I shiver into his chest, clinging to his naked skin as he walks me into the house, taking me through to his office, kicking the door shut behind him with a few choice swear words. I'm staring blankly as he opens another door inside his office—a bedroom I hadn't known about coming into full view.It's sparsely decorated, with a large bed covered in blue silk bedding, two bedside tables to either side and one dresser with a TV on the wall opposite the bed.Niko places me down on my feet, his hand immediately coming up to my cheek; he holds me there before him, his eyes never leaving my own as his thumb strokes along my wet cheek."I'm sorry, bambina. I shouldn't have left my post," he whispers, his thumb stroking away a stray tear falling down my cheek. His thumb catches it, and he brings it to his mouth to lick as I watch with parted lips, and my breath hitched in my throat.Something transpires between us, but my mind is so frayed I can't explain exactly what it is that I'm feeling
LucaThey say there's a fine line between love and hate: you cannot live with one without the other. You can only walk one line with the other mimicking parallel.In some instances, you have to make those who love you hate you. And vice versa, those who hate you love you, and I wholly believe that.But there's a fine line between rage and freight that interconnects with the love and hate you feel for someone. The rage that comes from the anguish of actions made by others toward a person of interest is one of the most potent emotions to arise from loving or hating someone. That's how I feel sitting in the SUV.We've just landed; it's not much after midnight, and I should be happy to be back in England, yet I'm so livid that my vision is pulsating with red. The haze threatens to take me under its spell as I plan the demise of every man left within my compound.I can't blame the team I took with me, but the two who arrived in the SUVs to take us home were in the compound when the event
Emma's lying in his bed, surrounded by his bedding, the room smelling just like him; I press my nose to her ear, sniffing her face, which, if I'm not mistaken, has his smell along with cigarette smoke.He touched her, and that realisation has me reeling.Reeling because the anger doesn't come as I thought it might. I moan aloud at the confusion. I hate that she's here, but I also love that she's surrounded by my number two, my best friend.The sudden urge to share her with him takes me for six, knocking me over figuratively because I never thought of doing that with her. But now that my mind is made up, I know the endless possibilities of fun we could have between business deals.Fuck..."I'm sorry, bambina," I whisper before straightening up. What am I going to do?Well, I'll deal with Aldo. And then I'll plan her derailment the second I have her on our wedding night. She doesn't know what's coming, but I won't alarm her. I'll keep my desires a secret; that's the best way forward.
Emma "Luca," I whisper as he leans over me; there's that weird smell of something I do not wish to recall, the past calling me down memory lane, but I push it aside, sighing as I open my eyes into the unfamiliar room that knocks me sideways as the memories of last night come crashing through my mind like a freight train.I breathe, smelling as I note Niko's manly aftershave surrounding me as if it's enveloping me like a second skin."I'm so sorry, bambina... have you rested enough?" Luca asks, his palm cupping my cheek tenderly as if he thinks I might suddenly break before him.Maybe I will, but I won't allow him to see that, especially not because of the way he's looking at me.I nod, my throat raw and sore; it's then I know I've been crying in my sleep, my cheeks suddenly feeling wet and sticky. Strands of hair clutch to the moisture as if they've lived in the Sahara and require the water my eyes have expelled."I need you to get up, bambina; I don't think I can hold on to my anger
Aldo's eyes rise to mine, an evil smirk plastered on his face as he holds me captive. My insides crawl, and the memories of my ordeal flood my mind as I start to hyperventilate.It's too soon. I shouldn't be in his presence this soon, but I know that Luca feels like he needs to do this."Aldo is a traitor, and traitors always have accomplishes," Luca looks to his men.I ride my gaze away from Aldo, staring out among the men who now frown. I hadn't expected this turn of events; I hadn't expected that more than just Aldo had planned my rape.I'm shaking now, my body trembling out of control, and all I want to do is climb into bed and hide beneath the duvet to sleep away the terror of yesterday, but that's not what happens.Niko steps beside me, his arm circling my waist as he holds me captive to him, and Luca starts calling names as if off a list.Three other men step forward, their gazes reaching mine. But only one of them mouths 'I'm sorry' in an attempt to correct his wrongdoing.I w
LucaAs I watched Emma and Niko work together to take down the man who dared to touch her, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I was grateful for his help and support towards her, but on the other, I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy that it was he who was man enough to stand behind her. After all, shouldn't it have been me by her side, lending my strength and heat to protect her?To make matters worse, I couldn't shake my anger towards Aldo for going against me and trying to take what was mine. It was a betrayal I couldn't forgive, and I knew I had to act accordingly.As I stood in the basement, listening to Aldo boast that he touched 'my pretty little liar', I knew I couldn't stand by and let Aldo live. It wasn't just about protecting my asset—it was about safeguarding the woman I loved, and I would do whatever it took to keep her safe, even if I hated her because of her choice to leave me before. Loyalty is everything in the game of being part of the m
