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 26 Vincenzo ~~~~~~ Fiorella loves mothering me, which is ironic because kids don’t fuck their mothers and she only had six years on me. Well, she also had that ability to make me want to put everything in place— just for her, on me. So I’d spent the entire night trying to put things in place In anticipation for her arrival among other things. You never really know how to host a mourning Fiorella, especially if the person she was mourning was her personal cuntsucker. “Keep your eyes on that new info,” I instructed Liam over the phone. “Did you talk to her about the kiss?” The curiosity in his voice was unmistaken. He’d fallen deeper in love with that Irish bastard after he breached the security and nearly stole my little mouse. The fact that Liam was still unable to trace him was beginning to grate on my nerves, even I was beginning to wonder whether he was not a real ghost. I paused at the door, “Not yet.” “Why? Surely they must know each other—“ “I
Chapter 27 Vincenzo ~~~~~ The soft light filtering through the curtains was what woke me—well, that and the fact that I had actually slept, for once. My body felt heavier than usual, reminding me how much I’d needed this. Stacy shifted beside me, her breathing steady but slightly strained. She was still out cold. I let out a breath as I slowly turned on my side, taking a moment to study her, I noted the slight furrow in her brow and realized with alarm that the fever from last night hadn’t passed. I shifted carefully and pulled back the blanket just enough to check her injury. It wasn’t bleeding, but the heat radiating from her skin told me enough—she was burning up even more now. I was about to slide out of bed, call someone to look at it, when her eyes blinked open, wide and startled. She looked around the room in a panic before her gaze landed on me… then the blanket… then us… Her face froze in horror. “What the hell?” she squeaked, pulling the blanket up to her
Chapter 28 Stacy ~~~~~ You know how a mentally ill patient in a psych ward tries so hard to convince everyone he’s not crazy, only to end up looking even crazier? Yeah, that’s exactly why I didn’t bother arguing with Vincenzo. Seriously, I couldn’t believe this guy. Whatever gave him the impression that I was the unhinged one in this situation? People break things when they get too pissed all the time. It’s called rage therapy, his fancy grey room just happened to serve as the rage room when I needed it. He might need lessons on that. I mean, not all of us are currently in the position to torture or kill someone to get a bad day off our chest like he is. Humph! The door swung open before I could finish that thought, and in walked a woman who looked like she could break bones without smudging her lipstick. She was breathtaking—hot, sexy with a sharp jawline, dark sleek hair, piercing eyes, and a toned body. Well, seeing her reminded me just how miserable
Hey everyone, A huge thank you for sticking with me through this incredible journey! Writing this romance has been such a rewarding experience, and I truly hope it’s been as thrilling for you to read as it was for me to create. At a point, I felt like giving up, but the passion and you guys kept me going, I’m grateful. There’s been love, suspense, and plenty of drama to keep things interesting, and I loved every moment of putting it all together. This book started as a small idea with Russel and Allesia, then grew into these amazing characters that I hope to keep exploring with you all. Next month, we’ll be starting another book with one of these characters (Haven’t decided who yet) and I hope you’ll be there for it. If you’ve enjoyed this ride, I’d be forever grateful if you could take a moment to vote and leave a glowing FIVE-STAR RATING. It’s not just for me, it’s a chance to share the love with others who might not have discovered this story yet. Your rating can really h
STACY Six Weeks Later ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ The drive from the airport to God-knows-where was as stressful as the one to the airport. Vincenzo’s hand was on my thigh, warm, heavy, and impossible to ignore. I wasn’t sure if it was meant to comfort me or keep me from vanishing. Knowing him, it was probably both. “You’re quiet,” he said softly. “I’m tired,” I replied, leaning my head against the window. “And I’m trying to decide if I should nap or interrogate you.” His lips quirked, but his eyes remained fixed ahead. “Interrogate me about what?” “Hyacinth,” I said, shifting to face him. “What did you do with her?” His head snapped towards me instantly. Even Vito, ever the unbothered, tensed up in his seat. “Don’t worry about it,” Vincenzo said dismissively after a long look. “That’s not exactly informative,” I shot back. “She’s not going to, I don’t know, haunt us, is she?” His hand tightened on my thigh, a warning disguised as affection. “If she does, it’ll be your fault for asking too many
EPILOGUE Three Months Later ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ One moment I was alone in the study, going over the endless list of things Vincenzo thought we should do before the wedding, and the next, someone was there, like a ghost from another world, watching me. I should’ve known better than to expect peace. Between being a human and being a ghost, I was pretty sure Dante enjoyed the latter. He stood in the corner of the study now, his broad frame cloaked in silence, watching me with the calm intensity that made me want to cry out for Vincenzo. “Seriously?” I hissed, slamming the ledger I was reviewing shut. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” “Knocking is overrated,” he said smoothly, readjusting his position. “Dante…” I glanced at the door, my pulse picking up. Vincenzo was in the house, and while he wasn’t one to hover, he had a sixth sense for trouble. “You can’t keep doing this.” His lips curled into a faint smirk. “Doing what?” “Sneaking in here like some kind of ghost,” I snapped, k
