Phew! 😮💨 🎵 Strip That Down~ Liam Payne 🎼
Chapter 61Vincenzo ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼She was practically a rag doll in my arms, too weak to keep her eyes open, limbs like jelly. My coat looked oversized draped over her shoulders, hiding most of her dirt-smeared, twig-punctured shirt.I’d just spent half a minute picking out leaves and sticks from her hair. For someone usually so put-together, she looked like she’d been dragged through a forest—well, that was partly true.“Are you good?” I asked softly, which wasn’t exactly my style. But now that my head was clear, I was realizing what a jerk I’d been. Not my proudest moment, but well… it was done.She didn’t respond, just let her head fall against my chest as we made the short trip back to the car. When we got there, I opened the door, setting her down in the passenger seat with care I wasn’t sure I usually had.She looked at me for a second, like she was surprised, but I shrugged, having decided I might as well act like a decent human being, now that I’d gotten sex out of my immediate to-
Chapter 62 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ For the rest of the day, I didn’t see Vincenzo. Not that I was in any hurry to. I’d slept through almost the whole day, waking up groggy, still fuming for whatever reason I couldn’t immediately place. I sat there for several minutes before my memories came back to me. It was what he’d said in the car, and the fact that he’d undressed me while I was asleep, filled the tub with water, kissed me senseless and left me there to bathe myself. That way the reason for my anger. Did I mention I slept off right there in the tub with the water still running after he left the bathroom? Was his plan to kill me? I could have drowned! Now that I thought about it, my cheeks flamed with color. If I didn’t wake up from the sound of his and Nikolai’s voices arguing in the hallway, God knows I’d be dead by now. I snorted in disbelief, appalled , and—if I was honest—ashamed of myself for how I’d let him handle me like that, like some cheap thrill. My s
Chapter 63Stacy⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼Flying with Vincenzo in a foul mood is like being stuck in a thunderstorm with no umbrella—one wrong move away from a lightning strike. I barely took a breath that went unnoticed by him the entire trip because he wouldn’t take his eyes off me, and not in the sexy kind of way because those cold blue eyes threatened death. That, and the fact that his jaw was clenched like he was chewing on nails, scared the shit out of me. The second we touched down, he was already barking into his phone like a drill sergeant, his scowl deepening with every syllable. Whatever was clawing up his ass sounded serious.“Did you get it?” He asked a waiting Aurelio.“Everything.” And just like that, he vanished into a fleet of sleek black SUVs, taking half his entourage with him and leaving me with…well, a little breathing room and some unwelcome company. I glanced at Vito, whose countenance hadn’t changed since the last time I saw him, and the lanky, knife-happy guy who’d made o
Chapter 64 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ Even in sleep, I had this nagging feeling that someone was watching me. It took several blinks to finally probe my eyes open and another ten seconds to register my unfamiliar surroundings. The first thing I registered was my captor, sitting there like a stone statue. The intensity in his eyes, if not the fact that he was holding a gun, sent a jolt of panic through me, and I shot upright in bed, my heart in my mouth. I tried to tuck my unruly hair behind my ears to get a better view of him. “What are you looking at?” I demanded, leveling him with the fiercest death glare I could muster. He was still in yesterday’s clothes, his posture relaxed yet alert. The light streaming through the window illuminated the faint bruising on his forehead, which told me he must have had a rough night. Again, my gaze flicked to the gun he held loosely in his hand, but strangely, it didn’t faze me. “Did you sleep well?” He sounded as casual as though he was dis
Chapter 65Vincenzo⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼Marcel was flexing like a king on vacation. He was flirting with Stacy, and she, in turn, was performing her best I’m-so-innocent-I-couldn’t-hurt-a-fly act. She’d tilt her head, bat those lashes like she was trying to send a signal to Mars, and twirl around in front of him like a stripper in a club. The sight made my blood simmer; but even more than punishing her, it made me want to haul her back to the room and remind her exactly whose name she’d scream if I were in the mood for it. But no. I left them to their idiocy before my temper caught up with my fists. My boots hammered the floorboards, making them groan like they shared my annoyance. I had more pressing matters to attend to, anyway. Fi might bring the girls later, and I needed to double-check the security—because relying solely on the incompetents around me felt like betting my life on a coin toss.“Where’s Vito?” I barked at Cedro, who was draped across the armchair like a sloth that had jus
