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Salient Confrontation
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
A Bride For The Mafia King Cruel King
PortiaMurmurs and quiet whimpers are the, sounds I hear. The smell is dank, like sweat and something else, something rotten. When I'm jostled violently, those whimpers swell to a joint scream followed a few moments later by the sounds of someone retching.I blink. Turn my head. My neck is sore, my shoulders, back and arms aching. I groan, try to bring my hand to my face but my wrists are bound behind my back. As my eyes open and the room comes into focus, I remember why.I remember Fernando. Remember my uncle.And Fernando killing my uncle.I move backward through time and memory, remembering farther back to the room at that house. My bath. Cutting my foot on the shards of glass from the bottle Callahan destroyed.Our wedding night gone up in smoke.Callahan accusing me of being a whore on our wedding night. Something inside me twists but I don't linger because there's another one of those swells and panic grips me. I struggle to sit up just as we crash down and water sprays the wind
A Bride For The Mafia King Sweet Dreams
CallahanSoldiers have already sealed off the dock. Antonio got here and took care of it before we arrived. He went to Milan on business after the wedding, which is less than a two-hour drive from here.He's on the docks talking to an old man. When he sees me, he gives a nod of greeting."Christ," my uncle mutters.“You don't have to be here," I tell him, surveying the scene.“I'm staying."I walk over the gravel road, to the two bodies lying on the ground. I get to the girl first. Crouching down, I touch two fingers to the pulse at her neck, although I don't need to. She's dead. I can see it in her still open, vacant eyes.Her arms are drenched in dried blood. She was hugging herself. Beneath my shoes, it's seeped into the ground.A single gunshot to the belly. It's a terrible way to die.Straightening, I look out over the boats bobbing in the water. It's a windy day, the water rough.The man talking to Antonio points to a slip where a boat is missing. Antonio nods, takes his wallet
A Bride For The Mafia King Oceans Apart
Portia“Who are you?” a creaky voice asks in the darkness.I blink, look around to locate the woman speaking. I find her on the opposite end of the mattress nearest me. There are three others sleeping between us.“Why can't they touch you?" she asks, and I hear resentment in her words."I..." How do I answer? And that too, honestly?"He called you a cartel whore. I heard him. Are you with them? The Cartel?""No. Of course not.""Then why didn't he touch you? You don't have the mark.""What mark?"She lifts the wrist of one of the sleeping girls. A younger one. She shows me the mark made by what looks to be a black sharpie. Just an X.“What does it mean?”She drops the girl's wrist and looks away, her eyes clouded with an emotion I can't place. More like pain, though. "Virgin. They get more for the virgins. Crew can't fuck the virgins but the rest of us are fair game.""They'll sell them?""What did you think they'd do?"That was a stupid question now that I think about it."And they
A Bride For The Mafia King Blame Me
Callahan"Not who you expected to see?" Fernando Mancini asks but the words don't make sense.The crew found the tracker not fifteen minutes ago. I know because the signal went dead, but we followed the dimly bobbing light in the distance.It's the first time I've seen Fernando Mancini in person since the night he murdered my family.He's older now. A little softer around the middle, a little more worn, but by no means not a threat.Especially not when he has Portia by the arm, the gun in his hand digging into her temple.I can't look at her though. Can't think about how bruised and tattered she looks.How naked and vulnerable.I need to keep my eyes on him."Drop your weapon or I kill her in a heartbeat.”“I have no intention of shooting you. I plan on using my hands,” I say, setting the pistol down."No, not good enough. Into the water."“Take the gun off her.”“I don't think so.” He cocks the gun instead.Antonio comes into view in my periphery. Fernando's eyes shift to him."Both
A Bride For The Mafia King Breathe, Callahan
