Ezabella and I stared at each other for a few seconds, the silence deafening in the living room.I thought Ella would look at my hand, my bare scarred hand, and flinch away from me. I thought I would see the look of disturbance on her face at the thought of me touching her face with my hand.I pulled my hand away, wanting to kick myself for even thinking about touching her. But Ezabella stopped me, reaching out and holding on to my pinky finger.It felt like an electric hand traveling from my pinky to my entire body, making my heart thunder in the most unnatural way possible.Ezabella looked at me with her big eyes, my pinky still in her grip."Eza?" I whispered, too afraid to raise my voice and shatter the dream I was standing in.She continued to stare up at me, but this time, she slowly pulled my hand back to her face. With each distance I close towards her, I felt an uncontrollable desire in my chest.I wanted to touch her, and it looked like she was giving me her permission.Ezab
Ezabella Viper...Things were a bit confusing the past few days. I was having a hard time processing a lot of the information that I recived, starting from Attiwood being the one who sent those horrific videos to the group chat for whatever reason, to finding out that Jacopo and I had a past with the same family, from the meet up with the women of the Motorcycle club to Jacopo sharing the truth about Attiwood along with the fact that he shot her in the arm, it was all taking a while to process in my head.For one, I appreciated Jacopo's honesty, and a small part of me, maybe even a bigger part of me, was glad to know that Jacopo was willing to stand up for me, even if the way he did it slightly terrified me. Every part of my sane mind was telling me to keep my distance from the man. I already knew Jacopo was a very dangerous man, as was everyone else in the environment I was forced to live in, but damn it, I couldn't pull away. It felt like Jacopo had me under a spell, just loo
Jacopo was not kidding when he said he wanted to start furnishing the apartment.The first thing he did the next morning after he had that conversation was to share boiled eggs over the counter and look at pictures of designs for a dining table.We scrolled through multiple pictures, trying to pick the perfect dining table fit for the apartment. We ended up deciding on a round, white dining table with eight seats. While it was too much just for the two of us, Jacopo insisted that we should get a larger one in case we ever have a visitor or visitors.We moved on to hunting for a TV, which was much needed to spend the days, or even bond over a good movie. Even when we were done eating our breakfast, we were scrolling through his phone, choosing items for the apartment. Jacopo insisted on letting me pick the colors of everything we ordered, saying I have a better eye that he does at this thing. It felt like he was trying to make the apartment feel like it was mine just as much as it was
Jacopo Nicolo...I stood in Elijah's hone office, NY arms cross over my chest, my eyes throwing daggers at the son of a bitch.Miles was sitting back on the chair, tapping his feet in the floor as if I wasn't looking at him."You slimy stupid, I paid you double." I snapped at Miles, regretting paying him earlier and not waiting until I looked at the files. "Well, I paid double to your double." Dante responded, forcing me to turn my glare towards him."Oh, I'll get to you." I said to Dante before I returned my eyes to Miles. "What part of I need you to keep this between us did you not understand?" "Money talks, Nicolo, and I happened to speak that language very well." Dante replied, and I knew he was just trying to piss me off even more.I glared at him again."Why do you have to always meddle in my business?" I asked, holding my hips with both of my hands, annoyance making me shift on my feet."When your business is part of the Web's business, then I can do nothing else but get
I walked out of Elijah's home office, fury burning my insides. The last thing I wanted to do was go to prison and see that woman. The mere thought of it made my skin crawl.Who knows how it would go? I might try to strangle her and end up in jail myself.I walked through the Smith mansion looking for my wife. I knew I could trust Connor with her, but that doesn't mean I was going to leave without seeing her first.I walked into the dining room and instantly caught sigh of her sitting sitting by the counter in the open kitchen, her fingers wrapped out a mug and her attention of Cilvia as the ither woman ripped Attiwood to shreds.I appreciated how Ella and Cilvia had taken Ezabella under their wings, and it was nicer to see how much Ezabella had warmed up to them.I stepped through the door of the dining room and walked towards the open kitchen, catching their attention.Ezabella's eyes softened the second she looked at me, and damn it that was all it took for the fire in me to settl
I shut my eyes, trying to stop the memory from jumping to the front of my head. Anger was uncontrollably making my chest ache, and I wanted to forget it all and drive away, to get me the heck out if there and return to my wife. I ran my gloved fingers through my hair, pulling at the strands to help me return to reality. I started the car again, deciding to get it over with. I drove up to the gate and went through security, and it was led to the visiting room. I hadn't realized how much time I had taken in the car, drawing in painful memories, but I had noticed that the sun was a lot further than it was when I left Elijah's mansion. I sat on the chair in front of the glass window and stared at the empty seat. I waited for a few minutes, listening to other visitors talk to the inmates. There was an old woman to my right, softly speaking to the woman I assumed was her daughter sitting on the other side of the door, the phone gently held in her wrinkly hand. And there was a man t
