GIOVANNI’S POVSwirling the whiskey in the glass with me, I leaned back into my chair, my eyes shutting. It was only for a brief second as they snapped back open."That fucking bloody half breed son of a whore!" I downed the contents of the glass and forcefully dropped the glass on the table, but the force wasn't enough to make it break.Lancelot Russo. I hadn't thought of him to be involved in something like this. We had no personal issues. We were incredible, and sometimes I got information from him. But why the fuck would he want to hurt Lilith? I knew he hadn't come for me before he even said that; I was curious to know why he wanted Lilith.There were thousands of girls out there in the world he could literally pick from, but he still wanted my girl, knowing she was with me.I should have blown off his fucking head last night. I had restrained myself, not because he had told me to do so. It was because of her.He could have slit her throat if I had taken an action of my own will.
LILITH POVThis morning, I woke up with a stomach cramp and spotting in my pants. Giovanni immediately thought it needed immediate medical attention even though I had told him it could be expected, just as I had read from the pregnancy book.He hadn't believed me though, and forced me out of the house. So, here we were in a hospital he had brought me to about two weeks ago. I believed it was his personal hospital, and he had mentioned the need for me to receive the best medical attention. Hence, he had brought me here.I was currently sitting on the bed awaiting the doctor's arrival while Giovanni paced the room."It's nothing," I assured him for the umpteenth time."Bleeding and stomach ache isn't nothing," he pointed out, then pushed a hand through his hair, muttering. "I shouldn't have given in to the temptation of last night.""What? Are you blaming what happened last night?""Of course, what else should I blame it on?" Giovanni turned to me with a glare.I laughed, shaking my hea
GIOVANNI POVAs I continued to drag Diamante out of sight, she yanked her hands away from mine."Stop," she muttered. "Just stop this.""I haven't even gotten started," I said. I scowled, looking at her up and down.She was different, but not in a good way. While we were together, I had always thought Diamante was a woman who liked perfection, and she barely let things out of place, not even her hair.I mean, each morning, I come awake and see her hair already done. Sometimes, I wondered if the hair was scattered in the first place. Even when I made sure it was, the next minute, it would almost look unrecognizable.This Diamante in front of me wasn't the perfect kind of Diamante I was used to. In fact, I wouldn't have known who it was if I hadn't seen the tattoo on her neck.Her hair was in a messy bun, a style I had never seen her in. Her face was void of makeup, and she didn't do her nails or her lashes, which was one of the things she cherished in her body, and she was wearing a si
LILITH POVGiovanni was acting weird. Since yesterday, we had run into Diamante; he seemed to be keeping his distance from me and barely spoke to me. Well, maybe not. He had reached out to me a few minutes ago to ask if I had enough money for the grocery shopping I was making.But it wasn't that kind of speaking I was talking about. I meant the more personal one, and I tried to go into his office this morning as I hadn't seen him, but it was locked.I believed he left the house, but his car was in the garage, which made it even weirder.Tossing five canned tunas into the shopping cart, I stared at what I had picked, before shaking my head.It wasn't my fault that I had almost gotten everything in the store. The pantry was empty and there were five mouths to feed, plus the baby.So, I went shopping because there was nothing else to do in the house. I couldn't sit and look at the wall until Giovanni decided it was time to speak to me. Also, since my mother would be doing the cooking whe
LILITH POV"I'm home," I announced, kicking the door open with my leg and making way for Rowland to step in with the shopping bags in his hands. He was assisted by a maid, who followed him from behind.Walking towards the sofa, I sat heavily on it, letting out a low groan. The body aches. Even though my hands and arms were the ones that should be suffering due to what I had carried, my legs and even back decided to suffer along with it.I wished I could lie down in the living room and have a nap, but that wasn't the least of the things I desired to do right now. First and foremost, I needed to speak with Giovanni about Diamante.I needed to know what both of them had discussed. I hated being kept in the dark. I felt like I was the third wheel, and I was still stupid enough to have accepted to live with him.Maybe I was thinking too much. He had assured me it was nothing, but Diamante had made it seem like something they had spoken about was significant. Who was I supposed to believe?
