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Chapter 17
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2025-03-31 20:23:47
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Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 18
FLORA"I'm going back. Now." My voice echoed through Giovanni's study where he had gathered his advisors to discuss Dante's situation. They hadn’t agreed to let me leave Sicily as had been planned earlier, and I had resisted vehemently, so the conversation was escalating quickly.All eyes turned to me, their expressions ranging from surprise to annoyance."Now that I think about it deeply, leaving is out of the question, Flora," Giovanni said firmly. "We don't know who orchestrated this attack. Until we do, you have to remain here where it's safe."I stepped forward, my fear for Dante overwhelming any caution I should have felt. "I'm not asking for permission. I'm telling you I'm leaving for America immediately."A muscle twitched in Giovanni's jaw. It was the same way Dante's did when he was angry. The family resemblance sent an uncomfortable shiver through me."You don't give the orders here, girl," one of the older men said."Enough, Paolo." Giovanni silenced him with a look before
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 19
FLORAThree days passed. My days were filled with endless doctors, coming and going, security checks, and tense waiting. Dante remained unconscious but stable as his vital signs slowly improved. I barely left his side, instead choosing to sleep in the uncomfortable chair next to his bed. I was afraid that if I walked away, I would return to find him gone.Sofia brought me fresh clothes and food that I picked at without tasting. Giovanni coordinated security from Dante's mansion, sending hourly updates. The Ricci family had gone to ground after their failed attack, but no one believed the war was over.On the fourth morning, when Sofia arrived with coffee and bagels I wouldn't eat, I finally confronted her."The other day you said I'm not you and Dante's sister," I said. My voice sounded hoarse from disuse. "We need to finish that conversation."Sofia glanced at Dante's unconscious form, then nodded. "But not here."She led me to a small courtyard behind the clinic where patients were
Last Updated : 2025-03-31Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 20
FLORAMy head throbbed terribly as consciousness returned. The harsh smell of rust and decay filled my nostrils as I tried to move, only to discover that my wrists had been bound tightly behind me. Panic immediately surged through my body as my eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering in through the broken windows high above.When I looked around I could see that I was in some kind of abandoned factory. Water dripped steadily from pipes overhead, creating small puddles on the concrete floor. Rusty machinery was scattered about in the shadows."She's awake," a voice called out.Footsteps echoed across the empty space as Vincent Ricci stepped into view. His expensive suit looked out of place in these dilapidated surroundings. His son Anthony lingered a few steps behind him, and he made it a point to avoid my gaze."Ms. Miller," Vincent said. His voice was surprisingly calm. "I apologize for the accommodations.""What do you want?" I croaked. My throat was dry from lack of hydration.Vin
Last Updated : 2025-04-02Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 21
FLORAThe factory erupted into chaos as Dante's men burst through multiple entrances. Gunfire crackled through the air, and bullets bounced off metal surfaces, shattering what remained of the glass windows. I stayed low, using the moment of confusion to move away from the chair completely, and finally, my loose restraints gave way.But before I could make a run for it, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around my throat from behind."Don't move," Alvaro hissed harshly into my ear. He pressed his gun against my temple. "You're my ticket out of here."He dragged me backward roughly, using my body as a shield while Dante's men advanced through the factory floor, immediately taking cover behind machinery and pillars. Through the gunfire and shouting, I could see some of Vincent's men retreating, while others fell to the floor as they were hit by bullets."Move!" Alvaro yelled as he pulled me toward a side corridor, drawing me away from the heat of things. The narrow passageway was dark, and th
Last Updated : 2025-04-03Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 22
FLORAI ran for the staircase, nearly falling over as I hurried along. The helicopter pilot, seeing the outcome of the fight, was already shutting down the engine. Clearly, he didn’t want to be any part of what had just happened.I took the stairs two at a time, and my heart kept hammering against my ribs as I ran down. Please be alive. Please be alive, I kept chanting in my mind, repeating the prayer over and over with each step that I took.When I rushed across the factory floor and finally got to where they were, I saw Alvaro first. He was lying on his back with his neck bent at an impossible angle. His eyes were open but blank. I knew he was dead.In front of him was Dante. He was covered in blood and glass, but his chest was rising and falling with shallow breaths. I was careful not to disturb any of his injuries as I dropped to my knees beside him "Dante?" I whispered, taking his hand.His eyes fluttered open, focusing on me with effort. "Are you okay?" he rasped.Tears stung
Last Updated : 2025-04-04Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 23
