My heart hammers in my chest as I watch the brutal fight unfolding before me, every punch and kick sending waves of fear coursing through my veins.The cruel reality of our world presses down on me, and all I can think about is the life growing inside me - the precious, innocent life that already means more to me than anything else."Emily," Felix grits out between his teeth as he lands another blow against Hunter, "I'll get you out of this."I like that he’s still calling me Emily in this moment of urgency.That can only mean one thing - he feels the same affection he felt for me when I was Emily.To him, I’d always be Emily.His words are a lifeline, and I cling to them with everything I have.But Hunter isn't going down without a fight, and despite Felix's strength, I can see him struggling.My vision blurs with tears, and I force myself to focus, to stay present."Fight, Felix," I whisper, my voice barely audible over their grunts and the impact of flesh meeting flesh."You have t
FELIXThe car ride is a blur, the city lights streaking by as we make our way to my house.Rosalie sits quietly beside me, her pain evident in every wince and shallow breath.I can't help but feel responsible for it all – for letting her go without allowing her to give me an explanation."Rosalie," I start, taking her hand in mine."I'm sorry. I should have listened to you, and given you a chance to explain everything. But I was so blinded by my own anger and hurt that I couldn't see past my pain."I glance over at her, and she looks back at me with her soulful eyes."Your love has always been genuine, even when mine faltered. You deserve better than that, and I swear I'll spend the rest of my life making it right," I say.Tears form in her eyes. “No, Felix,” she says.“You don’t understand. You were nothing but honest to me from the moment we met. It was I who lied, cheated, and cornered you into not trusting me. I dug my own grave out there, and you don’t have to take the blame.”I
Instead, she searches my face as if trying to discern whether this is another one of my impulsive decisions or something deeper, more lasting."Are you sure, Felix?" she asks quietly, her voice barely audible over our heartbeats pounding in unison."You know marrying me won't erase the danger that follows me… us.""Nothing worth having comes easy,tesoro," I reply, caressing her cheek with my thumb."And you are worth every risk, every battle. I'll protect you, our child, and our family, no matter what it takes."Tears glisten in her eyes as she leans in, capturing my lips in a tender yet passionate kiss.It's a promise, a declaration of love, and an acceptance of my proposal, all wrapped into one breathtaking moment."Thank you," she murmurs against my mouth, her fingers tangling in my hair."I love you too, Felix. I’m so happy. I never wanted to raise a child without a husband."The weight of our shared future settles on my shoulders as we hold each other, but it fills me with renewe
ROSALIEThe soft glow of candlelight spills across the intimate setting of Felix's private dining room in our restaurant, casting flickering shadows on the dark wooden walls adorned with exquisite paintings.The scent of roses mingles with the savory aroma of our gourmet dinner, creating an elegant and seductive atmosphere.I can't help but feel entranced by the entire scene, my heart pounding in anticipation as I sit across from the man who has captured my soul.Felix Carlisi, the mighty Don of the Carlisi family, sits before me, his piercing blue eyes locked onto mine as if trying to decipher the secrets within them.His muscular frame is hidden beneath a tailored suit, his jet-black hair slicked back to reveal a strong jawline, and chiseled features that leave me breathless.Despite the dangerous aura surrounding him, there's a tenderness in his gaze, a vulnerability that he only shows when we're alone together like this.Our relationship has been a whirlwind of passion and intensi
The city skyline slowly fades behind us as we glide across the water, leaving nothing but the open sea ahead.Felix wraps an arm around me, and I lean into his embrace, feeling the steady beat of his heart against my back."Rosalie," he whispers in my ear, "you deserve all the happiness in the world, and I will do everything I can to ensure you have it."My cheeks flush with love, and I turn to face him. "Felix, this is more than I ever could have imagined.Just being here with you, knowing how much you care for me, is all the happiness I need."Our lips meet again, sealing our love beneath the stars as the yacht carries us further into the night.As we sail further into the open sea, the moon casts a silvery glow on the water, creating an ethereal atmosphere.The only sounds are the gentle lapping of waves against the yacht and the faint murmur of our voices.This night is unlike any other as if we're suspended in a moment that exists just for us."Rosalie," Felix begins, his voice l
I carry her across the threshold. Today, I married the love of my life.My enemies daughter - a fate so sealed in destiny that mafia families worldwide are speaking of it.Today, Rosalie Battaglia, and I, Felix Carlisi, changed history by doing something no one from our families has done before.Defied tradition.Blood doesn't triumph love. We proved that.But now, the past is the past and I am looking forward to the future, starting with what I've wanted to do since I saw her walk down that aisle in her wedding gown.She was - is - a vision to behold.Her figure hugs her curves in all the right ways, the fabric of her dress accentuating her perky tits and sculpted ass, making me want to rip the dress off her and claim her as mine.The air is heavy with lust as I lay her down on the soft bed, her chest heaving as she looks up at me with hungry eyes.I waste no time as I start kissing her neck, tasting the salty sweat on her skin.Her hands run through my hair, tugging at it as I rough
Her one-night stand has put her in danger as she's being pursued by a deadly hitman. What's worse is that she has just found out that she's pregnant and is now on the run. Diana's father has arranged her marriage to the son of a powerful Don in the Chicago mafia and she knows that there is no way out. She wanted one last night of passion and that's when she met him. He was the epitome of a Greek god and he had a charm that could make any woman swoon. Diana didn't even know his name and thought she'd never see him again.However, fate had other plans for her as the same stranger turned out to be her fiancé, Anthony. He was as dangerous as he was attractive, and now, with the danger that follows him, Diana's life is also at risk. She didn't need a hitman on her trail, especially now that she's carrying Anthony's baby.
