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Chapter 9
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2025-03-28 22:21:44
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Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 10
FLORAI stared at the ceiling of the guest bedroom in Dante's penthouse, unable to fall asleep despite the comfortable silk sheets and memory foam mattress. It had been three days since the attack on my apartment forced me to move in here, and despite the luxury surrounding me, I still felt like I was a bird in a gilded cage.The digital clock on the nightstand showed 2:17 AM. With a sigh, I threw off the covers and walked to the kitchen for some water, careful not to make noise. To my surprise, a light was already on."Can't sleep either, dear?" Mrs. Rossi, Dante's housekeeper asked. She was sitting at the kitchen island nursing a cup of tea."No," I admitted, reaching for a glass. "It's too quiet here."Mrs. Rossi nodded in understanding. She was a short, plump Italian woman in her sixties with kind eyes that seemed out of place in Dante's world. Over the past few days, she had become my only real ally in this strange new life."Sit," she instructed, already pouring me some tea. "Ch
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 11
FLORAI woke up the next morning with the memory of Dante's intense gaze still burning in my mind. His words echoed in my ears: "While I still have the strength to let you,” he had said. What did that even mean?When I finally gathered enough courage to leave my room, I found Dante at the breakfast table, scrolling through his phone while sipping a mug of very hot coffee. He barely glanced up."Good morning," he said casually, as if our charged moment on the balcony never happened."Morning," I replied, pouring myself coffee with slightly trembling hands.Despite his apparent indifference, I caught him watching me several times when he thought I wasn't looking. His dark eyes would follow my movements before quickly darting away when I turned. The strange dance continued throughout breakfast, with neither of us acknowledging what had passed between us.After breakfast, Dante announced that we were heading to his office. The drive was silent, filled with tension and unspoken words.At t
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 12
FLORAThe sound of gunfire filled the air as Dante threw himself over me, shielding me with his body. His warmth pressed against me, and his heartbeat thundered against my back as bullets ricocheted around us."Stay down!" he ordered. His breath felt hot against my ear.A black SUV screeched to a halt beside us, and Dante's security team poured out, guns drawn as they returned fire into the darkness."Go, go!" Dante shouted, moving urgently and half-dragging me toward the vehicle.We were almost there when one of his men cried out, immediately falling to the ground in pain. Blood spread across his white shirt like spilled wine."Mario!" Dante yelled. His voice cracked with genuine emotion for the first time since I had known him.Together we hauled the wounded man into the SUV. I pressed my hands against his wound as Dante slammed the door."Drive!" he ordered. "Get us out of here!"The driver hurriedly pulled away from the curb, the tires screeching against the pavement. I expected h
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 13
FLORAI paced my bedroom floor while Dante's cold words kept echoing in my mind. "Bring him to me." Four simple words that likely meant death for Anthony Ricci.I barely knew Anthony. Our interaction had lasted all of five minutes on a dance floor. Yet the thought of him dying because of a hit he may or may not have ordered made my stomach turn. Could I warn him somehow? An anonymous call, perhaps?But I knew the consequences of betraying Dante would be severe. He had made that clear from day one. "Loyalty is everything in this world," he had told me. And I had no doubt about what happened to those who weren't loyal.My mother's face flashed in my mind. If I crossed Dante, what would happen to her? The medication she needed, and the care I could now afford to give her, all of it would vanish. And for what? A man I didn't know, who was part of another criminal organization?I needed a clearer picture of what I was dealing with. While Dante was out, I slipped into his office, searching
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 14
FLORA The drive to Mount Sinai Medical Center was a blur. Dante broke every traffic law in existence as his Maserati wove through cars like a missile. I sat frozen in the passenger seat while my mind kept racing with worst-case scenarios. "She'll be okay," Dante said. His voice was unusually gentle. "I've already called ahead. The best specialists are waiting." I couldn't even respond. My throat was too tight as fear enveloped me. This was exactly what I had been dreading. It was the nightmare that kept me working two jobs and made me sacrifice everything I could. When we arrived, Dante didn't bother with parking. He left the car in the ambulance bay, and tossed the keys to a security guard with a handful of bills and instructions to "keep it close." No one objected. Even here, his authority was absolute. When the Assistant Head Specialist in charge of the Nephrology Department, Dr. Adams met us at the elevator, his face was grim. "Her kidneys have completely failed," he explained
