Palermo, Sicily, five years later.
~Viviana~
Happiness, the state of being happy. But how do we set the bar to signify we are truly happy? I’ve been asking myself this question for a while now.
I’ve reached a few of my goals. Only a few since they’re never-ending. I wanted to finish college, and I did. I wanted to dance for a living, and I did. But after owning a studio, it faded into the background of my desires. A status quo. Something I do on a daily basis, like on manual function.
To constantly move has always been my motivation since I resided here in Palermo after I lost everything. Even that lost its allure in the list of the things that make me feel alive.
Travel the world? A lifetime is not enough t
~Roman~ Like the criminal that I am, I stood under the shadow of the tree, far enough from the parking yard in Luciano’s mansion, but close enough to see her. As her car rounded the corner, the languid roll of her Ford’s wheels mirrored the slow beating of my heart. It was slow since it’s been lifeless for a fucking long time. Four years, eight months, and thirteen days. She’s so close. So close that my nose tipped to check the wind propagation at the thought of breathing the same air she does. So close that my mouth salivates at the possibility of tasting those lips again. So close that my nails carved half-moons on my palms at the thought of holding her again. It made my blood flow rapidly through my veins—warmth seeping into my busted heart, pumping it to life. It
~Viviana~“Where are Franco and Alegra?” I asked Zia, after handing over my gift to her. Franco is Zia’s one-year-old son, while Alegra is Penny and Lu’s five-month-old daughter.“With Bo and Diego,” Zia explained, sipping her iced water.I was lucky to be welcomed with open arms in their small circle. Bo, the guy who kidnapped me and saved me from Lena, while Diego, the brains in Xavier’s team, never shows up in these kinds of events. They primarily work behind the scenes, and they’ve been involved in my life before I even realized their existence.Dad made one request from Lu to protect mom and me in return for his loyalty to the Italian mafia. He knew his end was coming the moment he flipped sides. Somehow, it had me thi
~Viviana~ If I had known Roman would be staying as well for the after-party, I would’ve conjured some lame excuse to skip it. But then again, he’s not the reason I am here, just the same as I am not the reason he’s here, so I tried my best not to get affected by his presence. It was easier said than done, though. With a crowd of twenty people, Zia moved the party to the ample backyard of their mansion. The gentle breeze of the summer night made it ideal for a dip in the free-form pool with a bar and spa. Instead of stripping into my underwear like most guests, I decided the patio under the canopy of bougainvillea and fairy lights was a better choice. Between the pool and the deck was a man made bonfire, surrounded by the ratan cushioned couches. You’ll know that Xavi
~Roman~Giorgia had been blasting my eardrums with continuous blabber of her trips all over the world. She’s beautiful with red hair, green eyes, curvy body, and she’d be fucking tolerable with her mouth shut. If I were in the mood, I’d probably shut her up with my cock buried in her throat. But I knew that would never be enough; no one would be enough to quench the longing I have for Viviana.The moment she left Spain, I fucked around to fill the void where my heart used to be. There was even a time when Xavier and I shared women, back when he was still a cold-hearted ass like me. He suddenly turned into this saint upon getting engaged with Zia, and I was left alone in my conquest.Now that I’ve seen Viviana again, I understand that no matter how many women I bury my dick into, no one will s
~Viviana~Xavier couldn’t contain his excitement and adoration for his wife. He kept stealing kisses on Zia throughout the rest of our evening, paying no mind if everyone could see this soft side of him. He doesn’t mind that he’s the most powerful man in the world of crime, leading both the American and Italian mafia, and shamelessly shows how much he loves Zia.I had my expectations when Lu told me he wanted me to meet the man he was working for. The one my dad worked for before he died. The man who kept his promise of keeping me safe, abiding by my father’s request. I expected him to be brutal, cruel, and, well, arrogant. The last part might be fifty-fifty. He’s self-assured, but just like Roman, Xavier also wears his heart on his sleeves. He isn’t afraid to show that he cares for the people important to him, especially wit
