LucaAs I step out of my car, my shoes hit the pavement with a steady rhythm that synchronises with my heartbeat. I'm standing in the driveway of the house where I grew up, but I'm about to leave the comfort of the familiar behind and make my way to my father's office, where he summoned me earlier this evening. The halls of my parent's home are dimly lit, but the soft glow is enough to guide me as I walk towards my father's office, wondering what he wants to talk to me about this time. I've been meeting with him regularly lately, and while it's become routine, I can't help but feel a sense of unease every time I step into his office under his domain. You see, I've recently taken on the role of underboss in the family business, preparing to become the next Don of the Italian Mafia. It's a position I never expected to find myself in, having grown up as a half-Italian boy in London, feeling like I only fit in with myself. Looking back, it's clear that everyone was afraid of me and, mo
EmmaThis meeting went differently than I wish it would. Yet, as I listen to Luca hiss his annoyance with my presence, I internally laugh that this is precisely how I imagined he would react to me.After being told to sit back down, I internalise my musings, thinking back to that day six long years ago.As a child, I didn't understand the concept of love, I don't think any child can. That was until I met the boy who lived just next door to me. He was older than me, but we grew up together, and as time passed, my feelings for him only grew more substantial and more robust. He was an ever-present embodiment of protection, lurking often and saving me from myself just as frequently. I fell for him completely and utterly, with a deep emotion that I couldn't comprehend then.However, tragedy struck just as quickly as my love for him had blossomed. My father was threatened with a gun to his head by his very best friend and none other than Luca's father to get me away from the boy I was betro
LucaWhile driving, I made a terrible mistake by allowing one of my hands to stray from the steering wheel. Even though it was a minor lapse in judgment, I feel a sense of guilt and regret. However, I refuse to let the hurt inflicted by the woman sitting next to me control my thoughts and actions after all these years. As a soulless killing machine, I have long buried my emotions, but now they are resurfacing, and I won't let them consume me. It's clear to me that she took what wasn't hers and then ran away. Despite all this, we find ourselves betrothed to each other. I wonder if it's merely a coincidence. I think not; nothing in my line of work is marked down to something as simple as coincidence. But at least I won't have to lie to my father when I say I've taken her virginity on our wedding night; the only small white lie will be the timeline in which I had taken it.I am hesitant and taken aback by my thoughts as I consider the possibility of marrying this stunning yet untrustwort
EmmaLuca reacts abruptly, slamming his foot on the brakes with such force as if there was an imminent threat of a multi-car pile-up ahead. The car comes to a screeching halt in a matter of seconds, throwing me forward as the seatbelt tightens against my skin, crushing my ribs and causing me to let out a painful groan.I am still trying to catch my breath when we take a sudden left turn into a narrow single-track lane. The lane is covered with thick foliage of trees that wind around, obscuring the view ahead of us. As we continue down the lane, I realize that we are approaching a massive ten-foot wall. The wall is manned by at least five guards who seem to be on high alert at our appearance. The only way into the compound is through a wrought iron gate that is being guarded by these men.The term "compound" refers to Luca's place of residence, a secured and heavily guarded home where his men are constantly patrolling the perimeter.I have kept tabs on Luca's every movement and ability
LucaMy mind is in disarray as I sauntered through the vast expanse of my property with purpose. I needed to find a place to gather my thoughts and sort out the turmoil that was raging inside me first. I had to entrap this liar to ensure she was kept far away from my secrets, and then I needed to get myself into check. The house is enormous, with more than twenty-eight bedrooms at my disposal, each more opulent than the last. I could have chosen any of them to deposit Emma in, but instead, I decided my bedroom was where she belonged.My bedroom was my sanctuary, my place of refuge. It was located in the far corner of the property, away from the hustle and bustle of the remainder of the house. It is a spacious room, three times the size of any other in the compound, and it boasted the most comfortable bed I had ever slept in. As I forcibly pushed her in, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. This was my domain, my safe haven, the one place where I could be myself and let my guard down a
