"You said that as if it were going to be the last time," he said suspiciously. Alex had to be the smartest person that I've ever met. I tried to rack my brain for a reasonable excuse to get out of this, but I couldn't find anything. So, I settled on the truth."I don't know if this is the last time I'll ever see you, but I promise that for every chance I get to love you-I'm going to treat it like it's the last time. We never know, Zozo," I said, shrugging sadly. He sat down right beside me. Dodging looking at him, my eyes found the documents on the nightstand. I quickly grabbed ahold of the paper and immediately signed my name. Instead of 'Isabella Martinez', it was now Bella. In a way, it was like I was still taking a part of myself in this new chapter of my life. I'm leaving out the beginning of my name, and taking the last with me. The beginning was full of fairy tales, but the end is going to be the bella of reality. [ Beauty ]"Why do I feel like you're lying to me?" He asked. T
I waited about an hour after Alex had fallen asleep. It was almost impossible to calm my breathing as if I were sleeping when I couldn't stop thinking about the mission at hand. Finally, he had happened to go to sleep with one hand on my boob and the other around my waist. This position was a lot newer than any other before it.Slowly, I grabbed my pillow and slipped it where I had been. I could feel his hand that was cupping my breast, giving it a little squeeze. Biting down on my lip, I resisted the urge to squeal. It had taken me by surprise, but it didn't surprise me that he was so grabby in his sleep.When I succeeded in switching out my body for the pillow, I turned around to look at his sleeping figure. He looked angelic, even with all of the tattoos that littered his skin. It took me by surprise how beautiful this man could look without even trying.Tip-toeing out of the room, I made it out before walking down the stairs. Valentino looked impatient as ever as he waited for me.
"Hey, let the lady out" the cashier began but was cut off as a gunshot fired off and struck him right in the chest. My eyes widened as I looked over at the cashier. His body was lifeless in only seconds. "Your father, Sean Ivanov, has sent us to come get you and bring you to his home," The first man who was kind enough to pay for my unnecessary tampons but wasn't kind enough to shoot someone, had said. "Sean Ivanov? You must have the wrong girl. My father's name is Sean Martinez," I said, playing as dumb as I could. The less that they believed I knew, the more advantage I would have. They looked at each other before grabbing ahold of my arm and dragging me towards a black BMW."Ow! That hurts!" I yelled to the second guy who was grabbing me so hard that he was pinching my skin. He quickly let go, inspecting my arm before just allowing the first guy to place me in the back of his truck. "Your boyfriend left you out this late, alone?" Thing One asked as he sat on the driver's side, l
My heart was hammering in my chest, but I managed to keep a stone-cold expression on my face. Sean was looking at me, waiting for a peep of some reaction. I knew that I had to play my cards out correctly if I wanted to make it out alive."What crap? If there's any crap going on here it's you. What is this place? Is there where you've been half of my life?" I asked, turning the tables. For a second, guilt flashed in his eyes before he took a step towards me. "There's a lot more to the story, baby girl," he told me. This confused me to settle at my bones as I raised a brow suspiciously. "Before I explain anything to you, I need you to tell me the truth about those Italians. I've heard that you were in an intimate relationship with the Don. I'm not a fool, Isabella, and I raised you to be a lot better than a liar," he stated angrily, turning the tables once more. My brain was spinning, trying to find ways to get out of this one."What else was I supposed to do, Daddy? They were all thr
The ultimatum was to either become his wife or become one of his brother's girls. I could spend my life having sex for money. There was nothing else I could do. So, I agreed and I allowed him to use me. Like I said before, there was nothing else I could do," I said, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear before letting out a sniffle. He pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around me in an embrace before kissing the top of my head. It felt different than the hugs from before. They say that the truth will set us free, but I've never felt more trapped. "You can stay here. I'll have Anton take you to your room," he said before snapping his fingers. Thing one entered the living room right on cue. He looked a lot stiffer than the guards at home. I watched as he stood in front of me at a distance with his eyes straight in front of him.I got up from my seat, picking up the pharmacy bag in the process. Taking the box of tampons out, I handed the bag to my father. He looked at the bag
It was thing one as he gripped my neck, squeezing the life out of me. I began to claw at his hand as he held me against my father's door. My pulse was slowing down as oxygen began to become difficult to suck into my lungs."Adrian, Otstan' ot moyey docheri, seychas zhe!" My father shouted just as he dropped his grip around my neck. My body fell to the ground with a thud. Thing one turned away from me to look at my father who had been coming towards us. Anger was clear on his expression to the point that I knew I was in deep trouble [ get the f*ck off my daughter now ]"I caught her coming out of your office,” Adrian stated, turning stone-cold once again. He was looking straight out in front of him as my father finally walked up to the both of us. I had decided to dramatize not being able to breathe as I held onto my neck and really 'focused' on getting air to my lungs.I could feel my father's eyes burning holes into me right before he turned to look at Adrian. "Ty dolzhen byl priyti
