Chapter 18 Stacy °° °° °° °° Fifteen minutes after Vincenzo stormed out, I was still holding the note in my hand. I hadn’t moved from where he left me, too stirred up to. My fingers trembled as I felt the crumpled paper seeming to throb with its own kind of energy. A part of me wanted to tear it to shreds, to forget it existed, but the other part—the part that had been desperate for freedom—couldn’t resist. Unfolding it carefully, I scanned the words, my pulse quickening with each line: “Went to much trouble to get this to you, princess. What do you say about a mutually beneficial meeting at the alley tonight?” The words were scrawled hastily, as if the writer had been in a rush, or perhaps afraid of being caught. A mix of excitement and dread swirled within me, but it was quickly shut off by the voice in my mind. This is a trap. “Or it’s just someone genuinely trying to help me.” I countered. Yea, but who would want to? My thoughts immediately jumped to the ch
Chapter 19 Vincenzo °° °° °° °° “We’re not looking to play Shoot First Or Die First with you, because trust me, you’ll lose.” Aurelio warned. Feeling slow myself, I walked over to the bar, shoved the wide eyed waiter who out, then helped myself to a glass of the most expensive scotch. “You’ll pay for that,” The waiter blurted out. I reached into my pocket and handed him my credit card. “Sorry for my manners,” I teased. The guy collected it with eager hands, but one looked at the card and his eyes bulged in their sockets. He opened his mouth to pronounce the name but I put a finger to my lips, shushing him with a flirty wink. He must like that because I could see the visible tent beginning to form in his pants. I smirked, “Am I your type?” He swallowed, then flushed, obviously unsure how to answer that. “I— I don’t want to get involved in whatever this is.” I gave him a disappointed look, “Why? You don’t want my cock in your tight little ass?” Before he cou
Chapter 20Stacy°° °° °° °°I’d never really believed in luck, especially the good kind.But whatever made the two guards at the door leave by the time I creaked it open the third time—well, it was too early to reach a conclusion as to what it was. Maybe luck, maybe something else entirely that was slowly pushing me to an inevitable end.Either way, I wasn’t about to question it.I quietly slipped out, the adrenaline thrumming through my veins like a drumbeat. I raced down the heavily lit hallway, my heart racing faster than my legs. It pounded against my chest as if it could tear free from my body and lead the way. Every step felt like I was defying fate, but fear sharpened my senses.I knew Vincenzo would find out soon enough that I was gone, but my only chance was to make it to the alley before anyone realized I was gone.Halfway down the hall, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I realized I wasn’t alone.Whispers came from around the corner, guards, or worse, one of
Chapter 21 Stacy°° °° °° °°“And what did you hope to accomplish?” The calm in his voice was just a front for the anger in his eyes. The glow from the moonlight cast a shadow on his jawline, which was set so firmly because he was biting too hard into the insides of his jaw.Yet the word slipped from my mouth, “Freedom.” He moved closer, his big body dominating the small space between us, stealing all the air from my combustible lungs. “You really thought you could escape me?”“I’ll have you know that I’ll never just accept to be your cuffed up, branded mouse for the rest of my life, Vincenzo.” I also moved closer so that our noses were inches apart, his demonic blue eyes boring into my dark ones, “I hate you with all that’s in me. Hate your fucking family, hate your eyes and that fucking arrogance you carry around with you.He lifted a perfectly lined dark brow, “Oh?”I took a breath for my own benefit, “As long as I have air in my lungs, I’ll always try to run from you. Even if
Chapter 22 Stacy >~~~~~“We don’t have all day, little mouse,” His voice was a low growl as he pulled me up from the floor, his grip tight around my wrist. My pulse quickened but I could barely keep up with his long strides as he started walking. I wasn’t looking to go back to being cuffed, so I tugged behind him, resisting the urge to test if the gun he’d tossed at me, which I was making my fingers itch so bad was loaded. “What is this place?” I asked. I was so annoyed to find that my voice was shaking. He didn’t answer right away, barely dragged me through a narrow passage until the stone walls opened up into something unexpected—a massive forest that stretched beyond what I could see. I knew we were still in Fog House, so there was no way a few stroll could lead into an outdoor forest. The air was too light, too cold for the outdoors, and there were walls—very high walls that sealed us inside the place, opening into a clear, beautiful sky. I must have slept through the r
Chapter 23Stacy°° °° °° °°Vincenzo’s five-minute head start wasn’t a gift—it was a curse. It gave me just enough time to think about the glaring fact that I was about to die.What is it they say about choosing between the man and the bear? Better a tiger than a psycho mob boss chasing me, although a combination of both would be the absolute worst.Yeah, well, that was before I heard it—a low, rumbling growl that screamed, “surprise, you’re dinner.” I froze. Suddenly, the mob boss seemed like the better option, no offense to my strong feminist ancestors, but at least he wouldn’t literally eat me… probably.Move, my brain screamed at me, but my body refused to listen, locked in place by sheer terror. I strained to hear the sound again, to pinpoint where it was coming from, but all I could hear was the hammering of my heart.Suddenly, a flash of movement to my left—a shadow darting between the trees.I ran. Faster than I thought possible, my lungs burned like they’d signed up for a
