"FINDINGS?" [None, Maestro. It’s complicated. I’m still trying to decipher the Alla Mia Amata—] Just like the other nights, Rome found himself shutting his lapel mic off at Lucille. It had been days since he sent her the scanned copy of the music sheet, and each day that passed frustrated him more. He could feel that the paper had something to do with his mission. For Pete’s sake! It was even titled "Alla Mia Amata". How on earth could he be wrong? His jaw was clenched when he looked at Alejandro’s bookshelf again. After adjusting his night-vision glasses, he started scanning all the other books and documents there one by one. He had been religiously sneaking into that room every night, secretly rummaging through his cabinets, and even unlocking his vaults. He had already done everything! But where was the code? 'This is getting fucked up...' Rome shook his head, knowing that being there could be just another waste of time. Nonetheless, he still pulled an old folder from the shelf
MARGAUX WASN'T SURE what happened after she fell on her knees. She was on the ground one second, and the next, she was already back beside the treehouse. Did Rome carry her there? She couldn't tell. All that she could sense was the rough wood behind her and Rome's heady scent as he pinned her to that tree. "Are you drunk?" She shook her head. His breath against her ear was like liquid fire, and her womanhood clenched just at the sound of his voice. 'Back out, Margaux. This is a horrible idea—Oh!' Her thoughts stopped when Rome groped one of her breasts. Shock mingled with desire inside her, making her eyes flutter. 'Ohhh... Shit!’ He clipped her nipple between his fingers and began massaging her. "Who's groping your breast, cara?" He leaned his forehead on hers, and she shivered at how his amber eyes poked holes in her soul. His breath smelled like mint. Hers must be reeking of alcohol. How fair was that? "Answer." He thrust his hips forward, rubbing her fold with the front o
CRAP. What else could best describe sitting in the dark while listening to Alejandro's masterpiece for the hundredth time? It was ten in the evening, and Rome felt like it was going to explode any second. [Did you hear that, Maestro?] "What?" [This part.] Rome heard Lucille's fingers tapping on her computer. She rewound the piece and played a particular segment from it. Same old. He heard nothing but a man trying to kill his piano, not even a symphony or anything he could relate to. [Listen to this part carefully...] "I'm fucking tone-deaf, Lucille!" [Please. Just this one.] "Shut up." He was angry when he stood up from his chair and marched to the open window. He needed to breathe. They had been wasting so much time in search of the Amati. Alejandro might be coming home soon, and he still didn't have any credible leads. He would need to kill the old man as soon as he came. Killing was easy, but it was the add-on assignment that was not. He palmed his face in frustration. "
MARGAUX'S BODY TURNED INTO A MASS of need as soon as Rome's mouth met hers. Biting her lower lips, she opened herself to welcome him more.Just like on the night he became her official outlet, he kissed her with hunger, ravishing her while gripping her hips and pinning her down.For a split second, she asked herself why Rome always tasted like sweet mint. It was even impossible for her to turn down his kisses. Too sweet to resist.'Really, Margaux? Even better than Greg's—'Her thoughts were halted when Rome harshly flipped her body above the bed, making her hang on it with her knees touching the floor. She huffed when his palm pressed her down even more against the soft sheets, making her look like prey under his mercy. "Oh, God...""I can't give you foreplay at this rate, cara ."'Of course you cannot!' Margaux closed her eyes with her thoughts upon hearing his tortured voice. He began kissing her nape and shoulders.Rushing, Rome slipped one of his arms under her belly and caresse
"EYES ON ME, WIFE..."Margaux was forced to stop scanning the function hall when a strong arm snaked around her waist. She felt both irritation and warmth creeping through her when the man beside her tugged her forcefully, closing the space between their bodies.Trying not to look up at him, she discreetly wiggled her way out of his hold and smiled at another guest they passed by. She knew by then that bringing Rome to that celebration was indeed a bad idea.As expected, all eyes were on them as soon as they walked into that place. She couldn't blame them since she intended to shock everyone by bringing a very handsome man as her husband.She saw some of her old friends, familiar faces, and even well-known celebrities with whom their family had connections standing in the crowd. The function room was choked with the number of guests. However, not even one soul dared to approach her as she walked around.How could they when she was gracefully walking around with a 'Doberman' behind her
Margaux's world stopped when the dangerous voice tore through her rants. She felt the air thinning. Then slowly, she lifted her head until she was looking at his face.To her surprise, the man before her wasn't wearing anything fancy at all. Instead, he was wearing a pair of jeans and a black hoodie. But, of course, that shouldn't be since the celebration in the function hall was all about him. He was Mr. Rossu's client—the bridegroom himself."What the—Greg?" She felt a sudden gush of fear and confusion wash over her. He was looking at her disdainfully, and it was making her want to run. "How... Why are you—Isn't this supposed to be your engagement party?""Crowd aren't my thing, baby," he cut her off with a grim smile. And for a moment, she thought she saw a monster in him. He didn't even look like the same man she had loved years ago. "I'd rather have a private party with someone than a crowd full of monkeys." He gave her a malicious once over, and the goosebumps that crawled acros
