s right for me, and getting married is not one of those things.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± She purses her lips. ¡°So, you want me to pretend to be your wife.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°So, no wedding ceremony or anything?¡±


    I tilt my head. ¡°Unfortunately, we may not have a choice in that. How else would they believe we¡¯re married?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell them that we got married on the run or something?¡±


    ¡°You mean in thest twenty-four hours, during which time I was kidnapped, we were held by Freddie, then we escaped?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± She purses her lips. ¡°Maybe we could elope or something and say we got married then.¡±


    ¡°That could work, I suppose.¡± I scratch my jaw.


    ¡°And it¡¯s not going to be permanent, right?¡±


    I chortle. ¡°In your dreams. I know I¡¯m a catch, but if you think this marriage is anything other than a farce, think again.¡±


    ¡°Hold onto your knickers,¡± she scoffs. ¡°First, only you would think you¡¯re a catch which, let me hasten to rify, you are not. Secondly, the only reason I¡¯m asking is because I want to make sure that you don¡¯t fall in love with me.¡±


    ¡°Fall in love?¡± I chuckle, then burst intoughter. ¡°Love? Did I hear you use the L word? You think I¡¯m going to fall in love¡­ with you?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bust a gut. It has been known to happen. Men always fall for me, and then I have to walk away before it gets messy,¡± she sniffs.


    ¡°How many men have you been with, anyway?¡± I frown.


    ¡°None of your business.¡±


    I narrow my gaze on her. ¡°If you¡¯re going to be my wife, I deserve to know.¡±


    ¡°Fake wife, and no, you don¡¯t. My past is my own. I am under no obligation to tell you more.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± I scrutinize her features. ¡°I¡¯ll get it out of you, one way or the other.¡±


    She firms her lips. ¡°How long is this farce supposed tost?¡±


    ¡°Until my family¡¯s convinced our marriage is for real.¡±


    ¡°Which is how long?¡±


    ¡°As long as it takes,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we put an outer limit to the time?¡±


    ¡°Are you anxious to spend more time with me?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± She throws up her hands. ¡°Your ego is unreal.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I smirk.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t apliment.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take it as one anyway.¡±


    ¡°And the time limit?¡±


    ¡°No time limit.¡±


    She opens her mouth to speak and I hold up my hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t a negotiation. Either we do this my way, or we don¡¯t do this at all. And you can figure out how to find your own way out of this country and back to your premiere in the next twenty-four hours.


    She pales. Her entire body stiffens. Then, ¡°Jerkwaffle,¡± I hear as she mutters under her breath.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I drawl.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She covers her mouth and pretends to cough. ¡°I was just clearing my throat, that¡¯s all.¡±


    My lips twitch and I swallow the chuckle that wells up. Can¡¯t remember thest time I was this entertained.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± I roll my shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m running out of time, Angel. Yes or no?¡±


    Her eyes sh and color smears her cheeks. She draws in a breath, then tips up her chin. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, on one condition.¡± A sly lookes into her eyes. ¡°I want a real proposal.¡±

 323

    Jeanne


    Hello! What¡¯s that all about? What are you saying? You want him to propose? Where did thate from? This is a fake marriage. He doesn¡¯t want to marry you. He has no feelings for you. All of this is a ruse to pacify his brothers, so what¡¯s this business about having him propose to me? Is it some romantic notion that I can¡¯t get rid of? After all, this is the first time I¡¯m getting married.


    To be fair, I¡¯ve never given the idea of marriage much thought. I¡¯ve been too focused on my career. I hoped, at some point, I¡¯d meet someone, and that person would fall for me as much as I¡¯d be in love with him, and then we¡¯d get married. And some part of me had been sure that when that happened, it would be for keeps. Instead, I¡¯ve ended up with a Mafia guy who¡¯s proposing some harebrained scheme where we pretend to be joined in matrimony to fool his family. Something I¡¯m not entirelyfortable with, to be honest. But if this is the only way for me to get back to Palermo in time for the premiere of my musical, then so be it. No reason why I can¡¯t milk the asion, right?


    ¡°You want me to propose to you?¡± He pauses half-way to plopping a chip in his mouth.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± I snatch the chip from his fingers and crunch down on it. Let¡¯s see you try to wriggle out of this one, buster.