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 15
FLORA I stared at the dead rat in the box with its stiff body surrounded by blood-soaked newspapers. My stomach churned, but I forced myself not to look away. In the little time since I'd worked for Dante Romano, I'd seen a lot but this was the height of it. Dante had come into my room. Now, he slammed the lid back on the box and pushed it away. His jaw tightened, and a muscle pulsed at his temple. "It's what I feared," he said. His voice was deadly calm. It was the kind of calm that preceded violence. "We have a rat." Salvatore cursed under his breath. "Only twelve people knew about Ricci's capture." "Twelve too many," Dante replied. When he turned to me, his dark eyes were intense. "Flora, you're not leaving here until we sort this out." "What do you mean, I’m not leaving? Won’t I go to work?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "You work for me, so as your boss, I’m making you stay at home. Don't argue." He pulled out his phone and fired off a text. "I've increased secur
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 16
FLORAThe plane descended through clouds that hung like cotton over the Sicilian countryside. I pressed my face against the window, taking in the patchwork of vineyards, olive groves, and small villages nestled in the hills. Dante sat across from me in his private jet, watching my reaction with something like anticipation in his eyes."It's beautiful," I said. My voice was still raspy from the attack."Wait until you see the estate," he replied. There was pride in his voice. "It's been in my family for generations."We landed at a small private airstrip where two black SUVs awaited us. The men who greeted Dante spoke rapid Italian, and their manners were respectful but familiar. These weren't employees; they were family.An hour's drive through winding roads brought us to massive iron gates emblazoned with an ornate "R." They swung open as we approached, revealing a long driveway lined with cypress trees.At the end stood what could only be described as a fortress disguised as a vill
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 17
FLORADays passed slowly at the Romano estate. I found myself wandering the sprawling villa, tracing my fingers over antiques that had witnessed generations of secrets. Without Dante, the place felt both more intimidating and more intriguing.I had taken to spending mornings in the library, afternoons exploring the vineyards, and evenings trying to study the complex family dynamics that were usually on display at dinner. Giovanni still regarded me with suspicion, but it had gradually lessened, turning into something closer to curiosity.On my fifth day, I ventured into the village, accompanied by Maria, the housekeeper who had been with the family for over forty years."Everyone is watching us," I whispered as we walked through the small town market.Maria nodded. "Of course. You are with the Romano family. Here, they are..." she searched for the English word, "...royalty."I noticed how shopkeepers rushed to serve us, how conversations hushed when we passed, and how men nodded respec
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31
Bab terbaru
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 46
FLORAThe entire room froze. Dante’s whole body was tense beside me, and it looked as though his body was coiled like a spring."Don't," Dante warned his father. His voice was low but he sounded really deadly."Or what?" Antonio taunted. "This is how it ends, son. With you watching as I take everything you care about, piece by piece." His finger tightened on the trigger. "Starting with her.""If you touch her, I will tear you apart with my bare hands,” Dante said. Each word was sharp enough to cut glass,Antonio's smile widened. "You’re finally showing some Romano spirit, Dante. But unfortunately, it's too late." His eyes met mine. "You look just like your mother," he added. For a moment, his features turned ugly with rage. "You have the same defiant look she had. I hated that look.""You knew my mother," I said, stalling. My heart was racing."I knew everyone in Carlo's life," Antonio said. "Including the woman who tempted my brother away from his loyalty to this family. Your mother
Bound To The Mafia Don Chapter 45
FLORAThe silence that fell over the restaurant was deafening. I watched as Dante's entire body went rigid, and his entire face drained of color as though he had just seen a ghost. I guess he had, in a way."Hello, son." The older man's voice cut through the silence in the room like a knife. "Surprised to see me?"Antonio Romano stood just inside the restaurant entrance, surrounded by two large men with semi-automatic weapons. He looked like an older version of Dante. They both had the same piercing eyes, and the same strong jawline, but Antonio had silver spread through his dark hair and deep lines carved into his face. His smile was nothing like his son's; though. Dante's smile was nice enough and it could warm a room occasionally, but Antonio's was nothing but cold and cruel."This is impossible," Dante whispered. His voice was barely audible, but I could still hear him. I had never seen him like this, though. He looked so shocked, vulnerable, and almost childlike as the disbelief
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.
