LucaAfter taking that shower, I couldn't help but realise how much self-control I had to exercise to keep myself from getting too close to Emma; it would only take one small decision to fall at her feet and allow her the control she used to have over me. I know I shouldn't be feeling this way, but it's difficult when my heart tells me to give her another chance. The problem is that Emma seems to be hiding something from me, which is making it hard for me to trust this new version of her. Despite this, I can't shake off the feeling that she deserves a second chance after all.The pain is still raw, even after six long years. It's as if it happened yesterday, and the memories of her leaving me are still vivid in my mind. She ripped my heart out and splattered it on the floor, leaving me to pick up the pieces and try to make sense of what happened. And yet, here she is, acting like nothing has changed. Seeing her act like everything is fine is infuriating, as if she didn't just shatter
EmmaAfter being invited to breakfast, I stupidly thought perhaps things were changing and that Luca would now start to treat me as he should. Yet it was as if he had set out to hurt me, and I foolishly allowed him to continue doing so for the rest of the day. The pain was so intense that I retreated to his room, sulking and nursing my wounds alone. I even called out to Anna, treating her like she was only there to cater to my needs. I asked her to bring me mountains of chocolate, hoping to help ease the pain.As I sat there in bed, I devoured bar after bar, trying to find solace in the sweet and creamy goodness. The words that Luca had hurled at me kept playing over and over again in my mind like a broken record.I couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Does he really hate me so much that he doesn't even want to give me the wedding I deserve? Every girl deserves a wedding to remember..."I couldn't believe how ruthless he had become. It was as if I didn't even know him anymore.The night w
LucaI'm rapidly losing control of the situation and putting Emma in the firing line and off-side, which seems stupid, even in my eyes.I walked back to the bedroom to tell her I was sorry. Yet, I found her talking to her father, obviously having a means of communication with him. Her begs for him to take her home hurt my chest, making the hollow cavity ache even more than it was a few days ago before she arrived back in my life.I'm unsure why I presumed she had no phones or devices she could call him on; after all, she is a Rossi.I leave the bedroom for a second time in as many minutes fucking livid as hell, but this time at myself for hurting her.She wants to leave, and it's all my fault.I finally reentered my office to see Stephan and Isaac looking at me with wide and assessing eyes. I've never had a whore here before, but the truth is she isn't a whore, and she told them as much.These two goofballs have been more than just hitmen of mine; they've become somewhat excellent fri
EmmaAs I made my way towards the door, the man inside the office Luca just left summoned me to enter. Even though I felt hesitant, I knew I had to go in; if not for following instructions, I'd do it to ensure Luca had what was coming to him. Anyway, I had heard through small talk that this man was Luca's number one, and it would be beneficial to have him on my side if I ever wanted to gain a foothold in Luca's life.The man introduced himself as Niko and held his hand for a greeting, but I was not in the mood for pleasantries. I ignored his outstretched hand and walked past him into the office. My father had always taught me that I was worth more than an outstretched hand in greeting, and I was not about to let anyone make me feel otherwise.As I looked around the room, I quickly assessed the layout and noted any potential escape routes or hiding places. The room was rather bland, with only a single desk with no hiding place, an open chair, and a small filing cabinet. The only other
LucaEmma surprises me by attending training again at six o'clock the following morning. Her presence was a commodity, one that made my men excited due to the fact this deviated from their routine.I watch, enthralled, as she works her way through my men, yet as tired as I am, her abilities irk me. I failed to go to bed last, knowing that the money she squandered out of me on the pretence of her having the wedding she deserves has made me want to make her submit below me just for the slight loss to be worth it. The more time I spend in her presence, the more I want to fuck her. It doesn't help that since that night my father forced her onto me, I haven't had any sexual encounters at all. A man has needs—I have needs, but it seems this man has a future wife to tend to them, so the need to have a whore has diminished. Not to mention, I finally have Emma back after years of thinking the worst happened to her and her family.Even so, despite the fact her virginity is already taken, somet
EmmaLuca lends me his office when the planner arrives. She's obviously Italian. Her sun-kissed skin and brown hair proved that before her mouth even opened, but her greeting in Italian, stating her name was Alessandra, further supported my thoughts.I should be ecstatic that I'm planning my wedding day, but after this morning and the memory of the knife I pulled on Luca, my thoughts have been spiralling into the depths of my own hell.Why did I reach for my knife?And why the fuck did I press so hard that a line appeared in crimson over his neck?I'm spiralling when she sets things on the desk I'm sitting behind. Luca's smell is surrounding me, and though that should be comforting, it isn't."Luca instructed me that the invites must be delivered no later than tomorrow morning. I have a list of important families he wants to attend. Would you like to add to it?" She asks, shoving a bonded folder of instructions that Luca seemingly put together for her.I take the folder quietly, flipp
