~Xavier~
Playing fire is a dangerous game I knew all about. I could get burned any moment, or worse, it could burn everything I’ve worked for.
“Tell me what I want to know, Anatoly,” I smirked, looking over the variety of random items laid above the metal table. From knives to screwdrivers, guns to hammers, we have it all. Running my bloodied fingers over the scalpel, I grabbed it and faced the annoying Russian capo with a scowl. A cigarette stick trapped between my lips, I raised my choice of weapon, letting it shine under the fluorescent light. I wanted him to see it.
His eyes, bloodshot and wide, enlarged further as I took lazy steps towards him. Tied in a worn-out operation table, the straps that bound him to it left red blotches on his pale skin. One of his kneecaps already smashed; the sledge
~Xavier~You’d think that we’d be tearing apart our clothes the moment we said our confessions. Nope, not yet, at least.Still seated on the edge of the pool, Zia leaned her head on my shoulder. My arm snaked securely around her body, gripping her hips. She’s holding my left hand above my lap, running her fingers over my wedding band.“Can I ask you something?” She looked up; the path of her tears dried with the wind.“Hm?”“This engagement ring… is this really for Nadia?” I chuckled, humiliated for telling her that petty lie. “This is for me?”“Yes,” I replied, peering down at her.
~Xavier~ Gianna and Levi were very much delighted to have their daughter back. From my vantage point, I can see Zia trying to look past the secrets her parents kept from her. She wanted to reconnect with them. That’s why she didn’t want a grand celebration for her birthday, even though I insisted. All she asked was to have an intimate and simple dinner with our families. I’ll support her in what she wants to do. Anything for her, honestly. I’d give her the world if I can because she’s everything I ever wanted. Someone I thought I could never have her. Lounging on the ratan couch by the balcony, Zia’s feet rested on top of my lap while she sipped her tea, browsing through her phone to meet her friends later at club Cielo while I’ll be in a meeting with dad and Levi. I
~Zia~ Dinner with my family and the Lucianos was intimate and heartwarming, just what I hoped for. Mom prepared a feast of my favorite dishes, which I told her not to bother doing, but I guess it’s better than having a party. The reason I didn’t want a huge celebration for my birthday is the mafia. I don’t want to dine and mingle with people who only see me as the American mafia don’s daughter. The people around this table are who matter - less Calvin. I don’t bother asking where he is, but I’m worried about him. He might be an ass to me with the way things ended between us, but he never does this, leaving without telling where he’d come back, not even with Francine. ~~ “It’s a nice gift,” Xavier entered my walk-in close
~Xavier~ Before going into the field, all members of the mafia undergo a series of training. Not only to prepare our body from the brutal reality of this lifestyle and our mental ability to cope with every situation. Omertà is an oath of loyalty and silence. We all swore to die instead of betraying la Famiglia. Zia, however, didn’t receive that amount of training to strengthen her endurance in these circumstances. She doesn’t know a single thing about how the mafia works apart from the basic things I told her - mostly rankings and our businesses - nothing our enemies didn’t know before. Zia held permanent residency in my mind, but I shudder at picturing her right now. She’s all alone, uncertain of her tomorrow. Thoughts of all bile things her abductor might do to her crossed my mind. People in the underworld are
~Xavier~ Calvin let out a menacing chuckle, shaking his head. “Isn’t it enough that you stole Zia from me? And now you’re accusing me of plotting against the family? How low can you get, Xavier?” I scoffed. “Don’t give me that innocent act, brother. We both know I stole no one and nothing from you.” “I made a mistake, but we could’ve worked something out if you said no to marrying her,” he spat. “You just can’t accept that she loves me more than you.” I glared at him, amazed by how confident he was about Zia’s feelings for him. “She never loved you. The moment you agreed to marry Nadia, you lost your chance with her. And now you want to kill me?” he scoffed. “Are you that scared that she’d leave you?”
~Zia~ There’s this bellowing echo inside my head, locking gaze with Ashley’s almond eyes. I should’ve trusted my gut feel. A snake will change skin, but it’ll remain a withering reptile. “Is that Lorenzo?” I asked, scared for the child that hadn’t stopped crying since I opened my eyes. There’s nothing around that could indicate the time or place where she’d taken me. All I know is its daylight outside, coming from the small window twice my height up on the wall behind me. The clothes I have had since Club Cielo are still cloaking my body, but doing so little against the concrete ground where I’m seated. Ashley smirked, reaching into her jacket pocket for a pack of cigarettes, lighting one as if counting her movements. It’s like I’m staring into her other self. This w
~Zia~I’d like to believe his words. There’s a part of me that wishes he was speaking nothing but the truth, but I know better. This man cheated on me with the bitch that’s holding me captive.He reached out to me, setting his wrist on my forehead since he’s wearing gloves. His eyes widened when I flinched at his touch, forehead creasing.“You’re fucking burning, Zia,” he announced, setting his phone down and dropping the backpack I didn’t notice he brought with him, producing a bottle of water from it.Calvin twisted the cap and handed it to me. I gladly reached for it, seeing that he opened it in front of me. There are other ways that this could be a trick, but I badly needed fluids to help me regain some sense in my surr
~Zia~ I turned to face Calvin only to see two of him smiling sweetly at me. “T-the fuck, C-cal?” I slurred, my world spinning, the butt warmer I’m sitting on… no, the entire car was reeling. The asshole smirked. “I told you we’ll go to the port, my love. Now sleep,” he said, his voice bouncing off from all directions. I fought the effect of whatever he injected me with, but it was no use. My body accepted what he gave me, doing what it was told. My eyes drifted close. I’m hardly aware of my surroundings as the car swiveled on the road. The tire wailed as it screeched. My head slammed on the window, making me grunt. I’m not sure if it was just my imagination. Even the warm li
~Zia~ About thirty minutes into the drive, Xavier parked in front of the cabin by the lake. My mind was somewhere else through the drive; another guilt feeling washed over me. This was our night together, and I pushed my worry about Lu and Penny aside for a bit. I just have to trust that they’ll work things out. Xavier slid out of the car; I took this chance to shake my worry away as he skirted over to my side, opening the door for me. Trees shadowed over us, creating a dancing pattern through their leaves as the sliver of the silver moon slipped between the gaps. The gentle purr of the summer wind made the small lights anchored from tree to tree swayed like sparkling stars within my reach. In my awe, I admired the cabin, small, cozy, made of glass and wood. Yellow l
~Zia~Like always, Xavier had everything planned out. We took a drive to Club Sky and met with our friends. I haven’t gone out with any of them since I gave birth to Franco. Sure, they visit our place often, sometimes for no apparent reason.Diego would pop up the most; he even had his things in the guest room since he’s been sleeping there a couple of nights a week. One time, I interrogated him about why he’s always in our place. I don’t mind having them over, but Diego is a pain in the ass. He whines when we run out of Batangas coffee. It’s cute. He’s a child that cries when there’s no cereal in the morning. And his response was even infuriating.‘You hoard the best coffee in town,’ was his nonchalant response. I pity the girl who would fall for this kid.
