LILITH POVGiovanni pulled me close, his lips crashing onto mine with a hunger that stole my breath away."We shouldn't—" I started, but his kiss, firm and unyielding, swallowed my words."No one's looking, Cucciolo," he murmured, his hands already slipping down my hips, tugging me flush against him.Someone could be! How was he so sure? We had only gotten here, and he hadn't even appropriately surveyed to make sure of that.But this, what was about to happen, I couldn't stop him. I felt the need to, at the same time, I wanted it.My heart pounded as he pressed me back against the smooth rock wall, the cool surface contrasting with the heat of his touch. His hands slid beneath the hem of my sundress, fingers skimming my thighs.I bit my lip, trying to stifle the gasp that threatened to escape."Quiet," Giovanni whispered, his voice rough with desire. "Unless you want them to hear."The thrill of it—the risk, the stolen moment—made it impossible to resist. My hands tangled in his hair
LILITH POVThe sliding doors of Malpensa Airport opened, letting in the crisp, familiar air of Milan. The city's essence hit me—a mixture of jet fuel, and the faint metallic tang of rain that had only just stopped.The last time I had been here, the feeling it ignited in me had been thrilling. Walking into the airport and setting my feet in a private jet for the first time was enough to bring that thrill to me.But today, it felt different. I was home, in a familiar ground, but the comfort of home wasn't there.Giovanni walked ahead of me, his stride purposeful, his jaw set in the way it always was when he was hiding too much in plain sight.I had been watching him since we left the penthouse. He had not spoken much and still wasn't talking to me. I had tried my best to think of every possible thing that could be wrong because we had been having a great time, and for the first time since we arrived in Santorini, everything seemed to be going great.I had thought we were finally gettin
GIOVANNI POVMarcella was dead. She had finally succumbed to her injury and died.Fuck!I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. My grip on the whiskey glass tightened, and the coolness of the crystal digging into my palm was the only thing grounding me.Hearing the news on the phone at the penthouse back in Santorini wasn't as impactful as seeing it.I had prayed, meditated, and wished for it not to be true. I had seen her state about two weeks ago, and now worse she had been.I knew her chances of survival were slimmed, but I had still hoped she'd fight back.I couldn't imagine the agony she had been through. The sleepless night, the tears...A searing wave of rage, sharp and consuming, like fire scorched through my veins. My fingers twitched, and before I could stop myself, the glass was out of my hand, shattering against the wall with a deafening crash."Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, save us!" One maid whimpered.But I didn't glance at her, nor did my focus waver from the whiskey-str
LILITH POVI wasn't expecting much activity, not in the middle of the summer break. However, the university library still felt alive in its own way—paper rustling, chairs scraping against the floor, the low hum of whispers floating through the air. It was the kind of quiet that made you feel like you had to tiptoe everywhere, even if no one was looking.I chose a table near the window, away from prying eyes. Not that there were many here to notice me. I wouldn't even be seen because I was easily the most forgettable person.No leather jackets, dark makeup, heels that click like a metronome, or overpriced dresses. That Raven would certainly mostly wear. I was just... Lilith. Faded blue Jeans, a loose light gray T-shirt underneath a beige cardigan that was two times my size, and a soft scarf to guard against the library's overzealous air conditioning.A few students huddled over textbooks, a professor scribbling notes, and a librarian stacking shelves with deliberate care.I leaned over
LILITH POVGiovanni. That was the only thing I could think of in spite the quiet conversation, the clinking of glasses, and the heady scent of wine filling the room.We attended the wine tasting at Castello Di Vino, a private vineyard estate located just outside of Milan amid the undulating hills. This place was renowned for its historically significant vineyards that date back hundreds of years. We were currently in the gorgeous refurbished wine cellar wıth tall oak barrels lining the walls, the event was exclusive. Soft amber sconces were the only source of light in the dimly lighted area, giving it a cosy, welcoming feel.The room was filled with glasses of wine, including whites, reds, and even rare limited editions, on a long, polished oak table.I had always wanted to be here. I had thought we were going to another restaurant when Giovanni had sent me the dress I'd be wearing.Until we arrived here.I shivered, glancing at Giovanni as his hand brushed mine for the umpteenth tim
LILITH POVAs we stepped outside the ladies ' room, I bumped into a blonde, one of the servers.Flushing, I stared down at my feet as a wide smile graced her face.Giovanni slipped his hand into his pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, and handed it over to her."Thank you, Thank you!" the blonde gushed, hastily stuffing the money inside her bra before looking around.Giovanni nodded, then proceeded to walk away.I stumbled forward. "What was that?" I frowned. Did she serve as a watchwoman for Giovanni? Possibly because no one had stepped into the ladies' room to use it during our time inside.She had maybe redirected them elsewhere.I grimace, shaking my head. If she had been standing there for too long, she could have heard everything happening. No wonder she was staring at me!"Nothing," Giovanni answered."It doesn't look like nothing," I muttered.He stopped walking and glanced down at me. A frown etched on his handsome face.How could he still look so good after that intense sessio