DianaThis can't be happening.My heart tugs inward as my designer heels click against the sidewalk in a frantic rhythm.DianaHe can't make me go through with this and I won't.My self-assurance brings no comfort as I flee my father's office like someone hoping to outrun a tidal wave.While my peers spend their early twenties traveling, partying, and enjoying all the indulgent luxuries our privileged lives have to offer, I invest my energy in academic study.I believe I have a future ahead of me.One that doesn't involve being bred down like a racehorse.I should get out while I have the chance.Tears cloud my vision as I look up at the street lamps flickering on.The indigo sky darkens, and I wonder what I can do differently.Is there any way I can change my fate?Maybe if I leave when I turn eighteen... I can slip away, forfeiting the college trust and inheritance in exchange for my freedom.But it's too late now.My father is Alonzo Giuseppe, CEO of Global Oceans Incorporated, and
AlexanderA year have passed since the end of the war between my family and the Saconne family. Everyone was at peace. The Romano family was prospering with the added territory of the Saconnes we had divided amongst the other three great families.We were in good times now. Aryana had given birth to our son and he was adorable. He had my gray eyes, which I had also gotten from my father and Aryana’s golden-brown hair. I can still remember the day she went into labor. I had been so afraid and uncertain of what to do. Give me a gun or a knife, and I could kill anyone you wanted to, but give me a pregnant Aryana who was in labor? I was lost.I could still remember the emotions that threatened to overflow when an exhausted but overjoyed Aryana placed our son in my arms for the first time. Despite how wrinkly skin, he was beautiful.After recuperating, Aryana completed her master’s degree in Psychology. It had been a little bit difficult to see her stress over completing projects before de
“I was unconscious for two weeks?” Alexander was astonished, but I ignored his question because I just needed to tell him about my feelings in case this was all temporary.“And seeing how you would never wake up, I was lonely and scared, and I thought about all the times we had spent together, and I realized that I had fallen in love with you, but I didn’t know why I couldn’t say it, and then I regretted it and-,”Dry lips blocked the rest of my words from coming out. I didn’t hesitate to kiss back. It was amazing! I didn’t care that his lips were parched or that he hadn’t brushed his teeth in two weeks. I only watched him kissing me back, something he could do because he was awake!We slowly drifted apart.“Hi,” I whispered, afraid I would start rambling again.“Hi.” He said back to me. We stared deeply at each other, cataloging our features as if afraid we would forget with time.“I missed you.”“I missed you too.”I smiled widely, the first smile I had given in two weeks, and leane
AryanaTwo weeks.Two weeks had passed since Tony and Marcelo returned with an unconscious Alexander, covered in his blood. It’s been two weeks since Alexander promised me everything would be all right, since he promised he would come back. Technically, he didn’t lie. He did come back. Just not the way I had expected. It’s been two weeks since I last heard his voice, Since Alexander was last conscious.I missed him. I missed his voice. I missed his smiles and his grins. I missed seeing his gray eyes. I forgot how warm his embrace was. I missed the feeling of his lips on my body. I missed everything.To think that his last words to me had been to reassure and comfort me, and I couldn’t even tell him that I loved him. That was right. In watching over his prone body for the past two weeks, I came to the realization that I did, in fact, love Alexander. I couldn’t believe it had taken him falling into a coma for me to realize my feelings.How had I been so blind? Why had I continued to dou
Having found out the truth, there was no point in delaying matters. The only reason why Tom had been so successful in beating us down was because of Alfonso. Without Alfonso, what power did Tom have? Tom was already in a tight corner, and seeing how desperate he was to have sent Alfonso to kidnap Aryana, I could sense the end of this pointless war coming to a head.“I should kill you for your betrayal and send you on your way to meet my father, where you will spend your afterlife begging him for forgiveness, but I won’t. Not yet. What you’re going to do now is, you are going to tell Tom that you have Aryana, and he should meet you where we tell you to say. Do you understand?”The resignation was written all over Alfonso’s face. He knew he was done for. He had sealed his fate the day he decided to betray my family.“Are you sure it’ll be fine?” Aryana pulled me aside and asked. “What if he-”“Nothing will happen, I promise you.” I comforted her. “This will be the end, and we’ll finally
