(Alessio's POV) All heads bowed to me as I arrived at the clan. They were all shivering at the sight of me—just the way I wanted it. Ivan was beside me; he’s my right-hand man, so he is often everywhere I go. "Good evening, Don," they all greeted in unison, their heads bowed horizontally in front of me. In the DeLuca empire, I’m referred to as Don by everyone who works under me. "Have all the drugs been packaged well for shipping?" I asked, my face cold as ice. It had always been that way, but tonight was worse, and it was all because of Lisa. My mind kept drifting back to her being in the cold room alone with every second that passed. "Yes, we did, Don. But one of the mobsters tried to escape with a drug." My face tightened at the words I just heard. Just when I was thirsty for blood, someone had offered himself. "Where is he?" I asked, my voice laced with fury. I was led to the dungeon of the clan, and the man who had tried to run away with one of my drugs was sitting
(Lisa's POV) I felt his huge arm wrapped around me as he lay next to me on the bed. I took a moment to visualize where I was, and when I realized I was in his room, I let out a deep sigh. My eyes slowly met his closed eyes, and I couldn't stop myself from admiring him. He looked like an innocent angel who couldn’t hurt a fly while sleeping. His long eyelashes curled up to his eyelids, his pointed nose was well-defined and structured, and his soft, thin lips—it felt so kissable right now. I had to look away, reminding myself that he is a monster and shouldn’t be swayed by how innocent he looks while sleeping. Once those eyes of his open, he becomes a monster who won’t hesitate to gouge out someone’s eyes or kill a person. Not only that, he even asked Ivan to lock me up in a cold room, caring less whether I was going to die or not. When I was locked up in there, I said a short prayer, hoping to make it to heaven because I thought I'd die. How could he have done that to me? He kidn
(Lisa's POV) He took my legs and placed them on his lap, and all I could do was watch him in shock. Was this the same monster who had gouged out someone’s eyes without thinking twice? Why would he even bother to treat my wounds? I thought to myself as I watched him open the first-aid box, pulling out an antiseptic solution. The warmth of his hands moving gently across my feet as he examined my injury sent shivers down my spine. I should have been focused on the pain in my foot, but instead, I was hyper-aware of his touch—almost as though it were igniting something deeper within me. His hands always seemed to evoke sensations I couldn’t suppress, no matter how much I hated him. He applied the antiseptic solution to the wound, and that’s when I winced. “Does it hurt?” His voice was soft, almost a whisper. I nodded slowly, feeling strangely childlike. He lowered his head to my feet and began blowing cool air over the wound to soothe it. I stared at him, utterly baffled. Was this Ale
(Alessio's POV) "Alessio," she called my name, and when I turned to look at her, she raised herself on her toes just so she could reach my height, and she kissed me. The kiss came so unexpectedly that the cigarette stick fell from my hand. I wasn’t expecting this from her. She nearly accused me of trying to have sex with her when she was unconscious, and now she’s kissing me—her lips all over mine as though she was waiting for an invitation to enter my mouth. She devoured my lips even though I wasn’t kissing back. I was too shocked to reciprocate. The way she was kissing me wasn’t the same as that night. That night, it was passionate and filled with longing. But this time, her kiss felt empty, like she was doing it on purpose. Recovering from my shock, I pulled her away. "What are you doing?" I asked, and she smiled at me—something she had never done before. All she ever did was glare at me or look at me with fearful eyes. "Kissing you," she replied, trying to kiss me again, b
(Lisa's POV) "I don’t know what you’re up to, but whatever it is, don’t even think about it. I already told you I can’t control myself when I’m angry. I don’t want to hurt you, but if you push me, I will—and it’ll be bad. You can ask Ivan; I don’t say things I won’t do. Do I make myself clear?" His words echoed a thousand times in my ears, each syllable searing into my consciousness. It was a warning, but I didn’t care. His threats didn’t scare me anymore. I was still going to push through with my plans. Since he refused to let me go and chose to lock me up in his house, I was determined to do whatever it took to leave this place—even if it meant becoming a seductress. If gaining his trust was the key, then I would play the part to earn it. I was resolute in my plan to escape the grasp of a monster like him and the chaotic world he lives in. A small smile spread across my face as determination filled me. I looked around the room, but he was nowhere to be found. I was sure I had f
(Lisa's POV) "Am I really the first woman he ever brought to his house?" This thought surged through me as I sat down on the bed. Ivan had long gone because he said he had some business stuff to handle with Alessio. I didn’t bother to ask Ivan about it because I knew I wouldn’t understand a thing about the kind of business Alessio does. But was Ivan telling the truth when he said I am the first woman Alessio has brought home, or was he just lying to make me stay here and try not to escape again? He’s Alessio’s right-hand man and supports him even when he’s wrong. Besides, no woman in her right senses would want to live in a house where the exit is hard to find. I don’t care if I’m the first woman he ever brought home; I’m still going to push through with my plans. There’s nothing to be impressed about. He was my first, but I wasn’t his first. He has been with lots of women, so I shouldn’t be swayed just because I am the first woman he’s kept close after the night we had sex. Som