    ¡°As in, the kind of thing with a ring and stuff?¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to get married, we need to make it look genuine so that your brothers buy it, so yeah, absolutely, that means having a ring and stuff.¡±


    He pales. The tendons of his throat move as he swallows. ¡°You mean, I have to buy you a ring?¡±


    I nod. ¡°And you¡¯ll have to go down on your knee, and we¡¯ll have to make sure there¡¯s a photographer on hand to capture the moment so we can share it with your family as proof.¡±


    ¡°No fucking way.¡±


    ¡°Yes, f¡¯ing way, baby.¡± I reach for another chip, thest one in the packet, and bring it to my mouth, then pause. ¡°Considering we are going to get married, here, you can have thest chip, as a show of good faith.¡± I hold it out to him and he nces at it with suspicion.


    ¡°No thanks.¡± He scowls at it as if he¡¯d like to snatch it from my fingers and throw it on the ground, then jump on it.


    ¡°Come on, since we¡¯re now a couple, it¡¯s normal for us to show such acts of love to one another.¡±


    All remaining color drains from his face. ¡°Wh-who said anything about love?¡± He says thest word as if it¡¯s a disease.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal. If we¡¯re going to convince your family that our marriage is not a sham, we¡¯ll have to pretend that we¡¯re in love, which means we¡¯ll have to indulge in romantic gestures.¡±


    ¡°Romantic gestures?¡± He screws up his face. ¡°What does that involve?¡±


    ¡°You know, like holding hands, gazing into each other¡¯s eyes, kissing on the cheek-¡±


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯re going to be holding is my cock in your hand; the only thing I¡¯m going to gaze at is your pussy, to ensure you¡¯re suitably wet before pration; the only thing you are going to kiss is-¡±


    I hold up my hand. ¡°I get the picture. And just so we¡¯re clear, none of what you just outlined is going to happen.¡±


    ¡°And none of what you outlined is going to happen, either,¡± he shoots back.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I snap.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He smirks. ¡°Besides, you already came on my tongue, remember?¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    My cheeks heat.


    ¡°I did stop before I fucked you,¡± he points out.


    I draw in a breath. ¡°I meant to thank you for that.¡±


    ¡°You can thank me for it by dispensing with this romantic nonsense you¡¯vee up with.¡± He rolls his shoulders.


    ¡°You are going to thank me for it.¡± I fold my arms across my chest. ¡°You want to convince your family that you found yourself a wife, then we have to do this the right way.¡±


    ¡°The only way I want to do it is with you bent over the bed, exposing your sweet little ass, so I can be the first to take it.¡±


    A-n-d Elle Woods was onto something when she dered all masturbatory emissions, where his sperm was clearly not seeking an egg, could be termed reckless abandonment. You have no idea, Elle, no idea at all.


    ¡°Is that all you think about?¡± I throw up my hands.


    ¡°You mean fucking? Do I have to answer that?¡± The look on his face is almostical in its earnestness.


    I blow out a breath. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to work on your romantic manner, just so you know.¡±


    ¡°Balls to romance.¡±


    ¡°The ballse after the romance, actually.¡± I snicker.


    ¡°Not when you prance in naked on a man you barely know in the shower,¡± he points out.


    I have the grace to blush. ¡°I was pissed off, okay? The gentlemanly thing to do would have been to let me use the bathroom first.¡±


    ¡°I am no gentleman.¡± He scratches his chin. His fingernails rasp over the rough hair of his beard and the sound chafes my already sensitized nerve-endings. My nipples pebble, a pulse res to life between my legs, and I¡¯m ashamed to say, moistureces my core. This is ridiculous. Am I so tuned into him that his every gesture draws a response from me? On the physical level; only on the physical level. The man is aplete asshole, and a criminal, to boot. No way am I going to get emotionally entangled with the likes of him.


    ¡°No kidding. You¡¯re so far from being a gentleman that if you said or did anything halfway chivalrous, I¡¯d probably topple over dead.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that. I¡¯m going to need you alive and in good health, just until we get through this pretense.¡±


    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± I crumple up the empty chip wrapper and throw it at him. He snatches it out of thin air, shoots it at the waste basket near the wall, and does he miss? Of course not.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re on for the wedding then?¡±


    ¡°The fake wedding, and only if you get me a ring,¡± I retort.


