Nora P.O.VWe stepped out of the college gates, my eyes sweeping the surroundings, making sure everything was in place. The black sedan waiting for us was being driven by one of DiFronzo’s men. Another car, stationed a few metres back, was packed with more of DiFronzo's bodyguards. They were positioned at the corner, keeping a watchful eye from a distance. I do not know why they have to hire more trained bodyguards. They looked like they could go against big grizzly bears but one thing our field of work taught us, muscle strength is not everything. It is very important to use your brain .I opened the door for Lily, my current charge to get in. She slid into the backseat without a word but I could not blame her. She had gone through a lot today. Anyone who has been sexually assaulted will be behaving like that. She was completely frozen in fear when I found her in the library. The prick was assaulting her. As her bodyguard, it was my job to save her and I failed. I should never have l
Robert’s POVI was in the middle of a critical meeting in my office’s conference room, listening as Riccardo walked the foreign client through the details of our upcoming project. But my attention wavered when my phone vibrated against the polished table. Glancing down at the screen, I saw one of my men calling.One who was assigned to guard Lily.I stiffened. The last time something like this happened, Lily had been kidnapped. I could not let anything happen to her again. Not on my watch.“Excuse me, gentlemen,” I said, standing abruptly. I nodded at Riccardo to continue without me and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me. My gut churned as I answered the call.“DiFronzo,” I barked.There was a slight pause before the man spoke. “Boss, we have a situation. Miss DiFronzo’s car... it’s disappeared.”The blood drained from my face. A bolt of fear sliced through me before anger bubbled up from within.“What the hell do you mean her car’s disappeared?” My voice was a low gro
Robert POVWe were sitting in the home office of the mansion. Patricia stood in front of my desk, her posture perfectly still. I watched her carefully, every slight movement, every blink. There was something different. Something deeper behind her calm façade. "So, what exactly happened there, Miss Walker?" My voice was low, almost a growl, as I leaned forward. My fingers interlaced as I placed my hands on the desk in front of me. I could feel the tension building in the room, a palpable weight.Patricia stood with her hands behind her back, her expression neutral, not betraying any emotion. She was a master at keeping her emotions hidden. Then, in that same level tone, she began to narrate what had happened after they left the college campus."We were in the car. I was a little distracted and did not notice the driver had turned onto a different road until I saw the neighbourhood. I recognized the area ,it was not on the way to the mansion. By the time I realised we were on the wrong
Nora P.O.V.I was typing out the latest update for the operation on my laptop when my phone began ringing. The sharp sound cut through the stillness of the room, drawing my eyes to the digital clock on the nightstand. It was close to midnight. The phone buzzed again. Who would be calling me this time? I glanced down at the phone again as it buzzed on my bed. I picked it up and turned to see the screen, who was calling me before picking it up. I squinted slightly, then sighed in relief when I saw the name flash across the screen."Cyber," I muttered, rubbing my tired eyes. I removed my reading glasses, placing them beside the laptop. Then, I answered the call, wedging the phone between my ear and shoulder as I resumed typing on my laptop."Hey, Cyber, did you find anything about what I asked you to find?" I could hear the faint clicking of keys in the background on his end. This guy and his laptop are like two peas in one pod. Whenever I called him I would hear him typing away on his l
Nora P.O.V“You can continue to guard Lilian, but I want regular updates,” Robert said, his voice calm but full of authority. He sat behind his desk, fingers still steepled, eyes focused intently on me.I stood in the doorway, hand resting on the door, already half out of the room. The conversation was over, but the tension lingered like a ticking bomb."And Miss Walker," he added, his voice dropping an octave, “Do not try to double-cross me.”I just gave a short nod. There was no point in engaging further. Robert DiFronzo had an uncanny way of seeing through people’s lies, and I did not intend to test my luck tonight. I closed the door behind me with a soft click, the heavy tension in the room evaporating the moment the barrier between us was in place.Standing in the dim hallway, I exhaled slowly. That was done. The grumpy Godzilla did not seem suspicious of my real intentions, but I swear if I had stayed in there any longer, he would have unleashed his atomic breath on me.I hurried
Lily P.O.VA few days after the bathroom incident, I was walking down the hallway when I saw Brent again, this time with the girl that I had seen with him before other than Becky. I quickly ducked behind a wall, watching from a distance. The girl’s back was against the wall, and Brent was leaning into her in the same intimate way he had with Becky. They were laughing, and then he pulled her against him by her waist and kissed her.Something about the whole scene made my skin crawl. I wanted to tell her to get away from him. He is just using you. Before I could slip away, someone grabbed my arm roughly and yanked me aside. I was pulled around a corner and shoved against a wall.At first I did not see the person's face,my eyes got closed from the impact when my back hit the wall. I opened them and looked up. Becky was standing in front of me, her eyes blazing with fury. Her nails dug into my arm painfully.“What were you doing there, huh? Spying on my boyfriend? You have a thing for him
