Nora P.O.V
I was speaking with some women when the lights dimmed , almost too dark. Murmurs started to rise inside the hall when the sound of the door opening stole everyone's attention followed by heavy footsteps. The presence behind me made the hair on my nape stand up . I turned to see the reason behind my body’s reaction. Standing there at the entrance of the hall was a tall figure, light shining behind him like a halo making his brown luscious hair radiant like brown glass. His face was hidden in the veil of darkness inside the room.Just as he took a step into the room the lights brightened back . He was facing the other side. From the side the three piece suit stretched against his muscular body like a second skin ,the dominating aura he was emitting made everyone's attention gravitated towards him . The black mask was covering half of his face, he stood there like a dark prince observing every movement . His presence was enough to make the weaker cower away. I looked around and then back at the man just when the man turned his face , our eyes met. I recognised him immediately but kept my expression natural. Standing there was none other than the new head of the Italian mob, Robert DiFronzo Jr. Those icy sea green eyes are hard not to recognise. Damn the family genes are strong. The two of his younger brothers followed him. Some great people had said keep your friends close and enemies even closer. Robert is the oldest son of the DiFronzo family and the most vicious . His father trained him to be the capo of the Italian mafia from the young age of thirteen. There is no deadly work he has not done. From killing the people who were not able to pay them back or betray them to eliminating the evidence from under the nose of the government. Riccardo, DiFronzo family’s third son and would be second -in-commander of the Italian mafia. He is Robert’s right hand man and nothing gets passed under his watch . All the foreign business, trading of drugs, illegal weapons, diamonds and many other things were handled by him . The fourth in line was Dante , the family accountant. The only thing that got through his thick head was numbers. Nicolas Cage DiFronzo was Robert Jr DiFronzo’s twin . While the other three were spawned by the devil Nicolas was a saint. He was a professor of one of the most prestigious colleges in Chicago in astrophysics, completed his studies in an ivy league college, and was a student at the top of his class . If he was not teaching then he would spend his time in research. Nic left the family at the young age of eighteen after his stepmother died in an attack. He was supposed to be Robert's right hand man but he chose to leave . Created his own life, far away from this darkness. Nicolas had not attended any family events for almost half a decade . Last in the family was Lily , Lilian DiFronzo. She has been kept out of the crime world since the day she was born. She has been shielded from the ugly face of their family business her entire life. Her brothers became more overprotective after Dante’s and Lily’s mother died. The kids had different mothers. Robert Jr, Nicolas and Riccardo’s mother was Robert Sr. ‘s first wife who was later found out to be working with the Mexican mafia to bring the Italian mafia down. Sources said when they found out they killed her. After that Robert Sr. married his second wife , Dante and Lily were their children. His second wife passed away in a war between two mobs . Lilian entered the hall followed by two bodyguards and came to a stop beside her brothers in a sleeveless peach pink gown whose front end was just above her knees and the back was long . Her four inch white heels with embedded crystals giving her five foot four some height. Her luscious dark hair ends just below her breast. She was curvy but did not hide herself, she looked like she belonged here whereas I am hardly able to hide my gloomy mood of wearing this dress. She completely ignored the stares of the men while her brother sent death glares towards them . She moved towards the bar followed by the other two olders. Women flawed upon the three men like they are some male models. Maybe they could be if there was not a long ass list of crime records and half of Chicago's police were not chasing them. Not wanting to waste any more time I started walking on the opposite side towards the hallway which leads to the back staircase when someone caught my wrist . I turned to see the devil himself was standing behind me , he was holding my wrist in his grip with a smirk on his face. His cold dead eyes were dancing with wickedness. “Dance with me”. Before I could open my mouth to reject the lights dimmed further and the music started to play. He pulled towards the dance floor. His hand slid around and moved down, resting just above my lower back . He pulled my body closer until no space left for the wind to pass. One of my hands landed on his broad shoulder and other on his biceps. I looked at him,stunned. His hand lifted mine and placed it around his neck and if possible closer than before until our bodies were one. We started moving with the music. His face inches closer made me turn mine. His hot breath hit the side of my neck. “You did not tell me your name, beautiful?”