🤭📖 Well, well, well… look who’s here, ready for another dose of drama, danger, and just the right amount of chaos! 😏🔥 I promise no fictional characters were harmed in the making of this chapter (yet 👀), but a certain someone may have tested Edwina’s patience way past the recommended limit. 😌 Buckle up, grab some popcorn 🍿, and remember: if you start yelling at your screen, you’re not alone—I do it too. 😆 Happy reading! 💋✨
RaffaeleAs soon as Edwina leaves my side, a strange sense of loss settles in my chest, an unfamiliar hollowness gnawing at me. My fingers twitch slightly, an urge to pull her back, to keep her close, but I shove the feeling down. This is neither the time nor the place for sentimentality. Yet, I cannot ignore the way my body stiffens as I track her movements, my eyes following the hypnotic sway of her hips, the elegance with which she carries herself even amidst vultures waiting for a single misstep.The moment we set foot into this place, I felt the weight of countless stares settling upon her like an unwanted cloak. Men eye her hungrily, their gazes dripping with lust and curiosity, and my every instinct screams at me to rip their throats out. The women, on the other hand, wear expressions laced with jealousy and disdain, their whispers carrying across the ballroom like venomous arrows aimed at Edwina's back.She is the queen in this deadly game, and they hate her for it.A sharp voi
Edwina"Yes, I am," I say back to Callie, wondering where she is going with this conversation. My eyes scan the room, searching, but Raffaele is nowhere to be seen. A sudden wave of panic begins to creep in when Alessandro appears at my side, his voice low and reassuring as he whispers, "You are okay, Princessa. Relax, he is fine."I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding, nodding at Alessandro’s words. But before I can respond, Callie’s voice cuts in, her perfectly done eyebrows scrunching together as she looks at Alessandro with open curiosity. "And who are you?" she asks, her tone laced with confusion.I turn to Alessandro, expecting him to respond with his usual teasing smirk, but his face is unreadable, his body rigid. It is unusual to see him this way—stoic, detached. Something is off."I am a friend of Edwina's," he says flatly, and I watch in shock as Callie's face drains of color. Her hands tremble, and in her distraction, her plate slips from her grasp, crashin
Edwina"So do you want to tell me who the woman who approached you at the food table was?" Raffaele asks, running a finger down the side of my arm as we sit comfortably in the warm, fragrant bubble bath he had prepared for us. The dim candlelight flickers across the tiled walls, casting soft, golden hues that dance in the steam rising from the water. Wrapped in each other's arms, my back rests against his firm, muscular chest, savouring the comforting contrast of his warmth against the soothing bath.I sigh, tilting my head slightly to the side, allowing him to press a lingering kiss against my damp skin. "Well, she said her name is Callie, and we didn’t chit-chat that much, but something weird happened when Alessandro mentioned my name. She kind of froze and then dropped her glass."Raffaele’s fingers brush my hair away from my neck as he murmurs, "Did she know you or something? Her reaction seems... intense.""I don’t think so. But something about her just felt familiar, and I can’t
Edwina"Glad to see you again," I say to Mr. Black as he takes his seat in front of me, but there is a hint of resentment in my tone."Look, about the other night..." I begin, trying to clear the air, but he is quick to interrupt."How about we don't talk about the other night and instead focus on what I am here to discuss?" he says firmly.My eyebrows furrow in confusion at his stern demeanour, and, being the stubborn woman I am, I say, "No. My building, my rules, so we are talking about last night.""What is there even to talk about?" he asks, his frustration evident.I sigh, deciding to cut to the chase. "I just want to apologize on Raffaele’s behalf and also for putting you in such a position. It wasn’t fair to you, so I’m sorry."Mr. Black’s expression remains cold as he scoffs, "Since when did the famous Raffaele Marcello apologize to anyone?"Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on my desk and look him squarely in the eye. "He doesn’t. That’s why you either accept the apology from
EdwinaBlood-curdling screams rip through the air, chaos erupting all around me as the scent of gunpowder and blood thickens, clinging to my skin like a second layer. My mind is disoriented, barely able to process the carnage unfolding before me. One moment, I am standing next to Raffaele, my fingers desperately clutching his, and the next, I am being violently ripped away. A strong grip seizes my arm, yanking me backwards as Raffaele's furious voice booms through the turmoil.“Take her away from here and back to the compound. Guard her with your life. If I find that even a single hair on her body is harmed, I will kill you myself!” he roars, his voice sharp and commanding, cutting through the mayhem.“No! I am not leaving you!” I scream, struggling wildly against the iron grip of the man dragging me away. My nails claw at his arms, desperate to break free, desperate to run back to Raffaele. But my resistance is useless.“Take her away!” Raffaele barks once more, his tone leaving no ro