    ¡°Done, but I have a condition of my own.¡±


    ¡°Umm, do I want to hear it?¡± I scrutinize his features.


    ¡°Probably not.¡± His eyes gleam. ¡°But I¡¯m going to tell it to you anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to ask to consummate the marriage.¡±


    ¡°How did you guess?¡± He has the gall to look surprised.


    ¡°Do I look stupid to you? Besides, your intentions are written all over your face.¡±


    ¡°You want a ring, you want to make the marriage look real, you want me to wheel out the entire romantic nonsense¡­ It¡¯s only fair that we have sex.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing,¡± I shoot back. ¡°I was suggesting ways to provide evidence the rtionship is real.¡±


    ¡°What could be more real than us banging?¡±


    I wince. ¡°Your vocabry really does need refining.¡±


    ¡°And your romantic sentiments need pruning,¡± he retorts.


    ¡°No sex.¡± I scowl.


    He looks at me like I just told him he could never masturbate again. ¡°Yes, sex. Without it, they¡¯ll be able to tell right away that the marriage is a sham.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± I throw up my hands. ¡°No one can tell if we¡¯ve been sleeping together except you and me.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know my brothers. Don¡¯t forget we¡¯re the Mafia. If they couldn¡¯t tell who¡¯s fucking whom, they¡¯d never have been able to survive this far.¡±


    ¡°You make them sound like gossiping busybodies,¡± I scoff.


    ¡°They are observant.¡± He raises a shoulder. ¡°You have to be to avoid being killed.¡±


    Goosebumps pop on my skin. He talks about death so casually, like he faces it every day, which he probably does. How does one face the other side of life so frequently, and yet be so casual about it? Or maybe that¡¯s why he doesn¡¯t give it undue importance. Because he¡¯s so conversant with it, he understands, sooner orter, all of us have to meet our maker.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± He scrutinizes my features. ¡°Is it because I spoke about being killed?¡±


    ¡°No. Yes.¡± I shake my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Sure it matters. If we want to, as you say, put on a show that¡¯s genuine enough to convince my family, then we need to get to know each other.¡±


    ¡°Somehow, I regret suggesting that now,¡± I murmur under my breath.


    ¡°So, we¡¯re doing this, aren¡¯t we? Pretending to be married, including the entire ¡®romance¡¯-¡± he air quotes thest word, ¡°and of course, the sex thates with it?¡±


    ¡°I never agreed to the sex,¡± I protest.


    ¡°But you do agree that without fucking each other, this marriage will be a sham.¡±


    I raise my gaze heavenward. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have brought that up.¡±


    ¡°What do you have to lose? If nothing else, you¡¯ll get lots of orgasms out of this arrangement, that much I can promise.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t just jump into bed with strangers.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen each other without clothes on, we¡¯re sharing a bed, hell, we¡¯re even having a reasonable conversation here. We¡¯re well past the ¡®being strangers¡¯ phase.¡±


    Sadly, he¡¯s right about that.


    ¡°I can¡¯t agree to the sex. It feels too cold and calcting. Too transactional,¡± I dere.


    ¡°Sex with me is anything but cold, I promise.¡±


    My stomach flutters, and a slow beat res to life between my legs. Tingles squeeze up my chest, and all of a sudden, my skin feels too tight for my body. ¡°Doesn¡¯t change the fact that, technically, we¡¯d only be sleeping with each other to bring veracity to our rtionship,¡± I manage to reply.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not natural or organic.¡±


    He draws in a breath and his massive shoulders flex. ¡°Woman, you are driving me crazy.¡±


    ¡°That has been known to happen. Never said being with me was going to be easy.¡±


    ¡°No shit.¡± He brings his fingertips together. ¡°So let me get this right. The only reason you won¡¯t sleep with me is because we didn¡¯t meet in a more normal course of events.¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± I agree.


    ¡°So, what if we let things take their normal course and see where it goes?¡±


    ¡°You mean, we just-¡±


    ¡°Allow the chemistry between us to dictate what happens next.¡±


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