Chapter 24Vincenzo °° °° °° °°Why does the devil look good?I’m guessing the fourteen men I killed at that gay club would have asked God the same thing right before I fired those bullets into their kneecaps.I’m pretty sure every single person who’d had the misfortune of meeting their end at the my hand had the same questions too.Personally, I’d never had to ask that question myself. I mean, I know I look good; every one of my siblings does. It would’ve been pretty odd if I were the ugly one, even though I was the bastard.Take away Don Cosimo’s genes, my mama was an angel in a human body, so these looks came from God himself—or the devil—whoever was in charge of making psycho devils like me.But Eustacia Salvatore? Her father wasn’t exactly the best-looking man I’d seen. I wouldn’t know about her mother, but it had to be illegal for all these good genes to come from just one woman. It was sick, really, how a woman like her could look so… perfect.Even now as she glared at me wi
Chapter 25Stacy~~~~~I was still trembling from that damn tiger.The bastard thought it was funny—taunting me with his oversized pet like I was some helpless child. Was it even normal to keep a man-eating animal as pet? God knows how many humans he’d fed to that thing. The fact that he was currently dragging me through his hellish maze like a strict father about to go punish his privileged kid who stole a homeless kid’s toy wasn’t making me feel better.The door swung open and I stumbled in behind Vincenzo, his grip still tight on my arm, like he thought I might run. Once inside, we passed by people and more doors, the scent and sound of booze, and God knows what else, coming and going. I kept my head down, not wanting to meet anyone’s gaze.But I could feel their stares.Eyes followed us as we walked, whispers trailing in our wake like poison. I felt their judgment burning into my skin, their looks like knives carving into me.Well, hello motherfuckers, this isn’t the first time
Chapter 84Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼I needed to get out of that seat.Between Vincenzo’s constant micromanaging and the suffocating air in the cabin, my nerves were fried. The discomfort bubbling in my stomach was the perfect excuse.“I need to go to the restroom,” I announced, already unbuckling my seatbelt.Vincenzo shifted beside me, his glare sharp enough to cut glass. “You’re not going anywhere. Sit down.”I shot him a look that screamed try me. “If you want me passing out and drooling all over you, fine, I’ll stay. But otherwise, I need to go.”“That’s a lie. Sit down.” I let out an angry scoff, “Seriously, dude. It’s not like I’m going to jump out of a moving aircraft. I need to pee! My bladder is combusting!” He groaned, dragging a hand over his face. “Fine. Go. But don’t take forever. And don’t touch anything you shouldn’t.”“Yes, capo,” I snapped, brushing past him. I had bigger things to worry about than his perpetual grumpiness. Bigger things like the fact that I could practicall
Chapter 83Stacy’s POV⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼Driving to the airport in the dead of the night was hell enough. But doing it with a bunch of gangsters who’d sooner throw me into a shallow grave than exchange pleasantries was like being hand-delivered to my executioner. The executioner was sitting right beside me, gripping the steering wheel like he wanted to twist my neck instead.Vincenzo insisted on driving. Of course, he did. Control freak. He hadn’t said a word since after the room episode, didn’t even have to tell me to get into the passenger seat after him, all he had to do was glare at me and I was scrambling inside. Thinking about it now, that unconscious reaction from yours truly pissed me off even more. Every once in a while, I’d catch him flexing his fingers, like he was imagining them wrapped around my throat. He could do that later of course, just not in the kind of way that’d give him the long term satisfaction he wanted. Russel and Allesia were in the car ahead of us, cuddling, I b
Chapter 82Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼I heard the commotion from inside the room. Vincenzo’s voice was bouncing off the walls, he was furious. Then Marcel’s voice followed, his words were just as biting, matching Vincenzo’s tone, and though I couldn’t make out the details, I heard my name. That was enough to make my chest tighten.“Bring me Stacy.” I heard Vincenzo’s order. My stomach twisted. Had they found out about Elixir?I ran to the hidden corner where I’d tucked the phone Elixir smuggled to me. I retrieved it with trembling hands, fingers fumbling as I tucked it into the lining of my dress. My heart thundered in my ears as several scenarios of the phone falling out in front of Vincenzo played before me, engulfing me with panic. When I heard footsteps approaching, I ran back and took position in front of the door. I wore my best angry girl look and waited.The door swung open, and I braced myself, expecting to see Vito or Luca, maybe even Aurelio, but it wasn’t any of them.It was Vincen
