THE CARETAKER BRIDE
Blurb:
Nicolas Pov:
I’ve built my life on control, power, and ruthless decisions. I never wanted to rely on anyone—especially not her. Isabella is young, full of hope, and entirely too naive for this world. I didn’t expect her to become someone I couldn’t ignore. But here she is, stepping into my life, challenging everything I’ve worked for. She doesn’t belong in my world, yet she makes it harder to push her away. I’ve lived in shadows long enough to know better, but something about her light makes me question everything. Still, the world I live in is too dangerous, and trust is a luxury I can’t afford.
Isabella Pov:
I never imagined this life. Married to a man who is more scarred than I could have ever known, his world of darkness and danger closing in every day. I didn’t sign up for this, yet here I am, holding my ground. Nicolas might think I’m naive, but I see the man behind the mask. He doesn’t know how to love, but I refuse to let that stop me. I won’t run, even if I’m constantly surrounded by threats and lies. This world doesn’t scare me, but what Nicolas won’t let me see—his pain, his demons—that’s what I’m fighting to understand. I didn’t come into this to save him, but maybe it’s time he lets me in.
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Chapter: CHAPTER 9: Nicolas povAll evening, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Isabella. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but near me. Her trembling hands during our dance had been enough of a clue. Her discomfort with my proximity was as clear as day, and it didn’t sit right with me. This night was supposed to be one of celebration, but her unease made it feel like a minefield.After she finished her dance with my father, I watched her rush out of the room, looking like she was desperate to escape. That’s when my father approached me.“Would you excuse us for a moment, Luca? I need to have a word with my son,” he said.Luca—my old friend and trusted ally—nodded curtly, his wife already pulling him into another dance.“What’s the matter?” I asked, already feeling tension rising in my chest.“Your girl is terrified. She’s trying to put up a brave front, as she’s been taught, but I can see it in her eyes,” he said, his voice low and concerned.I didn’t like hearing him talk about her that way. “Don’t call her
Last Updated: 2025-01-20
Chapter: CHAPTER 8: Isabella povAfter my dance with Christian, all I wanted was to find a quiet corner to collect myself. But before I could even think about escaping, I saw Mansueto Moretti limping toward me, his cane tapping lightly on the floor.I forced a polite smile, watching as Christian slipped away with a brief nod. Mansueto extended his hand toward me. “Will you give this old man the honor of dancing with the bride?”“Of course, Mr. Moretti,” I replied, offering a small curtsy.“Mansueto, please. We’re family now,” he corrected me gently.I nodded, accepting his hand. I briefly wondered how he planned to dance with his cane, but he must have read my thoughts because he smiled wistfully. “We’ll have to dance in one spot, if that’s all right with you, young lady.”I nodded again, stepping closer as he handed his cane off to a nearby man. His other hand rested lightly on my back, and we began to sway to the music.“You’re very quiet,” Mansueto remarked after a moment. “From what I hear, you’re not usually a q
Last Updated: 2025-01-20
Chapter: CHAPTER 7: Isabella PovMy heart clenched as Nicolas’s cold voice cut through the room, his disapproval like a blade. I stiffened under his gaze, fumbling for an explanation before my parents swooped in, their congratulations sparing me—temporarily.“They didn’t match the flower arrangement,” I blurted quickly, the words tumbling out under pressure. My voice felt thin, strained, but I hoped it would suffice.Sunflowers. The battle over those flowers had been relentless. Weeks of arguing with my mother, standing my ground until my father intervened and settled it in my favor. It felt like a small victory at the time—one of the few I could claim.Nicolas’s stare stayed locked on me, unyielding, unforgiving. “You shouldn’t have chosen sunflowers. Next time I send you something to wear, I expect you to do it.”The finality in his voice stunned me. He straightened, and the matter was done as far as he was concerned. His word wasn’t a suggestion—it was law. Any resistance was futile.I swallowed hard, blinking bac
Last Updated: 2025-01-14
Chapter: CHAPTER 6: Nicolas Pov The four months leading up to November passed in a blur for me—an endless cycle of sleepless nights, emotional outbursts, and grueling workdays. Time seemed to stretch and compress at the same time, leaving me drained but determined to push through.On the morning of my bachelor party, I crouched down in front of Daniele, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor, completely engrossed in an animated series on his iPad. His dark hair was a mess—tufts sticking out in the front, knots tangled in the back. Sybil had tried to brush it earlier, but Daniele refused to sit still, and I didn’t have the patience to force him. I figured I’d just buzz it all off after the wedding.“Daniele,” I said, my voice firm but calm, hoping to get his attention. “I need to talk to you.”He didn’t acknowledge me. His face was glued to the screen. I reached for the iPad, but he twisted away, glaring at me stubbornly.“Give it to me,” I ordered, my tone hardening.Daniele flinched slightly but held onto the de
Last Updated: 2025-01-13
Chapter: CHAPTER 5The door slammed loudly behind me, and I let out a long shaky breath, trying to shake off the chill Nicolas had left in me. His eyes, that cold, intense gaze of his, lingered in my mind like a scarred memory. The nerve of him—ordering me to change my wardrobe, like I had no say in the matter, like what i could wear was a choice he could make. How dare he? He wasn’t my father, and he sure as hell wasn’t my boss. But somehow, in that moment, it felt like he was both. I had barely closed my bedroom door when my mother’s voice rang through the house, snapping me out of my thoughts. “There you are! Where have you been?” she called, marching into the room her heels clicking fast on the floor. “Get in the closet, we need to get you ready. For God’s sake, Isabella, what are you wearing?”Before I could even react, she was already tugging at the fabric of my dress, pulling me toward the walk-in closet with an urgency that left no room for argument. I didn’t resist. My body moved like it was
Last Updated: 2024-12-03
Chapter: CHAPTER 4:Nicolas pov I tried to make sense of the situation before me, as I stared at the girl before me. She looked back at me with wide, uncertain eyes, her lips slightly parted like she was waiting for me to say something. For a moment, I couldn’t place her. Then, it hit me—Isabella Rizzo, she's my future wife.Interesting.I studied her, my gaze moving from her bare feet up to her legs, covered in a faded denim dress, and then to her flowery top, which seemed more appropriate for a teenager than a woman about to marry into my kind world. Her hair, long and wavy, cascaded down her shoulders, but it was the bangs she still wore that caught my attention. There was something almost... charming about them.Beside me, Faro was clearly trying to stifle his laughter, but I wasn’t in the mood for amusement. Isabella had just called me “sir,” and it didn’t sit right with me at all.She shifted uncomfortably, clearly feeling the heavy weight of my stare. When I didn’t move, she stiffened and finally met my gaze,
Last Updated: 2024-12-03
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