~Roman~Before I summoned the courage to knock on her door, a war occurred inside my head. Zia returned twice to her room, handing her a bottle of aspirin first, and then they talked inside for the second time. That was how long I’d been hiding in this dark corner. Eyeing her door—a target I’ve been surveying, like a hawk in pursuit of its prey.All I could see from my hiding spot was the hallway, and I had to see her face to make sure she was alright. She used to get headaches because of the weather change in Spain, and I suppose some things never change.The moment she opened the door, I instantly regretted coming to check up on her. Now I’m the one with a huge problem. Seeing her in nothing but a skimpy white towel is a sight I never expected to see. Her auburn hair was a disarrayed crown;
~Roman~Saturday morning, seated inside the pickup truck Lu loaned me, I waited for the clock to hit six am.Viviana sent me her address and told me to be there by six or even a little later if I had other things to do. It’s more like she’s simply telling me not to bother to help her out, but I did want to help her and spend the day with her, as friends, of course.It felt like a lifetime had gone by since yesterday’s breakfast, and I crave her presence like a druggie needing a fix.The house I’m looking at was her home for the last three years. It doesn’t have the white picket fence, but it’s definitely a place where you’d want your children to live. Xavier owned this parcel of land, a gift he gave her in memory of her father. S
~Viviana~For a moment, I saw the vision of our past, only it was him who was leaving me. I felt it on Thursday night, the pain of being left behind. I’m not sure if he wanted me to feel what he felt that night, but knowing Roman, he probably didn’t know how this affected me. He would never hurt me, at least not deliberately, and from the way his shoulder fell as he pivoted to leave, my heart took control of my mind.I reached for his hand before he could descend the stairs.We were frozen at the moment. His broad shoulder stiffened, holding his breath while I forced my brain for the right words to say.I’m not sure what I would get out of this gesture. Our future is still bleak, but my hold on his hand was enough to let him know what I wanted. And that
~Viviana~ Our wedding passed by like bliss. I hardly paid attention to everything that we rehearsed, the vow I’ve written, the food we’ve taken time to choose, and the toast by Nico and Tina for Roman and me. Everything was perfect, I’m sure, because now I’m wearing my wedding ring and have Roman’s name. All I wanted to do was get Roman alone. If it was up to me, I would invite him to miss out on our own reception and act as though we’re eloping teenagers, get away with him. But I can’t do that. Nana Teresa was here, and she’d kill us if we did - literally. My mom, who walked me down the aisle and handed my hand to Roman with teary eyes, might understand our eagerness to be alone, but that won’t stop her from chastising us. We cannot just abandon our friends who witn
~Roman~ It’s funny how time flies by when it felt like yesterday; I was naked, kneeling down on one knee, pleading for Viviana to accept me and be my wife. Three months have gone by since then. In our villa’s guest room in Las Mencía, I studied the reflection of the man staring back at me in the full-body mirror. A perfectly pressed Prussian-blue suit clung to his body with crisp white dress shirt underneath and a tie with light blue and silver patterns clinging to the collar. A boutonniere of white orchids and lavenders attached to his lapel, a miniature version of his wife’s bridal bouquet. What he wore looks expensive, a magazine-worthy attire, but that isn’t what he wanted to freeze at this moment. It’s the happiness
~Viviana~ It was no surprise that everyone was already out of the villa when Roman and I stepped out of our room. No wonder they put me far from everyone’s room. I don’t know if I should be thankful to my friends for torturing me. They knew how much I missed Roman and still kept this a secret from me. Anyway, what matters is Roman is here. I won’t feel rueful to have fun while he’s still working. “You should’ve told me.” I nudged his shoulder as we walked down the stone path leading to the beach. We were both sporting casual beachwear. Topping our swimwear with white tanks, khaki shorts, and flip-flops. Sunglasses protect our eyes, but our smiles mirror one another. Roman had his hair tied in a low ponytail while mine was in a high ponytail.