. “You didn't ask a girl their name before you drag them to dance with you ?” I sassed back with more attitude. His smile widened. At that moment I want to stab his mouth with my five inch heel, I want to see how good he looks sucking my heel while choking on it. He jerked me closer and I may have accidentally or not so accidentally stepped on his foot. “I am sorry”. Not sorry at all He twirled me and then pulled me back in his arms with my back meeting his front . We swayed to the music “ My bad . Let me introduce myself. I am Robert DiFronzo and you are”. I put my hand on his nape and turned in his arms until I was facing him . I slipped my fingers up in his perfectly styled hair. “What are you going to do knowing my name?” I looked at him seductively. I parted my lips like I was turned on by him. He lifted his hand ,cuffed the side of my jaw and ran his thumb over my parted lower lip “You already know what name you have to scream by the end of the night it's only fair if I know yours”. He will surely scream my name when I bite his dick off. Not even one inch will be left when I am done with him. Instead of saying that I took his thumb between my lips and gave it a good suck before giving a bite to the pad of his thumb and then let go while keeping eye contact with him the entire time. I slid my hand and grabbed the front of his collar and pulled him towards me, our noses were almost touching, “Scream is the last thing you will make me do and as for who I am . You will soon know ”. I pushed him away and got lost in the crowd before he could find me.Robert P.O.V The ice melted slowly in my glass, the clinking sound a faint melody against the bustling cityscape of Chicago below. The city never sleeps , much like me. My thoughts swirled, much like the amber liquid in the glass I held, heavy with the weight of decisions I was going to make, the ones I could not take back even if I wanted to, and the ones I was about to make tonight are going to stay with me forever. "What is on your mind?" I turned my head to see Riccardo, my younger brother, leaning back in the plush leather seat of the limo with legs crossed , his sharp gaze cutting into me like a scalpel. His eyes were narrowing further with each second passed, probably trying to see what was going through my head . These days I don't even know what is going through my head myself. "Nothing," I muttered, setting my glass down on the minibar beside me. "Don't lie to me," Riccardo said with a faint smirk. Before I could answer, Dant's gruff voice interrupted from the seat oppo
Nora P.O.V. The keypad glowed faintly in the dimly lit vault as I carefully typed the password Cyber had whispered into my earpiece. My fingers trembled, not from fear, but from the adrenaline coursing through me. A sharp beep rang out, and I froze for a moment before the soft click of the lock disengaging brought relief. Slowly, I turned the circular grab handle of the vault, its metallic groan echoing ominously in the small chamber. With a final heave, the door creaked open, revealing a brightly illuminated space that momentarily blinded me. There they were the twelve blue stones, gleaming in their flawless perfection, sitting neatly on a velvet tray in the center of the room. Their brilliance seemed almost surreal, a treasure coveted by countless others but entrusted to my care for retrieval. Yet, something else caught my eye. In the middle of the vault stood another safe sleek, made of fine transparent glass, with a digital keypad embedded in the surface. You can not realise it
Nora P.O.V“Started the party without me, '' I said after taking the last step to the terrace . He was sitting on the edge of the terrace ,lost in his own thoughts. He turned to face me then again turned back to look at the city that was lightened up in the dark and took a sip from the bottle. I walked closer and sat down beside him, dangling my legs just like him, from the edge of the building. “Do you still miss him?”. I took the bottle and took a big gulp . “Damn it is strong''. I swiped my mouth on the back of my hand while passing the bottle back to him. “ Humm ''. He hummed but his eyes never moved from the view as he took the bottle and gulped down. He was not looking at anything particular and had his head far away in his thoughts. “What was the password ?” . He handed over the bottle to me, for me to take the next sip. “Charlie”. I took my drink looking straight ahead . I could feel his eyes were boring holes at the side of my face. “I have something for you ”. I pull