CallahanI stand with my arms folded watching from across the room as the doctor finishes examining Portia. She's sleeping. Didn't even fight me when I told the doctor to give her something to relax her. Something strong enough to knock her out."What is it about her?" Antonio asks, his eyes, too, on Portia.I turn to him. He shifts his gaze to mine and takes a swallow of whiskey."Why would you give everything up for her?" he continues.I take a deep breath and swallow my own drink. It's not enough. “She's innocent, Antonio. And she can't help her name."He snorts."Why did you go in after her then?" I ask him."I was going after you.""No, you weren't."He turns his attention to pouring himself another glass, taking his time to look at me. I'm glad she wasn't more badly hurt. Glad she didn't die. But we can't lose focus.“That bastard — "" — will be punished. I swear it on my life, dear Brother.”"Don't swear on your life. Don't tempt fate." He drinks."Fate's fucked me over too m
A Bride For The Mafia King The Beach
Callahan "I wasn't going to let her die," I say finally.The phone in my pocket buzzes and I dig it out, turning away.Lenore enters the living room from the kitchen carrying a tray of coffee. I walk toward my study to take the call. It's Diamente."I've got something for you," he says."Am I going to like it?"“I doubt it. You alone?”“Yes.” I close the door to my study."Heathcliff Esmeralda had a text about two hours after the wedding."I swallow the last of my whiskey, feel the burn down my throat. "Go on.""It's an address. You can figure out which. And one sentence.""What's the sentence?""Remember what we agreed."I grind my teeth together. "And the sender?" I'm pretty sure of his answer but I ask anyway.“Burner phone. Untraceable."My mind goes to Alec. To how he's injured but not dead. If the others had been killed differently, a gun fight, I'd understand how he survived. It would make more sense. But this? Him shot in the arm and the leg when everyone else took a bullet t
A Bride For The Mafia King Paint It A Colour They Can See
Portia I wake to the smell of coffee. I move, rolling onto my side, but wince and stop as soon as l do. I remember instantly why I'm sore. Everything that happened comes flooding back to me at once."Good morning," Callahan says. I open my eyes. Deep orange light, the first light of morning, filters into the room washing it in its warm glow. I watch Callahan get to his feet from the armchair he was sitting on. His clothes look rumpled, his hair like he's been running his hands through it all night.I'm back on the island. Back in his room. In his bed.“Morning," I say, slow to push myself up to a seat."Easy." He's by my side in an instant, lifting me gently.I suck in a breath and he draws back. Even the lightest touch hurts."I'm sorry," he says."It's okay."He adjusts the pillows behind my back.“Is Nathan okay? Did anyone — ”"He's fine. Safe. They only hit the house you were in.""The soldiers are dead."He nods."Alec. Is he.."There's a momentarily shadow that crosses his fea
A Bride For The Mafia King Uncommon Bliss
PortiaAfter using the bathroom and washing my hands, I return to the bedroom where Callahan is texting someone. He tucks the phone into his pocket when he sees me."I want to get dressed. See Nathan.""You should stay in bed. Clothes aren't going to feel good on your skin."I shake my head, walk toward the closet.“This is what I mean about your faults. For starters, you're stubborn as a mule," he mutters, taking my arm, his touch light."You mean as stubborn as you?""Get back in bed. I'll get you something.""I'm fine."“You're far from fine.” He comes to stand a few inches from me. "Get back in bed. Don't make me put you there."I raise my eyebrows, fold my arms across my chest. “You'd put me there?”"And I'd tie you down if I needed to.""I'm not even...How exactly would you put me there? I'm not a thing."“You're really asking me that?” he asks as I realize how stupid a question it is. Without a moment's hesitation, he lifts me in his arms and carries me back to the bed."Like t
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A Bride For The Mafia King epilogue