(Alessio's POV) Does she like Isabella already? Does that mean she won't try to escape again since she already has someone to talk to? I asked myself as my fingers tapped on the table occasionally. I decided to go through with what Ivan suggested—giving her someone she could chat with anytime she feels bored. The maids won't talk to her freely because I’ve instructed them to show her the same respect they show me. Isabella is one of my workers in the clan. I chose her because she seems less corrupt than the other female mobsters. The female mobsters in the clan are nothing but bitches who sleep with anyone they come across, and I don’t want Lisa to be corrupted by any of them. That’s why I chose Isabella. I hope Lisa won’t try to escape again now that I’ve given her someone to talk to. I only went through with Ivan’s advice, not because she’d succeed in escaping, but because I don’t want to hurt her if she tries escaping again. I just hope this time she won’t disobey, so I won’t
(Alessio's POV) "You won't have to kill anyone, Godfather, because I don't love any woman, and it's always going to remain that way. Like I have always said to you, I'm nothing like my father. I won't ever end up the way he did," I said, with all the assurance I could give. Lisa is just someone I want to keep around me, not someone I love. "That's good to know. Your father was a disgrace to the DeLuca family," Salvatore said, and that made my anger boil. My dad might not be the strongest man I know, but he was the purest person on earth. The only mistake he made was falling in love with the wrong woman, and with each passing day, I wish she wasn't my mother. "Don't call my father a disgrace, Godfather. Even if he didn't meet up to the family's expectations, at least he gave his best. I won't tolerate you insulting my dad. He might be dead, but you have no right to insult him, even at his grave," I said, my voice filled with anger. It has always been tradition to respect the Godf
(Lisa's POV) My eyes slowly opened, and I winced in pain from my stab wound. I tried to comprehend where I was, but the room was dark. I attempted to stand up despite feeling weak, but I couldn't move. I was tied up with heavy chains that I couldn't break free from. What happened? Why am I here? I asked myself these questions, slowly remembering how I had asked Rosita for help and how she had willingly agreed to assist me, only for me to fall unconscious in her car. "I’ve found someone for the job" I recalled her words from earlier, and fear gripped me as I realized I had been kidnapped. What job was she talking about? Did I jump from frying pan into a lake of fire? I was trying to run away from Alessio, only to be kidnapped again. I struggled against the chains, but they were too heavy for me to break free from. Even when Alessio had kidnapped me, he had never tied me up with chains. "Someone please help me!" I screamed. My wounds were bleeding, and it hurt so much, even
(Alessio's POV) "It's been a while, Godfather. I'm so happy to see you again," I heard Bianca say as I entered my office. She was pouring him a glass of liquor, trying to win his favor. "Why are you back?" I asked, not bothering to offer him a welcome greeting. He had to return to Rome at a time when Lisa needed me the most. She’s lying in a hospital bed, and I can’t be with her right now because of Salvatore. "Shouldn’t you at least give me a welcome-back hug?" Salvatore asked with a smile. "That’s not my thing," I replied, my eyes shifting to Bianca. She understood the silent command in my gaze and left without a word. "What brings you to Rome?" I asked again. "Am I no longer allowed to be in my home country?" he replied with a smirk. "By the way, where’s Ivan?" he asked, and Ivan entered immediately. "Welcome back, Godfather," Ivan greeted with a warm smile. Salvatore walked up to him and patted his back. "Thanks, Ivan. That’s what I like about you—you always know
"She is going to be fine. The knife didn’t go that deep, which means it’s just a minor injury," I heard a man say. My vision wasn’t clear when I first opened my eyes, but after a brief moment, I saw Alessio talking to a doctor. "If something bad happens to her, you’ll be dead," he said authoritatively, his tone scaring the doctor. "I have been in this medical field for more than eleven years, and I assure you she will be fine. I’ve already operated on her, and the stabbing didn’t go that deep," the doctor explained, though he fidgeted nervously in front of Alessio—he always had a way of intimidating people wherever he went. As for me, the doctor was right when he said the stabbing wasn’t deep, because I had made sure of that when I intentionally stabbed myself. It had taken all the courage in the world to purposely stab myself. It was the only option I had. I thought finding the exit would get me out of his life and back to my normal life in California, but I was wrong. With
(Alessio's POV) "Did you just smile?" she asked, looking surprised to see me smile. This would be the first time she had actually seen me smile, even if I had chuckled or smiled a few times because of her. How she had compared me to her ex-boyfriend stayed glued in my brain, and every time I thought about it, I felt nothing but anger. I couldn’t shake it off no matter how hard I tried, and that’s why I decided to ask her. When she said she no longer loved or thinks of her ex, I felt happy—no, I was over the moon. Do I love her to this extent for me to be overjoyed that she no longer thinks of her shitty ex-boyfriend? If a soothsayer had told me Lisa was a witch, I wouldn’t doubt it, because she had cast a love spell on me. "You just smiled, didn’t you?" she asked again, as her fragile index finger pointed at my lips. "No, I didn’t," I said, keeping a straight face. Even though I was in love with her, I couldn’t make it so obvious. I was still Alessio DeLuca, no matter what.
