** Brooklyn, New York Draken I pocketed my phone, acutely aware of everyone's eyes on me. Ioann chuckled silently beside me as he shook his head, clearly amused by my ability to stun every single person in this room. Being able to hold that kind of power and attention, no matter the nature of the situation, still confirmed what we already knew. We had piqued every single person here's interest. They are within my bubble now and I will make sure some of them never leave... "Pardon the interruption. I'm afraid my wife required my attention for a moment. You know how it is...newly wedded bliss and all. Please do go on, Don Rinaldi." I made sure that my gaze was solely trained on the man I had come to enjoy pissing off. Emilio Romano watched me with a neutral expression, seemingly fooling everyone else in this room but not me. I could see the restrained rage deep in his gaze. He was barely holding onto his anger, trying hard to fight it because it wasn't supposed to be there in the
*** Brooklyn, New York Draken The man before me hissed, moving to come towards me when his attendant stood, placing his hand on his arm to stop him in place just as my men bristled from somewhere behind me, ready for anything. I held my hand up, stopping them as I granted the enraged man a sinister grin. "Sir, please calm down. This is not the right time and place to do this." His attendant tried to calm him, the two engaging in silent conversation that I ignored as I turned back to the individuals before me with a slight smile. "I had hoped to do this after the main agenda has been handled but I guess certain people have no comprehension of what patience means..." I leaned forward on my seat, my eyes travelling around the room as I prepared to drop a bomb and observe the looks on everyone's faces. This was one of the main reasons I was here in the first place. I needed to see, to know who was hiding something. Who I needed to hunt. Ioann bristled from beside me as did Kei
*** Upper East Side, New York Alessandra "Yes, place it right there please. Thank you." A sacharrine sweet smile graced my lips as my husband's men went about placing everything I had purchased in its place. I was excited, ready to literally jump outside my body at how perfectly my plan was coming together. This was everything that I wanted and so much more and the reactions from all around were cementing my decision even further. Whereas the guards placing every purchased item in place looked more so confused, I focused on Frances and Vladmir's reactions. The two men looked literally sick to their stomachs, almost as if they would pass out at any given moment. Faces pale, eyes darting between my ridiculous purchases and the location each of them was going to and my sweet smile, they seemed to be on the verge of a heartattack. "You really are stubborn as hell. I do hope that Mr. Zolotov spares you. I have come to quite like your company." Frances murmured when I stepped over to
*** Upper East Side, New York Alessandra "Vintage rugs." Draken murmured, taking in the colorful rugs all around the house that I had placed around to replace the sterile, mono-chromatic colors that had beeen present before. Gone were the black, gray rugs- all of which had been replaced with colorful vintage rugs that matched the white couches. An outside, objective eye would appreciate the meld of colors with the monochromatic colors of the couches and the walls but to my mercurial husband whose entire wardrobe consisted of black and navy blue suits, it was like a unicorn had barfed all over the living room floors. I had never been given styling freedom around the house. I was yet to explore my freedom to design a house to fit my own likes and although I had picked the most colorful rugs I could find in the store all in efforts to drive my husband mad, I actually liked how they turned out around the house. Gone was the sterile feel. The place somehow felt like home. We were no
*** Upper East Side, New York Alessandra The nightmare assailed me, its ruthless claws digging deep into my sub conscious as I felt the fear poison my veins. It had been a blissful four months since I had the displeasure of experiencing the familiar and unpleasant peak of my heartbeat and the swirl of darkness that seemed to chill my body to the bone. I was back in the usual dark hallway, the flickering light up ahead doing nothing to illuminate the space that seemed to stretch for miles but I knew well enough that that wasn't the case. I couldn't quite see it due to the poor lighting but I knew it was there. My entire body knew the damn thing was there. A red door. I was shaking, not only from fear but also from a bone chilling cold that could only be described as inhuman. It was the weirdest mix of emotions, chilling cold on the outside whereas my insides felt like they were melting under the pressure of the dread that coursed through me as I looked towards the menacing door th
*** Upper East Side, New York Alessandra "You're telling me there isn't at least one suit remaining?" Draken's voice pulled me from my dreamless sleep, restoring me to a world of warmth and the sound of his voice that sent shivers through me. Despite having Just woken up, my body still reacted so rawly to his presence, a problem that I needed to find a way to rectify. It might be harder to do that, especially after how he took care of you last night... It was not an unfounded worry. No one other than my family knew of my Nightmare Disorder. They were the only ones who had seen me at my worst and taken care of me through it. No one else had shown me such kindness, especially a man who supposedly married me to fulfill whatever agenda or plan he has in the pipeline. Why Did he help me? I mean, its not like he had anything to gain from doing what he did, saying what he said... The words he spoke to me last night in the bathroom came back in full force, reminding me of the intense e
Manhattan, New York Draken "I need to see my little sister. Today." Alessandra's voice was calm despite our little dining room exchange. I had been unable to hold myself back, control the desire that seared through my veins when I saw her; every single moment I think of the woman before me, let alone being in the same room with her leaves my mind clouded with desire. She stood at the threshold of the main door, looking absolutely stunning, enough to take my breath away. Her defiance was palpable in the air, lurking beneath those enchanting blue eyes. Eyes that still haunt my dreams every night, more so now that she lies next to me. From the little mole underneath her left eye to the small crease on her brow whenever she was angling for a fight, her body had become an open book, revealing the storm before it washed all of us away. Her mind was still a vault but not for long. I had to admire her resolve. She was proving to be more interesting as time goes by, more so now that I kn
*** Lower Manhattan, New York Alessandra "Holy shit! I missed you so much, sorella! I missed this! Being grounded without you has been literal TORTURE! And Mama isn't necessarily the best company when all she seems to watch is soap operas all damn day when she's not being her husband's 'prim and proper wife'. God, its been so annoying!" "Papa cut my house arrest short because of my engagement ceremony coming up but he still insisted on having his goons follow me around like some kind of criminal, damn him!" Vittoria complained, her words slightly slurred from the five cocktails she had downed so far. She glanced at our family bodyguards, her frown ever present as she glared at one of them who was quick to look away. He knew better than to mess with her. The two of us had grown quite the reputation among our father's men not just for our stubbornness and antics but for the intense training we had gone through. Rumors had floated around of our combat abilities and although none of