LILITH POVSIX WEEKS LATER"Wait, Lilith!" I stopped, swirling to see Melvin swaggering toward me.He pulled the baseball cap, holding his hair in place, and waved before setting it back on.After not seeing him a few weeks before the last paper, Melvin was in school today.I glanced around to see that his car was parked in the lot. I hadn't noticed it until now because my mind had been on something else.My life since the last few days.Life was different when Giovanni was in it. It was faster, eventful, and promising. It wasn't just about our intimacy; it was how we connected with each other, laughed, and lifted up one another when sad.But recently, I didn't think everything I had been doing had uplifted Giovanni’s spirit in any way. He seemed down, angry at everything, the world, and frustrated.He hadn't said anything to me about his feelings. I had only guessed. Also, it was very much obvious when he thrust into me. He had become overly aggressive and would apologise soon after
GIOVANNI POVI stood by the large tree that offered nice shade. It was close to the parking lot and the school's entrance. At least a five-minute walk would get you inside.Also, I stayed not just because it was quieter and free from the squealing teenage girls I had just escaped; it was because of him.It was that boy, Melvin Ryan, according to the information that Luca and Jacques had gotten from me. He was twenty years old, the golden boy of the school, as I had already guessed, as he was part of the football team. Above all, he was a Nephew to Diego Cardenas.The Bastardo. Diego Cardenas was a story for another day. My main focus was Melvin, and I couldn't help but wonder about his relationship with the girl I kept bumping into.He seemed to be interested in her. Unlike the way he had acted around Marcella, he was calm with this girl.Maybe it was all part of the plan. If he couldn't get her calmly, he'd undoubtedly use force as he had done with Marcella.My hands clenched into fi
GIOVANNI POV"Trouble in paradise?"I didn't raise my head from the position it was in. It was currently between my hands, and I was staring at the empty cup once filled with whisky on my office desk.Theo was in the office with me. He'd be staying over for a week, and he had come to Milan for an important business, so rather than let him live in a hotel, I had invited him over.He was my friend after all and he'd be saving money too."Judging by what I saw, I'd say you were the faulty one," Theo continued.I snorted. Sighing, I raised my head, looking around the room. It was somewhat dark. The only light came from the chandelier, and it should have been too dim for anyone to be able to see anything.I could see just fine; no obstacle on the road would make me stumble. In fact, having the curtains down and minimal light was one of the things u preferred while in the office.Despite how gloomy it seemed, the outside sometimes got me even more furious than I always was."What did you sa
CASEY POV"Jesus Christ, Lilith, can you stop doing that?" I groaned, raising my head slowly from the pillow.My eyes were still shut as I sat up on the bed, and I pushed my hands into my hair, holding my pounding head, trying to ease the headache.But it was pretty useless because my head pounded intensely with every little movement I made with my face.I didn't get drunk last night, and I knew the reason I was in this situation.That jerk. He hadn't even spared me or even for a second thought. I was a woman, and he shouldn't be hitting on someone who was supposedly weaker than he was. But no, he had slammed the fucking club at the back of my head. I wondered if it was to prove to Lilith that he could hurt me as he had said, or maybe he just desired to inflict pain on people.I opened my eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to the bright lighting in the room. When they were fully opened, they flickered to Lilith, who paced around the room with a mug clasped in her hands.I grimaced,
LILITH POVAbout a few minutes later, we were out of the cage room and outside in the cold. I hurried towards Giovanni as he strode to the car, with Theo carrying Casey walking behind us.Theo promised to take Casey home, although I had declined his offer. It made no sense that I let my best friend be taken home by someone she wasn't familiar with. But I trusted Theo.He wasn't a creep and would ensure Casey arrived home and was well taken care of before leaving.I knew that Casey would be fine with him. So, I allowed it after much prodding."Wait up," I said to Giovanni as he continued walking.I walked as fast as my aching legs could carry me. When we reached the car, I gripped the door's handle before Giovanni could.I didn't let go and that made him turn to me.He furrowed his brows, staring down at me."Are you mad at me?" I asked him. "I know I shouldn't have brought Casey here. It's my fault that happened to her. Besides, I didn't want to be alone because you're mostly either t
