Thoughts? 💭
Chapter 151ALLESIA ~~~√~~~ I stood in front of the large mirror in my bedroom, feeling exhausted despite having done nothing all day. It was late at night, and sleep still eluded me. My thoughts were everywhere, raging like a storm I couldn't control.I pushed open my nightdress and stared blankly at my reflection for what felt like an eternity. Twenty-three days late. I'd never been this late before. I tried to tell myself that maybe it was all the mental stress and changing of environment, but that wasn't something I'd not gone through before.I traced my hands on my stomach. It was still very flat, abs still defined, but I couldn't shake the fear gnawing at my insides. I still had the kit I picked up from the pharmacy, and I could have Nikolai drive me to a hospital or something so I could put myself out of the misery of my own speculations, but I was too scared.Nine days ago, I might have been happy about the idea of a baby, but now? It was a nightmare. It felt more like a lif
Chapter 152 RUSSEL ~~~©~~~ “It’s you I want,” Allesia whispered as Nikolai's tongue skimmed over her neck. “But you left me for him,” Nikolai countered, his hand trailing the soft confines of her naked breasts. “And now he left you for her.” He finished, a sinister smile teasing the corners of his lips. She was naked, with the two men in bed. All three of them were naked. I watched in horror as both Nikolai and Nolan took turns kissing Allesia. She threw back her head and moaned softly as Nikolai's tongue ascended from her cleavage to her neck while Nolan's fingers teased her inner thighs. “What do you want, kitten?” Nikolai whispered into her ear as he guided Nolan’s head towards her abdomen. Nolan looked up, a sinister smirk on his face, “Do you want us or do you want him?” She turned and saw me. I waited, expecting she would quickly come to me, but her face remained indifferent. I stood there, rooted to the spot, disgusted and mortified, but I couldn’t move, couldn’t do
Chapter 153 RUSSEL ~~~√~~~ I waited all night, my nerves frayed to the point of breaking. Every sound, every creak of the old building made my heart race, hoping it was Lina, but each time I was met by disappointment. As the hours dragged towards dawn, the hope that had sparked inside me slowly faded, replaced by a cold, gnawing anger that fueled an immediate resolve. I had to think of a plan B. I had to get out, even if it meant cutting these fucking shackles off my limbs with my teeth. I eyed the chains with a mix of hatred and resentment, my mind racing through any possible way to break free. By dawn, my patience had worn thin as Stacy's men began changing shifts. When the door creaked open, I braced myself for the usual sight of Gausto coming to gloat, or maybe one of his men. But the movements were too clumsy, so I turned, out of curiosity rather than any real hope. Lina stood there, shivering like a leaf, her lips quivering. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and I no
Chapter 154 RUSSEL ~~~°~~~ From my vantage point, I had the upper hand. Gausto was out in the open, vulnerable, and I intended to keep him that way until Kegan arrived with backup. The thought of retreating inside crossed my mind, but I weighed the risks. If I go back inside, the chances of coming out alive were too slim. And I would rather die before I let myself be confined in that damned white room again. With Gausto outside, Stacy's escape would be impossible, she had limited manpower and after what happened to her family, there were only so many people she could trust. Gausto was the head of that herd and he was her number one. They may be limited, but I was already weak, wounded and tired, the chances of fighting them alone was not promising at all. So my best bet was to keep Gausto engaged, to buy time and ensure Stacy had nowhere to run. His eyes scanned the area, frustration etched on his face as he struggled to place where exactly my voice was coming from. I s
Chapter 155 ALLESIA ~~~||~~~ My heart was jolting in my chest as one of Nikolai's trusted men, Manuel, drove us into Spines Square. It had been two agonizing weeks of fear and now, finally, I had a glimmer of hope. We spent the last week trying to capture Romero, one of the men who was with Russel the day he was taken. First, Nikolai had to capture his girlfriend and force her to act like all was cool while talking to Romero when in fact, there was always a gun to her head during the calls. It took her four days to convince Romero to come see her in New York, which was not a problem since he was already here. On the said day, Manuel had to disguise as a cabbie to pick up Romero and bring him to Nikolai’s. From there, it took Romero four more days today to give up information about the Safehouse where they were keeping Russel. When Kegan called to inform me that Russel had sent back two girls, I initially thought it was a cruel prank. But then Kegan mentioned the necklace—a gift
Chapter 156 ALLESIA ~~~°~~~ Stacy’s voice still echoed in my mind long after she left, and I stood there even longer just staring at my open palm with the flash drive in it. My heart was thundering in my chest; between Russel's coldness and his indifference, I couldn't even tell which one hurt me more. I stared at the USB drive again, harder this time, like the answers to the thousand questions in my mind were there and I just had to look hard enough. Curiosity pricked my thoughts, raw and unyielding, and I had to satisfy them. I slowly turned my head. Nikolai was still standing there, his eyes fixed on my face like I would disappear if he took them away. “I’m so sorry, Allesia,” he apologized again. “He's been through hell and—” I gave him a small smile. “Stop making excuses for him, Nik.” He took a deep breath. “Fine, we both agree he's an asshole. I can kill him if you want.” “And stop apologizing for something you didn't do.” “Fine, I'm sorry—oh, fuck!” I did