EdwinaA couple of months have passed since that fateful night at the club, the night where I almost lost my life. Since then, things have only grown more intense. Raffaele has tightened security around the compound, limiting my interactions with the outside world. My movements are now dictated by a team of guards, and any protests I might have are swiftly dismissed.I don't argue with him, at least not openly. Deep down, though, I hate the suffocating restrictions. I understand why he’s doing it—his need to protect me outweighs everything—but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Raffaele has always been a man of control, but now, his demeanour is colder and more calculated. I see it in his eyes, feel it in the way he watches me. He’s a man afraid of losing the one thing he can’t afford to—me.The only solace I’ve found is that Alexxis and Krys are still allowed into the compound. Despite being outsiders to the mafia, Raffaele understands that I need them to maintain my sanity. Telling
EdwinaThe moment the words leave Giovanni's lips, my entire body tenses further. I lower myself onto the edge of the bed, my fingers clutching the fabric of my dress as if grounding myself. He remains standing by the door, stiff, his eyes flickering with hesitation, unwilling to step any further into the Capo’s room.“Okay,” I murmur, my voice trailing off. My forehead creases in worry, betraying my emotions before I can mask them.Giovanni remains silent for a moment, his piercing gaze locked onto mine, before he finally speaks. “It turns out your sister wants to see you.”The words feel like a slap to the face.“What do you mean she wants to see me?” My voice wavers slightly at the end, betraying my uncertainty.Giovanni exhales sharply, his patience thinning. “Exactly what I just said, Edwina.”I blink, trying to process it. My heart hammers against my ribcage. “And why are you telling me this?” I ask, puzzled as to why Raffaele had not been the one to break this news to me.He til
RaffaeleRaffaele The moment Edwina leaves the gym, the air in the room thickens with tension. Angelo steps forward, his expression grim, and hands me his iPad. The screen displays a series of grainy images—one of my men attempting to steal from my warehouse here in America."Explain," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. My blood simmers with rage as I glance at Angelo, whose face remains emotionless, his jaw tight."We caught one of our men last night trying to smuggle out a stash of cocaine," Angelo states flatly. "He was acting under orders from someone we don’t know yet." My grip tightens around the iPad, my knuckles turning white. "Where is he?" I bark, my patience already worn thin."Waiting for you in the chamber," Alessandro answers from beside me.I inhale sharply, suppressing the fury boiling beneath my skin. My father always taught me that fear is the foundation of respect. My men seem to have forgotten who holds power here—who runs this empire."Do we know if he was wo
Hello dear readers🤭🤭🤭, So the first book in the Elegant series is done🤗🤗, I am quite sad to be ending it on such a note but quite excited for what more is to come☺☺. Hit me with your thoughts and theories🙃. What did everyone think of Alessandro? The capos? Alexxis? Jasmine? Geneva? Edwina? Raffaele? I appreciate all who have read and supported my story from the start🥺🥺 and I am looking forward to seeing you all in the second book where Raffaele and Edwina's story continues🤭☺. A big thank you to all and I really cannot wait to see you all once again. Looking forward to seeing you all on the other side💜💜💜.
Raffaele Something seems to be disturbing my Tesoro and knowing her I know that she is too stubborn to tell me unless she is ready to talk about it. I cannot help but shake off the feeling that she is hiding something from me and does not want me to find out probably the reason why she has been acting all strange ever since we landed in Italy. One thing about me is that I have been trained to read emotions and feelings and I can tell when someone is lying to me about something she has been doing to me for the past few weeks but I have done my best not to seem bothered while deep inside I feel quite livid. I love Edwina but lying is where I draw the line when it comes to having a relationship with someone and as much as I want to act oblivious to her actions I can't help that feeling in my gut that is telling me that she is indeed hiding something from me. I close the door to our room and make my way down to my office to go through some work calling Gio to join me for a little chat.