LucaAfter telling her the horrid, feared gown didn't suit her, I desperately wanted to look at the CCTV in the parlour to see what dress Emma had decided to wear.Honestly, she looked beautiful beyond words, but I had never imagined her in such a gown as she walked down the aisle towards me before becoming my wife. So I made sure to make her dislike it, only for me not to know which gown she had ultimately decided to go for."I've deleted the footage," Niko grinned as I'd never seen him grin before whilst he peered at the CCTV app I had opened on my laptop."Why?""It's bad luck to see the bride's gown before the wedding day," he chuckled as my hand hovered over the laptop's cursor bar before me."Niko...""Trust me?" He asked."Fine, is she ready? We need to leave?""Waiting for you outside, I want to send a small team with you. I have one of those feelings," he tells me as his eyes darken and he looks thoughtful.My father summoned us to attend a charity ball for children in a hosp
I apologise to Councillor Steven and his wife, Bella, as I guide Emma out of the grand hall, moving us through the house as I stride purposefully, I lead us out to the gardens, and then I guide her to the fountain we used to spend more of our time than we were supposed to."Luca?" Emma whispers at my change in direction. I think she's keeping her voice low so as not to betray the emotion flitting through her, but I see her eyes as she appraises the fountain.They're wide and hurt. Does she think I'm purposely bringing her back to the place we first fell in love to hurt her?I drop to one knee as she walks a little ahead of me, her hand dipping inside the pool below the fountain as she swipes at the water in much the same manner as she used to.I snag the chain around my neck, breaking it in the process.The ring falls into my palm as I pocket the broken chain, intent on keeping it in the hopes that breaking it will bring us a new life together.Why have I brought her out here to where
BiancaSo we're in hiding, great, except for the fact that there's no food or much water and only one bedroom come living area, leaving us with the only option but to share space with one another.That first hour was filled with tense silence. We sat in a circle, staring at one another as we judged each other.I guess none of us had a clue of what to say, leaving the only sounds coming from Alexandra as she hissed annoyance at being tied to another chair while simultaneously trying to release herself. She couldn't, of course. Sven ensured she wasn't able to breathe, let alone escape. Soon, though, the trivia of being trapped down here had me wandering around the space as I paced back and forth in an attempt to kill my anxiety. And my movement had first Sven agitated and then Alexandra."You'll have to surface at some point; they'll be waiting," she tells me. Or at least she looks to me as she speaks. It's as if she's solely talking to me, yet she never actually addressed me. Anxiet
Continued:"No, I'm here. Right where I should be. I'm here for you, Bianca. Only you.""You can't heal these ugly parts of me," she tells me desperately, but I hear more than her telling me something. I listen to her convincing herself she can't be healed. She's so wrong."I don't care; I accept them. I accept all of you, Bee.""Why?" she asks in a quiet and frightened tone. Her disbelief is flavoursome, and I hate it. I think long and hard about my answer, but it comes down to one thing. "Because I can," I tell her with a look that I hope transpires everything I'm not saying.Because I love you should have been the words that left my mouth, but it's the wrong time to say such things, especially when the feeling is so new and appeared so quickly that even I'm tripping over this emotion I've run from all my life."I'm ugly, horribly ugly inside, Niko.""And I'll love those ugly parts just the same; now, do you want to talk about it or save that conversation for later?"She looks ast
NikoSven and I meticulously strip what little clothing Alexandra had on, but we find nothing that could account for a tracking device.Even so, we check every crevice of her body and still come up empty-handed before replacing the clothing to give her some sense of decency. If I'm honest, I tackle the task with indifference, but in honesty, I feel sick to my stomach doing such a task. At first, she shook like a leaf, but her true identity showed itself when her quivering lip turned into a malicious smile when we realised she didn't have an evident tracking device."Perhaps you should look elsewhere," she sneered at me with enough malice to prove she's gone entirely fucking rogue. This is not the woman I remember; she sure isn't the loved-up woman who followed Mitchels every word. "I should kill you now, leave your dead body for them to find. Perhaps that would leave the message that I'm not to be played with," I hiss back with equal fervour, but I knew I was only playing into her g