AlexanderWhy? I couldn’t believe it. I almost hadn’t wanted to believe it when Felice had taunted the knowledge in my face while kneeling on my feet moments before his death. Seeing my enemy at my feet greatly irritated me, laughing like a mad person instead of cowering and begging like I had wanted him to.Nonetheless, the information struck me like a bolt of lightning. A traitor in our midst had supplied the Saconnes with information about our trade routes so they would know where to hit. The traitor was also responsible for reporting my father’s location. Because of him, my father died. I was filled with rage. We had welcomed that traitor into our midst and had treated him like our family, and he repaid us like this?What pained me the most was who the most likely suspect could be. Marcelo and Tony had discussed this when I told them. We went over different possibilities and clues we could have missed.For the traitor to be reporting my father’s whereabouts meant he was high up in
My eyes widened in surprise.Elio Saconne was one of the brothers of Tom Saconne, the Don of the Saconne family. Marcelo had explained a little about the dynamics of the mafia families. Tom Saconne was the oldest of three brothers. After him were his two younger brothers, Elio and Felice Saconne. Despite how impulsive Tom appeared, it was a known fact that he doted on his brothers though I had doubts on whether he actually doted on them or if it was simply that he let them do whatever they wanted, precisely because he didn’t care about them.Alexander killing Elio meant a ray of sunshine for the Romano family as the war finally turned in their favor. It also told that Alexander was proving himself to his family members. Killing Elio was equivalent to cutting off a limb of the Saconnes. It was good news. I allowed myself to drag my eyes over Alexander and observe his features, spotting no happiness or pride in his feat. It had been quite a long time since I last saw him.I barely see A
AryanaWatching how the men under the Romano family cheered for Alexander settled the unease that had appeared ever since Marcelo told me what was happening. I was aware that this didn’t mean that they had forgiven Alexander. It meant that they would give him a chance to prove himself. I wondered if we hadn’t slept together or if I had allowed him to go back to grab a condom from his car back then, would this have happened? There would have been no need for Alexander to go into hiding. He would have stayed here with his family. His father probably wouldn’t have died, and these men wouldn’t have doubted Alexander’s loyalty to his family.I wished they wouldn’t be harsh on Alexander as it hadn’t been his fault. It wasn’t as if he had wanted to leave. He had argued with his father, but in the end, he’d had no choice but to obey his father’s orders. But I knew that wasn’t how the mafia operated.I watched in curiosity as they went on to perform the ceremony that would mark Alexander as th
“How are your injuries? I heard they’re better.” I changed the topic. I didn’t want to immerse myself in my longing for my father.“It’s getting better. You need not worry.” He patted my shoulder.“I know you need time to think about handling what will happen in a few minutes. I’m sure Tony told you about the displeasure of our men.”My eyebrows slightly furrowed at the words ‘our men,’ but he continued speaking before I could contemplate it. I decided that it must have been a blunder. After all, he was an old family member who served on my father’s side. It must have been a blunder.“I only came to tell you that I am here. I watched you grow from a baby to the man you are. You have my support.”I smiled, thankful for his support. He again gripped my shoulder, momentarily tightening his hold on me before letting go with another smile, exiting the study, and leaving me back to my thoughts.I let my mind wander as the time the men under the Romano banner would arrive slowly grew closer.
AlexanderReturning to Manhattan filled me with so many emotions. Memories of my father slammed strain me with so much force that I stopped in my tracks, earning glances from Tony, Marcello, and Aryana. I waved their concern away and stepped into the building that once housed my father, and meters in arms had arrived this morning to drive Aryana and me back to Manhattan. The ride back had been tense and quiet. The atmosphere between Aryana and me was strained. Since I told her I loved her last night and she didn’t reply, we didn’t know how to act in each other's presence. Even though I said she didn’t need to say it back, it didn’t mean I hadn’t been hurt. I couldn’t understand why she couldn’t say it back.Didn’t she love me? Had I read her emotions wrong? It was clear that she had feelings for me. Was it that her feelings for me were not as deep as mine, or was it too early for her? I scoffed bitterly to myself. It didn’t matter what. I couldn’t force her to return her feelings for