Nora P.O.VI turned off the ignition and parked my car in the underground garage . The garage was empty , only one or two tube lights were on . I stepped out of my BMW and went straight to the elevator. When the elevator arrived I stepped inside the empty cart and pressed my floor number and waited for it to reach the floor. It was night time so no one was in the corridor . Other than me there are two other families that have apartments on this floor. If it was up to me I would have brought the entire floor. The entire hallway was almost dark and the only light was shining outside my door. As I stood outside my door to pull out my keys ,I looked at the doormat and then pulled out my phone to disable the security alarm of the apartment. Upon unlocking the door I entered the apartment, switched on just the hall light and closed the door behind. I walked deeper in the apartment, into the living room.“ I did not see that my shoelace was open, I think work is catching up to me ”. Crouche
Nora P.O.VThe dim light from a single bulb hanging from the ceiling casts long shadows across the interrogation room. The attacker, bound to a sturdy chair with thick rope, has a faint bruise circling his neck where the telephone cord had cut into his skin.I stood over him, a jug of water in hand, anger and determination etched on your face. With a quick motion, I threw the water into his face. He jerked awake, sputtering and gasping, his eyes wide with shock and disorientation."I see it did not take you much longer" I say coldly, setting the jug aside. "We should go down to business ,shall we? ”The attacker struggled against the ropes, but they held firm. He glared at me, his eyes filled with hatred but I ignored his defiance and stepped closer, my face inches from his."Who sent you?" you demanded, your voice was deadly calm . I leaned against the table before him, arms folded.He clenched his jaw, remaining silent.I took a deep breath, trying to keep your composure. "You and y
Robert P.O.VThe air hung heavy with the scent of blood and despair.In the dimly lit underground basement the man tied to a chair was barely recognizable, his face a grotesque mask of agony and torment. His lips were parted and hardly able to keep his eyes open as he watched me run the sharp tip of the blade over my lips . I was sitting on a chair completely in ease with my legs crossed , one of my arms was resting on the armchair and the other hand was playing with the knife.My men were lurking in the dark like predators waiting for their turn to play with the prey.I leaned forward resting my elbows on my thighs , my fingers were intertwined into first with the knife in the middle."You've been stealing drugs from me," I said. “Then my money”. I got up ,stood before him and the sharp tip of the blade on the edge of his jaw while bending close to his face.“Did you really think you could get away with it? I will not find out”.He tried to speak, but his words were a garbled mess. Hi
Nora P.O.V. The city’s neon-lit streets pulsed with life, casting their glow across the sleek, tinted windows of our black town car as it moved steadily through the heart of the bustling nightlife. From the back seat, I watched the world speed by, flashes of red, blue, and yellow merging into a chaotic blur. Beside me, Agent Lee, my partner for this operation, sat reviewing the details of tonight’s mission. His sharp, focused gaze never left the screen of the tablet resting on his lap, illuminating his face with a cold, blue hue. Lee was dressed to impress or intimidate, depending on who you asked. He wore a royal-blue, three-piece suit with the sharp lines of a designer cut, complete with polished black leather shoes, a gold wristwatch, and thin wire-rimmed glasses. His entire look was the epitome of sleek professionalism, but his eyes held a quiet ruthlessness that spoke volumes. Lee had the kind of face that rarely smiled, and when it did, the effect was more chilling than comfort