EmmaAs my eyes flutter open, I am greeted by the sun's dazzling rays streaming through the two glass doors. These doors lead out onto a balcony ideally placed to face the rising sun, illuminating the multiple hills that rest beyond the locked doors.Despite the beauty of the outside world, I feel trapped and confined within these walls. I long to step out onto the balcony to inhale the crisp night air, but last night, when I tried the doors, I discovered they were locked. I could have tried to use the pins in my hair to pick the lock and escape, but the risk posed by the men guarding the house made me hesitant and the man who holds my heart even more so.As I lie here, I reminisce about the countries we have lived in over the years. The United Kingdom has always held a special place in my heart because of him, and I am grateful to be back. The cool English air is a welcome change from the hot and humid weather I have experienced elsewhere. The countryside here is unparalleled; even m
LucaAs I drive to the docks on the south coast, the silence around me is suffocating. My mind is a whirlwind of emotions, causing my outer layer to appear angry and agitated. The air feels icy and dry, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest.Last night, I couldn't sleep a wink. I lay next to Emma as she slept peacefully, my fingers straying one too many times to the random silver scars glittering under the moonlight. As I traced them with my fingers, my mind was filled with questions—how did she get these scars? Who put them there? And why?With each new scar that I found, my anger grew more substantial. A hit list began to form in my mind - her parents for not protecting her, their men for failing to do the same, and the person or people who put those scars there to begin with. I'd miserably failed the one promise I made Emma when she was six years old."I'll always protect you, Blondie," the words return to me on repeat.I couldn't help but feel a desperate urge to shake Emm
EmmaThe pain I feel is not just physical. It's a deep emotional hurt that I'm struggling to shake off. The memory of his face twisted in disgust as he pushed me away still lingers in my mind. I can't help but feel hurt and rejected.But it's not just that. The sight of him covered in blood sent a wave of fear through me. I was scared that he was hurt and that he might fall unconscious at any moment. My heart raced as I tried to help reassure him as any mafia wife should, but he pushed me away like I was nothing.Our time apart has done more damage than I could have imagined. Our fathers' decision to separate us has caused us nothing but pain and heartache. It's unfair that we have to suffer the consequences of their actions.If they had left us alone, we could have lived happily together. We could have had a family, something that we've always wanted. We wanted to have a child before Luca was passed down the family business so that we could enjoy our young family without the fear and
Walking me to the bed, he places me down softly at the end of the mattress, leaning with me as he deposits me on my back. His arms lay on either side of my head as we kiss passionately, his tongue swiping against my own as we share the saliva living in our mouths. My hands find their way into his hair, fisting gently as a wave of pleasure flits through my lower stomach, making me attempt to close my legs finding that it's an impossibility with him between them. Luca takes that as his cue to laugh before pulling back, taking his lips and tongue to kiss down my throat, between my breasts. Overmy stomach."One day soon, this tummy will swell with our child, and I'll worship you at your feet for giving me my second reason to live," he whispers against the taught skin of my tummy."Your first?" I breathe."You, of course, Amore Mio.""Soon," I say with avid hope, jumping back to the thought of a child living within me. I think that's something we both want now, something I can be thankful
Emma"Luca—," I drag out as he slams me into our bedroom door carelessly. The night was a success, and I've officially agreed to work for his name much as I promised to remain by his side at our wedding, not that there was ever any cause for concern regarding protecting Luca's legacy. It's always been at the forefront of my mind; I've never needed convincing."Fuck you're so enticing, Bambina. Why did we fight for all those weeks?" He asks me as he kisses up the column of my neck beneath my chin, only to pull away and start on the opposite side of my neck from my clavicle to my ear. His beard ruffs against my skin, sending slight tingles through my neck."It was—fun," I admit shyly because, amid the heartbreak, I found some solace in connecting with Luca after so many years apart, even if it was unfavourably. "Oh, it was?" He asks, pulling back to stare at me with an incredulous look of confusion, but his hands never leave my waist, his fingers flexing as he says his following words.
