I must have gone absolutely insane. There was no other explanation for why Hunter Thorne's name had flown out of my mouth. Why had I even thought about him?! It felt like my mind had gone blank for a second, and his name was the only two words that existed.I didn't know if Grasso and Thorne knew each other. What if he called Hunter right now and asked about his engagement? This lie might cost me a lot… Seriously, I might have dug my own grave.I inched back, keeping my eyes on the deadly predator in front of me. I braced myself, awaiting some kind of crushing response, but both, Grasso and my father, fell silent. Grasso worked his jaw, anger flaring in his dark eyes. “It seems that your father failed to mention this little detail,” he gritted out.He believed me. He bought the lie. My body nearly rattled in relief, but I restrained any signs that could betray my bluff. “My father was never interested in whom I dated, and I didn't feel obligated to tell him,” I said, my face blank.Be
I stared at Ace, having a hard time acknowledging his words. Did he truly suggest I should marry Hunter Thorne?“Are you out of your fucking mind?!” Fifi burst out, glaring at Ace. “That man is practically a Mafia Don! Not to mention that he has a long line of enemies waiting to kill him... and his wife!”Ace gave her a look. “Don't be so dramatic. You're forgetting that he also has the biggest number of soldiers at his disposal. I'd say he's pretty well protected. I'm also certain he'd make protecting his wife a number one priority.”Fifi worked her jaw. “He's doing a lot of illegal… stuff!”“Well, no shit!” Ace snorted. “May I remind you your family deals with all of the Italians, Russians, Chinese Triads, and Yakuza and is quite OK with taking money from them?”Fifi rolled her eyes. “That's… different. We don't get to pick our clients.”“Spare me that bullshit, Fifi.” Ace gave her an unimpressed look. “And may I remind you that Cat can either marry a sadist or... choose someone equ
My stomach turned to lead. He refused. This was a script from my worst nightmare. I could feel the blood draining from my face. Had I been too arrogant in thinking he might agree? Perhaps I was only fooling myself. I wasn't presentable enough. I had no true value to him. Still, I wanted to know. I needed to hear it. “Why?” I choked out. “Is it because I'm not Italian?”He shook his head. “If I'd wanted someone to act as my wife, I would have hired an actress.” His cold voice echoed through the room.“Then what else do you want?” My hands shot up in frustration. “You want me to become your assistant? Your personal maid? Or maybe you want me to bake you fucking cookies?!”His lips curved, but the smile that formed was dark... feral. “What you offer is still only the wrapper. What I want is the whole package.”I swallowed, suddenly feeling naked despite the layers of fabric covering my skin. “There are limits to what I am willing to sell,” I gritted out.A soft chuckle escaped him. “Do y
I was still in a daze after our quite intense kissing, but I was conscious enough for all kinds of questions to appear. I stared at him in silence, processing everything he had told me before blurting out, “I won't bear you a child.”Amusement danced on his lips. “Never say never.”My hands fisted. “We're not going to add a child into our deal.”“There won't be any deal.” He leaned forward, his lips forming a sly smirk. “You will marry me because you want to, and I will pay for your mother's treatment out of the goodness of my heart.”I huffed out a laugh and folded my arms across my chest. “Are you serious?”His smirk turned into a sultry grin. “Deadly serious. My friend, Rowan, will drive you home and give you a few documents to fill out. I'll need them to take care of your mother.” He leaned back in his chair and glanced at his watch. “Now I'll have to ask you to leave. I'm having an appointment in a few minutes.”I studied him in absolute disbelief. “You really mean what you said,
HUNTERI stood by the wall-to-ceiling window, looking at the sun setting over Manhattan. I should have been celebrating. The first part of my plan had succeeded. Instead, the mix of emotions I felt put me on the edge.The sun was bloody as if to emphasize the recently spilled blood. Exhaling slowly, I looked at my hand and the itching skin on my healing, still-reddish knuckles. A faint smile stretched my lips. At least one good thing happened today. One piece of shit less in this fucked-up world.The door behind my back slid open, and Rowan stormed into my office. “The news about the police finding Marchetti's body is now everywhere,” he said through his teeth. “I bet that the old fucker is already heading here.”I could feel the incoming headache. I glanced at my hand again and turned around to face Rowan. “How much do you think he knows?”Rowan dragged his hand over his face and slumped down on the sofa. “He knows that Giulio was last seen at the wedding. Apparently, Giulio told one
I woke up the same way I'd woken up yesterday and the day before—with a painful hard-on. Growling out a curse, I rose from the bed and walked into the shower cabin. If only jerking off could lessen the thirst I felt. It sure as fuck didn't work this way, and Catherine Duncan was the one to blame.I wanted those rouge, heart-shaped lips wrapped around my cock. I wanted to watch those stunning green eyes widen as she took me in. I dreamed about it and about everything I would do to her once she became mine. I wondered if she knew how badly she had gotten under my skin. I bet she had no idea.I couldn't fully comprehend it myself. At first glance, she wasn't much different from other pretty faces I had met before her. Perhaps it had been that wild determination in her eyes or the way she'd tried to fight in my office. I could still hear her breathy little moans… Fuck, I was hard again.I'd just walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my hips, when my phone rang. I snatched it
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
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