CATHERINE“And this will be your bedroom.” Marcello Salvo, the maggiordomo, opened the door and gestured for me to enter.I gave him a nervous nod before passing the threshold. My breath caught at the sight of a beautiful chamber filled with light. A slow smile rose on my face as I took in the large, dark wooden floor, cream-white furniture, large canopy bed, and carefully chosen accessories. My feet moved on their own, heading to the row of arched windows. They overlooked the stunning garden. God… I could paint this place for hours and hours.“I hope you'll find this place comfortable,” Marcello's voice sounded behind me. Only then did I realize he was still here, waiting for my reaction and perhaps acceptance.I turned around and smiled at the gray-haired man. “This room is amazing. This whole place is mesmerizing.”Marcello slightly bowed at the waist before pointing at the door on the right. “The bathroom is over there. I took the liberty of filling it with a few cosmetics worthy
I walked through the doors into the marble-covered veranda, and my eyes instantly drifted to the black Bentley parked in front of the mansion. The driver dressed in a jacket, a fitted tee, and slacks—all black—leaned against the front door with his muscled arms crossed over his broad chest. He had chestnut hair and light hazel eyes, slightly creepily emphasized by his golden-brown complexion.He watched me descend the steps, scanning me from head to toe before offering a curt bow. “Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Duncan.”“Ferro… right?” I gave him a nervous smile.“At your service.” He nodded and opened the door, helping me into the car. “Where to?”“Sinclair Clinic,” I said, watching his dark brows rise in a silent question. “Doctor Robert Sinclair is a neurologist. He's treating my mother.”“I see.” He nodded before rushing to sit behind the wheel. He started the engine and glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Hope she'll get better soon.” A small, sympathetic smile curved his lips.“Th
This had to be some seriously fucked-up joke. Why, of all people, did I have to run into the one I was supposed to avoid?! Calvin closed the door behind him as his father—the hoarse voice I had heard before—continued to yell at the poor doctor.Grinding my teeth, I stepped back and squared my shoulders. “I heard about Connor. Sorry for your loss,” I clipped. Then I offered him a shallow bow and tried to walk past him.He was faster, stepping in front of me and blocking my way again. “So that's it? You say your sorry-ass condolences and walk away? Why are you here, Catherine?”I saw his fisted hands and clenched jaw. I could almost feel the acidic rage radiating from him. “My mother's in this clinic,” I explained quietly. “I need to go back to her, so…” I turned around, but he grabbed my arm, forcing me to a halt.“What are you doing here, on this floor?” he hissed.I jerked my arm, freeing myself from his grip. “I don't need to answer your questions.”He leaned over me, fury burning i
HUNTERCatherine frowned at me, summoning defiance, even though the lovely blush on her cheeks had already betrayed her. My eyes slowly traced the slender column of her neck and the well-defined curves of her breasts before drifting lower to her thighs, now wrapped in her skinny blue jeans. I didn't fail to notice how she squeezed her legs together. I couldn't help but smile at that.She bit her lip hard enough to cut skin. Did my firecracker enjoy a little pain? I was more than eager to test that theory. The more I anticipated the moment she would be mine.“And what if I say no?” she asked, deepening her frown. “Will you force your claim on me?”I stepped back and locked my eyes on hers. “I would never force you,” I said, and meant it.She huffed, folding her arms across her curvy chest. “Then are you planning to seduce me?”My tongue darted out, tracing the seam of my lip. “The question is: do I truly need to?”She rolled her eyes. “There should be limits to that arrogance of yours.