“Very well, Franko. Perhaps you'll be my first enemy. How joyous," Emma laughs manically.So sexy..."You bitch, you haven't got that title yet. It belongs to Bianca; go lay down under your husband and stay in your place!""Enough," I growl unhappily. "Emma is the next Don Rossi. She'll be taking over in my name. All assets will pass between us, and we will rule with an iron fist over both cartels," I tell him, walking closer to where I grab his shoulder. Squeezing down, I have him turning into a bitch himself. "If I ever hear you talk to my wife like that again, you'llbe fertiliser formy plants.""Stop," Maria Densel, his mother, cried as I make him kneel at my feet."Do you understand, Franko?" I ask, ignoring her as I press hard on his clavicle."Yes," he spits through clenched teeth. "Very good, stay the fuck away from my wife and sister-in-law. And keep far, far away from me."Walking away, I note every damned person staring my way. They all look shocked that I'm letting the man
My father's home is filled with black-coat men who appraise Emma hanging on my arm and silent women who wish to be her. I watch with a clenched jaw and tick in my muscles as they look at her from head to toe with need or envy.I hate these men, hate that I have to work alongside them, but needs must, and I'd rather be breathing than dead in a ditch somewhere. And regarding the women, they should be jealous.I move my hold from Emma's hand to her waist, pulling her into my side as I attempt to stake a claim on her. But honestly, with the cartel, your wife never belongs to you, not really. This is one of the main reasons I'm choosing to have her lead. It'll be me in the firing line, so to speak, which is a vast improvement over potentially having her taken in an attempt to use her as leverage. My father's face flashes in the corner of the room illuminated by the many chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and my mother held closely to him, much as I'm holding Emma. His eyes appraise us
Luca"You look—ravishing," I whisper against the side of Emma's throat as I kiss my way down the column of her neck. She's freshly showered and tastes sweet like her body wash, which still resided in my bathroom cabinet even all these years later. It's sweet, like marshmallows, and reminds me of the old Emma. The one that smelt delicious out in the breeze. Nowadays, she uses a more floral body wash when she isn't stealing mine. She's wearing a full-length gown in deep emerald green. It splits up her right leg, opening at the thigh whenever she moves. A silent invitation if I've ever seen one. It makes me want to strip her and do unspeakable things until we fall asleep. But she's needed downstairs, and I'll be damned if she misses this ceremony for the second time in a row. We're at my parents' home, and she's in my childhood bedroom. The decor is the same, and my things remain untouched. A photo of us as teenagers stuck by her sits in the mirror before us. I stare back at us, admiri
Glancing upfront, my eyes clash with Mass's in the rearview mirror. Concern etches his face for me, something I wish he hadn't shown me. I glance out the window for the drive over to the airstrip. It's only a short fifteen minutes, the very same one I ran off to with Niko when I escaped the house Luca tried so desperately to cage me into. God, things have changed so much in such a short amount of time. As we pull onto the tarmac, I note the plane, a few cars, and four crates are being moved to be unloaded from the small private plane on the strip. "You go, I have a phone call to make," Luca encourages as Mass walks around the car to open my door for me.Though he takes out his phone, I presume he's making excuses for me to do the work. He's told me umpteen times that I must make a name for myself to prove my abilities. And I know this is all in the name of proving I'm capable, but the daunting task of revealing our wishes to his father seems overwhelming.Walking in step beside Mas
Emma Over the next week, Luca has an increasing number of jobs circulating from his father compared to the weeks before. I think this has to do with the two-week rule of marital bliss that any heir is given post-wedding before the run-up to their takeover. We are now spending the majority of our time driving around to docks and airstrips to intake the likes of drugs, weapons and girls.Luca has been deferring all decisions to me, even with his father's disgust, but I've been making them, and Luca has been acting on my suggestions. Dimitri's a very clever man, and there's no way he hasn't gotten wind of something shifting between Luca and me. I hope he doesn't take the news so badly that he makes a rash decision regarding my life because the possibility is high, especially in this line of work.This evening, we have a dinner at Dimitri's. Several of the Don will be in attendance, as I'm pledging myself to the Moretta name. This should have happened some time ago, but I ran off to Ge
He's playing cat and mouse with her, and usually, I would laugh, but he did agree to fucking marry her, and he ought to know if he were to have a fucking affair to keep it private. Bianca doesn't seem to know when to stop, her shrill scream filling the damn house as a sharp slap sounds like breaking glass.All quiet on their front, and for a moment, my interest in their little lover's tiff gets the better of me.I almost stand up; I envision glancing out of the dining room to find Bianca somehow overpowering one of Niko's many girls. Not that I think that would be a possibility. He has specific tastes, and all of his girls are on the heavier side of muscular. Bianca is so small, petite and fucking young compared to the type he usually brings home."Ooooh, little Bee. You shouldn't have fucking done that," Niko growls lowly, his voice menacing. A thud sounds, I presume him pinning Bianca to the wall. "Go, Andrea," he stipulates surprisingly. "I'll do it again, don't you worry. Any gi
Luca Something has changed in Emma. I can't quite put my finger on it, but the more I sit and stare at her as we eat dinner, the more I realise she's mulling things over that I honestly don't want inside her mind. They say your worst enemy is yourself, and I'm beginning to believe that.I've been brooding since Niko passed her those photos back in the docks. I know he was making a point of treating her above me, but the pair of us doing such things has made a rod for our own backs.Perhaps I was wrong for taking her with me today, but it was the lesser of two evils.Leave her here where Bianca could do anything she wished while I was away or take her to oversee the work that, one day, she'll eventually take over per my request.I hadn't particularly thought anything over beforehand, and now I'm questioning my decisions.Gritting my teeth, I suspend my fork, and the steak speared on it before me. Emma eats heartily, moving from each food group when the last disappears.We hadn't eaten