Nora P.O.V The atmosphere in the room was dense, a mix of cigar smoke and the faint musk of expensive cologne hanging heavily in the air. The dim lighting from the overhead chandeliers cast an amber glow over the polished mahogany table, accentuating the opulence that only power and money could buy. Tony leaned back in his seat, crossing his thick, tattooed arms as he studied us with the calculating gaze of a man who’d seen everything—and trusted nothing. Lee sat beside me, his posture relaxed but alert, every gesture carefully calculated. "No catch," he said smoothly, his voice unwavering as he met Tony's scrutinising stare. "Just good business. We believe in building strong, profitable relationships. We know what you bring to the table, and we respect that.” A slow, genuine smile spread across Tony’s face. "I like your style," he admitted, finally letting his guard down, if only slightly. "Alright, you have gotten my attention. We will do a trial run. If everything goes as smoothl
Riccardo P.O.V Dinner with Callandria was a quiet affair. We were both locked in our own thoughts, wrestling with our own minds. When she said she will do it I thought her agreement would satisfy me, yet victory feels hollow and empty. "Here." I slid my phone across the table to her once we had both finished eating. "You should call your grandfather, bella. He wants to know you are safe and that you are here because you want to be." She eyed the phone for a long, silent moment and then reluctantly picks it up. "2008 is the lock code." "The year I was born," she murmured. And the year Nico left the family. "You trust me with your lock code." "I offered you freedom, Callandria. It wasn't a lie," I said ,holding her gaze. "Until things are settled, you are not to leave the house or have contact with your family. Those rules are for your safety as much as for theirs. But I am not your captor. You are not my prisoner. You are going to be the mother of my child." "My grandfather wo
Callandria P.O.V "I am ready," I told Alessio less than a minute later, stepping out of the bedroom. He led me down the hallway. Unlike my father's house, Riccardo's was not built like a museum to wealth. It was timeless and beautiful. Dark wood panels line the walls, with ornately carved banisters and balustrades. Instead of a chandelier, a crystal dome over the staircase floods the foyer with natural light. We passed through the living room, decorated more for comfort than to impress. A large fireplace and sectional dominate the room, with bookcases lining one wall. Massive doors lead out to a patio and a rolling green lawn. "Kitchen," Alessio said, standing to the side to let me pass. I stepped inside and then stopped to stare. The entire kitchen was made from stone, with a cobblestone floor and gorgeous dark wood cabinets. Appliances rest in arched alcoves. Windows look out over the lawn. It was breathtaking, like stepping straight into Tuscany. "Wow," I whispered. No won
Riccardo P.O.V By the time we pulled up by the dock at the harbor, Dant was already there. He leans against the side of his Harley, skipping pebbles across the water. He did not even glance over his shoulder to see who pulled up. I did not think my youngest brother gave a fuck anymore. He tried for years to keep us together, but this way of life wears on you. By the time he had his accident a few years ago, he was not the same kid who spoke the vow. He is harder. Darker. We rarely see him unless he has no choice. I think he would have walked away from all of it if he could. Hell, which of us wouldn't? This life only brought us misery . We lost those we have loved and lived with our enemies. "You are early," I observed, striding across the dock toward him. "You are late." He lets another rock fly. It skipped three times before sinking, dragged to the bottom to rest alongside decades worth of evidence of La Cosa Nostra crimes. Merda. Ours were not the only secrets this harbor keeps
Dant P.O.V“You live here?" Genesis eyed me skeptically, her arms crossed over her chest and her brows furrowed as she glanced around my living room."Yes. Surprised?" I arched a brow, already knowing the answer to that question. Unlike my brothers and sister, I did not live in a house large enough to fit an army. My place was an old greystone in Bridgeport...as fucking far from Robert as I can get without encroaching on territory that did not belong to the DiFronzo family.Once upon a time, the house belonged to my mom's parents. I was not sure any of my brothers knew that. I never told them. Did not see a point when they had lived with our mom's ghost for so long already. Sometimes, ignorance is preferable to pain.Me though? I barely remember her. Not the color of her eyes, or the way she smiled. Not the sound of her laugh, or the warmth of her hugs. I was four and Lily was three when she died, barely old enough to spell out our own goddamn name. Any memories I had of her were eras