I hated to leave Catherine in the hospital. I was supposed to gain her trust, and staying with her while she visited her mother would have brought me closer to my goal. Leaving before her mother was brought back from the tests was against the plan I made. But if Rowan's suspicions were correct... The cunt responsible for bringing some untested shit to my club should start praying. Then again, no god would save him from my fury.I strode into my office, the doors sliding behind me. Rowan, Enzo, and Remo were already inside. They were here because their loyalty was unquestionable. They were the few who had my absolute trust.Normally, we would have left the entire search to the security team in the monitoring control room, but we all knew the evidence would rather be in the footage from our newest cameras—ones only a few people knew about. Rowan and I had them installed two months ago. Most of the staff had already learned about all the blindspots in the club's surveillance. The new cam
I was even more pissed and frustrated when I left Marchetti's mansion than the second I'd arrived there. Enrico showed me the footage, and it became clear that the guy with the snake tattoo followed Giulio, which made him the main suspect in Giulio's murder case. However, that revelation led to more questions, and I had yet to connect all the dots.Certainly, the fact that Giulio had been murdered the same night I had beaten the holy shit out of him might have been just a coincidence, but what if it was more than that? What if this whole situation had been designed to screw me over?Enrico Marchetti might not have been the strongest Mafia boss I knew, but his family's resources put him high in the hierarchy. Others respected him and would have gladly joined him in a fight against me. I had managed to disarm that well-crafted bomb, but I also knew this attack was far from over, and Connor's death might have been yet another step in those fuckers' plan.Connor's father might have been m
The elevator door opened, and my nostrils instantly filled with a sharp smell of bleach. I could only guess that some stains were harder to clean than others, and the recent events forced the cleaning crew to use more drastic methods to keep this place spotless.I walked down the long corridor, passing three doors before stopping in front of the last one. I entered, and my eyes instantly landed on the blond-haired man gagged and tied to a chair. He must have been in his late twenties, well-built, and good-looking like most of our bartenders. He was left with nothing but boxer briefs on his ass. His blue eyes widened as he looked at me, and a moan slipped through the gag. Dumb fucker. Did he think I would show him mercy after what he had done?Rowan stood in the corner of the room, leaning against the wall with arms folded across his chest. His eyes found mine. “What took you so long? The guy will die from a heart attack before we even begin.”A grim smirk twisted my lips. “You think h
CATHERINEThe little bell above my workshop door rang as Ferro entered my small gallery. Of course, the place was still closed and mostly covered with white sheets, just in case my paints spilled all over the walls and floor. It had actually happened once before, and after painting all the walls white again, I did NOT want to repeat that any time soon.The gallery part fluidly turned into my workshop. I was still trying to figure out how to separate the two, but I knew every idea I might come up with would surely require a budget—money I didn't have. It certainly was a good reason for me to sit and paint. I needed new works I could sell. Of course, the little devil inside my head whispered that I would soon become a billionaire's wife, but I also kept telling myself that this title had no true value, and I sure as hell would never ask for Hunter's money. He had paid for my mom's treatment. I already owed him more than I could earn selling most of my current paintings.I watched as my
I had three days to prepare for the snob party called Carla Pucci's Annual Banquet. According to Marcello's explanation, this event had been organized by the Pucci family for decades. The guests were the wives and daughters of the most prestigious Italian families and sometimes the wives and daughters of their associates. Gianna learned that all the invitations had been sent more than a month ago, which meant that my name must have been Carla Pucci's last-minute choice.I told Gianna to learn whatever she could about the other participants while I decided to meet with my very own queen of gossip and entertainment—Fifi. She invited me for lunch in her hotel. I agreed as long as it wouldn't be the restaurant I'd met with Grasso and my father. She happily obliged.Fifi greeted me in the reception hall. Today was her day off, so instead of wearing her usual manager's uniform, she picked a simple yet sexy light blue A-shape dress with a cute little rounded collar. She looked almost like an
I watched Hunter putting on his three-piece suit as he stood in the middle of the walk-in closet. His already-packed suitcase waited by the door. The blissful moment we had was long gone. I could see it in Hunter's sharp gaze and clenched jaw. Of course, the anxieties within me blossomed in an instant.“Maybe I could come with you,” I suggested, leaning one arm against the doorframe. I was still in my nightgown. The black silk and lace clung to my body, and I was highly aware of how it emphasized every curve. Something changed within me, and that change had a lot to do with Hunter. He pulled out this new daringness to the surface. He made me want to be seen…His eyes slowly drifted down, as if memorizing every inch of my body. Then a sinful smirk curved his lips. “I would love nothing more than to take you with me.” He buttoned his jacket and sighed. “But I can't. If someone planted the drugs there, it's possible the guy with the snake tattoo and others like him will be close. I can't