Chapter 81Vincenzo⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼She was fuming, but that served me well. I returned to the sitting room where Vito and Aurelio were waiting once again, their postures stiff. I settled back into the chair, the leather groaning under my weight as I poured myself another glass of whiskey. The warmth slid down my throat, but it did nothing to calm the fire burning through me.My mind stayed in that room upstairs, where Stacy was no doubt pacing like a caged animal, spitting curses that couldn’t touch me. The memory of her glare—sharp enough to flay a man alive—made the corner of my mouth twitch.She wanted to act bold, sauntering around half-dressed like she owned the place. By the time I was done with her, she’d understand that I owned her.Aurelio cleared his throat, snapping me back to the moment. He and Vito sat across from me, the look on their faces confirming that something was very wrong, but they didn’t seem to know how to put it into words. Aurelio’s elbows rested on his knees, hi
Chapter 80Stacy⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼Vincenzo was very mad at me, again. He let Luca drive Allesia, let Vito ride with them, but he insisted I ride with him, and worse, sit in the passenger seat. The disapproving look of anger, disappointment and maybe hatred he constantly gave me was practically a living, breathing thing. He didn’t say a word to me since we left the mall, even through the ride, his brooding silence and the occasional suspicious looks he gave me were as loud as any argument. Not that I cared.Okay, I cared a little.Fine—a lot.But I wasn’t about to let him know that.If Vincenzo suspected I had something up my sleeve—and knowing him, he already did—he wouldn’t rest until he tore apart every thread of my lies. God help me if he demanded the security footage from the mall. If he saw even a glimpse of my meeting with Elixir, it would be over. Not just for me, but for everything I’d been working toward.The man didn’t trust me as far as he could throw me—well, not without a plan
Chapter 79 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ I’ve had near death encounters in the past, today felt like the worst. The mirror bit into my back, cold and unforgiving, but it was nothing compared to the heat of his body pressed against mine. His hand was tangled in my hair, the sharp pull forcing my head back until my eyes met his in the reflection. “Look at yourself,” Vincenzo growled, his voice low and edged with something primal. “See what you do to me.” His eyes burned into mine, dark and unrelenting, and I hated the way he knew just how that made me feel, my breaths coming quick and shallow. I tried to push against him, to claw back even an inch of control, but his grip tightened, and I froze as the sting shot through my scalp. “Fighting me again?” His smirk twisted cruelly, his other hand sliding up my thigh, dragging the hem of my dress higher. “You don’t learn, do you,? Maybe that’s why I enjoy this so damn much.” I hated him. Hated how he could strip me bare, even when I was fully clothed
Chapter 78Vincenzo⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼I hate being played for a fool. The phone nearly slipped from my hand, but I tightened my grip, my body freezing before it erupted with raw fury. “Jesus, Vito,” I dragged a hand down my face, “A fucking mall! She could be anywhere, for fucks sake, she could be halfway across the country by now!” Vito stammered on the other end, his fear palpable even through the static. “She… she slipped away, boss. One minute she was in front of me, and the next—gone.”My blood ran cold, then boiled just as fast. “And you’re telling me this so I can call for you? How long has she been missing?”There was a pause, heavy with hesitation. “About thirty minutes, maybe less. We thought she—”I cut him off, my patience gone. “You thought? You thought wrong, Vito. I don’t pay you to think—I pay you to act. If she isn’t found in the next ten minutes, you’d better hope you disappear too.” Before he could say something else, I added, “Have that fucking mall locked down until I ge
Chapter 77Vincenzo⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼The scent of saltwater and diesel hit me first—a deeply unpleasant reminder that I wasn’t in bed where I belonged. Instead, I was standing on the docks at an ungodly hour. Well, maybe not so ungodly if I were following Russel’s logic, but still.The cold wind sliced through my coat and bit at my neck, making me curse every life choice that had led me here.Declan had picked this fucking spot well. Neutral territory, or so he thought. A place where neither side had the upper hand, but I couldn’t care less. Neutrality meant nothing when my brothers and I didn’t play by the same rules as the Irish.Russel walked ahead of me, his posture tense but calm, the perfect diplomat. I knew he’d been rehearsing his speech for hours, carefully piecing together whatever excuses he thought would smooth things over after my little… mishap with Dante’s cargo.Too bad I had no intention of apologizing.“You’re late,” a gravelly voice greeted us as we stepped onto the dock. Th
Chapter 76Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼By the time we left the boutique, Vito and Luca had to make three trips to the car with bags full of clothes, shoes, baby stuff and accessories.“Now that we’ve got the essentials,” Allesia said with an exaggerated stretch, “let’s go to the mall. It’s a perfect time to really stock up, that house has everything but food in it.” Vito’s hands gripped the steering wheel even tighter, but there was no escaping it. He barely muttered a response, only the occasional grunt of resignation. Luca, ever the silent observer, let his body language do the talking. He looked tense, but that wasn’t going to stop Allesia.We drove for another mile, the city sprawling out in front of us. And then—bam—there it was. A giant billboard plastered with a photo of none other than Allesia Mancini herself.“Ahhh!” Allesia squealed. “That’s me! That’s me! Oh my God, I look amazing!” She was practically vibrating with excitement, and I couldn’t suppress my eye roll. The sound of her voi