"You're the reason I live and breathe every single day," he told me. A smile made its way onto my face as I nodded my head. I believe what made this semi-easy was the fact that he wanted to believe me. When you want something, it's almost as if your mentality tries its best to shape it no matter the strays."I've missed you so much," I lied. Lying was becoming a much easier thing to do. I guess that is what happens when you live your life surrounded by nothing but lies. "Let's get you back to your room," he stated."Where's mom?" I asked him. His eyebrows came together in confusion as if he had no clue why I would ask about her."Last time I checked, she was with the Italians," he said. I noticed how he didn't look away like he normally did when he was preparing to tell a lie. He was telling the truth. If my mother wasn't with the Russians like Alex had said she would be, where was she?"If that were true, why didn't she ever help me?" I asked, playing along with my story. He shrugge
My eyes were on my father's face. The worst part was that I could still see the love behind his eyes. It was almost as if he didn't want to believe that I had betrayed him.He took a step closer to me, but on instinct, I raised the gun in my hand towards him. My eyes were blurred with tears as I looked at my father-the only man who was ever truly there for me as a kid. My mind was racing with my heart, both of them trying to figure out who deserved first place."Isabella, I meant every word that I said. I love you, and you're the only person in my life that I've ever loved," he told me, a tear falling from his eye as he held up his hands.Shaking my head, my tears began to fall as I looked at him. "Why do you keep lying to me? Why does everyone just keep lying after lying? I don't even know what to believe anymore," I cried out.My emotions were everywhere as I looked at him. The fact that I was so angry at myself added to the anger that I felt for Valentino. I was sad because there w
You never needed me, you only needed to believe in yourself.”I could feel my eyes blurring as I looked at my imaginative Aria. “You need to let me go. I have always loved you, my banana, but now you love yourself enough for the both of us.”“Goodbye, Aria. I love you,” I whispered softly.Valerio looked at me with a small smile just as the doors opened. My eyes were quick to look at Valentino, who seemed just as nervous as me. Valerio and I walked in slow strides toward the altar with my smile never leaving my face. As we were walking, my eyes were brimming with tears of joy.We continued down the aisle until we finally made it to the altar, where Valerio kissed my cheek.“Who gives this woman to this man in marriage?” the priest asked.Valerio glanced at me before taking my right hand and placing it into Valentino’s.“I do,” he answered.I smiled at him once more, feeling so thankful to have met him. He then took my left hand and placed it in Valentino’s as well after I had passed m
ANASTASIAIt was definitely not a ‘woo’ experience. Being dressed in an all-white dress that looked so beautiful and elegant should’ve made me feel like a queen. I didn’t feel like a queen at all. My belly was swollen with a baby girl and I couldn’t help feeling nervous.As I stared at myself in the full-length mirror, my hand rubbed my giant baby bump. There was a frown on my face as I looked at myself. I was marrying the man I loved with all of my heart, I was going to have a baby, and I should feel like the happiest person in the world—why was I so scared?“Are you okay?” Isabella asked, coming into the room with Sarah.“Yeah, I just…”Suddenly, I began to cry. I tried my best to not mess up my makeup, but it was already too late. Everything was going to change after this, and I knew it.“Sarah, can you go get her mom?” Isabella asked before walking over to me and bringing me into her embrace.She held me tightly as she rubbed my back up and down.“Don’t cry. If you want, I’ll go s
I got down on my knees and quickly undid his slacks and pushed them down. His erection was long and thick, just perfectly in front of me underneath his boxers. He grabbed my hair and kept my face level with his cock. I pushed down his boxers and bit my lip at the sight of him.I began to stroke it once it was free. I braced myself with my hand on his hip and gripped his shaft with my other hand. I began to jerk him off, slowly at first. When he pulled my hair back, I took that as my cue to stroke him faster and grip his cock tighter.Soon, I started to blow him in earnest. My tongue swirled around his shaft as I brought it into my mouth. Bringing his cock deep into my throat to the point I was at his base before I pulled back while running my tongue along the underside of it. Suddenly, I was bobbing my head faster and faster before I looked up at him. He let out a groan while tossing his head back and shutting his eyes. I sucked him gently, which resulted in me taking his whole shaft