FLORA"The quarterly profit margins are up twelve percent," I said, sliding the reports across Dante's desk toward where he was sitting in an armchair. He still looked pale but he was already on the way to recovery. "In addition to that, I changed the supply chain for the construction companies, which should save us about twenty thousand a month."Dante raised an eyebrow as he studied the papers with interest. "You did all this in three weeks?" he asked incredulously."Those business classes in high school finally paid off," I replied, shrugging as I tried to downplay my growing confidence. "Plus, it's not rocket science. It’s just basic efficiency improvements that no one ever bothered to implement."It had been nearly a month since the factory incident. Dante had been confined to bed rest for the first two weeks. He had grudgingly followed Dr. Chen’s orders after Sofia threatened to have him sedated if he didn't cooperate. Somehow during that time, I had gone from bringing him file
Last Updated : 2025-04-05Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 24
FLORAThe words hung between us now. It was a challenge I hadn't meant to use, and now I couldn’t take it back. Dante's eyes darkened, and his face hardened into the mask I had seen him wear with his enemies but never with me."Jealous?" he scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself, Flora Miller."The dismissal stung more than it should have and now I was determined to get my own pound of flesh back. "Right. Because you've been so warm and welcoming since the factory incident. You’ve barely spoken to me except about business. You keep watching me when you think I don't notice, then you shut down if I try to have an actual conversation with you.""I've been recovering from nearly dying," he said coldly."And building new walls," I countered. "I'm your family, not your possession, Dante. You can't forbid me from doing anything."Dante remained silent, and the expression on his face remained unreadable too."Is that why you've kept your distance?" I demanded, unable to stop now that I had started
Last Updated : 2025-04-06Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 25
FLORAThe warehouse felt colder as Salvatore's words hung in the air. I stared at him as I was unable to process what he just said."That's impossible," I finally managed to say after a while. "My mother wasn't… She couldn't have been—""An FBI agent," Salvatore finished, opening the folder he had pushed toward me. "Code name Lily. Assigned to infiltrate the Romano family through Carlo, who they believed was vulnerable to manipulation."My hands trembled as I picked up the first photograph. It was a younger version of my mother in a formal FBI jacket, standing among a group of graduates from Quantico. I had never seen this picture before, and had never even suspected something like this existed."This can't be real," I whispered, more to myself than to Salvatore."Carlo Romano isn't your father, Flora," he said gently. "It was a lie created to protect your mother after she disappeared."I looked up sharply. "What are you talking about?" I questioned.Salvatore removed another document
Last Updated : 2025-04-06
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Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 44
FLORA"This isn't a proposal," Dante clarified quickly. "Not yet. I'm still a man under federal supervision, rebuilding a new legacy, different from the one that was tainted by generations of blood. But it's a promise that if we survive this, I want to build something real. I want something legitimate with you, Flora."I stared at the ring in awe as its stones caught the moonlight. After everything we had been through—the fear, the betrayal, the violence—this moment of tenderness felt almost unreal."We're going to survive," I told him as I let him slip the ring onto my right hand. "And then I'm going to hold you to that promise."He pulled me against his chest, and for a moment, we were just a man and woman looking toward the future, not a crime boss and his unlikely partner planning for war.***Morning arrived too quickly. I sat at a table in the newly rebuilt Romano restaurant, drinking a cup of coffee I really couldn't taste. The space had been transformed since the bombing attac
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 43
FLORA"Absolutely not," Dante snapped immediately."Her plan actually makes sense," Salvatore said carefully, while ignoring Dante's glare. "Anthony is emotional. His hatred is quite predictable, if nothing else.""I'm not dangling Flora in front of Anthony like a worm on a hook," Dante growled. His fists had turned white because of the way he was clenching them. “She won’t be used as bait.”"At the end of the day, it’s not your decision, Dante,” I replied firmly. "I'm volunteering. And I'll be surrounded by federal agents and whatever security you arrange. This is our best chance to end this."Sofia studied me for a short moment. There were hints of respect and approval in her eyes. "She's right, Fratello. Anthony won't be able to resist.""Where should we use?" Salvatore asked. "It needs to be somewhere we can control."I didn't hesitate. "The restaurant. The original Romano family restaurant,” I suggested.Dante's head snapped up immediately. "Why there in particular?" he questione
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 42
FLORA"Absolutely not,” I said, crossing my arms as I stared down at Dante from across the penthouse living room. "I'm not going into hiding."Dante's jaw tensed visibly as he kept pacing around, and the ankle monitor blinked with each forceful step he took. The morning sunlight coming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows made his shadow appear very long across the marble floor. He hadn't slept throughout the night. The dark circles under his eyes and the rough stubble on his jaw told me that much."This isn't negotiable, Flora. Anthony's threat was explicit." His voice was low and controlled, but I could hear the edge of fear underneath it. Not for himself, because Dante Romano had never feared for himself, but for me.After discovering Anthony Ricci was alive and was now targeting me, Dante had spent the entire night either on the phone or pacing around the entire penthouse. By morning, he had arranged for a federal safe house three states away, complete with a new identity and 2
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 41
