Deangelo’s POV I slammed my fist against the hospital steel room door. "Let me in!" I growled, my voice rose with each word until I was yelling. I needed to see the beauty, I needed to know she was okay. The door whooshed open with a dull thud, and Silvia's face appeared in the gap. Her face was like iron, stubborn. "You need to control yourself, boss," she commented, her voice soft. "I'm in here to keep an eye on the doctor. Besides, he said you wouldn't be able to handle what you are going to see, so I'm staying by his side. Don't you trust me?" "...um...I." I opened my mouth to argue, but my ability to form a coherent sentence died an undignified death. I trusted Silvia in the past, and I still do now even after she had been gone for so long. She was loyal and dependable. "That's what I thought," she muttered and slammed the door shut in my face. My stomach clenched, flipped, and twisted. I kicked the door lightly; frustration scrambled up my throat. Who could I trust?
Rosita’s POV As I sat in front of my bedroom mirror, brushing out the long, pitch-black strands of my hair, a soft melody spilled from my lips—a song I had composed myself, a celebration of the freedom I was about to recover. In just a few short minutes, I would turn 24 years old, the age my father had promised to allow me to step outside the boundaries of this golden cage I had called home for the past decade. After the incident that had occurred when I was just 12, he had kept me locked away, homeschooling me and even arranging for my college education to be completed online. But now, the day of my freedom had arrived. I could hear the excited activity of the servants downstairs, preparing the mansion for my birthday party. My father always permitted me to step out of my room whenever he was present, though I knew his overprotective nature came from a place of genuine concern. Still, I couldn't help but feel trapped, longing for the opportunity to experience the world beyond th
Rosita’s POV A sharp, shooting pain jolted me awake, and I cried out, sitting up abruptly. A woman was kneeling beside the bed, her rough-skinned hands tending to the angry red burns on the soles of my feet. Instinctively, I tried to pull away, but she shoved my leg back down, glaring at me. "Behave yourself, Perra," she snapped. "My name is Silvia, it's not like I'm some kind of nurse. But my boss insisted I take care of you, so don’t make me do something I would regret." She stuffed a small towel into my mouth, muffling my tortured screams as she applied a pungent ointment to the blistered skin. As I chewed on the fabric, I took the opportunity to study her. Her long, red hair was marked with premature strands of white, and her eyes were covered in heavy black makeup, lending her a decidedly witchlike appearance. A small ring decorated her nose, and multiple earrings lined the shell of each ear. Dressed in a leather crop top and jeans, she had a large, ghostly tattoo on her rig
Rosita’s POV A sudden flood of ice-cold water splashed on my face, which took my breath for a second, and I gasped, my eyes flying open to the sight of Silvia hovering over me, an empty bucket clutched in her hand. "Rise and shine, Perra," she mocked, stepping aside as a figure approached. Deangelo—the man who I never wanted to see again—knelt before me, his piercing blue eye fixed on my face. I flinched, unable to meet his eye. "If it were up to me, I wouldn't let anyone harm someone as beautiful as you," he murmured, a vicious smile playing on his lips. "But since you are the stubborn type, I'm going to have to break that spirit of yours." He paused, gesturing around the empty, filthy room. "As you have seen, it's impossible to escape me. I own this city, the cops, the authorities—they are all in my pocket. It seems you still have a lot to learn about the world." Leaning closer, he locked eyes with me, his voice hardening. "So, if you try to disobey me again, there is no tel
Rosita’s POV The limousine door opened, and a well-dressed security guard extended his hand to assist me in exiting the limo. As I placed my hand in his, he bestowed me with a charming smile. "Welcome to the perfect prosecutors’ award ceremony. It's an honor to have someone as beautiful as you here," he murmured, his grip tightening temporarily. "Beautiful." But his gesture of courtesy was abruptly cut short as Deangelo appeared from the other side of the limo. The guard immediately released my hand, rushing back to his post beside the red carpet that was swarming with excited reporters and screaming fans. Deangelo's fingers closed around my wrist in a tight grasp, and I felt a tingle shoot down my arm at his touch. He led me down the plush carpet, the flashing cameras, and the admiring crowds; it was completely different from the danger that threatened to consume me. As we reached the grand entrance, Deangelo leaned in close, his breath caressing my ear. Secretly, he poi
Deangelo’s POVWith a sigh, I folded my arms across my chest, watching impatiently as my personal doctor administered an injection into the unconscious beauty's delicate arm. I couldn't fathom why she had suddenly fainted—I couldn't very well have her dying on me.The doctor finished his work, carefully tucking the girl's hand back under the blanket. But before he could fully cover her, I snatched the fabric from his grasp, glaring at him."I will handle this," I growled, carefully placing the blanket over her lying body. My gaze lingered on her pale, beautiful face, a frown creasing my brow."Why did she faint?" I demanded, turning to the doctor. "Is she going to be okay?"The man's expression was serious as he met my eye. "Where did you say you knew her from again? Is she another one of your whores? How long have you known her?"I cut him off with a wave of my hand. "Just get to the point, underling."Clearing his throat, the doctor leveled me with a pointed stare. "Um, does she hav