As I watched my men, I knew I had to find a way to restore the trust and love that had once bound us together whilst remaining as their leader.But where to start? The task ahead of me seemed insurmountable, but I knew I had to try. After all, we were more than just a group of people living together—we were a family."I won't tolerate any form of misconduct towards her. Anyone who dares to touch her or even thinks about her in that inappropriate manner will be met with these severe consequences," I say with a firm tone, glancing sideways to the dead men littered on the floor. "She is our queen—my queen, and as such, she deserves to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity. Let's not forget who she is and what she represents for our future." My words carry a hint of pride and equal amounts of frustration and disappointment, as I can't help but feel that some fail to see the gravity of their brother's actions, so I endeavour to keep my eyes on them.As I turn around and leave, I
Emma Soft knocks on the bedroom door startle me, and I hear Niko calling out my name. I sit up in Luca's bed, my face sticky with tears and snot running down my cupid's bow. I quickly use my arm to wipe away the unpleasantness before responding to Niko.After a moment, I answer him. "Yes, Niko?"The door opens slowly, and Niko stands there looking sheepish as if he's waiting for someone to jump out on him. He explained that he wanted to ensure I was okay after I had run off earlier, and I sensed a hint of concern in his voice.Swallowing the lump in my throat, I shake my head at him. But he turns his gaze away from me so he doesn't see the tears on my face. This allows me to compose myself and put on a brave face."I'm good," I finally manage to say, my voice sounding small and weak.Niko suggests that we train together, but I can't help but blurt out my question. "Are you afraid?" I ask, sensing that something is off about his behaviour.Niko whispers quietly, "We're not allowed in
It's been four fucking days of Emma sleeping in Niko's room, and I'm about ready to murder that fucker with anything that comes within a breadth of my fingertips.She's kept her distance, giving me only moments like breakfast and dinner to speak with her. It doesn't help that Bianca, too, is staying away, seemingly choosing sides with Niko and perhaps Emma.Her words of disgust haven't slipped my notice, but then again, I did have her kidnapped—she just doesn't know that I did that to prevent my father from killing her to send that much-needed message to her father.Bianca is disrespecting my home and myself, something I'm only putting up with because she's Emma's sister.Anyway, enough of them. I've decided to take things into my own hands. I need to get Emma away from whispered opinions that might be our undoing. And a business deal came up at the last minute.Call it an excuse to get her out of my compound. Or call it a coincidence that my father called for me to leave as soon as p
LucaEmma is nowhere to be found after seeing my father and mother off the property, but I have no doubt where she's hiding, and I disfavour that deeply.For a long moment, I stand before Niko's door, my hand midair as I contemplate knocking and demand she sleep anywhere but his room. A jealous side of me that lives rent-free inside me has surfaced. After all, before my father turned up with his fake apology, we had been communicating more effectively than ever before.I think about where she could stay—even upstairs in one of the other's rooms while they bunk up would be favourable—but something stops me.Sighing, I step back from the door. I have to start making good decisions, and bowling on there right now to demand Emma come to bed with me will be far too pushy and far too soon.Even I know that. I'm treading in murky waters without recollection of safe ground. I'll have to move carefully and consider each decision—contemplate Emma's reactions to ensure I don't make another wro
Emma"We should leave. It would be best if you didn't stay with him," Bianca notes unhappily as Niko finishes replaying my utterly private conversation in a condensed form that suits him.Luca's parents have just left, and though I feel as if Luca and I had a breakthrough that was much needed and is something I honestly want to explore more, I decided to come back to Niko's room to give myself time to recuperate and also keep the distance that perhaps is the right course of action for the pair of us at the moment.Niko is hissing unhappily in his weapons closet, gathering a few articles of clothing that I presume he intends to change into for bed. The evening is upon us, and despite not having eaten dinner yet—even though I can smell it cooking, I'm ready to fall into a mattress to sleep.Apparently, Niko is done with work today, and he's adamant that he should probably find another room to sleep in.Of course, I told him not to be silly. This is his room, not mine, so it should be Bi
