LOGINShare
75 : At His Mercy
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56•
Maybe? Just "maybe"?Was he actually planning to hurt her and Théo if he didn't get what he wanted? Did he tell his men to beat up Théo if he didn't talk?
Veronica tried to ignore the twinge of panic creeping into her chest again, making her wary of the guy's next move.
Rafa just left the room. He told her to stay in bed but didn't tell her where he was going. What was he up to? Was he going to talk to Théo now? Torture him till he got the answers he needed?
With bated breath, she followed suit and kept her steps as quiet as possible. The hallway remained dim, and the house was still quiet. The entire house seemed to be dim. No lights left on. No sunlight passing through the windows because of the drawn blinds.
Where the heck did they all go?
Wherever Rafa was going, she was pretty sure he wa
Related chapters
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 76 : Spared
7 days left•He wanted to die.A quick, easy death if possible.But him dying today wouldn't turn back time, unfortunately. Dying in the hands of some paranoid, filthy rich scumbag wouldn't undo everything. Théo swore in his head. It wouldn't undo the unspeakable horrors he let happen to the love of his life.Just the thought of that evil bastard touching Veronica with his bare hands was enough to make his blood churn with the damning urge to kill. Slit the bastard's throat. Shoot them all dead.Théo sat still, his entire torso still duct-taped to the chair. He let his aching head hang low while he pretended to be unconscious.One of the masked men was still in the room, pacing by the door with a handgun strapped to his hip.
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 77 : A Sudden Death
Minutes earlier • 1. Agree to the guy's deal. 2. Help convince Théo to talk. 3. Beg for their freedom and convince Rafa that she wouldn't talk to the cops. 4. Get Théo to the ER before she buys the plane tickets. 5. Go see Kyle in the hospital. It sounded like a doable plan. Highly risky, but still doable. Their ticket out of here required her to be smart. Act fast but smart. To think on her feet but also to quickly recall what were at stake. If it meant she had to play mind games with their captor, then she would do what it takes to get her and Théo out of this country alive. She had already agreed to Raffaele's proposition. He said he wanted her to help him convince Théo that he had to talk and give him the answers he needed. She didn't know jack
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 78 : The Last
• Ruptured brain aneurysm. It was what killed her best friend. Poor Kyle... So young. So full of potential. Lost in a blink. He was gone. Just like that. The shock didn't run out. Unless she saw him with her own eyes that moment his time of death was officially announced, she might never fully accept the painful reality that his life was over. Veronica let herself melt onto the cold floor while her head was trying to figure out a way to make her deal with the current circumstances. Her chest still felt painful and heavy with guilt, disbelief, and a fair amount of self-hatred. Fresh tears wouldn't stop coming out
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 79 : The Hunted
•The earsplitting noises of actual gunshots destroying the front of the house left her feeling like the entire two-storey home was going to cave in on them.Her heart almost jumped into her throat when one of Rafa's guys took a bullet to his chest and ended up bleeding on the kitchen floor.Darn it! It meant the armed criminals outside were making their way to the left side of the house, where she and Rafa stood by while he waited for their ride."Call an ambulance! Just call the cops!" she pleaded while Rafa gripped her by the arm to keep her behind him, seemingly shielding her again from incoming gunfire. Veronica glanced to the injured guy being towed away from the windows by another masked man."The driver's gonna get us out of here. We'll run past the yard through that small gate, then get in the backseat." Rafa pointed to the edge of the tall, all-white
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 80 : Refuge
• Rome, Italy • A long, boring, back pain-triggering flight back to America was what she thought would be wasting her entire day when she got out of bed this morning. Veronica could only scowl at what fate had in store for her and her ex. It felt like it was the longest morning of her life. She couldn't even tell the time. After stealthily handing her phone to Théo, she pretended to be busy inspecting Rafa's gunshot wound while leaning over his upper body, her right knee pressing against the backseat cushion. She was intentionally blocking Rafa's view of Théo to obscure Théo's first attempts at contacting the authorities with an SOS call, or some texts to his friends here in Italy. She, on the other hand, didn't even know the emergency number here in Italy. "Cazzo... Non mi hanno mai sparato." Rafa grunted and tensed his shoulders and arms. H
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 81 : Confessions Of A Kidnapper