Edwina Tonight is the night. I will have my driver on standby waiting to take to to the airport and make sure to keep Raffaele away from this or someone will die tonight Bellissima. Make sure to do as you are told to avoid someone's blood being on your hands. xx yours truly. Immediately after I read the message on my screen my blood runs cold knowing that tonight is the night I will be leaving Raffaele to protect him and his men. I try my best to regulate my breathing not wanting to have a full-blown full-blowback with Raffaele just a few steps away from me in the shower with no clue in the world to what is going on. "Hey, are you okay?" comes Raffaele's voice drawing my attention far away from my phone screen to see him standing and already dressed as he buttons up his dress shirt. "Yeah, "I force out shutting off my phone screen and tossing my phone away to avoid any suspicions. One thing I have learned from this lifestyle is the art of hiding my emotions to avoid any suspicio
EdwinaI remain frozen on the spot my eyes meeting Raffaele's darkened gaze as he winces in the process clutching onto his shirt which seeps blood."Cosa è successo?"yells Eleanora her face morphing into a giant frown as she makes her way son who leans against the counter with Giovanni to his left and Rodriguez to his right."I'm fine madre,"grunts out Raffaele clearly in pain as Eleanora genlty kisses his forehead his green orbs never leaving mine."Thank God you are here the man is as stubborn as they come princessa and only you will be able to help him clean up since he does not want anyone next to him,"comes Alessandro's voice from beside me making my gaze shift from Raffaele to him.I nod my head in response no words being able to leave my mouth as I slowly walk up to Raffaele who stares at me a slight frown on his face. I notice the way Gio nods his head in reassurance as I gently take Raffaele's hand in mine."How about I get you cleaned up,"I tell him softly all eyes on our li
Edwina Immediately I head out of Raffaele's office I make my way across the house holding my new phone box in my hand. I shake my head in amusement chuckling at how Raffaele loves to spend money on me without a doubt not realizing that Vincenzo is standing right across from me. "Should I be worried that you are laughing by yourself?" he asks amusement shining in his eyes. "Maybe, "I tell him a smirk making its way onto my lips. Vincenzo just smiles at me in amusement making his way around me to head wherever he is going. "Where are you going?"I ask him curious to know where he is headed. "Just headed out to sort out some business," he says not giving me room to respond as he walks further away. I make my way to Raffaele's room where I sit on the bed thinking about what Raffaele's phone call could be about since he was quick to mention that it was nothing when I asked him. "Damn I need to find something to do today, "I murmur to myself sighing in the process when my thoughts ar
Raffaele Immediately the question leaves my mouth, I observe and notice the way Edwina's body freezes her eyes flashing with slight panic before she quickly composes herself. I try not to read deep into it considering how of late I have made her think I do not trust her while in a real sense it is quite, in fact, the opposite. I trust her with my life and the last thing I would want is to draw us further apart and push her away. "Come here, "I tell her softly my piercing gaze matching hers and she hesitantly walks towards me standing a couple of steps away from me. "Closer Tesoro, "I say my voice going an octave deeper not liking the small distance between us. She does as I say stepping closer to me and I am quick to pull her into my lap her legs straddling me. Her sweet lilac scent fills my senses and I almost go crazy burying my face into her neck and pulling her closer to my body her scent slowly calms my racing nerves. "You smell divine Tesoro, "I growl out gently peppering
Edwina We sit in silence tension filling the air after Raffaele speaks my body filling with slight rage at his ability to suspect that I am being untruthful to him. "Why do I feel like you are suspecting me to be a liar?"I ask rather defensively suddenly not wanting to be in his presence. "I am not Tesoro where is this even coming from?" asks Raffaele his eyebrows furrowing in total confusion at my question. "Yes, you are. It's like ever since I went out with your sisters to the mall you suspect I am hiding something from you?!"I yell my last thread of restraint snapping in half as I take a step away from him causing him to clench his fists at his side. "Are you hiding something from me Tesoro?" he asks his voice laced with venom that I barely recognize the man standing in front of me. I cannot stop the hurt that passes through me at his question which confirms my thoughts that the man indeed has his doubts that I am hiding something from him. "No I am not hiding something from
Edwina I stand infront of our bedroom mirror admiring the way the red gown hugs my body showing off my hour glass figure my hair straightened which is kind of new since it is always curly and bouncing off my shouders. My fingers come up to toy with the necklace that sits on my neck as the door to our bedroom opens revealing a dressed up Raffaele. Our eyes connect through the mirror as he makes his way up to me his arms going around my waist pulling me back into his chest as I admire how handsome he looks in his black suit. "You look beautiful Tesoro,"he says admiration in his eyes causing my heart to flutter at his compliment. "Thank you,"I blush out suddenly feeling a bit hot and bothered under his intense gaze. Raffaele is quick to turn me around in his arms causing me to squeal in surprise as he pulls me closer to him his strong cologne invading my senses. I notice the way he has shaved his beard giving him a dangerous sexy look and I cannot help but feel proud to call him my m
Edwina The next morning I wake up and Raffaele is nowhere to be seen in bed his side of the bed is quite cold a sign that he was probably up quite early. I sighed taking a few minutes to myself thinking how I am going to be able to pull off leaving with Mariano's men without anyone in this house knowing. I notice one of Raffaele's shirts on the other end of the bed as I pick it up and wear it. I am startled by the sound of my phone ringing as I roll over to pick it up the sound of Krys angry voice being heard. "Tell me why the fuck you went to Italy without telling me goodbye," yells a not-so-pleased Krys through the phone. "Well hello to you too, "I grumble out not enjoying the sound of her loud voice in the morning, or at least I think I don't. "Edwina, "scowls Krys and I can tell that her patience is slowly running out. "Someone broke into the manor, "I sigh out rubbing my temples. "Oh my god! Are you okay?" asks Krys frantically her voice laced in worry. "Well other than t