Nora P.O.V I tossed and turned on the bed, my body restless, but sleep never came. Every time I closed my eyes, my mind betrayed me, wandering back to that night in the hotel room the night I tried so hard to forget. My eyes snapped open, heart racing. Why is it always like this? Why does the memory of him always come rushing back, uninvited, every time I think I’m moving on?That night was a mistake. A delicious, sinful mistake. And yet...why do I want to relive it? The thought made my pulse quicken, an undeniable heat building low in my stomach. I shook my head, forcing myself to push the feelings away. Where were these urges coming from all of a sudden? Maybe it was just because I had not been with anyone for so long.Frustration gnawed at me. I sat up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, my bare feet cold against the floor. Sleep clearly was not happening tonight. I walked to the cupboard, my fingers brushing the door as I opened it and pulled out my duffle bag. Something
Nora P.O.VI was heading towards the history department. Lily had her next class there according to her schedule, and after my latest conversation with Robert, I had been reassigned to keep an eye on her. He allowed me to continue as her bodyguard, but now I had an additional task. I had to attend his events and business gatherings as his companion.I will pretend to be his plus one in order to guard him closely. The idea of playing this role made my stomach churn. I was his girlfriend, or pretending to be one was almost laughable considering that I wanted to stab him myself every time I saw his arrogant face.When he had told me I would be his "plus one," I had to fight the urge not to rip off one of my heels and stab him right between the eyes or myself. How did I end up in this position ? I know he told me I was going to be his bodyguard from now on but I never thought I have to protect him like this and something tells me he is not going to make this easy for me.Do not even get me
Robert P.O.VThree Years LaterA cold wind swept through the empty cemetery, ruffling my hair as I knelt down, placing two bouquets on the weathered tombstones before me. The scent of fresh lilies and roses mixed with the crisp autumn air, a stark contrast to the lingering memories buried beneath the soil.I exhaled slowly, my breath visible in the chilly air. It was hard to believe three years had passed since I left Chicago, the mafia, and everything tied to the DiFronzo name. My father’s greed had destroyed too many lives, and when he died, the name died with him. Aldo's reign ended that day too along with the rest of them.The DiFronzo mafia was no more.Now, I was going with the name Liam James, a man free from the blood-soaked legacy of my past. My siblings, Nora, Cyber, and I had erased every trace of our existence, changing our identities and building a new life in Los Angeles. No more hiding from enemies. No more looking over our shoulders. For the first time, we were truly f
Nora P.O.VThe ship was a floating palace. The main deck, where the ceremony was set, was transformed into an elegant wedding venue. Rows of white chairs with gold trimmings faced a raised platform, where an altar stood beneath an arch of white roses and ivy. Fairy lights twinkled above like scattered stars, woven through the railings and draped along the ceiling. Round tables lined the sides, covered in pristine white tablecloths, adorned with golden candelabras and delicate glassware. The sea breeze carried the scent of fresh flowers, mixing with the salty air.A large dance floor stretched across the center, polished to a shine, reflecting the glow of the chandeliers hanging from the ship’s canopy. The bar area was stocked with premium liquor, arranged like jewels on mirrored shelves. Every detail screamed luxury, meant to impress the high-status guests that filled the space.But beneath the opulence, danger lurked.I moved through the crowd, blending in my black and white uniform.
Nora P.O.V "This is the final phase of our operation," Director Hastings began. "We have spent months tracking down the real mastermind behind the murders, the illegal trades, and the setup against the DiFronzo family. They wanted law enforcement to take down the DiFronzos for them, and when that did not work, they set their sights on wiping out the family themselves on a damn cruise ship, no less." A murmur passed through the room. Everyone had read the mission files, but nothing is going to make this operation easier. A mass execution at a wedding, orchestrated with such precision, was ruthless even by mafia standards. "The plan remains the same," Hastings continued. "We infiltrate as wedding staff. There will be real employees working alongside us, and some of the guests will be innocent. We do not move until they do. The last thing we need is to blow our cover too soon. Many of the men working under the DiFronzo name actually report to our target. We cannot afford a misstep.”