"The first time I met Attiwood, she told me how weak you were when it came to women, claiming that your father might have done a number or two in your mother when you were nothing but a little boy. She told me how you would be easy to play, and all I had to do was cut her a deal when I ended up taking everything from you. You just had to survive that fire and ruin all of my plans." Elizabeth sighed with annoyance."I'm going to give you a last chance to get to your point before I leave." I snapped, fed up with everything.Elizabeth only ended up smirking even more.Goodness, I hate her."I thought maybe the fire would have changed you to not care about anyone else but yourself. I thought it would make you stop being so weak. But I was wrong. It's funny how you kept that new wife of yours alive."I stood up, ready to leave."Wait." She called out. "If you leave without agreeing to help me get out of here, then that poor, poor wife of yours will suffer for it."My frown deepened as I lea
It was molting hot in the building. My body would have instantly lost all of its strength if adrenaline wasn't coursing through my veins.I took my suit jacket off and pressed it to my face, covering my nose and mouth to lessen the intake of smoke.Everything was blazing, fire licking every surface of the wall.My heart was frantically beating in my chest, my body begging me to get out of there and save it from suffering the same scars again. But my mind was on one thing and one thing only, and that was finding my wife and saving her from the fire."EZABELLA!" I called out as loud as I could, hoping to hear her call back.I ventured deeper into the building, avoiding the flames and keeping the jacket pressed against my mouth and nose, even though it was barely working.I felt a strong grip on my shoulder, and for a second there, panic shot through my body, my brain convincing me that my shoulder caught on fire.I was wiped around with such a force that U almost stumbled forward."WHAT
Ella and I left the twins to sleep some more in the bedroom and found ourselves in the open kitchen.She was telling me how her and the other ladies of the web missed my company, and it reminded me that it has been a long time since I joined the gatherings. To be totally honest, I did miss hanging out with some of the ladies of the web as well. I don't mean the mean mother-in-laws and constant glares of the younger women. I mean the women who went to those gatherings to genuinely have fun, to talk with one another, and had a good time outside of their houses."I do miss you guys too." I replied."Well, you can always come on the next gathering." Ella said. "I know things aren't great right now, but it would be good if you give yourself some time too.""That would be nice. Bit, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to show up at your gatherings when Jacopo wants nothing to do with the web." I replied.Ella and I were talking about having something to eat before we came to the ki
Ezabella Viper...I watched as Ella lovingly looked down at her two daughters, her fingers gently brushing their thick hairs off of their faces.I look at her, and I see a loving mother looking at her children. It was a beautiful sight, and I wondered if I could ever be the mother that she is.My hand was pressed against my lower abdomen as I stared at her."Is it hard?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice high enough just for Ella to hear me, and low enough not to disturb the sleeping twins."What is?" Ella asked, tearing her eyes away from daughters to look at me."Being a mother... being a mother in a place like this. Being the wife of a dangerous man working for a dangerous organization. Is it hard?"Ella let out a soft sigh, looking away from me as she thought through her answer. "I wouldn't say it is easy. What I can tell you is that I wake up every single day next to the man I am madly in love with. I have two amazing daughters who I would give my life for. I have a fami
Jacopo Nicolo...Elijah, Dante, Victor, and I sat in a circle, our focus on Victor as he restarted his explanation on how he was looking into Elizabeth while he stayed here to keep Eza safeEza and Ella were in our bedroom with the twins as Elijah had refused to talk about killing a bunch of people in front of his two daughters, and while both Eza and Ella wanted to stay and listen to our plans, they didn't protest against Elijah's request."As I was saying before, I was rudely interrupted by your unwanted appearance..." Victore said as he pointed at Dante and Elijah at the same time with two of his left fingers. "I've found out that Elizabeth is staying two towns over with a small mafia wannabe, boys. All we have to do is march ourselves there and wipe them off the face of the earth.""We need to be careful." Elijah commented."Of course, we need to be careful. That doesn't mean we should waste any more time than we already had." Victor countered. "It's been two whole months sin