Chapter 66 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ “If you keep sneaking pieces of bacon off this plate, I’m going to stab your hand with a fork.” “Promises, promises,” Marcel smirked, unrepentant as he snagged another crispy slice. His fingers moved with the quickness of a thief, but instead of carrying out my earlier promise, I tried and failed to hide the small laugh that escaped my lips. Marcel and I made breakfast from the few things we found in the kitchen—steaming eggs, bacon, even baked baskets of pastries still warm from the oven. Turns out he was one of those gangsters who doesn’t hide their love for food and good humor. I had to admit, the act of preparing food, of pretending life was normal for just a heartbeat, was almost comforting. “Take another one and you’ll not get any at the table,” I threatened seriously. He eyed a plate I was currently fixing, “I’m pretty sure Vincenzo wouldn’t mind if I ate all of his,” he against the counter, arms crossed, as if daring me to follow through. “
Chapter 67 Vinvenzo ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ Stacy had a talent for shredding my composure with just a flick of her gaze. But seeing her unravel in front of Russel—that was new. She looked as though she was on the brink of throwing fists or worse, a war cry wrapped in blood and fury. Temptation licked up my spine, urging me to go after her and drag her back by that sharp tongue of hers, but I stayed put, eyes locked on the door she disappeared into, the sound of her slamming it behind her still echoing in the room. Marcel’s eyes made a beeline for my face, but my expression remained a mask carved out of granite. Russel, meanwhile, hadn’t taken his eyes off Allesia, who surprisingly didn’t seem to mind Stacy’s rudeness. She sat there, all gentle smiles and innocence, her fingers delicate as they plucked another pastry from the spread. She had the kind of serenity that could make a hurricane question its purpose. As she ate, Russel’s fingers massaged gentle circles on her shoulders,
Chapter 68 Vincenzo ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ “You’re not hearing me, Vincenzo,” Russel was saying. He stood by the wide windows, the dark city view stretching out behind him like a scene from a cinema. I could see my own reflection glaring back, and damn if I didn’t hate the look of surrender already tugging at my features. “And you’re not thinking this through,” I replied coolly, my fingers drumming an erratic beat against the polished edge of my desk. “It could be a setup. This Declan guy might be pulling us into a trap, and you’re too blinded by—” “By what?” Russel snapped, spinning to face me. “By wanting to clean up the mess you blindly walked us into? Jesus, Vincenzo. This isn’t about your fucking pride. It’s business.” “Business.” I repeated, “Funny how you talk about business when you’re already giving me that accusing look.” His jaw clenched, the lines around his mouth sharp enough to cut. We shared the same stubborn blood, the same fiery tempers. It made for a dangerous comb
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
Chapter 75 Stacy ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ By the time I woke up again that morning, Vincenzo had left with Marcel and Russel to handle some business. Perfect. I’d half-expected him to leave me with some ridiculous restriction, his little promise last night forgotten, but he actually surprised me by making good on his promise and informing Vito to pick up all the things I’d need for me. Restless energy coursed through me. Waiting around for Vito to bring back his idea of ‘stuff Stacy needs’ wasn’t exactly thrilling. If he got his way, I’d end up with plain, functional dresses that wouldn’t inspire a single spark of joy. No, I didn’t survive nearly being turned into a tomboy only to end up in nun girl dresses. I needed to get out myself, to feel some semblance of normalcy. Now I just had to figure out how. I found Vito in the kitchen, munching on a sandwich and sipping his coffee, his eyes downcast and his usual brooding aura in full force. He barely acknowledged me as I slid onto the bars
Chapter 74 Vincenzo ⟻⟼ ✦ ⟻⟼ Several groggy steps later and I found myself outside my door. My waist hurts from all the work it did last night, Fuck separate rooms, I’ve got to rid this house of all of my brothers so I wouldn’t have to worry about sneaking back into my own room at 4 AM like a rebel teenager. In my own fucking house. Pfft. I pushed the door open, rubbing my temple, and flipped on the light, only to freeze in shock. Marcel was sprawled out on my bed, one leg hanging off the side, looking like he’d been waiting up for me all night. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I snapped, my voice low but laced with irritation. Marcel propped himself up on one elbow, smirking like he’d been waiting for this moment his entire life. “I think the question is where the fuck are you sneaking in from—and, what happened to your clothes?” He pointed to the gym shorts I had on, clearly a size too small, barely hanging onto my hips. “Wait, isn’t that a female’s…?” Before h