Chapter 115 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ “Manuel!” I shrieked, the weight in my chest momentarily lifting. I didn’t even wait for the car to stop completely before I threw the door open and bolted toward him where he was standing with Vito and a couple other guys I did not recognize. His head snapped up just in time for me to crash into him, throwing my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?” I squealed in excitement, my hands still tightly wrapped around him. Manuel stiffened, his arms hovering awkwardly for a moment before he finally hugged me back, though cautiously. “Boss Nikolai’s orders. He’s staying at Boss Russel’s tonight, so we had to come.” I pulled back slightly, my hands still gripping his shoulders, my grin so wide it hurt. “What about the others? Are the guys okay?” “They’re all fine, Miss,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. His eyes scanned my face, softening. “You look… really good.” I felt my cheeks heat at the compliment, but before I could res
Chapter 114 Stacy’s POV ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ I’d never felt smaller, yet somehow, every slight gaze in this room made me feel impossibly large. “Vincenzo, you brought her here. What’s your plan?” The question made my stomach twist. Everyone at the table had gone into the kitchen for dessert, leaving just me, Vincenzo and Russel at the table. They were discussing business just minutes ago, and now, they were discussing me. I sank further into my chair, wishing I could disappear, but I kept my eyes down and my ears open. No weakness, no surrender. My father had taught me that much, even if everything else he taught me dug the shitpit I was currently swimming in. Vincenzo, however, looked utterly unbothered, leaning back in his chair to look at me like a king surveying his kingdom. “She stays with me,” he declared, his tone firm, final. Russel arched a brow, unimpressed. “Stays with you? Care to elaborate, or are you just collecting strays now?” Stray. My cheeks flushed hot, a mi
Chapter 113 Vincenzo ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ Fucking family meetings. The words danced in my head as I adjusted my cuffs, stepping out of the car and into Russel’s driveway. The whole fucking house was a fortress, just very fitting for my brother. Everything about Russel screamed control, even his damn lawn. Not a single blade of grass out of place. But as much as I hated these gatherings, tonight, I couldn’t afford to skip it. And so I brought my little mouse along. I glanced at her as she stood stiffly beside me, fingers fidgeting. Her usual fire was dim tonight, replaced by that gloomy look and the distant sadness in her eyes. “This is Russel’s place.” . “Good thing your memory is still good.” I placed a hand on the small of her back, steering her toward the door. She flinched at the contact but didn’t protest. That was new. We merely made it inside, when the sound of loud laughter buzzed, accompanied by the faint clinking of glasses. The scent of roasted meat and spices wafted through
Chapter 112 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ Four days. Four long, suffocating days since I last saw Vincenzo. Four days since he stormed out of that room, leaving me with the weight of my own confession—my love for him—and his silence. I’d told him to kill me. And judging by the way he locked the door from the outside, maybe he was still considering it. It was the only explanation. He didn’t trust me anymore. He didn’t want me anymore. That night, I’d noticed it, and seen it in his eyes. The memory of the way he used to look at me, like I was a puzzle he couldn’t resist solving, had been replaced with cold, empty indifference. If anything, the only emotion in those deep blue eyes was pity, pity for the poor pathetic idiot I’d become. And yet, it wasn’t the thought of dying that made my chest ache. No, death would be a mercy. It was the thought of losing him—the man he’d been before I’d ruined everything. The man I knew only briefly, the man he’d been that night, how he had held me and told me hi
Chapter 111 Vincenzo ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ It’s easier to make enemies than friends. But, it’s better to make friends than enemies. Several minutes after Clyde was dragged out by Dante’s men, we were all still standing inside the vault, stressed as fuck. I still maintained my stance about letting the bastard breathe being a bad idea—he deserved a bullet, not diplomacy—but Russel and Nikolai were playing chess, not checkers. Their sights were set on the bigger picture, which was turning the Irish into allies instead of enemies. It made sense in the grand scheme of things, but letting Clyde walk out of here alive still felt like a slap in the face to every instinct I had. So, I let it rest. For now. But if Clyde so much as sneezed in the wrong direction again, all bets were off. “Well, that was dramatic,” Nikolai said with a grin, clapping his hand to break the oppressive silence. “Shall we toast to our little victory, or is there more bloodshed on the agenda?” I ignored him, my focus
Chapter 108 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ Vincenzo strolled so casually, like he had all the time in the world to deal with me and he wasn’t going to stress about it right now. When he reached where I stood, he didn’t speak right away. Instead, his hand slid to my neck, pushing my hair to the side. His touch sent an involuntary shiver through me, equal parts unsettling and electrifying. Then he plucked the tiny Bluetooth from my ear, the one Clyde’s goons had been whispering their sinister threats through, and held it up like it was a piece of garbage. “You no longer have to be afraid of the lunatic,” he said quietly, his voice loud enough that Clyde could hear. But then his dark eyes flicked to mine, and his tone shifted. “But you should be afraid of what I’ll do to you for leaving the way you did.” It was a cold promise My throat dried up instantly. “You don’t understand,” I said in a trembling voice. “Elixir. They’re going to kill him. Clyde is going to kill all of them.” Vincenzo l