Whew! 🥵🔥 I need a glass of water after writing that! Did it just get hot in here, or is it just Raffaele? 👀💋 I swear, these two are going to be the death of me. But hey, who am I to stop true love (and very steamy moments)? 😏 If you enjoyed this chapter, don’t forget to vote, drop some gems, and leave a comment—your support keeps me going (and fuels my Raffaele obsession 🤭). Let me know your thoughts! Did this chapter make you blush? Swoon? Scream into a pillow? 😂💖 Xoxo, Roxy 💋✨
EdwinaI sigh, feeling Raffaele’s lips peppering soft kisses over my face, stirring me from my sleep. Slowly, I blink my eyes open, my gaze meeting his beautiful green irises. A small, sleepy smile tugs at my lips as I reach up, my fingers gently tracing along his jaw, the stubble tickling my palm. My touch moves further, skimming his lips as I admire the man who watches me with such intensity.“You need to shave,” I mumble, my voice rough with sleep.“Good morning, Amore Mio,” he rasps, his voice hoarse from waking up as he presses a lingering kiss to my lips, savouring my warmth. My heart flutters at his endearment, the words melting into me like honey. I wish he would never stop calling me that.“Good morning,” I whisper, revelling in the feeling of waking up in his arms. A contented sigh escapes my lips as my hands drift over his bare back, tracing the contours of his toned muscles, feeling them flex beneath my fingertips.“I could get used to this waking up next to each other,” I
EdwinaI end up going to the office, spending my entire day buried in work. After breakfast with Gen, I immerse myself in tasks, though my mind occasionally drifts to the dinner awaiting me later that night. Raffaele calls to check in, his deep, velvety voice soothing my nerves, and I find myself telling him about the dinner with my parents. He seems unbothered by it, but I can’t shake the feeling of unease bubbling inside me. Tonight would be the first time my parents met him, and I know better than anyone that introductions in my family never go smoothly.By the time I return home, night has already settled. I climb the stairs, ready to freshen up and get dressed, waiting for Raffaele to arrive so we can leave together. As I approach our bedroom, my eyes catch sight of Giovanni standing at a distance. The moment he notices me, his face hardens, and he immediately averts his gaze, avoiding me as though my presence is unbearable.“Why are you avoiding me?” I ask the hurt in my voice ev
EdwinaMom," I whisper, my voice barely carrying as I come face to face with her. The years apart have altered my memory of her, and now, standing before Raffaele and me, she looks strikingly different from the woman I once knew.Her shapely figure is draped in a flowing, off-shoulder red dress that accentuates her elegant frame, the deep hue complementing her warm, glossy skin. Her ebony-black hair cascades over her shoulders in soft, gleaming waves, framing her delicate features. Her lips, saccharine-sweet and appearing as soft as a blossom's petal, lift into a gentle smile, though there’s something unreadable behind it. Her sun-kissed hazel eyes, flecked with gold, shimmer under the light as she takes me in, absorbing every inch of my presence with quiet scrutiny.She carries herself with effortless grace, her confidence exuding from the subtle embellishments of her attire—simple yet tasteful jewellery adding the final touch of elegance. But what surprises me most is how much younge
EdwinaMy mother’s face goes pale, her wine glass trembling in her grip. "What did you just say?" she whispers, her voice barely audible."No, it can't be," Abuela murmurs, her shock palpable. The hum of conversation and clinking cutlery vanishes, leaving only a suffocating silence in its wake."Our daughter died almost fifteen years ago," my father growls, his fists slamming against the table so hard the silverware rattles. "So what kind of bullshit is this?"I jump, my heart hammering. I’ve never seen him this furious—never seen him lose his composure like this. But this is too much, even for him."Is this true, Edwina?" my mother’s voice wavers, her eyes pleading for me to deny it.All eyes turn to me. Geneva sits beside me, her hands trembling, unshed tears shining in her eyes.I hesitate. The room is already a storm on the verge of destruction. Before I can decide, Raffaele’s hand tightens around my thigh under the table, grounding me. “You don’t have to answer if you’re not comfo
EdwinaRaffaele and I finally arrive at the house, the vast mansion shrouded in silence. Not a single soul crosses our path as we ascend the grand staircase, each step echoing softly against the marble. The quiet is not eerie but deliberate—everyone is elsewhere, minding their own business. It feels as though the house itself respects the intimacy of this moment, shielding us from the outside world.As soon as we enter our bedroom, Raffaele wastes no time. He shuts the door behind us, his presence dominating the space, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that makes my breath hitch. He takes a slow step forward, then another, until I am backed against the foot of the bed. A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips, but his darkening emerald gaze is what truly sends shivers down my spine."I have waited to have you all to myself tonight, Amore Mio," he murmurs, his voice low, thick with hunger. "And now that you are here, I deserve to have you, don’t you think?"My lips curl into a t
Edwina"What the hell does she have that I don't? Is the sex that good?" Layla yells, her voice laced with desperation as I enter the heated exchange."I do not owe you an explanation. Whatever almost happened that night was a mistake—one I paid for dearly, nearly losing the woman I love. So get it into your head, Layla, she will always come first," Raffaele growls, his patience thinning."What almost happened that night?" My voice cuts through their conversation like a blade, making Raffaele's body go rigid."Baby..." he exhales, stepping away from Layla, who glares at me with unmasked hatred. He reaches to wrap an arm around my waist, but I step back, shaking my head. A flicker of hurt flashes in his eyes before he masks it.So, this is her—the woman who almost had him the night he and I fought. She’s beautiful, I admit. Not conventionally striking, but stunning in an understated way. Shorter than average, curvier than a model, yet exuding an allure I can understand why Raffaele migh
RaffaeleWe finally arrived in Italy in a few hours. Edwina has fallen asleep again in my arms, her body exhausted from everything that happened before we left. I don’t blame her. Seeing her on the floor, bloody, bruised, and in pain, ignited a fury in me that still simmers beneath the surface. The man who dared lay his hands on her will pay. Being with me in a world like mine comes with consequences, but I have vowed to protect her at all costs.My men have been working relentlessly to track down the man who infiltrated a high-security area and attacked Edwina. Mariano is behind this—I know it. And this is just the beginning. Being here in Italy buys us time. Time to come up with a plan to end him and his empire. Time to keep Edwina safe within the protection of my family.“Come on, Tesoro, we’re here,” I murmur, carefully gathering her in my arms. She stirs slightly, mumbling something unintelligible before snuggling closer to my chest. As we descend from the jet, a line of sleek bla
EdwinaI am still in awe of this place—its sheer prestige and luxury are almost overwhelming. I always knew Raffaele came from wealth, but standing here now, I am shaken by the extent of his family's fortune.As soon as Raffaele leaves, I am left with his mother and Alessandro, who leads us to the grand kitchen, where a group of unfamiliar faces awaits."Oh my God, hi, beautiful!" a woman exclaims, her voice warm and excited as she walks over to me, her pregnant belly leading the way. She bears a striking resemblance to Raffaele."Hi," I squeak out, suddenly nervous under the attention of the room."Don't scare her away, Isabella," Alessandro teases, laughing as the woman playfully rolls her eyes at him. The two of them share an easy camaraderie."Nice to meet you," I say to Isabella, who smiles warmly, dimples appearing on her cheeks as she pulls me in for a hug. Her belly presses against me, but she is gentle, careful not to put pressure on my side. I am grateful for that small mercy
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