~Zia~My parents have been traveling back and forth from New York to Seattle for about two months now. They have the penthouse next to ours to their name. They wanted to be close to Franco. I mean, they even hold him longer than I do when they’re around. I only get to hold him when he’s hungry; where’s the justice in that?Mom and Dad were sitting in the living room, admiring Franco as he cooed, yawned, and fluttered his eyes because he was already sleepy.I stare at them from the kitchen, eating my salad with a pout on my lip. There’s a small part of me that feels a little possessive about my son. I knew my parents only wanted to be with their grandchild. They’ve been waiting for him excitedly, like Xavier and me. They’ve been deprived of this chance when Nadia lost her baby; now
~Zia~“Xavier!” I pressed my hand on my lower back, the other set under my huge belly, breathing in and out. The cramps were different. Dr. Shiovan told me I would know when it was time. And it’s damn time.Still in his pajamas, Xavier came rushing into our room with flour decorating the black apron around his neck. He was making a ravioli for me, my request last night, and he promised me he’d make his pasta for the dish, which became my go-to food in the third trimester of my pregnancy.“It’s time?” he asked, helping me up from the reading nook where I spent my entire morning.“Fuck,” I hissed, feeling another contraction. “He’s coming out.”Xavier&rsquo
~Zia~ It doesn’t matter if we are alive and breathing. The emptiness written all over our faces screams we lost more than what we gained. Xavier got out safely, but the manor didn’t survive the explosion. Part of our plan was to make the crime scene look like a gas leak under the estate, making it easier for our people in the government to investigate and conceal this chaos. There’ll be a lot of questions asked, and for the most part, everything we’ll say would be a lie. We headed back to the safe house to spend the night and tend to our wounded. Xavier was silent the entire drive; we all were, for that matter. He gave me a quick peck on the forehead when we got to our room and headed directly to the bathroom to clean up
~Zia~“Lu, Bo,” Xavier grunted, fighting his way through the hallway that led to the basement. “I really need you two to move your fucking asses now!”“This is a fucking sewage system!” Lu grunted. They had the job of setting up explosives under the manor. A big argument took over before the two agreed to do this. They wanted to be on Xavier’s side, to protect their boss and friend, but they had a bigger task at hand. “It would’ve been easier if we came in with you, you idiot!”Xavier grunted, taking cover on the busted wall of the hallway. A Luciano family portrait hangs above him, swaying with each wave of gunfire through the air.“Did you just call me an idiot?” Xavier chuckled.
~Zia~“Where is my grandson?” the man who slit Francine’s throat asked, his thick brows arched, head tilting to the side, seizing my husband up. Brown eyes, burning with a hunger for blood, starred into Xavier’s hues.Like what we expected, the moment Xavier stepped out of the car, armed men from the opposing side surrounded them. They’ll never play fair. We are mere pawns in his game of death, and he plays an award-winning role of a devil.Xavier glanced around at the men surrounding him as if they’re nothing but mere mortals, and he’s fucking above them.That’s my husband right there. He’d look death straight in the eyes and would never show a hint of fear. ‘Death should be afraid of me,’ that’s wh
~Zia~The sight that bombarded me when I descended the stairs puzzled me. I was expecting Xavier and Calvin to gut each other’s throat, not that I was hoping for it, but this was the least I predicted with everything that’s happened.Ammunition and firearms, from handguns, knives to assault rifles, are scattered everywhere I glance. Xavier, Mom, Dad, the rest of the team, my sister, and her people are arming themselves, wearing a mask of confidence.We’re going to war.A loud crashing of metal against the floor grabbed my attention from studying my family. I saw a glimpse of Calvin in the kitchen, arming himself with a bulletproof vest, surrounded by a few more of Nadia’s men.“Xavier,” I n
~Zia~Our lips moved against one another, gentle, searching and asking for anything to make us feel alive.The kiss wasn’t filled with lust. It was filled with the need for love, warmth, and hope in our world that has turned unrelenting and cold. We need each other to have and to hold, just like our vow, just like what this wedding band in our fingers meant.My hands gripped his shoulder tightly, holding on to him, unwilling to let go, to stay here with my husband.I seamed his lower lip, asking him to let me in. When his lips parted, I slid my tongue between them, begging him to lose himself in me. His hands came up to my hips, nails digging painfully, making me hiss against his mouth.“Zia…” Xavier