(Lisa's POV)I kept pacing around the room, not knowing how to leave the suite. I had screamed and knocked on the door, but no one was willing to open it for me. My throat even hurt from screaming so much. Why would he think of locking me in here? Still, I couldn’t shake the thought of how I—no, how we survived the landmine without getting hurt. Was it a real landmine, or was it just for show? I thought to myself as I continued pacing around the room.I need to go back to California now that I was fully aware of the exit, but what if he keeps locking me in here? I quickly went to the door to knock again, but that’s when he entered. I stumbled backward at the sight of him.“You were about to knock on the door again, weren’t you?” he asked. His voice seemed calmer now. Does that mean he’s no longer mad at me?“You locked me in here the whole day. Why would you even do that? You can’t just lock me in here,” I said. He walked closer to me, lowering his head to match my height. I gulped ha
(Alessio's POV) I wanted to leave her there, letting the rain continue to drench her, but she kept calling out my name, making it difficult for me to stand by my words. I brought her inside the house after she lost consciousness. When she woke up this morning, I was on the brink of unleashing my anger at her for disobeying me. However, when she winced in pain as I held her jaw, I let go, because this foolish heart of mine always ached in pain whenever she was in pain. I hated the fact that I was in love with her. It took a lot of thinking for me to understand my heart. I had always said I would never fall in love with any woman, but here I was, already in love with that fragile, stubborn woman. Now that I know how I feel about her, the Godfather might come after her, but I will ensure he never lays a finger on a single strand of her hair. She was mine even before I realized my feelings for her, and now that I know I love her, I wouldn't hesitate to kill millions of people just for
(Lisa's POV) I kept my eyes wide open, trying my best not to fall asleep. If I did, I would move my feet, which meant I would die, and the fear of dying scared me to the core. Now I fully understood why everyone here respected his orders; they didn't want to die. My legs ached, and I was growing weaker from standing on this landmine for more than three hours. I had heard a couple of stories about how deadly landmines could be, and Alessio was cruel for leaving me here without even attempting to help. I hated him so much! Who in their right mind would install a deadly weapon in their house just because they had a web of enemies? Just when I thought I could finally go back to my dad, I was trapped here with no one trying to help me. "You are so heartless, Alessio," I muttered as tears continued to pour down my cheeks. My eyes threatened to close, but I fought to keep them open. "Please, anyone, help me!" I screamed, but the response I got was the echo of my voice. The guar
(Alessio's POV) "Welcome back, Boss Alessio," the gatekeeper said as I drove past him. I ignored him, just as I always ignored anyone who greeted me. My face bore nothing but anger as Lisa's words kept echoing in my ears. I had spent the previous night at the clan because I was consumed with rage, and I didn't want to take it out on her. If I did, she wouldn't be able to survive it. The drive to the house took a few minutes since the distance between the gate and my house was a bit far. When I stepped out of the car, I was immediately approached by one of the guards. It was unusual for them to approach me unless something serious had happened. "Don Alessio," he said, his head bowed to the ground. "What do you want?" I asked coldly. "It's the woman you brought home," he replied, speaking in Italian. "What woman?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "The woman that was brought from California." "Lisa?" I furrowed my brows, not quite understanding what he was saying. He was one of the me
(Lisa's POV) I sat on the bed, my smile never leaving my face. After much thinking and trying to figure out where the exit of Alessio's house could be, I had finally found it. He wasn't just a monster; he was a tricky man as well. No one would have guessed that the tiny dot could be the key to leaving this house. I had finally come to believe the saying that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Now that I knew the exit, I planned to leave quietly, without anyone noticing. I had no idea how I would book a flight back to California since I had lost my phone and credit card the day he kidnapped me. But it didn't matter; I was going to find a way back to California. What mattered most was leaving this place first. A hand tapped my shoulder, causing me to scream in surprise, as I had been deep in thought. "Are you okay?" Isabella asked, worried about my outburst. I let out a deep sigh and nodded. "Yes, I’m fine. Why did you tap me like that? You scared me." "I'm sorry I sta