FLORAAfter I concluded my testimony for the day, I headed straight to Oakwood Care Center, which was the upscale facility where my mother now received treatment. The frozen Romano accounts had been partially released as part of Dante's cooperation agreement, and some of that money now funded experimental treatments for my mother's condition.The care center was somehow even better than Mount Sinai Medical Center, the last facility where she had been receiving treatment at. And it was quite a far cry from the rundown hospital where she had spent so many years. Here, there were beautiful gardens surrounding the modern building, and the interior looked more like a luxury hotel than a medical facility. Every time I visited, I couldn’t help but marvel at the change in our circumstances. Less than a year ago, I had been cleaning offices and scrubbing toilets to pay for basic medications. And now my mother had a team of specialists.I found her sitting in the facility's garden with an ope
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 40
FLORAMy hands couldn't stop trembling as I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair of the federal courthouse. I could feel the weight of dozens of eyes gazing at me from all sides: prosecutors, defense attorneys, jury members, and reporters who were scribbling frantically on their notepads. The courtroom was grand and imposing with its high ceilings, dark wood paneling, and the enormous American flag hanging behind the judge's bench. Every sound echoed, be it the scratch of pens, the rustle of papers, or even when people coughed occasionally.Nervously, I kept smoothing down the fabric of the conservative navy blue dress Sofia had insisted I wear. “Never underestimate the power of appearance," she had told me this morning as she was helping me to style my hair into a modest bun. "You need to look respectable but not wealthy. You need to look like you've been victimized but not broken.""Ms. Miller, could you please state for the record what you witnessed at the Ricci estate on the ni
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 39
FLORAThe silence that followed was tense. There was no explosion. There was no sound from the timer either. Now we were completely surrounded by darkness and the sound of our rough breathing.Dante's arms found me in the dark, and he immediately pulled me against his chest tightly. I could feel his heart hammering against mine, as our pulses raced in unison. We stood there, frozen, as we waited for the world to end.But it didn't."Is it over?" I whispered after what felt like an eternity.Before Dante could answer, a shaky laughter came from the darkness surrounding the basement. "This... isn't... over," Vincent spat. "The Romano empire must die with me."Dante didn't release me, but I felt him turn toward the sound. "You've lost, Vincent. Give up. It's over.""You could have... killed me upstairs," Vincent said. His voice was already growing weaker at this point. "Your mercy... makes you weak... just like your uncle.""I'm not my father," Dante said firmly. "And I'm not going to be
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 38
FLORA"Sixty seconds."Vincent's words filled the air as time seemed to slow around me. I watched Dante's face transform from shock to determination in just an instant."Where's the main electrical panel?" I asked. My voice cut through the tension immediately.Dante's eyes quickly moved to mine. "It’s in the basement. The original system is still there."I didn't wait for further instructions. While Dante lunged toward Vincent and Agent Wilson shouted orders to his men, I l sprinted toward the back of the restaurant. The kitchen timer continued its merciless countdown, and each tick that sounded kept echoing in my ears.The door to the basement was behind the bar. I pulled it open and rushed down the narrow stairs with my heart pounding heavily in my chest as I went down. The science classes I took in high school had been brief. They had just been for a semester before I dropped them to pursue other interests, but they might be enough to save lives tonight.The basement was dimly lit.
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 37
FLORAThe lights of Romano's restaurant cast a warm glow on the sidewalk as our car hurriedly pulled up a block away. Police sirens were already wailing around in the distance as the aftermath of the assault on the Riccis penthouse spread across the city."Stay here with Sofia," I told Rex and Luis. "If I'm not out in fifteen minutes, then you should call for backup."Sofia grabbed my hand firmly. "Be careful, Flora,” she warned. “You know Vincent has nothing left to lose now.” There were tears in her eyes as she gazed at me. I nodded and slipped out of the car. Then I began to move quietly toward the restaurant. Through the windows, I could see two figures inside. It was Dante and Vincent, and they were both facing each other across the dining room. Vincent was holding something in his hand. I knew it had to be the trigger device.I was about to enter inside when a sudden movement from across the street caught my eye. There were dark vehicles with tinted windows parked. And men in t
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 36
FLORAThe night air was cool against my face as we sped through the city streets. Dante had informed me of his decision. We would save innocent lives first, then deal with Vincent after that. I couldn't help the rush of relief I felt when I knew that he had chosen people over revenge. He had done the right thing."We need to split up," Dante said. His voice was full of tension as he drove fast. "We will cover more ground that way." He had assembled what remained of his loyal crew, and now there were a dozen men or so spread across three different SUVs. The dashboard clock read 10:28 PM. It was just over an hour and a half until midnight."How many bombs are we talking about?" I asked, trying to stay calm despite the panic spreading through my chest."Based on what Anthony said, there should be at least six, or maybe even more." Dante's knuckles were white on the steering wheel. "Vincent would definitely target places that would hurt us the most.""And places with people too," I added