'OH, MY GOD—UMP!" Margaux's scream could have shaken the walls if Rome's mouth hadn't shut her up. For a moment, she tried to wiggle her way out of his grasp. Her resistance, however, slowly melted when Rome's familiar taste spread in her mouth. He was kissing her slowly. Tenderly even, like a husband who was just giving his wife a simple good morning kiss.She closed her eyes and naturally surrendered to him. She held on to his shoulders, tip-toeing and mimicking every pleasant move his lips made toward hers."Umh…" She hadn't recovered from the pleasant surprise yet when Rome abruptly spun her around to face the tiled wall of her bathroom. Her breasts flattened on the cold surface, while both of her hands ended up supporting her weight. There was a hard piece of flesh poking her from behind and causing her womb to ache. "R-Rome...""Good morning, Cara Mia." He kissed her cheek while pinning her with his hand. She lethargically smiled when his overnight stubble scraped her a bit and
"$20 MILLION." Greg's eyes widened in horror as the floor-to-ceiling screen in front of him showed the number. The room he was sitting in was dark, with just the monitor illuminating it. The number blinked in bright red as the robotic voice of the woman behind her announced it through a microphone.There were several program windows on the screen too, like when a team was doing a video call. Most of the people attending that cyber meeting were wearing masks, except for an old couple who looked nervous and unsure.'Mom! Dad!' his mind screamed. Only God knew how he ended up sitting inside that place after his parents called about receiving a red letter. He was barely conscious for days after Margaux's beast husband crashed some of his bones inside the Golden Palm Hotel.Little did he know that the red letter was a Money Game invitation, and Margaux's husband was connected to the Dark Blue. He was still recovering in his ward when a group of shadows suddenly broke into his room at midni
The sun was soft as it shone over Reiti, Paso, Italy. Just like all the good days inside that villa, the gentle waves hitting the shore could be seen from where the Don sat. The mild breeze was playing with his hair as he silently sipped his wine. Soft white curtains were swaying on every open window too, making them look as if they were dancing peacefully with the mild tune he was humming. Alla mia Amata, of course."Papa?"Alejandro pretended not to see the tiny boy climbing on his lap. Instead, he covered his face harder with the newspaper in his hands, as if he were busy reading it. Nonetheless, his senses were at full alert, and he discreetly lowered one of his legs down to make sure that the child would have something to grab on to and wouldn't fall. Only God could describe how the child's mother turned into a monster whenever the child got hurt."Papa...""I'm reading, Romano," he said, dragging the child's name, copying how the baby dragged his. "Lots of news lately that could
It was the worst battle he had fought. A war where he couldn't tell who was with him and who wasn't. A battle where he had to keep firing his gun while holding his cara and staring death in the face simultaneously.He lost count of the number of bullets his body took for her. His whole body was numbing, but then he just couldn't let go.His mind was empty, unable to recognize who his enemies were. Alejandro's soldiers were fighting like a group of hungry beasts. The group that broke through the gate minutes ago, which he had recognized as Marco's, was just as ferocious.He noticed one of the groups protecting him when he rushed to the parking lot. Some of its soldiers caught bullets for him, willingly giving their lives to assure that he would get where he needed to.He was in so much pain. But it wasn't because of the random bullets digging into his flesh. He knew that pain so well. It wasn't for him, but for Margaux. It was for the child barely holding on inside her.The whole world
"MARGAUX..."Alberta's voice didn't reach her ears when the now-familiar stab crushed her nerves again. Automatically, her hand found the back of her hips, trying to keep them from splitting in two. The drop of sweat that fell on her fist, resting on her lap, looked blurry. Her tummy was in pain—so much pain that she had to burst out of breath to stop herself from groaning."Are you alright?""Are you done talking?" She tightly closed her eyes. She saw double, and it was the last thing she needed."I said, I'm sorry."She didn't reply. She understood what the old woman, kneeling and crying before her, was saying, but then it just wouldn't entirely register with her. More so when everything in her mind was Rome and him alone. All she remembered was that Alberta mentioned something like 'the Don's son and mother.' Or was it mother that she said?Whatever it was, she felt her heart crunch painfully hearing it, but not half as much as the one she was trying to tolerate while sitting there