~Viviana~Saturday morning, Penny practically knocked down my door and strutted into my room. I lay on my front, covering my head with a pillow, when she tried to wake me up. When I kept on refusing to get out of bed, Penny dropped her voluptuous blond ass on my back.“Get off!” I groaned, wiggling from under her, but she shifted and draped her entire frame over me like there was no human being under her.“It smells like shit in here,” she murmured, lying eagle spread above me, her front pressed on my back. “No wonder Roman isn’t eager to go home to you.”“Shut up,” I groaned, voice muffled by the mattress as Penny made herself comfortable.It has been six agonizing days s
~Roman~Three days. That’s how long I’ve been away from Viviana, and I was already losing my cool. Turns out, Rio didn’t only make a mess at the Phantom’s pub, but he also messed up a business deal Red was trying to close that night.No wonder Red was damned pissed he didn’t even want to answer my calls. I had to get to the bottom of the situation before seeing him personally. We might be friends, but just like me, he also answers to the people he’s working with.“What do you want?” Was Red’s warm welcome to me, a scowl etched on his face.He kept the door of his Malibu mansion wide open. I took it as an offer to come in. If this was any other guy, I wouldn’t walk through the angry lion’s den. But Red and
~Viviana~Sometimes, knowing the truth doesn’t truly set us free. Sometimes, knowing pulls us back into a limbo of twisted emotions from which we are trying to run away.Mathew told me another piece of the past dad hadn’t written in his journal.Did dad know I would cross paths with Rio? Did he anticipate I would try to kill him? Maybe he expected me to seek justice for his death and find Rio, kill him. Did he purposely withhold the truth to save me from the pain brought by the knowing?Rio didn’t choose his mother over my father. He tried to save them both, but dad knew Summit would find a way for Rio to suffer. He knew his end was about to come in the hands of his student, no less.Did he also tell Rio not
~Viviana~One could hardly tell Rio and Roman’s relationship based on their looks. Roman had electric blue eyes while Rio had smoke-gray hues. Roman had sharp jaws, high cheekbones, while Rio had soft-edged jaws and delicate-looking cheeks.Last I saw him, his figure was lean, not too muscular but taut enough that you’ll know he’s taking good care of his body. Now, he’s almost flesh and bones. His hollow cheeks forced his cheekbones to look edgy, the kind that tells a story on its own. He’s deprived of nutrients - by choice or not, I couldn’t tell. His skin was dry as if one scratch and he’ll bleed. The white shirt he had on and jeans were hanging loose on his body as if they were two sizes too big on him.Even in this state, my heart is void of sympathy for him. All I have
~Viviana~After making sure that Roman had already boarded his flight to California, I also boarded my flight to Colorado.I never thought I would exploit having Zia as a friend, but she and Xavier were more than happy to help me, tossing in Bo as my company. As the miles between me and my hometown grew thinner, my heart kept pulsing against my temple, turning my vision hazy and the knots in my stomach twisted painfully.It had been seven years since the last time I set foot in the states. Even when Lu told me it was already safe for me to go back, I refused to do so. His warning to stay away from US grounds gave me a reason not to visit the painful memory this place had given me, and I kept holding onto it up to this day.Tot steps, I told myself. I have to face my fear
~Viviana~ After giving me a chance to catch my breath, Roman slipped out of bed and headed to the ensuite just in time for the dawn to break. The explosion of orange, yellow, and delicate pink slivers passing through the ajar balcony door bounced on my face, making my eyes squint. Groaning, I groped for a pillow and shielded my face from the soft morning light. The soft tap of Roman’s feet on the carpet mingled with his hearty chuckle. “Come on now,” he scooped my tender frame in his arms, taking me into the bathroom. I sighed as soon as my body submerged into the warm water he filled the tub with. He set me in the middle, sliding in behind me, his masculine scent mixed with the evidence of our coupling, and violet mist demanded me to keep my eyes closed.