Deangelo’s POVI crossed my legs, making a show of adjusting my eyepatch as I brought the cigarette to my lips, taking a slow, careful drag. My gaze settled on the overweight body of Carlos, seated across from me, his brow furrowed in unconcealed anger."Scorpion," he growled, his voice all sharp edges, "You are the number one billionaire in this city. What do you think the other Dons will say when they find out you have been owing me 50 million pesos for years, and you have refused to pay?"I let out an exhausted sigh. "You know my number one rule is never to let strangers into my home," I replied smoothly. "And you, Carlos, are no stranger."His lips twisted into a scowl. "Then you should know why I deserve that money! You are just oppressing me because you are superior to me. You have got to stop this! I worked hard for those building materials, brick by brick!"I couldn't help but laugh, blowing a cloud of smoke into the air. "If you want your money so badly, commoner, you should
Rosita’s POV My steps echoed through the hollow garage as I approached the black jeep, a deep frown spreading across my face. I couldn't believe Deangelo had the audacity to spank me—me, a lady of noble birth! The memory of his rough palm against my tender flesh still remained, and I shuddered involuntarily.Silvia's voice jolted me from my trance, and I turned to see the bitch placing a small communication device in my right ear. "This will allow us to guide you to the location you need to make the delivery," she explained.I nodded mutely, and Hugo strode forward, opening the driver's side door with a smirk. "Get in," he commanded.Reluctantly, I climbed into the jeep, moving to sit in the passenger seat. But Hugo's voice stopped me."No, what the hell are you doing? You will be driving, Chica," he said, his brow raised. "For your first mission, you will go alone, so the authorities don't get suspicious."I gripped the steering wheel with both hands, letting out a tired sigh. As I
Deangelo’s POV I slammed my fist against the hospital steel room door. "Let me in!" I growled, my voice rose with each word until I was yelling. I needed to see the beauty, I needed to know she was okay. The door whooshed open with a dull thud, and Silvia's face appeared in the gap. Her face was like iron, stubborn. "You need to control yourself, boss," she commented, her voice soft. "I'm in here to keep an eye on the doctor. Besides, he said you wouldn't be able to handle what you are going to see, so I'm staying by his side. Don't you trust me?" "...um...I." I opened my mouth to argue, but my ability to form a coherent sentence died an undignified death. I trusted Silvia in the past, and I still do now even after she had been gone for so long. She was loyal and dependable. "That's what I thought," she muttered and slammed the door shut in my face. My stomach clenched, flipped, and twisted. I kicked the door lightly; frustration scrambled up my throat. Who could I trust?
Deangelo’s POV The doors of the van slid open, revealing the brightly lit frontage of the hospital. Even from here, I could see the buzz of activity, the constant stream of people walking in and out. I sucked in a deep breath, my heart pitter-pattering against my ribcage as I looked down at the beauty cradled in my arms. Her beautiful body was limp, almost lifeless. I scanned the surroundings, trying to calculate the best way to hijack this hospital. Taking her in through the front door like a normal person was out of the question. Not after what I had been told. A gentle tap on my shoulder made me jump a little. It was the leader of the Italian mafia gang, the ones who were supposed to help me take over the hospital. He started saying something in Italian, and I instinctively looked to the side, expecting to see Isabella, the translator. But she wasn't there, and she was nowhere in the van. "Shit," I muttered under my breath. I turned back to the Italian mafia boss, frustra
Author’s POV A small, black rat ran across the floor of the women's cell, causing the inmates to scream and scramble in a panic. The rat swiftly ran into the dark corridors, where the police officers started yelling and shouting at each other to catch it. Their eyes followed its path as it headed towards the men's cell. The moment the rat crossed the metal bars of the cell, Silvia slammed her right foot down with a grunt, crushing it beneath her. She tossed her hair back, a gesture that somehow intensified her already intimidating presence. "Fuck, I can't believe that this is what my life has been reduced to," she muttered, her voice filled with disgust. Hugo burst into laughter, his laugh bounced around the cell and scraped against Silvia's skin. "Hahaha, this is what we get for going against our boss," he teased. "And it's refreshing to see you mistaken for a dude and thrown in the male cell with me and these bunch of losers." His gaze swept arrogantly over the other male pris