Niko opens the office door. He moves stiffly as he swings the door to reveal my father and mother. Neither says a word to me or looks my way. He just opens his palm to offer my parents into my office in cold silence.Emma instantly begins to move from my lap, so I hold her back, enabling her to turn to face them, silently stipulating that she stays put.This irks both Niko and my father, but I pay no mind to their opinions."Mother... father.""Good evening," my mother greets us, walking in with a delicate smile to sit opposite us.Her gaze wavers as she sees the screwed-up gauze and bullet sitting proudly for her to look at. Her gaze searches for my father with contempt, and it's then I realise my father obviously wasn't as forthcoming with his role in my injury as he should have been."Are you okay?" My mother asks me."Just fine; what are you doing here?" I grit out. I can't quite raise my gaze to my father's but glance at him, moving to stand beside my mother."I'm sorry, son. I s
LucaLeaning forward, I catch Emma's neck and hold her still before me. She's apologising, which irks me, so I tell her so with a deep voice of control."You have nothing to apologise for, bambina.""I hit you," she sighs, running her fingertip over the slight swelling around my eye.She did hit me, and rightly so. I was acting manic; I wasn't allowing her space. I refused to let her leave and all that after I wrongly accused her of cheating which I still need to investigate who exactly sent me those damn fucking images.They say pictures tell a thousand words; well, perhaps they conceal a thousand truths.I can completely accept that she felt backed into a corner, and I'm glad she raised her back to me in a way.The fact she can stand up to me is something our relationship obviously needs, but I don't wish to push her so close to the edge to cause her to strike out.I want to be better; I intend to be better. I don't know how, but I will strive to be the man she deserves—if she lets
The mafia business follows mafia protocols. Luca obviously upset his father enough to provoke this reaction from him. Besides, I'm not sure I want to argue with him after he's lost an evidentially large amount of blood.I pour us both a drink, passing one tumbler to him as he assesses me with hooded eyes. I have no clue what he's thinking right now, and for once, I see the pain etched on his handsome face. The liquid burns my throat as I swallow the tumbler full, but after the last few days, I feel that I need something to steady me and look at his arm.I'm not squeamish, not really, but I was right. After ripping his shirt open, I note his shoulder is a bloody mess with flesh sticking out of a close proximity shot from what I can only presume is a pistol. Blood trickles out the hole and down across his skin as I assess him flexing the hole."You need a doctor; it's still inside—," I note as the gold bullet shines back at me and the blood surrounding it dribbles down onto his peck."
EmmaI woke up from a restless night's sleep to face a new day with a fresh perspective. Throughout the night, I had been nestled between Bianca and Niko on his bed whilst cuddling Bianca, but in the morning, I turned to look at Niko.He was still clearly in pain, his abdomen showing worsening signs with mottled purple hues. Despite the doctor's miraculous revelation that nothing was broken, Niko was seriously bruised, and that coincided with his lack of sleep overnight.I spent some time simply observing his breathing, silently contemplating how to best care for him. And though I lay there promising myself not to think about the events of last night, my mind wandered. Had my behaviour triggered Luca's response just as much as his triggered mine in the kitchen?It feels as if we've been conditioned to tiptoe around one another for fear we'll lose one another again, and I know that my father dislikes that I was called home to fulfil his promise. So, are we exasperating the problems r
"Your mother warned me that you seemed off the other night, but I didn't want to admit that perhaps this takeover has put too much on your shoulders too quickly. But this," he bellows, stabbing his pointer finger into his phone. "This is very, very disappointing.""I'm sure it is, father.""I never raised you to be this type of man," he adds with a fist on the desk."We sell women to the highest fucking bidder; we hurt women every day of our lives. Force them to uproot everything they know, to lose their families and dreams and aspirations to sell them to the next man, one that probably has a weird ass kink that the girl has never even heard of yet a few measly marks on my wife's neck is too much for you to handle?" I scoff. "Oh yeah, besides that, you never taught me to lay my hands on a woman.""We sell women to men that are vetted. They are safe, fed, looked after," he shakes his head. "I have a team checking on each girl that passes through our hands at least once every few months
LucaContemplating my life is not a task I like to take part in. But here I sit, five tumblers deep, as I assess every fuck up I've made since Emma came back to me.I love the girl so profoundly that my behaviour stems from fear of losing her for a second time, yet this time, it is me who is making the decisions; it's me who is pushing her away.I can't believe I hurt her as I did in the kitchen. I can't believe I allowed that insidious side my father nurtured to take over and cause her harm.Her, of all fucking people.Why must I keep making these mistakes?Why can't I treat her as I always did when we were younger?Can she even love me after seeing the monster I've indeed become?These are the things I contemplate in my alcohol-induced haze.Emma never resurfaced from Niko's room, and though I could have barged in when the doctor let himself out, I knew it was the wrong thing to do.So instead, I stood in the darkness of the unlit hall, waiting for her to leave the room, hoping that