CATHERINESince Hunter had left, my restlessness became the bone-crushing corset around my ribcage. Falling asleep hadn't been an option, so I'd spent most of the night painting. The exhaustion struck when it was dawning, and I finally decided to wash off the drops of paint from my skin and crawl into the cold, empty bed.I closed my eyes, but despite how drained I was, the sleep didn't come. I wasn't sure how long I struggled to get some rest before I heard the door opening and closing. My heart tripped in response. “Hunter?” I murmured, turning around and trying to find him in the dimness of the room with closed curtains.“I didn't mean to wake you up,” he whispered.“You didn't wake me up,” I said. “I couldn't sleep anyway…”A soft chuckle sounded. “Were you waiting for me, firecracker?” The rustling sound followed. The bed dipped slightly, and a moment later, I was pulled against his bare chest. “Did you miss me?” he purred as his arms wrapped around me.“I was worried,” I muttere
I sat by my desk, watching the sun slowly rising over Manhattan. My time was nearly up, and soon I was bound to make a decision. I shifted my gaze to the three-piece suite where a children-raping monster slept soundly on the sofa. I hated the sight of him in my office. I hated the fact he was still peacefully breathing while his latest victim was fighting for her life in Fabio Lanaro's clinic. But most of all, I hated the mere thought of dealing with this piece of shit and letting him walk out of here freely…I told myself I would make it right one day soon. Grasso would get exactly what he deserved. I couldn't be the one to serve the punishment, and it wouldn't happen today, but he would pay.Rowan's ID appeared on the phone screen, and I quickly took the call. “You figured out how to handle him once he wakes up?” he asked.“I'll have to tell him the truth… skipping the drugging part,” I muttered. “I'd appreciate some leverage, though. Did Enzo and Remo find anything in the data?”“N
Convincing Fabrizio Grasso to meet with me had turned out to be easier than I initially assumed. It was either sheer curiosity or simply greed that made him agree to come to Spine Dorate Tower. He would surely regret trusting me so easily once he figured out the reason behind this meeting. Unfortunately for him, by that time, it would be too late…The doors of my office opened, and Grasso strode inside, two bodyguards flanking him. I sat in the armchair, facing the doors. A hint of a smirk curved my lips as I locked my eyes on the fucker and slowly rose to my feet.Grasso looked around my office and put his hands into his pants pockets. “Nice place you have here. Perhaps I should visit your club one day.”I hated the sole idea of him tainting my place with his presence, but I kept my expression neutral as I pointed at the sofa. “Have a seat. We have a few things to discuss.”“Very well, Thorne.” He gave me a curt nod and walked to the three-piece suit, his guards following.I looked a
Catherine and I watched Lazar enter his limo and leave the estate. Tension radiated from me in waves, and I knew that Catherine felt it too. As soon as Lazar's car disappeared from view, I turned around and walked inside the mansion. Catherine followed me.“Something happened, right? Did Lazar tell you anything?” she asked, trying to read the answer from my expression.I grabbed her hand and led her to my study, debating how much I should tell her as we walked. Then I closed the door behind us and sighed. “Lazar didn't know any of the men I showed him, but he gave us a lead about those two Italians.”Catherine's brows rose. “Really? So what now?”I scratched the back of my neck. “I'll have to drag the answers out of someone who's not my ally,” I said carefully.“An enemy?” She fixed her eyes on me. “Who is it?”My lips twisted into an uncomfortable grimace. “Grasso.”She stumbled back, her face turning pale. “Will you interrogate him?”“I wish I could beat the answers out of him, but
The doors of my office slid open, and I strode inside, my fists loosening and clenching on my sides. Enzo, Remo, and Rowan were sitting in our usual spot, with documents and photos splayed on the coffee table.I'd tried to silence my annoyance as I drove here, and I would have lied saying that regaining my composure had come easily. I understood the urgency, though; to prevent another attack, we needed to act. Fucking my wife senseless would have to wait. Again.“Tell me you found something useful,” I muttered, sitting in the armchair.Rowan grabbed several photos from the table and tossed them over to me. “As you know, we'd taken photos of the bodies before we got rid of them. Enzo ran each one of those fuckers through the face recognition program. We searched through all the databases and police records, and—”“Tell me we have the names,” I gritted out as I went through the photos he gave me. Most of them had tattoos on their bodies. Hopefully, that would help with the identificatio
HUNTERIt had been a week since Catherine's kidnapping, and all her bruises finally seemed to fade. She was healing… at least physically. I had tried to crush the guilt coiling inside her, but I doubted I managed to destroy it entirely. She sometimes stared at her hands, as if she still saw blood covering her skin—Castillo's blood. Her nightmares were now gone, but she had that haunting look on her face telling me her thoughts kept swirling around some dark place.I'd spent most of my time in the estate recently. I didn't want to leave her for too long, and I didn't trust anyone enough to replace me. Instead of forcing her to move back into the main bedroom, I sort of moved to hers. Every night, I had lay beside her, watching her fall asleep wrapped in my arms, making sure she felt safe throughout the night.The old me would have found my behavior absurd, but I'd grown to enjoy this sort of intimacy between us. As cold as it might have sounded, it also served my plans. I had managed t
CATHERINEDry twigs snapped under my bare feet as I ran through the woods. The lines of densely growing trees seemed to have no end. I told myself I could distinguish shapes in the darkness of the night, but the truth was I was nearly running blind.“There's no point in running from us, princess!” Garrett's voice boomed through the forest. “We'll catch you sooner or later!” He chuckled. They all laughed as they chased after me, as if my attempts to survive were their best source of entertainment.Every muscle in my body hurt, and doubts started to fill my mind. Would it hurt less if I surrendered? Maybe death would come quickly, painlessly… No. The one who ordered my death wanted me to suffer. I knew that, and still, a part of me wanted to stop and face the inevitable.“He won't be able to save you forever, you know?” Castillo's snicker echoed among the trees. “You're his weakness! He'll get rid of you as soon as he inherits it all!”I ground my teeth and quickened my steps. I glanced