A short silence fell in the home office as Dante and Jacopo stared each other down.Jacopo crossed his arms over his chest, refusing to make a single comment and forcing Dante to continue."Like Elijah said, I am sorry for what happened that night, but I, too, had someone I needed to save. And as much as it pains me to sat this, your mother was not my priority that night."My goodness... I get what Dante was saying, but damn it, he didn't have to say it like that."And what? I'm supposed to just believe you and be happy with your decision? I'm supposed to clap my hands for you and just move on?" Jacopo asked, hurt still evident in his voice."That is not what I am saying. What I'm saying is that the night was not easy for any one of us. We were all isolated and were forced to choose to save those we loved the most. Elijah had to choose his family and you had to choose your wife..." "Then what about you?" My father jumped in. "Who were you forced to choose?" He asked.All eyes turned
Ezabella Viper...I sat tense in Jacopo's home office, my back to the window, and my face turned towards the unexpected guests sitting in front of my husband.Dante, Elijah, Ella, and their twins. One look at Jacopo and I could tell that he was trying his best to control his anger, to stay come and hear them out before he can kick them out without Dante threatening to burn us all down along with the apartment building."This is very awkward." My father leaned in to whisper to me, shaking his head in disappointment for getting caught up in between the affairs of the people of the web."It sure is." I replied, keeping my voice hushed enough only for my father to hear."Are you sure you want to say with this man, Bella? Because if I were you, I would not handle this well." He added."Well, it's a very good thing that you are not me, then." I replied, glancing at him and seeing the face he was making at me."Are we going to sit here and stare at each other all day... or are you going
I was in the middle of preparing breakfast for Eza when the panel lit up with a notification. I pulled my phone out of my pocket to look at what had set it off.Victor was standing in the elevator, aggressively punching the button that would take him to my floor.Goodness.I pushed the pass code in through my phone and watched as he shoved his hands in his pocket and looked up at the camera.I returned my attention back to the breakfast I was preparing for Eza, which did not need the stove to be turned on. Thank goodness.I ignored the noise of the elevator door opening as I started plating the fruits and cookies."Is that why you eat? Or is that what you feed my daughter?" He asked as he stopped in front of the kitchen counter."Mind your own business." I mumbled."My daughter is my business." He replied."Dad?"My eyes are drawn to the hall at the sound of my wife's soft voice."What are you doing here this early?" She asked. "Did we make plans for today?""Good morning to you too,
I stood in front of the mirror, pulling a black t-shirt over my head, wincing as I felt the slowly healing gunshot wound on my shoulder.Eza was still asleep in bed when I got up to get ready. The previous night, after Eza and I had spent the day together forgetting the horror we were living, we'd returned home and spent a few more hours in each other's arms, talking about this and that until she fell asleep.After tucking her in bed, I'd returned to the living room to retrieve my phone, charge it, and make a phone call even though I knew it was past midnight.I knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep if I didn't call Victor right that second and make plans. I just couldn't wait a few more hours until the sun went up.I was sitting at my desk in my home office, one I have not been in since the day I lost my mother, and almost lost my wife for the rest of my life.I expected to call Victor a few times before he picked up, but to my surprise, the phone didn't even ring three times befor
Jacopo Nicolo...If there is one thing going right in my life, it's having Eza next to me.These past eight weeks had been brutal, and no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get out of my shell as fast as I could to start fixing our marriage. I was the one who messed up, yet Eza was still by my side, cooking my every meals and trying to get me out of my shell every single day.I didn't deserve her kindness. I still don't. But I recognize how blessed I am to have her.She was probably the only reason why I was back on my feet, walking around and not letting myself west away. As of now, she is also the biggest reason why I decided to go through with the visit to see my mother.I was not even close to being ready to fall at her grave, to say the things I wanted to say to her. But I also knew that the longer I took to get to the cemetery, the harder it was going to be for me to start healing, and that will only make it even harder to fix my marriage with Eza.I glanced at her
"Okay." Jacopo said once more, and I felt enough relief to reach for his hand again and lock our fingers.I turned to face the cemetery and started leading him forward to the place I knew where his mother's resting place was.Jacopo followed silently, his fingers tightening around my hands as he kept his eyes on the ground, refusing to look up.I stopped in front of a new grave."Vanessa Nicolo, a mother and a best friend." Was written on the head stone."Here it is, Jacopo." I commented, glancing to see that he was staring at the words. His hand fell away from mine, and I watched as he crumbled. His knees buckled, forcing him to fall to the ground right in front of his mothers grave."Mom..." He whispered, hus voice barely audible.I took a few steps back to give him some space and to let him be with her on his own, but I didn't move too far away just in case he needed me."I'm sorry." I heard him whisper."I'm sorry I didn't get to you fast enough. I'm sorry I let them do that to y