PortiaWe're lying in bed, Callahan's big arms around me. I'm curled into him, our heads resting on the same pillow.He's playing with a strand of my hair. I touch his unshaved face, liking the stubble."I would be dead if it wasn't for you," he says.I study him, thinking about what I need to tell him.“I didn't want to live afterward. I wanted to die. Even though I knew it would kill Antonio, I just couldn't. But then there you were, and you made me remember things. Made me feel things. Made me care again. Maybe you make me less selfish, Portia."“You've never been selfish, Callahan.”He shrugs a shoulder."I need to tell you something," I start. I take a breath in and lay on my back to stare up at the ceiling. He puts a hand on my belly. Slides it up to cup a breast.“I like this," he says. “I like a little more meat on you.""Well, I'm glad you think so." I sit up, put my pillow on my lap."What is it?" he asks, all serious when he sees my expression. He sits up too and takes the
A Bride For The Mafia King Love Is A Drug
PortiaHe also told me about Antonio, about him possibly being a product of rape. He's already sent DNA to a lab for a paternity test. We're waiting on the results."Petrov has disappeared. Diamente thinks he'd arranged the explosives to detonate after he left." I'd assumed the explosions were from Callahan's men, a distraction, but this makes much more sense."Why would he have done that?"Callahan shrugs a shoulder."Maybe he knew Felix and his fondness for cameras? Maybe he just hated the assholes present? Who knows? Who cares?""Who is he?""Russian businessman. That's all I've been able to get so far. But I'll find him.""We will find him," says a low, raspy voice from the bed.I gasp, turn my head. Callahan is beside the bed in an instant."Brother!"A doctor and two nurses rush in. They must have been alerted by the machines to Antonio's waking."Well, it's good to see you're awake, Mr. Scarfoni," the doctor says, smiling."I'd have opened my eyes earlier but these two were dec
A Bride For The Mafia King A New Dawn
PortiaI carry two cups of coffee into Antonio's room. Callahan is sitting across from his bed watching him. Maybe willing him to open his eyes. To wake up.Callahan is alive. Battered and bruised, his hearing comes and goes but he's alive. The blast had knocked him out. For a minute, I thought he was gone, really gone this time, but he's back.He looks over at me, stands. I take in the bandages I can see on his arms, his neck, the side of his head and I'm sure he does the same with mine.But it could be worse.I glance at Antonio.“You need to let the doctor look at you again,” I tell him."After." Smears of blood and dirt still stain his clothes and skin. I know most of it isn't his at least.He takes one of the cups of coffee and leads me to a chair. He sits down beside me, and we watch Antonio together.It's been twenty-seven hours since the house blew up.Twenty hours since Antonio came out of surgery.I don't know how many hours or days since David kidnapped me.I look at Callah
A Bride For The Mafia King Nine Lives
PortiaCallahan stands and helps me up."Don't look at him. He doesn't deserve your gaze."Antonio reads something on his phone, and I see the Glock he's holding at his side."Our men are on the grounds, not in the house yet though."I hear gunfire outside the house then, and a moment later, a small explosion.Callahan goes to the window, one arm wrapped around me, as he looks out over the front yard. I see the men out there, the gunfight. I notice the fire at the far end of the house.“We need to move," he tells Antonio, then turns his attention to me. "Is Felix on site?"“I don't know," I say.He nods. "If he is, I'll find him. But I need to get you out first." He holds my hand, and we walk around the bed to where the dead man is lying face down in his own blood. He bends to tug his knife out of the man's side.I notice the new injury on his side then. The bandage over the new set of stitches long gone. I touch it tentatively.“You're hurt."He takes my wrist, shifting his grip to m
A Bride For The Mafia King Back From The Dead
PortiaThe chains that bind my wrists to my ankles are removed and my arms are stretched overhead, bound to a metal rung on the headboard. I'm flipped onto my stomach, the cuffs clanging as I'm tugged downward. The link that hobbled me is also removed. My legs are pulled apart, stretched to either corner of the bed and linked to the rungs there.The two men responsible for preparing me, stand back and look down at me. One tugs the pillow out from under my head and shoves it beneath my belly. He nods, meets my eyes and cups his erection."I'll take your ass when it's my turn," he says in Spanish. "Save me a piece."I spit at him.He slaps my ass."Hey," the other soldier interrupts and points to the corner where I see one of those flashing red lights again. The camera is hidden but the soldiers know about it. They must be Felix's men."After."The man glances at the blinking light, nods then returns his attention to me. "If there's anything left."They walk out but don't close the door