Chapter 157 ALLESIA ~~~°~~~ I knelt on the cold bathroom floor, my body trembling with every heave. The bile burned my throat as I bent over again, my body shaking violently as I emptied my stomach until there was nothing left but the dry, painful burn against my throat. I felt lightheaded and dizzy at the same time, cold, too cold to even lift a finger. I sniffed back tears and brushed my mouth and nose with the back of my hand, but more tears poured, and with it came the runny nose. My tears mingled with the sweat on my face, and I clung to the toilet bowl as if it were the only thing keeping me grounded in a world that had simply spun out of control. I pressed my eyelids together tightly as the images from the video played on a loop in my mind, each frame a dagger piercing deeper into my heart. The way he touched her, his words, the way he moved against Stacy—it all felt like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. How could he? How could he do that? I flushed the toilet and l
Chapter 158 RUSSEL ~~~°~~~ Every movement, every touch from everyone—including the one person I actually risked getting killed to come see—made me flinch before I could even realize it. It was so disgusting how much I felt like a scared little bitch on her wedding night. I collected my keys from the guy at the parking lot, flinching when his hand brushed against mine, and that pissed me off even more. I quietly opened the car and slipped in, the pain from the wound and all that gunfire was beginning to tell on me more than the physical damage. My knuckles turned white as I gripped the steering wheel tightly, too tight. The fucking doctor couldn’t have been any rougher with the treatment than he had been, and I was so sure he did it out of pure jealousy. All his nurses, which I suspected included the one he was eyeing or his bitchy ex, dropped everything they were doing and gathered around just to watch me. That didn’t sit well with the doctor, hence the extra layer of pain he ad
Hey Everyone, I can’t thank you enough for all the support and love you’ve shown throughout the writing of this book. Your comments, votes, and encouragement kept me motivated and inspired. I truly appreciate each and every one of you. To my silent readers, I hope this final chapter will inspire you to leave a 5-star rating on the book’s main page. Your feedback helps others discover this story—don’t keep the magic to yourself! Scratch that, all of you wonderful readers, please, please, please vote and comment. 📍 Stay tuned for the next book in this series. I haven’t decided who the focus will be yet, (Rest assured it will be a standalone about a different couple) but I’ll keep you updated. Want the latest updates? Follow me on I.G @authorcommy and turn on notifications. Thank you once again for joining Russel and Allesia on their journey. Love you all. 💜
Hello, wonderful readers!💎I can’t thank you enough for all the support and love you’ve shown throughout the writing of this book. Your comments, votes, and encouragement kept me motivated and inspired. Every bit of feedback, every vote, and every comment has played a crucial role in bringing this story to life, and I truly appreciate each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart.To my silent readers, I hope this final chapter will inspire you to leave a 5-star rating on the book’s main page. Your feedback is invaluable and helps others discover this story—don’t keep the magic to yourself! Each rating and review makes a significant difference and encourages others to embark on this journey with Russel and Allesia. Scratch that, to all of you wonderful readers, please, please, please vote and comment. 📍 Your support doesn’t just help me as a writer, but it also builds a community around these characters and their stories. Engaging with the content through comments and
EPILOGUE RUSSEL ~~~0~~~ I stood perfectly still, my thoughts reeling as I waited in the quiet hall of the warehouse. During my absence, Stacy had refused to speak, see, or let anyone touch her. Even Kegan, who was supposed to order a pregnancy test done for her by now, couldn’t do that because she wouldn’t agree. And he couldn't tell me either because, well, I'd asked him not to mention anything about Stacy to me until I returned from my honeymoon. So whether or not she was pregnant was still a mystery. But it wasn't going to be for long. I had Dr. Ramola brought to the warehouse; she was personally going to run the test on Stacy. So far, Dr. Ramola was getting all the samples she needed for the test. “What’s up?” I asked as soon as she emerged from Stacy's cell. The doctor scanned all of us for a long moment. “I’ve gotten everything I’ll need,” she breathed. “I should be back with the results this evening.” “And the strips?” Kegan asked, coming up behind me. The doctor