LILITH POVEverything happened so fast that I could barely keep up. From Giovanni landing the first punch to Jared, my so-called captor retaliated, and everyone started fighting.My attention was mainly on Giovanni, who had succeeded in shoving Jared into the cage facing him off.I hadn't seen Giovanni in a fistfight before until now. Oh boy, he easily was the sexiest man I had ever seen despite the blood dripping from his hands and bruises on the side of his face.I hadn't doubted Giovanni beating Jared but I never thought it would be as easy as this.It looked like this was what he did everyday and Jared wasn't even a match for him.Giovanni emerged from the cage a while later, wiping the blood in his hands.He gripped the door of the cage and pointed to Jared's body, which was now on the ground.Two men immediately ran towards the body and pulled him up. I recalled one of the men as the guard who had stopped me from entering the VIP section the first time I met face-to-face with Gi
GIOVANNI POVWe were done with the meeting. Although the underground club, as it was called so as not to draw unwanted attention, wasn't just filled with one Mafia group. There were different factions from different Italian mafia families. It was owned by multiple factions, and everyone had gathered to decide who would get what cut of the profits.Not to brag, but I had the most significant profit in this underground club. Likewise, the club wouldn't be functioning without my influence."Really?" Theo murmured, igniting his fourth cigarette since today. "Bringing her here? What point are you trying to make exactly?"I shrugged, walking to the window and staring at the darkened area. I could only see the three swaying gently as the wind blew it. Also, it was possible to see the twin lampposts a few distance from the tree.We were in an office that could be used by anyone. This was a private space, especially when you had something you desired to say and didn't want the world to know ab
LILITH POVIt wasn't long after Theo left as well to go into the room I had been in. I was with Casey once again in the cage room.Both of us looked lost and wondered what to do with our time. We needed to wait for Giovanni and Theo to be done with whatever they were doing before leaving here."Where did you go?" Casey asked me as we walked towards the bar at the room's corner. Less people gathered there. Most of the people were close to the cage, which was situated in the room's center, and they were fixated on the event that was going on.Also, they had servers bringing wines and liquor to them, so they had no reason to come to the bar except if it was necessary."In a room," I murmured. Casey raised her brows, and I thought of what to add precisely to what I said.It was a room filled with all sorts of things, perhaps the ones I hadn't seen yet, and it was the reason Giovanni wanted me out of there. To shield me. But I doubted that was the case because if he had wanted to shield me
GIOVANNI POVI stared at Lilith. She still had her thinking face on. It was tilted in the air, and her lower lip between her teeth and forehead had crease lines. I was expecting her to heed my advice and do as I said. Bringing her here might not have been the best thing I ever did as far as I was concerned.She was in the danger zone and barely had any experience with the Mafia world. If that was Diamante, she had all the knowledge from her father. Lilith was different.At this same time, I wanted her to see me for who I was. There was no way I could give her what she desired and there was no point in her staying with me because it would be a waste of time.I was doing her a favor and hoped she was sensible enough to know that."Maybe I am not brainy after all," Lilith finally said. She shrugged her tiny shoulders and a small smile formed on her face.She was exceptionally gorgeous tonight. It wasn't the makeup. She was always this beautiful but something about her tonight was somewha
LILITH POVThe room wasn't as dark as I had thought. I guessed it was due to the dimness, and my brain had processed that it was that way; hence, I had seen nothing at first.All the same, I was still curious."What's going on? Why am I here?" I asked Giovanni."Relax," that was the only thing he said as his hand, once again, snaked around my waist.Relax? I wanted to scream at him. How the hell was I going to relax in this manner? What the fuck was he thinking bringing me in here?! Ever since I had been following Giovanni, this was the first time I'd be in such an atmosphere as intense as this.Although I had seen him with guns many times, killed people, and even once saw him being shot at, the first time, that was all.We were always in a high-profile event with wealthy-looking men and women.This wasn't as noisy and chaotic as the first place we were in, but it didn't make it less dangerous.This place was darker. Cooler. It seemed like the place where silence held more weight than
LILITH POVI had no choice but to leave the house. Casey waited until it was precisely the time to lead me out. She had borrowed me one of her dresses because she believed the ones in my wardrobe weren't fitting for the occasion that Giovanni wanted.Even though we didn't know what the occasion was about. I never knew, so I wasn't even surprised one bit.When I was out of the house after giving an excuse to my mother to stay over at Casey's for the night, to which she had agreed, Casey and I both walked to the bus stop, where we waited for Giovanni to arrive.In about ten minutes, the car was here but he wasn't the one picking me up. It was Rowland and Giovanni wasn't even in the car.I furrowed my brows as I walked to the car, leaning close to the window, "Where's Giovanni?" I asked him."The boss is in the party. He needs to arrive there because he's having an important meeting in about," Rowland stared at his watch, before glancing back to me, "2 minutes and shoot! He asked me to b