A Bride For The Mafia King We
Portia"You won't be walking out of here tonight."Did she mean that literally?Because if this is Felix's plan for me, then I'll be fucked by every man out there in turn.I hear the woot of the onlookers once the curtain is fully raised. I can't see much of them and I think that's on purpose. The spotlight follows me even when I turn my head.A man calls out a ridiculous number and makes a lewd comment. Several laugh out loud as the auctioneer chuckles into his microphone, tapping his gavel twice to get everyone's attention.“You haven't even seen it all yet,” he notes in a sing-song voice.Two sets of hands take hold of my arms and force me to turn.When they do, I catch a glimpse of the blinking red light coming from the top corner of the room.Felix is recording this. Is it for me? Well, I should say is it for him?To show those who won't pledge loyalty to him what happens if you are his enemy? Or is it to hold onto after these men leave. Material to blackmail them when it suits h
A Bride For The Mafia King Lone Ranger
Callahan"I don't think..." the man starts then stops. "Shit!"I follow his gaze to where another vehicle drives erratically toward us from inside the gates. It's a large SUV and I can only make out the shadows of the two in the front seat. The driver honks his horn angrily."Petrov," the one with the clipboard says."Mother fucker," the other one curses.The driver lays on his horn opening his window and flipping us or the guards or the whole lot of us off as he barrels toward us and even over the music, I can hear him laughing."Fucking asshole," clipboard guy says as he jumps backward.I hit the gas and pull through the gates, only managing to miss the SUV by a hair. In the rearview mirror I see it swerve as if to run over the soldiers."Who the fuck is fucking Petrov?" Antonio asks."He's the asshole that got us in," I say once we're far enough away from the gates that I can't see the soldiers stationed there anymore."Two guards at the front door," Antonio says.I park the car wh
A Bride For The Mafia King Pound The Alarm
Callahan"Any chance we can get eyes on the estate? Gauge what we're walking into," I ask Diamente as we drive toward the location in Eindhoven. I watch the dark sky, the raindrops only a nuisance on the windshield now. Clouds are rolling angrily in the distance, illuminated by still-silent flashes of light.Dante is coordinating more manpower and Antonio is sitting beside me staring out the window, hands fisted."We can't get closer than the public road leading up to the house. They've got their own drones," Diamente says."Of course, they do."I have him on speaker phone but I'm not sure Antonio's listening."From what I've learned about past auctions, they issue, at most, two dozen invitations. In most cases, the buyer himself doesn't attend. They send someone in their place. None of these men want to be in the same room together if they can help it. None of them want to be seen.""Makes sense. How do they know what they're bidding on?""A brochure would have circulated prior to th
A Bride For The Mafia King Shocking Standoff
Portia“Which one started the crying fest here?" she asks, eyes on the girls.The guard who is responsible for the guilty one, pushes his charge forward.The woman steps toward her, cocks her head to look at her then touches her face, wiping away a tear. "Look what you've done to your face. Your makeup will have to be fixed, The others too."The girl swallows standing suddenly, very straight. I realize why when I see how the woman with the clipboard is holding her chin, nails digging into skin."But there's always one example to be made," the woman says and gestures to the other woman to step forward. “I'm going to give you a choice. Each of you sobbing will have the same choice to make if you're still crying like babies when I'm finished with this one."The one from the kitchen steps forward and raises her hand to show what she's holding. It's a large wooden paddle that I imagine can do real damage.“We'll need to make sure our customers understand there's a reason you're crying. Six