• Being held hostage at gunpoint again while his ex-girlfriend was being escorted into another car just left him imagining the worst case scenario. His brain very much stayed in overdrive; he couldn't help it. But at least Veronica wasn't beside him right now, scared shitless and about to have her brain obliterated, just scattered all over expensive Bermuda grass. Théo kept his breathing steady despite the spine-chilling imagery stuck in his head. Now his fingers were intertwined while he held his arms up, his sweaty palms touching the back of his head. The prick was no longer pressing the mouth of his gun onto his face, casually threatening to shoot into his brain. But not knowing where Veronica would be taken only terrified him as much. Despite his anger, Théo knew he shouldn't show absolute indignation. He actually had to make the guy think t
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 82 : Threats To Security
•"Someone pregnant"?What? Was he talking about Veronica? Or just bullshitting him again?Was the guy simply trying to rile him up till he flipped the lid? To see him go ballistic on his criminal ass? Probably. Then the prick would have a good reason to use his gun.Théo glared at the guy, frowning at the lies and the prick's poor attempt at stroking his own ego. But what if Raffaele wasn't bluffing? It was the second time today that he hinted at Veronica being pregnant. Why?For fun? To watch him squirm? To watch him hate himself even more?"She's been begging me all morning. Something about her bandmate being in the hospital." Raffaele glanced down at his bullet wound and kept his loaded gun resting on his left thigh. "Guy just died. I heard. Thedrummer just called her," he
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 82 Pt 2 : A Rush Of Blood
•He was free to go? Just like that?The guy was probably just playing mind games with him again. But when Raffaele simply left the study room without another word, Théo was convinced he now had a shot at freedom.He would escape this place alive no matter what dangers awaited him outside. He still had a job to do, and he still needed to find Veronica. Théo backed away from the door and ignored the aching muscles in his limbs.Now that he was completely alone in the room, Théo sat behind Hugo Valtieri's desk and subtly put his arm under the hardwood. He extracted the listening device he stealthily installed a week ago after he tricked Ana.He sighed and got up from the swivel chair as he tried not to glance up at the CCTV camera. He had to talk to her and apologize before he had to go back to France. Hopefully he would be able to check up on her a
Latest chapter
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] Bonus : Book II [Sneak Peek Pt. 2]
° ° ° ° °She was an impostor.Out of all the things he’d imagined she was capable of…Faking someone else’s identity just wasn't on his Top 10. It just sounded so absurd. And pointless.Although, now that he had given it some time to stew ― give or take five hours ― the haze just cleared up in his head.Now he knew why she’d always seemed guarded, mostly reticent whenever he would ask about her family. She’d only given him bits and pieces over the six months they’d dated, and he thought it was rather suspicious, but it hadn’t occurred to him she was actually capable of a crime. She just didn’t strike him as the type.She had told him of her being a programmer and having worked for a telecoms company. He thought it was obvious and true, since she knew a lot about computers and technical stuff. Now that he’d come to think of it, he should’ve questioned her why sh
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] Bonus : Book II [Sneak Peek]
•••••••••Author's Note:Hi, friends and dear readers! ❤️☺️First off, thank you for checking out my books and for supporting the hardworking authors on this platform. Without you guys, we wouldn't be able to keep doing what we love doing.I hope you enjoyed reading about T and V's complicated lives, their personal struggles, family drama, their growth, and their rocky journey through adulthood together...Hopefully this story (it started out as a little fanfic btw) also made you believe in their undying 😂 love for each other through the years.(Sup, fiction lovers! SAY NO to insta-love! 😆🤭)Anyhoo! Hope you are all well and doing your best to stay healthy, happy, and keep living your best life! 😏👍Much love,M°[ Below is a snippet of the sequel I'm planning to write in the near future. Enjo
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 114 : We'll Make Our Own Future
•"Sorry." Théo held her hand on his thigh. A comfortable silence lingered in the room. His calmer demeanor now seemed genuine and he kept staring into her eyes.Perhaps he was done trying to provoke another argument just for the sake of it. The mumbled apology was giving her the distinct impression that he really wanted to work over their issues now.The thought, although comforting enough, still didn't get rid of her doubts. Veronica kept still on the bed. "For?"Théo averted his eyes. He let go of her hand and gave her the flimsiest of shrugs. "I was being a dick.""And?" She hid a grin using her bangs."I just...rushed to judgment.""Okay.""How's your mom?"A little surprised by the question, she leaned closer to his lap and smiled at him, content with his short but earnest apology. &n
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 113 : Setting Things Straight