THE VILLA WAS BUZZING at five in the morning. The scent of food combined with flowers was lingering in the air. The tables—hundreds of them—were carefully wrapped in meticulous white linens. The maids were like bees running back and forth, carrying plates and silverware. Violinists, called out at the most unholy time of the day, were cramming to learn the best and most beautiful music they would ever play: the Alla Mia Amata."You missed the timing; it would mean something different." The Don was in the middle of the crowd, looking down at the poor violinist."S-señor?""It's for my son. Perfect it," he ordered in a cold voice. His amber eyes were piercing, silently warning the musician to get the proper tempo or else it would be the last piece he would play. "You have to perfect it," he gritted, making the musician's knee shake at once with the terror that engulfed him."Y-Yes, señor." The musician barely opened his mouth, reaching for the paper before him to read the complicated n
MICE PLAY IN THE ABSENCE OF CATS. Same as how the envious smaller gods play in the absence of bigger gods. This part happened somewhere between sacred nights and mornings."The Montenegro child has already shown up." A young man gently pushed a pawn across the chessboard. Then, stopping his move right next to the White Queen, he settled the piece and looked up at his competitor."Oh, she did?" His playmate, an older man in his seventies, countered that move by moving the White Queen to eliminate the pawn.That made the young man chuckle. Languidly, he pressed his back against the leather seat he was sitting on. "Yes, Papa. The soldiers found her.""Molto bien..." Satisfaction flooded the old man's voice. He mirrored what his son did. He stretched his back and relaxed, grabbing the wine glass on the table. One sip, and he then asked, "How about God? Did he already show up?""Not yet, papa," the younger man answered, giving his father a brief look before gazing back at the chessboard. "
It was hard to tell if hell was actually a burning place. At three in the morning, hell looked nothing like what the Bible said. It was just pitch black with phone rings and voices.[Hello? She's on her way, God.]"Good."[Should I send the soldiers to meet her?]"Don't. Wait for her to enter our territory."[God?]"He will run after her. Wait for it."...'DRIVING TO THE VILLA. Will talk to Dad. Be back tonight. Love, Margaux'A three-sentence note on the mirror, a little heart smiley, and her name written using her red lipstick were all it took for Rome's mind to melt into broken letters.He was tired, and her arms were warm, so he slept. He should not have.Who would have thought that it would take only a short while for her to slip between his fingers? Like sand seeping down and falling where she shouldn't be?'You lured her...' He blinked his eyes, trying to balance himself as he reached for her name. His fingers were trembling when they touched the cold mirror, hoping that it
DARKNESS.Not a single drop of light illuminated the heavens that night—not the moon or even a single star. There was nothing except for silent voices talking in pitch-black."He saw us watching him, didn't he?"[He is smarter than I expect, God.]"Of course, he is!" Pride dripped from that unknown voice as the speaker chuckled. "He is the one and only Romano, after all."[Okay... So what's your next order?]"Drag them back." The god yawned, sounding a bit bored, before adding, "Make sure that the Amati is there once I come..."...ALBERTA WAS CALLING...No, it was better to say that she was bombarding Margaux with her calls. Hundreds of them in the past twelve hours. Nonstop.'Should I tell Rome?' Lifting her eyes from the vibrating phone on her hand, she looked up and scanned the unfamiliar room before her—unpainted walls, grey, and way less colorful than the skin of its late owner, Tat."Why are you just staying there? Why don't you come here?"She jerked upon hearing the man sit
GOD WAS MOVING. He was moving his chess pieces so accurately, and no one could tell what was next."Burn it," he ordered before sipping wine from his glass. His voice was calm, just like the wide ocean before him. Santorini mornings had always been perfect anyway, more so, his mansion there. Whitewashed houses line the most beautiful mountain in the world, meeting the blue Aegean waters as they calmly hit the shore.It was heaven with a demon living in it."Burn it down and..." the God chuckled while letting the sweet breeze mess with his graying hair. "... break his other leg. Make sure that he wouldn't have anywhere else to go."...'Cazzata!'Rome's cuss remained unspoken as he watched his headquarters, 'The Romans', burn through nine different TV screens. Thick, dark smoke was rising from the same building he had worked so hard for. From the aerial shot taken by the news channel, he could see the showcase of his bar getting licked by fire. His people were screaming and getting t
"I want to see you both in that dress, Cara."Rome felt his chest tighten just by calling her. Could he tell her what was pressing him down on that bed? Or could he at least tell her what was choking him while begging her to wear that dress again? He hoped he could. "Please...""I-I don't have that dress anymore."'This is horrible...' He closed his eyes. Finally finding the energy to move his head. He opened his eyes again and looked at her. He saw Margaux looking back at him over her beautiful shoulder. His gaze then glided down her back, mingling a bit longer on the hollow of her spine, before settling on her hips.Involuntarily, the corner of his lips lifted, although that smile didn't reach his sad amber eyes. 'My baby's growing fast.'"Stop smiling like that while staring at my butt, Caro."Margaux's irritated voice aired, forcing him to look up at her face. The same beautiful face he would love to kiss the rest of his life if he were lucky enough to have some more time left.'L