Nora P.O.V My feet barely touched the ground as I hurried up the grand staircase, taking two steps at a time. My flight had landed just thirty minutes ago, and I hadn’t even stopped to catch my breath. There was no time. I needed to tell Robert what Aldo was planning. The moment the taxi dropped me off outside the DiFronzo mansion, I rushed to the door, rapping my knuckles against it sharply. The maid who answered looked at me in confusion, likely startled by my urgency. "Where’s Robert?" I demanded. She hesitated for only a second before responding, “Sir is in his office.” I did not wait for anything else. Turning on my heels, I strode down the corridor, my pulse hammering against my ribs. The heavy doors of Robert’s office loomed ahead, and without a second thought, I twisted the handle and barged in. "Robert, Aldo is—" My words died on my tongue as I took in the scene before me. Robert sat behind his massive desk, his fingers laced together as he leaned slightly forward, hi
Nora P.O.V I unzipped my suitcase and pulled out the outfit I had chosen for tonight was a fitted black top, dark pants, and a baseball cap. I am probably going to undress but it is the least of my worries. It was a night for business. I needed to stay unnoticed, to slip in and out without drawing attention. Lifting the small black bag from my suitcase, I ran my fingers over its surface. Inside, the blue diamonds rested like a fortune in my grasp. It feels like yesterday when I stole them from under DiFronzo's nose . Just in few months a lot has changed. I can not believe that just in a short span of time I am able to fall in love and break my heart. The family that I wanted to bring down, I began to protect them but a lot of growing had also happened on my part . They did not deserve my hate for my uncle's death when they were not even involved other than Robert Sr. I hate that bastard . If everything goes as planned, by the end of the night, they would be sold, and I would walk a
Nora P.O.V It had been almost a week since Robert’s engagement, and in that time, we barely acknowledged each other. We kept our distance, stayed professional, and avoided unnecessary conversations. The house felt off like something was out of place, yet no one dared to question it. Stella had almost moved into the DiFronzo mansion, flaunting her presence in a way that made my stomach turn. Meanwhile, Robert practically buried himself in work, meeting with no one unless absolutely necessary. Nothing made sense anymore. Now, in his office at DiFronzo Enterprises, I stood behind his chair as he spoke with an accountant, discussing the expenditure of a recent project. Out of all the businesses under the DiFronzo name, this was one of their legal ones, a clean investment. Robert listened with a detached expression, signing papers without looking up. The accountant left after the meeting, carrying the finalized reports. As soon as the door clicked shut, Robert turned toward me. “Patri
Nora P.O.V I ran my fingers down the fabric of my dress, smoothing out the silk as I gazed at my reflection in the full-length mirror. The black and red gown hugged my figure perfectly, the intricate floral lace carving delicate patterns over the sheer black overlay, while the royal red silk underneath added a touch of richness. The detachable black skirt trailed behind me like a shadow, enhancing my every step with an air of mystery. My dark waves cascaded over my shoulders, shining under the dim glow of the vanity lights like a river kissed by moonlight. I had returned to the DiFronzo estate this morning after completing the case, though formalities had dragged the process out longer than expected. I hadn’t spoken to Robert properly since I left a few days ago. Our last interaction had been brief, filled with unspoken words and unreadable expressions. Lily had barely given me a moment to settle in before dragging me off for dress shopping, her excitement contagious despite my exh
Nora P.O.V The room was steeped in darkness, the kind that felt suffocating, pressing in from all sides. The only source of illumination was a weak, flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling, its light barely reaching the corners of the space. The bulb swung slightly, creaking on its loose fixture, casting long, shifting shadows over the stacks of cardboard boxes piled against the walls. The air inside was thick with dust and the stale scent of sweat and old wood. Each breath I took felt heavy, tainted by something metallic smell. The distant echoes of gunfire and chaos outside barely reached this place, but even with all of that, nothing in this room disturbed me more than the sight before me. Layson’s arms and legs were tightly restrained with thick ropes, the fibers biting into his skin. His face was a mess of bruises, his right eye swollen, his lip split open, and a deep gash above his brow left a jagged streak of blood trailing down the side of his face. The blood had begun to d
Nora P.O.V The warehouse loomed ahead, its steel exterior bathed in the pale glow of the distant streetlights. A thick, eerie silence blanketed the area, broken only by the occasional rustle of the wind against the stacked shipping containers. The air was tense, charged with the weight of the mission ahead. Inside, Layson and his son were being held captive by the Cutlers, and there was no telling what condition they were in. Our van was parked a few yards away, tucked into the shadows, where Cyber and his team monitored the interior movements. The dim glow of their screens illuminated their faces, their fingers flying over keyboards as they fed us real-time updates through our Bluetooth devices. “Heat signatures confirm at least two dozen men inside,” Cyber’s voice crackled in my ear. “More might be deeper in. No sign of Layson or the child yet, but we are tracking.” I nodded, my grip tightening around my firearm as I surveyed the agents standing with me. I had already distribut