• Despite some misgivings, Veronica didn't push him aside or leave his bedroom. She didn't want to leave him yet. She came back here to do radio interviews and promo shoots, but Théo was the main reason she decided to hop on a flight to Paris. She hadn't seen him in months. More importantly, they had a lot to hash out: 1) Anastasia Valtieri 2) Everything that happened in Rome 3) The real reasons he went to Tuscany The list went on and on... But she didn't plan to stay the night here in the loft. They didn't have much privacy; Théo was still living with his best friends. The rest of the two-storey house seemed quiet, though. Where did Tomek and the guys go? "Why didn't you tell me you're gonna be here?" Théo leaned against the closed door with his arms crossed, eyeing her with a curious squin
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 112 : Nice Seeing You Again
• Paris, France • "How many times a month d'you gotta see your shrink?" "What?" "Like every week?" "As often as necessary." Théo glanced up from his phone after his best friend's question sank in, distracting him from composing a new message for his ex. Veronica just texted him an hour ago. After weeks of radio silence. It wasn't unexpected behavior from her, considering the circumstances the last time they saw each other in person. Why did she decide to reach out to him again? Just because his grandmother died? Or because it was almost his birthday? Perhaps both convinced Veronica that it was time to rekindle their friendship again. "You're paying for everything? Every session?" Tomek sat beside him and pouted, his pale hand clutching a can of root beer. "Or your insurance covers half at least?" Théo scoffed and almost laughed. "I wish." The a
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 111 : You've Done Enough, Sport
• Disobeying a direct order. Obstruction of an investigation. Impeding the course of justice. Whichever was most applicable to his case, he had no choice but to face the music. His luck just kept running out lately. Saying he "meant well" wouldn't be enough for any of the big bosses, but at least his mother had his back this time. Well, somewhat. A judge might be more sympathetic, actually. Théo shifted on the hospital bed as he watched his mother wrap up another phone call. Perhaps her 20th for the day. Just part of her job. Like cleaning up after his mess. "Not like it's the first time," she would say. He most probably embarrassed her after what happened, but at least she showed up today. It must be just another debriefing. Or she only came over to reprimand him for disobedience and his defiant actions that almost ended in a vendetta.
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 110 : Job Well Done
•Nobody died. Two men from Leandro's group got shot in the arm and shoulder after some guy hiding in the old building pulled the trigger, but no one got killed.No horrendously violent shootout to report on the news. No casualties to count, investigate, autopsy, or bury. Hopefully no media coverage to worry about on the Internet, either.Théo's mother would take care of that issue. Most likely. Claudia seemed like she only needed to make a few phone calls to pull some necessary strings. Trying to find comfort in the thought, Veronica sat still behind the speechless driver. Her self-soothing attempts since they left the scene of the crime eventually got trumped by the sound of Alodia mewling in Raffaele's arms.Alodia sat in the backseat with him, sobbing uncontrollably for the past few minutes. The heart-wrenching noise filled the vehicle as they drove back towards
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 109 : Back In His Arms
• "Aya! Don't even... Argh! Cazzo!" "No, Aya!" Veronica could only stand and watch as Raffaele ran after his pregnant girlfriend. He rushed out of the SUV the second Alodia started running for the tall gates. They were wide open, almost too tempting to ignore, which eventually convinced Alodia to step into the property amid the ongoing standoff. "Please don't shoot! Don't shoot!" Alodia kept screaming as her tears ran down her pale cheeks. "He's... He's not himself! Please! I'm begging you. Don't shoot him!" She was all eyes on Leandro while begging for the authorities to spare the guy's life. Before she could even reach the parking lot surrounded by Italian cops and their heavily armed tactical team, two taller guys clasped her arms, effortlessly holding her back, keeping her stuck and sobbing beside a police car. Raffaele didn't get that far. Three cops blocked his way before h
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 108 : A Defensive Stand
•About half an hour of begging and tears eventually granted her wish. Raffaele obviously hated to say yes to her request, but he gave in when she didn't stop pleading for him to take her to Castiglione.Such an impulsive decision on her part—a choice that might put her life in serious danger, but she just couldn't stay behind. Wait. Do nothing. No thanks. She had to be there. See Théo with her own eyes.This would be the last time she would be risking her own safety for him. Seriously. The last time. Her mother didn't even know she was back here in Italy, begging for help from strangers just to find her ex. Raffaele didn't treat her like a stranger, though. For the past 24 hours, he had been indulging her, consoling her, helping her to the best of his ability as though they were old friends.Did it mean he already forgave Théo? F