LILITH POVIt wasn't until what I had in my hands clattered to the floor that I was brought back to reality."Casey? Romeo?" I stuttered, still looking with disbelief at the two people I never thought would have gotten to do this ever.I mean, Casey was my best friend. She was a fucking twenty-one years old, and mind you, she was older than Romeo by four fucking years.That was no bloody joke.It wasn't even the damning age differences that annoyed me. It was the fact that my best friend had thought it convenient to fuck my brother in Giovanni’s house.The surprise immediately turned to anger, and I screeched their names."Casey, Romeo!"They both startled as if they were only just realizing my presence now. Casey pushed Romeo off her, causing him to stagger backwards and I immediately turned as his dïck slipped out of her."Fucking get dressed," I seethe.I heard running around the room, panicked breath, and the ruffling of clothes. I didn't turn until I was sure both were decent eno
LILITH POVIt was past 10pm, and Romeo had yet to be home. Ever since we arrived here, he had barely kept up late at night. Also, he sometimes mentioned that he'd be arriving late, which always put our minds at ease.But since he left, no words had been heard from him. He didn't even tell my mother where he had wandered off to since I asked her, nor Giovanni, who was starting to look like a brother figure to him."Did I do too much?" I groaned out, stretching out on the sofa in Giovanni’s office.I was lucky to see his office open when I went there after my confrontation with Casey, and I told him everything that had happened."Do you think I spoke to him too harshly?" I questioned again. "Although I am not sorry for what I said to Casey."She should have known better. She was my best friend and had gone behind me to do what she did.Giovanni was quiet. His head was bowed, and he was barely staring at me."Say something," I mumbled. Anything from him at all. I couldn't understand why
LILITH POVI had thought I'd meet a sane Romeo in the living room, but the person that was here was barely the Romeo that left a few hours ago.He looked tattered and beaten, even as I could spot bruises on his face. Also, it seemed like he had jumped into the mud and rolled himself around until he was satisfied.I pinched my nose as I got closer to him. I didn't understand the stench coming from him. I could smell the distinct aroma of alcohol and something else."Romeo," I called him, but he wasn't even listening to me. I didn't think he was in the right state of mind to listen to anyone.He stumbled around the living room, picking everything in his way and tossing it around.He kept muttering nonsensical words, and he stilled when his eyes landed on me.For a brief seconds, he seemed to have returned to his normal self, until the crazed expression returned to his eyes."You dirty whore," he pointed to me and began to walk towards me.I stood rooted in the spot I was, not moving an
LILITH POVThe doorbell rang for the second time, and I paused the movie I was watching. My eyes wandered to the clock in the living room, it was noon.My mother was in her room, sleeping, maybe while Romeo had gone out with Giovanni. Only God knows where.But I wasn't bothered. I knew no matter what, he'd protect Romeo from arm's way.That said, I wasn't expecting anyone and couldn't help but wonder who was at the door.I walked to the door, looking through the peephole, but I couldn't make out anyone there."A prank?" I wondered. It wasn't even April or Halloween for anyone to have wanted to prank me.But I opened regardless. I knew I was safe in Giovanni’s house and I wouldn't be getting attacked because not only would an intruder have been caught at the heavily guarded entrance, they wouldn't have had a chance to sneak to get to the door because there were surveillance cameras everywhere.I opened the door slowly, standing behind it, and peeking. When I saw who was there, I let th
LILITH POV"Marry you?" I echoed back the words that Giovanni had said. I couldn't hide the disbelief in my voice or on my face.Surely, he was trying to tease me. Giovanni would never ask me to marry him, but that was a fucking red velvet box on the table.It could only be a ring inside. Of course. Nothing else would fit into a box as small as that.But Giovanni didn't make a commitment. He didn't want to get married to me, and he had said it himself. But what had changed?"I don't understand you, Giovanni," I said to him, moving closer to the table to take a closer look at the box. It was still closed. There was nothing special about it. Just the fact that it was red and an expensive-looking ring would be in it.I was tempted to take it, open it, and see what was inside for myself. But I didn't want to be too forward. Also, what if he was only trying to test me to see if I was still very much in love with him?I never did stop loving him, though, and I didn't think I'd ever stop.I
GIOVANNI POV"Bloody bastard!"I heard Gabriele Amato yell as soon as I stepped out of the house."Who the hell did he think he is? Just because he took over from that bloody thief, he believes he can walk all over us?""Father!""That's your chance to become a married woman, Diamante. Who would take you after the humiliation he put you through? I don't want any other man for you, except for him. Better start thinking of how to get to him."I scoffed, moving away from the entrance to the car. Like father, like daughter. I wasn't surprised.It was more irritating that Diamante was acting as if she was on my side. As if she hadn't planned with her father to ruin me.I hated when she looked innocent and unaware of what was going on.Whereas it was fucking planned by both of them.Rowland stepped out of the car and opened the door for me.I slid into it, sighing."Did the meeting go well?" he asked me, his hands on the steering wheel.I looked at him through the opened divider and shook m