Genesis P.O.V"Not yet." His smile did not reach his eyes. I did not think he had smiled in a long time. But they glint with some emotion that makes me shiver. I did not know what it was. "You will.”"Never."His smile widened. "You are coming to work for me." Is he insane? He found me taking out his cash and nowhere wanted me to come and work for him."I have a job.""Not anymore. As of this moment, you work for me, tesoro. Or..." He lets the threat linger unspoken. I know what he meant though. Or he would call the police and we let the chips fall where they may. I think he knew I could not take that risk, though. The bastard knows he was not really giving me a choice here.I think he loves knowing I have no choice and no say. I am his to command, his to control and I hated it but I have no other choice.He was a six-foot-three lion. And I think I may be the little lamb to the slaughter."Fine," I growled, giving in about as gracefully as a bull in a china shop."But I am not for sal
Genesis P.O.VThe elevator glided to a stop on the top floor. The doors slid open, revealing the sort of ostentatious wealth that made my stomach hurt. You know, the kind that could feed half the world, but is spent building glass castles like this for despotic kings instead.The kings who worked from this glass castle are rumored to be some of the worst. They are mafia, Made men. The entire city loses sleep over them and their whims. Yet I never have. When you are trying to survive the devil you know, it was hard to care about the devils you did not.I dragged my bucket off the elevator and set to work emptying the trash. It took all of five minutes to clean up after the reception staff. Two of the executive offices are spotless, as if they were rarely used. The desks held no personal items, nothing to give any hint about the men who worked within.I finished straightening them quickly and moved to the third.A masculine, woodsy scent wafted through the open doors, enveloping me in i
Callandria P.O.V "What do you want from me?" I cried out, my stomach clenching at the look in his eyes, as if he has never been more serious in his life. He meant every word. I might be here for a reason, but he wants me for and that scared me and did not scare me nearly enough at the same time. I expected him to give me the same no-answers he had been giving me, but he did not. He surprised me this time. He gave me the truth. At least, some version of it. "I want you to help me stop a war, Callandria," he said, sitting back in his chair. "Your father started something that may very well destroy us all. I need you to help me stop it." My stomach trembles as the pieces begin to connect in my mind. I did not need him to spell it out for me. I know exactly what he was asking of me. And yet...and yet I wanted to hear him say it anyway. "Tell me," I said. "I want you to give me an heir." He held my gaze, unflinching. "In exchange, you will have your freedom. Whatever marriage con
Callandria P.O.V Everyone has it wrong. Robert DiFronzo was not the devil. Riccardo is. I paced around the luxurious bathroom, muttering under my breath like a crazy person as I made the same circuit across the stone tile. I had already used the bathroom, checked the window, and scoured the shelves for a weapon. There was not anything of use. There was not even a bottle of cologne I could spray in his eyes to blind him. I was in no hurry to return to captivity. I even took a quick shower and stole a toothbrush from beneath the sink to delay the inevitable. My heart still races. Dio. No one has ever spoken to me the way he does or touched me as if I belong to him. It infuriates me and makes my blood run hot at the exact same time. I was so caught up in cursing him out that I didn't hear him approaching. The sharp rapping against the bathroom door made me jump, and my heart thudded against my ribcage, rattling my nerves. "I brought you something to wear," he said. "Would you like
Riccardo P.O.V My phone rings,vibrating across the countertop. I dipped my head under the water to rinse the soap out of it, turn the water off, and stepped from the shower to grab a towel. Steam swirls around me, fogging up the bathroom. "Merda," (Shit) I muttered under my breath when Robert's name flashed across the display. Whatever he has to say, I am almost positive I do not want to hear it, but I swipe to answer anyway. "You have Callandria Castellano chained to your bed?" he growled. "What the fuck are you and Mattia thinking?" "You are the one who decided to deliver a pile of bodies to Emilio Castellano's doorstep," I reminded him. "Mattia could not just leave her there after she spotted them.” "So you chained her to your bed?" he growled, his voice deadly quiet. Robert does not yell. He rarely ever raised his voice. When you are the king, you do not have to shout to be heard. People listen even if you fucking whisper. "God, Riccardo. Think! She is a principessa, not some