Chapter 165 ALLESIA ~~~°°~~~ Three wonderful weeks on this island, as much as we enjoyed the bliss, we couldn't stay forever. Tomorrow morning, we'll have to return to our life in Sicily. Kegan handled things in Russel’s absence up until the second week, allowing us undivided time to enjoy our honeymoon. But by the third week, Russel had to start working from here, still, certain things just can’t be done through a laptop. I’d emailed a few photographers and agencies, even talked to Mario about doing a shoot. Russel insisted I shouldn't have to work, but while the honeymoon glow of a newlywed lasted, I wasn't sure I’d be able to just sit around all day doing nothing. At least now that I was fully a Mancini and ten weeks pregnant, with any luck, my husband's jealousy and over possessiveness might thin down just a bit. Renzo suggested I try to get into school, but honestly, what did I need a degree for? Fuck it, I’d never really had the brains and patience for education. Russel e
Chapter 164 ALLESIA ~~~0~~~ I sat outside by the water, sipping lemonade from a glass. The warm sun cast a golden glow on everything, including my husband. He was swimming, his strong, graceful strokes making him look like he belonged in the ocean. “Enjoying the show?” Russel called out, a wide grin adding to his angelic face. “I was just wondering if you’re not a fish!” I called back. He smirked, “Let’s just say I’m good at everything I do.” I shook my head playfully as the tide swept him away once more. The cool beach air was a welcome relief from the heat. I adjusted my sunglasses and pushed the wide-brimmed hat back a bit so I could get a clearer view. I felt relaxed and at peace, soaking in the beautiful sight of my husband. Since that first night, he had been incredibly considerate, never pushing for more than I was ready to give. We’d spent the past three days of our honeymoon on this island doing all sorts of fun things— playing games, talking, holding hands
Chapter 163ALLESIA~~~0~~~We traveled straight from the ceremony in our wedding clothes in my husband’s private jet. Now, almost afternoon, a day after the wedding, we finally landed at our honeymoon destination, which magically had a built-in tarmac. It was a luxurious beach house nestled on the pristine shores of Bora Bora, French Polynesia. The journey had been long and exhausting, with only Luca and five other men accompanying us for security. Russel chose the place because he wanted to feel a sense of peace and serenity, he had been here himself once two years ago, which was when he secured the property.“An island paradise,” I was still inside the jet when I stared out at the beauty around me. “It looks almost magical!” I turned to Russel, “And it’s too perfect.”Russel led me down from the small stairs of the jet, a satisfied smile on his face. “Unlike other girls, you’ve never talked about wanting to visit a place where the sky meets the sea, so I thought, why not?”I chuc
Chapter 162 RUSSEL ~~~O~~~ I stood at the altar, my heart pounding as I watched Allesia make her way towards me. She was a vision in white, her gown simple yet elegant, flowing gracefully behind her with each step she took. Her pretty face was veiled, but she held a bouquet of flowers which she pressed close to her stomach like it was a shield against eyes following her every step. Her brother walked by her left, while Nikolai walked by the right, holding her right hand protectively. She had insisted that Nikolai be there to walk her down the aisle. I didn't try to stop him. The way she leaned towards him as they walked showed just how safe she felt around him. I felt guilty now that I understood their relationship better, he saw something in Allesia, a sister like Selina and I couldn’t take that away from him too. Even though their relationship didn't work out in a romantic way, he still loved her and she loved him right back– like a sibling, and that was simply beau
Chapter 161 ALLESIA ~~~°°~~~ Jesus, please! The very imagination of those men, taking turns on me made me want to carve my eyes out with my fingernails. And I will, I would rather die than live with this. “You can’t do this!” I declared. “Oh, I can, and I will.“ She gestured towards the men and they started advancing towards me, some rubbing their palms together with disgusting smirks and others simply licking their lips, a silent promise of the hell awaiting me. “I'm going to die,” I muttered silently, “Russel, please, save me. Please!” Again, I tried to pull away, but my back was pressed against the wall, so hard that I could feel the pain from the hard concrete as it grated against my skin. “Please, Elletra!” I sobbed helplessly, “Don’t do this!” She didn't answer, merely kept grinning. “I'm going to die if you let them do this to me, please!” The only emotion on her face was satisfaction. “No one’s coming to save you now, darling. Not even your crazy boyfriend.” "How ca
Chapter 160 ALLESIA ~~~ °° ~~~ I felt so weak and sluggish, like something had been ripped right out of me, a part of me I could never replace. The weight of the previous night hung heavy on my shoulders like a looming cloud as I moved about the room, fitting my stuff into a single suitcase. When Manuel came to assist me with the box, I felt an overwhelming sense of finality as he wheeled it out of the house. Each step I took felt heavier than the last, as if my emotions were physically anchoring me to the ground. This particular house had never felt like home, and yet leaving it bring so much pain. “Are you alright?” Manuel’s voice broke me out of my thoughts, I had paused for the third time in the short trip to the car without even realizing it. I breathed a sigh and nodded slowly. “Nikolai didn’t come?” “Yeah, he said to tell you he doesn’t know if he would be able to see you off without coming with you.” I chuckled in response, but it was a hollow sound, devoid of any re