Author’s POV As they continued kissing, her body pressed against his, his erection increased, pressing against her immaculate thigh. Ximena suppressed a shiver, forcing herself to keep her mouth on his, to return his passionate kisses. After a few more moments, he broke the kiss, pulling back slightly. His eyes were hooded with lust, his gaze hungry. "Now," he growled. "I want to fuck you here and now, inside this bathtub, and you are not going to say anything or object, because when I am finished with you, you will be begging for more." "O-Okay," Ximena agreed nervously. She knew this was her chance, her opportunity to regain the upper hand. She just needed him to lower his guard, just a little bit, and then she would strike. Alessandro's hands found her ample breasts, kneading the flesh. His slender fingers slid under the lace bra, stroking her sensitive nipples. Ximena couldn't help but gasp, arching into his touch. She moved, straddling him as she ground her hips against
Author’s POV A blanket of darkness concealed the night sky, and the moon shone over the roofs of the houses in the city. Bright headlights cut through the pitch-black darkness as a car, a fancy black Rolls Royce, passed through the magnificent gates of a heavily guarded roadside mansion. A group of men in charcoal grey suits, rifles held at their sides, stood in the courtyard, their faces serious and expressionless. The car rolled to a stop in front of them, Ximena sat frozen in the passenger seat, her hand closed tightly around the door handle. She took a deep, steady breath, about to throw open the door and confront the men. "Ma…" Vincenzo's voice, strained with agony, stopped her. She turned to look at him, he was pale, clutching the side of his belly. His hand, wrapped in a bloodied bandage, trembled slightly. "Are you sure about this?" he inquired, his voice lower than usual. "The last time I tried to reason with that scumbag, he wasn’t gentle, he has a terrible temper.
Deangelo’s POV The cold night breeze thrashed through the open bathroom window, pebbling my skin with goosebumps. I fought to keep my eyes open, the lack of sleep since the doctor dropped that bombshell pressing heavily on me. I grabbed the beauty's pale cheeks, forcing her mouth open, and tossed the painkiller pills inside. I opened the bottle of water I had in my hand, using my teeth, and began pouring it down her throat. She struggled, her body arching against the ropes I used to tie her hands to the showerhead of the bathtub. I pinched her lips shut, forcing her to swallow the pills. Her eyes were hollow, and it was clear she was even skinnier than before. A lightbulb flashed in my head, a risky, desperate plan, but it was the only option. It was the only way I could save her life. I stepped away from her, pulling my phone from my pocket, my hands shaking nonstop. I turned it on and quickly dialed President Victoria's number. The phone rang and rang before she finally pi
Author’s POV Romano growled, an animalistic sound like a wild animal, and pressed the barrel crown of his handgun against Fernando's delicate forehead. "Get out of my fucking house!" he yelled. Fernando met his gaze, his expression indifferent, showing no hint of fear. "Stop acting like a little bitch," he said calmly. "Come with me to Italy, mi amigo. Our flight leaves in an hour. You are the only one who can save her life, you don't need to tell me what you poisoned her with or how you did it. Just give me the antidote, if you have one." Don Romano cocked the gun, his finger tightening on the trigger. "If you don't get out of my sight this instant, I will forget that you are my best friend and send a bullet through your goddamn skull!" A masculine chuckle escaped Fernando’s lungs, though it held no humor. "You can't shoot me, amigo. You don't have the balls, and I never wanted to be friends with you in the first place..." His voice trailed off, and he continued, "You were th
Author’s POV Stefano looked away, not wanting to be affected by her eyes. "You have no right, absolutely no right, to ask me about our daughter. I begged you not to leave me, not to leave her! She was so young and fragile. She desperately needed her mother. But what did you do?" he asked with a scoff. "You left and never looked back. And now, after all these years, when she no longer needs a mother in her life, you have the nerve, the audacity, to come here saying you want to see her? It's too late for you to act like a mother figure. I will never forgive you for what you—" She cut him off, moving closer to the bed, placing her hand on the edge, her voice loaded with emotion. "We both know I left because of you, Stefano. I couldn't stand you when you were drunk! We both know how much you abused me whenever you were drunk. Rosita might not have understood then, but she would now. I wanted to see her because I heard you didn't give her a good childhood, that you ruined her life, and
Author’s POV Stefano's eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed on the sterile white ceiling of the unfamiliar room. The periodic beeping of a machine nearby and the faint throbbing in his right arm, along with the sharp prick of a needle, told him he was in a hospital bed. He yanked the oxygen mask from his face and sat up, his head swimming. He looked around the empty room, a wave of nausea crashing through him. He reached for the IV tubes connected to his arm, yanking them out with a rush of anger. A sharp pain shot through his arm as the needle tore free, causing blood to well up. He ignored it, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He tried to stand, but something strong pulled him back down. His stomach flipped as he slowly looked down, his heart beating rapidly. His eyes widened in shock as he realized that his legs and hands were chained to the bed. He was completely trapped; there was no escape. A choked scream escaped his lips, filled with frustration and rage. T