ANASTASIASeven months later“I am really going to miss you guys,” I told Isabella and her big baby bump.She was going to name her baby boy Andrea, and I wished I could witness it all. That day after she was shot, she learned she was pregnant. It hurt to think about how we could’ve experienced everything at the same time, but Valentino helped me let that hurt go.Her recovery was very fast. She was able to walk again in less than a month, seeing as the bullet didn’t hit anything too major. Isabella was quick to forgive Valentino, and the same for Alex.Isabella placed one last small bag into the trunk of the car. It was the last day I would be seeing her. She didn’t want to stay in the lifestyle Valentino and Alex were born in, which I understood. I only wished I didn’t have to miss so much with her gone.“We will make sure to visit at every possible chance.” Isabella smiled. My shoulders fell as I looked at her. It was really going to be lonely without her there.“You ready?” Alex a
I couldn’t even allow myself to have an expression. Everything still felt so wrong. Being happy felt wrong. He lifted my shirt off of me before taking off the shorts that the hospital had given. The fresh panties I got from the hospital were already covered in blood, and as I looked down, I sucked in a breath and started crying once more.He was going to realize that I’m incapable of doing something like carrying his baby. I was a disgrace, which is exactly why Aria should be alive instead of me.“Shh, it’s okay,” he whispered before bringing me into his chest.I knew what he was doing—he was trying not to allow me to see it, but it was stuck on repeat in my brain. It was my baby.He peeled off my panties, which only resulted in me crying more as I wrapped my arms around his neck and sobbed into the crook of his neck. He pulled them down until they were off my legs before allowing his hand to climb up to the clasp of my bra. He undid the clasp and then took it off of me.When I turned
He walked right past me as if I meant nothing.As I leaned against my car, I broke down. Sobs were bubbling out of me, and my tears were falling nonstop. Suddenly, a hand gripped my shoulder, shocking me to turn around. Seeing that it was Alex, surprise stirred in me“Are you okay?” he asked. I hiccupped as I nodded with a small smile. My tears still wouldn’t stop falling.“Isabella is going to be fine. They have her sedated to make things less painful for her, but they said she will be awake by tomorrow,” he informed me. I was glad she would be okay, it felt nice to finally receive some good news. “I feel bad for the way I spoke to my brother. He may not be the best person in the world, but he’s done a lot for me and so little for himself. Even if he almost killed my girlfriend, I know he’s beating himself up for it more than anyone else could. I know my brother enough to say that he didn’t mean anything he just said to you. He gets like that sometimes, where he pushes people away. D
ANASTASIASarah had gratefully gotten the location where Isabella and Valentino were. My heart dropped when she told me they were at the hospital. I prayed they were both okay.I hurriedly made my way to the hospital, the place I’d really begun to hate with every fiber in my body. The moment I arrived, I could see Isabella being pushed through the halls. My jaw dropped when I noticed she was covered in blood. Nurses and doctors were rushing her into a room, and I tried to follow but was pushed back.“Isabella!” I shouted, tears falling from my eyes.I tried to find Valentino, but he was nowhere to be found. Worry clouded my mind as I hoped he wasn’t hurt.I picked up my phone and tried dialing Valentino’s number again, but it wouldn’t go through. It kept going straight to voicemail. This undying need to scream settled within me. I couldn’t handle the thought of losing someone I loved again.“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re going to have to go back to the waiting room,” one of the nurses
I held my gun with a smirk on my face. It had been so long that I wanted to see him with the barrel of a gun pointed directly at him. It was karma. I remember when I had been in his same position twenty years ago—scared and hurt.“She did.” I laughed. “Isabella, come here, doll.”She hesitated, but with one look at the gun in my hand, she came over to where I stood.“You told me you were going to prove to me where your loyalty lies, so do it. Prove it to me,” I growled.Her eyes widened when I handed her a different gun. It was small, but it could cause just as much damage as any gun could.“What? No! This isn’t part of the plan!” Isabella shouted. Her eyes were wide as she held the gun. Despite it being small, it looked big in her tiny hands.Suddenly, her dad made a move at her, leaving her to aim the gun at him. Her breathing was heavy as she stared at her father. There was a quiver as she held the gun. Perspiration coated her forehead and her chest was rising and falling dramatica
VALENTINOWhen my brother told me about his suspicions of Isabella possibly being pregnant, I almost lost it. There was no way he wanted to take part in the plan we had been constructing our entire lives. Even when I told him that Dmitri was coming in a week with plans to bring down our entire organization to get his daughter, Alex didn’t care.It didn’t make sense to me how he could be so careless over that girl. I wished I actually wanted to respect my brother’s request for us to drop the mission, but I couldn’t. He didn’t have to go through the nightmares of that day―I did. Luckily for him, he couldn’t remember the way our mother’s eyes stared at me as she begged for someone to help her. He wasn’t able to understand that our whole family looked to me in order to save them, and I didn’t. Alex was so fucking lucky that he didn’t have to go downstairs and clean up all the splatters of blood left in the house. He didn’t have to live through that shit, but I did.To think that he wanted