Continued:My entrance is dramatic, and I twist my ankle. Barely containing the yelp of pain as hands steady me. "Careful," Niko warns as his hands grab my shoulders. Righting me, he strokes my cheek and kisses my forehead. Then he leaves me, moving for Alexandra, who is sitting on one of the kitchen stalls in the middle of the kitchen. I watch Niko closely tie her to the stall, ensuring her hands and legs are immobile.I'm itching to turn every light off and cut out all light for anyone searching for something to guide their way here, to me.The seconds tick by until he's finished, and I slap every light switch to swamp us in darkness when he begins to stand."Bee?" He questions me as the house falls into darkness. The silence around us stretches out only as far as Alexandra's laugh allows. She knows, god, she knows that they're coming. "Isaw lightout at sea," I whisper to Niko. "She's guiding them here. I'm sure of it!" I tell him desperately, knowing he probably won't believe m
BiancaThings are escalating so quickly, and I'm at a complete loss for words. I don't know what to do with the information safely stowed away in my bra. It is burning my skin. It's begging me to reveal it, knowing deep down that we need to acknowledge the fact that a Densel was seemingly working against one of their own with the likes of another man's wife, who just so happens to be one of the top three rulers of our kind.I'm sure Niko could make more heads over the tail of it himself, but I don't want to give away the game for Alexandra only to win with the upper hand. Because she knows, she knows what Benji was doing there, and she might be the fucking key for the downfall headed our way. Now, whether Benji is the one she is hinting at or if she is hinting at Mitchel is above me right now.Anxiety rolls through me, and a sixth sense begs me to accept the truth. They were working together, but for what and why? And more importantly, who?So, I defer. I accused her of cheating des
Continued: Sighing and gritting my teeth in annoyance, I begin to unbutton my shirt in a hurry. Shifting it off my shoulders, I hold it out to Alexandra with a stern look of annoyance, willing her to take it without saying thank you. Sven chuckles from the back of the boat. He's far enough away that his chuckle comes at me quietly, but I hear it anyway as I make eye contact with him. He never did appreciate having morals. "Thank you," Alexandra eagerly takes my shirt, wrapping it around herself, proving she was trying her damned hardest to conceal the fact she was indeed very cold. I train my gaze away from her lack of attire, aware that my staring might well upset Bianca, and I far from want to create that distance between us. Not after we've come so far in our relationship. "I think you need to start talking, Alexandra," I finally demand with a low undertone, my voice as menacing as I can make it. I want to instil as much fear as I can to successfully seek the answers I need. Bu
Niko The short ride to the private dock is tense and, quite frankly, unnerving as I try to remain stoic and quiet after saving Alexandra and nearly losing Bianca in the process. I want to ask Bianca exactly what happened and how she came to be in that room alone with no one holding her there as I thought I'd find, but I cannot fathom asking these questions in the earshot of Sven, and perhaps even Alexandra. I need to judge whether the pair of them are safe, and I definitely need to gauge whether Alexandra is a threat. How did she know that Bianca would be in that room, and would she tell me if she had planned to abduct her alongside the Densels? I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but the Densel dabble in illegal requirements of girls, even by the mafia's sordid morals and not one family knows the coordinates of any one of their bases. Most girls, if not all, disappear without a trace after they are handed over to the Densels. It's quite literally as if they vanish into thin air
Continued:"Stop calling me Bambi.""Don't you like to be reminded of who you belong under, Bee?" "Benji, I—."Surprisingly, he pushes past me, heading for the opened suitcase on the bed. He shoves a few loose articles inside, then walks off to bathroom returning with a wash bag that goes in too.I blink, like a retard. What in the hell?"Don't play games with me, Bambi. Sit down," he scowls at his hands, speaking in the same tone as before. And yet his whole demeanour changes. He drops the knife on the bed, disregarding it as if it hurt him to hold it up to me.I frown at the door I'm still stood before and I talk in a genuinely frightened and confused voice."Okay, okay. Where do you want me?" I ask."There," he point to the desk."I'll sit," I tell him, moving with my hand before me to show I'm playing his game. Even if it seems demented at this point. I walk to the desk, and I see a notepad and pen supplied by the hotel. Taking the pen I write down on the notepad.What the fuck i
BiancaNiko executed his plan very promptly leading me and grabbing the girl as we compiled out of the small door that led us back here in the first place. But things don't continue as expectedly when I start to veer off from Niko with the encouragement of a hand that surely isn't his."Let go of me," I hiss in pain as I'm dragged by the wrist through the crowd of people. The hand holding my wrist is cold, and unlike Niko's warm and inviting touch, I recoil very quickly from the individual leading me away. I try to turn away using my weight as a tool to pivot in the direction I want to head in, my aim is to head back to the group of people that are now lingering outside the door. Back to Niko, back to safety but my feet lose purchase on the floor, my body being lifted quite easily as if I weighed nothing.The strong smell of aftershave fills my nostrils, a stark reminder of him, of Don Densel."Let me go! Let go of me," I begin to shout.Pushing away from the body I find myself crus