GIOVANNI POVI clutched my hands tightly in front of me to stop me from doing what I had in mind. To strangle the breath out of Diamante and watch the life slowly fade away from her.I wanted to call her bluff. Even though I knew there was a 99% possibility that I had fathered the bastard inside her because I released it before I could stop myself, I still wanted to say to her face that she was lying.Diamante, seeing the stunned expression on my face, laughed heartily.This situation didn't warrant any laughter. I wanted to know the fucking truth.She just told you. My subconscious jeered."Are you surprised, Giovanni?" she asked me. "I stopped using birth control pills a long time ago. I had no one to fuck, so I didn't see any reasons to keep using it. Besides, stop looking at me as if I am the one who caused it. We both lost control. So, be a man and take up your responsibility."I opened my mouth to speak, but Gabriele Amato interrupted our conversation when he returned.He had a
GIOVANNI POVMy heart throbbed once again. I didn't know why it kept doing that. It had been doing that since I stepped out of the house. I felt kind of guilty for not precisely telling Lilith what was happening.I shouldn't feel that way because it was my life, and it wasn't as if I was bound to anyone or I promised to stay with anyone forever; I couldn't help it. I think Lilith deserved to know about Diamante's plot.At the same time, leaving her out of it seemed like the best decision ever."We are here," Rowland announced. I looked at the elegant Victorian building in front of me.The Amato's villa. The first time I came here was the last time, and it was to ensure her safety. After a message from her wanting to end it all, I arrived at the villa, hoping she was joking, until I saw it for myself.Also, after confronting her father, even though we didn't speak much and I said most of the words since I was pissed at him for neglecting his daughter in that manner, I realized he didn'
LILITH POV"Good morning, mom," I whispered; my voice was groggy as I walked past my mother to the living room.I groaned as the fresh aroma of coffee wafted into my nose. That would be my mother's doing. She must have woken up early to do the cooking.I walked to the counter and poured myself a cup of coffee before sitting on one of the stools in front of the kitchen's island.I cupped the mug, enjoying the warmth that spread from it to my fingers. Sighing, I glanced behind me as I heard my mother's voice. She wasn't alone. She was with Giovanni, who walked to where I was, and, well, Romeo.Briefly, I stared at Romeo, catching the hunt of remorse in his eyes before he looked away from me.He stood in the middle of the room, pocketing his hands in the grey joggers he wore. For someone who had been totally drunk last night, he barely looked hungover.Except for the blotches on his cheeks, which I couldn't tell what caused it, and the redness of his eyes, which I believed often appeared
GIOVANNI POVThe door clicked shut as I stepped in. Lilith was close to it, and she didn't make a move to even move closer.Inhaling deeply to curb the rage that was suddenly filling me away, I turned to her."Why am I here?" she asked me as she continued to stand by the door.How couldn't she know? Was it her thing to always act this clueless after trying to put herself in danger, or was I the one just doing too much?No, I didn't think so. This wasn't the first time she'd acted this one, which was annoying."You bloody put yourself in danger all the fucking time, Lilith." I snapped. I couldn't hold the anger back in. "How could you just fucking stand in front of him and let you smack you with that pillow?"I had seen the interaction. I followed her as soon as she ran out of the room, and I said nothing, only watching. I had hoped she would be in control and take care of everything without me butting in. Hence, I stood and watched until it was necessary for me to speak."You saw what
LILITH POVI had thought I'd meet a sane Romeo in the living room, but the person that was here was barely the Romeo that left a few hours ago.He looked tattered and beaten, even as I could spot bruises on his face. Also, it seemed like he had jumped into the mud and rolled himself around until he was satisfied.I pinched my nose as I got closer to him. I didn't understand the stench coming from him. I could smell the distinct aroma of alcohol and something else."Romeo," I called him, but he wasn't even listening to me. I didn't think he was in the right state of mind to listen to anyone.He stumbled around the living room, picking everything in his way and tossing it around.He kept muttering nonsensical words, and he stilled when his eyes landed on me.For a brief seconds, he seemed to have returned to his normal self, until the crazed expression returned to his eyes."You dirty whore," he pointed to me and began to walk towards me.I stood rooted in the spot I was, not moving an
LILITH POVIt was past 10pm, and Romeo had yet to be home. Ever since we arrived here, he had barely kept up late at night. Also, he sometimes mentioned that he'd be arriving late, which always put our minds at ease.But since he left, no words had been heard from him. He didn't even tell my mother where he had wandered off to since I asked her, nor Giovanni, who was starting to look like a brother figure to him."Did I do too much?" I groaned out, stretching out on the sofa in Giovanni’s office.I was lucky to see his office open when I went there after my confrontation with Casey, and I told him everything that had happened."Do you think I spoke to him too harshly?" I questioned again. "Although I am not sorry for what I said to Casey."She should have known better. She was my best friend and had gone behind me to do what she did.Giovanni was quiet. His head was bowed, and he was barely staring at me."Say something," I mumbled. Anything from him at all. I couldn't understand why