Nora P.O.VI was sitting in the surveillance room, staring at the monitor as the interrogation unfolded. Robert DiFronzo sat across from the two detectives, he had a cool and calculating look in his eyes. He had not said a word since they brought him in. His hands were cuffed, but his posture was relaxed, like this was just another business meeting for him. We could hear what they were saying through the mic hidden in the corner of the room.The detectives were trying hard, throwing accusation after accusation at him, pushing for some kind of crack in his armour. But Robert was unfazed. He sat there, silently, like a rock in the storm. His expression gave away nothing, not even a flicker of fear or guilt.“He is toying with them,” I muttered under my breath.My senior, Detective Harrison, was sitting beside me. He’d been in the game for years, seen things that would make most people walk away from this job. But today, he looked as frustrated as I felt.“He knows we do not have any sol
Nora P.O.VI stopped my car just outside the mansion, its towering iron gates looming ahead. One of DiFronzo’s men with broad-shouldered, face concealed behind a pair of dark aviator glasses approached. I handed over the fake ID, my heart pounding beneath my calm exterior. Without a word, he took my ID and placed it on the scanner. A green light cast on the ID and moved down.“The ID is successfully matched,” a mechanical voice chimed from the gate’s scanner.I exhaled slowly as the gates began to creak open,their heavy iron frames creaking as they revealed the sprawling estate beyond. The DiFronzo mansion was more than just a home—it was a fortress. A long stretch of well-manicured gardens and stone paths led to the grand entrance, its sheer size and opulence unmistakable.I drove inside, gripping the steering wheel tightly. I looked down at the ID on the driving seat, my mind flashed back to Cyber’s word.“Take this,” Cyber had said, handing me the fake ID, passport, and driver’s lic
Nora P.O.VMy gaze landed on the table of weapons again. I needed to choose carefully for this round. The knife had served me well, but against their best, I would need something faster, something that would give me an edge. My fingers hovered over a pair of brass knuckles before I picked them up, the cold metal biting into my skin. This would work for me.As I strapped the knuckles onto my hands, I watched as the others armed themselves. Some chose heavier weapons but I knew that strength alone would not get me through this.“Begin,” Riccardo ordered, and chaos erupted.The first wave of attackers was swift. DiFronzo’s men, hulking masses of muscle and aggression, moved like well-trained wolves, picking their targets and attacking with precision. The room filled with the clang of steel, grunts of effort, and the occasional sharp crack of bones breaking. I ducked low, dodging a swing aimed at my head. The man who had targeted me was fast, but his aggression made him sloppy.He came at
Robert P.O.VI sat behind my desk, the dim light casting shadows across the room as I sifted through the files of the final five candidates.My men had done well. The candidates were battle-hardened, skilled, and ruthless. But there was something odd about Riccardo, my second-in-command today. He had been hovering near me all evening. His posture tense, his face a mask of uncertainty, but I could tell there was something on his mind. He was not one to hesitate, especially not with me.I closed the file I had been reading and looked up at him. “Spit it out, Riccardo.”He shifted, clearly weighing his words. “It is probably nothing but…”“But?” I urged him to continue.“It is one of the candidates.Her name is Patricia Walker.” I frowned. Her name was not particularly ringing for me. “She has lower experience compared to the others, but...” he hesitated, as if unsure how to explain what was troubling him. ““But what? Just say it.” I prompted, leaning back in my chair, curiosity piqued.
Nora P.O.VThe maid led me down a long, winding hallway to my room. My body ached from the fight, muscles sore from the strain of the interview. I was not expecting to feel this level of exhaustion so soon. When she stopped in front of the door, I could only hope for some relief on the other side.She turned the brass handle and pushed it open. “This is your room,” she said quietly before stepping aside to let me pass.The room was bigger than I expected. The floors were dark hardwood, polished to a shine, while the walls were painted a deep, warm grey giving it a modern yet luxurious look. A massive king-size bed sat in the centre, the black iron frame sleek and elegant. The bedding was crisp white, contrasting sharply against the dark tones of the room. Pillows were arranged neatly, and a thick black comforter was draped across the bottom of the bed. Two nightstands flanked it, each adorned with sleek silver lamps. A plush armchair sat in the corner by a tall window, the soft light o
Nora P.O.VFlashback begins….At night of abduction The club was packed, the bass of the music thumping through the walls and into my chest.My leather jacket and jeans helped me blend in, disappear into the mass of bodies that swayed and pulsed with the rhythm. The air was thick with sweat, alcohol, and the underlying tension of the fights that raged in the back rooms. It was a breeding ground for chaos.Patricia was not hard to spot. She sat at the bar, leaning casually against the counter, her drink nearly drained. It seems like she had just finished her fight.Her leather jacket clung to her frame, the tough exterior matching her ‘I do not give a shit’ attitude. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She looked like a person who screams like if you fuck with me I will fuck you up.I slid onto a stool a few seats away from her, ordered a drink, and let my eyes roam casually around the room. I did not need to draw any attention to myself. The bartender handed me my drink, and
Nora P.O.VRobert’s eyes were fixed on me, sharp and unrelenting. He stood too close for comfort, the intensity of his presence impossible to ignore. His suspicion was palpable. He had no proof of who I really was, only a nagging doubt that kept gnawing at him. But I had a role to play, and I wasn’t about to give him an inch.“Tell me the truth.” His voice was low, measured, but there was an underlying edge that told me he wasn’t going to let this go easily.I met his gaze, steady and composed, as though I had not spent the last few years watching him, studying his every move, learning everything about his life as part of my mission. He did not know who I really was. As far as he was concerned, I was Patricia, newly appointed as the DiFronzo family’s personal bodyguard. But he did not trust me. Not fully. Not yet.“I am telling you the truth,” I said, my tone calm, unwavering. “My name is Patricia. I am twenty nine years old.I am from Texas.I used to work for the governor for a few mo
Robert P.O.VI stood in the washroom, my hands braced on the sink’s edge as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My face was tired, the weight of the day clinging to me like a fog I could not shake. I splashed cold water onto my face one more time, letting the shock of it momentarily clear my thoughts.The lights in my room were dim when I stepped out, casting long shadows across the walls. A faint glow came from the streetlights outside, filtering through the curtains. I moved quietly, not wanting to disturb the quiet that had settled in. In solitude, it was easier to think or at least, try not to.I opened my closet, reached into it and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants, quickly changing out of my clothes. There was something about the silence that wrapped around me, making the usual tension in my body settle, if only for a moment. Once dressed, I walked to my nightstand and checked my phone. No messages, no missed calls. Just the blank screen staring back at me.I set
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