[ADLER]“...look into it, Don Adler; my offer benefits you even more than it does me.”Adler pulled a wedge from his golf bag: This was why he needed Salvatore, and if he hadn't pulled off that stunt, he wouldn't be here finding a middle ground with Guordiola’s son when all he wanted to do was see his brain spill on grass.Looking at the scores of bodyguards he came with, Adler knew the feeling was mutual; obviously, the competitive animosity had been passed down from father to child, for even though Guardiola, who was one of the influential tycoons, worked so closely together with Domenico, they each watched their backs.After Domenico stepped aside, Salvatore handled negotiations, and Adler focused on the field. However, caught between Rune's triumphant smile and teasing "I told you so" and his distaste for golf, he felt trapped.But not trapped enough to admit he was wrong; he wasn't, and he would stand by that, even if he kept making silly decisions that kept him isolated from eve
LILY.Rune's plans were always over the extreme, one that should be supervised before letting fly, but when a matriarch like Nonna was involved, the result was me in between these men masquerading a bold front while inside, I was a freighting train."Is there anything to lose?" he had asked in Nonna's room. But right now, I could think of numerous things at risk.I sighed in relief when, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Rune snatching Adler's gun; I flicked my hair back. He had begun this shit; it was just natural for me to play along.At least for me.Not to begin acting like it was all your idea, Lily.I shut down my inner voice."Lily, what do you do?" Luigi Guardiola began as he sized the ball with the club, "Apart from being beautiful?"He swung the club, sending the ball flying, momentarily capturing my attention. From his firm grip on the club to his swing, something about it seemed oddly familiar."I'm a caregiver," I replied when he began to walk up to me. It was how he wa
RUNE…"If you fight half as aggressively as you do in bed, you'll have me on my back," he murmured, so only she heard.Kyra chuckled, flexing her fingers and rounded her fist, ready for her first strike.He understood why everyone in the training room appeared uninterested in their sparring matches, unlike their enthusiasm during Don and the consigliere's sessions.They all knew that he always ended up on the floor with this bodyguard.Kyra was strong and quick, with an incredibly lethal endurance; she was notoriously known among the other soldiers. Most avoided her like a plague; being one of her challengers and ending up beaten wasn't a flex.However, with him, it was one. He knew how to get under her skin, so she drew blood from him, and somehow, the harder she hit, the more significant his achievement.But lately, he was having none of that. Instead, there was a woman who had treated his wounds and even stayed the night when he wanted her to, in a way that went beyond the sex.Whi
LILY.The shelves, rows, and columns were filled with books, and the smell of newly opened packages, ink, and flowers owned the room. I had never been in this space before, and staring at Rune's face, neither had he.Except for Adler.And there he was, obviously fidgeting and struggling to get his words out. That had to be the reason he didn't notice the huge bags under my eyes; he had all of his concentration on forming a simple sentence.In the last two days, there was the thought that he would never do it. Even after our encounter in the golf cart, I continued to be ignored, more like avoided, and yeah, I took it like a champ and sulked alone on my bed and in the dark.Seeing them now, I felt the darkness hovering around me disappear into thin air. It had been days of getting accustomed to the strangeness and struggling to get used to living without him."...can I text my apologies instead?"I scowled at him, and he sighed again. "Fuck me."Salvatore's smile was faint, but I caught
EVAShe folded her apron and handed it to Antonio from over the counter. “That's it.""You were supposed to leave an hour ago, Eva," he said, taking it from her. "I understand the rules and regulations keep you safe, but being in this place at eleven doesn't cut it.""She never listens," Tamara said, appearing beside her, leaning against the counter. "Listen, sugar. I know you want to make enough money and help however you can, but your safety comes first."She would have rolled her eyes if it were anyone but them; instead, she found the warmth in her chest. It was how they had picked up interest in her right from the onset. It was the way they took her as one of their own.Or that was what it felt like.Maybe it was how they reminded her of her family, the strong bond between her parents, and the love they shared.Who cared if it was scolding, as long as it came from them and maybe the strange man who had pried her out of Victor's cage?"...except for that guy that would probably nee
KYRAShe peeked through the slightly ajar door, sensing the stillness of the manor, smiled, and then slipped back into the room. Walking to the mirror, she untied the ribbon from her hair, letting it cascade down her back.Ruffling her shoulder-length hair to appear fuller, she frowned at her reflection in the mirror. Why did it look so strange? Was it the light brown nightie or the long tresses?It didn't feel right, but as Nonna always said, doing the 'right' thing doesn't always make you feel good.But what if it came with her changing herself because she felt she needed to? Finally becoming Nonna's idea of how she should be after years of resisting that projection, now here she was being it.Wasn't there another saying for that? Change was constant? She left her fingers trailing along the silk resting against her skin. Was it wrong if she did it for him to want her in a way she didn't believe he did?The Rune she knew wouldn't care if she came in a bin bowl with covers over her he
LILY."...and don't forget your meals, Lily; put some skin on those bones."I smiled as I watched them load her bags into the car's trunk, feeling a mix of warmth and sadness.Warmth because, even with all of the explanations, that I probably ate more than anyone in the Manor, she still made it a goal to stuff me till I couldn't sit up.And sadness because I wouldn't be having that anylonger.There would be no one to ring me out of bed with an already filled table, no one to read to and listen to their surprised gasps as I drew out every word dramatically.Because she was leaving. I had stumbled out of Adler's room to find her bags already packed and waiting. When she saw me, she smiled and explained how she had planned to leave a couple of weeks ago but waited to make sure Adler and I sorted things out.She intended to sneak away before the manor was awake, but except for Adler, who had slithered out of bed before dawn, her plan was still valid."That's enough watery eyes," she ann
Neck deep in the tub, gazing up at the ceiling, eyes roughened and tired from all the tears shed, enough to make the foamy water salty.How long have I been here—a couple of hours? All day? I didn't want to know; it was peaceful enough in this position, within the silence, floating out of my body to keep the memories at bay.But that also wasn't a success, so often, I wallowed in my guilt, the tasteless scenario that had occurred hours ago replaying in my head, her heated confession refusing to leave the more I pleaded for it too. “She died because of you, Lily; you have always been the reason people get destroyed; you are a curse.”The tears had returned as I stared ahead at the empty stairs, my strength leaving me. So weak that I stumbled and clutched the rail to keep myself from falling flat on my face, wanting to block out all of her words with my fingers in my ears, but I felt too rigid even to make a move.“Does it give you a clue why I'm angry? How about you understand that th