I look down at our joining hands, running the pad of my thumb across my father's knuckles, wondering how we ended up here.His hands are cold, fragile, and calloused. He has the hands of a man who has carried the weight of the world on his back for too long. The hands of a man who has worked his entire life to feed his family the best that he can.Tears stain my cheeks as I raise our joined hands and press a light kiss on the inside of his palm. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner, Dad.” I whimper, rubbing the side of my cheek against his hand, needing to feel his touch.When I entered my fathers’ room, I didn’t know what to expect. I was hoping that he would be awake, sitting up in his bed and nutting off at the nurses to allow him to return home.Instead, I walked in to see him hooked up to a life support machine in a dimly lit room. I almost collapsed to my knees with grief. My father is the only family I have had by my side since my mothers’ passing.He did his best to raise me
When the SUV comes to a standstill outside the large iron gates, I don't wait for Riccardo to open my door, and I rush straight towards the Villa.My body tingles with annoyance as I sense Don Valentino watching me from behind.As I draw closer to the front entrance, it swings wide open and Savannah comes rushing out the door. She wraps her small arms around my waist, clinging to me and naturally, I tenderly run my fingers through her hair. “You're back,” she smiles as she pulls away from me, and looks up.“Of course, I am. Where else would I go?” I smile, pinching her cheek as her uncle walks up the stairs behind me, staring at us intently as Savannah and I talk. “The room,” she replies as she takes a step back and looks up with sad puppy eyes. “I watched Uncle carry you from the small guest room into his big one when you were sleeping during the storm. He had no shoes or shirt on. Just his pants. He was shouting, really, really loudly, and he sounded really, really mad while he wa
It’s been four days since I kneed Don Valentino in the balls.Four days since I left the villa, leaving Savannah behind.I’m not going to lie and say that these past four days have gone by quickly, when in fact, it feels like I’ve been gone for an entire month.I swipe the unlock icon across the screen of my phone, and a pang of disappointment hits me when I don’t see any notifications.I don't know why I was hoping that Don Valentino would try to contact me. He's most likely relieved that I’m gone, and I'm not hanging around the villa and Savannah like a bad smell.But jeez, a phone call or perhaps a text message wouldn’t have hurt him to give me an update about her well-being.He knows that she is the centre of my world and I'll do anything for her. Raising my hand, I touch my lips with my fingertips as I think about the one man who is bad for my soul.Phantom tingles, linger across the seams of my lips, and a soft smile touches the corner of my eyes. I haven't been able to get t
ALESSANDRO, AKA DON VALENTINO.My lips rub against the shell of her ear and I shamelessly inhale her sweet scent of mango dipped in cream.A faint growl vibrates in the back of my throat, and I can feel her body trembling beneath my touch. I tighten my grip, despising the fact that I am infatuated with her dearly and the last time I aroused this kind of desire — the love of my life deserted me. I won't bend my will this time. After all, Ivy is Roses’ sister and I have made it my duty to make her life a living hell. I will take out my pent-up anger on her. She will suffer due to her sister's betrayal, and I will take great joy in doing it. I will make her trust me, need me and desire me. Just so I can humiliate her the way, Rose humiliated me. 'When I'm done, you will have fallen in love with me.' She reckons.Her words have been like a horrible symphony playing in my ears for the past four days, and it's been driving me wild. The taste of her stains my lips, and no matter how ma
“Let me go, Riccardo!” I struggle in his unwelcome embrace, kicking my feet in the air, twisting and turning my body.Riccardo ignores me, which is to be expected, and drags me back into the house, dumping me on the sofa. Then he towers over me with his arms folded across his chest“Ohh… So, big and scary!” I say with sarcasm heavily lacing my words. He frowns, rolling his eyes, totally over my bullshit, and he averts his gaze elsewhere. I watch as Don Valentino drags a chair across the room behind him, sitting across from me with his right ankle resting on his left knee. He unbuttons his suit jacket, loosening his tie with his eyes never straying from mine, drawing me in deeper. “What?” I snap at him, hating the way my body reacts whenever he is near.“You said you need a job to pay for your father's medical bills?” “I know what I said, but if you continue to keep holding me against my will, I’ll have no job and pretty soon, no home.”“I have a job for you.” He simply states whi
“I want Mr. Bishop moved into a private ward where he will receive the best treatment this hospital has to offer,” Don Valentino demands as he speaks with the Head Of Department, in the cardiac ward. I stand beside him, my jaw agape as I gaze at him in astonishment. He exudes wealth, power, and an aura that should not be trifled with.“I'll see what we can do with such short notice, Mr Valentino” The blonde-haired female replies as she bats her fake eyelashes at him. I swear, if she bats them any faster, she will create a mini-tornado right where we are standing.“Look, Mrs?” He sighs with frustration.“Ms. Yasmin Richards.” Her brows pinch together. “Kindly avoid using 'Mrs' in my name when addressing me.” Her cheeks flush with a lovely shade of pink. “I'm not married, and I’m definitely not my mother.” She hums, like what she is saying is relevant.“Ms. Richards,” Don Valentino raises his voice as he mutters her name. “I am paying this hospital a great deal of money, along with a
The words, 'Spread the word and let it be known that Miss. Bishop is mine.' Play over in my head as I try to make sense of what he is trying to do.I know Don Valentino isn't making a statement by claiming me.Only a true fool would believe the words that effortlessly roll off the tip of his tongue. But why?Why make such a statement if he doesn’t mean it?“Why did you tell Riccardo to spread the word that I am yours?”I eventually say, as my brain has given up trying to figure out what he is attempting to accomplish by spreading those words throughout the villa.“You are mine, Farfalla. You are under my employment and I refuse to let you have any sexual relations with my men.” He utters as he removes the leather pouch from his breast pocket and holds it out for me. Out of the blue, a sharp, stabbing pain attacks my heart as he explains to me the true reason why he said those words to Riccardo.“I told you I wanted to help," I tell him, refusing to take back the pouch. "Look, I know
I roll onto my side, stretching my aching limbs in the hope that they will gradually loosen up as I sit up in the plush hotel bed. As I yawn and cover my mouth with my palm, I look down to find little Savannah fast asleep beside me.Her curls envelop her heart-shaped face, her long, black lashes fan her rose-colored cheeks, and the faintest sound of her snoring resonates throughout the room.When I look at her, my heart is filled with love and everything in my life appears to be in order.She is the air I need to breathe to survive. Her heart is as pure as water, while her body possesses a gentle soul.An old soul. After we left the hospital last night, Don Valentino had Gio bring Savannah to the airport. We flew to Palmerston North. It was an hour-long flight, and it certainly beats the twelve-hour bus ride I had to take there and back just a few days ago. True to his word, the man sold me back my mother’s ring at no extra cost. In fact, he offered it back to me at a lower price t